Shias are not Kafir- A Sunni Scholar
Question and Answer Details
Name of Questioner | Zahid - United Kingdom |
Title | Shi`ites & Sunnis: Time for Unity |
Question | Scholars of Islam, as-Salamu `alaykum. Is Shi`ah part of Islam? Are Shi`i people Muslims? Please shed light on this sect. Jazkum Allah khayran. |
Date | 22/Jan/2007 |
Name of Counsellor | |
Topic | Ideologies, Movements & Religions |
Answer |
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Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Brother, first of all, we'd like to say that we are impressed by your question, which emanates from a thoughtful heart. May Allah Almighty help us all adhere to the principles of this true religion, Islam, and enable us to be among the dwellers ofParadise in the Hereafter, Ameen.
Here, we'd like to stress the fact that at a time when the enemy of Islam encroaches the Muslim Ummah, elements of enhancing unity should dominate and creedal disputes between different Muslim groups and sects are to be avoided. We do admit that there are shortcomings in some sects, but do you think that the time is ripe to discuss such shortcomings now?
Hence, Muslims should beware of all routes and channels that may lead to divisions, differences and conflicts among them. They should abide by the Qur'an and Sunnah, which are the assured means of salvation. Almighty Allah says: (And hold fast, all of you together, by the covenant of Allah and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favor on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make His Signs clear to you: That ye may be guided.) (Aal `Imran 3: 103)
In our day and age, it is more important to stress points of agreement rather than points of disagreement and to try to bring a bridge between the Sunnah and the Shi`ah without compromising any Islamic values, because what unites Muslims is much greater than what disunites them.
With the enemies of Islam trying hard to sow the seeds of discord among us, we should try our best to render their attempts futile.
Also, it should be clear that not everything that goes under the name of Shi`ah is considered Islamic, just as not everything that goes under the name of Fiqh (jurisprudence) can be considered as authentic or proper Fiqh.
In order to judge something as Islamic, it must be judged and weighed by the well-established criteria and standards of Shari`ah as enshrined in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Thus if a certain Shi`i practice or custom is opposed to the prescribed criteria of the Shari`ah as enshrined in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, it shall be judged as un-Islamic; if, however, it agrees with these criteria it shall be judged as perfectly Islamic.
Elaborating more on the point whether or not Shi`i people are Muslims, the eminent Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi points out:
We have seen all over the world how all the religious groups and sects try to reconcile their differences; the Jews are trying to have common ground with the Christians, so they claim innocence to what the history records of the Jews' responsibility in crucifying Jesus. The same happens among the Christians as they are trying to bring together all the Christian denominations around the world.
Amidst all these amiable gestures, where do we Muslims stand? Why do we kindle the fire of disagreement? What is the reason for all this argument about Shi`ah as if they are not Muslims?
Let it be known to all that the Shi`ah are Muslims who believe in the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
Yes, there is no doubt that the Shi`ah have their beliefs and dogmas which we condemn as heresy but this doesn't make them non-Muslims.
We should try to make use of what we have in common for the benefit of all Muslims. No one can deny that all Muslims, Sunni and Shi`ah, condemn the Zionists and what they do against our brethren in Palestine. We maintain the same view concerning the persecution of Muslims in many parts of the world. This means that we have many things in common, which should be the pivot of our interaction.
All Muslims should be alert against the schemes and plots planned by the enemies of Islam. They are the ones that want us to disagree and fight each other. Now they resort to another scheme by filling our minds with hatred against one another under the name of belief. We should not give them this chance.
Shedding more light on this thorny issue, Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, states:
Whenever we use the word Shi`ah, we are referring to a group of people who are the followers of Imam `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and they show full fidelity to Aal' Bayt (the household of Prophet Muhammad). Such fidelity is required of all Muslims, and this is pursuant to many Qur'anic verses.
Allah Almighty says, (Allah's wish is but to remove uncleanness far from you, O Aal' Bayt, and cleanse you with a thorough cleansing.)(Al-Ahzaab 33: 33)
Also, there are many hadiths that urge Muslims to give due regard to the household of the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him). For example: "Fear Allah concerning my household (by giving them due regard)", said the Prophet three times. (Reported by Muslim)
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