Khomeini And The Nawasib

Khomeini And The Muslim Judiciaries
May 12, 2020
Khomeini And The Belief Of Tawalli and Tabarri
May 12, 2020

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Khomeini And The Nawasib

 

Some of the moderate Shia believe that a Nasibi is one who harbours enmity for the Ahlul Bayt and as such a Nasibi is synonymous with a Khariji, whilst the Ahlus Sunnah do not fall into this description as they love the Ahlul Bayt. Yet we find in their hadith collection that which is contrary to this. We will shortly reproduce texts of this nature from the book al Wasa’il, which is a major reference point for Khomeini in his book al Hukumah al Islamiyyah. Over and above this though, we find statements of Khomeini himself who considers the Ahlus Sunnah to be part of the Nawasib. He states:

 

واما النواصب والخوارج لعنهم الله تعالى فهما نجسان من غير توقف ذلك إلى جحودها الراجع إلى انكار الرسالة

As for the Nawasib and the Khawarij, may Allah’s curse be on them for they are filth. They continuously deny the apparent to the extent of denying prophethood.[1]

 

He further says:

ولا تجوزالصلاة  على الكافر بأقسامه حتى المرتد ومن حكم بكفره ممن انتحل الاسلام کالخوارج والنواصب

Praying upon the disbelievers—and their various sects—including the renegade is not permitted. Similar are those who pose as Muslims like the Khawarij and the Nawasib.[2]

 

He also considers the wealth of a Nasibi as permissible to take wherever it may be found. He says:

 

والاقوى الحاق الناصب بأهل الحرب في اباحة ما أغتنم منهم وتعلق الخمس به بل الظاهر جواز أخذ ماله أينما وجد وبأي نحو كان ووجوب اخراج خمسه

The worthiest opinion is to place the Nawasib with the enemy in as far as booty attained from them is concerned and the khums tax levy. Rather, permitting the taking of their wealth wherever and however together with paying the khums tax on it seems quite apparent.[3]

 

We will now reproduce what appears in al Wasa’il in defining a Nasibi. Muhammad ibn Idris in the book Akhir al Sara’ir quoting from the book Masa’il fi al Rijal who narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmed ibn Ziyad and Musa ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Isa says:

 

كتبت اليه . يعني علي بن محمد – عليهما السلام أساله عن النواصب هل أحتاج في امتحانه من تقديمه الجبت والطاغوت واعتقاد امامتهما؟ فرجع الجواب: : من كان على هذا فهو الناصب

I wrote to him, i.e. ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ‘alayh al Salam, asking him regarding the Nawasib and if it necessary to ascertain their preference to al Jibt and al Taghut and their belief regarding leadership of the two?

He replied saying, “Whoever holds such beliefs is a Nasibi.”

 

Their scholar and master of hadith Hashim al Hussaini al Bahrani (d. 1107 or 1109 A.H), whom they refer to with various titles of reverence such as al ‘Allamah, al Thiqah, al Thabat, al Muhaddith, al Khabir, al Naqid, and al Basir, states:

 

يكفي في بغض علي وبنيه تقديم غيرهم عليهم وموالاة غيرهم كما جاءت به الروايات

Giving preference to those besides ‘Ali and his sons and showing solidarity to those besides them is sufficient to be included amongst those who harbour hatred towards him as the narrations have stated.

 

Further, according to them, anyone who denies one of their Imams or does not consider the narrations in al Kafi as stemming from them is no doubt included in the role of the Nawasib.

 

NEXT⇒ Khomeini And The Belief Of Tawalli and Tabarri


[1] Tahrir al Wasilah, vol. 1 pg. 118.

[2] Ibid, vol. 1 pg. 79.

[3] Ibid, vol. 1 pg. 352.