(B) Shi`a Books in English

BOOK (1)

The Fallacy

Of

Shiite Beliefs

 

 

Dr. Umar Labdo

 

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

       A lot of people know Shiism only as the official ideology of the Islamic Republic of Iran that is radical, anti-Imperialist and progressive. This is true and correct.

Iranians have been a great nation in the past as well as in contemporary times. Historically, they founded one of the greatest civilizations – the Persian/Sassanid civilization. Today, Iranians are the freest Muslim people on earth (that is prior to the Arab Spring). They have recorded significant strides in many fields of human endeavour. Presently, they are in the process of building a very powerful economy, conquering many markets in the third world countries, and are well on their way to acquiring nuclear capability.

But what is the truth about their ideology? This is what every non-Shiite Muslim should find out. The following facts are taken from their own books, written by their own scholars and religious authorities.

Shiism Founded as a Reaction to Islam

Shiism was founded by Jews and the Persians as a reaction to Islam’s destruction of their civilizations and effectively wiping them off the map of the world.[1] The Prophet fought the Jews at Madina and Khaybar and dislodged them from the Arabian Peninsula. The Companions of the Prophet, under the leadership of the second Caliph Umar bin al-Khattab, fought the Persian Empire in a series of battles, dispossessing it of territories until they destroyed it completely. All this was accomplished in 25 years.

It is understandable therefore if these great peoples, the Jews and the Persians, were angry at having their millennia old civilizations destroyed in just 25 years, something unprecedented in history. But it was a reality in the face of which they could do little. They had been vanquished at the battlefield.

But would they give up? No. They changed tactics. They entered Islam en masse with the intention of fighting the religion from within. The result was the founding and development of the Shi’ah sect, which took as a cover the love of the family of the Prophet, Ahlul Bait.

Shiism was founded as a secret movement with the avowed objective of destroying Islam. This is why their teachings and beliefs contradict the basic tenets of Islam, as contained in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. They made secrecy a cardinal principle of the movement in what they call Taqiyyah (we shall see more on this later). The earliest activities of the movement led to the assassination of the second and third Caliphs, Umar bin al-Khattab and Uthman bin Affan. They also precipitated the first internal disagreement between the Muslims, which culminated in the two civil wars of Jamal and Siffain. This constituted the first crack in the wall of Islam, which has never quite been mended till today.

The Doctrine of Imamah

Shiites have doctrines which set them apart from other Muslims. The first and most important is the doctrine of Imamah. To the Shiites, Imamah or leadership of the Muslim Ummah after the Prophet, is the most important pillar of religion equal to kalimah al-shahadah, the testimony of faith, or even greater than it because without belief in Imamah the kalimah itself would not be valid.[2] According to them, Ali bin Abu Talib is the first Imam and for one to be a true believer, one has to accept Ali’s superiority over and above the rest of the Companions of the Prophet and his unequivocal right, as well as that of his progeny, to lead the Muslim Ummah after the Prophet.

An Imam is not merely chosen or elected by the Muslims to lead them, but is appointed by Allah himself just as prophets and messengers are appointed. So Ali bin Abu Talib and eleven of his descendents were appointed by Allah as the twelve Imams of Islam and this, according to Shiite religious authorities, was explicitly made known by the Prophet.[3] The Shiites attribute supernatural powers to their Imams whom they believe to be infallible and possess the knowledge of the unseen.[4] Some contemporary Shiite scholars, including the late Iranian spiritual leader, Ayatullah Ruhullah Khomeini, even regard them as superior to all prophets and messengers of Allah.[5]

Their Doctrine on the Sahabah

The Shiites maintain a very negative, aggressive and contemptuous attitude towards the generality of the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them). Their books, ancient, modern and contemporary, as well as their vile utterances on the pulpit and in the media, are full of hatred, malaise, resentment and vilification toward that exemplary generation of men and women who supported the Prophet and aided him in conveying the message of Islam.

According to the Shiite doctrine on the Sahabah, all but three of the Companions of the Prophet committed apostasy after the Prophet’s death and are therefore considered unbelievers.[6] Clearly, this is a declaration of war on Islam because if the Sahabah, who spread the message of Islam and taught the Qur’an and Sunnah to the subsequent generations are unbelievers, then the validity and authority of Islam is seriously called into question. For how can we attest to the validity and authority of the Qur’an and indeed the Sunnah of the Prophet if those who transmitted same were unbelievers?

The Shiites’ slanderous vilification of the Sahabah does not stop here; they consider them as wicked, most malicious and the worst kind of unbelievers because, according to them, they abandoned the Prophet’s explicit instruction and denied Ali his right to lead the Muslims.           In other words, they disbelieved in the Imamah. For this reason, the Shiites contend, one’s faith would not be valid and acceptable in the sight of Allah until after denouncing the Companions and rejecting them.[7]

Followers of the Shi’ah sect reserve special malice and hatred against the most prominent companions of the Prophet, namely Abubakar and Umar, the first and second Caliphs respectively, and their daughters, Aisha and Hafsah, the wives of the Messenger of Allah and Mothers of the Faithful. They especially attack Umar whom they call the Pharaoh of this Ummah probably because of his illustrious role in destroying the Persian Empire for which act the Iranians would never forgive him. They also savagely attack Aisha, the most beloved wife of the Prophet, whom they continue to libelously slander, repeating the false allegations of the hypocrites against her, although the Noble Qur’an has explicitly exonerated her.[8]

It is clear that the Shiite attitude towards the Sahabah is a grand conspiracy against Islam. They try to attack and damage the first generation of Muslims, so that they could cut the Ummah from its roots. In doing so, they meretriciously take the cover of love for, and loyalty to, the family of the Prophet (peace be upon him). But how can they divide between the Companions of the Prophet, the Sahabah, and members of his household, the Ahlul Bait? How can one love Fatimah, the Prophet’s daughter, while at the same time pour venom on Aisha, his beloved wife? Or how can one be loyal to Ali, the Prophet’s nephew, and reserve the most venomous rancor and hatred for his closest friends, in-laws and followers, Abubakar and Umar?

The position of the Companions in Islam is clear. They are the first to follow the Prophet and accept the faith, and they bore the burden of its propagation and spread. They sacrificed their lives and wealth, abandoned home and family, and endured persecution and hardship in order to see to the success of the new faith. They learned the Qur’an and Sunnah in theory and practice and passed same to the next generation of Muslims. TheSahabah are, therefore, the foundation on which rests the edifice of Islam. Without their role, without their efforts and sacrifices, Islam would not have survived to reach us. No wonder Allah has praised them in many verses of the Qur’an. One such verse reads:

And the first to lead the way of the Muhajirun and the Ansar and those who followed them in goodness – Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success. (9: 100)[9]

It is clear from the above and many similar verses that the Shiites are in very grave error when they condemned the generality of the Companions as apostates and that their hypocritical love and loyalty to the Prophet’s family will not help them.

 

The Falsification of the Qur’an

The Shiites believe in the doctrine of the falsification of the Qur’an. According to this belief, the Qur’an that we have in our possession today is incomplete. It is full of contradictions, interpolations, inaccuracies and inconsistencies. And who is responsible for this wanton falsification of the Qur’an? The Shiites say it is the Sahabah, the Companions of the Prophet who were the custodians of the Book and who preserved and compiled it after the Prophet.[10] They say the Companions embarked on a wholesale slanting of the Qur’an in order to cover their scandalous and disgraceful acts, which are graphically exposed in the Qur’an, and to hide the outstanding traits and qualities of the family of the Prophet, including Ali’s right to be the Imam after the Prophet, which are also explicitly set out in the Book.[11]

No doubt, this doctrine runs counter to the Qur’an, which affirms its immutability and challenges mankind to ponder and consider its contents if they could find any contradiction therein:

Will they not then consider the Qur’an carefully? Had it been from other than Allah, they would have found therein much contradiction. (4: 82)

The doctrine also denies Allah’s promise to guard his Book against any human interference:

Verily, we, it is we who have sent down the Reminder (i.e., the Qur’an) and surely we will guard it (from corruption). (15: 9)

Indeed, Allah has protected his Book so that “it is unassailable Scripture. Falsehood cannot come at it from before it or behind it. It is a revelation from the Wise, Owner of Praise.” (41: 42)

Taqiyah or Hidden Identity

Taqiyah means dissimulation or hidden identity. It is the act of hiding ones true feelings, intentions, belief or identity often by lying to people or deceiving them. This is the bait that the Shiites use to catch new prey.

The Shiites routinely hide their true identity, beliefs and intentions toward others. They claim that they practice Taqiyah only under duress or in the face of threatening danger. But this is not always true, since they practice it in normal circumstances and in the absence of any danger. In any case, it is very difficult to comprehend how the Shiites can claim to be the followers of Imam Hussain, whom they regard as the master of martyrs and the leader of revolutionaries, while they practice Taqiyah and believe in it and sanction it for themselves.

But the apparent contradiction disappears when we consider the origin and true nature of the Shiite belief. Shi’ism, as we noted earlier, is a reaction to Islam’s supremacy by older civilizations, especially the Jewish and the Persian civilizations, who hitherto considered the Arabs backward and barbaric. When Islam transformed the Arabs and turned them into a formidable power, these nations could not do anything in the face of this power, but go underground. So from the beginning, Shi’ism took the form of a secret, clandestine movement aimed at subverting Islam and destabilizing the Muslim Ummah.

Shiite religious authorities have made Taqiyah a cardinal tenet of their faith. They invent stories and attribute them to the leaders of Ahlul Bait in order to justify it. Their foremost authority on Hadith, Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Kulaini, reports that Abu Ja’far, the fifth Shi’ah Imam, has said, “Taqiyah is my religion and the religion of my forefathers and there is no faith for him who does not practice Taqiyah.”[12] However, a look at the life of Abu Ja’far and his forefathers, the Imams, will show that these pious, sincere and courageous men were far from Taqiyah. They were not deceptive, they were not cowards and, indeed, they were not hypocrites. Rather, they were, as the Qur’an describes them, “humble toward the believers, stern toward disbelievers, striving in the way of Allah, and fearing not the blame of any blamer.” (5: 54)

Successive Shiite generations have found in Taqiyah a tool for promoting their sect and spreading its teachings among other unsuspecting Muslim groupings, especially the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah. Presently, the Iranian government has elevated it to the status of official policy, clothing it with the garb of foreign aid and humanitarian activity.

Scholars’ Legal Opinion on Shiism

Based on the above facts, Muslim scholars across centuries have issued very strict rulings and legal opinions concerning the status of the Shiites. Below is a sample of them:

In his treatise entitled Khalq Af’aal al-‘Ibad, Imam Bukhari writes, “It is all the same for me whether I pray behind a Rafidi (a Shiite) or behind a Jew or a Christian.” [13] The implication of this statement is that Imam Bukhari did not consider Shiites as Muslims since he equated them with Jews and Christians.

The same opinion was expressed by Imam Malik when he said, “Those who abuse the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) have not smelt the scent of Islam.”[14]

The renowned classical scholar and author of the famous al-Shifa, Qadi Iyad, declares, “We categorically believe that those extremist Rafidis, who believe in the superiority of their Imams over the Prophets, are unbelievers.”[15] As we have seen earlier, this is exactly the belief of Imam Khumaini.

Lastly, the Mujaddid of West Africa, Usman Danfodiyo, agreed with the above scholars when he wrote, “Whoever condemns the Companions as unbelievers, or slanders the first generation of the Ummah, ceases to be a Muslim.”[16]

The Implications of Spreading Shiism in Nigeria

There are serious implications and grave consequences for allowing Shi’ism to spread in any country, especially in a country with an overwhelming Sunni population like Nigeria. The most serious implication is religious. Shi’ah is a deviationist sect, which is built on distorted precepts. Therefore, its spread will corrupt the aqidah of Muslims, thereby producing negative results, as bid’ah can never produce positive results.

Another consequence is division and disunity among the Ummah. We already have enough differences between the Izala and the Tariqa, but these are child play compared to the differences between Sunnah and Shi’ah. Disagreements between the Izala and the Tariqa are not very deep. Both recognize the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, have respect for the generations of the Sahaba and the Tabi’un and accept the four schools of Islamic law. The disagreement between Sunnah and Shi’ah, on the other hand, is more fundamental and far-reaching. The Shiites recognize only one of the four Caliphs, namely Ali bin Abu Talib, while they regard the other three as unbelievers. They have no respect for the Sahaba or the Tabi’un and do not accept any of the four schools of law. Disunity between Sunnah and Shi’ah will certainly be a source of strife and instability among Muslims.

There is also the political and security implication. Iranians are using Shiite groups in other countries as a tool of political control. Through them, they interfere in the internal affairs of nations, subverting their governments and compromising their independence. They often stir up internal strife between different segments of a country, then come round and supply weapons to the warring factions in much the same way as the colonial governments did. Their shameful role in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and recently in Syria is enough to buttress this point.

We should also not forget the large consignment of weapons impounded in Lagos, in October 2010, by Nigerian security agents which originated from Iran. The Iranian embassy in Abuja has since admitted that one of the persons implicated in this crime is on its staff. As usual with Nigeria, the saga is yet to be resolved.

N.B.:- Just before we went to press, two things happened. First, the above saga was resolved. A court in Abuja convicted two men, a Nigerian and an Iranian, for the importation of arms into Nigeria and sentenced them to 17 years imprisonment.[17] Second, a large cache of deadly weapons was discovered in a bunker in Kano which was traced to some Lebanese members of Hezbollah living in the city.[18]

The Daily Trust newspaper reported that journalists asked the Commander of the 3 Brigade Kano, Brig-Gen. Ilyasu Abba, who conducted them round the building where the weapons were found if the alleged owners of the cache had anything to do with the Boko Haram sect? [19] One wonders whether the question arose from the appalling degree of ignorance with which many of our journalists are known or it was just sheer hypocrisy and mischief? Why didn’t they ask if it was connected with Alzakzaki’s Shiite group who openly display Hezbollah’s flags during their processions.[20]

The truth will one day come out.

Important Notices:

1. Sunni Muslims consider the twelve Shi’ah Imams and other members of the Prophet’s household, the Ahlul Bait, as belonging to the rank of the leadership of the Ahlus Sunnah. They also believe that statements attributed to them by the Shiites, which are contrary to the teachings of the Qur’an and Hadith, such as the ones we have seen, are mere lies and the Imams are innocent of them.

2. Shiite sources consulted in preparing this booklet are available at the library of Markazus Sahabah in Sokoto. The library is open to the public.

 

 

[1] See the following sources by Shiite scholars in which they admit that the first to teach the doctrines of Shiism were the Jews: Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Hassan al-Mamiqani, Tanqih al-Maqal, al-Matba’ah al-Murtadawiyyah, Najaf-Iraq, 1348 A.H., vol. 2 p. 184; Sa’ad bin Abdillah al-Ash’ari al-Qummi, al-Maqalat wa al-Firaq, Matba’ah Haidari, Tehran-Iran, 1963, p. 61.

[2] Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, Mir’at al-Uqul, Tehran, n.d., vol. 7 p. 102; Muhammad Ridah al-Muzaffar, ‘Aqa’id al-Imamiyyah, Dar al-Ghadir, Beirut, 1393 A.H., p. 102.

[3] Ali bin Isa al-Arbali, Kashf al-Gummah fi Ma’arifah al-A’immah, Qum-Iran, 1381 A.H., vol. 2 p. 507; Ibn Babawaih al-Qummi, al-Khisal, Maktabah al-Saduq, Tehran, 1389 A.H., p. 478.

[4] Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Kulaini, Usul al-Kafi, Dar al-Murtadi, Beirut, 1426 A.H., vol. 1 p.261.

[5] Ayatullah Ruhullah Khomeini, al-Hukumah al-Islamiyyah, published by the Ministry of Guidance, Islamic Republic of Iran, n.d., p. 52.

[6] Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Kulaini, al-Raudah min al-Kafi, Dar al-Murtadi, Beirut, 1426 A.H., vol. 8 p.245.

[7] Abdullah Shabbar, Haqq al-Yaqin, Dar al-Adwa’, Beirut, 1404 A.H., p. 519.

[8] Ali bin Ibrahim al-Qummi, Tafsir al-Qummi, Dar al-Surur, Beirut, 1387 A.H., vol. 2 p. 449; Sayyid Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, al-Anwar al-Nu’maniyya, Mu’assasah al-A’lami, Beirut, 1404 A.H., vol. 1 p.82-83.

[9] See more verses in praise of the Sahabah and confirmation of their faith: Qur’an 48: 18, 29; 59: 8-9; and many more.

[10] Al-Kulaini, Usul al-Kafi, op. cit., vol. 2 p. 632; Hashim bin Sulaiman al-Bahrani, al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, Tehran, n.d., p. 36.

[11] Al-Kulaini, ibid., vol. 2 p. 634; al-Bahrani, ibid., p. 38.

[12] Al-Kulaini, ibid., vol. 2 p. 219.

[13] Quoted from al-Intisar Li al-Sahab wa al-Aal, p. 132.

[14] Ibid., p. 133.

[15] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa bi Ta’rif Huquq al- Mustafa, vol. 2 p. 1078.

[16] Sheikh Usman Danfodiyo, Tahqiq al-Ismah Li Jami’ Tabaqat Hazih al-Ummah, locally printed in Sokoto under the auspices of Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, 2002, p. 8.

[17] See Dailay Trust of 15^th May, 2013, p. 46.

[18] See Daily Trust of Friday, May 31, 2013, p. 1 and 5.

[19] Ibid., p. 5.

[20] For an example of Zakzaki’s Shiite group carrying Hezbollah’s flags on the streets, see a photograph in the Daily Trust of Tuesday, May 22, 2012, p 3.

BOOK (2) COMPANIONS

 

Pro 44

08026596528, 08095430077

What the Shiites Say

 

About

the Companions

 

of the Prophet (peace be upon him)

 

 

 

Dr. Umar Labdo

 

 

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

Chapter One

The Sunni View of the Companions

Who Are the Companions?

Muslim scholars have given the definition of a Sahabi (plural: Sahabah or As’hab), that is a Companion, as “Any person, male or female, who met the Prophet (peace be upon him) while a Muslim and died as a Muslim.”[1]

They used the word “met” instead of “seen” to include the blind who met the Prophet, believed in him but never saw him. They also qualified meeting him with “being a Muslim” to exclude those who met him but did not believe in him. The last qualification, “died as a Muslim”, is meant to exclude those who met him, believed in him but committed apostasy afterwards and died as unbelievers. However, those who committed apostasy after meeting him but reverted to Islam are considered Companions, as consideration is given only to the state in which one dies.

Technically speaking, therefore, a Companion is any person, male or female, who was favoured by divine providence to have met the Prophet and believed in him. Such a meeting may be long or short, repeated or once. This includes those who had association or relationship with him, such as his family, including his wives, his relatives or friends. It also includes all those who met him in whatever capacity, circumstance or occasion, provided they were Muslims, however short the meeting was.

Some scholars have stipulated that the individual must be an adult at the time of the meeting, implying that underaged children who met the Prophet did not qualify as Companions. The widely accepted opinion, however, is that being of age is not a condition and that attaining the age of discretion is sufficient. Therefore, children who met him at the age of seven and above are considered as Companions.

The Merits of the Companions

          TheContemporaries of the Prophet, who believed in him, did not live with him by chance. They were especially chosen by Allah to help the Messenger in conveying his message. They have distinguishing merits above all men except the prophets and messengers of Allah. Confirming this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

Surely, Allah has chosen my Companions above all humans and the jinns except the prophets and messengers.[2]

In a corroborative statement, the renown Companion, Abdullah bin Mas’ud, said:

Allah examined the hearts of mankind and he found Muhammad’s heart as the best of hearts; so he chose him and sent him with his Message. Then he examined the hearts of men and he found the hearts of the Companions as the best of hearts; so he appointed themas the lieutenants of his Prophet and defenders of his religion.[3]

Below are some of the merits:

1. Allah has confirmed their faith. He said, “Those who have believed and emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aided, it is they who are the believers truly. For them is forgiveness and noble provision.” (8: 74) The reference in this verse is to Muhajirun (who emigrated) and the Ansar (who gave shelter and aided).

2. He has confirmed their sincerity and honesty: “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure.” (48: 29) In another verse, he said: “For the poor emigrants who were expelled from their homes and their properties, seeking bounty from Allah and [His] approval and supporting Allah and His Messenger. Those are the truthful.” (59: 8)

3. Because of their true faith and sincere devotion, Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with him: “And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct – Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.” (9: 100)

4. They are the best of mankind: “You are the best community that has been raised up for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” (3: 110)

Commenting on the above verse, Ibn Kathir said, “This verse addresses the whole Ummah, but the best generation of the Ummah is the generation of the Prophet.”[4] This is confirmed in Hadith. Ibn Mas’ud narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) has said, “The best of all generations is my generation, then those who followed them, then those who followed them.”[5]

Companions Not Infallible

Despite their merits, the Companions of the Prophet were not infallible. They were not holy in the sense of being above ordinary mortals. They possessed no supernatural abilities or qualities, nor did they lay claim to any. They were just ordinary men and women destined to attain high moral altitude for their deep belief and sincere devotion to Allah. They accepted Allah’s message, the Qur’an, internalized it and practiced it with utmost sincerity and honesty. They loved the Prophet deeply, followed him faithfully and renounced worldly desires, cravings and greed. Their ultimate goal was Allah’s pleasure for which they lived and died. The Almighty rewarded their devotion and sincerity, and was pleased with them.

In whatever they did, the Companions always strived towards the ideal. Therefore, they set standards which were hard for the subsequent generations to meet. But being human, their lives were not without travails and tribulations, nor their actions unblemished. Individually, they were capable of committing mistakes, and some of them did actually commit mistakes, but collectively they were the most impeccable and faultless community.

Because of divine favour, and for having the advantage of living at the time of revelation, the Companions’ mistakes were always instantly righted and their sins forgiven or met with expiation and atonement. For example, when a section of the Companions fled the battle during the encounter of Uhud, an act that amounted to a great sin, or kabirah, a verse was immediately revealed, which diagnosed the problem, prescribed a cure and declared Allah’s forgiveness: “Indeed, those of you who turned back on the day the two armies met [at Uhud] – it was Satan who caused them to slip because of some [blame] they had earned. Now Allah has forgiven them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.” (3: 155)

Another example is when a man named Ta’mah stole an item and conspired with his clan, the Banu Ubairiq, to blame it on a Jew. The stolen item was found with the Jew after it was thrown into his house without his knowledge. The man was taken to the Prophet and he was about to sentence him in error. Allah revealed a total of nine verses in defense of the Jew and exposed the conspirators:

Indeed, we have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth so you may judge between men by that which Allah has shown you. And do not be for the deceitful an advocate…But whoever earns an offence or a sin and then blames it on an innocent [person] has taken upon himself a slander and manifest sin…” (4: 105-113)

Thus, the impending miscarriage of justice was averted. The Jew was exonerated, the conspiring clan repented and the Prophet (peace be upon him) was saved from punishing the innocent person.[6]

After the death of the Prophet, the Companions faced tremendous challenges. In addition to consolidating the young Islamic state, they were the bearers of a new message that was destined to change the world. They stood at the threshold of a tremendous transformation unknown in the history of mankind. This means that heavy responsibilities involving momentous decisions and actions were thrust upon them.

In the decisions and actions that the Companions took unanimously, they were always right. However, in those that they disagreed upon, naturally some of them were right and others wrong. For instance, they were unanimous in electing Abubakar as the first Caliph and the ensuing developments proved them right. They were unanimous in fighting the apostates and subsequent events proved them right. They were also unanimous in compiling the Qur’an during the caliphateship of Abubakar, and later standardizing it during Uthman’s time. In all this, history proved them right. This is a confirmation of the Prophetic saying: “My Ummah shall never agree on error.”[7]

When the Companions disagreed in the time of Fitnah (political turmoil), their actions and utterances showed that their motives were noble and sincere. First, at the outbreak of the Fitnah, the greatest majority of them remained neutral and did not become involved. They supported neither side, nor did they take part in the actual fighting.

Contrary to popular perception, in the fight between the fourth Caliph, Ali bin Abu Talib, and Talha, Zubair and A’isha on the one hand, and between him and Mu’awiyyah on the other, not up to ten per cent of the Companions who were then alive took part. Muhammad bin Sirin, a great Tabi’ and an eye-witness to the events, had this to say about the issue, “The Fitnah arose when there were ten thousand Companions alive, but those who became involved were not up to a hundred.”[8]

In another testimony by ‘Amir bin Shurahil al-Sha’bi, another eye-witness, no one from among the Muhajirun attended the battle of Jamal except the following: Ali, Ammar bin Yasir, Talha and Zubair. In yet another account by Shu’bah, also an eye-witness, only one Badri (a Companion who attended the battle of Badr) was present at the battle of Jamal.[9] We may add here that, of the nine wives of the Prophet who survived him, only A’isha got involved in the Fitnah.

The civil war that took place between the Companions was the most humane and civilized ever seen in the history of mankind. It was not motivated by primordial interests or feelings, but was fought purely on principles. The rules of engagement, the actual conduct of the war and the treatment of war captives – all point to the sublime motives and noble objectives of the war. Each side was fighting for a cause they believed to be just and dear to their hearts, but did not make them for a moment forget that they were all brothers in Islam.

The details of the encounters sound fantastic to the modern ear used to the destructive and hate-filled warfare of the twenty-first century. In between battles, each side went to fetch water from the same source, overcrowding the place and often helping one another. When it was time for prayer, they stopped to pray. After each battle, each side entered the camp of the other, mixing freely and mourning their dead together. When Ammar bin Yasir, from Ali’s camp, was martyred, both sides performed the funeral prayers on him![10]

Thus, the civil war between the Companions of the Prophet did not sever the bond of brotherhood between them, nor did it make them condemn each other as unbelievers, contrary to false accusations of their detractors.

Passing Judgment on the Companions    

          Sunni scholars are unanimous that Ali bin Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) who was the legitimate Caliph at the time of the Fitnah, was right and that his opponents, including A’isha, Talha, Zubair and Mu’awiyyah (may Allah be pleased with them all), were wrong, even though they were blameless because they were fighting what they honestly believed to be a just cause and their motives were sound. According to them, both sides were searching for the truth: Ali found it and the others missed it. So, Ali had two rewards for searching and finding the truth, while the others had one for the honest and sincere effort of searching.[11]

The position of the followers of Sunnah, therefore, is that Muslims should not sit in judgment on the Companions of the Prophet or apportion blame to any party. Instead, they should have respect, loyalty and high opinion for all of them without any discrimination. They should also pray for all as Allah has instructed:

For the poor emigrants who were expelled from their homes and their properties, seeking bounty from Allah and [His] approval and supporting Allah and His Messenger, those are the truthful.

And those who were settled in the Home [i.e., al-Madinah] and [adopted] the faith before them, they love those who emigrated to them and find no any want in their heart of what they [i.e., the emigrants] were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they were in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be successful.

And those who came after them, saying “Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.” (59: 8-10)

The above three verses have classified the Ummah into three groups: The emigrants who were the truthful, those who gave shelter to them who were the successful and finally those who came after them. The first two refer to the Companions of the Prophet, the Muhajirun and the Ansaar. They have been given the stamp of approval: truth and success. The third refers to all the subsequent generations of Muslims until the end of time. They are waiting for theirs. Those to receive it are the ones who pray for the former and have no resentment against them.

 

Chapter Two

The Shiite View of the Companions

In chapter one, we have seen the Sunni creed on the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In this chapter, we are going to study the Shiites’ view on the first generation of Muslims. We shall depend entirely on Shi’ah sources in writing this section, and will be quoting directly from their authorities whom they recognize and accept.

A Definition of the Companions

          The renowned Shiite scholar, Abdullah al-Mamiqani, defines a Companion of the Prophet (Sahabi) as “Any person who met the Prophet (peace be upon him), while believing in him, and died a believer even if he [or she] committed apostasy in-between.”[12] This means that the Shiites, like the Sunnis, consider as Companions those who committed apostasy after meeting the Prophet and believing in him, but reverted to Islam before their death.

It will be noted that there is no difference in the definitions of the Sunnis and the Shiites. In fact, Shi’ah scholars adopted the Sunni definition, as admitted by the editor of Miqbas al-Hidayah.[13]

But when we come to their views on the Companions, we find a world of difference. Unlike the Sunnah followers, the Shiites maintain a very negative, aggressive and contemptuous attitude toward this exemplary generation of men and women who supported the Prophet and aided him in conveying the message of Islam. The views, very harsh and extreme, are scattered in books written by their ancient as well as modern and contemporary scholars. Below, we shall outline some of these views, quoting directly from their bona fide religious authorities.

Companions Commit Apostasy!

Shiites believe that majority of the Companions committed apostasy after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The foremost Shi’ah authority on Hadith, Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Kulaini, reports that Abu Ja’afar, the fifth Shi’ah Imam, has said: “People became apostates after the death of the Prophet, except three. I said: Who are the three? He replied: Miqdad bin al-Aswad, Abu Zarr al-Ghifari and Salman al-Farisi.”[14]

Another Shi’ah authority, Nurullah Tustari, wrote: “Muhammad (peace be upon him), came and guided many people but, after his death, they turned on their heels.”[15] [Meaning: they reverted to unbelief].

The belief that majority of the Companions of the Prophet committed apostasy immediately after his death, is very popular among Shiite scholars and religious authorities. Some even believe that most of the Companions never accepted Islam in the first place, but they were acting hypocritically and deceiving the Prophet. A noted Shi’ah scholar and jurist, Faid al-Kashani, wrote: “Most of them [the Companions] were hiding their hypocricy.”[16] Imam Khumaini, leader of the Iranian revolution, also shared this opinion. He wrote in his famous book, al-Hukumah al-Islamiyya, “The Companions were [all] hypocrites.”[17]

Shiite scholars are particularly harsh in their accusations against the most prominent Companions of the Prophet, namely Abubakar and Umar. They mention them by name and accuse them of abominable acts of hypocrisy and unbelief. Notable Shi’ah scholar and prolific writer, Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, said this about them, “Surely, Abubakar and Umar were unbelievers.”[18] Another Shi’ah scholar of note, Abdul Hussain al-Rashti, wrote, “Abubakar and Umar were the major cause for misguiding this Ummah.”[19]

But why do the Shiites regard the Companions as unbelievers? The reason is simple. The Companions, according to them, conspired against Ali and denied him his legitimate right to be the Caliph, or Imam, after the death of the Prophet. By this act, they willfully disobeyed the Prophet’s explicit instruction and will that Ali should inherit him in the leadership of the Ummah. It is by this purported usurpation of Ali’s right and disobedience to the Prophet that the Companions committed apostasy.

The foremost Shi’ah authority on Hadith, al-Kulaini, reports that Abu Abdullah, the sixth Shi’ah Imam, has said: “There are three people whom Allah will not speak to on the Day of Judgment, nor will he purify them, and for them will be hellfire: The one who claims Imamah that is not due to him, the one who denies a true Imam and the one who regards the former two as Muslims.”[20] Thus, Abubakar, Umar and Usman, who were Caliphs before Ali and who, in the Shiite view, usurped the imamate from him, as well as the rest of the Companions who recognized them as Caliphs and supported them, are all apostates and unbelievers. This means that virtually all Muslims, except those who reject the first three Caliphs, are unbelievers. And that precisely is the essence of the dogma of denunciation.

The Doctrine of Denunciation (Bara’ah)

          Shiites renounce the generality of the Companions. This denunciation, known as Bara’ah, is a cardinal principle of their faith and includes all those who pay allegiance to the Companions, love them or are devoted to them. It also includes all those who recognize the Caliphateship of the first three Caliphs.

Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, the great Shi’ah authority and influential scholar, writes: “Our doctrine of Bara’ah is that we denounce the four idols: Abubakar, Umar, Uthman and Mu’awiyyah; and the four women: A’isha, Hafsah, Hind and Umm al-Hakam. We also denounce all their followers and supporters. We consider them the most evil of Allah’s creation on the face of the earth; and that belief in Allah, his Messenger and the Imams will not be valid until after denouncing them.”[21]

The four men mentioned in the above quote are well known. Of the women, however, the first two are well known, but the rest may not be known to some. Hind was Mu’awiyya’s mother and she accepted Islam before her death and died as a Muslim. Umm al-Hakam, perhaps, was the grandmother of Marwan bin al-Hakam, a pillar in the much-hated, much-maligned Umayyad clan. The crime of the first three men, Abubakar, Umar and Usman, is that they usurped Ali’s right to the Caliphateship, and Mu’awiyyah fought Ali at the battle of Siffain. For these serious ‘culpabilities’, they are condemned as the most evil of Allah’s creatures in the world!! As for the women, it seems that their association with the men made them culpable also, although the Shiites accuse A’isha and Hafsah of a variety of crimes of their own into which we shall not delve here.

