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Chapter Two

The Sunnah according to the Rawafid

 

It is beyond doubt that the Prophetic Sunnah is the second pillar from the pillars of this Din. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has ordered us as a categorical injunction in his book to obey Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam who was the custodian of his revelation, the best of his creation, and his ambassador to the creation. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has linked obedience to his Rasul salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to his own obedience in various unequivocal verses, just as he has made obedience to him compulsory and has also made mention of it in several verses.

Hence, there remains no option for a believer after the order of Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, rather his order is binding and it is compulsory for all those legally responsible to obey him. He likewise forbade disobedience to him and thus no one’s judgement or opinion holds any weight before his opinion.

Now, if we look at the Rawafid, we will find that the belief of Imamah and immediate succession is the underlying reason for their stance regarding the Prophetic Sunnah. The understanding of the Sunnah according to the Rawafid is at complete variance with its understanding according to the Muslim majority. Hence, Sunnah according to the Ahlus Sunnah is anything that has been transmitted from Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, be it his words, his actions, or his acquiescence. Likewise, no one is infallible after Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam according to us. Whereas the Sunnah according to the Rafidah refers to anything which emanated from the infallible, be it his words, his actions, or his acquiescence. However, this ‘infallible’ is not only Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam due to him being a Prophet, but together with him are included the Twelve Imams as well.

Muhammad Taqi al Hakim says:

 

وألحق الشيعة الإمامية كل ما يصدر عن أئمتهم الإثني عشر من قول أو فعل أو تقرير بالسنة الشريفة

The Shia have included whatever originates from their Twelve Imams as their words, actions, or acquiescence in the Noble Sunnah.[1]

 

These Imams, as they allege, are infallible from their childhood; they do not err, neither intentionally, forgetfully, nor mistakenly. Consequently, all the narrations that are attributed to them are Sahih even without the requirement of an unbroken chain of transmission. The statements of the Imams according to them are, therefore, equivalent to the statement of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam; they are evidence against the bondsmen and it is their obligation to follow.

‘Abdullah al Fayyad (a contemporary scholar) says:

 

إن الاعتقاد بعصمة الأئمة جعل الأحاديث التي تصدر عنهم صحيحة دون أن يشترطوا إيصال سندها إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كما هو الحال عند أهل السنة

The belief of the infallibility of the Imams has made the narrations which come from them Sahih even without considering the requirement of making the chain of transmission reach Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, which is the case according to the Ahlus Sunnah.[2]

 

Likewise, a person who reads their books of hadith will find most narrations to be from their Imams, and he will not find but a very few narrations which are attributed to Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Hence, most of the narrations recorded in al Kafi (their superior most canonical work) end at Jafar al Sadiq, some of them at his father Muhammad al Baqir, even fewer than them at Amir al Mu’minin ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu, and very scarcely are a few attributed to Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Most of their books like Tahdhib al Ahkam, al Istibsar fima Ukhtulifa min al Akhbar, and others are replete with an array of forged narrations which bolster the idea of Imamah and immediate succession.

Furthermore, the heretical tendencies of the Rafidah played a powerful role in rejecting the Sunnah of Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam which was transmitted to us via the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum, and in accepting only those narrations which came from the Imams. Hence, they only accept the narrations of Salman al Farisi, Abu Dhar al Ghifari, and Miqdad radiya Llahu ‘anhum, whereas they reject the narrations of Abu Hurairah, ‘Amr ibn al ‘As, al Mughirah ibn Shu’bah, Samurah ibn Jundub, ‘Urwah ibn al Zubair radiya Llahu ‘anhum, and the others.

This is because, according to the Rafidah, the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum usurped the rightful Imamah and immediate succession of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. They, thus, belied all the Sunni canonical hadith collections, foremost in which is Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

Likewise, any narration in whose chain Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, Aisha, Muawiyah, and any of the other Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum besides: Salman, Miqdad, and Abu Dhar radiya Llahu ‘anhum, appear is rejected according them and is not worth consideration.

So, as is clear, the dogma of the Rawafid stands upon violating and denouncing, and upon accepting lies and belying the truth. Instead, according to them the poetry of their heretic poets is better the what is recorded from Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

Ibn Taymiyyah says:

ومع هذا يردون – أي الشيعة – أحاديث النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الثابتة المتواترة عنه عند أهل العلم مثل أحاديث البخاري ومسلم، ويرون أن شعر شعراء الرافضة: مثل الحميري، وكوشيار الديلمي، وعمارة اليمني خيراً من أحاديث البخاري ومسلم، وقد رأينا في كتبهم من الكذب والافتراء على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وصحابته، وقرابته أكثر مما رأينا من الكذب في كتب أهل الكتاب من التوراة والإنجيل

Together with that, they (the Rawafid) reject the categorically established narrations of Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam like the narrations of al Bukhari and Muslim; and they consider the poetry of the Rafidi poets like al Himyari, Koshyar al Daylami, and ‘Umarah al Yamani to be better than the narrations of al Bukhari and Muslim. We have seen more lies and forgeries against Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum, and his household ‘alayh al Salam, than even the lies found in the Torah and the Bible.[3]

 

He also says:

ولهذا كانوا أكذب فرق الأمة، فليس في الطوائف المنتسبة إلى القبلة أكثر كذبا، ولا أكثر تصديقا للكذب، وتكذيبا للصدق منهم

That is why they are the most lying sect from the sects of the Ummah. Hence there is not in the sects which are affiliated to the Qiblah, a sect which lies more, believes more in lies, and belies the truth more than them.[4]

 

The Rafidah have opposed the Sunnah, knowing that the only reason the Ahlus Sunnah chose for themselves this name is due to them following the Sunnah of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam; and also owing to the fact that the Sunnah negates the idea of Imamah and immediate succession as per the Rafidi perspective which equates the statements of the Imams to the speech of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and the words of his Rasul salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Also, the Ahlus Sunnah have put several requisites in place for the acceptance of a narration, whether its chain or its content, but the Rafidah only have one requirement which is attribution to the Imam. Hence, the narrations of the Imams are protected against forgery just as the Imams are infallible according to the Rafidah.

Furthermore, some people assume that the understanding of the Sunnah is one according to the Ahlus Sunnah and the Rafidah alike. This is just an assumption, for if the Ahlus Sunnah were to learn of what the Rafidah consider the Sunnah they will discover a very stark difference between two belief systems in the very essence of the Din, not in matters secondary to that, as some would popularize.

Likewise, if the narrations transmitted by the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum who are impugned by the Rafidah are omitted the entirety of Din will be lost; and the atmosphere will then become clear for the fallacies of the Shia which reach the extent of according infallibility to their jurists in order to enslave the bondsmen under the guise of religion. And also, to exploit the sentiments of the Muslim simpletons and their love for the Ahlul Bayt in order to indoctrinate them with such misconceptions and fables which blind the eyes of the hearts.

