In the Name of the Merciful Allah

 © Unity of the Islamic Ummah a Must 

* By: Mohammad Bagher Ansari   

: Preface 

From the early days of the living of the human beings on this terrestrial globe, there have been always differences of ideas, opinions and the way of understanding between the individuals of the humanity. Doubtless such is the demand of his nature, since he has been created by Allah, the All-Creator and the Almighty. As the nature of him also demands differences of his attributes and characters, such as bravery, justice, generosity, jealousy, bigotry etc. Most clear of all the above mentioned is the differences of his face, colour of skin and language. All these kinds of differences show that the mankind has thoroughly been surrounded with variations and differences. According to the teachings of the holy Quran it has been considered as a sign of the power of the Almighty. There has been mentioned that if He wanted other than this case, He could have done so. 

It is quite clear that the difference of ideas and opinions is useful for the human beings’ life and society because it leads to the progress of mankind in knowledge, technology and management of his life. Differences of face, colour of skin and languages are also useful because they are means for recognition of each other. But difference of faith and religious believes are sometimes troublesome for the society. Historical experiences show that sometimes it has been root of many conflicts and clashes between the followers of different religions or even between the followers of one religion with two viewpoints. 

According to the holy Quran, human beings at the first stage of his life on the earth were following one religion. Then Allah (swt) appointed different prophets with different missions andShariah. Therefore their followers began to dispute with each other. 

We read in Surat-al-Baqarah, verse 213 as the following: 

كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ ...  

“Mankind was a single Ummah (community); then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good news and as warners, and He sent down with them the Book with the truth that it may judge between the people concerning that about which they differed…” 

We also read in Surat-al-Ma’edah, verse 48 as the following:  

...لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجاً وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَـكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُم... 

“…For each [community] among you, We had appointed a code [of law] and a path; and had Allah wished, He would have made you one community, but for He should test you in respect to what He has given you…” 

In Surat-al-Hud, verse 118 we also find the following: 

وَلَوْ شَاء رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلاَ يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ. 

 “Had your Lord wished, He would have made mankind one community, but they continue to differ.”  

According to these verses multiplicity of the prophets and their missions has been in accord with the will of Allah (swt) and there should not be any reason for dispute and conflict among their followers. Moreover, usually the followers of one prophet and religion are facing with hard conflicts and harshness. Schism has been occurred among the followers of a religion from early days of the establishment of the religions. There have been many sects or schools of thought in the old and new religions including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. 

Christianity as a Sample  

Schism in Christianity is wide and countless. You may be aware of the conflicts and wars between different sects of this religion. One of the social and religious problems of the western countries in the middle age was arising of different sects followed by appearance of new understanding and comments in the religious faiths and texts. Pope of the Holy See in Vatican used to excommunicate every now and then the leaders of such thoughts and sects. There have been many wars and massacres which were caused by religious differences in European countries. ‘Freedom of faith’ in constitutions of these countries which appeared later on shows that intelligentsia has been put out of patience by such a situation.        

In that period a lot of efforts had been done to remove the problem and bring the followers of the sects together. ‘Ecumenical approaches’ or efforts for unity in  Christendom started in the middle ages. Several attempts were made during these ages to overcome the schism between churches, the most important of which resulted in the Council of Ferrara Florence in 1438-39 and led to a short-lived reunion between the churches of East and West. Some unsuccessful attempts also were made to reunite between Rome and the Lutherans which was excommunicated by Pope. These kinds of attempts continued till the 19th. Century.[1]        

More successful attempts happened later on. The ex-pope, John Paul II (1978-2005) for the first time in a ceremony in the St. Pitter of Vatican accepted mistakes of Christianity about inquisition, arising religious conflicts and crusades and repented on behalf of the church. He also asked God’s forgiveness for the Second time in Jerusalem for mistakes of his church.[2] It is interesting that Vatican in recent years put an end to the excommunication of Protestant Church (Lutherans) after 470 years. According to the France News Agency a memorandum of understanding was signed in 31rst. October 1999, in Augsburg/Germany, between Cardinal Edward Kacidi, representative of Pope John Paul II and the Priest Christian Kraus, Chief Guide of the World Federation of the Lutherans (WFL). 