Cursing the Companions is Ibadah

          According to the Shiites, cursing the Companions of the Prophet is a form of worship by which one can gain Allah’s favour and win multitudes of rewards. Therefore, followers of the sect repeat curses, especially on the two Caliphs Abubakar and Umar (may Allah be pleased with both), a specific number of times in the morning and evening just as Muslims recite glorifications of God, Tasbih, or benedictions for the Prophet, Salatun Nabiyy, at daybreak and at sunset. And they are doing this, according to them, on the instructions of their Imams whose words are akin to a Prophetic command!

A well-known Shi’ah scholar and religious authority, Mullah Kazim, reports, attributing same to Ali Zain al-Abidin, the fourth Imam, that he said: “Whoever curses Jibt and Tagut once Allah will award him a million rewards, erase a million of his sins and raise him to seventy million ranks.”[22] Jibt and Tagut are Shiite slang names for Abubakar and Umar.

Kazim also reports from Muhammad al-Baqir, the fifth Shi’ah Imam, that he said: “Whoever curses them [Abubakar and Umar] once in the morning, no sin shall be recorded against him for the day and whoever curses them in the evening no sin shall be recorded against him until the next morning.”[23]

Important Notice:

          Sunni Muslims consider the twelve Shi’ah Imams and other members of the Prophet’s household as belonging to the rank of the leadership of Ahlus Sunnah. They also believe that statements attributed to them by the Shiites that are contrary to the teachings of the Qur’an and Hadith, such as the ones above, are mere lies and the Imams are innocent of them.

The Reaction Theory

What we have seen of the Shiite belief and attitude towards the Companions of the Prophet is hardly believable, but unfortunately it is true. The average Muslim reader will find it difficult to comprehend how anyone who claims to be a Muslim would condemn Abubakar and Umar (may Allah be pleased with both), as apostates, denounce them and regard cursing them as ibadah. He will find himself compelled to ask: What kind of Islam is this? And what is the rationale behind this strange belief and bizarre attitude?

Many researchers have investigated these questions. They tried to offer explanations one of which is the reaction theory.

The essence of the theory is that Shiism was founded by Jews and the Persians as a reaction to Islam’s destruction of their civilizations and effectively wiping them off the map of the world.[24] The Prophet fought the Jews at Madina and Khaybar and dislodged them from the Arabian Peninsula. The Companions of the Prophet, under the leadership of the second Caliph Umar bin al-Khattab, fought the Persian Empire in a series of battles, dispossessing it of territories until they destroyed it completely. All this was accomplished in 25 years.

It is understandable if these great peoples, the Jews and the Persians, were angry at having their millennia old civilizations destroyed in just 25 years, something unprecedented in history. But it was a reality in the face of which they could do little. They had been vanquished at the battlefield.

But would they give up? No. They changed tactics. They embraced Islam en masse with the intention of fighting the faith from within. The result was the founding and development of the Shi’ah sect, which took as a cover the love of the family of the Prophet, Ahlul Bait.

Shiism was founded as a secret movement with the avowed objective of destroying Islam. This is why their teachings and beliefs contradict the basic tenets of Islam, as contained in the Qur’an and Sunnah. They made secrecy a cardinal principle of the movement in what they call Taqiyyah (dissimulation or hidden identity). The earliest activities of the movement led to the assassination of the second and third Caliphs, Umar bin al-Khattab and Uthman bin Affan. They also precipitated the first internal disagreement between the Muslims which culminated in the two civil wars of Jamal and Siffain. This constituted the first crack in the wall of Islam which has never quite been mended till today.

Important Notices:

1. Sunni Muslims consider the twelve Shi’ah Imams and other members of the Prophet’s household, Ahlul Bait, as belonging to the rank of the leadership of Ahlus Sunnah. They also believe that statements attributed to them by the Shiites, which are contrary to the teachings of the Qur’an and Hadith, such as the ones we have seen, are mere lies and the Imams are innocent of them.

2. Shiite sources consulted in preparing this booklet are available at the library of Markazus Sahabah in Sokoto. The library is open to the public.

 

 

[1] Ahmad bin Ali bin Hajar, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi, Beirut, n.d., vol. 1 p. 10.

[2] Ibn Hajar, ibid., vol. 1 p. 21. He attributed the Hadith to al-Bazzar and said its narrators are authenticated.

[3] Abu Umar Yusuf bin Abdullah bin Abdulbarr, al-Isti’ab fi Ma’rifah al-As’hab, al-Maktabah al-Asriyyah, Beirut, 1431/2010, vol. 1 p. 25.

[4] Abul Fida’ Isma’il bin Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Azim, Maktabah al-Safah, Cairo, 1423/2002 vol. 2 p. 55.

[5] Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

[6] See the story in Ibn Kathir, op. cit., vol. 2 pp. 245-249.

[7]Tirmizi, Ibn Majah and Ahmad 3/445.

[8] Ahmad bin Taimiyyah, Minhaj al-Sunnah, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, n.d., vol. 3 p. 186.

[9] Ibid., vol. 3 pp. 186-7.

[10] Ali Muhammad Sallabi, Haqiqat al-Khilaf bain al-Sahabah, al-Maktabah al-Asriyyah, Beirut, 1429/2008, pp. 123-4.

[11] Ibid., p. 153.

[12] Abdullah al-Mamiqani, Miqbas al-Hidayah fi Ilm al-Dirayah, Mu’assasah Aal al-Bait li Ihya’ al-Turath, 1411/1991, vol. 3 p. 301.

[13] See ibid., vol. 3 p. 300, footnote No. 2.

[14] Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Kulaini, al-Raudah min al-Kafi, Dar al-Murtadi, Beirut, 1428 A.H., vol. 8 p. 2084.

[15] Nur Allah al-Hussaini al-Tustari, Ihqaq al-Haqq wa Izhaq al-Batil, al-Matba’ah al-Islamiyyah, Tehran, n.d., p. 316.

[16] Faid al-Kashani, Tafsir al-Safi, Maktabah al-Sadr, Tehran, 1374 A.H., vol. 1 p. 9.

[17] Ayatullah Ruhullah Khumaini, al-Hukumah al-Islamiyyah, published by the Ministry of Guidance, Islamic Republic of Iran, n.d., p. 69.

[18] Ayatullah Ruhullah Khumaini, Kashf al-Asrar, Tehran, 1363 A.H., p. 112. After quoting al-Majlisi, Khumaini concurred with him.

[19] Abdul Hussain al-Rashti, Kashf al-Ishtibah, al-Matba’ah al-Askariyyah, Tehran, 1468 A.H., p. 98.

[20] Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Kulaini, Usul al-Kafi, Dar al-Murtadi, Beirut, 1426 A.H., vol. 1 p. 279.

[21] Haqq al-Yaqin by al-Majlisi trans. from the Persian by Abdussatar al-Tunisi, Maktabah al-Ghuraba, al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, 1419/1999, p. 53.

[22] Mullah Kazim Ajma’ al-Fada’ih, p 513 as quoted by Ihsan Ilahi Zahir, al-Shi’ah wa Ahl al-Bait, Idarah Turjuman al-Sunnah, Lahore-Pakista, n.d., p. 157.

[23] Ibid.

[24] See the following sources by Shiite scholars who admit that the first to teach the doctrines of Shiism were the Jewish and Persian converts to Islam: Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Hassan al-Mamiqani, Tanqih al-Maqal, al-Matba’ah al-Murtadawiyyah, Najaf-Iraq, 1348 A.H., vol. 2 p. 184; Sa’ad bin Abdillah al-Ash’ari al-Qummi, al-Maqalat wa al-Firaq, Matba’ah Haidari, Tehran-Iran, 1963, p. 61.

BOOK (3)

What

the Shiites Say

About

Others

 

 

Dr. Umar Labdo

 

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

 

Introduction

The Shiites always speak of unity, cooperation and understanding between Islamic sects and schools of thought. They often emphasize the need for dialogue between themselves and the followers of other sects, especially the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah. In Shi’ah countries, such as Iran, government agencies and educational institutions expend a lot of resources on projects tagged al-Taqrib bain al-Mazahib, i.e. rapprochement between Islamic schools of law, in which they seek to involve similar institutions and agencies across borders and the sectarian divide.

Here in Nigeria, Shiites have always used the bait of Muslim unity to attract the unsuspecting and the uninformed to their fold. In the 1980s and early 90s, when the Shiites were still hiding their true identity, they raised the banner of ISLAM ONE, which they used to attract hundreds of university students, and others, and proceeded to ruin their lives when they persuaded them to abandon their studies and join the so-called struggle, or GWAGWARMAYA, the struggle that ended in the installment of Ibrahim Alzakzaki at the head of a spiritual empire that only divides and exploits its followers.

But what is the truth of this Shiite pretentious claim? Are they truly for Islamic unity or is it just propaganda and deceit? What is the Shiite stand on other Islamic sects, especially the mainstream Sunnah followers? What are the views of Shiite scholars and religious authorities on the Ahlus Sunnah today and in the past? How do they view their faith, their prayer, their sacrifice and their marriage contracts, as well as their other religious activities and social intercourse?

This booklet will attempt to answer the above questions, and the answers will come directly from Shi’ah sources and authorities, which they RECOGNIZE and ACCEPT.

 

Chapter One

The Meaning of Ahlus Sunnah According to the Shiites

Before we venture into Shiite works to look for the meaning of the Ahlus Sunnah according to their authorities, it would be apt to learn about the names by which the Shiites refer to the Ahlus Sunnah in their books. This will help us to make useful discoveries that will assist in enlightening the reader on how exactly the Shiites regard the Ahlus Sunnah.

The Names for the Ahlus Sunnah in Shi’ah Parlance

          There are certain names, or rather labels, which Shiite scholars use to describe or refer to the followers of the Sunnah in their books, sermons and other religious discourses. They include:

1. Nawasib (singular: Nasib). The word means “enemies of” by which they mean “enemies of the Ahlul Bait”. The Shiites regard all the followers of the Sunnah as sworn enemies of the family of the Prophet, the Ahlul Bait, especially Ali, Fatimah and twelve of their descendants: the 12 Imams. This label is the meanest and most derogatory that they apply to the Ahlus Sunnah. It is also the most widely used among them.

A renowned Shi’ah scholar, named Hussain Aali Usfur al-Darazi al-Bahrani, says: “According to Shi’ah tradition and the sayings of the Imams, a Nasibi is what they call Sunni.”[1] “They” in the quote refers to the Ahlus Sunnah, which is fitted against “we” that would naturally mean the Shiites. Anyone who cares to peruse Shi’ah writings, will find that “We versus Them” mentality is widely spread and all-pervasive in almost all the genres of their literary production.

A contemporary Shiite scholar known for his extreme views, Muhammad Tijani Samawi, says: “It goes without saying that the Mazhab of Nawasib is the Mazhab of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah.”[2] It goes without saying, so he says, because it is an agreed-upon fact among the Shiites and no one disputes or disagrees with it.

2. Ammah [pronounced: aammah], singular: Ammi. This is another label given to the Ahlus Sunnah by the Shiites. The word means “generality of the people” or “the masses” even though it connotes vulgarity as it sometimes means “plebeians”. The Shiites apply the term to the followers of the Sunnah, pretending to mean the former denotation, but often actually meaning the latter. The word is also an exact opposite of Khassah (sing. Khas), meaning “the upper class”, “the educated” or “the enlightened”, which, by implication, refers to the Shiites themselves.

Among the Shiite scholars who have made use of this label in their writings is Muhammad bin Hussain, popularly known as al-Hurr al-Amili, who wrote a section in his book, al-Fusul al-Muhimmah, under the heading: Baab al-Man’ an al-Akhz bi ma Yuwafiq al-Ammah, meaning: A Section on the Prohibition of Adopting Views that Agree with the Ammah. Under this heading, the author narrates a saying of the sixth Shi’ah Imam, Abu Abdillah Ja’afar Sadiq, in which the Imam instructed that whenever the Shiites come across two contradictory Hadiths, they should adopt the one that is in disagreement with the Ahlus Sunnah.[3] In other words, contradicting the Ahlus Sunnah is one of the principles by which the authenticity of a Hadith can be established!!

3. Jumhur. This word is a collective noun; it has no singular form. Its apparent meaning is “majority” or “the public”, but it also has a subtle vulgar connotation similar to the word Ammah. Shiite scholars use this word to refer to the followers of the Sunnah.[4]

Apart from the above-mentioned labels, there are other words and phrases that the Shiites use to refer to the Ahlus Sunnah, such as al-Mukhalif, meaning “the one who disagrees with us”, Ghairuna: “the other”, Munafiq: “hypocrite”, and so on.

The Shiite Definition of the Ahlus Sunnah

Shiite scholars and religious authorities base the meaning of the Ahlus Sunnah on three things:

1. Giving preference to any Companion of the Prophet over and above Ali bin Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). Explaining this, the Shiite scholar noted for his fanaticism, Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, says: “It is reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him), that the sign of the Nawasib is that they prefer others to Ali.”[5] This means that any Muslim who holds the view that any Companion is superior to Ali, or recognizes any Caliph before him, is a Nasibi. No doubt, the Ahlus Sunnah consider Abubakar, Umar and Uthman as superior to Ali and that the three were Caliphs before him. In fact, of all the Muslim sects, no one considers Ali superior to Abubakar or Umar, except the Shiites, although there were some in the past who considered Ali superior to Uthman. On this count, therefore, all non-Shiite Muslims are Nawasib.

2. Recognizing Abubakar and Umar as Caliphs.[6] Shiites do not recognize the caliphateship of the first three Caliphs (Abubakar, Umar and Uthman), as they regard it as a usurpation of Ali’s right and therefore illegal. Based on this, whoever recognizes it is, in their view, a Nasibi.

3. Having a feeling of fraternity or love towards Abubakar and Umar.[7] This means that even if one does not regard them as superior to Ali, or recognize their caliphateship, the mere fraternal feeling towards them as Muslims and brothers in faith renders one a Nasibi.

It is a well-known fact that, according to Shi’ah belief, one will not be a true Muslim until he or she denounces the Companions of the Prophet, especially the prominent among them, including Abubakar and Umar. This is what is known in Shi’ah theology as the Doctrine of Bara’ah. The great Shi’ah scholar and prolific writer, Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, explains this doctrine as follows: “Our doctrine of Bara’ah is that we denounce the four idols: Abubakar, Umar, Uthman and Mu’awiyyah; and the four women: A’isha, Hafsah, Hind and Umm al-Hakam. We also denounce all their followers and supporters. We consider them the most evil of Allah’s creation on the face of the earth; and that belief in Allah, his Messenger and the Imams will not be valid until after denouncing them.”[8]

It will be clear from the foregoing that, according to Shi’ah belief, anyone who does not share their view that Ali bin Abu Talib and eleven of his descendants are the only Caliphs, or Imams, and that Abubakar, Umar and Uthman, not only were they not Caliphs, but were apostates to be denounced and despised. Whoever does not believe in this is a Nasibi whose iman is invalid. In effect, this means that all non-Shiite Muslims are Nawasib, the enemies of the Ahlul Bait, who are considered non-Muslims because their faith is invalid.

Now we may ask: Where is the Shiite crave for unity? Where is their tireless effort for rapprochement between Muslim schools of law? Where is the slogan of ISLAM ONE?!! How can the Shiites denounce Abubakar, Umar and Uthman as a cardinal principle of their faith and hope to achieve unity and rapprochement with the Ahlus Sunnah?

But this is not the whole story. In fact, this is only the tip of the iceberg. The iceberg itself is the Shiite verdict on the Ahlus Sunnah.

 

Chapter Two

The Shiite Verdict on the Ahlus Sunnah

Shiite scholars and religious authorities have issued very serious verdicts on the Ahlus Sunnah and indeed any Muslim who does not share their views or have the same beliefs with them. These verdicts, which are of very serious consequences and far-reaching implications, are found in their most authentic books written in all the epochs of their history, including modern and contemporary times. Below are some of these verdicts, which every Muslim should know, so that he/she will not fall prey to Shi’ah propaganda, deceit and taqiyyah.

