THE SHIAS
Forces of misguidance are always averse to reason. It is an interesting chapter of history that while on one hand, the changed version of Islam that was presented as a solution, refrained people from the study of mathematics, lest they develop a penchant for logic and reason, a large number of students who were coming to seek knowledge from the Ahlulbayt were encouraged to go deeper in subjects of their choice. After all, there was no dearth of knowledge at the doorsteps of the Ahlulbayt. Even though the Ahlulbayt were being persecuted, tortured and imprisoned at the hands of the self-proclaimed caliphs of the Muslim world, whatever time they could spend among the people was spent to propagate learning and the ways and means to supplicate before the Lord. Ali used to say, ‘Ask, before I depart’, and never bracketed his claim with ifs and buts nor confined the inquirer to a subject or choice. The Ahlulbayt knew that the highest limits of man’s mental pursuits supplicate at their feet.
The Ahlulbayt gave hints of their superhuman knowledge but they knew they couldn’t have revealed their true identity as the mankind was still not prepared to accept them in their true role. Even when man realized Ahlulbayt were somewhat superior to him, they did all they could to kill them and silence their words from reaching the masses. As we have said repeatedly, Zulmat’s real enmity is with the carriers of Noor and when all the Noors descended in human bodies, one after another, Zulmat unleashed all its forces so as to minimize the effect of their teachings. Had their true identity been revealed then, they would have been killed much earlier and the scriptures talking of them would have been changed for later day man to remain perpetually in darkness.
Yet, the Ahlulbayt left enough hints for a man of wisdom to identify their true role. They promoted knowledge to the extent possible because they knew only a knowledgeable and spiritually guided could know their position. At all times, they wanted learning to grow. They wanted to talk of ‘iron-houses that would run’ or ‘illuminating the houses through waterfalls’. Yet all that the men of that period could seek from them were questions like ‘how many hairs are there in my head’, ‘how many stars shine at night’, ‘what is the distance of sun from earth’ or ‘which animals give eggs and which don’t’. Even to these questions, they gave responses that to this day amaze the contemporary scientific world. One who was called ‘the father of chemistry’ was but a student of their doorsteps. Arabic numerals, history and other sciences, reached the West passing through the students associated with this household. If some didn’t acknowledge it publicly, that was another matter!
You must have seen how when lightness shines in a dark night, it illumines everything around and when the lightness goes, it is followed by even more darkness around. Arabia was a cradle of evil and darkness when Mohammad laid the foundations of his teachings. Those who have studied the history of Islam know the prevailing darkness was suddenly replaced by light of knowledge and wisdom when Mohammad started presenting his teachings. During the 200 years or so after Islam, the same pagan Arabs who moved from place to place in search of greener pastures, were in the forefront of the literary and knowledgeable activities taking place in the world. Used to writing history with an eye on the rulers, the historians mentioned the progress that took place in the Umayyad and Abbasid period. They knew little that the Umayyads and Abbasids didn’t do much to promote learning and wisdom. The centre of all learning was a small house in the locality of Hashimides from which light of knowledge and wisdom was constantly emanating in all directions. The Caliphs were engrossed in sending forces to annex territories, terrorize people to accept Islam, and reap the luxuries that came as a consequence, viz. war-booties, slave girls, etc.? The entire Islamic world got reasons to feel proud in front of the whole world even when these 200-odd years of Ahlulbayt’s presence included decades of confinements, house-arrests and embargo on people visiting them, 25 long years of Ali’s confinement to house and the great tragedy of Karbala that vanquished nearly all the members of this household and the best of their friends.
Those who held the Ahlulbayt dear were called the Shias. Though for Ahlulbayt, it didn’t matter whether the seeker of knowledge was a Shia or a non-Shia, a Muslim or a non-Muslim. When light of the God shines, it falls on all His creation. Therefore, the initial Shias were not a sect; they were from all beliefs and faiths; the only thing common was they knew Ahlulbayt had a divine role to play on earth. They were faced with a bombardment of publicity, without having any sort of security, yet nothing could stop them from gaining mastery over accepted sciences, architecture, theology, government, religion, culture, history, interpretations, jurisprudence and traditions, while the Caliphs were mostly concerned with getting their own versions of traditions and jurisprudence circulated, ones which attempted at denigrating the Ahlulbayt.
Those willing to understand Shi’ism and the remaining Islam can understand it through one example. Whereas knowledge and wisdom was at the top next only to worship of God and righteousness for the Ahlulbayt, a Caliph of Islam ordered the burning of one of the greatest libraries of time, in Cairo, much against opposition by many.
