Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

CHAPTER ONE: Reality of Intermediation

Section One: Basic conceptions of intermediation (Tawassul)

The relevance and wholesomeness of the concept of intermediation is an established fact. The negation of this reality is in fact the negation of the Qur’ānic injunctions. This attitude is simply inconceivable for any Muslim, irrespective of his group affiliation. Intermediation is a twofold act: on the one hand, it acknowledges the humility and helplessness of the creature who has a pressing need to be fulfilled; on the other hand, it asserts the superiority of an act which has been hallowed by divine sanction, or of a personage who enjoys divine approval through a series of noble deeds. The idea behind intermediation is not to vitiate or supplant divine authority but to facilitate the acceptance of human needs through the act of prayer. Thus the act of intermediation involves a sliding-scale of graded functions: at the bottom is the humble creature who hopes for a favourable divine response; in the middle is the sanctified act or the personage who has developed closer affiliation with God through meditation, prayer and human service and at the top is God Himself Who Alone possesses the power to grant the prayer.

The concept does not imply that the intermediary will grant the prayer or that he will pressurize God to grant the prayer of an individual or condone his sins. This is an egregious misconception, which haunts the minds of a number of people. In fact, the prayee believes that when he mediates his prayer through divinely blessed persons, after positing his own helplessness and after articulating the praise of God, He will fulfil his need as a token of courtesy to the intermediary. He does not even have the creeping notion that the intermediary is a partner in divinity. It is, therefore, vitally significant to grasp the reality of intermediation to obviate any misunderstanding, especially on the part of those who are prone to interpreting it in a characteristically un-Islamic sense.

It should be understood at the very outset that intermediation is only a form of prayer to be answered by God Alone. The intermediary is only a medium who serves as a means to activate the process of its fulfilment.

It should also be noted that the choice of an intermediary depends on two vital factors; first he is loved by the prayee and secondly he is also loved by God. Therefore, to love someone simply because he is loved by God is in itself a virtuous act, so his choice as an intermediary becomes indisputable. This is the factual position and if someone harps on another string, he is not only mistaken but is also committing an ignominious deed. This contention is easily endorsed by the logic of commonsense. If the prayee believes that the intermediary can harm or benefit like God, he is guilty of a heinous sin and will be dismissed as a believer on the basis of this erroneous belief.

Besides, it is not necessary that mediation alone should serve as a guarantee for the realization of prayer, because Allah says:

And (O beloved,) when My servants ask you about Me, (tell them,) “I am Near.”[1]

(O beloved,) say, “Call upon Allah or call upon ar-Rahmān (the most Merciful), by whichever name you call on Him, His are the most beautiful names.”[2]

The misunderstanding that intermediation is a form of coercion should end now as the intermediary cannot force God to grant a prayer against His Own will. No one can dictate to Him, we can only beseech Him. It is only an expression of His infinite mercy that he has upscaled some of His creatures on the grounds of their love and obedience and turned them into agents of redemption for millions of ordinary people who, without their mediation, might have drifted in sheer hopelessness and frustration. This is an indirect divine recognition of their services that God puts a positive spin on whatever is associated with them. It is for the same reason that sacred places and objects are offered as means. The purpose is to boost human expectation for the divine reprieve.

Different views about intermediation (Tawassul)

There is complete agreement on some aspects of intermediation while a fractious climate of opinion marks its other aspects.

The Muslim scholars agree that virtuous deeds like prayer, fasting, pilgrimage to Makkah, zakat and recitation of the holy Qur’ān can serve as legitimate means of intermediation. There are, of course, some people who deny intermediation without action (passive intermediation) i.e. through prophets, righteous ones, saints and relics, though the Muslim scholars have affirmed the possibility of intermediation through these means. These differences have been eloquently highlighted by Muhammad bin ‘Alawī al-Mālikī:

“The conflicting view relates to intermediation without action (passive intermediation), i.e. when individuals and personalities are taken as means, for example, to say, “O God, I take Your Prophet Muhammad(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) as an intermediary to You,” or “I take Abū Bakr as-Siddīq or ‘Umar bin al-Khattāb or ‘Uthmān or ‘Alī as intermediaries to You.” Some scholars treat it as forbidden. I believe that this difference is only superficial because in intermediation through an individual, the intermediary powers are vested in that individual on the basis of his deeds and intermediation through action is unanimously acceptable. People who deny intermediation have adopted a stubborn posture. If they had cared to look at the problem perceptibly, it would have cleared up, the doubts would have vanished and the conflict would have resolved which has led them to hurl unsavoury allegations against the Muslims. Intermediation without action is actually attributed to the intermediary and he has acquired this status on the basis of his actions. A man tends to choose someone as his intermediary because he loves him and reposes unqualified trust in his spiritual superiority as a consequence of this love, or he believes the intermediary is loved by Allah Himself. As He says:

(Allah) loves them and they love Him.[3]

Or he believes that all these qualities are found in the intermediary. If you reflect on it, you are bound to find this matrix of love. And this belief is the action of the intermediary because belief is a form of action, which grips his heart. The intermediatee seems to say:

“O, my Lord! Undoubtedly, I love such and such person and I truly believe that he also loves You, he is Your loyal servant and he wages jihad for Your sake, and I believe You love him too, and You are pleased with

him, and I offer him as an intermediary on account of my love for him, and I believe You will grant my prayer.”

“But there are a number of religious scholars (intermediationists) who limit its scope to the One Whose knowledge spans the secrets of the heavens and the earth and Who can detect the waywardness of the eyes and penetrate the secrets of the hearts. A person who says, “I take the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) as my intermediary,” and the other who says, “I take the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) as my intermediary because I love him,” are both on the same footing because he has chosen the first source of intermediation on the basis of his trust in the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) and his love for him. If the prayee had not loved and trusted the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) , he would not have chosen him as his intermediary. The same applies to the saints and the holy personages.

“This discussion lifts the haze off of the concept of intermediation. It clearly shows that the difference is only superficial and does in no way insinuate that the prayees (intermediatees) should be maligned as non-believers and chucked out of the fold of Islam. It is a moral stigma.”[4]

True sense of the concept of intermediation (Tawassul)

Some people are reluctant to pray through the mediation of the holy Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) on account of lack of knowledge. They think that praying through mediation is incompatible with praying directly to Allah. This attitude is grounded in a misunderstanding of the Qur’ānic verses, which enjoin upon the believers to pray directly to Allah and to eschew associating partners with Him. As a result of misinterpretation they believe that to approach Allah through an intermediary amounts to a denial of divine unity. This conception is based on ignorance and misunderstanding and we should try to correct it. To approach Allah while praying, through a prophet or a messenger, a holy person or a pious deed, is neither a denial of the oneness of Allah nor is it inconsistent with an unmediated appeal to Him.

