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In the Name of God بسم الله

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  • Basic Members
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AL-Salamu Alaykum va Rahmutalahi va Barakatu min Qarsherskiy. I am starting to have doubts and I believe Sunni Islam is the path of Haqq more and more. One thing is that we say "Ya Ali madad,'' which literally means "O, Ali, HELP ME," and the Sunnis in my area told me that it is Shirk because you cannot rely upon Imam Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) because he is dead now and only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) will answer your calls to prayer. I also have trouble believing the 12 imams are infallible and divine. Maybe Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) was the rightful successor but the 12 imams after Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) I don't believe are right. They brought esoteric influence into our faith and claimed to be divine. I also learned Iran used to be mostly Sunni until a past leader forcefully converted everyone to Akhbari Shi'a Islam and then after that Usulis crushed the Akhbaris and began creating Bid'a and doing Shirk with Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) as I previously mentioned. And then there are practices like Tatbir and Matan which leave me sore and injured and hurt and I ask "for what reason am I doing this? This cannot help what happened to Hussein (رضي الله عنه). in the past!" and I wish to stop doing that. Also, why do we have to use taqiyya if our faith is the truth? The prophet SAW prayed the 5 prayers during separate times except when making long journeys or when necessary such as when the Muslims were feeling lots of burden. And how can the Imams know every shred of knowledge in the universe?! That's just something I'll never understand from from my perspective, seems wack! Only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knows everything. And why do we have symbols of Shirk like Evil Eye and Hand of Fatima? Its Shirk. I shouldn't have to explain why! When I ask scholars they just say "If it has Quranic verses, it isn't Shirk," but then why not just use Quranic verses alone? Why eyes and hands and symbolism of esotericism? I can go on and on about my doubts against Shi'i sect. 

  • Veteran Member
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Your answers are all in these books:

Wahhabism, 2nd Edition Revised, Edited And Annotated

The Shia Rebuts

 

18. ‘Calling’ The Divine Personalities

One of the matters of disputes between the Wahhabis and other Islamic sects is the matter of pleading and calling the pious personalities and awliya’ Allah in the times of hardship and difficulties.

Pleading and asking help from the Prophets (S) and awliya’ Allah near their graves or otherwise is completely in vogue among the Islamic sects and they consider it neither to be shirk (polytheism) nor contradicting the Islamic foundations. On the other hand, the Wahhabis have strongly rejected such pleadings and for intimidating their opponents, they set forth some verses of Qur’an that are not having the least connection to what they claim and always raise the following verse as their slogan.

وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّـهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّـهِ أَحَدًا

The mosques belong to Allah; do not call anyone with Allah. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Jinn, 72:18)

For acquainting the respected readers with all such verses that are the greatest excuse in the hands of the Wahhabis, we shall present them here and then explain their contents. The Wahhabis prove their point by producing the afore-mentioned and the following verses.

لَهُ دَعْوَةُ الْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَيْ

To Him is due the true prayer; and those whom they pray to beside Allah give them no answer. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ra’d, 13:14)

وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَكُمْ وَلَا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَنْصُرُونَ

And those whom you call upon besides Him are not able to help you, nor can they help themselves. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:197)

وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ

And those whom you call upon besides Him do not control a straw. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Fatir, 35:13)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ

Surely those whom you call on besides Allah are in a state of subjugation like yourselves. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:194)

قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُم مِّن دُونِهِ فَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ كَشْفَ الضُّرِّ عَنكُمْ وَلَا تَحْوِيلًا

Say: Call on those whom you assert besides Him, so they shall not control the removal of distress from you nor (its) transference. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Isra’, 17:56)

أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ

Those whom they call upon, themselves seek the means of access to their Lord. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Isra’, 17:57)

وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ

And do not call besides Allah on that which can neither benefit you nor harm you. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Yunus, 10:106)

إِن تَدْعُوهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُوا دُعَاءَكُمْ

If you call on them they shall not hear your call. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Fatir, 35:14)

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

And who is in greater error than he who calls besides Allah upon those that will not answer him till the day of resurrection. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46:5)

The Wahhabis conclude from these verses that calling the awliya’ and virtuous people after their death is 'ibadah and their worship, and that anyone who says, “O Muhammad” either near his grave or from far off, this calling itself is 'ibadah and therefore an act of shirk (polytheism).

Kashf Al-'Irtiyab on page 274, citing Al-San’ani1, narrates from book Tanzih Al-I'tiqad2 as such:

وقد سمَّى الله الدعاء عبادة بقوله: ادعوني استجب لكم إن الذين يستكبرون عن عبادتي ، ومن هتف باسم نبي أو صالح بشئ أو قال اشفع لي إلى الله في حاجتي أو استشفع بك إلى الله في حاجتي أو نحو ذلك أو قال إقض دينى أو إشف مريضى أو نحو ذلك فقد دعا النبي والصالح والدعاء عبادة بل مُخّها فيكون قد بد غير الله وصار مشركاً إذ لا يُتمّ التوحيد إلا بتوحيده تعالى في الإلهية بإعتقاد أن لا خالق ولا رازق غيره العبادة بعدم عبادة غيره ولو ببعض العبادات وعُباد الأصنام إنما اشركوا لعدم توحيد الله في العبادة.

“The Holy Qur’an has unconditionally declared pleadings and callings towards someone other than Allah as 'ibadah; the reason being that in the beginning of verse, it says أدعوني أستجب لكم and following that it says:

يستكبرون عن عبادتي

Therefore, anyone who calls the Prophet (S) and or a pious person or asks to intercede for fulfilling his or her needs, or says “You help in repaying my debt”, or says “You cure my sickness”, then in these cases this person has, with such sayings, worshipped them because the reality of worship is nothing but calling someone. As a result of such calling, he has worshipped (someone) other than Allah and has become a polytheist since monotheism of divinity3 (i.e. there is no Creator and Sustainer except Allah) should be accompanied with monotheism of worship which means not worshipping anyone except Him.”

Reply

There is no doubt about this fact that the word of دُعا in Arabic means ‘to call’ and the term عبادات means ‘to worship’ and one can never reckon these two words to be synonymous to each other; and say that both give the same meaning. In other words, one cannot say that every call and plead is 'ibadah (worship) because: Firstly, in the Holy Qur’an, the word of دعوت (calling) has been used in instances where it does not give the meaning of ‘worship’ at all.

Like:

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا

He said: ‘O Lord! I called my nation (towards Thee) day and night’. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Nuh, 71:5)

Can we say that the intention of Nuh was to say “I worshipped my nation day and night!”?

The Qur'an quotes Satan as saying:

كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي

I did not have any authority upon you except that I called you (towards evil deeds) and you obliged. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Ibrahim, 14:22)

Is it possible for anyone to interpret Satan's calling to mean that he has worshipped his followers!? If it was an act of worship it was from the side of the followers of Satan and not from Satan himself.

In this verse and tens of other un-mentioned verses, the word of دعوت (calling) has not been used in the meaning of عبادات (worship). Therefore, one cannot say that دعوت and عبادات are synonymous to each other and based on this, conclude that if anyone seeks help and calls the Prophets or the virtuous people, he has worshipped them.4

Secondly, by دُعا in these verses is not meant as absolute calling but refers to some special calling which can be synonymous to the word of عبادات because, all these verses have come down with regard to the idol-worshippers who believed their idols to be small gods who were entrusted with some of the divine ranks and who possessed some kind of independence in their affairs.

Let it not be unsaid that humbleness and humility or any kind of utterance or behavior in front of a creature either as a big God or small god if it is with this intention that he is God, Lord, and the Owner of affairs like shafa'a and forgiveness, then it will be 'ibadah or worship. There is no doubt that the humility of the idol-worshippers and their pleading and calling were before those idols which they depicted as the owners of the right of intercession etc., and considered them as the independent authority in the affairs of this world and the Hereafter.

It is apparent that under these circumstances, any kind of pleading and calling towards these creatures is 'ibadah or worship. The most obvious witness to the fact that their pleadings and callings were accompanied with the belief in their divinity is this verse:

فَمَا أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ آلِهَتُهُمُ الَّتِي يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ

So their gods whom they called upon besides Allah did not avail them ought. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Hud, 11:101)

Therefore, the verses under discussion have no relation to the main point of our discussion.

The topic of our discussion is pleading of one slave to another slave who neither considers him as God nor Lord nor as the Owner and independent authority in the worldly and heavenly affairs. Rather, he reckons him to be a beloved servant of Allah who has appointed him to the position of Prophethood and Imamate and promised to accept his prayers with regards to His slaves. As verse says:

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا

And had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Apostle had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Nisa, 4:64)

Thirdly, in the aforementioned verses itself, there is a clear evidence that by دعوت is not meant absolute asking for one’s affairs and needs but refers to asking and calling in the sense of ‘ibadah and worship. For this reason, in one of the verses, the word of 'ibadah immediately follows the word of دعوت giving the same meaning. Like:

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ

And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you, surely those who are too proud for My service shall soon enter hell abased. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ghafir, 40:60)

Just as you must have noticed, in the beginning of the verse the word of ادعوني and following the same verse the word of عبادتي has come and this clearly shows that by this دعوت is meant some special pleading and beseeching before a creature whom they recognized by the divine qualities.

The master of the prostrators, Imam Zayn Al-'Abidin (a) says in his supplication as such:

فسميت دعاءك عبادة وتركه استكباراً وتوعَّدت على تركه دخول جهَّنهم داخرين

“Thou have named Thy calling as worship and its abandonment as pride and Thou have promised a miserable entry into the fire for those who abandon it.5

And sometimes in two verses where the contents are similar, we see in one place the word of عبادات and in another place the word of دعوت such as:

قُلْ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا

Say: Do you serve besides Allah that which does not control for you any harm, or any profit? (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Maida, 5:76)

In another verse it says:

قُلْ أَنَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنْفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا

Say: Shall we call on that besides Allah, which does not benefit us nor harm us. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-An’am, 6:71)

In Surah Al-Fatir, it says:

وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ

And those whom you call upon besides Him do not control a straw. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Fatir, 35:13)

In this verse, the word of تدعون is used whereas in another verse which contains the same contents the word of تعبدون is used.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا

Surely they whom you serve besides Allah do not control for you any sustenance. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ankabut, 29:17)

Sometimes, in one verse, both the words have appeared and has been used in the same meaning:

قُلْ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ

Say: I am forbidden to serve those whom you call upon besides Allah. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-An’am, 6:56)

قُلْ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ

Say, I am forbidden from worshipping those which you call them [i.e. worship them] (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ghafir, 40:66)

Respected readers are requested to refer to Al-Mu'jam Al-mufahras6 under the words عبد and دُعا so that they will witness as to how in on verse the word of عبادات has come and in another verse the word ofدعوت has come giving the same meaning. This itself shows that the meaning ofدعوت in this verse, is 'ibadah and worship and not absolute calling.

If you carefully pay attention to the whole set of verses wherein the word of دعوت has been used in the sense of عبادات you will realize that these verses either refer to the Great God of the Universe whom all the monotheist believe in His Divinity, Lordship and Mastership or refers to the idols where its worshippers considered them as small gods and masters of intercession. Under these circumstances, reasoning out with these verses for discussing aboutدعوت (calling) one of the awliya’ and beseeching one of them who doesn’t have any of these qualities is really astonishing.

  • 1. Muhammad ibn Isma'il Al-San'ani (1688-1768 A.D.) was a Yemeni Salafi scholar specialized in the Science of hadith.
  • 2. Tanzih Al-I'tiqad ‘an Al-Hulul wa Al-Itihad authored by Jalal Al-Din Al-Suyuti.
  • 3. Contrary to the terminology of the Wahhabis, Al-San'ani has used the word of "الوهى" whereas he should have, from their viewpoint, used the word of "ربوني"
  • 4. From the viewpoint of relationship, calling and worship (general and special) is in one direction. In case of asking help from someone other than Allah but as a doer depending on God, it shows calling and not worship. But in practical glorifications like ruku’ and sajdah which is accompanied with the belief in the divinity of the opposite person it denotes ‘worship’ and not دُعا. In some instances, such as salat, both دُعا and عبادات are applicable.
  • 5. Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya, supplication No. 45 and what is meant is Surah Al-Ghafir, no. 40, verse 60. Online at: https://www.al-islam.org/sahifa-al-kamilah-al-sajjadiyya-imam-ali-zayn-a...
  • 6. Al-Mu'jam Al-Mufahras li alfaz Al-Qur'an Al-Karim compiled by Muhammad Fu'ad ʿAbd Al-Baqi (1882 – 1968 A.D.) an Egyptian Islamic scholar.\

12. Seeking Help From The Spirits Of Awliya’ Allah

The most important issue with regards to seeking help from the Awliya’ Allah (the friends or beloved of Allah) is when they have died or so to say, living in another world, whether this act of seeking help is in the form of du'a (invocation) or asking for some extraordinary acts to be performed. This is because the Muslims of today are not in the presence of the Holy Prophet (S) or an Imam so that they can approach them and ask them to do something in their presence. Rather, most often, their questions and requests are put before the pure spirits of the Prophets and awliya’. For this reason, analyzing the Islamic decree with regards to these two situations is very important.

