The Light of Truth — Page 367
REFUTING OBJECTIONS 367 the Quran affirms its truthfulness. Only a mischief-making apos- tate would deny it, and only an unjust person would call it untrue. The obstinate and bigoted ulama allege that this hadith is not sahih [authentic], but rather, it is the word of a shameless liar— even though they have no actual knowledge thereof. Serious is the word that is uttered from their mouths. They speak naught but lies. That which Allah has manifested the truthfulness of, and made apparent, they declare to be false. This is not a hadith that could have been fabricated, but they became blind and a seal was set upon their hearts. Oh my grief for them! Why do they deny the truth with such stubbornness? What is the matter with them that they do not fear the Day of Judgement? What is the matter with them that they do not think for themselves that this is a hadith whose truth has been manifested and Allah does not affirm the word of liars? Allah does not reveal the unseen to one who is a liar, deceiver, and enemy of the truthful. You are well aware of what has been revealed in the Clear Book and how they deny it, despite the fact that the manifestation of its truthfulness bears witness ever so clearly that it is the word of the Truthful and Trustworthy Messenger. Imam Muhammad al-Bāqir was among the imams of the rightly guided people and the son of the Consummate Imam, Zain-ul- Abidin. In the chain of the Hadith, the compilers were truthful people and recognised the liars and their lies, and they were not injudicious. It was not their way to record a hadith in their compi- lation if they knew it to be baseless, or if even one person from its chain of narrators was a liar or deceiver. Did such people confuse the wicked for good people after they had become convinced of their wickedness? If indeed this were true, what would be the state of those who deliberately mixed impurities with clear water while they were first