FAQ in the category of Ahl-i Sunnah Sects

1 What is the importance of Ahl-i Bayt affection in Islam?
2 What is the condition of the ones who do not adhere to sects? Can you explain?

For the answer, please click the link given below.

What is the condition of the ones who do not adhere to sects? Can you explain?

3 What does Ahl as-Sunnah mean and what are its properties?

In the religious literature, Ahl as-Sunnah means a great majority (90%) of the Islamic community that regards the Prophet (pbuh) and the Companions as their models. It is generally known as "sunnism" in short. This group is also called "Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah" because it is attached to the Sunnah and does not deviate from the spirit of jama'ah (congregation).

The signs of having the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah

1. A person needs to believe in the six principles of belief, that is, the existence and oneness of God, that He has no partners, that there is nobody like Him, and His angels, books, prophets, the states in the hereafter and that the good and the bad were created by Allah. (These principles are included in "Amantu".)

2. He needs to believe that the Quran, which is the last book of Allah, is Allah's word.

3. A believer must not doubt his belief.

4. He must believe in the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and love all of his Companions, who had the honor of seeing the Prophet alive. He must not criticize any of his four caliphs, his Ahl al-Bayt, who are his closest relatives, and his respectable wives.

5. He must not regard the believers who accept the orders and prohibitions of Allah but who ignore them due to laziness as unbelievers. 

6. He must not accuse of unbelief the people who say they are Ahl al-Qiblah and believe in Allah and Hz. Muhammad but who have a wrong creed.

7. He needs to believe that the Ascension (Miraj) of the Prophet (pbuh) took place with his body and spirit.

8. He needs to believe that believers will see Allah in Paradise. 

9. He needs to believe that prophets and righteous slaves of Allah will intercede on the Day of Judgment.

10. He needs to believe that boons and torture in the grave will take place in the spirit and the body and that the spirits in the grave can hear what the living people do and say.

11. He needs to believe that the karamah of saints is true.  

12. He needs to believe that sending the rewards of reading the Quran, giving sadaqah, and all kinds of worshipping to the spirits of the dead would be beneficial to them, relieve their torture or remove it.   

AHL AS-SUNNAH

Ahl as-Sunnah is the group that is attached to the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), the way of his Companions, adopts their religious way and method, agrees on the Book and the Sunnah, avoids disagreement and division, and depends their decrees on the Book and the Sunnah, not the mind, regarding the issues of disagreement in the religion. Those who follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) are called Ahl as-Sunnah; those who regard his Companions as fair and just and follow their methods in religion are called Ahl al-Jama'ah; they are referred to as "Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l- Jama'ah" together.

The Islamic community called "Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l- Jama'ah" has two distinctive features: to follow the Sunnah and jama'ah. The Sunnah includes the words and deeds of the Prophet (pbuh) and his approval of deeds or words along with his ethical and human attitudes. However, regarding our issue, it is not important to mark off the Sunnah in this sense and to determine which types are binding to what extent. The disagreements of the Islamic fiqh scholars on the bindingness of the types of Sunnah in terms of fiqh and the different methods of approach originating from these disagreements are all differences that occurred within the framework of Ahl as-Sunnah.  The term "Sunnah" generally appears as a distinctive feature of the communities in the sense of method, way and line to follow. Accordingly, Sunnah is defined as follows: The way and method that ensures the formation of the belief system and creed of a community (ummah) gathering around a faith and creed. People agreeing on this method and applying it was called as jama'ah. (Shahristani, al-Milal wa'n-Nihal, (marginal notes of al-Fisal), I, 47) It is also used in the Quran in this sense: "Many were the Ways of Life that have passed away before you: travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who rejected Truth." (Aal-i-Imran, 3/137). "No turning off wilt thou find in Allah's way (of dealing)" (Fatir, 35/43). The sunnah mentioned in this verse means the way, method determined by Allah in the creation and management of the universe. Since forcing is not in question for Allah, this meaning is given by the word custom in the Islamic thought.  

Sunnah means using the way of the Prophet as a base for the formation of the Islamic community, that is, the ummah, and following the way of the group of Companions who follow the way of the Prophet unanimously. What ensures the theoretical and practical formation of the Islamic ummah is the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet. Allah states in the Quran that it is necessary to be subject to the Prophet and obey him for it: "A similar (favour have ye already received) in that We have sent among you a Messenger of your own rehearsing to you Our signs, and purifying you, and instructing you in Scripture and wisdom, and in new Knowledge " (al-Baqara, 2/151). Purifying mentioned in the verse was interpreted as to learn what is haram and halal from the Quran; wisdom was unanimously accepted as the Sunnah. 

The Quran accepts the decree of Allah and the decree of His Messenger as two basics for determining fard and wajib, halal and haram: "The answer of the Believers when summoned to Allah and His Messenger in order that He may judge between them, is no other than this: they say "We hear and we obey": it is such as these that will attain felicity ." (an-Nur, 24/51)

Hz. Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whatever I have commanded you do it, and whatever I have forbidden you, refrain from it." (Muslim, 412, Ibn Majah, Muqaddima, 1) To follow the Sunnah is a religious obligation. Ignoring the sunnah by saying the Quran is enough for us is a kind of treason that is the common trait of all groups of bid'ah throughout history. Hz. Prophet (pbuh) ordered us to avoid those people who will emerge in the future and who have no religious worries:"Yet the time is coming when a man replete on his couch will say, 'Keep to the Quran; what you find in it to be permissible treat as permissible, and what you find in it to be prohibited treat as prohibited." Beware! I have been given the Qur'an and something like it." (Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 6, Ahmad b. Hanbal, IV, 131).

Imran b. Husayn (r.a.) addressed a man who said, 'the Quran is enough for us; there is no need for the Sunnah' as follows: 'You idiot! Can you find in the Quran the decree that the noon prayer is four rak'ahs and that it is necessary to read the Quran silently? The Quran left many things ambiguous; the Sunnah clarified them.' When Abdullah b. Masud (r.a.) said "Allah damns those who change the form of their nature", a woman asked him, "Does it exist in the Quran?"  Abdullah b. Masud said, "Yes, of course. Do you not read the following verse: "So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you '' (al-Hashr, 59/7; Abdullah b. Zayd, Sunnatu'r-Rasul Shaqiqatu'l-Qur'an, p.54).

