Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Alhassanain (p) Network for Islamic Heritage and Thought

The Shi'ah are the Real Ahlul-Sunnah

An inquiry of an explorer of the truth into the delicate yet essential question of: "Who is best qualified to the claim of being a follower of Islam's Prophet in spirit and in practice?"

Author(s): Muhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi

Translator(s): Yasin T. Al-Jibouri

Publisher(s): Pyam-e-Aman

www.alhassanain.org/english

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH

Table of Contents

Publisher's Preface 6

Notes 8

Introduction and Foreword 9

Note 14

Identifying the Shi`as 15

Notes 18

Identifying Ahlul Sunnah 20

Notes 22

The First Incident that Led to Dividing the Muslim Ummah into Shi`as and Sunnis 23

Notes 24

An Event That Led to their Divergence from the Prophet's Sunnah 25

1) Isolation of the Opposition and its Economic Paralyzation 26

2) Isolating the Opposition and Paralyzing it Socially 27

3) Isolating the Opposition Politically 28

Notes 29

Ahlul Sunnah are not Familiar with the Prophet's Sunnah 30

The Proof: 31

Notes 34

Ahlul Sunnah and the Obliteration of the Sunnah 35

Notes 42

The Attitude of Ahlul Sunnah Towards the Shi`as 44

Note 46

Shi`as' Attitude Towards Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`ah 47

Note 49

Introducing the Imams of the Shi`as 50

Notes 52

Imams of Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`a 53

Notes 57

The Prophet Appointed the Imams of the Shi`as 58

Notes 61

Oppressive Rulers Appointed the Imams of Ahlul Sunnah 63

Note 65

The Secret Why Sunni Sects are in the Majority 66

Notes 70

Malik Meets Abu Ja`far al-Mansour 71

Notes 72

Unavoidable Commentary Serving the Research 73

Note 76

The Abbaside Ruler Tests the Scholars of his Time 77

Notes 81

Hadith al-Thaqalayn According to Shi`as 82

Notes 83

Hadith al-Thaqalayn According to Ahlul Sunnah 84

Note 84

Is it “the Book of Allah and my Progeny” or “the Book of Allah and my Sunnah”? 85

Notes 91

Shi`a Sources of Legislation 92

Notes 93

The Sources of Shari`a According to “Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`ah” 94

1. The “Sunnah” of the “Righteous Caliphs” 94

2. The “Sunnah” of the Sahaba En Masse 95

3. The “Sunnah” of the Tabi`in or “Ulema al-Athar” 96

4. The “Sunnah” of the Rulers 97

5. The Rest of Sources of Legislation According to Ahlul Sunnah 98

Notes 99

A Comment Necessary to Complete the Research 101

Notes 104

Taqlid and Maraji` According to Shi`as 105

Notes 106

Taqlid and Islamic Authorities According to Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`ah 107

The Righteous Caliphs According to the Shi`as 109

The Righteous Caliphs According to Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`ah 111

Notes 112

The Prophet Rejects the Legislation of Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`ah 113

A Necessary Post Script 114

Note 114

Enmity of Ahlul Sunnah Towards Ahlul Bayt Reveals their Identity 115

Notes 118

How Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`a Distort the Blessing of Muhammad and His Progeny 119

Notes 121

Allegations Refuted by Facts 122

Note 122

Imams and Pillars of Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`a 124

1. Abu Bakr “al-Siddeeq” ibn Abu Quhafa 124

2. Umar ibn al-Khattab “al-Farooq” 127

3. Uthman ibn Affan “Dhul-Noorayn” 129

4. Talhah ibn Ubaydullah 133

5. Al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam 137

6. Sa`d ibn Abu Waqqas 142

7. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf 148

8. Ayesha daughter of Abu Bakr “Mother of the Faithful” 151

9. Khalid ibn al-Waleed 154

10. Abu Hurayra al-Dawsi 161

11. Abdullah ibn Umar 167

12. Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr 176

Notes 179

According to Shi`as, the Prophet's Sunnah does not Contradict the Qur'an 183

Note 184

The Sunnah and the Qur'an According to Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`a 185

Note 191

Prophet's Ahadith Reported by Ahlul Sunnah Contradict One Another 193

Notes 197

Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr's Letter to Mu`awiyah 198

Peace of Allah unto those who obey Him from one who is peaceful to whoever accepts only Allah as his Master 198

Note 199

Mu`awiyah Answers Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr's Letter 200

Notes 205

The Sahaba According to the Followers of Ahlul Bayt 206

Notes 208

The Sahaba According to Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`a 209

Notes 211

The Final Word in Evaluating the Sahaba 213

Notes 218

How Ahlul Sunnah wal-Jama`a Contradict the Prophet's Sunnah 219

1) Islam's Government System 219

2) To Call the “Sahaba” Equitable is to Contradict the Clear Sunnah 222

3) The Prophet Orders the Muslims to Emulate His `Itrat While Sunnis Oppose Him 224

4) “Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`a” and Love for Ahlul Bayt 226

5) “Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`a” and the Curtailed Prayer 229

Notes 231

Prophet's Infallibility and its Impact on Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`a 233

With Dr. al-Mousawi and his “Authentication” 235

Note 243

Glossary 245

Publisher's Preface

This book can best be described as an inquiry of an explorer of the truth into the delicate yet essential question of: “Who is better qualified to the claim of being a follower of Islam's Prophet in spirit and in practice?” Just as it is mandatory to follow the Qur'an, it is equally essential to follow the Prophet, peace be upon him. While the Qur'an is the Almighty's revelation, the Prophet's statements and actions, without any doubt, are also guided by the Almighty, and he cannot err:

“Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed” (Qur'an, 53:3-4),

hence the importance of taking the Sunnah (the Prophet's traditions and statements) very seriously.

