aqa notes for muchi ire

8/7/2019 aqa notes for muchi ire

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UNIT 8

8.1 Beliefs and Sources of AuthorityOVERVIEW

Glossary of Terms Introduction to Islam Tawhid

o The Nature of Allah Risalah

o Angels Akhirah Belief in Life After Death

o Why Muslims Believe in Life After Deatho How the Belief in Life After Death Affects the Lives of Muslimso Heaven, Hellfire, Accountability and its Importance in the Lives of

Muslims

The Quran Supreme Authority for Muslimso How Muslims Show Respect for the Qurano Revelation of the Quran & Divine Communicationo Compilation of the Quran

Haditho Hadith Qudsi

Sunnah Muhammad Seal of the Prophets The Life of the Prophet Muhammad

o Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)s Work in Makkaho The Hijrah and its Importanceo The Work of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)s in Medina

The Shariaho The Need for a Shariaho The Sources of the Shariaho The Five Types of Legal Decrees

Shiah & Sunni; Differing Views of Authority


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Glossary of Terms

Islam: The name of the religion followed by Muslims; to surrender to the will ofAllah; peace

Muslim: One who has submitted to the will of Allah and has accepted Islam

Allah: The Islamic name for Allah

Tawhid: Oneness and unity of Allah

Risalah: Prophethood;

Prophethood: Channel of communication with Allah

The Prophet: Title often used for Muhammad (pbuh), the last of the prophets

Akhirah: Everlasting life after death; the hereafter

Day of Judgement: The day when Allah will judge each individuals deeds, good and bad,and will reward or punish accordingly

Paradise: Place of perfect happiness; heaven

Hell: Separation from Allah; punishment

Quran: The Holy Book revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by Allah. Allahsfinal revelation to mankind

Revelation: The words of the Quran being sent to Prophet Muhammad; Allah

communicates to humans through this revelation

Compilation: A gathering together into one book of material from more than onesource

Surah: A division of the Quran. There are 114 in total

Recitation: A respectful reading of a passage or poem

Authority: Power to give orders to others and expect obedience

Hadith: Sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad and the Ahlul Bayt. It is amajor source of the Sunnah

Sunnah: The teachings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad and the Ahlul Bayt. Itis a major source of Islamic law

Muhammad: The last and greatest of the prophets of Allah. The name Muhammadmeans praised

Hijrah: The emigration of the Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah in622 CE; the Muslim calendar starts from this event


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Madinah (Medina): Prophet Muhammad travelled to Madinah from Makkah in 622 CE. It is

regarded as the second holiest city in Islam and is the burial place ofProphet Muhammad, Lady Fatima, Imam Hassan, Imam Zaynul Abideen,Imam Muhammad Baqir and Imam Jaffer Sadiq

Shariah: Islamic law based directly upon the Quran and Sunnah

Sunni: Muslims who believe there was no divinely designated successor to theHoly Prophet. They believe in the successorship of Abu Bakr, Umar,Uthman and Imam Ali

Imam: In Shia Islam, the title of Imam Ali and the other Imams

Shia: Muslims who believe in the Imamate; divinely designated successorshipof Imam Ali directly after the Prophet

Points on glossary terms:

Risalah: Literally this means message, and is also used to mean Prophethood Day of Judgement: The title Day should not be taken to mean a time period where Allah

goes through a thought process after which He decides the outcome. No personificationor human characteristic can be attributed to Allah. Rather, on that day, man will see themanifestation and reality of what he has done as punishment, reward, heaven or hell.

Hell: The punishment in hell is not necessarily eternal. There will be those, who after havingbeen punished, will then be permitted to leave the hellfire and enter paradise, continuingtheir journey of attaining closeness to Allah. It has been narrated in Kanz al-Ummaal thatthe holy Prophet said:

: ):(

A people will come out of the hell fire after having been burned, and will then enter paradise.The people of paradise will name them: the hellfire people.


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Introduction: Islam

The dawn of Islam marked the completion of the revelation of Allahs religion The true religion was first revealed to Adam, the first man, and completed by

revelation to the Prophet Muhammad

Islam is an Arabic term, which literally translates into English as submission (to Allah).Someone who has accepted Islam is known as a Muslim (one who has submitted)

The word Islam is a linguistic derivative of the Arabic word salama meaningpeace; if a person submits to the commands of Allah, he will find true inner peace

The Quran states:

Verily, the religion with Allah is Islam; and those who were given the book did not differ exceptafter knowledge had come to them, out of envy amongst themselves. And whoever defies Allahssigns then verily Allah is swift in reckoning. Sura Ale Imran (3:19).

And who is better in religion than he who submits himself entirely to Allah and is righteous,following the creed of Ibrahim the upright one; and Allah took Ibrahim for a dedicated friend.Sura al-Nisa (4:125).


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Belief in God

In this universe, from the smallest atom to the largest celestial body, in everything we see, weare reminded of its perfect orderliness and exact regulation and it is also clear that all thingsare in co-ordination with each other.

The earth in which we live, with respect to its size, its distance from the sun, the speed of itsorbital movement, etc., is so arranged that it is able to act as the support for life. If thesmallest change were to take place in its condition, losses of unimaginable dimensions wouldoccur.

The earth rotates on its axis at one thousand miles an hour; if it turned at one hundred miles anhour, our days and nights would be ten times as long as now, and the hot sun would then burnup our vegetation during each long day while in the long night any surviving sprout wouldfreeze.

A human body is like a building. It is composed of small building blocks called cells, each ofwhich is itself a living entity. In the structure of the cells most metals such as iron, copper andcalcium are used as are other elements like oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur.

Each one of these living cells works in perfect cooperation with the next, and all of them followthe same aim. They are very quick to suffer, having low tolerance levels, and nourishment mustbe correctly supplied for their needs.

The blood, with the help of the heart, performs this duty very well. The structure of the heart iswell-designed and has perfect dimensions, so that it can supply blood to the whole bodythrough the agency of the blood vessels and the capillaries.

Do we not see in the precise combination and quantity of the metals and elements from whichthe cell is formed, and also the amazing structure of the heart and its way of working, a plan

of perfect and superior design? And if we see in the human body, a mysterious whole and atthe same time a design, are we exaggerating? Without doubt, no.

