Key Issues – The Concepts of Islamic Unity, Muslim Sects and Indian Muslims Post Partition
There are few areas within discussions on Islam and the developing world that raise more concern or more potential for misunderstanding, than those of Muslim sects, the unity of the Qur’an, and questions around Indian Muslims in relation to their Pakistani counterparts. In such circumstances, the key is careful, unbiased discussion.
One should begin by acknowledging two underlying principles: First, within Islam itself Muslims may be guided by different understandings of the same scripture and religious texts. Second, when dealing with history, no one religious group as a whole, should ever be dismissed according to the general perceptions of others.
Is Islam teaching me there will 73 sects?
A commonly cited Hadith predicts a division amongst the Muslim community into73sects: Jami’at–Tirmidhi 2640 which Imam-t-at-Tirmidhi graded as “Hassan Saheh”; Sunan AbiDawoud4596, by Albani, also judged to be “HassanSaheh”; etc.
The key to interpreting Hadith is to regard them in their own context and not to take them as a form of simplistic instruction on a specific number of Organisations, or a numerical division of current groups that would neatly be identified within a contemporary context. The term, “sect” also covers schools of theology rather than, say, organisations and movements today.
Various Schools in the past have also different matters of ‘Aqiidah( theology), the jurisprudence (‘Fiqh’), or Tafsiir (interpretation) and these differences have not been at the core or of fundamental issue in the broadly defined body that IS Islam and so does not invalidate the hadith simply on that basis. The contemporary use of nomenclature to describe groupings does not therefore in itself prove the hadith to be invalid, and individual organisations at times reflect a composite of persons with different varying perspectives or affiliations to secondary concerns.
One Qur’aan, Different interpretations
It is not the case that each of these different schools have different Quraans’. Muslims’ views vary on, for example, the level at which a Hadith is to be trusted or indeed its specific application – but this should not be conflated into a suggestion of different Quraan’.
Just imagine the context: The country has one Constitution and this alone underpins a society, the judgements of numerous judges can differ from case to case on interpretation and application – one does not say for this alone that there are multiple legal systems of Government that exist. It is not entirely disingenuous to suggest that these varying judgements do not result in a different or separate governing legal/governmental system – or at any rate should be avoided.
Having a different or greater interpretation of Hadith or the Qur’aan does not reflect a lack of, or multiplicity of, holy Books – Muslims share the concept of The One Allah (God), Muhammad( pbuh) is a Prophet ofAllah(God), angels(are real), the holy Books are revealed, an after life( is real with accountability before Allah( God) )etc – fundamental truths which lie at the core of all Muslims, and who participate in the similar religious rituals of Salat, fasting. These fundamental differences are few.
These different Muslim views of a secondary nature do not form the core of one’s belief – differences of interpretation will and do exist across Islam. Therefore, to label each organisation as another “sect” would, I submit, constitute an unfair exaggeration for its implied meaning in a Hadith. Islamic jurisprudence and scholarship have produced different schools of thought/opinion for centuries: Al-Hanafi, Al-Shaaf’ii, Al-Maaliki and Hanbali school so Fikh, the different Schools of ‘Aqiidah, etc – these should in the broad sense be regarded as the main sects rather than 10,000 or so individual groups today.
Are all Indian Muslim supporters of Pakistan?
This assumption would only stem from historical, social and general ill-informed knowledge about both Islam, the creation of Pakistan and a general disregard for national identity or political loyalty based on faith alone. Indians, Pakistanis and Muslims themselves all hold disparate political views across their borders. After the Partition of British India in 1947 when Pakistan was created, many Muslims migrated to thenewly formedstate,however, the vast majority who were Indian citizens, elected to continue living in India, contributing their lives to the economic, cultural and social spheres of India.
No one has the right to make assumptions about peoples political allegiance based upon their religious affiliation; the same of course can be applied to any religious grouping and is in opposition to the tenets of Islam that we do not prejudge any individual group or culture.
Disagreement with Pakistan’s present political issues does not naturally indicate a prejudice against its people nor does opposing certain government decisions in India naturally indicate a lack of citizenship or patriotism. I am aware that one might wish to argue that Pakistan’s stance regarding the Israel- Palestine conflict for instance is a cause for concern, however that is an issue that impacts more than only Pakistan, and should be addressed individually for what it represents, rather than through generalised suspicion.
Who are the Muhajirs?
The Muhajirs( emigrants)are commonly understood to be those Muslims who migrated from India to Pakistan during Partition time, especially from areas such as(e.g) Sindhi where the vast majority were Muhajirs, originally from northern Indian territories like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar. Partition was the most complex and fraught of Political separations and caused many millions of peoples to move across the created boundaries leaving behind families and possessions … for this reason; one does not simply see the migration as of religious motivation, rather of economic, social, political, security concerns also.
Islamic Perspective
Islam’s guidelines discourage judging large populations based upon limited actions. Indeed as in many societies today if we judge a Muslim who holds beliefs not in agreement with us, our judgements could result in false assumptions and accusations. We must avoid such inclinations if we hope to be objective Muslims…
Therefore an unfair general accusation can arise by looking at an Indian Muslims and asking whether they are supporting Pakistan because they Are muslim. Muslims are not to be regarded with suspicion because a specific Muslim or a Muslim organisation takes actions contrary to our own interests or viewpoints. There is no doubt that Partition brought together individuals from different cultural regions who, in their own rights were all very patriotic and identified clearly with an Indian/Pakistani identity based on geography, language, culture, personal choices. Islam’s view on nationalism depends on context, rather than a blanket opposition to it .
Conclusion
The fact that Muslims do not follow a singular, unified political institution does not constitute an undermining of Islamic unity, neither does the variety in schools of thought for example; deny any single version of the Qur’aan’.
The Hadith concerning the seventy-three sectors need to be evaluated within its scholarly context and not as some crude numerical system for classifying the numerous organisations and groups in society.
A similar view applies to the issue of Indian Muslims, not to be seen or understood solely as potential loyalists of Pakistan. Both the concept of an unified Islam and the status of Muslims in India ought be debated using authentic sources; rather than stereotypes or unfounded judgements that serve merely to perpetuate harmful ideologies, and may serve to ‘otherwise’ already ’otherised’ group or society ..
This is only for Islamic knowledge informations not for hurting others.