The AMI Podcast

Was the Prophet denied a chance to record a last testament before his  death by his own companions? The issue of qirtas, refers to the incident at the end of the Prophet’s life when he asked his companions for a pen and paper to record something but was refused, which has been an ideological dividing line for the Shia and the Ahl al-Sunna. Shia scholars maintain that the Prophet wished to write down the successorship of Imam Ali whilst Sunni scholars refute this understanding. (2 of 4)

Shaykh Umar Ramadhan argued that although there are solitary narrations the Prophet wanted to record something, it was not related to succession. He reasoned that the issue of succession is so great that the Prophet would have insisted because it would have been his duty to convey the message. However, according to the narration when the Prophet asked for a pen and paper Umar ibn Khattab said that he was unwell and that the book of God is sufficient guidance. When his companions began arguing the Prophet said it was not appropriate for them to raise their voices and ordered them to leave. If he wanted to write something so fundamental to the wellbeing of the Muslim Ummah, he would have corrected Umar ibn Khattab as he had done on previous occasions and persisted. Thus, the Prophet wanted to convey something personal, and not something which had been revealed to him regarding the leadership after him. The final revelation of the verses of the Quran which occurred a few days prior to the incident stating, ‘We have not missed anything from the book’, supports this view and provide a justification as to why Umar ibn Khattab insisted that the book of God is enough. (1 of 4)

The succession of the Prophet and the event of Ghadeer, Shia Sunni Panel Discussion.

The succession of the Prophet and the event of Ghadeer, Shia View Shaykh Ayub Rashid.

The succession of the Prophet and the event of Ghadeer, Sunni View Shaykh Ayman Yacoub.

‘Tawassul (Intermediation) in the light of the Islamic Tenet of the Sole Authority of God’, Shia Sunni debate. (Part 3 of 3)

‘Tawassul (Intermediation) in the light of the Islamic Tenet of the Sole Authority of God’, Shia view presented by Shaykh Arif Abudlhussain (Part 2 of 3)

‘Tawassul (Intermediation) in the light of the Islamic Tenet of the Sole Authority of God’ Sunni view presented by Dr. Khuram Bashir. (Part 1 of 3)

Dr Mohammed Khalid concluded with the following statements;  - Theologically, the Sunni and Shia schools of thought have a similar notion of tawhid. There may be differences in the terms used in  describing Tawhid, however, the differences do not make a difference to the essence of the oneness of God’  - The concepts of Tawassul and Sha’faa are not contradictory to the notion of tawhid. They are just a means of gaining the nearness of God.  - It was also concluded that a further discussion on Tawassul and  Shaf’aa according to the Sunni and Shia perspectives is required, to allow for an in-depth discussion on these topics for the benefit of all scholars.

Shaykh Muhammad Reza Tajri presented from the Shia perspective and discussed the variety of interpretations of Tawhid.    - He discussed the concept of Tawhid in its essence the Essence,  attributes and also the actions of God using popular sources such as the sermons of Imam Ali (as) from Nahjul Balagha.  - He also explained the meaning of tawassul (a physical action) and shafa’a (a theological notion) and their permissibility and invalidity,  respective of the concept of Tawhid within the Shia school of thought.  - It was concluded that these actions (tawassul and shafa’a) did not go against the notion of Tawhid.