Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Section 20: Equity to everyone -The Jewish Hypocrisy Condemned

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 135

Firmness in equity, fair play and faith enjoined, coveting for worldly goods; forsaking truth is due to weakness in faith.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاء لِلّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالأَقْرَبِينَ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقَيرًا فَاللّهُ أَوْلَى بِهِمَا فَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ الْهَوَى أَن تَعْدِلُواْ وَإِن تَلْوُواْ أَوْ تُعْرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا

135. " O' you who have Faith! be maintainers of justice (and) witnesses for Allah's sake, though it be against your own selves or (your) parents or near relatives; whether the one be rich or poor, Allah is closer to them both, Therefore do not follow any passion so that you can deal justly; and if you swerve or decline (the right), then verily Allah is aware of what you do."

Social Justice

Following the instructions that were pointed out through previous verses about the execution of justice upon orphans and wives, here in this verse, the statement is upon a basic principle and a general law. It is about the execution of justice in all aspects and without any exception. It says:

"O' you who have Faith! be maintainers of justice …."

That is, you should accomplish justice so that you might not have the least inclination toward any side.

Then, to emphasize the matter, the verse refers to the subject of bearing witness. It recommends upon affairs concerning the witnesses, in particular, and that you should put aside all circumspections and bear witness rightfully for the sake of Allah, even if it is against you or your parents or your near relatives. It says:

"… (and) witnesses for Allah's sake, though it be against your own selves or (your) parents or near relatives;

It can be understood from this holy phrase that it is possible for relatives to bear witness for or against each other when they observe the principles of justice.

Then, it points to other factors of perversion from the principle of justice. It implies that neither the wealth of the rich nor the emotions arisen from the poverty of the poor should hinder to bear witness rightfully.

It is because Allah is more aware of the condition of the person against whom the rightful attestation is performed whether the one is rich or poor. Therefore, neither the possessors of wealth and force can damage the rightful witnesses when there is the support of Allah, nor the poor remain hungry when justice is executed. The verse says:

"…whether the one be rich or poor, Allah is closer to them both…."

Again, to emphasize on the matter, it instructs us not to follow our desires, because, in that case, there come forth some barriers for executing justice.

"…Therefore do not follow any passion so that you can deal justly…"

This sentence clearly leads us to the fact that the origin of transgressions and cruelties is carnal desires. Thus, if a group of people be not the followers of carnal desires, injustice and cruelty may not be found among them.

For the importance that there lies in the execution of justice, it emphasizes again on this commandment. It indicates that if you hinder the right from reaching the rightful person, or pervert the right, or turn aside from the right when it becomes clear to you, Allah is well aware of what you do. It says:

"… and if you swerve or decline (the right), then verily Allah is aware of what you do."

The above verse makes completely manifest the extraordinary attention of Islam to the subject of social justice in whatever form and in whatever case it may be. The application of different emphasis mentioned in these sentences shows how much Islam is sensitive for this important social subject among humankind.

But, unfortunately, there is a long distance between the action of Muslims and this excellent Islamic commandment! This very fact, of course, is one of the secrets of their retardation.

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 136

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ آمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِيَ أَنزَلَ مِن قَبْلُ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِاللّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا

136. "O' you who have Faith believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Book which He has sent down unto His Messenger, and the Book (S) which He has sent down a foretime; and whoever disbelieves in Allah and His angels and His Messengers and the Last Day, has indeed gone astray into far error."

The meaning of the verse may be such: O' you who have faith! Go a step further; or, be firm in your faith forever.

A believer should elevate himself to a higher degree of faith every day, since there are degrees in faith.

"O' you who have Faith! Believe..."

In this regard, Surah Muhammad, No.47, verse 17 says:

"And those who avail of the guidance, He adds unto them guidance..."

And, Surah Al-Fath No.48 verse 4 says:

"... that they might add further faith to their faith…."

However, disbelief, in some heavenly Books and some prophets is the same as disbelief in all.

"... Believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Book which He has sent down unto His Messenger, and the Book(S) which He has sent down a foretime; and whoever, disbelieves in Allah and His angels and His Messengers and the Last Day, has indeed gone astray into far error. "

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 137

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ثُمَّ كَفَرُواْ ثُمَّ آمَنُواْ ثُمَّ كَفَرُواْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُواْ كُفْرًا لَّمْ يَكُنِ اللّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلاَ لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ سَبِيلاً

137. "Verily those who believed, then disbelieved, again believed, and again disbelieved, then increased in (their) disbelief, Allah will not forgive them, nor will He guide them to the (right) way."

Formerly a verse similar in meaning to this holy verse was detailed, saying that the repentance of such persons is not accepted and they are the real misguided ones. Also, Surah 'Ale-Imran, No.3 Verse 90 in this field says:

"Verily those who disbelieve after their belief, then increase in infidelity; their repentance will never be accepted; and these are they who are astray."

There are some people who change their features every day. This is either for the lack of research in Truth and religion, or it is a plot in order to weaken the belief of the believers. Surah 'Ale-Imran, No.3 Verse 72 also manifests this plan by stating that they believed at the opening of (the day, and disbelieved at the end of it, with the purpose that they might weaken the Muslims in their Faith.

The clear example of the content of this verse is the persons such as Shabth-ibn-Rib'i whose instability can be, illustrated as follows:

He became Muslim but, after the death of the Prophet (S), he disbelieved. After that, he repented and joined to the adherents of Ali (as). Later, he changed to be the commander of Kharijites. Again he repented and went on to be as an adherent of Imam Hassan (as) and Imam Husayn (as).

He wrote an invitation letter to Imam Husayn (as) but he showed his disloyalty to Muslim-ibn-' Aghil in Kufa (an-ancient city, in Mesopotamia). He accepted to be the commander of Yazid's troop in Karbala, and built a mosque in Kufa as a sign of gratitude for the slain of Imam Husayn (as). The verse says:

"Verily those who believed, then disbelieved, again believed, and again disbelieved, then increased in (their) disbelief, Allah will not forgive them, nor will He guide them to the (right) way."

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 138

بَشِّرِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ بِأَنَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا

138. "Announce to the hypocrites that they shall have a painful chastisement."

When the Qur'anic word / bisarat / 'glad tidings' is used for punishment, it is either as a mockery due to their baseless vain thoughts, or for the sake that the Arabic term / bisarat / which is originally derived from the Arabic word / busr / in the sense of 'face', has a vast meaning. It concludes any news that affects on the face and usually makes it happy or sad.

The verse says:

"Announce to the hypocrites that they shall have a painful chastisement."

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 139

الَّذِينَ يَتَّخِذُونَ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاء مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَيَبْتَغُونَ عِندَهُمُ الْعِزَّةَ فَإِنَّ العِزَّةَ لِلّهِ جَمِيعًا

139. "(Hypocrites are) those who take the disbelievers for (their) friends instead of the believers -do they seek glory in them? - Then, verily, all glory belongs to Allah."

In this holy verse, the hypocrites are characterized as follows:

"(Hypocrites are) those who take the disbelievers for (their) friends instead of the believers…."

Then the Qur'an inquires what their purpose is from this choice. Do they really want to obtain a credit and honour for themselves by making friends with them? They should know that honour and glory totally belongs to Allah, because glory always originates from 'knowledge' and 'power'. Therefore, those whose knowledge and power is little are not in a position that they can be the origin of glory.

"...do they seek glory in them? -Then, verily, all glory belongs to Allah."

This verse warns all the Muslims not to seek for the disbelievers' glory in all aspects of life, irrespective of: economical glory, cultural glory, political glory, and the like of them, in making friends with the enemies of Islam.

Whenever their interest requires, they immediately leave out their own most intimate allies and refer to their own affairs, so that as if they have never been acquainted with each other. The present era is a clear witness to this fact.

(So, in the foreign policy, we must not seek our glory in attachment with pagans.) We recite in Munajat-Sha'baniyyah:

"O' Lord! my abundance and my deficiency is in Your hand, not in the hand of other than You".

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 140

وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللّهِ يُكَفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلاَ تَقْعُدُواْ مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُواْ فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا

140. "And He has already revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the revelations of Allah being disbelieved and made mock of, do not sit with them until they engage in some other discourse, otherwise you would be like them. Verily Allah will gather the hypocrites and the disbelievers all together in Hell."

Surah Al-'An'am, No.6, verse 68 contains a similar meaning to that of this holy verse. It addresses the Messenger of Allah (S) and says:

"And when you see those who enter into false discourses about Our Signs, withdraw from them until they enter into a discourse other than that... "

In that verse, the addressee is the Prophet (S), while in the above-mentioned verse, the Qur'an addresses people in general.

Explanations

1. A person should not usually be inattentive when confronting the false discourses of others, (since, being silent or inattentive where a sin is being committed, is sinful.)

"...do not sit with them until they engage in some other discourse ..."

2. "You may either alter the evil environment, or come out of it."

"….do not sit with them…"

3. It is not enough to abandon committing sin only; but we should cause the performance of sin to be stopped totally. Mere being straight is not enough; the perversion of others should be hindered of, too.

4. It is not allowed to be silent in front of sin under the pretext of freedom of speech, negligence, good morals, easy circumstances, courtesy, civility; shame, and so on.

5. The person who is content with the sin of others has a share of that sin.

"...otherwise you would be like them…"

6. To be silent in front of the idle talks of the infidels is a kind of hypocrisy.

7. Companionships of this world result the companionship of the next world.

"… Verily Allah will gather the hypocrites and the disbelievers all together in Hell."

