Al-Hassan

There is no conspiracy or a vague pro-baathist splinter cell that initiated these recent protests as some are erroneously claiming. I lived and worked in Basra for a year and a half (2017-2018) and have witnessed enough corruption and a poor quality of life to confidently say that these protests are expected to be driven by ordinary people. This isn’t the first time a wave of protests like this occurred. In August 2018, similar demonstrations erupted in Basra, where the protesters had similar demands and eventually burned down the Basra governarate building. Iraqis are simply fed up with the failure of the post-2003 fragile government, to meet the basic needs of the people and reconcile the tensions between corrupted feuding political parties in Baghdad, which all led to a deteriorating economy. At the same time, there is also no doubt that external entities (eg. pro-baathists, ISIS ect.) could take advantage of these protests to serve their own agenda, this is expected in any major protest, uprising or revolution. Who remembers the 2011 Bahraini protests, where the peaceful Bahraini protestors called out on the deteriorated quality of live in Bahrain and everyone jumped to accuse them of being Iranians? Similarly, these protestors in Iraq, generally speaking, lack coordination and management from any political/religious entity. Moreover, Iran was quick to jump and accuse these protests as being driven by Israel and US and did not consider that such a hasty judgment could lose them support from Iraqi Shi’as. It’s understandable from Iran’s perspective to be concerned about breaking their ties with Iraq as it does not serve Iranian interests. But in reality, most of these protesters are Shias who go for Ziyarat in Iran and pray next to Iranian visitors in Karbala so it is also not in the interest of most Iraqis for a wall to be built between Iran and Iraq.

The concept of Allah’s Oneness is mentioned in the Qur'an but not all of His Names are mentioned. The rest of His Names along with His Attributes and other details are mentioned in the Hadith. Prophethood is mentioned but only a number of Prophets out of the 124000 are mentioned in the Qur'an and yet you still have to believe in all of them. Likewise for Imamah. Just because the names of the Ma’sumeen are not mentioned explicitly in the Qur'an does not negate their divinely appointed authority. The foundations of Imamah as a concept where only Allah appoints those who represent his Deen on Earth is mentioned throughout the Qur'an (eg. the story of Talut) and this suffices to declare it as a pillar of the religion. As for the name of the Imam, his attributes, the period of time that he will succeed his predecessor and other details are mentioned in the Hadith. MUHSIN KHAN - Say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of) the unseen of the heavens and the Earth. How clearly He sees, and hears (everything)! They have no Wali (Helper, Disposer of affairs, Protector, etc.) other than Him, and He makes none to share in His Decision and His Rule." [al-Kahf: 26] In the end, if you believe in the Mahdi, where both Sunnis and Shias agree on his divinely appointed authority, then you cannot deny Imamah because they are tied together. It is illogical and inconsistent with Allah’s Justice to believe that in the end of times Allah alone will appoint the Mahdi and at the same time allow the tribes of the Arab peninsula, that have been feuding with each other for centuries such as the Aws and the Khazaraj to leave the authority of the Deen in their hands after the departure of the Prophet and decide between themselves who gets to represent the Prophet.

I found this interesting. This is a chronicle that was written by a 7th century Bishop named Sebeos who lived in Byzantine a few decades after the Prophet: “Twelve peoples representing all the tribes of the Jews assembled at the city of Edessa. When they saw that the Persian troops had departed leaving the city in peace, they closed the gates and fortified themselves. They refused entry to troops of the Roman lordship. Thus Heraclius, emperor of the Byzantines, gave the order to besiege it. When the Jews realized that they could not militarily resist him, they promised to make peace. Opening the city gates, they went before him, and Heraclius ordered that they should go and stay in their own place. So they departed, taking the road through the desert to Tachkastan Arabia to the sons of Ishmael. The Jews called the Arabs to their aid and familiarized them with the relationship they had through the books of the Old Testament. Although the Arabs were convinced of their close relationship, they were unable to get a consensus from their multitude, for they were divided from each other by religion. In that period a certain one of them, a man of the sons of Ishmael named Mahmed, became prominent. A sermon about the Way of Truth, supposedly at God’s command, was revealed to them, and Mahmed taught them to recognize the God of Abraham, especially since he was informed and knowledgeable about Mosaic history. Because the command had come from on High, he ordered them all to assemble together and to unite in faith. Abandoning the reverence of vain things, they turned toward the living God, who had appeared to their father–Abraham. Mahmed legislated that they were not to eat carrion, not to drink wine, not to speak falsehoods, and not to commit adultery. He said: “God promised that country to Abraham and to his son after him, for eternity. And what had been promised was fulfilled during that time when God loved Israel. Now, however, you are the sons of Abraham, and God shall fulfill the promise made to Abraham and his son on you. Only love the God of Abraham, and go and take the country which God gave to your father Abraham. No one can successfully resist you in war, since God is with you." What is significant about this narration is that Sebeos never met the Prophet(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), the Imams(عليه السلام) or the Sahaba/Tabi’in and did not travel to Arabia. He never embraced Islam nor did he consider what he narrated as part of his beliefs other than writing what he heard for historical purposes. Therefore his testimony is arguably free from bias and most certainly becomes valuable when it correlates with Imami beliefs. Moreover, in the same narrations he states: “He said: “God promised that country to Abraham and to his son after him, for eternity...” This excerpt correlates with this Ayah: “And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. [ Allah ] said, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." [Abraham] said, "And of my descendants?" [ Allah ] said, "My covenant does not include the wrongdoers."”[al-Baqarah:124] Arguably Sebeos’s testimony has strong parallels with Imami theology. His mention of the country that God promised to Abraham for eternity could reflect the Imami belief on Wilayah where the Earth is inherited by the Ahlul Bayt until the day of resurrection and cannot remain without an Imam at any period of time. Also in Surat an-Nisa... “Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty? But we had already given the family of Abraham the Scripture and wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom.” [an-Nisa] Allah(سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) gave the family of Ibrahim the scriptures such as Qur'an and Torah. He also gave them knowledge and wisdom. It is established in most Islamic historical sources that the Imams were the most knowledgeable from the people of their time. Lastly, Allah states in this Ayah that he gave the family of Ibrahim “a great kingdom”. If this great kingdom will be held by the sons of Abraham for eternity as Sebeos narrated, could this mean that it is an affirmation of the divinely appointed authority of the 12th Imam? If not, then who from the sons of Abraham today holds authority to this great kingdom?

