PESHAWAR NIGHTS

Sultanu'l-Wa'izin Shirazi

Table of Contents

Translators' Preface

FIRST SESSION, ( Thursday night, 23rd Rajab, 1345 A.H.)

PART 1

  • Relationship (of Well­Wisher) with the Holy Prophet
  • Additional evidence proving that the descendants of Bibi Fatima are of the progeny of the Holy Prophet
  • Why Shias combine their prayers

PART 2

  • How the grave of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali, was discovered
  • Desecration of graves by Bani Umayyad
  • Differences about the burial place of the Commander of the Faithful

SECOND SESSION, ( (Friday night, 24th Rajab, 1345 A.H.)

PART 1

  • Misconception about origin of the Shia sect
  • Absurd to associate Abdullah bin Saba with Shias
  • Meaning of Shia
  • Further merits of Shia
  • Rank of Salman, Abu Dharr, Miqdad, and Ammar
  • Causes of Iranian's receptivity to Shia'ism
  • Debates between Allama Hilli and the chief justice concerning the imamate

PART 2

  • Islam forbids boasting about ancestors
  • Islam also forbids racism
  • Condemnation of the extremists
  • Shias separate from Ghalis (Extremists)
  • Clarification about reverence towards Imams
  • The people of Ya Sin refers to the people of Muhammad
  • Salawat (blessings) on Muhammad and Ahle­Muhammad is the Sunna (commendable), and in ritual prayer, it is compulsory

THIRD SESSION, ( Saturday night, 25th Rajab, 1345 A.H.)

PART 1

  • Shias not divided into factions
  • The Zaidiyyas
  • The Kaysaniyyas and their belief
  • The Qaddahiyyas and their belief
  • The Ghullat and their belief

PART 2

  • Shia Imamiyya Ithna Ashari and their belief
  • Belief in Allah and the Prophets
  • Belief in chastisement, reward, hell, paradise, and day of judgement
  • Belief in the articles of practice
  • Belief in Imams

PART 3

  • Objection on Hadith of Ma'rifa (tradition of knowledge of Allah)
  • Absurd reports in Sahihain (the two collections) of Bukhari and Muslim
  • Hadith­e­Thaqalain
  • Polytheism and its kinds
  • Concerning offerings or pledges

PART 4

  • Offerings in the name of Allah
  • Hidden polytheism: making a display of prayers
  • Polytheism regarding causation
  • Why Prophets sought help from people
  • The Holy Ahle Muhammad (descendants of the Prophet) are means of divine bounty

PART 5

  • Hadith­e­Thaqalain (Hadith of Two Great Things)
  • Bukhari and Muslim have recorded many traditions reported by fabricators
  • Many authentic ahadith regarding Ahle Bait scrupulously avoided
  • Sources of Hadith­e­Thaqalain
  • Hadith­e­Safina

PART 6

  • Seeking means to approach Allah not polytheism
  • Du'a­e­Tawassul
  • Shias do not malign Sunnis
  • Sunni Ulema call Shias infidels
  • Shias and the four Sunni schools of law

PART 7

  • Murders of Shias in Iran and Afghanistan
  • Martyrdom of Shahid­e­Thalis
  • Namaz­e­Ziarat and invocations after the prayer
  • Prostration of the brothers of Joseph before him
  • Invoking Imams is not worshiping the dead

PART 8

  • The infidelity of Yazid
  • Sanction by Sunni Ulema for cursing Yazid
  • Desecration of graves
  • The descendants of the Holy Prophet are martyrs in the way of Allah and are alive
  • The position of Infallible Imams

FOURTH SESSION, ( Sunday night, 26th Rajab, 1345 A.H.)

