Drawing

The Line
Defining
Akhbarism

By Hadi ibn
Muhammed al-Makky

Revised by Shaykh Ali aal

Thunayan
Telegram channel:

https://t.me/akhbaris

Email:

Hadialmakky0@gmail.com

Publication #2
Introduction

In this short booklet, I explain what Akharism is and draw a line defining it. This

booklet was written with the intention of clarifying what Akhbarism is and seperating

it from those who have falsely attributed themselves to it. While I wrote most of the

booklet on my own, I got help from a friend of mine in the tafwidh section and in

gathering the quotes of Shaykh Muhammad-Amin al-Astrabadi‫ ﵋‬specifically, as he

is very familiar with his works.

I hope this work succeeds in drawing the line around Akhbarism and in seperating E-

Akhbarism/Neo-Akhbarism/Hashawism from it. There were some things that were

cut, for example I wanted to make the section refuting Usulism longer, but that

partially defeats the purpose of this PDF, by making it look like Akhbaris just hate

Usulis. I might write one refuting Usulism specifically in the future, but only after

the Akhbari V Usuli squabble becomes reasonable, as I don't want to add fuel to the

fire. Another section that was shortened was the one on Khums, and that was because

of time restraints and a lack of knowledge. 1

1
It was not updated in publication #2
This booklet includes sections on:

1. Taqleed

2. Ijtihad

3. Qur'an

4. Ilm al-Rijal

5. Khums

6. Takfir

7. Tafwidh

I sought to make this booklet as easy as possible by making it short, concise and not

to overwhelm the reader by quotes, taking only what was clear and easy to understand.

I would like to thank Sh. Ali aal Thunayaan for revising the second publication, and

Br. Osama for printing this booklet and distributing it. May God benefit us with it and

make it a treasure for all of us on the day where money does not.
Taqleed

Before fully delving into this topic, let us see how akhbari scholars define taqleed:

1. Al-Faydh Al-Kashani ‫﵋‬:

“It is to adhere to the clear verses of the Book and the Sunnah, and to the reports of

the Ahl al-Bayt ‫﵈‬, while avoiding the ambiguous texts, regardless of their level of

ambiguity, just as the early scholars used to do. Many people of our time have

followed them in this.” 2

1F

2. Shaykh Hussain ibn Shihaab al-Din al-Karaki ‫﵋‬:

“It refers to the layperson's reliance on the scholar regarding what they need in

their religious matters. This is because none of the rulings of Islamic law are self-

evident.” 3

Akhbaris deny usuli taqleed for a variety of reasons, the main two being that they have a

taqleed based on Dhan/assumptions/conjecture and Ilm al-Mantiq. Akhbaris are not against

2
Al-Usul Al-Asilah P181
3
Hidayat al-Abrar P221
taqleed in its essence, rather taqleed is wajib as is mentioned in the following hadith:

"Look at those among you who have narrated our hadith, studied our halal and haram and

understood our rulings. Accept them as rule-givers over you, for I have made them judges

on you. Whoever does not accept their judgment has taken God’s law lightly; and the one

who rejects them is rejecting God, which is akin to associating partners with Him." 4

Shaykh Mohammed-Baqir al-Majlisi ‫ ﵋‬comments on this hadith saying: “It indicates that

the narrator described with the mentioned qualities, and the jurist characterized by the

specified attributes, is appointed for general rulership on their behalf‫﵈‬, both in their

presence and absence.” 5 So Akhbari maraaja are chosen from the Imam‫﵇‬, and they are

his representatives both in his presence and absence.

The ahadith narrated in Al-Kafi regarding how taqleed is haram and such are not about

taqleed in its entirety, rather they are about taqleed that contradicts the Qur’an and Ahadith.

This is self-evident and clear to anyone who has read them.

From Abu Basir, from Abu Abdullah ‫﵇‬, he said: “I asked him, 'They took their scholars

and monks as lords besides God?' He replied: 'By God, they did not call them to worship

4
Al-Kafi V7 P412
5
Bihar al-Anwar V2 P222
themselves; if they had called them, they would not have responded. Rather, they made

what was haram halal and what was halal haram, and so they worshiped them without

realizing it.” 6

So, this is very clearly about a taqleed that goes against what God has sent down; and this

is what Akhbaris like al-Majlisi 7, al-Faydh al-Kashani 8 and Shaykh Mohammed-Salih al-

Mazadanrani 9 (akhbari scholars) say. This is further amplified by the hadith in Tafsir al-

Askari‫﵊‬:

Imam Hassan al-Askari‫ ﵊‬beautifully explains taqleed in his tafsir, P300: “And likewise,

if the common people of our Ummah recognize blatant immorality, extreme rage, the

pursuit of worldly gains and forbidden things among their fuqaha’, and the destruction of

those they show fanaticism towards, even if their affairs warrant reform, then it is incumbent

upon them to treat those they show bias towards with compassion, benevolence, and

kindness, even if they deservehumiliation and disgrace.

So whoever among our Ummah does taqleed of such scholars, they are like the

Jews whom God has criticized for blindly following their corrupt scholars.

6
Al-Kafi V1 P53
7
Mira’at al-Uqool V1 P183
8
Al-Wafi V1 P44
9
Sharh Usul al-Kafi V2 P229
As for those scholars who safeguard themselves, preserve their religion, oppose their

personal opinions, and obey the command of their Lord, it is for the common people

to do taqleed of them.

However, this applies only to some of the Shia fuqaha’, not all of them. For those who

indulge in abhorrent sins and wickedness like the scholars of the ’aamah 10, do not accept

anything from them on our behalf, nor do they deserve any honor. The mixing up of

matters that we, theAhlul-Bayt, bear is due to their ignorance, as they distort the

truthentirely, and they misrepresent things due to their lack of knowledge. Others

intentionally lie about us to gain worldly benefits, leadingthemto the fire of Hell.” 11

This hadith is arguably the most important one out there on the natureof taqleed. It

establishes that there is both good (wajib) and bad (haram) taqleed. It helps us understand

the ahadith that condemn taqleed as condemning the improper taqleed of the Jews, who

followed the false opinions and views of their scholars over the divine text. This is also

what Usulis do(but nowhere near as much), as they read the Qur'an and ahadith

via their made-up Usul, making usuli taqleed haram.

