سورة النساء

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Hammad ibn Zabyan said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about the mustad'af (the oppressed/weak one). The Imam said: "He is one who finds no stratagem against disbelief so as to disbelieve, and finds no path towards faith either; he can neither believe nor disbelieve. They are the children, and whoever from among the men and women is, in intellect and understanding, on a par with children — the pen of accountability is lifted from them."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Whoever recognises the difference between people is not a mustad'af.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The mustad'afin are several groups who differ from one another, and whoever from the people of the qibla is not a nasib (an opponent of the Imams) is a mustad'af.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Sufyan ibn al-Simt al-Bajali said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "What do you say about the mustad'afin [who are unable to recognise the Imam]?" With a particular state he said: "Have you [with all the spreading of information you have done] left anyone as a mustad'af?! Where is the mustad'af?! By Allah, veiled women and the water-carriers on the roads of Madina [who are the most uninformed of people] speak about this matter [and have knowledge of it]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Isma'il al-Ju'fi said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): ... "[Is anyone who does not know this matter saved]?" He said: "No, except the mustad'afin." I said: "Who are they?" He said: "Your women and your children." Then he said: "Do you consider Umm Ayman (the freedwoman of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and one of the witnesses of Fadak) to be a mustad'af? I bear witness that she is of the people of Paradise, even though she did not understand this madhhab and belief that you hold [meaning, she did not know the imamate of the other Imams (apart from Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him)) and was excused in that regard]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurarah said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): "Allah says: هُوَ الَّذِی خَلَقَکُمْ فَمِنْکُمْ کافِرٌ وَ مِنْکُمْ مُؤْمِنٌ [He is the One who created you; some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers] (al-Taghabun/2). So by Allah, there is no one among the people who is neither a believer nor a disbeliever." Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "O Zurarah! The word of Allah is more truthful than your word. Has Allah not said: خَلَطُوا عَمَلًا صالِحاً وَ آخَرَ سَیِّئاً عَسَی اللهُ أَنْ یَتُوبَ عَلَیْهِمْ [They have mixed a righteous deed with another evil one; perhaps Allah will accept their repentance] (al-Tawbah/102)." When the Imam (peace be upon him) said عَسَی [perhaps] and recited this word of the verse, I said: "Well, they too are either believers or disbelievers." He said: "Then what do you say about this verse: إِلَّا المُسْتَضْعَفِینَ مِنَ الرِّجالِ وَ النِّساءِ وَ الْوِلْدانِ لا یَسْتَطِیعُونَ حِیلَةً وَ لا یَهْتَدُونَ سَبِیلًا [Except the oppressed among the men, women and children who have neither the means nor find a way], meaning they have not been guided to the path of guidance toward faith." I said: "They too are either believers or disbelievers." He said: "By Allah, they are neither believers nor disbelievers."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Hamzah ibn Tayyar said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said to me: ... The people are of six groups. I said: "Do you permit me to write their names?" He said: "Yes." I said: "What should I write?" He said: "Write: the people of fear from among the people of Paradise and the people of Hell. And write: and another group who confessed their sins — خَلَطُوا عَمَلًا صالِحاً وَ آخَرَ سَیِّئاً [they have mixed a righteous deed with another evil one]; perhaps Allah will accept their repentance, for Allah is Forgiving, Merciful (al-Tawbah/102)." I said: "Who are they?" He said: "Wahshi was one of them. And write: and another group have been left to the will of Allah — either He punishes them or He accepts their repentance. And Allah is Knowing, Wise (al-Tawbah/106). And write: except that group of men, women and children who have truly been placed under pressure; they have neither the means to devise a plan nor find a way [to escape from that corrupt environment], who know neither a trick toward disbelief nor find a way toward faith. It may be that Allah will pardon them. And write: the dwellers of al-A'raf (al-A'raf/48)." I said to him: "Who are the companions of al-A'raf (the Heights)?" He said: "A group whose good deeds and bad deeds are equal, and if Allah enters them into Hell, it is due to their sins, and if He calls them into Paradise, it is from the mercy of the Divine Essence."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Sulayman ibn Khalid said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about the mustad'afin (the oppressed). He said: "A woman who is behind the curtain. And a servant who has no way anywhere — you tell her, 'Pray,' and she prays, and whatever you say, she obeys. And a slave who moves along with his master and knows nothing; whatever his master says, he obeys. An old man who has lost his mind and reason, or a child who does not have the ability to make decisions and does whatever you tell them — these are called mustad'af (the oppressed). But a man whose neck is thick, who is a person of argument and enmity, who has the ability to buy and sell and trade, and whom you cannot cheat or deceive — do you call him mustad'af? No, this one is not mustad'af and has no honour."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The oppressed ones (mustad'afin) are those about whom Allah said: الَّذِینَ لا یَسْتَطِیعُونَ حِیلَةً وَ لا یَهْتَدُونَ سَبِیلًا [Those who have no means at their disposal, nor can they find a way], which means they can neither find a way into the trickery of disbelief and polytheism, nor is it good for them to reach it, nor are they guided to a path that would lead them to becoming Muslims. They do not recognise this path. They are the People of al-A'raf (the Heights), and Allah deals with them according to His will. If He wishes, He admits them to Hell because of their sins, and if He wishes, He pardons them by His mercy.

