Thursday 27 August 2020

Akhbaris and penalty for tatbir

Overview: As a follow-up to the earlier post regarding the Akhbari view of tatbir, this post highlights the fatwa about the required penalty for tatbir. While the previous post had mentioned the penalty for inflicting cuts/scratches on others (including with their consent), this post mentions the explicit fatwa about the required penalty for doing tatbir specifically on one's self. Similar to the previous post, this post does not cover the views of earlier Akhbari scholars as tatbir did not exist in their time so they did not speak about it. Interestingly, while many Usuli scholars have also discouraged or prohibited tatbir, to varying degrees, however - as far as I know - none have imposed a penalty for it.

Note: Since tatbir is a modern phenomenon, to investigate the Akhbari view of tatbir, one needs to examine the views of latter and contemporary Akhbaris. For this purpose, this post covers the view of the contemporary well known traditional Akhbari, Al-Asfoor family in Bahrain (Shaikh Yusuf al Bahrani was their most famous scholar). This post does not cover the views of modern Indian Akhbaris*.

أكد تحريم فقهاء الشيعة للتطبير‮.. ‬العصفور‮:‬
التطبير طارئ على البحرين وهو ليس من الشعائر الحسينية
جريدة الأيام ـ   الاثنين  21  يناير 2008

(Press release headline on website of Shaikh Muhsin Al al Asfoor, for his meeting with 'Al-Ayyam' newspaper on Monday 21 January 2008) Confirms Shia jurists' prohibition of tatbir.. Al-Asfoor: Tatbir is a state of emergency on Bahrain and is not a part of symbols of [mourning] Hussain.

كتب‮ - ‬محرر الشؤون المحلية‮:‬

Written by editor of local affairs

أشاد قاضي‮ ‬محكمة الاستئناف العليا الشرعية الجعفرية الشيخ محسن العصفور بالبيانات التي‮ ‬أصدرتها المآتم والحسينيات في‮ ‬المحرق والدراز ودمستان ضد ممارسة التطبير في‮ ‬عاشوراء وإعلانها عدم تحمل مسؤولية تصرفات المطبرين خلال مواكب العزاء‮.‬
ودعا العصفور الى منع بقية المطبرين في‮ ‬بقية المناطق من هذه الممارسة التي‮ ‬وصفها إنها طارئة على البحرين وعلى الممارسات العزائية عند الشيعة‮.‬
وأكد العصفور خلال لقاء مع‮ »‬الأيام‮« ‬حرمة ادماء الرأس والجسم،‮ ‬ووجوب الكفارة على المطبرين بصيام شهرين متتابعين او اطعام ستين مسكيناً  عن ارتكاب هذا الفعل،‮ ‬ووجوب دفع دية الشجاج على من‮ ‬يقوم بإدماء الآخرين وشج رؤوسهم‮.‬
واضاف أن فقهاء البحرين الأقدمين ومنهم الشيخ‮ ‬يوسف والشيخ حسين والشيخ عبدالله الستري‮ ‬وبقية فقهاء الشيعة في‮ ‬النجف وقم ولبنان‮ ‬يحرمون إدماء البدن ووجوب الكفارة بدون مسوغ‮ ‬شرعي

Judge of Ja'fari Shariah Supreme Court of Appeals, Shaikh Muhsin al Asfoor, praised the statements released by Hussainias and mourning centres in Muharraq, Diraz and Damistan in opposition to the practise of tatbir on Ashura, and their declaration of non-liability for actions of those doing tatbir during azadari processions. Al-Asfoor also called for forbidding rest of the tatbir practitioners in rest of the regions from this practise, which he described as being a state of emergency on Bahrain and Shi'ite azadari rituals.

During meeting with "Al-Ayyam", Al-Asfoor stressed on the prohibition of blood letting from the head and body, and the obligation of kaffarah on the ones doing tatbir, to fast for two consecutive months or feed sixty needy people due to carrying out this act; and the obligation of paying injury compensation on the one who does blood-letting of others and slashes their heads. He added that the earlier jurists in Bahrain - including Shaikh Yusuf al Bahrani, Shaikh Hussain [Al al Asfoor] and Shaikh Abdullah al Satri - and rest of the jurists in Najaf, Qum and Lebanon prohibited blood-letting and ordained kaffarah [for it] if done without religious justification.

*Robert Gleave, in his book "Scripturalist Islam_ The History and Doctrines of the Akhbari Shi'i School" (page 300) provides the following information about contemporary Indian Akhbaris:
 There remains to this day a vibrant Akhbari community in Hydarabad*. Whether these modern Indian Akhbaris should be seen as a continuation of the school of the early Akhbari Husayn b. Shihab al-Din al-Karaki, or connected with Mirza Muhammad's influence or as an entirely different branch of the school, requires further research. 
*Led by one Syed Waheed Uddin Hyder Jaffery Akhbari, see www.akhbari.org (accessed 30.6.06).


