Shiites, Shiism, and Islam (part 2 of 2)
Description: A glimpse of how Shiites and
Shiism differ from Islam, with a few demonstrative examples in
matters of creed. Part Two: The Testimony or Declaration of Faith,
the previous Scriptures, the Quran, and the Prophets. A religion
based upon the succession of Imams.
By IslamReligion.com
The Shahaadah
The Shism even differ with Islam in the first and most important
pillar of Islam and faith, called the Shahaadah, the testimony one
gives upon affirming their faith in Islam, that none deserves
worship but God, and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger (laa
ilaaha ill-Allah). This testimony is the most important aspect of
Islam, and the whole religion is built upon it, and embodies this
unique and total monotheism and belief in God. So important is it
that the Prophet pleaded to his uncle who was on his deathbed to
testify:
«O uncle! Say 'laa ilaaha ill-Allah,'
a phrase for which I will plead on your behalf in front of
God» [Saheeh Al-Bukhari].
His uncle did not say this testimony due to his fear of what people
would say about changing the religion of his forefathers upon
death. He died, and the Prophet was informed by revelation that he
was among the people of Hell.
Point being, this phrase and what it entails is so important that
the Prophet made it a means of everlasting life in Paradise. He
said:
«No one says 'La ilaaha ill-Allah' and
dies firmly upon it, but he/she will enter Heaven
(Paradise)» [Saheeh Al-Bukhari].
Thus is this phrase considered the first pillar of Islam, the very
statement that rendered one a believer, gives him an opportunity to
enter Paradise!
The Shiites, however, have a different 'testimony of faith'. They
not only negate it meanings, as shown in the previous articles by
associating others with God, but they have also added certain
principles nowhere to be found in authentic texts. Their shahaadah
comprises of the statement: "none deserves worship but God, and
that Muhammad is His slave and messenger, and Ali is His beloved
and chosen one, and successor to the Prophet" [1].
This is due to the extremism they have in regards to the cousin of
Prophet Muhammad, Ali, to whom they claim their origin. The Shiites
even claim that the succession of Ali was mentioned in all of the
scriptures revealed to the previous prophets [2]. They claim that
all will be asked about the succession of Ali on the Day of
Judgment [3], and that if anyone believes differently, they are
considered polytheists [4]. Although Ali was known to be one of the
most pious of the companions of the Prophet, in no narration can we
find that Prophet Muhammad ever mentioned his succession in rule.
Actually even when we look at early Shiite works, they themselves
attribute this belief to Abdullah ibn Saba', a renegade who claimed
Islam and plotted against the Caliph Uthman, and also claimed that
Ali was God Himself [5]. Thus it is clear that these beliefs are
all innovations never preached by Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy
and blessings of God be upon him.
Belief in the Scriptures:
God mentions in the Quran that He revealed Scriptures to the
Prophets which they taught and recited to their people. Some of
these Prophets and Scriptures are mentioned in the Quran:
Say, "We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us
and that which has been sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac,
Jacob, and to the tribes, and that which has been given to Moses
and Jesus, and that which has been given to the Prophets from their
Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we
have submitted (in Islam)." [Quran 2:136], {قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ
إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ
وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَىٰ
وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ
بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ},
Transliteration: Qūlū 'Āmannā Billāhi Wa Mā 'Unzila 'Ilaynā Wa Mā
'Unzila 'Ilá 'Ibrāhīma Wa 'Ismā`īla Wa 'Isĥāqa Wa
Ya`qūba Wa Al-'Asbāţi Wa Mā 'Ūtiya Mūsá Wa
`Īsá Wa Mā 'Ūtiya An-Nabīyūna Min Rabbihim Lā Nufarriqu
Bayna 'Aĥadin Minhum Wa Naĥnu Lahu Muslimūna.
"It is He (God) Who has sent down the Book to you with truth,
confirming what came before it. And He sent down the Torah and the
Gospel." [Quran 3:3], {نَزَّلَ
عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ
وَأَنزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنجِيلَ}, Transliteration:
Nazzala `Alayka Al-Kitāba Bil-Ĥaqqi Muşaddiqāan Limā Bayna Yadayhi
Wa 'Anzala At-Tawrāata Wa Al-'Injīla.
It was the Prophets who received revelation, and due to the fact
that Muhammad, may God praise him, was the last prophet, there will
be no other Scriptures revealed after the revelation of the Quran.
The Shiites however, believe that there was a scripture revealed
after the Quran before the death of the Prophet, which they call
the 'Tablet of Fatimah'. They claim, that in it were the names of
all those who were to be their Imams in the future[6].
