SHIAHS AND THE QUR`AAN
Although Shiahs believe that the primary source of Islam is the Kitaab of Allah, viz. The Qur`aan, they do not accept the authenticity of the Qur`aan Majeed of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama`ah. By Kitaabullah, they mean the Qur`aan which reaches them from an ‘infallible’ Imaam. But, no one possesses this supposedly authentic Qur`aan because according to Shi`i teaching Imaam Mehdi will appear with the true Qur`aan when he emerges from his concealment. They believe that he has been in hiding since the past few centuries.
Since Shiahs preach that the Sahaabah - Nauthubillah - the narrators and transmitters of the Qur`aan - had become murtads, the Qur`aan they have narrated is not authentic.
Shiahs attribute the following falsehood to Hadhrat Ali (radhiallahu anhu):
“Verily, the Sahaabah became murtads after Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) except four.”
In one narration it appears: “Except six.”
They brand Hadhrat Uthmaan (radhiallahu anhu), the compiler of the Qur`aan in its present form, a murtad and the usurper of the Khilaafat. They, therefore cannot and do not accept the authenticity of the Qur`aan compiled and transmitted by the thousands of Sahaabah.
Shiahs believe that the Qur`aan of the Ahlus Sunnah is just like the present Taurah of the Jews and the Injeel of the Christians. Shiahs believe all three Books are equal in interpolation and falsehood. Thus, according to Shiahs the Qur`aan which the Ahlus Sunnah have is not the primary source of the Shariah. In fact, it has no position in Islam, and has to be discarded and assigned to the category of the previous abrogated scriptures.
(1) The Shi`i authority, Al-Kulaini states:
“Verily, the Qur`aan which Jibraeel brought to Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) consists of 17, 000 Aayats.”
“.......This is not the Kalaam of Allah. In fact, it has been altered from its originality.”
Muhammad Bin Nasr narrates from Abi Abdillah who said:
“There were in (Surah) Lam Yakun the names of 70 men of the Quraish - their names and the names of their forefathers.”
Saalim Bin Salimah said:
“A man recited (the Qur`aan) to Abu Abdullah while I was listening to him reciting some words of the Qur`aan that were not like that which the people recited. Abu Abdullah said: ‘ Stop! Refrain from this Qiraat. Recite like the people are reciting until the appearance of the Qaa-im (i.e. Imaam Mahdi). When the Qaa-im appears, then recite the Book of Allah according in his way.”
Hakam Bin Utbah said:
“Ali Bin Hussain recited the Aayat: ‘We did not send before you (O Nabi !) any Rasool, nor a Nabi nor a Muhaddath...’ He said: ‘Ali Bin Abi Taalib was the Muhaddath.”
Muhaddith means a person who is inspired by Allah. In this claim, the word has been added after the word in the Aayat.
Muhammad Bin Al-Jahm Al-Hilaali and others narrate that Abu Abdullah said:
“The words are not the Words of Allah. These have been fabricated. The revealed words are:
“Imaams - they are holier than your Imaams”.
(2) Some Surahs, eg. Surah Wilaayah, have been deleted in toto.
(3) From some Surahs the greater part has been deleted, eg. Surah Ahzaab. According to the Shiahs Surah Ahzaab was just as lengthy as Surah An`aam. All virtues and excellences of the Ahl-e-Bait and the Imaams were deleted from Surah Ahzaab.
(4) The word supposedly preceding has been deleted
(5) The phrase has been deleted from the Aayaat. “Apprehend them! Verily they will be questioned about the Wilaayat of Ali.”
(6) The words(“Destruction to you, Bani Umayyah”) were deleted from the end of the Aayat:
(7) The words (“With Ali Bin Abi Taalib ”) were deleted from the end of the Aayat:
The above falsities and many more have been written by the Shi`i, Ibn Shahr Ashoob Maazindaraani in his book, Mathaaleeb.
(8) The following narrations in the Shi`i book, Al-Kaafi, illustrates the Shi`i denial of the present Qur`aan-that the Qur`aan which the Sahaabah possessed was not the true Qur`aan:
“ Imaam Ja`far Saadiq said: ‘When Ali-alayhis salaam-brought and competed it (the Qur`aan) he came to the people (i.e. the Sahaabah) and said to them: This is the book ofAllah Azza Wa Jal, as Allah has revealed it to Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). The people said: This volume with us contains the Qur`aan. We are not in need of it (i.e. the Qur`aan of Ali). Then he (Ali) said: By Allah ! After this day you will not see it.”
(9). Which is the true Qur`aan ?
