Sectarianism is the ideology of losers, says letter writer but ulama must play an effective part in confronting this menace.
Sectarianism is projected in some quarters as the greatest challenge facing Muslims when the vast majority of Muslims want unity in the Ummah. Who is stoking the flames of sectarianism?
In Islam difference of opinion is permitted but in a respectful manner. Sectarianism is a deliberately propagated ideology of hate in which one group of Muslims denounces another as ‘kafirs’ and even resorts to killing. Such hate ideology must be exposed and confronted.
Pakistan has been gripped by sectarian violence for decades but in recent times, it has become more vicious. Committed Muslims, representing “Shi’is” and “Sunnis” from many parts of the world gathered in Turkey to work toward ending this unnecessary conflict in the Ummah.
There are clear signs that Turkey is making important changes in its policies that had led to serious disagreements with many of its neighbours. These primarily related to its policy on Syria where the AKP government had made the overthrow of Bashar al-Asad a central plank of its policy. This has failed and Turkey is changing course. It is also taking steps to reduce sectarian tensions. These are welcome developments.
Terrorism has never been a successful strategy. Its only consequence is suffering for ordinary people. This is what is happening in Syria. The terrorist groups, however, are now fighting each other because they are unable to dislodge the government of Bashar al-Asad. Their foreign masters--Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, the US, France, Britain and Israel, to name a few--have also realized that these terrorists cannot deliver.
We mentioned earlier, many times, that asabiyah (or) this self centeredness- whether it’s a tribal self centeredness or whether it’s a nationalistic self centeredness or whether it’s a racist self centeredness, it comes in many forms; whatever it is- its an enemy to the committed Muslims because it plays itself out in warfare just like we are seeing in the real world. You can place these khutbahs in the context of the killings that are going on, explosions, pass by shootings, throwing hand grenades, opening fire randomly in certain areas just because they belong to Sunnis or Shi’is or whatever. All of this is meant to resuscitate this asabiyah that we have been exposing so at least we don’t fall prey to their plans.
The US-zionist-Saudi-backed takfiris in Syria are determined to instigate sectarian warfare in the Ummah because they are so consumed by hatred. Their tactics include attacks on shrines of the Ahlul Bayt as well as Sahaba that supported them. What kind of people that call themselves Muslims would indulge in such behavior?
Saudi preacher, Muhammad al-Arifi (left), has issued a fatwa saying prostitution by Muslim girls to service takfiri fighters in Syria is permissible. Has the Ummah fallen so low that such filthy fatwas can be issued and Muslims remain silent? At the same time, Arifi and Sheikh al-Qaradawi have launched an anti-Shia crusade leading to the lynching of four Shias in a village outside Cairo.
Failure of the western-backed rebels in Syria has resulted in increased sectarian tensions in Iraq from where the bulk of the mercenaries flooded into Syria. Many have returned and sectarianism is the tool used to divide Muslims by playing on their emotions.
Millions of Egyptians, some armed with sticks and iron bars, have occupied various squares across the country. Opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi demand his immediate resignation and fresh elections while his supporters insist they will not allow a president to be pushed out of office a year after he was constitutionally elected. There are real fears of a civil war breaking out and the military taking over, once again.
Sectarianism is inbuilt into the confessional nature of the political system in Lebanon but recent developments have given it a new twist.
Sectarianism is being promoted deliberately to serve the interests of imperialism and Zionism. Muslims must wisen up.
Sectarianism has reared its ugly head, not because it is natural, but that there are forces deliberately trying to stoke fears. Muslim scholars in Malaysia have taken a bold stand against such machinations and called for proper understanding.
Sectarianism is the only fitna the Saudis know. Unfortunately it has spread far and wide, thanks to Saudi propaganda and the naivety of many Muslims that fall easy prey to such fitna.
If Muslims are not careful, they may end up causing so much damage to the Ummah that it will take many generations to recover. The poison of sectarianism is spread and financed by Saudi Arabia and its Arabian allies.
Using terrorist outfits like Lashkar-e Jhangvi and the SSP, the Saudis want to create a permanent breach between Shias and Sunnis in order to check the influence of Islamic Iran.
The Saudi regime is good at only one thing: creating fitna of the sectarian kind. The war in Syria has provided it an opportunity to play dirty once again.
Sectarianism exists on both sides of the divide. It is imperative to understand the root problems to overcome it, urges Abu Dharr.
How historical baggage has smothered Muslim minds to sink into sectarianism while ignoring the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
