A Sunni who is influenced by what the Raafidis say and is confused about what is true and correct
Question

Did the events of Karbala actually take place, and if so why do we not mention this event and the massacre of the Prophets grandson and his children in our Khutbas? Also did the Prophet not mention in a Hadith that there will be 12 successors after me? has there not been over 12 caliphs? I have been reading about Shia Islam and a lot of the facts they believe in are mentioned in our books, like the dispute between Abu Baker and Fatima for example(May good be pleased with them). I am very confused and need an answer. I feel it is your duty to answer me with all the facts and truths. I realize that is is a touchy subject but I long for your help. This answer may determine which sect of Islam to follow.
Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
The incident of Karbala’ is true; for a summary of the matter and the true story, please see the answer to question no. 112051
With regard to the issue of Sunni khateebs not mentioning the matter, this is something that is not quite correct. The Jumu‘ah (Friday) khutbah is not for telling stories; rather it is for affirming Tawheed and giving the people useful reminders to help them practice their religion properly, and what they need of exhortation. Not all the people need to know about this story and its dimensions. In countries where the people need to know the realities about this incident and to be aware of the lies of the Raafidis concerning the details of the story and the falseness of what they have built on that basis, there has been a great deal of discussion about this story and its details. Wherever mention is made of the holiness of Karbala’, the killing of al-Husayn, the innocence of Yazeed ibn Mu‘aawiyah of that killing, and the first emergence of the Raafidi madhhab as a political grouping, then the incident of Karbala’ is discussed in details. The Ahl as-Sunnah (Sunnis) have played a major role in making the facts about this incident known to people. They have examined its isnaads (chains of narrators) in detail and they have mentioned it in their history books, commentaries on hadeeth, and books on groups and sects. You will never find a book about history or about groups and sects but it discusses this event.
The land of Karbala’ does not have any special virtue according to our sharee‘ah. Look at what the Raafidis have done of distorting Islam with regard to the matter of Karbala’ and you will see that they are people of falsehood. We do not understand how you can say that you are confused about their beliefs and methodology when you see the ideas of kufr, shirk, exaggeration, lies and distortions in their religion, in audio and video form and in books and articles. Whatever the case, look at the status they ascribe to the land of Karbala’ because of the grave of al-Husayn being there – according to their claim; they have made visiting it better than doing Hajj and ‘Umrah one million times! And there are other things besides that. For example, in Wasaa’il ash-Shi‘ah (10/332), you will find it is narrated from Abu ‘Abdullah [Ja‘far as-Saadiq]that he said: “If you want to do Hajj but are unable to do so, go to the grave of al-Husayn and it will be recorded for you as Hajj. And if you want to do ‘Umrah but are unable to do so, go to the grave of al-Husayn and it will be recorded for you as ‘umrah”!
In it (10/360) it is also narrated that Abu ‘Abdullah said: “Whoever visits the grave of al-Husayn on the day of ‘Arafah, Allah will record for him one thousand thousand (i.e., one million) Hajj pilgrimages with al-Qaa’im (peace be upon him) and one thousand thousand (i.e., one million) ‘umrahs with the Messenger of Allah, and the ransom of one thousand souls, and the provision of one thousand horses (for jihad) for the sake of Allah. And Allah will call him ‘My slave as-siddeeq who believed in My promise.’ And the angels will say. ‘So and so is a siddeeq, Allah praised him from above His Throne. And on earth he will be called karoobi” ! Can anybody doubt that such people are misguided and in a bad state??
Secondly:
With regard to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stating that twelve caliphs would appear after him, and his praising the era when they rule, there are saheeh hadeeths about that.
It was narrated that Jaabir ibn Samurah said: I entered upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with my father, and I heard him say: “This matter will not end until there have been among them twelve caliphs.” Then he said something that I could not hear, and I said to my father: What did he say? He said: “All of them will be from Quraysh.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7222; Muslim, 1821. According to another version also narrated by Muslim: “Islam will continue to prevail through twelve caliphs.”” And according to yet another version: “This religion will continue to prevail and be strong until there have been twelve caliphs.”
In the version narrated by al-Bukhaari it says: … “There will be twelve rulers.” Then he said something I could not hear and my father said: He said: “All of them will be from Quraysh.”
The scholars differed concerning the meaning of this hadeeth and who exactly those imams or rulers would be in terms of their names and attributes, and there are many points of view, but none of them claim what the Raafidis claim, that they are their twelve imams. We have discussed the meanings of the hadeeths and refuted the claim of the Raafidis in detail in the answer to question no. 146316.
Thirdly:
With regard to the dispute between Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq and Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with them both), we have also discussed this in detail and refuted the Raafidi lies about this incident. Please see the answer to question no. 125876, which will clarify the matter and make it clear to you that the Raafidis are people of lies and fabrications and that Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq was correct in what he said and did with regard to what happened between him and Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her). Nevertheless you will find that he had a noble character and high status because of which he deserved to be the best of mankind after the Prophets and Messengers.
Fourthly:
The issue of the Raafidis is no longer hidden to Ahl as-Sunnah. They used to practice taqiyyah (dissimulation) in the past, but now they are openly showing their hidden beliefs, many of which have been documented in audio and video form. Have you not heard about how two of their prominent scholars wanted to make a challenge by means of mubaahalah, invoking the curse of Allah upon the liar, to prove that ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) was an evildoer and immoral person? Have you not seen with your own eyes what they do of prostrating at the graves of their imams and circumambulating them? Have you not heard them cursing Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both)? Have you not heard of their abhorrent crimes against Ahl as-Sunnah in Iraq, to such an extent that they kill anyone, young or old, whose name is ‘Umar? Have you not seen the debates that Ahl as-Sunnah have held with their prominent scholars to make known their shirk, misguidance, bid‘ah, lies and distortions from their own books and on the lips of their contemporary imams? And there is much, much more that we cannot list in this answer, that demonstrates the abhorrence of the falseness of their beliefs and ways. We hope that you will avoid emotion and think rationally to judge concerning these people as they deserve. We have only mentioned to you a little about them; the matter is much more serious than what we have mentioned here. For more information about them, please see the answer to questions no. 101272, 43458, 4569, 1148, 20738, 21500.
For information on the beliefs of Ahl as-Sunnah concerning the members of the Prophet’s family (Ahl al-Bayt), please see the answer to question no. 125874
Ask the help of Allah your Lord by calling upon Him and beseeching Him to guide you to the truth and to make you patient in adhering to the straight path.
And Allah knows best.