₦airaland Forum

Islam and Iran: A Historical Study of Mutual Services

Iranians' Shi`ism:

The majority of Iranians turned to Shi'ism from the Safawid period onwards. Of course, it cannot be denied that Iran's environment was more favourable to the flourishing of the Shi'ism as compared to all other parts of the Muslim world. Shi'ism did not penetrate any land to the extent that it gradually could in Iran. With the passage of time, Iranians' readiness to practise Shi'ism grew day by day. Had Shi`ism not been deeply rooted in the Iranian spirit, the Safawids (907-1145/ 1501-1732) would not have succeeded in converting Iranians to the Shi'i creed and making them follow the Prophet's Ahl al-Bayt sheerly by capturing political power.

As a matter of fact, the cause of Iranians' conversion to Islam and that of their embracing of Shi`ism is only one. The Iranian saw that Islam was in harmony with his spirit and he found what he loved and craved for in Islam. The people of Iran, who were an intelligent people by nature and had, moreover, a rich cultural tradition, were attracted to Islam more than any other nation and served it devotedly. They also understood better than others the spirit of Islam, and for the same reason they gravitated towards the Household of the Prophet (S) and tashayyu` came to be .deeply rooted among them. In other words, the Iranians discovered the true spirit and meaning of Islam in the Family of the Prophet (S). It was the Family which could alone answer and meet their spiritual and intellectual needs.

What attracted the Iranian's thirsting spirit to Islam more than any other thing was the Islamic message of justice and equality. He had been deprived of these for centuries, and awaited such a message. The Iranians observed that the only group of Muslims that was free of prejudice and very keen to establish justice and equality in society and showed an unlimited sensitivity in regard to these values was the Household of the Prophet (S). This honourable Family was seen as the sanctuary of Islamic justice, especially by non-Arab Muslims.

If we pay a little attention to the prejudice and discrimination practised by some of the caliphs with regard to their attitude towards their Arab and non-Arab subjects and to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib's defence of the criteria of Islamic equality and impartiality concerning Arabs and non-Arabs, the truth of the matter will become completely clear.

In Bihar al-'anwar (vol.9, bab 124), a tradition quoted from al Kafi records the following incident:

One day a group of the Mawali (Iranian clients of Arab tribes) came to Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali (A) and complained about the conduct of the Arabs. Tbey said to him that the Messenger of God (S) did not make any distinction between Arabs and non-Arabs in the disbursement of public funds (bayt al mal) or in the matter of marriage. They added that the Prophet (S) distributed public funds equally among Muslims and let Salman, Bilal and Suhayb marry Arab women, but today Arabs discriminated between themselves and us. 'Ali (A) went to the Arabs and discussed the matter with them, but it was to no avail. The Arabs shouted, "It is quite impossible! Impossible! "'All, annoyed and angered by this turn of affairs, returned to the Mawali and told them with utmost regret, "They are not prepared to treat you equally and as Muslims enjoying equal rights. I advise you to go into trade and God will make you prosper. [52]

Mu'awiyah, in his well-known letter addressed to Ziyad ibn Abih, the governor of Iraq, wrote:

Be watchful of Iranian Muslims and never treat them as equals of Arabs. Arabs have a right to take in marriage their women, but they have no right to marry Arab women. Arabs are entitled to inherit their legacy, but they cannot inherit from an Arab. As far as possible they are to be given lesser pensions and lowly jobs. In the presence of an Arab a non-Arab shall not lead the congregation prayer, nor they are to be allowed to stand in the first row of prayer, nor to be entrusted with the job of guarding the frontiers or the post of a qadi.

On the other hand, once when a dispute arose between an Arab and an Iranian woman and they referred the case to `Ali(A), he did not allow any discrimination between the two. His judgement invited the protest of the Arab woman. Thereupon, 'Ali(A) stretched his hands and gathered two fistfuls of soil. Then looking at the dust in his hands he declared, `So far as I can see, I cannot make any distinction between these two handfuls of dust.'

This allegorical act of `Ali (A) reminds one of the famous utterance of the Prophet (S), who said:

All men are from Adam and Adam was from dust. The Arab has no merit over a non-Arab except on the basis of piety (taqwa).

That is, race, nationality and lineage are immaterial in Islam. All lineage goes back to Adam, who was made of dust. What ground can that be for any claim of racial superiority?

In Safinat at-Bihar, the following incident is mentioned under `wali':

One Friday 'Ali (A) was delivering his sermon on a pulpit made of bricks Al-'Ash'ath ibn Qays al-Kindi, one of the eminent Arab chieftains, came up and said: "These red-faced people (Iranians) have come to dominate us in your presence and you don't stop them." Then he angrily declared, "Today I will show what Arabs are!"

