This is taking longer than I originally planned

I have written a lot of posts for the past 11 months. So I am not even half way done with my pages.  It will take another day or two. You can check out how it looks now. I have added some content in the Shia Sunni and Ismailis section.

Restructuring the blog

I am in the process of restructuring my blog. 


I am creating blog pages. As of now, I have the following pages
- Shia, Sunni, Salafi, Zaydi, Zahiri
- Ismaili, Bohra, Batini, Yazidis
- Ghulats, Alawi, Nusayris, Druze
- Mandaeism, Sabians, Zorastrianism


I'll probably create another page for all the minor sects that don't belong anywhere. The next step is to go through all my blog posts. I'll type out the title of the post and link it under each category/section. The process is very slow because there are just to many posts. Once the pages are completed, I'll get a better idea of the content here. It would also be easier to navigate through the site since the pages can serve as Index.


I'll get rid of the poll since it's closed now. The other thing that I am not happy with is the search box. It is completely useless. You cannot find anything with it. It is slow and not very effective.

Poll Closing in 17 hours

The poll on my blog will be closing in less than 17 hours. I'll get rid of it once it expired.


The purpose of the poll was to find out what people wish to see on my blog. 81 votes are evenly distributed among all the options.

A great majority of the votes, 48 %, wish to see/read more Shia contents here followed closely by people who wish to see more Sunni material, about 23%.

Then, 14% and 13% of the votes wish to learn more about the Zaydi and Alawi sect respectively, 12% for Ismaili, 9 % for Bohra and Druze, 8% for obscure sects. And 9% of the votes goes for Ghulats.

The Nastiest Things said about the Holy Prophet

This is part 2 of yesterday's post. In my last post, I went through bizarre interpretation of some of the incidents in Muhammad's life.

Moving on, the last section of the article contains Non-Muslim views about the Prophet. I was surprised to find out a number of hateful things said by the Medieval people of Europe. In a book written by S Hossein Nasr, he mentioned that Muhammad didn't get a fair treatment in early European literature (for a period of over a thousand year) until the 19th or 20th century

The negative portrayal of Muhammad's in the European literature are as following

• Muhammad was a charlatan driven by ambition and eagerness for power.
• He established a new false religion.
• Muhammad was worshiped like Jesus.
• He died in the year 666 AD [see the number of the beast? The correct date of his death is 632 AD and not 666 AD].
• The spelling of his name was corrupted to Mohound (devil incarnate).
• The European invented a new religion called Mohamedinism . 
• Dante's wrote the Divine Comedy and placed Muhammad, together with Ali, in hell.

and so on.

Erroneous information about the Holy Prophet

One of the most well written articles on Wikipedia about Islam is the biographical information about the Prophet of Islam. It contains almost everything you wish to know about the Prophet. While the article is comprehensive but it is not very insightful. My other complaint is the manner of how some facts are presented, such as

• Muhammad being the founder of Islam?? 
• Muhammad accompanied his uncle on trading journeys to Syria gaining experience in commercial trade, the only career open to Muhammad as an orphan?? [Career?]
• he met a Christian monk or hermit named Bahira who is said to have foreseen Muhammed's career as a prophet of God?? [Career?]
• Upon receiving his first revelations, he was deeply distressed and resolved to commit suicide. [What??]
• Muhammad desperately hoping for an accommodation with his tribe, either from fear or in the hope of succeeding more readily in this way, pronounced a verse acknowledging the existence of three Meccan goddesses considered to be the daughters of Allah, and appealing for their intercession. Muhammad later retracted the verses at the behest of Gabriel, claiming that the verses were whispered by the devil himself [WHAT??]
• ,Economically uprooted and with no available profession, the Muslim migrants turned to raiding Meccan caravans, initiating armed conflict with Mecca. Muhammad delivered Qur'anic verses permitting the Muslims to fight the Meccans [Seems to imply that the Prophet encourage the Muslims to steal and rob?!]

To be continued…

Fatso is now the Supreme Leader of North Korea

That's him in the picture.

