This thread is regarding the Aqeedah of the Shi3ah madhab of az-Zaidyyah or Zaidism. There are gross misconception of Shi3ah, due to the practices of the Ithna Ashariyyah (Twelvers) and Ismailis. As the resident member of the Zaidiyyah, I find it alarming. This thread would clarify the astronomical differences between Zaidism and other Shi3ah madhab. It is very hard to find non-Arabic texts of Zaidiyyah.
Here is a translated version of 'Al-‘Iqdu Ath-Thamīn fi Ma’rifat Rabbil-‘Alamīn'. The author is Sayyid Amir Al-Hussein bin Muhammad (Badruddīn) bin Ahmed bin Yahya bin Yahya al-Yahyawi al-Hādawi al-Hasani al-Yemeni. He was born on 582 AH and died on 662 AH.He was a well-known memorizer of the Qur‟ān, a scholar of independent judgment (mujtahid), an astute and upright politician known for his sagacity, a genius in the various disciplines of sciences, a compiler of various texts, and a prolific author. He also served as a reference for the scholars and imams of his time.
He answered many religious inquiries as well. Judging from the subjects and contents of the various books he authored, one could see that he mastered many of the religious sciences. He authored texts on fiqh (jurisprudence), hadīth, ilm al-kalām (sciences of speculative theology), and biography, just to name a few. Although his magnum opus was the book:
Shafā` al-Awām fi Ahādīth al-Ahkām (Tr. “The Cure for the Commoners Concerning the Hadīths of Laws”), the other text that he is famous for was a book on the sciences of ilm al-kalām: Yanābī’ an-Nasīha fi al-Aqīdat as-Sahīha (Tr. “The Fountain Spring of Advice Concerning the Correct Creed”). Yanābī’ is a more extensive work on theology than Al-‘Iqdu. He went into a lot more detail in explaining the various issues of theology.The majority of the texts he authored were on the subject of ilm al-kalām and usūl ad-dīn (Fundamentals of the Religion); however, his vast knowledge of the sciences of Qur‟ān and hadīth enabled him to provide textual proofs in addition to intellectual proofs. This brings us to the content of Al-‘Iqdu itself.
The following are the translated text of his book Al-‘Iqdu Ath-Thamīn fi Ma’rifat Rabbil-‘Alamīn:
All praise is due to Allah, the only One qualified (al-Mukhŧass) with the attributes of Godhood (al-Ilahiyah) and timelessness (al-qidam); the Overpowering (al-Mut‘āli) over in-time existence and nonexistence (al-‘adam); the One which time does not precede, nor ages (zamān); the One who cannot be pointed to and is not confined to place (makān). Majesty exalts Him. The One whose Entity (dhātihi) is shown from what He originated, the variety of His designs, and the amazing things amongst His creatures; until its dumbness speaks and declares His Lordship without a tongue. He manifests a convincing argument against everyone who attempts to thwart [i.e. His reality] and against atheism.
May His prayers and peace be upon our master, Muhammad, the one who was supported by miracles; the bringer of awe and honour to the Messengers. [May the prayers and peace] also be upon his Family, the sources of guidance and the guardians over all of the guardians. [May the prayers and peace] also be upon his noble Companions that maintained true faith, as well as the Followers that follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. As to what follows…
Divine Oneness (at-Tawhīd)
The Proof that Allah Created the World
O righteous student and warrior against one‟s soul, the atheist may ask: Who is your Lord?
Say: My Lord is Allah.
He then may say: How do you know that?
Say: Because He created me. The One that has created everything is its Lord.1
1 The textual proofs for Allah‟s creating the universe are numerous. For the sake of brevity we confine ourselves to the following: {Allah is the Creator of everything} (Q. 39:62), {All Praise is due to Allah who created the heavens and earth and made the darkness and light} (Q. 6:1), and {He is the One who begins creation and then renews it} (Q. 30:27).
He then may say: How do you know that He created you?
Say: Because I was nothing and I became something. I didn‟t have ability and I gained ability. I did not have intellect but I gained intellect. One can witness things coming into existence but then afterwards, it ceases to exist. One sees a boy develop and learn things. Then he becomes a suckling, then a baby, then a child, then a young boy, then a mature being, then a young man, then an adult, and then an old man. Then one sees in a direction that a strong wind blows and then afterwards, it is not. Afterwards, it will blow again. The planets rise and fall. The clouds compact and dissipate; similarly, the rain, plants, and various fruits. All of this demonstrates in-time creation (al-hudūth).