Both major schools of Islamic law, the Sunni and the Shi`a, differed with regard to the important issue of the spiritual as well as the temporal succession of the Prophet of Islam. This difference resulted in the Muslims' ideological division after the Prophet's death. Here is an interesting fact for your consideration:

Both Sunni and Shi`a groups agree all along with regard to the importance of the Qur'an and of the Sunnah, accepting them as the bases upon which they establish the implementation of their faith. Despite this fact, however, the Sunnis arrogated to themselves the title of “Ahlul Sunnah,” or “the people of the Path,” and the rest of the world passively gave in to this assumption and accepted it as a fact.

In his Dictionary of Islam, Thomas Hughes1 points out: “... hence it comes to pass that although the Shi`as, even to a greater degree than the Sunnis, rest their claims upon traditional evidence, they have allowed their opponents to claim the title of traditionists, and consequently Mr. Sale2 and many European writers have stated that the Shi`as reject the tradition.”

In our times, the freedom of thought and expression, coupled with a spirit of independent inquiry, has helped men and women to free themselves from misbeliefs, whims, and superstitions.

Amazingly, the distinct task of separating the truth from the myth on an issue of such a great importance, namely the question of who the genuine followers of the Sunnah of the Prophet are and who followed in his footsteps_Ali and his friends, or the sahaba (the friends of the Prophet) who opposed the Prophet's cousin after his death_had to be pioneered by the author of this book who grew up as a Sunni.

After several years of independent inquiry as to who was right_Ali or his opponents_he gave up the beliefs of his ancestors and accepted the Twelve Imams of the Shi`as as his “rightly guided” leaders after the Prophet. The author of four previously published books (Pyam-e-Aman had published the English translation of his first book titled Then I was Guided), Dr. Muhammad al-Samawi al-Tijani is a great scholar and Arabist.

As a student of comparative religion, he has tirelessly pursued his quest for the truth, and he continues to write what he calls, in the beginning of his first book, “a story of a journey..., a story of a new discovery... in the field of religious and philosophical schools.”

The question of who Ahlul Sunnah are and who are not is critical to any believer, both in the context of history as well as in the practice of religion today. It is also important because those who labelled themselves as the “traditionists” viewed all others as “heterodox” in contrast to their claiming themselves to be the “orthodox.”

This resulted in violence and coercion as the rulers of the time used such accusations to oppress the masses as they demonstrated their power and ruthless control over their destiny. Western Islamists picked up the jargon from the writers of the “majority sect” and divided the Muslim world in their writings into “Orthodox” and “Heretical,” referring to the Sunnis and the Shi`as respectively.3

This hypothetical dichotomy is misleading and completely baseless. It is also due to the lack of understanding about the world of Islam. Western writers fail to observe that, other than the belief in the issue of Imamate, the Sunnis have far greater differences within their own four sects (or schools of thought) system compared to their differences with the Shi`as.

The views of the Hanafis regarding theological questions, for example, may well coincide with those of the Shi`as while remaining in an uncompromising contradiction to many doctrines espoused by, say, the Hanbalis, the Shafi`is, or the Malikis.

In sharp contrast to the evidence of “irreconcilable differences” between the four Imams who had established the afore-mentioned Schools of Sunni Thought, even with regard to issues of minor as well as major importance, a total consensus exists among the Twelve Imams of Ahlul Bayt (People of the Prophet's House) on each and every doctrinal aspect of the faith.

In his celebrated treatise titled Kitab al-milal wal nihal (the book of religions and religious sects), al-Shahristani,4 a Muslim thinker who lived during the Medieval times, gives an account of the Muslim sects (firaq, singular: firqa) and their disagreements on four fundamental issues: Tawhid (Oneness of God and His Divine Attributes), Adl (justice), Iman (faith or conviction), and lastly Revelation, the Prophetic mission, and the right to be the leader (Imam) of the Muslim community.

A revealing picture that emerges from his work shows that, unlike the usual European concept of a religious sect, the Muslim firaq, with their different views on issues, allow a dialogue between scholars and followers of different theological persuasions. This offers hope that in the new “information era,” with people coming closer to and eager to communicate with one another and ready to adapt to change, the Muslim world may achieve its homogeneous synthesis, notwithstanding the minor variants, in a not too distant future, Insha-Allah.

Dr. Tijani's book, written in Arabic, is a voluminous work. We had to selectively though discreetly omit certain parts of it both to ensure economy and to make it more palatable to the English speaking readers. The first two chapters have been rewritten by Br. Yasin T. al-Jibouri in order to incorporate full accounts of important events that took place just before the Prophet's death to provide the reader with the context of the author's comments.

We are grateful to Br. Yasin T. al-Jibouri (P.O. Box 5132, Falls Church, VA 22044) for translating the original Arabic text of this book into English. He, by the way, has translated, written, or edited as many as twenty-three books and is a great asset to our community. Without his help, the publication of this book may not have become possible. Our special thanks to Br. Nasir Shamsi who has so far edited fifteen of the books published by Pyam-e-Aman and persevered in reviewing and editing this book. May Allah Ta`ala reward them both on behalf of all those who will Insha-Allah benefit from this book, and on our own.