His father, Kim Jong II, the North Korean dictator, died a week ago. Both of the Kims were serving the longest dictatorship in the world, about 63 years. And it will continue with his son.

Celebrating Jesus Birthday

The Christians will be celebrating the birth of Jesus tomorrow. Since his birth date is unknown, December 25th is taken as a symbolic date to signify his birthday. We don't know the exact reason for the selection of the date.

Regardless of the accuracy of date, everyone has pretty much accepted Christmas at the end of the year, unless you are a member of the Russian Orthodox Church, then, Christmas is on January 7.


The safest or the most politically correct way to wish someone is Happy Holidays.

Batriyya (Butris)

They are refereed in Shii hadiths. Please visit the tashayyu website.


The Batriyya are the companions of Kathir an-Nawa, al-Hasan b. Salih b. Hayy, Salim b. Abi Hafsa, al-Hakam b. `Utayba, Salama b. Kuhayl, and Abu ‘l-Miqdam Thabit the blacksmith.

They are the ones who invited to the walayat of `Ali عليه السلام then mixed it with the walayat of Abu Bakr and `Umar and affirmed their Imamate for them. 

And they belittle `Uthman, Talha, and az-Zubayr.

And they regard the going out (for jihad) to be with the under-tribes (butun) of the children of `Ali b. Abi Talib going in that to commanding good and prohibiting evil (al-amr bi’l-ma`ruf wa an-nahi `an al-munkar).

And for anyone who goes out (for jihad) from the descendants of `Ali عليه السلام, they affirm his Imamate with his going out.

Can you believe this?

Putin won 99% of support in Chechnya!

Automatic Wudu Washer!

The Wudu Washer..

Ahl al-Haq

The English translation of the Arabic terminology is People of the Truth. I came across them when I was skimming through Matti Moosa's book about the Ghulat groups. 


Ali Hussain left the following comment:

I’ve just come across another ghullat group based in Iran:

Ahl-i Haqq – People of the truth. Also known as Ali Ilahis, “deifiers of Ali.” Members of a sect centred in northwest Iran, incorporating certain Shi’i and Sufi ideas, associated with Sultan Sohak (fourteenth or fifteenth century). Believe in seven successive incarnations of God, hierarchy of angels, metempsychosis, no single primary scripture. Resemble Sufi dervishes in some practices, such as dhikr sessions, master-disciple relations, and initiation rites.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Islam

For further reading, 'the islamaili society' have written an article on them, scroll down to 'IV. An Ali-Ilahi Fragment, by W. Ivanow' http://www.ismaili.net/Source/0723.html

Fatahiyya

This group considers Abd Allah al-Aftah, the eldest son of the sixth Imam (Jaffar al-Sadiq), to have been the seventh Imam. There is little evidence of them surviving beyond al-Aftah’s death, since he is commonly believed to have left no descendents.[1]

A related post

Reference
[1] Scripturalist Islam: The History and Doctrines of the Akhbārī Shiʿī School By Robert Gleave (Leiden: Brill, 2007), xxiii, 339 pp. EAN 978–9004157286. page 18

Four main questions about Islam

Generally, these are the four questions people have about Islam

1. What is Islam? - A religion

2. Who is the founder of Islam? -Islam doesn't have a founder but there is a Prophet.

3. Where do Muslims live (which countries/part of the world)? - Just about everywhere

4. And what do they (Muslims) believe in? - You won't be able to summarize it in a sentence.

Bilal al-Habashi

I always wondered what happened to Bilal.

