Mujtahid

“ The shah is thus only the temporary substitute for the hidden imām; and authoritative decisions in religious matters are pronounced by Mujtahids, i.e. theologians who can form their own opinions and require obedience to their decisions.
Other points in which Shiites differ from Sunnites depend on their legitimistic opinions, or are accommodations of the rites of Shiite tenets. Islam to the Persian nationality, or else are petty matters affecting ceremonial. ”

“ The Mujtahidin, capable of making Ijma? 9 must be " men of learning and piety, not heretics, nor fools, but men of judgment."
There is great diversity of opinion as to up to what period in the history of Islam,
62 IJMA .
Ijma! can be accepted. Some doctors assert that only the Ijma of the Mujtahidin wha were Ashab (companions) ; others, that of those who were not only " companions " but " de scendants " of the " Prophet," can be accepted ; whilst others accept the Ijma of the Anscirs^ (helpers,) and of the Muhajarm (fugitives,) who were dwellers in Medina with Muhammad. ”

“ The courts of the palace were crowded with slaves and domestics; indeed, no prince's residence ever displayed greater splendour. Mujahid, struck with astonishment and admiration, was reluctant to proceed further. "Either," said he to himself, "I have described the person whom I wanted imperfectly, or those to whom I spoke must [Pg 25] have wished to make a mock of me, observing that I was a stranger. This is not the residence of a dervise, but of a king." ”

“ Mujahid was in this state of embarrassment when a man came up to him and said, "You are welcome, Mujahid; my master, Abounadar, has been long expecting you;" and so saying, he conducted him into a magnificent garden, where the dervise was seated. Mujahid, struck with the riches which he saw every where around him, would have thrown himself at his feet, but Abounadar would not permit him, and interrupted him when he was about to make a merit of bringing back the chandelier which he presented to him, by saying, "You are an ungrateful wretch. Do you think to impose upon me? ”

“ Mu'awiya was dissuaded from his design by the consideration urged upon him, that where the Prophet had placed his pulpit and his staff, there they should remain. And so they were left as relics in the Great Mosque hard by the last home of Mohammad.
Features of reign
Syria was, of course, the capital province of the Umeiyad Empire, as with Egypt, it was first in culture and social and political standing. The Arabs of the northern part were mostly Keisites, of the southern, Kelbites. Mu'awiya was more nearly related to the former, but he made the son of his Kelbite wife his heir ”

“ Mujahid, however, having recovered his position, rose in his saddle, and bringing his heavy cimeter upon the Tartar’s shoulder, clove him to the chine, and he instantly fell dead from his horse. Having replaced the faithful Mahmood Afghan upon his charger, the prince joined his friends amid shouts and acclamations, in which Musaood Chan was the foremost to join. ”

“ Partaking of some of the dates he offered me, I took leave of him and returned to the rekuba, whence, in accordance with the Khalifa's order, we proceeded to the mosque, and stayed till sunset, as we did the previous day. Again the Mahdi preached renunciation, urging his hearers to be ready for the Jehad, so as to enter into the future joys of Paradise. Again and again, the faithful devotees, half intoxicated with fanaticism, shouted his praises; whilst we poor wretches, enduring agonies in our cramped position, imprecated in our hearts Mahdi, Khalifa, and his whole crew of base hypocrites. ”

“ Without an instant’s pause Mahmood cried, in a loud voice, “Rise, Mujahid Shah! you are beset by murderers!” at the same time cutting down one of the assassins. The sovereign, awakened by the noise, started from his bed, just as Musaood was about to plunge a dagger into his body. The blow had already descended, but Mujahid caught it upon his arm, receiving a severe wound. He instantly laid hold of the assassin by the wrist, wrenched the dagger from his feeble grasp, and buried it in his heart. ”

“ As Mujahid advanced towards manhood, he became the terror of the neighbouring potentates. He commanded his father’s armies, and invariably led them to conquest. The son of Moobarik witnessed his success with envy, and the fires of vengeance still smouldered in his bosom. He had a beautiful sister, whose detestation of the prince was no less ardent than his own ”