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 141

الَّذِينَ يَتَرَبَّصُونَ بِكُمْ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ قَالُواْ أَلَمْ نَكُن مَّعَكُمْ وَإِن كَانَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ قَالُواْ أَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُم مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَاللّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلاً

141. "(The hypocrites are) those who wait and watch about you; then if there be a victory for you from Allah, they say: 'Were we not with you?' But if the disbelievers get a share, they tell (them): 'Did we not help you win, and held off the believers from you?' Therefore, Allah shall judge between you on the Day of Judgement, and Allah will by no means give the disbelievers a way (of success) against the believers."

The Qualities of Hypocrites

This verse and some verses after that point to some other qualities of the hypocrites and their incoherent thoughts. The verse describes the hypocrites as those who always want to make profit from any incident.

If you gain the victory, they quickly show themselves in the row of the believers and say whether they were not with you, and their worthy aids were not helpful in your victory. Therefore, they claim to have a share in its all spiritual and material incomes. The verse says:

"(The hypocrites are) those who wait and watch about you; then if there be a victory for you from Allah, they say: 'Were we not with you? ..."

But, if the enemies of Islam obtain a part of this victory, the hypocrites immediately approach them and express their consent to them about that victory. They say that it was they who encouraged them to combat with Muslims without showing any sign of resignation; therefore they have a share in that victory. The verse says:

"... But if the disbelievers get a share, they tell (them): 'Did we not help you win, and held off the believers from you?'….."

Thus, this group of hypocrites, by their own particular misusing opportunities, sometimes come toward the believers and sometimes approach the disbelievers, and spend their lives in double-dealing.

Yet, the Qur'an manifests their fate with stating a short phrase. It implies that finally there will come a day that the curtains will be removed, the masks will be taken off and their real ugly faces will be seen. Yet, it is true when it says:

"...Therefore, Allah shall judge between you on the Day of Judgement ..."

And, in order that the true believers should not be afraid of them, at the end of the verse it adds:

"...and Allah will by no means give the disbelievers a way (of success) against the believers."

This part of the verse means that the disbelievers not only from the point of logic but also from the point of political, martial, cultural, and economical aspects will not really overcome the believers.

So, if we see their victory with our own eyes in different fields against Muslims, it is for the reason that many of Muslims are not true believers.

They have neither the unity nor Islamic brotherhood among them, nor the knowledge and necessary awareness which Islam has counted necessary for all from birthday until the moment of death. Then, when they are like that, consequently, they have remained like this.

Section 21: Fate of the Hypocrites

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 142

Deceitfulness of the hypocrites -Friendship with the enemies - Fate of the hypocrites:

إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُواْ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ قَامُواْ كُسَالَى يُرَآؤُونَ النَّاسَ وَلاَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللّهَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً

142. "Verily the hypocrites seek to trick Allah, but He is tricking them. And, when they stand up for prayer they stand up lazily; showing off to the people, and they do not remember Allah save a little."

The purpose of 'the hypocrites seek to trick Allah', perhaps, is the same expression of Faith by them and playing with the commandments of Allah. And, as Imam Rida (as) says: since Allah gives the retribution of their trick, this divine retribution is called 'trick'.

"Verily the hypocrites seek to trick Allah, but He is tricking them. ..."

However, they are far from Allah and, consequently, they do not enjoy telling Allah their secrets and praying for their needs. That is why when they stand for prayer they are thoroughly full of listlessness and laziness. It says:

"...And, when they stand up for prayer they stand up lazily...."

The hypocrites, in fact, do not believe in Allah and His magnificent promises. Then if they worship or do a righteous deed, it is also for showing off to people, not for the sake of Allah.

"...showing off to people ..."

So, if they sometimes recite the name of Allah or remember Him, it is not done sincerely and knowingly. Supposing that it is, might be, it is very little. It says:

"...and they do not remember Allah save a little."

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 143

مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ لاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاء وَلاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاء وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً

143. "(The hypocrites are) swaying between this (infidelity and Faith) neither towards these (believers) nor towards those (infidels); and whoever Allah leaves to go astray, never then shall you find for him a way."

The Arabic word /taẓabẓub/ philologically means: 'to be moved to and fro, as anything suspended in the air'.1

Therefore, the hypocrites do not have a firm thing to rely on, and they sway between this and that, like a thing which is suspended in the air and moves by the movement of a wind. They depend on others, so they wander without having any proper aim.

"(The hypocrites are) swaying between this (infidelity and Faith) neither towards these (believers) nor towards those (infidels); "....

Also, they have not tranquillity and peace, because they must always change their own position to a new one and hurriedly make immediate decisions.

And, to conclude, the hypocrites are stray, and have incurred the wrath of Allah. The verse continues saying:

"….and whoever Allah leaves to go astray, never then shall you find for him a way."

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 144

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاء مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَجْعَلُواْ لِلّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا مُّبِينًا

144. " O' you who have faith! Do not take the disbelievers for friends instead of the believers. Do you desire that you should give Allah a manifest proof against yourselves?"

The believers have not the right of accepting the master ship of the disbelievers. But it is in the case that the hypocrites have a close tie with the disbelievers. The Qur'an introduces the disbelievers as Satans of the hypocrites:

"...when they are alone with their evil ones ..."2

And they are as brethren of the hypocrites:

"...those who have become hypocrites? They say to those of their brethren who disbelieve..."3

The senses mentioned in Surah Nisa No.4. Verse 139 and 141 are also indications to the quality of the connection between the hypocrites and the disbelievers.

Explanations

1. 'Tawalla' (take for friends) and 'Tabarra' (dissociate) are parts of the religion.

2. Any communication, friendship, and agreement contraction that results to the loss of Muslims should be avoided of.

3. In current foreign policy, political and economical ties, choices, appointments and disposals or any action which ends to the domination of disbelievers over Muslims is unlawful (Haram) from the point of Islam, and it is rejected.

4. Any Muslim believer who accepts suffer abjectness, has no proof to give Allah for his action.

"Do you desire that you should give Allah a manifest proof against yourselves?"

5. Accepting the master ship of disbelievers does not adapt to Faith. There is no room in a heart for two opposite affections,

"O' you who have Faith! ..."

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 145

إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيرًا

145. "Verily the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the Fire, and never you shall find a helper for them."

There are some unaware Muslims who accept the friendship of the hypocrites. To make clear the situation of the hypocrites, the Qur'an in this verse says:

"Verily the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the Fire, and never you shall find a helper for them."

It is well understood from this verse that hypocrisy is the worst kind of infidelity from the point of view of Islam, and the hypocrites are the furthest distant people from Allah. So, it is for this reason that their abode is in the worst place and the lowest stage of Hell.

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 146

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصْلَحُواْ وَاعْتَصَمُواْ بِاللّهِ وَأَخْلَصُواْ دِينَهُمْ لِلّهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

146. "Except those who repent, and amend and hold fast to (the grace of) Allah and make their religion pure for Allah. These, then, are with the believers; and Allah will grant the believers a great reward."

The way of repentance is open to all, even to the worst ones. Repentance can take a person from the position of 'the lowest stage of the Fire' to 'the Exalted Heaven'. The Qur'an says:

"Except those who repent....."

Human beings are free and can change the way, i.e. they can repent:

"...those who repent....."

Repentance is not only an expression of regret, but it is an inclusive improvability. The verse continues saying:

"...and amend and hold fast (the grace of) Allah and make their religion pure for Allah ..."

Those hypocrites who repent should not feel loneliness for the absence of their fellow-minded, because they find some better colleagues instead of them.

"....these, then, are with the believers… "

Eclecticism in creed and thoughts is forbidden:

".....and make their religion pure for Allah ..."

Then, it is to the believers to receive the true repentant ones and consider them as themselves.

"... these, then, are with the believers and Allah will grant the believers a great reward."

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 147

مَّا يَفْعَلُ اللّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِن شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنتُمْ وَكَانَ اللّهُ شَاكِرًا عَلِيمًا

147. "What can Allah gain by your punishment, if you are grateful and you believe? And Allah is All-Thankful, All-Knowing."

If you believe and do righteous deeds and, in the meantime, you do not abuse the bounties of Allah, and be grateful for the bounties of Allah, without doubt, there will not be any divine punishment upon you. The verse says:

"What can Allah gain by your punishment if you are grateful...."

Then, in order to emphasize this matter, it adds that the Lord is both aware of your deeds and your thoughts, and is thankful and giver of reward for your righteous deeds. It says:

"...And Allah is All-Thankful, All-Knowing."

In the above-mentioned verse, the subject of 'thankfulness' has occurred before the sense of 'belief '. This precedence is for the fact that as long as a person does not know the bounties and graces of Allah and does not reach the position of gratitude, cannot know Him, Himself (s.w.t.). (Be careful.)

The End of Part Five

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 148

لاَّ يُحِبُّ اللّهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوَءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ إِلاَّ مَن ظُلِمَ وَكَانَ اللّهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا

148. "Allah does not love open utterance of evil in speech except by one to whom injustice has been done, and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing."

In this verse and the verse next to it, a part of the ethical instructions of Islam are pointed out. At first, the verse indicates that Allah does not like that ill-speaking be performed or the vice and disgraceful actions of people be manifested by the speech of others. It says:

"Allah does not love open utterance of evil in speech ..."

As Allah Himself is the Concealer of Faults, He does not love that individuals betray secrets and make manifest the vices of people so that they disgrace them.

Then, the Qur'an refers to some affairs that can be counted as the authority for such betraying secrets and ill-speaking. It says:

"...except by one to whom injustice has been done....."

Such persons are right to defend themselves against the cruelty of transgressors. They can complain of them, criticize them, blame them, and backbite them. They are also right to continue doing that until they get their right and ward off the transgression.

And, as the style of the Qur'an is, in order that some persons do not misuse this exception and do not make manifest the vices of people under the pretext that they have been transgressed, at the end of the verse, it says:

"...And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing."

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 149

إِن تُبْدُواْ خَيْرًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ أَوْ تَعْفُواْ عَن سُوَءٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا قَدِيرًا

149. "If you do good openly or conceal it or pardon (others) evil, then verily Allah is All-Pardoning, All-Powerful."