The Ahlus Sunnah Are Unbelievers and Mushriks    

          In Shiite view, the Ahlus Sunnah are unbelievers and Mushriks (idol worshippers). The noted Shi’ah scholar and authority, Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, wrote in his magnum opus, Bihar al-Anwar, “The Shiites who believe in the 12 Imams are unanimous that anyone who disbelieves in one of the Imams, or negates their absolute right to be obeyed, is a non-believer who is misguided, and deserves to abide in hellfire forever.”[9]

Another noted Shi’ah scholar, Abul Qasim al-Musawi al-Khu’i, writes         concerning the Ahlus Sunnah, “There is no doubt about their being unbelievers, because disbelieving in the Imams, even in one of them, renders one a non-believer and a zindiq.”[10]

Yet, another noted Shi’ah scholar, this time a contemporary one, Muhsin al-Mu’allim, writes about the place of the Ahlus Sunnah in Shiite belief, “The popular opinion [among Shi’ah scholars] is that a Nasibi is a Kafir, even if he pronounces the Kalimah and believes in the afterlife.”[11]

 

The Ahlus Sunnah Will Abide Forever in Hellfire

          Shiite scholars believe, and preach, that the Ahlus Sunnah will enter hellfire and abide therein forever. We have already seen al-Majlisi’s remark to the effect that those who disbelieve in one of the Imams deserve to abide in hellfire forever.

The same author writes in the same source, “You should know [dear reader] that using the words Kafir and Mushrik on anyone who does not believe in the imamate of the Commander of the Faithful [meaning Ali bin Abu Talib] and the Imams from his descendants (may peace be upon them), means that he is a non-believer who shall abide forever in hellfire.”[12]

This verdict is the same even for those followers of the Sunnah who are not hostile to the Shiites or disrespectable to the Imams. Abdullah bin Shabbar, who is a Shiite scholar and writer, confirmed this. He writes, “As for those who disagree with us but are not hostile, adamant or fanatical, still the opinion of some of our scholars, such as Sayyid al-Murtadi, is that they are unbelievers in this world and the hereafter. They shall also abide forever in hellfire, according to the popular and widely-accepted opinion.”[13]

Let us pause for a moment to consider this quote carefully. What it means is that the Shiites consider anyone who does not subscribe to their belief as an unbeliever, even if he does not show enmity to their Imams. They say this because they are aware that the Ahlus Sunnah show unquestionable love and loyalty to all the members of the Prophet’s household, the Ahlul Bait, especially Ali, Fatimah and their children. But because they do not denounce Abubakar and Umar, this love and loyalty is not accepted by the Shiite lovers of peace, unity and rapprochement. This means, in effect, that there is no peace, unity or rapprochement unless and until the Ahlus Sunnah abandon their faith and embrace Shi’ism!!

 

 The Blood of the Sunni is ‘Lawful’

Shiite scholars believe, and preach, that the blood of the followers of the Sunnah is lawful. That is, a Sunni Muslim can be killed ‘legally’ not because of any crime, but because he or she is a Sunni!! This verdict they attribute to their highest religious authorities – the Imams.

The great Shi’ah scholar, Muhammad bin Ali bin Hussain, popularly known as al-Saduq (the Truthful), reports that a follower of Imam Ja’afar Sadiq, named Dawud bin Farqad, asked the Imam, saying: “O Abu Abdillah, what do you say about killing a Nasibi? He replied, ‘It is lawful; but I fear for you. So if you can pull a wall on him, or drown him, so that there is no witness, you may do it.’ He asked him again: ‘What about his property?’ The Imam replied, ‘Plunder it whenever you can.’”[14]

The Property of the Ahlus Sunnah is ‘Lawful’

According to Shi’ah belief, the property of a Sunni is lawful for them, meaning they can ‘legally’ take it wherever they find it. This is clear from the above quote by their sixth Imam, Ja’afar Sadiq, in which the word ‘plunder’, al-nahb, is used. It is the same as ‘loot’ or ‘booty’, and underscores the fact that there is no difference between the property belonging to the Ahlus Sunnah and that of the enemy taken in a war.

The Honour of the Ahlus Sunnah is ‘Lawful’

Just as their life and property are ‘lawful’, the honour and reputation of the Ahlus Sunnah is also ‘lawful’, according to the Shiites. This means that a Shiite may ‘legally’ slander a Sunni, lie against him, assassinate his character or otherwise injure his feelings in any way possible.

Abul Qasim al-Musawi al-Khu’i says, “It is established through narrations in the [books of] supplications that it is legally permissible to curse those who disagree with us. It is also compulsory to denounce them, abuse them repeatedly, [falsely] accuse them, damage their honour and slander them because they are innovators who reject [our doctrines].”[15]

Abusing and slandering Muslims is not only permissible in Shiite belief, it is also a form of worship through which the Shiite believer gains nearness to Allah and earns rewards and divine favour. And the higher in rank the Muslim being slandered, the more the reward. This is why they devote much time and energy in slandering and abusing prominent Companions like Abubakar, Umar, Uthman, A’isha, Hafsa and such other notable male and female Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them all).

Examples of this abound in their books, modern and ancient, their sermons, their poems and folk songs. It is also abundant in their media, including TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and the internet.

They accuse Abubakar of being a hypocrite who never really embraced Islam but was just pretending to be a Muslim, and all the time deceiving the Prophet.[16]

They accuse Umar of being an incurable homosexual. The fanatical Shiite scholar, Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, says: “Umar was afflicted with a disease in his anus whose only remedy was men’s semen.”[17] That is the literal rendering of his words as contained in his book, al-Anwar al-Nu’maniyyah. The book is available at the library of Markazus Sahabah in Sokoto for verification.

They accuse Uthman of being a sadistic adulterer. They say whenever an adulteress was sentenced to death, he would have sex with her before ordering her to be stoned.[18]

They accuse A’isha of committing adultery.[19]

They accuse Hafsa of having conspired with A’isha to poison the Prophet and that the Prophet’s death was a result of this poisoning by the two Mothers of the Faithful.[20]

The list is endless…so is our pain. May Allah guide those whom he will. And may he cause to perish those who deserve his anger and eternal torment.[21]

The Ahlus Sunnah Are Impure

          TheShiites believe that the Ahlus Sunnah are inherently impure, Najis (from Najasah). Many of their scholars have mentioned this in their books, such as the fanatical al-Jaza’iri[22] and Muhsin al-Mu’allim.[23] It is based on this that they prohibited using any item that came to contact with the Ahlus Sunnah or is handled by them, such as cooking utensils and other household items, as we shall see later.

The Ahlus Sunnah Are More Impure than Dogs

According to the Shiites, the Ahlus Sunnah are not only impure, but their impurity (Najasah) is more than that of dogs. Their scholar, Muhsin al-Mu’allim, wrote that Ja’afar Sadiq, the sixth Shi’ah Imam, instructed one of his followers: “Do not wash in a public bathroom least you use the water that had been used by a Jew, a Christian, a Magian or a Nasibi, who harbours enmity toward us and is the worst of them all. Surely, Allah has not created anything more impure than a dog, but a Nasibi who harbours enmity toward us is more impure, anjas, than a dog.”[24]

The Ahlus Sunnah Are Bastards, the Children of Prostitutes

The Shiites regard the Ahlus Sunnah as bastards, or illegitimate, perhaps because they do not recognize their marriages. Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi quoted their sixth Imam, Ja’afar Sadiq, as having said, “Surely, Allah the Most High starts by looking at those who visit the tomb of Hussain bin Ali (peace be upon him), on the evening of Arafat before he looks at those who stand at Arafat. [The narrator named Ali bin Asbat said]: I asked: ‘Why?’ He [Ja’afar Sadiq] replied: ‘Because among the latter there are some who are illegitimate [his words: Abna’ Zina], but among the former there is none.’”[25]

The reader should pause for a moment to consider this Shi’ah Hadith. (The saying of an Imam is a Hadith to the Shiites just as the saying of the Prophet is to the Ahlus Sunnah.) Apart from the slander against the generality of pilgrims who gathered to worship Allah, their Lord, on this important day and in this important place, the ‘Hadith’ also smells of Shirk, which it elevates above one of the greatest symbols of Tauhid. This is one of the reasons why many Islamic scholars say Shiism is a grand conspiracy against Islam.

Not only are the Ahlus Sunnah considered as bastards by the Shiites, but all other non-Shiite Muslims are illegitimate in their view. The compiler of the most authentic Shi’ah book, Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Kulaini, reports that the fifth Shi’ah Imam, Abu Ja’afar Muhammad Baqir, told one of his followers: “I swear by Allah, O Abu Hamza, that all men are the children of prostitutes except our followers.”[26]

Important Notice:

          At this juncture, and before we continue with our discussion of Shiite views on the Ahlus Sunnah, it will be in order to give this notice.Sunni Muslims consider the twelve Shi’ah Imams and other members of the Prophet’s household as belonging to the rank of the leadership of the Ahlus Sunnah. They also believe that statements attributed to them by the Shiites, which are contrary to the teachings of the Qur’an and Hadith, such as the ones we have seen, are mere lies and the Imams are innocent of them.

The Cities of the Ahlus Sunnah

Shiites hold special hatred for Sunni cities and their inhabitants, including the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Ja’afar Sadiq is reported to have said concerning these cities: “The inhabitants of Makkah disbelieve openly while the people of Madinah are more wicked. They are seventy times more spiteful.”[27]

Hostility towards Makkah and Madinah is entrenched in Shi’ah belief. But the real objects of the hostility are the two holy Mosques as the symbols of Islam. This is why their scholars affirm that when their Mahdi appears he will destroy them utterly. Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi writes, “Surely, Mahdi will destroy the Sacred Mosque [his words: al-Masjid al-Haram] to its foundations. He will also destroy the Mosque of the Prophet [his words: Masjid al-Nabiy] to its foundations.”[28]

Some readers may think that this is a residue of historical conflicts between rival entities of bygone ages and no longer constitutes a reality. But this is not true. Shiite religious authorities, and even political leaders, still have the same sentiment and preach the same attitude. The leader of the Iranian revolution, Ayatullah Khomaini, told a close and trusted disciple, at the peak of the revolutionary fever, “Sayyid Hussain, time has come for the will of the Imams to be actualized…We will wipe Makkah and Madinah off the map of the world because these two cities have become enclaves of Wahhabis.”[29]

Shiites show hostility to other cities and towns just because they are inhabited by Sunni Muslims. They include Cairo, Damascus and Basra.[30]

 

The Impurity of Ahlus Sunnah Utensils and Household Items

Because they are inherently impure, whatever the Ahlus Sunnah handle also becomes impure and forbidden to be used by the Shiites. These include cooking utensils, toiletries, furnishings, accessories and so on. Al-Majlisi reported from Ali bin Abu Talib that pots, bowls and cups belonging to the Ahlus Sunnah cannot be used by a Shiite until after subjecting them to ritual washing, i.e. washing that removes Najasah.[31]

Satan Pinches Sunni Babies at Birth!

Some Shiite beliefs boarder on the ridiculous. For instance, they believe that babies cry at birth because Satan pinches them. But that is only if the babies are born to Sunni parents! Such is the logic of extremism and fanaticism.

A respected Shi’ah scholar, Muhammad bin Mas’ud al-Ayashi, records the following narration in his book. Abu Yahya reports that Abu Abdillah Ja’afar Sadiq said, “No baby is born except that Iblis is present at its birth. If Allah knew that the baby is one of our followers, he shields it from Satan. If not, Satan will stick its finger in the baby’s anus if it is male, or its vagina if it is female.”[32] The reader must excuse the vulgar language; it is a regular feature of Shi’ah writing.

Their Prayer is Naught, their Fasting is Naught

The Shiites believe that the acts of worship performed by the Ahlus Sunnah, such as prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, etc. will not be accepted because they do not believe in the 12 Imams and do not denounce the Companions of the Prophet.[33]

Therefore, like un-believers, all their good deeds are naught.

 

Their Life is Vain, their Death is Vain

Abdullah bin Sinan, one of the disciples of Ja’afar Sadiq, asked the Imam about the Ahlus Sunnah who fight and die in a jihad war. Are they considered martyrs? He replied, “They are just hastening their demise. Their life is vain and their death is vain. I swear by Allah, no one is a martyr except our followers even if they die in their beds.”[34]

Well, Palestinians, Afghanis and other Muslims fighting the physical occupation of their lands should lay down their arms and surrender, for their struggles are useless and their efforts fruitless!

Contradicting the Ahlus Sunnah Obligatory

Ali bin Asbat, a disciple of the eighth Shi’ah Imam, Ali bin Musa al-Rida, asked his Imam about what to do if he needed fatwa in a town where there are no Shi’ah scholars to consult? Al-Rida replied, “Ask the non-Shiite scholar and whatever he tells you, take its opposite.”[35]

We have seen earlier that contradicting the Ahlus Sunnah constitutes one of the principles by which the Shiites verify the authenticity of a Hadith. The above quote from Imam al-Rida implies that contradicting the Ahlus Sunnah is one of the ways by which the Shiites establish the correctness of a fatwa. This is why they say:

Guidance is in Contradicting the Ahlus Sunnah

Shi’ah scholars report from their eighth Imam, Musa al-Rida, that he said, “Guidance is in contradicting the Ammah.”[36]

Their God is Different from Our Own

To affect a complete break with the Ahlus Sunnah and not have any hope of meeting them in any point or at any level, Shiite scholars declare that their God is different from ours and their Prophet is different from ours just as their Caliph, or Imam, is different from ours.

The fanatical Shiite scholar, Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, wrote: “We do not join them [i.e. the Ahlus Sunnah] in the same God or Prophet or Imam; because they say their God is the one whose Prophet is Muhammad whom Abubakar is the Caliph after him. But we do not believe in that God or that Prophet. We say the God whose Prophet has Abubakar as his Caliph is not our God, and that Prophet is not our Prophet.”[37]

If, after this declaration, anyone has any hope of unity with the Shiites then he, or she, must have their head examined! But ignorance is worse than insanity. We still hear, and read, of people who are supposedly educated and enlightened, who continue to portray the Shiites as the champions of Muslim unity, and others as the ones who are against the unity of the Ummah.

Conclusion

Well, dear reader, this is the Shiite view of others, as confirmed by their eminent scholars and religious authorities both in the past and at present. Clearly, it contradicts the Shiite posturing that they are for Muslim unity and vindicates the non-Shiite Muslims who have consistently counseled the Ummah against falling prey to Shi’ah propaganda and Taqiyyah.

It is difficult to envisage how a sect with such abhorrent views of others can be a champion of unity, understanding and cooperation. It is equally difficult to comprehend the position of those noise-makers, especially from among journalists and the so-called intellectuals, who continue to literally sell Shiism to Nigerian Muslims. If what is contained in this booklet is truly the stand of the Shiites with regard to others, is it too much to describe the sect as dangerous?

Some newspapers insist on calling the Shi’ah sect the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. They spread their falsehoods without caring to check the facts with those who are experts in the field. An example is when the Daily Trust newspaper carried a speech by a Shiite scholar who falsely accused Abubakar and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) of reneging on their allegiance to Ali after they allegedly gave that oath of allegiance in the presence of the Prophet and on his command.[38] The poor editors and publishers of the newspaper did not know that the implication of this allegation is that Abubakar and Umar had committed a great iniquity, fusuuq, and knowingly and willfully disobeyed the Prophet, an act that may lead to apostasy[39] which is exactly what the Shiites are aiming at.[40]

The Daily Trust routinely carries the activities of the Shi’ah sect and publishes photographs of its members carrying Hezbollah[41] flags on its pages![42] They portray Shiite leaders as educated, enlightened and moderate Muslim activists who should be models to other Muslims. Are they doing this deliberately to mislead their readers and the general public or are they so abysmally ignorant of the true nature of the sect?

It would seem that the major problem here is that of double ignorance: of people who don’t know and don’t know that they don’t know! People who recognize and respect specialization in any field except the field of Islamic Studies. They think if you are a Muslim and can speak the White man’s language, then you are qualified to lecture the world on correct belief, moderate Islam, extremist and non-extremist groups and sundry other issues connected to the Islamic faith. They don’t care to go to the original sources, to which they have no excess because they don’t know the language in which they are written, and don’t seek the views of those who know.

Finally, I would like to conclude this booklet by challenging Shiite leaders in Nigeria and the world at large to come out and deny the contents of this book, condemn the sources quoted or denounce the authors mentioned. I also challenge the noise-makers to tell us if the Shiite views contained in this booklet are moderate or extremist!

 

 

Important Notice

Shiite sources consulted in preparing this booklet are available at the library of Markazus Sahabah in Sokoto. The library is open to the public.

 

 

[1] Hussain Aali Usfur al-Bahrani, al-Mahasin al-Nafsaniyyah, Jam’iyyah Ahlul Bait, Bahrain, 1399 A.H., p. 147.

[2] Muhammad Tijani Samawi, al-Shi’ah Hum Ahl al-Sunnah, Mu’assasah al-Fajr, London, 1423 A.H., p. 161.

