Sultanu'l-Wa'izin Shirazi, an eminent scholar of Iran, visited
India in 1927 A.D (1345 A.H.) when he was 30 years old. He was
given a rousing reception everywhere he went. People benefited
from his knowledge of tradition, history, and commentary on the
holy Qur'an. He was persuaded to enter into a religious debate
on 23rd Rajab, 1345 A.H., with people of another belief in Peshawar,
in what was then India and is today Pakistan. The discussion took
place on ten successive nights. The two principal participants
from the opposite side were renowned scholars of Kabul, Hafiz
Muhammad Rashid and Sheikh Abdu's-Salam. Four reporters recorded
the discussions in the presence of approximately 200 people (Shia
and Sunni Muslims). Local newspapers published these accounts
each following morning. Sultanu'l-Wa'izin Shirazi compiled the
newspaper accounts of the discussions in a book in Persian, published
in Teheran as Shabhaye-Peshawar, or Peshawar Nights. The following
is a translation of that book.
Hafiz Muhammad Rashid, Sheikh Abdu's-Salam, Seyyed Abdu'l-Hayy,
and other scholars of that region were present. The discussion
began in the presence of a large gathering. In the magazines and
newspapers, they referred to the writer as "Qibla-o-Ka'ba,"
but in these pages I have referred to myself as"Well-Wisher"
and to Hafiz Muhammad Rashid as "Hafiz."
Hafiz: We are very pleased to
have this opportunity to discuss the basic points on which we
differ. We should first decide how we should proceed.
Well-Wisher: I am willing to
participate in discussions on the condition that we cast aside
all preconceived ideas and discuss matters reasonably, like brothers.
Hafiz: I may also be permitted
to make one condition: that our discussions should be based on
the injunctions of the Holy Qur'an.
Well-Wisher: This condition
is not acceptable since the Holy Qur'an is so concise that its
deep significance must be interpreted through reference to other
facts and hadith.
Hafiz: Right. This is sensible,
but it is also necessary that reference be made to hadith and
events that are based on indisputable evidence. We should refrain
from referring to doubtful sources.
Well-Wisher: Agreed. For a man like me, who is proud enough to claim relationship with the Prophet, it is not fair to go against the examples set forth by my ancestor, the Prophet of Islam. He has been addressed in the Holy Qur'an as follows: "And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality." (68:4) It is also unbecoming to act against the injunctions of the Holy Qur'an which says: "Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner...." (16:125)
Hafiz: Excuse me, you refer
to your relationship with the Holy Prophet. It is commonly known,
but I ask that you let me know your genealogy so that I may know
how your ancestral line reaches the Prophet.
Well-Wisher: My ancestral line
reaches the Prophet through Imam Musa Kazim as follows: Muhammad,
son of Ali Akbar (Ashrafu'l-Wa'izin), son of Isma'il Mujtahid
al-Wa'iz, son of Ibrahim, son of Salih, son of Abi Ali Muhammad,
son of Ali (known as Mardan), son of Abi'l-Qasim Muhammad Taqi,
son of (Maqbulu'd-din) Husain, son of Abi Ali Hasan, son of Muhammad
bin Fathullah, son of Ishaq, son of Hashim, son of Abi Muhammad,
son of Ibrahim, son of Abi'l-Fityan, son of Abdullah, son of Hasan,
son of Ahmad (Abu Tayyib), son of Abi Ali Hasan, son of Abu Ja'far
Muhammad al-Hairi (Nazil-e-Kirman), son of Ibrahim Az-Zarir (known
as Mujab), son of Amir Muhammad al-Abid, son of Imam Musa Kazim,
son of Imam Muhammad Baqir, son of Imam Ali Zainu'l-Abidin, son
of Imam Husain, son of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali bin
Abi Talib.
Hafiz: This line of descent
reaches the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (may Allah bless him)
although you have said that it ends with the holy Prophet. In
fact, with this genealogy, you should call yourself among the
relations of the holy Prophet and not among his direct descendants.
A descendent is one who is directly linked with the Prophet.
Well-Wisher: Our ancestral line
reaches the Prophet through Bibi Fatima Zahra, the mother of Imam
Husain. I don't understand why you insist so much on this point.
Hafiz: I think I am misunderstood.
It is my point of view that descent is recognized from the male
side only. I quote an Arabic couplet: "My sons, grandsons,
and daughters are from me, but my daughter's sons are not from
me." If you can prove otherwise, please do so.
