Am I A Shia of Ahl Al-Bait (PBUT)

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH
Am I a Shia of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)?
By: Vahid Majd

To appear in the Safinah International Quarterly Journal of
Islamic Studies, Spring 2009.
Introduction
Among people who express their love and respect for the
household of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) 1, there are
many who introduce themselves as their Shia (follower)
without being aware of the accountability and the risk of
such a big claim. Being a Shia of the Prophet (PBUH&HF)
and his Ahl al-Bait 2 (PBUT) is certainly an ultimate goal for
every believer as Allah has commanded the believers of
all generations to follow their examples. However, He
also required the believers to be truthful in their claims.
1
The acronym “PBUH&HF” refers to phrase “peace be upon him and
his family.”
2
Ahl al-Bait means People of the House. However, the Ahl al-Bait
of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) as specifically defined by him and
believed by the Shia, refers only to the divinely selected individuals
of his house: his daughter (Lady Fatima (PBUH)) and the twelve
divinely appointed leaders (Imams) after him. The twelve Imams
include the Prophet’s son-in-law and cousin, Imam Ali (PBUH),
Imam Ali’s two sons, Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husain, as well
as nine descendants of Imam al-Husain (PBUT), ending with the
master of our time, Imam al-Mahdi (PBUH), may Allah hasten his
relief.
Safinah International Quarterly Journal of Islamic Studies (Article in Press)
The questions that may arise in this issue are as follow:

When is one allowed to claim this title? What are its
requirements and its responsibilities? What is the destiny
of the people who love the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and his Ahl
al-Bait, and acknowledge their authority and
guardianship (al-Walaya), but fall short in following
them in practical sense? Are such people considered
believers? If so, will they be punished for their sins? Will
they receive the intercession of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)? If so,
when will they receive their intercession?
There is an invaluable Hadith 1 from Imam Hasan al-
Askari (PBUH), the eleventh Imam of the Ahl al-Bait of the
Prophet (PBUH&HF), answering all these questions. This
Hadith also includes eleven Hadith, in which the Imam
(PBUH) quotes some of his ancestors in order, namely, the
Prophet (PBUH&HF), Lady Fatima (PBUH), and the first nine
Imams (PBUT), on this subject. 2
1
A Hadith is a saying or tradition of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) or his
Ahl al-Bait (PBUT). The Hadith of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) is an
implicit saying of Allah induced in his heart. In addition, whatever
a divinely appointed Imam says is a Hadith, which has been either
implicitly transferred to his heart through the Prophet (PBUH&HF)
and the chain of the previous Imams (PBUT) or has been explicitly
heard by him through the same chain traced back to the Prophet
(PBUH&HF).
2
Normally, an Imam would give the divine teaching without every
time reminding that it was narrated from his forefathers from the
holy Prophet (PBUH&HF). However, it was a common practice
among the Imams that when one of their forefathers had an explicit
saying concerning an issue, they would usually mention that
specific Imam’s name, and narrate it as explicitly having been
spoken by him. In this manner, beside remembering that Imam and
showing their respect to him, they wanted to reaffirm the
previously recorded narrations and to remind people about what
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The entire text of this Hadith is originally found in a

Tafsir 1 attributed to Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (PBUH),
under a section titled, “On the meaning of Shia”, pp. 306-
320. It is also related in Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 65, pp. 154-
163, Hadith 11. However, many of the sayings inside this
Hadith can also be found independently in other well-
known books of Hadith attributed to the Prophet
(PBUH&HF) and other Imams (PBUT). What follows is the
English translation of this precious Hadith along with
some explanatory notes and supplementary information
from the holy Quran and the sayings of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)
in the footnotes.
had been previously concluded as Allah’s decree through their

(fore)fathers’ words.
1
The Tafsir of Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (PBUH) is the collection of
his interpretations concerning very limited parts of the verses of the
holy Quran as compiled by two of his students who had a chance to
stay in his residence for some years while he was under house-
arrest. According to Ibn Shahr Ashub, this Tafsir originally was
comprised of the interpretation of the entire Quran in 120 volumes,
but only a small portion of it survived, which includes the
interpretation of the first two chapters of the holy Quran.
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The Hadith
Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (PBUH) narrated:
( 1 )
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said, “Be watchful of
(your duties toward) Allah, O Shia! Certainly, you will
not miss Paradise even if your ugly deeds slow you down
in reaching it. 1 Hence, compete for its levels!”
1
It is a well-known belief in Islam as emphasized by many verses of
the holy Quran and explained in detail by the Prophet (PBUH&HF)
and the divinely-appointed Imams (PBUT) that the final destiny of a
person who dies as a believer in the sight of Allah, is Paradise
irrespective of the sins he has committed during his life-time. As
we will see in this Hadith later, a believer will be purified from his
sins either by the calamities that befall him in this world, or by the
severity of his death, and/or by possibly long but limited
punishments in the Hereafter, so that he could be admitted to
Paradise after a thorough purification. As stressed at the end of this
tradition and in many other well-established traditions, a believer is
one who believes in Allah, does not associate any one with Him in
obedience of Him, recognizes the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and all the
twelve Imams (PBUT) as the only medium of approach towards
Allah, His unique path, and the exclusive source of divine
knowledge for getting all His instructions in terms of beliefs and
practices. A person who does not recognize any one of these facts
is either: not guided (Dhaal), a disbeliever (Kafir) in what Allah
commanded, and/or a polytheist (Mushrik) in the obedience of
Allah, as he admits other methods, ideas, and approaches towards
Him. According to the Quran and the traditions, only disbelievers
and polytheists will remain in Hell forever and will never be
permitted to enter Paradise. Concerning the fate of the disbelievers
and polytheists see, for instance, the holy Quran, 4:116, 4:140,
5:72, 2:161-162, 2:217, 3:91, 7:40, 24:39, 47:34. Imam al-Baqir
(PBUH) said, “The lowest limit of polytheism is that one originates
an opinion (in the domain of religion) and then loves and hates
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based on it” (Man La Yahdhuruhu al-Faqih, vol. 3, p. 572, Hadith

4955; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, p. 304, Hadith 42). Moreover, Imam
Ali (PBUH) was once asked, “What are the least specifications by
which a servant is categorized as a believer, disbeliever, or
unguided (Dhaal)?” The Imam (PBUH) replied, “You asked your
question, and now reflect on (my) answer! The lowest limit that
categorizes a servant as a believer is that Allah, blessed in His
(name) and exalted is His (remembrance), introduces Himself to
him and he accepts obedience to Him, and He introduces His
prophet to him and he accepts obedience to him, and He introduces
to him His Imam—who is His proof on His earth and His witness
over His creation—and he accepts obedience to him.” I asked, “O
the Commander of the Believers! Is he a believer even if he is
ignorant of everything other than what you described?” He (PBUH)
said, “Yes, because if he is commanded (i.e., if a command reaches
him) he will obey, and if he is prohibited he will quit. The least
thing that makes a servant a disbeliever is that he assumes
something that Allah prohibited (in reality) as a thing that Allah has
commanded, and sets it as a religious command (without any divine
evidence having reached him) and adheres to it. He thinks he serves
what Allah has ordered, while, in reality, he serves the Satan. The
least thing that categorizes a servant as a Dhaal (unguided) is that
he does not know the proof of Allah, the mighty and the majestic,
who is His witness over His servants, whom Allah has commanded
to his obedience and made accepting his guardianship (Walaya)
obligatory” (al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 414, Hadith 1). Imam al-Sadiq
(PBUH) said, “The lowest limit of the recognition of the Imam is to
believe that he is the peer of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) without the
degree of prophethood and he is his inheritor, and obedience to him
is obedience to Allah and obedience to His Messenger, and (to
believe that one should) submit to him in all matters, return every
(religious) issue to him and accept his words, and to believe that the
Imam after the Messenger of Allah is Ali Ibn Abi Talib, and after
him, al-Hasan, then al-Husain, then Ali Ibn al-Husain, then
Muhammad Ibn Ali, then me, then my son Musa, then his son Ali,
then his son Mohammad, then his son Ali, then his son Hasan, then
his son al-Hujja” (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 36, p. 407, Hadith 16). This
Hadith not only specifies the requirements of faith concerning the
right of the Imams, but also requires to know and to acknowledge
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The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) was asked, “Does

