A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Shaykh Nur ad-Din  Abu ‘Ubadah   ‘Ali ibn Juma’ah wrote, examining the Imamate according to Shi‘ism, that lexically, the word, “Shi’ah” means, “ answar ”, “adherent”, such that the related word, “ tashayyu ”, “partisanship”, denotes “ al-intiswar ”, “the victory of one over another”.   Historically, the word, “Shi’ah” refers to the supporters of Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ).   In the sectarian sense, the term refers to the explicit conviction that the right to the caliphate fell only to Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ) and his children.   They differed thereafter as to which among his descendants had priority: the Zaydiyyah asserted the Imamate through the third-generation descendent, Imam Zayd ibn ‘Ali ash-Shahid ( q.s. ); the Isma’iliyyah asserted the Imamate through the seventh-generation descendent, Imam Abu Muhammad Isma’il al-A’araj ibn Ja’far asw-Swadiq ( q.s. ) and the Itsna’ Ash’ari , Twelver, Shi’ah asserted t...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ What is the primary and real difference between Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah and the Shi’ah ?   What beliefs and actions are kufr ? ”   The definition of what constitutes the Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah is not as straightforward, but that is a distinct discussion.   Sunni Islam has four main schools of ‘aqidah , creed.   They are the Ash’ari, Maturidi, Thahawi and the Hanbali Atsari.   The Atsari creed here is not the same as the Neo-Atsari creed of the Wahhabi sect, which is considered an outright heresy, and their beliefs are kufr due to their anthropomorphism.   The Shi’ah themselves are not a monolithic group, with dozens of sects.   The two largest are the Twelver Shi’ah, named because they follow the 12 a’immah of the Ahl al-Bayt in succession; and the Zaydis, named after the fifth imam they followed, Imam Zayd ibn ‘Ali ash-Shahid ( q.s. ).   Eve...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Shaykh Nur ad-Din Abu ‘Ubadah ‘Ali ibn Juma’ah wrote that the Zaydis follow Imam Zayd ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn ( r.a. ), and are the Shi’ah denomination most similar to the Sunnis.   They agree with the Sunnis, as opposed to the Twelver Shi’ah that the question of the imamiyyah is a branch of religion which does admit rational interpretation, and is likewise subject to independent judgement.   The Twelver Shi’ah hold their opinion to be established through express textual support, that is, authentically-narrated reports indisputably indicating the person of the imam .   Zaydis recognise texts indicating the person of the imam , but hold them to be less definitive both in their transmission and their signification, and to describe the attributes of the imam , but not specify him by name.   Further distinctions between the Twelver Shi’ah and Zaydis are logically entailed by these differences, in that the former hold that one w...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The Zaydiyyah follow Imam Zayd ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn ( r.a. ), and are the Shi’ite denomination most similar to the Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah .  They agree with the Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah , and contend with the Twelver Shi’ah that the question of imamiyyah is a branch of religion which does admit rational interpretation and is, likewise, subject to independent judgement.  The Twelver Shi’ah hold their opinion to be established through express textual support, that is, authentically-narrated reports indisputably indicating the person of the imam .  Zaydiyyah recognise texts indicating the person of the Imam but hold them to be less definitive, both in their transmission and their signification, and to describe the attributes of the Imam but not specify him by name.   Further distinctions between the Twelver Shi’ah and Zaydiyyah are logically entailed by these differences, in that the former hold that one who denie...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following are two threads, on nikah al-mut’ah , on The Sharing Group.   The first is by Sister San Yee, and the second is by Brother Ali Camarata.   Sister San Yee posted this question, on The Sharing Group, on the 09 th October 2014.   She said, “This is probably a question for our Shi’ah brothers and sisters in the group and for anyone who has knowledge on this topic.   When I first became Muslim, one of the first things I was taught about Shi’ah was the practice of temporary marriage.   I would like to know if temporary marriage is still practised, how is it done, and why is it done?   Brother Hossein Turner : A much misunderstood practice, and often abused.   I am sure others are more qualified to comment.   Brother Abdulhakim Niklas Landerhall : There is this: Do the Zaydis Believe in Temporary Marriage as the Twelver Shi’ah?   Brother Hajj Ahmad : Temporary marriage is very much pract...