PART 1

  • Discussion regarding Imamate
  • Limitation to four schools of law has no basis
  • Shia'ism compared to four schools of law
  • The four Sunni Imams have declared each other to be infidels

PART 2

  • The Sunni Ulema's condemnation of Abu Hanifa
  • Imamate according to Shias means vicegerency of Allah
  • The rank of Imamate is higher than that of general Prophethood
  • General and special Prophethood

PART 3

  • Differences in the rank of the Prophets
  • Authenticity of Hadith of Manzila from the usual sources
  • Amadi unreliable as narrator of ahadith
  • The position of single narration in the Sunni sect

PART 4

  • Characteristics of Ali
  • Hadith that by order of the Prophet the doors of houses facing the mosque were closed except the door of Ali's house
  • While bowing in ritual prayer, Ali gave a ring to a beggar
  • Aaron's position as Prophet as well as Caliph

FIFTH SESSION, ( Monday night, 27th Rajab, 1345 A.H.)

PART 1

  • Hadith of Manzila narrated several times
  • Aaron was the ordained successor of Moses
  • Similarity between the affairs of Ali and Aaron
  • Hadith of invitation to relatives and the Prophet's appointing Ali as his successor
  • Clear ahadith about the Caliphate of Ali

PART 2

  • Characteristics of the Companions
  • Hadith in praise of Abu Bakr
  • Abu Huraira's character and his condemnation
  • Ibn Abd Rabbih's slanders against the Shias
  • Slanders by Ibn Hazm

PART 3

  • Slanders by Abu Taimiyya
  • Abu Huraira's character and ahadith calling for his condemnation
  • Reply to the supposed hadith that Allah said "I am pleased with Abu Bakr ­ is he also pleased with Me?"
  • Ahadith in praise of Abu Bakr and Umar and their disqualification
  • Hadith that both Hasan and Husain are foremost of youth of paradise

PART 4

  • Reply to purported Hadith that Abu Bakr and A'yesha were preferred by the Prophet
  • Shafi'i's acknowledgement that love for Ahle Bait is obligatory
  • Misconception regarding Holy Prophet's love for A'yesha
  • Holy Prophet preferred Ali to all other men
  • Hadith of the roasted bird

PART 5

  • "People of the Remembrance" are the Ahle Muhammad, the descendants of the Holy Prophet
  • Citation of a verse of the Holy Qur'an about the appointment of the four Caliphs, and a reply
  • Argument from the "Verse of Cave" and its reply
  • Facts about Abu Bakr's accompanying the Holy Prophet
  • Barsisa Abid
  • The sending down of peace was on the Prophet of Allah

SIXTH SESSION, ( Tuesday night, 28th Rajab, 1345 A.H.)

PART 1

  • 300 Hundred verses in praise of Ali
  • Ali first to declare belief in Prophet of Allah
  • Ali excelled all other companions and the whole community in merit
  • Qur'anic verse in praise of Ali on his sleeping in the Prophet's bed on the night of Hijra

PART 2

  • Evidence regarding Umar's saying "Had Ali not been there, Umar would have been ruined"
  • Caliph Umar's bravery was never observed on any battlefield
  • Hadith of the standard in the conquest of Khaibar
  • Uthman's character and way of life compared to that of Abu Bakr and Umar

PART 3

  • The wealth of Caliph Uthman
  • Caliph Uthman encouraged the evildoers among the Umayyads
  • Holy Prophet cursed Abu Sufyan, Mu'awiya and his son Yazid
  • Uthman did not accept counsel of Ali

PART 4

  • Uthman mercilessly beat companions of Holy Prophet
  • Ammar beaten by order of Uthman
  • The hadith "all companions are like stars" applied also to Abu Dharr
  • Ali bin Abu Talib's kindness and generosity
  • Doubts and complications regarding the "verse of guardianship" and their clarification

SEVENTH SESSION Wednesday night 29th Rajab 1345 A.H.)

PART 1

  • Difference between assumed unity and real unity
  • The Verse of Imprecation (Mubahala) proves the unity of the soul of Ali with the Holy Prophet
  • Merits of Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain proven by the verse of imprecation
  • Further narrations and hadith as evidence of the essential unity of the Holy Prophet and Ali

PART 2

  • The mirror of all the Prophets as shown by the hadith of similitude (Hadith­e­Tashbih)
  • Consensus for Abu Bakr
  • Arguments against validity of Ijma
  • Ali was deliberately kept uninformed of the meeting at Saqifa

PART 3

  • 'Hadith­e­Thaqalain' and 'Hadith­e­Safina'
  • Hadith "Ali is with the truth and the truth is with Ali"
  • Hadith of the ark ­ Hadith of Saqifa
  • Should Ijma be accepted because of precedent?