From the Messenger of Allah (saw), he said: "The Imams after me are twelve. The first one is 'Ali b. Abi Taleb (as) and the last of them is the Qa'im (as). The one who seeks nearness to them is a believer. And the one who rejects them is a disbeliever". [Kamal Aldeen, Hadith 4, Page 248] https://ia801708.us.archive.org/18/items/348783478349/kmal-aldin.pdf

Anas b. Malik*

I understand the point that you're trying to reach but there is also a greater context to this. One of the meanings of the word Sunnah in Arabic is 'teachings' and in the context of the aforementioned Hadith, it is the teachings of RasulAllah (saw), so the Hadiths are not entirely mutually exclusive or conflict with each other. Malik's report is not absolutely weak and I believe its more appropriate to rather say that the issue with it is that its vague or generic since it could be interpreted to mean that the "Sunnah" of the Prophet (saw) can be taken from anyone who met him, like Abu Hurayra or Malik b. Anas and other individuals whom are not recognized by Imamis, and not restricting it to the Ahlulbayt (as). The Prophet (saw) ordered the Muslims to follow the Ahlulbayt (as) because they are the most authentic source to reach his Sunnah.

Simply because loving the Ahlulbayt (as) out of words without absolutely following their teachings does not suffice in obeying the orders of the Prophet (saw). Both the Sunni and Imami school fundamentally believe that the Prophet (saw) before his demise ordered the Muslims to follow the Quran and his Sunnah, and that one will not separate from the other until the final hour, and we believe that the only gateway to the Sunnah is via the Ahlulbayt. The Ahlulbayt from all of the Sahabah, Tabi'in and Atba' at-Tabi'in are the only ones qualified to hold an authoritative position in teaching the Prophet's Sunnah to the Muslims and they hold this unique position based on their superiority in virtues, knowledge and piety as shown in this thread.

nasibi kafir

A man came to Imam 'Ali b. Musa al-Redha ع and asked him, "Is your God able to fit the heavens and the earth and everything within them inside an egg?" Imam al-Redha answered him: Yes, and smaller than an egg, he fitted them inside your pupil. Because when you open your eyes, they are encompassing the heavens, the earth and everything in them, and if he wished he would have blinded you from seeing them as well. [at-Tawheed] جاء رجل إلى الرضا عليه السلام فقال: هل يقدر ربك أن يجعل السماوات والأرض وما بينهما في بيضة؟ قال:نعم، وفي أصغر من البيضة، قد جعلها في عينك وهي أقل من البيضة، لأنك إذ افتحتها عاينت السماء والأرض وما بينهما، ولو شاء لأعماك عنها

يخويه تنادي ولا لك امعين وقومك على الغيره مطاعين أنا منين اجيب المرتضى منين عن كربلا بويه غبت وين تدري بأميّه تطلب بدين يطلبون ثار ابدّر وحنين هجموا فرد هجمة على حسين

I humbly ask that you pray by the right of Sayed al-Shuhada (pbuh) for me and my father who was recently laid off from work to find secure employment despite the current depressing state of the economy.

MUHSIN KHAN - Say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of) the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees, and hears (everything)! They have no Wali (Helper, Disposer of affairs, Protector, etc.) other than Him, and He makes none to share in His Decision and His Rule." [al-Kahf: 26] Allah's divine rule encompasses the authority of his Hujjaj on earth, whether it's the authority of the prophets or their successors (Khulafah). This includes the Khalifate of prophet Muhammad (saw) because based on Ahadith and Ayah 59 of Surat an-Nisa, the successor of the prophet is the Hujjah of Allah on earth and we must obey him just as we must obey the prophet and Allah. He inherits the authority of the prophet and acts as the representative of Allah on earth and judges only based on what Allah orders him and not via his fallible Ijtihad. This can only be an infallible person like the Prophet whom Allah Himself appoints on His behalf to govern the affairs of the people of his time.

Yes.