Najmuddin A Farooqi
Allama Mohammad Baqir ibn Mohammad Taqi al-Majlisi (1627–1699), popularly known as Allama Majlisi an Iranian stands as a towering figure in Twelver Shi’a scholarship. Revered as a theologian, jurist, historian, and prolific compiler of hadith, his influence remains central to Shi’a religious thought, particularly in the post-Safavid era. Born during Shah Abbas I’s reign, he served as Sheikh al-Islam under Shah Suleiman and Shah Sultan Husain of the Safavid dynasty entrusted with the religious leadership of the empire.
Nawab Mohsin al-Mulk also known as Mir Mehdi Ali Khan, a respected Indian Muslim reformer statesman and one of the founding members of Aligarh movement along side Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, wrote in his book ‘Ayat-e-Bayyinat’ (PP 162-163) that after Allama Hilli of Iran, no other Shia scholar matched Majlisi in the volume and reach of his authored works. Among his most influential writings are ‘Hayat al-Qulub’ and ‘Jila al-Uyoon’, both of which remain widely read across Shi’a communities. Notably, even Ayatollah Khomeini endorsed Majlisi’s writings during the early years of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, signaling their ongoing ideological relevance.
This article focuses on Jila al-Uyoon offering a series of fourteen representative excerpts (Following is English translation of excerpts extracted from the Urdu version of book “Jila ul uyoon”) from the text alongside critical reflections and questions. The intent is not polemical but reflective aimed at appealing to the reader’s moral and intellectual conscience. Rather than passing judgment, the article asks whether these narrations align with historical consensus, ethical standards and the broader goals of Islamic unity and spirituality.
1. Page 33: After the return from the Battle of Tabuk, in Dhu al-Hijjah, 9 AH, the Holy Prophetﷺ sent a caravan of three hundred Muslims from Madinah to Makkah and appointed Hazrat Abu Bakr as the leader of the caravan. He also gave him Surah al-Bara’ah (Surah Tawbah) with instructions to proclaim it in Makkah. However, after they had departed, Jibreel said: proclamation of Qur’an can only be carried out by youﷺ or by someone who is of your own self. Upon this, Prophetﷺ sent Hazrat Ali(as) removed Hazrat Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr returned and began to weep, saying: “What sin have I committed that I have been removed from this duty ?”
Question: Did this event occur exactly as described and is there a consensus among scholars (including non-Shia) regarding its narration and theological implications ?
2. Pages 35, 36; Hazrat Umar said: there stood beside me a handsome young man, radiating a beautiful fragrance, the likes of whom I had never seen before. He said to me: ‘O Umar, do not break the covenant that the Prophetﷺ made with his cousin (Ali(as). Beware, Umar don’t ever turn away from the knot of this covenant۔ On enquiry Prophetﷺ replied، that the person was Jibreel.
Question: Is there scholarly consensus among Shiite Ulema including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that Hazrat Umar(ra) was a hypocrite based on such narrations ? and could Hazrat Umar(ra) also see Jibreel (as) ?
3. Pages 37, 38: When the Prophetﷺ was near his demise, he said, “Bring me pen and ink so that I may resolve the issue of caliphate for you so that it may be made clear who shall be the caliph after me.” But according to a narration from Ibn Abbas, Umar ibn al-Khattab said, “Ibn Abbas, may you be required to sacrifice camels if you lie! Tell me truthfully, does Ali(as) still harbor ambitions for the caliphate ?” Ibn Abbas replied, Yes. Upon hearing this, Umar said, Prophetﷺ did utter such statements about Ali(as) several times, but they do not prove anything definitively, nor do they serve as conclusive arguments. Prophetﷺ used to say such things because of his love for Ali (as). “And when Prophetﷺ, during his final illness, intended (God forbid) to turn away from truth and go toward falsehood, in order to explicitly name Ali(as)”.
Question: Do Shia scholars generally interpret “Hazrat Umar(ra) said that Prophetﷺ turned away from Truth to falsehood” ? What is Ayatollah Khamenei’s position on this issue ?
4. Page 41: Author contrasts 12 “pure and infallible” imams. Whereas 13 individuals allegedly “constructed” by Ahl al-Sunnah ie the first three Kalifs, Amir Maviya and even Yazid as well ?Question: Really do the Sunnis constructed 13 individuals ? and whether the institution of Shia Ulema treat Khulfa Salasa (ra) at par with Yazid ?
5. Page 43: It is stated that Allah, His Nabiﷺ and 12 successors are the only legitimate authorities and concepts like ijma‘ or democracy are invalid in Islam.
