ToBeWiththeTruthfulSayedMuhammadAlTijaniAlSamawi-XKP

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1ChapterPreamble

IntheNameofAllah,theBeneficenttheMercifulAllpraisebelongstotheLordoftheworlds,Whobestoweduponusguidance,graceandpower,

andWhofavouredHisbondmenwithallgoodinorder toberighteous.Heisenoughforwhoeverrelying upon Him, protecting him against the devils’ stratagem, while those diverting from Hisstraightpathshallverilybeamongthefrustratedanddefeated.Benedictionandpeacebeupontheonedelegatedasamercyforalltheworlds,thesupporterofthe

oppressedandthosereckonedfeeble,thebelovedoftheneedywhobelievedinAllah,outofdesirefortherewardsthatAllahtheGlorified—haspreparedforHistruthfulbondmen…AndalsouponhisgoodandpureHousehold,whosestatus iselevatedoverallothercreatures,soas tobeagoodexample for the gnostic, a beacon of guidance, and ship of deliverance, of which whoever staysbehindwillbeverilyamongtheperishedones.God’spleasureandassentbeupontheProphet’sgoodCompanions,whosworeallegiancetoand

aidedhimagainsthisenemies,neverbeingamongthecovenant-breakers,andthosewhokeptabideby the covenant, never alteringor reversing, andbeing among the grateful…and also upon thosewho kindly followed their guide, from among the earlier and latter (people) till the Day ofResurrection.MyLord!Dilatemybosom,easemyaffair,anduntieaknotofmytonguesothatmywordswillbe

comprehended.MyLord!Makethetruth,withwhichyouguideYourfaithfulbondmen,berevealedforwhoever

readsmybook,andopenhisinsight.Inthebeginning,mybook,“ThenIwasGuided”wasencounteredwithgoodapprovalamongdear

readers,who, furnished uswith some significant remarks regardingmiscellaneous subjects in thebook,askingformoredetailsconcerningtheissuesthatcreatedcontroversyamongalargenumberofMuslims—SunnahandShi‘ah.So,forthesakeofeliminatinganyambiguityandobscurityaboutthismatter,forthoseseekingto

reachthetruthandbeacquaintedwiththeminutedetailsoftheissue,IhavecompiledthisbookwiththesamestyleIfollowedintheformerone,sothattheequitableresearchercaneasilyattaintotruththroughitsnearest routes,asIhavereached it throughinvestigationandanalogy. Ihavenamedthebook—withAllah’sblessing—TobewithTruthful(Ma‘aal-Sādiqin),derivingitfromthesayingoftheAlmighty:"Oyewhobelieve!Becarefulofyourduty toAllah,andbewith the truthful." (Qur ’ān,Suraat-

Tawba,9:1l9)AndisthereanyoneamongMuslimsreadytorefuseorabstainfrombeingwiththosetruthfulones! Thiswasinfactmyownbelief,andthefactIamtryingtoelucidateforothers,aspossibleasI

can,without dictatingmy opinion upon the others, butwith full respect for others’ opinions.AndAllahaloneistheGuide,andHeistotakethecustodyoftheuprightpeople.Somepeoplehaveopposedthetitleofmypreviousbook“ThenIwasGuided”,duetoitsimplying

an abstruseness entailing contemplation and wondering, whether others are misguided, and whatindicationisgotfromthatmisguidancewhenthatmeaningbeingintended?ForthisobjectionIgivethefollowingclarifyingreply:First:Theworddalātah(strayal)isreferredtointheHolyQur ’āntomeanforgetfulness,whenthe

Almightysaid:“He said: The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a book, my Lord errs not, nor does He

forget”(SuraTa-Ha,20:52).He—theGlorifiedtheExalted—alsosaid:“…sothatifoneofthetwoerrs,thesecondofthetwomayremindtheother…”(Suraal-Baqara,

2:282) Further the word dalālah is cited in the Holy Qur ’ān to indicate the state of investigation,

searchingandquesting,whenAllah,theAlmightyaddressedHisHolyMessengerbysaying:“And find you lost (that is, unrecognized by men) and guide (them to you)?” (Sura ad-

Duha,93:7),meaningthatHefoundyoulookingfortruthandHeguidedyoutowardit.Fromthebiographyof

theProphet(Allah’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisprogeny),itisknownthathe,beforethedescentoftheRevelation(wahy)overhim,usedtodeserthisfolkatMakkahseekingseclusionintheCaveofHarra,’formanylongnightslookingfortruth.Outofthismeaningtoo,theProphet(S)isreportedtohavesaid:Wisdomisthelostpropertyofa

truebeliever;whereverhemaycomeacrossit,heistheonewhodeservesitmost.Andthistheverymeaningimpliedinthetitleofmyfirstbook.Second: Supposedly the title implies the meaning of deviation that comes versus the guidance,

whichweintendtorefertointellectually,inordertoobtaintherightIslamictrendandplaincourse,thatleadsustowardthestraightforwardpath,ascommentedbysomereaders,thenletitbeso.Thisisthe abstract truth that some fear facing it with a constructive sport spirit, and creative objectivebreath…andwhoseconceptiongoesinlinewiththeMessenger ’s(S)saying: “I am leaving behind among you two precious things (Thaqalayn): the Book of Allah and my

Kindred(‘Itrah)myAhlal-Bayt.Aslongasyouadheretothemyouwillnevergoastrayafterme.”

Thistradition(hadith),explicitlyandexpresslyreferstothegoingastrayofwhoevernotadheringtoboththeBookandthe‘Itrah.Anyhow, I amcertain that I havebeen,withAllah’s favour andgrace, guided toholdon to the

BookofAllahandtheKindredof theMessenger(mayAllah’sbenedictionandpeacebe,uponhimandhisprogeny)AllpraisebetoAllah,whoguidedustowardthis(path),andwewouldhaveneverbeenguided(toit)hadnotAllahguidedus…themessengersofourLordhavebeendelegatedwithtruth. The titles ofmy first and second books are derived from theHolyQur ’ān,which is themost

truthfulandbestofspeech.Andall theinformationIcompiledinboththebooks, ifnotbeingtrue,they be nearer to truth, as being among that uponwhich allMuslims Sunnah and Shi‘ah— haveconcurred,andwhoseveracitywasapprovedby the twosects.Asa result, Iproduced—thanks toAllah—thesetwobooks—"…ThenIwasGuided,"and"TobewiththeTruthful."IimploreAllahtoguidetheUmmahofMuhammad(S),soastobethebestUmmahandabletotake

the leadership of the whole world toward light and right path, under the standard of the awaitedat-’Imāmal-Mahdi,withwhomwewerepromisedbyhisgrandfather,tofilltheearthwithjusticeandequity after it was filled with oppression and tyranny, and so that Allah shall perfect His light,howevermuchthedisbelieversareaverse.

TheAuthor

2ChapterIntroduction

IntheNameofAllah,theMostCompassionateandtheMostMerciful,andbenedictionandpeacebeuponthenoblestofmessengers,ourmasterandMawlāMuhammadandhisgoodandpureProgeny. And then, religion basically, depends upon the doctrines that constitute the principles and

cornerstones inwhich the followers of every religionbelieve.Also their belief in them shouldbeestablished on a decisive evidence, and explicit proof that emanates from the rational intuitions inwhichallpeoplebelieve,sothatitcanconvincepeopletobelieveinwhatitcallsthemto.Despiteallthis,thereareseveralideaswhoseexplanationisuneasyforallscholars,asitisdifficultforreason('Aql)tobelieveinthematfirstblush.Thereareexamplesforthis,oneisthefire'sbeingcoolnessandpeacewhilescienceandintellect

concuronitsbeingperniciousheat,andthebirdsbeingcut intoscatteredpartsonthehills,andoncallingthemtheycomeinhaste,whereasitcan’tbeeasilybelievedbyknowledgeandintellect;orthattheblindandtheleperbeinghealedthroughonlyawipeby“(thehandof)”Jesus(‘a).Orratherevenraisingthedead,whileallthiscannotbewellinterpretedbyknowledgeandreason.AllofthesecasescanbeclassifiedundertheframeworkofthemiraclesthattheAlmightyAllahhasmadeHisprophets(peacebeuponthem)todoandshowtopeople,inwhichMuslims,JewsandChristiansbelieve.Allah—theGlorifiedandExalted—hasappointedHisprophetsandmessengers(uponwhombe

thebestbenedictionandpeace)toperformthosemiraclesandsupernaturalacts,withtheonlyaimtomakepeopleapprehendthefactthattheirmindsbeingshortofrealizingandhavingfullknowledgeofeverything,sinceHe,theGlorified,hasnevergivenhimbutalittleknowledge.Inthisfactmaylietheirinterestandrelativeperfection,assomanypeoplehavebeenungratefultowardAllah’sbounties,withmanyevennegatingtheAlmighty’sexistence,andmanyothershaveheldknowledgeandreasonso dear that they worshipped them other than Allah, despite their little knowledge and short-mindedness.HowwoulditbethenifHehadgrantedthemtheknowledgeofeverything?!DuetotheimportanceofthecreedanditscentralismintheMuslim’sfaith,mybookhascovered

anampleofIslamicdoctrinescitedintheHolyQur ’ānandPropheticSunnahthatconstitutedasceneforthedifferencesamongtheIslamicschoolsofthought.So,IhavededicatedacompletechapterforthebeliefsofAhlal-SunnahandtheShi‘ahintheHolyQur ’ānandPropheticSunnah,thenIexposedtheissuesonwhichtheyhadlongcontroversies,andeachpartywasunjustifiablyrevilingtheother,withtheaimofexposingwhatIsawtobethetruth,desiringtohelpalltruth-seekers.All I hope is that my work will contribute in the establishment of the Islamic unity on a solid

thoughtbasis.IimploreAllahtohelpusalltodowhatHelikesandispleasedwith,andthatHekeepsallMuslimsinagreementontherightpath,HeistheMighty,theAble.

3ChapterTheQur’āninthePerspectiveofAhlal-SunnahandtheShi'ah

TheHolyQur ’ānisAllah’swordrevealedonHisMessengerMuhammad(mayAllah’sbenedictionandpeacebeuponhimandhisProgeny),thebookthatfalsehoodcannotcomeatitfrombeforeitorfrom behind it. It is the superior reference for Muslims in all their rulings, rituals (‘ibādāt) anddoctrines (‘aqā’id). Whoever doubts or affronts it will verily be out of the pale of Islam, as theMuslimsasawholeare inagreementonsanctifyingandreveringit,withadheringstrictly, in theirworship,toalltheteachingsstatedinit.ButMuslimsdifferconcerningitsexegesisandinterpretation,inawaythattheShi‘ahreferinthis

respecttotheProphet(S)andexpositionsoftheImamsofAhlal-Bayt(peacebeuponthem),Ahlal-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah refer too to the Prophet’s traditions, but they depend on the Sahābah(Companions)—withoutanydistinction—oranyoneofthefourimāms,theleadersoftheknownfourIslamicschoolsofthought,inreportingandexposingandinterpretingthetraditions.Naturally,thisledtotheemergenceofdisputeanddisagreementinopinionsconcerningsomany

Islamic—particularlyfiqhi—issues.Andwhenwe can clearly find difference among the four Islamic schools of thought ofAhl al-

Sunnah, it isnotstrangeinanywaytoseethedisagreementbemoreexplicitbetweenthemandtheschoolofAhlal-Bayt(peacebeuponthem).AsImentionedintheoutsetofthebook,Iwouldneverreferbuttoafewexamplesforthesakeof

brevity,andanyoneseekingmoredetailsmustplungeintothedepthsoftheoceantoextractasmanyashecanofthepotentialrealitiesandhiddenjewels.Ahl al-Sunnah concur with the Shi‘ah in believing that the Messenger of Allah (S) has verily

exposedtotheMuslimsallthepreceptsoftheQur ’ān,andinterpreteditsversescompletely.ButaftertheProphet’sdemisethetwosectsdifferedregardingtowhomtheyshouldrefer,inordertohavefullknowledgeofthatexpositionandinterpretation.ThusAhlal-SunnahhavedeterminedtorefertotheSahābah — with no distinction — and after them to the four imāms and the ‘ulamā’ of theIslamicUmmah.WhereastheShi‘ahheldthat.TheImamsfromamongtheProphet’sHousehold(Ahlal-Bayt)beingcompetentaloneforthisstatus,besidejustaneliteoftheselectedCompanions,sinceAhlal-Bayt(‘a)arethefollowersoftheRemembrance,whomAllah—theExalted—commandedustorefertowhenHe—theAlmightyandtheGlorious—said:“…soaskthefollowersoftheReminderifyoudonotknow…”(Suraan-Nahl,16:43)[1]They are too those whom Allah — the Exalted — has chosen and made them to inherit the

knowledgeofthebooks,whenHe—Subhānahu—said(intheHolyQur ’ān):“ThenWegavetheBookforaninheritancetothosewhomWechosefromamongOurservants;

…”(SuraFatir,35:32). Based on this, the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace and benediction be upon him and his

Progeny)hascountedthemtheequaloftheQur ’ān,andthesecondthaql(preciousasset)ofwhichhe(S)orderedtheMuslimstogethold,whenhesaid:“Iamleavingbehindamongyoutwopreciousthings.TheBookofAllahandmykindred(‘Itrah),as

longasyouholdontothemyoushallnevergoastray.”[2]InanothernarrationreportedbyMuslim,he(S)said:“…TheBookofAllahandmyHousehold(Ahlal-Bayt),IurgeyoutorememberAllahregardingmy

Ahlal-Bayt(Herepeatedthelaststatementthreetimes)”.[3]ItiscommonlyknownthatAhlal-Bayt(peacebeuponthem)werethemostknowledgeable,piousl,

godliestandbestofpeople,inwhoseregardal-Farazdaqhassaid:Whenenumeratingmenofpietytheybetheirleaders,Orsaidwhoarethebestofpeople,isrepliedtheybe.IcitehereoneexamplejusttoshowthenatureofassociationbetweenAhlal-Bayt(peacebeupon

them)andtheHolyQur ’ān,inwhichAllah—theExalted—said:"Butnay!Iswearbythefallingofstars;andmostsurelyitisaverygreatoathifyouonlyknew;

mostsurelyitisanhonouredQur’ān,inabookkepthidden,noneshalltouchitsavethepurifiedones."(SuraAl-Waqi’a,56:75—79).TheseversesundoubtedlyindicatethatAhlal-Bayt(‘a)—headedbytheMessengerofAllah(S)—

aretheonlypeopleentitledandabletorealizetheobscuremeaningsoftheQur ’ān.Whenponderingupon the oath sworn by theExalted andGloriousLord,wewill face this fact:WhenAllah— theExalted—swearsbythedecliningday,thepen,thefigandtheolive,thenthegreatnessoftakingoathby the places of the stars shall be manifested due to the secrets and influence on the universe itimplies,withAllah’spermission.Confirmingtheoathinthenegativeandaffirmativeformsisexplicitlyobserved,asaftertheoath

theAlmightyaffirmsbysaying:"That(this)isanobleQur’ān.InaBookkepthidden.”Andwhatishiddenheremeansthatwhich

isinternalandconcealed,thenAllah—theMightyandGlorious—says:"noneshall touchitsavethepurifiedones,"and‘none’(lā)hereisaparticleofnegation,and“touchesit”means,realizesandcomprehendsit,notmeaningcontactingbyhand,asthereeisdifferencebetweencontactingbyhand(lams)andtouching(mass).Allah,theExalted,said:“Surely those who guard (against evil), when a visitation from the Shaitan afflicts them they

becomemindful,thenlo!theysee”(Suraal-A’rāf,7:201)Allah—theGlorious—alsosaid: "Thosewho swallow downusury cannot arise except as onewhomShaitan has prostrated by

(his)touchdoesrise.."(Suraal-Baqara,2:275)."Touch' in these verses is relevant to 'Aql (reason) and apprehension not to cantacting by hand

(lams).Andhow is itpossible thatAllah swears that theQur ’ānshouldbe touchedonlybywho is

purified,whileseveralepisodesinhistorybooksindicatethatseveraltyrantshavetoyedwithandtornit. Further we witnessed how the Israelis have trodden the Qur ’ān under their feet — we seekprotectionwithAllah-,besidesettingittofireatthetimeofoccupyingBeirutduringtheirill-famedinvasion,theeventaboutwhichuglyandappallingpicturesandfilmsweretransmittedbyTVdevices.So themeaningwe conceive fromAllah’s saying is that themeaningsof theQur ’ān cannever berealizedbutonlybyanelitefromamongAllah’sservants,whomHehaschosenandcleansedwithathoroughcleansing.Theword“thepurified”intheverse(56:79),ispassiveparticiple,i.e.thosewhowerepurified;andAllah—theMightyandtheGlorious—said:“…Allah only desires to keep away theuncleanness from you,OPeople of theHouse! and to

purifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”(Suraal-Ahzab,33:33)TheAlmighty’s saying: "none shall touch it save thepurifiedones,"indicates that theQur ’ān’s

realitycanneverbe realizedbutonlyby theMessengerofAllah (s)andhisAhlal-Bayt (peacebeuponthem),sotheMessenger(S)saidintheirregard:“Thestarsaresafetyforinhabitantsoftheearthagainstdrowning,andmyAhlal-Baytaresafety

formyUmmahagainstdisagreement,wheneverbeingopposedbyanyArab tribe,disagreementwillprevailamongstthem,afterwhichtheywillturntobepartyofIblis(Satan)."[4]ThisideathatisheldbytheShi‘ahisderivedfromtheHolyQur ’ānandtheMessenger ’straditions,

whicharereportedeveninAhlal-Sunnah’sSihah(collectionofAhadith)aswenoticed.

Notes:[1]Tafsiral-Tabari,Vol.IXV,p.109;TafsirIbnKathir,Vol.II,p.570.[2] It is reportedbyal-Tirmidhi inhisSahih,Vol. II,p.329,andalsobyal-Nasā’i andal-’Imām

Ahmad.[3]SahihMuslim,Vol.II,p.362,“bābfadā’il‘AliibnAbiTālib”.[4]This hadith is reported by al-Hākim in al-Mustadrak,Vol. III, p. 149, on the authority of Ibn

‘Abbās,andsaid:thishadithisofauthenticchainofnarrators.

4ChapterThePropheticSunnahinthePerspectiveofAhlal-SunnahandShi‘ah

ThePropheticSunnahiswhateversaidordoneorapprovedbytheMessengerofAllah(God’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny),thatisconsideredthesecondsourceaftertheQur ’ānfortheirrulings,rituals(‘ibādāt)anddoctrines(‘aqā’id).ButAhlal-Sunnahwaal-Jamā‘ahaddtoitanothersource,whichbeingthesunnah(conduct)ofthe

fourRightly—GuidedCaliphs (al-Khulafā’ al-Rāshidun)whoareAbuBakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmānand‘Ali,accordingtoahadithnarratedbythemasfollows:“Adheretomysunnahandthesunnahoftherightly—guidedsuccessorsafterme.Holdontoit

andclingtoitstubbornly.”[5]Theclearestevidenceforthisliesintheirfollowingof‘Umaribnal-Khattāb’sconduct(sunnah)in

performing Salāt al-Tarāwih (amusement prayer) of which the Messenger of Allah (s) hasforbidden. Sahih al-Bukhāri, Vol. VII, p. 99, “bāb mā yajuz min al-ghadab wa al-shiddah li-amrAllāh”[6]SomeofthemevendaretoaddtothePropheticSunnahthesunnahoftheCompanionsasawhole(whoeverofthem),accordingtoahadithnarratedbythem: “Verily,myCompanionsare like the stars (nujum)whicheverof themyou follow,youshallbe

guidedrightly,"besidethehadith:"MyCompanionsaresafetyformyUmmah.:"[7]ButHadithal-Nujumisverilyincompatiblewithreason('Aql),logic(mantiq)andscientificreality

sincetheArabswereneverguidedintheirdeserttravelling,bymerelyfollowinganyoneofthestars.But infact theywereguidedbyfollowingcertainspecificstars,havingknownnames.Besides, thishadithisnotsupportedbytheconsequenteventsandpracticesthatwereexercisedbytheCompanionsafterthedemiseoftheMessengerofAllah(S),assomeofthemhaveapostatized,[8]besidedifferingin numerous issues that entailed disparagement between each other,[9] cursing each other,[10] andkillingeachother.[11]Moreover someof theCompanionswerechastised for imbibingwine,perpetratingadulteryand

robbery,besideothercrimes;sohowcananysanemanacceptsuchatraditioncommandingtofollowsuchpeople?AndcanthatonefollowingMu‘āwiyah,whorenegadedagainsthistimeImam—Amiral-Mu’minin, throughwarring against al-’Imām ‘Ali (‘a), beguided?Howcanhebeguidedwhileknowing that theMessenger (S)hascalledhim the imamof the tyrantband (al-fi’ahal-bāghiyah)?[12]Howcanbeamongthoserightly-guided,thatwhofollowstheexampleof‘Amribnal-‘As,al-MughirahibnShu’bahandBisr ibnArta’ahwhomurderedthe innocent, for thesakeofsupportingtheruleoftheUmayyads?Youalso,theintelligentreader,whenreadingthehadith‘mycompanionsare like the stars’, you will come to realize that it is fabricated, since it is addressed to the

Companions,soisitreasonablethattheMessenger(S)says:“OmyCompanionsfollowtheguideofmyCompanions"?Whereas thehadith "OmyCompanions, adhere to the Imams fromamongmyhousehold, since

they guide you after me" is nearer to truth, due to having many evidences supporting it in thePropheticSunnah.Besides,theImāmiyyahShi‘ahholdthatthosemeantbythehadith"AdheretomySunnahandthe

Sunnahoftherightly-guidedsuccessorsafterme"beingtheTwelveImamsfromAhlal-Bayt(peacebeuponthem),towhomtheMessengerofAllah(s)hascommandedhisUmmahtoadhereandfollow,inthesamewaytheyadheretoandfollowtheBookofAllah.[13]AndsinceIhavecommittedmyselfnottoarguebutwiththeevidencesusedbytheShi‘ahfromthe

SihāhofAhlal-Sunnahwaal-Jamā‘ah,soIsufficedwiththeseexamples,whereastheShi‘ahbooksarerepletewithmanyotherevidencesthataremoreexplicitandindicative.[14]ButtheShi‘ahneverclaimthatAhlal-BaytImams(‘a)areentitledtolegislate,orthattheirSunnah

isoftheirijtihād,buttheyholdthatalltherulingsandpreceptstheyfollowarederivedfromtheBookofAllahandtheSunnahofhisMessenger…theSunnahwhichtheMessengerofAllahhastaughtto‘Ali,whointurnhastaughttohissons,asitisaknowledgetheyinheritonefromtheother,havingfor this a large number of evidences reported by the ‘ulamā’ of Ahl al-Sunnah in their Sahihs,MusnadsandTa’rikhs.Thequestionthatinsistentlyraisedallthetimeis:Whyhaveal-Sunnahwaal-Jamā‘ah never acted according to the content of those traditions, which they consider Sahih(veracious)…???Afterall this, theShi‘ahandSunnahdisagreeconcerning the interpretationof the traditions that

areauthenticallyreportedfromtheMessengerofAllah(S),aspreviouslyexplainedinthestatementabout the dispute between them in respect of the exegesis (tafsir) of theQur ’ān. They disagree inregardofwhoaremeantbytherightly-guidedsuccessors(al-Khulafā’al-Rāshidun),thatarereferredtointheProphet’shadithwhichisapprovedbyboththesectts.Ahlal-SunnahinterpretittomeantheFourCaliphswhoassumed the rostrumofcaliphateafter theMessengerofAllah,while theShi‘ahinterpretittomeanthetwelvesuccessors,whoaretheImamsofAhlal-Bayt(peacebeuponthem).Soweseethisdisagreementsocommonconcerningwhateverisrelatedtothepersonsthatwere

exculpated by the Qur ’ān and the Messenger, or whom he (S) commanded to follow, like thefollowinghadithutteredbyhim(S):"The‘ulamā’ofmyUmmaharesuperiortotheprophetsofBanuIsrael,"or"The‘ulamā’arethe

inheritorsoftheprophets."[15]Ahlal-Sunnahwaal-Jamā‘ahtakethistraditiontoincludealltheUmmah‘ulamā’asawhole,while

the Shiah specify it to the Twelve Imams, the reason making them to prefer them (‘a) over theprophets,with the exception ofUlu al-'Azm (of resolution) among themessengers. In fact reason('Aql)inclinesmoretothisspecification,for:First: theQur ’ān hasmade the knowledge of theBook be inherited by thosewhomAllah has

chosen from amongHis bondmen, the fact indicating the specification. Besides, theMessenger ofAllah(S)hasspecifiedhisAhlal-Baytwithparticulartraits,nevermakinganypartnerstosharethemin these traits, when he called them Ark of Salvation, and Imams of Guidance, and Beacons of

Darkness,andtheSecondThiql(preciousasset)thatsafeguardsagainstdeviationandastrayal.ThefactmanifestedfromthisisthattheclaimofAhlal-Sunnahcontradictsthisspecificationthat

isconfirmedbytheQur ’ānandthePropheticSunnah.Besides,reasonisnevercontentwithitduetoitsimplyingtheobscurityandignoranceforthereal‘ulamā’,farfromAllahhasremovedcleannessandcleansed,andnotdistinguishingthemfromthe(courtly)‘ulamā’imposedupontheUmmahbytheUmayyadand‘Abbāsidrulers.Howfarisitbetweenthose‘ulamā’andAhlal-BaytImams,forwhomhistory books never reported their learning under any teacher, except that the son was gettingknowledge from his father.Despite this fact, Ahl al-Sunnah ‘ulamā’ have reported in their books,wonderfulnarrations,especiallyconcerningal-’Imāmal-Bāqir,al-’Imāmal-Sādiq,andal-’Imāmal-Ridāwhomanaged,throughhisknowledge,indumbfoundingfortyjudgesal-Ma’mumgatheredfor(debatingwith)him,whilehewasonlyaboy.[16] The point affirming the distinguishment of Ahl al-Bayt from others, lies in the obvious

disagreementamongthefourschoolsofthoughtofAhlal-Sunnah,regardingnumerousfiqhiissues,whilenodifferenceisthereamongtheTwelveImamsofAhlal-Baytconcerningevenoneissue.Second:IfweapprovetheclaimofAhlal-Sunnahingeneralizingtheseversesandtraditionson

alltheUmmah‘ulamā’,thiswillnecessarilyleadtothemultiplicationoftheopinionsandschoolsofthoughtthroughoutlonggenerations,totheextentthatthousandsofschools(madhāhib),wouldfindway into the scene.Discerning the trivialityof this viewand its goalofdisintegrating theunityofcreedandfaith,Ahlal-Sunnahhastenedtoclosethedoorofijtihādsincetimeimmemorial.WhereastheopinionheldbytheShi‘ahcallstotheunityandtogatherroundknownImams,upon

whom Allah and the Messenger have imparted all sorts of knowledge that are necessary for allMuslimsthroughoutallagesandtimes.Afterallthis,noclaimantcanfabricateanylieagainstAllahandtheMessenger,orinnovateanewschoolcompellingpeopletofollowandbelieveinit.Thetwosectsdifferregardingthisissueinthesamewaytheydifferconcerningal-Mahdi,inwhomtheybothbelieve.ButfortheShi‘ahhe(‘a)isknownofdefinitefatherandgrandfatherwhileintheperspectiveofAhlal-Sunnahheisstillunknown,andwillbebornattheendoftheTime.Forthisreasonmanyofthem have alleged to be al-Mahdi each, and al-Shaykh Isma’il the author of al-Tariqah al-Mudaniyyah,hassaidtomepersonallythathewastheAwaitedal-Mahdi,infrontofafriendofmine,whowasoneofhisfollowers,buthewasenlightenedandguidedtotruthafterwards.ButintheperspectiveoftheShi‘ah,noneoftheirnewborndarestoclaimthis.Andevenifanyone

ofthemnameshisson‘Mahdi,’hedoessoonlyforseekingauspiciousnessandblessing,inthesamewayasdonebyanyoneofuswhencallinghissonMuhammador‘Ali.Besides,thereappearanceofal-Mahdi is consideredby them in itself as amiracle, sincehewasborn twelvecenturies ago, anddisappeared.Then, after all these facts, disagreement may appear amongst Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah, in

respectof themeaningof theauthenticveracious (sahih)hadith in theviewofboth the sects, evenwhenthehadithbeingirrelevanttoindividuals,likethefollowingone:“ThedisagreementofmyUmmah isablessing,”which is interpretedbyAhlal-Sunnah thatany

differenceinthefiqhirulingsregardingoneissueisablessingfortheMuslimindividual,inawaythathecanselectanyruleproperforhimandkeeppacewiththesolutionhelikes.Inthiswayitwill

be a blessing (rahmah) for him since when finding al-’Imām Mālik, for instance, being strictregarding one issue, it is permissible for theMuslim person to imitate (take the opinion of)AbuHanifah,whobeinglenientinit.ButintheperspectiveoftheShi‘ah,theyinterpretthehadithinanotherway,reportingthatwhen

al-’Imāmal-Sādiq(‘a)wasaskedaboutthehadith"ThedisagreementofmyUmmahisablessing,hesaid:TheMessengerofAllahsaidthetruth!Theinquirerthensaid:Iftheirdisagreementisablessing,sotheiragreementshouldbeanindignation!Al-Sādiqreplied:Itisnotthewayyouthinkortheythink(i.e. in this interpretation), butwhat theMessenger ofAllah (S)meant is that:Their frequenting toeachother, that is oneof them travels to the other, goingout andbetakinghimself to him to gainknowledgefromhim,inferringforthis,asanevidence,Allah’ssaying:Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind)may gain

soundknowledgeinreligion,andthattheymaywarntheirfolkwhentheyreturntothem,sothattheymaybeware."(9:122)Thenheaddedtoitsaying:Whentheydifferconcerningreligion,theywillturntobethepartyof

Iblis (Satan).This, as canbe clearly seenby all, being a reasonable and convincing interpretation,invitingtowardunityincreedandbeliefnotdisagreementinit.[17] Thereafter, the hadith as conceived by Ahl al-Sunnah is unreasonable, since it calls to

disagreement, disunity and multiplicity of opinions and schools, the fact contradicting the HolyQur ’ānthatcallsustowardsunity,agreementandtogatherroundonething,whenAllah,Subhānahu,says:“And lo! This your religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so keep your duty untoMe.”

(23:52)Healsosays:“Andholdfast,allofyoutogether,tothecableofAllah,anddonotseparate.”(3:103).InanotherverseHesays:“…anddisputenotonewithanotherlestyefalterandyourstrengthdepartfromyou…”(8:46)AndisthereadisputeorseparationworsethandividingoneUmmahintoseveralschools,parties

andsects,contradictingandderidingeachother,orratherevenchargingeachotherwithdisbeliefandinfidelity to the extent that each deeming the blood (killing) of the other as lawful, the event thatactuallytookplacethroughoutconsecutiveages,asrecordedinhistorybooks.SowewerewarnedbyAllah—theGlorified—againsttheuntowardconsequencesourUmmahwillverilyfacewhenbeingseparatedandindispute,whentheAlmightysaid:"Andbeyenotas thosewhoseparatedanddisputedafter theclearproofshadcomeunto them."

(3:105)Healsosaid:

"Lo!Asforthosewhosundertheirreligionandbecomeschismatics,noconcernatallhastthou

withthem."(6:159).InanotherplaceHesaid:"…andbenotofthosewhoascribepartners(untoHim).Ofthosewhosplituptheirreligionand

becameschismatics,eachsectexultinginitstenets."(30:31-32)Itisworthmentioningthatthemeaningofschismatics(shiya‘)hasnothingtodowiththeShi‘ah,

aswronglyconceivedbysomenaiveandsimple-mindedpeople,whenoneof themcametoadvisemesaying:"Obrother,forGod’ssake!ForgetabouttheShi‘ah,asAllahdeteststhemandhaswarnedHisMessengeragainstbeingoneofthem!Isaid:Howisthat?Hesaid:(theverse):"Lo!Asforthosewhosundertheirreligionandbecameschismatics,noconcernatallhastthouwiththem."Itriedhardtopersuadehimthatthewordschismatics(shiya‘‘)meansclansorparties,andhasnothingtodowithShi‘ah.Butheunfortunately insistedonhisopinionandwasneverconvinced, sincehismaster, themosque(prayers) leaderhas taughthimin thisway,warninghimagainst theShi‘ah,sohewasnotreadytoacceptotherthanthat.Returning to the topic, Iwant to say that Iwas at a loss before being guidedwhen reading the

hadith “The disagreement of myUmmah is a blessing” and comparing it with the hadith:“MyUmmahwillseparateintoseventy-twosects,allbeinginhell-fire,exceptonlyone.”[18]Iusedtowonder. How can the disagreement of theUmmah be a blessing, while at the same time causing(people)toenterthefire??Butafterreadingtheinterpretationofal-’ImāmJa’faralSadiqforthishadith,myperplexityhas

vanishedandtheenigmawassolved,withknowingafterwardsthattheImamsofAhlal-BaytaretheImamsofguidanceandbeaconsfordarkness,beingtrulytheinterpretersoftheQur ’ānandSunnah,bemeritoriousforwhattheMessengerofAllah(S)saidintheirregard:“TheparableofmyAhlal-BaytamongyouisthatoftheboatofNoah;whoevergetsaboarditis

savedandwhoeverstaysawayfromitisdrowned.Sodon’toutstripthem,forthenyoushallperish,and don’t fall short of them, for then you shall perish. Don’t teach them for they are moreknowledgeablethanyou.”[19]Alsoal-’Imām‘Ali(‘a)saidthetruthwhenheutteredthefollowingstatement:“LookatthepeopleoftheProphet’sfamily.Adheretotheirdirectionandfollowtheirfootsteps,

because theywouldnever letyououtofguidance,andnever throwyou intodestruction. If theysitdownyousitdown,andiftheyriseupyouriseup.Donotgoaheadofthem,asyouwouldtherebygoastray,anddonotlagbehindofthemasyouwouldtherebyberuined.”[20]Inanothersermon,he(‘a)describesthepositionandworthofAhlal-Bayt(‘a)bysaying: “They are life for knowledge and death for ignorance. Their forbearance tells you of their

knowledge,andtheiroutwardoftheirinward,andtheirsilenceofthewisdomoftheirspeaking.Theydonotgoagainstrightnordotheydiffer(amongthemselves)aboutit.TheyarethepillarsofIslamandtheasylumsof(its)protection.Withthemrighthasreturnedtoitspositionandwronghasleftitsplace, and its tongue is severed from its root. They have understood the religion attentively and

carefully,notbymereheresyor fromrelaters,because the relatersofknowledgearemanybut itsunderstandersarefew.”[21]Al-’Imām‘Alihasverilysaidthetruth,asheisthegateofthecityofknowledge.Andthereisa

greatdifferencebetweenthatwhocomprehendsreligionwithconsciousnessandobservance,andthatwhocomprehendsitthroughhearingandnarrations.Thosewhohearandnarratearesomany,asalargenumberofCompanionsenjoyedthecompany

of theMessengerofAllah(S),hearingandreportingfromhimnumerous traditionsunconsciouslyandunknowingly.This led tochanges in themeaningof thehadith, inaway that itmightgive theoppositeofwhattheMessenger(S)meantofit,orleadingsometimestodisbeliefduetothedifficultyinrealizingtherealmeaningofthehadithbytheCompanion.[22]Whereas thosewho comprehend and observe knowledge being very few.Manmay exhaust his

entirelifeinseekingknowledge,butmightnotgainbutonlyscantyofit,ormayspecializeinoneofthefieldsofknowledgeoroneofitsarts,withoutbeingabletohavefullcommandofitsbranchesasawhole.But the fact commonlyknown is thatAhl al-Bayt Imams (‘a)were thoroughly acquaintedwith, and grasping miscellaneous sciences, as proved by al-’Imām ‘Ali, according to the reportsconfirmedbythehistorians.Thisfactisfurtherprovedbyal-’ImāmMuhammadal-Bāqir,andJa’faral-Sādiq too, under whom thousands of shaykhs have learnt different sciences and fields ofknowledge,includingphilosophy,medicine,chemistryandnaturalsciences,andothers.

Notes:[5]AhmadibnHanbalinhisMusnad,Vol.IV,p.126.[6]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VII,p.99,“bābmāyajuzminal-ghadabwaal-shiddahli-amrAllāh”[7]SahihMuslim,“kitābfadā’ilal-Sahābah”;MusnadAhmad,Vol.IV,p.398.[8] In the caseof thosewhomAbuBakr fought,whowere called later on the apostates (Ahl al-

Riddah).[9]Itisobviousinthecaseof‘Uthmān,whowascontinuouslyreviledanddefamedbymostofthe

Sahābah,tillbeingslainbythem.[10]ItisexactlyasdoneandpractisedbyMu‘āwiyah,whokeptongivinghisorderstocurseand

slander‘Ali.[11]LiketheBattlesofal-Jamal,Siffinandal-Nahrawān,andothers.[12] According to the hadith: “May God have mercy on ‘Ammār, he shall be killed by the

rebelliousgang.”[13]Sahihal-Tirmidhi,Vol.V,p.328;SahihMuslim,Vol. II,p.362;al-Nasā’i inal-Khasā’isand

Kanzal-‘ummāl,Vol.I,p.44;al-’ImāmAhmadibnHanbalinhisMusnad,Vol.V,p.189;al-HākiminhisMustadrak,Vol.III,p.148;IbnHajarinal-Sawā‘iqal-muhriqah,p.148,IbnSa‘dinal-Tabaqātal-Kubrā,Vol.II,p.194;al-Tabarāni,Vol.I,p.131.[14]Iciteforthisonlyoneexample:Itisreportedbyal-Saduqinal-’Ikmāl,withhissanadreaching

back to al-’Imām al-Sādiq, from his father, from his grandfather, that he said: TheMessenger ofAllah(S)said:Verily, therewillbetwelveImamsafterme, thefirstof thembeing‘Aliandthelastoneisal-Qā’im(al-Mahdi).Thesearemy(true)successorsandexecutors.[15].Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.I,“kitābal-‘ilm”;Sahihal-Tirmidhi”,kitābal-‘ilm”.[16]Al-‘Iqdal-farid,ibn‘AbdRabbih;al-Fusulal-muhimmah,ofIbnal-Sabbāghal-Māliki,Vol.III,

p.42.[17]Basmalahinthesalātismakruh(reprehensible)accordingtotheMālikis,obligatoryaccording

totheShāfi‘is,mustahabb(recommendable)accordingtotheHanafis,whiletheHanbalisholdthatitshouldbereadinaudiblyevenintheaudible(jahri)prayers.[18]SunanIbnMājah,“kitābal-fitan”,Vol.II,hadithNo.3993;MusnadAhmad,Vol.III,p.120;al-

TirmidhiinhisKitābal-’Imān.[19]IbnHajar,al-Sawā‘iqal-muhriqah,pp.136,227;al-Suyuti,al-Jāmi‘al-saghir,Vol.II,p.132;

AhmadibnHanbalinhisMusnad,Vol.III,p.17,andVol.IV,p.366;Hilyatal-’awliyā’,Vol.IV,p.306,Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p.151;Talkhisal-Dhahabi;al-Tabarāniinal-Mu‘jamal-saghir,Vol.II,p.22.[20]Nahjal-balāghah,KhutbahNo.97.[21]Ibid.,KhutbahNo.239.[22]TheexampleforthiscanbefoundinwhatisreportedbyAbuHurayrahwhosaid:“Allahhas

createdAdamwith the same shape of him” (in an incomplete and ambiguousway). But al-’ImāmJa‘faral-Sādiq(‘a)elucidatedthematterbysaying:TheMessengerofAllah(S)passedbytwoyoungmen,andheardthemrevilingeachother,onesayingtotheother:MayAllahdisfigureyourfaceandthat ofwhoever resembles you.Thereat theMessenger ofAllah said to him: “Allah createdAdamwiththesameshapeofhim.”Thatis,withyourslanderingwhoeverresemblinghim,youhaveinfactdefamedAdamasheistheonewhoislikehim.

5ChapterDoctrinesinthePerspectiveofShi'ahandAhlal-Sunnah

MybeliefthattheImāmiyyahShi‘ahbeingthedeliveredsect, isevenmorestrengthenedbythefactthat their beliefs are tolerant and flexible, that is, easily admitted by anywise saneman of soundadroitness.Withthemwecanfindforeveryquestionandcreed,asatisfactoryandsufficientsolutiongivenby anyoneofAhl al-Bayt Imams (‘a), that cannever be foundwithAhl al-Sunnahor othersects.Inthischapter,Iwillfollowupwithdetailsthemostimportantbeliefsofthetwosects,tryingto

point out those ones which I have admitted, giving the reader the freedom of thought, choice,criticismandsarcasm.IdrawtheattentiontothefactthattheoriginalandgenuinecreedforallMuslimsbeingonlyone,

which is having faith in Allah— the Exalted— and His Angels and Scriptures and Messengers,withoutmakinganydifferencebetweenHisMessengers.AlltheMuslimsalsoagreeonthefactthatHell-fire is true,andParadise is true,and thatAllahwillverily resurrectall thedeadfromgraves,gatheringthemfortheDayofReckoning. They concur too regarding the Qur ’ān, believing that their Prophet being Muhammad the

MessengerofAllah,andthattheirqiblah(directionforprayer)beingone.Butthedifferenceliesintheconceptionofthesedoctrinesandbeliefs,whichturnedtobeastageforthetheologicalschools,exposingonitmiscellaneousopinionsandmadhāhib(religiousdoctrines)

BelievinginAllahtheExaltedbyBothSects

Themost importantpoint thatcanbereferredto in thisrespect, issightingAllah—theExalted—whichAhlal-SunnahhaveestablishedintheHereafterforallthebelievers.WhengoingthroughtheSihāhofAhlal-Sunnah, like thoseofal-BukhāriandMuslimfor instance,weshall findnarrationsprovingthesightingreallynotfiguratively.[23]RathertheycontainevenanthropomorphismtoAllah—theGlorified—andthatHelaughs,[24]

comesandwalksanddescendstothisworld(dunyā),[25]oreventhatHeuncoversHislegthathasadistinguishing sign.[26]Moreover, they say thatHe (Subhānahu)placesHis foot inhell,whereat itwill be filled saying: at all, at all; beside other things and descriptions from which Allah— theGlorifiedandtheMighty—isfreeandfar.[27]OnedayIhavepassedbytheCityofLaamoinKenya,atEastAfrica,findingaWahhabiShaykh

givingasermonin themosque.Hewas telling theworshippers thatAllahhas twohands, twolegs,twoeyesandaface.WhenIdisapprovedthisfromhim,hebegantoconfirmhisargumentbycitingsomeQur ’ānicverses,saying:“TheJewssay:Allah’shandisfettered.Theirhandsarefetteredandtheyareaccursedforsaying

so.Nay,butbothHishandsarespreadoutwideinbounty.”(5:64)Healsosaid:"BuildtheshipunderOureyes…”(11:37)Hefurthersaid:“Everyone that is thereonwillpass away;There remainethbut theCountenanceof thyLord…”

(55:26,27). I said:O brother, all these verses you cited and other ones, are all butmetaphors and not real

meanings!Herepliedbysaying:AlltheQur ’ānisrealandhasnometaphoratall.ThereatIsaid:Howdoyou

interpretthentheverse:“WhosoisblindherewillbeblindintheHereafter…”(17,72),doyouconceiveitwiththerealmeaning?IseveryblindintheworldwillbeblindintheHereafter?

TheShaykhreplied:WearetalkingaboutAllah’shandandeyeandface,andhavenothingtodowiththeblind! I said: Forget about the blind. How do you interpret the verse I mentioned: “Everyone that is

thereonwillpassaway;ThereremainethbuttheCountenanceofthyLord…?”Heturnedhisfacetotheattendantssayingtothem:Isthereanyoneamongyouwhocouldn’tunderstandthisverse?…Itisasclearandexplicitasthe

Almighty’ssaying:

“EverythingwillperishsaveHisCountenance…”(28:88) I said to him: You have added fuel to the fire! My brother, we have disputed regarding the

Qur ’ān…youclaimedthattheQur ’ānhasnofigurativespeech,andallisbutreality!WhileIclaimedthat there is figurative speech in the Qur ’ān, especially the verses having materialization oranthropomorphism.Ifyouinsistonyouropinion,youhavetosaythat themeaningof“EverythingwillperishsaveHisCountenance”isthathistwohandsandlegs,andallofHisbodywillperish,andnothingwill remainofHimbut the face, abovewhichAllah ishighly elevated, and too far! I thenturnedmyfacetowardthosepresentinthemeetingsaying:Doyouapproveofsuchaninterpretation?Allof themkept silent, andeven their shaykhcouldnever sayoneword.So Ibade them farewell,invokingAllahtoguideandhelpthemtoknowthetruth.ThisisthewaytheybelieveinAllah,asrecordedintheirSihāhandtheirsermons.Iholdthatsome

ofourscholarsdenythis,butthemajorityofthembelieveinsightingAllah—theGlorified—intheHereafter,andthattheywillseeHiminthesamewayasseeingthemoonatthenightoffullmoon,withnocloudcoveringit,citingasaprooftheverses:“Thatdaywillfacesberesplendent.LookingtowardtheirLord.”(75:22,23)[28]But as soon as you be acquainted with the creed of the Imāmiyyah Shiah in this respect, your

conscience will be at rest and your mind will submit to accept the interpretation of the Qur ’ānicverseshavingincarnationoranthropomorphismtoAllah—theExalted—holdingthemtoindicatefigurativemeaningandmetaphor,notrealityorthesuperficialityofutterances,asimaginedbysomepeople. In this regard al-’Imām ‘Ali (‘a) says: “… Whom the height of intellectual courage cannot

appreciate, and thedivingsofunderstandingcannot reach’;He forWhosedescriptionno limithasbeenlaiddown,noeulogyexists,notimeisordainedandnodurationisfixed…”[29] In refuting the anthropormorphists, al-’Imām al-Bāqir (‘a) says: “Rather, whatever we have

distinguishedwithour imagination, in itsminutestmeanings, isbutacreature that ismade likeus,returningtowardus…”[30]FurtherweshouldbesufficedinthisrespectwithAllah’sreplyinHisHolyScripture:“Naughtis

as His likeness,” and His saying: “Vision comprehendeth Him not”, beside His saying to HismessengerandconversationalistMusā(‘a),whenheasked toseeHim”…Hesaid:MyLord!Showme(Thyself),thatImaygazeuponThee.Hesaid:ThouwiltnotseeMe,",andthislan(wiltnot)intheverse,whichiscalledZamakhsharilangivesthemeaningofta’bid(neverness),asgrammariansobserve.AllthisbeingadecisiveevidenceprovingtheveracityoftheopinionsoftheShi‘ah,whoderive

them from the traditions of Ahl. al-Bayt Imams— the source of knowledge and trustees of theMessage,andwhomAllahmadetoinherittheknowledgeoftheScripture.Whoever intendstogointodetailsabout thisresearch,hastorefer to thebookselucidatingthis

topic,likeKalimahhawlal-ru’yahofal—SayyidSharafal-Din,theauthorofal-Murāja‘āt.[31]

BeliefinProphethoodbytheTwoSects

ThedisputebetweentheShi‘ahandAhlal-Sunnahmainlyliesintheissueof‘ismah(infallibility).Asthe Shi‘ah believe in the prophets’ ‘ismah before and after theirmission (bi‘thah),whileAhl al—Sunnahhold that their infallibility isconfinedonly inAllah’swords that theypropagate, andotherthan this they, like all other people,may err andbe correct.TheirSihāh are filledwith narrationsindicatingthat theMessengerofAllah(S)hasmistakeninseveralplaces,andtheCompanionswerecorrectinghimandtellinghimtheright.TheexamplestheyciteforthisbeingtheissueofthecaptivesofBattleofBadr, inwhich theProphet (S)haserredand ‘Umarhit themark, andwithouthim theMessengerofAllahwouldhaveperished.[32]Inanotherplace,whenheenteredal-Madinah,hesawitspeoplecuttingthedate-palms,whereathe

said to them: “Don’t cut them as theywill give dates”, but they turned to be shays (unwanted baddates).Thentheycametohimcomplainingaboutthematter,whereathesaidtothem:“Youarebetterawareofyourworldaffairsmorethanme.”Inanothernarrationhesaid:“Iamjustahumanbeing,ifIcommandyoutoanythingrelatedtoyourreligionyoutakeit,andif

Iorderyoutodoanythingaccordingtomyopinion,Iambutahumanbeing.”[33]Anothertimetheyrelatethathewasbewitched,remainingsoforseveraldaysnotknowingwhatto

do,totheextentthathewasimaginingofmakingsexualintercoursewithwomenandnotdoingso,[34]orfancyingtohimselfthedoingofsomethingandnotdoingit.[35]Againtheyreportthatheonceforgotinhisprayer,beinguncertainofthenumberofrak‘ahshe

performed,[36]andalsoheoncesleptsodeeplythathissnoringcouldbeheardbyall,andthenhegotupandprayedwithouttakingablution.[37]Onceagaintheynarratethathebeangrywith,revilesandcurses whoever undeserving that, saying “OAllah I am nomore than a human being, any of theMuslimsIhavecursedorreviled,Youmakethisexculpatoryandpurifyingfeverforhim…”[38]Theyalsoreportthatheonceuponatimehewaslyingin‘A’ishah’shouse,withhisthighsbeing

uncovered,whereatAbuBakrandthen‘Umarentereduponhim,conversingwithhimwhilehewason this condition…when ‘Uthmān asked permission to enter, he (S) sat andmade up his clothes.Whenaskedby‘A’ishahaboutthereason,hesaidtoher:“Shouldn’tIbeashamedofamanofwhomtheangelsareashamed.”[39]TheyfurtherclaimthathesometimeswouldenteruponthemorningrituallyimpureintheMonth

ofRamadān,[40]missingthedawnprayer…besideotherstrangetraditionsthatnoreasonorreligionorconscienceisreadytoacceptorapproveof.[41]WhereastheShi‘ah—inaccordancewithAhlal-BaytImams—exculpatetheprophetsfromsuch

triflesandsilly things, inparticularourProphetMuhammad(uponwhombepeaceand thebestofbenediction),holdingthatheisimpeccableandimmuneagainstallminorandmajorsins,wrongsandinsubordinations.Theybelieveinhisbeinginfallible(ma‘sum)againsterror,forgetfulness,absenceofmind,sorceryandwhatevercausingmind tobedisordered.Andratherhe is impeccableagainstpractisinganyactcontradictorytomanlinessandgoodmorality,likeeatingontheroads,orgigglingloudly, or joking with impropriety, or any reprehensible act disapproved by public norms. It isneedless to refer to their claims thatheused toplacehis cheekonhiswife’s cheekbeforepeople,sharing her in looking at the dancing of the Negroes,[42]or to let his wife go out in a battle,

competingwithher,inawaydefeatingheronetime,andshedefeatinghimtheother,tellingherthen:“Thisoneisversusthatone.”[43]TheShi‘ah consider all the narrations reported in this respect,which are incongruouswith the

prophets’ ‘ismah, to be altogether composed and fabricated by theUmayyads and their supporterswiththeseaims:First,fordegradingtheMessengerofAllah(S).Second,forseekingjustificationfortheirabominabledeedsandunsightlywrongsrecordedinhistorybooks.Andif—supposedly—theMessenger of Allah (S) errs and be inclined to love and lust, as in the story they narrated of hispassionateloveforZaynabbintJahash,whenhesawhercombingherhair(whilebeingthewifeofZaydibnHārithah),exclaiming:“GlorifiedisAllahWhochangesthehearts.”[44]Orthestoryofhisinclinationtoward‘A’ishahandhisunjusttreatmentwithhisotherwives,thattheyhavedelegatedtohim Fātimah once and Zaynab bint Jahash another time, asking and pleading him to deal equallybetweenthem.[45]So if this be the stateof theMessengerofAllah (S), noblame then is uponMu‘āwiyah ibnAbi

Sufyān,orMarwanibnal-Hakam,or‘Amribnal-‘As,orYazidibnMu‘āwiyah,withallthecaliphswho have perpetrated all kinds of abominations, and violated the sanctities and slaughtered theinnocent.Thisbeing thecase,while the ImamsfromAhlal-Bayt (peacebeupon them), the Imamsof the

Shi‘ah,believeinhis‘ismah(infallibility),interpretingtheQur ’ānicverseswhichapparentlyindicatethatAllahhasadmonishedHisProphet,like"Hefrownandturnedaway"(80:1),ortheversescontainingconfessionofthesinslikeHissaying:"ThatAllahmayforgivetheeofthysinthatwhichispastandthatwhichistocome"(48:2),orHissaying:"AllahhathturnedinmercytotheProphet"(9:117),andalso:"Allahforgivethee(OMuhammad)!Whereforedidntthougrantthemleave."(9:43).Theyaffirmthatall theseversesneverderogatefromthis (S)‘ismah,assomeof themwerenot

meantathiminparticular,whilesomeothershavetobefigurativelyinterpretednotaccordingtotheexternalmeaningsofthewords,themethodthatismostoftenusedintheArabiclanguage,andalsobyAllah-theGlorified—intheHolyQur ’ān.Whoeverseekingmoreinformationandintendingtoobtaincertainknowledgeof things,hehas

just to refer to the Shi‘ah exegesis books, like al-Mizān fi tafsir al-Qur ’ān of al-‘Allāmah al-Tabātabā’i, and Tafsir al-Kāshif of Muhammad Jawād Maghniyyah, and al-’Ihtijāj of al-Tabrasi,besideotherbooks.Ihaven’tquotedfromthesebookssinceIintendedbrevityandexposingthecreedandbeliefofthetwopartiesingeneral.AndtheaimofthisisbuttoreflectmyownbeliefsinwhichI

have conviction, and myself selecting a school believing in the infallibility of the prophets, andsuccessorsafterthem,torelievemymind,dissipatingmyconcern,anderadicatingmysuspicionandperplexity.ToclaimthattheProphet’sinfallibilitybeingconfinedinpropagatingAllah’swords(Qur ’ān),is

just baseless nonsense, since no proof is there indicatingwhich part of his speech isAllah’s, andwhichone ishis, soas tobema‘sumin the formerandnotma‘sumwithbeing liable toerr in thelatter.IseekprotectionbyGodfromthiscontradictoryutterancepromptingtodoubtandvilificationin

thesanctityofreligions.Thisfactrecallstomymindaconversationheldbetweenme—afterbeingguided—andagroupof friends, inwhichI triedmybest toconvince themthat theMessengerofAllah(S)beinginfallible(ma‘sum),whiletheywereattemptingtopersuademeofhisbeingma‘suminpropagatingtheQur ’ānalone.AmongthemtherewasaprofessorfromTozad(regionofal-Jarid),[46]andtheywereknownforwittiness,knowledgeandcrackjokes.Hecontemplatedforawhileandsaid:“OcompanyIhaveanopinionregardingthisissue,”weallexclaimed:Pleasegiveuswhatyouhave!Hesaid:-Whatourbrotheral-Tijanisays,astheShi‘ahhold,istheverytruth,andweshouldbelieveinthe

Messenger ’s absolute ‘ismah, otherwise suspicion will find its way into our hearts in the Qur ’ānitself!—Theyasked:Whatfor?Heimmediatelyreplied:—HaveyouseenanyoftheQur ’ānicverseswithAllah’ssignatureunderneath??Bythesignaturehemeant:Thestampingwithwhichthecontractsandlettersweresealed,denoting

theidentityofeachpartytothecontractandsenderoftheletter.Allthosepresentlaughedatthiswittyremark,thatwasinfactofadeepmeaning.Everyunprejudicedperson,contemplatingattentively,willbeshockedbythefactthat:believingintheQur ’ān’sbeingGod’swordsistobelieveintheabsoluteinfallibilityofitscommunicater,withoutpartitioningit,sinceitisinfeasibleforanyonetoclaimofhearing Allah speak, and no one can allege that he saw Jabriel when descending with revelation(wahy).Thequintessenceoftheabove-mentionedexposition,isthattheShiah’sopinionabout‘ismahisan

apposite opinion, making hearts feel assured, eliminating all whispers of the self and Satan, andclosing all doors before the riotous, particularly enemies of religion from among the Jews,Christians, and infidels looking for gaps to sneak from. Their aim of this, being to overturn ourbeliefsandreligionfromthefoundationanddegradeourProphet.SotheymostoftendisputeagainstuswithwhatSahihal-BukhāriandSahihMuslimreportedof thedeedsandsayingsascribed to theMessengerofAllah(S),fromwhichheisfarexempted.[47]Howcanweconvincethemthatthebooksofal-BukhāriandMuslimcontainmanyliesandforged

narrations,whichbeingadangerousspeechofcourse,asitisneveracceptedbyAhlal-Sunnah,whoconsiderSahihal-BukhāriasthemostauthenticbookaftertheBookofAllah!

Notes:[23]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.II,p.47,&Vol.V,p.179&Vol.VI,p.

[24]Ibid.,Vol.IV,p.226&Vol.V,pp.47-48;SahihMuslim,Vol.I,pp.114-122.[25]Ibid.,Vol.VIII,p.197.[26]Ibid.,Vol.VIII,p.182.[27]Ibid.,Vol.VIII,p.187,andonpage202heconfirmsAllah’shavingahandandfingers.[28]Verse23ofSuratal-QiyāmahwasinterpretedbyAhlal-BaytImams(peacebeuponthem),that

thefacesatthatDay(Doomsday)beresplendent(nādirah),tomeanprettinessandsplendour(bahjah),whilelookingattheirLord’smercy.[29]Nahjal-balāghah,exposition(sharh)ofMuhammad`Abduh,Vol.I,KhutbahNo.1.[30]‘Aqā’idal-’Imāmiyyah.[31]Al-Murāja‘ātisoneofthebooksthatshouldbereadbywhoeverdesiringtobeacquaintedwith

theImāmiShi‘ah’sbeliefsandthoughts.[32]Al-Bidāyahwaal-nihāyah,ofIbnKathir,whoreportedfromal-’ImāmAhmad,Muslim,Abu

Dāwudandal-Tirmidhi.[33]SahihMuslim,“kitābal-fadā’il”,Vol.VII,p.95;Musnadal-’ImāmAhmad,Vol.I,p.162and

Vol.III,p.152.[34]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VII,p.29.[35]Ibid.,Vol.IV,p.68.[36]Ibid.,Vol.I,p.123andVol.II,p.65.[37]Ibid.,Vol.I,pp.37,44,171.[38]Sunanal-Dārimi,“kitābal-riqāq”.[39]SahihMuslim,“bābfadā’il‘Uthmān”,Vol.VII,p.117.[40]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.II,pp.232,

234.[41]Ibid.,Vol.III,p.114andVol.VII,p.96.[42]Ibid.,Vol.III,p.228,andVol.II,p.3,“kitābal-‘idayn”.[43]Musnadal-’ImāmAhmadibnHanbal,Vol.VI,p.75.[44]Tafsiral-Jalālayn,aboutinterpretationofGod’swords:“…Andthoudidsthideinthyselfthat

whichAllahwastobringtolight.”(33:37).[45]SahihMuslim,Vol.VII,p.136,“bābfadā’il‘A’ishah”.[46]Regionofal-JaridislocatedsouthofTunisia,with92kmsfromQafsah,thebirthplaceofAbu

al-Qāsimal-Shābi, therenownedpoet,andal-KhidrHusayn,whowastheheadofal-’Azhar,besidemanyTunisian‘ulamā’whowereborninthisregion.[47] In his Sahih,Vol. III, p. 152, bāb shahādat al-’a‘mā from “kitāb al-shahādāt”, al-Bukhāri is

reported tohave said: Ibn `Ubayd ibnMaymunnarrated tous, saying,weare toldby `Isa…from‘A’ishahwhosaid:TheProphet (uponwhombeGod’speaceandbenediction)hearda (blind)manrecitingtheQur ’āninamosque.Thereathe(S)said:“MayAllahhavemercyuponhim,heremindedmeofsoandsoversesIdroppedfromsoandsosurah…”—Howisitwonderful,dearreader,suchamessengerwhoforgets theverses(āyāt),andhadnot thisblindmanbeenthere toremindhimofthem,theywouldhavebeenburiedinoblivion—IseekAllah’sforgivenessofthishallucination.