It is to the credit of those worthy followers of Islam who dared to look beyond the green palaces of Damascus and the hanging noose of the fairy tale Caliph of 1001 Nights of Baghdad, and fixed their gaze on the mud house of Ali and Fatima, to discern true Islam, without the associated evils.
Shias have not added Imams to Mohammad. They have taken Imams, in order not to lose Mohammad. The descendants of the historical Caesars, Kings, Pharoahs all spoke from Mohammad, yet there is a difference in what they stood for.
Sordid truth of history is that during those black centuries, while the world was awe-struck by the power of the government of an oppressive Islam and the Caliphate, the Islam of justice and imamate was drowned in the blood of martyrdom. The Shias had a choice between martyrdom and the world. They accepted martyrdom and thereby negated the Caliph’s power. Most difficult choices do not come easily!
The cruel punishments enacted by the families of the Umayyads, the Abbasids, Saladin the Turk and the Mongols bear witness to the fact that the great theologians, the champions of liberty, the seekers of death, and the majority of the worshippers of truth and the desirers of justice and the lovers of virtue had committed themselves to this way and to freedom. The way passed through the Caliphates of Damascus and Baghdad into the land of fire, blood, prison and punishment. It was attached to that small house of Ali, which was as large as all of humanity.
Tongues were taken out, hands were chopped, legs amputated, nails uprooted from fingers, properties confiscated, children killed and blood mixed regularly with earth or water – leave aside the Imams whose position was far higher, these were the tests that people had to give to become Shias of Imams. Says a poet: “To speak about Ali and Fatima in the history of Islam has not been easy. Poets who have defended this family say, ‘I have been carrying the rope of my execution on my back for 50 years.”
This is the fact of all the men and women who have written the history of Shi’ism, a history where each line, each word, has been written with the blood of a martyr.
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Gradually, in this essay, we have moved to quoting almost entirely from Ali Shariati, who describes Islam and Shias in the following manner:
“Islam, the last historical, religious school of thought and the most perfect, Mohammad, the Quran, the Companions and their histories are models of life, chastity and civilization. They bring law, progress, strength and culture to society.
Shi’ism, the religion of imamate and justice, followers of Ali and his children, Shi’ism has had a history full of Jehad. Its believers are those who show perseverance, who are inspired by freedom and justice. They are an unacceptable fire for despots and for the prejudiced. They have submitted to the way. Linked to the anger of Truth, its followers are enemies of anything that conceals the Truth. They are enemies of a politics which reduces one to slavery. They are enemies of economic exploitation and spiritual despotism.
To see the issue from another point of view, our people, warm with faith, melting with love, with more than a religious belief, with truth in thought, give their love to this family. Their name raises their spirits. The mere mention of them makes blood boil in their veins. In their longing for sacrifice, pure blood flows. They are ready to be martyred out of their love for them. They cry in pain from their sorrow. They are full of sorrow because they were not present on that bloody day of ‘Ashura’ (10th day of Moharram when Husain and his followers were killed). Then bloodied tears run. Sometimes, insane like, they draw their daggers and strike it upon their heads. They lament all year long. Their sorrow is real. All year they commemorate the deaths of those who died much prior to their existence. Full of praise for their positions and the description of their titles, united as lovers, head to toe dressed in black, from one end to the other, drowned in tears and pain. They long with their whole being to sacrifice their lives. Their love brings on thirst, restlessness, anguish and it finally consumes them.”
Describing and praising the Iranians, who also proudly call themselves Aryans, Shariati who belonged to the same country, says: “The greatest honour, in my opinion, which has been bestowed upon our Iranian society is bestowed when it chose Imam Ali, in spite of the sorrow, depression and difficulties which it suffered because of this choice. Our people showed us discernment and deep thought; they showed us how to oppose oppression and deceit. They opened the fists of powerful men, treacherous, dominating people who took away the rights of human beings. They rebelled against force and oppression. They came to know deceit, lies and traitors. They opposed oppressive regimes. They did not allow themselves to become attached to or influenced by advertisements and religious leaders who had attached themselves to the institutions of the Caliphate. They discovered unknown truths. They sought out the strange, the weak, hidden behind useless curtains. They found strong currents. They were the cause of this society withstanding all it does. They chose Ali.
It is true that our people came to Islam through the various Caliphates, but we must recognize their insurrections against both the Caliphs and their institutions including those of the Umayyads, Abbasids, the Khans, Turkish, Khaghanis, Tazis and Mongols. We must distinguish between the people and the Iranians who are attached to their institutions under the name of ‘Islam’, ‘Quranic Government’, ‘Prophetic Traditions’, ‘The Front of Truth’ and ‘The Truth of Religion’.
