Shiites, Shiism, and Islam (part 1 of 2)
Description: A glimpse of how Shiites and
Shiism differ from Islam, with a few demonstrative examples in
matters of creed. Part One: Belief in God.
By IslamReligion.com
One of the most perplexing scenarios to non-Muslims and new Muslims
alike is the division they may see between Shiites and Sunni
Muslims. Some tend to become confused when they see that each group
claims to be following the true Islam. To truly understand this
subject to the fullest, one must delve into the early history of
Islam and see under what circumstances this division actually
began, a study far from possible for most people. Another way, much
more in the scope of the average person, is to analyze which group
is true to the teachings of Islam, a simple comparison may be done
between Sunni and Shiite beliefs and practices in relation to
textual evidence, the Quran - the revealed word of God, and the
Sunnah - or teachings of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and
blessings of God be upon him.
Many times, people see this division to be a major one, while the
fact remains that Shiites only make up a mere 8 percent of the
Muslim population, reaching even this figure after taking hold of
certain important political regions in history. Not a division, one
can confidently say that the Shiites are but one of the various
splinter groups which left the pure teachings of traditional Islam.
Sunnis, on the other hand, are not a splinter group, but merely
name themselves as such to differentiate themselves from the
Shiites and other deviant sects.
The word "Sunni" itself comes from the term "Sunnah", explained
earlier to be the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, for they are
strict in abiding by these teachings without any introductions,
interpolations, or omissions. The word Shiite (Shi'a in Arabic)
means a "party", "sect", "supporters" or a "group of like minded
individuals". God says in the Quran addressing His Prophet,
Muhammad:
"Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects
(Shi'a), you have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is
only with Allah, Who then will tell them what they used to do."
[Quran 6:159], {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ
فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا لَّسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ ۚ
إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا
يَفْعَلُونَ}, Transliteration: 'Inna Al-Ladhīna Farraqū
Dīnahum Wa Kānū Shiya`āan Lasta Minhum Fī Shay'in 'Innamā 'Amruhum
'Ilá Allāhi Thumma Yunabbi'uhum Bimā Kānū
Yaf`alūna
Although the specific groups called the Shiites is not what is
directly intended in this verse, it is inclusive of them.
When one studies a bit of history, they will see that the term
Shiite was first used amongst the Muslims in regards to a political
issue over which the Muslims varied, 37 years after the death of
the Prophet. Although the Shiites claim that their origin lies in
that scenario, the actual term Shiite being used to denote this
specific sect actually occurred much later in history. In either
case, it is clear that the term was unheard of during the time of
the Prophet, and thus we can say that the Shiites were a group
which appeared after the death of the Prophet.
The Shrine of the Zoroastrian, Abu Lu'lu'ah, in Kashan, Iran,
venerated by Shiites
Over the long evolution of Shiite thought, they incorporated many
foreign concepts into their faith. Starting as a political opinion
which favored some views of Ali, the cousin of the Prophet, over
some other companions, it became a sect purporting strange ideas
foreign to Islam. This was due mainly to the fact that this
ideology was mainly espoused by people in areas far from the
centers of Islamic learning, namely Persia, those who were either
new to Islam, had either converted to Islam nominally, and were
living in areas where a large percentage of people remained upon
their previous religions. Thus the Shiites became fertile soil to
the introduction of foreign ideas, which they struggled to
incorporate into some aspects and beliefs maintained by Islam,
resulting in a sect composed of ideas stemming from Judaism,
Zoroastrianism and Islam. Not strange is it then that we see that
one of the most important shrines in Shiism visited by many Shiites
is that of Abu Lu'lu'ah, a Zoroastrian who died after the Caliphate
of Umar, located in the city of Kashan in present day Iran. Muhammad Ali Mu'zi, an Iranian Shiite
researcher in France, stated:
"The basic fundamentals of the Zoroastrian religion has entered
into Shiaism even in some minute issues. …And this relationship
marked the brotherhood between Shiaism and the ancient Magian
Iran." [1]
We will now take a brief look at Shiism from just one aspect, that
of beliefs. From these few examples, one will clearly see how
different it truly is from the religion of Islam brought by Prophet
Muhammad.
There are various articles of faith in Islam, and from them branch
other beliefs which must be held by all who attribute themselves to
Islam. They are as mentioned in the verse:
"…but piety is that one has firm belief in God, the Last Day, the
angels, the scriptures and the Prophets…" [Quran 2:177], {وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ
وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ
وَالنَّبِيِّينَ}, Transliteration: Wa Lakinna Al-Birra Man
'Āmana Billāhi Wa Al-Yawmi Al-'Ākhiri Wa Al-Malā'ikati Wa Al-Kitābi
Wa An-Nabīyīna.
