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Is there any injustice taking place around the world? Iraq ring a bell? if so, how much injustice? Any war crimes? Who is to blame? What can we, the youths do about it? This is the place to dissect the truth, and rant on about politics.
User avatar
By Sakina
#58
I read the article that you have created the link to, but doesnt it sound a bit too far fetched? these people say they sincerely believe he is the 'antichrist'....and that they require $5 m..they also promise a 200% return is that supposed to tempt us?..i mean if we want to contribute it should be because of our love for islam and the ahl-al-bayt right?...how do you know that this isnt some ruse to get money in the name of islam?....how do you know they are for real?
By eternal-jihad
#59
the money would be used to go there and hunt the dajjal. And for nothing else. If you have questions feel free to contact the taliyah al mahdi.

wa salaam

Your brother in faith.
User avatar
By abuali
#64
I agree with Sakina.

My first impression about the article is 'fraud'. People trying to make easy money.

I dont see any reason or proof to be certain that Mulla Umar is the dajjal...or for that matter that Dajjal is a person at all.

Secondly if it is a truthful shia party who are doing this job, I understand that there is considerable money that is collected with khums. The ulema and leaders would be the ebst people to approach with this 'plan' so that the khums can fund the mission.

To me it looks like a scam made up to earn quick money. (No insults intended, just my personal opinion)

Besides the army will be led by the Imam...and it will be the imam who will destroy dajjal....

(Just so as to avoid confusion, I am totaly against the taliban and what they are doing)
By eternal-jihad
#66
as salaam alaykum

I completly understand that your skeptical anyway you mentioned a very good point..
It is true that marjas get lots of money with the khums...unfortunatly this money is rarelly used to support jihad. So if the ulemas don't support islamic revolution, we have to find other ways to fund the mujahidins.
The Taliyah also offer to fight against the oppressors in Sudan.

Our brothers and sisters are all dying and suffering around the world and the ulemas don't try anything to fight their opppressors...be it in Sudan, Palestine, Pakistan, ...

By the way, Dajjal will be killed by prophet Isa (as) and not by Imam Mahdi if I am right...but they will both be part of the same army and they will fight together to fill the earth with justice.

We are not waiting for our Imam, who, according to the signs already returned, but he is waiting for us. He is waiting for 313 of the shia to be firm on their promises to rise.

“If our Shi’a would be firm on their promises wholeheartedly, our meeting would not be delayed.” - Imam Al-Mahdi (عجل الله تعالي فرج الشريف

If you have more questions. don't hesitate to ask.

wa salaam


your brother in faith
User avatar
By abuali
#68
Alaykum Salaam eternal-jihad

It was the prophet who emphasized the importance of Ulemas to such an extent that even the namaaz we pray is void if we have not done taqleed of an Ulema whom we find to be most knowledgeable.

The importance of having and following the instructions of Ulema is also very logical. For example, it would be very stupid on my side to operate on a person to transplant his heart. I am not a doctor in the least or a surgeon. I would leave that job to the surgeon. The same applies to fighting dajjal. The recognizing of dajjal and fighting him, I believe cannot be effectively done by normal people. Yes, normal people will be against him, but not without the guidance of a person who has the required knowledge to guide the people. If someone takes this on themselves without guidance from Ulema, I feel that they are heading for doom.

I agree that muslims have a responsibility. However, as you mentioned, Jesus (Isa) will be the one who will kill Dajjal (thanks for correcting me). The article contradicts this point. First it announces 'beyond any doubt' that Mulla Umar is Dajjal. (which I feel can never reach a point of beyond any reasonable doubt - agreed that he, and many like him all over the world do things that Islam forbids)Then it also mentions that they will try and capture him and bring him to justice, but may have to kill him ??

If the ulemas are not supporting the so called 'Islamic Revolution', then that is reason enough for me not to support it. Once again the hadith of the prophet in which he mentioned that a group will rise and fight when my son will forbid them from fighting. They will go ahead and fight without heeding and shall be destroyed.

I completely disagree with your comment: -
Our brothers and sisters are all dying and suffering around the world and the ulemas don't try anything to fight their opppressors...be it in Sudan, Palestine, Pakistan, ...
You are in effect saying that our Ulemas dont have an ounce of care for us the muslims.

Let me say once again, I strongly disagree. I think more than you and I are saddened and worried by the atrocitiies that people have to go through, the ulemas are saddened a hundred times more. And there are lots of relief funds and active groups funded by khums money, all over the world. Khums money is also used in various other projects all over the world.

