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['Aalim Network QR] Ahlul-bayt (a.s.)

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Ahlul-bayt (a.s.) Date: Tue, 23 Apr 1996 23:15:13 -0400 From: sukaina panju <sukaina.panju@utoronto.ca> Aalim: Husein Khimjee Priority: Normal

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ The following answer was kindly provided by Shaikh Khimjee. Was-salaam, Zahir Panju moderator abdg-a QUESTION: Would you explain to me why the Ahlul Bayt are not only limited to Fatima, Ali, Hasan and Husain, but also include the nine Imams after Husain(because what I know from hadith that explain about ayah 33:33 Rasulullah SAW only point to Fatima, Ali, Hasan and Husain as his Ahlul Bayt). And also would you explain to me why the nine Imams are also sinless as the four people that I mentioned above. Please base your explanation on Quran and hadiths.

ANSWER: IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL Assalamu `Alaykum The name of Ahl al Bayt are not limited to Imam `Ali, Bibi Faatima, Imam al Hasan and Imam al Husayn `Alayhimu Ssalaam because Rasul Allah (Salla~llahu `Alayhi Wa Aalihi wa Sallam) is reported to have prophesied the names of the Imams from his Ahl al-Bayt that would follow. In a Hadith reported, he publicly announced them by name; and then each one of them is reported to have announced his successor. The Twelve names that Rasul Allah Salla~llahu `alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam announced are: (1) Imam `Ali ibn abi Talib (2) Imam al-Hasan ibn `Ali (3) Imam al-Husayn ibn `Ali (4) Imam `Ali ibn al-Husayn (Zayn al Aabidin) (5) Imam Muhammad ibn `Ali (al-Baqir) (6) Imam Ja`fer ibn Muhammad (al-Saadiq) (7) Imam Musa ibn Ja`fer (al-Kaazim) (8) Imam `Ali ibn Musa (al-Rida) (9) Imam Muhammad ibn `Ali (al-Jawaad) (10)Imam `Ali ibn Muhammad (al-Haadi) (11)Imam Hasan ibn `Ali (Hasan al-Askari) (12) Imam Muhammad ibn Hasan (al-Mahdi) May Allah's Peace be upon all of them as we await the return of our Twelfth Imam, also as per prophesy from Rasul Allah Salla~llahu `Alyhi wa Aalihi wa sallam. By virtue of the above Hadith, they too are part of the Ahl al Bayt. Since they are the Imams appointed, they too are beyond making any sins,and therefore, Ma`sum. As to your question of why are they sinless or what does the sinlessness mean, I think it is very important to know that their sinlessness does not mean that they are not humanbeings like ourselves. We are not allowed to exaggerate anything about Imams and it is our fundamental belief that they are human beings like ourselves and are bound by all the Laws and Hukm of Allah Subhanahu wa ta`ala. They do not commit sins because they are honoured servants of Allah; and Allah Subhanahu wa ta`ala has honoured them and has given them great dignity and authority. Allah has protected them from all kinds of uncleanliness and has throroughly purified them (see Qur'an 33:33). They have the highest perfection and are endowed with `ilm al-ladunni and chastity. They are endowed with

all virtues, bravery, chastity and quality. Further, they are the carriers and transmitters of the correct Sunnah of Rasul~Allah. They are therefore our Imams. They are the guides and they have the authority after Rasul Allah(Salla~llahu `Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam) in the matters in which we require help and guidance; in religious commandments, in Judgment, in legislation, in the commentary of the Qur'an and in the interpretation of the Qur'an. For further reading in this and other issues that relate to us please see a very concise book "The Faith of Shia Islam" by Muhammad Rida al-Muzaffar. Truly Allah IS the Knowing. Please remember me in your Du`a to Allah. Husein Khimjee.

Back: ['Aalim Network QR] Ahlul Kitab - Follow up Forward: ['Aalim Network QR] Ahmadiyya Movement Home [Subject] [Date] [Moderator] Home

['Aalim Network QR] Al-Qur'an 42:23 (II)

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Al-Qur'an 42:23 (II) Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 14:44:33 -0400 (EDT) From: Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca> Aalim: Husein Khimjee

