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Sectarian divides among Muslims and how to remedy this malady?
INTRODUCTION
For the last four decades Muslim world has seen numerous massacres of
alarming magnitude, wherein Muslims have been slain by Muslims themselves.
These crimes are committed by the offenders in no case were/are based on
motives like wealth, women or land. The butcher doesn’t know who is
slaughtered by him nor the slain if resurrected would know who has slain him
and why? The aggressor claims that he was justified to take the life or lives and
for that he shall surely be awarded a space in Paradise.
This belief of brain washed butcher is product of his religious Godfather’s
service to his sect.
If we go through the annals of the Muslim history we find that such scenes had
been enacted even in the earlier days’ genocides in the name of sects and not for
the sake of Islam.
It is for this reason that the motives for the creation of the sects, their
historicity and excuses for the same must be dispassionately located.
The dominant sect which is normally suspected by the majority of targeted
sects has been universally acknowledged as an instrument not only against its
rival sects but also against the entire believing and non believing humanity.
Their murderous activities extend far beyond Muslims and Muslim states, but
for Israel, no corner of the globe is safe from their tyranny against humanity.
This sect too is subdivided into branches like Al-Qaeda, Taliban and their
prototypes yet for the ultimate goal they have community of interest and a
central command. These anti-human activities of this sect have brought, “name
of religion of terror to Islam” while in fact Islam is the only religion which for its
tenets and for its behaviour towards humanity -irrespective of faith- is
acknowledged as a faith which ensures global peace and prosperity of
mankind.
The slur brought to the Holy Prophets Islam by these forces has obliged me to
unveil the mischief and its authors without any prejudice or religious
leaning.Therefore, Iam working on political and sectarian divides among
Muslims and their historicity.We will intermittently write on Facebook parts of
our research on the subject and expect the from the reformer finding out
means for cohesive among the Ummah. I will welcome positive criticism on our
views
and
expect
the
knowledgeable
to
guide
us
in
our
exercise.
Sects are created when a religious community breaks down and disintegrates.
It is not astonishing because in history, disintegration of civilizations, states
and empires is not something rare. Here we may quote from “A Study of
History” by Professor Arnold Toynbee.
“Breakdowns are not inevitable and irretrievable; but, if the process of
disintegration is allowed to continue, I find that it seems to follow a common
pattern in most instances. The masses become estranged
from their leaders,
who then try to cling to their position by using force as a substitute for their
loss of power of attraction. I by using force as a substitute for their lost power
of attraction. I trace the fragmentation of society into a dominant minority, an
internal proletariat, and an external proletariat consisting of the barbarians on
it fringes; and I sketch thesocial reactions of these diverse groups to the ordeal
of disintegration. I also find a corresponding psychological schism in the souls
of people who happen to have been born into this unhappy age. Discordant
psychic tendencies which are perhaps always latent in human nature now find
free play. People losetheir bearings, and rush down blind alleys, seeking
escape. “Greater souls detach themselves from life; still greater souls
transfigure life into something higher than mere life as we know it on Earth,
and sow the seeds of spiritual advance.” “PART V THE DISINTEGRATIONS OF
CIVILIZATIONS”
Yet disintegration does not necessarily mean that civilizations may not be
resurrected.But resurrection is not as common as disintegration. Among the
civilizations suffering disintegration and gaining revival, the most conspicuous
is Jewish Civilization. This civilization is mainly based on religion. It remained
under suppression and “victimization” for many centuries, from 628 AC to
1948 AC. It reasserted mainly because of their commitment to the basic tenets
of their religion and their maintenance of cohesive factors among the
community. They have numerous sectarian groups. They remain scattered on
globe and were deprived of their motherland once they lost their sovereign
authority on part of globe. Throughout, about 13 centuries of, their having
been made outcaste and their compulsory dispersion in the world, they did not
lose their religious identity and their racial prejudice. Today, they dominate the
policies of Christian community of the world and also of a number of Muslim
states courtesy Saudi Arabia. In-spite of Christians and Muslims each
community, for its own reasons, being against the other, is at the same time
and against the Jews and Jews too nurture hatred against both of them.