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Monday 15 June 2020

Mainstream shi'ite beliefs until the mid second century Hijri


مفاتيح عملية الاستنباط الفقهي (478)

478th lecture in the "Keys to deriving jurisprudential rulings" series (part of 'Dars al kharij' level lectures) by Ayatullah Kamal al Haydari

ما هو اعتقاد ابان بن تغلب في التشيع؟ وما هو تعريف التشيع عند أبان؟ هذه القضية مهمة جداً، أن ابان الذي هو ثقة جلدٌ صدوقٌ ومن اعيان اصحابنا نسأله، التشيع في زمان الامام السجاد والباقر والصادق ما هو؟ هذا كتاب رجال النجاشي صفحة 12، الرواية هذه عن عبد الرحمن بن حجاج قال كنا في مجلس ابان بن تغلب فجاءه شابٌ فقال يا ابا سعيد اخبرني كم شهد مع علي بن ابي طالب من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وآله؟ يعني عندما دخل المعارك في صفين وجمل وغيره هل كان معه من أصحاب رسول الله أم لم يكن؟ طبعاً من المئات أصحاب رسول الله كانوا مع الامام امير المؤمنين ولم يكن في الطرف الاخر الا بعدد الاصابع، فقال له أبان: كأنك تريد أن تعرف فضل عليٍ بمن تبعه من أصحاب رسول الله، فقال الرجل هو ذاك، فقال: والله ما عرفنا فضلهم الا باتباعهم إياه، إلى أن يقول: يا فلان أتدري من الشيعة؟ الشيعة الذين إذا اختلف الناس عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله أخذوا بقول علي عليه السلام، واذا اختلف الناس عن عليٍ أخذوا بجعفر بن محمد الصادق عليهما أفضل الصلاة والسلام، أين العصمة؟ يعرف الشيعة، لو كان تعريف التشيع يتوقف على الاعتقاد بالعصمة لذكره ابان؛ لانه الان في مقام التعريف، والتعريف لابد أن يكون جامعاً ومانعاً، لا يمكن أن يقول هذه قضية مهملة، هذه ليست قضية مهمة يبين من التشيع؟ التشيع انه اذا اختلف الناس عن رسول الله فالحجية والطاعة وافتراض الطاعة لعلي، واذا اختلف الناس عن علي فالطاعة لجعفر بن محمد

What is the belief of Aban b. Taghlib in Tashayyu? What is the definition of tashayyu according to Aban? This is a very important matter, as Aban is a reliable, staunch [shia], very truthful, and an icon among our companions. We are asking him: "What was tashayyu in the days of Imam al Sajjad, al Baqir, and al Sadiq?" This book is "Rijal al Najashi", [on] page 12, there is the narration from Abdur Rahman b. Hajjaj, who said: "We were sitting with Aban b. Taghlib, then a youth came to him and asked: How many companions of the Prophet (pbuh) fought on Imam Ali's side?" [explanatory commentary by Ayatullah Kamal al Haydari] as in, when Imam Ali entered the wars of Siffin and Jumal, did he have the companions of the Prophet on his side or not? Naturally, there were hundreds of companions on Imam Ali's side, while the opponents had so few that they could be counted on fingers. [Narration continues] "Aban answered: [It seems] as if you want to gauge the merit of Ali based on who followed him among the companions of the Prophet? The [young] man answered: Exactly! Aban replied: I swear to Allah, we [instead] do not acknowledge their merit unless they followed him. Aban went on to say: Do you know who is a 'Shia'? 'Shia' are those, when the people differ about [teachings of] Prophet, they refer to the judgement of Ali. And when the people differ about Ali, they refer to the judgement of Ja'far b. Muhammad." [Ayatullah Kamal al Haydari's explanation] Where is the infallibility? He [Aban] knows the Shia, so if the definition of Tashayyu relied on the belief in infallibility then Aban would have mentioned it because he is speaking in the context of defining, and the definition must be comprehensive and exhaustive, it is not possible for him to use the excuse 'it was just a trivial matter' [because] is not defining tashayyu an important matter? Therefore, Tashayyu is, when people differ about the Prophet, then authority and obligatory obedience is for Ali; and when people differ about Ali, then obedience is for Ja'far b. Muhammad.
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Saturday 2 March 2019

Twelve Imams of the Shia: Divine leaders or righteous and pious scholars?

رجال الكشي - ج1 - 246 :

Rijal Kashi, Vol 1 Page 246

6- محمد بن الحسن البرانی وعثمان ، قالا حدثنا محمد بن یزداد، عن محمد بن الحسین ، عن الحجال ، عن أبی مالک الحضرمی، عن أبی العباس البقباق ، قال تدارأ ابن أبی یعفور ومعلی بن خنیس ، فقال ابن أبی یعفور الأوصیاء علماء أبرار أتقیاء، و قال ابن خنیس الأوصیاء أنبیاء، قال فدخلا علی أبی عبد الله ( ع ) قال ، فلما استقر مجلسهما، قال ،فبدأهما أبو عبد الله ( ع ) فقال یا عبد الله ابرأ ممن قال إنا أنبیاء. 

