History and evolution of `Alawiyya by Brother Qa'im

The following post was original written by Qa’im [1]. I am merely reproducing this entry here. Full credit goes to Qai’m at ShiaChat.

The roots of `Alawiyya is essentially twelver Imami, but its offshoot point was with ibn Nusayr during the minor occultation, where he rejected the traditional 4 safirs of Shi'ah Islam, and instead declared himself as the sole legitimate authority in communication with the eschatological Qa'im (May Allah hasten his appearance). 

History and evolution of `Alawiyya

al-`Alawiyya religiously developed based on not just the teachings of ibn Nusayr, but the surrounded influences of Shi'ah Islam, Christianity, Isma`iliyya, and other local groups. After ibn Nusayr died in the 10th century CE, his grandson at-Tabarani succeeded him in scholarship and his writings became the basis of the `Alawi faith. He lived in Latakia, which was Byzantine (and therefore Christian) controlled at that time. The `Alawis also lived amongst the Druze and Maronites

Beliefs

-Secrecy: The `Alawi aqeedah relies on strict taqiyya, and thus the group, its beliefs, and its practices are to remain a secret, even to members of the sect. Women, for example, cannot be taught the religion, as religious direction belongs solely to the man. The group has also refrained from making da`wa (propagation) and jihad (expedition) for the purpose of spreading the religion; instead it remained isolated throughout history.


In the 19th century, Sulaiman al-Adni, an Alawite convert to Christianity, wrote a book named al-Bakurah as-Suliamaniya fi Kashf Asrar ad-Diyanah an-Nusairiyah (The First Fruits of Sulaiman in Revealing the Secrets of the Nusairi Religion), which was the first detailed outsider account into the `Alawi religion.


Some major beliefs include:
-Reincarnation: this appears to have been an original ibn Nusayri teaching, that one can reincarnate several times. Women do not reincarnate. Men, however, can live 7 lives as faithful `Alawis, and then finally join 'Ali (may peace be upon him) in a celestial heaven. If they are not faithful, they will be reborn as Christians as a punishment. Non-Alawis reincarnate into animals.


-Trinity: `Alawis believe in three incarnations of God: `Ali (may peace be upon him), Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his pure family), and Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him). Each of the three have their own mystical significance, `Ali being the meaning, Muhammed being the name, and Salman al-Farisi being the gate. The short version of the `Alawi shahada is "I testify that there is no God but Ali," (la ilaha illa-`Ali), the long version (`ayn meem seen) which recognizes the full Trinity says: `I have borne witness that there is no God but He, the most High, the object of worship [al-'Ali al-Ma'bud] and that there is no concealing veil (hijab) except the lord Muhammad, the object of praise, (as-Sayyid Muhmmad al-Mahmud), and there is not Bab except the lord Salman al-Farisi`


-Rejection of the Qur'an: `Alawis reject the literal meanings of the Qur'an, and instead emphasize spiritual, mystical, and metaphorical practices and sayings.


-Celebration of Christian and Persian holidays: Since the religion had a long standing in Christendom, they adopted some Christian celebrations including Christmas, Easter, Palm Sunday, and ahve their own unique practices for these days, which include the communion associated with Catholic tradition. `Alawis also celebrate Nawruz, marking the Persian new year.


-Mysticism: In the `Alawiyya, there are many connections with the Isma'iiyya, as they both view the Islamic shari`ah esoterically and allegorically. They believe in a hidden meaning behind the commands, and take these concepts over their literal meanings. `Alawis even believe that these secret meanings were hidden from the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his pure family), and was revealed to the Imams (may peace be upon them) and ibn Nusayr instead.

Reference

[1] http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234978256-the-alawites/

Alawi/Nusayris sect reading materials

Fedai (thank you!) has provided name of articles/books for reading about the Alawi/Nusayris sect.

[1] al-Husayn ibn Hamdân al-Khasîbî: A Historical Biography of the Founder of the Nusayrî-'Alawite Sect (http://www.jstor.org/pss/1596110)

[2] 'Erdogan Cinar' an apologetic for alternative Alevi beliefs; namely, 'Isikism' ('light'ism). Extensively criticized by the alevis who claim Islamic heritage,
the authors works are in Turkish but here is a snippet from wiki about the chap and his findings. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishikism

[3] The Alevi of Anatolia By David Zeidan http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/1999/issue4/zeidan.pdf

[4] Thesis Eleven, BETWEEN CHIEFTAINCY AND KNIGHTHOOD: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF OTTOMAN AND SAFAVID ORIGINS' (http://the.sagepub.com/content/76/1/85.full.pdf+html)

Testimonial: Inside the Alawi/Nusayris sect

The following is a personal testimonial from an ex-member of the sect. (Note: Some comments have been edited for clarity). 

According to Fedai  

I happen to be raised in an Alevi household. I asked a lot of the questions that is being tossed around in this thread. Due to a lack of substance in the Alevi belief, I resorted to atheism. A crucial point to make here is that when there is no subjective doctrine at hand (i.e a book, compilation of hadith etc) then there is no binding contract. In the case of alevi's/alawis, only verbal accounts of the doctrine and history exists.  

