Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

3. The Islamic System in the View of the Shia

The Shia believe that the Islamic system consists of the laws which regulate the life of a person from before birth until after death. They also regulate society and strive to develop the land and advance life and bring about the happiness of mankind in this life and the next. These laws are such as the laws of selling, renting, trade, politics, economics, the army, the State, agriculture, construction, mortgages, travel, residency, security, marriage, divorce, the judiciary, testaments, reparations, inheritance, etc.

To show the comprehensiveness of Islam and that it answers every need of mankind and society we have selected from the Holy Quran and the traditions some texts which show the broad lines of Islamic thought in all areas of life:

1. Doctrine. Almighty Allah has said in the Quran: “Say: We believe in Allah and what He has revealed to us and what He revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Tribes and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord47 . 2. Worship. Almighty Allah has said in the Quran: “And I did not create mankind and the Jinn except that they may worship Me48 .

3. Education. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “Are they equal? - Those who know and those who do not know”49 . Also, in the traditions: ‘The seeking of knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim man and woman.’50 .

4. Equality - No racial discrimination. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “The most honourable of you in the sight of Allah is the most pious of you”51 . Also, in the traditions:

‘People are equal like the tooth of a comb’52 .

5. Peace. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “O you who believe, enter into peace one and all53 .

6. Honour. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And we have honoured the sons of Adam and have borne him in the land and in the sea and we have sustained them with the good things”54 .

7. Trade. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “O you who believe, do not eat up your wealth amongst yourselves unjustly, but it should be trade by mutual consent amongst yourselves”55 .

8. Politics. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And their affairs are [decided by] mutual consultation amongst themselves”56 .

And in the hadith, “[The Almighty] made ye [the Ahl al-Bayt] the leaders of the people”.57

9. The Army and Power. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And prepare for them what you can in the way of force”58 .

10. The Conquest of Space. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “O you the Jinn and mankind, if you are able to penetrate the realms of the heavens and the earth then do so. uou will not do so without authority”59 . Also in the traditions: ‘If knowledge was to be found in the Pleiades men would attain it.’60 , and in another tradition: ‘I am more knowledgeable about the ways of the heavens than the ways of the earth.’61

11. Love. Almighty Allah has said in the Quran: “And He has placed between you love and mercy”62 .

12. Freedom. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran in description of the Prophet (S): “And he puts off their heavy burdens and the fetters that were upon them”63 . Also, in the traditions: ‘Do not be the slave of another when Allah has made you free.’64 Also, there is the Islamic principle [which is derived from the prophetic hadith]: ‘people have authority over their wealth and their selves.’65

13. Combatting Crime. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And do not transgress”66 He has also said: “And whoever transgresses thereafter will have a painful torment”67 . He has also said: “Verily the punishment of those who make war on Allah and His Prophet and strive to make corruption in the land is that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off”68 .

14. Cleanliness. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “Verily Allah loves those who repent and He loves those who purify themselves”69 . In the traditions: ‘Cleanliness is a part of faith.’70

15. Beauty. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “Put on your finery at every prayer place”71 . And in the traditions: ‘Allah is beautiful and loves beauty.’72

16. Health. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And eat and drink but do not be excessive”73 . In the traditions: ‘Fast and be healthy.’74 , ‘Make the pilgrimage and be healthy.’75 , and ‘Travel and be healthy.’76

17. Making use of the potentialities of the universe. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And He has made subject to you the sun and the moon, contatnt in their courses, and he has made subject to you the night and the day g and He has given you all that you asked of Him”77 .

18. Reconciliation. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran:

“And reconciliation is best”78 . He has also said: “And if two groups of believers fight then make peace between them”79 . He has also said: “If the two of them seek to put things to rights then Allah will bring accord between them”80 .

19. Co-operation. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And co-operate in righteousness and piety”81 .

20. Unity. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And this is your nation - a single nation”82 . He has also said: “And be not disunited”83 . He has also said: “And do not dispute amongst yourselves lest you fail and your power will go”84 .