anyone among people who love you and love Ali (PBUH)
enter Hell?” He (PBUH&HF) replied, “He who befouls his
soul by disobeying Mohammad and Ali (PBUT), falls into
unlawful deeds, wrongs the believing men and women,
and violates the decreed customs of the religion, arrives
on Day of Judgment filthy and impure. Mohammad and
Ali (PBUT) shall tell him, “You are impure and are
qualified neither for being in the company of your
(divinely) chosen masters, nor for hugging the beautiful
heavenly maidens, nor for being in the movement place
of the close angels. You will not reach what is therein
unless you are cleansed from what is herein of the sins.”
Therefore, some of such people shall enter the outer level
of Hell and shall be punished for some of their sins,
while some shall be afflicted with the hardships of the
Gathering Place (on the Day of Judgment) for some of
their sins. After this period, (to rescue each one of them)
their masters shall dispatch a chosen one of their Shia
who shall pick him up (from the Hell) just as a bird picks
up the seed.
As for those who have less and lighter sins, they will be
cleansed by the adversities and tyrannies of the rulers and
the illness in their body so that they arrive at their graves
purified. Among them are some who approach death
while still some sins remained for them, and thus, their
departure shall become severe and shall die in disgrace so
much so that most people around them shall be dispersed
and they shall die in disgrace to atone for their sins. They
the names and the lineage of the specific twelve individuals who
are exclusively entitled to this position by Allah.
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shall be purified when the remaining people leave them

after burial. 1
For people who have more grave sins, they shall be
cleansed by the calamities on the Day of Judgment, and
yet for worse sins, purification shall be made possible
through the outer level of Hell. The latter individuals
have the most severe punishment among people who love
us. They are not entitled to be called our Shia (our
followers), but they may be called our lovers, the
supporters of those who adhere to us, and the enemies of
our enemies. Certainly, Our Shia are only people who
1
Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said, “When the sin of a servant increases
and nothing (of his good acts) is found to atone for it, Allah afflicts
him by sorrows in this world as atonement for it. If not that, Allah
makes his body sick to compensate for his sins. Or, He makes the
time of his death more difficult to him as an expiation. Otherwise,
He punishes him in the grave so that he may meet Allah on the Day
of Judgment without anything that could witness to any of his sins
(i.e., the record of his evil deeds will be wiped out)” (al-Amali, al-
Saduq, p. 294, Hadith 4; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 78, p. 176, Hadith
15). Moreover, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) narrated from the Messenger
of Allah (PBUH&HF) that Allah said, “By My might and majesty! I
shall not send out from this world a servant on whom I want to
have (special) mercy until I take every sin of his and exchange it
either with an illness in his body, constrained sustenance, or horror
in his worldly life. And if anything still remains of his sins, I shall
increase his tension at the time of his death. By My might and
majesty! I shall not send out from this world a servant whom I want
to punish (forever) until I take every good deed of him and
exchange it either with good health in his body, extensive
sustenance, or peace and security in his life, and if anything still
remains of his good deeds I shall make death easy for him” (al-
Kafi, vol. 2, p. 444, Hadith 3).
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(try their best to) follow us, adopt our traditions, and take
after our deeds. 1
A man came to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH&HF) and said, “O
Messenger of Allah! Someone looks at the women of his
neighbor, and if an unlawful relation becomes possible
for him, he does not avoid it.”
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) became angry and
said, “Bring him to me.” Another person said, “O
Messenger of Allah! He is one of your Shia who believes
in you and Ali as his guardians 2 and keeps aloof from
1
It should be made clear that these series of traditions do not
necessarily imply that the Shia are sinless; rather, they want to
stress that a Shia by definition is a devoted and observant follower.
Hence, one should not claim the honor of “the Shia of Ahl al-Bait
(PBUT)” if he/she does not try his/her best to follow their footsteps
and if complete obedience to them has not yet become his/her
character. In practice, a Shia might have sudden slips, but such
mistakes should not represent his/her general behavior that is to
hold fast to the examples of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT). Alternatively, one
can say, a person is a Shia of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) as long as he/she
strictly follows them, and is not of their Shia during his/her
unexpected and momentary arrival in error.
2
Guardianship (al-Walaya) expresses a bilateral relation between the
guardian and the people. Observing al-Walaya by people means
adhering to the guardian and acknowledging his authority by heart,
tongue, and action. On the other hand, the action of al-Walaya by
the guardian means offering protection from evil, spiritual
assistance, care, support, and guidance for his adherents. A divinely
appointed guardian guards his adherents against misguidance,
spiritual destruction, wrongdoing, sin, and the wrath and
punishment of Allah as much as they adhere to him and his
commands. Therefore, both observation and protection are matters
of degree. However, the minimum acceptable level of observing al-
Walaya, which also terms one as a lover of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) and a
believer in the sight of Allah, is acknowledging the authority and
the guardianship of the divinely-appointed leaders by heart and by
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your enemies.” The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) replied,

“Do not say he is our Shia since this is certainly a
tongue. As discussed in this Hadith, this minimum level only

protects one against remaining in Hell forever. On the other hand,
its maximum level is full acknowledgment by heart, tongue and
action, which terms one as a Shia and an absolute believer,
completely wards off Allah’s punishment. A person who has
acknowledged Allah’s representative has, in effect, acknowledged
Allah’s authority, and is a true monotheist in obeying Allah.
Whoever believes in the divinely-appointed guardians is a believer
under the guardianship of Allah, and whoever turns away from
them is a disbeliever under the guardianship of Satan. It should be
emphasized that al-Walaya is considered as the greatest pillar of
faith, and establishing al-Walaya has been the ultimate goal of
religion and the fruit of the entire efforts of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH&HF). This fact can be readily verified by the Verse 67 of
Chapter 5 of the Holy Quran, which was revealed in Ghadir Khum
just before Prophet’s official announcement concerning the Walaya
of Imam Ali (PBUH): “O Messenger! Deliver what has been sent
down to you from your Lord and if you do not, you have not
conveyed His message at all, and Allah shall protect you from
(evil) people.” Moreover, Zurara (RA) narrated that Imam al-Baqir
(PBUH) said, “Islam is established by five things: prayer, charity,
fasting, pilgrimage, and al-Walaya.” I asked, “Which one is
superior?” He (PBUH) answered, “al-Walaya is superior since it is
their passkey and because the guardian is the guide and standard for
all these actions… The pinnacle of the religion, its key and its
gateway, and the means of the satisfaction of the merciful Lord is
obedience to the Imam after his recognition. In fact, Allah, the
mighty and the majestic, says, ‘Whoever obeys the Apostle, he has
indeed obeyed Allah, but for anyone who turns away, we have not
sent you as a protector’ (4:80). Even if one establishes worship all
his nights, fasts all his days, pays for charity all his wealth,
performs pilgrimage all his years, but does not recognize the
guardianship of the divinely appointed guardian so as to adhere to
him and to act according to his direction, he is not entitled to any
reward before Allah and is not of the people of faith” (al-Kafi, vol.
2, p. 19, Hadith 5).
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slander. Verily, our Shia follow us and obey us in our