Question: Does the Iranian political system function in alignment with this doctrine or is it a reinterpretation ?6. Page 45: “Hazrat Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman and other companions had pledged Bay’et to Prophetﷺ. A thing that has already been sold once cannot be resold. Therefore only Prophetﷺ and after him Imams from Ahl Bayet can grant Companions the pleasure of God and entry into Paradise. That is why prominent Companions such as Abu Ayyub Ansari, Salman al-Farsi and Abu Zar Ghaffari were perfect Muslims and this is agreed upon by the world of Islam. If someone does not pledge Bayet to Abu Bakr Umar or Usman it does not make him a disbeliever (kafir) or a hypocrite(munafiq) and if those pledge bayet to them don’t necessarily increase their faith.
Question: Had Abu Ayyub Ansari, Salman al-Farsi, and Abu Zar Ghaffari not accepted Bayet of Khulfa Salasa(ra) ?
7. Pages 46, 49: refer to elected leaders not liked by people are addressed as “Pigs” and “dogs”, the first three Kalifs were also electedQuestion: Does above belief and language used reflects Shiite face and faith ?8. Pages 61, 62 : Caliphates of Hazrat Abu Bakr Umar and Usman introduced certain new laws, eg if majority of Companions agree upon a matter even if there was a Qur’anic verse contrary to their consensus the verse would be considered abrogated and consensus (Ijma) would be deemed the truth. Hazrat Umar announced during a Friday sermon that by the command of the Prophetﷺ, he was prohibiting ‘mutah’ and would punish anyone who engages in them. In the era of Usman, innovations included introducing a second call to prayer (azan sani) and arranging Qur’an in chronological order of revelation. Hazrat Abu Bakr was chosen at Saqifah then he appointed Umar as his successor. Umar established a consultative council (Shura) and Usman followed with further measures. Therefore in today’s historical record, neither the system of Islam implemented by Abu Bakr, Umar, or Usman exists, but there remains clamour to reinstate the so-called system of Rightly Guided Caliphate.
Question:As per Shiite Fiqh wss there was a single occasion when Sahaba abrogated Quranic text and invoked their consensus ?
Is Muta still prevalent in Shiism ? Have the names and actions of first three Kalifs(ra) vanished from history ?
9. Pages 139, 141: Sheikh Tusi has narrated through a reliable chain of transmission from Ali(as) that he said: “During illness of Prophetﷺ, I went to visit him, saw the head of Prophetﷺ was resting in the lap of a man, likes of whom’s beauty never seen before. When I approached, man said: ‘Come and take Hisﷺ head into your lap, you are more deserving and worthy than I, then Prophetﷺ awoke and asked: ‘Where is the one in whose lap my head was resting ?’ I (Ali) explained everything that had happened. Prophetﷺ said: ‘O Ali, do you recognize that man ? I replied, ‘May my parents be sacrificed, I don’t recognize, Prophetﷺ said he was Jibra’il.
Prophetﷺ said My wife, ‘Aisha along with several thousand effeminate men from my own Ummah will rise up against Ali(as) who will kill most of the men in that army and will take Aisha as captive. But then he will treat her with kindness.
Question: a) was Hazrat Ali(as) capable of witnessing Jibreel(as) ? b) Was marriage of Hazrat Aisha (r.a) to Prophet(ﷺ), forced upon him ? Prophet(ﷺ) made big mistake in judging her character prior to the marriage ?
10. On page 142 : it is stated that after Prophet’sﷺ death, Ali(as) performed his ghusl (ritual washing) and asked him questions, receiving knowledge of thousand gates each opening thousand more including everything that will happen to the day of judgment.
Question: Do Shias believe Prophetﷺ talked to Ali(as) even after death and divinely taught him future events which shall happen upto the day of judgment ?
11. Page 146 : the text presents Ali(as) seen and listened a dialogue that took between Jibril and Angel of Death outside the house of Mohammadﷺ, Ali(as) was in the house۔Question: How is such a vision and listening to the dialogue interpreted literally or metaphorically within Shia theology ?12. Page 153: Narrated from Salman Farsi that when Ali(as) finished the ritual washing and shrouding of Prophetﷺ, he took me Abu Zer, Miqdad, Janab Fatima, and Husain(as) in the house. He stood in front and I formed the row behind him and we offered the funeral prayer on the Prophetﷺ.
“‘Aisha was present there,” “but she was not aware that we were offering prayer as Jibril had veiled her eyes.”
