Beware of Shiism

== - 0 - == BEWARE OF AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL THE MUSLIMS OF SOUTH AFRICA A report by: Islamic Awakening, South Africa By: Maulana Khalid Dhorat Published by: Young Men’s Muslim Association PO Box 18594 Actonville, Benoni 1506 South Africa == - 1 - == uring our second tour of Shaikh Mumtazul Haqq Malik of the UK (11-24 March 2014) of the major provinces of South Africa, in the days before and the days after, we heard first-hand anecdotal evidence, and experienced some sticky situations ourselves, on the extent of Shi’ism in South Africa. Our purpose was merely to embark on a lecture tour in order to conscientise the Muslims of SA on the dangerous doctrinal aspects of Shi’ism, but we encountered much more than we bargained for. We scratched a wound, revealing a huge abscess behind it! We will summarise here our experience for the benefit of the Muslims of South Africa, many of whom are ignorant of the true agenda of Shi’ism just as we were before this, so that we may all become aware of the time-bomb upon which we sit. Firstly, we must understand that the lightning spread of Shi’ism in SA is not random. It’s well-calculated, well-funded, and well-monitored. It has specific outcomes which we can summarise thus: 1. To corrode the Iman (faith) of Sunni Muslims from within and to convert us to the open disbelief of Shi’ism; 2. To allegedly work as a third-force in the political instability of SA; 3. To penetrate all levels of society in SA, including the security apparatus, and to ensure that the Muslims of SA and internationally, never D == - 2 - == ideologically, politically, or socially unite and become a force powerful enough to be reckoned with. Because there is unanimity that the Twelver Shi’ahs (the dominant sect of Shi’ism) are disbelievers, the acceptance of Shi’ism in our community or being sympathetic towards them will have grave religious and legal consequences on our life which may be difficult to deal with, if we do not act now. These are as follows: 1. Marriage with them will not be accepted in Islam, and nor can cordial family relationships be up kept with them. Entire families will be put under strain; 2. They can not be allowed in our graveyards, nor can our undertaking services be used for them; 3. They will not be allowed in our Masjids for salaat purposes, to solemnise their marriages or to conduct any educational or social/welfare programmes; 4. Policies will be needed to be put in place on whether to accept or reject Shi’ahs in our Muslim Schools and Madrasahs, and to structure our syllabus accordingly. Similar attitudes will have to be worked as to how to do business with them, and to what extent. In addition to this, the Constitutions of our Masaajid and other religious institutions will have to be amended so as to exclude people belonging to the Ja’fari Fiqh or Shi’ah creed on our Boards; == - 3 - == 5. Shi’ah criminals have also started to fill our prisons. A prominent Shi’ah of Cape Town implicated in Hajj and ‘Umrah scams, is currently serving a sentence behind bars. Do we grant them the same privileges as Muslim prisoners?; 6. The meat slaughtered by Shi’ahs will not be acceptable, and their restaurants will not be able to be certified by our halaal bodies; 7. The donor community will have to be appraised as to who should their donations go to and who not. Also, our religious institutes will have to carefully screen from whom they accept donations and if donors have a say in the policies and administration of their institutions. We at Islamic Awakening (IA), Ahlus Sunnah Defence League (ADL), and Darul Islam Task Team (DITT) together with all those who support us, advocate for the non-violent, but brave, responsible and persuasive educational and academic challenge against Shi’ism and all ideologies that fall out of the ambit of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah – the pathway of the 72 sects who don’t follow the pathway of our Master, Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and that of his illustrious Sahabah. We believe that every Muslim should know of the ugly beliefs of Shi’ism from its original sources, and save their iman (faith) and lives from eternal ruin. This is in keeping with the Qur’anic injunction of Amr bil-Ma’ruf wan Nahy ‘anil Munkar (Advocating the Truth and forbidding the Evil) binding on every person, ‘Aalim or non- ‘Aalim. We also maintain that Shi’ism is not a benign or passive sect == - 4 - == minding their own business as do other religions, but an active cult with obnoxious motives. WHY WAS SHI’ISM FORMED? Shi’ism was a creation of the Persians in the time of Sayyadina ‘Umar (RA) with the aid of any of the enemies of Islam willing to work with them at any given time in history, to ensure that Islam never becomes a political or ideological force in the world. They are the enemy within, politically cloaked in the garb of being “the oppressed nations”, ideologically garbed as being “lovers of the Prophetic household,” and currently being hailed as being the “champions of Muslim unity and opposition to the West.” They are masters of sloganeering and deception. The purpose of their formation was solely to destroy Islam from within when the Persians and the Jews realised that Muslims had become a strong military and political force which could not be simply conquered on the battle-field. Historically, the Shi’ahs have never initiated nor fought any wars against non-Muslims - all their wars have been fought against Sunni Muslims. Three of the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs were killed due to Shi’i machinations, they poisoned Imam Hasan (RA) for abdicating power to Ameer Mu’awiyah (RA), they betrayed Imam Hussein in his claim against Yazeed, they were responsible for the fall of the Umayyads and they invited the Mongols to sack the Abbasid Capital, Baghdad. They broke up the Ottoman Empire by creating a Safavid == - 5 - == State in Persia, and the Fatimids similarly broke up Abbasid unity in Egypt. Today, they are very much aligned to the Zionist notion of creating a crescent from the Nile to the Euphrates which would set the stage for the coming of the Dajjal. Presently, Sunni Muslims are being butchered in Syria due to an Iranian fatwa stating that whoever kills five Sunni Muslims by severing his neck from his body, will attain paradise. In brief, the history of Shi’ism shows that its very existence was for the destruction of Islam. We can never befriend Shi’ahs, be sympathetic towards them, accept them as part of the Muslim ummah, or be cowardly in pronouncing them to be not only manifest disbelievers (kuffar), but blood-thirsty hypocrites. Like the Zionists, they are our open enemies, and should be treated as such. This is how we Sunnis are regarded by them. OUR FINDINGS ON THE PERCEPTION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON SHI’ISM: Notwithstanding the absolute clarity of the obnoxious nature of Shi’sim, theologically as well as politically, it is unfortunate that we have found people to still have the following misconceptions of Shi’ism: == - 6 - == 1. Common Misconception Shi’ism is just another Madhab (School of Jurisprudence), called the Ja’fari Madhab, with minor differences on how to perform Salaat etc . There is no difference in ‘Aqidah (Primary Beliefs), and all our sources are the same – Qur’an, Sunnah, Ijma etc Reality Not true. The pillars of Shi’ism are different from that the Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jama’ah. Shi’ahs believe their Qur’an has 17 000 verses, whilst ours have only 6 666. Their kalimah, adhan, and method of salaat and saum are different. Their belief in Imamat is nothing but an insult to Prophethood, and their ahadith is nothing but a collection of lies attributed to the twelve Imams. For them, all the Sahabah with the exception of four are renegades, thus all Sunni compilations of hadith is rejected by them. There is no Ijma (consensus) or Qiyas (Analogical deductions) for the Shi’ah, as the word of the Imam is infallible. All these are not differences in jurisprudence, but in Aqidah which relegate out of the pale of Islam with no doubt. 2. Common Misconception The Sahabah are ordinary people, like me and you, and their lives can be discussed, analysed and criticised, just like we do with the characters in a fictional novel. They sinned, murdered and conspired at random. == - 7 - == Sayyadina ‘Umar, Sayyadina ‘Uthman and Sayyadina Mu’awiyah in particular were the ringleaders in ensuring that Sayyadina ‘Ali never claimed his right of Imamate (extension of prophethood). Further, there are 43 verses in the Qur’an which refers to the Sahabah as hypocrites, and it is the majority of Sahabah who persecuted the Ahl e Bait (Prophetic Household) and did not give them their right. Reality This is perhaps the most inflammatory aspect of Shi’ism: hatred against our illustrious Sahabah. Sunnis believe that the Sahabah were all just (‘Adul) and each and every one of them can be taken as one’s guide. They constituted the vanguard of Islam and our standard of faith is measured against theirs. We are not to address them but in terms of respect and honour, and where they differed with each other, it was on the basis of seeking the truth. Allah has announced His pleasure at them in the Qur’an and the Prophet was commanded to sit in their company and have mercy on them. Discussing their lives arbitrarily may cause our tongues to be soiled and may cause their dignity to be compromised, whereas they had already succeeded in both the worlds. The Sahabah are our link to Islam which can never be weakened. Although the Ahl e Bait held a special position amongst them, there was no animosity between them and the Sahabah. Also, some people did renegade from Islam, but these were the political opportunists from the outlying areas and did not affect the integrity of the Sahabah as a whole. == - 8 - == 3. Common Misconception Politically, Iran serves as a model of standing up to the West and Israel. They are the champions of campaigning against international oppression and human-rights abuse. They also serve as the best example to channel the vigour of the youth. Further, Iran is a model of peace and justice. The Sunnis are given equal status and opportunity there, and there is remarkable unity between Sunnis and Shiahs. Shi’ahs can be invited to our Masjids and functions, they can serve on our Boards, in the capacity of being a political representative of Iran, not ideologically. Reality Iran is a master sloganeer. They know how to twist words, captivate imaginations and mislead people. From the Iranian Revolution to now, the USA has invaded over 40 countries, but not Iran. The Revolution itself, according to declassified intelligence, was a CIA-aided coup to overthrow the Pahlavi Shah who was disobeying the West, and to install a more “obedient” ruler in the form of Khomeini to create instability in the Sunni world. This has become apparent today. Iran has publicly announced its alliance with the USA and Israel, and has issued a fatwa promising Shi’ahs paradise who kill five Sunnis from the neck, in Syria. One cannot separate political Shi’ism from theological Shi’ism as both emanate from the same source. Agreed, Sunnis currently == - 9 - == do not have a political power to champion their cause, but this does not mean we have to be duped into aligning with an open enemy of Islam. History bears testimony to the fact that Shi’ahs only served the purpose of tearing down Islam. They killed three of the four Caliphs, they murdered Imam Hasan and betrayed Imam Hussein. They were responsible for looting the Hajr-e-Aswad and only returned it broken after 22 years. Allowing Shi’ahs to flourish in our community is allowing ourselves to be betrayed. The most important aspect of this point is that many people, with good intentions, but