Preface
I had discussed this matter with my friends in Malaysia and in Iran. All of these friends were and are of Shari'a Islamiah background and only their denominations were separated because of historical development of Muslim nations.
What I am so disappointed is that public were misguided by choppy risalat (fliers) spread off to them in masjid. I had also received these pamphlets and booklets which actually separates the Muslim ummat and hinders our unification. I also listened to one of an Arab guy I am not sure from which country he was because he talks in English to a random jama'at member in the masjid about Shi'a Ali before Juma'at prayer long time ago. I was sitting beside them silently chanting the dzikr at that time with my eyes slightly opened without looking around. The guy was not telling what is wrong or what is right but promoting hatred to the other and it is in a holy sanctuary, a masjid before holy time, the Juma'at! What is the difference between them and the ghullat Shi'as who magnify the figures that they support and over-placing allegiance to the figures more than Allah Azza wa Jalla be they ulamas or the imams?
Our Links with All Faithful Ahl Bayt Members Regardless Schools of Thought
I was from Shari'a background myself and it was actually my responsibility before I turned away after being deceived by the dunia (wordly affairs). But still Allah actually displays His mercy to lowly me as I was just a little kid back then. He leads me back to what I am now and my father. Though he is not religious but he actually brought me to see religious teachers in federal territory when he did interviews with them for religious column in newspaper where he worked as a bread winner for our poor family. I was furious last time when my maternal cousin brother looked down on my father just because my father was not properly educated like him. My father does not know his Ahl Bayt lineages origin but it was me who investigated it by calling museum departments in India (Gujarat) to confirm the information that I get from ex-Arab villages in Kedah state beside checking with our state's royal resources. I feel to check them again after pilgrimage to holy Mecca and asking for the lineages from elders. Not many are willing to help and many also had passed away.
Because of the awareness to our origin, I began to love my father (I hated him and everyone around last time and covert myself to Buddhism without family consent) and even willing not to find proper job just to take care of him who is affected by stroke with my mother because I feel pitiful to him as he didn't know his family identity and being an orphan thus hindering him from studying Quran and Sunnah when he was young. I am thankful and wanted to express gratitude to the writers of the Tarikh Salasilah Negeri Kedah, the Kedah Sultanate Royal House for giving our ancestors shelters in 17th century, the villagers representative of Kampung Pulau Timbul, Titi Gajah, Pantai Johore, Perlis those in Singapore for information and showing me the ancestors' graveyard and also to the academic researchers of Arabs in Kedah state.
We know where is our stance when we are aware about our origin and not simply being mere-followers of hear says. I don't care if people demand me to be a "Malay" just because I speak in Malay language. If I can't speak in Malay just because speaking in the language makes me a "Malay" and people can insult us who were humble and lowered our selves to the extent people could insult our brothers and sisters of other denominations then I don't care if I have to give up my status as a legal state-bumiputera (per-independent native) and transforming myself to be an Arab diaspora in all aspects of life including in spoken-language without any native homeland like others around the world. I don't care and we did not gain any benefit from that too because we never join any specific government services whether in state or federal or dealing with high profit business which requires us to be involved in politics like other Arabs for example Mr. Syed Mukhtar al-Bukhary. I recently had checked the sources about the figure I mentioned and the Arab ethnicity in his information has been changed to Malay but he still is using the Arabic title. If he is really a Malay, then he should also lose the Arabic title Syed as Malay nobility use different type of titles and Malay folks have no titles at their name, lol.
We know where is our stance when we are aware about our origin and not simply being mere-followers of hear says. I don't care if people demand me to be a "Malay" just because I speak in Malay language. If I can't speak in Malay just because speaking in the language makes me a "Malay" and people can insult us who were humble and lowered our selves to the extent people could insult our brothers and sisters of other denominations then I don't care if I have to give up my status as a legal state-bumiputera (per-independent native) and transforming myself to be an Arab diaspora in all aspects of life including in spoken-language without any native homeland like others around the world. I don't care and we did not gain any benefit from that too because we never join any specific government services whether in state or federal or dealing with high profit business which requires us to be involved in politics like other Arabs for example Mr. Syed Mukhtar al-Bukhary. I recently had checked the sources about the figure I mentioned and the Arab ethnicity in his information has been changed to Malay but he still is using the Arabic title. If he is really a Malay, then he should also lose the Arabic title Syed as Malay nobility use different type of titles and Malay folks have no titles at their name, lol.
Personal Opinion When Listening Public around Talking?