10
Non-shia muslims
11
Page 300, it is also narrated in al-Ihtijaj
Akhbaris, just like Usulis, agree that taqleed is wajib. This is to be established from

the following quotes:

1. Al-Muhaqiq Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani ‫﵋‬:

“And what some individuals have halucinated, who have not grasped

knowledge with a firm resolve and have not considered all aspects, is the

misguided idea of solely working with reports without considering the words

of the scholars. This is pure ignorance, as we have clarified. Although some

have adopted this stance in recent times, as you know, it is obviously flawed

and arises from bias and stubbornness. To illustrate the correctness of our

assertion: it has become common among them that a student of knowledge

should not engage except with the books of reports, even if they are illiterate

and have not read anything of the sciences 12 at all, leading to the neglect and

abandonment of the jurists' books. This is a clear stupidity. It is not hidden

from a fair-minded person knowledgeable in legal principles and established

rules that this level of engaging with reports and extracting rulings and secrets

from them is not easily accessible to anyone who desires it, despite what some

may claim while wearing this facade.

12
Referring to Usul al-Fiqh
 This is a level reserved for the jurist who meets the necessary conditions, a

level that scholars only reach after long years spent acquiring knowledge,

understanding every relevant piece of information, mastering its principles, and

obtaining its regulations. Even then, they find themselves in varying states:

some are firm, others are wavering, some are sinking, and others remain

learning.

What can these ignorant people hope to achieve in reaching this lofty rank

merely with their flawed reasoning and misguided assumptions? We seek refuge

in God from wandering minds, missteps, straying from the right path, and

deviating from the straight way.” 13

2. Shaykh Mohammed-Amin al-Astrabadi ‫﵋‬:

“Benefit: The Method of precaution in the rulings of God vary based on the

scarcity or abundance of knowledge in hadith. This necessitates that a person

in doubt, who is obligated to exercise caution, must refer to someone more

knowledgeable than themselves, as this is a form of necessary precaution to the

extent possible.” 14

3. Sayyid Nimatullah al-Jazairi ‫﵋‬:

13
Al-Hada’iq Al-Nathira V11 P177
14
Al-Fawa’id Al-Madaniyah P349-350
 “Taqlid precedes ijtihad. The prominence of ijtihad arose only during the era

of Allamah 15 and his teacher, Ahmad ibn Tawus, and around that time.

However, taqlid—referring to the layperson's reliance on scholars and adhering

to their opinions and rulings—has existed throughout all eras, from Adam ‫﵇‬

until the Day of Judgment. It was required by textual evidence that they take

rulings, understand them from the scholars, and act according to their content.

There is no reported instance from any of the scholars of those early times

prohibiting them from working with what was taken before that era.” 1615F

It is extremely clear and evident from the quotes above that akhbaris agree that

taqleed is wajib, not only this, but also that people who don’t do it are innavators(as

taqleed is from the time of Adam) and stupid. For the Arabic Speakers: I have

compiled 15 different akhbari jurists agreeing that taqleed is wajib, and discussed

akhbari taqleed in incredible detail in a document 17 available on the Arabic

Telegram channel.

15
Referring to al-Allamah al-Hilli‫﵋‬
16
Manba’ al-Haya P32
17
https://t.me/AkhbarisIQ/421
Shaykh Muhammad Amin al-Astrabadi‫ ﵋‬writes in:“I have collected a comprehensive set

of fawa’id from the noble lineage, and I named it 'Al-Fawaid Al-Madaniyah.' It discusses

the significance of those who advocate for ijttihad(ilm al-mantiq in usul) and those who do

taqleed, or also knownas following dhan/assumptions/conjecture in divine rulings.” 18

Some have claimed that Akhbaris say showing dalil/evidence for fatwas is wajib, but this

isn’t true because of the following hadith: Imam Abu Ja'far ‫ ﵇‬said:” Whoever listens to

a speaker, he has indeed worshiped them. If the speaker conveys the words of God

Almighty, then he has worshiped God. But if the speaker conveys thewords of Satan, then

he has worshiped Satan.” 19 18F

Al-Majlisi ‫ ﵋‬comments: “Explanation: The questioner assumed that the intent of the

Prophet ‫ ﵌‬by 'following the heels of men' was a blank endorsement of taking knowledge

from people. However, the intent is to take a person who is not a hujjah and to believe

everything they say based on their opinion without attributing it to the infallible. As for

someone who narrates from the infallible or explains what they have understood from their

words to one who is not qualified to comprehend those words without instruction, taking

18
Al-Fawa’id Al-Madaniyah P29
19
al-Kafi, V6, 343
from them is akin to taking from the infallible. It is obligatory for those who do not know

to refer to such individuals to learn the rulings of Allah, Most High.” 20

What this hadith leads us to understanding is that if someone followed the word of another

who carried over the meaningof the quran/ahadith in his fatwa, then that person has obeyed

God. This leads us to understanding that showing dalil is not wajib. This becomes more

evident by checking Akhbari fiqh books and rasa’il.

Akhbaris also do taqleed of the dead.

Shaykh Muhammad-Amin al-Astrabadi‫ ﵋‬writes in: “And as for the fatwas, of the

Akhbaris, they are built on clear ahadith or what has been clarified, and thus, they do not

diewith the death of the Mufti.” 21

Akhbari Rasa’il

The definition of a risalah is a group of fatwas that do not have dalils besides them,

and Akhbaris many risalahs, such as:

1. Saddad al-Ibad by Allamah Shaykh Hussain aal Asfour ‫﵋‬

2. Mu’tamad al-Sa’il by Shaykh Abdullah al-Sitri ‫﵋‬

20
Bihar al-Anwar V2 P83
21
al-Fawa’idal-Madaniyah, P299
3. Kalimat al-Taqwa by Shaykh Mohammed-Amin Zayn al-Din ‫﵋‬

4. Al-Hidaya by al-Saduq ‫﵋‬

5. Mafatih al-Shar’i by al-Faydh‫﵋‬

6. Bidayat al-Hidayah by al-Hurr al-Amili ‫﵋‬

7. Al-Muqana’ also by al-Saduq‫﵋‬

8. Al-Risalah Al-Salatiyah by Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani ‫﵋‬

9. Al-Risalah Al-Salatiyah by Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani ‫ ﵋‬with the comments of

Shaykh Mohammed-Amin Zayn al-Din ‫﵋‬

10. Bayn al-Mukalaf wa al-Faqih by Shaykh Mohammed-Amin Zayn al-Din ‫﵋‬

11. Mojaz al-Risalah by Shaykh Mohammed-Tahir al-Khaqani ‫﵋‬.

12. Muniyat al-Raghibeen by Shaykh Abdullah al-Sitri ‫﵋‬

13. Kitab al-Masa’il by Shaykh Ibrahim al-Mubarak

14. Dalil al-Muta’abid by Sayyid Alawi al-Qaroon‫﵋‬

15. Al-Kafi fi al-Fiqh by al-Halabi ‫﵋‬

All these books are akhbari rasa’il, and they lack dalil. They are from different time

periods, from the beginning of shiism until the twenth century. If the difference

between Usulis and Akhbaris is not clear, then read the following quote from the

greatest jurist, Shaykh Abdali aal Asfour ‫﵋‬:

“My brothers in God, and those who have guided me in the pursuit of truth and
certainty, know that when claimants claimed to be followers of Islam instead of the

chosen guardians of humanity, the successors of the knowledgeable rulers, the

apparent teachings of the Quran were insufficient for all matters, and their narrations

were scarce, unable to address the issues of what is halal and haram. They confused

them with numerous issues, seeking elusive solutions to their problems, wandering

in the valleys of ignorance and error, lost in the mill of misguidance and deception.

