Battle Of Karbala The Battle of Karbala (مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, at Karbala, modern day Iraq. Prior to his death, the Umayyad...
Verse Of Purification The Verse of Purification (آية التطهير) refers to verse 33:33 of the Quran about the status of purity of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘people of the house’). The last passage of this verse reads: God only desires (innama yuridu llahu) to remove defilement (rijs) from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify...
Husayn ibn Ali Husayn ibn Ali or Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب, 10 January 626 – 10 October 680), also known as Husayn ibn Ali or Imam Husayn, was a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Ali ibn Abi...
Hasan ibn Ali Hasan ibn Ali (حسن ابن علي, Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī; c. 625 – 2 April 670) was a prominent early Islamic figure. He was the eldest son of Ali and Fatima and a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He briefly ruled as caliph from January 661 until August 661. He is considered the second Shia Imam, succeeding Ali and...
Attack On Fatima’s House The attack on Fatima’s house refers to a disputed violent attack on the house of Fatima, daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The attack reportedly took place shortly after Muhammad’s death in 11 AH (632 CE) and was instigated by Muhammad’s successor Abu Bakr and led by Umar, an aide to Abu Bakr. The...
Fatimah Fatima or Fatimah (Fatimah binte Muhammad, Fāṭima bint Muḥammad, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (فَاطِمَة ٱلزَّهْرَاء), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima’s husband was Ali, the fourth of the Rashidun Caliphs and the first Shia Imam. Fatima’s sons were Hasan and Husayn, the second and third Shia Imams, respectively. Fatima...
Anti-Shiism Anti-Shiism or Anti-Shi’ism is hatred of, prejudice against, discrimination against, persecution of, and violence against Shia Muslims because of their religious beliefs, traditions, and cultural heritage. The term was first used by Shia Rights Watch in 2011, but it has been used in informal research and written in scholarly articles for decades. The dispute over who was the rightful successor to Muhammad resulted in...
Origin Of Shia Islam The article covers the origin of Shia Islam. Shia Islam originated as a response to questions of Islamic religious leadership which became manifest as early as the death of Muhammad in 632 CE. The issues involved not only whom to appoint as the successor to Muhammad, but also what attributes a true successor...
History Of Shia Islam This article covers the History of Shia Islam. Shi‘a Islam, also known as Shi‘ite Islam or Shi‘ism, is the second largest branch of Islam after Sunni Islam. Shias adhere to the teachings of Muhammad and the religious guidance of his family (who are referred to as the Ahl al-Bayt) or his descendants known as Shia...
What Is Shi’a Islam? Shi’a Islam or Shi`ism (Arabic شيعة, Persian: شیعه) is the second largest school within Islam. Shi’a Muslims adhere to the teachings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his Ahlul Bayt (family). Shi’as believe that the Imam – their preferred title for the political and religious leader of the Muslim community must belong to...
The Angel Lailah The angel Lailah or Laylah ( לַיְלָה) is an angel in some interpretations in the Talmud and in some later Jewish mythology. Etymology The name Lailah is the same as the Hebrew word for “night” laylah לילה. The identification of the word “night” as the name of an angel originates with the interpretation of “Rabbi Yochanan” (possibly Yochanan ben Zakkai c. 30...
Islam And blasphemy This article covers the relationship between Islam and blasphemy. Blasphemy in Islam is an impious utterance or action concerning God but is broader than in normal English usage, including not only the mocking or vilifying of attributes of Islam but denying any of the fundamental beliefs of the religion....
What Is Sunni Islam? Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world’s Muslims. Its name comes from the word Sunnah, referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagreement over the succession to Muhammad and subsequently acquired broader political significance, as well as theological and juridical dimensions. According to Sunni traditions,...
Sufyani Reports about Sufyani are available in both Sunni and Shia Hadith. Sufyani is not to be confused with another villainous figure of end times, the Dajjal. It is said that he will kill children and rip out the bellies of women. The Sufyani will murder those from the household of the Prophet and...
Signs Of The Coming Of Judgement Day This article covers the signs of the coming of Judgement Day in Islam. In Islam, the Day of Judgement is preceded by “signs” (علامات الساعة; alāmāt al-sā’a, also ishārāt al-sāʿa) or portents of its arrival. Judgment Day, also known as the Final Judgement, (یوم القيامة, Yawm al-qiyāmah, lit.‘Day of Resurrection‘ or یوم...
Judgement Day In Islam This article covers Judgement Day In Islam. In Islam, “the promise and threat” (waʿd wa-waʿīd) of Judgment Day ( یوم القيامة, Yawm al-qiyāmah, ‘Day of Resurrection‘ or Arabic: یوم الدین, Yawm ad-din, ‘Day of Judgement’), when “all bodies will be resurrected” from the dead, and “all persons” are “called to account” for...
The Existence Of God -2 This article covers the Existence of God from the kalam cosmological arguments of huduth and imkan in light of modern scientific discoveries. See more Kalam Cosmological Argument Humankind has grappled with the questions surrounding God, life, and creation for as long as we can remember...
Attributes Of God: Islamic Concepts This article covers the Attributes Of God: Islamic Concepts. The word ṣifah (“attribute”; pl., ṣifāt ) is not found in the Qurʾān, but the verbal noun waṣf does appear there one time (6:139), and the imperfect of the first form of the verb thirteen times in the sense of “to ascribe...
Concept Of God In Islam This is a brief article about the Concept of God in Islam. Monotheism, the belief in one God, is the most important and foundational concept in Islam. Muslims believe in one God who created the universe and has power over everything within it. He is...
Fate Fate (Latin fatum, from fari, to tell or predict) is almost redundant in the vocabulary of a Catholic as such, for its meaning as the prime cause of events is better expressed by the term Divine Providence, while, as a constant force at work in the physical universe, it is nothing more nor less than natural law. Hence St. Augustine says (City...