Therefore, we must confess that the world of existence firmly rests on the foundation of perfectorderliness, and undoubtedly every orderliness and design is the creation and accomplishmentof a wise and powerful creator.


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Tawhid Muslims believe that there is only one deity: Allah. They believe that Allah is one,

therefore Allah can have no plurals. Polytheism, therefore, is wrong and Christianbeliefs of the trinity and of Jesus being the son of Allah, would not be seen as

acceptable or in conformity with Islamic ideology.

Allah has always existed and always will exist (Al-Hayy). He depends on no one butHimself; He is both eternal and self-subsisting.

o The word samad means self-subsisting which means that He relies on no-one toexist but all creation needs Him to exist

The Quran says:

. . .

Say: He is Allah the One and Only, Allah the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not nor is He begotten; and

there is none like unto Him.(Sura 112)

The belief in Allahs oneness is called Tawhid and is the basis of all our beliefs aboutAllah. It is also the first part of the shahadah:-

" " I bear witness that there is no God but Allah.

Muslims believe that as there is only one God, and only He could be the one thatcreated everything. He is the ultimate cause of all of creation.

According to Muslim belief, Allah created the universe and humans in six eras. Whenreferring to these eras the Quran uses the word days. Many scholars would interpret

that one day for Allah is not the same as one day for humans and therefore this couldfit with the timescale of evolution. However, Muslims would only believe in the processof evolution if it means a process over which Allah has the authority and it is designedand created by Him. Muslims do not believe in evolution as put forth by modernDarwinism, because everything was made directly by Allah for a particular purpose,and nothing came into being accidentally.

Sura Al-Ikhlas

Muslims disagree with the idea that Allah has a son, or family. This is because the third verse in Suraal-Ikhlas clarifies that Allah does not beget children nor was He Himself begotten.

Clear verses exist in the Quran, which denies that Allah has a son:

O followers of the Book! do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not speak (lies)against Allah, but (speak) the truth; the Messiah, Isa son of Mariam is only a messenger of Allah


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and His Word which He communicated to Mariam and a spirit from Him; believe therefore inAllah and His messengers, and say not, Three. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one Allah;far be It from His glory that He should have a son, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is inthe earth is His, and Allah is sufficient for a Protector.(4:171)

And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son ofAllah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelievedbefore; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away (from the truth)!(9:30)

The Will of Allah

As the one God who created everything without any partner or assistance, Allahtherefore has power over everything. The Quran mentions Allah as Omnipotent. Allah

is in control of the universe He made and has a plan for it. Muslims believe that nothinghappens without Allahs will. However, this does not mean that we believe in pre-destination and that we are already pre-programmed to behave in the way we do.We do not believe that Allah has made us do things. We believe that Allah has givenus free-will and that we are free to choose our actions and behaviours. This can bebetter understood by looking at the two types of wills of Allah:

o Takweeni: This is Allahs general will. This will determines the natural lawsaround us and the cause-and-effect nature of the world. For example, ifHassan puts his hand into fire, his hand will burn. This is Allahs will as Hecreated fire at a high temperature with the power to burn, and He created thehuman hand that would become hurt due to the high temperature of the fire.He did not however create the action of putting the hand into the fire. That was

the choice of Hassan, who chose to do that by using the free-will that Allah hasgiven him.

o Tashriee: This is Allahs specific will. This is when Allah directly influencesevents, particularly pertaining to His religious commandments. For example,Allah willed for the angel Jibrail to reveal the Quran to Prophet Muhammad.That was a direct order from Allah.

Muslims understand that their power is limited and that the only true power is withAllah. For this reason, when they intend to do something they say the wordsInshaAllah, meaning If Allah wills. They say this so that the action they want toperform is linked with Allah and this is a way to remember Him and His power.

Mercy of Allah

Allah is Merciful and Compassionate. He has not just left humans alone in the world toget on with things. He has sent messengers prior to Prophet Muhammad, each with theirown respective holy books, as will be discussed in the chapters to follow. Muslimsbelieve that Allah is merciful and that He will forgive those people who made mistakesbut then sincerely repented for their errors. If Muslims feel they have done something


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wrong, they will pray to Allah for forgiveness and they must try never to repeat itagain.

To seek true repentance is not as simple as merely asking for forgiveness. One shouldnot take sinning lightly in the hope of repentance. There are many instances wheresinners have died before they had the chance of repenting to Allah.

It has been narrated from the life of Imam Ali that he explained that repentance hassix steps:

First is regret over what you have done Second is to resolve not to do it ever again Third is to return to others their rights Fourth is that you fulfill every neglected duty to Allah Fifth is to practice physical self discipline such as fasting Sixth is to perform extra acts of worship for the soul to experience the pain of

obedience in the same way as it earlier tasted the pleasure of sins

Imam Ali concludes by saying: When you have done these things then sayAstaghfirullah!

Throughout their lives and also before they die all Muslims must try to repent for theirsins and ask Allah to forgive them, so that they will not be punished on the Day ofJudgement and so that they can attain closeness to Allah. The Quran and ProphetMuhammad say that Muslims will be forgiven by Allah if they are truly sorry for whatthey have done and are determined to do better in future.

Devotion to Allah

Islam teaches that mere belief in Allah is not enough to be a good Muslim. Belief mustgo together with practice. This is shown in the way Muslims live their lives. Islam teachesthat nothing shares in Allahs importance. Therefoe they worship Him alone. In the livesof Muslims Allah must always come first and is the most important part of their lives.

o This belief is displayed in Surah Al-Asr in which we are told that all humansare at a loss except those who believe anddo good

The Quran says

,I swear by the time Most surely man is in loss,Except those who believe and do good, and enjoin on each other truth, and enjoin on each otherpatience. (103: 1 3)


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The Nature of Allah

In addition to the belief in the oneness of Allah, Muslims also believe that Allah isunique in His being. Consequently, Allah cannot be drawn, illustrated or described inpictures. Allah says in the Quran

......there is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.(42:11)

Part of the Islamic belief of Tawhidis that Allah is greater than anything andeverything. This is why Muslims always familiarise themselves with the phrase: meaning Allah is the greatest

The Quran says:

That is Allah, your Lord; there is no Allah except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him;and He is a watcher over all things.(6:102).

