Question:

Did Zaid Ibn Ali (a.) go into the battefield to establish an Islamic state?

Answer:

Iys Ibn Al-Qasim reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: ” You are obliged to fear God, Who has no associate, so take care of your souls! By Allah, if a man possesses a sheep which is under the control of a shepherd, and he then finds a man who is more knowledgeable about his sheep than the man to whom they are under the control of, then he will dismiss him and hire this man who is more knowledgeable about his sheep than the man to whom they were under. By God, if one of you had two souls, if he would fight and gather experience and afterwards the other soul would be left, then he would act according to what he realized with it, however he has one soul and when it goes away, by God, then repentance goes away because you are more entitled to decide for yourselves. If one of us comes to you, then see for what cause you go out and do not say: “Zaid went out!” For Zaid (a.) was a knowledgeable one and truthful and he did not call you to himself. He called you only to the chosen one from the family of Muhammad (a.) and if he had been victorious, he would have left it to the one to whom he called you to. Only the one who has been agreed upon goes out against a ruler to bring him down. Today those who goes out from us calls on you so as to be the chosen one from the family of Muhammad (a.), but we testify to you that we are not pleased with him and he disobeys us today and that nobody is with him, and when the flags and banners are raised, it is more fitting to not let us hear from him except with the one with whom the sons of Fatimah (a.) have agreed upon, and by Allah, your ruler (a.) is none other than the one on whom they have agreed upon. When the month of Rajab dawns, then come in the name of God, and if you wish to delay until the month of Sha’ban, there is no harm in it, and if you wish to fast among your people, then this may be more strengthening for you and the one from Abu Sufyan will be sufficient for you as a sign.” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, Volume 8 Hadith 381]

علي بن إبراهيم عن أبيه عن صفوان بن يحيى عن عيص بن القاسم قال سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: عليكم بتقوى الله وحده لا شريك له وانظروا لأنفسكم فوالله إن الرجل ليكون له الغنم فيها الراعي فإذا وجد رجلا هو اعلم بغنمه من الذي هو فيها يخرجه ويجيئ، بذلك الرجل الذي هو أعلم بغنمه من الذي كان فيها والله لو كانت لاحدكم نفسان يقاتل بواحدة يجرب بها ثم كانت الأخرى باقية فعمل على ما قد استبان لها ولكن له نفس واحدة إذا ذهبت، فقد والله ذهبت التوبة فأنتم أحق أن تختاروا لأنفسكم، إن أتاكم آت منا فانظروا على أي شئ تخرجون ولا تقولوا خرج زيد فإن زيدا كان عالما وكان صدوقا ولم يدعكم إلى نفسه إنما دعاكم إلى الرضا من آل محمد عليهم السلام ولو ظهر لوفى بما دعاكم إليه إنما خرج إلى سلطان مجتمع لينقضه فالخارج منا اليوم إلى أي شئ يدعوكم إلى الرضا من آل محمد عليهم السلام فنحن نشهدكم إنا لسنا نرضى به وهو يعصينا اليوم وليس معه أحد وهو إذا كانت الرايات والألوية أجدر أن لا يسمع منا إلا مع من اجتمعت بنو فاطمة معه فوالله ما صاحبكم إلا من اجتمعوا عليه، إذا كان رجب فأقبلوا على اسم الله عز وجل وإن أحببتم أن تتأخروا إلى شعبان فلا ضير وإن أحببتم أن تصوموا في أهاليكم فلعل ذلك أن يكون أقوى لكم وكفاكم بالسفياني علامة

Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi writes: “Good (Hasan), regarding his statement: “So take care of your souls!” This is meant: ” To the concerns of your souls, their guidance and the prevention of their downfall and misguidance, and to those you are obliged to obey.” Or: “Have mercy on your souls and help them!” One says: “He looks to it.” As for what he said: “Those under the control of a shepherd.” So the Imam (a.) is meant by this and the guardian (Wali) is in the position of the shepherd and the flock is in the position of the sheep. Just as a man does not appoint anyone for his sheep except he who treats them well, so he should not appoint anyone for his soul, who obeys him and brings them to ruin in their faith and in their world.As for his statement: “When one of us comes to you.” This is meant: “If one of those who are from Hashim or Ali comes to you.” As for his statement: “To the chosen one from the family of Muhammad (s.).” This is meant: “To act as the whole of the family of Muhammad (a.) is pleased with it.” Or: “To the Chosen and appointed one amongst them.” As for his statement: “Only he on whom they agreed upon goes out against a ruler.” This is meant: ” So he did not succeed.” As for his testimony: “Except he on whom they agreed.” This is meant: “Obey no one except the one who is exactly like him.” Or: “Be content with no one except he who is exactly the same.” As for his statement: “When the month of Rajab comes.” So it is obvious that the Imam (a.) will go out in the month of Rajab, and the meaning may be that it is the beginning of the appearance from the signs of his Rising: “Then come to Mecca in that month so that you may be witnesses of his going out from there!” This is also affirmed by his reduction and allowance of the delay until the months of Sha’ban and Ramadan, and according to the first one it is proved that the preparation for the inhabitants of the countries is not obligatory, but this is distant and it may be that this means their motivation is to come to him every year to learn from the questions or to make the large and small pilgrimage successfully, instead of trying (in the struggle) where they will be ruined, because the pilgrimage is the effort of the weak and to meet the Imam (a.) is better than the effort.” [Mir’at-ul-Uqul, Band 26 Seite 258 – 259]

قال محمد باقر المجلسي: حسن, قوله عليه‌ السلام وانظروا لأنفسكم أي في أمور أنفسكم وهدايتها وعدم هلاكها وضلالتها ومن يجب عليكم متابعته أو ارحموا أنفسكم وأعينوها يقال نظر له قوله عليه‌ السلام فيها الراعي المراد أن الإمام والوالي بمنزلة الراعي والرعية بمنزلة الغنم فكما أن الإنسان لا يختار لغنمه إلا من كان أصلح لها فكذلك لا ينبغي أن يختار لنفسه من يعطيها ويهلكها في دينها ودنياها. قوله عليه‌ السلام إن أتاكم آت منا أي خرج أحد من الهاشميين أو العلويين. قوله عليه‌ السلام  إلى الرضا من آل محمد عليهم‌ السلام أي إلى أن يعمل بما يرضى به جميع آل محمد أو إلى المرتضى والمختار منهم. قوله عليه‌ السلام إلى سلطان مجتمع أي فلذلك لم يظفر. قوله عليه‌ السلام إلا من اجتمعت أي لا تطيعوا إلا من كان كذلك أو لا ترضى إلا بمن كان كذلك قوله عليه‌ السلام إذا كان رجب ظاهره أن خروج القائم عليه‌ السلام يكون في رجب ويحتمل أن يكون المراد أنه مبدأ ظهور علامات خروجه فأقبلوا إلى مكة في ذلك الشهر لتكونوا شاهدين هناك عند خروجه ويؤيد ذلك توسعته عليه‌ السلام وتجويز التأخير إلى شعبان وإلى رمضان وعلى الأول يدل على عدم وجوب مبادرة أهل الأمصار وهو بعيد ويحتمل على بعد أن يكون المراد حثهم على الإتيان إليه صلى الله عليه في كل سنة لتعلم المسائل وللفوز بالحج والعمرة مكان الجهاد الذي كانوا يتهالكون فيه فإن الحج جهاد الضعفاء ولقاء الإمام أفضل من الجهاد