Sects

A sect is a subgroup of a religious, political, or philosophical belief system, usually an offshoot of a larger group. Although the term was originally a classification for religious separated groups, it can now refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and principles.

59899

Muslims . Sects . Ummah . Qur'an . Sunni-Shi'a

I understand that the Qur'an does not make any mention of either Shia or Sunni and warns the Muslims against dividing into sects. If that is correct then how come the Islamic Ummah has got divided into these two broad sects?

Rebecca Masterton, Dr Rebecca Masterton graduated with a BA in Japanese Language and Literature; an MA in Comparative East Asian and African Literature and a PhD in Islamic literature of West Africa. She has been... Answered 6 years ago

There are narrations in both Sunni and Shi'i collections that say that this ummah will divide into seventy-three sects, with only one being saved, i.e. 'the jama'a'. This has been interpreted to mean 'the majority' by Sunni scholars, whereas Imam 'Ali (as) has said that 'the jama'a' are those who follow the truth, even if they are few. This means that, even among the Shi'a, not all will necessarily be among the jama'a. Imam al-Baqir (as) has said 'the fitna is inevitable'. The Qur'an talks about previous generations that attacked their prophets and became divided over their message. There are many reasons for divisions to occur, but one key reason seems to have been for the Arabs to overcome their tribal pride and accept Imam 'Ali (as) as the successor. The Jews and Christians also hid parts of their prophets' messages or changed them, because they thought that their worldly position was jeopardised by challenging aspects of these messages. People are often happy to accept the message as long as they can maintain their worldly status and comforts.

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Sects . Sunni-Shi'a

Are the narrations authentic that talk of the creation of 73 sects in Islam out of which all but one will be condemned to hellfire? If so, in which place are the Shia and Sunni in those 73 sects?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answer updated 6 years ago

The Hadeeth of 73 sects within the Muslim Ummah is narrated in main Sunni books of Hadeeth such as :

Sunan Abi Dawood 3/896

Saheeh al-Jaami’ Al-Sagheer by Soyooti 1/156

Ibn Maajah

Ahmad Bin Hanbal

Al-Haytami

ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani

Ibn Taymiyyah, The God father of Wahhabism and most of terrorist groups stated in his book Majmoo’ Al-Fataawa 3/345 that this Hadeeth of the 73 sect is agreed upon among the scholars that it is authentic.

It is also narrated in our Shia books from Ameerul Mo’mineen (AS).

We find in many books of different Sunni and Salafi books hot arguments between them as every sect wants to exclude other sects from the ( Saved group الفرقة الناجية)

We believe that the saved group is those who really follow the Prophet (SAWA) in all his orders specially his main order to all Muslims ( I am leaving among you two most important things, you will never go astray as far as you follow both of them; the book of Allah, and my Progeny Ahlul Bayt)( Saheeh Sunan al- Tirmithi, Hadeeth number 3788, Musnad Ahmad Bin Hanbal published by al-Arna’oot, Hadeeth number 11104, al-Mustadral Ala-Saheehain by al-Hakim al- Neesaboori 3/148 and many other Sunni references).

Shia Muslims follow Quran and Ahlul Bayt in each and every matter of religion.

Having said that, we believe that all Muslim sects are Muslim as the Hadeeth itself says: My Ummah will be divided into seventy three sects. Which means that all of them are Muslims, but those who really follow Quran and Ahlul Bayt are the winners in the Paradise.

Wassalam

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Sufism . Islam . Sects

Had Sufism already been established in the true teachings of Islam way back before the different sects were broken off and that we observe in this current age?

Until around the time of Imam al-Sadiq (as), the term 'Sufi' was not in regular use, and the few that used it as an appellation were of the Mu'tazili and Imami schools, not the Sunni Ash'ari or Maturidi schools, which now dominate the Sufi scene.

Sufism is an amalgamation of Islamic ideas and practices and others that have been integrated into it from spiritual traditions that existed prior to Islam expanding into wider territories.

I have written a paper on this in more detail, if you are interested. Please write to me at [email protected] and I can send it to you.

Sufism . Islam . Sects

Had Sufism already been established in the true teachings of Islam way back before the different sects were broken off and that we observe in this current age?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answer updated 6 years ago

Thank you for your question. Spirituality is an essential aspect of the source literature (which are the bases of the true teachings of Islam), however, the term Sufism remains loosely defined in western scholarship and it has been the subject of much discussion.

The term invokes a specific reading of the history of mysticism, its theology, its institutions and its practices and it can be argued that it is a predominantly Sunni account of spirituality in the Muslim world. Discussion of the sources of this tradition was an important question in the early study of Sufism and while some scholars claimed that the sources of Sufism were outside of the scriptural sources, others argued that they were rooted in them. The second opinion became more acceptable and early Companions of the Prophet (saw) were referred to as proto-Sufis, signifying that the Sufi tradition was a later development, while its sources firmly originated in Islam.

Juxtaposing Shi'i to Sufism (Shi'i Sufism) may adequately describe some Shi'i expressions of Sufism, and indeed the term irfan was used by some seminarians in Iran to distinguish a tradition acceptable to the traditional seminary, different to these forms of Shi'i Sufism. The importance this form of irfan places on the divine law and its inner aspects, as well as in the more complex aspects of tawhid and walayah ensues that it provides a strong reading of the scriptural sources. It has also been argued that the Shi'i source literature has a mystical aspect of its own and is, therefore, the impetus of its own form of spirituality.

May you always be successful.