Court Scholars; Becoming Divine or Agents of Satan

Issue Statement: Driving people to paradise and preventing their entry into hell has been and continues to be one of the goals of court scholars. The explicit claim of this writing is: based on an intra-religious (Quranic) discussion, this goal and the actions taken to achieve it are either becoming divine or becoming agents of Satan. To support this claim, we will first demonstrate the goals and operational plans of the scholars with evidence and indicators, then we will present it to the Quran to clarify the Quran's judgment in this regard. History of Conflict: We will limit the history of the conflict to the current year so that the writing does not become lengthy and addresses the ongoing conflict within the political structure of the Islamic Republic. Many individuals have protested against the forced paradise-making of the people from a religious standpoint since the beginning of the revolution. Ayatollah Khamenei responded to critics on 23/2/93: "Sometimes it is heard that when it comes to guidance and expressing religious truths, some say, 'Are we obliged to take people to paradise?' Yes; yes, that is it. The difference between an Islamic ruler and other rulers is this: the Islamic ruler wants to do something that leads people to paradise; to true happiness and the hereafter; [therefore] the paths must be paved. This is not about force and pressure; it is about helping. The nature of humans is inclined towards happiness; we must open the way; we must facilitate the work for people so they can reach paradise themselves; this is our duty, this is the work that Amir al-Mu'minin has taken upon himself and feels obliged to lead people to paradise." Hassan Rouhani reacted to these words 11 days later on 3/3/93, saying: "We should not unnecessarily and without reason worry the people, and we should let people be at ease. Do not interfere so much in people's lives, even out of concern; let people choose their own way to paradise, one cannot force people to paradise with a whip. The Prophet did not have a whip in his hand; the Prophet was a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, and we too must be bearers of glad tidings and warners." These words of Rouhani sparked a huge controversy in Iran. Friday prayer leaders, members of the Assembly of Experts, the Attorney General, and others all attacked the President with the harshest phrases. The Friday prayer leader of Mashhad and a member of the Assembly of Experts responded: "Not only with a whip, but we will stand against anyone who prevents people from going to paradise with all our might." Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, a member of the Assembly of Experts and leader of the most extreme conservatives, told Hassan Rouhani: "Where did you learn your religion? From Feyziyeh or from England?" Ahmad Khatami, another member of the Assembly of Experts and the Friday prayer leader of Tehran, told Hassan Rouhani: "Do not pave the road to hell for anyone with your statements." Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, one of the religious authorities, addressed Hassan Rouhani: "Let us not open the doors of hell to the people with our own hands." Mohseni Ejei, the then Attorney General, who has been one of the main suppressors for the past 35 years, told Rouhani: "They say not to interfere with people's paradise and hell! Such thoughts mock the efforts of scholars, authorities, and seminaries." Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, responded to Rouhani on 22/3/93: "The claim that we should not force people to paradise originates from here. This statement has the foundation of liberalism and modernity." Larijani rejected the liberal lifestyle and attributed guiding duties to the government. Nine months passed since this conflict, and the public uproar somewhat calmed down. Now Ayatollah Mohammadi Kermani, Secretary-General of the Combatant Clergy Association of Tehran, Friday prayer leader of Tehran, member of the Assembly of Experts, etc., publicly revived the conflict again on 14 Esfand 1393, responding to Hassan Rouhani: "Culture is not something that a responsible person can say we are not obliged to force people to paradise; rather, you have a duty and must prevent entry into hell and open the doors of paradise and block the paths to hell with power." The Quran's Judgment on the Goal and Actions of Scholars: According to the Quran, Prophet Muhammad was very eager for all polytheists and non-Muslims to believe in Islam and become Muslims. God tells Prophet Muhammad that this desire is unattainable and impossible. For if God had wanted - given His absolute power - He would have created humans in such a way that everyone would be believers and Muslims. However, He created humans free so that they could choose religion or irreligion and build their own paradise and hell. You also have no authority over them