All the expressions of the beliefs and the new founded wisdom of Islam came from the Caliph’s institutions: their words from the pulpits and minarets, their books and commentaries upon the traditions, their orations, advertisements, philosophies, men of letters, poets, historians, warriors and even companions and associates of the Companions of the Prophet. Every single one of these groups was extensions of the Caliph or Sultan’s institutions.
Rather, the Truth belonged to a man who was alone, who had his home in a corner near the Prophet’s mosque and who was surrounded by the ignorance of his tribe. He lived amidst the great political sacrifices of the friends of the Prophet and the great thinkers of Islam.
The Iranian people who entered and become acquainted with Islam through the sword of the Caliph, saw this truth and knew it to be a truth even in the midst of invitations from the religious leaders belonging to the official Islamic Caliphate, whereas the people of Medina and the contemporary Arabs and the Companions of the Prophet did not see or did not want to see it. The great schools and universities of Damascus and Baghdad were also ignorant of this truth.
This is the most difficult and wonderful choice on the part of our people. It manifests the birth of a thought and an awareness, which was contrary to any customs they had. It reflects the greatness and firmness of their spirit. It shows their worship of the Truth. It reveals the spiritual courage of these people who rebelled against history and the worldly government of the Caliphate.
The Caliphate, more than any other previous historical-political system, governed their institutions. It was always the Caliphate that possessed the powerful military and political forces. It held the strings to the huge religious capital of thoughts and the unlimited wealth of culture, literature and endowed knowledge.
Our people negated the Caliphate in the midst of all of the confusion of war and Jehad (inner and outer spiritual struggle). They never lost their fervour, in spite of the disputes which arose from conquests, the defeats they suffered, the destruction which took place, the constant building and clamour, knowledge and thought, culture and civilization, revolution and distractions full of cries of religion and the world. They deafened the ear of history and cause the earth to tremble under their feet. These strangers, far away and unknown, heard and knew the cries of a lonely man, a man who was a ‘stranger’ in his own town’, Ali!”
This is the definition of Shi’ism from the historical perspective. However, it is still not complete here. When the Caliphs’ powerful arms reached the innocent people, in the pretext of punishing those termed as wayward or creating unity in the society, blood of a lot many of them was spilt. Unable to bear these, a lot many escaped, escaped to where, to India. This was far earlier than the time when the marauding Muslim armies came to India to annex territories.
If India has always remained God’s preferred country, it is not because of the water of its rivers, the greenness of wide plains or the majesty of the mountains. It is because of beauty of its people, not physical beauty, but the inner beauty of their love for truth, knowledge and justice. Those who fled from Islamic caliphs were given sanctuary by the Hindu rulers. Had there been no sanctuary, they would have never come? They were welcomed with open hearts, consoled and when the local inhabitants found pathos in their intense grief for Husain’s sacrifice, their men started keeping tazias, their women filled the tiny kulhars with milk, in remembrance of the six-month old Ali Asghar, whose slender neck was torn off, after his tongue had not tasted milk or water for three days. Such lovers of truth need to be saluted again and again.
It is unfortunate that today all Indians, including the Shias, have set their eyes to the West even for sun that rises in the East. Result is that when its day there, they try to look around, when its night there, they go to sleep. Once reason has been shed and it is concluded that it is the sole dominion of either the West or the learned priests, all they get is darkness.
Therefore, all that comes from the West is considered true and accepted. Whether it’s the sleaze and porn, whose champions are their page-3 socialites or whether it is the tag of terrorism on whomsoever they label it. When the same porn enters the life of our school children, we wake up from slumber, only to punish that particular child. Endless number of video-shops continue to stock porn, call-girls can be seen roaming around on the streets of all posh-localities, and what’s worse, every second week one or the other newspaper carries stories on infidelity, sex outside of marriage, romance in offices, women using sex to gain higher positions, apart from the everyday activity of downloading pictures first and then developing the story behind it for printing in their publications. Yet, the lone child who gets caught is produced in front of media by the police and demanded in judicial custody. Noises of death punishment gain intensity when a youth who succumbs to passion, when faced with onslaught of sensual scenes and sex around, and when in spite of reaching the peak of his sex life, and not allowed to marry due to social customs or law of the land, commits a sin of looking at any of the forbidden options. We see the evil all around us but then we somehow conclude: how can something that’s accepted in the West be bad for society?
