Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother,

Assalam-o-alekum.

I've been receiving your mails from past 1 or 2 months. It looks like that you are against the "Shia" mazhab. isn't it a fiqa of Islam? are we supposed to be "Kaffirs"? We are i think the most hated persons by other fiqas, why is this the case?

I know that there are some bad habbits or "rasams" are in shias (like using bad words for some of the Rasul's companions, etc.) but not all shias do it.

I AM COMPLETELLY AGAINST USING BAD WORDS FOR THEM. Note that "these are the faults of persons, not the defect in the Fiqa".

And 30 or 50 years ago this was no problem being a shia or sunni. Everybody lived their own life. sunni & shia used to sit together, play together, used to help each other and did all works like neighbors and true companions (even marriage together). But when these tanzeems like "Sipah Sahaba" was formed, they suddenlly started diverting these two fiqas away. They created hate between them. Innocent lives were lost.

I do not attept to say that shias are angels and there is no fault of them but again stated "These are the faults of persons not defects in the fiqa".

Like you never note a shia attempting to say sunni a "kaffir".

In this regard, i hope that you try to solve the conflict between these two fiqas and try to create brotherhood between them by your mails. It doesn't really matter for me that who is shia or who is sunni. I have no problems whether shia converts to sunni or sunni converts to shia (because they still be muslims). Hope you understand my point of view.

I also would like to ask u a streight forward question: "Do you think that marriage can not be arranged between shia and sunni?

and do you think it as against Islam?"

Answering this question will clear your point of view to me. YOU MAY GIVE HADITH(S) FROM ANY RELIABLE SOURCE NO MATTER WHETHER IS IT A SHIA ALIM'S BOOK OR "SEHAH-E-SITTA"

May Holly Allah help you and give u the plessure of life and "aakhirat".

Waiting for your quick reply.

Wassalam
Your brother

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Shia-sunni conflict

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

We are absolutely in agreement with you on most of the issues you have raised in your statements. The points that you have mentioned are exactly what is in our hearts, and our mission to start this forum is to unite the believers into the one brotherhood of Islam.

Every person who believes and worships Allah Subhanah Alone and does not associate any partners with Him; who believes in all the Messengers appointed by Allah; who believes in Prophet Mohamed (saws) as the Last and Final Messenger; who believes in all the Books revealed by Allah Subhanah; who believes in the Glorious Quran as the Final Message of our Merciful Lord; who believes in the angels; who believes in the concept of the Hereafter; and who believes in the Divine Decrees; and declares the testification of Islam: Laa Ilaaha Illalaah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah; is a believer and a muslim. Allah Subhanah has not made the believers Shias, or Sunnis, or Ismailis, or Shafeis, or Bohras, etc. These are names man has invented for himself! Every believer must be honored to be recognized by the name that Allah has chosen for him, and Allah has chosen to call the believers ‘muslims’ in the Glorious Quran.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 77-78:O you who have believed, do ‘rukooh’ (bow down) and do ‘sajdah’ (prostration), and worship your Lord Allah Alone, and do righteous deeds: it may be that you attain true success! Exert your utmost for the cause of Allah, as one should. He has chosen you for His service, and has not laid on you any hardship in your religion. Therefore, be steadfast in the religion of your father Abraham. Allah had named you ‘muslims’ before this, and has named you (muslims) in this Quran also, so that the Messenger may be a witness in regard to you, and you may be witnesses in regard to the rest of mankind.

No believer has a right to call the other a ‘kaafir’ after one has believed in Allah and His Last Messenger (saws); for no one knows what is in the heart of the person and what are his intentions, except the All Knowing, All Wise Allah Subhanah. It is not important whether one calls himself a Shia or a Sunni; what is important is that one believes and sincerely obeys and follows the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), and fears the advent of an Inevitable Day, when he will stand in the Just Court of Allah to give a full accounting of his deeds.

Whatever differences there might be between the believers, it is best to try and solve them with wisdom, patience, and in light of the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws). It does not behove a believer to fight or abuse or ridicule or revile his believing brother! No individual has a right to force his beliefs on another! One should always speak and declare the Truth from the Quran and Sunnah, and leave the decision of who is on the Right Path and who is astray for Allah Subhanah to decide on the Day of Judgement.

Your Question: I also would like to ask u a streight forward question: "Do you think that marriage can not be arranged between shia and sunni? and do you think it as against Islam?"

Allah has allowed a believing man to marry a non-mehram believing woman; thus a marriage between a Shia and Sunni is absolutely legal and permitted in Islam.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 5:Likewise you are permitted to marry believing chaste women, and chaste women from among the people of the Book (Jews and Christians), provided that you give them their due ‘mahr’ and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan