daylae:

You guys don't even understand your doctrine and prophets,and yet you think you can ever understand and dictate bible meanings? Now i know,to you guys,argument is not about being right, No wondder its been a futile effort on your other thread,lagoshia. Uplawal should seperate two brothers-in-islam o,before they bring out daggars.

it is not us that dont understand our doctrines,ok?it is the million sects of christianity that keep producing and multiplying like bacteria that have the confusion.no two have similar fundamentals.they even differ in the most basic and all of them hold their bible versions!!!an we have you here talking big when two people from the only two branches of islam are debating.funny people!

in islam everything is clear.you cannot adjust,edit or make the Quran suit or fit to beliefs as the different denominations do in christianity each with its edited and adjusted version of the bible .its either you take it (the Quran) or leave it as it is.my advice to you is not to get yourself bothered.this discussion is too big for your head-for a man that accepts another man as his "god".just stay on the sidelines and watch carefully,maybe you will learn a lesson or two.

The Event of Ghadir in the Holy Qur'an





Love for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), attachment towards his Ahle Bayt (a.s.) and their obedience are the factors which lead to success in this world and salvation in the Hereafter. Otherwise, man will stray off from the right path and enter the lane which only ends at Hell, never able to get out from it. It is necessary for every man to go in search for the truth, before he strays off. Where is the truth? What and who is the truth? It is the duty of every researcher to know that as to who was appointed as successor by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) after him? In this article, we shall deal with Ghadeer, only and only from the Qur'anic aspect.While Quran is discussing about divinity, prophethood and the world hereafter, it also discusses Imamat from different angles. Three Qur'anic verses were revealed in connection with Ghadeer. Renowned interpreters have discussed about these verses in their commentaries. It is necessary that when an interpreter discusses about a verse, he has to talk about the conditions in which that particular verse was revealed, or else his commentary would be incomplete and they would be accused of concealing the truth.



QUR'ANIC VERSES:



"O Messenger (of Allah)! Convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord. And if you do it not, then you have not, delivered His message (prophethood), and Allah will protect you from the people. Surely Allah will not guide the disbelieving people." (Surah Maidah, 5:67).2) This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed. My favour on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion." (Surah Maidah, 5:3)3) "One questioner demanded, the chastisement which must befall.” (Surah Ma'arij:1)



THE INCIDENT OF GHADEER:



The incident of Ghadeer is a very famous and well-known event. We present it here in a concise form:In the tenth year of hijri, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) planned for Hajj and informed all the Muslim clans and communities to be ready for Hajj. Resultantly, a large number of the Muslim population prepared itself for Hajj. Historians give varying figures about the participating pilgrims in that year's Hajj from 1,14,000 to 1,24,000 or even more. Due to the importance of this Hajj, it has been given various titles like Hajjatul Weda, Hajjatul Islam, Hajjatul Balaagh, Hajjatul Kamaal and Hajjatul Tamaam. (Al-Ghadeer, Vol.1, page 29)After performing the Hajj rites, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) left for Medina. When he reached Ghadeer-e-Khum, near Johfa, the archangel Jibraeel descended with the verse, "O Messenger Convey, " (Refer first verse).The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) on divine command, announced the leadership and mastership of Hazrat Ali (a.s.). He made Hazrat Ali (a.s.)'s obedience compulsory and enmity towards him tantamount to enmity against Allah. The details of the event are well known. Here, we intend to just drive home a few important points briefly. When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) announced the Imamat and leadership of Hazrat Ali (a.s.), the following verse, "Today, I have perfected, " ( Refer second verse) was revealed. After which, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) hailed, "Allah is Great. Religion is perfected, bounties are completed and Allah is satisfied with my messengership and Hazrat Ali (a.s.)'s leadership."Then the people started complimenting them. The incidents concerning both the verses i.e. Surah Maidah: Verse 3 and 67 are now clear. Then, the verse was revealed, one demanding , " (third verse) the event of descent is as follows: Sa'labi in 'Noorul Absaar', page 11. while giving references of great sunni scholars like Shiblinji of Egypt and others, writes, "The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), gathered the people on the day of Ghadeer and raising Ali's hand, proclaimed, "Of whomsoever I am the master, Ali is his master too." Word spread around and when Harith Ibn Noman-e-Fehri heard about it, he came on one side, and asked, "O Muhammad you asked us to give witness of Divinity and (your) Messengership, we gave (unhesitantly). You ordered for namaz, we performed. You ordered us for Hajj, Zakat and fasting, we acted upon it. After all these command, your are not yet contented and now you want to appoint your cousin over us as our leader by saying, "Of whomsoever I am his master, Ali is his master too, Is this a divine command or is it from your side?" The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: "I swear by Allah except whom there is no God, this command is indeed divine." On hearing this, Harith turned, started going back to his camel, and was grumbling "O Allah if the word of Muhammad is true, then stones rain upon me or deliver unto me a severe chastisement." Harith had hardly reached his mount, when a boulder fell from the sky crushing him to death. Then this verse was revealed. "One demanding, demanded the chastisement which must befall.” (Al-Murajeaat, page 354 Urdu)All the incidents that we have narrated under the context of these three verses of Qur'an can be found in many famous Sunni commentaries. Some of them are as follows:



