The Need for the Imam — Page 40
40 lieved in metaphorical descent. Some thought he would descend in Damascus, others in Mecca, and still others in Jerusalem. Some expected him to ap- pear in the army of Muslims, and some thought he would descend in India. All these differing beliefs and statements called for a H akam [Arbitrator] to come and judge between them. And I am that H akam. I have been sent to break the Cross, in the spiritual sense, and to remove these differences. These were the two reasons that necessitated my ad- vent. Although it was not necessary for me to produce any other evidence in support of my truth- fulness—for necessity is evidence enough—even then God Almighty has manifested numerous signs in my support. Therefore, just as I am the H akam to pronounce judgement in all the other differences, so am I the H akam in the dispute over the life and death of Jesus as. I declare that the stand taken by Imam Malik rh 35 , Ibn Hazm rh 36 and the Mu‘tazilites 37 , with regard to the death of the Messiah as , is correct, and I believe the rest of the Ahl-i-Sunnah to be in the wrong. Therefore, in my capacity as H akam, I 35 Imam of Jurisprudence. Compiler of Al-Mu’a tta (716-795 AD). [Publishers] 36 Andalusian jurist, theologian, author. (994-1064). [Publishers] 37 An Early Islamic school of thought. (800-900). [Publishers]