The Zaidi Creed As a Rational Godly Belief System
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Zaidi Creed Draft work A compilation of key works explaining the Zaidi perspective on Belief in God Editor: Anwar Shaik 1 Contents Introduction ......................................................................................................... 8 Summary of the Zaidi Islamic Worldview .................................................... 14 Translation of Al-‗Iqdu Ath-Thamīn fi Ma‘rifat Rabbil-‗Alamīn: (Tr. ―The Precious Necklace Concerning Gnosis of the Lord of the Worlds) by Sayyid Amir Al-Hussein bin Muhammad (Badruddīn) bin Ahmed bin Yahya bin Yahya al-Yahyawi al-Hādawi al-Hasani al-Yemeni ......................................... 16 Translator‘s Introduction .............................................................................. 17 The Role of Prophets and Imaams (Leaders) ............................................ 18 Author‘s Biography .................................................................................. 19 The Content of the Book ........................................................................... 19 Translation of Al-‗Iqdu Ath-Thamīn fi Ma‘rifat Rabbil-‗Alamīn: ............... 23 Part 1: Divine Oneness (at-Tawhīd).............................................................. 24 The Proof that Allah Created the World ................................................... 24 Concerning Allah, the Exalted being Omnipotent .................................... 26 Concerning Allah, the Exalted being Omniscient ..................................... 26 Concerning Allah, the Exalted being Ever-Living .................................... 27 Concerning Allah, the Exalted being Pre-Existent ................................... 27 Concerning Allah, the Exalted Hearing and Seeing .................................. 28 Concerning Allah, the Exalted, Not Resembling Anything ...................... 28 Concerning the Verses of Description ...................................................... 30 Concerning Allah, the Exalted Being Independent ................................... 30 Concerning Allah Not Being Seen ............................................................ 31 Concerning Allah, the Exalted Being One ................................................ 32 Divine Justice (al-Adl) .............................................................................. 33 Concerning the Actions of the Slave Being From Them Only ................. 34 Concerning Allah Not Punishing Anyone Except for His Own Sin ......... 36 Concerning Allah Not Decreeing Except in Truth .................................... 37 2 Concerning Allah Not Burdening One Beyond One‘s Capacity............... 38 Concerning Allah Not Committing Any Obscenities ............................... 38 Concerning Allah Not Doing What He Declares as Evil .......................... 39 Part 2: Hereafter and Prophethood ................................................................ 41 Concerning the Promise and Threat (al-Wa‘d wa al-Wa‘īd) .................... 41 Concerning the People of Major Sins ....................................................... 41 Concerning the Characteristics of the Believer and What is His Obligatory Right .......................................................................................................... 43 Concerning the Characteristics of the Disbeliever (Kāfir) ........................ 43 Concerning the Characteristics of the Disobedient (Fāsiq) ....................... 44 Concerning the Difference between Allah‘s Actions and the Slave‘s Actions ...................................................................................................... 45 Concerning the Necessity of Death and Annihilation ............................... 45 Concerning the Intercession ...................................................................... 47 Part 3: Prophethood ....................................................................................... 49 Concerning Knowing the Prophet: ............................................................ 49 Concerning Knowledge of the Qur‘ān ...................................................... 51 Part 4: Ima̅ mate in Zaydism ......................................................................... 53 Ima̅ mate..................................................................................................... 53 Concerning the Ima̅ mate of al-Hassan and al-Hussein ............................. 57 Concerning the Ima̅ mate after Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein ....................... 58 Regarding the proof of the traits of Ima̅ mate that we mentioned: ............ 59 Concerning the Way of Knowing the Specifications of the Ima̅ m ............ 61 Al-Jawāb ar-Rāqi `ala al-Masā‘il al-Irāqi (Answers to the Iraqi‘s Questions) By Sayyid ‗Allāma Yahya bin al-Hussein al-Houthi ....................................... 64 Introduction ................................................................................................... 64 The First Issue: What is the difference between the Zaydi school and the Twelvers? ...................................................................................................... 66 3 Ima̅ mate..................................................................................................... 66 Infallibility of the Ima̅ ms .......................................................................... 86 Temporary Marriage (nikā muta‘) ............................................................ 87 Anal Intercourse with Women .................................................................. 92 The Feet in Ablution (wudu) ..................................................................... 93 The Second Issue: Regarding the issue of infallibility–Who is infallible? ... 94 Third Issue: When was the 12er school created? .......................................... 95 Fourth Issue: What is obligatory regarding the distribution of the fifth of one‘s wealth (khums)? .................................................................................. 95 Fifth Issue: Is it permissible for women to visit the graves, can she do so along with men? ............................................................................................ 97 Sixth Issue: Who are the People of the House? ............................................ 97 Seventh Issue: Is it permissible to visit graves, kiss (taqbīl) them, and circumambulate them like the circumambulation of the Ka‘ba? What does the visitor say? .............................................................................................. 97 Eighth Issue: What is intercession and what is its use? .............................. 101 Hadīth of the Two Weighty Things ............................................................ 109 Hadīth of the Ark ........................................................................................ 112 Hadīth of the Stars (an-Nujūm) ................................................................... 112 Verse of Affection ................................................................................... 114 Incident of the Cloak (al-Kisā).................................................................... 116 Hadīth of the Pond (al-Ghadīr) ................................................................... 119 ‗Ali‘s Adjuration (munāshada) in the Courtyard (ar-Rahba) ...................... 122 Hadīth of Position (al-Manzila) .................................................................. 125 Hadīth of Love (al-Hubb) ........................................................................... 127 Ima̅ m Zaid ibn Ali ibn al Husayn‘s Biography Compiled By Muhammad Yahya Salem ‗Azzan Reviewed and Approved by Badrul Deen ibn Amir uddeen Al Houthi ............................................................................................................. 135 Introduction ................................................................................................. 135 4 Preface ........................................................................................................ 138 Pre-Birth ...................................................................................................... 139 Life-Stages and Personality Development .................................................. 142 Birth and Blooming of Ima̅ m Zayd ......................................................... 142 The Environment and Circumstances Surrounding Ima̅ m Zayd‘s Development ........................................................................................... 144 Personality Features ................................................................................ 147 Devotion and Reverence ......................................................................... 147 His Courage ............................................................................................ 148 His Articulation and Eloquence .............................................................. 149 His Austerity and Self-Discipline ........................................................... 150 Sincerity and Altruism ............................................................................ 151 As a Scholar ............................................................................................ 152 Ima̅ m Zayd: Kin and Fellow of the Quran .............................................. 153 Explaining the Qur‘anic Text .................................................................. 154 Ima̅ m Zayd: Refined by the Sunnah ....................................................... 161 Ima̅ m Zayd and Rationality....................................................................