SHI'AH IN AL-SUNNAH'S PERSPECTIVE
If we exampt some of the contemporary scholars, who were equitable in their writing about the Shi'a to the dictation of the Islamic ethics, we can notice the overwhelming majoriy of themt, the earliar and letter, are still writing about the Shi'a with the mentality of the malevolent Umayyads. Thus you find them wander about every where, and utter things unknowingly, with slandering, abusing and fabricating lies and falsehoods against the Shi'a of Al al-Bayt, from which they (A) are free, beside charging them with impiety and calling them with bad nicknames, following the example of their ancestors Mua'wiyah and his likes, who usurped the islamic caliphate by force, suppresssion, trickery, cunningness, treachery and hypocrisy.
The Suuni scholars write once that the Shi'ah are a sect founded by Abd Allah ibn Saba'a, the Jew. Another time they claim that the shi'a are Magians (Majus) in original, or they are Rawafid may God's fie be on them), or they are more dangerous for Islam than the Jews and christians, Once again they allege that they are hypocrites since they apply taqiyyah dissimulation) or they are nihilist (ibahiyyun) as they permit marriage with muharim (those kinswomen with whom marriage is haram), and deem mut'ah (temporary marriage) as lawful while it is zina (adultery). Some others claim that the Shi'ah have Qur'an other than the present one, and they worship Ali and the Imams among his son, and detest Muhammad and Gebriel, and other alike (false) accusations.
Within less than a year another book or a number of books appeared (in the merkets) that are written by those 'Ulama' pretending to be leaders of "Ahl al-Sunnah wa
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al-Jama'a "through their allegations, while all of their writings are no more than charging the Shi'ah with disblief (takfir) and the despiting against them. The justification and motive they give for their practice, being nothing but to satisfy the desires of thier masters, whose interest lies in scattering and dividing the Ummah, besidee striving to exte minate it. Futher, they have no argument and proof to support their writing except blind fanaticim, concealed grudge and aborminable ignorance, beside following the example of their ancstors without seeting it to test or investigation or any evidence .They are like parrots who only reiterate what they hear, and reinscribe whatever was written by the Nawasib (Ah al- Bayt's opponents) from among the stooges of the umayyads, who are still erning their living by writing books in praise nd glorifiction of Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah.60
So no wonnder to see those who glorify Yazid ibn Mu'wiyah, emberk on slandering and charging with impiety his opponents. If their ancstors-- Yzid and his father-- managed in the past in buying over their followers through giving them gold and silver abundantly, then millions of dollars, and splendid palces in London and paris, with the blue -eyed blonders and wine, can easily purchase the conscience, religion and homelands of their likes at the present time. Had they really been following the prophetic Sunnah as they allege, they would have learned from his (S) noble morals how to respect others though they follow creed contradicting their one.
Has not the prophetic Sunnah said: That Musalim for the Muslim is like firm edifice, every part supports the other", and "The Muslim for the Muslimis as one body, if one of its members complains a pain all the body will respond to it through wakefulness and faver".
The Prophet (S) had further expressed insulting a Muslim is debauchery and fighting him in infidelity Had those writers, claiming to be from Ahl al- Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah'', know the (true) prophetic Sunnah, they would have not given
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60. The Ma'arif Ministry of Saudi Arabia has published a book under the tittle: "Haqa'iq an Amir al-Muminin Yazidi ibn Mu'awiyah", and it was chosen by al-Ma'arif ministry to be among the books taught in its official schools.
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themselves permission to charge with inpiety anyone who witness that there is no God Except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, giving alms (zakat), fasting month of Ramadan, perfoming the pilgrimage (hajj) to the sacred House (Makkah), and enjoining to good (ma'aruf) and forbidding evil (munkar).
Since they follow the Umayyad and Quryshi Sunnah, so they write their books with the Jahili (ignorant) meantality, tribal thought and racial fanaticism. Thus nothing is to be amazed at its origin, and every pot leaks out what it contains.
The Messenger of Allah S has said what is revealed in the Qur'an: "Say, O people of the Scripture ! Come to an agreement between us and you.."(3:64)
If they were true followers of the Sunnah, they should call their brothers, the shi'ah, for an agreement between them.
While Islam invites its enemies, from among the Jews and the Christains, toward an agreement for understanding and fraternity, so how about those who worship one God, and whose Prophet and book and Qiblah and fate being one!'
Then why do not the Ulama"of Ahl al-Sunnah call upon their brothers, the Shi'a ulama, sit together at the negotiation table, and reason with them in the better way, to correct their beliefs, had they (shi'ah) been corrupt as they allege?
Why do not they hold an Islamic conference that brings togather the Ulama of the two sects, exposing in it all the disputed issues before all Muslims to recoganize the truth from falsehood and slander?
This can be done, especially after knowing that "Ahl al-Sunnah" constitute three quarter of the world Muslims enjoing material potentials and influence near governments making this thing so easy and feasible from them, as they posseess setellites.
Since "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah are not expected to do so, intending not to have a sceintific
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confrontation for which the Glorious Qur'an calls by saying: "Say: Bring your proof (of what ye state) if are truthful " (2:111), and also : "say have ye any knowledge that ye can addunce for Us? Lo! ye follow nought but an opinion. Lo! ye do but guess" (6:148), so you see them resort always to insulting, defaming, charging with impiety, falsehood, and slander, while knowing that the argument and proof being on the side of other opponents --the shi'ah.
I believe that what concerns them is fearing the majority of Muslims may become Shi'ah when realities are disclosed, as actually occured to some 'ulama' of al-Azharin Egypt, who gave the reins to themselves to search for truth till they attained to it and were enlightened, repudiating the belief of the (good ancestors) they followed in the past.
The 'ulama of "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jam'ah" realize this danger that threatens with dissolution their very existence, but when being helpless, some of them even dare to prohibit their followers and imitators from sitting or debating with the Shi'ah, or marrying from them or giving them in marriage, or eating from their slaughtered animals.
That what can be apprehended from their stance, is their being too far from the Prophetic Sunnah, and too close to the Sunnah of the Umayyads,who did their utmost to mislead the Muhammadan Ummah at any cost, since their hearts have never submitted solemnly for God's remembrance and theTruth He has revealed, but they have embraced Islam only with reluctance.
This fact was clearly expressed by their leader Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, who has slain the most righteous among the Companions just for the sake of seizing power, when he said in his first sermon:
"I have never fought you so that you established prayer or fast or go on pilgrimage, but i fought you just for ruling over you, and Allah has granted me this right while you are averse".
The Almighty Allah has said that the truth in the following
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verse: Lo! kings, when they enter a township, ruin it and make the honour of its people shame.Thus will they do".(27:34)
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AHL AL-SUNNAH WA AL-JAMA'AH
IN THE SHI'AH'S VIEW
After excluding some fanatics from among the common Shi'ah, who view "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah" as all being Nawasib (those who declared hostility against Ahl al-Bayt), the overwhelming majority of their former and latter 'ulama', still believe that their brothers "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah" are victims of the Umayyads intrgue and deception, since they thought of their good ancestors (al-salaf al-salih) and followed their example without any investigation or verification, so they (salaf) diverted them for the straight path and seperated them from the Thaqalayn --Book of Allah and Pure kindred --who safeguard whoever holds on to them against deviation and ensure guidance for him.
So we most often see them (Shi'ah) resort to compiling (books) for the sake of defending themselves and exposing their beliefs, inviting for enquity and an agreement with their brothers "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah".
Some of the Shi'ah 'ulama' have traversed throughout countries and towns,looking for the means necessary for founding Islamic houses and societies with the purpose of rapproachement between the schools of law (madhahib)
and trying to reunite them.