1. Tabari (d. 310 A.H.)



2. Sa'labi (d. 427/437 A.H.)



3. Waahedi (d. 468 A.H.) (Asbaabun Nuzool was his famous exegesis)4. Abu Muhammad Baghawi (d. 516 A.H.)



5. Qurtubbi (d. 567 A.H.)6. Fakhre Raazi (d. 606 A.H.) (Tafseer-e-Kabeer)7. Qazi Beizaawi (d. 685 A.H.)



8. Ibn Katheer Shaami (d.774 A.H.)



9. Neshapuri (d. 8th century A.H.)



10. Jalaaluddin Soyuti (d 911 A.H.)



11. Abus Saood Al-Emaadi (d 972 A.H.)



12. Khateeb Shermeeni (d. 977 A.H.



13. Qazi Shokafi (d. 1183 A.H.)



14. Aloosi Baghdadi (d. 1270 A.H.)Apart from the above mentioned interpreters, many other commentators and Qur'anic scholars have mentioned these three verses while discussing about Ghadeer. Some of the famous Qur'anic scholars are as follows:



1. Qazi Abu Bakr Baaqelaani Basri (d. 403 A.H.) (Kitab-ul-Tamheed).



2. Qazi Abdur Rehman Eejee Shar'ee (d. 756 A.H). (Al-Mawaaqef).



3. Sayed Shareef Jorjaani (d. 816 A.H.) (Sharhul Mawaaqef)



4. Beizaawi (d. 685 A.H.)



5. Taftaazani (d. 792 A.H.) (Sharhul Maqaasid)6. Allauddin Qushchi (d. 879 A.H.) (Sharhe Tajreed)For a detailed list of traditionalists, commentators, scholars and narrators who have recorded the event of Ghadeer, refer to 'Al-Ghadeer' Vol. 1, by Allama Amini.



A FEW DOUBTS AND THEIR ANSWERS:



Fakhre Raazi, in volume 3, page 635 of his 'Tafseer-e-Kabeer,' has brought ten explanations and possibilities on the revelation of the "VERSE OF CONVEYANCE" to him, the tenth possibility is that this verse was revealed in connection with Ghadeer. Here, we bring to you all of the ten probabilities put forward by him.This verse is about:1. The story of the Jews2. The wives of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.)3. The story of Zaid and Zainab.4. Jehad because the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was fearing the hypocrites. Hence this verse was revealed to remove his fear and encourage him.5. Fear of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) concerning the polytheists.6. In Hajjatul Wada, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) asked the people, 'Did I not show the rites and rituals of Hajj? The people replied in the affirmative. So, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, "O Allah, be Witness. Then verse was revealed.7. About the Bedouin Arabs who wanted to kill the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).8. To remove the fear of the Jews and Christians in the Prophet (s.a.w.a.)'s heart.9. About the event of Ghadeer.After writing these ten probabilities of revelation, Fakhre Raazi says that although there are many interpretations of this verse, the most likely one is about the fear of the Jews and Christians in the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)'s heart. Therefore, God revealed to him that He would save him from the deceptive designs of the people of the book and that he should continue propagating the divine message to them (Al-Ghadeer vol. 2, page 109).



