Follower Network --Shi'a--

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

FOLLOWER NETWORK

Introducing The Shi'a

The meaning of Shi'a
Shi'a literally means "follower." Firuzabadi, In his Qamusu'l-Lughat, says, "The name Shi'a commonly means every person who is a friend of Ali and prophet's AhlulBayt. This name is peculiar to them." Exactly the same meaning is given by Ibn Athir in Nihayatu'l-Lughat. According to Sunni commentaries and admissions, the word Shi'a means "follower of Ali Bin Abu Talib" and was used in this way during the time of the Prophet Muhammad [s.a.w]. In fact, it was the Prophet Muhammad himself who introduced the word Shi'a as meaning "Follower of Ali Bin Abu Talib" The Prophet Muhammad called the followers of Ali [a.s] "The Shi’a" the "delivered," and the "rescued." And about the Prophet Muhammad [s.a.w] Allah has said:

"Nor does he speak out of desire. It is Nothing but Revelation that is revealed." (Quran, Sura 53:3-4)

The term "Shi'a" is an adjective used by Muslims who follow the Imams from the Family of the Prophet [Ahl Al-Bayt]. We do not use it for reasons of sectarianism or for causing divisions amongst Muslims. We use it because the Qur'an uses it, the Prophet Muhammad [s.a.w] used it, and the early Muslims used it - before words such as Sunni, Wahabi Ismai'ili, or Salafi ever came into existence.

The term Shi’a in the Holy Quran
The concept of Shi'a was first propogated by Prophet Nuh [Noah]. Allah mentioned in Quran that Some of His righteous servants were Shia of His other righteous servants. An example was Prophet Abraham who was mentioned in Quran specifically as the Shia of Prophet Noah:

"And most surely Abraham was among the Shia of him [i.e Noah]" (Quran 37:83)"

The Holy Prophet [s.a.w] was likewise from the people of Ibrahim, that is because Allah says in Surah al Baqarah verse 134:

"They say: Become Jews or Christians and you would be guided [To salvation]." Say No, I would rather, follow the Religion of Abraham"

[Notice that the word "Shia" is explicitly used, letter by letter, in the above verse as well as the following verse] In another verse, Quran talks about the Shi'a of Prophet Moses versus the enemies of Moses:

"And he (Moses) went into the city at a time when people of the city were not watching, so he found therein two men fighting, one being of his Shia and the other being his enemy, and the one who was of his Shia cried out to him for help against the one who was of his enemy" (Quran 28:15)

In the above verse of Quran, one is named the Shi'a of Moses (AS) and the other one is named the enemy of Moses, and the people at that time were either the Shia or the enemy of Moses (AS). Thus Shi'a is an official word used by Allah in His Quran for His high rank prophets as well as their followers.

If somebody calls him/herself a Shi'a, it is not due to any sectarianism, nor any innovation. It is because Quran has used the phrase for some of His best servants, Holy prophet used it and the early muslims used it. From the above pieces of evidence, the word "Shia" is used by Allah in Quran for His prophets as well as their followers. Further, His blessed Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH&HF) has repeatedly used this word for the followers of Imam Ali (AS). The word Shi'a is used here in its special meaning, and moreover, it is not in plural form (Parties), rather the above verses and traditions are referring to a special party, i.e., one single party. If Shi'a meant sectarian, neither Allah would use it for His high rank prophets nor Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) would have praised them. The above verses that I mentioned in support of Shi'a, has used this term singular form (i.e., one group of followers). This means that it has special meaning, such as: The Shi'a of Noah (AS), The Shi'a of Prophet Moses [a.s]. Also in the History of Islam, Shia has been specially used for the "followers of Ali".

The term Shi'a in Hadith
When the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "As for, those who believe and do good, surely they are the best of creatures.” (Qur'an 98:7)

The Prophet Muhammad said to Ali : "It is for you and your Shi’a"

He further said: "I swear by the one who controls my life that this man (Ali) and his Shi’a shall secure deliverance on the Day of Resurrection."

References:
1. Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthur, (Cairo) vol. 6, p. 379
2. Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tafsir Jami' al-Bayan, (Cairo) vol. 33, p. 146
3. Ibn Asakir, Ta'rikh Dimashq, vol. 42, p. 333, p. 371
4. Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, (Cairo) Ch. 11, section 1, pp 246-247

The Prophet Muhammad said: "O Ali!, On the day of Judgment, you and your Shi'a will come toward Allah well-pleased and well-pleasing, and there will come to Hu your enemies angry and stiff-necked."

