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INTRODUCTION
 
 In the name of Allah, the most Merciful, the most Beneficent 
All praise is for Allah, the Lord of the universe. May the best of blessings andgreetings be upon our leader and master Muhammad, who was sent as a mercy to theuniverse, he is the master of the foremost ones and the last ones, he was purified fromall disgraces. May Allah's choicest blessings and greetings also be upon the illustriousand purified
ahl al-bayt,
the standards of guidance, light of those in darkness and theImams of the Muslims.This work consists of some questions which I prepared for Muslim researchers -especially those Sunnis who maintain that they alone hold fast to the true practice of the Prophet (S.A.W.) They are severe in their disapproval of other Muslims and callthem derogatory names. New organizations have sprung up in several Islamiccountries in the name of defending the
sunna
of Muhammad (S.A.W.) and in thename of "the helpers of the
sunna
" and "the helpers of the companions". Numerousbooks have been published to insult and condemn the Shi'as, their Imams and toridicule their scholars. These ideas have been propagated, by international means of communications, to every part of the world - Muslim and non-Muslim - to the pointwhere people today speak [only] of the Sunnis and the Shi'as.On many occasions, I meet some young, truthful Muslim scholars who enquire andask questions about the Shi'as, i.e., the true and false [notions] about them. They areperplexed in reconciling what they observe while living amongst their Shi'a friendswith what they hear and read about them. They do not know where the truth lies. Ihave spoken to some of them and have presented them with copies of my book "ThenI was Guided". Praise be to Allah, the majority of them, after researching anddebating, are guided to the truth and follow it. This, however, does not suffice forthose youths whom I meet coincidentally or for those who do not have suchopportunities to meet and therefore remain confused regarding the conflicting ideasthey are exposed to.Despite the convincing proofs and irrefutable arguments [cited] in "Then I wasGuided", and "With the Truthful ones", these two books are not sufficient to combatthe frenzied attacks and crude allegations [instigated] by various means of propagandathat some of the wicked sources have financed by their petro dollars.Despite all this, however, the voice of truth will emerge in the midst of thisdiscomforting uproar and it will be a glowing light shining in the gloom of darknesssince the promise of Allah is true, and it will certainly manifest itself. Allah says:"They seek to extinguish Allah's light by their mouths, but Allah will perfect this lighteven though the disbelievers hate that" (61:8). Allah further explains that their actswill fail and will rebound on them: "Verily, those who disbelieve spend their wealthin hindering [people from] the path of Allah, they will continue to spend; then theywill regret therein. Ultimately, they will be overcome and the disbelievers will begathered in hell" (8:160).Due to this, it is essential for the scholars, writers and thinkers to explain to the laypersons what is difficult for them [to comprehend] and to guide them to the right path.The most exalted says: "Those who seek to conceal the clear [signs] which We have
 
revealed and guided - after we have clearly explained it for the people in the book -Allah will curse them as will those who are entitled to curse. Except those who repent,make amends and make clear [that which they sought to hide]. Towards them I shallturn, for I am the Forgiving, the Merciful" (2:160).Why don't the scholars discuss this topic diligently and sincerely for Allah's sake?Why [should they not do this] when the most Glorious has revealed the clear signsand guidance, perfected His religion and completed His favours on humankind? Whenthe Prophet (S.A.W.) has fulfilled Allah's mission to him, proclaimed His messageand advised the
umma,
then why this disunity, enmity, hatred and calling derogatorynames and each party considering the other to be a disbeliever?In my role, I have to take an unequivocal position here and to declare to all Muslims,that there can be no salvation, no safety, no unity, no happiness, and no paradiseunless we return to the two basic sources: Allah's book and the Prophet's household(peace be upon them). [Nothing can be attained] unless we embark on the ship of salvation, the ship of the
ahl al-bayt 
(S.A.W.). This statement is not something that Ihave conjured up, rather, it is the word of Allah in the noble Qur'an and His Prophet(S.A.W.) in the honourable Prophetic
sunna
. The Muslims today have two options toattain the desired unity:The first approach: The
ahl al-sunna wa'l -Jama'a
accept the
madhab
(school of thought) of the household of the Prophet which is the
madhab
that the Ithna'ashariImami Shi'as follow. This
madhab
would then be classified as a fifth
madhab
to them(the Sunnis), and they could then treat its jurisprudential texts in the same way thatthey do with the other four Islamic schools. They should not disparage it nor deridethose who embrace it. They should give the educated students the freedom to choosethe
madhab
which they are satisfied with. And, by the same token, it is incumbentupon every Muslim - Sunni and Shi'a - that they recognize the other Islamic
madhab
s,such as the Ibadiyya and the Zaydiyya. This approach is a remedy for many of theconflicts and differences that affect our
umma,
but it still does not present a completecure for the historical discord we have endured for centuries.The second approach: The Muslims should unite under a common creed as dictatedby Allah and His Prophet (S.A.W.). They should do so in one way and on the rightpath, which is to follow the Imams of the
ahl al-bayt,
[they are] those from whomAllah has removed all filth and has purified them completely. Indeed, all Muslims -Shi'as and Sunnis - agree upon their acts and their superiority in their piety, virtue,asceticism, character, knowledge and good deeds.Since the Muslims differ regarding the companions, they should leave what theydiffer on in favour of what they agree upon in compliance with the
hadith
of theProphet (S.A.W.): "Keep away from what casts doubt in you in favour of what doesnot make you doubtful". By doing this, the Muslim
umma
would come together andunite based on a fundamental rule that forms the pivot around which everythingrevolves, [a principle] established by the Prophet (S.A.W.) when he said: "I leaveamongst you two weighty things, if you stick to them, you will never go astray: thebook of Allah and my
ahl al-bayt 
" [cited in]
Sahih
Muslim.
 
Since this
hadith
is accepted by both sects, in fact by all Muslims regardless of theirdifferent
madhahib,
why is it that a faction amongst them does not act in accordanceto it? If all the Muslims were to follow this
hadith
, such strong Islamic unity would befostered between them that no breeze could shake it, no storm destroy it, nopropagation could refute it and no enemy of Islam could thwart it.In my view, this is the only solution towards the salvation and safety of the Muslims.Any other approach is futile and [is tantamount to] embellished words. Whoeverstudies the Qur'an and the Prophet's traditions, as well as studies history and reflectsupon it with a sound mind will certainly agree with me.The first approach has failed since the first day the Prophet (S.A.W.) left us when thecompanions differed amongst themselves resulting in the division of the Muslim
umma
and the destruction of the bonds of solidarity. The
umma
has failed throughoutthe centuries to revert to the second approach which is the adherence to the book andthe Prophet's household (S.A.W.). This is due to the propaganda spread earlier by theUmayyad and 'Abbasid dynasties, and, in our times, because of the defamation,misrepresentation and condemnation of the followers of the
ahl al-bayt 
of theProphet. There remains for us then nothing else but a clear approach and a disclosureof the truth for all who wish to know it. This can be done in the style of the nobleQur'an in it's challenge: "Come forth with your proof if you are indeed telling thetruth" (2:111).Clear proof and argument will never be subjugated by force or wealth, neither canthey be refuted by warnings and threats. [This is true] for free human beings who havepledged themselves to Allah alone. They have never deviated - and will never do so -from the truth, even if they lose their lives.If only the modern day scholars of the
umma
were to organise a conference toexamine these matters with open hearts, astute minds and pure consciences, theywould, by doing so, serve the Muslim
umma,
assemble its scattered fragments, heal itswounds, unite its ranks and bring together it's [different] views.This unity will come, [whether they] like it or not, for Allah, Glory be to Him, hasreserved, for that purpose, an Imam from the progeny of al-Mustafa (the chosen one)who will fill the earth with justice and equity just as it was filled with oppression andtyranny. This Imam is from the purified loins. It is as though Allah, great is Hiswisdom - tests this
umma
throughout it's life span until, when the time is near, Hereveals to it the errors it has committed and gives it an opportunity to return to thetruth and follow the original path which Muhammad (S.A.W.) called to when hesupplicated: "O Allah, guide my people for indeed they do not know".Until that time comes, I present my book "Ask those who know". It is a collection of questions and answers based on the views and the teachings of the Imams of the
ahlal-bayt 
(S.A.W.). Hopefully, the Muslims in every Islamic country will benefit from itand work towards the concordance of views in preparation of the coveted unity.My success is from Allah. Upon Him I rely and to Him I turn. My Lord, expand mybreast and make my affairs easy for me [to handle]. Loosen the knots on my tongue sothat my words can be understood. I ask Him, Glory be to Him, the most exalted one,
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