Muhammad b. al Hasan al Barani and Uthman said, Muhammad b. Yazdad reported to us from Muhammad b. al Hasan, [who narrated] from al Hujal, from Abi Malik al Hadhrami, from abi al Abbas al Baqbaq, who said: "Ibn Abi Ya'foor and Mu'alla b. Khunais were debating, so ibn abi Ya'foor said: 'Successors [of the Prophet] are righteous and pious scholars', while ibn Khunais said: 'Successors [of the Prophet] are prophets.' So when the session got prolonged, Imam Ja'fer al Sadiq approached them and said: 'Abdullah [bin abi Ya'foor], I dissociate from the one who says we are prophets.' "

قال السيد الخوئي في كتابه معجم رجال الحديث (ج267/19) : الرواية صحيحة 

قال حسين الساعدي في كتابه معلى بن خنيس (81) : رواة الرواية كلّهم ثقات فالرواية صحيحة 

Grading:
Sahih: "Mu'jam Rijal al Hadith" by Ayatullah Khoei, Vol 19 P 267
All narrators are trustworthy, report is 'sahih': "Mu'lla b. Khunais" Page 81, by Ayatullah Hussain al Sa'di

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Saturday 29 December 2018

Can the Imams obtain knowledge of ghaib?

Overview: Previous posts have discussed topics such as whether the Imams (as) have qualities such as knowledge of ghaib and knowing all languages, as well as the origins of the belief that they possess knowledge of ghaib. Many readers had argued that even if it is proven that they do not inherently have knowledge of ghaib, ahadith state that whenever the Imams (as) want to know something then they know it. While it is true that there is a whole section in Kafi on that, but all ahadith in it are weak. Nevertheless, this post discusses how those ahadith (regardless of their unreliability) have been interpreted by scholars to be related to religious knowledge only and not knowledge of ghaib.

"Knowledge of the Imam is inherent or obtained?" by Shaikh Ali Ibrahim Abdul Aal, published on "Al Qalam" magazine (run by Bahraini Hawza students in Qum, established under the supervision of Ayatullah Isa Ahmad Qasim's office)

في سؤال وجه إلى العلامة في أنّه هل يوجد تنافي بين كون علمهم (عليهم السلام) موروثاً من النبي (صلَّى الله عليه وآله) وبين الروايات الناصّة على أنّهم «إذا شاؤوا علموا»؟ فأجاب العلامة ما ترجمته بأنّ علمهم الذي تلقوه على قسمين: قسم مثل البديهيات لا يغيب عن خاطرهم أبداّ، وقسم آخر يحتاج إلى التأمل والالتفات والذي يكون على نحو أنّهم «إذا شاؤوا علموا» وهذا الثاني يشبه ملكة الاجتهاد التي تكون عند الفقيه المجتهد، من حيث إنّه في سائر أوقاته لا يكون ملتفتاً إليها ولكن متى ما تعرض إليه الناس بمسألة أو مسائل وحصل له التوجه النفساني فإنّه يتمكن من الإجابة، وهكذا الإمام (عليه السلام) متى ما توجه إلى مقام النورانية فإنّ المطالب تصير حاضرة عنده

In response to the question of is there a contradiction between the Imams (as) inheriting knowledge from the Prophet (pbuh) and the narrations which state that "when they (as) want [to know ghaib] then they know it" - posed to Ayatullah Syed Muhammad Hussain Tabatabai - he replied that the knowledge of the Imams (as) is of 2 types. The first type consists of basic general knowledge which is always present with them and is never hidden from them, and the second type requires concentration and focus - and is of the type "when they want [to know it] they know it" - and this second type is similar to the skill of ijtehad (deducing Islamic laws) which is possessed by the mujtahid (Islamic jurist), in the sense that the mujtahid does not exercise ijtehad round the clock but whenever people present to him religious questions and he gets the opportunity for mental focus, he is then able to answer those questions. Similar to this, when the Imam (as) focuses with spirituality, then the required knowledge is gained by him (as).*

*Translator's note: Scholars say that piety aids in seeking Islamic knowledge, and this is exactly the case with the Imams (as), as they used to focus with piety so Allah made the acquisition of Islamic knowledge, not ghaib, easy for them.

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Saturday 22 September 2018

Origins of the belief that Imams (as) have knowledge of ghaib

'Al Maqalat wal Firaq'* by Sa'd b. Abdullah al Ash'ari al Qummi (d. 301 AH), Page 44 (Original Arabic page posted at the bottom of the post)

*Translator's note: The earliest extant work about the early history and development of shi'ism, and the early sects within it (please refer to Allamah Syed Muhammad Reda al Jalali's research for details).

"And one of their sects believed that he [Abdullah b. Muawiyah b. Abdullah b. al Ja'far] died and did not bequeath to anyone, and there is no Imam after him. So they became confused among the shi'ite ranks, and did not refer to anyone [as their Imam]. These sects, 'Kaysaniah, 'Harbiyah' and 'Mughiriah'*, from these the 'Humisiah' and 'Mughiriah' splintered off. All of these sects believe that Imam Ali (as), and his (as) sons Imam Hasan (as), Imam Hussain (as) and Muhammad b. al Hanafiyah know what has occurred in the past and what will occur in the future, and obeying all of them is obligatory; and then the command passed on to Imam al Baqir (as) who is the leader whose obedience is obligatory."