6ChapterBeliefinImamatebyBothSects

By Imamate in this chapter, we mean the general Imamate for Muslims, i.e. caliphate, rulership,leadershipandWilāyah(guardianship).SincethemaintopicofmybookbeingcomparisonbetweentheschoolofAhlal-Sunnahandthat

of the ImāmiyyahShi‘ah, I have to expose the principle of Imamate in the perspective of both thesects,inorderthatthereaderandresearcherbeacquaintedwiththefoundationsandprinciplesuponwhicheachsectdepends,knowingconsequentlytheconvictionsthatledmetoacceptconversionandabandonmypreviousbelief. The Shi‘ah view Imamate as one of the principles of religion (usul al-Din), due to its great

significance and seriousness, being the leadership of the bestUmmah (community) that has beenraisedupformankind.Besidethenumerousvirtuesanduniquecharacteristicsuponwhichleadershipisbased,ofwhich I refer to:knowledge,bravery, forbearance,honesty,chastity,asceticism(zuhd),piety(taqwā),andgodliness…etc. The Shi‘ah hold that Imamate being a Divine post with which Allah encharges whomever He

choosesfromamongHisuprightbondmen,toundertakethiscriticalrole,beingtoleadandguidetheworldafterthedemiseoftheProphet(God’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny).On thisbasis,al-’Imām‘Ali ibnAbiTālibwas theImamand leader forMuslims inaccordance

withtheelectionofAllah,WhohasrevealedtoHisMessengertonominatehim(‘Ali)asthechiefformankind, the task thathe (S)did, telling theUmmah to followhimashis successor, after returningfrom his last Hajj pilgrimage toMakkah (Hajjat al-Wadā‘) at Ghadir Khumm, and people sworeallegiancetohim"asheldbytheShi‘ah."[48]Ahlal-SunnahalsobelieveinthenecessityoftheImamateforleadingtheUmmah,buttheygive

theUmmahrighttochooseitsImamandleader.Accordingtothis,AbuBakribnAbiQuhāfahbecametheleaderfortheMuslimsthroughtheirelectinghimafterthedemiseoftheMessengerofAllah(S),who kept silent concerning the matter of successorship never declaring anything in its regard totheUmmah,leavingtheissuetobedeterminedaccordingtotheshurā(consultation)amongpeople.WheretheTruthbe?Whenanyresearchermeditatesinthesayingsofthetwosects,contemplatingintheirarguments

withoutanyfanaticism,hewillundoubtedlyapproachthe truth.HerewithIwill reviewwithyouthetruthIhaveattainedasfollows:

1)ImamateintheHolyQur’ān

TheAlmightyAllahsaid:“And(remember)whenhisLord triedAbrahamwith(His)commands,andhefulfilled them,He

said:Lo!Ihaveappointedtheealeaderformankind.(Abraham)said:Andofmyoffspring(willtherebeleaders)?Hesaid:Mycovenantincludethnotwrong-doers.”(2:124)InthisnobleverseAllahtellsusthatImamatebeingaDivinepostenchargedbyAllahtowhomever

HechoosesfromamongHisbondmen,whensaying:“Ihaveappointedtheealeaderformankind”.The verse further elucidates that Imamate is a covenant fromAllah never including but the piousbondmen,whomAllahhas elected for this task,due todenying it for thewrong-doers,whoneverdeservethecovenantofAllah—theGlorifiedandtheExalted.TheAlmightyhassaidtoo:“AndWemade themchiefswhoguidebyOur command, andWe inspired in them thedoingof

gooddeedsandtherightestablishmentofworshipandthegivingofalms,andtheywereworshippersofUs(alone).”(21:73)Inanotherplace,Allah,theGlorified,said:“And when they became steadfast and believed firmly in Our revelations, We appointed from

amongthemleaderswhoguidedtoOurcommand.”(32:24)Healsosaid:“AndWedesired toshowfavourunto thosewhowereoppressed in theearth,and tomake them

examplesandtomakethemtheinheritors.”(28:5) Somemay fancy that the denotation conceived from these verses being that themeant Imamate

here is prophethood and message, which is a wrong concept for Imamate in general, as everymessengerisaprophetandleader(Imam)butnoteveryImambeingamessengerorprophet!Forthisreason,Allah—theGlorifiedandMostHigh—hasexpressedinHisnobleBookthatHis

godlybondmenareentitledtoaskHimtograntthemthisreputableappointment,tohavethehonourofguidingpeople,andgainingoutofthishighreward.TheMostHighsaid:“Andthosewhowillnotwitnessvanity,butwhentheypassnearsenselessplay,passbywithdignity.

And those who, when they are reminded of the revelations of their Lord, fall not deaf and blindthereat.Andwhosay:OurLord!Vouchsafeuscomfortofourwivesandofouroffspring,andmakeuspatternsfor(all)thosewhowardoff(evil).”(25:72-74)Besides,theHolyQur ’ānhasusedthewordImāmahtopointtotheoppressiveleadersandrulers,

whomisguidetheirfollowersandnations,leadingthemtowardcorruptionandtormentintheworldandHereafter.TalkingaboutFaraohandhistroops,theAlmightyAllahsaidinHisnobleScripture:“ThereforeWeseizedhimandhishosts,andabandonedthemuntothesea.Beholdthenatureofthe

consequenceforevil-doers!AndWemadethempatternsthatinviteuntotheFire,andontheDayofResurrectiontheywillnotbehelped.AndWemadeacursetofollowtheminthisworld,andontheDayofResurrectiontheywillbeamongthehateful.”(28:40-42)Onthisbasis,theShi‘ah’sclaimisnearertowhattheHolyQur ’ānhasordained,sinceAllah—the

GlorifiedandtheMighty—hasexplicitlyexpoundedwithnodoubt,thattheImamatebeingaDivineappointmentAllah imparts uponwhomeverHewills, and it is the covenant ofAllah ofwhichHedeprived the oppressors. And since the Prophet’s Companions other than ‘Ali (‘a) have ascribedpartnersuntoAllahduring thepre-Islamicera, thus they turn tobeamong thewrong-doers,beingincompetent forAllah’s covenant encharging themwith Imamate and caliphate.While the Shi‘ah’sclaim stands firm that al-’Imām ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib was the only one, from among all otherCompanions, having the right to Allah’s covenant of Imamah, due to the fact that he has neverworshippedotherthanAllah,andneverprostratedtoanyidol,thereasonwhyAllahhasgrantedhimhonour,outoftheCompanions.IfitissaidthatIslamexonerateswhateverispastbeforeit,weneverobject,butthereisagreatdifferencebetweenthatwhowasapolytheistandrepentedafterwards,andthatwhousedtobeimmaculateandpure,knowingnonebutAllah.

2)ImamateinthePropheticSunnah

TheMessenger of Allah (mayGod’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Household) hasdisclosed several utterances regarding Imamate, narrated by both the Shi‘ah and Sunnah, in theirbooksandMasānid(Musnads).OncehereferredtoitwithusingtheexpressionImamah,andanothertimewiththewordsuccessorship,andonceagainwiththeword‘wilāyah’(guardianship)or imārah(princedom).AboutthewordImamahhe(S)said:“Thebestofyourleadersarethosewhomyouloveandthey

loveyou,andwhomyouprayuponandtheyprayuponyou(afterdeath),whilethemostwickedofyourleadersarethosewhomyoudetestandtheydetestyou,andwhomyoucurseandtheycurseyou.”They (who were present) said: O Messenger of Allah, shall we declare war against them by thesword?Hereplied:“No,aslongastheyareestablishingHealsosaid:“Aftermetherewillbeleadersthatcanneverfollowmyguide,andneveradoptmy

sunnah, among whom will rise up men having hearts of the devils inside a body of a humanbeing.”[49] And about caliphate he (S) said: “Religion remains established till the Doomsday or twelve

successorsruleoveryou,allbeingfromQuraysh.”[50]JābiribnSamurahisreportedtohavesaid:IheardtheMessengerofAllah,mayGod’speaceand

benedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny,say:“Islamisstillpowerfulaslongastwelvesuccessorsare there,” saying then a word I couldn’t understand, so I asked my father: what did he say? Hereplied:AllarefromQuraysh.”[51]Aboutprincedomhe(S)said:“Therewillbeemirswhomyourecognizebutdeny.Whoeverrecognizes(them)willbeacquitted

andwhoever denieswill secure (against danger), butwho admits and follows, (thereat) they said:Shallwefightthem?Hereplied:No,aslongastheykeeponestablishingprayer.”[52]Further,about thewordprincedomhe (S) said:“Verily therewillbe twelveemirs,all are from

Quraysh.”[53]HeisalsoreportedtohavewarnedhisCompanionssaying:“Youwillcoveteagerlyfor imārah

(princedom,rule),andthiswillturntobearegretontheDoomsday,sowhatanexcellentnursesheis,andhowbadtheweaneris.”[54]Inanothernarrationthewordwilāyahisusedinsteadofimārah.TheMessengerofAllah(S)saidfurther:“WhoeverpresidesoversubjectsofMuslims,anddies

afterbeingdishonestwiththem,Allahshallverilyforbidhimtheheavens.”[55]Inanotherplacehe(s)utteredahadithaboutwilāyah:“Theaffairsofpeoplekeeponrunningtheircourseaslongasbeingpresidedoverbytwelvemen,

allbeingfromQuraysh.”[56]ThatwasabriefsurveyabouttheconceptofImamateorcaliphate,whichIhavedisplayedfromthe

HolyQur ’ān and the genuineProphetic Sunnahwithout exposition or interpretation.Rather I havemainlydependedupontheSihāhofAhlal-SunnahotherthantheShi‘ah,sincethisaffair(i.e.caliphateoftwelvemenfromQuraysh)isregardedbythemasanirreproachableintuition,aboutwhichthereisno slight difference between even two of them, despite the fact that the ‘ulamā’ of Ahl al-Sunnah

expresslydeclarethattheMessengerofAllah(S)said:“Aftermetherewillbetwelvesuccessors(rulingoveryou)whoareallfromBanuHāshim.”[57]Al-Shi’bireportsfromMasruqthathesaid:“WhenwewereinthehouseofIbnMas’udoffering

himourcodices(masāhif),aladsaidtohim:DidyourProphetmakeacovenantinformingyouhowmanysuccessorswillbeafterhim?Hereplied:Youarestillsoyoung,andnooneotherthanyouhaseveraskedmethequestionyouhaveputforth…theanswerisyes,ourProphet(s)hasassuredusthatafterhimtherewillbetwelvecaliphs,thesamenumberasthatofthechiefsofIsrael…”[58]After that,wehavetoreviewtheopinionsof the twosects, toknowtheveracityof theclaimof

eachofthemthroughtheexpresstexts.Wewillalsodiscusstheinterpretationofeachofthemforthiscritical issue that created disunity among the Muslims, dividing them into creeds and sects, andtheologicalandthoughtschools,afterbeingoneUmmah(nation).AndanydisputeeruptedamongtheMuslims, whether in regard of fiqh (jurisprudence), or tafsir (exegesis) of the Qur ’ān, or incomprehendingthePropheticSunnah,istracedbacktoandcausedbythecaliphate.Noone is awareof the caliphate that—after theSaqifah— turned tobe a factual affair due to

which authentic traditions and express verses were disapproved and for whose establishment andconfirmationmanyothertraditionswerecomposedandfabricated,thathavenorootororiginintheauthenticPropheticSunnah.All this remindsmeof Israel and the statusquo, as theArabHeadsofState and Kings have met and reached an agreement that there should be no recognition of orcompromiseorpeacewithIsrael,andwhateveristakenbyforcecanneverberegainedbutbyforce.Afteronlyafewyearstheymetagaintosever,thistime,theirtieswithEgyptduetoitsrecognitionoftheZionistRegime.AfterpassageofsomefewyearstheyresumedtheirrelationswithEgypt,neverdeploringitsnormalizationoftieswithIsrael,thoughthelatterhadneverrecognizedtherightofthePalestinian people, and never changed its position. Rather it increased in its stubbornness andobstinacy, multiplying its repression against the Palestinian people. History is repeating itself andeventsarerecurred,andtheArabsareusedtocommitthemselvestosurrendertothestatusquo.

Ahlal-Sunnah’sOpinionaboutCaliphateanditsDiscussion

TheopinionofAhl al-Sunnah about caliphate is known, being that theMessenger ofAllahpassedawaywithoutnominatinganyoneasasuccessor.ButtheinfluentialmagnatesamongtheCompanionshave met in the Saqifah of Banu Saidah, and elected Abu Bakr al-Siddiq as their guardian (walial-’amr)duetohispositionneartheMessengerofAllah,andsincehe(S)madehimhissubstituteinleading thecongregationalprayersduringhis illness.At that timepeople said. If theMessengerofAllah (S) recognizes him as a guardian of our religion affairs, so how can’t we accept him as aguardianundertakingtheaffairsofourlife?Therecapitulationoftheirbeliefisthat:1.TheMessengerhasnevernominatedanysuccessor.2.Caliphatecanneverbedeterminedbutthroughshurā(council).3.ElectingAbuBakrasacaliphwasmadebythemagnatesofSahābah(Companions).This was also my opinion when I was a Māliki strongly defending him with argumenting by

dependingon the verses about shurā, tryingmybest to boast that Islambeing a religion based ondemocracy in the rule, and the prior of other religions to invite toward this humane principle onwhichthecivilizedprogressivecountriesarepriding. I say:While the Republican systemwas not known by theWest but only during the nineteenth

century,Islamrealizedandoutstrippedotherreligionsingettingitsincethesixthcentury. But, after meeting the Shiah ‘ulamā’;, reading their books and being acquainted with their

convincingevidences, that canbe found inour referencebooks, I changedmypreviousbelief andconvertedwhen theargument (hujjah)showed itselfclearly,since it is improper for themajestyofAllah—theGlorified—toforsakeanUmmahwithoutanImam,whileHesays:"Thouartawarneronly,andforeveryfolkaguide."(13:7).It is also inappropriate for themercyof theMessengerofAllah (S) to let hisUmmahwithout a

custodian,especiallywhenknowingthatheusedtofearforhisUmmahdisunity,[59]turningbackontheirheels,[60]rushingmadlyupontheworld,[61]smitingofthenecksofeachother,[62]andlastlyfollowingthesystems(sunan)oftheJewsandChristians.[63]WhenknowingthatUmmal-Mu’minin‘A’ishah,thedaughterofAbuBakr,delegatedto‘Umaribn

al-Khattāb, when he was stabbed, someone to tell him: “Nominate someone as a successor overtheUmmahofMuhammad,andneverleavethemdiscardedafteryou,asIfeartheybeinflictedwithsedition.”[64]Also,when‘AbdAllāh ibn ‘Umarentereduponhis father,whenhewasstabbed,saying tohim:

“Peoplehaveallegedthatyouhavenotdesignatedanyonetosucceedyou,andifyouhaveacamelsorsheep shepherd who comes toward leaving his herd alone, verily you consider him as beingneglectfulofhisduty,whiletakingcareofpeopleismuchharder.”[65] Further, we observed howAbu Bakr himself, whowas elected byMuslims through the shurā,

breachedthisprinciple,rushingtonominate‘Umarashissuccessor,inordertoeradicateanydispute,disunity and sedition. The fact thatwas foretold by al-’Imām ‘Ali (‘a),when ‘Umar exertedmuchpressureagainsthimtoswearallegiancetoAbuBakr,thereathesaidtohim:“Prepareaschemewhosehalfshallbeyours,andreinforceitforhimtoday,hewillrewardyou

tomorrow.”[66]WhileAbuBakrwasnotbelievingintheshurāsystem,sohowcanweacceptthattheMessengerof

Allah(S)hasneglectedtheaffairwithoutnominatinganysuccessor,andwasnotawareofwhatwasdone by ‘Abu Bakr, Aishah and Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar, as known by people intuitively, includingdifferenceofopinions,scatternessofinclinationswhentheyareenchargedwiththetaskofelection,especiallywhen it is related to headship and assuming the rostrum of caliphate. This has actuallyoccurredeveninelectingAbuBakronthedayofSaqifah,asweobservedthedisputeeruptedbetweentheMasterof theHelpers(Ansār)Sa’dibn‘UbadashandhissonQaysibnSa’d,‘Ali ibnAbiTālibandal-Zubayr ibnal-‘Awwām,[67]al-’Abbas ibn‘AbdMuttalibandBanuHāshimwithsomeof theCompanionswhowereoftheopinionthatAli(‘a)wasmoreentitledtocaliphate,andlingeredbehindinhishouserefusingtoswearallegiance(toAbuBakr),untiltheywerethreatenedwithbeingburnt.[68]Ontheotherside,wefindtheImāmiShi‘ahproveexactlytheoppositeofAhlal-Sunnah’sclaim

emphasizing that the Messenger of Allah has definitely nominated ‘Ali to assume caliphate,confirmingthisinseveraloccasions,themostknownofwhichbeinginGhadirKhumm. If equity necessitates of you to listen to your opponent to adduce his opinion and plea in

controversialissuewithyou,howitwouldbewhenyouropponentargueswithyouofferingasapleasomethingtheoccurrenceofwhichyouyourselftestify.[69]TheevidencegivenbytheShi‘ahisnotsofeebleorunsubstantialthatcanbeeasilyoverlookedor

forgotten,butratheritisrelevanttoQur ’ānicversesrevealedinthisrespect.ThecareandimportancegiventotheseversesbytheMessengerofAllahreachedanextentthatwaspropagatedbycaravans,and reported by all people, far and near, till filling books of history and traditions, and beingrecordedbythenarrators,agenerationfromanother.

1)‘Ali’sGuardianshipintheHolyQur’ān

Allah,theExalted,said:"Your guardian can be only Allah; and His Messenger and those who believe, who establish

worship and pay the poor-due while bowing down (in prayer). And whoso taketh Allah and HisMessengerandthosewhobelieveforguardian(willknowthat),lo!ThepartyofAllah,theyarethevictorious."(5:55,56) In his al-Tafsir al-kabir, al-’ImāmAbu Ishāq al-Tha‘labi[70] is reported,with his isnād (chain)

reachingback toAbuDharr al-Ghifāri, tohave said: "I heard theMessengerofAllah (mayGod’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny)withmytwoears,otherwisetheybedeaf,andsawhimwithmyowneyes,otherwisetheybeblind,saying: ‘Ali is the leader of thepious, slayer of thedisbelievers, victorious is thatwhohelps him, and

defeatedisthatwhodisappointshim.”OnceuponadayIwasprayingwiththeMessengerofAllah,whenabeggarcametotheProphet’s

mosque.Noonerespondedtohispleas.‘Ali(‘a)wasbowingdown(inprayer)atthattime.Hepointedhislittlefinger,onwhichwasaring,towardsthebeggar,whocameforwardandtookawaythering.This incident occurred in the Prophet’s presence, who raised his hands towards the Heavens andprayedMyGod!MybrotherMoseshadbeggedofYousaying:“MyLord!Relievemymind.Andeasemytaskforme.Andlooseaknotfrommytongue.That they may understand my saying. Appoint for me a henchman from my folk. Aaron, my

brother.Confirmmystrengthwithhim.Andlethimsharemytask.ThatwemayglorifyTheemuch.And much remember Thee. Lo! Thou art ever Seeing us.” Then you revealed to him: “Thou artgrantedthyrequest,OMoses.”OAllah!Iamyourbondmanandprophet,relievemymindandeasemytaskforme,andappointformeahenchmanfrommyfolk,‘Ali,andconfirmmystrengthwithhim.AbuDharrthensaid:ByGod,theMessengerofAllah(S)hadnotyetfinishedhisprayers,when

Gabrieldescendeduponhimrevealingthefollowingverse:“Your Guardian can be only Allah; andHisMessenger and those who believe, who establish

worship and pay the poor-due, while bowing down (in prayer). Andwhoso takethAllah andHisMessengerandthosewhobelieveforguardian(willknowthat),Lo!thepartyofAllah,theyarethevictorious.(5:55,56).[71] There is no disagreement among the Shi‘ah that this verse was revealed in ‘Ali’s regard,

accordingtothereportsofAhlal-Bayt(peacebeuponthem),whichbeingamongtheunanimouslyacceptedakhbār(reports),thatwerereferredtoinmanyconsiderableShi‘ahbooks,like:1.Biharal-’anwār,byal-Majlisi.2.Ithbātal-hudāt,byal-Hurral-‘Amili.3.Tafsiral-Mizān,byal-‘Allāmahal-Tabātabā’i.4.Tafsiral-Kāshif,byMuhammad,JawādMaghniyyah.5.Al-Ghadir,byal-‘Allāmahal-’Amini.

Besidenumerousotherbooks. Its revelation in ‘Ali’s regard was reported too by a large number of Ahl al-Sunnah ‘ulamā’,

amongwhomwereferonlytotheexegets:1.Tafsiral-Kashshāfbyal-Zamakhshari,vol.I,p.6492.Tafsiral-Tabari,vol.VI,-P.2883.Zādal-masirfi‘ilmal-tafsir,byIbnal-Jawzi,vol.II,p.3834.Tafsiral-Qurtubi,vol.VI,p.219.5.Tafsiral-Fakhral-Rāzi,vol,.XII,p.266.TafsiIbnKathir,vol.II,p.717.Tafsiral-Nasafi,vol.I.p.2898.Shawāhidal-tanzil,byal-Hasakānial-Hanafi,vol.I,p.1619.Al-Durral-manthurfial-tafsirbial-ma’thur,byal-Suyuti,vol.II.p.29310.Asbābal-nuzul,byal-’Imāmal-Wāhidi,p.14811.Ahkāmal-Qur ’ān,byal-Jassās,vol.IV.p.10212.Al-Tashilli‘ulumal-tanzil,byal-Kalbi,Vol.I,p.181.BesideotherunmentionedSunnahbooks,numberingmorethanthoseIreferredto.2)TheAlmightyAllahsaid:“OMessenger!MakeknownthatwhichhathbeenrevealeduntotheefromthyLord,forifthoudo

itnot,thouwiltnothaveconveyedHismessage.Allahwillprotecttheefrommankind.”(5:67) It is reportedby some exegetes fromamongAhl al-Sunnah, that this versewas revealed in the

early days of Da‘wah (invitation), when theMessenger of Allah was having some bodyguards toprotecthimagainstmurderandassassination.Butwhentheverse“andAllahwillprotect theefrommankind,”wasrevealed,he(S)said:“Goaway,Allahhasprotectedme.”IbnJarirandMardawayhhavereportedfrom‘AbdAllāhibnJarirthathesaid:“TheMessengerof

Allah(S)waspursuedbysomeofhisCompanions,andwhenthewords”andAllahwillprotecttheefrommankind,”hecameoutandsaid:“Opeople,goandreachyourpursuants,asAllahhasprotectedmefrommankind.”[72]IbnHibbānandIbnMardawayhhavereportedfromAbuHurayrahthathesaid:Whenbeinginthe

companyof theMessengerofAllah(S)ona journey,weused todedicate forhimthegreatestandmost shadowy tree to situnder.Onedayhe satunder a tree,hanginghis swordon it,whenamancameand took it,saying:OMuhammad,whocanprotectyouagainstme?TheProphet (s) replied:Allahprotectsmeagainstyou…putawaythesword.Sohereturnedittoitsplace.Thereattheverse“andAllahwillprotecttheefrommankind”wasrevealed.[73]Further,al-Tirmidhi,al-HākimandAbuNu’aymhavereported from‘A’ishah thatshesaid:The

Prophet (S) used to be guarded till the words "and Allah will protect thee from mankind" wererevealed,whereathebroughtouthisheadfromthedomesaying:Opeople,goaway,Allahhasverilyprotectedme.

Al-jabarrāni andAbuNu’aym in al-Dalā’il, narrates that IbnMardawayh and Ibn ‘Asākir havereportedfromIbn‘Abbāsthathesaid:TheProphet(S)washavingabodyguard,andhisuncleAbujālibusedtosendwithhimeverydaysomemenfromBanuHāshimtosafeguardhim.Onedayhe(S)said(tohim)Ouncle!Allahhasprotectedme,soIaminnoneedanymoreforthoseyousend. When pondering upon these traditions and interpretations, we would realize their being

incompatiblewiththedenotationoreventhecontextofthenobleverse,asallthesenarrationsshowthat theywererevealedat theoutsetof theinvitation(da‘wah)toIslam.Someof themevendeclaretheirbeingrevealedduringthelifetimeofAbujālib,thatis,manyyearsbeforetheHijrah(migrationoftheProphet),particularlyAbuHurayrah’snarrationinwhichhesays:"Whenbeinginthecompanyof theMessengerofAllahona journey,weused todedicate forhim thegreatest tree…etc."Thisnarration is explicitly fabricated, since Abu Hurayrah was never acquainted with Islam or theMessengerofAllahbutonlyintheseventhyearafterHijrah,ashehimselftestified.[74]Sohowcanthisbeaccepted,whilealltheexegetes,SunnahandShi'ah,unanimouslyconcurthatSuratal-Mā’idah(TheTableSpread)wasrevealedatal-Madinah,anditsbeingthelastsurahrevealedoftheQuran???Ahmad andAbu ‘Ubayd in Fadā’il, al-Nahhās in hisNāsikh, and al-Nisā’i, Ibn al-Mundhir, al-

Hākim,IbnMardawayhandal-BayhaqiintheirSunan,havereportedfromJubayribnNufayrthathesaid:ImadethepilgrimagetoMakkah,andwhenIenteredupon‘A’ishah,shesaid:OJubayr,doyouread(Surat)al-Mā’idah?Isaid:Yes.Thenshesaid:Itisthelastsurahrevealed(oftheQur ’ān).Deemlawfulwhateveryoufindlawful in it,anddeemunlawfulwhateveryoufindunlawful(harām)in it.[75]Alsoit isreportedbyAhmadandal-Tirmidhi,andwasimprovedandrevisedbyal-Hākim,with

IbnMardawayh and al-Bayhaqi in their Sunan, from ‘AbdAllāh ibn ‘Umar that he said: Surat al-Mā’idahisthelastsurahrevealedoftheQur ’ān.[76]ItisreportedbyAbu‘Ubayd,fromMuhammadibnKa’bal-Qartanithathesaid:Suratal-Mā’idah

wasrevealeduntotheMessengerofAllahduringHajjatal-Wadā‘,whilebeingonhiscamelbetweenMakkahandal-Madinah,whereatit(thecamel)wascracked,andthentheMessengerofAllah(S)gotdown.[77] Ibn Jarir reports from al-Rabi ‘ibnAnas that he said: Surat al-Mā’idahwas revealed upon the

MessengerofAllah(S)onhiswaybackfromhislastpilgrimage,whilebeingonhismount,andhismountkneeleddownduetoits(surah’s)heavyburden.[78] Abu ‘Ubaydah reports from Damrah ibn Habib and ‘Atiyyah ibn Qays that they said: The

MessengerofAllah(S)said:“Al-Ma’idah(theTablespread)isthelastoftheQur ’āninrevelation,sodeemlawfulwhatitconsiderslawful(halāl)anddeemunlawfulwhatisconsideredunlawful(harām)init.[79]So,howcananysaneequitablemanacceptthen,theclaimofonebelievinginitsbeingrevealedin

theearlydaysof thePropheticmission(al-Bi‘thahal-Nabawiyyah)?Theaimof thismove isclear,beingtodivertpeoplefromitsrealmeaning.Addedtothis, theShi'ahconcurthatSuratal-Mā’idahbeingthelastsurahrevealedoftheQur ’ān,andthattheverse“OMessenger!Makeknownthatwhichhath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord… ”, which is called Ayat al-Balāgh (Verse ofproclamation),wasrevealeduntotheMessengerofAllahontheeighteenthofDhual-Hijjah, inthewake of the last pilgrimage at Ghadir Khumm, before designating al-’Imām ‘Ali as amaster forpeopleandhissuccessorafterhim.This incidentwasonThursday,andGabriel (‘a)hasbrought it

downaftertheelapseoffivehoursoftheday,sayingtotheProphet:OMuhammadAllahsendsyouHisgreetingsandsaystoyou.“OMessenger!MakeknownthatwhichhathbeenrevealeduntotheefromthyLord,forifthou

doitnot,thouwiltnothaveconveyedHismessage.Allahwillprotecttheefrommankind.”(5:67) But the Almighty’s saying: “… for if thou do it not, thou wilt not have conveyed His

message”explicitlyindicatesthatthemessagehascometoanendorwasaboutto,thoughsomeverysignificantthingisleft,withoutwhichreligioncanneverbeperfected.Further,thenobleversetellsthattheMessengerfearedbeingbeliedbypeople,wheninvitingthemtothisseriousaffair.ButAllah— the Glorified — has not respited him, since his hour has approached, and that was the bestopportunity, of the greatest position since those who gathered around him (S) numbered more ahundred thousand,accompanyinghim inHajjatal-Wadā‘,whoseheartswerestillvivid through theofferingsconsecratedtoAllah,recallingtomindtheMessenger ’stellingthemtheapproachingofhisdeathhour.Alsowecanrefer tohissayingto them:Imaynotmeetyouafter thisyear,andimminentlymy

Lord’smessenger (death angel) is to come, so as to summonmeand I should respond.And sinceafter this awful situation all people will separate and return to their homelands, with a very littlechancetomeetsuchahugemultitude,andasGhadirKhummbeingacrossroad,soitwasnot,inanyway,forMuhammad(S)tomisssuchanopportunity.Howwouldhedosowhileitwasrevealedforhim, in a threatening-likeway that themessage in awhole,wasdependentupon thisproclamation,withAllah’s ensuring him protection frommankind, leaving no reason for him to fear his beingbelied by them.Thiswas due to his awareness thatmanymessengers before himwere belied, butwithout being dissuaded frompropagating thatwhichwas entrusted to them, since the duty of anymessenger beingonly to convey themessage.AndhadAllahknown in advance thatmost of themwerehatefuluntothetruth,andthatsomeofthembeingthebeliers(denyingthemessage),He—theGlorified—wouldhavenever forsaken themwithoutestablishinganauthority (hujjah)over them,thattheremightnotremainanyargument(excuse)forpeopleagainstGod(ref.4:165).Whereas theMessenger ofAllah (S) has a good example for his brethren themessengerswho

precededhim,andwhoweredeniedbytheircommunities.Allah,theExalted,said:“If they deny thee (Muhammad), even so the folk ofNoah, and (the tribes of)Ad andThamud,

beforethee,denied(Ourmessengers).AndthefolkofAbrahamandthefolkofLot.AndthedwellersinMidian.AndMoseswasdenied;butIindulgedthedisbelieversalongwhile,thenIseizedthem,andhow(terrible)wasMyabhorrence!”(22:42-44)Whenabandoningthedetestedbigotry,andblindfanaticism,wewouldrealizethatthisexposition

being thereasonableone thatkeepspacewith thecontextof theverseandevents thatprecededandoccurredafterit.Manyofour ‘ulamā’haveconfirmed its revelationatGhadirKhumm, in regardofdesignating

al-’Imām‘Aliforthepostofcaliphate,authenticatingthosenarrations,concurringinthisrespectwiththeirbrothersamongtheShi'ah‘ulamā’.AsanexampleIrefertosomeoftheSunni‘ulamā’:1.Al-HāfiîAbuNu’ayminhisbookNuzulal-Qur ’ān.

2.Al-’Imāmal-WāhidiinhisbookAsbābal-nuzul,p.1503.Al-’ImāmAbuIshāqal-Thalabiinhisal-Tafsiral-kabir.4.Al-Hakimal-HasakaniinhisbookShawāhidal-tanzilliqawā‘idal-tafdil,vol.I,p.1875.Jalālal-Dinal-Suyutiinhisbookal-Durral-manthurfial-tafsirbial-ma’thur,vol.III,p.117.6.Al-Fakhral-Rāziinhisal-Tafsiral-kabir,Vol.XII,p.50.7.MuhammadRashidRidāinTafsiral-manār,Vol.II,p.86;Vol.VI,p.4638.AbuAsākiral-Shāfi‘iinTa’rikhDimashq,Vo.II,p.869.Al-ShawkāniinFathal-Qadir,vol.II,p.6010.IbnTalhahal-Shāfi‘iinMatālibal-Sa’ul,vol.I.p.4411.IbnSabbāghal-Mālikiinal-Fusulal-Muhimmah,p.2512.Al-Qunduzial-HanafiinYanābi‘al-mawaddah,p.12013.Al-Shahristāniinal-Milalwaal-nihal,vol.I.p.16314.IbnJariral-jabariinKitābal-Wilāyah.15.Badral-Dinal-Hanafiin‘Umdatal-qārifiSharhal-Bukhāri.Vol.VIII.P.58416.‘Abdal-Wahhabal-BukhāriinTafsiral-Qur ’ān.17.Al-’AlusiinRuhma‘āni,Vo..II.p.38418.IbnSa‘idal-SijistāniinKitābal-Wilāyah.19.Al-HamwiniinFarā’idal-simtayn,vol.I.p.18520.Al-SayyidSiddiqHasanKhāninFathal-bayānfimaqasidal-Qur ’ān,Vol.III,p.63.Thisisjustascantymodicumofwhatcomestomymind,besidealargenumberofotherAhlal-

Sunnah‘ulamā’referredtobyal-‘Allāmahal-’Aminiinthebookal-Ghadir.IwonderwhatdidtheMessengerofAllah(S)dowhenhewascommandedbyhisLordtodeliver

whatwasrevealeduntohim?TheShi'ahholdthathe(S)gatheredthepeoplefromallstratainthatplace,beingGhadirKhumm,

giving a long eloquent sermon, calling them towitness against themselves and theywitnessed thathe(S) certainly hadmore right on them than they themselves had.Thereat he took ‘Ali’s hand anddeclared: “To whomever I am his master, this Ali also is his master (mawlā). My God befriendwhoever him and be hostile to whoever is hostile to him, help whoever helps him, and forsakewhoeverforsakeshim,andkeepthehaqq(truth)alwayswithhim.”[80] Then he (S) made him wear his turban, arranging a ceremony for him, commanding his

Companions to congratulate him for being the leader of the believers. And so they did, at theforemostofwhombeingAbuBakrand‘Umar,whobothsaidto‘Ali(‘a):“Congratulation,OsonofAbu Tālib, within a day and a night you became a mawlā (master) of every believing man andwoman.”[81]Whentheceremonywasover,thefollowingversewasrevealeduntohimbyAllah:“This day have I perfected your religion for you and completedmy favour unto you, and have

chosenforyouIslam(tobe)theReligion.”(5-3)Thisnotion isheldby theShi'ah,asan indisputablefactacceptedbyall.DoAhlal-Sunnahever

refertothisincident?Inordernottotilttowardthem,orbeingpleasedwiththeiropinion,Allah—theGlorified—haswarnedusbysaying:“AndamongmenthereishewhosetalkconcerningthelifeheremarveleththeeandhetakethGod

towitnessastowhatisinhisheartyetheisthemostviolentofadversaries.”(2:204)

Weareaskedthentobecautious,andtodiscussthistopicwithmuchcare,withlookinghonestly

intotheevidencesgivenbythetwosects,seekingonlyGod’spleasureinthisrespect.Theanswerforthepreviousquestionis:yes,manyofAhlal-Sunnah‘ulamā’refertothisincident

withallitsstages.Thefollowingaresomeofevidencesquotedfromtheirbooks:1)Al-’ImāmAhmadibnHanbalhasreportedahadithnarratedbyZaydibnArqam,saying:Wegot

down with the Messenger of Allah (S) in a valley called Khumm Valley, and he orderedcongregationalprayer tobeheld,performing it inmeridionalheat.Then,whilebeingshadedbyagarmentoverabrowntree,fromthesun,theMessengerofAllahaddressedussaying: “Aren’t you aware, or don’t yougivewitness that I havemore right on every believer thanhe

himselfhas?They said:Yea.Thenhe said:Ofwhomever I amhismaster (mawlā) ‘Ali also ishismaster.OGod, befriendwhoever befriends him andbe the enemyofwhoever is hostile to him…”[82]2)Inal-Khasā’isal—’Imāmal-Nasā’ireports(fromAbual-jufayl)fromZaydibnArqamthathe

said:“WhentheMessengerofAllah(MayGod’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny)returnedfromthelasthajjpilgrimageandcamedownatGhadirKhumm,heordered(us)towardsthebig trees,and(thegroundunderneath themwasswept.Thenhedeclared:‘Iamabout toanswer thecall(ofdeath).Verily,Ihavelefttwopreciousthings(thaqalayn)amongyou,oneofwhichisgreaterthan theother: theBookofAllahandmy ‘Itrah,myAhlal-Bayt.Sowatchouthowyou treat themafterme.For,indeed,theywillneverseparateuntiltheyreturntomebythesideofthePond.”Thenhesaid:‘Verily,Allahismymaster(wali)andIamthemasterofeverybeliever.’Thenhetook‘Ali’shandanddeclared:“TowhomeverIamhiswali,thisoneisalsohiswAli.MyGod,befriendwhoeverbefriendshimandbehostiletowhoeverishostiletohim.”Abual-jufaylsays:“IsaidtoZayd:“DidyouhearitfromtheMessengerofAllah?’Hereplied,“Therewasnooneinthecaravanwhodidnotseeitwithhiseyesandhearitwithhisears.”[83] 3) Al-Hākim al-Naysāburi reports from Zayd ibn Arqam, through two sahih (correct) chains

according to the requirements of the Shaykhayn (al-Bukhāri andMuslim), that he said: "When theMessengerofAllah(S)returnedfromthelasthajjandcamedownatGhadirKhumm,heordered(us)towards the big trees, and (the ground) underneath themwas swept. Then he said: ‘I am about toanswerthecall(ofdeath)Verily,Ihaveleftbehindtwopreciousthingsamongstyou,oneofwhichisgreaterthantheother.TheBookofAllah,theExalted,andmy‘Itrah(Kindred).Sowatchouthowyoutreatthesetwoafterme,forverilytheywillnotseparatefromeachotheruntiltheycomebacktomebythesideof thePond.’Thenhesaid:‘Verily,Allah, theAlmightyandtheGlorious, ismymaster(mawlā)andIamthemasterofeverybeliever(mu’min).ThenhetookAlibythehandandsaid:"This(‘Ali)isthemasterofwhomeverIamhismaster.OGod,lovewhoeverloveshimandbetheenemyofhisenemy’…[84]4)ThishadithwasalsonarratedbyMusliminhisSahihwithhissanad(chain)reachingbackto

Zayd ibn Arqam, in an abridged form, saying: "One day theMessenger of Allah upon whom beAllah’s peace and benediction, addressed us near a pond called Khumm between Makkah andMadinah.HepraisedGodandextolledHimandpreachedandreminded(us).Thenhesaid:"Lo,Opeople,I

amonlyahumanbeingandIamabouttorespondtothemessengerofmyLord(i.e.thecallofdeath).Iamleavingbehindtwopreciousthings(thaqalayn)amongyou.ThefirstofthetwoistheBookof

Allah.Initisguidanceandlight.SogetholdoftheBookofAllahandadheretoit."Thenheurgedandmotivated(us)regardingtheBookofAllah.Thenhesaid:“AndmyAhlal-Bayt(family).IurgeyoutorememberAllahregardingmyAhlal-Bayt.IurgeyoutorememberAllahregardingmyAhlal-BaytIurgeyoutorememberAllahregardingmyAhlal-Bayt.”[85]

ACommentary

Althoughal-’ImāmMuslimhasbriefedtheincident,neverrelatingitcompletely,butit is, thankstoAllah,sosufficientandconclusive.Maybe theabridgementwasmadebyZayd ibnArqamhimselfwhenthepoloticalcircumstancesobligedhimtoconcealHadithal-Ghadir, thefactconceivedfromthecontextofthetraditionwhenthenarratorsays:"IHusaynibnSabrahand‘UmaribnMuslimwenttoseeZaydibnArqam.Whenwe

satdownwithhim,Husaynsaidtohim,"OZayd,youhavebeengreatlyfortunate.YouhaveseentheMessengerofAllah,uponwhombeAllah’speaceandbenediction,heardhisspeech,foughtwithhiminbattlesandhaveprayedbehindhim.Indeed,OZayd,youhavebeenenormouslyfortunate.NarratetouswhatyouhaveheardfromtheMessengerofAllah,mayAllah’speaceandbenedictionsbeuponhim.’Zaydsaid:Obrother,byGod,IhavebecomeagedandoldandIhaveforgottensomeofwhatI

used to remember from theMessengerofAllah,uponwhombeAllah’speaceandbenediction.SoacceptwhatInarratetoyouandastowhatIdon’t,troublemenotregardingit.’Thenhesaid:OnedaytheMessenger of Allah, upon whom be Allah’s peace and benediction, addressed us near a pondcalledKhumm…"Fromthehadithcontext,itseemsthatHusaynhasaskedZaydibnArqamabouttheGhadirincident,

puttinghimthusinacriticalsituationbeforeall,undoubtedlyknowingthatgivingexpressreplyforthisquestionwouldcertainlycreateforhimtroubleswiththeGovernmentthatusedtocompelpeopletocurse‘AliibnAbiTālib.Sohemadeapologytotheinquirerwiththeexcuseofbeingagedandold,andthathehasforgottensomeofwhatheusedtoremember,askingthentheattendantstoacceptwhathenarratedtothem,withouttroublinghimregardingthathecouldn’ttellthem.Despitehisfear,andabridgementofthedetails,butZaydibnArqam(mayAllahrewardhim)has

exposedmany facts, hinting atHadith al-Ghadirwithoutmentioning it byname.Thatwaswhenhesaid:Oneday theMessengerofAllah,uponwhombeAllah’speaceandbenediction, addressedusnear a pond calledKhummbetweenMakkah andMadinah, referring then to ‘Ali’s virtues and hisbeingpartneroftheQur ’ān,asrecordedinHadithal-Thaqalayn(theBookofAllahandmyAhlal-Bayt). But he never mentioned the name of ‘Ali, letting those present there to deduce with theirwittiness,asitwascommonlyknownforallMuslimsthat‘AlibeingthedoyenoftheProphet’sAhlal-Bayt. Therefore we observed that al-’ImāmMuslim himself got the samemeaning we got from the

hadith,realizingwhatwerealized,narratingthenthishadithunderthechapterofFadā’il‘AliibnAbiTālib,thoughnoexpressreferencewasmadeinittothenameof‘AliibnAbiTālib.[86] 5) In al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, al-Tabarani reports, through a correct chain (sanad), fromZayd ibn

Arqam,fromHudhayfahibnAsidal-Ghifāri,thathesaid:TheMessengerofAllah,mayAllah’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny,atGhadirkhummundersometreessaying:"Opeople,Iamabouttoanswerthecall(ofdeath).Verily I shall be answerable and you will be answerable, what do you say? They replied: We

witness that you have delivered themessage, and striven (onAllah’sway) and given good advice,mayAllah reward you good. Then he said: Don’t youwitness that there is no god but Allah and

MuhammadisHisbondmanandmessenger,andHisheavenistruth,resurrectionafterdeathistruth,andtheHour(Doomsday)iscertainlytocome,andAllahresurrectsthedeadfromgraves?Theysaid:Yes,wedowitnessso.Hesaid:OAllahbeawitness.Thenhesaid:Omankind,verily,Allahismymaster(mawlā)andIamthemasterofeverybeliever(mu’min),andIhavemoreauthorityoverthebelieversthantheyoverthemselves.OfwhomeverIamhismaster,thisonealsoishismaster—i.e.‘AliOGod,bethefriendofwhoeverbefriendshim,andbetheenemyofwhoeverishostiletohim.Thenhesaid:Opeople,Iamverilyseparatingfromyou,andyouarecomingbacktomebythe

sideofthePond(Hawd).APondthatiswiderthanthespacebetweenmysightandSan‘ā’,inwhichthere are stars equalling two silver goblets.When you come back tome Iwill ask you about theThaqalayn,howdidyoutreatthemafterme.thegreaterthiql:theBookofAllah—theAlmightyandtheGlorious—whichisaropebetweenHimandyou,whoseoneendisinHishandandwhoseotherendis inyourhands.Sogetholdof it,asyoushallnevergoastrayandneverbechanged,andmy‘Itrah(kindred)myAhlal-Bayt.TheSubtile,theAwareinformedmethatthetwowillneverpart,untiltheycometomeatthePond(Hawd).[87]6)Al-’ImāmAhmadnarrates from al-Barā’ ibn ‘Azib, through twoways, that he said:Wewere

with theMessengerofAllah (S)andwecamedownatGhadirKhumm,whereat a call forholdingcongregational prayer was made. People swept the ground under two trees for theMessenger ofAllah,mayAllah’s peace and benediction be uponhim and hisProgeny,whoperformed the noonprayer(salātal-îuhr).Thenhetook‘Ali’shand,saying:Don’tyouknowthatIhavemorerightovereverybelieverthanhehasoverhimself?Theyreplied:Yes(youdo).Thenhedeclared(taking‘Ali’shand):‘TowhomeverIamhismaster,‘Alialsoishismaster.MyGod,befriendwhoeverbefriendshimandbehostile towhoever ishostile tohim.”Thenthenarratorsaid:After that‘Umarmethim(‘a),andsaidtohim:‘Congratulation,OsonofAbtTālib,withinadayandanightyoubecamethemawlā(master)ofeverybelievingmanandwoman.”[88]Inbrief,Hadithal-Ghadirwasnarratedbynumerous‘ulamā’ofAhlal-Sunnah,morethanthose

wehavementioned.Amongthemare:al-Tirmidhi,IbnMājah,Ibn‘Asākir,AbtNu’aym,Ibnal-’Athir,al-Khwarazmi,al-Suytti,IbnHajar,al-Haythami,Ibnal-Sabbāghal-Māliki,al-Qundtzial-Hanafi,Ibnal-Maghāzili,IbnKathir,al-Hamwini,al-Hasakani,al-Ghazzāli,andal-BukhāriinhisTa’rikh.Further,al-‘Allāmahal-’Amini,theauthorofthebookal-Ghadir,hasenumeratedalargenumber

ofnonShi’i ‘ulamā’,whonarratedHadithal-Ghadirandrecorded it in theirbooks, fromdifferentclasses and schools of law, since the first till the fourteenthHijrah century, numberingmore thansixty-three.Whoeverwantstoinvestigateandbemoreassured,canrefertothebookal-Ghadir.[89]Afterallthis,isitpossibleforanyonetoclaimthatHadithal-GhadirwasfabricatedbytheShi‘ah? The surprising and strange fact is that, when Hadith al-Ghadir is mentioned to most of the

Muslims,theyclaimbeingunawareofit,orsay,neverhearingit.Andevenmoresurprisingisthatafter this unanimously accepted hadith how is it feasible for the Sunni ‘ulamā’ to claim that theMessenger of Allah (S) has never designated anyone as his successor, leaving this matter to bedeterminedthroughshtrā(council)amongMuslims.Opeople!Isthereanyhadithmoredeclarativeandexpressivethanthisoneregardingcaliphate??I

mayrefertoaconversationheldbetweenmeandoneofal-Zayttnah‘ulamā’inmycountry.WhenImentionedforhimHadithal-Ghadirasanevidenceprovingthesuccessorshipofal-’Imām‘Ali,he

admitted its veracity. He rather added to fuel to the fire when making me acquainted with theinterpretationhe invented for theQur ’ān,withwhichhementioned and rectifiedHadith al-Ghadir,sayingafterwards:“TheShi‘ahclaimthatthishadithisatextestablishingthecaliphateofourmaster‘Ali(mayAllah

grant him honour),while it is invalid in the perspective ofAhl al-Sunnahwa al-Jamā‘ah, since itcontradicts the caliphate of our master Abt Bakr al-Siddiq and our master ‘Umar al-Faruq, and‘UthmānDhual-Nurayn.So it is inevitable to interpret thewordmawlācited in thehadith tomeanloverandhelper,asreferredtointheHolyQur ’ān.Thisbeingthesamemeaningconceivedbytherightly-GuidedCaliphs(al-Khulafā’al-Rāshidtn)andhonourableCompanions(mayAllahbepleasedwiththemall),fromwhomtheTābi‘tn(followers)andMuslim‘ulamā’havetaken.Sonosenseistobe given to the interpretation given by the Rāfidah for this hadith, as they never recognize thesuccessorshipofthecaliphs,speakingilloftheMessenger ’sSahābah.Thisbeingasufficientprooftorefutetheirliesandinvalidatetheirallegations.”(Hisspeechinthebookisover).Iaskedhim:DidtheincidentactuallyoccuratGhadirKhumm? He replied: Had it not occurred, the ‘ulamā’ and muhaddithtn (traditionists) would have never

relatedit!Isaid:IsitappropriatefortheMessengerofAllah(S)togatherhisCompanionsunderscorching

sun’sheat,addressingthemwithaprotractedsermon, just to tell themthat‘Aliwas their loverandhelper?Doyouacceptsuchaninterpretation?Hereplied:Anumberof theCompanionshavecomplainedagainst‘Ali(to theProphet),among

whomthereweresomeharbouringvindictivefeelingsagainst‘Alianddetesting‘him.ThereaftertheMessenger,intendingtoeliminatetheirgrudge,saidtothem:Aliisyourloverand

helper,soastomakethemlovehimandneverdetesthim. I said:Thisnever requiresofhim tomake themall stop,and lead them inprayer, initiatinghis

sermonbysaying:Don’tIhavemorerightoveryouthanyouhaveoveryourownselves,forthesakeofelucidatingthemeaningofmawlā.Hadthecasebeenasyouclaim,itwasfeasibleforhimtotellthosecomplainingagainst‘Ali:"Heisyourloverandhelper,"andfinishedwithitwithoutanyneedtodetainunderthesunallthoseenormousmultitudes,numberingmorethanahundredthousand,amongwhomwereoldmenandwomen.Anymanhavingreasoncanneverbecontentwiththis! He then said: Does any sane man believe that a hundred thousand Companions have never

apprehendedwhatyouandtheShi‘ahapprehended??Isaid:Firstofall,onlyveryfewofthemwerelivinginal-Madinah.Secondly:Theyapprehended

exactlythesamemeaningIandtheShi‘ahgot.Soitwasnarratedbythe‘ulamā’thatAbuBakrand‘Umarwereamongthosecongratulating‘Alibysaying:"Congratulations,OIbnAbiTālib,withinanightandadayyoubecamethemawlāofeverybelievingman(andwoman)."Hesaid:Whydidn’ttheyswearallegiancetohimthen,aftertheProphet’sdemise?Doyouthink

thattheyhavedisobeyedandcontradictedtheProphet’scommandment?IseekAllah’sforgivenessforsuchclaim.Isaid:IfAhlal-Sunnah‘ulamā’testifyintheirbooksthatsomeofthem—i.e.oftheSahābah—

used to contradict the orders of the Prophet (S) during his lifetime and in his presence,[90] so itwouldbenowondertoseethemforsakinghisordersafterhisdemise.Andwhenmostofthemvilifyanddisapproveofhis appointmentofUsāmah ibnZaydas the commanderof the army,due tohis

youngness,despite thebattalionbeinglimitedandforashort time,sohowwouldtheyaccept tobeundertheleadershipoftheyoungman‘Ali,andforlifelongabsolutecaliphate?Andyouyourselfhavetestifiedthatsomeofthemweredetestingandharbouringgrudgeagainst‘Ali!!Feeling,upset,hereplied:Itwasimproperforal-’Imām‘Ali,may(Allahgranthimhonour)and

bepleasedwithhim,tokeepsilentofhisright,ifbeingawarethattheMessengerofAllahdesignatedhimashissuccessor,whilebeingthatbravemanfearingnooneandofwhomalltheSahābahfeelingawe. I said:OSayyid, this is another subject out of the scope ofmydiscussion, since youwere not

convinced by the authentic (sahih) Prophetic traditions, trying to interpolate them and divert themfrom their truemeaningswith theaimof respecting thedignityof thegoodancestors (al-Salafal-Sālih).SohowcanIconvinceyouwith‘Ali’skeepingsilentorhisarguingwiththembyhisrighttocaliphate?Hesmiledandsaid:ByGod, Iamamongthosewhoconsiderourmaster ‘Ali,mayAllahgrant

himhonour,superiortoothers.Haditbeeninmyhand,IwouldhaveneverpreferredanyoneoftheSahābahtohim,asheisthegateofthecityofknowledgeandAllah’sconqueringlion,butit isthewillofAllah,WhobringsforwardwhoeverHewillsandkeepsbehindwhoeverHewills.Hewillnotbequestionedastothatwhichhedoes,buttheywillbequestioned.I,inturn,smiledandsaid:Thisistooanothertopicdraggingustowarddiscussingthesubjectof

qadā’andqadar(fateanddestiny)thatwehavediscussedearlier,witheveryoneofuspreservinghisown viewpoint. I wonder, sir, why is that whenever I debate with any of Ahl al-Sunnah ‘ulamā’,presentinghimaconvincingstrongargument(hujjah),heimmediatelytriestofindoutlettochangethecourseofdiscussiontoanotheroneirrelevanttothesubjectofdebate.Hesaid:Iamstillsteadfastonmyview,withnolittlechange.SoIbadehimfarewellanddepartedhim.Iremainedcontemplatingattentively,about thereasonbehindtheabsenceofanyoneamongour‘ulamā’, tocompletethetaskandconfirmthedebatewithstrongargumentationthatsettlesthedispute.Therearesomewhocommencethediscussion,butwhenseeingthemselvesunabletoestablishany

proofconfirmingtheirclaims,theytrytoshirkthesituationbysaying:Thosearepeoplewhohavepassedaway.Theirsisthatwhichtheyearned,andyoursisthatwhichyeearn.Someotherssay:Keepusawayfromagitatingseditionsandgrudges,asthisisnotourbusiness.TheimportantpointisthattheSunnahandtheShi‘ahbelieveinoneGodandonemessenger,andthat isenough.Somesay, inbrief: O brother, beware of Allah in regard of the Sahābah. After all that, is there any room forholdinganyscientificdebatewithsuchpeople,forthesakeofenlighteningthemandilluminatingthewayforreturningtothetruthotherthanwhichonlydeviationisthere?AndhowfararethosefromthestyleoftheQur ’ānwhichinvitesmankindtopresenttheirevidences:Say:Bringyourproof(ofwhatyestate)ifyearetruthful.(2:111)This,despitethefactthatiftheyabstainfromtheirvilificationandcriticismcampaignagainstthe

Shi‘ah,wehaveneverresortedtodisputeandcontroversywiththemevenbythatwhichisgood.

Notes:

[48]SahihMuslim,Vol.VI,p.24,“bābkhiyāral-’a’immahwashirārihim”.[49].Ibid.,Vol.VI,p.20,bāal-’amrbi-luzumal-jamā‘ah‘indaîuhural-fitan”.[50].Ibid.,Vol.VI,p.4,“bābal-nāstubba‘li-Qurayshwaal-khilāfahfiQuraysh”.[51].Ibid.,Vol.VI,p.3;andSahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,pp.105,128.[52].Ibid.,Vol.VI,p.23,“bābwujubal-’inkār‘alāal-’umarā’.”[53].Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.127,“bābal-’istikhlāf”.[54].Ibid.,Vol.VIII,p.106,“bābMayukrahminal-hirs‘alāal-’imārah”.[55].Ibid.[56]SahihMuslim,Vol.VI,p.3,“bābal-KhilāfahfiQuraysh”.[57]Yanābi‘al-mawaddah,Vol.III,p.104.[58]Ibid.,Vol.III,p.105.[59]Al-Tirmidhi,AbuDāwudandIbnMājah;MusnadAhmadibnHanbal,Vol.II,p.332.[60]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VII,p.209,“bābal-hawd”,andVol.V,p.292.[61]Ibid.,Vol.IV,p.63.[62]Ibid.,Vol.III,p.112[63]Ibid.,Vol.IV,p.144,andVol.VIII,p.151.[64]Al-’Imāmahwaal-siyāsah,ofIbnQutaybah,Vol.I,p.28.[65]SahihMuslim,Vol.VI,p.5,“bābal-’istikhlāfwatarkih”.[66]Al-’Imāmahwaal-siyāsah,ofIbnQutaybah,Vol.I,p.18.[67]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.26,“bābrajmal-hublāminal-zinā”.[68]Ta’rikhal-khulafā’,ofIbnQutaybah,Vol.I,p.18andafterwards.[69]Thisisaccordingtothefactthatnoproof(dalil)canbefoundwiththeShi‘ah,butonlywhen

itsapplication(misdāq)shouldbethereintheSunnahbooks.[70]HeisAbuIshāqAhmadibnMuhammadibnIbrāhimal-Naysāburial-Tha‘labi(d.337H.).To

himIbnKhallikānreferredbysaying:“Hewasthematchlessofhistimeinscienceofexegesis(‘ilmal-tafsir),ofcorrecttransmission,andtrustable.”[71]Al-Jam‘baynal-Sihāhal-Sittah;Sahihal-Nasā’i;MusnadAhmad;al-Sawā‘iqal-muhriqahof

IbnHajar,anditwasreportedtoobyIbnAbial-HadidinSharhNahjal-balāghah.[72]Al-Durral-manthurfial-tafsirbial-ma’thur,Vol.III,p.119.[73]Ibid.[74]Fathal-Bāri,Vol.VI,p.31;al-Bidāyahwaal-nihāyah,Vol.VIII,p.102;SiyarA`lāmal-nubalā’

ofal-Dhahabi,Vol.II,p.436;IbnHajar ’sal-’Isābah,Vol.III,p.287.[75]Jalālal-Dinal-Suyuti’sal-Durral-manthur,Vol.III,p.3.[76]Ibid.[77]Ibid.,Vol.III,p.4.[78]Ibid.,Vol.III,p.4.[79]Ibid[80] It is calledHadith al-Ghadir, andwas reported by both the Shi‘ah andSunni ‘ulamā’ at the

samelevel.[81]Ahmad ibnHanbal inhisMusnad,Vol. IV, p. 281; al-Tabari inhisTafsir; al-Rāzi inhis al-

Tafsir al-Kabir, Vol. III, p. 636; Ibn Hajar in his Sawā‘iq; al-Dāraqutni al-Bayhaqi, al-Khatib al-Baghdādi,andal-Shahristāni,besideothers.[82].MusnadAhmadibnHanbal,Vol.IV,p.372.[83].Al-Nasā’iinal-Khasā’is,p.21.[84]Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p.109.[85]SahihMuslim,Vol.VII,p.122,“bābfadā’il‘AliibnAbiTālib;andthehadithisreportedtoo

byal-’ImāmAhmadandal-Tirmidhi.[86]SahihMuslim,Vol.VII,p.122“bābfadā’il‘Ali”.

[87]IbnHajarinhisSawā‘iq,p.25,ontheauthorityofal-Tabarāniandal-Hakimandal-Tirmidhi.[88]Musnadal-’ImāmAhmadibnHanbal,Vol.IV,p.281;alsoinKanzal-‘ummāl,Vol.XV,p.117;

andFadā’ilal-Khamsahminal-Sihāhal-Sittah,Vol.I,p.350.[89] The book al-Ghadir of al-‘Allāmah al-’Amini, in eleven volumes. It is a valuable book in

which its author collected and compiled whatever was written about Hadith al-Ghadir, from theSunnahbooks.[90]Al-Bukhāri andMuslim reported in their Sahihs several contradictions on the part of them

(Sunni ‘ulamā’), as in the event of Hudaybiyyah Peace Treaty, and also the event of ThursdayMisfortune,andmanyothereventsandcases.

