Introduction to Islam

[Garyvdh]

Very interesting thread! Congrats to you Wayfarer!

[wayfarer]

Thank you to all the well-wishers whose words encourage continued work on this thread!

[DrYes]

Traditional Islam (96%)


Sunnis are the largest denomination of Muslims, making up 90% of the world's Traditional Muslims. They follow one of the four schools of law, namely Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali.

What are these divisions among the Sunnis?

Shouldn't they just abandon these schools in favour of one system of law?

Why is there so much hatred between Shia's and Sunni's?

When did this conflict start?

[wayfarer]

Main > Q&A > Schools of Thought and Sunni-Shia Relations

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What are these divisions among the Sunnis?

Shouldn't they just abandon these schools in favour of one system of law?

Different schools of thought exist because Islam's canon, as with any canonical range of texts, produces different interpretive possibilities. No individual scholar or school can claim to have a monopoly on God's intended meanings. There is absolutely no need to abandon the four rich, valid legacies in favour of a new one. Sunni Muslims make up the mainstream, and within the mainstream, the fact that four schools exist is seen as beneficial, as it contributes to the dynamic and adaptive nature of Islam. It is something that is celebrated. Instances of rivalry between the schools are rare, especially in modern times.

Why is there so much hatred between Shia's and Sunni's?

Why is there so much hatred between Catholics and Protestants?

It is within the nature of human beings that they have the potential to use any difference as a pretext to gain the political upper hand, or to please the ego. This includes differences in ethnicity, socio-economic status, philosophical views, nationality, religion, etc. Nevertheless, the statement that there is "so much hatred between Shias and Sunnis" is perhaps misleading. There are regions where political strife has set the two groups at each other's throats (especially if the region is dominated by extremists from either group), and there are regions where they co-operate to form healthy societies.

Some of the textual sources I used for this thread include publications that have been co-operatively produced by Muslims across the spectrum.

When did this conflict start?

The split started as a result of differing views of the rights to political succession after the passing of Prophet Muhammad.

[Magandroid]

[QUOTE=wayfarer;8534491]Different schools of thought exist because Islam's canon, as with any canonical range of texts, produces different interpretive possibilities. No individual scholar or school can claim to have a monopoly on God's intended meanings. There is absolutely no need to abandon the four rich, valid legacies in favour of a new one. Sunni Muslims make up the mainstream, and within the mainstream, the fact that four schools exist is seen as beneficial, as it contributes to the dynamic and adaptive nature of Islam. It is something that is celebrated. Instances of rivalry between the schools are rare, especially in modern times.

So is this the reason they cannot agree on the Muslim personal law that they want the SA government to recognise? With all these different views the Muslims in this country are fighting amoungst each other over whose views are right and whose views should be accepted as the official law. Even in the Western Cape there are differring views about Eid (not sure about the rest of SA though).

[wayfarer]

So is this the reason they cannot agree on the Muslim personal law that they want the SA government to recognise? With all these different views the Muslims in this country are fighting amoungst each other over whose views are right and whose views should be accepted as the official law.

No, that played a very minor role in the MPL debates. Any of the mainstream schools may be followed, even though one is generally advised to stick to only 1 for the sake of internal coherence. Following a mainstream school other than one's own, (within a particular context, and under unusual circumstances) can facilitate practice, and scholars actively offer guidance with these types of situations, and consensus is reached very quickly because thousands of precedences exist from which they draw inferences. The MPL saga has little to do with interpreting primary texts. The debate was about the degree to which the Shariah can be transmogrified and still be passed off as Shariah, and as to whether non-Muslim judges who may have a cursory understanding of Shariah and its spiritual significances can preside over courts operating under MPL.

See, for example, this submission to the SA Law Commision by the Muslim Lawyers Association.

Even in the Western Cape there are differring views about Eid (not sure about the rest of SA though).

The difference regarding which day to celebrate Eid is also unrelated to schools of thought or doctrine, and is not limited to the Western Cape or even to South Africa. Furthermore, this difference is not presently a cause for notable conflict or division.

The point is not whether or not differences may exist - differences will always exist - the point is whether a society is matured enough to tolerate and respect differences.

[Sodan]

Awesome thread, wayfarer. This is the most informative thread, yet written in (mostly) easily understandable language, on Islam I have come across in a while.

I do have a question though:

Islam does not, like Christianity, have a clergy. There is no institute that holds it together or unifies it. So how has it held together - and indeed, flourished - for the last fourteen centuries, when its scholars and temporal policymakers keep changing and dying out over time?

Flourished? Perhaps in the past, yes, but not so much in modern times it seems. Unless there is something I don't know. Please can you elaborate on this?

