Lesson 001 - Prelude [Rejectionist Creed]
Reading time: 12 - 20 minutes
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
In the following series of articles we will bring you a detailed exposition of the creed of the rejectionist shia inshaaAllaah. Such that the Muslim is left with no doubt in his mind about how the shia have deviated from the Ummah of Muhammad (saw).
We encourage the reader to pass these series of articles (posted weekly with two/three day intervals) to others for their benefit inshaaAllaah.
It is from the foundations of Islaam to hold to the unity that is based upon Tawheed and not to disintegrate away from this path.
“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur’ân), and be not divided among yourselves…”
[Al Qur’aan – Soorah aal-‘Imraan (003:103)]
The Rope of Allaah is Kaleemat at-Tawheed, al-Qur’aan etc.
“Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects (all kinds of religious sects), you (O Muhammad SAW) have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allâh, Who then will tell them what they used to do.”
[Al Qur’aan – Soorah al-An’aam (006:159)]
The early Muslims began on the same path, the path revealed to the Prophet (saw), the path of guidance, the Deen of the Truth, which is in agreement with the true essence of Tawheed.
The early Muslims agreed to that until the time when Uthmaan ibn Affan (ra) – the 3rd khalifah – was assassinated and the fitnah began.There emerged the khawarij – the dissidents.
The prophet (saw) warned regarding their emergence: “they will kill the believers”.
The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said regarding a man who once accused him of injustice, “From among the offspring of this man there will rise a people who will read the Qur’aan but it will not go beyond their throats (meaning it will not enter their hearts). They will kill Muslims and spare Idol-worshippers. They will deviate from Islaam (as fast and clean) as an arrow pierces the game. If I live to witness their appearance, I will kill them as the people of ‘Aad (whom Allah utterly destroyed and annihilated because of their disbelief) were killed.”
[Bukhari and Muslim]
Following the emergence of this innovation of khawarij, afterwards began the emergence of the bid’ah at-Tashayyu’ and then other sects also followed just as the prophet (saw) informed of the division of this Ummah into sects.
‘Aouf ibn Maalik (ra) related that the messenger of Allaah (saw) said, “The Jews divided into seventy-one sects: one in Paradise and seventy are in the Hellfire. The Christians divided into seventy-two sects: one in Paradise and seventy-one are in the Hellfire. And by the One Who has my soul in His Hand, this nation of mine will be divided into seventy-three sects: one is in Paradise and seventy-two are in the Hellfire.” It was asked, “O messenger of Allaah, who do you see they (i.e. the members of the saved group) are?” He (saw) said, “al-Jamaa’ah (those who are upon the way of the prophet (saw) and his companions)”.
[Ibn Maajah]
The rejectionist shia began in Koofaa, Iraq. Shaykh al-Islaam ibn Taymiyah (r) mentions this in his book – al-Majmoo’ al-Fataawa [vol. 20 pg. 301].
(This is) also (mentioned) in the history books of the shia themselves – like in their reference known as Bihaar al-Anwaar [vol. 100 pg.259] – they mention that none in the Muslim world accepted their call except the koofaans. Then it propagated from Koofaa to other places.
The innovation irja’ – the murjia’ sect – began in Koofaa.
Those who denied the pre-decree – the mu’tazilites – began in Koofaa.
Soofism began in Basra.
The Jahmites began in the site of Khurasan.
As you can notice, most of these innovations began far from Madinah.
Innovations sprout and propagate in the shade of ignorance and in the absence of ‘ilm and people of ‘eemaan.
That’s why some of the Salaf (r) said, “It is from the true happiness for the new Muslim and for the non-Arab that Allaah guides them to an ‘aaleem (to a scholar) from ahl as-Sunnaah.” This is the saying of Ayyub as-Sikhtiani (r).
Why (is it from the true happiness)? Because of the fast influence regarding innovations, they (the new Muslims) fall due to ignorance into that easily, because they are not able to distinguish misguidance from the truth, to unravel the reality of these misconceptions and innovated matters.
That’s why the best path to resist the innovations is to spread the Sunnah amongst the people. This is the best way to resist, disclose and expose the realities of innovations – i.e. through the teaching and propagation of Sunnah amongst the people and to revive it.
That’s why the scholars of ahl as-sunnah took upon them this task in the past and disclosed the real affairs of the people of innovations and refuted their shubuhaat – doubts and misconceptions.
Imaam Ahmad (r) refuted the heretics and the Jahmites.
Imaam al-Bukhaari (r) refuted the Jahmites.
