About Shia Islam
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Introduction to Shi’ism
Shia Islam is a sect that emerged from the larger Muslim community when the community chose to follow its own derived leadership rather than the divine appointment of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. Just as God exalted the families of Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Israel in their respective periods, He also exalted the family of the Prophet above all others throughout all time. God declared this household of the Prophet to be free from impurity, and within them, He placed His leadership, just as He had placed leadership within the family of Aaron.
This blessed household (including the Prophet’s daughter and the twelve Imams) includes
Brief History of Shi’ism
During the Prophet’s Life
During the Night Journey, the Lord announced to His Prophet that his cousin, ‘Ali, was to be his successor. From then on, the Prophet awaited the permission to make an official declaration. Eight years later, God revealed the following words to the Prophet: “…Proclaim that which has been sent down to you from your Lord, and if you do not, you will not have proclaimed His message…” (Quran 5:67). This proclamation concerned ‘Ali, and as the Prophet was returning from the first pilgrimage of Islam, he stopped his followers at a place known as Ghadir Khumm. There, he gathered everyone, announced ‘Ali as the master of the Muslims, and instructed that this message be conveyed to those who were not present. Thereafter, Gabriel brought the words of the Lord, which said: “Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam as your religion” (Quran 5:3). Unfortunately, after the Prophet’s passing, the Muslims abandoned his instructions and did not uphold ‘Ali’s leadership.
Post-Prophet’s Life
From that point on, an underground movement began to grow. One of the major events that later occurred was the Battle of Karbala, in which the third divinely appointed Imam, Husayn, the son of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (the first Imam), was martyred. Shi’ism truly started to spread throughout the Islamic world during the Imamate (divine leadership) of Muhammad ibn ‘Ali and Ja’far ibn Muhammad. As the number of adherents increased, it became apparent to the ruling government that the Imams were claiming the Imamate. The following Imams after Ja’far as-Sadiq faced imprisonment, house arrest, and other forms of oppression and surveillance.
The Mahdi (Messiah) and the Occultations
By the time of Hasan ibn ‘Ali al-Askari (the eleventh Imam), fears of possible assassination led to keeping the birth of his successor (the twelfth and final Imam) a secret. This Imam was unlike any before him, as he was the prophesied Messiah (also known as the Mahdi). His Imamate is divided into two periods: the Minor Occultation, which began in 260 AH/874 AD. During this time, the Mahdi remained hidden from his community, communicating through deputies appointed by him. The four deputies were Uthman al-Amri, Muhammad ibn Uthman al-Amri, Husayn bin Ruh, and Abu al-Husayn al-Samarri.
During the final period of al-Samarri’s (the fourth and final deputy) life, the Mahdi instructed him to settle his affairs and inform the community that after his death, all direct contact with the Mahdi would be cut off, as he would enter a Major Occultation. The Mahdi also advised the wider community to rely on scholars during this period and foretold that he would one day return with Prophet ‘Isa (Jesus) to establish God’s Kingdom on Earth.
We are currently in the Major Occultation, since 329 AH/941 AD.
During this era, notable scholars began compiling significant collections of Hadith (narrations). The four main Shia Hadith collections are
The Major Occultation
In this era, Shias flourished under the Buyids and in the scholarly environment of Baghdad, then the main centre of learning. Sectarian schisms eventually caused at-Tusi to relocate to Najaf, where he established the seeds of a new learning centre. The learning centre that at-Tusi founded endures to this day. Many scholars continue to be trained in Shia learning centres, known as Hawza (seminaries), around the world, with the two principal centres located in Najaf and Qom. Today, numerous innovative research publications emerge from Qom, alongside collaborations with contemporary universities. To date, Shias worldwide make up over 20% of the Muslim population, forming a significant community within the broader Muslim population, contributing to cultural, scholarly, and spiritual life across many nations.
The Five Pillars of Shia Islam are the same as those of the broader Muslim community, except for the first
1 Al-Kāfi, Volume 2, The Fundamentals of Islam, Hadith #3, thaqalayn.net/hadith/2/1/13/3
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