I am a firm propagator of categorizing the Alevis of southeast Turkey with the Alawis of the Levant (Lebanon and Syria) in the same group. The reason is because I find the similarities amongst the two sects, in my humble opinion, far greater then the differences.

In trying to tackle the above questions [1], one should keep this in mind; since both sects are highly secretive and they rely on verbal traditions, i) there is no yardstick to keep doctrine in line and ii) no deterrent for the evolution/ change/ alteration of a belief system to match personal agendas.

With the above in mind, I went about questioning learned alevis ('dede', 'baba' or 'pir') or the modern equivalent of a priest of the sect. Contrary to the common belief, these sects have tremendous differences and disagreements between historical accounts of the origins of their faith. Two groups emerged in southeast Turkey; i) those who revere the holy household and ii) those who abide to the pre-Islamic doctrines of Zoroastrian or Solar communities who believe in notions of Haqq (justice).

The first group when confronted with matters regarding salat (prayers) and siyam (fasting) ussually argue in this manner i) The Quran has been tampered or ii) Imam Ali (peace be upon him) died while prayer (so they claim that he died for our sins). This is similar to the doctrine of salvation in Christianity; belief in the crucifixion of Prophet Jesus/Isa son of Mary (may peace be upon him). As such, they argue that the need for prayers is no longer applicable or is redundant and maintaining good intentions is all that is needed.

The second group addresses the Ahlul Bayt and its elevated position in the sect by suggesting that since the Alevis were persecuted by the Seljuk and Ottomans, they (Alevis) mold their beliefs into Shi' like doctrine to avoid being slain. Over a period of time, these concepts became so entrenched in their faith that it became nearly impossible to determine what was added and if it can be separated.

In my opinion, there is some truth in what is being said by both of the subgroups in regards to the history of their faith. The emigration of the Alevis began in the region of Khorasan (a difference of opinion exists about their whereabouts). Let’s assume for the sake of discussion that their migration started from the Pashtun belt in Afghanistan. From there, they moved to Persia to find more fruitful and pasture lands. They picked up some of the Zoroastrian belief (in Persia) and then Shi’ doctrine (in Mesopotamia, Iraq). As they crossed to Levant and southeastern Turkey, they settled where there is an abundant pastureland. Perhaps, they found the native teaching of the local folk (culture), string instruments, Sufi mystics and worshiping the elements of nature (i.e., fire or light).

Under the Ottomans, the Alevis were used as Janissary infantry unit and their presence in places like Albania and Macedonia can be felt. The Janissary infantry units were the frontline fighting in Eastern Europe.

Since the Alevis mostly reside in the rural areas (within their own villages), they have almost no contact with the outsiders (Shias or Sunnis). This might have contributed to the emergence of oral traditions firmly established in their hierarchical systems.
 

Each pocket had its 'alim' (scholar) who could only pass on his knowledge to his son who had to be a descendant of the holy household. These men keep a firm hold on the social order (power) by introducing social traditions (i.e., preventing marriages to someone outside of their sect or not allowing conversion to their sect). However, some men are bringing in women through marriages. But Alevi women are completely forbidden to marry outside of their sect (e.g., marriages to Sunni men are disallowed). 

The hierarchical system in their sect leaves no room for questioning. The common people are subjugated to the will of their alims (scholars), who claims that they are from the descendents of the Holy Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his pure family). Perhaps the uncontrollable proliferation of ideas without any checks or balance can be liken to the snowball effect.
 
Along with the development of technology and the modern way of life, the Alevis (like the rest of the people in the region) emigrated into towns and cities. The mass emigration of the Alevi community causes disruption to their hierarchical system. Also, the increased contact with Islamic ideas and an overwhelming pressure to identify the origin of the sect has led to scholarly research.

The Ottomans, unfortunately, have not keep any records of the Alevis theology. This is very unusual since they have kept record of other sects. Could this be because the Ottomans did not want to offend or upset the Janissary that were fighting in the Balkans or keeping the Beyliks of the south in line?

In the modern time, we have seen an increase in the dawa activity by the Shia Jafari among the Alawis. Since members of this sect revere and love the Holy Household (prophet family), more dawah and scholarly debates are needed to win them over to the school of Shia Immamiyyah.

Most, if not all of the Alevis in Turkey acknowledged all the twelve Imams. They respect the Holy Quran. Their claim of tampering can be rebutted intellectually. However, they are some who tries to distance themselves from the Islamic principles (i.e., hejab, polygamy). Most of them do not agree to the Islamic Sharia (punishment?) because they have only seen heavy handedness from the Ottomans who were notorious for prosecuting their ancestors.

There are two schools of thought in regards to the origin/name of the sect. The first group claims that the sect name “Alevi” is derived from Zoroastrian roots, “Alev”, which means flame. Alternatively since the Turkish language does not permit the use of the 'W' one can argue that Alevi is a simple equivalent of Alawi from its Arabic cousin. Hence the partisan of 'Ali can also be derived from the term.
 