In spite of the intermediation, we pray to Allah directly and not to the intermediary. One commits the act of denying Allah only when he, in opposition to Him, regards someone else as the arbitrator of profit and loss, as the absolute power and as the granter of prayers. But the situation here does not warrant any such development. The prayer is submitted only to Allah, and while appealing to Him to grant these needs and desires, the mediation of the holy Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) , a saintly person or a pious deed is cited because they enjoy Allah’s love and favour and, therefore, He has greater regard for them than for other creatures. So such form of intermediation not only makes the words of prayer more effective but also raises its chances of acceptance by Allah. Now his prayer is not a simple prayer, it is rather a blend of his request and divine love. The urgency of his need combines with Allah’s magnanimity and acquires a holier complexion. It should be noted that the grant of prayers is not contingent on mediation but it definitely expedites their fulfilment. The holy Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) himself instructed his companions to pray through his mediation as we come to

know through a tradition narrated by ‘Uthmān bin Hunayf that the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) taught a blind man to pray:

O Allah, I appeal to You, and submit to You through the mediation of the merciful Prophet Muhammad. O Muhammad, through your mediation I submit myself to my Lord to have my need granted. O Allah, acknowledge his intercession in my favour.[5]

‘Umar used to pray for rain through the mediation of the Prophet’s uncle ‘Abbās as is attributed to Anas.[6] Once when Medina was in the grip of a severe drought, ‘Ā’ishah asked some of the Companions and residents of the city to visit the holy Prophet’s grave, and on account of his blessings, it rained in buckets.[7]

In short, this blessed act has been popular and prevalent from the days of Adam (عليه السلام) and other prophets to the period of the holy prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) , the Companions and the Successors and right down to the present-day Muslims. Now some people, hopelessly deficient in a correct understanding of dīn, are raising unfounded objections against its efficacy, and treating it as a challenge to the uniqueness of Allah. Therefore, it is imperative that the injunctions of Shariah should be understood in their true essence and perspective so that we do not distort them for lack of knowledge and understanding.

Important terminology about Tawassul

Whenever we discuss the concept of intermediation we should take into account four factors, which are interlinked:

Wasīlah: mediation; the means of approach.

Mutawassil: intermediatee; the prayee who chooses his own pious deed or a personage or a place as a source of intermediation in his prayer.

Mutawassal bihī: intermediary; intermediator; an object that is offered as a source of intermediation to Allah, for example, virtuous deeds, saintly personages and hallowed signs and acts associated with them.

Mutawassal ilayh: Allah is the Focus of all intermediation because it is submitted to Him Alone.

Section Two :Literal meaning of Tawassul

Tawassul (intermediation) and wasīlah (means) are similarly used. Lexicologists think that wasīlah is a means of achieving an objective.

1. Imam Rāghib Asfahānī comments:

Wasīlah means to seek willingly access to something and since it is based on willingness, it is related to wasīlah, the means of approach.[8]

2. Ibn Manzūr, in his research conducted on the word wasīlah, writes:

In fact, wasīlah is a means of approach to something to attain nearness to it.[9]

3. Imam Zamakhsharī says:

Everything that helps in seeking means of approach, that is, nearness to Allah, is wasīlah.[10]

Technical meaning of Tawassul

Tawassul carries multiple meanings. It is used in the sense of need, inclination, stature and nearness; three of these senses are consistent with its technical usage:

1. Highest station

Wasīlah is the highest station in Paradise, which is reserved for the intercessor – the holy Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) – on the Day of Judgement. It is usual for Muslims to pray, after the call to prayer, that Muhammad(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) may obtain this station. It is related to Bukhārī that the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) himself persuaded his followers to offer the following prayer:

Allah’s Messenger(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) said as reported by Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh: Anyone who prays after the call to prayer, “O Lord, in exchange for this complete invitation and standing prayer, make Muhammad(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) a source of intermediation and superiority and appoint him to the highest station in Paradise as promised by You,” my intercession for him on the Day of Judgement will be obligatory.[11]

In this supplication (du‘ā’), al-wasīlah means ‘a spot which is a special grade of excellence in Paradise,’ this is also the highest station reserved for the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) . Whenever we invoke the mediation of the holy Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) , we have in mind this specific place in Paradise.

2. Proximity to Allah

The nearness to Allah is in itself a source of intermediation. When a creature comes close to Allah through the perfection of his faith, obedience to His rules and prescriptions, observance of forms of worship, following the sunnah and avoiding sins, this nearness to Allah in itself becomes a source of intermediation. Similarly those who work with sincerity of intention acquire close access to Allah and are elevated to the stature of His favourites. Their sincerity and affiliation keep them steadily glued to the right path and serve as an mediation to counter the tricks of the devil. According to Allah Himself, Satan has sworn to lead the believers astray:

(Satan) said, “I swear by Your honour that I will mislead all of them.”[12]

But he will never be able to mislead those who have attained nearness to Allah.

3. Source of intermediation

All objects, which are a means to attain the nearness of Allah, also serve as sources of intermediation whether they are related to individuals or deeds. The Qur’ān has made it permissible to seek the means of approach, and what is permitted cannot be waived without proper shar‘ī argument or convincing proof. The Qur’ān says:

O believers! Fear Allah and seek means (of approach to) His (presence and to His nearness and accessibility).[13]

This verse does not stress any specific application and includes both acts and individuals. The same verse acts as an explicit justification of intermediation.

Shāh Ismā‘īl Dihlawī interprets the Qur’ānic verse as the direction provided by the spiritual guide:

People who are in search of the true conduct mean by wasīlah a kind of guide. Search for the guide should necessarily precede the hard struggle that is required for the attainment of true success, and Allah has prescribed this method for the seekers of the true path. Therefore, without the direction of the guide, its acquisition is almost impossible.[14]

Kinds of Tawassul

Tawassul may be divided into the following kinds:

at-Tawassul lid-du‘ā’

at-Tawassul fid-du‘ā’

at-Tawassul bid-du‘ā’

at-Tawassul bin-nidā’

at-Tawassul bil-a‘māl-is-sālihah

at-Tawassul bi-āthār-is-sālihīn

1. at-Tawassul lid-du‘ā’

This (kind of intermediation) seeks nearness of Allah through a source approved by Shariah.

2. at-Tawassul fid-du‘ā’

When a need or worry is submitted to Allah for its relief, the help of an intermediary is sought to fulfil the need or remove the worry.

Difference between the two

The first kind of intermediation is a means of drawing near to Allah while the second kind of intermediation serves to fulfil the need of an individual or to eliminate a specific anxiety.

Kinds of tawassul fid-du‘ā’

This kind of intermediation is further divided into two kinds:

A: Intermediation through words, and

B: Intermediation without words.

A. Intermediation through words

In this form of intermediation, the name of the intermediary is mentioned (for the acceptance of a prayer and the fulfilment of a need and) to acquire the close access to Allah.

During prayer to Allah, reference to a good deed or a saintly person serves as a kind of intermediation for the acceptance of that prayer. The petitioner does not need to specify the name of the intermediary, a mere reference to him is enough as is endorsed by Bukhārī, which is summarized below:

“During journey, the entrance of the cave closed on them. All the three were virtuous men, one of them prayed to Allah by referring to his kindly

treatment of his parents. The second man prayed by suggesting how he had managed to escape committing a sin though it was the easiest thing for him to do. The third man talked about how he had guarded the wages of a labourer for many years and paid him the money after a lapse of considerable time and then prayed. Their prayers were accepted as Allah removed the heavy stone that had closed the entrance of the cave.”

B. Intermediation without words

When a good deed or a sacred place serves as a means of approach at the time of prayer to attain the nearness of Allah, this deed or place is endeared to Him. Even though these are not given a strictly verbal form, they automatically serve as a source of intermediation.

It is also known as intermediation through action. It eliminates the use of the words during prayer. The petitioner either prays in the company of a saintly person or prays at a sacred place or he places a hallowed object in front of him and then prays to Allah for a favourable reception of his prayer.

The first instance of intermediation through action is attested by Zakariyyā’s prayer at Maryam’s place of worship, as it is stated by the Qur’ān:

At this place (Maryam’s place of worship) Zakariyyā prayed to his Lord. He besought, “O my Master, bless me with children who are of sound moral character. There is no doubt that You hear our petitions.”[15]

In this verse, Allah has pinpointed the blessed act of Zakariyyā (عليه السلام). When he observed out-of-season fruit and other prized objects at Maryam’s place who was being groomed by him as a trainee, he chose that particular spot for the submission of his prayer. Allah responded positively to his plea and he was blessed with Yahyā (عليه السلام) especially at a time when it was almost impossible for his wife to conceive a child.

