Islamic Schools Unity

7/29/2019 Islamic Schools Unity

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Islamic Schools of Thought

and

Factors of Unity

Ahmed Minaei

In the Name of Allah


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Index

An introduction to different Islamic schools

Imamah

Shia Religious thought:

Holy Quran Sunnah

The Prophet PBUH

Household of Prophet PBUH

Intellectual reasoning Consensus

Shari`ah, Ijtahad

Factors that create unity


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Sunnism and Shiìsm (1)

Today about 77-87% of all Muslims areSunnis and about 23-13% are Shiì. (~130

million) The Shià population are mostly in Iran,

Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, and Lebanon.

India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, SaudiArabia, the Persian Gulf states, and EastAfrica have notable Shia minority.


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Sunni Ah al- sunnah wal jamaàh

Shià Shiàt Ali ibn Abi Talib

After the death of the Prophet (PBUH), while Aliand the rest of his family were burying him, therest of the community gathered in Medina andchose Abu Bakr as the Prophets successor

(Caliph), the ruler of the newly established Islamiccommunity.

A number of people believed that Ali should havebecome the Prophets successor


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The major point of contention was not only thequestion of who should succeed the Prophet PBUH,

but the question of the qualifications of such aperson.

Sunnism: The function of Caliph was to protectthe borders, keep security and peace, appoint

judges, and so forth.

Shi`ism: Such a person also had to have thedeepest knowledge of Islamic Law as well as theesoteric knowledge of the Quran and propheticteachings.


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Imam

In Arabic "Imam" literally means leader.

An Imam, in general terminology, may be

good or bad,

The extent of his leadership may be very

broad or very limited.

leading a whole nation

leading congregations in a mosque


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Imam in Shi`i view

Must be inerrant (Ma`soum) and possess divine knowledgeof both the exoteric and the esoteric meaning of the Quran.

So, Imam is the person who is appointed by God andintroduced by the Prophet PBUH, and then by each

preceding Imam by explicit designation, to lead theMuslim community

Interpret and protect the religion and the law (shariah),and guide the community in all affairs.

The Imam is the Representative of God on earth (khalifat-ullah) and the successor of the Prophet.


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Imam in Sunni view

Equivalent to the term Caliph (khalifah).

In Arabic the term khalifah means successor.

The term has been used as a title for whoever took

the power and ruled the Islamic state

A Caliph may be elected, or nominated by hispredecessor, or selected by a committee, or mayeven acquire power through military force.

A Caliph need not be sinless, nor does he need tobe superior to others in qualities such as faith orknowledge.


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Islamic schools of Fiqh

Shiìsm / Ja`fari / Imami d. 757

6th Imam of Shiìsm (founder of 12 Imam Shia Law)

Sunnism Hanafi (Imam Abu Hanifah) d. 768

Maliki (Imam Malik ibn Anas) d. 795

Shafiì (Imam Muhammad al-Shafiì) d. 820

Hanbali (Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal) d. 855


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12 Emams in Shi`a

2. Imam Hasan b. Ali Died 50 A.H./669 A.D.

3. Imam Husayn b. Ali Died 61 A.H./680 A.D.

4. Imam Ali b. Husayn Died 95 A.H./712 A.D.

5. Imam Muhammad b. Ali Died 114 A.H./732 A.D.6. Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad Died 148 A.H./765 A.D.

7. Imam Musa b. Ja'far Died 183 A.H./799 A.D.

8. Imam Ali b. Musa Died 203 A.H./817 A.D.

9. Imam Muhammad b. Ali Died 220 A.H./835 A.D.10. Imam Ali b. Muhammad Died 254 A.H./868 A.D.

11. Imam Hasan b. Ali Died 260 A.H./872 A.D.

12. Imam al-Mahdi Born 256 A.H./868 A.D.

1. Imam Ali b. Abu Talib Died 40 A.H./659 A.D.


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The belief in a saviour

We have written in the Psalms following theReminder: My honourable servants shall

inherit the earth. (21:105)

Yet we wanted to endow those who were

considered inferior on earth, and makethem into leaders and make them [Our]heirs. (28:5)


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Al-Mahdi

Even if the entire duration of the world's existence

has already been exhausted and only one day is

left (before the day of judgment), God will expandthat day to such a length of time, as to

accommodate the kingdom of a person from my

household who will be called by my name.

Sunan by al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Fitan, Int. serial no. 2156 & 2157 and

Sunan by Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Mahdi, Int. serial no. 3733 & 3734.


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A universal mission starting from

the Arab world The Shia believe that he is the son of Imam

Hasan al-Askari. He was born in 255 (A.H). In

the year 260 (A.H.) his occultation started. He isstill alive, but protected by God in the state of

occultation until the preparations will be made for

his reappearance.

The same is believed by some Sunni scholars, butsome other Sunni scholars believe that he has not

yet been born.


