Research › History and the Prophet's life › Succession and the first civil wars
12 answers in 2 recordings, 2019 to 2020. 12 with a checked position in his own words.
Indexed so far: 259 of 1,859 recordings (1,904 answers, 2014 to 2025). Anything below may change as the rest are indexed. Limits of the data
Oldest first. A checked position shows what he holds, then the sentence he says, word for word from the transcript, with its moment. Years without one list the answers that have not been checked yet. Recordings not yet indexed may hold more.
· Did Hasan and Husayn wear earrings?
Mufti Abu Layth says that the Prophet's grandsons Hasan and Husayn had their ears pierced and wore earrings, Husayn wearing two, as Shia traditions through Imam Jafar al-Sadiq and accounts of Karbala relate.
“the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam scranton both of his grandsons Hasan and Husayn radi allahu anhu man had the ears pierced and they both wore earrings”
13:26TranscriptCite 2019-07-24b-S04corrected
· What is the Sunni view of Karbala?
Mufti Abu Layth says Karbala was unquestionably a great tragedy for the Ummah, and thinks all Muslims, for the most part, agree that the martyrdom of Husayn was a great tragedy.
“Karbala is unquestionably a a great tragedy that befell the Ummah of Islam. Okay? I think that isn't hidden from anyone. I think all Muslims are in agreement that the martyrdom of Hussein radiyallahu anhu was a great tragedy.”
0:56TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S01corrected
· Who were the Shia who invited Husayn to Kufa?
Mufti Abu Layth says that in early Islam Shia was more a political than a theological thing, meaning those who favoured Ali.
“In early Islam, Shi'a was more a political thing. It wasn't a theological thing. There was slight There was a undertone theological undertone, but it was really political. So, it was about those people who favored Ali.”
2:54TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S02corrected
· Where did the rivalry between Banu Umayya and Banu Hashim come from?
Mufti Abu Layth says that in his understanding Makkah was an almost irrelevant town in pre-Islamic Arabia, not as later Muslims thought it was.
“and neither Mecca, in my understanding, was a very uh almost irrelevant town in Arabia. It wasn't how later Muslims thought it was.”
7:46TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S03corrected
· What kind of ruler was Yazid?
Mufti Abu Layth says he feels Muawiya's ultimate grave mistake was placing Yazid as his heir.
“But what I feel an ultimate grave mistake of Muawiyah on was placing Yazid as his heir.”
35:11TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S11corrected
· Why did Husayn go to Kufa when he was warned not to?
Mufti Abu Layth says he does not believe Yazid was a kafir, but accepts that most people would have seen him at the very least as a disappointment.
“certain things that people say about him being a kafir. I don't believe I don't agree with that, but I do accept that most people would have clearly seen him at the very least as a disappointment”
41:17TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S12corrected
· Why did the army at Karbala not let Husayn go back?
Mufti Abu Layth says he feels there may be some truth to the Sunni reports that Husayn recognised in the army men of clans that had petitioned him to come.
“are you guys not part of the petitioners who petitioned me to come?" And he calls out and he announces this. Now, I feel that there may be some truth to that.”
48:30TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S13corrected
· Are the stories that Husayn's family was denied water at Karbala true?
Mufti Abu Layth says he is personally not convinced that Husayn's party and the babies were denied water.
“there's a story they denied uh some of the babies water and they denied this I don't feel that that's uh personally I'm not convinced that that happened”
51:38TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S14corrected
· Should Muslims mourn Husayn every year on Ashura?
Mufti Abu Layth says that in his opinion ritual annual mourning for Husayn is not an Islamic practice, though he does not condemn people who choose to do it.
“I don't feel it's in my opinion it's not a um an Islamic practice but people who do do it I wouldn't personally I don't personally condemn them I don't condemn people who choose to do it”
55:34TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S15corrected
· Was Yazid a kafir, and is it right to curse him?
Mufti Abu Layth says he does not curse Yazid or encourage people to curse him, because he does not believe in a culture of cursing.
“I don't believe he was a kafir and I don't I don't curse him I don't encourage people to curse him I but that's generally I don't believe in a culture of cursing”
58:13TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S16corrected
· Who was really responsible for the killing of Husayn at Karbala?
Mufti Abu Layth says he feels responsibility for Karbala was shared, but that in order the real culprits were first the Shia who invited Husayn, then Ibn Ziyad as the active element, and Yazid as the passive element.
“I feel the real culprits were seriously were the Shia that invited Hussein. I feel that they were the real culprits who who were kind of like ignored later on.”
1:00:22TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S17corrected
· Is it right to curse the companions or beat oneself in mourning for Husayn?
Mufti Abu Layth says he condemns using the mourning of Husayn as an excuse to curse the companions, which he feels is a disservice to Husayn.
“I condemn if people are using the mourning of Hussein as an excuse to curse and to push an agenda of like let's say Shia Islam to say well, let's curse all the companions”
1:01:53TranscriptCite 2020-10-16-S18corrected
How many of these answers cite each (guest speech left out). Cited means named as evidence or discussed, not necessarily accepted: open the answers to see which.
Cite a statement by its id: Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment id, with the date and the address of its page. Citation formats
