The Verse of Istikhlaf and the Caliphate

Allah (swt) says in the Holy Quran: 

"Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient." (24:55)

Allah (swt) is placing a condition for succession and authority in that he will establish authority for those who believe and who have done righteous deeds. Now we know that Allah (swt) granted Abu Bakr (ra) the authority over Muslims, granted him power, security, victory and established the religion through him and as well through the other Caliphs (ra). 

Another verse in the Quran has a similar connotation: 

"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward.

As for the Imams of the Ahl Al-Bayt (as), only 2 out of the 12 of the Imams (as) had authority over the Muslims. As stated before, the verse places a condition for succession and authority not on infallibility, but for the people who believe and do righteous deeds: "Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds". This is a promise for the believers and not just to 12 Infallible Imams as the 12r Shia erroneously claim. To continue, the verse also states that Allah (swt) will: "He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security." The 12rs claim that their imams were in taqiyyah due to fear and persecution, but as we see, Allah (swt) states the opposite in the verse. 

In fact, Imam Ali (as) alludes to this in sermon 145 of Nahjul Balagha to Umar (ra): 

"In this matter, victory of defeat is not dependent on the smallness or greatness of forces. It is Allah's religion which He has raised above all faiths, and His army which He has mobilized and extended, till it has reached the point where it stands now, and has arrived its present positions. We hold a promise from Allah, and He will fulfill His promise and support His army. The position of the head of government is that of the thread for beads, as it connects them and keeps them together. If the thread is broken, they will disperse and be lost, and will never come together again. The Arabs today, even though small in number are big because of Islam and strong because of unity."

In its Sharh , Ibn Maitham says:
ثم وعدنا بموعود و هو النصر و الغلبه و الاستخلاف فى الارض كما قال وعد الله الذين آمنوا منكم و عملوا الصالحات ليستخلفنهم فى الارض كما استخلف الذين من قبلهم الايه، و كل وعد من الله فهو منجز لعدم الخلف فى خبره
"We hold a promise from Allah and that is the promise of success, and overpowering and istikhlaf, as Allah said in Quran : "God has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them" and Allah's promise will come true definitely."  

Imam Ali (as) is telling Umar (ra) not to worry because Allah (swt) will fulfill his promise as he has promised in the Quran. Further, Imam Ali (as) declared the army of Umar (ra) to be the army of Allah (swt).  

This also fits in with the Prophecy from the Prophet (pbuh) who stated:

"The khilaafah after me in my Ummah will last for thirty years. Then there will be kingship after that."Reported in the Musnad Imaam Ahmad, by at-Tirmidhi, Musnad Abi Ya'laa, and Ibn Hibbaan;  "Saheeh"by Imaam al-Albaani (ra)

"Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i have all reported from the hadith of Sa'id ibn Juhman, from Safinah - the mawla of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The Succesorship (Al-Khilafah) after me will last for thirty years. Then kingship will appear." -"Sahih"-Related by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, Authenticated by At-Tabari in his I'tiqad, and Al-Hafidh ibn Hajr in Fath-al Bari. 

"The Prophethood will remain amongst you for as long as Allaah wills it to be. Then Allaah will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be the khilaafah upon the Prophetic methodology. And it will last for as long as Allaah wills it to last. Then Allaah will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be biting kingship, and it will remain for as long as Allaah wills it to remain. Then Allaah will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be tyrannical (forceful) kingship and it will remain for as long as Allaah wills it to remain. Then He will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be a khilaafah upon the Prophetic methodology."-Silsilah as-Saheehah of Imaam al-Albani; "Sahih"

In fact, the Shia hadiths that allude this verse refers to their Imams are weak:

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ- وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ قَالَ هُمُ الْأَئِمَّةُ
“I asked Abaa `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) about the words of Allaah, jalla jalaalahu, «Allaah has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely make you successors in the land, even as He made those who were before them successors» (24:55). He (عليه السلام) said: ‘They are the Imaams’”

Source:
• Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 1, pg. 193 - 194, hadeeth # 3
  Grading:
• Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is Da`eef `ala Mashhoor (A Famous Weak hadeeth)
  --> Mir'aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 2, pg. 351

This one is weak as well, actually VERY Da'eef.