erroneously, think thus: “Let us join them; we can reform them from within.” You can never beat the devil at his own game! Shi‘ahs will welcome you in order to rubberstamp their religion and recruit you at a later stage. It’s never the other way around. They have thought of this before you and they know how to play you. When you are of no use to them, they will then discard you. 4. Common Misconception General Muslims can sometimes slander the Sahabah, practice Mut’ah (Temporary Marriage/prostitution) when convenient, and even lie at times (taqiyyah), or just adopt one or two Shi’ah beliefs and practices, but not be called a Shi’ah. Such people are still to be regarded as Sunnis. They must be respected, tolerated and given the freedom to belief as they wish. There is no need to make an issue of such trivial matters !! == - 10 - == Reality Either you are a Sunni or a Shi’ah. You can’t worship the Cross, and still be called a Muslim, likewise you can’t slander the Sahabah or think prostitution is a form of worship and still be called a Muslim. Allowing different aspects of Shi’sim to become part of Sunnism is allowing pure Islam to be distorted and corrupted. Our Noble Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) has asked us to reject any foreign beliefs and practices in Islam, and has told us that respecting such a person is in fact, assisting in the demolishing in Islam. This “tolerant” attitude will eventually lead to an Islam like Christianity is today – a complete distortion of how it was revealed. And this is no trivial matter! 5. Common Misconception Mut’ah is only found in some obscure Shi’ah books and in some “weak” Shi’ah narrations. In fact, the women of Iran are the most modestly dressed, are given equal access to education and politics, and live with dignity. There are no illegitimate children in Iran, and nor do Shi’ahs pose a danger to Sunni girls in society. Reality Mut’ah is perhaps the most underestimated aspect of Shi’ism. Shi’ahs, in the name of religion, have legalised prostitution by manipulating a concession which was abolished already in Prophetic times. Mut’ah is == - 11 - == today being aggressively promoted as a “social necessity” in a permissive society and the lives of many Sunni girls have been ruined due to this. The reports of Mut’ah being practiced by Shi’ahs at our universities, at Shi’ah centres and temples, and in our community, has blackened the name of Islam not only amongst ourselves, but amongst the non-Muslims too whom they convert and abuse. Our ‘Ulema are being increasingly innocently asked questions like: “What is the iddat of Muta?,” “Can I abort a child conceived from Muta?,” “If I agree on one week, can I renegade in three days and take the full amount?” Teenage pregnancies are on the rise due to Muta locally and wife swopping is common amongst Shi’ah priests. In Iran, prostitution dens are called “Chastity Houses,” and girls as young as five are slept with for “blessings.” Due to the current recession, Iranian women are resorting to it in numbers, and Shi’ah pilgrims, travellers and students abuse the privilege by having secret affairs locally and abroad in the name of worship (ibaadat). 6. Common Misconception Muslims can not call the Shi’ahs Kaafir (disbelievers) as they also perform salaat and recite the same Qur’an. They also believe in the same Prophet. Those ‘Ulema who call them Kaafir are extremists and such views must not be allowed to be voiced on our pulpits on Friday, and nor should our children be taught Shi’ism in our Muslim Schools and Madrasahs. == - 12 - == Such ‘Ulema should be sidelined in society and the general public should be alienated from them. Defending the honour of the Sahabah is nothing more than “hate speech” and unity must be maintained at all costs Reality This argument is diametrically opposed to the Prophetic hadith which clearly states that this ummat, not the open disbeleivers, will be split into 73 sects. Of these, only one will be saved. Shi’ism is based on cursing the Sahabah, so they do not fulfil the criterion of “ma ana ‘alayya wa ashaabi” (my path, and that of my companions). This clearly throws them out of the pale of Islam. Moreover, Muslims are unanimous that Qadianis are Kaafirs due to their rejecting the concept of the Finality of Prophethood, but they believe in the same Qur’an, same Hadith, and perform the same salaat and other forms of worship. Shi’ahs, not only denounce the Finality of Prophethood, but they believe in 12 Infallible Imams whose status is above all previous prophets. Their Qur’an and Ahadith are also different. So, why can’t they be Kaafir twelvefold? It is unfortunate that due to Shi’ah funding and friendship, some Sunnis have developed sympathies for the Shi’ah and prefer to not only maintain silence on this issue, but to silence those who do so. Being a Shi’ah and being Shi’ah-sympathetic is the same. Shi’ahs insult Allah, all the previous Messengers, Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) himself, the == - 13 - == majority of the Sahabah, and have killed thousands of Sunni Ulema in history. We ask such people: “Decide where your sympathies lie today: with Allah or His enemies? Decide today what is hate-speech: vilifying the Sahabah and Islam or defending the Sahabah and Islam?” 