Mankind can only have some understanding of Allah through the attributes with whichHe describes Himself. These are known as the 99 beautiful names of Allah, known bythe Quranic term al-Asma al-Husna. Some of the names indicate Allahs majesty andpower, whilst others illustrate His love and mercy towards His creation.

Of all His names, perhaps the most repeated are the names al-Rahman (Most Kind)and al-Rahim (Most Merciful). These names remind Muslims that Allah is Merciful and

cares for them, provides their needs, helps them, and can forgive those who arerepentant. These are qualities that Muslims should also try to possess in their own livesas well.

o The difference between al-Rahman and al-Rahim is that al-Rahman refers toAllahs mercy for all creation; al-Rahim is His specific mercy for believers on theDay of Judgement

Muslims recite the sentence In the name of Allah, Most Kind, Most Merciful beforestarting anything important. This provides them with blessing and with the continuousreminder of Allah.

The Holy Prophet has said: Any important action that begins without the mention of Bismillahwill remain unfinished (and unsuccessful).


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Risalah / Nubuwwah (Prophethood)

Muslims believe that prophets are human beings appointed by Allah to give His messageto humans. Allah grants them the gift of being infallible but they remain human.

Infallibility means being guarded and protected from committing mistakes, errors and sins. However this does not negate their free will. Infallibility does not mean that they are

forcefully restrained and are unable to sin, rather Allahs guardianship and protection isplaced upon them through granting and teaching the Prophets a degree of understandingof Allah, such that their love and understanding for Allah prevents them from Hisdisobedience. Furthermore, they are made aware of the spiritual consequences ofobedience and disobedience as they see the spiritual reality of those acts. Therefore theywould not even contemplate disobeying Allah for fear of displeasing Him. Together withinfallibility, their duties are much greater than other peoples and Allah has much higherexpectations of them.

Infallibility for the prophets is necessary in order to inspire confidence in their teachingsand speech. If the purpose of the prophets is to exhort towards good and warn peopleaway from evil, then such a purpose would not be accomplished if the prophets wereprone to sin. Thus Allah asks in the Quran:

Is then he who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not goaright unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you; how do you judge? (10:35)

Islam believes that all the Prophets, 124,000 in total, were sent by Allah with the messageof the true faith: Islam, and that Islam developed into a more complete religion over time,

and was ultimately perfected near the end of Prophet Muhammads life.

The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and (so do) thebelievers; they all believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers; We makeno difference between any of His messengers; and they say: We hear and obey, our Lord! Weseek Your forgiveness, and to You is the eventual course. (2:285)

Prophet Adam was given the message of Islam and guidance as a mercy from Allah. Heshowed humans how they should live appropriately on the earth as Allahs supreme

creation and reach perfection. However, his message was lost or distorted by humans andAllah sent subsequent prophets with the same message in accordance with their own timeperiods.

In total, Allah sent 124,000 messengers to various tribes, lands and communities. Whilst themission of some of them was confined to smaller populations, others had the duty ofguiding larger populations or even the whole of mankind.

Between them, these messengers are divided into the categories of rasool and nabi.


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o The rasool were those prophets to whom a divine scripture had been revealed, for

example Taurat, Zubur and Injil.o Whilst the nabi had the duty of propagating the teachings of the previous rasool

and his divinely revealed book.o The term Risalah alludes to the concept of revelation of a divine message, whilst

the term Nabuwwah indicates to a more general and encompassing office ofprophethood.

Here is a mention of some Prophets and Messengers in the Quran:o Prophet Ibrahim was a staunch monotheist, although his uncle and tribe were

polytheists. He believed in Allah. He was disgusted with the idols that his tribeworshipped. In order to convince them of Tawhid he broke all the idols that histribe worshipped and blamed the act on one of the largest idols. The peoplerealised that the idol, unable to even move, could not have done this action. Heaimed to show his people that if an idol cannot even move then how could it grantthem their wishes and be worthy of worship? His people refused to believe in histeachings and he was condemned to be burned to death for this. Allah prevented

the fire from harming him. Allah mentions His apostle Ibrahim:

And mention, in the book, Ibrahim. Indeed he was a truthful one, a prophet.(19:41)

o Prophet Ismail: he was the son of Prophet Ibrahim and was sent to the Arabianpeople and Arabian areas. Prophet Ibrahim was tested by Allah to sacrificeProphet Ismail; the devil tried to tempt him not to. Prophet Ibrahim stoned the deviland obeyed Allah. Allah replaced Prophet Ibrahims sacrifice with a ram andProphet Ismail was saved. Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail rebuilt the Kaabawhich had been damaged over time.

o ProphetIshaq: he was also the son of Prophet Ibrahim and was sent to the Jewishpeople and Jewish areas.

o Prophet Isa: was born of the Lady Maryam (Mary) through a miraculoys birth withouta father. He was not the son of Allah and was not crucified on the cross insteadsomeone was crucified in his place, and he was taken directly to the skies by Allah.Prophet Isa performed many miracles and will return again towards the end of theworld under the leadership of the 12th Imam (aj).

o The beautiful narrative about the birth of Prophet Isa from his pure motherhas been eloquently articulated in the 19th chapter of the holy Quran. Thefollowing verses describe how an angel of Allah brought the news to Lady

Maryam (Mary):

. .

He said: I am just a messenger from your Lord, that I may grant for you a pure boy.She said: How would I have a boy whilst no man has touched me, nor have I been unchaste?!


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He said: So it will be. Your Lord says That is easy for Me. Thereby We would make him a signfor the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter so decreed.(19:19-21)

The Quran also mentions in the same chapter, how Prophet Isa miraculously proclaimed hisprophethood from the cradle shortly after his birth:

. . !

So she brought him to her people carrying him.They said: O Mary, you have indeed brought an unprecedented thing! O sister of Aaron, yourfather was not an immoral man, nor was your mother unchaste!She simply pointed to him.They said: How should we speak with one who is a mere child in the cradle?He said: I am indeed the servant of Allah. He has given me the book and made me an apostle.(19:27-30)

The teachings of all of these prophets was either lost, forgotten or distorted, and thetrue message had become what we know today as Judaism or Christianity orArabian Bedouin polytheism. These religions and practices may have elements of thetruth that have remained but are not the absolute pure message that was originallysent by Allah.

Thus Allah decided to reveal to a prophet the final divine religion, in a way that wouldnot be distorted, and therefore no more prophets would be needed after him. This wasthe Prophet Muhammad.

The greatest miracle of Prophet Muhammad was receiving and conveying the messageof Allah, the Quran, which was the final word of Allah. This was Allahs final word andenabled Prophet Muhammad to restore the true divine religion that would be known asIslam.

Prophet Muhammad is known as the Best of Prophets and holds a higher status than allprevious prophets. He is the Seal of the Prophets and brought Allahs final message.

Muslims say Peace Be upon him and his Progeny each time they mention the holyProphets name and apply special peace, blessings and prayers to ProphetMuhammad and his progeny.

The sending of peace and blessings on Prophet Muhammad has been a practice thathas been emphasised and taught to people in narrations of the Ahlul Bayt. In reality itis the adoption of a divine practice. Allah himself sends blessings upon ProphetMuhammad and his family and commands Muslims to do the same. He says in the holyQuran:

Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings upon the apostle. O you who believe, send blessingsupon him and salute him with utmost peace. Sura al-Ahzab (33:56)


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Angels

There are various forms of communication between Allah and His chosen prophets. Oneof the most common ways by which Allah revealed His message to the prophets wasvia angels

Angels are created by Allah out of light and are non-physical beings They do not have any propensity to commit sin or disobey Allah Allah has assigned angels to execute His commands within creation. Some particular

angels are also assigned to record the deeds of man, for which he will be accountableon the day of Judgement. These angels have been mentioned in the Quran:

.

...Honourable, recording (your deeds); they are aware of what you do.Sura al-Infitar (82:11)

Allah uses angels to carry out His commands and also communicate with His messengersand chosen people

Some of the well-known angels:o Angel Jibrail is the Arch Angelo Angel Israfil is the angel that will blow the trumpet which will bring about the

Akhiraho Angel Izrail is the Angel of Deatho Angel Mikail who is in charge of nourishment of our bodies and souls

It should be noted that Shaytan was not an angel, he was always a Jinn but hadreached to such a level in his worship that he was able to reside and mingle with theangels; at that time Shaytan was known by the name Azazil


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Akhirah Belief in Life after Death

Islam does not regard death as the end. Rather, it is the beginning of a new stage oflife called the Akhirah. Islam regards the world as a preparation ground for theAkhirah where we can perform actions that will either lead to our reward orpunishment in the Akhirah

All Muslims believe in life after death because:o They believe that life is a test from Allah and it only makes sense if there is life

after death in order to see the results

o It is what the Quran teaches and the Quran is the word of Allaho Belief in life after death gives meaning and purpose to their lives. Allah

mentions in the Quran:

What! Did you then think that We had created you in vain and that you shall not be returnedto Us? (23:115)

The evidence of religious experience and all the reasons there are for believing inAllah makes it likely that there is life after death. This means that once the existence ofAllah is established it is logical to conclude that Allah has a plan, and that this worldwas created for a reason in that plan, and so death cannot be the ultimate end of thejourney towards Allah

The Grave and Barzakh

Muslims believe that even though the physical body may die, the soul lives on and isaware of what is happening around it. It will have awareness of the burial andfuneral. It will be attached to the body for a period of time known as the stage of thegrave. After this it will enter into the period of Barzakh which is the stage in-betweenthe world and the Akhirah

During the stage of the grave, Muslims believe they will be questioned and tested.Their ability to answer the questions correctly depends upon how they lived their lives.Good Muslims will be able to answer the questions and account for their deedsproperly and will experience rewards. This is because their souls will have properlylearned and believed in Islamic teachings and they will have performed good deeds.Souls that are unable to answer properly and committed bad deeds that were notforgiven will experience punishment


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How the Beliefs of Muslims in Life after Death Affect

their Lives

Muslims are never cremated, and they do not remove any of the contents of the bodyat death. Muslims are obliged to avoid post-mortems if possible and many Muslimshave concerns about transplant surgery

Many Muslims visit family graves at times of religious festivals Muslim beliefs about life after death and their response to evil as a test from Allah,

give their lives meaning and purpose. It may be why in surveys, Muslims suffer lessfrom depression and are less likely to commit suicide than atheists and agnostics1

Muslims live their lives in constant awareness that all that they do is being noted andthat they will be judged on it on the Day of Judgement

The teachings of the Quran and the Ahlul-Bayt about life after death and thehereafter should prompt Muslims to act in such ways that would benefit us in the

hereafter. The Quran teaches:

.

Nay, you prefer the life of this world. Whilst the hereafter is better and more lasting.(87:16-17)

To believe that there shall be accountability for ones actions after death is afundamental tenet of Islam. Prophet Muhammad has said:

): "( " Indeed today you are in an abode of action and not accountability, and tomorrow you shall bein an abode of accountability and not action.2

This belief should make Muslims feel more cautious in their actions. Imam Ali points out:" ): "(

Whoever remembers the hereafter more, their sins decrease.

Heaven, Hellfire, Accountability and its Importance in

the lives of Muslims

Muslims believe that when people die, their bodies should be buried. On the Day ofJudgement everyone will by physically resurrected and will gather for the finaljudgement.

1Victor W. Watton (2009),Religion and Life, Hodder Education, UK. Pg. 35

2Bihar al-Anwaar, Vol.74, Pg. 117


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The judgement will take place in the following way:o Everyones actions in the world will be exposed and will be accounted for,

except for those people who have earned Allahs mercy through their actions inthe world.

oThe books of deeds will be read out

o Each person will be judged on the basis of how well they have conductedthemselves during their lives, and will be sent to rewarded or punishedaccordingly

The issue of accountability has been mentioned in the Quran on numerous occasions one of which is as follows:

and most certainly you will be questioned as to what you did.(16:93)

Islam teaches us that there are two types of sins. One type is the sin committed againstAllah. For example, missing prayers is a sin against Allah. The second type of sin is thesin committed against other people. For example, backbiting is a sin committed againstanother person. Muslims believe that those who committed sins against Allah but thenrepent properly of their sins before they die will be forgiven by Allah and will not bepunished for those sins. However, if a sin is committed against another person then theforgiveness must be sought and granted by the victim of the sin.

The Arabic term for heaven is al-jannah (the Garden). The Quran paints a wonderfulpicture of heaven as a place of gardens, flowers, streams and rivers and a beautifullife having earned the pleasure of Allah:

. . .

