Section 6: The Holy Quran, Q35 - Do Shias believe in a different Holy Quran? Do Shias believe that the Holy Quran is incomplete?

Moving on to discuss the Holy Quran and two very specific questions that often gets asked to Shias. The answer to both queries is a definitve "No!" Shias have been accused of this for centuries, we apparently have a different Quran or feel that there are some missing verses. However, we believe in the same Holy Quran as the Ahle Sunnah, there is only one Holy Quran and no other.

The Ahle Sunnah believe that the Holy Quran was actually compiled and put together into one book during the reign of the third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan. Shias believe that the Holy Quran was compiled by the Holy Prophet during his lifetime. At Ghadeer-e-Khumm the Holy Prophet announced: "I leave you the book..." How can the Holy Prophet refer to a book if it was not yet in existence?

The Holy Quran is protected from change or human tampering as Allah (SWT) confirms:

"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)." (Surah 15, Verse 9)

This is a guarantee that the Holy Quran will always be preserved. Unlike any other holy book, wherever you go in the world the Holy Quran is always the same. Unfortunately there are some Shias narrations which suggest that some changes to the text have been made but they are not considered authentic by the majority of Shia scholars and should be disregarded. The sixth Shia Imam, Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (as) declared in a hadith narrated in Usul al-Kafi: "Test the various reports by the Book of God; whatever agrees with it take it, whatever disagrees with it reject it."

Despite a few narrations which suggest changes have been made to the Holy Quran, the overwhelming majority of traditions by renowned Shia scholars all agree that the Holy Quran as not been changed at all since its existence during the time of the Holy Prophet. Al-Shaykh al-Saduq wrote: "Our belief is that the Holy Quran which Allah (SWT) revealed to His Prophet Muhammed (SAW) is (the same as) the one between the two covers (daffatayn). And it is the one which is in the hands of the people, and is not greater in extent than that. And he who asserts that we say that it is greater in extent than that, is a liar."

Ayatullah Abul-Qassim al-Khoei, one of the most influential Shia scholars in the 20th century, teacher to the great contemporary marja, Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani, writes in his Tafsir al-Bayan that to hold a belief in: "...tahriff (corruption of the Holy Quranic text) is nothing more than a delusion and imagination, maintained by those with weak reasoning."

If you chose to continue to focus on the unreliable Shia traditions which suggest that we believe in another version or form of the Holy Quran, then let's turn to some Sunni traditions which (wrongly) suggest that corruption of the Holy Quran has occurred.

For example, according to Umar and Aisha, there were once verses in the Holy Quran that were called the "verse of stoning" and the "verse of suckling" that were subsequently lost from the Holy Quran after the death of the Holy Prophet. According to Sunan ibn Majah: "When the verse of stoning and the verse of suckling descended, they were written on a piece of paper and kept under my pillow. Following the demise of Prophet Muhammed (SAW) a goat are the piece of paper while we were mourning." (Book of Suckling, Hadith 20.20) A goat?!

Then there are Sunni traditions suggesting that the Holy Quran was once longer than it is now. Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti narrates from Aisha in his book, Al-Durr Al-Manthur: "Aisha narrated that during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet 200 verses were recited in Surah Ahzab, but when Uthman collected (the text of the Holy Quran), he only successed in locating the present number of verses (which is 78)."

So where do the Sunni ulema believe the other 122 verses went? Such traditions are of course nonsense and there won't be a Shia who accuses Sunnis of having a different version of the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran is the same Quran that the Holy Prophet left behind and that Allah (SWT) says He will protect and preserve. Any tradition that suggests otherwise - Shia or Sunni - should be rejected as false.

Next time I will be answering some questions about prayer (Salaat) and in the meantime I would highly recommend a view of this lecture by Sayed Ammar Nakshawani who speaks in more detail about today's question.


(Source: Thaqlain)

Section 5: The 12th Imam, Q's 30-34

This section deals with the 12th Imam, Imam Mahdi (as) who Shias believe is the last of the 12 Holy Imams and descendent of the Holy Prophet. He is currently the hidden Imam, under Allah's (SWT) protection who we believe will one day return to earth to restore order in the world with Allah's guidance.

Q30: Who is Imam Mahdi (as)?

The Shia belief in the Mahdi (as) is not some unorthodox or unconventional belief. All of the three Abrahamic faiths, including Islam, believe in the concept of a messiah, or one who shall return. Shias are quite clear as to who this person is, whilst Sunnis have as yet, not defined who it will be.

However, looking through traditions in the Al-Kutub Al-Sittah‎ (the six authentic books of the Ahle Sunnah), there are a few which confirm who the messiah could be. Sunan Tirmidhi narrates that the Prophet said "The world will not come to pass until a man from among my family, whose name will be my name, rules over the Arabs."

Sunan Abu Dawood narrates: "Even if only a day remains for the Day of Judgement to come, yet Allah (SWT) will surely send a man from my family who will fill this world with such justice and fairness, just as it initially was filled with oppression."
Furthermore, in another narration it is even more specific: "The promised Mahdi will be among my progeny, among the descendants of Fatima." This is also reinforced by Sunan ibn Maajah: "The promised Mahdi will be among my family."