محمد بن إبراهيم النعماني، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد بن عقدة، قال: حدثني أحمد ابن يوسف بن يعقوب الجعفي أبو الحسن، من كتابه، قال: حدثنا إسماعيل بن مهران، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي ابن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه و وهيب، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، في قوله: وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَ لَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضى‏ لَهُمْ وَ لَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْناً يَعْبُدُونَنِي لا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئاً، قال: «نزلت في القائم و أصحابه».
About the saying (of Allah) «God has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely make you successors in the land, even as He made those who were before them successors, and that He will surely establish their religion for them that He has approved. for them, and will give them in exchange, after their fear, security: 'They shall serve Me, not associating with Me anything.'» (24:55). He (عليه السلام) said: ‘This was revealed for Al-Qaa’im and his companions’

Source:
• Al-Nu`maanee, Al-Ghaybah, ch. 13, pg. 240, hadeeth # 35

This one is Da`eef as well.

محمد بن العباس: عن الحسين بن محمد، عن معلى بن محمد، عن الوشاء، عن عبد الله بن سنان، قال: سألت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) عن قول الله عز و جل: وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ، قال: «نزلت في علي بن أبي طالب، و الأئمة من ولده (عليهم السلام)».
وَ لَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضى‏ لَهُمْ وَ لَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْناً، قال: «عنى به ظهور القائم (عليه السلام)».
I asked Abaa `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) about the words of Allaah (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) «Allaah has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely make you successors in the land, even as He made those who were before them successors» (24:55). He (عليه السلام) said: ‘This was revealed for `Alee bin Abee Taalib, and the Imaams from his children (عليه السلام)’. «and that He will surely establish their religion for them that He has approved. for them, and will give them in exchange, after their fear, security» He (عليه السلام) said: ‘(This) means for his Al-Qaa’im’s appearance”

Source:
• Al-Astrabaadee, Ta'wil Al-Aayaat, pg. 365

The dispute between Muhammad bin Hanafiya (as) and Ali bin Hussain (as) on Imamate

محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن ابن محبوب عن علي بن رئاب، عن أبي عبيدة وزرارة جميعا، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) قال: لما قتل الحسين (عليه السلام) أرسل محمد بن الحنفية إلى علي بن الحسين (عليهما السلام) فخلا به فقال له: يا ابن أخي قد علمت أن رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) دفع الوصية والامامة من بعده إلى أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) ثم إلى الحسن (عليه السلام)، ثم إلى الحسين (عليه السلام) وقد قتل أبوك رضي الله عنه وصلي على روحه ولم يوص، وأنا عمك وصنو أبيك وولادتي من علي (عليه السلام) في سني وقديمي أحق بها منك في حداثتك، فلا تنازعني في الوصية والامامة ولا تحاجني، فقال له علي بن الحسين (عليه السلام): يا عم اتق الله ولا تدع ما ليس لك بحق إني أعظك أن تكون من الجاهلين، إن أبي يا عم صلوات الله عليه أوصى إلي قبل أن يتوجه إلى العراق وعهد إلي في ذلك قبل أن يستشهد بساعة، وهذا سلاح رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) عندي، فلا تتعرض لهذا، فإني أخاف عليك نقص العمر وتشتت الحال، إن الله عزوجل جعل الوصية والامامة في عقب الحسين (عليه السلام) فإذا اردت أن تعلم ذلك فانطلق بنا إلى الحجر الاسود حتى نتحاكم إليه ونسأله عن ذلك قال أبوجعفر (عليه السلام): وكان الكلام بينهما بمكة، فانطلقا حتى أتيا الحجر الاسود، فقال علي بن الحسين لمحمد بن الحنفية: ابدأ أنت فابتهل إلى الله عزوجل وسله أن ينطق لك الحجر ثم سل، فابتهل محمد في الدعاء وسأل الله ثم دعا الحجر فلم يجبه، فقال علي بن الحسين (عليهما السلام): يا عم لو كنت وصيا وإماما لاجابك، قال له محمد: فادع الله أنت يا ابن أخي وسله، فدعا الله علي بن الحسين (عليهما السلام) بما أراد ثم قال: أسألك بالذي جعل فيك ميثاق الانبياء وميثاق الاوصياء وميثاق الناس أجمعين لما أخبرتنا من الوصي و الامام بعد الحسين بن علي (عليه السلام)؟ قال: فتحرك الحجر حتى كاد ان يزول عن موضعه، ثم أنطقه الله عزوجل بلسان عربي مبين، فقال: اللهم إن الوصية والامامة بعد الحسين ابن علي (عليهما السلام) إلى علي بن الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب وابن فاطمة بنت رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) قال: فانصرف محمد بن علي وهو يتولى علي بن الحسين