The second example is that of Yūsuf (عليه السلام) dispatching his shirt to his father Ya‘qūb (عليه السلام) for the restoration of his eyesight through the mediation of the shirt. Besides good deeds of the prophets and the righteous people, the relics associated with these personages can also act as instruments of intermediation, a topic that is proposed to be dealt with at length in the course of the book.

3. at-Tawassul bid-du‘ā’

In this kind of intermediation a person who is very close to Allah is requested to pray for the petitioner in order to relieve him of the worries and troubles that have turned his life into sheer torture. When this saintly person raises his hands in prayer, Allah, out of His infinite mercy, does not turn down his request, but acknowledges it as a proof of the fact that He holds His loyal servants so dear. Allah says:

And remember when you said, “O Mūsā, surely we will not remain content with only one kind of food (manna and quail), pray, then, to your

Lord for us that He may bring forth for us of what the earth grows – of its herbs, and its cucumbers and its wheat and its lentils and its onions.”[16]

In this verse, the words fad‘u lanā rabbaka (pray, then, to your Lord for us), are the source of intermediation. The followers of Mūsā (عليه السلام) are clearly asking him to pray for them to Allah. Since here Tawassul is being relied upon through Mūsā’s prayer, this act is known as tawassul bid-du‘ā’.

4. at-Tawassul bin-nidā’

The petitioner himself submits his request to the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) and uses him as a means in his supplication to seek Allah’s help. When he processes his petition through the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) , it becomes a source of intermediation for Allah’s help. Ibn Kathīr says that on the occasion of the battle of Yamāmah, yā Muhammadāh (O Muhammad, help us), was the battle cry of the Muslims. He adds that during the war, Khālid bin Walīd picked up the flag, and passing through the army positions, set out towards the mountain of Musaylimah, the Liar. He waited there for him to turn up so that he could kill him. Then he returned and, standing between the two armies, he shouted:

“I am the son of Walīd. I am the son of ‘Āmir and Zayd.” And then he raised the battle cry current among the Muslims which was “yā Muhammadāh” (O Muhammad, help us).[17]

In this tradition the Muslims are relying on the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) as a source of intermediation, and the Muslims who are committing this act are the Companions themselves. Thus to use the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) as an intermediary was a practice of the Companions. Similarly, it is narrated by ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Abbās that Allah’s Messenger(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) said:

Undoubtedly, there are some of Allah’s angels on the earth who are in addition to the guardian angels. They note down each leaf that falls down from a tree. If anyone of you is being tortured in the jungle, you should cry, “O servants of Allah, help me.”[18]

Here, the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) himself and in his own words instructs the Muslims to adopt intermediation as a means of seeking Allah’s help through His angels. He is advising us not to delink ourselves from those who not only believe in Allah but also practice their belief. In case there is no human figure to come to your rescue, you should pray to Allah through the mediation of the angels. Allah will command them to come to your help and fulfil your need. This universe is not a meaningless vacuum as many atheists in their ignorance tend to assume; it is filled with flights of angels though they remain invisible to the naked eye and whenever human beings under duress invoke the help of Allah, the angels practically demonstrate the merciful presence of Allah by meeting human exigencies. Thus the words falyunād a‘īnū ‘ibādallāh are a clear proof that intermediation through the Prophet’s intervention is permissible.

On the Day of Judgement, when the first and the last among the Muslims are in distress on account of the gruelling heat and judgement is yet to be

pronounced, they will all rally round the prophets including the holy Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) , and in their supplication to Allah will ask for their help. The tradition cited in different books bears testimony to the propriety and efficacy of this kind of intermediation. If this is permissible on the Day of Judgement, this should be equally permissible during our stay in this world. This reflects the kind-heartedness and benevolence of the prophets that the believers can depend on their mediation as a means of approach to the infinite mercy of Allah, whether we are on the earth or in the Hereafter.

The text of the tradition is as follows:

Narrated by ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Umar that the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) said, “A person constantly begs from other people till he on the Day of Judgement has no flesh on his face.” He added, “The sun will come closer to the people on the Day of Judgement. It will be so close that half of one’s ear will be drenched in sweat. In this condition, people will first seek the mediation of Adam, then of Mūsā and finally of Muhammad(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) .” And ‘Abdullāh – the sub-narrator –added, “Layth narrated to me that Ibn Abū Ja‘far had narrated: He (the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) ) will intercede with Allah to judge amongst the people. Then he will leave here until he will hold the arc of the gate of Paradise. On that day, Allah will make him ascend the glorious station and all the people present there will sing his praises.[19]

Mutual relation between intermediation, intercession and seeking aid

Another point worth noting in the context of intermediation is that when we request someone to act as our intermediary to Allah, it also seems to support the relevance of the related concepts of intercession and seeking help from Allah’s favourites. It means that when the relevance of intermediation has been proved, the relevance of other two concepts is automatically established. The following Qur’ānic verse clearly links the three concepts by explaining their mutually reinforcing role:

(O beloved!) And if they had come to you, when they had wronged their souls, and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger also had asked forgiveness for them, they (on the basis of this means and intercession) would have surely found Allah the Granter of repentance, extremely Merciful.[20]

This Qur’ānic verse clearly argues in favour of intermediation. It means when people have committed sin, they should seek the mediation of the holy Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) in their supplication to Allah and the Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) also prays for their forgiveness, then they will find Allah Compassionate and Merciful.

Fastaghfarullāh argues for intercession. When Allah condoned their sin through the intercession of the Messenger(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) , it means that intercession is validated by the Qur’ānic text. And the third concept of istighāthah is in fact a proof of seeking someone’s assistance. When a man returns to the holy Prophet(Peac Be Up Him and His Household) for the forgiveness of his sins, it clearly means that he is asking for his intercession: “O, Messenger of Allah, I am a sinner. Have mercy on me and intercede for me before Allah so that He may condone my sins.” This desire of the sinner, in fact, amounts to istighāthah (seeking help from others) while the Prophet’s readiness to implore Allah for the forgiveness of his sins is intercession.

References

[1]. Qur’ān (al-Baqarah) 2:186.

[2]. Qur’ān (al-Isrā’ ) 17:110.

[3]. Qur’ān (al-Mā’idah) 5:54.

[4]. Muhammad bin ‘Alawī al-Mālikī, Mafāhīm yajib an tusahhah, (pp.117-8).

[5]. Ibn Mājah transmitted it in his Sunan, b. of iqāmat-us-salāt was-sunnah fīhā (establishing prayer and its sunnahs), ch.189 (1:441#1385) and declared it sahīh (sound); Tirmidhī in al-Jāmi‘-us-sahīh, b. of da‘awāt (supplications), ch.119 (5:569#3578) and graded it hasan (fair) sahīh (sound) gharīb (unfamiliar or rare); Ahmad bin Hambal in his Musnad (4:138); and Hākim in al-Mustadrak (1:313,519,526-7) and Dhahabī also declared it sahīh (sound). Bukhārī narrated it in at-Tārīkh-ul-kabīr (6:209-10); Nasā’ī, ‘Amal-ul-yawm wal-laylah (pp.417-8#658-60); Ibn Khuzaymah, as-Sahīh (2:225-6#1219); Bayhaqī, Dalā’il-un-nubuwwah (6:166-7); Ibn-us-Sunnī, ‘Amal-ul-yawm wal-laylah (p.202#622); Subkī, Shifā’-us-siqām fī ziyārat khayr-il-anām (pp.123,125); Nawawī, al-Adhkār (p.83); Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (4:558-9); Ibn-ul-Athīr, Asad-ul-ghābah (3:571); Mundhirī, at-Targhīb wat-tarhīb (1:473-4); Yūsuf Mizzī, Tuhfat-ul-ashrāf bi-ma‘rifat-il-atrāf (7:236#9760); Suyūtī, Khasā’is-ul-kubrā (2:201); Qastallānī, al-Mawāhib-ul-laduniyyah (4:594); Zurqānī in his Commentary (12:221-2); Ibn Hajar Haythamī, al-Jawhar-ul-munazzam (p.61); and Shawkānī in Tuhfat-udh-dhākirīn (pp.194-5).

