Why does so much struggling exist between the varying sects of Islam?

Question

Believers, let not a group of you mock another. Perhaps they are better than you. Let not one of you find faults in another nor let anyone of you defame another.” Holy Quran, Chapter 49:11 (Al-Hujarat)

How do Muslims justify, for example, the internal civil war for power taking place in Iraq now? How is it that Muslim states can openly suppress certain sects of Islam?

Maureen -- I am NOT picking on anyone. I happened across this particular verse and it made me wonder. I wanted a Muslim perspective.

And by the way, I "pick on" christianity all the time. I thought I'd ask about another group of people today.

I know that Islam is not divided into a few dozen groups. And I'm not ignoring the political reasons behind anything ... but considering that government tends to suffer in other areas when it bends completely to religion, why does it not bend in this particular area?

I'm not completely ignorant of the situation in the middle east. Its not a question about politics but a question about religion.

Answer 1

Blame Abraham!

The Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) are all violent internally and externally. They are each fighting for the right to be the one and only true way to believe and behave, and each group splits into more and more groups, each fighting with the others (and then, with other Abrahamists, and then with the world at large) to establish supremacy and a sense of chosenness. The God of Abraham is a 'jealous God' and his people are 'vindictive people.'

You never hear about Taoists killing each other over minor religion points, do you? Or killing Confucianists for not being Taoists. And there are many millions of people that belong to these religions. Violence is just not an inherent part of these faiths.

Cruelty and violence are integral parts of the belief systems of Jews, Christians and Muslims. Believers will be rewarded. Non-believers will be mistreated, tortured, destroyed. There will only be a few 'true believers' who will be rewarded, so disagreement and finger-pointing in an attempt to refine out the dreck from the chosen few is common and encouraged. The only way out is to give up these faiths that poison the minds of humans.

Europe didn't become calm enough to have a European Union until it gave up religion. The US won't achieve anything close to its potential until it gives up religion. Iraq won't stand a chance unless it is able to give up the religion that triggers these warlike tendencies.

Answer 2

Mind you, the varying sects of Islam all have the same God. The actual conflict extends back to the death of Mohammed. Now when Mohammed died, there was the need for a new leader, or caliph, similar to what we Catholics call "Pope". Mohammed had a daughter Fatima and a son in law, Ali. Since Fatima was not male, it seemed questionable to have a female Caliph. This very thing is what caused to formation of the Sunni and Shi'ite sects (excluding derivatives).
You already know how humans are. There must be COMPLETE uniformitarianism, or else there is bound to be conflict. Well, this is yet another example that also emulates the Catholic- Protestant rift with the Reformation of Martin Luther.
Nora's conclusion is incorrect. What she basically is saying is that we should get rid of God because we are unable to utilize it in the proper way. About Europe, well I'm a history fanatic and I can tell you that it was PRIDE and Greed which led to these series of wars. What did they say led to the Age of Discovery? Gold, Greed and LASTLY God. Religious text are OFTEN misconstrued as being "brainwashing" tools. ANYONE that has read a religious text of Abrahamic, Oriental, or New World origin with an open mind will tell you that these actions are NESSECARY FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE HUMAN RACE. Why did the Aztecs sacrifice? So that the Sun would rise each day. Why do the Jews and Muslims require to stay away from pork? So you can rid yourself from the meat of unclean animals (Just millenia later, we have realized the actual "nutritional" value of pork, and how a diet with pork can lead you to hypertension, hyperglycemia, diabetes and arteriosclerosis). Why do the Christians require baptism? So you can wash yourself clean of your sins.
As a matter of fact, I would lay down every thing I own to say that if humans had a common religious dogma, but different phenotypical characteristics, or differences in cultural traditions, we would STILL have war, STILL have genocide, and STILL have political corruption.

Answer 3

You make is sound like there are many sects in Islam. There aren't many varying sects in Islam. The main ones are Sunni and Shia, and Sunnis represent 90% or Muslims worldwide, so as you can see, there is a clear majority of Sunni Muslims in the Muslim world.

The differences between the two is mainly political, even though Shia branch has become increasingly more like Catholacism, Imans (Saints), Mahdis, Ayatollahs...etc

In case you forgot, the civil war for power in Iraq was made a lot worse with the advent of the US invasion of the country, so thanks to the Americans, the Iraqi road to unity and recovery is going to be very long.

Sometimes, the stability of a country with one ruling party is far better than anarchy with many ethnic groups.

Answer 4

It actually is all about the money. They are getting revenue from the sale of oil. Some feel that other tribes or religions to them are getting more than they are. Such as Sunni and Shiite and Kruds and Hamas and no one wants to share.
So according to one man the way to make this happen is the religious clerics demonize the others and they become the bad guy and once they are eliminated they get the oil revenues. This same thing is happening in Africa. They are the same religion but they call them infidels and exterminate them. To take their land and herds. But to feel justified and that God is with them they call them the wrong brand of their religion. So that makes them infidels and traitors and they can use them anyway they like that way because god is on our side and we are right. However, actually according to Islamic teachings God isn't on either side in this very unholy war.

Answer 5

they could be considered Muslims who have been making bid'a and to that end, no longer outdoors the fold of Islam, yet actually in danger of the hell-hearth. this is an analogous opinion on the Qadiani's. There are 2 kinds of Qadiani's... the Lahori, and the Ahmaddiyya [considerable team], The Lahori's [who have confidence that Mirza Ghulam Ahmed is in simple terms the Madhi] are in simple terms fasiqs and innovators, while the Ahmaddiyyah [who have confidence Mirza Ghulam Ahmed is a Prophet after the Prophet Muhammad] are Kafir's era.

Answer 6

Why does so much struggling exist bettween the varying part of Christianity? How do Christians and many other religions from East and West justify their internal civil wars. Why just state Muslims. There are positive and negative people in each religion and this has gone on for centuries. Please look through your history books and into all part of the world today where "struggling" exists. The sad result of this kind of action are the very poor, homeless people, in all such struggles. Please don't just pick on one group of people, because that is definitely not what is happening in the world today or in the past.

Answer 7

No offense to anyone, but ist like the battle of variations of Christianity. The point is most people want their religion alone to prove best. It may be they are insecure in their beliefs and if others are the same, they will feel more secure. Some just think theres is better and they want to prove it.

Little differences make a BIG difference when combined.

Answer 8

I often wonder why when a question is difficult for Muslims they tell you what they think is wrong with Christianity.
If Christianity is wrong why is it your measuring stick?
The problem with Islam as with many cults is they depend on their logic rather than revelation from God.

Answer 9

The unfortunate thing about any sect is that they believe their way is the right way and all others are wrong and MUST follow their way or else!

The true people of this faith do not judge others for what they believe. As long as the main belief in God exists and they do good to others.

Answer 10

This is very hard to explain. Even I have no clue. That such deep rooted anomosity exists is unbelievable, and the fact that some people have overcome this is an inspiration.