بیشترلیست موضوعاتDownloading the EncyclopediaIntroductionVERSION 2.0
Chapter 1.a
VERSION 2.0Quran and Ahlul-BaytWhy
School of Ahlul-Bayt?
Who are Ahlul-Bayt?
Part iPart iiPart iiiPart ivPart vPart viPart viiThe Word House (Ahlul-Bayt) in QuranSunni Feedback on the Issues of Infallibility
and Ahlul-Bayt
Chapter 1.b
VERSION 2.0Who Offended the Blind?
Infallibility of the Prophets
Part iPart iiPart iii
Leadership and Infallibility
Part iPart ii
The Twelve Imams
Part iPart iiThe Holy Quran and the Pure ImamsThe Reward of Loving Ahlul-BaytHow to Send Greetings to Prophet
Muhammad?Is Being a Member of a Party Forbidden in
Islam?The Term "Shia" in Quran and
Hadithal-Azhar Verdict on the Shia
Chapter 2
VERSION 2.0The Last LuminarySunni Documentation on Imam al-Mahdi (AS) Special specifications of Imam al-Mahdi (AS)
Necessity of the Existence of Imam al-Mahdi
(AS) More on Imam al-Mahdi (AS) The Knowledge of the Unseen & the
Knowledge of the BookSome Traditions on the Virtues of Imam Ali
(AS)
Chapter 3
VERSION 1.5
Caliphate of Imam Ali (AS)
The Major Difference Between the Shia and
the Sunni
Ghadir Khum
Part iPart iiPart iiiCertainly your Master is .Who is the successor of the Prophet
(PBUH&HF)?The Prophet Announcing His Successor in
His First PreachHow is This Possible?The Opinion of Imam Ali (AS) on
Caliphate
Chapter 4
VERSION 1.5Respecting the Righteous CompanionsA Shi'ite View of the CompanionsThe Tragedy of ThursdayConspiracy Against Imam Ali (AS)Attacking the House of Fatimah (AS)Usurping the Land of FadakLady Fatimah (AS) protests against Abu Bakr's
ActionsMore Facts on FadakA short history of Fadak after the
Martyrdom of Fatima
Chapter 5.a
VERSION 1.5Muawiyah and Abusing Imam Ali (AS)More on MuawiyahDevelopment of History and Hadith
Collections
Islam of Abu Talib (Parts I through IV)
Part iPart iiPart iiiPart ivWas Azar the Father of Prophet Abraham?Who was Umm Kulthum the wife of Umar?On the Companions who Murdered UthmanThe Innovations of the Early CaliphsAre Munafiqeen Counted Among the Sahabah?Shia vs. Iran
Chapter 5.b
VERSION 1.5Imam Husain (AS): A brief Description and
AnalysisSome Traditions on Imam al-Husain (AS)Reasons Behind the Commemoration of Imam
al-Husain (AS)Did Imam al-Husain (AS) Know He Would Be
killed?The Martyred Ones
Tragedy of Karbala as reported by the Sunnis
Part iPart iiPart iiiPart ivPart vPart viPart viiPart viiiPart ix
Chapter 6.a
VERSION 2.0
Temporary Marriage in Islam:
Part 1: Evidences From Quran and the Sunni
CommentariesPart 2: Evidences From the Sunni Hadith
CollectionsPart 3: Evidences From the Sunni
History/Fiqh/Misc. BooksPart 4: Some Contradicting ReportsPart 5: Purpose of Marriage; Prohibition of
Illegal Sex & AlcoholPart 6: Similarities and Differences of
Mut'a and Regular MarriagePart 7: The Necessities and the
Advantages of Mut'aPart 8: Some Frequently Asked Questions on
Mut'aDebate on the Legitimacy of Mut'a:
Chapter 6.b
VERSION 1.5
al-Taqiyya/Dissimulation
Part iPart iiPart iiiKhums (one fifth)Tawassul (Resorting to Intermediary)Evidence for Tawassul by a Sunni WriterDid Muhammad Receive Revelation by
Mistake?!