They invented these ideas due to the fact that they could not find
any verses in the Quran which they could use to defend their views.
They did not cease at this, but also went on to directly challenge
the authenticity of the Quran by stating that its has not been
preserved[7], and that the Quran today is incomplete, and that the
complete version is with their 12th Imam who has been in hiding for
the past 900 years in 'the cave'. They believe that when he emerges
he will bring forth the complete version[8]. This, as should be
clear to all, is in direct opposition to the teachings of Islam, as
God clearly states that the Quran is under the direct protection of
God:
"The Chapter of Succession". On both sides is a translation in
Persian.
"Verily it is We Who have sent down the Reminder and surely, We
will guard it (from corruption)" [Quran 15:9], {إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا
لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ}, Transliteration: 'Innā Naĥnu Nazzalnā
Adh-Dhikra Wa 'Innā Lahu Laĥāfižūna.
The Shiites assert that the existing Quran must have been altered,
since there is no reference to any of their strayed beliefs in it.
One of the first to explicitly state this view was Mirza Hussein
Muhammad Taqiy al-Noori al-Tabrasi (d. 1320 AH) in his book The
Final Verdict on the Distortion of the Book of the Lord of
Lords[9].
The Shiites became so extreme in their beliefs, that they even
attempted to insert chapters about Ali, may God be pleased with
him, in the Quran, since they could not find any clear texts. One
of them is what they called "The Chapter of Succession".
Belief in the Prophets:
As mentioned earlier, Islam teaches that the Prophets were the best
of humanity, specifically chosen by God due to their excellent
qualities specifically to preach the message of God to humanity.
God says in the Quran:
"Allah specially chooses Messengers from angels and from humans.
Verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Seer." [Quran 22:75], {اللَّهُ يَصْطَفِي مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ
رُسُلًا وَمِنَ النَّاسِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ},
Transliteration: Allāhu Yaşţafī Mina Al-Malā'ikati Rusulāan Wa Mina
An-Nāsi 'Inna Allāha Samī`un Başīrun.
The Prophets were the best of humans, living examples to be
emulated:
"We sent no messenger except to be obeyed, by Allah's leave…"
[Quran 4:64], {وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن
رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ},
Transliteration: Wa Mā 'Arsalnā Min Rasūlin 'Illā Liyuţā`a Bi'idhni
Allāhi.
The Shiites, however believe that their Imams are better than the
prophets [10], and that some prophets were highly praised only due
to their love of the Imams [11].
If one was to mention all the beliefs of the Shiites in which they
have opposed the teachings of Islam, it would definitely need many
volumes to do so. It should be clear, however, from this short
discourse that the beliefs purported by Shiism has no basis in any
of the teachings of Islam, but rather that it is a conglomeration
of foreign beliefs evolved over a period of time, all of which
revolve around extremist views concerning the leadership of certain
favored candidates, known as their Imams. A religion which teaches
the worship of God alone and living a life taught by God's
prophets, a message preached by all prophets, has for them become a
life and existence solely based upon love of Ali and affirming his
and their Imam's claim to leadership, struggling to find ways to
fit into Islamic texts by addition, interpolation, or
misrepresentation. Creation comes into being, Prophets are sent and
Scriptures are revealed, all for the purpose of succession of Ali
and the latter Imams [12], and even on the Day of Judgment, it will
be their Imams, not God, who will judge people [13]. It is no
matter to wonder, then, what the basis of entering Heaven or Hell
will be according to Shiism.
A religion based upon a claimed love of the family of Prophet
Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, has lead
them to beliefs contradicting the very essence of the message
brought by him, the message of Islam.
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Footnotes:
[1] Abdul Kareem Mushtaq.
[2] Al-Kulaini, Al-Kaafi,
1/437.
[3] The Wilayat of 'Ali ibne
Abi Talib (as), Answering Ansar.
[4] "Whoever sets up another
Imam besides 'Ali and delays 'Ali's caliphate is a polytheist."
(Al-Kafi fil-Usool, vol.10 p.55)
[5] Rijaal al-Kishhi.
[6] Al-Kulaini, Al-Kaafi,
1/527-8, and many others.
[7] Usul Kafi 1:228
[8] Al-Anwar al-Nu'maniah, 2:
360-2.
[9] Faslul Khitab Fi
Tahreefi-Kitabi Rabbil Arbaab.
[10] Wasa'il As-Sheea.
[11] Bihaar al-Anwar
(26:267).
[12] I'tiqaadaat (106-7)
[13] Rijaal al-Kishhi
(337)
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