Hence, disintegration of Muslims is nothing strange, however; revival of Islam
of the Holy Prophet requires unity among Muslims and their sincerity with
their Faith. Muslims do realize the imperative of unity and its pre-requisites for
revival of the glory of Prophet’s Islam. But the clerics who are authors____
successors of authors_______ of the feuds add fuel to the fire, as and when they
mount the pulpit. It is unfortunate that for centuries Muslims have purposely
been thrown in confusion about their faith and have been brain washed to
submit to personality cult and adore the ruler of their past and their courtiers
as their role models and take them as source of their pride.The misfortune is
that the personality cult continue to afflict the Muslims since earlier then the
battles at Jamal, Sifin and Nahrwan.
The historians with objectivity have described this pathetic situation as
summed up by Syed Ameer Ali in his marvellous work, The Spirit of Islam, This
work for more than a century remains acknowledged as authentic thesis. He
says “The Church of Muhammad like the Church of Christ has been rent by
internecine divisions and strives. Difference of opinion on abstract subjects,
about which there cannot be any certitude in a finite existence, has always
given rise to greater bitterness and a fiercest hostility than ordinary differences
on matters within the range of Human cognition. The disputes respecting the
nature of Christ deluged the earth with the blood of millions; the question of
Freewill in man caused if not the same amount of bloodshed, equal trouble in
Islam. The claim to infallibility on the part of the Pontiffs of Rome convulsed
Christendom to its core; the infallibility of the people and of the Fathers
became in Islam the instrument for the destruction of precious lives.”
The figure of millions of lives quoted by the celebrated author in case of
Christianity has been outnumbered by many millions more, in case of Muslims
during the fourteen centuries. The recent crisis in Muslim countries on the
globe has witnessed blood-shed of Muslims by Muslims themselves both in
wars and as result of terrorist activities which may far exceed in volume to
genocide in two World Wars put together.These lives of Muslims have been
taken by Muslims on the pretext of obedience to Allah’s command and for His
pleasure, as instructed by their Ulema.
Is there any solution to this centuries old gory problem and if there is a
solution how to implement it. What are the factors which prompt killings of
Muslims by Muslims and which are the factors hindering reformative efforts. A
dispassionate and God fearing analysis alone can give answer to the root cause
of the divides and divisions and identify the people who benefit from this
problem, they and their collaborators who have been creating it throughout
Muslim history. They do not even let the efforts for finding out ways and means
for achieving cohesive existence among Muslims amidst their differences of
sects and denominations fructify.
When one reads Jewish Encyclopaedia one is shocked to read the slanders
made by the Jews about the status of the holy Christ and the Pious Marry. But
for more than a century the Christians and Jews abreast with their respective
creeds, have adopted a cohesive existence and have, as one formation though
not one nation, been ruling the world.
There is a saying attributed to the Holy Prophet which does not reach the
status of authentic one, however it is believed by a great number of Muslim
scholars that the Holy Prophet had said, “There will be seventy two sects
among Muslims and only one of them will go to paradise and the rest will not.”
It may be noted that number 72 is a number for exaggeration, which means
that the sects may be more than many. The Muslims are forewarned against
divisions by the Holy Quran where Allah says “…………Hold fast to the Divine
rope and do not segregate.”
The phenomenon of division is found in every religious community and not
only among Muslims. Among the religions of the descendants of Prophet
Ibrahim the smallest community is that of Jews, yet there divisions are greater
in number than those of the Muslims. The Christians are also divided into
numerous
denominations
and
sub-denominations.
Likewise
among
the
believers of Aryan religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrians etc.
this phenomenon is predominantly present.
Why do believers in religions suffer divisions?
In this respect some reasons maybe common in case of all religion along with
additional specific reasons for each. So far as specific reasons for division
among Muslims are concerned they will be separately dealt with. Some of the
common reasons for emergence of divisions among religions may be
enumerated as under; -
1. Although the new entrants in the new religion are sincere and zealous to the
call yet, they can hardly get rid of jealousies afflicting their earlier life.
2. When a religion challenges the existing system it attracts only the neglected
class of society but after it gains ground the upper class people join its fold and
this factor creates heart burning among the earlier converts and the new
comers.