21. Work. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And say: act”85 . Also, in the traditions: ‘One who toils to support his dependants is like one who engages in holy struggle in the way of Allah.’86

22. Virtue and good morals. Almighty Allah has said of the Prophet (S) in the Holy Quran: “And he purifies you and teaches you the book and wisdom”87 . The Almighty also said regarding the Prophet (S): “And indeed you have sublime morals”88 . Also, in the traditions related from the Prophet (S): ‘I was sent to perfect the noblest of morals.’89

23. Tranquillity and the absence of anxiety. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “Indeed it is through the remembrance of Allah that the hearts find tranquility”90 . He has also said: “And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart”91 .

24. Justice. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And if you speak then be just”92 He has also said: “And stand upright in equity”93 . He has also said: “Verily Allah orders justice and benefaction”94 .

25. Responsibility and social vigilance. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “Let there be of you a nation which invites to what is best, and orders good and forbids evil”95 .

26. Progress. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “Race towards the good things”96 . Also, in the traditions: ‘Whoever has two days the same is a loser.’97

27. Seeking the middle course in all things. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And in this way we made you a nation of the middle”98 .

28. Riches. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And if only the people of the towns had faith and piety we would open upon them blessings from the heavens and the earth”99 . In the traditions: ‘How excellent a helper in religion is independence.’100

29. Social Responsibility. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And know that whatever you gain one fifth of it belongs to Allah”101 . He also has said: “Verily charity is for the poor and the indigent . .”102 .

30. Ease and Tolerance. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And for you to forgive is closer to piety”103 He has also said: “Allah desires for ye ease and He does not desire hardship for ye”104 .

31. Civilisation. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “He raised you up from the earth and let you dwell therein”105 . He has also said: “And We made from you peoples and tribes so that you may know one another”106 . Also, in the traditions: ‘Seek knowledge, for if you do not you will be nought but uncivil desertdwellers.’107

32. Life . with all that is meant by the word ‘life’. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “O you who believe, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to what will give you life”108 .

33. This world and the hearafter. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And of them there are those who say: O Our Lord, give us in this world good and in the next world good”109 . In the traditions: ‘Work for your worldly life as if you will live forever; and work for your afterlife as if you will die tomorrow.’110

34. A law for everything. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “Today I have completed for ye your religion and perfected my blessings upon ye”111 . He has also said: “And We sent down upon you the book as an explanation of everything”112 .

35. Manufacture. In the book nahj al-balaghah related from Imam Ali (a.s.): ‘And have concern for the merchants and craftsmen and give them good counsel.’113 Ali (a.s.) also said:

‘There is no basis to society without merchants and craftsmen.’114

36. Agriculture. In the traditions it is said: ‘The farmers are Allah’s treasures in the earth.’115

37. Development. Also in the book nahj al-balaghah: ‘And let your concern for developing the land be more far reaching than your concern for extracting the land tax.’116

38. Organisation. In the traditions: ‘I urge you by Allah to organise your affairs.’117

39. Empathy between the government (the legal authorities) and the people. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran:

Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority over you”118 . In the book nahj al-balaghah: ‘Let your heart feel mercy for your subordinates.’119

40. Lastly . universality. Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran regarding the Prophet (S): “And We sent you not but as a mercy to the worlds”120 . He also said: “And We sent you not but as a bearer of good news and a warner for all the people”121 . In the traditions: ‘The people are of two types - either your brother in religion or your equal in creation.’122

Thus the Shia are the practical and authentic expression of the way of Islam as put forward by the Prophet (S) and his pure household (a.s.). They are the practical form of all that is mentioned in the Holy Quran and the traditions.

Shiite Doctrine

Shiite doctrines and beliefs are derived from two original sources of Islam - the Quran and the sunnah (the teachings of the prophet Muhammad). They can be summarised as follows:

Divine Unity (tawhid)

The Shia believe that Allah (Allah ) is the Lord and sustainer and that he is the creator of this wide existence which contains millions of galaxies in which are stars larger than our sun by sixty million times, the sun being larger than the earth by thousands of times. This is Allah who has no partner or associate and He is just in his acts and commands, everlasting and subsisting, eternally living, all knowing and all powerful, giving of life and death. In His hands is all good and He has power over all things.