*Translator's note: These were all ghali sects, and many of their members ultimately settled onto the imamate of Imam al Baqir (as). Arguably, the members of 'mughiriah' sect among these were the most influential in infiltrating ghali beliefs into Imami Shi'ism. Mughira b. Saeed was the leader of the mughiriah sect, which is an offshoot of the kaysanite sect. Kaysanites are the followers of Muhammad b. al Hanafiyyah (and most of its member participate in Mukhtar al Thaqafi's revolt, who claimed he had the patronage of Muhammad b. al Hanafiyyah), and the mughiria claimed that after Muhammad b. al Hanafiyyah the imamate passed onto his son Abu Hashim, and then Abu Hashim bequeathed Abdullah b. Muawiyah b. Abdullah b. Jafar (husband of Syeda Zaynab), who in turn bequeathed the imamate to Mughirah b. Saeed. Imam Ja'fer al Sadiq (as) had especially warned about ahadith forged in his father Imam al Baqir (as)'s name by Mughira. 


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Saturday 14 July 2018

Akhbaris and tatbir

Synopsis: This post briefly covers the view of tatbir among akhbari scholars, as explained by Shaikh Muhsin Al Asfoor (Akhbari scholar from Bahrain, belonging to the family of Shaikh Yousuf al Bahrani, and a serving member of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Bahrain), in response to a question posed by the Al Watan News team, on his website. Unfortunately this post does not cover the view of earlier akhbari scholars such as Shaikh Hurr al Amili, Mulla Baqir Majlisi, Syed Hashim al Bahrani etc, as tatbir was not there in their times hence they did not speak about it.

حكم التطبير وتاريخه ومشروعيته
Tatbir's ruling and its history

السؤال :
Question

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
حضرة الشيخ محسن ال عصفورالمحترم
تحية طيبة وبعد

يجري قسم التحقيقات موضوعا عن التطبير في موسم عاشوراء، ويتناول التحقيق الموضوع من جوانبه المختلفة، وخصوصا فيما يتعلق بالجانب الشرعي، إذ نتمنى مشاركتكم فيها وذلك لإثراء الموضوع:-

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. After greetings to respected Shaikh Muhsin al Asfoor.

Tatbir tends to be under examination during the days of Ashura, from different perspectives, especially the religious perspective. Therefore we would like you also to share your thoughts due to the importance of the topic

- هناك حكمين للتطبير أحدهما يحلله والآخر يحرمه، فإلى اي حكم الشرعي تميل، ولماذا؟
- ما رأيك في استبدال التطبير بحملات التبرع بالدم؟
- من أين نشات فكرة التطبير؟
- ما هي الآثار المرتبة على التطبير؟

- There are 2 views regarding tatbir, one considers it halal other considers it haram which side are you inclined and why?

- What is your view on donating blood instead of doing tatbir?

- From where did tatbir originate?

- What are the rulings on the issues of tatbir?

مع جزيل الشكر والتقدير
وفاء العم
صحيفة الوطن
قسم التحقيقات

Thank you
Al Watan News
Department of Resaerch

الجواب :
Answer

- هناك حكمين للتطبير أحدهما يحلله والآخر يحرمه، فإلى اي حكم الشرعي تميل، ولماذا؟

المندوب اليه هو اظهار العزاء ومظاهرالحزن على ما حل على أهل البيت من مصائب من نياحة وتفجع ولطم الصدوراداءاً لحق منزلتهم من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وامتثالاً لواجب مودتهم كما في قوله تعالى : ( قل لا أسألكم عليه أجراً الا المودة في القربي ) أما ما يصل الى حد ادماء الجسد في الصدر او الظهر بالضرب بالزنجيل أو التطبير في الرأس فالذي دلت عليه الأدلة الفقهية وصرح بمضمونها سائر الفقهاء على امتداد القرون الماضية هو حرمة هذا الفعل وقد افردوا في احكام الجنائز وسنن التشييع ومراسيم العزاء على المتوفى فصلاً يتناول احكام اظهار الحزن وحدوده

What is recommended is expressing grief upon the sufferings of the ahlulbayt, due to their [close] position to the Prophet (pbuh) and the obligation to have love for them as Allah (swt) says 'Say: I do not ask you for compensation for this, except for love in kinship', by reciting eulogies, lamenting and beating the chest. As for blood-letting on the chest or back by striking them with sharp chains, or hitting the head with knives; then what is seen in Islamic jurisprudential evidences and the explicit view of the scholars going back up to the past centuries, is that this is haram. The scholars, while writing about the rulings of funerals and mourning rituals, have written dedicated sections on the rulings for expressing grief and its boundaries.

والنص صراحة على حرمة نتف الشعر وخدش الجلد وجز الشعر وتشويه الخلقة واظهار السخط ولو على اعز الأعزة من الأبناء والأباء والأزواج إلا أنه لم يستثن أحد من الفقهاء منه ما كان في إحياء العزاء على مصائب أهل البيت عليهم السلام فيفهم منه عموم الحكم.

