It is certain that there was
nothing called "Sunni sects" in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet
(s.w.), not even after his demise. The Sunni sects have emerged
in the 3rd and 4th centuries (Hijri) as a result of political
and dogmatic differences. Some of those sects have been
abrogated and other were authorized.
We have here some questions in regard to this subject:
1- Why were some of those sects authorized and other were
rejected? Are there any Quranic evidences and demonstrations, or
prophetic traditions that urge us to follow, for example, the
Hanafi or Maaliki sect? Weren't the founders of the rejected
sects mujtahids? If so, hasn't any mujtahids the right to
disclose his own opinion, like Abu Hanifa who practiced ijtihad
- which he remained doing so till the end of his life?
2- Were the four famous sects existing in the time of the
caliphs? Were the caliphs performing their duties and judging
people according to their own opinions? We can notice the great
difference between the Sunnis in the time of the Umayyad,
Abbasid, and the Ottoman dynasties, and between the Sunnis in
present time, especially in regard to issues
of fiqh and beliefs.
3- Can we trust those traditions fabricated by the oppressive
Umayyad, Abbasid and Ottoman caliphs; traditions which were
fabricated in their own benefit and to keep them in power -
traditions which were consider to be the exact words of the Holy
Prophet (s.w.)?
4- Can we regard all the savage behaviors of the partisans
called "the Army of Sahabah" or the Wahhabites as Islamic
propagation, and that they are guiding people to the true rules
of Islam? Are the Sunnis propagating the true sunnah of the Holy
Prophet (s.w.), or in fact, they are propagating the sunnah of
the Umayyads and the Abbasids?
5- Were there any sects in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet
(s.w.)? All historical records confirm that there were not any
sects in that time. Moreover, the term "Sunni" had generated in
the time of Mu`awiyah and later on.
6- Wasn't the belief of the determinists declaring that man must
obey his ruler, no matter whether he (i.e. the ruler) was just
or oppressor? Wasn't the opinion that "all the companions are
just" derived from the false traditions which Mu`awiyah and the
Umayyads had generated?
7- Is it correct to return to the old texts of a person who died
centuries ago, to derive new issues?
8- Why do the Sunnis return to persons who died 13 centuries ago
while they can consult contemporary scholars (faqihs) and
eminent `ulama who have obtained high ranks not less than those
who have pasted? Why isn't there any scholar (mujtahid) among
the Sunnis who can save them from disputes and answer their
religious questions of the day, while the Shi`ites have many
scholars in every time and place?
Is the present knowledge and science the same as the knowledge
and science of past times? Are the needs of our communities
today the same as those which were existing 1,300 years ago?
9- Why don't the Sunnis follow the fatwa of the shaykh Mahmoud
Shaltoot, the dean al-Azhar who considered Shi`ism as an
authorized sect, as he says it depends on the intellectual and
fiqh bases? Isn't that clear religious prejudice? Is not Shi`ism
the right sect which is based on that which the Holy Prophet
(s.w.) had recommended? Wasn't the famous tradition (i.e., "I am
leaving with you two weighty things (Thaqalayn); if you adhered
to them, you won't be misguided at all. They are the Book of
Allah and my family") sufficient to follow the Shi`a sect? Have
you any other evidences to prove the correctness of the famous
four sects? Surely the answer will be "NO"! If you study the
Shi`a books without
partisanship or prejudice, you will certainly not find any kind
of contradictions and you will notice that they are not forging
lies against anyone. However, we may find some Sunnis when they
want to investigate other sects and their beliefs, they depend
only on their own scholars' (sheikhs') speeches and opinions
without paying any attention to the ideas of the `ulama of the
other sects. Is it correct to follow such methodology to
investigate another sects' teachings?
