Our Faith

Assalam-un-Allakum and Ya Ali (a.s). Madad,

Background:

These days, Shia-nay-Ali<sup>a.s.

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, are residing in almost all parts of the world and converse in many languages, some of us have even born in foreign countries and/or have never visited our homeland and have gradually lost a grip on first language.  Our religious and social values have been at variance, one way or another, as per our exposure and interactions with different cultural, social and religious factors.  Our ancestors having gone through the hardship and cruel treatment from Bani Ummiah^l.a. and Bani Abbas^l.a. as well as other similar Muslim rulers who forced them to migrate from a city to city, country to country, initially, to escape prosecution and brutal punishments- for the only crime of loving and following Ahlulbait a.s.  However, under all circumstances, they had considered the Wila-Ahlul Bait^a.s. 

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-the most valuable treasures to be looked after, preserved and pass onto to their children, generations after generation.  Thus Wila-e-Ahlulbait^a.s has reached us with tremendous hardships and sacrifices endured by our forefathers.

 Even today, after 1400 years, shias in various parts of the world are still faced with hostilities, which although have taken different forms, during the course of time, but are still life and ‘Eman’

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threatening.  Most of our religious literature is still in Arabic and Persian and, to a lesser extent, in Urdu.  Our major source of knowledge, therefore, has been from those who can read these languages- a relative or an Alim (cleric).  With the exception of few books, (translated and published in English

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), generally there is a shortage of shia literature, particularly on Shia ‘beliefs/doctrine (Asool-e-Deen ), which is highly desirable.

In general, these days, books on shia religion, regardless of any language, are mostly confined to ‘Furuh-deen

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’ (practice aspects)

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usually governed by a ‘Maraja’

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, whereas the most important and building-blocks of our religion ‘Asool-e-Deen’

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are considered to be the sole responsibility of the individuals who are supposed to conduct their own research to develop their own beliefs.  Both Asool and Furuh of Deen, however, are connected to each other as the roots to the branches to a tree, as their terminology suggest. 

The intention initiating this website has been to highlight the importance of ‘Asool-e-Deen’, which, during the past few years has received less attention as compared with secondary aspects of Deen (Furuh-deen), who would diminish, if Asool (the root) is not looked after!  However, we have also presented ‘Furuh-deen’, by citing the Hadith of masomeen^a.s from Manla Yahzir al Faqih and Farooh-e-Kafi.

Traditionally, the Furuh-e-Deen are taken from ‘marajas’ through the method of ‘Taqleed’, which is presented via ‘fatawa’ collected in books called ‘Rasala or Touzi-ul-masail’.  These days, the influence of these “marajas” has been so significant that their followers takeup their rulings without requesting an explanation to their ruling-which apparently is a condition in falling into ‘Maraja and Mukalid’ relationship.  It is in a broad sense, equivalent to a ‘Peer and Mureed’ setup, usually observed within Sunni sufis, in which a Mureed (the follower) is denied the right of asking any question by his Peer.  The Mureed must submit to the orders or go away in the search of another Peer!

Our Faith & Belief:

Someone narrated the following Ayat in front of Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq^a.s., ‘Tahazo …..’

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Meaning that Christians have deserted Allah^swt. In the favour of their scholars and peers, and requested the meaning of this verse.  Imam^a.s. replied, Christians were not asked to worship their scholars and peers, if they were asked to do so by their priests then Christians would have rejected them. Instead, their peers turned their Halal into Haram and converted their Haram into Halal.  They (Christians) followed their priests (did taqleed) and as a result had worshiped them unconsciously. 

There is also a famous speech (Khutabah) of Amir-al-Momaneen^a.s.  in the condemnation of those whose fatawa make Allah^swt. Halal into Haram and vice versa

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.  There are numerous examples of such contradicting Fatwa, issued by ‘Shia Maraja’, see for example, Kashaf-ul-Tazaad.

During the time of ‘Ghaibat’ (physical absence of Imam-e-Zaman^a.s. ), we have been asked to consult the narrators of their^a.s. traditions, see the details in a hadith narrated from Imam Hasan Askari <sup>a.s.

