Opening the Door to Ijtihad

Despite the clear differences between the Zaidi Hadawi school and the Sunni tradition, the former has a commendable and praiseworthy feature unique among other Islamic schools: the door to ijtihad (independent reasoning) is open for those proficient in its sciences and skilled in its arts. This includes knowledge of Qur’anic verses related to legal rulings, ahadith, the science of Hadith terminology, as well as principles of Islamic jurisprudence, grammar, morphology, semantics, rhetoric, and logical language, among other narrative and analytical sciences. This follows the principle of: Every mujtahid is correct, proclaimed by al Mahdi Abu ‘Abdullah al Da’i, as previously explained. Consequently, a significant number of Zaidi scholars in Yemen, who Allah has blessed, have ascended to this pedestal of ijtihad, delved into the sciences of the Glorious Qur’an and its exegesis, and the study of foundational Hadith books and their sciences. They found in the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah enough guidance, negating the need for unqualified opinions. Thus, they discarded blind conformity and called others to act according to the Qur’an and Sunnah’s rulings, leading to the emergence amongst them of Imams renowned for their absolute ijtihad.

Among them were Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al Wazir (d. 840 AH/1436 CE) author of al ‘Awasim wa al Qawasim fi al Dhabb ‘an Sunnat Abi al Qasim; al Hassan ibn Ahmed al Jalal (d. 1084 AH/1673 CE) author of Daw’ al Nahar al Mushriq ‘ala Safahat al Azhar; Salih ibn al Mahdi al Muqbili (d. 1108 AH/1696 CE in Makkah) author of al ‘Ilm al Shamikh fi Ithar al Haqq ‘ala al Aba’ wa al Mashayikh, al Arwah al Nawafikh li Athar Ithar al Aba’ wa al Mashayikh, and al Abhath al Musaddadah fi Funun Muta’addadah; Muhammad ibn Ismail al Amir (d. 1182 AH/1768 CE), author of Subul al Salam Sharh Bulugh al Maram fi Adillat al Ahkam; ‘Abdul Qadir ibn Ahmed ibn ‘Abdul Qadir Sharaf al Din (d. 1207 AH/1792 CE); and Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al Shawkani (who assumed his position in 1250 AH/1834 CE), the author of Nayl al Awtar Sharh Muntaqa al Akhbar.

I only mention these individuals because their works have been exceptionally well-received, especially Subul al Salam and Nayl al Awtar, which have spread widely in the Muslim lands. They have become references for scholars and students interested in studying the jurisprudence of the Sunnah in Islamic schools, institutes, and universities, regardless of any particular mazhab (legal school). These works have been translated into several languages of the Muslim world, such as Urdu, Turkish, and Malay, among others, for those who cannot read Arabic. This is because they found in these books something that removed the numerous sectarian differences from themselves, uniting them on the common word: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, returning to the way of the predecessors of this Ummah, which is the best of nations that were brought forth for people.

However, although ijtihad became a known principle in the Zaidi school, those among them who adopted it, leaned towards it, and realised it in themselves, did not escape the severe criticism of the Zaidi scholars and their followers who still blindly adhere to their previous rulings. This is because they find it difficult to abandon their conformity and for a mujtahid (a scholar who practices ijtihad) to leave their school and engage with the rulings of the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah. Therefore, they target him with accusations and animosity towards the Ahlul Bayt to provoke the anger of the general public against him and fabricate baseless and unreal accusations against him, making him a lesson for others who are inclined to follow the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah. In this regard, Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al Wazir endured much harm from the scholars of his time who refused to abandon conformity, even from his own people, leading to his retreat to the mountainous regions, where he would spend months in isolation in empty Masjids. Salih ibn al Mahdi al Muqbili faced many types of slander and vilification as well. Among this was what the poet al Hassan ibn ‘Ali al Habal accused him of, saying:

المقبلي ناصبي أعمى الشقاء بصره

فرق ما بين النبي وأخيه حيدره

لا تعجبوا من بغضه للعترة المطهرة

فأمه معرفة لكن أبوه نكره

Al Muqbili is a Nasibi [1]; misfortune blinded his sight,

Who differentiates between the Messenger and his brother Haydar.

