Ask a Shia

[umm Zachariah]

Bismillah


Assalamu alaikum


First Karbala, welcome to the board.


I have a question of more a personal approach.


You said

I do not claim to be qualified to identify the beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunnah.

in an earlier input. Some inputs later you gave us the news that you have changed your belief to Shia from al-Sunnah.
What I wonder is, how come that you changed direction if you were not that knowledgable of the belief you had earlier?


I am curious, since it sounds strange to me to leave something that one does not fully understand yet. So how come you did change belief/direction?

[TheSlaveOfAllah]

Hmm sorry...But why are there separations among muslims such as Shia, Sunni etc.?


I really like to know...forgive me for my lack of knowledge...

[Karbala]

:bismillah:

But I see every year at the new year time the Shia people have some kind of festival where they feel sorry about killing the Prophets grandsons and they hit themselves in the head and face alot until they are all bloody.

I think you are referring to the mourning ceremonies or maatam held at various occasions most famously on the 1st 10 days of Muharram. The Shia commemorate the death of Hussain ibn Ali who was killed brutally alongside his family and closest companions on the plains of Karbala on the orders of Yazeed ibn Muawiya. It DEFINITELY wasn't the Shia who killed Hussain.


Afterwards a revolution led by a woman Zainab bint Ali shook the world and gave us the greatest historical epic. For me it has a place very close to my heart.


The most common practice is the symbolic tapping of the chest which is a sign of mourning. There are large commemorative gatherings in which his memories are evoked, eulogies read and processions march. There are many reasons for this. Obviously it is only natural to mourn such a tragic event. There are also examples from the life of the Prophet of Mercy :saws2: and his holy Ahlulbayt where Hussain and other martyrs where remembered in Mourning ceremonies.


THe more extreme versions include Tatbeer/Qamazani and Zanjeer which is basically self-flaggelation. Personally I hate these practices since they are savage, brutal and most certainly innovated. As far as the Grand Ulema are concerned there is at least one who recommends these acts (although I totally disagree with him) as Mustahabb. Most of them abhorr it especially since it is so bad for the image of Islam.


For example it is banned in Iran as per the Fatwa of Ayatollah Khamenei.


<b>Question: Is hitting oneself with swords ḥalāl if it is done in secret? Or is your fatwā in this regard universal?</b>


Answer: Qamazanī is not held by common view as manifestations of mourning and grief, it has no precedent at the lifetime of the Imams (a.s.) and even after that, and we have not received any tradition quoted from the Infallibles (a.s.) about any support to this act. Moreover, this practice would, at the present time, give others a bad image of our school of thought. Therefore, it is not permissible in any situation.


taken from the rahbar's site (www.leader.ir)

[Karbala]

Also, I wanted to ask if it is common among the shia people to practice the pleasure marriage?

I think what you are referring to is Muta'a. From personal experience it is quite uncommon. But it is unanimously regarded in the school of AhlulBayt to be Halal.

I am curious, since it sounds strange to me to leave something that one does not fully understand yet. So how come you did change belief/direction

Good Question and it is a long story how I went from The School of Ahl AL-Sunnah to School of AhlulBayt. But the question is why did I if I didnt know much about the beliefs of Ahl Al-Sunnah.


To be fair Im not qualified to identify the beliefs of the Shia either. In the School of AhlulBayt there is a strong culture of Taqleed (emulation) in which the common person suspends their judgements on matters of fiqh in preference to certain qualified Ulema. This more or less also applies to Aqeedah. I am very careful when talking of religion. Since this is an islamic board with many capable people to identify the Aqeedah of Ahl AL-Sunnah I thought it would be best if I left it to them. It would be a bit strange if I a practicing Shia was teaching you about your own beliefs. I could quote you books and references from Ahl-Al-sunnah Ulema but Ahl al-Sunnah beliefs are better coming from Sunnis themselves.


I have studied literature available to me in English and Urdu on both schools to the best of my ability. I have had discussions with Sunni as well as Shia Ulema. Believe me it wasn't easy I did the best I can to make a decision with the evidence infront of me.

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


as salam alykom brothers and sisters


Alhamdulelah I just came back from Ummrah, and Karbala I have a lot to say here. BUt since I also have a lot to catch up with, will just give a quick comment on something to let everyone knows why Iranians pray after Fajr and After Asr..


As u may have noticed, it did bother me to see us Muslims go like this, so in Medina I tried to talk to one of the ladies in charge, she told me this is their belief, we respect them. We do have Farsi speaking ladies who look after women's attitude during Zyarah, but we dont have much to also assign them in the masjed to give proper direction. Any way, I saw a group of 3, I approached them and they spoke little English. I asked them for the reason, they told me, they pray on behalf of those who cannt come to Medina, or those who are dead. They also explained that they dont do this back home, but because they have limited time, they want to invest as much as possible. Alhamdulelah I explained nicely that this is Haram, they can pray as much as possible any other time. They answered no one told us it is Haram and we will not do it.


I also wrote a comment asking the authorities to try and give them dawa, that we shouldnt stereotype as this is their belief. When we explain the wrong, they listen, that we should approach them as Muslim who are doing something wrong. Just as many others do.


