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SHI'AH ISLAM:
Shia
Islam also known as Shi'ite Islam or Shi'ism is the second largest
denomination of the Islamic faith after Sunni faith or Sunnism.
Shias adhere to the teachings of the holy Prophet (S) and the
religious guidance of his family who are exclusively referred to as
the Ahl-ul-bait or his descendants known as Shia Imams. This family
of the holy Prophet's bloodline continues only through his beloved
daughter Fatima Zahra (AS) and his cousin Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS)
which alongside the holy Prophet's grandsons are the Ahl-ul-bait
(AS) meaning the household of the holy Prophet (S). Thus the shias
consider the holy Prophet's descendants as the true source of
guidance.
However,
there existed other groups known to be Shia but most of them are not
in existence today. Only three of these currently have significant
number of followers. The best known and the one with most adherents
are the Twelvers (ITHNA ASHARI) which have a large majority in Iran
and Iraq. Others are the Ismailis or Seveners, Alawite and Zaidiyyah.
Many Druzes consider themselves Shias, although their practices
differ significantly. The Sufi orders among the Shias are the Alevis,
Bekhtashi, Kubrawiyya, Noorbakhshi, Hamadani and Fatimi orders and
denominations. Twenty percent of Turkey's population is Alevi while
Lebanon and Syria have a large presence of Druze and Alawites.
ETYMOLOGY:
The term
Shia is the short form of the historic phrase Shia
meaning "the followers of Ali". Both Shia and Sunni
sources trace the term to the years preceding the death of Muhammad
(S). The word "Shia" means "followers";
"members" of a party. It can be interpreted in a wider
sense than simply "followers of Ali": it signifies
that Shia Muslims are the followers and believers of Allah, the
Almighty Creator of existence, His Prophets (Guides towards human
perfection), His messages and the Ahl-ul-bait (The family of the
house of the holy prophet (S)) constituting the Shia Imams fathered
by Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS).
OVERVIEW OF SHI'ISM:
Shia
Muslims believe that the descendants from the holy Prophet (S)
through his beloved daughter Fatima Zahra (AS) and his son-in-law
Imam Ali (AS) (the holy Imams) were the best source of knowledge
about the Qur'an and Islam, the most trusted carriers and protectors
of the holy Prophet's Sunnah (Traditions) and the most worthy of
emulation. In particular, Shia Muslims recognize the immediate
succession of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) to the holy Prophet (S) and the
rightful leader for the Muslim ummah after the passing away of the
holy Prophet (S) as a divine appointment from Allah and made known
by the holy Prophet (S) on many occasions including the most
important at Ghadir Khum.
DEMOGRAPHICS:
According to some estimates, over 15% of the world's Muslims are
Shia. There are an estimated 220 million Shia Muslims (including
Twelvers, Ismailis, Alevis and Zaidis) throughout the world. About
three quarters of who reside in Iran, Pakistan, India, Iraq,
Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Bahrain and Turkey. A large portion of the
world's Shia live in the Middle East. The Shia population of the
Middle East constitutes a majority in Azerbaijan, Iraq, Bahrain and
especially Iran where 90% of the population is Shia. In Lebanon Shia
form a plurality and they remain as significant minorities in
Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan and Turkey. In Yemen, both Zaidis and
Twelvers Shia comprise over 40% of the population. Among the smaller
Persian Gulf states, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates also
have significant Shia minorities as does the Eastern province of
Saudi Arabia. About 20% of Pakistan's and India's Muslim population
are Shia, and significant communities exist on the coastal regions
of West Sumatra and Aceh in
Indonesia. Shia presence is negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia
where Muslims are predominantly Shafi'i Sunnis.
According to the Shia, one of the lingering problems in estimating
the Shia population is that unless the Shia form a significant
minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed
as Sunni. The reverse, however, has not held true which may
contribute to imprecise estimates of the size of each sect. For
example, the 1926 rise of the house of Saud in Arabia brought
official discrimination against Shias. The Shia-majority areas of
Al-Asha, Qatif and Hofuf on the Persian Gulf, Western Arabia
provinces of Jazan, Asir, and Hijaz that had large Shia minorities
have officially been completely stripped off their religious
identities. Some Shia claim that they endure much bigotry and other
indignities from Walmen authorities daily and that Shia pilgrims
from other countries are often singled out for harassment. In Saudi
Arabia they are called rafidis which means the rejecters.
DOCTRINES
The Shia
believes in the pillars of Islam as Sunnis do, but categorizes them
differently. Shia beliefs include the following:
USUL-AL-DIN
(The principles of faith):
Tawhid (Oneness of
Allah)
Adalah (Justice of
Allah)
Nubuwah (Prophethood):
God has appointed perfect and infallible prophets and messengers to
teach mankind the religion (that is, a perfect system of how to live
in obedience and submission to God.
