Sunni-Shi'a

103188

What is the major evidence that Shia Islam is the right way of Islam?

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 58 min ago

Quran and the authentic orders of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) are the main evidence that the real Islam is the Islam of Ahlul Bayt (AS) and Shia Muslims are the followers of Ahlul Bayt (AS), which means that the real Islam is what is called Shia Islam.

Allah in Quran has ordered the absolute obedience to Allah, the messenger and the divine leaders (Sura 4, verse 59). Absolute obedience can never to fallible persons. The order means that the absolute obedience to Allah, the messenger and the divine leaders from Ahlul Bayt (AS) about whom the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) ordered Muslims to follow and absolutely obey. He said : I am leaving among you two most important things that you will never go astray if you keep following them; the book of Allah and my Progeny Ahlul Bayt (Saheeh Muslim, Hadeeth number 4425, Sunan al-Tirmithi 3718, and 3720, al-Mustadrak by Nisabori 4576 and 4577 and many other references in Sunni books.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) announced in the day of Ghadeer the leadership of Ali after him as it is narrated in hundreds of Sunni books, and Shia Muslims are obeying the order of the Prophet in this most important matter and every matter.

Shia Muslims take the meanings of Quran (Tafseer) and the Sunnah from the most knowledgeable and most pious who are Ahlul Bayt (AS) as they were been ordered by the Prophet himself (SAWA).

Wassalam.

103489

Son . Catholic . Girl . Scholars . Marriage . Sunni-Shi'a . Mut'a (Temporary marriage)

My Shia son wishes to marry a Catholic girl which some scholars allow while others only allow temporary marriage. Is reciting the Nikah necessary in this case?

Muslim man is not allowed to permanently marry a Non Muslim woman from people of Book. Temporary marriage is permissible under some conditions.

Nikah is the recitation of the marriage agreement whether permanent or temporary which is must.

Wassalam.

102506

Muslims . Sunni-Shi'a

Is it true that Shia Muslims pray three times a day? If so, how is that possible?

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 1 week ago

Bismihi ta'ala

The obligatory daily prayers for all Muslims are the same times: Fajr, Dhuhr, 'Asr, Maghreb, 'Isha`.

The timing for these prayers are extremely similar for all Islamic schools of thought at as well. The point of difference as far as timing is in two aspects:

1. 'Asr,

2. 'Isha`.

The difference here is that in the Ja'fari fiqhi view, the timing for these two prayers is not as distant away from Dhuhr and Maghreb as the Sunni fiqhi view states.

In fact, for 'Asr and 'Isha`, one is able to pray them once their finish the previous salat. Yes, it is recommended to pray nawafil, and do duas, etc, between Dhuhr and 'Asr, and Maghreb and 'Isha`, but these are not obligatory to do.

So, basically, from the Shi'i perspective, it is permissible to join Dhuhr and 'Asr, and Maghreb and 'Isha`, and pray them one after the other.

In Sunni jurisprudence, this is not prohibited as well. One Sunni view is that this can be done only when travelling, with a valid excuse or in emergencies. Another Sunni view is that it can be done with a valid excuse or without.

We do know that in Sunni hadith books, there are numerous authenticated hadiths that mention the holy Prophet (s.a.w.) joined these prayers together and prayed them one after the other, without any excuse.

Therefore, what the Shi'a do in combining between these two prayers is not something heretical or far fetched, or bad. Each madhhab is entitled to have their own jurisprudential view on certain things, especially when we see that there are many Sunni scholars who also approve of it as well.

And Allah knows best.

96927

Sunni-Shi'a . Abu Sa'id al-Khudri . Sahaba (Companions)

How is the companion Abu Sa'id al-Khudri considered by Shia scholars?

Abu Sa’eed al-Khurdi or al-Khidri is considered as one of the pious companions of the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him and His Holy Progeny). He was with the army of Ameerul Momeneen Ali (A.S.) fighting against his enemies. Ameerul Momeneen asked the companions who from you witnessed the incident of Ghadeer Khum. Only 17 man stood up and gave witness among them was Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri. He lived long as he was born 10 years before Hijra and he passed away in year 73 after Hijra, so his age was 83 years. From Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (A.S.) about him that he was a straight forward person. Al-Khishyee mentioned in the life of ibne Masa’ood and Huzaifa the names of the companions who referred to Ameerul Momeneen the name of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri was with them. Al-Allama in his book Al-Khulaasa narrated from Al-Burqi that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri was from the companions of Ameerul Momeneen Ali (A.S.). Abu Sa’eed al-Khidri is buried in Al-Baqiyah. His Name was Sa’aad Bin Malik Bin Sinaan and his Kunniyah was Abu Sa’eed. He was from the Al-Ansaar from Bani Khidra or Khurda.

In the reply which Imam Ali Ibne Moosa Ar-Reza (A.S.) has written to Al-Ma’moon about those companions who were following Ameerul Momeneen (A.S.) after the Prophet and did not change, he mentioned the name of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri. Imam Hussain (A.S.) in Karbala in his speech told the army of Yazeed that you can ask Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri. The first battle in which Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri participated was Al-Khandaq than he took part in 12 other battles with Prophet (S.A.W.A.)

May Allah (SWT) bless his soul.

Wassalam.

101736

Sunni-Shi'a . Imamah

Is it a Shia belief that the 12 Imams are omnipresent everywhere and are aware of everything that happens on the Earth?

Allah, The Glorious is everywhere and He knows everything that happens everywhere on the earth and the whole universe. He gifts His most humble servants (Muhammad and his 12 successors) whatever He wants from His Knowledge whenever and wherever He wants. They know whatever Allah informs them.