Kulyaani, narrates the following statement which he attributes to Imaam Baaqir: “None among mankind but a great liar claims that he has compiled the whole Qur`aan as it was revealed. No one compiled it nor memorised it as Allah revealed each, but Ali Bin Abi Taalib and the Imams after him.” [Al-Kaafi]
This clear statement categorically refutes the validity and authenticity of our Qur`aan. It is clear from the statement that according to Shi`i belief:
All who claimed to have compiled the true Qur`aan are great liars.
None besides Hadhrat Ali (radhiallahu anhu) and the Shi’i Imams, compiled the Qur`aan.
Only Hadhrat Ali and the Shi`i Imams were Huffaaz. Only they had memorised the Qur`aan all others who claim to have memorised the Qur`aan are liars.
(10) Al-Kulyaani, the ‘celebrated’ Shi`i Muhaddith and theologian attributes the following narration to Imam Ja`far Saadiq who is regarded by the Shiahs as one of their Imaams:
“ When the Qaa-im (i.e. Imam Mahdi) appears, he will recite the book of Allah Azza Wa Jal in its correct form and he will bring out that Mus-haf (Qur`aan) which Ali-alayhis salaam-wrote.” [Al-Kaafi]
“None but the Imaams - alaihis salaam - compiled the whole Qur`aan.” [Al-Kaafi]
(11) According to Shi`ism , Hadhrat Ali (radhiallahu anhu) took the Qur`aan into concealment and there, in a cave, it remains to this day. The following statement appears in this regard in Al-Kaafi:
“He (Ali) said: By Allah! You will never see it after this dayof yours.”
Shi`ism teaches that ;
I. The true Qur`aan was compiled by only Hadhrat Ali (radhiallahu anhu), but was rejected by Hadhrat Abu Bakr, Umar and the rest of the Sahaabah.
II. The true Qur`aan was hidden by Hadhrat Ali (radhiallahu anhu) who passed it on to the next Imaam who in turn passed it on to the succeeding Imaam until it reached the 12th Imaam Mahdi.
III. The true Qur`aan is in Imaam Mahdi’s custody and Imaam Mahdi is hiding in some cave. When Imaam Mahdi appears, he will produce the true Qur`aan.
(12) The Shi`i Qur`aan
The following narration attributed to Imaam Ja`far Saadiq appears in Al-Kaafi:
“Abu Abdullah (alaihi salaam) said:
‘Verily the Qur`aan which Jibraeel (alaihi salaam) brought to Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) consists of 17 000 Aayats.”
In view of the fact that the Qur`aan which the Ummah knows, has just over 6 000 Aayats, the Shi`i Qur`aan is almost thrice the size of the Qur`aan Majeed. The logical conclusion stemming from the Shi`i claim made in the aforementioned citation is that approximately two thirds of the Qur`aan Shareef have been discarded and destroyed. Pursuing this claim, Allaama Qazweni, the Shi`i commentator of Al-Kaafi; explains:
“The purport of Imaam Ja`far Saadiq’s statement is that a great part of the original Qur`aan has been omitted and that (original Qur`aan) is not among the well-known present texts of the Qur`aan.” [Sharhul Kaafi – Baab Fadhlil Qur`aan]
(13) In Ihtijaaj Tabresi which the Shi`i clergy regards as one of the most authentic and highly-placed books of Shi`ism. Hadhrat Ali (radhiallahu anhu) is alleged to have said that between two particular verses of the Qur`aan, more than one third of the Qur`aan was excised by the Sahaabah. The following lie is attributed to Hadhrat Ali (radhiallahu anhu) by the Shiah priest:
“ This pertains to what I had mentioned earlier regarding the omission from the Qur`aan by the Munaafiqeen (hypocrites). Between the statement “fil Yataama” and “Nikahin Nisaa” more than one third of the Qur`aan has been excised.” [Ihtijaaj Tabresi]
(14) According to Shi`ism, there is no resemblance between the Shi`i Qur`aan and the Qur`aan which is in the possession of the Ummah of Islam. This fact is proclaimed unequivocally by the “celebrated” and highly placed Shi`i authority, Al-Kulyaani who records in his Usool-e-Kaafi the following narration:
“Abu Abdullah (alayhis salaam) said: ‘Verily, with us is the Qur`aan of Faatimah. What do they (the Sunnis) know about the Qur`aan of Faatimah? It is the Qur`aan which is thrice the size of your (Sunnis) Qur`aan. By Allah! In it (the Shi`i Qur`aan) there is not a letter (harf) of your (Sunni) Qur`aan.” [Al-Kaafi and Saafi]
(15) Among the arguments in substantiation of the Shi`i claim of a fabricated Qur`aan, Noori presents the following:
“Fourthly, are the specific narrations which explicitly assert or imply that the Qur`aan is like the Taurah and Injeel regarding fabrication and alteration in it. (These narrations) indicate that in the domination of those Munaafiqeen (a reference to Hadhrat Abu Bakr and Umar) who settled as leaders over the Ummat is the way followed by Bani Israeel in the matter of the Taurah and Injeel. This is an independent proof for the claim that the Qur`aan has been tampered with.” [Faslul Khitaab]
(16) Expounding the Shiah claim, Noori Tabresi states:“Sayyid Muhaddith Al-Jazairi (a Shi`i authority) said in this book, ‘Al-Awaar’:
‘Our authorities are unanimous on the authenticity and verifications of the Mustafeed (a Hadith category) narrations, which explicitly indicate that interpolation occurred in the Qur`aan in regard to statements, content matter and diacritical signs. Yes, Murtadha, Saadiq and Shaikh Tabresi have differed in this matter.” [Faslul Khitaab]
There are many more Shi`i ‘evidences’ and baseless claims propagating the kufr of a fabricated Qur`aan.