Imamat vs. Prophethood
Part iPart iiFinality of the Prophethood
Chapter 7
VERSION 1.5
The Shia/Sunni Jurisprudence:
Shia ScholarsThe Rules of Modesty (according to five
Schools)Fasting (according to five Schools)Call for Prayer (Adhan) and Ablution
(Wudu)Joining Prayers and Other related
IssuesPrayer (according to five Schools)
Chapter 8
VERSION 1.5
Shia/Sunni and Quran:
Belief of Shia in the Completeness of
QuranDifferent Arrangements of QuranSome Sunni Reports on the
Incompleteness of QuranThe Quran Compiled by Imam Ali (AS)Tabarsi and incompleteness of QuranThe Book of Fatimah (AS)Can ANY human do that?Early Debates on the Integrity of the
Quran (Incomplete)
Chapter 9
VERSION 1.5Outline of DifferencesTraditions which falsely allege physical
attributes to AllahAbu Huraira vs. PaulSimilarities of Jews/Christians/MuslimsIbn Taymiya and his WorksThe Wahhabis
Chapter 10
VERSION 1.5
Abdullah Ibn Saba
Part iPart iiPart iiiPart ivPart v
Kaab al-Ahbar
Part iPart iiPart iii
Chapter 11
VERSION 1.5Kumail's Invocation and other
SupplicationsFree Will and FatalismDivine Justice and the Problem of EvilSome traditions from al-Kafi on the place of
reason in religionSome stories on Imam Ali (AS)Islamic Scientistsتوضیحاتافزودن یادداشت جدید ___________________________________ Free Will and FatalismINTRODUCTION:This article deals with the perplexing issues of Free Will and Fatalism.Both viewpoints, the Sunnis's and Shia's, will be presented, as the purposeis to be as fair and objective as possible.This is a VERY sensitivesubject, and needs a lot of attention.I will NOT cover every detail suchthat I am not qualified, nor do I have all the resources.Nonetheless, Iwill cover as much as is necessary for you to understand yourresponsibility before Allah (SWT).Now, to get to the topic at hand, I will start with what the Sunnisbelieve, and then state what the Shia believe.This peace is taken from Dr.al-Tijani's second book "Ma'ah al- Sadeeqeen -- With the Truthful Ones(1989)", pp 133-148.I have quoted him where appropriate, and addedmy own remarks elsewhere.Please refer to those pages for consultation, aswell as the books of history, hadith, and philosophy.FREE WILL AND FATALISM:Dr.al-Tijani starts out by expressing his own experience with the conceptsof Free Will (Qadariyyah) and Fatalism (Jabriyah).He was always baffled,as I was, by what the Sunni scholars preach in sermons and by what theirbooks state about EVERYTHING being the Will of Allah (SWT): Drinking wineis the Will of Allah (SWT), sleeping, killing, evil, adultery, marriage,knowledge, health, accidental death, and even whether you end up in hell orheaven was judged before you were born! How can that be? How can Allah(SWT) state in the Quran:"Allah is never unjust in the least degree: If there is any good(done), he doubleth it, and giveth from His Own Self a great reward.[4:40]"Then Allah (SWT) states:"Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever worksevil, it is against his own soul: Nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in theleast) to His servants.[41:46]"Again, among many other places, Allah (SWT) asserts:"Verily Allah will NOT deal unjustly with man in aught: It is man thatwrongs his own soul (and other souls).[10:44]"How can these verses be reconciled with what the Sunnis preach? It iseither that Allah (SWT) is right, and the scholars are wrong, or viceversa? Of course, for the believer, the answer to that question is quiteobvious.However, the Quran also states:"But ye will not, except as Allah wills; for Allah is full ofKnowledge and Wisdom.[76:30]"And Allah (SWT) states:"...For Allah leaves to stray whom He wills, and guides whom Hewills...[35:8]"What kind of contradiction is this? Exalted be Allah (SWT) fromcontradicting Himself.It is this kind of mental torture and struggle thatI went through every day: On the one hand, Allah (SWT) asserts His (SWT)Justice, yet on the other He (SWT) asserts His (SWT) Will to do as He (SWT)pleases because He (SWT) is the Creator (SWT).Note that I agree with Dr.al-Tijani regarding this mental struggle, and I have seen how it isdestroying the fabric of our society, especially the youth.Dr.al-Tijani continues: I was not alone in this struggle, and that's whymany scholars and sheiks when asked about Qada Wa Qadr (Destiny), theysimply brush off the subject and say that it is not for us to decide thismatter.Then the scholars state that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) said that wemust believe in Qada Wa Qadr whether it is good or bad.Now, if aninquiring mind asked those scholars how can Allah (SWT) force someone tocommit adultery, for example, and then condemn him to hell, they wouldclaim that the questioner is a disbeliever that has abandoned his religion!It is this kind of avoidance of the crucial issues in one's existence andreligion that has fostered intellectual decay in the Ummah of Muhammad(PBUH&HF).