Hz. Prophet ordered us to follow his Sunnah and his Companions. The Companions are likened to stars that lead people to the true path if they are followed. He said: "Those of you who live after me will see great disagreement. You must then follow my Sunnah and that of the rightly-guided caliphs. Hold to it and stick fast to it. Avoid novelties, for every novelty (bid'ah) is an innovation, and every innovation is an error." (Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 5)

The following is stated about the Companions in the Quran: "The vanguard (of Islam)― the first of those who forsook (their homes) and of those who gave them aid, and (also) those who follow them in (all) good deeds― well― pleased is Allah with them, as are they with Him: for them hath He prepared Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever: that is the Supreme Felicity " (at-Tawba, 9/100) That Allah praises the Companions implies that the ummah coming after that needs to follow them and they need to be like them in order to be praised. We also see that the group of Tabiun, the generation after the Companions, are also included among those that Allah praises. The Prophet (pbuh) explains this in a hadith as follows: "The best of my followers are those living in my generation (i.e. my contemporaries) and then those who will follow the latter." (Bukhari, Fadailu's-Sahaba, 1) That the Companions  are praised buy Allah and His Messenger and that the generations after that are included in this praise as long as they follow the Companions show that the jama'ah the Prophet advises people to follow in his hadiths is the jama'ah of the Companions and Tabiun.

Hz Prophet (pbuh) said, "I advise you (to follow) my Companions, then the ones following them and then the ones following them. After that, lies will be common." In another hadith, the Prophet says, "Allah's hand of mercy is together with jama'ah." (Tirmidhi, Fitan, 7) That Hz. Prophet (pbuh) advised jama'ah and that the group that would be saved from torture of Hell (firqah an-najiyah) would be jama'ah makes it necessary to determine who is included in it. Hz. Prophet (pbuh) said, "My ummah will be divided into seventy-three groups; all of them are people of Hell except one." When he was asked, who would be in this group, he said, "those who are in my way and in the way of my Companions." In another narration, he said, "jama'ah". Hz. Prophet (pbuh) stated the following in a hadith: "My ummah will not agree on misguidance. When you see a disagreement, I advise you to join the biggest group (sawad al-azam). " (Ibn Majah, Fitan. 8) Sawad al-azam is interpreted as the group that agree on adopting the method of the straight path. (Ibnu'l-Athir, an-Nihaya, II, 419).

Hz. Prophet ordered us to follow jama'ah, sawad al-azam. Jama'ah is the Companions in the first period of Islam and righteous scholars in the periods after that. When Abdullah b. Mubarak was asked who jama'ah was, he said, "Abu Bakr, Umar." When they said they died, he said, "Such and such people." When they said they died, he said, "The jama'ah of Abu Hamza as-Sakkari." (Tirmidhi, Fitan, 7) Imam Tirmidhi states the following: Scholars defined jama'ah as follows: "People of fiqh, people of ilm and people of hadith are jama'ah." (Tirmidhi, Fitan, 7). In this sense, it is not possible for the jama'ah of scholars to deviate. As a matter of fact, the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Indeed, Allah will not gather my Ummah upon misguidance, and Allah's Hand is over the jama'ah, and whoever deviates, he deviates to Hellfire." (Tirmidhi, Fitan, 7)

According to the definition of Shahristani, "jama'ah is a group of people that agree on a sunnah and method unanimously." (Shahristani, al-Milal, 1, 47)

In the history of Islam, the word jama'ah became famous in the year when Hz. Hasan delivered the caliphate to Hz. Muawiya. This year was called "sanatu'l-jama'ah" (year of unity) because it ensured the unity of Muslims. When the Prophet (pbuh) died, the Muslims had a fully secured and organized social structure. However, the incidents that occurred after Hz. Uthman was martyred (d.35/656), caused some new questions to form in the minds of the Muslims. Some Companions were killed and the issue of the caliphate was on the agenda. Issues related to creed like what the state of the Muslims who were killed was and the effect of qadar on these incidents started to be talked about. After the issue of the caliphate between Hz. Ali and Hz. Muawiya and the consequent wars and battles, political conflicts started to occur between the followers of both parties. Jews, Christians and Fireworshippers started to become Muslims; the issues in their cultures; and discussions about their correspondence in the Islamic decrees started. These issues caused big dissensions due to the extremism in the parties. The majority of the Companions followed a moderate way and they tried to maintain the unity of the community by trying not to become an extreme side of the political issues. The first representatives of this group are Abdullah b. Umar (74/693); Ibrahim an-Nahai (96/714); Hasan al-Basri (110/728) and Abu Hanifa (150/767). The first person who spoke as the representative of the views of the central group by expressing his views about the groups that emerged is Hasan al-Basri. He has an important place in the formation of the principles of the ideas and creed of Ahl as-Sunnah. He put forward certain views on the issues of politics and creed of that period. He criticized the Umayyad administrators and stated that it is not appropriate to obey a cruel administrator regarding all issues. "There should be no obedience to a created being if it involves disobedience to the creator" (see Bukhari, Jihad, I; Muslim, Imara, 39; Abu Dawud, Jihad, 40, 87; Nasai, Bia, 34; Ibn Majah, Jihad, 40; A. b. Hanbal, Musnad, I, 94, 409). Acting upon the hadith above, he stated that one does not have to obey the administrator if he ordered something that would necessitate disobeying Allah. (Mas'udi, Muruj adh-Dhahab, 111, 201). Hasan al-Basri stated that it was the duty of the Muslim scholars to warn the administrators and to remind them about hellfire. However, he did not accept to oppose them by the sword (by fighting) and stated the following: If the issues you mention necessitate the torture (penalty) by Allah, people cannot change the penalty of Allah by their swords. If they are trouble, it is necessary to wait for the decree of Allah patiently.