7. Common Misconception The Shi‘ahs are peace-loving people with noble goals in life. The Iranian economy is bankrupt at the moment, and so we need to arrange tours to Iran to support their economy. Iranians also live constantly under the threat of American invasion, thus they need our consolement and sympathy. In any case, Shi’ism has not spread at all in SA, so why the need to create awareness of this issue? Reality There is nothing further than the truth than this. The Shi’ahs are a blood- thirsty nation who never once in history fought against non-Muslims. All their weapons were always turned against Sunnis. They were responsible for the murder of three of the four Caliphs of Islam, and currently, Hezbollah and Iran are religiously murdering the Sunnis of Syria in their thousands. Although the Iranian economy is down, the Iranians together with USA and Israel, have a plan to infiltrate the Sunni world and ensure perpetual division and strife within our ranks. == - 14 - == The Shi’ahs have unlimited amount of funds at their disposal. In Ottawa near Verulam, the bullet-proof underground bunker Shi’ah temple offers R4000-00 to any person embracing Shi’ism. Academics get paid upto R10 000- for any public appearance and many fanatic Shi’ahs like Yasser Habeeb openly boast of living the “high life” simply by vilifying the Sahbah. They have used money very effectively in buying the imaan of millions. In SA, there are Shi’ah temples and centres being built daily, and most of the Muslim reverts in our townships are Shi’ah. Those who do not “see” Shi’ahs in our midst are living in cuckoo land still. Shi’ahs were bold enough to attend our talks, openly challenging Shaikh Mumtaazul Haqq. Many a time we were followed, and death-threats were also received by us as well as some of the venues who hosted us. Further, Shi’ahs are only taught hatred against Sunnis in their Madrasahs, nothing else. The average Shi’ah does not know the basic laws of salaat, wudhu, etc, but he knows the incident of Qirtas, Ghadeer Khum, Fadak, and the Battles of Jamal, Siffeen and Karbala. He knows debating techniques and how to “win” over Sunnis. Whilst we mostly teach our children Fiqh, Shi’ahs teach their children the wrong version of history and their wrong Aqidah or belief system. Most IMPORTANTLY, when Sunnis learn of their deceitful debating, propaganda and political tactics, and circumvent their strategies by quoting directly from their sources and creating awareness of Shi’ism == - 15 - == anywhere in the world, they are put on a “hit-list” for assassination, which is actually a “martyrdom list and passport to Jannat”. Such people and scholars are targeted in the media and agents are planted in our midst to ensure that these voices die down by any way possible. Whilst generally Sunnis do not incite violence, the fear of death (martyrdom) has stopped many a Sunni from speaking out in this regard. It’s our belief that one will only die on his appointed time, and what better way to die than for the honour of the Sahabah. 8. Common Misconception The best way to eradicate Shi’ism is to speak on the virtues of the Sahabah . There is no need to challenge the Shi’ahs, refute their beliefs or bring to light what they practice. This will automatically vanish in time. Those who adopt the approach of addressing the issue head-on are trouble-makers. They must not be given air-time on Islamic Radio- Stations and nor should Masjids allow them to speak on the issue from their pulpits as this constitutes “hate-speech” and will lead to violence. Let sleeping dogs lie. Further, many Shi’ahs are well-wishers and supporters of some Sunni religious institutes. Some have even inter-married with Sunnis. There is no need to upset their families or stop their funding == - 16 - == Reality This is the most flawed strategy ever to be pronounced. It has never worked in 1435 years, and nor will it work now. Shi’ism was not created by Sunnis, it was created by the enemy inside. To beat your enemy, you need to study him first. Shi’ism was never a “sleeping dog.” Rather, today it’s the biggest “barking and biting dog.” It has corrupted the imaan of many pious Sunnis already. Their piety or knowledge only of the virtues of the Sahabah could not save them. If virtues of the Sahabah was enough, why did Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) warn us in many ahadith of those who would make his Companions a target of abuse? Isn’t it our duty to know who these people are and what they are saying? Islam emphasis both what to believe in and what not to believe in. Further, the Qur’an is filled with stories of how the hypocrites plotted against Islam, and not only how to believe in Islam or practice it. Further, Shi’ism presents a model of the worst form of hate speech and disbelief, and our duty is to defend the image of true Islam from being tarnished. Defending the Sahabah is the Sunnat of Allah in the Qur’an, the Sunnat of Rasulallah in various ahadith, the Sunnat of great scholars starting from Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Shafi, Imam Ibn Taimiyyah, to all our local ‘Ulema. No scholar has ever taken Shi’ism lightly in history. Unity can only be forged in Truth, not with manifest Falsehood. Unity with Falsehood is nothing but the betrayal of Islam as there is absolutely NO common denominator between Sunnism and Shi’ism. == - 17 - == Agreed, there are many other evils in our society like alcoholism, zina, intolerance, murder etc. to be addressed, but Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) gave preference to the correct ‘Aqidah first before even turning his attention to the other evils in society. There will never be a time, in any case, in history, when the society will become so pure that there will not be a need to address the evils in it. 9. Common Misconception Imam Khomeini was the only real hero of Islam who stood up against the West. The Iranians are fearless and they give hope to us, Sunnis. Look at Sunni countries like Saudi Arabia etc, they have all sold out to the Americans. If we don’t support Iran, then who do we support? Reality Agreed, today there is no political power to uphold true Sunni Islam, but this is no reason to pledge allegiance to Iran. Khomeini was nothing but an American puppet and the 1979 Revolution was nothing but a staged coup by the CIA and the British M16. The Imperial Powers of the time were not happy with Shah Reza Pahlavi as he was becoming too much of a Nationalist like Egypt’s Jamal Abdun Nasser. He was not following instructions on oil and opium. The following facts have now come to light about Khomeini: 1) Khomeini was not a Persian, nor an Iranian and he was not fluent in Persian. His grandparents were of British decent. His father was also a Britisher by == - 18 - == the name of William Richard Williamson who was born in Bristol in 1872, and was an employee of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (later known as British Petroleum- BP). His mother was a Kashmiri Indian. 