You mention a very important point: -
We are not waiting for our Imam, who, according to the signs already returned, but he is waiting for us. He is waiting for 313 of the shia to be firm on their promises to rise.
I doubt that we can ever be firm on our promises if we leave the hand of our Ulema.

And, assuming that the pledge to fight and capture dajjal in not a fraud, I would feel that it would be wiser and more workable to use the military forces already in place in these areas to capture him by providing information leading to the capture of Mulla Umar (the article explicitly claims that the whereabouts of Mulla Umar are known). This would mean receiving the $20m bounty, without endangering any valuable life.

And if there is some reason or other that makes it essential for only them (and no one else) to go and capture Mulla Umar, and that it is the right thing to do, I dont see why the Ulemas dont support it (assuming it is the right thing to do)

Do my arguments make any sense as to the point I am trying to make?

eternal-jihad, are you associated with Taliyah al mahdi in any way?
By eternal-jihad
#69
It was the prophet who emphasized the importance of Ulemas to such an extent that even the namaaz we pray is void if we have not done taqleed of an Ulema whom we find to be most knowledgeable.
please provide me an adith about it. thank you.
First it announces 'beyond any doubt' that Mulla Umar is Dajjal. (which I feel can never reach a point of beyond any reasonable doubt - agreed that he, and many like him all over the world do things that Islam forbids)
he fits perfectly with all the descriptions of the Dajjal...

Then it also mentions that they will try and capture him and bring him to justice, but may have to kill him ?
Only Allah knows what is going to happen...I can't tell cause I don't know
If the ulemas are not supporting the so called 'Islamic Revolution', then that is reason enough for me not to support it.
So if the marja that you follow is against the glorious islamic revolution of Iran, you will be against it too ?
Once again the hadith of the prophet in which he mentioned that a group will rise and fight when my son will forbid them from fighting. They will go ahead and fight without heeding and shall be destroyed
Good point, indeed we have to wait for Imam Mahdi to rise before fighting. I guess it is what you meant.
I completely disagree with your comment: -

Quote:
Our brothers and sisters are all dying and suffering around the world and the ulemas don't try anything to fight their opppressors...be it in Sudan, Palestine, Pakistan, ...


You are in effect saying that our Ulemas dont have an ounce of care for us the muslims.

Let me say once again, I strongly disagree. I think more than you and I are saddened and worried by the atrocitiies that people have to go through, the ulemas are saddened a hundred times more. And there are lots of relief funds and active groups funded by khums money, all over the world. Khums money is also used in various other projects all over the world
Ayatullah Sistani is probably the mujtahid who get the more khums money, he could form an army with all that money which woulld fight the oppressors...but he doesn't. He opposed the jaysh al mahdi of Muqtada Sadr who was fighting for the freedom of his country. When asked to be cured in Iran by the iranian ISLAMIC government, he chose to go to an hopital in London, the COUNTRY OF THOSE WHO INVADED IRAK ! So even if it is true that some marjas support islamic revolution, unfortunatly, the one who could make a real difference is totally opposed to it.
I doubt that we can ever be firm on our promises if we leave the hand of our Ulema.
Imam Mahdi is the leader of the Ummah...not the ulemas.
would feel that it would be wiser and more workable to use the military forces already in place in these areas to capture him by providing information leading to the capture of Mulla Umar
Why would the shaytanic forces of AmeriKKKa, England or whatever want to kill the dajjal...they are part of the same "team", they are all enemys of Islam.


And if there is some reason or other that makes it essential for only them (and no one else) to go and capture Mulla Umar, and that it is the right thing to do, I dont see why the Ulemas dont support it (assuming it is the right thing to do)
Maybe there is some reason for only them to go there...Allahu alim. But what is sure is that it is the only group who offered it for the moment. Ahadith say that in the beginning Imam Mahdi will have to struggle against the ummah and the ulemas cause they won't recognize him and they will oppose him...
Do my arguments make any sense as to the point I am trying to make?
Yeah I know what you mean akhi, the only thing (but this is only my opinion and I don't say that to be rude at all) is that I think you are a little bit naive by thinking that the ulemas have the right answer for eveything. Imam Mahdi is the only one who can't be wrong, he is the the only one we have to follow. May Allah help us to recognize him insha Allah and not to struggle against him when he will rise.

Anyway you're right not to believe everything without asking question cause lots of fake Mahdi will appear...Mullah Umar is one exemple. But ...we can recognize a tree by the fruits it bears...

have you read any other article on the website ?

wa salaam
User avatar
By abuali
#72
I am surprised that you are asking for a hadith to show the importance of scholars and marja in our society.

