Facts About Shia’as

Facts About Shia’as0%

Facts About Shia’as Author:
Translator: Mohammed I. Ali Shahid
Publisher: Markaz Noor
Category: Debates and Replies

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Facts About Shia’as

Facts About Shia’as

Author:
Publisher: Markaz Noor
English

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought

FactsAbout Shia’as

حقائق عن الشیعة

Author: Ayatollah Imam Sayed Sadiq Al Hussaini Al Shirazi

Translated by: Al Haj Mohammed I. Ali Shahid, B.Tech. P.Eng. (Ontario).

Publisher: Markaz Noor 2008

www.alhassanain.org/english

The present Book is a translation of حقائق عن الش یعة a Book penned by Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Hussaini al Shirazi in a lucid and fluid manner in the form of a dialogue between a Shia’a and a Sunni person.

Note

The English translation of Verses of Holy Quran has been taken from “The Holy Quran” by (late) S.V. Mir Ahmed Ali Sahib, published by Tahrike Tarsile Quran, Inc. P. O. Box 1115, Corona - Elmhurst Station, Elmhurst, New York 11373 - 1115, First U.S. Edition, 1988.

Notice:

This workispuplished on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english.

The typing errors are not corrected.

Table of Contents

Note 3

Preface 6

A Word from the Translator 7

Al Imam al Syed Sadiq al Hussaini al Shirazi (دام ظله الوارف ) 8

Prostration on Soil 10

Making of Graves 13

Decoration of Tombs 17

Kissing of Tombs 20

Seeking Solicitation from God - men 23

Visiting the Graves 28

Temporary Marriage (Muta’a) 33

Zohr / Asr, Maghrib / Esha’a Prayers together 37

Taqiyyah 39

Holy Qur’an 41

Companions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.) 44

Imamate & Infallibility 49

Books & Important Conversations about Shia’as & Shia’aism 54

Al Muraja’at 54

Truth about Twelver Shia’as 54

And I Boarded the Ship 54

Ploy … my trip from Sunni to Shia’a 54

Why did I opt for Shia’a Religion? 55

Real Loss 55

Peshawar Nights 55

Confrontation with the Holy Prophet & his Holy Progeny (PBUH & HP) 56

Hussain (AHS) made me a Shia’a 56

Salafis between Ahl Sunnah and Imamiyah 56

A discussion with a Palestinian Leader Mohammed Shahadah 57

Defending his Thoughts concerning Sunni and Shia'a 57

Discussion with the Great Egyptian Sheikh Hassan Shahatah 57

Link Document 59

Notes 60

Preface

The present Book is a translation of حقائق عن الشیعة a Book penned by Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Hussaini al Shirazi in a lucid and fluid manner in the form of a dialogue between a Shia’a and a Sunni person. The manner of his style is at once simple and very impressive when dealing with many sensitive issues concerning these two sects of Islam be it prostration on a Clay Tablet or Embellishing Graves and Mausoleums, or Keeping away from certain companions of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH & HP) etc.

Ayatollah Shirazi has used references of books from Sunni origin in his discussion and has liberally quoted them giving names of Authors, Page numbers etc. etc. This certainly will be of help for people who need to get to those sources used in the discussions.

The matter in the Book is presented in a logical manner and without hurting feelings of any one whatsoever.

So let us hear the Dialogue between two individuals professing two different shades of Islam and see how one convinces the other in a truly Islamic way of debating!

We give a brief introduction of Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Shirazi before we venture out on the journey of dialogues.

A Word from the Translator

It was during my Project’s execution in the Sharq Area of downtown Kuwait and in the vicinity of Shereen Mosque where I used to go for my Zohr - Asr Prayers that I spotted this Book by Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Shirazi (May he live long) in the book shelf of the Mosque. I rummaged through its pages briefly and I was struck by its lucidity and its fluid style of expression and mostly by the manner in which many a thorny issues between the two major Sects of Islam were dealt with in a masterly fashion.

I asked the young Kuwaiti man Sheikh Hamid Abd al Razzaq who leads the Prayers in the Shereen Mosque to take the Book as I was yearning to read it. The Sheikh readily permitted me to take and when I expressed my earnest wish to translate the Book, he was a bit sceptic first but when I insisted upon my desire, he agreed and also confirmed that once translated, he would see that the translated Book is printed & duly published too.

And here is the translation in your hands dear Readers and I earnestly hope that people upon reading it will certainly benefit from it as per the intention of not just the esteemed Ayatollah Shirazi but also my own humble wish too.

I also take this opportunity to thank my good friend Mr. Abd al Aziz Shehab my colleague and well - wisher from my Ministry of Public Works of State of Kuwait days who talked to Sheikh Hamid about this book and my son Engr. Ali Reda Abbas for composing the Book and bringing it into a Book form.

It is indeed Sheikh Hamid Abd al Razzaq’s magnanimity that he allowed me to take the Book home and thus presented me the opportunity of translating it and thereby enabled me to aid (on however miniscule a scale it be), in diffusing and dispersing & propagating the True Facts of the most maligned and most misunderstood Sect of Islam!

I humbly request my Imam of Our Times (May Allah hasten his Appearance) to accept this little effort of mine and I pray All Mighty Allah to make it a source for my salvation on the Day of Reckoning!

Ameen!

December 23, 2007,

Engr. Mohd. I. Ali Shahid, B.Tech. (Mech.), P.Eng.(Ont.).

Consulting Engineer, GULF CONSULT,

Kuwait.

Al Imam al Syed Sadiq al Hussaini al Shirazi (دام ظله الوارف )

He is a divinely lettered scholar, and a great leader, Great Ayatollah al Syed Sadiq Ibn Mehdi al Hussaini al Shirazi who has descended directly from the most honoured & dignified house on Earth: House of Seal of Prophets (PBUH & HP) & his Holy Infallible Descendants (PBUT); and his lineage goes to the fourth Holy Imam Ali Ibn al Hussain Zain al Abideen (PBUT). He is the scion of one of the greatest families of Maraje’a (Most learned religious Scholars of the Shia’a Imamiyah Islam who are termed as Ayatollahs) in the history of the Shia’a Imamiyah Islam who have held the religious leadership since two centuries starting with the great scholar Ayatollah al Uzma al Syed Mohammed Hassan al Shirazi )RAH).

Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Shirazi was born in 1360 A.H. in the holy city of Karbala, city of his grandfather al Hussain (AHS) in a house known for its saintliness & piety and its knowledge of Jurisprudence & Islamic Law …. House of Marja’a al Islam Holiness Ayatollah al Uzma al Syed Meerza Mehdi al Shirazi (QS) who fed him with his Godly knowledge; he was Syed Sadiq’s first teacher & guardian.

He started his career of learning Islamic Laws with extraordinary zeal & fervent effort from outstanding teachers & tutors like al Syed Mohammed Hadi al Melani (QS), Sheikh Mohammed Rida al Isfahani (QS), Sheikh Ja’afar al Rashti (QS), and Sheikh Mohammed al Shahroodi (QS). Being a student who excelled in his studies under the tutelage of Ayatollah al Uzma, Master of Jurists, Miracle of his times, the great Marja’a al Imam al Mazloom al Syed Mohammed al Hussaini al Shirazi (May Allah further exalt his position) bestowed upon Syed Sadiq his extra care & attention and earned a coveted status of being his confidante, gaining his certitude and the possessor of the great Marja’a’s faith so much so that he became an exact replica of his great Teacher & Tutor in living a life of abstinence & puritanism and thus achieved such a lofty status of Ijtihad & Fiqh that his great teacher declared Ayatollah Syed Sadiq to be a great Marja’a & Faqeeh after him!

All Islamic Seminaries know Ayatollah Syed Sadiq as literally a giant in Fiqh (Jurisprudence) & Ilm al Usool and is famous for his unfathomable knowledge and his discourses & lectures as Seminaries are themselves like reference books! Such lectures & discourses are termed as “Dars al Kharij”. Ayatollah Syed Sadiq’s lectures & discourses constituting “Dars al Kharij” in the Seminaries are of a very high calibre & standard and which have been going on for nearly twenty years. Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Shirazi gives lectures in the Islamic Seminary of Holy City of Qom and many a students have become great scholars themselves under his guidance & teaching and they all unequivocally vouch for Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Shirazi’s status in Ijtihad and his outstanding capability as a teacher & guide.

Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Shirazi’s excessive saintliness, his deep devotion to All Mighty Allah and his absolute love for the Holy Ahl - e - Bait (AHS) makes all great Scholars & Maraje’a respect him to the extent of placing him along with Men of God عبادالله الصالحین so much so that Ayatollah al Uzma Sheikh Murtada al Hae’ri (QS) son of founder of Islamic Seminary at Qom (late) Al Sheikh Abd al Kareem al Hae’ri always went to the door of his house to welcome Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Shirazi when he came to visit him!!! This is while, Ayatollah al Namroori considers him to be the most “just” on the whole Earth. And chief of Islamic Seminary at Isfahan, Ayatollah Al Syed Ahmed al Imami (QS) prayed All Mighty Allah that He grants him freedom from his responsibilities so that he can be solely in the service of Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Shirazi for he considered him a model of none other than our Sixth Infallible Imam Ja’afar al Sadiq (AHS) himself!!!

A few of Ayatollah Syed Sadiq al Shirazi’s books are:

Sharh Urwah al Wusqa (شرح عروةالوثقى ) in 20 Volumes.

Bayan al Usool (ب یانالأصول ) in 10 Volumes.

Sharh Luma’a( شرح اللمعة و التبصرة و الشرایع ) and many other books on Logic and other Seminary subjects.

Some acronyms used in the book:

(PBUH & HP): Peacebe upon him & his progeny.

(PBUT): Peacebe upon them.

(QS): Qaddus Allah Sirruhu( قدس الله سره ).

(AHS): Alaihi / Alaiha al Salaam (علیه/علیهاالسلام )

(RAH): Rizwan Allah Alaihi (رضوان اللهعلیه )

(LAH): La’anat Allah (Curse & Damnation) on enemies of Ahl - e - Bait (AHS)

Prostration on Soil

Sami: O Ali! You Shia’as are truly Polytheists (Kaafirs) as you all prostrate on Soil and is this not enough that you place your forehead on a dried piece of Clay thus enjoining partners in your worship to ALLAH?

Ali: Please allow me to ask you a question.

Sami: Go ahead, please.

Ali: Is it permissible to prostrate on the “body” of ALLAH All Mighty?

Sami: This is sheer Paganism, because ALLAH has no “body”, cannot be seen by eyes and cannot be felt by touching; and whoever has this perception has blasphemed and is Polytheist (Kaafir)! Certainly, prostration is due ALLAH alone; HE is, to whom all prayers with complete faith and concentration are offered and that is ALLAH; but prostration on ALLAH is polytheism (Kufr)!

Ali: From your talk, it is clear that our prostrating on Soil or Clay is not polytheism for we place our forehead on the Clay Tablet not for it being Clay or Soil. And if we presume ----- for the sake of argument ----- that the Tablet is ALLAH, then our prostrations should be to the Tablet and not on it as no oneprays on his God!

Sami: I hear such clarification for the first time and it is correct; so if you presume that the Clay or Soil is your God and you place your forehead on it, is a proof that you do not consider as your God!

Sami: Please allow me to ask you a question.

Ali:Please ......

Sami: What then is the reason that you people insist upon prostrating on Clay or Soil and why do you not prostrate on other material like you do on Soil?

Ali: There is a Hadith {saying of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.)} accepted by all Sects of Islam, which says, ALLAH has made for me (the whole) Earth as Mosque and Clean (fit) for prostration!1 So, we always prostrate on pure natural soil as prostration upon it is agreed & accepted by all the Sects of Islam.

Sami: How have all Muslims accepted prostration on it?

Ali: When the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) came to Medina for the first time and built a Mosque there, was it carpeted?

Sami: No, it was not carpeted.

Ali: Then on what did he and other Muslims prostrate upon?

Sami: Well, they prostrated on the ground carpeted with Soil!

Ali: Then it means, all his Prayers were on the ground and he prostrated on Soil as all Muslims during his time and after him, also prostrated on Soil. This goes to say that prostration on Soil is perfectly correct and hence, we Shia’as follow the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) in prostrating on Soil and our prostrations are equally correct.

Sami: Why do not you Shia’as then prostrate on Soil or Ground anywhere instead of the Tablet, which you people, carry along wherever you go?

Ali: Firstly, Shia’as prostrate anywhere on Earth whether it is stony, fossilized, or ossified or it is soil, ground, or dust.