'Ali (A) said: "These big-bellied ones drowse in soft beds while they (the Mawali and Iranians) work hard during hot days for the sake of God. Even then they demand that I should drive them away like a tyrant. By God, Who split the seed and created man, I have heard from the Prophet (S) of God, saying : 'By God, even as you in the beginning will fight Iranians with your swords for the sake of Islam Iranians will afterwards fight you with their swords in the way of Islam. [53]

The following traditions are also recorded in Safinat al-Bihar:

Mughirah, comparing 'Ali with 'Umar, always used to say, " 'Ali showed greater consideration and kindness to the Mawali, while 'Umar, on the contrary, did not like them."

A man came to al-'Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (A) and said, "People say that one who is neither a pure Arab nor a pure mawla is of base origin." The Imam (A) asked him, "What do you mean by 'pure mawla'?" The man replied, "It is a person whose parents were slaves earlier." The Imam asked again, "What is the merit in being a pure mawla?" The man answered, "That is because the Prophet (S) said that a people's mawla is from themselves. Therefore, a pure mawla of Arabs is like Arabs. Hence the man of merit is one who is either a pure Arab or a pure mawla associated with Arabs." The Imam (A) replied, "Haven't you heard that the Prophet (S) declared that he (S) was the wali (guardian) of those who have no wali? Didn't he also say, 'I am the wall of every Muslim, whether he be Arab or non-Arab'? Doesn't a person whose wali is the Prophet (S) belong to the Prophet (S)?" After this, he added: "Of these two which is superior: the one who is related to the Prophet (S) and is from him (S) or the one related to a boorish Arab who urinates over his feet?" Then he said: "One who embraces Islam out of his free choice, willingly, is far more superior to him who has embraced Islam due to fear. These hypocritical Arabs were converted to Islam because of fear, while the Iranians came to the fold of Islam willingly and with pleasure. [54]

These kind of incidents, which indicate the prevalence of a policy of discrimination and partiality between Arabs and non-Arabs in the Muslim world, are found in a large number in the history of Islam. The Imams (A) of the Prophet's family were opposed to it. This reason alone is sufficient to understand why the Iranians, who on the one hand appreciated more than others the spirit of Islamic teachings and on the other suffered more than any other people from the consequenses of this discrimination, had come to be partisans of the Family of the Prophet (S).

Insult in the Guise of Support:

The most surprising thing is the attitude of some persons who inflict the gravest of insults on the Iranian people in the name of defence of Iranian race and nationality.

Sometimes they say that the people of Iran wanted to defend their old regime and creed with utmost seriousness, but despite all their grandeur, power, vastness of their land and a large population of a hundred and forty million, they were defeated by a small Arab army of fifty to sixty thousands. If this is true, isn't it a matter of great shame for the Iranians?

Sometimes they say that the Iranians changed their creed and faith because of fear. If what they say be true, the Iranians are the most degenerate people of the world, for a people which fails to preserve its cherished faith against a victor does not deserve the name of humanity.

Sometimes they say that the Iranians remained under the Arab yoke for the last fourteen hundred years. It means that although the military supremacy of Arabs did not last longer than a hundred years, Iranians could never recover from a blow struck fourteen hundred years ago. What a weakness, incapacity and worthlessness it reveals! Even some backward peoples of Africa, after centuries of European colonialism, could, one after another, break their chains and liberate themselves; but a civilized nation with a rich past was defeated by a nomadic people who lost their power within a short time, but that nation could not overcome the shock of her defeat for fourteen hundred years and was compelled to continue living with the creed, ideas, customs, norms, and language of the victor against its own inner inclination!

Sometimes they say that Iranians adopted the Shi'i faith with a view to preserving their old beliefs and customs under its guise. That is, during this entire long period they have been hypocritical in their profession of Islam, and all their claims of being Muslims, with which their history is replete, have been false and deceptive. For the past fourteen centuries Iranians have been telling lies, writing lies and living a life of lies. What greater dishonour and unmanliness is imaginable for a people?!

Sometimes they say that the root cause of all their love and sacrifices for Islam is not to be sought in the affinity of the Iranian spirit with Islam and Shi'ism and the Iranians' grasp and perception of a series of higher truths and teachings; rather, it is to be traced in a single marital union. These people changed the entire course of their lives and culture just for the sake of a kinship born of a marriage. What an absurdly rootless people!

Sometimes they say that the Iranians were eager to defend the creed and government of those days, but they withdrew from the battlefield and preferred to be silent spectators of events. Again what meanness and cowardice!

According to the views of these feeble-minded persons, the Iranian people are the meanest and the most degenerate people of the world, for in fear of their conquerors they abandoned their old script and adopted the Arabic script, paid greater attention to Arabic as compared to Persian and took pains to compile Arabic grammar and dictionaries, wrote their books in Arabic under duress, taught Arabic to their children under fear, incorporated Islamic teachings into the heart and soul of their literature in a state of dread, forgot their ancient creed on account of fear, did not rise to defend their favourite regime, and failed to defend their beloved faith and creed due to fear!