7ChapterVerseofReligionPerfectionrelatestoCaliphateToo

TheShi‘ahunanimously agree that the sayingof theGlorious and theAlmighty: “This dayhave IperfectedyourreligionforyouandcompletedMyfavouruntoyou,andhavechosenforyouIslamasareligion,”wasrevealedatGhadirKhummaftertheMessengerofAllah(S)haddesignatedal-’Imām‘Ali as his successor over theMuslims, as reported from thePure ‘Itrah Imams.That iswhy theyconsiderImamah(Imamate)asoneoftheprinciplesofreligion(ustlal-Din).Manyof’our‘ulamā’reportitsrevelationatGhadirKhumm,aftertheappointmentofal-’Imām

‘Ali,ofwhomImaymention,asanexample:1.Ibn‘Asākir,inTa’rikhDimashq,Vol.II,p.75.2.Ibnal-Maghāzilial-Shāfi‘i,inManāqib‘AliibnAbiTālib,p.193.Al-Khatibal-Baghdādi,inTa’rikhBaghdād,Vol.VIIIP.290.4.Al-Suytti,inal-’Itqān,Vol.I,p.31.5.Al-Khwārazmial-Hanafi,inal-Manāqib,P.806.Al-Sibtibnal-Jawzi,inTadhkiratal-Khawāss,p.30.7.IbnKathir,inhisTafsir,Vo.lII,p.14.8.Al-’Altsi,inRthal-ma‘āni,vol.VI,p.559.IbnKathiral-Dimashqi,inal-Bidāyahwaal-nihāyah,vol.V,P.21310.Al-Suytti,inal-Durral-manthtrfial-tafsirbial-ma’thtrvol.III,p.19.11.Al-Qundtzial-Hanafi,inYanābi‘al-mawaddah,p.115.12.Al-Hasakānial-Hanafi,inShawāhidal-tanzil,vol.I.p.157.I say, despite this fact, theAhl al-Sunnah ‘ulamā’ haveno choice but to interpolate this verse to

denote another occasion, in order to safeguard the dignity of good ancestors among the Sahābah.Because,had theyadmitted its revelation tobeatGhadirKhumm, thiswouldhavemeant their tacitrecognition that Allah has perfected the religion and completed His favour upon the Muslims,throughthewilāyah(mastership)of‘AliibnAbiTālib.Besides,thiswouldhavemeanttheabolitionof the successorship of the three precedent Caliphs, with causing disruption for the Companionsjustice (‘adālah), and dissolution ofmanywell-known traditions like the dissolution of salt insidewater.Thisbeinganimpossiblethingandblatantmisfortunesinceitisrelevanttothecreed(‘aqidah)ofahugecoommunity(Ummah)havingitsknownhistory,and‘ulamā’andglories.Asitisinfeasiblefor us to deny ‘ulamā’ like al-Bukhāri andMuslim,who report that this versewas revealed at thenightof‘ArafātonFriday.Inthisway,alltheearlynarrationswouldturntobeonlyShi’ibaselesssuperstitions,andvilifying

theShi‘ahwouldbecomemoreproper thanspeakingillof theSahābahwhobeing(asregardedbyAhlal-Sunnah)immuneagainsterror(ma‘stmtn),[91]anditisimpermissibleforanyonetocirticizetheiractsorsayings.WhiletheShi‘ahbeingonlyMajus(Magians),infidels,Zanadiqahandidolaters,andthefounderoftheirschoolofthought(madhhab)being‘AbdAllāhibnSaba’,[92]whowasajew

thatembracedIslamduringthereignof‘Uthmān,withtheaimofconspiringagainsttheMuslimsandIslam.ThisbeingamucheasiermeanstomisguidetheUmmah,thatwasbroughtuponglorifyingandveneratingtheSahābah(anyoneofthemeventhatwhosawtheProphetonlyonce).Howcanbe able topersuade them that thosenarrationsbeingnotShi’i superstitions, but in fact

traditionsoftheTwelveImams,uponwhoseImamatethereareauthentictexts.TheImamswho,theIslamicgovernmentsmanagedinthefirstcenturytogrowtheloveandrespecttowardstheSahābahinsidetheheartsofpeopleversuscreatinghatredandgrudgeagainst‘Aliandhissons,totheextentofcursing them from over pulpits, prosecuting their Shi‘ah (followers) and subjecting them tomassacresandscatternessandhomelessness.Outof this, strongdestationandhatredagainstall theShi‘ah grew inside hearts of people, as a result of the rumours, superstitions and corrupt beliefspropagated by the mass media against the Shi‘ah during the reign of Mu‘āwiyah, as they wereconsideredtheoppositionparty,ascallednowadays,inordertosecludeandexterminatethem. Therefore, many writers and historians of those ages even call them al-Rawafid (Rafidites),

charging themwith impiety, deeming their blood (killing them) as lawful for the sakeof showingsycophancyfortherulers.AfterthedisintegrationoftheUmayyadStateandcomingofthe‘AbbāsidState,someofthehistoriansfollowedtheirsuit,whitesomeothersrealizedtherealityofAhlal-Bayt(‘a), tryingtomakecompromiseandequity throughaddingthenameof"Ali to theRightly-guidedCaliphs,withoutdaringtoexpresshisrightandsuperiority.Thereforetheydon’treportintheirSihāhbut only very few of ‘Ali’s virtues that never contradict the caliphate of thosewho preceded him.Some of them have even composed traditions in the honour of Abt Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmānascribingthemto‘Alihimself,inordertoclosethedoor(astheyclaim)beforetheShi‘ahbelievinginhissuperiority.[93]Throughresearchingandinvestigation,Ifoundoutthatmen’sfameandgreatnessbeingevaluated

according to theirhatredagainst ‘Ali ibnAbiTālib, so theUmayyadsand ‘Abbāsidsused tobringnearandglorifywhoeverfoughtorstoodagainstal-’Imām‘Alibyswordortongue.ThustheywereimpartinghighpositionsuponsomeCompanionsandbelittlingsomeothers,expendingmuchfortuneonsomepoets,slayingothers.‘A’ishahUmmal-Mumininmighthavenotenjoyedsuchgoodstatusamongthem,hadn’tsheharbouredsuchdetestationandanimosityagainst‘Ali.[94] Further, we see too the ‘Abbāsids sublimate the position of al-Bukhāri, Muslim and al-’Imām

Mālik, since they have not recorded of ‘Ali’s virtues but only very few, or rather their booksexpresslystatethat‘AliibnAbiTālibhadnohonourormeritatall.Al-BukhāriinhisSahih,underthe chapter “Manaqib ‘Uthmān” (Excellences of ‘Uthmān), reported from Ibn ‘Umar who said:“DuringthelifetimeoftheProphet,mayAllah’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisprogeny,wewereneverregardinganyoneequaltoAbtBakr,andafterhim‘Umarandthen‘Uthmān,leavingafterwardstheProphet’sCompanionswithnopreferentiabilityamongthem,[95]Thatis,heconsidered‘Alilikeallothercommonpeople(Howastonishingisthis)!!Besides,thereareothercultswithintheUmmah,suchastheMu’tazilahandKhawārijandothers,

whodonotholdthesamebeliefoftheShi‘ah,duetothefactthattheImamateof‘Aliandhissonsafter him, would verily curb them from attaining to caliphate, seizing the affairs of people andmakingoftheirfate,andpropertiesasaplaythingintheirhands,asdonebyBanuUmayyahandBanual-’AbbasduringtheeraoftheSahābahandTābi‘tn,tothepresenttime.Thereasonbehindthisbeingthat the time rulerswho attained to powerwhether through heredity like kings and sovereigns, or

eventhepresidentselectedbytheirpeoples,areaversetothisdogma,i.e. thefaithful’sbelievinginthecaliphateofAhlal-Bayt.Theyevenderidethistheocraticnotion,whichisonlyheldbytheShi‘ah,especiallywhenthoseShi‘ahhavingweak-mindednessandstupiditytotheextentthattheybelieveintheImamateoftheAwaitedal-Mahdi,whowillfilltheearthwithequityandjusticeafterbeingfilledwithoppressionandtyranny.We return to discuss, calmly and unfanatically, the ideas held by the two parties, to realize the

occasionandpurposeof the revelationof theverseofperfectionof religion,so that truthbequiteclearforustofollow.Afterthatwehavenothingtodowithpleasureoftheseordispleasureofthoseones,aslongasweseekAllah’spleasureinthefirsthand,anddeliverancefromHischastisementontheway“when wealth and sons avail not (anyman), save him who brings unto Allah a whole heart”

(26:88,89).On theDaywhen (some) faceswill bewhitened and (some) faceswill be blackened, and as for

thosewhosefaceshavebeenblackened,itwillbesaiduntothem;“Disbelievedyeafteryour(professionof)belief?Thentastethepunishmentforthatyedisbelieved.

And as for those whose faces have been whitened, in the mercy of Allah they dwell for ever.(3.106,107).

Notes:[91] Because they (Ahl al-Sunnah) believe the Sahāhbah (Companions) to be like the stars

“whomeveryoufollowyoushallbeguidedrightly.”[92]Refertothebook‘AbdAllāhibnSaba’ofal-‘Allāmahal-‘Askari,soastorealizethathehad

neverexistedatall,andthathewasmerelyoneofthefabricationsofSayfibn`Umaral-Tamimi,whowaswidelyknownwithfalsificationandlying.ReferalsotoTāhāHusayn’sbookal-Fitnatal-Kubrā,orfurtherthebookal-Silahbaynal-tasawwufwaal-tashayyu‘ofDr.MustafāKāmilal-Shaybi,soasto know that this ‘AbdAllāh ibn Saba’ being in fact ourmaster ‘Ammār ibnYāsir (mayGod bepleasedwithhim).[93]Thisisduetothefact that theImamsofAhlal-Bayt(‘a)seizedtheheartsandassumedsuch

famethroughtheirmoralsandknowledge,whichfilledtheEastandtheWest.Andalsothroughtheirzuhd(asceticism),taqwā(piety),andthehonourandvirtuesbestoweduponthembyAllah[94]She (‘A’ishah) couldnever endurehearingormentioning ‘Ali’sname.Somehistorians say

thatwhen thenewsofhisdeath reachedher, sheperformed thanksgivingprostrationwithchantingsomepoetryverses.Thiswasreportedbyal-BukhāriinhisSahih,Vol.I,p.162;Vol.VII,p.18;andVol.V,p.140.[95]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,pp.191,201.AlsoinVol.IV,p.195al-Bukhārireportedanarration

ascribedtoMuhammadibnal-Hanafiyyah, thathesaid:Isaid tomyfather:Whois thebestofmenaftertheMessengerofAllah(S)?Hesaid:AbuBakr.Iasked:Whoisthen?Hesaid:‘Umaristhenext.Thereafter,fearinghimtosay‘Uthmān(after‘Umar),Isaid:Thenyou.Hesaid:IamnomorethananordinarymanamongMuslims.

8ChapterDiscussingtheClaimtheversewasRevealedon‘Arafāt

Al-Bukhāri is reported to have said in his Sahih.[96] Narrated to usMuhammad ibn Yusuf, fromSufyān,fromQays ibnMuslim,fromTāriq ibnShahāb,whosaid:Someof theJewssaid:Hadthisversebeenrevealeduntouswewouldhavetakenthatdayasafeast.‘Umaraskedthem:Whichverseyoumean?Theyreplied:“ThisdayhaveIperfectedyourreligionforyouandcompletedMyfavouruntoyou,andhavechosenforyouIslamasareligion.”‘Umarsaid:Iknowtheplacewhereitwasrevealed.ItwasrevealedwhiletheMessengerofAllah,

uponwhombeAllah’speaceandbenediction,washaltingat‘Arafāt.IbnJarirreportsfrom‘IsāibnHārithahal-’Ansāri,thathesaid:Weweresittinginthediwānwhen

aChristianmansaid:OfollowersofIslam,thereisaverserevealeduntoyou,haditbeenrevealeduntouswewouldhavetakenthatdayandthathourasafeastevenonlytwoofussurvived,whichis:"This day have I perfected your religion for you." There at no one of us replied. Then I metMuhammad ibnKa’bal-Qartani, andaskedhimabout that, andhe said:Couldn’tyouanswerhim?‘Umaribnal-Khattābthensaid:ItwasrevealeduntotheProphetwhenhewashaltingontheMountontheDayof‘Arafāt,andthatdayisstillconsideredasafeastforMuslimsaslongastheylive.[97]First:OutofthesenarrationsweobservethatMuslimswereunawareofthedateofthatmemorable

day,nevercelebratingit,thefactmakingtheJewsonceandtheChristiansanothertimetosaytothem:Had this verse been revealed unto uswewould have celebrated that day as a feast.This prompted‘Umartoquestion:Whichverse?Whentheysaid:“ThisdayhaveIperfectedyourreligionforyou”,hesaid:Iknowwhereitwasrevealed,thatwaswhentheMessengerofAllah,uponwhombeAllah’speaceandbenediction,wasmakingahalton(theMountof)‘Arafāt. From this episodewe can sense the smell of intrigue and opaqueness, realizing that thosewho

forged thishadithandascribed it to ‘Umar ibnal-Khattābduringal-Bukhāri’s lifetime, intended infact to compromise between the belief of the Jews and Christians in the greatness of the day andnecessity of regarding it as a feast, and their status quo of not celebrating that day and neverrememberingitatalltillforgettingit.WhereasitissupposedtobeheldasthegreatestofMuslims’feasts,asinitAllah, theGlorified,hasperfectedforthemtheirreligion,andcompletedHisfavouruntothemandhavechosenforthemIslamasareligion.Therefore, in the secondnarration, you find thenarrator ’s sayingwhenhearing theChristian’s

exclamation:OfollowersofIslam,thereisaverserevealeduntoyou,haditbeenrevealeduntouswewouldhavetakenthatdayasafeast,evenonlytwoofussurvived.Thenarratorsaidthatnooneofthemrespondedtohim,duetotheirunawarenessofthedate,positionandgreatnessofthatday.Thenarrator, seemingly, is amazed as to howcould theMuslims ignore celebrating such a day.SoweobservedthatwhenhemetMuhammadibnKa’bal-Qartani,,hewouldquestionhimaboutthatmatter,whereatthelatterwouldreplythat‘Umaribnal-KhattābreporteditsbeingrevealeduntotheProphet

(S)whilehewasmakingahaltontheMountonthedayofArafāt.HadthatdaybeenknownamongallMuslimstobeafeast(‘Id),itwouldhaveneverbeenignored

bythosenarrators,whetherbeingoftheSahābahorTābi‘un,asitisknownandestablishedamongstthemthattheMuslimshavetwofeasts(‘idayn),whichare:‘Idal-Fitr(lesserBairam)and‘Idal-’Adhā(greaterBairam).Thisfactwassocommonthateventhe‘ulamā’andtraditionists,likeal-BukhāriandMuslim and others,mention in their booksKitāb al-‘idayn", Salāt al-‘idayn andKhutbat al-‘idayn,withothersimilaridiomsthatareunanimouslyacceptedamongallpeople—farandnear—withnoexistenceforathird‘Id.Itiswidelythoughtthatthosebelievingintheprincipleofshurāindeterminingthecaliphate,and

the founders of this theory, being the sameoneswhodiverted the revelation of the verse from itsrealityonthedayofGhadirKhumm,afterdesignatingal-’ImāmAliasamaster.Becausedivertingitsrevelation to theDayof ‘Arafātwasmucheasier for thosebelieving in it, since theDayofGhadircouldgatherahundredthousandpilgrimsormore,andnooccasionwasthereduringHajjatal-Wadā‘nearer toGhadir than theDay of ‘Arafāt in comparison, as only during them the pilgrimswouldgather in that hugemultitude. It iswidely known that people be scattered in groups here and thereduring all hajj days, nevermeeting together in one halt but at (mount of) ‘Arafāt.That iswhywenoticethosebelievingintherevelationoftheverseonthedayofArafāt,holdthatitwasrevelationdirectlyafterthewell-knownProphet’ssermon,whichwasreportedbymanytraditionists.Andwhenwitnessinghowtheyhavedivertedthetextofdesignating‘AliibnAbiTālibtocaliphate,

farfromitstruesense,surprisingpeople(including‘Alihimselfandthosewhowerebusypreparingthemessengerforburial)byswearingallegiancetoAbuBakrintheSaqifahofBanuSa’idahallofasudden, disregarding the texts of Ghadir totally, can anyone then arguewith the revelation of theversebeingontheGhadirDay?Theconceptof theverseisnotmoredeclarativethanthehadithal-wilāyah,but rather it implies

perfection of religion, and completion of favour, and theLord’s pleasure, besides its containing anotificationtotheoccurrenceofanincidentthatdayforthemleadingtoreligionperfection.Ourcertaintyintheveracityofthisbeliefisevenincreased,whengoingthroughwhatisreported

byIbnJarir,on theauthorityofQubaysahibnAbiDhu’aybthathesaid:Ka’bsaid:“Hadthisversebeenrevealedonotherthanthiscommunity,theywouldhavetakenthedayofitsrevelationasafeastinwhichtheymeet.”!Then‘Umarsaid:OKa’b,whichverseyoumean?Hereplied:“ThisdayhaveIperfectedyourreligionforyou.”‘Umarsaid:Iknowthedayandplaceinwhichitwasrevealed…thatwasonFriday,on‘ArafātDay,andbothofthemarecelebratedbyusasafeast,thankstoAllah.[98]Second:Tobelievethattheverse“ThisdayhaveIperfectedyourreligionforyou”wasrevealed

on‘ArafātDay,iscontradictorywiththeverseofproclamation(āyātal-balāgh):“OMessenger!MakeknownthatwhichhathbeenrevealeduntotheefromthyLord”.whichcommands theMessenger (S) todeliverasignificantmatterwithoutwhich theMessage is

incomplete. The versewhichwe have discussed earlier,whose revelationwas recorded to be in aplacebetweenMakkahandMadinahafterthelasthajjpilgrimage(hajjatal-wadā‘),theeventthatwasreported bymore than a hundred and twentyCompanions, and three hundred and sixty ofAhl al-Sunnah‘ulamā’.SohowcanitbesensiblethatAllahperfectsthereligionandcompletesthefavouronArafātDay, andafteronlyoneweekHeordersHisProphet (S),onhiswayback toal-Madinah tocommunicateathingwithoutwhichtheMessageisincomplete??Omenofunderstanding!howcan

thisbecorrectandreasonable???Third:IfeveryinvestigatingresearcherpondersovertheMessenger ’ssermonon‘ArafātDay,he

willneverseeinitanythingnewofwhichMuslimsareunaware,orthatcanberegardedasignificantmatterwithwhichAllahperfectedthereligionandcompletedthefavour.IthasnothingbutanampleofpreceptsthatarecitedbytheHolyQur ’ānandtheProphet(mayAllah’speaceandbenedictionbeupon him and his Progeny), during several occasions, emphasizing on them on ‘Arafāt Day. Thefollowingarethepreceptsstatedinthesermonasrecordedbyallnarrators;- Allahhasmade inviolable foryouyourbloodandpropertiesas the inviolabilityof this

monthandthisdayyouarein.- Observeyourduty towardAllahandwrongnotmankind in theirgoods, anddonot act

corruptly,makingmischiefintheearth.Whoeverhasatrust(amānah)shouldrestoreittoitsowner.-PeopleinIslamareequal,nofavouristhereforanAraboveranon-Arabbutonlythrough

piety.- Everybloodconsgnauinity thatwas in theIslamicera(Jahiliyyah) isundermyfoot,and

everyusurythatwasmadeintheJahiliyyahisundermyfoot.-OMankind,knowthatsellingoncreditisincreasementiningratitude…knowthattimeis

changed,returningtoitsfirstshapewhenAllahcreatedtheheavensandearth.-Verily,thenumberofthemonthswithAllahistwelvemonthsbyAllah’sordinance,fourof

themaresacred.- I recommend you to treatwomen kindly, you have taken them aswives underAllah’s

trusteeship,andmadetheirwombslawfulaccordingtotheBookofAllah.-Irecommendyoutobekindtothosewhomyourrighthandspossess,feedthemofwhatyou

eatandmakethemwearofwhatyouwear.-TheMuslimisthebrothertotheMuslim,henevercheats,betraysorbackbiteshim;unlawful

forhimishisbloodoranythingofhisproperties.-TheSatanhasbeenhopelesstobeworshippedanymore,buttobeobeyedinotherthanthe

actsofyouthatyoudespise.-TheworstenemyforAllahistheonewhoavengesfromotherthanhiskiller,andthebeater

ofotherthanthatwhobeathim.Whoeverbeungratefultothefavourofhismasters,isungratefultowhatAllahhasrevealeduntoMuhammad.Andwhoeverbelongstootherthanhis(real)father,uponhimwillbethecurseofAllahandtheangelsandallpeople.-Iamcommandedtofightwithpeopletilltheysay:NogodistherebutAllahandIamthe

MessengerofAllah.Andwhentheyutterit(thewitness),theirbloodandpropertiesshallbeprotectedfrommeexceptwhenitservesthemright,andtheirreckoningiswithAllah.

-Don’treturnaftermeasinfidels,andmisguided,smitingtheneckofeachotherofyou. Those were all the points mentioned in the sermon of ‘Arafāt during the hajjat al-wadā‘, the

chapters of which are collected from all the authentic sources so as not to leave any of his (S)precepts reportedby themuhaddithun.Do theyhaveanythingnew in relation to theSahābah?Nay,whateveritcontainedisstatedintheQur ’ān,anditsverdict(hukm)isdemonstratedinthePropheticSunnah.AndtheMessengerofAllah(S)hasspenthiswholelifeexplainingforpeoplewhateverwasrevealedforthem,teachingthemalltheminutedetailsofaffairsandnecessitiesinlife.Sonosensethenintherevelationoftheverseof“perfectionofreligion,completionoffavour,and

‘Allah’sapproval”,aftertheseprecepts(wasāyā)thatareknownbyallMuslims,butreiteratedbyhim(S)forthesakeofemphasis,sincethiswasthefirsttimepeoplecouldmeetaroundhiminthathugemultitude,besideshis informingthembeforegoingout toperformthehajj, that itwashis lasthajjpilgrimage,thefactobligatinghimtogivethemthoseprecepts.Butwhen approving of the secondnotion, i.e. the revelation of the verse on the day ofGhadir

Khumm,afterdesignatingal-’Imām‘AliasasuccessortotheProphet(S)andlordofthefaithful,themeaningwillbemoreappropriateandcongruous.BecausetosucceedtheProphet(S)beingthemostimportantaffair,anditisimproperforAllahtoleaveHisbondmenaimless,andfortheProphet(s)todepartpeoplewithoutappointingasuccessor,leavinghisUmmahwithoutacustodian.This ismoreaffirmedwhileknowingthatheneverusedtodepartal-Madinahbutafterdesignatingsomeoneashissuccessor,fromamonghisCompanionsoverit,sohowcanwebelievethathepassesawaywithoutthinkingofthematterofcaliphate??Andwhenthecontemporaryatheistsbelieveinthisrule,hasteningtodesignateasuccessortothe

President even before his death, to administer the people affairs, never forsaking them without apresident!SohowcanitbereasonedthatIslam,whichisthemostperfectandcompletereligion,withwhichAllahsealedallthelegislations,mayneglectsuchacriticalissue?! We have previously recognized that ‘A’ishah and Ibn ‘Umar, and before them Abu Bakr and

‘Umar,altogetherrealizedthenecessityofdesignatingacaliphor“otherwiseaseditionmight takeplace”.Thisfactwasrealizedbythecaliphswhosucceededthem,asallofthemdesignatedsuccessorsafterthem,sohowisitpossiblethatsuchasagacitybeignoredbyAllahandHisMessenger??! To hold that Allah, the Glorified, has revealed to His Messenger in the first verse (verse of

proclamation),whenhewasreturningfromhajjatal-wadā‘,todesignate‘Aliashissuccessorsaying:“OMessenger!DeliverthatwhichhathbeenrevealeduntotheefromthyLord,forifthoudoitnot,thou wilt not have conveyed His message. Allah will protect thee from mankind.” That is: OMuhammad,ifyoudon’tdeliverwhatIhaveorderedyou,that‘Aliisthemasterofthefaithfulafteryou, itwillbeas ifyouhavenevercompletedthemissionwithwhichyouweredelegated,sincetoperfectthereligionwithImamatebeingsomethingessentialforallmenofreason. Seemingly the Prophet (mayAllah’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny)was

afraidoftheirobjectionagainsthimordenyinghim.InsomenarrationstheProphet(S)isreportedtohavesaid:GabrielhasbroughtmethecommandmentofmyLordtostandin thisplaceandinformeverywhiteandblackthat:"‘AliibnAbiTālibismybrother,executor(wasi),successorandtheImam

(leader)afterme.IaskedGabrieltoseekmyLord’sexemptingmeofthistask,duetomyawarenessof the scarcity of the pious and multiplicity of those vexing and blaming me due to my longassociationto‘Aliandstronglikenesstohim,totheextentthattheycalledmeahearer,whereattheAlmightyrevealed:"AndofthemarethosewhovextheProphetandsay:Heisonlyahearer.Say:Ahearerofgood foryou…" (9:61). If Iwish tomention theirnames I coulddo,but Ihadkindnessthroughchoosing to conceal them.ButAllahnever accepted save toproclaim theorder regardinghim.SobeinformedOmultitudesofpeople,thatAllahhasdesignatedhimasaguardian(wali)andImamforyou,makingobediencetohimincumbentuponeveryone…(thesermon).[99] When the words “and Allah will protect thee from mankind” were revealed unto him, he

immediately hastened to comply to the commandment of his Lord, when he appointed ‘Ali as avicegerentafterhim,commandinghisCompanionstocongratulatehimforattainingtheleadershipofthebelievers,andsodidthey.Thenthisversewasrevealeduntothem:“ThisdayhaveIperfectedyourreligionforyouandcompletedMyfavouruntoyou,andhavechosenforyouIslamasareligon.”Addedtothis,someofAhlal-Sunnah‘ulama’expresslyadmitthattheverseofproclamation(āyāt

al-balāgh) was revealed in regard of ‘Ali’s Imamate. They have reported on the authority of IbnMardawayh,fromIbnMas’udthathesaid:DuringthelifetimeoftheMessengerofAllah(S),weusedtoread:"OMessenger,Deliver thatwhichhathbeenrevealeduntoyoufromthyLord—that‘Ali isguardianofthefaithful—forif thoudoitnot, thouwiltnothaveconveyedHismessage.Allahwillprotecttheefrommankind.[100]WhenaddingtothisresearchthenarrationsoftheShi‘ah,reportedfromthePureImams,thefact

be made clear will be that Allah has perfected His religion by Imamate. That is why Imamate isregardedintheperspectiveoftheShi‘ahasoneoftheprinciplesofreligion(usulal-Din).WiththeImamateof‘AliibnAbiTālib,AllahhascompletedHisfavouruntotheMuslims,soas

not to be left neglected, allured and affeted by desires, scattered by seditions, or be dispersed likesheepwithoutashepherd. He approved Islam as a religion for them, as He chose for them Imams, far from whom He

removeduncleannessandcleansedathoroughcleansing,bestowinguponthemwisdom,andcausingthem to inherit the knowledge of the Scripture, to be the executors of Muhammad (S). So it isincumbent upon Muslims to consent to Allah’s judgement and choise, submitting with fullsubmission,sincethegeneralconceptofIslambeingfullsubmissiontoAllahassaidbytheAlmightyAllah "And thy Lord createth whatever He willeth and chooseth too; it is not theirs to choose;GlorifiedbeAllahandExaltedHighisHe(far)abovewhattheyjoin(withHim).“AndthyLordknowethwhatconcealeththeirbreastsandwhattheydeclare.AndHeisGod,thereis

nogodbutHe!Hisisallpraise,inthefirstand(in)thelast,andHisistheauthority,anduntoHim(only)yeshallbereturned”.(28:68-70)Fromallthis,itcanbeconcludedthattheDayofGhadirwaschosenbytheMessengerofAllah(S)

asafeast,asafterdesignatingal-’Imām‘Ali,andrevelationoftheverse“ThisdayhaveIperfectedyourreligionforyou…”untohim,hedeclared:AllpraiseisAllah’sforperfectingthereligion,andcompletingthefavour,andtheLord’sapprovalofmymessageandthewilāyah (mastership)of ‘AliibnAbiTālibafterme.[101]Thenhearrangedforhimacongratulationmeeting,sitting(S)insidea

tent,makingAlitositbesidehim,commandingallMuslims,includinghiswives,themothersofthefaithful,toenteruponhimincrowdsandcongratulatehimforhispost,andgreethimforreceivingtheleadershipof thefaithful.Andsodidpeoplewhatever theywerecommandedto,withAbuBakrand‘UmarbeingamongthosecongratulatingAmiral-Mu’minin‘AliibnAbiTālibonthatoccasion.They came to him exclaiming: Congratulations! O son of Abu Tālib, within a day and night youbecameourmaster,andmawlāofeverybelievingmanandwoman.[102]WhenHassanibnThābit,thepoetoftheMessenger(mayAllah’speaceandbenedictionbeupon

himandhisProgeny),cametoknowoftheProphet’sgladnessanddelightness(ofthegoodtidings)at thatday,hesaidtohim:Wouldyoupermitme,OMessengerofAllah, toreciteonthisoccasionsome (poetic) lines thatyouhear?He (S) said:Say,withAllah’sblessing.Youare still,OHassan,supportedbythesacredEssenceaslongasyoukeeponsuccouringuswithyourtongue.Thenhechanted,saying:OnGhadirDaytheirProphetcallsthemAtKhumm,solistentotheMessengerashecalls,…uptotheotherlinesofthepoemmentionedbythehistorians.[103] But, despite this, Quraysh has chosen for itself (a caliph), disapproving that Prophethood and

caliphate to be insideBanuHāshim alone, so as they do injustice to their people by boasting andshowingdelightness,aswasexpressedby‘Umaribnal-Khattābduringaconversationheldbetweenhimand‘AbdAllāhibn‘Abbās.[104]Noonetoleratedtocelebratethatfeast(‘Id)afteritsfirstanniversary,whichwascelebratedbythe

Prophet(S).Andwhenthetextoncaliphatebeforgottenandignoredbypeopleafterlapseofonlytwomonths,

withnoonereferringtoit,sohowabouttheanniversaryofal-Ghadirthattookplaceoneyearago.Butthis‘Id(feast)isrelatedtothattextregardingthecaliphate(of‘Ali),inawaythatwhenthetextbecomesobliviousandthecausevanishes,notraceofthatfeastwillbeleftthatcanbementioned.This fact continued for longyears, till rightwas restored to its owners after twenty-fiveyears,

when itwas revivedbyal-’Imām ‘Ali anewafter itwas about tobeobliterated totally.Thiswas atRahbahwhenheappealedtotheProphet’sCompanions,particularlythoseattending‘Idal-Ghadir,tostandupandwitnessbeforepeopleconcerningthebay‘ah(swearingallegiance)ofcaliphate.ThereatthirtyCompanions,includingsixteenBadris(thosewhoparticipatedintheBattleofBadr),stoodupandgavetestimony.[105]Butwhoeverconcealedthetestimonyandclaimedforgetfulness—likeAnasibnMālikwhowas inflict.ed by the prayer of ‘Ali ibnAbiTālib—couldnever leavehis place butaffected with leprosy, weeping and saying: I am befallen by the prayer of the upright bondman(al-‘abdal-sālih)becauseIhaveconcealedhiswitness.[106]InthiswayAbual-HasanestablishedtheproofuponthisUmmah.Eversincetothepresenttime,and

upto theDoomsday, theShi‘ahcelebrate theanniversaryof theGhadirDay,which theyholdas thegreatestfeast(al-‘idal-akbar).True,itisso,sinceitbeingthedayinwhichAllahhasperfectedforusthereligion,andcompleteduntousthefavour,andchosenforusIslamtobethereligion,beingadayofgreatpositionwithAllah,andHisMessenger,andthefaithful.SomeofAhlal-Sunnah‘ulamā’arereportedtohavesaidontheauthorityofAbuHurayrahthathesaid:WhentheMessengerofAllah(S)took‘Alibythehandandsaid:OfwhomeverIamhismaster,‘Alialsoishismaster…uptotheendofthesermon,Allah—theAlmightyandtheGlorious—revealedthisverse:"ThisdayhaveIperfectedforyou,yourreligion,andhavecompletedMyfavouronyou,andchosenforyouIslam(tobe)the

religion",whereatAbuHurayrahsaid:ItistheDayofGhadirKhumm;whoeverfastsonthedayof18thofDhual-Hijjah,itwillberecordedforhimasifhefastedsixtymonths.[107]ConcerningthenarrationsoftheShi‘ahreportedfromAhlal-BaytImams(peacebeuponthem),

in regard of the excellences of that day, you can saywhat you like. And all praise is Allah’s forbestowingguidanceuponus,whenmakingusamongthoseadheringtotheguardianship(wilāyah)ofAmiral-Mu’mininandcelebratingtheFeastofGhadir(‘Idal-Ghadir).Tosumup,theHadithal-Ghadir(ofWhomeverIamhismaster[mawlā],‘Alialsoishismaster.O

Allah,befriendwhoeverbefriendshimandbetheenemyofhisenemy,andhelpwhoeverhelpshimandforsakewhoeverforsakeshim,andkeepthehaqq(truth)alwayswithhim)isatradition,orrathera great historical event uponwhose reporting all the IslamicUmmah has unanimously agreed.Wehave previously referred to three hundred and sixty of Ahl al-Sunnah ‘ulamā’ with a far largernumberfromamongtheShi‘ah‘ulamā’. Whoever desires to get more details, is asked to refer to the book al-Ghadir of al-‘Allāmah

al-’Amini.Afterthisexposition,itisnowondertoseetheIslamicUmmahdividedintotwosects:Sunnahand

Shi‘ah.Theformeradheringto theprincipleofshurā in theSaqifahofBanuSa’idah, interpolatingtheexpresstexts,contradictingthustheunanimouslyacceptedHadithal-Ghadir,andothertexts.Whereasthesecondsectadheredtothosetexts,neveracceptinganyotheralternative,andswore

allegiance to the Twelve Imams, never desiring to be removed from thence. True it is, aswhen IinvestigateintotheschoolofAhlal-Sunnah,especiallytheissueofcaliphate,Iseethequestionsbeingbasedonsurmiseandexertionofopinion(ijtihād).Allthisisduetothefactthattheruleofelectionisdevoidofanydefiniteevidencethatthepersonweelecttodaybeingsuperiortoothers,sinceweareunawareofthetraitoroftheeyes,andthatwhichthebosomshide,Andsincewearecombinedinfactofemotionsandpartisanshipsandegoismharbouredinsideourhearts,whichwillplaytheireffectiverole,whenweareintrustedwiththetaskofchoosingonepersonfromamongmany.Thisthesisisnotanimaginationoranexaggeration,asanyonefollowinguptheideaofelectinga

caliph, will realize that this principle for which he propagates, has not managed and will neversucceedatall.TheexampleisclearinAbuBakr,theheadofshurā,who,despiteattainingthepostofcaliphate

(throughchoosingandshurā),rushedtoappoint‘Umaribnal-Khattābashissuccessor,whilebeingondeathbed,without resorting to theprincipleof shurā.Anotherexample is ‘Umar ibnal-Khattāb,who participated in founding the caliphate of Abu Bakr, announcing publicly, after Abu Bakr ’sdemise, that swearingallegiance toAbuBakrwasa slipmayAllahprotect theMuslimsagainst itsevil.[108]Thenwhen‘Umarwasstabbed,andwassureofhisapproachinghour,hehastenedtonominatesix

persons toelect, in their turn,one fromamong themto thepostofcaliphate.Hewascertain thatadispute was to erupt among them despite their small number, companionship, precedence inembracingIslam,andextentofgodlinessandpiety(taqwā) theyhad.Despiteall this, itwasevidentthat theactwouldarouse in them thehumanemotionsagainstwhichnoonebeing immunebut thema‘sum(infallible).Therefore,forsettlingthedispute,hepreferred‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Awf(over‘Ali)saying:Whenyoudiffer,youshouldtakethesideof‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Awf.Butweobserved

afterwards that they chose al-’Imām ‘Ali to be a caliph over them, stipulating on him to ruleaccording to theBookofAllah and theSunnahofHisMessenger and that of theShaykhayn (AbuBakrand‘Umar).Thereat‘Aliacceptedthefirstcondition,theBookofAllahandHisMessenger ’sSunnah,refusing

thesunnahoftheShaykhayn[109]whileboththeconditionswereacceptedby‘Uthmāntowhomtheysworeallegianceasacaliph.Aboutthis‘Alisaid:“…ButgoodHeavens!WhatItodowiththis‘Consultation’?Wherewasanydoubtaboutmewith

regardtothefirstofthemthatIwasnowconsideredakintotheseones?ButIremainedlowwhentheywerelowandflewhighwhentheyflewhigh.Oneofthemturnedagainstmebecauseofhishatredandthe other got inclined the otherway due to his in-law relationship and this thing and that thing…”[110]Whenthese,thoughbeingtheelectofMuslimsandtheupperclass,aresoaffectedbysentimentsin

a way they harbour grudge and partisanship between this thing and that thing, (in exposing thisstatement Muhammad ‘Abduh says: Al-’Imām ‘Ali refers to other purposes disdaining frommentioningthem),sayfarewelltotheworldthen.But‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Awfregrettedlateronhischoice,beingangrywith‘Uthmān,charging

himwithbreakingthepromise,whennoticingthebadconsequencesofhiscovenant.Hewasvisitedby the distinguished companions, then,who said to him:O ‘Abd al-Rahmān, this is themakingofyourhands.Hesaidtothem:Ihaveneverthoughthimtobeso,butIswearbyAllahthatIshallnevertalktohimatall.then‘Abdal-Rahmāndiedwhilebeingatoddswith‘Uthmān,totheextentthatitisreportedthatwhen‘Uthmānentereduponhimtovisithiminhisillness,he(‘Abdal-Rahmān)turnedhisfacetowardsthewall,withouttalkingtohim.[111] Then the known developments took place, which ended with the revolt against ‘Uthmān that

resultedinhismurder,afterwhichtheUmmahreturnedagaintoelectanotherCaliph,whentheychose‘Aliforthispost.ButwhatapityforbondmenastheIslamicStatefacedagreatturmoil,turningtobea stage for the hypocrites, and his (‘Ali’s) opposing and tyrannical foes who were covetous forassumingtherostrumofcaliphateatanycost,andthroughanymeans,evenbyputtingtheinnocentsoulstodeath.Throughoutthosetwenty-fiveyears(when‘Aliwasdeprivedhisright),therules(ahkām)ofAllah

andHisMessengerwerechanged,withal-’Imām‘Ali findinghimself in themidstofa tumultuoussea,clashingwaves,pitchydarknessandoverwhelmingcaprices.HespenttheyearsofhiscaliphateinbloodywarsimposedonhimbytheNakithin(breakersofoathofallegiance),Qasitin(iniquitous)and Mariqin (renegades) that ended in his martyrdom. This while he was, feeling pity fortheUmmah of Muhammad (S), for whom covetted the divorced (taliq) and son of the divorced,Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān, and his likes such as ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, al-Mughirah ibn Shubah andMarwanibnal-Hakambesidemanyothers.Theonlythingthatemboldenedthesepeoplewastheideaofconsultation(shurā)andselection.ThereattheUmmahofMuhammad(S)plungedintoaseaofblood,withtheirinsolentsandwicked

ones seizing their affairs, and the shurā turning to the mordacious king, and to Caesarism andChosroism.

Then thatera,whichwascalledby themal-Khilāfahal-Rāshidah(theRightly-guidedCaliphate),

anditsfourcaliphswerecalledal-Rashidun(theRighty-guided)whileinfacteventhosefourdidnotbecomecaliphsthroughelectionandconsultation(shurā),exceptAbuBakrand‘Ali.ExcludingAbuBakr,sincetheoathofallegiancetohimwasasuddenlapse,withoutthepresenceoftheoppositionparty as said nowadays, which was represented by ‘Ali and the rest of Banu Hāshim, with thosesharingtheirbeliefs,noonetowhomtheoathofallegiancewasswornintheshurāandelection,willbe leftbut ‘Ali ibnAbiTālib,whowasunwillinglyacknowledgedbyMuslims,withsomeSahābahremainingbehind,butheneitherimposedtheallegianceuponthemnor,threatenedthem. It was Allah’s will that ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib be the successor of the Messenger of Allah by a

determination from Allah — the Glorified — and election by the Muslims, with the wholeIslamicUmmah—Sunnah andShi‘ah-unanimously admitting his caliphate,with their disagreementconcerningthecaliphateofothersaswascommonlyknown.Alas,forpeople,hadtheyacceptedthatwhichwaschosenbyAllahforthem,theywouldhaveeatenfromabovetheirheads,andunderneaththeirfeet(ground),withAllah’sbestowingoverthemblessingsfromthesky,andtheMuslims’beingthemastersandleadersoftheworld,aswilledbyAllahiftheyfollowHim:"…foryewillovercomethemifyeare(indeed)believers."(3:139)Butourmanifestenemy,theaccursedIblis,addressedtheLordofGlory,bysaying:"Now,becauseThouhastsentmeastray,verilyIshalllurkinambushforthemonThyRightPath.

ThenIshallcomeuponthemfrombeforethemandfrombehindthemandfromtheirrighthandsandfromtheirlefthands,andThouwiltnotfindmostofthembeholden(untoThee)".(7:16-17).AnysanemanobservingnowadaysthesituationofMuslimsallovertheworld,beingobsequrious,

unabletodoanything,runningafterothercountries,recognizingIsraelwhichneverrecognizesthem,nor even allowing them to enter Quds, that turned to be a capital for it. Making a glance at thehomelandofMuslimstoday,wecanseethembeingatthemercyofAmericaandRussia,withtheirpeoplesbeing inflictedwithpoverty, starving todeath,whereas theEuropeandogseatingdifferentkindsofmeatandfish.ThereisneithermightnorpowerbutinAllah,theMostHigh,theGreat.Theladyofwomen,Fātimahal-Zahrā’(mayAllah’speacebeuponher),whenbeingatoddswith

AbuBakr, delivering her famous sermon to thewomen of theMuhāirun (immigrants) andAnsār(helpers),prophesiedattheendofhersermonaboutthefateoftheUmmah,saying:“Bymylife!Timeisfecundated,sowaittillitgivesfruit,thenmilkpurebloodanddeadlypoison,

asmuchasthatwhichfillsupthevessel,andthefollowersofvanitywillthenbelost,andthelattershall recognize theconsequenceofwhatbefell theearlierones.Thenrenounceyourworld,andbeundismayedforsedition,awaitingasharpsword,andauthorityofatyrannicalaggressor,andanall-inclusiveuproar,withdespotismbefallingyoufromtheoppressors,renderingyourshadesotrivial,and your assemblage cut down. Alas for you, and where are you to go, while it has been madeobscuretoyou,canwecompelyoutoacceptitwhenyouareaversethereto.”[112]Theladyofallwomensaidthetruththroughherprophecy,assheistheoffspringofProphethood

andsourceofmessage.HerwordscametrueregardingthelifeoftheUmmah,anditisnotknownthat

thedestinyawaiting theUmmahmaybeuglier than thepast, that is because they are averse to thatwhichAllahhasrevealed,thereforemadetheiractionsfruitless.Notes:[96]Ibid.,Vol.V,p.127.[97]Jalālal-Dinal-Suyuti,op.cit.,Vol.III,p.18.[98].Ibid.,al-Suyuti’sinterpretationoftheverse“ThisdayhaveIprefectedyourreligionforyou”

inSuratal-Mā’idah.[99]Thefulltextofthesermonisreportedbyal-HafiîIbnJariral-Tabariinthebookal-Wilāyah.

Jalalal-Dinal-Suyutihasalsoreportedasermonwiththesamedenotationandidenticalwords,inhisal-Durral-manthur,Vol.II,p.57.[100]Al-ShawkāniinTafsirFathal-Qadir,Vol.III,p.57;andJalālal-Dinal-Suyutiinal-Durral-

manthur,Vol.II,p.298,ontheauthorityofIbn‘Abbās.[101]Al-Hākimal-HasakānireportedfromAbuSa‘idal-Khudrihisinterpretationoftheāyah;and

al-HafiîAbuNu‘aymal-’Isbahāniinhisbook:Mānazalaminal-Qur ’ānfi`Ali.[102]Thisepisodewasnarratedbyal-’ImāmAbuHāmidal-GhazāliinhisbookSirral-‘ālamin,p.

5;andalsobyal-’ImāmAhmadibnHanbalinhisMusnad,Vol.IV,281;withal-TabariinhisTafsir,Vol.III,p.428;besideal-Bayhaqi,al-Tha‘labi,al-Dāraqutni,al-Fakhral-Rāzi,andothers.[103]Al-HafiîAbuNu‘aymal-’Isbahāni,op.cit.;al-Khwārazmial-Mālikiinhisal-Manāqib,p.80;

al-Kanjial-Shāfi‘iinKifāyatal-tālib;Jalālal-Dinal-Suyutiinhisbookal-’Izdihārfimā‘aqadahual-shu‘arā’minal-’ash‘ār.[104]Ta’rikhal-Tabari,Vol.V,p.31;Ta’rikhIbnal-’Athir,Vol.III,p.31;SharhNahjal-balāghah,

ofIbnAbial-Hadid,Vol.II,p.18.[105]AhmadibnHanbalinhisMusnad,Vol.IV,p.370,andVol.I,p.119;al-Nasā’iinal-Khasā’is,

p.19;Kanzal-‘ummāl,Vol.VI,p.397;IbnKathirinhisTa’rikh,Vol.V,p.211;Ibnal-’AthirinUsdal-ghābah, Vol. IV, p. 28; Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalāni in al-’Isābah, Vol. II, p. 408; al-Suyuti in Jam‘ al-jawāmi‘.[106]Al-HaythamiinMajma‘al-zawā’id,Vol.IX,p.106;IbnKathirinhisTa’rikh,Vol.V,p.211;

Ibnal-’AthirinUsdal-ghābah,Vol.[107]IbnKathirinhisbookal-Bidāyahwaal-nihāyah,Vol.V,p.214.[108]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.26,“bābrajmal-hublāminal-zinā”.[109]Ta’rikhal-TabariandIbnal-’Athir,afterthedeathof‘UmaribnalKhattābandsuccessorship

of‘Uthmān.[110]Muhammad`AbduhinSharhNahjal-balāghah,KhutbahNo.3.[111] Ta’rikh al-Tabari and Ibn al-’Athir, about the chronicles of the year 36 H.; Muhammad

‘Abduh,op.cit.,Vol.I,p.88.[112]Al-Tabari inDalā’il al-’Imāmah; IbnTayfur inBalāghāt al-nisā’; ‘UmarRidāKahhālah in

A‘lāmal-nisā’;IbnAbial-HadidinSharhal-Nahj.

9ChapterTheSignificantElementintheResearch

Theimportantelementtocomplementtheresearch,thatisworthmentioningandinvestigation,maybethesoleobjectionthatmostoftenberaisedwhentheobstinatesbeingdumbfoundedbyirrefutablearguments, whereat they resort to wondering and denying that a hundred thousand Companionsattendedtheeventofnominatingal-’Imām‘Ali(asacaliph).Theyallconspiredtoopposeandturnaway from him, though some of them were the best of Companions, and most honourable oftheUmmah! I was encounteredwith such an event in particularwhen launchingmy research, as Icouldn’tbelieve,nordoesanyone, that theissuebeinglaidinthisway.Butwhenstudyingtheissuewithallitsdimensions,nowonderwillremainintheminds,astheissueisnotthewayweimagineoraspresentedbyAhlal-Sunnah,asitisfarfromonehundredthousandCompanionstocontradicttheMessenger ’scommandment,sohowdidtheeventbefall?First:Notallthosewhoattendedtheoathofallegianceatal-Ghadir,werelivinginal-Madinah,but

only,aswassupposed,threeorfourthousandofthem.Andwhenknowingthatalargenumberamongthemwerebondmen,slavesandtheoppressed(mustad‘fun)whocametotheMessengerofAllah(S)fromnumerousregions,havingnotribeorclaninal-Madinah,likeAhlal-Siffah,onlyhalfofthem,i.e.only two thousandare left,who themselveswerecommitted to thechieftains and systemof theclantowhichtheybelonged.TheMessengerofAllahtooktheirrecognizanceonthis,thatwhenevervisitedbyanydelegationhewouldentrust theirheadandmasterwith their leadership.Thusanewterm in Islam was found when they were called Ahl al-إall wa al-‘Aqd (men of resolution anddecision). Considering the meeting of al-Saqifah which was held immediately after the demise of the

Messenger,wewillcometoknowthatthoseattendingitwhotookthedecisionofelectingAbuBakras a caliph,were, at themost, less thanonehundred in total.Thatwasbecausenoneof theAnsār,peopleofal-Madinah,attendedthereexcepttheirmastersandleaders.Andthiswastruealsoinregardof theMuhājirun, theMeccans:whomigratedwith theMessenger (S),ofwhomonly threeor fourpersonsattended,asrepresentativesforQuraysh.Sufficientbeforusasaproof,istoimaginethesizeofal-Saqifah,asallofusareawareofthetruthaboutal-Saqifah,thatwaspresentineveryandeachhouse,asitwasnotahallfor(holding)partiesorapalaceforconveningconferences.WeexaggeratewhentellingaboutthepresenceofahundredpersonsattheSaqifahofBanuSa’idah,inorderthattheresearchermayapprehendthatthehundredthousandwereneitherpresentnorhavingknowledgeofwhat happened in the Saqifah, but only after quite long time, since there were neithertelecommunications,norwirelesssets,norsatellites.ThusthesechiefsconcurredonnominatingAbuBakr,despitetheobjectionoftheMasterofAnsār

Sa’dibn‘Ubādah,theheadofTribeofKhazraj,andhissonQays.Buttheoverwhelmingmajority(assaidnowadays)made.covenantandagreedonacknwoeldginghim,thoughmostoftheMuslimswereabsentoftheSaqifah,withsomeofthembeingengagedinmakingpreparationsfortheburialoftheMessenger(S),ordistractedatthenewsofhisdeath,besidebeingthreatenedby‘Umaribnal-Khattābagainstannouncingabouthisdeath.[113]Addedtothis,theMessengerofAllahhasmobilizedmostoftheCompanionswithinthearmyof

Usāmah, thosewhostationedatJurf,neitherattendingtheburialceremoniesof theProphet(S)northegatheringofal-Saqifah.Afterallthoseevents,isitreasonablethatclanmembersdaretoobjecttheirchieftain,especially

thattohimbelongsthevirtueandgreathonourinregardofthecovenanthemade,forwhicheverytribewasstrivingand longing.Whoknows, it isprobable that they,oneday,behonouredwith thepostofmastershipoverallMuslims,allovertheworld,sinceitslegitimateownerwasexcludedofit,withtheissueturningtobeashurā,ofwhichtheyweremakingusefrequently.Sowhywouldn’ttheybedelightedatthatorsupportingit? Second:When the men of resolution and decision, the Madinah dwellers, would confirm any

matter,itwouldbeinfeasibleforthedistantfarawaypeoplelivingontheoutskirtsofthePeninsulatodeclare any objection,while being unaware ofwhatwas going on during their absence, since themeans of transportation in that era were primitive. Besides, they would imagine that since theMadinah-dwellerslivingduringthelifetimeoftheMessengerofAllah,sotheyshouldbebetterawareofthenewrulingsandpreceptsthatmayberevealedatanyhourandday.Thenthechieftainwhowasfarawayofthecapitalhadnothingtodowiththecaliphate,asforhimitmadenodifferencewhothecaliph,would bewhetherAbuBakr or ‘Ali or anyone else, since the people ofMakkah are betteraware of its mountain passes. And that which mattered him more was preserving his post as thechieftainofhisclanwithnorival. It is uncertain, whether someone of them has questioned about the matter looking up to the

information butwas silenced by the ruling devices, either through temptation or intimidation.TheepisodeofMālikibnNuwayrah,whorefusedtopaythezakāt(alms-due).toAbuBakr,canbethebestevidenceprovingthis.Anyonepursuingthoseeventsthattookplaceinfightingthedeniersofzakāt,duringthecaliphate

ofAbuBakr,willverilyseemanycontradictions,neverbeingconvincedwithwhatisreportedbythehistorians, for the sake of safeguarding the dignity of the Sahābah, particularly the rulers amongthem.Third:Theelementofsurpriseintheissueplayedagreatroleinadmittingwhatiscalledtodaythe

“matterofact”or“statusquo”.Wenoticedhowthemeetingofal-Saqifahwasheldallofasudden,awayof theattentionof theCompanionswhowerebusyarrangingfor theburialof theMessenger(S),amongwhombeingal-’Imām‘Ali,al-’AbbaswiththerestofBanuHāshim,al-Miqdād,Salmān,AbuDharr,Ammārandal-Zubayr,besidemanyothers.WhenthosewhoattendedtheSaqifahwentoutaccompanyingAbuBakrtothemosque,callingforpublicoathofallegiancetohim,andpeoplewerecomingforwardingroupsandflocksvoluntarilyandforcibly,al-’Imām‘AliandhisfollowershadnotyetfinishedtheirHolydutyasprescribedbytheirsublimemorals.Itwasimproperforthemtoleave theMessenger of Allah without washing, shrouding and burial, hastening to the Saqifah tostruggleaboutthecaliphate.As soon as they completed their obligation, the allegiancewas already acknowledged forAbu

Bakr,withwhoever lingering behind being counted among those seditious renegading against theMuslims,thatshouldbeopposedorevenkilledbyMuslimsifnecessary.Consequently,itisreportedthat‘UmarthreatenedtokillanyonerefusingtoswearallegiancetoAbuBakr,declaring:Killhim,heis seditious.[114] Then he threatened those who lingered in ‘Ali’s house to burn the house withwhoeverwasinsideit.Further,whenweknowtheopinionof‘Umaribnal-Khattābregardingtheoathofallegiance(bay‘ah),wewillcometorecognizethesolutionsofmanybewilderingenigmas. He holds that the validity of allegiance could be established only when any of the Muslims

manages to attain to it, whereat all the others should follow and obey him, and anyone lingeringbehindwasconsideredoutofthepaleofIslam,thatshouldbeslain.Hereinhiswordsabouthimself,whenreferringtobay‘ah(allegiance),asreportedbyal-Bukhāri

inhisSahih.[115]Hesaid:ItisreportedconcerningwhathappenedattheSaqifah.“Therewasmuchclamour,andconfusedsoundswereraisedtotheextentthatitwasimpossibleto

distinguish them, when I said: O Abu Bakr, open your hand… and so did he. Thereat I sworeallegiance tohim,andsodid theMuhajirun[116]andAnsār,andwealliedSa’d ibn ‘Ubādah,whensomeoneof themsaid:YouhavekilledSa’d ibn ‘Ubādah. I said:MayAllahkillSa’d ibn ‘Ubādah.Thereatwe (‘Umar says): couldn’t see anymatter stronger than swearing allegiance toAbuBakr.Thatwhichmadeusworriedwasthatpeoplemaydepartuswithnoallegiancebeingsworn,soastoswearallegiancetoamanfromamongthemafterthat,whereattherecouldbeonlytwoalternativesbeforeus:eithertoacknowledgeunwillinglytheonetheyacknowledged(asacaliph),ortocontradictthem and cause corruption to prevail. Since anyone swearing allegiance to any man withoutconsultingtheMuslims,neitherhenortheonewhosworeallegiancetohimwillbefollowed,lestthattheybothshouldbeslain.”Thus,theissueaccordingto‘Umar ’sviewisnotelectionornominationorconsultation(shurā),

butitsufficesthatonefromamongtheMuslimshastenstowardsallegiancesoastobeaprooffortheothers.SohesaidtoAbuBakr.OpenyourhandOAbuBakr.Thenhe(AbuBakr)extendedhishandand‘Umarsworeallegiancetohimwithoutanyconsultationormeditation,forfearof thatanotherone might hasten towards it. ‘Umar has expressed this opinion by saying: That which made usworriedwasthatpeoplemaydepartuswithnoallegiancebeingsworn,soastoswearallegiancetoaman from among them after that (‘Umar feared that the Ansār [Helpers] might outstrip him andacknowledge someone from among them). This fact becomes even more explicit when he says:Thereat only two alternativeswere left before us: either to acknowledge unwillingly the one theyacknowledged(asacaliph),ortocontradictthemandcausecorruptiontoprevail.[117]Tobeequitableinourjudgementandpreciseininvestigation,wehavetoadmitthat‘Umaribnal-

Khattābhaschangedhisviewpointconcerningtheoathofallegiance(bay‘ah)inthelastdaysofhislife.Thatwaswhen aman entereduponhim,duringhis last hajj pilgrimage,with thepresenceof‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Awf,andsaid:OAmiral-Muminin,haveyouheardsoandsosay:Had‘Umardied,Iwouldhaveswornallegiancetosoandso.ByAllahtheoathofallegiancetoAbuBakrwasbutaslipthatwasdone.Thisaroused‘Umar ’sangerwhostoodandaddressedpeople,afterreturningtoMadinah,sayinginparticular: “I was informed that so and so among you says: By Allah had ‘Umar died I would have

acknowledgedsoand so.Noone shouldbe self-conceited to say that theacknowledgement toAbuBakrwasbutaslipthatwasdone,asevenitwastrulysobutAllahsafeguarded(us)againstitsevil…[118]Thenhesays:WhoeverswearsallegiancetoanyonewithoutconsultationwithotherMuslims,neither be nor the one to whom he sworn allegiance will be acknowledged lest they should bekilled…”[119]Would that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattābwas of this opinion on the SaqifahDay, never overruling the

Muslims by his swear of allegiance to Abu Bakr, that was a slip against whose evil Allah hasprotected us, as he himself testified.But far it be for ‘Umar to have such a newopinion, since heissued adeath sentence against himself andhis comrade,whendisclosing inhisnovel nviewpoint:"AnyoneswearingallegiancetosomemanwithoutconsultingtheMuslims,neitherhenortheonetowhomhesworeallegianceshallbeacknowledged,lesttheyshouldbekilledboth."Thatwhichweshouldknowmore,being thereasonwhyhad‘Umar, in the lastdaysofhis life,

changed his opinion though hewas aware,more than others, that his new opinion had blasted theacknowledgementtoAbuBakroutright.SinceitishimwhohastenedtoswearallegiancetohimwithnoconsultationwithMuslimssoastobeaslip,andhehimselfoverturnedhisownacknowledgement,as he attained to caliphate throughdetermination byAbuBakr on his deathbed,without consultingotherMuslims.ThisactmadesomeCompanionsenteruponAbuBakrdisapprovinghisdecisionin

appointingasternandrudemanasaruleroverthem.[120]Andwhen‘Umarwentouttoreadforthepeople the letterofAbuBakr,amanquestionedhim:OAbuHafs,whatdoes the lettercontain?Hereplied:Iknownot,butIshallbethefirsttolistenandobey.Themansaid:But,byAllah,Iknowwhatitdoescontain:Youhavemadehimarulerinthefirstyear,andheappointedyouarulerthisyear.[121]Thisexactlyresemblesal-Imam‘Ali’ssaying to‘Umar(whenobservinghimcompelpeopleby

duresstoswearallegiancetoAbuBakr):“Prepareaschemewhosehalfshallbeyours,andreinforceitforhimtoday,hewillrecompense

youtomorrow.”[122]Of significance is to know the reasonwhy ‘Umar changed his opinion regarding allegiance! I

think thathecame toknow that someof theSahābah intending to swearallegiance to ‘Ali ibnAbiTālibafterthedeathof‘Umar,thefactthatwasnevertobeacceptedby‘Umar,whocontradictedtheexpresstexts,opposingtheMessenger ’swritingthemthatbook.[123]Ashecametoknowitscontent,tillbeaccusedhim(S)ofhallucination,threateningpeopleagainstdisclosinghisdeath[124]lestthatpeople should rush to swearallegiance to ‘Ali.Thenhearranged for acknowledgingallegiance toAbu Bakr, forcing people to it by duress, threatening to kill whoever renouncing this allegiance,[125] all this for the only reason being excluding ‘Ali from caliphate. So how would be acceptsomeonetosaythathewouldacknowledgesoandsoafterthedeathof‘Umar,especiallythatthisone(whosenamewaskeptsecret,andhemightbeamongthegreat

companions)mightarguewithwhat‘UmardidinswearingallegiancetoAbuBakr,whensaying:ByAllah, the swear ofAllegiance toAbuBakrwas but a slip andwas donewith. That is, despite itsoccurrenceallofasudden,withoutawarenessoftheMuslimsorconsultingthem,butitwasdoneandcame true. That is why ‘Umar allowed himself to do it with Abu Bakr, so how wouldn’t it bepermissibleforhimtodoitinthesamewaywithsoandso.ItisnoticedherethatIbn‘Abbās,‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Awfand‘Umaribnal-Khattābabstainfromdisclosingthenameofthatuttererwiththenameoftheoneheintendedtoswearallegianceto.AndsincethesetwowereofgreatimportancefortheMuslims,soweobservedhow‘Umargotangryforthissaying,embarkingonthenextFridaytoaddress thepeople,bypointingout the issueofcaliphate,surprising themwithhisnewopinion, toclosethedoorbeforethatwhowantedtorepeatthesameslipasthiswouldbeforthegoodofhisfoe.Butoutofthisdiscussion,weunderstoodthatthisstatementbeingnotonlytheopinionofsoandso,but also of somanyCompanions. That iswhy al-Bukhāri is reported to have said: So ‘Umar gotangryand said:God-willing, I shall addresspeople tonight, towarn those intending tousurp themtheiraffairs…[126] Then, ‘Umar ’s changing his opinion concerning the oath of allegiance, was only a sign of

objectionagainst those intending to seize thepeople’saffairsandswearallegiance to ‘Ali, the factthat could never be accepted by ‘Umar, since he was of the opinion that caliphate being one ofpeople’saffairs,andnota right for ‘Ali ibnAbiTālib.Had thisbeliefbeencorrect,whywouldhehaveallowedhimselftousurppeopleoftheiraffairsafterthedemiseoftheProphet(S),rushingtoswearallegiancetoAbuBakrwithoutconsultingtheMuslims?The stand ofAbuHafs towardAbu al-إasan iswidely known, being excluding him away from

power.Wehavereachedthisconclusionnotonlythroughhisprevioussermon,butanyonefollowingupthecourseofhistorycanrealizethat‘Umaribnal-Khattābwastheactual‘rulerevenduringAbuBakr ’scaliphate.SowenoticedhowAbuBakrsoughtpermissionofUsāmahibnZaydtolet‘Umaribnal-Khattābstaywithhimtohelphimundertakethecaliphateaffair.127[127]Nevertheless,‘AliibnAbiTālibwaskeptawayfromanyresponsibility,astheyhaveneitherchargedhimwithanypost,orgovernorship,norgivenhimcommandmentofanyarmy,norentrustedhimanytreasure,throughoutthe caliphate of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmān, and all of us know who ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib was

stranger thanthis,weare toldbyhistorybooksthat‘Umar,onhisdeathbed,regrettedthedeathofAbu‘Ubaydahibnal-JarrāhorSālimthemasterofAbuHudhayfah,andtheirnon-beingpresentsoasto nominate them to succeed him. But, undoubtedly, on remembering that he changed his opinionregarding thisbay‘ah (oathof allegiance), considering it a slip andanusurpationof theMuslims’affairs, he would have no choice but to invent a new method for swearing allegiance, to be anintermediatecompromise.Sothatnoonewouldtaketheinitiativeandswearallegiancetowhomeverheconsiderscompetentforit,compellingpeopletofollowhisguide.Thatis,exactlyaswasdonebyhim for Abu Bakr, and by Abu Bakr for him, or as intended to be done by so and so who wasexpecting ‘Umar ’s death to swear allegiance to his favorite, but all this being impossible after it(bay‘ah)wasconsideredby‘Umarasaslipandusurpation.Also,itisinfeasibleforhimtoleavetheaffair to be determined through shurā among the Muslims, while he attended the meeting of al-SaqifahafterthedemiseoftheProphet(S),witnessingbyhisowneyesthedisputewhichcouldresultintakingawayoflivesandsheddingofblood.AtlasthecontrivedtheideaofAshabal-Shurāorthesixmen,whowereentitledalonetoelectthe

caliph,withnoroomforanyonetosharetheminthisright.‘Umarwaswellawarethatdisputewouldsurely erupt among these six men, the fact prompting him to recommend them to be, in case ofdifference,onthesideof‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Awfevenifthiscouldleadtoslayingofthosethreeopposing‘Abdal-Rahmān.Thisbeincaseofoccurrenceofsplitandthesixbeingdividedintotwo

parts,whichcouldneverhappen,since‘UmarknewwellthatSa’dibnAbiWaqqāsbeingthecousinof‘Abdal-Rahmān,andbothbelongtoBanuZuhrah,andthatSa’dwouldneverlove‘Ali,harbouringgrudgeagainsthimas‘Alikilledhisunclesfrom‘AbdShams.Further,‘Umarwasquiteawarethat‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf, being the brother-in-law of ‘Uthmān, as his wife Umm Kulthum was‘Uthmān’ssister,andthatTalhahhavinginclinationtoward‘Uthmānduetorelationsbetweenthemasreportedbysomenarrators.Theevidenceprovinghisinclinationtoward‘Uthmāncanbesoughtinhisturningawayfrom‘Ali,duetohisbelongingtotheTribeofTaym,anditwasknownthatmanydisputes were there between Banu Hāshim and Banu Taym, due to Abu Bakr ’s ambition to attaincaliphate.[128]‘Umarwasawareofallthis,thereasonforwhichhechosethesepeopleinparticular.Allthesesixpeoplewhowereselectedby‘Umar,werefromQuraysh,andfromamongMuhājirun