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Ali ibn Ja'far narrates: I asked Imam Kazim (peace be upon him)... this saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) concerning Ali (peace be upon him), "مَن کُنتُ مَولَاهُ فَعَلِیٌّ مَولَاهُ [Whoever's master I am, Ali is his master] — had Allah commanded him to do so?" He said: "Yes." I said: "Then must I disavow, before Allah, those who denied it from the day the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) issued that command (the Lord's command to introduce Imam Ali (peace be upon him) as wali)?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Yes, it is so." I said: "Are people counted as Muslims until they recognise this?" He said: "No, except that group of men, women and children who are truly under duress; they have no means of contrivance, nor do they find a way [to escape from that corrupt environment]." I said: "Who are they?" He said: "Do you not see your servants and your women who understand nothing of these matters — do you kill your servants while they affirm to you whatever you say and act upon it?" Then he said: "Whoever has that truth (the Lord's command to accept the wilayah of Imam Ali (peace be upon him)) presented to him and is made aware of it, but denies it — Allah removes him from His mercy and destroys him, for there is no good in him."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Mas'ada ibn Sadaqa narrates: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked: "Is الْأَمْرِ بِالمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْیِ عَنِ المُنْکَرِ [enjoining good and forbidding evil] obligatory upon all members of the ummah?" He said: "No." They said: "Why?" He said: "Because this duty is obligatory upon one who has the power, whose word is heeded, and who knows the good from the evil — not upon one who is weak and himself has not been guided to any path [so that he could seek to guide others]."

Imam Hadi (peace be upon him): The word of Allah concerns those weak and incapacitated people who have no means and find no way, as He said: إِلَّا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِینَ مِنَ الرِّجالِ وَ النِّساءِ وَ الْوِلْدانِ لا یَسْتَطِیعُونَ حِیلَةً وَ لا یَهْتَدُونَ سَبِیلًا [Except the oppressed among men, women and children who have no means at their disposal and cannot find a way]; and Allah has declared that the mustad'af (powerless one) has no free path, and provided he has faith in his heart, there is no blame upon him for his [contrary] speech.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Ismail al-Ju'fi said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about the religion which the servants cannot afford to be ignorant of. He said: "The religion is broad, but the Kharijites, out of their ignorance, made it narrow upon themselves." I said: "May I be your ransom, do you permit me to speak to you of the religion I hold to?" He said: "Yes." I said: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) is His servant and Messenger, and I confess to what has been sent down from Allah the Exalted, and I hold walayah (allegiance) toward you, and I disavow your enemies and those who have taken control over you, ruled over you, and seized your right." He said: "By Allah, you are ignorant of nothing; I swear that what you have said is indeed our condition, we the Ahl al-Bayt." I said: "Is anyone who does not know this matter a Muslim [saved]?" He said: "No, except the mustad'afin (the oppressed / weak ones)." I said: "Who are they?" He said: "Your women and your children." Then he said: "Have you seen Umm Ayman? [She was of the mustad'afin, and] indeed I bear witness that she is among the people of Paradise, though she did not comprehend the station upon which you stand."