To summarize the views of these persons, the history of the fourteen centuries of the Iranian people reflects nothing but incompetence, hypocrisy, two-facedness, fear, cowardice, rootlessness, meanness and unmanliness, and what they have been lacking all the time was discretion, choice, conviction, faith and love of truth. In this way the greatest of all insults are piled over the heads of the noble people of Iran by these senseless individuals.

But the respected reader of this book will see for himself that these are false allegations against Iran and Iranians. Whatever the Iranian did was with his own discretion and choice. The Iranian has been competent, not hypocritical and double-tongued; brave and courageous, not timid and cowardly; a seeker of truth, not shortsighted and attentive to passing events; with deep roots, not rootless and baseless. In the future also the Iranian will retain his roots and integrity and strengthen further his ties with Islam with every passing day.

http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/iran/mutual.htm

MacDaddy01: Okay, please tell me how islam will improve my life. I'm a kaffir

you should stop being silly and purposefully annoying.

how? you have asked this question before and got answers:

https://www.nairaland.com/932792/how-islam-make-life-better

MacDaddy01: I am a Nigerian first and foremost. You are brainwashed to believe that all Westerners believe the western media. Even Americans nowadays dont trust their media after the Iraq war.


On topic, are you trying to tell me the West and Central african countries are peaceful? Where human rights are abused day in and day out? Where crime goes unpunished? Where the police is useless? Who told you Mali is peaceful? It is just like Nigeria, corrupt and backwards i the smaller towns.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Mali

oh yeah,Macdaddy.

compile all the wrongs no matter how tiny or less in muslim countries by imperfect people or mischief-mongers and blame Islam.

the funny part is you do not even distinguish between what un-islamic governments do and what muslims do and what their lives look like.how can you blame islam for human right abuses of citizens of a country who are themselves Muslims? is the government practicing Islam by abusing its people?was saddam who abused the iraqis following islam?

oppression and injustice does not have a religion.a member of any religion can do such harmful acts.

MacDaddy01: You are talking nonsense. Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali are peaceful? Are you serious? Do you take me to be fool? Please stop the lies. urkina faso is aplace where political freedoms and human rights are abuse. Mali just had a miltary coup detat. As for Chad, I just have to say that, as a Nigerian, you lost me on that one.


Peaceful is is quite subjective no doubt however, the golbal peace index used many measures/factors to come up with their peace index.

-level of criminality in the country/organised crime
-internal or external wars
-level of respect for human rights
-politcal instability.
etc


For you just to dismiss the global peace index and list countries that are less peaceful compared to others, is akin to buring your head in the sand.

Currently, I can not see where Islam, on an aggregate level, is good for the countries or socieities. Give me evidence against this and i will believe you.

a typical case of when a Muslim commits a crime,it is Islam that goes on trial.when thers commit crimes,no one talks about their religion or how they pray.

the fact remains that Muslim societies around the world are more peaceful and conducive for Muslims than non-muslim societies for non-muslims.how many robbery cases are reported in muslim countries? aside from the wars and wahhabi terrorists america has made to give Islam a bad image,Muslims are peaceful people.now an obsessed character like MacDaddy would use boko haram to judge over 1.5 billion muslims around the world.

LagosShia: note the difference:

praying it at home as the Prophet (sa) ordered is not obligatory but the Prophet (sa) encouraged that.even after his encouragement,Muslims dont see it as obligatory to pray it at home.but he stopped people from praying it in congregation yet sunnis still do it in congregation as if it is obligatory from the first night of ramadan to the last night.why?

if the Prophet (sa) had the fear of people thinking it is obligatory then,he should have equally had that fear that they would equally think it is obligatory even when they pray it at home.but he encouraged praying it at home.the fact is congregational prayers are obligatory prayers.that is the message.name any salat prayed in congregation and it is obligatory prayer.but any nafila or supplementary prayer that is not obligatory but based on individual extra effort is prayed individually.

that is the true summary of it.

Salam aleikum,

are Shia Muslims invited or only Sunnis are? i am saying this because us Shia usually break our fast 5-10 minutes after Sunnis do.

Saudi Arabia's Shiite escalation

Posted By Toby Matthiesen Tuesday, July 10, 2012 - 4:01 PM

The arrest of the Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr in his hometown of Awwamiya in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Province on Sunday afternoon, July 8, has been long in the making. In some ways many observers had been wondering why he had not been arrested earlier, since he had become the spiritual leader of the protest movement in Eastern Saudi Arabia and his outspoken views put him clearly at odds with the Saudi ruling family. But while Nimr al-Nimr repeatedly called upon the local youth to be ready to die as martyrs, he urged them not to "return bullets with bullets" but use peaceful means instead. He acknowledged that Shiites would suffer much more if they were to attack the overwhelming firepower of the Saudi regime, and therefore called for peaceful demonstrations and civil disobedience.