(Emigrants)withnoonefromtheAnsār(Helpers),andeachoneofthemrepresentsandheadsatribeofgreatimportanceandinfluence.Theyare:1.‘AliibnAbiTālib,chiefofBanuHāshim.2.‘Uthmānibn‘Affān,chiefofBanuUmayyah.3.‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Awf,chiefofBanuZuhrah.4.Sa’dibnAbiWaqqās,fromBanuZuhrahandhisunclesbelongtoBanuUmmayyah.5.Talhahibn‘UbaydAllāh,themasterofBanuTaym 6. Al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām, the son of Safiyyah— the Messenger ’s aunt — and he was the

husbandofAsmā’thedaughterofAbuBakr.Thesewerethemenofresolutionanddeterminationwiththeirjudgementbeingobligatoryupon

allMuslims,whetherbeinginhabitantsofthemetropolis(centreofcaliphate)orothersfromallovertheIslamicworld.ThenallMuslimshavenochoicebuttoadhereandobey,withoutanydisputation,anddeathwillbe the fateofanyone refusingorcontradicting thecommandment.This, exactly, thepointwewantedthereadertobeawareof,beforehand,inregardofconcealingthenewsaboutthetextofal-Ghadir.Knowingthementalities,emotionsandambitionsofthesesixmen,‘Umarhasinfactnominated

‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān for caliphate, or he was aware that the majority of them were averse toacknowledging‘Ali.Otherwise,whyandaccordingtowhichrighthepreferred‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Awfto‘AliibnAbiTālib,whiletheMuslimshaveeversincebeendisputingaboutthesuperiorityof

‘AliandAbuBakr,withnoonedaringtomakecontrastbetween‘Aliand‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Awf.AtthispointIshouldmakeahalt,toquestionAhla-SunnahwhobelieveintheShurāprinciple,and

allfree-thinkingmenthus:Howdoyoureconcilebetwentheshurā(consultation)initsIslamicsenseandthisnotionthatindicatesnothingbutstubbornesssinceitwashimwhochosethosepeoplenottheMuslims?Andifhisattainingtocaliphatebeaslip,howwouldhepermithimselftoimposethosesixmenuponMuslims? It seems that ‘Umar believes the caliphate to be a right for the Muhājirun (Emigrants) alone,

without being disputed by others regarding this right.Moreover, ‘Umar holds, likeAbuBakr, thatcaliphatebeingarightownedbyQurayshalone,asamongtheMuhājirunsomearefoundwhodon’tbelongtoQuraysh,orratherwhoarenon-Arabs.SoneitherSalmānal-Fārsi,nor‘AmmāribnYāsir,norBilalal-Habashi,norSuhaybal-Rumi,norAbuDharral-Ghifāri,northousandsoftheSahābahnotbelongingtoQuraysh,wereentitledtoattainthepostofcaliphate.Thisnotbeing justaclaim!neverand far fromthat,but it is theirbeliefas recorded inhistory

booksandreportedbynarratorsfromthemdirectly.Let’s refer to theverysermonreportedbyal-BukhāriandMuslimintheirSahihs:‘Umaribnal-Khattābisreportedtohavesaid:Iintendedtospeak,whenforginganarticleIwanted

to laybeforeAbuBakr,with showing somecajolery.As I intended tobeginmyspeech,AbuBakrsaid:Takeiteasy,soIdidn’tliketoarousehisanger,andkeptsilent.ThenAbuBakrspoke,showingmoreclemencyandsolemnitythanme.ByAllah,heneversparedanywordIlikedinmyfalsificationbutmentioningthelikeoforbetter thanit throughhis intuition, tillhepausedforawhileandthensaid:YoutrulydeserveallthegoodtraitsIdidmentiontobeownedbyyou(addressingtheAnsār),andthismatterisneverrealizedbuttobelongtothislocaleofQuraysh.[129]Thus,itbecomesexplicitthatAbuBakrand‘Umarwereneverbelievingintheprincipleofshurā

andelection.SomehistoriansarereportedtohavesaidthatAbuBakrarguedwiththeAnsār(Helpers)by theMessenger ’shadith:"Verilycaliphate is inQuraysh",whichbeingasahih(correct) traditionwhereofthereisnodoubt,whoserealtext(asreportedbyal-BukhāriandMuslimandallSihāhoftheSunnah,withtheShi‘ah)beingthus: The Messenger of Allah (S) said: “The successors after me are twelve ones, all being from

Quraysh.”Moreexplicitthanthishadith,isthefollowingsayingutteredbytheMessenger(S): “This matter (caliphate) will verily continue to be in Quraysh as long as only two men

survive,”[130]andhissaying:“MankindbeingonlyfollowersofQurayshingoodandevil.”[131]IfallMuslimstotallybelieveinthesetraditions,howwouldanyonedaretoclaimthathe(S)has

lefttheissuetobedeterminedthroughconsultation(shurā)amongMuslims,tochoosewhoevertheywill?ThereisnowaytogetridofthiscontradictionbutthroughadherencetothesayingsofAhlal-Bayt

Imams and their followers (Shi‘ah), with some of Ahl al-Sunnah ‘ulamā’ who affirm that theMessengerofAllah(S)hasdeterminedthecaliphs,definingthembynumberandnames.Henceforthwecanalsoconceivethepositionof‘UmarandhisendeavourtoconfinecaliphatewithinQuraysh,as‘Umarwasknownofexertinghisopinion(ijtihād)against thetexts,evenduringthelifetimeof theProphet (S). The best evidences that prove our claim can be sought in the Peace Treaty ofHudaybiyyah,[132]performingprayer(salātal-mayyit)onhypocrites,[133]theThursdaymisfortune,[134] andhis forbidding to announce thegood tidingsofParadise.[135]Sonowonder to seehimexerthisopinion,afterthedemiseoftheProphet(S),regardingthehadithtextofthecaliphate,seeingnoobligationinacceptingthedeterminationof‘AliibnAbiTālibwhowastheyoungestofQuraysh,and restricting the right to successorship inQuraysh alone. This fact prompted ‘Umar to choose,beforehisdeath,sixmenfromamongthemagnatesofQurayshtoreconcilebetweentheProphet’straditionsandhisviewpointregardingtherightofQurayshalonetocaliphate.Inserting‘Aliamong

theothermen,withpre-knowledgethattheywouldneverelecthim,wasaplancontrivedby‘Umartoforce‘Alitoshare,themthepoliticaltrickery,ascallednowadays,andsothatnoargument(hujjah)wouldbeleftforhis(‘Ali’s)followersandsupportersbelievinginhissuperiorityandpriority.Butallthiswaselucidatedbyal-’Imām‘Ali(‘a)throughasermonbeforethepublic,sayinginthis

regard: “…Nevertheless, I remainedpatient despite length of period and stiffness of trial, tillwhenhe

wentaway(ofdeath)heputmatter(ofcaliphate)inagroupandregardedmetobeoneofthem.ButgoodHeavens!WhathadItodowiththisconsultation”?WherewasanydoubtaboutmewithregardtothefirstofthemthatIwasnowconsideredakintotheseones?ButIremainedlowwhentheywerelowandflewhighwhentheyflewhigh.Oneofthemturnedagainstmebecauseofhishatredandtheother got inclined the other way due to his in-law relationship and this thing and that things…”136[136]Fourth:A-’Imam‘Ali(peacebeuponhim)hasarguedandreasonedwiththembyeverything,but

allwasinvain.Should‘Alibegallegiancefromthepeoplewhoturnedtheirfacesawayfromhim,and whose hearts inclined toward other than him. Either out of envy for the favour Allah hasbestowed upon him, or out of grudge against him because he killed their valiants, shattered theirheroes,coercing them tokneeldown, subduing themanddestroying theirpride throughhis swordand bravery till making them surrender and embrace Islam. Nevertheless he remained lofty,defending his cousin, fearing no censure, on Allah’s way, from those who censure, never beingfrustratedbyanyofthevanitiesoftheworld.TheMessengerofAllah(S)wasfullyawareofallthis,extolling,throughoutopportunetimes,thevirtuesofhisbrotherandcousin,soastomakethemlovehim,sayinginthisrespect:Tolove“‘Aliisfaithandhatinghimishypocrisy”[137]And:“AliisfrommeandIamfromhim.”[138]Healsosaid:“Aliisthewali(guardian)ofeverybelieverafterme.”[139]Further:“‘Aliisthegateofthecityofmyknowledgeandthefatherofmychildren.”[140]Hesaidtoo:‘AliisthemasteroftheMuslimsandImamofthepious,andleaderoftheimmaculate

pureones.[141] But all these traditions have, unfortunately, increased them in jealously and rancour, the fact

promptingtheMessengerofAllah(S)tosummonhim,beforehisdeath,embracinghimandweeping,withsaying:“O‘Ali,Iknowthattherearevindictivefeelingsharbouredinsidethebosomsofpeoplewhich theywill divulge foryouafterme. If they swear allegiance toyou, accept it, otherwiseyoushouldforbeartillyoumeetmewhilebeingwronged.”[142]SoAbual-Hasan’skeepingpatient,afteracknowledging Abu Bakr (as a caliph), was only in response and submission to theMessenger ’stestamenttohim,thefactimplyingunconcealedwisdom.Fifth:Addedtoallthis,anyMuslim,whenreadingtheHolyQur ’ān,contemplatinginitsverses,

willverily recognize,outof its storiesdealingwith theearliernationsandpeoples, that theywereinflictedwithmore calamites than us. He canwitness howQābil killedHābil out of injustice andmaltreat;withNoah, thegrandfatherofprophets,couldnever findfromamonghis folkbutaveryfew,afteratotalofathousandyearsofstruggleandstrival,withhiswifeandsonbeingamongthedisbelievers.Besides,inthevillageofLotonlyonefamilyofbelieverscouldbefound,andthefolkofPharaohwhowerehaughtyinthelandandenslavedmankind,whenonebelieveramongthemisfound,hewouldconcealhisfaith,andthebrothersofJoseph,thesonsofJacob,thoughbeingmany,conspiretokilltheiryoungerbrothernotduetoanysinheperpetratedbutoutofjealousysincehewasdearer to their father than them.Moreover,anotherexample is in thechildrenof Israel,whomAllahhasdeliveredthroughMoses,cleavingforthemtheseaandcausingtheirenemies—Pharaoh

andhishosts—todrown,withoutchargingthemthepainsoffighting.Assoonasgoingoutoftheseaandbeforetheirfeetbeingdried,theycametowardsomepeopledevoteduntoidols,worshippingthem,sayingtothem:OMoses!Makeforusagodevenastheyhavegods.Hesaid:Lo!Youareafolkwhoknownot.OnhisgoingtotheappointedtrystofhisLord,makinghisbrotherasasuccessoroverthem,they

contrivedaplotagainsthimintendingtoslayhim,declaringdisbeliefinAllahandworshippingthecalf,killingafterthatAllah’sprophets,whereatAllahtheExaltedsaid: "What! (and yet) whenever (thereafter) an apostle came unto you with that which yourselves

desirednot,swelledyewithpride,some(oftheapostles)yebelied(asimposters)andsomeyeslew."(2:87)Alsowewitness ourmasterYahyā ibnZakariyyā, despite his being a prophet (ofAllah) and a

chastefromamongthevirtuousones,beingslainandhisheadbeinggiftedtooneofthestrumpetsofBanuIsrael. And again, the Jews and Christians conspire to slaughter and crucify our master Jesus, and

theUmmah of Muhammad (S) mobilize an army of thirty thousand to kill al-Husayn, the basil(rayhānah)oftheMessengerofAllahandmasteroftheyouthofHeavens,whowasaccompaniedwithonlyseventyofhiscompanions.Thentheyslewthemall,includingevenhissucklingchildren. So what causes wonder after all this? Is there any wonder after the Prophet’s saying to his

Companions:.“Youshallverilyfollowthesunan(conducts)ofthosewhowerebeforeyouspan-by-spanandcubit-by-cubit, andeven if theyenter the lizardholeyouwill certainlygo inside it.Theyasked: Do you mean the Jews and Christians? He replied: But who would be then (other thanthem)??”[143]Wherefromtocomethewonderwhilewereadwhatisreportedbyal-BukhāriandMuslimfrom

theMessengerofAllah(S): “On the Doomsday my Companions will be brought unto the left, whereat I would inquire:

Whereto(aretheybrought)?Thereplywillcome:TotheHellfire,andIwillsay:Omylord,thesearemyCompanions,thenitwillbesaidtome.Youareunawareofwhattheyhavedoneafteryou.ThereatIwillsay:Remotebewhoeverchangedafterme,andIcan’tseeanyonedeliveredfromamongthemexceptasfewastheforsakencattle.”[144]WhatwonderwhenlisteningtothehadithutteredbytheProphet(s):“MyUmmahwillbedivided,

afterme,intoseventy-threeparties,allwillgotoFireexceptonlyone.”[145] And the Most High, the Lord of Glory, and Exaltness, Who knows what is kept in bosoms,

disclosedthetruthwhensaying:“Andmostbelieve(it)not,thoughthoudesireit.”(12:103)“Nay!hehathbroughtuntothemtheTruth,butmostofthemhatetheTruth.”(23:70) “Indeed haveWe brought unto youwith the truth butmost of you unto the truthwere hateful.”

(43:78)“BeitknownverilyGod’siswhatisintheheavensandtheearth;Beit(also)known,verily,God’s

promiseistrue,butmostofthemknownot.”(10:55)“…Theyallureyouwith (thesweetwordsof) theirmouthswhile theirheartsareaverse (from

you),andmostofthemaretransgressors.”(9:8)“…Verily,GodistheLordofgraceformankind,butmostofthemthanknot.”(10:60) “They recognize the bounties ofGod, and yet they deny them, andmost of them are infidels.”

(16:83)“AndindeedWedistributeit(water)tothemthatmaybe(thankfully)mindful,butcontentnotthe

greatnumberofthepeoplebuttobethankless.”(25:50)“Andbelievenotmostofthem,inGod,exceptaspolytheists.”(12:106)“…Nay!mostofthemknownotthetruth,sotheyturnaside.”(21:24)

“What Wonder ye then at this statement? And laugh ye and not weep? And yet sport ye(negligently)?”(53:59-61)

Notes:[113]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,p.1.95.[114]Ibid.,Vol.VIII,p.26;Ta’rikhal-Tabari;Ta’rikhal-khulafā’ofIbnQutaybah.[115]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.28,“bābrajmal-hublāminal-zināidhāuhsinat.[116]It isreportedbyall thehistorians thatonlyfourof theMuhājirun(immigrants)attendedthe

Saqifah. So his saying: ‘I and then theMuhājirun swore allegiance to him” is contradicted by hiswords: “‘Ali al-Zubayr and their companions remained behind (disagreeed with us),” which heutteredinthesameseremon.SeeSahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.26.[117]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.26.[118]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.26.[119]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.26.[120]Ta’rikhal-Tabari,thechapteronsuccessorshipof‘Umaribnal-Khattāb;IbnAbial-Hadidin

Sharhal-Nahj,Vol.I.[121]IbnQutaybahinal-’Imāmahwaal-sisāyah,Vol.I,p.25,“bābmaradAbiBakrwaistikhlāfihi

‘Umar”.[122]IbnQutaybah,op.cit.,Vol.I,p.18.[123]SahihMuslim,Vol.V,p.75,kitābal-wasiyyah;Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VII,p.9.[124]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,p.195.[125]Ibid.,Vol.VIII,p.28;Ta’rikhal-khulafā’,Vol.I,p.19.[126]Ibid.,Vol.VIII,p.25.[127]AsitisconfirmedbyIbnSa‘dinhisTabaqāt,andmostofthehistorianswhoreferredtothe

contingent(sariyyah)ofUsamahibnZayd.[128]Muhammad`Abduh,op.cit.,Vol.I,p.88.[129]SahihMuslim,“bābal-wasiyyah”.[130]Ibid.,Vol.VI,pp.2,3;Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.27.[131]Ibid.,Vol.VI,pp.2,3;Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.27.[132][133]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.II,p.76.[134]Ibid.,Vol.I,p.37.[135]Ibid.,Vol.I,“bābmanlaqiyaAllāhbial-’imāmwahuwaghayrshākkfihdakhalaal-jannah,p.

45.[136]Nahjal-balāghah,SharhofMuhammad‘Abduh,KhutbahNo.3[137]SahihMuslim,Vol.I,p.61.[138]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.III,p.168.[139]MusnadAhmad,Vol.V,p.35;Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p124[140]Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p.126.[141]MuntakhabKanzal-‘ummāl,Vol.V,p.34.[142]Al-Tabari,al-Riyādal-nādirahfimanāqibal-‘ashrah,“bābfadā’il‘AliibnAbiTālib”.[143]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,p.144,andVol.VIII,p151.[144]Ibid.,Vol.VII,p.209;SahihMuslim,“bābal-hawd”.[145]SunanIbnMājah,“kitābal-fitan”,Vol. II,hadithNo.3993;MusnadAhmad,Vol. III,p.120;

Sunanal-Tirmidhi,“kitābal-’imān”

10ChapterGriefandSorrow

How shouldn’t I be grieved?Or ratherwhy shoulnd’t everyMuslim sighwhen looking into theserealities,demonstratingthelossesthatbefelltheMuslimsasaresultofexcludingal-’Imām‘Alifromthepostofcaliphate,forwhichtheMessengerofAllahhasdesignated,deprivingtheUmmahfromhissagaciousleadershipandabundantsciences.WhenanyMuslimconsidersthematterwithoutanyfanaticismorprejudice,hewillseehim(‘Ali)

tobe themostknowledgeablemanafter theMessenger(s).Historyrecordsandtestifies thatall theSahābah ‘ulamā’haveaskedhim thesolutionof the judicialquestions forwhich theycouldn’t findanswers,anditisreportedthat‘Umaribnal-Khattābsaidmorethanseventytimes:“Had‘Alinotbeenthere,‘Umarwouldhaveperished,”[146]whereashe(‘a)hasneveraskedanyoneofthem,atall.Further,historyadmitsthat‘AliibnAbiTālibwasthebravestandstrongestamongtheSahābah,

andinmanytimesthevalorousamongtheCompanionsfledthefightingandbattle-fields,whileheresistedandtookafirmstandthroughoutalltheincidentsandwars.Asufficientevidencewouldbethebadgeofhonourgranted tohimby theMessengerofAllah (S)saying:“Verily I shallgivemystandardtoamanwholovesAllahandHisMessengerandislovedbyAllahandHisMessenger,bearingdownupontheenemy,notrunaway,whosefaithwas

puttotestbyAllah,”[147]EachoneoftheCompanionslongedanddesiredtobetheonemeantbythistradition,buthe(S)handeditto‘AliibnAbiTālib.Tosumup,thetraitsofknowledge,powerandbraverydistinguishingal-’Imām‘Ali,beingafact

known by all people, near and far, with no any dispute. Regardless of all the texts indicating hisImamah,expresslyandallusively,theHolyQur ’ānrecognizesnoonetobecompetentforleadershipand Imamah except the bold, strong scholar (‘alim), Regarding the obligation of following the‘ulamā’,AllahtheGlorifiedandExalted,said:."…IsthenHeWhoguidethuntotruthmoreworthytobe followedorhewhohimselfgoethnotarightunlesshe isguided?What thenhathbefallenyou?How(ill)yejudge?"(10:35)Andasregardstheobligationoftheleadershipofthevaliantpowerfulscholar,theAlmightysaid:

"…Theysaid,"Howcan thekingdombehis,overus,whereaswearemorerightful for it thanhewhileheisnotgiftedwithabundanceofwealth."hesaid""Verily,Godhathchosenhimoveryouandhath increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique; and verily,God grantethHis kingdomuntowhomsoHepleaseth;GodisOmniscientandAll-Knowing."(2:247)Allah—theGlorified—has increasedal-’Imām‘Ali,other thanall theSahābah,abundantly in

knowledge, making him truly ‘the gate of the city of knowledge,’ and the sole reference for theSahābahafterthedemiseoftheMessengerofAllah(mayAllah’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny).AndwhenevertheCompanionsfeltunabletofindasolutionforanyquestin,theyusedtosay:“NoproblemistherebuttobesolvedbyAbual-إasan.”[148]Heincreasedhimabundantlyinphysique,inawayhewastheconquerringlionofAllah,andthat

hismight andbravery became an example to be followedby all generations.This fact reached anextent that historians reportedmiracle-like stories, such as pulling outKhybarGate,which twentyCompanionsfailedtomovelateron[149]andextractingthegreatIdolofHubal,[150]fromoverthe

roofoftheKa’bah,andshiftingthehugerockwhichallthearmystoodunabletodisplace,[151]besideotherwell-knownnarrations.TheProphet(S)has, timeandagain,extaltedhiscousin‘Alimanifestinghishonourandvirtues

throughoutalloccasions,referringtohistraitsandmerits.Oncehesaid:“Thisman(‘Ali)ismybrother,andexecutorandsuccessorafterme;soyoushouldadheretoand

obeyhim.”[152]Onceagainhesaid:“YourpositiontomeisexactlylikethatofAarontoMoses,exceptthatthereisnoprophetafter

me.”[153]Anothertimehesaid:“Whoeverdesirestolivemylife,andtodiemydeath,anddwelltheLandoftheLeal(Paradise)

withwhichmyLordpromisedme, he should follow theguideof ‘Ali ibnAbiTālib, as hewouldeithertakeyououtofguidancenorbringyouintomisguidance(dalālah).”[154] Anyone following out the conduct (sirah) of the Holy Messenger (may Allah’s peace and

benediction be upon him and his Progeny), will verily realize that he was not satisfied with onlydisclosing sayingsand traditions,but alsohiswordswere incarnated inhis acts anddeeds.This isevident throughthefact thathenevermadeanyoneof theSahābahacommanderover‘Ali, thoughinvestingwith authority someof themover others, as in the case of giving commandment toAbuBakrand‘Umarover‘Amribnal-‘AوduringtheBattleofDhātal-Salāsil.[155]Anotherexamplealso,iswhenhemadetheyoungman,UsāmahibnZayd,acommanderoverall

ofthem,withinthebattalionofUsāmahbeforehis(S)death. But concerning ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib, he was never sent in a mission but only as a leader and

commander.Onceuponatimehe(S)delegatedtwoarmies,givingthecommandmentofoneofthemto‘AliandtheothertoKhalidibnal-Walid,sayingtothem:Whenbeingseparatedeachoneofyoucan undertake the commandment of his army, but when meeting together ‘Ali should be thecommanderofthewholearmy.Fromtheaforementioned,weconcludethat‘Alibeingthewali(guardian)ofthebelieversafterthe

Prophet (S),andnoone isentitled tooutstriphimorbepreferredoverhim.Butunfortunatelyandwith much regret, theMuslims have undergone a heavy loss, suffering much to the present timereapingthefruitsofwhattheyhavesown.Thelattershaverecognizedthe(ill)consequencesofwhatwasfoundedbytheearliers. Can anyone imagine a rightly-guided caliphate as that of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib, had

theUmmah followed theonechosenbyAllahandHisMessenger. ‘Aliwasquitecompetent to leadtheUmmah so symmetrically throughout thirty years, exactly in the sameway as theMessenger ofAllah led itwith no little change.Whilstwe see on the other hand thatAbuBakr and ‘Umar havechangedeverything, exerting their opinions against the texts in away that their acts turned tobe asunnahtobefollowed.Andwhen‘Uthmāncametopower,hepervertedmoreandmoretotheextentthathecontradictedtheBookofAllahandSunnahofHisMessengerandthatofAbuBakrand‘Umar.ThispracticewasdisapprovedbytheCompanions,andaviolentpeoplerevoltwaslaunchedagainsthim,takingawayhislife,andcreatingagreatseditionamongsttheUmmah,whosebadconsequencescouldnevergrowsoundtillnowadays.Butontheotherhand,‘AliibnAbiTālibusedtoadheretotheBookofAllahandSunnahofHis

Messenger,withoutabitdeviationfromthem.ThebestevidenceforthisbeinghisrefusingthepostofcaliphatewhentheystipulatedthatheshouldruleaccordingtotheBookofAllahandSunnahofHisMessenger,andsunnahoftheTwoCaliphs(AbuBakrand‘Umar).Onemaywonder:Why should ‘Ali abide by theBookofAllah andSunnahofHisMessenger,

while Abu Bakr and ‘Umar and ‘Uthmān were obliged to exert their opinions (ijtihād) andinterpolation?

Thereplyforthisbeingthattheknowledgeownedby‘Aliwasnotpossessedbyanyofthem,andalsotheMessengerofAllahdistinguishedhimwithathousandgatesofknowledge,foreverygateathousandgatesopen,[156]sayingtohim:“O‘Ali,youwillverilydemonstrateformyUmmahallthatwhichtheydifferedregardingitafter

me.”[157]Whereas the caliphswere ignorant of a largenumberof the apparent precepts and rules of the

Qur ’ān,besidebeingunabletointerpretit.Al-BukhāriandMuslimarereportedtohavesaidintheirSahihs, in thechapteronTayammum, that:Amanquestioned ‘Umar ibnal-Khattābwhenhewasacaliph, saying: O Amir al-Mu’minin, I foundmyself ritually impure and couldn’t find water (forbathing), sowhat should I do? ‘Umar said to him:Donot performprayers!!Furthermore, hewasunawareofthejudgementconcerningKalālahtillthetimeofhisdeath,keepingonsaying:IwishedIhadasked theMessengerofAllahabout its judgement,while it is stated in theHolyQur ’ān.When‘Umar, whom the Ahl al-Sunnah used to consider among the inspired men, be at this level ofknowledge, sowhat about the otherswho addedmany a heresy into the religion ofAllahwith noknowledge,orguidanceorilluminativebook,butoutofpersonalijtihādāt(exertionsofopinion). A question may be raised that: If this be the case why hasn’t al-’Imām ‘Ali demonstrated for

theUmmahthepointsofdifferenceanddisputeamongthemafterthedemiseoftheMessenger(S)? The answer would be: Al-’Imām ‘Ali has spared no effort in exposing and clarifying the

problematicmatters,withbeingthereferencefortheSahābahregardingwhatevertheycouldn’tfindasolutionfor.Heusedtocometothem,elucidatingandgivingcounsels,ofwhichtheywouldtakethatwhichbeappropriateforthemandnotcontradictorytotheirpolicy,neglectingwhateverbeotherthanthis,andhistorybethebestwitnessforourclaim.The truth lies in that:Had ‘Ali ibnAbiTālib and the Imams among his sons not been there, it

wouldhavebeenimpossibleforpeopletorealizewhateverisrelatedtotheirreligion.Butpeople,asthe Qur ’ān informed us, never like truth, so they followed their desires inventing newmadhāhib(schoolsof thought) versus theAhl al-Bayt Imams,whowerekept under strict surveillanceby thetime governments, which would never grant them freedom of movement and direct contact withpeople.‘Aliusedtoassumethepulpitandaddressthepeople:Askmebeforeyoulooseme.Sufficientbe

forhimisthevaluablebookNahjal-balāghahthat‘Alileftforus,andtheknowledgeleftbyAhlal-Bayt Imams (‘a) which filled the East and the West, the fact testified by Sunni and Shi’i leaders(imāms)ofMuslims.Returningtothetopic,Iwouldsay:Basedonthis,haditbeendestinedfor‘Alitohavetheleadof

theUmmahforthirtyyearsinaccordancewiththesirah(conduct)oftheMessenger(S),Islamwouldhaveprevailedeverywhere,andcreed(‘aqidah)wouldhavepenetratedheartsofpeoplemuchmoreandinadeeperway,andnominorormajorsedition,norKarbalaandAshura’wouldhavebeenthere.Further, ifwe imagine theUmmah being led by theEleven Imams after ‘Ali,whowere determinedby text (na وو ) from theMessenger ofAllah (S), andwhose lives extended for three centuries, nohomelandwouldbeleftontheearthforotherthanMuslims,andtheworldtodaywouldbedifferentofwhatitactuallyis,andourlifewouldbehumaneinitstruesense,butAllah,theExalted,said: "Alif Lam Meem. What! Do people imagine that they will be left off on (their) saying: "We

believe!"andtheywillnotbetried?"(29:1,2)AndverilytheIslamicUmmah failedthetrialasdid thepreviousnations,asemphasizedbythe

Messenger of Allah,[158] through many occasions, and confirmed by the Holy Qur ’ān throughnumerousverses.[159]

Notes:

[146]Manaqibal-Khwārazmi,p.48;al-’Isti‘āb,Vol.III,p.39;Tadhkiratal-Sibt,p.87;Matālibal-

sa’ul,p.13;Tafsiral-Naysāburi,onSuratal-’Ahqāf;Faydal-Qadir,Vol.IV,p.357.[147]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,pp.5,12,andVol.V,pp.76,77;SahihMuslim,Vol.VII,p.121,“bāb

fadā’ilAliibnAbiTālib.”[148]Manāqibal-Khwārazmi,p.58;Tadhkiratal-Sibt,p.87;Ibnal-Maghāzili,Tarjumat‘Ali,p.79.[149]Sharhal-Nahj,IbnAbial-Hadid,intheintroduction.[150]Sharhal-Nahj,IbnAbial-Hadid,intheintroduction.[151]Sharhal-Nahj,IbnAbial-Hadid,intheintroduction.[152]Ta'rikhal-Tabari,Vol.II,p.319;Ta'rikhIbnal-'Athir,Vol.II,p.62.[153]SahihMuslim,Vol.VII,p.120;Sahihal-Bukhāri,"bābfadā'il'Ali".[154]Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p.128;al-Mu'jamal-kabir,al-Tabarāni.[155] Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Ghazwat Dhāt al-Salāsil; Tabaqāt Ibn Sa'd, beside others who

referredtothisGhazwah(invasion).[156]Kanzal-'ummāl,Vol.VI,p.392,hadithNo.6009,Hilyatal-'awliyā';Yanābi'al-mawaddah,pp.

73,74;Ta'rikhDimashqofIbn'Asākir,Vol.II,p.483.[157]Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p.122;Ibn'Asākir,op.cit.,Vol.II,p.488.[158]Likethehadith:HoldontothesunnahoftheJewsandthatoftheChristians,andabidebyitin

awaythatevenwhentheyenteraholeofalizard,youshouldenterit."Thishadithisreportedbyal-Bukhāri,andareferencetoitwasmadepreviously.Andalsolikethehadithal-hawd(pond)inwhichtheMessengerofAllah(S)says:"Ineverbelieveanyoneofthemtobedeliveredbutthosewhoarelikeabandonedcattle(veryfew)."[159]As in theHolyverse:"…Therefore ifhediethorbeslain,willye turnuponyourheels?"

(3:144).Andalsotheverse:"Andshallsay(out)theApostle(thatDay)"Omylord!VerilymypeoplehaveheldthisQur'ānasavainforsakenthing!"(25:30).

11ChapterOtherEvidencesfor‘Ali’sGuardianship

AllevidencesindicatethatitwasAllah’swillthat‘Ali’sguardianshipbethetrialfortheMuslims,asitwasthereasonbehindeverydisputeandcontroversyerupted.AndsinceAllahissubtiletowardHisbondmen,never taking the latters to task forwhat the earliersdid, thereforeHemadeHiswisdomapparentandencompassedthatincident(ofGhadirKhumm)withothersplendidmiracles-likeevents,so as to be an incentive for theUmmah, and the contemporary peoplewould convey themand thefollowers would take an example of them, hoping that they might be guided to truth throughsearchingandinvestigation.

-FirstEvidence

It is related topunishingwhoeverdenying ‘Ali’sguardianship, after theprevalenceof thenewsofGhadirKhumm,anddesignationofal-’Imām‘AliasacaliphovertheMuslims,withtheMessenger ’stellingthepeople:Theattendantshouldinformtheabsent.When this news reached al-Hārith ibn al-Nu‘mānal-Fahri, it displeasedhim.[160]Sohe rushed

toward theMessenger ofAllah,made his camel kneel down before theMosque door, and enteredupon theProphet (S).Aftersalutinghim,hesaid:OMuهammad!Youorderedus towitness thatnogodistherebutAllahandyouaretheMessengerofAllah,andweacceptedthisfromyou.Youalsocommanded us to perform five prayers day and night, fast the Month of Ramadān, performpilgrimagetoAllah’sHouse,andpaythealms-dueoutofourmoneyandpropertiesandsowedid.Butyouwerenotsatisfiedwithall this, tillyouonedaysurpriseduswithraising thehandofyourcousin; preferring himover other people, and said: "Ofwhomever I am amaster, ‘Ali also is hismaster."IsthisfromyouorordainedbyAllah?TheMessengerofAllah(S),whoseeyesturnedred,replied:ByAllah,Whonogodistherebut

He.ItisordainedbyAllah,andnotfromme(repeatingitthreetimes)Onstandingup,al-Hārithsaid:"OAllah,ifwhatisutteredbyMuهammadbeingtrue,sendagainst

usstonesfromtheskyorbringusapainfuldoom."Thenhe (S) said:ByAllah, before reachinghis camel,Allah pelted himwith a stone from the

heaven,whichfelluponthetopofhisheadandwentoutfromhisposterior,causinghisdeath.Thereatthese verses were revealed by Allah the Almighty: "Demanded, a demander, the chastisementinevitable.For,thedisbelieversagainstit,thereisnorepeller."(70:1-2)ThisepisodeisreportedbyalargenumberofAhlal-Sunnah‘ulamā’,otherthanthosewereferred

to.[161] Whoever desires to go through more references, can refer to the book al-Ghadir ofal-‘Allāmahal-’Amini.

-SecondEvidence

Itisrelatedtothepunishmentofanyoneconcealingthewitnessregardingtheincidentofal-Ghadir,andwasinflictedbytheimprecationutteredbyal-’Imām‘Ali.Thatwaswhenal-’Imām‘Ali,duringamemorableday,roseup,andgatheredpeopleatal-Rahabah,proclaimingfromovertheminbar: I appeal to everyMuslimwho heard theMessenger ofAllah (S), saying on the day ofGhadir

Khumm."‘AliisthemasterofwhomeverIamhismaster",tostandupandgivewitnessofwhatheheard,providedthathesawhimbyhisowneyesandheardhimbyhisownears."Thereat thirtyCompanions, amongwhom sixteenBadrites (thosewho attendedBattle ofBadr),

stoodupandwitnessedthathe(S)tookhimbyhandandaddressedpeople,saying:"DoyouknowthatIhavemoreauthorityoverthebelieversthantheyhaveoverthemselves?Theysaid:Yes,youdo.Hesaid:Ofwhomever I am hismaster, this one (‘Ali) is also hismaster.OAllah, befriendwhoeverbefriendshim,andbetheenemyofhisenemy…"ButjealousyandhatredharbouredinsidetheheartsofsomeCompanionswhoattendedtheIncident

ofal-Ghadir,withheld themfromstandingandgivingwitness.Among thembeingAnas ibnMālik,towardwhomal-’Imām‘Alidescendedtheminbar(pulpit)andsaidtohim:OAnas,whatisthematterwithyou?Whydon’tyouriseuptogetherwiththeMessenger ’sCompanionsandgivewitnessofwhatyouheardon thatdayas theydid?Hereplied:OAmiral-Mu’minin! Ibecameoldandforgot (thatincident).Thenal-’Imām‘Alisaid: Ifyouareproved tobea liar I invokeAllah toafflictyouwithleprosyinawaythatnoturbancancover.Thenassoonashestoodup,hisfaceturnedwhiteoutofleprosy,afterwhichhebegantolamenthimself,weepingandsaying:IaminflictedwiththecurseoftheuprightmanbecauseIconcealedthewitnesstohisbenefit.Thisepisodeiswidelyknown,andwasreportedbyIbnQutaybahinthebookal-Ma‘ārif,[162]in

whichhecountedAnasamongthecripplepersonsunderbābal-baras(leprosy),andalsobyal-ImamAهmadibnHanbalinhisMusnad,[163]whenhesaid:Theyallstoodupexceptthree,whodidn’triseup,sotheywereafflictedwithhisimprecation. It is noteworthy tomention here that these threemenwere referred to by al-’ImāmAهmad as

reportedbyal-Baladhuri,[164]whensaying:Aftercitingal-’Imām‘Ali’sappealtowitness,AnasibnMālik, al-Barā’ ibn ‘Aziband Jarir ibn ‘AbdAllāhal-Bajaliwere sittingnear thepulpit.Al-’Imāmrepeated his appeal, but received no response from any of them, whereat he(‘a) said: My Lord,whoever hides this witness while knowing it. You should never let him die and leave the worldwithoutbrandinghimwithasigndistinguishinghimforallpeople.After that,Anas ibnMālikwasaffectedwithleprosy,al-Barā’ibn‘Azibturnedblind,andJarirwasconvertedtoabedouinafterhismigration,andoncomingal-Shurāthediedinsidehismother ’shouse.Thisstoryisfamous,reportedbyalargenumberofhistorians.[165]“SoLearnaLesson,Oyewhohaveeyes.”Anytruth-seekercanrecognize,outofthisincident,[166]thatwasrevivedbyal-’Imām‘Aliafter

elapseof twenty-fiveyearsandwasabout tobeobliterated, therealvalue,greatness,sublimityandself serenityofal-’Imām‘Ali (‘a).Whileheshowedextremeforbearance,being truecounseller toAbuBakr,‘Umarand‘UthmānaslongasknowingthatadvisingthembeingfortheinterestofIslamand Muslims, nevertheless he kept on holding in mind the Incident of al-Ghadir with all itsdenotations,besidesitsbeingrememberedinhisconsciencethroughoutallofhis lifemoments.Assoonasfindinganopportunetimetoresurrectingandrevivingit,hewouldimmediatelyembarkoncompellingotherstogivewitnesswithitpubliclyandbeforeallpeople. Anyone can contemplate in the way of reviving this blessed memory and its implied extreme

wisdomforestablishingtheproofagainstallMuslims,whetherthoseattendedtheincidentandothers.

If al-’Imām said: "O people, the Messenger of Allah has committed caliphate to me at GhadirKhumm", this wouldn’t have that influence and impression upon the hearts and minds of theattendants,andtheywouldhavesurelydisputedwithhimduetothesilencehekeptthroughoutallthatperiod.Butwhenhesaid:IappealtoeveryMuslim,whoheardwhattheMessengerofAllah(S)declared

on the day of Ghadir Khumm, to stand up and give witness, so as to make the incident reportedthrough a tradition from the Messenger of Allah (S), by thirty Companions among whom weresixteenmen attending Badr (Battle). In this way al-’Imām closed the door before the deniers andskeptics, and those protesting against his keeping silence all that period, since keeping silence bythesethirtymen,whobeingthemagnatesamongtheshaābah,wouldbeastrongevidenceindicatingtheperilousnessofthesituation,andthatsilenceimplyingtheinterestofIslamasknownbyall.

ACommentaboutShurā

Outofwhatismentioned,itbecameclearforusthatcaliphate,intheperspectiveoftheShi‘ah,beingaccording toAllah’swill and choice, and determination by theMessenger ofAllah (S) through arevelationrevealedtohim.thisclaimisquitelyinlinewiththephilosophyofIslaminallitsrulingsand legislations, as Allah, the Glorified, is He Who "… createth whatever He willeth and (also)choosethtoo;itisnottheirstochoose."…(28:68)AndsinceAllah,theGlorified,willedthattheUmmahofMuhammadtobethebestcommunitythat

has been raised up for mankind, so it should have a leader who being wise, sagacious,knowledgeable,powerful,valiant,pious,ascetic,andhavingthehighestleveloffaith.Allthesetraitscan never be enjoyed but by that who being chosen by Allah, the Glorious and the Mighty,distinguishinghimwithspecialcharacteristicsqualifyinghimforthepostofleadershipandheadship.TheAlmightyAllahsaid:"Allahchoosethfromtheangelsmessengers,and(also)frommankind.Lo!AllahisHearer,Seer."(22:75)TheexecutorshavebeenchosenbyAllahexactlyasinthecaseoftheprophets.TheMessengerof

Allah(S)saidinthisrespect:"Foreveryprophetthereisanexecutor(wasi),andmyexecutoris‘AliibnAbiTālib.[167]Inanotherhaadith,he(S)said:“Iamthesealoftheprophetsand‘Aliisthesealoftheexecutors.”168[168]On this basis, theShi‘ah submitted totally toAllah andHisMessenger,withnoone left among

them claiming caliphate for himself or covetting to it, neither through text (nass) nor throughelection:first,becausethenassnegatestheelectionandshurā(council),andsecondlyduetothefactthatthenasswasmadebytheMessengerofAllah(mayAllah’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimand his Progeny) upon particular and specific persons[169] by their names, so as no transgressorcouldliftahandagainstit,andotherwisehewouldbeconsideredadebaucheeandanapostate.WhilecaliphateintheperspectiveofAhlal-Sunnahbeingthroughelection(ikhtiyār)andcouncil

(shurā).Inthiswaytheyopenedadoorthatcouldn’tbeclosedbeforeanyone,arousingthegreedinessofall,farandnear,andbadandgoodforit,tillitwashandedoverfromQurayshtothemawāliandslaves,thentotheMamalikandlastlytotheTurkishandMoguls. Thereat, all the values and conditions they stipulated to be possessed by the caliph, have been

neglected since anyone other than the Infallible was merely a human being full of passions andinstincts,whoassoonasattainingtopower,feelsuncertainofbeingconvertedandturnedtobeworsethanhewas.AndtheIslamichistoryisrepletewithmanyevidencesconfirmingourclaim.SomereadersmaythinkthatIamexaggerating,andIaskthemtogothroughthehistoryof the

Umayyadswiththe‘Abbāsidsandothers,torealizethatwhocalledhimself‘Amiral-Mu’minin’usedtoshowopenlythehabitofimbibingwine,frolicwiththeapes,clothingthemwithgold.Andthattheso-called (Amir al-Mu’minin)used to clothehisbondmaidhis clothes to leadMuslims inprayers,turningmadduetothedeathofhisslave-girlHabbabah,beingdelightedatapoetwhereathekisseshis penis.Why do we occupy our minds in talking about those whom theMuslims judged to berepresentingonlythemordaciouskings,notthe(real)caliphate,asreferredtobytheهhadithnarratedbythem,whichistheutteranceoftheMessenger(S)."Verilysuccessorshipaftermeshalllastforthirtyyears,afterwhichitwillbeonlyamordacious

rule."Thispointisoutofscopeofourdiscussion,andanyonedesiringtohaveinformationaboutthatis

asked to refer to Ta’rikh al-Tabari, Ta’rikh Ibn al-’Athir, Ta’rikh Abi al-Fidā’ and Ta’rikh IbnQutaybah,andothers.

ThatwhichIintendedtosaywastodemonstratethedisadvantagesofelection,andfutilityofthetheoryfromitsfoundation,asagainsttheonewhomweelecttodaywemayharbourmalice,andit,willbemanifestedforusthatweweremistakenandhavegonewronginelection.Thisisexactlylikethecaseof ‘Abdal-Raهmān ibn ‘Awfwhenhe chose ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān for the post of caliphate,afterwhichhefeltsoregretful,butthatwasofnouseforthe‘Ummahafterputtingitintrouble.WhenareputableCompanionbelongingtothefirstvanguardlike‘Uthmān,breachesthecovenanthegaveto ‘Abd al-Raهmān ibn ‘Awf, and when the latter, though being a companion of fame among thepredecessors, beingunable to chooseproperly, itwouldbe impossible then to any saneman tobesatisfiedwith this barren theory that produced nothing but turmoil, instability and bloodshed.Andwhile swearing allegiance to Abu Bakr being a slip Allah protected Muslims against its evil, asdescribedby‘Umaribnal-Khattāb,withalargenumberofCompanionsopposingandrenouncingit,andwhenallegianceto‘AliibnAbiTālibbeingswornpubliclywithpresenceofsomeCompanionsviolating the allegiance, leading to eruption of theBattles of al-Jamal, Siffin and al-Nahrawan, inwhichinnocentpeoplewerekilled,howwouldwisemenbepleasedthen,withthatrulewhichwasputtotestandexorbitantlyfailedfromthebeginning,beingamischieffortheMuslims.Thisfactismoreascertainedwhenknowingthatthosewhobelieveintheprincipleofshurā,electthecaliphhavingnoauthorizationafterthattosubstituteordeposehim.TheMuslimstriedtheirbesttodepose‘Uthmān,buthedisdained,saying:"InevertakeoffagarmentAllahhasclothedmewith."Thatwhichincreasesevenouraversiontothistheory,beingwhatisseennowadaysinthecivilized

democracy-claimingWesterncountries,inregardofelectingtheHeadofState,withvariouspartiesstruggling,bargainingandcompetingforattaining topoweratanycost, spendingfor thispurposebillionsofmoneyallocatedforpublicityinallitsmeans.Furtherhugepotentialsandresourcesbeingsquanderedonthecostoftheoppressedamongthepeoplewhobadlyneedingthem.Assoonasanyof them assumes the headship, sympathy overwhelms him, making him designate his supporters,party members, friends and relatives in the posts of ministers, high-ranking responsibilities, andsignificant positions in administration, leaving the others busy in the activities of the oppositionthroughouthisreignperiod,uponwhichitisagreedtoo.Inthisway,theywouldcreateproblemsandobstaclesforhim,doingtheirutmosttodisgraceandtopplehim,entailingthusaheavylossforthedowntrodden people. Consequently, many humane values were devoluted and numerous Satanicdepravitiveswereelevatedwiththetitlesoffreedomanddemocracy,andunderbombasticslogans,inawaythatsodomywaspractisedasalawfulandlegitimateact,andadulteryturnedtobeaprogressandadvancementasasubstituteformarriage,aboutwhichyoucansaywhatyoulike.HowgreattheShi‘ah’sbeliefinholdingthatsuccessorship(khilāfah)beingoneofprinciplesof

religion,andwhatsublimeistheirbeliefthatthispostbeaccordingtotheWillandchoiceofAllah,theExalted.Itisreallyonappositesayingandsensibleopinion,admittedbyreason('Aql)andwithwhichtheconscienceispleased,beingsupportedbytextsfromtheQur ’ānand(Prophetic)Sunnah,coercing the tyrants, dominants, kings and sovereigns, imparting upon the society tranquillity andstability.

Notes:[160]Thisincidentrevealsthepresenceofsomeofbedouinslivingoutsideal-Madinah,whodetest

'Ali ibnAbi Tālib and never like him, beside dislikingMuhammad (S).As a consequencewe cannoticehowdidthisfoolenterupontheProphet,and,withoutgreetinghim,calledhim:OMuhammad!He thus proved to be among thosemeant in theHolyQur'ānic verse: "The (rustic) Arabs (of thedesert)areveryhard in infidelityandhypocrisy,andmore inclinednot toknow the limitsofwhatAllahhathsentdownuntoHisApostle…"(9:97)

[161]Al-Hasakāni, Shawāhid al-tanzil,Vol. II, p. 286;Tafsir al-Tha'labi, on theSurat al-Ma'ārij.Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol.XVIII, p. 278; Tafsir al-Manār, by Rashid Ridā, Vol. VI, p. 464; Yanābi' al-mawaddah,byal-Qunduzial-Hanafi,p.328;Al-Mustadrak 'alāal-Sahihayn,byal-Hākim,Vol. II,p.502;Al-Sirahal-Halabiyyah,Vol.III,p.275;Tadhkiratal-khawāss,byIbnal-Jawzi,p.37.[162]IbnQutaybahal-Dinawari,Kitābal-ma'ārif,p.251.[163]Al-'ImāmAhmadibnHanbalinhisMusnad,Vol.I,p.119.[164]Al-BalādhuriinAnsābal-'Ashrāf,Vols.I&II,p.152.[165]Ta'rikhIbn'Asākir,whichiscalledTa'rikhDimashq,Vol.II,p.7andVol.III,p.150;—Sharh

Nahj al-balāghah, of Ibn Abi al-Hadid, verified by Muhammad Abu al-Fadl, Vol. XIX, p. 217;—'Abaqātal-'anwār,Vol.II,p.309;—Manāqib'AliibnAbiTālib,ofIbnal-Maghāzilial-Shāfi'i,p.23;—Al-Sirahal-Halabiyyah,Vol.III,p.337.[166] The incident occurred on the Rahbah Day when al-'Imām 'Ali asked the Sahābah to give

witness about Hadith al-Ghadir. This incident is reported by a large number of traditionists andhistorians,towhomareferencewasmadepreviously,likeAhmadibnHanbal,Ibn'AsākirandIbnAbial-Hadid,besideothers.[167]Ta'rikh Ibn 'Asākir al-Shafi'i, Vol. III, p. 5; Manāqib al-Khwārazmi, p. 42; Yanābi' al-

mawaddah,p.79.[168]Yanābi'al-mawaddah,Vol.II,p.3,ontheauthorityofal-Daylami,Manāqibal-Khwārazmiand

Dhakhā'iral-'uqbā.[169]Thenumberwasreportedbyal-BukhāriandMuslim,whilethenumberandnameswerereportedbytheauthorofYanābi'al-mawaddah,Vol.III,p.99.

12ChapterDisagreementaboutal-Thaqalayn

Wehavealreadyconceived,throughtheaforementioneddiscussions,theviewpointsoftheShi‘ahandAhl al-Sunnah regarding the caliphate, and the acts and conduct of the Messenger (S) towardtheUmmah,asheldbythetwosects.Has theMessengerofAllah (S) then leftanything forhisUmmah, uponwhich it dependsand to

whichitrefersregardinganycontroversialmatterentailinginevitabledispute,thatwasstatedbytheHolyQur ’ān,whentheAlmightysaid:"Oyewhobelieve!ObeyGodandobeytheapostleandthosevestedwithauthorityfromamongyou;andthenifyequarrelaboutanythingreferittoGodandtheApostleifyebelieveinGodandintheLastDay(ofJudgement).Thisisthebestandfairestwayofending(thedispute)"(4:59).True,theMessengerhastoleavebehindfortheUmmahafoundationandbasisuponwhichitrelies

andtowhichitrefers,sincehewassentasablessingfortheworldsandheissokeenandconcernedthathis communitybe thebestof communities, andneverbe indisagreement afterhim.HencehisCompanionsandthetraditionistsreportedthathesaid“Iamleavingbehindamongyoutwopreciousthings(Thaqalayn),as longasyouadhere to themyouwillnevergoastrayafterme.TheBookofAllahandmy‘Itrah,myAhlal-Bayt.Theywillneverseparatetilltheycomeuntomenearthepond(hawd),solookhowyouaregoingtotreatthemafterme.”[170]Thishadithissahih(correct)andauthentic,andwasreportedbyboththesectsSunnahandShi‘ah.

ItwasnarratedintheMusnadsandSahihsofAhlal-Sunnah,throughmorethanthirtyCompanions.Since I,asusual,neverargueby thebooksof theShi‘ahorsayingsof their ‘ulamā’,whohave

reportedtheHadithal-Thaqalayn,acknowledgingitsveracity,sothatthediscussionbeobjective,fairand square (though fairness and equity necessitating that a reference should be made too to theShi‘ah).HereinafterabrieflistofthenarratorsofthishadithfromamongtheSunni‘ulamā’.1.SahihMuslim:"kitābfadā’il‘AliibnAbiTālib".Vol.VIIP.1222.Sahihal-Tirmidhi,Vol.V.P.3283.Al-’Imāmal-Nasā’iinhisbookal-Khasā’is.p.214.Al-’ImāmAhmādibnHanbal.inhisMusnad,Vol.III,P.175.Mustadrakal-Hākim,vol.III,P.1096.Kanzal-’ummāl,vol.I,p.1547.IbnSa’dinal-Tabaqātal-kubrā,vol.II,p.1948.Ibnal-’AthirinJāmi‘al-’usul,vol.I,p.1879.Al-Suyutiinal-Jāmi‘al-saghir,vol.I,p.35310.Al-HaythamiinMajma‘al-Zawā’id,vol.IX,p.16311.Al-Nabhāniinal-Fathal-kabir,vol.I,p.45112.Ibnal-’AthirinUsdal-ghābahfima‘rifatal-Sahābah,vol.II,p.1213.Ta’rikhIbn‘Asākirvol.V,p.43614.TafsirIbnKathir,vol.IV,p.11315.Al-Tājal-Jāmi‘lial-’usul,vol.III,p.308Addedtothese,IbnHajarwhomentioneditinhisbookal-Sawā‘iqal-muhriqah,acknowledgingits

veracity,besideal-DhahabiinhisTalkhisadmittingitscorrectnessprovidedthatitbeacceptedbytheShaykhayn,Ibnal-Maghāzilial-Shāfi‘iandal-TabarrāniinhisMu’jam,withtheauthorofal-Sirahal-Nabawiyyahfihāmishal-Sirahal-Halabiyyah,andtheauthorofYanābi‘al-mawaddah,besideothers.Cananyoneclaim,afterthis,thatHadithal-Thaqalayn"TheBookofAllahandmy‘Itrah":being

unknownbytheSunnis,andappertainingtotheShi‘ahalone??MayAllahcursefanaticism,thoughtinactionandJahiliyyahfervour.HenceHadithal-ThaqalayninwhichtheMessenger(S)recommendedtoholdfasttotheBookof

Allah and his Pure kindred (‘itrah), is a correct hadith in the perspective of Ahl al-Sunnah asmentionedbefore,anditisregardedbytheShi‘ahmoreauthenticandhavingstrongerchainsgoingbacktothePureImams.Sowhydosomeraisedoubtsaboutthishadith,tryingtheirbesttosubstituteitwiththeBookof

AllahandmySunnah"?AndthoughtheauthorofMiftāhKunuzal-Sunnahreportsfromal-Bukhāri,Muslim,al-TirmidhiandIbnMājah,inpageNo.478undertheheading;"His(S)recommendationwiththeBookofAllahandHisMessenger ’sSunnah."Butwhengoingintothesefourbookswecanneverseeanyhintorreferencetothishadith.True,youmayfindwithinSahihal-Bukhārithechaptertitled“Kitābal-’i‘tisāmbial-Kitābwaal-Sunnah,”[171]butyouneverfindsuchahadithatall.ThatwhichcanbefoundinSahihal-Bukhāriandtheaforementionedbooksbeingahadithsaying:“TalhahibnMusarrafisreportedtohavesaid:Iasked‘AbdAllāhibnUbayyAwfā(mayGodbe

pleasedwiththem):HastheProphet(mayGod’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny)committedtoanyone’scharge?Hereplied:No.Isaidthen:Sohowwasbequest(wasiyyah)prescribedforpeople,orhowweretheycommandedtowriteawill?Hesaid:HerecommendedwiththeBookofAllah.”[172]SonoreferenceistheretoahadithutteredbytheMessengerofAllah,sayinginit:"Iamleaving

behind among you two precious things (Thaqalayn): the Book of Allah and my Sunnah." And ifsupposedly such a hadith is there in some books, itwould be to no avail since unanimitywas, asmentionedbefore,tothecontraty.Further,shouldweinvestigatethehadith."TheBookofAllahandmySunnah,"wewillverilyseeitnotcongruouswithtruth,neitherthroughquoting(naql)norreason(Aql).Forrefutingitthereareseveralcauses:First:ThehistoriansandtraditionistsconcurthattheMessengerofAllah(S)hasforbiddenanyone

fromwritingdownhistraditions,andnoonecouldclaimthathewasinscribingthePropheticSunnahduringhislifetime.TheMessenger ’ssaying"IamleavingbehindamongyoutheBookofAllahandmy Sunnah" then can never be reasonable.And concerning theBook ofAllah, it is inscribed andpreservedinthebossomsofmen,inawaythatanyCompanioncanrefertotheQur ’ān,eventhoughbeingnotamongthememorizers.ButasregardsthePropheticSunnah,thereisnothinginscribedorcompiled during the Prophet’s lifetime, and the Prophetic Sunnah as is widely known and agreedupon,beingwhatever said,ordoneordeterminedby theMessenger (S).Andas isknown too, theMessengerneverusedtogatherhisCompanionsforteachingthemthePropheticSunnah,butratherhe used to address them, in all occcasions, with the attendance of some or only one of hisCompanions.Inthiscase,howwouldtheMessengersaytothem,IamleavingbehindamongyoumySunnah??SecondCause:WhentheMessengerofAllahbecameinalowstateofhealth,threedaysbeforehis

death,heaskedtobringhimthescapulaandinkhorn,soas towriteabookafterwhichtheywouldnevergoastray.Thereat‘Umaribnal-Khattābsaid:TheMessengerofAllahishallucinating,andwearesufficedwiththeBookofAllah.HadtheMessenger(S)toldthempreviously:IamleavingbehindamongyoutheBookofAllah

andmySunnah,itwouldhavebeeninfeasiblefor‘Umartosay:TheBookofAllahissufficientforus!, as in this case he with the Sahābah sharing his opinion, would be renegading against the

MessengerofAllah,thefactthatwouldneverbeapprovedofbyAhlal-Sunnah.Thus it can be realized that this hadithwas only fabricated by someof the latterswhoharbour

animosityagainstAhlal-Bayt,especiallyafterexcludingthemawayfromcaliphate.Itwasasifthatwhocomposedthehadith"theBookofAllahandmySunnah"wasastonishedtoseepeopleadheringtotheBookofAllah,forsakingthe‘Itrahandfollowingtheguideofotherthanthem,sohethoughtthat he would, through fabricating this hadith, rectify their course, removing any criticism andsarcasmfarfromtheSahābahwhocontradictedthetestamentoftheMessengerofAllah(S).ThirdCause:ItisknownthatthefirstincidentAbuBakrfacedduringthefirstdaysofhiscaliphate,

washisdecisiontofightthoserefusingtopaythezakāt(poor-due),despiteoppositiononthepartof‘Umaribnal-Khattāb,besidequotingtheMessenger ’shadith(asanevidence):"Whoeversays,thereisnogodbutAllahandMuhammadistheMessengerofAllah,hisproperty

andbloodwillbeimmuneagainstmeexceptwhenitisdue,andhisaccountabilityiswithAllah."Hence,iftheMessenger ’sSunnahwaspubliclyknown,itwasnottobeignoredbyAbuBakrwhile

hewassupposedtobethemostentitledtorecognizeit.Butthereafter‘UmarwassatisfiedwithAbuBakr ’sinterpretationforthehadithhenarrated,and

his saying that zakāt being the levy on money (māl). They were unaware, or neglected theMessenger ’sactualandnon-interpretedSunnah,beingthestoryofTha’labahwhorefusedtopaythezakāttotheMessengerofAllah(S),andaQur ’ānicversewasrevealedinhisregard.Nevertheless,theMessengerneitherfoughthim,norforcedhimtopayit.AnotherexamplecanbeseeninAbuBakrand‘Umar ’sdispleasureconcerningtheMessenger ’sdelegatingUsāmahibnZaydasacommanderofabattalion.Whenhedefeated thedisbelievers,hepursuedoneof themandashecaughthim,he(theenemy)said:ThereisnogodbutAllah!WhereatUsāmahkilledhim.WhenthisnewsreachedtheProphet(S), he said toUsāmah:OUsāmah,didyoukill himafter uttering ‘lā ilāha illāAllāh?’Hereplied:Hewasseekingprotectionthroughhissaying,andhekeptonrepeatingittillIwishedIhadneverembracedIslambeforethatday.[173][174]However,thiscanneverbeaproofmakingustobelieveinthehadith“TheBookofAllahandmy

Sunnah”,sincetheCompanionswerethefirstinignoringthePropheticSunnah,sohowaboutthosewhosucceededthem,andthosewhosehousesweredistantfromal-Madinah?FourthCause:ItisknownalsothatsomanyoftheSahābah’sdeedsaftertheMessenger ’sdemise,

werecontradictorytohisSunnah.ThoseSahābaheitherwereawareofhisSunnahandcontradicteditdeliberately, out of exerting their opinion against the Prophet’s texts, the fact making them to beamongthoseaddressedbytheAlmighty’ssaying:"AnditisnotforabelievermanorwomantohaveanychoiceintheiraffairwhenGodandHis

Apostlehavedecidedamatter;andwhoeverdisobeyethGodandHisApostle,indeedhehathstrayedoffamanifeststraying."(33:36)OrtheywereunawareoftheProphet’sSunnah,thecaseinwhichtheMessengerofAllahwouldnotbeentitledtotell them:IamleavingbehindamongyoumySunnah,whileknowing thathisCompanionsandnearestpeople tohimhavingnoknowledgeof it, sowhataboutthosesucceedingthemwhoneitherrecognizednorseentheProphet(S).FifthCause:Itisknownfurtherthatthe(Prophetic)Sunnahwasneverinscribedbutonlyduringthe

eraof the ‘AbbāsidState, and the first bookwrittenonhadithwas al-Muwatta’ of al-’ImāmMālik.Thatwasafterthegreatsedition,Battleofal-Harrahandproscriptionofal-Madinah,withslayingtheSahābah forcibly. After all that, how would anyone have confidence in narrators trying to makeadvances to theEmperorforgainingworldly lusts?For this reason, therewasgreatconfusionanddisagreementinbetweenthetraditions,withtheUmmahbeingdividedintoseveralmadhāhib(schools

ofthought),inawaythatwhateverwasapprovedbythisschoolwasnegatedbytheotherones,andviceversa.HowwouldwebelievethattheMessengerofAllahsaid(IamleavingbehindamongyoutheBook

ofAllahandmySunnah)whileknowingthatthehypocritesanddeviantswouldbelyingagainsthim,when he said: "The liars against me havemultiplied.Whoever lies against me should occupy hisabodeinfire."Soifliarsdidincreaseinnumberduringhislifetime,howwouldhechargehisUmmahtofollow

his Sunnah, while they having no knowledge of it, or be able to distinguish the sound from theunsoundandtheweakfromtheauthenticones.SixthCause:Ahlal-SunnahreportintheirSihāhthattheMessengerofAllah(S)hasleftbehindtwo

preciousassets(thaqalayn),ortwocaliphs,ortwothings.Oncetheynarrate(thathe(S)said)theBookofAllah and Sunnah of HisMessenger, and another time that he said: I ask you to adhere tomySunnahandthesunnahoftheRightly-guidedcaliphsafterme.ItshouldbeknownthatthelatterhadithaddsthesunnahofthecaliphstotheBookofAllahandHisMessenger ’sSunnah,soastomakethesourcesoflegislationthreeinsteadoftwoones,thefactcontradictingthecorrectversionofHadithal-Thaqalayn,uponwhichthereisagreementbetweentheSunnahandShi‘ah,whichsays:"theBookofAllahandmy‘Itrah",forwhichweintroducedmorethantwentysourcesfromamongtheauthenticSunnireferences,,besidetheShi‘ahsourcesthatwedidn’tmention.SeventhCause:IftheMessengerofAllah(S)knowsforcertainthathisCompanions,withwhose

languageanddialectstheQur ’ānwasrevealed(astheyclaim)hadnogoodknowledgeofitstafsirorta’wil (interpretation), so what about those to succeed them, and how would be the case of thoseembracingIslamfromamongtheRomans,Persians,Abyssiniansandallthenon-ArabswhoneithercomprehendnorspeaktheArabic.ItisconfirmedinthebooksofhadiththatAbuBakrwasonceaskedaboutthemeaningoftheHoly

verse:"Andfruitsandtheherbage,"hesaid:Whichskycanovershadowme,andwhichlandcanbearme,whenIclaimsomethingIknownotregardingtheBookofAllah.[175]‘Umaribnal-Khattābalsowasunawareofthemeaningofthisverse,asAnasibnMālikisreportedtohavesaid:Onceuponaday‘Umaribnal-Khattābascendedtheminbar(rostrum)andrecited:“andcausedWetogrowthereinthegrain.Andgrapesandthevegetables.TheOliveandthePalm.Andgardensenclosed,thickwithtrees.Andfruitsandtheherbage.”Hesaid:Allthesethingsareknownforus,butwhatismeantby“abbā”?Thenhesaid:ByGod,this

istheaffectationinitself.Whathappensifyouknownotthemeaningof“abb”,youcanfollowandapplywhatwasexposedanddemonstratedfromtheBook.andwhateverisnotknownforyou,leaveittoitsLord.”[176] Whatever is said here in interpreting the Book of Allah, is said also in explaining the Holy

PropheticSunnah.ManyaProphetichadithremainedatopicofcontroversybetweentheSahābah,andamongtheschools,andalsobetweentheSunnahandShi‘ah,eitherduetoconfirmingorweakeningthehadith,orbecauseofinterpretingandcomprehendingit.Forelucidation,Isupplythedearreaderwithsomeexamplesinthisregard:1)DisagreementamongSahābahaboutVeracityorFabricationofhadith:ThiscasehasactuallyhappenedforAbuBakrduringthefirstdaysofhiscaliphate,whenFātimah

al-Zahrā’cametowardhimdemandingtohandherFadak,whichheseizedfromherafterthedemiseofherfather.ButhedeniedherclaimthatherfathertheMessengerofAllahdonatedittoherduringhis lifetime. Andwhen she demanded from him the inheritance of her father, he told her that theMessengerofAllahsaidonce:"We,thefolkofprophets,nevergiveasinheritancewhatweleaveas

alms."She,inturn,deniedtheascriptionofthishadithtoherfather,arguingwiththeBookofAllah.The

dispute and debate heated between them, till she passed away while being wrathful against him,forsakingandnevertalkingtohim,asreportedinbothSahihal-BukhāriandSahihMuslim. Added to this the dispute between ‘A’ishah and Abu Hurayrah concerning the ruling of who

entered upon themorningwhile being ritually impure (junub) during themonth ofRamadān. Sheopinionedthathis fastingbeingvalidwithkeepingonhiscondition,whereasAbuHurayrah’sviewwasthat:whoeverentersuponthemorninginastateofritualimpurity,heshouldbreakhisfasting.Hereaftertheincidentindetails: Al-’Imām Mālik in al-Muwatta’ and al-Bukhāri in his Sahih, report from ‘A’ishah and Umm

Salamah, theProphet’swives, that theysaid:TheMessengerused toenterupon themorning in theMonthofRamadāninastateofritualimpurity,outofcopulationnotoutofhavingavenereal(wet)dream(ihtilām),andwaskeepingonhisfasting.AbuBakrreportsfrom‘Abdal-Rahmānthathesaid:I and my father were in a gathering near Marwan ibn al-Hakam, the Emir of al-Madinah, whensomeonetoldhimthatAbuHurayrahholdsthat:whoeverentersuponthemorning(inRamadān)inthestateofjanābah,heshouldbreakthefastingofthatday.ThereatMarwansaid:O‘Abdal-Rahmān,ItakeanoathbyGoduponyoutobetakeyourselftowardthetwomothersofbelievers,‘A’ishahandUmmSalamah,andinquireaboutthisfromthem.ThenIand‘Abdal-Rahmānwenttogethertillweenteredupon‘A’ishah,whenhesalutedherandsaid:OUmmal-Mu’minin,wewerenearMarwanibnal-Hakam,andhewastoldthatAbuHurayrahholdsthatwhoeverentersuponthemorningasjunub(rituallyimpure),heshouldbreakthefastingofthatday.‘A’ishahsaid:O‘Abdal-Rahmān,itisnotasAbuHurayrahclaims.Doyouwant to turnaway fromwhatwasdoneby theMessengerofAllah?‘Abd al-Rahmān replied:No, byGod. Then ‘A’ishah said: Hewitnessed against theMessenger ofAllah(S)thatheusedtokeeponfastingthedayonwhichhewouldenteruponitsmorninginthestateof ritual impurityoutof copulationnotoutofhavingavenerealdream.Hesaid:Wewentout andentereduponUmmSalamah,whenheaskedherthesamequestionandshegavethesamereplyasthatof ‘A’ishah,and thenwewent toMarwan ibnal-Hakam, towhom‘Abdal-Rahmānmentionedwhatthesetwo(women)said.ThereatMarwansaid:OAbuMuhammad,wouldyougetonmymountatthedoor,andbetakeyourselftoAbuHurayrahwhoisinhislandofal-’Aqiq,andinformhimaboutthis.So‘Abdal-RahmānandIgotonthemountandwenttoAbuHurayrah,when‘Abdal-Rahmāntalkedtohimforanhour,tellinghimaboutthematter,whereatAbuHurayrahsaid:IhavenoknowledgeofthisbutIwastoldbysomeone.[177]Look,Dear reader, toaCompanion likeAbuHurayrah,who isconsideredby theSunnisas the

Islam narrator; how he issues religious verdicts according to surmise, ascribing them then to theMessengerofAllah(S),withoutbeingawareofwhohasappraisedhimwiththem.

