I don't know what I am anymore...

[seekingthebeloved]

 

Once upon a time I used to be quite strong in my beliefs but as the years have gone on, meeting new people and having new discussions has left me lost and aimless in terms of the 'path' that I follow. Of course I am Muslim - in that I believe in Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì, his Prophets (pbut), his angels and the Holy Book. However as of late I have really been struggling to find my feet either in the shia thought of school or sunni (originally raised as a shia) - there are some aspects which just don't sit right with me and I can feel my heart reject it - but then I worry that the truth is merely being rejected as a result of my own unworthiness. I fear for my afterlife as I know there are certain elements within shia'ism that, should you not adhere to, will cause you grief in the next world i.e. belief in Imam Mahdi. 

My heart feels heavy, confused and lost. I want to find the truth but I feel whenever I try to it's as if I am knocking my head on a wall. Does anyone have any advice or ever been in a similar situation?

[Faruk]

Wa alaykum Salam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

Congratulations! Your mind starts to work!

Yes I was in a simmilar situation,

If you'd ask me Shia Islam in its core essence is right while Sunni Islam is not.

Because Sunni Islam amputated the Aale Muhammad a.s. from Muhammad s.a.w.a.s. while in salawat it is clear that they are of a rank right after Muhammad s.a.w.a.s. and higher than the Sahaba. Not those that became Sahaba after Fath Mecca but the real Sahaba. The Muhajirin and Ansar.

Yet Shia Islam incorporated and added some elements throughout the centuries that are not islamic.

What you have to do is to do a research to find out what is added and incorporated and you do that with the Holy Quran, reason and by studying early islamic history (untill the Abbasid era) as well.

From now on everything you will believe in is truly your belief and no blind following.

May Allah guide you along the way

Gr. Ibrahim

 

[Panzerwaffe]

Islam is not binary Shia or sunni

[S.M.H.A.]

As a Lay person, I am not educated enough to understand the Terminology, as its interpretation may be subject to time/age/ culture and others factors.

So, I like to understand things in a simple way.

People  who Worship the Lord of The Seal of the Prophets Muhammad(Peace be upon him and hi spure progeny) and Amir al-Muminin(Commander of the Faithful), Imam al-Muttaqeen(Leader of the Pious), Hujjah of Allah(awj)(Proof of Allah(awj), Mawla Ali ibn Abi Talib(as).

People  who worship the Lord of others than the ones described above.

*****

Second, Wilayat protects the concept Prophet and Tawheed.

There may be some kind of reverse engineering going on, Demolish the belief in Wilayat, you can move on to Prophethood and Tawheed.

Before looking at the Technicalities of belief in the Imam of our Age.

Book says:

 

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ {3}

[Pickthal 2:3] Who believe in the Unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them;

 

Information the book contains about the Kingdom and scope of Prophet Sulaiman. Surah Maryam- what it says about Prophet Isa(as), Surah Al Kahf.

 

There are descriptions of a person in the belly of a large fish, people who slept for hundreds of years, the She camel, parting of the Sea/river, authority over Jinn, movement of material objects in a blink of an eye from far away distances, Physical ascenion(Miraj) …….entity that misguides with life since Prophet Adam(as) and still continues till the day appointed. Prophet Isa (as) raised Alive-, Angels appearing in physical forms(Surah Maryam) .T0 name a few. 

If someone's believes in the Book of the Lord of The Seal of the Prophets Muhammad(Peace be upon him and hi spure progeny) and Amir al-Muminin(Commander of the Faithful), Imam al-Muttaqeen(Leader of the Pious), Hujjah of Allah(awj)(Proof of Allah(awj), Mawla Ali ibn Abi Talib(as). Technical issues regarding existence the Imam of our time are all based in the Book.

Unless we think, Allah(awj) the  Lord of The Seal of the Prophets Muhammad(Peace be upon him and his pure progeny) and Amir al-Muminin(Commander of the Faithful), Imam al-Muttaqeen(Leader of the Pious), Hujjah of Allah(awj)(Proof of Allah(awj), Mawla Ali ibn Abi Talib(as) justs wants to entertain us and these were not put in that Book for us to ponder/reflect on to understand Concepts.

