Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

I bear witness that Ali is the Friend of Allah

There remain some other criticisms that do not deserve defaming or causing fear. These things, which are criticized unfairly by the Sunni are mentioned among the Shia in the past and present, as recommended and a cause of blessing, such as adding to the azan1 and iqamah2 the saying - “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah”.

All the Shia have agreed that this is not a basic part of the azan or the iqamah and that it was available in the azan at the time of the Prophet (S). They have agreed that considering it a basic part of the azan or the iqamah invalidates both. This is the belief of the ulema and religious authorities of the Shia.

As long as the truth is our goal, the sayings of Allah and His messenger are our sayings and their contentment is our aim and intention. And as long as we face criticism from some of our (Sunni) brothers, so we have to approve of others what we approve from ourselves and find ugly in ourselves what we find ugly of others.

We have criticized Umar ibn al-Khattab in our previous studies for adding “prayer is better than sleep” to the azan and omitting “come on to the best of deeds” from it, and said that it was impermissible because it was a heresy that was not available at the time of the Prophet (S). We were not convinced by their saying that “prayer is better than sleep” was mentioned only in the azan of the Fajr (dawn) Prayer and their justifying that at dawn, man would be in the best moments of his sleep and rest; therefore, “prayer is better than sleep” would be used to encourage him to give up his rest and get ready for prayer.

It was nice speech, justifying and defending the matter, but we denied it, because the clear texts would not submit to personal opinions and desires. We said, “Whatever the Messenger of Allah (S) (S) did not do is heresy.”

On this basis, we say to the Shia the same statement and argue against them with the same argument. There should be no difference between these and those.

Therefore, we confess that “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah” is extra in the azan, because the Messenger of Allah (S) did not say or order it, nor did the infallible Imams (a.s.) do it. If they really did it, we would find some proofs for it. If they did it, then it would not be permissible for the ulema of the Shia and their religious authorities to consider the azan and iqamah as null when this statement is mentioned as an actual part of them (the azan and the iqamah) as we have said before.

Fairness and justice require us to say the word of the truth and not to deny the Sunni for something while we ourselves do the like. Allah says:

What! do you enjoin men to be good and neglect your own souls while you read the Book; have you then no sense? Qur'an, 2:44

Once, one of the Shia said to me, “O my brother, do not mix between “prayer is better than sleep” and “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah”!

I said, “Why? Prayer is really better than sleep, and Ali is really the saint of Allah, but they are parts added later on and the Messenger of Allah (S) did not do that.”

He said, “But the guardianship of Imam Ali (a.s.) has been revealed in the Qur'an, and you yourself have acknowledged that in your book ‘Then I was Guided’.”

I said, “So, the Messenger of Allah (S) was to be blamed, for he did not make that in the azan!!!”

Not everything that has been revealed in the Qur'an is to be added to the azan or iqamah and my acknowledgment that it has been revealed in the Qur'an does not make it necessary to be added to the azan or iqamah.

Is it right for one to recite for example, in the azan, “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, bear witness that Adam is the choice of Allah, bear witness that Noah is the prophet of Allah, bear witness that Abraham is the friend of Allah, bear witness that Moses is the spoken to by Allah, bear witness that Jesus is the Holy Spirit of Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the beloved one of Allah”? All these facts are true and they have come in the Qur'an.

However, we cannot recite that in the azan, because the Messenger of Allah (S) has taught us to recite in the azan only the two witnesses “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (S)”. We must abide by the saying of Allah:

…and, whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it and from whatever he forbids you, keep back. Qur'an, 59:7

It is true that some of the Shia ulema do not mention “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah” in the azan or the iqamah. I offered prayers with some of them and did not hear them say so. That they might mention it in their hearts, is something else. However, there are some Shia who doubt the loyalty and faith of whoever does not mention this in the azan or the iqamah.”

My opponent, praise be to Allah, was convinced. Still he said to me that he could not give it up, because his tongue had been used to it since his childhood.

I say this and I am certain that some of the Shia will not approve of it, because man by his nature, is an enemy to what he ignores and the satisfaction of all people is an unreachable goal.3

As I have said before in this book, I do not flatter anyone nor do I seek his satisfaction (with me) however high a position he has. I only seek the satisfaction of my conscience through the satisfaction of Allah, His messenger (S) and the infallible Imams (a.s.) - who are my Imams and masters, at the head of whom is Imam Ali (a.s.).

In the depth of my soul, I am certain that Imam Ali (a.s.) would be pleased with those, who try to guide people to the right path more than he would be with some of his Shia and lovers, who bear witness in every azan and iqamah that he is the saint of Allah, but they do not do anything to guide people towards this guardianship (of Imam Ali) or to prove the truth to them (people). In fact, they make people alienated and unknowingly keep them from reaching the truth.

Would Imam Ali (a.s.) be pleased when we bear witness of his guardianship and sainthood while we hold it as a big obstacle before those who search for the truth? Certainly not!

I often argued with obstinate people in the best manner, but I found in them a psychological obstacle that prevented them from keeping on with the argument in order to get to the truth. I tried to destroy that obstacle daring with a certain heart to keep on researching and getting to the sought goal. Then, I found that the obstinate ones advanced little by little with me and broke the psychological obstacles. Most of the time and about eighty percent of them acknowledged the truth and were guided to the guardianship of Ameerul Mo'minin Imam Ali (a.s.) and the guardianship of the infallible Imams (a.s.) after him.

Once, I was in Poona and Jabalpur in India. I met there with a big group of Sudanese students. In an evening gathering, I felt loyalty and true intention to know the truth in them. Most of them objected to the beliefs of the Shia concerning the matter of infallibility4 that they (the Shia) proved for their imams. They also objected to the witness that “Imam Ali is the saint of Allah” recited in the azan. They said that the Shia were excessive and extravagant in their love to the imams.

I said to them, “O my brothers in Islam, I do not try to impose on you the concept of “infallibility” and do not consider it the goal leading to the truth, although I myself believe in it, but I shall avoid it completely to prove to you that the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunna impose on every Muslim to be a Shia following the Messenger of Allah (S) and his immaculate progeny (peace be on them).

You are not required to prove and believe in this infallibility in order to get to the sought goal, which is the adherence to the saints of Allah and His messenger (S) and to be free from the enemies of Allah and His messenger (S). You are as well, not required to bear witness to Imam Ali’s guardianship and sainthood in the azan and not required to believe in all what the Shia narrate about Ali and his progeny that you consider as excessive and extravagance.

Imam Ali (a.s.) is much greater than the need prove for him a virtue that is considered as one of miracles and say that Allah the Almighty has returned the sun to him because he missed the afternoon Prayer, or the earth was shrunk for him to travel from Medina to Mada’in in order to ritually wash Salman al-Farisi (after his death) and come back on the same day, which was a distance of some month’s travel at that time. These narrations are about miracles of the Unknown. A Muslim is free to believe or not to believe in them, for these shall neither increase nor decrease his faith.

However, we are required to believe that Imam Ali (a.s.) was the successor of the Prophet (S) and the best of all people after him and that the Prophet (S) had appointed him as his successor over the nation after his death.

We have to prove that Ameerul Mo'minin Ali (a.s.) was the gate of the city of the Prophet’s knowledge and there was no one more knowledgeable than him at all in the entire nation. We have to prove that he was most courageous of all companions and the most loyal of all of them in wars and during difficulties. It was by his sword and courage that Islam became strong and firm. We have to prove that he was the first to believe in Islam, he was the most loyal in all the battles, and that he sacrificed everything to preserve Islam after the Prophet (S) therefore, following him is obligatory on every Muslim.

We have to prove that he was the only one who spared no effort to enliven the Book of Allah and the Sunna of the Prophet when they were about to be buried. We have to prove that he was the most ascetic to the worldly life among all human beings and the nearest to Allah in all his behaviors and actions. We have to prove that he was the most just and fair of all people at all, and most pious to Allah, and that he fought the nakithin - breakers of covenant - in the battle of al-Jamal-the camel, the qasitin - the unjust - in the battle of Siffin and the mariqin - renegades - in the battle of an-Nahrawan to preserve Islam and Muslims.

We have to prove that Muhammad (S) was the first and Ali (a.s.) was the second, and they were the best of Allah’s creation at all.