Notes:[170]Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p.148.[171]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.137.[172]Ibid.,Vol.III,p.186;Sahihal-Tirmidhi,"Kitābal-wasāyā";SahihMuslim,"kitābal-wasāyā";

SahihIbnMājah,"kitābal-wasāyā".[173][174]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VIII,p.36,and"kitābal-diyāt";SahihMuslim,Vol.I,p.67.[175]Al-QastallāniinIrshādal-sāri,Vol.X,p.298;IbnHajarinFathal-Bāri,Vol.XIII,p.230.[176]TafsirIbnJarir,Vol.III,p.38;Kanzal-'ummal,Vol.I,p.287.Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.II,p.

14:Talkhis al-Dhahabi; al-Khatib inhisTa'rikh,Vol. II, p. 468; al-Zamakhshari in his al-Tafsir al-Kashshāf,Vol.III,253;Tafsiral-Khāzin,Vol.IV,p.374;IbnTaymiyyahinMuqaddimatusulal-tafsir,p.30;TafsirIbnKathir,Vol.IV,p.473.[177]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.II,p.232,"bābal-sā'imyusbihujunuban;Muwatta'Mālikfitanwiral-

hawālik,Vol.I,p.272;"mājā'afialladhiyusbihujunubanfiRamadān".

13ChapterAnotherSelf-ContradictoryStorybyAbuHurayrah

‘AbdAllāh ibnMuhammadreports fromHishāmibnYusuf, fromMu’ammar, fromal-Zuhri, fromAbuMaslamah, fromAbuHurayrah thathesaid:TheProphet (S) said:There isneithercontagion,norpaleness,norvermin.AnArabsaid:OTheMessengerofAllah,whatisthematterwiththeshe-camels thatbeing in thesand like thedeers,and thenwhenbeingassociatedwith themangecamel,theybeinfectedwithmange?TheMessengerofAllahreplied:Whohasinfectedtheformer.Abu Salamah also reports that he heardAbuHurayrah say: The Prophet (S) said:No diseased

should be brought unto a healthy one. Then Abu Hurayrah denied his first hadith, and we said:Haven’tyounarratedthatnocontagionis there?Thereathe jargonizedin theAbyssinianlanguage.AbuSalamahsaid:Ineversawhimforgettinganyotherhadiththanit.[178] So, that is, O intelligent reader, the Sunnah of theMessenger, or say, what is ascribed to the

Messenger.AsAbuHurayrahthathehasnoknowledgeofhisformerhadith,buthewastoldbysomenews-teller,andanothertimewhenheisconfrontedwithhiscontradiction,hecan’tgiveareasonablereplybutonlyjargonizesintheAbyssiniandialectsoasnoonebeabletounderstandhisspeech.

Notes:[178]Sahih al-Bukhāri,Vol.VII, p. 31, "bāb lā hāmmah";SahihMuslim,Vol.VII, p. 32, "bāb lā

'adwāwalātiyarah".

14ChapterTheDisputebetweenAishahandIbnUmar

AbuJarihisreportedtohavesaid:Iheard‘Atā’informingandsaid:‘Urwahibnal-Zubayrtoldme,saying:IandIbn‘Umarwereleaningonto‘A’ishah’sroom,hearingthesoundofbrushingherteethwith the toothbrush. He says: I said: O ‘Abd al-Rahmān, did the Prophet (may Allah’s peace andblessingbe uponhimandhisHousehold) perform the ‘umrah inRajab?He replied:Yes. I said to‘A’ishah:Obondmaid,don’tyouhearwhatAbu‘Abdal-Rahmānsay:Shesaid:Whatdoeshesay?Ireplied:HesaysthattheProphetperformed‘umrah(minorpilgrimage)intheMonthofRajab.Shesaid:"MayAllahforgive‘Abu‘Abdal-Rahmān.BymylifetheProphethasneverperformed‘umrahinRajab, andhenevermade ‘umrahbut onlywhenbeing accompaniedbyhim."He said.And Ibn‘Umarwashearing,buthesaidneither‘no’nor‘yes’,andkeptsilent.[179]

DisagreementamongSchoolsaboutthePropheticSunnah

WhenthereisdisagreementregardingthePropheticSunnahbetween‘UmarandAbuBakr,betweenAbuBakr,[180]andFātimah(‘a),[181]amongtheProphet’swives[182],andbetweenAbuHurayrahand ‘A’ishahwith contradiction,1[183]and between Ibn ‘Umar and ‘A’ishah,[184] and also betweenAbdAllāhIbn‘AbbāsandIbnal-Zubayr,[185]andfurtherbetween‘Ali ibnAbiTāliband‘Uthmānibn ‘Affān.[186] And when the Sahābah differ among themselves concerning the PropheticSunnah[187] to the extent that theTābi‘un (followers) after themwere leftwithmore than seventycreeds(madhhabs).HenceIbnMas‘udhadhisownmadhhab,andsohadIbn‘Umar,IbnAbbas,Ibnal-Zubayr,Ibn‘Uyaynah,IbnJarih,al-Hasanal-Basri,Sufyānal-Thawri,Mālik,AbuHanifah,al-Shāfi‘i,andAhmadibnHanbalbesidemanyothers.Butthepoliticaldevelopmentshavedoneawaywithallofthem,withonlythefourschoolsofthoughtareleft,whichareknownforAhlal-Sunnah.Despite the smallnumberof the schoolsof thought,but theydiffer regardingmostof the fiqhi

questions,duetotheirdisagreementasregardsthePropheticSunnah.Oneofthem,forinstance,mayestablish his judgement on some question according to what he approved from the Messenger ’shadith,whileanotheronemayexerthisopinionormakesanalogy(qiyās)withanotherissue,duetothenon-existenceofthetextandhadithonitsregard.3.DifferencebetweenSunnahandShi‘ahaboutthePropheticSunnah.ThedisagreementbetweentheSunnahandShi‘ahregardingthisquestion,maybeduetotwomain

reasons: One of them being unauthenticity of the hadith in the view of the Shi‘ah if one of itsnarratorsbeingofthosewhosejusticebeingvilified,thoughbeingamongtheSahābah.ThatisduetothefactthattheShi‘ahneverbelieveinthejusticeoftheCompanionsasawhole,asAhlal-Sunnahdo.Addedtothis,theyrejectanyhadithcontradictingthereportingofAhlal-BaytImams,sincethey

giveitpriorityovernarrationofothers,howeverhightheirpositionbe,introducingforthisstrongproofsfromtheQur ’ānand(Prophetic)Sunnah,whichbeingconfirmedevenbytheiropponents,towhichreferencewasmadebefore. The second reason for disagreement betwen them stems from the conceptmeant by the hadith

itself,asitmaybeinterpretedbyAhlal-SunnahcontrarilytotheinterpretationoftheShi‘ah,asinthecaseoftheafore-mentionedhadith,utteredbytheProphet(S)thus:"DifferenceofmyUmmahisablessing."Ahlal-Sunnahinterpretittomeanthatdifferenceamongthefourschoolsofthoughtinrespectof

fiqhiaffairsbeingablessingfortheMuslims.WhereastheShi‘ahinterpretittomeanvisitingeachotherandcaringforacquiringknowledgewithalikebenefits(beingablessing).OritmaymeandisagreementbetweentheShi‘ahandSunnah,notregardingtheinterpretationof

theProphetichadith,but regarding thepersonorpersonsmeantby it, like theMessenger ’ssaying:"Adhere to my Sunnah and the sunnah of the Rightly-guided Caliphs after me." Ahl al-Sunnahinterpretittomeanthefourcaliphs,whereastheShi‘ahtakeittomeantheTwelveImams,beginningwith‘AliibnAbiTālibandendingwithal-MahdiMuhammadibnal-Hasanal-‘Askari(peacebeuponthemall).Orthehadithutteredbyhim(S):"Thesuccessorsaftermearetwelve,allbelongingtoQuraysh."TheShi‘ahmeanby it theTwelveImamsofAhlal-Bayt (peacebeupon them),whereasAhlal-

Sunnahcan’t finda satisfactory interpretation for thishadith.Moreover, theyhavedifferedeven inrespectofthechroniclesrelatedtotheProphet(S),asinthecaseofthedayofhisbirth.Ahlal-Sunnahcelebrate the Prophet’s birth on the twelfth of Rabi al-’Awwalwhile the Shi‘ah celebrate it on the

seventeenthofthesamemonth.Bymylife,thisdifferenceconcerningthePropheticSunnahisaninevitablenaturalmatter,during

the absence of a religious authority (marji‘) to whom all people refer, with his judgement beingefficacious, andhis opinion acceptedby all, as theMessenger (S)was.Heused to root out all thedisputesandsettleanyconflict,judgingaccordingtoAllah’srevelation,sotheyMuslimswerebuttosubmitthoughfeeling,annoyedintheirbossoms.SothepresenceofsuchapersonisanecessityfortheUmmahas longas itexistsonearth!Such isdeterminedbyreason,and it is impossible for theMessenger ofAllah to neglect this factwhile knowing that hisUmmah will pervertAllah’swordsafterhisdemise.Thereforeitwasincumbentuponhimtoprepareandbringupforitacompetentableteacher,soastoleadittotherightpathwheneverittryingtodeviateorgoastray.Andhehasactuallyprepared for hisUmmah a great leader, doing his utmost in bringing him up and educating andteaching him all kinds of knowledge, from, birth till attaining perfection and gaining near him apositionwhichbeingthesameasAaronhadtoMoses.Soheentrustedhimthefollowingmissionbysaying: “I fight them regarding revelation of the Qur ’ān and you fight them regarding its

interpretation.”[188]Andalsohissaying:“O‘Ali,youwillverilydemonstrateformyUmmahallthattheydifferedaboutafterme.”[189]So,whentheQur ’ān,Allah’snoblebook,requiressomeonetofightforinterpretingandexposing

it,sinceitisasilentbookthatcannotspeak,havingnumerousandvariousmeaningsanddenotations,andcontaining thevisible(Zahir)andunvisible(bātin)orhidden(meanings),sohowwouldbe thecasewiththeProphetictraditions?WhenthisbethetruthabouttheBookandSunnah,itwouldbeimproperfortheMessenger(S)to

leavebehind for hisUmmahtwo silent and dumb thaqalayn (weighty assets), in away that those inwhose hearts is doubtwould feel no compunction in explaining them allegorically for a (hidden)purpose.Pursuing,forsooth,thatwhichisallegoricalseeking(tocause)dissension,andseeking(togain) worldly lusts, so as to mislead those succeeding them, since they thought of them well,believing in their justice, and being then repentful on theDoomsday, to be among thosemeant byAllah’ssaying"Onthatdaywhentheirfacesshallbeturnedintothefire,theyshallsay:"OhwouldthatwehadobeyedGodandobeyedtheApostle!AndtheyshallsayL"OourLord~!verilyweobeyedour chiefs andour elders, and they ledus astray from thepath.:"OourLord!give themadoublechastisement,andcurse themagreatcurse." (33:66-68).AndHissaying:"Everytimea (new)peopleentereth(it)itshallcurseitssister(people);untiltheyhaveallcometogetherintoit,thelaterofthemshall sayabout the formerof them;"OourLord!Theseare theywho ledusastray, thereforegivethemadoublechastisementof the fire,"Hewill say:"Foreveryone (ofyou)double,butyeknownot."(7:38)Hasdeviationeverstemmedfromotherthanthis?Nonation(Ummah)wasleftwithoutanapostle

sentbyAllah,withthemissionofshowingthemthepath,andenlighteningtherouteforthem,butonthe demise of every prophet, his people embarked on perverting, changing, and allegoricallyexplainingAllah’swordsaccordingtotheirdesires!DoesanysanemanimaginethattheMessengerofAllahJesus(‘a)claimeddeityforhimselfbeforetheChristians?Verilynot,anditistoofarfromhim.HeaddressedtheAlmightysaying:"InevertoldthemanythingotherthanwhatYoucommandedme with." In fact, the desires, avarices and worldliness altogether have prompted and pushed theChristians to such a practice.Hasn’t Jesus, andbefore himMoses, given themgood tidings of theadventofMuhammad?ButtheyexplainedthenameMuhammadandAhmadallegoricallytomeanthe"savior",andtheyarestillawaitinghim. Thus ta’wil (allegorical explanation) was verily the only reason that caused the Ummah of

Muhammadtobedividedintodifferentnumeroussectsandschoolsofthought(seventy-threesects,allgoingtofireexceptonlyone).Nowwearelivingamongstthesesectsandcutts;doesanyoneofthem ascribe astrayal (dalālah) to itself? Or in other words: Is there one cult claiming to havecontradictedtheBookofAllahandSunnahofHisMessenger?Thecontraryis true,aseachoneofthemclaimstobetheonlycultadherringtotheBookandSunnah.Whatwillbethesolutionthen??CouldthesolutionbefarfromthereachoftheMessengerofAllah,orratherfromAllah?Iseek

God’sforgiveness,asHeisSubtiletowardHisbondmen,seekingtheirgood,soit is inevitableforHimbut to set for thema solution, so that hewhoperishedmight perishby a clear proof (ofHissovereignty).And it is notHis business— theGlorified— toneglectHis creatures, leaving themwithoutguidance,onlythatwhenwebelievethat it isHimWhodesireddisunityandpervertionforthemsoastothrowthemintoHisfire,whichisavoidandinvalidbelief.IseekGod’sforgivenessandturntohimfromsuchanutterancethatneverfitsAllah’sGlory,WisdomandJustice.SotheMessenger ’ssayingthathehasleftbehindtheBookofAllahandSunnahofHisProphetcan

never be the reasonable solution for our issue, but rather it increases in our complexity andinterpolation, and can never root out the rioters and deviants. The evidence for this can be seenclearlywhentheyrevoltedagainsttheirImam,proclaimingtheslogan:Rule(hukm)belongstoAllahnottoyou,O‘Ali!ItisreallyaglisteningsloganinfatuatingthemindofanyhearermakinghimtobelievetheutterertobesoanxioustoapplyAllah’spreceptsandrulings(ahkām),andrejectingthejudgementsofothersthanHimfromamongthehumanbeings.Butthisisnottrueatall.Allah—theExalted—said:"Andamongmentherearethosewhotalkconcerningthelifehere

marveleth theeandhe takethGod towitnessas towhat is inhisheartyethe is themostviolentofadversaries."(2:204)True,wemostthetimearebeguiledbythebombasticslogans,beingunawareofwhattheykeep

behind,whilesuchfactcouldneverbekept fromal-’Imām‘Ali,ashebeing thegateof thecityofknoweldge,soheansweredthembysaying:"Itisawordoftruthintendedtodenotefalsehood."Right,manywordsof truthare there,meant to indicatefalsehood(bātil),howis that?Whenthe

Khawārijsaytoal-’Imām‘Ali:"RulebelongstoGodnottoyou,O‘Ali,"doesthismeanthatAllahwillappearontheearthandsettlethedisputebetweenthem?OrtheyknowthatAllah’sjudgementisstated in theQur ’ān,but ‘Alihasexplained itaccording tohisopinion?Whatproof theyhave,andhowcan’tonebelieve that itwas themwhoexplainedGod’s judgement allegorically? In facthe ismoreknowledgeable,truthfulandprecedenttoIslamthanthem,andisIslamincarnatedinotherthanhim?Soitisjustaseductivesloganusedbythemtooverlay(thetruth)beforethenaivepeople,withthe

aimofgaining their support to seek theirhelp for fightinghimandachievingvictoryagainsthim(Ali),asoccurringnowadays.Everytimehasitsmen,andshrewdnessorcunningnesscanneverstop,but rather it grows and increases since the contemporary shrewd people benefit from formers’experiences.Howmanytruthwordsarethereintendedtodenotebatil(falsehood),inthetime-being?Glitteringandbombasticmottos,likethoseproclaimedbytheWahhabisagainsttheMuslims,suchas"monotheism and non-polytheism", so is there anyMuslim rejects it? Or oneMuslim communitycallingthemselves"Ahlal-Sunnahwaal-Jamā‘ah,soisthereanyoneamongtheMuslimswhoneverlikestobewiththecompany(Jama’ah)followingtheProphet’sSunnah?OrthebannerraisedbytheBa‘thists:"OneArabNationwithImmortalMessage",andwhocanescapethebeguilmentofsuchabanner,beforerecognizingwhatishiddenbytheBa‘thPartyanditsfounderMichaelAflaq?MayAllah help youO ‘Ali ibnAbiTālib, yourwisdom remained and stillwill be resounding

throughout time,asmanywordsof truthintendedtoindicatefalsehood.Onceuponadayascholarascendedtheorationrostrumandexclaimedloudly:Whoeversays:IamaShi‘iwewouldsaytohim:Youareadisbeliever,andwhoeversaysIamaSunni,wewouldsaytohim:Youareadisbeliever.We

needneitherShiahnorSunnah,butweonlyseekIslam.Itisatruthwordmeanttoindicatefalsehood,aswhichIslamiswantedbythisscholar?InourpresenttimethereisamultifariousIslam,anditwassoeven in the first century.As therewas Islamof ‘Ali and IslamofMu‘āwiyahwithbothof themhavingsupportersandfollowers,beingsofanatic totheextentoffightingeachother.Further therewasIslamofal-HusaynandIslamofYazidwhomurderedAhlal-BaytinthenameofIslam,claimingthatal-HusaynhasrenegadedfromIslamwhenrevoltingagainstYazid.MoreoverthereistheIslamofAhlal-BaytandtheirShi‘ah(followers),andIslamoftherulersandtheirsubjects.ThroughoutthecourseofhistoryweseedisagreementsamongtheMuslims,astheremaybetheindulgentIslam,ascalledbytheWest,since

its followersshowedaffectionand friendship to theJewsandChristians,kneelingdown to the twoSuperpowers.Lastly,thereisalsothefundamentalistIslam,whichislabelledbytheWestastheIslamoffanaticismandpetrification(tahajjur),ormadmenofAllah.After citing all this, no room is left for us to believe in the hadith "theBookofAllah andmy

Sunnah",fortheaforementionedreasons. The truth remains so clear and evident concerning the second hadith, uponwhich allMuslims

unanimouslyconcurred,thatis:"theBookofAllahandmy‘Itrah,myAhlal-Bayt",sincethishadithsolvesalltheproblemsleavingnoroomforanydifferenceordisputeininterpretinganyverseoftheQur ’ān, or in confirming and explaining any Prophetic hadith. That can be achieved throughreferringtoAhlal-Bayt,towhomwearecommandedtorefer,particularlywhenrealizingthatthosewhoweredeterminedby theMessengerofAllah (S) beingverily competent for suchmission.NoMuslimcanhaveanydoubt in theprofundityof their knowledge, andzuhd (asceticism) and taqwā(piety).TheyarethosefarfromwhomAllahhasremoveduncleannessandcleansedwithathoroughcleansing,makingthemtoinherittheknowledgeoftheBook,inawaythattheyneithercontradictitnor differ regarding its interpretation, and rather never separate from it till the Doomsday. TheMessengerofAllah(S)said: “I am leaving behind among you two successors the Book ofAllah a rope extended from the

heaventotheearth,andmykindred(‘Itrah)myAhlal-Bayt.TheywillneverseparatetillcominguntomeatthePond(hawd).”[190]“Sotobewiththetruthful,Ishouldutterthetruthneverfearingonthiswaytheblameofthosewho

have authority to blame, with the only objective of seeking God’s pleasure, and pleasing myconsciencebeforegainingconsentofpeople.” The truth in this discussion is verily on the side of the Shi‘ah,who adhered completely to the

Messenger ’s recommendation regarding his ‘Itrah, giving them priority upon themselves, takingthemasImamsandleaders,seekingnearnesstoAllahthroughshowinglovetothem,andfollowingtheirguide.SomayitgivethempleasurebywinningtheworldandHereafter,whereeveryonewillberesurrectedandgatheredwithwhoeverheloved(intheworld),andwhatapleasurewouldbetogainthecompanyofthosewhomheadoredandfollowedtheirguidance.Inthisrespectal-Zamakhsharisaid:Suspicionanddifferencemultipliedand,Eachoneclaimstobetherightpath,SoIadheredtolāilāhaillāAllāh,AndtomylovetowardAhmadandAli,Adogtriumphedthroughlovingmenofcave,SohowwouldIbemiserablebylovingtheProphet’sProgeny. O God, make us among those committed and adherant to the rope of their loyalty, and those

followingtheircourseandmethod,gettingintheirark,believingintheirImamate,andresurrected

withtheircompany.YouguidewhoeverYouwilltoastraightpath

Notes:[179]SahihMuslim,Vol.III,p.61;Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.V,p.86.[180]It isanindicationto theirdisagreement inregardoffightingthoseabstainingfrompaying

outthezakāt(poor-due).Thereadersareaskedtoseethereferencestowhichwerestatedbefore.[181]ThisbeinganindicationtotheissueofFadak,andthehadith"We,thefolkofprophets,never

leavebehindanyinheritance".Thereferenceswerestatedbefore.[182]An indication to thenarrationof fostering the full-grownmen (ridā'at al-kabir),whichwas

reportedby'A'ishah,butwascontradictedbytheotherwivesoftheProphet(S).[183] An indication to the hadith saying that "the Prophet used to wake up in the morning of

Ramadāninthestateofritualimpurity(junub),butkeepingthefastingofthatday,"whichwasdeniedby'A'ishah.[184] An indication to the narration claiming "that the Prophet (S) performd 'umrah (short

pilgrimage)fourtimes,oneofwhichduringtheMonthofRajab",whichwasnegatedby'A'ishah.[185]Anindicationtotheirdisputeregardingthelawfulnessandprohibitionofmut'ah(temporary

marriage).(SeeSahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VI,p.129).[186]Anindicationtotheircontroversyconcerningthemut'atal-hajj(enjoymentofpilgrimage).

SeeSahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.II,p.153.[187]They(Sahābah)differedregardingcountlessissuessomeofwhichareferencecanbemade

like:basmalah,wudu'(ablution),salātduringtravel,andsomanyotherjurisprudential(fiqhi)issuesandquestions.[188] Manāqib al-Khwārazmi, p. 44; Yanābi' al-mawaddah, p. 233; Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalāni, al-

'Isābah,Vol.I,p.25;Kifāyatal-tālib,p.334;MuntakhabKanzal-'ummāl,Vol.V,p.36;Ihqāqal-haqq,Vol.VI,p.37.[189] Mustadrak al-Hākim, Vol. III, p. 122, Ibn 'Asākir in Ta'rikh Dimashq, Vol. II, p. 488; al-

Khwārazmiinal-Manāqib,p.236;al-ManāwiinKunuzal-haqā'iqMuntakhabKanzal-'ummāl,Vol.V,p.33;Yanābi'al-mawaddah,p.182.[190]MusnadAhmad,Vol.V,p.122;al-Suyuti'sal-Durral-manthur,Vol.II,p.60;Kanzal-'ummāl,

Vol.I,p.154;Majma'al-zawā'id,Vol.IX,p.162;Yanābi'al-mawaddah,pp.38,183;'Abaqātal-'anwār,Vol.I,p.16;Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p.148.

Part1FateandDestiny

IntheViewofAhlal-Sunnah

The topicof fateanddestiny(al-qadā’waal-qadar) remained in thepastacomplicatedengimaforme,as Icouldnot findasatisfactoryandsufficientexplanation,atwhichI feelassured. I remainedperplexed,withtwoalternatives:betweenwhatIlearnedintheschoolofAhlal-Sunnah,thatmanisdetermined (musayyar) in all of his acts, having no free will to do what he likes: "Everyone isfacilitated to thatforwhichhewascreated,"andAllah—theGlorified—delegates to theembryoinsidehismother ’sbellytwoangelstoinscribehisdestiny,sustenanceanddeed,andwhetherheistobemiserableorhappy;[191]andbetweenthedictationsofmyreasonandconscience,ofthejusticeofAllah,theGlorifiedandExalted,andnegationofHisoppressiontowardHiscreatures,ashowcanitbe imagined thatHe forces them todo certain acts, and then calls them to account for them,or tochastisethemforasinHedetermineduponthemandcompelledthemtodo.So,I,likemanyofallotherMuslimyouths,wasexperiencingthosethoughtcontrarieties,inmy

beliefthatAllah,theGlorified,beingtheOmnipotentandtheCompeller,“WhowillnotbequestionedastothatwhichHedoeth,buttheywillbequestioned(21:23),andHe

istheDoerofwhatHewill(85:16).AndHecreatedthecreatures,makingthefateofsometobeinheavens, and someothers in fire, and thenHe is so beneficent andmerciful towardHis bondmen,"doingnot injusticeeven to theweightofanant" (4:40),"AndthyLord isnotatalla tyrant toHisslaves(41:46),and"Verily,Goddoethnotanyinjusticetopeople,butmentotheir(own)selvesdoinjustice."(10:44)Besideallthat,Heismorecompassionatetothemthanthemothertoherchild,asstatedintheProphetichadith.[192] I, most often, encounter such contradiction in comprehending the Qur ’ānic verses, as I once

understandthatmanagainsthisownselfshallbeawitness,andhebeingalonetobeanswerableabouthisacts:“Thenhewhohathdoneanatom-weightofgoodshallseeit.Andhewhohathdoneanatom-weightofevilshallseeit.”(99:7,8)AndanothertimeIconceivethatmaniscompelledwithnomightorpower,havingnopowerto

benefitnorpower tohurt,norsustenanceforhimself:“AndyedesirenotsavewhatGoddesireth.”(76:30), and“VerilyGod leaveth to straywhomsoeverHewillethandguidethHeWhomsoeverHewilleth”(35:8).Certainly, it is not onlyme butmost of theMuslims are experiencing such thought paradoxes.

Therefore,wheninquiringanyshaykhorscholarabouttheissueoffateanddestiny,theycannevergive a reply that be reasonable and acceptable to themselves before the others. So they say: It is asubject intowhichwe should never indulge. Some of themmay even forbid from indulging in it,saying:ItisincumbentuponeveryMuslimtobelieveinthefateanddestiny,itsgoodandevil,andbeconfidentofitsbeingwilledbyAllah.Whenbeingquestionedbyanyobstinate:HowcanAllahcompelHisbondmantoperpetrateasin

or crime, throwing him thereafter into the hell-fire? They will accuse him with infidelity andblasphemy and apostasy … beside other futile charges. Consequently, minds turned inactive andpetrified,withprevalenceofthebeliefthateverythingisdestined(byAllah):marriageanddivorce,and even adultery is destined when some say: Upon every vulva destined is the name of its malecopulater(nākih),andsoalsowine-drinkingandself-murder,andeveneatinganddrinking,thatyoushouldnoteatordrinkbutonlythatwhichisdestinedbyAllahforyou!! After introducing all these issues, I said to some of our ‘ulamā’: The Qur ’ān refutes all such

allegations, and the (Prophetic) hadith can never contradict the Quran! Concerning marriage, theAlmightyAllahsaid:"…thenmarrythosewhoseemgoodtoyou,"(4:3),thatindicatingthefreedomtochoose.And regardingdivorcehe said: "Divorce (shallbe lawful)only twice then (you should)

eitherkeepher in fairnessorsendherawaywithkindness,” (2:229)whichbeingalso throughfreewill.AboutadulteryHesaid:“Andapproachyenotadultery,verily, it isashamefulactandanevilway(openingtomanyotherevils).”(17:32),whichisalsoanevidenceforfreewill(ikhtiyār).AndregardingwineHesaid:“TheSatanonlydesirethtocauseenmityandhatredinyourmidstthroughintoxicantsandgamblingandkeepyouawayfromrememberingGodandfromprayer;willyouthenabstain(fromthem)?”(5:91)And in respectofmurder,Allah, theExalted, said: “…andkillyenot the soulwhichGodhath

forbiddensaveforjustice…”(6:152),andalsosaid:“Andwhosoeverkillethabelieverintentionally,hisrecompenseshallbeHell,heshallabidethereinandGod’swrathshallbeonhimandHiscurseand(there)ispreparedforhimagreattorment.”(4:93)whichallindicatefreewillinkilling.Andeveninrelationtoeatinganddrinking,Hehasdesignatedforuscertainlimitswhensaying:

“…andeatyeanddrinkyeandcommityenotexcesses;VerilyHe(God)lovethnottheextravagants.”(7:31)thatindicatesfreewilltoo. After all these explicit Qur ’ānic evidences, how do you, my master, claim that everything is

destinedbyAllah,andmaniscompelledinallofhisacts??Hereplied:Allah,theGlorified,isadministeringtheuniversealone.Hementionedasanevidence

theverse:"Say(OApostleMuhammad!)“O’God!Masterofthekingdom,ThougivestthekingdomuntowhomsoeverThou likest and takest away theKingdom fromwhomsoeverThou likest! ThouexaltestwhomsoeverThou likestandabasestwhomsoeverThou likest; inThinehands isallgood,VerilyThouartoverallthingsMighty.”(3:25)Isaid:NodisagreementbetweenusconcerningtheWillofAllah,theGlorified,andifAllahwills

todosomething,neitherhumansnorjinn,norallothercreaturescanopposeorcontradictHisWill!But our disagreement relates to the deeds of the human beings, are they produced by them ordeterminedbyAllah?? He replied: “Unto you be your religion and unto me my religion,” closing thus the door of

controversy.This,mostoften,beingtheargument(hujjah)ofour‘ulamā’.Irecallthataftertwodays,Ireturnedtohimsaying:IfyoubelievethatitisAllahWhodoeseverything,andthebondmenhaveno freewill to do anything, sowhy don’t you hold the same belief concerning caliphate, and thatAllah,theGlorified,createswhateverHewillandchoosesthebest(ofHisbondmen)?Hesaid:Yes,Iholdthisview,asAllah,theGlorified,HimselfhaselectedAbuBakr,andafterhim

‘Umar,then‘Uthmān,andthen‘Ali(ascaliphs),andifHewilledthat‘Alibethefirstcaliph,neitherjinnnormankindcouldbeabletopreventthis.Isaid:Nowyouaretrapped.Hesaid:HowisthatIamtrapped?Isaid:EitheryoubelievethatAllahhaselectedtheFourRightly-guidedCaliphs,leavingtopeople

thenfreetochoosewhomevertheylike.OryoushouldbelievethatAllahhasnevergivenfreewilltochoose to people, but He Himself elects all the caliphs after the demise of theMessenger till theDoomsday?Hereplied:Iholdthesecondopinion,accordingtotheverse:“Say(OApostleMuhammad!)“O’

God!MasteroftheKingdom,ThougivestthekingdomuntowhomsoeverThoulikestandtakestawaythekingdomfromwhomsoeverThoulikest…”Isaid:So(accordingtoyourbelief),everydeviation,corruption,andcrimethatoccurredinIslam

atthehandsofthekingsandemirs,allbeingfromAllah(destinedbyAllah),asit isHimWhohasmade these people as rulers over the Muslims? He replied: “Yes, it is as you say, and so alsoconcerningtherighteousmen.Thenherecited:“AndwhenintendWetodestroyatown,(first)sendWeOurcommandmenttoitspeople,”i.eWemadethememirs.” With astonishment I said: Do you mean that slaying of ‘Ali at the hand of Ibn Muljam and

murderingofal-Husaynibn‘AlibeingintendedbyAllah?? Triumphantly he said: Yes, of course. Haven’t you heard theMessenger ’s addressing ‘Ali, by

saying:“Themostwickedofthelatterswillsmiteyouonthis(referringtohishead)tillthis(pointingat

hisbeard)willbewet.” So also in respect of ourmaster al-Husayn, as theMessenger of Allah had pre-knowledge of

murdering him in Karbala’ apprising Umm Salamah with it. He further was aware that with ourmasteral-HasanAllahwillreclaimtwogreatcommunitiesofMuslims,aseverythingisinscribedanddestinedineternityandnoescapeisthereforman.Soitisyouwhoaretrappednotme. I kept silent for a while, looking at him feeling so proud at this speech, thinking that he has

defeated me through strong evidence. I was meditating how to convince him that God’s pre-knowledge of anything never indicating necessarily that He has destined it and compelled Hisbondmentodoit,asIwaspre-awareofthefactthathismindwouldnevercomprehendsuchatheory.Iagainaskedhim:Soyouholdthatalltheheadsofstateandkings,inthepastandatpresent,who

fightIslamandMuslims,havebeenappointedbyAllah?Hesaid:Yes,certainly.Isaid:DoyoumeanthateventheFrenchcolonialismoverTunisia,AlgeriaandMoroccobeing

destinedbyAllah?Hesaid:Yea,andwhenthedestinedtimewasdue,Francewentoutfromthosecountries.Isaid:GlorifiedisAllah!ButhowwereyoupreviouslydefendingtheAhlal-Sunnah’sbeliefthat

theMessengerofAllah(mayGod’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny),diedawayandleftthematter(successorship)tobedeterminedthroughconsultation(shurā)amongMuslims,soastoelectwhomtheylike?Hereplied:Yesitistrue,andIstillholdthesamebelief,andwillmaintainthisGod-willing!Isaid:Howdoyoumakeconcurrencethenbetweenthetwobeliefs:Allah’selectionandpeople’s

electionbyshurā?Hesaid:WhentheMuslimselectedAbuBakr,itnecessarilymeansthatAllahelectedhim!Isaid:HasGodrevealedtothemintheSaqifahtochoosethecaliph?Hesaid:IseekGod’sforgiveness,norevelation(wahy)isthereafterMuhammad(hisdemise),as

held by the Shi’ah! (The Shi’ah, as is known, never hold such a belief, but it is merely a chargeascribedtothembytheirfoes).Isaid:LettheShi’ahandtheirsuperstitionsalone,andconvinceuswithwhatyouhave(ofyour

own)!HowcameyoutoknowthatAllahhaschosenAbuBakr? He said: If Allah intended other than this, neither theMuslims, nor all the worlds could ever

contradictthewillofAllah,theExalted.OnlythenIrealizedthatsuchpeoplenevermeditatenorponderupontheQur ’ān,andaccordingto

theiropinionnophilosophicalorscientifictheorywillbeestablishedwithevidence.Thisrecallstomymindanotherstory,whenIwaswanderingwithafriendinapalmygarden,and

asIwastellinghimaboutfateanddestiny(al-qadā’waal-qadar),aripefruitfellonmyhead.Ipickeditfromoverthegrassinordertoeatit,soIputitinmymouth.Myfriendwonderedsaying:YoucannevereatbutonlythatwhichAllahhasprescribedforyou!

Thisfruitfelldowninyourname.Isaid:Sinceyoubelievethatitisdestinedforme,Ishallnevereatit…andIthrewitaway.Hesaid:GlorifiedisAllah!Ifanythingbeingnotprescribedforyou,Allahshallverilytakeitout,

evenafterreachingyourbelly.Isaid:Ishalleatitthen.SoIpickedituptoprovetohimthatIhavefreewilltoeatorleaveit.MyfriendkeptonwatchingmetillIchewedandswallowedit.Thereatheexclaimed:ByGoditisprescribedforyou(meaningthatAllahprescribeditforme).Inthisway,hedefeatedme,sinceitwasimpossibleformetotakethefruitoutofmyabdomen.

Yes,thisbeingthebeliefofAhlal-Sunnahregardingthefateanddestiny,orsaymybeliefwhenIwasSunni. It is natural to be,when holding such a belief perplexed in themidst of contrarieties, and it is

natural too forus to remain in the stateof inertia all the time, awaiting thatAllahchangeswhat isinsideourheartswithout trying tochangewhat is inourhearts soas todeservebeingchangedbyAllah. Besides we may try to evade the responsibility we shouldered, seeking to hold Allahresponsible for everything. For instance, when you ask the adulterer, or the burglar, or even thewickedmanwhorapedaminorgirl,killingherafteraccomplishinghis lust,about the reason thatpushedhimtodoso,hewillreply:Allahisconqueror….myLordhasdestinedso!GlorifiedissuchLordWhocommandsman toburyhisdaughter (alive)questioninghimafer that:Forwhatsinshewasslain?GlorifiedareYou,thisisverilybutatremendousslander! Naturally we should be then subject of derision on the part of theWestern ‘ulamā’, whomay

ridicule ourweak-mindedness, or rather nickname uswith some titles, like labelling our doctrinewiththename“maktubal-’Arab”(i.e.theArabs’prescription,makingitthefactorforourignoranceandbackwardness.ItisnaturaltoofortheresearcherstoknowthatthesourceofthisbeliefbeingtheUmayyadState

runnerswhousedtocirculatethatAllah,theGlorified,hasgrantedthemtheKingdomandmadethemrulersoverpeople.Soobeyingandnever rebellingagainst thembeing incumbentuponallpeople,sincethatwhoobeysthemisobeyingAllah,andthatrenegadingthemisrebelliousagainstAllahwhoshouldbeslain.TheIslamichistorycontainsmanyevidences,ofwhichwerefertothefollowing:When‘Uthmānibn‘Affānwasaskedtoresign(fromcaliphate),herefusedbysaying:Inevertake

offashirtAllahclothedmewith.[193]Socaliphate,inhisopinion,beingagarmentAllahgarbedhimwith,sonooneisentitledtotakeitoffofhimbutAllahtheGlorified,i.e.bydeath.AlsoMu’āwiyahhasoncesaid:Ihaveneverfoughtyouinordertofastandpaythezakāt(poor-

due),butIactuallyfoughtyoutobearuleroveryou,andthisbeinggivenmewhileyouareaversetoit.Thushegoesevenfartherthan‘Uthmān,sinceheaccusestheAlmightyAllahwithhelpinghimtoslaytheMuslimssoastobetheircommander,andMu’āwiyah’ssermoninthisregardiscommonlyknown.[194]Moreover,eveninchoosinghissonYazid,andappointinghimasagovernoroverpeopleagainst

theirwill,Mu’āwiyahclaimedthatAllahmadehissonYazidhissuccessor,asacaliphoverpeople.Itwasreportedsobythehistorians, thathesent letterseverywheredemandingswearofallegiancetoYazid, when Marwān ibn al-Hakam was his ruler over al-Madinah. So he wrote him a lettermentioningthatallegiancetoYazidwasdecreedbyAllah.[195]SuchwasdonealsobythedebaucheeIbnZiyād,whenZaynal-’Abidinwasbroughttohimfettered

in chains, he inquired:Who is that?They replied:He is ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn!He said:Hasn’tAllahkilled ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn? Zaynab (‘a) answered: Nevertheless, the enemies of Allah and HisMessengerkilledhim.IbnZiyādsaidtoher:HowdidyouviewAllah’smakingregardingyourhousehold?Shesaid:Ineversawbutgood.Thesearepeopleuponwhommurderwasprescribed,sotheycame

forthtowardtheir(destined)beds.AndAllahwillgatheryouwiththem,andyouwillbearguedanddisputed.At thatday,youshallverily findoutwho isvictorious,Mayyourmotherbebereavedofyou,OIbnMarjānah.[196]In thisway, thisbeliefwasspreadabroad throughtheUmayyadsand theirstooges,coming into

forceamongtheIslamicUmmah,exceptthefollowersofAhlal-Bayt(theShi’ah).

Shi’ah’sBeliefinFateandDestiny

AssoonasIbecameacquaintedwiththeShi’ah‘ulamā’,[197]readingtheirbooks,Ibecameawareofanewsciencecalledfateanddestiny.Al-’Imām‘Ali(peacebeuponhim)haselucidatedthis,throughthemostexpressstatement,when

givingareplytosomeonewhoaskedhimaboutfateanddestiny(al-qadā’waal-qadar),saying:“Woetoyou.Youtakeitasafinalandunavoidabledestiny(accordingtowhichweareboundto

act).Ifitwereso,therewouldhavebeennoquestionofrewardorchastisementandtherewouldhavebeennosenseinAllah’spromisesorwarnings.(Ontheotherhand)Allah,theGlorified,hasorderedHispeopletoactbyfreewillandhascautionedthemandrefrainedthem(fromevil).Hehasplacedeasyobligationsonthemandhasnotputheavyobligations.Hegivesthemmuch(reward)inreturnforlittle(action).Heisdisobeyed,notbecauseHeisoverpowered.Heisobeyedbutnotunderforce.Hedidnotsenddownprophets justforfun.HedidnotsenddowntheBookfor thepeoplewithoutpurpose. He did not create the skies, the earth and all that is in between them in vain. That is theimagination of thosewho disbelieve; thenwoe unto thosewho disbelieve—because of the fire.”(38:27).”[198]Whatanexpressstatement it is! Ihavenever readaspeechmore rhetorical than thisone,nora

proofbetterpointingtotruththanit.AnyMuslimisassuredthathisactsare(done)accordingtohisfreewillandchoice,asAllah,theGlorified,hasgivenusHiscommandbutleftforusthefreewilltochoose(theacts),assaidbytheImam(Amiral-Mu’minin):“AllahhasorderedHispeopletoactbyfreewill.”Besides,He—theGlorified—hasprohibitedandwarnedusagainstcontradictinganddisobeying

Him.Sohis speech indicated thatmanbeing free todowhateverhewills, andcandisobeyAllah’scommandments,deservinginthiscasethechastisement(‘iqāb),accordingtoal-’Imām’ssaying:“andhascautionedthemandrefrainedthem(fromevil).”Thepointwasmoreelucidatedbyal-’Imām‘Ali (‘a)whenhe stated that: “He isdisobeyed,not

becauseHe isoverpowered”,meaning that ifAllah intends tocoerceandcompelHispeople todosomething,allofthemwillbeunabletooverpowerHim(orcontradictHim).ThatmeansthatHehasgrantedfreewillincasesofobedienceanddisobedience,asindicatedclearlyintheHolyverse:“Andsaythou:“ThetruthisfromyourLord;solethimwhopleasethbeliever”;andlethimwhopleasethdisbelieve…”(18:29) Then al-’Imām ‘Ali addresses the conscience of man, to reach the depth of his inner

consciousness,givingthedecisiveproofthatifmanbeingcompelledinallofhisactsasbelievedbysome,sosendingdowntheprophetsandscriptureswouldbebutasortofplayandsport,fromwhichAllahisfarabove.Thatisduetothefactthattheroleoftheprophets(peacebeuponthemall)andsendingdownofscripturesbeingfor theaimofreclaimingpeople, takingthemoutfromdarknessintolight,givingthemthecurethatisbeneficialfortheirpsychologicalillnesses,andclarifyingtheidealwayoflivinginfelicity.TheAlmightyAllahsaid:“Lo!ThisQur ’ānguidethuntothatwhichisstraightest…”(17:9) Al-’Imām ‘Ali concludes his statement with saying that to believe in good, being the same as

believing that “Hecreateth the skiesandearthandall that isbetween them invain,”whichbeingadisbeliefwhoseholdersarepromisedbyAllahtobethrowninfire.WhenexaminingtheShi’ah’sbeliefinfateanddestiny,wefinditquitelyanoppositebeliefanda

right opinion. As while a sect went to extremes by believing in determinism (jabr), another oneextravagatedthroughholdingthebeliefinfreewill(tafwid).ButAhlal-BaytImams(peacebeuponthem)undertookthetaskofcorrectingandrectifyingtheconceptsandbeliefsheldbytheseandthose

ones, through calling to believe in the dictum: “Neither determinism nor free will, but a state inbetweenthetwo.”[199] For this belief, al-’Imām Ja’far al-Sādiq cited a simplified example, easy to understand by all

people in accordance to their thinking,whenhe replied to aquestioner askinghim: “Whatdoyoumeanbysaying:Neitherdeterminismnorfreewillbutastateinbetweenthetwo”?He(‘a)answeredhimthus:“Yourwalkingonearthisnotlikeyourfallingdownonit”,meaningthatwewalkonearthbyour freewill, butwhenwe fall downon it, it isoutofourwill. Is there anyoneamongus likefallingdownthatmaycausefractureofsomeorgansofourbody,renderingusdisabled?Hencefateanddestinywillbeastateinthemidstoftwostates,i.eapartbeingonourpartandby

ourchoice,andwedoitaccordingtoourfreewill.Andthesecondpartbeingoutofourwill,andwesubmittoit,withoutbeingabletorepelit.Soweshallbecalledtoaccountforthefirstone,whileweshallnotbecalledtoaccountforthesecondpart.Thusman,inthiscaseandthatwillbeauthorized(mukhayyar)andcompelled(musayyar)atthesametime.A.Freeintheactsproducedbyhimoutofcontemplationandmeditation,ashegoesthroughthe

stageofoptionandstrugglebetweenrisk-takingorabstaining,concludingateitherdoing(theact)orabandoning(it).TothisAllah,theGlorifiedreferredwhensaying:“Bythesoulasitisperfected.Andinspiredunto it (against) itsvices and (about) itspiety! Indeed succeedethhewhopurifieth it!Andindeedfailethhewhopollutedit!”(91:7-10)So purifying and polluting the soul being the result of testing the conscience of everyman, as

successandfailurebeingtheinevitableandfairconsequenceforthattest. B. Being compelled (musayyar) in respect of the surrounding rules and movements of the

universe,whichallbeingsubduedtoAllah’sWillwithallitsparts,components,planetsandparticles.Manhasnooptiontoselecthissex,ofmalenessorfemaleness,ortochoosehisskincolourorhisparents, to bebrought up, for instance, bywell-off parents not poor ones.Moreover he canneverchoosethelengthofhisstaturenortheshapeofhisbody.Man is verily subject to several compulsory factors, like inheriteddiseases for instance, beside

numerousnaturalrulesmadeforhisadvantage,withnoneedforanytoilonhispart.Asmansleepswhenfeelingtired,getsupwhenbeingrestful,eatswhenfeelinghungry,drinkswhenfeelingthirsty,laughsandbedelightedwhenfeelinghappy,andweepsandfrownswhenfeelingsad,whilehavinginsidehisbodyfactoriesthatmanufacturehormones,vividcells,andtransformativesemens,buildingatthesametimehisbodyinawonderfulwell-arrangedequilibrium.Despiteallthesemanifestations,manbeingignorantnotknowingthattheDivinegraceisencompassinghimateverymomentofhislife, and rather even after his death! Allah, theMighty and Glorious, says in this regard: “What!Thinkestmanthathewillbeleftuncontrolled?Washenota(mere)dropofspermemitted?Thenwasheaclotofblood,thenHecreated(him),and(He)made(him)proportioned.ThenmadeHeofhimof twokinds, themale and the female.What! IsnotHepotent enough togive life (again)unto thedead?”(75:36-40)True,glorifiedandpraisedYourName,OourLord,theMostHigh!YouaretheOneWhocreated

thenfashioned(allthings),plannedandguided,andcaused(creatures)todieandtolive.BlessedandExaltedareYou,andmaywretchednessandseparationinflictthosewhocontradictedandturnedawayfromYou,neveresteemingYouwiththeestimationthatthatbefitsYou.)WeconcludethisdiscussionbyasayingforAl-’Imām‘AliibnMusāal-Ridā,theEighthofAhlal-

BaytImams,whowasknownofhavingabundantknowledgeduringthereignofal-Ma’mun,thoughnot reaching the age of fourteen, to the extent of being the most knowledgeable of hiscontemporaries.[200]) A man asked him about the explanation of the hadith of his grandfather al-’Imām al-Sādiq:

“Neither determinism nor free will but a state in between the two (extremes).” Al-’Imām al-Ridā

replied:)“WhoeverclaimsthatAllahdoesouracts(determinesthem),andthenchastisesusforthem,hasin

factbelievedindeterminism(jabr).AndwhoeverclaimsthatAllahhaslefttheaffairsofcreationandsustenance completely to (be undertaken by)His trustees (hujjaj)— i.e. the Imams—, has in factbelievedintafwid(authorization).Whoeverbelievesinjabrisadisbeliever,andwhoeverbelievesintafwidisapolytheist(mushrik).Andconcerningthephrase“astateinbetweenthetwo”,itshowsthewaytowarddoingandundertakingwhatevercommandedbyAllah,andabandoningwhatHeforbade.Thatis,AllahtheGlorifiedhasgivenhimpowertodotheevilactandabandonit,inthesamewayasHemade him able to do the good and to abandon it, and as He ordered him to do this (act) andforbadehimofdoingthatone.”)Bymylife,itisverilyasufficientandconvincingstatementthattobeconceivedbyallminds,and

canbecomprehendedbyallpeople:theeducatedanduneducated.)TheMessengerofAllah(S)disclosedthetruthwhensayingintheirregard:)“Donotoutstripthem,forthenyoushallperish,anddonotfallshortofthem,forthenyoushall

perish.Donotteachthemfortheyaremoreknowledgeablethanyou.”[201]

ACommentaryonCaliphatewithinFateandDestiny

The uncommon point in this topic lies in the fact that Ahl al-Sunnah, despite their belief in theinevitablefateanddestiny,andthatAllah—theGlorified—compelsHisbondmentoactaccordingtoHisWillwithoutgivingthemchoiceinanything,butwhenitcomestocaliphatetheyholdthattheMessenger of Allah (S) passed away leaving the matter (of caliphate) to be determined throughconsultation(shurā)amongpeople,toelectsomeoneforthem.)WhereastheShi’ahholdexactlytheoppositeopinion,asthoughbelievingthatmanhasoptionin

hisacts,andthatAllah’sbondmencandowhatevertheylike(withintheframeworkofthehadith:)Neitherdeterminismnorfreewillbutastateinbetweenthetwo),butwhenitcomestocaliphate

theyholdthatnoonehasanyrightofoption!)Allthisseemstobeacontradictionfrombothsides:theSunnahandShi’ahatfirstblush,butthis

beinguntrue.AswhentheSunnahholdthatAllah,theGlorified,compelsHisbondmeninalloftheiracts,theyinfactcontradictthematteroffact,astheybelieveinAllah’sbeingtherealowneroffreewill,butwhatHeleavesforthembeingonlyimaginaryoption.SinceAbuBakrwaselected,onthedayof Saqifah, by ‘Umar and then by some of theCompanions,who being in fact executors of the

orderofAllah,Whohasmadethemonlyamedium,accordingtothisallegation.)WhereastheShi’ah,whenholdingthatAllah,theGlorified,madeHisbondmenfreeintheiracts,

they never contradict their opinion that caliphate being determined according to theWill ofAllahalone, as stated in the verse: “ThyLordbringeth to passwhatHewilleth and chooseth.Theyhaveneveranychoice…”Thatisduetothefactthatcaliphate,exactlylikeprophethood,isnotamongtheacts done by people, and can never be determined by them or their choice. As Allah selects Hisapostle from among people, and delegates him (with a mission). The same is true regarding thesuccessor of theMessenger, and people are free then either to obey the command ofAllah or todisobeyit,asactuallyhappenedduringthelifetimesoftheprophetsthroughoutthecourseofages.So(Allah’s) bondmen shall be free in acceptingAllah’s choice, since the upright believer submits towhatAllahhaschosenanddeterminedforhim,whilethatwhobeingungratefultothebountyofhisLord,rejectswhatAllahchoseforhim,rebellingagainstit.TheAlmightyAllahsaid:)“…thenwhoever followethMyguidance,heshallgonotastraynorput togrief.Andwhoever

turnethawayfromMymonition,verilyhisshallbealifestraitened,andWeshallraisehimupontheDayofJudgment,blind.Heshallsay:“O’myLord!WhyhastThouraisedmeblind,whereasindeedIwasseeing(before)?”(God)willsay:“Thus(is therecompense)fordidcomeuntotheeOursignsbutthoudidstignorethem;Andevensoartthouforsakenthisday.”(20:123-126))Afterthat,whenconsideringtheopinionofAhlal-Sunnahinrespectofthisissueinparticular,you

won’tblameanyone,aswhateveroccurredandoccurringbecauseofthecaliphate,andallthebloodthat was shed and honours that were violated, altogether were from Allah (by His Will), ascommented some of knowledge-claimants among them by Allah’s saying: “… and had thy Lordpleasedtheywouldnothavedoneit…”(6:112))Whereas the belief of the Shi’ah being to hold responsible whoever caused the deviation and

whoever disobeyed the commandofAllah, each one according to the extent of his sin and that ofeveryonefollowedhisheresyuptotheDayofResurrection,inaccordancetothehadith:“Everyoneofyoubeingaguardian,andeveryoneisresponsibleforhissubjects.”)AllahtheExaltedsaid:)Andstopthem,forverilytheymustbequestioned.”(37:24)

Notes:[191]SahihMuslim,Vol.VIII,p.44.[192]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VII,p.75.[193]Ta'rikhal-Tabari,"bābhisār'Uthmān";Ta'rikhIbnal-'Athir.[194]Maqātil al-Tālibiyyin,p.70;Tafsir IbnKathir,Vol.VIII,p.131; IbnAbial-Hadid inSharh

Nahjal-balāghah,Vol.III,p.16.[195]Al-'Imāmahwaal-siyāsah,Vol.I,p.151,"bābbay'atMu'āwiyahli-Yazidbial-Shām".[196]Maqātilal-Tālibiyyin,"Maqtalal-Husayn".[197]Like the Martyr Muhammad Bāqir al-Sadr (may God sanctify his soul), from whom I

benefittedagreatdealregardingthisissue.Besideal-Sayyidal-Khu'i,al-'Allāmahal-Tabātabā'i,andal-Sayyidal-Hākim,andothers.[198]SharhNahjal-balāghahofal-ShaykhMuhammad'Abduh,Vol.IV,p.673.[199]'Aqā'idal-Shi'ahfial-qadā'waal-qadar.[200]Ibn`AbdRabbih,al-'Iqdal-farid,Vol.III,p.42.[201] IbnHajar inal-Sawā'iqal-muhriqah,p.148;Majma'al-zawā'id,Vol. IX,p.163;Yanābi'al-

mawaddah,p.41;al-Suyutiinal-Durral-manthur,Vol.II,p.60;Kanzal-'ummāl,Vol.I,p.168;Usdal-ghābah,Vol.III,p.137;'Abaqātal-'anwār,Vol.I,p.184.Clicktoeditthistext.