=THE SUNNIS AND THE QUESTION OF DESTINY:=Dr.al-Tijani narrates a brief encounter with a Sunni scholar that assertsthat EVERYTHING is the will of Allah (SWT).So Dr.al-Tijani countered hisargument with the following: First, marriage is NOT the Will of Allah (SWT)because Allah (SWT) says:".....Marry women of YOUR CHOICE.....[4:3]"Second, divorce is NOT "written -- i.e., not the Will of Allah (SWT)"either:"A divorce is only permissible twice; after that, the parties shouldeither hold together on equitable terms, or separate withkindness....[2:229]"That is, the parties are AT LIBERTY to separate or maintain a relationship;they are NOT forced or coerced.Third, adultery is NOT the Will of Allah(SWT) either:"Nor come nigh to adultery: For it is an indecent (deed) and an evilway.[17:32]"You are AT LIBERTY to commit or refrain from adultery.Fourth, drinkingalcohol is also NOT the Will of Allah (SWT):"Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, withintoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance ofAllah, and from prayer: Will ye not then abstain? [5:91]"You are AT LIBERTY to abstain.Fifth, as for killing a human being, it isalso NOT the Will of Allah (SWT), for Allah (SWT) says:"If a man kills a believer INTENTIONALLY, his recompense is Hell, toabide therein (for ever); and the wrath and curse of Allah are uponhim, and a dreadful chastisement is prepared for him.[4:93]"Again, Allah (SWT) says:"....TAKE NOT LIFE, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way ofjustice and law: Thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.[6:151]"Your freedom in these matters is most apparent.Sixth, as for eating anddrinking, they are also NOT the Will of Allah (SWT), for Allah (SWT) said:eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not thewasters.[7:31]"You are AT LIBERTY to eat or not to eat, to drink or not to drink, and towaste or not to waste.Dr.al-Tijani said to the scholar: "How, then, canyou claim that EVERYTHING is the Will of Allah (SWT), when the Quran isclear about that matter?"The scholar answered that Allah (SWT) does whatever He (SWT) pleases, asthe Quran states:"Say: O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule), thou givest Power to whomthou pleasest, and thou strippest off power from whom thou pleasest:Thou enduest with honour whom thou pleasest, and thou bringest lowwhom thou pleasest: In Thy hand is all Good.Verily, over all thingsthou hast power.[3:26]"Dr.al-Tijani answered: "We are not quarreling about whether Allah (SWT)CAN do whatever He (SWT) wishes or not; we are debating whether or notAllah (SWT) FORCES people to do things, and then punishes them for it?"The scholar answered: "You have your religion, and I have mine!" and thediscussion was over.Two days later, Dr.al-Tijani returned and said: "So if your belief is thatAllah (SWT) executes EVERYTHING, and His (SWT) servants have NO choicewhatsoever in the matter, why, then, don't you apply the same reasoning tothe matter of the Caliphate; and [surrender to the point] that Allah (SWT)chooses whomever He (SWT) wishes?" The point that Dr.al- Tijani is tryingto drive across concerns the belief by the Shia that al-Imam Ali (AS) waschosen by Allah (SWT) to be the successor to the Prophet (PBUH&HF).The scholar said: "YES! I do believe that; because Allah (SWT) has chosenAbu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman, and then Ali (AS)."Dr.al-Tijani said: "Now you have fallen in the trap of your own logic!"The scholar said: "How so?"Dr.al-Tijani said: "Either you say [and believe] that Allah (SWT) haschosen the first four Caliphs, and then left the matter for the people todecide upon.Or you say [and believe] that Allah (SWT) has not left thematter of the Caliphate for the people to decide upon; and it is He (SWT)Who chooses ALL the successors [of the Prophet (PBUH&HF)] from the day ofhis (PBUH&HF) death till the Day of Judgment?"The scholar answered by quoting the Quran:"Say: O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule), thou givest Power to whomthou pleasest, and thou strippest off power from whom thou pleasest:Thou enduest with honour whom thou pleasest, and thou bringest lowwhom thou pleasest: In Thy hand is all Good.Verily, over all thingsthou hast power.