Secondly, Soil should be Tahir (Clean from Islamic point of view) and free from any Najasa (Impurity from Islamic point of view) as prostration on it would be invalid and void, and hence we carry with us a Clay or Soil Tablet (Turba) to prostrate, free from any thought of Soil being Tahir or Najis!

Sami: This is what you people want to prostrate on clean Soil, Mud, Clay etc. Then why do you not carry clean Soil, Mud, or Clay wherever you go instead of carrying a Tablet made of these materials?

Ali: Well, you know that Mud, Soil, or Clay will certainly spoil our clothes and hence we make a Tablet from these by mixing a little water and then drying up the Tablet so we can carry along without making our clothes dirty! And then, prostration on a dried Tablet of Clay or Soil or Mud is a sure sign of humility & concentration in our Prayers to ALLAH; for, prostration is epitome of humility and humbleness in front of All Mighty and it cannot be for anyone else but to HIM alone! As such, prostration on a (Turba) or Tablet is a clear sign of piety, devotion and humbleness unto ALLAH All Mighty!

Hence, prostration on Earth or a Tablet made of it is better than prostration on other material upon which prostration is allowed, because we place our forehead upon it thus declaring greatness of ALLAH Al Mighty and accepting our humbleness in front of HIM!

On the contrary, placing his forehead in prostration on a costly Carpet or on Silver or Gold or on a high - priced Robe or such other costly materials, would cause his concentration to decrease and might prevent him from lowering himself in the eyes of ALLAH in being humble and meek and submissive to HIM!

So is it then possible to say that it is Kufr or Polytheism to prostrate on a Turba, which increases man’s concentration in his prayers to his ALLAH, to his Creator? Or to prostrate on something which takes his mind away from his attention in his Prayers and his nearness to his Creator? This is truly meaningless.

Sami: What then are the writings on these Turba on which you people prostrate?

Ali: Firstly, not all Tablets have any writings on them; there are many Tablets, which do not have a single letter written on them.

Secondly, some Tablets have writing on them saying that they have been taken from sacred soil of Karbala!2 Is there any polytheism in it? Or does this extricate it from being Soil, Clay, or Mud just because it has been taken from Soil of Karbala? No, certainly not!

Sami: What is so special about Turba from Karbala that most Shia’asprostrate upon it and insist upon it?

Ali: The reason for this is a Hadith, which says, “Prostration on Turba from Karbala is a guarantee that the Prayer is accepted by ALLAH and that it reaches the Seven Skies above!3 This is naught save that it indicates the holiness and sanctity of Sacred Karbala, which is not present in any other Soil!

Sami: Does this mean that an invalid Prayer on Turba from Karbala makes it acceptable?

Ali: No, if a Prayer is performed by all its conditions only then it will be valid and if prayed on Turba from Karbala makes it verily acceptable by ALLAH! But a Prayer without its conditions of acceptance even if prayed on Turba form Karbala is invalid and is rejected. Thus, you should note that condition of Validity is one thing & Acceptance is another matter!

Sami: And is soil of Holy Karbala more sacred than any other place on Earth even Medina andMecca ..... that prostration on it is better than any other place?

Ali: And what is there to object?

Sami: Do you mean to say that the land of Mecca, which since the time Adam (AHS) descended on Earth has remained holy, and the land of Medina, wherein the sacred body of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) is buried, lags behind in Status, in being Sacred & Holy, when compared to Karbala? This is strange! And is Hussain (AHS) greater than his grandfather the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.)?

Ali:Never ..... The greatness of Hussain (AHS) is glistening from that of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) and his nobleness is from nobility of his grandfather, his status in the eyes of ALLAH that he was appointed Imam on the religion of his grandfather and attained martyrdom therein. Certainly, Hussain’s (AHS) lofty position is from his grandfather. Hussain (AHS) got killed and so his kith & kin as also his faithful companions and friends only to defend and uphold Islam and to strengthen its foundation, to protect it from lecherous slaves of worldly passions! And in lieu of his martyrdom, ALLAH granted him with three boons: Answer any prayer under his Dome, Imams in his progeny and Cure in his Soil4 . Therefore, ALLAH bestowed this greatness to his Soil as he was killed mercilessly in His way, his womenfolk were taken captives and his companions were killed, in addition to all the hardships, which descended upon him in the way of Islam! So is there anything objectionable here in all this?