3. After entering its fold in new religion in haste or out of anxiety to taste the
charm of the new religion after they find that their expectations are not likely to
be fulfilled, they either betray the conversion or start conspiring against their
new
faith.
4. The upper class of society who have joined the faith make conspiracies.
Such people are called hypocrites, while in politics they are called the fifth
columnist.
5. Majority of clergies of every religion whether Pandats, Priests or Ullema
practice religion not as a mission but as a profession and thus it becomes the
only source of sustenance for them. And for their new gained prestigious
standard of life they become priestly aristocrats. This practice of the clerics
divides the societies in a fashion as political rival do in politics. They make
their religious institution as shops and sell their versions of religion as
merchandise. This last factor is the main instrument of divisions among the
believers
which
gradually
creates
blood
feud
among
co-believers.
Further factors and reasons for division among Muslims are as follow ;a) Soon after the Holy Prophet, Muslims in Medina confronted the issue that
who might succeed him. In this respect there were three opinions: i) The Ansar claimed that as they had supported the Holy Prophet who had to
escape persecution of himself and his followers at Makah therefore they alone
were entitled to succeed him. In Medina the Prophet was welcomed along with
his companions called Immigrants and the residents of Medina called Ansar
helped the migrants to settle there by sharing their belongings with the
settlers.The Ansar put up Saad Bin Abada as their candidate but they were
better advised to abide by the command of the Holy Prophet 'Imams must be
from Quresh'
ii) When it came to Quresh a question arose whether there should be an
election or nominations of the Holy Prophet or successor should be followed;
because during the journey back from Makkah to Medina in the farewell
pilgrimage, he had nominated Ali to be his successor but last of all he had
delegated leadership of prayers to Abu Bakr. Therefore, the choice was limited
either Abu Bakr or Ali. Ultimately Abu Bakr was chosen to lead the newly
established republic although Saad Bin Abada kept distance for the rest of his
life from the affairs of the republic. However Abu Sufiyan who was a prominent
figure at Makah and leader of Umayyad’s approached Ali saying that since Abu
Bakr belonged to a minor clan, therefore, why the progeny of AbdulMunaf
should accept his command.He instigated Ali to rise against this arrangement
but Ali replied in harsh words saying that a hypocrite’s persuasion would not
prevail
upon
him.
Yet
Ali
continued
cooperating
with
Abu
Bakr.
Later on during the era of the third Caliph some groups making his governor’s
laxity
a
core
dispute
started
agitation
resulting
inmartyrdom
of
Usman.Umayyad’s though betrayed the Caliph at the time of mobs agitation,
later on emerged as complainants against Ali alleging that Ali’s group was
responsible for assassination of Usman. Um-ul-Momineen Ayesha who was
expecting that after Usman, Talha her cousin will be installed as caliph on
hearing during her journey back from pilgrimage learned Ali’s election as caliph
and furiously reacted to it. She organised an army to wage war against the
newly elected caliph. Her aggressive army met the forces of republic. In this
battle large number of fighters from both sides were lost. Her army was
defeated but Ali showing his usual magnanimity sent Ayesha back to Medina in
honour she deserved and thus the end was a truce. Since she was riding a
camel during the battle hence it is named battle of Jamal. The details of this
battle have been summed up by Ayesha-Binte-Abdur Rehman of Egypt in her
book Btlah-e-Karbala. She is an authority on Muslim History, a biographer of
high calibre and has also written an exegesis of the Holy Quran. She has written
biographies of the Holy Prophet and some of his companions. This book has been
translated into Persian under the title Bano-e-Kahrmaan-e-Karbala. I have the
honour of rendering this book into English with title Zainab-The Invincible. This
translation is available on our website www.smayubbukhari.com and can be
downloaded free of cost.
Encouraged by the conflict between Ali and Um-al-Momineen, Muawiya who
was till then governor of Syria representing the central Authority at Medina
rose in revolt against the centre. Thus the battle of Sifin between Muawiya and
Ali at Sifin which remained indecisive because of the device of arbitration.
These are the unhappy events which caused break down of Ummah and gave
room to disintegration resulting in permanent conflict between the two major
Muslim sects that is Shias and lobbyists of Umayyad’s.