Yes! We have to prove all that from the Qur'an, the true Prophetic Sunna and the true history and show clear evidences and convincing arguments that are irrefutable.

But, if we repeat that Allah had created Muhammad and Ali one hundred thousand years before He created Adam, and that all the prophets and messengers prayed to Allah the Almighty by the right of Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn, or that it has been written on the leg of the Throne that “Ali is the saint of Allah”, it is something else and it neither benefits nor take us to the sought goal.

We cannot convince others with these things, for which we do not have any scientific proof. If we insist on proving the miracles, the infallibility, or the guardianship of Ali (a.s.) - each side will insist on his own situation and be fanatic as the Sunni who narrate on Abu Bakr and Umar more than what the Shia narrate on Imam Ali (a.s.) and his progeny. In this case, time shall be wasted in unfruitful disputes, and the Sunni shall accuse the Shia of being extravagant in praise of their Imams, and then the Shia shall accuse the Sunni of being extravagant in praise of the three caliphs especially and to the companions in general. Thus the dispute shall remain unfruitful.

O brothers, today, we are required to show clear arguments and scientific proofs. I do not argue with you except by reasonable and traditional proofs that have been proved by history, reality and what all Muslims - Sunni and Shia - have agreed on. I pray Allah to guide us all to the truth.”

After we had spent that night until the dawn in scientific argumentation and logical discussion, most of them turned to the truth and longingly read the book ‘Then I was Guided’. Two days later, they came to say farewell to me before my travel while thanking Allah for guiding them to His Right Path and wishing to know the beliefs of the Twelver Shia and to read their books.

One of them came alone with me and I think he was the emir of the group as they called him, and said after thanking me and offering compliments, “I met with the Shia in Egypt, Sudan, and in India here, but no one of them could convince me like what you did.”

I said, “The book ‘Then I was Guided’ convinced many researchers and this is a favor of Allah to me, so I often praise and thank Him.”

He said, “I did not yet read your book, because I am busy with examinations, and I do not read any book except when I am tranquil.”

I said, “Then, how were you convinced when you did not read the book?”

He said, “On that night when you began your talking by putting aside the “infallibility”, “Ali is the saint of Allah”, and many other concepts that the Shia adopt, I admired your talks, because you talked to people with what they understood. If you kept to those concepts, the arguments would be unfruitful and that night’s discussion would be in vain. However, you knew the truth and could guide us to it. If you give a lecture in Sudan before the university students, you will make them all turn Shia by this way and method.”

I thanked him for his kind feelings and asked him to read the book (‘Then I was Guided’) and send me his notes on it. We embraced each other, while our hearts were beating with the love and loyalty to the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

Notes

1. The azan in Islam is a means of announcing to people about the time of prayer. It has no certain, inviolable text as the texts of the Holy Qur'an, which cannot accept a decrease or increase even for one letter.

As for azan, the books of the Sunni sometimes mention that the azan was not available and that Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Ansari heard it in sleep and told it to the Prophet (S) who acknowledged and confirmed it. Perhaps, this is what made the Caliph Umar, when he was sleeping and the muezzin awaked him saying, “Prayer is better than sleep”, approved the statement and ordered to add it to the azan.

Bilal al-Habashi, the Prophet’s muezzin, pronounced [sh] as [s] and he said “ass-hadu” instead of “ash-hadu”. When some Muslims criticized this, the Prophet (S) said, “The [s] of Bilal is [sh] near Allah.”

Once, when I was in Sham (Syria), I passed by the Umayyad Mosque at the time of the Isha’ Prayer and I heard a collective azan recited in tones like oration. So, why all these reactions when Ameerul Mo'minin Ali ibn Abi Talib is mentioned?!

Let us say it is a good heresy or bad heresy (as the Sunni believe), then what for are all these reactions? However, they (the Sunni) are excessive in this concern. They have fixed “prayer is better than sleep” and considered it a part from the azan, but we (the Shia) do not say it is a part from the azan, but only recommended. Azan is a means that announces the prescribed time of prayer. As long as it is within the required limits that have no excess and do not harm Islam and Muslims, there shall be no serious problem.

2. Iqamah is a recommended (not obligatory) part before the prayer. It has the same wordings of the azan, but with a little difference.

3. Heresy, as we have said before, is a thing, which is not from religion. It is fixed and added to religion. “Prayer is better than sleep” was added and considered as a part of the very azan, but as for recommended things mentioned before or even through the azan, such as “Say: praise be to Allah Who has not taken a wife nor a child” or “blessing and peace be on you O Messenger of Allah (S)” besides “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah, or is the commander of the believers” are mentioned as recommended. According to general evidence the little statements of ordinary people (neither Allah nor the Prophet) do not annul the azan, on condition that these things are not considered as parts of the azan or the iqamah.

4. Why do they (the Sunni) deny the infallibility of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), whereas they themselves believe in the infallibility of all the nation as to the matter of consensus, or the infallibility of all the Prophet’s companions, and of the men of authority? Al-Fakhr ar-Razi says in his Tafsir, “…and it has been proved that all those, whom Allah has ordered to obey, must be infallible, and thus, it has been definitely proved that “the men of authority” mentioned in this verse must be infallible.

Then we say: that the infallible ones are either entire nation or some of the nation… those infallible ones meant by Allah’s saying ‘men in authority’ must be the men in power from the imams (rulers), and this makes it necessary that the consensus of the nation is evident.” The interpretation of the Sura of an-Nisa’, verse 59, p. 144 in ar-Razi’a Tafsir

It is not unknown that those men in power were themselves who gave Mo’awiya ibn Abi Sufyan the authority (and considered him a legal Wali) and his son Yazid the drunkard and the killer of Imam Husayn son of Imam Ali (a.s.) and (killer of) seventeen men from the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.)…and the results were all Mo’awiya and his son’s crimes and vices, the rule of al-Waleed and other criminals from the Umayyad dynasty, and then the allegiance to the Abbasids among whom were Abul Abbas as-Saffah (slaughterer), Abu Ja’far al-Mansur (the tyrant), and others. As for those in power who were pious, they were either exiled, or forced to be neuter, though keeping silent at that time would be a heavy burden.

Then, why do they find the infallibility of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) odd and unacceptable, whereas their infallibility has been confirmed by many Qur’anic verses, Prophetic traditions? On many occasions and situations, the Prophet (S) proved this virtue for them and they were preferred to the whole nation after the Prophet (S).

Epilogue to the previous chapters

These were the most important objections and criticisms that the Sunni often raise against the Twelver Shia. They deserve to be studied impartially by every researcher and scholar who seeks the truth in everything and does not have fear on the way of Allah about being blamed and states the truth, however bitter it is, even if it is against him.

Today the learned youth of our Muslim nation no longer believe in superstitions, false fables, and rumors that the media broadcast here and there against the Shia to show them as groups of extremism and terrorism, or “the insane of Allah” as they call them.

I have already discussed some mistakes practiced by ordinary Shia, though these (mistakes) are not from the religion or from the necessities that may make impermissible things permissible. They do not cause but harms and disagreements among Muslims.

I have confirmed in my previous works and studies that I have published among Muslims through clear evidences, that the Twelver Shia are the most right of all the Muslim sects with respect to the beliefs and laws of the religion, and that the Shiite sect is the saved one from among all the Muslim sects by the will of Allah. This is not for anything, but because they are truly adherent to the Two Weighty Things (the Book of Allah and the Immaculate Prophet’s Progeny).

Nevertheless, this cannot prevent me from criticizing the Shia when I find errors or slips in the conduct of some of them, for I believe that “there is nothing other than the truth, except that it is untruth”.

Sometimes, a good doing may turn to be a bad doing if it exceeds the usual. For example, once when I was invited for an Islamic conference in the United States of America, some Muslims invited me to their houses to be their guest as a kind of honor and respect. I accepted their invitations unwillingly. Many others were invited me in my honor. Foods and refreshments were unimaginable in excellence and sometimes they cost thousands of dollars.

On the following day, or even the same day, I was invited by others and the same things happened, as if they competed with each other. The same invitees attended with me. I would not be excessive in saying that the kinds of western and eastern foods served were more than ten in each meal. Whatever guests ate - half of that food would be leftover without doubt, to be thrown into the rubbish bin.1

This habit has become a necessity for them. Whatever is said about the Arabic generosity and the honoring of guest, and whatever some people argue by means of this verse:

Say: Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions… Qur'an, 7:32,

I shall not be satisfied and I will criticize that and try my best to convince people of other than this.

