Who is the friend of Allah?

There remain some other criticisms that do not deserve defaming and frightening. These things, which are criticized unfairly by the Sunni, are mentioned among the Shia, in the past and present, as  

recommendable and a cause of blessedness, such as the adding of a part to the azan and eqama[1] by saying, “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah”.

All the Shia have agreed that this part is not a basic part of the azan or the eqama and that it was available in the azan at the time of the Prophet (a.s.). They have agreed that considering it a basic part of the azan or the eqama invalidates both the azan and the eqama. This is the belief of the ulama and religious authorities of the Shia.

As long as the truth is our goal, the sayings of Allah and His messenger are our sayings and their contentment is our aim and intention. And as long as we face criticism from some of our (Sunni) brothers, so we have to approve from others what we approve from ourselves, and find ugly from ourselves what we find ugly from others.

We criticized Umar ibn al-Khattab in our previous studies for his adding “prayer is better than sleep” to the azan and omitting “come on to the best of deeds” from it, and said that it was impermissible because it was a heresy that was not available at the time of the Prophet (a.s.). We were not convinced by their saying that “prayer is better than sleep” was mentioned only in the azan of the Fajr (dawn) Prayer and their justifying that in the dawn, man would be in the best moments of his sleep and rest; therefore, “prayer is better than sleep” would be used to encourage him to give up his rest and get ready for prayer.

It was nice speech, justifying and defending the matter, but we denied it, because the clear texts would not submit to personal opinions and desires. We said, “Whatever the messenger of Allah (a.s.) did not do is heretical.”

On this basis, we say to the Shia the same speech and argue against them with the same argument. There should be no difference between these and those.

Therefore, we confess that “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah” is extra in the azan, because the messenger of Allah (a.s.) did not say or order it, nor did the infallible imams (a.s.) do it. If they really did it, we would find some proofs for it. If they did it, then it would not be permissible for the ulama of the Shia and their religious authorities to consider the azan and eqama as null when this statement is mentioned as an actual part of them (the azan and the eqama) as we have said before.

Fairness and justice require us to say the word of the truth, and not to deny the Sunni for something while we ourselves do the like. Allah says:

What! do you enjoin men to be good and neglect your own souls while you read the Book; have you then no sense?[1]

Once, one of the Shia said to me, “O my brother, do not mix between “prayer is better than sleep” and “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah”!

I said, “Why? Prayer is really better than sleep, and Ali is really the saint of Allah, but they are parts added later on, and the messenger of Allah (a.s.) did not do that.”

He said, “But the guardianship of Imam Ali (a.s.) has been revealed in the Qur'an, and you yourself have acknowledged that in your book “Then I was Guided”.”

I said, “So, the messenger of Allah (a.s.) was to be blamed, for he did not make that in the azan!!! Not everything that has been revealed in the Qur'an is to be added to the azan or eqama, and not my acknowledgment that it has been revealed in the Qur'an makes  

it necessary to be added to the azan or eqama.

Is it right for one to recite, for example, in the azan, “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, bear witness that Adam is the choice of Allah, bear witness that Noah is the prophet of Allah, bear witness that Abraham is the friend of Allah, bear witness that Moses is the spoken to by Allah, bear witness that Jesus is the Holy Spirit of Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the beloved one of Allah”? All these facts are true and they have come in the Qur'an.

However, we cannot recite that in the azan, because the messenger of Allah (a.s.) has taught us to recite in the azan only the two witnesses “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”. We must abide by the saying of Allah:

…and whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back.[1]

It is true that some of the Shia ulama do not mention “I bear witness that Ali is the saint of Allah” in the azan or the eqama. I offered the prayer with some of them and did not hear them say that-they might mention that in their hearts and this is something else. However, there are some of the Shia, who suspect the loyalty and faith of whoever does not mention that in the azan or the eqama.”

My opponent, praise be to Allah, was convinced; though, he said to me that he could not give it up, because his tongue had been used to it since his childhood.

I say this and I am certain that some of the Shia shall not approve it, because man, by his nature, is an enemy to what he ignores, and that the satisfaction of all people is an unreachable goal.[2]

As I have said before in this book, I do not flatter anyone nor do I seek his satisfaction (with me) whatever high position he has. I only seek the satisfaction of my conscience through the satisfaction of Allah, His messenger, and the infallible imams (a.s.) who are my imams and masters, at the head of whom is Imam Ali (a.s.).

In the deep of my soul, I am certain that Imam Ali (a.s.) would be pleased with those, who try to guide people to the right path more than he would be with some of his Shia and lovers, who bear witness in every azan and eqama that he is the saint of Allah, but they do not do anything to guide people towards this guardianship (of Imam Ali) or to prove the truth to them (people). In fact, they may make people alienate, and unknowingly keep them away from getting to the truth.

Would Imam Ali (a.s.) be pleased when we bear witness of his guardianship and sainthood while we stop as a big obstacle before those who search for the truth? Certainly not!

I often argued with obstinate people in the best manner, but I found in them a psychological obstacle preventing them from keeping on argument in order to get to the truth. I tried to destroy that obstacle daringly with a certain heart for keeping on researching and getting to the sought goal. Then, I found that the obstinate ones advanced little by little with me and broke the psychological obstacles. In most of times and about eighty percent, they acknowledged the truth and were guided to the guardianship of Ameerul Mo'minin Imam Ali (a.s.) and the guardianship of the infallible imams (a.s.) after him.