Imamah (Leadership):
God has appointed specific leaders to lead and guide mankind-a
prophet makes known a custodian of the religion before his demise.
Ma'ad (The Day of
Judgment): God will raise mankind for Judgment.
FURU-
AL-DIN (Branches of
religion)
Salat (Prayer):
Performing the five daily prayers
Sawm (Fast): Fasting
during the holy month of Ramadan
Hajj (Pilgrimage):
Performing the Pilgrimage to Mecca (once in a lifetime)
Zakat (Poor-rate):
Paying the poor-tax (2.5% of your wealth every year should go to the
poor)
Khums (One-fifth of
savings): Paying tax to the Imam
Jihad (Struggle):
Struggling to please the Almighty Allah. The greater or internal
jihad is the struggle against the evil within one's soul in every
aspect of life. The lesser or external jihad is the struggle against
evil of one's environment in every aspect of life. This is not to be
mistaken with the common modern misconception that this means "Holy
war" Writing the truth (Jihad bil qalam) and speaking truth in front
of an oppressor are also form of jihad.
Amr bil-Mar'uf (Commanding what is good)
Nahi anil-Munkar (Forbidding what is evil)
Tawalla (Loving the
Ahl-ul-bait and their followers)
Tabarra (Dissociating
oneself from the enemies of the Ahl-ul-bait)
ADDITIONAL DOCTRINES:
Shias
have many other doctrines that are shared with other Muslims, such
as wearing of the hijab. However, some are seen as
more predominantly used by Shias such as Taqiyya
(Dissimulation) which means the concealment of one's religious
beliefs in fear for one's life and the lives of one's family.
MISCONCEPTIONS:
There
are seemingly widespread misconceptions about Shia doctrines
regarding how and why the Shia uphold them. It is often said that
the Shia worship or deify Imam Ali (AS), because they see him as
being infallible. Shia Muslims believe that the holy
Prophet (S) raised Ali's (AS) hand and declared him as his successor
shortly before his death. Therefore, the Shia does not recognize Abu
Bakar, Umar and Uthman as the caliphs of the Muslim ummah. Shia
Islam was seen by some as a political-religious sect that recognizes
the leadership of Ali and his descendants. Theologically, Sunni
Islam and Shia Islam differ over the concept of pre-ordination, with
Shia refusing to accept that God has preordained what will happen
with regards to man's actions. However, the Alawites a sect of Shia
hold Ali as an incarnation of God. The majority of Shias denounce
such beliefs as blasphemous and against the grain of Islam
(Absolute, total and inarguable belief and existence of God's
Oneness). Shia does not view Ali as a Prophet as many accuse them of
doing. He is seen only as the proper protector of the Islamic nation
after the death of the holy Prophet (AS). While Shias and Sunnis
accept the same sacred text, the holy Qur'an, it is claimed by many
Muslims that that the Shias dispute the current. Nonetheless, Shias
say that the accusation is fabricated and malicious, as they believe
that the Qur'an has never been maliciously altered.
DENOMINATIONS:
The
majority of Shia are Twelvers known as Ithna Ashari or Shia
Imamiyyah and they recognize the twelve holy Imams (AS) belonging to
the Ahl-ul-bait (AS)-the household of the holy Prophet (S). They are
as follows:
Imam Ali
Ibn Abi Talib, also known as Ali Amir al-Mo'mineen
Imam
Hasan Ibn Ali also known as Hasan Al-Mujtaba
Imam
Husain Ibn Ali also known as Sayyed al-Shuhada
Imam Ali
Ibn Husain also known as Ali Zainul Abideen
Muhammad
ibn Ali also known as Muhammad Al-Baqir
Ja'far
Ibn Muhammad also known as Jafar As-Sadiq
Musa Ibn
Ja'far also known as Musa Al-Kazim
Ali Ibn
Musa also known as Ali Ar-Rida
Muhammad
Ibn Ali also known as Muhammad Al-Jawad, Muhammad At-Taqi
Ali Ibn
Muhammad also known as Ali Al-Hadi, Ali An-Naqi
Hasan
Ibn Ali also known as Hasan Al-Askari
Muhammad
Ibn Hasan also known as Muhammad Al-Mahdi, Sahibu Zaman (May
Allah's peace be upon them all)
There
are few groups of Ismaili Shia, which include Naziris Ismailis,
Dawoodi Bohras, Alavi Bohras, and the Seveners. Naziris are smaller
in number though they are the biggest non-Twelvers Shia group. They
accept Imam Jafar As-Sadiq's (AS) eldest son Ismail as the next
Imam. Seveners do not recognize any further of the Twelvers' Imams
beyond Jafar As-Sadiq (AS). The only major non-Twelver and non-Sevener
or Ismaili group are the Zaidis.
