Khutoot Al
Areedah
An Exposition and Refutation of the Sources of Shi'ism
Table of Contents
1 Publisher's Note
2 Introduction
3 The Predetermined
Fact Of Sectarianism
4 The Call To
Reconciliation Of The Various Sects And Schools Of Thought
5 Islamic Jurisprudence
6 The Question Of
Taqiyyah
7 Shi'ite Attack On The
Noble Qur'an
(So-Called
Suratul-Wilaayah)
[Fatwa Against
Companions]
8
Shi'ite Lies, Even Against `Ali
9
Rejoicing Of The Missionaries And Orientalists
10 Shi'ite Views On The Muslim Rulers
11 Malice Against Abu Bakr And `Umar
12 Shi'ites Exalt The Assassin Of The Caliph `Umar
13 Desire For Revenge And Destruction
14 Shi'ites' Way Of Thinking Unchanged
15 Distortion Of Historical Facts
16 The Shi'ites Place Their Imams Above The Messenger
17 Shi'ite Treachery Towards Islamic Governments
18 The Treachery Of Al-'Alqami And Ibn Abil-Hadeed
19 An Impediment To Reconciliation
20 Salvation Cannot Be Attained Without Pledging Allegiance And Granting
Sovereignty To Ahlil-Bait
21 Shi'ites Differ With Muslims In Fundamentals, Not Only In The Secondary
Issues
22 The Tale Of The Door And The Tunnel
23 The- Concept Of Pledging Allegiance According To The Muslims
24 Friendship And Affection Among The Rightly-Guided Caliphs
25 Why We Must Rid Ourselves Of Any Connection With The Shi'ites
26 Shi'ites Prefer Propagation Of Their Sectarian Tenets To Taqreeb
27 The Intrigue Of Baabism And Bahaism And The Ensuing Upheaval In Iran
28 From Shi'Ism To Communism
1. Publisher's Note
With the advent of Islam in
Arabia, the polytheists, Jews and Christians had to retreat as they could not
withstand the challenge thrown by Islam to accept the reality of monotheism.
These forces particularly the Jews were most vociferous in their opposition to
Islam. As they were not in a position to challenge Islam openly, they resorted
to strike from within. It was Abdullah bin Saba, a Jew, who pretending to
be a Muslim coined and propagated the Divine right of Ali Bin Abi Talib,
May Allah be pleased with him, to the Caliphate as the successor to the
prophet Muhammad (May Allah be pleased with him), by virtue of his position as
the son in law of the Prophet (pbuh). By and by the idea was turned in to a
doctrine and those professing it called themselves as Shi'ites. This doctrine
was based upon the contempt and animosity towards the pious caliphs particularly
Abu Bakr and Umar (May Allah be pleased with them). Since its very inception,
this break away group has been playing a negative role in the Muslim World and
has brought untold miseries to the Ummah. The annals, of the Islamic history
bear testimony to the above fact. The Assassin movement of Hasan bin
Sabbah and the role played by Ibn-e-Alqami in the devastation of
Baghdad by Holagu are some of the instances of the past Islamic history. The
upsurge of Khomenieism in Iran is also the part of the old game of the Shi'ite
history. Khomenieism has assumed a new and most dangerous dimension which has
surpassed all the previous dangers. The uncompromising attitude in the ruinous
war with Iraq, the turmoil at Mecca during the last year Haj pilgrimage, the
mischievous move to internationalize the control of the holy cities of Islam and
the sinister propaganda against the government of Saudi Arabia has exposed the
Khomeini regime.
This article was taken from
a book called "Al-Khutoot Al-Areedah" to give a vivid picture of the Shi'ite
belief and faith. The reader will come across with some painful truths and
horrible facts.
2. Introduction
In the name of Allah. the
Beneficent, the Merciful All praise is due to the Almighty God, Allah. We praise
Him and seek His help and forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Allah from the
evils of our own selves and from our wicked deeds. Whosoever has been guided by
Allah, there is none to misguide him. And whosoever has been misguided by Allah,
none can guide him. And I bear witness that there is no other god except Allah,
alone, without partner or associate. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His
servant and messenger. May Allah the Exalted bestow His peace and blessings on
the Prophet Muhammad, upon his good and pure family as well as upon all of the
noble Companions and upon those who followed them in righteousness until the Day
of Judgment.
It is intended through this translation of Al-Khutoot
Al-'Areedah to present to readers of English, both Muslims and
non-Muslims accurate information about the faith and tenets of the Shi'ite sect
known as the Twelve Imamers or Ja'faris.
It is essential for the Sunni
Muslim to know the fact of the Shi'ite deviation from the straight path of Islam
taught by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his noble Companions (r.a.a.). Al-Khutoot
Al-'Areedah clearly and briefly presents the actual teachings of the Shi'ites in
general, and the Twelve Imamers in particular. The reader will derive from the
text an unequivocal understanding of the Shi'ite sect and will distance himself
from them and their beliefs. He will realize that there can be no reconciliation
nor reunification of the Sunnis and the schismatic Shi'ites until and unless the
latter renounce their perverse tenets. They must return to the pure
unadulterated teachings of Islam held and maintained by Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah
(the Sunnis).
Unfortunately, it is a common view in the West that the Irani
Shi'ites and their so-called "Islamic revolution" with all its attendant
turmoil, injustice and barbarism, are representatives of Islam. It is hoped that
the non-Muslim reader of this work will come to perceive the abyss which
separates the Shi'ites from the Muslim majority, and that he will no longer
condemn all Muslims for the activities of one deviant sect.
3. The Predetermined Fact Of
Sectarianism
The existence of numerous
sects, the majority of which are deviant, is a predetermined fact referred to in
the Glorious Qur'an:
And if your Lord [Allah] had so willed, He could have made
mankind a single unified community, but they will not cease to dispute and
differ; except those upon whom your Lord has bestowed His mercy. And for this
did He create them, and the word of your Lord will be fulfilled: l will fill
Hell with jinns and men altogether. (11-118, 119)
Furthermore, Allah's Prophet (pbug) had said: "Verily this
nation [of Muslims] will divide into seventy-three sects", and in another
narration: "All of them [these sects] will be in the Fire except one.' When
asked which it was, the Prophet replied: "The one which adheres to my Sunnah
(way of life) and the Sunnah of my Companions.'(1)
Thus, it was incumbent upon us to bring to light the stark
differences among the sects so that it may be perfectly clear what each sect
believes in and adheres to that Allah s proof against His slaves may be
established:
But
that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained [in His knowledge]; so
that those who were destroyed [by rejecting faith] might be destroyed after a
clear sign [had been. given] and those who live [i.e. believers] might live
after a clear sign [had been given]. And surely Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
(8:42)
Shi'ism originated in the first century of Islam as an
exaggerated affection for and partisanship of Ahlul-Bait (the family and
descendants of the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh]). Later on, it developed into a set
of misbeliefs and erroneous concepts which ultimately constituted a new
religion; a religion other than that which was taught by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh),
and by his Companions after him.
The
Shi'ites claim to have a Qur'an other than the one which is unanimously
recognized by all Muslims throughout the history of Islam. Furthermore, they
reject the authentic compilations of the sacred traditions, such as those of the
two great imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim. They consider all but a few-of the
Companions of the Prophet Muhammad to be apostates, while they elevate their
Imams to a position comparable o that of the gods of ancient mythology
Unfortunately, some naive or
simple-minded Muslims are inclined to believe that the Shi'ites of today have
abandoned their deviant tenets and have reverted to the right path. Grounds for
such a belief are yet to be found.
A detailed exposition of the Shi'ite distortions and
misconceptions will follow in this treatise, but at this point I will briefly
touch on some of the views of the contemporary Shi'ite religious elite; the
ayatullahs and mullahs whose commands are obeyed and slavishly adhered to by the
ordinary Shi'ite.
In a treatise entitled Tuhfatul-Awaam Maqbool, published
recent- ly, there appeared an invocation
(2) endorsed by six of the most respected contemporary Shi'ite imams
including Khomeini and Shariat-Madari. In that invocation, Abu Bakr and `Umar,
may Allah be pleased with them, are accused of altering the Qur'an. Those two
illustrious caliphs, along with their two daughters, who were the noble and pure
wives of the Prophet (pbuh) were cursed and reviled by the Shi'ites of today.
Khomeini, in his book Al-Hukoomat Al-lslamiyah (the Islamic
government), claims that the Twelve Imams are infallible, and he raises them to
a level above the heavenly angels and the commissioned prophets of Allah; he
stresses: "Certainly, the Imam commands a noble station and lofty position; a
creative vicegerency to who's rule and power submit the very atoms of all
creation[!] And an essential tenet of our Shi'ite sect is that the Imams have a
position which is reached neither by the angels [in the highest heaven] nor by
any commissioned messenger of God
(3)." He further stated: "The teachings and directives of the Imams
are just like those of the Qur'an, it is compulsory on one to follow them and
carry them out."(4)
In short, Khomeini and his
fellow clergymen adhere to all of the perverse tenets of the Shi'ite faith as
laid out in detail in Al-Kaafi. Khomeini clearly admits this in his book Al-Hukoomat
Al-Islamiyah:
"Do you think that it is enough for us, with respect to-our religion, to collect
its rulings and directives in Al-Kaafi, then put it on a shelf and neglect it?"
Al-Khutoot
Al-'Areedah, provides some details from Al-Kaafi, a foundation stone of the
Shi'ite religion, so that the naive good-hearted Muslims may have a second
thought before cherishing the idea that the Shi'ites of today are different from
those of the past.
Abu Bilal Mustafa Al-Kanadi,
Mecca and Vancouver Ramadan-Dhul-Qa'dah 1403 A.H. /1983 C.E.
