Conclusion

Some of the ignorant amongst the Shia in our time may go further than cursing the Sahabah and begin labelling anyone who does not curse them as a Nasibi. This issue is even more serious than cursing, as such an ignorant person has labelled the entire family of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as well as all the scholars from the predecessors and successors, to be Nasibis. And a Nasibi is considered a disbeliever. This judgment implies declaring all Muslims as disbelievers. There is no greater disgrace or worse trait than this, which brings tears to the eyes of Islam and laughter to the mouths of disbelief! This wretched person does not realize that, according to the pure Sunnah, whoever declares a single Muslim to be a disbeliever becomes a disbeliever themselves. How much worse is it to declare all Muslims as disbelievers!

O Allah, how disturbing is the case of a man whose ignorance has led him to such a multiplied disbelief! We ask Allah for safety.

The Nasibis, their definition, ruling, areas where they are found, and the Hadith related to them

The reason that we have said, “A Nasibi is a disbeliever^[1],” is because it is known in the books of linguistics and other books that Nasb means hatred towards the Amir al Mu’minin, ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam.

It is stated in al Qamus:

النواصب والناصبية وأهل النصب المتدينون ببغضة علي رضي الله عنه لأنهم نصبوا له أي عادوه

The Nawasib, the Nasibiyyah, and the people of Nasb: Those who are devoted to hatred of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu because they took him as their enemy.

If it is proven that a Nasibi is someone who hates ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam, then it is proven in the authentic, clear narrations, in the relied-upon books of Hadith that hating him is hypocrisy and disbelief. Muslim reported in his Sahih, as did Ibn Abi Shaybah, al Humaidi, Ahmed, al Tirmidhi, al Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Abu Nuaim in al Hilyah, and Ibn Abi ‘Asim, from ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam, who said:

والذي فلق الحبة وبرأ النسمة إنه لعهد النبي الأمي إلي أن لا يحبني إلا مؤمن ولا يبغضني إلا منافق

By the One who split the grain and created the soul, it is the covenant of the unlettered Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to me that none loves me but a believer and none hates me but a hypocrite.

Similar ahadith were reported by al Tirmidhi and ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad in Ziyadat al Musnad from Umm Salamah; by al Daylami from Ibn ‘Abbas; and by al Khatib in his Tarikh from Anas.

The following narration has been established:

من أبغض عليا فقد أبغض الله ورسوله

Whoever hates ‘Ali has indeed hated Allah and His Messenger.

And hating Allah and His Messenger is undoubtedly disbelief.

Among these ahadith are those reported by al Tabarani and Ibn ‘Asakir from ‘Ammar ibn Yasir.

Also found are the narrations of al Darqutni, al Hakim in his Mustadrak and al Khatib from ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam, and al Tabarani from Abu Rafi’.

Ibn ‘Asakir reported from ‘Amr, and said:

The narrators in its chain are well-known, except for Abu al Qasim ‘Isa ibn al Azhar, known as Bulbul, for he is not well-known.

Ibn al Najjar also reported it from Ibn ‘Abbas.

There are many ahadith on this subject from various chains of narration, narrated by a group of the Sahabah.

This is enough, as it proves that a Nasibi is a disbeliever, and whoever says to someone, “O Nasibi,” it is like saying, “O disbeliever!” And whoever calls a Muslim a disbeliever is himself a disbeliever, as mentioned earlier.

It is well said by the one who said:

علي يظنون بي بغضه فهلا سوى الكفر ظنوه بي

They think I hate ‘Ali, it is nothing but disbelief that they have thought of me.

Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has rid the world of the Nawasib. They are the Khawarij and those who follow their path. None of them remain except a handful in Oman and a small group on the outskirts of India, called the Ibadiyyah.

A cautious person should be aware of using such terms for any of the people of Islam, other than these few. Merely making such an accusation takes one out of the fold of Islam, and no rational person would do this to themselves.

وما يبلغ الأعداء من جاهل ما يبلغ الجاهل من نفسه

Enemies are not able to cause as much harm to an ignorant person, as he is able to cause to himself.

It is strange and astonishing that we have heard the ignorant people of our time labelling those who read books of hadith, and even those who engage in all fields of Islamic knowledge as Nasibis. They also label the scholars of Hadith and the followers of the four main schools of Islamic jurisprudence as Nasibis.

This is a catastrophic mistake for the religion of those who take such terms lightly. Such a person can only be one of two types: either an ignorant person who does not know what Nasb is, nor who a Nasibi is, or someone who is indifferent to the destruction of their faith. For someone in this position, he will not take benefit from the advice we have included in this booklet. Our only responsibility is to fulfil the duty of clarifying the truth, as obligated by Allah and His Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, so that those who perish may do so with clear evidence.

O Allah, guide us to Your pleasure, guide both the specific and general among Your servants, and lead us on the path of peace to the abode of peace.

This is the end of the written work by the author, the Imam of the researchers, the knowledgeable judge, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him and be pleased with him). Amin.

Completed by Salih al Tulbawi al ‘Abbasi al Faqiri al Shafi’i in the year 1322 AH (1904 CE). May Allah benefit the Muslims with this work. Amin.

Translation completed on Tuesday the 16th May 2023 corresponding with 26 Shawwal 1444.

^[1] There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding this. Merely insulting or criticizing ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu does not necessarily invalidate one’s faith. Otherwise, we would have to say that some Sahabah were disbelievers because some of them disagreed with ‘Ali and engaged in debates with him. However, if someone accuses ‘Ali of disbelief or curses him or explicitly expresses hatred towards him, there is no doubt about their disbelief. If this is the belief of all of the Nasibis, then they are all disbelievers because of it.

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