Pyam-e-Aman

P.O. Box 390

Bloomfield, New Jersey 07003, U.S.A.

Rabi` II 1, 1416 A.H./August 27, 1995

Notes

1. Born in Berkshire on October 20, 1822 and died in Brighton, England, on March 22, 1896, Thomas Patrick Hughes was a jurist, reformer, and novelist. He attained fame following the publication in 1857 of his novel Tom Brown's School Days. His other famous works include: Tom Brown at Oxford (which he wrote after studying at Oxford from 1842 to 1845 and which was published in 1861), A Layman's Faith (1868), and The Manliness of Christ (1879). His Dictionary of Islam was published by Rupa & Co. of Calcutta, India, in 1885.

2. Rev. George Sale is the British scholar, traveller and Arabist who, in 1734, produced one of the earliest English translations of the Holy Qur'an, a translation which remained in circulation for 127 years. Tr.

3. The Western Islamists misjudged, in fact exploited, the differences in the Islamic world. They tried to apply the dichotomous division of Christianity between the “Orthodox” and “Heretical” to the Muslim world. Needless to say that the Christian sects maintain totally divergent views in respect of their basic beliefs viz: Oneness of God, Sonship of Jesus and Divine Trinity. In sharp contrast, the Muslims, notwithstanding their differences on certain issues, have consensus with regard to their basic beliefs such as “Tawheed”, Oneness of God, the Prophethood of Muhammad and the Finality of his Prophethood, and the Day of Judgment.

4. Nicknamed “Abul-Fath,” Muhammad ibn Abd al-Kareem al-Shahristani was born in Shahristan, Khurasan, in 469 A.H./1076 A.D. and died in 548 A.H./1153 A.D. He was the most prominent Sunni historian of religions and philosophical trends in the Middle Ages. His famous book Kitab al-milal wal nihal was published in Cairo, Egypt, in 1288 A.H./1871 A.D.

Introduction and Foreword

All Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace be upon the greatest among the prophets and messengers, our master and leader Muhammad, and upon his righteous and pure progeny.

The Messenger has said, “To Allah, the ink of the scholars is superior to the blood of the martyr.” It is, therefore, incumbent upon every scholar or writer to write for people what he sees as beneficial for their guidance, what socially binds them together, and what unites them for a common cause and takes them out of the darkness into the light. A martyr seeking Allah's Pleasure invites to the truth and sets the foundations of justice.

Yet he may not bear any impact except on his contemporaries. A reader, however, may be influenced by his contemporary scholar whose book remains a beacon of guidance, generation after generation, till Allah sends His Guardian for the earth and of everyone on it. Everything diminishes through spending except knowledge: it multiplies by giving.

The Messenger of Allah has also said, “If Allah were to guide through you even one man, it surely is better for you than everything upon which the sun and the moon shine,” or “better than the life of this world and everything in it.” How many writers died centuries ago, and whose bones turned into ashes, yet their thoughts and knowledge survived through their books which are printed hundreds of times across the centuries, guiding people to success?!

Since a martyr is alive with his Lord, receiving sustenance, a scholar who causes people to receive guidance is likewise alive with his Lord and with the servants of the Lord who think well of him, praying and seeking Allah's forgiveness for him. As far as I am concerned, I am not among the scholars, nor do I put forth such a claim, and I seek refuge with Allah against being conceited. Rather, I am a servant of the scholars, relishing their legacy, savoring it, following in their footsteps like a servant following his master.

Since Allah inspired me to write my book Then I Was Guided, I received a great deal of encouragement from many readers and researchers, so I followed it with my second book With the Truthful, which was also well received. I was, hence, encouraged to continue my research and investigation; therefore, I wrote the third volume, namely Ask Those Who Know1 , in defense of Islam and the prophet of Islam to dispel the allegations against him, and to uncover the plot against him and his pure progeny.

I received many letters from the Arab and Islamic world carrying the readers' affection, loyalty, love and expressions of brotherhood. I was invited to attend many intellectual conferences throughout the world organized by Islamic establishments in the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Britain, India, Pakistan, Kenya, West Africa and Sweden.

Whenever I met a group of educated youths and intellectuals, I found them appreciating my works and seeking more knowledge. They asked me, “Do you have anything new forthcoming? Are you writing any new book?” I praised Allah, therefore, and thanked Him for this success. I implored to Him to grant me more of His Attention and Guidance. I solicited His help to write this book which I now place before Muslim researchers and which revolves in the same orbit circled by the three previous books.

I hope it will benefit some educated people and those who seek the truth: perhaps they will come to know that the party being targeted for attacks, the one referred to as “Imamite Shi`ites,” is the one that will attain salvation, and that they, i.e. the Shi`as, are followers of the true and authentic Sunnah, that is, the Sunnah with which Muhammad was entrusted to convey according to the revelation of the Lord of the Worlds.

He surely does not say anything out of his own desire; rather, his is only a revelation. I will explain to the readers the fact that the identification label used by those who oppose and disagree with the Shi`as, that of “Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama`a,” i.e. followers of the Sunnah and consensus, has little to do with the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.