 

If the belief in the Imam of our age is demolished- the next step is the Book of the lord of

The Seal of the Prophets Muhammad(Peace be upon him and hi spure progeny) and Amir al-Muminin(Commander of the Faithful), Imam al-Muttaqeen(Leader of the Pious), Hujjah of Allah(awj)(Proof of Allah(awj), Mawla Ali ibn Abi Talib(as).

Same arguments can be used to say all this that is written does not make sense based on our understanding. It may be fairytale or forged-

Does this mean a person needs to believe in the Imam of our age. Am I using it to justify the belief. At this point I am pointing to a broader issue which we are just starting to see the initial stages of this virus.

Review:

Hadith al-Silsilah al-Dhahab (Hadith of the Golden Chain) is a hadith narrated from Imam Ali al-Ridha(as)

[guest051217]

Why not take the Litmus test, and compare the concept of Tawheed between the madhabs? [I know the ashari' do not fall into this, but the ahadith are what is the problem]:

 

Contention one: Can we see Allah swt, comprehend him or limit him in our knowledge?

 

Bukhari

9.530:

The Prophet said, "You will definitely see your Lord with your own eyes."

9.531:

Allah’s Apostle came out to us on the night of the full moon and said, "You will see your Lord on the Day of Resurrection as you see this (full moon) and you will have no difficulty in seeing Him."

 

Al Kafi

H 261, Ch. 9, h 10- Graded SAHIH by Alama Majlisi

"I asked Imam abul Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), about Allah if He can be described (defined in words). The Imam (a.s.) said, "Have you not read the Quran?" I replied, "Yes, I do read the Quran." He then said, "Have you not read the words of Allah, the Most High, "No mortal eyes can see Him, but He can see all eyes. He is All-kind and All-aware." (6:103) I replied, "Yes, I have read them." The Imam (a.s.) said, "Do they know the meaning of the eyes?" I replied, "Yes, they do." The Imam (a.s.) said, "What is it?" I replied, " It means seeing with the eyes." Then the Imam said, the Awham(mentioned above) of the heart is far greater comprehensive in knowledge than eye-witnessing. It is not able to comprehend Him but He comprehends all things.

 

(One paragraph taken from the hadith) H 253, Ch. 9, h 2  Graded SAHIH by Alama Majlisi

The Imam said, "How can a person who brought such messages to all creatures and told them

that he has brought such messages from Allah and called them to Allah by His commands and said, "The eyes can not comprehend Him." (6:103) "They can not limit Him through their knowledge." (20:110) "There is nothing similar to Him." (42:11), then he would say, "I saw Him with my own eyes? I did limit Him in my knowledge and that He is similar to a man? Should you not be ashamed of yourselves? Even the atheist have not said that the Prophet first brought one thing from Allah and then announced from Him other things contrary to the first."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contention two- Does Allah change states, or undergo change?

 

Bukhari:

"...What keeps you here when all the people have gone?' They will say, 'We parted with them (in the world) when we were in greater need of them than we are today, we heard the call of one proclaiming, 'Let every nation follow what they used to worship,' and now we are waiting for our Lord.' Then the Almighty will come to them in a shape other than the one which they saw the first time, and He will say, 'I am your Lord,' and they will say, 'You are not our Lord.' And none will speak: to Him then but the Prophets, and then it will be said to them, 'Do you know any sign by which you can recognize Him?' They will say. 'The Shin,' and so Allah will then uncover His Shin whereupon every believer will prostrate before Him and there will remain those who used to prostrate before Him just for showing off and for gaining good reputation..."

 

Al Kafi

H 313, Ch. 16, h 4 – Graded Sahih by Alama Majlisi

The Imam said, "There is nothing in the universe, but that is subject to annihilation, alteration, change, decay, transition from one color to another, from one shape to another and from one quality to another. They increase, decrease and change from decrease to increase, except He, Who is the Lord of the worlds. He alone is eternal and in one state. He is the first, before every thing and the last eternally. His attributes and names do not change as they do in the case of others. A man at one time is dust, at other time flesh and blood, then turns into decaying bones and finally becomes dust. A piece of date  at one time is raw, at another time ripe, mature and then it dries up. With every change, the names and attributes also change. Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious is different from all such things."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contention three: Does Allah swt have a form?