15ChapterAl-Khums(One-fifth)

It is also one of controversial topics between theShi’ah andSunnah.Before giving judgement totheirbenefitoragainstthem,wehavetogiveabriefexpositionabouttheissueofkhums,andwestartitwiththeHolyQur ’ān;Allah,theExaltedsaid:“Andknowye(O’believers)thatwhateverofathingyeacquireafifthofitisforGod,andfortheApostleandforthe(Apostle’s)nearrelativesandtheorphansandtheneedyandthewayfarer…”(8:41)TheMessengerofAllah(S)said:“Iorderyoutodofourthings:TohavefaithinAllah,toestablishprayers,topayzakāt,andtofast

themonthofRamadān,andtopayforAllahthefifthofwhateveryouacquire.”[202]TheShi’ah—complyingtothecommandoftheMessengerofAllah(S)—usuallytakeoutfifth

ofwhatevertheyearnofmoneythroughoutthewholeyear,explainingtheword“spoil”(ghanimah)tomeanwhatevermanearnsofprofitsingeneral.WhereasAhlal-Sunnahconcuronspecifyingkhumsonthespoilsofwarsolely,explainingGod’s

saying:(Andknowyethatwhateverofathingyeacquire)tomeanwhateveryouacquireduringwar.Thisbeingtheabstractofwhatthetwosectsholdregardingkhums,andtheir‘ulamā’havewritten

manyarticlesaboutthisissue.IknownothowcanIconvincemyselforotherstoaccepttheopinionsofAhlal-Sunnah,thatwere

based—asI think—onthesayingsof theUmayyadrulers,headedbyMu‘āwiyahibnAbiSufyānwhoseizedthewholeestatesofMuslims,lootingwithhisretinueallthegoldandsilverthere.So,nowonderseeingtheminterpretingthekhumsversetobespecificallyrelatedtothespoilsof

war,sincethecourseoftheversehappenedtobewithintheversesofwarandfighting.Notonlythisverse,buttheyhaveinterpretedmanyversesinaccordancetothecourseoftheprecedingverseortheonecomingafter.Forinstance,theyinterprettheverseofremovingtheuncleannessandpurification(tathir), tobespecificallyreferringtotheProphet’swives,aswhateverprecedingandsucceedingitbeingaboutthewivesoftheProphet(S).TheyalsointerprettheAlmighty’ssaying:“…Theywhohoardupgoldandsilverandspenditnot

in thewayofAllah,unto themgive tidings (OMuhammad)of apainfuldoom,” tobe specificallyrelatedtothePeopleofScripture(Ahlal-Kitāb). Also the story of Abu Dharr al-Ghifāri (may God be pleased with him) with Mu‘āwiyah and

‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, and exiling him to al-Rabadhah, is so common, when he vilified them forhoarding up gold and silver, arguing themwith the aforementioned verse. But ‘Uthmān consultedKa’b al-’Ahbar about it, and he answered him that it was specified for Ahl al-Kitāb. Thereat AbuDharrreviledhimsaying:Mayyourmotherbebereavedofyou,OthesonoftheJewishwoman!Doyouteachusourreligion?Thesewordsangered‘Uthmān,whoorderedtoexilehimtoal-Rabadhah,afterhisdispleasuretowardhimbecamegreater.ThenAbuDharrdiedthere,aloneanddrivenaway,withhisdaughterfindingnoonetoundertaketheceremoniesofwashingandshroudinghim.Ahlal-Sunnahhaveawell-knowntechniqueandfiqh(jurisprudence)inrelationtointerpretation

oftheQur ’ānicversesandPropheticTraditions,followinginthisrespectwhattheearliercaliphsandfamousCompanionsinterpolatedagainsttheexpresstextsfromtheBookandSunnah.[203]

Intendingtoinvestigaterespectingthismatter,aseparatebookwillbeneededtocoverit,butitissufficientforeverytruth-seekertorefertothebookal-Nasswaal-’ijtihād,wherehecanfindouthowtheinterpretersplaywithAllah’sdecreesandprecepts.Forme,asaresearcher,IhavenorighttointerprettheQur ’ānicversesandProphetictraditions

accordingtomylikings,orinaccordancewithwhattheschool(madhhab)Ifollowdictatesuponme.Butwhat todowhilenoticingAhl al-Sunnah themselves reporting in theirSihāh that khumsbeingimposed on the earnings in other than war, contradicting thus their interpretation and school ofthought.ItisreportedinSahihal-Bukhāri,underthebāb“Fial-Rikāzal-Khums”,thatMālikandIbnIdris

said:Al-Rikāz(buriedtreasure)is theburial(dafn)ofJahiliyyah,uponits littleandmuchkhumsisimposedandminerals cannotbe considered rikāz.TheMessengerofAllah (S) said: “Onmineralsrepairment is imposed and on rikāz the khums.”[204]Under the “bābmā yustakhrajmin al-bahr”(whatisretrievedfromthesea),Ibn‘Abbāsisreportedtohavesaid:Ambergrisisnotregardedrikāz,but a thing driven forward by the sea. Whereas al-Hasan said: Khums is imposed (wājib) onambergris and pearls, and verily the Prophet (S) made rikāz liable to khums, not that which isretrievedfromthesea.[205]Fromall these traditions any researchermayconclude that the scopeof the termghanimah,on

which khumsmade wājib by Allah is not confined to the spoils of war, since rikāz is a treasureextractedfromtheearth,anditbecomesthepropertyofthatwhoextractedit.Butheisobligedtopayitskhumsbecauseitisaghanimah.Moreoveranyoneextractingambergrisandpearlsfromtheseaisliabletotakeoutthekhumssinceitisaghanimah. According to what is reported by al-Bukhāri in his Sahih it becomes clear that khums is not

confinedtothespoilsofwar. While the Shi’ah’s opinion remains always to represent the truth that being devoid of any

contradictionanddifference,sincetheyreferinalltherulesandbeliefstotheImamsofguidance,farfromwhomAllahremoveduncleanlinessandpurifiedathoroughpurification.TheImamswhoareverilyequalstotheBook(Qur ’ān),towhomeveryoneholdsonwillnevergoastray,andfeelssafewhoeverseekingtheirshelter.However,wecanneverdependonwarstoestablishtheStateofIslam,sincethisnevergoeswith

theliberalityofIslamanditsinvitationtowardpeace.IslamisnotacolonialistStatethatisestablishedon exploiting the nations and looting their fortunes and resources, the charge that theWesternerstrying toaccuseuswithwhen referring to theProphetof Islamwithdisgrace,claiming thathe (S)extendedhisdominionthroughforce,compulsionandswordtoexploitthepeoples. And as money being the sinew of life, especially when the theory of the Islamic economics

necessitatesoriginationofwhatiscallednowadays:thesocialinsurance,forthesakeofguaranteeingfortheneedyanddisabledtheirlivelihoodwithconsiderationanddignity.TheIslamicStatecanneverbesustained throughdependingupon thezakāt takenoutbyAhlal-

Sunnah,whichneverexceedsatthebest2.5percent.ItisaverylowpercentagethatcannevermeettheneedsoftheStateincluding:makingreadyofforce,buildingtheschoolsandhospitalsandpavingtheroads,besideguaranteeing for every individual an income that canbe sufficient forhis livelihoodandinsuringhis life.Further theIslamicStatecanneverbedependantonbloodywarsandfightingpeopletosafeguarditsexistence,anddevelopitsfoundationsatthecostoftheslainpeoplewhowereaversetoIslam. The Ahl al-Bayt Imams (peace be upon them) were the most knowledgeable people in the

denotations of theQur ’ān.Why not,while they being its true interpreters, undertaking the task oflaying down for the Islamic State the guidelines of economy, and sociology, had they an obeyedopinion.

But, unfortunately and regretfully, power and leadershipwere in the hands of other than them,those who seized and usurped caliphate by force and subjugation, and assassinating the righteousamong the Companions, as practised by Mu‘āwiyah. Moreover they altered the rules of Allahaccording to the dictates of their political and worldly interests and lusts, going astray thus andmisleadingtheothers,leavingtheUmmahtoreachthelowestpoint,withnoconsiderationorpowertillthepresenttime.ThusthepreceptsandteachingsofAhlal-Baytbecamemerethoughtsandtheories,believedonly

by theShi’ahwithnoway toapply them,since theywerepersecutedandchasedouteastwardsandwestwardsoftheearth,beingpursuedbytheUmayyadsand‘Abbāsidsthroughoutages. After the disintegration of these two dynasties, the Shi’ah managed to bring about a society

committedtopaythekhumstotheImams(peacebeuponthem)secretly.Andnowadays,theypayittothehighreligiousauthority(marji‘)whomtheyimitate(inIslamicrules)asadeputytoal-’Imāmal-Mahdi(peacebeuponhim),whoin turnexpends itwithin its legitimatepurposesanduses,suchasfounding theological schools, charity centres, public libraries, and orphanages, beside other nobleworkssuchaspayingmonthlysalariesandstipendstotheknowledge-seekers,andalike.FromallthiswecanconcludethattheShi’ah‘ulamā’actindependentlyfromtherulingauthorities,

sincethekhumsmeetsalltheirneeds,andoutofittheygiveeveryonehisdue.WhereasAhlal-Sunnahbeingaburdenprovidedbytherulers,andagentsworkingfortheruling

authority,withtherulerbeingfreetobringnear,orexcludewhoeverhewillsfromamongthem,inaccordancewiththeirtreatmentandbehaviourtowardhimandsacrificeforservinghisbenefit.Inthiswaythescholarturnstobemerelyanagentclosetotherulerratherthanjustascholar(‘ālim)!whichbeing one of the bad consequences that resulted from forsaking and ignoring performing theobligationofkhums,initsmeaningconceivedbyAhlal-Bayt(peacebeuponthem).

Notes:[202]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,p.44.[203]Inhisbookal-Nasswaal-'ijtihād,al-'ImāmSharafal-Dincitedmorethanahundredinstances

whereta'wil(interpretation)occurredagainsttheexpresstexts.Theresearchersarerequiredtorefertothisbook,sinceinithehascollectedonlythosetraditionsreportedbytheSunni'ulamā',admittingitsveracity.[204]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.II,p.137,"bābfial-rikāzal-khums.[205]Ibid.,Vol.II,p.136,"bābmāyustakhrajminal-bahr".

16ChapterImitation(Taqlid)

TheShi’ahhold:Regardingbranchesofreligion(furu‘al-Din),whichrepresenttherulesofShari‘ah(IslamicLaw)relatedtoworshipactslike:salāt,sawm(fasting),zakātandhajj,forwhoserulesthefollowingconditionsareobligatory:a.Manshouldexerthimselfandstrivetodeducerulesfromitsvalidsources,ifbeingcompetent

forthis.b.Oreitherhecantakeprecautioninallofhisactsifitbeinhiscapacity.c.Orotherwiseheshould imitateamujtahidpossessing fullqualifications,oncondition thathe

(mujtahid)be:alive, sane, just,knowledgeable,andwhosafeguardshis soul, takescareofhisDin,opposeshisdesires,andobeysthecommandsofhisLord. Ijtihād in thesub-lawsbeingakifā’iobligationonall theMuslims,whenany full-qualifiedone

performsit,otherMuslimswillbeexemptedfromit,anditispermissibleforthemtoimitatehimandrefertohimregardingbranchesofreligion.Becausethepositionofijtihādcanneverbeattainedsoeasily,orbeaccessibleforallpeople,butratherrequiresabundanceoftime,sciences,knowledgeandcapability, the characteristics that can never be possessedbut only bywhoever toiling and strivinghard,spendinghislifeininvestigationandseekingknowledge.Ijtihādcanneverbeacquiredandattainedbutonlybythatwhoislordofraregoodfortune.TheProphet(S)said:“WhenAllahintendsgoodforanyone,Heshallmakehimlearnedinreligion.”ThereisnodifferencebetweenthisopinionoftheShi’ahandthatoftheSunnah,exceptinrespect

oftheconditionofthemujtahid’sbeingalive.But themanifest disagreement between them lies in applying taqlid.TheShi’ah believe that the

qualifiedmujtahidbeingtheviceroyofthe(12th)Imam(‘a)duringhisoccultation,andheshallbetherulerandabsolutechief,entitledtowhateverbein thecapacityof theImam,insettlingthedisputesregarding all issues and judging among people, and thatwho contradicts him is contradicting theImam. The qualifiedmujtahid, in the perspective of the Shi’ah, is not only a reference (marji‘) to be

referredtoincasesofgivingverdicts,butalsoheenjoysall-inclusivewilāyah (guardianship)overhis imitators,whorefer tohiminrespectof rules(ahkām),settlingall thedisputesanddifferencesamong them in judicialmatters,handinghim thezakātandkhumsof theirpropertiesand funds, todisposeofthemasordainedintheShari‘ah,onbehalfoftheImamofTime(peacebeuponhim).While,themujtahiddoesnotenjoythispositionintheperspectiveofAhlal-Sunnah,whoreferin

thejurisprudentialquestionstooneofthefourimāms,leadersoftheschoolsofthought(madhāhib):AbuHanifah,Mālik,al-Shāfi‘iandAhmadibnHanbal.ThecontemporarySunnismaynotabidebyimitatinganyoneof these four inparticular,as theymay take the rules for someof theirquestionsfromoneof themandsomeothers fromanotherone,according towhat theirneedsnecessitate,aspractisedbySayyidSābiqwhocomposedafiqhderivedfromthefourleaders.AndsincetheSunnisbelievethatblessingliesintheirdisagreement,sotheMālikiisentitled,for

instance,torefertoAbuHanifahwhenfindingnearhimthesolutionfortheproblemhehas,thatmay

notbefoundnearMālik.Iwillciteanexampletodemonstrateforthereadersoastobeabletoconceivethemeaning.InTunisia(duringtheepochofjudicialcourts)therewasamaturegirlwhofellinlovewithsome

manandintendedtogetmarriedtohim.Butherfatherrefusedtomarryhertothatyouth,forareasonGodknowsalone.Thenthegirlfledherfather ’shouseandgotmarriedtothatyoungman,withouttakingthepermissionofherfather.Thefatherlodgedasuitagainstthatmarriage.Whenthegirlandherhusbandweresummonedandbroughtbeforethejudge,heaskedherabout

thecausebehindherescapingfromherfather ’shouse,andgettingmarriedwithoutthepermissionofher guardian (wali). She replied: Sir, I am twenty-five years old, and I desired tomarry thismanaccording to theSunnahofAllah andHisMessenger; and sincemy father intends tomarryme tosomeone Idislike, so Imarried inaccordancewith theopinionofAbuHanifah,whogivesme therighttomarrytheoneIlove,asIamfull-grown(adult). The judge (who himself narrated this story tome)—mayGod’smercy be upon him— says:

“Whenweconsideredandinvestigatedthecase,wefoundherclaimtoberight,andIthinkthatoneofthe well-aware ‘ulamā’ has taught her what to say”. The judge says: Then I rebutted the father ’scomplaintandendorsedthemarriage(judgedittobecorrect).Sothefatherdepartedthecourtbeingatloss,reiteratingthesewords:“Theshe-dogbecameHanafi”,i.ehisdaughterhasabandonedMālikandfollowedAbuHanifah,andtheword“she-dog”(kalbah)impliesaninsulttohisdaughter,fromwhomhehasdisownedlateron.Theissuestemsfromthedifferenceintheijtihādoftheschools.AsMālikisoftheopinionthatthe

marriageofthemaidengirl(bikr)canneverbevalidbutonlywiththepermissionofherguardian(wali),andevenwhenshebeathayyib(thatis,agirlwhohashadsexualintercourse),hewillbeherpartnerinmarriage,andsheisnotallowedtodecidetomarryanyonewithouthisconsent.WhereasAbuHanifahholdsthatthesane,grown-upfemaleiscompetenttochooseherhusbandandtocontractmarriage,irrrespectiveofbeingamaidenorathayyib.Sothisfiqhiissuehascausedtoseparatebetweenthefatherandhisdaughter,totheextentthathe

declared his disavowal of her. Very often fathers used to disown of their daughters for severalreasons,oneofwhichbeingtofleehomewiththemanwithwhomshelikestogetmarried.Thissortofdisowningentails inconvenientconsequences,as the fathermostoftenmay resort todeprivehisdaughterfromherrighttoinherithim,soasthegirlremainingtobeanenemytoherbrotherswho,inturn,woulddisowntheirsisterwhobroughtthemshame. Hence the truth is not as claimed by Ahl al-Sunnah that blessing (rahmah) lies in their

disagreement,orattheleast,blessingcanneverbeimpliedinallthecontroversialmatters.Moreover,thereisanotherpointofdisputebetweenthem,whichisimitationofthedeadmujtahid

(taqlid al-mayyit). The Sunnis imitate imāmswho died several centuries ago, closing the door ofijtihād since that era, and all the ‘ulamā’ succeeding them would be content with the expositions(shuruh),andwhateverwritteninpoetryandprosefromthefiqhofthefourschoolsofthought.Thensomeofthecontemporary‘ulamā’begantocallforopeningthedoorsandrestorationthepracticeofijtihād,duetowhatthetimerequirementsnecessitating,andtofindsolutionsfornewquestionsandissuesthatwereunknownduringthelifetimeofthefourimāms(leadersofSunnischools). Whereas the Shi’ah never permit (anyone) to imitate the dead mujtahid (for the first time),

referring in all their rules to the alive mujtahid possessing all the necessary qualifications wementionedpreviously,duringtheoccultationoftheInfallibleImam,whochargedthemtorefertotheequitable‘ulamā’inthetimeofhisoccultation(ghaybah)tillhisreappearance.TheSunniMāliki,forinstance,maydeclare:Thisthingislawful(halāl)andthatthingisforbidden

(harām)accordingtothebeliefofal-’ImāmMālik,whoisdeadmorethantwelvecenturiesago.Thesameclaim isutteredby the followersof theHanafi,Shāfi‘i andHanbali schools, since these four

leaderslivedcontemprory,witheachoneofthemlearningunderthehandoftheother.Besides,thefollowerofanyoftheSunnischoolsneverbelievesintheinfallibilityofthesefourleaders(imāms),whoneverclaimedthistraitforthemselves,butbelievinginthepossibilitytoerrandtobecorrect.Besides, they claim that they are worth rewarding in all their exertions of opinion (ijtihādat),deservingtworewardsincaseofbeingright,andonerewardincaseofbeingwrong.WhiletheImāmiShi’i,forinstance,hastwostagesintaqlid(imitation):FirstStage:WhichbeingduringthelifetimeoftheTwelveImamsthatextendedforalmostthree

andahalfcenturies.Duringthatepoch,everyfolloweroftheShi’ischoolwasimitatingtheInfallibleImam, who never speaks out of his opinion or ijtihād, but through knowledge and narrations heinherited from his grandfather (S), saying regarding any issue:My father has reported frommygrandfather,fromGabriel,fromAllah,theGlorifiedandMighty.SecondStage:Whichrepresentsthetimeofoccultationthatextendeduptothepresenttime.Every

Shi’i says:This thing ishalāland thatone isharāmaccording to theopinionheldbyal-Sayyidal-Khu’ioral-Sayyidal-Khumayni,forinstance,whobothbeingalive,andtheiropinionneverexceedsstriving(ijtihād)indeducingthelawsfromthetextsoftheQur ’ānandPropheticSunnah,dependingon the traditionsofAhlal-Bayt Imamsat first, andafter them the trusteesamong theCompanions.The reasonbehind theirdiscussing the traditionsofAhl al-Bayt Imamsat first, lies in the fact thatthese Imams refuse the use of opinion in respect of Shari‘ah (Islamic Law), observing: There isnothingbuta judgementwas revealed regarding itbyAllah.Whenwe lack the law(hukm)onanyissue,thisnevermeansthatitisneglectedbyAllah,theGlorified,butourinadequacyandignorancepreventedus frombeingable to recognize thehukm(law)of the issue. Ignoranceof anythingandinability to realize it can never be an evidence indicating its non-existence, as stated byAllah, theGlorifiedintheHolyQur ’ān:“WehavenotneglectedintheBook(theQur ’ān)anything….”(6:38)

17ChapterDoctrineswithwhichAhlal-SunnahReviletheShi‘ah

Among the creeds and beliefswithwhichAhl al-Sunnah defame theShi‘ah, there are somewhichmerelybeingresultedfromtheabominablepartisanship,createdbytheUmayyadsand‘AbbāsidsintheearlyepochfoIslam,outoftheirgrudgeandhatredagainstal-’Imām‘Ali,totheextentthattheykeptoncursinghimonthetribunesforfortyyears.Sonowonder to see themslanderingandextremelydisgracingeveryone followinghim, to the

extentthatanyoneofthempreferredtobecalledaJewthantobecalledaShi’i.Andtheirfollowerskeptonthispracticeineveryageandregion,withtheShi’ibeingsubjecttobereviledallthetimebyAhl al-Sunnah, since he contradicts them in their beliefs and is regarded a renegade against theircompany.Theyusedtocalumniatehimwithallsortsofslanders,charginghimwithallaccusations,callinghimwithnumerous(bad)nicknames,andcontradictinghiminallhissayingsandacts.Someofthewell-knownSunni‘ulamā’say:“Puttingonthefinger-ringintherighthandbeinga

Propheticsunnah(habit),butitshouldbeabandonedsincetheShi‘ahmadeoutofitamottoforthem.[206] Further, Hujjatul Islam Abu Hāmid al-Ghazzāli says: Flattening the graves is legitimately

prescribedbyIslam,butwhentheRufiddah(Shi‘ah)madeitamottoforthemwesubstituteditwithtasnim(makinglargehumps).AlsoIbnTaymiyyah,whoislabelledbysomeofthemwiththeepithetal-Muslihal-Mujaddid(the

Reviving Reformer), says: Hence, several fuqahā’ embarked on abandoning some of therecommended acts (mustahabbāt), when noticing that they were turned to a motto for the Shi’ah.Thoughabandoningtheseactsisnotobligatory,butdemonstratingtheseactswouldmeanresemblingthem (the Shi‘ah), so as no one would distinguish between the Sunni and the Rāfidi, and theconvenience in beingdistinguished from them for the sakeof forsaking and contradicting them isgreaterthantheconvenienceimpliedintherecommendedact.[207]Whenaskedaboutthewayofloweringtheturban,al-Hāfizal-‘Iraqisaid:Ihavenevercomeacross

anyevidence indicating the specificationof the right side, butonly in anunauthentic (da‘if) hadithreported by al-Tabarrāni.And as estimated through his prophecy, itmight be that he used to let itdownontherightsideturningitthentotheleftaspractisedbysome.Butsincethispracticeturnedtobeadistinguishingmotto for the Imāmiyyah, so it shouldbeabandonedand left inorder toevadebeingresembledtothem.208[208]GlorifiedisAllah!AndthereisneithermightnorpowerbutinGod!Everyonecanobserveclearly

howthebigotryallowstheseso-called‘ulamā’ tocontradict theProphet’sSunnah,while theShi’ahhave adhered to those sunan (precepts) till becoming a motto for them. Furthermore they see nointerdictioninconfessingthispracticefrankly.PraisebelongstoAllahWhomanifestedthetruthtoeveryonehavingforesightandsincerelyseekingfortruth.PraisebeAllah’sWhodemonstratedtousthatthetruefollowersoftheSunnahoftheMessengerofAllahbeingthetShi’ahasyouyourselvestestified! As you gave witness against yourselves that you neglected the Messenger ’s Sunnah inpurpose, so as to contradict the Imams ofAhl al-Bayt and their devoted Shi‘ah, and followed thesunnahofMu‘āwiyahibnAbiSufyān,astestifiedbyal-’Imāmal-Zamakhshariwhenprovingthatthe

first to put on a ring in the left hand, contrary to the Prophetic Sunnah, wasMu‘āwiyah ibn AbiSufyān.[209]Youalso followed the sunnahof ‘Umar inhis innovationofal-tarawihprayers, contrary to the

PropheticSunnah thatcommanded theMuslims toperformthesupererogatoryprayers (nāfilah)byones(furādā)athome,notcongregationally,asbyal-BukhāriinhisSahih,[210]andasconfessedby‘Umarhimselfofitsbeingabid‘ah(heresy)[211]innovatedbyhim,withoutbeingperformedbyhimsinceheneverbelievedinit.Itisreportedbyal-Bukhāri,from‘Abdal-Rahmānibn‘Abdal-Qāri,thathesaid:Iwentoutwith‘Umaribnal-Khattāb,duringoneofthenightsoftheMonthofRamadānthemosque,whenwenoticedpeopleseparatedintogroups,withsomemanprayingaloneonceandalsoprayingasaleader(imām)beingfollowedbyamultitudeofpeople.Thereat‘Umarsaid:Iopinethatgatheringallthesepeopleunderonereciter(qāri’),willbemoreproperandbetter.Thenhe(‘Umar)gathered them to followUbayy ibnKa’b (inperformingsupererogatoryprayers). ‘Abdal-Rahmānadded: The next night I went out with him (‘Umar), and we found people perform their prayersthroughfollowingtheirreciter(leader),when‘Umarsaid:Whatagoodbid‘ah(heresy)isthis!….[212]Whatarousesourwonderinthisrespectisconsideringitabounty(ni‘mah)afteritwasforbidden

bytheMessenger?Thatwaswhentheyexclaimedloudly,aftergatheringinfrontofthedoorofhishouse (the Prophet’s) asking him to lead them in performing the nāfilah prayer of theMonth ofRamadān.He(S)wentout,furiousandangry,sayingtothem:“ThemakingofyourhandsisstillpushingyoutillIthoughtittobeprescribedonyou.Youhave

toabidebyperformingprayers(nāfilah)inyourhouses,asthebestprayerofmanbeinginhishouse,excepttheprescribed(obligatory)prayers.”[213]Further,youfollowedthesunnahof‘Uthmānibn‘Affān,whichcallsforcompletingtheprayers

during travel (four-rak‘ah prayers), contrary to the Sunnah of the Messenger (S) who used toperformit(travelprayer)intworak‘ahs(qasr).[214]Had I intended to enumerate all the rules inwhichyou contradicted theMessenger ’sSunnah, it

wouldneed a separate book, butwe sufficewith yourwitness throughwhat you confessed againstyourselves.Sufficient is alsoyour testimony throughyourconfession that theRafiditeShi’ahhavetakentheProphet’sSunnahasamottoforthem.After all these evidences,will there remain any reason to admit the ignorants claiming that the

Shi‘ahhavefollowed‘AliibnAbiTālib,whileAhlal-SunnahhavefollowedtheMessengerofAllah?Do these peoplewant to prove that ‘Ali contradicted theMessenger ofAllah, and invented a newreligion?What a greatly slandering word coming out from their mouths! ‘Ali is verily the veryincarnation, interpreter and guardian of the Prophetic Sunnah, and in his regard theMessenger ofAllah(S)said:“Theposition‘AlihastomeisthesamethatIhavetomyLord.”[215]Thatis,inthesamewayasMuhammad(S)beingtheonlyonepropagatingonbehalfofhisLord,

soalsois‘Ali,beingaloneinpropagatingonbehalfoftheMessengerofAllah.Butthefaultof‘Alilies in the fact thatheneveracknowledged thecaliphateof thosepredecessors, and the faultofhisfollowers(Shi’ah)beingintheirfollowinghisguideinrefusingtosubmitandbeunderthecaliphateofAbuBakr,‘Umarand‘Uthmān,thereasonwhytheywerecalledRawafid. If these people (Ahl al-Sunnah) deny the (Prophetic) Sunnah’s being followed by the Shi’ah’s

beliefs and sayings, it stems from two reasons: The first being the animosity flared up by theUmayyadrulersthroughspreadingfalsitiesandpublicities,andcomposingfabricatednarrations. The second reason being that the Shi’ah’s doctrines contradict their (Sunnah’s) opinions in

supportingthecaliphsandconfirmingtheirblundersandijtihādat(exertionsofopinion)againstthetexts(nusus),particularlytheUmayyadrulers,attheheadofwhombeingMu‘āwiyahibnAbiSufyān.

Hence,everytruth-seeker,followingupthematter,willfindoutthatthedisputebetweentheShi’ahandAhlal-Sunnahoriginated, infact,since theSaqifahDay,andexacerbatedafterwards,andeverydisputeeruptedafteritisverilydependentonandstemmedfromit.Thebestevidenceforthisbeingthat the beliefs and creeds with which Ahl al-Sunnah vilify their brethren the Shi’ah, are firmlyrelevantwith and ramifying from the issue of caliphate, like the number of the Imams, the text indetermining the Imam, infallibility, the Imams’knoweldge, thebadā’, taqiyyah (dissimulation), andthePromisedal-Mahdi,besideotherbeliefs. Investigating the claims of the two parties in an unprejudicedway,wewill never see any long

distancebetweentheirbeliefs,findingnojustificationforthisexaggerationandvilification.Aswhenyouread thebooksof theSunnah inwhich they revile theShi’ah,youwill imagine that theShi’ahhavecontradictedIslam,andviolateditsprinciplesandlegislations,inventinganotherreligion.WhileanyequitableresearcherwillfindintheShi’ah’sdoctrines,afirmoriginintheQur ’ānand

Sunnah,andeveninthebooksofthosecontractingtheminthesedoctrinesandvilifyingthemwith.Moreover,thosedoctrinesnevercontainorimplyanythingcontrarytoreason('Aql),ornarration

(naql)ormorals.Forprovingtoyou,dearreader,theveracityofmyclaims,Iwillreviewwithyouthosedoctrines(‘aqā’id).

(Beliefin)Infallibility

TheShi’ahobserve:TheImam—liketheProphet—shouldbeinfallibleagainst(perpetrating)allkinds of indecencies and vices, whether the apparent or hidden ones, deliberately or out offorgetfulness,fromchildhoodtilldeath. Further, he should be immune against any lapse, erring and oblivion, since the Imams are the

guardiansoftheIslamicLaw,andresponsibleforbringingitintoeffect,exactlyastheProphetis.TheevidencethatmadeusbelieveintheinfallibilityoftheprophetsbeingthesameoneobligatingustobelieveintheinfallibilityoftheImams,withnoslightdifference.This isclearly theShi’ah’sopinion regarding the issueof infallibility (‘ismah).Does it contain

anythingcontradictingtheQur ’ānandSunnah?Orwhatcan’tbeimaginedbyreason?OrthatwhichdisgracesandbedetrimentaltoIslam,orbelittlingthestatusoftheProphetortheImam?Faritbefromitandverilyitisnotso;weneverseeinthissayingbutaconfirmationtotheBook

of Allah and His Prophet’s Sunnah, and that which goes on with the sound reason, withoutcontradictingit,butratherthatwhichelevatesandhonourstheProphetandtheImam.WeinitiateourdiscussionwithfollowinguptheHolyQur ’ān:Allah, theExalted, said: “Verily,verilyGod intendethbut tokeepoff fromyou (everykindof)

uncleanness O’ ye the people of the House, and purify you (with) a thorough purification)… .”(33:33)Ifremovingtheuncleannessthat includesallkindsofmischiefs,andpurifyingfromallsins,do

notdenote‘ismah,butwhatdoesitmeanthen??TheAlmightyAllahsays:“Verilythosewhoguard(themselvesagainstevil)whenanevilthoughtfromtheSatanafflicteth

them,theybecomemindful(ofGodandgetawakened)thenlo!Theysee(aright).”(7:201)SoifthepiousbelieverbringprotectedbyAllahagainstthestratagemsoftheSatan,whentrying

toprovokingandmisleadinghim,soastobecomemindfulandseethetruthandfollowit,whattosaythen regarding those whomwere chosen by Allah the Glorious, removing uncleanness from andpurifyingthemathoroughpurification??Allah says in another verse: “ThenmadeWe the inheritors of theBook (Qur ’ān) thosewhom

choseWefromamongOurservants…”(35:32).AndundoubtedlythatwhoischosenbyAllah,theGlorified, should be immaculate from errors. By this verse, in particular, al-’Imām al-Ridā (‘a)arguedagainstthe‘ulamā’gatheredbythe‘AbbāsidCaliphal-Ma’munibnHārunal-Rashid,provingtothemthatthey(Ahlal-BaytImams)beingverilytheonesmeantbytheafore-mentionedverse,andwhomAllahhaschosenandmadeinheritorsof theknowledgeof theBook,whereat they(‘ulamā’)admittedandacknowledgedthatfact.[216][217] These were some examples from the Holy Qur ’ān, and other verses are there indicating

infallibility for the Imams, like His saying, “… .leaders guiding (the people) by Our command”,besideotherverses,butwesufficewiththeseonesduetobrevity.”AftertheHolyQur ’ān,wecitesomeproofsfromthePropheticSunnah:TheMessengerofAllah(S)said:“Opeople,Iamleavingamongyouthatwhichifyouholdonto,youshallnevergoastray:the

BookofAllahandmykindred,myhousehold.”[218]ItisexpresslyindicatingtheAhlal-BaytImams’beinginfallible,since:First,theBookofAllahis

verilyunassailable,thatfalsehoodcannotcomeatitfrombeforeitorfrombehindit,andisverilythewordofAllah, thatwhoeverdoubts it has in fact deniedGod.Second:Due to the fact that theoneholdingontothemboth(theBookand‘Itrah)willbesafeagainstastrayalandmisguidance.Sothis

hadithindicatedclearlythatlapsecanneverbefoundintheBookand‘Itrah.TheMessengerofAllah(S)hasalsosaid:“Verily,theparableofmyahlal-baytisthatoftheboatofNoah;Whoevergetsaboarditissaved,

andwhoeverstaysawayfromitisdrowned.”[219]Asclearlyseen, thishadithexpresslystatingthatAhlal-BaytImams(‘a)beinginfallibleagainst

(committing)sins,soanyonegettingaboardtheirarkshallbesaved,whilethatstayingawayfromitshallbedrownedinmisguidance(dalālah).Further,theMessengerofAllahsaid:“Whoeverdesirestolivemylifeanddiesmydeath,andenterstheheavenswithwhichmyLord

haspromisedme,whichistheLandoftheLeal(jannatal-khuld),heshouldfollowtheguideof‘Aliandhisoffspringafterhim.Theyshallverilynevertakeyououtofthedoorofguidanceandneverbringyouintothedoorofdalālah(misguidance).”[220] It is also expressly stating that the Imams ofAhl al-Bayt,who are ‘Ali and his progeny, being

infallibleagainstanylapse,sincetheyneverbringtheirfollowersintomisguidance.Anditisintuitivethatanyoneliabletocommitalapse,canneverguideotherpeople.TheMessengerofAllah(S)said:“Iamthewarner,and‘Aliistheguide.AndtherightlyguidedwillbeguidedbyyouO‘Aliafter

me.”[221]AgainthishadithexplicitlyshowstheImam’sbeinginfallible,asitisunhiddenforthosewhohave

understanding.Al-’Imām ‘Ali himself has proved infallibility to be enjoyedbyhim and the Imams amonghis

sonswhenhesaid: “So wither are you going to, and how are you then turned away? Ensigns (of guidance) are

standing,indications(ofvirtue)areclear,andthemiracles(oflight)havebeenfixed.Whereareyoubeing taken astray and how are you groping while you have among you the descendants of theProphet?TheyarethereinsofRight,ensignsofFaithandtonguesoftruth.AccordtothemthesamegoodpositionasyouaccordtotheQur ’ān,andcometothem(forquenchingthethirstofguidance)asthethirstycamelsapproachthewaterspring.O’people,takethissayingofthelastoftheprophetsthathewhodiesfromamongusisnotdead,

andhewhodecays(afterdying)fromamongusdoesnotreallydecay.Donotsaywhatyoudonotunderstand,becausemostoftheRightisinwhatyoudeny.Accepttheargumentofoneagainstwhomyouhavenoargument.ItisI.DidInotactbeforeyouonthegreaterthaql(i.e.theQur ’ān)anddidInotretainamongyouthesmallerthaql(al-thaqlal-’asghar,i.e.thedescendantsoftheProphet).Ifixedamongyouthestandardoffaith…”[222]Afterall thesestatementsandexcerptionsfromtheHolyQur ’ān,and thePropheticSunnah,and

sayingsofal-’Imām‘Ali all indicating the infallibilityofall Imams (peacebeupon them), can theintellectrejectthe‘ismahofthatwhoischosenbyAllahtoguide(people)?Thereplyisdefinitely.Noitcan’trefusethis.Onthecontrary,reason('Aql)believesintheobligationofthat 'ismah,duetothefact that the onewho is entrusted the task of leadership andguiding themankind, cannever be anordinaryhumanbeingsubjecttolaspeandoblivion,burdenedwithsinsandheavyguilts,soastobevulnerabletovilificationandcriticismofpeople.Rather, the reasonnecessitates that he (the Imam) shouldbe themost knowledgeable, equitable,

courageous and righteous of his time, the characteristics elevating the position of the leader, andglorifyinghimintheviewofpeople.Theytoomakeallpeopletoveneratingandappreciating,andconsequentlyobeyingthemwithoutanyreservationoradulation.Ifsobe thecase,whatcausesall thisvilificationandexaggerationagainstwhoeverbelievingin

this?WhenlisteningtoandreadingtheAhlal-Sunnah’scritisimregardingtheissueofinfallibility,one

willimaginethatitistheShi’ahwhoaregirdingthebadgeof‘ismahtowhomevertheywish,orthattheonebelievingin‘ismahisclaiminganabominationandblasphemy.Whereasthetruthisneitherthis nor that, but ‘ismah in the perspective of theShi’ah, is in fact the state inwhich the infallibleshouldbefavouredwithaDivinecareandLordlypatronage,so thatneitherSatancanseducehim,northesoulenjoininguntoevilcaneverovercomehismind,leadinghimtoward(perpetrating)sins.AndAllahhasneverdeniedHispiousbondmenthisfavour,asreferredtointheverse:“Verilythosewhoguard(themselvesagainstevil)whenanevilthoughtfromtheSatanafflicteththem,theybecomemindful(ofGodandgetawakened)thenlo!theysee(aright).”(7:201)This provisional infallibility which is imparted upon Allah’s bondmen in a certain case, might

vanishwiththelossofthecauseoriginatingit,thatisthetaqwā(piety).AswhenthebondmanbeingdistantfrompietyofAllah,heshallneverbeprotectedbyAllah,whiletheImam,whoischosenbyAllahtheGlorified,neverdeviatesorturnsasidefromtaqwāandGod-fearing.IntheHolyQur ’ānastoryiscitedaboutourmasterYusuf(peacebeuponhim):“Andindeedshe

longedforhim,andhe(also)wouldhavelongedforher,hadhenotseentheevidenceofhisLord;ThusitwasthatWeturnawayfromhimevilandshamefuldeeds;Verilyhewas(one)ofOurfreedservants.”(12:24)AndsinceourLordYusufhasn’tlongedforadultery(zinā)asinterpretedbysomeexegetes,farbe

the prophets ofAllah from such abominable act, but he in fact intended to drive her back and, ifnecessary,beather.SoAllahtheGlorifiedpreventedhimfrom(perpetrating)suchasin,sincehadheperpetrated it, itwouldhavebeen exploited as a plea to accusinghimof corruption, so as to be astrongproofagainsthim,afflictinghimwithevilonthepartofthem.

NumberofImams(Ithnā‘Ashar)

TheShi’ahholdthatthenumberoftheInfallibleImams,whosucceededtheProphet(S),beingtwelveImams, no more no less. They were mentioned by the Messenger of Allah (S) by name andnumber,223[223]asfollows:1.Al-’Imām‘AliibnAbiTālib.2.Al-’Imāmal-Hasanibn‘Ali.3.Al-’Imāmal-Husaynibn‘Ali.4.Al-’Imām‘Aliibnal-Husayn(Zaynal-‘Abidin).5.Al-’ImāmMuhammadibn‘Ali(al-Bāqir).6.Al-’ImāmJa’faribnMuhammad(al-Sādiq).7.Al-’ImāmMusāibnJa‘far(al-KāZim)8.Al-’Imām‘AliibnMusā(al-Ridā).9.Al-’ImāmMuhammadibn‘Ali(al-Jawād).10.Al-’Imām‘AliibnMuhammad(al-Hādi).11.Al-’Imāmal-Hasanibn‘Ali(al-‘Askari).12.Al-’ImāmMuhammadibnal-Hasan(al-Mahdial-MuntaZar). These are the Twelve Imams believed to be infallible by the Shi’ah, so asMuslims not to be

beguiledanddeceived.TheShi’ah,longagoandrecently,neveracknowledgeanyonetobeinfallibleexcepttheseImams,whoweredeterminedbytheMessengerofAllahbeforebeingborn.Theirnames,asmentionedbefore,were reportedbyAhlal-Sunnah ‘ulamā’, andal-Bukhāri and

MuslimreportedintheirSahihs,thehadithoftheImamsinnumber,whobeingtwelveonesallfromQuraysh.ThesetraditionsneverbetrueandproperbutonlywhentakingittomeanAhlal-BaytImams,as

believedbytheImāmiyyahShi’ah.AndtheSunnisarerequiredtosolvethisenigma,sincethenumberoftheTwelveImamswhichtheyreportedintheirSihāhremainedyetanunsolvableriddle.

TheImams’Knowledge

ThepointwhichisexploitedbyAhlal-SunnahtoreviletheShi’ahbeingtheir(Shi’ah’s)saying:“ThattheAhlal-Bayt Imams(peacebeupon them)havebeendistinguishedbyAllah theGlorifiedwithaknowledge that no one shared themwith.And that the Imambeing themost knowledgeable of histime,withnopossibilitythathebeingquestionedbysomeoneandfailstogiveareply!Isthereanyevidenceforthisclaim?Let’sbeginourdiscussion,asusual,bytheHolyQur ’ān:Allah,theGlorifiedandMostHigh,saysinHisBook:“ThenmadeWetheinheritorsoftheBook

(Quran)thosewhomchoseWefromamongOurservants…”(35:32),theverseclealryindicatingthatAllah, theGlorified, has chosen some servants fromamongpeoplemaking them inheritors of theknowledgeoftheBook.Havewetorecognizetheseuprightpeople?PreviouslywestatedthattheEighthImamofAhlal-Bayt,‘AliibnMusāal-Ridā,hasprovedthat

the aforementioned verse was revealed in their (Imams) regard. That was (when the Caliph) al-Ma’mungatheredforhimfortyfamousjudges,witheveryoneofthempreparingfortyquestionstoputforthtohim,forallofwhichhegaveconvincinganswersthatdumbfoundedthem,makingthemtoadmithisknowledgeability.[224][225]IfthisImambeingonlyfourteenyearsduringthisconversationwiththefuqahā’,whoadmittedhis

knowledgeability,sohowwoulditbestrangethentheShi’ah’sbeliefintheirknowledgeability,whileAhlal-Sunnah‘ulamā’andleadersacknowledgethesameforthem.ButwhenintendingtointerprettheQur ’ānbytheQur ’ān,weshallseemanyversesindicatingone

meaning, stating that Allah, for an extreme wisdom, distinguished the Imams of the Prophet’sHousehold with a given knowledge of His own, so as to be leaders of guidance and lights fordarkness.TheAlmightyAllahsaid:“HegrantethwisdomtowhomsoeverHewilleth,andhewhohathbeen

grantedwisdom hath been given abundant good; and none shallmind it save those endowedwithwisdom.”(2:269)Healsosaid:“Butnay!Iswearbythesettingofthestars.Andverilyitisagreatoathifyeonly

knew it.Verily it isQur ’ānhonourable. In a bookhidden.Toucheth it not save the purifiedones.”(56:75-79)InthisverseAllahtheGlorifiedsworewithagreatoath,thattheHolyQur ’āncontainssecretsand

innerconcealedmeaningsthatcanneverbecomprehendedwiththeirrealintentionsbutonlybythepurified ones, who are the people of the House from whom Allah has removed uncleanness andpurifiedathoroughpurification.ThisverseindicatestootheQur ’ān’shavinganinnermostwithwhichAllah,Subhanah,distinguishedthe

Ahlal-BaytImams,thatcanneverberecognizedbutonlythroughthem.TothisrealitytheMessengerofAllahhasreferredbysaying:“Donotoutstripthem,forthenyou

shallperish,anddonotfallshortofthemforthenyoushallperish.Donotteachthemfortheyareverilymoreknowledgeablethanyou.”[226]Al-’Imām‘Alihimselfalsosaid:“Wherearethosewhofalselyandunjustlyclaimedthattheyare

deeplyversedinknowledge,asagainstus,althoughAllahraisedusinpositionandkeptthemdown,bestoweduponusknowledgebutdeprived them, andenteredus (in the fortressofknowledge)butkeptthemout.Withusguidanceistobesoughtandblindness(ofmisguidance)istobechangedintobrightness.SurelyImams(divineleaders)willbefromtheQuraysh.TheyhavebeenplantedinthislinethroughHāshim.Itwouldnotsuitothersnorwouldothersbesuitableasheadsofaffairs.”[227]Allah, theExalted,said:“Askthefollowersof theRemembrance ifyeknownot.”(16:43). This

verse also was revealed in the regard of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).[228] It indicates thattheUmmah,afterthedemiseofitsProphet,shouldrefertotheImamsoftheHousehold,inordertorealizetherealities.TheCompanions,asreported,referredtoAl-’Imām‘AliibnAbiTālibtoexplainforthemthequestionstheycouldnotsolve,andthroughoutlongyears,peopleresortedtotheImams

for recognizing thehalāl (lawful) andharām (unlawful), and to acquire from theirknowledgeandvirtues. And when Abu Hanifah says: Had not been the two years, al-Nu‘mān would have perished

(meaning the twoyears he spent on learningunder al-’Imām Ja’far al-Sādiq).Andwhen al-’ImāmMālikibnAnassays:Noeyehaseverseen,noearhaseverheard,andnohearthaseverthoughtofahumanbetterthanJa’faral-Sādiq,inrespectofvirtue,knowledge,worshipandgodliness.[229]WhenthisbethecaseasadmittedbyAhlal-SunnahImams,sowhyallthisvilificationanddisapprovalbemadeagainstAhlal-Bayt,aftercitingalltheseproofs,andafterMuslimshistoryprovedthatAhlal-BaytImamswerethemostknowledgeablemenoftheirtime.AndwhytobewonderingwhennoticingAllahtheGlorifieddistinguishHisfriends(awliyā’)“whomHechose”withwisdomandknowledgeofHisown,makingthemanidealexampleforthebelieversandleadersforallMuslims. Had the Muslims followed up each other ’s evidences, they would have been convinced of

acknowledgingAllahandHisMessenger,andwouldbeonecommunitysomesupportingtheothers,andneitherdisagreementnorvariousschoolsofthought(madhāhib)wouldhavebeenthere.But all this is inevitable, so thatAllahmight conclude a thing thatmust be done, “that hewho

perished(onthatday)mightperishbyaclearproof(ofHisSovereignty)andhewhosurvivedmightsurvivebyaclearproof(ofHisSovereignty).Lo!AllahintruthisHearer,Knower.”(8:42)

Principleofal-Badā’

ItmeansthatsomeideaseemstoHimregardingathing.Heintendstodo,butthenHechangesHisopinionconcerningthatthing,doingotherthanwhatHedeterminedtodopreviously.ConcerningwhattheShi’ahobserveinrespectofthebadā’withascribingittoAllah,theExalted,

andvilifying themon thebasis that it entails ascribing ignorance and incompleteness toAllah, theGloriousandExalted,astheSunnitesconceiveit.VerilythisinterpretationisfalseandneverclaimedbytheShi’ah,andwhoeverascribesittothemhasinfactslanderedthem.Therearemanyevidencesprovingtheirbelief,thatcanbederivedfromtheirsayings,inthepastandrecently. Inhisbook ‘Aqa’idal-’Imāmiyyah, al-ShaykhMuhammadRidāal-MuZaffar says: “Al-Badā’ in

thismeaningisquite impossible tobeascribedtoAllah,as itdenotesignoranceandincompetence,whichcanenverbepossiblefortheMostHighGod,andneverbelievedbytheImāmiyyah.”ItisreportedthatAl-’Imāmal-Sādiq(‘a)said:“Whoeverclaimsthatsomethingseemedtobedone

byAllahinarepentfulway(i.e.repentedfornotdoingitbefore),weconsiderhimasdisbelievinginAllahtheGreat.”Healsosaid:“WhoeverallegesthatsomethingappearednewlyforAllah,withoutbeingawareofitbefore,Iproclaimfreedomfromhim”(i.e.IneverregardhimaMuslim).Sothebadā’believedbytheShi’ah,nevertransgressesthelimitsoftheQur ’ān,asprescribedby

Allah,theGlorifiedandtheMostHigh,intheverse:“(Ofit)EffacethoutGodwhateverHepleasethandconfirmethHe(similarly);andwithHimistheMother(BasicSource)oftheBook.”(15:39)This belief is heldby theSunnis in the sameway as heldby theShi‘ah.Sowhy theShi‘ah are

vilified while Ahl al-Sunnah are exempted, whereas they (Sunnis) claim that Allah, the Glorified,altersthedecreesandchangestheprescribeddestiniesandsustenances(ofmankind).IbnMardawayhandIbn‘Asākirhavereportedfrom‘Ali(‘a)thatheonceinquiredtheMessenger

ofAllah(S)abouttheverse:“EffacethoutGodwhateverHepleasethandconfirmethHe(similarly),andwithHimistheMother(BasicSource)oftheBook.”Inhisreply,theMessengerofAllah(S)said:“IwillverilydelightyouandalsomyUmmahaftermewith its interpretation.Charity in itsdue

aspect, and tobekind to theparents, anddoing thegood (ma‘ruf), altogether renderwretchedness(shaqa’)intoblissandincreaseinlife,andsafeguardagainstevildeath.” In the book al-Shu‘ab, Ibn al-Mundhir, IbnAbiHātam and al-Bayhaqi reported fromQays ibn

‘Ubbādthathesaid:Oneverytenthnightoftheinviolablemonths,thereisacertainthing(amr)forAllah,butonthetenthofRajab,AllaheffaceswhatHewill,andestablishesHe(whatHewill). ‘Abd ibn Hamid, Ibn Jarir and Ibn al-Mundhir have reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, while

circumambulatingroundtheHouse(ofAllah),said:“MyGod,ifYouhaveprescribeduponmeawretchedness(shaqāwah)orasin(Iimploreyouto)

effaceit,asYoueffacewhatYouwillandestablish(whatYouwill),andwithYouistheMother(BasicSource)oftheBook.(IbegYouto)makeitblissandforgiveness.”[230] In his Sahih, [231]al-Bukhāri reported an amazing and strange story, about the ascension (to

heaven) of the Prophet (mayGod’s peace and benediction be upon him and his Progeny), and hismeetingwithhisLord,besidewhatissaidbytheMessenger(S):“…Thenfiftyprayerswereprescribeduponme,whenIcametowardMusā(‘a)whosaid:What

haveyoudone?Isaid:Fiftyprayersareprescribeduponme.Hesaid:Iambetterawareofpeoplethanyou, as I have worked with and treated the Children of Israel so strictly, but yourUmmah neverendures (these prayers).Goback to yourLord and askHim (to decrease them).So I returned andimploredHim,whereatHemade themforty.Then thesameconversationwasrepeatedwithMoses,and they were made thirty. Then again the same thing was repeated and Hemade them (prayers)twenty,thenthesameandHemadethemten.ThereatIcamenearMosesandhereiteratedhisspeech.

ThenGodmade it only five (prayers),when I came nearMusāwho said:What have you done? Ireplied:(He(God)madeitfive.Hesaidthesameaforementionedwords.Isaid:Isaluted(Allah),butIheardacall(fromAllah)saying:Ihaveprescribedmyobligation,andeasedforMyservants.Ishallrewardeverygooddeed(hasanah)withtenones.”[232] In another narration reported also by al-Bukhāri, it is said:After reference ofMuhammad (S)

manymanytimestohisLord,andafterobligatingthefiveprayers,Musā(‘a)askedMuhammad(S)to refer to his Lord to ask Himmore easiness, since hisUmmah would never tolerate even fiveprayers.ButMuhammad(mayGod’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny)answeredhimsaying:IfeelashamedofmyLord.[233] Everyone reading this be baffled and amazed at these beliefs held by the Ahl al-Sunnah

traditionists, who, nevertheless, vilify the Shi’ah, the followers of Ahl al-Bayt Imams, due tobelievingintheprincipleofbadā’. Through this tale, they presume that Allah the Glorifed has prescribed fifty prayers upon

Muhammad(S),thenitseemdforHim,afterMuhammad’sreferringtoHim,tomakethemforty,andthen,afteranotherreferencebyMuhammad,tomakethemthirty,andsoon,makingthemtwenty,andthenten,andlastlyfiveprayersafterbeingaskedbyMuhammadforthefifthtime.Regrdlessofouradmittingor refusingsuchanotion, it is tobeknownthatholding the ideaof

badā’ being a sound belief, going with and complying to the concepts of Islam and spirit of theQur ’ān:“VerilyGodchangethnottheconditionofapeopleuntiltheychangewhatisinthemselves…”Andwithoutourbelief—SunnahandShi’ah—thatAllahchangesandsubstitutes,allourprayersandsupplicationsshallverilybedevoidofanyuseorcauseorexplanation.WefurtherbelievethatAllah, theGlorified, changes the judgements, andabrogates the laws fromoneprophet to another,andevenintheShariahofourProphet(S)verilyexistnāsikh(abrogating)andmansukh(abrogated).Hence, to believe in the principle of badā’ is neither blasphemy nor renegading from religion(aspotasy).SotheSunnitesareaskednottovilifytheShi’ahduetothisbelief,andtheShi’ah,ontheirpart,havenoreasontovilifyAhlal-Sunnah.Onmypart, Iviewthis taleofmi‘rāj (ascension toheaven)asnecessarilyattributing ignorance

(jahl) toAllah, theMightyandtheGlorious,andentailingdefamationof thedignityof thegreatestmaneverknown throughoutmankindhistory, i.e.ourProphetMuhammad(uponwhomandwhoseProgenybeGod’speaceandbenediction).ThatisbecausethetalesaysthatMusāsaidtoMuhammad(S):Iambetterawareofpeoplethanyou,indicatingthatthedecreaseofprayerswasdonebyvirtueofMusā,i.e.withouthimAllahwouldhavenevereasedfortheUmmahofMuhammad(S).Icanneverconceive,howwouldMusāknowthattheUmmahofMuhammad(S)canneverendure

even fiveprayers,whileAllahknowsnot this andchargesHisbondmenwith (duties)beyond theircapacity,prescribinguponthemfiftyprayers?!Brotherreader,youcanimaginethecaseinwhichfiftyprayersareperformedthroughoneday,

whichmeaningthatnoworkorbusinessshallbeexecutedbythesociety,andpeoplewillnevergooutforlearningorearningtheirlivingorundertakinganyresponsibility.Inthiswaymanwillturntobelike angels, charged only with (performing) prayers (salāt) and worship. By making a simplearithmetic operation, we shall find out the falsification of this narration. When multiplying tenminutes—thereasonabletimeforperformingoneobligatoryprayer(salāt)congregationally—byfifty, theresult thatwegetwillshowthat thedeterminedtime(for theseprayers)shallbeabout tenhours.Thatmeans,youeitherhavetotolerateandendurethisburden,oryoucanrejectsuchreligionthatimposesuponitsfollowersdutiesbeyondtheircapacityprescribinguponthemobligationstheycanneverendure.Hereaquestionisraised:IfAhlal-SunnahvilifytheShi’ahforbelievinginbadā’,andthatAllah,

afteritseemsforHiminathing,changesHisdecisionasHewill,whydon’ttheyvilifythemselves

their belief that it seems for Allah something and He changes the rule or judgement five timesregardingoneduty(faridah),andononenightbeingthenightofmi‘rāj(ascensiontoheaven)?MayAllah’sdamnationbeuponsuchbigotry,anddetestedobstinacyovershadowingtherealities,

andturningthemupsidedown,whenthefanaticpersecutesthatwhocontradictshiminopinion,withnegatingtheclear-cutmatters.Besidethat,hemayvilifyhim,anddisseminaterumoursagainsthim,withexaggeratingregardingthesimplestissues,inmorehorriblethanwhichhemaybelieve.This remindsmeofwhat is saidbyourmaster Jesus (peacebeuponhim)whenaddressing the

Jews:“Youlookatthestrawintheeyesofpeople,butyouneverseethewoodinyoureyes.”Or(remindsof) theproverbsaying:“She infectedmewithher illnessandslippedaway.”Some

mayobjectthatthetermbadā’wasneverusedbyAhlal-Sunnah,andthatthisstory,thoughgivingthemeaning of changing and altering the judgement, but it never confirms decisively that somethingseemed(badā)forAllahinit.IutterthissincemostoftenwhenIwascitingthetaleofmi‘rāj,makingitasaprooftoshowthe

belief inthebadā’bytheSunnites,Iwasencounteredwithobjectionofsomeoftheminrelationtothisopinion.ButlaterontheysubmittedandadmitteditwhenIshowedthemanothernarrationfromSahihal-Bukhāri,thatreferringtothebadā’byadoubtlessexpressterm. It is reported by al-Bukhāri, fromAbuHurayrah, that theMessenger ofAllah (‘a) said: Itwas

seemedforAllahtotestthreeIsraelites,aleprous,ablindandabald.SoHesentthemanangelwhocame to the leprousoneandaskedhim:Which thingyoudesiremore?He replied:Agoodcolour(forthefeature)andawell-shapedskin,asIbecamedisgustfulforpeople.Thentheangelrubbedhimandherecoveredfromleprosy,withbeinggivenagoodcolourandwell-shapedskin.Afterthattheangelsaid tohim:Whichkindofpropertyyoulikemore?Hesaid:Thecamels.Sohewasgivenapregnantshe-camel.Thenhewenttothebaldone,andaskedhim:Whichthingyoudesiremore?Hereplied:Awell-formedhairandberecoveredfromthis(baldness).Theangelrubbedhisheadwhenhisbaldnessdisappeared,andhewasgivenfinehair.Thenheaskedhim:Whichkindofpropertyyoulovemore?Hesaid:Thecows.Sohegavehimapregnantcow.Thenhe(theangel)cameunto theblindone,andquestionedhim:Whichthingyoudesiremore?Hesaid:MayAllahgivemebackmysight.ThenhewipedhimandAllahreturnedhissighttohim.Againheaskedhim:Whichpropertyyoulovemore?Hesaid:Thesheep.Thereathegavehimaproductivesheep… Then the angel returned to them, after multiplication of their camels, cows and sheep, until

everyoneofthemturnedtobeowningaherd(ofanimals).Heapproachedtheleperandthebaldandtheblind,eachwithhissameimage.Heaskedeachoneofthemtogivehimfromwhatheowns.Thebaldandtheleperrepelledhim(refusedtogivehim),soAllahrestoredthemtothesameconditiontheywerein.Whiletheblindmangavehim(ofwhatheowned),asaresultofwhichAllahincreasedinhisproperty,andkepthimwonttosee.[234]Therefore Iaddressmybrotherswith thisverse:“O’yewhobelieve!Letnotapeople laughtat

(another)people(toscorn)whohaplymaybebetterthanthem;norletwomenlaughatotherwomenwhohaplymaybebetterthantheseandfindoutnotfaultwithyourownselvesnorcallyeoneanotherbynicknames;evil isabadname(foranyone)afterhisacceptingthefaith;andwhosoturnethnot(repentingagainstsuchofhisconduct),thesearetheywhoaretheunjust(ones).”(49:11) I also have a heart-felt wish thatMuslims come to their senses, forsake bigotry and let alone

passionsoastobereplacedbyreasonineverydebate,evenwiththeirenemies.IhopethattheylearnfromtheHolyQur ’āntheproperwayofinvestigation,discussionandargumentationwiththatwhichisbetter (method),asAllah revealed toHisMessenger (S) to tell theobstinate:“…Lo!Weoryouassuredlyarerightlyguidedorinerrormanifest.”(34:24)ThustheMessengerofAllah(S)elevatesthepositionofthesepolytheists,withmakingconcessionsonhispart,tomakethemfeelequaltohim

soas to introducetheirproofsandreason,hadtheybeentruthful.Whatasublimemoralityhadhe,thatcanneverattainedbyordinarypeople.

