Sunni

Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam, followed by the majority of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word sunnah, referring to the behaviour of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagreement over the succession to Muhammad and subsequently acquired broader political significance, as well as theological and juridical dimensions.

110185

Imamah . Heaven . Sunni

Is it obligatory to believe in Imamah to go to heaven? What kind of references from Sunni books can be given to our brothers to prove its necessity?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 week ago

Imamah is the divine leadership after the Prophet (SAWA) to lead and guide Muslims to the real teachings of Islam. It was mentioned in hundreds of times by the Prophet (SAWA) including the greatest announcement in Islam on the Day of Ghadeer when the Prophet ordered all Muslims to give allegiances to Ali as the commander of the faithful.

Muslims are required to obey the Prophet (SAWA) as Allah (SWT) says in Quran : Who obeys the Prophet has in fact obeyed Allah.(Sura Annisaa', verse 80).

There are hundreds of authentic narrations in Sunni books about this most authentic prophetic order

Wassalam.

107532

Baligh . Sunni . Children . Salat al-Jama’at

Is it allowed for a non-Baligh child to lead adults in Wajib prayers, as this practice is seen in the Sunni community? Will my prayer be accepted if I happened to participate in such a congregation?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 1 month ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. One of the conditions for a prayer leader according to the School of Ahl al-Bayt (as) is that they are baligh. If they are not baligh, that prayer cannot be lead by them and so if someone participated in that prayer they will need to repeat it.

May you always be successful

103488

Sunni . Sunni-Shi'a

I want to pray but I don't know whether the correct way is as performed by the Sunnis or the Shia. Can you give me some evidence that proves that the Shia way to pray is the correct one?

The ways of worshipping Allah The Glorious are different in different faiths like Judaism , Christianity and Islam. We take the way of Islam because it is the most authentic being practiced by the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) who can not be compared with narrators of other faiths. Likewise, the prophetic Prayer (Salah) narrated by Ahlul Bayt (AS) who lived with him and knew the most about his practice is the most authentic. Non Shia ways of Salah are been narrated from different narrators who did not live with the Prophet, even some of them did not meet him at all, as well as the non Shia way Salah are contradicting each other that is why you find the ways of Salah in Sunni sects and subjects are different. Even timings of Assr and Isha Salah is different according to Hanafi sect and Shafi'ee sect. The way folding arms during Salah despite being never done by the Prophet, but it is been done by Sunni different sects and subjects in different ways. With all the differences among Sunni groups which you can read about them in Sunni books like Bidayat al-Mujtahid and Al-Fiqh ala al-Mathaahib al-Arba'ah,Bhowanipore can you trust that their ways are authentically narrated from the Prophet?

Shia way of Salah is narrated from Ahlul Bayt, The most pious who lived with Prophet and saw him always praying

Wassalam.

101054

Sunni . Mosque

In our small city there are very few Shias and no centre or Hussainiya. In this situation is it allowed to donate for the building of a Sunni mosque?

If you are sure that the Masjid will remain under the management of reasonable persons and will not be influenced by extreme Wahabi groups, then you can help them.

It is better to help poor Mo'mineen in poor areas or poor countries where they don't have a Masjid.

Wassalam.

101891

Marriage . Sunni . Sunni-Shi'a

Is marriage between Shia and Sunni allowed?

Seyed Ali Shobayri, Seyed Ali Shobayri is of mixed Iranian and Scottish descent who found the path of the Ahlul Bayt (a) by his own research. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University through the... Answered 4 months ago

Bismillah,

Asalamu Alaykom,

Such marriage is allowed but could become haram by secondary ruling if it leads to misguidance. For example, if a Shia woman would marry a Sunni man and she isn't strong in her faith, then it is possible she may deviate and such a marriage could be problematic. One must also make sure the one they marry is not hostile towards the Shia.

Furthermore one must think about the future of their kids, I have witnessed that in most cases when a shia woman has married a non-shia man, the kids end up becoming confused or lean more towards the father's beliefs.

Please bear in mind just because something is allowed, in no way does this indicate that it is recommend. Therefore I advise anyone to marry a shia believer or someone who they can influence to follow the path of Ahlul bayt (peace be upon them).

