Ahl al-Bayt

Ahl al-Bayt (أهل البيت‎, Persian: اهلِ بیت‎), also Āl al-Bayt or Ahlul Bayt, is a phrase meaning, literally, "People of the House" or "Family of the House". Within the Islamic tradition, the term refers to the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.In Shia Islam the Ahl al-Bayt are central to Islam and interpreters of the Quran and Sunnah. Shias believe they are successors of Muhammad and consist of Muhammad, Fatimah, Ali, Hasan, and Husayn (known collectively as the Ahl al-Kisa, "people of the mantle") and the rest of the Imams from The Fourteen Infallibles.

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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 4 years ago

In Sunni books as well as Shia books, it is narrated that The Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) has clearly said:  My successors will be twelve , all of them from Bani Hashim.

This is one of Sunni very important books which narrated this Hadeeth:

Yanabee' Al-Mawaddah by Al-Qundoozi Al-Hanafi, Vol 3, Page 445.

The narration of Quraysh is the ne which has been publicized by those who dont want to mention Ahlul Bayt (AS).

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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 4 years ago

Yes. We need in Salat al-Jama'ah (Congregation Prayer) to recite every thing except Sura Al-Hamd and the other Sura in the first and second Rak'ats because it is the responsibility of Imam Al-Jama'ah.

Wassalam

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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 4 years ago

'Ilm Al-Rijaal is the knowledge about the authenticity of narrators which leads us to evaluate their narrations to decide whether we can believe them or not.

In Quran Allah (SAWA) says: ( قل آلله أذن لكم أم على الله تفترون )Did Allah permit you or you falsely claim on Him?(Sura Younus;59)

Which is very clear that we can not claim any thing in religion of Allah with out authentic evidence. Narrations can be authentic and can be not. That is why we must study the narrators very carefully before taking their narrations as the matters of religion are a big responsibility on us. 

We also read in Quran that before believing any narrator we must be sure about his authenticity. (Al-Hujoraat ; 6)

We also have plenty of Hadeeths from the Prophet (SAWA) and Infallible Imams in this important matter. In fact, we can not take any narration in any important matter in life before we trust the authenticity of the narrator, so what about matters of religion?

That is why, 'Ilm al-Rijaal is necessary to evaluate narrations through evaluating the narrators.

Wassalam

Wassalam

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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 4 years ago

Bismihi ta'ala

In various libraries around the world that hold valuable Islamic manuscript collections, some writings are attributed to Imam Ali (a.s.). 

Although some specialists in paleography and codicology might be sceptic about whether such attributions can be verified, there are strong claims that there are writings that can be traced back to that time. Of course, the challenge still stands, and we can only surmise its attrubution, and not be absolutely certain. 

Please have a look at this manuscript of the holy Quran attributed to Imam Ali (a.s.), in his holy Shrine: 

http://imamhussain.org/news/25128

Wassalam

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Rebecca Masterton, Dr Rebecca Masterton graduated with a BA in Japanese Language and Literature; an MA in Comparative East Asian and African Literature and a PhD in Islamic literature of West Africa. She has been... Answered 4 years ago

There is an interesting book entitled 'Mysticism in Iran: The Safavid Roots of a Modern Concept' by Ata Anzali. The blurb says : ""Mysticism" in Iran is an in-depth analysis of significant transformations in the religious landscape of Safavid Iran that led to the marginalization of Sufism and the eventual emergence of 'irfan as an alternative Shi'i model of spirituality. 

Ata Anzali draws on a treasure-trove of manuscripts from Iranian archives to offer an original study of the transformation of Safavid Persia from a majority Sunni country to a Twelver Shi'i realm. The work straddles social and intellectual history, beginning with an examination of late Safavid social and religious contexts in which Twelver religious scholars launched a successful campaign against Sufism with the tacit approval of the court. This led to the social, political, and economic marginalization of Sufism, which was stigmatized as an illegitimate mode of piety rooted in a Sunni past. 

Anzali directs the reader's attention to creative and successful attempts by other members of the ulama to incorporate the Sufi tradition into the new Twelver milieu. He argues that the category of 'irfan, or "mysticism," was invented at the end of the Safavid period by mystically minded scholars such as Shah Muhammad Darabi and Qutb al-Din Nayrizi in reference to this domesticated form of Sufism. Key aspects of Sufi thought and practice were revisited in the new environment, which Anzali demonstrates by examining the evolving role of the spiritual master. This traditional Sufi function was reimagined by Shi'i intellectuals to incorporate the guidance of the infallible imams and their deputies, the ulama.