PART 4

  • Holy Prophet's ahadith urging the believers to follow Ali
  • Forced allegiance by Ali and Bani Hashim after six months
  • Ali dragged from his home and his house set on fire
  • Twelve arguments in support of the fact that Ali was taken to the mosque at the point of a sword

PART 5

  • Fatima told Abu Bakr and Umar that she cursed them both in every prayer
  • Narrations about Fatima's miscarriage
  • Real meaning of Bidat (innovation)
  • Effects of visiting shrines of the Holy Imams

EIGHTH SESSION, ( Thursday night, 1st Sha'ban, 1345 A.H.)

PART 1

  • Difference between Islam (submission) and Iman (faith)
  • Association of Shia'ism with Imam Ja'far Sadiq
  • Criticizing the companions does not mean infidelity
  • According to Abu'l­Hasan Ash'ari even calling Allah or Holy Prophet by evil names is not infidelity
  • Most companions abused one another but not regarded as infidels
  • Holy Prophet of Islam knew all good and bad actions of Sahaba

PART 2

  • Merit of being a party to Bai'at­e­Rizwan
  • Shias do acknowledge merits of Sahaba
  • Hadith of "following companions" examined
  • Aqaba affair and design to kill Holy Prophet
  • Opposition of companions at Saqifa
  • Sa'd bin Ubaida's opposition to Abu Bakr and Umar

PART 3

  • Talha and Zubair confront Ali at Basra
  • Mu'awiya and 'Amr As used to curse and abuse Ali
  • Sources of hadith "my companions are like stars" are weak
  • Companions were not infallible
  • Taking wine by ten companions in a secret meeting
  • Companions' breaking pledge

PART 4

  • Ghadir hadith and its nature
  • Some of companions were slaves to their wishes and turned against truth
  • Imam Ghazali's view about companions breaking the pledge taken on the day of Ghadir­e­Khum
  • Reference to Ibn Iqda's status
  • Reference to Tabari's death
  • Nisa'i's murder

PART 5

  • Sunnis' doubt about meaning of Maula
  • Meaning of Maula as "guide", "master" in light of the verse "ya ayyuha'r­rasul baligh"
  • Revelation of verse "This day have I perfected for you your religion" at Ghadir­e­Khum
  • Ali's argument based on Hadith of Ghadir in the mosque at Kufa
  • Sad plight of those who did not confirm Hadith of Ghadir
  • Companions' breaking their promise made on the day of Ghadir

PART 6

  • Companions' breaking their promise at Uhud, Hunain, and Hudaibiyya
  • Shias condemn only those companions whose acts were unjust
  • Fadak and its usurpation
  • Argument from hadith 'la nuris' ­ we do not leave legacies
  • Fadak was a gift ­ not a legacy
  • Fatima's arguments rejecting hadith 'la nuris'

PART 7

  • Hadid's surprise at Abu Bakr's abusing Ali and Fatima
  • Tormenting Ali is tormenting the Holy Prophet
  • Hadith "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is it gate"
  • Hadith about the vicegerency
  • "Allah selected Ali from among all men to be my vicegerent"
  • Ahle Bait endowed with seven matchless qualities

PART 8

  • Mahdi to fill the earth with justice
  • At the time of his death, the head of the Holy Prophet was on the chest of Amiru'l­Mu'minin
  • Inquiring about immediate succession or vicegerency
  • Holy Prophet's will concerning Ali's vicegerency exists in all authentic books
  • Holy Prophet was prevented from writing his will at the time of his death
  • Holy Qur'an also asks us to consult Ahle Dhikr, that is, the Ahle Bait