“ Already various Mahdis had made their appearance; several had been highly successful, and two, in mediæval times, had founded dynasties in Egypt. But who could tell whether all these were not impostors? Might not the twelfth Imam be still waiting, in mystical concealment, ready to emerge, at any moment, at the bidding of God? There were signs by which the true Mahdi might be recognised—unmistakable signs, if one could but read them aright. He must be of the family of the prophet; he must possess miraculous powers of no common kind; and his person must be overflowing with a peculiar sanctity. ”

“ And Muʾâwiyah, after regarding him attentively, said to those about him, "Has God (may He be praised and exalted!) created a more miserable being than he who is forced to walk about in such weather and at such an hour as this?" Then answered one of them, "Perhaps, Commander of the Faithful, he brings a petition." Said Muʾâwiyah, "By Allâh! if he seeks anything from me, I will certainly give it him, and take upon myself his affair; or be he oppressed, I will surely help him. Ho, slave! stand at the door, and if this Arab asks for me, do not deny him access to me." ”

“ It is related from Ibn Ma'siid that, ' The Apostle of God said, " Verily one of the things which men have understood from the words of former prophecies is this : ' When thou hast no shame, then do whatever thou wishest." ' Al Bukhdri.
It is related from Sahl bin Mu'adh, from his father that, 'The Prophet said, " He who suppresses his anger, when he has the power to give vent to it; God will call him to the chiefs of creation on the day of resurrection in order that He may let him choose which of the black-eyed virgins (Huris) of paradise he may wish." ' At Tirmidhi, Abu Ddud. ”

“ By this time Musaood had quitted the cavern, and climbed a lofty tree not far off, as he had proposed. The prince, with his armour-bearer Mahmood, and the menial attendant, were about to quit their place of refuge, when a huge lion appeared advancing stealthily towards its den, which they had occupied in its absence.
“Hah!” said Mujahid, “we have no chance now, I see, but to struggle at a disadvantage. The foe has taken us by surprise, and we must use the best means of defence which such an emergency has left us. ”

“ What is behind this major transformation witnessed on the battlefront, which the enemy testifies to before the friend? al-Libi Those unfamiliar with Afghanistan and its defiant Mujahid people, and unfamiliar with the state of the Mujahideen, as well as those lacking the military picture of the forms taken by fighting and - in particular - Jihad, will without a doubt be surprised - and distressed, if he is one of the enemies - at this surge or transformation which they are calling a "surprise".In fact, it is a transformation which isn't a surprise to the Mujahideen. ”

“ Mujahid still continued silent, feeling justification impossible.
“Boy,” said the father, sternly, “it is necessary that such a violation of the common laws of honesty as you have so wantonly committed should be punished with due severity, in order that my people may see I do not palliate or overlook the delinquencies of my son. What expectations can you hope to excite of your honour and justice when raised to this throne, of which you are the rightful heir, if you indulge thus in the vulgarest of all vulgar crimes? Such tendencies are unbecoming a prince, and must be subdued.” ”

“ Muheiasa himself has not that respectable character which can lend even a shadow of veracity to his narration. (4) And lastly, the story that Mohammad had given general permission to his followers to slay any Jew whom they might chance to meet, and consequently Muheiasa killed Ibn Sanina, and Huweisa became a convert to Islam, is contradicted by another counter-tradition in Ibn Hisham (pp. 554-555) , who has related from Abú Obeida, who relates from Abú Omar-al-Madaní, that, "during the execution of the Bani Koreiza (vide para. 68) , one Káb-bin-Yahooza was made over to Muheiasa for execution. ”

“ The older Mu'tazilite tradition came to an end in the time of al-Ash'ari: men who felt the force of philosophical questions either adopted the orthodox scholasticism of al-Ash'ari and those who came after him, or followed the course of the philosophers and drift away from the traditional beliefs of Islam altogether. In the third place we have the Sufi movement, in which we find neo-Platonic elements mingled with others from the east, from India and Persia. ”

“ Mujahid threw himself in the spice-bearer’s way, and after offering a courteous greeting, said, with a jocular air,
“Your son tells me you have so sinewy an arm that few champions in the wrestling-ground would be able to stand against you, if you were to condescend to encounter them in a trial of strength and skill.”
“My son says indeed true. I have on more than one occasion thrown the strongest men in the king’s army, and my arm has yet lost none of its vigour.” ”

