<\/p>\n
Shia Islam: The Human Geography of Shi\u2019ism \/ 34 The Sh\u012b\u02bfa constitute a major group within the Muslim community. They have settled in different parts of the world. Due to their contribution to the establishment of Islamic civilization, they have closely cooperated with their Muslim brethren of other sects. The Sh\u012b\u02bfa are the majority in some Muslim countries and minorities in others. Here we mention the names of countries where Sh\u012b\u02bfa live: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Yemen, Egypt, United Arab emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat, Oman, Tibet, China, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and other former republics of the Soviet Union, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, North Africa, Somalia, Argentina, Britain, Italy, Germany, France, Albania, United States and Canada.<\/p>\n
In these countries, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa have their mosques and religious centres. What we need to know is where Shi\u2019ism was born before spreading to other parts of the world.<\/p>\n
Hejaz, Birthplace of Shi\u2019ism
\nHejaz, what we known today as Mecca and Medina, is the birthplace of Shi\u2019ism. From here, this school of thought grew like a tree with branches reaching across the globe.<\/p>\n
The Prophet named followers of Imam \u02bfAl\u012b as his sh\u012b\u02bfa (lit. \u2018followers\u2019) and officially appointed him as his successor when he was returning from his last pilgrimage to Mecca.<\/p>\n
On his way back from Mecca, the Prophet stood atop a stockpile of camel saddles and said in clear terms: \u2018He of whomever I am The Master, \u02bfAl\u012b is his Master\u2019.<\/p>\n
Khu\u1e6da\u1e6d al-Sh\u0101m writes: \u2018The Prophet spoke very highly of \u02bfAl\u012b and his household for their affection and kindness. He was the first one to refer to followers of \u02bfAl\u012b as sh\u012b\u02bfa. Shi\u2019ism was born in the Prophet\u2019s lifetime and a group was called Sh\u012b\u02bfa.\u2019<\/p>\n
After the passing of the Prophet, opportunists ignored his appointment of \u02bfAl\u012b as his successor and drove a wedge between the Prophet and his ideals. These persons monopolised the Caliphate while Imam \u02bfAl\u012b used to guide people with his words and writings.<\/p>\n
What caused Imam \u02bfAl\u012b to remain silent instead of contesting their actions was the apostasy of some tribes. These apostates were led by the false-prophet Musaylama and \u1e6cal\u012b\u1e25a b. Khulayd, and others. Some people followed them blindly and Islam was close to vanishing forever. In one of his letters, Imam \u02bfAl\u012b highlights this issue as follows:<\/p>\n
\u2018I swear by God that I never thought that after the the Prophet the Arabs would have seized his leadership. I could never believe that they would keep the people away from me. The only thing which annoyed me was the gathering of people around that\u2026 to whom people vowed allegiance. I did stay put. But I saw with my own eyes that a group of apostates were determined to destroy the religion of Mu\u1e25ammad. That was when I feared that I would soon witness the annihilation of Islam should I not help Islam and its followers. Such tragic fate would have been much more difficult for me than liberating the caliphate because this world is short-lived just like a mirage which ends or clouds which disperse. Therefore, I rose up to find a solution for destroying evil and strengthening the foothold of religion.\u2019 (Nahj al-Bal\u0101gha)<\/p>\n
The Imam believed that safeguarding Islam and the defeat of its enemies required him to temporarily put aside the dispute about the Caliphate. The Imam opted for silence for a quarter of a century in a bid to spare Islam any threat. Suddenly, after \u02bfUthm\u0101n\u2019s murder, the followers of the Prophet went to \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s house and demanded that he lead them. They said that would not go unless he accepted their request.<\/p>\n
The Imam felt obliged to counter the disintegration of Islamic nation. He said: \u2018If any allegiance is to be made, it must be done openly in the presence of all people of Media at the Prophet\u2019s mosque.\u2019<\/p>\n
History testifies that only few people refused to join \u02bfAl\u012b who said: \u2018Abandon them to their own fate.\u2019<\/p>\n
A Rift Amongst those who Pledged Allegiance
\nThe first rift occurred when \u1e6cal\u1e25a and Zubayr broke their promises. They led a division, financed by the Umayyads, to Basra. The Imam set out for Iraq to stop them. They were suppressed in Basra and the Imam settled in Kufa. Muslims from different Arab tribes gathered around Imam \u02bfAl\u012b and were promoting his views. In those days, almost all the Sh\u012b\u02bfa were Arabs except for Salm\u0101n. Shi\u2019ism had not yet reached Iran. Furthermore, the enemies of the Arabs were not amongst the Sh\u012b\u02bfa.<\/p>\n
Traces of Shi\u2019ism still exist in Hejaz and Sh\u012b\u02bfa are living in Mecca, Medina, Hadramut, Najran, Ahsa, Qatif and Damam. In Iraq, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa form the majority of population, although they have historically been denied their rights because of ruthless rulers.<\/p>\n
Shi\u2019ism in Iraq
\nThe Umayyad regime sought to drive the Sh\u012b\u02bfa out of Iraq and, to that end, they resorted to all manner of repression. However, the outcome was exactly the opposite to what they had intended: Iraq became the center of Shi\u2019ism.<\/p>\n
The martyrdom of Imam \u1e24usayn and the burial of some of the Imams in this country attracted large numbers of Sh\u012b\u02bfa from other paerts of the Muslim world. Thanks to the presence of these shrines, religious schools and seminaries were established and the Iraqi cities of Baghdad, Kufa and Najaf, where the presence of Sh\u012b\u02bfa was most concentrated.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the rise of sympathetic governments and emirates in Iraq at various points in history also helped to promote Shi\u2019ism. The Buyids in Baghdad, the Ban\u016b Maz\u012bd in Hilla, the Hamdanids in Mosul, and the governance of Khud\u0101banda and his son, Ab\u016b Sa\u02bf\u012bd, all contributed to the recognition of Iraq as the center of Sh\u012b\u02bfa faith.<\/p>\n
The Abbasid caliphs did not maintain good relations with the Sh\u012b\u02bf\u012b Imams and they killed most of them by poisoning. But even then, Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars rose to high positions in the Abbasid Court under the cover of taqiyya (religious dissimulation). The Abbasid rulers were well aware of the faithfulness of the Sh\u012b\u02bfa to their the Imams but they gave them posts because of their intelligence and skills.<\/p>\n
Some of Sh\u012b\u02bfa ministers are as follows:<\/p>\n
Ab\u016b Salama al-Hamad\u0101n\u012b, a minister under the Caliph al-Saff\u0101\u1e25.
\nMu\u1e25ammad b. Ash\u02bfath al-Khuz\u0101\u02be\u012b, a minister under al-Man\u1e63\u016br.
\nJa\u02bffar b. Ash\u02bfath Khuz\u0101\u02be\u012b, a minister under al-Mahd\u012b.
\n\u02bfAl\u012b b. Yaq\u1e6d\u012bn, a minister under H\u0101r\u016bn al-Rash\u012bd.
\nFa\u1e0dl b. Sahl, a minister under Ma\u02bemun.
\n\u1e24asan b. Sahl, a minister under Ma\u02bemun.
\nAb\u016b al-Fa\u1e0dl Ja\u02bffar b. Ma\u1e25m\u016bd, a minister under Mu\u02bftazz and Muhtad\u012b
\nAb\u016b Shuj\u0101\u02bf \u1e92ah\u012br al-D\u012bn Mu\u1e25ammad b. al-\u1e24usayn al-Hamad\u0101n\u012b, a minister under Muhtad\u012b.
