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
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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
everything, but I think I have enough of Islamic culture to hopefully answer your questions, Inshallah.
Anwar:I hear that religiously following a clerk (Taqlid) is not permitted when it comes to the Principles (Osul Al-Din). Why is that?
Hasan:First of all, you need to know about these Principles (Osul Al-Din).
Anwar:Yes, with all pleasure!
Hasan:There are five fundamental elements on which the religion of Islam is based on. Each of them is called a Principle (Asl).
The first Principle is Monotheism (Tawhid) and it means to believe that Allah is the only God Who is unmatched, Who has no associates and Who holds the entire superior and perfect qualities. This is emphasized by the Noble Quran in one of its chapters which is also named after this principle:
﴾Say: He is Allah, the One۞Allah, the eternally Besought of all۞He begetteth not nor was begotton۞And there is none comparable unto Him﴿112; 1-4
The second is Justice (‘Adalah) which means to believe that it is impossible that Allah treats his creatures unjustly as it is mentioned in the Noble Quran:﴾Allah is no oppressor of His bondmen﴿.3; 182
Prophecy (Nobowa) is the third principle. It is to believe that Allah sent the Prophets and the messengers to guide mankind. The Glorious Allah says in the Noble Quran:﴾And verity We sent messengers to mankind before thee﴿.13; 38
The fourth is Imamate (Imamah). This principle means that Allah has placed a number of Imams([1]) for the messengers and the Prophets to preserve and carry on their messages. This is mentioned in the Noble Quran:﴾And We made them chiefs who guide by Our commands﴿.21; 73
The fifth principle is the Hereafter (Mi’ad). It is to believe that the Glorious Allah will gather people for the Judgment (Al-Hisab) in a certain day as He puts it in the
[1]Shiite believe there are twelve imams (PBUT) after the prophet (PBUT);
1- Commander of The Faithful Ali bin Abi talib (PBUT). 2- Al-Hasan Bin Ali (PBUT) .
3- Abu Abdullah Al-Husain Bin Ali. 4-Ali Bin Al-Husain.
5- Abu Ja'far Mohammad Bin Ali. 6- Abu Abdullah Ja'far Bin Mohammad Al-Sajad.
7-Mosa Bin Ja'far Al-Kadim.8-Ali Bin Mosa Al-riza. 9-Mohammad Bin Ali Al-Jawad.
10- Ali Bin Mohammad Al-Hadi.11- Al-Hasan Bin Ali Al-Askari.
12 – Abu Al-Qasim Bin Al-Hasan Al-Mahdi.