Prophethood (nubuwwah)

The Shia believe that Muhammad (S) is their Prophet and that he was sent as a mercy to the worlds by Allah, and that he is the last and ‘seal’ of the prophets. He came to the world with the religion of Islam as Almighty Allah’s chosen religion. The Prophet Muhammad (S) is the one who teaches humanity what will benefit them in this world and the next; beginning from the advent of his mission in the holy city of Mecca until the end of time. His religion (Islam) abrogates all previous religions.

The Prophets

The prophets according to Shiite belief are the messengers of Almighty Allah to His creation. They were sent to the people with Allah’s laws, and Allah authorised them to lead the people in their worldly lives and direct them towards paradise in the next life. They are 124,000 in number; the first being Adam and the last and best of them being Muhammad ibn Abdullah (S). May Allah’s blessings be upon them all.

There are five ‘Arch prophets’ meaning that their divine messages were universal - Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (Blessings and peace be upon them all.). The prophets are all brothers in Allah and we venerate and are allied to them all and, as the Quran says: “We do not distinguish between any of His messengers”123 .

Islam

The Shia believe that Islam is the religion of Allah sent down from the heavens to rescue mankind from all problems and to bring about the people’s happiness in this world and the next. The Shia believe that it is obligatory to implement Islam in all areas of life - politics, economics, education, society, war, peace, in the house, in the school, in the workplace, in the barracks, and in all other stages of life.

Islam is a complete religion providing for all the needs of humanity in every place and at every time. Almighty Allah has said: “Today I have perfected for ye your religion and completed my blessings upon ye and have chosen for ye Islam as your religion”124 . Therefore Islam lacks nothing and it is the best of religions and principles. If humanity implemented it eThey would eat from above them and beneath their feet”125 . Islam then is the true religion and none other will be accepted by Allah, and mankind will not find happiness in this world and salvation in the next except by Islam. Almighty Allah has said: “And whoever desires a relgion other than Islam it will not be accepted from him and in the next life he will be among the losers”126 .

Implementing Islam in the world is the hope of the Shia, for Islam provides for every person: correct belief; freedom for individuals and groups; happiness of life through being saved from poverty, illness, ignorance and crime; complete peace between countries, individuals, and nations. Every person has the right to free thought, free speech, freedom to work, freedom to travel and settle, freedom to write, all of this in a pure framework offered by tolerant Islamic law.

Islam consists of fundamentals (osool al-deen), ‘branches’ (foroo‘ al-deen), laws (ahkam al-deen), and morals (akhlaq). Whoever denies one of the fundamentals is considered to be an unbeliever. One is also considered unbeliever if one denies - without being ignorant or subject to ambiguity - any of the other three sections127 . One who does not follow the laws of Islam in his personal life without denying them is considered to be a wrongdoer (fasiq) as Almighty Allah has said: “Whoever does not rule by what Allah has revealed then they are the wrongdoers”128 . The Fundamentals of Islam are divine unity (tawhid), prophethood (nobuwwah) and resurrection (ma‘ad); and following on from divine unity there is divine justice (‘adl) and from prophethood the imamate (imamah).

The ‘Branches’ of Islam are prayer, fasting, tithe, alms, pilgrimage, jihad, enjoining the good, forbidding the bad, allegiance to Allah and His authorities (tawalli), and disassociation from the enemies of Allah and the enemies of His authorities (tabarri), as well as all other types of acts of worship such as the ablutions (wudu’), ritual bath (ghusl), purification with earth (tayammum), spiritual retreat to the mosque (i‘tikaf), etc. The Laws of Islam are all of the systems and laws which the Messenger of Allah (S) brought from Almighty Allah such as the laws of buying and selling, mortgaging129 , renting, divorce, marriage, the judiciary, bearing witness, inheritance, retribution, compensations and the like.

The Shia believe that Islam has not neglected to make clear anything, so politics, economics, education, society, peace, war, agriculture, manufacturing, family life, government and all other affairs to do with mankind from his birth to his death are all clarified in Islam and have particular systems and just laws. If mankind implemented them they would find happiness in this world and the next.

