Who is True Shia Ahlul Bayt about their

Who is True Shi'a ? Ahlul Bayt about their Shi’a Slideshow by Dr. A. S. Hashim

Think Again n n Perhaps. . . one may think that the Shi’a of Ahlul Bayt (a) is someone who is born in a Shi'i family, or someone who participates in the azadari of Imam Husain (a)… someone who only claims to love Prophet (s) and His Ahlul Bayt (a). . . but has nothing to do with obedience to the teachings of Islam…

Sects in the Islamic World

The term Shi’a n n n For the first time the term Shi’a was used was at the time of Muhammad (pbuh). At present, the word shi’a refers to the Muslims who believe that the leadership of the community after Muhammad belongs to Ali and his successors For the Shi'a, this conviction is implicit in the Quran and history of Islam. The Shi’a believe God chose Ali to be Muhammad's successor, infallible, the first Khalifa, (head of state) of Islam. The Shi'a believe that Muhammad designated Ali as his successor by God's command (Eid Al Ghadeer)

The Shi’a Imamiyyah (followers of the Imams) n n The Shi’a Imamiyyah (followers of the Imams), follow theological school of Imam Ja'far al-Saadiq, the great grandson of Muhammad's son-in-law Imam Ali. The Shi'a believe that Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad. Imams are human individuals who not only rule over the community with justice, but also are able to keep and interpret the divine law and its esoteric or deep meaning. The words and deeds of Muhammad and the imams are a guide and model for the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and sin, and must be chosen by divine decree, or nass ﺍﻟﻨﺺ , through Muhammad

‘Aql ﺍﻟﻌﻘﻞ and Hikmah ﺣﻜﻤﻪ n The Shi’a believe that 'aql ﺍﻟﻌﻘﻞ , divine wisdom, was the source of the souls of the Prophets and Imams: q q n Although the imam was not the recipient of a divine revelation, he had a close relationship with God, q q n which gave them esoteric knowledge called ḥikmah ﺣﻜﻤﻪ and that their sufferings were a means of divine grace to their devotees through which God guides him, and the imam, in turn, guides the people. Imamate ﺍﻻﻣﺎﻣﻪ , Belief in the divine guide, is a fundamental belief in the Shi’a and is based on the concept that God would not leave humanity without access to divine guidance.

Ismah ﺍﻟﻌﺼﻤﻪ n n n Ismah ﺍﻟﻌﺼﻤﻪ is the concept of infallibility or "divinely bestowed freedom from error and sin" in Islam. Muslims believe that Muhammad and other prophets in Islam possessed Ismah. Though initially beginning as a political movement, infallibility and sinlessness of the imams later evolved as a distinct belief of Shi’ism.

Ahlul Bayt: the 12 Imams

The Twelve Imams 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Imam Ali Al-Hasan Al-Husain Zainul Abideen Al-Baaqir Al-Saadiq Al-Kadhim Al-Ridha Al-Taqi Al-Naqi Al-Askari Al-Mahdi

A Shi'i person believes in: n n n n n the Quran, the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and the teachings of the 12 Imams (immediate family of the Prophet (pbuh) in explaining Islam: A Shi'i is a devotee of the Fiqh (Interpretation of the Islamic Law) as laid down by Ahlul Bayt. A Shi'i takes the Directives of the Imams as binding, A Shi'i recites the Du'aas composed by the Imams, A Shi'i follows the Imam's theological explanations and their sayings. A Shi'i believes in Imamah, that the 12 Imams were Divinely Commissioned, and they were specified by Prophet Muhammad. A Shi'i believes in Ismah — ﻋﺼـــﻤـﻪ that all the Prophets and the Designated Imams are shielded by Allah from: Sin, Religious Error, and Forgetfulness.

Some Imams Describe their Shi’a n n Imam Ali Al-Baaqir Al-Saadiq Al-Kadhim

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﻋﻠ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ، ﺃﻨﻀﺎ ﺑﺎ ، ﺍﻟﻫﻭ ، ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻮ ﺑﻄﺎ ﻭﺃﻤ ، ﺍﻟﻣﺎ ﺍﻟ ﻭﻳ ، ﺍﻟﻣﺎ ، ﻳﻱ ﻭﺍﻟ ﺃﺤﻼ ﻫﺎ ﻓ ﺍﻟﺟﻮ ﻥ ﺍﻟ n. Imam q q q Ali (a): My Shi’as, by God are the forbearing, the knowledgeable of God and His religion, actively following Allah and His orders, guided by His love, They appear weak because of worship, They are seekers of seclusion for their piousness, They are of pale complexion due to their night prayers…