Don’t be surprised by his hatred for the purified progeny,

The mother who birthed him is known, but the one who fathered him is not.[2]

He was ultimately forced to sell his house and emigrate with his family to Makkah, where he lived until he died; because he renounced conformity and advocated for ijtihad and following the evidences of the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah.

As for Muhammad ibn Ismail al Amir, he was greatly harmed, especially after he delivered the Friday sermon in the Masjid of San’a’ and did not mention some of the Yemeni Imams in the second sermon, as was customary. This angered the fanatics among the ignorant people, including some relatives of Imam al Mahdi al ‘Abbas, who then ordered the arrest of al Amir and those who caused the disturbance. Al Amir said in a poem addressing the Messenger of Islam salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:

فإني قد أوذيت فيك لنصرتي لسنتك الغراء في البر والبحر

وكم رام أقوام وهموا بسفكهم دمي فأبى الرحمن نيلي بالضر

I have been harmed for supporting your noble Sunnah on land and sea.

And many people sought to shed my blood, but the Most Merciful prevented them from harming me.[3]

Then, when the scholars of Banu al ‘Ansi from Barat learned about Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al Amir’s omission of the Yemeni Imams in the Friday sermon, they wrote a letter to the scholars of Huth inciting them to stand with them against the Amir. We will mention this as it was phrased and composed and it will be followed by the response of the scholars of Huth, and then their response to the scholars of Huth.

It was mentioned in the letter addressed to the leaders and Shia of Huth that the people of San’a’ were deviating from and changing the doctrine of the Ahlul Bayt and that Sayed ‘Allamah Sheikh al Islam Muhammad ibn Ismail al Amir was the one changing the doctrine of the Ahlul Bayt, a long discussion which the observer will become aware of.

And these are the letters:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

This is a letter from the judges of Banu al ‘Ansi to the people of Huth and its tribes: To all the distinguished, honourable scholars, and all of the pure, prominent jurists residing in the region of Huth and all from their tribes, may Allah protect them. Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.

After praising Allah and salutations upon our master Muhammad and his family, and may Allah preserve for us and you the religion of Islam and make us adhere to the creed of the family of our Prophet, upon him and his family be the best of prayers and peace; for whoever adheres to them is indeed following the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet, as he salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “I leave among you that which if you hold fast to, you will never go astray after me: the Book of Allah and my family…” to the end, and he said, “This knowledge will be carried by just successors from my family who will remove from it the distortion of the extremists, the false claims of the fabricators, and the ignorance of the ignorant.”[4] These suffice for those who want to adhere to them.

The reason for raising this to you is that we witnessed matters in San’a’ instigated by Sayed Muhammad al Amir, from prince and minister, in denigrating the doctrine of the Ahlul Bayt, misleading those who followed them and belittling the knowledge of the Ahlul Bayt, which they derived and acquired from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, and paying attention to the disparagement of the opposers and considering the Imams of truth as false. The conditions of Sayed Muhammad al Amir has become apparent to you, that he has been expelled from Yemen twice, and prevented from revealing anything of what is now evident!

The state’s affairs have become apparent to both the elite and the masses that they have usurped Allah’s wealth from its rightful owners and misallocated it, using it to adorn gardens and houses; they acquired the wealth of the subjects as if they were unaware that their final destination is the grave. They collected with stinginess and monopoly, and when they gave, they gave extravagantly and wastefully, appointing tyrannical governors as a means to establish injustices by imposing taxes without any basis in the Book or the Sunnah. When they spent some money, they would recover many times more from the people, fearing neither Allah’s disdain nor the ruler’s punishment. When appointing a ruler, they ensured his sufficiency to prevent him from criticising them, which is of utmost importance. The Messenger said, “He who deems Allah’s prohibitions permissible does not believe in Allah.”[5]