2) Williamson ran away from home at the age of 13, and ended up in South Yemen when he was 20 years of age. He worked for the police force, and later for Sultan Fazl bin Ali, ruler of Lahej. At the time, the British had a military presence in Iran and oil was just found and was siphoned off via Afghanistan. Williamson become a Shi’ite, and became known as Hajji Abdullah Fazl Zobeiri after the pilgrimage. He worked as an oil-broker in Iran and made all his sons Shi’ite clerics. Whilst in Iran, he along with three other generals, were found guilty of treason by Reza Shah in 1960 and was to be hanged, but he managed to escape to Kuwait; 3) In Iran, his son, Khomeini, vowed revenge on behalf of his father, but he too, was caught for treason in 1964, and was sentenced to death. His friends quickly gave him the bogus title of “Ayatollah” as anybody with this title could not be hanged in Iran Sen. Moussavi of Khuzistan, Southern Iran, forged his Iranian identity card with fictitious names and dates. He was then exiled to Turkey, but he landed up in Iraq, and was then exiled to France. After the overthrow of the Shah, he was flown back to Iran as the new leader. The CIA preferred to clerics to right-wing democrats. == - 19 - == 4) Upon his arrival in Iran, Khomeini killed Gen. Hassan Pakravan, head of the SAVAK, as he knew Khomeini’s dark past. He also made senior Ayatollah’s like Musa Sadr, Golpayegani, and Shariatmadari “disappear” as they were senior to him in rank. The first few months were spent in killing his political rivals, increasing the opium trade, and suppressing the Sunnis. Khomeini still received American arms, notwithstanding the hostage crises at the USA Embassy in Tehran. Also, till his death, he received a monthly stipend from the British; 5) Iran had to be conquered in order to supply the Americans oil in Afghanistan in order to fight the Russians there. In 1979, the Egypt-Israel Peace-Treaty was also signed, which signalled the end of Anwar al- Sedat. Iran also played an active role in invading Afghanistan after the Sep 11 bombings of the Twin Towers. The “freedom” of Iran was also necessary in order to make Iraq a Shi’ah state. This was achieved after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Although the West wanted full control of the Middle-East via Iran and Israel, Khomeini took his political agenda one step further in that he wanted to conquer Makkah and Madinah in his lifetime and remove Sayyadina Abubakr, ‘Umar and our beloved mother Sayyadatina Aisha from their graves and desecrate their bodies. This is the ultimate aim of the Shi’ahs. For further info, see www.khorasaan.net == - 20 - == All of the above was gleaned from basic research and our interaction with people who are either clearly confused on what Shi’ism really is, who are not aware of the importance of preserving the integrity of ‘Aqidah of the Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, who make the erroneous distinction between “Religious Shi’ism” and “political Shi’ism,” or who simply don’t realise the urgency of the matter. There are, unfortunately, also those who know all of the above, but prefer to be Shi’ah-sympathisers either because they have been paid to do so, are funded and forced to be silent in the matter, or are unwilling to make the necessary lifestyle changes for the sake of Allah as it will entail some loss of position and wealth. Such people, called the enemy within enemy, need to repent and ask Allah for the courage to change before a Day arrives when it will be too late. PENETRATION OF SHI‘ISM IN SA: The second aspect of our experience was how Shi’ism actually got into South Africa. We learnt that we are only awakening to the threat now, but Shi’ism had already been introduced into South Africa from the late 1970s. It has penetrated into SA subtly and stealthily from SEVEN different avenues: 1. Via the Black Townships; 2. Via the intelligentsia, the youth and the devious Sufis; 3. Via some wealthy businessmen; 4. Via the universities and various Shi’ah and Cultural Centres; == - 21 - == 5. Via satellite television, radio stations, the internet, the print media and other avenues; 6. Via diplomatic ties and trans-national trade; 7. Via various Shi’ah Centres, Temples, Pseudo-Masjids, and Community Events. We will briefly elaborate on these points, and also provide a Counter Strategy. 1.Via the Black Townships: Shi’ah Strategy  The Shi’ahs have taken advantage of two things in the Black Townships of SA: Poverty, and their feeling of Inferiority born out of the Apartheid era.  They have spent colossal amounts of wealth to convert the Blacks of the townships and teach them the Shi’ah version of Islam. They have also played on their emotions and have confirmed their position of being the “oppressed and the disadvantaged” of SA. Not allowing the new reality of democracy to take root, they have made out the minorities of SA – the Indians, Malays and Whites – as oppressors and usurpers of their wealth. Whichever way the political winds of SA blow, against the Indians, Whites or Malays, they will unleash them on the populace. == - 22 - == There is also evidence of arming the locals and stashing huge amounts of arms and ammunition in their centres, temples and other places.  Due to the level of Jewish and Shi’ah penetration in SA, the government will take a non-aligned position, and allow the international powers and their forces to do their work unhindered. Counter Strategy  Muslims should divert MOST of their welfare activities to the townships.  