However, as a matter of fact, nowadays despite all religious differences and schisms in Christendom, no body hears any conflict or clash between its sects in any part and corner of the word. 

Differences and Unity Approaches in Islamic Ummah 

Studying the case of Islamic Ummah in this regard is regrettable. Very soon after the demise of the prophet Mohammad (s.a.) the first difference appeared between the followers of him in the issue of Caliphate. Some of his Sahabah (companions) believed that his successor should be appointed by a Shura (council), while others were of the opinion that the prophet had already introduced and appointed Ali bin Abitalib (a.s.) as his successor in Ghadir-e-Khum and in many other times as well. This was the main difference which divided the early Muslim community to two groups i.e. Shi’ah and Sunni. Shi’ahs which means followers, were followers of Imam Ali (a.s.) and Sunni which means followers of the prophet’s tradition were the other group. Shi’ah, in the next periods continued his opinion of appointed succession till the twelfth Imam of Ahl-ul-Bait (the progeny of the prophet), while Caliphate in Sunni school of thought exposed to changes by election or appointing in different era of the Islamic history. 

Here I do not want to go into details of historical or ideological facts and circumstances of appearance of many other sects and groups in both parts. Everybody who likes to have study in this field should refer to sources which have been compiled for this purpose. The best source for different sects and groups appeared in both side is a book named ‘Al-Milal wa al-Nihal’ compiled by Abulfat’h Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Shahristani (479-548 A.H), (1086-1153 A.D.).          

Briefly I would like to state here that since the first decades of Islamic history many schisms in both main parts appeared, the most important of which were Hanafite, Shafe’ite, Hanbalite and Malekite in Sunni group and twelver Imamite in Shiah one. Most of the other sects disappeared later on and only the mentioned schools of thought remained in the scene. Though there are some Zaidis, Alawis and Khawarij in some corner of the Islamic world, they are considered as the followers of one of the 5 mentioned groups. 

Now, when we go to the history of the mentioned groups, we find a lot of disputes and conflicts between each other during past centuries. Prejudice has always been one of the most important agents for such conflicts. The role of colonialism should not be neglected as a powerful agent in this regard. Especially colonialism of the Great Britain after the collapse of the Ottomanic sovereignty over the most lands of Islamic world. During these eras differences and conflicts shifted and expanded to Sunni and Shi’ah. 

To give an idea from the religious seditions in different eras of the Islamic history, I would like to draw your attention to the following chronological facts. 

- 350 A.H. the Abbasid army’s revolt against Shia’hs in many Islamic territories.

- 363 A.H. massacre of Shi’ah following their holding religious ceremonies.

- 403 A.H. government of Egypt issued an order in an official declaration that Alawis should be cursed.

- 439 A.H. an assault to the residence of Sheikh Al-Tousi in Baghdad.

- 448-9 A.H. setting his library in Baghdad on fire.

- 412 A.H. official declaration of Al-Qader, from Abbasid reign, about excommunication of Mo’tazelah.

- 468 A.H. setting Ghazali’s works on fire in an official ceremony in Cordoba.

- 507 A.H. a Hanafite Judge stated that if he had authority of passing Shariah law, he would have fixed Jizyah (tax received from infidels) on Shafe’ites.

- 554 A.H. clashes between Hanafites and Shafe’ites which led to a giant burning in Isfahan market.

- 926 A.H. massacre of nearly 40000 Shi’ahs by Sultan Salim of Ottomanic reign.

- 1216 A.H. invasion of Wahhabis of Hejaz into Karbala in Iraq, massacre of Shi’ahs over there and demolishing of Imam Husain’s Shrine.

- 1219 A.H. invasion of Wahhabis also into Halab in Syria and preventing it’s and Egypt inhabitants from going to Hajj pilgrimage.

- 1328 A.H. wide and long clashes between Sunni and Shia'hs in Bukhara, Uzbekistan which led to a massacre of many many people from both sides. 