Also, ‘That which Muhammad has declared lawful will remain lawful until the day of resurrection and that which he has declared unlawful will remain unlawful until the day of resurrection.’130

The Qur’an

According to Shiite belief, the Holy Quran which is read by all Muslims day and night is Islam’s holy book and it is the Messenger of Allah’s miracle. If the jinn and mankind gathered together to bring the like of it they would not be able to do so even if they assisted one another. The Quran is that book which is existent today distributed all over the world in many languages and is recited day and night in houses and mosques and on the radio.

There has been no corruption of it and no substitution, no addition and no subtraction and Allah has protected it from those who seek to corrupt it and no-one has been able to add even a single letter or subtract a single letter. As Almighty Allah has said: “Verily We sent down the reminder (the Quran) and We are its protectors”131 . The Shia believe that the Quran was collated in the form we have it today - beginning with the opening chapter (al-fatihah) and ending with the chapter entitled ‘mankind’ (al-nas) - during the time of the Messenger of Allah (S) by order of Allah and under the supervision of His Messenger (S) without corruption or substitution, and without bringing forward or putting back. What some claim about the Qur’"n being collated after the death of the Messenger of Allah is not correct. The Qur’"n is the last of the divine books which Allah sent down upon His messenger Mu9ammad ibn Abdullah (S) to bring the people out of the darkness of ignorance, poverty and crime to the light of knowledge, truth and happiness. By this Allah completed the divine laws and made it a constitution for all humanity until the day of resurrection. The Quran was the source of honour and happiness to the first Muslims since they took it as a constitution to be implemented.

So if current and future Muslim generations wish to attain progress and development, they need to act according to the Qur’an and implement its teaching, and they abandon it, they will be entangled with hardship and deviance. The Almighty states and whoever disregards My message, his shall have a wretched life, and on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him blind.132

The Shia concern themselves with the Quran to the utmost in its study, its recital in a beautiful way, in its exegesis, in memorising it by heart, and in acting by it and adhering to it, and in respecting it. They have special schools for the memorisation of the Quran, and their policy is to implement the [teachings of the] Quran in their lives and to invite the rest of the world to it.

Direction of Prayer

The Shia believe that the direction for prayer (qiblah) is the holy house of the Kabah in Mecca (may Allah increase its holiness) and that prayer is not correct unless directed towards it.

Imamate

The Shia believe that the successors to the Messenger of Allah (S) are the twelve Imams who were declared for successorship by the Messenger of Allah (S) himself and appointed them as his successors after him at the command of Allah.133 Furthermore the prophet said: ‘Whoever dies without knowing the Imam (leader) of his time has died the death of the age of ignorance.’134 He also said: ‘The successors (khulafa) after me will be twelve.’135

These twelve Imams are:

1. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (Amir al-Mo’mineen) (a.s.).

2. Imam Hasan ibn Ali. (al-Mujtaba) (a.s.).

3. Imam Husayn ibn Ali (Sayyid al-Shuhada’) (a.s.).

4. Imam Ali ibn Husayn (al-Sajjad) (a.s.).

5. Imam Muhammad ibn Ali (al-Baqir) (a.s.).

6. Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad (al-sadiq) (a.s.).

7. Imam Musa ibn Jafar (al-Kadim) (a.s.).

8. Imam Ali ibn Musa (al-Rida) (a.s.).

9. Imam Muhammad ibn Ali (al-Jawad) (a.s.).

10. Imam Ali ibn Muhammad (al-Hadi) (a.s.).

11. Imam Hasan ibn Ali (al-Askari) (a.s.).

12. Imam Muhammad ibn Hasan (al-Muntadar al-Mahdi) (a.s.).

The Awaited Imam Mahdi

The Sh:‘ah believe that the twelfth Imam - the Mahdi (a.s.) - is alive and in the world and hidden from sight by order of Almighty Allah. When Allah permits him, he will emerge and fill the earth with justice and equity after it having been filled with wrongdoing and injustice; as the Prophet (S) foretold in many ubiquitous traditions136 related by all Muslim scholars, Sunni and Shia alike, in their trusted books. If one looks at the books muntakhab alathar137 and al-Mahdi138 one will come to know the great amount of narrations from the noble messenger Muhammad (S) and his pure household on this subject.