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\

| In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salaamun alaykum, The following is a supplementary post regarding the above ayah. Shaykh Husein Khimjee has kindly provided proofs from the Sunni sources that prove that the verse quoted below refers to the Ahl-ul-Bayt (as). Wasalaam, Mustafa Rawji Moderator, 'Aalim Network ---------- Forwarded message ---------QUESTION: In Al Quran Sura 42 (Ash-Shu'ra) verse 23 it says: "...Say thou (O' Our Apostle Muhammad!): I demand not of you any recompense for it (the toils of apostleship) save the love of (my) relatives..." This translation is from Mir Ahmed Ali and in his commentary he has mentioned the Ahlul-Bayt as the relatives that are referred to. I was also reading Maualna Maudoodi's commentary and he raises a seemingly valid point. He starts out by stating that there are 3 different interpretations of this aya'h. One of the interpretations that he mentions is the Shi'a version where the Ahlul-Bayt are reported as the relatives to whom this verse refers. Maulana Maudoodi rejects this explanation based on historical features. His contention is that this Sura was revealed in Makkah when Ali and Fatima were not yet married and when Imam Hasan and Husain were not yet born. Based on this historical fact, he feels that the relatives referred to in this aya'h cannot be the Ahlul-Bayt. I will welcome any input on this issue, especially from our Alims. SUPPLEMENTARY POST: In the name of Allah Subhanahu wata'ala the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Further to the above reply, and at the request of the Moderator, I would like to quote some interesting Sunni sources as a further explanation in reply to the above question.. For example, Ibn Kathir in his " Tafsir al Qur'an al 'Azim" Mukhtasar Vol. 4 pp.100-103 explaining this Aayat, refers at one point in his explanation to an interesting dialogue that took place between Imam Zayn al Abidin (Alayhi Salam) during his captivity after Kerbala and a local man from Shaam. This was at the time when the Imam with Bibi Zaynab and others had reached Shaam as captives and people had gathered on the streets of Shaam to see them. At that time a local man approaches Imam Zayn al Abidin (Alayhi Salam) and tells him that he thanks Allah that they got killed and captured. At this point Imam Zayn al Abidin asked this man if he had read this verse from the Qur'an (...Qul laa asalukum 'alyhi ajran illal mawaddata fil Qurbaa...). The man said that indeed he had read it. Imam Zayn al Abidin reminded the man that this Ayat referred to them who were the Ahl al Bayt. Ibn Kathir has given other references as part of his Tafsir on this verse which indicates that this refers to the Ahl al Bayt (Alayhimu Salam). Ibn 'Arabi (Allama Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi) in his "Tafsir al Quran al Karim" Vol.2, pp. 432-433 explains. When Rasul Allah (Salallahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wasallam) was asked: 'Ya Rasul Allah, which of your relatives are these making Waajib upon us to love them, He replied, "Ali and Fatema and al Hasan and al Husayn and children of both these." Shaykh Muhammad Ali Taha al Ddart in his "Tafsir al Quran al Karim wa al A'arabuhu wa Bayanuhu" Vol.13 pp71-75, quotes other Sunni source from al Tirmidhi confirming the validity of his explanation citing the event of al Ghadir. In the end, it is Only Allah Subhanahu wa ta 'aala who knows the Best. Husein Khimjee.

Back: ['Aalim Network QR] Al-Qur'an 42:23 Forward: ['Aalim Network QR] Al-sama' Al-sab'a Home [Subject] [Date] [Moderator] Home

['Aalim Network QR] Tawalla and Tabarra

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Tawalla and Tabarra Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 13:31:51 -0400 (EDT) From: Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salamun alaykum, The reply to the following question was kindly provided by Mulla Bashir. Wasalaam, Mustafa Rawji Moderator, 'Aalim Network *********************************************************************** ****** QUESTION:

In what ways can one express love for the Ahlul Bayt (as) and remain aloof from their enemies (Tawalla and Tabarra)? Are there certain guidelines in this regard? ANSWER: Thank you very much for asking this important question. It is incumbent upon us to base our opinion not on emotion but on reason and to be guided in formulating the opinion by the Holy Qur'an and the traditions of the Holy Ma'sumeen. The Ayat-e-Muwadda in the Holy Qur'an clearly places an obligation upon all muslims to love the ahlul bayt. In Sura-tul-Shuraa (XLII), Allah (SWT) commands the Holy Prophet (SAWA) to deliver a certain message to the mankind. In ayah 23 He says: "Say (O Muhammad): I ask you of no reward except the muwaddah (love) of my near relatives. Whosoever earns good, We give him more of good therein. Surely Allah is forgiving, grateful." In "Suratul-Sabaa" (XXXIV) Ayah 47, Allah commands the Holy Prophet as follows: "Say: Whatever reward I might have asked of you is for your good. reward is the affair of Allah only." My

Love for the Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) thus becomes mandatory for all Muslims as the reward to the Holy Prophet for having given us the message of Allah. Without such love, the faith of a Muslim would be like having taken the benefit of a service without having paid (ajr) remuneration for it. The question which arises here is: What is this "love" that we are commanded to show to Ahlul Bayt ? It is reported in Al Kafi (Volume 2, page 74, Hadith No. 3) that Imam Muhammad Baqir (AS) addressing Jabir said: "O Jabir, do you think that it is enough for anyone just to claim by his tongue that he loves Ahlul Bayt? Does he, by such a claim, become our Shiah? Jabir, I swear by the Almighty that until a person fears Allah and obeys Him, he cannot claim to be our Shiah. He must have humility, be just, fulfill his promises, engage as much as possible in the remembrance of Allah, fulfill his obligations of salah and fasting, show affection and sympathy and obedience to his parents, assist and be kind to his neighbours, the poor, those in debt as well as show sympathy and affection to the orphans. He must always be truthful. He should read and study Qur'an. There must never be any malice in his heart. Without these qualities, he can not qualify to claim that he loves us or is our Shiah.

