Was Abu Dharr from the Shia’h

Question and Answer with Sheikh Sharofudeen Gbadebo Raji

Questioner: My question is that I heard someone say Abu Dhar was from the shia’h, so i do not understand that statement. He said after the prophet died he joined the shia’h.

Sheikh: All praise belongs to Allah.

Firstly, know that everyone who is not upon the sunnah always look for people to recruit. They would say what they are upon did not just arrive or did not just start. And that, in fact, the companions were the one who started it. And that it was from the prophet — may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him — that the companions took it. So this is from what the people of innovation do.

There’s none from the companions of our prophet, Muhammad — may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him — including Ali Ibn Abi Talib whom the shia’h call their first Imam, who was shia’h. There was none. So how did Abu Dhar become Shia’h for Allah’s sake?

And we had narrated that there was one day in a sitting where they were going to debate over shia’h in the time of Imam Ahmad — may Allah have mercy on him. When Imam Ahmad was approaching, each of those who had come for the debate had put off their shoes (at the entrance) before they had entered. But Imam Ahmad — may Allah have mercy on him — took his own shoes inside, holding them such that everyone could see them in his hand. So one of them challenged him that why did he take his shoes inside since he saw every other person had left his shoes outside. So Imam Ahmad insisted that he would carry his because he heard that the shia’h used to steal shoes during the time of the prophet — May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

So all the shia’h who were there bemoaned that he lied. “Who was shia’h during the time of the prophet?” (They asked Imam Ahmad)

So the shia’h also knew there was no Shia’h during the time of the prophet but if they want to lie to ignorant ones they would say shia’h had been existing since the time of the prophet. So all innovations were non-existent during the time of the prophet. The first hundred years of Islam, there was none. There was none of those innovations. The second hundred years, there was none. The third hundred years, there was none. It was after the third century that all those rubbish started. That’s it on that.

Extracted from Radio Fiqhu fid-deen

Date: 05-Aug-2022

Topic: Question and answer Ep.162

Minutes: 32:27 — 35:04

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