Our desire and request from Allah is that the Mahdi appear as the Prophet foretold139 and all Muslims should await his appearance and his victory and pray for him night and day for he is the rescuer of the world from destruction and corruption. (Oh Allah, hasten his victory and ease his emergence and make us of his helpers.) In addition, modern science agrees that it is possible for a person to remain alive for thousands of years, and in the Holy Quran regarding Noah it is said that: “So he remained amongst them for one thousand years save fifty years”140 .

Infallibility

The Shia believe that the noble Prophet (S), his daughter Fatimah al-Zahra (a.s.), and the twelve Imams (a.s.) are infallible and incapable of sin, error or forgetfulness since Allah has protected them from these things. There are evidences for this from both rational and traditional sources. Almighty Allah has said: Verily Allah wishes to take away from you all impurity, O Ahl al-Bayt (people of the house), and to purify you a thorough purification”141 This verse is related to the above mentioned infallibles in most Quranic commentaries.142 Additionally, the faculty of reason does not permit that the source of divine laws be exposed to the possibility of error and sin otherwise his words and actions could not be relied upon.

These fourteen infallibles are the authorities of Allah and those who follow them will be saved and those who lag behind them will perish. So it is obligatory to follow their every word, deed and ratification, and this is known as the sunnah or way of the Prophet (S) according to the terminology of the jurists.

These pure people laid down the rules for a noble life - under the directions of Almighty Allah - and they are preferable to all the other discoverers, politicians, and scholars and the like. The Prophet and Knowledge of the Unseen The Shia believe that the Prophet (S) knows the unseen by permission of Almighty Allah; he knows the past, present and future as taught to him by Allah. As Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “And He does not show His unseen to anyone except as He pleases to a messenger143 So Almighty Allah shows the messenger His unseen and the messenger teaches that to whoever he wishes at the command of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (S) did this and taught his household (a.s.) the unseen.

Allegiance and Dissociation

The Shia believe that it is obligatory to be allied (tawalli) to Allah and His messenger and His authorities/patrons (awliya’), and that it is obligatory to be disassociated (tabarri) from the enemies of Allah and the enemies of His messenger and the enemies of His authorities/patrons.

Resurrection

The Shia believe in resurrection on the day of judgement which is the day when the believer who obeys Allah will find salvation and be rewarded with gardens of heaven which are as wide as the heavens and the earth; and the unbeliever who is sinful will be punished in the hellfire in the most severe physical and psychological pain.

Divine Decree

The Shia believe in the concept of revelation in the divine decree (bada) but in the correct way according to Allah’s words: “Allah effaces whatever He wishes and affirms [whatever He wishes]”144 The meaning of bada is revealing after concealing. This does not mean that Almighty Allah did not know something and then came to know it, for that is blatant heresy and no Muslim would say such a thing.

Compulsion and Delegation

The Shia, based on the traditions, believe that [on the question of human free will] ‘there is no compulsion (jabr) and no delegation (tafwid) rather a matter between the two matters.’145 This means that a person is not compelled in his/her actions, nor is he/she absolutely free to act. Bodily organs and limbs and powers are from Almighty Allah, and the will to act well or ill is from the person. If he/she acts well then this is due to Allah’s blessing, and if he/she acts ill then this is due to the person in question.

Dissimulation

The Sh:’ah believe in dissimulation (taqiyyah) as sanctioned by Islamic Law. Dissimulation in its correct form is one of the teachings of Islam. Its meaning is that it is obligatory for a person to protect his person and property and honour and those of all other believers from the unbelievers and the wrongdoers. The Holy Quran and the Prophet (S) and Imams (a.s.) have sanctioned this. In the Quran it says: “Let not the believers take the unbelievers for allies instead of the believers. Whoever does this is not of Allah at all, unless that ye guard yourselves against them”146 Almighty Allah has also said in the Quran: “And He has not placed upon you any hardship in the religion”147 .