They are nothing but beasts, rather, they are more astray. They regressed backwards

to ignorance, turning away once again from the clear religion. They changed the

divine law of the Prophet‫﵌‬, and relied instead on intellectual speculation, desires,

innovative analogies(qiyas), invented assumptions(dhan), and opinions(ra'yy) that

their scholars consider as foundations to which they refer in their confusing rulings,

deriving from them the solution to what is halal and haram. They debate and discuss

them generation after generation, increasing the abundance of their words. They have

gone astray, deviating from the straight path. As for the chosen ones among the

chosen ones and the remaining sincere servants, they did the opposite of this. The

people followed the religion of their rulers, their course guided by the Sunnah and

the Book in all matters. They sought the guidance of their noble leaders and did not

turn to anything else in terms of disagreement or ijma. They did not cling to personal

opinions(ra'yy) or analogical reasoning(qiyas), forbidding recourse to them in times

of confusion. Their view was to act upon textual evidence and follow explicit
commandments.

And upon this much hatred came, and their arguments were based on the words of

their Lord and his successors. Their scholars remained steadfast in this regard until

the time of the ghaybah, when turmoil spread, mixing the impure wit pure, the fake

with the genuine, falsehood with clear truth. They imitated the people in the

fundamentals of their religion, associating with them cautiously to avoid severing

ties. They interacted with them out of fear of oppression, and they spread their

teachings through the practice of taqiyyah. The situation became confusing for those

who lagged behind until they genuinely believed in the principles of the people of

misguidance and relied on them in choosing their opinions, to the point where they

rarely refer to the texts transmitted by the Ahlul Bayt‫ ﵈‬for evidence. They even

rejected them when they contradicted their own views, relying on those wicked

principles, unaware that this negates the beliefs of the Shia. Despite this, they are

like a ray of light on a flat land.” 2221F

22
Ihya Ma’alim al-Shia biAkhbar al-Shariah P50-51
Ijtihad

Defining it:

To know what separates Akhbari and Usuli taqleed, we must understand Ijthad, which

in other words is Usuli istinbat, how they derive rulings. This section will include two

parts, the first explaining what ijtihad is, and the second why it is wrong.

The definition of ijtihad put forth by Markaz al-Abhath al-Aqa'idiyah, which is a branch

of Sayyid Ali al-Sistani's office, is: "Taking the effort to reach a conclusion(fatwa)

from Usul al-Tashri'(where scholars go to learn the religion), which are(as they claim):

Kitab, Sunnah, Aqil and Ijma" 23. The issue with this is extracting rulings from outside

the Qur’an and ahadith, and in the kind of effort taken, as it includes two things:

1. Dhan/Assumptions

Usuli scholars view dhan as two branches, Dhan Mu'tabar(assumptions which can

be relied on) and Dhan Ghayr Mu'tabar(assumptions which cannot be relied on). I

did not make this up, rather, it is what Markazal-Mu'jam al-Fiqhi, founded by Grand

Ayatollah Muhammad Ridhaal-Golpaygani and led by Shaykh Ali al-Koyrani, says:

"Invalid Dhan: It is not permissible to rely on it religiously, suchas the dhan derived

23
https://www.aqaed.com/faq/550
from the testimony of a corrupt person or the like. 24

Valid Dhan: It is permissible to rely on it religiously, such as the dhanderived from

clear evidence and incriminating signs, andotherindications that imply suspicion rather

than knowledge."

According to the same source, things like Qiyas and Istihsan make Dhan invalid, and

separate valid Dhan from invalid Dhan. The issues with all

of this, will be clarified upon in the next part of this section, but beforethat,

let's add this:

Shaykh Muhammad-Ridha al-Mudhaffar‫ ﵀‬writes in Usul al-Fiqh, V3,P15: "It is

often the case that among the scholars of the usulis, the term "al-amara" is frequently

used to mean what is conveyed by the word "al-dhan" (assumption), and they intend

by "al-dhan" the "valid dhan," that is, the one considered by the (usuli) jurist and made

as evidence."

2. Ilm al-Mantiq in Usul al-Fiqh

In Usulsim, each scholar must have his own derivied Usul from Ilm al-

Mantiq(Greek logic), where he builds these Usul based on his own views on logic

before projecting them unto the holy texts and using them alone for fatwas. To add to

24
al-Mustalahat, P1676
this, each Mujtahid must have his own Usul that he made up, and he cannot do taqleed

of someone else in Usul. The scholar must also study under aamis, and be exposed to

and invent bidah.This is established from:

Shaykh Muhammad al-Khaqani ‫ ﵀‬in al-Muhakamat, V1,P14: "The diligent scholar

must have separated themselves from the traditional school circles, which ultimately

lead to blindly following the opinions of those considered to be knowledgeable. If they

return to blindly trusting the words of their teacher, they become enslaved to their

teacher's thoughts. And if they lean towards other theories, they still remain within

those closed walls. Instead, they should examine the claims of knowledge and the

fundamental principles of their foundations. Can they establish a new structure and

demolish another without considering the entirebuilding and its contents? The essence

of independent reasoning(ijtihad), even though it may be viewed with skepticism, is

that thecapable deducer should break free into the sky of freedomand

independence, shedding the garments of others and their ideas, andbecoming

a self-reliant leader."

Same source as above but instead P16: "The path of independent reasoning (ijtihad)

involves engaging with new theories and innovative foundations that are not

necessarily tied to existing frameworks. It allows for the exploration of fresh

perspectives and the considerationof novel ideas that may not be limited by previous
structures."

Same source as above but instead P29: "The process of ijtihad involves engaging with

new theories and innovative foundations that are not necessarily connected to existing

frameworks. However, it is important to note that a researcher in Islamic jurisprudence,

if they do not rely on the established principles andfoundations of this field, their

jurisprudence would resemble that of the general public. Therefore, it is necessary for

a researcher in the field of Islamic jurisprudence to master its principles and have an

opinion on every issue based on those principles."

