Reply: Recognition of truth from falsehood is not determined by the fewness or plentitude of followers. Today the Muslims compared to the non-Muslims in the world constitute one-fifth or one-sixth. Idol-worshippers, cow-worshippers and all those who do not believe in the supernatural constitute the bulk of people in the Near East.
With a population of more than one billion, China is part of the atheistic camp of communism, and in India, which has a population of about one-billion the cow-worshippers and idol-worshippers are in the majority.
Majority is not the criterion of soundness. The Glorious Qurâan often disapproves majorities and praises some minorities. Here are some examples:
ï´¾ Ø´ÙØ§ÙÙØ±ÙÙÙ٠أÙÙÙ’Ø«ÙØ±ÙÙÙمْ ØªÙØ¬Ùد٠ÙÙÙØ§ ï´¿
âAnd You will not find most of them to be grateful.â[70]
ï´¾ ÙÙØ¹Ù’ÙÙÙ…ÙÙÙÙ ÙØ§ Ø£ÙÙÙ’Ø«ÙØ±ÙÙÙمْ ÙÙÙÙÙÙÙÙ’ اÙÙ’Ù…ÙØªÙÙ’ÙÙÙÙ٠اÙÙØ§Ù’ Ø£ÙÙÙ’ÙÙÙÙØ§Ø¤ÙÙ٠إÙÙÙ’ ï´¿
âIts custodians are only the God-wary, but most of them do not know.â[71]
ï´¾ Ø§ÙØ´ÙÙ’ÙÙÙØ±Ù Ø¹ÙØ¨Ø§Ø¯ÙÙÙ Ù…ÙÙ’ÙÙ’ ÙÙÙÙÙÙÙÙÙ ï´¿
âAnd few of My servants are grateful.â[72]
Therefore, a realistic person should by no means fear for the fewness of the followers of his creed nor take pride in their plentitude. One would rather light the lamp of oneâs reason and take benefit from its light and radiance.
Once a man asked the Commander of the Faithful âAli (âa): âHow could it be that your opponents in the Battle of Jamal, who are relatively in majority, be false?
The Imam (âa) said:
Ø§ÙØÙÙ’ Ø¥Ø¹Ø±Ù Ø§ÙØ±Ø¬Ø§ÙØ Ø¨Ø£ÙØ¯Ø§Ø± ÙØ§ÙØ¹Ø±ÙØ§Ù Ø§ÙØ¨Ø§Ø·Ù Ù Ø§ÙØÙÙ’ Ø¥ÙÙ’â
â.Ø£ÙÙÙ ØªØ¹Ø±Ù Ø§ÙØ¨Ø§Ø·Ù إعر٠أÙÙ٠تعرÙ
âTruth and falsehood are not recognized through the number of men. If you know the truth you can know its followers and if you know falsehood you can know its followers.â
It is necessary for every Muslim to analyze this question in a scientific and logical manner, and take the following verse as a lamp to illuminate his or her path:
ï´¾ عÙÙْم٠بÙÙÙ ÙÙÙÙ ÙÙÙØ³Ù ما تÙÙÙ’ÙÙ ÙÙÙØ§ ï´¿
âDo not follow that of which you have no knowledge.â[73]
In addition, although the Shiâah cannot match the Ahl as-Sunnah in number, if a precise counting is made, we will see that the Shiâah constitute one-fourth of the Muslim population in the world, living in the Muslim-populated parts of the world.[74] There have been famous writers, scholars and authors of literary works and treatises from among the Shiâah throughout history. It is worth noticing that the founders of Islamic sciences have been mostly Shiâah, among whom are:
- · Abuâl-Aswad Daâili, the founder of Arabic syntax {âilm an-nahu};
- · Khalil ibn Ahmad, the founder of Arabic prosody {âilm al-âarud};
- · Muâadh ibn Muslim ibn Abi Sarah al-Kufi, the founder of the Arabic etymology {âilm as–sarf}; and
- · Abu âAbd Allah Muhammad ibn âUmran Katib Khorasani (Marzbani), one of the forerunners of Arabic eloquence {âilm al-balaghah}.[75]
For more information about the number of the works written by Shiâah âulamaâ and scholars which are too many to count, one may see the valuable book, Adh-Dhariâah ila Tasanif ash-Shiâah, and for familiarity with great Shiâah figures, one may read Aâyan ash-Shiâah, and Tarikh ash-Shiâah for familiarity with the history of the Shiâah.
— taken from the book “The Shi’ah Rebuts” by Sayyid Rida’ Husayni Nasab. Written under the supervision of Ayatullah Ja’far Subhani
Notes:
[70] Surah al-Aâraf 7:17.
[71] Surah al-Anfal 8:34.
[72] Surah Sabaâ 34:13.
[73] Surah al-Israâ (or Bani Israâil) 17:36.
[74] For a detailed explanation, see Aâyan ash-Shiâah, vol. 1, bab 12, p. 194.
[75] In this regard, one may refer to Taâsis ash-Shiâah by Sayyid Hasan as-Sadr.
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