[6]. Bukhārī narrated it in his as-Sahīh, b. of istisqā’ (to invoke Allah for rain at the time of drought) ch.3 (1:342-3#964), and b. of fadā’il-us-sahābah (the virtues of the Companions) ch.11 (3:1360#3507); Ibn Hibbān, as-Sahīh (7:110-1#2861); Ibn Khuzaymah, as-Sahīh (2:337-8#1421); Hākim, al-Mustadrak (3:334); Ibn ‘Abd-ul-Barr, al-Istī‘āb fī ma‘rifat-il-ashāb (3:97); Bayhaqī in as-Sunan-ul-kubrā (3:352) and Dalā’il-un-nubuwwah (6:147); Baghawī, Sharh-us-sunnah (4:409#1165); Nawawī, al-Adhkār (p.80); Subkī, Shifā’-us-siqām fī ziyārat khayr-il-anām (p.128); Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalānī, Fath-ul-bārī (2:494); Qastallānī, al-Mawāhib-ul-laduniyyah (4:277); Zurqānī in his Commentary (11:151-3); Shawkānī, Tuhfat-udh-dhākirīn (p.58); and Muhammad Zāhid Kawtharī in his Maqālāt (p.380).

[7]. Dārimī narrated it in ch.15 of the muqaddimah (introduction) to his Sunan (1:43#93); Ibn-ul-Jawzī, al-Wafā’ bi-ahwāl-il-Mustafā (2:801); Subkī, Shifā’-us-siqām fī ziyārat khayr-il-anām (p.128); Qastallānī, al-Mawāhib-ul-laduniyyah (4:276); and Zurqānī in his Commentary (11:150).

[8]. Rāghib Asfahānī, Mufradāt alfāz al-Qur’ān (p.871).

[9]. Ibn Manzūr, Lisān-ul-Arab (11:725).

[10]. Zamakhsharī, al-Kashshāf ‘an haqā’iq ghawāmid-it-tanzīl (1:488).

[11]. Bukhārī, as-Sahīh, b. of adhān (the call to prayer) ch.8 (1:222#589); Nasā’ī, Sunan, b. of adhān (2:27); Ahmad bin Hambal, Musnad (3:354); Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalānī, Fath-ul-bārī (2:94; 8:399); Bayhaqī, as-Sunan-ul-kubrā (1:410); Baghawī, Sharh-us-sunnah (2:283-4#420); Muhammad Khatīb Tabrīzī, Mishkāt-ul-masābīh, b. of salāt (prayer) ch.4 (1:216#659).

[12]. Qur’ān (Sād) 38:82.

[13]. Qur’ān (al-Mā’idah) 5:35.

[14]. Ismā‘īl Dihlawī, Sirāt mustaqīm (p.58).

[15]. Qur’ān (Āl-i-‘Imrān) 3:38.

[16]. Qur’ān (al-Baqarah) 2:61.

[17]. Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (5:30).

[18]. Haythamī narrates it in Majma‘-uz-zawā’id (10:132) and says that its men are trustworthy.

[19]. Bukhārī, as-Sahīh, b. of zakat (obligatory charity) ch.51 (2:536-7#1405); Tabarānī transmitted it in al-Mu‘jam-ul-awsat (9:331#8720); and Haythamī cited it in Majma‘-uz-zawā’id (10:371).

[20]. Qur’ān (an-Nisā’) 4:64.

Chapter 1: Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)

Question 1: Do Shias worship Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)?

Shias do not worship Imam Ali (as). Shias worship Allah (SwT). How can anyone believe that Shias worship Imam Ali (as) when he himself tells us to worship Allah (SwT)?

Nahjul Balagha

In the famous book, Nahjul Balagha, a compilation of the sermons and sayings of Imam Ali (as), the first recorded sermon begins with:

“Praise is due to Allah whose worth cannot be described by speakers, whose bounties cannot be counted by calculators and whose claim (to obedience) cannot be satisfied by those who attempt to do so, whom the height of intellectual courage cannot appreciate, and the divings of understanding cannot reach; He for whose description no limit has been laid down, no eulogy exists, no time is ordained and no duration is fixed. He brought forth creation through His Omnipotence, dispersed winds through His Compassion, and made firm the shaking earth with rocks.”

Imam Ali (as) continues: “The foremost in religion is the acknowledgement of Him, the perfection of acknowledging Him is to testify Him, the perfection of testifying Him is to believe in His Oneness, the perfection of believing in His Oneness is to regard Him Pure, and the perfection of His purity is to deny Him attributes, because every attribute is a proof that it is different from that to which it is attributed and everything to which something is attributed is different from the attribute.

Thus whoever attaches attributes to Allah recognises His like, and who recognises His like regards Him two; and who regards Him two recognises parts for Him; and who recognises parts for Him mistook Him; and he who mistook Him, pointed at Him; and he who pointed at Him, admitted limitations for Him; and he who admitted limitations for Him, numbered Him.”

This sermon, and others in Nahjul Balagha show that Imam Ali (as) is the most eloquent exponent of Allah’s existence, His unity (Tawhid).

Other followers

There are other groups, chief among them the Nuzayris, the various groups of the Ghuluww, the extremists, who have worshipped Ali, but not the Shias.

Shias take pride that Ali (as) was not Allah but was the first male to worship Allah, with the Prophet (S); the first to bow down behind Muhammad (S), in prayer (salah), in worship of the one true Lord, Allah (SwT).

The Ghuluww, the Nuzayris and others, who take delight in their worship of Ali (as), are not friends or allies, of the Shias. They are people who have abandoned Islam, who have traduced Ali (as) by ascribing divinity to him. Too many Shias over the years have praised the Nuzayris and the Ali worshippers in their hymns (marthiyas) and in their religious poetry. This is wrong, un-Islamic and this is something the Prophet (S) warned against.

In a famous tradition (hadith) of the Prophet (S), narrated by Ahlul Sunnah and Shia scholars alike, the Holy Prophet said: “O Ali, you have a resemblance to Prophet Jesus (Isa), the son of Virgin Mary whom some Jews hated so much that they slandered him and his mother Mary and whom some Christians loved so much that they placed him in a position not rightly his.”

Shias love Ali (as) but do not, and should not, put him in a position which is not rightly his, that is, above the Prophet (S) or in place of Allah (SwT)

As Imam Ali (as) himself said, “Two kinds of people will be damned on my account. Those who form an exaggerated opinion about me and those who underestimate me because they hate me.” (Nahjul Balaghah, list of short sayings no.116).

So the historical evidence, the consensus of the Shia ulema and common sense are all proofs that that Shias worship Allah (SwT), not Imam Ali (as).

Question 2: Do Shias believe that Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) is superior to the Prophet (S)?

Some enemies of the Shias claim that, we believe, Imam Ali (as) was better or superior to Muhammad (S); some have suggested that we believe that the revelation of the Holy Qur’an was intended for him but mistakenly given to his cousin Muhammad (S). This is nonsense.

Common sense

Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) was either 10 or 12 years of age when the Prophet (S) received his first revelation, (wahi), from the archangel Jibraeel (Gabriel) in a cave. Does it make sense to believe that Shias would claim Jibraeel, an infallible angel, mistook a 12-year-old boy for a 40-year-old man?