Those, who take their evidence from the Qur'an on the permitting of good provisions, forget or overlook this saying of Allah

…and eat and drink and be not extravagant; surely He does not love the extravagant, Qur'an, 7:31.

Or, this saying of the Prophet (S):

We are a people who do not eat, except when we feel hungry, and when we eat, we do not become fully satiated (do not eat much).

Where are we from the education of Imam Ali (a.s.) who has accustomed himself to eating dry barley and who sealed his bag lest al-Hasan or al-Husayn (peace be on them) wet his dry piece of bread with oil?

Do Muslims not feel shy today before their Lord that they sleep in silk beds with stomachs full of all kinds of foods, whereas their Iraqi Shia brothers die of hunger in the Saudi camps, not finding the simple means of living?

I thank those who invited and honored me, but my duty requires me to remind them of what is better, for reminding benefits of the faithful. It is my duty to encourage them to do good for the sake of Allah, in the way of Allah and not for fame and hypocrisy. Many wealthy Muslims, who live the life of kings, become very stingy when they are asked to help the poor and the needy, whereas they spend millions of dollars recklessly on their lusts and desires.

The fact that makes you wonder too is that most of these wealthy people had escaped with their faith from the oppression of unjust rulers and emigrated to the United States of America or England while they had no money in their pockets. Then Allah made them rich and they possessed buildings, shops and millions of dollars. Thereafter, they behaved like Th’alaba who came to the Prophet (S) complaining of his poverty and asking the Prophet (S) to pray Allah for him to be rich as he wanted to help the poor and the needy.

The Prophet (S) prayed Allah for him, and he became too wealthy. When the Prophet (S) asked him to pay the zakat, he refused to pay anything. Then, Allah revealed this verse about him:

And there are those of them who made a covenant with Allah: if He gives us out of His grace, we will certainly give alms and we will certainly be of the good. But when He gave them out of His grace, they became niggardly of it and they turned away, averse. Qur'an, 9:75-76

Certainly, there are wealthy people who spend their monies charitably in the night and the day, openly and secretly, looking forward to the mercy and contentment of their Lord. However, these people are few in comparison to the majority who run after fame and refuse any charitable doing.

You may see wealthy Muslims, whom Allah has given too much to be trustees on it and to give from their wealth a share to the beggars and the destitute. They perform the major hajj every year and the minor hajj two or three times a year - and I am not being excessive when I say that some of them have performed the hajj twenty times and the minor hajj more than forty times. They show their pride of that openly before people.

Such people from among the Shia are too many. They do not know the actual amount of their wealth. They spend their times in the best hotels, eat the most expensive meals, and travel in the first class airplanes. After that, they go to visit the holy shrines of the infallible imams (a.s.). When you see how they eat and what they throw in their rubbish bins, you say with no hesitation that they are too far away from the Islamic ethics and human morals.

It is true that the hajj is recommended after performing the first obligatory one, but do these people not understand that Allah, first of all orders them to help His poor people, the needy, orphans and the oppressed? Has Allah the Almighty not said to them in His Book:

It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and the West, but righteousness is this that one should believe in Allah and the last day and the angels and the Book and the prophets, and give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for (the emancipation of) the captives…? Qur'an, 2: 177

O Muslims, righteousness is not to go every year to perform the hajj or to visit the holy shrines of saints…yes, the hajj is obligatory and recommended and so is the ziyara, but to be a habit every year while your brothers are dying of hunger - this is something that does not please Allah at all.2

Did the Messenger of Allah (S) not say?

The nearest of you to Allah is most helpful among you to His people?

Did he not say?

Who sleeps his night satiated while his neighbor is hungry is out of the covenant of Islam?

Did your first Imam, Ali ibn Abi Talib, whom you pride on and follow, not say?

Surely, every led one has a leader (imam) whom he follows, and from the light of whose knowledge he seeks light. Surely, your Imam (Ali) has been satisfied from all his life with his two coarse garments, and from his food with his two loaves…by Allah, I have never hoarded from your world gold, nor have I saved from its booties anything…

….and if I wanted, I could follow the way to the pure honey, the kernels of this wheat, and the textiles of this silk - but how far for my fancy to overcome me, or my greed to lead me to choose between foods, that there may be in Hijaz or Yamama one who cannot even wish for a loaf of bread and one who has never been satisfied with food? Or, can I sleep my night satiated, while around me there are hungry stomachs and very thirsty lives!

…I was not created to be busy with good foods and pleasures like a tied animal, whose concern is only its fodder, or a released one whose business is seeking in rubbish…

O worldly life, be away from me! Your halter is on your wither (free to do whatever it likes). I have sneaked away from your claws and escaped from your traps, and avoided going into your slips.

Where are the generations, whom you incited with your plays? Where are the nations, whom you fascinated with your adornments? Here they are captives in the graves and hidden in the tombs…Be away from me! By Allah, I do not submit to you so that you degrade me, and do not be mild for you, so that you drive me (as you like)…

Blessed is a soul that offered its obligation for its Lord and was patient in distress, gave up its sleeping in the night until slumber overcame it, took the ground as its bed and its hand as a pillow, from among people whose fear of the Hereafter made their eyes sleepless, and whose bodies kept away from their beds, and whose lips always murmured with the remembrance of their Lord, and whose sins were dispelled by their long asking for forgiveness:

…those are Allah's party; surely the party of Allah are the successful ones Qur'an, 58:22

This speech3 is addressed to every Shia who takes Ali (a.s.) as his imam after the Prophet (S).

As we have confirmed in our previous studies that the Shia are the true Muslims who have kept to the Book and the Prophet’s progeny after the Prophet (S). We must obey the commands of the Book and the immaculate progeny (a.s.). They order us to glorify and sanctify the rites of Allah, because it is from true piety.

Observing the rites of Allah includes observing of congregational prayers inside and outside the mosques, the keeping to prayers in the best way and keep the mosque sanctified, clean and unpolluted with cigarettes smoke. Rather, mosques must be refreshed with good scents and perfumes. Certainly, all these are the rites to be observed for Allah.4

How better it is for us to be ascetic towards many pleasures of this life, not to squander our monies in what does not benefit us, and not to be excessive in food and amusement while our faithful brothers are dying of hunger! How better it is for us to think of serving the servants of Allah and save them from deviation instead of performing the hajj forty times and the minor hajj eighty times!

If these monies are spent on publishing and sending books as gifts to the Muslim countries that do not know anything about the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) nor do they hear anything about the Shia except the fabrications. They shall be effective means to make millions of deviated people, who seek the truth, turn to the right path and the reward of this near Allah shall be greater than the reward of a recommended hajj that one goes to offer, wishing that Allah may forgive his sins of the last year. The Prophet (S) said:

The ink of scholars is better near Allah than the blood of martyrs.

Fear Allah by maintaining kinship, because it is better near Allah than all prayers and fasting.

How it is better for us to think of the future of Muslims in the world who face a plot of annihilation in every place on the earth!

After all this and through my personal experiment of twenty-five years the most of which was arguments and disputes with learned and unlearned Sunni, I knew that overlooking some beliefs that are not from the essence of Islam is the only way to get to the sought goal.

How many obstinate opponents, who never preferred anyone at all to Abu Bakr and Umar, began after turning Shia to wish that Imam Ali (a.s.) had fought and relieved Muslims from them? And, how many protestant deniers, who denied the concept of “infallibility” and considered it as being excessive from the Shia, believed in it after having turned Shia, more than the Shia themselves?!

All that would lead to enmity and grudge if I insisted on the concept of “infallibility” or “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah” in the azan or that “Ali is the best of all human beings and whoever denies that is a disbeliever”.

I am sure that Muslims shall be near to each other and would be united if both the Shia and the Sunni tried to overlook some of their beliefs that are not from the fundamentals of the religion. If the Sunni gave up their belief that all of the Prophet’s companions are totally fair, just and honest, (and certainly this belief has nothing to do with the religion), they would relieve their Shia brothers from their continuous efforts to prove the opposite.

And if the Shia overlook “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah” which was not a part from the azan or the iqamah at the time of the Messenger of Allah (S), they would relieve their Sunni brothers, who criticize and accuse them of being extravagant and excessive, from toiling for that.