Investigation on this matter depends on the analytical study of four topics and by becoming fully aware of them, one can acknowledge the correctness of such imploration and beseeching. These four topics are:

1. Eternity of soul and spirit of man after death

2. The reality of man is his very soul and spirit

3. Relationship with the world of souls is possible

4. The authentic traditions which the Islamic traditionists have narrated bear witness to the genuineness of such implorations and the practice of the Muslims has been the same in all the ages. Now we shall describe each of these four topics.

1. Death Is Not Annihilation Of Man

The verses of Qur’an bear a clear witness to the fact that death is not the end of life but a window for a new life. By passing from this passage, man steps into a new life, a world completely new to him and much superior than this material world.

Those who take death to be the end of life and believe that with death, everything of man is finished and nothing remains of him except one lifeless body which (even that) after some time is changed to soil and destroyed, follow the philosophy of materialism.

Such a reflection shows that a person with such a view thinks life to be nothing but a part of material effects of the organs of body and the physical and chemical reactions of the brain and nerves and with the subsiding of the heat of body and stoppage of the cells from activity and production, the life of man comes to a halt and he turns into an inanimate object. Soul and spirit in this school of thought is nothing but reflection of materialism and its properties and with the nullification of these properties and domination of reciprocal effects of the organs of body over each other, the soul and spirit become completely void and there no longer remains anything by the name of spirit, its eternity and a world related to spirits.

Such a view about the soul and spirit of man is inspired by the principles of Materialism. In this school of thought, man is nothing more than a machine where he is formed from different tools and components and the reciprocal effects of those components give the power of thought and perception to the brain, and with the dispersion of these components the effects of thought, perception and in short, life gets completely destroyed at death.

The views of materialists about soul and spirit were completely discarded by the great philosophers of the world and the divine scholars. The theologians believe that apart from the material system of body, the nervous system and its reciprocal material reactions there exists for man, a real substance by the name of soul and spirit which remains with the body for some period and then cuts off its relation with the body and lives in a special world with a much more delicate body. The continuity of soul after the death of a person is not a matter which can be established and proved in these pages because today the eternity of soul and spirit has been proven by verses of Qur’an, precise philosophical reasoning and convincing spiritual experiences. We shall now narrate the verses of Qur’an that bear testimony to the matter of eternity of spirit after death.

Qur’an And Eternity Of Spirits

Verses of the Qur’an clearly indicate that the spirit continues to live after its separation from the body. For the sake of brevity, we bring here only the text of the verses and postpone its analysis for some other proper time.

وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ يُقْتَلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ

And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead, nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:154)

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead, nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Aale Imran, 3:169)

فَرِحِينَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ

Rejoicing in what Allah has given them out of His grace, and they rejoice for the sake of those who, (being left) behind them, have not yet joined them. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Aale Imran, 3:170)

يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ

They rejoice on account of favor from Allah and (His) grace. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Aale Imran, 3:171)

إِنِّي آمَنْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاسْمَعُونِ قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ ۖ قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ

Surely I believe in your Lord, there for hear me. It was said: Enter the garden. He said: O would that my people had known of that on account of which my Lord has forgiven me and made me of the honored ones! (Holy Qur’an, Surah Yasin, 36:25-27)

The Paradise which he is told to enter therein is the Paradise of barzakh and not of the Hereafter because he wishes that his people knew and were aware that God has forgiven and honored him. Such a wish is not compatible with the world of the Hereafter, where the curtains will be removed from the eyes of the people and their condition will not be hidden from each other. Rather such unawareness is befitting with this world where the people of this abode are unaware of the condition of the people living in another world (barzakh) and the verse of Qur’an bears witness to this fact.

Moreover, the next verse clarifies that after his death, when man is forgiven and he enters the Paradise, the light of his people's life will be extinguished by one heavenly cry. As verse says:

وَمَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ جُنْدٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا كُنَّا مُنْزِلِينَ إِنْ كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَامِدُونَ

And We did not send down upon his people after him any hosts from heaven, nor do We ever send down. It was naught but a single cry, and lo! They were still. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Yasin, 36:28-29)

From these two verses we come to know that after entering Paradise, his people were still living in this world till death suddenly overtook them and, this Paradise cannot be anything other than Paradise of barzakh.

النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا ۖ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ

The fire, they shall be brought before it (every) morning and evening and on the day when the hour shall come to pass: Make Firawn's people enter the severest chastisement. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ghafir, 40:46)

By paying attention to the contents of the two verses, the matter of continuity of life in the world of barzakh becomes clear and obvious because, before the approach of qiyama, the Fire will be presented to them morning and evening but after the qiyama they will be given the worst punishment.

If the later part of the verse ويوم تقوم الساعة was not there, then the beginning contents would not have been so clear. But by paying attention to the verse it becomes obvious that the objective is the same period of barzakh; otherwise the reciprocity of the two sentences would have been incorrect.

Moreover, the matter of morning and evening too bears witness that it does not refer to the world of the Hereafter since, mornings and evenings do not exist in that world.

So far, the first of the four topics has been made clear from the viewpoint of Qur’an. Now it’s time to refer to the second topic.

2. The Reality Of Man Is His Very Spirit

Man in the outset seems to be formed of body and spirit. However, the reality of man is his same spirit which is accompanied with the body.

We shall not discuss this matter from the view point of philosophy and at present we are not concerned with the Greek and Islamic philosophy. Rather we shall discuss this matter only from the viewpoint of Qur’an.

By examining the verses that have come down with regards to man, this fact can easily be seen that the reality of man is his very soul and spirit. Here, we shall ponder over the contents of this verse:

قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ

Say: The angel of death who is given charge of you shall cause you to die, and then to your Lord you shall be brought back. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Sajdah, 32:11)

Contrary to what we believe, the word of توفىّ does not mean ‘to cause to die’. Rather it means ‘to take’ or ‘to seize’.1

Therefore, the purpose of the sentence يتوفاكمً is: “He will seize you all”. When the reality of man is his very soul and spirit, the interpretation of the verse will be correct.

However, if the soul and spirit forms a portion of man’s personality and the other half is formed by his external body, then in such a case such an interpretation will not be permissible because the Angel of Death never seizes our external body. Rather, the body remains in its same condition and what the Angel seizes is only our soul.

The verses which clarify the reality of soul and spirit with regards to man are not confined to this verse and as an example; we content ourselves with one verse.

This fact that ‘the reality of man and center of his spiritual excellences is his very spirit and the body is (only) a covering which has been put over it’ becomes evidently clear by paying attention to the matter of eternity of spirit after death which was discussed in the first topic. Qur’an does not recognize death to be the annihilation of man and the end of his life.

Rather, it believes that life exists for the martyrs, the pious and the oppressors before the approach of qiyama, a life accompanied with joy and happiness, (or) accompanied with torment and punishment and if the reality of man is his fundamental body then, undoubtedly the body gets destroyed after a few days and changes to different elements and in such a case the matter of eternity of man or the life of barzakh becomes meaningless.

3. Qur’an And The Possibility Of Connection With Another World

Proving eternity of spirit is not enough for the purpose of recommending and proving (beseeching) to be useful. Rather, apart from its eternity, the possibility of establishing relationship with it should be proved from the viewpoint of reason and Qur’an.

We have talked about this matter in detail in the book ‘Originality of the Spirit’.

Here, we shall mention in brief, some of those verses which prove that the relationship of man continues with his past ones and is not yet disconnected.

A. Salih (A) Speaks With The Souls Of His People

فَعَقَرُوا النَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا يَا صَالِحُ ائْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

So they slew the she-camel and revolted against their Lord's commandment, and they said: O Salih! Bring us what you threatened us with, if you are one of the apostles. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:77)

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ

Then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:78)2

فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تُحِبُّونَ النَّاصِحِينَ

Then he turned away from them and said: O my people, I did certainly deliver to you the message of my lord, and I gave you advice, but you do not love those who give advice. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:79)

Pay careful attention to the contents of these three verses.

The first verse shows that when they were alive they demanded the punishment of Allah.

The second verse shows that the divine punishment overtook and destroyed each one of them.

The third verse shows that Salih (a) spoke to them after their death and destruction and said: “I presented you the divine messages but you disliked someone giving you advice.”

A clear witness to this fact that he spoke to them after their death are the following two points:

1. The order of verses in the aforementioned form.

2. The alphabet of فا in the word of فتولى which denotes an order. i.e. after their destruction, he turned towards them and spoke in such words.

The sentence of (ولكن لا تُحبون الناصحين) shows that they were so much sunk in obstinacy and wretchedness that even after death, they possessed wicked mentality so much so that they did not like people who gave advices and warnings.

The expression of Qur’an is in such manner that, he speaks to his peoples’ souls with sincerity and considers them as his audience, and reminds them of their permanent obstinacy which was present in them even after death and says: “Now too, you do not like an advisor.”

B. Shu'ayb (A) Speaks With The Souls Of The Deceased Ones

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ

Then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:91)

الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا شُعَيْبًا كَأَنْ لَمْ يَغْنَوْا فِيهَا ۚ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا شُعَيْبًا كَانُوا هُمُ الْخَاسِرِينَ

Those who called Shu'ayb a liar were as though they had never dwelt therein, those who called Shu'ayb a liar, they were the losers. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:92)

فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ آسَىٰ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ كَافِرِينَ

So he turned away from them and said: O my people! Certainly I delivered to you the messages of my Lord and I gave you good advice, how shall I then be sorry for an unbelieving people? (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:93)

The method of reasoning in this verse is the same as the verses related to Salih (a).

C. The Holy Prophet (S) Of Islam Speaks With The Souls Of Prophets

وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ

And ask those of Our Apostles whom We sent before you: Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Beneficent God? (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Zukhruf, 43:45)

This verse shows that the Prophet (S) can establish a connection from this very world with the prophets who live in another world till it becomes clear that the order of God in all the ages and to all the Prophets was not to worship anyone other than Allah.

D. Qur’an Sends Salutations Upon The Prophets

The Holy Qur’an has on occasions sent peace and salutations on Prophets and these salutations were not meaningless compliments or some kind of formalities.

Great! It is far from justice if we wish to put down the sublime meanings of the beloved Qur’an to the level that has taken the tinge of staleness. It is true that today, the materialists who do not believe in the validity of spirit, send in their speeches, peace and salutations upon their leaders and founders of this school of thought as a form of respect and honor. But is it fair that we put aside the sublime meanings of Qur’an which reveals facts and realities and bring them down to low level and say that all these salutations which Qur’an has sent upon the prophets (and we Muslims too recite them day and night) are just some dry and meaningless compliments? The Holy Qur’an says:

سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ نُوحٍ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ

1. Peace be upon Nuh, in the Universe. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:79)

سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ

2. Peace be upon Ibrahim. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:109)

سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ

3. Peace be upon Musa and Harun. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:120)

سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِلْ يَاسِينَ

4. Peace be upon Aal Yasin. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:130)

سَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ

5. Peace be upon the Messengers. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:181)

Salutations Upon The Holy Prophet (S) In The State Of Tashahhud

All the Muslims of the world irrespective of the differences which they have in the principles of jurisprudence address the glorious Messenger of Allah in the tashahhud of their salat every morning and night and say:

السلام عليك أيها النبيّ ورحمة الله وبركاته

The only thing is that the Shafi'ites and some others reckon this to be obligatory in tashahhud whereas other sects think it to be mustahab (recommendable). However all of them are unanimous in their opinion that the Holy Prophet (S) has taught the Muslims as such and the sunnah of the Prophet (S) remains the same during life and death.

If really our link and connection with the Holy Prophet (S) is cut-off and disconnected, then such a salutation and that too in the form of address (to the Prophet) is of what benefit?

The proofs of possibility of such connections and their occurrences are not confined to what we have said till now. Rather, we have other verses too in this regard which, for the sake of brevity, have not been discussed. For a more detailed discussion, interested readers can refer to the book of ‘Originality of spirit from the viewpoint of Qur’an’. In this book, a section of verses dealing with the topic are mentioned.

In the end, we remind you that the rationalization of salam in tashahhud was discussed due to its decisiveness among the verses.3

Conclusion Of Our Discussion

For the first point, it was proved that death is not the end of life and the destruction of man. Rather, it is a window for getting transferred to another world.

