Sunni Shiite Islam

Br. Ayubi1187

REGARDING THE HADITH QUOTED FROM Bihar Al-Anwar and Ithbat Al-Hudat

I quoted these Hadith because they are very clear. If I show you hadith from mainstream Sunni transmitters that clarify this topic for you will you accept the authority of Imam Mahdi?

Assalam-alaikum!

For the first time I have read this thread. I was curious about why the Shias beat themselves and seem to be in mourning most of the time wearing black etc, but reading this whole discussion I am really startled by the complications that have been brought into our simple and easy to understand and follow religion - Islam!

It is all the more startling that when Abu Hadi writes: According to the Shia doctrine, he is alive on earth. Whether he is in an invisible cave or not, noone knowns. If you believe in Imam Mehdi(May Allah(s.w.a.) hasten his return) then what is your objection to the Shia doctrine. Is is that he guides the ummah while not being manifest or that he has remained alive for over 1000 years ?

We seek Allah's guidance which has been made clear to us in the Qur'an and not some Mehdi who is supposed to be hiding and guiding (Astaghfirullah) from a cave. What dimensions people give to Islam!  Allah, Most Compassionate and Merciful guide everyone of us to the Right Path and unite us Muslims to follow the straight way Ameen!

Wa-alaikum-Salaam

Mr Ali Zaki you have responded to one of my posts before when you stunned me (and perhaps many believers) when you ridiculed my post that conveyed the message of �Tauhid� under the thread �Islam for a Buddhist�. Despite being shocked that a believing Muslim could write this I ignored you assuming that you are a new revert who is still in the process of learning. Now that you have made it clear that you follow the Shia faith which baffles me on many fronts and because you have once more come forward to respond to my post I have a number of questions for you. I would also welcome input from any other Shia members.

Allah has said in Sura Al-Kahf:

018.001: Praise be to Allah, Who hath sent to His Servant the Book, and hath allowed therein no Crookedness:

018.002: (He hath made it) Straight (and Clear) in order that He may warn (the godless) of a terrible Punishment from Him, and that He may give Glad Tidings to the Believers who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a goodly Reward,

The Qur�an is Qaiyim meaning straight - opposite of crookedness and is clear without any ambiguity and makes things clear and perspicuous. Its directions are plain for everyone to understand. It is not full of mysteries and dark corners. According to the scholar and translator A Yusuf Ali whose translation is very widely read:�Any book that deals with the highest mysteries of spiritual life must necessarily have portions whose full meaning is clearer to some minds than to others not so well prepared. But here there is nowhere any mystification, any desire to wrap up things in dark sayings repugnant to human reason. God�s purpose to give clear warning of spiritual dangers and lead up to the highest bliss.�

018.054: We have explained in detail in this Qur'an, for the benefit of mankind, every kind of similitude: but man is, in most things, contentious.

003.007: He it is Who hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture wherein are clear revelations - they are the substance of the Book - and others (which are) allegorical. But those in whose hearts is doubt pursue, forsooth, that which is allegorical seeking (to cause) dissension by seeking to explain it. None knoweth its explanation save Allah. And those who are of sound instruction say: We believe therein; the whole is from our Lord; but only men of understanding really heed.

It is clear from the above verse that we are to follow the clear revelations and not worry about the allegorical. Keeping this in mind please explain quoting the verse from the Qur�an  and if possible the authentic Hadith (Qudsi, Sahih Bukhari or Sahih Muslim) answers to the following questions:

1. The Shias practise �matam� or beating the chest to mourn the death of Hazrat Ali, Hassan and Hussain. Where does it say in the Qur�an to mourn their deaths even after 1400 years? It seems to me that people who practise this form of mourning and beating etc are not willing to accept Allah�s will and are continuously taunting Allah for the suffering of the above. The Prophet Mohammed fobade mourning beyond three days except for a woman whose husband has died in which case it is 4 months and ten days. If you follow the Qur�an and the teachings of Mohammed (SAW) can you please provide where this practise comes from?
2. You�ve written: � I do now wish to comment extensively on this subject, as it requires a certain amount of pre-requisite knowledge to understand. Allah is the source of all authority, and Allah gave some of authority to the Holy Messenger(a.s.) by his will. The Prophet (a.s.) in turn designated a Wali during his lifetime and gave some of his "God-given" authority to his Wali (as was the practice of previous prophets). The Wali, during his lifetime, also designated his successor and passed the authority (Wasi) to him, etc, etc....and then to Imam Mahdi (who is hidden at this time, although we don't know the details of this and we cannot communicate with him directly). None of this is "Bidah" (and innovation) and is all supported extensively by Quran and Hadith.�

