We commemorate the birth of Imam al-Mahdī (a), whose blessings we live upon and are accounted for. We consume from his private wealth and live by it. We live under the guardianship of the Imam (a) and his light. We eat from his share of the khums. There is a demand that we should always remember him.
Shaykh al-Anṣārī provides valuable insight when discussing a particular issue in uṣūl al-fiqh. When discussing the probity of doubt in the juristic process – and specifically dalīl al- insidād (the proof of the closure [of the gates of knowledge]) – Shaykh al-Anṣārī speaks about a range of issues, specifically addressing scholars and advising them on how to proceed with the derivation of rulings and issuing of verdicts. He admonishes them to contemplate whether the evidence they have available to them reaches the threshold of issuing a verdict or not. A ruling is not to be issued until all sources and facets of doubt are considered and addressed, such that the scholar reaches the highest level of confidence in the accuracy of his verdict.86 The diligent scholar should contemplate all issues until he concludes whether he possesses enough evidence and credible indicators to satisfy the threshold for these issues. He should seriously consider whether he can answer these issues and give rulings on them, or not.
At times, the evidence may allow us to reach certitude regarding the ruling on an issue. Those instances are, by and large, undisputable.
When we lack evidence at that high level, we must look for the types of evidence that are raised by the Divine Legislator87 to a level that equals certainty. If we lack evidence of that type, then we need to look at the types of supporting evidence that may sway the conversation in one direction or the other.
Still, we may lack that concrete evidence that allows us to reach a conclusion with confidence. Only then can we rely on
strong indications in issuing verdicts.
In any case, this discussion is tangential to the purpose of this chapter. At the end of this discussion, Shaykh al-Anṣārī writes, “May Allah grant us success in ijtihad,88 which is more difficult than a lengthy jihad, by the right of Muhammad and his glorious family.” He invokes Allah (swt) to grant him success in ijtihad. In this phrase, it is clear that he does not focus on the importance of ijtihad and its impact on the continuity and advancement of intellectual movement. That is not his intent.
Rather, he is speaking of the difficulty of ijtihad. Ijtihad is an arduous path, more perilous than a lengthy of jihad, with all its suffering, hardships, and dangers of battles.
What is noteworthy is that this these words were written by Shaykh al-Anṣārī towards the end of his book al-Rasāʾil – a lengthy treatise on uṣūl al-fiqh in which he detailed all his theories and opinions.
He says this while having reached a high level of knowledge and a high scholarly rank. Yet he asks Allah (swt) to grant him the ability to perform ijtihad!
This statement reveals that he does not consider himself to be a mujtahid despite reaching this rank in reality. He did not say – for example – “O’ Allah, grant me the highest ranks of ijtihad." He said instead, “May Allah grant us success in ijtihad, which is more difficult than a lengthy jihad, by the
right of Muhammad and his glorious family.” This indicates the difficulty of ijtihad, and that it is not achieved except after immense and numerous efforts. Only then can a person reach this level. Without exerting efforts, one cannot reach this level!
People with high aspirations and those who strive to reach the level of ijtihad truly feel that the time allotted to them by Allah is not sufficient. They need more time, they need to endure, they need to make an effort, they need to... and so on.
Before we can say that we are among those who are entitled to eat from the share of our awaited Imam (a), we must offer him something so that we can be entitled to eat from his blessed property. We must offer something.
I do not mean to say that permission to spend the share of the Imam (a) limited to this – to being a mujtahid. No, absolutely not. Every propagation of the religion, every invitation to the religion, every dissemination of the ideas of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) through various means, whatever these means may be, is in the service of the religion. This permits the one who does so to eat from the share of the Imam and makes it lawful for him. I have no doubt about this. The issue is not restricted to ijtihad, but we have limited ourselves to this. We assumed the role of students of the seminary, and we are walking on this path.
We need to strive on this path as Shaykh al-Anṣārī did, may his noble soul be sanctified.
Shaykh al-Anṣārī did not reach what he reached except after strenuous efforts and suffering in that time. Let us consider the historical context! They were times of such poverty that they used to long for having a loaf of bread!
They lacked the basic necessities that we now take for granted.
They even lacked light!
A student of knowledge could not study because he did not have light, so he had to go out into the street because there was a lamp hung there. Or he went to a school, or he went to a mosque, or he went to a place where there was light so that he could study at night!
Such was their diligence! Despite this suffering and difficulty and the harshness of life they experienced, their contribution was more than ours. Despite the availability of resources for us, our scientific progress is weak, and our contribution is less than theirs.
This requires aspiration, willpower, determination, to be like them at least.
And this can only be achieved by exerting effort, disciplining oneself, utilizing all the available resources, and utilizing all the time in this path, so that Allah (swt) may grant us His pleasure, and He may make us among those who eat from the share of the Imam in a lawful manner, if He wills.