Imaam ibn al-Qutaybah (r) refuted the Jahmites and the mushabbihah – those who liken Allaah to His creation.
And many other scholars like them.
There is no doubt that exposing the sects that deviated from the path of the early Muslims and deviated from the Sunnah is a necessity, in order to lift the misconceptions and in order to make the truth known to the people, and in order to propagate the religion of Allaah, and to establish the truth on these sects.
That is because of the danger of shubuhaat – doubts and misconceptions – and the danger of ignorance.
Ignorance constitutes a fertile ground for the nourishment of innovation and of its spreading.
Explaining and exposing the situations of the leaders of innovations – those who oppose the Kitaab of Allaah and the Sunnah of the messenger of Allaah (saw) – is an obligatory matter as agreed upon by Muslims.
It was said to Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (r), “The man who fasts and prays and goes into seclusion, is he more beloved to you than the one who exposes the people of innovation?” Imaam Ahmad (r) replied, “If he establishes the Salaat and the Siyaam and goes into seclusion, then this is for himself only but when he speaks regarding innovations and the people of innovations, then this is for the (betterment of the) Muslims. This is better.”
So Imaam Ahmad (r) made it clear that the benefit transcends the person to the Muslims regarding their Deen. This is from the same kind of Jihaad for the sake of Allaah, because it is purification in the cause of Allaah, in the cause of His deen, His methodology and His sharee’ah; warding off the transgressions of the innovators on the Deen and on the Muslims. That’s why this is a matter of obligation in the agreement (of Muslims).
Had it not been for this, then the Deen would be corrupted and the corruption of the Deen – remember this – is far grater than the corruption of the enemy taking over a land in war, because if these enemies of Allaah occupy, then they will not corrupt the hearts and what is in it in the Deen except as a consequence, but with respect to the innovators they corrupt the Deen initially, as stated by Shaykh al-Islaam ibn Taymiyah (r) in his book Majmoo`at al-Rasa’il wa’l-Masa’il [vol. 5 pg.110].
In our times there is a great fitnah which goes back to the time when it began and continues to influence many Muslims and cause confusion to many because of the deceptive manners employed in the propagation of their fitan and also because of the ignorance on the part of many Muslims regarding this particular sect and its fitnah.
We are talking about the fitnah of the rejectionist shia – the raafidaah – who in our time have focused upon a fertile ground for the dissipation of their innovation – the ground which mixes politics with innovations – in order to publicise and call for the acceptance (at a later stage) of their creed.
This particular sect is the most active sect in our times from the deviant sects that is keen about spreading their doctrines amongst Muslims and (they are) particularly targeting ahl as-Sunnah.
The choice to talk about this sect is because of different reasons:
1. This sect with regard to its resources and its books, constitute the major deviant sect (of all sects). Even their creed, they call it “Deen al-Imaamiyyah” – the Imaamite Deen – as stated in their books, like in the book il I’tiqadat al-Imaamiyyah by al-Babawahy al-Qummi (d. 381 AH). They do not call it the “madh-hab” (school of thought) of the Imaams, but rather their “Deen”. This is to make it distinct and separate from the deen of the Muslim Ummah.
It is sufficient to know that one of their resources of narration from the Imaams comes to 110 volumes known as the Bihaar al-Anwaar – Seas of Lights – and the author is Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi (d. 1111 AH).
2. This sect is keen about propagating their creed and they call for that. They have full-time, well-organised callers and propagators, and almost in every place there is a cell and there is activity.
Their main concern is targeting ahl as-Sunnah. They are exerting a lot of effort to spread their creed in the Muslim world and to export their revolutions and to establish their greater state using all means.
Many Muslims unfortunately move to accept this sect gradually due to (1) emotions and due to (2) politics.
If one only examines in Iraq itself, whole tribes in Iraq turned into shia – before the massacre in Iraq – this whole area of Basra in the south was “shianised”.
In addition many of the embassies of their so-called “Islaamic state” in Iran have turned into active cells calling for the propagation of their creed, giving support to cells amongst their students (i.e. Ahl al-Bayt societies) in many parts of the world and getting in connection with many Islaamic centres and influential Muslims in their communities, with verbal support and financial support and they focus upon giving the da’wah to the Muslims –calling the Muslims to their paths – more than giving da’wah to the kuffaar.
There is no doubt that the responsibility is great to provide the truth regarding this matter, since many of those who follow shiaism – the rejectionists – are doing so through two angles. (1) The angle of politics (given the status of the Ummah), these advocators of these sects proclaim themselves to be the defenders of this Ummah and in fact their main objective is the dominance of their creed and also (2) many innocent Muslims because of their love for the family of the prophet (saw) have fallen into the trap of shiaism.