O Jabir, it is not enough for any person only to say by word of mouth that he loves Hadhrat Ali and the Ahlul Bayt. He must follow the 'seerah' (way of life) of the Holy Prophet and the Ahlul Bayt and act according to the sunnah established by them. If he does not, then his claim of love for Ahlul Bayt can never benefit him. O Jabir, without 'ita'ah' (obedience and submission), nobody can attain proximity to Allah. We do not like them to claim to be our friends if they do not fulfil all the conditions. A sinful person is our enemy. Without good deeds and abstinence from sins, any claim of friendship to us is of no avail." The same considerations as above would apply to the doctrine of tabarra. Tabarra is based on the Qur'anic precept that believers should disassociate themselves from the evil doers. One who does tawalla will by virtue of it disassociate himself from the evil doers. Both tawalla and tabarra have to be reflected in the way of life as obedience of the Holy Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt. Repeated utterances of expressions of love or hate do not constitute tawalla or tabarra unless such repeated utterances are intended as declaration of commitment. A mere claim that we hate the enemies of Ahlul Bayt is not enough. There must be a complete disassociation with their 'seerah'. One cannot fulfil the conditions of tabarra only by repeated curses if one's life is according to their seerah. The curses we utter must be regarded as solemn pledge by us never to enter into their ita'ah and commit the sins which they did. We cannot escape the above obligation by the excuse that we do not hurt the Ahlul Bayt by our sins not directed against Ahlul Bayt. In the light of the above hadith of our fifth Imam, if our life is not in accordance with the tenets of Islam as reiterated by the Holy Imam we do hurt the Ahlul Bayt by insulting the great sacrifices they made to preserve those tenets for us. (For those who have the Gujerati or the Urdu version of the Taudhihul Masaail of Ayatullah Khui (R.A.) they will be able to refer to the above Hadith towards the beginning. It is, in the Urdu version, under the sub-title "Ilme Deen ki Ahmiyyat" at pp 40-41) If there is any supplementary question kindly submit it to the Alim Network. With salaams and du'aas from a humble servant of Ahlul Bayt and their followers, and with a request to be remembered by you in your prayers, Bashir Rahim

Back: ['Aalim Network QR] Tawafun Nisa Forward: ['Aalim Network QR] Tawassul and Tabaruk Home [Subject] [Date] [Moderator] Home

['Aalim Network QR] Salman al-Farsi (AS)- A Member of Ahlul-Bayt

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Salman al-Farsi (AS)- A Member of Ahlul-Bayt Date: Fri, 26 Sep 1997 10:24:59 -0400 (EDT) From: Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salaamun alaykum, The reply to the following question was kindly provided by Shaykh Rasheed. Wasalaam, Mustafa Rawji Acting Modertor, 'Aalim Network ----------------------------------------------------------------------

QUESTION: Assalaamu 'Alaykum, When Prophet Muhammad (SA'AWAWS) said "Salman is of Ahlul-Bait" why don't we count him as a member of Ahlul-Bayt, and what did the Prophet of ALLAH (SA'AWAWS) mean by saying Hadrath Salman (AS) is of Ahlul-Bayt? Was it metaphorically? Jazaak ALLAHU Khair ANSWER: The reference to Salman Farsi as a member of the Ahlul-Bayt is honorary. Salman Farsi's conversion to Islam left a great impression on the Holy Prophet (S) and others. Throughout the years of the Holy Prophet's mission, Salman Farsi was one of the companions most dedicated in the service, defence and propagation of Islam. His service to the household of the Holy Prophet and his sincere love for them earned him great respect from all quarters of the Ahlul-Bayt. Thus, as an honor for him, the Prophet (S) referred to him as one of the Ahlul-Bayt (AS). We pray that he will be raised in the honorable company of the ones he loved so dearly. Was-Salaam, Ali Rasheed Back: ['Aalim Network QR] Salat from sunrise to noon Forward: ['Aalim Network QR] Saying "Ameen" after Surat-ul Fatiha Home [Subject] [Date] [Moderator] Home

['Aalim Network QR] Books on Ahlul Bayt(as) [Follow-up]

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Books on Ahlul Bayt(as) [Follow-up] Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 14:13:37 -0400 (EDT) From: Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\

| ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salamun alaykum, The reply to the follow-up questions below was kindly provided by Br. Shaun. Wasalaam, Mustafa Rawji Moderator, 'Aalim Network -----------------------------------------------------------------------Assalaamu'alaykum, I read the posting of this topic and found out it pretty intersting because I am also a new follower of Ahlul Bayt. I have a couple of follow up questions regarding this: -----------------------FOLLOW-UP QUESTION 1: Regarding the incomplete translation and work by the Imam Ali Center of Islamic Research, for juz. 1 and juz 30 that Br.Shaun Astarabadi mentioned, was it tafseer Al Mizan (tafseer of Quran by late Tabatabai) that Br. Shaun actually meant? Or is it a different book? ANSWER: It is a different book, the current print is hard cover (blue) in three volumes. It is by a community of scholars. This is lighter reading than al-Mizan. -------------------------