How often have people lied and attributed their lies to the Messenger of Allah ? How often were his traditions, statements, and actions prohibited from reaching the Muslims on the pretext it may not be taken as Allah's speech_a pretext more feeble than a spider's cobweb?! And how many authentic traditions were discarded, disregarded, and neglected?

How many fantasies and hoaxes made to appear as injunctions were wrongly attributed to the Prophet after his demise? How many of the noble personalities, whose nobility are testified by history were after him ignored, neglected, unheeded, even accused of apostasy and punished for their noble stands?! How many are the shiny and attractive labels that hide behind them apostasy and misguidance?!

The Lord of Honors and Dignity has described the above in the very best way when He said,

“And among men is one whose speech about the life of this world causes you to wonder, and he (even) calls upon Allah to testify to what is in his heart, yet he is the most violent of adversaries. And when he turns back, he runs along in the land in order to cause mischief and to destroy the tilth and the stock, and Allah does not love mischief-making. And when it is said to him: Guard (your soul) against (the punishment of) Allah, pride carries him off to sinning; so, hell suffices him, and it certainly is an evil abode” (Holy Qur'an, 2:204-206).

I may not exaggerate if I act upon the axiom saying, “If you reverse (an equation), you will then be right. ‘An investigative researcher must not take anything for granted; rather, he has to reverse and remain most of the time skeptical in order to reach the hidden truth. It was in such politics that all dirty roles were played. He must not be deceived by appearances or numerical superiority, for Allah, the Most Exalted, has said in His great Book,

“And if you obey most of those on earth, they will surely cause you to stray from Allah's Path; they only follow conjecture, and they only lie” (Holy Qur'an, 6:116).

Falsehood may appear in the garb of truth to falsify and mislead, and this may often succeed either due to the naivete of the general public, or because of the worldly position or influence of the scheming individual(s). Falsehood may at times also appear to prevail because of the number of those who support it. The truth is patient and waits for Allah to fulfill His promise by making falsehood appear as false. Surely falsehood is often defeated in the long run.

The best testimony to the above is the Qur'anic narrative relevant to the story of Jacob and his sons. The latter

“came to their father in the early part of the night weeping; they said: `O father! We went racing with one another and left Joseph with our belongings, so the wolf devoured him, but you will never believe us even though we tell the truth'“ (Holy Qur'an, 12:16-17).

Had they indeed been truthful, they ought to have said, “And you will never believe us because we are liars.” Our master Jacob, who was a prophet of Allah receiving His revelation, had no choice except to give in to their falsehood, seeking help from Allah through patience, despite his knowledge that they were liars. Said he,

“Rather, your minds have made up a tale; so, patience is most fitting (for me); it is Allah (alone) Whose help can be sought (against your scheme)” (Holy Qur'an, 12: 18).

What more could he have done especially since he was facing eleven men who unanimously agreed to say the same thing and who performed the hoax of the shirt and the false blood, weeping over their “missing” brother? Could Jacob reveal their lies, refute their falsehood, and rush to the well to get his beloved young son out then penalize them for their abhorrent action? No; such will be the doing of the ignorant who are not guided by Allah's wisdom. As for Jacob, he is a prophet who behaves as a wise man of knowledge about whom Allah has said:

“He was, by Our instruction, full of knowledge, but most men do not know” (Holy Qur'an, 12:68).

He was bound by his knowledge and wisdom to distance himself from them and say,

“How great my grief for Joseph is! And his eyes became white with sorrow, and he fell into silent melancholy” (Holy Qur'an, 12: 84).

Had Jacob behaved otherwise, that is, by getting his son out of the well, rebuking the others for their lies, and penalizing them for their crime, their hatred towards their brother would have intensified, and they might have even gone as far as assassinating their father, too. They might have implied the same when they said to their father,

“By Allah! You will never cease remembering Joseph till you reach the last extremity of illness, or till you die!” (Holy Qur'an, 12:85).

From this we may deduct that at times silence is commendable when confronting falsehood that may result in harm or an imminent peril, or when keeping quiet rather than revealing the truth serves the public's interest, even if such a service is deferred. This helps in understanding the hadith of the Prophet saying:

“One who keeps silent rather than say the truth is a silent Satan.”

Such understanding conforms to reason and Allah's Book. And if we probe the biography of the Messenger of Allah, we will find out that there were times when he took to silence in the interest of Islam and Muslims as Sahih books narrate to us with regard, for example, to the peaceful treaty of Hudaybiya, and to other such instances.

May Allah be Merciful to the Commander of the Faithful Ali who kept silent after the death of his cousin. Referring to the same, he made this famous statement: “I kept pondering whether I should fight with an amputated hand, or take to patience regarding a blind calamity wherein the adult ages and the child grows gray hair and a believer struggles till he meets his Lord; I saw that patience regarding both options was wiser; therefore, I took to patience though the eye was sore and the mouth was choking with grief.”

Had the father of al-Hasan not taken to silence rather than demanding his right of caliphate, thus advancing the cause of Islam and Muslims rather than that of his own, Islam, as Allah and His Messenger had outlined it, would not have survived after the demise of Muhammad.

This is the fact with which most people, who always argue with us that the caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar was right, are not familiar. They say that Ali kept silent about such caliphs, adding, as they always enjoy doing, “Had the Messenger of Allah appointed Ali as his successor in leading the Muslim masses, he would not have been right in remaining silent, since doing so would not have been appropriate at all, and one who takes to silence rather than saying the truth is a silent Satan.” Such is their argument, and such is their often-played record.