A REVIEW:



Fakhre Raazi has come to this conclusion only because the proceeding and proceeding verses of this verse are about the people of the book (Jews and Christians). Therefore, according to Fakhre Raazi, this should also be about them otherwise this verse will be rendered meaningless.What a pity! To jump to such a conclusion is Fakhre Raazi's own deviation and deduction because he has tried to understand the concept and spirit of the verse without the help of authentic and reliable traditions.



OUR ANSWERS:



(1) Fakhre Raazi's view can easily be rejected in the very first stage because it is not necessary for a Qur'anic verse to be connected to its preceding or proceeding verse. There are innumerable examples in the Holy Qur'an which prove our point. It is also proved that Qur'an is not arranged in the order of the verses. We are very confident in this regard because there are many Meccan verses which are included in Medinite chapters and vice-versa. To prove our point, we quote Suyuti: "There is unanimous conformity on this view that the arrangement of Qur'an is 'Tawqeefi' (i.e. on Allah's and His messenger's command) and there's no doubt whatsoever in this regard. Therefore a group of scholars of Qur'anic interpreters, especialy Zarakshi (of Durr-ul-Burhaan), Abu Jafar Zubair (of Munase-baat) have supported this view strongly.Ibn Zubair writes, "The verses were arranged in the chapters on the Prophet's command. He (s.a.w.a.) had even gone to the extent of teaching the companions how to place a verse, between which verses, etc." (Al-Itqaan, vol, 1, page 24)



(2) Fakhre Raazi's argument that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) feared the Jews and the Christians also seems highly illogical. Because the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) should have feared the Jews either in Mecca or just after be'sat or immediately after migration. Not in the last year of his life, because in that period the Muslims had become very powerful and held sway everywhere. Islam was the word throughout Arabia. Muslims had conquered one and all, be it Jews or Christians. After the victory of Khaibar, two powerful Jewish tribes called Bani Quraitanah and Bani Al-Nazeer were brought to their knees. They could not even co-ordinate amongst each other. Therefore, to get scared of the Jews at the time of Hajjatul Wada, seems highly improbable for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).



THE ACCUSATION OF QURTUBI AND ASQALAANI ABOUT THE VERSE OF CONVEYANCE



From the two proofs mentioned above, it is clear that Fakhre Raazi has ignored the tradition and used his own opinion to interpret the Qur'anic verses. Also, contented with his ignorance, he has put Ghadeer as the tenth probability of the verse of conveyance.Qurtubbi and Asqalaani, two great interpreters have accused the Shias in regard with the verse of conveyance. Qurtubbi in his commentary vol. 6, page 242, writes about the verse," It is the duty of Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the learned scholars of his community, not to hide or conceal any divine verdict and God knew that the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) would never conceal any of His commands. For, there is a tradition in Sahih Muslim narrated by Ayesha via Masruq that she said to him: "Whoever says that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) has hidden even a part of revelation, he is telling a lie because Allah says in the Qur'an "O messenger Convey, " May God curse the Raafezis (Shias) because they say that the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) concealed some important revealations which he should've said and never conveyed,



"Similarly, Ibne Hajar Asqalaani in his commentary, "Fath-ul-Bari vol. 7, page 101, while expressing his enchantment for accusations writes, "The Shias say that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) hid divine revelations due to dissimulation (Taqiyyah)." How we wish that these two gentlemen had brought even single evidence from Shia source in support of their charge.But where could they obtain these proofs from? Because they can never find such beliefs in any Shia book. Therefore, they have used impeachment and indictment as their potent weapon.



REASON:



We are making the whole Islamic world aware that these two gentlemen have resorted to false accusations and tried to keep the true picture away from the people thereby prejudicing the minds of the following generations against the Shias and Shiite beliefs. To take the incident of Hajjtul Weda lightly and not giving it its due importance is a clear cut sign of malice against Hazrat Ali (a.s.) can never be a believer.The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “O Ali ! None loves you except a believer and none hates you except a hypocrite."1. Jaameul Usool of Ibn Atheer Jozi vol. 9, page 4732. Dhakhaaerul Uqba of Muhebbuddin Tabari, page 91



THE VERSE OF PERFECTION OF RELIGION:



