213. (2) Second, the appointment by each one of them of his successor, which has come to us by mutawatir traditions, which are too many to be numbered. And the Imâmites have related traditions regarding their succession (tabaqât) which are contradictory.

214. (3) Third, it is necessary that the Imâm be immune to sin, and there is no one besides them who is immune to sin. Hence no one besides them is an Imâm. The explanation of the first statement has been already given. And the second statement is true by agreement that in the time of each one of them immunity to sin was not claimed for anyone except them. Hence they are the Imâms.

215. (4) Fourth, they are better than anyone else of the people of their time, as is known from the books of biography and history. Hence they are the Imâms, because it would be evil for the worse to take precedence over the better.

216. (5) Fifth, each one of them claimed the Imâmate, and miracles were wrought by his hand. Hence he is the Imâm. And the explanation of this has preceded, and the Imâmites have related their miracles in their books. And there is a book for thee regarding this, "Kharâ'iju'lJarâ'iḥ (?)" of ar-Râwandî, and other books also on this same subject.

217. A matter of importance the Twelfth Imâm is alive and existent (mawjûd) from the time of his birth (256 A.H.), to the end of the period of taklif. For in every age there must be an Imâm immune to sin, because the proofs are universal ('umûm), and beside him there is no one immune to sin. Hence he is the Imâm. And the thought that it is unlikely that anyone like him should remain alive is false, for it is possible, especially since it has occurred in previous times to the fortunate (as-su'adâ) and the unfortunate (al-ashqiyâ) (the saved and the lost) to live longer than he has lived. And the cause of his being hidden is either some advantage which Allâh has kept to Himself, or else the number of enemies and the paucity of helpers. For in view of the wisdom of the Most High and the Imâm's immunity to sin it is impossible that Allâh's kindness (lutf) be hindered. Hence it is because of

someone else (that is, the enmity of men), and that is what was sought.

218. O Allâh, hasten his joy, and cause us to behold his victory, and make us his helpers and his followers, and sustain us with his obedience and his good pleasure, and protect us from his opposition and his anger, by the Real (al-ḥaqq) and by him who speaks in verity (the Prophet or Imâm) !”

SECTION VII

219. Concerning the Return (al-ma'âd). THE MUSLIMS ARE AGREED AS TO THE NECESSITY OF THE PHYSICAL (badanî) RETURN, BECAUSE IF THERE WERE NO RETURN taklif WOULD BE EVIL, AND BECAUSE IT IS A POSSIBLE THING, AND THE VERACIOUS (the Prophet) HAS INFORMED US THAT IT IS ASSURED

-HENCE IT IS REAL-AND BECAUSE OF THE VERSES WHICH TEACH IT AND WHICH DENY HIM WHO CONTRADICTS IT.

220. Ma'âd is the time of return, or its place. But what is intended here is the new existence (al-wujûdu'th-thânî) for bodies (ajsâd) and their return after their death and decomposition. And it is real and comes to pass, contrary to the philosophers (hukamâ). And the proof of that is of several kinds: (1) First, the agreement of Muslims regarding it, without any denial of it among them. And their agreement is a convincing proof (hujja). (2) Second, if the ma'ad were not real then taklif would be evil. And the consequence is false, hence the precedent is false also. And in explanation of the conditional statement-taklif is labour which requires a compensation. Hence labour without recompense would be injustice. But recompense cannot be acquired in the period of taklif. Hence in this case there must be another abode in which the reward for good actions can be acquired, otherwise taklif would be injustice, and that would be evil-and Allâh is exalted above that!

