For the last few days or so, I have been witnessing a huge surge in the abuse from Shia community targeted torwards Dr. Israr’s comment in one of the QTV program. He has been threatned to killed and curses and verbal abuses against him and many of the Prophet's sahabah have been made by many belonging to that sect. One, however, has to keep that in mind that Dr. Israr’s comments were basically a reference to a hadeeth mentioned in famous Hadeeth books like “Tirmidhi” and “Sunan-Ibn Dawood’ along with “Tafseer-Ibn’Kathir”. According to that hadeeth, Hazart Ali(RA) happend to drink some alcoholic beverage at a dinner party in Abdur-Rehman-Ibn-Aoof (RA) along with other Sahabahs. Afterwards, under the influence of that intoxication, he lead the prayer and apparently made some mistake during his Qira. As a result, this Aya’t of Quran was revealed:
O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say,- (An-Nisa:43)
As most of the people with insight to the prohibition of Alcohol already know that the drinking was an integral part of the Pre-Islamic Arab tradition and many of the early Muslims were severely addicted to it. That is the reason that the divine prohibition was gradually revealed but once alcohol was declared forbidden, no one among the true believers ever touched it again. Allah (SWT) with His divine wisdom mentally prepared the Sahabas (RA) in pre-dominantly 3 stages till the final prohibition:
Stage 1:
During the 1st Stage, the muslims were given a hint that drinking is not the best of the deeds in the eyes of Allah(SWT):
They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit" (Al-Baqra:219)
Stage 2:
During the 2nd stage, the companions were made aware that drinking is something of an evil nature because of which the most important act of worhsip for a momin i.e. Salah or prayer could be invalidated:
O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say,- (An-Nisa:43)
Stage 3:
Then finally in the 3rd stage, it was declared clearly that drinking is Satan’s work and a momin should abstain from it all together:
O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination,- of Satan's handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper. Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?(Al-Maeda:90-91)
Muslims were instructed not to get near the limits set by Allah(SWT) since Satan may tempt them to violate those limits and put them into trouble in the here after. Hence an evil act such as this, in a small or large quantity is considered forbidden in Islam.
.. Those are Limits (set by) Allah: Approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self-restraint. (Al-Baqra:187)
The people among Shia sect who are abusing Dr. Israr firmly believe in the concept that Ali (RA) along with his family could never make a mistake or a sin or in other words are “Masoom” or "immune from error", an attribute that is strictly associated with Prophets and Angels and hence, this hadeeth in their view can’t possibly be true. Through their tunnel vision they somehow are suggesting that the existence of said hadeeth is in some way the entire fault of Dr. Israr just because he uttered that Hadeeth in one of this lectures. One has to identify that by abusing the content of that hadeeth, they are actually denouncing and questioning the authenticity of all collections of early Islamic literature that contains this hadeeth along with the authenticity and sincerity of their authors and narrators. Dr. Israr and other Sunni Ulemas along with the entire Sunni community would keep believing in the said hadeeth (being the part of Saha Satta Collection) unless someone can come up with a stronger evidence to proof otherwise. By believing in that hadeeth, we are not in any way degrading Ali (RA) since the ‘hurmat’ or 'prohibition' of Alcohol wasn’t a part of Shariah law at that time, and hence that act itself was not a sin of any kind. If Allah (SWT) didn’t consider this act a sin then, or associated penalty to that act, then who are we to declare or suggest otherwise.
Now coming to the point i.e. who really were Prophet’s(PBUH) Ahl-e-Bait. One has to clarify that term Ahl-e-Bait or ‘People of the House’ is referred strictly to the wives of the prophet(PBUH) who use to live under the same roof as prophet(PBUH). A reference in Quran for the same can be found when the angel came to Prophet Ibraham(AS) to give him the glad tidings of a son Issac(AS), his wife Sarah was clearly referred as Ahl-e-Bait or 'People of the House':
And his wife was standing (there), and she laughed: But we gave her glad tidings of Isaac, and after him, of Jacob.
She said: "Alas for me! shall I bear a child, seeing I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would indeed be a wonderful thing!"
They said: "Dost thou wonder at Allah's decree? The grace of Allah and His blessings on you, o ye people of the house! for He is indeed worthy of all praise, full of all glory!" (Hud:71-73)
In another place in Quran, the concept for prophet's wive being ahl-e-bait is emphasized:
O Consorts of the Prophet! Ye are not like any of the (other) women: if ye do fear (Allah), be not too complacent of speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire: but speak ye a speech (that is) just.
And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance; and establish regular Prayer, and give regular Charity; and obey Allah and His Messenger. And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the Family, and to make you pure and spotless. (Al-Ahzab-32-33)
In a hadeeth Prophet has reported to have said that:
"Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain TOO are my Ahl-e-Bait"
meaning they were not considered Ahl-e-Bait as per the original definition rather Prophet’s(PBUH) love and affection towards them granted them this status. As far as the concept of Ahl-e-Bait being immune from all sins is concerned, one has to read the following hadeeths inorder to decide the truth for himself:
“By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut off.”
The Prophet peace be upon him once gathered all his relatives said,
‘Oh Banu Hashim save yourselves from the fire, Oh Banu AbdulMuttalib save yourselves from the fire, Oh Abbas the uncle of the Prophet save yourself from the fire, Oh Safiyya the aunt of the Prophet save yourself from the fire, Oh Fatima the daughter of Mohammed save yourself from the Hell fire, for I can do you no good in front of Allah’
Prophet (PBUH) said on the occasion of Hajja-tul-Wida:
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black any superiority over white - except by piety and good action.