We should establish Masjids, madrasahs, Clinics, Schools, Orphanages, Sporting Centres etc in the Townships in the name of Islam. Our presence must be unmistakable there.  Use the opportunity to make Da’wah amongst the Blacks, telling them what is Sunni Islam, and what is Shi’ism. Soften their hearts towards Muslims by showing them our good character, so that they cannot be manipulated to harm us. 2.Via the Intelligentsia, the youth, and the Devious Sufis: Shi’ah Strategy  The Shi’ahs have become so bold that they have established traditional- style “modern” Darul Ulooms in our midst, calling them Institutes and Centres. The courses and mini-courses in the traditional sciences have == - 23 - == been made to appeal to our women and youth in particular, making our orthodoxy look foolish and “out of fashion”. After graduating, the title of Aalim or Aalimah is also conferred.  Using deviant Sufis who have mastered the art of flowery language and deceit, they have appealed to mostly the professional class who need a degree of “intellectual freedom and satisfaction” to practice Islam. They have broken their trust in the ‘Ulema and their traditional mode of interpreting the Qur’an and Sunnah, and have led them down the path of Shi’ism via the experiential and esoteric route of Tasawwuf.  In order to channel the vigour of youth in the wrong direction, they have made the Iranian model a model of their political activism. As a nuclear power, Iran has never intervened directly or indirectly in Palestine, but they have been ostensibly in the forefront of the “Liberation Struggle.” America, since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, have been to war with over 30 countries, but never once did Iran stop them.  Routinely, historical incidents such as Fadak, Qirtas, Ghadeer Khum, the Batttle of Siffin, Jamal, Karbala are manipulated to show enmity of the Sahabah towards the Ahlul Bait. Counter Strategy  Our Darul Ulooms should start addressing the modern issues of society in a more appealing way to the women and the youth; == - 24 - ==  Befriend the youth and channel their energies in the correct direction. Also, speak to them of the political situation of the world.  Introduce a course on “Deviant Sects of Islam,” and equip all our students to identify and combat this menace. Our children should be taught the History of Islam with more clarity and our ‘Ulema should become bold in proclaiming the Truth, not fearing death or poverty when doing so.  Identify what is true Tasawwuf and attach oneself to an authentic Shaikh or join an authentic Islamic movement. Make zikr sessions common in our Masjids. Present Islam in a non-apologetic, coherent and understandable way to the masses. 3.Via Some Wealthy Businessmen: Shi’ah Strategy  Shi’ahs take advantage of any relationship you can have with them: business, marriage, social, and even political sentiments. Many big businesses have experienced the “sweetness” of dealing with Iran in the form of handsome profits and so-called Iranian business ethics. This has made them sympathetic to the Shi’ah discourse of deceit.  The Shi’ahs have allocated massive amounts of funds and have used wealthy business people and influential leaders in our society, to == - 25 - == channel their funds towards some of our Masjids, Radio Stations, TV Stations, Islamic Bursaries, Madrasahs and a whole array of community projects. This has been going on for many years to the degree that they not only have a “hidden say” in our policies, but also direct their policies. Big businessmen form the backbone of our Islamic structure in SA. The wealthy have their own peculiar “mindset”, which is not necessarily in agreement to how things should be run. Thus, their money dictates what must be done. It’s not the pianist who plays the tune, but the one who feeds him. Counter Strategy  Businesses should not deal with Iran, if possible.  Our Islamic institutes should become, by and large, self-sufficient, so that we are not dependant on huge donors. All institutions should examine who is funding them and weed out the Shi’ah or Shi’ah-sympathetic ones. Selling our Aakhirat for the sake of the world is not only a sick deal, but creates disunity in our own ranks. We should rather develop more reliance on Allah and seek alternate clean funding. == - 26 - == 4.Via the universities and various Shi’ah and Cultural Centres: Shi’ah Strategy  Although Sunni Muslims had a head-start in SA in establishing their Masajids, Madrasahs, and other Institutions, the Shi’ahs are fast gaining ground. They have official Centres in not only all the major towns and cities of SA, but most of their headquarters are deep in the Black Townships where many of us have never been.  Shi’ahs have also penetrated a few Universities in SA in the guise of “respectable academics” and are influencing the Muslim Student Associations (MSA) all over the country. Sunnis cannot obtain a degree in Arabic, Islamic Studies or Near Eastern Studies without a strong fear of being converted to Shi’ism.  Shi’ah Imams are confident, well-paid, and masters in argumentation. They know how to avoid pertinent questions on their belief system, divert you to obscure historical events and cast doubts in Islam. They generally do not become emotional in their talks, and nor do they accept defeat and change their stance in a hurry. Ordinary Shi’ahs are enthusiastically taught hatred against the Sunnis in their Madrasahs, just as we teach Qur’an and Fiqh. == - 27 - ==  Shi’ahs primarily use money as an incentive to accept Shi’ism – up to R4000- a person. All efforts in the line of promoting Shi’ism are also handsomely rewarded.  