What does shite mean?

Answer 1

The word "Shi'a"means "followers; members of party". As such, the term "Shi'a"alone has no negative or positive meaning unless we specify the leader of the party. If one is a Shi'a (follower) of the most righteous servants, then there is nothing wrong with being Shi'a, specially if the leader of such party has been assigned by Allah.

On the other hand, if one becomes the Shi'a a tyrant or a wrong-doer, he shall meet with the fate of his leader. In fact, Qur'an indicates that on the day of Judgment people will come in groups, and each group has its leader in front of it. Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty, said:

One day We shall call every group of people by their respective Imams. (Qur'an 17:71)

In the day of judgment, the destiny of the "followers"of each group highly depends on the destiny of his Imam (provided that they really followed that Imam). Allah mentioned in Qur'an that there are two types of Imams. Some Imams are those who invite people to Hell fire. They are tyrannical leaders of each era (like Pharaoh, etc.):

And We made them (but) Imams inviting to the Fire; and on the Day of Judgment no help shall they find. In this world We continued to curse them; and on the Day of Judgment they will be among the hateful. (Qur'an 28:41-42).

Certainly, being the members of the parties of such Satanic Imams has been severely denounced in Qur'an, and the followers of such parties will meet the fate of their leaders. However, Qur'an also reminds that there are Imams who are appointed by Allah as Guides for the mankind:

"And We assigned from among them some Imams who GUIDE by Our authority since they were patient and believed firmly in Our Signs."(Qur'an 32:24)

Certainly, the true followers (Shi'a) of these Imams will be the real prosperous on the day of resurrection. Thus being a Shi'a does not mean anything, unless we know the Shi'a of whom. Allah mentioned in Qur'an that Some of His righteous servants were Shi'a of His other righteous servants. An example was Prophet Abraham who was mentioned in Qur'an specifically as the Shi'a of Noah:

"And most surely Abraham was among theShi'a of him (i.e., Noah)"(Qur'an 37:83)

وَإِنَّ مِن شِيعَتِهِ لَإِبْرَاهِيمَ ﴿الصافات: ٨٣﴾

(Notice that the word "Shi'a"is explicitly used, letter by letter, in the above verse as well as the following verse.) In another verse, Qur'an talks about the Shi'a of Moses versus the enemies of Moses:

"And he (Moses) went into the city at a time when people (of the city) were not watching, so he found therein two men fighting, one being of his Shi'a and the other beinghis enemy, and the one who was of his Shi'a cried out to him for help against the one who was ofhis enemy"(Qur'an 28:15)

فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ هَـٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِ وَهَـٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ ۖفَاسْتَغَاثَهُ الَّذِي مِن شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ...

In the above verse of Qur'an, one is named the Shi'a of Moses (as) and the other one is named the enemy of Moses, and the people at that time were either the Shi'a or the enemy of Moses (as). Thus Shi'a is an official word used by Allah in His Qur'an for His high rank prophets as well as their followers. Do you want to say Prophet Abraham was sectarian? How about Prophet Noah and Prophet Moses?

If somebody calls himself a Shi'a, it is not due to any sectarianism, nor any innovation. It is because Qur'an has used the phrase for some of His best servants. The above verses that I mentioned in support of Shi'a, has used this term singular form (i.e., one group of followers).

This means that it has special meaning, such as: The Shi'a of Noah (as), The Shi'a of Moses (as). Also in the History of Islam, Shi'a has been specially used for the "followers of 'Ali". The first individual who used this term was the Messenger of Allah himself:

The Messenger of Allah said to 'Ali: "Glad tiding O 'Ali! Verily you and your companions and your Shi'a (followers) will be in Paradise."

يا علي أبشر فإنك و أصحابك و شيعتك في الجنَّة

Sunni references:

1. Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p655

2. Hilyatul Awliyaa, by Abu Nu'aym, v4, p329

3. Tarikh, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, v12, p289

4. al-Awsat, by al-Tabarani

5. Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v10, pp 21-22

6. al-Darqunti, who said this tradition has been transmitted via numerous authorities.

7. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami , Ch. 11, section 1, p247

Thus the Messenger of Allah (S) used to say the phrase of "Shi'a of 'Ali". This phrase is not something invented later! Prophet Muhammad (S) said that the TRUE followers of imam 'Ali will go to Paradise, and this is a great felicity. Also Jabir Ibn Abdillah al-Ansari narrated that:

The Messenger of Allah (S) said: "The Shi'a of 'Ali are the real victorious in the day of resurrection/rising"

شيعة علي هم الفائزون يوم القيامة

Sunni references:

• al-Manaqib Ahmad, as mentioned in:

• Yanabi al-Mawaddah, by al-Qundoozi al-Hanafi, p62

• Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthoor, by al-Hafidh Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, who quotes the tradition as follows: "We were with the Holy Prophet when 'Ali came towards us. The Holy Prophet said: He and his Shi'a will aquire salvation on the day of judgment."

The "day of rising"may also refer to the day of rising of al-Mahdi (as). But in more general term, it means the day of judgment. Also it is narrated that:

The Messenger of Allah said: "O 'Ali! On the Day of Judgment I shall resort to Allah and you will resort to me and your children will resort to you and the Shi'a will resort to them. Then you will see where they carry us. (i.e. to Paradise)"

Sunni reference: Rabi al-Abrar, by al-Zamakhshari