\nAb\u016b al-Ma\u02bf\u0101l\u012b Hibat al-D\u012bn b. Mu\u1e25ammad b. al-Mu\u1e6d\u1e6dalib, minister under al-Musta\u1e93har.
\nMu\u02beayyid al-D\u012bn Mu\u1e25ammad b. \u02bfAbd al-Karim al-Qumm\u012b, minister under al-N\u0101\u1e63ir, al-al-\u1e92ahir and al-Mustan\u1e63ir.
\nAb\u016b T\u0101lib Mu\u1e25ammad b. A\u1e25mad al-Aqlam\u012b al-Asad\u012b, a minister under al-Musta\u02bf\u1e63im; he was so competent in his post that he was reinstated after Hulagu sacked Baghdad and put an end to the Abbasid Caliphate, his son Ab\u016bl-Fa\u1e0dl \u02bfIzz al-D\u012bn became minister after him.
\nUnder the Abbasid rule, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa held key posts in government as viziers, treasurers and court secretaries. In the Fourth and Fifth Centuries, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa had become so powerful that Shar\u012bf al-Ra\u1e0d\u012b and Shar\u012bf al-Murta\u1e0d\u0101 were given responsibility for the Talibids (descendents of Ab\u016b \u1e6c\u0101lib) in Baghdad. Moreover, Shar\u012bf al-Murta\u1e0d\u0101 was named chief justice. Shar\u012bf al-Ra\u1e0d\u012b and his father served as the coordinator of \u1e24ajj affairs. This post was later given to \u1e24is\u0101m al-D\u012bn Ja\u02bffar b. Ab\u012b Fir\u0101s al-Shayb\u0101n\u012b. The post of administration of Talibid affairs was later given to T\u0101w\u016bs family. Sayyid Rad\u012b al-D\u012bn and Ghiy\u0101th al-D\u012bn held this post for some time.<\/p>\n
After Hulagu\u2019s triumph, the management of Islamic endowments was turned over to Nas\u012br al-D\u012bn al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b. He was succeeded by his son Fakhr al-D\u012bn. He stopped allocating any share of endowment to the ruling establishment.<\/p>\n
Currently, the majority of residents in southern Iraq are Sh\u012b\u02bfa. The central cities of Najaf, Karbala, Babel, Samawah and Diwaniyah are all populated by Sh\u012b\u02bfa. Only the north of Iraq is dominated by Sunn\u012bs. Sh\u012b\u02bfa also live in Mosul and Kirkuk. (Mu\u1e93affar, T\u0101r\u012bkh al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa)<\/p>\n
Shi\u2019ism in Yemen
\nThe Prophet first dispatched Kh\u0101lid b. Wal\u012bd to Yemen, but to no avail. Then, he sent \u02bfAl\u012b there and recalled the first delegation.<\/p>\n
Bar\u0101\u02be b. \u02bf\u0100zib says: \u2018When we arrived in Yemen, we first came across the Hamd\u0101n tribe. \u02bfAl\u012b read the Prophet\u2019s letter to them and all of them converted to Islam. \u02bfAl\u012b notified the Prophet of the conversion to Islam of this large tribe. After the letter was read out, the Prophet prostrated and said: \u2018Peace be upon Hamdan! Then the Yemenis converted to Islam in larger groups. Since the Yemenis converted to Islam as a result of Imam \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s preaching, the Yemenis and particularly the Hamd\u0101n tribe were very fond of him. Imam \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s kindness had penetrated into their flesh and soul. When people asked the Prophet to appoint someone to teach them Islamic instructions, he sent \u02bfAl\u012b to them and said: \u2018May God guide his heart and protect his tongue.\u2019\u2019 (Kanz al-\u02bfUmm\u0101l)<\/p>\n
The Imam stayed in Yemen for a long time and taught the people there the principles of Islam. He explained legal issues to them, to the surprise of every Yemeni scholar. That was when \u02bfAl\u012b managed to conquer the hearts of Yemenis. Due to the Yemenis\u2019 devotion to Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, the Umayyad regimes embarked on a ruthless campaign against the Imamate of the Prophet\u2019s household in Yemen. For example, when Busr Ibn Ar\u1e6da\u02bea was dispatched by Mu\u02bf\u0101wiya to suppress the Yemenis, he did not even spare their children.<\/p>\n
Imam \u02bfAl\u012b himself also had special affection for the Hamd\u0101n tribe, as demonstrated by this rhyming couplet:<\/p>\n
\u2018Were I the gatekeeper of Heaven, I would told the Hamd\u0101n: \u201cEnter in peace!\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n
Zaydism in Yemen
\nFrom the beginning of the Third Century, Ya\u1e25y\u0101 b. \u1e24usayn al-\u02bfAlaw\u012b moved from Iraq to Yemen and invited everyone to follow Zayd b. \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s school of thought. They accepted and, until recently, the official religion of Yemen was Zaydism.<\/p>\n
The rule of the Zaydiyya began with the arrival Ya\u1e25y\u0101 b. \u1e24usayn and lasted for many years. The last the Imam who ruled in Yemen was \u1e24am\u012bd al-D\u012bn Ya\u1e25y\u0101 al-Mutawakkil \u02bfAl\u0101 All\u0101h. He was killed along with his two sons \u2013 \u1e24asan and Mu\u1e25sin \u2013 as well as his grandson, \u1e24usayn b. \u1e24asan in 1948, following a conspiracy by some unfaithful ministers. The Imam Badr al-D\u012bn replaced his father, but he was unseated in a military coup shortly thereafter. That was when the reign of Zaydiyya reached its end and the miseries of the Yemenis started. The Zaydiyaa followers, some of whom are known as Houthis, are still in conflict with the central government today.<\/p>\n
Shi\u2019ism in Syria and Lebanon
\nIn the first century of Islam, Shi\u2019ism expanded to Syria and Lebanon, more precisely in Aleppo, Baalbek and Jamal. Ab\u016b Dharr, a companion of the Prophet, was the first to spread Shi\u2019ism in these regions. It happened exactly when \u02bfUthm\u0101n sent him to exile from Medina to Syria. Ab\u016b Dharr began preaching in the Syrian cities without any fear and remained faithful to Imam \u02bfAl\u012b until the last.<\/p>\n
Damascus was the capital of the Umayyad dynasty for many years, but Shi\u2019ism even found its way into there. The names of \u02bfAl\u012b and \u1e24usayn have been inscribed in the mosque where also stands a symbol of \u1e24usayn. In different parts of the city, there are shrines belonging to Zaynab, the daughter of Imam \u02bfAl\u012b and Ruqayya, the daughter of Imam \u1e24usayn. Sh\u012b\u02bfa pilgrims regularly visit these mausoleums and pay homage to them. That is the case while there is no trace of the Umayyads, but the grave of Mu\u02bf\u0101wiya in an extremely poor state.<\/p>\n
Shi\u2019ism reached its apogee in Syria when the Hamdanid dynasty ruled in Syria and Iraq. Sayf al-Dawla rendered valuable services to Shi\u2019ism and Abu Naww\u0101\u1e63 has poems praising the Prophet\u2019s Household. A selected couplet from his poems:<\/p>\n
The right has been trampled and God\u2019s religion has been harmed, for the share of the Prophet\u2019s household is in the hands of others.<\/p>\n
Scholars of Jabal \u02bf\u0100mil
\nMu\u1e25ammad b. Makki (734-786), Known as Shah\u012bd al-Awwal (\u2018The First Martyr\u2019): He is a prominent figure in Sh\u012b\u02bfa jurisprudence. He has authored many valuable books in this field, including al-Lum\u02bfa al-Dimasqiyya, which is still studied to this day. This scholar is said to have written this book in a single week while he was imprisoned. The only source of reference available to him was al-\u1e24ill\u012b\u2019s Mukhta\u1e63ar al-N\u0101fi\u02bf. This great figure was ultimately executed for his faithfulness to the Prophet\u2019s household. He was stoned before being burnt and his ashes were thrown away into sea.