All the above is from my own findings, my humble and semi professional research so please don’t take it for granted; keep an eye out for the list of references.

 
Reference
[1] http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234985799-questions-about-alawinusayris-sect/

Testimonial: Belief of the Alawi/Nusayris sect

The following is a personal testimonial from a person who has met a few members of the Alawi/Nusayris sect. (Note: Some comments have been edited for clarity).

This story is narrated by Cosmos [1]

I've only met two Alawi's in my life. The first time was three years ago at my university. One thing you should know about them is that their faith is top secret. It is really hard to extract information from them. They only reveal their teachings to those who join them. They have no mosques, but have weekly gatherings inside their houses. 

The first Alawi was a man.  He confused my friend (a Sunni) and I (a Shia). By this I mean they "morph" or "blend" into whichever group they join. When he was with me, he used to show me latmia and nasheed from Basim al-Karbalaei. But when he was with Sunnis, he discussed Uthman, Umar and other teachings with them. We eventually found out about his sect. Every time we called him for prayers, he said he would pray at home. Later, my friends told me that he was an Alawi. He denied all. I did not see him after that.

The second member of this group was a woman. She was from Syria. She was a little bit open about her faith. She revealed that She was an Alawi. This, only after we talk about religion. She made sure that I'm mature and will not be making fun of what she is about to say.

According to her, they believe that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) is the God and that the light is the very essence of God. As such, they worship the sun and the moon and see them as the residence of Imam 'Ali (a.s), Prophet Muhammad (may the peace on blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) and Salman al farisi (A Persian disciple and a close companion of Prophet Muhammad(May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family). They identify Imam 'Ali with the sun and Salman with the moon. They also believe in all the prophets of Islam (total number of prophets is about 124 000). They follow all the twelve Imams, eleven Imams from the progeny of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), the last being Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his return).  They also believe in the trinity manifestation of God from Christianity.

Alawi/Nusayris celebrate the following Eids; Eid al-Fitr (but they don't fast), Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Ghadir when imam Ali (a.s) became the successor of prophet Mohammad (may the peace on blessings of Allah be upon him and his family). They also celebrate Eid al-Nawruz (Persian New Year) and Christmas and Epiphany Holiday (from Christianity).

It was really difficult to get things out from from her. And to find an Alawi that reveals he/she is an Alawi/Nusayris is even rare (except for maybe Syrian). My guess is that if they join a group, they blend in and making it hard to identify them. I don't know the exact reason why they are secretive. I guess it must be part of their faith.

Reference

[1] http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234985799-questions-about-alawinusayris-sect/

I created a new label for my blog entry

Libyan state TV showed a video clip of a cleric in a mosque who was quoting a supposedly saying of the Holy Prophet (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his family). The cleric said, “The Prophet said, if you dislike your ruler, you should not raise your swords against him. Be patient. If you rise against him, you will die as an infidel (Kafir)!” Yes, he sounded quite angry.  

Sayf-al-Islam, son of the Libyan dictator, is writing a constitution for Libya. He is also busy preserving his father’s corrupt government (through genocide of his people). I have found an interesting fact about the son of the dictator. He has a Ph.D from London School of Economics. In his doctoral dissertation, the son of the dictator “hit out at undemocratic states whose governments were "authoritarian, abusive and unrepresentative". I kid you not. Click here

Ghadafi (the dictator) now thinks his people, who are protesting, are under the command of foreign terrorist organization. JuanCole doesn’t think foreign terrorist organizations can put massive number of people on streets. Ghadafi also think his people are under an influence of milk and Nescafe spiked with hallucinogenic drugs. 

BTW, I created a new blog label; ‘Nonsense’. This should be pretty self-explanatory.

Some leads on Alawi/Nusayris - part 1

The following notes are taken from this thread.

According to siraatoaliyinhaqqun 

Member of this sect do not perform salah (Muslim prayers). Neither do they believe in the twelve Imams of Ahlul Bayt (Shia Ithna Asharis). This group has been noted in religious books (Shia), i.e., in the Rijal of an-Najashi and in al-Khisal of Shaykh Saduq. It is believe that Ibn Saba was a member of this group. Imam Hassan Askari (may peace be upon him) have cursed Nusary and considered him as an exaggerator (ghulat).

According to Cosmos (who had a few discussions with a member of this sect from Syria)

Abu Shu'ayb Muhammad ibn Nusayr started the Alawi sector during the 9th century, and spread to Syria during the 10th century. Members of this sect worship Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and consider him a manifestation of God. They do acknowledge Ahlul Bayt and accepts all the twelve Imams. Their main book is Kitab al-Majmu. Other books used by them (for debates) are the Holy Quran and Nahjul Balagha. Alawi or Nusayris (named after sect founder) call themselves Alawi Shia muslim, there are over 2 million of them and most are in Syria, others are found in Turkey and some in Lebanon, most of their religion is a mixed bag originating from mixtures of ancient pagan, gnostic and Christian elements along with Shia Islamic teaching. Alawis came to power in Syria in 1960's when Hafez Assad was elected as president, he is also an Alawi, hence he gave them more freedom and power.