[3:26]"Dr.al-Tijani contended: "So you believe that EVERY King or Leader, whethernow or in the past, who has fought against Islam has been appointed byAllah (SWT)?"He (the scholar) said: "Yes! No doubt about it!"Dr.al-Tijani said: "Subhan Allah (SWT) -- Vindicated from ALLImpurities/Imperfections Be Allah! How, then, do you defend the Sunnis intheir contention that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) died and left the matter forTHE PEOPLE TO DECIDE?"The scholar said: "Yes, I do believe that, and I will continue to believeit (forever), In Sha' Allah (SWT) -- Allah Willing!"Dr.al-Tijani said: "How do reconcile Allah's (SWT) Will with that of thepeople?"The scholar said: "Since the Muslims chose Abu Bakr, that means that Allah(SWT) has chosen him!"Dr.al-Tijani said: "How did the Muslims know that Allah (SWT) wanted AbuBakr?"The scholar said: "Because if Allah (SWT) wanted anybody else, neither theMuslims nor the scholars would be able to prevent what Allah (SWT) wanted!"At this stage, Dr.al-Tijani realized the futility of conversing with suchmen; and that if we abide by what these people say, we will never be ableto forward a veritable scientific or philosophical theory or contention.(Note that I have skipped some of the dialogue between Dr.al- Tijani andthe scholar for purposes of maintaining the attention span of the reader.However, the parts I skipped in NO WAY affect the clarity or message of theconversation.)It is this kind of attitude that has destroyed the youth and theintellectual curiosity among humanity in general.For if we believe asthis scholar believes, then we will never accomplish anything! Why? Becauseif we abide by the above fatalist approach, we would genuinely believe thatthe current state of the Ummah is what Allah (SWT) wants, and themassacring of Muslims is what Allah (SWT) wants, and the ignorance thatprevails, and to fail on an exam at school, and to have a car accident areALL the Will of Allah (SWT); and, as such, we cannot change anything untilAllah (SWT) wants, so let's sit and wait while the nonbelievers haveinvaded outer space and reached the other planets!!! This is exactly whatthe enemies of Islam want!Dr.al-Tijani traces this concept of Fatalism to the Ummayads, who were theclan of Uthman Ibn Afan, the third caliph.He states that during thesedays, when Uthman was caliph, and due to his corruption in politics andgovernment, the Muslims requested that he step down from the leadership ofthe Ummah.Uthman replied:"I shall not undress a shirt which has been clothed on me by Allah."The "shirt" here refers to the leadership of the Muslims; and the opinionof Uthman that Allah (SWT) is the One (SWT) Who clothed him the shirt,indicates that it is the Will of Allah (SWT) that Uthman is the caliph.And that the "shirt" shall only be undressed as a consequence of Uthman'sdeath (i.e., when he dies.).We also find the same attitude from Muawiyah,who is a relative of Uthman, at a later point in time.For Muawiyah hadsaid, as Ibn Kathir narrates in v8, p131:"I didn't fight you to pray, fast, and pay charity, but rather tobecome your leader and control you, and Allah (SWT) has given me that,even if you dislike it!"This is an indication that he never cared about any of Islam's mandates,nor Allah's (SWT) orders; rather his war was politically motivated to gaincontrol of the region and become the appointed leader.Again, Muawiyah hasclaimed that he is the leader of the Ummah because Allah (SWT) has made himso.However, Muawiyah's claim is more far-reaching [and damaging] than thatof Uthman; for Muawiyah's claim lends credibility to the evil contentionthat Allah (SWT) has aided and abetted him (Muawiyah) in killing [innocent]Muslims.Allahu Akbar! (Allah is Great!)THE SHIA AND THE QUESTION OF DESTINY:Now, for the Shia's opinion on Free Will and Fatalism:Dr.al-Tijani has met with the Great Scholars of the Twelver Shi'ite inIraq.Among those he talked to are: The Martyr Muhammad Baqr al-Sadr, al-Khoie, Muhammad Ali al-Tabatabai, al- Hakim, and many others (May Allah(SWT) have mercy on those that have passed away, and on those that remain).Dr.al-Tijani narrates what these great scholars explained to him:When al-Imam Ali (AS) was asked about Free Will and Fatalism, he (AS) said:(NOTE: This is a VERY hard quote to translate; thus, this translation isROUGH at best, but it does convey the point):"Woe to you! Did you think that it was a mandatory destiny, and afinal will? If it was as such, then reward and punishment would haveno value, and admonition and exhortation would totally fail! Allah(SWT) has ordered His (SWT) servants to obey Him (SWT) voluntarily,and asked them to cease doing evil as a warning to them (frompunishment); and He (SWT) has ordained easy (simple) things inreligion, and He (SWT) has not ordained difficult (hard) duties.He(SWT) has given for the small amount of good deeds you do, a greatreward; and He (SWT) is never disobeyed as a sign of His (SWT) defeat(or lack of power and ability); and He (SWT) is not obeyed [orworshipped] through coercion and