FOLLOW-UP QUESTION 2: For the tafseer of Quran, which book do you think is best? Would you recommend some of the tafseer of Quran books that you consider the best? ANSWER: In my opinion, and many others as well, Tafseer al-Mizan is one of the top if not the best. Although I read the original (21 volume) Arabic, the content and coverage should be maintained in the translation. The author presents in his commentary the various views around a verse and also gives his opinion as to which is the most favorable and logical with support from other verses elsewhere in the Quran. Additionally, there are discussion sections, every so often, which deal with certain Islamic beliefs, which is unique to this tafseer even in Arabic. In English only 8 volumes are available and they cover about the first two/three Arabic volumes. Furthermore, the author is a contemporary who only passed away during the last 20 years, so the work reflects the awareness of this scholar when it comes to the current state of science, technology and knowledge. Highly recommended! Wassalam Shaun Back: ['Aalim Network QR] Books on Ahlul Bayt(as) Forward: ['Aalim Network QR] Bowing in Karate Home [Subject] [Date] [Moderator] Home

['Aalim Network QR] Fateha for Ahlul Bayt (as) / Nazar

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Fateha for Ahlul Bayt (as) / Nazar Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 07:41:40 -0400 From: Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@aracnet.net>

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\

| . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salamun alaykum, The reply to the following question was kindly provided by Mulla Asghar. Wasalaam, Mustafa Rawji Moderator, 'Aalim Network -----------------------------------------------------------------------QUESTION: 786. Salaamalaikum, Please can you tell me whether it is allowed to recite Sura-e-Fateha for Ahlul-Bayt in a manner similar to the Fatehas which are recited for deceased maumineen/mauminaat, i.e. after reciting Sura-e-Fateha for ordinary maumineen/mauminaat we say 'O Allah please give the sawab/hadiya of this fateha to X son of Y'. Please note the intention after the recitation, bearing in mind that the Ahl-e-Bait are not in need of our Fatehas, etc. I have heard of situations where the Sura-e-Fateha is recited for nazar and people say, for example, 'O Abul Fadlil Abbas please accept our nazar'. Wasalaam. ANSWER: Reciting Surah of Fateha, offering the whole recitation of the Holy Qur'an, praying 2 or more Rakaats for Masoomeen (AS) is permissible. Your Niyyat for the purpose will suffice, but it has to be Qurbatan Ilallah.

The Ahlulbait (AS) pray for us in return. Nazar can only be made in the name of Allah. It is a covenant with Allah Almighty. Asgharali M M Jaffer Back: ['Aalim Network QR] Fasting while Breastfeeding Forward: ['Aalim Network QR] Father's qadha salaa Home [Subject] [Date] [Moderator] Home

['Aalim Network QR] Fateha for Ahlul Bayt (as) / Nazar

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Fateha for Ahlul Bayt (as) / Nazar Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 07:41:40 -0400 From: Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@aracnet.net>

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salamun alaykum, The reply to the following question was kindly provided by Mulla Asghar.

Wasalaam, Mustafa Rawji Moderator, 'Aalim Network -----------------------------------------------------------------------QUESTION: 786. Salaamalaikum, Please can you tell me whether it is allowed to recite Sura-e-Fateha for Ahlul-Bayt in a manner similar to the Fatehas which are recited for deceased maumineen/mauminaat, i.e. after reciting Sura-e-Fateha for ordinary maumineen/mauminaat we say 'O Allah please give the sawab/hadiya of this fateha to X son of Y'. Please note the intention after the recitation, bearing in mind that the Ahl-e-Bait are not in need of our Fatehas, etc. I have heard of situations where the Sura-e-Fateha is recited for nazar and people say, for example, 'O Abul Fadlil Abbas please accept our nazar'. Wasalaam. ANSWER: Reciting Surah of Fateha, offering the whole recitation of the Holy Qur'an, praying 2 or more Rakaats for Masoomeen (AS) is permissible. Your Niyyat for the purpose will suffice, but it has to be Qurbatan Ilallah. The Ahlulbait (AS) pray for us in return. Nazar can only be made in the name of Allah. It is a covenant with Allah Almighty. Asgharali M M Jaffer Back: ['Aalim Network QR] Fasting while Breastfeeding Forward: ['Aalim Network QR] Father's qadha salaa Home [Subject] [Date] [Moderator] Home

['Aalim Network QR] Extant written works from the Imams (as)

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Extant written works from the Imams (as)

Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 19:36:18 -0500 From: "Akil M. Karim" <amk@ican.net>

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salaamun 'Alaykum The following question was kindly answered by Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi. Fee Amaanillah, Akil Karim Moderator - 'Aalim Network ---------- Forwarded Message ---------QUESTION: I am curious as to what written works the Imams of the Ahl al-bayt (as) composed and, of them, which are extant. for example, I have heard that Imam Sadiq (as) wrote down a tafsir of the qur'an but that it was lost. ANSWER: I have not yet seen a list of the written works of all the Imams of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). Doing research before answering the question would have further delayed the answer so I am writing what I can recollect from my past readings.

