From: Hussein
Date: December 28, 2011
(Do You Pray and Fast?)
Peace and blessings be upon you.
This is your brother Hussein from Kuwait. I am a Twelver Shia Muslim, Alhamdulillah, and I have a number of questions I hope you will kindly answer:
From what I’ve heard, Alawites (Nusayris) follow an esoteric (bāṭinī) doctrine. Is this an enduring principle in your faith, or is it merely practiced in times of persecution? And what are your so-called secret teachings?
A trusted friend told me he once spoke with an Alawite who was not fasting during Ramadan. When asked, the man replied that Alawites do not fast, and that their prayer differs from that of Muslims — supposedly involving chanting before a Shaykh. Is this the case for all Nusayris? Or do some of you pray and fast like other Muslims? And why do we see President Bashar al-Assad praying in the Sunni style with arms folded?
What are the sacred texts of the Nusayris? Do you follow the same books as the Twelver Shia, like Bihār al-Anwār and al-Kāfī?
Is there any mutual declaration of disbelief (takfīr) between the Nusayris and the Shia?
Why do we not see Nusayris in Karbala and Najaf? Do you perform Hajj?
Response
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure progeny.
Dear respected brother Hussein,
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
Regarding your first question:
Alawite Muslims are among the most devoted followers of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Because of this loyalty, they have suffered brutal massacres at the hands of the enemies of Islam. An Alawite would never curse his Imam or disassociate from him, even under threat of death. He does not believe in the validity of the narration attributed to the Commander of the Faithful (Ali):
“As for cursing, then curse me — for it is purification for me and salvation for you. But as for disassociation, do not disassociate from me, for I was born on the natural disposition and preceded others in faith and emigration.”
Rather, what we hold as authentic — narrated from trustworthy sources — is that he (Ali) said:
“If you are called upon to curse me, do not curse. And if you are called upon to disassociate from me, then offer your necks.”
As for the claim that Alawites follow a secretive or esoteric sect — this is rooted in deep ignorance and dangerous sectarianism, leading to baseless accusations thrown around without any proof.
If by “secrecy” one means taqiyya (precautionary dissimulation), then this is practiced by both us and the Twelver Shia, and its cause is the ignorance and intolerance of the other side. But if what is meant is “negative esotericism” (bāṭiniyya salbiyya), as alleged by fanatics and haters — then we categorically deny any such doctrine among us. It has no basis in our tradition.
Anyone wishing to understand our beliefs must turn to Nahj al-Balāgha (The Peak of Eloquence) by the master of eloquence and clarity, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), who laid down foundational principles based on the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings upon him and his family).
Religious beliefs are not to be assessed in alleyways or from random individuals. They must be learned from scholars, jurists, and reliable authorities of the tradition.
Alawite Muslims firmly believe in the obligation of the five pillars: prayer, zakat, fasting, hajj, and jihad. Any statement to the contrary — regardless of who makes it — is to be completely disregarded. We must rise above these narrow confines and step into the broad, expansive realm of Islam.
It is regrettable to judge an entire people based on the words of a single confused individual who may not even understand the fundamentals of his own tradition — assuming such an individual even exists. As we say:
Religious etiquette precedes religion itself. Whoever lacks manners, lacks religion.
Among the principles of religious etiquette are investigation and verification before making judgments. Anything else falls into the realm of speculation, which never overrides certainty.
As for the notion of reciting “chants” before a Shaykh — this is a seasonal joke that is not at all digestible. In truth, we recite nothing but the Book of Allah. It is recommended, however, to recite the authentic supplications from the Imams — such as those found in al-Ṣaḥīfa al-ʻAlawiyya, al-Ṣaḥīfa al-Sajjādiyya, and many others.
Regarding prayer:
There is no legal issue in our jurisprudence with folding the hands (qabd) or letting them hang (sadl) during prayer. This is not a pillar of prayer but a subsidiary detail. What matters are proper orientation, recitation, standing, bowing, prostration, and remembrance (Zhikr). Qunūt and post-prayer supplications are recommended but not obligatory.
As for your third question (our references):
Our foremost and foundational source is the Book of Allah, revealed to His Messenger. We also rely on what has been authentically established from the Prophet and the Imams. Our key references include:
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Nahj al-Balāgha by Imam Ali (peace be upon him)
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Tuḥaf al-‘Uqūl by Ibn Shu‘ba al-Ḥarrānī
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al-Maḥāsin by al-Barqī
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al-Hidāya by Shaykh al-Khaṣībī
Other books — such as al-Kāfī, Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, al-Istibṣār, Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām, Bihār al-Anwār, and al-Wāfī — are subject to verification and scrutiny. We act upon what we are certain of, and what is uncertain we leave to its proponents.
On the matter of takfīr (declaring someone a disbeliever):
We do not declare anyone a disbeliever unless they publicly announce it themselves. Declaring disbelief is a divine matter that no one has the right to take lightly — though, sadly, many have done just that.
We do not excommunicate any Shia group, despite having many critical observations, especially regarding some mystical writings. But as I said, this is not our concern.
Many Shia scholars, unfortunately, have rashly and unjustly labeled us with accusations from which we are entirely innocent. I have responded to these baseless claims in the past. Ultimately, such statements carry no real weight and are dismissed in their entirety.
As for Hajj:
Hajj is a sacred pillar of Islam, an individual obligation on every capable Muslim man and woman. Anyone from our community who is able to perform it, does so without hesitation.
As for the revered shrines in Karbala and Najaf, many of our elders and scholars have visited them, despite the negativity and hostility they sometimes faced from certain rigid individuals. This is of no consequence.
Dear brother,
We must abandon this sick mentality that has become widespread — believing that one’s own path is the only truth and everyone else is upon falsehood. Whoever believes in Allah, His Messenger, the Last Day, is loyal to Ahl al-Bayt, and upholds the pillars of Islam is a true believer, no matter how much noise the slanderers make.
Enough with the confusion, chaos, and departure from the manners of Islam and faith. We are truly exhausted by this backward, fossilized mindset.
The Alawite is rooted in Islam, and his identity of faith is affirmed by the Prophet of the nation (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) when he said:
“O Ali, none loves you but a believer, and none hates you but a hypocrite.”
After such a divinely protected testimony, we seek no validation from anyone. We should all return, with submission, to the Book of Allah, which says: O you who believe! When you go forth in the cause of Allah, investigate, and do not say to the one who offers you peace, ‘You are not a believer,’ seeking the goods of worldly life. But with Allah are many gains. You yourselves were like that before, then Allah conferred His favor upon you. So investigate. Surely, Allah is (al-Nisaa' 94)
And peace be upon you.
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