Fact is that we have said goodbye to our reason. But the other fact is that truthfulness is still deep-rooted in our blood. Just ponder for a while by looking at the content of this BOOK. How is it that such a great mass of humanity can be misled collectively, not for one or two but several centuries? How commentators after commentators sought to gain name and fame by attempting to understand the scriptures in fresh perspective, when all they did was to further alienate us from truth. Truth-loving by heart, we sought the teachings when all that was there was just a mirage. We looked elsewhere, found a mirage there as well, and then accepted the mirage that appeared closer to truth. Result: we gobbled sand thinking it to be water. Moral: Perceived truth is never the truth.
If you see a certain Ms. Kapoor on the front page of a newspaper doing something that’s a taboo in society and if you see the same Ms. Kapoor saying it is not her, where would you fend for the truth? Start another meaningless debate on whether the printing of the picture is morally correct or not! Something that no media house worth repute would pay heed to if it really wants to print it.
Likewise, a certain Mr. Khan gets missing from the army and is declared a deserter. Naturally, his pension has been stopped; the wife has to bear the ignominy and insult. The husband’s face begins to haunt her, among the neighbours, in the company of those who were his colleagues, in the family, as she is labelled one who brought bad luck. She returns to her father, who sees young men hovering around his doorsteps, with perceived notions of one who is available. He knows he is old and poor. He knows the daughter is young and beautiful. He is naturally worried. He marries him off at the first instance, albeit to one who had difficulty in meeting the ends meet thinking what would happen to her when he, the father, is no more?
Then the first husband returns! Socio-economics return to play its part. First one had respect in society and would even be richer now. This one cannot fend for his own self even when they were two, soon they would become three. This new one was accepted when none was accepting her because of the tag she carried of being once married. On one side was poverty; on the other side were youth and a comparative luxury. Short-term gains make people sell their daughters in this country, make their children do petty jobs instead of sending them to schools. In slums, it is a usual story of women leaving one and living with the other, sometimes only because the other is better in bed. Nobody cares for the children. A lot many, even the respected ones kill their daughters, while still in foetal stage. The woman in contention decided to go to the first husband who had returned; where there would at least be education for the one in her womb, at least two square meals, and warm clothes in winter. Where is religion in this entire story? Where is the truth? All started when her husband was declared the deserter and his salary stopped. Not religion, but it was socio-economics that governed matters. Yet, TV channels created hue and cry as it was the fault of Islam. This is happening on regular basis these days.
Wives of the colleagues who got killed were reaping in millions, thanks to the generous grants. Even those slightly wounded got good compensation. At the same time, somebody around her must have surely said, if only he had been killed. If only the corpse had been found. Families of those missing since 1971 war continue to get pension. They keep saying that they are in prison on the other side, when the other side says they are not there. In this case, nobody bothered to check! Or wait!
What was the truth? And what was it that you were fed with? Yet, you accepted what came as truth. Considering that it was coming from the knowledgeable. Without bothering to check. Without applying your reason. And you felt what you saw on TV was the truth.
Corruption, white-collared crime, murder, loot, plunder, theft, rape, infanticide, illegitimate sex, laundering of money, lies, deceit, smuggling, terrorism, anarchy, this, that. Without application of your reason, without using your own intelligence rather than banking on that of others, which may or may not be there, chances are you would not reach the truth, even when you wish to go for it.
Truth, however, is that at times truth gets subdued. Circumstances are that either we don’t have the say or we are forced to have no say, when truth is trampled in front of us.
Why all this under the subject of Shias? This is so because it was their duty to oppose all these evils tooth and nail, if they cited their proximity and adherence to the Ahlulbayt. It is for upholding these lofty principals that the Ahlulbayt faced hardships, at times got killed. Yet never allowed the truth to derail. This was called Jehad. This is also the Jehad of Gita. Shias continued to follow these lofty ideals for a long time even when the Ahlulbayt were not there. It was a vibrant, truth-seeking society that the Ahlulbayt wanted all of us to live in. Same with Krishna! The path of Ahlulbayt and Krishna has always been one and the same.
Perhaps the peaceful life of the plains in India allowed complacency. Or they were fed up with the hardships of the past? Just imagine! If even 50 per cent of the Shias in India are to start opposing all that’s not associated with truth. Would there be untruth for long?
All evils of Muslims have encroached their territory. Evils associated with Indians too fall in their domain. As Shias, they have few evils of their own.
