If Shias And Sunnis Cannot Be United On Theological Grounds, What Is The Possible Approach To Prevent Bloodshed And Suicide Bombings Against One Another?
By
Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
7 March
2022
Despite
The Theological Acrimony between Sunnis And Shias, A Path To Peace Is Certainly
Possible
Key
Points
1. Insulting or
denying the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar Farooq, according to
Sunni jurists [Fuqaha], is an act of Kufr.
2. The average
Shias were regarded as misled and not Kafir by the early classical Sunni
theologians [Mutakallimin].
3. Average
Shias, according to modern Sunni theologians, are Kafir because they believe
the Holy Quran is faulty and that Hazrat Ali is superior to all Prophets except
the Last Prophet.
4. The majority
of the Prophet's holy Companions, as well as ordinary Sunni Muslims, are
declared Kafir by the Shias with the exception of the Zaidi Shias.
5. Since the
majority of Shia and Sunni clerics commonly oppose suicide bombing, they should
work to ensure that their theological differences do not lead to murder,
bloodshed and suicide bombing.
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The
doctrinal divide between Shias and Sunnis is so great that no amount of human
effort can seem to bring them together except by God Almighty's will.
Those
familiar with Islamic theology are aware that there has been disagreement
between the classical jurists [Fuqaha] and the classical theologians
[Mutakallimin] regarding the principles and rules of Takfir. The Jurists have
agreed that whoever does not believe the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr and
Hazrat Umar Farooq to be correct is a Kafir, and similarly, anyone who insults
the honour of any of them is a Kafir. Thousands of volumes contain descriptions
of jurists’ sayings, which Barelvis, Deobandis, and Salafists all duplicate in
their respective works and writings.
This is a
jurisprudential rule [Fiqhi Hukm] exclusive to the Tabarraii Rafizis, a Shia
sect. In the works of the Fuqaha, the Tabarrai Rafizis who simply oppose the
caliphate of the Shaikhain (Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar Farooq) and
denigrate the Sahaba, but not the other needs of the Religion [Zarooriyaat e
Deen], are also referred to as Kafir.
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The
classical theologians [Mutakallimin], on the other hand, have taken the most
cautious approach in this regard. Such Rafidis, they say, are misguided
[Gumrah] and ‘the dogs of the hellfire’, but not Kuffar. However, in recent
centuries, the Mutakallimin and Fuqaha have made it obvious that the Tabarrai
Rafizis not only deny the Khilafah of Shaikhain and disparage the Sahaba, but
also deny other religious criteria, making them Kaafir. According to these Mutakallimin
and Fuqaha of Sunnis, there are two things in the common faith of the
Rafizi Shias that render them Kafir. These Rafizi Shias embrace two views that
Sunnis believe make them Kafir: first, that the holy Quran is flawed, and
second, that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is superior to all
Prophets except the last one, Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Similarly,
the Shiites, with the exception of the Zaidi Shias, have used their writings to
attack the honour of the Companions, particularly Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar
and Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqah, and have perpetrated widespread Takfir against
Sunni Muslims.
When you
look at the Shia-Sunni divisions in detail, you'll see that there's no possible
way to bring them together. Political partnerships can be found now in some
locations; however, they can only be referred to as political alliances rather
than religious ones.
Takfir is a
deeply rooted issue on both sides. But what I want to say is that while
everyone is free to live in this century with their differences, those
differences should not be exacerbated to the point of murder, violence, or
suicide bombing. Scholars from both sides should collaborate to undertake a
campaign to educate ordinary Shia Sunni Muslims about the dangers of allowing
theological disputes to devolve into slaughter, suicide bombings, and violence.
This, I believe, is the platform on which both Shias and Sunnis can agree.
However, some brothers believe they will be successful in bringing Shias and
Sunnis together on religious grounds, which I believe will be impossible due to
the extreme severity of divisions on both sides.
The
principles that have proven to be effective in reducing suicide bombings and
violence should be implemented immediately.
A general view of the prayer hall after a bomb blast inside a mosque
during Friday prayers in Peshawar, Pakistan, (REUTERS)
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Furthermore,
an event occurred during Juma’ah prayer in a Shia mosque (Imambargah) in Bazar Qissa
Khani, Peshawar, Pakistan, in which a suicide bomber murdered around 60
persons gathered and injured hundreds more. ISIS-Khorasan claimed
responsibility for the attack on the mosque.
You're all
familiar with the ideologies of ISIS. This terrorist organisation has done more
harm to Islam and Muslims than anyone else. Not just Shiites, but also Sunni
Muslims and common non-Muslims, are the enemies of ISIS. Suicide attacks are
one of the most destructive weapons used by ISIS against these Muslims and
non-Muslims. Suicide bombing is prohibited in Islam, according to the majority
of Shia and Sunni clerics. When this is the case, Shia and Sunni clerics should
make such Islamic teachings public, as well as clarify that their religious
differences between Shias and Sunnis should not be translated into murder,
violence and suicide bombing.
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A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam
Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is an Alim and Fazil (Classical Islamic scholar) with a
Sufi background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator.
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