PART 9

  • Abu Bakr was not prevented from writing his will
  • So it is clear that Ali was Holy Prophet's immediate successor
  • Caliphate belongs to the heir of knowledge
  • Ali's verdict concerning a woman who gave birth to a child after a six­month pregnancy
  • Hadith 'la nuris' not applied to other properties
  • Abu Bakr's returning fadak to Fatima and Umar's intervention

PART 10

  • Caliph's returning Fadak to descendants of Fatima
  • Proof that Fadak had been given to Fatima
  • Contention that Abu Bakr acted according to "verse of evidence" and its reply
  • To demand witnesses from occupants was against religious law
  • Rejecting witness of Fatima was against religious law
  • 'Truthful Ones' refers to Muhammad and Ali

PART 11

  • Caliph Abu Bakr did not follow law of evidence in other cases
  • Ali and Fatima were referents of the verse of purification
  • Proving that the verse of purity was not in praise of the Prophet's wives
  • Wives of Prophet are not included in Ahle Bait
  • Numerous hadith concerning "Verse of Purity" being in praise of Holy Five
  • Hadith of Umme Salma about 'harrira' (a sweet liquid food) of Fatima and revelation of "Verse of Purity"

PART 12

  • Fadak was taken away for political reasons
  • Khums interdicted
  • Caliph may not pass an order in violation of a clear ordinance of Allah and the practice of Holy Prophet
  • Fatima remained indignant with Abu Bakr and Umar until her death
  • Fatima's distress is Allah's and Prophet's distress
  • Allegation about Ali's intending to marry Abu Jahl's daughter

PART 13

  • Fabricating of hadith during Mu'awiya's period
  • Misunderstanding about Fatima's indignation being non­religious
  • Fatima was free from worldly attachment
  • Fatima was buried at night, a proof of her lasting displeasure with Abu Bakr and Umar

NINTH SESSION, ( Friday night, 2nd Sha'ban, 1345 A.H.)

PART 1

  • 'Shias' accusing A'yesha of adultery' and its reply
  • A'yesha's exoneration from the charge of adultery
  • A husband and wife do not necessarily share the same level of attainment
  • Meaning of faithlessness of Noah's and Lot's wives
  • Faithlessness of wives does not imply impurity
  • A'yesha grieved the Holy Prophet
  • No such reports about other wives of the Holy Prophet
  • Ummu'l­Mu'minin Suda did not go out even for Hajj or Umra

PART 2

  • A'yesha goes out to fight against Ali
  • Hadith in praise of Ali's virtues
  • Authors who narrate Holy Prophet's hadith about hypocrites' hatred of Ali
  • Slaughter of Sahaba (companions) and innocent believers in Basra by order of A'yesha
  • Shias say about A'yesha exactly what history shows
  • No evidence that A'yesha repented
  • A'yesha prevents burial of Imam Hasan near the Holy Prophet
  • A'yesha's prostration at martyrdom of Amiru'l­Mu'minin

PART 3

  • Contradictory statements of A'yesha about Uthman
  • Hadith of mending shoes is the greatest proof of the Imamate and Caliphate of Ali
  • Difference in mode of appointment of the first three Caliphs is proof of invalidity of their Caliphate
  • Other proofs for invalidity of consensus (Ijma')
  • Holy Prophet's nomination of Ali ignored and Abu Bakr's nomination of Umar held invalid
  • Objection to Majlis­e­Shura (consultative body)
  • Objection to Abdu'r­Rahman bin Auf being arbiter
  • According to the Holy Prophet, Ali should be followed in preference to all the others

PART 4

  • Ali's creation from light and his association with the Holy Prophet
  • Ali's physical ancestry
  • Azar was Abraham's father
  • Fathers and mothers of the Holy Prophet were not polytheists but they were all believers
  • Ali's forefathers were equally free from polytheism
  • Misunderstanding about Abu Talib's faith clarified
  • Shia consensus regarding belief of Abu Talib
  • Misunderstanding about concocted Hadith of Zuhzah clarified