Religion on the whole has moved from a vibrant one to a ritualistic one, where all actions are performed in a set-predefined manner. So much so that even the remembrance of Karbala, which has guided the entire world for centuries, is increasingly being done in ritualistic way. The zakirs, the learned who narrate the events of Karbala to gatherings, refrain from addressing the core issues. Ali’s swordsmanship, Abu Talib’s faith and tortures inflicted on Husain seem to be the only subjects. Lamenting and even crying seem to have become ritualistic, so much so that you can even see their crying as if they have lost their near and dear ones getting replaced with festive celebrations within a matter of minutes on 8th of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the day they decide to shed their sorrow; as if Husain was no more, or as if the purpose of his sacrifice was no longer needed. They say they beat their chests in sorrow of the deceased Imams, yet the sorrow is such that even in mourning the hands should fall together, in a systematic rhythm, and the moment your sorrow exceeds to the extent that you start beating your chest faster, and falls out of the rhythm, you would be expelled from the row of mourners.
They have begun to neglect the worship of God as if it was meant for the Sunnis. Thus we can say that whatever remains of the true religion of Islam among the Sunnis is still better than the religion of most of the present-day Shias. This is so because Sunnis at least held on the God, which had to be the ultimate goal of all worship, as per the Ahlulbayt. Shias forgot what the Ahlulbayt were preaching and doing in practice, never tried to become like them in worship of God and in faith towards God, but claimed to hold on to the Ahlulbayt.
Just imagine, the Ahlulbayt whom they revere in such high esteem lived and died to uphold the worship of One God. Shias claim to love Ahlulbayt so much so that they would weep and injure themselves to show their grief at the mention of sacrifices given by the Ahlulbayt, particularly Husain, yet show no or little inclination to take lessons from their lives, neither on how to lead the lives nor on how to supplicate to God.
Their love for Ahlulbayt is still tremendous. There are still some who can sacrifice their lives for them, if the need be. Yet, don’t go to them looking for traces of those lofty ideals that Ahlulbayt or Devatas talked about. Remember this if you do not want to come back disgusted. Seek the Ahlulbayt in books, never in those who claim to be following their legacy. Satan surely must have tried hard initially making inroads into their citadels. It seems he has succeeded!
To end on positive note, we give a few quotes from Ahlulbayt on Shias. On who the ideal Shias are:
Imam Ali said:
Our shias are those people who follow forgiveness and charity in our vilayat, who show love and kindness to others in our friendship, who come to visit and see us in order to continue our works, if they are angry with someone they do not commit injustice on him, if they are very happy with someone they do not shower excessive favours on him, for their neighbours they are always cause of goodness and prosperity and are the cause of peace and happiness among people.
Tohfa-al-Uqool. 219
Prophet Mohammad said:
No doubt, our Shias are those who follow us in deeds and character.
Bihar al-Anwar. Vol. 67. Page 155
On another occasion Ali said:
Our Shias are those who are one with the God, who adhere to the instructions of God, who are full of virtues and good deeds, who always speak the truth, who are content with less food, who follow the middle path in choice of their clothes and are always modest, thankful and generous.
Ahlulbayt Mohammad Baqar said:
O Jabir, is this enough that somebody claims to be a Shia and considers that he loves the Ahlulbayt. By God, they are not our Shias but those who fear God and adhere to His instructions. And (O Jabir) they are not recognized but due to their modest, generosity, trustworthiness, intensity of worship, roza, namaz, kindness to their parent, and also good conduct with the needy and handicapped, neighbours and orphans, speaking the truth, reading of Quran and do not open their mouths but to talk good of others.
Usool-e-Kafi. vol. 2. page 74
Ahlulbayt Jafar Sadiq said:
They are those who offer 51 rakahs of Namaz in a day or night, they fast during the day and out of their money they take out zakat (the poor tax) and go for Hajj to the House of God and refrain from any act that has been prohibited as Haram (by God).
Bihar al-Anwar. Vol. 68. p. 167
Ahlulbayt Musa al-Kazim said:
Shias of Ali are only those whose wordings should be in conformity and in accordance with their deeds.
Tanbeeh-ul-Khwatir. P. 388
Ahlulbayt Hasan al-Askari said:
Shias of Ali are those people who are not afraid or fearful on the path of God, even if death falls on them or they (voluntarily) fall on death. And Shias of Ali are those people who bear selflessness and sacrifice for their brothers in faith, even so their need is tremendous. They are such people that the places that have been forbidden by God, they won’t be found there, and the places where He has asked to go you will definitely find them there. Shias of Ali are those who follow the conduct of Imam Ali in their affairs with the brothers in faith.
Bihar al-Anwar. vol. 68. p. 162
Time it is for those who call themselves Shias to read these quotes and introspect whether they are indeed Shias!
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