In cables released by Wikileaks, U.S. diplomats tried to come to grips with Nimr's role from marginal cleric to a rallying figure for young Shiites, meeting personally with him on one occasion. The diplomatic reporter wrote: "Al-Nimr resides in Awamiyya, which is a notoriously radical Shi'a village in the Qatif oasis referred to half-jokingly by other Qatifis as ‘Little Falluja.'" As one Shiite contact told PolOff, (political officer)"every house in Awamiyya has a gun... seriously." The U.S. diplomats in Saudi Arabia wondered why Nimr was not arrested earlier, after repeatedly being highly critical of the government, even demanding secession of the Eastern Province in 2009. Three theories abound. Firstly, there are conspiracy theorists who argue that the hardliners within the ruling family, such as the former Crown Prince and Interior Minister Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, had been using Nimr to scare the Sunnis and oppose King Abdullah's interfaith dialogue and tentative outreach to the Shiites. Secondly, that the arrest of Nimr would create heightened unrest that the government wants to avoid. Nimr had been in hiding from 2009 to 2011, and thereafter only appeared in large crowds of people, at funerals or in his mosque, all places where an arrest would be difficult without causing casualties or creating upheavals. And thirdly, the Wikileaks cable goes on to say that the government will ultimately react, but "on its own timeline." It did so on July 8, and the manner of Nimr's arrest outside of his mosque suggests that he will not be out anytime soon. According to the ever Orwellian ministry of interior, when Nimr "and those with him tried to resist the security men and initiated shooting and crashed into one of the security patrols while trying to escape, he was dealt with in accordance with the situation and responded to in kind and arrested after he was wounded in his thigh."

Nonetheless, it is curious why he was arrested now, one and a half years after protests started in the Eastern Province in February 2011, particularly as the protest movement had fizzled out since March. The youth movement that led the mass protests between November 2011 and February, when seven young Shiites were shot dead and their funerals turned into the largest protests the country had seen since a former uprising in the Saudi Eastern Province in 1979. Saudi Shiites are discriminated against in the country, which anyway lacks basic political freedoms, and were therefore thrilled to capitalize on the regional changes brought about by the Arab Spring.

But these protests had lost steam and the Eastern Province was relatively calm for several months. Now, on the other hand, the Shiite youth again have a cause that brings thousands to the streets, and the demonstrations are in full swing, an escalation brought about by Nimr's arrest. Immediately after his arrest, large demonstrations erupted in Qatif and two protesters were shot, al-Sayyid Akbar al-Shakhuri from Awwamiyya and Muhammad al-Filfil from Shuwaikha, putting the total number of people killed at nine in this long-simmering conflict, perhaps the most under-reported uprising in the Arab Spring protests. Who would have an interest, then, in such an escalation? The arrest and shooting of Nimr al-Nimr is certainly an answer to the question whether the replacement of Prince Naif with the new Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz and the new Interior Minister Prince Ahmad bin Abdulaziz would change the position of the ruling family on political reform or on the Shiite question. Prince Naif, who died in June in Geneva, was a hardline figure that personally regarded the Shiite as a threat and with suspicion, and advocated a zero-tolerance policy on popular dissent and protests. Many believe his influence led to the decision to send Saudi troops to Bahrain in March 2011 to quell pro-democracy protests, in order to prevent demonstrations from spilling over into the Eastern Province. The answer then is no, his death has not changed the position of the ruling family, and the arrest of Nimr might be seen as a move by the new Interior Minister Prince Ahmad to assert a hardline position domestically. But Shiite youth also did not change their attitude. While Shiite notables went to pledge allegiance (bai'a) to the new crown prince, others celebrated the death of Prince Naif in the streets of Awwamiyya and Qatif, allegedly inspired by a critical sermon by Nimr.

Indeed, while Nimr retains a lot of popularity amongst the Shiite youth, he is a hated figure for many other Saudis. On Twitter and Facebook he is frequently insulted, as his sermons over the last years have broken a whole range of political taboos in Saudi Arabia, including calling for the fall of the royal family. It might be, then, that the newly appointed senior royals want to play tough on the Shiites by arresting a controversial cleric, and thereby boosting their popularity amongst the Sunnis in other parts of the country. Hence, relations between the Shiites and the government have probably never been as bad since the Iranian revolution.

