Re: Shia And Sunni Muslims
shi'ah and Sunni eh?
Ok time to, umm ahem, muddy the water a bit I guess since this thread does seem to lean on jokes... Let's look at then-contemporary non-muslim accounts:
Jacob of Adessa late 600s
Priests may give the blessing of the saints to mahaggaraye or pagans(???) (Mhggry aw hnp), and may teach the children of Muslims, Harranians and Jews.
Patriarch Germanus - Patriarch of Constantinople from 715 to 730:
"With respect to the Saracens, since they also seem to be among those who urge these charges against us, it will be quite enough for their shame and confusion to allege against them their invocation which even to this day they make in the wilderness (desert???) to a lifeless stone (Ka'bah in Mecca???), namely that which is called Chobar (???), and the rest of their vain conversation received by tradition from their fathers as, for instance, the ludicrous mysteries of their solemn festivals(festivals???)."
Yahya bin Mansur aka John of Damascus - 730AD
"This, then, which they call 'stone,' (H-J-R حجر) is the head of Aphrodite (Allat???), whom they used to worship (correlate with 53:19) and whom they call Chabar (???).” (Do notice that this guy is an Arab himself so chances of mistake in transliteration are slim - chobar translates to the Arabic root K-B-R كبر - meaning "great".)
It is interesting that this group called Saracen (Sharaqiyeen) is also called Mahaggaraye (Mahaajirin) and there is another group Hanpe (Hunafa - who were actually considered pagans by the Christians). There is no concept of Shia or Sunni.. they all seem to be following a "tradition from their fathers".
Also interesting to note that Muslims are being called Saraqyeen or !Mahaajireen! well into the 700s...
There are some observations regarding the word mahaggaraye which I refrain from mentioning and leave it to the readers.
Finally, notice that Saracens used to venerate the stone H-J-R حجر which seems to be dedicated to Ephrodite/Allat...