Imamat of Mola Ali(as) from quran and sunni refrences by Agha Jan ali Shah Kazmi

If I chose to follow the Sahih's – Bukhari and Muslim…then I have to accept this too………

Some of the Companions of Prophet Muhammed (saw) will indeed go to Hell

Narrated ‘Abdullah: The Prophet said, “I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount (Kauthar) and some men amongst you will be brought to me, and when I will try to hand them some water, they will be pulled away from me by force whereupon I will say, ‘O Lord, my companions!’ Then the Almighty will say, ‘You do not know what they did after you left, they introduced new things into the religion after you.’”

(Sahih Bukhari, Book 88, Hadith 173) Reference (no.12)

Narrated Anas: The Prophet said, “Some of my companions will come to me at my Lake Fount, and after I recognize them, they will then be taken away from me, whereupon I will say, ‘My companions!’ Then it will be said, ‘You do not know what they innovated (new things) in the religion after you.”

(Sahih Bukhari Book 76, Hadith 584) Reference (no.2) also in Sahih Muslim.

I wonder which Companions had the power to innovate new things into the religion after Prophet Muhammed (saw)?

Narrated ‘Abdullah: The Prophet said, “I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount.” ‘Abdullah added: The Prophet said, “I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount, and some of you will be brought in front of me till I will see them and then they will be taken away from me and I will say, ‘O Lord, my companions!’ It will be said, ‘You do not know what they did after you had left.’

(Sahih Bukhari, Book 76, Hadith 578) Reference (no.1)

Narrated Ibn Al-Musaiyab: The companions of the Prophet said, “Some men from my companions will come to my Lake-Fount and they will be driven away from it, and I will say, ‘O Lord, my companions!’ It will be said, ‘You have no knowledge of what they innovated after you left: they turned apostate as renegades (reverted from Islam).

(Sahih Bukhari, Book 76, Hadith 586) Reference (no.6) also in Sahih Muslim.

Narrated Asma ‘bint Abu Bakr: The Prophet said, “I will be standing at the Lake-Fount so that I will see whom among you will come to me; and some people will be taken away from me, and I will say, ‘O Lord, (they are) from me and from my followers.’ Then it will be said, ‘Did you notice what they did after you? By Allah, they kept on turning on their heels (turned as renegades).’ ” The sub-narrator, Ibn Abi Mulaika said, “O Allah, we seek refuge with You from turning on our heels, or being put to trial in our religion.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Book 76, Hadith 592) Reference (no.10)

Narrated ‘Abdullah: The Prophet said, “I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount (Kauthar) and some men amongst you will be brought to me, and when I will try to hand them some water, they will be pulled away from me by force whereupon I will say, ‘O Lord, my companions!’ Then the Almighty will say, ‘You do not know what they did after you left, they introduced new things into the religion after you.’”

(Sahih Bukhari, Book 88, Hadith 173) Reference (no.12)

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “While I was sleeping, a group (of my followers were brought close to me), and when I recognized them, a man (an angel) came out from amongst (us) me and them, he said (to them), ‘Come along.’ I asked, ‘Where?’ He said, ‘To the (Hell) Fire, by Allah’ I asked, ‘what is wrong with them’ He said, ‘They turned APOSTATE as renegades after you left.’ Then behold! (Another) group (of my followers) were brought close to me, and when I recognized them, a man (an angel) came out from (me and them) he said (to them); Come along.’ I asked, “Where?’ He said, ‘To the (Hell) Fire, by Allah.’ I asked, What is wrong with them?’ He said, ‘They turned APOSTATE as renegades after you left. So I did not see anyone of them escaping except a few who were like camels without a shepherd.”

(Sahih Bukhari, Book 76, Hadith 587) Reference (no.7)

Narrated Abu Hazim from Sahl bin Sa’d: The Prophet said, “I am your predecessor (forerunner) at the Lake-Fount, and whoever will pass by there, he will drink from it and whoever will drink from it, he will never be thirsty. There will come to me some people whom I will recognize, and they will recognize me, but a barrier will be placed between me and them.” Abu Hazim added: An-Nu’man bin Abi ‘Aiyash, on hearing me, said. “Did you hear this from Sahl?” I said, “Yes.” He said, ” I bear witness that I heard Abu Said Al-Khudri saying the same, adding that the Prophet said: ‘I will say: They are of me (i.e. my followers). It will be said, ‘You do not know what they innovated (new things) in the religion after you left’. I will say, ‘Far removed, far removed (from mercy), those who changed (their religion) after me.” Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet said, “On the Day of Resurrection a group of companions will come to me, but will be driven away from the Lake-Fount, and I will say, ‘O Lord (those are) my companions!’ It will be said, ‘You have no knowledge as to what they innovated after you left; they turned APOSTATE as renegades (reverted from Islam).”

(Sahih Bukhari, Book 76, Hadith 585) Reference (no.5)

THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION:

Should I love all the Companions and respect them, and if I don’t I will go to hell????

Or did you mean go to hell with them?

The next time you decide to send blessings to Prophet Muhammed’s (saw) Companions, make sure you say “the righteous Companions”

Shias only respect and love the *righteous* Companions. These are just a few Hadiths pointing out which Companions us Shia respect and love:

The Holy Prophet (saw) said concerning Abu Dhar al-Ghifari that “Heaven has not shaded, nor has the earth carried a person more straight forward than Abu Dhar. He walks on earth with the immaterialistic attitude of Jesus, the son of Mary.”

Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p334, Tradition 3889
Musnad Ahmad Hanbal, 6519, 6630, 7078
and others..The Holy Prophet (saw) had told Ammar Ibn Yasir along with his parents that:
“Family of Yasir, be patient, for your destination is paradise”

Sahih al Tirmidhi, v5, p233.Prophet Muhammed (saw) “God commanded me to love four, and He informed me that he loves them. People asked him: Messenger of God who are they? He said: Ali is from them ( repeating that three times ). And Abu Tharr and Salman and al Miqdad.”

Sunan ibn Majah, v1 p53 Hadith 149.Concerning him, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said that “Paradise longs for three men, Ali, Ammar and Salman.”

