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The Shia-Sunni Debate: Answering the 50 Most Common Questions
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The Shia-Sunni Debate: Answering the 50 Most Common Questions
Author:
Liakat Dewji
:
Baqerali Alidina
Publisher:
The Sun Behind The Cloud Publications
Category:
Book library
›
Beliefs
›
Debates and Replies
ISBN:
978-1-908110-02-2
visits: 6362
Download: 2129
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
The Shia-Sunni Debate: Answering the 50 Most Common Questions
Author:
Liakat Dewji
Publisher:
The Sun Behind The Cloud Publications
Book library
›
Beliefs
›
Debates and Replies
ISBN:
978-1-908110-02-2
English
2022-11-28 06:51:31