I am sure you will agree with me (as mentioned before) that a qualified doctor cannot do the job of a qualified accountant and vice versa. Professionals spend lots of time in their field and are best suited to do theri job due to their experience and knowledge in their respective fields.

Marja/Ulema are professionals at Jurispundence and Islamic law. I doubt that you or I can even think about comparing our knowledge to any Marja or Ulema let alone Aga Seestani (May he have a long life).

Revolution and war is not a solution to everything. Why do you think Imam Hassan didnt take up arms to fight? Why do you think Imam Ali didnt fight for his right for many years after the death of the prophet? And during both the times of Imam Ali and Imam Hassan there were people like Mulla Ummar, maybe even worse people. Do you think they did not fight because they were afraid (god forbid)?

Marja and Ulema have spent more than half their lives acquriing knowledge. A big number of the shia-world does the taqleed of Aga Seestani. This must have a very good reason behind it.

I dont think we are in a position to critisize any marja unless either we are in his level or unless he does something or issues a fatwa totally against the Quran.

Secondly do you have any idea how many muslims were killed when Muqtada Sadr started the resistance? Do you have any idea what will happen if muslims in Iraq start fighting the occupying forces? You know it as well as I do that millions of Muslims will be killed if this happens...due to the simple fact that the weaponery and financial support that Muslims in Iraq have is not even a drop in the ocean to what the occupying forces do. So do you want to start a war and kill more Muslims?

It is exactly because Muslims mean a lot to the Ulema and Aga Seestani that he did not support the uprising. He took the stand that Imam Hassan took, the stand that Imam Ali took...because he knew that war at this time would only kill more muslims as compared to the oppressors.

Speaking about going for a cure in UK, I understand that you yourself are from London, UK....arent you?

Besides my point above, I think his decision to go to UK was a very wise and well thought out one. Dont you think that the oppressors are plotting to kill him? If he had gone to Iran...and god forbid, an oppressor would have succeeded in killing him...what would have happened? Iran and Iraq relations would have become totally spoiled...Iran would be blamed...

But the oppressors would not dare touch him in UK...if they did then UK would be blamed....

The Ulemas are our connection to Imam Mehdi. Do you think without the Ulemas and Marjas we would have been able to know anything about the Quran and Hadith? We would only understand what we read...but its the Ulemas who study Islamic jurispundence and history thoroughly...and it is a result of their work that we have such beautiful translations of the Quran and detailed rulings about every aspect of life. They are the Einsteins and Newtons of Islamic Jurispundence (I shouldnt be comparing them to the scientists...but just to make my point clear)

Imam Mehdi (A.S) is in occultation by the order of Allah. His occultation was in two stages: Ghaibate Sughra and Ghaibate Kubra. Ghaibate Sughra was immediately after his fathers death upto about 7 years or so, when noone would see him, exept for his chosen scholars. There were for scholars during this entire period to whom he used to pass his rulings and who used to pass them onto the population. When he went into Ghaibate Kubra the same process continued...God knows better...

Find below a question and answer excerpt regarding Ulemas and Taqleed....

------------------------------------------
Question:

What is the difference between vilayat-e-faqih and marja-e-fatwa ?

Answer:

Wilayat al-faqih refers to the all-comprehensive authority of the jurist
(faqih) in the absence of the twelfth Imam (A.S.). In particular, the
question arises as to the extent of the authority of the faqih during the
ghayba - can he undertake all the functions that a Ma'sum Imam undertakes?
Thus wilaya al-faqih may include functions like wilaya al-nizam (the
authority to manage public order); wilaya al-qada' ( the authority to
administer justice) which includes the authority to implement the hudud
(punishments for acts violating the public order), wilaya al-siyasa - the
authority to administer a government and hold political office and also
wilaya al-tasarruf (authority for the jurist to act in a way which he judges
to be the best in the interest of the community). A corrollary to the wilaya
al-faqih may include the duty to declare a jihad. It is to be noted that not
all mujtahids accept the concept of the all-embracing and comprehensive view
of wilaya al-faqih.

Marja' al-taqlid refers to the role of a mujtahid who is competent to derive
juridical rulings from the Qur'an and hadith literature and is able to
arrive at solutions which are not explicitly stated in the sources by having
recourse to the principles as stated in usul al-fiqh. Such a mujtahid is
qualified to issue juridical verdics (or fatawa) and is a source of
reference for muqallidin who follow him by doing his taqlid (which literally
means to imitate his acts). Thus it is possible for a person to be a marja
al-taqlid without occupying the position of wilaya al-faqih.