Hasan al-Basri accepts that the authorities might be oppressors and he interpreted the phrase those charged with authority in the verse "Obeythose charged with authority among you" (an-Nisa, 4/59)  as scholars by taking into consideration the advice of the Prophet (pbuh) that it is necessary to follow the scholars during the times of mischief. In the periods that followed, the scholars and Islamic jurisprudents determined the spiritual dynamics of the Islamic ummah; and people gathered around them. (Ibn Kathir, Tafsiru'l Qur'an'il-Azim, II, 303). He dismissed Wasil b. Ata, who put forward some new views about the end of those who commit major sins and the issue of qadar, from his assembly of fiqh lessons; he regarded the Kharijites' accusing some Companions of unbelief acting upon the claim that they committed major sins a sign of nifaq (hypocrisy) and refused the group of Ghulat ash-Shia (the extremists who cursed the four caliphs).

The community that followed the state of the Companions before mischief occurred and that adopted the attitude of the majority of the Companions after mischief occurred and after Muslims were divided into sects used the terms Ahl as-Sunnah, Ahl al-Haqq, Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Istiqamah, Ahl al-Hadith, Ahl al-Jama'ah, Ahl al-Hadith was-Sunnah and Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah in order to distinguish themselves from other sects. The person to use the term Ahl as-Sunnah first was Muhammed b. Sirin (d.110/728); the person to use the term "Ahl al-Haqq wal-Jama'ah" first was Abu'l-Lays as-Samarqandi (d.373/898). Beginning from the second century after the Migration, the term started to be used in the form of "Ahl al-Haqq wal-Istiqamah",  "Ahl as-Sunnah wan-Naql " and "Ashab al-Hadith". In fact, this community is not a sect; it is the majority that follows the way of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions. In the periods that followed, the term "Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah" became more common and accepted since it contained the common points in the other terms. Ahmad b. Hanbal (241/855) used a similar term: "Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah  wal-Athar". (Ibn Abi Ya'la, Tabaqatu'l-Hanabila, Cairo 1952, I, 31). Among the books that are available today, the term "Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah " exists in the book called "Sharhul-Fiqhil-Akbar" by Abu'l-Lays as-Samarqandi (373/898). "Ahl as-Sunnah" emerged as the movement of maintaining the integrity of the ummah and defending the Sunnah after the emergence of bid'ahs and various ideas in religion. Ahl as-Sunnah is a reaction against the sects of bid'ah and a movement of determining their place in religion, determining answers to the religious issues put forward by them and the stance of the Islamic community against bid'ahs.  

Hz. Prophet (pbuh) stated the following in a hadith: "The Jews were split up into seventy-one or seventy-two sects; and the Christians were split up into seventy-two sects; and my community will be split up into seventy-three sects. All of them are in the fire except one sect. It is jama'ah." (Abu Dawud, Sunnah, I; Tirmidhi Iman, 18; Ibn Majah, Fitan, 17; Ahmad b. Hanbal, 11, 332, 111, 145; Hakim, Mustadrak, IV,430). Hakim says this hadith complies with the conditions of Sahihayn (Bukhari and Muslim). Ten Companions reported this hadith from the Prophet (pbuh).  Hz. Abu Bakr and. Hz. Umar stated that Muslims would be divided into such groups. (Baghdadi, al-Farq, p.8.9). As it is stated in the hadith above, Muslims were divided into sects. Hz. Prophet (pbuh) asked his ummah to avoid novelties, that they were bid'ahs and that each bid'ah will lead man to Hell. (Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 5). Bid'ahs are the innovations that occurred afterwards and that the Companions and Tabiun did not do and that were not necessitated by religious evidence. A person who has a creed contrary to the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah but who is of Ahl al-Qibla is called a bid'ah person. They are the groups of Jabriyya, Qadariyya, Rafizis, Kharijites,  Muattila (Mu'tazila) and Mushabbiha: Each of them is divided into twelve groups. They are seventy-two sects altogether. (Sayyid Sharif Jurjani, at-Ta'rifat, p.40. 43). Bid'ah means to believe in the opposite of the things that are known to come from the Prophet (pbuh). However, it is regarded bid'ah when it originates from a doubt and when it is based on some evidence, not because of obstinacy. Nobody who turns to the qiblah (performs prayers by turning toward the qiblah) can be accused of unbelief. If this opposition is due to an interpretation or doubt, they cannot be accused of unbelief. However, if a bid'ah person insists on believing in a bid'ah despite clear evidence, he exits the religion of Islam. For instance, not to accept resurrection or that the universe was created afterwards. If a person tries to interpret it based on a doubt, he cannot be accused of unbelief even if his doubt is wrong. For instance, the words of those who say it is not possible to see Allah because of His magnificence and glory. Nobody who turns to our qiblah can be accused of unbelief due to a bid'ah that is based on a doubt. However, denying a definite decree of the religion that is accepted among the essentials of the religion is undoubtedly unbelief. For instance, a person who does not believe that this realm was created afterwards and that the dead bodies will be revived exits the religion.  

A person who denies the caliphate of Hz. Abu Bakr and Umar and who curses them does not exit the religion if he does so based on a doubt. A person who claims that Hz. Ali is Allah and that Jibril made a mistake exits the religion. For, it does not emerge from a doubt or ijtihad; it is denial due to his own desires. Ignorant bid'ah people like the group of Mu'tazila who do not accept that there are extra meanings on the attributes of Allah, that torture in the grave and intercession are valid, that those who commit major sins will exit hell and that Allah will be seen are not accused of unbelief but they are regarded to have deviated. For, the evidence of the Quran and sound sunnah regarding the issue is clear but Ahl al-Qiblah are not accused of unbelief. On the other hand, there is consensus that their witnessing is accepted. However, the witnessing of an unbeliever against a Muslim is not valid. The issue of regarding sins as mubah is unbelief is explained as follows: If it is due to obstinacy and without evidence, it is unbelief. Denying due to religious evidence is not excused. Allah knows the hearts of His slaves best. (Ibn Abidin, Raddu'l-Mukhtar, 1, 560, 561). Our belief related to the issues of creed is determined through definite evidence, verses and hadiths; therefore, creed is not an issue of doubt and hesitation. A person who follows a fiqh madhhab should know that a mujtahid may be wrong or right about an issue and another mujtahid may be wrong or right about another issue. However, this decree is not valid related to the issues of creed. It is not possible to say the people of bid'ah may be right or we may be right. Ibn Abidin explains the issue as follows: What is meant by our creed is the issues that are wajib to be believed by every Muslim without imitating anyone. Our creed is the madhhab of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. Ahl as-Sunnah are Salafis, Ash'aris and Maturidis. The last two sects are almost the same in terms of creed. There are minor differences related to a few issues. Some say the disagreement between them is related to words. What is meant by our opponents are the bid'ah people whose creed leads to unbelief and whose creed does not lead to unbelief. Examples of bid'ahs that lead to unbelief are stating that the realm was pre-eternal and denying the prophethood of Hz. Muhammad (pbuh). Examples of bid'ahs that do not lead to unbelief are claiming that the Quran is maqhluq (created) and that Allah does not will bad deeds for His slaves. (Ibn Abidin, Raddu'l-Mukhtar, 1, 48, 49,). It is necessary to try not resemble to Rafizis and the people of bid'ah and to oppose them. It is not permissible to resemble the people of bid'ah. It is not appropriate to try to be like them and to imitate their bad states. (Ibn Abidin, Raddu'l-Mukhtar,V, 472).

