This is one of the duties of the Shiah in Ghaybat of Imam Mahdi (as). In Ziyarat Ashurah, a believer announces to Imam Husain (as) – Silmun Le Man Saalamakum, Wa Harbun Le Man Haarabakum, Wa Waliyyun Le Man Waalakum, Wa Aduwwun Le Man Aadakum – which means that I am at peace with the one who is at peace with you. And at war with the one who is at war with you. I am friends with those who are friends with you and I am inimical with the one who is an enemy to you.
One of the manifestations of the above words is that a person should distance himself from those who are the enemies of Ahle Bayt (as). This is an act which makes a person closer to Allah and to Ahle Bayt (as) which is established again from the words of Ziyarat Ashurah in which bara’at (dissociating from enemies of Ahle Bayt (as)) is announced as the way for closeness of Ahle Bayt (as).
Holy Prophet (saw) said to Ameerul Momeneen (as), O Ali! You are the master of all the believers and after me, are the proof of Allah upon His creatures. Surely Paradise is for the one who accepts your mastership (wilayat), and hell is obligatory on the one who rejects your mastership. O Ali! I swear by the One who sent me as a prophet, if a person worships Allah for one thousand years, none of his actions will be accepted by Allah till the time he acknowledges your mastership and that of your children (as). And your mastership and that of your children (as) cannot be acknowledged till the time, he declares his distance from your enemies. O Ali! Jibraeel has reported this tradition to me. Then you accept whoever you like and reject whoever you like. (Beharul Anwar volume 27 pages 63, 172, 199)
Imam Sadiq (as) says, One who doubts about the Kufr of our enemies and of those who have oppressed us, is a Kafir himself. (Wasaelush Shiah volume 18 page 561)
In a tradition on this topic, Imam Mohammed Baqir (as) orders the Shiahs, After completing your obligatory prayers, do not move from your place till the time you have cursed Bani Umayyah. (Tahzeebul Islam by Shaykh Tusi, volume 2 page 109 tradition no. 179)
Holy Prophet (sawa) asked his companions, Which is the strongest rope of religion which can be the cause of the deliverance of people and aid them to achieve eternal blessing? Some people said namaz is the strongest rope , other said fast, some other said zakat, similarly some said Haj, Umrah , Jehad etc. Holy Prophet (sawa) said, Whatever all of you have said are having reward but these all actions cannot become the strongest rope for the belief (Eeman) until the foundation of the belief is laid on the love of Allah and his messenger and dissociating from the enemies of Allah and his Messenger (sawa).
Holy Prophet (sawa) said, Allah has given so many incredible virtues to my brother Ali Ibne Abi Talib that they are impossible to count. If someone mentions one of his virtues while believing in it, Allah will forgive all his past and future sins. If someone writes one of his virtues angels will continue to seek forgiveness for him till that text continues to exist. If someone listens to one of his virtues, Allah will forgive all of the sins he has committed using his ears. If someone reads a book of his virtues Allah will forgive all of the sins he has committed using his eyes. Looking at Ali Ibne Abi Talib (as) is worship, and mentioning him is worship. Allah will not accept the faith of any person who does not accept Ali’s Wilayat and who does not renounce his enemies (send lanat). (One Hundred Incredible Virtues of Imam Ali (as))
Imam Hasan Askari (as) said, The angels carry the voice of the person, who curses our enemies (sends lanat), to the skies. Then they (the angels) too send curses upon our enemies. They praise this person and seek forgiveness for him and recommend the mercy of Allah for him. They pray to Allah to send blessings upon him saying that, O Allah, this servant has tried to help Your hujjat (proof) as best as he could. If he could do more than this, then he would have done that too. At that time, Allah (The Most High) says, O Angels! I have accepted your prayers for this person and have sent My blessings and mercy upon him and will include him amongst My pious and great servants. (Beharul Anwar volume 50 page 317)
It was said to Imam Sadiq (as), So and so person expresses his love for you (Ahle Bait a.s.) but weakens in expressing his enmity against your enemy. Imam (a.s.) retorted, Alas! He has lied who claims our love but did not express his hatred against our enemy!
The book Mikyalul Makarem mentions that Holy Prophet (sawa) said to Hazrat Ali (as) – O Ali! Bani Umayyah will curse you and for each of their curse an angel will curse them a thousand times. After his reappearance, Imam Mahdi (as) will curse Bani Umayyah for forty years. (Mikyalul Makarem, volume 2, duty no 78)
Abu Hamzah Somali, who was privileged with the time of the 4th, 5th and 6th Imams (as), narrates, I heard Imam Sajjad (as) say, One who curses ‘Jibt and Taghoot’ once in a day, Allah will write 7 million good deeds for him and forgive 7 million of his sins and raise his position by 7 million stages. If he curses them once in the night, then the same reward will be written for him.
Abu Hamzah Somali says that after the martyrdom of Imam Sajjad (as), I presented myself to Imam Mohammed Baqir (as) and asked him to verify the above tradition for me. Imam Baqir (as), after hearing the tradition said, Would you like me to increase the reward? So listen. One who curses them on them in the morning, then his sins during the day will not be recorded at all. And if he curses them in the evening, then his sins during the night will not be recorded.
Abu Hamzah Somali says that after the martyrdom of Imam Baqir (as), I presented myself before Imam Ja’fare’ Sadiq (as) and asked him to verify the above tradition for me. Imam Sadiq (as), after hearing the tradition increased the reward and said, Surely Allah (The Most High) is Most Generous and the Greatest Bestower of rewards. (Shefa-e-Sudoor volume 2 page 379)
It is important to note these points under this tradition:
Most Shiahs will be aware of ‘Jibt and Taghoot’ and of the individuals who are referred to by these words. Those who are unaware of this can refer to the scholars and enlighten themselves and their children with this firm advice that every action has some importance and Islam does not permit spreading of dispute amongst the people.
The forgiveness mentioned in the traditions is for those sins, which have been performed by mistake or due to some compulsions. Under no circumstances should any of us assume that sending curses on ‘Jibt and Taghoot’ during the day and evening will allow us to perform sins whenever we like and without punishment.
Just as we teach our children about the unity of Allah, the 12 Imams (as) and 14 Masoomeen (as), we must make them aware of the enemies of Ahle’ Bayt (as) so that their faith is completed.
It is important to note that even today there are many enemies of Imam Mahdi (as) – who are working against him (as) openly and secretly. Basically, we can recognise the enemies of the Holy Imams (as) as those people who take us away from the Imams (as) and call us instead towards themselves. We must distance ourselves from these kind of people.
We must ask ourselves – Is there any need, any desire or any problem, which I face which cannot be resolved by the Imams (as). Is there any person who is having greater power and authority than the Imams (as). Surely, the answers to these questions will be in the negative. We must approach the door of only the Ahle Bayt (as) by seeking their help. And for doing that, one need not travel too far or undertake great difficulty. Our tears and our prayers will be enough. Surely the Imam of the Time helps us even while he is in Ghaybat.
- Read More: Duties of Shiahs in Ghaybat