This is only a sample for problems and crisis of the religious differences in Islamic Ummah. There are many other regrettable accident in the history of conflicts between Islamic sects and followers of different schools of thought. There has been some Fatawa according to which a person, who change his faith, should be killed! It is narrated that the followers of Hanafite, Shafei’te and Hanbalite were prohibited  to enter Ondolus (i.e. Spain during the Islamic reign) because it’s inhabitant were followers of Maleki’s school of thought, and when a Mo’tazelite used to enter the country was certainly killed.  

Unlike the Christianity, there was unfortunately not any attempt for approaching of the different Islamic sects to each other during the long duration of the differences. The first attempt which lasted no long was establishment of Dar-ul-Taghrib in Egypt in 40s. It was an auspicious cooperation between Ayatullah Borujerdi of Iran and Shaikh Shaltut of Egypt. The motto of this attempt was the following verse of the holy Qura’n:  

إِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُونِ .

“Indeed this (Ummah) community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so worship me.” [3] 

Unfortunately political situation of the time in one hand and the conspiracy of the colonialism and malicious ideas in the other hand stopped the work for ever. Though after a long cessation the attempts restarted again in the Islamic republic of Iran, the Islamic word did not welcome it appropriately just for the same reasons. Despite all these annoyed affairs, we know many distinguished persons and Ulema of the Islamic world who have done their best for approaching of the Islamic schools of thought to each other. Besides the mentioned  personalities the names of Shaikh Hasan Al-Banna of Egypt, Seyed Sharaf-ul-ddin Al- Musawi, of Lebanon, Shaikh Mohammad Husain Kashef-ul-gheta’ of Iraq, Allamah Iqbal Lahorei of Pakistan, Seyed Jamal-ul-din Asadabadi  of Iran and many others especially in present era Imam Khomeini, Imam Khamenei and Ayatullah Sistani are notable. 

Now what is Solution?

All of us know that Muslim Ummah all over the globe worship only one God, Allah (swt), obey prophet Mohammad (s.a.), accept one holy Qur’an, pray towards one Qiblah, believe in Salat (prayer, Saum (fast), Hajj (pilgrimage), Zakat (alms) and so on which form structure of Islamic Shai’ah. Of course there are some slight differences in some details. These details should not excite sedition and conflict. 

The holy Qur’an after an emphatic order regarding directing other to do what is good and leave what is bad says: 

وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاخْتَلَفُواْ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ. 

“Do not be like those who became divided and differed after manifest signs had come to them. For such there will be a great punishment.” [4] 

In another verse we read the following:

وَأَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلاَ تَنَازَعُواْ فَتَفْشَلُواْ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ. 

“And obey Allah and His Messenger and do not dispute, then you will become weak and your power will be gone.” [5] 

The following verse in this connection is very important: 

وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعاً وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَتَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاء فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَاناً وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىَ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا. . . 

“Hold fast, all together, to Allah’s cord, and do not be divided; and remember Allah’s blessing upon you when you were enemies, then He brought your hearts together, so you became brothers with his blessing, and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it...” [6]  

As you see in this verse, Muslims are considered as brothers. This fact has been emphasized in the following verse: 

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ . 

“The faithful are indeed brothers. Therefore make peace between your brothers and be wary of Allah, so that you may receive [His] mercy.” [7]  

Now despite all these verses and facts, we are facing with some of the so-called Ulema and thinkers who were or even are creating differences in Islamic Ummah! They have surely not any reasonable justification. Doubtless they are responsible before Allah, the Prophet and Muslim Ummah for their mistake.  

May be you are aware of the recent viewpoint of Sheikh Qardawi against Shi’ah. He has repeatedly said that Shi’ah is propagating his faith in Muslim community. I just want to ask him who has published thousands of books and pamphlets in million pages, containing numerous lies and groundless accusations, against Shi’ah since the recent three decades?!  Who has sophisticated and inverted facts and considered Shi’ahs as Kuffar?! Let be honest and fear Allah, the Almighty, and the Day of Judgment. 

Wassalmu ala man ittba’al-huda. 

Foot nots:

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1-Einar Molland, Christendom, 1961, London.

2-Le Soir, a famous newspaper of France, 18. March, 2000.

3- Holy Qur’an, 21: 92.

4- Ibid, 3: 105.

5- Ibid, 8: 46.  

6- Ibid, 3: 103.

7- Ibid, 49: 10.