Some
Misconceptions About Shi'ism
by Shahid Athar M.D.
The centuries-old
Shia-Sunni differences are the major obstacle to Muslim unity. These
differences have always been fanned by the enemies of Islam to their
benefit. Unfortunately, some so-called Muslim scholars on their payroll
have also played a key role in keeping these differences alive.
Although I was
born into a Sayyid Sunni family, I did not know of many differences
while growing up as a child. Our families always respected Imam Hussain
(peace be upon him) and his parents and participated in ceremonies
marking the anniversary of his martyrdom (the 10th day of the month of
Muharram which is called Ashura) by reciting the first chapter of the
Quran (al-Fatihah) and other chapters and verses of the Quran and fasted
on the ninth and tenth days of that month.
Now when I give
lectures on Islam to non-Muslims, one of the questions they always ask
me is if I am Shia or Sunni. I ask them if they know the difference.
They have no knowledge, other than what has been given to them by the
media. So they say Shias are the ones who are the bad guys, the militant
version of Islam, and cause all the trouble in the Middle East these
days.
These non-Muslim
American audiences of mine are surprised to learn that some of the known
tyrants like Saddam Hussain and troublemakers like the PLO and Hamas are
all Sunnis, just as they are surprised to learn that Tariq Aziz (Iraq's
Foreign Minister) is Christian and not a Muslim.
This is what I
say to them about Shi'ites."If Ali Ibn Talib (cousin of Prophet
Muhammad) was a Shia, then I am a Shia. If he was a Sunni, then I am a
Sunni(i.e., a follower of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In Islam there are
five recognized schools of Divine Law:1) Hanafi;2) Shafi;3) Maliki;4)
Hanbali and5) Jafari.
The first four
are called Sunni, and the fifth one, who in addition to following
sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), also follows those of
Ali and consider him as the rightful successor of the Prophet, are
called Shia. The first four have many major theological differences
among themselves and according to a Christian friend of mine, "The only
time Sunnis are united is when they are fighting Shias."Shi'ism started
as a political movement (Shia means follower or partisan) to help Ali
become successor of Muhammad (PBUH).
Around every
successful popular figure, there are some admirers whose own future
interests rest with the rise of their leader. Thus in Indiana, we have
"Friends of Lugar Club", who are hoping that some day Senator Richard
Lugar will become a US President. Nationally, we now have a "Hillary
Rodham Clinton Fan Club" with 4,000 members! Thus, there were the
Followers of Ali Club which later on became apolitical movement. During
the initial battles with unbelievers, Ali, the Sword of Islam, was in
the forefront and defeated and killed many of their leaders whose
children and grandchildren, even when they became Muslims, always
remembered who killed their father (animosity).
Ali was raised by
Prophet Muhammad as a child so he knew Islam very well. Thus, when he
became a judge, his judgments were based on strict Islamic principles,
much to the disappointment of many who expected him to be lenient to the
rich and powerful. He was so well respected and trusted by both Caliph
Abu Bakr and Umar, that in difficult cases they asked his opinion.
Nevertheless, I
tell my non-Muslim audience that both Shia and Sunni have many things in
common. They both believe in One God (Allah), follow the same Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) as the last Prophet, offer five daily prescribed
prayers, perform the prescribed fast in the month of Ramadan, go to
Mecca for the pilgrimage (hajj),read the same Quran, and pay the
poor-due.
However, my
answers can only satisfy my uninformed non-Muslim audience. TheSunni
brothers, misguided by western propaganda. who are ready to embrace
non-Muslims (especially the white ones), in the pretext of invitation to
Islam, will not do so for Shia. They are ignorant Sunnis. Our job as a
missionary should be to invite both groups to the true Islam and not
chase them out. There is a movement in the Sunni world to have Shias
labeled as disbelievers. I have been told that Shaykh Bin Baz of Saudi
Arabia has declared an edict that the meat of the People of Book (Jews
and Christians) is permissible for Sunni Muslims to eat but not the meat
slaughtered by Shias.
There are
scholars on both sides, like Imam Khomeini and Shaykh Shaltut of al-Azhar
who have done their best to minimize these differences and bring unity,
but it is not working due to the misinformation prevailing in the common
masses of Sunnis about Shi'ism. Thus I am listing their misconceptions
of Shia belief and practices. For answers, I have consulted two Shia
scholars in America., Dr. A. S. Hashim o fWashington and Imam Muhammad
Ali Elahi of Detroit.