And tell me, if the Soil of Karbala thus attains a status higher than the whole Earth, nay even more than the grounds of Medina, does it mean Hussain (AHS) loftier than the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.)? In truth, the matter is just the opposite! Respect to his Soil (Karbala) is respect to Hussain (AHS) & respect to him is respect to ALLAH & His Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.)!

Sami: This is correct, and I was thinking that you people gave more respect & love to Hussain (AHS) and held him in esteem higher than even the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.P.)! Now I know the truth and I thank you for these noble feelings by which you increased my knowledge and I shall always carry with me a Tablet from the Sacred Soil of Karbala to prostrate on it wherever I pray as I prayed on Carpets and Metals!

Ali: I merely wanted to describe to you that this blasphemy, which is directed towards us Shia’as, has no truth and certainly, it is a lie ----- thrown upon by Muslims ----- on Muslims! I wish truth to be with you always and that you do not believe what all is told against Shia’as without research and knowing the truth!

Making of Graves

Fou’ad: Hey Ja’afar, will you please allow me to ask you a question concerning Shia’as & Sunnis?5

Ja’afar: Ask and how much I love to be sentient & dependable who understands things by study and research...... and not be a barbarian following every crow cawing in the air or shrieking loud.....without knowing its trustworthiness or its rottenness.

Fou’ad: Do you believe my word is right, that truth is with us (Sunnis)?

Ja’afar: Certainly I am in the forefront for people who believe in facts which are true and I certainly did not take Shia’aism but that I found it to be true; and you know that my mother, father, brothers and my whole family has not one Shia’a, and truly, I embraced Shia’aism because I found truth in it & if I knew truth of your words, I would be the first to accept it.

Fou’ad: You Shia’as build buildings over graves of Prophets, Imams, Scholars & Pious people and pray near them and this is nothing but polytheism (Kufr) and just as polytheists bow down to idols, you Shia’as also pray & bow down to graves of God men.

Ja’afar: We ought to be factual and not make - believers; we do not see ‘this was said by this or that man’ but rather see truth clear from Book of ALLAH, from Prophet’s (PBUH & HP) traditions and conduct of righteous ancestors.

Fou’ad: Yes, and me too. I love to know things by way of knowledge & understanding and not by blind following.

Ja’afar: Firstly: We Shia’as are not specific for building graves ----- for all Muslims ----- build graves for Prophets, Imams and such other great persons; here are some examples for you.....

 Grave of the Holy (PBUH & HP) and that of the two Caliphs is certainly built and decorated with a costly Mausoleum and a Grand Cupola.

 Graves of Prophets, among them Hazrat Ibrahim (AHS), in the City of ‘Khalil’ in Jordan and there are big Cupolas and decorated buildings over these graves.

 Grave of Prophet Moses (AHS) which has a massive building and is located between Cities of Qods and Amman.

 Grave of Abu Haneefah, with a huge building housing it & decorated with a Cupola.

 Grave of Abu Hurairah inEgypt ; there is a shrine and a Cupola on it.

 Grave of Abdul Qader in Baghdad with a big courtyard, a shrine and aCupola .......

and many such graves of Prophets, graves of Saints & Godly - people and Religious Scholars; they all have shrines built upon them with Cupolas and they all have special Boards to take care of these Graves and Buildings and make regular maintenance of them saving them from deterioration and dilapidation; and most Islamic Countries are full of such shrines and tombs; and Muslims of different Sects have from day one had a liking for such things and suggested people to build them and never for one day even, did they stopped people from constructing such shrines, tombs or buildings over graves. Thus, we Shia’as are not the only ones who build Shrines or Tombs or Mausoleums and duly embellish them; all other Sects have the same feelings as us ------ for they also construct Mausoleums and build Tombs & Shrines for their Religious Leaders, Preachers etc.

Secondly, we ------ Shia’as ----- or all Muslims when they pray facing Graves of Saints, Imams or Prophets, certainly do not pray them but pray ALLAH All Mighty.

And I assure you that during Prayers we concentrate towards Qibla and not towards these Graves and if we were to pray to these Graves with the intention of Prayers, we would then have to change the direction of Qibla towards them!

Fou’ad: Why then do you people not pray behind these Graves so as to make them your Qibla?

Ja’afar: Verily we do not pray to the Graves when we are praying facing them or behind them, but divert our attention towards the Qibla and surely these Graves ------ sorry to say ------ happen to be in front of us, hence we pray without intention (towards these Graves).