Aaloosi in his book, "Rooh-ul-Ma'aani" vol. 2, page 249, displaying his malice against Hazrat Ali (a.s.), writes: "The Shias narrate from Abu Saeed Khidri that the verse of perfection of religion was revealed at Ghadeer-e-Khum after the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, "Of whomsoever I am the master, Ali is his master too." Then he (s.a.w.a.) said, "God is Great. For the perfection of religion, completion of bounties, and the Lord is satisfied with my messengership and Hazrat Ali (a.s.)'s mastership after me." It's not a secret that this story has been fabricated by the Shias and this itself is a proof for its weakness. We cannot say that Aaloosi has uttered such inane words due to his ignorance and lack of information because he is well-aware of the chains of narrations of the Ghadeer tradition. But, his attempt to conceal the facts clearly stinks of malice against Hazrat Ali (a.s.) and Ahle Bayt (a.s.) even though truth had dawned upon him.Will any courageous Sunni scholar please stand up and inform Mr. Aaloosi that Hadees-e-Ghadeer has been recorded by innumeable Sunni traditionalists and commentators narrating not only from Abu Saeed Khidri but from other great companions like Abu Huraira, Jabir Ibn Abdullah Ansaari, Ibn Abbas etc.Lastly, we would like to throw some light on the third verse.



A FATEFUL PUNISHMENT:



Regarding the first verse of Surah Ma'aarij, "One questioner.,, " all the scholars, Shia and Sunni are unanimous in their opinion about its commentary which we have mentioned earlier in this article. Here, we would only like to add that Allama Amini in his Al-Ghadeer, vol. 2, page 127-137 has noted down the name of twenty-nine famous interpreters who have narrated the story of a 'fateful punishment.' Some of them are as follows:



1. Haafiz Abu Obaid Hirwi



2. Abu Bakr Naqqash Mosili



3. Abu Ishaq Sa'labi Neshapuri



4. Sibte Ibne Jauzi Hanafi



5. Shaykhul Islam Hamwini



6. Abu Bakr Yahya Qurtubbi



7. Ibn Sabbagh Maleki Makki



8. Shamsuddin Sherbeeni Qaheri Shafeii



9. Sayed Momin Shablanji



10. Shaykh Mohammad AbdohIn this article, we have just hinted at the Qur'anic verses, views of its commentators and their mistakes. But interpreting Qur'anic verses without the help of the Prophetic and Imamat traditions is like imagining a day without sunlight.



.

THE EVENT OF GHADIR FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN EX-CHRISTIAN,NOW (SHIA) MUSLIM


Eid al-Ghadeer: the Culmination of Islam .

Sunday, 14 December 2008 18:00 Masooma Beatty    .21
Appointment of Imam Ali [as]

As a revert to Islam, Eid al-Ghadeer is the one Eid that always has made the most sense to me and has been the most significant in my worldview. Part of me has found Eid al-Fitr tempered by the loss of the holy days of the month of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha significant if you or a loved one is performing the Hajj, but otherwise less so. But Eid al-Ghadeer has always been special to me, because it is a celebration of the culmination of Islam – a celebration of the very events that first enabled me to know the status of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and the crucial role of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) in the preservation of the True Religion so that I, in 1994, had the blessed chance to discover true Islam for myself. It is only because of  the Ahlul Bayt that I had that chance – without them, the True Religion would have long ago been lost in corruption and time. 
I remember feeling exhausted after becoming Muslim. I had spent a year in intensive research, questioning the entire framework of my existence and engaging in deep self-evaluation so that in the end, I had turned my life upside down and accepted all the conflict and challenges that would bring my way. But I had yet to scratch the surface of Islamic knowledge and had so far yet to go. I had become aware of the sects and divisions between Muslims, much to my sadness. As a Christian, I had been dismayed by all the man-made churches, none of them holding God’s Truth more than any other. I regretted that I might again find nothing in Islam that provided complete access to Reality. 

But then, I read about Ghadeer Khum. The more I read, the lighter my burden became. Here was what I had known must exist – the evidence that God had protected His message from corruption. Every time a revelation from God has come down, man has corrupted it. But the Qur'an has survived because God has protected it, and in Ghadeer Khum, I found the means. I felt tears of deep joy and gratitude to find the protectors of the Qur'an, the ones who have lived the real Islam; for without them, I would have no chance of ever finding the truth. I would have remained a deprived wayfarer, unsatisfied with the religions of man’s making. 