 

Bukhari:

"...What keeps you here when all the people have gone?' They will say, 'We parted with them (in the world) when we were in greater need of them than we are today, we heard the call of one proclaiming, 'Let every nation follow what they used to worship,' and now we are waiting for our Lord.' Then the Almighty will come to them in a shape other than the one which they saw the first time, and He will say, 'I am your Lord,' and they will say, 'You are not our Lord.' And none will speak: to Him then but the Prophets, and then it will be said to them, 'Do you know any sign by which you can recognize Him?' They will say. 'The Shin,' and so Allah will then uncover His Shin whereupon every believer will prostrate before Him and there will remain those who used to prostrate before Him just for showing off and for gaining good reputation..."

 

 

Al Kafi:

Graded Muwathaq
He said: I said to Abu `Abdillah عليه السلام: I heard Hisham b. al-Hakam narrate from you that Allah has a body, supported by light, His recognition is necessary and He bestows this [knowledge] upon whom He wills from the creation. So he عليه السلام said: Glorified be He, whom no one knows how He is except Himself. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing. He cannot be limited, nor can He be felt, nor can He be moved, nor can He be comprehended [by sight, nor by] the senses, nor can He be contained in anything, nor does He have a body, nor does He have a form, nor a figure, nor a confine. (al-Kafi, Volume 1, hadith 278)

 

 

 

 

Contention : Does Allah swt move position?

 

Bukhari:

1145( Abu Hurairah)

“The Lord (Allah swt) descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’”

 

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh, Graded sahih by alama majlisi

 ‘O son of the Messenger of Allāh, what do you say about the ḥadīth which the people narrate from the Messenger of Allāh, that he said: ‘Allāh descends in every night of Friday (i.e. Thursday night) to the earth’s heavens’’.

He said: ‘May Allāh curse (la`na) those who distort the words from its place, by Allāh, the Messenger of Allāh has not said that! Verily, he said: ‘Allāh) sends down an angel to the earth’s heavens in the last third of every night, and the first part of the night of Friday (i.e. Thursday night). And He commands him to call, ‘Are there any (who) asks, so that I can grant him?’; ‘Are there any repenters that I should forgive him?’;..."

 

[Reza]

Does the chain of infallible, God-willed leadership on Earth exist from Adam to the end, or is it prematurely broken by whim? 

That's all it ultimately comes down to.

[S.M.H.A.]

Quote

The Divine Light endowed in Abraham was bifurcated and passed into the two channels of the seed of Abraham viz., Ishmael and Isaac. Through Isaac, it passed on till Jesus, and through Ishmael it descended down to Abdul Muttalib and after Abdul Muttalib it was again bifurcated into the two channels, Abdullah and Abu-Talib, and again it was bifurcated into the two channels of the seed of Ali and Fatimah into Hasan and Husayn, Hasan destined to be the Second Holy Imam and Husayn to be the Third one and also the King of Martyrs.

From Husayn, it passed on to the Nine Holy Imams in his seed until the Twelfth or the Last one in the line of the Imamat, i.e., Muhammad al-Mahdi, who is kept alive to re-appear before the end of the world. As Jesus the last one in the seed of Abraham through Isaac is kept alive, this Holy Imam, the last one in the seed of Abraham through Ishmael, is also kept alive, and both these two manifestations of the Divine Light endowed in the seed of Abraham will meet before the end of the world, to fulfil the divine plan of cleaning the earth of falsehood once for all, and establishing peace and harmony on it, in the place of aggression, iniquity, enmity and hatred which will be ruling the earth prior to their Final advent, and this will be the conclusion of the world

https://www.al-islam.org/husayn-saviour-islam-sv-mir-ahmad-ali/darkened-earth#immediate-or-nearest-ancestry-muhammad-promised-prophet-comforter-spirit-truth-holy-ghost

[S.M.H.A.]

Allah(awj) did not just tell us stories to amuse us. Ponder/Reflect on what's in the book-Gave intellect to connect the dots.

