Salafi, Sufi, Sunni, Shia, Progressive--what about Muslim?

July 8, 9:12 PMBaltimore Muslim ExaminerJ. Samia Mair

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“Muslims have it backwards,” stated the scholar at a recent lecture. “We divide ourselves into categories, even though it specifically states not to do so in the Qur’an, and we refer to every non-Muslim as a kafir, even though non-Muslims are divided into categories in the Qur’an."

“Yeah, why do we do that?” I asked myself. “Aren’t we all just Muslims?”

Mentioned in the Qur’an are kafirun (disbelievers), mushrikun (polytheists), and munafiqun (hypocrites, i.e., those who state that they are Muslim but conceal their disbelief). The word “kafir" tends to be tossed around a lot in some circles, but I have yet to hear anyone described as a mushrik or a munafiq.

I also hear Muslims (including me) describing themselves and others as belonging to a certain group. And usually when someone is describing someone else it is not a compliment.

Although we are told not to divide ourselves into sects (Al Qur’an, 6:159), the Prophet Muhammad, may Allaah bless him and grant him peace, told us that we would:

The Jews were split up into seventy-one or seventy-two sects; and the Christians were split up into seventy one or seventy-two sects; and my community will be split up into seventy-three sects. (Abu Dawud)

I’m not sure how many sects there are now but clearly we are on our way to seventy-three. One of the problems with labeling ourselves differently is that we may begin to feel superior to others.

Imam ‘Abdallah ibn Alwawi al-Haddad discusses “conceit” in his book The Treatise of Mutual Reminding among Loving Brothers, People of Goodness and Religion. He states:

Beware of conceit, for it invalidates works. The Messenger of God (saas) said, “Conceit eats good works just as fire eats firewood.” And he said, “Three things are ruinous: avarice that one obeys, passion that one follows, and admiration that one has for himself.” Conceit is for someone to see himself as important and his behavior as excellent. From this arises showing off one’s works, feeling superior to others, and being self-satisfied. As Ibn ‘Ata’illah said, may God’s mercy be upon him, “The root of every sin, distraction, or lust is self-satisfaction.” He who is satisfied with himself does not see his shortcomings. And he who is unaware of his shortcomings, how can he succeed?

May we be protected from conceit and self-satisfaction and led to the Straight Path.

For more info: Who Are the Disbelievers? by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Books by Imam al-Haddad