\nZayn al-D\u012bn b. \u02bfAl\u012b (911-966), Known as Shah\u012bd al-Th\u0101n\u012b (\u2018The Second Martyr\u2019): He wrote al-Raw\u1e0da al-Bahiyya, a commentary on the Lum\u02bfa of Shah\u012bd al-Awwal, and Mas\u0101lik al-Afh\u0101m, a commentary on al-\u1e24ill\u012b\u2019s Shar\u0101\u02bei\u02bf al-Isl\u0101m. Like Shah\u012bd al-Awwal, he was arrested for his beliefs. He was supposed to be taken alive to the Ottoman Sultan but his captor killed him and took his head instead, whereat the Sultan had the captor put to death as well.<\/p>\n
Such crimes are not a rare occurrence; throughout history, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa have faced similar acts of oppression. Many Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars have been killed merely for being Sh\u012b\u02bfa. The book Shuhad\u0101\u02be al-Fa\u1e0d\u012bla of Am\u012bn\u012b provides details about the Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars who gave their lives in the service of Islam and Shi\u2019ism.<\/p>\n
In spite of this spate of killings, some still criticize Sh\u012b\u02bfa for taqiyya. Without taqiyya as their shield, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa would have wiped out completely. Nonetheless, despite all problems created by the Ottoman rulers and their representatives for Sh\u012b\u02bfa in Syria, specifically under A\u1e25mad P\u0101sh\u0101 Jazz\u0101r (the Ottoman governor in Damascus between 1195\u20131198), Jabal \u02bf\u0100mil remained the birthplace of Shi\u2019ism and the flag-bearer of Sh\u012b\u02bfa learning.<\/p>\n
Shaykh \u1e24urr al-\u02bf\u0100mil\u012b has written a two-volume book entitled Amal al-\u0100mal f\u012b \u02bfUlam\u0101\u02be Jabal \u02bf\u0100mil. In Lebanon, Baalbek is a city where Shi\u2019ism took root as soon as Islam arrived there. Shi\u2019ism grew in Lebanon under Hamdanid government.<\/p>\n
Shi\u2019ism in Egypt
\nShi\u2019ism was brought to Egypt along with Islam by a group of the Prophet\u2019s Companions, including Miqd\u0101d, Ab\u016b Dharr, Ab\u016b Ay\u016bb An\u1e63\u0101r\u012b, Ab\u016b R\u0101fi\u02bf and \u02bfAmm\u0101r b. Y\u0101sir (Khu\u1e6da\u1e6d al-Maqr\u012bz\u012b). These faithful allies of the Prophet had not forgotten about his household and they continued promoting Islam and teaching people about the Prophet\u2019s household. When the Egyptians were fed up with the third Caliph\u2019s ruthlessness and injustice, they went to Medina and killed \u02bfUthm\u0101n. Then they went to \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s house to pledge allegiance to him. It shows that they knew who \u02bfAl\u012b was.<\/p>\n
When \u02bfAl\u012b was in power, Qays b. Sa\u02bfd was appointed as the leader of Egypt. All Egyptians, except residents of a village called \u2018Khurbat\u0101\u2019, pledged allegiance to him. (Ibn Ath\u012br; Maqr\u012bz\u012b) This was the beginning of Shi\u2019ism in Egypt. The Umayyad rulers tried to stem its growth, so when \u02bfAmr b. al-\u02bf\u0100s was assigned by Mu\u02bf\u0101wiya the task of conquering Egypt, he arrested Mu\u1e25ammad b. Ab\u016b Bakr, who represented Imam \u02bfAl\u012b there, covered his body with donkey\u2019s skin and set it afire in public. This heinous and brutal act caused outrage at the time. How can someone become so ruthless to commit such a crime?<\/p>\n
However, despite the Umayyad\u2019s best efforts, Shi\u2019ism penetrated the hearts of the Egyptians and when the Ismaili Fatimid movement took power in Egypt in the Third Century, many people pledged alliance to them. Under this government, Shi\u2019ism expanded across North Africa from Egypt to Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya.<\/p>\n
The following traditions became customary under Fatimid rule:<\/p>\n
Saying \u2018Hayy \u02bfal\u0101 khayr al-\u02bfamal\u2019 in the call to prayer.
\nPreference of \u02bfAl\u012b above all other caliphs.
\nSending salutations to the Prophet upon hearing his name.
\nHolding \u02bf\u0100sh\u016br\u0101\u02be ceremonies to commemorate Imam \u1e24usayn.
\nCelebrating \u02bf\u012ad al-Ghad\u012br marking the appointment of Imam \u02bfAl\u012b as successor to the Prophet.
\nAll these traditions spread across Egypt and its surrounding territories. However, Saladin sought to undermine the spread of Shi\u2019ism. He committed crimes which could not be easily expressed here. He gained fame for recapturing Jersalem from the crusaders and this fame has covered-up his some of his crimes.<\/p>\n
Imam \u1e24usayn\u2019s body and the mausoleum of his sister Zaynab are among highly visited places in Egypt.<\/p>\n
Shi\u2019ism in Iran
\nFrom 905 AH onwards, Shi\u2019ism has been the official religion of Iran. However, it should be noted that Shi\u2019ism entered Iran before the Safavid dynasty came to power. The important point is to know why the Persians so readily embraced Islam and the Prophet\u2019s Household since the very beginning. In this regard, Orientalists have made some baseless allegations.<\/p>\n
Persian Devotion to Shi\u2019ism
\nThe main reason for the Persians\u2019 inclination to Shi\u2019ism was Islam\u2019s insistence on justice, equality, piety and moral values, and its condemnation of racism. These characteristics have attracted Persians and all other nations.<\/p>\n
Persians\u2019 Affection for the Prophet\u2019s Household
\nPersians showed affection for the Prophet\u2019s Household in reaction to the behaviour of the caliphs. When \u02bfAl\u012b was Caliph, the Persians saw that any racist or discriminatory policy was repudiated. That is how he conquered their hearts and minds.<\/p>\n
Here we list reasons which made Imam \u02bfAl\u012b so attractive to them:<\/p>\n
Fadl> b. Ab\u012b Qurra narrates from Imam al-S\u0101diq: \u2018When the three caliphs were ruling, non-Arab Muslims met Imam \u02bfAl\u012b and said: \u2018We are unhappy with Arab governors. The prophet of Islam granted us equal rights and distributed state wealth equally. He even authorized non-Arabs like Salm\u0101n, Bil\u0101l and \u1e62uhayb to marry Arab women, but this group prevents everything\u2019. Imam \u02bfAl\u012b went into a meeting with Arab governors. The latter said they will never accept equality between Arabs and non-Arabs. Imam \u02bfAl\u012b left the meeting angrily said: \u2018They put you non-Arabs on equal footing with Jews and Christians. They let their sons marry your daughters, but they do not let their daughters marry your sons. They don\u2019t give you anything in return for what they receive from you. Go for trade and commerce. I hear the Prophet saying: \u2018Daily income is comprised of ten sections, nine of which are in trade.\u2019 (K\u0101f\u012b)<\/p>\n
