New Age Islam

Relations between Sunnis and Shi'as throughout the Islamic History العلاقة بين المسلمين السنة والشيعة عبر التاریخ الإسلامي

مصطفى تسيريتش

There have been substantial historical precedents for mutual respect between Sunnis and Shi'as as well as followers of other schools of Islamic religious thought. The fact that today's leading seminary of Sunni studies, Al-Azhar University in Cairo, was founded in 970 by the ruler of the Shi'a Fatimid Dynasty tells us more than anything else that Sunni-Shi'a cohabitation has been a matter of historical routine and a common lifestyle of Muslims. No wonder then, that the prominent Sunni authority of Al-Azhar, the late Sheikh Mahmoud Shaltut, issued a fatwa (a nonbinding religious opinion) in 1958 declaring the Shi'a Jafari school of theology legitimate in Islam. It also helped establishing the Council for the Rapprochement of Islamic Theological Schools at the time. A famous Hadith attributed to the Prophet Muhammad says, "Allah will send for the Muslim community, on the eve of each century, someone who will renew its religion." When we read this, we cannot but think that it's time the Muslim world, especially the Middle East, realises the pressing need for rethinking and reinvigorating its religious, moral and political teachings.

يرى الشيخ مصطفى تسيريتش المفتي الأكبر السابق للبوسنة أن الوقت قد حان للمسلمين وخاصة في الشرق الأوسط لإعادة التفكير وبعمق بالتعاليم الدينية والأخلاقية من أجل تواصل أفضل بين السنة والشيعة ويحذر من وقوع السياسيين في أخطاء طائفية قد تؤدي إلى تقسيم المنطقة على غرار الأندلس في العهد الأموي.

http://newageislam.com/arabic-section/relations-between-sunnis-and-shi-as-throughout-the-islamic-history/d/13539