It has been narrated from Imam Baqir that he said when Imam Hussain was martyred , Muhammad bin Hanafiya senta man to Imam Zainul Abideen and talked to him in private , he said “O son of my brother! You know that the Prophet (s) had transferred imamate to Amirul Momineen (i.e Ali) and after him to Hasan, and after him to Hussain, and now your father has died, and he has not made any specific will, and I am your uncle and I am like your father to you, and I was also born from Ali, I am more eligible for Imamate than you because of your young age, so don’t debate with me on Imamate. Ali bin Hussain (i.e Zainul  Abideen) said : O Uncle, fear Allah , and don’t claim such a thing of which you have no right, I advise you, don’t be amongst the ignorants. O Uncle! My father had told me before going to Iraq, and before being killed in the way of Allah (SWT), and these weapons of Prophet (s) are with me, which are a proof, so don’t look at this thing. I fear that Allah will reduce your age and worsen your situation in this world or hereafter. Allah has placed imamate in the descendants of Hussain. If you want that you should be satisfied, than go with me to the black stone. We will narrate our story in front of it, and ask it what you are claiming. Hence both of them went to the black stone, so Ali bin Hussain said to Muhammad bin Hanafiya, you begin as you claim superiority and ask Allah to make the black stone speak, than ask the stone. Muhammad bin Hanafiya prayed to God about what he wished, and than spoke to the stone but it didn’t answer. Ali bin Hussain said: If you were wasi and Imam , than it would have replied you. Muhammad bin Hanafiya said: O son, you also pray to God and ask him, hence Ali bin Hussain prayed to God about what he wanted, and said to the stone : I ask you, you tell us nothing except who is the wasi and Imam after Hussain bin Ali. Imam Baqir said that the stone started moving, and was about to leave its place, and than Allah made it say in Arabic, that Imamate is for you, after Hussain bin Ali. Imam Baqir said that Muhammad bin Ali  returned and accepted Ali bin Hussain as his Imam.
Usul Kafi, p. 218

If there were any hadiths listing the 12 Imams, then how come this was not known by even Imam Muhammad bin Hanafiya (as), the son of Imam Ali (as)?  Surly, if imamate was divine designation and the Prophet (pbuh) named the Imams (as), Imam Hanafiya (as) wouldn't have sought imamate for himself. Instead, he sought it due to his age and maturity. 

Former Shia Scholar Testimony

Musa al Musawi is a former Shia scholar who presents several differences between Tashayyu and present day Shiaism in his book al-Shi’a wa-l-tashih: al-Sira’ bayn al-shi’a wa-l-tashayyu’(the struggle between Shia and Shiism) which serves as a refutation of present day Shiaism. Rainer Brunner does an excellent job at providing a commentary on Musawi's views:


"It is made clear by this that al-Musawi thus starts from the assumption that there are two kinds of Shiism, a pure and true early one, and a distorted later version that continues to exist up to the present day. At first glance, one may feel reminded of Ali Shariati's famous distinction between what he once called Alid Shiism and Safawid Shiism: Tashayyo-e- alawi wa tashayyo-e safawi. For him, Alid Shiism was the pure form, Safawid Shiism the distortion. 

The Shia, he states, distorted the meaning of tashayyu from love and veneration of Ali and the Ahl Al-Bayt to hatred and abuse of the khulafa al-rashidin. Shiism, one may surmise, is upright piety and righteousness, Shia is equivalent to fanaticism and diatribe. The transition from Shiism to Shia was the main reason for all further deviations that have taken place since the great ghayba. 

This attitude, al-Musawi asserts is particularly reprehensible as it is a one-sided hatred, because the Sunnites in turn do not depreciate the Ahl Al-Bayt, but hold them in great reverence....he nevertheless vigorously denies the existence of any divine order designating Ali and his offpsrings as the legitimate successors of the Prophet (pbuh). Rather the traditions in which the so-called nass ilahi in favor of Ali was maintained, were invented only after the occultation of the twelth imam. By this step the issue of the imamate was added to the fundamentals of the religion (usul al-din), and as a kind of safeguard the doctrines of the sinlessness of the imams (isma) and the taqiyya were invented at the same time. 