Well-Wisher: There is strong
evidence, both from the Holy Qur'an and from authentic hadith,
to establish my point.
Hafiz: Please relate it so that
we may understand.
Well-Wisher: While you were
speaking just now, I recalled a discussion between Harun ar-Rashid,
the Abbasid caliph, and our Imam Musa Kazim on this topic. The
Imam gave such a convincing reply that the caliph himself accepted
it.
Hafiz: I would like to hear
about that discussion.
Well-Wisher: Abu Ja'far Muhammad
Bin Ali, entitled Sheikh Saduq, in the fourth century A.H. in
his Uyun-e-Akbar ar-Riza (Major Sources for Riza), and Abu Mansur
Bin Ali Tabarsi, in his Ehtijajj (Supports) give a detailed account
of the conversation that took place between Harun ar-Rashid and
Imam Musa Ja'far in the caliph's court. The caliph asked the Imam,
"How can you claim that you are a descendant of the Holy
Prophet? The Prophet Muhammad had no descendant. It is acknowledged
that descendants are from the male side and not from the female
side. You belong to the generation of his daughter." The
Imam recited verses 84-85 from Chapter VI of the Holy Qur'an:
"And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob; each did We guide, and
Noah did We guide before, and of his descendants David and Solomon
and Job and Joseph and Aaron; and thus do We reward those who
do good. And Zakariyya and John and Jesus and Elias; every one
was of the good." (6:84-85)
The Imam asked the caliph: "Who was Jesus's father?"
Harun replied that Jesus had no father. The Imam said: "There
was no one, and yet Allah included Jesus in the progeny of the
prophets through Mary. Similarly, He has included us in the progeny
of the holy Prophet through our ancestor Bibi Fatima." Moreover,
Imam Fakhru'd-Din Razi, in his Tafsir-e-Kabir (Great Commentary),
Bk IV, P. 124, Problem V, says regarding this verse that the verse
proves that Hasan and Husain are the descendants of the Prophet
of Islam. Since in this verse God has verified Jesus as a descendant
of Abraham, and Jesus had no father, this relationship is from
the side of the mother. In the same manner, Hasan and Husain are
truly the descendants of the Prophet. Imam Musa Kazim asked Harun
if he wanted further proof. The caliph asked the Imam to continue.
The Imam read verse 60 from Chapter III, "Al-e-Imran,"
of the Holy Qur'an: "But whoever disputes with you in this
matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: come,
let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women
and our selves and your selves, then let us be earnest in prayer
and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars." (3:61)
He continued, saying that no one has ever claimed that on the
occasion of the spiritual contest (Mubahila) against the Christians
of Najran that the Prophet took with him anyone except Ali Bin
Abu Talib, Fatima, Hasan, and Husain. It follows, therefore that
"selves" (anfusana) means Ali Bin Abi Talib. "Women"
(nisa'ana) means Fatima and "sons" (abna'ana) means
Hasan and Husain whom Allah has identified as the Prophet's own
sons. Upon hearing this argument, Harun exclaimed, "Bravo,
O Abu'l-Hasan." Clearly, this reasoning proves that Hasan
and Husain are the sons of the Prophet and that the Sa'dat Fatima
(descendants of Bibi Fatima) are of the progeny of the holy Prophet.
Ibn Abi'l-Hadid Mu'tazali, one of your greatest scholars, in his
Sharh-i-Nahju'l-Balagha (Commentary on the Peak of Eloquence [writings
of Commander of the Faithful, Ali]), and Abu Bakr Razi in his
commentary, have cited the same verse, arguing that Hasan and
Husain are, from the side of their mother, the sons of the holy
Prophet in the same way that Allah in the Holy Qur'an has included
Christ in the progeny of Abraham from the side of his mother,
Mary.
Muhammad Bin Yusuf Ganji Shafi'i, in his book Kifayatu't-Talib,
and Ibn Hajar Makki on pages 74 and 93 of Sawa'iq Muhariqa from
Tabrani and Jabir Bin Abdullah Ansari, and Khatib Khawarizmi in
Manaqib from Ibn Abbas - all relate that the Prophet said: "Allah
created the progeny of every Prophet from his own generation,
but my progeny was created in the generation of Ali." Also
Khatib-e-Khawarizmi in Manaqib, Mir Seyyed Ali Hamadani Shafi'i
in Mawaddatu'l-Qurba, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal, in Musnad, and Sulayman
Hanafi Balkhi in Yanabiu'l-Mawadda relate, in more or less the
same words, that the holy Prophet said: "These, my two sons,
are two flowers of this world, and both of them are Imams (leaders),
whether they are Imams openly or silently sitting at home."
