Section 2: The Prophet's Companions, Q's 12-15

Apologies for such a long absence on updating the blog. I will proceed with some further questions about the Holy Prophet's companions.

Q12: What problem do Shias have with Aisha?

This question can be simply answered by another question - why did Aisha go against Imam Ali (as)? Why did she lead an army against Imam Ali (as)? There lies the crux of our problem with Aisha. Take away all the surrounding controversies and disagreements about Aisha and just focus on one main event, the Battle of the Camel. I do not believe that the name of Aisha should be cursed or abused, after all she is highly revered by the Ahle-Sunnah who regard her as Ummul Momineen - the Mother of the Believers and she was the wife of the Holy Prophet. However, she led an army against Imam Ali (as) in the Battle of the Camel and there can be nothing positive about that fact.

The status of Imam Ali (as) is unquestionable. At Ghadeer-e-Khum (which I will be discussing later), the Holy Prophet announced to hundreds of thousands of Muslims "O Allah! Love him who loves Ali, and be enemy of he who is the enemy of Ali; help him who helps Ali, and forsake him who forsakes Ali." This has been narrated in several Sunni and Shia books alike, it is undisputed. So what was Aisha doing, leaving the house of the Holy Prophet to lead an army against Imam Ali (as)?

There is a ludicrous argument made by some that the Battle of the Camel was a difference of opinion and both Imam Ali (as) and Aisha were right. If you take the view that both were right, what do you explain to the 10-20,000 Muslims who were killed in that battle, what will happen to them on the Day of Judgement? Will they all be told that they were fighting for the right side - does that even make sense? We need to be clear about the rights and wrongs of the Battle of Camel, only one side was right - truth was on the side of Imam Ali (as).

Q13: What problem to Shias have with Muawiya?

I really struggle to understand why we even need to explain our enmity towards Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan. His disgraceful acts and deeds are there for all to see and yet he is still revered and praised by many Muslims. One of my first posts on this blog was answering this very question in detail.

Q14: Why don't Shias trust Abu Hurairah?

Again, this is a question I have discussed in some detail earlier in my blog.

Q15: Why don't Shias trust Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and other Sunni books of tradition?

The narrations in both Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are questionable to say the least. There are several narrations which defame the Holy Prophet. I am actually embarrassed at quoting some narrations from Sahih Bukhari which talk about the Holy Prophet's alleged sex life and lewd behaviour, but in order to answer the question, I feel they must be highlighted:

"While Allah's Apostle was carrying stones (along) with the people of Mecca for (the building of) the Ka'ba wearing an Izar (waist-sheet cover), his uncle Al-'Abbas said to him, "O my nephew! (It would be better) if you take off your Izar and put it over your shoulders underneath the stones." So he took off his Izar and put it over his shoulders, but he fell unconscious and since then he had never been seen naked." (Vol 1, Book 8, No. 360) 

"Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet used to visit all his wives in a round, during the day and night and they were eleven in number." I asked Anas, "Had the Prophet the strength for it?" Anas replied, "We used to say that the Prophet was given the strength of thirty (men)." And Sa'id said on the authority of Qatada that Anas had told him about nine wives only (not eleven)." (Vol 1, Book 5, No. 268) 

"Narrated Aisha: The Prophet and I used to take a bath from a single pot while we were Junub. During the menses, he used to order me to put on an Izar (dress worn below the waist) and used to fondle me. While in Itikaf, he used to bring his head near me and I would wash it while I used to be in my periods (menses)." (Vol 1, Book 6, No. 298) 

"Narrated Aisha: We performed Hajj with the Prophet and performed Tawaf-al-ifada on the Day of Nahr (slaughtering). Safiya got her menses and the Prophets desired from her what a husband desires from his wife. I said to him, "O Allah's Apostle! She is having her menses." He said, "Is she going to detain us?" We informed him that she had performed Tawaf-al-Ifada on the Day of Nahr. He said, "(Then you can) depart." (Vol 2, Book 26, No. 789)

Just imagine for a second, an anonymous author made such statements about the Holy Prophet, like the ones you have just read. There would be an uproar across the Muslim world, the author would be hunted down and persecuted - and rightly so. Yet, these outrageous traditions are in Sahih Bukhari and we are meant to believe them to be true? Allah (swt) describes the Holy Prophet as: "And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character." (Surah 68, Verse 4). How can any of the above traditions be true? If they aren't true then what other traditions in the Sahih Bukhari and Muslim are also questionable?

Bukhari himself famously collected traditions from across the Muslim world, he travelled far and wide to collect traditions and yet when you add them up, whilst he collected over 1100 traditions from the likes of Abu Hurairah and Ibn Umar, 900 from Anas Ibn Malik, he only manages 70 from Imam Ali (as). More importantly, Bukhari lived during the time of the eight, ninth, tenth and eleventh Holy Imams. In all his travels, he failed to get any traditions from the family, the Ahlul-Bayt of the Holy Prophet. How can we accept the traditions of Sahih Bukhari?

That concludes section 2 and next time I move on to discuss some of the questions that revolve around Imam Ali (as) inshallah.