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Islamic schools of Fiqh

Shiìsm / Ja`fari / Imami d. 757

6th Imam of Shiìsm (founder of 12 Imam Shia Law)

Sunnism Hanafi (Imam Abu Hanifah) d. 768

Maliki (Imam Malik ibn Anas) d. 795

Shafiì (Imam Muhammad al-Shafiì) d. 820

Hanbali (Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal) d. 855


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Hanafism

Founded by Imam Abu Hanifah, a Persian studentof Imam Sadeq

Today has the largest number followers in theSunni world.

Held a great attraction for Turks and Muslims ofIndian subcontinent.

Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt,

Caucasia, central Asia Sunni part of Afghanistan and Sunnis in Pakistan

are mostly Hanafi


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Malikism

Founded by Imam Malik ibn Anas

Very conservative in approach to the Law

The heart of Malikism is North and West

Africa outside of Egypt

Dominant in Morocco and Sudan.


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Shafi`ism

Founded by Imam Muhammad al-Shafi`, a student

of Imam Abu Hanifah

Buried in Cairo, loved and admired by Egyptians.

Part of Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Oman, the United

Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait, Most of

Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand


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Hanbalism

Founded by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, from

Baghdad

Based itself solely on the Quran and Hadith

Gave a very strict interpretation of Shari`ah

The official school in Saudi Arabia and

Qatar

Wahhabism is an offshoot of Hanbalism


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Wahhabism

Arose as a reformist movement in the end of 18th

Opposed the later refinements of Islamic culturein the form of philosophy and theology as well as

arts It was opposed by Shi`ism and many Sunnis

Ottoman Caliph sent an army to defeat them

Wahhabism survived through an alliance made

between the Wahhabi scholars and House of Sa`ud

After World War I captured the Hijaz (Mecca,Medina) and created the kingdom of Saudi Arabia


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The Islamic sources according to

Shi`a Law Glorious Quran

Sunnah

The Prophet PBUH

The household of the the Prophet PBUH

The Reason (Intellectual Reasoning)

Consensus (Ijma`)


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Glorious Quran

Quran is the most important source for all

Muslims

Shi`a deny any alteration in the Quran

Quran available today is the same one that

was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad

PBUH

Surely We have revealed the Reminder and

We will most surely be its preserver(15:9)


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No alternation in Holy Quran

Seyed Tabatabaei in Al-Mizan:

Quran is a living and eternal Reminderwhich will never die and fall into oblivion.

It is immune from any addition or loss.

It is eternally protected by Allah against anyalterations.


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The Sunnah

After the Glorious Quran, the most importantsource for understanding Islam, and thereforeShii thought, is the Sunnah of the ProphetMuhammad PBUH, which includes his sayingsand his deeds.

The Prophet PBUH is a perfect example for thebelievers (33:21).

He never speaks out of his own wishes. (53:3)Muslims are asked to hold on to whatever he gives them

and refrain from whatever he prohibits. (59:7)


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The household of the Prophet PBUH

No disagreement exists among Muslims

about the need to follow the teachings of the

household of the Prophet in understandingIslam

According to the Sunni view, all the

companions of the Prophet are reliablesources, including the Ahlul Bayt


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Ahlul Bayt

Ibn Taymiyah reports from Imam Malik:

No eyes have seen, no ears have heard, and

nothing has come to the heart of any human

being better than Jafar b. Muhammad in his

knowledge, in his piety, in his asceticism

and in his servitude to God.

(Al-Tawassul wa al-Wasilah, p. 52, 1st edition)


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Two precious (Thaqalayn)

I leave among you two precious things, which ifyou hold on to you will not go astray after me: theBook of God which is like a rope extended

between the heaven and the earth, and myhousehold. These two things will not separatefrom each other until they reach me near thefountain on the Day of Judgement. Look and be

careful how you treat them after me. Sahih Muslim (Vol. 8, p. 25, No. 2408), Musnadby Imam Ahmad (Vol. 3, p. 388, No. 10720),

Sunan by Darimi (Vol. 2, p. 432), Sahih by Tirmidhi (Vol. 5, p. 6432, No. 3788). They arealso mentioned in books such as Usd al-Ghabah by ibn Athir (Vol. 2, p. 13), Al-Sunan al-

Kubra by Bayhaqi (Vol. 2, p. 198) and Kanz al-Ummal(Vol. 1, p. 44).


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Results of Hadith Thaqalayn

1. From the time of the Prophet PBUH

until the end of the world the Book of

God and the household of the ProphetPBUH will always be together

2. No one can say that the book of God is

enough, and that we do not need thehousehold of the Prophet, or vice versa


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Results of Hadith Thaqalayn

3.The household of the Prophet would nevermake mistakes and they are always

truthful4. The household of the Prophet, like the

Quran itself, is held to be continuous,persisting until the Day of Judgement and

Paradise. Thus, the household of theProphet will never disappear, even for ashort period of time.


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Who constitute the `Itrah?

