World of Muslims

 

According to a study done by Pew Research Center in 2009, there are 1.57 billion Muslims of all ages living in the world today, representing 23% of an estimated 2009 world population of 6.8 billion. More than 60% of the global Muslim population is in Asia, mainly in Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. About 20% is in the Middle East and North Africa.

Most of the 1.57 billion Muslims are proving the prophecy of the prophet of Islam Which is stated in the following Hadith: On the authority of Thawbaan , the Prophet said: “The People will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their food.” Someone asked, “Will that be because of our small numbers at that time?” He replied, “No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be froth and scum like that carried down by a torrent (of water), and Allah will take the fear of you from the breasts (hearts) of your enemy and cast al-wahn into your hearts.” Someone asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is al-wahn?” He replied, “Love of the world pleasures and dislike of death.” [An authentic hadith recorded by Abu Dawud and Ahmad].

Some people belonging to Al-Qaeda and ISIS for example, think that to change this situation Muslims should become terrorists to return the fear to the breasts (hearts) of their enemy. And to prove that they love death and hate world they commit suicide attack. In my opinion this is the most stupid way to understand the deep meaning of this good saying of prophet Mohammad. The meaning is to avoid over Indulging in leisure and luxury in a way that waste the time of hard working and turn human being to be more greedy and selfish. Hating death is normal. Nobody likes to die. But the meaning that Prophet wants - As I understand it - is to stop worrying about death and to focus on productivity. Death is just a journey from one life to another. If a person is hardworking and well prepared for the journey why should he/she be afraid of death. By the way, not to hate death doesn't mean to love it or to commit suicide. Also, to avoid Loving of the world pleasures doesn't mean to hate life and not to enjoy it. It means not to be a slave of desires. It means to enjoy life but according to ethics.

Islam denominations

There are more than one version of Islam if we may say so. This is normal in some cases due to the different interpretation of the the same original script. But some denominations of Muslims have differences in creed and basic Beliefs. The main two denominations of Islam are: Sunni and Shia. They have numerous sub branches, like Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali, Imamiyyah-Ja'fari-Usuli, Nizārī Ismā'īlī, Alevi, Zaydi, Ibadi, Zahiri, Alawite. Other schools not belong to the main two denominations include: Druze and Taiyabi, ahmadiyyah and new schools of thought and movements like Quranist and African American Muslims later emerged independently. This is actually mentioned in one of the prophecy of the prophet Mohammad also. It is mentioned in the following Hadith: Abu Hurayrah narrated: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews were divided into seventy-one or seventy-two sects, and the Christians were divided into seventy-one or seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects.” This was narrated by Abu Dawood in his Sunan, Kitaab al-Sunnah, Baab Sharh al-Sunnah. In other narration the Prophet adds: seventy two are in Hell and one is in Heaven, They said: Who are they, O Messenger of Allaah? He said: “(Those who follow) that which I and my companions follow.

All right all wrong

Of course some of the above mentioned schools believe to be the only one which is following the true path. They think all the others are misguided. Some extremists like Isis give themselves the right to fight and kill others Muslims and non-Muslims. For me, I believe that if any person to single out a sect that follows a particular imam from among the Muslims and name it the “People of Truth”, and announce that all who disagree with it in any matter are the “People of Falsehood”, then he/she is in the state of people following their personal whims and sentiment not the right truth. In my opinion none of the groups is following the correct path. Simply because prophet Mohammad and his companions were not belonging to any of them. All of them were established after their death. Moreover in Quran there are many verses clearly states that those who have divided their religion and become sects are not belongs to real Islam: For example "Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah ; then He will inform them about what they used to do."(Alanaam 159). In other verse: "He [ALLAH] has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus – to establish the religion and not be divided therein" (Alshura 13).

Personal responsibility

Finally, It is everyone's personal responsibility to seek the right opinion among the different opinions. There is one of the Islamic studies called "Principle of Islamic Jurisprudence" and one of it is important practice called Tarjeeh (outweighing / conflict resolution) between evidences and opinions. It is important to have introduction to this kind of studies for everyone.

Moreover, everyone in disagreement should believe that there is a chance that the others could be correct and that he/she could be wrong.