Sahih al Tirmidhi, v5, p332, Tradition 3884

ON A FINAL NOTE…..SOME HOMEWORK:

Try to ascertain for whom the following verses were revealed………

“Those who become unbeliever after they have been believer, and grow violent in disbelief, their repentance will not be

accepted and such people are those who go astray.” (Quran 3:90)

 

“They swear by Allah that they said nothing (evil), but indeed they uttered blasphemy, and they uttered it after accepting Islam: and they meditated a plot which they were unable to carry out: this revenge of theirs was (their) only return for the bounty with which Allah and His Messenger had enriched them! If they repent, it will be best for them: But if they turn back (to their evil ways), Allah will punish them with a grievous chastisement in this life and in the Hereafter: They shall have none on earth to protect or help them.” Quran 9:74

Vandalization of Holy Places

A mini documentary on Al Saud’s systematic destruction of Mecca and Madina.

The Demolition of Islamic Heritage in Mecca and Madina Millions flock to Mecca for the annual pilgrimage, a duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it. But beyond the ritual scene, there appears a controversial and sad aspect of the holy Mecca, which began to lose its spirituality and historical identity.
Many Saudi intellectuals, mainly from the Makkah region, are full of anger in response to the government’s plans to wipe out the legacy of Islam and replace it with skyscrapers, starbucks, and malls. “One cannot help but feel sad seeing the Kaaba, a dot so small between all those glass and iron giants,”

“Long before Islam, Arabs didn’t dare live in the circle of ‘al-haram’, meaning the sacred area of the mosque,” They spent their days in the holy city and moved out with nightfall.

Sami Angawi, the founder and former director of Mecca’s Hajj Research Center and opponent of the destruction of Mecca’s historic sites, estimates that over 300 antiquity sites in Mecca and Medina have already been destroyed, such as the house of the first caliph, Abu Bakr, which was levelled to make room for the Mecca Hilton Hotel. (According to Ivor McBurney, a spokesman for Hilton, “We saw the tremendous opportunities to tap into Saudi Arabia’s religious tourism segment.) “It’s not just our heritage, it’s the evidence of the story of the Prophet,” What can we say now? ‘This parking lot was the first school of Islam’? ‘There used to be a mountain here where Mohammed made a speech’? … What’s the difference between history and legend?” “Evidence.” Saudi authorities have authorized the destruction of hundreds of antiquities, such as an important eighteenth-century Ottoman fortress in Mecca that was razed to make way for the Abraj Al Bait Towers — a move the Turkish foreign minister condemned as “cultural genocide.” An ancient house belonging to the Prophet Mohammed was recently razed to make room for a public toilet facility. An ancient mosque belonging to Abu Bakr has now been replaced by an ATM machine. And the sites of Mohammed’s historic battles at Uhud and Badr have been paved to put up a parking lot. The remaining historical religious sites in Mecca can be counted on one hand and will likely not make it much past the next hajj, “It is incredible how little respect is paid to the house of God.”

The government accelerated the tempo of destruction of the Islamic ancient sites during the course of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait. the Saudi government capitalized on the concentration of the world attention on the Iraqi-Kuwait crises, thus decided to wipe out shrines and houses of the prophet, and his Companions. A pamphlet published by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, endorsed by Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, and distributed at the Prophet’s Mosque, where The Prophet Mohammed, Abu Bakr, and Omar bin Al Khattab are buried, reads, “The green dome shall be demolished and the three graves flattened in the Prophet’s Mosque,” This shocking sentiment was echoed in a speech by the late Muhammad ibn Al Uthaymeen, one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent Wahhabi clerics, who delivered sermons in Mecca’s Grand Mosque for over 35 years: “We hope one day we’ll be able to destroy the green dome of the Prophet Mohammed,” he said, in a recording. Writing in response to the article, Prince Turki al-Faisal said that Saudi Arabia was spending more than $19bn (£11bn) preserving and maintaining these two holy sites. “[We are aware] how important the preservation of this heritage is, not just to us but to the millions of Muslims from around the world who visit the two holy mosques every year. It is hardly something we are going to allow to be destroyed.” Today there are no fewer than 20 structures remaining in Mecca that date back to the time of the Prophet 1400 years ago. The litany of this lost history includes the house of Khadijah, the wife of the Prophet, demolished to make way for public lavatories; the house of Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s companion, now the site of the local Hilton hotel; the house of Ali-Oraid, the grandson of the Prophet, and the Mosque of abu-Qubais, now the location of the King’s palace in Mecca.

 

A journey to self realisation – Becoming Shia by Eloise Lynn

http://batooliii.tumblr.com/

http://hiielle.blogspot.co.uk/

Disclaimer: This is only used to display my personal journey within Islam and my intention is not to offend anyone.

3 Ramadan 2012. Asr prayer. As I go into sujood and my head hits the turbah on the floor, a question suddenly fills me “How did I go from hating Shia to being one?!”. That question dumbfounded me so much I almost lost all concentration in my prayer.

It was a perhaps rash decision, one I didn’t really think thoroughly through, but was it one I regretted? When someone discusses religion with me i’ll always say “I’m Muslim, I used to be atheist”. I’ll never mention sects, perhaps its because the idea that the Prophets beloved ummah separated upsets me or perhaps its because I don’t feel the need to confuse Non-Muslims with the “nitty gritty”. But my heart lies with Ahlulbayt, the path of Ahlulbayt (as). And here is how it started;

I used to hate the Shia and everything they stood for. It is what I had been told, it is what I had learnt, the Shia they are deviants. Truth is I didn’t understand, nor did I care. I spent the first 14-15 months of my life as a Muslim following “the way of the Salaf”. I didn’t want to follow a madhab and I had no regard for Sufis or Shia. I got to a point in my deen where I was confused with my beliefs. I knew I was Muslim. I knew Islam was the truth. But I was feeling dead inside, my imaan was constantly fluctuating and I was rather temperamental. I decided to look into madhabs, the concept of madhabs are interesting and used to make the life of a Muslim 100 times easier. The four Imams – Imam Hanifa, Imam Shafi’i, Imam Maliki and Imam Hanbal dedicated their life to Islamic jurisprudence and created the “schools of thought” or “madh’habs”. Interestingly, Imam Shafi’i considered Imam Abu Hanifa to be the ‘champion in fiqh’ so that lead me to research Imam Abu Hanifa. I came across the idea that Imam Abu Hanifa studied under the 6th Shia Imam, Imam Jafar al-Sadiq. I suppose that is what started my initial interest, the idea that Shia and Sunni weren’t once ‘sworn enemies’. The idea that someone so influential in Sunni Islam studied under a Shia Imam; Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (as).