221. (3) Third, the assembling of bodies is possible, and the Veracious informed us of its occurrence, hence it is real. And it is possible, for the members of a corpse have the capacity of being united and of having life bestowed upon them, otherwise they could not have previously possessed the quality of life. Allâh the Most High knows the members of every person, because of what has been previously said as to His knowing all knowable things and His having power to unite them. For that is possible (existence), and Allâh the

Most High has power over all possible existences. Hence it is established that the making alive of bodies is possible. And the Veracious informed us of its occurrence, for it is established by mutawatir tradition that the Prophet used to prove the physical ma'âd and to believe in it. Hence it is real, and that is what was sought. (4) Fourth, the teaching of the Koran that it is established and its denial of one who contradicts it. Hence it is real. And the first proposition is true, for the verses which teach it are many. For instance, the word of the Most High, "And he meeteth us with arguments, and forgetteth his creation: 'Who,' saith he, shall give life to bones when they are rotten?' Say: 'He shall give life to them who gave them being at first, for in all creation is he skilled" " (36: 78, 79), and other verses.

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222. AND THE RESURRECTION (ba'th) OF EVERY ONE TO

WHOM A RECOMPENSE MUST BE GIVEN OR WHO MUST GIVE A

RECOMPENSE IS NECESSARY (wâjib) BY REASON, AND THE

RETURN OF EVERY OTHER IS NECESSARY BY TRADITION.

223. Those whose return is necessary are of two classes, the return of the first of them is necessary by reason and tradition, and everyone who has a right (haqq) to reward or recompense will get his right, and everyone against whom anyone has a right of punishment or recompense will have to give it. And the second class are those who have no right to receive or to give, be they men or some other animals either domestic or wild. And their return is necessary by tradition, because the Koran and mutawâtir traditions teach it.

224. AND THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ALL THAT THE PROPHET TAUGHT IS NECESSARY, SUCH AS THE BRIDGE (Sirâț) AND THE SCALES (Mîzân) AND THE SPEAKING OF THE MEMBERS (of the body) AND THE FLYING OF THE BOOKS. FOR THESE THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, AND THE VERACIOUS HAS INFORMED US OF THEM. HENCE THE CONFESSION (i'tirâf) OF THEM IS

INCUMBENT.

225. Since the Prophetship and Immunity to sin of our Prophet are established, it is also established that he is

veracious in everything which he related, whether it be (1) previous to his age, as what he related of the previous prophets and their peoples and of former generations, and so forth; or (2) in his own age, as what he related of the incumbence of the things incumbent and the unlawfulness of things unlawful and the preference (nadb) of things preferable and the appointing of the Imâms, and other information; or (3) after his age, either (a) in the world of taklîf, as what he said to 'Alî, "After me thou shalt fight with the covenantbreakers (an-nâkithîn) and the wrongdoers (al-qâsițîn) and the heretics (al-mâriqîn)," or (b) after taklîf, such as the states of death and what is after it, namely, punishment and the grave and the Bridge and the Scales and rewards and the speaking of the members and the flying of the books and the states of the rising up (qiyâma) and the nature of the assembling of bodies and the states of the mukallaf in the resurrection. And it is incumbent to acknowledge and attest all that, because it is all possible and there is no impossibility about it. And the Veracious has informed us of its occurrence, hence it is real.

226. AND OTHER THINGS ARE REWARD (thawâb) AND PUNISHMENT ('iqâb). AND THE EXPLANATION OF THESE THINGS (that is, the extent of the reward and punishment) WHICH HAS BEEN HANDED DOWN IS FROM THE SIDE OF THE LAW (that is, not by reason)-MAY ALLÂH BLESS THE LAWGIVER!

227. He means that among the number of things which the Prophet taught are reward and punishment. And there has been a difference of opinion as to whether they are known by reason or tradition. The Ash'arites say that they are known by tradition. And some of the Mu'tazilites say that reward is known by tradition, because acts of obedience are not proportionate to their reward and are not sufficient to merit the great favours which he shows us, in view of which no one is worthy of reward. And that is the belief (madhhab) of alBalkhî. And the Mu'tazilites of Başra say it is by reason, because taklif demands it, and because of His word, "In recompense (jazâ) of their labours past" (56:23). And the