force, rather voluntarily.He (SWT)has not sent Prophets and Messengers as part of a game He (SWT) isplaying; nor did He (SWT) send down the Books (revealed scripture) forno reason.And He (SWT) did not create the Heavens and the Earths asa falsehood (triviality); That, indeed, is the belief of thenonbelievers: Woe to the nonbelievers from the hellfire..."NOTE: The latter part of the speech: "That, indeed, is the belief of thenonbelievers: Woe to the nonbelievers from the hellfire......" is a versefrom the Quran that al-Imam Ali (AS) concluded with.Dr.al-Tijani, when he first heard this, was filled with joy to know thatit is HE who controls his actions, and it is HE who is responsible fordoing good deeds to enter heaven.And it is not, as the Sunni scholarsclaim, the Will of Allah (SWT) for him to enter hell.Dr.al-Tijani says: al-Imam Ali (AS) struck the nail on the head when he(AS) said: "...and He (SWT) is never disobeyed as a sign of His (SWT)defeat (or lack of power and ability);..." For if Allah (SWT) wanted toforce ANYbody into doing something, NOTHING can stop Him (SWT).Rather itis a corroboration by al- Imam Ali (AS) to what Allah (SWT) said:"Say, The Truth is from your Lord Let him who will, believe (it);and let him who will, reject (it)...[18:29]"Then al-Imam Ali (AS) strikes the inner workings of the mind andconsciousness by asserting that if EVERYTHING was the Will of Allah (SWT),then the function of the Prophets and Messengers would be a total waste oftime.Again, if EVERYTHING was the Will of Allah (SWT), Revealed Scripturewould have no value either; this would clearly violate the verses of theQuran:"Verily this Quran doth guide to that which is most right (or stable),and giveth the glad tidings to the believers who work deeds ofrighteousness, that they shall have a magnificent reward.[17:9]"So the Quran IS a book that guides people (which means that It was revealedfor the purpose of guiding mankind), and the believers are AT LIBERTY to"...work deeds of righteousness..."The contention is that if EVERYTHING was the Will of Allah (SWT), why wouldAllah (SWT) send Messengers to warn us, when He (SWT) has already judgedus? What good is it to do any kind of deeds (good or bad), when thejudgment for these deeds has already been rendered, regardless of what youdo?We have seen many sects in Islam that have either said: EVERYTHING is theWill of Allah (SWT) --This is Jabriyyah; or those who said: EVERYTHING isFree Will --This is Qadariyyah.Both views are wrong, because they are notrealistic.Can you control to which parents you are born to, for example?Or is it realistic to believe that Allah (SWT) FORCES you to drink alcohol,and then punishes you for it? The answer to both questions is: OBVIOUSLYNOT!The Shia, however, have struck it right: al-Imam Ja'far al- Sadiq (AS)said:"It is not TOTAL Free Will, nor is it TOTAL Fatalism; rather, it is amatter between [those] two matters."When a man asked al-Imam al-Sadiq (AS) what he (AS) meant by the abovequote, al-Imam al-Sadiq (AS) answered: "To walk on the ground is not thesame as to fall on it!" What a response!!! (My comment!) Here's what itmeans: You walk on the ground voluntarily, but it may happen to you thatyou fall because something unexpected happened to you (for instance, somebody hit you from the back).Who among you wants to fall on the ground onpurpose? Such is the wisdom of the Imams, the progeny of the Seal ofProphecy (PBUH&HF).So Qada Wa Qadr is a matter between two matters: Somethings we can control, and others we can't; it is a mixture of Free Willand Allah's (SWT) Will.This belief is closer to reason than what all the other schools say.Moreover, a human being is ONLY liable for that which he has a will [andcontrol] over; and Allah (SWT) will judge him on those deeds that hevoluntarily committed, NOT the ones that he has no control over.Allah(SWT) says:"By the soul, and the proportion and order given to it; and itsinspiration as to its wrong and its right;-- Truly he succeeds thatpurifies it, and he fails that corrupts it.[91:7-10]"Indeed, he who purifies his soul is destined to succeed, and he whocorrupts it is destined to failure.That is where your choice comes in.Again, things like the operation of the Universe, the movement of theplanets, ones own sex at birth, one's color of skin, one's parents, and soon, we have no will or control over, and we will NOT be held responsiblefor; but whether or not to be believers, killers, hypocrites, commitadultery, feed our children, and so on, we do have control over, and weWILL be held accountable for them.As a conclusion to the matter, and a final display of the superiorknowledge of the Imams, I quote the following: al-Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Rida(AS), the Eighth Imam, was 14 years old when he (AS) was asked about whatal- Imam al-Sadiq (AS) meant by "a matter between [those] two matters?" At14 years of age, al-Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Rida (AS) said:"He who says that Allah (SWT) FORCES us to do our actions, subscribesto the school of Fatalism (Jabriyyah).He who says that Allah (SWT)has left the matter of birth, creation, and wealth to the Hujjahs,subscribes to the school of Free Will (Qadariyyah)."