I made the decision to research Shia Islam. Just to better my knowledge and understanding of the religion of Islam. There is nothing wrong with seeking ilm. I began to come across ahadith which explained the reasonings behind Shia ideology.

Who does the choice of a successor belong to?

We know that one of the great differences between Shia and Sunni is the belief in who was to be the “first caliph”. Sunnis say the position belonged to Abu Bakr, as he was elected in by the ‘people’ whereas Shias say it belonged to Ali (as). I found myself intrigued as to why Shias believe this, I personally felt it wasn’t enough to say ‘it belonged to Ali (as), to keep it within the Prophets (saw) family’

I came across a work which suggests the choice of successor throughout Islamic history has always been Allah (swt);

“And remember when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Verily, I am going to place [for mankind] a successor (khalifah) on the earth…’”

-Qur’an 2:30

“O’ David, we assigned you as Caliph (successor) on the earth …” 

– Qur’an 38:26“… We have assigned you (Abraham) as Imam (leader) for people …” 

– Qur’an 2:124

When the Prophet Musa (Moses) (as) wanted to go to Miqaat, he (as) did not ask people to form a Shura to assign a Caliph for him. The Qur’an tells us Moses asks Allah to assign him a “vizier” (or ‘minister’ or ‘guardian’) from his family;

(Moses said: “O’ Allah) assign me a minister from my family, (that is)my brother Aaron (Haroon) …,” (Allah) said: “We granted your requests, O’ Moses.” 

– Qur’an 20:29-36

“Surely We gave the book to Moses and assigned his brother Aaron as his vizier.” 

– Quran 25:35

“… And Moses said unto his brother Aaron: Take my place among the people.” 

– Qur’an 7:142

Prophet Muhammad (saws) said to Ali ibn Abi Talib (as);

“Your position to me is like the position of Aaron (Haroon) to Moses, except that there shall be no Prophet after me”

– Sahih Al-Bukhari,  5:59:700 (English reference) | 064:4460 (Arabic reference)

– Sahih Muslim, 31:5914 (English reference) | 045:6370 (Arabic reference)

This is also known as the “Hadith of Position” and is used by the Shia to detail why they believe that Ali ibn abi Talib (as) was rightfully meant to succeed the Prophet (saw).

Ali (as) not giving allegiance to Abu Bakr caliph

“When Fatima was alive, the people used to respect ‘Ali much, but after her death, ‘Ali noticed a change in the people’s attitude towards him. So Ali sought reconciliation with Abu Bakr and gave him an oath of allegiance. Ali had not given the oath of allegiance during those months (i.e. the period between the Prophet’s death and Fatima’s death, Fatima’s (daughter of Muhammad) funeral was held secret and Ali did not inform Abu Bakr as per will of Fatima)…”

Sahih Al-Bukhari, 5:59:546 (English reference)  | 064:4287 (Arabic reference)

Sahih Muslim 19:4352 (English reference)  | 033:4679 (Arabic reference)

For six months Ali (as) didn’t give allegiance to the caliph Abu Bakr, why? Think about it.

A common argument given by Sunnis is that if it was Ali (as) God given right to succeed the Prophet (saw) then why didn’t he fight for leadership?

This question can be answered quickly, would Ali (as), a member of the Holy Household, want to create a fitna, uproar and separation between the Muslims right after the death of the Prophet (saw)??? Logically, he also wouldn’t want to go to battle as innocent Muslims would die, in order for him to take power. The historians, Sunni and Shia, record how Abu Sufyan offered him troops but Imam Ali (as) turned him down and criticised his divisive offer.

Ali (as) being the successor, Ghadeer Khumm;

On the 18th of Dhu’l-Hijjah of the year 10 AH (10 March 632 CE) after completing his (sawa) last pilgrimage (Hajjatul-Widaa), the Prophet (saw) was leaving Mecca toward Medina.

This ayah was revealed;

“O Apostle! Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you don’t do it, you have not delivered His message (at all); and Allah will protect you from the people …” 

– Qur’an 5:67

The messenger of Allah stopped at Ghadeer Khumm. He ordered Salman RA to use rocks and camel toolings to make a pulpit (minbar) so he could make his speech/announcement. It was around noon time, and due to the extreme heat in that valley, people were wrapping their robes around their feet and legs, and were sitting around the pulpit, on the hot rocks.

On this day the Messenger of Allah (sawa) spent approximately five hours here; three hours of which he was on the pulpit. He recited nearly one hundred verses from The Glorious Quran, and for seventy three times reminded and warned people of their deeds and future.

The Prophet (saw) went on to declare a message which is named in Hadith as “Hadith al-thaqalayn” or translated as “Hadith of two weighty things” (this is discussed further down the blogpost insha’Allah)

During this time the Prophet SAW asked

“Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?”

People cried and answered:

“Yes, O’ Messenger of Allah.”

He (saw) went on to declare;

“Man Kunto mawla hu fa haadha Aliyyun mawla” – 

“Of whomsoever I am mawla, Ali is also his mawla, i.e leader” [1]

The debate arises of the meaning of the word “mawla” as some translate it is ‘friend’. According to one study, the word mawla has between 20 and 30 different definitions in Arabic, but only one which translates as “friend”. Most translate it as “owner”, “leader”, “benefactor”, “guide”, “helper”. Look at the Qur’an, the words, mawla, awla, wali, wilayat, all come from the same root word “wali”, and are all used in the Qur’an to refer to guidance and leadership. For friendship or companionship, the Qur’an tends to use the words, khaleel, sadiq and hameem.

Common sense says the Beloved Prophet (saw) didn’t gather over 100,000 people in the Arabian Desert to announce that Ali (as) was his “friend”

After the sermon at Ghadeer khumm:

“This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed my favour on you and chosen for you Islam as you religion” 

– Qur’an 5:3

This ayah was revealed, the final verse of the Qur’an. It seems that after The Prophet (saw) had announced Ali (as) was to be his successor, Islam was complete.

