I am also a Shia too!

[NGONGE]

^^ I would have liked to leave it to Ustaad Nur to do the honours here. But since you ask here you go:

 

It is one of the resolutions of the Islamic Fiqh Academy. The organisation was formed in 1981 and is based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It contains scholars and thinkers from most Islamic countries.

 

In their meeting in 2006 they issued the following resolution (I'm only going to translate the bits I highlighted above):

 

All who follow the four Sunni schools of thoughts (Xanafi, Xanbali, Shaafici and Maaliki), those that follow Ja'fari, Zayidi, Abaadi and Daahri are MUSLIM. Applying 'Takfiir' to them is not allowed. It's forbidden to assault their blood, honour and wealth. In addition, and in accordance with Sheikh Al Azhar's fatwa, it's not allowed to apply 'takfeer' to the followers of the Asha'riah creed and those that follow real Sufism. Furthermore, the 'takfeer' of those that follow the correct salafi thinking is not allowed. Also, the 'takfeer' of any group of Muslims that believe in Allah, his prophet, the pillars of Iman, pillars of Islam and does not deny any known and necessary part of Islam.

 

The resolution then goes on to make recommendations about the need for dialogue, discussions and clarifications on various misunderstood issues such as:

 

Al Wala Wal Bara

 

The Hadeeth about the 'saved' sect.

 

Boundaries of Takfeer, Tafessq, etc

 

The judgment on murtad's and the conditions for applying the 'Xad'

 

The prevalence of Kabaa'er and what committing them entails

 

Takfeer as a result of not fully applying Sharia rules without distinguishing between the different circumstances.

 

--------------

Nur did say it was an educational thread after all. We wouldn't want our readers to be (as Johnny would say) indoctrinated with one viewpoint, would we now?

 

Islamic Fiqh Academy's English Site (not fully updated yet)

[Johnny B]

" It's forbidden to assault their blood, honour and wealth "

 

Which is otherwise NOT forbidden?

 

ps..

Why is the 'Arabic' laguage so authoratative regarding ideological twists in the Islamic theology despite its( the arabic language's) poverity in many vital feilds and Islam's close relation to the Abrahamic religions?

[NGONGE]

^^ The words were translated verbatim, saaxib.

 

Ps

Your question is very vague.

[Johnny B]

Forget about the translation,

 

Is there a clear tendency to accepting Fiqh-arguments presented in Arabic at face-value than would be the case, presented in say English. Giving the Arabic language the authoratative air by default?.

Despite Islam borrowing theologically and the Arabic culture having seen it's peek.

 

 

ps..

 

Doing our utmost to NOT indoctrinate our readers in a partiular Theistic or Atheistic view would be ideal.

[NGONGE]

^^ That would be impossible (under the circumstances).

 

As for the linguistic quandary there, I seriously doubt the choice of language matters. The only time it would (slightly mind) is when including verses from the Quran. At that time it would be difficult to do the Arabic words any justice with a simple translation into any other language (but no impossible). As for the authoritative air, I beg to differ. That applies to all faiths and languages when discussing faith. Pick up a bible and see.

[Johnny B]

^so true.

And that leavs us with cultural-contingent faiths?

 

You're right , a certain bible would've either praise or out-right forbid Illama milk if and only if John was raised at your favorite spot.

[NGONGE]

^^ You're mumbling again.

[Nur]

Ngonge bro.

 

Good post, just finished reading, its "generic politically correct Fatwa"

 

The rulings above do hold for the mainstream Islamic schools of thought (Four Schools). As for the Shia theology in practice, and in their literature in circulation, its an all new territory, it calls for an examination.

 

Nur

[NGONGE]

You may be interested in reading this lecture too.

[Fabregas]

Originally posted by NGONGE:

Also, the 'takfeer' of any group of Muslims that believe in Allah, his prophet, the pillars of Iman, pillars of Islam and does not deny any known and necessary part of Islam.

Ngonge, what about a group of "muslims" who believe that Imams are on the same level, or even superior to prophets:

 

 

quote:To prove that government and authority belong to the Imām (‘a) is not to imply that the Imām (‘a) has no spiritual status. The Imām (‘a) does indeed possess certain spiritual dimensions that are unconnected with their function as a ruler. The spiritual status of the Imām (‘a) is a universal divine viceregency that is sometimes mentioned by the Imāms (‘a). It is a viceregency pertaining to the whole of creation, by virtue of which all the atoms in the universe humble themselves before the holder of authority. It is one of the essential beliefs of our Shī‘i school that no one can attain the spiritual status of the Imāms, not even the cherubim or the prophets .[106] In fact, according to the traditions that have been handed down to us, the Most Noble Messenger and the Imāms (‘a) existed before the creation of the world in the form of lights situated beneath the divine throne; they were superior to other men even in the sperm from which they grow and in their physical composition.[107] Their exalted station is limited only by the divine will, as indicated by the saying of Jibrā’īl (‘a) recorded in the traditions on the mi‘rāj: “Were I to draw closer by as much as the breadth of a finger, surely I would burn.”[108] The Prophet (s) himself said: “We have states with God that are beyond the reach of the cherubim and the prophets.”[109] It is a part of our belief that the Imāms too enjoy similar states, before the question of government even arises. For example, Fātimah (‘a) also possessed these states, even though she was not a ruler, a judge, or a governor.[110]

 

 

footnote of the website:The “governance” (vilāyat) of the Imāms is intrinsic to their persons, unlike that of the fuqahā; moreover, its scope is not limited to men but embraces the whole of creation. They therefore exercise “cosmic governance” (vilāyat-i takvīnī), in part through the performance of miracles. This form of vilāyat is common to the Imāms and to the foremost of the prophets, who exercised a governmental function while also propagating a divine message. The statement here that “no one can attain the spiritual status of the Imāms, not even the cherubim or the prophets” thus carries the strict sense that the Imāms are superior to those prophets whose mission lacked the dimension of governmental leadership.

 

 

Khomeini. islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist: http://www.al-islam.org/islamicgovernment/