Why do we have?

Question

sunni, shia and other sects of Islam when we all know that there is only ONE ISLAM??
The prophet didn't believe in sunni or shia, he was a pure and simple MUSLIM.



[6:159] Those who divide themselves into sects do not belong with
you. Their judgment rests with GOD, then He will inform
them of everything they had done.

[30:32] (Do not fall in idol worship,) like those who divide
their religion into sects; each party rejoicing with what they have.

[42:14] Ironically, they broke up into sects only after the
knowledge had come to them, due to jealousy and
resentment among themselves. If it were not for a
predetermined decision from your Lord to respite them for
a definite interim, they would have been judged
immediately. Indeed, the later generations who inherited
the scripture are full of doubts

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkiN3MFhHLVgBETpXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4cTBxdWtqBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMwRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA0gwNDhfNzkEbANXUzE-/SIG=11tgljb4h/EXP=1197048311/**http%3a//www.submission.org/islam/faq9.html

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkiN3MFhHLVgBFTpXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4cGJhcWE1BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNQRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA0gwNDhfNzkEbANXUzE-/SIG=11nsr7g9n/EXP=1197048311/**http%3a//path-to-peace.com/sects.html

Answer 1

i'm neither a sunni nor a shia... i just follow the teachings that are given in the Quran and in the Ahadith. and that is it. i regarded myself as sunni about 5 or 6 years ago but at that time i didnt really have much knowledge about religion and sects and all but when i started to learn about Quran, i realised that we are just muslims and we just need to follow the Quran and the Sunnah.

Answer 2

Many reasons,

1 - Political; i.e who should be khalifa after death of prophet Muhammad PBUH (shia sunni divide started from this).

2 - Disagreement about source of Hadith and how to validate its authenticity.

3 - Disagreement in the same sect about the basics of sects. Here for example you have differences about who is considered imam for the shia. Here the shia divided into many sects (twelevers, ismailis, zaidis, alwite, etc.).

4- Disagreement about method of worship. For example from sunnis an shia several split into sufis, mu'tazila, etc.


There is only one group of people that are correct which are the ones that follow truly what is in the Quran and the authentic verified hadith of the prophet i.e. following the prophet exactly and those are the true Muslims who follow the true sunnah of the prophet. The prophet has told us about this division and that only one group is right.

Answer 3

It is true that Muslims are Muslims and only Muslims. We should not be labeled, but that is an ideal circumstance. But however, we do not live in an ideal world. Deviant sects break out, and we have no choice but to call ourselves one thing: to identify that we are in the right and they are in the wrong.

If we didn't, all Shias would be called as Muslims, even thought majority of them are in a state of Fisq (lie) and some in the state of Kufr (outright disbelief). If we didn't, Ahamadis would also be Muslim, but majority of them are grievously in kufr.

The need to label ourselves, in this case is dire. Otherwise, those corrupted ideals would penetrate into the gem that is Islam.

Answer 4

Salaam Alaykum,
The Shia split occurred after the Prophets death. They have special holidays to commemorate the death of Ali Hussein the direct nephew of Prophet Muhammad PBUH himself. It was political after the death of the Prophet PBUH who would be his the leaders of the Muslim community. Shia and Sunni live in peace for the most part unless political unrest between the two exists in the region.
Example Iraq. Also King Fahd of Syria is a Sunni but the majority of the country is Shia.
Wasalaam

Answer 5

This was My question~! really I used to ask the same question about 5-6 years back. my brother too. that why are muslims been divided among groups n all when we are to follow One Allah, One Quran, Teachings of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) One Creed, 5 pillars of Islam, Offer prayers five times a day, 2 eids, One month fasting so who is shia, who is sunni etc? if my elders say We are sunni then why? may be shia muslims are the right ones?!?!?! but then later, when I got myself in to research and study, I found myself following the teachings of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) I pray 5 times a day and thats the right way to offer salat, same way its been done in Makkah and Madina at masjid al harmain.
I break my fast at Magrib prayer, and all these things differed me from other muslims, who were on the wrong track, and then I realized that Alhumdulillah I'm a sunni Muslim, who follows the Teachings of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) completely. Shia muslims are strict towards their faith but there are def. some flaws. ~!

Answer 6

alexandra: please check the info you share with the others before you post!
king fahd is the king of saudi arabia and not syria! Syria is not a kingdom!
Shiaism is a sick sect, a man-made something, not like the real mainstream Islam which is based on the Quraan and the Sunna and the ahadeeth.

Answer 7

My guess would be that when people use a faith, any faith, to justify or empower themselves, it will lead to division. I think that in the case of the Ummah, Western influence and greed have come together to cause some of those who have influence in the Ummah to use Islam to increase their own power and control. I am utterly blown away by the inter-Ummah violence in Iraq right now. At the time in world history when we need to come together the most, we are allowing foreign influences to violently split us apart, make us weak. When those people who have political power in Iraq sided with U.S. and "Coalition" forces, they betrayed their brothers and sisters. We should never side with a non-Muslim against a Muslim. We should never allow foreign soldiers or governments to dictate to us what is right. Death in the cause of Allah subha'ana wa ta'ala is better than oppression.

Answer 8

Alhamdullilah that's what I'd like to know as well. I am just a Muslim. I don't believe in Sunni or Shia. Muhammad(PBUH*) was not a Sunni or Shia. He was just a Muslim. I don't get how Muslims can say Muhammad(PBUH*) was Sunni as there were no Sunni or Shia until after Muhammad's(PBUH*) death! Muhammad(PBUH*) told his followers who was to rule Arabia after his death so there should be no division at all!

Answer 9

For the same reason where are Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics, Mormons, Methodists and so on.

Answer 10

All religions break into sects because of jealousy and greed among the priests. They see other priests getting the money and the power and in order for them to get a bit of the action, they have to leave the main religion and set up an off-shoot. Sometimes as with Henry VIII of England, setting up the Church of England was a political act to get his own way. Usually though as the wealth of the French Pope showed, it was to feather their own nests. Best to get rid of all religions and their self-serving officers.