It is characteristic of his approach that he deals with the central question of the sinlessness of the imams in the chapter that is dedicated to religious extremism and exaggeration (ghuluww) in general. According to al-Musawi, this doctrine forms what he calls "theoretical" exaggeration (al-ghuluww al-nazari) and is on par with "practical" ghuluww that consists in the worship of the tombs of the imams. Exempting the imams from sin means in reality belittling them, because it deprives them of their free will, he maintains. Yet at the same time, the alleged infallibility as well as the belief in their esoteric knowledge exceed even the attributes of the Prophet (pbuh) and therefore run counter to the fact that there cannot ben any miracle after Muhammad (pbuh). Since this certainity is testified by the Quran-Verse 5:3 reads: "Today I have perfected your religion for you"-, the doctrine of isma is ultimately contrary to the Holy Book. Needless to say, the imams rejected these false beliefs and the doctrines in question were only due to hadiths that were fabricated during the occultation. 

One more, it is the Shiite jurists, the fuqaha, who are guilty in their books of having embedded the exaggerations in theminds of the believers. Al-Musawi explicitly includes the so-called "four books" (al-kutub al-arba'a) written by the founding-fathers of the Twelver Shiite theology after the occultation of the twelfth imam, but also highly esteemed works of later generations, e.g. Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi's Bihar al-anwar. This is, of course, tantamount to declaring the very cornerstone of Shiite piety, the belief in super-human nature of the imams a gigantic superstition-and it is no doubt deliberate. This attack is all the more a slap in the ulama's face as they too, in the course of the 20th century, did not grow tired of dissociating themselves from anything that smacked of ghuluww, especially when discussing the prospects of rapprochment between Sunnism and Shiism. Again, al-Musawi demands the critical revision of Twelver Shiite literature and the discarding of all traditions on which ghuluww is based. "

In fact, Shia scholar of Hadith Muhammad Baqir al-Behbudi writes in "Ma`rifat al-Hadith" pg.172:

على انك عرفت في بحث الشذوذ عن نظام الامامة ان الأحاديث المروية في النصوص على الأئمة جملة من خبر اللوح وغيره كلها مصنوعة في عهد الغيبة والحيرة وقبلها بقليل فلو كانت هذه النصوص المتوافرة موجوده عند الشيعة اللإمامية لما اختلفوا في معرفة الأئمة هذا الاختلاف الفاضح ولما وقعت الحيرة لأساطين المذهب واركان الحديث سنوات عديدة وكانوا في غنى ان يتسرعوا في تأليف الكتب في اثبات الغيبة وكشف الحيرة عن قلوب الامة بهذه الكثرة

[And you (reader) now know after the research on "al-Shudhudh `an Nizam al-Imamah" that the narrations about the general identity of the Imams such as the narration of the Tablet (1) and others, are all fabricated during the time of al-Ghaybah (2) and al-Hayrah (3) and some short time before it. For if these narrations were available with the Imami Shia, they would not have disagreed so openly and greatly about the identity of the Imams, nor would the biggest personalities and narrators of Hadith have faced much confusion for long years, nor would they have needed to quickly write books proving the Ghaybah to unveil the confusion from the hearts of the nation in such great numbers.] 

Thank you brother Hani for providing the above reference. 

The Nonexistent Wasiyyah (Will) Regarding Succession

We often see the Shia's argue that the Prophet (pbuh) explicitly mentioned the succession of Imam Ali (as) at Ghadir Khumm. However, this idea of hereditary succession was not supported by any explicit text. 

Sharif Murtadha in his book Al-Shafi:
Abbas bin Abd al-Muttalib spoke to Amir Al-Muminin (Ali bin Abi Talib) during the illness of the Prophet (peace be upon him), so that he asks the Prophet, who will be in charge of affairs after him, and that if it is for us (Ahl al-Bayt) he should reveal it; and if it is for some other people, he entrust it to us. The leader of the faithful (Ali) said, we went to the Messenger of Allah when his illness became serious and we said O Messenger of Allah, choose a successor for us, He said. “No, I fear that you will be divided regarding him, as the children of Israel became divided over Harun, but if Allah knows any goodness in you, He will choose for you (a leader).

Further, another version of the hadith which supports Imam Ali's (as) belief in Shura during the process:

“No, we did go to the Prophet of Allah and said,” Appoint (for us a leader), and he said” No, I fear that you will be divided on his affairs, as Harun, but if Allah finds any good in your hearts, he will choose for you’ They requested him to point to someone, but he did not . They then said to him,” If we lost you, we will not lose giving our oath of allegiance to Hassan. He said, “I do not command, nor prevent you, you can discern better”. 
Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol. 3 p. 295, Tathbit Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, vol.1 p. 212

This was  during the process of the Caliphate of Imam Hassan (as) when the Muslims came to him after the strike of Abdul Rahman bin Muljan on him, and requested him to appoint his son Hassan after him (as the leader).