Do Muslims, Shia and Sunni, not take a lesson from what the Messenger of Allah (S) did on the day of Truce of al-Hudaybiyyah? He gave up many things and did not oppose the polytheists in anything? He did so because he knew that resisting them and not giving up some of his conditions would be an obstacle in the way of guidance and the getting to the truth.

They said to him, “We do not acknowledge that you are the Messenger of Allah (S). You are Muhammad son of Abdullah.”

He said, “Yes, I am Muhammad son of Abdullah. O Ali, do not write down ‘Muhammad the Messenger of Allah (S)’.”

If one of the Shia says, “How do we give up ‘Ali is the saint of Allah’ which is right and the truth and we remember that the Prophet (S) said that ‘whoever keeps silent before the truth is a dumb devil’?” We respond that, just as Muhammad son of Abdullah (S) gave up his attribute as the Messenger of Allah (S) before the polytheists in order to not cause an obstacle between him and them and to invite them towards guidance when he actually was the Messenger of Allah (S) whether the polytheists accepted or denied that.

And Allah is sufficient as a witness Qur'an, 58:22

In the same way - “Ali is the saint of Allah” is also right and true, whether people bear witness to that or not. Their witness does not add anything to his value, nor does their denial decrease anything from his virtues.”5

The result of Muhammad’s concession in the al-Hudaybiyya Truce was so great that no one of the companions had ever imagined. It was a great victory after one year when groups after groups embraced Islam willingly and without effort or fighting.

If you both (the Sunni and the Shia) take the Messenger of Allah (S) as your example and you claim that you do according to the Book of Allah and the Sunna of His messenger, then follow his (the Prophet) deeds, O you men of understanding!

Allah the Almighty says:

If you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not diminish aught of your deeds; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Qur'an, 49:14.

Notes

1. Yes! This has changed to be a habit and tradition. People pride and compete with each other and the victim is the guest who compliments to satisfy the host. Otherwise, the guest even if he is a scholar or a thinker and attracts their attention to the offensiveness of this practice, might not be invited anymore. So how about ordinary people?!

In this way, detestable social classes appear which look down on the poor and prevent them from attending such invitations. (The rich are invited and the poor are kept away). Its undesirable outcome is division of people into different classes. Such invitations affect the mentality of the guest (when he is a scholar or thinker) that he acknowledges their conducts, or they pervert his thinking of caring for the right affairs of Muslims to their own world and life.

Unfortunately, an example is one of the wealthy people in Iraq who was in such a reckless state that he did not know how to spend his wealth, so that whatever he did to it, it would not run out because of abundance. Saddam exiled him out of Iraq and confiscated all his wealth and properties. In the place of immigration, I heard a wealthy man saying, “I cannot be convinced the Iraqi people suffer famine, except when they become like Indians who die in the streets and then, the municipality personnel carry their corpses altogether.”

Surely, a Muslim cannot be a true Muslim except when he follows the true Islam, imitates its high examples, and apply it in the true way. A true Muslim must be a true faithful away from vanities, wastefulness, dissipation, and worldly desires; otherwise, life shall be beastly.

2. The responsibility of changing the conducts of these people is on the ulema and preachers that they may repent and return to the true path of Islam and the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

3. From the letter of Imam Ali (a.s.) to his governor on Basra, Uthman ibn Hunayf al-Ansari, when he (Imam Ali) was informed that Uthman was invited to a banquet and he accepted and went to it. Nahjol Balagha - commentary by Muhammad Abdo, p. 558.

4. It is noted in general that a praying person usually stands to offer prayers with the clothes he usually wears, not caring whether they are tidy and clean or not. The important thing is that they must be ritually pure. People think that there is no problem for this with Allah! But, if one of them wants to meet someone, he puts on the best of his clothes, especially if that someone is an important personality. Thus, is person whom one meets in life more important than Allah? One does not perceive or think of this!

Let each one of us think of this matter - when one of us is inside his house wearing night clothes, he does not let others (visitors) see him in that clothes, because this is as a kind of insult to them. Should he offer the prayer in these clothes so easily? We have to be aware of Whom we are standing before to offer our prayer. We have to put in mind that Allah the Almighty is always with us wherever we are and behave on this basis,

…and He is with you wherever you are… Qur'an, 57:4.

We stand before Him all the time and especially in the prayer. Therefore, we have to put on the best of our clothes, using perfume, in order to appear in an acceptable state to Him. After preparing our appearances, we have to purify our inwards to be real travelers toward Allah the Glorified. It is not bad to pay attention to the recommended things as to the prayer’s clothes and etiquettes especially for women who may put on white clothes and…be in the best shape that makes us actually feel that Allah is with us.

5. We have confirmed before that no one of the Shiite ulema say that “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah” is a basic part of the azan or the iqamah, and whoever calls it as a “good heresy” is totally mistaken. It is but a witness that Imam Ali (a.s.) is the saint of Allah and the commander of the believers, and a witness of the injustice he suffered and the suppression of history against him, though he was the establisher of the cornerstone of Islam after the Prophet (S) with his knowledge and jihad. It is like the qualities of Talut mentioned in the Holy Qur'an when the Israelites asked from their prophet to send for them a king so that they would fight under his leadership.

And their prophet said to them: Surely Allah has raised Talut to be a king over you. They said: How can he hold kingship over us while we have a greater right to kingship than he does, and he has not been granted an abundance of wealth? He said: Surely Allah has chosen him in preference to you, and He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique, and Allah grants His kingdom to whom He pleases, and Allah is Ample giving, Knowing, Qur'an, 2:247.

This is besides many other instances that this and that has witnessed of (and the virtue is that which opponents witness of). So why do we not actually take a strict situation against heresies like the omitting of “Come on to the best of deeds” from the azan by Umar ibn al-Khattab? It is related to Akrimah that he said, “Once, I said to ibn Abbas, ‘Would you tell me why “come on to the best of deeds” was omitted from the azan?” He said, ‘Umar wanted people not to rely on prayer and give up jihad; therefore, he omitted that from the azan.” Refer to Sunan al-Bayhaqi, vol. 1 p. 524-525, as-Seera al-Halabiyyah, vol. 2 p. 105, Sa’d as-Sa’oud, p. 100, Mizan al-I’tidal by ath-Thahabi, vol. 1 p. 139, Lisan al-Mizan, vol. 1 p. 261, Nayl al-Awtar by ash-Shawkani, vol. 2 p. 32, Kanzol Ummal, printed in the margins of Musnad Ahmed, vol. 3 p. 276, Kanzol Ummal, vol. 4 p. 266, ar-Rawdh an-Nadheer, vol. 2 p. 42.

On the other side, Umar added to the azan of the Fajr (dawn) Prayer “the prayer is better than sleep”. This shows that Muslims do not wonder at this omission and the addition, because the Sunni do not believe that the azan and the iqamah have been legislated by Allah through His revelation to the Prophet (S), or that the Prophet (S) has done it like the other rites and rulings that he received from Allah the Almighty!!! They narrate that the azan was a dream which one of the companion saw in his sleep after the Prophet (S) had been confused (as they say) either to call people for the prayer by the bell or by beating two pieces of wood against each other…Refer to Sunan Abu Dawud, vol. 1 p. 335, as-Seera al-Halabiyyah, vol. 2 p. 93, Sahih at-Termithi, vol. 1 p. 359, al-Muwatta’, vol. 1 and its explanation by az-Zarqani, vol. 1 p. 120-125, Sunan al-Bayhaqi, vol. 1 p. 390, Seera of Ibn Hisham, vol. 2 p. 154, al-Bidaya wen-Nihaya, vol. 3 p. 232, al-Mawahib al-Laduniyyah, vol. 1 p. 17, Muntakhab Kanzol Ummal, printed in the margins of Musnad Ahmed, vol. 3 p. 273, Tabyeen al-Haqa’iq by az-Zuray’ee, vol. 1 p. 9, ar-Rawdh al-Anaf, vol. 2 p. 285, Hayat as-Sahaba (the lives of the companions), vol. 3 p. 131, Kanzol Ummal, vol. 4 p. 263, Sunan ad-Darqutni, vol. 1 p. 241, and others.