Wa ma tawfiqi illah bi'l llah

Liyakatali

---------------------------------

And think about it....you think an army with funds of $5m will be able to fight the oppressors????? They will be crushed and forgotten.

Thats why I very strongly feel that this is a scam to make easy money.

You didnt indicate wether you are associated with taliyah al mehdi in any way?

Yes I read the other articles
By eternal-jihad
#74
Well, if there is no ahadith which says that it is obligary to follow only one marja and that the marjas say that it is wajib to follow them (and in fact you're obliged to follow only one...despite the fact that he can make mistakes) it is nothing but bidah. It is to make haram what is halal...

but of course when you have a problem, you have go to the doctor...but why would you go all the time to the same doctor ? It is better to ask differents opinions...

Following marjas is not bad in itself, I agree ...but what about following them blindly ???

Believe me, the US governement would never kill sistani...he is peacefull and if they kill him it would make the whole shia commmunity angry. It would be stupid for them to do it.

Read the religion of reason article about taqlid...
You didnt indicate wether you are associated with taliyah al mehdi in any way?
Just because it is irrelevant ... :)

Take care

wa salaam
User avatar
By abuali
#75
Well, if there is no ahadith which says that it is obligary to follow only one marja and that the marjas say that it is wajib to follow them (and in fact you're obliged to follow only one...despite the fact that he can make mistakes) it is nothing but bidah. It is to make haram what is halal...
I just explained the whole issue of Taqleed. No marja is saying that its wajib to follwo only him. All marjas are unanimous in the requirement of Taqleed...are you saying that all marjas are wrong?

You defy logic itself. It is common knowledge that people have family doctors. Families tend to go to the same doctor because the doctor knows their family medical history. The only need for going to different doctors would arise when your own doctor would tell you that he doesnt have a cure for your disease. Why would you want to go to different doctors if your own doctor has a cure???

I agree that follwoing a marja blindly is not correct. But who is following them blindly? We all have our logic which we use. And one of the simple logic that I know is that the marja have better knowledge about Islam and Islamic law than me. Hence I trust them better to make a decision on Islamic law than myself.

My friend, my whole point of explaining about the plot to mill Aga Seestani (may god give him a long life) was that the oppressor (US or other such countries) would want to kill him...but in such a way that they are not indicated. Aga seestani is a threat to all the oppressors. He commands the Shia of the world...and that is a big threat...
Quote:
You didnt indicate wether you are associated with taliyah al mehdi in any way?



Just because it is irrelevant ...
So in other words, you are not associated with taliyah....

[/quote]
By eternal-jihad
#76
well if you only follow one marja and that he commits a mistake...you're going to make the same mistake...

an exemple :
Al-Khoei wrote in Maslah, or Rule No: 2633 pg 391

"A Peacock and the different types of Crow are haraam"
Yet strangely, Sistani says in Maslah, or Rule No: 2699, pp. 398

"As an obligatory precaution, one should refrain from eating meat of all types of crows. Other birds like the hens, the pigeons, the sparrows including the ostrich and the PEACOCK are HALAAL to eat..." (pp. 490, English Version of Tawsee)

"It is not allowed to eat a Rabbit and a PEACOCK." Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (as)
Man La Yadar'ul-Faqih, Volume 3, Hadith No 4197

who are you gonna follow ? Sistani because he is your mujtahid ? of course not...
Since I'm shia I've been all the time told by my brothers that I HAVE TO follow only one marja...but without bringing any dalil...so you should understand that I'm really sceptical about the whole taqlid system.

At the same time, I don't believe that Imam Mahdi is still in occultation as the sign of the double eclipse occured...so I have to recognize him cause ahadith say that whoever die without knowing his imam die in a state of jahiliya...


About sistani being killed I would say that he COULD be a threat indeed because he control the whole shia community....but he isn't cause he is peaceful. Once Imam Mahdi will rise with his jaysh al ghadab he will fight and kill ! We'll see if the scholars will recognize him...

You say that they are the link between the ummah and the imam...I don't think so. Ahadith say that he will have more problems than the prophet (saw) to show the true religion to the ummah and that none will recognize him in the beginning cause he will bring a "new" (not new cause it is the same from the beginning, but the REAL islam) law...

take care

wa salaam
User avatar
By Yas
#87
eternal-jihad wrote:well if you only follow one marja and that he commits a mistake...you're going to make the same mistake...
"Even if the Mujtahid makes a mistake he is rewarded as mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari. (Vol. 1 p. I1092)." Ref: http://www.ummah.net/Al_adaab/fiqh/shari_taqlid.html

Excellent debating going on... almost feel proud to have such great people in the forum! Gr8 stuff guys. Hang on... lemme research and Ill chip in my 2 cents worth :lol: ..lol. Tc.
User avatar
By abuali
#89
Let me post an interesting piece about Taqleed. I hope this information helps to shed more light on the philosophy of Taqleed, the reasons why it is wajib (according to quran and logic) and addressing the issue of differences in legal opinions of Mujtaheeds.

