Shia and Sunna Have you heard about this?

Question

Have you heard about this statement before, and what are your thoughts about it...?

From the famous book "Defending Al Imam Muhammad Al Ghazali - Page 114":

Imam Al Ghazali (Imam of the Sunna Imams in the whole world - God bless his soul):

"It was natural that each of us, after he knew the truth, go and run to his fellow.. I met Brother Al Imam Al Khumeeni at the hotel, I leaded Al Zuhr prayer while Al Khumeeni is praying behind me, He leaded Al Asr prayer while I prayed behind him.. The only difference was is that he preferred to put a tissue under his forehead while kneeling; as brothers of shia prefer to pray on something belonging to the earth.. Brother Al Khumeeni considered the tissue to be so, we both realized that the hatred between the Sunna and Shia is a devil-made matter that should be ended.."
"As I said goodbye to Al Khumeeni, I realized I'm saying goodbye to a real brother... ".

Dear Ahmed A,
Shia and Sunna sects both have moderate good people and Extremists - Awful people.. Allah سبحانه و تعالى said about the wives of Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم in Surat Al Ahzab: "O belivers, Wives of the prophet are your Mothers".. And no one denies that except a Kaffir.. I want to tell you, Some Shia may be extreme, and moderate Shias condemns that, Behold that Osama Bin Ladin declares he's Sunni, while Sunnacondemns his actions...

Dear brother Muhammad Ishfaq,

Mother Aisha رضي الله عنها and Sayydna Ali كرم الله وجهه passed away 1400 years ago.. We can only blame ourselves for this separation...

Sahar, I'm not talking about ABU HAMED AL GHAZALI, I'm Talking about Muhammad Al Ghazali of the 20th century, I think you mixed between both Imams.

Answer 1

Surely, all believers are brothers. So make peace between your brothers, and fear Allah that mercy may be shown to you.

Now has Allah, by His command, guided the believers to the truth in regard to which they (the unbelievers) differed; and Allah guides whomsoever He pleases to the right path.

Holy Quran

I truly love and respect what you are trying to do brother, God bless you. You will be rewarded for this in this life and the next.

Answer 2

I lived in Tabriz, Iran while serving Air Force as civilian for two years and tried to understand the differences we Sunnis and they Shias have at the same time what are our common ground etc.

I have never been able to venture inside any mosque out of fear only and we used to offer our prayers inside our rooms in Bachelor Officers' Quarter. Our Friday prayers were also performed on BOQ corridoor in our part of the 'wing' led by senior most and pious colleague. We were not spared by our senior Iranian officers to attend emergency calls during Friday prayers and I endured rebuke once when asked to attend emergency during our Friday prayer time when I delayed till the prayer was over, when my Iranian colleague could have easily stood for me since in Air Force of those days there were really nothing that emergency to happen.

Please do not get me wrong about people of Iran in general. I must say that they are one of the best behaved and selfless people I have come across among Muslims. They even never discuss religion the way we Sunnis discuss and practice.

Now in answer to your question, I have never heard about that positive incident or interaction between Imam Al Ghazali and Al Imam Al Khomeini. The overall attitude in Iran is similar at least in lip-service that Shia and Sunni are brothers. The diehard religious Shias hold deep contempt against Sunnis, though covertly. Even the Sunni Kurdis of Iranian Kurdistan are treated as second class citizen in Iran. They were viewed suspiciously as being collaborator of the then Saddam's regime.

So, reconciliation of Shias and Sunnis even within Iran is somewhat unachievable, not to talk about the Shias scattered all over the world, though in very small minority, to reconcile with the Sunnis.

Btw, the Shias would touch their forehead on a piece of clay thought to have been brought from Karbala as that soil is very much revered by them for historic reason. I'm not aware that the Shias are allowed to use 'tissue papers' as an alternate. I may be wrong in all these assessments since I'm using information of 1977 - 1979 almost 28 years from now.

Answer 3

That is very beautiful.......

It says in the Qur'an that there is to be no division in religion and b/ of this i never identify myself as sunni or shiia, only Muslim. I feel these divisions provide a great deal of hurt to our ummah.

Despite anyone's opinion of whether they were to lead or not, I think it is fair to say that the men considered the 12 imams by shiias were good Muslim men, so i go to shiia masjids and i hear their stories

At the same time, Abu Bakr and Omar were also great men, so i go to sunni masjids and hear their stories.....

I truly find the division unneccessary and hope that this seperation will not always hurt our ummah... and thank you VERY much for sharing this piece.

Peace and Blessings,
Sakina

ps i also pray with a sajdagah.... but put my hands at my heart when i pray (maybe i'm not so peaceful.... but just confused :)

Answer 4

What we see in Haj. We all wear the same dress and chants the same 'Talbiya' and pray under One Imam at the grand Mosque. Despite all our much differances, we are ONE. Haj in Islam is teaching us the unity and we go back and practice something else. But it may not be possible to bring all Muslims to follow one way of system on all matters and which we all may not agree. But we can teach and learn to respect other Muslims who share the same very basic creeds in Islam as to live as one nation. Holy Quran teaches us to say unto the Poeple of the Book who are Jews and Christians.
"Say: "O people of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not from among ourselves Lords and patrons other than Allah.." (Sura Ali-Imran:64)
Why cannot we both come to common terms and forget the differances at least for the sake of unity of Islam.

Answer 5

I am only a Muslim and nothing but a Muslim.
And I do not compromise on this.
I do not like those who say shia and Sunni and what not.
Your question should have been to Muslims, and not to Sunni or shias.
I have offered prayers in all places without inquiring or thinking what sect offers prayers here..as Islam is only One.

I hope you have gotten your answer.

Answer 6

@ asker: wa alaykom assalam wa rahmato LLAH wa barakatoh spare me @ Zubayr: we arent allowed to call anyone kaffir, Allah will judge everyone , we cant know whats in ppl's heart. leave this word. @ diamant: forget about him sis, no matter how much we talk to him, he think everytime that he is some kind of a mofti, preaching us and bla bla ''guiding us'' ...he is arrogant @ Sonja: hadith arent corrupted, they are mentionned in quran ...thats the sunna. u cant obey and follow quran when u leave ahadith

Answer 7

follow the way of the Prophet Muhammad and all will be well dont and Allah knowes what will happen may Allah bless us and give us guidenss

Answer 8

It was for the fear of separation between Muslims that Imam Ali (a.s.) decided to sit home for 25 years...

I agree with what ur saying... cz Shiat also says we should unite despite our differences...

Answer 9

The difference Shia's and Sunnis is a cancer, has roots deep in Islam, I blame both Ali and Aysha for this disease of cancer, that cannot be treated.
She'aan e Ali and She'aan e Aysha, two groups had been formed even in the life of Muhammad pbuh, just after the event of a blame on Aysha by hypocrites. The blame was wiped out by the witness of Qura'nic verses in the favour of Aysha, but its negative effect was resulted in all present
sects in Islam.
Aysha had played a political role in history of Islam, after that certain event of blame on her. It resulted in rivalry in between Aysha and Ali that resulted in the Battle of Jamal (Camel).
I accept both Ali and Aysha as Muslims and no respect more than this.
She'aan e Ali are called as Shiites and She'aan e Aysha are merged in Wahhabis.

Answer 10

We mustn't fight one another in a physical sense... though there are definitely disagreements over some things. I think we could live together in peace and justice with one another. Allah (God) knows best!