The Difference Between Sunnsm and Shasm

Allamah Khalid Mahmud, Director, Islamic Academy, Manchester, United Kingdom

Translated by Abdurrahmn Ishq
Introduction
Many tyes of students are generally found studying in schools, colleges and uni!ersities
and many a times the terms, Sunn & Sh'ah, are also mentioned" #owadays numerous
tyes of assem$lies are also $eing hosted $y students of different thoughts" Therefore, it
is essential for eole, esecially students to %ee in mind the history and $eliefs of these
two grous"

The &in%
The differences $etween the Sunn and the Sh'ah are fundamental, not secondary,
$ecause the $ridge which lin%s each one of them to (as)llull*h Sallallahu alaihi wa
sallam is a different $ridge" The Ahlus Sunnah, no matter how many internal
differences they may ha!e, $ut the lin%ing $ridge $etween all of them and the +rohet
Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam are the following $oo%s of Ah*dth, Sahih Al Bukhri, Sahih
Al Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Sharah Ma'niul thr, Sunan Nasa, Muwatt Imm
Mlik, Muatt Imm Muhammad, Jmi At Tirmidhi, Sunan Baihaqi, Musnad Imm
Ahmad, Musnad Abu la etc" All the four Math*hi$ namely, -anafi, Sh*fi, M*li% and
-am$al, similarly the Ahlul -adth, the Deo$andi and the Barelwi grous, all regard
these to $e the $asis of -adth"
The Sh'ah ha!e a different set of -adth $oo%s entitled the !s"lul Arba'ah which are,
./ Al #$i $y Kulaini 0died 123 -i4ri/
2/ Man % ahdhuruhul &aqh $y I$nu B*$uyah Al Tu5ani 0died 167 -i4ri/
1/ Tah'th((bul Ahkm and
8/ Al Istibsr $y Muhammad $in -asan Al Tusi, 0died 897 -i4ri/
Besides these, there are some other -adth $oo%s as well $y the Ithn* Ash*riyyah, such
as Ma'*niyul A%h$*r $y Shay%h Sad)5, similarly some $oo%s authored $y Shay%h
Mufd and Shay%h Murtad*"
:rom these two arallel $ridges, only one can $e a correct lin% to the +rohet Sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam" Therefore, the differences $etween the Ahlus Sunnah and Sh'ah are
not merely differences of fi5h 04urisrudence/ as is the case with the -anafi and Shafiee
differences, in fact they are fundamental differences" The differences which come a$out
in 4urisrudence are secondary, such as the differences of the four Madh*;hi$"

<ur'*nic Se5uence
It is an acceted fact $etween the Ahlus Sunnah and the Shah that the resent <ur*n
is not written according to the se5uence in which it was re!ealed" It is the $elief of the
Ahlus Sunnah that the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam ordered the writing of the
<ur*n, in a se5uence contrary to the one in which it was re!ealed, and this is that
se5uence in which it was rotected in Al &awhul Mahfoo=" This se5uence was
transmitted into the heart of the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam and it was
transcri$ed according to this se5uence" The se5uence of re!elation was a mere
temorary necessity" The Ithn* Ashariyyah do not $elie!e the <ur*n to $e in the
se5uence of Al &awhul Mahf)=, nor do they $elie!e it to $e according to the instruction
of the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, in fact they $elie!e that Ali )adhiallahu anhu
comiled the <ur*n according to the se5uence of re!elation and resently that <ur*n
0the original scrit which was comiled $y Ali )adhiallahu anhu/ is in the ossession of
the awaited Mahdi"
This $elief clearly indicates that the Shah;Sunn differences are not mere differences
in Tafsr 0interretation/ or fi5h, in fact, they are differences on a fundamental le!el
and such differences can ne!er $e referred to as >secondary" ?hen there e@ists a
difference of oinion as far as the <ur'*n is concerned, then what other source of unity
can there $e(adhiallahu anhu

