Zaidi fundemetals

[Ali bin Hussein]

I've been asked a few times on this forumn about Zaidi fundamentals so hopefully this will.answer a few questions inshallah.

Translation of Bab Ma’rifat al-Usūl from Al-Muntakhab

By Imam al-Hādi ila al-Haqq Yahya bin al-Hussein

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious…
Amongst the first questions that were asked to the imam was:
“O Imam, may Allah be pleased with you, what do you say is the first thing that Allah makes religiously compulsory upon His slaves?
He replied: “The first thing that Allah makes religiously compulsory upon His slaves is Gnosis of Him

“What is the foundation of Gnosis?”
“The foundation of the Gnosis of Allah is His Divine Oneness (at-Tawhīd).”
“What is the perfection of the Gnosis of Divine Oneness?”
“It is to negate all of the attributes of likeness from Him.”
“Could you elucidate for me with a short, simple statement how does one negate the attributes of likeness from
Allah?”
“Yes, insha-Allah. Know, may Allah be merciful to you, that He cannot be imagined by the imaginers. Nor can they liken Him by their minds with any similarity to the Divine Essence of Allah except that Allah differs from what they
imagine and liken Him to. The Witness to this as well as the proof of this is the statement of Allah, the Blessed and
Exalted: {He is unlike anything. He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing} (Q. 42:11). If one understands this, this would
be sufficient.”
“Then, what is after this?”
”It is that you know that He is All-Just in all of His actions.”
“Then, what is after this?”
“It is that you know that He does not differ in His Divine Promises and Divine Threats. These terms makes it
evident to you as a proof for Gnosis of your Lord. Understand and contemplate it.”
“I have understood this. What is after that?”
“It is gnosis of the establishment of Prophethood and from where it was established"
“Could you elucidate that for me?”
“Know that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, created creation and placed intellect in them as a proof for or against them. He placed it in them and demonstrated it in them by means of the effects of His creation and what He created. However, it was not possible for Him to demonstrate to them His desire to command or prohibit them by this. This is because this demonstration is not amongst His attributes. Therefore, creation is in need of a means of demonstrating to them what Allah desires from them. This is why Allah makes it known that it is a proof for creation. This is so that it makes it necessary to convey to them and establish rulings upon them. This was by means of sending the prophets as a proof to them. If He had not sent the prophets, creation would have a proof against Him. It is as Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says in a way to repudiate the repudiators and to respond to the critics: {…so that men will not have an argument against Allah after the Messengers…} (Q. 4:165). Also, so that they may not say: {“…There has not come to us a bringer of good news or a bringer of warning!”} (Q. 5:19). Therefore, Allah sent His Messengers as a proof against His creation. They were to teach His creation what they needed, and it was necessary that they be from amongst them. This should be sufficient for you.”
“I have understood the establishment of Prophethood. What is after that?”
“It is gnosis of the establishment of the Imamate, as well as the statements concerning it and from where the
Imamate is established.

“Could you elucidate for me with a short, simple statement until I understand?”

“The answer to that can be found in what preceded. It is that Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, created creation and placed in them intellect. However, He did not demonstrate His Will to them. Creation is in need of a means of

