Issue #2 2010

The event of zul asheera – first invitation to Islam

Ali (AS) said “I who was the youngest of all have submitted that I am your vizier. The Prophet put his hand around my neck and said, “This person is my brother, inheritor and viceregent. You must obey him.” People laughed and told Abu Talib, “He has ordered you to obey your son.” Tabari, al-Tarikh, Cairo, 1357, vol II, pp 63. Abu'l-Fida', al-Tarikh, Cairo, 1325 vol I pp 116, Ibn al-Athir, al-Bidayah wa'l-Nihayah, Cairo, 1358, vol III pp 39, Bahrani, Ghayat al-Maram, Tehran, 1272 pp 320.

Shia in the Quran[ 28:15] And he entered the city at a time when its people were not watching: and he found there two men fighting,- one of his own religion, and the other, of his foes. Now the man of his own religion appealed to him against his foe, and Moses struck him with his

fist and made an end of him. He said: "This is a work of Evil (Satan): for he is an enemy that manifestly misleads!"In the above verse of Quran, one is named the Shia of Moses (AS) and the other one is named the enemy of Moses, and the people at that time were either the Shia or the enemy of Moses (AS). Thus Shia is an official word used by Allah in His Quran for His high rank prophets as well as their followers. Do you want to say Prophet Abraham was sectarian? How about Prophet Noah and Prophet Moses?

If somebody calls himself a Shia, it is not due to any sectarianism, nor any innovation. It is because Quran has used the phrase for some of His best servants. The above verses that I mentioned in support of Shia, has used this term singular form (i.e., one group of followers). This means that it has special meaning, such as: THE Shia of Noah (AS), THE Shia of Moses (AS). Also in the History of Islam, Shia has been specially used for the "followers of Ali". The first individual who used this term was the Messenger of Allah himself:

Shia in Quran and Hadith

The Messenger of Allah said to Ali: "Glad tiding O Ali! Verily you and your companions and your Shia (followers) will be in Paradise."

http://www.al-islam.org/ENCYCLOPEDIA/chapter1b/13.html

37:83 Verily among those who followed his Way was Abraham.

Aqa Mahdi Puya says:

As said in verse 83 those who follow the same creed are called shi-ahs, and this has become a term to distinguish those who follow Ali.

The Holy Prophet said:

"O Ali, you and your shi-ahs, on the day of resurrection, will be surrounded by light, honoured and successful."

The Day of Saqeefa – the

day of the split

from Al-Nass Wel-Ijtihad Abdul Husayn Sharfuddin p 95-97

http://www.maaref-foundation.com/english/index.htm

The life of the Prophet (s) after his prophethood was full of traditions that had talked about the caliphate of Imam Ali (s) clearly since the (day of the warning)[2] in Abu Talib’s house and throughout the days after that until he had lain in the bed of death whereas his room was crowded with people when he said: “O people, I am about to die and to be taken hastily. I have informed you. I have left among you the Book of Allah and my progeny”. Then he raised Ali’s hand and said: “This is Ali. He is with the Qur'an and the Qur'an is with him. They will never separate until they will come to me at the pond (in Paradise)”. The traditions of thaqalayn (two weighty things) are enough to be the judge

between the two sects; the Shia and the Sunni. “Most surely there is a reminder in this for him who has a heart or he gives ear with full intelligence. Qur'an, 50:37”

[1] The deliberations (muraja’at) were one hundred and twelve ones.

[2] The Prophet (s) had invited his close relatives to warn them. The last of his speech to them was that when he held Ali’s hand and said: “This is my brother, my vizier, my guardian and my caliph among you. Listen to him and obey him!” Refer to muraja’a no. 20 and the one after it in the book “al-Muraja’at”.

They (the companions) had appropriate the matter (the caliphate) to themselves on the day of Saqeefa[1] interpreting some prophetic traditions according to their own opinions without caring for anything else. They had determined their matter among them without informing anyone of the Hashemites[2] nor any of their followers; the Hashemites, who were the family of the Prophet (s), the place of the divine mission, the descendance of the angels and the descendance of Gabriel and revelation. As if they had forgotten that the

Saqeefa

Ahlul Bayt were the weighty thing the Prophet (s) had left, the equal of the Book of Allah,[3] the protection of the umma from separation,[4] the ship of rescue for the umma from deviation[5] and the gate of repentance for the umma.[6] As if they had forgotten that the Prophet’s family was to the umma as the head to the body and as the two eyes to the head.[7]

[1] Saqeefa means a shed. They (most of the Prophet’s companions) have gathered in the shed of Bani Sa’ida on that day to determine that caliphate after the Prophet (s).