After explaining these general decrees about the people of bid'ah, we can deal with the issue of the emergence of the sects of bid'ah: Their first emergence is during the caliphate of Hz. Ali.

Shahristani (549/1154) divides Islamic sects into four main groups as Qadariyya, Sifatiyya, Kharijites and Shiites, stating that the seventy-three sects emerged from them. (Shahristani, ibid, 1, 15)

Ibn Hazm (d.457/1065) divides Islamic sects into five as Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, Mu'tazila, Murjia, Shiites and Kharijites; after stating that Ahl as-Sunnah is the people of the truth and the other as the people of the wrong, he defines Ahl as-Sunnah as the Companions, the notables of Tabiun, the people of hadith and the ones who followed them. (Ibn Hazm, al-Fisal, II, 113).

Kharijites, which emerged as the first bid'ah sect during the caliphate of Hz. Ali, emerged as a political group first. Shiites emerged as a result of the agitations by Ibn Saba of Yemeni, who was a Jew, with the claim of being supporters of Hz. Ali.

The influence of Abdullah Ibn Saba in the first emergence of Shiities cannot be denied. Ibn Saba was a Jew from Yemen. He appeared to be a Muslim in order to destroy Islam from inside in accordance with the plan of Yemen Jews; he tried to put the aberrant views he took from the cultures of Jews and Fireworshippers into Islam. He is the first person to include the concepts of walayah (guardianship), wasayah (successor being appointed by the predecessor), rij'ah (returning of some of the dead people to this world) and divine right. Shiite scholars accept this destruction by Ibn Saba. An- Newbahti, a notable Shiite scholar, is among them.

Related to these incidents that became widespread in the Islamic land beginning from the second century of the Migration, the imams who emerged among these views of politics, religion, creed and fiqh in order to defend the way of Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions systematized the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah and struggled against the people of bid'ah. Hasan al-Basri (110/128) is regarded among the first scholars who systematized this movement. It is necessary to regard Abu Hanifa among the pioneers of this school since he manifested the principles of Ahl as-Sunnah creed. Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (d.333) and Abu'l-Hasan al-Ash'ari (d.324), who are Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah scholars known by their different methods from salafis, had a special role in the maturation of the thought that followed the Sunnah.  

Political and social conditions also played a role in the emergence of Islamic sects. In certain periods of history, Sunnism, Shiism and Mu'tazila became dominant over the others and each became the official sect of the state at certain periods. This rivalry caused, sectarian bigotry, hostility and conflicts.    

In the course of time, some differences of opinion occurred among the scholars of Ahl as-Sunnah. However, the elements that all of them based their views on have been the Quran, the Sunnah and clear and sound mind in compliance with these two resources. There have been some differences of opinion related to details, not main principles. Most of these differences are based on words.  

Ahl as-Sunnah was known as Ahl as-Sunnah al-Khassah at first. After that, it became known as Ahl as-Sunnah al-Aammah. In fact those who did not become involved with the issues that were not mentioned by the Quran and the Sunnah and that the Companions and Tabiun did not express their views on and who accepted the verses and hadiths as they were without interpreting them were called Ahl as-Sunnah al-Khassah, Ahl at-Tawhid and Salafiyyah. On the other hand, those who dealt with the issues of creed about which there were no verses or hadiths and no views of the Companions and Tabiun through a new method and interpreted them when it was necessary were called Ahl as-Sunnah al-Aammah, like Ash'ariyya and Maturidiyya (İzmirli İsmail Hakkı, Yeni İlmî Kelâm, p.97).

The scholars of Ahl as-Sunnah, primarily Imam Ash'ari and Imam Maturidi, and the other scholars like Imam Ghazali, Fakhruddin ar-Razi, Saduddin Taftazani, Sayyid Ali al-Jurjani and Ibn Taymiya strengthened the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah with evidences based on both reason and verses and hadiths; they struggled against Mu'tazila  and other madhhabs and sects of bid'ah, rejected their ideas that were contrary to the Book and the Sunnah and refuted the aberrant, groundless and wrong views of Aristotle and the Muslim and Greek philosophers who thought like him.

In short, Ahl as-Sunnah is divided into three as Salafiyya, Maturidiyya and Ash'ariyya in terms of method. As it was mentioned above, Salafiyya is the madhhab of those who accept verses and hadiths as they are without interpreting or likening them. For instance, while interpreting the verse "Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself on the Throne (of authority)" (al-A'raf, 7/54), Imam Malik writes the following: "Istiwa (establishing) is known; its quality (nature) is unknown. It is bid'ah to ask questions about it." He did not interpret it or liken it to anything. (Qurtubi, Tafsir, V11,217-218) Ahl as-Sunnah al-Aammah, represented by Imam Maturidi and Ash'ari, interpreted the mutashabih (ambiguous) verses with the purpose of freeing Him from being likened to His creatures. For instance, they interpreted the phrase "He established Himself on the Throne" as "He became dominant on the Throne"; they interpreted the phrase Allah's hand as Allah's power and mercy.