[3] Muhammad bin Hussain al-Hurr al-Amili, al-Fusul al-Muhimmah fi Usul al-A’immah, Maktabah Basirati, Qum-Iran, n.d., p. 225.

[4] Ibid., p. 219.

[5] Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, al-Anwar al-Nu’maniyyah, Muassasah al-Alami Lil Matbu’at, Beirut, 1404 A.H., vol. 2 p. 307.

[6] Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, Nur al-Barahin, Mu’assasah Nashr al-Islam, Qum-Iran, 1417 A.H., pp. 57-58.

[7] See al-Hurr al-Amili, op. cit., p. 227.

[8] Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, Haqq al-Yaqin, trans. from the Persian by Abdussatar al-Tunisi, Maktabah al-Ghuraba, al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, 1419/1999, p. 53.

[9] Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar al-Jami’ah Li Durar Akhbar al-A’immah al-At’har, Mu’assasah Dar al-Wafa’, Beirut, 1403 A.H., vol. 23 p. 390. Al-Majlisi is the greatest Shi’ah ideologue of all time and his book, Bihar al-Anwar, consists of a colossus 113 volumes (excluding the introductory volume which is not numbered). The book is available at the library of Markazus Sahabah in Sokoto.

[10] Abul Qasim al-Khu’i, Misbah al-Faqaha, Dar al-Hadi, Beirut, 1412 A.H., p. 11.

[11] Muhsin al-Mu’allim, al-Nasb wa al-Nawasib, Dar al-Hadir Li al-Tiba’ah, Beirut, 1418 A.H., p. 609.

[12] Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, op. cit., vol. 23 p. 390.

[13] Abdullah bin Shabbar, Haqq al-Yaqin Fi Ma’rifah Usul al-Din, Dar al-Kitab al-Islami, Beirut, n.d., vol. 2 p. 188.

[14] Muhammad bin Ali bin Hussain al-Saduq, Ilal al-Shara’i, Mu’assasah al-A’lami, Beirut, 1408 A.H., p. 326. See also, al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, op. cit., vol. 27 p. 231.

[15] Al-Khu’i, op. cit., p. 11.

2 Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, al-Anwar al-Nu’maniyyah, op. cit., vol. 1 p. 53.

[17] Ibid., vol. 1 p. 63.

[18] Ibid., vol. 1 p. 65.

[19] Ali bin Yunus al-Nabati al-Bayadi, al-Sirat al-Mustaqim ila Mustahiqqi al-Taqdim, Matba’ah al-Haidari, 1483 A.H., vol. 3 p. 165.

[20] Al-Faid al-Kashani, Tafsir al-Safi, Manshurat Maktabah al-Sadr, Tehran-Iran, 1379 A.H., vol. 1 pp. 389-90.

[21] For more on this, see the following booklets, What the Shiites Say About the Companions of the Prophet, What the Shiites Say About Abubakar, Umar and Uthman and What the Shiites Say About A’isha and Hafsah.

[22] See his book, al-Anwar al-Nu’maniyyah, op. cit., vol 2 p. 307.

[23] See his book, al-Nasb wa al-Nawasib, op. cit., p. 609.

[24] Ibid., p. 609.

[25] Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, op. cit., vol. 101 p. 85. I remind the reader again, that this book is available at the library of Markazus Sahabah in Sokoto and anyone can walk into the library to verify for himself. It is open to the public.

[26] Muhammad bin Ya’qub al-Kulaini, al-Raudah min al-Kafi, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyyah, Beirut, 1375 A.H., vol. 8 p. 285. Al-Kafi by Kulaini is the most authentic Shi’ah Hadith collection just as Sahih al-Bukhari is to the Ahlus Sunnah. The book is divided into three main sections: Usul al-Kafi, Furu’ al-Kafi and al-Raudah min al-Kafi. It is also available at the library of Markazus Sahabah in Sokoto.

[27] Al-Kulaini, Usul al-Kafi, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya, Beirut, 1388 A.H., vol. 2 p. 410.

[28] Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, op. cit., vol. 52 p. 338. See also, Muhammad bin Ja’afar bin al-Hassan al-Tusi, Kitab al-Ghaibah, Mu’assasah al-Ma’arif al-Islamiyyah, Qum-Iran, 1411 A.H., p. 282.

[29] Sayyid Hussain Musawi, Kashf al-Asrar wa Tabri’ah al-A’immah al-At’har, Dar al-Iman, Cairo, 2002, p. 91.

[30] Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, op. cit., vol. 40 p. 211.

[31] Ibid.

[32] Muhammad bin Mas’ud al-Ayashi, Tafsir al-Ayashi, Mu’assasah al-Bi’thah, Qum-Iran, 1421 A.H., vol. 2 p. 398.

[33] Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, Qisas al-Anbiya, Dar al-Balagh, Beirut, 1417 A.H., p. 20.

[34] Muhammad bin Hussain al-Hurr al-Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, Mu’assasah Ahl al-Bait, Beirut, 1413 A.H., vol. 15 p. 31.

[35] Abu Ja’afar Muhammad bin Ali bin Hussain bin Babawaih al-Qummi, ‘Uyun Akhbar al-Rida, Tehran-Iran, n.d., vol. 1 p. 275.

[36] Ayatullah Ruhullah Khumaini, al-Ta’adul wa al-Tarjih, Dar Nashr Athar al-Khumaini, Tehran-Iran, 1417 A.H., p. 171.

[37] Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, al-Anwar al-Nu’maniyyah, op. cit., vol. 2 p. 278.

[38] See Daily Trust of Thursday, 23^rd February, 2012, p. 52.

[39] For explanation, see Muhyiddin bin Sharaf al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1401 A.H., vol. 12 p. 231.

[40] If you want to be sure that this is exactly what they meant, see the following sources both by Shiite scholars: Tafsir al- Safi by Faid al-Kashani, Maktabah al-Sadar, Tehran, 1379 A.H., vol. 1 p. 511 and Tafsir al-Ayashi by Muhammad bin Mas’ud al-Ayashi, Muassasah al-A’lami, Beirut, 1411 A.H., vol 1 p. 307.

[41] Hezbollah is a Shi’ah militant group based in Lebanon. According to Wikipedia, the group is classified as a terrorist organization by the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Egypt and Bahrain. It is a wonder why the Nigerian security agents do not question people displaying its flags!

[42] For example, see Daily Trust of Tuesday, May 22, 2012, p. 3.

BOOK (4)

What

the Shiites Say

About

the Qur’an

Dr. Umar Labdo

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Shiites believe that the Qur’an is incomplete. According to them, the Book is full of contradictions, interpolations, inaccuracies and inconsistencies. And who is responsible for this falsification of the Qur’an? The Shiites say it is the Sahabah, the Companions who were the custodians of the Book and who preserved and compiled it after the Prophet. They say the Companions embarked on this slanting of the Qur’an in order to cover their scandalous and disgraceful acts, which are graphically exposed in the Qur’an, and to hide the outstanding traits and qualities of the family of the Prophet, the Ahlul Bait, including Ali’s right to be the Imam after the Prophet, which are also explicitly set out in the Book.

A renowned Shiite scholar, Hashim bin Sulaiman al-Bahrani, says in his book on Tafsir, “You should know (dear reader) that the incontrovertible truth, according to multi-channeled narrations, is that this Qur’an, which is in our possession, has been subjected to changes after the Prophet (peace be upon him), and those who compiled it omitted from it a lot of words and verses.”[1]

The author of al-Kafi, the most authentic book in Shi’ah tradition, gives us an idea of the amount of the Qur’an which has been omitted. He narrates from Abu Abdillah Ja’far Sadiq, the sixth Shi’ah Imam, who says, “The Qur’an which Jibril (peace be upon him) brought to Muhammad (peace be upon him), is made up of seventeen thousand verses.”[2] If we consider the fact that the Qur’an that is in our possession today is made up of just 6,236 verses,[3] we realize that the part omitted, according to the Shiites, is about two-thirds of the Book. This means that, in Shiite view, what the Muslims have today of the Qur’an is just a leftover!

There are countless narrations in Shi’ah books, and from their religious authorities, confirming this view about the Qur’an. Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, the fiery Shiite scholar, says they are more than two thousand.[4] Another Shiite scholar, Muhammad bin Nu’man, known as al-Mufid, asserts that all the Shiite sects are unanimous on the view as a cardinal principle of their faith.[5]

Historically, the Shiites have a number of “scriptures” which they hold sacred and which they believe escaped the corrupting hands of the “enemies of the Ahlul Bait” (meaning the Companions) and therefore retained their purity. Among them are the following:

1. Mus’haf Fatimah. This is the authentic, uncorrupted “Qur’an”, which the Shiites inherited from Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet and mother of the Imams, and which has been preserved by the Imams and their closest disciples and followers. Shiite scholars attribute to their sixth Imam, Ja’afar Sadiq, the claim that, “Fatimah left behind a volume which is not the Qur’an but it is the word of Allah revealed to her. It was the Prophet’s dictation and Ali’s handwriting.”[6] In another version of the same narration, he says: “It is a volume three times the like of your Qur’an but, by God, it contains not a single letter of your Qur’an.”[7]

2. Al-Sahifah al-Jami’ah. This is another sacred book in Shi’ah tradition. Al-Kulaini quotes Ja’afar Sadiq as describing it in the following words, “It is a scroll measuring seventy zira’ long (about 47.6 meters), dictated by the Prophet and written by Ali. It contains all the lawful and the prohibited and whatever is needed by the people to the minutest detail.”[8]

3. Al-Jafar. This is another sacred book in Shi’ah tradition that they revere and which they regard as a source of guidance and law. Al-Kulaini quotes the sixth Shi’ah Imam as having said concerning the book, “Indeed in my possession is al-Jafar. [The narrator said]: I asked him, ‘What is in it?’ [He] replied: David’s Psalms, Moses’ Torah, Jesus’ Gospel and Abraham’s Scrolls. It contains all the lawful and the prohibited.”[9] What this means is that al-Jafar is a sacred book which, like the Noble Qur’an, contains the essentials of all the revealed scriptures.

There are other books held sacred by the Shiites, such as Sahifah al-Zu’abah, Sahifah al-Namus and Sahifah al-Abitah, but the above-described ones are the most important.

Mus’haf Fatimah as “the word of Allah revealed to Fatimah, dictated by the Prophet and hand-written by Ali,” is by far the most important of all the Shi’ah sacred books. As the Shiite “Qur’an”, it has interesting contrast to the Muslim Qur’an as we know it today and as it has been known ever since it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), fourteen hundred years ago.

We have a graphic description of Mus’haf Fatimah in many important Shi’ah sources. For example, in Kitab Sulaim bin Qais, one of the earliest Shi’ah sources and which, due to its importance, is known as “the ABC of Shiism”, we read the following information. Surah al-Ahzab (chapter 33), which in the Qur’an has 73 verses, in the Mus’haf it is 286 verses long (exactly the number of the longest chapter of the Qur’an – al-Baqarah!). Surah al-Nur (chapter 24), which has a total of 64 verses in the Qur’an, the same Surah in the Mus’haf is 160 verses long. Also, Surah al-Hujurat (chapter 49), which in the Muslim Qur’an has 18 verses only, its namesake in the Mus’haf has 90 verses.[10]

Above are examples of the differences in the length of same chapters in both books. But the difference does not stop there; there are also differences in words, phrases, verses and sometimes even whole chapters. In fact, hardly a single chapter is found to be identical in the two books. For instance, Surah al-Fatiha in the Mus’haf concludes like this: Ihdinas siratal mustaqim. Sirata man an’amta alaihim, gairil maghdubi alaihim wa ghairid dalin, Surah al-Fil (chapter 105) opens thus: Alam ya’tika kaifa fa’ala rabbuka bi ashabil fil, while Surah al-Asr (chapter 103) reads: Wal asr innal insana la fi khusr. Wa innahu fihi ila akhirid dahar. Illallazina amanu wa amilus salihat wa’tamaru bit taqwa, wa’tamaru bis sabr.[11]

          Theseare just a few examples of the glaring contrast between the Noble Qur’an and Mus’haf Fatimah, which is the holy book of the Shi’ah religion. Interested readers may refer to al-Shi’atu wal Qur’an by the late Pakistani scholar, Ehsan Elahi Zahir, who has compiled all the differences between the two books from authentic Shi’ah sources in a chapter by chapter style.

Needless to say, the Shiites do not believe in the Noble Qur’an as we know it and as it exists today, at least not the whole of it. For example, they do not believe in all the verses that praise and extol the virtues of the Companions of the Prophet. Verses such as this: “And the first to lead the way of the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and those who followed them in goodness – Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with him, and he has prepared for them Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.” (Qur’an, 9:100) are, to the Shiites, an interpolation because they contradict their belief that the Companions, especially the first ones including Abubakar, Umar and Uthman, had all committed apostasy after the death of the Prophet.[12] To the Shiites, therefore, this verse, and many others like it, was added by the Companions in order to cover their apostasy and hypocrisy. In short, they doctored the Book to suit their purposes!

But why do the Shiites apparently accept the Qur’an as the Sacred Book of Islam from which they derive guidance, verdicts, rules and legal opinions?

The answer is that the Shiites do not accept the Qur’an in its entirety, but they pretend to do so. Otherwise why do they regard the Companions of the Prophet, the Muhajirun and the Ansar, as apostates? Why do they insist that A’isha, the Wife of the Prophet and Mother of the Faithful, had committed adultery when no less than sixteen verses of the Qur’an (in Surah al-Nur) have exonerated her?[13] It is clear, therefore, that the Shiites accept parts of the Qur’an which agree with their faith and reject other parts, which they regard as an interpolation.

Another question often asked is: Where is the Shiite “Qur’an” and why can’t it be bought in the market? The answer to this question is provided by a Shi’ah scholar named Hussain al-Khurasani. He says, “We the Shiites believe that there was a Qur’an which was written by Imam Ali with his own blessed hand after he had finished preparing the Prophet’s body for burial and had executed his will. The book continued to be in the custody of the Imams as a trust from Allah until it reached the Imam Mahdi who kept it and will bring it out when he appears.”[14] This means that the book was in existence for about 250 years from Ali’s time until the time of Imam Mahdi (born 255 A.H.) who took it with him in his great disappearance.[15] The book will be in circulation again when the Imam reappears at the end of time.

Another Shi’ah scholar gave the same explanation. He said, “After the death of the Prophet, the Amir al-Muminin (meaning Ali) carried it (the Qur’an) in his outer garment [rida’] and brought it to Abubakar and Umar while they were seated with a group of men in the mosque. He presented it to them but they said, ‘We have no need for you and your Qur’an. We have our Qur’an; it is sufficient for us.’ Whereupon, he said, ‘You will never see it after today until the Mahdi arises.’”[16]

So the book is not physically in existence today, but excerpts of it are found scattered in Shi’ah books, ancient and modern.

The View on the Scale of the Shari’ah

If we put this Shiite belief on the scale of the Shari’ah, we will see that it is in grave error. This is because it contradicts the clear verses of the Qur’an and many traditions of the Prophet, as well as the consensus of the Ummah. Even non-Muslim scholars and researchers have acknowledged the purity and immutability of the Qur’an.

The Qur’an challenges mankind to ponder and consider its contents if they could find any contradiction:

Will they not then consider the Qur’an carefully? Had it been from other than Allah, they would have found therein much contradiction. (Qur’an, 4: 82)

The Shiite belief also denies Allah’s promise to guard his Book against any human interference:

Verily, we, it is we who have sent down the Reminder (i.e., the Qur’an) and surely we will guard it (from corruption). (Qur’an, 15: 9)

Indeed, Allah has protected his Book so that “it is unassailable Scripture. Falsehood cannot come at it from before it or behind it. It is a revelation from the Wise, Owner of Praise.” (Qur’an, 41: 42)

The Shiite view of the Qur’an has grave consequences. It amounts to a denial of the Qur’an and a rejection of its verses. This, when done knowingly, will render one’s Iman null and void. Admittedly, many Shi’ah followers, especially in Nigeria where there is lack of Islamic knowledge, may not be aware of this belief. But this is not an excuse. Another dangerous part of the belief is the saying that a book was revealed to Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her). This implies the existence of a prophet, even a prophetess, after Prophet Muhammad. This also is a negation of the Qur’an, which will make a Muslim an apostate.

It is for the above reasons that Muslims who are fascinated by Shiism are counseled to be careful of their faith. May Allah guide us all to the straight path, amin.

Important Notices:

1. Sunni Muslims consider the twelve Shi’ah Imams and other members of the Prophet’s household, the Ahlul Bait, as belonging to the rank of the leadership of the Ahlus Sunnah. They also believe that statements attributed to them by the Shiites, which are contrary to the teachings of the Qur’an and Hadith, such as the ones we have seen, are mere lies and the Imams are innocent of them.

