Views Of The Orientalists And Scholars

The publication of the book, “Asl Ash-Shi’a Wa Usuluha” occasioned an extraordinary response in the East and West and the Publisher received a larger number of letters about it. Although all these letters are not available with us, we can lay our hands on some of them published in the magazine I’tidal. We reproduce them below in token of appreciation of this book by great scholars.

A Russian scholar Gratsh Kafiscy from Leningrad writes: The book “Asl Ash-Shi’a Wa Usuluha” is a valuable and authentic book. Every scholar would like to read it. I am studying this book along with the book Fajr al-Islam which I received last year. A German scholar Zusfashthat from Koniskosiy writes: “Some days ago when I came back from a journey, I happened to see the book “Asl Ash-Shi’a Wa Usuluha”.

I sincerely thank you and Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’ for that went through it and found myself greatly enlightened by it. I would recommend all seekers of knowledge to benefit themselves from it. Is there anyone better suited to teach the people than the scholar and the learned?

The famous Turkish scholar Dr Hadi Terfi from Istanbul writes: “I have gone through the book “Asl Ash-Shi’a Wa Usuluha” which you have been kind enough to met me. I found it to be a priceless gift. I thank the learned scholar who has compiled this book. I should like to draw the attention of all the orientalists, as soon as I can, towards this book which they should study”.

Salim Karankavi, a Professor in the Bonn University (Germany) wrote to the Publisher: “I studied the book “Asl Ash-Shi’a Wa Usuluha” carefully and found it to be a treatise which satiates “Completely those who are thirsty of correct information about the Shi’a Beliefs.

While confirming the discourse of the learned author of this book, I am of the view that he has furnished such detailed information about the Shi’a Faith and that too in such a concise manner that it could not have been possible except through recourse to voluminous writing.

However, is it possible to safeguard all the old beliefs in the advanced society of modern times? I feel that if the Holy Prophet were still alive, he would have declared permissible certain things which were prohibited previously.

For example, we find that the esteemed author of the book has personally permitted a photograph of his to be taken, although according to some sects it is not permissible. In any case, I am not qualified enough to discuss this.and other similar matters.

As the object of the learned author has been to explain the Shi’a Faith as it existed in the early days of Islam has well acquitted himself of this responsibility. I would recommend to the orientalists of this country to obtain this book so that they may be able to make a considerable addition to their knowledge of the subject”.

The magazine I’tidal made the following comments after reproducing this letter: We communicated to Allama al-Ghita’ the views of Mr. Salim Karankavi and the opinion which he has offered with regard to photography in the light of Islamic laws is appended below. The Allama remarked as under:

“The pictures which are not permissible in Islam are only those which fall under the category of sculpture. Even in that case, they are confined only to the statues of living creatures made by hand. However, religious arguments advanced for prohibiting the making of pictures, do not cover photography by usual or extraordinary means and those arguments do not take these matters into consideration.

Hence, these matters are covered by the original permission. However, Islam and its laws are so wide and extensive in character that they become compatible and harmonious with every proper and genuine culture, without creating any difference between the past and the present”.

The renowned scholar Ahmad Zaki Pasha wrote from Cairo: “I am highly obliged for the present book (written by the learned scholar Kashif Al-Ghita’). There is no denying the fact that this book has been written in a very beautiful and attractive manner and the author has removed the veil from the face of realities and brought to light true facts about the Shi’a Faith namely, the faith of the people who till now did not themselves say anything on the subject and did not inform us of their beliefs.

We should be thankful to Prof. Ahmad Amin for his fables about the Shi’a which he circulated without any investigation and without quoting any references because they prompted Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’ to take up the pen and write, with perfect coolness, and to circulate facts about the Shi’a without injuring the religious sentiments of others. I, however, feel that you have exaggerated while saying that some Egyptians, Palestinians and Syrians consider the Shi’a to be sinners.

I do not consider this among us. The person who has told you to the contrary has perhaps jested or else he must have some evil intentions. However, In regards to the contents of some books written by Sunni scholars wherein unjust, contradictory and misleading things have been imputed to the Shi’a, it may be said that in fact the Shi’a themselves are responsible for such maligning because they have been negligent as far as acquainting others of their religious beliefs is concerned.

In any case these idle talks which gained capital from the political differences of the Ottomans should be abandoned. Unfortunately, both Egypt and Iran were the victims of these inauspicious politics. Notwithstanding the fact that Egypt was a Sunni country, the expansionist and despotic politics of the Turks and non-Turks cared neither for facts nor for religious sentiments.

In short, I believe that this book is very useful for the establishment of Muslim unity which is the basic and effective factor for all of us. I praise this great scholar who has assumed this great responsibility, the responsibility which cannot be discharged except by those who are like him and by the people whom Almighty Allah has selected for waging war against deviations and for eradication of evils, restoration of real life and rejuvenation of the past glory of Muslim Ummah.