Taqiyyah(Dissimulation)

In the same way we referred previously to the belief in the principle of badā’, taqiyyah(dissimulation)tooisamongthepointsdisapprovedanddeploredbyAhlal-Sunnah.Theymisuseitto vilify their brethren, the Shi’ah, labelling them among the hypocrites, as they claim that they(Shi’ah)showtheoppositeofwhattheyhideinsidetheirhearts!!Most often I conferred some of them (Sunnis), endeavouring to convince them that taqiyyah is

never like hypocrisy (nifāq), but all was in vain. Even youmay see some of them feel disgustedsometimes,andothertimesmaybeamazedandbaffled,thinkingthatsuchbeliefsbeinginnovated(asheresies)intoIslam,asiftheybeamongthefabricationsandbida‘(heresies)oftheShi’ah.Whenanytruth-seekerfairlyinvestigatesthematterinanequitablewaywithoutanyprejudice,he

willverilyfindoutthatallthesebeliefsbeing(derived)fromthekernelandessenceofIslam,andaproduct of theHolyQur ’ān and Prophetic Sunnah. Rather themagnanimous Islamic concepts andsoundShari‘ahcanneverbeestablishedandstraightbutonlythroughthesebeliefs.WhatisamazingaboutAhlal-Sunnah,beingthattheydisapproveofcreeds(heldbytheShi’ah)in

whichtheythemselvesbelieve,andwithwhichtheirbooks,SihāhandMusnadsarereplete,testifyingagainstthem.WecanreadtogetherwhatissaidbyAhlal-Sunnahregardingtheissueoftaqiyyah:—ItisreportedthatIbnJarirandIbnAbiHātam,withthechainofal-‘Awfi,fromIbn‘Abbāsthat

regardingAllah’s saying: “…except (when)ye (have to)guardyourselves against (them) for fearfromthem…”,hesaid:Taqiyyah(dissimulation)isverilybythetongue,andwhoeverintendstotalkaboutathingimplyingdisobediencetoAllah,disclosingitthenforfearfrompeople(toavoidtheirevil)withhisheartbeingstillcontentwiththeFaith.Thiswillverilybenotdetrimentalforhim,sincetaqiyyahisinfactwiththetongue.”[235]—Itisreportedandconfirmedbyal-Hākim,andbyal-BayhaqiinhisSunan,from‘Ata’,fromIbn

‘Abbās,thatregardingAllah’swords:“…except(when)ye(haveto)guardyourselvesagainst(them)forfearfromthem…”hesaid:TaqiyyahisverilyutteringsomethingbythetonguewiththeheartbeingstillcontentwiththeFaith.[236]—‘AbdibnHamidreportedfromal-Hasan(‘a) thathesaid:Thetaqiyyahispermissible till the

DayofResurrection.237[237] — ‘Abd ibn Abi Raja’ said that he used to read thus: “… except (when) ye (have to) guard

yourselvesagainst(them)withtaqiyyah.”[238]—Itisreportedby‘Abdal-Razzaq,IbnSa’d,IbnJarir,IbnAbiHātam,andIbnMardawayh,and

confirmedbyal-Hākiminal-Mustadrak,andbyal-Bayhaqiinal-Dalā’il,thathesaid:Thepolytheiststookaway‘AmmāribnYāsir,neverlettinghimalonetillheslanderedtheProphet(S)andreferredtotheiridolswithgoodterms,onlythentheylefthim.WhentheMessengerofAllah(S)came,heaskedhim:Whatisthematterwithyou?Hereplied:Ihavebadnews,Iwasneverforsakentilldefamingyouandmentioningtheiridolswithgood(glorifyingthem).TheProphetsaid:Howdoyoufeelinwardly(inheart)?Hereplied:Myheartisstillcontentwiththefaith.He(S)said:Iftheyreturnandresumeyoucanresume.Thereatthefollowingversewasrevealed:“…savehewhoiscompelledwhilehisheartremainethsteadfastwiththefaith…”(16:106)—IbnSa’dreportedfromIbnSirinthathesaid:TheProphet(S)encountered‘Ammārashewas

crying.Hewipedhiseyes(thetears)saying:“Havethedisbelieverstakenandplungedyouintowater,andyousaidsoandso(?),(noproblem)iftheyreturntoityoucantellthemthesame.”[239]—ItisreportedbyIbnJarir,Ibnal-Mundhir,IbnAbiHātam,andal-BayhaqiinhisSunan,through

thechainof‘Ali, fromIbn‘Abbās, that regarding theverse:“Hewhodisbelieveth inGodafterhis

belief inHim, savehewho is compelledwhilehisheart remaineth steadfastwith the faith…”,hesaid:AllahtheGlorifiedinformsthat:WhoeverdisbelievesinGodafterhavingfaithinHim,onhimisthewrathofGodandforhimshallbeagreattorment.Whereasthatwhoiscompelledandcoerced,sayingsomething(bad)withhistonguewhilehisheartcontradictingthisthrough(firm)faith,soastoprotecthimslefandbesafefromhisenemy,forhimnoharmisthereandheisnottoblame.Thisdueto the fact thatAllahcallsHisbondmen toaccount forwhat isdeliberatelydetermined insdie theirhearts.[240]—IbnAbiShaybah,IbnJarir,Ibnal-MundhirandIbnAbiHātam,reportedfromMujahidthathe

said:ThisversewasrevealedinregardtosomeoftheMeccanswhobelieved(inAllah).ThensomeofSahābahatal-Madinahwrote(aletter)tothemtellingthem:Traveltowardus,asweneverregardyoubelongingtoustillyoumigratetowardus.Sotheywentout,startingtheirtraveltoal-Madinah.On the way, they were caught by some Qurayshi people who seduced them, compelling them todisbelieve.Theninthierregardthisversewasrevealed:“…savehewhoiscompelledwhilehisheartremainethsteadfastwiththefaith…”[241]—InhisSahih,underbābal-Mudārātma‘aal-nās,al-BukhārireportedfromAbual-Dardā’thathe

said:“Wegrin(theteeth)beforesomepeoplewhileourheartsarecursingthem.”[242]—Al-HalabiinhisSirah,isreportedtohavesaid:“WhentheMessengerofAllah(S)conquered

the Town of Khaybar, Hajjāj ibn ‘Allāt said to him: O’Messenger of Allah, I have a property atMakkah,inwhichIhaveahousehold,andIintendtogothere.WouldyouabsolvemeifIspeakillofyou,anduttersomething(bad)aboutyou?TheMessengerofAllah(S)permittedhimtosaywhateverhewouldlike.[243]—Al-’Imāmal-Ghazāli,inhisbookIhyā’al-‘ulum,isreportedtohavesaid:“Topreventshedding

thebloodoftheMuslimisobligatory.WhateverbethepurposeforsheddingthebloodofaMuslimhiding (himself) from the oppressor, then to lie about him (not divulging his place) is verilyobligatory.[244]— In his book al-‘Ashbahwa al-naZa’ir, Jalāl al-Din al-Suyuti is reported to have said: “It is

permissibletoeatthe(meatof)carrionduringhunger,andtowashdownthemorselintowine,andpronouncingwordofinfidelity.Whenharāmprevailsinacountry,totheextentthathalāl(lawful)canrarelybefound,thereatusingwhateverisneededispermissible.”—AbuBakral-Rāzi,inhisbookAhkāmal-Qur ’ān,isreportedtohaveinterpretedAllah’swords

“…unless(itbe)thatyebutguardyourselvesagainstthem,taking(asitwere)security…”thus:Itmeansthatwhenyoufearlossoflifeorsomeofbodyorgans,youcanguardyourselvesagainstthemandshowloyaltywithoutbelievinginit(intheheart).Thisistheoutwardmeaningoftheutterance,onwhichmultitudeofmenofknowledgeareunanimouslyconcurring,asreportedbyQatādahaboutAllah’ssaying:“Letnotthebelieverstakethedisbelieversastheirfriendsratherthanthebelievers”that he said: It is not permissible for any believer to take a disbeliever as his friend (wali) in hisreligion. And regarding His saying: “… unless (it be) that ye but guard yourselves against them,taking(asitwere)security”,hesaid:Itnecessitatesthepermissibilityofshowingdisbeliefincaseoftaqiyyah(dissimulation).”[245] — In Sahih al-Bukhāri, it is reported from Qutaybah ibn Sa‘id, from Sufyān, from Ibn al-

Mukandar,whonarratedontheauthorityof‘Urwahibnal-Zubayrthat‘A’ishahtoldhimthat:AmantookpermissiontoenterupontheProphet(S),whenhe(S)said:Lethimin,howbadistheson(orthebrother) of the clan! As he entered, the Prophet talked to him so mildly and tenderly. I said: OMessenger of Allah, after you uttered those words, you talked to him so gently (what for)? TheProphet (S) said:“O’ ‘A’ishah,verily themostwickedperson inpositionnearAllah, is thatwhompeopleforsakeorbegentlewithforthesakeofguardingagainsthisobscenityoflanguage.”[246] After reviewing all these traditions, we have a sufficient proof that the Sunnites believe in

permissibilityoftaqiyyah,intheextreme,holdingthatitispermissibletilltheDayofResurrectionaspreviously mentioned. They believe in the obligation of lying, as reported by al-Ghazāli, and indemonstrating disbelief (kufr) as unanimously concurred by a multitude of the learned men,andconfessedbyal-Rāzi, and inpermissibilityof showingostensible smilewhile cursing inwardly, asconfessedbyal-Bukhāri.Besides,theyholdthatmanisfreeindefamingorslanderingtheMessengerofAllah (S)with anywordshe likes forprotectinghismoneyandproperties, as expressedby theauthorofal-Sirahal-Halabiyyah,and to saywhatever implyingdisobedience toAllahorobscenityforfearfrompeople,asreportedbyal-Suyuti.SoAhl al-Sunnahneednot tovilify andnegate theShi‘ah for adoctrinebelievedby them,and

reported in theirSihāhandMusnadsaspermissibleor ratherobligatory (belief).TheShi’ahneverwentfarther thanwhat isheldby theSunnites,except that theybecameknowninpractising itmorethanothersects,duetotheoppressionandpersecutiontheysufferedatthehandsoftheUmayyadsand‘Abbāsids.Atthosetimes,justsaying:ThismanisfollowingandtakingthepartofAhlal-Bayt,wasareasonenoughtomakehimfacehisend,andbeingmurderedsosavagelyatthehandsoftheenemiesofAhlal-Bayt(‘a).Therefore, they (theShi’ah)hadnoalternativebut topractiseandapply taqiyyah, following the

instructionsofAhlal-BaytImams(peacebeuponthem).Al-’Imāmal-Sādiqisreportedtohavesaid:Verily taqiyyah is of my Din (religion) and the Din of my fathers, and one who does not keeptaqiyyahhasnodin.TaqiyyahwasverilyamottofortheAhlal-BaytImamsthemsleves,tosafeguardthemselvesandtheirfollowersandloversagainstallsortsofdangeranddamage,andsparingtheirlives, and reforming the conditions of theMuslims who were afflicted with trial in their Din, asoccurredto’AmmaribnYāsir(mayGodbepleasedwithhim)orevenmore.WhiletheSunniteswerefarfromsuchatrialsince,mostthetime,theywereongoodtermswith

therulers,asaresultofwhichtheywereneversubjectedtomurder,lootingandinjustice.Soitwasquite natural for them to negate taqiyyah, and vilify those practising it, with the Umayyad and‘AbbāsidrulersplayingagreatroleindefamingtheShi’ahbecauseofthetaqiyyah.Andsinceregardingit(taqiyyah)Allahrevealedaversetoberecitedandlawstobeexecuted,and

since theMessenger ofAllah (S), as reported in Sahih al-Bukhāri, practised it himself, permitting‘AmmāribnYāsirtorevilehimanddeclarehisdisbeliefiftheinfidelsresumedtorturinghim,andalso since the ‘ulamā’ ofMuslims permitted this practice (taqiyyah), following the precepts of theBookofAllahandSunnahofHisMessenger,howisitcorrectthentovilifyanddeploretheShi’ah,andforwhatreason?! Taqiyyah was practised by the dignified Companions during the eras of the tyrant rulers, like

Mu‘āwiyah,who used to killwhoever refusing to curse ‘Ali ibnAbi Tālib. The story ofHijr ibn‘Adiyyal-Kindiandhisfellowmeniswidelyknown.AndthelikesofYazid,IbnZiyād,al-Hajjāj,and‘Abdal-Mālik ibnMarwan,andtheirequalsaresomany, that intendingtogather theexamplesandevidences indicating theCompanions’practiceof taqiyyah,we shallneeda separatebook tocoverthem,weshallneedaseparatebooktocoverthem,butthereasonsofAhlal-SunnahthatIcitedcanbesufficient,thankstoGod.IavailmyselfofthisopportunitytociteanicestoryIpersonallyexperiencedwithoneoftheSunni

scholars. It coincided thatwemet on board of an airplane,whilewewere among those invited toattendan Islamicconference inBritain.Weexchangedourviewpointsabout theShi’ahandSunnahfornearlytwohours.Hewasoneofcallerstounity,andIadmiredhim.ButIwasdispleasedwhenhesaidthat:theShi’ahareaskednowtoabandonsomeofthebeliefsthatcreatedisagreementamongtheMuslims, and causing them to defame and attack each other. When I asked him: Like what? Heimmediatelyreplied:Likethemut‘ah(temporarymarriage)andtaqiyyah.Itriedmybesttoconvincehimthatmut‘ahbeingalegitimateandlegalkindofmarriage,andtaqiyyahbeingapermissionfrom

Allah, but he insisted on his opinion, never be persuaded by all the evidences I cited for him.HeclaimedthatwhateverIcitedandmentionedwascorrectandtrue,butitshouldbeabandonedforthesakeofahigherandmoresignificantconvenience,beingunityofMuslims.IfoundstrangehislogicwhichcallingtoabandonthepreceptsandrulesofAllahforthesakeof

unityofMuslims.Inacourteousway,Isaidtohim:HadtheunityofMuslimsmainlydependedonthisthing,Iwouldhavebeenthefirsttorespondandsubmit.WedisembarkedinLondonairport,andIwaswalkingbehindhim.Asweapproachedtheairport

policemen,wewerequestionedabout the reasonof travelling toBritain.Heansweredbyclaimingthathecame for treatment, and I claimed that the reasonofmycomingbeing tovisit someofmyfriends.Wepassedsafelyandwithoutanydelay,towardthehallofbagsdelivery.ThereatIwhisperedinhisear:Haveyounoticedhowtaqiyyahbevalidandpossibleatall times?Hesaid:How?Isaid:Because we lied to the police, I through claiming to have come to visiting my friends, and youthrough claiming to have come for treatment, while we actually came for participating in theconference.He smiled,while recognizing that he told a lie in the hearing ofme, saying:Don’t the Islamic

conferences have a remedy for our souls? I laughed saying: And don’t they have a visit to ourbrethren?!IresumethetopicandsaythattaqiyyahisverilynotinthewayclaimedbytheSunnah—thatitbe

a sort of hypocrisy—but the opposite is right.As hypocrisymeans to showout faith (Imān) andconcealdisbelief(kufr),whiletaqiyyahbeingtodemonstratekufrandconcealfaith,andwhatagreatdifferenceistherebetweenthetwopositions.Regardingtheformerone,i.e.hypocrisy(nifāq),Allahsaid:“Andwhentheymeetwiththosewhobelieve,theysay,“Webelieve”,butwhentheygoaparttotheirdevils,theysay,“Surelywearewithyou,verily,wedidbutmock.”(2:14)Thatmeans:outwardfaith+inwardkufr=hypocrisy(nifāq).Whileregardingthesecondsituation,i.e.taqiyyah,Allah,theGlorifiedandMostHigh,said:“And

saidamanwhowasabeliever,fromamongthepeopleofPharaoh;whousedtoconcealhisfaith…”whichmeans:outwarddisbelief(kufr)+inwardfaith(imān)=taqiyyah.ThebelievingmanofthepeopleofPharaohusedtoconcealhisfaithinwardly,withnoonebeing

awareofitexceptAllah,pretendingbeforePharaohandallpeopleofhisbeingthefollowerofthedinofPharaoh.(AllahreferredtohiminHisHolyBookasasignofextolnessandglorificationforhisstatus).Dearreader,IinviteyoutorecognizeinfullwhattheShi’ahholdinregardoftaqiyyah,soasnot

tobebeguiledbywhatfalselyandcalumniouslyclaimedaboutthem. In his book ‘Aqa’id al-’Imāmiyyah, al-ShaykhMuhammad Ridā al-Muzaffar is quoted to have

said: “There are certain rules for taqiyyah, in respect of its obligation and non-obligation, in

accordancewiththedifferenceofsituationsoffearfromdamage.Theyarestatedclassifiedoffearfrom damage. They are stated classified under their relevant chapters in the fiqhi books sof the‘ulamā’. It is not obligatory in all cases, but rather itmay be or should be contradicted in certaincases,suchaswhendisclosingandproclaimingthetruthimpliesasupporttotheDin,andaservicerenderedtoIslamandjihādinitsway.Onlythenitcanbedisposedoffundsandproperties,andselvescanneverbeendearedorheldon.Taqiyyahmaybe forbidden in respectof theactsobligating thekillingofhonourablepersons,orspreadingabroadoffalsehood(bātil),orcorruptioninDin,oranextremelossfortheMuslims,throughmisleadingthem,ormakinginjusticeanddespotismtoprevailamongthem.” “However, taqiyyah, in the perspective of the Imāmiyyah, never makes them an underground

societyworkingfordestructionandsabotage,asintendedtobeportrayedbytheirenemieswhonever

endeavour to realize the matters in their true sense, bothering not themselves to comprehend thecorrectopinionheldbyus.”“AlsoitspurposeisnottorenderDinanditsrulesasecretthatitisimpermissibletobedivulged

tothosedenyingit.HowcanitbesowhiletheImāmiyyahbooksandworks,inthefieldsoffiqh,lawsand themes of kalām and doctrines, have covered the East andWest and gone beyond the limitsexpectedfromeverycommunitybelievinginthem.”(Endofhisspeech).Everyonecanclealryobservethatthereneitherbeanynifāq(hypocrisy),nordeceit,norfoist,nor

cheating,asclaimedbytheirenemies.

Al-Mut‘ah(orTemporaryMarriage)

It means the mut‘ah marirage (nikāh), or unpermanent marriage, or temporary marriage to adeterminedterm.Itisliketheperpetualmarriage,ascanneverbevalidbutonlythroughamarriagecontractincludingaconsentandcorrespondingacceptance,whenrecitedbythebrideemployingthewords: I havemarriedmyself toyou (zawwajtukanafsi),with so and sodower, and for so and soperiod.Thereatthemansays:qabiltu(Ihaveaccepted).ForthiskindofmarriagecertainconditionsarestatedinthefiqhibooksoftheImāmiyyah,suchas

determiningthedower(mahr)andperiod.Itwillbevalidwithanyconditionagreedbybothparties,and like theprohibitionofconcludingamarriagecontract (temporarily)with female relations (al-muharramāt),duetoconsanguinity,asinthecaseofthepermanentmarriage.Thetemporarilymarriedwomanshould,afterexpiryoftheterm(ajal),undergo‘iddah(waiting

withoutconcludinganothermarriagecontract)fortwomenstrualcourses,andincaseofthedeathofherhusbandforfourmonthsandtendays.There isneither inheritancenormaintenance(nafaqah)betweenthecouplemarried temporarily,

that is neither of them can inherit the other side after death. But the child born due to temporarymarriage has the same rights granted to the child born due to permanent marriage, in regard ofinheritanceandmaintenance(nafaqah),besideallotherbreedingandmaterialrights,andshouldbeacknowledgedasthelegalchildofhisfather.Thisismut‘ahwithallitsconditionsandlimits,whichcancertainlyneverbelikefornication,as

claimedbysomepeople.TheSunnis, like theirbrethren theShi’ah,unanimouslyconcuron that the legitimacyof sucha

marriagebeingprescribedbyAllah,theGlorifiedandtheExalted,intheverse24ofSuratal-Nisā’:“…Andassuchofthemyehadmut‘ahwiththem,givethemtheirdowriesasafixedreward;anditshallnotbeasinonyou,inwhateveryemutuallyagree(tovary)afterthefixedreward;VerilyGodisAll-Knowing,All-Wise.”TheyalsoconcurthattheMessengerofAllah(S)haspermittedthiskindofmarriage,andtheSahābahexerciseditduringhislifetime. But they (the Shi’ah and Sunnah) differ regarding its being abrogated or not. Ahl al-Sunnah

believe in itsbeingabrogatedandforbiddenafter itwashalāl(lawful),andthat theabrogationwasmade by the (Prophetic) Sunnah not by the Qur ’ān. Whereas the Shi’ah believe in its being notabrogated,anditsbeinglawfultilltheDayofResurrection.Hence,thedisputeconcernsonlywhetheritwasabrogatedornot,andtoreviewthebeliefsofthe

twosects soas toelucidate to thedear readerwhere the truth lies, forbeing followedwithoutanyfanaticismandprejudice. Regarding the Shi’ah believing in its not being abrogated, and its being halāl till the Day of

Resurrection,theirproofbeing:ItisneverconfirmedforusthattheMessengerofAllah(S)haseverforbidden it (mut‘ah), and our Imams from the Pure Kindred (‘itrah) believe in its being lawful(halāl).Had therebeenanyabrogation issuedfromtheMessengerofAllah(S), thefirst toknowitwouldhavebeentheAhlal-BaytImamsheadedbyal-’Imām‘Ali(‘a),asAhlal-Bayt(household)arebetterawareofwhatisthereinsideit(thehouse).Butthatwhichisestablishedforusbeingthatitisthe 2nd Caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb who has forbidden it and considered it unlawful (harām),throughexertinghisownopinionastestifiedbytheSunni‘ulamā’themselves.Butwecanneverleavetheahkām(rules)ofAllahandHisMessengertobeordainedbytheopinionandijtihādof‘Umaribnal-Khattāb! This was altogether the belief held by the Shi’ah regarding the lawfulness of mut‘ah,whichisverilyanappositebeliefandasoberopinion,sinceallMuslimsarerequiredtofollowandadheretothepreceptsofAllahandHisMessenger,refusingeveryoneotherthanthemwhateverhigh

hispositionbe,whenhisijtihādbeingcontradictorytotheQur ’ānicorProphetictexts.WhereasAhlal-Sunnahbelievethatthemut‘ahwaslawful,aversewasrevealedinitsregard,and

theMessengerofAllah(S)permittedpeopletoprarctiseit,anditwasexercisedbytheCompanions,butitwasabrogatedafterwards.Buttheydifferconcerningwhohasabrogatedit,somesayingthattheMessengerofAllah(S)hasforbiddenitbeforehisdeath.Andsomeotherholdthatitwas‘Umaribnal-Khattābwhoforbadeit,claimingthathiswordsbeinghujjah(authority) in theirview,duetothehadithoftheMessengerofAllah(S):“AdheretomysunnahandtheSunnahoftherightly-guidedsuccessorsafterme.Holdontoitand

clingonitstubbornly.” Concerning those believing in its being unlawful due to its being prohibited by ‘Umar ibn al-

Khattab,and thathisactbeingabindingsunnah,wehavenothing todowith them,noranydebate,sincetheirbelief isamerebigotryandaffectation.Otherwise,howis it feasibleforanyMuslimtoabandonandcontradictthepreceptsandsayingsofAllahandHisMessenger,andadheretothewordsofahumanbeingexertinghisopinion,liabletoerrandbecorrect,incasehisijtihādbeingaboutamatterregardingwhichnotextintheBook(Qur ’ān)andSunnahisfound.Buthowwouldbethecasewhenatext(nass)isrevealed(intheQur ’ān):“AnditisnotforabelievermanorwomantohaveanychoiceintheiraffairwhenGodandHisApostlehavedecidedamatter,andwhoeverdisobeyethGodandHisApostle,indeedhehathstrayedoffamanifeststraying.”(33:36) Whoever disagrees with me regarding this rule (or principle), is asked to reconsider his

information in respect of the concepts of the Islamic Law, and study the Holy Qur ’ān and theProphetic Sunnah. Because the Qur ’ān itself indicated in the above-mentioned verse, besidemanyother similar Qur ’ānic verses, that whoever not adhering to the Qur ’ān and Prophetic Sunnah isverilybutadisbelieverandstrayed(misled).Further,manyproofsarefoundinthenoblePropheticSunnah,ofwhichwesufficewiththishadith

utteredbytheMessengerofAllah(S):“Whateverdeemedhalāl(lawful)byMuhammadishalāl(foryou)tilltheDayofResurrectionand

hisharāmisharām(unlawful)tilltheDayofResurrection”.Sonooneisentitledtodeemlawfulorunlawfulregardinganymatteronwhichatext(nass)and

ruleisrevealedandestablishedbyAllahorhisMessenger(S). Due to all that is mentioned, we tell those trying to convince us that the acts and exertions

(ijtihādat) of theRightly-guidedCaliphs are binding, i.e.we should follow them,we tell them thisverse: “Say thou (unto the people of theBook),Dispute yewith us aboutGod;whereasHe is ourLord,andyourLord,andforusareourdeedsandforyouareyourdeeds; toHim(alone)weare(exclusively)loyal?”(2:139)ButthosebelievinginthisproofagreewiththeShi’ahintheirclaim,andwillbeverilyahujjah

againsttheirbrethrenfromamongAhlal-Sunnah.OurdebateislimitedonlywiththoseclaimingthatitistheMessengerofAllah(God’speaceand

benedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny)whohasprohibitedit(mut‘ah),abrogatingtheQur ’ānbythehadith.Suchpeopleareconfusedandnon-establishedintheirsayings,withtheirproofbeingunsubstantial

andneverestablishedona firmbasis,even though the forbiddance (nahy) fromitwas reportedbyMuslim inhisSahih.Becausehad therebeenanynahy issuedby theMessengerofAllah, itwouldhaveneverbeenneglectedbytheSahābahwhopractisedmut‘ah(temporarymarriage)duringtheeraofAbuBakrandapartoftheeraof‘Umarhimself,asreportedbyMusliminhisSahih.[247]‘Ata’said:Jābiribn‘AbdAllāhcamebackfrom‘Umrah(shortpilgrimage),whenwevisitedhim

in his house. Then some of us questioned him about several matters, till referring to themut‘ah,wherehesaid:Yes,wepractiseditduringthelifetimeoftheMessengerofAllah(S)andthatofAbu

Bakrand‘Umar.HadtheMessengerofAllah(S)forbiddenthemut‘ah,itwouldhaveneverbeenpermissibleforthe

CompanionstopractiseitduringthereignofAbuBakrand‘Umar,asmentionedbefore.ThefactisthatitwasnottheMessengerofAllah(S)whoforbadeordeemeditharām,buttheforbiddancewasissuedby‘Umaribnal-Khattab,asreportedinSahihal-Bukhāri.—Musaddadsaid:ItisreportedbyYahya,from‘ImranAbuBakr,fromAbuRaja’,from‘Imran

ibnHusayn, thathesaid:Theverseofmut‘ahisrevealedintheBookofAllah,andweexerciseditduringthelifetimeoftheMessengerofAllah(S)withnoversebeingrevealeddeemingitunlawfulorits being forbidden (by anyone) till he (S) died. Then a man exerted his opinion, ascribing it toMuhammad,whoissaidtobe‘Umar.[248]ItismadequiteclearthattheMessengerofAllah(S)hasneverforbiddenittilltheendofhislife,

asexpressedby thisCompanionwhoascribed forbiddance to ‘Umar soexpresslyandwithnoanyobscurity,addingthatheexertedhisopinionineverything,ashedesired. Also Jābir ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-’Ansari so explicitly says: We used to consummate temporary

marriage(mut‘ah)with(only)ahandfulofdatesandflourduringthe lifetimeof theMessengerofAllah(S),anderaofAbuBakr,untilitwasforbiddenby‘Umarinthecaseof‘AmribnHurayth.[249]Nowonder toseesomeof theSahābahwereof theopinionof ‘Umar,aspreviouslymentioned

duringourdiscussionabouttheThursdayMisfortune,whentheyagreedwithhiminhissaying:TheMessengerofAllah(S)uttersobscenelanguageandwesufficewiththeBookofAllah!Sowhentheysupportedhiminthatcriticalsituation,implyingthatmuchofdefamationagainsttheMessenger,howwouldn’t theyagreewithhim in respectof someofhis ijtihādat?Theevidencecanbe seen in thisutteranceofoneofthem:IwaswithJābiribn‘AbdAllāh,whensomeoneentereduponhimsaying:Ibn ‘Abbās and Ibn al-Zubayr disagreed about the two enjoyments (of hajj andmarraige). ThereatJābir said:Wedidboth of themduring the lifetimeof theMessenger ofAllah (S), till the timeof‘Umarwhoforbadeus,whenwestoppedpractisingthemboth.[250] Therefore I personally believe that some Companions ascribed prohibition of mut‘ah to the

Messenger of Allah (S), for the sake of justifying the position of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, andapprovingofhisopinion.Otherwise, howwould theMessenger ofAllah (S) forbidwhat is deemed lawful (halāl) in the

Qur ’ān,asitisinfeasibleforustofindanyoftheIslamicrulesthatbeingdeemedhalālbyAllah,theGlorified,whilebeingforbiddenbyHisMessenger.Suchaclaimcanneverbeexpressedbutonlybythatwhobeingobstinateandfanatic.Evenwhenpresumingsoforargument’ssakethattheMessenger(S)hasforbiddenit,itwasnotforal-’Imām‘Ali(‘a),thenearestinkinshiptotheProphet(S)andthemostknowledgeableinthe(Islamic)rules,tosay:“Mut’ahisverilyablessingshoweredfromAllahuponHisbondmen,andhadnotbeen‘Umar ’s

forbiddancenoonewouldhavecommittedfornicationbutthewretched.”[251] It is to be known that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab himself has never ascribed the prohibition to the

Prophet(S),butratherheutteredhiswidely-knownproclamation,sooutspokenly: “Two enjoymentswere commonly practised during the lifetimeof theMessenger ofAllah (S),

fromwhichbothIforbidandonwhichIpunish:mut‘tal-hajj(pilgrimage)andenjoyment(mut‘ah)withwomen.”[252]TheMusnadof al-’ImāmAhmad ibnHanbal is thebest evidenceproving thepresenceofgreat

differencesamongtheSunnisconcerningthisissue,assomeofthemdeemitlawful,heedinginthisregard to theMessenger ’s precepts,while someothers deeming it harām (unlawful) following theopinionof‘Umaribnal-Khattab.Al-’ImāmAhmadisreportedtohavesaid: — Ibn ‘Abbās said: The Prophet (S) practised the Mut‘ah (temporary marriage) once, when

‘Urwah ibnal-Zubayr said:Mut’ah is forbiddenbyAbuBakrand ‘Umar!Thereat Ibn ‘Abbās said:

Whatisthatutteredby‘Uryah?(belittlementfor‘Urwah)?Hesaid:Hesaysthatmut‘ahwasforbiddenbyAbuBakrand‘Umar.ThenIbn‘Abbāssaid:Iamsurethattheyshallverilyperish,andIsay:TheProphetsaid,whiletheysay:AbuBakrand‘Umarforbade.”[253]AlsoinSahihal-Tirmidhi,itisreportedthat‘AbdAllāhibn‘Umarwasquestionedaboutthehajj

enjoyment.Inreplyhesaid:Itishalāl.Thenthequestionersaidtohim:Butyourfatherhasforbiddenit?Hereplied:WhenmyfatherforbidssomethingpractisedbytheMessengerofAllah(S),whatdoyouthinkmetodobetter:tofollowtheorderofmyfatherorthatoftheMessengerofAllah(S)?Themansaid:CertainlyyouhavetoobeythecommandmentoftheMessengerofAllah(S).”[254]ItisknownthatAhlal-SunnahobeyedUmarregardingthemut‘ahwithwomen,anddisobeyedhim

regardingmut‘ahofpilgrimage,thoughforbiddingfromthembothwasissuedbyhim,altogetherinoneposition,aspreviouslyreferredto.Themostimportantpointinallthisdiscussionanddebate,beingthattheAhlal-BaytImamsand

theirfollowers(theShi’ah)contradictedandnegatedhis(‘Umar ’s)claim,consideringit(mut‘ah)ashalāl(lawful)tilltheDayofResurrection.Thisbelief(heldbytheShi’ah)waspursuedalsobysomeSunni‘ulamā’,ofwhomIrefertotheeminentTunisianscholar,theleaderoftheZaytunahMosqueal-Shaykhal-Tāhir ibn‘Ashur(mayGod’smercybeuponhim).InhisfamousTafsir(exegesis)hecited for its (mut‘ah) lawfulness the verse: “… and as such of them ye had mut‘ah with them(marryingthem),givethemtheirdowriesasafixedreward…”[255]True,suchshouldbethe‘ulamā’,freeintheircreed,neverbeinginfluencedbyanyprejudiceor

bigotry,andneverfearingonthewayofAllahtheblameofanyblamer. After this brief discussion, no justification or plea is left for Ahl al-Sunnah’s vilification and

defamationagainsttheShi’ahduetotheirpermittingthemarriageofmut‘ah,besidethefactthatthedecisiveproofandevidentargumentbeingonthesideoftheShi’ah.EveryMuslim is asked to portray in themind thewords of al-’Imām ‘Ali (‘a) that: “Mut’ah is

verilyablessingshoweredfromAllahuponHisbondmen.Actually,isthereanyblessinggreaterthansuchonewhichquenches a refractory lust thatmightoverwhelmman,maleor female, renderringhim/herlikeabeastofprey.AllMuslims ingeneral, and theyouth inparticular, have toknow thatAllah, theGlorified,has

imposedupontheadultererthepunishmentofdeaththroughpeltingstones(rajm),whenperpetratedagainst themarried,males and females. It is not forAllah to forsakeHis servantswith nomercy,whileHebeingtheCreatorofthemandtheirinstincts,havingfullknowledgeofwhatcanamelioratethem.AndwhenAllah,theBeneficentandtheMerciful,hasshoweredHismercyuponHisbondmenthroughpermittingthemtopractisemut‘ah,sonoonewouldcommitadulterythereafter,butonlythemischievous,exactlylikepassingthesentenceofamputatingthethief’shand.Andinthesameway,aslongas therebeinga treasurydedicatedexclusivelyfor thedestituteandneedypeople,noonewillstealbutonlythemishievous.

ClaimofTahrifoftheQur’ān

This claim in itself being so horrible that noMuslim,Shi’i orSunni, believing in themessage ofMuhammad (S), can ever endure or accept. This is due to the fact that the Lord of Glory hasundertakenitspreservation,whenHesaid:“SurelyWehaverevealedtheReminderandWewillmostsurelybe itspreserver.” (15:9)Thus it is immune fromanyadditionand loss evenwithone letter,beingthemiracleofourProphet(S),whichwillneverdieorfallintooblivion,andfalsehoodcannotcomeatitfrombeforeitorfrombehindit,beingarevelationfromtheWise,theOwnerofPraise. TheMuslims’ practical status quo refuses the tahrif of the Qur ’ān, since many Sahābah were

memorizingitbyheart,competinginmemorizingitandteachingtheirchildrentolearnitbyheart,throughoutthecourseoftimetillthepresentday.Itisinfeasibleforanyman,group,communityorgovernmenttomutilateoraltertheQur ’ān,atall.TraversingallMuslimcountries,eastwardsandwestwards,northwardsandsouthwards,allover

theworld,wewillsurelyfindthesameQur ’ānwithnoadditionorlosswhatsoever.ThoughMuslimsbeing separated into schools (madhāhib), sects, cults and religions, the Qur ’ān remains the soleincentiveabletogatherthem,withnodisagreementbetweeneventwoamongthem,exceptregardingexegesisandinterpretation(ta’wil),aseachgrouprejoicinginitstenets.Sothetahrif(corruption)attributedtotheShi’ahisnomorethanavilificationandexaggeration,

havingnoexistenceintheShi’ah’sbeliefs.WhengoingthroughtheShi’ah’sviewregardingtheHolyQur ’ānwecannoticethattheyunanimouslybelieveinitsbeingguardedagainstanymutilation.Al-Shaykhal-MuZaffar,theauthorofthebook‘Aqā’idal-’Imāmiyyah,saysinthisregard:“WebelievethattheQur ’ānbeingtheDivinerevelation(wahy)sentdownfromAllah,theExalted,

uponHisnobleProphet,containinganexpositionofallthings.AndalsoitisHiseverlastingmiracledisablingallmankindofkeepingpacewithit inrespectofrhetoricandeloquence,andtherealitiesandsublimeknowledge itcontains,beingguardedagainstanyalterationorchangingormutilation(tahrif). The Qur ’ān we have nowadays being surely the same one revealed to the Prophet, andanyoneclaimingotherthanthisisbutaviolater,orobstinateerrantormistaken,allbeingmisguidedandmisled,as it issurelyAllah’swordthatfalsehoodcannevercomeat it frombefore itorfrombehindit.”(Hisspeechisover).Besides,alltheShi’ahlandsarewidelyknownandtheirrulesinfiqharecommonlyrecognizedby

all.HadtheypossessedanyQur ’ānotherthanthatwehavenowadays,itwouldhavebeendiscoveredbypeople.Irememberthatwhen,forthefirsttime,IvisitedtheShi’ahland,suchgossipswerefillingmymind, thatwhenever seeing a bulkyvolume, Iwouldpick it uphoping to putmyhandon thatallegedQur ’ān.Butverysoon,suchfancyhasvanishedaway,recognizinglateronthat itwasonlyoneofthefabricatedvilificationsaimedatcausingpeopletohaveaversiontotheShi’ah.Nonetheless,thereis,everandanon,someonevilifyingandarguingtheShi’ahwithabooknamed:FaslalkhitābfiithbāttahrifKitābRabbal-’Arbāb,whoseauthorisMuhammadTaqial-Nurial-Tabrasi(d.1320H.),whowasaShi’i.InthiswaythosetransgressorsintendtooverburdentheShi’ahtheresponsibilityforthisbook!Theactthatisfarfromequity. Somany bookswerewritten, that in fact never express but the viewpoints of theirwriters and

authors,containing the leanandstrong, truthandfalsehood,and implyingwrongandcorrect.Thisfactincludesall theIslamicsects,andisnotconfinedtotheShi’ahalone.ArewepermittedtoholdAhlal-SunnahresponsibleforwhatwaswrittenbytheEgyptianCultureMinisteranddeanofArabicliteratureDr.TāhāHusaynregardingtheQur ’ānandpre-Islamic(Jāhili)poetry?Orwhatal-Bukhārireported,which is considered veracious near them, about the presence of loss and addition in theQur ’ān,andsoalsoisSahihMuslim,andothersources?[256]

Let’sturnasidefromthisandreturngoodforevil.Whatanexcellentwordsutteredinthisregard,those said by the Professor Muhammad al-Midyani, Dean of al-Shari‘ah College in al-’AzharUniversity,whenwriting:“Andasregards theclaims that theImāmiyyahbelieve inpresenceof loss in theQur ’ān, Iseek

God’sprotection…theyarenomore thannarrationsreported in theirbooks, the likeofwhicharereportedinourbooks.Theinvestigatorsfromamongboththesectshaverefutedthem,provingtheirfalsehoodand fabrication.Nooneamong the ImāmiShi’ahorZaydiyyah iseverbelieving in this,neitheristhereanyoneamongtheSunnis.Anyonedesiringtohavemoreinformationcanrefertoal-Suyuti’sbookal-’Itqān,inwhichhecan

seethelikesofsuchnarrations,ofwhichweturnedaside.“In1498,anEgyptiancompiledabookcallingital-Furqān,interpolatingitwithsuchpoor,exotic

and rejected narrations, reporting quotations (in their confirmation) from the Sunni books andreferences.Al-’Azhar thenaskedtheGovernment tostoppublicationof(confiscate) thebook,afterdemonstratingwith scientific proof and argument the aspects of falsehood and deviation in it.TheGovernment responded to this request and confiscated the book. Its author then filed a casedemandinganindemnity,buttheAdministrativeJudiciaryintheStateCabinetdismissedthecase.“ShouldwesaythenthatAhlal-SunnahdenythesanctityoftheQur ’ān?Orbelieveinpresenceof

lossintheQur ’ānduetoanarrationreportedbysoandso?Orduetoabookcompiledbysoandso?ThesameistrueconcerningtheImāmiShi’ah,thatreportscanbefoundintheirbookssimilarto

thoserecordedinsomeofourbooks(thespeechtoal-Midyani).Al-’Imāmal-‘AllāmahAbual-Fadlibnal-Hasanal-Tabrasi,aneminentImāmischolarinthe6thHijrahCentury,inhisbookMajma’al-bayānli‘ulumal-Qur ’ān,saysinthisrespect:“ThereisconsensusandunanimityamongtheMuslimsthatthereisnotany‘excess’intheHoly

Qur ’ān.ButwithregardtothedeficiencyofthetextoftheHolyQur ’ān,agroupofImāmiyyahandagroup ofHashwiyyahwho areSunnis have claimed presence of atterations and deficiencies in theHolyQur ’ān,butthetruebeliefacceptedbytheImāmiyyahholdsotherwise.Thisissupportedbyal-Sayyidal-Murtada(mayGodsanctifyhissoul),givingititsfulldueinreplytothequestionsofal-Tarābulusiyyāt,sayinginsomeplaces:KnowledgeandcertaintyofthevalidityofthenarrationoftheHoly Qur ’ān are like the knowledge and certainty on the existence of countries, cities, famoushistoricalevents,popularbooks,andthepoemscompiledbytheArabs.Thisisbecausethespecificregardandattentionand the strongmotive for thenarrationof the textof theHolyQur ’ānand itsupkeepinghadbeenmuch stronger than theprecision and attentiongiven to the above-cited items,sincetheQur ’ānbeingthemiracleofProphethood,sourceoflegalsciencesandreligiousrules.AndMuslim‘ulamā’paidsogreatattentioninpreservingandsafeguardingit,totheextentthattheycameto recognize all controversial things regadingwhich disagreement was there, including its syntax(i‘rāb), readings, letters and verses. So how is it permissible to believe in its being altered, ordecreased,withthepresenceofthissincereattentionandstrictprecision.”[257] To elucidate for you, dear reader, the fact that this accusation (decreasing and increasing the

Qur ’ān),shouldverilybeattributed toAhlal-Sunnahrather thanbeingascribed to theShi’ah.Thiswasoneofthemotivesurgedmetoreconsiderallofmybeliefs,aswheneverItriedtocriticizetheShi’ahandnegateordisapprovethemregardinganything, theywouldprovetheiracquittalfromit,withattributingittome.Then,withpassageofdays,andthroughinvestigation,Irecognizedthetruthof their claims, of which I was convinced, for which I praise God. Hereunder I shall present theevidencesprovingmyclaiminthistopic: Al-Tabarrāni and al-Bayhaqi are reported to have said: There are two surahs (dropped) in the

Qur ’ān,onebeing:

میحرلانمحرلاهللامسب( كرجفینمكرتنوعلخنوكرفكنالوهلكریخلاكیلعینثنوكرفغتسنوكنیعتسنانا )meaning:WeaskYoutohelpusandseekYourforgiveness,andpraiseYouwithallgood,never

denyYou,anddisavowfromandforsakewhoeverdissipatesYou).Thesecondoneisthus:( كباذع نا دجلا كباذع ىشخنو كتمحر وجرن دفحنو ىعسن كیلاو دجسنو يلصن كلو دبعن كایا مهللا ـ میحرلا نمحرلا هللا مسبقحلم نیرفاكلاب ).(Itstranslationis:OGod,weworshipYouandforYouweprayandprostrate,andtowardYouwe

endeavour and haste.We seekYourmercy and fearYour serious torment. Your chastisementwillverilyafflictthedisbelievers). These two (alleged) surahs are called by al-Raghib in al-Muhādarāt as suratay al-Qunut (two

surahsofsupplication)thatwerereadby‘Ummaribnal-Khattabduringqunutinhisprayers,andarefoundinthemushafsofIbn‘AbbāsandofZaydibnThābit.[258]Al-’ImāmAhmadibnHanbalinhisMusnad,isreportedtohavesaid:UbbayibnKa’baskedsomeone(Zirr ibnHubaysh)HowmanyversesdoyoureciteintheSurat

al-’Ahzāb? He replied: Seventy and a few verses. He (Ubayy) said: ‘Never, I read it with theMessengerofAllah(S),anditisaboutthelengthoftheSuratal-Baqarahorlengthier,andinitistheāyatal-rajm(verseofstoning).’[259] It is obvious for every witty reader that these two surahs, which are called Surata al-Qunut,

mentioned in thebooksal-’Itqānandal-Durral-manthurofal-Suyuti,andreportedbyal-Tabarrāniandal-Bayhaqi,canneverbefoundintheBooktheofAlmightyAllah.Thismeans that theQur ’ānwehave today ismissing these twosurahs, that are recorded in the

mushafofIbn‘AbbāsandthatofZaydibnThābit,indicatingalsothepresenceofmasāhifotherthanthosewehave.ThisalsorecallstomymindAhlal-Sunnah’sclaimoftheShi’ah’shavingFatimah’smushaf,soitistobeconceived!Ahlal-Sunnahusedtorecitethesetwosurahsinthequnutsupplicationofeverymorningprayers,

andIpersonallylearnthembyheartandusedtoreadtheminthedawnprayerqunut.The second riwāyah (narration) reportedby al-’ImāmAhmad in hisMusnad,which claims that

three quarters of Surat al-’Ahzāb have dropped, since Surat al-Baqarah contains 286 verseswhiletheirnumberinal-’Ahzābdoesn’texceed73.WhenconsdieringthecountingofthepartsofQur ’ānthroughhizbs,weconcludethatSuratal-Baqarahiscomposedoffivehizbs,whereasSuratal-’Ahzābneverexceedsonehizb(thewholeQur ’ānis120hizbs). Also the utterance expressed by Ubayy ibn Ka’b: “I used to read it during the lifetime of the

MessengerofAllah(S),anditwasthelengthoftheSuratal-Baqarahorlengthier.”ThismanwhowasthemostfamousamongthereciterswhousedtolearntheQur ’ānbyheart,duringthelifetimeoftheProphet(S),andwhowaschosenby‘Umar[260]toleadpeopleinsalātal-tarawih,bysosayingwillverilyandundoubtedlyconfusethereadersandcreatedoubtsinsidetheirhearts.Again al-’ImāmAhmad ibnHanbal reported in hisMusnad,[261] fromUbayy ibnKa’b that he

said:TheMessengerofAllah(S)said:“Allah,theGloriousandMostHigh,hascommandedmetoreciteforyoutheQur ’ān:Thosewho

disbelieveamongthepeopleoftheScripturecouldnot…,(Ubayysaid:)thenhe(S)readinit:( هللا بوتی ، بارتلا الا مدآ نبا فوج ألمی ال اثلاث لأسل هیطعاف ایناث لأس وولف ایناث لأسل هیطعاف لام نم ایداو لأس مدآ نبا نأ ولهرفكی نلف اریخ لعفی نم ةینارصنلا الو ةیدوهیلا ال ةكرشملا ریغ ةفینحلا هللا دنع میقلا نیدلا كلذ ناو ، بات نم ىلع ).

(Meaning that: If son of Adam demanded a valley of funds and was given it, he will demand

anotherone,andifgivenitwoulddemandathirdone,andnothingwouldfillthebellyofthesonofAdam except the earth (turāb). Allah shall verily return in mercy toward that who returns (inpenitence).Thatis thestraightreligionnearAllah, theHanafiotherthanthepolytheists,JewishandChristians.Whoeverdoesgooditwillneverbedenied). Al-HāfiZ ibn ‘Asākir reported in interpretation of Ubayy ibn Ka’b, that Abu al-Dardā’ betook

himself toward al-Madinah with a number of people of Damascus. On reaching, he entered upon‘Umaribnal-Khattab,recitingforhimthefollowing(alleged)verse:( مارحلا دجسملا دسفل اومح امك متیمح ولو ةیلهاجلا ةیمح ةیمحلا مهبولق يف اورفك نیذلا لعج ذا ). (meaning):Hamiyyah (fervour)of Jahiliyyahwasmade inside theheartsofdisbelievers, and if

youbecomeimpetuousastheyare,corruptionwouldafflicttheSacredMosque(Ka’bah).”Thereat‘Umarasked:Whotaughtyoutorecitesuchreading?Theyreplied:UbayyibnKa’bdid.

HesummonedUbayy,andaskedthemtoread(beforehim).Sotheyread:( مارحلا دجسملا دسفل اومح امك متیمح ولو ).Ubayy said to ‘Umar:True, I taught them to read thus.Then ‘Umar said toZayd ibnThābit:O

Zayd,read.Zaydreadthecommonone(ordinary).Then‘Umarsaid:OGod,Ineverknowotherthanthis(reading)!UbayyibnKa’bthensaid: “O ‘Umar, byGod you knowwell that I used to attend (theProphet’smeetings) and theywere

absent,andIusedtocomenearwhiletheybeaway.IswearbyAllah,ifyouwish,Iwillstayhomeandnevertalktoanyoneorteachanyonetoread,tillmydeath.”‘Umarsaid:“IseekGod’sforgiveness;youknowthatAllahhasgiftedyouwithknowledge,soteachpeoplewhateveryouknow.”He(Ibn‘Asākir)alsosaid:‘Umarpassedbyayouthreadinginamushaf:( مهل بأ وهو مهتاهمأ هجاوزأو مهسفنأ نم نینمؤملاب ىلوأ يبنلا ).(meaning:TheProphethasmorerightoverthebelieversthantheyoverthemselves,andhiswives

aretheirmothers,andheistheirfather.)‘Eraseit,boy’,said‘Umar.‘Iwillnoteraseit,foritissointhemushafofUhayyibnKa’b’,saidtheyouth.‘UmarwenttoUbayywhotoldhim:‘TheQur ’ānhaskeptmebusy,andyouhavebeenbusymakingtransactionsinthebazaar.’[262] The same riwāyahwas reported too by Ibn al-’Athir in Jāmi‘ al-’usul, andAbuDāwud in his

Sunan,andalsobyal-HākiminhisMustadrak.Thistime,Ileavetoyou,dearreader,tocommentyourselfonsuchreportswhicharefillingthe

booksofAhlal-Sunnahwhoareunawareofthem,butvilifyingtheShi’ahwithwhomevenone-tenthcanneverbefound.Butsomeof theSunniobstinatesmayhaveaversiontosuchnarrations,rejectingthemasusual,

disapproving al-’Imām Ahmad’s reporting such superstitions. They may consequently weaken theauthenticityoftheasānidofsuchnarrations,regardingtheMusnadofal-’ImāmAhmadandSunanofAbuDāwudasnotviewedbyAhlal-SunnahatthesamelevelofSahihal-BukhāriandSahihMuslim,whereassuchriwāyātarerecordedinboththeSahihs.Al-Bukhāri, in his Sahih[263] under “bābManāqib ‘AmmārwaHudhayfah (r)”, reported from

‘Alqamahthathesaid:IenteredtheSham,performedtwo-rak’ahprayerandsaid:MyGod,bringmea virtuous companion. Then I came near a people, sittingwith them,when aman entered and satbesideme.Iasked:Whoisthatman?Theyreplied:HeisAbual-Dardā’.IsaidIinvokedAllahtosendmearighteousassociate,andHesentyou.Heaskedme:Whereareyoufrom?Isaid,frompeopleofKufah.Hesaid:Don’tyouhaveamongyouthesonofUmm‘Abd,theownerofthetwosandalsand

the pillow and purger, and the one whom Allah protected against the Satan, as confirmed by theProphet (S)? Isn’t there among you the trustee of the Prophet (S), other than whom no one hasknowledge?Thenhesaid:Howdoyouread“Bythenightwhenitspreadethitsevil!”?ThenIrecitedforhim:( ىثنالاو ركذلاو ىلجت اذا راهنلاو ىشغی اذإ لیللاو ).(insteadof( ىثنألاو ركذلا قلخ امو ).in92:3).(ThenHeasked:Didyouhear itfromyourteacher ’smouth?)Isaid:ByGod,Iheardit

fromtheProphet’smouth(mouthtomouth).”Inanothernarrationheadded:“…andyettheyrejectmyassertionofsomethingIheardfromthe

MessengerofAllah,mayGod’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny.[264]Again,inanotherreporthesaid:( ىثنألاو ركذلاو ىلجت اذا راهنلاو ىشغی اذا لیللاو ).Thenhesaid:“TheProphet(s)hasreadittome,fromhismouth,andyetthosepeopleinsisttillit

wasabouttorejectmyassertion.”265[265]AllthesenarrationsindicatethatintheQur ’ānwehavetodaythewords“ قلخ امو ”areadded.Al-Bukhāri, inhisSahih,on theauthorityof IbnAbbasreported that ‘Umar ibnal-Khattabsaid:

Allah has delegatedMuhammad, upon whom be God’s peace and benediction, with the truth, andrevealeduponhimtheBook.AmongwhatHerevealedwasāyatal-rajm(verseofstoning),whichweread,acceptedandcomprehended.SotheMessengerofAllah(S)stonedandwestonedafterhim.Ifearthatwhentimeprolongs,someonemaysay:ByGodwecanneverfindāyatal-rajmintheBookofAllah, as a result ofwhichpeoplemaygo astray through ignoring anobligationprescribedbyAllah. And stoning is a punishment mentioned in the Book of Allah against anymarried man orwoman when perpetrating fornication, when it is proved by evidence or through the woman’sconceivingandconfession.WealsousedtoreciteinourreadingoftheBookofAllah:( مكئابآ نع اوبغرت نإ مكب ارفك نا وأ ، مكئابآ نع اوبغرت نا مكب رفك هنإف مكئابآ نع اوبغرت ال نا ).(meaning:Don’tshunyourparentssincethiswillbecountedasingratitudeonyourpart,or:Itis

ingratitudetoshunyourparents).[266]InhisSahih,[267]underthe“bāb:LawannalibnAdamwādiyaynlabtaghāthālithan”(Ifthesonof

Adamhastwovalleyshewouldaskforathirdone),Al-’ImāmMuslimssaid:“AbuMusāal-‘Ash’arisentforthequrrā’(reciters)ofBasrah.Threehundredqurrā’oftheQur ’ān

cametohim.Hetoldthem:“YouaretheelectofthepeopleofBasrah’.Heaskedthemtorecite,whichtheydid.(Hetoldthem):‘DonotremainlongwithoutrecitingtheQur ’ān,lestyourhearts,likethosewhowentbeforeyou,shouldharden.IndeedweusedtoreciteasurahsimilarinlengthandpowertotheSuratal-Barā’ah,whichIforgotexceptforasingleverse:( بارتلا الا مدآ نبا فوج ألمی الو اثلاث ایداو ىغتب ال لام نم نایداو مدآ نبال ناك ول ).Wewouldalsoreadasurahlikeoneoftheal-Musabbihit,whichIforgotallexceptthis:( ةمایقلا موی اهنع نولأستف مكقانعأ يف ةداهش بتكتف نولعفت ال ام نولوقت مل اونمآ نیذلا اهیأ ای ).(meaning: O youwho believe!Why say you that which you do not? Then it will be counted a

testimonyagainstyouandyoubeanswerableaboutitontheDayofResurrection).[268]

These twoallegedsurahs,whichwere forgottenbothbyAbuMusāal-‘Ash’ari,one resemblingSuratal-Barā’ah,i.e.129verses,andtheotherresemblingoneoftheMusabbihit, i.e. twentyverses,have both no existence except in the imagination ofAbuMusā. It is really astonishing. I leave thejudgementtotheequitablereader.WhenAhlal-Sunnah’sbooksandMusnadsandSihāhberepletewithsuchreports,claimingonce

that the Qur ’ān is incomplete, and increased another time, so what is the reason behind all thisvilificationagainsttheShi’ahwhounanimouslyconcurredontheinvalidityofsuchclaims.Andwhen theShi’iman, theauthorofFaslal-Khitāb fi ithbāt tahrifKitābRabbal-’Arbāb,who

died in 1320 Hijrah, had compiled his book about a hundred years ago, he was preceded by theEgyptianSunniwriter,theauthorofthebookal-Furqānwithaboutfourcenturies,asreferredtobyal-ShaykhMuhammadal-Midyani,theDeanofal-Shari‘ahCollegeinAl-’AzharUniversity.269[269]Theimportantpoint tobegotfromall thisdiscussion, is that theSunniandShi’ahinvestigating

‘ulamā’ have annulled such narrations, regarding them as eccentric and unusual, proving throughconvincingevidencesthattheQur ’ānwehavetodaybeingtheveryQur ’ānthatwasrevealedtoourProphetMuhammad(S)withoutanyadditionoromissionorsubstitutionoralteration.HowcanAhlal-SunnahvilifytheShi’ahbecauseoftraditionsdeservingnocredencewhatsoever

near them, acquitting themselves from this charge,while theirSihāh confirm theveracity of thosetraditions? While referring to such narrations so bitterly and regretfully, how badly are we in need of

disposingof themanddiscarding themaway,hadnotbeen theoutspreadingcampaign launchedbysomewritersandauthorsclaimingtobecommittedtothePropheticSunnah.Theyarebacked,behindthe scenes, byuncovered circles, financing andurging them todefameand charge theShi’ahwithimpiety,particularlyaftertheculminationoftheIslamicRevolutioninIran. I address such people and their supporters with these words: Observe your duty toward Allah

regardingyourbrethren,andholdyoufastbythecordofGodalltogether,andbenotdivided(amongyourselves)andrememberthebountyofGodbestoweduponyou,whenyouwereenemies(ofeachother)Heunitedyourhearts togetherwith (mutual) love,and thusbyHis favouryouhavebecomebrethren.