We even have similar narrations in our books stating:

"They said to caliph Ali: Will you not appoint a successor? he said: No, but I leave you as the apostle of Allah left you. "
-Haythami in Mujama’a al Zawa’ed; "Sahih"

"They said to Ali: Will you not appoint a successor? He said: The Prophet PBUH did not appoint a successor  so that I may do so, If Allah wishes that something good happens to you  then he will make you all gather around the best (Man) amongst you just  like he made them gather around the best Man (i.e Abu bakr) after their  prophet PBUH."

-Al haythami in Mujama’a al Zawa’ed; "Sahih"

Narrated by Ibn Abbas:

 `Ali bin Abi Talib came out of the house of the Prophet (S.A.W.) during his fatal ailment. The people asked (`Ali), "O Abu Hasan! How is the health of Allah's Messenger (S.A.W.) this morning?" `Ali said, "This morning he is better, with the grace of Allah." Al-`Abbas held `Ali by the hand and said, "Don't you see him (about to die)? By Allah, within three days you will be the slave of the stick (i.e., under the command of another ruler). By Allah, I think that Allah's Messenger (S.A.W.) will die from his present ailment, for I know the signs of death on the faces of the offspring of `Abdul Muttalib. So let us go to Allah's Messenger (S.A.W.) to ask him who will take over the Caliphate. If the authority is given to us, we will know it, and if it is given to somebody else we will request him to recommend us to him. " `Ali said, "By Allah! If we ask Allah's Messenger (S.A.W) for the rulership and he refuses, then the people will never give it to us. Besides, I will never ask Allah's Messenger (S.A.W.) for it."-Bukhari

But wait, I thought Imam Ali (as) was already the appointed successor at Ghadeer? Why is he asking the Prophet (S.A.W.) for rulership if the Prophet (S.A.W.) had already appointed him? 

In fact, Sharif Murtadha goes even further and states that the event of Ghadir itself is unclear about succession:

“We do not claim absolute knowledge in the text (above), neither for ourselves nor against our opponents, and we do not know of any of our people who claim that." (Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol 2 p. 128)


Another proof regarding Imam Ali's (as) acceptance of the Shura and the right of the Ummah to elect its leader:
“What is obligatory in the laws of Allah and Islam is that the Muslims, of if their leader dies or is killed, they should not perform any act nor innovate something, nor move in order to do something new, unless they choose for themselves a chaste leader, who is learned, scrupulous, and well-versed in the legal and traditional matters.”

-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 8 p. 555 

Even in the Sermon of Shaqshaqiya, Imam Ali (as) does describe himself the most deserving of the caliphate based on his closeness to the Prophet (pbuh), but never does he (as) point to any existence of any wasiyyah from the Prophet (pbuh) or even mentions the event of Ghadir in regard to the Prophet (pbuh) specifying him as the successor. If the event of Ghadir was so important which the Shia's claim, Imam Ali (as) would have referred to it in clear terms. In fact, here's a narration from Al-Hasan ibn Al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Talib (as) regarding this:

 "Hadn't the messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "Whoever's mawla I am, then Ali is his mawla"? He said, "Yes, but by Allah, the Messenger did not intend by that the position of leadership and power. If he wanted that, he would have said it outright. Allah's messenger (PBUH) was more straightforward and the best adviser to the Muslims, if he wanted to say this, he would have said, "This is the one who will administer your affairs and look after you after me, so listen to him and obey." By Allah, if Allah and His messenger had picked Ali, Allah would have facilitated his position for him. If Ali did not step up to that position, Ali would have been the first one to disobey Allah and His messenger."

-Ibn Katheer in al-Bidayah wal Nihayah 9/178 and al-Haythami in al-Sawa’eq al-Muhriqa p346:

al-Mezzi said in Tahtheeb al-Kamal 6/88: “And this is from the highest and most authentic Isnads."

 “Did not the Messenger of Allah say to Ali: ‘If i am Mawla of someone, Ali is his Mawla?’” He (Al Hasan) replied, “By Allah, if he meant by that Amirate and rulership, he would have been more explicit to you in expressing that, just as he was explicit to you about the Salah, Zakat and Hajj to the House. He would have said to you, ‘Oh people! This is your leader after me.’ The Messenger of Allah gave the best good counsel to the people (i.e. clear in meaning). “If it is like what you say, that Ali was chosen for this after the Prophet (pbuh), then he would be the most flawed from all the people, because he didn't do as the Prophet (pbuh) commanded.”
(Source: Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra, Volume 5) Similar is present in Ibn `Asakir (volume 4, page 166) and (awaasim min qawaasim page 115).