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): Abdullah ibn Salam said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and said: "Tell me, does Allah the Mighty and Majestic punish a servant without completing the proof against him?" He said: "معاذ الله [Allah forbid] — I seek refuge in Allah that such a thing should come from Allah." I said: "Then are the children of the polytheists in Paradise or in the Fire?" He said: "Allah, Blessed and Exalted, has more right to judge concerning them. When the Day of Resurrection comes and Allah the Mighty and Majestic gathers all creation for the decisive judgement of truth, He will bring forth the children of the polytheists and say to them: 'O My male and female servants, who and what is your Lord? What is your religion and what are your deeds?'" The Imam said: "They say: 'O Lord, our Sustainer, You created us and we created nothing; You gave us death and we gave death to nothing; You did not grant us tongues to speak, nor ears to hear, nor a book that we might read, nor a prophet that we might follow, and we have no knowledge except what You have taught us.'" He said: "Allah the Mighty and Majestic says to them: 'O My male and female servants, if I command you with something, will you carry it out?' They say: 'O our Lord, we hear and we obey You.'" He said: "Then Allah the Mighty and Majestic commands a fire called al-Falaq to be kindled. It is the harshest fire in Hell, and its torment is greater than anything in Hell. That black, dark fire comes forth from its place with chains and shackles, and Allah the Mighty and Majestic commands it to blow a little upon the faces of the creatures. But from the intensity of its blast the sky is torn and rent apart, the stars vanish, the seas are frozen and locked up, the mountains are annihilated, sight is dimmed, pregnant women lay down their burdens and cast down their children, and children turn grey from fear of it. Then on the Day of Resurrection Allah the Blessed and Exalted commands the children of the polytheists to cast themselves into that fire. Whoever it has been ordained for in the knowledge of Allah the Mighty and Majestic to be blessed casts himself into it, and the fire becomes cool and safe upon him just as it was cool and safe upon Ibrahim (peace be upon him). And whoever it has been ordained for in the knowledge of Allah the Mighty and Majestic to be wretched refuses and holds back and does not cast himself into the fire. Then Allah the Blessed and Exalted commands the fire, and because of his abandoning Allah's command and his refusal to enter it, it snatches them up and seizes them. In this way they follow their fathers into Hell."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurara narrates from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) that he said: "When the Day of Resurrection comes, Allah the Mighty and Majestic will present His proof against five: children, those who died in the interval between prophets [having reached neither the earlier nor the later prophet], those who lived in the time of one of the prophets but had no intellect, the feeble-minded, the insane who had no intellect, and the deaf and dumb. Each of them will present an argument to Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Then Allah will send a messenger to them, and that messenger will kindle a fire for them and say to them: 'Your Lord commands you to leap into this fire.' Whoever leaps into it, the fire becomes cool and harmless for him, and whoever disobeys is driven to Hell."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Zurarah said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "By what criterion is the fate of children who die before reaching puberty determined?" Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "This question was asked of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) answered: 'Allah knows best what they would have done.'" Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Do you know what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) meant by giving this answer?" I said: "No, I do not know." Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) meant: refrain from disputing and arguing over this matter, and leave their fate to Allah."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Hisham narrates: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked about how Allah deals with those who died during the fatrah (the long period between Isa (peace be upon him) and Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), in which no prophet came), and about those who are insane or who died before reaching puberty. He said: "Allah completes His proof against them in this way: He kindles a fire and commands them to enter it. Whoever enters it, the fire becomes cool and safe for him, and whoever refuses, they are told: 'You saw — We commanded you, yet you disobeyed Us!'"

