Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Where are the Shi'a?

I think almost no one even heard of the Shi’a except maybe in Iran and Lebanon, until after the removal of Saddam. Most people probably did not know Iraq was a Shi’ite majority country until after the removal of Saddam or maybe until the elections.

The majority of Iraqis are Shi’a, whether the Arab neighbors like it or not, and they do not. Of course, Iran is majority Shi’ite, and one thing that the Sunni Arabs like to do is say that all Shi’a are Persian or Iranian and this makes them more of foreigners than anything else. This is of course not true it is just slander from hateful people. Bahrain is majority Shi’ite, although it is ruled by the Sunni Khalifa family. They face discrimination in many ways from the ruling regime. The other country with a definite Shi’ite majority is Azerbaijan. In Lebanon, the Shi’a are the biggest of many groups but not more than 50% of the population.

In other Arab countries there are Shi’ite populations that are minorities but significant. In Saudi Arabia there are many Shi’a, and many are in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, which has a lot of oil. The Saudis are Wahhabis and so they hate all of the Shi’a and also for that matter hate all people who are not Wahhabis, although Shi’a are the worst to them usually, sometimes even worse than Jews. There is also a big Shi’ite minority in Kuwait. Kuwait is ruled by the Sunni Sabah family and Shi’ites in Kuwait and all Kuwaitis actually got some more rights after the US kicked out Saddam’s occupation of Kuwait in 1991 and then the US forced the Kuwaitis to be a little bit more democratic.

Outside of the Arab countries, there is a significant Shi’ite minority in Pakistan and also in Afghanistan. Right now there is a Grand Ayatollah who is Pakistani (Bashir al-Najafi) and another who is Afghan (Mohammad al-Fayadh), and both live in Najaf. India, which has the biggest Muslim population in the world except for Indonesia, also has a Shi’ite population in its Muslim population.

So there is some information for you. I think that more and more people will be learning about the Shi’a because the Shi’a are important and powerful now that there is a democracy in Iraq. A lot of Arabs and other Sunnis outside of Iraq and other Sunnis really don’t know much about the Shi’a and I have even learned this by talking to some of them.

14 comments:

Iraqi Atheist said...

It's interesting how your blog sounded so awfully sectarian for "Konfused Kid" and yet as I read through it, I was in no way appalled by what you said. In fact, you're much better than many harsh Shiites in my environment (Kadhimiya), I was surprised how you said killing innocent people is wrong, many Shiite young simple-minded guys don't really give a damn and most of the time rejoice. You probably do too, but wouldn't write it on your blog, because you most likely think you're on a holy mission to show how Shiism is the best and the most right of beliefs, and you shouldn't sound too aggressive.
Anyway, it's cool to have you around, you're the average simple-minded Iraqi air head who gets easily brain-washed by his sectarian media.
As for your post, Shiites are a minority of Muslims, and Islam is a religion and religions are ideas and ideas are beliefs, ideally and if you were using your mind. Socialism is also an idea, a belief, I don't see anyone going around saying there are this much Socialists in France and Britain and Iraq etc. I don't see anyone counting how many existentialists are there in the world. Why would you go count them?
Unless you believe that religion is not an idea, it's a faction. That it's not valued for its mental strength, that is how right and logical it is, but rather for its physical strength, how many men it has, how much power it has. That's not what religion is. If you want to argue that religion is by how many people support it, then you're opposing your own rancid religion. Remember the Prophet who had no supporters and would get rocks thrown at him by "disbelievers". Remember Imam Hussein who was killed and desecrated. He didn't win by how many men he had in Bahrain and Azerbaijan. He won but by the righteousness of his belief, his idea, his religion.
People shouldn't respect you when you tell them how many Shiites there are and how powerful you Shiites are getting. It works with many Arabs since they're Bedouins (animal-like, life for them is all and only about killing, men are valued by how many men they kill and how many women they bang). You should explain how noble your idea is (if it is) to the world and to the Arabs and make them neutrally decide if Shiism is good. You can't go scare people with your numbers!!

Anonymous said...

