Who are the Shi'ah?

The Shaykh : Now, what is it that you are asking about? Shall I tell you about the Shi'ah? Shall I tell you about the Isma'ilis?

The questioner : In summary, I mean, not too much, let us start with their principles. In reality, I want to address the topic frankly. Some people have criticized me because I truly said that I am ready to fight the Shi'ah.

The Shaykh : So, what did they criticize you for?

The questioner : They criticized me because, I mean, these people say, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah," and they claim to be Muslims. In fact, they declare as disbelievers anyone who declares them disbelievers. A threat was sent to me through my brother that this group wants to kill me. I don't know... death is not a tickle.

The Shaykh : Yes, I think the matter is related to knowledge. And we know that when Khomeini came out with his call, people from the people of the Sunnah and the community, and from this country, went to pledge allegiance to him. The reason is that they do not know the madhhab of the Shi'ah in general, nor do they know Khomeini's call in particular. And whoever is ignorant of something opposes it. So at that time, those who were angry with you, you had to clarify to them what the creed of the Shi'ah is, or what they say, and what is the position of those who criticized you. And at that time...

The questioner : I told them, but if it is just the creed, if any person from the Sunnah were to say that the Qur'an we read now is not the Qur'an that was revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), that alone would be sufficient to declare him a disbeliever. I only said this.

The Shaykh : I say that is correct, and I do not think any Muslim, whether those you referred to or those you did not, would disagree with you on this. What is your opinion?

The questioner : But the result is the same. He will keep telling you, "It is not possible that they deny the Qur'an."

The Shaykh : We force it upon him, my brother. We bring him the book titled *In Proof of the Distortion of the Book of the Lord of Lords*.

The questioner : Yes, this is what I read from.

The Shaykh : Then bring me this book...

The questioner : *Fasl al-Khitab*...

The Shaykh : Good. What should his position be at that time?

The questioner : His position is that he will tell you, "It is not possible that these people who wrote it are not the ones who exist now."

The Shaykh : At that time, my brother, the issue moves beyond knowledge and beyond discussion, and we return to reason. Is the reason of all people the same?

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh : So, your reason is one thing, and Zayd's reason is another, and so on. But we want to study, first, our creed, and second, within the limits of reality, we study the creeds of other peoples or sects. This person who said this to you, for example, do we connect him to reality? Did he read Khomeini's book *The Islamic Government*?

The questioner : I do not think so. I read it.

The Shaykh : Then why did you not read it? You are wrong. You must place him before a reality and say to him, "Look, what does Khomeini say? That the Imams of the Household of the Prophet know every atom in the universe. This is what you denied. What do you think? Is this the speech of a Muslim or not? And the Imams of the Household of the Prophet are in a station with Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) below which are the stations of the prophets, the messengers, and the angels. So when you place him before a reality, he cannot deny it...

The questioner : A question. I was a guest at Ibn Baz's in Ta'if, so I asked him a question also specific to the Shi'ah. I said, "Is it permissible for a Sunni to marry a Shi'ah woman?" He said to me, "No." I said, "Why?" He said, "Because they are mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah)." Then I turned away from him for a little while, and I remembered that the Christians are mushrikin and that the Jews are mushrikin. So why did Allah (Mighty and Majestic) permit marriage with a Christian woman and a Jewish woman, and did not permit us marriage with a Shi'ah woman?
The questioner: If you please, can you answer this question?

The Shaykh : I guessed that you directed the question to Ibn Baz?

The questioner : I directed it, but that is his answer. But I, I mean, I had a doubt.

The Shaykh : What was his answer?

The questioner : I found him sleeping. They told me he was sleeping.

The Shaykh : The Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) laughs. Keep your question and be patient with me. I am going to first tell you an answer that differs from the answer of Ibn Baz that you heard from him, and as a result of the question, you asked him more, and you found him sleeping. So now, if Allah wills, you will find me awake with you, and I will answer your question and present to you an idea different from what you heard from Ibn Baz. First, I do not permit a Muslim to issue a general fatwa declaring a sect of Muslims disbelievers who bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. What is your opinion? Tell me, do you agree with me?

The questioner : By Allah, when we know that they...

The Shaykh : No, no, allow me. Do not do like others. Whoever sees the lesson in others, let him take heed. Do not stray from me. My question is very limited. I say that I do not see it permissible in the Shari'ah to declare a sect disbelievers. And I add to my previous words a heap. Did you understand me?

The questioner : Yes, yes.

The Shaykh : What is your opinion of this answer? Tell me, is it correct? Tell me, it is not correct.

The questioner : With apologies, it is not correct in my opinion. Why? Because many people bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and then you see them commit shirk (associating partners with Allah).

The Shaykh : This supports my words. May Allah guide you. This supports my words.

The questioner : Today I was asked...

The Shaykh : My brother, may Allah guide you. I am speaking. What are you answering?

The questioner : Please go ahead.

The Shaykh : I am telling you that what you said supports my words and refutes your words...

The questioner : Why?

The Shaykh : Because you said that many of those who say "There is no god but Allah" you see them commit kufr (disbelief). And I am telling you, at that time, if you see him commit kufr and believe in kufr, at that time you have the authority to declare him a disbeliever. I am telling you, declaring disbelievers in a lump.

