Muslim Diversity

1. Muslim Diversity

2. Muslim Unity • Muslims make a strong claim to universal unity. • “And hold fast, all together, unto the bond with Allah, and do not draw apart from one another.” (Sura, 6:159) • Unity in customs, values. • Most Muslims have Arab names (Abdsammad in Kyrgystan) • Celebrate the same feasts, recite the same prayers

3. Muslim Unity • There is Dar as-Salaam (“house of Islam/Peace”) or the present Muslim community. • Dar al-Harb (“land of the ignorant or disbelief”) or those outside of Islam. • Generally, Sunnis and Shi’is regard one another as brothers.

4. Muslim Diversity • Muhammad (hadith) predicted sects within Islam: • “Verily, it will happen to my people even as it did to the children of Israel. The children of Israel were divided into seventy-two sects, and my people will be divided into seventy-three. Every one of the sects will go to hell, except one sect.”

5. Q: Cause for diversity? • Historical developments (i.e. choice of caliph; see Braswell, 89) • Reform movements (i.e. Wahhabis)

6. Sunni Islam • The majority Muslim group— 85-90% of all Muslims • Regarded as the orthodox group. • Originated with the death of Muhammad and choice of Abu Bakr to be the caliph.

7. Sunni Islam • A decision for Abu Bakr was made by consensus (ijma)—the community should select the new leader. • The “rightly guided” caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali) led from Medina (632-661) • These caliphs administered the sunna (hadith) • Sunni’s developed the comprehensive system of law (sharia)

8. Shia (Shiite) Islam • The Shi’is were birthed with the succession of the caliphate. • Sunni’s believed the caliph was a decision of the community (umma)

9. Shia (Shiite) Islam • Shi’is insisted that the caliph should be taken from the “house” or blood line of Muhammad. • Shi’is claim tradition that Muhammad wanted to appoint Ali as his successor. • Formed the Shiat Ali (“party of Ali”) • Of course disputed by Sunnis. • See http://www.redtears.co.uk/karbala/trailer.html

10. Shia (Shiite) Islam • Ali was murdered • His tomb is in Najaf near Kufa, Iraq (map) • For Shi’is, a pilgrimage to Najaf is worth 100,000 martyrdoms and forgiveness of past and present sins. • After Ali’s murder, his son Hassan was briefly named caliph • Abdicated to Mu’awwiyah and then was poisoned in Medina

12. Shia (Shiite) Islam • Hussein, Hassan’s brother also was in Medina • Hussein sends a delegation to Kufa to sound his support as the caliph—they were killed. • Hussein and left with his family and followers to Kufa— they were surrounded and killed at Kerbala on the 10th day of Muharram.

14. Shia (Shiite) Islam • Now Kerbala is a key Shi’a place for pilgrimage worth a thousand pilgrimages to Mecca, a thousand martyrdoms, a thousand days of fasting • 10th of Muharram (celebrates Hussein’s martyrdom) • There are sermons, special stories, and prayer meetings about Hussein. • Also passion plays (taziyahs). • Men don white cloths and beat their chests to the point of shedding blood

15. Shi’a Doctrinal Distinctives • The Shi’a Quran has a few variants in it not used by the Sunnis. • Shi’a have their own collections of hadith collected in the 10th century. • Shi’a Islam stresses the imamate (succession of prayer leaders) more than the caliphate.

16. Shi’a Doctrinal Distinctives • In the Shia version of the shahadah, an additional phrase is added that Ali is the commander of true believers and the friend of God. • Light (nur) • A divine light is passed from imam to imam; a near sinlessness and infallibility.

17. Shia Splinter Groups • Twelvers (Ithna Ashariya) • Seveners (Ismailis) • Khariji (“Seceders”) • Mutazilites • Ahmadiyans

18. Twelvers (Ithna Ashariya) • Make up the majority Shi’is • 90% of all Twelvers live in Iran • They accept the line of twelve imams from Ali to Muhammad al-Muntazzar (b. 878) of Samarra (modern Iraq) • Al-Muntazzar’s father declared him to be the mahdi (“messiah”) • At the age of 9, he disappeared and during the “concealment” the Muslim community was to be led by guides (ayatollah) • At the end of the world, he will appear and convert the world to Islam.

19. Seveners (Ismailis) • Accept the first seven imams in the house of Ali to Ismail ibn Jafar • Tend to be more radical and secretive in their activities • They helped the Fatimid Empire in Egypt (969-1174) to come to power through being revolutionaries

20. Seveners (Ismailis) • Helped to found Al-Azhar University in Cairo • Seveners split into two groups: • Nazaris who look to a modern imam known as the Aga Khan • Mustalis (Bohoro Muslims) who believe in a hidden imam not descended from Hassan or Hussein.

