Quartet Ways of spiritual guidance

Quartet Ways of spiritual guidance

When interviewed by Ramin Jahanbegloo in a book entitled, In Search of the Sacred, Dr. Nasr said, concerning Henry Corbin's thoughts, that in Shi'ah Islam, it is believed not only in the presence of spiritual masters like teachers of the Sufis,  Spiritual Guides (Morsheds), and Sufi's shaykhs, but also in the possibility of guidance by Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him); so many Shi'ah mystics claimed that they have no other master except the Imam of Age (as), because there is this possibility of direct connection with the Imam so that one can make use of his spiritual guidance directly. He states: In Islam you can see spiritual masters like teachers of the Sufis, elders, Spiritual Guides (Morsheds), and Sufi's shaykhs, and most of the Travelers of mystical path have a living teacher. But in Shi'ah Islam, the possibility exists of direct guidance by the 12th Imam. There have been a lot of Shi'ah mystics who – not all of them – have claimed that they haven’t had any living masters and their only master has been the Imam of Age (as). In Shiite Islam, a person can have direct connection to the 12^th Imam, by God's kindness, and use his spiritual guidance directly.[i]

Nasr believes that this Shi’ah view concerning direct connection to Imam Zaman (as) was a considerable attractant for Corbin to Shi'ah Islam. He states: While I was discussing with Corbin, I was emphasizing that scholars, like Mulla Sadra, had spiritual leaders like Mirdamad, but he wouldn’t  accept it and believed that he was equal to Mirdamad and was guided only by the 12^th Imam.[ii] He continued that: In Islam, in mystic and non-mystic dynasties, in addition to masters and shaykhs, the third way of guidance is by direct connection to the infallible Imam Mahdi. The fourth way is called "Oweisi" which is direct guidance by Khezr (as). Despite all these ways to acquire spiritual guidance in Shi'ah Islam, he focused particularly on direct guidance by Imam Mahdi (as).[iii]

Nasr’s View on Mahdawiyyat

In his book "Traditional Islam in the Modern World,” Nasr explained the Shi'ah and Sunni thoughts about politics and government after the prophetic era and underlined that Shi'ahs believe in the government and authority of just 12 Imams and in their absence they regard that there to be no legitimacy for other rulers. He said that Sunnis accept traditional Caliphs and, in their absence, they recognize a kingly government or king theory.[iv] He also said: The Traditionalist view in the political field always insists on realism which is in accordance with Islamic paradigms. This view, in the Sunni world, accepts traditional Caliphs and in their absence recognizes other political systems like kingdom, which has been common for centuries. But this view never intends to ruin the traditional political system of Islam. Traditionalist view in Shi'ah Islam always insists on the final authority of 12 Imams and believes no government could be perfect in their absence. The Traditionalist view, in both factions, is aware of the danger of human corruptibility that ruins Islam and substitutes modern and Western foundations in its stead.[v]

However, Seyyed Hossein Nasr doesn’t appear to have clearly explained his view about the form of Shi'ah government during Imam Zaman's absence, and it is not clear what form of Shi'ah government he believes in, as distinct from traditional Caliphs. The Heart of Islam is among Dr. Nasr's notable books, which is about the Islamic denominations including Shi'ah Islam.

In this book he wrote about Shi'ahs, their thoughts and opinions. He also wrote about Mahdism and factions supporting it. He defined Shi'ahs in the following way: The Twelver Shi’ah believe in the dynasty of Imams concluded by Imam Mahdi (as). They believe that God has bestowed mysteriously long life on the 12^th Imam but he is in absence. He is alive like Ilias who is believed, by the Jews, to be alive in the sky.[vi]

Since Traditionalists, including Seyyed Hossein Nasr, are interested in mysticism and the esoteric aspect of religions, he says, concerning Mahdism, that the 12^th Imam is the hidden master of the world and can appear to those who are spiritually prepared to meet him. He will appear before the end of days, when oppression and injustice would be widespread, to resurrect justice and peace on earth and prepare the situation for Jesus' second coming, which is firmly expected by Muslims and Christians. Since in Western conventional literature, Messianism is interpreted as eschatological expectation or as apocalyptic thought, he is of the opinion that this thought doesn’t belong specifically to Shi'ah Islam and is shared among other religions as well.'This eschatological expectation is called Messianism and does not specifically belong to Shi'ah Islam. Sunnis believe this as well. But Shi'ahs believe that they know Imam Mahdi and would recognize him, while Sunnis just wait for the appearance of a person with this name.' [vii]

Dr. Nasr also compared Muslims' belief in Mahdism with the messianic Christian belief in resurrection. He said that the Christian Messianists view of a savior is an exclusive issue particular to a special group or party. Those in this particular group are saved and those who are out of it are damned and accursed while, in Islamic thought, Mahdism and the coming of the reformer at the end of days is not solely for a specific faction or religion, but he will come to guide the whole world. Dr. Nasr also said: Although resurrection theory is mentioned in Islam, its role is different from what is common among the Christians of today, especially from the commonality among the general media Christian Messianists in America, because they have made controversial interpretations regarding the revelation of St. John, and have likewise made other Christian sources too commercial.[viii]