Shaykh Muhammad-Jawad Mughniyah ‫﵀‬writes in Mindhawa Dhak,P87: "As for the

taqlid of one scholar by another(in usul al-fiqh), the ruling of Allah regarding it is

that it is not permissible to abandon it for the statement of someone else. Any rational

and competent person would recognize the authority of evidence presented by the

scholar being emulated and would reject any other argument."

Sayyid Abd al-Aala al-Sabzwaari‫﵀‬in Tahdhib al-Usul,V1,P3: "This is a summary

of what we have received and achieved through the knowledge and efforts of our

esteemed scholars, may their secrets be sanctified. They have innovated and

excelled in this field after long and arduous efforts and bearing the burdens. They
have presented it in the simplest terms and easiest phrases."

Sayyid Muhammad-Baqir al-Sadr‫﵋‬writes in al-Halaqa al-Ula,P11: "The field of Usul

al-Fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence) has gained significant expertise and

knowledge through approximately a hundred years of research and investigation. This

has been accomplished by successive generations of dedicated scholars and renewers of

knowledge. With nearly a century of scientific and foundational research, it is capable

of introducing numerous new ideas and advancing the methodology of research in

various matters. It can also introduce new terminologies that were not previous of its

structure and foundations.”

It is important to note that most scholars, both akhbari and usuli, reject the idea of good

bidahs existing.

Refuting Ijtihad

Before dissecting dhan, I would like to highlight that the second source I mentioned,

defines dhan as "shak", or "doubt". It is important to know that Akhbaris do not rely on

dhan(doubt or assumption), rather, we rely on qat', which is 100% certainty, unlike

Usulis, but moving back on point: the result of ijtihad/usuli istinbat has a probability

of being the hukm(ruling) of the Imam‫﵇‬, but that also means that it has a larger

probability of contradicting it! Because they give fatwas, they are unsure of and rely on

their own aqil. And this is why, in the first source I mentioned, they imply that Usuli

fatwas differ because of the dhan and personal opinions of different scholars, as when

scholars change, so doe their dhan and personal opinion/aqil. To make it even better,

this is coming from Sayyid Ali al-Sistani's office.

Here are verses from the Holy Qur’an itself and two ahadith about dhan: Qur’an

2:78:

“And among them are the illiterate who know nothing about the Scripture except

lies, and ˹so˺ they speculate.”

Qur’an 10:66:

“Certainly, to God alone belong all those in the heavens and all those on the earth.

And what do those who associate others with God really follow? They follow nothing

but assumptions and do nothing but lie.”

Qur’an 10:36:

“Most of them follow nothing but assumptions. Surely assumptions can in no way
replace the truth. God is indeed All-Knowing of what they do.”

Qur’an 6:148:

“The polytheists will argue, “Had it been God’s Will, neither we nor our forefathers

would have associated others with Him ˹in worship˺ or made anything unlawful.”

Likewise, those before them rejected the truth until they tasted Our punishment. Ask,

“Do you have any knowledge that you can produce for us? Surely you follow nothing

but assumptions and you do nothing but lie.”

"I asked Abu Ja'far ‫﵇‬: 'What is the right of God over the creation?' He said: 'That

they speak of what they know and refrain from what they do not know.” 25

The Prophet‫ ﵌‬said: "Beware of those who adhere to personal opinions, as they can

be adversaries of the established practices (sunnah). They are often unable to preserve

the traditions (ahadith) and may rely on their own opinions, leading them astray and

causing others to go astrayas well." 26

25F

When it comes to the Usul used by Usuli maraaja', the following things have to be

noted:

1. al-Khaqani says that the jurist must leave the traditional circle(shiism)and see other

25
Al-Kafi V1, P34
26
Udat al-Usul, V2,P678
groups(non-shia muslims). This is problematic as in the aforementioned hadith from

Imam Hassan al-Askari‫﵊‬, he says this: "For those who indulge in abhorrent sins and

wickedness like the scholars of the’aamah, do not accept anything from them on our

behalf, nor do they deserve any honor. " This is extremely crucial, as many modern

Usuli scholars have actually done this, and have studied under the scholars of the

'aamah. With a shining example of this being Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, who studied under

a handful of Sunni scholars. To add to this, we have the following hadith: "I heard

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq ‫ ﵇‬saying: "No one among the common people possesses the

absolute truth, and no one among them can deliver a verdict of absolute justice except

with what comes from us, the Ahlul Bayt ‫﵈‬. And when matters become complex for

them, the source of error is from them, while the sourceof correctness is from Ali

‫﵊‬." 27 It is strange to see. According to Usulism, scholars should go study under the

‘aamah to come back and teach people the knowledge of the Infallible Household‫?﵈‬

Not only that, but what they're studying is wrong to begin with, as it doesn't come from

the Infallible Household‫﵈‬.

2. al-Khaqani, and others, all say that new ideas are and should be introduced to Usul,

this is the definition of bid'ah, as they are contradicting the Ahal al-Bayt‫ ﵈‬in two

ways, first: they go against the aforementioned hadith, that makes it clear all truth

27
al-Kafi, V1, P399
comes from the Ahal al-Bay‫ ﵈‬alone, second: they are using their logic which is

condemned in the ahadith of the Ahal al-Bayt‫﵈‬. In Mizan al-Hikmah, V1, P226: "As

for the people of innovation, they are those who deviate from the command of God,

His Book, and His Messenger. They follow their own opinions and desires, even if

their numbers increase." and in al-Kafi, V1,P54: "I heard Imam Abu Abdullah ‫﵇‬

saying: The Messenger of God ‫ ﵌‬said, "Indeed, with every innovation that arises

after me, there will be a caller from among my Ahlul Bayt who defends against it,

speaking with divine inspiration from God, proclaiming the truth and illuminating it.

They will thwart the schemes of the plotters and provideguidance to the weak. So, take

heed, O people of insight, and rely on Allah."and in Sharh Usul al-Kafi V2, P261:

"From Imam Abu Abdullah‫﵇‬, he reported that the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﵌‬said,

"Every innovation is misguidance, andevery misguidance leads to the Fire."

Usuli scholars give fatwas based on their aqil/personal opinion. Here are five ahadith

showing the hurmah of its use:

1. In Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Nimah, V1, P252

Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn ‫ ﵇‬said, "Indeed, the religion of Allah, the Almighty, is not

found by deficient intellects, false opinions, or corrupt standards. It can only be

embraced through submission. Whoever submits to us is safe, and whoever follows our
guidance is guided. But whoever relies on personal reasoning and opinion will perish.