Whenever you are in the position of power, and forgiveness has a training effect, do forgive; and wherever silence is abasement, and it strengthens injustice, do shout.

Therefore, vengeance and retaliation is 'legitimate', when remital and forgiveness is 'virtue'. So, it is worthy to pardon when you are powerful. It says:

"....then verily Allah is All-Pardoning, All-Powerful."

Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (as) says:

"When you gain power over your adversary, pardon him as gratitude for being able to overpower him."4

Verse 150 - 151

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ اللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُواْ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً

أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّا وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا

150. "Verily those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers, and desire to make division between Allah and His Messengers, and say: 'We believe in some and disbelieve in others', and seek to choose a way in between."

151. "These are, in truth, infidels, and We have prepared for the infidels a disgraceful chastisement."

The Jews and the Christians believed in some prophets and disbelieved in some other ones. This kind of behaviour was because of their foolishly desires and bigotries, and also because of some unreasonable insularity.

The verse says:

"Verily those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers, and desire to make division between Allah and His Messengers, and say: 'We believe in some and disbelieve in others'....."

It should also be attended that the process of messenger ship is the permanent Allah's, way of treatment which are linked together like a chain, and we must believe in this process totally.5

Therefore, Allah and His messengers are in the same row and there is no separation in between at all. Then, it is forbidden to disbelieve in Allah and the messengers, or to believe in Allah and disbelieve in some Prophets.

Eclecticism and paving a way other than the way of prophets is infidelity.

"..and seek to choose a way in between....."

"These are, in truth, infidels, and We have prepared for the infidels a disgraceful chastisement."

Surah An-Nisa', Verse 152

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ أُوْلَـئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَكَانَ اللّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

152. "And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no division between any of them, He will grant them their rewards, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."

In this verse, the Qur'an points to the position and the fate of the believers. It implies that those who believed in Allah and all His prophets and did not make any separation between them, have proved their own submission and sincerity unto the Truth and also proved to struggle against any bigotry. As for these Allah will bestow their rewards soon. The verse says:

"And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no division between any of them, He will grant them their rewards…..."

And, at the end of the verse, another fact is referred to. It indicates that if this group of the believers had formerly committed such bigotries, divisions, and some other sins, and now have purified their Faith and returned to Allah, He will forgive them.

"...and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."

Notes

1. Sihah-ul-luqat

2. Surah Al-Baqarah, No.2, verse 14

3. Surah Al-Hashr, No.59, verse 11

4. Nahj-ul-Balagha saying No.10

5. Due to Imamate, it is necessary to believe in all Imams wholly. Believing in some of them and disbelieving in the rest, or having a pause, is as disbelief in all Imams.

Hussain's Martyrdom Prophesied in the Old Testamnet

"For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiated and made drunk with their blood for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the North country by the river Euphrates". (Jer. 46:10 The Old Testament)

SHIA'ISM OR ISLAM-ORIGINAL

People mostly ignorant of what actually SHIA'ISM is and what in fact the commitment of a SHIA is to his faith what actually it is in practice, are laboring under a gross misunderstanding of faith and its adherents. When asked what actually means SHIA'ISM and the commitment of a SHIA to his faith, the Sixth holy Imam JA'FAR IBNE MUHAMMAD AS-SADIQ gave the whole in a nutshell, after which there remains no room for any question about the faith or its adherents. "MAN KAANA LILLAH MUTEE'AN WAHOWA LANA VALI"

'He who is obedient to God is our friend (A SHIA)'. "MAN KAANA LILLAH ADOO'AN WAHOWA LANA ADOO".

'He who is hostile to God, i.e., disobedient to Him, he is our enemy (a non-SHIA)'. "WALA YANALO VILAYATENA ILLA BIL WARA'E WAL AMALIS SALEH". 'And reacheth not our love save through piety and righteousness'.

WHAT IS SHIA'ISM

SHIA'ISM is no religion, creed or faith. It is nothing but the Original-Islam in its original purity. It is the very same faith which was preached and practiced by the holy Prophet without anything added to or subtracted of it.

WHY THEN CALL IT SHIA'ISM AND NOT ISLAM?

It is an undeniably acknowledged and a universally acknowledged fact that the last exhortation of the holy Prophet Muhammad to his faithful adherents the Muslims was:

"I leave behind me amidst you the Two great things, the Book of God (the holy QUR'AN) and my 'ITRAT' my 'AHLUL BAIT' (the members of the holy Family, FATEMA, her husband Ali and her issues) Should ye be attached to these Two never, never shall ye be misled, after me, for verily these Two will never be separated from one another until they meet me at the Spring (the Spring of KAUTHER)" (TK., DM., SM., AND OTHER)

Under the above apostolic instruction form the holy Prophet every true Muslim ahs to abide by the Word of God (the holy QUR'AN) guided only by the 'AHLUL BAIT" and none else, and this is the one and only basis on which SHIA'ISM, i.e., The Islam-Original is based.

With the departure of the holy Prophet from the world, as the people of Moses and Jesus went astray so also the Muslim. The love of pleasures and the glory of this world maddened the masses and led them astray from the right path, under the evil influence of those in power. To get the religious authority and the powers to rule over the destinies of the people, the self-assumed rulers of the states, the self-made religious heads and the fanciful spiritual leaders, misinterpreted the holy QUR'AN and added much of falsehood to the Traditions or the Sayings of the holy Prophet, and many false traditions were fabricated to assume unwarranted powers and authority.

At the same time, to see that the masses do and get rightly guided by the holy 'AHLUL BAIT', and AHLUL BAIT were thrown into the background. They were not only totally neglected but also teased and tortured and all access to them by the public was strictly banned and if any one was found to have any friendly contact with these holy ones, he was severely punished even to the extent of his property being confiscated, his family being put to all sorts of torturous miseries and himself being mercilessly killed.

But a very few who feared none but God and cared not for any loss of property of the pleasures of this world against the perpetual gain and the everlasting bliss in the life hereafter, suffered the tortures and kept themselves faithfully attached to the AHLUL BAIT, to be on the right path. Some such godly devotees like MEESAM ATTAMMAR and others of his group were heartlessly tortured, which they bore with ideal patience and some were mercilessly put to death, but the great souls most willingly met even the most painful death with matchless courage and boldness but never gave up their attachment to the holy Ones.

When Islam was being corrupted at the hands of the aspirants for power and pleasures of this world, and the holy AHLUL BAIT were ignored, those who resorted to the right guidance from the right authorities were tortured and put to miseries and torturous death. It can be imagined how deep was the Truth buried and how difficult it was for any one to have it, but Truth was always there with the AHLUL BAIT and none could snatch it away from them at any cost, but only a very few, the sincere and bold ones, could have it. this state of affairs went on until the Sixth holy Imam JA'FAR IBNE MUHAMMAD, when the corrupted form of Islam was also called Islam, and the genuine or the original form of it which was with the holy AHLUL BAIT and practiced secretly by the faithful devotees to them needed to be distinguished with some particular name to identify it from the corrupt form.

Those who remained attached to the holy House of the holy Prophet, were known as the SHIAS of ALI IBNE ABI TALIB, and the True or the Original Islam was identified with the name MAZHABE-JA'FARI or SHIA'ISM (i.e., the Original Islam followed by the SHIAS). Thus SHIA'ISM is no other than the Islam-Original, but it is only identified with the name 'SHIA'ISM' just to distinguish it against the corrupted form. One can judge the Truth in this statement from the brief explanation of the Faith and the Article given in this book.

Thus the Original Islam is identified with the distinguishing token name 'TASHAYYU' or SHIA'ISM and its followers are known as the SHIAS. It means, the followers of the Islam-Original without the subsequent adulteration effected in it. SHIA'ISM (Islam-Original) strictly follows the holy QUR'AN, and the holy Prophet guided by the divinely commissioned Twelve holy Imams, whose physical and spiritual purity and personal excellence, the Islamic World as a whole unanimously acknowledges.

SHIA'ISM in order to help people to remain attached only to the Word of God as interpreted by the holy Prophet, wants its followers to strictly abide by the following Declarations of the holy Prophet. 1- At the start of his apostolic mission he declared that Ali was His Deputy, his Vicegerent, his Successor or his KALIF, with his orders to the assembly to listen to Ali an d to obey him.

2- Before the huge assembly of pilgrims numbering to several thousands, after his Last HAJ or the pilgrimage on the Eighteenth of ZILHAJ 10 A.H. at GHADEER-E-KHUM:

"Of whomsoever I am the MAULA (or the Lord), this Ali is his MAULA (or the Lord).

3- Just before his departure from this world saying:

"I leave behind me amidst you Two important things, The book of God (the holy QUR'AN) and the members of my family. As long as you keep yourselves attached to these Two, you shall never get astray after me. These Two shall never be separated from one another until they meet me at the Spring of KAUTHER".

With the above three main guiding factors, the Islam-Original or SHIA'ISM, keeps its faithful followers, the SHIAS, strictly attached to the Final Word of God, (the QUR'AN), the holy Prophet Muhammad, and his holy 'AHLUL BAIT' (i.e., the Divinely chosen members) of the apostolic family. SHIA'ISM demands every SHIA to cling fast to virtue and to be always with the virtuous, loving them more than their own lives. SHIA'ISM demands every SHIA to be always away from every vice and the wicked and be always aloof from them.

SHIA'ISM: ITS ARTICLES OF FAITH AND ITS PRACTICE

A SHIA Muslim believes in:

1- The absolute unity of God, with all his divine attributes as inseparable and essential qualities of His absolute Self.

2- The Perfect and flawless Equity of the Lord. Every word and act of the Lord being based on nothing but perfect justice. Inequity is imperfection and every imperfection is a defect and the lord is free from every defect.

