Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Islam Today
Sectarianism among followers of the same religion is almost invariably the upshot of clashes over relatively minor issues, and does not stem as one might imagine, from misinterpretations of, or confusion about fundamental religious tenets. Among Muslims, there is no controversy over the major points of Islamic doctrine, such as, for example, the prophethood of Mohammad – a point on which all Muslims are in accord. It is matters of secondary importance, such as the manner in which blessings should be invoked upon the Prophet, that spark off dissension. For instance, when the Prophet’s name is mentioned, the Sunnis invoke blessings on him alone, while the Shias are particular to include his offspring. Differences over such minor points are regrettably all too common.
It is not only to matters of doctrine, but also to the rules of social conduct that this applies. No one would dispute that when two Muslims meet, they should greet one another and shake hands. But strange as it would seem, there is rancorous disagreement on what form the handshake should take. Those who are of the Hanafi school (a school of jurisprudence) maintain that it should be done with both hands, while others, including those of the Ahl-e-Hadith School, feel that only one hand need be extended. And so, there is much needless expenditure of mental energy on something which should not be an issue at all.
Such controversies over minor issues have been a perennial feature in every age of all religious communities. While there is nothing particularly bad about debating such matters, and no great harm comes to the community as a result, there is always the danger that what started as an amicable discussion can develop into an all-out fight to establish the personal superiority of particular groups. Such escalations almost inevitably lead to members of the same religious community becoming estranged from one another, their having quite lost sight of the fact that the whole conflict rests on some triviality.
In any discussion of this nature, tolerance and broad-mindedness should be the prevailing attitudes. Particularly in the case of social behaviour, the acceptability of more than one mode of conduct should be established at the outset, provided that no moral infringement is entailed. On such matters, people whose opinions differ should be able to adopt any posture they please without it leading to dissension and bitterness. Personal superiority or inferiority should never be the points at issue.
Another pernicious aspect of becoming preoccupied with side issues is that basic issues become lost in the morass of argument. It is only if proper emphasis is laid upon the fundamentals of religion, that its adherents can remain united.