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TheArabic pairtawalla-tabarru' and the closely related pairwalaya-bara’a both refer to the following complementary concepts inShia Islam:Tawalla andwalaya denote the unconditional loyalty, alliance, devotion, love, and obedience of ShiaMuslims toward theirimams and theIslamic prophetMuhammad (d. 632), whiletabarru’ (tabarra inPersian) andbara’a signify their dissociation and detachment from enemies of Muhammad, imams, and imams' followers.[1] Both pairs can be translated as affiliation-dissociation or avowal-disavowal.[2]
In Shia Islam,walaya characterizes the spiritual bond between followers and their imams, a bond that surpasses politics and self-interest.[3] So central is this concept that the defining feature of Shia Islam iswalaya towardAli ibn Abi Talib (d. 661CE), the first Shia imam, and later imams from his descent.[4][a]Twelvers, the largest branch of Shias, even considerwalaya-bara'a a requirement for acceptance of one's good deeds.[6] This love and devotion to imams, Shia scholars argue, is due not just because of imams' noble descent but also because of their virtues and merits.[7] Shia scholars also contend that obedience to imams benefits the believers first and foremost, for imams are regarded therein as vehicles for salvation of their followers.[8] The termwalaya (orwilaya) also conveys the all-encompassing political and religious authority of Shia imams,[9] for most Shias regard their imams as divinely-ordained successors of Muhammad.[10]
Bara’a is either subsumed by or viewed as a necessary complement towalaya.[11] Especially the former may be kept hidden under persecution but otherwise manifested in imprecations or social ostracism, such as withholding alms tax from enemies and not praying behind them.[12] By practicingtawalla-tabarru’, it is said, one can take sides in the eternal fight between good and evil or, in Shia vocabulary, the fight between forces of knowledge and ignorance.[13] Love and respect for Muhammad and his progeny is also exercised inSunni Islam,[14] and open enmity with them is rare among Muslims,[15] but the Shia practice oftawalla-tabarru’ is nevertheless condemned by hardline Sunnis, such asHanbalis.[16]
Early in the Islamic history, rather than sects, some Muslims belonged to communities, the boundaries of which were defined through affiliation with one's co-religionists and dissociation from everyone else.[17] Ali ibn Abi Talib was reportedly not very fond of excommunicating other Muslims during his tumultuouscaliphate (r. 656–661), which coincided with thefirst Muslim civil war.[18] Nevertheless, some of his followers and their enemies did practicebara'a,[19] and the related terminology appears in the unconditional public pledge of allegiance (bay'ah) offered to Ali before theBattle of Nahrawan (658) against theKharijites, who had earlier left Ali’s camp.[20] Kharijites themselves practicedtawalla-tabarru', as evidenced by their many instances of violence against civilians who supported Ali.[21]
Probably in the second century of Islam,bara'a was extended beyond Ali's enemies during his caliphate to include the majority ofMuhammad’s companions, especiallyAbu Bakr (r. 632–634) andUmar (r. 634–644), the first and second caliphs, respectively. Later imams augured that Abu Bakr and Umar had usurped the caliphate from Ali, Muhammad's designated successor at theGhadir Khumm (632), and most companions either participated or acquiesced to this power grab.[22]Walaya-bara’a thus became an article of faith under Shia imams, particularlyMuhammad al-Baqir (d. 732) andJa'far al-Sadiq (d. 765), respectively, the fifth and sixth of thetwelve imams in Twelver Shi'ism.[23] Yet al-Baqir, for instance, is not known to have publicly reviled Abu Bakr and Umar,[24][25] most likely because he exercised religious dissimulation (taqiyya),[26] for imams and their followers were relentlessly persecuted in that period.[27]
Those who were perceived to be altering imams' teachings were also excommunicated by imams, but they also warned their followers not to dissociate from those who differed in harmless ways, ascribing such differences to many levels of faith.[28] Imams even discouraged dissociation from those non-Shias who were not hostile.[29] Such non-Shias, it was argued, were not true believers (sg.mu’min) but they still counted as Muslims and were entitled to their legal rights.[30] Excommunication is still occasionally exercised today by some Shia scholars.[31] The termbara’a also appears in theQuran, the central text of Islam, late in Muhammad's career, probably around 630–632. This Quranic message of dissociation from disbelievers may have been delivered inMecca by Ali on behalf of Muhammad.[32]