If something was existent (muhdath), then it is necessary that there be One that caused it to exist (muhdith); because there are certain associations in corporeality and then divisions of objects and images. Look at the heavens, earth, fruits, trees, wells, stones, rivers, females, males, the living, the dead, the collective, and the dispersed. Look at the necessary consequences of actions. Then, they share in the nature of consequences. Consequently, it divides and parts between its desire, abundance, life, power, dryness, moisture, foods that we like and hate, various fragrances, heat, cold, the coming annihilation, opposite colors at the same time, the death that ceases provision, and hope.
We know that it is necessary that there be differences to differentiate from. These occurrences of in-time creation are witnessed. It changes from another. These occurrences cannot transpire by themselves. Because if a thing happens, it demands that whatever brought it about exists before it and outside of it. Similarly, an image cannot produce itself, and there are no disputations amongst itself regarding its preparation. One cannot overcome that by anything from the statements of the ignoramuses. They say that everything comes from Nature, a body, orbit, a star, a cause, an intellect, a spirit, a soul, or other than that. Consequently, these would be the kinds of affirmations without fail: One who brings into existence or one who does not bring into existence. The one who brings into existence is, without fail, pre-existent or existent. It is not possible that a First Cause be brought into existence or that it is nonexistent. Consequently, it is necessary, to the knowledgeable one that He should be eternal and completely independent from that which was caused first.
It is not possible that the First Cause be existent because it is without fail that it either brings itself into existence or it is brought into existence by a different being. If it brought itself into existence, its effect [i.e. its created-ness] is a result of another cause of its like. Our knowledge of differences of the world could prove the invalidity of the statement that the First Cause be the exact same one that brought itself into being or that there be similar First Causes.
It is not possible that there be another First Cause because the First Cause would no longer be the First Cause. This is because at the moment that this takes place, this would bring about a sharing of the world, which causes a need. This will, in turn, cause a vicious circle (duwr al-kalām)2 from the First Cause that will not be understood or enclosed (yanhaŝir).
2 In the language of the philosophers and theologians, this is also known as tasalsal which implies an unending chain of events that continues ad infinitum. Such concept denotes an impossibility.
3 Allah‟s omnipotence is also proven by the verse: {Verily He has power over all things} (Q. 2:120).
4 Allah‟s omniscience is textually proven by the verses: {Verily Allah knows everything} (Q. 2:231), {“You are the Knower of the unseen!”} (Q. 5:109), {…Knower of the unseen and seen} (Q. 59:22).
5 The textual proof of Allah being Ever-Living is {And place your trust in the Ever-Living who will never die} (Q. 40:65).
The conclusion must be based on certainty and determinative judgment that it [i.e. the world] is existent and fashioned. This is a result of the Chief Doer. He is the Ever-Living (al-Hayyu), the Self-Existent (al-Qayyūm).
Concerning Allah, the Exalted being Omnipotent
If it is said: Is Allah Omnipotent or not?
Say: Indeed, He is Omnipotent because the existence of these creative acts is evident in the world, and these creative acts cannot exist except by means of power. It exists by the will of the Exalted. The verse says: {Verily whenever He desires a matter, He simply says to it “Be!” and it becomes} (Q. 36:82).3
Concerning Allah, the Exalted being Omniscient
If it is said: Is your Lord Omniscient or not?
Say: Indeed, He is Omniscient.4 An evidence of that is that one can witness creation as the expression of His wisdom and the uniqueness of His workmanship. Verily, in [creation] are rules and sequence. It being figured out by the intelligent person falls short. All of that is not sound except by means of an intelligent person. It is similar to a completely cohesive book. It cannot be sound except by means of an intelligent person [authoring it]. He, the Exalted, is not qualified by the known without that which is known. Then it is obligatory that One knows all of the known things. Upon everything is the manifestation that demonstrates it being known about.
He, Glorified be He, knows what the night hides and what the day illuminates. He knows the number of rain drops and the slightest speck of the ocean. He knows the secrets that are between two people; whether one hides it or whether it doesn‟t even exits from between the two lips. {There is no intimate conversation amongst three except that He is the fourth of them. Nor are there five except that He is the sixth of them. No less than that or no more except that He is with them wherever they are} (Q: 58:7). By His knowledge, they do not shut Him out, nor do they detach themselves from Him. He is another person to them.
Concerning Allah, the Exalted being Ever-Living
If it is said: Is your Lord Ever-Living or not?