Prophet Isa(as)[ Jesus] the last one in the seed of Abraham through Isaac is kept alive.

Qur'an about Prophet Isa(as).

 

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ ۖ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَنْ كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا {29}

[Pickthal 19:29] Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy?

قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا {30}

[Pickthal 19:30] He spake: Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He hath given me the Scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet,

وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُ وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا {31}

[Pickthal 19:31] And hath made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive,

 

وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنِّي قَدْ جِئْتُكُمْ بِآيَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ ۖ أَنِّي أَخْلُقُ لَكُمْ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ فَأَنْفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَأُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ {49}

[Pickthal 3:49] And will make him a messenger unto the Children of Israel, (saying): Lo! I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by Allah's leave. I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah's leave. And I announce unto you what ye eat and what ye store up in your houses. Lo! herein verily is a portent for you, if ye are to be believers.

*****

 

 

[S.M.H.A.]

On 4/23/2017 at 0:53 PM, seekingthebeloved said:

i.e. belief in Imam Mahdi. 

 

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A section of my people will not cease fighting for the Truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection. He said: Jesus son of Mary would then descend and their (Muslims') commander would invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: No, some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you). This is the honour from Allah for this Ummah.

حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ شُجَاعٍ، وَهَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَحَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ - عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يُقَاتِلُونَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ ظَاهِرِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ - قَالَ - فَيَنْزِلُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَيَقُولُ أَمِيرُهُمْ تَعَالَ صَلِّ لَنَا ‏.‏ فَيَقُولُ لاَ ‏.‏ إِنَّ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ أُمَرَاءُ ‏.‏ تَكْرِمَةَ اللَّهِ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Reference : Sahih Muslim 156

In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 302

USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 1, Hadith 293

*****

Do you think if Prophet Isa(as) had appeared after Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him and his progeny):

Prophet Isa(as) would have prayed behind First, Second, Third rulers 

or 

Amir al-Muminin(Commander of the Faithful), Imam al-Muttaqeen(Leader of the Pious), Hujjah of Allah(awj)(Proof of Allah(awj), Mawla Ali ibn Abi Talib(as).

Second:

If Prophet Isa(as) were to appear today or in the future , Is the Son of Mary(as) praying behind whom? 

1) King of some Kingdom as the Muslim leader 2) Leader of some cult

or 

Son of Sayeda Fatima al Zahra(AS)?

[Student_of_Deen]

On 23/04/2017 at 10:23 PM, seekingthebeloved said:

My heart feels heavy, confused and lost. I want to find the truth but I feel whenever I try to it's as if I am knocking my head on a wall. Does anyone have any advice or ever been in a similar situation?

وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱهْتَدَوْا۟ زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَءَاتَىٰهُمْ تَقْوَىٰهُمْ

But as for those who follow guidance, He adds to their guidance, and bestows on them their Piety and Restraint (from evil). [Al Qu`ran 47:17]

The best thing you and all of us can do is to sincerely ask Allah for guidance. Allah has promised to guide those who sincerely rely on him and seek guidance from him and he never fails in his promise. 

[Student_of_Deen]

14 hours ago, QuranandAhlulbayt said:

Al Kafi

H 313, Ch. 16, h 4 – Graded Sahih by Alama Majlisi

The Imam said, "There is nothing in the universe, but that is subject to annihilation, alteration, change, decay, transition from one color to another, from one shape to another and from one quality to another. They increase, decrease and change from decrease to increase, except He, Who is the Lord of the worlds. He alone is eternal and in one state. He is the first, before every thing and the last eternally. His attributes and names do not change as they do in the case of others. A man at one time is dust, at other time flesh and blood, then turns into decaying bones and finally becomes dust. A piece of date  at one time is raw, at another time ripe, mature and then it dries up. With every change, the names and attributes also change. Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious is different from all such things."

But what about the conversation between Safwan al Jamal and Imam Jafar Sadiq recorded in Kamil Al Ziyarat ? When asked even you perform Ziyarat of Hussein ? Imam Sadiq replied: How could I not perform his Ziyarat when Allah himself goes to his Ziyarat every Friday evening, with the angels, prophets, successors.