Al-Huda
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the Message Continues ... 10/133
Newsletter for September 2012
Article 1 - Article 2 - Article 3 - Article 4 - Article 5 - Article 6 - Article 7 - Article 8 - Article 9 - Article 10 - Article 11 - Article 12
Shi'ism in the Course of History
(excerpted from the book: Imamate and Leadership written by
Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari)
Scholars and researchers have expressed different views
concerning the birth of Shi'ism and its first appearance. Others
too have attempted to evaluate it, approaching it from the point
of view of their respective ideological and intellectual
predispositions.
Some people believe that Shi'ism arose after the death of the
Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his
family, and that its defining essence took shape when his
Companions set about selecting his successor. Thus the historian
al-Ya'qubi writes:
"A number of the Migrants and the Helpers refused to swear
allegiance to Abu Bakr, inclined as they were to favor 'Ali b.
Abi Talib, peace be upon him! al-'Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib, al-Fadl
b. al-'Abbas, al-Zubayr, Khalid b. Sa'id, al-Miqdad, Salman, Abu
Dharr, 'Ammar, al-Bara'a, Ubayy b. Ka'b were part of this
group."
[156]
al-Mas'udi, also a famous historian, writes:
"Salman al-Farisi was a Shi'i from the very outset, and 'Ammar
b. Yasir was known as a Shi'i throughout his life. When 'Uthman
was elected to the caliphate, he remarked: 'It is not the first
time you have denied the caliphate to the one deserving it!' Abu
Dharr was similarly an outstanding proponent of Shi'ism."
[157]
Another group of scholars place the emergence of Shi'ism during
the caliphate of 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be upon him, while
others suggest that it began to take root towards the end of the
caliphate of 'Uthman. Still others regard Imam al-Sadiq, peace
be upon him, as the founder of Sh i'ism. Some people again
imagine Shi'ism to be the result of a wish for revenge nurtured
by the Iranians, so that its origins may be considered
essentially political.
Then there are those who see in Shi'ism a contingent phenomenon
in Islamic society and history, without any strong presence or
substance. They imagine it to have gradually expanded in Islamic
society as the result of certain social and political
developments at a relatively advanced point in Islamic history,
There are even those who assert this segment of the Islamic
ummah to be the brainchild of an imaginary personality by
the name of 'Abdullah b. Saba', basing on this assumption all
their judgements concerning Shi'ism and concluding that Shi'ism
is nothing more than an anomaly.
[158]
Theories such as this amount to nothing more than obstinate
calumnies, perpetrated to conceal the truth; or at the very best
they spring from complete ignorance of the true culture of
Shi'ism and its rich heritage.
Dr. Taha Husayn, a well-known Egyptian and therefore Sunni
scholar, writes:
"The fact that the historians make no mention of Ibn al-Sawda'
i.e., 'Abdullah b. Saba' being present at the battle of
Siffin together with his followers proves at the very least
that the whole notion of a group of people led by him is a
baseless fabrication. It is one of those inventions that
acquired currency when the conflict between the Shi'is and other
Islamic groups intensified. In order to underline their
hostility, the enemies of the Shi'ah tried to insert a Jewish
element into the origins of their sect. If the story of
'Abdullah b. Saba' had any basis in historical fact, his cunning
and guile could not have failed to show itself at the battle of
Siffin.
"I can think of only one reason for his name not occurring in
connection with that battle: that he was an entirely fictitious
person, dreamed up by the enemies of the Shi'ah in order to
vilify them."
[159]
Similarly, Dr. 'Ali al-Wardi, professor of history at Baghdad
University, writes:
"Did Ibn Saba' actually exist or was he an imaginary
personality? For those who wish to study the social history of
Islam and draw the appropriate conclusions, this is an extremely
important question. It is claimed that Ibn Saba' incited unrest,
but no such person ever existed. The whole story is reminiscent
of the claim made by the Quraysh at the beginning of the
Prophet's mission, peace and blessings be upon him and his
family, that he received his teachings from a Christian slave by
the name of Jabr and based his preaching on the instruction he
received from him."
