The Faith of the Imamiyyah Shi'ah

Preface to the Second Edition

It is now ten years since this small book was first published. Throughout these years, I could not find any reason that might prompt me to change my conviction that this book has come to meet the public need for demonstrating and corroborating the doctrines of the Imamiyyah Shi`ah. Furthermore, I have hit upon matters that encouraged me to republish it, hoping that it had hit its target and fulfilled the purpose of its publishing, which was an attempt to remove the overcast that has come between the two major Muslim sects, the Sunnah and the Shi`ah, for ages. It was also an attempt to remove the dust from the scraps of ancient times that concealed the true Islamic doctrines.

I am certain that the idea of approximating the Muslim sects has become an urgent need and a sublime objective for every Muslim individual who eagerly intends good for his religion no matter what his sectarian inclination is and what opinion he carries about the doctrinal leftovers. Of course, in the domain of approximating the Muslim sects, there is nothing better than that the adopters of each belief undertake the mission of clarifying their doctrines and revealing their treasures and facts.

In my conception, this is the soundest way to give the most accurate idea about each sect and the nearest to understanding the most accurate aspects of the notion that each sect carries.

Responding to the desire of my most beloved brother, Sayyid Murtadha al-Kashmiri, the virtuous who had devoted his life to working for the sake of Almighty Allah, I have reviewed this thesis and inserted some corrections and additions as much as my time, that is overcrowded with problems, has permitted me to do. I have also proofread the first edition in order to mark and correct the clerical and non-clerical slips so that I could provide them to the press, hoping that Almighty Allah would guide me to achieve the pursued objective and arriveon the path of righteousness and truth. Verily, Almighty Allah is the best Besought of all.

The Author Shawwal 21, 1380 AH