Criticism of hadith and historical views of Orientalists about the emergence of Shia

Contrary to the popular belief among Shia Muslims that Shia originated and emerged during the time of Prophet Muhammad, some Orientalists consider Shia as a historical event that occurred after the martyrdom of the Prophet and during the Saqifah incident. Moreover, some believe that Shia was constructed by Iranians in response to Arab Muslim domination over Iran. Another group of Orientalists acknowledges the Arab origins of Shia but believes in the influence of Iranian culture on this religious sect. This study, utilizing Quranic verses, Nahj al-Balagha, narrations, historical evidence, and documents, proves that Shia is an essential part of Islam and its emergence coincides with the third year of the Prophet's mission, in parallel with the proclamation of “Say, there is no god but Allah, you will be successful”. This article critically analyzes and describes the works of some Orientalists.