CONTENTS
Symposium 1:Preface. 11
Symposium 2:Following a Religious Scholar (Taqlid) 17
Symposium 3:Religious Experts (Moqallad) 21
CHAPTER ONE
Monotheism(At-Tawhid)
Symposium 4:Existence of the Glorious Allah. 27
Symposium 5:Existence of the Glorious Allah. 30
Symposium 6:Qualities of the Glorious Allah. 34
Symposium 7:Demonstration of Types of Monotheism.. 38
Symposium 8:Glorifying Ahl Al-Bait (PBUT) is not Polytheism.. 43
Symposium 9:Demonstration of Other Types of Monotheism.. 47
Symposium 10:Seeking for Assistance from Other than Allahis not Polytheistic 52
Symposium 11:There is Neither Strength Nor PowerBut Through Allah. 56
Symposium 12:More on Qualities of the Glorious Allah. 60
Symposium 13:More on Qualities of the Glorious Allah. 64
Symposium 14:More on Qualities of the Glorious Allah. 69
Symposium 15:More on Qualities of the Glorious Allah. 74
CHAPTER TWO
dIvine justice(Al-‘Adl al-ilahi)
Symposium 16:Introduction to Divine Justice. 81
Symposium 17:Is It One of the Essence Qualities or Deed Qualities?. 86
Symposium 18:Interpretation of Evils and Tribulations. 90
Symposium 19:Are Misfortunes Punishment?. 95
Symposium 20:Is Punishment Equal to Sin?. 100
Symposium 21:Fate and Destiny. 103
Symposium 22:More on Fate and Destiny. 106
Symposium 23:More on Fate and Destiny. 110
Symposium 24:Are Good Deeds and Bad Deeds FromAllah or Mankind?. 114
Symposium 25:What is the Implication of ‘Guidance and Aberrationare in the Hands of Allah’? 117
Symposium 26:Is Happiness and Misery from Allah?. 121
CHATPTER THREE
Prophecy(Nobowa)
Symposium 27:Demonstrating the Meaning of Prophecy and theBenefits of Prophethood (Bi’tha) 129
Symposium 28:More on the Benefits of Prophethood (Bi’tha) 133
Symposium 29:Is Prophethood Divine’s Grace?. 138
Symposium 30:Demonstration of Miracles. 143
Symposium 31:What is the Difference BetweenMiracle and Magic?. 147
Symposium 32:Approaches to Proving Prophecy. 151
Symposium 33:Attributes of ProphetsIncluding Infallibility (‘Isma) 154
Symposium 34:Is Infallibility Against Free Choice?. 160
Symposium 35:Infallibility of the Prophets (PBUT) inIndividual and Social Affairs 167
Symposium 36:More on Attributes of the Prophets (PBUT) 171
Symposium 37:Words on Special Prophecy. 174
Symposium 38:Attributes of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) 180
Symposium 39:Elements of Building Human Personality. 185
Symposium 40:Words on Fluency and Eloquenceof the Noble Quran. 189
Symposium 41:Words on the Noble Quran. 196
Symposium 42:Words on Universality and Finality of the Message. 200
Symposium 43:More on the Message. 207
Imamate(Imamah)
Symposium 44:The Concept of Imamate. 213
Symposium 45:Is Imamate One of the Pillars of Islam orthe Branches of the Pillars? 222
Symposium 46:Is Imamate Established through Allegiance (Bai’a) or the Scripture (Al-Nas)? 229
Symposium 47:What are the Attributes and the Responsibilities of Imam?. 234
Symposium 48:What is the Imam’s Source of Knowledge?. 238
Symposium 49:Does the Imam Know About the Divine Secrets?. 243
Symposium 50:Why Don’t Ahl Al-Bait (PBUT) TeachTheir Knowledge to All of People? 250
Symposium 51:Is it Requisite to Obey and Lovethe Imams (PBUT)?. 256
Symposium 52:Why Is ‘Loving The Imams (PBUT)’ Requisite?. 262
Symposium 53:More on Affection. 266
Symposium 54:Is Imamate Established throughthe Scripture or Election?. 270
Symposium 55:The Evidence to Imamate of Ali Bin Abi Talib and His offspring (PBUT) 276
Symposium 56:Is it Requisite to Believe in the Existence ofImam Al-Mahdi (AHHR)? 280
Symposium 57:The Details of the Two Conceals (Al-Ghaibah) 288
Symposium 58:Our Role During the Conceal 296
Symposium 59:Words on Claiming His Mediation. 309
Symposium 60:On Falsely Claiming Seeing and Representing. 322
CHATPTER FIVE
The Hereafter(Mi’ad)