Professor Seyyed
Hossein Nasr wrote to me "to ignore and not waste time in responding to
such wrong allegations." He also mentioned that "a great deal of money
and effort is being spent in the last few years to fan the fire of
hatred between Shia and Sunni in the Persian Gulf region with obvious
political and economical fruits for powers to-be." However, in the
interest of Islamic unity, I must deal with the questions rather than
shun them. Please note that Imam Jafar (peace be upon him), founder of
the Shia school of law, was the teacher of Imam Abu-Hanifa (peace be
upon him).
Misconception #1: Shias have a different Quran. They add another 10
chapters to the original Quran.
Response: Not
true. I have checked many times Quran kept in Shia homes and mosques. I
still find it the same as the original Quran. More recently, I took care
of an Iranian lady patient hospitalized here. I saw a copy of the Quran
by her side. I borrowed it from her and browsed through cover to cover.
In Arabic it was the same as our Quran. Of course, since I did not know
the Persian language, I can't say much about the translation. It is a
sin to even say that the Quran can be changed or added to by Shia when
it is protected by God.
Misconception #2: Some Shia consider Ali as God.
Response: Not
true. It is disbelief to even think of such a thing. During the time of
Ali, some pagan groups called Gholat did consider Ali as Lord. When he
found out, they were burned to death.
Misconception #3: Shias have different declarations of faith and they
add to the call to prescribed prayer.
Response: The
declaration to become a Muslim, as administered to non-Muslims, is the
same. Some Shia add to themselves, "Ali is a friend of God (PBUH) or Ali
is a spiritual leader of God," after the call to prescribed prayer, but
not as part of the call to prescribed prayer.
Misconception #4: Shias do not perform sunnah prayers. Sunnah prayers
are non obligatory prayers performed by Prophet Muhammad.
Response: Shias
do perform non-obligatory prayers, 36 cycles per day in total, but call
it nawafil and not sunnah.
Misconception #5: Some Shia believe the Angel Gabriel made a mistake and
prophethood was meant for Ali and not Muhammad (PBUH).
Response: Not
true. No Shia thinks of such false claims. "Only demented minds think of
such questions."
Misconception #6: Shias slander and ridicule the first three caliphs
(Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman) and Prophet Muhammad's wife, Ayisha.
Response: Shia
consider the first three caliphs as great companions and good Muslim
administrators, but not spiritual leaders (imams). Imam Jafar Sadiq,
whose mother and grand mother came from the line of Abu Bakr, said of
Abu Bakr, "He gave me birth twice." Ayisha is respected by Shias as
the"Mother of Believers," as Ali respected her when he sent her back
from Basra to Madinah after the Battle of the Camel. If some Shia do
slander the three caliphs and Ayisha, they do it out of ignorance and
should ask God's forgiveness.
Misconception # 7: Shias combine all five prayers into one prayer in the
evening.
Response: Not
true. In Shia mosques, whether in Iran or the USA, all five daily
prayers are performed. Some working Shia do combine noon and afternoon
and evening and night, but Shia scholars recommend performing them
separately. Such combinations may not be ideal, but better than not
praying at all. How can a Sunni who does not pray at all be better than
a Shia who combines prayers?
Misconception # 8: Shias do not pay zakat (poor-due).
Response: Not
true. They not only pay 2.5% left over from savings as zakat, but also
an additional 20% as khums or general charity. However, they prefer to
pay directly to the needy rather than corrupt Sunni government.
Misconception #9: Shias practice temporary marriages (mutah).
Response: Mutah
(temporary marriages) was allowed during the time of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) and he himself practiced it. Ibn Zubayr was born out of the
temporary marriage. Later on Caliph Umar prohibited it due to social
reasons as the Islamic world was rapidly expanding. Shias discourage
mutah but do not consider it prohibited. Some do abuse this. As a
temporary privilege during travel, it is better than adultery.
Misconception #10: They consider Imams infallible and above the
prophets.
Response: Not
true. All prophets are born Prophet but as mentioned in Quran about
Abraham that after passing the test, a prophet becomes a leader (Imam).
Imams are carriers of the message of Islam. Shias consider Ali only as
an Imam, but Muhammad (p) is the Prophet (nabi), Messenger (rasul) and
leader (imam). With the little knowledge I have, I have tried to do my
best as a Sunni in defending my Shia brothers in Islam with the hope and
prayer to God Almighty that He will "instill love in the heart of the
believers" and bring us closer to each other so that we jointly can
fight our common enemy, Satan and his followers.
May God forgive
my mistakes in this article and this book (amin).
Shahid Athar M.D.
is Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology,
Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis, Indiana, and a
writer on Islam. |