Shias do not believe this but rather take pleasure in pointing out how Imam Ali (as) slept in the bed of the Prophet (S) to protect the Prophet’s life. Ali (as) slept in the Prophet’s bed on the night of Hijra so that the Prophet (S) could migrate to Madinah safely. How could we then believe he is superior to the Prophet (S)?

References from books of Ahlul Sunnah

In fact, the Prophet (S) famously predicted, in a tradition (hadith) narrated by very famous Ahlul Sunnah scholars like Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal in his Musnad and Imam Hakim in his Mustadrak: “In truth there will be, among you, one who shall fight over the ta’wil of the Qur’an, the interpretation of the Qur’an, just as I fought over its tanzil, its revelation.” Abu Bakr and Umar asked: “Am I he?” The Prophet said: “No, it is the one who is mending the shoes.” The companions turned to the side to see Imam Ali (as) mending the Prophet’s shoes.

This hadith shows that:

• Imam Ali (as) was the one the Prophet (S) singled out to his companions as the protector of Qura’nic interpretation;

• Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) used to mend the Prophet’s shoes and take pride in it.

After the Prophet (S), Ali (as) is the most superior and the greatest being created by Allah (SwT) - but the key point to note here is “after” the Prophet.

Question 3: Where is the proof that Ali (as) was appointed by the Prophet (S)?

This is one of the most important questions to ponder and needs a detailed review. The Shias point to the hadith of Ghadeer Khumm, narrated by the Ahlul Sunnah (see below) in which the Holy Prophet (S) declared: “Man kunto mawla hu fa haadha Aliyyun mawla” - “Of whomsoever I am mawla, Ali is also his mawla, i.e. leader.”

Does “mawla” mean friend?

This comes up again and again - especially that “mawla” means friend, not leader, imam or amir. We can analyse this by the following:

Meaning of “mawla”?

According to one study, the word mawla has between 20 and 30 different definitions in Arabic, but only one of which translates as “friend”. Most translate it as “owner”, “leader”, “benefactor”, “guide”, “helper”. Look at the Holy Qur’an, the words, mawla, awla, wali, wilayat, all come from the same root word, “wali”, and are all used in the Holy Qur’an to refer to guidance and leadership. For friendship or companionship, the Holy Qur’an tends to use the words, khaleel, sadiq and hameem.

Context when word “mawla” was used

The word “mawla” was used at Ghadeer Khumm, on the return journey from the last pilgrimage (Hajj) of the Prophet. The Prophet (S) calls back all those who had gone ahead. He calls forward all the people at the back. He then builds a pulpit from camels’ saddles, goes up on it and addresses over 100,000 people in the burning heat of the Arabian Desert, to make an important announcement.

Then the Prophet (S) asked just before the declaration, “Do I not have more authority upon you (alastu awla bi kum) than you have over yourselves?” All the people replied, “Yes, surely.” Then the Prophet (S) declared: “Of whomsoever I am mawla, Ali is also his mawla.”

Surely the word “mawla”, in this context, refers to authority, to leadership. The earlier reference is from the verse:

“The Prophet has a greater claim on the faithful than they have on themselves.” (33:6).[Surah Ahzab]

As Sunni scholar Sibt ibn Jauzi says, “The saying of the Holy Prophet that Ali has authority or is the master over the selves of all the believers clearly proves the Imamate or vicegerency of Ali and that obedience to him is obligatory.”

After the declaration, the Prophet (S) uttered the following prayer: “O Allah! Love him who loves Ali, and be enemy of he who is the enemy of Ali; help him who helps Ali, and forsake him who forsakes Ali.”

This prayer shows that Imam Ali (as), on that day, was being entrusted with a position that would make some people his enemies and therefore he would need supporters in carrying out his responsibilities. This could not be anything but the position of the mawla in the sense of ruler, master and lord. Are helpers ever needed to carry on or protect a ‘friendship’ from enemies?

The body language

Sunni scholar Allama ibn Hajar Asqalani narrates in his book, al-Isabah, how the Prophet (S) stood next to Imam Ali (as) on a raised pulpit or mimbar built from the saddles of camels, raised Ali’s hand, his arm in the air, and placed a turban on his head. Now, if that’s not a coronation, then what is?

Common sense

Why would the Prophet (S) waste time in the hot Arabian Desert, to tell over 100,000 people that Ali (as) was his “friend”? Didn’t they know that? Wouldn’t you be annoyed if you were in that crowd? Why waste everyone else’s time, and that too after an exhausting Hajj and in all that heat, unless you have something important to announce?

Evidence from the Holy Qur’an

Ponder over the Qura’nic verse which was revealed prior to Ghadeer Khumm:

“O Messenger! Convey what had been revealed to you from your Lord; if you do not do so, then [it would be as if] you have not conveyed His message [at all]. Allah will protect you from the people.” (5: 67) [Surah Maidah]

Countless classical Ahlul Sunnah scholars have said that this verse was revealed ahead of the event of Ghadeer Khumm, perhaps the most famous of all being Imam Fakhruddin al-Razi in his Tafisr al-Kabir.

How can Muslims believe, as the Holy Qur’an warns, that the whole of the Prophet’s mission was about to be rendered null and void if he didn’t tell the people that he and Ali (as) were friends? This verse shows how important the announcement was - and how controversial Allah (SwT) knew it would be. The Holy Qur’an says:“Allah will protect you from the people” .

Why might the Prophet need protecting? Because; the issue of succession was being clarified and confirmed, once and for all, explicitly and publicly, and some people in the crowd were going to be upset and rebellious.

And what happened after the sermon at Ghadeer was over? What verse was revealed? According to all the major classical books of the Ahlul Sunnah (Hafiz Jalaluddin as Suyuti, Shaykh Sulayman al-Qandoozi Hanafi, Allama ibn Kathir, among them):

“This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favour on you and chosen for you Islam as your religion” (5:3) [Surah Maidah].

This is the final verse of the Holy Qur’an! And what an occasion it was revealed on!

Again, some common sense is needed: would Allah (SwT) really be unable or unwilling to “perfect” his religion and name it “Islam” unless the issue of the Prophet’s “friendship” with Ali was cleared up for the Muslims? This is illogical and an insult to our intelligence! The truth is that Islam was completed and named for the Prophet (S) only after the Prophet (S) announced Ali (as) as his successor. Islam wasn’t complete until the caliphate of Ali (as) was announced, revealed, made clear, to the Muslim masses.

Otherwise, you have to believe that that the 22-years mission of the Prophet (S) was being invalidated over the issue of his “friendship” with Ali (as). And ask yourself this: was it the announcement of a friendship or the appointment of a successor to the Prophet that perfected the religion of Islam? What do you think?

Second caliph’s reaction

It is narrated that after the sermon was over, the Prophet set up a tent with Ali (as) and the companions lined up to give allegiance (bay’at) to Imam Ali (as), led by, Umar ibn Khattab, second caliph of the Ahlul Sunnah.

According to, among others, Sunni scholars like Imam Fakhruddin al-Razi in his book, and Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, in his Musnad, Umar ibn Khattab was the first to arrive on the scene, and looking at Ali, he said: “Well done ibn Abu Talib! Today you became the master of all believing men and women, ‘Ameer al-Mo’mineen’!”

This title, Ameer al-Mo’mineen, (Commander of the Faithful), that Shias use today to refer to Imam Ali (as), and for which they are often condemned and criticised by the Ahlul Sunnah, was first used by none other than Umar ibn Khattab. How ironic! Ameer al-Mo’mineen has only one meaning - commander, leader, master of the faithful. When Mullah Umar of the Taliban set up the Islamic Emirate of Afganistan, what did he call himself ? Ameer al-Mo’mineen.