And Sheikh Sulayman Hanafi, in his Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, devotes
Chapter 57 to this topic and cites many hadith from his own learned
men, like Tabrani, Hafiz Abdu'l-Aziz Ibn Abi Shaiba, Khatib-e-Baghdadi
Hakim, Baihaqi, Baghawi and Tabari - all relating in slightly
differing versions that Hasan and Husain are the sons of the Prophet.
Towards the end of the same Chapter, Abu Salih writes : Hafiz
Abdu'l-Aziz Bin Al-Akhzar, Abu Nu'aim, Tabari, Ibn Hajar Makki
on page 112 of Sawa'iq Muhriqa, from Muhammad Bin Yusuf Ganji
Shafi'i at the end of Part I after 100 Chapters of Kifayatu't-Talib,
and Tabari in the narration of the life of Imam Hasan relates
that the second caliph, Umar Bin Khattab, said: "I heard
the Prophet say that on the Day of Judgement every ancestry will
be disconnected except my generation. Every generation of a daughter
is from the father's side except the generation of Fatima, which
is connected with me. I am their father and ancestor." Sheikh
Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Amir Shabrawi Shafi'i, in his book Kitabu'l-Ittihaf
bi Hubbi'l-Ashraf, quoted this hadith from Baihaqi and Darqutni
from Abdullah Bin Umar, and he from his father, on the occasion
of the wedding of Umme Kulthum. And Jalalu'd-din Suyuti quoting
from Tabrani in his Ausat, has related from Caliph Umar and Seyyed
Abu Bakr Bin Shahabu'd-din Alawi on pages 39-42 of Chapter III
of Rishfatu's-sadi min Bahra Faza'il Bani Nabiu'l-Hadi (printed
in Maktabi A'lamiyya, Egypt in the year 1303 A.H.), proving that
the descendants of Fatima are of the progeny of the Prophet of
Islam.
Hence, the couplet that you quoted has no force in the face of
all this contrary evidence. Muhammad Bin Yusuf Ganji Shafi'i,
in his "Kifayatu't Talib," proves that the sons of the
Prophet's daughter are the sons of the holy Prophet. Our ancestral
line goes back to Imam Husain; we are, therefore, descendants
of the Prophet.
Hafiz: Your argument is reasonable
and convincing. The people dispersed for the Isha prayer.
During the recess Nawab Abdu'l-Qayum Khan, who belongs to a noble
family of the Sunnis, asked permission to ask Well-Wisher some
questions.
Nawab: Why do the Shias combine
the prayers of Zuhr and Asr and Maghrib and Isha? This is not
in keeping with the practice of the holy Prophet.
Well-Wisher: In the first place,
among your own learned men, there is much difference of opinion
concerning this issue. Secondly, you say that we go against the
practice of the Prophet. Here you are mistaken since the holy
Prophet used to offer these prayers in both ways, sometimes separately
and sometimes together. Nawab Sahib, turning to his learned men,
asked them if it was true that the Prophet offered the prayers
in both ways.
Hafiz: He did, but only when
he was on a journey or when there was some other hindrance, like
rain. Otherwise, when he was at home, he always offered his prayers
separately.
Well-Wisher: It is recorded
in your own hadith that the Prophet used to offer prayers separately
as well as combined at home and without any obstruction. Many
hadith confirm this fact. Muslim Bin Hajjaj in his Sahih, in the
Chapter "Jam'a Baina's-salatain fi'l-Hazar," says that
Ibn Abbas said: "The Prophet used to say Zuhr and Asr as
well as Maghrib and Isha prayers jointly without being constrained
to do so, or when he was at home." Again Ibn Abbas narrated:
"We said eight rak'ats of Zuhr and Asr and later seven rak'ats
of Maghrib and Isha prayers jointly with the holy Prophet."
