In the name of God, the most Gracious, the most Merciful

To Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Bashir Najafi

Many Muslims and non -Muslims ask us about the relations among Islamic denominations. Please reply to these two questions:

1. Is someone following one of the Islamic denominations (Hanafi, Shafe’i, Maleki, Hanbali, Ja’fari, Zeidi, Abazi) considered as a Muslim?

2. What marks the boundary of accusation of heresy? Is it permissible for a Muslim to accuse a follower of another famous denomination, or the denominations of Ash’arieh or Mo’tazeleh of heresy? Is accusing the followers of Suffiyeh of being heretics allowable?

In His Glorious Name

Anyone who has professed his faith in the oneness of God, the prophet hood of Muhammad Ibn-e- abd Allah (PBUH) , the seal of his prophethood ,and the judgment day ,and has made no denial of these issues, and proved his Islam is considered a Muslim. His life, honor and property is respectable and all the religious precepts apply to him .all the Muslims have a religious duty to defend his life, honor and property, and God knows the best

2.It is not allowable to accuse of heresy anyone who has professed his faith in the oneness of God, the prophet hood of Muhammad Ibn-e- abd Allah (PBUH) , the seal of his prophethood ,and the judgment day ,and has made no denial of these issues and, proved his Islam. There are some narrations from the Holy Prophet regarding the prohibition of this action. Anyone stirring up religious seditions or accusing of heresy someone who has professed the above mentioned beliefs is ignorant, or he pretends ignorance, or he is an enemy of Islam who tries to influence the Muslims for serving the interests of the unbelieving arrogant powers and causing division and disunity.

God knows.

Bashir Al-Najafi