References:
1. Ibn al-'Athir, al-Nihaya fi gharib al-hadith, (Beirut, 1399), vol. 4 p. 106
2. al-Tabarani, Mu'jam al-Kabir, vol 1 p 319
3. al-Haythami, Majma' al-Zawa'id, vol. 9, number 14168

The Prophet Muhammad said: "Glad tiding O Ali! Verily you and your Shi’a will be in Paradise."

Sunni References:
1. Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Fadha'il al-Sahaba, (Beirut) vol. 2, p. 655
2. Abu Nu'aym al-Isbahani, Hilyatul Awliya, vol. 4, p. 329
3. al-Khatib al-Baghdadi , Tarikh Baghdad, (Beirut) vol. 12, p. 289
4. al-Tabarani, Mu'jam al-Kabir, vol. 1, p. 319
5. al-Haythami, Majma' al-Zawa'id, vol. 10, pp. 21-22
6. Ibn 'Asakir, Ta'rikh Dimashq, vol. 42, pp. 331-332
7. Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, (Cairo) Ch. 11, section 1, p. 247

What Sunni Ahadith State About Shi'as
"Call unto the way of your Rabb with wisdom and good exhortation, and reason with them in the best way. Lo! your Rabb best knows those who go astray from Hu’s path, and Hu knows best those who are Rightly Guided". - Quran-16:125

There are repeated Ahadith in the Sunni and Shi'a books publically available today, which speak of the Khalifat of the twelve Imams and Khalifatun after the Holy Prophet [s.a.w]. These can be found in many of the famous Ahadith of the Sunnis, like Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Tarmadi, Sahih Muslim Sahih Abu Dawoud and Musnad Ahmad, etc. In the book Muntakhib al-Athar, there are 271 Ahadith in this area which have been recorded and a large part of them are from Sunni scholars.

For example, the Sahih Bukhari, the most famous book of the Sunnis says, "Jabir ibn Samarah says, 'I heard the Prophet say, "There will be twelve leaders after me." Then he said, 'I heard that my father said he heard the Prophet say, "They will be from the Quraysh.."

Sunni References:
Sahih Bukhari, part 9, Kitab al-Maqadam, p. 100

In Sahih Muslim, this same Hadith has been recorded in this way that Jabir says, "I heard the Prophet say, 'Islam will always be dear until twelve Khalifatun and successors." Then he said something which I did not understand. I asked my father and he said, 'The Prophet said, "They are all from the Quraysh."

Sunni References:
Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-amanah, bab al-mal tih 'l-quraysh

In Musnad Ahmad it has been recorded from 'Abdallah ibn Mas'ud, a famous companion, that he asked the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh&hf] about his vice-gerents. He said, "They are twelve people like the Israeli tribes who were twelve people."

Sunni References:
Musnad Ahmad, vol. 1, p. 398

Sunni Fiqhs Originated From The school of Ahl Al-Bayt, Shi'a Islam
The scholars and leading figures of the Sunni community have regarded it as necessary to follow the views and teachings of the founders of the four schools of Sunni law, even though there is no Hadith from the Prophet Muhammad [s.a.w] enjoining such obedience. We can therefore discern no adequate reason for these same scholars to ignore the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt, in the face of his clear declaration that the Qur'an and the Ahl al-Bayt will remain inextricably linked until the Day of Judgment.

Sunni References:
Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Vol. V, p. 181.

What is most ironic, in light of the majority Sunni protesting against the Shi'a, is that the founders of the Sunni four legal schools were themselves students of the Ahl al-Bayt and vastly benefited from their instruction. A leading Sunni scholar remarks:

"All Islamic scholars, irrespective of the school to which they belong, are unanimously agreed on the accomplishments and learning of Imam Jaffar al-Sadiq, peace be upon him. Sunni Imams who were his contemporaries studied with him and derived knowledge from him. Malik learned from him, as did some of the contemporaries of Malik such as Sufyan b. 'Uyaynah, Sufyan al-Thawri, and many others. Abu Hanifah, whose lifetime more or less corresponded to that of Imam Jaffar al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, studied religious knowledge with him and regarded him as the most learned man of the age."

