Question 129: Could anyone please give me the surahs and ayahs where the term Shia is mentioned by the Almighty Allah (swt), in the Holy Qur’an?
Answer 129: Those verses of the Holy Qur’an in which the word “Shia” has been mentioned are as follows:
Say, “He is able to send upon you a punishment from above you or from under your feet, or confound you as [hostile factions], and make you taste one anothers violence. “Look, how we paraphrase the signs variously so that they may understand!”[1]
قُلْ هُوَ الْقادِرُ عَلى أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذاباً مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً وَ يُذيقَ بَعْضَكُمْ بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الْآياتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ.
“Indeed those who split up their religion and became sects, you will not have anything to do with them. Their matter rests only with Allah; then He will inform them concerning what they used to do”.[2]
إِنَّ الَّذينَ فَرَّقُوا دينَهُمْ وَ كانُوا شِيَعاً لَسْتَ مِنْهُمْ في شَيْءٍ إِنَّما أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِما كانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ
“[One day] he entered the city at a time when its people dwelt in distraction. He found there two men fighting, this one from among his followers, and that one from his enemies. The one who was from his followers sought his help against him who was from his enemies. So Moses hit him with his fist, whereupon he expired. He said,” This is of Satan’s doing. Indeed he is an enemy, manifestly misguiding”.[3]
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ جَعَلَ أَهْلَها شِيَعاً يَسْتَضْعِفُ طائِفَةً مِنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْناءَهُمْ وَ يَسْتَحْيي نِساءَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدين
“Indeed Pharaoh tyrannized over the land, reducing its people to factions, abasing one group of them, slaughtering their sons and sparing their women. Indeed he was one of the agents of corruption”[4]
وَ دَخَلَ الْمَدينَةَ عَلى حينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِها فَوَجَدَ فيها رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلانِ هذا مِنْ شيعَتِهِ وَ هذا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَاسْتَغاثَهُ الَّذي مِنْ شيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَوَكَزَهُ مُوسى فَقَضى عَلَيْهِ قالَ هذا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطانِ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُضِلٌّ مُبين
“Of those who split up their religion and became sects: each faction exulting in what it possessed”[5]
مِنَ الَّذينَ فَرَّقُوا دينَهُمْ وَ كانُوا شِيَعاً كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِما لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ
“Indeed Abraham was among his followers”[6]
وَ إِنَّ مِنْ شيعَتِهِ لَإِبْراهيمَ
In technical term, every group of Muslims is called “Shia” (followers) and the term Shia is not exclusively applied to Imamiyah Shia.
For example: The followers of Mu’awiyah (la) and Yazid (la) are called the Shia of Aal-e Abi Sufyan. We are the Shia of the Ahlul-Bayt (pbuth), which includes the Holy Prophet (saws) and His household and we thank Allah (swt) the Almighty, for not being the followers of Aal-e Abu Sufyan.
For further information in this regards, please refer to the following answer:
Index: The differences and similarities between Shia and Sunni, answer 187.
Index: Ifk, the Slander / Shia Beliefs about Aisha, answer 180.
[1]. Surah An’am, Ayah 65.
[2] . Surah An’am, Ayah 159.
[3] . Surah Qasas, Ayah 15.
[4] . Surah Qasas, Ayah 4.
[5] . Surah Room, Ayah 32.
[6] . Surah Safat, Ayah 83.