Ahle Sunnah scholars also narrate that not only will there be this Mahdi, but he will return with Prophet Isa (Jesus). It has been narrated that Prophet Isa will pray behind the Mahdi upon his return.

"Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: "A section of my people will not cease fighting for the Truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection." He said: "Jesus son of Mary would then descend and their (Muslims') commander would invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: No, some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you). This is the honour from Allah for this Ummah." (Sahih Muslim, Book 1, No. 293)

The only real difference is that Shias believe that the Mahdi is already born, already alive but in occultation. Sunni Muslims believe the Mahdi is still to be born.

Q31: How can a small child become an Imam?

Shias are often criticised for believing in an Imam who was a young boy. Imam Mahdi (as) was a small child when his father, the 11th Imam, Hasan al-Askari (as) was martyred. The critics argue that such a young person would not be able to lead the Muslims and be an infallible guide for mankind.

For non-Shia Muslims, there should be no real surprise about such a belief. The Holy Quran clearly indicated how a child can be guided by God as was the case with Prophets Yayha (John the Baptist) & Isa.

"(We said:) "O John, hold fast to the Book;" and We gave him wisdom right from boyhood," (Surah 19, Verse 71)

Prophet Isa was a baby when he spoke from the cradle. Youth, childhood, even babyhood, is no barrier to receiving revelation or inspiration from Allah (SWT):

"O sister of Aaron, your father was not a wicked person, nor your mother sinful!" But she pointed towards him. "How can we talk to one," they said, "who is only an infant in the cradle?" "I am a servant of God," he answered. "He has given me a Book and made me a prophet, And blessed me wherever I may be, and enjoined on me worship and zakat for as long as I live, And be dutiful to my mother. He has not made me haughty or rebellious. There was peace on me the day I was born, and will be the day I die, and on the day I will be raised from the dead."  This was Jesus, son of Mary: A true account they contend about." (Surah 19, Verses 28-34)

Q32: How can Imam Mahdi (as) still be alive today and be over 1,000 years old?

Again, we should turn to the Holy Quran which clearly states that Prophet Nuh (Noah) lived till he was almost 1,000 years old: 

"We sent Noah to his people, and he lived with them a thousand years minus fifty. Then they were caught by the deluge for they were evil." (Surah 29, Verse 14).

The Holy Quran also states that Prophet Isa didn't die but was raised into heaven. 

"And for saying: "We killed the Christ, Jesus, son of Mary, who was an apostle of God;" but they neither killed nor crucified him, though it so appeared to them. Those who disagree in the matter are only lost in doubt. They have no knowledge about it other than conjecture, for surely they did not kill him, But God raised him up (in position) and closer to Himself; and God is all-mighty and all-wise." (Surah 4, Verses 157-158)

Jesus is still alive and yet Sunnis doubt the Shias for believing Imam Mahdi (as) is alive - despite the fact that Jesus would have been already over 1,000 years old when the occultation of Imam Mahdi (as) began.

Then, of course, there is the Devil, Satan, who was born before Prophet Adam and is still with us - he is a Jinn who has not died. Are we then expected to believe that Allah (SWT) allows Satan to live as long as he likes but cannot prolong the life of his representative on earth, Imam Mahdi (as)?

Q33: How can Shias believe in an Imam you cannot see?

Just because you cannot see something, doesn't mean it cannot exist, otherwise how can we believe in the existence of Allah (SWT)? There are also the angels and jinns. All Muslims believe in angels that they cannot see like Jibraeel (Gabriel) who brought revelation to the Holy Prophet, or the angel of death. Then there's Satan who despite his invisibility, has the power to do us harm; to manipulate and trick us and whisper in our ears as described by Allah in Surah 114 of the Holy Quran.

Yet, when we Shias say we believe in a positive force, authorised by Allah (SWT), and that this force, this hidden Imam, is alive and available to Muslims as a spiritual (if not a physical) guide, we are accused of being crazy and irrational.

Q34: Why do Shias believe that the Holy Prophet and the Imams are infallible?

"I call to witness the star of the pleiades when it has dipped That your companion is not confused, nor has he gone astray, Neither does he speak of his own will. This is only revelation communicated, Bestowed on him by the Supreme Intellect." (Surah 53, Verses 1-5)

The Holy Quran makes it quite clear that the Holy Prophet doesn't speak out of his own desire, Allah (SWT) is vouching for him and who are we to say or believe otherwise? Some Sunni scholars argue that the Holy Prophet was only infallible in religious issues and that in private he made mistakes. Some say he forgot to pray on time or perform correct wudhu. If that was the case, how could we know that the Holy Prophet was giving us correct information if he was an ordinary fallible man? Today, how can we be sure that Fajr is two units not three units? If the Holy Prophet was fallible, maybe he made a mistake or misremembered when communicating the number of rakaats to his companions. The truth is that infallibility goes hand-in-hand with prophethood and with all forms of divinely-inspired religious leadership and guidance.