Sunni References:
Shaykh Muhammad Abu Zahrah, Al-Imam al-Sadiq, p.66.

The four Sunni Madhahibs took from each other, Ahmed ibn Hanbal [Hanbali Sunni] took from al-Shafi'i [Shafi'i Sunni], and al-Shafi'i took from Malik [Maliki Sunni], and Malik took from Abu Hanifah {Hanafi Sunni], and Abu Hanifah from Imam Jafar Ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq [peace be upon him], Therefore, all the four Sunni schools are originated from the school of Ahl Al-Bayt [pbu. Them] and the four Sunni Imams, were students of Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq [a.s], our 6th Infallible Imam who was the first to open an Islamic University in the mosque of his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah. and under him studied no less than four thousand jurisprudents and specialists in Hadith [prophetic traditions].

Ibn Hajar, another Sunni scholar, relates Imam al-Shafi'i to have said: "The Household of the Prophet is my means of salvation, and they are my means of drawing near to the Prophet. It is my hope that for their sake the record of my deeds will be given into my right hand on the Day of Judgment."

References:
Ibn Hajar, al-Sawa'iq, p. 108. See too al-Firuzabadi, Fada'il al-Khamsah, Vol. II, p.81.

Again, Al-Shafi'i one of Sunni Imams said: "O Ahl Al-Bayt pf prophet, love for you has been made obligatory by Allah through mention in the Qur'an. Sufficient cause of pride it is for you that whoever fails to invoke blessings on you in his prayer will fail to have his devotions [salat] accepted."

Sunni References:
Al-Shiblanji, Nur al-Absar, p. 104.

Unlike the views of the mujtahids [Authoriteis] who founded the four Sunni schools, there is no contradiction or divergence among the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt, for they were not engaged in independent reasoning on the ordinances of religion. Their teachings are identical with those of the Prophet [s.a.w] of which the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt were infallibly aware. The utterances of the Imams therefore cannot be placed on the same level as the views of the founders of the four Sunni schools. In light of this, how can it be justified to ignore and neglect the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt?

How could Prophet teach division?
Prophet Said: "My nation shall be divided into 73 sects, all of whom are in the Fire except one" - Reported by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and others

The Prophet Muhammad [s.a.w] did not teach sectarian division through instructing his "Shi'a" to be the Shi'a of Ali [a.s] and his Family after his death. Was Prophet Ibrahim [a.s] a sectarian? Was the Prophet Nuh [a.s] and Prophet Musa [a.s]? If "Shi'a" was a divisive or sectarian term, neither Allah would use it for Hu’s earlier Prophets nor would Prophet Muhammad [pbuh&hf] have praised them. "Shi’a" is a term used throughout the Ahadith and the Qur’an to describe those who follow Islam and the Prophets who brought it.

It should be emphasized that the Prophet never wished to divide Muslims into groups. He ordered all people to follow Imam Ali as his agent during his lifetime, and as his Successor and Khalifat and Imam of all Muslims after him. Unfortunately those who heeded the Prophet Muhammad’s wish were few and were known as "Shi'a of Ali." They were subjected to all types of discrimination and persecution, and suffered from the day that the Prophet Muhammad [s.a.w], passed away. If all the Muslims had obeyed what the prophet had wished, then there wouldn't exist any group or school within Islam. In a Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad [s.a.w] said:

"Shortly after me discord and hatred will arise among you, when such a situation arises, go and search out Ali because he can separate the Truth from falsehood"

References:
Ali Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanz al-'Ummal, (Multan) vol. 2 p. 612, number 32964

Regarding the Qur'anic verse quoted earlier, some Sunni scholars narrated from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq [a.s], the sixth Infallible Shi'a Imam from the Ahl al-Bayt that:

"We are the Rope of Allah about whom Allah has said: And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah and be not divided among yourselves"

References:
1. al-Tha'labi, Tafsir al-Kabir, under commentary of verse 3:103
2. Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, (Cairo) Ch. 11, section 1, p. 233

Thus, if Allah denounces sectarianism, Hu denounces those who separated from Hu’s Rope, and not those who hold firmly to it!

Also Visit: A shi'ite eclyclopedia, The Term Shi'a in Quran and Hadith