deeds, and what you mentioned concerning this man is
not of our deeds.”
( 2 )
Moreover, the Commander of the Believers (PBUH), the
leader of the pious, the king (Ya’sub) 1 of the religion, the
chief of the prosperous, and the executor of the will of
the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds was told,
“Surely a certain individual has been excessive to his
soul by committing deadly sins, though he is among your
Shia!”
The Commander of the Believers (PBUH) replied, “Verily,
(by claiming so) one lie or two has just been recorded for
you. If this person wrongs himself by committing sins
and yet he loves us and hates our enemies, then you have
committed a lie because he is only our lover, and not our
Shia. Similarly, if he loves our friends and hates our
enemies and is not careless about committing any sin, it
is a slander from you as he is not unrestrained as you
1
According to the lexicon, “Ya’sub” originally means the chief of
honeybees around which other bees gather, and to which they are
loyal (Lisan al-Arab, vol. 1, p. 599). In several traditions, the
Prophet (PBUH&HF) titled Imam Ali (PBUH) in different occasions as
“Ya’sub of the faith”, “Ya’sub of the believers”, and “Ya’sub of the
religion”. It means the king, master, chief, support, shelter, resort,
and the elder of the believers and the maintainer of the religion and
faith. For instance, Abu Dhar (RA) narrated: I heard the Messenger
of Allah (PBUH&HF) saying to Imam Ali (PBUH), “O Ali! You are
the first who believed and acknowledged me, and the first who
shall meet me on the Day of Judgment. You are the greatest truthful
(Siddiq al-Akbar) and the perfect distinguisher (al-Faruq) who
distinguishes between the truth and the falsehood. You are the
resort (Ya’sub) of the believers, and wealth is the resort (Ya’sub) of
the disbelievers (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 38, p. 213, Hadith 17).
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said. On the other hand, if he feels free in committing

sins 1 and does not love us or does not hate our enemies,
then you have committed a two-fold lie.”
1
A believer believes that all of what Allah has prohibited should be
avoided and that Allah has decreed a specific punishment for each
sin. If he is tempted by Satan and commits a sin in the state of
negligence, faith will return to him as soon as he becomes mindful
and regrets his misconduct. However, if one persists in committing
a sin, his heart will gradually reject the truth. In other words,
indulging in a sin leads one to disbelief and rejecting the signs of
Allah. In Quran we read: “The outcome of those who persisted in
committing evil deeds was that they denied the signs of Allah and
held them up to ridicule.” (30:10) According to the traditions, a
person who does not regret the sin that he has committed—even if
he has committed it only once—is considered an insistent (Musir)
sinner, and a disbeliever in Allah’s view. This is because he does
not believe in the punishment that Allah decreed for that specific
sin in the Hereafter, and does not care to commit that sin again in
the future. Believing in the penalty of the Hereafter makes one
distressed and regretful for his sin, which is the essence of
repentance (Tawba). All other requirements mentioned for
repentance are for its perfection, and it is regret that obligates one
to comply with them all. Regret is a voluntary internal reaction of a
believer to his sin by which he guards his heart against decline and
maintains his faith. A believer is always repentant while a
disbeliever does not feel sorry before Allah for his misconducts.
Ibn Abi Umair narrated: I heard Imam Musa Ibn Ja’far (PBUH)
saying, “Allah does not keep anyone in the Fire (of hell) forever
except the people of disbelief, denial, misguidance and
polytheism… No believer commits a sin except that his action
offends him and he becomes regretful. Verily, the Prophet
(PBUH&HF) said, ‘Enough is regret for the repentance.’ He
(PBUH&HF) also said, ‘He who is delighted by his good deed and is
saddened by his evil deed is a believer.’ On the other hand, he who
does not regret the sin that he has committed is not a believer and is
not entitled to intercession as he is unjust. And Allah states, ‘For
the unjust there is neither a protecting friend nor an intercessor
whose intercession is accepted.’ (40:18)” I asked, “O son of the
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( 3 )
In another case, a man said to his wife, “Go to Fatima
(PBUH), the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF),
and ask her whether or not I am of their Shia.” She went
to her and asked her about it. Lady Fatima (PBUH) replied,
“Tell him if he acts upon what we have commanded and
restrains from what we have prohibited, then he is of our
Shia, otherwise, he is not.” She came back and informed
her husband of the reply. He cried saying, “Woe onto
me! Who then will release me from the sins and errors?
Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF)! How come is he not a believer if

he does not feel regretful for the evil deed he has done?” He (PBUH)
replied, “O Aba Ahmad! No one commits a great sin knowing that
he will be soon chastised for that except that he regrets for what he
has committed, and once he regrets he is repentant and becomes
entitled to intercession. On the other hand, if he does not regret it,
he is considered insistent (Musir) in sin, and a person who insists
(on evil) shall not be forgiven because he does not believe in the
penalty of what he has committed. Had he believed in that
punishment he would have surely regretted. Indeed, the Prophet
(PBUH&HF) said, “No great sin shall remain (great) with asking for
forgiveness (Istighfar) and no small sin shall remain (small) with
insistence (Israr). As for the saying of Allah, ‘They do not
intercede except for whom He is well-pleased,’ (21:28) it means
they do not intercede except for whom Allah is pleased with his
religion. And the religion is confession to the recompense for the
good and evil deeds. One with whose religion Allah is pleased
regrets for the sins he has committed due to recognizing its
consequence on the Day of Judgment” (al-Tawhid, p. 407, Hadith
6; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 8, p. 351, Hadith 1). Hence, one should
always view his sins great and should constantly keep himself in
the state of regret and repentance, because once he becomes
careless about his sins, overlooks them, and considers them small,
he becomes a disbeliever with a record replete with greater sins. On
the other hand, so long as he remains regretful and asks for
forgiveness, his record remains cleared.
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This way, I will be in Hell Fire forever because people