And this cannot be, except as if one prays in front of a beautiful building, would it mean that he is praying to this building taking it as a deity?

And many Muslim Scholars say: It is permissible to pray even in Temples of polytheists and if idols are in front of him, his prayers are for ALLAH; would this mean that he is praying to these idols like a pagan, an atheist, a heathen?

Fou’ad: If making Tombs, Shrines and Mausoleums over Graves is not polytheism ------ as you said ------ and all Muslims permit it, then how were the Tombs & Shrines of Imams and others destroyed and pulled down saying that this is polytheism and constitutes Prayers to other than ALLAH, and Scholars in Hejaz issued a Fatwa in this regard as well?

Ja’afar: They did not issue such a Fatwa except a few Scholars from Hejaz only during those times and as such, a few Sheikhs from Medina told me: When the declaration to destroy the Shrines & Tombs came, all Scholars from Hejaz opposed it, repelling it as not something polytheistic rather a pointer towards Islamic Shariah as ALLAH says ….

And whosoever respecteth the Signs of ALLAH verily it is (the reflection) of the piety of the hearts …..where of from the Scholars some were served an expulsion order & were banished, expelled and removed from their positions and status.

Accordingly, none gave such a Fatwa but only a few Scholars from Hejaz.

Fou’ad: And I wasthinking ....... Had such Shrines and Tombs been (Shirk) polytheistic, why then not Scholars and learned people warned of such practices from the times of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) till today and why did they not prohibited them? And how come Muslims did not know of it during 13 Centuries?

Ja’afar: And I may add to yourinformation ....... The Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) himself endorsed making of Graves & Shrines and Cupolas and did not prohibit them. Hence, Hajr Ismael in Ka’aba is the burial place of Prophet Ismael and his motherHagar !

And these Graves of Prophets ------ Abraham, Moses and others ------ around Jerusalem, were there during the days of the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) and are there even today, and the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) did not ever prohibit them nor did his Caliphs!

And had it been illegal or prohibited, the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) would have ordered its demolition and abstained from it. And since he did not do this, we know that it is certainly permissible and legal.

In the same way, when the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) died, he was buried in his room and its door was closed thus bringing his Grave in the centre of the room with a roof and walls. And if any of his companions had heard from the Holy Prophet ( P.B.U.H. & H.P. ) about any prohibition of making Tombs, Shrines etc. they would not have buried him there & if they had buried him there, they would have ordered it to be pulled down so as not to have a Shrine over his Grave.

Since they did not do any such thing, we know that making Shrines, Tombs over Graves is not Haram (Illegal) then how can it be Shirk (Polytheism)?

Fou’ad: I thank you for guiding me to truth and I am grateful to you; and I know now that making of graves is neither illegal nor is it polytheistic and those who declare it to be so, do not have any proof from religion to substantiate their claim and I am ever thankful to you for this information.

Ja’afar: And I thank you for accepting the truth after knowing it & following it when you see it and you walk on with guidance from intellect and correct logic; hence I wish to add to your insight into truth and knowledge of religion do you have time left for me to talk with you?

Fou’ad: I am really eager for dialogue of truth, so please speak whatever you wish to, I am all ears.

Ja’afar: Be steadfast on the saying that making of Shrines, Tombs, and Mausoleums over Graves ‘is permitted and not at all prohibited’.

Fou’ad: Yes and I am with you on this.

Ja’afar: I now wish to say that making Mausoleums, Tombs and Cupolas over Graves of Saints and God - men is all grateful /desirable, and the person is rewarded by ALLAH who performs this noble act.

Fou’ad: How so?

Ja’afar: Says ALLAH:

….

And whosoever respecteth the Signs of ALLAH verily it is (the reflection) of the piety of the hearts; hence everything which helps you in the realisation of ALLAH, is desirable and grateful in Islam.

Fou’ad: Yes, but how can be building of Shrines or Tombs over Graves be considered as Signs( شعائر ) of ALLAH ?

Ja’afar:( شعائر ) Signs are things, which glorify the religion in world’s sight and do not stipulate its (Signs) illegitimacy!

Fou’ad: Is faith ennobled by these Buildings and Mausoleums?

Ja’afar: Yes.

Fou’ad: And how is this?