Seeing this, we were compelled, and so Sayed Muhammad al Amir began to gather false claims to entice them with the love of the worldly life, as if Allah’s prohibition of what they deemed permissible was not mentioned in His Book, neglecting religious zeal. We then declared to our tribes, whom we must inform, and they responded by following the truth, ensuring their sincere unity in pleasing Allah and we secured a firm agreement with them to act in accordance with Allah’s will. Our and their guide is the Book of Allah and they follow our lead in what is permissible and forbidden. If we find someone to lead the community, we all follow him; if not, we and they, along with whoever acts in this matter from the Shi’ites, will present this to the one in San’a’, the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet. If he follows them, we will follow him; if he prevents this, then the Muslims should collectively oppose him. This is our position, which we wanted to share with you. If you are aware that it is our duty and yours to gather your tribes and ask from them what we asked from ours, uniting their opinion in agreement with everyone to the market of al Harf[6] to unite upon what pleases Allah. If you say otherwise, this is what we must adhere to and you have taken upon yourselves the argument for that. As for us, we have already presented our excuses before Allah.

Your response is essential, and may Allah protect you and grant you noble peace.

This marks the end of the letter of the judges of the al ‘Ansi family, followed by the response from the people of Huth.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon the honourable judges of the al ‘Ansi family. After praising Allah as He deserves for His majestic sovereignty and immense evidence. His salutations and peace be upon our truthful and trustworthy Prophet and his righteous and honourable family, and upon the guided scholars who follow in the footsteps of the master of the messengers.

Your letter has reached us mentioning that you have witnessed things in San’a’ that contradict the religion, deviate from the methodologies of the most noble family, the Sunnah, and the clear Book. And that the one who introduced them is the great Sayed, the handsome scholar, the glory of Islam and the eloquence of people, and the guide for the prominent scholars, Muhammad ibn Ismail al Amir, may Allah protect him for the Muslims and strengthen the religion through him. What you mentioned is a lie, slander, and compounded ignorance without evidence or proof.

We, by Allah, are his testers and among his students, for he—by Allah—has a correct belief, a pure nature, is one of the people of resolution and binding, following the most complete law, which is the Book of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and his family. He has truly recognised them and magnified their status, manifested their command, and diligently worked on them, and on all the sciences of the Ahlul Bayt and others in the principles and branches of Arabic. He became the ultimate authority of his time, a diligent, knowledgeable, authentic, meticulous, and insightful scholar, deriving Islamic legal rulings from the Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah. He understood the reality of consensus (Ijma’) and analogical reasoning (Qiyas) practicing upon what his keen insight leads to aligning with the Qur’an and Sunnah wherever they lead.

It is imperative for someone who possesses these qualifications to avoid conformity to anyone, including members of the Messenger’s family or others. Such a person, endowed by Allah with these qualifications, should not be challenged in their discernments, which some may criticise only in terms of procedural matters like raising hands, folding the hands, and saying amin, whose legitimacy is well-known from the enlightening Sunnah. Many scholars of the Ahlul Bayt and others have opined for raising the hands.

It is mentioned in Bayan Ibn Muzaffar that only a few like al Hadi, Abu al ‘Abbas, and al Qadi Zaid disagreed with this view. His apparent wording is that it is the school of all the Ahlul Bayt, whose statements are well-known and books are famous. Fifty prominent Companions of the Messenger, including ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, reported that the Messenger used to raise his hands at the beginning of the prayer and not repeat this gesture afterward. Among these narrators is ‘Aisha, the Messenger’s wife, who reported the Messenger’s practice of raising his hands before pronouncing the opening takbir and then lowering them.

It is reported that Abu Humaid as-Sa’idi said to ten of the Messenger’s Companions, “I am the most knowledgeable among you about the Messenger’s prayer.” They acknowledged his experience and presence with the Messenger, to which he described the Messenger’s prayer: When the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would stand for prayer, he would raise his hands level with his shoulders, settle each bone in place, then recite and perform takbir, raising his hands again level with his shoulders, saying ‘Allah is the Greatest,’ and then lower them,” till the end of the hadith. After completing his description, they confirmed, “You have spoken the truth; this is indeed how the Messenger prayed.”

