Shi`ism

Carl Ernst

Introduction to Islamic Civilization

The argument for Shi`ism

God’s mercy would never deprive humanity of guidance

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, there must be a guide

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Origins of the split

Sunnis: Qur'an and hadith texts

Shi`is: Qur'an and Prophet's family

Sunnis: loyalty to the community as part of faith

`Ali refuses to recognize `Umar's decisions as authoritative

tensions over Umayyad rule

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Further aspects of the split

breakdown in the family of the prophet

the Sunni notion of decline from the golden age, and renewal

secession of Kharijis, who appealed to the Qur'an

`Ali on the silent Qur'an

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Spiritual significance of `Ali

"there is no chivalrous youth but Ali"

"The Peak of Eloquence”

`Ali as the link for all Sufi lineages

Rumi on `Ali in battle: no victory in anger

Nusrat and the formula of Ghadir Khumm: For whomever I was his master, Ali is his master.

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The declaration of Ghadir Khumm

“him for whom I am the master, so this Ali is his master”

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The hollow Empire

Damascus versus Medina as a paradigm of Umayyad imperial rule.

"The idealization of the caliphate for many Muslims in the age of post-colonialism is not something that many Muslims historically would have shared in."

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Husayn to Mu`awiya

But now what a great astonishment and shock it is to see that you, O Mu’awiya, are attempting to accede to a thing which you do not deserve. You do not possess any known merit in religion, nor have you any trace in Islam which has ever been praised. On the contrary, you are the son of the leader of the opposition party from among the parties; and you are the son of the greatest enemy of the Prophet from among Quraysh…So give up your persistence in falsehood and enter into my homage.

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Mu`awiya to Husayn

“It would therefore be better for you not to insist on what you have asked me; if you enter into obedience to me now, you will accede to caliphate after me.”

Differences over the fate of Hasan: paid off, or poisoned?

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Karbala, 680

Husayn's uprising, and the intimidation of the people of Kufa

the narrative of Karbala; 72 against hundreds

Nusrat on the martyrdom of Hussein

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Karbala

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Husayn

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Zaynab’s accusation of Yazid

"Do you know what you have done!?! You have killed the best of the household of the Prophet; and you have chopped off the roots and branches of the tree of the garden of his mission“

“You will never take from us our memory.”

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Zaynab to the KufansO people of Kufa, you deceptive, fraudulent, lying

and treacherous people; by God, you have made false promises, and turned your hypocritical faces toward my brother, and sent him deceptive letters…and conspired to destroy the household of the Prophet (may God’s Peace and Blessing be upon him and his family)…You] have chosen to give the worst of worldly people authority and power over the best of people, and instead of defending the truth and justice, you simply stood by at a distance, as spectators; now you dare to share hypocritical tears on our behalf! 14

Final thoughts

Sunni, Shi`i, and the problem of orthodoxy

Sunnism: public order, the rule of law, history is God's will

Shi`ism: standing up for justice

Footnote: quietism vs. activism in Shi`ism (a mistaken prediction in the 1960s)

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