Skip to: Site menu | Main content

About

We believe that a true and comprehensive understanding of Islam would not be possible without careful recognition of the Prophetic Tradition and the Prophet's Household. And Allah is the Source of Strength.
 

Noor's; Seeing the Light

The following is a submission by one of our visitors who want to share their experience with rest of the world out there. Her perceptions changed after listening to the other side of the story. There is enough light for everyone to see, and this is her story about how she saw the light.

You can contact her through her email address [zee.khan44@yahoo.com]

Noor e Zahra Says,

"I was born in a Barelvi family and my up-bringing was also in an environment influenced by Barelviism.

I had virtually zero knowledge about shiaism except few general things. Initially, my perceptions were different. I believed in what i Knew, that;

I always felt a communication gap while talking to shia because I had no knowledge of Islamic history. When I got to learn about shiaism and its true teachings, I found out that actually the people who say such stuff are wrong themselves and that actually disregard clear Quranic orders.

I learned alot of hadith which i was never told about being a Sunni;

1. Hadith of two weightily things.

Yazid b. Hayyan reported, I went along with Husain b. Sabra and 'Umar b. Muslim to Zaid b. Arqam and, as we sat by his side, Husain said to him: Zaid. you have been able to acquire a great virtue that you saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) listened to his talk, fought by his side in (different) battles, offered prayer behind me. Zaid, you have in fact earned a great virtue. Zaid, narrate to us what you heard from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). He said: I have grown old and have almost spent my age and I have forgotten some of the things which I remembered in connection with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), so accept whatever I narrate to you, and which I do not narrate do not compel me to do that. He then said: One day Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood up to deliver sermon at a watering place known as Khumm situated between Mecca and Medina. He praised Allah, extolled Him and delivered the sermon and. exhorted (us) and said: Now to our purpose. O people, I am a human being. I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death) from my Lord and I, in response to Allah's call, (would bid good-bye to you), but I am leaving among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the Book of Allah and then said: The second are the members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family. He (Husain) said to Zaid: Who are the members of his household? Aren't his wives the members of his family? Thereupon he said: His wives are the members of his family (but here) the members of his family are those for whom acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. And he said: Who are they? Thereupon he said: 'Ali and the offspring of 'Ali, 'Aqil and the offspring of 'Aqil and the offspring of Ja'far and the offspring of 'Abbas. Husain said: These are those for whom the acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. Zaid said: Yes.
Sahih Muslim, Book 031, Number 5920

2. Hadith of Ghadir.

Prophet said: "O Allah! You also may witness." Then he said: 'O my people! Allah is my Mawla and I am mawla of the faithful and I have superior right on and control over their lives. And this Ali is the mawla of all those of whom I am mawla. O Allah! Love him who loves him and hate him who hates him."
Mohammed Ibn Idris al-Shafi'i (Imam al-Shafi'i, d. 204) per "al-Nihayah" by Ibn al-Athir
Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (Imam al-Hanbali, d. 241), in "Masnad" and "al-Manaqib"
Ibn Majah (d. 273), in "Sunan Ibn Majah"
al-Tirmidhi (d. 279), in "Sahih al-Tirmidhi"

 Click below for scanned page:
The Ghadir Declaration, by Dr Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri, page 49

3. Hadith of Mubailah.

... (The third occasion is this) when the (following) verse was revealed:" Let us summon our children and your children." (3:61) Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) called 'Ali, Fitima, Hasan and Husain and said: O Allah, they are my family.
Sahih Muslim, Book 31, Hadith 5915

4. Hadith of Ark of Noah.

 Behold! The similitude of my Ahlul Bayt, is like that of the Ark of Noah: The one who embarks it, will have saved himself, and the one who turns away from it, is doomed.
Mustadrak, Al-Haakim, Vol. 3, Page 151

5. Hadith of 12 princes.

 Narrated By Jabir bin Samura: I heard the Prophet saying, "There will be TWELVE Muslim rulers (who will rule all the Islamic world)." He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, "All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish."
Sahih Bukhari , Volume , Book 89. Judgments (Ahkaam) Hadith 329.

6. Hadith of Manzilat.

Narrated Ubaida: Ali said (to the people of 'Iraq), "Judge as you used to judge, for I hate differences (and I do my best ) till the people unite as one group, or I die as my companions have died." And narrated Sad that the Prophet said to 'Ali, "Will you not be pleased from this that you are to me like Aaron was to Moses?"

Sa'd reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying to 'Ali: Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses?
Sahih al-Bukhari, Arabic-English version, Traditions 5..57.56, 5..59.700
Sahih Muslim, Arabic, v4, pp 1870-71
Sunan Ibn Majah, p12
Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v1, p174
al-Khasa'is, by al-Nisa'i, pp 15-16
Mushkil al-Athar, by al-Tahawi, v2, p309

All of the above ahadith describe describe how we can save ourselves from the wrong path and how the Ahlulbayt (AS) are important for our faith. What is more important is that they exist in Shia as well as Sunni books  thus it is not reasonable to deny them.