The most famous are the following two works of Imam Zaynul 'Abidin (a.s.): 1. Risalatul Huquq. 2. Sahifa Sajjadiya. As for other Imams, I cannot recall a book as such but there are many letters or tracts written by Imams, specially 8th, 9th and 10th Imams, in the various collections of hadith. There are also some books ASCRIBED to certain Imams (e.g., the Tafsir of Imam Hasan al-'Askari) but the scholars of hadith have doubts about their authenticity. As for Imam 'Ali, most of what he wrote during his caliphate in forms of letters and circulars have been preserved in the Nahjul Balagha. The longest document written by the Imam in Nahjul Balagha is the letter to Malik Ashtar in which he outlines the art of ruling and governing a society. There is also a book written by Imam 'Ali known as Kitab adDiyaat describing various indemnities and penalties one has to pay in violation of certain laws of Islam. This book was with the later Imams (Imam as-Sadiq and Imam ar-Riza), and has been preserved in early collection of hadith, e.g., al-Kafi of Kulayni and at-Tahzib of Tusi. More insha Allah when I get time in future. Was-salaam, Sayyid M. Rizvi

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['Aalim Network QR] Zaydis - An Ithna'ashari view

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Zaydis - An Ithna'ashari view Date: Thu, 7 Aug 1997 23:19:05 +0100 (BST) From: abbas@dircon.co.uk (Abbas Jaffer)

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\

| || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salamun Alaykum, The following question was kindly answered by Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi. Regards, Abbas Jaffer Moderator - 'Aalim Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------QUESTION: What is the Twelvers (Ithna-'Ashari) view of Imam Zayd and his followers, the Zaydis? From what I have read the first three Shi'a states were all Zaydi: Idrissid in Morocco; in Tabaristan, and Yemen (not to mention Hijaz). They claim to be the true followers of Ahlul Bayt. What is our response? ANSWER: 1. Zayd bin 'Ali ash-Shahid: Among the children of Imam 'Ali Zaynul 'Abidin (a.s.), after Muhammad al-Baqir, Zayd was the most outstanding and the most learned. Shaykh Mufid describes him as "a devout worshipper, pious, a jurist, God-fearing and brave." (al-Irshad, p. 403) It is worth mentioning that he is also the first narrator of the famous as-Sahifah as-Sajjdiyya of Imam Zaynul 'Abidin (a.s.). Zayd led an armed rebellion against the Marwanid (the Umayyid clan which came to power after Yazid) ruler, Hisham bin 'Abdul Malik; and was calling people towards "the accepted person from among the descendants of the Prophet". He led the

uprising in Kufa but was killed on 2nd Safar in 120 A.H. at the age of forty-two by Yusuf bin 'Amr ath-Thaqafi (the Umayyid governor), his body was taken out of the grave, put on a cross for four years, then it was burnt and his ashes were spread in the wind. (See al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 404; al-Mas'udi, Muruj adhDhahab; al-Qummi, Muntahal Aml, p. 36). Because of his jihad and his claim for the Ahlul Bayt, some Shi'as, however, thought that Zayd was claiming imamate for himself and therefore started believing in him as the Imam. The Ithna-'Ashari sources do not believe that Zayd claimed imamate for himself. For example, Shaykh Mufid, one of the earliest Shi'a theologians says, "However that was not his intention because he knew of the right of his brother, peace be on him, to the Imamate before him, and of his bequest of trusteeship (wasiyya) at his death to Abu 'Abd Allh (i.e., Ja'far as-Sadiq), peace be on him." (al-Irshad, p. 404). Even the way Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) reacted to Zayd's martyrdom shows the uprightness of the latter in his faith in the Imams of Ahlul Bayt. When Imam as-Sadiq was informed about Zayd's martyrdom, "he was very sad...and he set apart a thousand dinars of his own money for the families of those of (Zayd's) followers who were killed with him." (al-Irshad, p. 405) For other such narrations by Shaykh as-Saduq, see Muntahal Aml, p. 36. In conclusion, we can say that Zayd bin 'Ali was an outstanding Shi'a, a mujhid and a shahid who was loyal to the line of the Imams of Ahlul Bayt, including his own brother, Muhammad al-Baqir, and, his nephew, Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.). This leaves us with no choice but to reject the statement made by the late 'Allamah Tabtab'i that Zayd himself "considered the first two caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar, as their Imams." (Shi'a Islam, p. 77) 2. The Zaydiyya Sect: Among the three sub-sects of the Zaydiyya, al-Jrudiyya is extinct. The