The same hadith has been related by Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal in his
Musnad, Part 1, Page 221. Similarly, Imam Muslim quotes a number
of hadith concerning this issue. He quotes Abdullah Bin Shaqiq
as having said that one day Abdullah Bin Abbas was reading an
address after the Asr prayers until the sun set and the stars
were visible. People cried, "Prayers, Prayers," but
Ibn Abbas paid no heed to them. Then one of the Bani Tamimi shouted
"Prayers, Prayers." Ibn Abbas then said: "You remind
me of the Sunna, but I myself have seen the Holy Prophet combine
Zuhr and Asr as well as Maghrib and Isha prayers." Abdullah
bin Shaqiq said that he felt uncertainty about these words and
went to Abu Huraira to ask him about it. He verified what Ibn
Abbas had said. Through another chain of narrators, Abdullah bin
Shaqiq has narrated from Aqil that once Abdullah bin Abbas spoke
to the people from the pulpit. He remained there so long that
darkness fell. When someone shouted thrice, "Prayer, Prayer,
Prayer," Abdullah Bin Abbas became annoyed and said: "Woe
be to you. You dare remind me of prayer, even though during the
Holy Prophet's days we used to combine Zuhr with Asr as well as
Maghrib with Isha prayers." Zarqani in Sharhe Mawatta' of
Imam Malik, Part I, in the Chapter of "Jama'a Baina's-Salatain,"
p. 263, states, "Nisa'i related through Amru Bin Haram from
Abi Sha'atha that Ibn Abbas said his Zuhr and Asr prayers as well
as Maghrib and Isha prayers jointly in Basra without any time
lag or action between them. He said that the Holy Prophet offered
his prayers in the same way." Also Muslim in Sahih and Malik
in Mawatta', Chapter "Jam'a Baina's-salatain" and Imam
Hanbal in Musnad quotes Ibn Abbas through Sa'id Bin Jabir that
the Holy Prophet offered his Zuhr and Asr prayers together in
Medina without being constrained to do so by fear or bad weather.
Abu Zubair said he asked Abu Sa'id why the Prophet combined the
two prayers. Sa'id said that he too asked Ibn Abbas thesame question.
Ibn Abbas replied that he combined the two prayers so that his
followers might not be put to undue hardship and suffering. Also,
in many other hadith, Ibn Abbas is related to have said that the
Holy Prophet of Islam combined Zuhr and Asr as well as Maghrib
and Isha prayers without being constrained to do so. These hadith
in your Sahih and in many other authentic books prove the permissibility
of the combination of the two prayers, both at home and during
travel.
Hafiz: There is no such quotation
of hadith in Sahih Bukhari.
Well-Wisher: Because all the
authors of Sahih, like Muslim, Nisa'i, Ahmad Bin Hanbal, and exponents
of the Sahihain, of Muslim, Mubhari, and other great Sunni scholars
have quoted these things, this is sufficient for us to win our
point. But in fact, Bukhari, too, has recorded these hadith in
his Sahih, but he has deceitfully put them away from their proper
place, the section concerning the combination of two prayers.
If you go through the Chapters "Bab-e-Ta'akhiru'z-zuhr li'l-Asr
Min Kitabe Mawaqitu's-salat" and "Bab-e-Dhikru'l-Isha
wa'l-Atma" and "Bab-e-Waqtu'l-Maghrib," you will
find all these hadith there. Recording these hadith under the
heading, "Permission and Authorization to Combine Two Prayers"
proves that it is the common belief of learned men of the two
sects. The authenticity of these hadith has already been acknowledged
in the books of Sahih. Accordingly, Allama Nuri in Sharhe Sahih
Muslim, Asqalani, Qastalani, Zakariyya-e-Razi, in the commentaries
that they have written on Sahih Bukhari, Zarqani in his commentary
on the Mawatta' of Malik, and others related these hadith. After
quoting the hadith of Ibn Abbas, they acknowledged their authenticity
and admitted that these hadith are proofs of the acceptability
of combining two prayers.
Nawab: How is it possible that
these hadith have been put into practice since the time of the
Holy Prophet, but learned men have adopted a different path?
Well-Wisher: This situation
is not confined to this topic alone. You will see many such examples
later. In this matter, Sunni scholars of jurisprudence, apparently
without much serious thought, or for other reasons which I do
not understand, have given unintelligible explanations contradicting
these hadith. For instance, they say that perhaps these hadith
refer to situations involving fear, danger, rains, or winds. Some
of your older scholars, like Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i, and some
other jurists of Medina gave the same explanation. This, despite
the fact that the hadith of Ibn Abbas clearly says that the two
prayers were offered without the constraint of fear or the possibility
of rainfall.
