Welcome & Identity
Who Is a Shi‘a Muslim?
The Al-Qur’an al-Majeed—the unaltered Book revealed by Allah (SWT), the Creator, Sustainer, and Cause of all causes—identifies Prophet Ibrahim (AS) as among the Shi‘a of Prophet Nuh (AS) in Qur’an 37:83. Likewise, in the story of Prophet Musa (AS), the Qur’an tells us that he defended one of his Shi‘a against aggression. Thus, Shi‘a is a Qur’anic term, and not a later invention. Furthermore, the Prophet Muhammad (SA) said to his Allah-appointed successor, Imam Ali (AS), in the widely accepted Hadith al-Kisa:
“Your Shi‘a shall be successful in this world and the hereafter.”
The word Shi‘a means follower. A Shi‘a Muslim, in the true sense, is one who obeys the commands of Allah (SWT) in accordance with the Qur’an, as taught by Prophet Muhammad (SA) and further explained by his twelve appointed successors.
Qur’anic Proof of Their Status
Surah al-Fatiha (al-Hamd), the very essence of the Qur’an, identifies Muhammad wa Aale Muhammad (SA) as the leaders of those “upon whom Allah has bestowed special bounties” (an‘amta ‘alayhim), and their enemies as al-Maghdhoob (those upon whom is the wrath of Allah), and ad-Daalleen (those gone astray).
The Salawat—invoking blessings upon Muhammad wa Aale Muhammad (SA)—is an integral part of daily prayer (salat), and is a constant, divinely mandated reminder for every Muslim to hold fast to two things:
Unconditional obedience to them (Qur’an 4:59)
Special love and closeness (mawaddah) for them (Qur’an 42:23)
Thus, obedience and love for these infallible personalities—the Ahlul Bayt (AS)—is the cornerstone of Shi‘a Muslim life. Alongside Qur’anic contemplation, this love has helped illuminate the core values of Islam.
Core Shi‘a Beliefs at a Glance
The Qur’an is the unaltered Word of Allah (SWT).
Allah (SWT) has ordered obedience to the Prophet (SA) and his divinely appointed successors—described in the Qur’an as Ulil-Amr (those vested with authority), Khulafā’, and Aimmah.
Just as Adam (AS) was appointed Khalifa (Qur’an 2:30), and Ibrahim (AS) was appointed Imam (Qur’an 2:124), so too were the twelve Imams appointed after the Prophet (SA).
Therefore, the claim that Prophet Muhammad (SA) died without appointing a successor and left it to the ummah to choose their leader is invalid—a result of ignoring the Prophet’s status and Allah’s (SWT) decree.
The unbroken chain of divine guidance continued from Adam (AS) to the present living Imam Mahdi (AJ). These guides, whether or not they held political office, were committed to preserving Allah’s final message. All but the twelfth Imam were martyred. Yet they fulfilled their duty—preserving the Qur’an and the Prophet’s teachings at great personal cost.
The Shayṭānic Pattern of Rebellion
The Qur’an makes it clear that Shayṭān did not deny Allah or the Hereafter. What he refused was to accept the Khilafah of Allah’s chosen one. Similarly, he tried to derail Ibrahim (AS) at three stations of his test of Imamah. In Hajj, the stoning of the three Jamrat and the reverence for Ḥajar al-Aswad are reminders of this reality.
Muhammad (SA) and His Family: Reflections of the Divine
The Ahlul Bayt (AS) are the purest manifestation of Allah’s attributes (ṣifāt) and the most reliable medium (wasīlah) for knowing and worshipping Him. They are not comparable even to the Sahabah, as some companions later deviated, as shown in both the Qur’an and authentic hadith.
The Ahlul Bayt (AS) are the true intercessors (shufa‘ā’) for salvation. Visiting their graves and asking Allah (SWT) for their intercession is a virtuous act, deeply rooted in the prophetic tradition.
Among the most revered is Lady Fatima al-Zahra (AS)—leader of all women. Like Maryam before her, she was chosen by Allah (SWT) as a role model: as the Prophet’s daughter, Imam Ali’s wife, and the mother of Hasan and Husain (AS). The Prophet’s lineage continued exclusively through her, and she is identified in the Qur’an as Kawthar (abundance).
The Role of Imam Husain (AS) in Preserving Islam
The Prophet’s famous hadith—“Husain is from me, and I am from Husain”—encapsulates Imam Husain’s (AS) unmatched role in preserving the faith. Only fifty years after the Prophet’s death, the Muslim community accepted Yazid as their Khalifa—a man who publicly admitted hypocrisy, engaged in debauchery, and denied the revelation of the Qur’an.
Yazid's army martyred Imam Husain (AS), violated the sanctity of the Haramain, and desecrated the Prophet’s family. But he was not the first: his father Mu‘awiyah and grandfather Abu Sufyan were enemies of Islam since its earliest days. As Charles Gibson wrote in The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire:
“Abu Sufyan’s opposition to Islam was fierce and relentless. His conversion to Islam was reluctant and tardy. His remaining a Muslim was convenient and opportunistic.”
Such hypocrites infiltrated the ummah, fabricated ahadith, distorted Islamic law, and misled generations of Muslims.
A Call to Conscience
The Muslim ummah has a duty to shed the influence of these misguided caliphs (khulafā’) and false leaders. Their strategies included:
Undermining the Prophet (SA) by discrediting his status and hadith.
Fabricating ahadith to elevate others and marginalize the Ahlul Bayt (AS).
Even Imam Bukhari is reported to have rejected 90% of collected ahadith as fabrications.
Spreading misconceptions, such as:
The Prophet (SA) only functioned during revelation and was otherwise ordinary.
He was illiterate and subject to error.
Elevating other caliphs as more learned than the Prophet—see Sahih Muslim, Vol. 7, p.116.
Changing Islamic law, including matters like divorce.
The Everlasting Arc of Salvation
Imam Husain (AS) is the Ark of Salvation. His remembrance, miraculously preserved by Allah (SWT), remains a source of hope, dignity, and courage for the oppressed, the seekers of truth, and the spiritually weary.