Before I go on with the information detailing the basic information about taqleed, let me address the issue you raised about the differing fatwas regarding the meat of peacock.

As you will come to note from the information in the article below, the fatwas which are issued by mujtaheedin are not as regards to the fundamental established beliefs...but rather in the matter of religious law. As is mentioned in the Taudhihul Masael of Ayatullah Seestani that : -
It is necessary for a Muslim to believe in the fundamentals of faith with his own insight and understanding, and he cannot follow anyone in this respect i.e. he cannot accept the word of another who knows, simply because he has said it. However, one who has faith in the true tenets of Islam, and manifests it by hsi deeds, is a Muslim and Mo'min, even if he is not very profound, and the laws related to a Muslim will hold good for him.
In matters of religious laws, apart form ones clearly defined, or ones which are indisputable, a person must:

1. either be a Mujtahid (jurist) himself, capable of inferring and deducing from the religious sources and evidence;

2. or if he is not a Mujtahid himself, he should follow one, i.e he should act according to the verdicts (fatwa) of the Mujtahid;

3. or if he is neither a Mujtahid nor a follower (Muqallid), he should act on such precaution which should assure him that he has fulfilled his religious obligation. For example, if some Mujtahids consider and act to be haraam, while others say it is not, he should not perform that act. Similarly, if some Mujtahid consider an act to be obligatory (Wajib) while others consider it to be recommended (Mustahab), he should perform it. Therefore, it is obligatory upon those persons who are neither Mujtahids, nor able to act on precautionary measures (Ihtiyat), to follow a Mujtahid.
In other words, lets say that I have done taqleed of Ayatullah Seestani and you have done taqleed of Ayatullah Al-Khoei, then for you Peacock is haraam and for me peacock is Halaal....Neither you nor I will be in the wrong or be answerable for following the Marajah of whoose taqleed we have done, and neither will the marajah be answerable as each have come to their conclusions with the knowledge that they have and to the best of their knowledge (you will see what I mean when you read the entire article below)

Once again, before I go on with the article, the issue of whether Imam Mehdi (AS) (May god hasten his reappearance) is still in Occultation or not is debateable. The sign of double eclipse is one of hundreds of signs found throughout hadeeth. I believe that the signs are there to remind us about the coming of the Imam rather than to tell us that he is here. The time of his reappearance is only known to God alone.

Again considering that he has reappeared, in order to follow him you have to have a way of receiving rulings from him. In absence of communication from him, whose verdict would you follow?

Here is the article: -

--------------------------------------

Taqleed: Meaning & Reality

General Terms
What is taqlid?
Is taqlid reasonable in a time of widespread education?
Taqlid in the Qur'an and ahadith
The necessary conditions for qualification as a mujtahid
Why are there differences among the mujtahids in their legal opinions?



Some General Terms

Wajib -- obligatory, necessary, incumbent. An act which must be performed. You will be rewarded for performing it and punished for neglecting it, e.g., the daily prayers, the fasting of Ramadhan.

Ihtiyat wajib -- precautionarily obligatory. Its significance is the same as that of wajib with the difference that in the problems where a mujtahid says it is "precautionarily obligatory", one has the option of leaving his taqlid (following) in this particular problem and following the rulings of the second-best mujtahid in that problem.

Haram -- forbidden, prohibited. It is necessary to abstain from the acts which are haram. If someone performs a haram act, he will be punished, e.g., eating pork.

Sunnat, Mustahab -- recommendable, desirable. The acts whose neglect is not punished, but whose performance is rewarded, e.g., the call for prayers (adhan).

Makruh -- reprehensible, disliked. The acts whose performance is not punished, but whose avoidance is rewarded, e.g., eating in the state of janabat.

Ja'iz, Halal, Mubah -- permitted, allowed, lawful, legal. The acts or the thing which are permitted and lawful. There is no reward for performing it and no punishment for neglecting it, e.g., drinking tea. Mubah is exclusively used for lawful things, not for permitted actions.