4. THE CALL TO RECONCILIATION OF
THE VARIOUS SECTS AND SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
Bringing Muslims closer to each other in their thoughts,
convictions and aims is one of the greatest objectives of Islam, and a most
vital means of achieving Muslim unity, power, revival and reconstruction. When
the call to such a purpose is free from ulterior motives and is likely to yield
more benefit than harm, then it becomes incumbent on all Muslims to respond to
it and to co-operate with each other to make it a success.
Discussion of this call had increased in recent years, and
had such a pronounced effect that it attracted the attention of Al-Azhar
University, one of the greatest religious institutions of those who adhere to
the four schools of jurisprudence of Ahlus-Sunnahs (Sunni Muslims). Al- Azhar
fully adopted the idea of bringing Muslim groups together and pursued it beyond
the limits of its authority which had been established in the time of Salahuddin
and maintained up until the present. Al-Azhar overstepped its bounds in its
desire to explore and to accommodate various schools of thought, the foremost of
which is the school of the Shi'ite Twelve lmamers.(5)
Al-Azhar is, at this point, in the early stages of this
mission.(6)
Therefore, this topic is timely and worthy of research, study and ex- position
by every Muslim who has knowledge of the issue, in all its details and with all
its ramifications. Since religious issues tend to be controversial in nature,
they should be handled with wisdom, insight and straightforwardness. The
researcher must also be enlightened by Allah's guidance and be impartial in his
judgment in order that his research may achieve its claimed objectives and yield
satisfactory results, if it be so willed by Allah.
It may be remarked that with any contentious issue involving
more than one party, chances for its successful resolution are cor- related-to
the responsiveness of the parties involved. With respect to the question of
bringing Ahlus-Sunnah and the Shi'ites closer to each other, it has been noticed
that a centre was established for this purpose in Egypt, financed by the
government of a Shi'ite country. This open-handed Shi'ite government has honored
us with its generosity while it deprived itself and the adherents of its own
school of thought of its governmental bounty It has also been noticed that it
did not build such a lavish establishment for the call to "reconciliation" in
Tehran, Qum, Najaf, Jabal `Aamil, or any other centre known for its propagation
of the Shi'ite school of thought.'
These Shi'ite propaganda centres published during the past
years books that make one's skin crawl and one's body tremble from the shock of
what is written therein. Reading them utterly destroys any idea we may have
entertained of developing mutual understanding and closeness with their Shi'ite
authors and the like of them. Among these publications is a book entitled
Az-Zahraa, by Shi'ite scholars of Najaf, in which they alleged that Amirul
Mu'mineen `Umar ibnu Khattaab, the second caliph, was plagued with a disease
curable only by the water of men (i.e., semen)! This filthy slander was noted by
the scholar Al-Basheer Al-lbrahimi, the Sheikh of the Algerian `ulamaa, during
his first visit to Iraq. A filthy soul which produces such wickedness is in a
greater need of the call to understanding and reconciliation than we are.
The fundamental difference between them and us is rooted in
their claim that they are more loyal to AhlulBait, and in the fact that they
hide from us their malice towards and grudge against the Companions of the
Prophet, on whose shoulders Islam was established. Their hatred reached such a
point that they can utter the filthy words against `Umar ibnul-Khattaab that
were noted above.
Is
it not fair to say that they should have restrained their malice and hatred
against the first Imams of Islam. and that they should have appreciated the
noble stand of ahlus-Sunnah toward ahlulBait, that stand which never fell short
in offering due homage and reverence to the family of the Prophet? Or do they
consider us to be remiss in not taking the family of the Prophet as gods to be
worshipped along with Allah, as they do?
Without a doubt, responsiveness to each other is essential if
two parties are to achieve a mutual "coming together", reconciliation and
understanding. This mutual responsiveness can only come about if there are
sincere efforts on both sides to achieve it.
As stated above, there is a
"reconciliation" centre in Egypt, a Sunni country; there are also propaganda
offices which wage hostile campaigns against those who do not favour such
centres. One might well question the absence of such centres or their like in
any Shi'ite country. One also may question why Al-Azhar University has included
instruction in the Shi'ite school of thought, while the Sunni schools of thought
are still locked out of the Shi'ite educational institutions. If the call to
reconciliation is restricted to one of the concerned parties alone, then the
efforts spent on such a call will be futile.
Finally, one may question the value of beginning the process
of reconciliation by attending to differences of a minor or secondary nature,
while fundamental differences have not yet been addressed.(7)
5 ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE
The jurisprudence of the Sunnis differs from that of the
Shi'ites even in the fundamentals upon which the law is based. Yet unless and
until the fundamentals are understood and endorsed by both parties, and until
there is a favorable response to this from the religious institutions of both
sides, it would be useless to waste time dealing with issues of a minor or
secondary nature.
In
fact, it is not merely in the fundamentals of jurisprudence that there are
differences, but also, and more importantly, in the fundamental articles of
faith of each party, even in their deepest roots and origins.
6 The Question Of Taqiyyah
One of the main obstacle to their receiving a positive
response from us is their tenet of taqiyyah (deception), by the application of
which, they reveal to us other than what they have in their hearts. The
simple-minded Sunni is deceived by their pretentious display of `the desire to
overcome our differences and reach a common understanding between us and them.
In fact, they neither want such a thing nor approve of it. They do not strive
for it, but rather leave it to the other party to come the full distance to
their position, without exerting an effort to make any move from their side.
Even if those Shi'ites who practice taqiyyah were to convince us that they have
moved a few steps in our direction, then the multitude of Shi'ites, be they
ordinary people or the scholarly elite, would stand apart from those who adopted
the ruse of objectivity towards us, and they would not recognize them as their
representatives; this because their actual belief does not permit them to
reconcile themselves with us.
7 Shi'ite Attack On The Noble
Qur'an
The Qur'an should be the comprehensive reference for both
Sunnis and Shi'ites, and a means of bringing about unity and mutual
understanding, but it has been misinterpreted by the Shi'ites and given a
meaning other than that which was understood by the noble Companions who
received it directly from the Prophet, and other than that which was understood
by the Imams of Islam who received it from the very generation amongst whom the
Qur'an descended by way of Divine Revelation.
One of the most famous and respected Shi'ite scholars, from
Najaf, Mirza Husain bin Muhammad Taqi An-Nawari At-Tabarsi, wrote in 1292 A.H.
the book "Faslul-Khitaab fee Ithbatti Tahreefi Kitaab Rabbil-Arbaab" (The Decisive
Say on the Proof of Alteration of the Book of the Lord of Lords). In this book
he compiled hundreds of texts written by Shi'ite scholars in different eras
alleging that the Qur'an has been tampered with, that there have been both
additions to it and omissions from it.
At-Tabarsi's book was printed in Iran, in 1298 A.H., and its
appearance attracted much attention, frustrating the intention of certain
Shi'ites that their doubts about the authenticity of the Qur'an should be
restricted to the elite of religious scholars and personalities. They preferred
that these allegations not be brought together in a single volume, and widely
disseminated, as it could be used as a proof against them by their opponents.
When the scholars made public their criticism, At-Tabarsi responded with another
book entitled Raddu ba'dush-Shubahaati `an Faslil-Khitaabi fee Ithbatti Tahreefi
Kitaabi Rabbil-Arbaab (Refutation of Some Specious Arguments Regarding the
Decisive Say on the Proof of Alteration of the Book of the Lord of the Lords).
He wrote this defense of his original book two years before his death. In order
to show their appreciation of his contribution to the attempt to prove that the
Qur'an had been altered, the Shi'ites buried him in one of their most prominent
religious shrines, at Najaf.
Among the proofs offered by At-Tabarsi in his attempt to show
that the Qur'an had been altered, was a quotation from what the Shi'ites
consider to be a missing part of the Qur'an, called by them Suratul-Wilaayah
(see below). It mentions the granting of wilaayah (sovereignty) to `Ali(8)
as follows: "O believers, believe in the Prophet and the wali, the two whom We
sent to guide you to the straight path..."[suratul-Wilayyah]
(So-called Suratul-Wilaayah)
Photocopy of the so-called Suratul-wilaayah which the Shi'ites accuse the Sunni
Muslims of deleting it along with other suras from the original text of the Holy
Qur'an. It reads:
O' you who believe, believe in the prophet and the wali, the two whom we sent to
guide you to the straight path. A prophet and wali who are of each other. and
celebrate the praise of your Lord, and Ali is among the witnesses.
[fatwa against companions]
Photocopy of the original fatwa (religious verdict) encouraging the Shi'ite
masses to curse the two Caliphs Abu Bakr and `Umar. signed by six of the
contemporary Shi'ite scholars and clergy among them Khomeini and Shariat Madari
The trustworthy scholar Muhammad `Ali Sa'oodi, chief consultant to the Egyptian
Ministry of Justice, and one of Sheikh Muhammad Abduh's special students,
managed to examine an Iranian manuscript copy of the Qur'an owned by the
orientalist Brown. He was able to make a photocopy of Surat-ul-Wilaayah with its
Persian translation. Its existence was affirmed by At-Tabarsi in his book
faslul-Khitaab, and by Muhsin Faani Al-ashmeeri in his book Dabisan Madhaahib.
This book, written in Persian, was printed several times in Iran. The chapter (Surat-ul-Wilaayah)
which is falsely attributed to Allah's revelation, was also quoted by the famous
orientalist Noeldeke in his book History of the Copies of the Qur'an(9).
It also appeared in the Asian-French Newspaper in 1842 C.E.