As a consequence of failure of Arbitration a group from Ali's army revolted
against him. Though defeated they invented a new creed in Islam and for this
reason they were called Kharjities, meaning the rebels who quit the society.
These Kharjities did not recognize the rest of the communities as Muslim. They
do not acknowledge the parties at Jamal and Sifin to be Muslim. They are
ritualistic and orthodox in their piety.
The Shias do not acknowledge the ascendency of Abu Bakr, Umer and Usman
as dejure. Whereas, Sunnis acknowledge the ascendency of Abu Bukr, Umer,
Usman and Ali as dejure. This difference of concepts to start with was either
political or result of tribal jealousies between Sunni and Shias. Instead of
resolving this difference and keeping it within limits the opinion maker of the
Muslim Ummah made it a bone of contention between the two sects. This bone
of
contention
gradually
assumed
dangerous
proportions.
By now Shias and Sunnis have been suffering personality cult and the
personages mentioned above are held by the respective parties to be immune
from any error and they are to be venerated and to be followed without any
criticism. This personality cult is equivalent of Carlyle’s Hero Worship. The
Scholars tracing Fascism and Nazism to their roots blame hero worship to be
the cause.Cumming, Mark:The Carlyle encyclopaedia, 2004. ISBN 978-0-83863792-0 p. 223.
It is a fact that during the Umayyad’s period this personality cult was
engrained in the minds of majority of Muslims so deep that they ignoring the
erotic and bacchanalian life style of Yazid believed him to be Ameer
ulMomineen and till date if one happens to have a chance to the book stalls at
Makah and Medina during the Hajj period he will find free of cost a book
entitled "‫" امیر المومنین یزید‬.
There is irrefutable evidences in Yazid’s taunt to ZainabBinte Ali when he said
that he has taken revenge of assassination of Atba, Uteba and Waleed by
Hamza, Ali and Ubeada in the battle of Badr at the opening dual of the fight.
The victors were Hashmites while the victims were Umayyad’s. As Abu Suffiyan
father of Muawiya i.e.grandfather ofYazid was expecting to be crowned as king
of Makah and advent of the Holy Prophet made his dreams failed. The old
rivalry between the tribes were further sharpened. The defeat in battle of Badr
suffered by Quresh under the command of AbuSuffiyan added fire to the heart
burning of Umayyad’s. Abu Suffiyan’s wife Hind was extremely hostile to the
Prophet and his family and in the battle of Uhad she had desecrated the dead
body of Hamza who was brother of the Holy Prophet’s father and was victor in
the dual of Badr. She chewed the liver and heart of Hamza and made necklace
of his ears, wearing it hand in hand with Wahshi, the assassin of Hamza, Hind
boasted of her tribe’s victory and even after conversion she has shown
insolence to the Holy Prophet. These indelible impressions on the minds of
Umayyad’s against Hashmites have been surfacing and finding manifestation
as and when the climate was congenial for them.
According to sociologists’ man travelled from myth to magic from magic to
religion and now from religion to science. The ages of myth and magic are not
relevant to our subject, therefore, we can conveniently bypass them.
The oldest record of religions available to us is in the Bible and we are directly
concerned with two major religions of the Bible i.e. Judaism and Christianity
and the latest version of the religions of House of Ibrahim namely Islam. Islam
does not claim to be a new faith its claim is that it is in the continuity of the
earlier religions rather the source of Islamic faith is the religion of Ibrahim. Of
course Judaism and Christianity in spite of clear mention of Prophet of Islam
in the Bible do not have the courage or courtesy to admit this fact revealed to
the Holy Christ, Moses or other Apostles.
This is experience of Muslims that religion has been exploited more as a bone
of contention, the contention degenerating into feud and finally as soul of
terrorism. This is not only in the contemporary world. Muslims’ past is no
exception to it. In fact Islam which is a binding force has been exploited by the
clerics and so called jurists, a means to earn bread. They adopted it as such.