There are some disagreements based on words between Maturidis and Ash'aris. The disagreements are said to be between thirteen and fifty. (Bekir Topaloğlu, Kelâm İlmi, 146).

On the other hand, madhhabs are connected with one another in terms of the issues of politics, fiqh and creed. There are different tendencies within the same madhhab. For instance, most of the Sunnis are Hanafi in terms of the issues related to fiqh and deeds. The great majority of Hanafis are Maturidi related to the issues of creed. Among Ahl as-Sunnah, most of Shafiis and Malikis are Ash'ari in terms of creed while Hanbalis are generally Salafi.

Scholars like Abu Hanifa, Malik, Shafii, Ahmad b. Hanbal, Maturidi, Ash'ari, Abu Bakr al-Baqillani, Abdulqadir al-Baghdadi, Imamu'l-Haramayn al-Juwayni, Imam Ghazzali, Fakhruddin ar-Razi and Nasiruddin al-Baydawi are among the notables of Ahl as-Sunnah.

Some scholars like Ibn Taymiyya and Ibnu'l-Qayyim al-Jawziyya, who preferred the way of Salaf, tried to revive and spread the madhhab of Ahl as-Sunnah al-Khassah, known as Salafiyya in the last centuries. The majority of the Islamic world follows the madhhab of Ahl as-Sunnah al-Aammah, which is known as Ash'ariyya and Maturidiyya, regarding creed.   

According to Abdulqadir al-Baghdadi, Ahl as-Sunnah consists of eight groups:

1- Kalam scholars who do not fall into the errors of ahl al-bid'ah.

2- Great mujtahid fiqh scholars including Thawri, Awzai, Dawud az-Zahiri and their followers.

3- Hadith scholars.

4- Scholars of sarf (morphology), nahw (grammar), lexicology and literature.

5- Imams of qira'ah (reading the Quran) and tafsir scholars who are loyal to the view of Ahl as-Sunnah.

6- Sufis (mystics) who are attached to Shari'ah.

7- Muslim mujahids who do not deviate from the way of Ahl as-Sunnah.

8- The people living in the countries where Ahl as-Sunnah creed is dominant (al-Baghdadi, al-Farq baynal-Firaq, p.313-318; Bekir Topaloğlu, ibid, p.109-110)

Sunnism, which forms the majority of the Islamic world, is not only a name, attribute or madhhab but also a living style, which is applied to life in full compliance with the Book and the Sunnah.  

The midway in creed is the way of Ahl as-Sunnah. The main feature of the ummah of Muhammad (pbuh) is moderation. God Almighty states it as follows: "Thus have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced" (al-Baqara: 2/143).

According to a sound narration from Jabir b. Abdullah, the Prophet (pbuh) drew a line on the ground; then, he put his hand on it and said : 'This is the path of Allah. Then he drew lines to its right and to its left. Then, he said, "These are different ways, upon each of which is a devil calling to it. Then, he recited the following verse: "Verily, this is My Way leading straight: follow it: follow not (other) paths " (al-An'am, 6/153) (Ibn Majah, Muqaddima, 2; Darimi, Muqaddima, 23; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, 1/435). Hz. Prophet (pbuh) pointed at the deviations to the right and left in the religion and stated that the true path was the path of Ahl as-Sunnah in the middle.

Imam Tahawi summarizes the way of Ahl as-Sunnah as follows: This religion is the midway between two extremisms, between denial and embodiment, between pre-determination and determinism, between hopelessness and overconfidence, between fear and hope. Our religion is like that apparently and esoterically. The views of the aberrant ways and rejected madhabs like mushabbiha, mu'tazila, jahmiyya, jabriyya, and qadariyya that opposed Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamaah were studied by Ahl as-Sunnah scholars and they were given convincing answers based on evidence. (Tahawi, Sharhu Akidati't- Tahawiyya, 586-588).

4 Can you give an example of a practice in four Madhabs which can be like water explained below in the description?

The true madhhabs should look at one another in the form of "Musawwiba".

Regarding the views put forward about an issue, some scholars say that only one of those views is true and that there cannot be more than one truth. However, there are also some scholars who say that there can be more than one truth. 

The scholars who accept that there can be more than one true view about an issue are called "the people of Musawwiba", and the view put forward by those scholars is called "the way of Musawwiba ".

According to those who support the way of Musawwiba, all mujtahids are right and all madhhabs are true. The views and fatwas of mujtahid scholars are in accordance with the consent of Allah even if they are contrary to one another. 

According to those who support that there is only one true view, only one of the mujtahids who have different ijtihads regarding an issue is right and the others are wrong. They gain rewards since they have made ijtihad but their views are not true. Only one of the views regarding an issue is in accordance with the consent of Allah, the others are not. Therefore, they are wrong.

The view claiming that there is only one true view and that the others are wrong is called "the way of Mukhattia". Displaying this way and approach is called "takhtia". Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states in his work called Sünuhat that the people of Mukhatiia say, "My madhhab is true; there is a possibility of being wrong. Other madhhabs are wrong; there is a possibility that they may be true."

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi , who adopts the way of "Musawwiba" and expresses this view in some of his books states that those who hold the view of "takhtia" might lead the majority of the people who do not have sufficient religious knowledge to wrong ways. He states that these people cannot discriminate between the interpretations about the basic conditions of the religion in the views of those who have a takhtia approach and their views about ijtihad; therefore, they can generalize the takhtia approach by mistake or due to delusions; such a practice will cause great dangers.   He describes takhtia approach as an illness originating from fondness of one's self. The indication of this illness is "the monopolistic mentality", that is, the approach, "this is the only truth".  He states that the people of takhtia are responsible for the occurrence of such a negative state and that they cannot see the all-encompassing and inclusive properties of the Quran and the fact that the Quran addresses all layers of the community.

For instance, in the Near East culture, eating insects is normal but it is disgusting in our culture. Which one can we say is true and which one is wrong? They are true in their own cultures.

Therefore, it is permissible to eat insects in Maliki madhhab but it is not permissible in Hanafi madhhab. Is it not more appropriate and better to say both (Hanafi and Maliki) of the decrees are right instead of saying one of them is wrong but it might be true and the other is right but it might be wrong?    