Yet we know from Ghadeer Khumm, from the public testimony of Umar ibn Khattab, that the first and only legitimate Ameerul Momineen, appointed by Allah (SwT) via His Messenger, is Ali ibn Abu Talib (as).

Imam Ali (as) invoked Ghadeer later on

Imam Ali (as) himself offered the event of Ghadeer Khumm, as evidence for his leadership, his caliphate and imamat, later on in his life, after the Prophet’s death. There are numerous examples and one of the most famous is as follows: The Sunni scholars ibn Qutaybah, ibn Hanbal, Muttaqi al-Hindi and Abu Nuaym Isfahani, all record in their books that during the caliphate of Ali, (as) when his authority was being questioned and rebellions were brewing, Imam Ali (as), in public, said to Anas ibn Malik, the famous companion of the Prophet (S): “Why don’t you stand up and testify what you heard from the Messenger of Allah on the day of Ghadeer?”

Anas answered, “O Ameer al-Mo’mineen! I have grown old and do not remember.” To which Ali (as) responded: “May Allah mark you with a white spot (of leprosy) unconcealable with your turban, if you are intentionally withholding the truth.” And when Anas got up from his place he bore a large white spot on his face. From that day onwards, Anas used to say, “I am under the curse of the righteous servant of Allah, Ali ibn Abu Talib!”

The Ghadeer Khumm incident makes it clear that Ali (as) was the Prophet’s successor. But there are other examples from the Prophet’s life too. For example, at start of the Prophethood, according to the Tarikh, or History, of Allama Tabari, the famous Sunni historian: The Prophet (S) asked three times, at a dinner for his friends and relatives, who will help him in his prophetic mission? On each of the three occassions, only Ali (as) stood up and said he would. On the first two occasions, the Prophet asked Ali (as) to sit down. But, on the third occasion, the Prophet said: “Verily this is my brother, my successor, and my caliph amongst you. Therefore, listen to him and obey.” Abu Lahab (the Prophet’s paternal uncle) said to Abu Talib (his brother and Ali’s father) “the Prophet (S) has told you to obey your own son!”

The tragedy is that the majority of the Muslims do not understand today what Abu Lahab understood on the first day of the introduction of Islam in Makkah.

Question 4: Why do Shias think Ali (as) is superior to the first three caliphs?

This is not just a Shia view, that Imam Ali (as) is superior to the rest of the caliphs and sahabah. A number of Ahlul Sunnah scholars and books agree with this view.

References from books of Ahlul Sunnah

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, one of the four Ahlul Sunnah Imams of fiqh, said: “There is no Companion about whom as many merits are reported as Ali ibn Abu Talib.”

The prominent Ahlul Sunnah scholar of India, Shah Ismail Muhaddith Dehlvi, wrote: “Ali al-Murtadha has also an edge over Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and Umar Faruq and this edge lies because of the greater number of his followers and all the highest spiritual and saintly activity, from his days to the end of the world, has to be mediated through him, and he has a say in the kingdom of the kings and the leadership of the leaders and this is not hidden from those who are familiar with the world of sovereignty. Most spiritual chains are directly derived from Ali al-Murtadha. So, on the Day of Judgment, Ali’s army, including followers of high status and great reputation, will outnumber and outshine others to be a source of wonder for all the spectators.”

In fact, to even compare Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) with any of the companions is absurd. It is a misunderstanding of who Ali (as) is, what Ali (as) represented and stood for. Imam Ali (as) was on a different level; he wasn’t a mere companion like Abu Bakr or Umar or even Ammar and Salman.

Evidence from the Holy Qur’an

The Sunni scholar Allama Muttaqi al-Hindi, in his famous book, Kanz al-Ummal, narrates a tradition (hadith) from the Prophet (S), in which the Prophet (S) was asked by a visitor to Madinah to name his favourite companion. When he omits the mention of Imam Ali (as), he was asked: “But what about Ali? “To which the Prophet (S) replied: “Look at this man, he asks me about my own self.”

This hadith of course is a reflection of the Ayat of Mubahela of the Holy Qur’an, (Ch.3: V61) [Surah Ali Imran] which states:

“But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our selves and your selves, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of God on the liars”(3:61)

All of the Ahlul Sunnah historians, including Muslim in his Sahih, Book 31, Hadith Number 5915, testify that the Prophet (S) took Hasan (as) and Husayn (as) with him as his “sons”, Lady Fatima (as) with him as the representative of “women”, and Imam Ali (as) as his self, (as his nafs).

The reason why Ali (as) is not just superior to the rest of the companions, including the first three caliphs is because he went beyond what a companion was: he wasn’t just a companion of the Prophet (S); he was, as Allah (SwT) says in the Holy Qur’an, and the Prophet (S) says in his tradition (hadith), a self of the Prophet, nafs al-Rasoolallah.

Question 5: Why did Ali (as) not fight for the leader- ship if it was his God-given right?

Imam Ali (as) never took up arms against Abu Bakr or Umar or Uthman. Some Ahlul Sunnah scholars try and argue that this shows he was not opposed to them. This is an incorrect analysis and a misunderstanding of Imam Ali’s (as) thinking and motivations.

The reasons

The reason Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) did not fight after the death of the Prophet (S) is because he did not want to divide the nascent, infant Muslim community. He did not want innocent Muslims to die in battle, killing each other, in order to take power. The historians, Sunni and Shia, record how Abu Sufyan offered him troops but Imam Ali (as) turned him down and criticised his divisive offer.

His divinely-appointed role as Imam

Imam Ali’s (as) imamat, his caliphate, his wilayat, was given to him by the Prophet (S) on the command of Allah (SwT). He was not expected to go and force the Muslims, the people, to follow him; it was their job to find him and follow him. His position as the Imam was not a political or elected position. It was bestowed upon him by Allah (SwT). Kanz al-Ummal, the Sunni book of ahadith, narrates the tradition in which the Prophet (S) told Imam Ali (as): “[O Ali], You are like the Kabah, people go the the Kabah, the Kabah does not come to the people.…”

Common sense

Imam Ali (as) may not have fought against Abu Bakr and Umar; but he never fought for them either, as part of their armies. Why not? He also refused to give allegiance (bay’at) to Abu Bakr for at least six months after the death of the Prophet and his beloved wife Lady Fatima (as), who died soon after the Prophet. Why didn’t he? The Shias, of course, would also argue that he never pledged any formal allegiance to them at any point in his lifetime. Again, why? What was his problem with them?

This is explained in Nahjul Balagha where Imam Ali (as) devotes entire sermons to questioning how Abu Bakr and others robbed him of his right to caliph (caliphate) but this is a Shia book. So consider instead the words of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) to the six-man committee appointed by Umar on his deathbed to pick a new caliph - and narrated by all of the Sunni ulema.

The committee requested Imam Ali (as) to take over the position as caliph but on the condition that he abides with the following:

• The Holy Qur’an

• The Prophet’s traditions

• The laws and regulations, the “sunnah”, introduced by the first two caliphs.

Imam Ali (as) replied that the first two conditions were acceptable to him but, he had his own views and opinion on the third condition. All of the Sunni historians agree that Imam Ali (as) rejected the sunnah of Abu Bakr and Umar, upon the death of the latter. Why would he do that if he had accepted the legitimacy of their leadership?

Question 6: Why do Shias refuse to accept that the Prophet (S) did not leave a successor?

Some Muslims are of the opinion that the Prophet (S) left it to the people to decide. Wouldn’t he have written a will if he wanted to leave behind a successor or appoint Imam Ali (as)?