Ibn  Sa’d:
In a discussion between a Rafidhi and supposedly Hasan ibn Al-Hasan:
فقال له الرافضي ألم يقل رسول الله عليه السلام لعلي من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه؟ فقال أما والله أن لو يعني بذلك الامرة والسلطان لأفصح لهم بذلك كما أفصح لهم بالصلاة والزكاة وصيام رمضان وحج البيت ولقال لهم أيها الناس هذا وليكم من بعدي 
The Rafidhi said: ‘Did not the Messenger of Allah (saw) say to Alee (a.s): “Whomever I am his Master (Mawla) then Alee is his Master (Mawla)?”‘ He said: ‘By Allah (swt), if he meant by that the leadership, then he should have clarified that, like he clarified the issue of Salat and Zakat and fasting in Ramadan and the Hajj of the House. He should have rather said: “O people this is your Master (Wali) after me”‘.
Source: Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d. Vol. 7, Pg. # 314.

Al-Baqi

A rare picture of the shrine at Al-Baqi before it was destroyed by the Wahabi regime. Where is the love for the Pure Family of the Prophet (pbuh)? Now, all we have is this:

One word: despicable

Shiachat Members Already Respond To My Blog

I have just recently started this blog a few days ago, and it already seems it is gaining notice within the Shiachat community. The title of the topic at Shiachat: "Another Sunni Claims They Love Ahlulbayt (as) More."

The 12rs like to monopolize the term "Ahlulbayt" for themselves. They encourage us to love the Ahl Al Bayt  (as), but the reality is, there is a condition. We have to become 12r Shias and separate the love of some of the closest companions of the Prophet (pbuh), Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra), and Uthman (ra). If you do not convert into 12r Shiaism, they become irritated and claim you follow the enemies of the Ahl Al Bayt (as) and will brand you with the term "nasibi."If we take a look at a fatwa by Grand Ayatollah Al Khoei, he goes on to say that all non-12rs (even including other shia sects) are Muslims in the Dunya and kaffirs in the Akhira:

"We had already spoke about The Najasah(uncleanliness) of all the teams who differ with the Twelver Shias and their Tahara. And in brief that denying the Wilayah for ''all'' the Imams PBUT or ''some of them'''' is like denying the message and it brings Kufr and Najasah? Or that Denying The Wilayah necessarily means leaving Iman (Belief) with the Hukm of his Islam and Tahara. What is popular amongst the scholars Is the Tahara of those who differ with us Although the author of the book "Al Hada'eq" May Allah sanctify his secret has attributed to the modern scholars like al Sayyed al murtada that it was popular amongst them That those who differ are Kouffar and Najis even the ''other'' Shia teams(1). What we can use to prove the Najasah of those who differ with us is divided into three parts, Firstly what we Read in Countless and plenty of Narrations that those who differ with the Imams are Kouffar."

"And thus Other Shia teams like Zaidiyah, Kisaniyah, Ismaliyah and others their ruling is the same as that of those who differ with us because there is no difference between denying Wilayah of the Imams altogether and between accepting it for ''some ''Imams and denying it for other Imams, and it was mentioned that he who denies'' one'' denies'' all'', and I know that Denying this Wilayah does not mean Kufr or Najasah nor does denying Wilayah for some of the Imams, What is correct is The Tahara of all those who differ with the Twelver Shia and their Islam Based on what is ''Apparent'' Although ÍN REALITY They are All Kouffar and we have called them Muslims in The Dunyah and Kaffirs on The Day of judgement."

-Source: kitab al tahara, Khoei, 2/87.
sheikh Muhammad Hassan Jawahiri in his book "Jawahir al-kalam" 6/67 quoted hadith:

ان الزيدية والواقفة والنصاب بمنزلة واحدة
"Zaydiya, Waqifiyah and Nawaseeb are at the same level".


This is hardly a surprising reaction. This makes me think of a verse in the Holy Quran:

"And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion. Say, "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance." If you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against Allah no protector or helper." (2:120)

As Muslims, we believe in the Prophets Isa (as) and Musa (as) and love them as one of the major Prophets (as) of Allah (swt). Just because we claim that Isa (as) isn't the Son of God, does this take our love away from him (as)? Absolutely not. So how come the Shia's claim that we are enemies of  the Ahl Al Bayt (as) just because we don't follow 12r Shiaism or because we love the companions? 

