Tabarra (Character Assissination) and the Origins of Nisabism

Tabarra (Character Assissination) and the Origins of Nisabism

As soon as many of us hear or see the term Tabarra, what comes to our of minds is the prominent pillar which is practiced by 12r Imami Shia. This practice of Tabarra among the 12r Imami school usually involves the cursing of sahaba. On the contary, Tabarra was not pioneered by Shia sects. In fact it was kings who of Bani Umaiyya that initiated the pracitce of‘Tabarra’ (Character assassination). The Ummavi tyrants did tabara against Imam Ali, Imam Hussain and other Ahle Bait from the pulpit of the mosques and this continued until Hazrat Umar Bin Abdul Aziz (ra) became the ruler of the Ummah. Al Suyuti mentions Imam Ali (as) was cursed for 80 years on the pulpit and on top that the Bani Ummayah installed 70,000 pupits to curse the Imam.

Abu Hurrirah narrated
"In Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 3, Number 121:
I have memorized two kinds of knowledge from Allah's Apostle . I have propagated one of them to you and if I propagated the second, then my pharynx (throat) would be cut (i.e. killed).

The second type of knowledge referred to in this hadith is the knowledge acquired by Abu Huraira (radiyallaahu anhu) regarding the names of the tyrant rulers to come after the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). He feared his life in disclosing information of these tyrant rulers, for they would of killed him. Therefore, he did not disclose this knowledge to anyone
(Fath Al-Bari, Baabu Hifzil Al-Ilm, vol 1, pg 261, Dar Al-Rayyaan)
The above hadith was narrated by Abu Hurrirrah in 60 AH

Further Hadrat Hassan Al Basri (ra) was among the tabeen, and during his liftime he was not even able to mention Imam Ali's (as) name.

Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) and Imam Malik (ra) support the great grandson of Imam Hassan (as) known as Imam Nafs Az Zakiyah (as). Imam Abu Hanifa had provided him funds to the amount of 20,000 Dinars – a step that earned him the wrath of the Abbasids, and Imam Malik (ra) has established a fatwa that Muslims must support Imam Nafs Az Zakiyah (as) revolt. As a result, both these Fiqhi Imams were punished at the hands of the Abbasids, since that both of them had provided moral and material support to Nafs az-Zakiyya (as). For more details refer to Ibn Atheer’s Al-Kamil Fit-Tareekh and Abn Katheer’s Al-Badaya wan-Nahayah.

Imam Shafi (ra) was put in jail for loving the Ahlul Bayt. He is remembered for his famous poetry.


iza fi majlisin zakaru Ali'yanwa sibtayhay wa fatimataz zakiyawa qaala tajawazu ya qaumo an dhafa hadha min hadithir rafidiyabaraitu ila almohayminey min unasinyaraunar rifda hubb al-fatimiyaala aalir Rasuley salatu Rabbiwa la'nattuhu li qaumil jahiliya

Translation: When in a majlis the praise of Ali, Hasanain and Fatima alaihi mu sallam is done then the people say O People lets go from here because this is a rafidi talk. I seek Allah's refuge from such people who label the love of Fatima's salamun alayha progeny as rifd.