Successful Mission
There is a difference of oinion $etween the two whether the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi
wa sallam was successful in his mission 0as a rohet/ and did he imlement 4ustice or
not(adhiallahu anhu The Ahlus Sunnah $elie!e that the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa
sallam was entirely successful in his mission and the following matters were in his full
control till the time of his demise 0in other words, the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa
sallam was not comelled to do or not to do any of the following/,
./ -e aro!ed of remaining in the house of A'isha Sidd5ah (adhiallahu anha in the
eriod of his illness"
2/ A$u Ba%r (adhiallahu anhu had su$stituted the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
in leading the rayer under the +rohet's instruction and consent"
1/ The +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, while on his death $ed, intended writing the
will of Khil*fah in fa!our of A$u Ba%r (adhiallahu anhu $ut had not done so 0with his
leasure/ $ecause of the di!ine assurity which he recei!ed"
8/ The $urial of the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam too% lace with all resect and
honour and was not a disgraceful $urial in anyway whatsoe!er"
B/ After the demise of the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, the <ur'*n was comiled
with due resect according to the se5uence in which it was recited $y the +rohet
Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam"
9/ After the demise of #a$i Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, e!ery mo!ement which raised its
head disclaiming #a$i Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam $eing the seal of rohethood was
destroyed and the romise of the Almighty All*h to his +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa
sallam, that he will $e relaced $y someone from this ummah and that Khil*fah will
find root after his demise and that Islam will not $e destroyed, was fulfilled and
comleted $y the Khil*fah of A$u Ba%r, Umar and Uthman (adhiallahu anha"

#ow let us !iew the Shi'i Ithn* Ashari oinion 0in the words of Khomeini/ with regard
to the mission of the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam ,
CThe seal of rohethood Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam had come for the reformation of
man%ind $ut he was unsuccessful in his time"C
0Ittihad wa *ak Jihati, age .B, u$lished, :arhang Damhoori Islami Iran, Multan/
-e also writes,
CThe Im*m of the time 0Mahdi/ will come with the message of imlementing 4ustice in
our li!es and he will $ring a$out a change in the entire uni!erse" This is the o$ligation
and duty in which e!en the messenger of Islam, Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
was not comletely successful"C 0Tehran Times" 2E Dune .E37/

The Khil*fah
:rom the a$o!e e@tracts we can deduce the Sh' $elief that the recogni=ed Shari
Khil*fah was not esta$lished immediately after the demise of the +rohet Sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam " +eole forcefully snatched away ower" There had $een conflict and
re$ellion against the mission of the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam , so much so that
Ali (adhiallahu anhu $ecame the %halfah only after 28 years" -is Khil*fah was not an
indeendent Khil*fah" In fact, his Khil*fah was $ased uon that of the first 1 %halfahs
and he had no right to say a word against them" Therefore, according to the Sh'ahs, the
history of Islam was as follows,
Twenty three years of (is*lah 0the eriod of the +rohet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
sent in Ma%%ah or Madinah/, 28 years of re$ellion 0the era of the first three %hulaf*/,
and 9 years of Khil*fah 0the Khil*fah of Ali )adhiallahu anhu/"
According to the Ahlus Sunnah, the history of Isl*m consisted of 21 years of (is*lah
and thereafter 17 years of Khil*fah"
In the light of this conflict, we, the Ahlus Sunnah, $elie!e that the +rohet Sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam was relaced $y a %halfah immediately after his demise and there had
$een no ga $etween (is*lah and Khil*fah" The Ahlus Sunnah also $elie!e that Ali
(adhiallahu anhu was the immediate successor of Uthman(adhiallahu anhu as he,
0Uthman (adhiallahu anhu/ was the successor of Umar (adhiallahu anhu , whilst
according to the Shi'i $elief, the correct Khil*fah 0of Ali(adhiallahu anhu/ was only
esta$lished after the duration of 29 years 0after (is*lah/" Therefore, historically also,
the Sh'ah and Sunn had differences"