[Mineer]

Awesome thread, wayfarer. This is the most informative thread, yet written in (mostly) easily understandable language, on Islam I have come across in a while.
I do have a question though:
Flourished? Perhaps in the past, yes, but not so much in modern times it seems. Unless there is something I don't know. Please can you elaborate on this?

that totally depends on what your definition is on "flourish", and yes growth rate is dropping, but that is a bit misleading I think
from wiki

The report also made reference to the fact that Muslims are estimated to make up 23.4% of the total global population in 2010 (out of a total of 6.9 billion people) and that by 2030 Muslims will represent about 26.4% of the global population (out of a total of 7.9 billion people)

This shows that (if correct) while world population is expected to grow by 12.65% it is expected that adherents of Islam will exceed world population growth rate by 7.35% i.e Islam is expected to grow by 20% in the same period that the world population would grow by a mere 12.65%

Having said all that I dont think wayfarer was concern about the size or growth or even if Islam is the fastest growing, but just meant Islam is growing i.e. flourishing

[moosag]

@wayF Mubarak dude... Good post and may you be rewarded abundandtly for your efforts in spreading the deen and truth of Islam!

[naeem]

+1 - easy to digest, civil and to the point..

Hat tip to everyone for keeping it mature and constructive.

[wayfarer]

Main > Belief/Faith (Iman)

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Often translated into English as "belief", Iman is an Arabic term which denotes certitude to the unseen. In Islamic theology, it refers to the inner aspect of the religion, and denotes a believer's faith in the metaphysical realities of Islam. The term Iman has been delineated in both the Quran as well as the famous Hadith of Gabriel (see Wikipedia article for more - info accurate at time of this post).

God says in the Quran:

"The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in God and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." " (Quran 2:285)

We can ascertain the 6 articles of faith to be (click the links below to jump to the relevant posts):

5.1. Belief in God

5.2. Belief in the Prophets
- 5.2.1 Jesus Christ, the Messiah
- 5.2.2 Prophet Muhammad

5.3. Belief in Divine Books

5.4. Belief in the Angels

5.5. Belief in the Day of Judgment

5.6. Facilitation of Good & Evil

Islamic scholars also speak of Branches of Faith, referring to beliefs, qualities and actions associated with faith in God. Furthermore, it is the norm for beginner students of Islamic belief to study Tahawi's detailed list of Islamic beliefs (full list in point form or concise explanatory notes).

[wayfarer]

Main > Belief/Faith > Belief in God

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The attributes of God are infinite. However, there are 20 attributes of God that Muslims necessarily attest, and to which all other attributes return. Some lists summarise these further into 13 points, such as the list below (note that most scholars regard 11.1 and 11.2 as two separate points).

1. God does exist.

2. God is beginninglessly eternal.
This does not mean that it is believed that God existed for an infinite amount of time, as God is not believed to be subject to time and space (both created by Him), but He transcends beyond it. It is not believed that God had no temporal beginning, but rather that He has no logical beginning.

3. God is everlastingly abiding.
This does not imply belief that God will exist for all time. He is the creator of time. It means that He will have no logical end.

4. God is dissimilar to anything else.
There is nothing even similar to Him in existence, and His exact nature is not like anything imaginable.

5. God is self-subsistent.
He is an entity with attributes, and not innately an attribute dependent on anything. Even if all else ceased to exist, He would still be God. He is free of any determinants, and does not require to have been created.

6. God is One.
No one shares any of His attributes, no one shares in His actions.

7. God possesses almighty Power (and exercises that Power).
God is able to bring from non-existence into existence and from existence to non-existence.

8. God has Will (and executes His Will).
He does everything according to His Will or Choice.

9. God is knowledgeable (and has full Knowledge).
God wills things according to His knowledge, which is infinite. Everything exists through His Power, Will and Knowledge.

10. God has Life (He is living).

11. God is all-perceiving (and perceives) [e.g., 11.1 All-seeing and 11.2 All-hearing].
His perceiving is without the need for material sense organs.

12. God has Speech (and does speak).
It is an eternal and absolute Speech.

Contemporary Islamic Scholar, Faraz Rabbani, sheds some light on this list:

"In principle, God is characterized by all perfections, and exalted beyond all imperfections. However, the scholars deduced that all the divine attributes can be categorized systematically, for the purpose of understanding clearly.

Given this, they say:

God has one essential attribute: Being.

God has five negative attributes: Beginninglessness, Endlessness, Being Distinct from Created Things, Self-Sufficiency, Oneness. These are called 'negative' because they negate their opposites, which are impossible for God.