On the second point, it was clarified that the reality of man is his very soul and spirit and his body is a dress covering his spirit. And if his soul and spirit remain, then naturally his reality, personality and all the other abilities (not the type of ability which is related to the material body) too remain. Therefore, if in this world his soul had the power to pray and eulogize or had the ability to perform some extraordinary actions by the Will of God, his holy nafs possesses by the Will of God, the same power and ability in that world and except for those acts which require the material body, it is capable of performing all the other actions.

On the third point, it was proved that it is possible for the people of this world to have relationship with the people of the next world and that the holy spirits can hear our words and sayings.

By paying attention to these three points, the philosophical possibility of the matter is proved i.e. it has been proved that the awliya’ Allah can listen to our talks and also reply to them by the Will of Allah. However, whether such a thing is lawful from the viewpoint of Islamic regulations or not, will be discussed in the fourth point to which we shall now refer.

4. Muslims And Asking For The Fulfilment Of Their Needs From The Holy Spirits

Ibn Taymiyyah and his followers with their unusual trait of opinionated judgements, deny the fact that the companions of the Holy Prophet (S) and those after them had asked the Prophet (S) for their needs to be fulfilled. Regarding this matter they say:

ولم يكن أحد من سلف الأمة في عصر الصحابة ولا التابعين ولا تابعي التابعين يتخيرون الصلاة والدعاء عند قبور الأنبياء ويسألونهم ولا يستغيثون بهم لا في مغيبهم ولا عند قبورهم.

“No one from the past ummah either at the time of the Companions nor the period after the tabi'in (disciples of companions) have performed salat and du'a near the graves of prophets. Never has anyone asked anything from them nor has anyone beseeched them either in their absence or near their graves.”4

Perhaps a person unacquainted with the history of the Companions (of the Holy Prophet) and the tabi'in may imagine such an attribution to be true. However, referring to history will prove contrary to that. As an example, we narrate some instances:

أصاب الناس قحط في زمان عمر بن الخطاب فجاء رجل إلى قبر النبيّ فقال يا رسول الله استسق الله لأمتك فإنهم قد هلكوا فأتاه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وأله في المنام فقال: أنت عمر ، فاقرنه وأخبره إنهم مسقون.

“During the Caliphate of ‘Umar, when there was a famine, a person came near the grave of the Holy Prophet (S) and said: ‘O Prophet, ask water for your people as they are being destroyed.’ Thereafter the Holy Prophet (S) appeared in his dream and told him as such: ‘Go to ‘Umar and send salam upon him and, inform him that all will soon be satiated with water.’”5

A. Al-Samhudi continues as such:

ومحل الإستشهاد طلب الإستسقاء منه صلى الله عليه وأله وهو في البرزخ ودعاؤه لربه هذه الحالة غير ممتنع وعلمه بسؤال من يسأله قد ورد فلا مانع من سؤال الإستسقاء وغيره كما كان في الدنيا.

“This incident shows that though the Prophet (S) is in barzakh, one can ask him to pray for us. This matter is of no objection because he (i.e. the Prophet) is aware of the requests of the people. Thus there is no hindrance if one requests him to pray for us just as he was doing in this life.”6

B. Al-Samhudi narrates from Al-Hafiz Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad bin Musa bin Al-Nu'man with the chain of narrators ending in Ali bin Abi Talib (a) that three days had passed after the burial of the Holy Prophet (S) when an Arab from outside Medina came and sprinkled the soil of the Prophet's grave over his head and said:

يا رسول الله قلت فسمعنا قولك ووعيت عن الله سبحانه ما وعينا عنك ، وكان فيما انزل عليك (ولو أنهم إذ ظلموا أنفسهم جاؤك فاستغفروا الله...) وقد ظلمت وجئتك نستغفر لي

“O Prophet! you spoke and we listened to your sayings. You received from God what we received from you. Among those things which was revealed upon you is this particular verse. 'If among them anyone who has done injustice upon themselves comes to you and seeks forgiveness from Allah and you too seek forgiveness for them, then they will find Allah most -Merciful and Forgiving.' I have done injustice upon myself and I have come to you (so that) you seek forgiveness for me.”7

The writer of Wafa' Al-Wafa', at the end of chapter eight, narrates many incidents which show that pleading and asking for one's need from the Holy Prophet (S) has been the constant practice of the Muslims. He even mentions that Imam Muhammad bin Musa bin Al-Nu'man has written a book in this regard under the title of Misbah Al-Zalam fi Al-Mustaghithin bi Khayr Al-An’am fi Al-Yaqzah wa Al-Manam.

C. Muhammad bin Munkadar says:

“A man gave my father 80 dinars as a trust while he was leaving for jihad and said: “You may spend this money if you fall in need”. Incidentally due to high cost of living, my father utilized that money. Finally its owner came and demanded back his money. My father told him to come the next day and the same night my father went to the mosque and pointing to the grave and pulpit of the Prophet (S), he implored and pleaded till the early dawn. At that moment, a man appeared from the dark and said “O Aba Muhammad take this.” He gave a purse to my father which contained 80 dinars.” 8

D. Abu Bakr Al-Muqri says:

Hunger overtook Al-Tabarani, Abu Al-Sheikh and myself and we were close to the grave of the Holy Prophet (S). When night approached I went near the grave of the Prophet (S) and said:

يا رسول الله الجوع...

Moments later, a person from the Alawites entered the mosque with two young men and each of them was holding a bag full of food…. When we finished eating the 'Alawi man said.... "I saw the Holy Prophet (S) in my dream and he commanded me to bring food for you.”9

E. Ibn Al-Jallad says:

“Poverty-stricken, I entered Medina and went near the grave of the Holy Prophet (S) and said: O Prophet I am your guest. Suddenly I fell asleep and saw in my dream that the Holy Prophet (S) gave bread in my hands."10

Right now we are not concerned with the verity or inaccuracy of those incidents. Our point is that these incidents whether true or false prove that such an affair was a common one and if it was innovation or forbidden or polytheism and blasphemy than the fabrication and the enactors of such matters would not have narrated such matters which would lower them in the eyes of the people.

We have narrated in the book Asalat Al-Ruh (The Originality of Spirit)11 in the section of ‘Connection (with) Spirits’, traditions that prove the authenticity of asking the holy spirits to pray.

Here, we are bound to mention a few points:

1. In as much as these kinds of decrees and incidents are incompatible with the temperament of a group, they therefore declare all to be unknown without investigating into their references and narrations. Does such inadmissible denial bring harm to our reasoning?

Answer: Such an encounter with the historical events becomes the cause of interpolation of history because the number of these kinds of pleadings for fulfilment of needs is so numerous that one cannot consider all of them to be false and baseless. If someone intends to collect such narrations or stories he will be able to compile a thick book.

Now let us suppose that these stories and narrations are false and baseless. But these same baseless claims in the entire history inform us of one fact and it is as follows:

If these implorations and beseeching were unlawful, they would not have been fabricated and enacted such unlawful action in the form of honor and glorification as otherwise, their status would be lowered and they would be subject to the wrath and anger of the people.

The fabrication and enactors of tradition and history strive to fabricate and enact those things which suit the taste of the common people. If such an action was against Qur’an and Sunnah, then it would be considered as polytheism and 'ibadah by the Muslims and the fabricators would never have enacted them and lowered their status in the eyes of the people.

2. Seeking help from the holy spirits either in the form of request for du'a or in the form of fulfilling an action (Curing the sick, returning the lost one, etc.) is without any objection considering the four principles which we have discussed.

The thing which was in vogue among the Muslims at the time of seeking tawassul of the holy spirits was the very request for du'a or so to say, requesting the holy spirit of the Prophet to seek forgiveness for them from Allah and pleading for the fulfilment of their worldly and heavenly affairs. From the viewpoint of logic, request for fulfilment of actions like curing of the sick, freeing of the captive; solving of problems in life is the same as request for du'a.

3. By paying attention to the measure which we reminded you about 'ibadah, such requests and pleadings are never considered as 'ibadah of the holy spirits. This is because the person making the request neither believes in their divinity nor in their lordship and neither considers them as God nor as the one who manages the world or part of it. He also does not believe that some of the actions of God have been entrusted to them. Rather, they consider them to be the pure servants of Allah who have never committed the least offence in their worldly life.

By paying attention to the four basic facts, one cannot doubt their power and barzakhi ability in fulfilling the requests of the pleaders. They are living creatures and our relation with them is well established. The only point is that every action and affair either in the form of du’a or other than that it is dependent on the Will of Allah and they are clear evidence to:

وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّـهُ

…but you will not wish unless it is wished by Allah… (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Insan, 76:30 and Surah Al-Takwir, 81:29)

Just as in this world, 'Isa (a) could pray to God for goodness for someone or could cure by the Will of Allah, those who were born blind and those who suffered from leprosy, in the same manner, considering the fact that these powers and abilities are related to his soul and spirit and not his body, he can perform these same two actions (even) after his transfer to another world. However, in both the stages, the permission of Allah and His will is a necessary condition for receiving Grace through this channel.

4. Even though such humility and humbleness in connection to the inerrant leaders are apparently for paying attention to them, yet if we tear open the inner portion of this attentiveness and the tawassul, we will find which really is desired and demanded by God Himself. In reality, paying attention to the cause is like paying attention to the ‘Causer of the causes’ and those who are having a firm step in the matter of behavior and dealing with the people are aware and conscious of this reality with a conscious and enlightened heart.

Those who seek tawassul do not believe in the originality and independence of these causes and agents. Rather, they are means which God, the Causer has made them a channel and a route for receiving His Grace and Mercy and He, Himself, has ordered the believers for attaining as such. As verse says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Maida, 5:35)

If salat, fasting and all the divine duties are وسيلة means, then in the same manner, the pure du'a of Prophets and awliya’ too, by decree of the previous verse (verse related to asking for forgiveness), is وسيلة means and paying attention to these means is like paying attention to the Creator of these means and our action is in accordance to the command of the afore-mentioned verse.

  • 1. Allama Balaghi has presented his valuable research about the word of توفىّ in his introduction to Tafsir Aala Al-Rahman”, page 34.
  • 2. In some of the verses the cause of their destruction is said to be a heavenly cry (Surah Hud, no. 11, verse 6) and some other verses mention the cause as thunderbolt (Surah Fussilat, no. 41, verse 17). In these two verses, earthquake is mentioned and the total of verses is such that there was a severe cry along with thunderbolt and earthquake.
  • 3. Refer to the book of Tadhkirat Al-Fuqaha', vol. 3, page 232 and the book of Al-Khilaf by Sheikh Al-Tusi, vol.1 page 47. In this book, he has narrated tashahhud in various forms from ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab and 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud which all of them have such salam and the jurists of Ahl Al-Sunnah such as Abu Hanifa, Malik and Shafi'i have each taken one of these forms of tashahhud and given fatwa (verdict) upon them.
  • 4. Treatise of Al-Hadiyyat Al-Saniyya, page 162 (Egyptian edition).
  • 5. Wafa' Al-Wafa', vol. 2, page 1371.
  • 6. Ibid.
  • 7. Wafa' Al-Wafa', vol. 2, page 1361
  • 8. Wafa' Al-Wafa', vol. 2, page 1380 (Egyptian print). He has described example of these implorations till page 1385.
  • 9. Ibid.
  • 10. Wafa' Al-Wafa', vol. 2, page 1361.
  • 11. اصالت روح از نظر قرآن Asalat Al-Ruh az Nazare Qur’an (The Originality of Spirit from the viewpoint of Qur’an) by Ja’far Subhani. Published by Mo’assasa Imam Al-Sadiq, Qom, 1999.
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Posted
6 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

AL-Salamu Alaykum va Rahmutalahi va Barakatu min Qarsherskiy. I am starting to have doubts and I believe Sunni Islam is the path of Haqq more and more. One thing is that we say "Ya Ali madad,'' which literally means "O, Ali, HELP ME," and the Sunnis in my area told me that it is Shirk because you cannot rely upon Imam Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) because he is dead now and only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) will answer your calls to prayer. I also have trouble believing the 12 imams are infallible and divine. Maybe Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) was the rightful successor but the 12 imams after Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) I don't believe are right. They brought esoteric influence into our faith and claimed to be divine. I also learned Iran used to be mostly Sunni until a past leader forcefully converted everyone to Akhbari Shi'a Islam and then after that Usulis crushed the Akhbaris and began creating Bid'a and doing Shirk with Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) as I previously mentioned. And then there are practices like Tatbir and Matan which leave me sore and injured and hurt and I ask "for what reason am I doing this? This cannot help what happened to Hussein (رضي الله عنه). in the past!" and I wish to stop doing that. Also, why do we have to use taqiyya if our faith is the truth? The prophet SAW prayed the 5 prayers during separate times except when making long journeys or when necessary such as when the Muslims were feeling lots of burden. And how can the Imams know every shred of knowledge in the universe?! That's just something I'll never understand from from my perspective, seems wack! Only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knows everything. And why do we have symbols of Shirk like Evil Eye and Hand of Fatima? Its Shirk. I shouldn't have to explain why! When I ask scholars they just say "If it has Quranic verses, it isn't Shirk," but then why not just use Quranic verses alone? Why eyes and hands and symbolism of esotericism? I can go on and on about my doubts against Shi'i sect. 

