What the some of the earlier Scholars said reagrding the Shi’ites
- Imaam ash-Shaafi`ee
On one occasion ash-Shaafiee said concerning the Shiites, "I have not seen among the heretics a people
more famous for falsehood than the Raafidite Shi`ites." [Ibn Taymeeyah, Minhaaj as-Sunnah an-
Nabawiyyah, 1/39] On another occasion he said, "Narrate knowledge from everyone you meet except the
Raafidite Shi`ites, because they invent Hadeeths and adopt them as part of their religion." [Ibid, p. 38]
- Imaam Abu Haneefah
It was reported that often Abu Haneefah used to repeat the following statement about the Shi`ites,
“Whoever doubts whether they are disbelievers has himself committed disbelief.”
- Imaam Maalik
Once Maalik was asked about them and he replied, "Do not speak to them nor narrate from them, for
surely they are liars." [Minhaaj as-Sunnah, 1/37] During a class of Imaam Maalik, it was mentioned that the
Raafidite Shi`ites curse the Sahaabah. In reply, he quoted the Quranic verse, "Muhammad is the Messenger
of Allah and those with him are harsh with the disbelievers and gentle among themselves. So that the
disbelievers may become enraged with them." He then said, "Whoever becomes enraged when the
Sahaabah are mentioned is one about whom the verse speaks." [Tafseeer al-Qurtubee, Soorah
al-Fath; Editors note: That is, anyone who is enraged by the mention of the Sahaabah is a disbeliever,
because the verse says, “the disbelievers may become enraged with them (Sahaabah).”]
- Ibn al-Mubaarak
Ibn al-Mubaarak was reported to have said, "Religion is gained from Ahl al-Hadeeth, scholastic theology and crafty exemptions from religious ordinances of Ahl ar-Ray and lies from the Raafidite Shiites." [Adh-Dhahabee, al Muntaqaa min Minhaaj al-Itidaal, p. 48
- Abu Zur`ah ar-Raazee
This great scholar was quoted as saying, "If you see someone degrade any of the companions of the Prophet,
sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, know that he is a disbeliever. Because the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, was real, what he brought was the truth and all of it was conveyed us by the way of the Sahaabah. What those disbelievers wish to do is to cast doubt on the reliability of our narrators in order to invalidate the Quraan and the Sunnah. Thus the disbelievers are the ones most deserving defamation."
- Al-Qaadee Abu Ya`laa
It was reported that Abu Ya`laa said, "The position of jurists concerning one who curses the Sahaabah,
believing that such an act is permissible, is that he has committed an act of disbelief. If he curses them
but does not believe that cursing them is permissible, then he is guilty of immorality, and not disbelief."
[Ibn Taymeeyah, as-Sawaarim al-Maslool, p. 569]
- At-Tahaawee
In his book on the Islamic creed, al-Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, the author states, "We love the companions of Allaahs Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, without going overboard in our love of
anyone of them or remaining aloof (tabarra) from any of them. We hate those who hate them or speak ill
of them and we only speak well of them. Loving them is a religious act, and an _expression of faith and
righteousness while hating them is an act of disbelief, hypocrisy and transgression." [Sharh al-`Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, p. 528]
Ibn Hazm al-Andaloosee
One day during the period of Muslim rule in Spain, Imaam Abu Muhammad ibn Hazm was having a debate
with some Spanish Catholic priests about their religious texts. He brought before them evidence
of textual distortions in the Bible and the loss of original manuscripts. When they replied by pointing
out to him Shiite claims also being distorted, Ibn Hazm informed them that "Shiite could not be used
as evidence against the Quraan or against Muslims because they are not themselves Muslims." [Ibn
Hazm, al-Fisaal fee al-Milal wa an-Nihal, 2/78 and 4/182]
Their claims have been rebutted by numerous other early scholars like Ibn Taymeeyah in Minhaaj as-
Sunnah, adh-Dhahabee in Muntaqaa min Minhaaj al-I`tidaal, Ibn Katheer in his history book [al-Bidaayah
wa an-Nihaayah], bn al-Jawzee in Talbees Iblees, and al-Qaadee ibn al-Arabee in al-Awwaasim min al-
Qawaasim.
Contemporary Scholars
- Imaam al-Aloosee
He declared the Raafidite Shi’ites disbelievers because of their defamation of the Sahaabah. His position
was based on the rulings of Imam Malik and other scholars who were in agreement with him. In reply to
their claim to be Ahl Bayt (the Prophet’s sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam family), al-Aloosee said, "No, they
are really followers of the Devils and Ahl Bayt are innocent of them."