[NOTE: Hujjah means "Proof." It includes Prophets, Messengers, andthe Imams.The significance of the word is that the Prophets,Messengers, and Imams command what Allah (SWT) wants, and serve as aproof against the people they have been sent to; as such, they areAllah's (SWT) "Proofs" on Earth.] Then Imam (AS) continues..."He who subscribes to Fatalism (Jabriyyah) is a Kafir (Nonbeliever),and he who subscribes to Free Will (Qadariyyah) is a Mushrik(Polytheist).""As for the matter between two matters, it is the seeking of the paththat leads to the fulfillment of Allah's (SWT) orders.Allah (SWT) hasgiven man the ability and freedom to do good (deeds) or not to do good(deeds); and, Allah (SWT) has given man the ability and freedom to doevil (deeds) or not to do evil (deeds), then He (SWT) ordered him todo good (deeds), and prohibited him from doing evil (deeds)."Such is the great knowledge of the Imams, may Allah (SWT) bless them all.It is no surprise that even at the age of 14, they are so knowledgeable;for it only confirms what the Prophet (PBUH&HF) said about them:"Don't get too far ahead of them, or you'll be destroyed.Nor stayfar behind them, or you'll also be destroyed.And don't try to teachthem, for they are far more knowledgeable than you are."This tradition is mentioned in: Usd al-Ghabah, by Ibn Athir, v3, p137; al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah by Ibn Hajar, p148; Majma' al-Zawa'id, v9, p163;Yanabee' al-Mawada, p41; al-Durr al-Manthoor by al-Suyuti, v2, p60; Kanz al-'Umal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, v1, p168; and Aqabat al-Anwar, v1, p184.THE CALIPHATE AND THE QUESTION OF QADA WA QADAR:=The strange thing about the Sunni belief is that while they believe thatEVERYTHING is the Will of Allah (SWT), they stubbornly attach themselves tothe contention that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) left the matter of the Caliphate(Succession) for them to decide upon.The Shia believe the exact opposite of what the Sunnis believe with regardsto this issue (i.e., succession).While it is true that the Shia ardentlysupport the concept of Half-Free Will, they will NOT apply it to theconcept of the Caliphate (Succession).The Shia believe that the Successor to a ANY Prophet or Messenger is amatter that ONLY Allah (SWT) decides upon; and they can have NO say in thematter.As such, it is the belief of Twelver Shi'ite that al-Imam Ali (AS)was chosen by Allah (SWT) to succeed the Prophet (PBUH&HF).Prima Facie (superficially), this appears to be a contradiction on the partof both parties, but the truth is otherwise.The Sunnis when they claim that EVERYTHING is the Will of Allah (SWT), theymake Allah (SWT) the ACTUAL EXECUTOR of His (SWT) Will; and they are leftwith an IMAGINARY WILL of their own.So it was the Companions (along withUmar) that chose Abu Bakr after the death of the Prophet (PBUH&HF); but,in actuality, they were only executing Allah's (SWT) Will (i.e., thecompanions were only instruments used by Allah (SWT) to execute His (SWT)Will.).That is the Sunnis's interpretation of the events.The Shia, however, when they assert that Allah (SWT) has given His (SWT)servants the freedom of choice, they DO NOT contradict themselves bystating that ONLY Allah (SWT) chooses the Chaliph (Successor).For Allah(SWT) states in the Quran:"Thy Lord does create and CHOOSE AS HE PLEASES: NO CHOICE have they(in the matter)...[28:68]""And We made them Imams, guiding (men) by Our command, and We inspiredthem to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to giveZakat; and they constantly served Us (and Us only).[21:73]""And We appointed from among them, Imams, giving guidance under Ourcommand, so long as they persevered with patience and continued tohave faith in Our Signs.[32:24]"[NOTE: In the above two verses A.Yusuf Ali uses the term "Leaders" insteadof "Imams;" however, the Arabic Quran uses the word IMAMS -- Check foryourselves.]"And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certaincommands, which he fulfilled: He (Allah) said: I will make thee anImam to the people.He (Abraham) pleaded: And also (Imams) from myoffspring! He (Allah) answered: But My Promise is not within the reachof evil-doers.