Similary, I came accross many Quranic verses which were never highlighted in any Sunni gathering, program or even Islamic classes, such as;

1) Ayat e Mubahila

But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars.
Quran [3:61]

2) Ayat e Ulil Amr

O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end.
Quran [4:59]

3) Ayat e Mawadatal Fill Qurba

That is of which Allah gives the good news to His servants, (to) those who believe and do good deeds. Say (Muhammad): I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein; surely Allah is Forgiving, Grateful.
Quran [42:23]

4) Ayat e Wilayat.

"Only Allah is your Wali, and His messenger and those among believers who keep alive prayers and pay Zakat while they are in the state of bowing".
Quran [5:55]

5) Ayat e Tathir

And stay in your houses, and do not Tabarruj yourselves like the Tabarruj of the times of ignorance, and perform the Salah, and give Zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah wishes only to remove the Ar-Rijs from you, O members of the family, and to purify you with a thorough purification
Quran [33:33]

The word Ahl-Bayt is a simple term, it refers to the daughter of Rasool (SAW), Fatima Zehra (AS), his successor Ali ibne Abu Talib (AS), and their two sons, princes of paradise, Imam Hassan (AS) and Hussain (AS). I understand the Ahlulbayt (AS) to be our source of guidance in who we must put our trust and loyalty.

The love of household of the prophet (SAW) is necessary as per the Quranic order, All Muslims agree to it. The dispute however is that which personalities are included in the Ahlulbayt (AS) of Rasool (SAW) and that who are his near ones.

The Ahhlulbayt are those people who were purified from all rijis which is the evidence for their infallability. Another quality of Ahlulbayt (AS) is that they would be the nearest people of the Prophet  Muhammad (SAW) himself. Mubahila proves who were the nearest people to Prophet (SAW).

Sunnis claim that the term of Ahlulbayt literally means the people of household thus wives should be included in them. I found out that the wives of Muhammasd (SAW) were a part of his family, but definitely not apart of Ahlulbayt (AS), the ones purified from all rijis and called for Mubahila.

Many sunnis today belive that there is no need to get into any discussion; the Holy Quran is enough. I realized that the Holy Quran is the book of Allah and it is so eloquent in its language that it is not possible for a common man to interpret and understand it. Over the years there have been various tafsir of the Holy Quran, this is what lead to misunderstanding amongst the Ummah. The major difference of Sunni and Shia is source of hadith, hence it is very important that the book of Allah is understood through the correct means. Who can be a better source to understand the Quran besides the the Ahlulbayt (AS), after Rasool (SAW)?

Besides, Rasool (SAW) had clearly instructed us to follow Ali (AS) after him (SAW) by declaring him a Wali at Gadeer and Dawat e Zul Ashira, by declaring him his closest people at Mubahila, I have no reason to follow anyone else after the Prophet (SAW) besides Imam Ali (AS).

Imam Hussain (AS) raised his voice in Kerbala to ask for help. In response to that we Say "Labbaik Ya Hussain" but now in these days how can we help Imam Hussain (AS)? I think by spreading the Imam's message to all Muslims after implementing his (AS) teachings in our own life.

Sunnis, like Shias, are waiting for Imam Mahdi (AS), which only strengthens my faith in the Imamat of the previous 11 Imams.

I extremely love all loyal Sahabis (RA), like  Ammar Yasir (RA), Abu Zar Gaffari (RA), Salman Farsi (RA) , Bilal Habshi (RA) , Abu Ayub Ansari (RA). However, now i realize that all the companions were not equal just like every other human being, thus i find it wise to discociate myself from those Asahab who were not Loyal to Islam after Rasool (SAW), were absent in funeral of prophet (SAW), who fought against Imam Ali (AS), Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Hussain (AS).

My friends often call me shia, only because I choose to show my loyalty to Muhammad (SAW) and his Ahlulbayt (AS) and I deny to give hadith more importance than the Quran. It is unfortunate that the love for Prophet's grandson is restricted as a shia practice only. It is only unfortunate that any shia practice which is direct fulfillment of Quranic or a Prophetic order is discharged as being shia.

I personally don't call my self a shia or a sunni, I prefer being a Momin, one who doesn't divide her religion into sect. I would be classify myself amongst the very few luck once by the grace of God. I got the chance to know what shiaism actually is. This is fortunate deed.

I have not reached the end of the road but I am at peace now, with myself and with Allah.

I advice everyone that we should love the Ahlulbayt (AS) and display that love through our actions of piety and God-fearing deeds. We must follow those chosen by Allah rather than idolizing those who were chosen by people like you and me. We must engange ourselves into sincere dialogues with people we differ from and only then we will understand our differences. We must respect our differences and know that diversity is a will of Allah himself. At the end of the day, we must keep our differences aside and unite under the banner of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as Muslims. Our struggle for improving ourselves must not end."

[ Back to top ]

Feel free to email your comments/replies to this article at es_ammar@hotmail.com or post a message at our Forum, no registration Required.
To view comments/suggestions for this article, visit Here.