موقف الإمام عامر بن شراحيل الشعبي من الشيعة: دراسة استقرائية تحليلية

The Stance of Imām ʿĀmir ibn Sharāḥīl al-Shaʿbī on the Shīʿah: An Analytical and Inductive Study

Abstract

This research paper explores the stance of the eminent Tābiʿī scholar, Imām ʿĀmir ibn Sharāḥīl al-Shaʿbī (20–104 AH), on the Shīʿah sect, based on authentic narrations reported from him in classical Islamic sources. Al-Shaʿbī was a prominent jurist and scholar of the early Islamic period who lived during a time when major theological and political sects began to emerge. Residing in Kūfah, a stronghold of early Shīʿism, al-Shaʿbī had firsthand experience and deep insight into their beliefs and methods. According to some narrations, he initially had some association with them, which granted him rare internal knowledge of their ideology and intentions. This study employs a descriptive and inductive methodology, collecting and categorizing all narrations attributed to Imām al-Shaʿbī concerning the Shīʿah, with referenced sources and brief scholarly commentary. The findings demonstrate that al-Shaʿbī strongly opposed the Shīʿah, identifying their roots in Zandaqah (heresy) and viewing their entry into Islam as a strategic effort to dismantle the religion from within. His insights reveal a striking resemblance between the practices and beliefs of the Shīʿah and those of the Jews, indicating a possible ideological influence. The study concludes with a recommendation for contemporary scholars to return to the foundational texts of the Qur’ān, Sunnah, and the statements of the Salaf when examining emerging sectarian movements. It emphasizes that early scholars like Imām al-Shaʿbī had already laid the groundwork for understanding the theological deviations of such groups.