Thread by @Andaluso24

Reading today “Al-Intisar” by Al-Khayyat al-Mutazili (d. 933 CE)

The author responds to the arguments of the mutakalim Ibn al-Rawandi (then a Shi’i) who promotes Imamism and attacks Mutazili belief (particularly thise espoused by al-Jahiz)

Here are some interesting snippets:

Written in the era of al-Ghayba al-Sughra, it confirms some intrinsic aspects of Shi’ism was wholly crystallized.

Al-Khayyat states, “Al-Jahiz knew that the Rafida did not perform takfir on Ali ibn Abi Talib, al-Hasan, Husayn, Salman, al-Miqdad with 3 or 4 of the Sahaba.

But what is reported of them is that they perform takfir on the Muhajireen and Ansar, except 5 or 6 individuals.

This is their known, mashhoor (popular) saying”.

This suggests that what is mentioned in Shi’i ahadith of the Sahaba’s riddah except for 3 or 4 was a belief which defined the Rafida (per al-Khayyat words).

Some ahadith include Ammar, to make the number 4. While others mention only 3 as in this report narrated by al-Kashi:

2) Imam’s purpose is to preserve Islam from corruption

“What is amazing is that the Rafida argue that there must be an infallible Imam, entrusted with the dhahir and batin,

To protect them (as they claim) from change in religion, loss of the Sunnan [of the Prophet], and protect

Their religion”

3) The Rafida believed in badaa’

4) “What the Qat’iya narrate from Jafar and Musa ibn Ja’far, you see the [proposterously] amazing”

The Qa’tiya are the Shi’a who believed Musa ibn Jafar did in fact die - as opposed to the Waqifa who believed Musa ibn Ja’far died.

This statement is quite interesting for 3 reasons:

(1) Suggests the Waqifa possibly still existed in the author’s lifetime (he died in 321 AH / 933 CE).

Hence, he had to clarify that the Shi’a he was referring to are “Qat’iya” in particular.

(2) Confirms at least some of the Rafida saw Musa ibn Jafar and Jafar ibn Muhammad as supernatural Imams.

And suggests that they view Musa as a spiritual successor to Jafar.

With this, my research confirms inshallah that there is contemporary or near-contemporary non-Shi’i sources to suggest the bulk of the Rafida believed in a Nass Imamate from Ali to at least Ali al-Hadi very very early on.

The threads pertaining to my research are present under my “Islamic trivia tweets” - but I will make another thread later on organizing this.

(3) Describing the ahadith the Qat’iya narrate from Musa ibn Jafar as "عجائب" [proposterously amazing] is interesting.

Because the esteemed Sunni muhadith Ibn Hibban describes ahadith narrated by Ali ibn Musa from his father Musa ibn Jafar in the same way.

Musa ibn Jafar, a confirmed Rafidhi? :)

https://twitter.com/andaluso24/status/1273925210752921602

This is what I think.

Wa Allhu A’lam :)

The Waqifa who did not believe**

https://twitter.com/Andaluso24/status/1342021554645970944