Hadith al-thaqalayn (Hadith of two weighty things);

He said: One day Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood up to deliver sermon at a watering place known as Khumm situated between Mecca and Medina. He praised Allah, extolled Him and delivered the sermon and. exhorted (us) and said: Now to our purpose. O people, I am a human being. I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death) from my Lord and I, in response to Allah’s call, (would bid good-bye to you), but I am leaving among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the Book of Allah and then said: The second are the members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family. He (Husain) said to Zaid: Who are the members of his household? Aren’t his wives the members of his family? Thereupon he said: His wives are the members of his family (but here) the members of his family are those for whom acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. And he said: Who are they? Thereupon he said: ‘Ali and the offspring of ‘Ali, ‘Aqil and the offspring of ‘Aqil and the offspring of Ja’far and the offspring of ‘Abbas. Husain said: These are those for whom the acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. Zaid said: Yes.”

-Sahih Muslim, 031:5920 (English reference)

045:6378 (Arabic reference)

It can be clearly seen here that the Prophet (saw) says to hold onto the Qur’an and Ahlulbayt. A niggling question arises, so do the Shia not follow the “sunnah” of the Prophet(saw)? Obviously they do, its our duty as muslims to love the Prophet (saw) what better way to do this than to follow his sunnah, the Ahlulbayt are a perfect example of his sunnah in practice and therefore by following Ahlulbayt (as) you would also be following the beloved Prophets (saw) sunnah insha’Allah.

Importance of Ahlulbayt (as)

Shias believe that the Prophets (saw) and the Ahlulbayt (as) are ‘infallible’. The concept of infallibility stems from the Qur’an ayah 33:33 and Hadith;

Verily Allah intends to keep off from you every kind of uncleanness O’ People of the House (Ahlul-Bayt), and purify you with a perfect purification”. 

– Qur’an 33:33

also, “Hadith of the cloak”

Aisha narrates that God’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) went out one morning wearing a striped cloak of the black camel’s hair that there came Hasan b. ‘Ali. He wrapped him under it, then came Husain and he wrapped him under it along with the other one (Hasan). Then came Fatima and he took her under it, then came ‘Ali and he also took him under it and then said: God only desires to take away any uncleanliness from you, O people of the household (Ahlulbayt), and purify you (thorough purifying)”

-Sahih Muslim 031:5955 (English reference)

045:6414 (Arabic reference)

Generally It is worth noting here that Sunnis consider the wives of the Prophet (saw) to be within the Ahlulbayt (as), however the Shias believe the wives of the Prophet (saw) aren’t within the Ahlulbayt (as). The Hadith above was narrated by Aisha (the wife of the Prophet) herself. If the wives were a part of the Ahlulbayt (as) surely the Prophet (saw) would have included them under the cloak? The initial Arabic for this is masculine, again suggesting that the wives are not part of the Ahlulbayt (as).

Furthermore there is a Hadith within Sahih Muslim which also states that the wives are not members of Ahlulbayt (as);

Yazid b. Hayyan reported: We went to him (Zaid b. Arqam) and said to him. You have found goodness (for you had the honour) to live in the company of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and offered prayer behind him, and the rest of the hadith is the same but with this variation of wording that lie said: Behold, for I am leaving amongst you two weighty things, one of which is the Book of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, and that is the rope of Allah. He who holds it fast would be on right guidance and he who abandons it would be in error, and in this (hadith) these words are also found: We said: Who are amongst the members of the household? Aren’t the wives (of the Holy Prophet) included amongst the members of his house hold? Thereupon he said: No, by Allah, a woman lives with a man (as his wife) for a certain period; he then divorces her and she goes back to her parents and to her people; the members of his household include his ownself and his kith and kin (who are related to him by blood) and for him the acceptance of Zakat is prohibited. 

-Sahih Muslim, 031:5923 (English reference)

045:6381 (Arabic reference)

What does infallibility mean?

Firstly, the idea that the Prophets (as) of God are infallible should be discussed. The concept of Ismah (Infallibility) is very often misunderstood. The concept is that a Prophet, by virtue of his Prophethood, has a pure soul. The Qur’an states:

“…the (human) soul certainly incites evil, UNLESS my lord do bestow His Mercy… 

– Qur’an 12:53

The need for Prophets (as) to be infallible can be understood by stating that if they were to make mistakes how would we know they aren’t showing us something which is incorrect. They are Prophets from Allah.

Following on from this, we can see in the ahadith below (Hadith of twelve successors) that the 12 “successors” or “imams” or  will ‘rule’ on earth until the Day of resurrection (Sahih Muslim, references a few paragraphs below). The imams/successors are the protectors of the divine message so they too have to be free from error and sin. Further more, the evidence for this is the Qur’an ayah above (33:33).

The Twelver Shias do NOT hold ANY human being, whether he be a Prophet, a messenger, or an Imam, to be divine. They do not worship human beings, nor do they approve of such a custom. The position of Allah (SWT) is never compromised.

“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you.”

– Qur’an 4:59

The imamah;

There are 12 verses in the Quran in which words that relate to Imamah like “Imam” or “A’immah” (plural of Imam) are used. This word has been used for different instances. Here are 3 ayahs;

“And when his Lord tested Abraham with certain words, and he fulfilled them, He said,” I am making you the Imam of mankind.” Said he,” And from among my descendants (will there be any Imams)?” He said,” My pledge does not extend to the unjust” (Only those of your offspring that are just and pious will deserve such a rank).”

– Qur’an 2:124

“We made them imams, guiding by our command, and we revealed to them the performance of good deeds, the maintenance of prayers, and the giving of zakat, and they used to worship us”

– Qur’an 21:73

“And amongst them we appointed imams to guide [the people] by our command, when they had been patient and had conviction in our signs”.

– Qur’an 32:24.

There are many ahlul sunnah ahadith which display the idea that there will be 12 imams or “successors” to the Prophet Muhammad (saw). The Shia believe that these 12 imams are part of the bloodline of the Prophet (saw) and thus part of the ahlulbayt. “All of the imams will be from Quraish” This is an indication that the imams should be from the Prophets (saw) bloodline. In Sahih Muslim (there are 6 of this narration) state that the “Islamic religion will continue until the day of resurrection”. It is worth noting here that the current imam of our time is Imam Mahdi (as), who is currently in occultation.

“Whosoever dies without recognising the imam of his time dies the death of ignorance (Jahiliyyah)”

-Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, p. 96

The importance of knowing the imam of your time is displayed in the Hadith above.

Sahih Al-Bukhari:

Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard Muhammad saying, “There will be twelve Muslim rulers.” He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, “All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish.” 