21. Khariji (“Seceders”) • Initially favored Ali, then broke with him. • Ali was murdered by a member of the Khariji • Distinctives: • The caliph and all Muslims must be pure • Equality among believers is stressed • Historically a large presence in North Africa where the corrupt Arab leadership was opposed.

22. Mutazilites • Arose opposing the fanaticism of the Kharijites • Defended free will and moral responsibility • Denied forgiveness for repeated sinners

23. Mutazilites • Incorporated Greek metaphysics into their thought • Resisted attributing human characteristics to God • Insisted on the unity of God • Opposed the idea of an uncreated Quran • Provoked thoughtful reflections among Muslims • Al-Ashari (d. 935) • Initially a Mutazilite, later a Sunni • He elevated revelation over reason then later used reason to support revelation

24. Ahmadiyans • Founded in India in the late 19th century • Founder, MirzaGhulam Ahmad, declared himself the imam of Islam • Regarded as heretical by other Muslim groups • 500,000 mostly living in Pakistan • Yet very missionary oriented (i.e. Ahmad Deedat) • http://www.ahmed-deedat.co.za/frameset.asp

25. Ahmadiyan Distinctives • No verse in the Qu’ran can be abrogated • Jihad is no more (no coercion in religion) • Caner and Deedat • To say that Muhammad is the seal of the prophets does not make him the last one • Jesus is dead and did not ascend to heaven • very anti-Christian • Hell is not eternal

26. Ahmadiyan Distinctives • Apostasy is not punishable by death • Innovation in worship is forbidden, including worshipping saints • Consensus was limited to Muhammad’s companions • Belief in Ahmad is obligatory • that he is the mahdi • Spirituality is more important than legalism

27. Sufis • Sufism is a mystical branch of Islam stressing emotions, the personal attributes of God, personal relationship with God, love and heartfelt religion • Means “wool” or “purity” • Possibly because of garments worn by early mystics • Developed as a reaction to • Islamic legalism (law, ritual, duty) and focus on the intellect; A direct experience with God was desired over ritual • The worldliness of Ummayad leaders in Damascus

28. Sufis • How to find God? • Through introspection and inward experiences • God is a light that burns through the lamp (man) • Enabled through prayer, fasting, self-denial, discipline • Dhikr sessions or constantly repeated the name of God

29. Sufis • Muhammad’s night journey is interpreted allegorically to mean the ability of the soul to rise to God through prayer and discipline and to be unified with God.

30. Sufis • Some Sufis see the Qu’ran as an allegory for the soul’s quest to be united to God • Could this be “sonic?” • Consider an 8th century Sufi woman: • Against worshipping God out of fear of hell or the promise of paradise • “If I worship you for your own sake, withhold not your everlasting beauty”

31. Al-Ghazali (d. 1111) • Most famous Sufi thinker • A professor of Islam in Baghdad, he began to have doubts about his faith • Trying Sufism, he had a personal experience with God • He taught that • Religious certainty could only be found through religious experience • The love of God, more than union with God, was the key to religion • A moderate Sufi who combined Quranic and traditional study with mysticism

32. Sufis • Orders and brotherhoods were formed • Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273) found the “whirling dervishes” • Devotees whirl or dance while repeating the name of God • http://www.whirlingdervishes.org/ • Music and poetry is an important part of Sufi worship • As music was not allowed in the mosque, Sufis have built their own lodges • “House of blessing” in Tunis

33. Wahhabis • A reform movement that began in Saudi Arabia in the late 17th century. • Eventually the house of Saud, the ruling dynasty of Saudi Arabia, adopted Wahhabi thought. • Strict legal interpretation of Islamic law • Similar ideologies in Libya, Saudi, Iran, and Pakistan have created an environment for Islamic fundamentalism.

34. Wahhabi Distinctives • Against veneration of saints, folk Islam. • Doctrine must only come from the Quran and Hadith. • Mosques must be simply adorned. • No music. • No smoking. • No bad language. • Men must have a beard. • Jihad is an obligation.

35. Nation of Islam • Founded by Elijah (Poole) Muhammad in the 1930s • Mixed African American liberation with Islam • Has never been accepted by orthodox Muslims • Made famous by Malcolm X • Presently led by Louis Farrakhan

36. Q: Reasons for Muslim Diversity? • Political discord (Kharijis, Shi’is) • Theological differences (Mutazalites) • They surely occur in a large religious movement • More tolerance has been shown to non-Muslim thought than to inter-Muslim thought (Akther) • Mystical movements (Sufis) • Reform movements (Wahhabis) • Advent of charismatic leaders (Ahmad)