In lying to their readers, the Shī`a Imāmiyya occasionally even forget that there are people in this world who do possess intellect and reason.

They write in the 2^nd edition of their article ‘Shi'a method of prayers; Salat’:

Now the question that should be raised in every sane individual’s mind after reading the abovementioned translation of narration by the Answering-Ansar team is:

Which horse in this world can possibly fold its tail?

It is clear that everyone would realize after reading the above that something deceitful is at work here.

The Correct Translation of the Narration

The fact of the matter is that the Answering-Ansar team has, again, mistranslated a narration found in religious texts to support their motives.

The quoted narration mentions that the Prophet (saws) said:

ما لي أراكم رافعي أيديكم

mā liya arākum rāfi`ī aydiyakum

The key word here is “rāfi`ī.”

The Arabic words “mā liya arākum” mean “how is it that I see you,” and “aydiyakum” means “your hands.” As for “rāfi`ī,” it is a possessive noun derived [mushtaqq] from “raf`,” in the plural and masculine case, that is attributed towards its object “aydiyakum.”—which is to say, in simpler terms, more than two individuals who performed raf`, a very commonly used word that means to lift, raise or elevate.

It’s in the Hans Wehr Dictionary:

“raf‘ lifting, hoisting (also, of a flag); elevation, raise, raising, stepping up (of prices, temperatures, etc.); setting up; erection; abolition; lift (e.g., of a ban); remedy, elimination, removal; remission (of a text); submission, filing (e.g., of a report); pronunciation of the final consonant with u (gram.) | رفع الاثقال weight lifting (athlet.).”

·         A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, of Hans Wehr, page 350 [Beirut]

So, the translation of the abovementioned Arabic phrase should be:

“Why is that I see you lifting your hands”

However, the Answering-Ansar team has dishonestly translated “lifting” [rāfi`ī] in the narration as “folding” in their article.

The correct translation of the narration should be:

عن جابر بن سمرة قال خرج علينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ذات يوم فقال مالي أراكم رافعي أيديكم كأنها أذناب خيل شمس اسكنوا في الصلاة

“Jābir ibn Samura narrated: ‘The Messenger of Allāh (saws) came to us one day and said: ‘How is it that I see you lifting your hands like the tails of headstrong horses? Be calm in prayer.’’”

·         Musnad Aĥmad, of Aĥmad ibn Ĥanbal (d. 241), volume 5, page 101 [Beirut]

This translation is free of deception and it also coincides with the Arabic language because raf` can never mean “folding,” and common sense because neither do horses fold their tails, they rather lift them in certain conditions, and nor does keeping arms folded while standing for prayers anyhow negate calmness.

Examples of ‘Raf`’ in Shī`ī Texts

Lest the ardent Shī`ī admirers of Answering-Ansar still insist that raf` means folding and not lifting, then they, along with the Answering-Ansar team, should be asked of how they translate the following narrations found in their own texts, in which the Prophet (saws) said after observing someone’s prayers:

ما لي أرى قوما يرفعون أيديهم فوق رؤوسهم كأنها آذان خيل شمس

“How is it that I see a group of people lifting [yarfa`ūn] their hands above their heads like the ears of headstrong horses?”

·         Mustadrak al-Wasā’il wa Mastanbaţ al-Masā’il, of al-Nūrī al-Ţabarsī (d. 1320), volume 4, page 145 [Beirut]

·         Kashf al-Lithām `an Qawā`id al-Aĥkām, Bahā al-Dīn al-Fāđil al-Hindī (d. 1137), volume 3, page 426-427 [Qum] – Narration declared fairly authentic [ĥasan] by the author.

The most revered Ithnā’ `Asharī scholar of his time, Muĥammad Bāqir al-Majlisī (d. 1110), states after mentioning this narration in Biĥār al-Anwār:

روى المخالفون هذه الرواية في كتبهم فبعضهم روى آذان خيل وبعضهم أذناب خيل

“This tradition has been narrated by the opponents [i.e. Sunnīs] in their books. Some of them narrated it as ‘ears of horses’ [ādhān khayl] and others as ‘tails of horses’ [adhnāb khayl].”

·         Biĥār al-Anwār al-Jāmi`a li Durar Akhbār al-A’immat al-Aţhār, of Muĥammad Bāqir al-Majlisī (d. 1110), volume 81, page 373 [Beirut]

In another narration, it is related that the Allāh (swt) said:

ما لي أراكم رافعي رؤوسكم إلي

“How is it that I see you lifting [rāfi`ī] your heads towards me?”

·         Jāmi` Aĥādīth al-Shī`a, of al-Sayyid Ĥusayn al-Burūjardī (d. 1380), volume 3, page 508 [Qum]

Perhaps they will state that this narration should be translated as “folding their hands above their heads like the ears of headstrong horses” and “folding your heads towards me”?

وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعًا وَأَبْصَارًا وَأَفْئِدَةً فَمَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَلَا أَبْصَارُهُمْ وَلَا أَفْئِدَتُهُم مِّن شَيْءٍ إِذْ كَانُوا يَجْحَدُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِؤُون

“We had given to them ears and eyes and hearts, but neither their ears benefited them in the least, nor their eyes, nor their hearts, as they used to reject Allāh’s signs; and they were encircled by what they used to ridicule.” [46:26]

Misquoting al-Shawkānī

Finally, readers should also know that the quote of al-Shawkānī (d. 1255) from Nayl al-Awţār that is mentioned by the Answering-Ansar team to support their lie is also deceptive.

The Answering-Ansar team states that al-Shawkānī merely said:

But when one will check Nayl al-Awţār, he will find that al-Shawkānī said:

واحتج القائلون بالإرسال بحديث جابر بن سمرة المتقدم بلفظ ما لي أراكم رافعي أيديكم وقد عرفناك أن حديث جابر وارد على سبب خاص فإن قلت العبرة لعموم اللفظ لا بخصوص السبب ، قلنا إن صدق على الوضع مسمى الرفع فلا أقل من صلاحية أحاديث الباب لتخصيص ذلك العموم وإن لم يصدق عليه مسمى الرفع لم يصح الاحتجاج على مشروعيته بحديث جابر المذكور

“The proponents of dangling hands [irsāl] argued on its basis with the preceded narration of Jābir ibn Samura with the wording: ‘Why is that I see you lifting your hands...’ But we have already shown you that the narration of Jābir comes concerning a specific reason. If, however, you say that attention is paid to the generality of the meaning and not to the specificity of the reason, then we will say that even if ‘placing’ [wađ`] can be called ‘lifting’ [raf`], it will not decrease the capability of the narrations on this issue for specifying that generality; and if ‘placing’ [wađ`] cannot be called ‘lifting’ [raf`], it will not be correct to argue in favor of the legitimacy of dangling hands with the aforementioned narration of Jābir.”

·         Nayl al-Awţār min Aĥādīth Sayyid al-Akhyār, of Muĥammad ibn `Alī al-Shawkānī (d. 1255), volume 2, page 201 [Beirut]

So what al-Shawkānī has stated is that this narration is not only regarding a specific cause of raising hands, it could never mean “folding” even if it is taken to be of general context.

According to what the Answering-Ansar team quoted from Nayl al-Awţār, one is lead into believing that this was recorded by al-Shawkānī as a valid argument from the supporters of unfolded hands. But when the actual words of al-Shawkānī are read, it is seen that he only mentions it to show its invalidity. What is it called when a quoted text represents something, and when that text is checked it represents something else, except misquotation?

Conclusion

It should be obvious to all unbiased readers from the above that the Answering-Ansar team has mistranslated and misquoted Sunnī texts to serve their personal objectives again.

Had they quoted the narration with its context and correct translation of “lifting” [rāfi`ī], it would have been impossible for them to prove their point. And when al-Shawkānī quoted this argument from some unknown proponents of this belief—who can possibly be Shī`a as al-Shawkānī does quote their opinions in Nawl al-Awţār—to show its invalidity, they misquoted him by only mentioning the part he refuted as what “Imam Showkani records in Nail al-Awtar.”

Do the writers at Answering-Ansar not fear Allāh (swt), or even the learned people who may expose their lies after reading their deceptive material intended to deceive unaware Muslims? Then again, maybe they don’t.

It is only Allah (swt) who gives success, and blessings and peace be on the Seal of the Prophets, his Pure Progeny and his Noble Companions

♦        ♦        ♦

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Works Cited

Shī`ī texts:

1.       Mustadrak al-Wasā’il wa Mastanbaţ al-Masā’il

al-Nūrī al-Ţabarsī (d. 1320)

Muassasat Al al-Bayt li Ihya al-Turath

Beirut, Lebanon

2.       Kashf al-Lithām `an Qawā`id al-Aĥkām

Bahā al-Dīn al-Fāđil al-Hindī (d. 1137)

Muassasat al-Nashr al-Islami

Qum, Iran

3.       Biĥār al-Anwār al-Jāmi`a li Durar Akhbār al-A’immat al-Aţhār

Muĥammad Bāqir al-Majlisī (d. 1110)

Muassasat al-Wafa

Beirut, Lebanon

4.       Jāmi` Aĥādīth al-Shī`a

al-Sayyid Ĥusayn al-Burūjardī (d. 1380)

al-Matba`at al-`Ilmiyya

Qum, Iran

Sunnī texts:

5.       Musnad Aĥmad

Aĥmad ibn Ĥanbal (d. 241)

Dar Sadir

Beirut, Lebanon

6.       Nayl al-Awţār min Aĥādīth Sayyid al-Akhyār

Muĥammad ibn `Alī al-Shawkānī (d. 1255)

Dar al-Jil

Beirut, Lebanon

Other:

7.       A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic

Hans Wehr

Librairie Du Liban

Beirut, Lebanon