Temporary Marriage

The Shia believe in the legality of the divine law of temporary marriage or nik"9 al-mutah148 . Almighty Allah has said: And those of whom ye seek content (by marrying them), give unto them their dowries as an obligation”149 . Also they believe that the mutah of the .ajj pilgrimage which the Messenger of Allah (S) ordered his companions to do in the farewell pilgrimage is part of Islam. Mutah, as with all the other laws of Islam is valid for ever150 , since ‘that which Muhammad has declared lawful will remain lawful until the day of resurrection and that which he has declared unlawful will remain unlawful until the day of resurrection.’151

Prostrating upon Pure Earth

The Shia believe that it is correct only to prostrate on the earth or what grows from it other than that which is edible or wearable as clothing.152 The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ‘The earth has been made a place of prostration for me and its soil is purifying.’153 Usually the Shia keep a tablet of clean pure earth with them upon which to prostrate to Allah during the ritual prayer since one cannot always easily find clean earth everywhere. They do not prostrate in a place not knowing whether it is clean or unclean. Often this tablet of clay comes from the earth of the holy site of Karbala’, the place where Imam Husayn ibn Ali (a.s.), grandson of the Prophet (S), is buried. There are narrations from the Prophet’s household (a.s.) which mention that it is recommended to pray on the earth of Karbala’. This reminds one of how one should defend Islam and make sacrifices in the way of religion just as Imam Husayn rose up against oppression and tyranny.

Combining the Prayers

The Shia believe that it is permissible to combine the noon (duhr) and afternoon (ANr) prayers, and the sunset (maghrib) and evening (isha) prayers as well as it being permissible to pray them separately. This is because the Prophet (S), at certain times, used to combine these prayers [at home, and not for reasons of fear, rain or being on a journey] as is found in a number of traditions.154 Combining the prayers is a way to hasten on the good155 as Almighty Allah has said: “And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord”156 and He has said: “Race for the good things”157 In addition, combining the prayers makes it easy for Allah’s servants as Allah has said: “Allah desires for you ease and He does not desire for you difficulty”158

The Shia also have sufficient evidences for the various legal issues159 such as the ritual ablution (wudu) in the way that is practiced by the Shia, and the adhan or the call to prayer in the way known to them, and praying with the hands by the sides and the like. They restrict themselves to taking minor and major Islamic laws from the Quran and the traditions and proven consensus and reason.

Intercession

The Shia believe that intercession or shafaAh is correct as is to be found in the Holy Quran and the authentic traditions.160 Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Quran: “they do not intercede except for someone He approves of”161 Beseeching the Prophet and his Pure Family The Shia believe it is permissible to seek a way to Allah (tawassul) through beseeching or pleading to the Prophet (S) and his pure family (a.s.). Allah has said of them in the Quran: “And seek the way (wasilah) to Him”162 . The Shia also believe that it is permissible to seek the aid of Ahl al-Bayt in asking for needs to be fulfilled by Almighty Allah, for they are alive and receiving sustenance with their Lord, as is found in the Quranic verse about the martyrs163 who have a lesser station than the Prophet (S).164 Just as the companions of the Prophet (S) used to seek a way to Allah through the Prophet (S) and would seek their needs from him when he was alive in the world165 , it is permissible for Muslims to seek a way to Allah through him and seek their needs from him now when the Prophet (S) is alive in the afterlife. The Prophet (S) and his pure household (a.s.) have a high station with Allah so Muslims seek a way to Allah through them to ask Allah to fulfil their needs.

Almighty Allah has said: “And if, when they wrong their own selves, they were to come to you [the Prophet]166 and seek forgiveness from Allah and the Messenger seeks forgiveness for them they would find Allah turning towards them, merciful”167 Therefore, seeking a way to Almighty Allah (tawassul) through the station of pious people in their graves such as the Prophets and friends of Allah is permissible because of the solid evidences from the Quran and the traditions and consensus as well as the practices of the Muslims in this regard.168 Visiting Shrines and Seeking Blessings From Them The Shia believe that it is a commendable act to make a visitation to the grave of the Prophet (S) and the pure Imams [of Ahl al-Bayt] and that it is permissible to seek blessings from them as is found in many holy traditions.169 For they are alive and receiving sustenance with their Lord. Almighty Allah has said: “Do not think that those who have been killed in the way of Allah are dead. Nay they are alive with their Lord receiving sustenance”170 and it is obvious that the Prophet (S) and members of his household have more virtue than the martyrs as we mentioned previously.