Some others have been taken themselves toward the honourable al-'Azhar, the beacon of science and knowledge for Ahl al-Sunnah.They met its 'ulama', debated them in the best way,and strove for eliminating the grudges, as done by al-'Imam Sharaf al-Din al-Musawi when he met al-Imam Salim al-Din al-Bishri.The result of that meeting and long correspondences between these two men has been the production of the valuable book "al-Muraja'at", which played a
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great role in rapproachment among viewpoints of Muslims.Further, success has been the fruit of the efforts of those Shi'ah 'ulama', in Egypt, when al-'Imam Mahmud Shaltut, the Egyptian Mufti of that time, issued has interpid fatwa (legal verdict), permitting to follow and apply the Ja'fari Shi'i school, after which this madhhab has turned to be a subject among the curricula in al-'Azhar.
Henceforth, the Shi'ah and especially their 'ulama' perserved on propagating fo the Pure Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, and the Ja'fari school, that fully represents Islam.They have compiled in this respect numerous volumes and articles holding several seminars particularly after the triumph of the Islamic Revelution in Iran, where many conferences have been held in Tehran, under the names. "The Islamic Unity" and "Rapprochment among the schools" "(al-Taqurib bayna al-Madhahib). All these being truthful invitations for discarding hostility and grudges, spreading spirit of Islamic fraternity, and calling Muslims to respect each other.
Once upon a year the "Islmic Unity Conference" invites a number of 'ulama' and thinkers from among the Shi'ah and Sunnah to participate in it, so they cohabit for a week under the protection of sincere fraternity, eating, drinking, praying, invoking God, exchanging opinions, ideas, and viewpoints with each other.
Had not been the role of these conferences but only making freindship between the hearts, and rapproachement among Muslims, for being acquainted with each other and eliminating all grudges, this would have been an achievement of great benefit and all-inclusive favour, an their fruits will ripen very soon, God-willing.
When anyone enters any of the ordinary Shi'ah houses, not to say the houses of the 'ulama' and men of the letters, he will find in it a library containing, besides the Shi'ah (reference) books, a considerable number of Ahl al-Sunnah's books, while the opposite is true concerning Ahl al-Sunnah, as
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when entering their scholars' houses we will never find even one Shi'i book, but very rarely.That is why they are unaware of many facts about the Shi'ah, knowing nothing but the lies and false information written by their (Shi'ah) enemies.
Further we very often notice that the ordinary Shi'i individual holds information about the Islamic history throughout all its stages, and may celebrate some of its memories and occations.
Whereas the Sunni scholar, on the other hand, hardly pays attention or cares for history, since he considers it one of the tragedies he never desired for bringing out and persuing, but they should be neglected and need not being discussed since they hold suspicious about the "good ancestors" (as he thinks). And as he convinced or deluded himself about the justice and honesty of all the Sahabah, so he would never accept what is written in history books against them.
Due to all this, we find him unable to withstand any constructive debate, based on proof and evidence, so he either resorts to elusion and excapes debating due to his pre-knowledge of being defeated, or he may overcome his emotions and inclinations and indulge himself in discussion and debate, becoming thus a rebel against all his beliefs and converting then to be a follower of Ahl al-Bayt.
The Shi'ah then are the true followers of the Prophetic Sunnah, since their first Imam after the Prophet (S) is 'Ali ibn Abi Talib,who used to live with and breathe through the Prophetic Sunnah. You can percieve this fact through knowing that, when they came to him to acknowledge him as a caliph on condition that he rule according to the conduct (sirah) of the Two Shaykhs (Abu Bakr and Umar), he replied decisively: "I will never rule but according to the Book of Allah and His Messenger's Sunnah". 'Ali never wanted or desired for the caliphate, if it being on account of disregarding the Prophetic Sunnah, as it was him who said: "Your calipahate
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is to me no more than a goat's sneeze, unless I should establish one of restrictive ordinances of Allah".
His son al-'Imam al-Husayn (A) has also uttered his well-known dictum, which still resounds in the time earshot:"If Muhammad's religion can never become straight except through giving away my life, O swords take me".