However, the Holy Quran also mentions other people, besides the Holy Prophet, who are also infallible. Satan is quoted as saying:

"He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected." [Allah] said, "So indeed, you are of those reprieved, Until the Day of the time well-known." [Iblees] said, "My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all. Except, among them, Your chosen servants."" (Surah 15, Verses 36-40)

Who are the "chosen servants?" Jalaluddin al-Suyuti in his book Dur al-Manthur, after the revelation of Verse 33 of Surah 33 - Ayat of Tathir, states that according to the companion and cousin of the Holy Prophet, Abdullah ibn Abbas: "The Messenger of Allah recited Ayat of Tathir and then said: "Thus Me and my Ahlul Bayt are clear from sins."

There are people other than the Holy Prophet who are infallible and sinless. We believe them to be the 12 Holy Imams and Bibi Fatima (as). That concludes this particular section and I'll next be moving on to discuss the Holy Quran and Prayer (Namaaz) inshallah.

Section 4: The Ahlul-Bayt, Q's 25-29

This next section discusses some questions about the Ahlul-Bayt - the Holy Prophet's household. They typically include the 14 infallibles, namely the Holy Prophet, his daughter Bibi Fatima (as) and the 12 Imams starting with his cousin (and son-in-law), Imam Ali (as).

Q25: The Holy Prophet said "I leave two things, the Holy Quran and my Sunnah." Why follow the Ahlul-Bayt?

It is a common misconception amongst Sunnis that the Holy Prophet uttered the above sentence in his final sermon and whilst it has been narrated in various Sunni books, interestingly it has not been narrated at all in the main Sunni books of hadith. In-fact, in Sahih Muslim it states:

"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." (Book 31, No. 5920)

Sahih Muslim clearly states the two weighty things as the Holy Quran and the Ahlul-Bayt. Even if you disagree and believe that the Holy Prophet states his 'Sunnah', who knew the sunnah better than anyone else? People like Imam Ali (as) and Bibi Fatima (as) who were with him throughout his mission. Shias are those Muslims who follow the Holy Quran and the Ahlul-Bayt together as instructed by the Holy Prophet. We do not take one and reject the other.

Q26: Why doesn't the Ahlul-Bayt include the wives of the Holy Prophet?

The above hadith from Sahih Muslim continues on:

"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." (Book 31, No. 5920)

A similar version of this has also been narrated in Sahih Bukhari. The Holy Prophet, again and again, in the traditions of the Ahle Sunnah, identifies the Ahlul-Bayt as being five people, himself, his daughter, Bibi Fatima (as), her husband (and his cousin) Imam Ali (as) and his two grandsons Imams Hasan (as) & Hussain (as). Most famously, he states the people of the Ahlul-Bayt upon the revelation of the following verse of the Holy Quran:

"Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification." (Surah 33, Verse 33)

This verse was revealed and acknowledged by none other than Aisha, wife of the Holy Prophet in Sahih Muslim (also known as Hadith al-Kisa - tradition of the Cloak):

"'A'isha reported that Allah'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 hitn 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: Allah only desires to take away any uncleanliness from you, O people of the household, and purify you (thorough purifying)" (Book 31, No 5955)

The same tradition has also been narrated by the son of another wife of the Holy Prophet, Umm Salama as mentioned in Sunan Tirmidhi (one of the six major hadith collections for the Ahle Sunnah):

The above Quranic verse is known as Ayat of Tathir - the verse of purification, and does not refer to the wives of the Holy Prophet. Although it appears in a section of verses in which the wives are being discussed, the reference to the Prophet's household does not include the wives. When you study the Holy Quran, there are many occasions when it changes subject and in this verse the gender also changes from feminine to masculine which refers to a mixed group rather than just the wives of the Holy Prophet. Besides, how could the wives be considered part of the Ahlul-Bayt when one of the wives took up arms against Imam Ali (as)? If she was part of the Ahlul-Bayt surely she would not take such action.

Q27: Where is the concept of Imamat or Imams mentioned in the Holy Quran?

There are a few references to the concept of Imamat in the Holy Quran, most significant is in Surah Bani Israel:

"The day (of Judgement) We shall summon all men with their respective Imams, whosoever is given his record in his right hand will be able to read his account, and none will be wronged the breadth of a thread." (Surah 17, Verse 71)

"With their respective Imams," not with their parents, with their Prophets or with their Holy Books - although some Sunni scholars have tried to translate the arabic "bi-Imaamihim" as meaning the Holy Book which is clearly incorrect. On the day of Judgement we will be called with our respective Imams - something I will be discussing in the next section inshallah.

"And (remember) when his Lord tried Abraham with (His) commands, and he fulfilled them, He said: Lo! I have appointed thee a Imam for mankind. " (Surah 2, Verse 124)

Imam is a very holy title, a holy position referred to in the Holy Quran. Prophet Ibrahim became a Prophet first and then an Imam. The title of "Imam" was bestowed upon him by Allah (SWT) after he was "tried" and tested.

Q28: Why should we believe in the 12 Imams?

Well, how about because Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari say so?

"Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard the Prophet saying, "There will be twelve Muslim rulers (who will rule all the Islamic world)." He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, "All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish." (Sahih Bukhari: Vol 9, Book 89, No.329)

"It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. Samura who said: I joined the company of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) with my father and I heard him say: This Caliphate will not end until there have been twelve Caliphs among them. The narrator said: Then he (the Holy Prophet) said something that I could not follow. I said to my father: What did he say? He said: He has said: All of them will be from the Quraish." (Sahih Muslim: Book 20, Nos. 4477-4484)

There are countless traditions referring to the twelve caliphs or twelve successors contained in many other Ahle Sunnah books - Sunan Tirmidhi, Sunan Abu Dawud and Kanz al-Ummal.

Q29: How do we know the 12 Imams are the 12 Shia Imams?

After highlighting the ahadiths that exist in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, surely it is down to the Ahle Sunnah to try and name these 12 rulers, caliphs. We Shias know exactly who they are, but it seems many Sunni scholars struggle to identify them.

Ibn Arabi goes through all of the Ummayad and Abbasid caliphs and concludes: "I cannot understand the meaning of this hadith." Ibn Hajar Asqalani, leading Sunni scholar states: " No one has much knowledge about this particular hadith of Sahih Bukhari."
Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti (famous Egyptian Sunni scholar and commentator on the Holy Quran) has had a stab at naming them: "We see that from the twelve, four are the Righteous Caliphs, then Hasan ibn Ali, then Muawiyah, then Ibn Zubayr, and finally Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz. They are eight, four of them remain."
So how does he get twelve? He pulls together eight names and then starts speculating in a desperate and unsuccessful attempt to get to twelve.

Another Sunni scholar, Suleman ibn Ibrahim al Hanafi al Qandozi actually backs the Shia belief in his book Yanabi al-Mawaddah:

"A Jewish man named Na'thal, went to the Prophet (SAW) and said: "Every Jewish Prophet left a successor, who is your successor? The Prophet (SAW) said, specifying them, "After me, Ali ibn Abu Talib and then my two sons Hasan and Hussain and after Hussain, nine Imams will follow from his children."The Jewish man said, "Name them."The Prophet said, "When Hussain leaves this world, his son Ali, and after him, his child Muhammed and after Muhammed, his son Jafar and after Jafar, his son Musa and after Musa, his son Ali and after Ali, Muhammed. After Muhammed, his child Ali and after Ali, Hasan and after Hasan, his child Muhammad al-Mahdi. These are the twelve Imams."

That concludes the section about the Ahlul-Bayt and next time I will be focussing more specifically on the 12th Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi (as).

Section 3: Imam Ali (as), Q's 22-24

This entry concludes section 3 about Imam Ali (as) and deals with a few questions focusing on the aftermath of the Holy Prophet's death.

Q22: Why did Imam Ali (as) not fight for the leadership after the death of the Holy Prophet?

It is true to state that Imam Ali (as) never took up arms or retaliated against Abu Bakr, Umar or Uthman whilst they were the caliphs of the Muslim world. Some Sunnis have argued that this proves he was not opposed to them and that he was satisfied with them as leaders. However, this is simply not the case.

The main reason Imam Ali (as) did not fight after the death of the Holy Prophet is because he did not want to dived the nascent, infant Muslim community. He did not want innocent Muslims to die in battle, killing each other in order to take power. Historians record how Abu Sufyan even offered him troops but Imam Ali (as) turned him down and criticised his divisive offer.

Imam Ali's (as) caliphate, succession to the Holy Prophet was given from Allah. He was not then expected to go and chase and force people to follow him, it was their job to do so of their own free will. His position of Imamat was not an elected position, he was divinely appointed. Sunni scholar Ali ibn Abd-al-Malik al-Hindi in his book, Kanz al-Ummal, narrates a tradition in which the Holy Prophet told Imam Ali (as): "[O Ali], You are like the Kabah, people go to the Kabah, the Kabah does not come to the people..."

During the rules of Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman, not once did Imam Ali (as) fight in their armies. He also refused to give allegiance to Abu Bakr for at least six months after the death of the Holy Prophet and his wife Bibi Fatima (as). When he did, it was against his will with the threat of force. What was his problem with them to show such resistance?

In Nahjul Balagha, Imam Ali (as), questions how Abu Bakr and others robbed him of his right to the caliphate but he chose to remain quiet. This has been narrated in the famous sermon of ash-Shiqshiqiyya (the roar of the camel) where Imam Ali (as) states:

"Beware! By Allah the son of abu Quhafah (abu bakr)dressed himself with it (the caliphate) and he certainly knew that my position in relation to it was the same as the position of the axis in relation to the hand-mill. The flood water flows down from me and the bird cannot fly upto me. I put a curtain against the caliphate and kept myself detached from it. 