Thus, the azan, for you (the Sunni), has not been legislated by Allah, and you omit from and add to it, and even if you add to the azan of the Noon Prayer the statement of “the prayer is better than lunch” it shall be given legality by you and you shall approve it as you have approved some things else, whereas you deny those who have consensually agreed that the azan and the iqamah in their actual chapters had been revealed to the Prophet (S) by Gabriel (a.s.).

Yes, we all have to deny everything that contradicts the real azan. Once, Muslims heard the muezzin saying in the azan: “They say that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (S)”. They were astonished and they denied that. They went to the imam of the mosque objecting to him. He said to them, “I found no one to announce the azan in the mosque; therefore, I hired a Jewish man to announce it, and he does not believe in the prophethood of Muhammad (S).”

As for the mention of Imam Ali and the Ahlul Bayt (peace be on them all), we do not say that it is a part of the azan, nor do we add it instead of another basic part. We do not omit from or add fixed part to the azan, which was revealed to the Prophet (S) by Gabriel in his sleep. We believe that the revelation to the Prophet (S) in his sleep is like the revelation to him in his wake state.

However, they (the Sunni) chanted the azan in tones and recited it in groups like anthems. They omitted and added, since they believe that it (the azan) has not been divinely legislated, but a vision of one of the companions.

The Shia unanimously say that the azan was a revelation from Allah, and therefore, they believe that any omission or addition to it is not permissible; otherwise, it is considered a man’s legislation against Allah’s legislation, and this is impermissible among the Shia. This is not that case in saying “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah”, because this is mentioned as generally recommended and to show our adherence to the saint of Allah.

Does Islam accept development?

Yes and there is no doubt that Islam is the very development, progress and renewal. It is the highest code that humanity has ever reached since its beginning. In the Holy Qur'an, there are many verses encouraging knowledge, learning and inviting man to follow reason and to try the best in all fields of life in order to reach the highest levels even in the space. Allah says:

O community of the jinn and the men! If you are able to pass through the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass through… Qur'an, 55:33

This encourages man to develop and progress. When he is not satisfied within the limits of the earth, he looks towards the sky, the planets, and stars in order to make use of them, as long as Allah has given him all powers and informed him that he is preferred to all other creatures, which are for his benefit. Allah says:

Allah is He Who made subservient to you the sea that the ships may run therein by His command, and that you may seek of His grace, and that you may give thanks. And He has made subservient to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, all from Him; most surely there are signs in this for people who reflect. Qur'an, 45:12-13

Do you not see that Allah has made what is in the heavens and what is in the earth subservient to you and made complete to you His favors outwardly and inwardly? And among men is he who disputes in respect of Allah though having no knowledge nor guidance, nor a book giving light. Qur'an, 13:20

How can the Muslim who reads in the Book of his Lord that all what there is in the heavens like orbits, planets, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, air, clouds, rain, snow and all that is there in the earth, such as rivers, seas, oceans, mountains, forests, jungles, beasts, animals, treasures, minerals, plants - everything has been made subservient to him, remains sitting on his hands until knowledge, progress, and invention comes to him from the West? If he acts so, he disavows his duty and obligation, degrades himself and loses so greatly because the Qur'an that has been revealed by Allah has all things and lacks nothing.

Allah says:

We have not neglected anything in the Book. Qur'an, 6:38

The Prophet Muhammad (S) often said:

Seek knowledge from your cradle until grave.

The Prophet (S) encouraged Muslims to get to their highest when he said:

If the determination of the son of Adam turns toward what is beyond the Throne, he will get it.

Thus, Islam does not see anything impossible in the field of knowledge, sciences and development. We avoid expatiation here as we may go far away from the theme of this book; otherwise, we could write an independent book on this subject. However, we ask scholars to refer to the scientific sources and books in this regard.

This is in answer to the title of this chapter where development is meant to concern the scientific and technological development in the fields of industries and inventions that have invaded the minds and houses of people from Europe, the United States of America and Japan especially. Anyhow, Muslims are indifferent to all that, and some of them have been affected by the civilization and the scientific inventions that have come from other than Muslims. Therefore, they think that Islam is the cause of the underdevelopment, especially the ones who are influenced by communism that says: “Religion is opium for the people”.

These people are ignorant, and if they are somehow fair, they will say that Islam is the incentive to people for their renewal and development. Indeed, Islam created a nation from nothing in the Arabia which conveyed to the entire world a civilization and many sciences and inventions, until some scholars wrote: “The sun of the Arabs shines over Europe”, acknowledging that the Arabs after embracing and applying Islam, were precedent in every goodness, every discovery and invention.1

However, if by ‘development’ it is meant what the western world in Europe and America presents as the indecorous fashions of clothes, the absolute freedom given to the clubs of the naked, sodomy, the practice of sexual intercourse in public places, legislating of inheritance for dogs and other animals, and all what is shown in the TV of immoral programs…all these can never be recognized by Islam, nor does it comply with it. Surely Islam fights against all these immoralities and tries to do away with them.

On the other hand there are also some extreme practices by some Muslims who claim they are in keeping with the Prophet’s Sunna, These are from among the Salafists in particular. They have long beards flowing to their chests, putting on a long shirt, having a walking stick in their hands, standing at the gate of the mosque while brushing their teeth with a teeth cleanser (siwak) and rubbing them left and right, spitting sometime and puffing out at another. If you sit with them at a meal, they will refuse to sit at a table. They refuse to use a spoon and a fork while having food. They do not eat except with their fingers claiming that the Messenger of Allah (S) did so.

Extremism made some of them prohibit the tape recorder and loudspeaker in calling out of azan, claiming that it was a heresy to use when these were not available at the time of the Prophet (S).

Extremism reached its peak with some of them when they imagined themselves as the guides who could force and make people adopt this Sunna, which they thought of as the true religion. Therefore, you see them scold whoever laughs loudly saying that the Messenger of Allah (S) just smiled and did not laugh loudly, or kick whomever they find sleeping on his abdomen saying that it is the sleeping of Satan. Once, I was present when one of them beat his daughter because she offered some drinks to the guests not beginning from the guest on the right. He scolded and insulted her before the guests so that they would know that he kept to the Sunna.

What Sunna is this that makes others detest it especially when it is practiced in western societies and before people who bear grudge against Islam and Muslims? Instead of presenting before others a beautiful picture about Islam and the Prophet (S) of Islam and to endear this religion to everyone, such people make them look down upon Islam because of their wrong and bad practices.

The strange thing is that when you try to talk with them and make them understand that when the Prophet (S) used to brush his teeth with the tooth cleanser (stick of siwak), there was no brush and tooth paste as there is today, they are not satisfied. They dispute that the siwak stick of that certain tree is better than all the modern invented things, because it has salts and so on and so forth. And if you talk to them about all the modern inventions and tools that can clean the teeth and sterilize the mouth, they will remain in preference of that piece of wood which they insert in their pockets and take out from time to time after having been red because of the blood from the mouth. They move this piece of wood right and left inside their mouths while repeating this saying of the Prophet (S):

Except for that I might make it difficult for my nation, I would order them to use the siwak before every prayer.

Unfortunately, these people do not understand anything from the Prophet’s Sunna except what is on surface and apparent. They do not penetrate deep into the spiritual and scientific dimension of the Prophet’s deeds and sayings.

It is odd too that they stick to such deeds in a blind imitation with no proof or perception. They only repeat what they hear from their sheikhs and imams. Most of them are illiterate and they may often insist on the illiteracy of the Prophet (S) that he could not read and write, and thus they are the proud of the fact that they imitate the Prophet (S) in everything!!!2

One day, I debated with some of them in the Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque in Paris. I said to them, “If you actually keep to the Prophet’s Sunna and deny everything new that you say: ‘the worst of things is the new of them, and every new thing is a heresy, and every (man of) heresy shall be in fire’, then why do you offer your prayers on the moquette which is artificial that comes to us from the western countries and we do not know from what material it is made, and certainly the Prophet (S) did not know such things nor did he offer prayer on them?”

Some of them replied, “We are in the land of emigration and our ruling is like the ruling of an obliged one. Do you not know that ‘necessities permit prohibited things’?”3

I said, “Which necessity? You can remove this moquette and offer the prayer on the ground as the Messenger of Allah (S) did, or you can bring with you some stones to prostrate on.”

Their imam looked at me and said mockingly, “I knew that you were a Shia since the moment you came into the mosque and put a piece of paper in the place of prostration.”