So the Shi'ah view their brothers Ahl al-Sunnah with pity and compassion, seeking for them guidance and delieverance as the reward for guidance, in their view, and, as stated by veracious (sihah) narrations, is better than the world and whatever is therein. The Prophet (S) has told 'Ali (A), when he sent him to conquer Khaybar: "Fight them till they witness that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they utter this, their blood and properties will be immune against you, and their reckoning will be with God. If Allah guides through you one man, it will be superior to whatever over which the sun has risen, or superior to having amenities of life".62
As 'Ali's only concern was guiding people and recovering them towards the Book of Allah and His Messenger's (S) Sunnah, so also the concern of his followers (Shi'ah) today lies in defending themselves against all charges and falsities, and acquainting their brothers Ahl al-Sunnah with the facts and realities about Ahl al-Bayt (may peace be upon them), guiding them consquently toward the straight path.
The holy Qur'an has stated:
"In their history verily there is lesson for me of undestanding. It is no invented story but a confirmation of the existing (Scripture) and a detailed explantion of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for folk who believe". (12:111)
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62.Sahih Muslim, vol.vii, p. 122, kitab al-fada'il, bab fada'il 'Ali ibn Abi Talib.
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INTRODUCING IMAMS OF
THE SHI"AH
The Shia,ah have devoted themselves to the Twelve Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (A), the first of whom being 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, then comes his two sons al-Hasan al-Husayn and then the infalliable nine descandants and offspring of Al-Imam al-Husayn (A).
The Messenger of Allah (S) has recurringly defined these Imams to be he successors, explicity and immplicity, and he even identifiesd them by names, as stated in some narrations reported by shi'ah ulama and some of the Sunni ulama.
Some from among Ahl al-Sunnah may object these narrations, wondering how could the prophet(S) disclose the unseen affairs that still non- existant? While his saying has been stated in the Qur'an thus:
Had I knowledge of the unseen, I should have abundance of wealth, and adversity would not touch me".(7:188)
In reply to this we can say that this holy verse does not deny the prophet's (S) knowledge of the unseen absolutly, but it has been revealed as a refutation against the polytheists who asked him the prophet to tell them about the coming of the (destine) Hour, whereas the knowledge of the Hour's proper time is only with Allah --Subahanahu.
The almighty Allah has said in the Holy Qur'an:
"(He is) the knower of the unseen and He revealeth unto none His secret. Save unto every messenger whom hath chosen...(72:26-27)
This implies an evident proof that Allah --subahanahu-- reveales His secret unto His choseen messengers alone. the example for which can be observed in Joseph's (A) saying of this fellow -prisoners:
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"The food which ye are given (daily) shall not come unto you but I shall tell you the interpretation era it cometh unto you. this is of what which my Lord hath tought me..." (12:37)
And also in the Almighty's saying:
"Then found they one of our slaves, unto whom we had given mercy from us, and had taught him knowledge from our presence". (18:65) which is the story of the prophet Khidir who met Moses (A) and taught him the knowledge of the unseen with which he could not bear.
There used to be full agreement among the Muslims - Shi'ah and Sunnah- that the prophet (S) had knowledge of the Unseen, and his conduct (sirah) contained numerous reports about revelation of the unseen, as his (S) saying: "Woe unto 'Ammar, he shall be killed by the rebellious band". Also his saying to Ali "The most mischievous (ashqa) of the letters will smite you upon your head and tinge your beard", beside his saying Allah shall verify reform through my son al-Hassan two great groups" and also his foretelling that Abu Dharr will die alone and driven away, and such other many reports. Added to this his well-known tradition reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim and all traditionists, in which he said: "The Imams who succeeded me are twelve ones, all being from Banu Hashim".
We have proved in the previous book "To be with the truthful" and Ask Those who know", that the sunni ulama themselves have stated in their sihah and musnads the traditions indicating the Imamate of the twelve Imams, and approved them.
If someone inqueires: So why have they abandonated them then and followed the guide of others than them --the Imams of four schools of law (Madhahib), while admitting and approving these traditions??