After the Prophet’s death, Bilal was reluctant to deliver the call to prayer, as he may have felt dissatisfied with succession arrangements. Reportedly, he declined to pledge allegiance (bay‘a) to Abu Bakr (r. 11–13/632–634) as caliph, and he eventually emigrated and settled in Sham. [1]

On at least one moving occasion, Bilal is known to have delivered the adhan after the Prophet, and that was upon the request of Muhammad’s beloved daughter Fatima (d. 11/632) and her two sons, al-Hasan (d. 50/669) and al-Husayn (d. 61/680). [1]

Reference

[1] Meri, Josef W. “Medieval Islamic Civilization: An Encyclopedia”. Routledge, NY. 2005, p. 109 ISBN 978-0-41-596690-0

In recent days we have seen too many

maronic fatwas from Sunni/Salafi clerics


Saudis fear there will be ‘no more virgins’ and the people will turn gay if female are allowed to drive


Bananas are a no-no. Islamic cleric tells Muslim women. 
Cairo- An Islamic cleric said women should not be close to bananas or cucumbers in order to avoid any "sexual thoughts". The cleric added that if women wish to eat those food items, a third party, preferably a male related to them such as their father or husband, should cut the items into small pieces and serve.

Shi'ism is Not a Political Party

The western scholarship that only view Shi'ism as a political movement is factually incorrect. The concept of separation of church and state did not yet exist in the Muslim community, in the 6th century AD. S.H.M Jafri, the author of The Origin and Early Development of Shi'a Islam writes

Those who thus emphasize the political nature of Shi'ism are perhaps too eager to project the modern Western notion of the separation of church and state back into seventh century Arabian society, where such a notion would be not only foreign, but completely unintelligible. Such an approach also implies the spontaneous appearance of Shi'ism rather than its gradual emergence and development within Islamic society. [1]

Reference
Jafri, S.H Mohammad. "The Origin and Early Development of Shi'a Islam,”, Oxford University Press, 2002, p. 6, ISBN 978-0-19-579387-1

Writing the Traditions

I found the following traditions while reading

Write down [Tradition], for you will only remember it in this way

Through writing the heart finds confidence (al-qalb yattakil 'alä l-kitâba)

vocalize our words aloud, for we [the imams] are eloquent people (qawm
fusahâ')

al-Kulaynî, Usûl, vol. 1, pp. 66-67.

Total Eclipse of the Moon

December 10, 2011

Misconceptions about Ghulats

are sometimes spread by so-called western scholars of Islam.

If you see the wikipedia entry under Ghulat, the main reference used for Ghulat is a study done by a western scholar by the name of Marshall G. S. Hodgson.

 

Hodgson has written quite a bit about Ghulats. I attempted to read one of his paper about Druze 6 months ago. I stopped halfway. Not sure why. Maybe it wasn't that good.

The problem with Hodgson's work on Ghulat is that it is not very accurate.

I am currently reading the book [1]. On page 232, the author pointed out that the greatest number of Ghulat was not in the entourages of the fifth or sixth Imams but in the entourages of the tenth and eight Imams.

The author then added that the heresiographers are mostly lying (Note: He didn't really used the word lying) when they say that the Imams of Ahlul Bayt nourished and sheltered these extremist disciples.

And that is exactly what Hodgson's did with his work on Ghulats.

Through an injustifiable twisting of the situation, and in contradiction to the texts, Hodgson (who authored an article on Ghulât) states that it was the imams who were influenced by "extremist" ideas; he thus turns disciples into teachers and teachers into disciples.

This is contradictory to what has been reported in the Shia Imamiyyah corpus and by heresiographical works

Ideas like raj'a, the impeccability of the imams, or spiritual wasiyya, were also ideas professed for the first time by the ghulât.

Reference

[1] Moezzi, Mohammad Ali Amir. The Divine Guide in Early Shi'sm : The Sources of Esotericism in Islam, 1994. State University of New York Press ISBN 9780791421222

We all know the mission of al-Qaim

He will establish an Islamic state and apply Islamic laws that was revealed to the Prophet[1]

But you can also find some narration that states al-Qaim will also rule by the law of David and Jesus. What does this mean exactly?

Reference
[1] Nasr, Sayyed Hossein. "Expectation of the Millennium : Shiìsm in History,”, State University of New York Press, 1989, p. 19, ISBN 978-0-88-706843-0

ShiaChat is back on the .com domain

ShiaChat is back on its old domain http://www.shiachat.com/forum/

*sigh Today, I wasted a lot of time changing some of my posts with broken links to ShiaChat.org only to have them move back to the .com.

The blood thirsty Batinis

A Qaramite by the name of Ahmad began to propagate the Batini teaching in Iraq after the year 891 AD. The following are some of his teaching [1]

• Only 2 daily prayers instead of 5
• Removed the obligatory religious bath
• Allowed drinking of the intoxicants
• Allowed the killing and looting of non-Batinis

The Qarmaṭians instigated what one scholar termed a "century of terrorism" in Kufa. They considered the pilgrimage to Mecca a superstition and once in control of the Bahraini state they launched raids along the pilgrim routes crossing Arabia: in 906 they ambushed the pilgrim caravan returning from Mecca and massacred 20,000 pilgrims [2]

According to the view of historians the distinguishing characteristic of the Batini school is that it interprets the external aspects of Islam in an esoteric manner and considers the externals of the Shari'ah to be only for simple-minded people of little intelligence who are deprived of spiritual perfection. Yet occasionally the Batini Imams did order certain regulations and laws to be practiced and followed. [1]

References
[1] Shia by Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai
[2] Qarmatians on Wiki

Huge Ashura Procession in Iraq

Please watch

Muharram 2011/1433 Lectures (English)

Lecturers/Speakers -- Website/Audio-Video Location

Haji Hassanain Rajabali -- http://www.shiasource.com/drive/self/lectures/br-hassanain-rajabali/muharram-1433-2011/

Sayyed Ammar Nakshawani -- http://www.sayedammar.com/sayedammarnakshc.html

Shaykh Hamza Sodagar -- http://www.shiasource.com/drive/self/lectures/sheikh-hamza-sodagar/

Shaykh Usama Abdul Ghani -- http://www.muslimcongress.tv/avc-search.aspx?k=speech

Sayyed Mustafa Modaressi -- http://hujjat.org/index.php?option=com_zina&Itemid=29&p=Audio/Sayyid%20Mustafa%20Al-Modaressi/Muharram%201433

Shaykh Shomali -- http://www.aimislam.com/muharram-2011-with-sheikh-shomali/

Shaykh Arif -- http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL50164EEB39EC2C0E

Sayyid Mahdi Moderassi gave his lectures from the ABTV studio. Once it gets uploaded, I will modify this page with the location.

I am still looking for other Muharram speakers and their audio/video. Please leave a note with the info here if you know of any.

How do Sunnis observe Ashura?

I am checking out my local Sunni mosque calendar and they have absolutely no activity on the eve of Ashura or the day of Ashura. The calendar is listing an organizational meeting.

Violence on Ashura

Yesterday, a suicide attack killed 55 people and critically wounded 160 at a shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan where a crowd of hundreds had gathered for the day of Ashura observation.

When the Skies Wept Blood

Oasisoftruth recommends watching the movie When the Skies Wept Blood and reading the article on the Myth of Ashura.

Please listen to Muharram lectures

Muharram lectures are really good. The first ten days are for reflection. You get a chance to learn about Imam Hussayn and his sacrifice at Karbala, Iraq. You get a chance to participate in highly recommended religious rituals. You can also get connected to your congregation (the people).

If you don't have a Shia mosque to go in this month, then please visit Shia websites to get information about Muharram lectures. Dozens of lecturers are speaking at many Shia centers around the world. You can stream these lectures to your computer and listen at your convenience. It is simply amazing what remembrance of the Prophet family (may peace be upon them) can do to your Iman/faith.

Youtube is looking ugly today

I am not going to complain about the color and the font because those are very subjective. But I don't think anyone can miss that huge over-sized banner. It looks very unprofessional. Google please shrink the banner to half of its size.

A really pretty blog

see for yourself

Love of the near kin

Al-Quran chapter 42:23

23. That is (the Bounty) whereof God gives Glad Tidings to His Servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin."And if any one earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof: for God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service).

ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ ۗ قُل لَّآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا ٱلْمَوَدَّةَ فِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ ۗ وَمَن يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةًۭ نَّزِدْ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسْنًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ شَكُورٌ ﴿٣٢﴾