`Ayishah, Umm al-Muminin:

The Prophet PBUH went out wearing a black woollen cloak,when Hasan the son of Ali came to him, so the Prophet letHasan come in with him under the cloak. Then Husayn

came and he too entered. Then Fatimah came. She enteredas well. Then Ali came. He also went under the cloak, suchthat the cloak covered the Prophet, Ali, Fatimah, Hasanand Husayn. Then the Prophet recited: God only desires tokeep away impurity from you, O People of the House! and

to purify you a (thorough)purifying (33:33)

Sahih by Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 1883, No. 2424. (Kitab Fadail al-Sahabah, Bab Fadail Ahlul Bayt, Int. serial no. 4450)


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Reason

The Shià believe that Reason is a reliable

source of knowledge and in complete

harmony with revelation. There is an established rule among Shià

jurists that a judgement made by reason

(àql) is the same as that made by thereligion (shar`), and vice versa.


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Intellectual reasoning

Role of Revelation/Scriptures in religious studies:

confirmation of the facts that are already knownfrom reason

introducing new subjects that are not knownthrough reason, such as details of resurrectionand detailed accounts of moral and legal

systemsproviding sanctions through the religioussystem of reward and punishment


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Consensus

According to Shia methodology, the consensus of

all people, or a group such as the scholars, by itself

is not sufficient as a proof (hujjah) It only works when it leads to the discovery of

Sunnah.

If Muslims today agree on a given subject, while a

scholar has doubt about the Islamic judgement on

that subject, he methodologically cannot say that

because everybody says so, I also say the same.


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Dynamism to Shi`i thought

It is only the Quran and the Sunnah that are

unquestionably true and immune from any error or

mistake. This approach grants a type of dynamism to Shii

thought, so that every generation of scholars and

even any single scholar is able and indeed is

required to refer directly to the Quran and Sunnahand conduct his own original ijtihad,

(investigation and independent judgement).


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Ijtihad, open or closed?!

Ijtihad has never been banned or closed in

the Shi`a world.

The Shia believe that the view of no jurist,however high his position, is immune from

scientific questioning or challenge.

Every scholar needs to consult and examinecarefully the works of his predecessors.


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Which School to be followed?

Many Sunny scholars such as thelate Shaykh Shaltut have clearly

pointed out that every Muslim isallowed to act according to one ofthe five Islamic schools of fiqh:

Ja`fari, Hanafi, Hanbali, Malikiand Shafi`i.


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Who is in Minority?

Hanaf i

32%

Maliki

25%

Shafei

16%

Hanbali

4%

Shi`a

23%

Hanafi Maliki Shafei Hanbali Shi a


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The second largest religion in the world


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In the last half century...

Judaism decrease 4%5,630,000 15,000,000

Christianity increase 47%

682,400,000 1,000,000,000

Islam increase 235%209,020,000 700,000,000

Growth rates taken between World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1935 and

Readers Digest Almanac and Yearbook 1983


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The fastest growing religion

Christian Muslim

1900 world population 26.90% 12.40% 1900 world

population

1900 world

population

1980 world population 30% 16.50% 1980 world

population

1980 world

population

2000 world population 29.90% 19.20% 2001 world

population

2001 world

population

2025 world population

(PROJECTED)

25% 30% 2026 world

population

(PROJECTED)

2026 world

population

(PROJECTED)


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Muslims in the world

According to UNFPA (United Nation PopulationFund) in 1999 the world population is 6.2 billion

20% (1.2 billion) adhere to Islam.

Africa: 315,000,000

Asia: 812,000,000

Europe: 31,401,000

Latin America: 1,624,000 Northern America: 4,349,000

Oceania: 248,000.www.census.gov. & Britannica 2002


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Muslims in the world

Muslims live all over the world.

The total number of countries with Musliminhabitants is 208. (Britannica, 2002)

About 85% of Muslims live outside the Arabworld.

The majority of Muslims live to the east of the

borders of Iran, especially in Pakistan, India,Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Indonesia is the most populated Muslim country


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Despite the political fragmentation, theologicaldifferences, and ethnic distinctions,

There is a strong sense of the unity of Islamiccommunity (ummah) in the heart of all Muslims

A constant desire for greater political unitywithin Abode of Islam (dar al-islam)

A visible unity in Islamic civilization The central factor in creating unity among

Muslims is the Holy Quran

Sunnah / Hadith


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1. 3 Central doctrines upon which all Islamicschools agree (Tawhid, Nubuwwah, Ma`ad)

2. Islamic Law (Shari`ah)1. The Daily Prayers

2. Fasting

3. Pilgrimage to Mecca

4. Almsgiving

5. Struggle for the sake of God

6. Enjoining good and prohibiting evil

3. Same Values1. Piety (Taqwa)

2. Knowledge (Elm)

3. Struggle for the sake of God (Jihad)


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Additional References

Tabatabaei, Sayyed Mohammd Husayn: Shi`aIslam

Nasr, Seyed Hossein, The Heart of Islam

Shomali, M.A.,Discovering Shii Islam

Murata, Sachiko, and ChittickWilliam C.,The Vision of Islam

Shomali, M.A., Shii Islam: Origins, Faith andPractices

Algar Hamid, Shi'a Islam: Doctrines and History

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