3- The infallibility, sinless-ness and truthfulness of all the apostles of God, from Adam, the First of God's apostles to the holy Prophet Muhammad the Last of them. All the apostles were the personalities purified by the Lord Himself and by Himself conditioned for the services divinely assigned to them, and no apostle or prophet did come after the holy Prophet and neither any will come until the end of the world.

4- With the conclusion of the ministry of the holy Prophet Muhammad the Last one of God's apostles the infinite mercy of the Lord, for the guidance of man on the right lines of His revealed religion Islam, instituted the series of godly souls His own commissioned Imams, or Guide or Leaders from the same Lineage Abraham to continue the divine guidance and thus started the institution of Imamate in the place of 'RISALALT', i.e., apostleship. The Twelve God's commissioned Guides or Imams are:

(I)- Ali son of ABU TALEB the Cousin germane, the Son-in-Law of the holy Prophet and his Vicegerent, Brother, Heir and KALIF declared by him at the outset of his ministry at the 'DAWATE ASHEERA' and at the close of the apostleship, at GHADEER-E-KHUM at the command of the Lord revealed in verse 5:67.

(II)- HASSAN son of ALI IBNE ABI TALEB and the holy Lady FATEMA ZAHRA. The First grandson of the holy Prophet martyred by poison

(III)- HUSSAIN the second son of ALI IBNE ABI TALEB and the holy Lady FATEMA ZAHRA. 'ZIBHE AZEEM' i.e. Great Sacrifice, butchered with the Seventy two godly souls of his kith and kin and devotees, in the wholesale slaughter at KARBALA enacted by the KALIF YAZID son of MU'AVIAH.

(IV)- ALI ZAIN UL-ABIDEEN AS-SAJJAD the first son of HUSSAIN the King of Martyrs of KARBALA, the Prisoner of YAZID martyred by KALIF WALEED BIN ABDUL MALIK.

(V)- MUHAMMAD AL-BAQUIR son of ALI ZAIN UL-ABIDEEN the Fourth Imam, martyred by HISHAM BIN ABDUL MALIK

(IV)- JA'FAR AS-SADIQ son of MUHAMAMD AL-BAQUIR the Fifth Imam, martyred by MANSOOR.

(VII) MOOSA AL-KAZIM son of JA'FAR AS-SADIQ the Sixth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF HAROON AR-RASHEED.

(VIII)- ALI AR-RIZA, son of MOOSA AL-KAZIM the Seventh Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MAAMOON AR-RASHEED.

(IX)- MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI, son of ALI AR-RIZA, the Eighth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MO'TASIM.

(X)- ALI AN-NAQI son of MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI, the Ninth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MO'TASIM

(XI)- HASSAN AL-ASKARI, son of ALI AN-NAQI, the Tenth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MO'TMAD

(XII)- MUHAMMAD AL-MAHDI son of HASSAN AL-ASKARI, living by the will of the Lord as is Jesus in the seed of Isaac through his virgin mother Mary. Both this holy Imam and the holy Prophet Jesus will re-appear at the will of the Lord before the end of the world after which will be the Last Day of Resurrection and Final Judgment.

The Last Day Of The Final Judgment (QIAMAT)

It is now for any intelligent one to say that if the above fundamentals of the faith are those prescribed by the holy QUR'AN or not, or if they contain anything more or less than what the holy Prophet preached and enjoined upon his followers. As regards the practice of the faith a SHIA Muslim shall:

1- Offer regularly the prescribed five times compulsory prayers.

2- Fast the whole of the holy month of Ramadan.

3- Perform 'HAJ' i.e. pilgrimage to the holy KA'BA in Mecca at least once in his life provided he could afford to do it as laid down by the holy Prophet.

4- Pay the 'ZAKAT' (the prescribed poor-rate) of his assists as prescribed by the holy QUR'AN and explained by the holy Prophet.

5- Pay the 'KHUMS' (the 1/5th of the net savings as laid down by the holy QUR'AN and explained by the holy Prophet.

6- Endeavor his most, i.e., 'JEHAD', as needed for the defense and the welfare of the faith and the faithful and even fight in the way of the lord for the purpose if called to do it by the Apostle of God or any one of God's commissioned Guides the Imams.

7- Preach or enjoin what is good to his brethren in all peaceful and desirable ways.

8- Preach abstinence from evil, to his brethren in all peaceful and desirable ways.

9- Love God, God's chosen men and godliness and be always attached to the godly ones particularly to the holy Prophet Muhammad and his holy AHLUL BAIT.

10- Always keep himself away from evils and the evil ones, having nothing to do with the wicked ones with definite aversion to their wicked conduct and character.

Let any unbiased reader who pursues the above fundamentals and their practice declare, if there is nothing but good and it is nothing but godliness pure, in belief and practice, or if there is anything bad or objectionable in it. As regards the holy QUR'AN, a SHIA Muslim believes that the present holy QUR'AN is the very same Book of God, complete in itself without any deduction or addition to it and without any alteration or misarrangement of its verses. This is the holy QUR'AN which was revealed to the holy Prophet which was then and there recorded in writing by ALI IBNE ABI TALEB, ABDULLAH IBNE MAS'OOD, and MA'AAZ IBNE JABAL and which was read out to the holy Prophet during his very lifetime.

As regards the 'QIBLAH' or the point of turning towards, during prayers, a SHIA Muslim holds the holy KA'BA in Mecca as his QIBLAH. As regards the daily prayers a SHIA Muslim offers regularly the five times compulsory daily prayers with the number of the RAK'ATS or units as given below:

PRAYER WAJIB RAK'ATS (or units) SUNNAT FAJR (morning) 2 = 2 ZOHR (mid-day) 4 = 8 ASR (afternoon) 4 = 8 MOGHRIB (evening) 3 = 4 ISHA (night) 4 = 2 Total Compulsory 17 = 24 The 'KALEMA-E-SHAHADAT' or the verbal declaration of the faith, the KALEMA of a SHIA Muslim is the same as that of any other Muslim:

"LA ILLAHA ILLALLAH MUHAMMADUR RASOOLULLAH"

'There is no god save (the One God) Allah. Muhammad the Apostle of God'

A SHIA Muslim declares his identity with the Islam-Original to mean that this Islam is that of the AHLUL BAIT whose head after the holy Prophet was Ali, and not the Islam adulterated by unwarranted authorities, pronouncing his faith in Ali as the Friend of God or the Divinely commissioned Guardian over the Muslims after the holy Prophet. To do this a SHIA Muslim declares with in continuation of the above declaration: "ALLIYYON WALIULLAH WASIYYU RASSOLILLAH".

'Ali the Friend of God the Successor of the holy Prophet' Be it known that the above two clauses are pronounced not a part of the KALEMA but just as a note of distinction of the faith from the creed adulterated alter.

This is the whole of the SHIA'ISM or the Islam-Original and nothing else.

Under the Ninth article of the practice of the faith called 'TAWALLAH' a SHIA Muslim mourns the martyrdom of each of the holy ones of the AHLUL BAIT and expresses his sorrow and grief for the miseries and the calamities the holy ones suffered, individually and also collectively in congregational services called the MAJALIS-E-AZA in which are recited the holy QUR'AN and the life-readings of the holy ones with the Islamic philosophy and religious teachings for the information of the fellows in the SHIA faith.

Let the readers themselves judge if the above conduct could be in agreement or the token of devotion of God and the loyalty to the godly ones who suffered the calamities and laid their all in the way of the Lord for the guidance of mankind, or it could in any manner or sense be in the least objectionable. At the same time it has at last to be judged that not doing so will be ingratitude and disloyalty to God and the godly ones or not.

THE COMMEMORATION OF THE HISTORIC 'ASHOORA'

'ASHOORA' means the "Tenth" i.e., the Tenth day, of the Lunar month of MUHARRAM 61 A.H. on which historic day, HUSSAIN surrendered his all in the way of the Lord to save the Truth and thus to save humanity from getting beguiled by the Brute on the throne and the brutal forces of the mercenary scholars whom he had enlisted under his command. All those who love truth and the welfare of mankind at large, will naturally love HUSSAIN and his holy family, and will naturally be moved to express their sympathy and sorrow for the Great Godly Hero of KARBALA who sacrificed his all, suffered the worst of miseries and met the most torturous and brutal death but neither vielded to the blasphemy perpetrated by the Brute not the destruction of the Divine Principle of his holy Grandfather.

Honestly, not to commemorate such a solemn occasion will be thanklessness and ingratitude to godliness and God Himself, and to do it will surely earn the blessings of the Lord. Every one who has the least appreciation or the admiration for the matchless sacrifices, the Great Hero and his godly comrades who suffered martyrdom along with him, will naturally be moved to express his sorrow on the solemn occasion, and those who love devilry and the Devil YAZID, will naturally by festive on that day.

INTERCESSION OR SHAFA'AT

The possibility of intercession for the sinners on the Day of Judgment is quite obvious from the repeated declarations of the holy QUR'AN. The declarations are so clearly worded that none can misinterpret them otherwise: "…who is any one to intercede with Him, save with His permission…" [2:255]. According to this verse, intercession is possible only with permission of the Lord. There are the following verses clearer still: "They shall not own intercession, save he who has covenanted with the Beneficent God" [19:87]. "On that Day (of Judgment) no Intercession shall avail except of him whom the Beneficent Lord allows and with whose word He (God) is pleased with" [20:109]

The above verses are too clear to create any doubt against some dear ones to the Lord having the authority form Him to intercede. Who else could be more entitled to this divine grace and unique privilege than the apostles of God, more particularly the Last one, the chief of them, and those who have surrendered their lives in the way of the Lord like HUSSAIN and his faithful comrades who were martyred along with him. The point is that to one who sincerely seeks to know the truth, a straight answer, with the simplest logic, will certainly suffice, but to one who wants to go on arguing merely for argument's sake, even the apostles from God could not satisfy. No amount of arguing will be of any avail when the understanding is never to come at all from within the enquirer. One can give an argument but never an understanding.

