Though an Ummayad himself...

Though an Ummayad himself, Abu Faraj has been considered by the Shi'ite clergy to be an impartial historian, specially for his authentic account of his martyrdoms of the descendents of Abi-Taleb. In his book: "Aghani", Abul Faraj describes the pleasure-loving and decadent amusements of the caliphs in the words of the minstrels, musicians and artists of their courts. One of the anecdotes concern s a dispute between a Shi'a Muslim and a Murjite as to the pros and cons of faith and action.

The former upheld both faith and action as inseparable, while the latter claimed that the basic thing is faith irrespective of action. Neither of them was able to convince the other. Then, they agreed to arbitration by whoever joined them first. The first person to join them was a musician, so that the Murjite was glad in the expectation that the arbitrator will endorse his view. The musician gave his verdict by saying: "I'm a Shi'a from my head to my waist, and a Murjite from my waist downward".

What he meant was that he thought like a Shi'a, but 'acted' like a Murjite! Today, we find the Shi'a Muslims practically Murjite from head to foot! We often take recourse to protexts, ev'en to make for paradise with them. Hadrat Ali (2), speaking about paradise emphasizes that it is granted as a prize won by accomplishments, and not pretexts or excuses. Our negative attitude is tantamount to turning away from reality to wishful thinking.

A nation that bases its pursuit of happiness on imagination is to be much pitied. In the above context, the Qur'an has condemned the Jewish notion that a people could regard themselves as privileged and condemned the Jewish notion that a people could regard themselves as privileged and condonable before God, assuming that wicked deeds were ignored by Him and good deeds were recompensed all the more.

The Jews had believed that their sins and evil deeds would not cause them to go to hell, it was only a formality before their release after a few days, so that they could go to heaven to which they rightfully belonged! In a tradition we are told that Jews, Christians and Muslims of Madina were all claiming moral superiority over one another. The Qur'an corrected them by saying: "It is not as you and others of the Book hoped and believed.

God will punish whoever commits a wicked deed." A notion of Superiority came to prevail among the Shi'a Muslims, too, even during the time of the Imams. However, the Imams rejected it and counteracted the same.