What is the belief of Shia Muslims?

Answer 1

ACCORDING TO SHIA RELIGION THERE ARE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF DEAN AS STATED IN THEIR FAMOUS BOOK (TOHFATUL AWWAM) . THESE ARE "TAWHEED AD'L (JUSTICE), NUBUWAAH (PROPHETHOOD) IMAMATE AND QIYAMAH (DOOMSDAY).

1. TAWHEED STANDS FOR THE UNITY OF GOD (ALLAH). (HOWEVER, SHIA DOCTRINES LIKE BADA AND IMAMATE NEGATA TAWHAAD).

2. AD'L i.e. ALLAH IS JUST (ADIL). IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AGAINST THE JUSTICE OF GOD IF AFTER THE CESSATION OF PROPHETHOOD BY MUHAMMAD , THE IMAMS WERE NOT APPOINTED BY ALLAH ONE AFTER THE OTHER IN SUCH A WAY AS PREVIOUS PROPHETS WERE GIVEN THEIR DEPUTIES.

3. NUBUWWAH i.e. MUHAMMAD , IS THE NABI (PROPHET)OF ALLAH.

ALTHOUGH SHIAS ACKNOWLEDGE PROPHET MUHAMMAD AS THE LAST OF PROPHETS BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR BELIEF IN IMAMATE WHICH IS CONSIDERED HIGHER THAN PROHETHOOD AND THAT THE IMAMS CAN ALTER THE SHARI'AH, THE CONCEPT OF NUBUWWAH BECOMES MEANINGLESS . AS THE ISSUE OF FINALITY OF THE PROPHETHOOD IS THE CENTERAL CORE OF Islam TO WHICH SHIAS ALSO SUBSCRIBE OUTWARDLY, ANYONE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IN IT OR UNDERMINES ITS IMPORTANCE BY VARIUOS INTERPRETATION IS THROWN OUTSIDE THE PALE OF ISLAM. THE DIVINE INSTITUTION OF NUBUWWAH AND IMAMATE OF THE SHIAS ARE OPPOSITE ENTITIES WHICH CANNOT BE RECONCILED.

4. IMAMATE: THERE ARE TWELVE IMAMS IN SHIA RELIGION FROM HADHRAT ALI TO IMAM MAHDI WHO LIKE THE PROPHETS ARE NOT ONLY MASOOM (SINLESS AND INFALLIBLE) AND HAVING BEEN COMISSIONED BY ALLAH BUT THEY ARE EVEN SUPERIOR TO HADHRAT IBRAHIM KHALILULLAH, HADHRAT MUSA ROOHULLAH, HADHRAT ISSA KALIMULLAH AND REST OF ALL OTHER PROPHETS.

THIS IS THE STATEMENT OF THE SHIITTE BUT ACCORDING TO RESEARCH AND HISTORICAL EVIDENCE THE SO-CALLED 12 IMAMS OF THE SHIA NEVER IN THEIR LIVES CLAIMED THAT ARE DIVINELY APPOINTED IMAMS OR LEADERS OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY. THEY LIVED LIKE ORDINARY CITIZENS AND OFFERED CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS ALONG WITH OTHER MUSLIMS IN THE MASJID BEHIND THE IMAM OF THE AREA/LOCALITY. IN FACT SHIA AS A SEPERATE ORGANISED RELIGION DID NOT EXIST FOR SOME 200 YEARS OF ISLAM. FURTHER DETALIS ARE DISCUSSED IN CHAPTER 17 "THE BASIS OF FIQH JAFARI'AH."

5. QIYAMAH: THE SHIAS BELIEVE IN THE LAST DAY (QIYAMAH) BUT WITH SOME DIFFERENCE FROM WHAT HAS BEEN STATED IN THE QUR'AN AND HADITH.