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. 

Similarly, in reply to a question Ishaq Ibn Yaq’ub had sent to the Imam (AF) via the second deputy: "As far as newly occurring circumstances are concerned, you should turn (for guidance) to the narrators of our hadiths, for they are my proof over you just as I am Allah’s proof over them"

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From the above hadith, there is no evidence of Ijtihad or necessity of Taqleed.  We have been simply asked to follow Allah^swt’s Deen as has been explained by the Masomeen^a.s. in all aspects, circumstances and time.  And in the case of lack of knowledge, or newly occurring circumstances, we should turn to those pious and loyal scholars who are the narrators of Ahadith of Masomeen^a.s.  Eventually, we need to act on the traditions of masomeen^a.s.!  And this is what we follow- our faith and beliefs!

May Allah swt enable us to follow His Deen as has been interpreted and explained by Masomeen^a.s. in their traditions, and is transmitted to us by the narrators of their Ahadith without slightest distortion induced by a non-masoom (Tahreef). Allahi Amin SumAmin!

ALI HAQ(a.s)!

Appendix

Khutabah of Amir-ul-Momaneen^a.s in Disapproval of Muftis

Whenever a question is represent to on of them (Ulema), he issues a verdict from his own opinion, and when the same question is asked, later on, from another one, he replies in contradiction to the first. Then all of them refer to their superior (Khalif), who endorses both conflicting views.  Although they have One God, one Prophet and one book! They need to ask themselves, Has Allah swt wish them to invoke disagreement and they obey Him by doing so? On the contrary, He has asked them to refrain from it and they have purposely taken an unlawful stance.  Or Allah swt has did not explicitly reveal His divine  laws (Deen)and wants their assistance for completion of His Deen? Or these people (Ulemah) have been given right to freely amend the divine laws and still God is obliged to like them? Or Allah swt had revealed the complete message to His Prophet saw who inadequately transmitted to people? However, Allah swt Says in Quran Shareef that we have not disregarded anything but Have explicitly explained all matters and Says some of our verses verify other verses and they never contradict.  Hence, Allah swt Says, you would have found lot of inconsistencies if the book were not revealed by Allah, the book is sweet from superficially but has enourmess depth in its meanings.  Its wonders would never diminish and its fountains of bounties would never seize and heavy curtains of Ignorance would be removed with its miraculous enlightenment

Mufti Jafar Hussain writes in the explanation of the sermon, as: if there is no clear order from Allah swt, regarding the Halal or haram of a matter then it is quite permissible for ‘Mujtahid’ to allow its use or forbid it, based on his own opinion and if there is a contrary Fatwa issued by another ‘Mujtahid’ then both halal and haram would, regarding it, consider to be Allah’s order, as issued by two or several ‘Mujtahideen’ and then Mufti Jafar has cited an example that if ‘Mujtahid’ says that ‘Nabind’ (juice of fermented herb) is haram while other Mujtahid reckons it is Halal, then for those who consider it haram should not drink it but who accept it halal based on Fatwa may well make use of it.

Mufti Jafar Hussain further adds from a Shia scholar, Shaher Satani, that the ‘Usooli’ (those who are in favour of Ijtihad) in the absence of any justification from Allah swt regarding Halal or Haram of a matter, then whatever a ‘Mujtahid’ decides becomes the law of Allah swt with the provision of several differences which may coexisting (regarding halal or haram) among several ‘Mujtahideen’ in a point in time.  This is due to the fact that when a ‘Mujtahid’ cannot find an authentic answer to a religious matter then, after extensive research, he comes up with an ‘opinion’ which would serve his and his followers (Mukaladeen) purpose.  However, the value of his guess is no more than a superficial estimate of Allah’s order and its value could be less than what would be the reward of divine order.  Anyway, Mufti Jafar’s explanation, still does not remove the presence of ‘doubt factor’ in fatawa of a ‘Mujtahid’, which Amir-ul-Momaneen ^a.s.  has pointed in the above Sermon.