وقد روى خالد بن سدير قال : " سألت ابا عبد الله يعني الامام الصادق ( عليه السلام ) عن رجل شق ثوبه على ابيه أو على امه أو على اخيه أو على قريب له ؟ قال لا بأس بشق الجيوب فقد شق موسى بن عمران على اخيه هارون ( عليهما السلام ) ولا يشق الوالد على والده ولا زوج علىامرأته وتشق المرأة على زوجها ، وإذا شق الزوج على امرأته أو والد على والده فكفارته حنث يمين ولا صلاة لهما حتى يكفرا أو يتوبا من ذلك ، وإذا خدشت المرأة وجهها أو جزت شعرها أو نتفته ففي جز الشعر عتق رقبة أو صيام شهرين متتابعين أو اطعام ستين مسكينا وفى الخدش إذا دميت وفى النتف كفارة حنث يمين ، ولا شئ في اللطم على الخدود سوى الاستغفار والتوبة ، ولقد شققن الجيوب ولطمن الخدود الفاطميات على الحسين بن علي ( عليهما السلام ) وعلى مثله تلطم الخدود وتشق الجيوب "

وما يقال بأن السيدة العقيلة زينب كانت قد ضربت رأسها بمقدم المحمل فسال الدم من راسها كلام مردود بما ثبت تاريخياً من ان الامام الحسين عليه السلام كان قد وصاها بوصايا ليلة العاشر من المحرم واخبرها بما سيجري عليه وعلى اهل بيته واصحابه يوم العاشر وما ينبغي عليها ان تظهره من صمود وصبر وجلد فلم تر مثكولة اربط جأشاً وامضى عزيمة واثبت فؤاداً منها يوم العاشر وما بعده وقد سجل التاريخ مواقفها العظيمة وصمودها المنقطع النظير وهذا الثابت التاريخي الذي هو دراية لا يعارض برواية .

The explicit Islamic law based on the Quran and ahadith is that it is haram to pluck the hair [from the head], severely scratching the skin, shaving the hair [of the beard], distorting the creation and expressing exasperation, even while mourning the loss of one's children, parents or spouse; and none of the scholars have declared an exception to this for the mourning of the ahlulbayt, therefore it is understood that this ruling is general.

Khalid b. Sadir has reported: I asked Imam al Sadiq (as) about a man who tears his clothe while mourning his father, mother, brother, or some other close relative? Imam (as) replied: "It is ok to tear the upper-front of the shirt, Musa (as) did it for his brother Harun (as). But it should not be done by the father for his child or by the husband for his wife, the wife may do so for her husband though. If the husband does so for the wife or the father for the child, then their fine is the same as for breaking a vow and their prayers would not be accepted till they pay the fine or repent. If a woman [while mourning] scratches her face, or plucks or shaves her hair, then for shaving the hair the fine is to either release a slave, or fast consecutively for two months, or feed sixty needy people. As for the scratching that leads to bleeding, or for plucking the hair, the fine is the same as for breaking a vow. There is no fine for slapping one's cheeks, it suffices to repent for that. The women from the family of Fatima (as) had torn their shirts' upper fronts and slapped their cheeks at the martyrdom of Hussain (as), and for his (as) like it is ok to slap the cheeks and tear the shirt's upper front."

As for what is said regarding Syeda Zaynab, that she struck her head on the carriage and blood flowed from her head, this is false as it is a historical fact that Imam Hussain (as) had bequeathed her on the night of tenth Muharram, informing her what is going to befall upon him (as) and his (as) family and companions on the day of tenth Muharram, and the patience and steadfastness she is expected to show. [Accordingly] she did not appear tired and defeated; and stayed steadfast throughout tenth Muharram and afterwards. History has recorded her great patience and steadfastness and this is an established historical fact, which cannot be contested by a solitary report.

وما يقال من ان الفقهاء قد افتوا قديماً وحديثاً باستحباب التطبير فلم نر له ذكر ولا أثر قبل ثمانين سنة على ابعد التقادير وما يقال انه من باب تعظيم شعائر الله فليس له وجه يعتد به
وأما انه من مظاهر المودة لأهل البيت فليس بثابت
وأما الاستناد الى قوله عليه السلام : (رحم الله من أحياً أمرنا ) فالمراد يتعلم علوم ائمة اهل البيت ويعلمها الناس كما دل عليه بقية الخبر
وأما قول الإمام الرضا(عليه السلام)( إن يوم الحسين أقرح جفوننا) وما ورد عن الحجة المهدي صاحب الأمر سلام الله عليه في زيارة الناحية المقدسة (لأبكين عليك بدل الدموع دماً... حتى أموت بلوعة المصاب وغصة الاكتياب) فهي من الأساليب البلاغية المجازية للاشعار بعظم الحزن والمصاب الجلل ولا يؤخذ بظاهره كما هو معروف متسالم عليه .

As for what is said that the scholars of the past and present have issued fatawa declaring tatbir to be mustahab, so we have seen no sign or trace of this before any earlier than the past eighty years at best. As for what is said that it is for honouring the signs of Allah (swt), so there is no basis for this. As for it being among the expressions of love for ahlulbayt, so this is not proven. As for the saying of Imam (as): "May Allah (swt) bless the one who revives our legacy", so it is for spreading the knowledge of ahlulbayt and teaching it to the people, as seen by the rest of the report. As for the saying of Imam al Reda (as): "On the day [of martyrdom] of Hussain (as) our eyelids are blistered" and Imam al Mahdi (as): "I will cry upon you with blood instead of tears.....till I die in suffering and swallowing the severe grief", so these are metaphorical expressions of poetic eloquence symbolising the tremendous grief and suffering, and are not meant to be taken literally as is well known and unanimously accepted.