2. Shiite sources consulted in preparing this booklet are available at the library of Markazus Sahabah in Sokoto. The library is open to the public.

 

[1] Hashim bin Sulaiman al-Hussaini al-Bahrani, al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, al-Matba’ah al-Ilmiyyah, Qum-Iran, 1393 A.H., p. 36.

[2] Muhammad bin Ya’aqub al-Kulaini, Usul al-Kafi, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyyah, Tehran, n.d., vol. 2 p. 634.

[3] Imad al-Din Isma’il bin Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Azim, Maktabah al-Safah, Cairo, 2002, vol. 1 p. 17.

[4] Hussain bin Muhammad al-Nauri al-Tabarsi, Fasl al-Khitab fi Ithbat Tahrif Kitab Rabb al-Arbab, locally printed in Iran, n.d., n.p., p. 248.

[5] Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Nu’man al-Mufid, Awa’il al-Maqalat fi al-Mazahib al-Mukhtarat, Dar al-Kitab al-Islami, Beirut, 1403/1983, p. 49.

[6] Abu Ja’afar Muhammad bin Hussain bin Farrokh al-Saffar, Basa’ir al-Darajat al-Kubra fi Fada’il Aali Muhammad, Manshurat al-A’lami, Tehran, 1362 A.H., p. 176. See also, Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar al-Jami’ah li Durar Akhbar al-A’immah al-At’har, Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, 1403 A.H., vol. 26 pp. 41-42.

[7] See, al-Kulaini, Usul al-Kafi, op. cit., vol. 1 p. 171.

[8] Ibid., vol. 1 p. 171.

[9] Ibid., vol. 1 p. 173.

[10] Kitab Sulaim bin Qais al-Hilali, edited by Muhammad Baqir al-Ansari al-Zanjani, Muassasah Nashr al-Hadi, Qum-Iran, 1420 A.H., p. 122.

[11] Ibid., p. 125.

[12] See our booklet What the Shiites Say about the Companions of the Prophet.

[13] For their false accusation of A’isha, see our booklet What The Shiites Say about A’isha and Hafsah?

[14] Hussain al-Khurasani, al-Islam ala Dau’ al-Tashayyu’, n.d., n.p., p. 204.

[15] The last Imam (the 12^th), who is known as the Mahdi, had two disappearances: the lesser disappearance, which continued for 65 years during which a handful of trusted disciples had contact with him, and the great disappearance which has lasted since 259 A.H. and will terminate with his reappearance at the end of time. See, Imam Musa Musawi, A Critical Revision of Shi’ah, the Supreme Islamic Council, Columbia, Maryland (USA), 1412/1992, pp. 77-78.

[16] Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri, Nur al-Anwar fi Sharh al-Sahifah al-Sajjadiyyah, Dar al-Mahajjah al-Baida’, Beirut, 1420 A.H., p. 175.

 

 

Nur al-Albab

By

 

Sheikh Uthman bin Foduye

 

 

 

Edited and translated by

 

Dr. Umar Labdo

 

Former Vice Chancellor

Katsina Islamic University

INTRODUCTION
In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful.
Thanks be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May peace and blessings of Allah be upon His messenger Muhammad, His descendents and his companions.
It would appear that our society has come full circle. Many of the problems encountered by the Sokoto Jihad Leaders at the close of the 18^th century and the opening of the 19^th are here with us again. Hence the relevance of this book: Nur al-Albab.
The importance of the book stems from the fact that it tackles questions of faith, morality and ethics. It also repudiates superstitious beliefs and condemns harmful innovations. Though of slim volume, the book occupies a central position in the Sokoto Jihad literature.
Nur al-Albab has received the attention of scholars and researchers over a long period of time. Different manuscript copies of the book are preserved in centers of research and institutions of higher learning. In Nigeria, there are copies located at the specialist library of the centre for Islamic studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, National Achieves, Kaduna and the centre of Arabic Documentation, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, among may others. And abroad, there are copies at Bibliotheque de I’ Institute de France in Paris and Bibliotheque Nationals also in Paris
The book was published several times. Matba’at Albabi al-Halabi in Egypt published it together with Hidayah al-Muta’abbidin of Imam al-Baji in one volume in 1965. Earlier, the famous Nizamiyah School in Sokoto published it in 1963. The book was also translated into French and published by the French language Journal Revue African in Algeria in 1897. Finally, Prof. I.A. Ogunbiyi edited and translated the book into English as published by the centre of Arabic Documentation, University of Ibadan in its Research Bulletin vols. 18 and 19, 1990-1991.
As for my work in this volume, I made use of the copies available in Sokoto for the edition and translation. I also benefited from Prof. Ogunbiyi’s work cited above. Similarly, I read some of the other works of Shiekh Uthman with same theme, such as Ihya al-Sunnah, Tamyiz al-Muslimin min al-Kuffar, etc in order to complement my understanding of issues discussed in the present work.
Lastly I pray to Allah to bless our efforts and guide us all to the straight path, Amin.
Kano
U.M. Labdo
January, 2012
In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. Allah bless our Master Muhammad, his descendants and his companions and grant him peace. Said the poor slave who is in need of his Lord’s mercy, Uthman b. Muhammad b. Uthman, popularly known as Ibn Foduye, Allah encompass him with His mercy, amin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and may the choicest blessing and the most complete peace be upon our master, his descendants and his companions in their entirety. May Allah be pleased with the followers, the pious scholars, the four Mujtahid imams and those who imitate them until the judgement day.
To proceed:
This is a book entitled Light of the Intellect. It will be beneficial, if Allah wills, to whoever relies on it. In it, I have thoroughly considered some questions so as to give juristic opinions concerning the people of Hausaland. I say, and unto Allah belongs success:
[Religious Categories of the People]
Know you, my brother, that the people of this land fall into three categories (namely):
One category among them performs acts of Islam; no action smacking of unbelief emanates from it and no speech which is inconsistent with Islam is heard from it. These ones are definitely Muslims, and are subject to the rules of Islam.
(A second) category among them is syncretic; it performs acts of Islam while acts of unbelief are visible on it and utterances which contradict Islam are heard from it. These ones are definitely unbelievers and are not subject to the rules of Islam.
(A third) category has never smelt the scent of Islam and has never laid any claim to it. The legal position of these ones is not ambiguous to anyone.
If you say: explain to us the characterization of those who are eclectic so that we can identify them, I say: I shall, if Almighty Allah wills, give you the detail of their deeds by which they fall into unbelief as these constitute the characteristics by which they are known.
I say, and unto Allah belongs success: Among those eclectic ones is one who claims that he is a Muslim, does the works of Islam while at the same time he venerates some trees and stones by offering slaughtered animals and alms to them; or by pouring (grain) paste on them. This one is an unbeliever who is not subject to the rules of Islam.
Among them is one who claims to be a Muslim, performs acts of Islam while he denies the resurrection of the dead by saying “there is no resurrection after death”. This one, also, is an unbeliever who is not subject to the rules of Islam.
Among them is one who claims to be a Muslim, performs acts of Islam while he ridicules Allah’s religion and ridicules its adherents; he ridicules the humble ones, as well as women who conceal themselves from male strangers. This one also is an unbeliever.
Among them is one who claims to be a Muslim, performs acts of Islam while he at the same time claims that he knows something about the (realm of the) unknown through lines made on sand or by the state of the stars or by promptings from jinns or through the sounds or movements of birds or by some other means. This one also is an unbeliever who is not subject to the rules of Islam.
Among them is one who claims to be a Muslim while he at the same time, consults diviners about his affairs and believes what they say. This one also is an unbeliever who is not subject to the rules of Islam.
Among them is one who claims to be a Muslim, performs acts of Islam but he, at the sometime, casts cotton or some other things on stones by the roadside or at the foot of trees or at the junction of two roads, or at some such locations where such is cast (by way of sacrifice). This one also is an unbeliever who is not subject to the rules of Islam.
There is among them one who claims to be Muslim, performs acts of Islam but still put clothes or food or some other things on the tombs of a saint or a scholar or a pious person as an offering, imagining in his ignorance that he is thus fulfilling a vow. This one also is an unbeliever who is not subject to the rules of Islam.
Among them is one who claims to be Muslim, performs acts of Islam, yet, he charms people, separates two people between whom there is mutual affection, and puts asunder a wife and her husband. This also is an unbeliever who is not subject to the rules of Islam.

Among them is one who claims to be a Muslim, performs acts of Islam and yet he recites the Qur’an to the beats of the tambourines. This one also is an unbeliever who is not subject to the rules of Islam.

Among them is one who claims to be a Muslim, performs acts of Islam and yet, he writes the Qur’an and the names of Almighty Allah on filthy objects such as dead people’s bones or the head of a dog, or he writes the Qur’an or the names of Almighty Allah with blood spilled during slaughter or he writes the Qur’an or Allah’s names and then washes it with water, then shreds a snake’s slough and mixes it with the water. This one too is an unbeliever who is not subject to the rules of Islam.

(As regards) these eclectic persons, their unbelief is obvious to the eyes and audible to the ears. It is therefore clear that they are not subject to the rules of Islam.

As for the one who performs acts of Islam without showing any trace of acts of unbelief and from whom no speech contradicting Islam is heard, it is not permissible for anyone to say that he is an unbeliever either on (the basis of) the claim that he harbours unbelief in his heart for we have no means of verifying such claim or on the (basis of the) claim that he commits grave sins, for this also is a baseless claim since no-one among the peoples of the qiblah can be declared an unbeliever on account of a sin.

If you say: Explain to us what the law enjoins us to do to them and what is the legal position concerning the enslavement of their children; and the property which they seized from Muslims; and that which Muslims seized from them; and (the treatment of ) someone found enslaved by them but who claims that he is a freeman? I say: I shall explain that to you, if Almighty Allah wills. I declare, and success belongs to Allah;

[Categories of Unbelief]

Know ye that unbelief is of three types: The first is one who is evidently an unbeliever by origin such as the Jews and the Christians and the Magians all of whom inherit unbelief from their parents.

The second is one who was a Muslim, then publicly renounced the religion of Islam and openly announced that he has left the religion of Islam and entered into another religion from among the religions of unbelief.

The third is one who claims that he is a Muslim but we adjudge him an unbeliever on account of what emanates from him among those traits which are never seen except on an unbeliever, as we have stated (above) about the status of eclectic persons.

As for unbelievers by origin of unbelief, their offsprings and their women can be enslaved and their property can be distributed. There is no disagreement about that among scholars as contained in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. As regard unbelievers by renunciation of faith, there is a difference of pinion. Ibn al-Qasim said in respect of Muslim inhabitants of a fortress who renounced the religion of Islam and relapsed into unbelief that their offspring and their women cannot be enslaved but their property is lawful for Muslims. Ibn Rushd regards this as the correct position from a theoretical consideration because the apostates are freemen by their origin. He also notes that the generality of scholars and the leaders of the early Muslims are inclined toward the opinion of Ibn Qasim on the apostates. If you understand this, then, note that everyone who commits any of these acts which merit being declared an unbeliever must be summoned to repent and if he repents, he must be released and if he does not, he is killed by the sword as an unbeliever; but their children are not to be enslaved.

As for the property which is found to have been seized by them from Muslims, it is legally permissible to be recovered by its owner where it is located at no cost. This is because what the unbeliever who claims to be a Muslim seizes is not like what an unbeliever by origin seizes. As regard what Muslims seized from them, they cannot reclaim it because they can make reparation but have no right to reparation. As for anyone enslaved by them but who claims that he is a freeman, the opinion is as claimed by him until it is otherwise proved that he is a slave.

This is the end of what I intended to set down in detail concerning the position of these religious eclectics according to what Almighty Allah has expatiated to us through the words of the imasms, may Allah have mercy on them. And success belongs to Allah.

[The Education of Women]

Chapter containing an account of the matters which are responsible for the prevalence of tribulation in this land – by which I mean Hausaland – notwithstanding that there is widespread tribulation in many (other) lands.

One of it is the practice of many of the scholars of this land whereby they leave their wives and daughters and slaves neglected like cattle without teaching them what Allah enjoins on them regarding the articles of their faith, their ablutions, their prayers, their fasting and other things which Allah commands that they should be taught such as the things permitted to them in their sales transactions and similar matters. This is a grievous error and a forbidden innovation.

They treat them (i.e. their wives, daughters and slaves) like household utensils which are used until they are broken and then thrown into the rubbish heap. Alas! How can they abandon their wives, daughters and slaves straying from truth in the darkness of ignorance while they impart knowledge to their students morning and evening! That shows nothing other than that they themselves have gone astray because their thus instructing their students is sheer hypocrisy and egotism. This is a grievous error because instructing wives, daughters and slaves is an obligatory duty while instructing students is a supererogatory performance and an obligatory performance takes precedence over a supererogatory performance by consensus of scherars. It is incumbent on the scholar to instruct students only if there is no other person beside him (in the vicinity) to perform this duty; and even then, it should come after his household has been instructed because a preceding duty takes precedence over succeeding duty.

Oh ye Muslim women, do not listen to the saying of the misguided and deceptive ones who seek to mislead you by enjoining you to obey your husbands instead of enjoining you to obey Allah and His messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They say that a woman’s happiness lies in obeying her husband. This is no more than a means of achieving their objective and desire in you. They impose on you duties which neither Almighty Allah nor His Messenger has made mandatory upon you. These include cooking, washing of clothes and such other numerous things which they desire while they fail to enforce on you what Allah and His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, have prescribed for you such as obedience to Allah and His Messenger.

Yes, indeed, the wife ought to obey her husband secretly and openly according to consensus of scholars even if her husband is a very wretched man or a slave. It is absolutely forbidden for her to disobey her husband except when he orders her to disobey Almighty Allah, then and only they, it is incumbent on her to deny him obedience since no creature can claim obedience through an act of disobedience to the Creator. Also, if a woman obeys her husband she earns a double reward but that is provided she has first obeyed Allah and His Messenger.

[The Observance of Special Days]
Among the matters which have caused a prevalence of tribulation in this land is their saying: ‘This is a good day and this is a day. All that is a deceit, a falsehood and a forbidden innovation which conflicts with the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Sunnah of (other) prophets and messengers, on whom be (Allah’s) blessing and peace. None of the scholars of Islam from among the venerable ancestors has sanctioned that (saying) nor has any of their successors. Similarly, no one among the imams Malik, al-Sahafi ^ci, Abu Hanifah, Ahmad b. Hanbal or any of their earlier or later followers (has sanctioned it); rather, it is a lie lifted from the books of Jews and Christians who have altered, changed and discarded the way of their prophets behind them and taken after their passions and misled many, having themselves strayed off the right course. This is the truth in which there is no doubt. It is not permissible for anyone to imitate Jews and Christians because they are unbelievers by ijma and whoever doubts their unbelief is himself, by ijma, an unbeliever.
As for what they ascribe to Ka’b al-Ahbar in their writing that he pronounced that opinion, this is not correct, unless he said that before he became a Muslim while he was still in the religion of the people of the Book. It is not permissible for anyone to adept a legal opinion pronounced by Jews and Christians before their conversion to Islam. Ka^cb al Ahbar did not at all give this opinion after his conversion to Islam and that is the turth.
As for those who say: We know that all days belong to Allah and that a day can neither benefit nor harm; but we found our forefathers doing that and we are also doing so. This is a great error and a forbidden innovation and it is incumbent upon anyone making such a statement torepent and seek forgiveness because he has imitated the saying of unbelievers; ‘When it is said to them; follow what Allah has revealed, they say: Nay we shall follow what we found our ancestors in it. (Q. 2:170). This is a disastrous straying from the right path.

It is strange how they can prefer some days to other days when all that benefits a man has to do with eating and drinking which are essential for a man’s good physique. If there is no day in which they do not eat and drink and they are not harmed by the food and drink, how then can they be harmed by anything other than the two? This is foolishness, stupidity, ignorance, straying from the right path and a forbidden innovation.

The summary is that whosever believes in Allah and the last day would neither accept this ignorance nor apply it since nothing like it is to be found in the Great Qur’an, or in the authentic Hadith, nay, there is nothing at all like it in the weak Hadith. Indeed, it is a belief lifted from the books of the people of the Book who have altered and changed (their religion) and this is the trath in which there is no doat.