This clearly is an error in comprehension. Such is one who recognizes only the truth with which his whims and desires agree. Such is one who fails to realize the wisdom resulting from the outcome of that silence and its invaluable deferred benefits, were one to compare the latter with the temporal interest resulting from a revolt against falsehood supported by a great many supporters and promoters.

During the incident of the Hudaybiya, the Messenger of Allah remained silent and accepted the terms of the Quraysh and the Pagans of Mecca, so much so that Umar ibn al-Khattab could not control his outrage; he asked the Messenger of Allah, “Are you not truly the Messenger of Allah?! Are we not right while they are wrong? If so, then why should we sell our religion so cheap?”

Had the silence of the Prophet been negative, as it was conceived by Umar ibn al-Khattab and most sahaba who were present there and then, the truth of the matter would not have proven beyond any doubt that it was, in fact, positively in the best interest of Islam and Muslims even when such interest was not immediately served.

Its positive outcomes surfaced one year later when the Messenger of Allah conquered Mecca without fighting any war or meeting any resistance: it was then that people joined the ranks of the Muslims in large numbers. It was then that the Messenger of Allah called upon Umar ibn al-Khattab and showed him the result of his having remained silent rather than demanding what was right; he showed him the underlying wisdom of his silence at the Hudaybiya.

We provide such arguments only to highlight the truth which cannot be avoided: Assisted by supporters and helpers, falsehood will triumph over truth. Although Ali was with the truth, and the truth was inseparably on his side, he found neither supporters nor helpers to oppose Mu`awiyah and his lies, and because the latter had found a great many supporters to defeat the truth and subdue it. People, Imam Husayn said, are slaves of the life of this world; they give religion only their lip-service. They do not love the truth, and they incline to falsehood; the taste of the truth is bitter and hard, whereas falsehood is easy and accessible. Allah has surely said the truth when He said,

“Rather; he brought the truth, but most of them hate the truth” (Holy Qur'an, 23:70).

Yazid's falsehood won an apparent “victory” over Husayn's truth for the same reason. Likewise, the falsehood of Umayyad and Abbaside rulers trampled upon the truth regarding the Imams from among Ahlul Bayt who were all martyred while remaining silent, preferring the interest of Islam and Muslims to that of their own. And Allah made the Twelfth Imam disappear go into occultation to protect him from the mischief of the promoters of falsehood.

He took to silence and will continue to do so till the truth finds helpers and supporters. It is only then that Allah will permit him to come out to the open so that the revolution of the truth against falsehood may become universal; it will then, and only then, fill the world with justice and equity just as it is being constantly filled with injustice and iniquity. In other words, he will fill it with the truth after its being filled with falsehood.

Since most people hate the truth, they become the natural supporters of falsehood. Only a small number of people remain faithful to the truth. They cannot overcome the supporters of falsehood without Allah's help manifested through divine miracles. This is recorded in the Glorious Book of Allah during all wars and battles where the supporters of the truth had to fight those who supported falsehood:

“How often has a small force, by Allah's will, vanquished a big one?” (Holy Qur'an, 2:249).

Those who, despite their small number, persevere while supporting the truth will be assisted by Allah, Glory to Him, with miracles. He will send them powerful angels to fight on their side. Without such a direct interference from Allah, the truth can never subdue falsehood.

We nowadays are living through this painful reality: Truthful believers, those who support the truth wherein they believe, are helpless, vanquished, exiled, victimized, while the supporters of falsehood, those who disbelieve in Allah, are the rulers who hold in their hands the reins of government, wreaking havoc with the destiny, with the life and death, of their subjects.

The downtrodden among the believers can never score victory in their battle against the arrogant disbelievers except with the help of Allah, the most Exalted One. This is why many traditions indicate that miracles will take place upon the reappearance of al-Mahdi.

Yet this is not an invitation to apathy or idle anticipation: how can it be so while I have already indicated saying that he will not appear except when he has supporters and helpers? Suffices the truthful believers to uphold the true Islamic ideology embodied in the wilaya (authority) of Ahlul Bayt, I mean their upholding the Two Weighty Things: the Book of Allah and the Progeny of the Prophet, so that they may be the supporters and helpers of the Awaited al-Mahdi, the best of peace and salutations be upon him and his forefathers.

My success relies only on Allah; upon Him do I rely, and to Him shall I return.

Muhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi (of Tunisia)

Note

1. The translation of Tijani's book Fas'aloo Ahlul Dhikr (so ask those who have with them the knowledge of the Qur'an) has been published under the title Ask Those Who Know by Ansariyan Publications, P.O. Box 37185/187, Qum, Islamic Republic of Iran. _ Tr.

Introduction by ‘Ali Akbar Mazaheri

Look at the youth standing upon the origin of a new way with their hopes, abundant aspirations and hearts full of love and commotion, with the idea to move towards and independent and responsible life. They confront two important decisions, two vital obstacles, two lofty peaks and two big selections.

So they must necessarily cross through these two obstacles and reach for these peaks and take decisions regarding these two essentially important problems and make the selection.

It cannot be that they leave these two, or either one of them aside. And neither are they energetic enough to cross through them all alone, without any kind of guide or assistance, to reach their aim safely.

The good luck and prosperity or misfortune and misery of their lives is, to a great extent, connected and linked to these two decisions and selections.