Once, I was in Poona and Jabalpur in India. I met there with a big

prove to you that the Holy Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunna impose on every Muslim to be a Shia following the messenger of Allah and his immaculate progeny (peace be on them).

You are not required to prove and believe in this infallibility in order to get to the sought goal, which is the adherence to the saints of Allah and His messenger and to be free from the enemies of Allah and His messenger. You are, as well, not required to bear witness of Imam Ali’s guardianship and sainthood in the azan, and not required to believe in all what the Shia narrate on Ali and his progeny that you consider as excessiveness and extravagancy. Imam Ali (a.s.) is much greater than to prove for him a virtue that is considered as one of miracles and say that Allah the Almighty has returned the sun to him because he missed the Afternoon Prayer, or the earth was shrunk for him to travel from Medina to Mada’in in order to ritually wash Salman al-Farisi (after his death) and come back on the same day, which was a distance of some month’s travel at that time.

These narrations concern miracles of the Unknown, and a Muslim is free to or not believe in them, for they shall neither increase nor decrease his faith. However, we are required to believe that Imam Ali (a.s.) was the successor of the Prophet (a.s.) and the best of all people after him and that the Prophet (a.s.) had appointed him as his successor over the nation after his death.

We have to prove that Ameerul Mo'minin Ali (a.s.) was the gate of the city of the Prophet’s knowledge and there was no one more knowledgeable than him in the nation at all. We have to prove that he was most courageous of all the companions and the most loyal of all of them at wars and difficulties, and that by his sword and courage Islam became strong and firm. We have to prove that he was the first of all to believe in Islam, he was the most loyal in all the battles, and that he sacrificed everything to preserve Islam after the Prophet (a.s.); therefore, following him is obligatory on every Muslim.

We have to prove that he was the only one who spared no effort to enliven the Book of Allah and the Sunna of the Prophet after they

were about to be buried. We have to prove that he was the most ascetic to the worldly life among all human beings, and the nearest to Allah in all his behaviors and doings. We have to prove that he was the most just and fair of all people at all, and most pious to Allah, and that he fought the nakithin (breakers of covenant) (in the battle of al-Jamal-the camel), the qasitin (the unjust) (in the battle of Siffin), and the mariqin (renegades) (in the battle of an-Nahrawan) to preserve Islam and Muslims.

We have to prove that Muhammad (a.s.) was the first and Ali (a.s.) was the second, and the were the best of Allah’s creation at all.

Yes! We have to prove all that from the Qur'an, the true Prophetic Sunna, and the true history, and show clear evidences and convincing arguments that are irrefutable.

But, if we repeat that Allah had created Muhammad and Ali one hundred thousand years before He created Adam, and that all the prophets and messengers prayed Allah the Almighty by the right of Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn, or that it has been written on the leg of the Throne that “Ali is the saint of Allah”, it is something else, and it neither benefits nor take us to the sought goal. We cannot convince others with these things, for we do not have any scientific proof on them. If we insist on proving the miracles, the infallibility, or the guardianship of Ali (a.s.), each side will insist on his situation and be fanatic, because the Sunni narrate on Abu Bakr and Umar more than what the Shia narrate on Imam Ali (a.s.) and his progeny. In this case, time shall be wasted in unfruitful disputes, and the Sunni shall accuse the Shia of being extravagant to their imams, and then the Shia shall accuse the Sunni of being extravagant to the three caliphs especially and to the companions in general, and thus the dispute shall remain unfruitful.

O brothers, today, we are required to show clear arguments and scientific proofs. I do not argue with you except by reasonable and traditional proofs that have been proved by history, reality, and what all Muslims, Sunni and Shia, have agreed on. I pray Allah to

guide us all to the truth.”

After we had spent that night until the dawn in scientific argumentation and logical discussion, most of them turned to the truth and longingly read the book “Then I was Guided”. Two days later, they came to farewell me before my travel while thanking Allah for guiding them to His Right Path, and wishing to know the beliefs of the Twelver Shia and to read their books.

One of them became alone with me, and I think he was the emir of the group as they called him, and said after thanking me and offering compliments, “I met with the Shia in Egypt, Sudan, and in India here, but no one of them could convince me like what you did.”

I said, “The book Then I was Guided convinced many researchers and this is from the favor of Allah to me, so I often praise and thank Him.”

He said, “I did not yet read your book, because I am busy with examinations, and I do not read any book except when I am tranquil.”

I said, “Then, how were you convinced whereas you did not read the book?”

He said, “On that night when you began your talking by putting aside the “infallibility”, “Ali is the saint of Allah”, and many other concepts that the Shia adopt, I admired your talks, because you talked to people with what they understood. If you kept to those concepts, the argumentation would be unfruitful and that night would be vain. However, you knew the truth and could guide us to it. If you give a lecture in Sudan before the university students, you will make them all turn Shia by this way and method.”

I thanked him for his kind feelings and asked him to read the book (Then I was Guided) and send me his notes on it. We embraced each other, while our hearts were beating with the love and loyalty to the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).