The Muslims courts and governments for keeping the community in conflict
and confusions need their services. There is a cry in the Muslims world that 2
states viz. the Saudis and Iran are behind terrorist’s organizations that produce
terrorists, brain washed them to kill the co-believers for differences which are
neither religious nor political but they erupt from personality cult whichis a
cult worse than idolatry. Therefore, not Islam but personality cult is the cause
of this nuisance in the Muslims world.Having anticipated the harm of
personality cult which may afflict the Muslims, Ali had given his view about the
personalities”‫ انما نعرف الرجال بالحق ولا الحق با لرجال‬meaning thereby verily we give a
recognition to man on the touch stone of Haq (Truth) and we do not make
Truth subservient to man. Unfortunately, this formula has not, zealously, been
made known to their followers even by those who claim to be adherents of Ali’s
School.
13-January-2014
‫‪Personality cult is so corruptive as is reflected in the following statement of as‬‬
‫‪great a scholar and as great a leader as Imam ul Hind AbulKalam Azad in his‬‬
‫‪weekly Alhilal, Volume 1, July to Dec, 2012‬‬
‫انہوں نے اسپر بھی زور دیا تھا کہ اھل سنت خارجیوں کو اپنے سے علیحدہ کردیں ۔ جہاں تک میں سمجھتا ھوں ‪.3 ،‬‬
‫خارجیوں سے انکا مقصد وہ لوگ ھیں جو باوجود ادعاء تسفن ‪ ،‬یزید وشمراور ابن زیاد کے فضائل و مناقب بیان کرتے‬
‫! ھیں ‪ ،‬اور اس گذشتہ فرقے کو زندہ کرنا چاھتے ھیں ‪ ،‬جو بقول عالمہ ان تیمیہ ‪ ،‬یزید کی نبوت کا قائل تھا‬
‫‪(3) He had also stressed that Ahl-e-sunnat must expel kharjites from their‬‬
‫‪folds. As for as I feel by kharjites, they mean the people who in spite of their‬‬
‫‪claim to be Ahl-e-Tasanun glorify Yazid, Shimar and Ibn-e-Zayad and wish to‬‬
‫‪revive the sect who according to Allama Ibn-e-Taimia believed in the prophet‬‬
‫‪hood of Yazid.‬‬
‫ہمارا عقیدہ ہے کہ اگر قیامت کے دن دنیا کے ظالموں کی صفوف عالم فساق وفجار سے الگ قرار دی جائیں گی تو ان‬
‫میں سب سے پہلی صف یقینا ً (بنی امیہ) کی ہوگی۔ انہیں ظالموں نے اسالم کی اس روح و حریت کو غارت ظلم واستبداد‬
‫اغراض شخصیہ کے لیے کچل ڈاال۔ ان کا‬
‫کیااور اس کے عین عروج اور نشونما کے وقت اس کی قوت نمو کو اپنے‬
‫ِ‬
‫اقتدار وتسلط فل الحقیقت " امر بالمعروف کے سدباب کا پہال دن تھا ۔ نہ صرف یہ ک انھوں نے اسالم کی جمہوریت‬
‫کو غارت کر کے اسکی جگہ شخصی حکومت کی بنیاد ڈالی جو یقینا ً اعتقاد قرآنی کی رو سے کفر جلی ہے۔ بلکہ‬
‫سب سے بڑا ظلم یہ کیا کہ اظہار حق اور امر بالمعروف کی قوت کو تلوار کے زور سے دبادینا چا ہا‪ ،‬اور مسلمانوں‬
‫کی حق گوئی کے ترقی کناں ولولے کو مضمحل کر دیا۔ تاھم چونکہ عہد نبوت کا فیضان روحانی اور تعلیم قرآنی کا اثر‬
‫ابھی بالکل تازہ تھا ‪ ،‬اسلیے اگرچہ طرح طرح کی بدعات اور محدثات و معاصی کا بازار گرم ہو گیا تھا لیکن پھر‬
‫بھی امر بالمعروف کی آواز کی گرج کوفہ ودمشق کے ایوان ومحل کو لرزا دیتی تھی ۔ ساٹھ برس کی ایک بڑھیا برسر‬
‫دربار بالئی جاتی تھی اور (معاویہ ) کے سامنے بے دھڑک اپنے وہ اشعار جوش وخروش کے ساتھ پڑھتی تھی‪،‬‬
‫جنمیں میں نہ صرف حضرت امیر علیہ السالم کے مناقب ہوتے تھے بلکہ کھلے کھے لفظوں میں بنی امیہ کے فضائح‬
‫و مثالب بیان کیے گئے تھے۔ عبدالمالک جیسا بارعب اور جبروت شہنشاہ مدینے آتا تھاتو اس کے دروانے سے گلیم‬
‫پوش فقراؤ صحالیک نکلتے تھے اور سر دربار اسکو ظالم بتالتے تھے۔ تاریخ میں ہم صدھا واقعات کے ضمن‬
‫پڑھتے ہیں کہ (حجاج) کے سامنے اسکی بے نیا م تلوار رکھی رہتی تھی‪ ،‬لیکن جانفروش مومن آتے تھے‪ ،‬اور اسکی‬
‫تلوار کو حقارت سے دیکھکر اپنی شمشیر حق گوئی سے خود اسکے دل کومجروح کر دیتے تھے۔‬
‫‪This is our conviction that if on the Day of Judgment, the tyrants or‬‬