If I had not been blessed to know about Ghadeer and appreciate the status and role of  the Ahlul Bayt, I would have been left very disappointed after my struggle to find the Truth. While I would have gained the clarity of Tawhid (monotheism) that is in Islam, I would yet know I was stuck in a quagmire of man-made distortions that rip apart the Truth and replace it with ignorance and oppression. 

In the Qur’an, Allah says, "And hold fast, all together, by the Rope which God (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude God's favor on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, you became brethren; and you were on the brink of the Pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does God make His Signs clear to you, that you may be guided." (3:103) 

Numerous narrations inform us that the Rope is none other than the blessed Ahlul Bayt.

I feel this verse resonating deep in the very fiber of my existence. Without the Rope, I would have nothing to hold to, no hope for access to God’s Truth. It is a great favor from God for which I owe immeasurable gratitude that I was able to find this Rope and try with my best effort to cling to it. I cling to this Rope with the love of the Ahlul Bayt, who made my journey to Islam possible,and who have provided me the means to hope for progress on the journey of Truth and salvation from the fire of hell. 

The Ahlul Bayt have given me, and have given all of us, the chance to realize our potentials, the ability to hope, and the opportunity for the complete peace that can only be found in one who has glimpsed the Truth. Therefore, the Eid of Ghadeer is the most joyous and meaningful Eid to me. It is the Eid of hope and opportunity for all of us. May Allah bless Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad with His greatest blessings and grant them the most fulfilling peace, and may more and more of humanity come to realize the great gift given to all of us when Allah perfected religion by securing the role of the Ahlul Bayt at Ghadeer Khum.

courtesy:Islamic Insights-

http://www.islamicinsights.com/religion/religion/eid-al-ghadeer-the-culmination-of-islam.html

@Daylae,u not serious

Sister "uplawal",

you asked yesterday a question about commemorating the event of Karbala on the 10th of the holy month of Muharram also known as the day of ashura and its rituals (beating oneself,crying and cutting oneself).

first you need to know that crying should be a natural reaction to something sad you sense.i personally on several occassions have being moved to tears.it doesnt necessarily have to be on ashura.sometimes when a reciter of the Holy Quran has a nice voice and you ponder upon the meanings,you are moved to tears.also when commemorating the matrydom of Imam Hussain on ashura if the reciter has a good voice and uses good expressions to convey the suffereings and pain of Imam Hussain and the Ahlul-Bayt in Karbala,you as a person with humane feelings will be moved to tears.even if it were not Imam Hussain,if anyone human undergo what the Imam suffered you will feel great sorrow.how much more when the person that went that suffering and sacrifice was your Imam and the Imam of humanity and the grandson of the greatest of mankind,the Prophet Muhammad ?

as for hitting the chest,that is a symbolic act that has a meaning relevant to what happened at Karbala.its has to do more with a symbolic kind of rememberance like the way some people do a "V-sign" on some occassions.

cutting oneself is a philosophical issue.even among the shia,not everyone cuts himself and cause blood to flow.those who do it say that no matter how much one tries to feel sorry for Imam Hussain,nothing is too much.therefore the cutting of oneself is meant to symbolize a willing soul ready to sacrifice and die for the Imam in loyalty and love to him and the Prophet Muhammad and the Ahlul-Bayt.they say that because of those who betrayed Imam Hussain and the Imam was killed in an abandoned and very sorrowful way along with his family members and even his 6 months old baby,they want to shed blood for the Imam and die at his service to please Allah.if the Imam was willing not to compromise for the sake of Islam and was so loyal to Allah,we also should emulate that spirit.

some of our scholars do support this view.others do not.those who do not support this view hold that it is haram to inflict oneself or harm oneself.they say that Imam Hussain was beheaded and his blood was shed by the ungodly,so why should we do to ourselves what the evil people did to our Imam?if we want to show love to our Imam,we can do that by remembering him and attending lectures on the commemoration of the day and carrying out symbolic acts like beating our chests (lightly) to bring back the memory of Karbala.we can remember the Imams symbolically and spiritually and islamically without hurting ourselves.an alternative like the saudi shias in the eastern parts of saudi arabia do,they donate their blood (for transfusion) to hospitals.those healthy individuals can donate their blood to help people survive and keep them alive like the way the Imam sacrificed his blood so that Islam will remain alive and healthy just the way it was revealed to his grandfather the Prophet Muhammad (sa).those against blood-letting also think the image of shias cutting themselves gives a bad impression in the minds of non-believers.those who cut themselves think they are not indebted to anyone to prove their enlightenment or sense of civilization when their acts is purely an act of devotion and sacrifice.