- ما رأيك في استبدال التطبير بحملات التبرع بالدم؟
What is your opinion regarding substituting tatbir with blood donation?

نحن ندعو الى كل عمل مشروع جائز وسائغ فضلاً عن كونه راجحاً فيه نفع عام وفائدة لمجتمعاتناوالتبرع بالدم من الأمور الانسانية العظيمة التي يمكن استثمارها في ايام محرم الحرام وقد ساهمت مساهمات كبرى وفاعلة لا سابق لها خلال السنوات الماضية في تأمين احتياجات مستشفيات البحرين من حاجته من الدم وانقذت الآلاف من المرضى من المواطنين والمقيمين من جميع الجنسيات والديانات بل امتدت حتى الى خارج البحرين حيث ارسلت شحنات ضخمة الى بعض الدول الاسلامية المنكوبة في ازماتها التي حلت بها .
وهي مما لا شك فيه انها حركة مباركة ومن ابرز مصاديق قوله تعالى : (ومن احياها فكأنما احيا الناس جميعا)

We encourage all good Islamic acts that are recommended, which are beneficial to our society. Blood donation is a great humanitarian act, which should be continued in Muharram. I have greatly contributed, in an unprecedented manner, in the past years to fulfill the need of hospitals in Bahrain for blood. Thousands of patients, citizens and expats of all genders and religions have been saved, and this has even spread to outside of Bahrain as I have sent large shipments to disaster struck Islamic countries when possible. It is no doubt a blessed move and a prime example of the saying of Allah: "whoever saves a life, it is as if he saved all of humanity".

- من أين نشات فكرة التطبير؟
From where did tatbir originate?

التطبير ليس من العادات العزائية القديمة عند الشيعة وليس لها أي جذور اصيلة وانما نشأ في العقود الثمانية الأخيرة على ابعد التقادير وسمعت ان اول ظهوره كان على يد الهنود الشيعة ثم انتقل منهم الى عوام الشيعة في العراق ايام عاشوراء حيث سيروا بعض المواكب في مدينة كربلاء يوم العاشر ثم تابعهم عوام العراق بعد ان استحسنوه وانتشر بينهم وعنهم اخذ الزوار الايرانيون والخليجيون واللبنانيون وكان موكب التطبير في البحرين مقصوراً على الجالية الأحسائية ثم سرت موجته قبل ثلاثين سنة الى مأتم مدن وبن رجب والقصاب واخيرا ماتم الزينبية في المنامة العاصمة
وقد اشتهر العلامة الشيخ باقر آل عصفور رحمه الله حتى آخر حياته بمعارضة هذه الظاهرة وظاهرة الضرب بالزنجيل ومواكب الموسيقى العزائية والتصريح بحرمتها وانه لا علاقة لها بمودة أهل البيت ومحبتهم واظهار الحزن عليهم وكانت تلك المواكب المتمردة تمر على بيته عناداً له وتمكث فترة طويلة لايذائه بهتافاتها واصوات الموسيقى التي تعزفها.
وتمكن رحمه الله من القضاء على مواكب الموسيقى العزائية الا ان الضرب بالزنجير والتطبير ازدادت مواكبهما.
وقد رأيت كراسا صغيرا لبعض فقهاء العراق وايران يحثون على فعله في سابقة لا سابقة لها في فقه الشيعة الامامية والاحتجاج فيه بتأويلات غريبة وتسطيرات بعيدة عن المباني الفقهية والقواعد الشرعية المعروفة والمتسالم عليها.
وقد سمعت احد فقهاء قم يقول انه افتى كما افتى غيره خوفاً من سطوة العوام وتهديداتهم حيث بلغت الجرأة بالعوام الى تهديد ووعيد كل من يخالفهم بالعدول عن مرجعيته وتقليده اذا لم يسقطوه اجتماعياً ويتهموه بمعاداة اهل البيت عليهم السلام.

Tatbir is not among the ancient mourning practises of the Shias, and it does not have any original roots [within the Shia]. It only started in the last eight decades at best. I have heard that it was started by Indian Shias, from them it was picked up by the Shia public in Iraq during the period of Ashura as some [Indian] azadari caravans travelled to Karbala on Ashura and the Iraqi public followed them [in tatbir] after they were impressed by it. From the Iraqis it was picked up by the Iranian, Gulf and Lebanese visitors. Tatbir in Bahrain used to be limited to the Ahsai community, then some of them travelled to the Hussainias of Madan, Bin Rajab and Qasab, and lastly to Zainabia in Manama. It is well known that Shaikh Baqir Al Asfoor (ra) till his last days used to oppose tatbir, striking with chains and music in azadari, and explicity declared it all to be haram and that these have no connection with love of ahlulbayt and expressing grief for them. These azadari groups used to always pass in front of his house due to their enmity with him. He spent a long time enduring their harassment from loud musical noises. He was eventually able to put a stop to music, but the tatbir and chain striking increased.