Hereunder some of their beliefs regarding the Imams are mentioned so that their dogma and their stance and understanding of the Sunnah becomes clear:

 

1. Whoever denies the Imamah of one of the Twelve Imams is a Kafir as per the consensus of the Rafidah

Al Kulayni narrates the following in al Kafi from Abu ‘Abdullah ‘alayh al Salam:

 

نحن الذين فرض الله طاعتنا، لا يسع الناس إلا معرفتنا ولا يعذر الناس بجهالتنا، من عرفنا كان مؤمنا، ومن أنكرنا كان كافرا، ومن لم يعرفنا ولم ينكرنا كان ضالا حتى يرجع إلى الهدى الذي افترض الله عليه من طاعتنا الواجبة

We are the ones whose obedience Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has made compulsory. There is no room for the people but to know us; the people will not be excused because of their ignorance about us. Hence, whoever knows us is a believer, and whoever denies us he is a Kafir. And whoever does not know us and did not deny us is astray till he returns to the guidance which Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has made binding upon him, i.e. our obedience.[5]

 

Ibn Babawayh narrates the following from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib:

 

يا علي أنت والأئمة من ولدك بعدي حجج الله على خلقه، وأعلامه في بريته، فمن أنكر واحدا منهم فقد أنكرني، ومن عصا واحدا منهم فقد عصاني، ومن جفا واحدا منهم فقد جفاني، ومن وصلكم فقد وصلني ومن أطاعكم فقد أطاعني، ومن والاكم فقد والاني، ومن عاداكم فقد عاداني لأنكم مني، خلقتم من طينتي، وأنا منكم

O ‘Ali you and the Imams from your posterity after me are the evidences of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala upon the creation, and his signs in it. Hence, whoever denies any one of them he has denied me; whoever disobeys one of them he has disobeyed me; whoever disassociates with any of them he has disassociated with me; whoever fosters relations with you he has fostered relations with me; whoever obeys you has obeyed me; whoever befriends you has befriended me; whoever opposes you has opposed me. Because you are from me, for you have been created from my soil, and I am from you.[6]

 

And Ibn Babawayh says:

 

واعتقادنا فيمن جحد إمامة أمير المؤمنين والأئمة من بعده أنه بمنزلة من جحد نبوة الأنبياء. واعتقادنا فيمن اقر بأمير المؤمنين وأنكر واحدا من بعده من الأئمة أنه بمنزلة من أمن بجميع الأنبياء ثم أنكر نبوة محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم

And our belief regarding a person who denies the Imamah of Amir al Mu’minin and the subsequent Imams is that he is like the one who denies the prophethood of the Prophets. And our belief regarding someone who acknowledges Amir al Mu’minin and denies one of the subsequent Imams is that he is like the one who believed in the prophethood of all the Prophets ‘alayhim al Salam and then denied the prophethood of Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.[7]

 

Al Mufid says:

اتفقت الإمامية على أن من أنكر إمامة أحد من الأئمة، وجحد ما أوجبه الله تعالى من فرض الطاعة، فهو كافر ضال مستحق للخلود في النار

The Imamiyyah concur that whoever denies the Imamah of one of the Imams and denies the obedience Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala made obligatory upon him is a Kafir and a deviant who deserves eternity in Hell-fire.[8]

 

2. The Imam is infallible like the Nabi according to the consensus of the Rafidah.

Al Mufid says:

 

إن الأئمة القائمين مقام الأنبياء في تنفيذ الأحكام وإقامة الحدود وحفظ الشرائع وتأديب الأنام معصومون كعصمة الأنبياء، وإنهم لا يجوز منهم صغيرة إلا ما قدمت ذكر جوازه على الأنبياء، وإنه لا يجوز منهم سهو في شئ في الدين ولا ينسون شيئا من الأحكام، وعلى هذا مذهب سائر الإمامية إلا من شذ منهم وتعلق بظاهر روايات لها تأويلات على خلاف ظنه الفاسد من هذا الباب

The Imams who are incumbents of the positions of the Prophets ‘alayhim al Salam in implementing rulings, establishing the capital punishments, and discipling the people are infallible just like the Prophets. Not even a minor sin can possibly come from them, besides that which was mentioned of what can possibly occur from them. Likewise erring is not possible for them in anything of the Din nor can they forget any of the rulings. The stance of all the Imamiyyah is based on this with the exception of a few who have latched onto the apparent purport of the narrations which have valid alternate interpretations due to their false assumption in this regard.[9]

 

Al Majlisi says:

 

أن أصحابنا الإمامية أجمعوا على عصمة الأنبياء والأئمة صلوات الله عليهم من الذنوب الصغيرة والكبيرة عمدا وخطأ ونسيانا قبل النبوة والإمامة وبعدهما، بل من وقت ولادتهم إلى أن يلقوا الله تعالى

Our Imami scholars concur upon the infallibility of the Prophets ‘alayhim al Salam and the Imams from all minor and major sins, be they intentionally, mistakenly, or forgetfully, before prophethood and Imamah and after them; rather from the time they are born up to the time they meet Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala.[10]

 

3. The Imams receive revelation, they assimilate knowledge directly from Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala, and they are supported by the Holy Spirit

Al Kulayni has established a chapter in al Kafi with the following title, ‘Chapter regarding the spirit through whom he guides the Imams’. Therein the following appears:

 

عن أبي بصير قال: سألت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) عن قول الله تبارك وتعالى: (وكذلك أوحينا إليك روحا من أمرنا ما كنت تدري ما الكتاب ولا الإيمان) قال: خلق من خلق الله عزوجل أعظم من جبرئيل وميكائيل، كان مع رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) يخبره ويسدده، وهو مع الأئمة من بعده

Abu Basir says, “I asked Abu ‘Abdullah ‘alayh al Salam about the verse of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala, “And thus we have revealed to you an inspiration of Our command [i.e., the Qur’an]. You did not know what is the book or what is faith.”

He said, “A creation from the creations of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala greater than Jibril and Mika’il, he was with Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and he would inform him and guide him and he will be with the Imams after him.”[11]

 

In this chapter there are several narrations with the same subject matter.

