Does Shee`ah Islaam Condone Racism?

Here is an article by brother Abu Abdullaah (from Shiachat):

This article is in response to an article made against some Shee’ah narrations. I will try to clear any misconceptions about these narrations through other narrations in our books, inshaa` Allaah. The word “Zanj” was translated by certain Sunnee people as “Negro”, but inshaa` Allaah I will show that this word can only be translated as “Zanj” and understood in its proper context.

There is a whole section in Wasaa’il al Shee’ah concerning this:

 بَابُ كَرَاهَةِ مُنَاكَحَةِ الزِّنْجِ وَ الْخَزَرِ وَ الْخُوزِ وَ السِّنْدِ وَ الْهِنْدِ وَ الْقَنْدِ وَ النَّبَطِ

“Chapter on the dislike of marrying the Zanj, and the Khazar, and the Khooz, and the Sind, and the Hind, and the Qand, and the NabaT”

Source: Wasaa’il al Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 20, pg. 82, ch. 31

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِيَّاكُمْ وَ نِكَاحَ الزِّنْجِ فَإِنَّهُ خَلْقٌ مُشَوَّهٌ

“Beware of marrying the Zanj, for verily, it is a deformed creation.”

Source: Al-Kaafee by Shaykh Kulaynee, vol. 5, pg. 352, h. 1;

Wasaa’il Al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 20, pg. 82, h. 25088

Grading: SaHeeH by Al-Majlisee in Miraat al-‘Uqool, vol. 20, pg. 55

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِيَّاكُمْ وَ نِكَاحَ الزِّنْجِ فَإِنَّهُ خَلْقٌ مُشَوَّهٌ

”Beware of marrying the Zanj, for verily, it is a deformed creation.”

Source: Al-Tahdheeb by Shaykh Al-Toosee, vol. 7, pg. 405, h. 29

Grading: SaHeeH

This hadeeth is SaHeeH because Haaroon bin Muslim is getting from the books of Mas’adah bin Ziyaad and Mas’adah bin Sadaqah, as stated by Sayyid al-Khu’ee in his Mu’jam al-Rijaal. Both are thiqah. So we have to go either with the benefit of the doubt and say it was from both of their books, or there was an error in writing the name. We believe it was an error in transcription. This is because Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee puts this narration in his book under the same isnaad with Mas’adah bin Ziyaad. He says, “And the narration of Shaykh (Toosee) by his isnaad from Muhammad bin Ya’qoob (Kulaynee) likewise,” after mentioning the narration in Al-Kaafee, which is narrated by Mas’adah bin Ziyaad.


Taken from my personal copy of Wasaa’il Al-Shee’ah, vol. 12, pg. 54 - 55:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْهَاشِمِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ يُوسُفَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ دَاوُدَ الْحَدَّادِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ لَا تُنَاكِحُوا الزِّنْجَ وَ الْخَزَرَ فَإِنَّ لَهُمْ أَرْحَاماً تَدُلُّ عَلَى غَيْرِ الْوَفَاءِ قَالَ وَ الْهِنْدُ وَ السِّنْدُ وَ الْقَنْدُ لَيْسَ فِيهِمْ نَجِيبٌ يَعْنِي الْقُنْدُهَارَ 

“Do not marry the Zanj and the Khazar. Verily, for their wombs show upon other than obedience. He (عليه السلام) said: “And the Hind, and the Sind, and the Qand are not in them highbred meaning Kandahar.” 

Source: Al-Kaafee by Shaykh Kulaynee, vol. 5, pg. 352, h. 3

Wasaa’il Al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 20, pg. 82, h. 25089

Grading: Da’eef

This hadeeth is highly da’eef due to Sahl bin Ziyaad, Moosa bin Ja’far, Muhammad bin ‘Abd Allaah al-Haashimee, and ‘Alee bin Daawood al-Haddaad. Sahl is weak and the other three are majhool. Since the second hadeeth is da’eef, we will focus on the SaHeeH narration, but use some of the terms in the second hadeeth as a help with the first hadeeth.

