MUSLIM UNITY SHIA-SUNNI UNITY Misconception
The centuries-old Shia-Sunni differences are the major obstacle to
Muslim unity. The enemies of Islam to their benefit have always fanned
these differences. Unfortunately, some so-called Muslim scholars on
their payroll have also played a key role in keeping these differences
alive.
Although I was born into a Sayyid Sunni family, I did not know of many
differences while growing up as a child. Our families always respected
Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and his parents and participated in
ceremonies marking the anniversary of his martyrdom (the 10th day of
the month of Muharram which is called Ashura) by reciting the first
chapter of the Quran (al-Fatihah) and other chapters and verses of the
Quran and fasted on the ninth and tenth days of that month.
Now when I give lectures on Islam to non-Muslims, one of the questions
they always ask me is if I am Shia or Sunni. I ask them if they know
the difference. They have no knowledge, other than what has been given
to them by the media. So they say Shias are the ones who are the bad
guys, the militant version of Islam, and cause all the trouble in the
Middle East these days.
These non-Muslim American audiences of mine are surprised to learn that
some of the known tyrants like Saddam Hussain and troublemakers like
the PLO and Hamas are all Sunnis, just as they are surprised to learn
that Tariq Aziz (Iraq’s Foreign Minister) was Christian and not a
Muslim.
This is what I say to them about Shi’ites."If Ali Ibn Talib (cousin of
Prophet Muhammad) was a Shia, then I am a Shia. If he was a Sunni, then
I am a Sunni *. In Islam
there are five recognized schools of Divine Law: 1) Hanafi; 2) Shafi;
3) Maliki; 4) Hambali and 5) Jafari.
The first four are called Sunni, and the fifth one, who in addition to
following sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), also follows
those of Ali and consider him as the rightful successor of the Prophet,
are called Shia. The first four have many major theological differences
among themselves and according to a Christian friend of mine, “The only
time Sunnis are united is when they are fighting Shias.” Shi’ism
started as a political movement (Shia means follower or partisan) to
help Ali become successor of Muhammad (PBUH).
Around every successful popular figure, there are some admirers whose
own future interests rest with the rise of their leader. Thus in
Indiana, we have “Friends of Lugar Club”, who are hoping that some day
Senator Richard Lugar will become a US President. Nationally, we now
have a “Hillary Rodham Clinton Fan Club” with 4,000 members! Thus,
there were the Followers of Ali Club, which later on became a political
movement. During the initial battles with unbelievers, Ali, the Sword
of Islam, was in the forefront and defeated and killed many of their
leaders whose children and grandchildren, even when they became
Muslims, always remembered who killed their father (animosity).
Ali was raised by Prophet Muhammad as a child so he knew Islam very
well. Thus, when he became a judge, his judgments were based on strict
Islamic principles, much to the disappointment of many who expected him
to be lenient to the rich and powerful. He was so well respected and
trusted by both Caliph Abu Bakr and Umar, that in difficult cases they
asked his opinion.
Nevertheless, I tell my non-Muslim audience that both Shia and Sunni
have many things in common. They both believe in One God (Allah),
follow the same Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the last Prophet, offer five
daily-prescribed prayers, perform the prescribed fast in the month of
Ramadan, go to Mecca for the pilgrimage (hajj), read the same Quran,
and pay the poor-due.
However, my answers can only satisfy my uninformed non-Muslim audience.
The Sunni brothers, misguided by western propaganda, who are ready to
embrace non-Muslims (especially the white ones), in the pretext of
invitation to Islam, will not do so for Shia. They are ignorant Sunnis.
Our job as a missionary should be to invite both groups to the true
Islam and not chase them out. There is a movement in the Sunni world to
have Shias labeled as disbelievers. I have been told that Shaykh Bin
Baz of Saudi Arabia has declared an edict that the meat of the People
of Book (Jews and Christians) is permissible for Sunni Muslims to eat
but not the meat slaughtered by Shias.
There are scholars on both sides, like Imam Khomeini and Shaykh Shaltut
of al-Azhar who have done their best to minimize these differences and
bring unity, but it is not working due to the misinformation prevailing
in the common masses of Sunnis about Shi’ism. Thus I am listing their
misconceptions of Shia belief and practices. For answers, I have
consulted two Shia scholars in America. Dr. A. S. Hashim of Washington
and Imam Muhammad Ali Elahi of Detroit.
Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr wrote to me “to ignore and not waste time
in responding to such wrong allegations.” He also mentioned that “a
great deal of money and effort is being spent in the last few years to
fan the fire of hatred between Shia and Sunni in the Persian Gulf
region with obvious political and economical fruits for powers to-be.”
However, in the interest of Islamic unity, I must deal with the
questions rather than shun them. Please note that Imam Jafar (peace be
upon him), founder of the Shia school of law, was the teacher of Imam
Abu-Hanifa (peace be upon him).