This is also mentioned in a statement of the Prophet, may God
praise him: «Faith is that you believe
in God, the angels, the scriptures, the Prophets, the Last
Day...» [Saheeh Muslim].
This short discourse will merely touch on some of these various
aspects of faith, and mention just some of the beliefs of the
Shiites and how they differ from Islam.
Belief in God:
The proper belief about God, or creed is the most important aspect
of the religion of Islam. During the first 13 years of Muhammad's
Prophethood, he corrected people's beliefs about God, warning them
against calling to others besides God, whether angels, prophets,
saints, martyrs, trees, stones, stars, or idols. He clarified that
only God alone, the One who created them was to be worshipped. Very
few legislations and acts of worship were revealed for this period.
The majority of the Quran itself calls to this belief. God says in
the Quran that calling to others besides Him is a sin worthy of
eternal damnation in Hellfire:
"Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then
Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his
abode." [Quran 5:72], {مَن يُشْرِكْ
بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ
النَّارُ}, Transliteration: 'Innahu Man Yushrik Billāhi
Faqad Ĥarrama Allāhu `Alayhi Al-Jannata.
This is an uncompromising belief in Islam, and is the basis from
which one enters the fold of Islam. We find, however, that Shiites
believe in the veneration of others besides God. Homage is to be
paid to great saints and martyrs, such as Ali, Hussein, Fatimah,
their Imams, and they are directly called out to in times of need.
They believe that they can answer their calls as well as intervene
for them with God, a belief that according to Islam is clear
disbelief[2]. God says:
"Is not He (God) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls
Him, and Who removes the evil." [Quran 27:62], {أَمَّن يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ
وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ}, Transliteration: 'Amman Yujību
Al-Muđţarra 'Idhā Da`āhu Wa Yakshifu As-Sū'a.
Another important tenet which Shiism clearly violates is the
concept that God Alone administers the affairs of the universe, and
it is He alone who knows the Unseen. Shiism attributes these powers
to their leaders, called Imams, and place them in a position higher
than the Prophets and angels. God says:
"Say: 'None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except
Allah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected."
[Quran 27:65], {قُل لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَن
فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۚ وَمَا
يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ}, Transliteration: Qul Lā
Ya`lamu Man Fī As-Samāwāti Wa Al-'Arđi Al-Ghayba 'Illā Allāhu Wa Mā
Yash`urūna 'Ayyāna Yub`athūna.
"And among His Signs is that He shows you the lightning, by way of
fear and hope, and He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and
therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are
indeed signs for a people who understand." [Quran 30:24], {وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ يُرِيكُمُ الْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا
وَطَمَعًا وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَيُحْيِي بِهِ
الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ
يَعْقِلُونَ}, Transliteration: Wa Min 'Āyātihi Yurīkumu
Al-Barqa Khawfāan Wa Ţama`āan Wa Yunazzilu Mina As-Samā'i Mā'an
Fayuĥyī Bihi Al-'Arđa Ba`da Mawtihā 'Inna Fī Dhālika La'āyātin
Liqawmin Ya`qilūna.
The Shiites give many of these attributes to their Imams. Some of
them even attribute lightning to be caused by them [3].
In authoritative Shiite texts, its states:
"The Imams have knowledge of whatever occurred in the past and
whatever will happen in the future, and nothing is concealed from
them." (Al-Kulaini, Al-Kaafi,
p.260).
"The Imams have knowledge of all the revealed books, regardless of
the languages in which they were revealed" (Ibid, p.227).
"The Imams know when they will die, and they do not die except by
their own choice" (Ibid,
p.258).
"All of the earth belongs to the Imams." (Ibid, p.407).
There are many aspects of faith in Shiism that oppose Islam and
which render a person out of its fold. Due to this reason, Muslims
do not consider Shiism to represent Islam, but rather believe it to
contradict the very basics of Islamic teachings.
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Footnotes:
[1] The Role of Zoroastrianism
in the Development of Shiaism.
[2] Biha'r Al-Anwa'r,
Al-Majlisi. An example of such preposterous beliefs can be found in
the following statements of one of their Imams, or leaders:
"When prophet Noah (Peace be upon him) was about to drown in the
flooding waters, he invoked God Almighty by our (i.e. the names of
the Imams) names. Hence God Almighty came to his rescue. When
Prophet Abraham (Peace be upon him) was thrown into the scorching
fire, he prayed to God through our names, and God Almighty ordered
the fire to be cool and a means of safety for him [Abraham]. When
prophet Moses (Peace be upon him) struck the Sea with his rod in
quest of a path, he invoked God with respect to our names and God
made the sea dry out. Finally when the Jews plotted to kill Jesus
(Peace be upon him), he supplicated to God by mentioning our names
and was rescued from death. God eventually raised him up." (Wasa'il
As-Sheea, 4/1143)
[3] Bihaar al-Anwar, Al-Burhan,
and others.
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