‫‪lined-up in queues, distinct and separate from ordinary vile and wishes,‬‬
‫‪the most enormous are all shall definitely be that of Umayyads. They were‬‬
‫‪the tyrants, who with oppression and atrocity wrecked Islam’s very soul‬‬
‫‪of freedom. This they did, during days of Islam’s growth development and‬‬
‫‪ascendency and trampled its very potential of progress, for achieving‬‬
‫‪their impious goal. The day of their gaining power and denomination was‬‬
‫‪in fact opening day of closure of “Rule of Virtue”. Not only that the ruined‬‬
‫‪the democracy of Islam but they also established despotic rule which‬‬
‫‪according to the tenet of the Quran blatant infidelity. Still greater was‬‬
‫‪enormity of their atrocity when they attempted to silence the voice of‬‬
truth and with power of sword violated the “ Rule of Virtue” and
annihilated the progressing surge of Muslims dauntless veracity. As the
effect of spiritual beneficence of the Holy Prophet’s time and influence of
teachings of the Quran were just fresh, therefore, although there were
numerous deviations and innovations rampant yet, the roar of “Rule of
Virtue” would now and then jolt the Courts of the Damascus and Kufa. A
sixty year old lady was summoned she in immediate presence of Mauavia
fearlessly and forcefully recited numbers embracing eulogy of ‫حضرت امیر علیہ‬
‫السالم‬, rather there would be in clear words open condemnation of the vices
and evils of Banu Omaya. Whenever the emperor awful and formidable like
Abdul Malik would enter Madina, the destitute and have-nots dressed in
wools would stage exit from the gates of Madina and would in open court
denounce him a “tyrant”. The history records hundreds of such occasions
when in the immediate presence of Hajaj with his naked sword in front of
him the intrepid faithful would come look down upon his sword and
cause him heart burning.
Solution is let there be a Mustafa Kamal Ataturk.
The critical and chaotic situation which has led to anarchy is sounding threat
of civil war. This is because Sharif government for the personal interest of their
families cannot act against the wishes of Saudi Arabia where their interests are
enormous and whom they always expect to be their ultimate protectors, if they
are ever ousted whether by public agitation or the forces that be. The Saudis
after their defeat in Syria have been now concentrating on their goal in
Pakistan. Their goal is to have a pro-Wahabi establishment in this liberal
Islamic state which has 85% population of those sects of Muslims who abhor
the very name of Wahabis, for the reason that the Wahabis call all those
Muslims polytheists who as their conviction believe that the holy prophet is
infallible, he is ever-living and he is not a mortal since according to them he is
not made of mud and clay, rather he is manifestation of Divine Light. These
Muslims further believe that a despotic monarchy like that of Saudi Arabia is
not an Islamic system of government. These Muslims are mal treated during
Hajj if they stand by the mausoleum of the Holy Prophet and pay homage to
him saying “O, the messenger of Allah we salute thee and we believe that thou
art listening to our prayers.” At this juncture the Muslims are roughed up by
Saudi ‘Shurtas’ saying this is polytheism. The Saudis do not permit the
pilgrims to visit and offer veneration at the sights of the graves desecrated by
Saudis in Medina, when they took over per treachery the reins of Ottoman
Empire’s fringes in Hejaz.