Sahih Al-Bukhari 9:89:329 (English reference)

94:7308 (Arabic reference)

Sahih Muslim :

Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard Muhammad saying, “The (Islamic) religion will continue until the Hour (day of resurrection), having twelve Caliphs for you, all of them will be from Quraysh.”

Sahih Muslim: 020:4477 (English reference) | 34:4809 (Arabic reference)

020:4478 (English reference) | 34:4812 (Arabic reference)

020:4480 (English reference) | 34:4813 (Arabic reference)

020:4481 (English reference) | 34:4814 (Arabic reference)

020:4482 (English reference) | 34:4815 (Arabic reference)

020:4483 (English reference) | 34:4816 (Arabic reference)

It should be noted here that the current Imam of our time is Imam Mahdi (as).

Sunan Abu Dawood :

The Prophet said: “This religion remains standing until there are twelve vicegerents over you, all of them agreeable to the nation, all of them from Quraysh.” 

Sunan Abu Dawood : Book 36: Number 4266

Sunan al-Tirmidhi :

The Prophet said: “There will be after me twelve Amir (Prince/Ruler), all of them from Quraysh.” 

Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Arabic) Chapter of Fitan, 2:45 (India) and 4:501 Tradition # 2225 (Egypt) Hadith #2149 (numbering of al-‘Alamiyyah)

“One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams: those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure), and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.”

– Qur’an 17:71

Sahih Muslim states that the twelve caliphs will continue to the day of resurrection. This shows that the concept of the imamah within Shia theology and jurisprudence is backed up with hadith from the Prophet himself. There is also a link to the bible

“And as for Isma’il, I have blessed him, and I have made him fruitful. And I have truly multiplied him, he will beget twelve leaders and I will provide for him a large nation.” – Bible, Genesis 17

We know that the Prophet Muhammad can trace his genealogy to Prophet Isma’il through the Prophet SAWA grandfather Abdul Muttalib. On Abdul Muttalib father’s side he belonged to the distinguished Banu Hashim clan, a subgroup of the Quraish tribe of Makkah which traced their genealogy to Isma’il and Ibrahim. The Bible reference has been suggested that it is in reference to the Prophet Muhammad and his Ahlulbayt (as)

________________________________________________________________________________________________

There were many many Hadith which explained the reasonings behind Shia beliefs and I found myself questioning mine. How was I sure that believing and following Abu Bakr was correct? I found myself trying to search through ahadith to find one where the Prophet hinted that Abu Bakr would be to lead the ummah after his passing. The main point is that Abu Bakr was asked to lead the prayer, but mainly Abu Bakr was elected as caliph, should it have been this way? Should Allah and the Prophet not have this choice?

The Hadith of Pen and Paper;

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas: “When Allah’s Apostle was on his death-bed and in the house there were some people among whom was ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, the Prophet said, “Come, let me write for you a statement after which you will not go astray.” ‘Umar said, “The Prophet is seriously ill and you have the Qur’an; so the Book of Allah is enough for us.” The people present in the house differed and quarrelled. Some said “Go near so that the Prophet may write for you a statement after which you will not go astray,” while the others said as Umar said. When they caused a hue and cry before the Prophet, Allah’s Apostle said, “Go away!” Narrated ‘Ubaidullah: Ibn ‘Abbas used to say, “It was very unfortunate that Allah’s Apostle was prevented from writing that statement for them because of their disagreement and noise.”

Sahih al-Bukhari, 7:70:573 (English reference)

075:5731 (Arabic reference)

Sa’id b. Jubair reported from Ibn Abbas that he said: Thursday, and what about Thursday? Then tears began to flow until I saw them on his cheeks as it they were the strings of pearls. He (the narrator) said that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Bring me a shoulder blade and ink-pot (or tablet and inkpot), so that I write for you a document (by following which) you would never go astray. They said: Allah’s Messenger (may peace upon him) is talking no sense.

Sahih Muslim, 013:4015 (English reference)

026:4321 (Arabic reference)

Narrated Said bin Jubair: I heard Ibn ‘Abbas saying, “Thursday! And you know not what Thursday is? After that Ibn ‘Abbas wept till the stones on the ground were soaked with his tears. On that I asked Ibn ‘Abbas, “What is (about) Thursday?” He said, “When the condition (i.e. health) of Allah’s Apostle deteriorated, he said, ‘Bring me a bone of scapula, so that I may write something for you after which you will never go astray.’ The people differed in their opinions although it was improper to differ in front of a Prophet, They said, ‘What is wrong with him? Do you think he is talking no sense (delirious)? Ask him (to see if he is talking no sense). The Prophet replied, ‘Leave me, for I am in a better state than what you are asking me.’

Sahih al-Bukhari: 4:53:393 (English reference) | 058:10 (Arabic reference)

Sahih al-Bukhari: 4:52:288 (English reference) | 56:289 (Arabic reference)

Narrated Ibn Abbas: Thursday! And how tragic that Thursday was! The ailment of Allah’s Apostle became worse (on Thursday) and he said “Bring me something so that I (order) to write for you something after which you will never go astray.” The people (present there) quarreled in this matter, and it was not right to quarrel in front of Prophet. They said, “What is wrong with him? (Do you think) he is talking no sense (delirious)?”

Sahih al-Bukhari: 5:59:716 (English reference) | 65:4475 (Arabic reference)

It states that the beloved Prophet asked for a ‘pen and paper’ to write a document which would be used to ensure the ummah “would never go astray”. One presumes it would state the successor. The Hadith states that they quarrelled and argued. This to me seems weird, if the Prophet was infront of you, ill, and he asked for you to bring him something, you wouldn’t think twice about it, you would just do it. You certainly wouldn’t be arguing and calling the Prophet delirious. Why did that happen? The Prophet SAWA was obviously distressed as he ordered them to “Go away” (stated in Sahih al-Bukhari).

“O you who believe! Do not raise your voices above the voice of Prophet … lest your deeds become null while you do not perceive.”

– Qur’an 49:2

“Nor does he (Prophet) speak out of his desire. (What he says) is nothing but revelation that is revealed.”

-Qur’an 53:3-4

“Whatever apostle tells you accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back.” 

– Qur’an 59:7

Decisions

I decided I wanted to follow the path of Ahlulbayt (as), I couldn’t find anything I faulted. And if I had any questions or queries they would always be welcomed with an answer, backed up with hadith/qur’an reference, for further understanding. I initially told people close to me and faced a fair amount of intolerance, rudeness and ‘concern’. Being a revert I was used to the struggles and comments from people who ridiculed my life decisions. But, this time it hurt. It hurt to think its so easy to say the words “Shia are kaafir” and make takfeer on a group that you really don’t understand. It hurt to see the hatred for our fellow Muslims in the ummah.

