Question:I have heard that the Infallible Imams’ (PBUT) bodies are not created from the sperm as it is impure. Allah created them from the light of greatness. Could you honor us with detailing about this issue?

Answer:In the name of Allah, be advised, my son, that the Infallible Imams’ (PBUH) sperms are not impure, a reason why the prophet, Imam Ali, Lady Zahra and the other Infallible Imams (PBUT) can enter the mosque without the washing of Al-Janbat. They used to do such washing in order to be closer to achieving Allah’s orders. On the other hand, if we assume that their bodies are created from the divine light, how come that they were martyred; their bodies will not be affected by Al-Shimr’s sword. Definitely, their bodies are pure where nothing affects their status. Should any of them have any of the soiled impurities on the body or clothing, they would remove the impurity just to comply to Allah’s orders. What do you mean by the light and body? It seems that you do not know the difference between the two. If you say the body is light – my Allah forbid – Allah would also have a body because as He says in the holy verse “Allah is the light of the heavens and earth”. We have reiterated it is not proved that the Infallibles’ nutrition while in the mother’s womb is blood. Only Allah and the Infallibles know how the Infallibles were born out of their mothers’ wombs. However, their bodies are pure. Allah is the all Guide and Knowing.

Question:Some say that Imam Ali (PBUH) is higher than the prophets. Is it correct that Imam Ali (PBUH) is higher than the prophets?

Answer:In the name of Allah, Ali Ibin Abu Talib (PBUH) is the best creature after the Great Prophet Muhammad Ibin Abdullah (PBUH&HF). The following Quranic verse is the best justification for that: “And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [Allah] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses." And whoever turned away after that - they were the defiantly disobedient.” The verse ordered all the previous prophets to believe in and support the prophet (PBUH&HF). According to this verse, the prophet (PBUH&HF) has become a master who should be obeyed by all the prophets. The one who should be obeyed is better that those who are ordered to obey him. Allah also says “do obey Allah, the messenger and those who are in authority among you”. It is known to the scholars of religion, especially, the Shiite ones, that the phrase people in authority implicates Imam Ali ibin Abu Talib (PBUH), as the prophet said on the day of Ghadeer “whoever I am his master, Ali is his master”. Accordingly, the Commander of the Faithful becomes a master who should be obeyed by all those who used to obey the Messenger (PBUH&HF). We have iterated that the one who should be obeyed is better than those who are ordered to obey him. Allah is the all Guide.

Question:How did people of Asad bury Al-Hussein (PBUH) despite that the narrations say that the infallible imam (PBUH) should only be buried by another infallible one?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the texts which have narrated the battle of Al-Taf that Imam Zain Al-Abideen (PBUH) is the one who buried his father in the tomb. Allah is the all Guide and Knowing.

Question:Is it correct to believe that the Imams (PBUT) know everything, even though they are not present in this world? Is it permissible to name them “the present, the warner”, and we know that these names are peculiar to Allah?

Answer:In the name of Allah, be advised, my son, Allah gifted the Imams (PBUT) the knowledge that they lack in administration and supreme leadership. Hence, it is not strange that some narrations report that they [the Imams (PBUT)] know everything. Allah is the all Guide and Knowing.

Question:The narration says that "Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance) disappears to you in body and you are not allowed to mention his name." How is that possible, where we mention his name day and night and celebrate his birth anniversary speaking up his name.

Answer:In the name of Allah, the name which is not allowed to be mentioned is his

Question:What are the limits of the authority of the Messenger and the Imams, peace be upon them? Do they have absolute authorization to dispose of the affairs of beings? What are the limits of Wilayat al-Faqih (Leadership of the religious ruler)?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the Messenger and the imams (PBUT) have absolute legislative authority and legally executive authority over all people. As for the constitutive affairs, they have the ability to act as a miraculously, where the miracle may be the action of Allah Almighty at the hand of the infallible and it may be that he did what Allah Almighty bestowed upon him of the ability. As for the ruler (Faqeeh), he has full power of the legislative authority in social matters and the ability to apply the sharia rulings if the requirements are available in terms of Islamic countries, organizing their affairs and managing their affairs by direct or by proxy and defending them. Allah knows best

Question:Is the injustice which was practiced against Imam Ali (PBUH) the severest distresses and calamities? How is that?