Question: Is there consensus (ijma‘) among the majority of Shia scholars regarding truthfulness of this incident ?
13. Page 234 : A hand emerged from grave of Prophetﷺ. Everyone recognized that it was hand of Prophetﷺ and voice was heard which everyone acknowledged as voice of Prophetﷺ calling Abu Bakr disbeliever(Kafir)
Question: Is there scholarly consensus on this ? Its theological consequences ?14 a). Pages 236, 238 : Abu Bakr wrote a letter and gave it to Janab Fatima, Umar intercepted her on the way, took the letter from her hand, read it and tore it apart. At that moment, Janab Fatima said, “Just as you have torn this letter, may God tear your belly apart.” According to another narration, that letter was written by Prophetﷺ Fadak which Janab Fatima brought as document of proof. Umar took that letter from her hand, put it in his mouth spit on it and shredded it to pieces.
Question: Does the institution of Shia Ulema believes this incident to be true ?
14 b). A group of hypocrites conspired to assassinate Ali(as) for their authority will not be firmly established until Ali(as) is killed. Abu Bakr said, none has the courage to do so. Umar called Khalid Bin Walid and he agreed to kill Ali(as).
Question: Does the institution of Shia Ulema believe Hazrat Abul Bakr(ra) and Hazrat Umar(ra) conspired to kill Hazrat Ali(ra) ?
14 c). According to another narration, Ali(as) lifted Khalid ibn al-Walid with just two fingers and hurled him against pillar of a mosque. Khalid screamed and urinated out of fear. Then Ali, (as) grabbed the collar of Second (Umar) and gave him a strong jolt, saying: “Had the will of Prophetﷺ not prevented me, you know well whether I am the weaker one or you.
Question: Did Ali(ra) really lift Khalid Bin Waleed(ra) with just his two fingers ? Is the language used by the author appropriate ?
On page 243, footnote 14, it is written:
Allama Majlisi has cited from Sunni sources that Ali(as) wished to marry the daughter of Abu Jahl during the lifetime of Janab Fatima. He further says: “These people i.e Sunni scholars out of enmity for Ali(as) will die in burning anguish and indeed they have died in such a state. They are playing with fire of hell and will continue to do so.”
Question: Is there consensus among Shia scholars that Sunni Ulema are playing with hellfire here and shall face hellfire hereafter forever ever and ever ?
Amid these historical references the legacy of Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri of Iran emerges as a figure advocating human rights, political transparency and democratic reforms. Once designated as successor to Ayatollah Khomeini, he was sidelined for criticizing,1988 mass executions of political prisoners in Iran. He also opposed the fatwa against Salman Rushdie, questioning Iran’s global image by promoting violence over justice. For dissent he spent his last years under house arrest having criticized authoritarian consolidation under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was once his student.
Final Reflections
If Iran’s regime claims to represent true Islam through the doctrine of Wilayat e Faqih, what legitimacy does it assign to varied political systems of other Muslim majority nations be they democratic, monarchic or secular ? Are these systems viewed as illegitimate or even “enemies of Islam” akin to Western powers ?
At its core, the more profound and pressing question is, Why Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Republic of Iran continue to voice grievances and seek solidarity from over 50 self-proclaimed Muslim nations whose regimes not only uphold the legitimacy of Khilafat Rashida, including Amirul Momineen Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq(ra) Amirul Momineen Hazrat Umar Farooq(ra) Amirul Momineen Hazrat Usman Ghani(ra) & Ummul momineen Hazrat Aisha Siddiqua Tahira (ra) in highest regard ? This appeal appears particularly paradoxical given that according to writings of Ayatollah Majlisi whose theological views are endorsed by both Ayatollah Rohullah Khomeini and his successor Ayatollah Ali Khamenei these very personalities and their associated doctrines are historically linked to groups labelled as Munafiq and Kafir (the Khulfaye Salasa(ra)) ?
This article does not seek to defame or provoke but to invite reflection. If Islam is to remain a beacon of guidance, then its historical narratives and theological claims must stand up to reason, conscience and ethical scrutiny. Let it be Allah, not man, who decides the fate of believers or the non believers in the Hereafter. If there is reward and punishment in the hereafter, then let Allah, not man, be the judge of faith.
(Questions are raised for scholarly inquiry. The goal is not to denounce but to understand not to divide but to reflect honestly, respectfully and critically)
Author: Najmuddin A Farooqi, Researcher in Islamic Thought and Inter Sectarian Studies.