But there is another dimension that is even more worrisome. The arrest of Nimr comes amidst a military buildup in the Gulf and a similar crackdown in Bahrain. On Monday July 9, the prominent Bahraini human rights activist Nabil Rajab was sentenced to three months in prison for some Twitter posts, and was taken from his home by masked security forces. His was one of the few voices that continued to speak out publicly against human rights abuses and for profound political reform in the Island Kingdom, and who had not been arrested. Indeed, conspiracy theories similar to the ones about Nimr had surrounded him, mainly that the Bahraini ruling family had let him continue to speak his mind in order to frighten the Sunnis, even though he had been repeatedly attacked and intimidated. Also on July 9, the Bahraini Shiite political group Amal was officially disbanded by the regime, even though it had been defunct as almost all of its leaders were arrested last year. Both Amal and Nimr follow the Kerbala-based Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi al-Mudarrisi, whose brother Hadi al-Mudarrisi has taken a very critical stance against the Saudi and Bahraini ruling families. It seems this crackdown also goes against the transnational Shiite current that is a branch of the Shirazi political movement, named after its founder Muhammad Mahdi al-Shirazi, whose more politically minded branch has increasingly come to be known as the mudarrisiyya.

In addition, the United States has stepped up its military presence in the Gulf region, sending additional warships, and the Gulf states put their militaries on high alert in late June amidst reports of significant troop deployments in the Eastern Province. The silencing of the most outspoken dissident voices then, goes hand in hand with possible preparations for war, and is probably also taken as a precautionary measure in the event of an attack on Iran. While the accusation that Nimr is an Iranian proxy, often leveled by Sunni Saudis, is an exaggeration: he follows the Kerbala-based Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi al-Mudarrisi and not the Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he has repeatedly defended Iran, and has spoken out against an attack on Iran. In that sense, he would have probably denounced an attack on Iran vehemently, and called for more demonstrations in the Eastern Province.

He had also become popular in Bahrain, whose uprising he fiercely supports, as seen in demonstrations in his support in various Shiite villages in Bahrain over the last few days. So, the question remains whether Saudi Arabia's allies, above all the United States, condoned this crackdown. David Petraeus, the Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency met Saudi King Abdullah in Jeddah on the same day, July 9.

From a local perspective, the timing seems strange, and indeed counter-productive. The protests in the Eastern Province had stopped, many youth activists were frustrated that after one and a half years of protests they had not achieved any political goals, bare the death of several martyrs and the mobilization of a particular segment of shabab, young men. Now, however, they have a new battle cry that they will use to mobilize other segments of Saudi Shiite society. But the calculations of the Saudi and perhaps U.S. security establishments seem to be that, with Nimr behind bars, the protests will eventually stop, and above all, in the event of a confrontation in the Gulf, a popular figure that could rally protesters is eliminated. It is difficult to predict which way things are going to turn out. But this untimely arrest, particularly after shooting the cleric in the leg, may well be a shot in the foot and give new momentum not just to the protest movement in Eastern Saudi Arabia, but also in Bahrain. There, the youth activists have shown that even with the most prominent opposition leaders in jail, they can sustain organized demonstrations, and have increasingly returned to the pre-2011 tactics of street fighting with police. It seems a strange conclusion that this could not happen in Saudi Arabia with Nimr in jail.

Toby Matthiesen is a research fellow in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies at the University of Cambridge. Follow him at @TobyMatthiesen.

http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/07/10/sable_rattling_in_the_gulf

Subhanallah.

when i listened to the sermon of Sheikh Nimr i believe that Islam and Muslims through the Shia still have hope in this world of injustice when Sunni muftis have being turned mere government employees issuing fatwas that please the unjust and corrupt rulers.Sheikh Nimr represents the justice and truth the Quran offers humanity to stand up against the strong who oppress and terrify the weak and helpless.terrorism? that is not Islam.and listening to Sheikh Nimr you will identify that truth that terror is allien to Islam.

Sheikh Nimr is following the legacy of Imam Hussain (a) by standing up to injustice and tyranny.insha'Allah Ta'ala Sheikh Nimr will triumph against the oppression of the saudi regime,whether in death or life.

Nigeria: Birthday anniversary of Imam Mahdi (AS) Marked in Zaria+ Pic

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The second segment of Mid Shaaban celebration at Husaniyyah Baqiyyatullha Zaria was marked with a lecture by the leader of the African Shia Islamic Movement in Nigeria Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.

He described the day-the 15th of Shaban, as the day of happiness being the birthday of the awaited Savior of Humanity Imam Mahdi(AJ).

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http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=327840

Nigeria: Birthday anniversary of Imam Mahdi (AS) Marked in Kano + Pic

Members of the African Shia Islamic movement in Kano on Friday 17th Sha’aban 1433 (6/7/2012) held annual birth of Imam Mahdi (AS) at Kano Hussainiya.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Members of the African Shia Islamic movement in Kano on Friday 17th Sha’aban 1433 (6/7/2012) held annual birth of Imam Mahdi (AS) at Kano Hussainiya.