[Divination]

Among the matters which are responsible for the prevalence of tribulation in this land is their preoccupation with the use of letters whose meanings are not understood since some of them are offensive to good manners and some of them amount to unbelief. This is what Imam Malik alluded to in his statement: “How do you know if, perhaps, it is unbelief”. It has been ascribed to someone who was said to be reading that (i.e. the meaningless letters) in the presence of a Christian and the Christian was laughing at him and saying to him:

“ I am amazed at you that you are insulting your Lord and your Prophet without your knowing it!”

Among the matters which are responsible for wide spread tribulation in this land is the procurement of transcendental knowledge through lot casting and star gazing. This act is the gateway to every temptation because its origin is divination which is the opposite of the truth. Scholars have said: “lot casting by means of birds (reading the movement of birds) and the like belong to the class of divination by means of headless arrows (or plain sticks) and it was from it they graduated into divination with a copy of the Qur’an.

[Attendance at non – Muslim Festivals]

Among the matters which are responsible for widespread tribulation in this Land is the extolling of the festivals of unbelievers such as al-Hajur, al-Insirah and the first Thursday in May.

[Veneration of Tombs, Special Prayers]

Among the matters which are responsible for wide spread tribulation in this land is the practice of seeking blessing by praying on a tomb and building a mosque on it. Normally, blessing is not sought by praying on tombs or by the building of mosques on them; also, one does not rub one’s body on a tomb because that is the practice of Christians. One does not smeer one’s body with water placed on a tomb or take sand or soil from it. Rather, one seeks blessing by simply visiting a tomb.

Among the matters which have led to the prevalence of tribulation in this land is the preference for less important matters such as the preferences of salat in the night and on selected days and the observance (of the stipulations of worthless tales while neglecting unambiguous knowledge. These include salat on the first Thursday of Rajab, and in the night of half of Sah^cban and the night of the seventeenth of Rajab and salat for bidding farewell to Rawadan and salat on the day of Ashura’ and salat on tombs and salat for parents and week-long salat in which every day’s salat is dedicated to the special event taking place on the day. All that is contrived and falsely ascribed to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless and grant him peace.

Among the matters which have led to the prevalence of tribulation in this land is the pursuit of virtue (or supererogatory acts) and all kinds of recommended acts in the belief that deliverance can be obtained there from despite their persistence in forbidden acts, sins and shameless deeds which ought to stop. Indeed, some of them neglect obligatory religious duties while they hasten unto, and multiply acts of supererogation.

[Un-Islamic Customs]

Among the matters which are responsible for the prevalence of tribulation in this land is the action of ignorant ones whereby they slaughter sheep in order to comb the hair of their heads [with its fat] and they slay any stray animal that comes upon their cattle and sheep and they train young men that to disobey their parents and to show lack of respect for the elderly and these are acts which are not permissible according to the shari ah. This is because they take the youths to the bush where they lit big bonfires and drill them in acts which are not permissible in the shari ah. These acts are peculiar to the Fulani tribe in this land but they are acts which are forbidden according to the Book, the Sunnah and ijma.

[Unrestrained Mingling of Men and Women]

        Among the matters which are responsible for the prevalence of tribulation in this land is the intermingling of men and women in the markets and on the roads and the failure of the woman to avoid her husband’s brother and his uncle’s son and his friend as well as the exposure of nakedness by free women and slave women.

[Un-Islamic Rituals and Ceremonies]

Among the matters which are responsible for the prevalence of tribulation in this land is the forbidden innovation perpetrated during circumcision, wedding and child-naming celebrations and festivities of offering sadaqah for the dead and during such other occasions in which they congregate together which are innumerable. This is because innovation multiplies in proportion to the exercise of individual jugement by the perpetrators and this is what they do through entertainments, plays, intermingling of men and women, dancing, singing and such-like things among their erroneous and disobedient acts by which the Devil toys around with them. All that is forbidden according to the Qur’an the sunnah and ijma so it is not permissible for any Muslim to be present at such an occasion even if it is being hosted by his father or his in law or his teacher. This is because anyone doing that is a transgressor according to ijma, so also is anyone who attends it. It is (therefore) not lawful for a Muslim to allow his wife or child or slave or anyone under his control to be present at such an abominable place and whoever allows them disobeys Allah and His messenger and whoever is in a land whose people perpehtrate this disobedience, it is incumbent upon him to id them if he is able and if he is unable, he must emigrate to another place where there is no such disobedience. And if he is unable to do that due to the prevalence of disobedience in all the lands or due to the difficulty which he would encounter and which would be greater than that (disobedience), he should stay in his house and he and his household should not join them at their places of disobedience and pleasure, nor should they greet them in their state of disobedience or assist them with a morsel of food or a draught of water or by word of mouth or by any act; they should not give food or drink to their guests because they are transgressors and anyone who come to them from near or far in order to assist them is disobedient to Allah and His messenger and sins are recorded against him for every step he takes to and from their place. He should not assist them with anything because that would amount to collaborating in sin and aggression and collaborating in sin and aggression is forbidden. Sheikh Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Muhammad al-Madyuni says in his commentary on Fath al-Jalil:

“(The practices of) people spending the night with the family of the deceased is nothing but one (of the practices) of ignorance and the like of it is the food which a deceased’s relatives pepare on the seventh day in the hope that this would be an offering on behalf of the deceased and a request for (Allah’s) mercy on him. This is a practice that came into being at a later age and was not known of old. It was not spoken well of by scholars, may Allah be pleased with them. They said: Muslims ought not to imitate the people of unbelief, nay, everyone must forbid his relations from being present at such an occasion or anything resembling it and from cheek-slapping or ripping apart one’s clothing or the employment of a professional waller”.

[Innovative Circumcision Practices]

Among the matters which are responsible for the prevalence of tribulation in this land is (the practice whereby) youths who have attained the age of circumcision wait until those younger than they have attained the age of circumcision and they circumcise them altogether in one day and gather them in the bush. All that is a forbidden innovation. If two young people attain the age of circumcision at the same time, there is nothing wrong in circumcising them together and putting them in the same room although separating them so that each one spends the night in his mother’s room is preferable and better than the forbidden innovation.

Among the matters which have led to the prevalence of tribulation in this land is what they do by way of threatening youths at circumcision and beating them if they are afraid. All that is forbidden. It is not permissible to hurt them in any way on account of their weeping, nay, their weeping is good because there is a great reward for their weeping during circumcision and whoever chides them for weeping at circumcision commits a great sin from which he must repent and seek forgiveness.

[Dishonest Practices in Sales]

Among the matters which have led to widespread tribulation in this land is their act of cheating on sales such as diluting milk with water or the like of it. There is among them one who, if he buys a piece of merchandise, he takes possession of it and departs before paying the price to its owner. And if he regrets the purchase or if he does not succeed in selling it at a profit or if the owner of the merchandise demand from him payment of its price, he retorts “Take your goods or be patient until I am able to sell it”.

Among the matters which have caused a prevalence of tribulation in this land is the manipulation of (weights and) measures either by increasing them or by reducing them. This is forbidden according to the Qur’an, the sunnah and ijma because the legal description of a measure is that the measure should be balanced and stand upright to hold the thing being measured. Then the thing being measured is put into it from the top until it is completely filled without any stacking or piling or propping or shaking or any manouver; indeed, the measure must be balanced in place and the thing being measured must be put into it until it is filled up.

Among the matters which have led to widespread tribulation in this land is their failure to rectify measure and this is a forbidden thing. It is compulsory to rectify measures according to the law, the big ones and the small ones, so that they are all of uniform standard. It is not permissible for the people of the land to agree on (differential) measures, rather, it is mandatory to regularize the measures of a land so that they are all of one standard.

[UnIslamic Customs of Inheritance]

Among the matters which have led to the prevalence of tribulation in this land is their failure to order inheritance according to the Qur’an as enjoined by Almighty Allah. Rather, if there is an older one among the inheritors, he takes possession of all the property (left behind by the deceased and says: “This property belongs to my brothers and I am now in the position of their father”; and none among them can obstruct him and when he dies, the strongest among them (in turn) takes possession of his legacy. This also is a forbidden thing according to the Qur’an, the sunnah and ijma.

[Prohibtion of Bowing when Greeting]

Among the matters which are responsible for the prevalence of tribulation in this land is what they regard as a (sign of) respect to their elders when greeting such as bowing. Bowing the head when greeting is forbidden by the majority of scholars and this is the apparent meaning of the hadith related by at-Tirmidhi from Anas and he classified it as sahin (sound). Some scholars however permit it in their legal opinion since what is intended by it is not the legal bending of the body in prayer.

This is the end of what I intended to set down in detail among the matters which have led to widespread tribulation in this land as made clear to us by Almighty Allah and according to the words of the Imams. And with the completion of setting down the detail, the book Nur al-Albab is completed with praise to Allah and His best assistance and blessing. Peace be upon Allah’s messenger, may Allah bless and grant him peace.

Praise be to the Lord of the worlds and may the choicest blessing and most complete peace be upon our master Muhammad and his relations and all his companions.

May Allah be pleased with the followers and the active scholars and the four legislating Imams and their imitators until the day of Jugement, amin.

 

Zakat on Company

and

Shareholders

 

 

Umar Labdo

Dean, Faculty of Humanities

Northwest University, Kano

 

Introduction

The modern time has seen tremendous development in all spheres of human endeavor, including the economic sphere. One such development in this sphere is the appearance of large companies the ownership of which is widely held through the issuance and purchase of shares. Like all other religious and ideological groupings, Muslims are fully engaged in economic activities using modern methods of business transactions which involve companies dealing with different kinds of shares, bonds, stocks and other business tools. This made it incumbent upon the Ummah to seek for Islamic guidance concerning these methods of business transactions. The burden fell on the modern Islamic scholars to search for answers to questions arising from this modern development.

Some of these questions are, firstly, what is the position of Islam on shares and the modern companies issuing them? Secondly, how could a Muslim shareholder compute and pay zakat for his/her shares? Thirdly, who is responsible for paying Zakat on the assets of a company: is it the company as a legal person, or the shareholders as individuals or as a group?

In seeking answers to the above, as well as many other relevant questions, modern Islamic scholars have made valuable contributions. One of such contributions is the excellent work by Abul Ala Maududi, Fatawa al-Zakat, in which he tried to answer various questions arising from the issue. Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi has also extensively researched the subject in his monumental two-vaolume work entitled Fiqh al-Zakat. Other scholars such as Dr. Shauqi Isma`il Shahata, Sheikh Muhammad Abu Zahara and Dr. Mustapha Kamal followed suit. These individual efforts were complemented by research work sponsored by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) under the auspices of its Fiqh Academy.

The body organized a special conference to which prominent scholars from all over the Muslim world, commissioned to conduct research in the area, were invited. The scholars converged in Jeddah, Saudi Arebia, in Febuary, 1988 and, for a week, deliberated extensively on the issue. At the end of their deliberations, they issued a four-point resolution on the issue, which has since gained wide acceptance world-wide. (The text of the resolution will be presented at the end of this booklet.) The well-researched papers presented at this conference form the bulk of material used in the second part of this booklet.

The present booklet is divided into two parts. The first part presents the fundamentals of Zakat and discusses the traditional topics of this subject, such as definition of Zakat, aims and objectives of zakat and recipients of zakat. The second part is a summary of the views of modern Islamic scholars on the subject of zakat for companies and shareholders. In preparing this booklet, certain update and additions have been made to the original paper in the light of the latest research in the field. It must be noted, however, that some of the solutions provided here are far from being final. This is because, the subject is new and researches by individuals and bodies concerning it are still going on. It may take some time before a consensus is reached on the issue.

Kano             U.M. Labdo

                        October, 2013

 

                                                                       Chapter One

Fundamentals of Zakat

           Zakat is one of the pillars of Islam and comes only after the Kalimah and Salah. It is mentioned thirty times in the Noble Qur`an, twenty-six of these coupled with Salah. It is a unique institution peculiar to Islam with no parallel in any other religion, ideology or social system. It is one of the many gems that adorn the face of Islam of which every Muslim must be genuinely proud.

Objectives of Zakat

           Zakat aims at fostering a feeling of solidarity, nurturing compassion and strengthening the bonds of brotherhood between the various segments of society. It is a purification for the wealthy as well as the poor. Allah, the Most High, says, “Of their goods take alms that thou mightiest purify and sanctify them”. (Qur`an, 9:103).

Zakat cleanses the wealthy of selfishness and greed, just as it purges their wealth of any dubious earning that might have soiled it. It also purifies the hearts of the poor of envy and hatred toward the rich as well as satisfies their needs and ensures decent and honourable living for them. Thus, the Muslim society is freed from grudge, enmity and rancour and Muslims from different classes live together in harmony and brotherhood.

Definition of Zakat

Zakat literally means growth and purity. The term is used here to denote the act of almsgiving for the role Zakat plays in purifying the hearts of both the rich and the poor, cleansing the wealth and fostering its growth. Allah, the Most High, says, “That which ye lay out for increase through the property of (other) people, will have no increase with Allah. But that which ye lay out for charity (Zakat), seeking the countenance of Allah (will increase). It is these who will get a recompense multiplied”. (Qur`an, 30:39).

Technically, zakat is a prescribed charity involving a specific amount of fixed quality and quantity to be taken from a specified kind of property and given to specific categories of people as an act of worship.

 

Incentive for giving Zakat

Anas(RA) reports that a man from the clan of Tamim came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have great wealth and a large family and I care for travelers, tell me what to do, how to spend (my wealth)?” The Prophet replied, “Give out zakat from your wealth that will purify you, be generous to your near relations and give the needy, the neighbour and the beggar their dues.” (Ahmad 1:411).

Jabir(RA) reports that a man asked the Prophet, saying, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me (what would be the advantage to a man) who gives out zakat that is due in his wealth?” The Prophet, peace be upon him, answered, “Whoever gives out zakat from his wealth, that will free him from its (the wealth`s) evil.” (Tabarani, 257)

Warning against withholding Zakat

Allah, the Most High, says “And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings of painful doom. On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said unto them): Here is that which ye hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what ye used to hoard.” (Qur`an, 9:34-35)

Hoarding in this verse, means withholding zakat as many authorities on Tafsir from among the Companions of the Prophet and others have opined. (Ibn Kathir, 2:32)

Again, Allah, the Most High, has said, “And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty think it is better for them. Nay, it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection.” (Qur`an, 3:180)

This verse has been interpreted by then Prophet himself, peace be upon him, when he said, “Whoever Allah bestowed with wealth and he withheld its zakat, on the Day of Resurrection the wealth will be turned into an enormous male serpent which has gone bold because of the intensity of its poison, and which has two black spots in its head. It will collar the man, then seize his jawbone and say: I am your hoarded up wealth.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Legal punishment for withholding Zakat

           If a Muslim denies that Zakat is obligatory, he shall cease to be a Muslim and his punishment will be execution except when such a Muslim happens to be a new convert, in that case he would be excused for his ignorance. (Sabiq, 1992, 1:281)

As for a wealthy Muslim who believes in its being obligatory but refuses to give it out, that person will be a sinner and the appropriate authorities will take Zakat from him by force. In addition, he would be reprimanded for disobeying Allah and His Messenger, but the jurists differ on the extent and nature of this punishment. According to Imam Shafi`i and Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on them, half his property should be seized in addition to the forceful collection of zakat dues. The opinion of the Maliki school of law is that no more property should be taken from him and that his punishment should be left to the discretion of the authorities. (Sabiq, ibid)

 

On whom is Zakat obligatory?                        

          Zakat is obligatory upon every Muslim, male or female, who owns property equal to the value of nisab or more. Nisab is the minimum amount of property liable to payment of zakat.

For zakat to be obligatory, an individual must possess full nisab in addition to his/her personal needs as well as that of his family including food, clothing, accommodation and transport. The amount must also be in his/her possession for a complete lunar year. Should the amount decrease during the year, majority of jurists, including Imam Malik, Imam Shafi`i and Imam Ahmad, hold the opinion that he/she will count again from the day the amount increases to full nisab. According to Imam Abu Hanifah, however, he/she will pay if his/her property amounted to nisab at the beginning and end of the year irrespective of whether it decreases in between (ibid, 293).

 

Zakatable Wealth

Zakat is levied on all kinds of wealth including gold and silver, land, agricultural produce, cattle and so on. We are concerned here with the first form of wealth. Needless to say, gold and silver are no longer used as medium of exchange in today`s world. They are replaced with paper money, i.e. the various national currencies which are accepted as legal tender.

Naturally, we are here concerned with the Naira, the value of which, like that of all other currencies, change from time to time. Every year, experts calculate the nisab in Naira according to the current value of gold and the nisab changes according to the fluctuations in the value of the Naira. An illustration of this is provided in the following table.