I found that it is annoying to listen to people around especially public talking about matters like rafidha (oppositors of evil human governance), taqiyyah (religious dissimulation) or muta'ah (marriage with contract term) and its relation with the Shi'a Muslims. They chant this and that without understanding the roots of these terms and without knowing the historical development coined with the terms by miming the words of people around or above them. I wanted to tell the world and the muhibb (lovers) of Ahl Bayt. There is a very very thin line between the "Sunna" and "Shi'a" lineages when it comes to Ahl Bayt and other high sufi lineages. Some of them even started the school of jurisprudence of Islam. It is blasphemous and haram to associate others with infidelity and there are Imams of Shi'a lineages of Ahl Bayt family. Some parts of our people in Northern Yemen, Egypt, Southern of Saudi Arabia, India and Pakistan are also of Ahl Bayt lineages, does not matter of what school of thought they are from or whether being known as the "Sunni" or the "Shi'a". All of these ignorance happen when we filled ourselves with choppy information, hear says and build up our perceptions with those incomplete information. Later it turns to be a dogma and we put labels on people calling these people kafir and that people kafir without realizing that those accusations turned back to our very face! This is the quality and the morality of our ummat today.
Questions to Our Selves
Until this part, I would like to pose questions:
1. Why when we who are not studying the "secular" field such as economy or political science were not allowed to talk about economy or politics?
My answer after I took post-graduate classes in Social Science and International Studies is because Political Science is an established field of study. If we do not know the theories in Global Political Economy, so we have no authority to comment on economy development of certain countries though it also affects our daily life.
Now as an ex-Shariah student who had escaped Fourth Thanawi papers for Shariah Islamiah and the Malaysian High Islamic Religion Certificate (STAM) back then when I was 16 years old and being an out-caste in non-specific fields of studies in university and not recognized in job-world today:
2. My question is why public should avoid poking their nose on the Shi'a Muslims status in Islam matters?
My own answer dear brothers and sisters, if you're only in the groups of reborn Muslims who had just recently involve yourselves in movements like Wahhabi-Salafi, Barelvi, Tabligh-Deobandi or Ikhwan Muslimin movements; you should first acknowledge yourselves that you have no sound knowledge about Shari'a Islamiah! Unless if you're graduated from specific ulama and receiving chains like the imams of the past or the salafi imams then it would be another story because those scholars actually respect each other. Only rulers and administrators in past governments did not respect "sincere" ulamas who devoted their selves only for Allah 'Azza wa Jalla.
Most people that I encountered talking about this is wrong or that is wrong, this is bida'a (innovation) that is bida'a (innovation) are not of Shari'a and Usuluddin studies background even the basic ones they are not aware. Now do I realize this and why I had problem to join them when they are in their "religious discussion" groups. Though they were educated in Science streams for example medical studies, information technologies, and etc but they are not "formally" educated in Islamic sciences and studies. Islam for them was just a side-subject matter being discussed at certain times when they feel the need to impress others that they are talented in all traits or to use it to justify their deeds according to their desires. Islam was not part or never being part of their "life". I am sorry for having to be harsh. But people had already being harsh to me when I tried to comment about other worldly fields. And just because they are "Muslim" by identification makes them rightful to also act like they are experts in Islamic and Shari'a science fields without being viewed as "backward" and studying something which is not popular when being put in Shari'a stream in secondary schools in the context of our country?
So for me, they have no right to talk like they are experts in fatwa guidelines to others related to whatever schools of jurisprudence of Islam or practices of historical Muslims. Why am I talking about school of jurisprudence? My Shi'a Muslim brothers and sisters are following the school of jurisprudence established by Imam Ja'afar al-Baqir bin Muhammad bin Ali Zainal Abiddin bin Hussein bin Ali bin Abu Talib! The same applies to those who think that they have the right to judge Islamic Shari'a only based from their studies in newspapers and media-sphere, they have no right to talk about this! We shut our mouth in the public because we know that it is of no use to talk with ignorant and it would be a waste as they would just brought up hear says that they just listened not what they had experienced or learned their selves.
1. Why when we who are not studying the "secular" field such as economy or political science were not allowed to talk about economy or politics?
My answer after I took post-graduate classes in Social Science and International Studies is because Political Science is an established field of study. If we do not know the theories in Global Political Economy, so we have no authority to comment on economy development of certain countries though it also affects our daily life.
Now as an ex-Shariah student who had escaped Fourth Thanawi papers for Shariah Islamiah and the Malaysian High Islamic Religion Certificate (STAM) back then when I was 16 years old and being an out-caste in non-specific fields of studies in university and not recognized in job-world today:
2. My question is why public should avoid poking their nose on the Shi'a Muslims status in Islam matters?
My own answer dear brothers and sisters, if you're only in the groups of reborn Muslims who had just recently involve yourselves in movements like Wahhabi-Salafi, Barelvi, Tabligh-Deobandi or Ikhwan Muslimin movements; you should first acknowledge yourselves that you have no sound knowledge about Shari'a Islamiah! Unless if you're graduated from specific ulama and receiving chains like the imams of the past or the salafi imams then it would be another story because those scholars actually respect each other. Only rulers and administrators in past governments did not respect "sincere" ulamas who devoted their selves only for Allah 'Azza wa Jalla.