And whoever finds in himself any hesitation or doubt regardingwhat we say or decree

has disbelieved in the One who revealed the seven oft-repeated verses and the Noble

Qur'an, even though he maynot realize it."

This hadith is very crucial, as it outlines that you can’t reach the ahkam of

Muhammad‫ ﵌‬and his Household‫ ﵈‬using your brain, as they are the complete

brain, in the first section, and later on, it stresses submitting to them‫﵈‬. The

submitting part is extremely important, as Usulis read the Qur’an and Ahadith with

these made-up Usul, essentially, rather than submitting to the Qur’an and Ahadith,

they make the Qur’an and Ahadith submit to their Usul.

2. In al-Kafi, V7, P176

Imam Abu Ja'far ‫ ﵇‬said, "Verily, God, the Blessed and Exalted, has not neglected

anything that the Ummah needs until the Day of Judgment, except that He has

revealed it in His Book and clarified it to His Messenger ‫﵌‬. He has set limits for

everything and provided evidence for it. And for those who exceed the limits, He has

prescribed consequences."

This hadith and others like it show that all of our rulings are in the Qur’an and ahadith,

and that we do not need these usul nor Greek philosophy to reach the ruling of God,
rather the hadith says quite the opposite! There are many ahadith like this, in al-Usul

al-Asilah, al-Faydh al-Kashani‫ ﵋‬shows a single one of the ahadith that say this has

about 30 isnads.

3. In Tafsir al-Ayyashi

I heard Imam Abu Abdullah ‫ ﵇‬saying: "The minimum that a person can leave Islam

is to prioritize personal opinion over the truth and to act upon it. God says, 'And

whoever disbelieves infaith, hiswork has become worthless.' And he said, 'The one

who disbelieves infaith is the one who does not act upon what Allah has commanded

and is not satisfied with it.'"

This hadith outlines the danger of putting Usul over the Qur’an and

Ahadith.

4. In al-Kafi, V1, P56

I said to Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Awwal ‫﵇‬: "By what do I become a monotheist?" He

replied: "O Yunus, do not be an innovator. Whoever relies on his own opinion will

perish. And whoever abandons the Ahlul Bayt of his Prophet‫ ﵌‬will go astray. And

whoever forsakes the Book of Allah andthewords of His Prophet, has disbelieved."

5. Same as above
I said to Imam Abu Abdullah ‫﵇‬: "If there are matters that are not known to us in the

Book of Allah or the Sunnah, canwe useour own judgment to decide on them?" He

replied: "No, indeed. If you are correct, you will not be rewarded, and if you are

mistaken, youhavelied against Allah, the Almighty."

This proves that the only sources of rulings are Kitab and Sunnah, and that aqil/personal

opinion should not be considered. We have a mutawatir hadith alongside an ayah that

say:

"Muhammad bin Yahya, from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa, fromAhmad bin

Muhammad bin Abi Nasr, from Jameel bin Daraaj, whosaid: Abu Abdullah ‫ ﵇‬said,

'Express our Hadith in Arabic, for we are eloquent people.'" 28

27F

Qur'an 12:2:

"We have revealed it as a Recitation in Arabic that you may fully understand."

This matters because it teaches us how to understand the ahadit hof the Ahal al-

Bayt‫﵈‬. In parallel to this, there are no ahadith telling us to understand the ahadith

and ayat through these usul, as the Shaykh Abdali aal Asfour‫ ﵋‬remarks in Ihya

Ma’alim al-Shia in the second topic.

28
Sharh Usul al-Kafi,V2,P224
Quran

Preservation

This is an issue that scholars throughout history have disagreed upon. It is not limited

to Akhbarism, as usulis such as the renowned al-Behbahani believed in tahrif: “The

implications of the mentioned evidence indicate that there has been no alteration in the

Quran that prevents its validity as proof, and the scholars have agreed on this. However,

they have differing opinions on whether any changes have occurred or not. What is

clear from numerous ahadith is that these changes have indeed taken place.” 29And the

akhbari scholars who did believe in tahrif held this same position. Verses were removed,

but these verses had to do with the Fadhail of the Ahal al-Bayt‫﵈‬. This is clear to

anyone who revises al-Durar al-Najafiyah or al-Anwar al-Wadhiyah. Other Usuli

scholars like al-Khoei‫ ﵋‬30and al-Tabataba’i 31 believe in the corruption in the order of

the Qur’an, rather than verses being removed.

1. Akhbari scholar, al-Saduq ‫﵋‬:

"Our belief is that the Quran, which was revealed by Allah to His Prophet Muhammad

‫﵌‬, is what is contained between the covers and what is in the hands of the people.

It is not more than that. The number of chapters (surahs) recognized by the people

29
Al-Fawa’id al-Ha’iriyah P286
30
Al-Bayyan P223, and http://www.al-khoei.us/fatawa1/?id=321
31
Al-Mizan V12 P108
is 114.

According to our belief, Surah Ad-Duha (The Morning Light) and Surah Alam

Nashrah (The Expansion) are considered as one surah, and Surah Al-Ilaf (The

Elephant) and Surah Al-Tur (The Mount) are also considered as one surah." 32

There are people who'll avoid this and say that it was taqiyah, but this does not make

sense, as al-Saduq‫ ﵋‬had very heavy anti 'aami positions, so whatever possibility of

taqiyah was there until he said they are halal al-dam.

2. Akhbari scholar, al-Tusi‫﵋‬:

" As for discussing additions or subtractions to the Quran, it is not appropriate because

both additions and subtractions are unanimously considered invalid. The apparent

view among Muslims is also contrary to it, which aligns with the soundness of our

doctrine. This is also supported by Al-Murtada ‫﵁‬. Although

there are some narrations that mention additions or subtractions, they are reported

through isolated narrators, which do not establish certainty or necessitate action. It is

preferable to refrain from engaging with such narrations and to avoid being

preoccupied with them. This is because they can be subject to interpretation, and even

if they were authentic, it would not undermine what is present between the covers of

32
Al-‘Itiqadat P86
the Quran." 33

Similar note as above.

2. Proto-Usuli scholar, al-Mufid‫﵋‬:

" The necessity of adhering to what is between the covers of the Quran is indeed

emphasized. However, it is also reported from our Imams ‫ ﵈‬that they commanded

the recitation of what is between the covers and that nothing should be added or

subtracted from it until the rise of Imam al-Qa'im , who will recite the Quran

to the people as it was revealed by Allah, and it was compiled by Imam Ali ‫﵊‬."