ﻋ ﺍﻟ ﺍﻧ ﻓﻲ ﻭﻡ ، ﻣ ﺍﻟﻃﻮ ﺍﻟ ﻭﻯ ، ﺍﻟ ﻓﺎ ﻥ ﺍﻟ ﻛ ، ﻣ ﺍﻟﻳﻮ ﻥ ﺍﻟﻛﺎ. . . ﺻﺎﺑﻴ ﻟ ، ﻭﺍﻟ ﻫﺒﺎﻧ ﻓﻲ ﻣﻡ ، n. Imam q q q Ali (a) continues: …their eyes are weak because of weeping, their lips are dry due to their remembrance of God, their stomachs are sunken because of eating in moderation, their faces reveal Godliness, and simplicity is apparent from their appearance, they are the guiding lights in every darkness…

ﻭﻟﺌ ﻳﻱ ﺍﻷﻄﻭ ﻭﺇﺧﻮﺍﻧﻲ ، ﻭﺇﻥ ﻏﺎﺑﻮﺍ ﻡ ﻓﻭﺍ ، ﺇﻥ ﻭﺍ ﻡ ﻋﻭﺍ. . . ﺃﻻ ﻫﺎﻩ ﻭﻗ ﺇﻳﻡ ، ﺍﻷﻜﻭ n. Imam Ali (a) continues: …they are not recognized even when seen, q they are not remembered when not present, q these are my true Shi'as the superb, and my respected brothers. q Ah ! with love I wish so much to meet them… q [al-Amali, Toosi, p. 1189, hadith # 576]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﻗ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻭﻣﺎ ﻛﺎﻧﻮﺍ ﻋﻭ ﺇﺍ ﺑﺎﻟ ﻭﺍ ﻭﺍﻟ ﻭﺃﺪﺍ ﺍﻷﻤﺎ ﻭﺛ ، ﻣﺎ ﻳﻧﺎ ﺇﺍ ﺍ ﻗﻰ ﺍﻟ ﻭﺃﻄﺎ ﻛ ﺍﻟ n. Imam al-Baaqir (a): q None is our shi’a except those who fear God and observe His obedience, q and they are not recognized except by their humility, reverence, trustworthiness, q and their abundance of remembrance of God. [Tuhaf al-Uqool, hadith # 295]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺍﺩ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﺃﺼﺤﺎ ، ﻭﺃﻬ ﺍﻟ ﻫ ﻭﺍﻟﺑﺎ ، ﻭﺃﻬ ﺍﻟﻓﺎ ﻭﺍﻷﻤﺎ ، ﻳﻧﺎ ﺃﻬ ﺍﻟ ﻭﺍﻻﺟﻫﺎ . . . ﺇﺣﺪﻯ ﻭﻣﺴﻴ ﻛ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻭ ﻭﺍﻟﻳ n. Imam q q al-Saadiq (a) : Our Shi'as are those who are pious and men of solid opinion, they are loyal and trustworthy, they are men of piety and worship, they pray fifty one Rak'as prayers during day and night…

ﻭﺟﻭ ، ﻭ ﻭ ﺍﻟﻳ ، ﻭ ﺃﻤﻮﺍﻡ ، ﺍﻟﺼﺎﺋﻤﻮ ﺑﺎﻟ ﻫﺎ ، …ﺍﻟﻘﺎﺋﻤﻮ ﺑﺎﻟﻳ n. Imam al-Saadiq (a) continues: …they are usually the awake in the night, q who observe the fast during the day, q they purify their property (by paying poorrate) q they perform the Haj, q they abstain from all that which is forbidden. q [al-Bihar, v. 68, p. 167, hadith # 23]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﻗ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻓﺍﻟ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻧﺎ ﺇﺍ ﻥ ﺃﻄﺎ ﺍﻟ ﻭﺟ ، ﻻ ﺫ ﺍﻟﺫﺍ n. Imam al-Baaqir (a): n. You should not be mislead by different views (in Islam) nfor by God nobody is our shi’a except those through obedience to God, the powerful and magnificent.

: . . . ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﻜﺎﻇ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻳ ﻥ ﻭﻋ n Imam al-Kadhim (a) : … q the Shi'a of Ali (a) are those whose deeds testify their words. [al-Kafi, v. 8, p. 228, hadith # 290]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﻋﻠ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ، ﺃﻭﻡ ﺍﻟﻭ ، ﺍﻟﻨﺎﻭ ﺑﺎﻟ ﻭﺍ ، ﺃﻬ ﺍﻟﺿﺎﺋ ، ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻭ ﺃﻤ ﺍﻟ ، ﺷﻴﻧﺎ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻭ ﺍﻟ ﻭﻟ ﺍﻻﻗﺻﺎ n. Imam q q q Ali (a): Our Shi'a are those who are cognizant of Allah, they act according to the orders of God, they possess excellences, they speak the truth, their food is limited to gaining strength, their dress is simple….