[160]
Muhammad Kurd 'Ali, another Sunni scholar, writes:
"Some of the well-known Companions who at the dawn of Islam
followed 'Ali, peace be upon him, became known as the Shi'ah.
What can be deduced from the written sources is that certain
shortsighted people regarded Shi'ism as a collection of
innovations and fabrications stitched together by a person known
Abdullah b. Saba' or Ibn al-Sawda'. However, there can be no
doubt that this view of things is pure superstition and fantasy,
for this Abdullah b. Saba' the Jew exists only in the world of
the imagination. Any attempt to link the origins of Shi'ism to
him must be regarded as a sign of pure ignorance."
[161]
In contrast to all the opinions reviewed so far, one group of
scholars believe Shi'ism to have been first expounded by none
other than the Prophet himself, peace and blessings be upon him
and his family, and that it was established in conformity with
his command.
Hasan b. Musa al-Nawbakhti and Sa'd b. Abdullah write:
"The party of 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be upon him, was the
first to emerge in the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings
be upon him and his family, and it became known as the Shi'ah (partisans)
of 'Ali. It was known that they favored , 'Ali for the
leadership of the community and that they were his devoted
companions. al-Miqdad, Salman, Abu Dharr and 'Ammar belonged to
this group, and they were the first to be called Shi'i. Use of
the word Shi'ah was not new; it had been applied in the past to
the followers of some prophets such as Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and
'Isa."
[162]
This view is confirmed by numerous Shi'i scholars, and there are
many traditions to the effect that the Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him and his family, applied the name Shi'ah to
the companions and followers of 'Ali, peace be upon him.
When discussing the occasion for the revelation of this verse, "Certainly
those who believe in the One God and who do good deeds are in
truth the best people in the world." (98:7), Sunni exegetes
(mufassirin) and traditionists (muhaddithin)
report Jabir b. 'Abdullah to have said: "One day I came to the
presence of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his
family, 'Ali entered the room, causing the Prophet to remark,
'My brother has come. I swear by God that this man and his
shi'ah (supporters) will be among the saved on the Day of
Resurrection.'"
[163]
al-Tabari, the well-known Sunni exegete and historian, also
remarks in connection with the same verse that the Prophet used
the word shi'ah when referring to the supporters of 'Ali.
There is then prophetic authority for designating the followers
of 'Ali, those who were particularly devoted to him, as Shi'ah.
We thus see that the word Shi'ah is essentially coterminous with
Islam itself, for the Prophet himself used it If we sometimes
use the designation Ja'fari Sh i'ism, this is on account of the
exertions made by Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq to disseminate the
culture of Islam and Sh i'ism. The struggles for power that were
taking place in his lifetime afforded him a suitable opportunity
to confront the political conditions of his environment. The
various ideas that were gaining currency and the foreign
elements such as analogical reasoning and preference that had
entered Islamic jurisprudence caused him to embark on a program
of teaching and reform.
Muhammad Fikri Abu 'l-Nasr, a well-known Egyptian Sunni author,
has the following to say with respect to the essence of Shi'ism:
"In its theological principles, Shi'ism has nothing to do with
Abu 'l-Hasan al-Ash'ari, and in its detailed legal provisions
nothing to do with any of the four Sunni schools of law. For the
school established by the Imams of the Shi'ah is more ancient,
and therefore more reliable and more deserving to be followed
than the other schools. All Muslims followed their school for
the first three centuries of Islam. The Shi'ah school of law is
also more worth following because in it the gate of independent
reasoning (ijtihad) will remain open until resurrection,
and because its formation was totally uninfluenced by political
factors and struggles."
[164]
Abu 'l-Wafa' al-Ghunaymi al-Taftazani, another Sunni scholar,
says the following:
"Numerous researchers of the past and the present, in both the
East and the West, have expressed erroneous views concerning
Shi'ism. People then unquestioningly repeat these views, without
adducing the slightest evidence or proof. One of the reasons
that has led to Shi'ism being thus unjustly treated is that
those who originate and spread such views are unacquainted with
the books of the Shi'ah themselves and rely exclusively on the
writings of their enemies. Western imperialism has also played a
role in this regard by constantly attempting to sow dissension
among Shi'is and Sunnis and propagating unfair and controversial
theses in the name of unfettered academic research."