Surely those who guard (against evil) shall be in the midst of gardens and fountains: (They willbe told) Enter the gardens in peace, (being) secure. And We will root out whatever of rancour isin their breasts-- (they shall be) as brethren, on raised couches, face to face. Toil shall not afflictthem in it, nor shall they be ever ejected from it.(15:45-48)

The Arabic term for hellfire is jahannam (the place of fire). The Quran paints a terriblepicture of hell as a place of fire and torment where the evil will have their skins burnt off

whilst they drink pus and boiling water:

In hot wind and boiling water, and the shade of black smoke, neither cool nor honourable.(56:42-44).


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(As for) those who disbelieved in Our communications, We shall make them enter fire; so oftenas their skins are thoroughly burned, We will change them for other skins, that they may taste thechastisement (repeatedly); surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.(4:56)

The belief in the afterlife and accountability reassures Muslims with regards to thejustice of Allah. It encourages people to do good, in the hope of heaven, as well as adeterrent from practicing evil out of the fear of the hellfire. Shia Muslims regard thatAllah is completely just and fair. This means that he cannot abuse His power and senda good person to hell and a bad person to heaven

The burdens and toils of this world also become easier on Muslims, who look ahead tobe rewarded in an eternal life after death. Imam Ali has described the trials and

tribulations that we experience in the world as an opportunity to get closer to Allah aswe are tested. After all, if there is no test then being rewarded does not make sense

Above all else the Ahlul Bayt have taught us that the most lofty and sublime target toreach for is simply the pleasure of Allah. That is the highest stage of worship. Imam Alihas said:

(My Lord) I have not worshipped you out of fear of your hell-fire, nor out of greed for yourheaven; rather, I found you worthy of worship and therefore I worship you.


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The Quran Supreme Authority for Muslims

Islams holy book is the Quran. The Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad in twodifferent types of revelation. A gradual revelation took place where the Quran wasrevealed bit-by-bit to Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. It was also

revealed in one full instalment during the Night of Qadr

Listed below are some of the reasons, along with their supporting verses, as to whyMuslims hold the Quran in the position of supreme authority:

It is the actual word of Allah that He revealed to the Prophet Muhammad:

And it is a Quran which We (Allah) have divided in portions so that you may read it to thepeople a little at a time, and We have revealed it gradually.Sura Bani Israil (17:106)

That the Quran contains guidance to attain ever-lasting bliss. Quran (3:138):

This (i.e. the Quran) is a clear statement for men, and a guidance and an instruction to those whoguard (against evil).

The like of the Quran cannot be reproduced by any being, which further proves that itis from Allah and a miracle:

Say: If all men and jinn should combine together to bring the like of this Quran, they could notbring the like of it, even if they assisted one another.Sura Bani Israil (17:88)

The Quran is the last revelation of Allah and contains valuable guidance for all times,it is protected from all sorts of corruption unlike the previous scriptures. (41:42):

Falsehood shall not come to it (i.e. the Quran) from before it nor from behind it; (it is) arevelation from the Wise, the Praised One.Sura Fussilat (41:42)

Thus due to the points mentioned above, the Quran is the supreme authority for allMuslims.


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How Muslims Show Respect for the Quran

Muslims show they believe in, respect, and honour the Quran by:

Reciting it regularly and especially in the month of Ramadhan, in social gatherings,and in the mosques

Making an effort to recite every word and phrase correctly Making an effort to read and study it in their own native languages in order to

understand its contents and take guidance from it at all times.

Never touching it without first performing wudhu Usually wrapping it in a special covering Keeping it above all other books Never holding it below their waist Never eating, drinking or talking whilst reading it Carrying it on journeys and in war for blessings Trying to obey its teachings Protecting it from desecration and any form of disrespect

Revelation of the Quran; Divine Communication

Muslims believe that Allah has spoken to His creation from the beginning of time. Notonly is He believed to have communicated to the Prophets Moses and Muhammad, butalso to prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Zechariah, and Jesus.

The Quran describes three forms of communication of Allah with human beings:

It is not (possible) for any mortal that Allah should speak to him except through revelation orfrom behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by His command what He wills: He isExalted and Wise.Sura al-Shura (42:51)

The first form, through revelation, involves communication directly from Allah to therecipient. In this case, the recipient understands this communication without hearing anyphysical sound or having any contact with a messenger (that is, an angel).

The above verse describes the second form of communication as being from behind aveil, and refers to a scenario in which Allah speaks to someone directly using words,but the sound comes from the direction of another object. One of the best examples of

this is the revelation to Prophet Musa (Moses) through the burning bush.

Muslims believe that the third form, through a messenger, is the method by whichProphet Muhammad would most often receive the Quran. This method involves amessenger believed to be the angel Jibrail who brings the Word of Allah to aProphet.


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o The first revelation came when Prophet Muhammad was meditating in CaveHira and the Angel Jibrail ordered him to recite the first five verses of what isnow Surah 96 (the Blood Clot). The remaining 14 verses were revealed later.

Muslims also believe that the entire Quran in its essence was revealed to the Prophet inone night, a blessed night, in the month of Ramadhan. Observe these two verses;

(97:1) and (2:185):

Surely We revealed it (i.e. the Quran) on the grand night.

The month of Ramadhan is that in which the Quran was revealed

If we place these two verses together we realise that the Quran was revealed all atonce in its essential form in one night, the night of Qadr and that this night is in themonth of Ramadhan.

However, we also know that the Quran was revealed in small portions throughout theProphets mission spanning some 23 years.

It was the practice of the Prophet to teach the Quran to others and have it recitedoften. The recitation of the Quran is a very special and recommended act and this isnow a skill and art that people practice and try to perfect. In doing this they arecommunicating Allahs words. Muslims are encouraged to memorise as much of theQuran as possible. People that achieve the memorisation of the whole Quran areknown as Hafiz.

The Authority of the Quran

The Quran is the word of Allah and therefore has Allahs authority. It is infallible andcontains no mistakes or errors. The meaning of the Quran has great depth and scholarsdevote their entire lives to study in order to better understand its meanings. These arecalled commentaries of the Quran. At times the commentators may disagree in theiropinions and this can lead to different ways of practicing Islam.