who are not their Shia will be in the everlasting Fire.”
Her wife came back and reported to Lady Fatima (PBUH)
what her husband said.
Lady Fatima (PBUH) replied, “Tell him it is not so. Our
Shia are of the chosen ones in Paradise. People who love
us, love those who love us, and are hostile to those who
are hostile to us, and submit to our authority by their
hearts and their tongues are not considered our Shia if
they disobey our commandments and prohibitions in
other issues. Nonetheless, they will be in Paradise after
they are chastened and cleansed from their sins by
afflictions and calamities (in this world), by various
hardships of the Day of Judgment, or by torment in the
upper layer of Hell until we rescue them from it due to
our love and transfer them to our presence (in Paradise). 1
1
Imam al-Jawad (PBUH) narrated from his ancestors that the
Commander of the Believers, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (PBUH) was asked,
“Describe death to us.” He (PBUH) replied, “To its expert you came
down! The one who dies shall face one of these three cases: He
shall receive either the glad tidings of everlasting blessings, or the
tidings of endless punishment, or else, he shall remain in the state
of grief and horror and his situation will not be clear to him as he
does not know to which group he belongs. The adherent of our
Walaya who was obedient to our commands is the one who shall
receive the glad tidings of perpetual bliss. In contrast, our enemy
(that is a person) who opposed us is the one who shall receive the
news of everlasting punishment. On the other hand, a person whose
situation is unclear for him is a believer (in our Walaya) who has
acted extravagantly against his soul. He shall receive terrifying and
unclear news, but Allah shall not equate him with our enemies and
shall release him from Fire by our intercession. Thus, do (good),
obey (Allah’s commandments), do not (just) lean on (our
intersession), and never belittle the punishment of Allah, the
mighty and the majestic, for among those who wrong their souls
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( 4 )
In addition, a man said to Imam al-Hasan Ibn Ali (PBUH),
“I am one of your Shia!” He (PBUH) replied, “O Servant of
Allah! If you are obedient to us concerning our
commandments and our prohibitions, then you are telling
the truth. However, if this is not the case, then do not
increase your sins by claiming such a noble status that
you do not deserve. Do not say, I am one of your Shia;
say instead, I am among those who adhere to your
guardianship, love you, and are hostile to your enemies. 1
are some who shall not reach our intercession except after 300,000
years of punishment. (Ma’ani al-Akhbar, p. 288, Hadith 2, Bihar
al-Anwar, vol. 6, p. 153, Hadith 9). Moreover, Imam al-Sadiq
(PBUH) said, “... The intercession of Muhammad (PBUH&HF) and our
intercession wipe off your sins, O Shia, but do not return to the sins
nor lean on our intercession, for by Allah, one who takes this route
shall not receive our intercession until after the pain of punishment
strikes him and after he perceives the dreadfulness of the Hell (al-
Kafi, vol. 5, p. 469, Hadith 9).
1
As can be seen in these series of traditions, whenever love for Ahl
al-Bait (PBUT) is mentioned, enmity against their enemies is also
stressed. When one really loves a faithful and sees that another
person shows hostility to his friend due to his faith, it is naturally
expected that he opposes and dislike his friend’s enemy; otherwise,
it implies that such love is not real, and is merely a show due to
hypocrisy. Hence, hating is not an independent issue, and is a
natural resultant of true love. Having true love alone for Allah
rationally implies being hostile to His enemies. This purely rational
reality is also testified by the holy Quran: “You will not find any
people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, but love those who
opposed Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their
fathers, their sons, their brothers, or their kindred...” (58:22).
Moreover, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said, “Whoever loves a
disbeliever has indeed hated Allah, and whoever hates a disbeliever
(for the sake of Allah) has indeed loved Allah.” Then, he (PBUH)
continued, “The friend of an enemy of Allah is an enemy of Allah”
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(In this case,) you are (still) in a good state and towards a
good ending.”
( 5 )
Similarly, someone said to Imam al-Husain Ibn Ali
(PBUH), “O Son of the Messenger of Allah! I am one of
your Shia!” He (PBUH) said, “Be mindful of Allah and do
not claim that which Allah considers a lie and a sin.
Certainly, our Shia are people whose hearts are free from
every dishonesty, fraud, and corruption. 1 Say, however, I
(al-Amali, al-Saduq, p. 605, Hadith 8; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 66, p.

237, Hadith 3). Imam Baqir (PBUH) said, “Is religion other than love
and hate?” (Tafsir, Furat al-Kufi, p. 428, Hadith 567; Bihar al-
Anwar, vol. 65, p. 63, Hadith 114). One important thing, however,
is the correct assignment of love and hate to the type of person and
the type of action. According to the traditions, one should love
believers but hate their wrong actions, and should hate disbelievers
but love their good actions. Imam al-Baqir (PBUH) said, “Certainly,
Allah may love a servant but hate his action, and may hate a servant
but love his action” (al-Amali, al-Saduq, p. 411, Hadith 71; Bihar
al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 234, Hadith 1). A quite similar saying is
reported from Imam Ali (PBUH) (cf. Nahj al-Balagha, p. 215,
Sermon 154, titled “on the virtues of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)”).
1
Imam al-Kadhim (PBUH) said, “Certainly, a Shia of Ali (PBUH) is
one whose actions confirm his words” (al-Kafi, vol. 8, p. 228,
Hadith 290). Imam al-Baqir (PBUH) said, “By Allah! Our Shia are
only those who are watchful of (their duties toward) Allah and obey
Him. They are only known by humility and submission (before
Allah), fulfillment of trust, abundant remembrance of Allah,
fasting, prayer, kindness to parents, care for the poor, indebted and
orphans in their neighborhood, truthfulness, recitation and
adherence to the Quran, forbearance from speaking about people
except in goodness, and that they are the trustees of their tribes in
their properties” (Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 295; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 75, p.
175).
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am of people who acknowledge your authority and love

you.”
( 6 )
Furthermore, someone said to Imam Ali Ibn al-Husain
(PBUH), “O Son of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF)! I am
one of your most sincere Shia!” He (PBUH) told him, “O
Servant of Allah! If you are like Ibrahim about whom
Allah said, ‘And verily of his (i.e., Ali’s) Shia was
Ibrahim when he sought nearness to his Lord with a
submissive heart’ (37:83-84), and if your heart is like his,
then you are among our Shia. However, if your heart
does not resemble his heart which was pure from any
deception and ill-will (against the believers), then you
can only be counted as a people who love us. Otherwise,
if you persist on this wrong claim knowing that it is a lie,
you will be afflicted with paralysis or leprosy that will
not leave you until death as atonement for this lie.”
( 7 )
And in the presence of Imam al-Baqir (PBUH) a man was
arguing with another one saying, “Do not show off to me
because I am one of the Shia of the family of Muhammad
(PBUH&HF).” At this time, Imam al-Baqir (PBUH) said, “You
do not have any preference over him by the Lord of
Ka’ba, while he was cheated by your lie! O Servant of
Allah! Tell me which one of these two pleases you more:
When you spend your money on yourself or when you
spend it on your brothers in faith?” He replied, “When I
spend it on myself.” He (PBUH) said, “Then, you are not
among our Shia, because we enjoy more when we spend
it on our brothers. Hence, say, we are of people who love
you and hope for salvation by means of your love.”
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( 8 )
Once, it was mentioned to Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) that
Ammar al-Duhni went to testify something before Ibn
Abi Laila, the judge of Kufa. The judge said, “Cease!
Your testimony is not accepted since you are a rejecter
(Rafidhi).” Upon that, Ammar stood up to leave while
trembling and weeping. The judge told him, “You are a
man of knowledge and Hadith. If the title of rejecter
offends you, just disavow from this sect so that you
become our brother.”
Ammar replied, “It is not what you think! I am crying for
myself and you. I cry for myself because by considering
me a Rafidhi, you have attributed to me a noble rank that
I do not deserve. Woe onto you! Indeed Imam al-Sadiq
(PBUH) has narrated to me that ‘the first people who were
called Rafidhi were the magicians who, upon witnessing
the signs of Moses (PBUH), believed in him, followed him,
rejected the command of Pharaoh, and were patient to all
that befell them. Pharaoh called them rejecters as they
rejected his custom. Thus, the term rejecter (Rafidhi) has
been used for anyone who rejected all that Allah disliked
and acted according to all that Allah commanded.’ 1 Who
is like them in this era?
1
This piece that praises the rejection of enemies of Allah and their
customs appears at the middle of the series of traditions concerning
adherence to Ahl al-Bait (PBUT), which emphasizes the fact that a
true follower (Shia) of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) is always a true rejecter
(Rafidhi) of their enemies and their methods, ideas, etc. Therefore,
the titles Rafidhi and Shia refer to the same fact and cannot be
realized separately. Anyone who claims to “adhere” to the customs
of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) should naturally “reject” other customs;
otherwise, he is not truthful in his claim and is a polytheist in his
obedience to Allah because he has associated human-generated
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And indeed, I cried for myself because admitting this