1. What is taqlid?

Taqlid literally means "to follow (someone)", "to imitate". In Islamic legal terminology it means to follow a mujtahid in religious laws and commandment as he has derived them. A mujtahid is a person who is an expert of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh); he is also called a faqih. In order to see where and why the practice of taqlid gained acceptance in the Shi'i world, it is necessary first to explain it in some
detail. Man's nature dictates that he can only function properly within a society, and a society depends for its existence on laws and regulations. Islam teaches that Allah has sent a series of messengers and prophets with divine laws for man's guidance from the very beginning of his existence. The final Messenger and Prophet was Muhammad bin Abdullah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his Household) who brought the last and most perfect of God's religious messages, Islam, which is to serve as a guide for mankind till the end of time.
Allah is the Creator of man and the universe, and so only He can, or has the right, to make laws for us. The prophets and messengers are merely the teachers and proclaimers of Allah's laws and regulations; they cannot make laws themselves. The teachings of Shi'ah Islam say that the Imam is the successor of the Prophet and acts as the preserver and interpreter of Islam and its divine law, the shari'ah. In the earliest period of Islamic history, the Prophet guided the Muslim community (ummah) in every step it made, and was there to solve all
its difficulties. From the time of the first Imam, `Ali, until the death of the eleventh, the Imam Hasan al-`Askari, peace be upon them, the Shi'ah received guidance directly from the Imams. Then, during the period of the Lesser Occultation (al-ghaybatu 's-sughra) of the Twelfth Imam, he himself successively appointed four representatives who acted as the link between the Imam and his Shi'ahs. However, when the present Imam, peace be upon him, went into his Greater Occultation (al-ghaybatu 'l-kubra) in 329/941 in obedience to Allah's command, the Shi'ah were obliged to observe taqlid in their religious affairs.

2. Is taqlid reasonable in a time of widespread education?

It is not always reasonable to follow others and to hold uncritical faith in their opinions. We can distinguish four possible forms that imitation could take:
a) that of an ignorant person by an ignorant person,
b) that of a learned person by a more learned person,
c) that of an ignorant person by a learned person,
d) that of a learned person by a less learned person.
It is quite clear that the first three forms of imitation are unreasonable and can serve no purpose. However, the fourth kind is obviously not only reasonable, but also necessary and a matter of common sense; in our everyday life we follow and imitate others in many things; we like to feel that we are taking the advice of experts in matters outside our own knowledge. Someone who wishes to build a house explains the basic idea of what he wants to his builder and then submits to his advice as to how he should go about the actual construction; the sick follows the treatment advised by his doctor; a litigant consults a lawyer when drawing up his case for presentation in court. The examples are abundant; in most cases the advice is taken voluntarily,but sometimes the citizen in a country may be required by law to seek expert advice and act upon it, before, for example, he is allowed to take some particularly dangerous drug. The clearest example is obviously in case of a legal dispute between two parties, where they are required to take their grievances before a judge and abide by his decision if they cannot settle their dispute amicably. The practice of taqlid is an example of the same kind: the person who is not an expert in jurisprudence is legally required to follow the instructions of the expert, i.e., the mujtahid. And in this case the requirement is an obligation which must be observed, for it is an essential part of the divine law.
It should be observed that taqlid pertains only to the realm of the shari'ah; there can be no taqlid in the matters of belief (usulu 'd-din). A Muslim must hold his belief in the fundamentals of his religion after attaining conviction of their truth through examination and reflection. The Qur'an very clearly condemns those who follow others blindly in matters of belief: And when it is said to them, "Come now to what Allah has sent down, and the Messenger," they say,"Enough for us is what we found our fathers doing". What, even if their fathers had knowledge of naught and were not rightly-guided? (5:104) This strong condemnation of the idol worshippers is repeated elsewhere:
And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has sent down," they say, "No, but we will follow such things as we found our fathers doing." (2:170 and 31:20) This does not mean that one must necessarily hold belief contrary to those of one's forefathers; what the Qur'an is saying is that one should not follow them blindly, i.e., without considering the validity of one's reasons for holding them. The Islamic attitude towards fundamental belief is that one may consider the views and opinions of others, but that one should only accept that which is reasonable to believe:
So give thou (O Muhammad!) good tidings to My servants who give ear to the word and follow the fairest of it. Those are they whom Allah has guided; those are men possessed of minds. (39:17)
To summarize, it may be said that the only approach to Islam is by accepting its tenets in such a way as one is entirely convinced of their validity, and this can only come about if one examines them carefully and conscientiously. Once one has come to accept these tenets it follows as a necessary consequence that one must adhere to the shari'ah, either by following a mujtahid in taqlid, or by undertaking the acquisition of learning and piety to such a degree that one becomes a mujtahid oneself.