PART 5

  • Evidence for Abu Talib's belief
  • Abraham's announcement of Prophethood and his conversation with Azar
  • Abu Talib assures Holy Prophet of full support and also recites couplets in praise of Islam
  • Abu Talib was a supporter and guardian of the Holy Prophet
  • Not proper to call Mu'awiya 'Khalu'l­Mu'minin'
  • Mu'awiya pronounces Takbir at Imam Hasan's martyrdom
  • Muhammad bin Abi Bakr was killed thirsty and burnt to ashes for love of Ahle Bait
  • Mu'awiya was not a scribe of Wahi (revelation) but only of letters

PART 6

  • Evidence for Mu'awiya's infidelity
  • Mu'awiya and Yazid are cursed
  • Murder of prominent believers like Imam Hasan, Ammar Hajar bin Adi Malik Ashtar, Muhammad bin Abi Bakr, etc by order of Mu'awiya
  • In the words of the Holy qur'an Sahab and Sahaba, meaning "companions", have no reverential significance
  • Holy Qur'an praises good companions but also condemns bad companions
  • Abu Talib was a firm believer
  • Additional proof of Abu Talib's belief
  • Abu Talib concealed his faith while Hamza and Abbas proclaimed theirs

PART 7

  • Mut'a marriage and Hajj Nisa were lawful up to Abu Bakr's time but made unlawful by Umar
  • Sunni's are really Rafizis and Shia are Sunni's
  • Arguments for lawfulness of Mut'a
  • Ali's birthplace was the Ka'ba
  • The origin of Ali's name was the unseen world
  • After the names of Allah and the Holy Prophet, Ali's name is written on Arsh'
  • Words used by Adam for acceptance of his repentance were the names of the five pure ones
  • Wahi (revelation) and Ilham (intuition) bestowed on persons other than Prophets, even on animals

PART 8

  • Abu Talib was guided by Allah to name his son Ali
  • Revelation of Lawh (tablet) to Abu Talib
  • Ali's name is not a part of the Adhan and Iqama (call for prayers)
  • Ali's piety
  • Abdullah bin Rafi'i's report
  • Suwaid bin Ghafla's report
  • Ali's abstaining from eating Halwa
  • Ali's dress

PART 9

  • Zurar's conversation with Mu'awiya concerning Ali
  • The Prophet's recognition of Ali's piety
  • Allah and the Holy Prophet called Ali Imamu'l­Muttaqin (chief of the pious)
  • As Imamu'l­Muttaqin Ali had no inclination for self­indulgence or authority
  • Ali's refusal to pay allegiance to Abu Bakr proves the method of his appointment as Caliph was not right
  • Silence of Holy Prophets
  • Ali's situation similar to Aaron's
  • The Holy Prophet could not effect drastic changes for fear of people

PART 10

  • After the death of the Holy Prophet Ali's patience was for the sake of Allah
  • Amiru'l­Mu'minin's letter to the people of Egypt explaining his silence when deprived of the Caliphate
  • Amiru'l­Mu'minin's sermon after martyrdom of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr
  • Sermon of Shiqshiqayya also explains Ali's silence
  • Doubt about the sermon of Shiqshiqayya
  • Seyyed Razi (compiler of Sermons of Ali)
  • Sermon of Shiqshiqayya recorded long before the birth of Seyyed Razi

TENTH SESSION, ( Saturday night, 3rd Sha'ban, 1345 A.H.

PART 1

  • Assessment of Umar's knowledge of Islamic law
  • Confiscation of any portion of Mehr is unlawful
  • Umar's denying the Prophet's death proves that he was ignorant of several verses of the Holy Qur'an
  • Umar's order to stone five people and Ali's intervention
  • Umar's ordering a pregnant woman to be stoned to death and Ali's intervention
  • Umar ordering an insane woman to be stoned and Ali's intervention
  • Umar's ignorance concerning Tayammum (substitute for ablution)

PART 2

  • All knowledge was clearly visible to Ali
  • Mu'awiya defending the position of Ali
  • Umar's admission of his ignorance concerning difficult problems and his declaration that if Ali had not helped him his difficulties would not have been solved
  • Ali was most suitable for the office of Caliphate
  • Ali's "allegiance" to Caliphs was forced
  • There should be no "blind faith" in religion
  • Faith should be based on reason and honest inquiry