God has seven affirmative attributes... Knowledge, Will, Power, Life, Hearing, Seeing, and Speech. These have seven attributes that relate to them, which are God's being Knowing, Willing, Powerful, Living, Hearing, Seeing, and Speaking.

Mercy, for example, is either God's willing good, which returns to Will, or His giving good, which returns to Power. His Might relates to His ability to do whatever He wills, or actually carrying it out; the first returns to Will, and the second to Power, and so on..."

Listen to: Attributes of God, by Hamza Yusuf (Part 1 of 3).

[R/SGT]

Hi I am redirecting a question from Islamic calls for for Slavery's Legalization to here since you might be able to awnser it

With regard to the growth of Wahabism, are you not worried that it is becoming the face of Islam to the rest of the world due to the billions that the Saudis are putting into promoting it as the only true form of Islam?.

There has been a lot said on this site as to how it is not a true form of Islam which is great, but there is no unified response

The fragmentary nature of the Islamic authority seems to work against you in this regard, as there is no definitive voice that can say, NO this is not Islam
(The above statement is based on what I have read, so feel free to provide a correction)

Another point is that it seems to me that if there is a verbal attack on the practitioners of Wahabism, then all Muslims form a untied front and claims that this is an attack on Islam, this doesn’t win any points as this is seen by the rest of us as an acknowledgment and approval of Wahabism and its practices

[R/SGT]

What would your reaction be to a christain group promoting classes on the truth about Muhammad in the local free paper?

[wayfarer]

Main > Q&A > Muslim Efforts to Combat Extremism (2)

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Hi I am redirecting a question from Islamic calls for for Slavery's Legalization to here since you might be able to awnser it

Posts in your thread correctly point out that the calls are not made by the mainstream majority, but comes from within the Wahhabi deviation (who represent less than 1% of the world's Muslims). What the thread fails to point out is that while the calls have been attributed to a senior Wahhabi leader, it did not garner any significant support from fellow Wahhabi authoritative figures. So even the extremist Wahhabi group rejected this call, let alone the mainstream majority.

With regard to the growth of Wahabism, are you not worried that it is becoming the face of Islam to the rest of the world due to the billions that the Saudis are putting into promoting it as the only true form of Islam?.

This has already been dealt with in a detailed manner earlier in this thread. See posts linked here. I strongly suggest reading that first before continuing below.

A few matters need to be clarified at this point. Perhaps it would be beneficial to address them as bulleted statements.

• Wahhabis/Salafis are an extremist deviation from mainstream Islam.
• These deviations are doctrinal deviations and practice deviations.
• Wahhabis have tarnished the face of Islam in a limited way.
• Western media outlets, through biased reporting (in the service of Western imperialist and materialistic powers), have done much damage to Islam's image.
• Terrorist acts such as suicide bombing of innocents, the World Trade Centre attacks, etc. have strongly been condemned by the representative Wahhabi religious and political authorities.
• Bin Laden and the Al-Qaeda ilk have been rejected and condemned by the Wahhabi authorities.
• Virtually every Wahhabi (and other Islamic extremist deviations) political administration was put into power (and is maintained) by the West (first by the British Imperialists, and then by the US and its European allies). These despots are supported while they serve Western interest, and destroyed when they are no longer useful.
• Powerful Western support for extremists (when they serve the West) compounds matters for Islam.

There has been a lot said on this site as to how it is not a true form of Islam which is great, but there is no unified response. The fragmentary nature of the Islamic authority seems to work against you in this regard, as there is no definitive voice that can say, NO this is not Islam
(The above statement is based on what I have read, so feel free to provide a correction)

I do not believe that the international scholarly co-operative of the mainstream is fragmented. Furthermore, while the opposition to extremist deviations go way back in Islamic history, they have never been more vocal than they are now. Popular online Muslim portals also loudly shout this "No". One does, however, have to recognise that polemical discourse and debate has seldom been the domain of the laity, and that ordinary Muslims are more concerned with practicing their faith and co-operating in good works on a grass-roots community level. Scholars and activists, on the other hand, are actively engaged in combating extremism.

Mainstream Muslims are comfortable and peaceful in their faith, and the uneasiness felt by those who look in from outside is often due to the portrayal of Islam in the media.

Another point is that it seems to me that if there is a verbal attack on the practitioners of Wahabism, then all Muslims form a untied front and claims that this is an attack on Islam, this doesn’t win any points as this is seen by the rest of us as an acknowledgment and approval of Wahabism and its practices

It would depend on the context and topic. I, too, would defend someone who is verbally attacked just because he is a Wahhabi, Sunni, Atheist, Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, Hasidic Jew, etc. And doing this would not mean that I believe in or support their respective practices.

See also: Muslim Efforts to Combat Extremism (1)