 

4. The methods of assimilating knowledge for the Imams were close to, or even equal to the methods through which Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam received revelation from his Lord

The following narration of al Kafi from Musa ibn Jafar affirms this. It reads as follows:

 

قال: مبلغ علمنا على ثلاثة وجوه: ماض وغابر وحادث، فأما الماضي فمفسر، وأما الغابر فمزبور، وأما الحادث فقذف في القلوب ونقر في الأسماع وهو أفضل علمنا ولا نبي بعد نبينا

The extent of our knowledge is three things: Madi (the past), Ghabir (the bygone), and the Hadith (the present). As for the past it is explained; as for the bygone it is recorded, and as for the present it is inspiration which is thrown into the heart, and is whisperings in our ears; it is the best of our knowledge, and there is no Nabi after our Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.[12]

 

By the ‘explained past’ they intend whatever was dispensed by Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. By the ‘recorded bygone’ they intend what ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib wrote with his hands of the dictations of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam or from the angels. And as for the ‘present’ it is the knowledge of the infallible Imams which they absorb directly from Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala without the intermediary of an angel. Thereafter, they allege, that this knowledge is assimilated in different ways: either by way of inspiration in the hearts owing to which knowledge enters the heart of the infallible Imam, or by way of whispering in the ears wherein the angel communicates to him what happened or is to happen, etc.[13]

 

5. Believing that there is knowledge and divine revelation which is entrusted to the Imams and only appears at the time of need

Muhammad ibn Hussain Al Kashif al Ghita, a contemporary scholar, says:

 

إن حكمة التدريج اقتضت بيان جملة من الأحكام وكتمان جملة، ولكنه – سلام الله عليه – أودعها عند أوصيائه كل وصي يعهد إلى الآخر ينشرها في الوقت المناسب لها حسب الحكمة من عام يخصص، أو مطلق يقيد، أو مجمل يبين، إلى أمثال ذ فقد يذكر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عاماً ويذكر مخصصه بعد برهة من حياته، وقد لا يذكره أصلا بل يودعه عنده وصيه إلى وقته

The wisdom of gradual institutionalization demands expounding upon a number of rulings and concealing a number of them. However, He has entrusted them to his successors. And every successor bequeaths them to the next. He will reveal them at the appropriate time according to wisdom. It can be a general that is specified, an absolute that is qualified, or a vague expression which is explained, or anything of the sort. For, at times Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would mention a general expression and after a period of time in his life he would mention its specifier; and sometime he would not mention the latter at all and would entrust it to his successor till its appropriate time.[14]

 

The examples of this belief are abundant in their canonical books. Hence, al Kulayni has established several chapters wherein he has included a number of their narrations to bolster this ideology and its commentary according to them. Hereunder are some of them:

• Chapter: Regarding the Imams possessing all the books which came down from Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and that they knew them despite their disparate languages.[15]
• Chapter about the mention of the Sahifah, the Jafr, the Jami’ah, and the Mushaf of Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anha.[16]
• Chapter: Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala did not teach his Nabi any knowledge except that he ordered him to teach it to Amir al Mu’minin ‘alayh al Salam and he is his partner in knowledge.[17]
• Chapter: The Imams ‘alayhim al Salam know all the knowledge which came about from the angels and the Prophets ‘alayhim al Salam,[18]

And hereunder are some examples of their narrations which support this grave concept:

Sadir asked Abu Jafar ‘alayh al Salam:

 

قلت له: جعلت فداك ما أنتم؟ قال: نحن خزان علم الله، ونحن تراجمة وحي الله، ونحن الحجة البالغة على من دون السماء ومن فوق الأرض

I asked him, “May I be sacrificed for thee. What are you?”

He replied, “We are the treasurers of the knowledge of Allah; the interpreters of the revelation of Allah; and the ultimate evidence upon those beneath the heavens and above the earth.”[19]

 

‘Abdur Rahman ibn Kathir narrates from Abu ‘Abdullah ‘alayh al Salam:

 

نحن ولاة امر الله وخزنة علم الله وعيبة وحى الله

We are the guardians of the matter of Allah, and the treasurers of the knowledge of Allah and the custodians of the revelation of Allah.[20]

 

Khaithamah narrates that Abu ‘Abdullah said to him me:

 

يا خيثمة نحن شجرة النبوة، وبيت الرحمة، ومفاتيح الحكمة، ومعدن العلم، وموضع الرسالة، ومختلف الملائكة، وموضع سر الله، ونحن وديعة الله في عباده، ونحن حرم الله الأكبر، ونحن ذمة الله، ونحن عهد الله، فمن وفي بعهدنا فقد وفى بعهد الله، ومن خفرها فقد خفر ذمة الله وعهده

O Khaithamah, we are the tree of prophethood, the house of mercy, the keys of wisdom, the mine of knowledge, the locus of apostlehood, the frequenting place of the angels, the locus of the secret of Allah, the trust of Allah in his bondsmen. We are also the greatest sanctuary of Allah; we are the responsibility of Allah; we are the covenant of Allah; so, whoever will be faithful to our covenant he is indeed faithful to the covenant of Allah, and whoever violates it he has indeed violated the responsibility and the covenant of Allah.[21]

 

Al Kulayni reports a narration which explains some of the treasured knowledge which their Imams possessed. Abu Basir says:

 

دخلت على أبي عبد الله عليه السلام فقلت له: جعلت فداك إني أسألك عن مسألة، ههنا أحد يسمع كلامي ؟ قال: فرفع أبو عبد الله عليه السلام سترا بينه وبين بيت آخر فأطلع فيه ثم قال: يا أبا محمد سل عما بدا لك، قال: قلت: جعلت فداك إن شيعتك يتحدثون أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله علم عليا عليه السلام بابا يفتح له منه ألف باب؟ قال: فقال: يا أبا محمد علم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله عليا عليه السلام ألف باب يفتح من كل باب ألف باب قال: قلت: هذا والله العلم قال: فنكت ساعة في الأرض ثم قال:إنه لعلم وما هو بذاك.قال: ثم قال: يا أبا محمد وإن عندنا الجامعة وما يدريهم ما الجامعة؟ قال:قلت: جعلت فداك وما الجامعة؟ قال: صحيفة طولها سبعون ذراعا بذراع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وإملائه من فلق فيه وخط علي بيمينه، فيها كل حلال وحرام وكل شئ يحتاج الناس إليه حتى الأرش في الخدش وضرب بيده إلي فقال: تأذن لي يا أبا محمد؟ قال: قلت: جعلت فداك إنما أنا لك فاصنع ما شئت، قال: فغمزني بيده وقال: حتى أرش هذا – كأنه مغضب – قال: قلت: هذا والله العلم  قال إنه لعلم وليس بذاك.ثم سكت ساعة، ثم قال: وإن عندنا الجفر وما يدريهم ما الجفر؟ قال قلت: وما الجفر؟ قال: وعاء من أدم فيه علم النبيين والوصيين، وعلم العلماء الذين مضوا من بني إسرائيل، قال قلت: إن هذا هو العلم، قال: إنه لعلم وليس بذاك.ثم سكت ساعة ثم قال: وإن عندنا لمصحف فاطمة عليها السلام وما يدريهم ما مصحف فاطمة عليها السلام؟ قال: قلت: وما مصحف فاطمة عليها السلام؟ قال: مصحف فيه مثل قرآنكم هذا ثلاث مرات، والله ما فيه من قرآنكم حرف واحد، قال: قلت: هذا والله العلم قال: إنه لعلم وما هو بذاك. ثم سكت ساعة، ثم قال: إن عندنا علم ما كان، وعلم ما هو كائن إلى أن تقوم الساعة. قال: قلت: جعلت فداك، هذا والله العلم. قال: أنه لعلم وليس بذاك. قلت: جعلت فداك، فأي شيء العلم؟ قال: ما يحدث بالليل والنهار، الأمر من بعد الأمر، والشيء بعد الشيء إلى يوم القيامة

I entered upon Abu ‘Abdullah ‘alayh al Salam and said to him, “May I be sacrificed for thee, I want to ask you regarding an issue, is there anyone here who can hear my speech?”