I began to listen to peoples comments and went back to calling myself “Sunni”. Probably the worst decision of my life. My heart wasn’t in it. I contemplated leaving Islam, the lowest i’ve ever been. I wasn’t ready for the negativity toward me being Shia, I couldn’t handle it, so I went back to please others. Rather ridiculous. I chose to please others before Allah, I put myself in a position where I was questioning my faith? For what?

I do the things I do, in MY deen to benefit ME and to bring ME closer to Allah. I thank everyone who is concerned for my wellbeing, but really I am fine and.. I’m not brainwashed. I am happy.

I also struggled with the idea that Shias are the minority, its difficult, when you’re Sunni, there is a Hadith stating you should follow the largest “group of Muslims”. Ideas like this get to you, they play on your mind.

“The congregation of my community are those who are the people of truth even if they are few in number.”

– Prophet Muhammad (saw)

“No sooner does a community differ after their own Prophet, than the people of falsehood from amongst them become victorious over the people of truth. 

– Prophet Muhammad (saw)

Staying righteous and within faith is alot more important than following the majority just for the principle of following the majority. No one wants to end up in the hellfire, we as slaves to Allah spend our life worshipping Him out of love and in hope of Jannah. But it is important to follow what you follow because you have faith and it is what you truly believe. If you think this benefits your deen, then you should follow it. Not based on what your friends think and believe, what your family believe, but what YOU believe. I honestly think in a way that because I am a revert myself that i’m blessed I can chose the path I want within Islam. People with Muslim families may have added pressure from their parents to stay within the same path. However, following what YOU believe, yourself, is vital. If you come across a path which you believe in, yet you don’t follow it to please your family, you may be displeasing to Allah. Nobody wants this. Have faith in The Creator and always ask for guidance. Know that He is always with you.

I’m sure I will receive negative feedback on this post. I only decided to write this to help people understand my thought process, to try and detail that we’re all Muslims, tensions, animosity and violence should never be in our nature. I didn’t want to post this for ages for fear of the negativity. But the truth is; I never felt as close to Allah as I do now. I never felt as Muslim as I do now. I never felt the imaan that I feel now.

Stop focusing on the differences and focus on the similarities.

“Anyone who loves us Ahlul Bayt must be ready to face a life of austerity.” – Imam Ali (as)

“Don’t be afraid of the path of righteousness due to the minority of its followers” – Imam Ali (as)

“We Muslims are busy bickering over whether to fold or unfold our hands during prayer, while the enemy is devising ways of cutting them off.” – Imam Ruhollah Khomeini

Interested in expanding your knowledge of Shia Islam?;

Questions and Answers, Shia fiqh, Shia beliefs – http://www.answering-ansar.org

Beliefs, Shia/Sunni, .pdfs etc – http://www.al-islam.org

Misconceptions of Shia lecture – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjLXvqqfIpY

Extensive Playlist on the Misconceptions of Shia – http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL10E16A86E9F13FD1&feature=g-user-a

[1] There are hundreds and hundreds of narrations from Ghadeer Khumm, here are a few;

Sahih Tirmidhi, v2, p298, v5, p63
Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v1, pp 84,118,119,152,330, v4, pp 281,368,370,372,378, v5, pp 35,347,358,361,366,419 (from 40 chains of narrators)
Sunan Ibn Maja, v1, pp 12,43
al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v2, p129, v3, pp 109-110,116,371

 

Original post: http://hiielle.blogspot.co.uk/

Jews You Don't See Demonstrating AGAINST Israel & Brutally Beaten

We’re not allowed to steal. We’re not allowed to kill. So all that is being done to the Palestinian people is forbidden by the Torah. We also want the people of Palestine to know, and the people who are in Lebanon and wherever they’re suffering because of this Zionist entity called the “State of Israel,” that there is Jewish people who stand up since day one, since the State of Israel came to being and even prior to that when they started making their attempts for a state, the Jewish people stood up and demonstrated and were murdered. And we kept on demonstrating and we will never stop demonstrating.

Jews have been repeatedly demonstrating against the State of Israel and the mainstream media has been repeatedly suppressing their demonstrations.

Most Americans are not seeing these Jews demonstrating against Israel, because media isn’t showing most Americans the demonstrations.

It is amazing that they can hold large demonstrations in major cities like New York, yet the media refuses to give them fair coverage. It’s incredible that journalists are willing to violate journalistic standards to in order to protect the Zionist agenda.

Here, I’ll show you pictures of demonstrations of Jewish people demonstrating. You can see tens of thousands of people. This picture is, for instance, in front of the White House. And this is on going, there’s always these demonstrations, tens of thousands of people. This happens throughout the world wherever there’s a large Jewish community. In the center of Jerusalem, in the center of Al-Quds, tens and tens of thousands of people, maybe hundreds of thousands, demonstrating
against the existence of the state of Israel.

This is all over the world. It happens in London, it happens — this is in Manhattan and throughout the world. Just to show that although the Zionists try to portray to the world that the Jews are supporting them, the truth is that the ones that are true to the Torah, invariably the more religious around the world, have stood since Zionism came about until today, stand in total opposition to the existence of the state and to the crimes that they perpetrate against the people.

The Media also keeps most Americans in the dark about the fact that Zionist Jews brutalize good Jews who dare protest against Israel.

It’s clear why the powers that be don’t want you to see anti-Zionist Jews: Because they’re too revealing, what they say exposes the Zionism for what it is.

The extreme suppression of Jews who protest against Israel is another example of mainstream media’s manipulation of the American people. Please click here to see what Rabbi Weiss has to say about their demonstrations and how Zionist Jews physically attack them.

And I know personally, where I was trying to get the word out about why we were attacked on 9/11, the main motive. I was trying to get the word out — I actually didn’t carry around a sign that said the word “Israel” by name. That shows you the intimidation at work in our society. And look, just having this sign and getting into a conversation with three individuals that referred to themselves as “we” when I was talking about Israel — when they were talking about Israel. And then the conversation ends with one of them lighting a book of matches and throwing it at my face. But I want you to listen to what Rabbi Weiss says. One of the other Rabbis, a Zionist Jew threw acid in his face.