Say: Indeed He is Ever-Living.5 Because if He was not Ever-Living He could not be Omnipotent nor Omniscient. Consequently, a dead or inanimate being could not do any action and could not originate creation.
Concerning Allah, the Exalted being Pre-Existent
If it is said: Is your Lord Pre-Existent or not?
Say: He is Ever-Present (mawjūd) not the first of the existents because if His existence was first, he would be amongst the in-time creations.6 If he was amongst the in-time creations, then He wouldn‟t be necessary to in-time creation, in that He wouldn‟t be maintaining it. That is impossible because He is Pre-Existent, Omnipotent, Ever-Living, and Omniscient. He is not prone to error or nonexistence. It is simply that concerning a state from the states.
6 The textual proof of His Pre-Existence is the verse: {He is the First} (Q. 57:3).
7 “Body”: It is known from that which is known; for example, humans, trees, stones, water, and wind.
8 The textual proof of His Seeing and Hearing is {Verily We are with both of you [i.e. Aaron and Moses] Haring and Seeing} (Q. 20:46) and {Verily, He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing} (Q. 17:1).
9 “Accident”: It is the characterization of the body in shapes, colors, groupings, and divisions. It is what characterizes by heat and cold, humidity and dryness, stillness and movement, significance and whispering of the soul, anxieties and anguish, joy and sadness, pleasure and anger, mercy and compassion, lust and antipathy, desire and hatred, and determination. It is like man‟s knowledge, life, ability, reputation, vision, ignorance, death, incapacity, as well as the sweetness and bitterness present in foods.
10 In their attempt to uphold both the corporeality of Allah and His transcendence, some have stated: “Allah is a body unlike other bodies.” This statement is incorrect because this is contradictory and unknown in the language. Just as it would be incorrect to say that Allah is a body unlike other bodies, it would be incorrect to say that someone is a man unlike other men, seeking to differentiate one from the other in essence. That is, the designation of “man” in the both instances denotes that both share the same essence.
Consequently, if that wasn‟t the case, it would prevent there being a Doer of an action and prevent the idea that One possesses the attributes of perfection. This would be a defect. It is established that the Exalted is Pre-Existent. There is no truer statement than that.
Concerning Allah, the Exalted Hearing and Seeing
If it is said: Is your Lord Hearing and Seeing or not?
Say: Indeed; because He is All-Living, as was established earlier. He is not afflicted by any defects because defects are only possible for bodies (al-ijsām).7 He, the Exalted, is not a body because a body is in-time creation, as was established earlier as well as the proof that He, the Exalted, is the Pre-Existent.8
Concerning Allah, the Exalted, Not Resembling Anything
If it is said: Is your Lord like anything?
Say: My Lord is something unlike anything else. Things comprise of quintessence, accidents,9 or bodies. It is not possible that He is quintessence or an accident because those two things are not alive nor do they have power in and of themselves. He, the Exalted, is Ever-Living and Omnipotent. These two things [i.e. quintessence and accidents] are in-time creations and He is Pre-Existent. It‟s not possible that He is a body because we have already established that He is the Creator of bodies. Something cannot create its like. A body produces something that is already fashioned. It divides, combines, stops, and moves. It also has directions and exists in passing time. All of that is witnessed in in-time creation. It is already established that He, the Exalted, is Pre-Existent. It is not possible that He is in-time creation. {He is unlike anything and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing} (Q. 42:11).
If He is not quintessence, or a body, or accident, He cannot be described in any way: whether it be colour, place, division, a face, sides, and hands. He does not retrogress afterwards, progress beforehand, split into parts, nor combine into a whole. He is not in the Earth or the Heavens. He is not incarnate in anything originally. He is not confined above or below. He has no right or left. He has no front or behind. It is not possible for Him to arrive or go anywhere. He does not descend or ascend. He was before the creation of the world without a place, and He will be after the annihilation of the world without a place. He is the Creator of place without being in need of place. He is the Creator of time without being bound in time. He is not of light or darkness. Consequently, all of that would be contradictory to His Pre-Existence.10
On the account of that, we say: It is not permissible for one to say, “He is tall, not short, not broad, not deep, not ugly, and not beautiful.” One cannot say, “He is veiled. He grieves. He ponders. He is anxious. He makes up His mind. He is anguished. He is bewildered. He strongly desires. He is shy.” This is because all of this is evident from that which is existent after nonexistence. This is incompatible with what is in line with the attributes of perfection, greatness, and majesty.