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What are the guidance functions as described in the religion? The two sources of religion include: the verses of quran and hadith of the prophet (and hadith of imams). A summary has been presented in the following based on the above two sources to understand the guidance functions before we can reach to the concept of guidance during the period of our time by Imam Mahdi (عليه السلام): 1. Guidance by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) & the Prophet: And We did not send any messenger but with the language of his people, so that he might explain to them clearly; then Allah makes whom He pleases err and He guides whom He pleases and He is the Mighty, the Wise. (14:4) And say: The truth is from your Lord, so let him who please believe, and let him who please disbelieve; surely We have prepared for the iniquitous a fire, the curtains of which shall encompass them about; and if they cry for water, they shall be given water like molten brass which will scald their faces; evil the drink and ill the resting-place. (18:29) Say: Allah guides to the truth. Is He then Who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not go aright unless he is guided? ….? (10:35) Say: O people! indeed there has come to you the truth from your Lord, therefore whoever goes aright, he goes aright only for the good of his own soul, and whoever goes astray, he goes astray only to the detriment of it, and I am not a custodian over you. (10:135) This is more proper in order that they should give testimony truly or fear that other oaths be given after their oaths; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, and hear; and Allah does not guide the transgressing people. (5:108) The above guidance by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) is presented from the verses of Quran and this guidance function has never been ceased. 2. Quran as Guide Sura Luqman, verse 3 answers this question by saying that the Qur’an is: “A guidance and a mercy unto the righteous ones.” Allah says in the Qur’an in Sura Bani-Israel, verse 9: “Indeed this Qur’an guides to the path which is clearer and straighter than any other. “This is the Book. In it is guidance surely without any doubt, to those who fear God, who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what we have provided for them.” (Sura Baqarah, verse 2 and 3) Also the Qur’an states in Sura Luqman, verse 2-4: “These are the verses of the wise Book. A guide and a mercy to those who do good, those who establish regular prayers, and give regular charity, and have in their hearts the assurance of the hereafter.” 3. Imams as Guide Allah has stated in very clear words in Surah Sajdah [32:23] And certainly We gave the Book to Musa, so be not in doubt concerning the receiving of it, and We made it a guide for the children of Israel. [32:24] And We made of them Imams to guide by Our command when they were patient, and they were certain of Our communications. Musa (عليه السلام) left the following tools of guidance for his people: o The Book of God o Imams who were: o Appointed by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) o Providing guidance via the edicts of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) o Patient o Definite about the Word of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) The Qur’an by itself cannot teach and guide its readers because there is every possibility of misunderstanding and misinterpretations, and so, it is necessary that the teachings of Qur’an be directly taken from the Prophet and his Ahlul Bait (progeny). The Holy Prophet himself declared: “I leave among you two weighty things, the Book of Allah (the Qur’an) and my Itrat (progeny); if you hold fast to them you will never go astray; and these two shall never separate from each other till they meet at the heavenly fountain of Kauser.” (Hadith al-Thaqalyn) From the purified progeny of the prophet we have 12 imams the hadith mention their count and name. The first imam is Ali (عليه السلام). and 12th is Imam Mahdi (عليه السلام). The following verses are also added as evidence of 12 leaders as guides after the prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم): وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰٓ أُمَّةٌۭ يَهْدُونَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ يَعْدِلُونَ Among the people of Moses is a Nation who guide [the people] by the truth and do justice thereby. (7:159) وَجَعَلْنَٰهُمْ أَئِمَّةًۭ يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَإِقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَإِيتَآءَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةِ ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ لَنَا عَٰبِدِينَ And We made them Imams who guided (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of the alms, and Us (alone) did they serve; (21:73) Similarly for our nation it is mentioned in quran that: وَمِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَآ أُمَّةٌۭ يَهْدُونَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ يَعْدِلُونَ Among those We have created are a Nation who guide by the truth and do justice thereby. (7:181) Thus the presence of guided imams in our nation chosen by Allah has been confirmed. The details can be seen at the following link: https://www.shiachat.com/forum/topic/235032391-12-leaders-imams-as-guide-after-the-prophet/ There are many hadith for the count and names of the 12 imams like: This Ummat will not end and the Day of Judgment will not come, till the coming of 12 Khalifas, they will be guided, on the Deen of Truth. Fathul Bari Volume 13 page 79 Allamah Badradaen Aini in Ummdthul Qari Sharah Sahih Bukhari narrates: ‘This Ummah will not end until the passing of the twelve, they will all be true guides from the Ahlulbayt.’ Ummdthul Qari Volume 2 page 282 and Volume 9 page 8 We read in Ya Nabi al-Muwaddat: The Prophet of Allah said that I am the Chief of Prophets, Ali is the Chief of Wasi, after me there will be 12 Wasi, 1st of them is Ali (عليه السلام), last of them is Mahdi. Faslul khitab page 423, Ya Nabi al Muwaddat page 105 (Beirut) 4. The prophet Muhamamd has been instructed to follow the religion of Ibrahim thus confirming there is no discontinuation in the guidance function since Ibrahim (عليه السلام). to our prophet, even the part of duration by Esa (عليه السلام) is also considered as part of guidance by the verse of quran. 0. قُلْ إِنَّنِي هَدَانِي رَبِّي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِين Say, "Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path - a correct religion - the way of Abraham, inclining toward truth. And he was not among those who associated others with Allah ." (6:161) Quran does not consider the duration of Hz Esa .(عليه السلام) as discontinuation in guidance function to the people when he has been taken to skies by almighty Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) as there is no verse mentioning any discontinuity in guidance function to the people. 5 Verses about Esa (عليه السلام) وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ ۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the messenger of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure. (4:157) بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا Nay! Allah took him up to Himself; and Allah is Mighty, Wise. (4:158) وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ ۖ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا And there is not one of the followers of the Book but most certainly believes in this before his death, and on the day of resurrection he (Isa) shall be a witness against them. (4:159) Esa (عليه السلام) will be witness against the people of book thus it confirms that his guidance function was not ceased other wise he could never be a witness over them. 6. Verse about Religion for prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) Similarly guidance function did not discontinue after the prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and it is continued till present time in the time of 12th imam. فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness against these? (4:41) وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ أُولَٰئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا And those who believe in Allah and His messengers and do not make a distinction between any of them-- Allah will grant them their rewards; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (4:152) يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ إِلَّا أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, and Allah will not consent save to perfect His light, though the unbelievers are averse. (9:32) هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ He it is Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse. (9:33) Thus it confirm the manner that the religion guidance is continued from the prophet Ibrahim to Prophet Esa .as and in similar manner it continued from Esa .as to the life of our prophet s,.a.w. The above verses confirm the evidence for the guidance without any discontinuation in religion from the life of the prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to the time of 12th imam Al Mahdi (عليه السلام). Conclusion: أَفَمَن شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مِّن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ What! is he whose heart Allah has opened for Islam so that he is in a light from his Lord (like the hard-hearted)? Nay, woe to those whose hearts are hard against the remembrance of Allah; those are in clear error. (39:22) اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ Allah has revealed the best announcement, a book conformable in its various parts, repeating, whereat do shudder the skins of those who fear their Lord, then their skins and their hearts become pliant to the remembrance of Allah; this is Allah's guidance, He guides with it whom He pleases; and (as for) him whom Allah makes err, there is no guide for him. (39:23) Thus confirming there is the same guidance function in continuation in religion and it rejects the conjectures presented by some members at SC regarding occultation and guidance by Imam Al Mahdi (عليه السلام). ..................(Continued)