The Hadeeth Qudsi says:Allah says: O my servant, obey me, you will like me عبدي أطعني تكن مثلي.

Wassalam.

101755

Sunni-Shi'a

Is it compulsory for a person to follow a single school of thought? If someone tried to follow all schools of thought and took from each what he felt comfortable with, is that allowed?

Religion must be taken from the authentic source only to be sure that you are following the real orders of Allah. Religion can not be taken from different opinions of different schools. No one can select from different schools according to his feeling of comfort as real religion is not meant to follow our feelings but we are been asked by Allah to follow His real religion. Allah (SWT) ordered us to follow and obey the Prophet (SAWA) and the Proohet ordered us to follow and obey his Progeny Ahlul Bayt (AS). Any opinion which is away from Ahlul Bayt is not correct, and we are not allowed to follow any incorrect opinion in religion. Allah says in Quran ( So after the Truth, what else can there be but error) Sura Yunus, verse 32.

'Wassalam.

101714

Hadith . Sunni-Shi'a . Salah (Prayers)

Is there any Hadith of Rasool Allah (SAW) in the Shia books of Hadith that describe the procedure for offering Salaat from Takbeer to Salam in a single narrative?

Yes. In the most authentic books of Hadeeth known as Al-Tahtheeb by Al-Shaikh Al-Toosi, volume 3, page 81, there is an authentic Hadeeth narrated by Hammaad ibn Easa. This Hadeeth has the procedure of Salaat from Takbeer to Salaam in a single narrative.

Wassalam.

101886

Intention . Shirk . Sunni-Shi'a . Prostration (sujud) . Tawhid

I heard a Shia scholar say that when prostrating at the doorstep of the Prophet (saw), with the intention of piety and love of Allah, this action is not regarded as an act of Shirk. Can you explain the boundaries of Tawheed and Shirk in Shia Islam?

Tawheed means not believing nor worshiping but only Allah (SWT). Shirk is believing or worshiping other than Allah with Allah (SWT). We believe that the Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt are the most humble servants of Allah.

Prostrating at the doorstep of the Prophet (SAWA) is in fact for thanking Allah for granting us the great bounty of visiting the shrine of the Prophet (SAWA) or his Ahlul Bayt (AS). Thanking Allah in the form of prostrating is a sincere worship to Allah and can never be Shirk. We never believe nor accept any claim suggesting worshiping the Prophet, his Ahlul Bayt or any one but only Allah (SWT). Respecting the Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt does not mean worshipping them at all. Respect is completely different from worshiping. Wahhabis mix wrongly between respect and worship. Even we prostrate at the doorstep of the holy shrines, we never do it as a sign of respect but we do it as an act of thanking Allah for His great bounties on us.

Wassalam.

Intention . Shirk . Sunni-Shi'a . Prostration (sujud) . Tawhid

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 4 weeks ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Shirk is to limit Allah in any way such that even the conception of another god would be possible. Even to say He is a god is not satisfactory as that would entail a genus of gods under which God would be a species with only one referent. Numerical oneness is limited, as in numbering God as one a person gives the possibility of two gods. Numbers themselves are a factor of the material world. Rather, Allah is above being numbered as a number entails a limit and He is above all limitations.

As for prostration, it is clear that if a person prostrates to a being in worship then that is completely forbidden in Islam and Shiism as a sect within Islam. However, prostration does not only entail this meaning and is also a symbol of humbleness. For this reason God commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam (as), not in worship or out of polytheistic intent. So too Prophet Ya'qub (as) prostrated in front of Prophet Yusuf (as).

May you always be successful

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 weeks 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

101175

Hajj . Life . Sunni-Shi'a

Did Imam Ali (AS) perform Hajj during his life? If so, is there a Shia source for it?

Bismihi ta'ala

By looking at the history of Islam, and how close Imam Ali (a.s.) was to the holy Prophet (s.a.w.), and their frequent travelling, along with the victory of conquering Meccah al-Mukarramah, this leaves no doubt that Imam Ali (a.s.) performed Hajj, and visited the holy Ka'bah, which was his birthplace.

We can see the many instances of how Imam Ali (a.s.) describes Hajj, in Nahj al-Balaghah, and in other sources as well.

Furthermore, we know about the authentic mutawatir hadith of Hajjatul-Wida', where on their way back from the last Hajj, our beloved Prophet (s.a.w.) announced the succession and wilayah of Imam Ali (a.s.).

With prayers for your success.

70799

Badr . Sahaba (Companions) . Battles . Sunni-Shi'a

Who were the 313 companions of the Prophet (s) who participated in the battle of Badr and what was their status compared to others? Are all those companions revered by the Shi'a?

Shi'a respect and revere every sincere Muslim who remained obeying the Prophet (SAWA). The companions who took part in the battle of Badr are fully respected unless they did wrong after that. Haatib ibn Abi Balta'ah participated in Badr battle but later on he betrayed the Prophet and Islam by writing a secret letter to the Mushriks of Makkah informing them about the preparations of the Prophet to attack the Mushriks in Makkah.( Siyar A'lamm al-Nobalaa', page 43)

Qudamah ibn Madh'oon was also in Badr battle but later on he committed major sin of drinking alcohol and was punished for that during the government of Umarvibn al-Khattab. ( Siyar A'laam al-Nubalaa' page 162 and al-Esaabah fi Tamyeez al-Sahabah).

We highly respect every companion who fulfilled his duty in obeying Allah (SWT) and the Prophet (SAWA) and did not change till the end of his life.

'Wassalam.