2 – Asad Ĥaydar a Sunnī Scholar?

Published by SunniDefense © on May 24th, 2009

The Answering-Ansar team states in ‘The creed of Shia’a; explained’:

Quoting Answering-Ansar:
Sunni scholar Allamah Sayyid Asad Haydher writing on the Shi’a aqeedah on the Sahaba states:

“The Shi’a of the Ahl’ul bayt respect Rasulullah’s Sahaba, they do not play down respect for them, but when following the life of Rasulullah (s) they stress that the Shari’a applies equally to Sahaba and non Sahaba – the Sahaba’s position and status is in accordance with their deeds and actions”.

Taken from al Sahabeeyath fi Nazhar Shi’a page 32, printed in Egypt

The creed of Shia’a; explained, page 24-25

The misattribution of controversial people in history to the Sunnī school has been seen by many people before, but this truly marks to be a new one. Why? Because Asad Ĥaydar, whose actual name is Asad Allāh ibn Muĥammad ibn `Īsa al-Najafī, is a well known contemporary Iraqi Shī`īscholar who is praised by the Imāmī Shī`īs of today for his works such as:

1. al-Imām al-Şādiq wa al-Madhāhib al-Arba`a [“Imām Şādiq and the Four Schools of Jurisprudence”]: A voluminous work based on a comparative discussion on the Ja`farī and four Sunnī schools school of jurisprudence [fiqh]. The work is clearly written from a Shī`īperspective, as it demonstrates the strength of the Ja`farī school while obliquely belittles the four Sunnī schools by mentioning their alleged weaknesses.

2. Ma` al-Ĥusayn fī Nahđatih [“With al-Ĥusayn in his Rising”]: A book narrating the events of al-Ĥusayn (ra) and his rising against Yazīd ibn Mu`āwiya. The work clearly misinterprets the correct view of the events by quoting weak and forged reports, and completely agrees with the Shī`ī view.

3. al-Sayyida al-Zaynab fī Maţāfiha al-Akhīr [“Lady Zaynab in her Last Journey”]

These works are read and quoted by many Shī`ī authors of today. One who reads them or even goes through them can easily conclude that Asad Ĥaydar is a Imāmī Shī`ī, not a Sunnī, and this fact is also unanimously agreed upon by both Shī`ī and Sunnī scholars of today.

Dr. al-Tījānī Belies Answering-Ansar’s Statement

Although this fact does not need any support of evidence, the following words of Dr. Muĥammad al-Tījānī, the revered Shī`ī author of ‘Then I was Guided,’ should be quoted to eradicate the Answering-Ansar team’s lie once and for all.

Dr. al-Tijani has stated in his ‘Then I was Guided’:

“I still remember meeting a scholar from Najaf whose name was Asad Hayder (author of Imam Ja‘farus Sādiq wal Mażāhibul Araba‘h) and as we were talking about the Sunnis and the Shi‘ah he told me a story about his father. He (i.e. the father) had met a Tunisian scholar from Zaytunah during the pilgrimage season some fifty years ago, and started a debate about the Imamate of Ali, may Allah’s peace be upon him, and his eligibility to the succession for the caliphate. The Tunisian scholar listened attentively as the other man mentioned four or five reasons. When he had finished, the scholar from Zaytunah asked him, “Have you got any other reasons?” The man answered, “No.” Then the Tunisian scholar said, “Get your rosary out and start counting. Then he listed some hundred reasons that my father had not known before.

 

Shaykh Asad Hayder added, “If the Sunnis read what is in their books, then they would say similar things to what we are saying and we would not have any differences between us for a long time.””

• Thumma Ihtadayt, of Muĥammad al-Tījānī, page 110 [London]

• Then I was Guided (English), of Dr Muhammad Tijani Samavi, page 118 [New York City]

Subĥān Allāh

Is this the “Sunni scholar Allamah Asad Hayder” Answering-Ansar team talks about?

A Few Points to Note

To end with, the following few points about the Answering-Ansar quote should also be noted here:

• Asad Ĥaydar is referred by the Answering-Ansar team as a “Sayyid,” when it is known that he is not from the noble lineage of the Prophet (saws).

• It is al-Şaĥāba fī Nažar al-Shī`a not “al Sahabeeyath fi Nazhar Shi’a.” An apologetic piece of writing by Asad Ĥaydar that explains the Shī`ī viewpoint about the Companions of the Prophet (saws).

It is only Allah (swt) who gives success, and blessings and peace be upon the Seal of the Prophets, his Pure Progeny and his Noble Companions

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Works Cited

 

Shī`ī texts:

 

1. Then I was Guided (English)

Dr Muhammad Tijani Samavi

Al-Khoei Foundation

New York City, United States of America

 

2. Thumma Ihtadayt

Muĥammad al-Tījānī

Muassasat al-Fajr

London, England