In Nasr's opinion, Islam doesn’t consider Mahdism a journalistic and missionary issue and, except for some false claimants, who intended to take advantage of the subject, no one considers it a factional method for guiding a special group. He said, concerning this: In the Islamic world, in spite of the belief in the Mahdi's (as) second coming, there haven’t been many programs about it in the mass media, especially on TV, and no emphasis has been placed on establishing an exclusive club for the saved members or considering the ones out of this club as accursed and damned.[ix]

False claimants of Mahdawiyyah

One of the subjects discussed by Nasr in his book, The Heart of Islam, is the false claims about Mahdawiyyah and related political intentions. He believes that the Mahdawiyyah wave of claim in the early 19^th century was an expressive reaction to the colonialist powers and governments that occupied Islamic countries. Contrary to some Western researchers, who interpreted the belief in Mahdawiyyah from a political point of view, he doesn't interpret this subject historically and believes that the perpetrator’s intentions were simply to promote the Mahdi. Since he himself is a firm Shi'ah, he interprets this subject properly and without any historical view. He said: In the early 19^th century, colonial powers overcame the Islamic world, and the Mahdism wave would have been a reaction to their domination which spread throughout many Islamic countries. In some regions, this wave caused the appearance of a number of people claiming to be the Mahdi (False Mahdis) who had great political and religious influence.[x]

He continued that some of the claims, like Sudanic Mahdi in Sudan, and Othman Dan Fodio in West Africa didn’t create new factions, rather it was the ideas of certain people which caused groups and factions including the Babism movement - supporters of Ali Mohammad Bab in Iran – and the Ahmadiyyah movement - supporters of Ghulam Ahmad - in the Punjab, Pakistan. The first movement has Shi'ah background and the second one Sunni. He said about Bab: In the first decades of the 19^th century, the Babi movement appeared out of the Shaikhi movement. The founder of this movement was Sayyed Mohammad Bab who pretended to be the Bab (Gateway) to the hidden Imam. One of his students named Bahaollah introduced himself, not only as Mahdi (as), but as a new prophet and the founder of Babism that even today still has followers. Although this movement has a Shi'ah background, it can't be considered an Islamic faction. It is a modernism religious movement that wants to connect itself to the comprehensive and prophetic Principles of Islam, but its interpretation of Islam is different from that of the Muslims.[xi]

Dr. Nasr considers "Bahaism" as a modern religious movement that pretends faithfulness to some comprehensive prophetic principles of Islam, while differing from the common interpretation of Islam of the Shi'ahs. He does not, therefore, recognize it as an Islamic faction: This Movement despite its history and background that has originated from a Shi’ah group, cannot be named an Islamic sect, as it’s a religious modern group that wants to amalgam Prophetic principles and thorough Islamic ideas together, however their understanding of Islam and those mentioned principles is totally different compared to the Muslims.[xii]

Comparing the "Baha'iat faction" with the "Gholam Ahmad faction" he concludes that, since the Baha'iat rejected Islam, its supporters cannot be Muslims: The Ahmadiyah faction is very different from the Bahaiat regarding their views about Islam, because the Bahaiat have clearly rejected Islam and can never be considered as a faction or branch of it.[xiii]

Seyyed Hossein Nasr believes that illogical and irrational views of the Shaykhiyyah faction and its strong inclination towards religion and excessive respect to Imams influenced the Babieh faction. The Wahabi faction is rooted in the Hanbalies who were against theology and logic. It seems that Nasr considers irrationality a basis for religious deviation and emotionalism.

The last subject which is discussed in Nasr's book, The Heart of Islam, concerning Mahdism, is eschatology. He believes that Muslims interpret eschatology in two ways: the individual level and the historical level. In historical philosophy, Muslims believe in creating an ideal society full of justice which is achieved by the Mahdi (as). He thinks creating such a society is dependent on Divine assistance and said: Muslims, like Christians, believe that there is an end for human history which is dependent on Divine assistance of the world system. The signs of that time are Mahdi's second coming and his government, and later Jesus’ second coming - not as a prophet - to Jerusalem, the world's destruction, resurrection and final judgment in front of God.[xiv]

Following this subject in his book, he explains the role of Jesus Christ (as) in Muslim eschatology. He said that Muslims believe in Jesus’ second coming after the Mahdi's appearance: Most Westerners aren’t aware of Christ’s fundamental role in Islamic eschatology. Likewise, Jesus Christ has a fundamental role in the Christian interpretation about resurrection day.[xv]

It must be noted that in Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s book, The Heart of Islam, he explains the thoughts and beliefs of Muslims better than any other Islam researchers. Since he is a Shi'ah Muslim trained by Islamic culture, and is aware of prime sources of the Muslims, and their original language, he is able, in his book, to interpret Muslims' thoughts better than Annemarie Schimmel, Hamilton Gibb, and other Islamic researchers. Compared with Schimmel's book, An Introduction to Islam, or Hamilton Gibb's Islam: Historical Investigation , Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s book is more comprehensive.