Preliminary Notes
For an enricher read, the reader is kindly requested to bear in mind the following fundamental factors:
Observe that for every question; there are multiple verses in The Holy Qur’an, that illustrate the question’s many aspects and angles. That is in addition to the fact that every verse in itself, except having an overall outward explanation, also contains many fine details that shed light on more principles and subtle factors that both clarify historical associations and describe guiding directions. For that reason, every verse includes a whole world of clear truths, knowledge, depth and secrets. The verses recorded in this book constitute only a fraction of all verses that are related to every subject. For more depth in every question, it is required that the searcher devotes themselves to deeper studies of the Holy Qur’an, its interpretation commentary and its related ahadith (narrations) and history.
In the question of historical perspective and the limited possibility to include the whole course of history with all its details, mainly the prior, more crucial and unanimous historical events have been accounted for. Again, the searcher is responsible for follow-up any loose ends and research.
- Shi'a Islam: Belief System, Leadership And History
- Dedication
- Foreword
- Preliminary Notes
- Chapter 1: Islamic Perspective On Humanity And The World
- Chapter 2: What Is The Key Element Of Islam?
- A. Tawhid – One God
- Tawhid On Four Levels
- B. How Do I Know God Exits?
- B1. The Proof Of Order And The Creational Syncing – Logical Derivation
- B2. Everything Is Created, And All That Is Created Must Be Derived Back To A Creator – Philosophical Derivation
- Contingent Existence
- A Necessary Existence
- The First Cause – One Necessary Existence
- Why Must This Necessary Existence Have To Be One?
- One Self-Existing Independent Necessary Existence
- Why Must The Creator Hold Certain Attributes?
- Why Must It Be God?
- How Is The Emergence Of A Higher Developed Existence From A Less Developed Existence To Be Explained?
- B3. The Human Fitra (Inherent Inner Belief) – Instinctive Derivation
- C. Who Is God?
- C1. The Attributes Of God
- C2. ‘Adalah – Divine Justice
- D. What Does It Mean To Me That God Exists?
- D1. Purpose Of Life And Creation
- D2. Day Of Judgment
- E. How Can I Attain My Creational Purpose?
- E1. God Has Sent Guides
- E2. One And The Same Line
- Chapter 2 – Summary
- Chapter 3: God’s Continuous Guidance Through His Chosen Guides
- E3. Pillars Of Islam – Common Foundation For All Denominations
- F. God Does Not Leave Creation Without A Guide
- F1. God’s Guidance Through His Chosen Guides - The Messenger And His Successors
- F3. The Guides After The Prophet (S)
- F4. ‘Isma (Infallibility) – Why Is It A Requirement?
- F5. Derivation Of The Imams (‘A) Infallibility From The Holy Qur’an
- Chapter 3 – Summary
- Chapter 4: Shi’a – Definition And Meaning
- Chapter 5: Prophethood
- H. From Adam (‘A) To Muhammad (S) – One Line
- I. The Holy Prophet (S) [The First Ma’soom] – The Story Of The Prophet (S)
- I1. Before The Revelation Of The Holy Qur’an
- I2. Islam In Mecca
- The First To Accept Islam (Year 13 Bh/610 Ad)
- An Open Invitation To Islam Begins – An Invitation To The Nearest
- The Open Invitation To Islam Continues
- Islam Starts To Expand, And The Elite Of Mecca Feels Threatened
- Migration To Abyssinia, Economic Sanctions And A Blockade
- The Year Of Sorrow And Migration To Medina
- I3. Islam In Medina
- The Brotherhood Between The Muhajirin And Ansar
- The Number Of Muslims Increase And The Enemies Join Forces
- Quraysh Plans To Attack The Muslims Militarily
- The Battle Of Badr (Year 2 Ah/624 Ad)
- The Battle Of Uhud (Year 3 Ah/625 Ad)
- The Battle Of Ahzab [Also Known As Khandaq] (Year 5 Ah/627 Ad)
- The Treaty Of Hudaybiyya (Year 6 Ah/628 Ad)
- The Battle Of Khaybar (Year 7 Ah/629 Ad)
- The Conquest Of Mecca (Year 8 Ah/630 Ad)
- The Last Pilgrimage (Year 10 Ah/632 Ad)
- J. Preparing For The First Imam (‘A)
- K. Preparing For The Final Imam (‘Aj) – His Signs And His Promised Arrival
- Chapter 5 – Summary
- Chapter 6: Imamah
- 6.1 - 1st Imam [Second Ma’soom] – Imam Ali (‘A), The Guide Of The Prophet (S)
- M. Would The Prophet (S) Leave His People To Their Own Fates?
- M1. What Were The Alternatives Of The Prophet (S)?
- N. God Has Promised To Preserve Religion Forever – How?
- O. Imam Ali (‘A), Raised By The Prophet (S)
- O1. From The Verse ‘Warn Your Closest Relatives’ To Ghadir
- P. After The Prophet (S)
- Before The Passing Of The Prophet (S) – The Prophet (S) Asks To Write Down Something Important
- Two Paths After The Prophet (S)
- Did You Know?
- Imam Ali (‘A) Refuses To Pledge Allegiance To Abu Bakr
- The Attack On Imam Ali’s (‘A) House
- Why Did Imam Ali (‘A) Refuse To Pledge Allegiance?