Followers of Ahlul Bayt (pbut) and also neighboring community members including Shaikh Muhammad M Turi attended the ceremony.

Sheikh Muhammad Turi in his speech on Imam Mahdi (AS) summarized Imam’s biography pointing out important lessons from the history of Imam Mahdi (AS).

Banquet was served and with a closing prayer.

[img]http://abna.co/a/uploads//214%5C1%5C214178.jpg[/img]

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http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=327834

Jazak'Allahu Khairan!!!

thanks for sharing.

are all the lectures in audio? because most seem like.

Usually I know that it is the shahada that makes one a muslim and without it one would die a kaffir.what is so important in the imam of time that not knowing him would lead to a death of jahiliyya? Isn't therefore this imam of the time someone pure,knowledgeable and full of guidance? Can the rule of tyrants,monarchs and corrupt politicians give salvation if you recognize them? Or would it further lead you into misguidance and all the way to hell fire? What if you oppose the ruler because of corruption and tyranny,would you go to hell because you stand against and does recognize him as leader (imam)? Can the imam of the period (time) for muslims be someone people agree on and disagree?then everyone is the imam because you can decide who to give power and who not to.that is democracy and not Islam where rule belongs to Allah and government or leadership is by Allah,of Allah's chosen and by Allah.if imam of the time is anyone,then anyone you can see and call imam even the ones with no knowledge?an imam therefore is guidance just like the Quran is guidance and revelations of Allah in the Quran are referred to as 'imam' figuratively.the imam the Prophet (s) referring to is no different from the one (Imam Ali) he appointed in Ghadir Khumm for muslims of that time.in Hadith of the Two Weighty Things,the Ahlul-Bayt (as) among whom are the 12 Imams (a) is one of the Two and the Quran is the other.

similarly in the holy Quran there are the verse of wilayah and the verse of ulil-amr.the verse of wilayah establishes the leadership of the first imam,Imam Ali (a) while the verse of the ulil-amr establishes the leadership of the 12 Imams (a).may Allah Ta'ala hasten the faraj (reappearance) of the 12th Imam from the progeny of our Prophet Muhammad (sa) to guide us,bring justice to the earth for humanity,peace and destroy the tyranny of false leaders and monarchs who do not know him and Islam would be firmly established in all corners of the earth.ameen.

eyya,Mallam Vedaxcool fawa don pinish.he only shouts at others using insults.what a shame for a Muslim to do and transgress against others.

from the Book of Enoch,Chapter 48 and 62,we read a description that only fits the 12th Imam,Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance):


Book of Enoch Chapter 48:
"And for this reason hath he been chosen and HIDDEN before Him, before the creation of the world and for evermore".


Book of Enoch Chapter 62:

6. And the kings and the mighty and all who possess the earth shall bless and glorify and extol him who rules over all, who was hidden.

7. For from the beginning the Son of Man was hidden,
And the Most High preserved him in the presence of His might,
And revealed him to the elect.

8. And the congregation of the elect and holy shall be sown,
And all the elect shall stand before him on that day.

9. And all the kings and the mighty and the exalted and those who rule the earth
Shall fall down before him on their faces,
And worship and set their hope upon that Son of Man,
And petition him and supplicate for mercy at his hands.


please read the entire chapter 62,here:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/boe/boe065.htm

very suprising to see iranian christians giving a different picture of their own lives while fanatical christians far away from Iran influenced by american evangelical churches with counterfeit miracles want to still attack anything Islamic and Iran.as for the one calling himself "MacDaddy01" presenting videos of iranian "christians" in america,dont you think this is the same thing LagosShia is saying that youths are being bribed by these pentecostal american churches and Iran does not tolerate their political manipulations? i think if christians are persecuted then that bishop in the video in the OP should have said it.but he was praising the iranian government and said that the government even give them government money from the iranian budget as iranian citizens.

[size=14pt]Hundreds protest in Norway against Shia genocide in Pakistan
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[img]http://abna.ir/a/uploads/197/4/197430.jpg[/img]

Protesters marched on roads of Norwegian capital Oslo against the genocide of Hazara in Pakistan.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - They were holding banners and placards against the systematic martyring of an ethnic minority for their Shia faith, and urged the international community to help stop the martyring of Hazaras in Quetta city of Pakistan.

They were holding banners calling the UN to take notice of a genocide-in-making in Quetta, Pakistan.

A child was holding a placard that read: “Massacre of Hazaras in 21st Century is a Shame for Humanity”.

Speakers condemned the security establishment–Army and Intelligence agencies–of Pakistan for negligence of the situation in Quetta where victims accuse complicity of Government elements supporting the terrorists of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who have killed more than 700 Hazaras in the last ten years, without one prosecution.

