Ahl al-Bayt

You must be sure that you and your children will always follow Ahlul Bayt (AS). Don't take any risk in this crucial matter. I advise you to invite him to read few books written by Sunni scholars who became followers of Ahlul Bayt (AS) after researching Sunni and Shia books e.g The I was guided by Dr Samawi Tijani and The Miising Link etc.

After reading such books and being able to ask questions to Shia scholars, he should be able to decide his following Ahlul Bayt (AS).

Wassakam.

Tawassul is a matter which has been misunderstood by many Muslims now a days under the Wahabi propaganda which wrongly claimed it as a type of worship to other than Allah. Wahabi sect claims following Tawheed but their books prove that they do not understand the real meaning of Tawheed in Quran and authentic Hadeeth. That is why they accuse other Muslims to be Mushrik just because they don't follow the Wahabi misunderstanding of Tawheed.

'Tawassul is seeking the help of the most humble servants of Allah to get our needs. We believe that they (The Prophet and Ahlul Bayt (AS) are Servants of Allah and only do what Allah wants. There is no question at all of Shirk because Shirk means to believe that there is a partner or helper etc to Allah. 
Addressing the Prophet is absolutely right as he himself taught Muslims to address him in Tawassul as it has been narrated in Sunni and Shia books in the famous Hadeeth of the blind حديث الأعمى which is narrated by Othman Ibn Hunaif that a blind person requested the Prophet to help him get back his eye sight. The Prophet told him to tolerate but he said : I can not tolerate. The Prophet advised him to perform Wudhu and pray two Rak'ats of Salah and say in the last Sajda: O Allah, I seek from You by Your Prophet, the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad; I am seeking from Allah through you to grant me my need.

'The blind did what the Prophet taught him and got back his eye sight. The Hadeeth is narrated in al-Tareekh al-Kabeer by al-Bukhari, and Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah and Nasaa'ee and al-Bayhaqi and Abu Na'eem in Ma'rufat al- Sahabah, and al-Tabaraani and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani and al-Soyooti and many other well known Sunni scholars.

'We can address the Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS) directly knowing that they only do what Allah wants, as well as addressing Allah directly with the Waseela Bihaqqi of Ahlul Bayt (AS). Both are good.

'Wassalam.

   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.
 

We have many Hadeeths about narcissus النرجس. In Tibb Al-Ridha , page 38, from Imam Al-Ridha : Don't delay smelling the narcissus, as it prevents cold in the winter.

'Wassalam.

Al Horoof al-Muqatta'a or al-Muqatta'aat are combinations of letters or single letter of the Arabic language in the beginning of 29 surahs in Qur'an. 27 of them are Makki surahs and only 2 are Madani - al-Baqara and Aal Imran.
 
Each letter is recited separately. Examples are Alif Laam Mim, Haa Mim and Alif Laam Ra.
 
No doubt there are meanings for every letter in Qur'an but the ulama have discussed these letters and have different opinions.
 
Some of the ulama say that it is a challenge to the Arabs - the fact that these letters are from their own language. It is a challenge to them to prove that they can never bring something like Qur'an.  When they failed, they were challenged to bring ten chapters like its chapters, and when failed, they were challenged to bring just one chapter like its chapters. They failed as well. That is very clear evidence that the Qur'an is not from a human source.
 
No doubt the meaning of these letters in Qur'an and the meaning of the whole Qur'an is fully with the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and with his Holy Projeny Ahlul Bayt (AS).
 
We have many narrations in this regard in the book of al-Shaykh al-Saduq known by Ma'ani al-Akhbar - the meanings of the narrations.
 
Many narrations about the meanings of some of the Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at like Alif Laam Ra is that it is the greatest name of Allah (SWT), Ta Haa is one of the names of the Prophet (SAWA).
 
In surah Maryam the first verse - Kaf Ha Ya 'Ain Sad - according a narration it refers to Karbala, the victimisation of Ahlul Bayt (as), the criminal Yazid, the thirst of Imam Hussain (as) and the patience of Imam Hussain (as).
 
These narrations are many but we can come to the conclusion that the detailed meanings of these letters are with the Prophet (pbuh) and Ahlul Bayt (as).
 
The ulama have also seen a link between these letters and the surah itself so if any surah starts with Alif Laam Mim, there is a link between these letters and the contents of the surah.
 
Many books were written on the subject of Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at:
 
·        Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at fil-Qur'an by Abd al-Jabbar Sharara
·        Awa'il al-Suwar fil-Qur'an al-Karim by Ali Nasuh Tahir
·        Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at fee awail al-Suwar al-Qur'aniya by Muhammad Ahmed Abu Firakh
·        Asrar al-Huruf, wa yalih al Horoof al-Muqatta'ah fil-Qur'an al-Karim by Kazim Muhammad Ali Shukr
·        Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at fee awail al-Suwar by Adil bin Ali bin Ahmed al-Shiddi
·        Al-Nadhr ila al-Ma'ani Al Horoof al-Muqatta'at by Hamid bin Abullah bin Ali
·        al-Muqatta'at fee Fawatih al-Suwar by Asmaa Tariq Ismail Rayyan
 
Briefly we say that the real meanings of these letters are best known by the Prophet (pbuh) and his Holy Projeny (as).
Wassalam.

All the Prophets are Infallibles with no exception at all.

The status of the fourteen Infallables ( Muhammad , Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, Husain and nine Imams from Imam Husain) is The highest above all noble human beings. No doubt there are very pious personalities like Lady Maryam Bint Imran and Lady Asiya Bint Muzahim who have got a degree of infallibility which is called by some scholars as minor infallibility. Minor infallibility means a high state of piousness in which the person keeps himself away from sins because of continuous remembering Allah (SWT). This type of infallibility is less than the infallibility of the 14 Ma'soomeen (AS). 

Lady Zaynab (AS) and Hazrat Abbas (AS) were best of the best pious people but their status is after the status of the 14 Ma'soomeen. Many scholars call their infallibility as acquired infallibility which is a result of highest degrees of Taqwa and piousness.

Wassalam.