EXPLAINING SOME MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING THE SHIA ISLAM

EXPLAINING SOME MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING THE SHIA ISLAM

Image Source

I watched a video titled “The Difference Between Sunni And Shia” in which Timothy Winter – an English academic-theologian – attempts to explain the dissimilarities between these two denominations within Islam. Winter converted to Islam in 1979 and christened himself Abdul Hakim Murad (عبدالحکیم مراد) after which he continued to expand his knowledge regarding this newfound religion. The esteemed convert has published several works that include his latest edition “Traveling Home: Essays On Islam In Europe” in which he discussed how Europeans had become fearful of an incorrect perception of the Muslim tradition as something violent, aggressive, and inhumane. I have found Winter as insightful as Dr. Jonathan Andrew Cleveland Brown. His explanation about the Shia-Sunni split isn’t wrong, I must warn you. However, I have found certain elements in that video concerning enough to write this piece. As I invested myself heavily in the study of Shia Islam this year – and didn’t upload anything here in 2021 – I have become trained enough to realize the mistakes amateurs can’t. So, here are the four points of contestation I’d like to discuss now:

• Ø  Winter has reiterated the oft-repeated allegation that Shia Islam emerged as a political group that later developed its separate theology. However, I refuse to believe that the Shia-Sunni split was solely political in question. Who shall succeed the Prophet after his demise? This question may seem political to Orientalists but, for Muslims, it’s mainly religious. A Caliph doesn’t lead Muslims politically only but also serves as the Imam of the community. His allegiance is necessary to remain a part of the community. Sunni Muslims consider the Caliphate necessary not just for the survival of this political institution but for the survival of their religion as well. The Prophet had said that a person who died without recognizing the Imam of his time died a death of Jahiliyyah (Ignorance). Therefore, when some early Muslims insisted on Ali b. Abi Talib serving as the leader of the community, they were asking the faithful to recognize the actual Caliph whose allegiance was compulsory upon every believer.
• Ø  He said that Sunni Muslims consider the Quran, hadiths, ijma (consensus), and qiyas (analogical reasoning) as four sources of hidayah (guidance). However – Winter continued – Shias believed in the Quran and only some hadiths as sources of guidance. He further stated that Shias focused on how their infallible Imams had interpreted these hadiths. Winter’s statement isn’t false but it doesn’t give the audience an accurate picture of how the Shia mindset works too! We believe that our Imams weren’t just descendants but also successors of the Prophet. They inherited the ilm (knowledge) of Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم) and were narrators of the prophetic hadiths. Just as the Prophet’s Companions used to narrate his hadiths, our Imams also acted as mere transmitters of the apostolic knowledge. Therefore, an Imam’s hadith isn’t his opinion, interpretation, or analogical reasoning; it’s a direct command from the Prophet.
• Ø  Winter also claimed that the concept of infallibility appeared within Shia circles in the 2^nd or the 3^rd century AH. Many westerners have also claimed before that Shia Muslims invented this idea to justify acting upon the instructions of their leaders. However, we can see that the concept of ismah (infallibility) already existed in the writings of Sulaym b. Qays and he died after 90 AH.
• Ø  Lastly, Winter stated that Shia Muslims believed in the Hidden Imam communicating with the infallible hierarchy (the Shia clergy) mystically. He compared Shia Islam with Christianity in the sense that we also have a clergy like the Church while Sunni Muslims aren’t bound to such an alien concept! It must be clarified that we don’t consider the clergy (Ayatollahs, clerics, and scholars) as infallible beings. Just like Sunni scholars, Shia scholars are supposed to be trained enough in religious sciences to understand it better than laymen and then teach the religion to us. So, I shall contact an Ayatollah (or his representative) when I have a religious question. For instance, I am confused about using a sanitizer that contains some alcohol. I don’t know if it’s even pure. So, I contacted Sistani and he told me that – according to the teachings of my faith – any cream, medicine, or perfume containing alcohol remains pure and usable while I can also consume foods (except for wine) that have minute amounts of alcohol (for example, 2%). It doesn’t mean that I consider Sistani as an infallible being. Khomeini came up with the idea of clerics being political leaders as well and enjoying the same authorities as an Imam would enjoy today. This idea can be labeled as the clergy acting like an infallible hierarchy, as Winter claims. If you don’t subscribe to the concept of wilayat-e-faqih, Winter’s claims don’t apply to you.

So, these are the four points I noted while watching Winter’s video. He seems like a decent fellow and I hope to read his books one day.