The musawwiba approach disallows bigotry based on madhhabs by saying, "the decrees of all true madhhabs are true and right in terms of their own positions and conditions."

Regarding the issue of wiping (mash) the head while making wudu, according to Hanafis, it is enough to wipe one-fourth of the head, according to Shafiis, it is enough to wipe the head with one finger but according to Malikis, it is necessary to wipe the whole head. For the Muslims who live in the poles, the appropriate one is the fatwa of Shafiis; for the Muslims who live in Africa, the appropriate one is the fatwa of Malikis and for the Muslims who live in mild climates, the appropriate one is the fatwa of Hanafis.     

In this case, there is not only one truth but three. The view of all three madhabs seems to be right based on the geographical conditions. Then, the true views may be more than one regarding the details of the religion. Therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Difference of opinion in my ummah, that is having different madhhabs, is mercy." (see Kashfu'l-Khafa,1/64)

Another determination of Nursi about the approach of takhtia is that this approach is the origin of the feeling of having bad thoughts about others and partiality. An approach in the form of regarding all of the views and thoughts of others as wrong will eliminate the unity and fraternity in the community. It destroys solidarity, unity of hearts, mutual love and respect. There is a very essential and important duty: to have good thoughts about others, to love and to form unity.

5 Did Ash’ari and Maturidi follow Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Shafii?

1. Abu Hanifa’s kalam and fiqh thought was transferred to the Transoxiana region through his students. The teacher line of Maturidi, who received knowledge from scholars belonging to Hanafi madhhab, reaches Abu Hanifa through Imam Muhammad.

It is stated by Abul-Muin an-Nasafi that Maturidi, who is characterized as the person who knows the views of Abu Hanifa best among Hanafi scholars, contributed greatly to the spread of Hanafi madhhab, especially in the field of creed.

In addition, it is shown as a distinctive feature that the scholars in the region are Hanafi in both fiqh and creed. Non-Hanafi scholars such as Tajuddin as-Subki also describe Maturidi as a member of Abu Hanifa’s madhhab.

While classifying the Islamic madhhabs, the basic principles of each madhhab were taken as basis. Differences in opinions other than those basic principles do not constitute an obstacle to belonging to that madhhab.

Abu Hanifa’s distinctive feature regarding the issue is that he describes belief as the confirmation by the heart and makes the distinction between deeds and belief clear. According to him, the faith of a believing believer does not increase or decrease as his deeds increase or decrease.

Although especially Hanafi fiqh scholars consider expressing belief with the tongue necessary as a pillar of belief, the fact that Imam Maturidi complied with Abu Hanifa in this regard, and that he regarded only confirmation by the heart as a pillar of belief shows that he fully followed Abu Hanifa’s creed. The fact that he mentions Abu Hanifa’s work “al-Alim wal-Mutaallim” also shows that he benefited from it.

It is also known that he read Mabsut written by Imam Muhammad ash-Shaybani on fiqh issues.

When his views in Maturidi tafsir are examined, it is seen that he benefited from the views of Abu Hanifa and his close students.

Therefore, Alauddin as-Samarqandi, who annotated Maturidi’s work called “Tawilatul-Quran”, stated that this work was on the way of Abu Hanifa and his students in terms of fiqh methodology and practice.

2. Imam Shafii attended the lessons of Malik b. Anas and was his student until his death. After leaving Madinah, Imam Shafii lived in Baghdad for a while, and during this period, he attended the lessons of Muhammad ash-Shaybani, one of Abu Hanifa’s students, read and debated his works. He supported the views of the Companions of Hadith against Ahl ar-Ray in particular and contributed to their strengthening.

Imam Shafii, who started to form his original thought after going to Egypt, avoided imitating completely the views of his teacher, Imam Malik, to whom he held fast before.

In Imam Shafi’s thought, devotion to divine revelation was accepted as the basic principle. He regards the Sunnah as an inseparable part of revelation along with the verses of the Quran; he argues the necessity of knowing the Arabic language with its subtleties in order to draw conclusions from them. Methodologically, he did not stand close to the science of kalam.

He devoted his life to the science of fiqh; it is reported that he was not pleased to be mentioned with the science of kalam. He criticized Mutazilah, which dealt with and supported the science of kalam in his period.

Contrary to Abu Hanifa, he argued that belief would increase and decrease regarding the issue of “increase and decrease in belief”, which was also an important discussion topic of the period. If belief had a structure that would not increase or decrease, there would be no difference among people in terms of virtue.

The branch of Ahl as-Sunnah kalam extending to Ash’aris emerged after him.

Imam Ash’ari became close to Hanbali madhhab after leaving Mutazilites but he adopted the kalam method of scholars such as Abdullah b. Kullab and Harith al-Muhasibi and provided the development of Ahl as-Sunnah kalam through that intellectual structure. After him, as powerful scholars such as Baqillani, Ibn Furak, and Abu Ishaq al-Isfarayini followed his madhhab, it was transformed into a systematic structure called Ash’ariyya and became widespread.

It does not seem possible to talk about Shafii’s contribution to Ash’ari’s kalam system because, as we have briefly explained, Imam Shafii took a stance against the method of kalam.

The fact that the scholars of Shafii madhhab in amal (deeds) adopted Ash’ariyya as the method of kalam related to fiqh caused the mentioning of those two madhhabs together.

Belonging to Ash’ariyya was not limited to Shafii madhhab; it developed in an eclectic structure, including Maliki and Hanbali scholars too.

In conclusion:

- Abu Hanifa was influential on Imam Maturidi and the scholars who were members of Maturidiyya madhhab both in terms of creed and fiqh practice.

- Imam Shafii’s relationship with Ash’ariyya is limited to the belonging of the scholars of Shafii madhhab in fiqh practice.

References:

- Abul-Muin an-Nasafi, Tabsiratul-Adilla, Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, Ankara 2003.
- Ahmet Ak, Matüridiliğin Hanefilikle İlişkisi, Milel-Nihal Dergisi, Vol. 7, May-August 2010.
-Yusuf Şevki Yavuz, Eşariyye, DİA, XI, 447-455, İstanbul 1995.