ﻝ ﺧﺎﻡ ﻥ ﻫﻢ ﻭ ، ﺣﻡ ﺭﺿﻰ ﻭﻗﺪ ﻭﻭﺍ ﻭﻣﺎ ﻡ ﺑﺬﻟ. . . ﻭﺷ ﺍﻟ ﻭﺍ ﻭ ﻧ ﻗﻮﻡ ، ﻟﻄﺎ ﻣﺎ ﻃﺎﺕ ﻭﻡ n. Imam Ali (a) continues: . . . their behavior is humble, q you think that they had lost their senses but its not like that, q instead, the greatness of their Lord has made them oblivion and q His power has overwhelmed their hearts and taken over their intellects… q

ﻭﻻ ، ﻻ ﺭﻭ ﺑﺎﻟﻟﻴ ، ﻓﺈﺫﺍ ﺍﺷﺘﺎﻭﺍ ﻥ ﺫﻟ ﺑﺎﻭﺍ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟ ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ ﺍﻷﻌﻤﺎ ﺍﻟ ﺳﻛﻭ ﺍﻟﻳ n. Imam Ali (a) continues: …So when they strongly desire of God, they promptly strive to do pure deeds before Him, the most High; q they are not happy with few good deeds, q and they do not take their abundant good works to be sufficient. q

: - ﻓﻲ ﻓ ﺍﻟ ﻳ - ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﻗ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻭﻻ ﺑﺎﻟﻓﺎ ، ﻳﻭﺍ ﺍﻟﻤﺬﺍﻳ ﺍﻟ ، ﻭﺃﺤﻼ ﺯﻳ ، ﻓﻲ ﺩﻭ ﺃﻤﻴ ، ﺇﻡ ﺻﻮ ﺻﻴ ﻫﺒﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﻳ ﺑﺎﻟ ﻫﺎ ، ﺍﻟﺭﺍﺋﻴ n. Imam q q q al-Baaqir (a): (describing the attributes of Shi'as): They are like strong fortresses, their hearts are trustworthy, they are men of prudence and self-control, they are not extravagant, they are neither oppressors nor ostentatious, they are devoted worshippers in night and brave like a lion during the day. [Mishkat al-Anwar, p. 62]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺍﺩ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻳ ﻥ ﻳﻧﺎ ﻥ ﻳﻜﻮ ﻓﻲ ﺻ ﻳﻜﻮ ﻓﻴ آﻼ ﻭﻳﻜﻮ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺻ ﺃﻮ ﻧ n. Imam q al-Saadiq (a) : A person is not of our shi'a who lives in a population of several thousand people and someone else is more pious than him among them.

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺍﺩ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻳ ﻥ ﻳﻧﺎ ﻥ ﻗﺎ ﺳﺎ ﻭﺧﺎﻧﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺃﻌﻤﺎﻧﺎ ﻭآﺜﺎﻧﺎ n. Imam q al-Saadiq (a): A person is not of our Shi'a who accepts us by only his tongue yet is against us in our deeds and our legacy. [al-Bihar al-Anwar, v. 68, p. 164, hadith # 13]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺍﺩ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻭﻧ ﺃﺴﺮﺍﻡ ﻛﻴ ﻓﻡ ﻫﺎ ﻥ ، ﻧ ﻭﺍﻗﻴ ﺍﻟﺼﻭﺍ ﻛﻴ ﺣﺎﻡ ﻋﻳﻬﺎ : ﻣﻭﺍ ﻳﻧﺎ ﻧ ﻻ ﻭﺇﻟﻰ ﺃﻤﻮﺍﻡ ﻛﻴ ﻭﺍﺳﺎﻡ ﻹﺧﻮﺍﻫﻢ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ، ﻧﺎ n. Imam al-Saadiq (a) : n. Test our Shi'as on three occasions: q q q At the time of prayers as to how they safeguard their prayers, and when they have secrets as to how they keep them from our enemies and by their wealth as to how they spend on their brethren. [al-Bihar, v. 83, p. 22, hadith # 40]

: ﺍﻻﻣﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﺍﺩﻕ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻓﺈﺫﺍ ، ﻭﺧﺎ ﻗﺎ ، ﻭﺟﺎ ﻭﺍ ، ﻭ ﺧﺎ ، ﻭﺍﺷ ﻫﺎ ، ﺇﻣﺎ ﻳ ﻋﻠ ﻥ ﻃ ﻭﺭ ﺭﺃﻴ ﻭﻟﺌ ﻓﻭﻟﺌ ﻳ ﺟﻌﻔ n. Imam q q q al-Saadiq (a): Verily the Shi’a of Ali is the one who is purified of the influence of the stomach and sexual desires, and intense in his struggle. . . and his action is for his Creator, and his hope is for divine reward and he is afraid of his end So if you see someone like that, then that is the shi'a of Ja’far (Imam Ja’far al-Saadiq). [al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 233, hadith # 9]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺍﺩ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ، ﻭﻟ ﺍﻟ ﻭﺍﻟﻨﺎ ، ﻭﺍﻟﺳﺎ ﻱ ﺍﻟﺑ ، ﺍﻟﻋﺮﺍ : ﻟﻴ ﻥ ﻳﻧﺎ ﻥ ﺃﻨ ﺃﺮﻋ ﺃﺸﻴﺎ ﻭﺍﻟ ﻓﺎ n. Imam al-Saadiq (a) : n. He is not from our Shi'as who denies four things: q Mi'raaj (heavenly ascension of the Prophet (s), and The questioning in the grave, and The creation of heaven and hell and q The shafa’ah ( ﻭﺍﻟ ﻓﺎ the intercession). q q [al-Bihar al-Anwar, v. 69, p. 9, hadith # 11]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺍﺩ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻭﺑﺄﻦ ﻭﺍ ﺍﻟﻣﺴﻴ ﻳﻼ ﻭﻧﻬﺎﺭ ، ﺑﺎﻟ ﺧﺎ ﻭﺍﻟﺫ ﻹﺧﻮﺍ : ﺇﻣﺎ ﻳﻧﺎ ﻋﻭ ﺑﺻﺎ ﻯ n. Imam al-Saadiq (a): n. Verily our Shi’as are known for the following attributes: q q By their generosity towards their brethren and by their praying of the fifty one Rak'as of prayers during night and day. [Tuhaf al-Uqool, hadith #303]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﻜﺎﻇ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﻟﻴ ﻥ ﺷﻴﻧﺎ ﻥ ﻻ ﻡ ﻗﻠ n. Imam q al-Kadhim (a) said : He is not from our shi'a whose heart is not afraid of God in his loneliness. [Basaer al-Darajat, p. 247, hadith # 10]

: ﺍﻹﻣﺎ ﻋﻠ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ ﺍﻟﺣﺎ ﻭ ﻓﻲ ﻧﺎ ، ﻳﻧﺎ ﺍﻟﺑﺎﻭ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻳﻧﺎ … ﺍﻟﺯﺍﻭ ﻓﻲ ﺇﺣﻴﺎ ﺃﻤﻧﺎ n. Imam Ali (a) : n. Our Shi'as…are devotedly in supporting our Wilaayah ﺍﻳﻧﺎ , nthey love each other for the sake of our love, nthey visit each other for the sake of keeping alive our teachings and affair…

ﻟ ﻥ ، ﻋﻠﻰ ﻥ ﺟﺎﻭﺍ ، ﻭﺇﻥ ﻭﺍ ﻡ ﺳﻭﺍ ، …ﺍﻟﺬﻳ ﺇﻥ ﻭﺍ ﻡ ﻇﻭﺍ ﺧﺎﻭﺍ n. Imam Ali (a) continues: n…they do not oppress out of anger with someone nand they do not become extravagant in their happiness, nthey are blessings for their neighbors, nand a source of peace and security for those who live with them. [al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 236, hadith # 24]

Therefore n So…it is not easy to claim for a Muslim to be a Shi'a of Ahlul Bayt (a)… It demands a lot of continuous struggle and hardship in the way of God to become a true follower of Ahlul Bayt (a). . . n That is why the Prophet of God (s) has said… n

، ﻭﺍﻷﻤ ﻋﻨ ﺍﻟ ، ﻭﺍﻟﻨﻮ ﻋﻨ ﺍﻟ ﻟ ، ﻭﺍﻻﻧ ﻋﻨ ﺍﻟﺣ ، ﺍﻟ ﻓ ﻋﻨ ﺍﻟﻭ. . . ﻭﺧﻮ ﺍﻟ ﺑ ﺳﺎﺋ ﺍﻟﻨﺎ ﻥ ﺍﻻ ، ﻭﺍﻟﻭﺍ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟ ﺭﺍ ، ﻭﺍﻟﺳ ﻋﻨ ﺍﻟﻳﺰﺍ God’s Promise to the true Shi’a of Ali: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. … ease at the time of death… and familiarity in the loneliness (in the grave)… and light in the darkness (of the grave)… and peace in the fear (of the day of judgment) … and justice when the deeds will be judged… and crossing of the (bridge) sirat… and entry in the paradise before other human beings. [al-Bihar al-Anwar, v. 68, p. 4, hadith # 9]

: ﻋﻨﻪ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭآﻠﻪ ﻳ ﺍﻟﻔﺎﺋﻭ ﻭ ﺍﻟﻳﺎ n The Prophet of God (s): q The Shi'a of Ali, they are the winners on the day of Judgment. [al-Amali, Toosi, p. 104, hadith # 72]

Finally, let us Read Surah Al-Asr

Thank you And May Allah Bless you