Breakdown of the word for “Zanj”:

Taken from my personal copy of William Lane’s Lexicon Dictionary, vol. 3, pg. 1256:

According to the Arabic-Lexicon Dictionary by William Lane, vol.3, pg. 1256:

“Zanj” refers to “a certain nation of blacks. The inhabitants of the country called by us “Zanguebar,” including the “Zingis” of Ptolemy, near the entrance of the Red Sea, and a large portion of inner Africa. Their country is beneath, and to the south of, the equinoctial line; and beyond them is [said to be] no habitation, or cultivation: [sometimes applied to negroes absolutely; for] some say that their country extends from the western parts of Africa nearly to Abyssinia, [comprehending the whole of Nigeria properly so called, or at least the whole of the countries of the Negroes know to the Arabs of the classical ages] and that part of it is on the Nile of Egypt.”

Now, when we dissect this “Zanj” definition we can either take it as all of Negros or as a specific group of people. Let us see how Imaam Zayn al-‘Aabideen (عليه السلام) uses it in SaHeefah al-Sajjaadiyyah, du’aa` #27:

اللَّهُمَّ وَ اعْمُمْ بِذَلِكَ أَعْدَاءَكَ فِي أَقْطَارِ الْبِلَادِ مِنَ الْهِنْدِ وَ الرُّومِ وَ التُّرْكِ وَ الْخَزَرِ وَ الْحَبَشِ وَ النُّوبَةِ وَ الزَّنْجِ وَ السَّقَالِبَةِ وَ الدَّيَالِمَةِ وَ سَائِرِ أُمَمِ الشِّرْكِ، الَّذِينَ تَخْفَى أَسْمَاؤُهُمْ وَ صِفَاتُهُمْ، وَ قَدْ أَحْصَيْتَهُمْ بِمَعْرِفَتِكَ، وَ أَشْرَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِقُدْرَتِكَ.

Translation: ”O Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى), include in this Thy enemies in the regions of the lands, the Indians, the Byzantines, the Turks, the Khazars, the Abyssinians, the Nubians, the Zanjis, the Slavs, the Daylamites, and the rest of the idol-worshipping nations, those whose names and attributes are concealed, but whom Thou countest in Thy cognizance and overseest through Thy power!”

As we see, that the Imaam (عليه السلام) doesn’t say EVERY Khazar and the Zanj. The Imaam (عليه السلام) says the enemies in the regions of the lands that are idol worshipping nations. It is not just the Zanj and Khazar, but many others, that the A’immah (عليه السلام) are focusing on. Nowadays, there are many Muslims in India, so we see that it would not make sense to say all of India. It would focus on the idol worshippers of India. Also, Imaam Muhammad bin ‘Alee Al-Jawaad’s (عليه السلام) mother was a slave-wife called Sabeekah, she was a Nubian. Shaykh Al-Toosee speaks about marrying the Nubian.

يكره نكاح جميع السّودان من الزّنج و غيرهم إلّا النّوبة خاصّة. و يكره التّزويج بالأكراد. و يكره تزويج المجنونة. و لا بأس بوطئها بملك اليمين، غير أنّه لا يطلب ولدها

It is disliked to marry the Sudanese from the Zanj and other than them except specifically, the Nubians. And it is disliked to marry the Kurds. And it is disliked to marry the crazy. And it is no problem to have sexual intercourse with whom your right hands possess. Still don’t demand a child from it.

Source: Nihaayah by Shaykh Al-Toosee, pg. 464

انكحوا الأكفاء و انكحوا منهم و اختاروا لنطفكم و إياكم و نكاح الزنج فإنه خلق مشوه

”Marry qualified (people) and marry from them and choose for your sperm and beware of marrying the Zanj, for verily, it is a deformed creation.”

