Shi’ism – The Original Islam
Shi’ism - What It Is And Why It Is Called So?
Shi’ism is another distinguishing name for the Original Qur’anic faith. In short, it is nothing more or less than the Islam-Original.
It is a historic fact that no sooner the Holy Prophet departed from this world than the vested interest of man, gained hold on matters secular as well as spiritual and started additions and subtraction and thus adulterated the original teachings of Islam, misinterpreting the Word of God and minting counterfeit traditions in the name of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet before departing from this world, had openly and repeatedly made the following guiding announcements, for the people to abide by them:
“Of whomsoever I am the Mawla (Master), this Ali is his Mawla”1
And finally, the Holy Prophet, before his departure, had declared:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: إني تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي فإنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض.
‘Verily I leave amidst you the Two Weighty (important) things, the Book of God (the Qur’an) and my Itrat, Ahl Al-Bayt. If ye hold fast to these Two, never will ye get astray’, never will these Two be separated from each other, until they both return unto me at the Cistern (of’ Kawthar’)’2
The Holy Prophet further announced:
“The likeness of my ‘Ahl Al-Bayt’ is that of the Ark of Noah. Whosoever getteth into it, is saved and whosoever turneth away from it, is drowned and lost” 3
People neglected the Ahl Al-Bayt and began following their own ways and yet called their own innovated Schools as Islam, and themselves the deviators from the prescribed course, as Muslims. Therefore, those who faithfully followed the Original teachings of the Holy Qur’an and remained faithfully attached to the course prescribed by the Holy Prophet, had necessarily to distinguish themselves from the others who had discarded the divinely set up guides, the Ahl Al-Bayt. Thus, those who followed Ali in the place of the Holy Prophet, called themselves as the Shi’as of Ali, just to distinguish the Original Islam which they faithfully followed and identified it as ‘Shi’ism.’ This was quite in accordance with the ‘Bait’, or the allegiance taken from the Muslims by the Holy Prophet, for Ali at Ghadir Khumm, while the others disregarded it and paid their allegiance to their own chosen leaders.
Thus, Shi’ism stands for the Original Islam and Shi’as for the true Muslims faithfully attached to the Holy Prophet and the Holy Ahl Al-Bayt.
In fact, the Shi’a-Ithna-Ashari School is the Qur’anic Islam of the Holy Prophet, and the rest are the newly started sects and sub-sects deviating from the Original Course.
The Most Misrepresented And The Most Misunderstood School Is The School Of The Islam-Original, Called Shi’ism
Islam in general, is no doubt misrepresented and misunderstood on account of the antagonistic propaganda by the vested interest of Christian missionaries but the original side of it, which is identified as Shi’ism, is the most misrepresented and the most misinterpreted School and consequently the most misunderstood of the religions of the world. The causative factor behind this misfortune, is the miserable absence of its literature in languages other than Arabic, Persian and Urdu and particularly in the English language.
A very brief note on its fundamental doctrines, in a telegraphic language, with one or two leading verses of the Qur’an, on which the belief or the ideology is based, is given just to enable the reader to know whether Shi’aism is Original Islam or not and how superb and sublime and unchallengeable is the Pure Qur’anic Faith, which was presented to mankind by the Holy Prophet and preserved by the Holy Ahl Al-Bayt.
The notes given here are not to make the work unnecessarily voluminous but with sincere and rather the sacred purpose of establishing better understanding of the Truth and creating the love of fellowship among the various groups of the human family on earth.
I am very sorry, for want of space and the shortness of the time at my disposal, at present, I could give very few notes and even that in the briefest way possible, presenting the matter in small script, but I am confident that a really inquisitive mind with the sincerity in the search for the truth, would not mind the trouble of going through the matter, at the same time pardoning me for the unavoidable inability to give better facility of ease in the perusal of it.
The Classification Of The Religious Knowledge
The knowledge of the religion Islam, has been classified into Two sections:
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‘Usool Ad-Deen’ i.e., the Roots or Fundamentals, or the Basics of the Religion.
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‘Furu’ Ad-Deen’ i.e., the Branches or the articles of the Practice of the Religion.
Roots are the parts of a tree which remain hidden under the earth and are not seen. The parts of the religion concerning the faith of the individual which remain hidden in his heart and cannot be seen, are called the roots, in Arabic ‘Usool’.
Branches are the parts of a tree which thrive above the earth and are seen. Those articles of the religion which are concerned with the practice of it, and which are seen out, are called in Arabic the ‘Furo’ (i.e., in Branches).
Mere roots without the branches are not called a complete tree, nor they can ever thrive underground, and the existence of any such hidden thing without the proof of its being there, without any manifestation above the earth, can neither be believed in, nor can they be logically proved. Similarly, the ‘Usool Ad-Deen’ can neither remain safe, nor can be believed to be genuine in their existence, and nor they can be reasonably asserted to exist without the ‘Furu’ Ad-Deen’ which are nothing but the evidential implementation of the ‘Usool.’
Similarly, branches alone, without the roots can never thrive. Unless the branches are duly connected with the roots under them, they will naturally and necessarily wither away and perish. Thus, mere ‘Furu’ Ad-Deen’ without the correct ‘Usool Ad-Deen’ can neither be called any particular religion nor can they ever at all thrive for any time.
Hence a true Muslim should see that his faith is properly rooted in the correct knowledge of the ‘Usool Ad-Deen’ and at the same time see that the ‘Usool Ad-Deen’ are supplied with their natural growth into healthy branches, i.e., the ‘Furu’ Ad-Deen.’
In short, as a tree is complete, prosperous, and useful, only when it has its roots as well as its branches, the religion Islam or Shi’ism, is complete and genuine with the correctness of the ‘Usool Ad-Deen’ strengthened through their faithful translation into action, i.e., the ‘Furu’ Ad-Deen’, as the one without the other, is useless and can neither thrive nor be acceptable.
Every Shi’a should see that the roots of his faith, are correct, as prescribed by the Lord through the Holy Prophet and the Ahl Al-Bayt and are duly and regularly nurtured and systematically cultivated for a healthy growth of it, in its branches, making them yield as profusely as possible, the best of their fruits for him in this life and the hereafter.
A studious study or at least an intelligent perusal of these notes, will help the Non-Shi’a readers to know the strict Qur’anic Purity of the Faith and the sublime nature of the doctrines.
The Other Notes In The Introduction
Brief notes on a few topics are given for use of our brethren for their own general information, as well as to dispel the doubts created in the minds of the public through malicious propaganda against Shi’ism which is nothing but the Original Qur’anic Islam; to show how each and every article of the faith as well as its practice is based strictly on the Word of God and pure reasoning.
Similar, notes on the other general topics, particularly of the Shi’a Ethics are also desirable, but neither time nor the exigency at present, permit it. If Allah wills, the Revised Edition will contain further information.
It is repeatedly declared that the notes particularly on the side of the practice of the faith are only the Bare Skeleton of the fundamentals and not the whole with all the necessary details for which, the reader should and must refer to Fiqh for the other details about each of the articles.