He says that Abu ‘Abdullah raised a veil between him and another house, looked into it, and thereafter said, “O Abu Muhammad, ask about whatever has occurred to you.”

I, thus, said, “May I be sacrificed for thee, your Shia discuss that Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam taught ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu a door (of knowledge) from which a thousand doors can be opened?”

He replied, “O Abu Muhammad, Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam taught ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu a thousand doors (of knowledge) from which a thousand doors can be opened.”

I said, “This, by Allah, is knowledge.”

He thus scratched the earth (with his stick) and then said, “It is indeed knowledge, but it is not all that,” and then said, “O Abu Muhammad, and in our possession is al Jami’ah, and what do they know what is al Jami’ah?”

I enquired, “May I be sacrificed for thee, what is al Jami’ah?”

He answered, “A scripture the length of which is seventy cubit’s length of the cubit length of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. In it is the dictation of the one who opened his mouth, and the writing of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu with his right hand. And in it is every matter of Halal and Haram, and everything that people will require, even the blood-money of a scratch.”

He then extended his hand to me and asked, “Do you give me permission, O Abu Muhammad?”

I replied, “May I be sacrificed for thee, I am for you so do as you wish.”

He, thus, pinched me with his hand and said, “Even the recompense for this,” saying that as though he was angry.

I thus said, “This, by Allah, is knowledge.”

He remained silent for a while and then said, “And we possess the Jafr, and what do they know what is the Jafr?”

“What is the Jafr,” I asked.

He responded, “A skin vessel in which is the knowledge of the Prophets and their successors, and the knowledge of the scholars of the Banu Isra’il.”

“This indeed is knowledge,” I said.

He said, “Indeed it is knowledge, but it is not all that,’ and remained silent for a moment whereafter he said, “And we have the Mushaf of Fatimah ‘alayha al Salam, and what do they know what is the Mushaf of Fatimah ‘alayha al Salam?”

I asked, “And what is the Mushaf of Fatimah?”

He replied, “A Mushaf wherein three times the knowledge of your Qur’an is contained, but by Allah, there is not in your Qur’an of it a letter.”

I exclaimed, “This, by Allah, is knowledge.”

“It is indeed knowledge, but it is not all that,” he retorted.

Thereafter he remained silent and then said, “By us is the knowledge of what happened, and of whatever is to happen till the dawn of the Day of Judgement.”

I said, “This, by Allah, is knowledge.”

He replied, “It is knowledge, but it is not all that.”

I asked, “May I be sacrificed for thee, so what is knowledge?”

He replied, “Whatever happens in the day and the night, a matter after another, and a thing after a thing, till the Day of Judgement.”[22]

 

This is a narration from their secret narrations, which was circulated during the prime of the Islamic empire, as is clear from the beginning of the narration. For Abu Basir did not ask Abu ‘Abdullah about this alleged knowledge only after he was in seclusion with Abu ‘Abdullah.[23] Likewise, Abu ‘Abdullah also wanted to be sure of the gathering being free from another, which is why he lifted the veil which was between him and the other house. This doing of Abu ‘Abdullah, however, contradicts what features at the end of the narration wherein he claims that he possesses the knowledge of what happened and what is to happen; because if he really possessed this knowledge there would be no need for him to raise the veil.

This secret narration unveils many of the claims of the Rawafid regarding the entrusted and treasured knowledge held by the Imams; aspects which are extraordinarily strange, and they are, as per the aforementioned narration, the following:

• A thousand doors of knowledge, from each door other thousand doors can be unlocked.
• Al Jami’ah.
• Al Jafr.
• Mushaf of Fatimah.
• The knowledge of what happened and what is to happen till the dawn of the final hour.

These alleged sorts of knowledge are nothing more than a fantasy, and they have no existence in the real world nor any trace. Similarly, they had no impact on the lives of the Imams. Had the Imams possessed only some of these, history as it stands would have been different. But they are mere fallacies and baseless jargon.

The danger entailed in this type of narrations is hidden in the psychological effect which it creates between the mind and these claims. This affect can at times engender a person who believes in them to fall into the ditches of doubt, confusion, and heresy. And what has passed is only some of their claims in this regard, for it is difficult to enumerate comprehensively all their claims in this regard.

Nonetheless, this grave ideology suggests that the Book of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and the Sunnah of his Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam are not sufficient enough to clarify and that the Shari’ah did not reach culmination upon them at the demise of Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. This is diametrically opposed to the verses of the Qur’an like:

 

اَلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِيْ وَرَضِيْتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِيْنًا

This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.[24]

 

And all such verses and narrations which state the perfection of the Din and the completion of the favour.

This ideology also tarnishes Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and alleges that he concealed a portion of the Shari’ah and thus opposes the following verse of the Qur’an:

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُوْلُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ

O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed his message.[25]

 

Added to that, it also implies that the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum did not receive a portion of the Shari’ah, and, thus, whoever relies upon the narrations of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum he has only implemented a portion of the Shari’ah. This, of course, is a grave attack on the Sunnah and a dangerous way of misleading the people.

And finally, this dangerous ideology emphatically states that the Imam has the right to specify the general of the Qur’an, explicate its vague, and qualify its absolute. In other words, they have accorded the Imam the prerogative of an institutionalizer due to him being an infallible who does not speak based on desire. Consequently, this entails acknowledging prophets after Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam the seal of all the Prophets; it is an attempt to open the door of changing the Din which came down upon Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam under the pretext of it being the doings of an Imam, and due to it coming from a custodian of the knowledge which was entrusted to him by the Rasul. Pure are you, O Allah, this indeed is a grave slander.