Compilation of the Quran

Certain chosen companions of Prophet Muhammad were ordered to write down thewords of the Quran as soon as they were revealed and conveyed to them

The Prophet had scribes who were assigned to do this Memorisation of the words is highly recommended


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After the demise of the Prophet in Madinah, the written manuscripts of the Quran werecollected and compiled

The 114 chapters in the Quran are not placed in chronological order of revelation anddiffer in size, content and style

Hadith

Hadith refers to the reports by the Prophets family and companions about the speechand conduct of the Prophet, the Imams, and Lady Fatima

These hadith were initially narrated informally, before being formally collected andcompiled

Hadith are considered to be a vital part of Islamic tradition and authority A large number of the teachings in the Quran are expressed in general terms and

were only put into practice by early Muslims after they were given a practicalexplanation by the Prophet and thereafter the Imams

In the course of a lengthy reply to a question put to Imam Sadiq, he said the following,which clearly expresses the significance of the practical explanations of the Prophet:

o Tell them; the command for the ritual prayers was revealed to the Prophet, butAllah did not designate the number of cycles for them (i.e. for the people),whether they would be three or four, till the Prophet of Allah explained that. Thecommand for the alms-tax was revealed to the Prophet, but Allah did not specifyfor them (i.e. for the people) that it was to be a dirham for every forty dirhams,

till the Prophet of Allah explained that for them. The ordinance for the annualpilgrimage was revealed but Allah did not say go round (the Kaba) seven timestill it was the Prophet of Allah who clarified that for them3

Muslims are also commanded by Allah in the Quran, to obey His messenger in thatthey must take the Prophets advice and refrain from that which he has orderedMuslims to stay away from. The following verse in the holy Quran is often used as aproof by Muslim scholars to indicate the authoritative nature of the Hadith:

... ...

... and whatever the messenger has given you, take it; and whatever he has prohibited you from,

then you should desist...Sura al-Hashr (59:7)

Thus, the Prophet and the Ahlul Bayt are often referred to in Muslim tradition as thespeaking Quran, and their Sunnah, or their ways of doing things, is regarded as apractical commentary on the Quran. Adherence to the Sunnah constitutes the practical

3Al-Kafi vol 1, pg 276. Cited in A Concise Treatise of Authentic Traditions About the Imamate of the Twelve

Imams.


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element of what it means to be a Muslim. A Muslims knowledge of the Sunnah comesfrom the hadith

Hadith Qudsi

Some of the sayings of the holy Prophet are known as Hadith Qudsi. These containwords that were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad from Allah, but do not form partof the Quran.

Sunnah

Prophet Muhammad was the Seal of the Prophets, the final messenger, and thereforethe final example for Muslims to follow. Because of this, Muslims believe that if theQuran is not explicit about what to do in a situation, the Sunnah (example/way of life)of the Prophet as recorded in the hadith will tell Muslims what to do. Therefore, thecollections of hadith are very important. There are several collections, the most popularbeing those of Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim for Sunni Muslims and the fourbooks of the Shia:

1. Al-Kafi, compiled by Muhammad ibn Yaqub al-Kulayni2. Man La Yahdharuhu al-Faqih, compiled by Muhammad ibn Babuya3. Tahdhib al-Ahkam, compiled by Shaykh Muhammad Tusi4. Al-Istibsar, compiled by Shaykh Muhammad Tusi Hadiths are accepted as genuine meaning that they are authentically about what the

Prophet, Imams, or Lady Fatima did or said after having been scrutinised against anumber of criteria

Firstly they are compared to the teachings of the Quran to see whetheror not they are in conformity and agreement with them.

Secondly, the chain of narrators is looked at to see if it consists ofreliable individuals who can be traced back to Prophet Muhammad.

The Quran also addresses the importance of following the actions of the holy Prophet:...

Indeed for you, in the messenger of Allah, is an excellent model...Sura al-Ahzab (33:21)

The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad is considered to be the second most importantsource for the derivation of Islamic law after the Quran. However, in the Shia school ofthought, this authority is also extended to the Sunnah of the Ahlul Bayt

The Sunnah comprises of three aspects:o Spoken words ()

The words and verbal teachings would come under this category.o Actions ()

Those things which the holy Prophet and his progeny did would also act assome indication as to what we should be doing in those same circumstances.


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o Tacit approval ()This category would cover those things that occurred in the presence of the holyProphet or those from his progeny, and they did not disapprove or show theirdisagreement to the deed in any way.

There are differing opinions amongst Muslim scholars as to how much authority the hadithand Sunnah hold in comparison to the Quran:

o Some Muslims put them on an equal platform in terms of authority. This is on thebasis that the Prophet did not err and therefore his teachings also coincide withthe wishes and instructions of Allah

However, others believe that although the Prophet was infallible, the chain of narratorscannot always be relied upon


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Prophet Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets

Muslims believe that in a long line of prophets and messengers, the ProphetMuhammad is the last prophet and messenger. Allah mentions in the holy Quran(33:40):

Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Lastof the prophets; and Allah is cognizant of all things.Surat al-Ahzab (33:40)

If the Prophet Muhammad was the last of the prophets then this means that no moreprophets or messengers will come after him. The importance and significance ofProphet Muhammad being the last Prophet as in the verse above is explained byImam Sadiq:

till Muhammad came and he brought the Quran and its laws and teachings. So the permitted

(Halal) of Muhammad is permitted until the day of judgement and his forbidden (haram) isforbidden until the day of judgement.

This means that no new prophet or messenger will come, nor will a new book come nora new law; however, there is always room for new interpretations and understandingsof the Quran due to changes in time, place and increase in knowledge.

o In 'Uyun akhbar al-Rida, from the Imam al-Rida (A), it is quoted that Imam Ja'faral-Sadiq (A) was asked about the secret of it that as the time passes and the moreit is read and recited, the Qur'an increases in its novelty and freshness day by day.The Imam al-Sadiq (A) answered: Because the Qur'an is not for an exclusive ageor for an exclusive people.