[2:124]"So, as we see from the above verses, the matter of Succession (Chaliphate)is just like that of Prophethood -- People have NO SAY in it.Allah (SWT)is the One who chose Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and the rest of the Prophets,Messengers, and Imams; and there's NOTHING people can do about it.However,the Free Will component lies in the fact that you AT LIBERTY to believe inor reject ANY Prophet sent to you, as has happened throughout the historyof mankind (i.e., some people believed, while others rejected theProphets.).A true believer will accept Allah's (SWT) orders, and attainfelicity; while a nonbeliever will reject Allah's (SWT) Signs, and sufferthe consequences.Indeed, Allah (SWT) says:"...whosoever follows My guidance, will not lose his way, nor fallinto misery.But whosoever turns away from My message, verily for himis a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day ofJudgment.He will say: O my Lord! Why hast thou raised me up blind,while I had sight (before)? (Allah) will say: Thus didst thou, whenOur Signs came unto thee, forgot them: so wilt thou, this day, beforgotten.[20:123-126]"Now, if we objectively analyze both viewpoints: that of the Sunnis, andthat of the Shia, we will discover that the Sunnis's viewpoint literallyholds Allah responsible (SWT) for EVERYTHING in the Universe, whether it begood or bad.Whereas, the Shia have clearly vindicated Allah (SWT) fromsuch impurities, and have proved that EACH Soul shall reap what it hassown.Which viewpoint is closer to reason? One that blames Allah, THECreator and Sustainer of the Universe, or one that makes YOU responsiblefor your own actions? I leave the answer for the enlightened reader toprovide.===RESPONSES TO SUNNI BROTHERS:===First, a Sunni brother made the comment that I am accusing ALL Sunnischolars of being fatalists, when in reality, this is NOT the case.Myresponse was:First, I did not say that "ALL" the Sunni scholars are fatalists; rather,the MAJORITY.Moreover, most of the scholars preaching in the Mosquesshare the view of fatalism, and, as such, have contributed to thecorruption of the youths, who are the seeds of the future.It is abetrayal of the scholarly trust when a SCHOLAR BLINDLY accepts traditionand what others say.(NOTE: I emphasize the word "scholar" because I amNOT talking about the layman who CANNOT interpret complex philosophicalissues and sophisticated matters of jurisprudence.But for a scholar, whois in a position to give "Fatwas -- Religious Opinions," to blindly becomefatalistic is unacceptable in its entirety.) Indeed, Allah (SWT) challengedthe Jews and the Christians by saying: ".....Bring forth your argument(proof) if ye are telling the truth! [27:64]" As such, it is MANDATORY forsuch scholars to provide proof to support their view of fatalism.Keep inmind that in Islam, the theory of proofs is as follows: If two proofs arepresented, and each proof is strong enough to equal the other proof, theycancel each other out, and new proofs will be sought.However, if one ofthe proofs is stronger than the other, then the stronger proof prevails andbecomes dominant.As far as Free Will vs.Fatalism is concerned, clearlyFree Will, as I presented it, wins hands down.Note also that this article depicts what the MAINSTREAM Sunnis and what theMAINSTREAM Shia believe.Undoubtedly, there are Sunni scholars andindividuals who are NOT blind fatalists, and there are Shi'i scholars andindividuals who ARE blind fatalists.Neither group represents MAINSTREAMthought within either faction.Second, another Sunni brother stated that I neglected the following versesin my analysis:>>>surah 74>>54.Nay this surely is an admonition:>>55.Let any who will keep it in remembrance!>>56.But none will keep it in remembrance except as Allah wills:He is the Lord of Righteousness and the Lord of Forgiveness.>>surah 76>>29.This is an admonition: whosoever will let him take a (straight) Pathto his Lord.>>30.But ye will not except as Allah wills; for Allah is full of Knowledgeand Wisdom.>>31.He will admit to His Mercy Whom He will; but the wrongdoers for themhas He prepared a grievous Penalty.>>surah 57>>22.No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded ina decree before We bring it into existence: that is truly easy for Allah:>>23.In order that ye may not despair over matters that pass you by norexult over favors bestowed upon you.For Allah loveth not anyvainglorious boasterMy response was as follows:With regards to the above verses, and your claim that I am more in favor ofFree Will than Fatalism, thereby neglecting the above verses, I offer thefollowing:What Allah (SWT) is saying in the above verses, among others, when He (SWT)states: "But ye will not except as Allah wills...." is NOT as youunderstand it to be.Please remember the following very important sentence:SOME OF THE WILL OF ALLAH CHENGES BASED ON OUR ACTION.It is not fixed.This serves as Half-Free Will for the human.It is all the Will of Allah,but SOME of His Will are modified by Himself.