Source: al-Ja’fariyaat, pg. 90

This hadeeth is also narrated in Sunnee books, but we will say that it is outright MawDoo’ according to their standards. Very similar hadeeth to the hadeeth we have above:

This is taken from my personal copy of Silsilah Ahaadeeth Al-Da’eefah wa Al-MawDoo’ah:

تخيروا لنطفكم، و انكحوا في الاكفاء ، و إياكم و الزنج فإنه خلق مشوه

“Choose for your sperm, and marry from qualified (people), and beware of marrying the zanj, for verily, it is a deformed creation.”

Source: Silsilah Ahaadeeth Al-Da’eefah wa Al-MawDoo’ah by Shaykh Albaanee, vol. 2, pg. 159, h. 730

Graded: MawDoo’ (Fabricated)

There is also another narration which is very Da’eef that speaks about Soorah Maa`idah (5): Verse 14 and references these groups of people:

َ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لَا تَشْتَرِ مِنَ السُّودَانِ أَحَداً فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ فَمِنَ النُّوبَةِ فَإِنَّهُمْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ قالُوا إِنَّا نَصارى‏ أَخَذْنا مِيثاقَهُمْ فَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ (المائدة : 14 ) أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ سَيَذْكُرُونَ ذَلِكَ الْحَظَّ وَ سَيَخْرُجُ مَعَ الْقَائِمِ ع مِنَّا عِصَابَةٌ مِنْهُمْ وَ لَا تَنْكِحُوا مِنَ الْأَكْرَادِ أَحَداً فَإِنَّهُمْ جِنْسٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ كُشِفَ عَنْهُمُ الْغِطَاءُ

Aboo ‘Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) said to me: “Do not buy one from Soodaan. Then if it was no escape then from Al-Nawbah. Then, verily they are from the people Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) said: “And with those who say, We are Christians, We made a covenant, but they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of…” (5:14). But verily they will remember that chance and exit with the Qaa’im (عليه السلام) from us a gang from them and do not marry one from the Kurds. Then verily they are a category from the jinn discover about them the covering.”

Source: Al-Kaafee by Shaykh Kulaynee, vol. 5, pg. 352, h. 2; 

             Wasaa’il Al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 20, pg. 83, h. 25093;

             Tafseer Noor al-Thaqalayn by Al-Haweezee, vol. 1, pg. 601  

Now what does Shee’ah Islaam say about Racism?

‘ASabiyyah (Racism, Prejudice) in Islaam is 100% Haraam and is punishable by Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى):

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ مَنْ تَعَصَّبَ أَوْ تُعُصِّبَ لَهُ فَقَدْ خَلَعَ رِبْقَةَ الْإِيمَانِ مِنْ عُنُقِهِ

“Whoever does prejudice or has prejudice done for him, then certainly, he removed a noose of belief from his neck.”

Source: Al-Kaafee by Shaykh Kulaynee, vol. 2, pg. 307, Chapter on “Prejudice”, h. 1

Grading: SaHeeH

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ وَ دُرُسْتَ بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَنْ تَعَصَّبَ أَوْ تُعُصِّبَ لَهُ فَقَدْ خَلَعَ رِبْقَ الْإِيمَانِ مِنْ عُنُقِهِ

“Whoever does prejudice or has prejudice done for him, then certainly, he removed a noose of belief from his neck.”

Source: Al-Kaafee by Shaykh Kulaynee, vol. 2, pg. 308, Chapter on “Prejudice”, h. 2

Grading: SaHeeH

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ حَبَّةٌ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ عَصَبِيَّةٍ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَعَ أَعْرَابِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ

“Whoever has in his heart a mustard seed of prejudice, Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) will raise him on the day of judgement with the Arabs of Jaahiliyyah (before the advent of Islaam).”

Source: Al-Kaafee by Shaykh Kulaynee, vol. 2, pg. 308, Chapter on “Prejudice”, h. 3

Grading: Muwaththaq

In conclusion, the A’immah (عليه السلام) are not going against a race or group of people just to be racist, but are making people disassociate from people of shirk. Also, these narrations show that there were specific groups in these areas that were against Islaam.