THE HOUSES OF MIRACLES AND RESPONSE TO PRAYERS

Let the materialist world know from the millions of devoted Muslims, who have visited the Shrines in Iraq and other holy places, how brightly the Glory of God shines in the shrines of HUSSAIN and the members of his holy family and also of his faithful comrades who sacrificed their lives along with him in KARBALA. One need not wait long to witness any miraculous event on any of the week days, in the shrines of HUSSAIN and ABBAS,

particularly the holy shrine of ABBAS-E-ALAMDAR (i.e., ABBAS the Standard Bearer of HUSSAIN) is the place where from hundreds of thousands of the sufferers get their prayers immediately heard, and many a time this valiant son of ALI, the Lion of God, has rendered miraculous and timely rescue to those who invoked the mercy of God in his holy name. it can be most confidently said, let any one try his holy name. it be most confidently said, let any one try his luck if hi needs any help from God with the necessary sincerity and devotion to the great saintly brother of the King of Martyrs. Even today the holy name 'ABBAS' is a watchword for millions and millions of his sincere devotees for the immediate and miraculous rescue needed in any unavoidable risk or danger. Where is the wonder, for one who surrenders himself to God, God will also surely honor his name when mentioned in any prayer to Him. God Himself enjoins on man to seek a medium unto Him.

"Seek ye a medium unto Him (God)" [5:35]

It is the disbelievers who get hopeless of their dead. Be it noted that the 'KALIMA' or the Word of the Declaration of the Faith 'SHIA'ISM', is only: "LAILAH ILLALLAH Muhammad RASOOLULLAH" 'There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the (holy) Prophet of God.

RESPECT, REGARD AND REVERENCE TO THE SACRED EMBLEMS

"ALAMS (the Emblems of HUSSAIN, ABBAS and the other A'IMA), the ZAREES, MINVARS, IMAMBARAS and the other things dedicated to the sacred memory of the holy Ones of the AHLUL BAIT, held with feelings of sanctity by the SHIAS (the devotees of the HOLY AHLUL BAIT)"

SOME GUIDING CLARIFTCATIONS

Of late, it is frequently preached by some ill-informed people against paying respect, regard or reverence to ALAMS, ZAREES, MINBARS, IMAMBARAS or any such things dedicated to the sacred memory of the members of the holy AHLUL BAIT, terming it, 'SHIRK' or 'BID' or 'KURF'. Since there is the possibility of some innocent and ignorant Muslims and Non-Muslims alike, not knowing the difference between 'MAWADDAT' (i.e. love or faithfulness), and, 'OBBODAT' (i.e. Worship), getting astray, it has become necessary to issue the following clarifications.

Be it known that the move to criticize the expressions of Respect, Regard and Reverence to the holy AHLUL BAIT and the things dedicated to their sacred memory, is nothing new. Such criticisms and accusations against the devotees of the holy ones, the SHIAS, have been in vogue since centuries having their start immediately following the departure of the holy Prophet.

'MAWADDAT' (i.e. love or devotion) practiced by those attached to the holy AHLUL BAIT has always been misrepresented as 'OBOODIAT' (i.e. worship), just to condemn attachment to the holy Family, terming the love and the devotion to the holy ones, as 'SHIRK' (i.e. Polytheism) or 'KUFR' (i.e. infidelity). This was done to stop people's attachment to the AHLUL BAIT, and to enlist strength against those who, in-spite of the vicious propaganda, against them and even suffering the miserable persecution, remained devoted to the holy Ones of the Prophet's family. The first of such a cry, motivated with the vicious object mentioned above, was raised by some opportunists aspiring for power and authority, immediately as the holy Prophet departed form this world, saying:

"MAN KANA YA'BUDU MUHAMMAD FAQAD MAAT".

'Let every one who was worshipping Muhammad now know that he is dead (and gone)'. This satiric cry was raised against the devotees of the holy House, to declare them as 'KAFIRS' infidels (i.e. those who worshipped the holy Prophet) instead of God, terming their 'MAWADDAT' to the holy ones, which means only love and devotion, as 'OBOODIAT' i.e. worship, and thus to declare the attachment to the AHLUL BAIT as 'SHIRK' or 'KUFR', whereas only the devotees to the AHLUL BAIT are Muslims in the true and the strict sense of the term, as they worship none but the One and the Only True God, and love the holy Prophet and his AHLUL BAIT and remain devoted to them under the divine ordinance:

"Say unto the people O' Apostle Muhammad! 'I seek not of you any 'AJR' (Compensation) for it (the service of the apostleship) save love of my relatives…" [42:23]

Under the above ordinance from the Lord, none who does not pay the holy Prophet the 'AJR' (i.e. recompense) in the love and devotion to the AHLUL BAIT, demanded him, can never be a Muslim at all.

In short, 'MAWADDAT' i.e. the love towards the holy AHLUL BAIT, is purposefully termed as 'OBOODIAT' i.e., worship to blackmail their devotees, the SHIAS as 'MUSHRIKEEN' (i.e. the Polytheists) and 'KUFFAR' (the infidels), and to dissuade people from attachment to the holy Ones. It must first be remembered that 'SHIRK' means associating any thing with God, and these things which are held sacred by the SHIAS are never at all held as God, or gods, or in place of God, or that the holy ones to whose memory they are dedicated. They are mere Emblems and Memorials, dedicated to their memory. This fact has already been made clear and it is once again repeated here for the information of the new uninformed or misinformed critics.

The move against respecting these sacred memorials of the dedicated tokens, is only to dissuade the public from their devotion to the AHLUL BAIT, in the guise of preaching 'TAUHEED' i.e. the Unity of God, and warning against 'SHIRK' which is the most abhorred thing in Islam, particularly in SHIA'ISM which is the Islam-Original.

Let the misinformed advocates of 'TAUHEED' and the Warners against 'SHIRK' rest assured that the SHIAS, in particular when they pray for any divine boon or mercy in the name of ht holy Imams, they never imagine for a while that the actual giver or the bestower of the boon or the giver of the help prayed for, is any one other than the Almighty Lord of the Universe, and the prayer in the name of the holy Ones is only to invoke the mercy of the Lord through the medium of these holy souls who have been declared as God's chosen ones and the nearest and dearest ones to Him.

The misleading question which the critics raise, in that way should not one seek the help he needs directly from God? This question has in itself the answer that when such great devotees of God (i.e. the critics) get ill, why do they go to the doctor? Who is the actual Curer, God or the doctor? Why not they depend upon God for the cure and avoid the means of the doctor, when the doctor is not the actual curer? No, they do it because they have to seek a means or a medium and they do it for they cannot avoid it. This is quite in accordance with the divine guidance from the lord: "Seek ye the means to reach Him (God)" [5:35]

None can reach God without the proper means to the end. God Himself has enjoined the holy Prophet to seek his 'AJR' or recompense in the love and devotion to his AHLUL BAIT (See 42:23) and the 'AJR' in the love and devotion to the holy AHLUL BAIT has been made the way to the Lord (See 25:57) I ask not any 'AJR' (recompense) for it (i.e. apostleship) save ye take the way to the Lord (25:57).

And what the 'AJR' (recompense) is, has been mentioned in 42:23.

The reverence and the regard for things dedicated to the sacred memory of the holy ones, is clearly warned by the verse 2:158 in which the Muslims have been ordained to run between the hillocks 'SAFA' and 'MARWA' while performing the 'HAJ'. And the following verse of the holy QUR'AN clearly declares the regard for any signs of God (i.e. anything by means of which man remembers God's Glory, His Authority or His Existence) as the piety of the heart of the individual:

"And whosoever respects the signs of God, it surely is of the piety of the heart" [22:32].

SHIAS go to 'IMAMBARA', the 'MAHFILS', the 'MINBARS' and recite there 'FATEHA' (i.e. 1st SURA of the holy QUR'AN), and the masterly edited prayers of the great divines viz. AMIRUL MOMINEEN ALI IBNUL HUSSAIN and the other Imams. Let the advocates of 'TAWHEED' and the warners against 'SHIRK' go through the 'DUA-E-JAWSHAN-E-SAGHEER' or any other prayers 'DUA' prescribed by the holy Imams and then say if there can be a greater and a surer source of approaching God or invoking His Mercy, than these mediums. People ignorant of these great things, are those who speak against the heavenly means to get nearer to the Lord to be blessed by Him.

It is also necessary to inform the advocates of 'TAUHEED' and the Warner against 'SHIRK' that it is declared faith and the conviction of every SHIA that nothing without the compulsory SALAT or NAMAZ, duly performed, can eve r benefit any one in approaching God or getting any boon or help from Him any one of the holy ones, and the Mosque is the holiest place with nothing to be compared to it.

SAJDAH

Who said SAJDAH or prostration in obeisance to any one besides God is allowed SAJDAH to 'GHAIRALLAH' or 'MASILLAHL' (i.e. other than God) is 'HARAM' i.e. strictly prohibited, and SHIA'ISM the Islam-Original, more than any other school of faith, abhors it, and guards its adherents against it, both from the pulpit and the press. The critic should first know that SAJDAH to God differs from the act of merely laying the head on the ground which also is termed as SAJDAH. The SAJDAH to God is not only laying the head on the ground, but submitting one's self wholly to God with the realization of one's negation of his finite existence granted to him, before the infinite. Almighty and the Absolute Existence of the Only Self Existing One,

with the intention of worshipping Him as the only Creator, Sustainer, Lord of the Universe. Mere laying of the head on the ground before any one in any ceremonial way of paying any conventional regard or formal reverence to any other than God, can never be the 'SAJDAH-E-OBOODIAT' (the prostration of subservience). It will be a 'SAJDAH-E-TAZEEMI' (i.e. the prostration or regard) which was demanded of the angels for Adam: "(SAJDAH) (Prostration) to Adam, they did offer (SAJDAH) prostration save 'IBLEES' (the Devil) …" [2:37 & 7:11].