As you can see,this act is solely a matter of intentions.therefore a shia is free to show his love the way he feels best in accordance with the fatwas of his Marji (scholar of highest authority in shia islam that issue fatwas,the likes of ayatollah Khomeini and ayatollah Sistani).

Based on intention,no one would dictate to you how to express your intentions or not to.on this note,the issue does not act a divisive issue because we all think that everyone mourning for Imam Hussain is doing his best to remember the Imam and bring back the lessons of Karbala to life in our modern times.

Personally I have never inflicted wounds upon myself.i do beat my chest and I cry to an unimaginable extent when the Sheikh or Sayyid narrates Imam Hussain’s sufferings in Karbala and that of his family members and loyal friends including his six months old baby.as I am typing this,I am only managing to control myself from shedding tears.there is a saying that “Karbala is a wound that never heals in the heart of the believer”.i really feel sad and spiritually overcome when I hear anything about Imam Hussain.if you truly attend the commemoration on the 10th of Muharram which is just a few weeks away,you will understand what I am saying.you should first try and study the event itself and the sacrifice each member that was matyred in Karbala did and refrained from doing for the sake of Islam and the Imam.the event is the epitome of islamic sacrifice and the love for Allah.


As I was saying,I believe in sincerity.i believe if I can be moved to shed tears,I should also be moved to an unconscious state where I can cut myself.but consciously I don’t think it is reasonable for me to inflict wounds on my body.ofcourse I have to mourn Imam Hussain,that is a sunnah of the Prophet.but I can do that in more than one way to express my grief,sadness and love for the Imam.i don’t think it should be done cold-bloodedly.i am not saying those who cut themselves are acting or are being hypocritical.may Allah reward them for their good intentions and Allah will surely reward me for mine too.all of us have the same goal but using different methods.at the end we are all one and we do love Imam Hussain above ourselves.may my soul and the souls of my parents be sacrificed for the sake of Imam Hussain.

i heard you brova,Asalamu Aleikum,the Quran is sufficient for me

uplawal:

i heard you brova,Asalamu Aleikum,the Quran is sufficient for me

Wa alaykom salam.

we surely believe the Quran is sufficient for us and it is due to that reasoning and not in opposition to it that we have differences that can only be cleared through the Quran.

i would have posted you a link or 2 that deals with the differences between the 2 branches and all the answers you may be interested in knowing from the shia.but i couldnt.

you can try going to the sites yourself.

here is the first one that deal with very sensitive and contentious issues in a very sharp way including the issues you asked of:

1.) answering-ansar.org

another one that can help you research comprehensively and intellectually and in a scholarly manner all the relating issues:

2.) al-islam.org

Am suspecting you guys. Abi na yemen you dey.

daylae:

Am suspecting you guys. Abi na yemen you dey.

let my fellow muslims,see the above.you're no longer alllowed to pay close attention to Islam.you'll be accused of being in yemen.

go away cockroach!

Did Imam Ali Give Allegiance to Abu Bakr?


Tuesday, 08 December 2009 11:50 Ayatollah Saafi Gulpaygani


In relation to the issue of the oath of allegiance of the Commander of the Faithful that is said was taken from him – whether this be something that is verified or denied, and also, this noble personality remaining quiet and not participating in any type of activity of rebellion and not picking up arms to go against (those who stole his rights), and the pleasure and approval of this personality in relation to what had occurred: these are all things that are not established (according to the recorded events of history).
The reluctance of those pure souls (the Companions) and the other great personalities – who in the beginning did not give the oath of allegiance; however, later on (as some people mention) did give the oath of allegiance – and also the large number of people who, in those specific and particular conditions gave the oath of allegiance in a particular way (as has been mentioned in history) is also neither confirmed nor established.


With his sword drawn out of the sheath and with the help and support of his gang, Umar roamed the streets of Medina threatening the people with death and forced them to give their oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr.