Dude,

let it go.

It's religion, not gold.

Well, it's using religion to control "black gold" but hey...I don't wanna send any reverberations through your "just cause" because the ends probably justifies the means. I mean, it'd make Allah proud to see the Shia and Sunni killing other Muslims.

suuuuuuuure


All this over who follows The Prophet. IT'S 1400 YEARS OLD. LET IT GO. There's no "ancestors" anymore! And if their are, then there's probably over 10,000 of them! I mean damn man, God made us all. You. Me. Omar. Ali. Buddah. Noah. Do you really think he made you more rightous, with moral authority to murder anothe soul he created? Was not free will his goal in man? To see if they could possibly find a love for him and his creations without killing in his name?

I find it absurd that so many feel they have vindicated the Lord, Allah, Yehweh, Whatever you wanna call him, but killing another human life. Be it a pagen, jew, atheist, muslim or "people of the book".


Just let it go! Everyone! Sunnis too! Jews also!

DAMN

bg said...

++

Iraqi Atheist said...

You can't go scare people with your numbers!!


that's not the impression i got, and i didn't see any numbers either??

oh well..

thanks for filing us in on where Shi'ite live around the globe Shaqawa, after decades of being silenced it's nice to know you're not alone in the world.. ;)

==

Shaqawa said...

Hello Iraqi Atheist,

Well, I already said what I think about sectarianism. As for Konfused Kid, I like his award. The other stuff he said was garbage, he thinks he is better than me. I am "angry, vulgar, simplistic piece of sectarain hatred" is what he says, which is interesting. Vulgar and simplistic, really Kid should just say what he wants to say and call me "shroogi" because he has the kind of thoughts of people who give these names. How can Kid write to someone about hatred and anger when he has a DEATH LIST on his own website, I do not know! Also it is interesting that he has Sayyid Hakim, a man who has cancer, on his death list. It is sick and that is vulgar and hatred! He thinks that this Riverbend is "coy" but I hope "coy" means "loving Saddam" or "supporting the prostitutes of terror" because then I agree and I am never going to be coy!

You are a smart one as well to call me stupid, and very brave. Are you so strong behind your computer? Strong but maybe you aren’t so smart, I guess you are not reading with care because I am not giving any numbers but just telling people where Shi’a are living and that is it, you did not notice? Maybe read again and see how I said most people know nothing about Shi’a so I am writing some information and that is all. I am not "scaring with numbers" I am just "writing information" so you should think about that. Unless you can show how I am using numbers to support my religion then maybe you should read with more care before opening your mouth to insult me and accuse me. So I am not trying to scare or win and I am not talking about history or Shi'ite ideas, just give information!!!

You give me some ideas for a new post, so thank you for that and your visit.

Shaqawa said...

Hello Joe,

You are another interesting guy who is making up things that I said, even though I never did. Unless you can tell me when did I say it is good to murder people, you not talk like that. It is not just a thing about religious beliefs and ideas, it is also about identity, and I will write about this soon.

Hello again bg,

I think you understand me with this post. I did not give numbers, just some information, because most people don't even know this much information about the Shi'ite community.

Thank you to both of you for your visits.

Anonymous said...

Shaqawa,

Sorry if it came off as me putting words in your mouth. Your post seemed rather loopsided to the Shia and I was merely in favor of seeing both sides put their sectratarian beliefs by the way side.

Again, my apologies.

Shaqawa said...

Hello Joe,

Thank you for your reply.

Of course my post is talking about the Shi'a, that is the topic. Most people don't know anything about the Shi'a, so I am providing information about something I know about, that is all. I am not talking about my own religion beliefs and I am not trying to prove that Shi'a are more correct than Sunna in religion or history, that is not the idea of that post. Hopefully in future sectarianism will not be necessary, but you can read my post on sectarianism to know my thoughts. By the way, if you are religious and believe that your religion is correct, then it makes no sense to put that aside. Would you ask the Pope to put his Catholic religion aside? I think all religious people should be good to others from other groups (unless they are causing problems), but that does not mean that every religious person should forget about their own religion or stop believing it.