This is what God Himself ordered the angels to do:

"When I have made him (Adam) complete and breathe into him spirit of Me, fall ye all down (offering SAJDAH) Prostration to him" [15:29]. If SAJDAH in any sense whatsoever was prohibited save to God, the stars would not have been caused to appear to Joseph in his vision, offering 'SAJDAH' or prostration to him.

"When Joseph said to his father, 'O' My father: Verily I saw eleven stars and the sun the moon, I saw them, offering SAJDAH (prostration) to me" [12:4].

And why did YACOOB (Jacob) an apostle of God, offer 'SAJDAH' to his son Joseph:

"And he (Joseph) raised his parents to the throne and they offered SAJDAH (prostration) to him" [12:100]. It is sufficiently clear if one wants only to know the truth that SAJDAH by way of worship to any object besides God, is strictly prohibited as 'HARAM' and abhorred by SHIA'ISM which is Islam-Original, whereas the act of mere lying of head anybody expressing one's humanity to any greatness, or excellence particularly in the case of any divine object, which was expected of the angels even by God Himself, and was practiced even by a prophet of God like Jacob, is not worship, and hence not objectionable.

Hussain's Martyrdom Prophesied in the Old Testamnet

"For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiated and made drunk with their blood for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the North country by the river Euphrates". (Jer. 46:10 The Old Testament)

SHIA'ISM OR ISLAM-ORIGINAL

People mostly ignorant of what actually SHIA'ISM is and what in fact the commitment of a SHIA is to his faith what actually it is in practice, are laboring under a gross misunderstanding of faith and its adherents. When asked what actually means SHIA'ISM and the commitment of a SHIA to his faith, the Sixth holy Imam JA'FAR IBNE MUHAMMAD AS-SADIQ gave the whole in a nutshell, after which there remains no room for any question about the faith or its adherents. "MAN KAANA LILLAH MUTEE'AN WAHOWA LANA VALI"

'He who is obedient to God is our friend (A SHIA)'. "MAN KAANA LILLAH ADOO'AN WAHOWA LANA ADOO".

'He who is hostile to God, i.e., disobedient to Him, he is our enemy (a non-SHIA)'. "WALA YANALO VILAYATENA ILLA BIL WARA'E WAL AMALIS SALEH". 'And reacheth not our love save through piety and righteousness'.

WHAT IS SHIA'ISM

SHIA'ISM is no religion, creed or faith. It is nothing but the Original-Islam in its original purity. It is the very same faith which was preached and practiced by the holy Prophet without anything added to or subtracted of it.

WHY THEN CALL IT SHIA'ISM AND NOT ISLAM?

It is an undeniably acknowledged and a universally acknowledged fact that the last exhortation of the holy Prophet Muhammad to his faithful adherents the Muslims was:

"I leave behind me amidst you the Two great things, the Book of God (the holy QUR'AN) and my 'ITRAT' my 'AHLUL BAIT' (the members of the holy Family, FATEMA, her husband Ali and her issues) Should ye be attached to these Two never, never shall ye be misled, after me, for verily these Two will never be separated from one another until they meet me at the Spring (the Spring of KAUTHER)" (TK., DM., SM., AND OTHER)

Under the above apostolic instruction form the holy Prophet every true Muslim ahs to abide by the Word of God (the holy QUR'AN) guided only by the 'AHLUL BAIT" and none else, and this is the one and only basis on which SHIA'ISM, i.e., The Islam-Original is based.

With the departure of the holy Prophet from the world, as the people of Moses and Jesus went astray so also the Muslim. The love of pleasures and the glory of this world maddened the masses and led them astray from the right path, under the evil influence of those in power. To get the religious authority and the powers to rule over the destinies of the people, the self-assumed rulers of the states, the self-made religious heads and the fanciful spiritual leaders, misinterpreted the holy QUR'AN and added much of falsehood to the Traditions or the Sayings of the holy Prophet, and many false traditions were fabricated to assume unwarranted powers and authority.

At the same time, to see that the masses do and get rightly guided by the holy 'AHLUL BAIT', and AHLUL BAIT were thrown into the background. They were not only totally neglected but also teased and tortured and all access to them by the public was strictly banned and if any one was found to have any friendly contact with these holy ones, he was severely punished even to the extent of his property being confiscated, his family being put to all sorts of torturous miseries and himself being mercilessly killed.

But a very few who feared none but God and cared not for any loss of property of the pleasures of this world against the perpetual gain and the everlasting bliss in the life hereafter, suffered the tortures and kept themselves faithfully attached to the AHLUL BAIT, to be on the right path. Some such godly devotees like MEESAM ATTAMMAR and others of his group were heartlessly tortured, which they bore with ideal patience and some were mercilessly put to death, but the great souls most willingly met even the most painful death with matchless courage and boldness but never gave up their attachment to the holy Ones.

When Islam was being corrupted at the hands of the aspirants for power and pleasures of this world, and the holy AHLUL BAIT were ignored, those who resorted to the right guidance from the right authorities were tortured and put to miseries and torturous death. It can be imagined how deep was the Truth buried and how difficult it was for any one to have it, but Truth was always there with the AHLUL BAIT and none could snatch it away from them at any cost, but only a very few, the sincere and bold ones, could have it. this state of affairs went on until the Sixth holy Imam JA'FAR IBNE MUHAMMAD, when the corrupted form of Islam was also called Islam, and the genuine or the original form of it which was with the holy AHLUL BAIT and practiced secretly by the faithful devotees to them needed to be distinguished with some particular name to identify it from the corrupt form.

Those who remained attached to the holy House of the holy Prophet, were known as the SHIAS of ALI IBNE ABI TALIB, and the True or the Original Islam was identified with the name MAZHABE-JA'FARI or SHIA'ISM (i.e., the Original Islam followed by the SHIAS). Thus SHIA'ISM is no other than the Islam-Original, but it is only identified with the name 'SHIA'ISM' just to distinguish it against the corrupted form. One can judge the Truth in this statement from the brief explanation of the Faith and the Article given in this book.

Thus the Original Islam is identified with the distinguishing token name 'TASHAYYU' or SHIA'ISM and its followers are known as the SHIAS. It means, the followers of the Islam-Original without the subsequent adulteration effected in it. SHIA'ISM (Islam-Original) strictly follows the holy QUR'AN, and the holy Prophet guided by the divinely commissioned Twelve holy Imams, whose physical and spiritual purity and personal excellence, the Islamic World as a whole unanimously acknowledges.

SHIA'ISM in order to help people to remain attached only to the Word of God as interpreted by the holy Prophet, wants its followers to strictly abide by the following Declarations of the holy Prophet. 1- At the start of his apostolic mission he declared that Ali was His Deputy, his Vicegerent, his Successor or his KALIF, with his orders to the assembly to listen to Ali an d to obey him.

2- Before the huge assembly of pilgrims numbering to several thousands, after his Last HAJ or the pilgrimage on the Eighteenth of ZILHAJ 10 A.H. at GHADEER-E-KHUM:

"Of whomsoever I am the MAULA (or the Lord), this Ali is his MAULA (or the Lord).

3- Just before his departure from this world saying:

"I leave behind me amidst you Two important things, The book of God (the holy QUR'AN) and the members of my family. As long as you keep yourselves attached to these Two, you shall never get astray after me. These Two shall never be separated from one another until they meet me at the Spring of KAUTHER".

With the above three main guiding factors, the Islam-Original or SHIA'ISM, keeps its faithful followers, the SHIAS, strictly attached to the Final Word of God, (the QUR'AN), the holy Prophet Muhammad, and his holy 'AHLUL BAIT' (i.e., the Divinely chosen members) of the apostolic family. SHIA'ISM demands every SHIA to cling fast to virtue and to be always with the virtuous, loving them more than their own lives. SHIA'ISM demands every SHIA to be always away from every vice and the wicked and be always aloof from them.

SHIA'ISM: ITS ARTICLES OF FAITH AND ITS PRACTICE

A SHIA Muslim believes in:

1- The absolute unity of God, with all his divine attributes as inseparable and essential qualities of His absolute Self.

2- The Perfect and flawless Equity of the Lord. Every word and act of the Lord being based on nothing but perfect justice. Inequity is imperfection and every imperfection is a defect and the lord is free from every defect.

3- The infallibility, sinless-ness and truthfulness of all the apostles of God, from Adam, the First of God's apostles to the holy Prophet Muhammad the Last of them. All the apostles were the personalities purified by the Lord Himself and by Himself conditioned for the services divinely assigned to them, and no apostle or prophet did come after the holy Prophet and neither any will come until the end of the world.

4- With the conclusion of the ministry of the holy Prophet Muhammad the Last one of God's apostles the infinite mercy of the Lord, for the guidance of man on the right lines of His revealed religion Islam, instituted the series of godly souls His own commissioned Imams, or Guide or Leaders from the same Lineage Abraham to continue the divine guidance and thus started the institution of Imamate in the place of 'RISALALT', i.e., apostleship. The Twelve God's commissioned Guides or Imams are:

(I)- Ali son of ABU TALEB the Cousin germane, the Son-in-Law of the holy Prophet and his Vicegerent, Brother, Heir and KALIF declared by him at the outset of his ministry at the 'DAWATE ASHEERA' and at the close of the apostleship, at GHADEER-E-KHUM at the command of the Lord revealed in verse 5:67.

(II)- HASSAN son of ALI IBNE ABI TALEB and the holy Lady FATEMA ZAHRA. The First grandson of the holy Prophet martyred by poison

(III)- HUSSAIN the second son of ALI IBNE ABI TALEB and the holy Lady FATEMA ZAHRA. 'ZIBHE AZEEM' i.e. Great Sacrifice, butchered with the Seventy two godly souls of his kith and kin and devotees, in the wholesale slaughter at KARBALA enacted by the KALIF YAZID son of MU'AVIAH.