[2] Hashem was the Prophet’s ancestor.

[3] With reference to the clear traditions mentioned in the reliable books of traditions; those traditions that have made the Prophet’s progeny as the equal of the Qur'an to be the example that must be followed by the men of understanding. Refer to Muslim’s Sahih (book of Hadith), at-Tarmithi’s Sahih, an-Nassa’iy’s Sahih, Ahmad’s Musnad, at-Tabarani in his al-

Kabeer, al-Hakim’s Mustadrak, ath-Thahabi’s Talkhees al-Mustadrak, ibn Abu Shayba’s Sunan, Abu Ya’la’s Sunan, ibn Sa’d’s Tabaqat and many others. For details refer to muraja’a no.8 in our book “al-Muraja’at”.

[4] Referring to the Prophet’s saying: “My family is security for my umma from being separated. If a tribe of the Arabs objects to them, it will separate and then become the party of Iblis”. Refer to al-Hakim’s Mustadrak, vol.3 p.149.

Verses of Ghadeer

1) "O Messenger (of Allah)! Convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord. And if you do it not, then you have not, delivered His message (prophethood), and Allah will protect you from the people. Surely Allah will not guide the disbelieving people."(Surah Maidah, 5:67).

2) "This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favor on you and

chosen for you Islam as a religion."(Surah Maidah, 5:3)

3) "One questioner demanded the chastisement which must befall?(Surah Ma"arij:1)

Read the Quran

Sa"labi in "Noorul Absaar", page 11. while

giving references of great sunni scholars like

Shiblinji of Egypt and others, writes, "The Holy Prophet (pbuh), gathered the people on the day of Ghadir and raising Ali"s hand, proclaimed, "Of whomsoever I am the

master, Ali is his master too." Word spread around

and when Harith Bin Noman-e-Fehri heard

about it, he came on one side, and asked, "O

Muhammad you asked us to give witness of Divinity and (your) Messengership,

we gave (unhesitantly). You ordered for Praying,

we performed. You ordered us for Hajj, Zakat and

fasting, we acted upon it.

After all these command, your are not yet contented

and now you want to appoint your cousin over

us as our leader by saying, "Of whomsoever I am his master, Ali is his master

too, Is this a divine command or is it from

your side?"

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: "I swear by Allah except whom there is no God, this command is

indeed divine." On hearing this, Harith

turned, started going back to his camel, and was

grumbling "O Allah if the word of Muhammad is true, then stones rain

upon me or deliver unto me a severe

chastisement." Harith had hardly reached his mount, when a boulder fell from the sky crushing him to

death. Then this verse was revealed. "One demanding

demanded the chastisement which must

befall."

http://www.rafed.net/english/articles/index.php?

option=com_content&view=article&id=452:ghadir

-in-quran&catid=41:quranic-

sciences&Itemid=82

Shi'ite Islam Orthodoxy or Heterodoxy

LuisAlberto Vittor p137-138

http://www.maaref-foundation.com/english/index.htm

It should be noted that the term “sect” is unduly applied to Shi‘ite Islam without doctrinal justification and without paying attention to whether such a definition is actually compatible with its perfectly orthodox and traditional spirit. If this is not a case of terminological standardization, then what is the point of insisting on its application? Should the generic sense of “sect” be

applied by default to every religious minority on the basis of the same rigid and arbitrary interpretation? We refer, of course, to those scholars who fancifully turn every minority tradition into a “sect” without considering the true meaning of its definition. In fact, these scholars often label certain religious groups as “sects” when their followers are numerically equal to the main groups within their tradition. Certain religious minorities which are considered as “sects” in the West are perfectly orthodox religious expressions. Such is the case with Shi‘ite Islam in the Middle East, Buddhism or

Taoism in the Far East, to mention some of the most common examples. But, as we have seen, the tendency to give Shi‘ite Islam the stigma of “sect” is premeditated. The definition of “sect,” as they know better than anyone else, can conveniently be substituted--in a theological and philosophical sense--by the more insidiously political and provocative one which defines a sect as a “group of partisans with extreme and violent ideas.”

Conclusion

Thus in conclusion brothers and sisters. Shia is a term used in the

Quran and the hadith of the prophet (PBUH). If a shia calls to his leader he is simply following the sunna of the Prophet (Quran/Moosa and Hadith/Ghadeer). On being called the Moula of the shia will help him.The partisans of Islam are those who did not follow the Quran and the way of the prophet (AS). This deviation from the siraat (the straight path or the Masoomeen) leads to zulumaat (darkness). Paraphrasing Dua E Ghayba the one who does not recognize Allah, the Prophet, and the Imam of the time leads his religion into darkness.

Miami

2010