Alhamdulelah at least I did my best.


So this is the case. Karbala, not all of them pray on their own, but still I did observe a number of them this year who did so. May be it is a personal approach, may be even they are told not to, but they do it, just like many others who for instance keep touching gates of Ka`ba or gates of Masjed Nabawy, or even here in Egypt go and pray and touch Maqam of Hussain, Sayeda Zaynab ..etc. In some cases, scholars are free of responsibility, this I understand.


Alhamdulelah, will come back Insh a Allah. :)

[Karbala]

:bismillah:


Mashallah may God accept your Umrah and I hope you had a good time.


Ok I think I understand what you saw now. Yes many Shia after they have prayed their sunnah and wajib Salaat will start offering extra Salats. These may be Qada' Salaats either for themselves or a deceased parent. These also may be Nawafil Salats offered for someone who themselves couldn't make it to Umra or Hajj.


This is NOT haram as far as I know since I have done it myself. Muslimah can you provide a fatwa of one of your ulema or a hadith in which after Fajr Zzuhr or Maghrib praying any sort of Salat is haram? Also I observed in Mecca that Salatul Janaza was offered straight after Fajr or Zuhr or Asr so I dont think offering Salat for whatever reason after Fajr or Zuhr or Asr can be considered Haram.


As for those who pray on their own I don't know what their problem is.

just like many others who for instance keep touching gates of Ka`ba or gates of Masjed Nabawy, or even here in Egypt go and pray and touch Maqam of Hussain, Sayeda Zaynab ..etc.

Touching the gates of Ka'aba or Masjid Nabawy or Maqam Hussein or Sayyeda Zainab is NOT haram.

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


Karbala, touching the gates [b]for what reason[/b]???


To make things clearer. Yes you can do Qada of course, like you can do Qada of each Fard after the original Fard. Salatu Janaza is also allowed at any time. However, nawafel, can wait, u dont need to do nawafel after Faj or Asr as those are the times when Salat us Makrouh.


Let me check the Fatwa you are asking for.

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


Alhamdulelah i found the Fatwa Karbala supported by Hadeeth:


http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=82709&ln=...%20after%20fajr


This is even better and jazakum Allah khairan for making it easy for me. Because if I wanted to look for the hadeeth myself i would have had to translate them. I cannt do the search in English.


Hope this will clarify what I wanted to say. And I just like to ensure something, my intention is never to attack u or any other Shia, but rahter to help us all muslims become better.

[Muslimah]

:bismillah:


<b>Question: Is hitting oneself with swords ḥalāl if it is done in secret? Or is your fatwā in this regard universal?</b>


Answer: Qamazanī is not held by common view as manifestations of mourning and grief, it has no precedent at the lifetime of the Imams (a.s.) and even after that, and we have not received any tradition quoted from the Infallibles (a.s.) about any support to this act. Moreover, this practice would, at the present time, give others a bad image of our school of thought. Therefore, it is not permissible in any situation.


taken from the rahbar's site (www.leader.ir)

Jazakum Allah khairan for posting this, specially coming from a scholar. Thus, we can say, that followers might just be innovating just like among any other groups of people. As usualy shaytan comes in and decorates things making them OO this is in remembrance to Hussain and certainly Sayed Shudaael jannah (leader of the martyrs of Jannah) certainly does not need this. His grandfather (our beloved teacher, leader and Messenger salla Allah a`lyhee wa sallam) told people who commented that the moon eclipsed for the death of his son Ibraheem, the moon and sun do not eclipse for anyone's death, leave alone him endorsing people mourning every year. Just to point out how shaytan worked hard on this issue, why dont they mourn Shuhadaa Auhud including Hamza? Hamza whom the Messenger salla Allah a`lyhee wa sallam sat next to crying?? I understand that Hussain's murder was committed by so called Muslims. but martyrdom is martyrdom and the loss in Auhud was no less in magnitude and effect.


Let me look for the hadeeth regarding the warning against renewing griefs.

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


Alhamdulelah I found a hadeeth inlcuded in a fatwa, I will post the hadeeth here and link to the fatwa since it is actually really crucial. BTW it is based on Ibn Taymeya.


It is reported in al-Saheeh that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “he is not one of us who strikes his cheeks, rends his garments and prays with the prayer of Jaahiliyyah.” And he said: “I have nothing to do with those who strike [their cheeks], shave [their heads] and rend [their garments].” And he said: “If the woman who wails does not repent before she dies, she will be raised up on the Day of Resurrection wearing trousers made of tar and a shirt of scabs.” In al-Musnad, it is reported from Faatimah bint al-Husayn, from her father al-Husayn, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no man who suffers a calamity, and when he remembers it, even if it is old, he says ‘Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return),’ but Allaah will give a reward equal to the reward He gave him on the day he suffered the calamity.”


http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=40...&txt=grief


This is the link to the full fatwa.


You know what? Karabala I m really grateful to Allah for giving me this chance of talking to u one to one, I was always looking to such a chance. May Allah Allow us all to improve.