I really want you to watch Rabbi Wiess’s video, that’s why I am linking directly to it. video more views. you can also subscribe to his organization’s youtube channel. This jumps you right to the point where he talks about how the media doesn’t give them the coverage that they should. He shows pictures of Jews being brutalized at the hands of Zionist Jews.
Rabbi Weiss’s Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT7gNCuIpCE&list=PL791A147287CC10C0&fe…
Zionist Attacks, Threats and Intimidation PLAYLIST:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axjTtnBG-b0&list=PL472EAF2848EB4F68&fe…
ZIONIST VIOLENCE & INTIMIDATION
isturbing images of violence and intimidation
http://www.nkusa.org/activities/Zionist_Violence/index.cfm
“These photos demonstrate the lengths to which the Zionist regime will go to persecute Jews opposed to Zionism. These reflect only a number of the many instances in which loyal anti-Zionist Jews are subject to relentless oppression if they speak up against the actions of the Zionist State. Recently a number of anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews have been sent to jail for refusal to submit to Zionist intimidation and coercion. These photos also give a sense of why many Jews who oppose Zionism are subject to intimidation to the extent that many are reluctant to demonstrate their opposition to Zionism publicly.”
DEMONSTRATIONShttp://www.nkusa.org/activities/demonstrations/index.cfm
Rabbi Weiss & other Torah True Orthodox Jews Youtube Channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/2628342

How and why i became a Shia convert?ْ

http://batooliii.tumblr.com/

Wake-Up to the reality of the Enemies of Islam

Wake up to the Reality

Refuting ridiculous claims of Bibi Aisha's age being 9 years

FAMOUS SCHOLARS CONFIRM! Aisha was 19-21 when she got married!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkCafvuB-Vo

FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS TOPIC, VISIT THE BELOW LINKS:
Link 2: http://www.islamawareness.net/FAQ/what_was_ayesha.html
Link 3: http://www.understanding-islam.com/discussions/sources-of-islam/mr-silas-resp…

Link 4:http://www.discoveringislam.org/aisha_age.htm
Link 5 :http://sites.google.com/site/islamnmuslim/home/criticsanalysed/age

Link 1 (CONTRADICTIONS):http://asimiqbal2nd.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/contradictions.pdf
********************************************************************************­*
TIMEFRAME:

610 CE: THE PROPHECY
(Prophet Muhammad receives the first revelation)

623 CE: MIGRATION
(Prophet Muhammad migrated to Medina)

623/624 CE: Aisha lived with the Prophet
*****************************************************************************
REFERENCES:
[1]Malik ibn Anas objected on those narratives of Hisham which were reported through people in Iraq:
“I have been told that Malik objected on those narratives of Hisham which were reported through people of Iraq”
(Tehzi’b u’l-tehzi’b, Ibn Hajar Al-`asqala’ni, Dar Ihya al-turath al-Islami, Vol.11, p. 50).

[2] Tehzibu’l-Tehzib, one of the most well known books on the life and reliability of the narrators of the traditions of the Prophet, reports that according to Yaqub ibn Shaibah:
“He [Hisham] is highly reliable, his narratives are acceptable, except what he narrated after moving over to Iraq”
(Tehzi’bu’l-tehzi’b, Ibn Hajar Al-`asqala’ni, Dar Ihya al-turath al-Islami, 15th century. Vol 11, p. 50).

[3] Mizanu’l-ai`tidal, another book on the life sketches of the narrators of the traditions of the Prophet reports:
“When he was old, Hisham’s memory suffered quite badly”
(Mizanu’l-ai`tidal, Al-Zahbi, Al-Maktabatu’l-athriyyah, Sheikhupura, Pakistan, Vol. 4, p. 301).

[4] Visit the following website: http://www.understanding-islam.com/discussions/sources-of-islam/mr-silas-resp…
When you are there, scroll down to the middle of the page, till you see the below uppercase sentences:
ANSWER
_______________________________________
I SHALL TRY TO PRESENT MY POINT OF VIEW REGARDING MR. SILAS’ RESPONSE.

[5](Sahih Bukhari, kitabu’l-tafsir, Arabic, Bab Qaulihi Bal al-sa`atu Maw`iduhum wa’l-sa`atu adha’ wa amarr)

[6] .”(Tarikhu’l-umam wa’l-mamlu’k, Al-Tabari, Vol 4, Pg 50, Arabic, Dara’l-fikr, Beirut, 1979)

[7] Muslim (Kitabu’l-jihad wa’l-siyar, Bab karahiyati’l-isti`anah fi’l-ghazwi bikafir). Bukhari (Kitabu’l-jihad wa’l-siyar, Bab Ghazwi’l-nisa’ wa qitalihinna ma`a’lrijal):

[8] Bukhari, Kitabu’l-maghazi, Bab ghazwati’l-khandaq wa hiya’l-ahza’b, Arabic.

[9] Tehqiq e umar e Siddiqah e Ka’inat, Habib ur Rahman Kandhalwi, Urdu, Pg 38, Anjuman Uswa e hasanah, Karachi, Pakistan

[10] (Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hisham, Vol 1, Pg 227 – 234, Arabic, Maktabah al-Riyadh al-hadithah, Al-Riyadh) (Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hisham, Vol 1, Pg 295, Arabic, Maktabah al-Riyadh al-hadithah, Al- Riyadh).

[11] Nawawi, Kitab Tahdhib al-asmaa wal-lughaat: Chap. Biography of Aisha Mother of the Believers, Publ. Dar al-kutub al-`ilmiyya, Lebanon, vol. 2, pg. 351

[12] (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol. 6, p. .210, Arabic, Dar Ihya al-turath al-`arabi, Beirut).

[13] (Siyar A`la’ma’l-nubala’, Al-Zahabi, Vol. 2, p. 289, Arabic, Mu’assasatu’l-risalah, Beirut, 1992).
(Al-Bidayah wa’l-nihayah, Ibn Kathir, Vol. 8, p. 371, Dar al-fikr al-`arabi, Al-jizah, 1933).

[14](Taqribu’l-tehzib, Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani, p. 654, Arabic, Bab fi’l-nisa’, al-harfu’l-alif, Lucknow).

[15] (Al-Bidayah wa’l-nihayah, Ibn Kathir, Vol. 8, p. 372, Dar al-fikr al-`arabi, Al-jizah, 1933).