noble title for myself passed through my mind in a
moment and I fear that Allah, the mighty and the
majestic, condemns me for that, saying, ‘O Ammar!
Have you truly rejected falsehood and acted according to
Our commands?’ Then, I will be considered negligent if
He overlooks me, and will be entitled to a great
punishment if He questions me unless my masters rectify
it for me by their intercession. On the other hand, my cry
for you was for the greatness of your lie by calling me
with other than my name, and that how your body could
endure the divine punishment for disgracing one of the
most honorable names.”
Upon hearing this account, Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said, “Had
Ammar had sins greater than the heavens and the earth,
they have certainly wiped off from his record by uttering
these words, and his good deeds have multiplied in the
sight of Allah, the mighty and the majestic, such that
each one of his smallest deeds even to the extent of a
ideas and methods with the divine instructions that have reached
him through Allah’s representatives. In fact, rejecting falsehood has
priority over accepting the truth and is its prerequisite. Allah, the
mighty and the majestic, states in the holy Quran, “He who rejects
Taghut and believes in Allah, he has indeed adhered to the most
trustworthy handhold which shall never break” (2:258). Imam al-
Ridha (PBUH) interpreted “Taghut” as those who usurped the rights
of the family of Muhammad (PBUH&HF) and “the most trustworthy
handhold” as the guardianship of the Commander of the Believers
(Imam Ali) and the Imams after him (cf. Tafsir, Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-
Qummi, under the commentary of this verse). Imam al-Sadiq
(PBUH) said, “Whoever claims to recognize us but he adheres to
other handholds is a liar” (Ma’ani al-Akhbar, p. 399, Hadith 57;
Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, p. 83, Hadith 7). See also the explanation in
the footnote towards the end of this article on the meaning of
monotheism.
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mustard seed has become a thousand times greater than

this world.”
( 9 )
In addition, Imam Musa Ibn Ja’far (PBUH) was told, “We
were passing by a person in the market who was
proclaiming that he is an earnest Shia of Muhammad and
his family (PBUT), and he was hawking certain cloth for
more money. Imam Musa (PBUH) said, “One who knows
the value of his soul will not be wasted nor will he act
ignorantly. Do you know whom this man resembles? He
resembles a person who claims ‘I am like Salman, Abu
Dhar, Miqdad, and Ammar’ while he undervalues
(people’s goods) when he buys, and hides the defects of
the merchandise before his customer (when he sells). He
purchases something (with deferred payment) for a
certain price, and then overcharges an unfamiliar layman
who wants that merchandise by imposing it on him. If, in
any event, he loses his customer, he informs the original
seller that he does not want the merchandise (that he had
already bought) except for a lower price regardless of his
debit. Is he like Salman, Abu Dhar, Miqdad, and
Ammar?! We seek refuge in Allah from such an idea. 1
1
Nawf once asked Imam Ali (PBUH) to describe the characteristics of
his Shia. By remembering his Shia, the Imam (PBUH) wept and said,
“O Nawf! My Shia are, by Allah, cognizant of Allah and His
religion, active in obeying Him and His commands, and are guided
by means of His love. They are emaciated as a result of devotion,
and obligate themselves to withdraw (from pleasures of the world).
They have yellow complexions due to staying awake for midnight
worship, bleary eyes because of (abundant) weeping, dry lips for
uttering the remembrance (of Allah), and empty stomachs by
(exercising) hunger. Their divine education is recognized in their
faces, and their horror from the pleasures of the world is seen in
their manner. They are the guiding lamps in any darkness, and the
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However, what prevents him from saying, ‘I am among

those who love Muhammad and the family of
Muhammad (PBUH&HF), love people who believe in their
guardianship, and feel hostile towards their enemies’?”
( 10 )
When Ma’mun (L) appointed Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-
Ridha (PBUH) as heir apparent, his secretary came to him
and said, “At the door, there are some people who
request to meet you. They say they are of the Shia of Ali
(PBUH)”. He (PBUH) answered, “I am occupied. Dismiss
them.” Therefore, the secretary dismissed them. They
came the following day saying the same thing and were
treated similar to the previous day. They continued to
come at the door of the Imam’s house for two months
saying the same, but he (PBUH) turned them away every
time.
When they were disappointed from meeting the Imam
(PBUH),they said to his secretary, “Tell our master we are
the Shia of your father Ali Ibn Abi Talib (PBUH). Indeed,
sweet basils in any society. They do not bear enmity in their heart
against those who preceded them in submission, and do not follow
them without proof. Their evil in them is under their control. Their
hearts are (full of) sympathy, their souls are chaste, and their
demands are little. They burden themselves while people are at rest
as a result of their service. They are clever, sincere, and noble
people of wisdom. They are like foxes who (stealthily) escape with
their religion (i.e., distrusting the sinful environments, they move
from place to place to safeguard their religion). (They live
unknown such that) they are not noticed or appreciated when
present, and are not remembered when absent. These are my most
pleasant followers (Shia) and my most honorable brothers. Ah! I
wish so much to meet them!” (al-Amali, al-Tusi, p. 576, Hadith
1189; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 65, p. 177, Hadith 34).
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our enemies have rejoiced to see that you are avoiding us.
We will leave this time and will distance from our city
due to the shame and humiliation that befell on us and
because we cannot tolerate the pain resulting from the
rejoicing of the enemies in our city.” This time, Imam Ali
Ibn Musa (PBUH) permitted them to enter. They entered
and greeted him, but he (PBUH) neither returned their
greetings nor did he permit them to sit. While standing,
they asked, “O son of the Messenger of Allah! What is
the reason for this humiliation after that harsh avoidance?
How could anyone of us live after this affliction?”
At this point, Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said, “Recite:
‘Whatever of affliction strikes you is because of your own
deeds, and He forgives much (of the sins)’ (42:30). I
followed none but my Lord, the mighty and the majestic,
the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF), the Commander of the
Believers (PBUH), and my pure fathers after him on this
issue. They reproached you and I followed them
accordingly.” They asked, “For what reason, O Son of
the Messenger of Allah?”
He (PBUH) replied, “For your claim that you are the Shia of
the Commander of the Believers (PBUH)! Woe on to you!
Verily, his Shia were al-Hasan (PBUH), al-Husain (PBUH),
Salman, Abu Dhar, al-Miqdad, Ammar, and Muhammad
Ibn Abi Bakr who neither disobeyed any of his
commands nor did they commit his prohibitions of any
kind. You said you were his Shia while you contradict
him in most of your actions, fall short concerning many
obligatory deeds, neglect the great rights of your brothers
in faith, observe Taqiyya 1 when it is not required, and
1
In the language of Hadith, al-Taqiyya refers to concealing belief in
the case of danger. The root of this term is Waqa, which means “to
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safeguard; to shield; to shelter; to preserve.” The meaning of al-