“ The word rendered "strenuous" is originally "mojahid" (plural "Mojahidin," from Jihád) , which in classical Arabic and throughout the Koran means to do one's utmost, to make effort, to strive, to exert, to employ one's-self diligently, studiously, sedulously, earnestly, zealously, or with energy, and does not mean fighting or warfare. It was subsequently applied to religious war, but was never used in the Koran in such a sense. ”

“ For the most part the Mu'tazilites took the lax view that these would be favourably treated as against the rigorist opinion which reserved eternal salvation to good Muslims, an opinion which appeared amongst the stricter believers during the 'Umayyad period. The two first named of an-Nazzam's pupils, however, introduced a new theory entirely repugnant to orthodox Islam, though familiar to the extremer Shi'ite sects, that those neither decisively good nor absolutely bad, pass by transmigration into other bodies until they finally deserve either salvation or damnation. ”

“ When Mu'awiya made ready to leave, he entreated 'Othman to retire with him to Syria, where a loyal people would rally round him. But he 224
'Othman declines help from Mu'awiya,
answered: "Even to save my life I will not quit the land wherein the Prophet sojourned, nor the City wherein his sacred body resteth." "Then let me send an army to stand by thee." "Nay, that I will not," responded 'Othman firmly; "I never will put force on those who dwell around the Prophet's home, or quarter bands of armed men upon them." "In that case," replied Mu'awiya, "I see naught but destruction awaiting thee." ”

“ The daughter of Moobarik could not forgive the double injury which she had received at the hands of the king’s son, and in order the more securely to effect the purpose so long entertained by herself and her brother she finally came to the resolution of admitting Mujahid to the enjoyment which he sought, indifferent to consequences, save the accomplishment of her revenge.
When next she saw her brother, “Musaood,” she said, “the enemy seems to have a charmed life; no sword can reach him, and he is even proof against the claws of the lion.” ”

“ Neither your courage nor your honest purpose, nor the inspiration which has hitherto guided you, will bring you success. I know enough to be able to assure you that every honest Mohammedan in Egypt and North Africa and Arabia sympathizes with the Mahdi’s cause, not necessarily believing him to have a divine mission, but as representing ideas of liberty and justice and religious government, which they acknowledge to be divine. ”

“ Your nation are unbelievers, and I shall never ally myself with them. With God's help, I shall defeat my enemies through my brave Ansar, and the hosts of angels sent to me by the Prophet." Shouts of acclamation from thousands upon thousands of throats greeted this speech; and, when order had been restored, the Mahdi said to Pain, "You affirm that you love our faith, and acknowledge that it is the true one; are you a Mohammedan?" ”

“ The Revd. T.P. Hughes quoted.
The Revd. T.P. Hughes in his Notes on Muhammadanism writes:—
"Jihád (lit. 'an effort') is a religious war against the infidels, as enjoined by Muhammad in the Qurán."
Súrat-un-Nisa (VI.)
"Fight therefore for the religion of God."
"God hath indeed promised Paradise to every one. But God hath preferred those who fight for the faith." (IV, 97.) Súrat-ul-Muhammad (XLVII) .
"Those who fight in the defence of God's true religion, God will not suffer their works to perish." (XLVII, 5.) [318] ”

“ There are some who try to limit the Jihad to the fighters on the battlegrounds, in an attempt to separate the Mujahideen from their Ummah. How do we respond to this argument and how can we make the Jihad the focal point of all sections of the Ummah? al-Libi This misconception is refuted by the facts on the ground and refuted by one glance at the Mujahideen and their conditions and what they offer and do in the battlefields of Jihad.Who are the Mujahideen? Who are these individuals who have arisen to defend their Ummah? ”

“ The Mahdi has left us, and has entered into heaven, where everlasting joys await him. It is for us to obey his precepts, and to support one another, just as the stones and walls of a house go to make a building. The good things of this life are not lasting. Seize, therefore, with both hands the good fortune which is yours, of having been the friends and adherents of the [372] Mahdi, and never deviate in the slightest degree from the path which he has shown you. You are the friends of the Mahdi, and I am his Khalifa. Swear that you will be faithful to me. ”