Then I began to think whether I should assault or endure calmly the blinding darkness of tribulations wherein the grown up are made feeble and the young grow old and the true believer acts under strain till he meets Allah (on his death). I found that endurance thereon was wiser. So I adopted patience although there was pricking in the eye and suffocation (of mortification) in the throat. I watched the plundering of my inheritance till the first one went his way but handed over the Caliphate to Ibn al-Khattab after himself." (Sermon 3)

Umar appointed a six-man committee on his deathbed to decide who would be the next caliph. The position was then offered to Imam Ali (as) on the condition that he abides with 1) the Holy Quran, 2) the Holy Prophet's traditions and 3) the laws and regulations, the 'sunnah', introduced by the first two caliphs. Imam Ali (as), as narrated by various Sunni books, refused the offer because he could not accept the third condition. Why would he do that if he accepted the legitimacy of their leadership?

Q23: Why do Shias refuse to accept that the Holy Prophet did not appoint a successor?

This is a crucial question. I simply do not accept those who try to argue that the Holy Prophet did not appoint a successor and just left it for the community to decide. It just does not make sense. The Holy Prophet introduced the religion of Islam to a completely ignorant, backward class of people in the Arab world. He had only 23 years of Prophethood in which he introduced a whole new way of life that went against everything the people believed in. From minute details such as how to eat food or wash to major life events, everything was changed for the people. The idea of worshipping only one God, stopping idol-worship was all introduced and people were extremely resistant to this new religion.

The idea that after all his struggles and achievements, with the guidance of Allah and support of Imam Ali (as), he would simply leave it to the people to decide the next leader is ridiculous. The Holy Prophet never left Madina without appointing someone to take charge of the city in his abscence, how could he leave the Islamic world without appointing a successor or even lay out the rules to how to appoint a successor. It is illogical to believe such a thing.

People try to argue that the Holy Prophet did not leave a will and therefore couldn't have appointed a successor, but of course he tried to write a will in his last days but was prevented from doing so by a group of his companions. As I have mentioned before, Umar was amongst those companions who prevented the Holy Prophet from writing his last public will. Despite that, according to Sahih Bukhari, the Holy Prophet sill managed to order three things on his death bed:

"Narrated Said bin Jubair: that he 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 delirious? Ask him (to understand). 

The Prophet replied, 'Leave me as I am in a better state than what you are asking me to do.' Then the Prophet ordered them to do three things saying, 'Turn out all the pagans from the Arabian Peninsula, show respect to all foreign delegates by giving them gifts as I used to do.' " 

The sub-narrator added, "The third order was something beneficial which either Ibn 'Abbas did not mention or he mentioned but I forgot.'"  (Vol 4, Book 53, No. 393)

How can it be that people who had memorised the entire Holy Quran, forgot the last, dying instruction of the Holy Prophet? According to traditions in Sahih Bukhari, Umar ibn Khattab led the group of companions who prevented the Holy Prophet from writing his last will, defied the Quranic injunction of raising one's voice in front of the Holy Prophet and accused the Holy Prophet of being delirious, of having lost his mind. Then, when the Holy Prophet tried verbally telling them the contents of his will, his final commands, they claim to have forgotten what he said.

Abu Bakr had the foresight to leave a will and appoint a successor, Umar appointed a six-man committee to elect the next leader, but the Holy Prophet? He died without any guidance or will - does that make any sense? The companions knew that the Holy Prophet wanted to write down what he had announced at Ghadeer-e-Khum and they stopped him from doing so.

Q24: Why is Imam Ali's (as) name not mentioned in the Holy Quran?

Whilst Imam Ali's (as) name is not directly stated in the Holy Quran, there are countless verses devoted to the praise of Imam Ali (as) and announcing his position, proving his leadership and Imamat. Ibn Hajar al-Haytami al-Makki quotes the cousin of the Holy Prophet, Abdullah ibn Abbas, saying that he heard from the Holy Prophet that 300 verses of the Holy Quran were revealed specifically in praise of Imam Ali (as).

"Only Allah is your Vali and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow." (Surah 5, Verse 55)

Sunni and Shia commentators of tafsir unanimously agree that the above verse refers to Imam Ali (as), who gave his ring to a beggar while in the state of ruku in the middle of his prayer.

The fact that Imam Ali's (as) name is not mentioned in the Quran does not detract from his status. If we are to go by the number of mentions then consider the fact that the Holy Prophet is only mentioned by name four times in the Holy Quran, whereas Prophet Musa is mentioned 136 times, Prophet Yusuf is mentioned 27 times and Prophet Isa is mentioned 25 times. Are we to then take that to mean they are more important than the Holy Prophet?

What if Imam Ali's (as) name was mentioned in the Holy Quran? Would that change anything? Would it change his opponents' minds about the vailadity and legitimacy of his Imamat? If the statement by the Holy Prophet at Ghadeer Khum: "Of whomsoever I am mawla, Ali is also his mawla," had been in the Holy Quran, would it make any difference? The arguements would still exist about what 'mawla' means and people would still try to deliberately misrepresent and misinterpret it, or simply ignore it. Having Imam Ali's (as) name in the Holy Quran would unfortunately change very little. Allah in his infinite wisdom decided not to refer to Imam Ali (as) by name, but made numerous impilicit or indirect references to him.