Anzali goes on to address the institutionalization of 'irfan in Shi'i madrasas and the role played by prominent religious scholars of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries in this regard. The book closes with a chapter devoted to fascinating changes in the thought and practice of 'irfan in the twentieth century during the transformative processes of modernity. Focusing on the little-studied figure of Kayvan Qazvini and his writings, Anzali explains how 'irfan was embraced as a rational, science-friendly, nonsectarian, and anticlerical concept by secular Iranian intellectuals.'

Pre-Buyid Shi'ism, which we find in Usul al-Kafi, spoke about an 'irfan that was based upon ma'rifa of the batin of the ontological Imam (the Imam as Light). The Imam as an external manifestation of the Intellect illuminates the intellect of the Shi'a (again, 'aql having a very specific definition, being that faculty that perceives the truth of the signs of Allah).

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 5 years ago

Thank you for your question. It is a very wide topic and to capture all of its facets within a short answer is not easy.

If I was to summarise it in one concept I would say that true irfan according to the school of Ahl al-Bayt is the perfection of the intellect. Not the calculative intellect but the intellect through which God is worshipped and heaven is attained. That perfection starts when someone completely distances themselves from their base wants and desires. The first stage is to realise the reality of this finite world and to turn to God, after which there are many other stages of the combat with the self before the doors of witnessing are opened and the intellect moves on to become more and more refined. It is a path of knowledge, faith, patience, sincerity, kindness, submission and devotion and obedience to them, which are all expounded on in detail in the Quran and the sayings of the Ahl al-Bayt. It is both an intellectual and practical journey and it is a way of life. It is not a way of seclusion or a way of worldliness but it is a balanced way.

May you always be successful.

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Interesting question!

One has to assume that if the possessors of these books chose not to share them, then it is not necessary for us to know the contents. Mushaf Fatimah and al-Jafr, according to hadith, contain more than fiqh and shari'ah; for instance, according to hadith, they contain detailed future prophecies, and perhaps this information would not be beneficial for us. According to hadith, Mushaf Fatimah was narrated to her as a form of consolation due to her grief for her father, so from that angle, there may have been a personal purpose. 

There are a number of sacred items mentioned in hadith as being passed on from the prophets to the Imams as a sign of spiritual authority and these can be looked at in this light.

There is no indication that the Imams required these materials to learn, but that does not mean that there is any problem in their having them or consulting them. Perhaps it was reassuring to some people around them, who did not believe in the imamate, that they were referring to texts received from their forebears. 

We live in an era where the value of things is measured very materially, especially in the era of the Internet, when it is assumed that anything worthwhile should be shared publicly. However, this brings up the question of, do things have value if people do not see them? (For instance, a tree in a forest.) Is it possible for something to have purpose if it is seen by only one or a handful of people? It is reasonable to argue that there is a spiritual value to the existence of these items; however, for them to have an existential value, it is not necessary that they be available to the majority of people. 

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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 4 years ago

Bismihi ta'ala

In this case, for the acts of Hajj in which taharah is wajib, like tawaf and salat tawaf, she will need to readjust certain things, the details of which are in Fiqh books. 

As for Ziyarah, she can still go to the holy shrines, but there are certain areas in which she will not be able to enter into. The boundaries of these areas differ in each shrine, and so she should ask until where is she able to go to. 

And Allah knows best. 

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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 5 years ago

Thank you for your question. I think that this is a misconception as all of the beauty and greatness of the Imams (as) is derived and inherited from the Prophet (saw) and so when the Shia praise the Imams (as) that is not separate from their appreciation of the Prophet (saw). From a theological perspective, the Shia need to discuss the qualities of the Imams to understand how they are rightful inheritors of the Prophet (saw) and for this reason, they spend time trying to understand those qualities.

May you always be successful.

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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... Answered 5 years ago

Thank you for the question!

It is not inappropriate since the Qur'an commands us: "O you who believe, be helpers of Allah (ansar Allah)" (61:14) and then mentions Jesus (A) asking his disciplies who would be be his helpers towards Allah. So it is a Qur'anic phrase. 

The Imams (A) are called this because they wholeheartedly and fully served the cause of Allah.

However, if saying they are "ansar Allah", makes you feel uncomfortable, you do not need to say it.

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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 5 years ago
Thank you for your question. The title bāb al-ḥawāʾij is conferred on these personalities by their admirers and their experience of finding their requests being answered in a speedy fashion. In reality all of the Infallibles (as) are worthy of this title.
May you always be successful.

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Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour, Sheikh Mohammad Saeed Bahmanpour is lecturer of Islamic Studies at the Islamic College for Advanced Studies, London, and a visiting lecturer at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Oriental... Answered 5 years ago

Salamun alaykum

No this is not true.