The Question of Imāmah

Furthermore, they cannot be compared with respect to the collective personality of the descendants of the Prophet (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him). For in that collective personality lies the mystery of the Prophet (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him). Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. represents that collective personality which, by representing the inheritance of the Prophet (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him), carries within it the reality of the Prophet (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him).

As for the Shī‘aA branch whose followers hold that Ali and the Imams from his family had a divinely designated right to leadership after Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). of the caliphate, they have no argument against the SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs. that does not bring shame upon themselves. For although they claim to have deep love for Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.., they in fact disparage him, and their creed contains an accusation of immoral conduct against him. They claim that Abū Bakr (ra)Abū Bakr as-Siddīq; the first caliph and one of the closest Companions of Prophet Muhammad (saw); and Umar (ra)Umar ibn al-Khattāb, a prominent Companion of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the second caliph after his death. acted unjustly, yet Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. pretended to approve of them. According to Shī‘īA member of the Shī‘a, a sect whose followers hold that Ali and the Imams from his family were the rightful leaders of the Muslim community after Prophet Muhammad (saw). terminology, he concealed his true feelings, which means that he feared them and behaved hypocritically.

But it is not love to accuse one who was such a hero of Islam, who deserved the title “Lion of Allah,” and who was the commander and guide of the truthful believers, of feigning love for people whom he did not love out of fear and deception, of pretending agreement with them for more than twenty years, and of submitting to unjust men. Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. would certainly disavow such love.

Indeed, those upon the path of truth in no way diminish Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.., nor do they ascribe immoral qualities to him. They do not attribute cowardice to such a courageous hero. Rather, they say: “If Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. had not regarded the Rightly Guided Caliphs as fit for the caliphate, he would not have acknowledged or obeyed them for even a minute. Since he considered them fit for the caliphate and gave them precedence, he entrusted his effort and courage to the path of truth.”

In short: every form of ifrātExcess or overindulgence. and tafrītDeficiency or neglect; falling short of the proper measure. is blameworthy. IstiqāmahSteadfast adherence to Allah’s commands while avoiding excess and deficiency. is attained through moderation, which the Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ahThe People of the Sunnah and the Community; the mainstream Sunni Muslim tradition, adhering to the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the way of the Muslim community. uphold. Yet unfortunately, the ideas of the KhārijitesAn early Islamic movement that separated from Ali (ra) during the conflict following the Battle of Siffīn and became known for declaring grave sinners and certain Muslim opponents to be outside the faith. have to some extent infiltrated the SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs.; certain political critics and some unbelievers also criticize Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam... They claim that he lacked understanding of politics and was therefore not sufficiently worthy of the caliphate; they say this led to a lack of success during his rule. These baseless accusations against Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. have caused the Shī‘aA branch whose followers hold that Ali and the Imams from his family had a divinely designated right to leadership after Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). to feel offended by the SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs.. Yet the principles and foundations of the Sunni path do not require these views; rather, they prove the opposite. The SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs. cannot be condemned for ideas originating from KhārijitesAn early Islamic movement that separated from Ali (ra) during the conflict following the Battle of Siffīn and became known for declaring grave sinners and certain Muslim opponents to be outside the faith. and unbelievers. Indeed, the SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs. are more faithful followers of Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. than the Shī‘aA branch whose followers hold that Ali and the Imams from his family had a divinely designated right to leadership after Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).. They mention Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.., in all their khutbahs and supplications, with the praise he deserves. And the awliyā(sing. walī) Those who seek the pleasure of Allah and attain elevated spiritual ranks through worship, obedience, and sincerity. and asfiyāThe foremost scholars and spiritual knowers among the awliyā, the great majority of whom belong to the SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs., recognize him as their guide and as the pioneer of walāyahThe spiritual state of a person who has attained high spiritual ranks.. Although there are KhārijitesAn early Islamic movement that separated from Ali (ra) during the conflict following the Battle of Siffīn and became known for declaring grave sinners and certain Muslim opponents to be outside the faith. and unbelievers who oppose both the Shī‘aA branch whose followers hold that Ali and the Imams from his family had a divinely designated right to leadership after Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). and the SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs., the Shī‘aA branch whose followers hold that Ali and the Imams from his family had a divinely designated right to leadership after Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). should not take a hostile stance toward the SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs.. There is even a group among the Shī‘aA branch whose followers hold that Ali and the Imams from his family had a divinely designated right to leadership after Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). who abandon the SunnahThe sayings, actions, and approvals of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) that serve as a model for Muslims. in order to oppose the SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs.. In any case, we have now said enough, since this matter has already been discussed at length by scholars.

O SunnisMuslims who follow Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, recognizing the Qur’an and Sunnah as primary sources of Islam and accepting Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and Ali (ra) as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs., who are the people of truth, and O Shī‘aA branch whose followers hold that Ali and the Imams from his family had a divinely designated right to leadership after Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)., whose path is love for the descendants of the Prophet (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him)! Quickly put an end to this meaningless, faithless, unjust, and harmful dispute between you. Otherwise, the atheistic current, which is now so influential, will use one of you as an instrument against the other, and set one against the other. After it has defeated one, it will destroy that instrument as well. Since you both believe in the Oneness of Allah, and since there are hundreds of fundamental sacred bonds between you that command brotherhood and unity, it is necessary that you leave aside the minor matters that cause division.