The Taliban have relentlessly been saying that they want the Shariah of Saudi
Arabia. The Taliban are on record to have said that ChaudaryIftikhar the
former CJ (When he was in office) and Nawaz Sharif are their most favorite
persons in Pakistan.
Because of his own and his family’s vested interest, Nawaz Sharif cannot
antagonize Taliban and has always been condoning the atrocities of Taliban on
the people of Pakistan with the guarantee from the terrorist that he, his family
and his interest will always be safe. The parties apprehended to effectively
oppose Nawaz Sharif in general elections were scared away from public scene
by Taliban. Who had made open threat to them of their terrorist designs if they
appear in public for soliciting votes?
In these circumstances when there is extensive and deeply intensive sectarian
problem in Pakistan and the clerics are involved in that problem it cannot be
expected that any Khomeini will emerge to take Pakistan out of this crisis.
Sitting by the dead bodies of scores of victims of Taliban and lamenting their
death will not be of any solution. It is genuinely desired by people of Pakistan
that let there be a Mustafa Kamal Ataturk to get them rid of this crisis and
chaos.
9 Personalities
Among the sects the basic issue is, as stated earlier, personality cult. There are
about 9 personalities around whom the controversy among sects revolves.
These personalities are closely related to the Holy Prophet. Three of them are
his fathers in Law, Two of them are his sons in Law, One of them is his brother
in law, among the three ladies Two are faithful’s mothers and One is his
beloved daughter.
The fathers in Law are Abu-Bakr, Umar and Abu Sufiyan. The sons in law are
Ali and Usman. The brother in Law is Muawiya. The Mothers of faithfuls are
Ayesha and Hafsa. The daughter is Fatima.
The Shiites dispute dejure status of Abu-Bakr, Umar, Usman, Ali and also
Muawiya. They recognize only Ali as a dejure Caliph. The Sunnis belief is that
Abu-Bakr,
Umar,
Usman
and
Ali
are
Righteous
Caliphs.
The Kharjities acknowledge the first two caliphs but in the case of Usman their
belief is that when the Egyptian protestors were defrauded secretary Mirwan
and he was not taken to task for that by the Caliph, the Caliph lost validity for
holding the office and he was no more a true believer. About Ali they say that
when he failed to repent on acceptance of arbitration mentioned earlier he too
was neither thereafter rightful in holding office and he ceased to be a true
believer. Ayesha when she appeared in masses during battle of Jamal, she too
lost her status as a believer. About Muawiya their belief is that he was never
rightful and held the reins of Islamic state as a usurper.
There are Nasibis who believe that Yazid was a prophet and those who opposed
him are infidels. We have quoted earlier from AdulKalam Azad that according
to Imam Ibn-e-Tahmiya the identification of this sect is in their glorifying
shimmer, Ibn-e-Ziyad and other atrocious generals of Yazid’s army. This sect
for centuries was in hide-outs and rarely appeared in public but after Saudi
dynasty was established through British device as narrated by Humphrey in
his confessions (These Confession’s Urdu version is available on our Website)
They gradually surface and are now quiet visible, vocal aggressive and the
source of inspiration for the terrorist who threaten the very existence of those
who do not believe in the home grown version of Islam of Saudi’s
.
But for Shiites and Sunnis as stated above all the other sects are opponents of
Ali. Thus the sect formation is result of personality cult and Islamic teachings
have nothing to do with it.
Islam is only, what is the command of God in the Holy Quran and Sunnah of
the Holy Prophet. Muslims are required to obey Allah, his prophet wholeheartedly and in the case of authority of their temporal affairs they are to obey
him only if he is from among them and he follows the commands of Allah and
the Holy Prophet. If he does not do that, the Muslims are free to disagree with
him and refer the difference to the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. At the time of
assumption of his office Abu-Bakr said ‘Obey me as long as I follow the
commands of God and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet but when I deviate from
this course, set me right.’ It means that personality cult is not sign-quanon of
Islamic belief. The Muslims have been warned by Allah not to get divided in
sects and to hold-fast the divine rope and this is the only solution for all that
has been and is happening as tragic events among Muslims. Otherwise as
stated earlier or elsewhere, no one can block the course of Mustafa Kamal
Ataturk. At least in Pakistan.
