وَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ تَمَامُ ضَلَالَتِهِمْ جَهَالَتَهُمْ...
وَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ تَمَامُ ضَلَالَتِهِمْ جَهَالَتَهُمْ بِالْآيَاتِ وَ هُمُ الْأَوْصِيَاءُ فَأَجَابَهُمُ اللَّهُ: قُلْ كُلٌّ مُتَرَبِّصٌ فَتَرَبَّصُوا فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ أَصْحابُ الصِّراطِ السَّوِيِّ وَ مَنِ اهْتَدى And rather the complete ignorance of theirs was with the Signs, and they are the succesors -as . So, Allah -azwj Answered them: Say: ‘Every one is awaiting, therefore wait, for soon you will come to known who is the companion of the Even Path and who is Guided’ [20:135] .
وَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ تَرَبُّصَهُمْ أَنْ قَالُوا: نَحْنُ فِي سَعَةٍ عَنْ مَعْرِفَةِ الْأَوْصِيَاءِ حَتَّى يُعْلِنَ إِمَامٌ عِلْمَهُ، فَالْأَوْصِيَاءُ قُوَّامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَ النَّارِ، لَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَنْ عَرَفَهُمْ وَ عَرَفُوهُ، وَ لَا يَدْخُلُ النَّارَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَنْكَرَهُمْ وَ أَنْكَرُوهُ، And rather their waiting was that they said, ‘We are in a leeway from recognising the succesors -as until an Imam -as announces his -as knowledge.
Thus, the succesors -asws are the custodians upon you all between the Paradise and the Fire. No one will enter the Paradise except one who recognises them -asws and they -asws recognise him, nor will anyone enter the Fire except one who denies them -asws and they -asws deny him.
لِأَنَّهُمْ عُرَفَاءُ الْعِبَادِ عَرَّفَهُمُ اللَّهُ إِيَّاهُمْ عِنْدَ أَخْذِ الْمَوَاثِيقِ عَلَيْهِمْ بِالطَّاعَةِ لَهُمْ، فَوَصَفَهُمْ فِي كِتَابِهِ فَقَالَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ: وَ عَلَى الْأَعْرافِ رِجالٌ يَعْرِفُونَ كُلًّا بِسِيماهُمْ (This is) because they -asws recognise the servants. Allah -azwj Introduced them -asws during the pact of the Covenant with the obedience being for them -asws . He -azwj Described them -asws in His -azwj Book.
The Mighty and Majestic Said: And upon the heights would be men recognising all by their marks, [7:46] . وَ هُمُ الشُّهَدَاءُ عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَ النَّبِيُّونَ شُهَدَاءُ لَهُمْ بِأَخْذِهِ لَهُمْ مَوَاثِيقَ الْعِبَادِ بِالطَّاعَةِ، وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ: فَكَيْفَ إِذا جِئْنا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَ جِئْنا بِكَ عَلى هؤُلاءِ شَهِيداً يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَ عَصَوُا الرَّسُولَ لَوْ تُسَوَّى بِهِمُ الْأَرْضُ وَ لا يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً.
And they -asws are the witnesses upon the people, and the Prophets -as are witnesses for them -asws by the Taking of the Covenants of the servants having been Taken for them -asws , and that is His -azwj Word: How will it be, when We Come with a witness from every community, and We Come with you as a witness upon them?
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