STATUS OF A SHIA IMAM:
Shia
Islam holds that the Imamate is one of the fundamentals of Islam
(apart of the Usul al-Din) and that one should follow the Imams of
Ahl-ul-bait (AS) in order to correctly follow the holy Prophet (S)
and his Sunnah. The Shia believe that the Imams of Ahl-ul-bait (AS)
are infallible based on the verse of purification in the holy Qur'an.
JURISPRUDENCE:
Ja'fari
jurisprudence or Ja'fari fiqh is the name of the jurisprudence of
the Ithna Ashari Shia or Twelvers also known as Imamiyyah Shia,
derived from the name of Jafar As-Sadiq, the 6th holy
Imam of Ahl-ul-bait (AS). The Ja'fari Shia consider Sunnah to be the
oral traditions and deeds of the holy Prophet (S) and their
implementation and interpretation by the holy Imams (AS) who were
all scholars and descendants of the holy Prophet (S) through his
daughter Fatima Zahra and her husband the first holy Imam Ali (AS).
ROLE OF RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS:
Shia
Muslims believes that the study of Islamic literature is a continual
process and is necessary for identifying all of God's laws and that
the door of ijtihad was never closed.
DIFFERENCES OF SHIA AND SUNNI
TRADITIONS:
Because
Islamic law is sometimes derived partly on hadith, Shia rejection of
some Sunni transmitted hadith and Sunni rejection of Shia hadith
means that the versions of the law differ somehow. For example,
while both Shia and Sunni pray five times a day, some of the prayer
times differ. Likewise, Shia do not perform non-obligatory prayers
in congregation like Taraweeh, which the Sunnis pray during Ramadan.
Also, another issue of difference between the sects based on hadith
differences is that of Nikah Mut'ah or Temporary Marriage which is
not forbidden for Shia because it is found in a number of Shia
traditions that the practice is permitted and not abrogated as the
Sunni claim.
SUPPLICATIONS:
The Shia
have a rich collection of prayers believed to be traced back to the
Shia holy Imams of Ahl-ul-bait (AS). These prayers are held in high
esteem among the Shia. These prayers (Du'a) include Du'a Kumayl,
Dua-e-Tawassul, Ziaraat for the holy members of Ahl-ul-bait (AS),
etc.
RELIGIOUS CALENDAR:
All
Muslims, Sunni or Shia celebrate the following annual holidays:
Eid-ul-Fitr which marks the end of fasting during the month of
Ramadan and falls on the first day of Shawwal. Eid-ul-Adha which
marks the end of the Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca starts on the 10th
day of Dhu'l-Hijja. The following holidays are observed by Shia
only, unless otherwise noted: The remembrance of Muharram and Ashura,
for Shia commemorates Imam Husain's (AS) martyrdom. Imam Husain (AS)
was the grandson of the holy Prophet (S) and 3rd holy
Imam of Ahl-ul-bait (AS) who was martyred by Yazid Ibn Mu'awiyah,
the Sunni's 6th caliph. Ashura is a day of deep mourning
which occurs on the 10th of Muharram. Sunnis also
celebrate Ashura, but with a different meaning.
Arba'een
commemorates the suffering of the women and children of Imam
Husain's (AS) household. After Imam Husain (AS) was killed, they
were marched over the desert from Karbala (central Iraq) to El-Sham
(Damascus, Syria). Many children of whom were direct descendants of
the holy Prophet (S) died of thirst and exposure along the route.
Arba'een occurs on the 20th of Safar, 40 days after
Ashura.
Milad
an-Nabi (the holy Prophet's birth date) is celebrated by the Shia on
the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal which coincides with the birth
date of the 6th Shia holy Imam, Ja'far As-Sadiq (AS).
Mid of
Shaban is the birth date of the 12th and final Imam,
Muhammad Al-Mahdi (AS). It is celebrated by the Twelvers on the 15th
of Shaban. Many Shia fast on this day to show gratitude to Allah for
his Divine favor.
Eid al-Ghadir
celebrates Ghadir-Khum, the occasion when the holy Prophet (S)
announced Imam Ali's (AS) imamate before a multitude of Muslims.
Eid-al-Ghadir is held on the 18th of Dhu'l-Hijja.
Al-Mubahila
celebrates a meeting between the household of the holy Prophet (Ahl-ul-bait)
(AS) and a Christian deputation from Najran. Al-Mubahila is held on
the 24th of Dhil-Hijja.
Source of reference and for further reading: "Shi'ah
Islam" by Allamah Sayyed Muhammad Husain Tabataba'i; translated
by Sayyed Husayn Nasr-Qom: Ansariyan Publications.
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