In his Gh\u0101r\u0101t, Ab\u016b Is\u1e25\u0101q al-Thaqaf\u012b narrates from \u02bfAbb\u0101d b. \u02bfAbd All\u0101h al-Asad\u012b, saying: \u2018One Friday, I was listening to \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s sermon. Ibn \u1e62aw\u1e25\u0101n was sitting next to the pulpit. Ash\u02bfath b. Qays arrived. He forced his way towards Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, saying: \u2018You hold these non-Arabs in high respect!\u2019 Imam \u02bfAl\u012b replied: \u2018What can prevent me from doing so? They are worshipping God while others are reveling in this worldly life. Would you advise me forsake them and join the wrongdoers? I swear by He who created mankind I heard the Prophet saying that non-Arabs will bring you you back to Islam just as you beat them in the cave to accept Islam.\u2019 Mugh\u012bra b. Shu\u02bfba says Imam \u02bfAl\u012b was kinder to non-Arabs than to Arabs while \u02bfUmar was severe with them.<\/p>\n
Ibn Shahr \u0100sh\u016bb says: \u2018When Iranian prisoners were taken to Medina, the second Caliph wanted them to become slaves for Arabs and their wives to be sold. Imam \u02bfAl\u012b quoted the Prophet as saying that \u2018cultural sensibilities must be respected even though they may not share your views. Persians are to be respected. They have surrendered to us and agreed to convert to Islam.\u2019 Then Imam \u02bfAl\u012b said: \u2018O God! You see that they pardoned and I pardoned also.\u2019 \u02bfUmar was left alone and he said his decision about Persians was to be undone. (Man\u0101qib)<\/p>\n
\u1e62ad\u016bq narrates that one day Imam al-S\u0101diq was told that people say non-Arabs lack any dignity. The Imam dismissed such a view and said: \u2018Converting to Islam voluntarily is much better than pretending to be Muslim just out of fear. Hypocrites pretended to follow Islam for fear, but non-Arabs accepted it voluntarily.\u2019 (Ma\u02bf\u0101n\u012b al-Akhb\u0101r)<\/p>\n
Fa\u1e0dl b. Sh\u0101dh\u0101n (260 AH) says that \u02bfUmar never let Arabs marry non-Arab women. (\u012a\u1e0d\u0101\u1e25)<\/p>\n
Shaykh al-Muf\u012bd says Salm\u0101n al-F\u0101rs\u012b once entered a gathering that the Prophet was addressing. Everyone respected him because of his age and his devotion to the Prophet. \u02bfUmar entered and saw Salm\u0101n there. He asked: \u2018Why have you let him sit there?\u2019 This question infuriated the Prophet. He took the podium and said: \u2018All human beings, from Adam until now, are like the teeth of a comb. Arabs are not superior to non-Arabs. Nor are whites to blacks. The only point is piety. Salm\u0101n is an ocean of virtue and an enduring treasure. Salm\u0101n is one of us. He is a source of wisdom, reason and logic.\u2019 (Ikhti\u1e63\u0101\u1e63)<\/p>\n
Thaqaf\u012b has recounted in his Gh\u0101r\u0101t that an Arab and a non-Arab woman went to Imam \u02bfAl\u012b when wealth was being distributed. The Imam gave each 25 dirhams each plus an equal amount of wheat. The Arab woman objected, saying she is Arab and deserved more. The Imam replied: \u2018I see no superiority for the children of Ism\u0101\u02bf\u012bl to the children of Is\u1e25\u0101q.\u2019<\/p>\n
Shaykh al-Muf\u012bd has quoted prominent persons like Rab\u012b\u02bfa and \u02bfAmm\u0101ra saying: \u2018When a group of aristocrats stopped supporting the Imam and turned to Mu\u02bf\u0101wiya in the hope of getting more share of wealth, someone told the Imam: \u2018Give this group a bigger share to dissuade them from allying with Mu\u02bf\u0101wiya.\u2019. The Imam replied: \u2018Are you ordering me to resort to injustice in order to triumph over others?! I swear by God I will never do so as long as I am alive, the nights and days follow each other and the stars in the sky rise and set. Even if it was my own wealth I would distribute equally, not to mention God\u2019s wealth.\u2019 (Am\u0101l\u012b)<\/p>\n
These were just examples of how the Imam treated non-Arabs. Such philanthropic behaviors have attracted non-Arabs and that is why they stood with the Prophet\u2019s Household.<\/p>\n
Two incorrect analyses of the Persians\u2019 tendency to Shi\u2019ism
\nZamkhashri writes in Rab\u012b\u02bf al-Abr\u0101r: \u2018Iranian prisoners were taken to Medina. Among them were three daughters of Yazdegerd. The prisoners were sold. The second Caliph intended to sell Yazdegerd\u2019s daughters. The Imam said: \u2018The king\u2019s daughters should not be meted out the same treatment as others.\u2019 The Caliph said: \u2018What should be done then? We have to set prices on them and sell them to anyone who can afford it. After pricing, the Imam bought all three of them. He gave one to \u02bfAbd All\u0101h b. \u02bfUmar, one to his own son Imam \u1e24usayn and the third one to Mu\u1e25ammad b. Ab\u016b Bakr. After some time, all three of them had children. \u02bfAbd All\u0101h\u2019s son was S\u0101lim. \u1e24usayn\u2019s was Zayn al-\u02bf\u0100bid\u012bn and Mu\u1e25ammad\u2019s was al-Q\u0101sim. All three were cousins.\u2019<\/p>\n
Some may imagine that the Persians show devotion for the Prophet\u2019s household just due to \u1e24usayn\u2019s marriage with the daughter of Iran\u2019s former King, Yazdegerd. I do not think that a researcher could offer such an analysis because:<\/p>\n
First, this story is not authentic and some researchers have cast doubt on its veracity. In his book on Imam \u02bfAl\u012b b. al-\u1e24usayn, Ja\u02bffar Shah\u012bd\u012b lists reasons to discount such a story.<\/p>\n
Second, if \u1e24usayn b. \u02bfAl\u012b was the only one to have married the daughter of Iran\u2019s king such an analysis could have been acceptable, but the sons of the Caliph are also reported to have married the Iranian king\u2019s daughters. So why don\u2019t the Persians show any devotion to them?<\/p>\n
Still more unfounded is A\u1e25mad Am\u012bn\u2019s theory, which he presents in Fajr al-Isl\u0101m. He says: \u2018Since the Arab combatants plundered the Iranian throne and put an end to its rule, the Persians decided to take their revenge under cover of devotion to the Prophet\u2019s household. Therefore, they incorporated Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrian beliefs into Islam. The Persians also took advantage of devotion to the Prophet\u2019s household for their country\u2019s independence and therefore they were not obedient to the central government.\u2019<\/p>\n