May Allah swt grant you sucess

98417

Marriage . Husband . Sunni

What should a Shia woman should do if, many years into marriage, her husband forces her to follow his Sunni beliefs?

No obedience is permissible in disobeying Allah (ALLAH). Shia woman must follow the true Islam of Ahlul Bayt (AS) and never give up any rule or faith from Ahlul Bayt (AS) to please any one including her husband. She must be firm in following the True Islam of Ahlul Bayt at any cost.

'Wassalam.

97795

Sunni . Narrations . Imamah . Ahl al-Bayt

Where are the names of the 12 Imams of the Ahlulbayt mentioned in Sunni narrations?

1.   The Names of the Twelve Imams of Ahlulbayt (A.S.) were mentioned by the Prophet Muhammed (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Progeny) in many authentic Hadeeths narrated in Shia Books and Sunni Books as well. Despite all the efforts of the enemies of Ahlulbayt (A.S.) to delete and hide and destroy any written Hadeeth in favor of Ameerul Mo'mineen (AS.) and Ahlulbayt (A.S.). You find till today many of Sunni Books still contain many Hadeeths in favor of Ahlulbayt (A.S.).
   2.   The Twelve Successors:
All Muslims believe that the Prophet (SAWA) has said that: My Successors will be twelve. This Hadeeth of Twelve Successors is mentioned in:
   ⁃   Saheeh Bukhari ( Hadeeth number 6682)
   ⁃   Saheeh Muslim ( 3393 and 3394 and 3395 and 3396 and 3397 and 3398)
   ⁃   Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal ( 3593, 3665, 19875, 19887, 19892, 19901, 19914, 19920, 19922, 19925, 19944 and many other Hadeeths in this meaning.
   ⁃   Sunan Al-Tirmithi 2149.
   ⁃   Sunan Abi Dawoud 3731 and 3732
   ⁃   Al Mustadrak Ala Sahihain by al-Haakim al-Nisabouri ;6586, 6589 and 8529.
   ⁃   Al-Albani in Takhreej al-Hadeeth; 376, 1075 and 3598.
   ⁃   and in many other Sunni Books. The Hadees states that all the twelve will be from “Quraish”.
   4.   There is more clear Hadeeth from the Prophet (SAWA) which was been hidden by most of the narrators who where under the pressure of the tyrant rulers of the enemies of Ahlulbayt (A.S.). This Hadees states that all the Twelve Successors of the Prophet (SAWA) will be from “Bani Hashim” as it is narrated by the well known Sunni Scholar Al Qunduzi Al Hanafi in Yanabee’ Al Mawaddah Vol: 2 Page: 315.
   5.   The names of the Twelve Imams one after another are mentioned in many Hadeeths in the book of well known Sunni Scholar Al Khawarizmi Al Hanafi in his book Maqtal Al-Hussain narrating from Abi Salma from the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Progeny). (Vol: 1 Page: 146.)
   6.   The Hadees mentioning the names of 12 Imams also narrated in the book of the well-known Sunni Scholar Al Qunduzi Al Hanafi (The name of the book is Yanadiyeh Al Mawaddah) Vol: 3 Page: 380.
   7.   There are Hadeeths mentioning the names of Twelve Imams (A.S.) narrated by al Hamaweeni As Shafi’ee.
   8.   Also you can find the mention of the Twelve Imams in the well known Sunni Book Tazkirat Al Khawas تذكرة الخواص by Sibt Ibne Al-Jawzi (a well known Hanafi scholar in Vol: 2 Page: 373.
   9.   One of our well known Ulama (Al-Khazzaz Al Qummi) who was one of the students of Sheikh Al Sadooq has compiled a full book ( Kifayat al-Athar Fi al-Nass Akal Etha Ashar)in which he mentioned of Hadeeths stating the names of the Twelve Imams narrating from 30 Companions by their names who mentioned what they heard from the Prophet (PBUH) the names of the Twelve Imams (A.S.)
   10.   A Sunni scholar by the name of Shaikh Hikmat al-Rahma has compiled a book known as The Imams of Ahlul Bayt in Sunni books. Wassalam.