Also, we have to remember that the Prophet’s(PBUH) beloved uncle and guardian and the father of Ali(RA), Abu-Talib didn’t die as a muslim despite of being a father like figure to the Prophet. The son of Prophet Nuh (AS) was drowned right in front of his eye as a kafir. The Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was not granted permission by Allah (SWT) to ask forgiveness and salvation for his father. The wife of Prophet Lut (AS) died along with the unbelievers of his nation.
These examples are ample to establish that Islam doesn’t believe in the worldly relationship for attaining salvation rather it is based entirely on the deeds of individuals as no soul would be able to save the other soul in the hereafter without the express permission from Allah(SWT). Every individual will be on his own that day and one’s good deed won’t benefit others, not even to his own family.
That was a people that hath passed away. They shall reap the fruit of what they did, and ye of what ye do! Of their merits there is no question in your case! (Al-Baqra:134)
Having said that, we Sunni Muslims including Dr. Israr, strongly believe that it is an integral part of our faith to respect, elevate and commend all Sahabas of the prophet and consider them better than the entire Muslim ummah afterwards. If those Sahabas who only once met to the prophet are considered to be better than the rest of the later Muslim, then it would be illogical to think that a great companion of prophet like Ali(RA) could possibly be considered any less. Prophet(PBUH) has reported to have said about Ali(RA):
"I am the city of knowledge and Ali is it's enterance".
Those people who are trying to asssociate injust and wrong concepts towards Dr. Israr are making false efforts to make him look bad so to get back to him for his sincerity and steadfastness. However, in reality they are denouncing and/or questioning the entire Sunni school of thought.
The first and farmost important thing that Islam teaches us is the respect and tolerance for the views of the others. Regardless whether or not one agrees with the rest, a true muslim should abstain from abusing and hurting the feelings of others instead of having no flexibility for the realization of the truth or regret for his own mistake. Such an attitude of pride of considering one's own understanding to be beyond error and above everyone else itself is simply misleading. Remember Satan didn't commit any Shirk rather it was the pride that destroyed his divinely given status.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"When a man curses anything, the curse goes up to heaven but the gates of heaven are locked against it. It then comes down to the earth and find it's gates are also locaked against it. It then goes right and left, and when finds no place of entrance, it returns to the thing it was cursed, and if it deserves what was said (it enters it), otherwise it returns to the one who uttered it."(Sunan Abu Dawud Vol 3. Book of Manners Hadith 4887)
Unfortunately many among Shia sect are going to loose their good deeds as a result of accusing, insulting and cursing one of the greatest scholar of our time. A hadeeth suggests:
"If a muslim calls another muslim 'Jahanamy' (inmate of Hell) then rest assured that one of them is definitely going to Jahanam(Hell)"
It seems that most people that commented against Dr. Israr had their personal grudge against him, due to his persistance habit of speaking the truth, and were looking for an excuse to get back to him in various perverted ways. As I said earlier, Dr. Israr was simply referring to something that is mentioned in a number of authentic Islamic books and didn't make something up on his as most of the Shia's on the net were deceivingly trying to imply. We muslims are advised to keep an eye at our own acts and analyze our own deeds first before accusing a scholar of the stature of Dr. Israr, one who has dedicated his entire life and energy for upholding Al-Islam. I came to the conclusion after going through a number of such negative comments that most of such people didn’t have the basic knowledge of Islamic teachings and literature since Islam clearly forbids abusing other muslim or a 'kalma-go'. According to a hadeeth:
"A Muslims is one from whose hand and tongue other Muslims are safe. "
Some in their comments were so sure that Dr. Israr would be put in the jahanam like it is going to be them calling the shots on the day of judgement instead of that of Allah (SWT). Many of them were making fun of his appearenace, his color and even his lingeage that Allah (SWT) has granted him. My question to them are:
Are you making fun of him or his Creator?
Are you trying to proof that you are better Muslim than him by abusing & cursing him?
Does the virtue of a good muslim comprises of cursing other fellow muslims including the great Sahahbas like Abu-Bakr(RA) and Umar(RA) and Ahle-Bayt like Ayesha & Hafza (ra)?
Remember the following hadeeths?
"If there was to be a prophet after me, it would have been Umar"
"The Best person among Muslims after me is Abu-Baker".
"Do not revile my companions. By (Allah) in Whose Hand my soul is!, if any one of you spends gold (piled up) like (mount) 'Uhud it will not equal a pint of any one of them, nor its half." (al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu-Dawud, at-Tirmidhi Ibn Majah, Ibn Hanbal)
Do you think that the religion of Islam that you are trying to represent was formed on the hatred?
Could hatred and grudge towards other fellow Muslims make you the torch bearer of the truth?
Do you think Allah sent us on this earth to curse each other rather than be merciful and courteous towards each other?
Do you think that bad attitude will ever bring people towards Islam rather force them away from it and who will be ultimately responsible for that?
One should refer to his own conscience for the answer to these questions.
Kindly refer to my other blog about the Importance of Ulemas in Islam.
May Allah (SWT) grant us the guidance and make us better Muslims, i.e. the Momim that Allah (SWT) wants us to become not just the followers of traditions and rituals which may go against the basic theme of Islam.
Here is a reference link to Dr. Israr's clarification:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bgUVyipwq8
Also refer to my other blog Fazail of Abu Bakr(RA) & Umar(RA)