Taqiyya is very close to that of Mudaaraat, which means tolerating
people and getting along with them. In modern terms, al-Taqiyya
can be translated as “diplomacy”. The traditions also confirm this
meaning. Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said, “O Sufyan! Observe Taqiyya.
Surely, it was the Sunna of Ibrahim al-Khalil (PBUH). Verily Allah,
the mighty and the majestic, said to Moses (PBUH) and Aaron
(PBUH), ‘Go both of you to Pharaoh, for he has indeed transgressed
(all bounds). But speak to him with a gentle word so that he may
take warning or feel afraid’ (20:43-44). Allah, the mighty and the
majestic, told them to call him with proper title and then speak to
him. And when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) intended a trip,
(for the security of the city during his leave) he used to conceal it
and act as if another person would leave. He (PBUH&HF) also said,
‘Allah has ordered me to be lenient (Mudaaraat) with people as
much as he has ordered me to fulfill the obligatory deeds’. Surely
Allah educated him (in the art of) Taqiyya and said (to him), ‘Repel
(evil) with what is best; that way, a person that between you and
him is hatred will appear as if he is your friend and intimate. But
none is granted such achievement save those who exercise patience
and self-restraint, and none is granted it save the owner of the
great prosperity’ (41:34-35). O Sufyan! He who applies Taqiyya in
the religion of Allah, he shall indeed ascend to the climax, and he
who does not own his tongue shall regret.” (Ma’ani al-Akhbar, p.
385, Hadith 20, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 72, p. 396, Hadith 18). A
believer is required to conceal his belief and even is allowed to
utter disbelief if otherwise substantial danger threatens him or other
believers. This attitude is the opposite of hypocrisy in which one
conceals disbelief in his heart and shows belief. The believer, by
definition, is required to always maintain and practice faith in his
heart. According to the traditions, acknowledgement and
recognition of faith is the required action of heart (cf. al-Kafi, vol.
2, p. 34, Hadith 1). This is an internal action. However, a believer is
also required to put his belief into practice outwardly when he can.
Notice that Allah commands us to disassociate ourselves from the
disbelievers (those who have heard the message of Ahl al-Bait
(PBUT) but rejected it), avoid friendship with them, and take them as
enemies (cf. the holy Quran, 3:28, 5:51, 9:1, 9:3, 9:16, 9:23, 60:1;
2:98, 4:101). Thus, we can never unite with the disbelievers in
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leave Taqiyya when it must be observed. Had you said

you believed in his guardianship (Walaya), loved him,
loved those who adhere to him, and were the enemy of
his enemies, I would not have denied your saying.
However, you claimed such a noble position that if your
actions do not confirm your saying, you will perish
unless a mercy from Allah rectifies it for you.” They
said, “O Son of the Messenger of Allah! We ask
forgiveness from Allah and return to Him from our
saying. We say as our master taught us that we love you,
love people under your guardianship, and are the enemy
of your enemies.”
At this time, Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said, “Now, welcome
to you my brothers and my friends. Come near! Come
near!” He (PBUH) embraced them and then asked his
secretary how many times he met them. He answered,
“sixty times.” He (PBUH) said to him, “Then, go and come
to them sixty times consecutively and offer them my
Salaam for verily their sins were wiped off by asking for
forgiveness and because of their repentance. Now, they
deserve high respect due to their love for us and
accepting us as their guardians. Look into their problems
and present them and their families with gifts and
financial aids.”
reality, and we cannot accept them in our heart. Our cooperation

with them at times in a worldly matter may only be due to Taqiyya
as a diplomatic, superficial, and circumstantial relation. In order to
maintain faith, one should control his apparent relationship with the
disbelievers such that it could not gradually undermine the disgust
from them in one’s heart.
23 of 32
( 11 )
In addition, a person came to Imam Muhammad al-
Jawad, son of Ali al-Ridha (PBUH), appearing very happy
and delighted. He (PBUH) asked, “Why are you so happy?”
The man answered, “O Son of the Messenger of Allah! I
have heard your father saying, the most deserving day to
make a servant happy is a day that Allah helps him give
charities and alms to his believing brothers and solve
their problems. Today, I received ten believing brothers
who were needy and had dependents. They came to me
from another city. I gifted each one of them with money,
and this is why I am delighted.” The Imam replied, “By
my life! You deserve to be happy if you have not
nullified your deed and if you do not nullify it later.” He
said, “How could I ruin my deed while I am one of your
sincere Shia?!” He (PBUH) replied, “Ah! Certainly you just
invalidated your benevolence and charity to your
brothers.” He asked, “How come, O Son of the
Messenger of Allah?” The Imam (PBUH) replied, “Recite
the saying of Allah, the mighty and the majestic, ‘O you
who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of
your generosity or by annoyance.’ (2:264)” He said, “I
did not remind my generosity to the people that I gave
charity and did not hurt their (feelings).”
The Imam (PBUH) said, “Allah, the mighty and the
majestic, said you should not nullify your generosity by
reminding or by annoyance, and He did not say by
reminding to or annoying only the people to whom you
give charity. It includes all harassments. Do you believe
annoying the people that you helped is greater or
annoying us and the angels who scribe your deeds?” The
person answered, “Of course, the latter.”
24 of 32
The Imam (PBUH) said, “Certainly, you have bothered me

and them and have cancelled your charity. Woe onto
you! Do you know who our sincere Shia are?” He replied
in the negative. The Imam continued, “Our sincere Shia
(in the ancient nations) were Hizqil (Khirqil), (who was)
the believer of the family of Pharaoh 1, and the
companion (mentioned in the chapter) of Yasin about
whom Allah said, ‘Then a man came running from the
farthest part of the city, [saying, O my folk! Obey the
messengers]’ (36:20) and (their examples in this nation
were) Salman, Abu Dhar, al-Miqdad, and Ammar. Do
you equate yourself with them? Didn’t you annoy us and
the angels by such a claim?”
The man said, “I ask for forgiveness from Allah and
repent to Him. Then, what should I say about myself?”
He (PBUH) replied, “Say: I am of people who acknowledge
your Walaya, love you, love people who love you, and I
am hostile to your enemies.” He said, “This is what I
believe, and I repent from the claim that you and the
angels rejected since whatever you deny is what Allah
has denied.” At this time, the Imam (PBUH) said, “Surely,
the reward of your charity has just been returned to you
and was saved from nullification.”
( 12 )
Imam al-Askari (PBUH), then, added: … “Indeed, the Shia
of Ali (PBUH) are those about whom Allah, the mighty and
the majestic, said, ‘Those who have faith and do good
deeds; they are companions of the Garden wherein shall
they abide forever.’ (2:82) They are those who believe in
Allah, name Him by His names and do not attribute to
1
cf. the holy Quran, Chapter 40, Verse 28.
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Him other than His names, acknowledge Muhammad