95705

Marriage . Sunni . Children . Sunni-Shi'a . Woman . Anxiety

I am a 32 year old Shia female who wants to go for marriage with a Sunni guy. We would like to be together but do worry for the next generation. Should we bring up our children as Sunni or Shia?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 8 months ago

Bismihi ta'ala

As far as you are concerned, following the madhhab of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) is a part of your personality and identity, and your marriage should not obstruct your affiliation to your Shi'i identity. This should be made clear to your fiance.

In regards to your future children, you as their mother must try to nurture them in such a way where they are aware of their religion and abide to the laws of Islam. Which madhhab they choose is completely up to them, when they become mature and of age.

If you instill within them the love of religion and the urge to pursue truth and evidence, and allow them to research and read and decide themselves, you've done your obligation. The rest is for them to decide.

Your main focus must be on accompanying your husband to be in a noble spiritual way, and avoiding anything that would hurt or harm his understanding of Islam, or your understanding of Islam.

Be the parents that you should be, and that would be the best thing you can do.

With prayers for your success.

93760

Sunni . Mayyit . Fiqh (Jurisprudence)

Our Sunni brothers have a ritual of pressing the stomach of the Mayyit to remove waste. Do we have any such act within our Fiqh? If not, would it be forbidden to do so?

It is Mustahab (recommended) to wipe on the tummy of the dead body twice, one with first Ghusl with Sidr and second with the second Ghusl with Kafour except the dead woman if she was pregnant then it becomes Makrouh (disliked) to wipe on her tummy during Ghusl.

Wassalam.

92230

Sunni . Man . Sunni-Shi'a . Sayyid . Marriage

Is it allowed for a Shia Syeda to marry a Sunni man?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answer updated 9 months ago

Yes.

Why would God punish or restrict a woman due to her paternal lineage to only allow her to marry a certain group of men, whereas other Muslim women are allowed to marry any Muslim man?

However, I do think it's advisable to take sect into consideration when marrying, and to make sure that the husband and wife have compatible ideas about religion, especially if there is the possibility of children. However, this is general advice, not related to one's lineage.

91661

Sunni . Conversion to Islam . Sunni-Shi'a

How can I convert from Sunni to Shia?

It is not necessary to make a formal conversion. You can simply make an inner commitment to follow and respect Imam 'Ali and the other Imams, to implement the teachings of the Prophet (S) as transmitted from the family of the Prophet (S) (that is, Shi'i hadith), and to follow Shi'i religious law.

In practice, you will probably also want to find a Shi'i mosque or Shi'i gatherings to attend, if it is possible where you live. (It isn't a requirement, but most people like to spend time with people of the same faith orientation.)

There are a number of recommended practices in Shi'ism that are not required while, at the same time, are spiritually beneficial, such as reciting certain du'as on certain days, such as Du'a Kumayl on Thursday nights. One can find more information on these things on the websites www.duas.org. Attending gatherings for these can also be both spiritually and socially beneficial, although they are not considered necessary in the same way the salat is necessary.

In terms of deepening one's knowledge of the Shi'i tradition, there are a lot of good videos on YouTube and on sites such as ShiaTV.Net as well as sites from mosques (for instance, broadcasting Friday sermons), and also a lot of books available, including on al-islam.org.

[Note that I am putting these resources for information only, not implying that you do not have knowledge of these subjects already! However someone else might come across this response and find the links useful.]
Best wishes!

90538

Sunni . Society . Mut'a (Temporary marriage) . Widow

A young Sunni widow is not remarrying because of widow remarriage being a taboo in her society but is willing for Mutah with a married Shia acquaintance. Is that allowed?

Bismihi ta'ala

If you are asking if it is jurisprudentially allowed, then the simple answer is yes, if she was to perform temporary marriage with a Shi'a male it would be valid.

However, is it socially advisable for her to do so. I would encourage her to think for the future and focus on long term relationship, settling down and marrying someone. This would be better for her on many levels.

Her getting involved in mut'ah, and not knowing how long it will last, and whether the man will respect her reputation, etc, will be more socially damaging for her.

As for the taboo of remarriage, this is something we must all fight against, and reclaim what our religion favours for us as a society.

With prayers for your success.