 

6. The verdict of the Imam is the like the verdict of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and his Rasul salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam

This is an established principle according to them, and its examples are many in their books. Hereunder is one:

 

In al Kafi the following narration features from Hisham ibn Salim and Hammad ibn ‘Uthman, amongst others:

 

سمعنا أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: حديثي حديث أبي، وحديث أبي حديث جدي، وحديث جدي حديث الحسين، وحديث الحسين حديث الحسن، وحديث الحسن حديث أمير المؤمنين، وحديث أمير المؤمنين حديث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وحديث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قول الله عز وجل

We heard Abu ‘Abdullah ‘alayh al Salam saying, “My hadith is the hadith of my father; my father’s hadith is the hadith of my grandfather; my grandfather’s hadith is the hadith of Hussain; Hussain’s hadith is the hadith of Hassan; Hassan’s hadith is the hadith of Amir al Mu’minin; the hadith of Amir al Mu’minin is the hadith of Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam; and the hadith of Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is the word of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala.”[26]

 

Based on this narration and others, they have considered the verdict of the Imams to be the word of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala. Their scholar al Mazindarani says:

إن حديث كل واحد من الأئمة الطاهرين قول الله عزوجل، ولا اختلاف في أقوالهم كما لا اختلاف في قوله تعالى

The hadith of each one of the pure Imams is the word of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala. There is no dispute in their verdicts just as there is no dispute in the word of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala.[27]

 

In fact, they have gone beyond that and have averred:

 

يجوز من سمع حديثا عن أبي عبد الله أن يرويه عن أبيه، أو عن أحد من أجداده، بل يجوز أن يقول: قال الله تعالى

It is permissible for the one who hears a hadith from Abu ‘Abdullah to narrate it from his father, or from any of his grandfathers. Rather, it is even permissible for him to say, ‘Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala says’.[28]

 

This belief destroys everything the scholars of hadith and others have established as requisites for ascertaining the authenticity of a narration attributed to Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. In other words, an unbroken chain of transmission, integrity of the narrators, it being harmonious with the broader principles in its wording, not being anomalous or reprehensible, not contradicting the Qur’an and other Sahih narrations, etc. All of this is sabotaged by one narration from the infallible Imam which has no reign or noseband (i.e. no chain of transmission).

Likewise, believing in this idea opens the door of lying upon Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala for his protection.

 

7. Some titles related to the Infallible Imams as they appear in al Kafi, the greatest of their books and sources.

• Chapter: The Imams ‘alayhim al Salam know all the knowledge which came to the angels and the Prophets and the Messengers ‘alayhim al Salam.[29]
• Chapter: If the Imams intend to know they can know.[30]
• Chapter: The Imams have knowledge of what happened and will happen; nothing is hidden from them.[31]
• Chapter: If the secret of the Imams is maintained they can inform each person of everything in favour of him and against him, [32]

Hence, the Imams, according to them, know everything. It is sufficient for us to merely halt at one chapter of al Kafi which reads, ‘Chapter: the Imams ‘alayhim al Salam know all the knowledge which came to the angels and the Prophets and the Messengers ‘alayhim al Salam.’[33]

From all of the above it becomes abundantly clear that their Imams enjoy the prerogative of institutionalization. So, all the narrations which the Shia have attributed to them enjoy the same status as the Qur’an and the Sunnah due to their infallibility according to the Shia.

The conclusion of this is that Shi’ism contradicts the verse of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala:

 

اَلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِيْ وَرَضِيْتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِيْنًا

This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.[34]

 

8. Rejecting the narrations of the Sahabah[35]

Muhammad Hussain Al Kashif al Ghita says:

 

إن الشيعة لا يعتبرون من السنة-أعني الأحاديث النبوية- إلا ما صح لهم من طرق أهل البيت.. أما ما يرويه مثل أبي هريرة وسمرة بن جندب… وعمرو بن العاص ونظرائهم، فليس لهم عند الإمامية مقدار بعوضة

The Shia do not consider as Sunnah, referring the prophetic narrations, but that which is established for them through the Ahlul Bayt… As for what the likes of Abu Huraifrah, Samurah ibn Jundub…’Amr ibn al ‘As and their like narrate, there is not for them by the Imamiyyah even the value of a mosquito.[36]

 

And al Khumayni says:

 

والله يعلم كم نال الإسلام من مصائب من علماء السوء هؤلاء من صدر الإسلام إلى اليوم أبو هريرة أحد الفقهاء لكن الله يعلم كم وضع من أحاديث لصالح معاوية وأمثاله وكم سبب من مصائب للإسلام

Allah knows how many calamities Islam has suffered due to the evil scholars from the dawn of Islam till today. Abu Hurairah is one of the jurists, but Allah knows how many narrations he fabricated for the interests of Muawiyah and his like and how many problems he caused for Islam.[37]

 

This stance regarding the Prophetic Sunnah is based on their belief regarding the Sahabah of Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, may Allah be pleased with them all. They allege that they apostatized due to them diverting the Caliphate away from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib to Abu Bakr. They only exclude three Sahabah from this ruling in most of their narrations. But, owing to this principle, they have segregated themselves from the Muslims.

Furthermore, this stance about rejecting the narrations of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum leads to the loss of the salient feature of mass transmission in the transmission of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the leader of humanity salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam as long as they pass this ruling on the transmitters and restrict the authenticity of what is transmitted to a few individuals, nay to one individual; i.e., Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu; whom they deem the only source for assimilating knowledge after the demise of Rasul Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. This is a foundation which has been contrived by a heretic to sabotage the Din and compromise the Shari’ah of the leader of all the Prophets salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

It is owing to this erroneous belief regarding the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the bearers of knowledge from the successors and those who followed, that the Shia do not lend any consideration whatsoever to the credible compilations of the Sunnah.

Muhammad ‘Ali al Maylani says:

 

هي عندنا الأحاديث المسندة الصحيحة السند إلى المعصومين لكن عند العامة تطلق على الكتب الستة المعتمدة عندهم وهي كما يلي: 1- صحيح البخاري 2- صحيح مسلم 3- صحيح الترمذي 4- صحيح النسائي 5- صحيح ابن ماجة 6- مسند أحمد بن حنبل ؛ وأحاديثها كلها ليست بصحيحة بل فيها الأحاديث الموضوعة والأباطيل المكذوبة

They according to us are the narrations which with a consistent and authentic chain reach the infallibles. However, according to the commonality, they refer to their six canonical books. They are as follows: Sahih al Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sahih al Tirmidhi, Sahih al Nasa’i, Sahih Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmed ibn Hanbal. All their narrations are not authentic, rather in them there are fabrications and false lies.[38]

 

As is clear, the Rafidah intend to obliviate this great legacy which was put together by the giants of this Ummah, for which they emaciated their bodies, spent their lives, and sacrificed in the course of compiling it, sifting it, and organising it all the bounties of this world and its adornments. And once reliability in these great collections is lost, then how will the Muslim Ummah ever get to learn the Sunnah of its Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the details of what has been rendered in vague terms in the Qur’an?