I said, “Do you deny this? Can you convince me with the true Sunna which you claim to follow?”

He replied, “We have been forbidden from debating and especially with the Shia, besides we are not ready to listen to you. Your religion is for you and our religion is for us.”4

These are some notes that we must mention, so that it would be clear to the learned Muslims that the Prophet’s Sunna does not contradict the scientific and civil development and does not forbid man or woman from wearing any dress fitting him or her. The important thing is that this dress must cover man and woman’s body in the way as Islam requires. The Prophet (S) says:

Allah does not look at your clothes or figures, but He looks at your hearts and deeds.

The Prophet’s Sunna does not forbid man from sitting at a table and having his meal with a knife and a fork. What is important is that one should be polite and well behaved and not make others feel that he is in a fight like a beast with its prey, especially when he lets his moustache and beard participate with him in having his meal.

The Prophet’s Sunna does not forbid man from cleaning his mouth and teeth with a brush and toothpaste or any modern product made for this purpose. The Prophet’s Sunna does not forbid man from cleaning his apparent and hidden body, shaving the hair of his armpits and the pubic hair, using perfumes, putting in his pocket a handkerchief for his saliva or other uses. But as for those who claim they stick to the Prophet’s Sunna while their smells are unpleasant with whatever they use as musk because their bodies are unclean especially in summer, with the long hair of their armpits and with their bad behavior that you find them blowing their noses with their fingers, throwing their nasal mucus wherever they like paying no any attention to the passersby and then wiping their hands with their sleeves… such people are too far from the Prophet’s Sunna.

The Prophet’s Sunna does not forbid Muslims from making use of the modern tools like tape recorders or loudspeakers to let call of azan reach further and further. It does not forbid the use of TV and videos sets even in the mosques to show religious lessons and Islamic films at times other than the prayer times.

The Prophet’s Sunna does not forbid a Muslim from making water in water closets in railway stations, airports…etc., that have been designed in a special way especially in the western countries, while standing up but what is important is that he should hide his private parts and not to impure his body or clothes.5 Allah says:

…surely Allah loves those who turn much (to Him), and He loves those who purify themselves. Qur'an, 2:222

The Prophet’s Sunna does not forbid a Muslim woman from using the modern disposable tissues during her menstruation, or forbid her from driving a car or going to markets, but the important thing is that she should veil herself and observe the Islamic laws and rulings.

In brief, the Prophet’s Sunna does not forbid any development or progress as long as it is for the welfare of man, which leads to his ease, happiness and protection from any harm.

Allah says:

Say: Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah, which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions? Qur'an, 7:32

Surely, the Prophet’s Sunna just prohibits impurities, filth, and everything which the souls detest by nature such as - bad smells, filthy fingernails, unkempt hairs and impure heels. It is said:

Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty.

We see that adorning oneself is a natural instinct in man and animals. No man, whether faithful or unfaithful, goes out of home, except that he looks at himself first in the mirror to adorn and refresh himself. And today, you cannot see even one house that has no mirror inside it. Since men do so, then why do we forbid women from doing it? It is preferred for woman to adorn herself, but on condition that she should not unveil herself or use cosmetics before non-mahram men.6

People are enemies to what they ignore! In my youth, I liked to kohl my eyes every Wednesday. In in spite of the fact that all the Sunni books mention that the Prophet (S) used kohl and encouraged people to use it, each time I used kohl, I felt that men and women disapproved of it as if I had committed a sin. Therefore, I gave it up unwillingly.

Some Arab men of the deserts pierced their earlobes and hung earrings in them. This is famous among some Arab tribes.

However, if we see today a man from the west with an earring in his earlobe, we find it strange and say that he is effeminate. It is the same when we see a man with long hair, though history proves that men lowered their hairs like women. Some companions narrated that the Prophet (S) had plaits of hair. The important thing is that we should recall the sayings of the Prophet (S):

Surely, Allah does not look at your dresses or figures, but He looks at your hearts and deeds.

Allah curses men who imitate women and women who imitate men.

Sticking to what the Prophet (S) did fourteen centuries ago and prohibiting everything new and modern is something unacceptable and very odd.

What for is all this extremism in the religion of Allah? What for is all these ties that have shackled us and made us feel that our religion is full of difficulties and hardships? Surely, Allah is free from all that when He says:

…and He has not laid upon you any hardship in religion. Qur'an, 22:78

His messenger (S) is also free from all that when he says:

Make it easy (in religion) and do not make it difficult, bring good news (to people) and do not make them alienated from the religion.

In the end, we say to all these people whether they are Salafi, Sunni, or Shia that be lenient and moderate to yourselves and to others and do not make it difficult for Muslims, lest they detest the religion and turn away from Islam, instead of endearing Islam to them. Do not forget the saying of the Prophet (S):

If Allah guides one man by you, it would be better to you than the entire world and what there is in it.

Yet, if you want to be negatively puritan, then you have to ride on donkeys and mules and go back on them to your countries, because the Messenger of Allah (S) used to ride on them and he had never seen any motor vehicle or airplane in all his life. If you do not do, and certainly you shall not do, then you fear Allah about your behavior to your brothers and speak kindly to them. If you refuse to progress, at least do not regress!7

Notes

1. Reinhart Dozy, an orientalist from Holland, writes, “In all Andalusia, there was not one man illiterate, whereas no one was able to read and write in Europe except the highest class of priests.”

Muslims were prominent in Europe in different sciences:

Geography: There were the around-the-world travellers like ar-Razi, Abu Ubaydah al-Bakri, al-Ghurari, al-Idrisi, ibn Jubayr, ibn Batuta, and others. Al-Idrisi had made a great silver ball representing the terrestrial globe and it is still kept in Berlin. The Arab scientists drew maps by which the people of the West guided on their way to India and other places in the world.

Astronomy: Muslims had observatories in Toledo, Cordoba, Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, Samarqand, and Persia. Draper says, “The Arabs knew the size of the earth by measuring the degree of its surface, and they defined the eclipse of the sun and the moon. They made correct tables for the sun and the moon, estimated the year and knew the two equinoxes…”

Geometry: Gustave Lebon says, “Europe took from the Arabs the details in embellishment and it was found on some churches in France as figures of Arabic letters sculptured on stone.”

Mathematics: the orientalist Sidio* says, “…and the Arabs paid much and special care for all sciences of mathematics. Indeed, they were our teachers in this field.” Leonard Albizi (Blussy)* wrote about 1200 theses in Algebra that he had learned from the Arabs. Hitti said in his book ‘the History of the Arabs’, “…and the zero that has solved many problems in the mathematical operations had come to Europe from Andalusia. And the ‘zero’ is still but an Arabic word.”

From among the geniuses in mathematics were al-Hasan ibn al-Haytham, ibn Sina (Avicenna), al-Khawarizmi, ibn al-Banna’, and others. The book of al-Khawarizmi on mathematics has been translated into many European languages.

Physics: Light - ibn al-Haytham was very expert in the science of light (optics), and he had written a book called ‘al-Manadhir’ in seven volumes, and tables of Arabic names of the parts of the eye translated into foreign languages and are still used with their Arabic names.

The compass - Sidio* and Sarton confirm that it was the Arabs who invented the compass. The pendulum - the Muslims called it ‘al-Mawwar’ which was invented by ibn Younus al-Misry (the Egyptian) who died in 399AH-1009AD. It was used to count the periods during the observations of stars. Scientist Smith pointed out in his book ‘The History of Mathematics’ that ibn Younus had preceded Galileo in knowing and inventing the pendulum.

Note*: I apologize to readers that some foreign names may be written unlike their origins. I tried my best, but I could not arrive at a result.

Chemistry: The Arabs were expert in dyeing, tanning, mineral industries, and blending of perfumes. Gustave Le Bon says, “It was the Muslims alone who had invented the gunpowder as an explosive propellant to shoot bullets and England took this invention from them followed by the rest of Europe …”

Industry: Philip Hitti says, “Paper is one of the great utilities that Islam had offered to Europe and the entire world.” In Andalusia, pottery became very flourishing, besides colored mosaic and textiles. Among the other crafts that were passed to Europe were metalwork, glass making, and different industries of pottery.

Agriculture: Muslims were expert in the characteristics of soils and the suitable fertilizers for each to an extent more than any others were.

