The Glorious and Invaluable Memories of the Infallible Holy Imams (A.S.)

By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Sayyid Ali Khamene\'i
We should learn the history of the lives of the infallible Imams, not only as \"glorious and invaluable memories\", but also as \"paragons and lessons\". It is not possible to do so without paying due attention to the precept and political strategy of these honorable figures.
I have personally developed an interest in this aspect of the infallible Imams\' lives and it is pertinent here to submit that for the first time this idea occurred to me during a crucible and an ordeal test.
Although I had already been acquainted with the infallible Imams as figures who struggled in the way of the sublimation of the word of \"Tawhid\" (monotheism) and those who devoted for the establishment of a divine government, what became clear to me at that stage was that the lives of these honorable figures - despite their superficial and sometimes contradictory differences - were all and all a continuous, prolonged movement which began in 11 hijra, continued until 250 and ended in 260 hijra which is the commencement of the Minor Occultation [of Imam Mahdi (May Allah Hasten His Reappearance)].
Without any doubt these honorable figures performed their duties like a single personality, following a single goal towards a single direction. Hence, instead of studying the lives of Imam Hassan Mujtaba (as), Imam Hussein (as), and Imam Sajjad (as) individually, we should perceive them as an individual who lived for 250 years, launching his movement in 11 hijra and continuing it until 260. This approach will prevent wrong inferences drawn from the superficial differences in the precepts of the Imams that sometimes even look contradictory. All the stances and movements of this great infallible Imam are comprehendible on the basis of this approach.
Any wise, sagacious human being, even if not infallible, would have his \"situational\" tactics and stances in a long-term movement. He may move fast on some occasions, while in other occasions he may move slowly; he may even tactically withdraw, while those who are aware of his knowledge, sagacity and goal-oriented movement, consider his tactical withdrawal as a step forward. According to this approach, the life of Imam Ali (as) is part of a continuous movement, which was followed by Imam Hassan Mujtaba (as), Imam Hussein (as) and other eight Imams until 260 hijra.
I realized this point that year and tried to study the lives of these honorable figures on the basis of this approach. The more I delved into the issue, the more this point was acknowledged.

Fierce Political Struggles
Of course it is not possible to study this issue in a single session. However, given the fact that the lives of the infallible Imams and the Ahl-ul-Bait (the Progeny of the Holy Prophet (S)) had always been politically oriented, I would shed some light on this aspect of their lives today. I would like to discuss this aspect in details.
The first question that is to be addressed in this regard is: What is the political struggle or fierce political struggle in the lives of the infallible Imams (as)? It means that the struggles which were launched by the infallible Imams (as) were not merely scientific, intellectual, or theological. Their struggles were not similar to the theological struggles we observe in the history of Islam during this period.
Contrary to the sects of \"Mu\'tazilites\" and \"Asharites\", the objective of the Imams in holding the educative sessions, debates, classes, as well as the narration of traditions, and teaching of Islamic doctrines and decrees was not to confirm the stance of their own theological school of thought. Their struggle was not an armed movement either. It was neither similar to that of Zaid and his survivors, nor like that of Bani al-Hassan, nor the struggles of some members of Aal-e-Ja\'far and others in the history of the infallible Imams.
They did not launch this kind of struggle either. It is pertinent here to state that the Imams did not denunciate the struggle of these figures. Although they denunciate some of them, their denunciation was not due to the nature of armed struggle. They also acknowledged some of them and even supported and contributed to some of these struggles.
The following tradition, attributed to Imam Sadiq (as), is an example which supports this idea: \"I would like the insurgents of the Progeny of Muhammad (S) to rise; in this case I would provide them with the required finance to run their houses (financial assistance, protecting their prestige, accommodating them, providing them with a hide-out, and so on).1 But the Imams themselves did not launch nor did they join the armed struggle.
References:
1. Bihar-ul-Anwar, Vol. 46, P. 172, Tradition No. 2