Others have suggested that perhaps the sky was overcast, and those
offering prayers did not know the time. Perhaps, when they finished
their Zuhr prayers, the clouds dispersed, and they saw that it
was time for Asr prayers. So they had to offer Zuhr and Asr prayers
together. I don't think a more unlikely explanation could be found.
Perhaps these interpreters did not care to think that the person
offering prayers was the Holy Prophet of Islam. Clouds did not
mean to him what they might to others. He understood all causes
and effects. Apart from the fact that this explanation is unconvincing,
the combining of Maghrib and Isha prayers rejects their explanation.
At that time clouds have no relevance to this question.
As we said: the hadith of Ibn Abbas clearly states that his address
continued so long that the audience repeatedly cried, " prayers,
prayers." They reminded him that the stars had appeared and
that it was time for prayers. But he purposely delayed the Maghrib
prayer so that he might offer both Maghrib and Isha prayers together.
Abu Huraira also verified this action, saying that the Prophet
also acted in the same manner. Such spurious explanations, in
light of clear guidance, are regrettable. Your own learned men
reject them. Sheikhu'l-Islam Ansari, in his Tuhfatu'l-Bari fi
Sharhe Sahihu'l-Bukhari in the Chapter "Salatu'z-zuhr ma'l-Asr
wa'l-Maghrib ma'al Isha," page 292, Part II, and similarly,
Allama Qastalani, on page 293, Part II of Irshadu's-Sari fi Sharhe
Sahihu'l-Bukhari, as well as other exponents of Sahih Bukhari
admit that this kind of explanation is against the obvious meaning
of the hadith and that to insist that every ritual prayer be offered
separately is a groundless requirement.
Nawab: Then how did this controversy
arise so that the two sects of Muslims are after the blood of
each other and condemn each other's actions?
Well-Wisher: You say that the
two sects of Muslims are inimical to each other, but I disagree.
We Shias do not look down upon any of the learned men or common
people of our brothers, the Sunnis. We regret that propaganda
of the Kharijis, the Nasibis, and the Umayyads have affected the
hearts of some people. Unfortunately, some Sunnis regard their
Shia brothers, who are one with them as regards the Qibla (Ka'ba),
the Holy Book (Qur'an), and the Prophet, as Rafizis (dissenters),
idolaters, and infidels.
As for your question regarding how this difference originated,
perhaps we can discuss this in later meetings. Concerning the
saying of prayers separately or together, Sunni legal scholars
have recorded hadith which permit the offering of Zuhr with Asr,
and Maghrib with Isha prayers as a matter of ease, comfort, or
safety. I do not know why some do not consider it permissible
to offer the two prayers together in the absence of any obstruction.
Some authorities, like Abu Hanifa and his adherents, forbid it
under any circumstances, whether there is any obstruction or not,
or whether the prayers are said during travel or at home. The
Shafi'ites, Malikites, and Hanbalites, with all of their differences
in essential and non-essential tenets, have permitted the combining
of the prayers during a lawful journey. But the Shia ulema, in
obedience to the Holy Imam and the progeny of the Holy Prophet,
have unconditionally permitted the offering of prayers together.
Of course the offering of prayers at the time specified for each
ritual prayer is preferable to praying in one interval, as has
been clearly stated in expository books dealing with problems
of religious performance written by Shia ulema. Since people are
often busy with their own affairs and have their own cares and
anxieties, they fear they might miss their prayers. Hence, for
their own convenience and to avoid hardship and suffering, the
Shias say their two prayers in one interval, whether early or
late, during the appointed time. Now I think this much is sufficient
to enlighten our Sunni brothers who look at us with indignation.
Perhaps we can return to our discussions about the fundamentals,
after which the questions concerning practice will be solved.
Hafiz Sahib asked Allama Sultanu'l-Wa'izin to tell him how his ancestors migrated from the Hijaz to Iran. He gave a history of his ancestors who were murdered in Shiraz on the order of the Abbasid King. Their mausoleums still attract pilgrims from distant places. Notable among them are Seyyed Amir Muhammad Abid, Seyyed Amir Ahmad (Shah Charagh), and Seyyed Alau'd-din Husain, all sons of Imam Musa Kazim. The details concerning his family are omitted.