Medicine: Philip Hitti says, “…in the middle of the eighth century AH - the fourteenth century AD - when plague spread in Europe, the people there remained seated on their hands before it was considered as a fate from Allah. At this very time, the physician ibn al-Khateeb al-Ghernati wrote his book ‘Haqeeqatus Sa’il wa al-Maradhul Ha’il - The fact for the enquirer about the frightful disease’ to confirm it was a matter of infection and provde it…”

It is not unknown that the books of Abu Bakr ar-Razi (850-932 AD) and Avicenna such as the books ‘al-Qanoon’ and ‘ash-Shifa’’remained until recently as major references in medicine.

This is just a brief glimpse of some sciences of Muslims and their influence on the European renaissance until the present age.

2. As for the Salafiyah phenomenon - you have read before about the contradictions and disagreements between the school of opinion and the school of ijtihad.

Since Islam is a universal mission for all mankind, so it has what pleases the European man who has been involved in his laboratory and technology, as well as the nomad man and that man who lives in the unexplored areas of Africa. As Islam is the religion of nature, it is perfect in all its laws from the simple aspects of life like the brushing of teeth to the greatest decisions about managing the humanity.

Our ancestors conquered the land of the Romans in the year 17 AH, Persia in 56 AH, and Spain in 93 AH. They did not take with them tents and sticks of siwak but as Victor Robinson said in his comparison between the Islamic civilization and the conditions of Europe, “Europe was in a terrible darkness after the sunset, while Cordoba was lit by lanterns in the public places. Europe was dirty, whereas one thousand public bathhouses were built in Cordoba. Europe was covered by vermin, while the people of Cordoba were the example of cleanness…”

On one hand we, the Muslims, enrich and refine other civilizations and on the other hand, there are some people, who according to the fatwas of some schools, have reached the top of extremism besides the negligence of Sufis and keepers of hospices. And, between this and that - there are moderate people.

Some may be fanatic with some things that do not reach the degree of disbelief and unlawfulness, like the imitation of the great leaders and companions and make that seem as the whole Islam. For example, some Salafi persons say: ‘what do you have to do with books? You can take knowledge orally!’ or they make some challenges with dentists on the basis of the importance of the siwak, or something like that.

Until this far, there is no problem - but as expected and that some of which has actually happened - some agents of intelligence may sneak into these groups and incite them to give a fatwa on burning of books, clinics of dentists, or pharmacies because they are from heresies and deviations in faith - as they think. However, they forget that they make use of the latest technologies. They travel to the west by airplanes, whereas the Prophet (a.s.) traveled on camels!!!

They neglect the great issues of the nation, and busy themselves with trivial things.

3. From the results of the Sunni jurisprudential school, it is for the lack of seriousness toward the matter of ijtihad that a Sunni may interpret an important question according to their personal thoughts. Therefore, we often see that some of them practice a thing that is quite unlike the reality, and herein lies the great calamity!

They may put into effect a rule in other than its actual place, and consequently, they fall into unlawful things and major sins because “necessities permit prohibitions”. They may, when are obliged especially in the western countries and without considering or piety, eat without knowing how the meat has been served or if the fried foods have been cooked in the pig’s fat, or the refreshments have alcoholic liquor or not.

All that is not a problem, but the problem is when one does not use the siwak, not let his beard reach his chest, or when he prostrates on what has been permitted to prostrate on imitating the Prophet (a.s.) who prostrated on the stones and earth of the Qabaa Mosque!!! Yes, this is considered by these people as heresy and polytheism!!!

4. Let us review here some matters. One day, Abu Haneefa saw one of his companions in ragged clothes. He put in his hand one thousand dirhams and whispered to him, “redress yourself!” The man said, “I am in no need of this. I am rich enough, but I seek asceticism in this life.” Abu Haneefa said, “Allah pleases to see the effect of His blessing on His servant.” Refer to The condition of Ijtihad by Dr. Abdul Aziz al-Khayyat, p. 16.

Metonymically, we say, “You have observed one thing, but missed many things!”

It is like that sheikh who interpreted this tradition of the Prophet (a.s.), “simplicity of clothes is from faith” as ‘raggedness of clothes’ and followed it out of his ignorance and stupidity.” In fact, the Prophet (a.s.) often said, “Clean your clothes and better your mounts until you become as a mole (prominent) among people.” Mentioned by al-Hakim in his book - al-Jami’ al-Kabeer, p. 152 from Sahl ibn al-Handhaliyyah.

The worst of that is the lack of seriousness and the daring in ijtihad that may lead to contradict the Book of Allah. Allah says:

O children of Adam! attend to your embellishments at every time and place of prayer. Qur'an, 7:31

Moreover, Islam calls for smoothing of moustache, trimming of beard, plucking of the hair from the armpits, adorning oneself on Fridays…etc. Thus, we must be a good example of our clean, pure religion, but not vice versa.

5. To make water while standing up is not unlawful, but it too is hated or disapproved due to our mujtahids.

6. A non-mahram man is a man that it is not lawful for a woman to get married to.

7. Our problem today is that the means have changed to be the purpose. We have neglected the major and common matters that face not only the Muslims but all people.

Non-Muslim nations may have many habits and traditions that Islam invites us to accept and adopt. Unfortunately though and indeed unfortunately, many Muslims sanctify men and what they say and make them as the whole of Islam. They consider everything other than that as falsehood, polytheism and atheism.

For example, Abu Haneefah sees that the reciting of suras of the Qur’an after the imam in the congregational prayers is forbidden, while ash-Shafi’iy sees it as obligatory. Al-Maliki, for example, sees that lowering the hands in the prayer is right as the Shias think. To them, these opinions represent the opinions of their owners and they reached these opinions through ijtihad. Yet how terrible it is that some Muslims think themselves as the only true Muslims and their creed as the only true creed, they beat and abuse a praying Muslim when they see him doing so in his prayer and they say to him: ‘Do not offer the prayer like the dogs’!!!

If someone passes in front of them while they are offering the prayer, or if they see a new Muslim convert putting on some gold ornaments, or see someone reciting the Qur’an while lying down, holding the Qur'an in some way that they feel incorrect or not using the sticks of siwak…etc., they raise the Devil and raise the Devil!! Thus, they brush aside the teachings and morals of Islam, and get outside of humanity by shouting, roaring, reviling, and making trouble. By this way, they try to replace a dislikeable thing with an unlawful act and a less corrupted thing with a more corrupt one.

The political problems created by civilization

When the Messenger of Allah (S) ordered his companions to emigrate, he said to them, “Go to Abyssinia, for there is a king near whom no one is treated unjustly at all.” He did not give them passports, nor did he request visas for them from the government of Abyssinia, nor were they forced to change the currency that was available there.

All these procedures were not known or followed at that time, but the land of Allah was vast. When a man’s own country became constrained to him, he rode on his mount and intended the mercy of his Lord. Wherever he went, he found what he sought with no inspectors to watch his coming and going. No custom-houses would ask him to pay customs and taxes or send him back if he had no documents of vaccination or ask him to show the documents for possession of his mount, in case it might have been stolen or the dues of the road had not been paid.

Yes civilization, or may we say that managing greater masses of human beings has required for these procedures. The earth has been divided into nations, and then into many countries. Every country or all people who speak the same language made a government and every government took a special flag, marked its borders in the land and the sea and put guards at the borders so that no one unwanted could enter their country.

When the number of people increased more and more and one became greedy for what the other had - they exploited each other and colonized each other. Revolutions and crimes increased. The developed societies were obliged to define every citizen. Therefore, newborn children and dead people were counted. Every person had his/her own birth document, identity card and passport. The borders were controlled so that no one from one country would enter another except after getting the permission of that country and agreeing to abide by the conditions imposed by that country.

I, like many other young Muslims, when my country became limited to me, tried to immigrate to another country, but I found that all the doors were closed before me, especially that of the Arab and Muslim countries.

I was very confused when I recited this saying of Allah:

Surely (as for) those whom the angels cause to die while they are unjust to their souls, they shall say: In what state were you? They shall say: We were weak in the earth. They shall say: Was not Allah's earth spacious, so that you should have migrated therein? So these it is whose abode is hell, and it is an evil resort. Qur'an, 4:97

I said then to myself that the earth is Allah’s without doubt, but the servants of Allah have possessed it, divided it among themselves and not permitted it for others.