The Life of Prophet Muhammad

Prophet Muhammad was born in Makkah, in present-day Saudi Arabia, inapproximately the year 570 CE. His father died before he was born and his motherpassed away when the Prophet was at the tender age of six. Thus he was brought upby his uncle Abu Talib, who was the head of one of the senior tribes in Makkah at thetime: the Banu Hashim

The society of Makkah into which the Prophet was born was very disturbing. The clanswere not unified, and they fought amongst themselves; there were great inequalitiesbased on clan, family size, social class, wealth, and power. Trading was often

dishonest and the poor, needy, orphans, and widows were especially mistreated andignored. There was a practice of burying baby daughters alive and women wereabused

The people of Makkah believed in a number of gods, and each god was representedby a statue or idol that was worshipped. The Kabah housed many of the idols andwas the centre-point of Makkah


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During his early life, Prophet Muhammad established himself as a trustworthy andhonest individual and such a reputation of his spread around the city. At the age of 25he married Lady Khadija, arguably the wealthiest woman in Arabia at the time

Prophet Muhammad in Makkah

In the month of Ramadhan in the year 610 CE, at the cave of Hira in Makkah, theArchangel Jibrail appeared to the Prophet Muhammad and presented him with thevery first revelation his open mission as a prophet had now begun.

The first revelations he received were:

Read in the name of your Lord Who created.

He created man from a clot.

Read and your Lord is Most Honorable,

Who taught (to write) with the pen

Taught man what he knew not.

Prophet Muhammad received more revelations from Allah and converted some of hisfamily to the religion of Islam. They began regular prayers, and Prophet Muhammadbegan to preach publicly in Makkah. He gained converts from among the young in thewealthy clans, from among the downtrodden inhabitants of Makkah, and all sorts ofpeople from the other clans

His early preaching included:o the oneness of Allaho the falsity of polytheismo

the resurrection of the bodyo future judgemento the need to live a good life with the rich helping the poor

The heads of the wealthy clans and those in power viewed Prophet Muhammad as athreat. Makkah was based on a polytheistic religion centred around the Kabah whichhoused the idols; this gave the Makkans trade dominance as the Kabah attractedmany trade caravans and visitors. Not only did Prophet Muhammad threaten this dueto his rejection of the idols, but also his popularity threatened their role as leaders


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The Makkans were also proud of the religion that they had been handed by theirforefathers and did not want to give this up

They began to persecute Muslims, which meant Prophet Muhammad was no longerable to preach openly as his life was in danger, and Islam could not be spread freely.

They called Muhammad insane and accused him of inventing the Quran himself. Theymocked and harassed the Prophet wherever they could. When this was unsuccessfulthey attempted to bribe the Prophet with riches and power

In the year 619 CE the holy Prophets uncle, Abu Talib, and his wife Khadija, bothpassed away. This left him without his sources of moral support as well as protection.This year was known as the year of sorrow for Prophet Muhammad

The Hijrah and its Importance

The Hijrah was the event of the migration of Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims fromMakkah to Madinah

Madinah was formerly known as Yathrib. Prophet Muhammad went to preach at atrade fair near Makkah and met with some people from Madinah. They converted toIslam. The following year, they returned with more converts and eventually the peopleof Madinah invited Prophet Muhammad to become their leader in Madinah

Madinah was divided between Jews and Arabs, and between the two Arab tribes ofAws and Khazraj. The personality of the Prophet, as well as being the Prophet ofIslam, also provided them with someone fair and impartial to bring them together andto unite. Prophet Muhammad and the Makkan Muslims left Makkah in 622 CE andwent to live in Madinah. Many left family members in Makkah who were not Muslim

The Hijrah was very important: it not only gave Prophet Muhammad a new opportunityto spread Islam, but also made it possible to establish Islam as a communal religionwith a real state in which to practice the laws in. As a sign of its significance, the Islamiccalendar starts from this event and everything is dated from it

The Hijrah shows us that the early Muslims believed:o Obedience and loyalty must be only to Allaho They were willing to sacrifice a lot for Islamo Loyalty to Prophet Muhammad was more important than loyalty to their

families

o Islam is a complete way of life and this was not possible in Makkah


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Prophet Muhammad in Madinah

Prior to the Prophets arrival, the people of Madinah were already divided amongstthemselves. To add to this they were also about to host the new arrivals from the cityof Makkah: the holy Prophet and those who had migrated with him

Prophet Muhammad established the concept of Islamic brotherhood over any otheraffiliations

He also established the first written constitution of Madinah, giving a treaty of rightsand duties for the Muslims as well as non-Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad quickly established an ummah or community, which agreed tocertain laws. He slowly converted most of Madinah to Islam

And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of eachother; they enjoin good and forbid evil and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, andobey Allah and His Messenger; (as for) these, Allah will show mercy to them; surely Allahis Mighty, Wise. (9:71)

And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favorof Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became

brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it, thus does Allahmake clear to you His communications that you may follow the right way.(3:103)

Makkah continued to threaten the Muslims. There was a military threat in which theMuslims defended themselves. The main battles were Badr, Uhud, and the battle of theTrench

Prophet Muhammad then received a revelation to change the direction of prayer fromJerusalem to Makkah and to go on pilgrimage (hajj) to Makkah. Prophet Muhammadtried to make the first hajj in 628 CE, but was refused entry into Makkah. Rather thanfight, Prophet Muhammad made the Treaty of Hudaybiyya with the Makkans, which

allowed Muslims to:

o Make the first hajj in 629 CE without fightingo A ten year peace treatyo Receive people of Makkah into Madinah

When the Makkans broke the treaty, Prophet Muhammad and the Muslimsapproached Makkah in 630. He surrounded the city and gave everyone the chance to


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convert and made the conquest as peaceful as possible, in order to prevent furthertrouble. Makkah surrendered and people began to convert to Islam in large numbers.