Bhooka provided a reference from rijal al-Kashi on his blog. According to him, a hadeeth stated that the founder of the Nusayris sect (Muhammad b. Nusayr al-Numari) claimed prophet-hood for himself. Muhammad b. Nusayr al-Numari also claimed that he was a representative of Imam Hassan Askari. He promoted ideas and teachings that were contrary to Islam, such as, the belief in the reincarnation/transfer of the soul, exaggeration about the Imams of Ahlul Bayt (divinity of Imam Ali), haram acts (e.g. relationship between the same sex). 

To be continued in part 2 .....

Situation in Libya is worsening

Ghadafi (may the curse of Allah be on this tyrant) doesn’t care if his people (all) are slaughtered. I watched the video of his rant. He said he is going to fight till the end. His tribe is solidly backing him. He has, so far, unleashed his mercenary armies to suppress the protestors (in a very brutal way). 

A great majority of the people are no longer willing to see him in power. 

This is going to be a very bloody war.

Questions about Alawi/Nusayris sect

I am absolutely unclear how to even form thoughts about Alawi/Nusayris. I hope to get more information about them soon.


I have posted the following questions, in hope that someone may know more about this sect or at least point me to some reading materials.

1. When did this sect come into existence? How?
2. Do they worship Imam Ali (peace be upon him) as a God?
3. Is this the group that thought the angel Jibrael made a mistake and sent the revelation to a wrong person, when it should have gone to Imam Ali?
4. Do they acknowledge all the 12 Imams of ahlul bayt (peace be upon them)?
5. Do we have any sayings from our Imams that speak about them?
6. Names of some books/literature that can explain this sect.

Notes about the Druze belief

• The Druze does not recognize Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam (May Allah grant peace and blessings to him and his family)
• The Druze believe in the Divinity of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah and reincarnation 
• The Druze are not obligated to perform the daily prayers even in their house of worship 
• The Druze do not fast in the month of Ramadhan. 
• The Druze do not require or perform pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah 
• The Druze do not observe the zakat as prescribe in Islam

The Druze do not see themselves as Muslims, despite the fact that most of the Druze believers are apparently of Muslim origin and despite the fact that they focus their activity primarily in proximity to Muslims[1].

"The founders of the Druze religion were, moreover, greatly influenced by certain beliefs, notably the incarnation or hulul of the divine essence in human bodies, held by the early Shıı ghulat, especially the Khattabiyya, who believed in the divinity of the imams. Under such influences, Hamza and his chief associates believed in the periodical manifestations of the divine spirit in human form. They taught that in their time, the ultimate One, the Godhead, who had created the universal intellect or intelligence (al-aql al-kullı), the first cosmic emanation or principle who was himself beyond name or rank, was embodied in the person of al-Hakim. In other words, al-Hakim was the last maqam, or locus, of the Creator, and it was only by recognising al-Hakim that men could purify themselves. On 27 Shawwal 411/13 February 1021, he left for one of his usual outings to the Muqattam hills and never returned. The Druzes interpret al-Hakim’s disappearance as a voluntary retreat initiating his ghayba or occultation." [2]

Discussions: 1, 2, 3, 4

References

[1] The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity and Status by Nissim Dana (2003)

[2] The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines by Farhad Daftary (2007)

Ghulat Groups

The following two groups exhibit ghuluww (exaggeration in religious matter) tendencies as per definition

1. The Druze
2. The Alawi/Nusayris

The Druze

According to Wikipedia: "The Druze emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism and incorporated several elements of Gnosticism, Neoplatonism and other philosophies."

• Locations: Reside primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and the west
• Est. population 750K - 2500K (approx)
• Important literature: Rasa'il al-hikmah (Epistles of Wisdom)
• Written/Spoken: Arabic, English and local languages/dialects
• Established since the year 1016 AD
• Membership: Not open to the public and extremely secretive
• Symbols: Multi-colored stars

The Alawi

According to Wikipedia: 

"The origin of the Alawis is disputed. The Alawis themselves trace their origins to the followers of the eleventh Imam, Hasan al'Askari (d.873) and his pupil ibn Nusayr (d. 868)

Alawis are self-described Shi'i Muslims, and have been called Shia by other sources including the highly influential Lebanese Shia cleric Musa al-Sadr of Lebanon. 

On the other hand, conservative Sunnis do not always recognize Alawi as Muslims. At least one source has compared them to Baha'is, Babis, Bektashis, Ahmadis, and similar groups that have arisen within the Muslim community, and declared that it has always been the consensus of the Muslim Ulama, both Sunni and Shi'i, that the Nusayri Alawi are kuffar unbelievers and mushrikun polytheists.

The Alawi themselves have insisted that they are Twelver Shi'ites since at least the 1920s, in spite of the French encouraging them to identify as a separate religion.

Alawis have much in common with the Ismailis in terms of overall beliefs, and they are sometimes regarded as an offshoot of this group."

• Locations: Reside primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey
• Est. population: 3M (approx)
• Important literature: Al-Quran and Kitab al-Majmu 
• Written/Spoken: Arabic, Turkish
• Established since the year 1000 AD (approximate date)
  
• Membership: Not open to the public and secretive
• Symbols: Unknown

Is the fall of Libyan regime imminent?

The son of the Libyan dictator (sayf al-Islam): 

“We will fight until the last man, the last woman”

Libya's former ambassador to the Arab League in Cairo, Abdel-Moneim al-Houni: 

"Gadhafi's regime is now in the trash of history because he betrayed his nation and his people,"

A Libyan diplomat in China, Hussein el-Sadek el-Mesrati, told Al-Jazeera: 

"I resigned from representing the government of Mussolini and Hitler."

a 28-year-old protester said

"They (Gadhafi supporters) were driving like madmen searching for someone to kill. ... It was total chaos, shooting and shouting."

Omar Amer, a member of the Libyan Youth Movement, a protest group that spreads its message through Facebook.

"Kadafi's biggest mistake was that he built his whole regime on pure fear. He totally abandoned civilizing Libya. He neglected education and development projects. He left the majority of his people in the dark ages and built his might on fear through torturing and killing political dissidents in public.

"But the fear that Kadafi built his empire with is gone, and that was his last shelter."

Deputy permanent representative (UN), Ibrahim Dabbashi the New York Times:

“We are sure that what is going on now in Libya is crimes against humanity and crimes of war. We find it is impossible to stay silent and we have to transfer the voice of the Libyan people to the world,” 

“We state clearly that the Libyan mission is a mission for the Libyan people,” he said. “It is not for the regime. The regime of Qaddafi has already started the genocide against the Libyan people.” 

"Either he gets out or the Libyan people will kick him out. He's trying to just delay his fate."

Asked if the regime is now crumbling, Mr Dabbashi said:

"Yes it is the end of the game. We will soon see the fall of this regime."

Leader of Ghulat (al-Mughıra b. Saıd)

The most prominent of these ghulat is al-Mughıra b. Saıd. The following paragraphs are taken from: The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines by Farhad Daftary (Page 69)

He seems to have combined a variety of pre-Islamic beliefs of the Near East into his teaching, reflecting particularly the influences of Mandaean and Manichaean gnostic doctrines. Indeed, al-Mughıra, with his emphasis on spiritualism and pronounced dualism, has been credited with being the first Shıı gnostic.

One of the most distinctive features of his teaching was his anthropomorphic description of God. He asserted that God is a man of light with a crown of light on his head, a concept closely resembling the Mandaean doctrine of their deity, referred to as the ‘king of light’.

He further added that God has limbs which correspond to the letters of the Arabic alphabet, and that these letters (huruf ) themselves derived from the Greatest Name of God, spoken at the time of creation. These ideas are clearly reminiscent of the teaching of Marcus the Gnostic, one of the leading exponents of Valentinian Gnosticism, for whom the body of the ‘supreme truth’ (Aletheia) was composed of the letters of the Greek alphabet.

 Al-Mughıra may probably be considered as the first Shıı, or the first Muslim for that matter, who thought about the mystical and symbolic nature of the alphabet and thus anticipated the more elaborate views of the later Ismaılıs. It was possibly also due to al-Mughıra’s ideas, further developed by others, that the extremist Shııs came to attribute certain occult properties to the twenty-eight letters of the Arabic alphabet.

Al-Mughaira is equally noted for his theory of the creation of the world and the first beings. His cosmogony, too, reflects the influence of ancient gnostic systems and, like his anthropomorphism, seems to have been inspired by the allegorical or symbolic interpretation (tawıl) of certain Quranic passages, a method which was to become more distinctively associated with the Ismaılıs.

The fundamental aspect of this cosmogony is its gnostic dualism, characterized by the eternal conflict between light and darkness which, in close affinity with the basic tenet of Manichaeism, symbolize good and evil. In time, al-Mughıra acquired followers of his own in Kufa, from amongst both the Arabs and the mawalı. They became known as the Mughıriyya, representing one of the most important of the ghulat groups. Al-Mughıra imbued his followers with a sense of exclusiveness and devotion to his leadership, which may explain why they were also referred to as the Wusafa, the Servants.

Shia condemns Ghulat

Shaykh al-Mufeed wrote about Ghulat (in his book Sharh aqaid al-Sadiq, p. 239)

"the Gulat (zealots or extremists) who claim to be Muslims ascribed divinity or prophecy to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib and the Imams of his posterity and in effect transgressed the limit in describing their eminence in religion and in this world. Hence they are heretics condemned by Imam Ali to death" and the Imams ruled that they committed heresies and forsook Islam.

Sermon 127 in Nahjul Balagha about the Kharijites

With regard to me, two categories of people will be ruined, namely he who loves me too much and the love takes him away from rightfulness, and he who hates me too much and the hatred takes him away from rightfulness.

The following is taken from dartabligh (Source)

A Muslim becomes Mushrik if he portrays any of the Prophet or Imam in any way or in any form as God or like God or part of God.

Ayatullah al-Uzma As-Sayyid Abul Qasim al-Khoei describes Ghulat as a kind of Shirk and Kufr, and writes; “Those who believe one of the holy twelve Imams to be God or say that God has penetrated into him are Kafirs.” (article 107)

Imams have cursed those people who give them Divine attributes and call them in a way as some body is calling God.

During the time of Hazrat Imam Jafer Sadiq (as), some one attributed some false hadith to his father, Hazrat Imam Muhammad Baqir (as), in which various aspects of divinity were attached to the Imams, notably Amir ul- Muminine Hazrat Ali(as). The people who were spreading these fabricated ahadith were the followers of Mughir bin Said and those of Abi Khattab Muhammad bin al-Assadi.

When Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) heard about this, he said;

“May Allah curse Mughira bin Said as he used to tell lies against my father, May Allah make him taste the heat of burning iron, May Allah curse those who say about us what we do not say ourselves, May Allah curse those who try to make us away from the servitude of Allah, Who created us, and to Him is our return and in His hand is our control”. (Rijal al-Kishi)

Precisely, according to the teaching of the Holy Prophet (sws) and his Ahlal Bayit (as), if anyone knowingly or ignorantly commits any of the following act, then he has committed a major Shirk.

• To consider any Prophet, or Imam, or a leader as an Independent Power.
• To portray the Prophet, or any Imam as god or like a God.
• To give the Prophet, Imam, or anyone, attributes of Allah or Divine titles which make them to look like a God.
• To associate anyone of them with God in His Power of Execution.

Reading: Ghulats

According to Dr. Farhad Daftary (Ismaili historian) in his book (page 63)

Ghaliya or ghulat (singular, ghalı, exaggerator). This was a general term of disapproval, probably coined by some early Shıı authors and adopted by the heresiographers, in reference to those Shıi accused of exaggeration (ghuluww) in religion and in respect to the imams and other Shıı personalities.

The criteria of ghuluww were determined by the Shııs themselves, since the Sunnıs remained basically uninterested in the divergences within Shiism.

The Ismailis (Sevener) use of the Satr doctrine

The Fatimids (ancestors of the Ismailis and Bohras) have been known to use satr (concealment from the public eyes) very often and very frequently (to explain the whereabouts of certain Imams or line of Imams). A few examples are

• In the first instance they used it to somehow explain the whereabouts of Ismail ibn Imam Jafar al-Sadiq(as)
• Then it was used to justify and explain the missing Imams (the Imams #8, #9, #10 and #11)
• Then satr was again used to explain the bohras (mustalian) belief in the 21st Imams and his descendents 
• Even other off-shots of Ismailis like the Druzes believe in a ghaybah like satr. The Druzes are awaiting the reappearance of the Fatimid Imam al-Hakim

The Ismailis and the Bohras have continuously maintain that while the Imams are in the period of satr, they (Imams) are continuing propagating the Ismaili doctrines through his representative (Dais). 

Personally, I don’t think we have evidences to support the Imams in Satr (Ismailis Imams #7, #8, #9, #10, #11). 

A follow-up from the Ismaili definition of Satr as a period where their Imams were hidden from the eyes of their followers.

• Who are these powerful enemies (of the Ismailis Imams) causing their Imams to go into satr? 
• Are there any historical evidences that can back this claim about these oppressive villains?
•  What are the names of Dais who propagate the Ismaili message on behalf of the Imams in the period of Satr?

Even the most premier Ismaili historian, Dr Farhad Daftary couldn't give a reasonable explanation on the period of “Satr”. He couldn't find anything worth mentioning about them in his book. This is what he wrote (a total of two paragraphs about the Ismaili Imam in Satr)

Chapter 3, Page 87 from the Book The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines - 2nd Edition by Farhad Daftary

Early Ismaılism, or the pre-Fatimid period in Ismaılı history, is one of the most obscure major phases in the entire history of Ismaılism. It extends from the proto-Ismaılı origins of the movement, in the middle of the 2nd/8th century, to the establishment of the Fatimid caliphate in the year 297/909, a period of almost one and a half centuries. Little reliable information is available on the history and doctrines of the early Ismaılıs who contributed to the success and intellectual development of this branch of Shi'ism. As a result, many aspects of early Ismaılism continue to be shrouded in uncertainty, causing irreconcilable disagreements among modern scholars regarding some key issues and events.

The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines

The book 'The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines by Farhad Daftary' is an excellent book written about the Ismailis. The second edition of the book is published in 2007 (the first edition was originally printed in 1992).
 

It starts with the origin (history of the Ismailis sect) and goes right until the present day. This is an extensive work covering most if not all the branches of Ismailis, including the off-shots (i.e., Druzes).

I find the book easy to read. Dr Daftary writing style is clear and simple. In the preface, you are told that this book (in its first edition) has won the "Best Book of the Year Award" in Iran in 1996. Quite easily I find this book the most authoritative reference on the history and doctrine of the Ismailis.

However, one of the negative thing about this book is that Dr Daftary explanation and writing about the Ithna Asharis (the twelver) is not very accurate.

What is Satr?

The word satr (pl. satur) is derived from astar, meaning hide, cover or shield. As it is said, masatra (he concealed enmity), or tastir(to hold within a curtain). According to "Arabic-English Lexicon" (New York, 1872, 4th vol., p. 1304) by Edward William Lane, the word satr means to veil, conceal or hide a thing. The early Ismailis had employed the term satr with regards to those periods in their history when the Imams were hidden from the eyes of their followers. 

Seyyed Hossain Nasr writes in this context in his "Ideals and Realities of Islam" (London, 1966, p. 159) that, "The idea of being hidden (mastur) must no, however, be confused with the occultation (ghayba) of the twelfth Imam (of the Twelvers). The first implies simply being hidden from the eyes of the crowd and from public notice, while the second means disappearance from the physical world."

Source

When did Ismail son of Imam Jaffar as-Sadiq died?

Ismail the son of Imam Jaffar as-Sadiq (as) died in the year 760 AD in the lifetime of his father. He, in no way, has assumed the role of the Imam in his lifetime. Neither did he ever claim the Imamah for himself nor for his descendants.

Historical reference for the death of Ismail son of Imam Jaffar Sadiq

The following is a scan from the book History of The Arabs (From the earliest times to the present) by Philip K. Hitti

Thanks to MostMerciful

Ismail son of Imam Jaffar as-Sadiq

This answer was provided on ShiaChat a while ago (Source)

There are some narrations that claim Imam Al-Sadiq said that Bada' occurred after his son Ismail died, but our scholars state that these traditions are not referring to the Imamate of Ismail. Instead, Ismail was supposed to die, but Imam Al-Sadiq (as) asked Allah (swt) to keep him alive, and Allah (swt) did keep him alive. So Bada' occurred here and he remained alive the first time, but he later died. Some took such narrations to indicate that Bada' occurred in Imamate, but it wasn't so, as Imam Al-Sadeq (as) was referring to the expected death of his son Ismail.

Imam Al-Sadeq (as) greatly loved his son Ismail, and he was very dear to his heart. He was also his oldest son. Thus, many during the life of Imam Al-Sadeq (as) thought that Ismail would be the next Imam. When he died, however, it became very clear to everyone that he could not have been the Imam. For many reasons, many of which were political, Imam Al-Sadeq (as) did not publicly announce the Imamate of Al-Kadhem (as). He had only informed those whom he trusted and were firm believers in Allah (swt).

Ismail died in 142 A.H., and Imam Al-Kadhem (as) was born in 128 A.H., which means that Imam Al-Kadhem (as) was 14 years old when his brother Ismail died. The nass on Imam Al-Kadhem's Imamate was not only given when he was in the cradle or five years old. During various stages of Imam Al-Kadhem's (as) life, Imam Al-Sadeq (as) declared him as the next Imam. 

Bahrain Update

http://www.aimislam.com/news/analysis/1842-bahrain-oppression-murder-and-myths-of-reform.html

The Majority is the Enemy

Dr. Salah Al-Bandar exposed the deep-running sectarian, anti-Shia penchant of the Al-Khalifa monarchy in his widely distributed report published in 2006. The 'Bandargate' report as it came to be known highlighted a clandestine, well-orchestrated conspiracy by the government to further disenfranchise the country's majority Shia population from influential governmental positions. Wreaking from decades of political and socioeconomic marginalisation, it would seem that the already hideous conditions affecting Bahraini Shias had to be dealt with a final blow.

Within the report, mention is made of promoting anti-Shia campaigns in the media arena, which is predominantly controlled and heavily monitored by the monarchy. The government's undeviating devotion to a policy of sectarian discrimination does not stop at discriminatory agendas in the press. In line with this outlook, the 2009 report by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights revealed staggering statistics that show systemic discrimination against Shia citizens in various governmental institutions.

Even more alarmingly, the Al-Khalifa regime has strategically pursued a policy of marginalising Shias from the military and domestic security apparatuses. In its report issued in 2005, the International Crisis Group highlighted the endemic discriminatory practises of the government in this regard further noting that the security forces responsible for the clampdown on the 1995 protests were principally recruited from "the Balochi area of Pakistan, with officers from Jordan and other Arab countries". The Bahrain Center for Human Rights notes that this policy has in effect created an equation in which "foreign mercenaries", outwardly draped in the Red and White flag, exercise control of the security needs of the monarchy.

http://www.juancole.com/2011/02/50000-protest-in-bahrain-before-another-bloody-crackdown.html

In Bahrain, Friday began with funerals for three protesters killed by security police during earlier demonstrations. The funerals turned into protest rallies. Some 50,000 Bahrainis took part, about 10% of the population.

Shiite Friday prayers sermons were full of calls for ‘ a real constitutional monarchy’ or even for the overthrow of the Sunni Al Khalifa monarchy. 

Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qasim said in his Friday Prayers sermon at the Diraz Mosque that Thursday’s massacre at the Pearl Roundabout was “a premeditated massacre intended to kill and shed blood, not simply to disperse the crowd.” He wondered, “Why this despotic killing?” The congregation began chanting “Bahrain, Free, Free!” and “Sunnis and Shiites are Brethren– We will not sell out our Country!” Sheikh Isa replied, “We will not accept this humiliation!” again and again. He said that the Bahrain government was now the chief threat to the security of Bahrain citizens. He added that the world needed to shoulder the responsibility of rescuing the Bahraini people. He called on Bahrainis to cling steadfastly to national unity, saying, “Do not kill yourselves with sectarianism.”

In contrast, at the Grand Mosque, Sunni Bahrainis and Sunni Pakistanis and Indian Muslims showed support for the embattled king. Although Shiites are 70 percent of the citizen population, over half of Bahrain’s 1.2 million residents are expatriate guest workers, and most of them are Sunni Muslim.

How Do The Ismailis (followers Of Aga Khan) commemorates the first 10 days of Muharram?

I asked this question here http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234982506-how-do-the-ismailis-followers-of-aga-khan , a few days before the start of the Holy Month of Muharam

Bohras (Dawoodi, Sulaymani, Alevi) and Shia Imamiah (Ithna Asheris) commemorate the first 10 days by having daily muharam lectures at the center, matam, mourning ceremony and Ashura procession (on the tenth of Muharam).

A number of opinions are suggesting that some of the followers of Aga Khan are going the Sunni route by not having any events or activities to commemorate the first 10 days of Muharam.

Malaysian Shia (syiah) update

The Case of 200 Malaysian Shias, who were caught for being deviants, started today in the court. Here is the page to track case update http://www.justiceformalayshia.org/

You can view the video of the raid of the Shia center (hauzah al-Ridha) at the following location http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ2r9TZedbo (The video contains English subtitle)

News and opinions about the Malaysian Shia arrest http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234982851-200-shias-arrested-in-malaysia/

There is a study available online about the Shias in Malaysia and Singapore is this article. Facets of Shi'ite Islam in Contemporary South-East Asia: Malaysia and Singapore http://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/WorkingPapers/WP121.pdf

Bahrain Shias

Juan Cole had a very interesting note about the Shia in Bahrain.

"Bahrain has a little over 1.2 million people, of whom 54 percent are expatriate guest workers, nearly half of them from India. I can remember, on the occasions I was in Manama, the way signs in Malayalam festooned the market and the money-changer stalls. The other 568,000 are Bahrainis. Of these, social scientists think about two-thirds, or about 374,000, are Shiites. In turn, about 100,000 of these are Ajamis, i.e. Shiites of Iranian heritage who are now Arabs. The rest are Baharna or indigenous Bahraini Shiites, who mainly adhere to the conservative Akhbari school that does not believe in following ayatollahs. Many of them live in rural villages outside the capital. 

In the Gulf, typically guest workers cannot vote and don’t have permanent residency or a path to citizenship, though it is rumored that the Sunni monarch, King Hamad Al Khalifa, has bestowed Bahraini citizenship on some expatriate Sunnis in a so far vain attempt offset the indigenous Shiite majority.

The Bahrain constitution lets the Sunni king appoint the 40 members of the upper house of parliament. The lower house also has 40 members, and in the 2010 election only 18 of them were captured by the Shiite religious party, Wifaq, led by cleric Ali Salman. The other 22 went to Sunnis of various stripes.

So, in a country where citizens are probably two-thirds Shiite, Shiites have little representation in the senate and are a minority even in the elected lower house. Not only can the Sunni-dominated upper house veto measures passed by the lower house, but the king himself can veto legislation at will and can prorogue parliament whenever he likes.

Many Shiites in rural areas are poor, despite Bahrain’s riches, derived from its small petroleum industry, its vital finance sector, and strategic rent from the US for the US naval base for the Fifth Fleet. Wifaq not only seeks more equitable representation for the Shiite majority but also a better economic deal for the poor."

Shia oppression in Bahrain (discussions)

http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234985375-bahraini-police-brutally-attack-civilians/

http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234980882-bahrains-shia-are-throttled/

http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234927151-conspiring-against-the-shia-of-bahrain/

http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234984725-bahrain-revolution-on-feb-14-please-share/

http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234963317-shia-in-bahrain-are-not-allowed-to/

Refutation of the Qarmatians

The great Shia Imamiah scholar al-Kulayni has written the following book

al-Radd 'ala 'l-Qaramata - Refutation of the Qarmatians
 

I bet it would be an interesting read. Unfortunately, many books are still inaccessible to us.

The Sulaymani Dai doesn’t claim infallibility

The dai for Sulaymani Ismaili/Fatimid Mustalian is al-Fakhrī ‘Abdullāh ibn Muhammad al-Makrami. He is situated in the modern day Saudi Arabia (in the old days it was part of Yemen). He has a representative in India for Sulaymani Bohras (their number is very low and is fast dwindling because many are re-aligning with the Daudi. They are also some who is no longer in touch with their mission while many of them have intermarried with non-Fatimid Mustalian sect).

The infallibility (isma) for the Dai (agent of the Imam/preacher) is something that was added much later (after the Sulaymani splits).