34
3F

Some will even try avoiding this and say taqiyah, but it doesn't make sense for it to be

taqiyah, as he ‫ ﵋‬has written extensively on this. (Note: the context clarifies that what

al-Qa'im has is just tafsir and the Qur'an isn't corrupted, but I cut it out for

shortness' sake)

4. al-Muhadith al-Nuri‫ ﵋‬in his letter about his book, Fasl al-Khitaab:

33
al-Tibyan, V1, P3
34
al-Masa'il al-Sarwiyah, P81
" In this book, I have proved that what is contained between the covers of the Qur'an

remains unchanged from its initial compilation during the time of Uthman. It has not

undergone any alteration or substitution, unlike other celestial scriptures. Therefore, it

was appropriate to name the chapter addressing the preservation of the book as "The

Discourse on the Non-Abrogation of the Book." The name commonly used by people

carries a different implication than what I intended. It is an error in naming. However,

my intention was not what people associate with it.

Rather, my intention was to address the omission of certain divine revelations. If you

wish, I can call it "The Statement on the Omission of Certain Revealed Verses(al-

Qawl al-Fasil fi tasqit ba'dh al-Wahi al-Nazil)." 35

Hujiyah

There is a common stereotype that Akhbaris do not believe in the hujiyah of the

dhahir of the Qur'an. This is partially true, as we believe in the hujiyah of only what

is clear from it, as the righteous scholars say:

1. Shaykh Muhammad-Amin al-Astrabadi‫ ﵋‬writes in al-Fawa’idal-Madaniyah,

P355: “As for the statement of Ibn Abbas, its meaning is clear and there is no

35
Al-Dari’a by Agha Bazarg al-Tahrani V16 P231-232
ambiguity about it. It means that the meanings of the Quran are divided into three

categories: some are essential aspects of religion that Muslims know, such as the

obligation of prayer, zakat, and Hajj, whether from the Quran or other sources; some

are essential aspects of language that anyone familiar with it knows; and some are

theoretical aspects that only scholars know. And I say: It appears that his intention is

the scholars of the Ahlul Bayt ‫﵈‬, because he was a student of Amir al-Mu'minin

‫﵊‬, and it appears that he spoke in accordance with what he heard from him‫﵊‬.”

2. Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani‫ ﵋‬writes in al-Hada’iq al-Nathira, V1, P32:“The

meanings of the Quran can be categorized into four sections: Firstly, the knowledge

that Allah has exclusively reserved for Himself. It is not permissible for anyone to

speculate about it or make claims regarding it.

Secondly, the apparent meanings that are in line with their intended meanings.

Anyone familiar with the language in which it was revealed

can understand these meanings, such as the verse "And do not kill the soul which

Allah has forbidden, except by right…” Thirdly, the general statements that do not

provide detailed explanations of their intended meanings, like the statement "Establish

the prayer..." (2). Ibn Abbas mentioned several examples of this type and stated that

their exact meanings can only be derived through clarification from the Prophet ‫﵇‬
or an infallible Imam. Lastly, the words that have multiple meanings, and any one of

those meanings may be intended. It is not appropriate for anyone to assert that Allah

intended a specific meaning without the statement of a Prophet or an infallible Imam.”

3. Shaykh Muhammad-Baqir al-Majlisi‫ ﵋‬in Maladh al-Akhyar fi Fihm Tahdhib al-

Akhar, V1, P15-16: “As for the general noun (‫)العام‬, it is the term used for everything

that can be applied to a single entity, such as the names of conditions, interrogatives,

conjunctions, gender, known plurals with the definite article '‫'اللم‬, possessed nouns, and

negative indefinite nouns. On the other hand, there is the specific noun (‫)الخاص‬, which

is the opposite of the general noun, such as in the phrase 'O you wrapped in garments,

arise at night except for a little.

As for the absolute noun (‫)المطلق‬, it is the term that refers to the essence of

something in an unrestricted manner. It is not limited to a specific entity. For

example, when it is applied to 21, it indicates the concept of 'one' in a general sense,

without any specific restrictions or limitations.

Before moving on, there are two other categories: the limited (‫ )المقيد‬and its opposite,

like when Allah says, 'And whoever kills a believer by mistake, then the freeing of a

believing slave' (Quran 4:92).

Then there is the general (‫)المجمل‬, which has an unclear indication, such as the
statement 'Cut off the hand of the thief, male or female' (Quran5:38). Or the

explicit (‫)الظاهر‬, which indicates a specific meaning, and it may coincide with a

clear indication. The first is the apparent meaning

(‫)النص‬, which has a definite indication, whether according to the explicit wording or

the implied meaning. The second is a portion of it (‫ )القسم منه‬or an interpretation

(‫)المأول‬, which is inferred based on what is more likely.

Then there is indication, which can be based on the wording or its meaning. The

wording refers to what the term indicates in the context of utterance, such as a ruling

or a state of affairs. The meaning is the opposite. The wording can be explicit,

indicating a match or inclusion, or implicit, indicating an obligation.”

Before moving on, if you didn’t understand what al-Majlisi‫ ﵋‬was saying, he was just

explaining the different levels of the hujiyah of the Qur’an. As you can see from the

aforementioned quotes, Akhbaris do in fact accept the dhahir of the Qur’an as a hudja,

as long as it is clear and easy to understand, otherwise, it is only for the Imams‫﵈‬.

Responding to the Hashawis

They will claim that because of a hadith in Tafsir al-Ayyashi that says that the

beginning, middle and end of verses talk about different things, this would mean that

we can deal with the Qur’an as a hudjah/proof. But al-Faydh al-Kashani ‫ ﵋‬explains
this hadith as relating to unclear verses. He says: “If this is established, we say: As

for the reports prohibiting the interpretation of the Quran without a text or evidence,

they must be understood to apply to its ambiguous verses rather than the clear ones.

Similarly, the reports indicating that knowledge is specific to the people of knowledge

apply to the ambiguous parts or to the entirety of the book's knowledge. This is

proved by many evidences, both aqli and naqli.” 36

36
Al-Usul Al-Asilah P55
Ilm al-Rijal

Akhbaris check and analyze the isnads of ahadith, making sure the narrators are

reliable. This is seen in Akhbari books like al-Hada’iq al-Nathira, Mira’at al-Uqool

and al-Wafi.