other two sub-sects, the Sulaymniyya and the Batariyya, cannot be technically considered as "Shi'a". Both believe that the Prophet did not appoint anyone as his successor; both believe in the caliphate of Abu Bakr and 'Umar but not in the caliphate of 'Uthman; they do not believe in the infallibility of the Imams; they believe that it is possible to have two imams at the same time but in two different regions. According to the Zaydiyya, any descendant of the Prophet (i.e., a sayyid) who is a jurist (faqih, mujtahid), pious, courageous, and calls people towards Allh by the "sword" (i.e., jihad) can be the imam. (On this account, the late Ayatullah al-Khumayni was definitely fulfilling all these requirements for the imamate of the Zaydis! I wonder what the Yemeni Zaydis have to say about this? But, on the other hand, they might say that this would apply to the Zaydis in Iran only!!) All historians of religion, Shi'ahs and Sunnis, say that the Zaydis follow the Mu'tazila school in their beliefs, and the Hanafi school in their laws. As such, the Zaydis are more closer to the Sunnis than the Shi'as. (For details, see S.S. Akhtar Rizvi, "Shi'a Sects" published in The Light, and also reprinted in The Right Path [Toronto] in 1995). 3. Zaydi States: It is true that one of the earliest states founded by the descendants of Imam 'Ali (a.s.) was a Zaydi state, but it was not necessarily a Shi'a state for the reasons mentioned above. Nsir al-Utrush, a descendant of the brother of Zayd ash-Shahid, arose in Khurasan. After being pursued by the 'Abbasids, he fled to Mazandaran (Tabaristan) whose people had not yet accepted Islam. " After thirteen years of missionary activity in that region he brought a large number of people into the Zaydi branch of Islam. Then in the year 301/913 with their aid he conquered the region of Mazandaran, becoming himself Imam." (Tabtab'i, Shi'a Islam, p. 77) The Zaydi rule in Tabaristan continued until 1126 C.E.

The Idrisi dynasty (from 788-985 C.E.) in Morocco was not a Zaydi dynasty. It was founded by Idris bin 'Abdullah, a great-grandson of Imam Hasan bin 'Ali (a.s.). 4. What is our response? Since the Zaydiyya believe in the caliphate of Abu Bakr and 'Umar, our response and arguments with them should not be any different from our arguments for the Sunnis. Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi

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['Aalim Network QR] Zaydis - An Ithna'ashari view

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Zaydis - An Ithna'ashari view Date: Thu, 7 Aug 1997 23:19:05 +0100 (BST) From: abbas@dircon.co.uk (Abbas Jaffer)

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\

| || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salamun Alaykum, The following question was kindly answered by Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi. Regards, Abbas Jaffer Moderator - 'Aalim Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------QUESTION: What is the Twelvers (Ithna-'Ashari) view of Imam Zayd and his followers, the Zaydis? From what I have read the first three Shi'a states were all Zaydi: Idrissid in Morocco; in Tabaristan, and Yemen (not to mention Hijaz). They claim to be the true followers of Ahlul Bayt. What is our response? ANSWER: 1. Zayd bin 'Ali ash-Shahid: Among the children of Imam 'Ali Zaynul 'Abidin (a.s.), after Muhammad al-Baqir, Zayd was the most outstanding and the most learned. Shaykh Mufid describes him as "a devout worshipper, pious, a jurist, God-fearing and brave." (al-Irshad, p. 403) It is worth mentioning that he is also the first narrator of the famous as-Sahifah as-Sajjdiyya of Imam Zaynul 'Abidin (a.s.). Zayd led an armed rebellion against the Marwanid (the Umayyid clan which came to power after Yazid) ruler, Hisham bin 'Abdul Malik; and was calling people towards "the accepted person from among the descendants of the Prophet". He led the

uprising in Kufa but was killed on 2nd Safar in 120 A.H. at the age of forty-two by Yusuf bin 'Amr ath-Thaqafi (the Umayyid governor), his body was taken out of the grave, put on a cross for four years, then it was burnt and his ashes were spread in the wind. (See al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 404; al-Mas'udi, Muruj adhDhahab; al-Qummi, Muntahal Aml, p. 36). Because of his jihad and his claim for the Ahlul Bayt, some Shi'as, however, thought that Zayd was claiming imamate for himself and therefore started believing in him as the Imam. The Ithna-'Ashari sources do not believe that Zayd claimed imamate for himself. For example, Shaykh Mufid, one of the earliest Shi'a theologians says, "However that was not his intention because he knew of the right of his brother, peace be on him, to the Imamate before him, and of his bequest of trusteeship (wasiyya) at his death to Abu 'Abd Allh (i.e., Ja'far as-Sadiq), peace be on him." (al-Irshad, p. 404). Even the way Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) reacted to Zayd's martyrdom shows the uprightness of the latter in his faith in the Imams of Ahlul Bayt. When Imam as-Sadiq was informed about Zayd's martyrdom, "he was very sad...and he set apart a thousand dinars of his own money for the families of those of (Zayd's) followers who were killed with him." (al-Irshad, p. 405) For other such narrations by Shaykh as-Saduq, see Muntahal Aml, p. 36. In conclusion, we can say that Zayd bin 'Ali was an outstanding Shi'a, a mujhid and a shahid who was loyal to the line of the Imams of Ahlul Bayt, including his own brother, Muhammad al-Baqir, and, his nephew, Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.). This leaves us with no choice but to reject the statement made by the late 'Allamah Tabtab'i that Zayd himself "considered the first two caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar, as their Imams." (Shi'a Islam, p. 77) 2. The Zaydiyya Sect: Among the three sub-sects of the Zaydiyya, al-Jrudiyya is extinct. The