-PerformingTwoPrayersTogether

The other point which is exploited to revile the Shi’ahwith, being their performing salāt al-zuhr(noon prayers) and salāt al-’asr (afternoon prayers) together, and so also salāt al-maghrib andal-’ishā’.Whilevilifying theShi’ah(for theallegeddefect),Ahlal-Sunnah, incontrast,assert theirbeing

adherent to preserving the salāt, complying to Allah’s words when saying: “Verily prayer is(imposed)uponthebelieversas(‘a)timedOrdinance.”(4:103) Before issuing any judgement for or against them, we have to discuss the subject from all

dimensionsandaspects,reviewingwhatthetwosectsholdinitsregard.ThereisunanimousagreementamongAhlal-Sunnahconcerningthepermissibilityofperforming

salāt al-zuhr and al-‘asr (noon and afternoonprayers) together at ‘Arafāt (Mount),which is calledjam‘ taqdim (precedent joining), and also the permissibility of performing maghrib and ‘isha’prayers at the time of ‘isha’, the act called jam‘ ta’khir (late joining). This act is unanimouslyconcurredbyallMuslims, including theShi’ahandSunnis,andratherall theIslamiccommunities,withnoexception.ThedisagreementbetweentheShi’ahandAhlal-Sunnahliesinthepermissibilityofperforming

together the two obligatory prayers of zuhr and ‘asr, and also the maghrib and ‘isha’ prayers,throughoutthewholedaysoftheyearduringsettlement,withoutthepresenceofexcuseoftravel. The Hanafi school believes in its impermissibility even during travel, despite the existence of

express texts permitting it (jam‘) especially during trave, contradicting thus the unanimity oftheUmmah:Shi’ahandSunnah. TheMālikis, Shāfi‘is andHanbalis concur on the permissibility of jam‘ (performing together)

betweentwoobligatorysalātsduringtravel,butdisagreeconcerningitspermissibilityinthetimesof(public)panic(khawf),sickness,rainingandmud(flood).TheImāmiyyahShi’ahunanimouslyconcuronitsabsolutepermissibility,withouttheexcusesof

travelorrainingorpanic,followinginthisrespecttheguideofAhlal-BaytImamsamongthePureKindred(peacebeuponthem).Inthispoint,inparticular,weshouldtakeanaccusativeandskepticalstandpointtowardthem,as

whenevertheSunnisargueagainsttheShi’ahwithaproof,theywouldrebuttheargumentwithsayingthattheAhlal-BaytImamshavetaughtandexplainedtothemalltheunsolvablematters,boastingoffollowing the example of Infallible Imams having full knowledge of the Qur ’ān and (Prophetic)Sunnah! I remember that the first time Iperformedsalāt al-zuhrand salāt al-‘asr,was ledby theMartyr

MuhammadBāqiral-Sadr(mayGodbepleasedwithhim).Iusedtoperformthenoonandafternoon(‘asr)prayersseparately,whenbeingintheHolyCityofNajaf,tillthecomingofthatblessedday.Inthatday,Iwentoutwithal-SayyidMuhammadBāqiral-Sadrfromhishousetothemosquewhereheusedtoleadthecongregationalprayers,beforehisimitatorswhowelcomedmerespectfully,leavingme a room just behind him. When the noon prayers expired and iqāmah was made for the ‘asrprayers,Ihadapresentimenttoquitandleavethem.ButIremainedfortworeasons,thefirstbeingthe dignity of al-Sayyid al-Sadr and his profound solemnity in his prayer, that I wished to beprolongated.Thesecondreasonwasmypresenceinthatplace,beingthenearestworshippertohim,feeling as if a forcemajeure pullingme towardhim.Aswe finishedperforming the ‘asr prayers,peopleaccumulatedaroundhimputtingforth theirquestionsbeforehim,whenIstayedbehindhimlisteningtothequestionsandtheiranswersgivenbyhim,exceptforsomeundisclosedones.Thenheaccompaniedmehome for lunch,where I foundmyself ashonoraryguest. I availedmyselfof the

opportunityofthatmeeting,andaskedhimaboutperformingtwosalātstogether,thus:—Omaster!CantheMuslimperformtwoobligatoryprayerstogetherincaseofexigency?Hereplied:Hecandosoinallcaseswithnonecessityofpresenceofexigency.Isaid:Whatisyourproofforthis?Hesaid:Since theMessengerofAllah (S)hasperformed twoobligatoryprayers inal-Madinah

with no travel, fear, raining or exigency, but only for keeping us away from troubles. This fact,thankstoGod,isconfirmedandestablishedforusthroughthepureImams,anditisalsoestablishedforyou.Isaid:IwonderhowcoulditbeestablishedforuswhileIhaveneverheardofitbefore,norseen

any Sunni applying it. Rather, on the contrary, the Sunnis believe in the invalidity of the salāt ifperformedevenoneminutebeforetheadhān(callforprayer),sowhataboutthatperformingprayershours before (its time) with the noon prayers, or performing the ‘isha’ prayers together with themaghrib,theactweviewtobeindecentandinvalid.Al-SayyidMuhammadBāqiral-Sadrrealizedmyperplexityandwonder.Hewhisperedintheear

ofsomeoneoftheattendants,whohurriedlywentandbroughthimtwobooks,whichIrecognizedtobeSahihal-BukhāriandSahih-Muslim.Al-Sayyidal-Sadraskedthatknowledge-seekertomakemeacquaintedwiththetraditionsrelatedtoperformingtwoprayerstogether.ImyselfreadinSahihal-Bukhāri(the traditionsshowing)howtheProphet(S)performedtogether thezuhrand‘asrprayersandmaghriband‘isha’prayers. InSahihMuslimIcameacrossa fullchapteronal-jam‘baynaal-salātayn (performing twoprayers together) at timeofpresence (hadar)other than timesof fearorrainingortravel. Icouldnothidemywonderandastonishment,whilebeingdoubtful thatal-BukhāriandMuslim

withthemmightbefalsified,decidingprivatelytoreviewthesetwobooksinTunisia.Afterthatproof,al-Sayyidal-Sadrsoughttoknowmyopinion. I said:Youarequite right, andwhatyou say is thevery truth. Iwould like toput forth another

question.Hesaid:Pleasedo. I said: Is it permissible to perform together the four salawāt (prayers), as practised by a lot of

peoplewhoperformtheprayersofzuhr,‘asr,maghriband‘isha’togetheroutof(due)time(qadā’)whenreturninghomeatnight?Hesaid:Thisisimpermissible. I said: You yourself said before that theMessenger of Allah (S) used to perform the prayers

separately and altogether, the practice through which we recognized the due times (mawāqit),approvedbyAllahtheGlorified.Hesaid:Thereisacommontimeforthetwofaridahs(obligatoryprayers)ofzuhrand‘asr,that

startsfromthemeridiantillsunset.Andalsofortheprayersofmaghriband‘isha’,thatstartsfromsunsettillthemidnight.Whilethemorningprayerhasonetimebeginningfrombreakingofdawntillsunrise.Whoevercontradictsthesefixedtimes,hasinfactcontradictedtheHolyverse:“Verilyprayer is (imposed) upon the believers as (‘a) timed Ordinance.” (4:103). So we cannot, for

instance, perform the morning prayer before dawn-breaking, nor after sunrise. Also it isimpermissibletoperformthezuhrand‘asrprayersbeforethemeridianoraftersunset.Andfurtherwearenotallowedtoperformthemaghriband‘isha’prayersbeforesunsetoraftermidnight.Ithenthankedal-SayyidMuhammadBāqiral-Sadr.AndthoughIwascontentwithallhiswords,

butIneverperformedtwoordinancestogetherafterdepartinghim,tillmyreturntoTunisia,whereIengagedmyselfdeliberatelyininvestigationandresearchtillbeingenlightened. This was my story with Martyr al-Sadr (may God’s mercy be upon him), concerning the

performingtogetheroftwoobligatoryprayers,intendingfromcitingthemthatmybrothers,among

the Sunnismay realize, first, themorality of the ‘ulamā’ who humbled themselves to deserve theepithetofbeing the inheritorsof theprophets in respectofknowledgeandethics.Second, toshowhowwebeunawareofwhatourSihāhcontain,whilerevilingtheothersonsomemattersinwhoseveracityweverilybelieve,andwhicharestatedinourSihāh. In hisMusnad,[270] Al-’ImāmAhmad ibn Hanbal reported from Ibn ‘Abbās that he said: The

MessengerofAllah(S)performedsevenandeight(rak‘ahs)altogether(i.e.maghribwith‘isha’,andzuhrwith‘asrprayers)atal-Madinahwhilebeingresidentnottraveller.Inal-Muwatta’,[271]Al-’ImāmMālikreportedthatIbn‘Abbāssaid:TheMessengerofAllah(S)

performedthezuhrwith‘asrprayers,andmaghribwith‘isha’prayerstogether,withoutpresenceoffearor travelling.Thesame tradition is reportedalsobyal-’ImāmMuslim, inhisSahih,under thebāb“al-jam‘baynaal-salātaynfial-hadar”.[272]MuslimalsoreportedfromIbn‘Abbāsthathesaid:TheMessengerperformedtogetherzuhrwith

‘asrprayers,andmaghribwith‘isha’prayersatal-Madinah,withnofearortravel.He(Muslim)said:I asked Ibn ‘Abbās:Whydidhedo so?He replied:So thathewouldnever causeanyproblem forhisUmmah.[273]ThefactindicatingthatthisPropheticSunnahwaswidelyknownamongtheSahābah,andpractised

bythem,canbesoughtinthetraditionreportedbyMuslimtooinhisSahih,underthesamebāb,bysaying:Ibn‘Abbāsaddressedusinasermonafterthe‘asr(afternoon),andcontinuedtillsunsetandappearance of the stars, when people started calling: al-salāt, al-salāt. Thereat a man from BanuTamim,whileperpetuallyexclaiming:al-salāt,al-salāt.,cametowardhim.Ibn‘Abbāssaidtohim:Osonofnomother!DoyouteachmetheSunnah?Thenhesaid:IhaveseentheMessengerofAllah(S)performing together the zuhrwith ‘asr andmaghribwith ‘isha’ prayers. In another narration, Ibn‘Abbāssaidtotheman:Omotherlessman,doyouteachustheprayers,andweusedtoperformtwoprayers together during the lifetime of theMessenger of Allah (upon whom be God’s peace andbenediction).[274]InhisSahih,[275]underthebāb“waqtal-maghrib”,al-’Imāmal-Bukhārisaid:Adaminformedus

saying,Shu’bahtoldusandsaid,‘AmribnDinarsaid:IheardJābiribnZayd,quotingIbn‘Abbāswhosaid:TheProphet,uponwhombeGod’speaceandbenediction,performedseven(rak‘ahs)togetherandeighttogether(meaningmaghribwith‘isha’andzuhrwith‘asrprayers).Also,inhisSahih,[276]underthebāb‘”waqtal-‘asr”,al-Bukhāriisreportedtohavesaid:Iheard

Abu Imamah saying:Weperformedwith ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdal-‘Aziz the zuhrprayer, afterwhichwewentoutandentereduponAnasibnMālikwhomwefoundperformingthe‘asrprayer.Isaid:Whatisthat prayer youperformed?He said: It is the ‘asr prayer, and it is the prayer of theMessenger ofAllah,uponwhombeGod’speaceandbenediction,whichweusedtoperformwithhim.Despite theplainnessof these traditions, still therearesomewhoexploit thispoint to revile the

Shi’ahwith.IthasonceuponatimeoccurredinTunisia,whentheprayersleader(imām)intheCityofQafsah,stoodupforrevilinganddefamingusinthemidstoftheworshippers,saying:Haveyounoticedthereligiontheybrought…afterperformingthezuhrprayer theyriseupandperformthe‘asr. It is a new religion other than theDin ofMuhammad theMessenger ofAllah. These peoplecontradicttheQur ’ānwhichsays:“Verilyprayer is (imposed)upon thebelieversas (‘a) timedOrdinance.”He

sparednothingbutreviledwithitthosewhowereenlightenedandguided.Oneoftheenlightened,whowasahighlylearnedyouth,cametowardmeandcitedtomesosadly

and bitterly what hte leader (of prayer) said. So I handed him both Sahih al-Bukhāri and SahihMuslim,askinghimtoshowtheimamthe(traditionsprovingthe)veracityofjam‘(performingtwoprayerstogether),whichbeingoftheProphet’sSunnah.AsIneverintendedtodebatewithhim;sinceI did this before by that which is better but he responded with reviling and slander, and baseless

charges.However,myfriendnever stoppedprayingbehindhimandwhen theprayers finished, theimamsatasusualtogivethelessons.Thenmyfriendadvancedtohimandputforththeinquiryaboutperformingtwofaridahstogether.Hereplied:ItisoneoftheShi‘ah’sheresies.Myfriendsaidtohim:ButitisrecordedinSahihal-BukhāriandSahihMuslim,withgivingthemtohim.Onreadingthebābal-jam‘ bayna al-salātayn”, he was shocked by the truth, before all the worshippers, attending hisclasses.Soheimmediatelyclosedthebooks,andreturnedthemtomesaying:This(sunnah)belongsinparticulartotheMessengerofAllah,andwhenyoubecomeanapostleofAllahyoucanapplyit.After that this friendsaid tome: I realized then that thismanwasnomore thanabigoted illiterate(jāhil),makinganoathnottopraybehindhimanymore(beingledbyhim).[277]Thereafter, I askedmy friend to go back to him to let him be acquaintedwith the fact that Ibn

‘Abbās used to perform that salāt (two prayers together) besides Anas ibn Mālik and many aCompanion, so why does he intend to distinguish the Messenger of Allah to perform it alone?Haven’twehadagoodexampleintheMessengerofAllah?Butmyfriendbeggedmetoexcusehimofthistask,saying:Noneedforthis,sinceIamsurethathewillneverbeconvincedevenwhentheMessengerofAllah(S)himselfcomestohim.AllpraisebelongstoAllah,thatalargenumberoftheyouths,afterrecognizingthisreality,(the

performingtogetheroftwoprayers),resumedtheir(performanceof)prayersafterdiscardingit.Thatwasbecausetheyweresufferingfrommissingtheperformingoftheprayersintheirduetimes,inawaytheyusedtoresorttoperformthefourprayersaltogetheratnight,theactcausingthemtroublesand their hearts being fed up.But they realized then the wisdom that lies behind performing twoprayerstogether,asallemployees,studentsandcommonpeoplewould,throughthissunnah,beabletoperform thedailyprayers in theirdue timeswith restfulhearts.Only then they realized the truemeaningoftheMessenger ’sexpression:“….sothatInevercreateanytroubleformyUmmah.

ProstrationonClay

AllShi’ah‘ulamā’unanimouslyagreeonthepreferabilityofprostratingontheearth,inaccordancewiththetraditiontheyreportfromtheMessengerofAllah(S):“Thebestprostrationisontheearth.”Inanothernarration,he(S)said:“Itisnotpermissibletoprostratebutonlyontheearth,oranyplantcomingoutfromit,provided

itbeunedibleandunwearable.” The author of Wasā’il al-Shi’ah, reports from Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, with the

authorityofHishāmibnal-Hakam,fromAbu‘AbdAllāh(‘a)thathesaid:Prostrationontheearthispreferablesinceitismoreextremelyindicativeofmodesty,andsubmissiontoAllah,theMightyandtheGlorious.” In another narration, he reported fromMuhammad ibn al-Hasan, through his isnādfromIshaqibnal-Fadl,thathequestionedAbu‘AbdAllāh(al-’Imāmal-Sādiq)[A]aboutprostrationonmats(hasir)wovenfromreed(qasab).He(‘a)replied:Thereisnoobjectiontoit,buttoprostrateonearthismorepreferabletome,andtheMessengerofAllah,mayGod’speaceandbenedictionbeupon him and his Progeny, liked this, that to make the forehead touch the earth. I like for youwhateverwaslikedbytheMessengerofAllah(S).”WhereastheSunni‘ulamā’seenoobjectiontoprostrateonpens(zaribah)andcarpets,thoughthey

preferittobe(reedy)mats. There are some narrations reported by al-Bukhāri andMuslim in their Sahihs, confirming the

Messenger ’shavingamatmadeofpalmleaves,usingitforprostration.MuslimreportedinhisSahihunderkitābal-hayd,ontheaurhotiyofYahyaibnYahyaandAbuBakr ibnAbiShaybah,fromAbuMu‘āwiyah, from al-’A’mash, from Thabitt ibn ‘Ubayd, from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, from‘A’ishahwhosaid:TheMessengerofAllah(S)saidtome,handmethekhumrahfromthemosque.Shesays:Isaid:Iammenstruant.Hesaid:Yourmenstruationisnotfromyourhands.[278](Muslimsays:Al-Khumrahisasmallrug-like,withthesizeenoughforprostration).TheevidenceindicatingthattheMessengerofAllahwasmuchpreferringprostrationonearth,can

besoughtinthetraditionreportedbyal-BukhāriinhisSahih,ontheauthorityofAbuSa‘idal-Khudri(may God be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah, may God’s peace andbenedictionsbeuponhimandhisProgeny,usedtosecludehimselfduringthesecondtendaysoftheMonthofRamadān.Hekepton thishabit foroneyear, till thecomingof the twenty-firstnight, themorningofwhichhewas supposed to endhis seclusion,whenhe said:Whoever secludedhimselfwithme,shoulddosointhelasttendays.Isawthisnight,andwasmadetoforgetit;Isawmyself(indream)wading inwater andmud, in itsmorning.So seek it (thenight) in the last tendays, and ineveryoddnight.Atthatverynight,itrained,andthemosquewhichwassupportedbyatrellis,startedtoleak,whenmyeyesfeltontheMessengerofAllah,mayGod’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny,seeingthetraceofwaterandmudonhisforehead,inthemorningofthetwenty-firstday.[279] The other evidence demonstrating the Companions’ preferring prostration on earth, in the

presenceoftheProphet(S),beingthehadithreportedbyal-’Imāmal-Nasā’iinhisSunan,under“bābtabrid al-hasā Lis-sijud ‘alayh” (cooling the stones for prostrating on them), who said: Qutaybahinformedusandsaid, ‘Abbādreported, fromMuhammad ibn ‘Amr, fromSa’id ibnal-Harth, fromJābir ibn‘AbdAllāh,whosaid:WhenwewereperformingthezuhrprayerswiththeMessengerofAllah(S),Ipickedupahandfulofstonesinthepalmofmyhand,coolingthemandshiftingthemtotheotherpalm,andwhenprostratingIwouldplacethemtoputmyforehandon.[280]Addedtothis,thehadithutteredbytheProphet(S):“Theearthismadeformeaplaceforprostration(masjid)andapurifier.”[281]

Healsosaid:“Theearthasawholeismadetousaplaceforprostrationanditssoilmadeapurifier.”[282]WhyareMuslimsthenbefanaticagainsttheShi’ahbecauseoftheirprostrationonearthinsteadof

zarābi(moquette)? And how dare they to charge them with impiety, reviling and defaming them, falsely and

calumniouslywiththechargeofbeingidolaters?FurtherhowdotheSaudisbeatthem(theShi‘ah)merelyforkeepingtheturbah(pieceofclayon

whichforeheadsareput)intheirpocketsorbags? Is this truly the Islam that commands us to respect each other, and never insult anymonotheist

Muslim witnessing that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,establishingprayers,pyaingthepoor-due,fastingtheMonthofRamadānandmakingpilgrimagetotheHouseofAllah(Makkah)?AndcanitstandtoreasonthattheShi’iundergoesallthosetroubles,sustainingall those losses tomakepilgrimage to theHouse(Ka’bah),andvisit theProphet’s tomb,whilebeingworshippersofstones,assomepeopledesiretoportray?Can’ttheSunnisbeconvincedwiththestatementoftheMartyrMuhammadBāqiral-Sadr,whichI

quotedinmyfirstbookThummaIhtadayt(ThenIwasguided),whenIaskedhimaboutthepieceofclay (onwhich they put their foreheads during their prayers, calling it al-turbah, and he answeredthus:WeallprostrateonthedustforAllah,butnotforthedust,assomepeopleclaimthattheShi’ahdo. And there is difference between prostration on the dust and prostration for the dust! For theprostrationisonlyforAllah,praisebetoHimtheHighest.Andwhen theShi’i takescare soas theplaceofhisprostrationbepureandacceptedbyAllah,

responding to the commands of the Messenger of Allah and the Pure Imams of Ahl al-Bayt.Especially nowadays where all mosques being carpetted with soft moquette, which are made ofunknownmaterialtoalltheMuslims,andneverbemadeinIslamiccountries,besidessomeofthembeingmadeofmaterialsonwhichprostrationisforbidden…arewetodiscardandrenouncetheShi’iwhoisconcernedaboutthevalidityofhissalāt,andaccusehimofbeinginfidelandpolytheistjustforafictitioussuspicion? The Shi’i who cares about the affairs of his Din (religion), particularly his salāt which is the

backboneofreligion(‘amudal-Din),takingoffhisbeltandwatchwhosebandismadeofleatherofunknownorigin;andsometimeshisforeigntrouserssoastoprayinalooseandwavingtrousers,fortheonlyreasontotakeprecautionandattachingmuchimportancetothatmagnificenthaltingbeforeAllah,soasnottomeethisLordwithanyundeirablething…doesallthisdeservetobemetwithallthisscorningandaversion,oritshouldbemetwithrespectandexaltation?Sincehehasmagnifiedtheofferings consecrated to Allah, as said in the Qur ’ān: “Andwhoever respecteth the signs of Godverilyitis(thereflection)ofthepietyofthehearts.”(22:32)ObondmenofAllah,fearthewrathofAllahandspeakwordsstraighttothepoint.Allahsays:“AndhaditnotbeenGod’sgraceuponyouandHismercyinthisworldandthehereafter,indeed

hadseizedyoufortheslanderyeenteredinto,agrievouschastisement.”(24:14,15)

Al-Raj'ah(RestorationtoLife)

ThisisexclusivelyheldbytheShi’ah.IinvestigatedandsearchedinalltheSunnibooksbutfailedtofindanytraceofit.Inthisregard,theShi’ahdependuponakhbār(reports)andnarrationstheyquotedfromthepure

Imams(peacebeuponthem),whichindicatethatAllah,theGloriousandtheExalted,willresurrectsomeofthebelieversandsomecorruptculpritssoasthebelieversrevengeagainsttheirandAllah’senemiesinthisworldlylifebeforethehereafter.These reports, throughbeing sahih (correct) andmutawātir (narrated throughauthentic chains),

butarenotnecessarilybindinguponAhlal-Sunnahiftheytrustnottheirveracity,andconsequentlyitisnotincumbentuponthemtobelieveinthem,justbecauseAhlal-BaytImamsreportedthemfromtheirgrandfathertheMessengerofAllah(S)!Nay,aswehavecommittedourselvestobeequitableinresearch,anddiscardbigotry,sowenevertaskthembutonlywiththattheybindthemselvesto,andreportintheirSihāh,sincethetraditionsonraj‘ahhaveneverbeencitedintheirbooksortransmittedbythem.Therefore,theyarequitefreetodisbelieveinthesereports,andrejectthem,incaseanyoneoftheShi’ahintendstoletthembeacquaintedwithsuchnarrations.DuetothefactthattheShi’ahhaveneverimposedonorcoercedanyonetobelieveintheraj‘ah,

nor they charge with impiety anyone denying it, so no need is there for all that vilification andexaggeration against the Shi’ah, specially when taking into consideration their interpreting someQur’ānicversesinawaydenotingthismeaningandconfirmingit,such:“AndontheDaywhenWewillcollectfromeverypeopleapartyfromthosewhobeliedoursigns,thenwilltheybeformedintogroups”(27:83). InTafsir al-Qummi, it is reported fromIbnAbi ‘Umayr, fromHammād, fromAbu ‘AbdAllāh

(al-’Imām)Ja’faral-Sādiq(peacebeuponhim),thathesaid:Whatdopeoplesayaboutthisāyah“AndontheDaywhenWewillcollectfromeverypeopleaparty”?(Hammādsays:)Ireplied:TheybelievethistobeontheDayofResurrection.He(‘a)said:Itisnotthatwhichtheyclaim,butitisverilyaboutthe raj‘ah (restoration to life) … is it proper for Allah to resurrect a party ofeveryUmmah(community)and leave therest?(No)but theāyahonResurrection(Day)be thisone:“Wewillgatherthem(and)thenleavenotbehind,ofthemanyone.”(18:47)Itisalsoreportedinthebook‘Aqā’idal-’Imāmiyyahofal-ShaykhMuhammadRidāal-MuZaffar,

thathesaid:ThebeliefheldbytheImamiyahinaccordancewithwhatisreportedfromAlal-Bayt(theProphet’sHousehold),peacebeuponthem,thatAllah, theMostHigh,willresurrectagroupof thedeadandreturnthemtotheworld(dunyā),withthesameshapestheywerebefore,dignifyingsomeandhumiliating someothers, distinguishingbetween the rightful from falsifiers and theoppressedfrom the oppressors. This shall occur during the reappearance and rise of al-Mahdi of AlMuhammad,uponhimandthembethebestbenedictionandpeace.Andnoonewillberesurrectedbutwhoeverattainedtheextremestdegreeoffaith(imān)or the

extremest degree of corruption, who all shall be caused to die afterwards, and then to nushur(gatheringforreckoning)andtogetthethawāb(reward)and‘iqāb(punishment)accordingtowhattheydeserve.ItisexactlyasstatedbytheAlmightyAllahinHisNobleBook,aboutthoseresurrectedones,whowerenever reclaimed through restoration to life,deservingconsequentlyAllah’swrath,desiring then toberesurrectedfor the third timewith thehopeofbeingreclaimed:Theyshallsay:“O’ourLord!TwicedistThoucauseustodie,andtwicedidstThougiveuslife,and(now)wedoconfessoursins:Istherethenawaytogetout(ofthis)?”MyviewisthatifAhlal-Sunnahneverbelieveinthedoctrineofraj‘ah,theyarequiterightfulin

thisrespect,buttheyhavenorightwhatsoevertorevileanddefamewhoeverbelievinginit,duetothe

establishmentofthetextsregardingitforhim.Asthatwhoknowsnothasnoauthorityoverthatwhoknows, andalso the ignoranthasno authorityover the learned, anddisbelieving in something canneverbeanevidenceon itsnon-existenceor falsehood,as therearemany irrefutableproofsbeingapprovedbytheMuslimswhilebeingdisapprovedbythepeopleofscripture(Ahlal-Kitāb)includingtheJewsandChristians. And there are numerous beliefs and narrations held by the Sunnis concerning God’s friends

(Awliyā’)andthepious,andfollowersoftheSuficreeds,thatseemimpossibleandabominable,butnotcallingforvilificationandexaggerationagainsttheSunnis’faith.On theotherhand, thedoctrineof raj‘ahhasasupport in theQur ’ānand thePropheticSunnah,

besidesitsbeingnotimposibleforAllah,WhocitedforusexamplesaboutitintheQur ’ān,likeHissaying:“Or(didstthounotsee)likehimwhopassedbyatownandithadfallenonitsroofs,heexlaimed,

(Oh)HowcanGod(ever)bringittolife(again),after(this)itsdeath,”Where-uponGodcausedhimtodieahundredyearsandthereafterraisedhim(againtolife).”(2:259)OrtheAlmighty’ssaying:“Didstthounotseethosewhowentforthfromtheirhomes,andtheywereinthosuands,forfearof

death;thenGodsaiduntothem,‘Dieye!’(andtheydied)andthereafterHerestoredthemtolife…”(2:243)AllahcausedsomepeoplefromamongtheChildrenofIsrael,andthereafterrestoredthemtolife,

inaccordancewiththefollowingverse:“And(rememberye!)whenyesaid,“O’Moses!Neverwillwebelieve in theeuntilweseeGod

manifestly,” theThunder seizedyouwhileye lookedon.ThenWe raisedyouafteryourdeath thathaplyyemightbethankful.”(2:55,56)Further,aboutthefellowsoftheCavewhostayeddeadintheircaveformorethanthreehundred

years,Godsays:“ThenWeraised themup thatWemightknowwhichof the twoparties reckonethbestthedurationoftheirstay.”(18:12)ThuswenoticedhowtheBookofAllahindicatesthattheraj‘ahhappenedforthepreviousnations,

soitsoccurrencefortheUmmahofMuhammadisnotimpossible,especiallywhenitistobereportedandconfirmedbyAhlal-BaytImams,peacebeuponthem,whoarethetruthfulandknowledgeable.But thereare some intruderswhoclaim that tobelieve in raj‘ah is the sameasbelieving in the

tanāsukh(transmigration),whichisheldbysomeoftheatheists.Thisclaimismanifestydeviousandfalse, the purpose of which being nomore than vilification and tahwil (exaggeration) against theShi’ah.Sincethosebelievingintheprincipleoftanāsukh,neverholdthatmanisrestoredtolifewithhisownbody,soul,shapeandnature,butsaythatthesoulistransmittedfromthebodyofamandiedtothatofanothermanbornanew,oreventoananimal.This,asknownbyall, isabsolutely faroff fromthecreedandbeliefsofMuslimswhosay that

Allahwillraiseupthedeadfromtheirgraveswiththeirbodiesandsouls.Whiletheraj‘ahinfacthasnothingtodowiththetanāsukh,whichisheldonlybytheignorantandilliteratepeoplewhohavenoknowledge,ortheimpiouswhohaveevilintentions.

Extravagance(Ghuluww)[InLovingtheImams]

Wenevermeanbyghuluwwheretodeviatefromthepathoftruthandfollowthehawā(desire),tillthebelovedturningtobetheworshippedgod,whichisverilyablasphemyandpolytheismthatcanneverbelievedbyanyMuslimhavingfaith in theIslamicmessageandprophethoodofMuhammad(S).TheMessengerofAllah(S)determinedfixedlimitsforsuchlove,whenhesaidtoal-’Imām‘Ali

(‘a):“Twocategoriesofpeoplewillfaceruinonaccountofyou:hewholovesyouwithexaggeration,

andhewhohatesyouintensely.”He(S)alsosaid:“O‘Ali,inyouthereisaparableofJesus,thesonofMary,whowasdetestedbytheJewstothe

extentastonishinghismother,andlovedbytheChristianstillimpartinguponhimthepositionthathewasunfitforit.”[283][284]Thisbeing thenegativemeaning forghuluww,when loveexceeds thebounds till rendering the

belovedasagod,givinghimarankhigherthanhisown,orwhenhatredexceedstheboundsreachingtheextentofcalumnyandfalseaccusation.WhiletheShi’ahhavenevergonetotheextremesinloving‘AliandtheImamsamonghissons,

but imparted upon them the reasonable position determined by theMessenger ofAllah (S), as hisexecutors(awsyā’)andsuccessors,withnooneclaimingtheirattainingthedegreeofprophethoodletnotthedivinity.Weshouldnevercareorgiveheedtotheallegationsofsometroublesomepersonsclaiming that theShi’ahhavemadeagodof ‘Aliandbelieved inhisdeity.Suchpeople, ifwhat isreportedbecorrect,couldneither representasect,noraschoolof thought (madhhab),norShi’ah,norKharijites(khawārij).Andwhat is the fault of theShi’ah if theLordofPower andGlory says inHisBook: “Say (O

Muhammad,untomankind):Idemandnotofyouanyrecompenseforit(thetoilsoftheapostleship)save the loveof (my)kinsfolk.”And themawaddah (lovingkindness),as isknown, isgreater thanmerelove(hubb).AlsotheMessengerofAllah(S)says: “None of you will be a (true) believer till loving for his brother (in Din) what he loves for

himself, andmawaddah enjoins on you to deprive you of something so as to lovewith it anotherone.”AndwhatfaulttheShi’ahhavewhentheMessengerofAllah(S)says:“O‘Ali,youareamasterinthisworldandamasterintheHereafter.Whoeverlovesyouhasloved

meandwhoeverhatesyouishatingme.YourloveristheloverofAllahandyourhateristhehaterofAllah,andwoebeuntothatwhodetestsyou.”Hefurthersays:“Tolove‘Aliisfaith,andtohatehimishypocrisy.”[285][286]Healsosays:“WhoeverdieswiththeloveofAlMuhammadbeinhisheart,hisdeathisthatofamartyr.Verily

thatwhodiesupontheloveofAlMuhammadshalldieforgiven,andwhoeverdiesuponloveofAlMuhammad shall die penitent.Whoever dies upon love of AlMuhammad shall die a believer ofperfectfaith,andthatwhodiesuponloveofAlMuhammadtheangelofdeathwillaugurhimwithheavens…”[287]AndwhytoblameorreproachtheShi’ahiftheyloveamanaboutwhomtheMessengerofAllah

(S)said:“TomorrowIwillgivemystandardtoamanlovesGodandHisMessenger,andGodandHisMessengerlovehim…”[288]Astheloverof‘AliistheloverofAllahandHisMessenger,withbeingamu’min(truebeliever),

while the hater of ‘Ali is in fact the hater of Allah and His Messenger, and being a munāfiq(hypocrite).Itwillnotbeoutofcontextheretociteal-’Imāmal-Shāfi‘i’sfamousquartrainontheirlove:OHouseholdoftheMessengerofAllah,loveforyou.IsanobligationfromAllah,revealedintheQur ’ān.Itsufficesasthegreatesthonourbestowedonyou,Thathisprayerisasnothingwhodoesnotsaluteyou.Inregardofthemandtheirlove,al-Farazdaqdisclosedhisfamouspoem:

FromafolkwhoseloveisDin,andhatredis.Kufrandtheirnearnessisdeliveranceandrefuge.Whencountingpiouspeople,theybetheirleaders,Orsaidwhothebestonearth,nonebeexceptthem.

TheShi’ahlovedAllahandHisMessenger,andthroughthislovetheyweremadetoloveAhlal-

Bayt:Fātimahand‘Aliandal-Hasanandal-Husayn,thefactonwhichcountlesstraditionsarethere,reportedbytheSunni‘ulamā’intheirSihāh,someofwhichIhavecitedforthesakeofbrevity.Andwhenthelovefor‘AliandAhlal-Baytrepresents ingeneral thelovefor theMessengerof

Allah(S),wehave toknowtheextentof loverequiredfromtheMuslimssoas to learn if therebeghuluww(excess)asallegedbysome.TheMessengerofAllah(S)said:“Noneofyouwillbea(true)believertillIbecomeforhimmorebelovedthanhischildren,and

fatherandallpeople.”[289] On this basis, everyMuslim should love ‘Ali and the Pure Imams among his sonsmore than

people as awhole including his family and children, as only through this the faith (imān) can beestablished,asconfirmedbytheProphet(S)intheaforementionedhadith.ThustheShi’ahneveroverstate,butgiveeachrightownerhisdue,andtheywerecommandedby

theMessengerofAllahtohold‘Aliinapositionparabletothatoftheheadtothebody,andthesamepositionofthetwoeyestothehead.Istereanyonereadytorelinquishofhiseyesorhishead?On the other side, an excessive extravagance is foundwithAhl al-Sunnah in their love for the

Sahābah and undue consecration.But it seems as merely a reaction against the Shi’ah, who neverbelieved in the ‘adālah (justice, straightforwardness) of the Sahābah as a whole.Whereas theUmayyadsused to elevate the statusof theSahābah,belittling anddegradingon theotherhand theProphet’sHousehold,totheextentthatwhensendingbenedictionsuponMuhammadandhisProgeny,theywouldadd:“anduponhisCompanionsall.”AllthisisduetothefactthatsendingbenedictionsuponAhlal-Baythasavirtuetowhichtherewasnoprecedent,norcanbereachedbyanyone.Sothey(theUmayyads)intendedtoelevatetheSahābahtothatsublimedegree,beingunawareofthefactthatAllah the Glorified has commanded the Muslims on top of whom be all the Sahābah, to sendbenedictionsuponMuhammadand ‘Ali andFātimahwith al-Hasanayn.And theprayerof thatwhodoesnotsendblessingsupon themis rejectedandcanneverbeacceptedbyAllah if itbeconfineduponMuhammadalone,asisconfirmedandrecordedinSahihal-BukhāriandSahihMuslim.ThereasonwhywecallitghuluwwonthepartoftheSahābahliesinthefactthatAhlal-Sunnah

exceedthe logic limitswhenascribingjustice toallof theSahābahwhileAllahandHisMessengerbearwitnessthatamongthemaredebauchees,renegades,deviatorsandhypocrites.Theirghuluwwisquitemanifestwhenclaimingthat theMessengerofAllah(S)mayerrandbe

corrected by a Companion, or that the Satan plays and sports in the presence of the Prophet, butescapeswhenseeing‘Umar.AndalsotheghuluwwisexplicitwhentheysaythatifAllahinflictstheMuslims, includingtheMessengerofAllah,withatribulation,noonewouldbeinsafeofitexcept

Ibn al-Khattāb. The extravagance is evenmore explicit when they annul the Prophet’s Sunnah andfollow the sunnah of the Sahābah particularly al-Khulafā’ al-Rāshidun. Till now I have revealedinstancesofsomeofthesepractices,andanyonedesirestogetmoreinformation,hastosearchandmeditateinordertoputhishandonmoreofsuchmisconceptions.

Al-Mahdi,theAwaited

He also became one of the topics misused by Ahl al-Sunnah to revile the Shi’ah. Some of themtransgressed the limits by making of it a point of mockery and derision, as they negate, or say,believe it impossible for a human being to be alive and unseen for twelve centuries. Some of thecontemporary writers even dare to say: “The Shi’ah have fabricated and forged the idea of theocculted Imamwhowillverilydeliver them,becauseof themuchoppressionandpersecution theyexperiencedfromtimeimmemorialtothepresentday.SotheyconsoledthemselvesbythewishoftheAwaited al-Mahdi,whowill fill the earthwith justice and equity and take their revenge from theirenemies.” The topic of the Promised al-Mahdi has become the town-talk in the recent years after the

culminationoftheIslamicRevolutioninIran,withtheMuslims,especiallytheeducatedyouthstartingeverywhere,toinquireaboutthetruthandauthenticityofal-Mahdi….whetherishefactuallythereandhasexistenceintheIslamicdoctrinesorjustoneofthecompositionsorforgeriesoftheShi’ah? Despite the books and researches compiled and written by the Shi’ah ‘ulamā’, long ago and

recently[290] and despite the communications between many Sunnis and their brethren the Shi’ahthrough numerous conferences and discussions on miscellaneous doctrinal subjects, this topicremainssoambiguoustomanyofthem,sincetheyneverusedtohearthelikeoftheseepisodes.WhatisthentherealityofthePromisedal-MahdiintheIslamiccreeds?Thediscussionaboutthetopicisdividedintotwoparts:thefirstrelatestomakearesearchonal-

Mahdi through the Book (Qur ’ān) and (Prophetic) Sunnah. The second focuses on his life(biography),occultationandreappearance.Concerningthefirstresearch,itcanbesaidthatthereisagreementbetweentheShi’ahandSunnah

on the fact that theMessengerofAllah (S)has foretoldabouthim, informinghisCompanions thatAllah,theGloriousandExalted,shallverilymakehimtoreappearattheendofTime(world,zamān).ItistobenoticedthatboththeShi’ahandSunni‘ulamā’havereportedmanytraditionsaboutal-Mahdi(‘a)intheirauthenticbooks(Sihāh)andMusnads. I, inmy turn, and as usual, to fulfil the commitment I undertook onmyself in all the subjects

discussed in thisbook, thatnot to infer (asaproof)butonly throughwhat is confirmedand sahih(correct,authentic)forAhlal-SunnahandtheShi’ah.InSunanAbiDāwud,291[291]itisreportedthattheMessengerofAllah(S)said:“Ifthereremainedbutasingledayofthe(endof)Time,AllahwouldprolongthatdaytillHesends

amanofmyprogeny,whosenameislikemine,andwhosefather ’snameismyfather ’s,whowillfilltheearthwithjusticeandequityasithadbeenfilledwithoppressionandtyranny.”InSunanIbnMājah,[292]thefollowingtraditionisreported.TheMessengerofAllah(S)said:“Weare theAhlal-BaytforwhomAllahhaschosenthehereafter to thisworld.MyAhlal-Bayt

willfaceaftermedifficulties,hardshipsandpersecutioninthelands,untilapeoplewillcomefromtheeast(mashriq)bearersofblackbanners.Theywilldemandtherightbutitwillbedenied.So,theywillfightandwillemergevictorious.Theywillbegivenwhattheydemanded,butwillnotacceptittill theygive it (theright to rule) toamanfrommyAhlal-Bayt,whowouldfill it (theearth)withjusticeasitwasfilledwithoppression.”InhisSunan,IbnMājahsaid:TheMessengerofAllah(mayGod’speaceandbenedictionbeupon

himandhisProgeny)said:“Al-Mahdiisfromus,theAhlal-Bayt.Al-MahdiisamongthechildrenofFātimah.”Hesaid:

“Al-MahdiwillverilyrulemyUmmah,forsevenyearsifit(hisrule)beshort,orotherwiseitbenine years. During this period myUmmah will live in an unprecedented bounty, giving its fruit,saying nothing of it. Fortunes will be, in that period, accumulated. Aman would rise and say: OMahdi,giveme.Hewillsay:Take.”[293]InSahihal-Tirmidhi,[294]itisreportedthattheMessengerofAllah(S)said: “Aman ofmyAhl al-Baytwhose name is likemine,will verily rule (theworld).And if there

remainedbutasingledayofthe(endof)time,Allahwouldprolongthatdaytillheassumestherule.FurthertheMessengerofAllah(S)isreportedtohavesaid:“TheworldshallneverendtilltheArabswillverilyberuledbyamanofmyAhlal-Bayt,whose

nameislikemine.”InhisSahih[295]al-’Imāmal-Bukhāriisreportedtohavesaid:IbnBukayr,toldussayingweare

told by al-Layth, from Ibn Shahab, from Nafi’ the mawlā of Abu Qatādah al-’Ansari, that AbuHurayrahsaid:TheMessengerofAllah(uponwhombeGod’speaceandbenediction)said:“WhatwouldbeyourconditionwhenthesonofMary(Jesus)israiseddownamongyou,andyourleader(Imam)beofyou.”TheauthorofGhāyatal-ma’mulsays: It iscommonlyknownamong theoldandcontemporary

‘ulamā’, that at the endofTime, amanofAhl al-Bayt called al-Mahdi should appear.The ahādith(traditions) about al-Mahdi reached us through a group of pious Sahābah and chains of reliabletraditionists like:AbuDāwud, al-Tirmidhi, IbnMājah, al-Tabarani,AbuYa‘lā, al-Bazzaz, al-’ImāmAhmadibnHanbal,andal-Hākim(mayGodbepleasedwiththemall).Andmistakeniswhoeverhasweakenedallthetraditionsaboutal-Mahdi.Al-Hāfiz,inFathal-Bāri,says:Therearemanyauthentictraditions(mutawātir)confirmingthatal-

MahdiisofthisUmmah,andthatJesusthesonofMarywillreappearandperformhisprayersbehindhim.[296] Inal-Sawā‘iqal-muhriqah, IbnHajaral-Haythamisaid:Theahādithcontainingreferences to the

reappearanceofal-Mahdiaresomanyandmutawātir(authentic).”[297]Al-Shawkāni, inhis risālah (treatise) called: al-Tawdih fi tawāturmā jā’a fi al-muntaZarwaal-

dajjāl wa al-Messiah, after citing the traditions about al-Mahdi, says: “Whatever we cited, thatreachingtheextentoftawātur,asisnotcoveredorunknownforthatwhohashonourofcognizance.”Inal-Lumu‘āt,al-Shaykh‘Abdal-Haqqsays:“Theahādithreachingtheextentoftawātur(authentic

chains)unanimouslyconfirmthatal-MahdiisofAhlal-BaytandsonofFātimah.”[298]Alsoal-Sabbān,inhisbookIs‘āfal-rāghibin,says:“Manyauthentic(mutawātir)akhbārreported

from theMessenger of Allah (may God’s peace and benedictions be upon him and his Progeny)confirminghis(al-Mahdi’s)reappearance,andhisbeingofAhlal-Bayt,andthathewillfilltheearthwithequityandjustice.”[299]InhisbookSabā’ikal-dhahab,al-Suwaydiisreportedtohavesaid:“Thatuponwhichall the‘ulamā’haveconcurredisal-Mahdi’sbeingtheonewhois torise(al-

qā’im)attheendoftheTime(al-zamān),andthathewillfilltheearthwithjustice.Theahādiththatconfirmhisreappearancearesomany.”[300]IbnKhaldun,inhisMuqaddimah,alsosays:“KnowthatwhatiswidelyknownamongAhlal-’Islām

(‘ulamā’andpeople)throughoutcourseoftime,isthatattheendoftheTimeamanofAhlal-Baytshouldappear,whowouldsupporttheDin,andestablishjustice.Heiscalledal-Mahdi.”[301]Moreover, many traditions about al-Mahdi are reported by contemporary ‘ulamā’, such as the

Muftiofal-’Ikhwānal-Muslimunal-SayyidSābiqinhisbookal-‘Aqā’idal-’Islāmiyyah,deemingtheideaofal-MahditobeamongtheIslamicdoctrines(‘aqā’id)inwhichallshouldbelieve.Withtheirmultiplicity,theahādithaboutal-MahdiarereportedandcitedintheShi’ahbooks,tothe

extentit issaidthattheahādithreportedfromtheMessengerofAllah(S)aboutal-Mahdiexceedin

numberallhisahādithaboutothersubjects.Further,theresearcherLutfAllāhal-Sāfi,inhisencylopediaMuntakhabal-’athar,reportedmany

traditionsaboutal-MahdifrommorethansixtysourcesofAhlal-Sunnahbooks,includingal-Sihāhal-Sittah (theSixSahihs), andmore thanninety referencesof theShi’ahbooks, includingal-Kutubal-’Arba‘ah. In regardof thesecondsubject,whichdealswith thebirth, life,occultationofal-Mahdiandhis

beingalive.ThispartalsowasnevernegatedbysomeofthereliableSunni‘ulamā’,whobelieveal-MahditobeMuhammadibnal-Hasanal-‘Askari, theTwelfthImamofAhlal-Bayt.Andthathewasborn,andisstillalive,andwillreappearattheendoftheTimetofilltheearthwithequityandjustice,andthroughhimAllahwillsurelymakeHisDinvictorious.InthisrespecttheyagreewiththebeliefsheldbytheImāmiyyahShi’i.Hereundersomeofthose‘ulamā’:1.Muhyial-Dinibnal-‘Arabi,inal-Futuhātal-Makkiyyah.2.Sibtibnal-Jawzi,inhisbookTadhkiratal-khawāss.3.‘Abdal-Wahhābal-Shirāni,in‘Aqā’idal-’akābir.4.Ibnal-KhashshābinTawarikhmawalidal-’A’immahwawafayātihim.5.Muhammadal-Bukhārial-Hanafi,inFaslal-khitāb.6.AhmadibnIbrāhimal-Balādhuri,inal-Hadithal-mutasalsil.7.Ibnal-Sabbāghal-Māliki,inal-Fusulal-Muhimmah.8.Al-‘Arif‘Abdal-Rahmān,inMir ’ātal-’asrār.9.Kamālal-DinibnTalhah,inMatālibal-sa’ulfimanāqibAlal-Rasul.10.Al-Qunduzial-Hanafi,inYanābi‘al-mawaddah.Ifanyresearcherpursuesthematter,hewillverilycomeacrossamongAhlal-Sunnah‘ulamā’,in

greaternumberthanthosewereferredto,whobelieveinthebirthofal-MahdiandthatheisstillalivetillAllahtheMostHighmakeshimtoreappear.Thenweare leftwithonly those amongAhl al-Sunnahwhodenyhisbirth andhisbeingalive,

thoughadmittingtheveracityoftheahādithabouthim(al-Mahdi).Buttheycanneverbeconsideredhujjah(authority)overtheothersbelievinginsuchissue.SuchassumptionisnotdeniedbytheHolyQur ’ān,inwhichAllahcoinedmanyasimilitudeabout

thisforthosehavinginactiveminds,soastobeliberatedfromthefettersandtogivethereinstotheirthoughtsandintellectstobecertainandsubmitthatAllah,Subhanah,isAbletodoallthings.SotheMuslim,whoseheart isfilledwithfaith,canneverbeastonishedwhenhearingthatAllah

hascaused‘Uzayr(Ezra)todieforahundredyears,thenbroughthimbacktolife.Thereathewouldlookathisfoodanddrinkwhichhavenotrotted,andtohisasshowwouldAllahassembleitsbonesandthenclothethemwithflesh,renderingittoitsformerconditionafteritsboneshaverottedaway.Andwhenthematterbecameclearuntohim,hesaid:IknownowthatAllahisAbletodoallthings.GlorifiedisAllah!Howsoonhechangeshismind.Asbeforetheevent,hewonderedandthoughtittobe impossiblewhenpassingbya township,whichhadfallen intoutter ruin,exclaiming:HowshallAllah(ever)bringthis(township)tolife(again),afteritsdeath?TheMuslimbelievingintheQur ’ānneverfindsstrangethestoryofourmasterAbraham,whenhe

madethebirdintoparts,placingeachofthemonthehills,callingthemthen,whentheywouldcometohiminhaste.AndanyMuslimwouldneverfindstrangethefire’sbeingcool,andneverburningorharmingour

lord Abraham, as when he be thrown into it, Allah said to it: O fire, be coolness and peace (forAbraham).The(true)MuslimalsowouldneverfindstrangethatourdoyenJesuswasbornwithoutthemale’s

sperm-drop(nutfah),i.e.withnofather,andthatheisstillalive,notdead,andwillberestoredtotheearth.

Moreover,everyMuslimwouldneverfindstrangetoseeourmasterJesusChristraisingthedead,healingthatwhowasbornblind,andtheleper;andthattheseabesplitforourmasterMosesandtheChildrenofIsrael,soastheywouldwalkthroughitwithoutbeingmoistened,andhisstaffbeturnedintoaserpent,withhistransformingtheNilewaterintoblood.TheMuslimwouldalsoneverfindstrangewhenknowingthatourlordSolomonusedtotalktothe

birds,andthejinn,andtheants,withhisthronebecarriedandflownintheskiesplacetoplace,andthethroneofBalqisbestraightenedwithinmoments.Even theMuslimwouldnever find strange thatAllah caused the fellowsof theCave todie for

threehundredyears,andmoreothernine(years),raisingthemagaintolife,whenthegrandsonofthegrandsonbecameolderthanthegrandfather ’sgrandfather.Furtherhewouldnever findstrangebeing told thatourmasteral-Khidr (peacebeuponhim) is

stillalive,andneverdied,andthathemetourlordMoses(‘a).HewouldneverfindstrangetoothefactthatIblis(uponwhombeGod’sdamnation)isnotdead

andstillalive,andthathewascreatedbeforeAdam(peacebeuponhim).Andalsoheisstilljoiningtheprocessionofmankindfromthefirstdayofhiscreationtillthedayofhisperishness.Howeverheishiddenwithnoonebeingeverabletoseehim,despitehishideousdeedsandabominableacts,whilehecanseeallthepeople. EveryMuslim has faith in all these things, neverwondering or finding their occurrence to be

strange,sowhyshouldheconsidertheexistenceofal-Mahdiunseenforsometime—forawisdomordainedbyAllahtheGlorious—tobestrangeorincredible.ItistobenotedthatwhateverisstatedintheQur ’ān,whichisextensivelymorethantheinstances

we referred to, cannot be regarded ordinary or common things among people, besides beingimpossibletobedonebythemeveniftheycombinetogetherforthepurpose.ButitisaltogetherthemakingofAllah,Whomnothingintheearthorheavenscanescapeorstrive

against.AnditalsoshouldbetrustedbyallMuslims,astheyhavebelievedinwhateverrevealedintheHolyQur ’ān,withoutanyexceptioorreservation.And due to the fact that al-Mahdi is the Imamof the Shi’ah,who lived among thembeside his

forefathers,sotheyshouldbebetterawareofwhateverisrelatedtohimandsaidabouthim,andthepeopleofMeccaarebetterawareofits(mountain)passes.Further,theShi’ahrevereandglorifytheirleaders,makingforAhlal-BaytImamsspecialtombs,

whichtheyconstructedandkeptabidetomakepilgrimageto,seekingblessingsthroughthem.Basedonthis,hadtheTwelfthImam—al-Mahdi(‘a)—deceased,therewouldhavebeenatomb(orshrine)knownforall.Besides,itwouldhavebeenfeasibleforthemtoclaimthepermissibilityofraisinghim(tolife)afterdeath,thethingpossibletocometrue,asisreferredtobytheQur ’ān,whentakingintoconsiderationtheirbeliefinthedoctrineofraj‘ah(restorationoflife).Moreover,theyeveninsistonthebeliefthatal-Mahdi(‘a)isaliveandhavingprovision,andhisbeingunseenforawisdomwilledby Allah, the Glorious and the Exalted, that is only known by those who are firmly rooted inknowledgeandtheirawliyā’(followers).Anyhowit shouldbeknown that thedisagreementbetween theSunnahandShi’ah regarding the

caseofal-Mahdi(‘a)isnotofessentialnature,astheybothbelieveinhisreappearanceattheendoftheTime,andthatJesus(‘a)willperformhisprayersbehindhim.Furthertheybothbelievethathewillfilltheearthwithequityandjusticeasithadbeenfilledwithoppressionandtyranny,andtheMuslimstakingpossessionofthewholeearthduringhisreign,withprevalenceofwelfareandprosperitythatnopoorshallbethere.TheonlypointofcontroversybetweenthembeingthattheShi’ahbelievethatheisborn,whilethe

Sunnahholdthatheistobeborn(infuture),withconcurringbothonhisreappearanceattheendoftheTime.SolettheSunnahandShi’ahuniteandbeinagreementontruthword,andonbringingtogetherthe

disintegratedUmmahwithstrivingtoeliminateanydifference,andgatheringitagain.Further,allofthem should sincerely invoke Allah, with good intentions during their prayers, to hasten hisreappearance inwhich lies thedeliverance,andwhichentailsvictoryfor theUmmah ofMuhammad(mayAllah’speaceandbenedictionbeuponhimandhisProgeny).Our lastprayer is that allpraisebelongs toAllah, theLordof theWorlds, andbenedictionand

peacebeuponthemosthonourableoftheprophetsandapostles,ourmasterandlordMuhammadandhisgoodandpureProgeny.Muhammadal-Tijānial-Samāwi

Notes:[206]Musannafal-Hidāyah;alsoal-Zamakhshari,inhisbookRabi'al-'abrār,reportedthatthefirst

who used the finger-ring in the left, contrary to the Prophetic Sunnah, was Mu'āwiyah ibn AbiSufyān.[207]Minhājal-SunnahofIbnTaymiyyah,Vol.II,p.143,"bābal-tashabbuhbial-rawāfid".[208]Al-Zarqāni,Sharhal-Mawāhib,Vol.V,p.13.[209]Al-ZamakhshariinhisbookRabi'al-'abrār.[210]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VII,p.99,"bābmāyajuzminal-ghadabwaal-shiddahli-amrAllāh".[211]Ibid.,Vol.II,p.252,"kitābsalātal-tarāwih".[212]Ibid.,Vol.II,p.252,"kitābsalātal-tarāwih".[213]Ibid.,Vol.VII,p.99,op.cit.[214]Ibid.,Vol.II,p.35,(…andthusinterpretedby'A'ishahtoowhoperformedfourrak'ahs)—p.

36.[215] IbnHajar in al-Sawā'iq al-muhriqah,p. 106;Dhakhā'ir al-'uqbā,p. 64, al-Riyādal-nādirah,

Vol.II,p.215;Ihqāqal-haqq,Vol.VII,p.217.[216][217]Ibn'AbdRabbih,al-'Iqdal-farid,Vol.III,p.42.[218]Sahihal-Tirmidhi,Vol.V,p.328;Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p.148;al-'ImāmAhmadinhis

Musnad,Vol.V,p.189.[219]Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.II,p.343;Kanzal-'ummāl,Vol.V,p.95;al-Sawā'iqal-muhriqah,of

IbnHajar,p.184.[220]Kanzal-'ummāl,Vol.VI,p.155;al-HaythamiinMajma'al-zawā'id,Vol.IX,p.108;IbnHajar

al-'Asqalāni in al-'Isābah; al-Tabarāni in al-Jāmi' al-Kabir; Ta'rikh Ibn 'Asākir, Vol. II, p. 99;Mustadrakal-Hākim,Vol.III,p.128;Hilyatal-'awliyā',Vol.IV,p.349;Ihqāqal-haqq,Vol.V,p.108.[221][222]Nahjal-balāghah,KutbahNo.87.Inhisexpositionofthissermon,Muhammad'Abduhmade

this commentary: Any of Ahl al-Bayt Imams may die, but in fact he is not dead, since his spiritremainseffulginglightandbrighnessovertheworldofbeing.[223]Yanābi'al-mawaddah,ofal-Qunduzial-Hanafi,Vol.III,p.99.[224][225]Ibn'AbdRabbih,al-'Iqdal-farid,Vol.III,p.42.[226]IbnHajaral-Shāfi'i,al-Sawā'iqal-muhriqah,p.148;al-Suyuti,al-Durral-manthur,Vol.II,p.

60;Kanzal-'ummāl,Vol.I,p.168;Usdal-ghābahfima'rifatal-Sahābah,Vol.III,p.137.

[227]Nahjal-balāghah,Muhammad'Abduh,KhutbahNo.144.[228]Tafsiral-Tabari,Vol.XIV,p.134;TafsirIbnKathir,Vol.II,p.570;Tafsiral-Qurtubi,Vol.XI,

p.272;Shawāhidal-tanzil,ofal-Hasakāni,Vol.I,p.334;Yanabi'al-mawaddah;Ihqāqal-haqqofal-Tustari,p.482.[229]ManāqibAlAbiTālib,"bābfiahwālal-'Imāmal-Sādiq".[230]Al-Suyuti,op.cit.,Vol.IV,p.661.[231]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,p.78,"Kitābbad'al-khalq","bābdhikral-malā'ikah".[232]Ibid.,Vol.IV,250,"bābal-mi'rāj",SahihMuslim,Vol.I,p.101,"bābal-'isrā'biRasulAllāh

wafardal-salawāt".[233]Ibid.,Vol.IV,250,"bābal-mi'rāj",SahihMuslim,Vol.I,p.101,"bābal-'isrā'biRasulAllāh

wafardal-salawāt".[234]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.II,p.259.[235]Al-Suyuti,op.cit.[236]Sunanal-Bayhaqi,Mustadrakal-Hākim.[237]Al-Suyuti,op.cit.,Vol.II,p.176.[238]Al-Suyuti,op.cit.,Vol.II,p.176.[239]IbnSa'd,al-Tabaqātal-Kubrā.[240]Sunanal-Bayhaqi.[241]Al-Suyuti,op.cit.,Vol.II,p.178.[242]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VII,p.102.[243]Al-Sirahal-Halabiyyah,Vol.III,p.61.[244]Ihyā''ulumal-Din,ofHujjatulIslāmAbuHāmidal-Ghazāli.[245]Al-Rāzi,Ahkāmal-Qur'ān,Vol.II,p.10.[246]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.VII,p.81,"bāblamyakunal-Nabifāhishanwalamutafahhishan".[247]SahihMuslim,Vol.IV,p.158.[248]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.V,p.158.[249]SahihMuslim,Vol.IV,p.131.[250][251] Al-Tha'labi in al-Tafsir al-kabir, and al-Tabari in his al-Tafsir al-Kabir too, in his

interpretationoftheverseonmut'ah.[252]Al-Fakhral-Rāzi,inal-Tafsiral-kabir,inhisinterpretationoftheverse:"Andthoseofwhom

yeseekcontent(bymarryingthem)…"(4:24).[253]Al-'ImāmAhmadinhisMusnad,Vol.I,p.337.[254]Sahihal-Tirmidhi,Vol.I,p.157.[255]Al-Tāhiribn'Ashur,al-Tahrirwaal-tanwir,Vol.III,p.5.[256]As the book Fasl al-khitāb has no consideration among the Shi'ah whatsoever, while the

narrationsaboutthelossandadditionintheQur'ānbeingreportedbytheSihāhofAhlal-Sunnahlikethoseofal-BukhāriandMuslim,withMusnadAhmad.[257]ThearticlewrittenbytheProfessorMuhammadal-Midyani,thedeanofal-Shari'ahCollegein

al-Jāmi'al-'Azhar,appearedinthejournalRisālatal-'Islām,issueNo.4,the11thyear,pp.382-383.[258]Al-Suyuti,op.cit.,andal-'Itqān.[259]MusnadAhmad,Vol.V,p.132.[260]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.II,p.252.[261]MusnadAhmad,Vol.V,p.131.[262]Ibn'Asākir,Ta'rikhDimashq,Vol.II,p.228.[263]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,p.215.[264]Ibid.,Vol.IV,p.216.

[265]Ibid.,Vol.IV,p.218,"bābmanāqib'AbdAllāhibnMas'ud".[266]Ibid.,Vol.VIII,p.26,"bābrajmal-hublāminal-zināidhāuhsinat".[267]SahihMuslim,Vol.III,p.100,"bāblawannli-ibnAdamwādiyānla-ibtaghāthālithan".[268]SahihMuslim,Vol.III,p.100,"bāblawannli-ibnAdamwādiyānla-ibtaghāthālithan".[269]TheJournalRisālatal-'Islām,issueNo.4,the11thyear,pp.382,383[270]Musnadal-'ImāmAhmad,Vol.I,p.221.[271]Muwatta'al-'ImāmMālik(Sharhal-Hawālik),Vol.I,p.161.[272]SahihMuslim,Vol.II,p.151,"bābal-jam'baynaal-salātaynfial-hadar".[273]Ibid.,Vol.II,p.152.[274]Ibid.,Vol.II,p.153,"bābal-jam'baynaal-salātaynfial-hadar".[275]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.I,p.140,"bābwaqtal-maghrib".[276]Ibid.,Vol.I,p.138,"bābwaqtal-'asr".[277]Itisnarratedthattwomenwentoutforhunting,whentheymetablackthingatafardistance.

Thefirstonethoughtittobeacrow,whilethesecondopposedhimsayingitwasashe-goat.Eachoneoftheminsistedonhisclaim,persistinginhisopinion.Butonapproachingtoittheyfoundittobeacrow,whobecamedisturbedandflewaway.Thereatthefirstmansaid:Haven'tItoldyouthatitwasacrow?Areyousatifiednow?Buthisfriendpersistedinhisopinionsaying:GlorifiedisAllah!(howcan)ashe-goatfly?![278]SahihMuslim,Vol.I,p.168,"bābjawāzghaslal-hā'idra'szawjihā";SunanAbiDāwud,Vol.I,

p.68,"bābal-hā'idtunāwilminal-masjid".[279]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.II,p.256,"bābal-'i'tikāffial-`ashral-'awākhir".[280]Sunanal-'Imāmal-Nasā'i,Vol.II,p.204,"bābtabridal-hasalial-sujud'alāyh".[281]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.I,p.86,"kitābal-tayammum".[282]SahihMuslim,Vol.II,p.64,"kitābal-masājidwamawādi'al-salāt".[283][284] Mustadrak al-Hākim, Vol. III, p. 123; Ibn 'Asākir in Ta'rikh Dimashq, Vol. II, p. 234; al-

Bukhāri's al-Ta'rikh al-Kabir, Vol. II, p. 281, al-Suyuti in Ta'rikh al-Khulafā', p. 173; Khasā'is al-Nasā'i,p.27;Dhakhā'iral-'uqbā,p.92;IbnHajar'sal-Sawā'iqal-muhriqah,p.74.[285][286]SahihMuslim,Vol.I,p.48;al-Sawā'iqal-muhriqah,p.73;Kanzal-'ummāl,Vol.XV,p.105.[287] Al-Tha'labi in al-Tafsir al-kabir, about āyāt al-mawaddah (42:23); al-Zamakhshari in his

Tafsiral-Kashshāf;Tafsiral-Rāzi,Vol.VII,p.405;al-TustariinIhqāqal-haqq,Vol.IX,p.486.[288]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,p.20andVol.V,p.76;SahihMuslim,Vol.VII,p.120,"bābfadā'il

'AliibnAbiTālib".[289]Ibid.,Vol.I,p.9,"bābhubbal-Rasulminal-'imān";SahihMuslim,Vol.I,p.49,"bābwujub

mahabbat Rasul Allāh akthar min al-'ahl wa al-walad wa al-wālid wa al-nās ajma'in; Sahih al-Tirmidhi.[290][291][292]SunanIbnMājah,Vol.II,hadithsNos.4082&4087.[293]Ibid.,Vol.II,hadithNo.4086.[294]Al-Tirmidhiinal-Jāmi'al-sahih,Vol.IX,pp.74-754.[295]Sahihal-Bukhāri,Vol.IV,p.143,"bābnuzul`IsāibnMaryam".[296]Fathal-Bāri,Vol.V,p.362.[297]IbnHajar,al-Sawā'iqal-muhriqah,Vol.II,p.211.[298]HāshiyatSahihal-Tirmidhi,Vol.II,p.46.[299]Is'āfal-rāghibin,Vol.II,p.140.

[300]Sabā'ikal-dhahab,p.78.[301]MuqaddimatIbnKhaldun,p.367.

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FromthesameauthoronIslamicMobility

ASKTHOSEWHOKNOW(2013)Adiscussion by a former Sunni scholar on the Prophet, theAhlulBayt, some of the companions of the Prophet, andSunni books ofhadith.Bytheauthorof'ThenIwasGuided'.-ISLAMICMOBILITY.COM-

www.islamicmobility.com"WisdomisthelostpropertyoftheBeliever,lethimclaimitwhereverhefindsit"-ImamAli(as)