Misconception #1: Shias have a different Quran. They add another 10 chapters to the original Quran.
Response: Not true. I have checked many times Quran kept in Shia homes
and mosques. I still find it the same as the original Quran. More
recently, I took care of an Iranian lady patient hospitalized here. I
saw a copy of the Quran by her side. I borrowed it from her and browsed
through cover-to-cover. In Arabic it was the same as our Quran. Of
course, since I did not know the Persian language, I can’t say much
about the translation. It is a sin to even say that the Quran can be
changed or added to by Shia when God protects it.
Misconception #2: Some Shia considers Ali as God.
Response: Not true. It is disbelief to even think of such a thing.
During the time of Ali, some pagan groups called Gholat did consider
Ali as Lord. When he found out, they were burned to death.
Misconception #3: Shias have different declarations of faith and they add to the call to prescribed prayer.
Response: The declaration to become a Muslim, as administered to non-Muslims, is the same. Some Shia add to themselves, “Ali is a friend of God (PBUH) or Ali is a spiritual leader of God,” after the call to prescribed prayer, but not as part of the call to prescribed prayer.
Misconception #4: Shias do not perform Sunnah prayers. Sunnah prayers are non-obligatory prayers performed by Prophet Muhammad.
Response: Shias do perform non-obligatory prayers, 36 cycles per day in total, but call it Nawafil and not Sunnah.
Misconception #5: Some Shia believes the Angel Gabriel made a mistake and prophet hood was meant for Ali and not Muhammad (PBUH).
Response: Not true. No Shia thinks of such false claims. “Only demented minds think of such questions.”
Misconception #6: Shias slander and ridicule the first three caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman) and Prophet Muhammad’s wife, Ayisha.
Response: Shia considers the first three caliphs as companions and administrators, but not spiritual leaders (Imams). Imam Jafar Sadiq, whose mother and grandmother came from the line of Abu Bakr, said of Abu Bakr, “He gave me birth twice.” Ayisha is respected by Shias as the"Mother of Believers," as Ali respected her when he sent her back
from Basra to Madinah after the Battle of the Camel. If some Shia do slander the three caliphs and Ayisha, they do it out of ignorance and should ask God’s forgiveness. (As we have witnessed how Imam Khomeini The Shia bravely declared death of Salman Rushdie -The author of Satanic Verses who abused the wife of Prophet Ayesha and Shia Leader
declared blasphemy, just for his Fatwa the whole western countries became against Iran. See how much price did Shia pay to defend Ayesha - while Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE etc. etc. as the Sunni government were silent they did not defend Ayesha. Now who loves Ayesha?)
Misconception # 7: Shias combine all five prayers into one prayer in the evening.
Response: Not true. In Shia mosques, whether in Iran or the USA, all five daily prayers are performed. Shia do combine noon and afternoon
and evening and night, but Shia scholars recommend performing them separately. Such combinations may not be ideal, but better than not
praying at all. How can a Sunni who does not pray at all be better than
a Shia who combines prayers?
Misconception # 8: Shias do not pay zakat (poor-due).
Response: Not true. They not only pay 2.5% left over from savings as
zakat, but also an additional 20% as Khums or general charity. However,
they prefer to pay directly to the needy rather than corrupt Sunni government.
Misconception #9: Shias practice temporary marriages (Mutah).
Response: Mutah (temporary marriages) was allowed during the time of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and he himself practiced it. Ibn Zubayr was
born out of the temporary marriage. Later on Caliph Umar prohibited it
due to social reasons as the Islamic world was rapidly expanding. Shias
discourage Mutah but do not consider it prohibited. Some do abuse this.
As a temporary privilege during travel, it is better than adultery.
Misconception #10: They consider Imams infallible and above the Prophets.
Response: Not true. All prophets are born Prophet but as mentioned in
Quran about Abraham that after passing the test, a prophet becomes a
leader (Imam). Muhammad (PBUH) is the Prophet (Nabi), Messenger (Rasul)
and leader (Imam). Imams are carriers of the message of Islam. Shias
consider Ali only as an Imam and not prophet.
With the little knowledge I have, I have tried to do my best as a Sunni
in defending my Shia brothers in Islam with the hope and prayer to God
Almighty that He will “instill love in the heart of the believers” and
bring us closer to each other so that we jointly can fight our common
enemy, Satan and his followers.
May God forgive my mistakes in this article and this book (Amin).
“Knowledge is better than wealth because it protects you while you have
to guard wealth. It decreases if you keep on spending it but the more
you make use of knowledge, the more it increases. What you get through
wealth disappears as soon as wealth disappears but what you achieve
through knowledge will remain even after you.”
wassalam
Syed Mohammad Masoom*