Lastly, it is not sensible to make the argument that because Imam Ali's (as) name is not mentioned in the Holy Quran, therefore he was not appointed as a leader after the Holy Prophet. If we extend that further, how do we derive the rest of our religious principles, beliefs and obligations which are not specifically mentioned in the Holy Quran? For example, there is no mention of how many rakats are in the Fajr prayers or in  Maghrib prayers in the Holy Quran, that information has come from the Holy Prophet. Similarly it was the Holy Prophet who announced the status of Imam Ali (as) as his successor.

The sixth Shia holy Imam, Jafar al-Sadiq (as) famously told his companions: "The Quran says to pray Fajr salah but it is the Prophet who tells us that Fajr is two rakats. The Quran tells us to pay Zakat, but it is the Prophet who tells us how to calculate it. In the same way, the Quran tells us to obey the "ulul-amr," the people charged with authority, and it is the Prophet who tells us that they are Ali ibn Abu Talib and the Ahlul-Bayt."

"O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you." (Surah 4, Verse 59)

That concludes section 3 about Imam Ali (as). I hope it has cleared some misconceptions and clarified where we Shias stand on Imam Ali (as). His status has been maligned and degraded by people who are either confused, ignorant or malicious. Not much can be done about the later, but inshallah some will realise why we revere Imam Ali (as) so much and why he is so important. However, I must reiterate that we do not elevate him above the status of  the Holy Prophet. Next time I hope to discuss some questions about the Ahlul-Bayt in general.

Section 3: Imam Ali (as), Q21 - Where is the proof that Imam Ali (as) was appointed by the Holy Prophet?

Continuing questions about Imam Ali (as), here I would like to discuss the event of Ghadeer-e-Khum, when the Holy Prophet announced Imam Ali (as) as his successor. This is arguably the most important question to address. Shias point to the event of Ghadeer-e-Khum after the Holy Prophet's final hajj, in which he announced "Of whomsoever I am mawla, Ali is also his mawla." What was said is undisputed, it is the interpretation which causes a difference of opinion. 

Whilst Shias interpret the word 'mawla' to mean leader and that it was an announcement of Imam Ali's (as) succession to the Holy Prophet, Sunnis interpret the word 'mawla' to mean friend and that the Holy Prophet was simply announcing that Imam Ali (as) was a friend to all Muslims. However, the word 'mawla' has up-to 30 different definitions in arabic, but only one of which translates to 'friend'. Most translate it as 'leader', 'owner', 'guide', 'helper'. In the Holy Quran, the words 'mawla', 'awla', 'wali' are all used to refer to guidance and leadership. For friendship the Holy Quran tends to use the words 'khaleel', 'sadiq' and 'hameem'.

However, whatever concern you have about the interpretation of the word 'mawla', it doesn't make sense for the Holy Prophet to make such an announcement. Before making the announcement, the Holy Prophet ensured that those who had gone ahead were called back and waited for those behind to catch up with him. Over 100,000 people are estimated to have gathered at Ghadeer-e-Khum in the burning desert heat. The Holy Prophet then stood up on a pulpit with Imam Ali (as) and addressed the crowd, asking "Do I not have more authority upon you than you have over yourselves?"
All the people replied, "Yes, surely."
Then the Prophet (SAW) declared: "Of whomsoever I am mawla, Ali is also his mawla."

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Sunni scholar, narrates in his book, al-Isabah, that the Holy Prophet raised Imam Ali's (as) arm in the air and then placed a turban on his head. All in order to declare that he was a friend? Why would the Holy Prophet waste time to do that, didn't the people already know how close he was to the Imam Ali (as)? Why stop everyone in the stifling heat unless you had something important to announce?

Countless Sunni scholars, including Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, in his book Tafsir al-Kabir narrate that prior to stopping at Ghadeer-e-Khum, the Holy Prophet received revelation:

"O Messenger! Make known that which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord, for if thou do it not, thou wilt not have conveyed His message. Allah will protect thee from mankind. Lo! Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk." (Surah 5, Verse 67)

It was at this point that the Holy Prophet stopped to make his announcement. How can Muslims believe that the Holy Prophet stopped only to state that Imam Ali (as) was his friend? Would everything the Holy Prophet strived for be rendered null and void if he didn't announce that Imam Ali (as) was his friend? The revelation came with an assurance that Allah would protect the Holy Prophet after making the announcement, because the succession was being confirmed and there were people in the crowd who were going to be upset and rebellious.

Following the proclamation by the Holy Prophet, numerous Sunni scholars (including Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti and Ismail ibn Kathir) go on to narrate that another verse was revealed to the Holy Prophet:

"This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam" (Surah 5, Verse 3)

This was the final verse of the Holy Quran, revealed after the announcement of the succession of Imam Ali (as) at Ghadeer-e-Khum. Islam was not complete until the caliphate of Imam Ali (as) was announced, revealed and made clear to the Muslim ummah. Otherwise, you have to believe that the religion was only complete after the Holy Prophet declared Imam Ali (as) to be his friend - rather nonsensical.