The description of the Prophet Muhammad’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam prayer serves as evidence for the legitimacy of raising hands due to his saying, “My nation shall not agree upon an error.”[7] Regarding placing the right hand over the left during prayer, a group from the Messenger’s family (Ahlul Bayt) endorsed this practice. As some scholars noted, Imam Yahya led a nation and other scholars led another; or it was said that he led an independent nation given his extensive knowledge, impressive views, and superior statements. A group of the Messenger’s Companions, including Ibn Mas’ud, were seen placing their left hand over their right during prayer, which the Messenger then corrected by placing his right hand over his left, thereby affirming Ibn Mas’ud’s action. The Messenger’s affirmation is considered a fundamental aspect of the Sunnah associated with him, which includes his sayings, actions, and affirmations.

It is narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib would hold his left hand with his right above the navel, an act considered to be following the Messenger’s example, since ‘Ali is referred to as the “gate to the city of knowledge,” a saying attributed to the Messenger: “I am the city of knowledge and ‘Ali is its gate.”[8]

Furthermore, the concept of saying amin loudly in prayer is supported by some scholars from the Messenger’s family. This practice is based on narrations like that of Wa’il ibn Hujr, who reported that the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would say amin loudly after reciting, “Nor of those who go astray.” This is similarly confirmed by a report from Abu Hurairah, “When the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would recite, ‘Not of those upon whom wrath is nor of those who go astray,’ he would say amin to the extent that those next to him in the first row would hear it.” Regarding this, the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “When the Imam says ‘Not of those upon whom wrath is nor of those who go astray,’ say amin because whoever’s utterance coincides with that of the angels, his past sins will be forgiven.”[9] And other ahadith like this are narrated.

These ahadith are found in Sunan Abi Dawood, which is one of the six major collections relied upon in the science of Hadith. Sunan Abi Dawood is particularly referenced by the Ahlul Bayt ‘alayhim al Salam and those of the school. These three issues: namely, raising (the hands), joining (them), and saying amin, even though there is disagreement among scholars about them, are like other matters of dispute; objections should not be made, just as one should not object to a person praying with exposed knees, or someone who does not perfectly straighten up between bowing and prostration, or drinking in a manner not recommended, among other disputable matters. Because it coincides with the opinion of some, it is permissible for the layman agreeing with someone’s view, and he should not be objected to in this matter. Therefore, the right of the mujtahid, who has exerted effort in examining the evidences and deriving legal rulings from them, is more entitled not to be faulted or objected to, as we have stated, because conformity is forbidden for him, and he must act according to his insight. Indeed, what is obligatory upon us and you, firstly, is to rectify the intention, then to command what is good and forbid what is evil in social matters.

You must prevent yourselves from engaging in oppression and destruction, and be content with the divine decree, and command your tribes to perform the obligatory acts that Allah has imposed upon them, such as praying in the prescribed manner, fasting in Ramadan, paying Zakat to those who deserve it with content hearts, and performing Hajj for those who can find a way to it, and you must forbid them from following the judgments of the tyrants, from depriving women of their rightful inheritance which Allah has mandated for them, from engaging in usury, from oppressing the weak and the poor, and from the partisanship of the Age of Ignorance which leads to people killing each other. We also need to do the same. Advising and warning have taken place and they have rectified the world. If things are purely for Allah, they have an impact and are rejuvenating; but if they are not purely for Allah, they are rejected. And on their owner, it brings doom and regret on the Day of Resurrection.

As for what you mentioned about the state of affairs, it is as you said: they usurped wealth from its rightful owners, became indulgent in Allah’s wealth and the wealth of Muslims, denied it to its rightful owners, monopolised it, and competed over it in this worldly life by building thoroughfares and palaces. After that, they are destined for the graves, engrossed in the ornaments of horses, slaves, and maidservants. All this was from them, a neglect of Allah’s right, boasting over others, and leaning towards the worldly life, without heeding the lessons from the past generations who ended up in the layers of the graves, accompanied there by creatures and worms, and they will weep much as they laughed a little. If they would accept advice, we would advise them, but they do not, especially the people of Huth who think we are ‘Usaymat[10], not knowing that we seek refuge in Allah from what they are upon, and the difference between us and ‘Usaymat is as vast as between Islam and disbelief, and as between the Messengers and Iblis. Actions are judged by intentions, and may Allah guide everyone to what is correct and beneficial in the return and abode.