This baseless theory has been spread by American writer Theodore Lothrop Stoddard in The New World of Islam, which has been translated into Arabic by Shak\u012bb Arsal\u0101n. R\u0101shid Ri\u1e0da and Mu\u1e25ib al-D\u012bn al-Kha\u1e6d\u012bb have also promoted this idea.<\/p>\n
Since their conversion to Islam, the Persians have been at the forefront of service to this religion. Moreover, many of the most prominent \u1e25ad\u012bth collectors, historians and scholars were all Persians and there is no difference between Iranian Sh\u012b\u02bfa and Sunn\u012bs in this regard. Across many centuries, Persians have served Islam and Muslims. Let\u2019s keep in mind that the compilers of the six main books of Sunn\u012b traditions and four main books of Sh\u012b\u02bfa ones all had Persian backgrounds.<\/p>\n
Sh\u012b\u02bfa Governments
\nThe Umayyad rulers did their utmost to eclipse Shi\u2019ism. The Abbasid caliphs also sought to stop its spread. But in spite of this opposition, Shi\u2019ism made headway over the centuries and Sh\u012b\u02bfa governments of various kinds appeared across the globe. Some of them are as follows:<\/p>\n
The Idrisids in Morocco (194-305 AH)
\nThe Alids in Daylam (205-304 AH)
\nThe Buyids in Iraq and Persia (321-447 AH)
\nThe Hamdanids in Syria and Iraq (293-392 AH)
\nThe Fatimids in Egypt (296-567)
\nThe Safawids in Iran (905-1133 AH)
\nThe Zands in Iran (1148-1193 AH)
\nThe Qajars in Iran (1200-1344 AH)
\nThere were also Sh\u012b\u02bfa governments and principalities in India as well. A separate book will be needed to speak about the founders of these kingdoms. Mu\u1e25ammad Al-Jaw\u0101d Mughniyya\u2019s al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa wa al-Tashayyu\u02bf has more details about Sh\u012b\u02bfa governments.<\/p>\n
Sh\u012b\u02bfa Centres of Learning
\nIslam is a religion of science and learning. It always seeks to promote mankind from ignorance to the highest level of enlightenment and perfection. That is why Islam has always encouraged people to learn to read and write. Islam seeks to persuade mankind to study nature. It is hardly surprising then, that the Sh\u012b\u02bfa set up schools and universities, some of which are as follows:<\/p>\n
The School of Medina
\nMedina was the first center of Sh\u012b\u02bfa learning. A group of Companions who were faithful to Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, including Ibn \u02bfAbb\u0101s, Salm\u0101n, Ab\u016b Dharr and Ab\u016b R\u0101fi\u02bf managed to spread his teachings. Then came the companions of Imam Sajj\u0101d like Sa\u02bf\u012bd b. Musayyib, Q\u0101sim b. Mu\u1e25ammad b. Ab\u016b Bakr and Ab\u016b Kh\u0101lid K\u0101b\u016bli. They established the School of Medina during the lifetime of Imam al-B\u0101qir and Imam al-S\u0101diq. People from everywhere came to this school for learning. The school of Imam al-B\u0101qir and Imam al-S\u0101diq was a big educational center where many people studied.<\/p>\n
The School of Kufa<\/p>\n
As we mentioned earlier, Imam \u02bfAl\u012b made Kufa as his capital after he left Medina. A group of individuals thirsty for knowledge were taught by him in Kufa.<\/p>\n
In his \u1e6cabaq\u0101t al-Kubr\u0101, Ibn Sa\u02bfd names some of Imam \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s students who settled in Kufa and promoted his teachings there. In the face of the insistence of Ab\u016b al-\u02bfAbb\u0101s al-Saff\u0101\u1e25, Imam al-S\u0101diq even left Medina and spent two years living in Kufa.<\/p>\n
Imam al-S\u0101diq found the political conditions appropriate for promoting the teachings of the Prophet\u2019s Household. The Umayyad government has just been overthrown and the Abbasids had not yet consolidated their grip on the Muslim world. The Imam had a good chance to render this service.<\/p>\n
\u1e24asan b. \u02bfAl\u012b describes Kufa University as follows: \u2018I saw 900 \u1e25ad\u012bth narrators in the Mosque of Kufa. All of them narrate from Ja\u02bffar b. Mu\u1e25ammad.\u2019 Naj\u0101sh\u012b describes the narrator himself as a prominent author with many books (Naj\u0101sh\u012b). The School of Kufa also trained prominent jurists like Ab\u0101n b. Taghlib (d. 141AH), Mu\u1e25ammad b. Muslim al-\u1e6ca\u02beif\u012b (d. 150 AH) and Zur\u0101ra b. A\u02bfyyan (d. 150 AH). Sh\u012b\u02bfa jurists authored as many as 6,600 books in Kufa, 400 of which are about principles of a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth. (Was\u0101\u02beil al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa)<\/p>\n
The School of Kufa was not limited to \u1e25ad\u012bth, exegesis and jurisprudence though. Other branches of Islamic science were also taught there. Prominent authors like Hish\u0101m b. Mu\u1e25ammad al-Kalb\u012b, who has authored more than 200 books, Ibn Ab\u012b \u02bfUmayr, who penned 194 books, Ibn Du\u02be\u0101l, with 100 books, and the alchemist J\u0101bir b. Hayy\u0101n and Ibn Shadh\u0101n with 280 books are all graduates of this school.<\/p>\n
The School of Qumm and Rayy
\nWhen the Persians embraced Islam most of them became Sunn\u012bs. However, certain spots in Iran had a strong Sh\u012b\u02bfa presence. Qumm, Rayy, K\u0101sh\u0101n and parts of Khurasan were populated by Ash\u02bfar\u012bs who had left Yemen and Kufa to settle in Qumm and were all Sh\u012b\u02bfa. That was how Shi\u2019ism spread in Iran. The School of Kufa was also blossoming and even though the Abbasid caliphs did not stop persecuting the Sh\u012b\u02bfa, its teaching still made headway. After Ibr\u0101h\u012bm b. H\u0101shim al-K\u016bf\u012b, a student of Y\u016bnus b. \u02bfAbd al-Ra\u1e25m\u0101n, himself a disciple of Imam al-Ri\u1e0d\u0101, moved to Qumm, this center gradually became more prominent because those studying there heard a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth from both Qumm and Kufa. The sympathetic Buyid government also aided this blossoming and the first group of \u1e25ad\u012bth compilers graduated from these schools. Some of them are:<\/p>\n
\u02bfAl\u012b b. Ibr\u0101h\u012bm al-Qumm\u012b (d. 307 AH).
\nMu\u1e25ammad b. Ya\u02bfq\u016bb al-Kulayn\u012b (d. 329 AH), the compuler of al-K\u0101f\u012b.
\n\u02bfAl\u012b b. \u1e24usayn b. B\u0101buwayh (d. 329 AH), the father of Shaykh al-\u1e62ad\u016bq.
\nJa\u02bffar b. Mu\u1e25ammad b. Q\u016blawayh (285-368), a student of Kulayn\u012b and Muf\u012bd.
\nMu\u1e25ammad b. \u02bfAl\u012b b. B\u0101buwayh, known as Shaykh al-\u1e62ad\u016bq (306-381), the author of many books of traditions, law and theology.
