Khums: Can Family Reputation and Documents Prove Sayyid Status?

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Khums: Can Family Reputation and Documents Prove Sayyid Status?

English:

Question #1006:

Recently I found a personal document of my father’s paternal cousin in which he is identified as a sayyid. Furthermore, it is famous in our family that we are sayyids. Considering these two proofs, I request you to give me your opinion regarding my being a sayyid.

Answer #1006:

The mere mentioning the word “sayyid” in a document of one of your relatives does not stand as a shar‘ī evidence that you are a sayyid. Unless you are confident or there is shar‘ī evidence that you are a sayyid, the rulings specific to sayyids and their effects cannot be applied to you.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Khums