- Why Did The Imam (‘A) Not Take Up Arms?
- Did You Know?
- Q. The First Three Caliphs
- Q1. Abu Bakr’s Caliphate – The First Caliph
- Q2. Omar’s Caliphate – The Second Caliph
- The Umayyad Family Comes Into Power
- The Prophet’s (S) Companions – Kept In Tin The Distance From The Political Arena And Forbidden To Recite Ahadith Or Leave Medina Without The Permission Of The Caliph
- Insufficient Knowledge Of Islamic Law And Imam Ali’s (‘A) Advice On Difficult Issues
- Change In The Sunnah Of The Prophet (S)
- The Appointment Of A Successor
- Did You Know?
- Q3. Uthman’s Caliphate – The Third Caliph
- 6.2 - The Caliphate
- R. The Solution Of The Enemies: First Oppression And One War After Another
- Imam Ali’s (‘A) Leadership And The Removal Of Former Regents
- Imam Ali (‘A) Is Accused Of Uthman’s Murder
- Talha, Zubayr & Aisha
- One War After Another
- The Battle Of Jamal (36 Ah/656 Ad)
- Did You Know?
- The Battle Begins
- The Prophet’s (S) Advance Warnings
- After The Battle Of Jamal
- The Battle Of Siffin (37 Ah/657 Ad)
- The Battle Of Nahrawan (Year 38 Ah/ 658 Ad)
- Imam Ali’s (‘A) Martyrdom (21st Of The Month Of Ramadan, Year 40 AH/ 622 AD)
- R1. Preparing For The Final Imam (‘A) – To Tolerate A Just Imam (‘A) In Power
- A Few Aspects Of The Imam’s (‘A) Justice
- Right People In The Right Position – Skill-Based Recruitment And Carefully Following Up
- Regents And Governors
- Bayt Al-Mal (Treasury House) And Governmental Properties – Fair Distribution And Management With Great Care
- Equal Before The Law
- ‘Brothers In Faith Or Equals In Humanity.’
- The Regent Of The People Is Also The Servant Of The People
- Tolerating The Imam’s (‘Aj) Justice
- A Few Aspects Of The Imam’s (‘A) Justice
- R. The Solution Of The Enemies: First Oppression And One War After Another
- 6.3 - The 3rd Ma’soom – Fatimah Az-Zahra’ (‘A)
- S. The Link Between Prophethood And Imamah
- S1. Preparations For The Final Imam (‘Aj) – Stand Up For Your Imam (‘A)
- Rises Up For Her Imam (‘A) And Gives It Priority Over Herself - Despite The Grief After The Prophet (S)
- Rises Up For Her Imam (‘A) With Her Word – Spreading The Word Of Truth
- Stands Up For Her Imam (‘A) With Her Eminence – Demands Back The Seized Fadak
- Rises Up For Her Imam (‘A) With Her Action – Meets The Perpetrators Who Came To Force The Imam (‘A) To Give Bay’a
- Rises Up For Her Imam (‘A) Until Her Last Breath – Despite Being Injured And On Her Deathbed
- Rises For Her Imam (‘A) Up Until Death – Will And Martyrdom (Year 11 Ah/632 Ad)
- To Rise Up For One’s Imam (‘Aj)
- 6.4 – The 2nd Imam (Forth Ma’soom) – Imam Al-Hasan (‘A)
- T. One Lonely Imam (‘A) And One Nation Afflicted By Indolence
- T1. The Enemy’s Solution – Feeble Friends & Treacherous Enemies
- T2. Preparations For The Final Imam (‘Aj) – An Imam (‘A) Must Have Companions
- 6.5 – The 3rd Imam [Fifth Ma’soom] – Imam Al-Husayn (‘A)
- U. An Imam (‘A) With Few But Faithful Companions And An Unprepared Public
- U1. The Circumstances Leading To Imam Al-Husayn’s (‘A) Revolution
- U2. What Did Imam Al-Husayn (‘A) Do?
- U3. In What Way Did Imam Al-Husayn’s (‘A) Movement Save The Religion?
- U4. Solution By The Enemy: A Silenced Massacre Turned To A High Echo
- U5. Preparing For The Final Imam (‘Aj) – My Son Is Coming
- 6.6 - The 4th Imam [Sixth Ma’soom] – Imam Al-Sajjad (‘A)
- 6.7 – The 5th And The 6th Imam [Seventh And Eighth Ma’soom] – Imam Al-Baqir (‘A) & Imam Al-Sadiq (‘A)
- 6.8 – The 7th Imam [Ninth Ma’soom] – Imam Al-Kadhim (‘A)
- 6.9 – The 8th Imam [Tenth Ma’soom] – Imam Al-Ridha’ (‘A)
- 6.10 – The 9th, 10th And 11th Imams [Eleventh, Twelfth, And Thirteenth Ma’soom] – Imam Al-Jawad (‘A), Imam Al-Hadi (‘A) And Imam Al-’Askari (‘A)
- 6.11 – The 12th Imam [Fourteenth Ma’soom] – Imam Al-Mahdi (‘Aj)
- Chapter 6 – Summary