The Taqiyyah of the Third Deputy of the Qaim

Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlissi († 1699) :

"I say: Shaykh [Tusi] then chronicles the letters that came to Himyari, which we have brought in the section of the letters. Then he says, Abul Qasim was of the wisest of all people, before friend and foe. He observed Taqiyyah. Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad says, Each one, Abu Abdullah Ibn Ghalib and Abul Hasan Ibn Abi Tayyib said: I did not see anyone wiser than Shaykh Abul Qasim al-Husain Ibn Ruh. I saw him one day in the house of Ibn Yasar. He had a great position before the Sayyid and the caliph. The Masses [al-'Ammah] also revered him. Abul Qasim attended that place due to Taqiyyah and fear. I remember him. Two men were arguing; one was claiming that Abu Bakr was the best of the people after the Messenger of God and then Omar and then Ali; while the other contended that Ali was better than Omar. Their debate took long, so Abul Qasim said: “What the companions are unanimous upon is that the Siddiq comes first, then after him the Farooq, and then after him Othman, and then Ali, the Successor. Narrators of traditions uphold this. This is the correct belief before us.” Everyone who was there was perplexed from these words. Members of the Masses [al-'Ammah] were raising him over their heads from gaiety and were praying for him and were cursing those who were “accusing him to be a Rafidi.” Laughter was all the while overwhelming me. I tried to withhold it and control myself from laughing by putting my sleeve into my mouth. But then I feared that they will discern who I am, so I left. The Shaykh looked at me and noticed that. When I arrived at my house, there was a knock on the door. I came out and saw Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh was on his mule. He had come to me on his way to his house. He said: “Abdullah, may God do you favors, why were you laughing and were almost cheering me. As if what I said was not true before you.” I said: “It is true before me.” He said: “Fear God, Shaykh. I will not forgive you if you consider this word of mine great.” I said: “My master, someone who is seen to be the companion of the Imam and his representative, if he says a word as such, isn't it awkward and laughable?” He said: “By your life, if you say this again, I will desert you.” He bid me farewell and left."

"Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad said: Abul Hasan Ibn Kibriya Naubakhti narrated to us, saying, Shaykh Abul Qasim discovered that his doorman had cursed Mu'awiyah. He ordered that he should be turned away and removed from his post. For a long time, the doorman was asking him to reinstate him. But by God, he did not reinstate him to his post. Someone from the houses took him and gave him employment. All of this was due to Taqiyyah." [Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 51, Page 356-357]

أقول: ذكر الشيخ بعد ذلك التوقيعات التي خرجت إلى الحميري على ما نقلناه في باب التوقيعات ثم قال: وكان أبو القاسم رحمه الله من أعقل الناس عند المخالف والموافق ويستعمل التقية فروى أبو نصر هبة الله بن محمد قال: حدثني أبو عبد الله بن غالب وأبو الحسن ابن أبي الطيب قالا: ما رأيت من هو أعقل من الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح ولعهدي به يوما في دار ابن يسار، وكان له محل عند السيد والمقتدر عظيم، وكانت العامة أيضا تعظمه، وكان أبو القاسم يحضر تقية وخوفا. فعهدي به وقد تناظر اثنان فزعم واحد أن أبا بكر أفضل الناس بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ثم عمر ثم علي وقال الآخر: بل علي أفضل من عمر، فزاد الكلام بينهما فقال أبو القاسم رضي الله عنه: الذي اجتمعت عليه الصحابة هو تقديم الصديق ثم بعده الفاروق ثم بعده عثمان ذو النورين ثم علي الوصي، وأصحاب الحديث على ذلك، وهو الصحيح عندنا، فبقي من حضر المجلس متعجبا من هذا القول وكانت العامة الحضور يرفعونه على رؤوسهم وكثر الدعاء له والطعن على من يرميه بالرفض. فوقع علي الضحك فلم أزل أتصبر وأمنع نفسي وأدس كمي في فمي فخشيت أن أفتضح، فوثبت عن المجلس ونظر إلي فتفطن لي فلما حصلت في منزلي فإذا بالباب يطرق فخرجت مبادرا فإذا بأبي القاسم بن روح راكبا بغلته قد وافاني من المجلس قبل مضيه إلى داره فقال لي: يا عبد الله أيدك الله لم ضحكت وأردت أن تهتف بي كأن الذي قلته عندك ليس بحق؟ فقلت له: كذاك هو عندي، فقال لي: اتق الله أيها الشيخ فاني لا أجعلك في حل تستعظم هذا القول مني فقلت: يا سيدي رجل يرى بأنه صاحب الامام ووكيله يقول ذلك القول لا يتعجب منه؟ و (لا) يضحك من قوله هذا؟ فقال لي: وحياتك لئن عدت لأهجرنك وودعني وانصرف. 

قال أبو نصر هبة الله بن محمد: حدثنا أبو الحسن بن كبريا النوبختي قال: بلغ الشيخ أبو القاسم رضي الله عنه أن بوابا كان له على الباب الأول قد لعن معاوية وشتمه، فأمر بطرده وصرفه عن خدمته، فبقي مدة طويلة يسأل في أمره فلا والله ما رده إلى خدمته وأخذه بعض الآهلة فشغله معه كل ذلك للتقية.

Definition:

Masses / al-'Ammah / العامة

Sayyed Jalal al-Din al-Husseini al-Urmawi: "The Madhab of the Masses who named themselves Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah." [Footnote of al-Idah, Page 209-210]

 مذهب العامة الذين سموا أنفسهم بأهل السنة والجماعة