Answer:In the name of Allah, only the one who bears the distress or calamity can tell how severe it is and all negative effects of this injustice on Islam and Muslims. The injustice practiced against Imam Ali (PBUH) was the one from which all distresses and calamities of Islam and Ahlulbait (PBUT) have been stemmed. Amongst the results of this injustice are: the calamity of the Martyr’s Day in Karbala, the disappearance if the twelfth Imam and those who follow their desires control the Muslim affairs till the present day. Allah knows best.

Question:What is your advice for those who are ignorant of or underestimate the virtues of Ahlulbait (PBUT)?

Answer:. In the name of Allah, we are to know that the Infallible Imams (PBUT) are considered by the Prophet (PBUH&HF) as one of the two heavy weights and an equal to Quran, and ordered us to follow and obey them. Being ignorant of them and their virtues leads to the underestimation and ignorance of Islam. It is known that showing love to them is a necessary thing in Islam. If it is in this way, no Muslim shall be ignorant of or underestimate Ahlulbait (PBUT). Allah is the all Guide to the right path.

Question:Why are the Infallible Imams from Imam Hussein, not from his brother Imam Hassan (PBUT)?

Answer:In the name of Allah, this is ordained by Allah; only Allah knows the reason. Should you contemplate this meaning, you will understand what we have indicated. For instance, why does Allah create you as a male from someone not otherwise? Why were you born in a certain era not before or later? Why was the Messenger of Allah the son of Abdullah, not the son of other uncles? Why was he from the descendants of Ismael not from Isaac? The suspicion gets wider, if you contemplate the obligation of praying at certain timings and not others and having a certain number of rakaat according to certain contexts. Why is the Quran in this amount? Why is the way of writing the letters of the words in the common shape not otherwise? Brother, we have to submit to Allah and his ordained commandments. It is not allowed to ask for the reasons why Allah does such things. Allah says: “He [Allah] is not asked for what He does. It is they who are asked for what they do.” Allah knows best.

Question:I would like to know the meaning of the prophet’s (PBUH&HF) saying “Hussein is from me, and I am from Hussein”. How could the prophet (PBUH&HF) be a part of Imam Hussein (PBUH), on the one hand, and how could the Imam (PBUH) be a part of the prophet (PBUH&HF) on the other hand? I would not be satisfied by the common meaning of this saying. I would like to know the implicated meaning of such a well-known sentence which we have always heard in the Husseini gatherings, but we do not know its true meaning.

Answer:In the name of Allah, a man may acquire a kind of virtue and perfection traits which distinguish him from others. On the other hand, a man may acquire a notorious reputation for the evil and corruption. The first kind is to represent the goodness and perfection in that all his constituting and distinctive features are melted down and integrated in one’s realm of virtue and perfection. Should we say one’s name, it means to the hearer all the perfecting traits which are highly sublime. The same thing is applied to the second kind in terms of ugliness and deviance where this person becomes a title for all types of corruption and deviance. This kind can be represented by Satan, Yazid ibin Muwawya, Hajaj ibin Yosuf Althaqafi, and all the ugliest group of the Umayyad and Abbasid persons. You can do research, if you like, for the ones who can belong to the first kind, as it is the most representative one is the prophet (PBUH&HF). Therefore, when you mention his holy name, you have said Muhammad ibin Abdullah sala Allah aleihi wa aleh [peace be upon him and his family]. You have expressed his name along with all the perfecting traits, except those related to Almighty. Thus, the Messenger (PBUH&HF) represents the perfect creation, confrontation of injustice and corruption, and dedication only to Monotheism. Hence , you do not need to prolong the list as it is considered in one utterance which is Muhammad sala Allahu alaihi wa alih [peace be upon him and his family]. As this greatness is about to be disappeared due to the uncontrolled Muslim situation, Imam Hussein (PBUH) embodies such a greatness which the Messenger (PBUH&HF) had. Thus, the constancy of prophet’s (PBUH&HF) greatness depends on Imam Hussein (PBUH). Accordingly, either of them is from the other. Allah is the all Guide.