demonstrating His Will to them. Therefore, He sent Messengers to them as a proof. Then, after the Messenger is the imam who takes the place of the Messenger once the Messengership is
finalized. He is not ignorant of any of the [the Messenger‟s] actions and rulings. The one who was after the
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, and has these characteristics is the imam.
The whole Muhammadan Community (al-ummah) can bear witness from the narrated reports that no one after the
Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, embodied these characteristics except Amīr al-Muminīn, „Ali bin Abi Ťālib may Allah be pleased with him.”
“How did the whole Muhammadan Community bear witness to that regarding Ali?”
“They all collectively narrate that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said to his
Companions: ((The most expert amongst you regarding the Qur‟ān is Ubayy. The most expert amongst you
regarding the laws of distribution is Zayd. The most expert amongst you regarding judgments is Ali)). The knowledge of judgments encompasses the Qurān, distribution laws, and all other laws.
They all collectively narrate that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said: (('Ali
is to me as Aaron was to Moses, except that there will be no prophet after me)). By his statement, he, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, demonstrated that Ali was his successor in all of his affairs just as Aaron was Moses successor in all of his affairs.
They all collectively agree that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, formed
brotherhoods between the Muslims. He formed a fraternal connection between Abu Bakr and Umar, Uthmān and Abdur-Rahmān bin Awf, Talha and az-Zubayr, Sa‟d and Sa‟īd, and others amongst the Muslims. Ali then said: "O Messenger of Allah, you have formed brotherhoods between the Muslims but left me?‟ The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said to him: ((O Ali, are you not pleased to be my brother?)) Then, he made Ali his brother. Similarly, Kādih bin Ja‟far narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny,
said: ((O Ali, you are my brother and intimate in Paradise)).
All of that from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, is a proof for Ali. This is because he was the imam after him. So,
understand.
Similarly, he, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, indicated that concerning al-Hassan and
al-Hussein by his statement: ((They are the masters of the youths of Paradise, but their father is greater than them.
The Mahdi is from their descendants)). He also said to Fātima during his illness in a long hadīth: ((By He in whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the Mahdi of this community is from us)). All of this from Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, proves that the Imamate belongs to the Ahl al-Bayt, the children of Fātima.
We have elucidated and explained that the Imam is from the children of Fātima. He must be willing to
sacrifice himself, unsheathe his sword, call to the Book of his Lord, be strong in Allah, be trustworthy regarding the rulings and resources of Allah, and be scrupulous regarding his religion. This is how the Imamate is known, so understand.”
“Then, what is after that?”
“It is the research and examination concerning the lawful and unlawful in all of the religion.”

[MaisumAli]

I think this is much needed, because many Imami Shias like me have no clue as to what Zaidism is, plus we share many common views

But Br. @Warilla , what are Twelver Shias like me considered as in Zaidism? Are we Muslim? Because it is popular belief that the Imami Shias(know as the Rafidah before) abandoned Zayd( While I reject this story) what is the Zaydi position on the current day Rafidah?

[Ali bin Hussein]

14 minutes ago, MaisumAli said:

I think this is much needed, because many Imami Shias like me have no clue as to what Zaidism is, plus we share many common views

But Br. @Warilla , what are Twelver Shias like me considered as in Zaidism? Are we Muslim? Because it is popular belief that the Imami Shias(know as the Rafidah before) abandoned Zayd( While I reject this story) what is the Zaydi position on the current day Rafidah?

From what I've read in zaidi text takfir is only done on certain Sufi groups who say Allah is in everything etc.

12er are considered muslim and considered Shia of Ali. But we have major theological differences regarding imamat. But we are very close in our understanding of Tawheed, and concepts such as creation of Qur'an etc.

From my understanding Sunni and 12er are seen as miguided but zaidi scholars seem to be more harsh towards 12er due to the feeling they follow people who lied upon Ahlulbayt an had ghuluw amongst them.

All in all though Zaidi tend to assimilate within Sunni communities without much fuss.

 

The term rafida was coined by Imam Zaid in Sunni sources. 

There is no current Imam so hard to say what the official position in modern times is. But I do know the houthis and Iran have a good relationship.

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Warilla

[feefee_xx]

Thank you for the information. I have a question.

Which books do Zaidis take their hadith/sunna from - Shia or sunni or both, or do they have their own books?

[Ali bin Hussein]

1 hour ago, feefee_xx said:

Thank you for the information. I have a question.

Which books do Zaidis take their hadith/sunna from - Shia or sunni or both, or do they have their own books?

They have their own albeit small hadith collections. 

But they often quote Sunni hadiths in general books for the purpose of educating the masses.

Edited November 28, 2020 by Warilla