At-Tabarsi
also quoted a tradition from Al-Kaafi, which is to the Shi'ites what
Sahih-ul-Bukhari is to the Sunni Muslims. It reads:
"A number of our associates narrated by way of Sahl bin Ziyaad
through Muhammad bin Sulaiman that some of his friends reported Abul-Hasan
Ath-Thaani `Ali bin Mioosa Ar-Rida as saying: `May I be your ransom! We hear
verses of the Qur'an different from those we have with us and we are not capable
of reading them. He replied, "No, read the Qur'an as you have learned it; someone
(Al-Mahdi)
will come later to you to teach you."
Without a doubt, this conversation is fabricated by the
Shi'ites and is falsely attributed to the Imam `Ali bin Moosa Ar-Rida; however,
the statement is taken by the Shi'ites as a legal ruling in this matter. Its
implication is that while one of them commits no sin by reciting the Qur'an the
way Muslims have learned according to `Uthman's unanimously accepted text, the
privileged class of Shi'ite clergy and scholars will teach each other a version
other than the accepted one, a version which they claim came to their Imams from
AhlulBait.
It was the urge to strike a comparison between the Shi'ite "Qur'an"
(which they secretly confide to one another, while hiding it from the general
public as an act of taqiyyah") and the known and officially accepted `Uthmani
Edition of the Qur'an, that motivated At-Tabarsi to write his book
faslul-Khitaab.
Although the Shi'ites pretended to disown At-Tabarsi's book,
as an act of taqiyyah, the glaring fact that it includes hundreds of quotations
from the recognized works of their scholars clearly confirms their adherence to
the tenet of alteration of the Qur'an. Of course, they do not want a clamor to
be raised over this perverse article of faith of theirs
The intended result of their claim is to leave us with the
impression that there are two Qur'ans: one, the `Uthmani version accepted by the
Sunni Muslims; the other, the allegedly hidden version of the Shi'ites, part of
which is Surat-ul-Wilaayah. They are well aware that they fabricated the
statement they attributed to the Imam `Ali bin Moosa Ar-Rida: "... read [the
Qur'an] as you have learned it; someone will come to you to teach you." The
Shi'ites also claim that a verse was deleted from the Qur'an from
Surat-ul-lnshiraah. The alleged deletion is "and we made `Ali your son-in-law."
Have they no shame in making such an allegation, when it is a well-known fact
that this particular surah was revealed in Mecca at a time when `Ali was not yet
the son-in-law of the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him. His only
son-in-law a that time was Al-'Ass Ibnur-Rabee'al-Ummawi. As for the fact that
`Ali was a son-in-law of the Prophet, it should be pointed out that Allah also
made `Uthman bin `Affaan the son-in-law of the Prophet through his marriage to
two of the Prophet's daughters. Upon the death of the second of `Uthman's wives
(the second of the two daughters), the Prophet said to him, "If we had a third
one, we would have given her to you in marriage."
Another of the Shi'ite scholars, Abu Mansoor Ahmad bin `Ali At-Tabarsi, in his
book Al-lhtijaaj `ala Ahlil-Lajaaj (Argumentation with the Contentious Folk)
claimed that `Ali said to one of the zanaadiqah,(10)whose
name At-Tabarsi neglected to mention, "As for your belligerent disagreement with
me(11),
it shows your feigned ignorance of Allah's statement, `And if you fear that you
will not deal justly with the orphans, then marry of the women who seem good to
you..."' At-Tabarsi then went on to say, by way of explanation as to why this
verse was quoted by `Ali in his argumentation with his opponents:
Now doing justice to orphans
does not resemble the marrying of women, and not all women are orphans; thus,
this verse is an example of what I have presented earlier in the book Al-Ihtijaaj;
regarding the deletion of parts of the Qur'an by the hypocrites',(12)
that deletion being between the statement about justice to orphans, and that
which follows it, about the marrying of women. This deletion consists of
addresses and stories, and amounts to more than a third of the Qur'an.
8 SHI'ITE LIES, EVEN AGAINST
`ALI
The foregoing is an example of the Shi'ite lies which were
at- tributed `Ali may Allah be pleased with him). That it is A slanderous
fabrication is proven by the fact that `Ali never declared, during the whole
period of his caliphate, that a third of the Qur'an was missing from the section
mentioned above. He did not command the Muslims to record this "missing"
portion, nor to seek guidance from it, nor to apply jurisprudential rulings
derived from it.
9. REJOICING OF THE MISSIONARIES
AND ORIENTALISTS
Upon the publication of the
book Faslul-Khitaab over eighty years ago, there was great rejoicing
amongst the enemies of Islam, in particular, the missionaries and orientalists.
They liked the book so much that they decided to translate it into their own
languages. It is no wonder, since it contained hundreds of lies such as those
mentioned above, along with slanderous fabrications against Allah and the
choicest of His creation, the Holy Prophet of Islam (upon whom be peace), and
against the venerable Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).(13)
There are two clear texts from Al-Kaafi of Al-Kulaini,
which elucidate the Shi'ites' perverse position regarding the Qur'an. The first
reads:
I
heard Abu Jafar (upon whom be peace) say: "None of the people has claimed that
he collected the Quran completely as it was revealed except a liar. No one
collected and memorized the Qur'an as it was revealed except `Ali bin Abi Taalib
and the Imams after him.(14)
Every Shi'ite is required to believe in this text from Al-Kaafi
as an article of their faith. As for us, Ahlus-Sunnah, we say that in fact the
Shi'ites have falsely attributed the above text to Al-Baaqir Abu Ja'far. The
proof of our position is that `Ali, during the period of his caliphate in Kufah,
never resorted to or applied any version of the Qur'an other than that with
which Allah had favored the Caliph `Uthman by the distinction of its collection,
publication and popularization and by its legal application in all Islamic lands
for all time up to the Day of Judgment. If it were true that `Ali had a
different version of the Qur'an he surely would have applied it in making legal
rulings, and he would have commanded the Muslims to abide by its injunctions and
guidance. Clearly, since he was the supreme ruler, none would have challenged
his authority to do this.
Furthermore, if indeed `Ali had a different version of the
Qur'an and concealed it from the Muslims, then he would have betrayed Allah, His
Messenger and the religion of Islam by so doing. As for Jaabir Al-Ju'fi who
claims that he heard that blasphemous conversation from the Imam Abi Ja'far
Muhammad Al-Baaqir, it must be noted that although the Shi'ites consider him a
trustworthy narrator of traditions, the fact is that he is well known in the
Sunni schools of theology as a liar and forger of traditions. Abu Yahya Al-Hammani
reported that he heard the Imam Abu Hanifa saying, "Ataa' is the best i.e., the
most truthful and precise in reporting from amongst those I have come across in
the field of transmitting traditions, while Jaabir Al-Ju'fi is the greatest liar
I have come across amongst them."(15)
The second of the two texts from Al-Kaafi mentioned above, is
attributed to the son of Ja'far As-Saadiq. It reads:
It is related that Abu Baser said: "I entered upon Abu `Abdullah [Ja'far As-Sadiq]...
[Who] said `Verily we have with us the Qur'an of Fatimah (upon whom be peace).'
I said: `What is the Qur'an of Fatimah?' He replied: `It contains three times as
much as this Qur'an of yours. By Allah, it does not contain one single letter of
your Qur'an' .(16)
These fabricated Shi'ite texts which are falsely attributed
to the Imams of Ahlul-Bait are of fairly early date. They were recorded by
Muhammed bin Ya'qoob Al-Kulaini Ar-Razi in the book Al-Kaafi over a thousand
years ago, and they are from before his time, because they were narrated on the
authority of his ancestors, the master engineers of the false foundations of
Shi'ism. During the time when Spain was under the reign of Arab Muslims, the
Imam Abu Muhammad bin Hazam used to debate with Spain's priests regarding the
texts of their sacred books. He used to bring forth proofs which established
their having been tampered with, and altered so much that their authentic
origins had been lost. Those priests used to argue with Ibn Hazam that the
Shi'ites had asserted that the Qur'an also had been altered. Ibn Hazam refuted
their argument by replying that the allegation of the Shi'ites is not a proof
against the Qur'an, nor against the Muslims, because Shi'ites are not Muslims.(17)
10. SHI'ITE VIEWS ON THE MUSLIM
RULERS
The attention of the governments of all Muslim nations must
be drawn to the dangerous and distorted views of the (So-called) Shi'ite Twelve
Imams, or Ja'fari sect. It is their view that all governments from the death of
the Prophet-until now are illegitimate, except for that of `Ali bin Abi Taalib.
It is therefore not permissible for any Shi'ite to be loyal to- those
governments or sincere in dealing with them. Indeed, they must engage in
flattery and hypocrisy, in accordance with their tenet of taqiyyah. They
consider all past, present, and future governments in the Muslim world to be
established by forcible seizure, and therefore illegal. According to them, the
only legitimate rulers are the Twelve Imams, whether they ruled directly or
indirectly, and all other rulers, from the time of Abu Bakr and `Umar until the
present time, are considered usurpers, and oppressors of the people. The
Shi'ites tenaciously hold this perverse view of the Muslim rulers regardless of
the great services they have rendered to the noble cause of Islam, and to
humanity in general.
