THE BRITISH ISLAMIC CENTER DEPARTMENT OF COMPARATIVE DIVINITY
THE MEETING OF COMPARATIVE DIVINITY THE ISLAMIC INTELLECTUAL MEETING (20)
May, 21, 2002

The Islamic-Christian-Jewish Studies
THE INTERPOSITIONS ON THE STUDY AND THE COMMENTS OF SAYYID AL-BADRI

 Dr. Amir al-Basri

At the outset, we find ourselves obliged to the efforts exerted by his eminence Sayyid Sami al-Badri for his researches and investigations entitled ‘The Islamic-Christian-Jewish Studies: Trends, Goals and Methods.’ In my conception, the significance of such studies is stemmed from the rapidity in the informational and cultural interconnection and association among the adopters of the three Divine Religions as well as the increasing and exacerbating clash between the basically-capitalist and formally-Christian civilization from one side and the Muslims from the other in more than one place in general and in the occupied Palestine, which represents the center of such a clash, in particular. In the midst of this clash, such researches and comparative studies may discover many common points and bases in this field.

Through his presentation, I felt that Sayyid al-Badri has in his mind a number of objectives, other than those concluded from his comparative studies, that he had decided previously. Although the goals resulted from his comparative studies of the religious texts are valuably important, the goals that he had already decided for his studies are still broader and uneasy to attain. I have another note regarding the procedures of presenting the study. Usually, searches and results precede the objectives, and not the opposite.

Furthermore, Sayyid al-Badri has referred to the existence of other secular aims. Since a downright study can be presented by a secularist or a religionist, I do not welcome the process of isolating a secular trend of secular goals from the religious trend of private religious goals.

My basic notice in this regard is that the goal of finding practical common points among the religions for the sake of coexistence and cultural interconnection can be achieved only on the grounds of the circulating cultural trends that are found among the adopters of these religions. In other words, the existence of a common ground on which the parities can exchange opinions and interview is necessary for achieving the objectives intended. The general cultural trend of the Christians is principally secular. Accordingly, although the church has become the source of culture since the ages of the French Revolution, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and voltaire, the Christian individual has tended to the unrestrained freedom, capitalism and sex as the spaces of his culture and movement. In view of that, the relationship between the Christian society and the church has taken the form of reconciliation with the religion. Majority of the Christians are not interested in the credibility of their religion and, thus, to debate with them will be a waste of time and ungrounded. On the other side, even if common points are concluded during our discussions with the experts and those who dominate the Church, they will conceal them from their peoples because they used to do so. From the other side, they are always under the control of the political capitalism and its movement.

This notice is not aimed at frustrating our efforts; rather it only refers to the actuality. For instance, when the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sayyid Muhammad Khatami, invited the West to participate in the dialogue of civilizations, the politicians and the dominant powers rejected.

If the goals are intended to be achieved under the Islamic umbrella and among the Muslim parties, none can doubt their efficacy and contribution in proving the credibility of the Ahl al-Bayt’s School of thought, because all Muslims believe in the religious texts as well as the prophecies of the Prophets. Nonetheless, the Sunni general cultural trend regarding the studies made to the other religions is that since they all were exposed to distortion, they cannot be given credence. Moreover, Sunnis have accused the Shiite narrations of being copied from the Israelite heritage while, if truth be told, it is the Sunni cultural heritage that represents a copy of the Israelite heritage, which could find itself a large portion in the Sunni traditions at the hands of Ka’b al-Ahbar and his faction.

Comment of Sayyid al-Badri

(1) The interposer says: “Through his presentation, I felt that Sayyid al-Badri has in his mind a number of goals, other than those concluded from his comparative studies.”

It is natural that my thesis has been discussed from the viewpoint of a Shiite Muslim researcher who believes in Monotheism, the sealing Prophethood (of the Prophet Muhammad) and the Imamate of the Holy Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt and, as a result, I, through my study of the texts of the Old and New Testaments, try to discover whatsoever is connected to my belief among the issues to which the Holy Quran and the narrative heritage of the Holy Imams have drawn the attentions provided that I will not exceed the conventional fundamentals of understanding any language in which a text was written.