I am too �simple minded� and worried about �sticking my head in the sand�. While you do not wish to extensively comment on this subject you nevertheless contend that it is not an innovation and is all supported extensively in the Qur�an and Hadith. Could you please give a few references from the Qur�an first and then the Hadith. Please give full quotations from the Qur�an.

3. Unity1 has given a very good explanation of what the Shia�s practise and since you have not objected to the explanation I take it that the practise of this temporary contract marriage called �Mutah� is a reality. If so could you please give the sources from the Qur�an where one is allowed to enter into a temporary contract? As Allah has discouraged divorce and is a last resort when a married couple cannot bear to live with each other, how can a temporary marriage be allowed? It seems like it is legalising adultery, please forgive me if my understanding is wrong. What is the minimum and maximum periods that these contracts are entered into and where is the source of this permission?

 I have many more questions but I shall ask them after hearing from you.

Assalam-alaikum Mr Ali Zaki

Thankyou for the explanation. The first and foremost source of guidance for a Muslim is the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW). In your response you say that all the practises discussed above are supported by the Qur'an and (Hadith), but I am disappointed that you have not quoted any verse from the Qur'an to support your argument.

"Do not follow those who have forgotten mention of Me and pursue their own fancies." (18:27)�

I am not sure where you got this from. Verse 18:27 in the Qur�an is

�And recite (and teach) what has been revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord: none can change His Words, and none wilt thou find as a refuge other than Him.� 018.027

 May be I am asking too many questions and causing confusion for you, so let us take one issue at a time.

You have written :

3.) REGARDING "Mutah" (temporary marriage).

This is simple to explain. It is well known that this was practiced during the lifetime of the Prophet, and it was never abrogated (nullified) by him. Omar said that this practice was allowed during the time of the prophet but I am aborgating it. Not even Imam Ali (a.s.), is able to (nor did he ever attempt to) alter the Sunnah of the Prophet. Who, then, gave Omar the authority to do it?

After Islam was perfected many of the pagan practises that existed during the time of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) and those before his time were all abrogated. Whether or not you agree with me about it, as a Muslim you would agree that we should first follow the laws of marriage as laid out to us in the Qur'an by Allah the sole creator of the universe! Islam has been perfected for us and all the commands of Allah have nothing but benefit for us.

Instead of following the commands of Allah by dwelling upon the Quran when we direct our attention to historical events and base the practise of our life making human beings as our heros there is the grave danger of falling into sin whilst thinking that we are doing right. If this was the practise of anyone you revere, they may have done it under completely different circumstances and for different reasons. Allah has said in the Qur�an:

018.103: Say: "Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?-

018.104: Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?"

Allah has made it plain and clear in the Qur�an that we should obey Him and obey His Apostle Mohammed (SAW). The laws pertaining to marriage, divorce, inheritance etc have been discussed at length in the Qur�an.

 But this practise of temporary contract marriage raises a number of questions in my mind that would be very harmful to the entire community.

1. Can you tell me, who gets custody of the child in a temporary marriage?

2. Say a woman has entered into two contracts one after another the first contract being for a six month period. Immediately after finishing this contract she enters into another contract and a child is born to her. How is it decided whose child it is and who gets custody of this child?

3. Is there a period of "iddat" for the woman after the contract has ended? Who maintains her during this period? If not does she go back to her parents after ending the contract? 

3. How can a community allow the formation of a society where a child would grow up with a single parent despite not being an orphan?

4. A marriage in Islam should not be based on lust, how would you explain the reasons why these temporary marriages are contracted?

I look forward to your response and will move to other issues later. To me the first source of guidance is the Qur�an so I look forward to quotations from the Qur�an.