Taking advantage of the free-mixing and generally shameless environment of the universities, the Shi’ahs are aggressively promoting the institute of Mut’ah (Religious Prostitution) amongst Sunni girls and unsuspecting non-Muslim women, whom they convert to Shi’ism on campus. Many Sunni girls have become pregnant due to this at our universities and within our communities too. The problem is now reaching epidemic levels, but many still prefer to turn a blind eye. Counter Strategy  Sunnis should make Shi’ahs feel extremely uncomfortable in their midst. They must not be welcome in our Masjids, Schools, Graveyards, and nor should they be given any position of authority in our ranks. They should be treated as absolute filth because the tenets of Shi’ism is nothing but filth.  ‘Ulema should organise more Sahabah jalsahs where Shi’ism is openly denounced, without calling for violence. The ugly tenets of Shi’sim should be shown to the public from their own books.  ‘Ulema should take leadership positions on the MSA’s and lead the Jumu’ah salaat on campus weekly. Sunni Black Imams should be appointed in the Townships and paid well. Decent Masjids and Madrasahs should also be built there. Our == - 28 - == locals are soft-hearted and can be won back. Where Shi’ahs have taken root, they must be FORCED to withdraw. Being diplomatic and passive with them does not work. 5.Via satellite television, radio stations, the internet, the print media and other avenues: Shi’ah Strategy  Satellite TV and the internet are perhaps the most powerful mediums today of promoting Shi’ism. Shi’ahs are active on Facebook and Twitter, and have thousands of misleading websites on the internet. They have allocated huge amounts of money and resources to propagate Shi’ism in the media, again under different guises.  As soon as any Sunni posts anything against Shi’ism anywhere on the internet, a host of Shi’ahs worldwide frantically scramble to respond and prevent their image from being tarnished.  Where Shi’ahs do not have independent media outlets, they try to gain control over their editorial approach by means of funding, advertising, and offering incentives such as bursaries to them.  Recently, Shi’ahs have also released Tafseers of the Qur’an, Inspirational books, as well as glossy magazines and other publications. Shi’ah scholars are routinely flown in and out of SA to attend conferences == - 29 - == and the few international Shi’ah relief organisations are no secret at all to Sunnis. Counter Strategy  Our media outlets should confront the Shi’ah menace head-on, just as the Shi’ahs are head-on with their attack on Sunnism.  Specialists must be created in all field of “Deviated Sects” who can not only write academically, but present the message coherently and boldly to the public. Undivided support should be given to such people and all our avenues of propagation should be given at their disposal. A dedicated team of people should be set aside to do rebuttals of all Shi’ah programmes. 6.Via diplomatic ties and trans-national trade: Shi’ah Strategy  South Africa has strong diplomatic ties with Iran, and a lot of the oil which SA buys indeed comes from Iran. Local Shi’ah leaders have open channels with government officials and they look after this relationship.  Like all other countries, the Foreign Policy of SA is heavily influenced by foreign powers. The Shi’ahs of SA have harvested strong ties with the == - 30 - == government and seek to push the government of SA in a non-aligned position when it comes to the Sunni-Shi’i issue. Evidence suggests that within our own Sunni structures, people have been strategically placed to ensure that Muslims never reach a consensus on any issue. We are to divide and sub-divide, spending our efforts in fighting each other, whilst the enemy stealthily proceeds with its evil designs. ‘Ulema and organisations are to be pitted against the other, Muftis should be brainwashed to issue conflicting fatwas against each other and confusion should always be the order of the day. Counter Strategy  Sunnis should be urged to take up Political Studies and enter the political field. Bursaries should be given to eligible students.  Community leaders, ‘Ulema, and businessmen should have strong ties with the government and make our sentiments clear to them. Our structures should be scrutinised to see who is betraying Islam or who has been placed as spies amongst us. == - 31 - == 7.Via various Shi’ah Centres, Temples, Pseudo- Masjids, and Community Events: Shi’ah Strategy  Shi’ah temples not only cater for local Sunnis who have become Shi’ah, but also for the foreigners who have arrived in SA as Shi’ahs, especially from Pakistan, Iraq and Iran.  Some Shi’ah temples even have bullet-proof windows and underground bunkers.  During fetes, fun-runs, community events, conferences, and even the weekly Tableeghi taleem, Shi’ahs boldly try to attend in order to make contact with innocent Sunnis. They then individually contact them, invite them to their homes, brainwash them and unwittingly convert them to Shi’ism. Monetary gain is mostly the incentive behind such desperate conversion measures. Counter Strategy  Whilst we can not raze to the ground Shi’ah temples in SA as was done by Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) with Masjid Dirar, we should not ever attend these Shi’ah centres, not even for a nikah ceremony.  Sunnis who do visit these temples should be explained that their Iman is at stake and are enemies of Sunnis. Every Muslim should immediately enquire from a scholar of repute if he has a doubt about anything. Don’t let issues fester in your mind. == - 32 - == The above account is by no means exhaustive, but it needs the urgent attention and action of EVERY SUNNI MUSLIM IN SA, young or old, male or female, in whichever capacity s/he may be. The menace has to be approached from various angels and by everyone: by our community leaders, our businessmen, women, youth, academics, trustees, Imams and teachers. It’s a joint societal effort, and not that of a few individuals. It’s a matter of ‘Aqeedah (Primary Belief) in which there can not be any compromise. ANECDOTAL CASES ON THE EXTENT OF SHI’ISM IN SA: The following are real-life accounts of what was related to us by the Sunnis of SA. We have omitted names and places: 1. “My supervisor called me at the university and told me that you Muslims are a filthy lot. You people make us, Whites, into Muslims, marry us for a short while, and leave us. Sometimes, we have to accept more than one husband in order to survive.” 