The speakers said it was a humanitarian crisis. An ethnic minority of over 600,000 people are besieged in a small multi-ethnic city of few million population.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is a militant sectarian organization that kill Shias. In a letter thrown in streets of Quetta, Hazaras have been warned by LeJ to leave Pakistan by 2012, or Quetta will be turned into their graveyard. Only in the last few weeks, over 40 Hazaras have been martyred.

Protesters urged the international community to pressurize Pakistan to stop the merciless killings of Hazaras.

/SMH

http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=326137

Over 5 Million Visitors to Commemorate Imam Mahdi's Birthday in Karbala

[img]http://www.abna.ir/a/uploads/212/1/212159.jpg[/img]

More than five million visitors will commemorate al-Ziyara al-Shaabaniya, birthday anniversary of Imam al-Mahdi (AS) in holy city of Karbala by the end of the week, Iraqi governor said on Saturday.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - More than five million visitors will commemorate al-Ziyara al-Shaabaniya, birthday anniversary of Imam al-Mahdi (AS) in holy city of Karbala by the end of the week, Iraqi governor said on Saturday.

"More than five million visitors will come to the city, including more than 500,000 Arab and foreign visitors from different parts of the world," Engineer Amal al-Din al-Hurr told to the reporters.

"The government has intensified efforts to serve the visitors," he added.

The al-Ziyara al-Shaabaniya, literally the mid-Shaaban visit, is a pilgrimage to revive the memory of the birth of the Messiah-like Imam al-Mahdi (AS), the 12th holiest figure for Shiite Muslims.

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http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=325979

vedaxcool: the fact remains you don't know? But I have told you what muslims are expected to do in such situation, not insult the persons parents and then lie you would excuse yourself in such a situation a term others that behave in such manner wahabis, such behavior goes against common sense, insulting other people's parents on the ground that they insulted the prophet pbuh, because the person can repeat such behavior again and again and your insulting his parents wouldn't stop him, I always show you up to be a hypocrite who do not reason well, one who says things that he does not practice, the woman remain not too different from some so called muslims better termed heretics whose specialty is to insult the Aisha the prophet's wife.

"to insult Aisha the prophet's wife".see how people are trading with the title and name of Prophet Muhammad (s) to justify the woman that caused the most strife and harm to the ummah.yes his wife that could not contain her hatred for Imam Ali (as),cousin and husband of the daughter of the Prophet (s) from his first and most respected and beloved wife,Sayyida Khadija (a).the same wife that disobeyed the Prophet (s) that she should not fight after his death and Islam's order forbidding women to fight.the same "mother of the believers" that fought and killed thousands of her children.na wa o!!!

as in this is the internet age.we are not living in the 15th century for anyone to cover up who Aisha was.lets say it as it is.

Veadxcool,

do you eat tomatoes?

https://www.nairaland.com/976055/tomatoes-christian-egyptian-salafist-group

Lol

Massacre of Chilas,Eastern Afghanistan

A video showing the brutal massacre of 50 Shia Muslims in Chalas by ferocious Wahhabi terrorists was made public.In this video (posted below from youtube), dozens of terrorists are seen laughing and jubilating while they fired upon innocent Shias. The terrorists also shouted derogatory slogans such as "Shia Kafir" (infidel) and joked with each other while killing innocent Shia Muslims.

The massacre occurred on April 3,2012 when the terrorists stopped six buses transporting Shia Muslim passengers.they set Shia passengers in them ablaze while seated in the buses, and also lined them up some passengers and opened gunfire on them. They also stoned some of them to death on the spot. They pushed some into the nearby river.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsmeCLLSU2U&feature=player_embedded

Massacre of Chalas,Eastern Afghanistan

A video showing the brutal massacre of 50 Shia Muslims in Chalas by ferocious Wahhabi terrorists was made public.In this video (posted below from youtube), dozens of terrorists are seen laughing and jubilating while they fired upon innocent Shias and torture them to death. The terrorists also shouted derogatory slogans such as "Shia Kafir" (infidel) and joked with each other while killing innocent Shia Muslims.

The massacre occurred on April 3,2012 when the terrorists stopped six buses transporting Shia Muslim passengers.they set Shia passengers in them ablaze while seated in the buses, and also lined them up some passengers and opened gunfire on them. They also stoned some of them to death on the spot. They pushed some into the nearby river.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsmeCLLSU2U&feature=player_embedded