How about Background in Shari'a Studies?
Most people that I encountered talking about this is wrong or that is wrong, this is bida'a (innovation) that is bida'a (innovation) are not of Shari'a and Usuluddin studies background even the basic ones they are not aware. Now do I realize this and why I had problem to join them when they are in their "religious discussion" groups. Though they were educated in Science streams for example medical studies, information technologies, and etc but they are not "formally" educated in Islamic sciences and studies. Islam for them was just a side-subject matter being discussed at certain times when they feel the need to impress others that they are talented in all traits or to use it to justify their deeds according to their desires. Islam was not part or never being part of their "life". I am sorry for having to be harsh. But people had already being harsh to me when I tried to comment about other worldly fields. And just because they are "Muslim" by identification makes them rightful to also act like they are experts in Islamic and Shari'a science fields without being viewed as "backward" and studying something which is not popular when being put in Shari'a stream in secondary schools in the context of our country?
So for me, they have no right to talk like they are experts in fatwa guidelines to others related to whatever schools of jurisprudence of Islam or practices of historical Muslims. Why am I talking about school of jurisprudence? My Shi'a Muslim brothers and sisters are following the school of jurisprudence established by Imam Ja'afar al-Baqir bin Muhammad bin Ali Zainal Abiddin bin Hussein bin Ali bin Abu Talib! The same applies to those who think that they have the right to judge Islamic Shari'a only based from their studies in newspapers and media-sphere, they have no right to talk about this! We shut our mouth in the public because we know that it is of no use to talk with ignorant and it would be a waste as they would just brought up hear says that they just listened not what they had experienced or learned their selves.
Ordinary Non-Affiliated Guy Experience
Most people that I had mingled in various Islamic movement groups apart of they are not "formally and systematically" educated in Islamic studies stream since schooling time are not even proficient in the history and the background of the founders of their movements. Also those who follow their schools of jurisprudence in the popular denomination of "Sunnah" such as of Hanafi, Hanbali or Shafi'ie schools are not even aware about their imams and ulamas background, chains of the hadiths compiled by them and the way they issued rulings. When I choose to learn about Hanbali school of jurisprudence and the Kitab al-Musnad, I actually had read about Wahhabi-Salafi movements beside checking the information from the groups of Ikhwan al-Muslim movement because they are actually bounded to these school though they influenced people of other school of jurisprudence to join them. I learned about the imam, imam Ahmad bin Hanbal rahimahullah and his life story from various sources and teachers until I am well-versed and could write or honestly tell about him again without checking any sources because the sources were absorbed into myself the same I recite the Quranic verses and learned its exegesis. This Hanbali madzhab is prominent in Saudi Arabia and some parts of Iraq and those of Wahhabi-Salafi movements are subjects under this school of jurisprudence methods. Others of Shafi'ie, Maliki and from Hanafi schools please take note! By reading or listening the Usool Talata (the Three Principles), the studies of respectable Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baaz, works of Ibnu Taimiyya only is not enough for a person to simply put labels on others or giving them rights to issue rulings and implementation of their "own" jungle law! I am in no position to put nonsense labels on few of the ulamas of Saudi Arabia even if I do not agree with them but the studies of those ulamas were done by their selves. Not by those who used or quoting their thesis.
One have to begin from the basis and from the scratch and being educated again in Shari'a Islamiah branches of studies if they wanted to meddle with fatawa guidelines in the midst of public! People who simply think that they are eligible to bomb this and bomb that as per the extremists but were not properly educated in higher Shari'a studies are ridiculing Allah Azza wa Jalla, Islam, the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the knowledgeable Ahl Bayt imams and all family members of prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the respectable sahabas of prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the honorable salaf imams and khalaf ulamas because they take the studies easily but they insist that they could take the position on judging people around!
One have to begin from the basis and from the scratch and being educated again in Shari'a Islamiah branches of studies if they wanted to meddle with fatawa guidelines in the midst of public! People who simply think that they are eligible to bomb this and bomb that as per the extremists but were not properly educated in higher Shari'a studies are ridiculing Allah Azza wa Jalla, Islam, the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the knowledgeable Ahl Bayt imams and all family members of prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the respectable sahabas of prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the honorable salaf imams and khalaf ulamas because they take the studies easily but they insist that they could take the position on judging people around!
Closing
I have few minutes before 'Isha prayer service. I need to chant few obligatory dzikr and revise my Quranul Karim recitations. I wish brothers and sisters good luck in the quest to know your selves. Please pray for the safety of nations and everyone in the way to reach the resurrection and His eternal Kingdom.
Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad wa sahbihi ajma'in. Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!
like yr writing.....solawat
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