al-Khutut al-Arida lil-Usus allati qam alayha Din al-Shia al-Imamiyya al-Ithna Ashariyya
- Author died
- 1389 AH
- Editions
- al-Khutut al-Arida lil-Usus allati qam alayha Din al-Shia al-Imamiyya al-Ithna Ashariyya
al-Khutut al-Arida lil-Usus allati qam alayha Din al-Shia al-Imamiyya al-Ithna Ashariyya (Broad Outlines of the Foundations Upon Which the Religion of the Twelver Imami Shia is Built) is a theological and polemical treatise by the Syrian-born writer and publisher Muhibb al-Din al-Khatib (1303–1389 AH / 1886–1969 CE) . The work examines the fundamental doctrines of Twelver Shia Islam and argues against the feasibility of ecumenical rapprochement (Taqrib) between Sunnis and Twelver Shi'is .
Background and Purpose
The book was written in response to the mid-twentieth-century ecumenical movement that advocated rapprochement between Sunni Islam and the Twelver Shia, an initiative centered at Dar al-Taqrib in Cairo that gained traction within al-Azhar . Al-Khatib composed the treatise at the urging of scholars from al-Azhar who opposed attempts to introduce Twelver Shi'i jurisprudence into official educational curricula . He argued that genuine rapprochement was impossible because the differences between the two traditions stem not from peripheral legal rulings (furu'), but from foundational principles of religion (usul al-din) . He maintained that the dialogue was one-sided, operating in Sunni centers such as Egypt without corresponding openness or institutional reciprocity in Shi'i centers like Najaf .
Content and Main Themes
Al-Khatib details several doctrinal points that he argues constitute an unbridgeable gulf between Sunnism and Twelver Shi'ism:
- Taqiyya (Dissimulation): The author identifies the doctrine of taqiyya as a primary obstacle to sincere mutual understanding, arguing that it permits Shi'is to conceal their true convictions during ecumenical discussions .
- The Quran: He argues that Twelver tradition contains claims of textual alteration and omission (tahrif) regarding the Quranic text . To demonstrate this, he cites the 19th-century Najafi scholar Husayn al-Nuri al-Tabarsi's work Fasl al-Khitab fi Ithbat Tahrif Kitab Rabb al-Arbab, as well as the text of the alleged omitted chapter "Surat al-Walaya," noted in works such as Dabistan-i Madhahib by Muhsin Fani al-Kashmiri .
- The Companions (Sahabah): He highlights the Twelver theological stance toward the Prophet's companions, asserting that Shi'i sources judge the vast majority of the Sahabah to have apostatized after the Prophet's death, and condemn prominent figures like Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab .
- The Imams and Core Dogmas: The work addresses the elevation of the Imams above the Prophets, the doctrine of infallibility ('isma), claims of exclusive esoteric knowledge and knowledge of the unseen (ghayb), the doctrine of raj'a (the bodily return of figures before the Day of Judgment for retribution), the denial of the beatific vision of God in the hereafter (ru'yat Allah), and making devotion to the Twelve Imams (walaya) an indispensable pillar of faith .
Method and Sources
Al-Khatib constructs his critique by quoting directly from standard Twelver Shi'i classical and modern texts, providing specific page numbers, volumes, and print details to support his citations . The printed editions of the treatise frequently feature an introductory note by the Hijazi merchant and scholar Muhammad Nasif, who praised its documented source-based approach .
Reception and Refutations
The treatise has been widely printed and circulated among Sunni audiences, including a fifth edition published by al-Matba'a al-Salafiyya in Cairo (1388 AH) and editions by the Islamic University of Madinah (1400 AH) and Dar Tayba in Riyadh . The hadith scholar Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani recorded audio commentaries on sections of the treatise .
From the Shi'i side, the Iranian jurist Lutfallah al-Safi al-Gulpaygani published a direct refutation titled Ma'a al-Khatib fi Khututihi al-Arida (With al-Khatib in His Broad Outlines), published in Tehran . Al-Safi's rebuttal prompted further polemical engagement from Sunni writers, most notably the Pakistani scholar Ihsan Ilahi Zahir, who defended al-Khatib's citations in his own books al-Shia wa-l-Sunna and al-Shia wa-l-Qur'an .
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