Asrar Rashid challenges Ammar Nakshawani to a debate regarding his statements against Abu Bakr and Umar:
http://imgur.com/a/a17v9
After being ignored by Ammar Nakshawani, Asrar announces his debate challenge to the entire "Rafidi cult":
http://imgur.com/a/uQXEG
Asrar asking the Shia to arrange a venue. It's a shame he didn't mention that he would not show up...
http://imgur.com/a/JG02w
Asrar asking the Shia to arrange a public venue again:
http://imgur.com/a/gqBHZ
Asrar inviting the Shia for a public debate/public conditions/public Q&A. None of which were given:
http://imgur.com/a/r6I9P
Asrar Rashid apparently "ready and waiting":
http://imgur.com/a/615SQ
In October 2016, the well-known Shia lecturer and academic, Dr. Ammar Nakshawani, delivered his controversial Night 7 Muharram lecture, entitled: "Radical Islam" - in which he very rightly described the two tyrants (and historical "Sunni" caliphs), Abu Bakr and Umar, as "terrorists", and exposed the two to be the ideological source, and founding fathers, of today's terrorism in the name of Islam that we see around us.
This lecture led to a major backlash from our opposing sect, namely those who call themselves, "Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jama'ah". One debater and cleric of theirs, Sheikh Asrar Rashid (of the Ashari Sufi creed, who belongs to the Barelwi sect), issued a debate challenge to Dr. Ammar (on the content of his lecture), but was ignored. Sheikh Asrar then extended his challenge to all UK Shia clerics, and (in November 2016) organised an event in his Mosque in Birmingham, in which he openly invited the Shia of the UK to turn up and proceed from there.
Asrar Rashid was shocked to see that a large group of about 50-60 Shia brothers, from London and around the UK, had come together and attended his gathering. The large group comprised of several Shia scholars, as well as respected students of the Hawza (Islamic seminary). On the day, we attended and selected our representative, Sayed Ali Imami, to sit at the stage, and present our debate conditions, set forth by the debater we had decided to put forward: our teacher, Sheikh Abu Zaynab Al-Haeri (may Allah protect him), an Usuli Twelver Shia scholar, who has studied in the Middle East. The Sheikh is a skilled debater, an expert in Ilm Al-Hadith (the Science of Hadith), and is fluent in English and Arabic. A video from the day in Birmingham can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/kN6KThf6-bQ
We were treated with great manners and much respect on the day, by Sheikh Asrar and his community, and it was truly a great sign that the Shia and its counterpart could peacefully sit together, in a civilised manner, and openly discuss our key doctrinal differences. Sayed Ali Imami, as well as Sayed Hassan Bokhari and Brother Hassan Al-Qadri, were later invited into a private room to further discuss who we are, who we represent, and who we were putting forward for the debate. An audio recording of this discussion that took place is available here: https://youtu.be/YIm0976rZTo
We left that day having agreed to stay in contact with Sheikh Asrar's representative, in order to finalise the details, and arrange the debate at a later date. But although Asrar had promised a debate, nothing of the sort came into fruition. Even his own followers were disappointed that he did not keep his word. Back-and-forth social media posts, from Asrar Rashid's official page and members of the Shia community, seemed to all be in futility. And so, in January 2017, the Shia took it on themselves to organise a similar event, in Slough, and decided to invite Sheikh Asrar to attend and reopen the door for debate. The event was promoted by the Shia, on social media, and details were sent to Asrar Rashid himself. Conveniently, Asrar had managed to organise a last-minute event of his own, on the very same day - avoiding our invitation, and failing to even send a representative on his behalf.
In our open-door event in Slough, Sayed Ali Al-Shobayri, Brother Hassan Al-Qadri, Sayed Ali Imami, and Sayed Hassan Bokhari discussed the background of the debate challenge, and proposed ways in which we can go forward.
When Sheikh Asrar Rashid invited the Shia to his Mosque, like lions we came to him. But now, it seems that Asrar is nowhere to be found. We want him to come forward. If not him, then anyone else of the "Sunni" sect. Sheikh Asrar Rashid. Sheikh Murtaza Khan. Sheikh Mumtaz Ul-Haq. Adnan Rashid. Ustadh Abdul-Rahman Hassan. Abu Taymiyyah. Or anyone else who comes forward. Our open debate challenge on the topic of the Adalah (Justice) of the Sahaba still stands.