Common sense

The idea that the Prophet of Islam who never left Madinah without appointing someone to take charge of the city in his absence, left behind an Islamic state without appointing a successor and without even laying out the rules for how to appoint a successor, is just unbelievable, fanciful and absurd. It is illogical to believe such a thing.

Then there is the issue of the will - or lack thereof. In Islam, making a will is vitally important. The idea that the Holy Prophet (S) who told his followers to make sure they left wills behind, when they died, even if they were the poorest of the poor, would die without leaving a will behind is equally absurd - and an insult to the Prophet (S).

References from books of Ahlul Sunnah

The truth is that the Prophet did try to make a will but was prevented from doing so by a group of his companions.

According to Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 53, Hadith Number 393, Said ibn Jubair narrated: I heard Ibn Abbas saying, “Thursday! And you know not what Thursday is? After that Ibn Abbas wept till the stones on the ground were soaked with his tears. On that I asked Ibn Abbas, “What is (about) Thursday?” He said, “When the condition (i.e. health) of Allah’s Apostle deteriorated, he said, ‘Bring me a bone of scapula, so that I may write something for you after which you will never go astray’. The people differed in their opinions although it was improper to differ in front of the Prophet.”

They said, ‘What is wrong with him? Do you think he is delirious? Ask him (to understand). The Prophet (S) replied, ‘Leave me as I am in a better state than what you are asking me to do.’ Then the Prophet ordered them to do three things saying, ‘Turn out all the pagans from the Arabian Peninsula, show respect to all foreign delegates by giving them gifts as I used to do.” The sub-narrator (Said ibn Jubair) added, “The third order was something beneficial which either Ibn Abbas did not mention or he mentioned but I forgot.”

How can it be possible that the people who memorized the Holy Qur’an forgot the last, dying instruction of the Prophet (S)?

According to this tradition (and others) in Sahih Bukhari the Prophet (S) went to write his will but was prevented by a group of his companions, led according to most of the narrations by Umar ibn Khattab, who defied the Qur’anic injunction against raising one’s voice in front of the Prophet (S) and who accused the Prophet (S) of being delirious, of having lost his mind. When the Prophet tried verbally telling them the contents of his will, his final commands, they claim to have forgotten what he said.

Abu Bakr had the foresight to leave behind a will; Umar appointed a six-man election committee - but the Prophet (S)? He died without leaving behind any guidance or will… Does this make any sense?

The reason there was no written, public will is because the Prophet (S) wanted to write such a document but some of his companions knew he was going to put in writing what he had said at Ghadeer Khumm and so they stopped him from doing so. This important event, this act of rebellion on their part at the deathbed of the Prophet (S) is narrated in Sahih Bukhari, in Sahih Muslim, in the Musnad of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal and countless other Ahlul Sunnah books of ahadith and history.

Question 7: Why is Ali’s (as) name not mentioned in the Holy Qur’an?

There are four responses to this common and provocative question.

Evidence from the Holy Qur’an

Imam Ali’s (as) name might not be mentioned in the Holy Qur’an but there are countless verses of the Holy Qur’an devoted to the praise of Ali (as) and to announcing his superiority over the rest of the Muslims, proving his leadership, his wilayat and his imamat.

Allama ibn Hajar Makki, the famous Sunni aalim, quotes the companion and cousin of the Prophet, Abdullah ibn Abbas, saying that he heard from the Prophet (S) himself that 300 verses of the Holy Qur’an were revealed specifically in praise of Imam Ali (as).

For example, the famous verse of the ring:

“Your master [wali] can be only Allah; and His messenger and the those who believe, who establish worship and pay the poor rate, and pay the zakat while bowing down (in prayer), in ruku” (5:55) [Surah Maidah].

Ahlul Sunnah and Shia commentators of tafasir unanimously agree that this particular verse refers to Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as), who gave his ring to a beggar while in the state of bowing (ruku) in the middle of his (salah) prayer, as narrated by Abu Dharr al-Ghafari.

Importance

Why is it so important to have Imam Ali’s (as) name in the Holy Qur’an? Are we ranking people’s importance on whether their name appears in the Holy Qur’an or how many times? If so, then it is worth mentioning that the name of the human being mentioned most in the Holy Qur’an is Prophet Musa (Moses) - 136 times in 34 different chapters (surahs). Then there is Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) mentioned by name 27 times, and Prophet Isa (Jesus) mentioned 25 times.

The Holy Prophet, however, Muhammad (S), the Messenger of Islam and the Seal of the Prophets, is mentioned by name just four times, in surah numbers 3, 33, 47 and 48. Are Muslims expected to believe that Musa is higher in status or more important than the Holy Prophet? Or Yusuf is? Or Isa is? This is what happens when you start determining people’s status on the crude and arbitrary basis of how many times their name is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. Allah (SwT) decides in His wisdom whose name appears in His book.

What if his name had been mentioned?

What if Imam Ali’s (as) name was mentioned in the Holy Qur’an? Would that change anything? Would that change his opponents’ minds about the validity and legitimacy of his imamat? Of course not! Those who do not want to follow Imam Ali (as) would not do so no matter where his name appeared in the Qur’an. After all, the Holy Prophet explicitly said at Ghadeer Khumm: “Of whomsoever I am mawla, Ali is also his mawla”. Imagine this sentence as a verse of the Holy Qur’an - how would life be any different? Some would still say it meant friend not leader, others would try and deliberately misrepresent and misinterpret it, or simply ignore it.

It’s a diversionary tactic to bring up the fact that Allah (SwT) in His Infinite Wisdom decided not to refer to Imam Ali (as) by name in the Holy Qur’an, even though He did make around implicit or indirect 300 references to Imam Ali (as) - as testified by Ibn Abbas.

Common Sense

Imagine if we extended this argument - Ali (as) is not the leader because his name isn’t mentioned in the Holy Qur’an; Ali (as) is not important because his name is not explicitly cited in any of the verses of the Holy Qur’an- to the rest of our religious principles, beliefs and obligations. How would we know how to pray morning (Fajr) prayers? Or know that evening (Maghrib) is three units (rakaat) and night (Isha) is four units (rakaat)? The Holy Qur’an doesn’t say so; it was left to the Prophet (S) to explain the details of the Qur’anic diktats, the Qur’anic commandments.

As the sixth Shia holy Imam Jafar as Sadiq (as) famously told his companions: “The Qur’an says to pray Fajr salah (morning prayers) but it is the Prophet who tells us that Fajr is two units of prayer (rakatain), the Qur’an tells us to pay zakaat, but it is the Prophet who tells us how to calculate zakaat; in the same way, the Qur’an tells us to obey the “ulul-amr”, the people charged with authority, and it is the Prophet who tells us that the “ulul-amr” are: Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) and the Imams of the Ahlul Bayt.”

Question 8: Why do you call yourselves “Shias”, or “Shias of Ali”, and not just Muslims?

The word “Shia” in Arabic simply means follower, friend, lover, partisan. It is a word that has no negative connotations. In fact it is used in the Holy Qur’an twice with reference to prophets of God.

Evidence from the Holy Qur’an

“And, verily, of among the followers, among the Shias, of Nuh (of Noah), was Ibrahim (Abraham) (37:83)[Surah Saffat].

“And he (Musa /Moses) went into the city at a time when people (of the city) were not watching, so he found therein two men fighting, one being his Shia - min SHIAtehe - and the other being his enemy, and the one who was his Shia cried out to him for help against the one who was of his enemy.” (28:15)[Surah Kahf].

So Shia is a word used by Allah (SwT) Himself! But these Shias weren’t, of course, Shias of Ali (as). Where does this phrase, “Shia of Ali”, come from? It comes from the Prophet’s own lips, during the Prophet’s own lifetime.