Ja’afar: Making Graves of Great Persons of Islam and constructing Domes over them and protecting them from deterioration & decadence is tantamount to showing respect, reverence, veneration to these Great Personalities without doubt.

Forexample : If a person comes with a Rose and places on the grave, is not this person showing respect & admiration and love & devotion to the dead person?

Fou’ad: Correct.

Ja’afar: How can then constructing a majestic building on the Grave & adorning it with a Dome notbe construed as respect, veneration and adoration for the person buried in it? And respect for Great Personalities of Islam, Imams and Saints is respect for Islam, appreciation of Faith for which these Great Persons called the people to it and lead them towards it.

Does not a person who respects Chief of a Group, or an Apostle or a Member of an Ideology praising & eulogising this Group & Religion & Ideology?

Fou’ad: Yes, it is as you say.

Ja’afar: So building (Shrines, Tombs, and Mausoleums) over Graves of god - men is a mark of respect for them and towards ALLAH and Islam and everything which marks respect for ALLAH and in it is glory to Islam is certainly Signs of ALLAH towards which ALLAH has proclaimed:

وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّـهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ

6

Fou’ad:Then ..... demolishing (desecrating) Graves of Prophets, God - men and Imams is an insult to the religion, vilification of Islam’s honourbecause their demolition is an affront to our Leaders and disrespect to them which is tantamount to insult to Islam.

Ja’afar: And I embraced Shia’a Islam, follow the path of Ahl - e - Bayt (A.H.S.), and have even changed my name from Waleed toJa’afar ..... for this very reason! This was because I blindly followed suggestions of others without ascertaining the facts but now I have searched the Truth and have found it. A man should always leave behind religious - bigotry and open his mind (chest) to accept Truth, search forTruth ..... surely , you will reach it.

Fou’ad: Me after these exchanges will see with open eyes all these matters and shall confirm Truth until I reach it wherever itbe ! And I am thankful to you all my life and please allow me to leave as I have an appointment with a gentleman.

Ja’afar: Please may ALLAH protect you.

Fou’ad: I give you in the protection of ALLAH.

Ja’afar: Proceed with safety and protection (from ALLAH).

Decoration of Tombs

Khalid: Salaamun Alaikum.

Baqir: Alaikum as SalaamWa Rahmatallah.

Khalid: When did you come? Is everything all right?

Baqir: I have come to visit a cousin who lives here.

Khalid: I request you please, to pay us a visit today.

Baqir: Well, I have so much work to do which I had left so I request to please, pardon me.

Khalid: Notpossible ..... friends meeting after 10 years and cannot be together for an hour? I too request you for the sake of Islamic brotherhood. Also, there is an argument I had with one of our Mo’min brothers about Shia’as & Sunnis and I am confident that I will talk with you this matter until I see truth.

Baqir: It is noproblem ......

They went together to Khalid’s house and sat down...... and talked about matters special to them, when Baqir accentuated saying: What was the argument you both had?

Khalid: The argument was around decorating Tombs of Prophets, Imams, Scholars and Mo’mineen, Chaste persons etc. with gold, silver and all such jewels.

Baqir: And what is the harm in this?

Khalid: Is this not Haram (against Islam)?

Baqir: Why?

Khalid: Does the cadaver benefit anything from such embellishments?

Baqir: No does not benefit.

Khalid: Then this is sheer wastage & profligacy, for ALLAH All Mighty says:

وَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَىٰ حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا ﴿٢٦﴾ إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا ﴿٢٧﴾

And give to the near of kin his due and to the needy and the wayfarer, and squander not (thy earnings) wastefully.

Verily the squanderers are the brethren of the Satans; and Satan to his Lord is ever an ingrate.

Baqir: Then what do you say about decorating and bedecking Ka’aba with gold, silver from years together on it and inside it?

Khalid: I do not know.

Baqir: Yes, there have been priceless gifts of gold, silver and jewels gifted to Ka’aba from neighbouring countries and lands from pre - Islamic days to this day! Says Ibn Khaldoon7 in his Muqaddamah8 : People (Nations) have from pre - Islamic times paid their respects to it, and kings have presented priceless presents and their costliest wealth, like King Cyrus of Iran.....and ‘the tale of swords’ and ‘deer of gold’ found when Hazrat Abd Al Muttalib dug out the spring of Zam Zam, is very well - known.