Thank you for your visit.

Anonymous said...

Oh by no mean does "put it by the way side" mean to reject or ignore your beliefs. Rather when dealing with mutual respect of fellow humans - to regard that all have different beliefs from your own, and that they should not be persecuted or subjagated for it. Much less defined by it or condemned by it.

I look forward to your posts on sectratarianism, tribes, trust, Iraq and the like.

Thank you for replying.

Anonymous said...

@ to all

Well, if Shaqawa is secterarian, ey guys, have you ever watched www.hammorabi(sic!).blogspot.com ?

That guy is really one-sided and simple-minded, after all, he abolished the comments on his side.

@ Shaqawa

If you think, people in Europe or overseas don't know about Shia, then you are wrong, dead wrong. They may not know the difference but the very existence of this difference.

My parents never saw a difference, half of our family are mestizos (look up what that does mean). They only learned in Germany that there was a difference.


I once asked Zeyad if he was asked whether he is sunni or shi'a while travelling in the USA.

This Shi'a - Stuff was never a bone of contention in Iraq, only outside of Iraq.

Shaqawa said...

Hello Gilgamesh X / exile - iraqi,

Maybe now people have heard of the Shi'a, but I still would be surprised if many people know much. And you know that many Arabs and other Sunnis don't know much and say, "Shi'a worship Ali" and other garbage.

I disagree that Shi'a/Sunni differences never mattered in Iraq. The Battle of Karbala happened in Iraq. And since Iraq modern was made, Sunnis almost always had power, had it from the Ottomans before, and when pan-Arabists got power it was of course favoring Sunnis.

Shaqawa said...

By the way, Gilgamesh X / exile - iraqi, thank you for your visit and comment.

Anonymous said...

shaqawa,

The famous Shia saying “Ya Ali Madad” means “O Ali, help us!”

According to the very basic principles of Islam, this is Shirk (associating partners with Allah). What power does Ali (رضّى الله عنه) have to grant our requests? What power does Prophet Muhammad (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) have to grant our requests? Indeed, nobody save Allah has the power to grant our requests.
And yet we see the Shia saying things like “Naad-e-Ali” which means “call on Ali!” We should only call on Allah. Ali (رضّى الله عنه) will tell these deviant Shia to stop calling him as he has no power, but rather to call Allah for help. In the same manner will Prophet Isa (عليه السلام) repudiate the Christians for calling on him as opposed to Allah.

With regard to saying to the occupant of a grave, “O So and so, help me,” this is obviously Shirk, because it is a supplication to someone other than Allah. Asking by the virtue of someone is a means to Shirk, and calling upon a created being is Shirk in worship.

How can a Muslim seek assistance from any other than Allah Almighty? Despite the fact that every Muslim must repeat the following words from the Quran in his prayer (salat) at least seventeen times a day:

“You alone do we worship, and Your aid alone we seek.” (Quran, 1:5)

We see the Shia saying things like “Ya Ali” and “Ya Mehdi” when they are distressed and need help. They will say “Ya Ali Madad!” These people cry out these names in times of distress. In true Islam, however, we should only say “Ya Allah!” Calling out anyone else’s name for help is Shirk, because we believe only Allah can help us! This is the Sunnah of the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم), as well as the way of Ali (رضّى الله عنه).

Humans, no matter their status, cannot help anyone or harm anyone. Only Allah Almighty can cause harm and only He can bring benefit to us. Allah Almighty says in the Quran:

“Say [O Muhammad]: ‘I have no power over any good or harm to myself except as Allah wills’” (Quran, 7:188)

If the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) could not even have power of good or harm over himself, then how can we say that he has such powers over others? If the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) himself declares that he cannot bring good or harm, then why are we asking him?

Islam is a fiercely monothiestic faith, and rejects all forms of intermediaries with Allah. Intermediaries are none other than idols. The pagans believe that their idols are intermediaries, and they invoke them to ask God for help through them. So too do the Christians believe in Jesus as an intermediary to God. And so have the Imams become an intermediary and idols for the Shia.