3. Taqlid in the Qur'an and ahadith

The Qur'an instructs Muslims to seek guidance from people of learning in matters about which they lack knowledge:
"Question the people of remembrance if you do not know." (21:7)
It is an obligation in Islamic law to study everything which is necessary for the spiritual and material development and well-being of an Islamic community, but it is an obligation which is known as wajib kifa'I*. In the present instance, for example, an Islamic society has need of experts in the medical sciences, in physics and chemistry, engineering, education, and so forth, and as long as there is a lack of knowledge in these areas it is an obligation on the community as a whole to acquire it, which means that a group of Muslims should devote themselves to research so as to benefit the Islamic people as a whole. Similarly, an Islamic society without experts in the shari'ah cannot properly consider itself Islamic, so it is an obligation for a group of persons from this society to devote themselves to the study of the religious sciences, so as to provide divine guidance for all Muslims. This is the meaning contained in the verse of the Qur'an which states:

"But why should not a party from every section of them (the believers) go forth to become learned in the religion, and to warn their people when they return to them, that they may beware?" (9:124)

It is clear that the Imams used to be pleased if any of their companions taught religion or gave legal rulings (fatwa) to others.There are a number of documented cases of Shi'ahs who lived far from Medina asking the Imam of the time to appoint someone in their locality to adjudicate between them in religious problems. Zakariyya ibn Adam al-Qummi and Yunus bin `Abduí r-Rahman, for example, were named by Imam `Ali ar-Rida' to solve disputes in their own districts. In a famous hadith, `Umar ibn Hanzalah asked Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq, peace be upon him, about the legality of two Shi'ahs seeking a verdict from an illegitimate ruler in a dispute over a debt or a legacy. The Imam's answer was that it was absolutely forbidden to do so. Then Ibn Hanzalah asked what the two should do, and the Imam replied: "They must seek out one of you who narrates our traditions, who is versed in what is permissible and what is forbidden, who is well-acquainted with our laws and ordinances, and accept him as judge and arbiter, for I appoint him as judge over you. If the ruling which he based on our laws is rejected, this rejection will be tantamount to ignoring the order of Allah and rejecting us is the same as rejecting Allah, and this is the same as polytheism."In another tradition from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq, this time narrated by Imam Hasan al-`Askari, peace be upon them, he says, "...but if there is anyone among the fuqaha' who is in control over his own self, protects his religion, suppresses his evil desires and is obedient to the commands of his Master, then the people should follow him.” A third hadith is from the Present Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, peace be upon him, who said in a reply to Ishaq ibn Ya'qub: "As far as newly occurring circumstances are concerned, you should turn (for guidance) to the narrators of our ahadith, for they are my proof over you just as I am Allah's proof." We can understand two things from these verses of the Qur'an and the ahadith of the Imams;
1- there must always be a group of fuqaha' in every Muslim society;
2- those who are not qualified as fuqaha' or mujtahids, must follow one, and that to go against his instruction in religious matters is tantamount to polytheism.

4. Necessary conditions for Qualification as a Mujtahid.

It can easily be inferred from the second of the ahadith cited above that becoming an expert in fiqh and the other Islamic sciences is not in itself enough for qualification as a mujtahid whom everyone can follow. In addition to this, Islamic law lays down that a mujtahid should be a free man of legitimate birth who is past the age of puberty, sane, an Ithna-`ashari Shi'ah, and `adil, (which can be translated as 'just', but which includes other moral and legal qualities, such as piety and abstention from all that the shari`ah forbids and fulfillment of all its obligations). As to the question of how an ordinary believer should discover who is the mujtahid he must
follow, there are three recognized ways:
1- by his own personal knowledge if he is himself a religious scholar;
2- by the testimony of two `adil, knowledgeable persons to someone's being a mujtahid;
3- by a degree of popularity which leaves no doubt as to a person's being a mujtahid.
Most present day `ulama' maintain that it is most desirable to follow a mujtahid who is al-a`lam. In a general sense this means 'the most learned', but in this specific contexts it means the faqih who has the greatest expertise in deriving the rulings of the shari`ah from the sources. The a`lam may be recognized in any of the three ways a mujtahid can. However, it is sometimes difficult for the Shi'ah`ulama' to distinguish whom among all the fuqaha' is the most learned, and, as a result, more than one mujtahid may be followed in taqlid at one time (though not, of course, by the same person), as is the case at present, but any such multiplicity does not result in any practical disagreement on legal matters within the Shi'ah community.

5. Why are there differences among the mujtahids in their legal opinions?

Many people wonder why it is that the mujtahids differ in their religious opinions, or fatwas, when the bases of their ijtihad are the same. Firstly, it should be said that any differences in the fatwas is hardly ever such as to be contradictory; it is almost impossible to find a case of one mujtahid saying some action is wajib and another saying it is haram.
Take, for instance, the case of salatu 'l-jum`ah, the Friday prayer. All the Shi'ah `ulama' are of the opinion that in the time of the presence of the Imam this salat is obligatory on Fridays, because it is the Imam, or his representative, who has the right to call the people to Friday prayer; but they differ as to what is the correct course of action when the Imam is in Occultation. This difference of opinion does not, however, create any practical problem for the community. The late Ayatullah as-Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim (d. 1970) was one of the opinion that salatu 'l-jum`ah is not obligatory during the Occultation of the Imam, but it does not matter if someone performs it supposing that it is expected (of him), provided that he also prays the noon prayer (salatu 'z-zuhr). Ayatullah as-Sayyid Abu 'l-Qasim al-Khu'i says that "one can choose between performing salatu 'z-zuhr or salatu 'l-jum`ah, but once the latter is established with all its conditions (fulfilled), it is precautionarily obligatory to participate in it." Ayatullah as-Sayyid Ruhullah al-Khumayni says that "one can choose between performing salatu 'z-zuhr or salatu 'l-jum`ah, but if one chooses the latter it is advisable (mustahab) to precautionarily perform salatu 'z-zuhr also." Although there are these differences in the opinions of these mujtahids, there is no clash that would, for example, prevent the follower (muqallid) of one of them participating in salatu 'l-jum`ah if it were established. Secondly, it should be observed that the existence of differences in scientific opinions is not to be taken as a sign of a substantial defect in the quest for knowledge and a reason for abandoning it altogether; it is, rather, a sign that knowledge moves in progressive steps towards perfection. Differences of opinions are to be found in all sciences, not just in fiqh. There may, for example, be more than one opinion about the therapy for a particular patient's disease, and all of these opinions may be superseded later on by the development of new methods of dealing with that disease. Thus these observations can be seen to be relevant not only to differences between the opinions of contemporary scientists but also to historical differences, and all these differences should be regarded as signs of the dynamism within a science and stages to be passed in its route to perfection. It should be remembered that the mujtahid formulates his opinions after pushing his research and study as far as he can; that is all that is expected of him, for he is neither inerrant nor an `alim bi 'l-ghayb (knower of the unseen). The muqallid is enjoined to follow his opinions. So, even if the mujtahid's fatwa is not actually in agreement with Allah's real command, neither he will be punished on the Day of Judgement for having issued the fatwa, nor will his muqallid for having acted according to it, for both will have done what was commanded of them and what was humanly possible for them to do.

* Wajib kifa'i = the obligation which is on every member of the community as long as it is unfulfilled, but as soon as some person, or persons, has fulfilled it, it is no longer an obligation on those who have not fulfilled it.

By : Sayyed Muhammad Rizvi

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By eternal-jihad
#93
In other words, lets say that I have done taqleed of Ayatullah Seestani and you have done taqleed of Ayatullah Al-Khoei, then for you Peacock is haraam and for me peacock is Halaal
Are you joking ? There is only one law ...one thing can't be haram and halal at the same time...that makes no sense at all for me, I'm sorry.
The sign of double eclipse is one of hundreds of signs found throughout hadeeth
yes but that one is said to be 10 times stronger than the other one...


"It has been reported from Abu Ja'far (عليه سلام) that the event of the Mahdi's appearance shall be ATTENDED by two clear signs which will carry with them the weight of ten strong signs. These are the solar and the lunar eclipses; and a similar sign has never happened ever since Adam came upon this planet."

Notes: Ikmal al-Din, p. 361

Dar’ul-Qutni reports to have heard from Imam Muhammad Baqir (عليه سلام) the following statement: “Our Mahdi shall be accompanied by two signs the like of which have not happened since the creation of the Heaven and the Earth, namely, that in a certain month of Ramadan there will be an eclipse of the moon on the first of the three nights usual for such eclipses and in the same month in the second of three days assigned for the solar eclipse there will occur an eclipse of the sun.”

Nasa Eclipse Watch Site - Eclipses for 2003 - http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/OH2003.html

There can't be no doubt...







"Question the people of remembrance if you do not know." (21:7)
This doesn't explain the concept of taqlid...
"But why should not a party from every section of them (the believers) go forth to become learned in the religion, and to warn their people when they return to them, that they may beware?" (9:124)
this neither...

Read this article of Abu Jamal if you want to understand my point of view cause it would be very long to explain and everything is in that article...
http://www.taliyah.org/articles/reason.shtml

wa salaam

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