MashAllah, Sheikh Ninowy (May Allah Preserve Him) has said it beautifully in his speech (5:40 in the video):

"We Ahl Al Sunnah Wal Jammah do not see any difference between loving the Sahaba (ra) and loving the Ahl Al Bayt (as). For a Sahaba (ra) and Ahl Al Bayt (as) love each other so dearly."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Cl4TRQJ6r0M


Update:

After doing more research on some of the claims that they made regarding letter 6 in Nahjul Balagha where  Imam Ali (as) says to Muawiyah that the 3 calipahs were legit rulers, and their supporters gave him bayah.

Al Khoei a major 12er dismisses this sermon by saying
نصر: عمر بن سعد، عن نمير بن وعلة، عن عامر الشعبي

Two of narrators in chain are Mahjool (Unknown)

1st narrator in the chain is Amr as-Sha'abi and he is liar and enemy of Imam Ali
http://www.al-khoei.us/books/index.php?id=7469

Now if Al Khoei says that this sermon contains the enemy of Imam Ali (as) then what about sermon of ash-Shiqshiqiyyah which they supposedly claim dismisses the 3 calipahs. In fact it was Shaykh Saduq who presented this chain for ash-Shiqshiqiyyah

Muhammad ibn `Ali Majilawayh related this sermon to us and he took it from his uncle Muhammad ibn Abi'l-Qasim and he from Ahmad ibn Abi `Abdillah (Muhammad ibn Khalid) al-Barqi and he from his father and he from (Muhammad) Ibn Abi `Umayr and he from Aban ibn `Uthman and he from Aban ibn Taghlib and he from `Ikrimah and he from Ibn `Abbas. (`Ilal ash-shara'i`, vol.1, chap.122, p.l46; Ma`ani al-akhbar, chap.22, p.361)

Now the narrator Ikramah is also an enemy of Imam Ali (as). He too was a Nasibi so why the double standards ?

In sermon 92 Imam Ali (as) recommends the Muslims to appoint another Calipah and he in fact say to I will obey him.

This sermon disturbs the 12er/Dozeners because they believe a Calipah can only be among the 12 and the term obey is only used for the 12. They further go and dismiss the sermon by saying..

This sermon is taken from Sunni sources and it is weak - History of Tabari 3/456 (Does not exist in Shia sources)

Sayf bin Umar is in the chain!

كتب إلي السري عن شعيب عن سيف عن محمد وطلحة قالا

Now the 12er say this is weak because of Saif bin Umar. On the contrary, when they claim that Umar (ra) made threats to burn down the house of Bibi Fatima (sa) they have no issues with the narrator in the chain who is Sayf bin Umar. How ironic!

12 Caliphs & The Caliphate Will Last For 30 Years

We often see the Shia's use the hadith of the twelve caliphs in order to prove the imamate of the 12 Imams (as):

Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard Muhammad saying, "There will be twelve Muslim rulers." He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, "All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish.-Bukhari

It has been reported on the authority of Jabir b. Samura who said: I went with my father to the Messenger of Allah (may peeace be upon him) and I heard him say: This religion would continue to remain powerful and dominant until there have been twelve Caliphs. Then he added something which I couldn't catch on account of the noise of the people. I asked my father: What did he say? My father said: He has said that all of them will be from the Quraish.-Muslim

The Prophet said: "There will be after me twelve Amir (Prince/Ruler), all of them from Quraysh."-Tirmidhi

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "The affairs of people will continue to be conducted (well) as long as they are governed by the twelve men."-Muslim

“Verily this matter [of rule] shall [remain] in Quraysh so long as when they are asked for mercy, they show mercy, when they rule, they are just, and when they distribute, they are equitable, so whoever from them does not do this, then upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels and all of humankind, and compulsory acts and voluntary acts will not be accepted from him.” (Ahmad, al-Bazzar and al-Tabrani narrated and the narrators of Ahmad are trustworthy as [mentioned] in Majma’ al-Zawa’id (5:193))

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: People are the followers of Quraish in good as well as evil (i. e. in the customs of Islamic as well as pre-Islamic times).