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn Sinan said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): what is the ruling on the children of polytheists who die before reaching puberty? ... He said: "A fire is kindled for them (the children) and they are told: enter the fire. If they obey and enter the fire, the fire becomes cool and safe for them; and if they refuse, Allah the Mighty and Majestic says to them: 'So it is — behold, I commanded you and you disobeyed Me.' Then He commands that they be taken to the Fire."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Amr ibn Ishaq said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked: "How is the mustad'af (the weak one) whom Allah the Exalted mentioned in the Quran defined?" He said: "The one who does not know a surah of the Quran well, while Allah has created him in such a way that, given that creation, it is not fitting for him not to know it."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurarah narrates: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said regarding the verse: الْمُسْتَضْعَفُونَ الَّذِینَ لا یَسْتَطِیعُونَ حِیلَةً وَ لا یَهْتَدُونَ سَبِیلًا [The oppressed ones who cannot devise a plan nor find a way]: "They can neither find any device or way toward faith, nor are they capable of disbelieving. [Those who fit this description are] children, and women and men whose intellect is on a par with that of children."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Humran said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about إِلَّا المُسْتَضْعَفِینَ [Except the oppressed ones]. He said: "They are the people of wilayah (allegiance)." I said: "Which wilayah is meant?" He said: "It is not wilayah in religion, but rather wilayah in marriage, inheritance and mixing [with people]. They are neither believers nor disbelievers. Among them are those whose affair is deferred to the command of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Khadijah narrates: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said regarding the verse: إِلاَّ المُسْتَضْعفِینَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَ النِّسَاء وَ الْوِلْدَانِ لاَ یَسْتَطِیعونَ حِیلَةً وَ لاَ یَهْتَدُونَ سَبِیلاً [Except the oppressed among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan nor find a way]: "They have no way to nasb (enmity toward the Ahl al-Bayt) so as to become enemies, nor do they find the way of the people of truth so as to enter it. These people enter Paradise through good deeds and by avoiding the forbidden things which Allah the Mighty and Majestic has prohibited, but they do not reach the rank of the righteous (abrar)."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Abu al-Sabbah narrates: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said regarding the oppressed ones who have no means and find no way [of escape from that corrupt environment]: "They find no way to enter disbelief, nor are they guided toward faith so as to become believers. They are neither disbelievers nor believers."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Sulayman ibn Khalid said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the verse: إِلاَّ الْمسْتَضْعفِینَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاء وَ الْوِلْدَانِ لاَ یَسْتَطِیعونَ حِیلَةً وَ لاَ یَهْتَدُونَ سَبِیلاً [Except the oppressed among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan nor find a way]. He said: "O Sulayman! Among these oppressed ones there are those whose necks are thicker than yours! [So what is meant is not physical weakness]. The oppressed are a group who pray and fast, guard their stomachs and private parts, do not see the truth as being in anyone other than our household, and cling to the branches of this fruitful tree. فَأُوْلَئِکَ عسَی اللهُ أَن یَعفُوَ عنْهُمْ وَکَانَ اللهُ عفُوًّا غَفُورًا [So these, it may be, Allah will pardon them, and Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving] (An-Nisa/99). If they cling to the branches of this tree, even though they may not recognise them (the Imams), then if Allah pardons them, it is out of His mercy, and if He punishes them, it is because of their misguidance regarding what He has made known to them."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Jamil ibn Darraj said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "Sometimes I mention these oppressed ones and I say that we and they will be in the abodes of Paradise." The Imam said: "Allah will never do that with you."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ayyub ibn al-Hurr said: We were in the presence of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) when a man said to him: "May I be your ransom, we fear that because of our sins we may be brought down [in Paradise] to the rank of the mustad'afin (the oppressed weak ones)?" He said: "No, by Allah, Allah will never do that to you."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurara said: I and Humran (or I and Bukayr) went to Imam Baqir (peace be upon him). I said: "We stretch out the mitmar [and measure]?" He said: "What is the mitmar?" I said: "[The tool of] the plumb-line worker. So whoever agrees with us, whether he is an Alawi or not, we take him as a friend, and whoever opposes us, whether he is an Alawi or not, we disassociate from him?" He said to me: "O Zurara! The word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic is truer than your word. So where are those about whom Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: إِلَّا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِینَ مِنَ الرِّجالِ وَ النِّساءِ وَ الْوِلْدانِ لا یَسْتَطِیعُونَ حِیلَةً وَ لا یَهْتَدُونَ سَبِیلًا [Except the weak from among the men and the women and the children who have no means in their power nor can they find a way]? Where are those who are deferred for Allah's command? Where are those who mixed a righteous deed with another that was evil? Where are the People of the A'raf? Where are those whose hearts are made to incline [to the truth]?"

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Zurara ibn A'yan said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "May I marry women from the two deviant groups, the Murji'a or the Haruriyya?" He said: "No, stay away from foolish women." Zurara said: "They are not outside these two states — either they are believers or disbelievers." But Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Then what about that group whose attributes Allah has mentioned? The word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic is truer than your word, for He has said: إِلَّا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِینَ مِنَ الرِّجالِ وَ النِّساءِ وَ الْوِلْدانِ لا یَسْتَطِیعُونَ حِیلَةً وَ لا یَهْتَدُونَ سَبِیلًا [Except the weak from among the men and the women and the children who have no means in their power nor can they find a way]."