For example, if the narrator was a thiqah like Zurarah bin ‘Ayun‫﵁‬, we believe what

he narrates without analyzing it too much, as he is athiqah; doesn’t lie, focuses when

hearing and narrating the hadith and doesn’t play with the contents of the narration;

Shaykh Muhammad-Amin al-Astrabadi‫ ﵋‬writes: “It was commonly known among our

ancestors and in the words of the Imams ‫ ﵈‬is the permissibility of relying on the

report of a thiqah/trust worthy individual” 37 He writes in the same book: “There is no

36F

indication in the mentioned statement that the reason for tawaquf is limited to the

unreliability of the narrator. There could be other reasons, such as the possibility of the

narrator being sinful, forgetful, or mistakenly attributing the narration to a certain

individual. It could also be transmitted in a figurative sense, with the possibility of not

fully grasping the intended meaning. Additionally, the narration could be abrogated,

general in nature, or reporting an incident that, if it had occurred, would have spread

widely. It could also be a narration related to a matter of interest, such as the rulings of

37
al-Fawa’id al-Madaniyah, P106
Allah.” 38

And if the narrators were not thiqah, we would analyze the matn and see if it was

acceptable. If it was, we’d consider it sahih, we do this by:

1. Comparing it with the Qur’an, if it agrees we take it, and if it doesn’t it is thrown

out.

Shaykh Muhammad-Amin al-Astrabadi‫ ﵋‬writes “The presentation of a narration

by an unreliable source is rejected when it contradicts the explicit teachings of the

Book of Allah, meaning those that are essential to the religion or the sect. This is

indicated by the statement of Imam Ali ‫﵊‬: "And if the matter becomes

ambiguous to you," and by the evidence from previous narrations that indicate the

necessity of pausing at every matter that lacks a clear and decisive ruling.” 39
38F

2. Comparing it to books the Imams approved off, like al-Kafi al-Sharif, or

wrote, like Tafsir al-Askari‫﵊‬.

3. Comparing it to ahadith with stronger isnads.

4. Ijma’ of shias.

This is a very simplified way of doing things, but it gets the idea across. To do more

research read Maqbulat Umar ibn Handhalah and Ilm al-Hadith books such as al-Usul

38
P482
39
al-Fawa’idal-Madaniyah, P384
al-Asilah or Hidayat al-Abrar.
Khums

E-Akhbaris like to claim that paying Khums isn't wajib, rather, it is onlyhalal. They

attempt to prove this with the hadith that says: "Khums is permissible for our Shia."

Before explaining the issues with this, let's see what our scholars say:

1. al-Saykh al-Saduq‫﵋‬writes in al-Hidaya, P43: "Everything that is valued at a dinar

is subject to khums for Allah, His Messenger, the Ahal al-Bayt, the orphans, the needy,

and the wayfarer. As for what is for Allah, it is for His Messenger, and what is for

His Messenger is for his

near relatives, and the orphans are the orphans of his household, andthe needy are

their needy, and the wayfarer is their wayfarer. The Imamhas authority in distributing

among them as he sees fit, whether it is all of them or some of them."

2. Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani‫ ﵋‬in al-Hada'iq al-Nathira, V12, P352: "Among the

companions ‫﵁‬, there is an agreement on the obligation of khums in all types of

earnings from agriculture, industry, and trade, except for inheritance, dowry, and

gifts."
According to al-Hurr al-Amili ‫﵋‬, the meaning of “Khums is permissible for our

shias." is that it is not wajib to pay it to the Imam‫ ﵇‬specifically. It means that we

can directly pay it to who needs it without an Imam in between. In al-Kafi,V8,P286:

"We, the guardians of khums and fi'ah (one-fifth), have prohibited it for all people

except our Shia. By Allah, this is the truth." I suggest to read what al-Hurr al-Amili‫﵋‬

and Shaykh Yusuf‫ ﵋‬wrote on this, as here I have nothing to offer.

Takfir

Akhbaris recognize Usulis as their muslim and shia brothers, but they are still ones

that must be critiqued. This is in parallel to E-Akhbaris like Wathiq al-Shumari and

al-Qizi. To understand what makes someone shia, we have to look at the following

hadith:

"Then a call comes from the end of the ranks of resurrection: "Indeed, admit them to

Paradise [for their testimony to the prophethood of Muhammad‫﵌‬." But then a call

comes from Allah, the Most High: "No, rather stop them, for they will be held

accountable." The angels who said, "Admit them to Paradise for their testimony to the

prophethood of Muhammad, ‫﵌‬," ask: "Why are they being stopped, O our Lord?"

Then a call comes from Allah, the Most High: "Stop them, for they will be held

accountable for their allegiance to Ali ibn Abi Talib and the family of Muhammad. O

My servants, I have commanded them to testify to Muhammad with another testimony.

So if they come with it, magnify their reward and honor their status. But if they do not

come with it, their testimony to the prophethood of Muhammad‫ ﵌‬will not benefit

them, nor will it establish their belief in my Lordship. Whoever comes with it is among

the successful, and whoever does not come with it is among the doomed." 40 39F

40
al-Tafsir by al-Imamal-Hassan al-Askari‫ ﵊‬P405
And in Mizan al-Hikmah,V2,P1539: "Do not be swayed by sects, for by Allah, none

of our Shia followers are except those who obey Allah Almighty."

The righteous scholars themselves shine through with what was mentioned in the

ahadith.

1. Shaykh Muhammad-Amin al-Astrabadi writes about al-Alamah al-Hilli‫﵋‬, the

founder of Usulism, in P136 of al-Fawa'id: "I do not intend by this statement to

belittle his virtues ‫ ﵀‬nor his piety. My intention is to alert those who do not possess

the same level of excellence, as they may mistakenly believe that increasing their

knowledge automatically leads to an increase in their analyzing."

And in P37 of the same book, he writes: "It has been well-known in the writings of

some later scholars among our esteemed scholars who happen to be Usuli, such as

Al-Allama Al-Hilli and those who share his views, that..."

2. al-Hurr al-Amili‫﵋‬in P442 of al-Fawa'id al-Tusiyah writes: "The author of Al-

Fawaid Al-Madaniyya did not explicitly intend to attack them; rather, he favored the

methodology of the early scholars over the approach of the later ones based on the

multiple authenticated narrations. He mentioned that the foundational principles

outlined in the books of the general scholars are not in line with the teachings of the

Imams ‫﵈‬. He substantiated this claim with substantial evidence, and those who
 were fair-minded could not challenge the core of his argument nor provide a solid

proof to refute his claims."

3. Mirza Muhammed al-Akhbari‫﵋‬, who is falsely accused of being an extremist, also

says “May God lighten his shrine.” 41 When referring to al-Hilli‫﵋‬. I have heard that

he has said similar things about al-Behbahani in his rijal book.

4. Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani‫ ﵋‬who refused to takfir any usuli and allowed people to

pray behind them, unlike al-Behbahani who takfired akhbaris.

