Shia etymology

:"This is a sub-article of Shi'a Islam.Shi'a ("follower" or "partisan") as an Islamic term traces its etymology to the very first century of Islam.

Transliteration

The singular/adjective form of Shi‘ah (ArB|شيعة) is Shi‘i (ArB|شيعي). The apostrophe frequently used (e.g. Shi'a) is technically incorrect, since the Arabic letter is the ayin ( _ar. ع), standardly represented with a grave accent (`), left half-circle (unicode|ʿ), or turned comma (‘). The apostrophe represents the hamza, which has a noted difference in pronunciation. The final Arabic letter is the ta' marbuta, which also causes difficulty in transliteration. It is often pronounced as a soft /h/ (e.g. Shi‘ah), but in a construct state, and in more classical Arabic, it is pronounced as a /t/ (e.g. Shi‘at ‘Ali). The ta' marbuta is frequently dropped in transliteration (e.g. Shia).

Due to the complexities of Arabic, there are approximately 30 possible transliterations of _ar. شيعة. For technical accuracy Shi‘ah is the preferred form. Using the Arabic chat alphabet, the transliteration is Shi3a.

Qur'anic usage

The Arabic term is also used in the Qur'an.

Here "Shi'a" is translated into "way", a translation more emphasizing the term goes; "And most surely Abraham was among the Shi'a of him (i.e., Noah)"

Here "Shi'a" is translated into "party", in reference to a partisan of Musa (Moses) who was aided.

QuoteQuran-range|30|31|32|Turning to Him, and be careful of (your duty to) Him and keep up prayer and be not of the polytheists. Of those who divided their religion and became seas every sect rejoicing in what they had with them.|arab= مُنِيبِينَ إِلَيْهِ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعاً كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ|701

Here "Shi'a", in its plural form, is translated into "sect".

History

Muhammad

QuoteHadith|matn=Muhammad said to Ali: "Glad tiding O Ali! Verily you and your companions and your partisians (Shi'a) will be in Paradise." [Sunni Sources:

:a) Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p655", :b) Hilyatul Awliyaa, by Abu Nu'aym, v4, p329", :c) History of Baghdad by Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, v12, p289", :d) al-Awsat, by al-Tabarani", :e) Majma al-Zawa'id, by Ali ibn Abu Bakr al-Haythami, v10, pp 21-22", :f) al-Darqunti, who said this tradition has been transmitted via numerous authorities.", :g) al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Al-Haythami , Ch. 11, section 1, p247". ]

Ali ibn Abi Talib

Imam Ali was the cousin of Muhammad, highly respected by both the Sunni and the Shia. Sunni-Muslims tend to view him as the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph, while the Shia-Muslims view him as the first Imam.In the book Nahj al-Balagha, which is a collection of Imam Ali's sermons viewed as authentic by the Shia, we read the following:cquote|bgcolor=#F0FFF0
Ali says about his Shia:

I always apprehended from you consequences of treachery and I had seen you through in the garb of the deceitful. [ [http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/4.htm Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 4] ]

Al-Hasan ibn Ali

Imam Hasan, the grandson of Muhammad, stated in connection with the Fitnadn between him and Muawiyah:cquote|bgcolor=#F0FFF0
Imam Hassan said: By Allah, I think Muawiyyah would be better for me than these people who claim that they are my "Shia". [Shia source: al-Ihtijâj by Abu Mansur al-Tabarsî vol. 2 pp290-291 (Mu'assasat al-A'lamî, Beirut 1989)]

Imam Baqir

From Imam Baqir's, the Fifth Ahlul Bayt Imam and fourth grandson of Muhammad, conversation with Jabir al-Ju'afi"

From Imam Baqir's conversation with Sa'id ibn Al-Hassan". cquote|bgcolor=#F0FFF0
Baqir asked Sa'id: "Does it happen to you that one of you approaches his brother and he puts his hand into his brothers pocket to take some money of which he is in need, without his brother preventing him?"

Sa'id answered "I do not know of such a thing".

Baqir said, "Then truly, there are no real Shi'i among you".

Sa'id asked "Shall we all perish, in that case?"

"Yes", answered Baqir, "indeed, for such people do not put into action what they say." [Shia source: Allamah Muhammad rida al-Muzaffar - The faith of Shi'a Islam p66]

Imam Jafar

From Imam Jafar, The Sixth Ahlul Bayt Imam and fifth grandson of Muhammad:"

Also:

Also:

Imam Rida

*Imam Rida, The eight Ahlul Bayt Imam and seventh grandson of Muhammad:

References

ee also

*Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama'ah
*Real Shi'a
*The Four Companions

External links

*http://al-islam.org/encyclopedia/chapter1b/13.html