Furthermore, after the declaration of Imam Ali's (as) status,  Fakhr al-Din al-Razi and Ahmad ibn Hanbal both narrate that Umar ibn Khattab was amongst the first people to congratulate Imam Ali (as). "Well done ibn Abu Talib! Today you became the master of all believing men and women, 'Ameer al-Mo'mineen!"
This title that Shias use today in reference to Imam Ali (as), that Sunnis like to criticise, was first coined by none other than Umar ibn Khattab.

The event of Ghadeer-e-Khum makes it clear that Imam Ali (as) was the Holy Prophet's successor. Besides that there are other examples from the Holy Prophet's life. Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari narrates in his Tarikh al-Tabari: "The Prophet (SAW) asked three times, at a dinner for his friends and relatives, who will help him in his prophetic mission? On each occasion, only Imam Ali (as) stood up and said he would. Twice the Prophet (SAW) asked Imam Ali (as) to sit down. On the third occasion, the Prophet (SAW) said, "Verily this is my brother, my successor and my caliph amongst you. Therefore, listen to him and obey."
Abu Lahab (the Prophet's paternal uncle) said to Abu Talib (his brother and Imam Ali's (as) father) "The Prophet (SAW) has told you to obey your own son." 

The tragedy is that the majority of Muslims do not understand today what Abu Lahab, an open enemy of Islam, understood on the day of the introduction of Islam in Mecca.

I was going to cover more questions in this entry, but I'll let this question be digested for now before dealing with a few more questions about Imam Ali (as).

Section 3: Imam Ali (as), Q's 16-20

It's been absolutely ages since I last posted on here, over 4 months. However, inshallah I plan to complete the series this Ramadhan. In Section 3 I will attempt to answer some of the common questions about a very divisive figure in Islam. Venerated by most Muslims, nevertheless, Imam Ali (as) divides opinion and there are a lot of mistruths and lies about him and about the Shia viewpoint about him. He is a great figure in Islam, the Holy Prophet's cousin and true successor. The Shia-Sunni split revolves around the succession to the Holy Prophet and the treatment towards Imam Ali (as).

Q16: Do Shias worship Imam Ali (as)?

This is arguably the greatest fallacy about Shias. We absolutely do NOT worship Imam Ali (as). Imam Ali (as) himself tells us to worship Allah and how he alone is worthy of worship in his very first sermon in Nahjul Balagha:

"Praise is due to Allah whose worth cannot be described by speakers, whose bounties cannot be counted by counters and whose claim (to obedience) cannot be satisfied by those who attempt to do so, whom the height of intellectual courage cannot appreciate, and the height of human understanding cannot reach; He for whose description no limit has been laid down, no eulogy exists, no time is ordained and no duration is fixed. He brought forth creation through His Omnipotence, dispersed winds through His Compassion, and made firm the shaking earth with rocks." (Sermon 1)

Imam Ali (as) is the most eloquent exponent of Allah's existence and his unity. There exists other groups, chief amongst them the Nuzairis who do worship Imam Ali (as), and though they may describe themselves as Shia, they are not considered true followers of the traditional Shia beliefs. We Shias worship Allah alone and we love Imam Ali (as). We take great pride that Imam Ali (as) was the first male to worship Allah after the Holy Prophet, the first to bow down in prayer behind the Holy Prophet in worship of Allah.

The Nuzairis and their like have abandoned true Islam by attributing divinity to Imam Ali (as). Too many Shias have turned a blind eye or even praised the Nuzairis but their beliefs are un-Islamic and something which Imam Ali (as) would reject. "Two kinds of people will be damned on my account. Those who form an exaggerated opinion about me and those who underestimate me because they hate me." (Nahjul Balagha, Saying 116)

Q17: Do Shias believe that Imam Ali (as) is superior to the Holy Prophet?

Yet another ridiculous and false accusation. Some try to accuse Shias of positioning Imam Ali (as) above the Holy Prophet and that the Holy Quran was intended for the Imam Ali (as) but mistakenly given to the Holy Prophet instead. Complete nonsense. Imam Ali (as) spent his life protecting the Holy Prophet, fighting and defending the cause of Islam.

Imam Ali (as) was only 12 years old when the Holy Prophet received revelation from Jibraeel. Are we meant to believe that the angel mistook a 40 year old man for a 12 year old boy? Imam Ali (as) willingly slept in the bed of the Holy Prophet to act as a decoy when the Holy Prophet's life was in danger. He slept there on the night of Hijra so the Holy Prophet could migrate to Madina safely. "And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah; and Allah hath compassion on (His) bondmen." (Surah 2, Verse 207) 

After the Holy Prophet, Imam Ali (as) was the most superior and greatest being created by Allah (SWT), but he was in no way superior to the Holy Prophet.

Q18: Why do Shias believe Imam Ali (as) to be superior to the first three caliphs?