[165]
These remarks permit us to grasp well the depth of the
distortion that has taken place, the extent of deviation from
the truth, as well as the mentality of those who have been
inspired by their own impure motives or influenced by political
factors. Instead of giving primacy to the interests of the
Qur'an, Islam and the unifying qiblah of all Muslims,
they compete with each other in sowing dissension and causing
disunity; Islam itself is sacrificed to their goals, and the
common enemy of all Muslims profits.
It is essential to add the following point, that the designation
Shi'ah in the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him and his family, did not apply to a group that was seeking to
detach itself from the rest of the Muslims. It is simply that a
certain number of Muslims in the time of the Prophet considered
'Ali, peace be upon him, superior to all others in his knowledge
of the truths of Islam and the values and aims of the Prophet's
mission. They were profoundly attached to him on account of his
lofty insight and vision, his link to the source of all
perfection, and, in short, all his moral and spiritual
qualities. He inspired them as a perfect specimen of humanity
worthy of their imitation.
It is of course true that the Shi'ah first appeared on the scene
as a distinct group after the death of the Most Noble Prophet,
peace and blessings be upon him and his family, when the close
companions of 'Ali, peace be upon him, refused in the wake of
the meeting at the Saqifah to swear allegiance to Abu Bakr and
proclaimed themselves as a party among the Muslims dedicated to
defending the clear and unambiguous texts providing for the
entrusting of rule over the Muslims to 'Ali.
[166]
Rejecting the attempt made at the Saqifah to neutralize his
claim and the recourse that was had to the thesis of "the
welfare of the Muslims," they separated themselves from the
majority and formed a group devoted to him.
In this group were to be found such outstanding Companions as
Ammar, Abu Dharr, al-Miqdad, Salman and Ibn 'Abbas, whose
sincerity, devotion and commitment had been praised by the
Prophet Thus he said of Ammar and his parents:
"Be patient and steadfast, O family of Yasir, for Paradise is
your destiny."
[167]
"O Ammar, glad tidings be unto you, for the oppressors will kill
you."[168]
He also proclaimed the kindness and favor God had shown to four
great personages: "God has enjoined on me the love of four
people, and informed me that He himself loves them." When asked
who they were, he replied: "'Ali (repeating the name three
times), Abu Dharr, Salman, and al-Miqdad."
[169]
He spoke as follows of the sincerity and piety of Abu Dharr:
"The blue sky has not sheltered, nor has the earth borne, one
more honest than Abu Dharr; he lives upon earth with the same
ascetic detachment as 'Isa the son of Maryam."
[170]
Referring to the station in the hereafter of three persons, he
said: "Paradise longs for three persons: 'Ali, Yasir, and Salman."
[171]
The Prophet supplicated for Ibn Abbas as follows: "O God, teach
him the science of interpreting the Qur'an, make him erudite in
all things religious, and establish him as a believer."
[172]
These then were the devoted followers of 'Ali, peace be upon
him, men convinced that he should have been the immediate
successor of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon
him and his family, and that the caliphate was his indubitable
right.
That which was a matter of dispute and disagreement after the
death of the Prophet was the question of succession to the
political leadership, not the Imamate, which included the
spiritual dimension of the Prophet's legacy. No one at the
Saqifah had anything to say about choosing an Imam, and the
question was not even raised. Was this because nobody had the
least doubt concerning 'Ali's supremacy in spiritual matters, or
was it that because none of the claimants to the caliphate and
the succession was qualified for the Imamate no one laid claim
to it? The truth of the matter is unclear.
For some time then there was no mention of the Imamate. But
after the death of several of the caliphs, the question
gradually came to the fore, and some of the caliphs, like
Mu'awiyah, for all his lack of commitment to Islam, began
calling themselves Imams.
The topic discussed in works of theology is the Imam and the
Imamate, while the terms used in books of history and the oral
and written statements of Sunni scholars are caliph and
caliphate. 'Ali and his descendants, recognized as the leaders
of the Shi'ah are however consistently referred to as Imams.