Article on Express Tribune
I, vividly, recall the caption of an article contributed by Professor Arnold
Toynbee in early 1950’s and reproduced by the daily Pakistan Times,
which was a very popular daily of the progressive group.
The caption read,
“The force that made Pakistan shall unmake it – Religion.”
This was most probably in context of the anti-Ahmadi movement riots in
Punjab, aggravated to the extent that the ever first martial law was imposed to
cover Lahore on March 6, 1953.
Prior to that, a riotous mob ignited by MaulviAbdusSattarNiazi, had killed a
Deputy Superintendent of the police, Syed Firdous Shah, who was a first
cousin of mine. An inquiry commission to probe into causes and effects of
these riots was constituted under the Justice Munir Commission. It took him a
long time to conclude a report which was made public in 1954.
The conclusion of the commission was,“It shows that our ulema are not even
able to agree on a definition of who a Muslim is. Justice Munir had called
heads of all Islamic schools of thought and asked them the definition of a
Muslim. No two ulema agreed. It also exposes the pusillanimity of our so-called
scholars of Islam and their near-total disregard of the beauty and generosity of
Islam.”
This report was never challenged by any sect denomination of Muslims, either
in Pakistan or elsewhere in the world.
It is an irrefutable historic fact that the disintegration of Pakistan resulting in
the establishment of Bangladesh was facilitated by as-Shams and al Badr (the
armed group of Jammat-e-Islami), who were fighting against the Awami
League’s separation movement led by Sheikh MujeeburRehman.
Recently, the leaders of Jammat-e-Islami, who had sponsored the above
mentioned group in East Pakistan, have been convicted for war crimes by
Bangladeshi
courts
and
awarded
sentences
from
death
to
long-term
imprisonment.
The present day sectarian riots in Pakistan erupt from the same controversy
pointed out by Justice Munir, as to what is the definition of a Muslim. This
time the major sects in Islam, be it Shias, Sunnis, Wahabis or Kharjites, are all
present in Pakistan – and each sect does not recognise the other as Muslim.
Some of these sects, like the Kharjites, openly declare the other sects (Shias
and Sunnis) to be infidels and culpable of a punishment meant for renegades.
It is for these reasons that on the Muharram processions this year, there have
been murders, arsons and plunders in quite a few cities of Pakistan. There is
no religious leader in Pakistan, whose opinion or concern may be accepted
as sensustricto Islamic, by all the Muslims.
To add to this, there is no political leader in the country who may have the
status
of
a
national
leader.
Political
leadership
lacks
rationality.
By
imposing ZiaulHaq on Pakistan, the present aggravated sectarian situation has
been nurtured by both America and Saudi Arabia in Pakistan.
Amidst lack of political wisdom, the want of sincerity of our so-called religious
leadership, the greed of both religious and political leaders to rob and plunder
the country, whether in the name of faith or change in system, we find our
country seized in an incurable, cancerous disease.
The Rawalpindi clashes on the10th of Muharram and the subsequent riots in
various parts of the country are definitely doings of clerics, whether from one
sect or the other. And what’s worse is that the same clerics are being treated as
the healers of the disease, who caused it in the first place.
It is also intriguing that on both the critical dates, that is November 15 and
16, 2013, the prime minister was, coincidentally or conveniently, absent from
the country.
Unfortunately, Professor Toynbee may not have been wrong in saying what he
did, because, it seems when the ship is engulfed in a storm, its captain is
elsewhere in a lifeboat.
Dated:06-02-2014
4 Rabi-u-Saani, 1435
Syed Muhammad Ayub Bukhari,
ASC, Attock
Sectarian divides among Muslims and
how to remedy this malady?
BY: SYED MUHAMMAD AYUB BUKHARI,
ADVOCATE SUPREME COURT, ATTOCK