 

9. Their receiving of the Sunnah from the ‘Hikayat al Riqa’’ and what they dub the endorsements of the Imam.

These people reject what came via the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum whom Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and his Rasul salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam have commended and accept, nay even consider as the most reliable way of transmission, what is known as the Hikayat al Riqa’ (communication of letters).

Its reality is as follows: When al Hassan al ‘Askari passed away in 260 A.H., who according to the Shia was the eleventh Imam, he did not have any posterity.[39] This proved to be devastating for the Shia due to it suggesting their looming end. Because the foundation of their Din is the Imam whose verdicts they claim are the words of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and his Rasul salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Now that the Imam had died without leaving any posterity, the holy texts suddenly came to an end in 260 A.H. and the flow of wealth which was collected from people in the name of the Imam stopped. Hence, the Shia differed; their matter became scattered; the matter proved to be overwhelming; and all the paths became narrow upon them. Some of them said, “Imamah has come to an end,”[40] and some said, “Al Hassan ibn ‘Ali has passed on without posterity and thus the Imam after him will be his brother Jafar ibn ‘Ali,[41] amongst much more dispute and conundrum.

However, the band that swore to disunite the Ummah begun weaving its threads and fantasies, and placing the net of its conspiracies in order to search for a way to continuate the claim of Shi’ism. Thereby endeavouring to continue plotting against the Ummah and its Din, usurping the wealth of the laity and vulnerable in the easiest of ways, and procuring honour and status in their eyes. Hence, a person emerged from amidst this confusion and conundrum named ‘Uthman ibn Sa’id al ‘Amri and made a very eery claim. He claimed that al Hassan al ‘Askari had a five-year-old son who is now in occultation and that he does not emerge to anyone else besides himself. He alleged that he was the Imam and that he appointed him as his representative to receive wealth and answer religious questions on his behalf.[42]

Subsequently, when he died in 280 A.H. his son Muhammad ibn ‘Uthman made the same claim. And after his demise in 305 A.H. he was succeeded by al Hussain ibn Rawh al Nawbakhti. Thereafter, after his demise in 326 A.H. he was succeeded by Abu al Hassan ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al Samarri who passed away in 329 A.H. He was the last of the representatives according to the Imamiyyah. After him the major occultation occurred (wherein all communication with the Imam came to an end). These representatives would receive questions from the people just as they would collect wealth from them. They would then provide answers for them ‘from the Awaited Imam’ and would dub them Tawqi’at (endorsements) which according to them were the letters of the Imam to questions of the Shia and their issues.

Al Tabarsi says:

 

أما الأبواب المرضيون والسفراء الممدوحون في زمن الغيبة فأولهم الشيخ الموثوق به أبو عمرو عثمان بن سعيد العمري نصبه أولا أبو الحسن علي بن محمد العسكري ثم ابنه أبو محمد الحسن بن علي عليهم السلام فتولى القيام بأمورهما حال حياتهما، ثم بعد ذلك قام بأمر صاحب الزمان عليه السلام وكانت توقيعاته وجوابات المسائل تخرج على يديه.فلما مضى لسبيله قام ابنه أبو جعفر محمد بن عثمان مقامه وناب منابه في جميع ذلك فلما مضى قام بذلك أبو القاسم الحسين بن روح من بني نوبخت فلما مضى قام مقامه أبو الحسن علي بن محمد السمري ولم يقم أحد منهم بذلك إلا بنص عليه من قبل صاحب الزمان عليه السلام

As for the chosen doors and the praised ambassadors in the era of the occultation, the first of them is the trustworthy scholar Abu ‘Amr ‘Uthman ibn Sa’id al ‘Amri. He was appointed firstly by Abu al Hassan ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al ‘Askari and thereafter by his son Abu Muhammad al Hassan ibn ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam. He, thus, presided over their matters during their lifetime. Subsequent to that, he took charge of the matter of the man of the time as a result of which the endorsements of the latter and his answers would appear at his hands. Then, when he passed on his son Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn ‘Uthman assumed his position and acted as his deputy in all of that. And when he passed on, Abu al Qasim al Hussain ibn Rawh, of the Banu Nawbakht attended to that, and after him Abu al Hassan ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al Samarri assumed him position. Thereafter no one assumed this position but with the emphatic appointment of the man of the time ‘alayh al Salam.[43]

 

These answers and endorsements according to the Shia are equal to the speech of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and his Rasul salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. To the extent that, at the time of conflict, they give preference to them over what is narrated with a Sahih chain of transmission according to their standards.

Ibn Babawayh al Qummi has the following to say in his book Man la Yahduruhu al Faqih after making mention of the endorsements which came from the holy precincts under the chapter ‘the two men to whom bequests were made:

 

هذا التوقيع عندي بخط أبي محمد الحسن بن علي

This endorsement according to me is in the writing of Abu Muhammad al Hassan ibn ‘Ali.

 

Then he mentions that in al Kulayni’s al Kafi there is a narration against that endorsement from al Sadiq. He says:

 

لست أفتي بهذا الحديث بل أفتي بما عندي بخط الحسن بن علي

I do not pass a verdict according to this hadith, rather I pass a verdict according to the letter of al Hassan ibn ‘Ali…[44]

 

Al Hurr al ‘Amili commenting upon this says:

…فإن خط المعصوم أقوى من النقل بوسائط

The letter of the infallible is stronger than transmission via several links.[45]

 

Similarly, cotemporary Shia scholars have considered these letters to be from the Sunnah which no falsehood can approach.[46] Hence, they give preference to what is in these endorsements over what appears in their most reliable book.

Moving on, these letters and endorsements are many. Al Tusi and al Majlisi have made mention of some of them in al Ghaybah[47] and Bihar al Anwar[48] respectively, and they can also be found in al Kulayni’s al Kafi.[49] Likewise, their scholar Abu al ‘Abbas ‘Abdullah ibn Jafar al Himyari, an erudite of the third century, collated the narrations reported from their awaited Imam in a book titled: Qurb al Isnad ila Sahib al Amr;[50] and al Tahrani the author of al Dhari’ah has enlisted two books on this topic with the name: al Tawqi’at al Kharijah min al Nahiyah al Muqaddasah.[51]

We also find in their transmitter-biographies an indication to those who corresponded with the Imam via the four ambassadors. As in the biography of Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Jafar ibn al Hussain ibn Jami’ ibn Malik al Himyari who, they allege, wrote to the Imam.[52]

Likewise in the biography of ‘Ali ibn al Hussain ibn Musa ibn Babawayh al Qummi, Abu al Hassan they say:

 

إنه اجتمع مع أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح وسأله عن مسائل، ثم كاتبه بعد ذلك على يد علي بن جعفر بن الأسود يسأله أن يوصل له رقعة إلى الصاحب عليه السلام

He came together with Abu al Qasim al Hussain ibn Rawh (the third representative) and asked him about some issues. Thereafter he wrote to him via ‘Ali ibn Jafar ibn al Aswad asking him to pass his note on to the Imam ‘alayh al Salam.[53]

 

Besides them, there are many more who wrote to the Imam according to them.