(IV)- ALI ZAIN UL-ABIDEEN AS-SAJJAD the first son of HUSSAIN the King of Martyrs of KARBALA, the Prisoner of YAZID martyred by KALIF WALEED BIN ABDUL MALIK.

(V)- MUHAMMAD AL-BAQUIR son of ALI ZAIN UL-ABIDEEN the Fourth Imam, martyred by HISHAM BIN ABDUL MALIK

(IV)- JA'FAR AS-SADIQ son of MUHAMAMD AL-BAQUIR the Fifth Imam, martyred by MANSOOR.

(VII) MOOSA AL-KAZIM son of JA'FAR AS-SADIQ the Sixth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF HAROON AR-RASHEED.

(VIII)- ALI AR-RIZA, son of MOOSA AL-KAZIM the Seventh Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MAAMOON AR-RASHEED.

(IX)- MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI, son of ALI AR-RIZA, the Eighth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MO'TASIM.

(X)- ALI AN-NAQI son of MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI, the Ninth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MO'TASIM

(XI)- HASSAN AL-ASKARI, son of ALI AN-NAQI, the Tenth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MO'TMAD

(XII)- MUHAMMAD AL-MAHDI son of HASSAN AL-ASKARI, living by the will of the Lord as is Jesus in the seed of Isaac through his virgin mother Mary. Both this holy Imam and the holy Prophet Jesus will re-appear at the will of the Lord before the end of the world after which will be the Last Day of Resurrection and Final Judgment.

The Last Day Of The Final Judgment (QIAMAT)

It is now for any intelligent one to say that if the above fundamentals of the faith are those prescribed by the holy QUR'AN or not, or if they contain anything more or less than what the holy Prophet preached and enjoined upon his followers. As regards the practice of the faith a SHIA Muslim shall:

1- Offer regularly the prescribed five times compulsory prayers.

2- Fast the whole of the holy month of Ramadan.

3- Perform 'HAJ' i.e. pilgrimage to the holy KA'BA in Mecca at least once in his life provided he could afford to do it as laid down by the holy Prophet.

4- Pay the 'ZAKAT' (the prescribed poor-rate) of his assists as prescribed by the holy QUR'AN and explained by the holy Prophet.

5- Pay the 'KHUMS' (the 1/5th of the net savings as laid down by the holy QUR'AN and explained by the holy Prophet.

6- Endeavor his most, i.e., 'JEHAD', as needed for the defense and the welfare of the faith and the faithful and even fight in the way of the lord for the purpose if called to do it by the Apostle of God or any one of God's commissioned Guides the Imams.

7- Preach or enjoin what is good to his brethren in all peaceful and desirable ways.

8- Preach abstinence from evil, to his brethren in all peaceful and desirable ways.

9- Love God, God's chosen men and godliness and be always attached to the godly ones particularly to the holy Prophet Muhammad and his holy AHLUL BAIT.

10- Always keep himself away from evils and the evil ones, having nothing to do with the wicked ones with definite aversion to their wicked conduct and character.

Let any unbiased reader who pursues the above fundamentals and their practice declare, if there is nothing but good and it is nothing but godliness pure, in belief and practice, or if there is anything bad or objectionable in it. As regards the holy QUR'AN, a SHIA Muslim believes that the present holy QUR'AN is the very same Book of God, complete in itself without any deduction or addition to it and without any alteration or misarrangement of its verses. This is the holy QUR'AN which was revealed to the holy Prophet which was then and there recorded in writing by ALI IBNE ABI TALEB, ABDULLAH IBNE MAS'OOD, and MA'AAZ IBNE JABAL and which was read out to the holy Prophet during his very lifetime.

As regards the 'QIBLAH' or the point of turning towards, during prayers, a SHIA Muslim holds the holy KA'BA in Mecca as his QIBLAH. As regards the daily prayers a SHIA Muslim offers regularly the five times compulsory daily prayers with the number of the RAK'ATS or units as given below:

PRAYER WAJIB RAK'ATS (or units) SUNNAT FAJR (morning) 2 = 2 ZOHR (mid-day) 4 = 8 ASR (afternoon) 4 = 8 MOGHRIB (evening) 3 = 4 ISHA (night) 4 = 2 Total Compulsory 17 = 24 The 'KALEMA-E-SHAHADAT' or the verbal declaration of the faith, the KALEMA of a SHIA Muslim is the same as that of any other Muslim:

"LA ILLAHA ILLALLAH MUHAMMADUR RASOOLULLAH"

'There is no god save (the One God) Allah. Muhammad the Apostle of God'

A SHIA Muslim declares his identity with the Islam-Original to mean that this Islam is that of the AHLUL BAIT whose head after the holy Prophet was Ali, and not the Islam adulterated by unwarranted authorities, pronouncing his faith in Ali as the Friend of God or the Divinely commissioned Guardian over the Muslims after the holy Prophet. To do this a SHIA Muslim declares with in continuation of the above declaration: "ALLIYYON WALIULLAH WASIYYU RASSOLILLAH".

'Ali the Friend of God the Successor of the holy Prophet' Be it known that the above two clauses are pronounced not a part of the KALEMA but just as a note of distinction of the faith from the creed adulterated alter.

This is the whole of the SHIA'ISM or the Islam-Original and nothing else.

Under the Ninth article of the practice of the faith called 'TAWALLAH' a SHIA Muslim mourns the martyrdom of each of the holy ones of the AHLUL BAIT and expresses his sorrow and grief for the miseries and the calamities the holy ones suffered, individually and also collectively in congregational services called the MAJALIS-E-AZA in which are recited the holy QUR'AN and the life-readings of the holy ones with the Islamic philosophy and religious teachings for the information of the fellows in the SHIA faith.

Let the readers themselves judge if the above conduct could be in agreement or the token of devotion of God and the loyalty to the godly ones who suffered the calamities and laid their all in the way of the Lord for the guidance of mankind, or it could in any manner or sense be in the least objectionable. At the same time it has at last to be judged that not doing so will be ingratitude and disloyalty to God and the godly ones or not.

THE COMMEMORATION OF THE HISTORIC 'ASHOORA'

'ASHOORA' means the "Tenth" i.e., the Tenth day, of the Lunar month of MUHARRAM 61 A.H. on which historic day, HUSSAIN surrendered his all in the way of the Lord to save the Truth and thus to save humanity from getting beguiled by the Brute on the throne and the brutal forces of the mercenary scholars whom he had enlisted under his command. All those who love truth and the welfare of mankind at large, will naturally love HUSSAIN and his holy family, and will naturally be moved to express their sympathy and sorrow for the Great Godly Hero of KARBALA who sacrificed his all, suffered the worst of miseries and met the most torturous and brutal death but neither vielded to the blasphemy perpetrated by the Brute not the destruction of the Divine Principle of his holy Grandfather.

Honestly, not to commemorate such a solemn occasion will be thanklessness and ingratitude to godliness and God Himself, and to do it will surely earn the blessings of the Lord. Every one who has the least appreciation or the admiration for the matchless sacrifices, the Great Hero and his godly comrades who suffered martyrdom along with him, will naturally be moved to express his sorrow on the solemn occasion, and those who love devilry and the Devil YAZID, will naturally by festive on that day.

INTERCESSION OR SHAFA'AT

The possibility of intercession for the sinners on the Day of Judgment is quite obvious from the repeated declarations of the holy QUR'AN. The declarations are so clearly worded that none can misinterpret them otherwise: "…who is any one to intercede with Him, save with His permission…" [2:255]. According to this verse, intercession is possible only with permission of the Lord. There are the following verses clearer still: "They shall not own intercession, save he who has covenanted with the Beneficent God" [19:87]. "On that Day (of Judgment) no Intercession shall avail except of him whom the Beneficent Lord allows and with whose word He (God) is pleased with" [20:109]

The above verses are too clear to create any doubt against some dear ones to the Lord having the authority form Him to intercede. Who else could be more entitled to this divine grace and unique privilege than the apostles of God, more particularly the Last one, the chief of them, and those who have surrendered their lives in the way of the Lord like HUSSAIN and his faithful comrades who were martyred along with him. The point is that to one who sincerely seeks to know the truth, a straight answer, with the simplest logic, will certainly suffice, but to one who wants to go on arguing merely for argument's sake, even the apostles from God could not satisfy. No amount of arguing will be of any avail when the understanding is never to come at all from within the enquirer. One can give an argument but never an understanding.

THE HOUSES OF MIRACLES AND RESPONSE TO PRAYERS

Let the materialist world know from the millions of devoted Muslims, who have visited the Shrines in Iraq and other holy places, how brightly the Glory of God shines in the shrines of HUSSAIN and the members of his holy family and also of his faithful comrades who sacrificed their lives along with him in KARBALA. One need not wait long to witness any miraculous event on any of the week days, in the shrines of HUSSAIN and ABBAS,

particularly the holy shrine of ABBAS-E-ALAMDAR (i.e., ABBAS the Standard Bearer of HUSSAIN) is the place where from hundreds of thousands of the sufferers get their prayers immediately heard, and many a time this valiant son of ALI, the Lion of God, has rendered miraculous and timely rescue to those who invoked the mercy of God in his holy name. it can be most confidently said, let any one try his holy name. it be most confidently said, let any one try his luck if hi needs any help from God with the necessary sincerity and devotion to the great saintly brother of the King of Martyrs. Even today the holy name 'ABBAS' is a watchword for millions and millions of his sincere devotees for the immediate and miraculous rescue needed in any unavoidable risk or danger. Where is the wonder, for one who surrenders himself to God, God will also surely honor his name when mentioned in any prayer to Him. God Himself enjoins on man to seek a medium unto Him.