This fact has been backed up by numerous Sunni scholars. Ahmed ibn Hanbal has said "There is no companion about whom as many merits are reported as Ali ibn Abu Talib." Sunni scholar Ali ibn Abd-al-Malik al-Hindi in his book, Kanz al-Ummal, narrates a tradition from the Holy Prophet, in which he was asked to name his favourite companions. When he omits the name of Imam Ali (as), he is asked "But what about Ali? To which the Prophet (SAW) replied: Look at this man, he asks me about my own self."

The hadith references the ayat of Mubahila in the Holy Quran: "And whoso disputeth with thee concerning him, after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, say (unto him): Come! We will summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, then we will pray humbly (to our Lord) and (solemnly) invoke the curse of Allah upon those who lie." (Surah 3, Verse 61). All historians acknowledge that the Holy Prophet took Imam Hasan (as) and Husain (as) as his 'sons', Bibi Fatima (as) as the representative of 'women' and Imam Ali (as) as his self. (Sahih Muslim, Book 31, No. 5915)

The reason why Imam Ali (as) is considered superior to the first three caliphs, and indeed anyone else (except the Holy Prophet) was because he wasn't just a companion. He was a self of the Holy Prophet, "nafs al-Rasoolallah."

Q19: Why do we call ourselves "Shia" or "Shias of Ali?"

The word "Shia" in arabic simply means follower, friend, partisan. It is used twice in the Holy Quran with reference to Prophets of Allah.

"Verily among the followers (Shia) was Abraham" (Surah 37, Verse 83)
"And he entered the city at a time of carelessness of its folk, and he found therein two men fighting, one of his own followers (Shia), and the other of his enemies; and he who was of his followers asked him for help against him who was of his enemies. So Moses struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: This is of the devil's doing. Lo! he is an enemy, a mere misleader." (Surah 28, Verse 15)

Numerous Sunni scholars including Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Ibn Hajar al-Haytami and Abu Nu`aym all narrate the the Holy Prophet said "Glad tidings, O Ali! Verily you and your companions, your Shia, will be in Paradise."

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, despite declaring that Shias are liars and deviants in his book Al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, narrates a tradition from Abdullah ibn Abbas who says that "When the verse "Those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of creation" (Surah 98, Verse 7) was revealed, the Holy Prophet said to Ali: "They are you and your Shia. O Ali! (on the Day of Judgement), you and your Shia will come towards Allah well pleased, and your enemies will come angry with their head forced up."
Ali said: "Who are my enemies?"
The Prophet (SAW) replied: "He who disassociates himself from you and curses you. And glad tiding to those who reach first under the shadow of al-Arsh on the Day of Resurrection."
Ali asked: "Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?"
He replied: "Your Shia, O Ali, and those who love you."

Allama ibn Hajar Asqalani, narrates the following tradition of the Holy Prophet: "The parable of Ali is like a tree, in which I am the root, Ali is the branch, Hasan and Husain are the fruits and the Shia are the leaves."

There is no mention of "Sunni" or "Ahle-Sunnah wal Jamaah" in the Holy Quran. The term "Shia" has been around since the time of the Holy Prophet and is a title of distinction used in the Holy Quran. We are proud to be followers of Imam Ali (as).

Q20: Why do you give such importance to the father of Imam Ali (as), Abu Talib?

Some Muslims not only criticise Imam Ali (as), but they also attack his father, Abu Talib. Many people claim that he was a non-Muslim and recent BBC2 documentary on the life of the Holy Prophet, presented by Rageh Omaar, claimed that he died a non-believer. However, this is simply not true.

For starters, he conducted the nikkah ceremony of the Holy Prophet with Bibi Khadija (as). He was married to Fatima bint Asad, who was an early convert to Islam. If he was a non-Muslim, then his wife would've been obliged to divorce him if he was a non-believer, but she remained married to him until his death.

The Holy Prophet's grandfather, Abdul Muttalib died when he was 8 years old. The Holy Prophet was subsequently looked after by his uncle, Abu Talib until he was 25 years old, and he remained under Abu Talib's care until his death in 619 AD, when the Holy Prophet was 49 years old. The Holy Prophet was protected by an alleged non-believer for over forty years?

"O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah against yourselves a clear case?" (Surah 4, Verse 144)
"O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or your brothers as allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief. And whoever does so among you - then it is those who are the wrongdoers." (Surah 9, Verse 23)

If Abu Talib was a non-believer and yet looked after the Holy Prophet, wasn't the Holy Prophet ignoring a command of Allah? The fact that the Holy Prophet took refuge with and guidance from Abu Talib shows that he was a Muslim.

"Did He not find you an orphan and take care of you? Did He not find you perplexed, and show you the way?" (Surah 93, Verses 6-7)

Allah (SWT) took care of the Holy Prophet through Abu Talib, would he allow a non-believer to raise his last messenger? Not only that, there is no evidence that Abu Talib rejected the concept of the oneness of God, rejected Islam or even worshipped idols. He was a Muslim who followed Allah and the Holy Prophet. Thanks to him, Islam was allowed to spread and thrive, there would've been no Prophet without Abu Talib. That's why he is important.

Next time I will address more questions about Imam Ali (as), dealing with the important issue of the succession of the Holy Prophet. Inshallah the wait will not be too long.

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.