I hope that under the auspices of such sublime activities Muslim Ummah will be in a position to advance, under the shining sun of reality, along with other developed countries of the world”1.

Shakib Arsalan, the renowned scholar and commentator in his letter sent from Geneva wrote as under: “I received the books sent by you as a gift and made haste to study initially the book entitled “Asl Ash-Shi’a Wa Usuluha” and benefited much from it.

In fact, all your writings are very useful and are considered to be very important for the Muslims of our age. The Muslims can find out from them the points on which the Shi’a and the Sunni agree and those in which they differ. With your efforts you are reducing as far as possible the gulf between the two sects. While reasoning, you make various propositions the objects of discussion, with sufficient information and clear-cut arguments”.

The former American Minister Plenipotentiary in Baghdad, Mr. Leo W. Henderson who is considered to be an Orientalist, wrote thus in his letter to Shaykh Abdul Ghani of Egypt who was a teacher in the School of Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’: “On my return from a recent journey I have come to know that one of our employees has undertaken ·the translation of your condensed pamphlet consisting of extracts from the book “Asl Ash-Shi’a Wa Usuluha”. I have by now read the beliefs and the principles of the Shi’a Faith and in my opinion this pamphlet is the best and the most dependable document on the subject. I am sending a copy of its text in Arabic and its English translation to Washington as I desire that the dignitaries of our government who study developments in this part of the world, like myself, should possess better and more accurate information about the sublime Shi’a beliefs. Of the various facts which make the value of your pamphlet evident, one is that in spite of my best efforts I have not been able to find in Baghdad a copy of the original book written by Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’ “.

In another letter, while expressing gratitude for having been supplied with a copy of the original book, he writes: “My friends and I are of the opinion that this book should be translated into English so that all people who know that language, including my countrymen, should become well aware of the Shi’a School of Islam and its beliefs”.

• 1. In a postscript, Ahmad Zaki Pasha has made some observations on the book and has requested the author to furnish a reply. Out of these observations the following two are worth mentioning.
  i) In regards to Muta’ah (Temporary Marriage) he writes: “With all your sound and interesting discussion and reasoning about the Temporary Marriage there are still some doubts in my mind in this regard from the point of view of religious and social order.
  For example, what will be the position of a child who is born as a result of the Temporary Marriage, especially when, with the period of the Temporary Marriage having come to an end, the father has gone away and the child is born after his departure. Allama Kashif Al-Ghita’ has not clarified this ambiguous point in his narrative.
  ii) In regards to those who do not believe in the Temporary Marriage, you say that they hold views contrary to the explicit contents of the Holy Qur’an. However, in the matter of succession, you yourself believe that in particular circumstances women do not inherit anything (among them being the women under the Temporary Marriage). Is this judgement not opposed to the text of the Holy Qur’an? If Caliph Umar has pronounced a particular verdict on the Temporary Marriage so have the Imams pronounced verdicts on the inheritance of such women?
  In regards to the first observation, Allama al-Ghita’s reply to this objection is quite clear because, firstly, such an objection can also crop up in the case of a permanent marriage. A man may contract a permanent marriage with a woman in a foreign country and may subsequently divorce her and go away. Supposing then that woman gives birth to a child, what will be the position of that child?
  Whatever decision we take about that child will also apply to the child born under the Temporary marriage. Accordingly, there is no doubt that the said child is connected with its father, and it is the duty of the father to support it.
  In this matter, there is not the least difference between the issue of a permanent marriage and that of a Temporary marriage. The main point is that our Sunni brethren have formed a different picture of the Temporary marriage in their minds. This is under the influence of venomous propaganda of some people.
  They consider it as something similar to prostitution and fornication which is accomplished simply by reciting the formula of marriage and without any further stipulation or condition. As a matter of fact, this thinking is erroneous. In reply to the second objection, he says:
  “It is admitted by all Muslims that if a tradition is in opposition to the Holy Qur’an, it is totally inauthentic and should be discarded. It is also clear that what is implied by opposition is total opposition, namely, the contents of the tradition should be totally in contrast with those of the Holy Qur’an.
  However, if there is a general order in the Holy Qur’an and a special order in the tradition there should be no objection if we make an exception to the generality of the Qur’anic verse by means of the special tradition. Most of the scholars of Islam, rather all of them, apparently agree regarding the permissibility of making exceptions to the general orders of the Holy Qur’an by a special tradition.
  To conclude, the opposition of Umar, the second Caliph to the wording of the verse relating to the Temporary Marriage is total opposition and this cannot be allowed for any reason whatsoever. On the other hand, the opposition to the Qur’anic verses and the tradition on succession, which prohibit inheritance in certain circumstances, is the opposition between the general and the special, and hence this interpretation is permissible”.