Salam,

I doubt your are a Shia or objective muslim.  You should bring both sect justifications before putting your arguments.

  • Veteran Member
Posted
1 hour ago, layman said:

Salam,

I doubt your are a Shia or objective muslim.  You should bring both sect justifications before putting your arguments.

We have been getting many "guest" accounts who claim they are "shia" and keep bringing up the same subjects and they have been quiet lately. I wouldnt be surprised.. Many people are so lost, they try and misguide others by making it seem like a reoccurring issue when it isnt.

Guest Psychological Warfare
Posted
9 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

 I also have trouble believing the 12 imams are infallible and divine. Maybe Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) was the rightful successor but the 12 imams after Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) I don't believe are right.

Who is Imam Mahdi, ( The Mahdi , non shia believe in ) Will they , do a shura, or appoint him or elect him? If not, who appointed, and who announced this Imam Mahdi? (Who the non Shia believe will come ) . ???????

Guest Hello there
Posted
3 hours ago, layman said:

Salam,

I doubt your are a Shia or objective muslim.  You should bring both sect justifications before putting your arguments.

You cannot claim whether u think someone is shia or not

Guest Pure Tawheed
Posted
11 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

AL-Salamu Alaykum va Rahmutalahi va Barakatu min Qarsherskiy. I am starting to have doubts and I believe Sunni Islam is the path of Haqq more and more. One thing is that we say "Ya Ali madad,'' which literally means "O, Ali, HELP ME," and the Sunnis in my area told me that it is Shirk because you cannot rely upon Imam Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) because he is dead now and only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) will answer your calls to prayer. I also have trouble believing the 12 imams are infallible and divine. Maybe Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) was the rightful successor but the 12 imams after Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) I don't believe are right. They brought esoteric influence into our faith and claimed to be divine. I also learned Iran used to be mostly Sunni until a past leader forcefully converted everyone to Akhbari Shi'a Islam and then after that Usulis crushed the Akhbaris and began creating Bid'a and doing Shirk with Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) as I previously mentioned. And then there are practices like Tatbir and Matan which leave me sore and injured and hurt and I ask "for what reason am I doing this? This cannot help what happened to Hussein (رضي الله عنه). in the past!" and I wish to stop doing that. Also, why do we have to use taqiyya if our faith is the truth? The prophet SAW prayed the 5 prayers during separate times except when making long journeys or when necessary such as when the Muslims were feeling lots of burden. And how can the Imams know every shred of knowledge in the universe?! That's just something I'll never understand from from my perspective, seems wack! Only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knows everything. And why do we have symbols of Shirk like Evil Eye and Hand of Fatima? Its Shirk. I shouldn't have to explain why! When I ask scholars they just say "If it has Quranic verses, it isn't Shirk," but then why not just use Quranic verses alone? Why eyes and hands and symbolism of esotericism? I can go on and on about my doubts against Shi'i sect. 

In the name of Allah,

Bismillah.

The doubts you have, are those shared by many, even those silent. Let not the practice of some in the modern day, turn you away from the truth and haqq of the path of Muhammed and ale Muhammed [asws] as found in the true Mutawatir Ahadith from both Shias and Sunnis. It is strange to find our Madhab in the modern day and age, due to cultural additions and new ideas, go from what it was, as found in the true authentic teachings of Muhammed and ale Muhammed [asws].

Before we address your concerns, which of some i do share myself,  would you not agree, one must first follow what is clear, before following what is less clear? We must therefore start at Tawheed, and what greatest topic of Tawheed is there, than Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى)?

Say i want to become a Salafi. Are you aware that they believe Allah literally has hands, two feet, is in a physical space,  but they add the term his hands, feet, are not like ours. The Shia believe Allah is the creator of all things, he is the giver of forms, and himself has no form. He created time and space, and before space, there was no "where" , so we can not describe him by things he himself created. Thus, we find two completely different ideas of who Allah is, which in my view, if the litmus test of the right sect before we go beyond this:

Salafis/books of ahlus-Sunnah: Allah has feet, a shin, fingers,  ascends, descends, is limited to place and location.

Shia books: Allah is the giver of forms, has no form himself. Allah has no "where" he is not physically anywhere,  he is as he alway was, eternal and changeless. He has no subconstituent parts, nor does he require tools to do things i.e. eyes to see, hands to move or make. 

If you want to see the power of Tawheed, compare the statement of the Grandsons of Muhammed [asws] to that of Ibn Taymiyyah:https://shiaresponses.wordpress.com/2019/07/07/salafi-islam-allah-has-two-eyes-he-uses-to-see-out-of/ 

 

-------------

Now we have addressed this, the only thing we can now do, is to go by what has been mass transmitted by the Prophet [saw] such that, we can be satisfied that they are not unique fabrications of a paticular sect, or overzealous followers of a paticular sect. By this i mean, isolated Aahadith only one sect regards authentic that may well have just been a result of hadith factories and fabrications.

There are two main Ahadith here.

The first is, the Hadith of Thaqalayn: https://shiaresponses.wordpress.com/2019/07/01/hadith-al-thaqalayn-2/

The second is, the Hadith of Ghadir: https://shiaresponses.wordpress.com/ghadir-khumm-articles/

These are both Mutawattir , and the following is considered authentic by Matn and by Sanad:

 

حدثنا إبراهيم بن مرزوق قال : حدثنا أبو عامر العقدي قال : حدثنا كثير بن زيد، عن محمد بن عمر بن علي ، عن أبيه ، عن علي ، أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم حضر الشجرة بخم فخرج آخذا بيد علي فقال :يا أيها الناس، ألستم تشهدون أن الله عز وجل ربكم؟ قالوا: بلى، قال: ألستم تشهدون أن الله ورسوله أولى بكم من أنفسكم، وأن الله عز وجل ورسوله مولياكم؟ قالوا: بلى، قال: فمن كنت مولاه فإن هذا مولاه، أو قال: فإن عليا مولاه – شك ابن مرزوق – إني قد تركت فيكم ما إن أخذتم به لن تضلوا :كتاب الله سببه بأيديكم، وأهل بيتي.

Ibrahim b. Marzuq – Abu ‘Amir al-‘Aqadi – Kathir b. Zayd – Muhammad b. ‘Umar b. ‘Ali – his father – ‘Ali:

“Verily, the Prophet, peace be upon him, came to a tree at (Ghadir) Khumm.

Then he came out, holding the hand of ‘Ali, and saying: “O mankind! Do you not testify that Allah the Almighty is your Lord?”

They said, “Yes, we do.” He said, “Do you not testify that Allah and His Messenger are more entitled to you than yourselves and that Allah the Almighty and His Messenger are your Mawla?”

They said, “Yes, we do”. He said, “So, whosoever Allah and His Messenger are his Mawla, verily this one – or ‘Ali – is his mawla.

I have left behind over you that which if you hold fast to it you will never go astray: the Book of Allah – one end of which is in your hands – and my Ahl al-Bayt.”

al-Albani: إسناده حسن al-Arnaut: إسناده حسن

[Musnad ib Rahwayh (teacher of Imam al-Bukhari)] 

 

For any objections regarding the content, the chains of transmissions, i have written two articles which explore in complete depth every main counter argument - and i have linked them for you. Have a read of this first and foremost - follow what is clear from the Quran and the muttawatir Ahadith, before we then go onto the Khurafat/cultural modern day supersitions you do find among Shias.

Guest Pure Tawheed
Posted
4 hours ago, layman said:

Salam,

I doubt your are a Shia or objective muslim.  You should bring both sect justifications before putting your arguments.

Walaykumsalam dear brother.

In defence of the OP, we must employ Husnudhan, and benefit of the doubt. Suppose he is a Shia, and instead of sitting down with him and going through doubts, we have labelled him as not Shia, and he then goes to non-Shias and finds good counsel, wisdom , patience and understanding elsewhere?

Sufficient for us, when people come with doubts, is to sit with them and discuss matters, and rexamine - even for our ownselves - the evidence. 

Then, one follows follows only for their own benefit, one who denies denies only to their own detriment.  We enter the discussions with peace, and leave with peace and agreement to disagree peacefully without maligning the character or intentions of the other. 

Guest Pure Tawheed
Posted
11 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

AL-Salamu Alaykum va Rahmutalahi va Barakatu min Qarsherskiy. I am starting to have doubts and I believe Sunni Islam is the path of Haqq more and more. One thing is that we say "Ya Ali madad,'' which literally means "O, Ali, HELP ME," and the Sunnis in my area told me that it is Shirk because you cannot rely upon Imam Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) because he is dead now and only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) will answer your calls to prayer. 

Performing istigatha is not one of the fundamentals of Shia Islam. Not even those who promote making Dua to Ghair-Allah (other than Allah) themselves claim it is part of Shia Islam.

I don't make Dua to anyone other then the creator of the universe, the khaliq, the Raziq. His created slaves are the Prophets and Imams, and nearest to him, but they never once asked us to turn them into objects of worship and devotion. Dua is Ibadah and worship.  Imam Ali [as] himself told us to only call on Allah, to only make Dua to Allah, and he had given for us some beautiful Duas where we only call out to Allah. We exist to serve and worship Allah, and who better to rely on , a creation, or the creator in whose hands is the power to change destinty, the power and control over all things? 

This is a behaviour we modern day Shias have likely copied from Sunnis, paticularly the Hanafi-Ashari kind, i.e. Barelvis, and Malikis, and Sufi leaning types, who ask from Jilani etc. We weren't the first group to be doing this on a more mainstream popular level, and even Ibn Abdul Wahhab himself wrote his book first and foremost, against mainstream Sunnis because he felt at the time, a large bulk of those who were from the Ahlus-Sunnah were engaged with Shirk and Superstition.

Now, just like you find Ikhtilaaf among the Sunnis, there is also Ikhtilaaf among the Shias. 

Here are links from Shia Maraji' as well as some top Shia speakers (from Ayatullah al-Udhma, Sayed Muhammad Hussayn Fadallah (rh), Ay Muhammed Hussain Najafi , to Sh Yassir Awda, Sh Arif Hussain, Sayed Ammar Nakhswani, Sheikh Bramanhpoor,  Sheikh Hobollah) who preach that Dua is Ibadah, and to only call upon Allah:

I highly recommend going through these videos and these links. 

 

Sayed Muhammed Hussain Fadallah (رضي الله عنه) a Marji' and a student of Sayed Khoei.

Fatwah on website: https://english.bayynat.org.lb/faq/faq_yaali.htm

Video of the late scholar explaining his rational against calling out to Imam Ali for children or health or sustenance:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2qY84ei8nC0&list=PLtu4Nz3xrIML3BLuvrjoZ4LEdqIrficQF&index=4&pp=iAQB

 

Shaykh Najafi (Muhammed Hussain - Dhakku of Pakistan):

Fatwah/Video: https://youtu.be/py5zhtLHeiA

 

In terms of more contemporary speakers:

Shaykh Yassir Awdah, quoting the representative of Grand Marja' Ay.Khamanei: 

Video: https://youtu.be/IxEP8KMwov8

Sayed Ammar Nakhswani, explicitly saying not to make Dua to other than Allah:

VIdeo: https://youtu.be/5bwf1Q3Xdw0

Shayk Arif, head of the al-Mahdi institute, Birmingham, United Kingdom, dedicating an entire 10 part series on refuting the idea of Ghuluw/Tafweed/making Dua to other than Allah:

Video: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRcPfyWiWk8nJxK-QzaZe3vaOKnuxZK5D

 

There is also an excellent article by Sheikh Hobollah :  https://hobbollah.com/nonarabic/tawassul-and-istighatha-a-holistic-overview/

Guest Pure Tawheed
Posted
12 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

 And how can the Imams know every shred of knowledge in the universe?! That's just something I'll never understand from from my perspective, seems wack! Only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knows everything

They don't.

The blessed Aimmah at times, did not even know when their next meal would come from. They made Dua, as the slaves of Allah, in obidience, fear, and hope to the only true creator, and sustainer, Allah. As per the views of Shaykh Saduq, Mufid, Shaykh Tusi, it is not necessary for the Imams to have knowledge of all things, sciences etc. The Imams didn't know about quantumn physics, nor is there evidence they knew about marine biology, etc. It is possible we know far more science they did. Their job was to guide, and to preserve the Sunnah as the role models from the Family of the Prophet [saw] who God told us to follow, who had inherited knowledge and were the best role models of their time. 