other two sub-sects, the Sulaymniyya and the Batariyya, cannot be technically considered as "Shi'a". Both believe that the Prophet did not appoint anyone as his successor; both believe in the caliphate of Abu Bakr and 'Umar but not in the caliphate of 'Uthman; they do not believe in the infallibility of the Imams; they believe that it is possible to have two imams at the same time but in two different regions. According to the Zaydiyya, any descendant of the Prophet (i.e., a sayyid) who is a jurist (faqih, mujtahid), pious, courageous, and calls people towards Allh by the "sword" (i.e., jihad) can be the imam. (On this account, the late Ayatullah al-Khumayni was definitely fulfilling all these requirements for the imamate of the Zaydis! I wonder what the Yemeni Zaydis have to say about this? But, on the other hand, they might say that this would apply to the Zaydis in Iran only!!) All historians of religion, Shi'ahs and Sunnis, say that the Zaydis follow the Mu'tazila school in their beliefs, and the Hanafi school in their laws. As such, the Zaydis are more closer to the Sunnis than the Shi'as. (For details, see S.S. Akhtar Rizvi, "Shi'a Sects" published in The Light, and also reprinted in The Right Path [Toronto] in 1995). 3. Zaydi States: It is true that one of the earliest states founded by the descendants of Imam 'Ali (a.s.) was a Zaydi state, but it was not necessarily a Shi'a state for the reasons mentioned above. Nsir al-Utrush, a descendant of the brother of Zayd ash-Shahid, arose in Khurasan. After being pursued by the 'Abbasids, he fled to Mazandaran (Tabaristan) whose people had not yet accepted Islam. " After thirteen years of missionary activity in that region he brought a large number of people into the Zaydi branch of Islam. Then in the year 301/913 with their aid he conquered the region of Mazandaran, becoming himself Imam." (Tabtab'i, Shi'a Islam, p. 77) The Zaydi rule in Tabaristan continued until 1126 C.E.

The Idrisi dynasty (from 788-985 C.E.) in Morocco was not a Zaydi dynasty. It was founded by Idris bin 'Abdullah, a great-grandson of Imam Hasan bin 'Ali (a.s.). 4. What is our response? Since the Zaydiyya believe in the caliphate of Abu Bakr and 'Umar, our response and arguments with them should not be any different from our arguments for the Sunnis. Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi

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['Aalim Network QR] Halloween

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Halloween Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 13:21:53 -0500 From: "Akil Karim" <akarim@gustinkramer.com> Importance: Normal

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\

| || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Salaamun 'Alaykum The following question was kindly answered by Shaykh Hasnain. Fee Amaanillah, Akil Karim Moderator - 'Aalim Network ----- Forwarded Message ----QUESTION: Is it Haram for our children to dress up in costumes and partake in trick or treating on Halloween if the intent is harmless fun and to get candy? ANSWER: Please note that only those things are Haram which are either clearly indicated as forbidden in the Qur'an and Hadith (e.g. lying, cheating, dealing in usury, backbiting, etc), or which can be classified under certain principles which cause them to become haram (e.g if the harm is more than the benefit, if it takes you away from Allah, etc). The application of such principles is done by the learned mujtahidun (juri-consults) who look at a particular issue from all aspects and decide whether it can be considered Haram or not. Coming to your question whether we can allow children to dress up in costumes and partake in trick or treating on Halloween even if the niyyah is to derive fun and gather candies, I would say that it is SURELY WRONG. Several reasons can be cited, three of which are: 1)It is believed that the ritual of Halloween was started by

satan-worshippers and adapted by some Christians. Participating in a ritual associated with satan worshippers is abominable and unIslamic. The Holy Prophet (s) was always concerned about Muslims having their own identity in their appearance and practices-- different from pagans, Christians and Jews. The Noble Prophet abhorred following the ways of non-Muslims. 2)Islam is a complete way of life. God perfected it in the final days of the Holy Prophet (Qur'an 5:3). We do not need to copy the ways of satan worshippers and Christians to have fun. Alhamdu lil.. the followers of the Ahlul Bayt (a) have many happy occasions to celebrate and make their children happy. 3) Muslims are a minority in North America and Europe. If we are not firm in establishing and holding to our values, then God-forbid a time may come that our children would melt in "the American melting pot" such that it will be difficult to differentiate between Muslim and non-Muslim children. God knows the best. Hasnain Kassamali Humble servant of the Ahlul Bayt (a). Back: ['Aalim Network QR] Halal Meat and Meat Preparation Forward: ['Aalim Network QR] Haydh/Istihadha Home [Subject] [Date] [Moderator] Home

