Declaration – 4 Dhu al-Hijjah 1398 (1978-11-05)

Letter from His Eminence Haj Sultan Husayn Tabandeh, Reza Ali Shah
to Haj Sayyid Hibbatullah Jazbi “Sabit Ali” Regarding Social Events in the Country

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To the honorable brother, Haj Aqa Jazbi—may his blessings endure,

I humbly pray to the Merciful God for your continued health and increased success and divine support in guiding individuals and turning their thoughts toward the truths of religion. Recently, many of the brethren—whether in person or via letters—have expressed sorrow and concern regarding the current social events in the country and have asked for guidance. Even some outside the circle of fuqara have written or inquired about this faqir’s opinion. Naturally, this sorrow and concern are widespread; all Muslims of Iran and abroad—and indeed all monotheists—share in this grief.

As all mystics, both early and recent, have said and written in their books, Shari‘a and Tariqa are inseparable and mutually necessary. Shari‘a consists of the external etiquette and outward form of religious acts, the general rules of which are laid out in jurisprudential texts—such as prayer, fasting, jihad, defense, and so on. Whether these are performed with sincerity and the intention of drawing closer to God, or—God forbid—out of hypocrisy or worldly ambition, the outward form remains the same. Hence, these outward actions require an inner meaning, which is the Tariqa—the inner, genuine way of performing these acts.

Therefore, no individual is ever exempt from adhering to the rules of Shari‘a throughout life. Likewise, none of the religious etiquettes of the Shari‘a reach their full perfection without the observance of the Tariqa’s spiritual principles. Obligated individuals must learn the rules of Shari‘a from eminent scholars— كَثَّرَ اللهُ اَمْثٰالَهُمْ (“May God increase their likes”)—and follow them. This is referred to as taqlid (imitation/following). The etiquettes of the Tariqa must also be followed as instructed. Our esteemed forefather, the late Hazrat Sultan Ali Shah—may his secret be sanctified, in his commentary on the noble verse: فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ (“So give good tidings to My servants who listen to the word and follow the best of it.”) —in concluding his commentary and the various views on this verse—emphasized the necessity of following the narrator-sheikh and obeying the sheikh of the path. His commentary indicates that in the matters of external religious law, one must turn to scholars, and in the ranks of the Tariqa, one must follow the leaders of the path.

Therefore, it is obligatory for all brethren, first: to strictly observe all the etiquettes of the sacred Shari‘a, as has been instructed and spiritually pledged; and, as much as possible, to perform recommended acts and avoid disliked ones. Second: to perform religious obligations by following one of the eminent scholars or jurists (maraji‘) and implement their rulings. Since social issues and the choice of methods in this area fall within the domain of Shari‘a, the brethren must follow the rulings of the scholars they have previously followed, and act upon their instructions in these matters.

In recent years, those who consulted me on such issues were referred to His Eminence Ayatollah Shariatmadari. However, if someone had previously followed another living marja‘, continuing to do so is not objectionable. In all matters related to the sacred Shari‘a, they should refer to their chosen scholar and apply their rulings. This obedience is the outward form of religious practice, and I hope it will be combined with sincerity and the intention of drawing closer to God so that these acts will be considered worship and be divinely rewarded.

The statement of the great mystics that “Darvishhood has nothing to do with politics” is accurate and pertains to the essence of faqr and the inner truth of being a darvish—not to the person of the darvish. The path of faqr and darvishhood never provides a general directive on how to act in social matters, because such issues fall within the realm of Shari‘a. For this reason, our predecessors and ancestors— قُدِسَ اَسرارَهُم (“May their secrets be sanctified”)—even though they had attained the level of ijtihad (independent religious judgment), would instruct the fuqara brethren to refer to other prominent scholars in legal matters, so that the responsibilities of Shari‘a and Tariqa would not be mixed or confused, and the true unity and harmony of the authentic elders of both paths would become clear to them.

One point that now demands the attention and consideration of all brethren—and indeed of all Muslims—is the necessity of unity, which completes the phrase of monotheism (“There is no god but God”) and requires avoiding division and discord. The enemies of Islam, who for centuries have sown disunity among Muslims, must not be given the opportunity to further weaken us. وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا . In the path of reviving the religion and its sacred elements, care must be taken to avoid giving outsiders any opportunity or letting them exploit our thoughts. Patience, forbearance, and forgiveness must always be observed, for these are rewarded and blessed by God.

Furthermore, let it be clear that matters of religion must not be mixed with personal agendas and desires. All that pertains to faith must be done solely for the sake of God and the great figures of religion. Anything that contradicts reason, faith, or conscience should be avoided. One must identify public and social interests and not act contrary to them. I ask God to grant success to everyone, and I pray for the elevation of Islam and the Twelver Shi‘a school. May God lead us toward what pleases Him, and keep us away from that which goes against His commands.