and cannot force them to become Muslims. Your duty is only to convey the message and show the way. Look at the verses of the Quran in this regard: "Perhaps you will destroy yourself with grief because they do not believe" (Ash-Shu'ara, 3). "And perhaps you will waste away your soul in sorrow for their sake" (Al-Kahf, 6). Numerous verses of the Quran consider this desire impossible: "And if your Lord had willed, all the inhabitants of the earth would have believed. Will you then force people until they become believers?" (Yunus, 98-99). "And most people, even if you strive hard, will not believe" (Yusuf, 103). "But most people do not believe" (Hud, 17). "If you are eager for their guidance, know that God does not guide those whom He misleads, and they will have no helpers" (An-Nahl, 37). "Do not let your soul be consumed with grief for them; indeed, God is All-Aware of what they do" (Fatir, 8). "You cannot guide whom you love; rather, it is God who guides whom He wills, and He knows best who are rightly guided" (Al-Qasas, 56). Prophet Muhammad continued to pursue this desire with complete longing. For this reason, God in the Quran has very harsh responses to him for pursuing this impossible desire: "And if their turning away grieves you, then seek a tunnel in the earth or a ladder to the sky to bring them a sign; and if God had willed, He would have guided them all; so do not be among the ignorant" (Al-An'am, 35). "Do not be confused by what they worship besides God; they only worship as their forefathers worshipped" (Hud, 109). Thus, the Prophet of Islam, as a 'human,' lacked the absolute power of divinity. If scholars intend to close the paths to hell and drive everyone to paradise, they arrogantly consider themselves as God and feel they possess the divine absolute power that enables them to achieve this impossible goal. Scholars as Agents of Satan: Becoming divine is impossible because we are all fallible humans with very limited human power. While one cannot become God, one can become a plaything in the hands of Satan and pursue his goals. According to the Quran, Satan plays a very important role in human life. One of his goals is to 'change God's creation' by deceiving humans. Satan says to God: "I will take a specific share from Your servants. Then I will lead them into [the trap of] long hopes and command them to cut off the ears of cattle and command them to change God's creation" (An-Nisa, 118-119). As explained, 'God's creation' is that humans freely choose their religion and build their own paradise and hell. According to 'God's creation,' it is impossible for everyone to become heavenly and for the paths to hell to be closed. However, Satan's goal is to change 'God's creation' by deceiving humans and trapping them in unattainable hopes. In this case, a person becomes an agent of Satan. Scholars who seek to close the paths to hell and send people to paradise are, according to the Quran, agents of Satan pursuing the impossible goal of 'changing God's creation.' How do scholars pursue this goal? Suppression and the implementation of jurisprudential laws constructed by people before Islam - that is, signature jurisprudential laws - are the only ways they know. Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, stated on 14 Esfand 1393: "Unfortunately, some believe that Islamic penal laws are not suitable for today's society and cannot meet the judicial needs of the people." Scholars believe that by implementing penal punishments - retribution, stoning, amputation, execution, etc. - they close the paths to hell and open the way to paradise. How can it be that when acid attackers are punished by blinding them, the path to hell is closed and the way to paradise is opened? Does amputating a thief's hand, whipping a drunkard, and other jurisprudential punishments close the paths to hell and open the paths to paradise? What is the purpose of this misreading of the 'agents of Satan' from the Quran and valid tradition? The Prophet of Islam was sent in a tribal society. He came for moral virtues and could not transform all the cognitive and economic structures of the remote Arabian Peninsula into the 21st century. As a 'model for Muslims,' he 'signed' the customs of his time with reforms. Those pre-Islamic constructs that were signed have nothing to do with paradise and hell. Today’s Muslims must also, following the example of the Prophet's actions, sign the customs of the rational world today - that is, democracy, human rights, freedom, pluralism, equality of citizens regardless of gender, religion, and ethnicity, civil rights, peace, etc. This is the correct way to read the text that leads to a moral and rational Islam. Yes, there can be readings of the Quran and valid tradition that lead to products such as the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS, Al-Shabab, Wahhabism, etc. In this case, what reputation will remain for Islam and Muslims?