['Aalim Network QR] Platonic Dating

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Platonic Dating Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 13:34:36 +0100 From: workshop@dircon.co.uk (Ummulbanin) Aalim: Bashir Rahim

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\

| . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\ | |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Assalamu Alaykum The following question was kindly answered by Mulla Bashir Rahim Salaams Ummulbanin Merali *********************************************************************** ***** Question: There is a girl who really likes me and wants to go out on date with her, and I'm really good friends with her, almost best friends, so if I said no, I would be abandoning our friendship. Would it be all right to go on a date, without doing anything haram i.e., kissing, etc? ANSWER: This question raises important issues which, I expect, will interest a large number of our youths. Allow me first of all to quote some relevant passages from the English translation of the Taudhiul Mas'eel of Ayatullah al Fuqaha Seestani. In masallaah 2443 (p.450) it is stated as follows: To look at the body of a woman who would not care for hijaab, even if she were advised, is not haraam, provided that it does not lead to sinful act or sexual pleasure, and excitement, nor it is with that intention; and in this rule, there is no distinction between a Muslim and a non-Muslim woman; and also between those parts, like their faces, their hands which they normally do not cover, and other parts of their bodies. It will be observed that the above rule is subject to the important condition that the looking must NOT be for sexual excitement. Pleasure would, even platonic, has a tendency of leading to sexual excitement. A friendship with a young lady must be distinguished from "dating" as that term is generally understood in the Western culture. Firstly it implies that

the parties concerned might be alone (unchaperoned) in an enclosed place like a room or a car. Secondly it could lead to some form of innocent physical contact. These are not permitted save in very exceptional circumstances, and definitely not in furtherance of any friendship or as a demonstration of any platonic relation. Alhamdulillah, Islam has a solution. The parties can contract mut'ah the terms of which would specify that the object is to create mahrimiyyat in furtherance of the friendship but excluding, if the parties so wish, any carnal physical contact. I trust I have adequately dealt with the question but if there are any further questions please do not hesitate to forward them through the usual channels. May Allah in His infinite Mercy always protect us from sins. With salaams and du'aas from an humble servant of Ahlul Bayt and their followers, Bashir Rahim.

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['Aalim Network QR] Platonic Dating

Subject: ['Aalim Network QR] Platonic Dating Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 13:34:36 +0100 From: workshop@dircon.co.uk (Ummulbanin) Aalim: Bashir Rahim

________________________________________________________________________ | w w w |\ | || || | || |\ | o_,_7 _|| . _o_7 _|| 4_|_|| o_w_, |\ | ( : / (_) / ( . |\ | |\ | || || | || |T | | || | |\ | . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o _|_c 4_|_|| _|,_p q |\ | (_): / (_): . : / (_S (_S / |\

| |\ | In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful |\ | Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\ | _______________________________________________________________________ |\ Assalamu Alaykum The following question was kindly answered by Mulla Bashir Rahim Salaams Ummulbanin Merali *********************************************************************** ***** Question: There is a girl who really likes me and wants to go out on date with her, and I'm really good friends with her, almost best friends, so if I said no, I would be abandoning our friendship. Would it be all right to go on a date, without doing anything haram i.e., kissing, etc? ANSWER: This question raises important issues which, I expect, will interest a large number of our youths. Allow me first of all to quote some relevant passages from the English translation of the Taudhiul Mas'eel of Ayatullah al Fuqaha Seestani. In masallaah 2443 (p.450) it is stated as follows: To look at the body of a woman who would not care for hijaab, even if she were advised, is not haraam, provided that it does not lead to sinful act or sexual pleasure, and excitement, nor it is with that intention; and in this rule, there is no distinction between a Muslim and a non-Muslim woman; and also between those parts, like their faces, their hands which they normally do not cover, and other parts of their bodies. It will be observed that the above rule is subject to the important condition that the looking must NOT be for sexual excitement. Pleasure would, even platonic, has a tendency of leading to sexual excitement. A friendship with a young lady must be distinguished from "dating" as that term is generally understood in the Western culture. Firstly it implies that the parties concerned might be alone (unchaperoned) in an enclosed place like a room or a car. Secondly it could lead to some form of innocent physical contact. These are not permitted save in very exceptional

circumstances, and definitely not in furtherance of any friendship or as a demonstration of any platonic relation. Alhamdulillah, Islam has a solution. The parties can contract mut'ah the terms of which would specify that the object is to create mahrimiyyat in furtherance of the friendship but excluding, if the parties so wish, any carnal physical contact. I trust I have adequately dealt with the question but if there are any further questions please do not hesitate to forward them through the usual channels. May Allah in His infinite Mercy always protect us from sins. With salaams and du'aas from an humble servant of Ahlul Bayt and their followers, Bashir Rahim.

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