This concludes the response of the people of Huth followed by the response of the judges of Banu al ‘Ansi, which is a response to another letter from the people of Huth not mentioned here, as the response of the judges of Banu al ‘Ansi was not mentioned.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

To all gentlemen and followers residing in Hijrat Huth, may Allah protect them. Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.

After praising Allah and salutations and peace upon Muhammad and his family: Following the receipt of your last response, it became clear to us from its content that there was a lack of fairness. You attributed to Imam Ahmed ibn Sulaiman and Imam al Qasim Jarudiyyah negligence and ignorance, claiming that you are more complete and knowledgeable about the truths of matters. And that Sayed Muhammad, whose condition is well-known and who has excessively belittled the Ahlul Bayt and their doctrines, is more worthy of being followed than the prominent Imams. If this is your belief, it represents the utmost flaw in religion and a deviation from what has been transmitted from the leader of the messengers. If this is your belief, then all that is required from you is to correct the lineage of Sayed Muhammad al Amir to whom he belongs: Is he Fatimid? And likewise, his knowledge from whom he acquired it and to whom is it ascribed in scholarship? Also, Imam Ahmed ibn Sulaiman and Imam al Qasim, correct for us and verify from whom they acquired their knowledge and on whom they relied, because we are seeking guidance and asking you to verify this[11], otherwise you are bound by the argument with his salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying, “Whoever conceals knowledge that he possesses, Allah will bridle him with a bridle of fire.” We are in deficiency, asking you to correct the lineage of Sayed Muhammad, seeking benefit and elaboration in verifying that matter to know who is right among them to follow and who the falsifier to avoid is.

As for your statement about prioritising and not denouncing those who advocate for prioritising the Sheikhs over the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, upon him be the best of prayers and peace, and that nothing of that was denounced, this is negligence on your part, for he has explicitly stated what he stated in Nahj al Balaghah. However, we believe we should withhold [our tongues] regarding them. It is not appropriate to delve and discuss this. Our writings focus on those who consider Sayed Muhammad al Amir superior to Imam Ahmed ibn Sulaiman and Imam al Qasim ibn Muhammad. We demand from him proof of his claimed lineage and the authenticity of his knowledge and its sources. The knowledge of the aforementioned Imams and their sources need verification. If he has evidence about the Imams and their knowledge and their attributions, he should present it; otherwise, we will verify it after he provides us with the information we requested about Sayed Muhammad al Amir. He elaborated in his first response and assured us of the accuracy of what he described until his later response revealed the lineage to the Imams as Jarudiyyah, showing a consensus of opinion between you and Sayed Muhammad al Amir. A person will be resurrected with whom he loves.

As for us loving the Ahlul Bayt, allying with them, and opposing their enemies is a binding duty due to the verses and traditions about them from the master of humanity. This is exemplified by the hadith reported by al Tabarani from Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhu where the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Whoever wishes to live my life and die my death and dwell in the gardens of Eden which my Lord has planted, should befriend ‘Ali after me, and his ally, and follow my family after me: for they are my offspring, created from my clay, endowed with my understanding and knowledge. Woe to those who deny them and sever my relationship with them, they shall not have my intercession.”[12]

This suffices to emulate and love them. The response (letter) to you was only because we thought you were Shia, unaware that this matter had reached you. We, by Allah’s grace, need your assistance in opening the way, that is, allowing passage from your land to San’a’ to avenge from the tyrant leaders. Our tribes unanimously agreed to aim solely at the major gateway to confront the tyrant leaders; and fighting them is obligatory. Consenting to their tyranny and their injustice is aiding them in their oppression, and one cannot exit from this except by opposing them physically and verbally.

As for your saying: “This is for worldly gain,” by Allah, our only aim is to expel Sayed Muhammad al Amir and his followers from San’a’ and to lift the injustices that have established the state of this era; this is what was found, and Allah knows best, and may Allah bless the people of Huth.