Please note the following points:

1. The belief of the Shia, who are of the People of the Text – through the utilization of the logical and related proofs – is this: the Imamate is a position that one is appointed into by Allah, and after the Prophet, that individual whose persona possesses all of the characteristics embodied in Islam except for Nubuwwah (prophethood) and who shares in the continuation of the same divine blessings of that personality (the Prophet) in all ways and forms is the one whose Wilayah (mastership) over all affairs of the society must be designated and appointed by Allah the Most High. The Commander of the Faithful, according to the countless texts (ahadith) and other proofs was the appointed caliph and the true Imam, and deviation from him to anyone else – even if all of the people are in agreement over that other person – is not permissible and is a case of: "Giving preference to one whom Allah has relegated low and leaving behind the one whom Allah has given preference to."


Just as the Prophet is not permitted to grant the station or position of prophethood to anyone else, so too the Imam is not permitted to grant the station or position of Divinely-appointed leadership to anyone else. Therefore, supposing that after Imam Ali was refused (the station of caliphate) and then later on, the oath of allegiance was taken from him, or this noble personality – due to events that came up later on (which will be mentioned ensuing) – was rendered helpless to pledge the oath of allegiance, then the true meaning and significance of this sort of oath of allegiance was not achieved by this (forced act), and the correctness of the actions of the other party is not accepted.

2. If the caliphate (of Abu Bakr) was based on the truth, then this would imply that the hesitance of Imam Ali and Sayyidah Zahra (peace be upon them) and a large number of people and revered companions was not proper and that they were not on the path of the truth.

It is known that there are definite and decisive narrations from the noble Prophet of Islam which state that Ali is on the Truth, and the Truth is with Ali, and these two will never separate from one another. Therefore, if someone says that Imam Ali was not with the truth in this event or did not speak the truth or did not act upon the truth, then he is belying the Prophet.

Thus it is with no uncertainty that we say that Imam Ali, in this event and all other events and circumstances, was always on the truth, and his refusal to give the oath of allegiance was also not the refusal to be on the truth; rather, his refusal was the denial of falsehood.

3. The refusal of Imam Ali and a group of others to give oath of allegiance to the caliphate from the point of view of history is not something that can be denied, and even one of the contemporary poets from Egypt who was known by the title of "Poet of the Nile" in his poems has also admitted this. The refusal (to give the oath of allegiance) was so commonly accepted and indisputable such that in one of the letters that he wrote to Imam Ali, Muawiyah has mentioned this fact and in reply, Ali did not deny that he had not given the oath of allegiance; rather, the rightfulness and legitimacy of his denial and refusal and the oppression that he faced is mentioned in his own words in this writing (to Muawiyah) when he wrote: "You also want to taunt me by saying that when I refused to accept the caliphate of the First Caliph, I was dragged like a camel with a rope round my neck, and every kind of cruelty and humiliation was leveled against me." (Nahj al-Balagha, letter 28)

To summarize our point, not only is there no room for doubt or skepticism that Imam Ali and the rest of the clan of Bani Hashim and a large number of the companions refused to give their oath of allegiance to the caliph, rather, their refusal was known and evident for all to see.

However, if it is claimed that after those harsh and coarse events that took place, Imam Ali and those who supported him gave their oath of allegiance and that their oath of allegiance was by way of their own inward pleasure and their pure heart and intention, then it is not possible to substantiate this (claim), since the hadith (of this event) is a single narration (khabar-e-wahid), and in the terminology of the science of hadith, it is doubtful (mashkuk). In this hadith, many contrasts and irregularities can also be seen, which this point in time is not the place for discussion. Anyway, we are not able to classify their oath of allegiance as an authentic oath of allegiance that would have any basis in the Islamic legislation.

At this point we mention some reasons that IF indeed this oath of allegiance did occur in history, then why it may have taken place.

1. It was seen (by Imam Ali) that to stand up to what had occurred (the events of Saqifah) would not be possible except by resorting to an armed struggle, which was not conceivable, since it would have resulted in an internal war between the Muslims. The condition and situation (that the Muslim Ummah was in) was such that very recently, through the pains and troubles of the Noble Prophet and through the assistance of Imam Ali and others, the seed of true faith and conviction in the Oneness of Allah had just been sown in the hearts of the believers, and an internal war would not have served the cause of Islam. It would be through this act that the very foundations of Islam would be put at in danger and would force the Muslims to stand up in ranks against one another, whose outcome or conclusion would never be reached.