\nThese prominent figures were all graduates of the School of Qumm and Rayy. \u1e24usayn b. R\u016bh, one of the Four Representatives of Imam al-Mahd\u012b during the Lesser Occultation, sent his Ta\u02bed\u012bb to jurists in Qumm and said: \u2018Please give your opinions on this book. If anything is wrong, please inform us.\u2019 In response, they said: \u2018This book is fully authentic.\u2019 (Shaykh al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b, Ghayba) This report and others reveal the importance of this school at the time.<\/p>\n
The School of Baghdad
\nWhen the Buyids ruled Baghdad and the surrounding regions, a fourth school was established for the Sh\u012b\u02bfa in Baghdad. Some of the great personalities to graduate from this school are:<\/p>\n
Shaykh al-Muf\u012bd (336-413): He was a great Sh\u012b\u02bfa figure of his own time. Both friends and opponents have both acknowledged his level of knowledge, sagacity and piety. He was the most prominent teacher of theology in his age. He used to debate with theologians of all schools. He taught at the Bar\u0101th\u0101 Mosque and authored nearly 200 books.<\/p>\n
Shar\u012bf al-Murta\u1e0d\u0101 (355-436): He was the second major Sh\u012b\u02bfa figure in the Fifth Century. Tha\u02bf\u0101lab\u012b describes him as follows: \u2018He is the foremost in learning, courtesy, knowledge, greatness and politeness.\u2019 Ibn Khalik\u0101n says: \u2018He was a without peer in theology, literature and poetry.\u2019 Naj\u0101sh\u012b, one of his students, says: \u2018He had such a mastery of Islamic sicence that nobody could beat him.\u2019 He studied under Shaykh al-Muf\u012bd and his books include al-Inti\u1e63\u0101r, Tanz\u012bh al-Anbiy\u0101\u02be and Jam\u0101l al-\u02bfIlm wa al-\u02bfAmal.<\/p>\n
Shar\u012bf al-Ra\u1e0d\u012b (359-406) was another prominent scholar of this time in multiple fields of learning. Like his brother, Shar\u012bf al-Murta\u1e0d\u0101, he studied under Shaykh al-Muf\u012bd. His books include Kha\u1e63\u0101\u02bei\u1e63 al-A\u02beimma, Ma\u02bf\u0101n\u012b al-Qur\u02be\u0101n and \u1e24aq\u0101\u02beiq al-Ta\u02bew\u012bl.<\/p>\n
Shaykh al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b (385-460): He was the head of the sect and a seminal figure. He studied under both Shaykh al-Muf\u012bd and Shar\u012bf al-Murta\u1e0d\u0101. His books, including Tahdh\u012bb and Istibs\u0101r, are references for scholars and jurists even today.<\/p>\n
They are more than a few graduates from the School of Baghdad. Tens of theologians studied at this university. This school reached its apogee under the Buyids. However, the arrival of the Seljuks in Baghdad fanned the flames of division between Sh\u012b\u02bfas and Sunn\u012bs. The houses of Sh\u012b\u02bfas in the Karkh quarter of Baghdad were set ablaze; Shaykh al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b\u2019s residence was invaded and his books were burnt. Even the Shaykh\u2019s chair was set ablaze.<\/p>\n
The School of Najaf
\nThe Seljuk invasion of Baghdad and the attacks against the Sh\u012b\u02bfa, including Shaykh al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b, left innocents dead and books destroyed. After that, the Shaykh left Baghdad for Najaf where he established another school near a cemetery. Before Shaykh al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b\u2019s departure from Baghdad, there was some Islamic learning taking place in Najaf, but on a much more basic level. Naj\u0101sh\u012b says: \u2018He has a book titled \u02bfAmal al-\u1e62ul\u1e6d\u0101n. He authorized me to unveil it in Najaf in 400 AH.\u2019 (Naj\u0101sh\u012b)<\/p>\n
Shaykh al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b founded the School of Najaf. Over the past ten centuries, this school has been a center for training theologians, \u1e25ad\u012bth scholars, exegetes, philosophers and belletrists. To learn more about this school, M\u0101\u1e0d\u012b al-Najaf wa H\u0101\u1e0dirh\u0101 by Shaykh Ja\u02bffar \u0100l B\u016bya is the best reference work.<\/p>\n
The School of Hilla<\/p>\n
Although Najaf was the center of learning and shone like a star in the firmament of knowledge and literature, the nearby city of Hilla was another important intellectual centre for the Sh\u012b\u02bfa. Its prominent graduates include:<\/p>\n
Mu\u1e25aqqiq al-\u1e24ill\u012b: Najm al-D\u012bn Ab\u016b al-Q\u0101sim Ja\u02bffar b. Sa\u02bf\u012bd. His student, Ibn D\u0101w\u016bd describes him as follows: \u2018He was a great scholar and without equal, an expert in expression and argument.\u2019 He died in 676 AH. (Ibn D\u0101w\u016bd, Rij\u0101l). One of his memorable works is Shar\u0101\u02bei\u02bf al-Isl\u0101m, which has been printed in four volumes. He summarized this work into al-Mukhta\u1e63ar al-N\u0101fi\u02bf. His commentary on this work is unique.<\/p>\n
\u02bfAll\u0101ma al-\u1e24ill\u012b: His name was Jam\u0101l al-D\u012bn \u1e24asan b. Y\u016bsuf b. Mu\u1e6dahhar (648-726). He learnt jurisprudence from Mu\u1e25aqqiq al-\u1e24ill\u012b, and philosophy and mathematics from Na\u1e63\u012br al-D\u012bn al-\u1e6c\u016bs\u012b. He was famous for his intelligence as was recognized as a theologian even while he was still young. The most important two of his books are as follows:<\/p>\n
Tadhkirat al-Fuqah\u0101\u02be: Eighteen volumes of this book have already been printed and the rest are being prepared.
\nMuntah\u0101 al-Matlab f\u012b Ta\u1e25q\u012bq al-Madhhab: It is a fourteen-volume book of jurisprudence which deals with all the chapters of law until that of Jih\u0101d.
\nFakhr al-Muhaqqiq\u012bn: His name is Mu\u1e25ammad b. \u1e24asan b. Y\u016bsuf (682-771). He is \u02bfAll\u0101ma al-\u1e24ill\u012b\u2019s son and student. \u02bfAll\u0101ma al-\u1e24ill\u012b clearly felt a great deal of affection for him as he mentions him in his books and has left a testament to his son at the end of his Qaw\u0101\u02bfid. His students include Mu\u1e25ammad b. Makk\u012b known as Shah\u012bd al-Awwal. Other prominent graduates of this school are Ibn \u1e6c\u0101w\u016bs, Ibn Warr\u0101m, Ibn Nam\u0101 and Ibn Ab\u012b al-Faw\u0101ris.<\/p>\n
Al-Azhar
\nThe Fatimid dynasty was founded in the Second Century and grew to encompass the lands between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea. There was a persistent rivalry between the Fatimids of North Africa and the Abbasids of Baghdad.<\/p>\n
Mu\u02bfizz al-D\u012bn, the Fatimid Caliph, was a enlightened ruler who was very fond of knowledge and literature. He made Cairo his capital and established al-Azhar University there. He encouraged the spread of Shi\u2019ism in his domain; all mosques were obliged to add the formula \u2018\u1e25ayy \u02bfal\u0101 khayr al-\u02bfamal\u2019 (\u2018hasten to the best of deeds\u2019 \u2013 which was not used by Sunni Muslims) in their calls to prayer. Black clothing, the colour of the Abbasids, was prohibited. Muslims in general, and Egyptians in particular, owe a great deal of their culture and learning to the Fatimids. It was, after all, the Fatimids who founded al-Azhar University. Sadly, its role was undermined when Saladin toppled the Fatimids. However, it is worthwhile studying the history of the Fatimids to learn about their contributions to science and learning.<\/p>\n
The author of Mukhta\u1e63ar T\u0101r\u012bkh al-\u02bfArab writes: \u2018The Fatimid government was always supportive of intellectual development and afforded respect for its scholars. Under the Fatimid rule, faculties and libraries were established and many books on science, technique and astronomy were transferred there. Students were provided with generous facilities for education. The Fatimid caliphs held debates on mathematics, logic, jurisprudence and medicine. Teachers of these disciplines, attired specially, were received by the Caliphs.\u2019 According to history, \u2018The Caliph used to spend forty-three million dirhams every year on the faculties of education and even invited teachers from Asia and Spain to address the House of Knowledge to promote the reputation of the university.\u2019<\/p>\n