6 Will you explain the concepts of Ahl as-Sunnah and Ahl al-Bayt?

When it is viewed from the point of view of the groups that are affiliated with Islam but have very different aspects, there are generally two different mentalities. The first one of them is Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah and the second one is Ahl al-Bid’ah.

Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah is defined in the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as “those who follow the way that I and my Companions follow”. (Majmauz-Zawaid,1/189) Therefore, those who do not adhere to that creed are regarded as people of bid’ah. They consist of seventy-two sects. Mutazila, Jahmiya, Qadariyya, Shi’a and similar ones are among them.

Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah have two different madhhabs (sects) of creed: Ash’ari and Maturidi. There is no difference between them in terms of basic principles. There are some small differences in details. Therefore, both represent the same group.    

The evidence that we are on the way of the Quran and the Sunnah is the path followed by the madhhab scholars called Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. As it is known, this great congregation, containing scholars each of which shines like a bright star, previously consisted of twelve sects. Then, four of them remained. It is very unlikely that a school composed of such great scholars - as a community - will make mistakes. As a matter of fact, the Prophet states the following in a hadith:

“My ummah will not agree on misguidance.” (Majmauz-Zawaid, 5/208)

Islamic scholars mention the hadith above as evidence that Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah are on the right path. (For more information, see Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 1; Tirmidhi, Iman, 18; Ibn Majah, Fitan, 17; Ibn Hanbal, 2/332)

We should not forget that following the line of Ahl as-Sunnah, which forms the vast majority of the ummah, includes the greatest, genius scholars, and adopts the line of the Quran and the Sunnah as a road map, is a much more logical way than putting yourself at risk by following marginal groups. There is no point in deviating into byways when the vast street awaits you.

Ahl al-Bayt is the name of the descendants of the Prophet born of his daughter Fatima.

It is sheer ignorance to think that Ahl al-Bayt is outside Ahl as-Sunnah.

Hz. Ali and Hz. Fatima are among the most important personalities of the Ahl al-Bayt. Since Ahl as-Sunnah means to follow the path of the Prophet (pbuh), who else can be from Ahl as-Sunnah if those two blessed people, who are the closest to and most beloved people of the Prophet (pbuh), are not from Ahl as-Sunnah?

Each of the twelve imams from Ahl al-Bayt was a famous scholar who was highly respected when they lived.

After Hz. Ali, the imams of the Ahl al-Bayt were Hz. Hasan and Hz. Husayn. It is not possible to say that those two people, who are the masters of Paradise and two roses that the Messenger of Allah smelled, were not from Ahl as-Sunnah, that is, they were outside the way on which the Prophet and his Companions followed; no Muslim would make such a claim.

- After Hz. Hasan and Hz. Husayn, the chief imam of Ahl al-Bayt was Zayn al-Abidin. The real name of this person, who was the son of Husayn, was Ali, the name of his grandfather. Along with his knowledge and wisdom, he was at the peak in terms of worshipping and sainthood; therefore, the scholars of the period gave him the nickname Zayn al-Abidin (the adornment/rose of the worshippers). That he became famous for praying one thousand rak’ahs of nafilah prayers every day - day and night - (see Ibn Hajar, Tahdhib, 7/304) is an indication that he deserves that nickname. It will be sufficient to look at the sources to see how the scholars of Ahl as-Sunnah, especially Imam Zuhri, the teacher of the hadith scholars, narrated hadiths from Zayn al-Abidin and how they praised him. (see Ibn Hajar, Tahdhib, 7/304)

- Imam Muhammad Baqir is Zayn al-Abidin’s son. He is an Ahl al-Bayt imam famous for his knowledge, wisdom and taqwa. Ishaq as-Sabui, Zuhri, Ibn Ata, Awzai, Ibn Jurayj and Makhul, who are among the stars of Ahl as-Sunnah scholars, narrated hadiths from him; hadith scholars such as Ibn Sad, Nasai and Ijli praised him (Ibn Hajar, ibid, 9/350-352), which nullifies the words of others.

- Imam Jafar Sadiq, who is Imam Muhammad Baqir’s son, is famous for his loyalty. Abu Hanifa, one of the Imams of Ahl as-Sunnah, was his student and narrated hadiths from him; Imam Malik said,

“I visited him from time to time; whenever I saw him, he was praying, fasting or reading the Quran. I have never seen him narrate a hadith without wudu.”

Thus, he witnessed Imam Jafar’s loyalty and taqwa. Do they not show that this blessing person is from Ahl as-Sunnah? (For scholar’s praises for him, see Ibn Hajar, ibid, 2/103-105)

Should it not be regarded insanity to accuse that honorable person, who is respected by the scholars and saints of that period, of not following the way of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), his grandfather?

The imams of the four madhhabs, especially Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Shafii, and many other Ahl as-Sunnah scholars were accused of being Shia because of their respect and love for Ahl al-Bayt and were tortured by some state authorities of the period. In fact, Imam Shafii opposed those cruelties and declared his love for Ahl al-Bayt by saying, “If loving Ahl al-Bayt is regarded as Rafidite (an extreme branch of Shia), let all humans and jinn know that I am a Rafidi”. Is it possible for us take into account the fallacies of Ahl al-bid’ah - based on Kharijites and Wahhabis - related to Ahl al-Bayt by ignoring the testimony of the four madhhab imams, who represented Ahl as-Sunnah throughout history?

To sum up, the imams of Ahl al-Bayt are from Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. The title of “Ahl al-Bayt” is not a deficiency for them; on the contrary, it is a degree that will elevate them to the sky. They may have different ijtihads on some issues. As a matter of fact, the imams of the four madhhabs have different ijtihads too.

We should regretfully state that since some Shia groups who supported Ahl al-Bayt slandered them and wrote wrong things in their narrations from Ahl al-Bayt, Ahl as-Sunnah scholars (not because of those imams) evaluated the hadiths and news they narrated from Ahl al-Bayt with caution. Some other groups made efforts for the treacherous goal of eliminating Ahl al-Bayt imams by making false interpretations and judgments about them because they acted with the Umayyad and Kharijite mentality.