If I tried to find an excuse for the non-Muslim countries like France, England, Germany, or the United States of America, in this context, I might find one, but what would be the excuse for the Arab and Muslim countries?

And if I tried to find an excuse for the Arab and Muslim countries that they had submitted to the international system for the sake of reciprocating, then what would be the excuse for the rulers of Mecca and Medina who imposed on Muslims visas for going to perform the hajj and umrah besides the taxes that must be paid to enter this land?

I also was confused when I recited this saying of Allah:

Surely (as for) those who disbelieve, and hinder (men) from Allah's way and from the Sacred Mosque which We have made equally for all men, (for) the dweller therein and (for) the visitor… Qur'an, 22:25

If the inviolable Mosque (the Kaaba) that Allah has made as safe and sanctuary for all people, the residents and non-residents, now becomes a property of a certain country that permits some and prevents others from visiting it, then we must review our Islam, Qur'an, and all concepts!

I remained for a long time confused between different thoughts and obsessions that at some times I talked with my Lord saying: “O my Lord, You have said and Your saying is the truth:

Was not Allah's earth vast, so that you should have migrated therein? Qur'an, 4:97

You have also said:

And proclaim among people the Pilgrimage: they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path. Qur'an, 22:27

Yet at present Your vast land has been prevented from entry by people and Your House has been possessed and its gate has been closed, so what do we do then?

One day, while I was reading some sermons of Imam Ali (a.s.) in Nahjul Balaghah when he talked about the Qur'an, one statement attracted my attention and I reread it many times. I found in it what I sought for a long time. It was the only answer that solved the riddle and removed my obsessions.

Imam Ali (a.s.) said in the first sermon when talking about the Book of Allah, “…and between a thing that is obligatory at its time and that shall be null in its future…” I understood from this speech that such verses Qur’an, which were possible at the time of the Prophet (S) would not be possible in the future because of the prevailing of the unjust and the tyranny of disbelievers.

Thus, if someone shall say to his Lord on the Day of Resurrection: ‘I was disabled on earth’, Allah the Almighty - Who is aware of all things, will know that this man is from late people. So Allah will not say to him: your abode is Hell and it is an evil resort!

And if someone shall say to his Lord on the Day of Punishment: ‘I was prevented from going to perform the pilgrimage to Your Inviolable House’, it shall be said to him: ‘I had said to you that if you can afford the journey to it. So your excuse is accepted, and the one who prevented you from that, is responsible for it.’

May peace be upon you O my Master on the day that you were born, on the day when you died and on the day when you shall be restored to life.1

Notes

1. While the Zionists have occupied Palestine and Jerusalem, most of the Muslim countries have been occupied by the agents and officials of the international Freemasonry. One of these countries is Hijaz - I mean Saudi Arabia.

I went from Iraq and Jordan to Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj. I saw with my eyes how an applicant for hajj was treated in the medical centers and the passport control departments, until he reached the airport of Jeddah. I remained there for seven hours until some people slept there itself and many others spoke loudly. This inconvenience was besides the bad and rough treatment by the airport officials and the impolite policemen towards all hajjis. As if they wanted to say - we are rich and in no need of you. Hasten to the hot tents and deserts!

It would be expected that these places would be planted with trees and flowers. They would have comfortable buildings and services for the hajjis. There would be laws and systems to manage the affairs and ease of the hajjis from their (hajjis) own monies! However, these monies, in addition to good shares of petrol, go to increase the welfare of the American people and the Zionists and to support the French franc!

Enjoining of good and forbidding of the wrong

Selfishness and man’s being busy with himself without caring for others, as long as he is at ease and not needy is one of the serious problems that civilization has created in societies. This is more dangerous than any disease.

When people are selfish, the society is afflicted with paralysis and the welfare of the nation is suspended. Its fate is played with so that there is no one who can offer anything for reprieve. Then, the values of magnanimity, heroism, sacrifice for others, altruism and the fight against injustice and corruption die. In such a case, religion and conscience shall wither away and become weak.

The Prophet (S) said:

Either you enjoin the good and forbid the wrong or Allah will set against you the worst of you. Then the best of you shall pray to Allah and it shall not be responded to.

“The enjoining of good and the forbidding of the wrong” is such a necessary matter in the life of a nation that some of the imams have considered it as one the pillars of Islam. Therefore, you see that the first motto that the modern Islamic movements adopt is “the enjoining of the good and forbidding of the wrong”. However, civilized societies today object seriously to this matter through the institutions created recently in the democratic societies such as the Assembly of the Human rights, the Assembly of Women’s rights and even the Rights of animals.

If a government is not responsible for the “enjoining of the good and forbidding of the wrong”, it will be impossible for a group or individuals to undertake it by themselves. Today, you see wrong and corruption everywhere and you cannot change anything. It is very easy for any girl to bring a suit against you, and in the best condition it shall be said to you - do not interfere in what does not concern you! If you say that you just enjoin the good and forbid the wrong, the answer shall be - ‘and who are you? And by which right you permit yourself to do so? And who has given you this authority?’

I myself have tried these experiments, as have many other Muslims. We got bitterness of weakness and failure out of those experiments. I remained confused between beliefs that forced me to carry out this duty and threatened me if I did not. The reality that we live in prevented me from this right, and threatened me if I tried to do it again.

I remember that once a governor said to me, “Are you the Messenger of Allah that Allah has sent with a new religion to reform people?” I said, “Certainly not.” He said, “Then be satisfied with yourself and family and keep us away from your evil. It is we who are responsible for the safety and peace of people. If we leave the matter for every nosy one to enjoin and forbid, there shall be anarchy.”1

I knew my worth and stopped at the boundaries! I was afraid, and my soul incited me to venture forth at one time and to retire at another. I remained so for some years until a tradition of the Messenger of Allah (S) attracted my attention. In this tradition, the Prophet (S) said:

Whosoever of you sees an evil let him change (reform) it with his hand, and if he cannot do so - let him do it with his tongue, and if he cannot do so then let him do with his heart, and this is the weakest of faith.2

The Prophet (S) said:

No prophet that Allah has sent for his nation before me, except that he had from his community disciples and companions who followed his Sunna and obeyed his commands. Then after them their came successors who say what they did not do what they were not to do. Whoever resists them with his hand is faithful, whoever resists them with his tongue is faithful, and whoever resists them with his heart is faithful, and anything else than that is not from faith inasmuch as a grain of mustard.3

I praised Allah the Almighty that He has not imposed on us that which we have no capacity to bear. Thus, the Prophet’s traditions explained the Book of Allah, and because Allah knows all things in the past, present, and future, so He knew that a time would come to people where a Muslim would be unable to reject the evil. Therefore, He made it easy for Muslims and imposed on them only what they could bear. Therefore, the saying of the Prophet (S), “Whoever of you sees an evil let him change (reform) it with his hand, and if he cannot do so, let him do with his tongue…” is a proof on the changing of the Muslim society from a state of powerfulness into the state of weakness. Besides that, it is a proof that the legal obligation changes from a state into another.

So the duty of one, who is powerful, is to reform the evil by power which is represented by the “hand” in the tradition, and the one, who is powerless, has to reform the evil through speech and breaches which are represented by the “tongue”. And the one, who is certain that his speech shall cause him harm and trouble, has to deny the evil in his heart without announcing his opinion openly and this shall be his legal duty.

Glory be to Allah Who does not impose on a soul except what it can bear, and blessings and peace be on the Prophet (S) of mercy who was more merciful to the believers than they themselves were and on his generous, immaculate progeny.4

Notes

1. Because we are Arabs or in fact underdeveloped nomads, we let our learned men and thinkers solve the social, economic and political problems of the country. Only recently, we became free from regency and the mandatory rule. Therefore, we have little choice but to keep silent and obedient to keep pace with the movements and clubs of nudism and perversion. And so we announce, like in the west, our need for some girls to act in a licensed film for wages. Of course, then they go on their way. Why should we remain nosy? Otherwise, the tongue of every nosy person who wants to be an obstacle in the way of development and prosperity must be severed! Long live the civilization!

2. Sahih of Muslim, chapter of “the forbidding of evil is from faith…”

3. Sahih of Muslim, chapter of “the forbidding of evil is from faith…”

4. Unfortunately, we find among foreigners and in the western countries attentive listeners, but we do not find them in our Arab and Muslim countries. In fact, attentive listening is forbidden here!