If they are able to safely cross these two obstacles and peaks, then they have, to a great extent, neared themselves to prosperity and fortune. And if, God forbid, they do not succeed in making these decisions and selections (properly), then many difficulties and agonies will come into existence for them.

One of the two is choosing a job and the other is selecting a spouse.

Each of these two decisions and selections is big and sensitive; but one of them is even bigger and more sensitive than the other, and that is the selection of spouse.

One of the great Gnostics said: “If a man spends half of his life in the search of a suitable teacher, it is worthwhile, since he will become prosperous in the other half of it.”

I too say, “If a man spends half of his life searching for a proper and suitable spouse, it is worthwhile, because he will be prosperous, for the rest of his life.”1

Have you ever seen a successful man who does not have a capable woman beside him? And have you ever seen a prosperous woman who does not have a talented man beside her?

Usually every successful man has a capable woman beside him and every prosperous woman has a capable man beside her. If we observe, we will discover that it is so in every society. Even if we probe into history, we see the same. For example, Ibrahim (a.s) has Hajar beside him, whilst Musa (a.s) has Safoora at his back. Isa (Jesus) (a.s) has his mother Maryam at his side and Mohammad (S) has Khadija (s.a) beside him. We find Zahra (s.a) beside Ali (a.s), whilst Imam Hassan (a.s),

Imam Hussain (a.s), and Imam Sajjad (a.s) have Zainab (s.a) beside them. And similarly, beside all the scholars, thinkers, inventors, and reformers we usually observe capable gifted women as their wives, mothers or sisters.

Of course, because of the fact that women usually remained inside the house, they made less public appearance and so remained to a lesser degree, the focus of attention of historians, speakers, and writers. As a result, they glittered less. But since capable and talented men and women had their roles to play in each other's success and prosperity, there is no difference between them and they are equal and alike.

We can even go to the extent to say that the role of women in the success of men has been more than the role of men in the prosperity of women. Because woman is the axis and basis of life and the family and if this axis becomes anguished, disturbed and unbalanced, the foundation of life will become turbulent and weak. It is very difficult for men to succeed in a shaky and turbulent life, but if the woman is talented and capable, the man will ascend to heaven from her lap.2

And likewise, the capability and talent of each sex has and effect on the prosperity of the other, whereas the incapability, inefficiency and inferiority of each one have their effect upon the fate of the other.

An inferior, abject, ill-mannered and faithless woman destroys the life of a man and makes him sit upon the dust of abjectness and shame. And a base, mean, characterless, and faithless man will push the woman towards misfortune, a bleak life an psychological and spiritual diseases.

The Prophet (S) prays to Allah about a bad spouse, saying:

أعوذ بك من زوجة تشيبني قبل أوان مشيبي .

“Oh Allah! I take refuge in you from a wife who makes me old before my old age reaches me.”3

Only God knows what an abundance of huge amounts of energies are destroyed in this marsh. And what number of fresh souls become withered and emaciated in this field. And how many tragedies occur in this area. Woe to the man who has an evil and bad woman! And woe to then woman who becomes entangled with a vile and impure man!

What plentiful numbers of nice capable, religious and talented boys have been seen dragged and pushed into marshes and slimes as a result of marrying an incapable and base girl! And how many good, nice, capable, modest, beautiful and spirited girls with good tastes and talents have been pushed into a cesspool, as an effect of marrying an incapable, faithless, illogical and selfish boy and been totally destroyed.

Or, if both of them are good and capable, but are not and equal match and counterpart, proportional to each other, then even this situation creates difficulty And this is a very important and minute problem.

At a later stage, we will discuss spouses being equal counterparts, proportional to each other.

But right now, it is necessary to explain that goodness and fairness of both spouses alone is insufficient, but than them being a good match, proportionate to each other conventionally speaking, is also essential so they can move forwards together in harmony.

We have seen a great number of couples, which individually, are both good, but together they have a disorganised life, because they are not proportionate to each other. Each one lives a separate life to the other.

These couples too end up with conflict, disagreement, and some with divorce, whereas if each of them had married a proportionate spouse, they would have succeeded. I will explain this further, describing a few live examples.

A boy and a girl need assistance and guidance in this risky and sensitive field. I sit possible to leave the youth all alone in this much sensitive phase? They must have access to the people means, books and centers to assist and help them out. It is not really advisable to leave them alone.

How is it that a teacher and guide is needed for driving a car, constructing a building, travelling along an avenue and performing simple and ordinary things, but a teacher, a guide, and a guardian is not essential for choosing a mate, organising and establishing a long life, and laying the foundation of a human assembly?

The marriage of a girl and a boy is the starting point of a big human race. The marriage of the chief of believers, Ali (a.s), with Fatima Zahra (s.a) laid the foundation of a great race, which continues yet and will remain continuous and persistent up to the end of human history. And hereby, we are benefiting from the benevolence and beneficence of this scared relation and this blessed tree.

Imam Khomeini (r.a) and Ayatollah Khamene'i, the grand leaders, are the fruits of this blessed marriage. The marriage of Abu Sufian and Hind (the liver eater)4 also bought into being the foundation of an immoral race and so the Umayyad caliphs came into existence from this dirty relation Humanity has suffered great losses and continues facing difficulties at the hand of this corrupt tree.

Islam has set so many laws and topics, and stresses so much upon the subject of marriage and selection of spouses that makes one surprised and astonished.