These endorsements relate the opinion of the alleged Imam regarding many matters of religion and life; they depict him as having the ability to have the unknown knowledge of the unseen, actualizing the hopes of their Shia, curing their sicknesses, alleviating their problems, answering their questions, and as receiving the wealth that they present to him. And at times the events that unfolded are presented in the format of a yielding story.

Furthermore, a person who ponders over the alleged verdicts about the matters of Din will discern much of ignorance regarding even the simplest issues of the Shia. This suggests that these endorsements were forged by a group of ignoramus conspirators who were not good at doing so, or that Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala intended to expose them and humiliate them before all of the creation. Hence, their attempts at lying turned out to be like the attempt of Musaylamah in mimicking the Qur’an.

The following appears in Bihar al Anwar:

 

وكتب إليه صلوات الله عليه أيضا في سنة ثمان وثلاثمائة كتابا سأله فيه عن مسائل…سأل عن الأبرص والمجذوم وصاحب الفالج هل يجوز شهادتهم؟ فأجاب عليه السلام: إن كان ما بهم حادث جازت شهادتهم، وإن كانت ولادة لم تجز

And he wrote to him ‘alayh al Salam in the year 308 A.H. a letter asking him about certain matters… He asked about a leper, a Majdhum (also a leper), and a paralyzed person, i.e., will their testification be acceptable. He replied saying, “If what they suffer from is recent their testification will be permissible, and if it is from birth it will not be accepted.[54]

 

So, does leprosy and its like have a bearing in the acceptance of testimony and its rejection? And is there any valid reasoning for the difference between a recent sickness and one with which a person is born? And do verdicts of this sort require dialogue? And how can such things be attributed to the Ahlul Bayt, or, more so, to Islam?

He was asked:

 

وسأل هل يجوز أن يسبح الرجل بطين القبر وهل فيه فضل؟ فأجاب عليه السلام يسبح به، فما من شئ من التسبيح أفضل منه، ومن فضله أن الرجل ينسى التسبيح، ويدير السبحة فيكتب له التسبيح

And he was asked: is it permissible for a person to glorify Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala using the sand of the grave and if there is any virtue in it?

He replied ‘alayh al Salam saying, “He can glorify Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala with it. For there is nothing better than Tasbih, and one of its virtues is that if a person forgets the Tasbih and continues to roll the Subhah (the enumerating beads thread) the reward of the Tasbih is still written for him.[55]

 

This idea is taken from the religion of the idol worshippers not from the Din of the Tawhid. Will the reward of Tasbih really be written by playing with the thread? What Shari’ah is this and which jurist will even pass such a verdict?

Another example of a question which was directed to the awaited child which answered and endorsed is the following:

 

قد اختلف أصحابنا في مهر المرأة، فقال بعضهم: إذا دخل بها سقط المهر، ولا شيء لها، وقال بعضهم: هو لازم في الدنيا والآخرة، فكيف ذلك؟ وما الذي يجب فيه؟ فأجاب عليه السلام: إن كان عليه بالمهر كتاب فيه دين، فهو لازم له في الدنيا والآخرة، وإن كان عليه كتاب فيه ذكر الصدقات سقط إذا دخل بها، وإن لم يكن عليه كتاب فإذا دخل بها سقط باقي الصداق

Our people have differed about the dowry of a woman, some say, “Once he consummates the marriage with her the dowry falls away and she will not deserve anything,” and some say, “It will be binding upon him in this world and the afterlife,” so how is it? And what is compulsory?

He ‘alayh al Salam replied, “If the dowry is recorded against him in a book which comprises of debts, it will be binding upon him in this world and the next, and if it is recorded in a book which comprises of charities, it will fall away as soon as he consummates the marriage with her. And if there is no written record against him, the rest of the dowry will fall away if he consummates the marriage with her.”[56]

 

Can a scholar really give this answer, or even an ignoramus who has an iota of intelligence? And is this ruling from the Din of Islam? How can he endorse such a ruling which legitimizes taking the wealth of another if it is not recorded? For as they allege, the dowry falls away if there is no written record regarding it? This is the law of thieves and anarchists.

Nonetheless, whoever wants further study such examples he should refer to Bihar al Anwar of al Majlisi, Kamal al Din wa Tamam al Ni’mah of Ibn Babawayh, and al Ghaybah of al Tusi, amongst other books.[57]

Moving on, the subject matter of these letters was many:

At times, they would be about a prophecy about the unseen. For example, it is narrated from Abu ‘Aqil ‘Isa ibn Nasr that he said:

 

كتب علي بن زياد الصيمري يسأل كفنا، فكتب إليه: أنك تحتاج إليه في سنة ثمانين، وبعث إليه بالكفن قبل موته بأيام

‘Ali ibn Ziyad al Saymari wrote asking for a winding sheet. So, he (the Imam) wrote to him, “You will require it in the year 80 A.H.” and sent him a winding sheet a few days before he passed away.[58]

 

At times, they would be pertaining to answering questions. For example, the author of al Ihtijaj has narrated the following from al Kulayni from Ishaq ibn Yaqub:

 

سألت محمد بن عثمان العمري رحمه الله أن يوصل لي كتابا قد سئلت فيه عن مسائل أشكلت علي، فورد التوقيع بخط مولينا صاحب الدار عليه السلام. أما ما سألت عنه أرشد الله وثبتك ووقاك من أمر المنكرين لي من أهل بيتنا وبني عمنا، فاعلم أنه ليس بين الله عز وجل وبين أحد قرابة، ومن أنكرني فليس مني، وسبيله سبيل ابن نوح عليه السلام. وأما سبيل عمي جعفر وولده، فسبيل إخوة يوسف على نبينا وآله وعليه السلام. وأما أموالكم فما نقبلها إلا لتطهروا فمن شاء فليصل، ومن شاء فليقطع

I asked Muhammad ibn ‘Uthman to convey my letter in which I had asked a few questions which were difficult for me to understand. So, the endorsement returned with the writing of our master the man of the time ‘alayh al Salam, “As for what you have asked, may Allah guide you and keep you steadfast, and may he save you from the danger of those who deny me from our household and our cousins. Know well that there isn’t between Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and any of his creation any kinship, and whoever denies me is not from me and his end result will be that of the son of Nuh ‘alayh al Salam. As for the consequence of my uncle Jafar and his children, their end result will be like that of the brothers of Yusuf ‘alayh al Salam. As for your wealth, we only accept it so that you attain purity, so whoever wants should continue and who wants should stop.[59]

 

Likewise:

 

