Role of Al-Ghadir in Consolidation of Islamic Unity | ||
Role of Al-Ghadir in Consolidation of Islamic Unity
What is meant by the Islamic unity? Does it mean that one Islamic school of thought should be unanimously followed and others be set aside? Or does it mean that the commonalties of all Islamic schools of thought should be taken up and their differences be put away to make up a new denomination which is not completely the same as the previous ones? Or does it mean that Islamic unity is in no way related to the unity of the different schools of Fiqh (jurisprudence) but signifies the unity of the Muslims and the unity of the followers of different schools of Fiqh, with their different religious ideas and views, vis-à-vis the aliens? This article is an attempt to study the viewpoints of eminent Allamah Ayatullah Amini, the distinguished compiler of the “al-Ghadir”, with regard to Islamic unity. Did he approve of the unity of the Muslims only within the light of Shi’ism? Or did he consider Islamic fraternity to be broader? Did he believe that Islam which is embraced by uttering the“shahadatayn” (the Muslim creed) would willy-nilly create some rights for the Muslims and that the brotherhood and fraternity set forth in the Quran exists among all Muslims? Allamah Amini personally was keen to elucidate his viewpoint on this subject and elaborate whether “al-Ghadir” has a positive or a negative role in the establishment of Islamic unity. In order not to be subject to abuse by his opponent - be they among the pros and cons - he has repeatedly explained and elucidated his views. Allamah Amini supported Islamic unity and had open mind and clear insight with regard to this crucial subject. On different occasions, he set forth this matter in various volumes of the “al- Ghadir’. Reference will be made to some of them below: In the preface to volume I, he briefly mentions the role of “al-Ghadir” in the world of Islam. He states: “And we consider all this as service to religion, sublimation of the Word of the Truth, and restoration of the Islamic Ummah (community).” In volume 3 (page 77), after quoting the fabrications of Ibn Taymiyah, Alusi, and Qasimi to the effect that Shi ‘ism is hostile to some of the Ahl al-Bayt (the Household of the Prophet) such as Zayd bin Ali bin al-Hussain, he notes the following under the title of “Criticism and Correction”: “These fabrications and accusations sow the seeds of corruption, stir hostilities among the Ummah, create discord among the Islamic community, divide the Ummah,and clash with the public interests of the Muslims.” Again in volume 3 (page 268), he quotes the accusation leveled on the Shias by some thinkers to the effect that “Shias are pleased with any defeat of Muslims, so much as they celebrated the victory of the Russians over the Muslims.” Then he says: “The Shias of Iran and Iraq against whom this accusation is leveled, as well as the Orientalists, ourists, envoys of Islamic countries, and those who traveled and still travel to Iran and Iraq, have no information about this trend. Shias, without exception, respect the lives, blood, reputation, and property of the Muslims be they Shias or Sunnis. Whenever a calamity has befallen the Islamic community anywhere, in any region, and for any sects, the Shias have shared their sorrow. The Shias have never been confined to the Shia world, the (concept of) Islamic brotherhood which has been set forth in the Quran and the Sunnah (the Prophet’s sayings and actions), and in this respect, no discrimination has been made between the Shias and the Sunnis.” Also at the close of volume 3, he criticizes several books written by the antecedents such as “Iqd al-Farid” by Ibn Abd al-Rabbih,“al-Intisar” by Abu al-Hussain Khayyat al-Mu’tazili, “al Farq Bayn al-Firaq” by Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi, “al-Fasl” by Ibn Hazm al-Andulusi, “al-Milal wa al- Nihal” by Muhammad ibn Abdul-Karim al-Shahristani “Minhaj al-Sunnah” by Ibn Taymiyah and “al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah” by Ibn Kathir and several by the later writers such as “Tarikh al-Umam al-Islamiyah” by Shaykh Muhammad Khizri, “Fajr al Islam” by Ahmad Amin, “al-Jawlat fi Rubu al-Sharq al-Adna” by Muhammad Thabit al-Mesri, “al-Sira Bayn al-Islam wa al-Wathaniyah” by Qasimi, and “al- Shia” by Musa Jarallah. Then he states the following: “By quoting and criticizing these books, we aim at warning and awakening the Islamic Ummah (to the fact) that these books create the greatest danger for the Islamic community, they destabilize the Islamic unity and scatter the Muslim lines. In fact nothing can disrupt the ranks of the Muslims, destroy their unity, and tear their Islamic fraternity more severely than these books.” Allamah Amini, in the preface to volume 5, under title of “Nazariyah Karimah” on the occasion of a certificate of honor forwarded from Egypt for “al-Ghadir”, clearly sets forth his view on this issue and leaves no room for any doubt. He states: “People are free to express views and ideas on religion. These (views and ideas) will never tear apart the bond of Islamic brotherhood to which the holy Quran has referred by stating that ‘surely the believers are brethren’; even though academic discussion and theological and religious debates reach a peak. This has been the style of the predecessors, and of the Companions of the holy Prophet (PBUH) and the ‘tabi’un’, at the head of them. “Notwithstanding all the differences that we have in the primary and secondary principles, we, the authors and writers in nooks and corners of the world of Islam, share a common point, that is, belief in the Almighty and His Prophet. A single spirit and one (form of) sentiment exists in all our bodies, that is, the spirit of Islam and the term ‘ikhlas”. “We, the Muslim compilers,all live under the banner of truth and carry out our duties under the guidance of the Quran and the Prophetic Mission of the holy Prophet (PBUH). The message of all of us is ‘Surely the (true) religion with Allah is Islam ... (3:18)’ and the slogan of all of us is ‘There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.’ Indeed, we are (the members of) the party of Allah and the supporters of his religion.” In the preface to volume 8, under the title of “al-Ghadir Yowahhad al-Sufuf fil-Milat al-Islami”, Allamah Amini directly studies into the role of “Al- Ghadir” in (the establishment of) Islamic unity. In this discussion, he categorically rejects the accusations leveled by those who said: ‘Al-Ghadir’ causes greater discord among the Muslims. He proves that, on the contrary, “Al-Ghadir” removes many misunderstandings and brings the Muslims closer to one another. Then he brings evidence by mentioning the confessions of the non-Shi’i Islamic scholars. At the close, he quotes the letter of Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Dahduh written in this connection. Overall, the positive role of “al-Ghadir” is established by the factsthat it firstly clarifies the logic of the Shi’ism and their approach to other Islamic schools of thought. Secondly, it reflects that some accusations leveled on Shi’ism – which have made other Muslimsdistanced from the Shia – are totally baseless and false. Examples of these accusations are the notion that the Shias prefer the non-Muslims to the non-Shi’I Muslims, rejoice at the defeat of non-Shia Muslims at the hands of non-Muslims, and other accusations such as the idea that instead of going to Hajj pilgrimage, the Shias go on pilgrimage to shrines of the Imams, or have particular rites in prayers. Thirdly, it introduces to the world of Islam the Commander of the Faithful Ali (PBUH) who is accepted as a successor to the holy Prophet by Muslims by all Islamic schools of thought, including Shias. Comments on “al-Ghadir” Many unbiased non-Shia Muslims interpret the “al-Ghadir” in the same way that has already been mentioned. Muhammad Abdul-GhaniHasan al-Mesri, in his foreword on “al-Ghadir”, which has been published in the preface to volume I, second edition, states: “I call on the Almighty to make your limpid brook (in Arabic, ‘Ghadir’ means brook) the cause of peace and cordiality between the Shia and Sunni brothers to cooperate with one another in building the Islamic “ummah.” ‘Adil Ghadban, the managing editor of the Egyptian magazine entitled “al-Kitab”, said the following in the preface to volume 3: “This book clarifies the Shia logic. The Sunnis can correctly learn about the Shi’ism through this book. Correct recognition of the Shias brings the views of the Shias and the Sunnis closer, and they can make a unified rank”. In his foreword to the “al-Ghadir” which was published in the preface to volume 4, Dr. Muhammad Ghallab, professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Religious Studies, al-Azhar University, said: “I got hold of your book at a very opportune time, because right now I am busy collecting and compiling a book on the lives of the Muslims from various perspectives. Therefore, I am highly avid for obtaining sound information about ‘Imamiyah’ Shi’ism. Your book will help me. And I will not make mistakes about the Shias as others have”. In the foreword published in the preface to volume 4 of the “al-Ghadir”, Dr. ‘Abdul-Rahman Kiali Halabi states: “The book entitled “al-Ghadir” and its rich content deserves to be known by every Muslim to learn how historians have been negligent and see where the truth lies. Through this means, we should compensate for the past, and by striving to foster the unity of the Muslims, we should try to gain the due rewards”. The views of Allamah Amini about the important social issues of our age were very important and this is why they had sound reflections in the world of Islam. | ||
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