"Seek ye a medium unto Him (God)" [5:35]

It is the disbelievers who get hopeless of their dead. Be it noted that the 'KALIMA' or the Word of the Declaration of the Faith 'SHIA'ISM', is only: "LAILAH ILLALLAH Muhammad RASOOLULLAH" 'There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the (holy) Prophet of God.

RESPECT, REGARD AND REVERENCE TO THE SACRED EMBLEMS

"ALAMS (the Emblems of HUSSAIN, ABBAS and the other A'IMA), the ZAREES, MINVARS, IMAMBARAS and the other things dedicated to the sacred memory of the holy Ones of the AHLUL BAIT, held with feelings of sanctity by the SHIAS (the devotees of the HOLY AHLUL BAIT)"

SOME GUIDING CLARIFTCATIONS

Of late, it is frequently preached by some ill-informed people against paying respect, regard or reverence to ALAMS, ZAREES, MINBARS, IMAMBARAS or any such things dedicated to the sacred memory of the members of the holy AHLUL BAIT, terming it, 'SHIRK' or 'BID' or 'KURF'. Since there is the possibility of some innocent and ignorant Muslims and Non-Muslims alike, not knowing the difference between 'MAWADDAT' (i.e. love or faithfulness), and, 'OBBODAT' (i.e. Worship), getting astray, it has become necessary to issue the following clarifications.

Be it known that the move to criticize the expressions of Respect, Regard and Reverence to the holy AHLUL BAIT and the things dedicated to their sacred memory, is nothing new. Such criticisms and accusations against the devotees of the holy ones, the SHIAS, have been in vogue since centuries having their start immediately following the departure of the holy Prophet.

'MAWADDAT' (i.e. love or devotion) practiced by those attached to the holy AHLUL BAIT has always been misrepresented as 'OBOODIAT' (i.e. worship), just to condemn attachment to the holy Family, terming the love and the devotion to the holy ones, as 'SHIRK' (i.e. Polytheism) or 'KUFR' (i.e. infidelity). This was done to stop people's attachment to the AHLUL BAIT, and to enlist strength against those who, in-spite of the vicious propaganda, against them and even suffering the miserable persecution, remained devoted to the holy Ones of the Prophet's family. The first of such a cry, motivated with the vicious object mentioned above, was raised by some opportunists aspiring for power and authority, immediately as the holy Prophet departed form this world, saying:

"MAN KANA YA'BUDU MUHAMMAD FAQAD MAAT".

'Let every one who was worshipping Muhammad now know that he is dead (and gone)'. This satiric cry was raised against the devotees of the holy House, to declare them as 'KAFIRS' infidels (i.e. those who worshipped the holy Prophet) instead of God, terming their 'MAWADDAT' to the holy ones, which means only love and devotion, as 'OBOODIAT' i.e. worship, and thus to declare the attachment to the AHLUL BAIT as 'SHIRK' or 'KUFR', whereas only the devotees to the AHLUL BAIT are Muslims in the true and the strict sense of the term, as they worship none but the One and the Only True God, and love the holy Prophet and his AHLUL BAIT and remain devoted to them under the divine ordinance:

"Say unto the people O' Apostle Muhammad! 'I seek not of you any 'AJR' (Compensation) for it (the service of the apostleship) save love of my relatives…" [42:23]

Under the above ordinance from the Lord, none who does not pay the holy Prophet the 'AJR' (i.e. recompense) in the love and devotion to the AHLUL BAIT, demanded him, can never be a Muslim at all.

In short, 'MAWADDAT' i.e. the love towards the holy AHLUL BAIT, is purposefully termed as 'OBOODIAT' i.e., worship to blackmail their devotees, the SHIAS as 'MUSHRIKEEN' (i.e. the Polytheists) and 'KUFFAR' (the infidels), and to dissuade people from attachment to the holy Ones. It must first be remembered that 'SHIRK' means associating any thing with God, and these things which are held sacred by the SHIAS are never at all held as God, or gods, or in place of God, or that the holy ones to whose memory they are dedicated. They are mere Emblems and Memorials, dedicated to their memory. This fact has already been made clear and it is once again repeated here for the information of the new uninformed or misinformed critics.

The move against respecting these sacred memorials of the dedicated tokens, is only to dissuade the public from their devotion to the AHLUL BAIT, in the guise of preaching 'TAUHEED' i.e. the Unity of God, and warning against 'SHIRK' which is the most abhorred thing in Islam, particularly in SHIA'ISM which is the Islam-Original.

Let the misinformed advocates of 'TAUHEED' and the Warners against 'SHIRK' rest assured that the SHIAS, in particular when they pray for any divine boon or mercy in the name of ht holy Imams, they never imagine for a while that the actual giver or the bestower of the boon or the giver of the help prayed for, is any one other than the Almighty Lord of the Universe, and the prayer in the name of the holy Ones is only to invoke the mercy of the Lord through the medium of these holy souls who have been declared as God's chosen ones and the nearest and dearest ones to Him.

The misleading question which the critics raise, in that way should not one seek the help he needs directly from God? This question has in itself the answer that when such great devotees of God (i.e. the critics) get ill, why do they go to the doctor? Who is the actual Curer, God or the doctor? Why not they depend upon God for the cure and avoid the means of the doctor, when the doctor is not the actual curer? No, they do it because they have to seek a means or a medium and they do it for they cannot avoid it. This is quite in accordance with the divine guidance from the lord: "Seek ye the means to reach Him (God)" [5:35]

None can reach God without the proper means to the end. God Himself has enjoined the holy Prophet to seek his 'AJR' or recompense in the love and devotion to his AHLUL BAIT (See 42:23) and the 'AJR' in the love and devotion to the holy AHLUL BAIT has been made the way to the Lord (See 25:57) I ask not any 'AJR' (recompense) for it (i.e. apostleship) save ye take the way to the Lord (25:57).

And what the 'AJR' (recompense) is, has been mentioned in 42:23.

The reverence and the regard for things dedicated to the sacred memory of the holy ones, is clearly warned by the verse 2:158 in which the Muslims have been ordained to run between the hillocks 'SAFA' and 'MARWA' while performing the 'HAJ'. And the following verse of the holy QUR'AN clearly declares the regard for any signs of God (i.e. anything by means of which man remembers God's Glory, His Authority or His Existence) as the piety of the heart of the individual:

"And whosoever respects the signs of God, it surely is of the piety of the heart" [22:32].

SHIAS go to 'IMAMBARA', the 'MAHFILS', the 'MINBARS' and recite there 'FATEHA' (i.e. 1st SURA of the holy QUR'AN), and the masterly edited prayers of the great divines viz. AMIRUL MOMINEEN ALI IBNUL HUSSAIN and the other Imams. Let the advocates of 'TAWHEED' and the warners against 'SHIRK' go through the 'DUA-E-JAWSHAN-E-SAGHEER' or any other prayers 'DUA' prescribed by the holy Imams and then say if there can be a greater and a surer source of approaching God or invoking His Mercy, than these mediums. People ignorant of these great things, are those who speak against the heavenly means to get nearer to the Lord to be blessed by Him.

It is also necessary to inform the advocates of 'TAUHEED' and the Warner against 'SHIRK' that it is declared faith and the conviction of every SHIA that nothing without the compulsory SALAT or NAMAZ, duly performed, can eve r benefit any one in approaching God or getting any boon or help from Him any one of the holy ones, and the Mosque is the holiest place with nothing to be compared to it.

SAJDAH

Who said SAJDAH or prostration in obeisance to any one besides God is allowed SAJDAH to 'GHAIRALLAH' or 'MASILLAHL' (i.e. other than God) is 'HARAM' i.e. strictly prohibited, and SHIA'ISM the Islam-Original, more than any other school of faith, abhors it, and guards its adherents against it, both from the pulpit and the press. The critic should first know that SAJDAH to God differs from the act of merely laying the head on the ground which also is termed as SAJDAH. The SAJDAH to God is not only laying the head on the ground, but submitting one's self wholly to God with the realization of one's negation of his finite existence granted to him, before the infinite. Almighty and the Absolute Existence of the Only Self Existing One,

with the intention of worshipping Him as the only Creator, Sustainer, Lord of the Universe. Mere laying of the head on the ground before any one in any ceremonial way of paying any conventional regard or formal reverence to any other than God, can never be the 'SAJDAH-E-OBOODIAT' (the prostration of subservience). It will be a 'SAJDAH-E-TAZEEMI' (i.e. the prostration or regard) which was demanded of the angels for Adam: "(SAJDAH) (Prostration) to Adam, they did offer (SAJDAH) prostration save 'IBLEES' (the Devil) …" [2:37 & 7:11].

This is what God Himself ordered the angels to do:

"When I have made him (Adam) complete and breathe into him spirit of Me, fall ye all down (offering SAJDAH) Prostration to him" [15:29]. If SAJDAH in any sense whatsoever was prohibited save to God, the stars would not have been caused to appear to Joseph in his vision, offering 'SAJDAH' or prostration to him.

"When Joseph said to his father, 'O' My father: Verily I saw eleven stars and the sun the moon, I saw them, offering SAJDAH (prostration) to me" [12:4].

And why did YACOOB (Jacob) an apostle of God, offer 'SAJDAH' to his son Joseph:

"And he (Joseph) raised his parents to the throne and they offered SAJDAH (prostration) to him" [12:100]. It is sufficiently clear if one wants only to know the truth that SAJDAH by way of worship to any object besides God, is strictly prohibited as 'HARAM' and abhorred by SHIA'ISM which is Islam-Original, whereas the act of mere lying of head anybody expressing one's humanity to any greatness, or excellence particularly in the case of any divine object, which was expected of the angels even by God Himself, and was practiced even by a prophet of God like Jacob, is not worship, and hence not objectionable.