Write to the Y. M. M. A.
P. O. Box 18594
Actonville, 1506
Benoni, South Africa for the following booklets:
SHI`ISM - PART 1
SHI`ISM - PART 2
KHABAR
The second source of religious law according to Shiahs is Khabar or narration. The massive treasure of Rasulullah’s Hadith is excluded since all the Sahaabah excepting four or six, are Murtads in terms of Shiah kufr theology. Shiahs, therefore have to confine themselves to only the khabar of their so-called Ma`soom (infallible and sinless) Imaams. However, the numerous Shi`i sects differ vastly in the determination of their Imaams. While some Shiah’s believe certain persons to be infallible Imaams, other Shiahs brand the same Imaams as Kaafir.
It is quite understandable that the four or six Sahaabah accepted by Shiahs could not possibly have conveyed to posterity the wealth of many thousands of Ahaadith presented to the Ummah by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) over a period of 23 years. Thus, unlike Sunnis, Shiahs have no authentic Hadith literature. What they do have, are volumes of fabrications which they cannot substantiate either rationally or narrationally since all the Sahaabah- the very first links into chain of transmission emanating from Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had been refuted, rejected and condemned as Kaafirs, Murtads, frauds and fabricators by Shiahs.
ALI’S PRAISE FOR THE SAHAABAH
While Shiahs labour arduously and slanderously to revile the Khulafaa-e-Raashideen in particular, and to display them as the enemy of the Ahl-e- Bait, Hadhrat Ali (radhiallahu anhu) the Chief of the Ahl-e-Bait, says:
“I have seen and associated with the Sahaabah of the Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) none of you is like them. During the daytime they were creased and ruffled (their garments were simple and patched) while during the nights they melt and prostrated before Allah, lowering their cheeks and foreheads as a mark of reverence. When they perform Salaat, they stood like silent statues absorbed in the visualisation of the Hereafter. Tears trickled down their cheeks in streams moistening their garments when they remembered Allah. They appeared anxious and fearful - between hope of reward and fear of punishment, and they shook like trees in storms and tempests.”
This narration of Hadhrat Ali’s praise of the Sahaabah is recorded in the highly placed Shiah Book, Nahjul Balaaghah.
IJMA
While Shiahs assert Ijma as a source of religion, in reality there exists no such institution among them. When they have until today not attained consensus (Ijma) on their pivotal doctrine of Imaamat, their very claim of Ijma is baseless.
Ijma without a Ma`soom Imaam’s medium cannot be valid in Shi`ism. But, there exists vast difference among them regarding the Imaams themselves. Shiahs have no huge body of Sahaabah whose consensus they could cite to prove confirmation of a law in terms of Ijma.
The conflict among Shiahs on the question of Ijma is great. There exists numerous laws among them for which they claim Ijma, but in reality differences in these laws abound.
Ijma is inextricably interwoven with a large body of authentic narrators. But, this does not exist amongst Shiahs because they have destroyed to the very first fundamental basis of narration, viz. The Sahaabah. There is no Ijma on which they can base the Imaamat and infallibility of any of the Imaams. There is no Ijma by which Shiahs can prove the Risaalat (Prophethood) of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). In reality, they simply have no such institution as Ijma in spite of their claim.
It should now be abundantly clear that the Shariah presented by Shiahs is an extremely flimsy paper structure. In fact, it is a mirage- a phantom. They lack sound evidence for substantiating even their fundamental doctrines of belief, leave alone the innumerable particulars pertaining to Fiqh (jurisprudence). Shiahs have no Qur`aan-the imagined “true” Qur`aan is in some imaginary cave with some imaginary Imaam who disappeared on account of fear more than 1 200 years ago when he was a child of about eight years.
Shiahs have no reliable Hadith basis-all those who narrated the Hadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), viz. the thousands of Sahaabah, are branded Murtads and frauds.
In the absence of these two fundamentals of Islam, Shiahs have no Divine Deen and Shariah