(Professor) Mohammad Taqi Ja’fari used to say: “Bertrand Russell (the renowned European philosopher) wrote to me and asked, “Why has Islam given such value to, and formed laws for marriage?” In response to him, I wrote, “The problem is man. Marriage brings 'man' into existence.”5

The actual aim of the discussion in this book is making boys and girls familiar with the method and manner of choosing a spouse, so that they can succeed in this critical, serious and fate-making matter. But the other decision and selection, i.e., selecting a job, will Insha’Allah; be brought into consideration in another book.

Reminding of A Few Points

1- The stories and examples quoted this book are real and authentic, but the names of the people have been changed to protect their identity. Only in a few cases have the real names been used.

2- We hereby thank our dear honourable brothers, Mr. Jawad Chenari and Mr. Masood Azarbaijani who helped and co-operated realizing this book, Mr.Hussain fidaee of the Imam As-Sadiq (a.s) institute, Qom, who was responsible for composing and paging and to the publication centre of the Office of Islamic Propagation, at the seminary of Qom, which shouldered the responsibility of its publication. We pray to Allah to grant them abundant rewards.

3- This book is a preliminary in connection with the problems of the youth and Insha’Allah, we will take the relevant steps after it. Therefore, we would like thinkers, clear sighted and lucid personalities, the youth and respectable reader to send their views, suggestions, criticisms and observations to the writer, at the publisher's address, including real examples of their own experiences and anything which may relate to the topic of this book, as well as those things which may concern the younger generation and could be effective and a way-opener, so that they could be used in the following editions and books. Quite evidently, if such steps are taken with sincerity, they shall bring valuable and worthy rewards from Allah.

We also expect from young couples and all those who are inclined to take steps on the way to help and guide the younger generation to describe their sweet or bitter experiences, whether experienced directly or indirectly:

Experiences such as success or failure in the selection of a spouse, the ways of spending the periods of engagement and ‘Aqad (the period after Nikah and before real marriage life), the do's and don'ts of these periods, the successes and failures of the phases of spouse-selection, engagement period, marriage, after marriage and the initiating of a new joint life, its continuation, along with the causes and factors of success and failure and their biographies, so that these milestones can be living guides for young people at the starting point of their lives toward the achievement of prosperous lives.

Meanwhile, if you are inclined, we will use your real names, but if you refer us not to do so, you can write to us and we will use fictitious names, just as we have done in most of the examples quoted in this book.

We pray to Almighty Allah for His pleasure and guidance.

Ali Akbar Mazaheri

Seminary of Qum, Spring, 1373 (S.H.)

Notes

1. Of course, it doesn’t mean delaying the marriage; rather it means subtlety and carefulness in choosing the spouse. We shall explain it in the future discussions.

2. Here Imam Khomeini’s famous saying has been hinted at: “Man ascends to heaven from the lap of woman”.

3. Wasail al-Shia, vol.14,p22.

4. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufian, chewed the liver of Hazrat Hamza (a.s) after his being martyred in the Uhud battle.

5. His lessons about Nahjul Balagha in television.

Chapter One: Excellence of Marriage

Man and Woman: Enhancements of Each Other

Allah created man in a manner in which he is incomplete and imperfect without a spouse. Man may upgrade his knowledge, faith and qualities, but he shall never reach the desired perfection while he does not have a spouse. (Be it man or woman).

Nothing can substitute marriage and the raising of a family. Both the male and female sexes need each other from a spiritual, as well as physical point of view. And each one of them is incomplete and imperfect when alone and in solitude. When they are placed beside each other, they complete each other. This is the law of creation and it commands the whole universe.

The Qur’an calls man and woman the dress of each other.

هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَهُنَّ

“They (wives) are as a dress for you (husbands) and you are as a dress for them.” (2: 187)

That is to say, they are the enhancement, counterpart, and guard of each other’s honour and secrets, and each one needs the other. Man cannot live honourably and eminently in society without dress. He feels himself in a state of imperfection. The lonely person too feels himself imperfect.

Dress saves and protects a person from the effects of winter and summer. The spouse too saves one from worries, futility, homelessness, aimlessness, and solitude. As a dress decorates man, spouses too are the decoration of each other.

Spouse: A Big Blessing From Allah

One of the greatest blessings of Allah to man is a nice life- partner. The Prophet (S) said in this regard:

ما اسْتَفَادَ امْرُؤٌ مُسْلِمٌ فَائِدَةً بَعْدَ الإسْلامِ أفْضَلَ مِنْ زَوْجَةٍ مُسْلِمَةٍ (أو صَالِحَةٍ ).

“The Muslim man has not achieved any benefit (from Allah’s blessings) better than a suitable Muslim wife, after Islam.”1

Marriage Philosophy

It is possible that some people who have not appreciated the depth of the philosophy of marriage and setting up of a joint life may say: ‘We satisfy our sexual lust through many other means apart from marriage and fulfil this desire through other ways, so what is the need of accepting the responsibility of marriage?”

It should be said in response to this creed and question that fulfilment of sexual desire and lust is not the only achievement and advantage of marriage. It is only one of its benefits. Instead, apart from soothing and comforting the sexual instinct, it has many other aspects and dimensions of excellence, worth and importance, like raising a family.