(We do not modify it.Hemodifies it based on our actions).Quran gives evidence to this fact:"Allah removes what He wills, and confirms (what He wills),and with Him is the Essence of the Book.[13:39]"Also this:"Allah does not change the situation of any group of people, unlessthey change what is in themselves.[13:11]" Also the following two verse in which Allah changed the decision in realtime, base on the weakness appeared to the companions:8:65 "O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight.If there be of youtwenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there beof you a hundred steadfast they shall overcome a thousand of thosewho disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk withoutintelligence."8:66 "Now, has Allah lightened your (duty), for He knowes that thereis weakness in you.So if there be of you a steadfast hundred theyshall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a thousand(steadfast) they shall overcome two thousand by permission ofAllah.Allah is with the steadfast.[8:65-66]"Also look at this:"But those who do ill deeds and afterward repent and believe lo!for them, then after that, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.[7:153]"Note that Allah changes His decision after the action of human (here isrepentance).There are many more verses similar to above (see 16:110,16:119, etc...)Allah (SWT) has given you the freedom to act and do whatever you wantWITHIN the CONFINES of your abilities.Now Allah (SWT) can interfere atANYTIME to change a matter without any inhibition from ANYONE.As such,His (SWT) Will to INTERFERE and change a matter prevails over His (SWT)creation's will.So Allah (SWT) Wills in the sense that He (SWT) ALLOWS anevent to occur, without Him (SWT) stopping it from happening.That is His(SWT) Will, NOT that He (SWT) forces you to do something, and then punishesyou for it.(Exalted be Allah (SWT) from such an inference!) Given thatfact, Allah (SWT) can, for example, intervene to return Palestine to theMuslims, but He (SWT) doesn't.That DOES NOT mean that Allah (SWT)approves of having Palestine in the hands of the Jews, but rather Allah(SWT) has a more sublime wisdom in not interfering.Now, the obvious question is: Why doesn't Allah (SWT) interfere, forexample, to help the Muslims that are being slaughtered in Bosnia, orelsewhere?The answer is as follows: Going back to the Free Will argument, you areresponsible for your acts.If Allah (SWT) interferes to prevent evil fromhappening, then who will be held accountable? It is this "AccountabilityPrinciple" that precludes the interference of Allah (SWT) in many (not all)situations.That DOES NOT mean, however, that Allah (SWT) NEVER intervenesor that He (SWT) approves of the matter, but rather Allah (SWT) intervenesonly when He (SWT), Himself (SWT), sees a reason to do so, as when He (SWT)intervened and helped the Prophet Abraham (AS) from the fire of thenonbelievers, among other examples.Why did Allah (SWT) intervene then?That's where your faith in Allah's (SWT) wisdom comes into play.Do youbelieve in Allah (SWT) to the extent that you trust what He (SWT) does,EVEN if you don't fully understand it? If yes, then you have answered thequestion for yourself.If not, then you have a weak faith which is in needof some strengthening.CONCLUSION:In conclusion, I (myself, not Dr.al-Tijani) realize that many pointspresented in this article are NOT easy to comprehend, nor are they meantfor the average person; however, I have deeply suffered from the problem ofFree Will and Fatalism, and my agony throughout that ordeal is virtuallybeyond description.As such, I do not wish anybody to suffer as I have.Let me also assert that my PERSONAL opinion is that Fatalism in Islamicsocieties is one of THE MOST damaging ideologies around; it fosters aCOMPLETE paralysis of intellectual and physical exertions, and promotesdecay from within the community.It is a GREAT SHAME that we shouldprofoundly suffer due to a false ideology.We have been deceived for allthese years (1400 or so), while the Shia have always had the answer to thisperplexing question.It is the irony of life that we mock those whopossess knowledge, while we praise our own ignorance!Given that, I leave you with the same questions: "Are you realistic whenyou claim that Allah (SWT) FORCES you into committing evil, and thenpunishes you for it? If Allah (SWT) has created me a Kafir, why thenshould I bother and rectify myself? What difference would it make -- I havealready been judged?"