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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Imamate and Leadership The True Nature of the Holders of Authority ( 119 ) Lesson Thirteen After the death of the founder of Islam and the emergence of a whole series of verbal disputes concerning the caliphate and succession to the Prophet the question of the 'holders of authority" (ulu 'l-amr) came to the fore as a controversial topic bound up with the various intellectual and political currents of the day.

Naturally the expression had not been foreign to the vocabulary and thoughts of the Muslims in the past; people had been acquainted with it since the very dawn of Islam and used it in their discourse. We find in fact that when the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him and his family began proclaiming his mission messages would pass back and forth between him and the Meccan polytheists in which the word amr (authority) was used.

Thus the polytheists and unbelievers who were enraged by the appearance of the new religion sent the following message to the Messenger of God: "O Muhammad do not attack our idols and desist from affronting our objects of worship for we are ready to submit to you in all you desire." When Abu Talib conveyed this message of the Quraysh to the Prophet he replied: "If you were to place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left I will not abandon this amr.

I cannot possibly agree; either God will make His religion triumph or I will die engaged in this struggle." ( 1 ) After the people had finished swearing allegiance to Abu Bakr Abu 'Ubaydah made this request to 'Ali peace be upon ( 120 ) him: "Now abandon this amr to Abu Bakr." ( 2 ) What is meant by amr in both these instances is nothing other than governance and rule.

The Noble Qur'an issues the following command to the Muslims summoning them to obey the orders and instructions of God the Messenger and the "holders of authority": "O believers obey the commands of God tire Messenger and tire Holders of Authority. When you tall into disagreement concerning your affairs refer to tire commands of the Lord and His Messenger if you believe in God and tire Day of Judgement.

This will be better for you than anything else you might imagine and conducive to a far better outcome" (4:58). This verse makes plain the true sources of authority in the various religious and social concerns confronting the Muslims.