The reply is thus: the good ancesetors (al-salaf al-salih) were all supporters of the Three Caliphate produced by the Saqifah: Abu Bakr, Umar and uthman, as their
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detestation against Ahl al-Bayt, and their hostility against al-'Imam 'Ali and his sons were inevitable, so they strove, as mentioned earlier, to obliterating the Prophetic Sunnah and substituting it with their exerted opinions (ijtihadat).
The reason for this lies in splitting asunder the Ummah into two sects immediately after the Prophet's demise, so there emerged the good ancestors and those who followed them representing the Ahl al-Sunnah, who constitute the overwhelming majority. On the other hand, there were the small authority represented by 'Ali and his followers, who renouned the allegiance ('bay'ah), becoming thus from among the descarded and those who earn anger, so they were called Rawafid (rejectors).
Since Ahl al-Sunnah have been those who dominated the Ummah's fate through centuries, so the Umayyad and 'Abbasid rulers have been all supporters and followers of the caliphate school, founded by Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, Mu'awiyah 63 and Yazid.
When the caliphate declined and lost its presitige, becoming in the hands of the Mamalik and non-Arabs, with giving permission to inscription of the Prophetic Sunnah, we witnessed the emergence of those traditions which the earlier people did their utmost, in vain, to obliterate and canceal, and these traditions remained as dubious perplexities for them, due to their being incongrous with what they (Sunnis) believedd in.
Some of them (Sunni) tried to make a congruity between these traditions and their beliefs, and they disguised with having love and passion toward Ahl al-Bayt, so whenever they mentioned the name of al-'Imam 'Ali, they would say: (May Go be pleased with him) and (may God grant him honour) for showing people that they are not enemies of the Prophet's Household (Ahl al-Bayt). In fact no one from among the Muslims can expressly disclose his enmity to Ahl al-Bayt, since the latters' enemies are the Prophet's enemies, and this fact makes them out of the pale of Islam, as is explit for all.
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63.We have not mentioned 'Ali's caliphate on purpose, since Ahl al-Sunnah have not knowledged it but only during the lifetime of Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Refer to the chapter:''Ahl al-Sunnah are unaware of the prophetic Sunnah", on page 30 of this book.
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The idea extracted from this, is that the real foes of Ahl al-Bayt have been (al-Salaf al-Salih) who were called by their supporters "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah". The evidence for this becomes clear when seeing them all imitate the four schools that were established by the ruling authority (as we will shortly expound), having nothing of religious rules to refer to the fiqh of Ahl al-Bayt or one of the Twelve Imams.
The inevitable fact is that the Shi'ah are the true followers of the Muhammadan Sunnah, as they adhered in all their fiqh rules to the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, who inherited the proper Sunnah from their grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (S), without foisting into it any of their opinions and ijtihadat, or sayings of the Caliphs.
The Shi'ah remained throughtout history, adhering sincerely to the texts (nusus), rejecting ijtihad against nass, and believing in the caliphate of 'Ali and his sons, since the Prophet (S) has ordained thus.The Shi'ah call them the vicegerents (khulafa) of the Prophet, whereas none of them had access to the actual caliphate except 'Ali, and they reject the rulers who seized caliphate outright, since its basis was a slip, may God protect us against its evil, and it was established on the basis of rejection and refutation against Allah and His Messenger. Further, all who came to power after it, were only dependants on it, as no caliph reached to power but only through being appointed by his antecedent, or through fighting and overcoming and surpression.64
Therefore Ahl al-Sunnah were obliged to aknowledg the Imamate of the pious and debauchee, as they accepted the caliphate of all the rulers even those who were impious among them.
That which distinguished the Imamiyyah Shi'ah from others, lies in their belief in the wujub (obligation) of infallibility of the Imams, and that great Imamate and leadership of the Ummah cannot be ligitimately possessed but by the Infallible Imam, and we cannot find infallible human
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64.With the exception of Ali's caliphate, sicne he was the only one who was never appointed by the precedent caliph, and never ruled over people by suppression and force. But all Muslims have freely and voluntarily sworn allegiance unto him, insisting on him to accept it (caliphate).
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beings among this Ummah except those whom Allah has removed uncleaness far from, and cleansed with a through cleansing.