Symposium 61:The Meaning of the Hereafter (Mi’ad) 327
Symposium 62:The Holy Verses and Hadith Indicative of the Purgatory (Al-Barzakh) and the Hereafter 336
Symposium 63:Resurrection of Animals. 341
Symposium 64:Words on the Secrecy (Taqiyeh) 346
Symposium 65:Words on the Returning (Raj’a) 353
Symposium 66:Words on Visiting Graves. 365
Symposium 67:What is Shi’ism?. 375
این صفحه در کتاب اصلی بدون متن است / هذه الصفحة فارغة في النسخة المطبوعة
Introduction
Praise be to Allah, the One, the eternally Besought of all who bestowed upon all people with His knowledge. Peace be upon His last messenger, Mohammad Al-Mustafa, and people of his kindred who preserved the Shari’a.
Nothing will endure unless it is built right; it might have appearance but with no content. This is a rule agreed about by the wise that is also emphasized by the Creator of the wise; He put Principles for His religion to found on, bases to lean on, and branches through which to worship Him.
The religion of Islam – the last of religions, the Mohammedan law that crowned all preceding celestial laws – is no exception to this rule. Our religion has principles (Osul) and branches to those Principles (Foru’)
as well as Practices (Sonan). They are also known as Ideology, Jurisprudence and Ethics. Through these three pillars one can attain the Divine vicinity; each has also its own role in building the human personality.
Ideology orients the human mind to the right direction away from myths and superstitions, ignorance and perversity. Jurisprudence is interested in the relation between mankind and their Creator in addition to the relation between people themselves. Ethics tries to refine the human soul from vice and to beautify it with virtue.
This book – This Is My Faith – comes to highlight the first science which is Ideology in a simplified dialogue-based style. All can understand its content as it is free from complicated reasoning and difficult demonstration. Some texts have been changed for the sake of simplification as the definitions to the five Principles are also provided. Thus, here we offer you this book in the form of dialogue-based serial stories between two friends seeking only truth and knowledge.
Sheikh Ali Al-Fatlawi
Symposium 1
Preface
“I saw you by accident on my way back from work”, said Anwar to his friend Hasan. “Do not say by accident”, Hasan replied, “Coincidence is rejected in Islam. Say unintentional meeting”.
Anwar:Why doesn’t Islam recognize coincidence?
Hasan:Because coincidence means occurrence of events with no reason!
Anwar:What is wrong with things happening with absolute no reason?
Hasan:It is against the law of life.
Anwar:So, what is the law of life about that?
Hasan:That there is reason behind everything. All Imams referred to the fact that Allah insists on events take place for a reason. This is also supported by logic
and reason; that is why we have this rule that says there is always a cause for an effect!
Anwar:But, when I said ‘by accident’, I did not mean to refute the reasons; I just did not plan to see you when I left work.
Hasan:So, we better call it ‘unintentional meeting’ that took place for its own reasons.
Anwar:What is this coincidence that is rejected by Islam?
Hasan:It is what the materialists say about raison d'etre and that there is no creator or no reason behind the whole existence.
Anwar:May I raise some questions as long as we have this ideological conversation?
Hasan:You’re most welcome! I always encourage believers to ask about their religion. The Hadith says, “ask about your religion until you are called lunatic”, and there is no shame in seeking knowledge, especially when it comes to every day issues.
Anwar:So, please listen to my questions with patience.
Hasan:I am all ears. No one can claim that they know