2. “My two close brothers have become Shi’ah, and they are deeply involved in the Tableeghi Jamaat. I don’t know what to do as I can’t get through to them.” 3. “Come and study rather in our Madrasah. It’s halaal to have sex after hours for us, and not boring like you guys in your Madrasah.” 4. “Please you people, speak to the Dept. of Home Affairs urgently. We know of Shi’ah men and women who come to SA for less than a week, arrange Mut’ah marriages, and then leave.” == - 33 - == 5. “Warn people who accept boarders at their homes. We are trapped with Shi’ah students who have signed a 4-year contract with us, and we have daughters in our homes. “ 6. “In your community events like Fun Runs and weekly Ta’leem, warn your womenfolk not to speak to strangers or to give their telephone no’s to them. Shi’ahs infiltrate these programmes, make contact with our womenfolk, and convert them under our noses.” 7. “A married woman made mut’ah 100 times, and she felt guilty of it. So she asked her priest how to make amends and he said: “There is no need to tell your husband. By sleeping with a 100 young men, you have saved them from zina. Your status is very high in the sight of Allah. Please continue.” 8. “Don’t send your daughters to university anymore. Last year, 12 Sunni girls became pregnant due to Mut’ah.” 9. “Please warn the people. My husband and my daughter became involved in a Shi’ah Centre here in Pretoria, and were completely taken aback by the Shaikh. My daughter then fell pregnant due to Mut’ah, and only told us when she showed. We had to have the baby aborted and only after five years, she has been able of thinking of marriage. The experience devastated her. I know of many young boys and girls who commit Mut’ah in the Masjid itself.” 10. “Don’t send your students to do Imamate or teach at Shi’ah temples. You may think that they are safe, but they will be converted very == - 34 - == speedily, instead of you converting them. We had an experience of it with our top student already.” 11. “Speak more on the issue of Fadak and the fabricated story of Sayyadina Umar assaulting Sayyidah Fatimah (RA) as the Shi’ahs use stories such as these to gain the sympathy of our women-folk in particular. They paint Sayyidah Fatimah as a victim of a vicious plot to oppress her family and her.” 12. “Its partly our fault that the Shi’ahs have been able to make inroads here in SA via disparaging the Sahabah. Our Schools and Madrasahs only teach some virtues of the Sahabah, but our children are not aware of the attack of the Shi’ahs against them, what is our ‘Aqidah pertaining to the Sahabah, and how to defend them when they bring up the usual few incidents like Jamal, Qirtas etc.” 13. “There is a new slogan which the Shi’ahs are using to deceive the people: “Unity is not conformity. Let Allah be the judge of our actions.” People who don’t know the reality of Shi’ism, who are the majority, are being trapped.” 14. “The “Amman Accord” which is available on the net, which calls for Sunni-Shi’ah unity, has not been ratified by leading Sunni ‘Ulema. Don’t be fooled by their claims that it’s a joint working document.” 15. “In some of our universities, there are self-proclaimed Shi’ahs teaching in the Dept. of Arabic or Islamic Studies. Some of them are also trying == - 35 - == to take on positions in Masjids. Our graduates should be made aware of this.” 16. “A prominent radio presenter passed away and we were approached by some whom we suspect to be Shi’ah to start a bursary fund in this person’s name. This would effectively silence our stance on Shi’ism.” 17. “The Shi’ahs are actively promoting Mut’ah on university campuses. We must train a few of our young girls on this topic and send them to our universities to speak to the girls who are normally victims of this. Girls understand girls better. In addition, we need to be able to counsel victims of Mut’ah marriages as many of them are devastated after the experience.” 18. “We must start naming our Masjids, streets, houses and even the cupboards in our homes and pillars in our Masjids, after the Sahabah. Place the name of the Sahabah on our cars and homes. This will go a long way in eradicating this menace.” 19. “Nowadays, we must be very careful who we give our daughters to, as the Shi’ahs have a definite strategy of marrying into prominent families in society, or in the family of ‘Ulema and scholars. Girls are very unsuspecting, and they can be easily influenced against her own family.” == - 36 - == CONCLUSION Every person can do his/her part in creating an awareness of Shi’ism and making Shi’ahs uncomfortable in our midst. Sunnis are still in the majority in SA and combating Shi’ism should be relatively easy at this stage. Let us not ignore this message and a few years down the line, the day dawns when proclaiming the truth will either create community tension, be a criminal offence, or endanger our life like what’s happening presently in Syria. Let us create a cleaner place for our future generation. ACT NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE! For further information or clarification on this report, you are welcome to e-mail Naeem Patel on: naeem@islamicawakening.co.za. “Wa Ma ‘Alaina Illal Balaagh” (And upon us is only the duty of delivering the message and discharging our trust). Was Salaam Maulana Khalid Dhorat for and ratified by all members of Islamic Awakening (IA), Ahlus Sunnah Defence League (ADL), and Darul Islam Task Team (DITT) 10th April 2014 To listen to the speeches of Shaikh Mumtaazul Haqq Malik, or to find other resources on Shi’ism, kindly visit www.islamicawakening.co.za