Syria
\nDuring the Umayyad period, Syria was their base of operations. After their overthrow by the Abbasids and the rise of the Buyids in Iraq and the Hamadanids in Mosul and Aleppo, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa also managed to centres of learning in Jabal Amil and Aleppo to train students. Among the graduates of Aleppo scientific center are the family of Ibn Zuhra, who have left numerous intellectual and jurisprudential works. Jabal Amil experienced many turns of fortune throughout history. Under the rule of the Ottoman governor Jazz\u0101r P\u0101sh\u0101, it suffered a serious blow.<\/p>\n
Other Centres of Learning
\nSh\u012b\u02bfa intellectual centres are not limited to what we mentioned above. Numerous centres were opened in what are today Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, particularly in the cities of Herat and Mumbai. A sort of intellectual enthusiasm spread over Southeast Asia in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Those willing to learn more can read books on these countries as well as Yemen and Oman.<\/p>\n
From the advent of the Safavids in Iran (905 AH), many Iranian cities saw the establishment of intellectual centres. The main cities for such centres were Isfahan, Tehran, Tabriz, Qazvin, Zanjan, Shiraz, Ahvaz and Khorasan. In 1340 AH, the senior cleric Ayat All\u0101h \u02bfAbd al-Kar\u012bm Yazd\u012b H\u0101\u02beir\u012b (1274-1355) established a center of learning in Qumm and managed to attract students from both inside and outside of Iran. Over the past ninety years, hundreds of theologians, \u1e25ad\u012bth collectors and exegetes have been trained in this school. At present, more than 40,000 students of different nationalities are studying there. Following Iran\u2019s 1979 Islamic Revolution, its progress picked up speed and is currently a unique Sh\u012b\u02bfa school in the world.<\/p>\n
Statistics About Shi\u2019ism
\nSince many statistics centres are controlled by people who are unsympathetic to Islam or Shi\u2019ism, many of the figures released about Islamic sects are unreliable and they could not be considered as official data. What could be said for certain is that Shi\u2019ism has fifty-one sub-sects, including the Zayd\u012b and Ism\u0101\u02bf\u012bl\u012b branches. However, the majority of Sh\u012b\u02bfa are Twelvers.<\/p>\n
Sources on Sh\u012b\u02bfa Jurisprudence and Theology
\nLike other Islamic schools of thought, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa depend on the Qur\u2019an and the Sunna of the Prophet. In addition to this, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa rely on the traditions narrated by the Imams who were the keepers of the Prophet\u2019s knowledge. Moreover, one need not be a prophet to be divinely educated. A similar case is that of Khidr, whom God describes as follows: \u2018They found one of Our servants whom We had granted a mercy from Ourselves, and taught him a knowledge from Our own.\u2019 (Q18:65)<\/p>\n
Khidr was not a prophet, but he possessed divinely-inspited knowledge. The prophet Moses depended on Khidr\u2019s knowledge and was divinely commanded to learn from him. So why can the infallible Sh\u012b\u02bfa Imams, who succeeded the Prophet, not be like Khidr?<\/p>\n
Therefore, scholars, jurists and theologians enjoy four categories of knowledge: the Qur\u2019an, the Prophet\u2019s Sunna, traditions from the Sh\u012b\u02bfa Imams, and wisdom. They also trust any issue upon which Muslim scholars, particularly Sh\u012b\u02bfa, have reached a consensus.<\/p>\n
Undoubtedly, the Qur\u2019an has many details which need to be explained. Since the Prophet did not live long enough to interpret everything, he assigned the task to his Household. Not just anyone can interpret the Qur\u2019an \u2013 they must have a sufficient level of knowledge first. Throughout their life, the infallible Sh\u012b\u02bfa Imams trained jurists and theologians who have, in turn, written books for the future generations. Here are the most important of them:<\/p>\n
U\u1e63\u016bl Arbami\u2019a: notebooks of traditions compiled by 400 companions of Imam al-B\u0101qir, Imam al-S\u0101diq, Imam al-K\u0101\u1e93im and Imam al-Ri\u1e0d\u0101.
\nAl-Ma\u1e25\u0101sin: compiled by A\u1e25mad b. Mu\u1e25ammad b. Kh\u0101lid al-Barq\u012b, (d. 272 AH).
\nAl-J\u0101mi\u02bf: compiled by A\u1e25mad b. Mu\u1e25ammad b. Ab\u012b Na\u1e63r Bazan\u1e6d\u012b, (d. 221 AH).
\nNaw\u0101dir al-\u1e24ikma: compiled by Mu\u1e25ammad b. A\u1e25mad b. Ya\u1e25y\u0101 b. \u02bfImr\u0101n al-Ash\u02bfar\u012b (d. c. 293 AH).
\nThere is also a second category of companions of the Sh\u012b\u02bf\u012b Imams who have compiled traditions:<\/p>\n
Kulayn\u012b, author of al-K\u0101f\u012b, (d. 329 AH). This book was written over the course of 20 years (Naj\u0101sh\u012b) and contains some 16,200 narrations. \u2018The narrations in K\u0101f\u012b are more numerous than those in the six major works compiled by Sunn\u012bs.\u2019 says Shah\u012bd. (Lu\u02belu\u02be al-Ba\u1e25rayn)
\nMu\u1e25ammad b. \u02bfAl\u012b b. al-\u1e24usayn, known as \u1e62ad\u016bq (306-381 AH). He is the author of al-Faq\u012bh which contains 5,963 a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth.
\nMu\u1e25ammad b. \u1e24asan \u1e6c\u016bs\u012b (385-460 AH), author of Tahdh\u012bb al-A\u1e25k\u0101m, and al-Istib\u1e63\u0101r with 13,590 a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth and 5,511 a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth respectively. (Mustadrak)
\nThese a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth were compiled throughout the fourth and fifth centuries. There also collections of a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth after the tenth century.<\/p>\n
Was\u0101\u02beil al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa, compiled by Mu\u1e25ammad b. \u1e24asan \u1e24urr al-\u02bf\u0100mil\u012b (d. 1104 AH): This book has been printed in 30 volumes. It has previous editions too.
\nal-W\u0101f\u012b, compiled by Mu\u1e25ammad b. Murta\u1e0d\u0101 Fay\u1e0d al-K\u0101sh\u0101n\u012b (1007-1091 AH); It has been published in 26 volumes.
\nBi\u1e25\u0101r al-Anw\u0101r, authored by Mu\u1e25ammad B\u0101qir al-Majlis\u012b (1038-1110 AH), printed in 110 sections: It is one of the most comprehensive collections of a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth.
\nThese three authors have rendered valuable services to the Sh\u012b\u02bfa tradition. However, compilation of a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth reached its peak in the Fourteenth Century:<\/p>\n
al-Mustadarak \u02bfal\u0101 Was\u0101\u02beil al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa, compiled by traditionist N\u016br\u012b (1254-1320 AH): This book has collected a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth which Shaykh \u1e24urr al-\u02bf\u0100mil\u012b did not include in Was\u0101\u02beil. However, like other books of a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth, this one also needs to be scrutinized for authenticity.
\nJ\u0101mi\u02bf A\u1e25ad\u012bth al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa, compiled under supervision of the late Ayat All\u0101h Burujurd\u012b (1292-1380 AH), this book collects more than 50,000 a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth and is a valuable book of Sh\u012b\u02bfa traditions.