Year	1425/2004	1426/2005	1427/2006	1428/2007	1429/2008
Nisab	N134,321.00	N128,325.00	N173,064.00	N201,561.00	N223,175.00

Source:

If an amount equal to nisab or more stays for a period of one lunar year in the possession of a Muslim, he/she will give out 2.5% of the total value of that amount as Zakat (Darir, 1988:763).

Recipients of Zakat

Due to its importance, zakat is not left to the whims of the wealthy to give to whom they like, or to the desire of the ulama’ to decide who should and who should not receive zakat. Instead, Allah the Most High, Himself prescribed the recipients of zakat as contained in the following verse:

Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those

employed to administer the (funds); for those  whose hearts are to be reconciled (to truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer

(thus is it) ordained by Allah. (Qur`an, 9:60)

There is a difference of opinion among jurists of the four schools of law concerning the meaning of these eight categories of recipients mentioned in the above verse. Below, we shall present the meaning of the categories according to the Maliki school of law, mentioning the views of other schools only when needed.

1, 2. The Poor and the Needy: According to the Maliki school     of law, the poor is a person whose annual income cannot provide him with his essential needs as well as that of his dependents. There is no tangible difference between the poor and the needy except that poverty of the poor is more apparent.

3. The people employed to administer zakat funds: they include collectors, accountants and distributors. These are given from zakat even if they are rich because they are entitled to it for their labour. If they are poor, however, they have two claims to it.
4. Those whose hearts are to be reconciled: these are non-Muslims who are given from zakat funds with the intention of winning them over to Islam. The Hanafi school forbids giving this category because they were not given during the caliphateship of Abu Bakr.

According to Shafi`i school, this category includes the following manner of people:

a)   A newly converted Muslim whose faith is still weak. Such a person is given from zakat fund in order to strengthen his faith.

b)  A newly converted Muslim who has influence in his locality. Such a person is given zakat in order to help him attract those of his people who are yet to embrace Islam.

c)   A Muslim, strong in faith, who is able to help the cause of Islam due to the position he occupies. This is given zakat to enhance his position of influence.

d)  Anyone who is in a position to help authorities recover zakat funds from zakat evaders.

5. Those in bondage: According to the Maliki school. This refers to a Muslim slave.     He should be bought with zakat money and freed. The other three schools are agreed that this refers only to a mukatab (a Muslim slave who is under agreement with his master to free himself at an agreed sum of money during a specified period of time). Such person is given enough from zakat funds to pay for the agreed sum.
6. Those in debt. That means an indebted person who could not pay his debt. Such person should be given enough to settle his debt.
7. In the cause of Allah. This refers to a volunteer in a legitimate war for the defense of Islam (Jihad). This does not include professional soldiers who are paid wages. Based on this, Muslim organizations fighting physical occupation of their land such as Hamas in Palestine or Taliban in Afghanistan, can be given from zakat funds.
8. The way farer. That means a traveler who has no means of reaching home even if he is rich in his country of residence. According to Maliki jurists, if he can find a loan he cannot be eligible to enjoy zakat. Hambali jurists, on the other hand, maintain that he can be given even if he can find ready loan. In the age of credit cards, however, only the genuinely poor travelers can benefit from this provision. (Sabiq, 1:324-337)

 

   Those who cannot receive zakat

A person cannot give out zakat to his parents or children, or any body whose up keep is legally compulsory upon him. But he can give it to those he maintains voluntarily.

Zakat cannot be given to non-Muslims except the ones mentioned in category four above. Another exception is a non-Muslim working in the interest of Islam, such as spying for Muslims in a war. Such can be given from zakat and is deemed to fall under category seven above (ibid, 337-340).

 

Distribution of Zakat

Like all acts of worship in Islam, it is obligatory on a person giving out zakat to have sound intention. He should have this intention in mind when distributing zakat or when separating it from the rest of his property.

The Muslim ruler or his representatives are responsible for collecting and distributing zakat. However, in the absence of an Islamically constituted authority, every wealthy Muslim individual can do that himself (ibid, 340).

It is obligatory to distribute zakat funds in the locality where it has been collected. It cannot be distributed outside the radius of twenty-four kilometers from the collection point, except in two circumstances. One is when there are Muslims outside the locality who are more in need, or are in an emergency situation. Two is where the one giving out zakat wishes to take it to his relatives who reside away from his locality. In both cases, a portion of zakat may be taken away with the rest distributed in the area of collection. This ruling is binding only upon an individual who give out zakat himself. If zakat is collected by government, the authorities concerned have the right to take it out of the collection area and distribute it where ever it is needed in the Muslim territory. If the Muslim giving out zakat is living away from his business or property, he will distribute his zakat in the area where his business is located (ibid, 335-337).

It is permitted for a group of Muslims paying out zakat to give it to a single individual and for a single zakat payer to distribute it among several individuals. On whether he can give it to a single category of recipients or not, the jurists differ widely. According to Imam Malik, a zakat payer is free to decide, at his own discretion, which of the categories is more deserving of his zakat. But he must give due consideration to the needy first. He can also give it to one category this year and to another next year.

According to Imam Shafi`i, he must distribute it among the eight categories if they could be found. In accordance with this opinion, if the payer undertakes to distribute it himself, category number three (those employed to administer zakat funds) will be dropped. Imam Abu Hanifah maintains that he has free hand to give out to any of the categories he wishes (ibid, 337).

 

Chapter Two

Zakat of Shares

For any meaningful discussion of a subject, the concepts and terminology involved must be clearly understood. Therefore, it will be in order to open this second part with a few definitions.

Company: A company is an association existing for a commercial or business purpose, considered to be a legal entity independent of its members. Limited (Ltd) or Plc (Public Limited Company) indicates that its shares are widely held.

             Known in Islamic jurisprudence as sharikah or khultah, the concept of company have been known and operated in Islam long before the appearance of modern companies which are based on the Western Capitalist system. The position of the Shari`ah concerning company is that it is lawful and can be operated within the bounds and according to the principles of Islamic law.

Shares: Shares are certificates of part ownership of a company, which represent equal amounts of money invested in a company. Companies limited by shares receive their funds from investors when they first set up, and these funds are taken in exchange for share certificates. Each share represents a vote in a General Annual Meeting of the company. A share also entitles the owner to a share of the profits, if enough has been made to declare a dividend.

             Shares are a modern innovation in the world of business and were not known to the ancient jurists of Islam. However, modern Islamic scholars are unanimous that dealing in shares is perfectly lawful except where the company issuing them is dealing in unlawful business such as brewing and/or selling alcohol. Some scholars also viewed buying shares with the sole intention of re-selling them when their value has risen as unlawful (Darir, 1988:767, f.n. 3) but this issue needs further investigation.

 

Preference shares: These are shares issued by a company, without voting right, which carry a fixed rate of dividend (or interest). The holders have a prior claim on the profits of the company over ordinary shareholders.

           ManyMuslim jurists object to this type of shares on the grounds that holders of these shares have priority right over their colleagues holding ordinary shares, (all shareholders should have equal right to the profit) and because the dividend they claim is not really a profit but interest (ibid, 757).

Bond: Bond is a loan to a company or government. The loan carries an annual interest payment and is repaid after several years. Like shares, bonds can be bought and sold on the stock market, and is a relatively secure investment often preferred by insurance companies and pension funds.

The unanimous verdict of Islamic scholars is that dealing in bonds is prohibited because of the interest involved (Zuhaili, 1988: 732).

 

Zakatability of Shares

              There is no disagreement among scholars concerning the zakatability of shares; they are unanimous that shares constitute zakatable wealth. This is based on the Islamic concept of sharika (partnership) and khultah (joint venture). According to Imam Shafi`i, joint assets are considered, zakatwise, as if they belong to a single person and, on reaching nisab, zakat is levied on them accordingly, irrespective of whether some partners` shares do not add up to nisab (ibid, 733-35). The three other Imams, however, hold the view that zakat cannot be levied on joint assets except when each partner`s share reaches nisab (Ibn Rushd, n.d., 1: 271).

There is no doubt that Imam Shafi`is view is easier and more practicable. (We shall return to this issue later.) The amount to be levied is 2.5% of the total value of shares on condition that it reaches nisab and stays in the company`s possession for a complete lunar year.

 

Trading and Manufacturing companies

             Some scholars differentiate between shares based on the type of company issuing them. Shares issued by manufacturing companies or companies that are not engaged in trade or commerce, such as hotels, transport companies and airlines, are not zakatable because the value of these shares are represented in the company`s implements and properties including landed property, equipment, machinery, etc, which are traditionally exempted from zakat. However, zakat is levied on the profits realized from such company`s activities. While shares issued by trading firms such as import and export companies, or companies that process raw materials and sell its products like textiles, steel mills, chemical and oil companies are deemed zakatable and are levied accordingly (ibid, 733).

Other scholars, on the other hand, do not see any difference between the two types of shares. They argue that there is no reason why zakat should be levied on shares issued by trading concerns while those issued by manufacturing firms are exempted since the shares in both cases represent the capital that generate profit annually (al-Qaradawi, 1: 524). The second opinion, it seems, is more reasonable and closer to justice and fairness.

 

The Company or the Shareholder?

After establishing that shares are zakatable wealth and zakat is levied on all types of shares, the question arises: who actually pays the zakat, the company or the shareholder?

Scholars influenced by western economic thought, like Mustapha Kamal and Shauqi Shahata, contend that the company is the payer since the assets of a company belongs to the company as a legal person (Shahata, n.d. 91). The Fiqh oriented scholars, on the other hand, argue that a company cannot pay zakat because a legal person is not a real person and cannot possibly have any possessions. Moreover, zakat is a religious duty obligatory on a believer who must meet specific requirements such as being of age, a free man or woman, enjoying sound mental health and possessing wealth up to nisab. It is obvious that a legal person, who is really a phantom, cannot attain these requirements. Therefore, the shareholder is the real payer of zakat. He can pay it personally or mandate the company to pay on his behalf. Where the law of the land requires companies to pay zakat on behalf of their shareholders, all companies will do so accordingly. However, if such a law does not exist, Muslim shareholders should mandate the company, in writing, to pay for them. In either case, the assets of such a company are treated in all respects as if they belong to a single person (Darir, 763). But if the company cannot do so for whatever reason, the Muslim shareholder must find out the value of his shares, put it together with his other property, if any, and pay its zakat accordingly.

Based on the second opinion given above, which is closer to the spirit of the Shari`ah, a company mandated by its shareholders to give out zakat on their behalf, will be treated like an individual Muslim paying zakat. If it is a trading company, it is treated like a trader. Likewise, if it is an agricultural company, it is treated like a farmer. If a company happens to be engaged in different kinds of businesses such as trading, manufacturing and agriculture, it will be treated like an individual investing in different sectors.

An important question arising here is whether a shareholder whose shares do not add up to nisab should be exempted from zakat or not? Abul Ala Maududi`s view is that such an individual should be exempted from paying zakat since he does not possess the minimum amount required by law (Maududi, 18). The other view is that he should pay since his shares are part of the company`s assets which are treated as a unit (Darir, 763). The first view is in accordance with the Maliki and Hanafi opinion that a partner in a joint venture should not pay zakat until his share in the business has reached nisab. While the second view is in agreement with the Shafi`i view that assets in a joint venture are treated, zakatwise, as if they belong to the same person (Ibn Rushd, 1: 258).

It is clear that the second view is more practicable because before the shareholder is exempted from zakat on the basis that his shares are not up to nisab, the company must make sure that he does not have assets elsewhere to make up the nisab. Clearly, this will be difficult and difficulty, according to Shari`ah, attracts facility.

Another important question is whether an indebted person but whose shares are up to nisab should pay zakat? According to the Hanafi view, he should not pay if his debt would render his shares under nisab. The view of the other three schools, however, is that he should pay provided that his shares are up to nisab. Similarly, if he has assets up to nisab but he has loaned it to another person or body, the Shafi`i view is that he should pay.

The above views which make it compulsory on both the debtor and the creditor to pay zakat are very progressive and in tune with the modern age. The economic dealings today have become a huge network of debts. The Hausa saying, “Debt is like intestines: it is found in everybody`s belly” is perhaps more apt today than ever before. Should debtors and creditors be exempted from zakat, the poor would have been deprived of their rightful share of the wealth sent down by Allah for the welfare of His servants.

Shares issued in the middle of the year will be considered as part of the overall assets of the issuing company and zakat will be levied on them accordingly. Similarly, if a number of shares changed hands during the year, the individual who bought them will have to pay zakat on them, notwithstanding the fact that the shares have not been in his possession for a complete year       (al Qaradawi, 1: 504).

 

Exempted Shares

While no Muslim individual owner of nisab is exempted from zakat, there are certain Muslim institutions and organizations that are exempted from zakat. Shares held by such organizations in any company are not subject to zakat. The most important of such organizations is the government itself as well as all its agencies and parastatals except such government companies which are themselves engaged in profitable ventures. Organizations and institutions like religious endowment funds, Non-governmental organizations and non-profit making projects engaged in philanthropist activities are also exempted from zakat (Darir, 765).

Shares held by non-Muslims are, of course, not subject to Zakat.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, we present the text of the resolution issued by the Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) on the issue of zakat of shares. The following is the English rendition of the full text.

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, the Seal of Prophets, members of his household and his Companions.

Resolution No.3 D4/08/88

Concerning Zakat of Shares

After studying the researches presented to it on the subject of zakat of shares, the Fiqh Academy in its fourth session convened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between 18 and 23 Jimadah al-Akhir, 1408, A.H., equivalent to 6-11 February, 1988, has adapted the following resolutions:

1. Zakat of shares is obligatory upon the shareholders. The company shall give it out on their behalf if:
2. It is expressly required to do so in its statuses
3. Required to do so by the Annual General Meeting (AGM)
4. The law of the land requires all companies to do so
5. Mandated by the shareholders to do so on their behalf
6. The management of the company shall pay its zakat in the way and manner an individual would.     That is, it shall consider all shares (and profits) as if they belong to a single person and shall levy zakat on them accordingly in all respects including the kind of zakatable wealth, the appropriate nisab, the amount to be paid as zakat, etc. This is in accordance with the principle of Khultah, joint venture.

However, the following shares shall be exempted

1. Shares belonging to the public treasury
2. Shares belonging to religious endowments
3. Shares belonging to philanthropist organizations
4. Shares belonging to non-Muslims
5. If the company for whatever reason cannot pay zakat on its assets, it becomes incumbent upon individual shareholders to pay zakat on their shares. If the shareholder is able to find out from the company`s account what would be the amount due on his shares had the company paid on his behalf, he shall pay that amount. In case he is unable to find that out, he shall pay his zakat in the following manner. If he had purchased his shares with the intention of benefiting from its annual profits, he shall pay zakat due on the profits only, after they might have reached nisab and stayed in his possession for a complete lunar year. The amount due is 2.5% of the total value of the profits. If, on the other hand, he had secured his shares with the intention of trade, he shall pay zakat on the value of the shares as well as the profits, if any accruing from them. At the end of each year, he shall pay 2.5% of the market value of his shares.
6. If a shareholder sells out his shares in the middle of the year, he shall add up the proceeds to his other property and pay its zakat at the end of his zakat year. The new owner of the shares, the buyer, shall pay its zakat as outlined above.

 

References

The Noble Qur`an.

Al-Bukhari, M.I. al-Jami` al-Sahih, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1305.

Darir, S.M.A “Zakat al-Ashum fi al-Sharikat” in Mujallah

Majma’ al-Fiqh al-Islami, 1408/1988.

Ibn Hanbal, Ahmad al-Musnad, Dar Sadir, Beirut, n.d.

Ibn Kathir, I.U. Tafsir al-Qur`an al-Azim, al-Maktabah al-

Asriyah, Beirut.

1414/1994.

Muslim b. Hajjaj, Al-Musnad al-Sahih, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1305.

Al-Qadarawi, Y. Fiqh al-Zakat, Maktabah Wahbah, al-Qahira, n.d.

Ibn Rushd, A.W. Bidayah al-Mujtahid, Dar Sadir, Beirut, n.d.

Shahata, I. al-Tatbiq al-Mu`asir li al-Zakat, Dar al-Fikrm, Beirut, n.d.

Sabiq, S. Fiqh al-Sunnah, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut 1412/1992.

Tabarani, A. al-Mu`jam al-Ausat, n.p., n.d.

Zuhaili, W.M “Zakat al-Ashum fi al-Sharikaf in Mujallah

Majma`al-Fiqh al-Islami, 1408/1988.