(PBUH&HF) in his sayings (i.e., his Hadiths), direct
themselves according to his actions, believe in Ali after
him as a master, an Imam, and a noble chief that no one
in the nation of Muhammad (PBUH&HF) can equate him,
and that his merits outweigh the merits of the Prophet’s
nation all together, and his superiority over them is like
the superiority of the heavens over the earth, while (in
this comparison) earth is just a tiny particle.”
“The Shia of Ali (PBUH) are those who do not worry in the
path of Allah whether death receives them or they receive
death (like in a battle). 1 The Shia of Ali (PBUH) are those
who give their brothers ‘preference over themselves even
concerning the things that they themselves urgently need’
(59:9). They are those whom Allah do not see them on
the actions that He forbade them, and do not miss them
on the actions that He commanded them.”
“The Shia of Ali (PBUH) are those who follow Ali’s
example in honoring their brothers in faith. What I tell
you is not just my saying; rather I am relating the explicit
saying of Muhammad (PBUH&HF). Such is the above saying
of Allah ‘do good deeds’ (2:82), which means they fulfill
all the obligations. After belief in the monotheism (al-
Tawhid) 2, the prophethood (of Muhammad), and the
1
Describing the Shia of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT), Imam al-Baqir (PBUH)
said, “They are impregnable fortresses, trustworthy breasts, and
sober-minded people of patience. They are neither disclosers of the
secrets, nor are they ostentatious disobedient. They are humble and
God-fearing worshippers by night and brave as a lion by day”
(Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 65, p. 180, Hadith 38).
2
As we can see from this Hadith, observing monotheism (al-
Tawhid) is the foremost condition towards becoming a Shia of Ahl
al-Bait (PBUT). Monotheism, which is the basic requirement of
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faith, is established at two levels: Belief in the uniqueness of Allah

(which we call intellectual monotheism), and belief in the
uniqueness of His path (which we refer to as practical
monotheism). Both levels are proven by independent reason. In the
intellectual level, al-Tawhid means believing that Allah is unique,
matchless, and has no resemblance of any kind with His creation.
Notice that uniqueness does not refer to the number “one” since
anything that can be expressed by a quantity is limited (cf. the first
sermon of Nahj al-Balagha by Imam Ali (PBUH)). Believing in any
resemblance between the Creator and the creation even in the most
abstract levels and concepts is associating Allah with His creation,
which signifies a limitation for Him. Moreover, because Allah is
the Creator of our reason, He can never be comprehended by
reason; otherwise He is limited. On the other hand, the reason
testifies that He is undeniable due to the existence of His abundant
signs, which are His creation. In other words, a monotheist, while
admitting that Allah is not comprehendible, believes that He is
undeniable. In the language of Hadith, the intellectual sense of al-
Tawhid is defined as regarding Allah free from the two extreme
limits of resemblance (Tashbih) and denial/disproval (Ta’til,
Ibtaal). When different Imams were asked if one could say that
Allah is an existing thing, the Imams replied in the affirmative, but
added that by saying this, one should regard Him outside the two
limits of resemblance and disproval. (cf. al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 82,
Hadith 2; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 3, p. 265, Hadith 29). Based on the
intellectual monotheism, one has no way towards Allah by himself,
and thus, attaining the pleasure of Allah is rationally impossible
unless through the door that Allah Himself may open to His
creation by sending a representative. Therefore, intellectual
monotheism rationally guides one towards a deeper level of
monotheism, which is practical monotheism. In practical level,
observing Tawhid means, believing that one should acquire all the
knowledge of religion only from Allah’s representatives and should
not associate any idea or opinion derived from human sciences with
the divine instructions given by the Prophet and his successors,
peace be upon them. Moreover, a true monotheist tries his best to
conform his actions to the divine instructions that have reached him
in the form of traditions. Therefore, beside practicing monotheism
by being selective concerning the input information he receives, a
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believer observes monotheism by controlling his output actions

only according to the divine standard. In this manner, he serves
Allah alone and does not associate anyone in his obedience to
Allah. According to the Quran and the traditions, practical
monotheism, which is the very essence of al-Walaya (submitting to
the guardians assigned by Allah in order to obey Him alone), is a
requirement of faith and is necessary for salvation in the Hereafter.
Imam Ali (PBUH) said, “Verily, a believer does not take his religion
from his opinion, but he accepts what comes from His Lord.” (al-
Kafi, vol. 2, p. 45, Hadith 1; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 65, p. 311,
Hadith 4). Imam Ali (PBUH) said to Kumail, “O Kumail! Do not
take anything (related to the religion) except from us so that you
become of us” (Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 171; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 74, p.
269, Hadith 1). In one of his Tawqi’ (written piece of document)
Imam Mahdi (PBUH) wrote, “Seeking the knowledge of the religion
from other than us (Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)) is equal to denying us”
(Mustadrak Safinatul Bihar, Shaikh Ali al-Namazi, vol. 1, p. 10).
Yunus Ibn Abdurrahman narrates: I asked Imam Musa Ibn Ja’far
(PBUH), “How do I practice monotheism?” He (PBUH) answered, “O
Yunus! Do not be an innovator (in the domain of religion).
Whoever looked into his opinion has perished. Whoever left the
Ahl al-Bait of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) has gone astray, and whoever
left the Book of Allah and the sayings of His Prophet (PBUH&HF)
has become a disbeliever” (al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 56, Hadith 10). Imam
al-Ridha (PBUH) said, “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said,
‘He who adopts a religion without hearing (from Allah’s
Messenger), Allah necessitates for him (as punishment) to go astray
towards destruction. He who adopts a religion by hearing from
other than the door that Allah has opened for His creation, is a
polytheist.’” Then, the Imam (PBUH) continued, “And the
trustworthy door on Allah’s revelation is Muhammad (PBUH&HF).”
(Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha, vol. 2, p. 9, Hadith 22; A similar narration
exists in al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 377, Hadith 4; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, p.
105, Hadith 68). Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said, “The Messenger of
Allah (PBUH&HF) said, ‘He who listens and inclines towards a
speaker, he has surely worshipped/served him. Thus, if the speaker
is from Allah, the person has indeed worshipped Allah, and if the
speaker is from Satan, the person has indeed worshipped Satan’”...
Then, Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) continued, “O Ibn Abi Mahmud! If
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leadership (of the Imams), the greatest obligations are