The Muwaffidah, a more sophisticated form of the Ghulat, who didn't want to get the backlash of out and out claiming the Imams were God, instead said the Imams were created, but God gave them these things so they are not "independent". They then gave them attributes of creating with permission of Allah, delegating sustenance and having knowledge over everything except the date of the day of judgement. The Imams cursed people with this belief. Tafweed, and Wilayat Takwiniyah, are one and the same  as per  Shaykh Moderrasi, who wrote an excellent book, The Shia - Crisis and reform.  

From brother Islamic Salvation: https://shiiticstudies.com/2020/09/10/the-imams-against-the-ghulat/

 

These are from Rijal al Kashi:

 

حدثني الحسين بن الحسن بن بندار القمي، قال حدثني سعد بن عبد الله بن أبي خلف القمي، قال حدثني محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب و الحسن بن موسى، عن صفوان بن يحيى، عن عبد الله بن مسكان، قال، : دخل حجر بن زائدة و عامر بن جذاعة الأزدي على أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) فقالا جعلنا فداك، إن المفضل بن عمر يقول إنكم تقدرون أرزاق العباد فقال و الله ما يقدر أرزاقنا إلا الله و لقد احتجت إلى طعام لعيالي فضاق صدري و أبلغت إلى الفكرة في ذلك حتى أحرزت قوتهم فعندها طابت نفسي، لعنه الله و بري‏ء منه، قالا أ فتلعنه و تتبرأ منه قال نعم فالعناه و ابرأا منه بري‏ء الله و رسوله منه
 

587. Narrated to me al-Husayn bin al-Hasan bin Bundar al-Qummiy who said: narrated to me Sa’d bin Abdallah bin Abi Khalaf al-Qummiy who said: narrated to me Muhammad bin al-Husayn bin Abi al-Khattab AND al-Hasan bin Musa from Safwan bin Yahya from Abdallah bin Muskan who said: Hujr bin Zaida and A’mir bin Judha’ah al-Azdiy entered upon Abi Abdillah عليه السلام and said to him: may we be made your ransom, Mufadhal bin Umar says that you are the ones who allot the Rizq of the slaves, so he عليه السلام said: by Allah - none allots our Rizq except Allah, and I was in need of food for my family once, so my heart became constrained, and I became ponderous over what I was going to do, until their (i.e. my family members') strength drained (i.e. due to hunger), only then did my soul get pleased (i.e. my Dua for Rizq was answered), may Allah curse him and disassociate from him, so they both said to him: do you curse him and disassociate from him? He said: yes, so they also cursed him and disassociated from him. [the narrator adds of his own accord: may Allah and his messenger disassociate from him]

 

حمدويه، قال حدثنا يعقوب، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن شعيب، عن أبي بصير، قال : قلت لأبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) إنهم يقولون قال و ما يقولون قلت يقولون تعلم قطر المطر و عدد النجوم و ورق الشجر و وزن ما في البحر و عدد التراب، فرفع يده إلى السماء، و قال سبحان الله سبحان الله لا و الله ما يعلم هذا إلا الله
 

532. Hamdawayh who said: narrated to us Ya’qub from Ibn Abi Umayr from Shuayb from Abi Basir who said: I said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام – they do say, he said: and what do they say? I said: they say that you know the number of the drops in the rain, and the number of the stars, and the number of leaves in all the trees, and the weight of what is in the ocean, and the number of sand particles, so he عليه السلام raised his hand to the sky and said: praise be to Allah, praise be to Allah, no by Allah, no one knows this except for Allah.

 

 

Dont ababdon the truth of Shia Islam, due to modern day evolutions and Khurafat. Instead, join the fight, to revive al Islam, to bring Islah and reform to the Ummah of the grandfather of Imam al-Hussain [asws], the Ummah of Rasulullah [saw], and have your name written as among those who strived and struggled to revive the true teachings of ale Muhammed [asws].

Posted
18 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

the Sunnis in my area told me that it is Shirk because you cannot rely upon Imam Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) because he is dead

It appears that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) disagree with your Sunni friends:

ولا تقولوا لمن يقتل في سَبيل الله أمواتٌ بل أحياءٌ ولكن لا تشعرون

2:154) And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive.

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

3:169) Think not of those, who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living. With their Lord they have provision.

It also appears that you have a very limited knowhow of life & that is totally devoid of spirituality.

18 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

I also have trouble believing the 12 imams are infallible and divine.

Ohh, perhaps this is the result of "rijs" factor. Otherwise "ismah" is quite clear from Quran & Sunnah.

18 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

And then there are practices like Tatbir and Matan which leave me sore and injured and hurt and I ask "for what reason am I doing this?

Yes, tatbir and matam are among the articles of faith in Shia Islam. You must have a sword, chain & blades with you for being Shia :hahaha:

18 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

This cannot help what happened to Hussein (رضي الله عنه). in the past!" and I wish to stop doing that.

Who force you to do that? Or do you want others to stop doing that?

18 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

Also, why do we have to use taqiyya if our faith is the truth?

What is taqaiyya? And why Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) has praised the person who was hiding his faith?

وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مُؤْمِنٌ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَكْتُمُ إِيمَانَهُ

40:28) And a believing man of Firon's people who hid his faith 

Perhaps you think that this person was also doubtful about the truthfulness of his faith!

18 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

The prophet SAW prayed the 5 prayers during separate times except when making long journeys or when necessary such as when the Muslims were feeling lots of burden.

Isn't it sufficient that you have seen the permissibility of جمع صلاتين in this Sunnah of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)? 

 

18 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

And how can the Imams know every shred of knowledge in the universe?! That's just something I'll never understand from from my perspective, seems wack! Only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knows everything.

Only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knows and the protected book knows where He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) has written everything and the blessed One's knows who have access to that protected book. 

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ ۚ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ

36:12) Surely We give life to the dead, and We write down what they have sent before and their footprints, and We have recorded everything in Imamin Mubeen.

 قُلْ كَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ

13:43) Say: Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you and whoever has knowledge of the Book.

إِنَّهُ لَقُرْآنٌ كَرِيمٌ فِي كِتَابٍ مَكْنُونٍ لَا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ

56:76-78) Most surely it is an honored Quran. In a book that is protected. None shall touch it save the purified ones.

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

11:6) And there is no animal in the earth but on Allah is the sustenance of it, and He knows its resting place and its depository all (things) are in a manifest book.

وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الأَرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

6:59) And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures-- none knows them but He; and He knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything green nor dry but (it is all) in a clear book.

18 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

And why do we have symbols of Shirk like Evil Eye and Hand of Fatima? Its Shirk

If you worship "Ka'ba", it is shirk too. If you start worshipping the مسجد النبوي, it would become shirk too. But as long as you don't worship these stone built buildings, you are not committing any shirk. 

18 hours ago, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

I can go on and on about my doubts against Shi'i sect. 

I don't think you need to display your ignorance any further. We understood you as well as your points. We are dealing with the from quite some time. 

Doubt itself is mentioned as "rijs" in many sahih ahadith. And rijs cannot reach to the Ahlul Bayt عليهم السلام.

 

Posted
6 hours ago, Guest Pure Tawheed said:

The Imams didn't know about quantumn physics, nor is there evidence they knew about marine biology, etc. 

Actually you don't know about the knowledge of Imams and yet you are behaving like "square of ignorance", claiming a thing for which you have no information. Why don't you simply state that "you don't know whether they know about quantum physics or marine biology? 

تحسب أنك جرم صغير.. وفيك انطوى العالم الأكبر

The above are the words attributed to Imam Ali (عليه السلام). For you, he is using the word جرم الصغير without even knowing what is جرم and how minute could be the sphere of word صغير. 

The العالم الاكبر which he is pointing out inside of you, he was unaware of that العالم الاكبر. 

I don't know why you are here and who approve your posts. So in protest of this blasphemy done by you, I am quitting from Shia Chat. I will no longer post any comment here from now onwards. 

Wassalam!!

 

  • Veteran Member
Posted
8 hours ago, Guest Pure Tawheed said:

Walaykumsalam dear brother.

In defence of the OP, we must employ Husnudhan, and benefit of the doubt. Suppose he is a Shia, and instead of sitting down with him and going through doubts, we have labelled him as not Shia, and he then goes to non-Shias and finds good counsel, wisdom , patience and understanding elsewhere?

Sufficient for us, when people come with doubts, is to sit with them and discuss matters, and rexamine - even for our ownselves - the evidence. 

Then, one follows follows only for their own benefit, one who denies denies only to their own detriment.  We enter the discussions with peace, and leave with peace and agreement to disagree peacefully without maligning the character or intentions of the other. 

 

Shia Muslims hold a deep respect for Imams. In the SC forum, it is common practice for Shia individuals to add "alaihisalam" after mentioning an Imam's name. Conversely, non-Shia or Sunni individuals often use "radhiallahu" when referring to the Sahabah. I had some doubts about the credibility of the individual's statement due to what was written. Now, let's wait and see if @Based Qarsherskiyan will respond, or if this will be another instance where someone initiates a discussion on controversial topics but never follows up.

Regarding you, Bro, we've had many discussions in the SC forum, and we are aware of your beliefs. We recognize that there are significant differences in our beliefs, but we can engage in discussions while maintaining respect and courtesy. Ultimately, everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, and we should respect that.

  • Veteran Member
Posted (edited)
On 6/2/2023 at 9:41 PM, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

AL-Salamu Alaykum va Rahmutalahi va Barakatu min Qarsherskiy. I am starting to have doubts and I believe Sunni Islam is the path of Haqq more and more. 

Based Qarsherskiyan

Location: Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherski

The Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy is sending troops to the American  border to stop Qarsherskiyan counter-protesters from clashing with a group  of violent neo-Nazis protesting Qarsherskiy's ongoing Jihad Against  Neo-Nazism. Please avoid

This is the reality of this fake Shia possibly a wahabi account.

@Cool @Ethics

wasalam

 

Edited by Muslim2010
  • Veteran Member
Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, Muslim2010 said:

Based Qarsherskiyan

Location: Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherski

The Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy is sending troops to the American  border to stop Qarsherskiyan counter-protesters from clashing with a group  of violent neo-Nazis protesting Qarsherskiy's ongoing Jihad Against  Neo-Nazism. Please avoid

This is the reality of this fake Shia possibly a wahabi account.

@Cool @Ethics

wasalam

 

LOL! Allahu Akbar ! Interesting... I swear all these accounts is just one schizophrenic wahabi user trying to get attention. inshAllah I will make more posts on Sunni Islam tawassul and calling on others than Allah from their own books because this is not a new shia concept it has been sunnah amongst all muslims.

Edited by Ethics
  • Moderators
Posted
On 6/2/2023 at 6:41 PM, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

AL-Salamu Alaykum va Rahmutalahi va Barakatu

Wa alaikum as salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. 

Most of the points you mention don't have anything to do with the fundamentals of the religion nor of the madhab. 

-Istighatha: while this practice is tolerated by some scholars and discouraged by others, it certainly isn't a requirement. In fact the authentic supplications from the Ahlulbayt (عليه السلام) are free of this.

-Infallibility: classical scholars differed on this, but modern scholars generally seem to agree. Overall it is accepted that the Prophets didn't commit sins and neither did the Aimmah (عليه السلام). Perhaps you can explain why you believe this is problematic. 

-Tatbir: not practiced by most Shia and has been condemned by various ulama. In any case it is not from the religious practices of the deen or the madhab. 

-Symbols: again these are cultural and have no basis in the religion itself.

In short the practices or beliefs you mentioned are mostly not from the religion and are therefore not considered as fundamental or essential. 

 

  • 3 weeks later...
  • Basic Members
Posted
On 6/2/2023 at 5:16 PM, Ethics said:

Your answers are all in these books:

Wahhabism, 2nd Edition Revised, Edited And Annotated

The Shia Rebuts

 

18. ‘Calling’ The Divine Personalities

One of the matters of disputes between the Wahhabis and other Islamic sects is the matter of pleading and calling the pious personalities and awliya’ Allah in the times of hardship and difficulties.

Pleading and asking help from the Prophets (S) and awliya’ Allah near their graves or otherwise is completely in vogue among the Islamic sects and they consider it neither to be shirk (polytheism) nor contradicting the Islamic foundations. On the other hand, the Wahhabis have strongly rejected such pleadings and for intimidating their opponents, they set forth some verses of Qur’an that are not having the least connection to what they claim and always raise the following verse as their slogan.

وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّـهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّـهِ أَحَدًا

The mosques belong to Allah; do not call anyone with Allah. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Jinn, 72:18)

For acquainting the respected readers with all such verses that are the greatest excuse in the hands of the Wahhabis, we shall present them here and then explain their contents. The Wahhabis prove their point by producing the afore-mentioned and the following verses.

لَهُ دَعْوَةُ الْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَيْ

To Him is due the true prayer; and those whom they pray to beside Allah give them no answer. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ra’d, 13:14)

وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَكُمْ وَلَا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَنْصُرُونَ

And those whom you call upon besides Him are not able to help you, nor can they help themselves. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:197)

وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ

And those whom you call upon besides Him do not control a straw. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Fatir, 35:13)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ

Surely those whom you call on besides Allah are in a state of subjugation like yourselves. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:194)

قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُم مِّن دُونِهِ فَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ كَشْفَ الضُّرِّ عَنكُمْ وَلَا تَحْوِيلًا

Say: Call on those whom you assert besides Him, so they shall not control the removal of distress from you nor (its) transference. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Isra’, 17:56)

أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ

Those whom they call upon, themselves seek the means of access to their Lord. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Isra’, 17:57)

وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ

And do not call besides Allah on that which can neither benefit you nor harm you. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Yunus, 10:106)

إِن تَدْعُوهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُوا دُعَاءَكُمْ

If you call on them they shall not hear your call. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Fatir, 35:14)

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

And who is in greater error than he who calls besides Allah upon those that will not answer him till the day of resurrection. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46:5)

The Wahhabis conclude from these verses that calling the awliya’ and virtuous people after their death is 'ibadah and their worship, and that anyone who says, “O Muhammad” either near his grave or from far off, this calling itself is 'ibadah and therefore an act of shirk (polytheism).

Kashf Al-'Irtiyab on page 274, citing Al-San’ani1, narrates from book Tanzih Al-I'tiqad2 as such:

وقد سمَّى الله الدعاء عبادة بقوله: ادعوني استجب لكم إن الذين يستكبرون عن عبادتي ، ومن هتف باسم نبي أو صالح بشئ أو قال اشفع لي إلى الله في حاجتي أو استشفع بك إلى الله في حاجتي أو نحو ذلك أو قال إقض دينى أو إشف مريضى أو نحو ذلك فقد دعا النبي والصالح والدعاء عبادة بل مُخّها فيكون قد بد غير الله وصار مشركاً إذ لا يُتمّ التوحيد إلا بتوحيده تعالى في الإلهية بإعتقاد أن لا خالق ولا رازق غيره العبادة بعدم عبادة غيره ولو ببعض العبادات وعُباد الأصنام إنما اشركوا لعدم توحيد الله في العبادة.

“The Holy Qur’an has unconditionally declared pleadings and callings towards someone other than Allah as 'ibadah; the reason being that in the beginning of verse, it says أدعوني أستجب لكم and following that it says:

يستكبرون عن عبادتي

Therefore, anyone who calls the Prophet (S) and or a pious person or asks to intercede for fulfilling his or her needs, or says “You help in repaying my debt”, or says “You cure my sickness”, then in these cases this person has, with such sayings, worshipped them because the reality of worship is nothing but calling someone. As a result of such calling, he has worshipped (someone) other than Allah and has become a polytheist since monotheism of divinity3 (i.e. there is no Creator and Sustainer except Allah) should be accompanied with monotheism of worship which means not worshipping anyone except Him.”

Reply

There is no doubt about this fact that the word of دُعا in Arabic means ‘to call’ and the term عبادات means ‘to worship’ and one can never reckon these two words to be synonymous to each other; and say that both give the same meaning. In other words, one cannot say that every call and plead is 'ibadah (worship) because: Firstly, in the Holy Qur’an, the word of دعوت (calling) has been used in instances where it does not give the meaning of ‘worship’ at all.

Like:

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِي لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا

He said: ‘O Lord! I called my nation (towards Thee) day and night’. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Nuh, 71:5)

Can we say that the intention of Nuh was to say “I worshipped my nation day and night!”?

The Qur'an quotes Satan as saying:

كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي

I did not have any authority upon you except that I called you (towards evil deeds) and you obliged. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Ibrahim, 14:22)

Is it possible for anyone to interpret Satan's calling to mean that he has worshipped his followers!? If it was an act of worship it was from the side of the followers of Satan and not from Satan himself.

In this verse and tens of other un-mentioned verses, the word of دعوت (calling) has not been used in the meaning of عبادات (worship). Therefore, one cannot say that دعوت and عبادات are synonymous to each other and based on this, conclude that if anyone seeks help and calls the Prophets or the virtuous people, he has worshipped them.4

Secondly, by دُعا in these verses is not meant as absolute calling but refers to some special calling which can be synonymous to the word of عبادات because, all these verses have come down with regard to the idol-worshippers who believed their idols to be small gods who were entrusted with some of the divine ranks and who possessed some kind of independence in their affairs.

Let it not be unsaid that humbleness and humility or any kind of utterance or behavior in front of a creature either as a big God or small god if it is with this intention that he is God, Lord, and the Owner of affairs like shafa'a and forgiveness, then it will be 'ibadah or worship. There is no doubt that the humility of the idol-worshippers and their pleading and calling were before those idols which they depicted as the owners of the right of intercession etc., and considered them as the independent authority in the affairs of this world and the Hereafter.

It is apparent that under these circumstances, any kind of pleading and calling towards these creatures is 'ibadah or worship. The most obvious witness to the fact that their pleadings and callings were accompanied with the belief in their divinity is this verse:

فَمَا أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ آلِهَتُهُمُ الَّتِي يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ

So their gods whom they called upon besides Allah did not avail them ought. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Hud, 11:101)

Therefore, the verses under discussion have no relation to the main point of our discussion.

The topic of our discussion is pleading of one slave to another slave who neither considers him as God nor Lord nor as the Owner and independent authority in the worldly and heavenly affairs. Rather, he reckons him to be a beloved servant of Allah who has appointed him to the position of Prophethood and Imamate and promised to accept his prayers with regards to His slaves. As verse says:

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا

And had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Apostle had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Nisa, 4:64)

Thirdly, in the aforementioned verses itself, there is a clear evidence that by دعوت is not meant absolute asking for one’s affairs and needs but refers to asking and calling in the sense of ‘ibadah and worship. For this reason, in one of the verses, the word of 'ibadah immediately follows the word of دعوت giving the same meaning. Like:

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ

And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you, surely those who are too proud for My service shall soon enter hell abased. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ghafir, 40:60)

Just as you must have noticed, in the beginning of the verse the word of ادعوني and following the same verse the word of عبادتي has come and this clearly shows that by this دعوت is meant some special pleading and beseeching before a creature whom they recognized by the divine qualities.

The master of the prostrators, Imam Zayn Al-'Abidin (a) says in his supplication as such:

فسميت دعاءك عبادة وتركه استكباراً وتوعَّدت على تركه دخول جهَّنهم داخرين

“Thou have named Thy calling as worship and its abandonment as pride and Thou have promised a miserable entry into the fire for those who abandon it.5

And sometimes in two verses where the contents are similar, we see in one place the word of عبادات and in another place the word of دعوت such as:

قُلْ أَتَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا

Say: Do you serve besides Allah that which does not control for you any harm, or any profit? (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Maida, 5:76)

In another verse it says:

قُلْ أَنَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنْفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا

Say: Shall we call on that besides Allah, which does not benefit us nor harm us. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-An’am, 6:71)

In Surah Al-Fatir, it says:

وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ

And those whom you call upon besides Him do not control a straw. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Fatir, 35:13)

In this verse, the word of تدعون is used whereas in another verse which contains the same contents the word of تعبدون is used.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا

Surely they whom you serve besides Allah do not control for you any sustenance. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ankabut, 29:17)

Sometimes, in one verse, both the words have appeared and has been used in the same meaning:

قُلْ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ

Say: I am forbidden to serve those whom you call upon besides Allah. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-An’am, 6:56)

قُلْ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ

Say, I am forbidden from worshipping those which you call them [i.e. worship them] (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ghafir, 40:66)

Respected readers are requested to refer to Al-Mu'jam Al-mufahras6 under the words عبد and دُعا so that they will witness as to how in on verse the word of عبادات has come and in another verse the word ofدعوت has come giving the same meaning. This itself shows that the meaning ofدعوت in this verse, is 'ibadah and worship and not absolute calling.

If you carefully pay attention to the whole set of verses wherein the word of دعوت has been used in the sense of عبادات you will realize that these verses either refer to the Great God of the Universe whom all the monotheist believe in His Divinity, Lordship and Mastership or refers to the idols where its worshippers considered them as small gods and masters of intercession. Under these circumstances, reasoning out with these verses for discussing aboutدعوت (calling) one of the awliya’ and beseeching one of them who doesn’t have any of these qualities is really astonishing.

  • 1. Muhammad ibn Isma'il Al-San'ani (1688-1768 A.D.) was a Yemeni Salafi scholar specialized in the Science of hadith.
  • 2. Tanzih Al-I'tiqad ‘an Al-Hulul wa Al-Itihad authored by Jalal Al-Din Al-Suyuti.
  • 3. Contrary to the terminology of the Wahhabis, Al-San'ani has used the word of "الوهى" whereas he should have, from their viewpoint, used the word of "ربوني"
  • 4. From the viewpoint of relationship, calling and worship (general and special) is in one direction. In case of asking help from someone other than Allah but as a doer depending on God, it shows calling and not worship. But in practical glorifications like ruku’ and sajdah which is accompanied with the belief in the divinity of the opposite person it denotes ‘worship’ and not دُعا. In some instances, such as salat, both دُعا and عبادات are applicable.
  • 5. Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya, supplication No. 45 and what is meant is Surah Al-Ghafir, no. 40, verse 60. Online at: https://www.al-islam.org/sahifa-al-kamilah-al-sajjadiyya-imam-ali-zayn-a...
  • 6. Al-Mu'jam Al-Mufahras li alfaz Al-Qur'an Al-Karim compiled by Muhammad Fu'ad ʿAbd Al-Baqi (1882 – 1968 A.D.) an Egyptian Islamic scholar.\

12. Seeking Help From The Spirits Of Awliya’ Allah

The most important issue with regards to seeking help from the Awliya’ Allah (the friends or beloved of Allah) is when they have died or so to say, living in another world, whether this act of seeking help is in the form of du'a (invocation) or asking for some extraordinary acts to be performed. This is because the Muslims of today are not in the presence of the Holy Prophet (S) or an Imam so that they can approach them and ask them to do something in their presence. Rather, most often, their questions and requests are put before the pure spirits of the Prophets and awliya’. For this reason, analyzing the Islamic decree with regards to these two situations is very important.

Investigation on this matter depends on the analytical study of four topics and by becoming fully aware of them, one can acknowledge the correctness of such imploration and beseeching. These four topics are:

1. Eternity of soul and spirit of man after death

2. The reality of man is his very soul and spirit

3. Relationship with the world of souls is possible

4. The authentic traditions which the Islamic traditionists have narrated bear witness to the genuineness of such implorations and the practice of the Muslims has been the same in all the ages. Now we shall describe each of these four topics.

1. Death Is Not Annihilation Of Man

The verses of Qur’an bear a clear witness to the fact that death is not the end of life but a window for a new life. By passing from this passage, man steps into a new life, a world completely new to him and much superior than this material world.

Those who take death to be the end of life and believe that with death, everything of man is finished and nothing remains of him except one lifeless body which (even that) after some time is changed to soil and destroyed, follow the philosophy of materialism.

Such a reflection shows that a person with such a view thinks life to be nothing but a part of material effects of the organs of body and the physical and chemical reactions of the brain and nerves and with the subsiding of the heat of body and stoppage of the cells from activity and production, the life of man comes to a halt and he turns into an inanimate object. Soul and spirit in this school of thought is nothing but reflection of materialism and its properties and with the nullification of these properties and domination of reciprocal effects of the organs of body over each other, the soul and spirit become completely void and there no longer remains anything by the name of spirit, its eternity and a world related to spirits.

Such a view about the soul and spirit of man is inspired by the principles of Materialism. In this school of thought, man is nothing more than a machine where he is formed from different tools and components and the reciprocal effects of those components give the power of thought and perception to the brain, and with the dispersion of these components the effects of thought, perception and in short, life gets completely destroyed at death.

The views of materialists about soul and spirit were completely discarded by the great philosophers of the world and the divine scholars. The theologians believe that apart from the material system of body, the nervous system and its reciprocal material reactions there exists for man, a real substance by the name of soul and spirit which remains with the body for some period and then cuts off its relation with the body and lives in a special world with a much more delicate body. The continuity of soul after the death of a person is not a matter which can be established and proved in these pages because today the eternity of soul and spirit has been proven by verses of Qur’an, precise philosophical reasoning and convincing spiritual experiences. We shall now narrate the verses of Qur’an that bear testimony to the matter of eternity of spirit after death.