As for al Shawkani, they accused him of every atrocity, incited their fools against him, and a group armed with weapons entered upon him while he was delivering a lesson of Imam al Bukhari’s rahimahu Llah al Sahih in the Masjid of San’a’ with the intention of assaulting him, approached his place to inflict upon him what they desired, but Allah protected him and diverted them from him so he could fulfil what Allah had obligated upon him in spreading the knowledge of the Sunnah. He narrated this incident in his book Adab al Talab on page 32, referring to the hardship, difficulty, and harm inflicted on those mentioned earlier to prevent them from spreading the pure sciences of the Sunnah.

It is undoubtedly true that the root of this intense hostility towards the people of the Sunnah is the belief of these blind followers that what they practice in their prayers, such as not raising the hands during the first takbir of Salah (takbirat al ihram), letting the hands hang down, reciting al Tawajjuh[13] before the first takbir, and not saying amin is what Zaid ibn ‘Ali practiced, and it is his school, and therefore it is obligatory for his followers to adhere to this and defend it. So, if they see someone contradicting this belief of theirs, they denounce him; because they believe he contradicted their Imam, Zaid ibn ‘Ali, as clarified by the scholar Muhsin ibn Ahmed ibn Yahya al Shami (d. 1224H) in his statement:

My excuse is from a people who veered away due to their ignorance from the truth and substituted knowledge with assumption. They attributed to nasb, due to their ignorance and misguidance, all those who raised the hands and fold them. They say, “Ignorant is he who narrates with a chain from the Chosen One, the best and purest of creations, the unlettered.” O Lord, grant success to the paths of our guidance and kindness to us, that we may not stray from the knowledge.

The matter mentioned, which led Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al Amir to refute their claims and to clarify to them the truth in that matter, that those who affiliate themselves with the Zaidi school of Zaid ibn ‘Ali should follow him practically in his sayings and deeds, as mentioned in his statement:

There is no excuse for a Zaidi in abandoning and prohibiting raising the hands and folding them before the supplication. It is the school of Zaid, in the view of its scholars. And saying “amin” is part of the school, as said by the one acquainted with its rulings. So, act upon this if you are of his party and dismiss the blame from the blamer.[14]

Similar is the statement of Salah ibn Hussain al Akhfash (d. 1142 AH):

A Zaidi is only one who follows Zaid ibn ‘Ali in the branches and fundamentals, both hidden and apparent.

Thus, this belief followed by the adherents of the Zaidi Hadawi school led to the followers of the four schools—Shafi’i, Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali—to limit the truth to these four schools, as al Muqbili mentioned; such that the Zaidi, in their view is considered to have exited from the truth. Thus, they name them in other countries. They have no doubt that adherence to Zaidism is a departure from religion, until it became so among their jurists and authors in the aforementioned way, not by an evidence that led them to it, nor by a suspicion that guided them to it.[15]

For this reason, followers of these four schools link the Zaidi Hadawi sect with the Imamiyyah (Jafari) sect[16]; due to its alignment in Shia practices, veneration of the Imams, glorifying their tombs, and making them a pilgrimage site for their followers. This association is also due to some of their scholars, who mimic others, contradicting ahadith in the Sahih and Sunan, questioning their authenticity, and opposing the Sunnis. This is due to the close ties between the two sects in many foundational and subsidiary issues. Imam al Hadi Yahya ibn al Hussain was ideologically influenced by his grandfather al Qasim ibn Ibrahim al Rassi, who was born, raised, and proclaimed himself as Imam in Kufah, the birthplace and cradle of the Shia. He was the first to advocate for reciting al Tawajjuh before saying the takbirat al ihram[17] and also held the opinion that ablution is mandatory for every person standing for prayer, even if they are already in a state of ablution.[18]

Some of al Hadi’s teachers were from Iraq, like al Tabari, Muhammad ibn Sulaiman al Kufi, and others. In al Hadi’s jurisprudence, there are issues taken from Jafari jurisprudence, like the constant combining of Zuhr and ‘Asr prayers, as well as Maghrib and ‘Isha’, even when not traveling; not performing the Friday prayer unless there is a ruling Imam present, generally not shortening the four-unit prayers during travel, and the annual celebration of Ghadir on the eighteenth day of Dhu al Hijjah. Moreover, many of the Imams who ruled Yemen came from the two Iraqs: Arab Iraq and Persian Iraq, such as al Qasim ibn ‘Ali al ‘Iyyani and his minister al Qasim al Zaidi, as well as Abu al Fath al Daylami and others.