وأما ما سألت عنه من أمر المصلي والنار والصورة والسراج بين يديه هل تجوز صلاته فإن الناس اختلفوا في ذلك قبلك، فإنه جائز لمن لم يكن من أولاد عبدة الأصنام أو عبدة النيران أن يصلي والنار والصورة والسراج بين يديه، ولا يجوز ذلك لمن كان من أولاد عبدة الأصنام والنيران

And as for what you have asked regarding the praying person whilst the fire, the picture, and lantern is burning before him and whether his salah will be permissible, so the people have differed in this regard before you. It is permissible for he who is not from the children of idolators or fire worshippers to perform salah whilst the fire, the picture, and the lantern is in front of him. And that will not be permissible for he who is from the children of idolators and fire worshippers.[60]

 

Also:

وعن المرأة يموت زوجها يجوز أن تخرج في جنازته أم لا؟ التوقيع: تخرج في جنازته. وهل يجوز لها في عدتها أن تزور قبر زوجها أم لا؟ التوقيع: تزور قبر زوجها…

About a woman whose husband passes away, is it permissible for her to come out in his burial proceedings or not? The endorsement: she can come out in burial proceedings. And is it permissible for her to visit the grave of her husband in her waiting period or not?

The endorsement: She can visit the grave of her husband.[61]

 

The subject matters of these letters are too many to be enumerated here.

In essence, these are some of the reports of the letters and endorsements which were issued by the Imam. Therefrom it is clear that the Rawafid have assimilated their Din from these forged letters regarding which no intelligent person will doubt that they are lies against Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala, and only a person whose sight and insight Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has obliviated will truly believe them.

And these letters according to the Rafidah are from their strongest of their proofs and the most reliable of their evidences. So, woe be to a people who have established their Din by way of such hoax letters and who derived the admissible and the impermissible from such baseless fables. Despite that they claim that they are the followers of the Ahlul Bayt, never, they are rather the Ahlul Bayt are free from them.

So, as is clear, the understanding of the Sunnah according to the Rawafid is related to esoteric and false belief regarding their Imams.

Whereas the truth is that in no way is it possible for their infallible Imams, with the exception of the first three, to narrate anything from Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. For as we observe, none of them saw Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam besides the first three.[62]

So, if the Rawafid narrate from Jafar ibn Muhammad—to who most of their narrations are attributed—from Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and who is referred to as Abu ‘Abdullah, then that entails that they have narrated from a person who was born more than eighty years after the demise of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

So, what then would be the status of a narration which comes from their awaited Imam?

 

NEXT⇒ Chapter Three – Section One: Documentation of the Ahlus Sunnah

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[1] Sunnah Ahlul Bayt, p. 9; al Usul al ‘Ammah li al Fiqh al Muqaran, p. 122; al Muzaffar: Usul al Fiqh, 2/57.

[2] Tarikh al Imamiyyah, p. 140.

[3] Majmu’ al Fatawa, 28/481.

[4] Ibid, 28/479.

[5] Usul al Kafi, 1/278.

[6] Kamal al Din wa Tamam al Ni’mah, p. 413.

[7] Al I’tiqadat, p. 104.

[8] Awa’il al Maqalat, p. 44; Bihar al Anwar, 8/366.

[9] Awa’il al Maqalat, p. 65.

[10] Bihar al Anwar, 17/108.

[11] Usul al Kafi, 1/273.

[12] Usul al Kafi, 1/264.

[13] Al Mazindarani: Sharh Jami’ ‘ala la-Kafi, 6/49.

[14] Asl al Shia wa Usuluha, p. 233.

[15] Usul al Kafi, 1/227.

[16] Ibid., 1/238.

[17] Ibid., 1/263.

[18] Ibid., 1/255

[19] Ibid., 1/192.

[20] Ibid., 1/192.

[21] Ibid., 1/221.

[22] Ibid,. 1/239, 240.

[23] And we exonerate Abu ‘Abdullah from this forgery.

[24] Surah al Ma’idah: 3.

[25] Surah al Ma’idah: 67.

[26] Usul al Kafi, 1/53.

[27] Sharh Jami’ ‘ala Usul al Kafi, 2/225 of al Mazindarani.

[28] Ibid., 2/225.

[29] Usul al Kafi, 1/255.

[30] Ibid., 1/258.

[31] Ibid., 1/258.

[32] Ibid., 1/263.

[33] Ibid., 1/255.

[34] Surah al Ma’idah: 3.

[35] Refer to our treatise: Mawqif al Rawafid min al Sahabah.

[36] Asl al Shia wa Usuluha, p. 236.

[37] Al Hukumah al Islamiyyah, p. 211.

[38] Mujam al Kalam fi Ta’rif al Sihah, p. 205. His ignorance is quite clear from the fact that he has dubbed books of al Tirmidhi, al Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah as Sahih; whereas the book of al Tirmidhi is known as al Jami’ (due to it comprising of all the primary topic of hadith) and the other two are known as al Sunan. Furthermore, all three scholars did not strictly abide by authenticity, for in their collections there are Sahih, Hassan, and Da’if narrations. Likewise his ignorance is also clear from the fact that he considered the Musnad Ahmed to be sixth of the six canonical works and omitted Sunan Abi Dawood, whereas the common term of ‘the six books’ does not entail in it the Musnad Ahmed.

[39] Firaq al Shia of al Nawbakhti, p. 96; Usul al Kafi, 1/505; al Ghaybah of al Tusi, p. 360; Bihar al Anwar, 51/348; al Maqalat wa al Firaq, p. 102.

[40] Al Maqalat wa al Firaq, p. 108.

[41] Ibid. p. 110.

[42] Hasa’il al Fikr, p. 36, 37.

[43] Al Tabarsi: al Ihtijaj, 2/296, 297.

[44] Man la Yahduruhu al Faqih, 4/203.

[45] Wasa’il al Shia, 30/274.

[46] Al Khunayzi: al Da’wah al Islamiyyah, 2/112

[47] Al Tusi: al Ghaybah, p. 285.

[48] Bihar al  Anwar, 53/150-246.

[49] Usul al Kafi, 1/517, and the pages that follow.

[50] This book is published by Mu’assasah Al al Bayt li Ihya’ al Turath.

[51] Al Dhari’ah, 4/500.

[52] Wasa’il al Shia, 30/476.

[53] Ibid., 30/428.

[54] Bihar al Anwar, 53/164.

[55] Ibid. 53/165

[56] Ibid. 53/169.

[57] Usul Mazhab al Shia al Imamiyyah al Ithnay ‘Ashariyyah, 1/335, onwards.

[58] Usul al Kafi, 1/524.

[59] Al Ihtijaj, 2/283; Kamal al Din wa Tamam al Ni’mah, p. 484.

[60] Ibid. 2/299.

[61] Ibid. 2/302.

[62] ‘Ali, Hassan, and Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhum.