**Righteous **Now you are really clutching at straws by claiming that just because the word Shia is the Quran then by extention anyone who takes himself to be Shia (in the present sense of the word i.e. Shia sect) is on the correct path.
Shia is Arabic word meaing a party, group,sect etc.
It is nothing to do with Shia as you understand it.
You will be really surprised to know that the word Shia is mentioned in many other incidences.
See the following:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُواْ دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُواْ شِيَعًا لَّسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى اللّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْعَلُونَ {159}
Inna allatheena farraqoo deenahum wakanoo shiyaAAan lasta minhum fee shayin innama amruhum ila Allahi thumma yunabbiohum bima kanoo yafAAaloona
Surely they who divided their religion into parts and became sects, you have no concern with them; their affair is only with Allah, then He will inform them of what they did. [Shakir 6:159]
As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou hast no part in them in the least: their affair is with Allah: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did. [Yusufali 6:159]
Lo! As for those who sunder their religion and become schismatics, no concern at all hast thou with them. Their case will go to Allah, Who then will tell them what they used to do. [Pickthal 6:159]
قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الآيَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ {65}
Qul huwa alqadiru AAala an yabAAatha AAalaykum AAathaban min fawqikum aw min tahti arjulikum aw yalbisakum shiyaAAan wayutheeqa baAAdakum basa baAAdin onthur kayfa nusarrifu alayati laAAallahum yafqahoona
Say: He has the power that He should send on you a chastisement from above you or from beneath your feet, or that He should throw you into confusion, (making you) of different parties; and make some of you taste the fighting of others. See how We repeat the communications that they may understand. [Shakir 6:65]
Say: "He hath power to send calamities on you, from above and below, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, giving you a taste of mutual vengeance - each from the other." See how We explain the signs by various (symbols); that they may understand. [Yusufali 6:65]
Say: He is able to send punishment upon you from above you or from beneath your feet, or to bewilder you with dissension and make you taste the tyranny one of another. See how We display the revelations so that they may understand. [Pickthal 6:65]
ثُمَّ لَنَنزِعَنَّ مِن كُلِّ شِيعَةٍ أَيُّهُمْ أَشَدُّ عَلَى الرَّحْمَنِ عِتِيًّا {69}
Thumma lananziAAanna min kulli sheeAAatin ayyuhum ashaddu AAala alrrahmani AAitiyyan
Then We will most certainly draw forth from every sect of them him who is most exorbitantly rebellious against the Beneficent Allah. [Shakir 19:69]
Then shall We certainly drag out from every sect all those who were worst in obstinate rebellion against (Allah) Most Gracious. [Yusufali 19:69]
Then We shall pluck out from every sect whichever of them was most stubborn in rebellion to the Beneficent. [Pickthal 19:69]
مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ {32}
Mina allatheena farraqoo deenahum wakanoo shiyaAAan kullu hizbin bima ladayhim farihoona
Of those who divided their religion and became seas every sect rejoicing in what they had with them[Shakir 30:32]
Those who split up their Religion, and become (mere) Sects,- each party rejoicing in that which is with itself! [Yusufali 30:32]
Of those who split up their religion and became schismatics, each sect exulting in its tenets. [Pickthal 30:32]
Yes you are right. But it isn't only used in negative terms as you indicate.
The word "Shia" means "followers; members of party". As such, the term "Shia" alone has no negative or positive meaning unless we specify the leader of the party.
If one is a Shia (follower) of the most righteous servants, then there is nothing wrong with being Shia, specially if the leader of such party has been assigned by Allah.
On the other hand, if one becomes the Shia a tyrant or a wrong-doer, he shall meet with the fate of his leader.
In fact, Quran indicates that on the day of Judgment people will come in groups, and each group has its leader in front of it.
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YUSUFALI: One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams: those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure), and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.
Good Imams/leaders appointed by Allah (Like the Prophet (SAAW) and his progeny)
*
032.024 *
YUSUFALI: And We appointed, from among them, leaders, giving guidance under Our command, so long as they persevered with patience and continued to have faith in Our Signs.
And bad leaders (Pharohs, etc etc)
028.041 *
YUSUFALI: And we made them (but) leaders inviting to the Fire; and on the Day of Judgment no help shall they find.
028.042 *
YUSUFALI: in this world We made a curse to follow them and on the Day of Judgment they will be among the loathed (and despised).
There were people of the party of Moses
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YUSUFALI: And he entered the city at a time when its people were not watching: and he found there two men fighting,- one of his own religion, and the other, of his foes. Now the man of his own religion appealed to him against his foe, and Moses struck him with his fist and made an end of him. He said: "This is a work of Evil (Satan): for he is an enemy that manifestly misleads!"
PICKTHAL: And he entered the city at a time of carelessness of its folk, and he found therein two men fighting, one of his own caste, and the other of his enemies; and he who was of his caste asked him for help against him who was of his enemies. So Moses struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: This is of the devil's doing. Lo! he is an enemy, a mere misleader.
SHAKIR: And he went into the city at a time of unvigilance on the part of its people, so he found therein two men fighting, one being of his party and the other of his foes, and he who was of his party cried out to him for help against him who was of his enemies, so Musa struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: This is on account of the Shaitan's doing; surely he is an enemy, openly leading astray.
Shias of Noah
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YUSUFALI: Verily among those who followed his Way was Abraham.
So being a Shia is dependent on the Imam. We take the Prophet (SAAW) as our guide and that is followed by Ali and you know the list from thereon. We follow the way shown us by our Holy Prophet (SAAW) and his deputies starting from Ali (AS) and all the way to Imam Mahdi (AS) who is in ghaib and will return as foretold by the Messenger (SAAW). We are the Shias of the Prophet (SAAW).
I don't care in which twisted book you have read crap about shia belief. I was born a shi'a and as an Adult I evaluated and decided to stay one. My beliefs are crystal clear to me and they are not what you and your kind accuses the shias of?
I never understand why the word shia lights up the fuse of so many ordinarily sane and rational beings. Its probably the stereotype filled in your heads from the day moulvi saheb came started teaching you the first para along with the lesson that shias are kaafirs.
We believe in oneness of God
We take Prophet Mohammad (SAAW) as the seal of the Prophet and swear that he is the final Prophet.
We believe in Imamat as divinely ordained in the progeny of the Abraham as stated in Quran.
We believe in Zakat, Salaat, Hajj, Roza, Jihad, Khums (fifth)*
We believe the Quran is complete since Allah promised its protection.
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* KHUMS Definition
008.041 *
**YUSUFALI:* And know that out of all the booty that ye may acquire (in war), a fifth share is assigned to Allah,- and to the Messenger, and to near relatives, orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer,- if ye do believe in Allah and in the revelation We sent down to Our servant on the Day of Testing,- the Day of the meeting of the two forces. For Allah hath power over all things.