The Awakening Editors: Syed Yasir Abbas & Dr. Ameer Ali Badami Published in: Bangalore, Complimentary Copy

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'There will come a time when the town of Qum & its people will be an authority (hujja) over the rest of people. This will be during the time of the occultation of our Qaim (AS) until his reappearance. And if this was not so, the earth would swallow up its people. Verily, the angels guard Qum &its people from disasters, & no tyrant can aim towards it with evil intentions without being annihilated by Allah, the Annihilator of tyrants.'(Bihar al-Anwar, v. 60, p. 213, no. 22)

Muammad, the Apostle of Allah, and those who are with him are hard against the faithless and merciful amongst themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in worship], seeking Allahs grace and [His] pleasure. Their mark is [visible] on their faces, from the effect of prostration. Such is their description in the Torah and their description in the Evangel. Like a tillage that sends out its shoots and builds them up, and they grow stout and settle on their stalks, impressing the sowers, so that He may enrage the faithless by them. Allah has promised those of them who have faith and do righteous deeds forgiveness and a great reward. (Quran, 48:29)

Issue 1, Vol. 1, Number 1 - Sunday, 4th January, 2015 Special Edition: Islamic Unity Week

Unity Fatwas (According to Shias

and Sunnis) Page

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Hadith

Quran ISLAMIC UNITY WEEK

The Islamic Unity Week is marked between 12th-17th Rabiul Awwal on the occasion of the Birth Anniversary of Prophet Mohammad (S). This period in which Muslims ponder on the fundamental call of unity according to the Holy Quran was initiated by the founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (R), following the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979. Since its inception, the Islamic Unity Week has been marked annually, not only in Iran, but also throughout the world, and has played an important role in bringing

the various Islamic Schools of Thought on a single platform, since Allah is One, and Muslims believe in the single Quran and bow towards the same focal point, that is the Holy Kaba, five times a day during daily prayers. The late Imam Khomeinis (R) foresight helped bridge the gap of five days between the two dates believed to be the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (S). According to Sunni Islamic narrations, the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal is recognized as the birth date of Prophet Muhammad (S). On the other hand Islamic sources relied upon by Shia Muslims and based on the narrations from the Ahlul Bayt (A), the auspicious birthday of the Holy Prophet (S) was on 17th of Rabi-al-Awwal. In order to bridge this difference and use it as an opportunity to unite the ranks of Muslims, the founder of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Imam Khomeini (R) designated the period of Milad-un-Nabi celebrations from 12th to the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal as the Islamic Unity Week. This dynamic concept aims to bring all Muslim schools of thought on the common platform of Islamic unity.

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Observing Spiritual disciplines in Salat

by: Imam Khomeini

Ayatullah Khamenei's (dz) speech in International conference on Takfirism.

Let us work jointly together for Islam and let us forget everything save our struggle for the sake of the dignity of Islam. Has not the time come for Muslims to understand and resolve the division of Sunni & Shiite? - Martyr Navvab Safavi

The Awakening, Issue 1, Vol. 1, Number 1

Unity Fatwas "Extracted from Al-Taqrib: A JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC UNITY, Number 4, Winter 2009"

Page 2: Muslim Ummah

According to Sunnis Shaykh 'Ali Jum'ah (Former Grand Mufti of Egypt from September 2003 February 2013): "There are groups out there who are working hard to strain the relations between the Shia and the Sunni and to break the unity between the Muslims so that, in so doing, they can achieve their own goals. For this reason, with the issuance of my verdict, I am declaring permissible the worship according to the Shia fiqh. We must admit that the Shias, in the present state, are quite advanced. For this reason, we can work together with them because so long as the Shias and the Sunnis have one qiblah (orientation for prayer), there is no difference between them. From the beginning of our history, the Shias have always been an inseparable part of the Islamic ummah. The followers of the Shia school of thought are remarkably advanced, but there are a few individuals who, with the intention of creating differences, make their (i.e. Shia) books out to be out-dated, and by so doing bring out certain emotionally-charged and divisive topics. Some political organizations, which are supported and backed by the Wahhabis, are mustering all their forces into hampering the relations between the Shia and Sunni schools of thought. Shaykh al-Akbar Mahmud Shaltut (Head of the Al-Azhar University in Egypt from 1958 to 1963.): Question: Some individuals state that the worship and transactions of a Muslim is only correct if he belongs to one of the four known schools of thought, and this does not include the Shia Imamiyyah or the Zaydi schools of thought. What is your opinion regarding this matter? Answer: "Certainly, Islam does not require a Muslim to follow any one particular school of thought. Rather, it says that every Muslim, from the outset, has the right to follow one of the schools of thought which has been correctly narrated and its verdicts have been compiled in particular books. Moreover, every follower of any of these schools of thought is permitted to follow another school without there being any sin on him for doing so. As for the Ja'fari school of thought, which is also known as Shia Imamiyyah IthnaAshari (The Twelver Imami Shias), it is permissible to follow it just as one would follow the other Sunni schools of thought.