11. MALICE AGAINST ABU BAKR AND
`UMAR
The Shi'ites curse Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthman (may Allah be
pleased with them), along with all the rulers of the Islamic Nation, with the
exception of `Ali. They fabricated a lie and attributed it to the Imam Abul
Hasan `Ali bin Muhammad bin `Ali bin Moosa, claiming that he approved of his
followers calling Abu Bakr and `Umar "Al-jibt wat- Taaghoot".(18)
This claim was made in one of their most extensive works on the science of the
ascertation of the veracity and competence of the narrators of Prophetic
Traditions, Tanqeehul-Maqaal fee Ahwaalir- Rijaal, by a sheikh of the Ja'fari
sect Allama Ath-Thani Ayatullah Al- Mamqaani.'(19)
Al-Mamqaani referred to the
scholar Ash-Sheikh Muhammad bin Idrees Al-Hilli's book As-Saraa'ir, in which Al-Hilli
cited the work Massaa'ilur-aijaal wa Mukaatabaatihim ila Mowlaana Abil-Hasan
`Ali bin Muhammad bin `Ali bin Moosa, the subject of which is questions and
letters directed to Abil Hasan `Ali bin Muhammad. Among them is a question from
Muhammad bin `Ali, who is quoted as saying:
I
wrote to him asking about ar-naasib [one who is hostile to Ahlil-Bait]. I asked
him whether I needed proof of his hostility towards Ahlil-Bait other than his
recognition of Al-jibt wat-Taaghoot i.e. Abu Bakr and `Umar] as the rightful
holders of the office of imam [leader of the Muslim community].
His reply was that anyone whose condition was like that just
described, was adequately shown to be a naasib. Thus, any person would be counted as an enemy of the
Prophet's family merely by his giving precedence of rank to Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq
and `Umar Al-Farooq, and by his acknowledging their positions as imams. The
expression "Al-Jibt wa-Taaghoot" is used by the Shi'ites in the prayer of
imprecation which they call "Du'aa Sanamay Quraish" (imprecation against the two
idols of the Quraish). They mean by these expressions, the two caliphs Abu Bakr
and `Umar..
This vicious Shi'ite prayer of
imprecation is mentioned in their book Miftahul-Jinaan; it reads: "O Allah,
bestow Your blessings upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad and upon his family, and
curse the two idols of the Quraish, their Al-Jibt wat-Taaghoot, as well as their
two daughters..." They are referring to the two Mothers of the Believers,
Aa'isha and Hafsa, the pure and noble wives of the Prophet (may Allah be
pleased with them).
12. Shi'ites Exalt The Assassin
Of The Caliph `Umar
The
hatred the Shi'ites have for the Caliph `Umar reached such a pitch that they
gave his murderer Abu Lu'lu'ah Al-Majoosi the title `'Baba Shujaa'ud-Din" (the
one who is brave in the cause of religion).
`Ali bin Mathahir, a Shi'ite narrator of traditions, reported that Ahmad bin
Ishaq Al-Qummi Al-Ahwas, a sheikh of the Shi'ites, said: "Verily the day ` Umar
was murdered- is the greatest day of celebration, the day of pride and honour,
the day of the great purification and the day of blessing and consolation."
In the history of Islam there have been many great
personalities, men like the two Caliphs Abu Bakr and `Umar and the great warrior
Salahuddin Al-Ayyoobi, who ruled for the sake of Islam, and who conquered
various lands and peoples and brought them into the fold of Islam. Yet these
great men, and indeed all of the great rulers of Islam, past and present, are
believed by the Shi'ites to be overpowering tyrants and illegal rulers and
consequently, are considered to be in habitants of Hell-Fire. Among the Shi'ites'
most important tenets is the belief that when their Twelfth Imam, the awaited
Mahdi, rises and comes forth after his long absence of over eleven hundred
years, and brings his revolution, then Allah will resurrect for him and for his
forefathers, the past and present Muslim rulers, including the two noble Caliphs
Abu Bakr and `Umar. Those Muslim rulers will then be tried for having illegally
seized the reins of government from the
Mahdi and his ancestors, the first eleven Imams of the Shi'ite religion.
This, as they believe, is because government is the God-given right of the
Shi'ites alone, from the time of the Prophet Muhammad' death until the Final
Hour!
After the trial of those "tyrannous usurpers", this awaited
Mahdi will awaken himself by ordering their execution. Five hundred of them at a
time will be killed until their number reaches three thousand. this; being the
total of all who ruled during the various eras of the history of Islam!
All of this is supposed to occur just before the final
revival of mankind on the Day of Resurrection! It is a prelude, as it were, to
that final great gathering and resurrection, the result of which is either
Paradise or Hell-Fire; Paradise for Ahlul-Bait and the Shi'ites, and the Fire
for everyone who is not a Shi'ite!
The
Shi'ites call this resurrection of the Muslim rulers, and the subsequent trial
and execution, "Ar-Raj'ah" (the return). This belief is one of the fundamental
tenets of their faith, which no common Shi'ite doubts at all. I have met a
number of naive and simple-minded people who claim that the Shi'ites have
departed from such tenets as these in recent times; however, this is a gross
error on their part as is evident from the actual state of affairs.
13. DESIRE FOR REVENGE AND
DESTRUCTION
In Al-lrshaad fee Taarikhi
Hujajillahi `alal-'lbaad (Instruction in the History of God's Proofs Against His
Slaves), Abu `Abdullah Muham- mad An-Nu'man, known to the Shi'ites by the title
`'Ash-Sheikhul- Mufeed'', quoted several of their "traditions" about "Ar-Raj'ah'':
Al Fadl bin Sha'thaan reported that Muhammad bin `Ali Al-Koofi related that
Wahab bin Hafs narrated through Abi Baseer that Abu `Abdullah [Ja'far As-Saadiq]
said: "The
Mahdi will be called upon on the Twenty-third night by the name `The Risen
One' . He will arise, and that rising up will be on the day of `ashooraa.(20)
It is as if I am there with him on that tenth day of the month of Muharram. He
is standing between the comer of the Ka'bah containing the black stone, and the
maqaam [place of prayer] of the Prophet Abraham. The Angle Gabriel is standing
to his right calling out, `The pledge of allegiance to the
Mahdi] is for the sake d Allah!' Then the Shi'ites will march towards the
Mahdi to give him the pledge, from all corners of the earth. that having been
made easy for them to achieve. There has come lo us the report that the Mahdi
will ravel from Macca until he arrives al Koota and settles in our [Shi'ite]
holy city of Najaf. Then he will dispatch armies from there to the various
lands.''
It was also reported, by Al-Hajjaal
from Thlaha via Abu Bakr Al- Hadrami that Abu Ja'far [Muhammad Al-Baaqir] said:
"It-is as if I am with the Risen One at the city of Najaf, in Al-Koofa which he
had marched to from Mecca, in the company of five thousand angels, with Gabriel
on his right side, and Michael on his left, and the believers in front of him,
while he dispatches armies to the various countries."
So too, it is narrated that `Abdul-Kareem Al-Ju'fi reported:
"I said to Abu `Abdullah [Ja'far As-Saadiq]: `How long will the Risen One's
reign last?' ;Seven years,' he replied. He elaborated: `The days will grow
longer, till a year of his reign equals ten of your years. His reign will last
for seventy years of your reckoning.' Upon this, Abu Baseer said to him [i.e.,
to Ja'far As-Saadiq]: `May I be your ransom! How will Allah make the years
longer?' The reply was: `Allah will command the celestial spheres to decrease in
their speed of movement, and the days and years will consequently become longer.
When the time of his rising up arrives, rain will fall during the last month of
Jumada and for ten days of Rajab, a rain which the world has never seen before.
Allah shall cause the flesh of believers and their bodies to come to life in
their graves. It is as if I am seeing the resurrected ones coming for- ward,
shaking the soil out of their hair."
`Abdullah bin Al-Mugheera narrated that Abu `Abdullah [Ja'far
As- Saadiq] said: "If the awaited Mahdi from the family of Muhammad rises, he
will cause to be raised up five hundred members of Quraish, and their necks
would be struck by the sword. They would be follow- ed by another set of five
hundred, and yet another, until that recurred six times." "Would they reach that
great number?" I asked. [His astonishment upon hearing that great number was due
to the fact that the rightly-guided Caliphs, the Umayyad rulers and those of the
Ab- basi era, along with all the Muslim rulers up until the time of Ja'far As-
Saadiq do not amount to a hundredth of that number.] Ja'far As- Saadiq replied:
"Yes; it includes the rulers and their supporters."
And in another narration:
"Verily, our state is the last of the states. There would be no dynasty but that
which has had its turn before us, so that there may be none to witness our reign
and say: If we were to rule we would follow their path."
Jaabir Al-Ju'fi reported that Abu `Abdullah [Ja'far As-Saadiq] said: "When the
risen Mahdi from the family of Muhammad comes forth he will pitch pavilions to
teach therein the Qur'an just as it was revealed.(21)
It will be most difficult then for the one who has memorized
[that which is memorized] today." [i.e., it would be difficult for the one who
memorized the official `Uthmani edition which was extant at the time of Ja'far
As-Saadiq, because it would differ from the version which the Mahdi supposedly
will bring.] Al-Mufaddal bin `Umar narrated that Abu `Abdullah said: Along ,with
the Risen One shall come twenty-seven men from the people of the Prophet Moses,
seven from the people of the cave, and Joshua, Solomon Abu Dujaanal Al-Ansaari,
Al-Miqdaad and Maalik Al-Ashtar. These will be in the company of the Mahdi as
helpers and judges in his service."
These fabricated "traditions" from the book of "Ash-Sheikhul-Mufeed",
have been quoted meticulously, complete with their concocted chains of
transmission. They have been falsely attributed to the family of the Prophet,
whose greatest misfortune is to have such liars pretending to be their only
partisans.
Of course, since the belief in Ar-Raj'ah and the trial of the
Muslim rulers is an important part of Shi'ite doctrine, it is commonly mentioned
in the works of Shi'ite scholars and clergy. One example is AI-Masail An-Naasiriya,
by As-Sawid Al-Murtadaa, in which is to be found the following: "Verily Abu Bakr
and `Umar shall be crucified upon a tree in the time of Al-Mahdi... That tree
would be green and tender before the crucifixion and would turn parched after
the crucifixion."