Therefore, it is not surprising or objectionable that the Zaidis of Yemen would open their hearts to those who come to them from the Imamiyyah (Shia), welcoming them and treating them with great honour, as narrated by the scholar al Muqbili, who said:

Then we saw them—the Zaidis—when an Imami ruler came to this blessed state in Yemen, the Qasimi state, during the time of Imam al Mutawakkil Ismail ibn al Imam al Qasim ibn Muhammad, they leaned towards him, became emotional, and felt revived, saying to Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Jahhaf[19], “You see coming to this blessed state a man from the Imamiyyah: as if a king has come to you, even though among their principles—the Imamiyyah—is disassociation from you and from all the Islamic sects that deny the text regarding their Twelve Imams; because they deny what is known as necessary in religion, by their claim, and believe that your Imams, from Zaid ibn ‘Ali until today, may Allah exalt them, are leaders of misguidance and disbelief and they call anyone who opposes them an infidel, a hypocrite.”

Then al Muqbili added, addressing the mentioned:

And when a man from the four Sunni schools of thought comes to you, it is as if you have seen a devil, although among their principles and core issues is that no one of the Qiblah should be declared an infidel. So, tell me, what is this? The only answer he found was to say, “The Imamiyyah are not concerned with us or with harming us, but these [others] accuse us of innovation,” so I said to them: “Which is the greater accusation? The accusation of innovation with testifying to your Islam or the accusation of disbelief, regarding your blood permissible, taking your women and children captive, and usurping your wealth.” So, I concluded.[20]

For this reason, and what has been previously explained, the Imami (Jafari) school of thought does not differ much from the Zaidi Hadawi school in Yemen except that it restricts the Imams to only twelve and that its Imams are infallible like the Messengers. This necessitated that the same judgment be applied to it as on the Imami school.

Therefore, the severity of this judgment on the Zaidi school among the people of the four Sunni schools was only mitigated by the spread of the works of Imam Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al Wazir, the scholar jurist Salih ibn al Mahdi al Muqbili, Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al Amir, and Sheikh al Islam Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al Shawkani. Scholars of these four schools—though assumptions are of no avail against the truth—believed that the widespread works of these scholars throughout the Islamic world, which had become references for students and researchers who abandoned taqlid, are the circulated books studied in Zaidi schools in Yemen, due to their distance from knowing the truth. Even though the reality is that the Zaidi scholars who still blindly conform to their mazhab—although some of the later contemporaries among them still insist that the authors of these books were indeed Zaidi—oppose anyone who reads them or follows the path of the authors. They were the very same individuals who fought these authors during their lives and they are still despised and hated by the Zaidis who blindly conform up to this day.

And I do not know how this assumption spread among some scholars of the four schools that Ibn al Wazir, al Muqbili, al Amir, and al Shawkani are Zaidis, even though they severed their ties with it since they discarded blind conformity and acted according to the noble Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah.

If this misconception arose due to these scholars living in Zaidi regions, then this is due to their origin being connected to this sect and their initial stages of studying its jurisprudence, as we have explained previously. There is no clearer proof of what we mentioned than what we referred to regarding their abandonment of taqlid, evidenced by the explicit response of Imam Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al Wazir to the Chief Judge of Makkah, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Zahirah al Shafi’i. This occurred when, after learning that Imam al Wazir did not adhere to any specific sect, he invited him to adopt the Shafi’i school, saying, “How wonderful it would be, my master, if you affiliated yourself with Imam al Shafi’i.” Imam al Wazir replied, “Glory be to Allah, O Qadi! If taqlid was permissible for me, I would not choose anyone over imitating my ancestor Imam al Qasim ibn Ibrahim or his grandson al Hadi, as they are more deserving of taqlid than others.”[21]

NEXT⇒ Restricting Imamah to the Descendants of Hassan and Hussain

[1] In this manner, do they slander every person who abandons blind conformity to their faith, choosing to act upon the evidences of the Qur’an and Sunnah, branding him with the epithet of Wahhabi! As Qadi ‘Aqil ibn Yahya al Iryani, who took office in the year 1346 AH/1928 CE, said, “If I glorify my Deity above the rivals, they say, ‘You are a Wahhabi,’ but in the chosen one [Prophet Muhammad] is a model, his nation named him al Sabi (apostate).”