This reflects the Shi'i belief that strict and precise adherence
to the criteria of religion, unswerving piety, and a whole
series of other special qualities, must be present in the person
of the Imam.
One of the pupils of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be upon him,
Hisham b. Hakam, wrote a book on the subject of the Imamate in
which he set forth its theoretical bases.
[173]
In addition to the office of prophethood, which comprised the
responsibility for receiving and conveying revelation to
mankind, the Prophet was the ruler of the Muslims, empowered
over all their affairs. From the moment on that the Muslims
established a collective existence, all the societal affairs of
the people were regulated by the Prophet: the appointment of
governors, commanders, and judges; the distribution of booty;
the issuance of orders for war and so on. He implemented divine
commands and ordinances in accordance with the ruling function
that was vested in him, and it was the duty of the people to
obey his commands and instructions.
Rulership, the administration of society, and the establishment
of public order and security were thus part of his prophetic
function; prophethood and spiritual leadership on the one hand
and leadership and rule on the other were both combined in a
single divinely chosen person.
The dispute that occurred after his death related only to
leadership and rule, so that those people who aspired to the
position of rule after the Prophet never advanced any claim of
special communication with God or the receipt of revelation, nor
did they present themselves as spiritual leaders or guides.
Their whole ideal was to seize the reins of power and administer
the affairs of the Muslims, paying attention only to the need of
preserving the unified society of Islam from disorder and
discord by means of careful strategy and plan.
When the people swore allegiance to Abu Bakr after the death of
the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, Abu
'Ubaydah proposed to 'Ali, peace be upon him: "Abandon this
matter to Abu Bakr. If you survive him, you are worthier of the
office of caliph than anyone else, for none can doubt your
abundant faith, virtue, and intelligence. Furthermore, you
preceded others in your profession of Islam, and you enjoy the
additional advantage of being related to the Messenger of God by
blood and by marriage." 'Ali replied:
"O Migrants! I entreat you by God not to remove governance from
the Household of the Prophet, and to establish it in your house;
do not deprive the People of Muhammad's House of their station
and office."
[174]
[156]
al-Ya'qubi, al-Tarikh, Vol. II, p. 114.
[157]
al-Mas'udi, Murujal-Dhahab.
[158]
For more details concerning this mythical personality, see
Murtada al-'Askari, 'Abdullah bin Saba'.
[159]
Taha Husayn, al-Fitnat al-Kubra, Vol. II, p.90.
[160]
Cited in Dr. Haykal, Hayat Muhammad, p. 136.
[161]
Kurd 'Ali, Khitat al-Sham, Vol. VI, p. 246.
[162]
al-Nawbakhti, al-Maqalat wa al-Firaq, p. 15.
[163]
Ibn Hajar, al-Sawa'iq, Chapter I; al-Khwarazmi, al-Manaqib,
p. 66; al-Hamawini, Fara'id al-simtayn, Vol. I, Chapter
13; al-Qunduzi, Yanabi' al-Mawaddah, Chapter 56; Ibn al-Sabbagh,
Fusul al-Muhimmah, p. 105; al-Ganji, Kifayat al-Talib,
p. 118.
[164]
Cited in al-Muraja'at, p. 10.
[165]
al-Radawi, Ma'a Rijal al-Fikr fi al-Qahirah, pp. 40-41.
[166]
al-Tabari, Tarikh, Vol. II, p.446.
[167]
al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, Vol. III, p. 383.
[168]
al-Tirmidh i, Jami' al-Sahih, Vol. V, p. 233.
[169]
Ibn Majah, al-Sunan, Vol. I, p. 53.
[170]
al-Tirmidhi, Jami' al-Sahih, Vol. V, p. 334.
[171]
al-Tirmidhi, Jami' al-Sahih, Vol. V, p. 332.
[172]
al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, Vol. III, p. 536.
[173]
Ibn Nadim, al-Fihrist, p. 263.
[174]
Ibn Qutaybah, al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah, Vol. I, p. 12.
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