Question:Allah (SWT) says "And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen (Immigrants) and the Ansar (Supporters) and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment." (The Repentance/100). This verse is a vivid declaration on the permissibility of following the companions. Following them in goodness definitely leads to satisfaction and immortality in paradise. However, Shia followers think that it is not permissible to follow other than Ahlulbait (PBUH) as companions and doing so definitely leads to the darkness and Hell. So, how do you compromise between this verse and what you say, provided that there is no clear verse in Quran says it is obligatory to follow Ahlulbait (PBUH) and no other?

Answer:In the name of Allah: The verse mentioned above praises the immigrants and supporter who followed the Messenger (PBUH&HF), but it does not approve following the companions. There is no evidence for following all the companions as the title (companion) is general and can be said to anyone who lived in the Messenger's (PBUH&HF) time. Among them were hypocrites, ones who escaped and left the Messenger (PBUH&HF) in the battlefield, like the Quranic verse which says "[Remember] when you [fled and] climbed [the mountain] without looking aside at anyone while the Messenger was calling you from behind." and many others who ran away and left the Messenger (PBUH&HF) in Friday Prayers for the sake of doing business or fun, where Allah described them as " But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing." On the other hand, there are verses which approve of following Ahlulbait (PBUH). Allah says "Say, [O Muhammad], "I do not ask you for this message any payment [but] only good will through kinship.", " Your ally is none but Allah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed - those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in worship]", and other verses. Allah is the All Guide and knows best.

Question:What is your opinion regarding the claim that the Commander of the Faithful (PBUH) failed? Is whoever saying this considered religiously deviant?

Answer:In the name of Allah: It should be known that failing means that a person wants to do or get something, but he could not. However, Imam Ali's (PBUH) aim was not to spread his territory and overwhelm the fortunes of the world. Rather, he wanted to display the real and bright face of Islam which was away from people's minds because of the mistakes of some other rulers who preceded him (PBUH), and followed the Messenger (PBUH). Imam Ali (PBUH) succeeded in that and he expressed that himself. If his (PBUH) losing the authority is a failure, then it could be said the same for the Messenger (PBUH&HF) because the Messenger (PBUH&HF) insisted on Ali's Authority after him, but that never happened. Furthermore, Allah (SWT) says "I only created Jinn and human to worship", but this did not happen either. Now, can anybody say that Allah failed (may Allah forbid)? This is because His aim is not getting worship acts from his worshippers in fact, but to pave the way for them to reach it and that what happened. There is no power, but from Allah the Almighty.

Question:According to your Eminence, are the narrations and news authentic that the sun was set beck for our master Imam Ali (PBUH) twice, once in the life of the Messenger (PBUH&HS) and once in his (PBUH) Caliphate in Iraq?

Answer:In the name of Allah: These narrations are found in authentic books and they are like other miracle narrations, which prove the right of Imam Ali (PBUH) in Caliphate. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Allah knows best.

Question:There is no doubt that the Imam (PBUH) knows the reasons and philosophy behind some rules, like the harms and benefits. For example, he (PBUH) knows the reason behind prohibiting the pork and such other rules. Why doesn’t the infallible Imam (PBUH) justify these rules so that the people would believe in the infallible Imams and would be aware of them?

Answer:In the name of Allah: Be advised, my son, that the Imam (PBUH) only does what Allah orders him to do. The rules with their harms and benefits are hidden because maybe Allah wills so, or maybe our limited minds could not comprehend them. That is why the Imam (PBUH) is restricted with Allah’s orders as He (SWT) is not asked for His deeds, but He (SWT) only orders and we are the ones to be asked. Allah knows best.

Question:Does the infallible Imam (PBUH) know all the issues which we have to believe in without knowing the reasons, like worshipping issues, the prohibition of eating pork, two witnesses for killing, four witnesses for adultery and others?

Answer:In the name of Allah: The infallible Imam (PBUH), whom Allah has appointed administers Muslims’ religious, legal and political affairs, knows all the things mentioned in the questions. Moreover, he (PBUH) knows more than that and he is the source of the scholars’ knowledge.

Question:Allah (SWT) says "And when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, he fulfilled them. He said: Surely I will make you Imam of men. Ibrahim said: And of my offspring? My covenant does not include the unjust, said He." What is the difference between prophet Ibrahim’s leadership (Imamate) and the Infallible Imam’s (PBUH) leadership (Imamate)?

Answer:In the name of Allah: The Imamate of Ibrahim Al-Khaleel (PBUH) was for people only as declared by the Holy Quran, but the Imamate of the Imams (PBUH) was wider than that and was as wide as the prophet's (PBUH) message. The Imamate has levels in terms of its closeness to Allah, knowledge and authority. As we said earlier and repeatedly, each Imam of Ahlulbait (PBUH) was ordered to obey the earlier Imam as it is not possible for the best to obey the good and for the equal to obey whoever equals him. These are some of the differences. Allah knows best.

Question:Is Imam Mahdi (AJ) hidden as a person or as a title?

Answer:In the name of Allah: He (AJ) is hidden as a person. Allah knows best.

Question:Is the person who sticks to the Holy Quran only without Ahlulbait (PBUH) regarded as going astray?

Answer:In the name of Allah: How could he stick to the Holy Quran without Ahlulbait (PBUH)? Does he understand the Quran? Does he know how many rak'as and sojud in the prayers from the Quran? He is either ignorant, being ignorant, or conspiring whose heart has been blackened by his love to enemies of Ahlulbait (PBUH). Therefore, he has deviated from Ahlulbait's (PBUH) path. And there is no power but from Allah, the Exalted.

Question:As Ahlulbait (PBUH) followers, what is our belief in Imamate? Is it wholly or separately?

Answer:In the name of Allah: The belief in the Imams (PBUH) should be wholly, not to believe in one and disbelieve in another. On the other hand, we should believe that the Imam (PBUH) has an absolute authorization in religion and worldly issues. We should not be reluctant in obeying him (PBUH). In this case, the belief in the Imam (PBUH) will be separately.

Question:Some people doubt our saying that it is possible for the captivation (saby) period from Karbala and back to be 40 days, where the captives have walked from Karbala to Kufa, and then from Kufa to the Levant passing through Lebanon.

Answer:In the name of Allah: The scholars have disputed over this issue. Some say the captives have returned in the second Hijri year on the same day (20 Safar). Yet, it should be borne in mind that the leaders of the caravan knew shortcuts which we do not know nowadays. It is narrated that he sent some of the sultans of Banul Abbas to Damascus and told him to come back at the end of the week, and he came back then. So, the captives could have gone and back through these shortcuts which we do not know today, or the year after.