Muslims must know this matter and must refrain from unjust prejudice to any particular school of thought. The religion of Allah and the Islamic shari'ah was never restricted to a particular school of thought." According to Shaykh Ahmad Kaftaru (The former Grand Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic, a position he held since 1964.): Question: Are the Zaydi, Ja'fari and Ibadi acceptable schools of thought in Islam, and if so, on what basis? Answer: "If we limit the fiqh to the Quran and the Sunnah, we have not given Islam its due nor have we accounted for the support that it shows to the changes that occur in the lives of the Muslims. In so doing, we have constrained the broad vision of Islam and lowered its goals in such a way that it can no longer respond to the questions raised by man in his various life circumstances... The Imamiyyah (Shia) school, whose jurisprudence is closest to that of the Shafi'i. In fact, in the common practices, other than approximately seventeen differences, their jurisprudence is quite close to that of the Ahl al-Sunnah."

According to Shias Ayatullah Sayyid Fadl Allah (ra) [Late Ayatullah was one of the prominent Shia Marjaa Taqlid (Supreme Religious Authority) in Lebanon]: Islam, with all the theological necessities that are found in the Noble Quran, can be summarized in the shahadatayn. Every individual who accepts the shahadatayn is a Muslim. He is entitled to all of the rights that is due on any Muslim, and he is obliged to perform all the Muslim duties. Moreover, the rejection of the essential aspects of religion does not make one an apostate except if the individual knows that the consequence of his rejection is to deny the Prophet (s) of Allah (swt)which, because of the topic being clear, is usually the case. However, differences of opinion in theoretical matters that most of the 'ulama havewhich may be due to a difference of opinion regarding the reliability of a narrator, or the meaning of a hadith, or some other commotion- causing matter that becomes the basis of their differencedoes not lead to apostasy. In light of this view, we are of the opinion that all Muslims and the followers of the schools of the thought are included within the Islamic Ummah. Hence, it is not permissible to proclaim kufr on them for any reason.

There is no doubt that the Muslim ummah is inflicted with sectarian division and stife. Many Muslims have fallen victim to parochial ideologies that limit Islam to one particular point of view, while discounting the legitimacy of any other. The following piece attempts to counter such insular views by bringing out the verdicts and opinions of many prominent Sunni and Shia personalities regarding the madhahib (schools of thought) in Islam. Many of these prominent scholars affirm the validity of the various madhahib and attest to their falling within the boundaries of Islam.

The Awakening, Issue 1, Vol. 1, Number 1

Page 3: Muslim Ummah

We should adopt this outlook towards the issue. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart that today, we have to focus our attention on the problems that arrogance has created in the world of Islam. This is while we should focus all our energy on confronting the plots of the Zionist regime and the move that they made against Holy Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque. This should move and stimulate the entire world of Islam. However, there is no other option. In fact, attending to the issue of takfirism is something that has been imposed on the ulama, activists and scholars of the world of Islam. The enemy has brought this to the world of Islam as a custom-made product & problem. Therefore, we have to attend to it. However, the main issue is the issue of the Zionist regime. The main issue is the issue of Quds. The main issue is the issue of the first qiblah for Muslims which is al-Aqsa Mosque. These are the main issues.

The purpose of your meeting, your congress and your movement is to confront this orientation in a comprehensive way. The purpose is not to confront what is known today as DAESH. The orientation which is known as DAESH today is only one of the branches of the malevolent tree of takfirism, not the whole of it. The corruption - this act of destroying people and shedding the blood of innocent individuals - that this group of people is involved in is only a part of the crimes of takfirism in the world of - Islam.

Ayatullah Khamenei's (dz) speech in International conference on Takfirism

Imam Khomeini (ra) on Unity

"Oh, Muslims and oppressed people of the world under the hegemony of oppressors, rise up and shake the hands of unity and defend Islam and your destiny. Do not fear the hue and cry of the powerful countries, for this century, by the will of God, marks the century of victory of the oppressed over the arrogant powers and right over wrong. " "The design of the big powers and those connected to them in the Islamic countries, is to divide the strata of the Muslims among whom the Blessed and Exalted God has created brotherhood, and has called them brothers, & to name them Turks, Kurds, Arabs and Persians. In fact, they want to make them enemies of one another. This is absolutely contrary to the path of Islam and the Holy Quran. All the Muslims are brothers; all of them are equal. All of them should remain under the banner of Islam and the banner of monotheism, the ones that sow discord among the Muslims in the name of nationalism, factionalism & nationality belong to Satans army. They are the accomplices of the big powers. They are against the Holy Quran. " "Muslims should be awake, Muslims should be alert that if a dispute takes place among Sunni and Shia brothers, it is harmful to all of us, it is harmful to all Muslims. Those who want to sow discord are neither Sunni nor Shia, they are agents of the superpowers and work for them." "Muslims are brothers & will not be segregated by the pseudo-propaganda sponsored by corrupt elements. The source of this matter - that Shias should be on one side & Sunni on the other - is on the one hand ignorance and on the other hand propaganda of the foreigners. "