The Prophet carried out the full pilgrimage near the end of his holy life, during thereturn from which, the final verses of the Quran were revealed. It was also at thismonumental stage at a place known as Ghadir al-Khum that the Prophet was

commanded by Allah to declare Imam Ali to be his rightful successor in authority andleadership over the Muslims. Those verses are:

O Messenger! deliver what bas been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do itnot, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people;surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people. (5:67)

................This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favour on you andchosen for you Islam as a religion; but whoever is compelled by hunger, not inclining willfully tosin, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.(5:3)

By the time of his death in 632 CE, Prophet Muhammad had united many parts ofArabia under the rule of Islam. The fundamental beliefs and the Shariah were in placeand the recorded revelations of the Quran had been gathered together. Muslimsbelieve that Prophet Muhammad had restored the message of Allah and made itpossible for it to become a world religion known as Islam


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The Shariah

The word Shariah literally means path to a watering hole. In Islamic terminology itmeans the Islamic legal system. It may also be translated as the Laws of Islam orIslamic Laws

The Need for a Shariah

Human beings are social creatures and like to live with and among other humanbeings. Human beings are also interdependent by nature. Thus they like to live incommunities and societies where they can help each other mutually and thereby fulfiltheir needs

A society depends for its existence on laws and regulations. If there are no laws in asociety, it is overtaken by the law of the jungle: the struggle for existence and thesurvival of the fittest. So the need for laws to regulate the lives of human beings isbeyond any doubt

Islam teaches that because of the necessity of laws for a civilized society, Allah hassent a series of messengers and prophets with divine laws for man's guidance from thevery first day of his creation. The last Messenger was Prophet Muhammad whobrought the final and the perfect set of laws, Islam, as a guide for mankind till the endof time

Divine laws are superior because:o Allah is above class status, racial prejudice, and gender rivalry etc.o Allah, as the Creator, fully knows humans as well as the world in which they liveo Allah fully known what is best for people to attain perfection and closeness to

Himo Allah is perfect and every action of His is utter perfection

The Shia legal school is known as Jafari. Shias believe the Jafari legal school hasbeen taught by Prophet Muhammad and the Imams of the Ahlul Bayt. The Sunnis havefour schools of law known as Hanbali, Mailiki, Shafii, and Hanafi.

The Sunnis regard all of the above schools of law as legitimate to be followed. ForShias however, the authority to make laws lies only with the Imams and for this reasonShias accept only the Jafari school of law. In the absence of the 12th Imam (aj) theauthority to interpret laws lies with the representatives of the Imams: the mujtahids

A Muslim is expected to follow the Shariah in word and spirit; it covers every aspectof life

Shariah law governs both mans relationship with Allah and with his fellow humanbeing, for example:

o Man and Allah: Salat Sawm Hajj


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o Man and Man: Banking Contracts Family law Inheritance

Some Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan use Shariah law as thebasis of their criminal law

The Sources of the Shariah

Shariah is based upon four sources, the Quran, the Sunnah, Ijma (consensus of thescholars) and Aql (rational proofs)

1) THE QURAN:The foremost and the undisputable source of the Islamic shariah is the Quran, the finalrevelation of Allah, the repository of divine guidance and divinely protected fromalteration and corruption

2) THE PROPHET AND AHLUL BAYT: THEIR TEACHINGS AND EXPLANATIONS (THESUNNAH):

The second most important source of the shariah is the Sunnah. Hadith refers to the reportsby the Prophets companions about the Prophets speech and conduct. These hadith wereinitially narrated informally, before being collected and compiled by hadith scholars. TheQuran provides relatively few explicit instructions about how to live as a Muslim. A largenumber of the Qurans teachings are expressed in general terms and were only put intopractice by early Muslims after they were given a practical explanation by the Prophet

and the Imams.

The Quran itself clearly explained this relationship between the Prophet and itself in thefollowing verse:

And We have revealed to you (O Muhammad) the Reminder (the Quran) so you may clarifyto the people what has been revealed to them, and so that they may reflect.(16:44)

Therefore the shariah is composed of Allahs teachings as found in the Quran and theProphets teachings as found in his Sunnah, and the finality of the shariah is absolute. Observe

this verse (33:36):

And it behoves not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice intheir matter when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys Allahand His Messenger, he surely strays off a manifest straying.


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The Five Types of Legal Decrees

All Islamic injunctions fall within the five main categories of laws: Wajib, Mustahab, Jaiz,Makruh, and Haram:

1. Wajib: means obligatory, necessary, and incumbent. An act, which must be performed.One will be punished for neglecting a wajib act, for example the daily prayers.

2. Mustahab: also known as sunnat, which means recommended, desirable, better. It refersto the acts, which are recommended, but not wajib. If one neglects them there is nopunishment, however if one performs them, he will be rewarded.

3. Jaiz /Mubah means permitted, allowed, lawful. An act which is permitted and lawful;there is neither reward for performing it nor any punishment for neglecting it, forexample drinking tea.

4. Makruh means reprehensible, disliked, discouraged. An act that is disliked by Islam butnot haram. If one does a Makruh act, he will not be punished; however, if he refrainsfrom it, then he will be rewarded

5. Haram means forbidden, prohibited. An act from which one must abstain. If someoneperforms a haram act, he can be punished either by the Islamic court (in a Muslim

country) or in the hereafter or both.


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Shiah & Sunni; Differing Views of Authority in

Leadership of the Ummah

For Sunnis, a leader should be a good Muslim chosen by agreement among Muslims For Shias, the true leader is the infallible Imam. The Imam is a successor of ProphetMuhammad and must be appointed as such by Allah either through the Prophet or by

the previous Imam. This is known as the doctrine of nass. Nass is a clear evidence thatone living Imam has endorsed the successorship of the next Imam. The Imam can commitno sin and is an intermediary between man and Allah, just as Prophet Muhammad was,except that the Imam does not receive any new divine book or text, nor does heinitiate a new Shariah. His task is to interpret the Quran and the shariah

Shias agree that Prophet Muhammad was commanded by Allah to appoint Imam Alias the first Imam. Shias believe that Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman knew that ProphetMuhammad had appointed Imam Ali as his successor but chose to deliberately ignorethis. Therefore, Shias only accept them as companions rather than caliphs

Sunnis believe that the first four caliphs were rightly guided because the Muslimcommunity chose them. Sunnis often refer to an imam as simply the leader of prayer orthe mosque

The Shias believe the Imams have authority granted to them by Allah. The Imam is theone who explains what the Quran means and who determines what the law should bebased on the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah. There is a hadith which says,'Whosoever knows not the Imam of his age dies the death of the age of ignorance.'

For the Shias, especially able religious leaders who have gone through complextraining in a seminary (e.g. those in Qum and Najaf) become Mujtahids. New rulings on

contemporary issues can only be issued by qualified Mujtahids. These rulings arebased on the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and theteachings of the Imams. Shias believe that the 12th Imam, although in occultation,guides the ummah in an indirect way

Sunnis believe that authority lies in the Quran and hadith and their interpretation bythe Muslim scholars. They believe, as the Shias do, that Prophet Muhammad was theSeal of the Prophets

Documents

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