The questioner : All of these are in a lump. This is their creed, and these are their actions.

The Shaykh : Allow me...

The questioner : Today I was asked on the phone. They told me there are people asking me about the Qadiyyah. They told me that there is a man married to a Qadiyyah or a Wahhabiyyah. Can you imagine!

Another questioner : Baha'iyyah, not Wahhabiyyah.

The questioner : Baha'iyyah. I seek forgiveness from Allah.

The Shaykh : You are going to waste Shaykh Ibn Baz with you... May Allah reward you with good.

The questioner : A relative of some...

The Shaykh : No, go away, go away. What relative?!

The questioner : In the wording, in the wording...

The Shaykh: I know ... .

The questioner : Then he tells me this man is married to her, and then he tells me he is a Baha'i or a Qadiyyah, and then he is married to a Sunni woman, and he tells her that the prayer is valid without wudu' (the ablution for prayer). So he tells me, is this marriage permissible or not?

The Shaykh : What is your father's name?

The questioner : Abu Sami.

The Shaykh : Abu Shami?!

The questioner : Abu Sami.

The Shaykh : Sami?!

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Welcome. May Allah bless you. I return to say that it is not permissible to declare a sect of Muslims disbelievers in a lump, in a heap, in a general statement, but rather in detail. What is your opinion?

The questioner : Okay.

The Shaykh : Okay. May Allah reward you with good. This is a good step.

Another questioner : He is insistent on declaring all the Shi'ah disbelievers...

The Shaykh : Listen. Whoever belongs to a sect, and you know for certain from him that he adheres to its religion and its acts of disbelief, you declare him a disbeliever. But as for being a Shi'ah, my brother, first, I will draw your attention to something regarding the sensitivity of this council now. Are all the people of the Sunnah like each other? So the Shi'ah, a fortiori, are not like each other, correct?

The questioner : But...

The Shaykh : What do you say? But I am telling you, Abu Sami, correct? So I hope to hear "correct" or "not correct."

The questioner : In terms of creed, are all the people of the Sunnah equal in their creed, or would they not be people of the Sunnah?

The Shaykh : No, no, they are not equal. Do not be silent. I am telling you, they are not equal. The people of the Sunnah themselves are not equal in creed.

The questioner : In the branches, yes. But in the root, in the creed...

The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. You said "in the creed," and I repeat in your hearing: they are not equal in creed.

The questioner : A manifestation of the difference in creed?

The Shaykh : Present. I will clarify that for you. Has it reached your ears the saying of one who says it is permissible for Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) to torment the obedient and reward the disobedient? Tell me, no, just as your friend said a moment ago, he does not know that there are people who say that faith increases and decreases, and its increase is righteous deeds.

The questioner : We studied this, and we were students at al-Azhar, that it is permissible for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), because He is the owner of the universe, and it does not harm Him even if He tormented all the people.

The Shaykh : What is your opinion? Is this creed correct?

The questioner : Legally, no. Because (Glorified and Exalted is He)...

The Shaykh : No, no, no. We want to focus and not waste the session with talk. May Allah be pleased with you, Abu Sami. The best speech is that which is brief and to the point. There are people who have questions, and we want to shorten the journey. I tell you, is it correct? Tell me, is it correct or not? Now, tell me this: The creed you studied in Al-Azhar, which you studied at Al-Azhar, is this creed correct? Tell me yes or no.

The questioner: It is not authentic.

The Shaykh : But this is it. And those who taught you, are they from the people of the Sunnah or from the people of the Shi'ah?

The questioner : From the Sunnah.

The Shaykh : If it is correct that some of the people of the Sunnah hold incorrect creeds, what do you say about the Shi'ah? We are returning to the Shi'ah. I hope the brothers know that this is a very bitter reality. There are some in some Sunni schools of jurisprudence who say this: It is permissible for Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, to punish the obedient and to reward the disobedient. And some dared to say it is permissible for Allah the Exalted to take the master of mankind and place him in the lowest depths of the Fire, and that he is Iblis, the accursed, the cursed, the one expelled from the mercy of Allah until the Day of Judgment. They place him in what? In the Praiseworthy Station. They said this.

The questioner : O Shaykh, these are the extremists of Sufism, not the people of the Sunnah...

The Shaykh : No, no, allow me. This has nothing to do with Sufism. As for Sufism, we currently have...

The questioner : Like the unity of existence, union, indwelling, and the unity of religions...

The Shaykh : This is from the creed of the people of the Sunnah that we say...

The questioner : How do we say people of the Sunnah, and then they agree on that? Who are they? Those who said... people of the Sunnah...
Al-Halabi : If you ask, that is a good question.

The Shaykh : Allow me. It appears the infection spread from a person who said, "Then we say they agreed." I did not say they agreed. May Allah guide us and you. May Allah guide us and you. We are not talking about Sufism now, not at all, so that you come and say about a school of thought that he studied at the Noble Al-Azhar, and we studied it in the books of people who believe in many of the creeds of the people of the Sunnah and the community, but nevertheless, in some aspects, they deviated from the path of the Sunnah and the community. So leave Sufism aside for now. And now I am compelled, based on the words of the professor here, Abu what? What is your name?

Another questioner : Abu 'Umar.

The Shaykh : What Allah willed, 'Umar al-Farouq.