Difference in ?orshi
The Sh'ah and Sunn also differ in the manner of erforming sal*h and fasting,
./ The Ahlus Sunnah wash the feet in wudhu whilst the Sh'ah ma%e masah only 0ass
the wet hand o!er the feet/"
2/ The Ahlus Sunnah erform the tarawh salah in the mus4id in the month of
(amadh*n while the Sh'ah are not in fa!our of tar*wh"
1/ The Ahlus Sunnah fold the hands in sal*h $ut the Sh'ah lea!e them on the side"
8/ The Ahlus Sunnah erform the sa4dah on the ground or musall*h $ut the Sh'ah
Ithna Ashari use $loc%s of mud so that their sa4dah may not $e erformed on the
ground"
B/ The Ahlus Sunnah $rea% their fast immediately after sunset whilst the Sh'ah delay
in this"
9/ According to the Ahlus Sunnah, mourning o!er a deceased erson is ermissi$le for 1
days only $ut according to the Sh'ah, it is ermissi$le fore!er"
6/ As far as general and social life is concerned, it is not sunnah 0in fact not ermissi$le
$ut haram/ to sea% lies" According to the Sh'ah, concealing the truth is a necessity of
religion" Similarly, Mut'ah 0temorary marriage/ is acceted as a high form of worshi
according to them"

?e regard the concealing of the truth as a lie, and temorary marriage for a male and
female as adultery"
Although we find the a$o!e;mentioned conflict $etween the two arties, yet it will $e
ermissi$le to mingle and unite with them on national common issues, $ut there is no
5uestion whatsoe!er of unity with them on religious issues"
Shay%hul Islam, Moulana -usain Ahmad Madani 0)ahmatullh Alaihi/ had wor%ed
together with the -indus for a common issue 0the freedom of India/" Similarly, Moulana
At*ullah Sh*h Bu%h*ri 0)ahmatullh Alaih/ had wor%ed with the Sh'ah for common
issues $ut ne!er did they do this under the name of Islamic unity" The searation which
is caused $y the fundamental differences ; as imortant as they may $e ; can ne!er $e
$ridged $ut with reentance" A erson can ne!er enter the %ingdom of All*h, unless he
reents from his %ufr" Fes, there is no ro$lem in intermingling with these eole and
ma%ing 4oint efforts for the ad!ancement of worldly life and common uroses, $ut
naming it 'Islamic Unity' and shunning aside one's fundamental dignity is ne!er
encouraged or !erified $y any learned scholar of Islam" As far as $eliefs are concerned,
there are se!en such $eliefs which di!ide the Ahlus Sunnah and the Sh'ah, the details of
which are recorded in another article titled, 'The Decisi!e Distance $etween Beliefs'"

A (e5uest
Though we ha!e these historical fundamental differences, the Ahlus Sunnah and Sh'ah
could unite uon the following issues,
0./ The oinion of $oth arties with regard to the <adiani sect has always $een one and
it should remain such"
02/ The olicy of $oth arties should remain one with regard to the Kashmiri Muslims"
01/ Similarly, their olicies should $e the same with regard to the Muslims of India"
08/ There should $e no olitical uroar in the holy Islamic centers of Ma%%ah
Mu%arramah and Madinah Munawwarah"
0B/ The emotions and rocedures of $oth arties against colonial owers 0such as
America etc"/ should $e one"

These are the only fi!e issues regarding which unity can $e negotiated" But to regard
religious matters as secondary, it creates se!ere an@iety and ain to the hearts of the
Ahlus Sunnah"
Gur duty is to roagate the truth"
Publication No. A 134, First Edition !umdal "#hr 14$% &'ctober 1((()
Published * Printed by +adrasah Arabia Islamia, P.'. ,o- (./0, A1aad2ille, 1.3%, 4outh A5rica
Tel &%11) 413 $./06., Fa- &%11) 413 $03/
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