Qur’an And Eternity Of Spirits

Verses of the Qur’an clearly indicate that the spirit continues to live after its separation from the body. For the sake of brevity, we bring here only the text of the verses and postpone its analysis for some other proper time.

وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ يُقْتَلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ

And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead, nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:154)

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead, nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Aale Imran, 3:169)

فَرِحِينَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِالَّذِينَ لَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ

Rejoicing in what Allah has given them out of His grace, and they rejoice for the sake of those who, (being left) behind them, have not yet joined them. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Aale Imran, 3:170)

يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ

They rejoice on account of favor from Allah and (His) grace. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Aale Imran, 3:171)

إِنِّي آمَنْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاسْمَعُونِ قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ ۖ قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ

Surely I believe in your Lord, there for hear me. It was said: Enter the garden. He said: O would that my people had known of that on account of which my Lord has forgiven me and made me of the honored ones! (Holy Qur’an, Surah Yasin, 36:25-27)

The Paradise which he is told to enter therein is the Paradise of barzakh and not of the Hereafter because he wishes that his people knew and were aware that God has forgiven and honored him. Such a wish is not compatible with the world of the Hereafter, where the curtains will be removed from the eyes of the people and their condition will not be hidden from each other. Rather such unawareness is befitting with this world where the people of this abode are unaware of the condition of the people living in another world (barzakh) and the verse of Qur’an bears witness to this fact.

Moreover, the next verse clarifies that after his death, when man is forgiven and he enters the Paradise, the light of his people's life will be extinguished by one heavenly cry. As verse says:

وَمَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ جُنْدٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا كُنَّا مُنْزِلِينَ إِنْ كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ خَامِدُونَ

And We did not send down upon his people after him any hosts from heaven, nor do We ever send down. It was naught but a single cry, and lo! They were still. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Yasin, 36:28-29)

From these two verses we come to know that after entering Paradise, his people were still living in this world till death suddenly overtook them and, this Paradise cannot be anything other than Paradise of barzakh.

النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا ۖ وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ

The fire, they shall be brought before it (every) morning and evening and on the day when the hour shall come to pass: Make Firawn's people enter the severest chastisement. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ghafir, 40:46)

By paying attention to the contents of the two verses, the matter of continuity of life in the world of barzakh becomes clear and obvious because, before the approach of qiyama, the Fire will be presented to them morning and evening but after the qiyama they will be given the worst punishment.

If the later part of the verse ويوم تقوم الساعة was not there, then the beginning contents would not have been so clear. But by paying attention to the verse it becomes obvious that the objective is the same period of barzakh; otherwise the reciprocity of the two sentences would have been incorrect.

Moreover, the matter of morning and evening too bears witness that it does not refer to the world of the Hereafter since, mornings and evenings do not exist in that world.

So far, the first of the four topics has been made clear from the viewpoint of Qur’an. Now it’s time to refer to the second topic.

2. The Reality Of Man Is His Very Spirit

Man in the outset seems to be formed of body and spirit. However, the reality of man is his same spirit which is accompanied with the body.

We shall not discuss this matter from the view point of philosophy and at present we are not concerned with the Greek and Islamic philosophy. Rather we shall discuss this matter only from the viewpoint of Qur’an.

By examining the verses that have come down with regards to man, this fact can easily be seen that the reality of man is his very soul and spirit. Here, we shall ponder over the contents of this verse:

قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ

Say: The angel of death who is given charge of you shall cause you to die, and then to your Lord you shall be brought back. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Sajdah, 32:11)

Contrary to what we believe, the word of توفىّ does not mean ‘to cause to die’. Rather it means ‘to take’ or ‘to seize’.1

Therefore, the purpose of the sentence يتوفاكمً is: “He will seize you all”. When the reality of man is his very soul and spirit, the interpretation of the verse will be correct.

However, if the soul and spirit forms a portion of man’s personality and the other half is formed by his external body, then in such a case such an interpretation will not be permissible because the Angel of Death never seizes our external body. Rather, the body remains in its same condition and what the Angel seizes is only our soul.

The verses which clarify the reality of soul and spirit with regards to man are not confined to this verse and as an example; we content ourselves with one verse.

This fact that ‘the reality of man and center of his spiritual excellences is his very spirit and the body is (only) a covering which has been put over it’ becomes evidently clear by paying attention to the matter of eternity of spirit after death which was discussed in the first topic. Qur’an does not recognize death to be the annihilation of man and the end of his life.

Rather, it believes that life exists for the martyrs, the pious and the oppressors before the approach of qiyama, a life accompanied with joy and happiness, (or) accompanied with torment and punishment and if the reality of man is his fundamental body then, undoubtedly the body gets destroyed after a few days and changes to different elements and in such a case the matter of eternity of man or the life of barzakh becomes meaningless.

3. Qur’an And The Possibility Of Connection With Another World

Proving eternity of spirit is not enough for the purpose of recommending and proving (beseeching) to be useful. Rather, apart from its eternity, the possibility of establishing relationship with it should be proved from the viewpoint of reason and Qur’an.

We have talked about this matter in detail in the book ‘Originality of the Spirit’.

Here, we shall mention in brief, some of those verses which prove that the relationship of man continues with his past ones and is not yet disconnected.

A. Salih (A) Speaks With The Souls Of His People

فَعَقَرُوا النَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا يَا صَالِحُ ائْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَا إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

So they slew the she-camel and revolted against their Lord's commandment, and they said: O Salih! Bring us what you threatened us with, if you are one of the apostles. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:77)

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ

Then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:78)2

فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَةَ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تُحِبُّونَ النَّاصِحِينَ

Then he turned away from them and said: O my people, I did certainly deliver to you the message of my lord, and I gave you advice, but you do not love those who give advice. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:79)

Pay careful attention to the contents of these three verses.

The first verse shows that when they were alive they demanded the punishment of Allah.

The second verse shows that the divine punishment overtook and destroyed each one of them.

The third verse shows that Salih (a) spoke to them after their death and destruction and said: “I presented you the divine messages but you disliked someone giving you advice.”

A clear witness to this fact that he spoke to them after their death are the following two points:

1. The order of verses in the aforementioned form.

2. The alphabet of فا in the word of فتولى which denotes an order. i.e. after their destruction, he turned towards them and spoke in such words.

The sentence of (ولكن لا تُحبون الناصحين) shows that they were so much sunk in obstinacy and wretchedness that even after death, they possessed wicked mentality so much so that they did not like people who gave advices and warnings.

The expression of Qur’an is in such manner that, he speaks to his peoples’ souls with sincerity and considers them as his audience, and reminds them of their permanent obstinacy which was present in them even after death and says: “Now too, you do not like an advisor.”

B. Shu'ayb (A) Speaks With The Souls Of The Deceased Ones

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ

Then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:91)

الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا شُعَيْبًا كَأَنْ لَمْ يَغْنَوْا فِيهَا ۚ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا شُعَيْبًا كَانُوا هُمُ الْخَاسِرِينَ

Those who called Shu'ayb a liar were as though they had never dwelt therein, those who called Shu'ayb a liar, they were the losers. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:92)

فَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ آسَىٰ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ كَافِرِينَ

So he turned away from them and said: O my people! Certainly I delivered to you the messages of my Lord and I gave you good advice, how shall I then be sorry for an unbelieving people? (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:93)

The method of reasoning in this verse is the same as the verses related to Salih (a).

C. The Holy Prophet (S) Of Islam Speaks With The Souls Of Prophets

وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ

And ask those of Our Apostles whom We sent before you: Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Beneficent God? (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Zukhruf, 43:45)

This verse shows that the Prophet (S) can establish a connection from this very world with the prophets who live in another world till it becomes clear that the order of God in all the ages and to all the Prophets was not to worship anyone other than Allah.

D. Qur’an Sends Salutations Upon The Prophets

The Holy Qur’an has on occasions sent peace and salutations on Prophets and these salutations were not meaningless compliments or some kind of formalities.

Great! It is far from justice if we wish to put down the sublime meanings of the beloved Qur’an to the level that has taken the tinge of staleness. It is true that today, the materialists who do not believe in the validity of spirit, send in their speeches, peace and salutations upon their leaders and founders of this school of thought as a form of respect and honor. But is it fair that we put aside the sublime meanings of Qur’an which reveals facts and realities and bring them down to low level and say that all these salutations which Qur’an has sent upon the prophets (and we Muslims too recite them day and night) are just some dry and meaningless compliments? The Holy Qur’an says:

سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ نُوحٍ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ

1. Peace be upon Nuh, in the Universe. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:79)

سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ

2. Peace be upon Ibrahim. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:109)

سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ

3. Peace be upon Musa and Harun. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:120)

سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِلْ يَاسِينَ

4. Peace be upon Aal Yasin. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:130)

سَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ

5. Peace be upon the Messengers. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Saffat, 37:181)

Salutations Upon The Holy Prophet (S) In The State Of Tashahhud

All the Muslims of the world irrespective of the differences which they have in the principles of jurisprudence address the glorious Messenger of Allah in the tashahhud of their salat every morning and night and say:

السلام عليك أيها النبيّ ورحمة الله وبركاته

The only thing is that the Shafi'ites and some others reckon this to be obligatory in tashahhud whereas other sects think it to be mustahab (recommendable). However all of them are unanimous in their opinion that the Holy Prophet (S) has taught the Muslims as such and the sunnah of the Prophet (S) remains the same during life and death.

If really our link and connection with the Holy Prophet (S) is cut-off and disconnected, then such a salutation and that too in the form of address (to the Prophet) is of what benefit?

The proofs of possibility of such connections and their occurrences are not confined to what we have said till now. Rather, we have other verses too in this regard which, for the sake of brevity, have not been discussed. For a more detailed discussion, interested readers can refer to the book of ‘Originality of spirit from the viewpoint of Qur’an’. In this book, a section of verses dealing with the topic are mentioned.

In the end, we remind you that the rationalization of salam in tashahhud was discussed due to its decisiveness among the verses.3

Conclusion Of Our Discussion

For the first point, it was proved that death is not the end of life and the destruction of man. Rather, it is a window for getting transferred to another world.

On the second point, it was clarified that the reality of man is his very soul and spirit and his body is a dress covering his spirit. And if his soul and spirit remain, then naturally his reality, personality and all the other abilities (not the type of ability which is related to the material body) too remain. Therefore, if in this world his soul had the power to pray and eulogize or had the ability to perform some extraordinary actions by the Will of God, his holy nafs possesses by the Will of God, the same power and ability in that world and except for those acts which require the material body, it is capable of performing all the other actions.

On the third point, it was proved that it is possible for the people of this world to have relationship with the people of the next world and that the holy spirits can hear our words and sayings.

By paying attention to these three points, the philosophical possibility of the matter is proved i.e. it has been proved that the awliya’ Allah can listen to our talks and also reply to them by the Will of Allah. However, whether such a thing is lawful from the viewpoint of Islamic regulations or not, will be discussed in the fourth point to which we shall now refer.

4. Muslims And Asking For The Fulfilment Of Their Needs From The Holy Spirits

Ibn Taymiyyah and his followers with their unusual trait of opinionated judgements, deny the fact that the companions of the Holy Prophet (S) and those after them had asked the Prophet (S) for their needs to be fulfilled. Regarding this matter they say:

ولم يكن أحد من سلف الأمة في عصر الصحابة ولا التابعين ولا تابعي التابعين يتخيرون الصلاة والدعاء عند قبور الأنبياء ويسألونهم ولا يستغيثون بهم لا في مغيبهم ولا عند قبورهم.

“No one from the past ummah either at the time of the Companions nor the period after the tabi'in (disciples of companions) have performed salat and du'a near the graves of prophets. Never has anyone asked anything from them nor has anyone beseeched them either in their absence or near their graves.”4

Perhaps a person unacquainted with the history of the Companions (of the Holy Prophet) and the tabi'in may imagine such an attribution to be true. However, referring to history will prove contrary to that. As an example, we narrate some instances:

أصاب الناس قحط في زمان عمر بن الخطاب فجاء رجل إلى قبر النبيّ فقال يا رسول الله استسق الله لأمتك فإنهم قد هلكوا فأتاه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وأله في المنام فقال: أنت عمر ، فاقرنه وأخبره إنهم مسقون.