Firstly, the hadiths are talking about caliphs/amirs, which equates to rulers over the Muslim world. None of the twelve Imams (as) but Imam Ali (as) and Imam Hassan (as) were actual rulers. So already, we can  deduce that this hadith is not talking about the 12 Imams of the Shias. Secondly, the hadith does not state that these rulers will be infallible, divinely appointed, will come successively, or from the Ahl Al Bayt (as). All it states is that they will be from the tribe of Quraish and that Islam will be dominant and powerful during their rule. Was Islam strong during the time of the Imams? Is Islam strong right now in the absence of the 12th Imam? Moreover, if this is the hadith that the Shia's are trying to deduce their concept of imamate from, how come the Prophet (pbuh) never hinted about this hadith at the event of Ghadeer? How come he (pbuh) didn't say that Ali (as) was the first of the twelve if the hadith is talking about them? Furthermore, there are more than 12 Imams from the Ahl Al Bayt (as), and I do not see why the Shia only limit it to twelve. There were many great Imams from the Ahl Al Bayt (as) such as Imam Zayd (as), Imam Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya (as), Imam Ismael bin Jaffar (as), and Imam Esa bin Zayd (as) only to name a few. Lastly, if this hadith is referring to the 12 Imams (as), how come the Prophet (pbuh) never named them? It would be only fitting to tell the ummah, especially at Ghadeer or the Farewell Sermon on who their rulers would be in order to avoid confusion. If this is a matter of usul/foundations of deen which is supposedly HIGHER than Prophethood (which the shia's claim), the Prophet (pbuh) would have named all the Imams in explicit and great detail. Yet, we see in the history of the Shia, after the death of each Imam, a number of  sects and sub sects arose just over the confusion on who the next Imam would be. Lastly, how come Imam Ali (as) or any of the other Imams (as) never used this hadith to justify their right to the caliphate? 

Nonetheless, Alhamdulillah, we have hadiths where the Prophet (pbuh) himself PROPHESIED the caliphate of the Khulafa al-Rashidun (ra):

"The Prophetic khilaafah will last for thirty years. Then Allaah will give the dominion to whomever He wills."-Saheeh al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, reported by Abu Dawud and Al-Haakim; declared "Sahih" by Imam al-Albaani (ra)

"The khilaafah after me in my Ummah will last for thirty years. Then there will be kingship after that."Reported in the Musnad Imaam Ahmad, by at-Tirmidhi, Musnad Abi Ya'laa, and Ibn Hibbaan;  "Saheeh"by Imaam al-Albaani (ra)

"The Prophethood will remain amongst you for as long as Allaah wills it to be. Then Allaah will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be the khilaafah upon the Prophetic methodology. And it will last for as long as Allaah wills it to last. Then Allaah will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be biting kingship, and it will remain for as long as Allaah wills it to remain. Then Allaah will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be tyrannical (forceful) kingship and it will remain for as long as Allaah wills it to remain. Then He will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be a khilaafah upon the Prophetic methodology."-Silsilah as-Saheehah of Imaam al-Albani; "Sahih"

"Al-Nauman ibn Basheer told us: The Prophet PBUH said: ‘Prophethood will remain in you for as long as God decides for it to remain and then God will remove it when He decides to remove it. After Prophet hood, there will be a Caliphate on the style of prophethood and it will exist for as long as God decides for it to exist, then He will remove it when He decides to remove it. Then there will be a kingdom in which people will face trials and tribulations and it will continue to exist for as long as God decides for it to exist. Then He will remove it, when He decides to remove it. After this, there will be an oppressive kingdom and it will continue to exist for as long as God decides for it to exist. Then He will remove it, when He decides to remove it. Then there will once again be a rule on the style of prophet hood. After saying this, the Prophet (pbuh) was silent."Takhreej Mishat al Masabih #5306; Sahih

Hudhayfah son of Al-Yaman reported that the Messenger of Allah sallalluhu 'alayhi wa sallam said, "Prophethood (meaning himself) will remain with you for as long as Allah wills it to remain, then Allah will raise it up whenever he wills to raise it up. Afterwards, there will be a Caliphate that follows the guidance of Prophethood remaining with you for as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then, he will raise it up whenever He wills to raise it up. Afterwards, there will be a reign of oppressive (The reign of Muslim kings who are partially unjust) rule and it will remain with you for as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then, there will be a reign of tyrannical rule and it will remain for as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then, Allah will raise it up whenever He wills to raise it up. Then, there will be a Caliphate that follows the guidance of Prophethood." Then Hudhayfah said, "The Prophet stopped speaking."-As-Sililah As Sahihah

If we have a look at the caliphate of Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra), Uthman (ra), Ali (as), and if you add Imam Hassan's (as) rule of 6 months, you will clearly see that it becomes 30 years. These narrations show that there is no such thing as 12 divinely appointed Imams (as) after the Prophet (pbuh) ruling over the ummah. If there were, the Prophet (S.A.W.) would have mentioned them.