14. SHI'ITES' WAY OF THINKING
UNCHANGED
The Shi'ite scholars and clergy throughout the span of
Islamic history have taken a disgraceful stand against the two Companions and
appointed ministers of Allah's Prophet, Abu Bakr and `Umar, and against other
great Islamic personalities such as the Caliphs, governors, generals, and
warriors in the sacred cause of Islam. Now we have heard their propagandist, who
was responsible for Darut-Taqreeb (the centre for the promotion of
"reconciliation" and a "coming together" of Sunnis and Shi'ites), claiming
before those who were unable to critically study these issues themselves, that
these beliefs were held in the old days, and that the situation now is
different. This claim is plainly false and misleading, because the books which
are taught in all of their educational institutions contain all of these tenets
and hold them as essential and rudimentary elements of their faith. Furthermore,
the books presently being published by the scholars of Iran, Najaf and Mount `Aamil
are even more evil than the older Shi'ite publications, and more detrimental to
the cause of reconciliation and mutual understanding.
To further clarify this we mention as an example one person
amongst them who never ceases announcing day and night that he is a proponent of
unity and reconciliation, Muhammad bin Muhammad Mahdi Al-Khaalisi. He is known
to have many friends in Egypt and elsewhere who broadcast the same call for
taqreeb, and who work for it among the Ahlus-Sunnah. This supposed advocate of
"unity and understanding" goes so far as to deny that Abu Bakr and `Umar
possessed the grace of Iman (faith). In his book Ihyaa'ush-Sharia fee
Madhhabish-Shi'ah (Revival of the Law in the Shi'ite School of Thought), he
says:
Even if they [Sunnis] argue that Abu Bakr and `Umar were
among the people of Bai'atur- Ridwan(22)
with whom Allah was pleased, as shown by the reference made to them in the
Qur'an: "Verily Allah was pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance
to you (Muhammad) beneath the tree",(23)
we say that if Allah had said: "Verily Allah was pleased with those who swore
allegiance to you beneath the tree", then the verse would indicate that Allah's
pleasure included everyone who made the pledge of allegiance. Since the verse
says: "Verily Allah was pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance..
. ", there is therefore no proof in this verse that Allah is pleased with anyone
except those who have acquired pure Iman (faith).
Al-Khaalisi
is insinuating by this that Abu Bakr and `Umar were of those who had not
acquired Iman (faith) and were excluded from the pleasure of Allah.(24)
15. DISTORTION OF HISTORICAL
FACTS
Al-Murtadaa and Al-Khaalisi are modern Shi'ite scholars who
boldly claim to belong to the echelon of those who are zealous in struggling for
the sake of Islam and Muslims, and who have the keenest interest in upholding
the rights of Muslims and maintaining their well- being. Having seen, however,
what they have written about Abu Bakr and `Umar, who are among the best of
Muslims next to the Prophet, ordinary people like ourselves must wonder what
hope there can be of our reaching a common understanding and reconciliation with
people such as them.
While on the one hand the
Shi'ites shamelessly defame the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, and those
who followed them in piety, and succeeded them as rulers, on the other hand we
find them ascribing to their Imams attributes of such extravagant description,
that the Imams themselves would wish to declare their innocence of them.
Al-Kulaini recorded in his book Al-Kaafi attributes and
descriptions of the Twelve Imams such as would imply their elevation from the
human level to that of the gods of the ancient Greek pagans. To quote all such
fables from Al-Kaafi and other books would require a large volume. By way of
illustration, it will suffice to list some of the chapter headings from Al-Kaafi:
* "The Imams possess all the knowledge granted to angels,
prophets and messengers"(25)
* "The Imams know when they will die, and they do not die except by their own
choice"(26)
* "The Imams have knowledge of whatever occurred in the past and whatever will
happen in the future, and nothing is concealed from them"(27)
* The Imams have knowledge of all the revealed books, regardless of the
languages in which they were revealed"(28)
* "No one compiled the Qur'an completely except the Imams, and they encompass
all of its knowledge'(29)
* "Signs of the prophets are possessed by the Imams"(30)
* "When the Imams' time comes, they will rule in accordance with the ruling of
the Prophet David and his dynasty. These Imams will not need to ask for
presentation of evidence before passing their judgments"(31)
* "There is not a single truth possessed by a people save that which originated
with the Imams, and everything which did not proceed from them is false" 35 *
"All of the earth belongs to the Imams"(32)
16. THE SHI'ITES PLACE THEIR
IMAMS ABOVE THE MESSENGER
While the Shi'ites claim for the Twelve Imams the superhuman
power of knowledge that encompasses the realm of the unseen, they deny the
Prophet's knowledge of unseen things granted him by Allah, things such as the
creation of the heavens and the earth, and the description of Paradise and
Hell-Fire.
This blasphemy was stated in the magazine Risalatul-lslam
(The Message of. Islam), published by Darut-Taqreeb. In an article entitled Min
Ijtihaadati Shi'a Al-lmamia (Some Independent Shi'ite Opinions), the head of the
Shi'ite supreme court in Lebanon quoted the Mujtahid scholar Muhammad Hasan Al-lshtiyani:
If the Prophet made a stipulation regarding the divine legal rulings on what
invalidates ablution, or the rulings pertaining to menstruation and post-natal
bleeding, it is imperative to believe him, and the application of these rulings
is binding upon us. But if the Prophet made a statement regarding the unseen,
for example on the creation of the heavens and earth, or the virgins of Paradise
and its palaces, then it is not incumbent or binding upon one, even when it is
known of a surety that the statement has proceeded from the Prophet.
How strange, that they should falsely attribute to their
Imams knowledge of the unseen, and that they should adhere to that falsehood
although they have not a single proof to establish its verity.
Meanwhile they consider that they are not bound to accept the
revelations of the unseen mentioned in verses of the Qur'an and authentic
traditions, and thereby conclusively proven. Add to all this that everything
which has been verified to issue from the Prophet is nothing other than
"revelation revealed" to him; and truly the Prophet does not speak from his own
desires.
He
who makes a comparison between what the Shi'ites ascribe to their Imams and what
is authentically attributed to the Prophet regar- ding matters of the unseen
comes to the conclusion that what can be verified to issue from the Prophet
regarding the unseen, as mentioned in the Qur'an and the authentic,
authoritative traditions does not even constitute a fraction of the multitude of
fabricated reports of knowledge of the unseen which are attributed to the Twelve
Imams; and this in spite of the indisputable fact that divine revelation had
totally ceased upon the death of the Prophet.
As
for those who attributed this knowledge of the unseen to the Twelve Imams, it
suffices to say that they are well known to the Sunni scholars of hadith
(prophetic traditions) as liars, and forgers of hadith literature. The Shi'ite
partisans of those narrators are indifferent to this, however, and blindly
accept the accounts of the unseen which are imputed to their Imams. They also
gladly accept the claim that acceptance of what had been authentically
attributed to the Prophet with regard to the unseen is not binding upon them. In
fact, it pleases them to limit the scope of the mission of the Messenger of
Allah to matters of a secondary juristical nature, such as those mentioned by
Al-lshtiyani (see above).
Since they elevate the status of their Imams, in regard to
knowledge of the unseen, above that of the Messenger of Allah (even though it
was he who received the revelation; their Imams did not claim it for
themselves), we do not know how there could develop, after such blasphemy, any
reconciliation between us and them.
17. SHI'ITE TREACHERY TOWARDS
ISLAMIC GOVERNMENTS
The stance of most Shi'ites,
scholars and laymen alike, towards the Islamic governments throughout history
has been, if the government was powerful and well-established, to honour its
leaders in consonance with their tenet of taqiyah, for the purpose of material
gain. If, however, the government is weak, or is under attack by enemies, they
side with its enemies against it. This is precisely what they did during the
last days of the Umayyad dynasty when the Abbasids revolted, under the
instigation of the Shi'ites of that era. ln a later time, they took the same
criminal stand against the Abbasids who were threatened by the raids of Hulago
and his pagan Mongol followers against the Caliphate of Islam and its glorious
capital of science and civilization . An example of this is seen in the behavior
of the Shi'ite philosopher and scholar An-Naseer At-Toosi. He composed poetry in
praise of Al-Musta'sim, the Abbasid Caliph, then in 65 A.H. executed a complete
turn about, instigating revolution against his patron, thereby hastening the
catastrophe which befell Islam in Baghdad, where he headed the butcher Hulago's
blood-letting procession. In fact he personally supervised the slaughter of
Muslims, sparing none, not even women, children, or the aged. This same At-Toosi
also approved of wholesale dumping of valuable texts of Islamic literature in
the Tigris River; its waters ran black for days from the ink of the innumerable
manuscripts. Thus vanished a great treasure of the Islamic heritage consisting
of works in history, literature, language and poetry, not to mention those in
the Islamic religious sciences, which had been pass- ed down from the pious of
the first generation of Muslims, and which could be found in abundance until
that time when they were destroyed in a cultural holocaust the like of which had
never been seen before.
18. THE TREACHERY OF AL-'ALQAMI
AND IBN ABI-HADEED
This sheikh of the Shi'ites, An-Naseer At-Toosi, was assisted
in this great treachery by two of his cohorts, Muhammad bin Ahmad Al-'AI- qami,
a Shi'ite minister of state, and `Abdul-Hameed bin Abi-Hadeed, a Mu'tazilite
author and extremist Shi'ite.(33)
He was Al-'Alqami's right- hand man and proved to be a bitter enemy of the
Companions of he Messenger of Allah, as is evident from his malicious commentary
on the book Nahjul-Balaaha, which he filled with lies in order to distort
Islamic history.
