Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Shia-Sunni Debate: Answering the 50 Most Common Questions

Author: Liakat Dewji
: Baqerali Alidina
Publisher: The Sun Behind The Cloud Publications
Category:

• Preface
• Introduction
• Abbreviations and Glossary of Terms
• Chapter 1: Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)
• Question 1: Do Shias worship Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)?
• Nahjul Balagha
• Other followers
• Question 2: Do Shias believe that Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) is superior to the Prophet (S)?
• Common sense
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 3: Where is the proof that Ali (as) was appointed by the Prophet (S)?
• Does “mawla” mean friend?
• Meaning of “mawla”?
• Context when word “mawla” was used
• The body language
• Common sense
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Second caliph’s reaction
• Imam Ali (as) invoked Ghadeer later on
• Question 4: Why do Shias think Ali (as) is superior to the first three caliphs?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Question 5: Why did Ali (as) not fight for the leader- ship if it was his God-given right?
• The reasons
• Common sense
• Question 6: Why do Shias refuse to accept that the Prophet (S) did not leave a successor?
• Common sense
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 7: Why is Ali’s (as) name not mentioned in the Holy Qur’an?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• For example, the famous verse of the ring
• What if his name had been mentioned?
• Common Sense
• Question 8: Why do you call yourselves “Shias”, or “Shias of Ali”, and not just Muslims?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 9: Isn’t Shia’ism a product of Abdullah ibn Saba, a Jewish convert to Islam?
• Who is he?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 10: Why do you give such importance to the father of Ali (as), Abu Talib? Wasn’t he a non- believer?
• He perfomed the Prophet’s wedding
• His marriage
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Chapter 2: The Ahlul Bayt
• Question 11: Doesn’t the Ahlul Bayt refer to the wives of the Prophet? Or at least include them?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Question 12: The Prophet said “I leave two things - the Holy Qur’an and my Sunnah”. Why not follow them, rather than the Ahlul Bayt?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 13: Where is the concept of Imamat, or Imams, mentioned in the Holy Qur’an?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Question 14: Why should we believe in 12 Imams, as Shias do?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• The Bible
• Question 15: How do we know the 12 Imams are the 12 Shia Imams?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Yanabi al-Mawaddah
• Question 16: Who is this Imam Mahdi (as) that the Shias believe in and await?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 17: How can a small child become an Imam?
• In response to the non-Muslims
• In response to other Muslims
• Question 18: How can Imam Mahdi (as), the 12th Shia Imam, still be alive today? How can he be more than 1,000 years old?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Question 19: How can Shias believe in an Imam that you cannot see?
• Question 20: Why do Shias believe that the Prophet or the Imams are infallible and sinless?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Chapter 3: The Companions and Miscellaneous Issues
• Question 21: Are Shias hostile to all the companions (the “sahabah”)?
• Definition of companions
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• The good
• Not so good
• The hypocrites
• 21.3 References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 22: Why don’t Shias follow all the companions? What about the “hadith of the stars”?
• Question 23: Why do the Shias criticise Aisha, wife of the Prophet?
• Aisha must be respected
• Battle of Jamal
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 24: Why don’t Shias respect Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan?
• He killed Imam Hasan (as)
• He killed Ammar ibn Yasir
• He began the cursing of Ali ibn Abu Talib (as)
• Question 25: Why don’t Shias accept Abu Hurayrah’s traditions?
• Content
• Internal contradictions in his ahadith
• Common sense
• Companions’ testimony
• Question 26: Why don’t Shias accept Sahih Bukhari and the authentic Ahlul Sunnah collections of ahadith?
• Content
• Bukhari’s agenda
• Question 27: What is “taqiyah”? Is it not lying, deception and deceit?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Common sense
• Question 28: What is “muta”? How can you justify such temporary marriages?
• What is Muta?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Question 29: Why do Shias pay khums in addition to zakat?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 30: What is this “taqlid”? Why do Shias follow “marjas” and “mujtahids”?
• What is taqlid?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Common sense
• Chapter 4: The Holy Qur’an and Prayers (Salah)
• Question 31: Do the Shias have another, different Holy Qur’an? Do you believe the Holy Qur’an is incomplete?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Other Shia scholars’ verdicts
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 32: Why don’t Shias wash their feet in wudhu, as the Ahlul Sunnah do?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Common sense
• Question 33: Why do Shias combine their prayers into three sittings?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Question 34: Why do Shias include “Aliyun Waliyullah” in the kalima and adhan?
• Not compulsory (wajib)
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Prophet’s lifetime
• Umar’s innovation
• Question 35: Why don’t Shias cross their arms during the prayers?
• Ahlul Sunnah internal divisions
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 36: Why do Shias pray on a stone, on a piece of earth (a “sajdagaar” or “turbah”)?
• Prophet’s Sunnah
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Karbala turbah
• Question 37: Why do Shias say “Allahu Akbar” three times at the end of the prayer?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Why don’t the Shia turn their heads from side to side while reciting the “salam”?
• Question 38: Why don’t Shias offer “tarawih” prayers in the month of Ramadhan?
• Question 39: How do Shias justify praying at graves?
• Bid’at and Shirk
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Question 40: What about intercession? Why do Shias pray to the Prophet and the Imams, and not to Allah?
• What is intercession?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Common sense
• Chapter 5 Karbala and Majalis
• Question 41: Why do Shias wear black in Muharram?
• Karbala
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 42: Why do Shias cry so much in Muharram?
• Question 43: Why do Shias do “maatum” in Muharram?
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Question 44: Isn’t the display of an “alam” prohibited and a form of shirk?
• Religious symbols
• Evidence from the Holy Qur’an
• Question 45: Weren’t Shias responsible for killing Imam Husayn (as)?
• Invitation to Kufa
• Historical facts
• Question 46: Isn’t Ashura a day of fasting, not mourning?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Jewish fasts
• Question 47: How can Shias trust the Karbala story?
• Background
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Other historians
• Question 48: Wasn’t Imam Husayn (as) wrong to revolt against the ruler of his time, Yazid ibn Muawiya?
• Yazid was not the legitimate ruler
• Imam Husayn’s mission
• Question 49: Don’t the Shias exaggerate how bad Yazid was?
• References from books of Ahlul Sunnah
• Yazid’s crimes
• Question 50: Imam Husayn (as) lost the battle of Karbala, didn’t he?
• Imam Husayn’s (as) mission
• Yazid’s aim
• The role of Lady Zainab and Lady Umm Kulthum
• References