It gifts man with other factors such as commitment, completion, progress, maturity, development of personality, comfort and many more valuable benefits. Commitment to a wife and family brings magnanimity, splendour and a sense of social responsibility, and makes many of his capabilities and sleeping talents bloom and bear fruit.

After marriage, the personality of a man changes into a social personality and he considers himself absolutely responsible for the security of his wife and children’s future. On this account, he uses the sum total of his senses, initiatives and abilities.”2

There is an enjoyment and progress in raising a family to which nothing can be the substitute. Martyr Mutahhari (ra) says in this regard:

“There are ethical characteristics, which can not be achieved, except in the school of family raising. The foundation of a family means developing a kind of interest in the fate of others. The moralists and ascetics who have not crossed through this phase have a sort of immaturity and childhood in their personalities to the end of their lives. And it is one of the reasons why marriage has been stressed upon as a sacred matter and a service in Islam. Marriage is the first and preliminary phase of exit from the (shell of) natural personal self, and the expansion of human’s personality.”3

Similarly, he says about the training mode of marriage:

“There is a maturity, a maturity, which does not take shape except in the shade of marriage and raising of family. It is not shaped in school, formed in a crusade against ego, nor is it inculcated and raised through night vigil and prayers. It does not even come into existence through love and attachment with pious ones.”4

What a large number of people have been observed who did not follow any principles of ethics, religion, and society, and a form of frivolity, heedlessness, and debauchery overwhelmed their character. But after getting married, their character, morale, and attitude changed and they became sober and dignified. And their habits and manners began to show a kind of graciousness and sagaciousness.

“Spouse”: The Sign of Allah’s Wisdom and Source of Man’s Comfort

Allah, who is the Creator of human beings and knows their peculiarities, characteristics, nature and instincts, described the creation of man and woman and placing them side by side, as one of His wisdoms and signs, and introduced marriage as the cause of love, affection, beneficence and comfort of man, saying:

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ مَوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

“And one of His signs is that he created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He put between you love and compassion; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.”(30:21)

This peace and comfort is not the common and ordinary conventional comfort, which psychologists and psychiatrists describe; instead, in addition to that, it includes dignity, grace, balance of thought, vision and spirit, the feeling of being worthy and having a serious personality and the achievement of additional honour, status and so on.

Marriage: The Improver of the Value of Man’s Practices

Marriage and family raising imprints such an effect upon the existence of man by upgrading the worth of his personality on the way to its maturity, that even his practices and services become more valued and worthier before Allah and the angels, so that its value goes up to many times the previous one. For example, consider this Hadith of Imam Ja’far (a.s):

رَكْعَتانِ يُصَلِّيهِما المُتَزَوِّجُ أفْضَلُ مِن سَبْعِينَ رَكعَة يُصَلِّيهَا العَزِبُ .

“Two cycles of service offered by a married person is more excellent and worthier than seventy cycles of service offered by a bachelor and unmarried person.”5

The Loveliest Centre to Allah

The unit which is formed through marriage is the object of Allah’s love and kindness, and He views it with tenderness and benevolence. The great ambassador of Allah (S) has put it in this way:

“No construction has been constructed lovelier than marriage to Allah- May He be honoured and glorified.”6

What prosperity and beneficence can be loftier than Allah’s love for one’s family and dwelling (that too in the super way) and viewing it with love, affection, and kindness?

The Medal of Honour

Ali (a.s), the chief of believers, has described a very worthy fact about the value of marriage:

لَمْ يَكُن أحَدٌ مِن أصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلّى اللهُ عَليهِ وَآلهِ يَتَزَوَّجُ إلاّ قَالَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيه وَآلهِ: “كمل دينه .”

“There were none of the friends of the Prophet (S) who would marry but the Prophet (S) would say his faith (religion) had been completed.”7

What a surprise! Marriage has this much worth and value that the Prophet of Allah (S) decorated the chests of those who married with medals of honor.

It is evident from these words of the Prophet (S) that while a person does not marry, his faith lies in danger. This is because sexual instinct, spiritual pressures, sense of solitude and futility, being devoid of shelter and the lack of a sense of social responsibility, as well as many other harms of remaining unmarried can damage the roots of man’s faith and destabilize it.

Marriage and establishing a family and resting beside an excellent, virtuous, lovely, sympathetic and faithful spouse not only controls sexual lust, but also a spiritual relaxation and comfort is achieved.

At the same time, man’s dependence and trust upon Allah is increased and grows. He moves out of the apprehensive condition and homelessness. He senses and feels security and personality. His eyes and mind are distracted and detached from other places, and concentrate and focus on his spouse.

Consequently, he achieves more proximity and nearness to Allah, and Allah’s beneficences cover him up more than ever, and his faith is strengthened and reaches completion.

Reminder

Of course, we must be attentive to the fact that these glowing and shining results come to hand when the correct and true standards of “spouse selection”, family raising and the preparations of marriage are carefully and correctly observed.

In the next chapters, we will Insha’Allah discuss the topics of correct criterions and standards and the know how of crossing the preliminaries of marriage.

Notes

1. Wasail al-Shia vol 14. p 23.

2. Tafseer al-Nemoone, vol. 14, p 465.

3. Education and training in Islam, Sadra Publications, p 251 to 252.

4. Education and training in Islam, Sadra Publications, p 398.

5. Wasail Al-Shia, vol. 14, p 6.

6. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 103, p. 222.

7. Makaremul Akhlaq, p 99.