The Islamic Ruling on Shi'ites

EXPLANATIONS FROM EARLY ULAMA

Imam Shafi'i RA

On one occasion, Imam Shafi'i RA said concerning the Shi'ites:

"I have not seen among the heretics a people more famous for falsehood than the Raafidite Shi'ites." [Ibn Taymiyah, Minhaj-us-Sunnah An-Nabawiyyah, 1/39]

On another occasion Imam Shafi'i RA said:

"Narrate knowledge from everyone you meet except the Raafidite Shi'ites, because they invent Ahadith and adopt them as part of their religion." [Ibid, Page 38]


Imam Abu Hanifah RA

It was reported that often, Imam Abu Hanifah RA used to repeat the following statement about the Shi'ites:

"Whoever doubts whether they are disbelievers has himself committed disbelief."


Imam Malik RA

Once Imam Malik RA was asked about them and he replied:

"Do not speak to them nor narrate from them, for surely they are liars." [Minhaj-us-Sunnah, 1/37]

During a class of Imam Malik RA, it was mentioned that the Raafidite Shi'ites curse the Sahabah RA (Na'udzubillah).

In reply, Imam Malik RA quoted the verse from the Qur'an:

"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and those with him are harsh with the disbelievers and gentle among themselves. So that the disbelievers may become enraged with them."

Imam Malik RA then said:

"Whoever becomes enraged when the Sahabah (RA) are mentioned is one about whom the verse speaks." [Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Surah Al-Fath]

That is to say - anyone who is enraged by the mention of the Sahabah RA automatically becomes a disbeliever, because the verse says:

"...the disbelievers may become enraged with them (Sahabah RA)."


Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak RA

Ibn Al-Mubarak RA was reported to have said:

"Religion is gained from the Ahl-ul-Hadith (People of Hadith), scholastic theology and crafty exemptions from religious ordinances of Ahl-ur-Ray and lies from the Raafidite Shi'ites." [Imam Adh-Dhahabi, Al Muntaqaa min Minhaaj al-I'tidaal, Page 480]


Abu Zur'ah Ar-Razi RA

Abu Zur'ah Ar-Razi RA was quoted as saying:

"If you see someone degrade any of the Companions (RA) of the Prophet SAW, know that he is a disbeliever. Because the Prophet SAW, was real, what he brought was the truth and all of it was conveyed to us by the way of the Sahabah (RA). What those disbelievers wish to do is to cast doubt on the reliability of our narrators in order to invalidate the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Thus the disbelievers are the ones most deserving defamation."


Al-Qadi Abu Ya'la RA

It was reported that Abu Ya'la RA said:

"The position of jurists concerning one who curses the Sahabah RA, believing that such an act is permissible, is that he has committed an act of disbelief. If he curses them but does not believe that cursing them is permissible, then he is guilty of immorality, and not disbelief." [Ibn Taymiyah, As-Sawarim Al-Maslul, Page 569]


At-Tahawi RA

In his book on the Islamic creed - Al-Aqidah At-Tahawiyyah - the author states:

"We love the Companions (RA) of Allah's Prophet SAW, without going overboard in our love of anyone of them or remaining aloof (Tabarra) from any of them. We hate those who hate them or speak ill of them and we only speak well of them. Loving them is a religious act, and an expression of faith and righteousness while hating them is an act of disbelief, hypocrisy and transgression." [Sharh Al-Aqidah At-Tahawiyyah, Page 528]


Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi RA

One day during the period of Muslim rule in Spain, Imam Abu Muhammad ibn Hazm RA was having a debate with some Spanish Catholic priests about their religious texts. He brought before them evidence of textual distortions in the Bible and the loss of original manuscripts. When they replied by pointing out to him Shi'ite claims also being distorted, Ibn Hazm RA informed them:

"Shi'ites could not be used as evidence against the Qur'an or against Muslims because they are not themselves Muslims." [Ibn Hazm, Al-Fisaal Fi Al-Milal Wa An-Nihal, 2/78 and 4/182]

Their claims have also been rebutted by numerous other early scholars such as:

Ibn Taymiyyah RA in Minhaj-us-Sunnah;

Imam Adh-Dhahabi RA in Muntaqa Min Minhaj-Al-I'tidal;

Ibn Kathir RA in his history book: Al-Bidayah Wa An-Nihayah;

Ibn Al-Jawzi RA in Talbis Iblis; and

Al-Qadi Ibn Al-Arabi RA in Al-Awwasim Min Al-Qawasim.


EXPLANATIONS FROM CONTEMPORARY SCHOLARS

Imam Al-Alusi

Imam Al-Alusi declared the Raafidite Shi'ites as disbelievers because of their defamation of the Sahahah RA. His position was based on the rulings of Imam Malik RA and other scholars who were in agreement with him.

In reply to their claim to be Ahl-ul-Bayt (The Prophet's SAW family), Al-Alusi said:

"No, they are really followers of the Devils and Ahl-ul-Bayt are innocent of them."


Muhibbuddin Al-Khatib

Al-Khatib wrote a book on the Shi'ites entitled: Al-Khutut Al-Aridah Lil-Usus Allati Qama Alayhaa Deen Ash-Shi'ah Al-Ithnay 'Ashriyah (translation: Broad Outlines of the Basis for the Twelver Shi'ite Creed). He also footnoted earlier works on the Shi'ah like Al-Muntaqa and Awasim Min Al-Qaqasim. In all of his works, Al-Khatib considers the Shi'ites to be disbelievers.


Bahjat Al-Baitar

When this great Syrian scholar was asked if transactions were permissible with Shi'ites, he replied in a book called Al-Islam Wa As-Sahabah Al-Kiram Bain As-Sunnah Wa Ash-Shi'ah in which he said:

"Political and economic dealings with them are allowed in the same way that they are allowed with states and people with whom there are treaties in spite of differences between their lands and religions and ours. And help can only be sought from Allah."


Dr. Hilali

After living closely to the Shi'ites for some years, the famous Morrocan scholar, Dr Hilali, wrote a paper on them in which he declared them disbelievers.


Al-Bashir Al-Ibrahimi

While visiting Iraq, this professor who is the leading religious scholar in Algeria saw with his own eyes the Shi'ite book, Az-Zahra, in which Saiyidina Umar ibn Al-Khattab RA - was accused of homosexuality (Na'udzubillah). On his return home to Algeria he exposed the Shi'ites and clearly outlined their principle beliefs and practices.


Mustafa As-Siba'i

This eminent Palestinian scholar was also among those who lived with the Shi'ites for a period and worked for rapproachment with them; however, he soon discovered their real intentions and noted them in the foreword of his classic: As-Sunnah Wa Makanatuha.

He wrote:

"Those people continue to hold fast to their books in which slanderous attacks and false descriptions are given of the incidents of disagreement among the Sahabah RA. Hence their intention behing the call to rapproachment seems to be bringing the Sunnites closer to the Shi'ite creed and not bringing them closer to each other."

On another occasion, As-Siba'i wrote:

"A Muslim would almost be in a state of total bewilderment and confusion at the audacity of these people towards Allah's Messenger SAW were it not for his knowledge that most of the Rafidites are Persians. Some Persians feigned Islam and used Shi'ism as a cover for the destruction of Islam. There were also among the Persians those who were unable to free themselves from the effects of their former religions and thus they entered Islam with a pagan mentality which did not mind telling lies about the Prophet SAW."

Among other contemporary scholars who have have made similar statements are:

Shaikh Ibn Baaz

Allaamah Ash-Shanqiti

Al-Albani

Ahmad Ameen

An-Nashashibi; and

Dr Rashad Salim