I have seen a small group of scholars in Iraq and Iran encourage tatbir which is unprecedented in Imami fiqh. The use strange interpretations, and methodologies that are completely out of line with the basis of Islamic jurisprudence, and well known and unanimously accepted Islamic principles. I once heard a scholar from Qum say that he issues fatwa [encouraging tatbir] just like the others, fearing the power and intimidation of the public, as the boldness of the public has reached the degree that they threaten and intimidate anyone who opposes them, by stripping his marjaiyyah and taqlid if not going as far as to socially boycotting him and accusing him of being an enemy of the ahlulbayt.

وأما المصرحون بحرمة التطبير فهم كثيرون منهم السيد أبو الحسن الأصفهاني أحد ابرز مراجع النجف الأشرف في زمانه فقد أصدر فتوى تحرم التطبير في العام 1926م هذا نصها: «إن استعمال السيوف والسلاسل الحديدية والأبواق وما يجري اليوم في مواكب العزاء بيوم عاشوراء باسم الحزن على الحسين إنما هو محرم وغير شرعي».

As for those who explicitly declared tatbir to be haram, so they are many. Among them is Ayatullah Abul Hasan al Isfahani, one of the major marja of Najaf in his time. He issued a fatwa in 1926, declaring tatbir to be haram, the fatwa is as follows: "Using swords, metal chains, horns/trumpets and other such items that are used these days in azadari camps on Ashura in the name of mourning Imam Hussain (as), is haram and un-Islamic."

وكذا السيد مهدي القزويني في البصرة، حيث أصدر فتوى تحرم التطبير
Ayatullah Mahdi al Qazwini in Basra issued a fatwa declaring tatbir to be haram.

والشيخ محمد الخالصي في بغداد، حيث دعا في بداية الخمسينات إلى نبذ الخرافات والبدع كالتطبير وضرب الزناجير وإعادة الإسلام إلى نهجه الصحيح.
Ayatullah Muhammad al Khalisi in Baghdad, during the 1950s called for eliminating nonsense and innovations such as striking the head and body with knives and chains, and reverting Islam to its correct form.

كما نقل عن السيد محسن الحكيم قوله: «القامات غصة في حلوقنا».
It has been reported from Ayatullah Muhsin al Hakim that "The practise of hitting the head with knives is akin to an unwanted lump in our throats that we cannot swallow."

ونقل عن الشهيد محمد باقر الصدر قوله: «هذا أمر لا يجوز» ويعني به التطبير بالسيوف والقامات.
It is reported from Ayatullah Baqir as Sadr that he said: "It is not allowed", referring to striking the head with swords and knives.

كما انتقدها أيضا الشيخ محمد جواد مغنية. وأنتقد المغالات فيها، ومما قال: «وقد تطرف بعض العجم فأبدعوا فيها بدعا يمقتها الله والناس، من ضرب أنفسهم بالمدي وإسالة الدماء على أثوابهم...».
Ayatullah Muhammad Jawad al Mughnia had also criticised this practise and those who are fanatics about it, he said: "Some non Arabs went to extreme and started a bid'ah which is detested by Allah and His prophet, of beating themselves with sharp instrument and making blood flow onto their clothes."

وقد سمعت ان السيد حسين البروجردي طاب ثراه احد ابرز مراجع التقليد في قم قام قبل محرم في احد السنوات بدعوة جمع من رؤساء المواكب العزائية ووجه اليهم سؤالاً من هو مرجعكم فقالوا جميعاً انت ياسيدنا فقال : اذا كنتم تعترفون وتقرون بأني مرجعكم فأنا اقول لكم بأن التطبير والضرب بالزنجير وادخال الآلات الموسيقية في المواكب العزائية حرام لا يجوز وعليكم طاعتي والتزام أمري
فرد عليه احدهم نحن نقلدك ياسيد طيلة السنة الا في عشرة ايام محرم
وخرجوا من عنده دون جدوى .

I have heard that Ayatullah Burujerdi, one of the major marja of Qum, once preached to a group of leaders of the azadari camps and asked them who is your marja? They all replied that you are. So he said to them: "As you all acknowledge that I am your marja, then I say to you that tatbir, striking oneself with chains, and entering musical instruments in azadari camps is haram and not allowed, and it is obligatory for you to obey me and follow my order." So one of them replied to him: "We follow you year round, but not in the first 10 days of Muharram", and left him immediately.

وقد اشتهر عن السيد محسن الأمين مرجع الشيعة في سوريا ولبنان في زمانه القول بتحريمها في عدة من مؤلفاته وكتبه
It is well known that Ayatullah Syed Muhsin al Amin al Amili, marja f Shias in Syria and Lebanon in his time, had declared tatbir to be haram in many of his books and writings.

- ما هي الآثار المرتبة على التطبير؟
What are the rulings on tatbir?