\nWe have briefly reviewed the history of Shi\u2019ism, its major figures and their geographical distribution. Now, one can see that Sh\u012b\u02bfa is no minor or underground movement. In fact, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa are present in almost all countries of the world and they have served the cause of Islam and Muslims greatly over the past fourteen centuries.<\/p>\n
Methodological Notes for Writing on Sh\u012b\u02bfa Faith and History
\nWe have recommendations for non-Sh\u012b\u02bfa authors who intend to write about Shi\u2019ism.<\/p>\n
Shi\u2019ism is not born out of temporary policies formulated following the departure of the Prophet. It is as pure as Islam and is no different from it. Islam and Shi\u2019ism are like both sides of the same coin. Shi\u2019ism is enshrined in Islam and lies within the framework of following the Prophet\u2019s household.
\nThere are certainly issues in the School of Shi\u2019ism which may look inaccurate and new for the Sunn\u012bs. Bad\u0101\u02be, the infallibility of the Imams, the birth of Imam al-Mahd\u012b and his longevity are cases in point. In these cases, authors should study Sh\u012b\u02bfa reasoning without any prejudice they will see that whatever the Sh\u012b\u02bfa say has the backing of the Qur\u2019an and Prophetic traditions.
\nShi\u2019ism is not merely a historical phenomenon. To this day it is a lively, vibrant tradition with its own followers, universities and libraries. Anyone who intends to write any book on Shi\u2019ism will have to communicate with Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars and benefit from their guidelines. The books written by Orientalists are often unreliable because they take a hypercritical approach to Islam.
\nHowever, there are extremist figures in every Islamic sect. These extremists habitually misinterpret everything and therefore their books and attitudes should not set any criteria for judgment. We see some contemporary authors accusing the Sh\u012b\u02bfa of having distorting the Qur\u2019an and they refer to Fa\u1e63l al-Khi\u1e6d\u0101b written by the traditionist N\u016br\u012b. However, this book is a collection of undocumented a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth mainly extracted from the Sunn\u012b books. Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars have already discredited it.<\/p>\n
A Sunn\u012b graduate of al-Azhar, al-Furq\u0101n, has written a book distorting the Qur\u2019an. Even al-Azhar scholars have rejected the authenticity of this book whose copies are still available everywhere. Basically, we clear all Islamic acts of such charges and consider such moves as a conspiracy by enemies of Islam to cause division amongst Muslims.<\/p>\n
Instead, to become familiar with the genuine beliefs of the Sh\u012b\u02bfa, an author must refer to their books. However, nothing could be achieved by referring collections of a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth, some of which are unreliable and undocumented, in insolation. The authenticity of a book does not mean the accuracy of each and every \u1e25ad\u012bth in the book. Unfortunately, this principle has been ignored by most authors.
\nAuthors must take into account the fact that the collections of Sh\u012b\u02bfa a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth are totally different from the books of narrations of Sunn\u012b scholars. The Sunn\u012bs consider Bukh\u0101r\u012b and Muslim the most reliable sources of traditions while the only truly one-hundred-percent reliable source for Sh\u012b\u02bfa Muslims is the Qur\u2019an. Whatever one may see in the books of a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth does not necessarily reflect the Sh\u012b\u02bfa faith.
\nThere is clear difference between faith and practices. Faith is unchangeable and followers accept it intrinsically because they rule out any possibility of diversion. But as far as the practices are concerned, followers may accept them on the basis of a practical consensus. Faith can only be derived from the Qur\u2019an and the authentic, successively-transmitted traditions (i.e. traditions that are so widely narrated byt so many reliable sources that they could not have possibly been fabricated).
\nWe mentioned earlier that taqiyya is an Islamic principle, but this issue is sometimes twisted by those who say that Sh\u012b\u02bfa books could not be relied upon because they might be hiding their true beliefs. These doubts have been cast by Pakistani author I\u1e25s\u0101n Il\u0101h\u012b \u1e92\u0101hir and it shows that they have not properly understood the practice of taqiyya because taqiyya is a personal issue and it is applied anytime the life and properties of humans are in danger. This principle never allows Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars to write their books based on the principle of taqiyya in a bid to protect their life and properties. I assure all authors that no Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholar has every authored any book based on taqiyya. All books written by the Sh\u012b\u02bfa scholars are authentic representations of their own views.
\nSunn\u012b scholars regard Bukh\u0101r\u012b and Muslim\u2019s books as the most authentic after the Qur\u2019an. However, scholars should consult a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth from these so-called authentic books and make their own judgments.
\nAb\u016b Za\u1e25r\u0101\u02be, a senior scholar in al-Azhar, enumerates the reasons for the spread of Shi\u2019ism as follows:
\nThey do not believe in closing the gate of ijtih\u0101d. That is why all social, economic and psychological problems are studied very closely before fatwas are passed in line with Islamic principles.
\nThere are lots of quotes on Sh\u012b\u02bfa jurisprudence. Theologians will have the chance to express themselves as long as they do not go far from the principles of ijtih\u0101d.
\nTwelvers are seen across the globe, stretching from China to Europe. It is like a stream running across different lands. It gets the color of any territory it flows into without losing its freshness.
\nThere are lots of Sh\u012b\u02bfa jurists who are determined to resolve the problems. It is a God-given benediction for the Sh\u012b\u02bfa to have such responsible scholars. (al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa wa al-Tashayyu\u02bf)
\nSome opportunists accuse Sh\u012b\u02bfa of trying to alter the words of the Qur\u2019an while they have never read the history of Shi\u2019ism; they do not know any statements from the Sh\u012b\u02bf\u012b Imams, nor do they know about the Book of F\u0101\u1e6dima, which they mistake for the Qur\u2019an. These opportunists even do not know the meaning of mu\u1e63\u1e25af. God says in the Qur\u2019an: \u2018When the scrolls are unrolled.\u2019 (Q81:10) The Book of F\u0101\u1e6dima is just a collection of what has been dictated by her father and written down by her husband \u02bfAl\u012b. Some a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth say the Book of F\u0101\u1e6dima is about future events. Imam al-S\u0101diq describes the Book of F\u0101\u1e6dima as follows: \u2018There is not even a single word from the Qur\u2019an in it. They are all the Prophet\u2019s narrations dictated by him\u2019. Kulayn\u012b says: \u2018Man\u1e63\u016br asked the jurists of Medina a question about Zak\u0101t and Imam al-S\u0101diq was the only one to respond. When asked to explain what his reference was, he said F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s book.\u2019 (K\u0101f\u012b)
\nThe Imam always refers to the Book of F\u0101\u1e6dima as book to avoid any mistake. There is nothing ambiguous and opportunists may be only trying to take advantage of mu\u1e63\u1e25af as a pretext. In that case, the Sh\u012b\u02bfa should also say the Sunn\u012bs refer to the Book of \u02bf\u0100\u02beisha. Suy\u016b\u1e6d\u012b quotes Ham\u012bda bt. Ab\u012b Y\u016bnus as saying: \u2018My father was eighty when he read in the Book of \u02bf\u0100\u02beisha that God and His angels send their salutations to the Prophet and believers must always send blessings upon the Prophet.\u2019 (al-Itq\u0101n)<\/p>\n
With these points, we finish review of the origins of Shi\u2019ism and the contributions of its followers to Islamic civilization. We accomplished our task and it is now up to the reader to draw their own conclusions.<\/p>\n
We ask God to bestow practical unity on the Islamic society as He has granted them belief in Dvine Unity. He has the best answers. Peace be upon the Prophet and his pure progeny.<\/p>\n
Imam S\u0101diq Institute, Qumm,<\/p>\n
September 10, 2010<\/p>\n