“During the Caliphate of ‘Umar, when there was a famine, a person came near the grave of the Holy Prophet (S) and said: ‘O Prophet, ask water for your people as they are being destroyed.’ Thereafter the Holy Prophet (S) appeared in his dream and told him as such: ‘Go to ‘Umar and send salam upon him and, inform him that all will soon be satiated with water.’”5

A. Al-Samhudi continues as such:

ومحل الإستشهاد طلب الإستسقاء منه صلى الله عليه وأله وهو في البرزخ ودعاؤه لربه هذه الحالة غير ممتنع وعلمه بسؤال من يسأله قد ورد فلا مانع من سؤال الإستسقاء وغيره كما كان في الدنيا.

“This incident shows that though the Prophet (S) is in barzakh, one can ask him to pray for us. This matter is of no objection because he (i.e. the Prophet) is aware of the requests of the people. Thus there is no hindrance if one requests him to pray for us just as he was doing in this life.”6

B. Al-Samhudi narrates from Al-Hafiz Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad bin Musa bin Al-Nu'man with the chain of narrators ending in Ali bin Abi Talib (a) that three days had passed after the burial of the Holy Prophet (S) when an Arab from outside Medina came and sprinkled the soil of the Prophet's grave over his head and said:

يا رسول الله قلت فسمعنا قولك ووعيت عن الله سبحانه ما وعينا عنك ، وكان فيما انزل عليك (ولو أنهم إذ ظلموا أنفسهم جاؤك فاستغفروا الله...) وقد ظلمت وجئتك نستغفر لي

“O Prophet! you spoke and we listened to your sayings. You received from God what we received from you. Among those things which was revealed upon you is this particular verse. 'If among them anyone who has done injustice upon themselves comes to you and seeks forgiveness from Allah and you too seek forgiveness for them, then they will find Allah most -Merciful and Forgiving.' I have done injustice upon myself and I have come to you (so that) you seek forgiveness for me.”7

The writer of Wafa' Al-Wafa', at the end of chapter eight, narrates many incidents which show that pleading and asking for one's need from the Holy Prophet (S) has been the constant practice of the Muslims. He even mentions that Imam Muhammad bin Musa bin Al-Nu'man has written a book in this regard under the title of Misbah Al-Zalam fi Al-Mustaghithin bi Khayr Al-An’am fi Al-Yaqzah wa Al-Manam.

C. Muhammad bin Munkadar says:

“A man gave my father 80 dinars as a trust while he was leaving for jihad and said: “You may spend this money if you fall in need”. Incidentally due to high cost of living, my father utilized that money. Finally its owner came and demanded back his money. My father told him to come the next day and the same night my father went to the mosque and pointing to the grave and pulpit of the Prophet (S), he implored and pleaded till the early dawn. At that moment, a man appeared from the dark and said “O Aba Muhammad take this.” He gave a purse to my father which contained 80 dinars.” 8

D. Abu Bakr Al-Muqri says:

Hunger overtook Al-Tabarani, Abu Al-Sheikh and myself and we were close to the grave of the Holy Prophet (S). When night approached I went near the grave of the Prophet (S) and said:

يا رسول الله الجوع...

Moments later, a person from the Alawites entered the mosque with two young men and each of them was holding a bag full of food…. When we finished eating the 'Alawi man said.... "I saw the Holy Prophet (S) in my dream and he commanded me to bring food for you.”9

E. Ibn Al-Jallad says:

“Poverty-stricken, I entered Medina and went near the grave of the Holy Prophet (S) and said: O Prophet I am your guest. Suddenly I fell asleep and saw in my dream that the Holy Prophet (S) gave bread in my hands."10

Right now we are not concerned with the verity or inaccuracy of those incidents. Our point is that these incidents whether true or false prove that such an affair was a common one and if it was innovation or forbidden or polytheism and blasphemy than the fabrication and the enactors of such matters would not have narrated such matters which would lower them in the eyes of the people.

We have narrated in the book Asalat Al-Ruh (The Originality of Spirit)11 in the section of ‘Connection (with) Spirits’, traditions that prove the authenticity of asking the holy spirits to pray.

Here, we are bound to mention a few points:

1. In as much as these kinds of decrees and incidents are incompatible with the temperament of a group, they therefore declare all to be unknown without investigating into their references and narrations. Does such inadmissible denial bring harm to our reasoning?

Answer: Such an encounter with the historical events becomes the cause of interpolation of history because the number of these kinds of pleadings for fulfilment of needs is so numerous that one cannot consider all of them to be false and baseless. If someone intends to collect such narrations or stories he will be able to compile a thick book.

Now let us suppose that these stories and narrations are false and baseless. But these same baseless claims in the entire history inform us of one fact and it is as follows:

If these implorations and beseeching were unlawful, they would not have been fabricated and enacted such unlawful action in the form of honor and glorification as otherwise, their status would be lowered and they would be subject to the wrath and anger of the people.

The fabrication and enactors of tradition and history strive to fabricate and enact those things which suit the taste of the common people. If such an action was against Qur’an and Sunnah, then it would be considered as polytheism and 'ibadah by the Muslims and the fabricators would never have enacted them and lowered their status in the eyes of the people.

2. Seeking help from the holy spirits either in the form of request for du'a or in the form of fulfilling an action (Curing the sick, returning the lost one, etc.) is without any objection considering the four principles which we have discussed.

The thing which was in vogue among the Muslims at the time of seeking tawassul of the holy spirits was the very request for du'a or so to say, requesting the holy spirit of the Prophet to seek forgiveness for them from Allah and pleading for the fulfilment of their worldly and heavenly affairs. From the viewpoint of logic, request for fulfilment of actions like curing of the sick, freeing of the captive; solving of problems in life is the same as request for du'a.

3. By paying attention to the measure which we reminded you about 'ibadah, such requests and pleadings are never considered as 'ibadah of the holy spirits. This is because the person making the request neither believes in their divinity nor in their lordship and neither considers them as God nor as the one who manages the world or part of it. He also does not believe that some of the actions of God have been entrusted to them. Rather, they consider them to be the pure servants of Allah who have never committed the least offence in their worldly life.

By paying attention to the four basic facts, one cannot doubt their power and barzakhi ability in fulfilling the requests of the pleaders. They are living creatures and our relation with them is well established. The only point is that every action and affair either in the form of du’a or other than that it is dependent on the Will of Allah and they are clear evidence to:

وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّـهُ

…but you will not wish unless it is wished by Allah… (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Insan, 76:30 and Surah Al-Takwir, 81:29)

Just as in this world, 'Isa (a) could pray to God for goodness for someone or could cure by the Will of Allah, those who were born blind and those who suffered from leprosy, in the same manner, considering the fact that these powers and abilities are related to his soul and spirit and not his body, he can perform these same two actions (even) after his transfer to another world. However, in both the stages, the permission of Allah and His will is a necessary condition for receiving Grace through this channel.

4. Even though such humility and humbleness in connection to the inerrant leaders are apparently for paying attention to them, yet if we tear open the inner portion of this attentiveness and the tawassul, we will find which really is desired and demanded by God Himself. In reality, paying attention to the cause is like paying attention to the ‘Causer of the causes’ and those who are having a firm step in the matter of behavior and dealing with the people are aware and conscious of this reality with a conscious and enlightened heart.

Those who seek tawassul do not believe in the originality and independence of these causes and agents. Rather, they are means which God, the Causer has made them a channel and a route for receiving His Grace and Mercy and He, Himself, has ordered the believers for attaining as such. As verse says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful. (Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Maida, 5:35)

If salat, fasting and all the divine duties are وسيلة means, then in the same manner, the pure du'a of Prophets and awliya’ too, by decree of the previous verse (verse related to asking for forgiveness), is وسيلة means and paying attention to these means is like paying attention to the Creator of these means and our action is in accordance to the command of the afore-mentioned verse.

  • 1. Allama Balaghi has presented his valuable research about the word of توفىّ in his introduction to Tafsir Aala Al-Rahman”, page 34.
  • 2. In some of the verses the cause of their destruction is said to be a heavenly cry (Surah Hud, no. 11, verse 6) and some other verses mention the cause as thunderbolt (Surah Fussilat, no. 41, verse 17). In these two verses, earthquake is mentioned and the total of verses is such that there was a severe cry along with thunderbolt and earthquake.
  • 3. Refer to the book of Tadhkirat Al-Fuqaha', vol. 3, page 232 and the book of Al-Khilaf by Sheikh Al-Tusi, vol.1 page 47. In this book, he has narrated tashahhud in various forms from ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab and 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud which all of them have such salam and the jurists of Ahl Al-Sunnah such as Abu Hanifa, Malik and Shafi'i have each taken one of these forms of tashahhud and given fatwa (verdict) upon them.
  • 4. Treatise of Al-Hadiyyat Al-Saniyya, page 162 (Egyptian edition).
  • 5. Wafa' Al-Wafa', vol. 2, page 1371.
  • 6. Ibid.
  • 7. Wafa' Al-Wafa', vol. 2, page 1361
  • 8. Wafa' Al-Wafa', vol. 2, page 1380 (Egyptian print). He has described example of these implorations till page 1385.
  • 9. Ibid.
  • 10. Wafa' Al-Wafa', vol. 2, page 1361.
  • 11. اصالت روح از نظر قرآن Asalat Al-Ruh az Nazare Qur’an (The Originality of Spirit from the viewpoint of Qur’an) by Ja’far Subhani. Published by Mo’assasa Imam Al-Sadiq, Qom, 1999.

JazakAllah Khair for helping out this person. They were clearly misguided by Wahhabi propaganda. I probably know them as they are from my country which is very small.

  • Basic Members
Posted
On 6/3/2023 at 12:54 PM, Ethics said:

LOL! Allahu Akbar ! Interesting... I swear all these accounts is just one schizophrenic wahabi user trying to get attention. inshAllah I will make more posts on Sunni Islam tawassul and calling on others than Allah from their own books because this is not a new shia concept it has been sunnah amongst all muslims.

We don’t know if they are a Shi'a like us or a Sunni or a Wahhabi. There aren’t a lot of Wahhabis in Qarsherskiy though. Most Sunnis here are followers of more moderate Sunni scholars. 

  • Advanced Member
Posted (edited)
On 6/2/2023 at 6:41 PM, Based Qarsherskiyan said:

AL-Salamu Alaykum va Rahmutalahi va Barakatu min Qarsherskiy. I am starting to have doubts and I believe Sunni Islam is the path of Haqq more and more. One thing is that we say "Ya Ali madad,'' which literally means "O, Ali, HELP ME," and the Sunnis in my area told me that it is Shirk because you cannot rely upon Imam Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) because he is dead now and only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) will answer your calls to prayer. I also have trouble believing the 12 imams are infallible and divine. Maybe Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) was the rightful successor but the 12 imams after Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) I don't believe are right. They brought esoteric influence into our faith and claimed to be divine. I also learned Iran used to be mostly Sunni until a past leader forcefully converted everyone to Akhbari Shi'a Islam and then after that Usulis crushed the Akhbaris and began creating Bid'a and doing Shirk with Ali ((رضي الله عنه).) as I previously mentioned. And then there are practices like Tatbir and Matan which leave me sore and injured and hurt and I ask "for what reason am I doing this? This cannot help what happened to Hussein (رضي الله عنه). in the past!" and I wish to stop doing that. Also, why do we have to use taqiyya if our faith is the truth? The prophet SAW prayed the 5 prayers during separate times except when making long journeys or when necessary such as when the Muslims were feeling lots of burden. And how can the Imams know every shred of knowledge in the universe?! That's just something I'll never understand from from my perspective, seems wack! Only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knows everything. And why do we have symbols of Shirk like Evil Eye and Hand of Fatima? Its Shirk. I shouldn't have to explain why! When I ask scholars they just say "If it has Quranic verses, it isn't Shirk," but then why not just use Quranic verses alone? Why eyes and hands and symbolism of esotericism? I can go on and on about my doubts against Shi'i sect. 

Good for you sir. 

May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) join you with Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Omer, and Hazrat Osman, and other such muslimeem of the Salf. 
 

 

Edited by Abu_Zahra
  • Advanced Member
Posted

"Tell me your entire knowledge of shi'ism is based on anti-majos/sunnah discourse without telling me your entire knowledge of shi'ism is based on anti-majos/sunnah discourse. "

  • Advanced Member
Posted
2 hours ago, Irfani313 said:

Good for you sir. 

May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) join you with Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Omer, and Hazrat Osman, and other such muslimeem of the Salf. 
 

 

Ilaahi aameen. 

Not to forget the beloved uncle of the believers, Mua'wiya and cousin of the believers, Yazeed. 

 

  • Advanced Member
Posted
11 hours ago, AbdusSibtayn said:

Ilaahi aameen. 

Not to forget the beloved uncle of the believers, Mua'wiya and cousin of the believers, Yazeed. 

 

And the Ammi Ayesha !! 
 

While may the rest of us be delivered in the feet of our great mother, the lady Khadija AS, our infinite Salams on her and her holy daughter. 

  • 3 months later...

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