[16] Authenticated by Al-Haakim (1/111), Ad-Diyaa’ (C.f. Jaami-ul-Ahaadeeth,
7/145/27664), Al-Al-Albaanee (As-Saheehah, 1753; Saheeh-ul-Jaami`, 2684), Shu`aib
Al-Arna’oot (Mushkil-ul-Aathaar, 413, 414; Musnad Ahmad, 22538), Al-Judai` (Tahreer
`Uloom-il-Hadeeth, vol.1/f.n.340, vol.2/f.n.921), Ash-Shahree (Misbaah-uz-Zujaajah,
15), Husayn Asad (Musnad-ud-Daarimee, 243) and others. It is also supported by
another hadeeth narrated from Ibn `Abbaas (radiyallaahu `anhumaa) with a similar
meaning, which was authenticated by At-Tirmidhee (2951), Al-Ishbeelee (Al-Ahkaam,
4/339), Ibn-ul-Qattaan (Al-Bayaan, 5/253), Ibn Hajar (Al-`Ujaab, 1/197-199) and As-
Suyootee (C.f. Fayd-ul-Qadeer, 133), and Al-Ghumaaree alluded to its authenticity (Al-
Mudaawee, 1/162). See also: Al-Muqtarib fee Bayaan-il-Mudtarib (p.62).

Farewell O Friend….I pray that I live long enough to greet you once again

farewell O friend

Can we have more than one Eid……..

One of the most discussed Question………

can we have more than one Eid

when there is only one sun and one moon?”

The answer: why not?!

Muslims and specially Shi’as should try to approach this issue of more than one Eid with a little bit of ‘thoughtful’ ‘thinking’.  If the Blessed Month of Ramadhan ends on either Saturday for the Muqallids of one Maraje (i.e. Sun Eid) and on Sunday for the muqallids of another Maraje (i.e. Mon Eid), surely there is nothing wrong in it.  Each one interprets the ‘Sighting of New Moon’ according to the verdict of his religious authority and their interpretation of the verdict.  This is a sign of a healthy & mature community which is prepared to think and lead rather than follow others without understanding.      

If the other members of your family are fasting on the day you are celebrating Eid, and you are not, just drink a glass of water in the morning – you don’t have to eat a four-course meal in front of them! In regards to Eid prayers, most places have services to accommodate various situations.  It is important to know that Eid prayers are not obligatory during the occultation of the Twelfth Imam (may Allah hasten his reappearance) and can also be offered individually (Ayatollah Sistani: Islamic Laws, ruling #1525). 

Remember in Islam, the Day of Eid is a day of worship & Ibadat of Allah swt and not merry making.  Ibadat should be performed according to its religious rules and regulations and not as we think fit or for our own pleasure or as others do.   

In days long gone by, the same things used to happen, only we did not know because we as a community mostly followed only one Marja and we lived in comparatively smaller towns and villages – so we all used to celebrate Eid together, thinking that the whole world celebrated it with us.  Today, with Ilm, education, outlook and fast reliable communications including our own circumstances and doing Taqlid of more than one maraje, we are spread around the globe and so we find this phenomena a bit veered. 

Furthermore, even if we see the Arab community celebrating Eid on one day, the Pakistanis the next days, and as usual the mature Khoja community after them, what exactly is the big deal?  In many parts of the Muslim world, people celebrate Eid for a whole week.  The more, the merrier! I for one fail to see the problem with being able to dress up, visit friends and having delicious meals in the evening for three days instead of just one!  Talking to Non-Muslims, whenever they ask me about Eid Day, I tell them that we celebrate Eid over 3 days – everyone at their own religious-convenience – and this avoids many questions from them. 

Instead of panicking and rushing to hurl the vilest accusations at our religious scholars, and turning and twisting their research and presentations to suit our needs, let us try to be a bit more reasonable. Unity does not mean uniformity. We have 364 days to be united – why pick on the 365th day!!!  Instead of becoming upset at such minor differences, let us learn to appreciate and enjoy the blessings of variety in diversity.

Also, we must realize that even if we ignore all jurisprudential differences, we still would not be able to avoid the issue of multiple Eids. Indeed, we see that during the caliphate of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), a man once came and told him that he had sighted the crescent for the month of Shawwal, while no one else had.  The Imam a.s.  told him that since he has sighted the moon himself, it was Eid for him the next day, but for the rest of the community, since there were not two reliable testimonies (as required by Shariah), it would be the 30th of Ramadan.  So while it was haram for the man to fast the next day, it was in fact wajib upon everyone else!

Hence, for those who have proper knowledge and understanding of Islamic jurisprudence, this is really a non-issue. In all honesty, the moonsighting drama has nothing to do with unity or keeping our families intact. The Shia world has had multiple Eids for centuries now, so it is hard to fathom why this has become such a divisive issue. The fact of the matter is that this is a simple jurisprudential technicality which certain nefarious elements have hijacked and used to attack our Maraja-e-Taqleed, and many simple-minded Shias are sadly following suit.

If we are really so concerned about maintaining unity, let us keep in mind that the one institution that has safeguarded and protected Shi’sm for the past 1200 years and the only platform that is capable of uniting us, both at present and in the future, is the same Marjaiyyat which we so quickly rush to accuse of causing disunity amongst us!

On a final note, History tells us that in the 16th century, as Mongol armies were about to overrun Baghdad, the Muslim world was too busy fighting among itself over apparently a far more pertinent matter: whether it is permissible to consume owl meat or not!  While they were busy discussing this issue, Baghdad was captured and run over. 

Today, as we face enemies and calamities from all sides, let us learn from our own history, let us cease from wasting so much time and energy complaining about such trivial matters, let us unite under the banner of the Marjaiyyat, and let us focus on the greater problems that threaten to overrun our communities and the Muslim Ummah today. 

Remember the famous statement of Ayt. Khomeini (r.a.) who used to say: “Muslim world is fighting whether to keep hands open or closed during prayers, forgetting that enemies are ever ready and waiting for the chance to chop those hands.” 

It is time to wake up and face up the real danger which is on our doorstep.  May Allah swt accept all your Ibadats of the Holy Month and the special Ibadats of the Eid Day – no matter, whenever we celebrate it!

EID  MUBARAK  AND  MAY  ALLAH’S  BLESSINGS  BE  ALWAYS WITH US