3. This sect comprises most of the shia sects which existed in the past, it constitutes its origin with respect to the sources and thoughts and decree. So it gives a kind of a reference.
4. This sect has efforts of calling for so-called closeness with ahl as-Sunnah in many parts of the Muslim world, where they find an ear for that, an ear by some amongst the ahl as-Sunnah who are ignorant of the reality of this sect. So they accept such conferences, meetings, called for by the rejectionists under the banner of at-“Taaqaraabu ma ahl as-Sunnah” – Getting Closer to Ahl as-Sunnah – (means of nearness with ahl as-Sunnah); they establish centres for that, they send propagators and they establish societies which carry the banner of “Muslim unity”.
A few amongst the people of ahl as-Sunnah were able to find out that this procedure of getting closer is very deceptive, but unfortunately this is only few compared to the number who are still deluded by this call.
5. This sect mentions a lot, that its way is not different from the way of ahl as-Sunnah and that they are persecuted and injustice is done to them. So they come to common Muslims, and they tell them that “we don’t have much difference; we may differ in terms of the “madh-hab” (school of thoughts) (of fiqh) only”. Many believe them. In fact there are Muslim groups who attribute themselves to the Sunnah – if you check their works – you find written in their works that this sect differs from ahl as-Sunnah only in matters of fiqh. This is a real over-simplification, in fact this is false. Had it been just a matter of fiqhee difference this would have been tolerable overall.
6. This creed’s attack on the sahaabah – may Allaah be pleased with them all and the mothers of the believers – through their books which are published in the past and in the present and also because of their severe attacks regarding anyone who tries to criticise them under the banner of “well this divides the Muslim unity” or “this will block the attempts to get closer” or “interfere with the objective of having one Muslim Ummah”.
7. It is because this creed of this sect is established on a matter known as at-Taqiyyah – concealment – and anyone amongst them who does not believe in this, then he is a kaafir, by their doctrine.
Therefore it is very difficult to deal with them – when it comes to the common Muslims – because of deception, concealment and lies.
8. Many of the contemporary writers who wrote about this rejectionist sect, failed to expose the true creed of this sect. Many of them focused only on the political aspect, and also some of them attempted through their writings to bring ahl as-Sunnah closer to them under the banner of unity of Muslims.
Few who wrote in details about the true creed of this sect – our righteous predecessors wrote – and they called them the raafidah – and their works were very influential in helping exposing the realities of this sect as in the books of Aboo Nu’aym and the books of Shaykh al-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah and the works of al-Maqdisi and al-Fairooz ‘Abaadi and in the books of the Creed and sects.
However these works came before the widespread of the books of the shia and so some of the early works were focused upon refuting what came out of the books of shia and very few of the past work focused on their creed in a comprehensive manner.
9. The nature of this sect develops with time and from generation to generation, to the extent that one of their elder shuyook known as al-Mamqaani wrote that, “whatever is considered to be excessive with the early shia, nowadays is from the necessities (of the sect)”.
Therefore it necessitates that we should look at the changed nature and the true face of the rejectionist shia in our times as well.
10. Some of the refutations written in the past and some written now in our times are focused upon certain doubts and misconceptions by the shia regarding some of the works of ahl as-Sunnah, so ahl as-Sunnah refute them by making it clear that these texts which the raafidaah refer to are either (1) fabricated/weak or (2) unfit for proof.
However it should be emphasised that the shia do not even believe in the books of ahl as-Sunnah to begin with and they raise these misconceptions in order to (1) make ahl as-Sunnah busy with these doubts instead of exposing their nature and their works, (2) also to convince those who have trouble with their creed from amongst them or those who have doubts regarding their creed from amongst them, that whatever disagreement they have with ahl as-Sunnah, then this is an agreed matter with them (the shia) and that they can disagree and discuss things with them and so in this way they keep away from being exposed on their true realities.
So it could be a safeguard mechanism regarding those who are in doubts amongst themselves.
Therefore the task is upon us to know the reality and the creed of this sect and to study this matter so that we learn to benefit the Muslims around us and to guard altogether from the influence of this sect upon the Ummah.
We ask Allaah to make this effort sincerely for His Face and make this effort of benefit for myself (Shaykh Saleh as-Saleh) and the Muslims and as a defence against what distorts Islaam.
All praise is for Allaah.
[Transcribed from a lesson by Dr Saleh as-Saleh (r)]
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