Unfortunately, a number of our
distinguished figures and authors continue to be deceived by such lies due to
their ignorance of the essential facts of Islamic history. Al-'Alqami responded
to Caliph Al-Musta'sim's kindness and generosity in making him his minister,
with deception and treachery. Shi'ites to this day maliciously rejoice at
Hulago's vicious campaign of slaughter and destruction, out of sheer animosity
towards Islam. Anyone who wishes can read about the life of An-Naseer At-Toosi
in any Shi'ite book of biographies, the latest of which is Rowdaatul- lannaat by
Al-Khuwansari. It is full of praise for the treacherous murderers, and reflects
the Shi'ites' malicious rejoicing al that disastrous massacre of Muslim men,
women and children. It was a monstrous act which even the worst of enemies and
the most hard- hearted beasts would be ashamed to show pleasure in.
19. AN IMPEDIMENT TO
RECONCILIATION
The exposition has become somewhat lengthy although great
care has been taken to restrict the subject matter wholly to quotations selected
from the Shi'ites' most authentic and dependable publications. We would like to
conclude with a quotation pertaining to the subject of at-taqreeb
(reconciliation of the followers of the various schools and sects), in order to
clarify for every Muslim what the actual possibilities for success are regarding
such an endeavor, especially in regard to the Shi'ites who have expressed their
own frank acknowledgment of the impossibility of such an attempt at
reconciliation.
20. SALVATION CANNOT BE ATTAINED
WITHOUT PLEDGING ALLEGIANCE AND GRANTING SOVEREIGNTY TO AHL-BAIT
Al-Khuwansari also related that Shia Scholar As-Sayyid Ni'matullah Al-
Moosawi said:
"All of the sects unanimously agree that bearing witness to
one's faith by recitation of the two articles of faith is the only way to
salvation, as proved by the statement of Allah's Messenger: `Whoever bears
witness that there is no God but Allah enters Paradise." But as for the Imamer
sect they unanimously agree that salvation is attained only by granting
allegiance and entrusting the government to Ahlil-Bait, the last of whom is the
Twelve Imam, and by disowning their enemies [ie., Abu Bakr, `Umar and all non-Shi'ites,
whether they were rulers or subjects]. Thereby Shi'ites differ entirely from all
the other sects with regards to the nature and prerequisites of iman, upon which
the issue of salvation devolves."
21. SHI'ITES DIFFER WITH MUSLIMS
IN FUNDAMENTALS, NOT ONLY IN THE SECONDARY ISSUES
At-Toosi, Al-Moosa and Al-Khuwansari
have both told the truth, and lied. They have told the truth in saying that all
the Muslim sects are close to each other in fundamentals while they differ on
secondary issues. Thus mutual understanding and a "coming together" are possible
among those sects which are fundamentally akin to each other. On the other hand
it is impossible to achieve such a mutual understanding with the Shi'ite Imamers
because they are in opposition to the fundamentals of all other Muslims. They
will never be pleased with the Muslims unless they curse "Al-jibt wat-Taaghoot''
(Abu Bakr and `Umar), and those who came after them up until the present time.
Another condition they would impose on Muslims is that they
disown all non-Shi'ites, and even those members of the family of the Prophet who
were given in marriage to them, such as the two daughters of the Prophet who
married the Caliph `Uthman bin `Affaan. They further stipulate that Muslims must
also disown the Imam Zaid, son of `Ali Zain-ul `Abideen (the son of Al-Husain,
son of `Ali bin Abi Taalib) along with the rest of the family of the Prophet who
did not enter the ranks under the banner of the Rafidites(35)
, and who did not accept their deviated tenets. Amongst these perverse tenets is
their claim that the Qur'an has been tampered with, a doctrine fanatically
adhere-l to by all classes of the Shi'ite society throughout the ages, as their
own astute scholar At-Tabirsi has so boldly recorded in his book hslul-Khitaabi
fee Ithbatti Tahreefi Kitaab Rabbil-Arbaab.
The Shi'ites would like to force upon us as a precondition to
reaching a mutual understanding with them, and to please them, for the purpose
of "coming closer" to them, that we curse along with them the Companions of
Allah's Messenger, and that we disown everyone who does not adhere to the
doctrines of the Shi'ite faith. They even expect us to disown the daughters of
Allah's Messenger, and his blessed descendants, the foremost of whom is Zaid bin
Zain-ul `Abideen, along with anyone who followed in his footsteps in rejecting
the abominations of the Rafidites.
The above is the truthful part of what the Shi'ite spokesmen
said, and no Shi'ite would deny it, whether he openly practiced taqiyyah, or
concealed it.
As for the false part of what they say, it is that non-Shi'ite
Muslims agree that upon simple utterance of the two Shahaadas(36)'
rests the issue of salvation in the Hereafter. If the Shi'ites had the slightest
sense or knowledge they would have known that the two Shahaadas are to Sun ni
Muslims the mere sign of entry into Islam. If one uttered these two Shahaadas,
even if he were in the ranks of the enemy battling against Muslims, his life and
wealth would become inviolable. As for salvation in the Hereafter, it is
attained only by coupling the utterance of testification with iman, and iman,
according to the great and pious caliph `Umar bin Abdul-'Azeez, consists of
obligatory duties, and religious rites, ordinances and practices. He who
fulfills these com- pletes the prerequisites of iman, and whosoever does not
fulfill them does not complete his iman. As for the Shi'ite belief in the
existence of their Twelfth Imam, it is not in any way a prerequisite of iman. In
fact, this Twelfth Imam is an imaginary character falsely identified as the son
of Al-Hasan Al-'Askari (who died without offspring). His brother la'far settled
and distributed the inheritance left by Al-Hasan Al-'Askari on the basis that he
left no children to inherit.
The truth of the matter is that when the Shi'ites came to
know that Al-Hasan Al-'Askari died leaving no male successor, and saw that this
meant the end of the chain of Imamer succession, they realized that their
sectarian school would cease to exist with the death of Al-Hasan Al-'Askari.
They would no longer be Imamers because there was no Imam to succeed al-'Askari
to the Imamate.
22. THE TALE OF THE DOOR AND THE
TUNNEL
Upon this, one of them, Muhammad bin Nusair, a protege of the
tribe of Numair, invented the idea that Al-Hasan had a son who was hidden in the
tunnels of his father's residence. The impetus for such a fabrication came from
his desire, and that of his accomplices, to deceive the Shi'ite public,
especially the affluent among them, to collect zakaah(37)
from them in the name of an existing Imam. They also wished to continue claiming
that they were sincere Imamers. This Muhammad bin Nusair wanted himself to be
the "door" to the imaginary tunnel between the invented Imam and his followers,
in order to take charge of all zakaah funds. His accomplices disagreed with him
in this plot and insisted on appointing as the "door" a grocer whose shop was
adjacent to the entrance of Al-Hasan Al-'Askari's house. Hasan's father and
family used to purchase from this grocer their household needs.
After this, Muhammad Nusair broke away from his former comrades and established the Nusairiyyah sect, which takes its name and impetus
from him(38).
In the meantime, his former accomplices were. devising a stratagem whereby they
could bring forth their supposed Imam; they wanted him to marry and have sons
who would succeed him to the office of the Imamate. This in turn would ensure
that their Imamer sect would live on.
It became evident, however, that his appearance would be
denied by the heads of the Alawi clans as well as their followers and their
cousins, the Abbasid rulers and royalty. They therefore alleged that the
Twelfth lmam remained in the tunnel; that his minor absence was followed by a
major one; and so carried on with such fables as were never heard before, even
among the ancient Greeks. They expect all Muslims, whom Allah blessed with the
grace of sound reason, to believe in such blatant lies in order that there may
be a reconciliation between them and the Shi'ites. This preposterous idea could
only be realized if the whole Islamic world were to turn into a Lunatic asylum.
Praise be to Allah for the gift of reason, for indeed it is the faculty upon
which the responsibility for one's actions depends. It is the most precious and
sublime of graces after that of sound Iman.
23. THE CONCEPT OF PLEDGING
ALLEGIANCE ACCORDING TO THE MUSLIMS
Muslims entrust the position of leadership and the government
to any mu'min (believer) with correct Iman (faith).--Thus they would pledge allegiance
to all pious members of Ahlil-Bait, without any restriction as to their number
or persons. Amongst the foremost of the believers to whom they would entrust the
reins of leadership were the ten Companions who were given the glad tidings of
their abode in Paradise. If there were no other factor by reason of which the
Shi'ites acquired the designation of kaafirs (disbelievers), then their
contradiction and denial of the Prophet's designation of those ten Companions as
inhabitants of Paradise would have sufficed.(39)
The Muslims also would entrust the rest of the Companions
with leadership, and would grant them full support and allegiance, for it was
these noble personages upon whose shoulders was erected Islam and the Islamic
world, and truth and goodness sprang forth from the soil of the Islamic nation
which had been nourished by their precious blood. These are the Companions whom
the Shi'ites claimed were enemies of `Ali and his sons, while actually they
lived with `Ali as loving, cooperative brothers and died as such. What could be
greater proof of this than the description Allah gives of them in Surat Al-Fat'h,
from His book which falsehood cannot approach from before or behind He, the
Almighty, said regarding the Companions, that they are "severe with the
disbelievers, merciful amongst themselves." Allah also says about them, in
Surat Al-Hadeed, "Unto Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the
earth. Those of your companions] who spent [For the sake of Allah] and fought
[in His cause] before the Victory are not on the same level [as the rest of you.
Such are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. Unto each
Allah has promised good."
And does Allah ever break His promise? In Surat Aal lmraan,
Allah, the Exalted, referred to the Companions as `the best of peoples raised up
for mankind", i.e., as an example to be followed.