fulfilling the rights of the brothers in faith 1 and acting
you see that people take the routes of the East and the West,
steadfast in our path, for surely whoever stays with us we will stay
with him, and whoever separates from us we will separate from
him. Certainly, the simplest thing that could take away the faith of
a person is ‘to call a small stone as a seed’, then believes in it, and
disassociates from anyone who opposes him on that (without divine
instruction). O Abi Mahmud! Safeguard what I just narrated to you
as I have gathered (in it) for you all the goodness of this world and
the Hereafter.” (Wasa’il al-Shia, vol. 27, p. 128, Hadith 33394;
Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha, vol. 1, p. 303, Hadith 63; A similar
narration from Imam al-Jawad exists in al-Kafi, vol. 6, p. 434,
Hadith 24). Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said, “Whoever associates a
leader who is not assigned by Allah with a leader who is assigned
by Allah is a polytheist and has associated partners with Allah” (al-
Kafi, vol. 1, p. 373, Hadith 6; Kitab al-Ghaiba, al-Nu’mani, p. 130,
Hadith 8). Furthermore, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said, “The rejecter
of us (or our sayings) is a disbeliever and is a rejecter of Allah, and
he is like the one who has taken partners besides Allah.” (al-Kafi,
vol. 1, p. 67, Hadith 10; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, pp. 220-221).
Several authorities narrated from Imam al-Baqir (PBUH) and Imam
al-Sadiq (PBUH) who said, “Whatever has come from the
Commander of the Believers (Ali (PBUH)) should be accepted and
whatever he has forbidden should be abandoned. He owns the same
rights of obedience and superiority as did Allah’s Messenger
(PBUH&HF), and for the Messenger of Allah was superiority over
everything that Allah created. He who tries to find fault in any of
his orders is like the one who tries to find fault in Allah, the mighty
and the majestic, and His Messenger (PBUH&HF). He who tries to
precede him is like the one who tries to precede the Messenger of
Allah (PBUH&HF). (Since he commands on behalf of Allah,)
rejecting any of his minor or major commands is equivalent to
taking partners with Allah (in obedience)” (al-Kafi, vol. 1, pp. 196-
197, Hadith 1, 2, & 3; Basa’ir al-Darajat, pp. 199-200, Hadith 1 &
2; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 16, p. 358, Hadith 53; vol. 39, p. 344,
Hadith 16).
1
Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said, “By Allah, a believer has indeed more
rights than the Ka’ba” (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 65, p. 64, Hadith 115).
29 of 32
Imam al-Kadhim (PBUH) said, “Proceeding towards fulfilling a need

of a faithful is better than residing and fasting inside Masjid al-
Haraam for two months” (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 71, p. 235). Abu
Isma’il said to Imam al-Baqir (PBUH), “The number of Shia in our
place is great!” He (PBUH) asked, “Do their rich have compassion
on their poor? Do their well-doers forgive their wrongdoers? Do
they share their property (with the poor)?” I answered, “No!” He
(PBUH) said, “They are not Shia. The Shia are those who behave
so.” (al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 173, Hadith 11). It is narrated that Imam al-
Kadhim said, “When a faithful brother comes to someone with a
demand, it is, without doubt, a mercy from Allah that is dispatched
to him. If he fulfills his request, he has indeed attached him(self) to
our guardianship (Walaya), which is attached to guardianship of
Allah, the mighty and the majestic. However, if he denies him
concerning his demand while being able to fulfill it, he has indeed
wronged himself and ill-treated that (mercy)” (Bihar al-Anwar, vol.
71, p. 313). In a similar Hadith, Imam al-Kadhim (PBUH) said,
“When a brother in faith seeks refuge or appeals for help from
someone, and he does not give him shelter and aid when he can, he
is indeed detached from the guardianship of Allah, the mighty and
the majestic” (al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 366, Hadith 4). Mu’alla Ibn
Khunais said: I asked Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH), “What is the right of a
believer over other believers?” He (PBUH) replied, “He has seven
obligatory rights. If one opposes any of them, he has stepped out of
the guardianship of Allah, left His obedience, and has no share of
the religion of Allah.” I said, “May I be sacrificed for you! Tell me
what they are.” He (PBUH) said, “O Mu’alla! I am concerned about
you and fear that you become negligent and do not safeguard them,
and learn but do not act upon them.” I said, “There is no strength
except by Allah.” He (PBUH) said, “The easiest right (to fulfill)
among them is to like for him what you like for yourself and dislike
for him what you dislike for yourself. The second right is that you
should proceed towards fulfilling his needs and gaining his
satisfaction, and should not oppose his request. The third right is
that you should have care for him by your soul, your property, your
hand, your foot, and your tongue. The forth right is that you should
be his eye, his guide, his mirror (before himself), and his covering
(before others).The fifth right is that you should neither be full
when he is hungry, nor wear a favorite cloth when he is without
30 of 32
upon Taqiyya before the enemies of Allah, the mighty

and the majestic.”
Conclusion
After studying this set of traditions as well as other
complementary traditions provided in the footnotes, we
might feel that we are far away from the prescribed
standard in practice. However, instead of being
disappointed, we should look into its positive aspects.
Learning these facts increases our love and respect for
the title of Shia and those who deserve this revered title
more than ever. It also makes us more cautious of using
this term for ourselves and others in the future. Most
important of all, learning these traditions leads us to
refine our goals. They also teach us the right method of
approaching towards these sacred goals.
In fact, it is a duty of every believer to learn the ideal
goals set by the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and his Ahl al-Bait
(PBUT) and to consider them reachable by an ordinary
human with the help of Allah. Since goal is a matter of
faith, it must be correctly viewed, and should not be
compromised due to one’s weaknesses. It is only in this
proper clothing, and nor quench your thirst when he is thirsty. The
sixth right is that if you have a servant and he cannot not have one,
you should (regularly) send your servant to aid him in washing
clothes, and cooking and cleaning in his house. And the seventh
right is that you should acknowledge his oath, accept his invitation,
visit him if he is sick, attend his funeral if he passes away, and
initiate to fulfill his need in person before he is obligated to ask for
it. Once you comply with all these rights, you have joined his
Walaya to your Walaya and your Walaya to the Walaya of Allah,
the mighty and the majestic” (Rawdhat al-Wa’idhin, vol. 2, p. 291;
Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 71, p. 224, Hadith 12).
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situation that one can maintain a faith that is acceptable

by Allah, and become ready for a change. In the next
step, one needs to approach these goals in practice to the
extent of one’s ability, which certainly pleases Allah and
guarantees one’s salvation.
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Am I A Shia of Ahl Al-Bait (PBUT)

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Am I A Shia of Ahl Al-Bait (PBUT)

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IN THE NAME OF ALLAH

Am I a Shia of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)?

By: Vahid Majd

The questions that may arise in this issue are as follow:

The entire text of this Hadith is originally found in a

had been previously concluded as Allah’s decree through their

based on it” (Man La Yahdhuruhu al-Faqih, vol. 3, p. 572, Hadith

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) was asked, “Does

shall be purified when the remaining people leave them

your enemies.” The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) replied,

tongue. As discussed in this Hadith, this minimum level only

slander. Verily, our Shia follow us and obey us in our

said. On the other hand, if he feels free in committing

Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF)! How come is he not a believer if

This way, I will be in Hell Fire forever because people

(al-Amali, al-Saduq, p. 605, Hadith 8; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 66, p.

am of people who acknowledge your authority and love

And indeed, I cried for myself because admitting this

mustard seed has become a thousand times greater than

However, what prevents him from saying, ‘I am among

safeguard; to shield; to shelter; to preserve.” The meaning of al-

leave Taqiyya when it must be observed. Had you said

reality, and we cannot accept them in our heart. Our cooperation

The Imam (PBUH) said, “Certainly, you have bothered me

Him other than His names, acknowledge Muhammad

faith, is established at two levels: Belief in the uniqueness of Allah

believer observes monotheism by controlling his output actions

leadership (of the Imams), the greatest obligations are

Imam al-Kadhim (PBUH) said, “Proceeding towards fulfilling a need

upon Taqiyya before the enemies of Allah, the mighty

situation that one can maintain a faith that is acceptable

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