Shia As Defined By Sunni Scholars.

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

KYA SHIYA FITNA MUHAMMED SAW KI DAURE HAYAT ME WAJOOD ME AAYA YA NAHI ? (Did Shia Fitna exist during the life time of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad or not?.This question has been asked by my worst critic Mr. Hafeez once again. He has used word fitna instead of firqa out of his hatred against Shias. As he did not accept my submission that Shia means friend and follower, I am re-explaining the entire issue with the help of authentic references of eminent Sunni scholars.   

 The word “Shia” is derived from the Arabic word “Shaya’ah” meaning to ‘Love, Follow and Help’. Hafiz Abu Hatim Razi says  in his Az-Zainat that the first new word that came into general acceptance in Islam in the days of the Prophet was “Shia.” The word  applied to four prominent companions: Abu Dharr Ghaffari, Salman Farsi, Miqdad and Ammar Yasir. Another  Ahle Sunnah Ulema  Firozabadi in his Qamusu’l-Lughat says, “The name ‘Shia’ commonly means every person who is a friend of Ali and his Ahle Bait. The same meaning is given by Ibn Athir in Nihayatu’l-Lughat.

Commentaries of Ahle Sunnah describe the word Shia as “follower of Ali” and it was used during the time of the Prophet. In fact, it was the Prophet himself who introduced the word Shia as  “follower of Ali .” Holy Prophet about whom Allah says: “Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed.” (53:3-4)  called the followers of Ali “The Shia,” the “delivered,” and the “rescued.” Several books of Ahle Sunna such as Durre Manthoor in ‘Siyuti’, ‘Sawaiqa Mohariqa’ of Ibne Hajar Makki, ‘Hakeem II’, ‘Masnad’ of Imam Hanbal, ‘Tarikh Baghadid’ of Khateeb, ‘Rabiul Abrar’ of Zamakhshari, Ibne Atheer, Ibne Adi and other can be referred in this context.

Hafiz Abu Nu’aim Ispahani the pride of Ahle Sunnah has also related from Abdullah bin Abbas through his own chain of narrators in his book Hilyatu’l-Auliya  “When the following verse of the holy Qur’an was revealed: ‘(As for) those who believe and do good, surely they are the best of men. Their reward with their Lord is gardens of perpetuity beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein for ever. Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him; that is for him who fears his Lord.’ (98:7-8), the Holy Prophet, addressing Ali, said: ‘O Ali, the best of creatures (Khairu’l-bariyya) in this holy verse refers to you and your followers (Shia). On the Day of Resurrection, you and your followers (Shia) shall attain such a position that Allah will be pleased with you, and you will be pleased with Him.’”

 Abu’l-Qasim Ali Bin Hasan (commonly known as Ibn Asakir Damishqi), who quotes Jabir Bin Abdullah Ansari, one of the greatest companions of the Prophet, as saying that he and others were sitting with the Holy Prophet when Ali Bin Abu Talib came in. The Holy Prophet said: “I swear by Him Who controls my life that this man (Ali) and his Shia shall secure deliverance on the Day of Resurrection.” In the Manaqib of Khawarizmi, the following is related from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari: “I was in the presence of the Holy Prophet when Ali joined us, and thereupon the Holy Prophet said: ‘It is my brother that has come to you.’ Then, facing towards the Ka’ba, the Prophet took hold of Ali’s hand and said: ‘By Him Who controls my life, this Ali and his Shia will be delivered on the Day of Judgement.’

 In Chapter II of his Sawa’iq, Bin Hajar quotes Hafiz Jamalu’d-Din Muhammad Bin Yusuf Zarandi Madani as saying that the Holy Prophet said: “O Ali, you and your Shia are the best of created beings. You and your Shias will come on the Day of Judgement in such a condition that all of you will be pleased with Allah, and Allah will be pleased with you. Your enemies will be resentful, and their hands shall be tied round their necks.” Then Ali asked who was his enemy. The Holy Prophet replied, “One who is hostile to you, and who reviles you.”

Allama Samhudi, in Jawahiru’l-Iqdain, on the authority of Hafiz Jamalu’d-Din Zarandi Madani and Nuru’d-din Ali bin Muhammad bin Ahmad Maliki Makki, known as Ibn Sabbagh, who is regarded as distinguished scholars and eminent theologians of Ahle Sunnah  has also  stated the same thing. Mir Syed Ali Hamadani Shafi, another  Ahle Sunnah scholar, in his Mawaddatu’l-Qurba, and the well known anti-Shia scholar, Ibn Hajar, in his Sawa’iq-e Muhriqa narrate from Ummu’l-Mu’minin Umme Salma, the wife of the Prophet, that the Holy Prophet said: “O Ali, you and your Shias will abide in Paradise; you and your Shias will abide in Paradise.”

Many more traditions are available in support of the same point. Now it is for you to consider how it was possible that during the time of the Prophet four of his chief companions were called Shia. If the Prophet thought it was innovation, why didn’t he forbid the people to use it? The fact is that people had heard from the Prophet himself that the followers (Shias) of Ali were the inhabitants of Heaven. They were proud of it and openly called themselves Shias.(Though the article has been written in response to Mr. Hafeez’s question with proper referencing, the blogger is confident that he would reject everything on the ground that the scholars of Ahle Sunnah were misguided by Shias. When cornered, he rejects all references and resorts to abusing instead of reasoning. May Allah give him right guidance and decent manners)