24. Friendship And Affection
Among The Rightly-Guided Caliphs
Due to the love and respect
which Imam Ali bin Abi Taalib held for the other caliphs, he named three of his sons after them,
Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman . He
also gave his eldest daughter Umm Kulthoom in marriage to `Umar Ibn-ul-Khattaab.
In addition, we see that `Abdullah bin la'hr bin Abi Taalib ,('Ali's nephew)
named one of his sons Abu Bakr, and the other one Mu'aawiyah. Mu'aawiyah bin
`Abdullah named his son after Yazeed bin Mu'aawiyah bin Abu Sufyaan, who was
considered to be of good repute, according to the testimony of Muhammad bin
Al-Hanafiyyah bin `Ali bin Abu Taalib.
25. Why We Must Rid Ourselves Of
Any Connection With The Shi'ites
If the repudiation and denunciation which Shi'ites are now
asking of us, as the price for reconciliation between us and them, includes
those whom they have demanded it include (Abu Bakr, `Umar, etc.) then he whom
they consider to be their first Imam, `Ali bin Abi Taalib, should be considered
blameworthy by them, by virtue of his naming his sons after Abu Bakr, `Umar and
`Uthman, and by his giving his daughters in marriage to `Umar and `Uthman.
Furthermore, they must consider Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah a
liar when he testified to the good character of Yazeed, if they accept the claim
of `Abdullah bin Mutee, a supporter of Ibnuz-Zubair, that Yazeed drank liquor
and neglected prayer, and exceeded the bounds established by Allah's Book.
Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah defended Yazeed, saying have not
witnessed what you mention. I visited him and stayed with him. He was regular in
observing prayers and in performing good deeds, seeking religious knowledge and
adhering to the sunnah."
Ibn Mutee and those accompanying him replied that Yazeed's
behavior was out of pretence in his presence. Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyyah re-
joined: "What was it that he feared or hoped from me that he should appear
before me in such a state of piety and humility?" He continued, "Did he confide
in you that which you mention regarding his drinking of wine. If he did so, then
you are his accomplices. And if he did not, then it is unlawful for you to bear
witness to that of which you have no knowledge." They replied that although they
did not see him drinking, yet "we believe that to be the truth." Muhammad's
reply to them was that Allah rejects this kind of testimony from Muslims, for He
says in His Book: "... except those who bear witness to the truth and with full
knowledge."(40)
Muhammad concluded, "Therefore, I have nothing to do with this affair..."(41)
Since the foregoing is what the son of `Ali bin Abi Taalib
has testified to in favor of Yazeed bin Mu'aawiyah, then where does his fit in
relation to the position the Shi'ites want us to adopt with them against
Yazeed's father, Mu'aawiyah, and against those who are better than him and
better than the whole creation(42),
that is, Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, Talha, Az-Zubair, Amr ubn ul-'Aws, along with
the rest of the great Companions who memorized and preserved for us Allah's Book
and the Sunnah of His Messenger, and who were the architects of the Islamic
world.
The price demanded of us by the Shi'ites for a reconciliation
with them is exorbitant. We lose everything by agreeing to it, while we gain
nothing in return. It is only a fool who would deal with someone whom he knows
would expect him to accept a losing bargain! The two concepts of walaayah
(granting of allegiance) and baraa (repudiation and denunciation) upon which the
Shi'ite religion is based, according to what has been affirmed by An-Naseer At-Toosi
and confirmed by Ni'matullah Al-Moosawi and Al-Khuwansari, mean nothing except a
complete alteration of the religion of Islam. This complete change would require
of us enmity towards those upon whose shoulders was erected the very structure
of Islam.
The Shi'ites have lied when they said that their sect is the
only one to be granted salvation, the one whose condition and state differs from
all of the rest, by virtue of which they alone would be saved. The fact is that
the impossibility of reconciliation between the Sunni sects on one side and
Shi'ites on the other is due to the latter's disagreement with and contradiction
of the rest of the Muslims in the very fundamentals of faith, as we have seen
from the declarations of the Shi'ite scholars, and as can be seen from the
beliefs and practices of every Shi'ite. This was the state of affairs in the
past, and it is the state of affairs at the present time.
26. SHI'ITES PREFER PROPAGATION
OF THEIR SECTARIAN TENETS TO TAQREEB
Without any doubt the Shi'ite Imamers themselves do not want
taqreeb, which is why they have made many sacrifices and suffered great pains in
propagating the call for reconciliation and elimination of differences in our
Sunni countries, while forbidding that such a call be raised, or allowed to
proceed at all, in the Shi'ite countries. Nor do we see a hint of the influence
of such a call on their educational institutions. In other words, the call to
reconciliation has been restricted to one side, and as a result, every effort
towards this cause will be futile, and a mere frivolous mockery, unless and
until the Shi'ites categorically refrain from cursing and abusing Abu Bakr and `Umar;
unless they cease repudiation and denunciation of anyone who was not, or is no
presently, a Shi'ite partisan; and unless they rid themselves totally of their
perverse concept of raising the pious Imams of the Prophet's family from the
level of human beings to that of the gods of the pagan Greeks.
All of this is no less than an outrageous injustice against
Islam and a diversion of it from the path and the goal to which it was directed
by the Prophet to whom was entrusted the Islamic Shari'ah (divinely revealed
law), and by his noble Companions amongst whom were `Ali bin Abi Taalib and his
offspring. If the Shi'ites do not totally abandon such an outrage against Islam
and its articles of faith, and its history, then they are doomed to remain
isolated from and rejected by all of the Muslims(43)
27. THE INTRIGUE OF BAABISM AND
BAHAISM AND THE ENSUING UPHEAVAL IN IRAN
The upheaval of Baabism and its offshoot, Bahaism, struck
Iran over a hundred years ago. Muhammad `Ali Ash-Shiraazi had begun by claiming
that he was the Baab (gate, precursor or forerunner) to the awaited Mahdi. He later claimed that he
himself was the
Mahdi, and in time he gained a sizable group of followers. The Iranian
government chose to exile him to Azerbaijan, the home of Sunnis of the Hanafi
school of jurisprudence. Being strict Sunnis, they were considered immune to the
influence of such fabulous nonsense. It was, however, only logical to fear that
Shi'ites would respond to Ash-Shiraazi's call, since his invention was derived
from Shi'ism. For that reason, he was not exiled to a Shi'ite area, whose
inhabitants would be only too willing to accept such fables. In spite of such
precautions, a large number of shi'ites became Ash-Shiraazi's followers, and
thus there developed and ever-widening circle of commotion and disorder.
28. FROM SHI'ISM TO COMMUNISM
Just as the Shi'ite fables and myths were a factor in the
appearance and spread of Babism and Bahaism in the past century. So now they can
be seen to be a cause of the rejection of Shi'ism by some of the educated
Shi'ite youth, in favour of communism. They have awakened to the realization
that many Shi'ite beliefs are too ridiculous to he credible, and as a
result, they have utterly rejected them. Many were drawn to various communist
organizations, with their energetic propagandists, books in various languages,
and efficiently run centres. These young people were an easy prey, and fell
readily into the trap. Had they known the religion of Islam in its original pure
state, and acquired a proper knowledge of it, they would have been protected
from such a fate. Instead, we find that communism has thrived, especially in
lran and in the Shi'ite areas of Iraq. More communists are to be found in those
communities than can be found in any other Muslim community.
This concludes what circumstances have allowed me to present
by way of fulfilling the covenant which Allah has taken from the Muslims, by
which we pledge to give good counsel and a word of caution to all Muslims,
solely for the sake of Allah. Allah protects and preserves His religion, His
nation of believers, and our great Islamic identity and existence.
Footnotes:
1. Related by Abu Dawood and others with an authentic chain of narrators.
2. The invocation is called Du'aa Sanamay Quraish the invocation against the two
idols of Quraish, by which the Shi'ites mean the two caliphs of Allah's
Messenger, Abu Bakr and `Umar!.
3. Khomeini, Al-Hukoomat ul-lslamiyyah, pp. 52-53.
4. What Khomeini means here, is that he not only affirms and believes all that
is in the Shi'ite book Al-Kaafi, but he also sees it as obligatory to adhere to
it and put its rulings and directives into effect in the Shi'ite state.
5. The two terms `'Ahlus-Sunnah (Sunnis) and `'Shi'ah'' (Shi'ites) need to be
defined at this point. Ahlus-Sunnah means literally "people of the established
way or path". It refers to the majority of Muslims, who follow the sunnah (way)
of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, the Almighty. The term Shi'ah is from the
phrase shi'atul `Ali (adherents to or company of `Ali), by which this sect is
known for reason of its attachment to the idea of the pre-eminence of `Ali ibni
Abi Taalib and his descendants.
6. The author's reference to Azhar University's being in the beginning stage of
its "mission" requires some comment, as this treatise was written over thirty
years ago. Since that time, Al-Azhar has incorporated the study of the Shi'ite
"Twelve Imamers" school as a required pan of its curriculum in Islamic Studies.
This, along with its call for reconciliation of the various sects and schools of
thought, might create the impression of acceptance of the misguided sects such
as the Shi'ite Twelve Imamers and the Ismailis. In fact, the only legitimate
reason for studying such sects and movements is the hope that such a study will
bring to light their real natures, and that consequently, their false doc-
trines and perverse ideology may be refuted by reference to the authentic
sources of Islam, the Holy Qur'an, the authentic Sunnah, and the example of the
Companions of the Prophet (Allah's blessings and peace be upon him).
7. This kind of "favoritism" has been repeated throughout different eras. It was
due to the sending of propagandists claiming such lofty goals of reconciliation
that Iraq was converted from a Sunni country containing a Shi'ite minority to a
state which is predominantly Shi'ite.
