Do Sunni Muslims Honour the Twelve Imams?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
Do Sunni Muslims Honour the Twelve Imams?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah guide us to that which pleases Him, forgive us for our shortcomings, and alleviate our difficulties, Amin.
Those referred to as the Twelve Imams in Shi‘a Islam are members of the Ahl Al-Bayt (The Family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and give him peace). While Sunni Muslims do not ascribe the same attributes to them as Shi‘a Muslims, Sunni Muslims indeed honour all of the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) family, and Allah knows best.
To demonstrate the above, Muhammad Ibn Husayn Al-Ajurri has mentioned in his book al-Shari‘a:
It is incumbent upon every believer, male and female, to love the family of Rasulullah (Allah bless him and give him peace), the Banu Hashim and those that fall under its legion; ‘Ali, his children and progeny. Fatima, her children and progeny. Hasan and Husayn, their children and progeny. Ja‘far Al-Tayyar, his children and progeny. Hamzah and his children. ‘Abbas, his children and progeny (Allah be pleased with all of them). These are the Ahl al-Bayt of Rasulullah (Allah bless him and give him peace). It is compulsory for every Muslim to love, revere, behave amicably toward them, be patient, and pray for them. Whomsoever is good towards them, and their progeny has imbued in himself the character of the noble, pious predecessors. Whoever is found to possess other than good qualities, we will pray for their rectification and protection.
For further reading:
Eminent Personalities of the Ahlul Bayt
I pray this is of benefit.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar, Shaykh Taha Karaan.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and pursuing his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.
