"Then I Was Guided"

However, when one scratches a little beneath the surface of this book which was translated from Arabic, the curtain of distortion and utter deception is lifted. The author dedicates the book to "every healthy mind; a mind which puts truth to the test and knows it from the wreck of wrong." When the reality of the distortions and deception opens-up to a discerning reader, it becomes manifest that this book would be a strong contender for first position among "the wreck of wrong."

A brief review cannot encompass and deal with all the falsehood contained in the book. We will suffice here with just a few examples of utter fabrications and absolute lies. There are other white lies besides these. As for the number of distortions by misinterpreting aayats and narrations or quoting out of context, the book is literally peppered with them.

On page 144 the author "quotes" the following from Sahih Bukhari: " Once the Prophet (s.a.w.) was giving a speech, and he indicated the house where Aisha was living, then said: There is the trouble ... there is the trouble ... there is the trouble ... from where the devils horns come out ..."

One could search for the words "and he indicated the house where Aisha was living" in Sahih Bukhari for a thousand years and one will still never find it, simply because it does not exist. The Ahadith merely mention that the indication was towards the East. In the third narration of the same chapter of Sahih Bukhari it is clearly stated that the indication was towards Najd. It shocks one to see such a terrible interpolation; such a drastic distortion. Due to this one loses complete trust in the entire book. The sincerity, integrity and honesty of the author is torn to shreds with just this one distortion, let alone the rest contained in this book. This can of distortion is merely to give vent to the inner hatred of the Shia for Hadhrath Aisha (R.A.), the wife who Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) loved so dearly that he indicated in his last illness that he wished to spend all his days in her house only” to which all his other wives happily consented. Eventually Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) passed away in her house and on her lap.

Consider another utter distortion. The author presents a narration of Sahih Bukhari in the following words: Al-Bukhari also mentioned the following incident in the Book of Conduct ..., he said: Aisha said that the Prophet (s.a.w.) did something and made it permissible, but no one followed what the Prophet did..." (pg.112) This is a terrible distortion. The original hadith merely states: "fatanazzaha anhu qaumun" which means: "some people refrained from it." Why, one may ask, did the author choose to translate this as "NO ONE FOLLOWED..." Simply because he wishes to poison the mind of the reader against the Sahaaba (R.A.). But Allah Ta'ala has exposed the cunning deception.

The author also quotes Sahih Muslim to claim that Hadhrath Mu'awiya (R.A.) ordered the killing and burning of those who refused to curse Sayyidina Ali (R.A.) (pg. 129). Sahih Muslim is pure of this lie. One may search for it till the last day but it will not be found. Thus the worth of the references of "Sahih Bukhari" and "Sahih Muslim" with which the book is peppered is evident from the above examples.

While the author has his fair share of distortions and lies, even some translators wanted to have their fair share. One edition of the translation was published by Ansariyan Publications of Qum in Iran. Another edition was first published in Pakistan in 1991 by Islamic Seminary Publications and later by Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya. The translation is exactly the same, save for some glaring differences. In the Pakistani edition (pg. 155) the translation of the last line of a narration of Muatta Imaam Malik reads: "... On hearing that Abu Bakr cried bitterly and said, "Shall we survive you?" (i.e. shall we live after you and have to bear the pangs of separation from you). This translation is correct. However, come to the Iranian edition and the translation suddenly changes to: "... On hearing that, Abu Bakr cried bitterly and said: We are going to alter many things after your departure." Despite the fact that the translation is not an independent one by another person, yet such a glaring difference can be seen between the two in this instance. The Iranian edition does not indicate the year of publishing, thus it is not possible to know which was published first. One wonders whether the Iranian edition came later, with a few more distortions to the original? Such a glaring difference surely cannot be a typographical error!

The author claims to have undertaken independent research before being guided to Shi'ism. However one wonders whether his independent research includes the Shia book "Faslul Khitaab Fi Tahreefi Kitabi Rabbil Arbaab" by Tabrasi. In this book Tabrasi, who was praised by the late Khomeini, "quotes" one thousand Shia narrations to prove that the Qur'an which the Muslims have is distorted and not the original "Qur'an." surely an independent research would have included at least a mention of this book. After all even Khomeini quotes Tabrasi in his book on the subject of Wilayatul Faqih. Is the author concealing his true belief about the Qur'an under the guise of Taqiyya?

Likewise it was necessary that he should have dealt with the statement of Khomeini regarding one of his basic fundamental beliefs. Khomeini says: "Verily it is from the fundamental tenets of our religion that neither any angel of the highest rank nor anyone such as a Prophet can attain the sublime position of an Imaam (Al-Hukumatul Islamia p.52)." According to this, any person who does not believe that The Imaams, who the Shia believe are divinely appointed, have a rank higher than EVERY PROPHET (including Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), he is not on the religion of Khomeini. Obviously, Muslims believe that the greatest rank of all the creation belongs to none other than Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The author, in the course of his "research" should have told the readers what he believes in this regard? By not discussing it, one cannot help but completely dismiss his claims of conducting "sincere research."

Thus the type of deception and distortion that has been employed in this book make it apparent that one should never touch it, nor any Shia literature. Your Imaan is at stake” since you will not know the reality and fall into the trap of the utter lies.