And the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) when he conquered Mecca found in the well 70,000 coins of gold, which Kings had sent as gifts. In them were 1,000,000 Dinars with a weight of 200 quintals!

And Ali Ibn Abi Talib told him: O’ Prophet of ALLAH, what if you utilise this wealth in financing the wars? He did not. Then Abu Bakr reminded him the same thing, he still did not say anything …. And so on until it is said, (Abu Wael said): I was sitting with Shaiba Ibn Othman and Omar Ibn Al Khattab, so he (Omar) said: I have planned not to give this gold and silver away but that I will distribute it amongst Muslims. Shaiba said: And why do you want so? To this, Omar said: And why not? Shaiba said: Why did not your companions do this? Replied Omar: The two are to be followed. So, does the Ka’aba benefit anything for this gold and silver Khalid?

Khalid: Not at all.

Baqir: And in addition to this, the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) did not hand out this piled - up wealth & did not use it, when Islam was in dire need of finances in those days for its spreading in the country.And why not? The reason was that this wealth accumulated inside Ka’aba would award it a place of grandeur, splendour and majesty in the eyes of the people while its place in the eyes of ALLAH All Mighty will neither exceed nor reduce. The same can be said about Domes of gold, Doors of gold & silver, and Jewels and such other priceless embellishments used in Tombs of God - men, like Ameer Al Mo’mineen and Imam Al Hassan, Imam Al Hussain and Imam Al Ridha and others from them (Blessings of ALLAH upon all of them). For, all these noble souls have a special status with ALLAH All Mighty, which does not elevate by this Jewellery nor diminishes by their absence! The Holy Imam Al Hassan (A.H.S.) is elder and more respectable than his brother Al Hussain (A.H.S.) yet his grave is under direct sun while that of Imam Al Hussain (A.H.S.) is entombed in a majestic Mausoleum with a massive dome of solid gold and decorated with doors encrusted with gold and jewels. We have embellished these Tombs and presented these Jewels, Gold and Silver to their Graves, and built Domes of gold and all this, as a mark of respect and adulation to them.

Khalid: Does all this elevate these God - men in the eyes of people?

Baqir: Yes, and I now want you to know this ….. If you visit the graves of scholars of Jews you will see that they are all in a dilapidated condition, the sun mercilessly rains on them its rays and there is no roof or cover for the visitor. And if you go to Christian graveyard, you will see that their religious scholars and leaders have beautifully decorated buildings with domes, jewels, gold and silver sparkling in every nook and corner. Would you respect these Jewish scholars or Christian leaders knowing well that they both are on the Wrong?

Khalid: Certainly, I would consider Christian scholars more respectful than those of Jews.

Baqir: What then do Shia’as and Sunnis do if they build Tombs, Mausoleums etc. on the Graves of Imams & Prophets ….. ? Only that, they do this out of respect, devotion & love and consequently decorate their Graves with gold, silver and jewels.

Khalid: All of this is true but does it take this out from the definition of squander and waste?

Baqir: Yes and more than it …..for if all this decoration and beautification is a mark of respect to the holy souls and God - men, then this is a mark of respect for Islam, which in turn is respect to the Signs of ALLAH All Mighty as HE declares:

وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّـهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ And whosoever respecteth the Signs of ALLAH verily it is (the reflection) of the piety of the hearts ….

Thus, beautifying and decorating of Tombs is Signs of ALLAH All Mighty and doing such is an act of nobleness & grace in His eyes.

Khalid: I beg your pardon if I have taken so much of your time, but you are worthy of reward from ALLAH for this act of benevolence. You took me out from darkness of ignorance into radiance of knowledge & understanding, and how much long I thought about this decoration of graves, but never did I understand the real meaning of it or its profundity, but today I am enlightened ----- by you ------ by your in - depth knowledge and have thus made me aware of my intention.

Baqir: Have all the doubts, which you had about this subject of decorating the graves, gone?

Khalid: Yes ….. Nothing doubtful remains about what the Holy Qur’an declares:

وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّـهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ And whosoever respecteth the Signs of ALLAH verily it is (the reflection) of the piety of the hearts ….

Baqir: In any case, I am ready to explain and elucidate any such topics so that we both benefit from them and thus be aware through thought & understanding.

Khalid: I thank you a thousand times and pray ALLAH that he bestows HIS blessings on you.