8. "Wali" has several meanings, the relevant ones in this context being "the
closest friend and associate" and "the one upon whom has been conferred legal
authority to rule; vicegerent". The person intended by this term in the quoted
passage is obviously `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet's cousin
and the fourth caliph. By forging such a verse the Shi'ite are attempting to
give credence to their perverse view that the only legal caliph was `Ali and
that the right to the caliphate belongs to Ahlil-Bait (the members of the
Prophet's family) alone. This they tried to do by claiming divine revelation as
a source of this belief of theirs, so it was expedient to forge a Qur'anic
verse, in order to support their false position.
9. Noeldeke, History of Copies of the Qur'an, Vol. 2, p. 102.
10. Zanaadiq is the plural of zindeeq. a Persian word meaning one who speaks
heresy, or who has deviated from the truth. It is also applied to disbelievers
or atheists or free-thinkers.
(cf.,
Lisanul-Arab Vol. 10. p. 147).
11. The meaning of this statement, allegedly made by 'Ali in the course of an
argument with an unnamed zindeeq. is obscure, to say the least. We may surmise
from the context that a discussion or dispute had been taking place between
them, 'Ali having been attacked in repudiation of his supposed insistence that
he possessed that missing one third of the Qur'an, which according to Shi'ite
belief was deleted by the Companions of the Prophet. This is a concoction of the
Shi'ites, falsely attributed to 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), in order
to bolster their attempt to prove the alteration of the Qur'an. As for the verse
cited as proof of deletion from the Qur'an, there is unanimous agreement among
the Sunni commentators on the Qur'an that, after a careful analysis of the
structure of the verse and its context, it may be paraphrased as follows: "If
any of you has an orphan girl under his guardianship and he fears that he may
not do her justice by granting her an appropriate dowry if he were to marry her,
then let him marry other women of his choice." For further details see Ibn
Katheer Tafseerul Qur'an al-'Adheem. Vol. 1, p. 449.
12. By the 'hypocrites", Abu Mansoor At-Tabarsi means the Companions of Allah's
Messenger (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him), for it was they who
collected the Qur'an, the 'Uthmani version which was adhered to and applied by
'Ali during the period of his caliphate. If the statement attributed to 'Ali in
At-Tabarsi's Al-lhtijaaj had really come from him, it would have been treachery
against Islam on his part, to possess and conceal some missing portion of the
Qur'an and not make it public, nor apply its principles, nor, circulate it
amongst his subjects during the period of his caliphate. Clearly At-Tabarsi has
insulted and defamed 'Ali, since what he has written actually implies treachery
and deception on 'Ali's part.
13. Muhammad Mahdi Al-Asfahani Al-Kaathini, Ahsanul-Wadee'ah, Vol 2, p. 90.
14. Al-Kulaini,
Al-Kaafi, 1278 A.H., p. 54
15. Al Azhar
Maazine, 1372 A.H., p. 307.
16. Al-Kulaini,
Al-Kaafi, 1278 A.H., p. 75
17. Al-Hazarn, Al Fisal fil Millal wan-Niha1, Vol. 2, p. 78 and Vol. 4, p. 182.
18. Jibt means an idol or a sorcerer, or one who claims to tell the future.
Taaghoot is a name applied to any object or person worshipped apart from the one
God, Allah.
19. Al-Mamqaani, lanqeehul-Maqaal fee Ahwaalir-Rijaal, 1352 A.H.,Vo. 1,p207.
20. The day of 'Ashooraa is the tenth day of Muharram of the Muslim lunar
calendar. and it has Great significance for the Shi'ites. It is the culmination
of long days of bitter grieving and vicious self-inflicted pain which they
observe annually in commemoration of he death of Imam Hussain, the grandson of
the Prophet (pbuh). who was martyred at Karbala in Iraq.
21. One naturally questions here why his grandfather 'Ali bin Abi Taalib did not
do just that during the period of his rule. Is his twelfth generation descendant
more sincere than 'Ali in his service of the Qur'an and Islam?
22. Bai'at ur-Ridwaan is the pledge of allegiance and support by the Companions
to the Prophet, with which Allah was well pleased, as is clearly indicated by
the verse revealed regarding it. The pledge was given to the Prophet by a group
of approximately fourteen hundred Companions (amongst them Abu Bakr and 'Umar)
who had headed out with him towards the Holy City of Mecca, unarmed and
intending to perform the rites of the minor pilgrimage to Allah's sacred house,
the Ka'bah, in the sixth year of the Hijrah (emigration of the Prophet and his
Companions from Mecca to Medina). When they arrived at Hudaibia, a small village
near Mecca, the tribe of Quraish forbade them entrance to the city and news
spread that they had slain the emissary the Holy Prophet had sent to them. Upon
this the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took the pledge
of allegiance to his cause and for the defense of Islam against the disbelievers
in case war should have to be resorted to. See t-Tabari's Tareekhur-Rasul
wal-Mulook, Vol.
4, pp. 72-81.
23. Qur'an, 48:18.
24. Al-Khaalisi has somehow reasoned that by using the word "believers" in this
verse, Allah is implying that some of those who swore allegiance were not
believers. Al- Khaalisi concludes from this that the Sunnis are mistaken in
using this verse to prove that all those who gave the pledge were believers, and
that Allah was pleased with them. In fact, the only way Al-Khaalisi's
interpretation would be credible is if the text read: "... Allah was pleased
with the believers among them, when they swore allegiance to you..."
25. Al-Kulaini,
Al-Kaafi,
26. Ibid
27. Ibid
28. Ibid
29. Ibid
30. Ibid
31. Ibid
32. Ibid
33. The Mu'tazilaite sect introduced speculative dogmatics into Islam
34. The concept of the Muslim nation separating into seventy-three sects, is
taken from authentic traditions such as the following related by Abu Huraira
(may Allah be pleased with him): "The Messenger of Allah said: 'The Jews
separated into seventy-one sects, and the Christians into seventy-two, and my
nation will divide into seventy-three sects." This was recorded in the
compilations of Abi-Dawood, Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and others, with an authentic
chain of transmitters. There is also narrated, in the compilations of Abi Dawood,
Ad-Darimi, Ahmad and others the statement: "Seventy-two [of the seventy-three
sects of the Muslim nation] will be in the fire, and one only will be in
Paradise; it is the Jama'ah [i.e. Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jama'ah]." In yet another
narration the, final statement is: "All of these [sects] will be in the fire
except one; it is the Jama'ah." Finally, there is another narration which
states: "The Companions asked: 'Which sect will triumph [i.e., achieve
salvation]?' The Prophet replied: 'The sect which adheres to that [set of
beliefs and practices] which I and my Companions adhere to."' It should be clear
from these traditions that the one sect, out of the seventy-three, which is to
gain salvation, is the Ahlus-Sunnah, the only segment of the Muslim community
which strictly adheres to that which the Holy Prophet and his noble Companions
adhered to.
35. The name "Rawaafid" (Rafidites, Rafida) is applied generally, to all the
various sects of the Shi'ites, the first of which appeared during 'Ali's time.
Among them are the A-Saba'eeah who told 'Ali that he was God, as a result of
which he ordered them to be burned to death. Others followed, amongst them the
Zaidiah, the Imamiah, and the Keesaaniah. They differ from each other greatly
and often we find one denying the iman of the other. The term rawaafid means
literally rejectors, and was first used when the followers of Zaid son of 'Ali
Zain-ul-'Abideen, the son of Al-Husain son of 'Ali bin Abi Taalib, demanded that
he disown the two caliphs Abu Bakr and 'Umar. Upon hearing their demand Zaid
said: "They were both ministers of my grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad],
therefore I will not disown them." Hearing this, the followers of Zaid rejected
him and parted from him, hence the name Rawaafid (rejectors). It later came
todenote all the Shi'ah, who claimed to be partisans of the family of the
Prophet Muhammad (Allah's blessings and peace be upon him).
36. The two shahaadas are the two testifications of faith which are as follows:
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah."
37. Zakaah is the obligatory alms-tax assessed on accumulated wealth, and
distributed among the poor.
38. The Nusairis (also known as 'Alawis) are a Shi'ite sect that has a
particularly fanatic devotion to 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). They hold
that Allah appears in the form of certain persons on the earth, and since there
were no persons after the Prophet of Allah better than 'Ali and his sons, Allah
manifested Himself in them and spoke with their tongues.
39. Abdul Qaahir Al-Baghdaadi states the Sunni position in Al-Farqu bainal-Firaq:
"They unanimously agreed that the ruling of disbelief must be made regarding a
person who has called a kaafir any of the ten Companions whom the Prophet (may
Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) testified would be among the
inhabitants of Paradise." He also said that it is waajib (compulsory) to give a
verdict of kufr (heretical disbelief) in the case of anyone who considers any of
the Companions to be disbelievers.
40. Qur'an 43:86
41. Ibn Katheer.
Al-Bidaayah
wan-Nihaayah Vol. 8. p. 233
42. The Companions of Muhammad are considered the best of creation after the
Prophets and Messengers of Allah.
43. It is a Shi'ite tradition that Taqiyyah is my faith and the faith of my
forefathers. They also say that whosoever does not practice taqiyyah. he has no
faith. ' Further. it is mentioned in Al-lslamu Sabeelus-sa'aadah was-salaam that
"If a person expected harm to befall him or his wealth in the general public
order. it is incumbent upon him to abandon the order of enjoining the good and
forbidding the evil. This ruling is one of the peculiarities specific to the
Shi'ites, and is called at-taqiyyah." Clearly. if this were to be followed to
the letter, even Jihad (holy struggle for the sake of Allah) could be abandoned.
and this would be definitely in contradiction to the command of Allah the
Exalted.
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