Hawzah News Agency – One cannot distinguish between the wrong and the right way via the scant or large number of their followers. In the world today, the number of Muslims in proportion to the non-Muslims is one fifth or sixth, and the majority of the Far East inhabitants are idolators, cattle-worshippers, etc.

China with more than one billion population is considered as the center of atheist communism, and the idolators and cattle-worshippers cover the major parts of India, which consists of nearly one billion people.

As a consequence, the majority is not always right. The holy Quran often blames the generality and, on the contrary, praises the minority. For instance,

و لا تجد اكثرهم شاكرين،

(You will not find in most of them any gratitude.)

ان اوليائه الا المتقون ولكن اكثرهم لا يعلمون،

(No man can be its custodians, except the pious, but most of them do not understand.)

 و قليل من عبادي الشكور،

(But very few of my worshippers are greatful.)

Therefore, the scant or large number of one’s followers makes the realistic man neither afraid nor proud. This calls for one to refer to his mind and reasoning.

Once upon a time, someone addressed Imam Ali (a.s) and asked him, “How is it possible that your opponents in Jamal battle be wrong while they are in majority”? And Imam replied,

ان الحق و الباطل لايعرفان باقدار الرجال، اعرف الحق تعرف اهله، اعرف الباطل تعرف اهله،

(The right and wrong are not recognized with the number of their followers; you will know who is right if you recognize the truth, vice versa.)

* Taken from the book "The Shia Responds" written by Ayatullah Ja'far Sobhani