41
al-Risalah al-Burhaniyah P56
Tafwidh

It is an extremely wrong and dangerous belief. Denied by al-Majlisi ‫ ﵋‬in his aqa’id,

“And do not believe that they created the world at the be hest of Almighty God, for we

have been forbidden to say this in authentic reports, and there is no consideration for

what has been narrated by al-Bursi and others from weak reports.” 42

Firstly, in a narration from the Imam in Bihar al-Anwar, V25, P327:"I said to Imam

al-Rida ‫﵇‬, "What do you say about delegation?" He replied, "Indeed, Allah, the

Blessed and Exalted,

delegated to His Prophet ‫ ﵌‬the affairs of his religion. He said, 'Whatever the

Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it.' But as

for creation and sustenance, no."

Here, the Imam acknowledged the delegation of religious authority but rejected the

delegation of creation and sustenance. Those who deny the Imams' divine creative

power can be categorized into three groups, and we will respond to each one

separately, God willing.

42
Page 65 but differs according to the print.
Firstly, they argue: 'Delegation in the narration refers to independent delegation, thus

denying the Imams' independence in creation and sustenance. However, we do not

hold this view. We believe that they are creators by the command of Allah.'

To this, I say: If this were the meaning of delegation in the narration, it would

necessitate denying the delegation of religious authority, as it would imply that the

Prophet issues religious verdicts based on his own opinions independently of Allah's

command. The same narration that denies the delegation of creation and sustenance

affirms the delegation of religious authority. Therefore, the meaning of delegation

should be consistent within the narration. It is you who interprets delegation as

independence and claims that the Prophet issues opinions independently, which

is a false interpretation.

Secondly, if they argue: 'Delegation in the narration is by the command of Allah.'

I say: Yes, this is correct. Even if you claim that the Imams are creators by the

command of Allah, it remains invalid. It is impossible and inconceivable, as stated by

Imam Sadiq: 'But as for the delegation-meaning by the command of Allah - of creation

and sustenance, no!' This is the truth we seek. To clarify, the delegation - even in this
sense-of creation and sustenance to any creature is impossible and inconceivable

because it goes against the very existence. It is like a square circle, which is non-

existent and logically impossible. The same

applies to the delegation of creation and sustenance – meaning the impossibility -

whether you claim it to be by the command of Allah or independently. Exalted is

Allah above what you claim, O exaggerators, and your belittling of His greatness

after you have exaggerated in His worship!

Thirdly, if they argue: 'The narration intends to deny the direct use of the terms

"Creator" and "Sustainer" for the Imams, in terms of wording but not meaning.'

I say: Firstly, the narration does not indicate this desired interpretation. It clearly denies

the use of both the term and the meaning. Secondly, they describe Allah's ability to

mold clay into the form of a bird as creation. How then can they justify ascribing the

attribute of creation, which implies that its doer - Prophet Isa - is a creator, to the Imams

while denying it?

Secondly, the creation of Prophet Isa was merely molding clay into the form of a bird,

followed by the blowing of the soul into it. This aligns with the statement of Imam al-

Ridha, which states: 'Creation is either from nothing, which is specific to Allah, or

making something from an existing substance, and the creatures are capable of that.'

An example of this is making a wooden chair from a tree or molding a bird from clay.

It is well-known that this type of creation is not comparable to their claim of the Imams'

divine creative power, as they either claim that the Imams are creators from nothing

or that they created the universe from their light. Both claims are false and do not

resemble what we have discussed regarding the divine creative power of the Prophet.
Things

Further reading

1. Hidayat al-Abrar by Shaykh Hussain ibn Shihab al-Din.

2. Al-Usul Al-Asilah by al-Faydh al-Kashani.

3. The introductions to Hadaiq by Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani.

Summary/F.A.Q.

Q: Do Akhbaris believe in Tafwidh?

A: No, in-fact, Shaykh Muhammad-Baqir al-Majlisi writes in Aqa'idal Islam, P55-66:

"Then you must believe in the Prophet, ‫﵌‬, and the Imams, ‫﵈‬, that they are infallible

from the beginning of their lives to the end of it from minor sins and major sins […]

and do not believe that they created the world by the command of Allah, exalted be He,

for we are forbidden in the authentic reports from saying it and there is no consideration

for what Al-Bursi and others narrated from weak reports."

Q: Do Akhbaris takfir Usulis?

A:No. Anyone who witnesses the two shahadas, does salah, gives zakath, fasts the
month and does hajj is muslim.

Q: The Akhbari position on ijtihad?

A: It is haram as it relies on greek philosophy and dhan.

Q: Do Akhbaris deny Ilm al-Rijal?

A: Nope, the complete opposite! Most of the greatest Shia rijalists are Akhbari. From

al-Majlisi‫ ﵋‬to Sayyid Hashim al-Bahrani‫﵋‬. We only accept from thiqat or if a

narration is acceptable in matn.

Q: What about contradicting narrations and dealing with them?

A: I have already highlighted this earlier in the DOC. The Imams‫ ﵈‬gave us

rules to dealing with ahadith and we have the isnad to look at and analyze in case

of contradiction.

Q: Do Akhbaris believe in the corruption of the Qur’an?

A: Both shia schools have this issue, and both debate it. It is not limited to Akhbarism.
Q: Do Akhbaris not pay Khums?

A: Khums is wajib and must be paid to the poor and all others in

need(including the poor of Bani Hashim).

Q: How do Akhbaris view the Dhahir of the Qur'an?

A: We accept only what is clear and easy to understand via the Arabic language.

With all other verses, we rely on the Tafsir of the Imams‫﵈‬.

Q: Where is the Akhbari school today?

A: It is in Bahrain, Qatif, Basra, Karbala and Ahwaz. There are small cities like

Mabeed, Iran that remain akhbari.

Q: Who are some living Akhbari scholars?

Shaykh Ali aal Thunayaan, Shaykh Muntadhar Abu al-Makarim, Shaykh Jaafar

al-Shariqi, Shaykh Mohsin aal Asfour, Shaykh Issa al-Hoori, and many more.
 Table of Contents

Introduction..................................................................................... 3

Taqleed ............................................................................................ 5
Ijtihad ............................................................................................ 17

Refuting Ijtihad ....................................................................... 21

Quran ............................................................................................ 30

Preservation ........................................................................... 30

Hujiyah ................................................................................ 33

Responding to the Hashawis ......................................................... 36

Ilm al-Rijal ................................................................................... 38

Khums ........................................................................................... 41

Takfir ............................................................................................ 43

Tafwidh......................................................................................... 46

Things ........................................................................................... 50