References from books of Ahlul Sunnah

Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Allama ibn Hajar Makki, Hafiz Abu Nuaym Isfahani, and countless other classical scholars of the Ahlul Sunnah all narrate that the Prophet said: “Glad tidings, O Ali! Verily you and your companions and your Shia (your followers) will be in Paradise.”

Hafiz Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, the famous Ahlul Sunnah scholar of Egypt, in his book, al-Durr al-Mansur, narrates a tradition (hadith) in which the companions say: “We were with the Holy Prophet when Ali came towards us. The Holy Prophet said: He and his Shia will acquire salvation on the Day of Judgement.”

Allama ibn Hajar Asqalani, another famous Ahlul Sunnah scholar of hadith, narrates the following tradition of the Prophet (S): “The parable of Ali is like a tree, in which I am the root, Ali is the branch, Hasan and Husayn are the fruits, and the Shias are the leaves.”

Allama ibn Hajar al-Haythami al-Makki - of the Ahlul Sunnah says in his book al-Sawaiq al-Muhriqa that the Shias are “rafidhi” (liars, deviants) and yet in the same book he narrates a tradition from Abdullah ibn Abbas in which ibn Abbas says that: When the verse:“Those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of the creation” (98:7) [Surah Al Bayyina] was revealed, the Messenger of Allah said to Ali: “They are you and your Shia.”

He continued: “O Ali! (on the Day of Judgment) you and your Shia will come towards Allah well-pleased and well- pleasing, and your enemies will come angry with their head forced up. Ali said: “Who are my enemies?” The Prophet (S) replied: “He who disassociates himself from you and curses you. And glad tiding to those who reach first under the shadow of al-Arsh on the Day of Resurrection.” Ali asked: “Who are they, O the Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Your Shia, O Ali, and those who love you.”

Now, here is an important point to consider: some Muslims ask why there is a sect called Shias? They tend to call themselves Sunni Muslims. But where is the word Sunni in the Holy Qur’an or in the ahadith of the Holy Prophet? Where is the hadith in which the Prophet (S) refers to his “Sunnis” or even to the “Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamaah”? There isn’t one. But the Shias have been around since the time of the Prophet (S) and Shia is a title of distinction used in the Holy Qur’an.

Question 9: Isn’t Shia’ism a product of Abdullah ibn Saba, a Jewish convert to Islam?

Who is he?

There is a question as to whether Abdullah ibn Saba even existed! In Ahlul Sunnah tradition, he was a Yemenite Jew who embraced Islam very late in life. During the time of Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) he is alleged to have introduced a number of concepts that later were ascribed to both the Shias and the Ghuluww: the exaltation of Ali (as), his divine appointment by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad (S) as a successor, and his alleged divinity. These are all claimed to be concepts that were first formulated and expressed by Ibn Saba and his followers, who are also accused of killing the third caliph of the Ahlul Sunnah, Uthman ibn Affan, and dividing the Muslims into two sects.

Yet neutral modern western historians, non-Muslims like Godfrey Hodgson, Leone Caetani, Israel Freidlander and Bernard Lewis have all concluded that he probably did not exist and even if he did, he certainly wasn’t responsible for all the intrigues, plots and religious conspiracies that have been attributed to him by some anti-Shia scholars.

References from books of Ahlul Sunnah

Tabari’s source for the story of Ibn Saba, Sayf ibn Umar, has been discredited by Imam Hakim, Ibn Hajar Asqalani and several other prominent Ahlul Sunnah scholars. In his acclaimed book, “The Succession to Muhammad”, former Oxford University professor Wilferd Madelung writes how “few if any modern historians would accept Sayf ’s legend of Ibn Saba”. Note the use of word “legend”!

Even the Egyptian historian, Dr Taha Husayn, one of the most influential Ahlul Sunnah scholars of the 20th century, has said that the “fabrication” of Ibn Saba was done by the enemies of the Shias and that the insertion of a “Jewish element” was aimed at discrediting the Shias. He noted that the absence of any record of Ibn Saba being present at the Battle of Siffin suggests that Ibn Saba is a fictitious person.

Question 10: Why do you give such importance to the father of Ali (as), Abu Talib? Wasn’t he a non- believer?

Some Muslims not only criticise and reject Ali (as), they even go after his father. Abu Talib is described as an unbeliever (kafir). Even the recent BBC2 documentary on the life of the Prophet (S) presented by Rageh Omaar, stated as a fact that he died as a non-believer.

Yet the following proofs from history and proofs from the Holy Qur’an prove that he was a Muslim.

He perfomed the Prophet’s wedding

Abu Talib performed the wedding ceremony (nikah) of Prophet Muhammad (S) and Lady Khadija (as) and paid the dowry (mahr). How can anyone believe that the wedding ceremony of the Holy Prophet of Islam would be performed by a non-Muslim?

His marriage

Abu Talib was married to Fatima bint Asad, the mother of Ali (as) and stayed married to her even after the advent of Islam. If he was a non-Muslim, this would be in defiance of the injunctions contained in the Holy Qura’n.

Even the Prophet’s own adopted daughters were divorced from the sons of Abu Lahab (who refused to become Muslims). Fatima bint Asad, remember, was the second lady to accept Islam (after Lady Khadija (as) the Prophet’s first wife).

Imam Sajjad (as), the fourth Shia Imam, said about his great-great-grandfather: “I wonder why people doubt the faith of Abu Talib, when a woman cannot continue her matrimonial alliance with a non-Muslim husband after she has embraced Islam, and Fatima bint Asad was amongst those women who embraced Islam at a very early stage and still remained his wife till he breathed his last.”

Evidence from the Holy Qur’an

Ch.4:V 144 [Surah Al Nisa], says:

“O you who believe! Do not take the unbelievers as protectors instead of the believers” (4:144)

and Ch 9:V 23 [Surah Tawba] proclaims:

“O you who believe! Take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above Faith: if any of you do so, they do wrong.”(9:23)

The Prophet’s grandfather Abdul Muttalib died when he was 8 years old. The Prophet was looked after by Abu Talib (not by his other uncles, Harith or Abbas); from the age of 8 to 25. The Prophet lived under either the direct or indirect care and supervision of his uncle Abu Talib right up until the latter’s death in 619 ad, when the Prophet was 49. The Prophet lived under the protection of his uncle, the alleged non-believer, for over 40 years! So was the Prophet (S) violating the commands of the Holy Qur’an?

The Holy Qur’an refers to Allah (SwT) and the Prophet, in Ch 93, V 6-9) [Surah Al Duha]:

“Did He not find thee an orphan and give you shelter? And He found thee wandering, and He gave thee guidance. And He found thee in need, and made thee independent.”(93:6-9)

There is no disagreement, as the historical records show, that it was Abu Talib who gave shelter to the Prophet (S) took care of all his needs and gave him guidance. Now how is it that in this case Allah (SwT) is taking credit for things that a “kafir” did? How could Allah (SwT) ask for help from a “kafir” in taking care and bringing up His most beloved and final messenger? How could Allah (SwT) do something that He is prohibiting the believers from doing? The fact that the Prophet of Islam took refuge with, and guidance from Abu Talib shows that Abu Talib was not only a Muslim but a mu’min; not just one who submits, but one who believes.

Here is a challenge: can any person, Sunni or Shia, Muslim or non-Muslim, identify even one occasion on which Abu Talib publicly or privately:

• rejected the concept of unity and oneness of Allah (Tawhid)?

• condemned Islam by name, rejected Islam by name and, in doing so, rejected his nephew the Prophet (S) of Islam?

• worshipped in front of an idol?

On the contrary, when Muslims pray they should thank Abu Talib, because without him, there would have been no Prophet of Islam and, by extension, no religion of Islam. There is no Muhammad (S), without Abu Talib.