For these reasons the Shia visit their graves and seek blessings from their relics171 and kiss their shrines; and this is to show love for Allah and for His pure and saintly friends and is not at all any kind of worship of other than Allah. It is simply respect for the person in the shrines, just as people respect the binding of the Holy Quran and kiss it; not because it is leather but because it is associated with the Holy Quran. In the same way, Islam has ordered respect for ‘the black stone’ [of the holy Kabah] and the kissing of it; because it is one of the rites and symbols of Allah not because it is stone-worship. Kissing the pure shrines is meritorious and brings one closer to Allah and it is like kissing the black stone which the Messenger of Allah (S) himself kissed.172

The Building of Shrines

The Shia believe that it is permissible to erect building around the tombs and that it is recommended to build mosques and domes and shrines around the graves of the Prophet (S), the Pure Imams (a.s.), the faithful Companions of the Prophet (S), and the great Islamic personalities. Indeed, this is considered to be one of the best ways of drawing near to Almighty Allah. This is part of what is meant by Allah’s words: “And whoever magnifies the symbols of Allah it is surely of the piety of the hearts”173 , and also his words regarding the youths of the cave: “And those who prevailed over their affair said: we shall surely build over them a place of worship”174 This is also confirmed by traditions.

Building over tombs and graves was practiced by Muslims throughout the generations from the beginning of Islam, and the grave of the Prophet (S) in the holy city of Medina and the graves of the Imams (a.s.) and those of the righteous scholars in various Islamic lands are the best testimony to this.175

The Visiting of Graves

The Shia believe that is permissible, rather, meritorious to visit graves. This is because the practise of visiting graves provides a lesson for those who wish to take heed or fear Allah. There are many traditions on this subject.176 Women and the Visiting of Graves The Shia also believe that it is religiously recommended for women to enter the graveyard of Baqi or other graves of Prophets, Imams, and righteous persons since women are equal to men in divine law except where there is a clear evidence to the contrary. In this case there is no evidence to the contrary and in fact the evidence points to it being permissible.177 Prayer in the cemetery of Baqi!

The Shia also believe that prayer in the cemetery of Baqi or in the resting places of the Prophets or Imams and righteous persons is religiously recommended in Islam and that there is no evidence for the prohibition of this.178 Almighty Allah has said in the story of the people of the cave: “We shall surely make over them a prayer place”179

Weeping and Mourning for Imam Husayn

The Shia believe in the permissibility, indeed, the merit of weeping for the tribulations of the Prophet (S) and his pure family (a.s.) and it is for this reason that they hold mourning ceremonies particularly for the martyred Imam Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). The Prophet (S) ordered Muslims to weep for his uncle Hamza the martyr of the battle of Uhud180 , and he also wept for Imam Husayn before his martyrdom.181 This has been a normal practice for Muslims since the advent of Islam.

No to Slandering and Excommunication

The Shia, then, in all these aforementioned matters have religiously legal and rational evidences which are mentioned in the detailed books which have been printed and are distributed in all Islamic countries. So we ask why is there, from some quarters, slandering of the Imami Shia and attributing impiety and unbelief to them? A Muslim should not call another an unbeliever or impious or slander him or her simply because of differences in legal opinion. Rather, one should try to understand the evidences of the other party and its sources for religious rulings. In our opinion, Muslims should use their energies to unite and combat the enemies of Islam and rescue their lands from the pillagers, rather than false accusations of impiety and infidelity.

Mandatory Duties and Islamic Laws

The Shia believe that it is necessary to establish prayer (salah), and fasting (sawm), and to pay the mandatory tithes (khums) and alms (zakah), and to make the .ajj pilgrimage, and to struggle in the way of Allah (jihad), and to enjoin the good and forbid the evil, and to be allied with the friends of Allah (tawalli), and to be disassociated with the enemies of Allah (tabarri), and to fulfil all the mandatory acts, and abstain from all prohibited acts, and to keep away from vices and develop virtues. They believe that it is mandatory to implement all laws of Islam in all areas: acts of worship, social contracts, judiciary, testimonies, criminal punishments, reparations and all the other laws which are recorded in the books of Islamic jurisprudence and which come to almost one hundred thousand laws.

They also believe that all individual and social affairs should be consistent with Islam, in politics and economics, state and nation, morals and etiquettes, social interaction, marriage and divorce, crime and punishment and so forth.

Islamic Morals

The Shia believe that it is incumbent to adopt virtuous morals and Islamic etiquettes and avoid ugly traits and religiously prohibited things. This is their habit and practice. Islamic morals are all those things which Islam promotes or makes mandatory such as truthfulness, trustworthiness, modesty, chastity, bravery, generosity, activity, action, good morals, spreading peace, solving disputes, amiability, brotherhood, abstinence and the like. Ugly traits are those which Islam warns against either by considering them to be undesirable or prohibited such as lying, backbiting, betrayal, bad character, laziness, drunkenness, eating prohibited things, usury, theft, adultery, sodomy, hoarding, causing corruption, miserliness, cowardice, immodest dress, improper singing, slander, inactivity and so forth. Morals are a way to orient the behaviour of a person which have been set down by Allah by making virtuous qualities such as truthfulness, reliability, and steadfastness recommended and keeping away from base qualities such as lying, betrayal and deviation.

The Single Nation

The Shia believe that the Muslims - despite differences in schools of thought and their many different factions - are a single nation and that they are brothers in faith. Almighty Allah has said in the Quran: “uou are the best nation brought out for the people”182 He has also said: “And you became, by the blessing of Allah, brothers”183 And he has said: “Indeed the believers are brothers, so make peace between your two brothers”184 Any attempt to bring about disunity between them in the name of minorities, nationalisms or sectarianism and the like is not permissible either religiously or rationally. The Shia believe that differences in the ‘branches’ of religion between Islamic sects which arise out of differences in legal opinion, providing that the jurist-consult observes and adheres to the Quran and the traditions, are no cause for disunity amongst the Islamic nation.

They also believe that it is incumbent to exert all efforts to unite Muslims under the banner of the Holy Quran and the purified sunnah (or traditions) and that any legal ruling which is not derived from these two sources is false and should be rejected. It is also necessary to consolidate all energies to propagate Islam in the east and the west, and to raise it to the level of implementation. In this regard, as a prelude to that, it is necessary to:

1. Educate Muslims comprehensively in matters of religion and worldly affairs until they have a general awareness which leads in turn to a general opinion.

2. Cultivate Islamic intellectuals which move towards ongoing constructive action for the Islamic nation.

3. Co-ordinate efforts on various levels to move towards a common goal in the light of a single system.

4. Found Islamic institutions on the widest possible scale whether these be cultural, social, educational etc. These should be places for spreading light and coming together.

5. Industrialisation of Islamic lands with light and heavy industry so that they can be self-sufficient. Almighty Allah has said: “And to Allah belongs honour and to His Messenger and to the believers”185 The Prophet (S) said: ‘Islam should be above all and nothing should be above it.’186

Cleaning up Society

The Shia believe that it is necessary to cleanse society from the evil and harmful things which have been prohibited by Islam such as intoxicants, singing, gambling, adultery, usury, hoarding, fraud, theft, murder and other things which have been prohibited in the Quran and the traditions. They believe that rulers and people should combine their efforts to do away with these things, as Allah has said: “uou are the best nation brought out for the people, you enjoin the good and forbid the evil”187

Restoring the Glory of Islam

The Shia believe that it is necessary, and possible, to restore the glory of Islam in society. Indeed Allah has promised this: “Allah has promised those who have faith amongst ye and do good works that He will surely make them successors in the land as he made those before them successors and he will establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them and He will replace their fear with security. They will worship Me and not associate anything with Me”188 However, this is conditional upon true faith and good works and among these good works is amiability, and avoiding disunity, and struggling in the way of Allah with one’s wealth and by word and deed. Whenever these conditions are fulfilled - faith and good deeds - the result promised by Allah will surely come about.

Invitation to Islam

The Shiah believe that it is necessary to invite the people of the east and the west to Islam as Almighty Allah has said: “And let there be amongst you a nation who invites to the good and enjoins what is proper and forbids what is reprehensible. They are indeed the successful ones”189 The guidance of a single person to Islam is better in the sight of Allah than what is in the entire world as the Prophet of Islam has said.190

It is necessary then to form institutions, collect donations, send out missionaries, distribute books, and counter the attacks of the enemies of Islam both within and outside Islamic lands.