(2) The interposer says: “Sayyid al-Badri has referred to the existence of other secular aims. Since a downright study can be presented by a secularist or a religionist, I do not welcome the process of isolating a secular trend of secular goals from the religious trend of private religious goals.”

I have already expressed my opinion as follows:

There are three trends in discussing the Islamic-Christian-Jewish studies—first, a Judaeo-Christian trend based upon the belief in the credibility of Christianity or Judaism and that Muhammad (our Prophet) had acted upon the Old and New Testaments in a considerable amount. Second, an Islamic trend based upon the belief in the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad and considering his Mission as the sealing. If the believer is Shiite Muslim, the belief in the divinely commissioned leadership (Imamate) of the Holy Imams is added. Third, a secular trend based upon the non-belongingness to any religious movement; rather the religious heritage is looked upon as human heritage. Each of the aforementioned trends has undoubtedly its own objectives that suit its nature.

(3) He further says: “Even if common points are concluded during our discussions with the experts and those who dominate the Church, they will conceal them from their peoples.”

Beyond any dispute, the dialogue of religions must be made with those believing in the religion, and such a dialogue must be open and written; therefore, it will not be concealed from any.

(4) He says: “If the goals are intended to be achieved under the Islamic umbrella and among the Muslim parties, none can doubt their efficacy and contribution in proving the credibility of the Ahl al-Bayt’s School of thought, because all Muslims believe in the religious texts as well as the prophecies of the Prophets. Nonetheless, the Sunni general cultural trend regarding the studies made to the other religions is that since they all were exposed to distortion, they cannot be given credence.”

Although we cannot deny that some parts of the Bible were exposed to distortion, other parts are still as genuine as they were revealed, especially those predicting the advent of the Holy Prophet and to which the Holy Quran revealed. Muslims have unanimously adopted this fact. From the viewpoint of Shiite researchers, the narrative heritage of the Holy Imams confirms that the Bible comprises texts predicting the advent of the Holy Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt and this fact is unanimously accepted by the Shiite scholars throughout their theologian writings. Our method in studying these topics is to start with the texts referring to the Holy Prophet because, in most cases, they accompany gospels referring to the Ahl al-Bayt such as the clear reference in Genesis, 17:20: “And for Ishmael I have heard thee: behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful, and will very greatly multiply him; twelve princes will he beget, and I will make him a great nation.”(1)

Sunni scholars and converts to Islam have confirmed that the abovementioned text refers to the Holy Prophet. Yet, they have said nothing about the ‘twelve princes’ intended. It is inescapable to accept the truth that the Twelve Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt believed by the Shiite Muslims as the successors and representatives of the Holy Prophet are those ‘twelve princes’ predicted by the Bible. From this cause, the Jews and Christians who convert to Islam have adopted the doctrine of Shiism. Attempting to refute Shiism and the belief in the Twelve Imams, Ibn Taymiyah says: “Regarding Jabir ibn Samarah’s narration of the Prophet’s saying that the Imams after him would be twelve in number all of whom would belong to Quraysh, those predicted ones will be in various ages of the Islamic nation, yet they all will come before the Judgment Day. Many of the Jews who had the honor to be Muslims committed a mistake when they followed the Rafidah (the Shi’ah) for they adhered to the Imams believed by them.”(2)

Ibn Taymiyah and his fans missed the fact that those Jews who converted to Islam and embraced Shiism had found themselves face to face with a phenomenon of many texts of the Torah supporting each other and, altogether, referring to the Ahl al-Bayt exclusively.

Finally, I express my thanks to Dr. Amir al-Basri for his interposition and the points he aroused.

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(1) Derby’s Version of the Bible.

(2) Ibn Kathir: al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah, 6/250.