PART 3

  • Prophet's order to obey Ali
  • No Hadith exists designating other Caliphs as the "guides of the community" or "gates of knowledge"
  • Prostration on dust by Shia's objected to by others without reason
  • Differences among the four schools are ignored but Shias' are not tolerated
  • Verdicts by Sunni scholars in contradiction to Qur'anic injunctions
  • Washing of the feet in Wuzu' is against the Qur'anic ordinance
  • Wiping over the socks against the explicit ordinance of the Holy Qur'an

PART 4

  • The wiping over the turban is against the Qur'anic ordinance
  • Shias alone blamed for such differences
  • According to Sunni ulema prostration on dry excrement and dung is lawful
  • Prostration on floor coverings instead of the ground is against Qur'anic injunction
  • Shias do not consider prostration on dust of Karbala compulsory
  • Old age is no criterion for the Caliphate
  • Ali appointed for conveyance of verses of Sura Bara'a (the immunity) of the Holy Qur'an

PART 5

  • After the Holy Prophet Ali was the guide of the community
  • Ali hated corrupt politics
  • Rebellion during Amiru'l­Mu'minin's Caliphate was due to enmity against him
  • A'yesha was largely responsible for the revolt against Ali
  • Ali's battles of Jamal, Siffin, and Nahrwan were like the battles of the Holy Prophet against the infidels
  • Ali possessed knowledge of the unseen world
  • Vicegerents of Prophets also had knowledge of the unseen

PART 6

  • Holy Imams were true Caliphs and had the knowledge of unseen
  • Sunni ulema who have narrated the hadith of "city of knowledge"
  • To narrate Ali's merits is worship
  • Hadith "I am the House of Wisdom"
  • Elucidation of the hadith of "Gate of Knowledge"
  • Holy Prophet opened 1,000 chapters of knowledge in Ali's heart
  • Jafr­e­Jami'a and its nature

PART 7

  • Gabriel brought a sealed book for Wasi (successor) of the Holy Prophet
  • Ali's announcement of Saluni (ask me) and the reports of the Sunnis
  • Ali's claim that he could judge cases according to the Torah as well as the Gospels
  • Prophesying that Sinan bin Anas was the murderer of Imam Husain
  • Foretelling the standard bearing of Habib bin Ammar
  • Foretelling Mu'awiya's oppression
  • Foretelling of Dhu'th­Thadiyya's murder

PART 8

  • Prophecy about his own martyrdom and about Ibn Muljim
  • "City of Knowledge" proves Ali's right to be the first Caliph
  • According to the Holy Prophet Ali excelled all others in knowledge
  • Description of zones of space in agreement with the modern science of astronomy
  • Ali mastered all sciences
  • Ibn Abi'l­Hadid's admission of Ali's superior knowledge
  • Imam Husain's birth and the angels' congratulations
  • Nawab Sahib's acceptance of Shia'ism

LAST SESSION, ( Sunday, 3rd Sha'ban, 1345 A.H.)

  • Birthday of Imam Husain
  • Genuine liberty
  • Sunnis' belief concerning the meaning of "Those vested with authority" (Uli'l­amr')
  • Leaders of Israel selected by Moses were considered worthless
  • The words Uli'l­amr' do not refer to rulers
  • Infallibility of the Holy Imams generally reported
  • Knowledge of the Ahle Bait
  • Why the names of the Imams do not appear in the Holy Qur'an
  • No mention of units (Rak'ats) of prayers in the Holy Qur'an
  • Uli'l­amr refers to Ali and the Imams of the Ahle Bait
  • Names of the twelve Imams and their number
  • The number of Caliphs after the Holy Prophet is twelve

PESHAWAR NIGHTS
Part 1
Peshawar Nights
Shiah Islam in Sunni Traditions
by
Sultanu'l-Wa'izin Shirazi
Translated from the Persian by Hamid Quinlan and Charles Ali Campbell
Published 1996 by Pak Books, P.O. Box EE, Palisades, NY 10964