Are The Shi’i Muslims?


Question

Assalām o alaykum!

First of all I am really thankful for all your help by answering my questions. Please help me out in this one. Ahmedis/Qādiyānīs are considered non-Muslims according to all Muslim sects. Recently I was watching a video on youtube in which an Ahmedi guy was saying that if Ahmedis are considered non-Muslims then why Shī‘ah are not considered non-Muslim as well. I thought very hard and am still confused. My point of view is that there should not be any Prophets/Imāms after our last Prophet (P.B.U.H) but Shī‘ah also have some weird faiths like: revelation was intended to be conferred on Hazrat ‘Ali but was mistakenly bestowed upon the Prophet Mohammad (sws). There are some other beliefs openly discussed as well.

Why only the Qādiyānī’s were declared non-Muslim? Is there any political scenario involved in it? Or is it a matter of religious beliefs.

I know my question is a little sectarian but believe me it is just to clear my own mind. Please let me know about Javed Ghamidi’s views on Qādiyānis and Shī‘ah.

Regards,

Saqib Ali Kazmi

Answer

Please let me comment on two things you mentioned:

You said: “Ahmedi/Qādiyānīs are considered non Muslims according to all Muslim sects.” Please note that it is not the responsibility of any Muslim sect to declare associates of a belief as Non-Muslims and their verdict on this matter carries no authority. It is solely the responsibility of a Muslim state to declare associates of a belief (among its citizens) as non-Muslims and this has to be done after consultation with qualified scholars of Islam.

You said: “Shī‘ah also have some weird faiths like: revelation was intended to be conferred on Hazrat Ali but was mistakenly bestowed upon the Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H)”. I can assure you that no learned Shī‘ah holds this belief.”

You asked: “Why only qadyani’s are declared non-Muslim? Is there any political scenario involved in it? Or is this a matter of religious beliefs.”

For a citizen of an Islamic state, the mere fact that the state has declared associates of a faith as Non-Muslims should be enough, unless one believes that the state has done this without enough consultation with qualified scholars and for dishonest and wrong reasons. Otherwise it is entirely up to the state to decide (where needed and after due consultation with qualified scholars) if a group of believers was Muslim or non-Muslim.

As for comparison between Shī‘ah and Ahmadis/Qādiyānis, I think you need to appreciate that there is a significant difference between the two. Shī‘ahs do believe in divine Imams but consider these Imams as guides who apply and explain the Sharī‘ah rules and Islamic beliefs, while Ahmadis believe in their Khulafā’ as divine reformers of Islam. A reformer of a system has much more potential of introducing significant changes to the system as compared to a guide of a system. This is apart from the fact that the majority sect among Ahmadis considers Mirzā Ghulām Ahmad Qādiyānī to be a Prophet capable of receiving God’s revelation, a claim that goes against the Qur’an and against some of the reliable Aḥādīth narrated from the Prophet (sws).

As far as I know, what I wrote above is inline with the views of Mr. Ghamidi.

Answered by: Farhad Shafti

Date: 2015-03-28