How often do we hear the Shia say: “Ya Ali, give us [such and such]” or “Ya Hussain, rescue us!” The Shia even go to the graves of their Imams, crying and rubbing their tombs; it is not unusual to see a Shia kissing the grave of his Imam and invoking the deceased Imam’s name in du’a. The Shia cry to their idols, kiss them, and invoke them.

Then after doing all of this, the same Shia will say unashamedly about the Imam whose tomb they just cried to: “I do not worship him.” This fact is embodied in their dictum: “Call upon Ali, the revealer of wonders.” When these same people are asked if they worship Ali (رضّى الله عنه), they categorically deny this, despite the fact that they call upon his name (and their Imams) appealing for aid in obtaining their most demanding needs.

This is exactly what modern day Hindus do. They worship idols, but if we ask them, they will look at us straight in the eye and say that they are monothiests. They claim that they aren’t worshipping the idols, and that the idols are just intermediaries to God.

O Shia, come to the Call of Islam and to Absolute Tawheedullah (Oneness of Allah). “La Illaha Illalah”…There is no God except Allah! None is equal to Him and no partners and no intermediaries does He need.
The Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) and Ali (رضّى الله عنه) would be included in “those nearest (to Allah)” who would not disdain to serve and worship Allah. All are powerless except Allah, and this is why we ask only Him for help. This is the essence of Islam. Anything other than this is Shirk and subsequent Kufr.

The Shia teach their children to supplicate by calling out the names of their Imams, thereby inculcating the habits of polythiesm in their children from a young age. This must be rejected, and children must be taught to only ask Allah for help and do so by using His Names, as mentioned in the Quran.

We will even find Shia who recite the names of Ali (رضّى الله عنه), Hasan (رضّى الله عنه), and Hussain (رضّى الله عنه) whilst they do Tasbeeh, and claim that this is Dhikr. It is nothing short of Shirk, and Ali (رضّى الله عنه) would burn such people on the stake if he knew that they were doing such things. In a similar manner did Ali (رضّى الله عنه) burn the followers of Abdullah ibn Saba to the stake for the very same blasphemy.

The Shia believe that their prayers are accepted because they invoke the names of their Imams. They believe that the names of their Imams are the key-factor for acceptance of their prayers and a major prerequisite for getting invocations answered by Allah. This is similar to the unfounded claim by the polythiests who say that their idols draw them nearer to Allah.

The polythiests would say that the idols are a “Waseelah” to bring them close to Allah. And likewise, the Shia say that their Imams and Saints are the Waseelah to Allah, intermediaries who can bring them closer to Allah. This is the concept of Tawassul, but it is rejected by true Muslims, who believe that the only Waseelah to Allah is to be pious and to invoke Allah and Allah alone for help!

Whoever worships Ali (رضّى الله عنه), know that he is dead and that he cannot hear our cries, and even if he could, he could do nothing to help us. But whoever worships Allah, let him know that Allah is Alive and can never die, and that He has promised us help if we just turn to Him and Him alone. We should say only “Ya Allah Madad.”

Shaqawa said...

Hello ahlelbayt.com,

It sounds to me you are a Wahhabi with a long beard and a short dishdasha. I suggest you blow yourself up and become a resistance hero of the Arabs and Sunni ummah, but please do it when no one else is around because I don't like innocents to die. Congratulations on "martyrdom".

It is interesting how a bastard such as you will enter a room and say to a group of men سلام عليكم but about Imam Ali you refuse to say عليه السلام after mentioning his name.

Thank you for your visit and showing us what a jackass you are.

qunfuz said...

Shaqawa

I'm on your side. From a Sunni family but greatly admire the Shia for their more spiritual AND more intellectual form of Islam. In Iraq there is a problem in part because of the Sunni refusal to give up their privileges and to recognise that the Shia are a majority. I greatly admire Hizbullah in southern Lebanon. I despise Wahabism, which is the Muslims' greatest enemy.

However I'd love to see a serious response to ahlebeyt.com's points. Seriously. To help me refute these people.