... Continued from Page -2 Ayatullah Khamenei (dz) [Shia Marjaa Taqlid (Supreme Religious Authority) in Iran]: Question: Considering the various compelling reasons to necessitate unity amongst the Muslims, what is the opinion of your Excellency regarding including the followers of the various Islamic schools of thought such as the four-fold schools of the Ahl al-Sunnah, the Zaydi, Zahiri, Ibadi & others who believe in the clear principles of religionwithin the Islamic Ummah? Is it permissible to ascribe kufr to the above-mentioned schools or not? Moreover, what ae the limits of takfir during our day and age? Answer: All of the Islamic schools of thought are included in the Islamic Ummah and have access to all of the advantageous granted by Islam. Moreover, the schisms amongst the Muslim parties, are not only contrary to

the teachings of the Noble Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet of Islam (s), but they also lead to the weakening of the Muslims and to the handing over of their affairs to the enemies of Islam. Hence, such divisions are not permitted for any reason. According to Ayatullah Sistani (dz) Shia Marjaa Taqlid (Supreme Religious Authority) in Iraq]: Question: Can we consider as Muslim anyone who pronounces the Shahadatayn (the two-fold testimonies of faith), performs his prayer facing the qiblah, and follows one of the eightfold Islamic schools of thought which include the hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki, hanbali, Ja'fari, Zaydi, Ibadi and Zahiri? Also, as for his blood, dignity and property, are they to be respected? Answer: Anyone who pronounces the Shahadatayn and does not outwardly perform any act contrary to it, and moreover, does not have enmity to the Ahlul Bayt (as) is a Muslim.

The Awakening, Issue 1, Vol. 1, Number 1

Observing Spiritual disciplines in Salat

Struggle in the way of Allah (swt)

Page 4: Spirituality

Zahid, 'Abid & 'Arif - Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari (ra)

"Know that for the Salat, beside its form, there is a meaning, and apart from its exterior it has an interior; and as the exterior has its disciplines, neglecting which would render the outer form of the Salat invalid or incomplete, likewise its interior has cordial spiritual disciplines, neglecting which would render the spiritual Salat invalid or incomplete; whereas observing them would inspire the Salat with a heavenly spirit." - Imam Khomeini (ra)

He who abstains from the enjoyments of the world, even its wholesome ones, is called a zahid (ascetic); and he who is careful to perform worship, prayer and fasting and the like, is called an 'abid (devotee); and he who keeps his thought turned perpetually towards the realm of light in order that the light of the Real shine in his heart is called an 'arif; & sometimes two or more of these epithets may apply to the same person. Although Ibn Sina defines here the zahid, the 'abid and the 'arif, yet at the same time he is defining zuhd, 'ibadah, & 'irfan. This is because a definition of zahid, 'abid, or 'arif per se includes implicitly a definition of zuhd, 'ibadah, or 'irfan. Thus the conclusion to be drawn from this passage is that zuhd is abstinence from worldly enjoyments; 'ibadah is the performance of specific acts like prayer, fasting, reciting the Quran and the like; and 'irfan is turning away the mind from everything but Allah and paying complete attention to the Divine Essence so that the light of the Real may shine on one's heart. The last clause indicates an important point. One or more of these characteristics may occur in combination. Thus it is possible for an individual to be an 'abid and a zahid, a zahid and an 'arif, an 'abid and an 'arif, or an'abid, zahid, and 'arif at one and the same time. Ibn Sina has not elaborated this, but he implies that although it is possible for one to be a zahid or an 'abid and not be an 'arif, it is not possible for one to be an 'arif and not be a zahid and an 'abid. One may be both a zahid & an 'abid without being an 'arif, but an 'arif by definition is also a zahid and an 'abid. So, although not every zahid or 'abid is an 'arif, every 'arif is a zahid and an 'abid. In the next passage we will see that the zuhd of an 'arif differs in its goal from that of a non-'arif. In fact, the spirit & essence of the 'arif's zuhd and 'ibadah are different from those of the non-'arif: The zuhd for the non-'arif, is a transaction by which he gives up the pleasures of the world for the pleasures of the Hereafter, whereas for the 'arif it is something through which he dissociates himself from everything that keeps him from attention towards God and he looks down on everything except God. Whereas worship for the non-'arif is a transaction by which he performs actions in the world for a reward (ajr, thawab) to be received in the Hereafter, for the 'arif it is a kind of exercise that is aimed at strengthening his self's intellectual and imaginative faculties, and which, by repetition, draws away the self from the realm of illusion to the realm of the Real.

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Struggle waged for the way of God-Almighty, extension of Islamic rule, proclamation of Monotheism (Tawhid), defense of Islamic lands and governance of Quranic commands, combating against oppression and arrogance, & for the defense of deprived & oppressed is considered as one of the great worship, which results in a struggler's achieving self-perfection & spiritual ascension towards God-Almighty. There are plenty of traditions and Quranic Verses which describe the special importance attached to struggle. e.g: God-Almighty says in Holy Quran: "Those who believe & have left their homes and striven with their wealth & their lives in God's way are of much greater worth in God's sight. These are they who are triumphant. (9:20)" The Holy Prophet (S) said: For every virtue, there is an another higher virtue except when a human being sacrifices his life for the sake of God-Almighty. And in that case there exists nothing superior than that.

- Ayatullah Ibrahim Amini (dz)