1. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims
  2. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

23 Questions

I have become very interested in Shia Islam after reading online about Ghadir Khum. If I become a Shia, will I be able to offer prayers behind a Sunni Imam? Can I continue to respect all the Sahaba and hate none of them? What changes will I have to make?
Seyed Ali Shobayri

Bismillah, 

Asalamu Alaykom, 

Alhamdulilah you have read about the incident of Ghadir and May Allah swt guide you to accept the divine authority of Imam Ali (as). 

Firstly after becoming Shia, you will need to refer to the jurists who specialise in ahkaam or the Islamic laws. You will find some of the experts  who say it is allowed to pray behind a Sunni imam provided that you recite the surahs yourself; others will say you can only do so out of taqiya (when one fears for their life & must conceal their faith). 

Then you’ll find scholars who will say that one cannot pray behind a Sunni imam at all due to justice being one of the conditions as well as it being crucial that one prays correctly. Unfortunately our brothers who refer to themselves as Sunnis, perform both their salah and wudu in the incorrect way. 

So when you choose a marja then you may check their ruling. 

About the Sahaba, one can only respect the Sahaba who were PROVEN in history to be loyal to both the prophet Mohammad & his Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them all). In other cases we may assume the best of those Sahaba who have nothing bad reported about them in history. 

It has been proven from the Quran and hadiths of both sects, that there existed many hypocrites among the Sahaba. In the authentic sources of the sect who refers to itself as ahlus sunnah, you’ll find the prophet Mohamamd (sawa) clearly saying that among his companions were hypocrites therefore, how can one respect all Sahaba? 

 For example, can one love Muawiyah who encouraged people to curse & insult Imam Ali?! Of course not! Therefore one would have to disassociate from such people despite them being 'companions'. 

Can one love Umar who threatened to burn down the house of Fatima Al-Zahra (as) and imam Ali (as)?

As for those companions who are proven praise worthy, then you may show your love towards them. 

If you research the above matters you will find various sources which mention the points I have summarised.

May Allah grant you success
Did any loyal companions of Imam Ali (as), such as Huzaifa bin Yaman, participate in the battles during the era of the first and second caliphate? If so, how can that be explained?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

Huthaifa Ibn al-Yamaan was one of the very pious companions of the Proaphet Muhammad (SAWA) and Ameerul Mo'mineen (AS). He is one of the four best companions of the Prophet (SAWA). 
He was informed by the Prophet about the names of the Munafiqeen (hypocrites). Omar Ibn al-Khattab used to repeatedly ask him: Did the Prophet mention my name with the Munafiqeen?

He used to boycott praying on dead body of any Munafiq. He did not pray on many well known persons in Madina.
The narration that Huthaifa took part in al-Yarmouk battle is not in our books but in a Sunni book called al-Waafi bil Wafayaat by al-Safadi (V.11, P. 251).We can not trust such narration.

Huthaifa fought against Mo'awiyah in the army of Ameerul Mo'mineen (AS) in Siffeen battle.

Huthaifa was requested by Omar and Uthman to look after al-Madaa'in. Omar and Uthman wanted to show respect to him being the person who has secrets from the Prophet. He accepted to help Muslims and protect them from corrupt rulers. Imam Ali (AS) also appointed him as a ruler on al-Madaa'in.

Wassalam.
How is the companion Abu Sa'id al-Khudri considered by Shia scholars?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

Abu Sa’eed al-Khurdi or al-Khidri is considered as one of the pious companions of the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him and His Holy Progeny). He was with the army of Ameerul Momeneen Ali (A.S.) fighting against his enemies. Ameerul Momeneen asked the companions who from you witnessed the incident of Ghadeer Khum. Only 17 man stood up and gave witness among them was Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri. He lived long as he was born 10 years before Hijra and he passed away in year 73 after Hijra, so his age was 83 years. From Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (A.S.) about him that he was a straight forward person. Al-Khishyee mentioned in the life of ibne Masa’ood and Huzaifa the names of the companions who referred to Ameerul Momeneen the name of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri was with them. Al-Allama in his book Al-Khulaasa narrated from Al-Burqi that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri was from the companions of Ameerul Momeneen Ali (A.S.). Abu Sa’eed al-Khidri is buried in Al-Baqiyah. His Name was Sa’aad Bin Malik Bin Sinaan and his Kunniyah was Abu Sa’eed. He was from the Al-Ansaar from Bani Khidra or Khurda.

In the reply which Imam Ali Ibne Moosa Ar-Reza (A.S.) has written to Al-Ma’moon about those companions who were following Ameerul Momeneen (A.S.) after the Prophet and did not change, he mentioned the name of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri. Imam Hussain (A.S.) in Karbala in his speech told the army of Yazeed that you can ask Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri. The first battle in which Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri participated was Al-Khandaq than he took part in 12 other battles with Prophet (S.A.W.A.)

May Allah (SWT) bless his soul.

Wassalam.
Who were the 313 companions of the Prophet (s) who participated in the battle of Badr and what was their status compared to others? Are all those companions revered by the Shi'a?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

Shi'a respect and revere every sincere Muslim who remained obeying the Prophet (SAWA). The companions who took part in the battle of Badr are fully respected unless they did wrong after that. Haatib ibn Abi Balta'ah participated in Badr battle but later on he betrayed the Prophet and Islam by writing a secret letter to the Mushriks of Makkah informing them about the preparations of the Prophet to attack the Mushriks in Makkah.( Siyar A'lamm al-Nobalaa', page 43)

Qudamah ibn Madh'oon was also in Badr battle but later on he committed major sin of drinking alcohol and was punished for that during the government of Umarvibn al-Khattab. ( Siyar A'laam al-Nubalaa' page 162 and al-Esaabah fi Tamyeez al-Sahabah).

We highly respect every companion who fulfilled his duty in obeying Allah (SWT) and the Prophet (SAWA) and did not change till the end of his life.

'Wassalam.