Zardari pays tribute to Hazrat Fatima (SA) at London moot

LONDON: President Asif Ali Zardari has said that Hazrat Fatima-tuz-Zahra (SA) is a role model as the daughter of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), the wife of Hazrat Ali (AS) and the mother of Imam Hassan (AS) and Imam Hussain (AS), and an embodiment of nobility, courage and sacrifice. In a special message at an international event to celebrate the birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatima (SA), Zardari said that she has a unique place in the history of Islam. Her name will continue to inspire women anywhere, particularly in the Muslim world, as she was great woman and role model for women of all ages and all climes. The president congratulated International Imam Hussain Council for organising the event to highlight the life of Hazrat Fatima (SA) at the British Parliament, and said, “I am pleased to learn that International Imam Hussain Council has organised an event in London UK on June 14 to celebrate the birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatima (SA). The International Imam Hussain Council has emerged as an important platform of interfaith and communal harmony. It has been organising events aimed at promoting women’s empowerment and promoting community and communal harmony. Headed by a young and talented woman it is most befitting that the council has organised this event to commemorate the life of Hazrat Fatima (SA). Women’s issues and bridging the gap between peoples of different faiths are two critical concerns of the present age. I am glad that the conference has decided to focus on some of the issues in these critical areas with a spotlight on the life of Hazrat Fatima (SA) and other notable women of Islam. asif mehmood

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\06\17\story_17-6-2012_pg7_20

"As the stars protect mankind from losing the way in a journey,so are my Ahlul-Bayt (as).They are the safeguard against discord in matters of religion.The community dissenting from their teachings on Divine Commands shall be split up by dissensions and become the party of Satan"-Prophet Muhammad (sawaws).

Islamic Movement of Nigeria: Commemorating Yawm Mib'ath is Way of Expressing Gratitude to Allah

Pictures of Yaum Mab'ath Commemoration

please follow the links by clicking on the bolded.

"The Islamic Movement of Nigeria Marks Imam Kadheem (AS)'s Martyrdom and Shuhada Day"

Sheikh Zakzaky's Speech on Martyrdom of Imam Khadeem (AS)

Pictures of Imam Khazeem (AS) martyrdom Commemoration

BetaThings: Really?
Fact is that it is the Shias that started criticising Sunnis
Before you guys surfaced, most people did not know about Shia

we do not criticize Sunnis as you are putting it.we criticize beliefs,or Sunnis beliefs or their lack of certain Islamic beliefs.

some 5 decades ago,you'd hardly find a Muslim native from certain parts of Europe.but today Islam in general has surfaced in all of Europe.Islam is a religion for all mankind.likewise in Nigeria,a few decades ago,the Shia presence was very insignificant because Shia Islam had less influence in this part of the world.there are many reasons for the slow spread of Shia Islam into other parts of the world.it has to do with the persecution of Shia Muslims in the middle east have historically faced and their weak political position due to concerted efforts by the usurpers of the caliphate and the enemies of the Ahlul-Bayt (a).

all in all,Shia Islam when taken relatively in comparison to the other branch which is the Sunni branch,is definitely as old as Islam in its unified form in the days of Prophet Muhammed (sawaws) is.Shia Islam itself started from the very own lips of the Prophet Muhammed (sawaws) when he referred to the close associates and loyal supporters of the first divinely appointed imam,Imam Ali (a),as the "Shia of Ali" in contrast to those who either opposed him or showed little or no support for him.

so if Islam is to progress,it is also in our interest as Muslims generally to learn from our shared history whether we be Sunni or Shia and not to imagine that the emergence of followers of one of either schools of thought is something new or strange.it is not.

But you believe that the only way you can advance is by destroying Sunnis
Go and check yours posts
There is nothing about the pillars of Islam - it is all about wahabi this or shia did that

May Allah have mercy on Shayk Abdul Wahab

firstly i think you're mistaking me for someone else.

we Shia Muslims do not destroy anyone.it is those you are showing support for like the founder of the wahhabiyyah movement within the Sunni branch of Islam,Sheikh Ibn Abdul-Wahab who saw the Shia as a threat "worse than that of jews and unbelievers" (a slogan wahhabi people still chant) and they (Shia) should be destroyed.then there was the invasion of Karbala by his (Ibn Abdul-Wahab) follower, Ibn Saud.Karbala was invaded and its people killed and their properties looted.sadly,this bloody legacy continues to target Shia Muslim faithfuls to our day.

merely by propagating beliefs opposed to yours should not be seen as an attempt to destroy you.we are trying to draw you closer to us.we are trying to make you one of us and part of our soul.if we are to destroy you,we won't spend time preaching to you peacefully.you destroy someone by attcking him.not by preaching to him.

shame on you Maclatunji.

you have destroyed this forum and brought shame and division to Muslims.

GERALD710: Could you show me an example of Christians forcing others to be christians,Buddhists forcing others to be Buddhists,Hindus,Jews,Confucans or Jains forcing their religion on others through violence and terror?Only Islam does that.

my friend,Islam does not do that.it is wahhabism also referred to as "salafism" that does that.Muslims too are victims.see the protest by Shia Muslim members that have been going on against the wahhabi moderator,Maclatunji and his attempt to silence us and impose their will on us.