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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Kashaf-ul-haqaiq CHAPTER 2: AND NOW IT HAS COME TO THIS The matter that I have referred to in the previous chapter will now, God willing, be discussed in more detail. At present I am giving you a glance at this situation after which I shall quote a tradition from the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.).

The eminent scholar Zakir Husayn in his book ‘Hamaare Murtaza Ki Shaan’ has referred to by way of example: Questioner: ‘What is this unity of the light of Muhammad (s.a.w.) and Ali (a.s.) that has been narrated in the traditions?’ Maulana: ‘Do you know the obligatory and the recommended acts in Namaaz (prayer) and wudhoo (ablution)?’ Questioner: ‘Yes, whatever is necessary.’ Maulana: ‘You do not have the complete knowledge of these things and you want to know about vain things?

Go away and do not get involved in vain discourse.’ If you have got the general picture of what has happened here then I shall now quote what the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) has said: ‘Four things are proof of decline. Wasting of principles of religion, sticking to the branches of religion and consider them more important, elevating the dishonorable people, looking down upon the honorable people.’ (Nahj Ul Israr Page 77).

Keeping this tradition in mind, you will find it easier to understand what I am about to say. This will no doubt disturb the mind whilst one wonders why all resources and efforts have been directed towards the branches of religion rather than at its principles. Have we been given this life so that we should only worry about whether we should wash our faces once or twice during ablution? Alas, after 1400 years, the rules of ablution have yet to be sorted out.

Or shall I say that this is nothing but frivolities of knowledge whose purpose is to divert the people from the purpose of their life and get them entangled in discussion. The kind of discussions which are better avoided, because the more hairs they split in these intricacies, the more entangled they will be and the differences they will create and the more doubts they will create in regulations. Today there are differences in the most ordinary of regulations between the Fuqaha (Jurisprudents).

The result of this is that today the believers have been divided into different groups of different ways of doing things. This is despite the fact that Allah (s.w.t.)’s Commands are decisive and there is only one Sharia (law) and not fifty thousand.