[2] And this is the logic of the radical Shia in every time and place; they accuse those who love the Companions of the Messenger Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam of hating ‘Ali and his sons radiya Llahu ‘anhum, claiming they are of unknown parentage, as al Sahib ibn ‘Abbad said, “Whoever is of doubt and negligence and harbours ill for the Messenger’s household, the blame lies on his mother who was frequented by some of her neighbours.”

[3] From his Diwan, pg. 205. The beginning of the poem reads, “When weakness overcame me from all sides and I passed the age of eighty.”

[4] The hadith’s text is:

يحمل هذا العلم من كل خلف عدوله ينفوه عنه تحريف الغالين وانتحال المبطلين وتأويل الجاهلين

This knowledge will be carried by the just successors who refute the distortion of the extremists, the false claims of the fabricators, and the interpretation of the ignorant. (Mishkat al Masabih, 1/53, al Albani graded it sahih.)

[5] It appears with the wording, “He who deems Allah’s prohibitions permissible does not believe in the Qur’an.” The narration includes an unknown narrator. (Irwa’ al Ghalil, 3/360.)

[6] Al Harf: It is Harf Sufyan to the north of San’a’.

[7] Sahih al Jami’ al Saghir wa Ziyadatuhu, 1/267, al Albani graded it hassan, the wording is close.

[8] Al Tabarani: al Mujam al Kabir, 11/65, Hadith: 11061, al Albani declared it a fabrication. (Al Silsilah al Da’ifah, 6/457, Hadith: 2955.)

[9] Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 927, al Albani graded it sahih.

[10] ‘Usaymat is one of the famous tribes of Hashid. Huth is a migration that took place on their land.

[11] This is how it appears in the original.

[12] Al Albani: Al Silsilah al Da’ifah, 2/298, Hadith: 894. The hadith is a fabrication.

[13] Al Tawajjuh refers to the recitation of:

إِنِّيْ وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِيْ فَطَرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيْفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ إِنَّ صَلاَتِيْ وَنُسُكِيْ وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِيْ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ

[14] His Diwan, pg. 345.

[15] Al ‘Ilm al Shamikh, pg. 440.

[16] An example of this is the event with the scholar al Khatib ‘Ali ibn Yahya after the year 1396 AH; he went to Egypt around 1333 AH or the year before or after, intending to join al Azhar. When asked about his sect, he said Zaidi, which made the questioner seek refuge with Allah. ‘Ali ibn Yahya responded, assuming he was considered an infidel before converting to Islam, but the enquirer refused his admission saying, “If only it were so.” Upon leaving, he met the Yemeni merchant ‘Ali Yahya al Hamdani in Cairo, to whom he recounted his experience. Al Hamdani then wrote to Imam Yahya ibn Muhammad Hamid al Din, who wrote to King Fu’ad, pleading to allow the scholar to study at al Azhar. He was admitted on the condition of choosing one of the four well-known Sunni schools of thought, likely opting for the Hanafi school because it is closest to the Zaidi school in jurisprudence. This was the same choice made by his maternal brother, ‘Abdullah ibn Zaid al Daylami, after going to Egypt and joining al Azhar, claiming to be Hanafi, leading to Egyptians who knew him jokingly saying, “A Zaidi in disguise.”

[17] Al ‘Awasim wa al Qawasim, 3/34.

[18] Al ‘Awasim wa al Qawasim, 3/31.

[19] He was one of the leading scholars of the Hadawi, and was close to Imam al Mutawakkil Ismail ibn al Imam al Qasim ibn Muhammad.

[20] Al ‘Ilm al Shamikh, pg. 108-109.

[21] Al Fada’il; al Badr al Tali’, 2/90.

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