والمطبر يصدق عليه عدة عناوين شرعية 
1 ـ حرمة الادماء من دون فرق بين ان يكون القصد منه التشبه بما حل على أهل البيت عليهم السلام من مصائب وقتل وتشريد
أو قصد به اظهار التفجع والتوجع على المصاب الذي حل بهم وفي كلا الحالين لا يجوز لعدم الاذن به شرعاً به من قبل أئمة اهل البيت انفسهم لأن شق الجلد والادماء لا يجوز شرعاً الا لغرض صحيح كالعلاج حيث لا يمكن الا بالادماء كالفصادة والحجامة أو اجراء عملية جراحية  ونحوها 
2 ـ حرمة التصرف بالنفس لا لسبب سائغ وفي مثل هذا المورد ينبغي على الحاكم الشرعي منعه من القيام بذلك لأن السفيه يحجر عليه وهذا من مصاديقه 
3 ـ انه يشمله مقولة لايطاع الله تعالى به من حيث يعصى ولايتقرب الى مودة أهل البيت عليهم السلام بما نهوا ونأو بشيعتهم عنه
4 ـ انه يستلزم تنجيس الطرقات والماتم التي عادة ما تكون دوراً للعبادة والذكر في غير اوقات مجالس العزاء واحياء ماثر خاتم المرسلين وعترته الطاهرين صلوات الله وسلاه عليهم اجمعين في الوقت الذي يحول دون استخدامها للعبادات واداء الصلوات المسنونة كليالي الاحياء في ليالي القدر في شهر رمضان وامثالها في غيره  
5 ـ  من يقوم بشق رؤوس الآخرين يلزمه حكم دفع دية الشجاج ولا تبرأ ذمته بصفح المطبر نفسه .

The following rules apply on the one who practises tatbir:
1- It is haram to blood-let, without any difference between the intention being to emulate the sufferings of ahlulbayt, or to express grief for their suffering, it is haram in both cases due to it not being Islamically allowed by the Imams (as) as scratching the skin and blood-letting are not allowed except for the right reasons such as medical treatment requiring blood-letting such as in the case of cupping or surgery etc.
2- It is haram to cause self harm, and the Islamic ruler has the authority to stop him in the case of tatbir.
3- Tatbir exemplifies the saying "Allah is not obeyed through means of disobedience, and one cannot gain proximity to the love of ahlulbayt by means of things that they forbid their shias from."
4- It causes paths and hussainias to become najis, and hussainias are generally used for worship when not in use for azadari, such as for prayers of laylatul qadr.
5- One who strikes the heads of others with knives, is obligated to pay a fine for causing injury to the head, and approval from the one receiving the injury does not absolve him.

Read More... Akhbaris and tatbir Read More!

Thursday 1 March 2018

Prostrating on carpet, allowed?

Synopsis: The popular Shia view is that the prostration in prayer is only valid if the forehead is placed on bare earth, or on something that grows from the earth, as long as it is not edible or wearable (source). This post briefly examines if it is permissible to prostrate on other items (such as carpets etc) as well. Nevertheless, this post is only meant to serve an academic purpose, and readers are advised to refer to their own trusted scholars (marja, mufti etc) for their individual practices.

"The lexicon of reliable narrations from the Prophet and the Imams (as)" by Ayatullah Asif Muhsini, Volume 5 Page 39 (Original Arabic page posted at the bottom of the post)

Items on which prostration is valid, and the ones on which it is invalid:
(From the book 'Man la yahdaruhul faqih'): Hisham b. al Hakam asked Imam Ja'far al Sadiq (as): 'Please inform me of the items on which it is permissible to prostrate, and the ones on which it is impermissible?' Imam al Sadiq (as) replied: 'Prostration is only permissible on the earth, or that which grows from the earth, except which is an edible or wearable.' So Hisham asked further: 'May I be your ransom, but why is that?' Imam (as) replied: 'Prostration is submission to Allah, so it should not be performed on edibles and wearables, as materialistic people [almost] worship edibles and wearables. As the prostrator is engaged in the worship of Allah, he should not place his forehead on those items of worship of materialistic people on which they take pride. Prostration on the earth is best, as it is the ultimate form of humbleness and submission to Allah.' 
I (Ayatullah Asif Muhsini) say: At best this proves [prostration on other than the earth, or what grows from it apart from the edibles and wearables] it to be just makrooh (disliked).

"Tabsiratul fuqaha" by Ayatullah Sadqi al Tehrani, Page 109 (Arabic page at bottom)
Prostration is only permissible on earth or that which grows from it, apart from the edibles and wearables such as on a ring, shoe or sock etc. It is allowed though on items which have transformed from being edibles or wearables, such as on the ashes of an edible or wearable, or that which is made from a wearable and cannot be reverted back to its wearable form such as a carpet made from wool or cotton as it is not possible to take apart its threads and transform it back to a wearable form. Among the conditions of impermissibility of prostration is the item being actually a wearable item, same as with the condition of impermissibility on edibles, except if it is argued [for the sake of it] that even the derivatives of edibles and wearables are counted among them. Anyhow, there is unconditionally no issue with prostrating [on such derivatives] apart from the actual edibles and wearables.
"Muj'am al ahadith al mu'tbarah" by Ayt Asif Muhsini, vol 5 p39

"Tabsiratul fuqaha" by Ayt Sadiqi Tehrani, p109



Read More... Prostrating on carpet, allowed? Read More!