It was Imam Ali who had helped the Prophet in the establishment of this foundation (of Islam). It was through his truthfulness and sincerity and by putting his life in his own hands and through his self-sacrifices at all places and all times from the very first day (that built the religion). His heart throbbed for this religion, and he saw that if the defense of his own self meant the desolation and annihilation of these foundations, then for sure he would choose to save Islam and try to maintain the unity of the Muslims in face of the opposition of the Kuffar and would give this precedence to the adjudication of the truth. This would allow Islam to progress and advance, even though such a progress would be slower and take much longer.

Allah forbid that the religion come to a complete standstill and the movement that the Prophet had brought forth with the help of the people should stop for even one moment (if a war would take place amongst the Muslims) just so the groundwork could be laid down for the advancement of the religion of Islam and in order for the mandate and establishment of the Wilayah and Caliphate of Ali to take root in the future, just as happened later on.

With the passing of time, the truthfulness of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) and the blunders and mistakes of deviating from the (true) Imam that had been appointed was made apparent, and on their own, the people developed an attraction for the Noble Qur'an and the Ahlul Bayt and the true belief in the Imamate.

The opportunity also arose for the Ahlul Bayt to guide the people to the pure springs of Islam, the teachings of the religion, the exegesis of the Qur'an, and the true religion of Islam with all of its rules and regulations, political teachings, societal and ethical instructions, and guidelines. More important than all of this, the correct divine theological beliefs were conferred to the people.

However, if an internal war had taken place in Medina, then the corruption, deviation, sedition, and revolts that would have stemmed from this act would have put all things in danger of complete annihilation, and it was because of this reason that Imam Ali rejected the advice from Abu Sufyan for him paying oath of allegiance to Imam Ali, and considered this as an act that would initiate sedition and revolt.

2. The second reason for Imam Ali (hypothetically) giving oath of allegiance is that, just as can be deduced from a study of history, this noble personality had fear or concern for the life of himself and that of his family, and this fear or concern was something that Abbas, his uncle, was able to discern. It was his uncle who advocated him to pay the oath of allegiance, since if he was to be killed, then it would be Islam and the Muslims, who at that time were desperately in need of knowledge and enlightenment, who would have been in disadvantage and loss.

It was in such a circumstance in which it was not possible to have recourse in force and also one in which complete submission was also not in the best interest to deal with the situation that Imam Ali was very careful and critical (in how he dealt with the situation).

This noble personality, by choosing the path that he did, fulfilled a very heavy responsibility that was upon him; he exposed the truth, and at the same time, observed what was best for Islam in its entirety. His precious soul, which was ready to sacrifice its self in the path of Islam, was also protected, so that his blood would not have been shed uselessly simply to affirm the power of truth, and so that the fire of revolt, through which all things are scorched, would not be lit, and so that the opportunity (of Imamate and leadership of the community) whose acquisition was expected in the future would not go away.

In summary, Imam Ali acted according to the testament that was left by the Prophet and did not even cringe in carrying out the will by the amount of the head of a needle. The arena or environment that would cause the feelings or emotions of any brave, courageous, powerful person to be stirred or stimulated were all witnessed; however, he did not perform any act that he should not have performed, nor did he utter any words that should not have been issued. He acted with complete knowledge and by observing and weighing all angles of the situation.

However, all of these conditions and situations prove the truthfulness of Imam Ali and his desire for Islam and his acting not for his own sake. It is clear that this noble personality was completely annihilated and drowned in the Truth, and that which was important to him and had any value to him was Islam, the endurance of the code of Islam, and the interests of the Muslims.

In the conditions that he was put in, neither his staying quiet nor giving oath of allegiance by force and through coercion would give any credence to the rightfulness of the state of affairs at that time. Such an oath of allegiance would not absolve anyone of their religious responsibility, nor would it pardon anyone of their code of conduct.


Ayatollah Saafi Gulpaygani is a Marja Taqleed of the Shia world. He lives and teaches in the holy city of Qom.



Editor's Note: This article is the first of many questions on a variety of religious topics that were answered by Ayatollah Gulpaygani and translated into English by Shaikh Saleem Bhimji. The entire series is available online at al-mubin.org

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