Unfortunately, some bad people today still have that mentality. In fact, the attitude of some Shiites who display their hatred against Hz. Umar in the form of love of Hz. Ali is wrong; similarly, those who display their hatred against Shiites who love Hz. Ali and Ahl al-Bayt in the form of loyalty to Ahl as-Sunnah are also on the wrong path.  

May our Lord not make us deviate from the true direction. Amin!

7 Will you mention the basic principles of Ahl as-Sunnah?

Ahl as-Sunnah is a term that means “those who adopt the path followed by the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions related to the fundamental issues of the religion”.

Ahl al-Bid’ah is a phrase meaning “groups that emerged after the Age of Bliss and that adopted certain faiths and deeds that are not based on any religious evidence”.

It is possible to summarize the basic features of Ahl al-Bid’ah in four points.

1. Not being familiar with the spirit of the nass (verses of the Quran and sound hadiths) and the basic orientations of Islam, or being under the influence of foreign cultures and interpreting nass based on distant interpretations.

In addition, it is also considered within this feature to be stuck with the outward meaning of some verses and hence hadiths, without considering the Quran’s unique style and logic, and the features of the Arabic language, and to make the preconceived and subjective views dominant in the interpretation of the nass.

Ghazzali, who aimed to draw these two extreme views, which can be summarized as “blind allegiance to nass or mind” to the moderate line, wrote the book named “al-Iqtisad fil-Itiqad “.

2. Not having good intentions about the Companions, who constituted the first generation of Islam in terms of both belief and practice, and who passed the last divine religion on to the next generations in terms of thought and action, and not valuing their narrations, understanding and practices, especially concerning religion.

3. Assuming a negative attitude against the verbal and actual sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). Those who reject some hadiths that they cannot reconcile with their own views though they are compatible with the general character of the Quran and the basic orientations of Islam on the grounds that they are not mutawatir, and those who fabricate hadiths to support their madhhab views or those who narrate such hadiths are also included in this group.

4. Breaking away from the religious understanding of the majority (jama’ah, jumhur al-muslimin) that formed beginning from the Companions, accusing the opposing groups of unbelief with minority psychology, and regarding the basic decrees of the religion as debatable.

If the basic principles of Ahl as-Sunnah are known, it will be easier to understand on what issues those who do not comply with it differ from the Ahl as-Sunnah.

The basic views of Ahl as-Sunnah and the indications showing that a person is not from Ahl al-Bid’ah can be briefly summarized as follows:

1. Allah exists and is one.

2. There are angels.

3. The (divine) books are true.

4. The Quran is the word of Allah; the Quran is a miracle.

5. Prophets are messengers of Allah; prophethood is true.

6. Muhammad (pbuh) is the messenger of Allah. Muhammad is the last prophet.

7. Resurrection is true. There is resurrection after death.

8. Paradise and Hell have been created and are eternal.

9. Qadar (destiny) exists.

10. It is Allah who creates good and evil.

11. Allah knows the future.

12. Hadith-sunnah is a source of the religion. Hadith-sunnah is Allah’s approval.

13. Companions are the most virtuous people after the prophets.

14. There madhhabs and they are true.

15. A person who commits a major sin does not become an unbeliever.

16. He who dies as a believer will not remain in Hell forever.

17. There are miracles and they are true.

18. There are karamahs and they are true.

19. Ru’yah (Seeing Allah) is true and it will happen.

20. There is intercession and it is true.

21. Paradise is grace and Hell is justice.

22. There is life in the grave and it is true.

23. The miracle of Miraj (ascension) is true.

24. There are signs of Doomsday.

25. The prayer of the living for the dead is true.

26. Wiping over khuffs is true.

27. A person who says I am a Muslim cannot be called an unbeliever.

28. Muta marriage is haram.

29. Allah is free from space and time.

30. Only Allah knows ghayb (the unseen/unknown), and if He wishes, He can inform His prophets and saints about it.

31. The spirit does not die. The spirits of the dead unbelievers and Muslims hear.

32. Visiting graves is permissible.

33. Tawassul is permissible.

8 Will you answer the claim that the narration saying, “My ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects” is not reliable?

The following is stated in another hadith narration: 

“My Ummah will be divided into seventy-two sects; only one of them will be the people of salvation.” When he was asked who they were, he said, “They are those who are in the congregation.” (Ahmad b. Hanbal, 3/145; Zawaid, 6/226) The following statement is included in another narration: “They are those who are on the path that I and my companions follow.”

There are different narrations with different chains of narrators. Some of them are weak and some are sound. The narrations that the scholars who have analyzed the hadiths regarding the issue call weak are different from the narrations that are sound.

One of those sound narrations is as follows:

“Jews were divided into seventy-one (71) sects; all but one will enter Hell. Christians were divided into seventy-two (72) sects, all but one will enter Hell. And this ummah will be divided into seventy-three (73) sects, all but one will enter Hell.” (Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 1; Tirmidhi, Iman, 18; Ibn Majah, Fitnah, 17; Ibn Hanbal, 2/332)

Tirmidhi reports that this hadith narrated from Abu Hurayra is sound (see Tirmidhi, ibid.) Al-Mundhiri also attracts attention to Tirmidhi’s explanation. (see Tuhfatul-Ahwazi, the explanation of the hadith in question)

However, this narration of Tirmidhi does not include the addition, “All but one will enter Hell.” Tirmidhi uses the expression “hasan, gharib, mufassar (interpreted by the narrator)” for the narration with this addition. (ibid)

Ibn Taymiyah, who is known for his meticulousness in analyzing hadiths, considers this hadith to be sound and uses it as evidence regarding the issue. (see Majmu’ Fatawa-Shamila-1/285)

Hakim narrates this hadith in a very short form and states that it is sound: “My Ummah will be divided into seventy-odd sects, the largest of which will do things according to their own desires, making what is halal haram and what is haram halal.” (Mustadrak, 4/430)

As it is understood from the explanations above, it is not possible to say that this hadith is fabricated. Although there are weak narrations, there are also narrations that are accepted as sound by many scholars.

The determination of the sects mentioned in the hadith is a difficult issue. The Prophet (pbuh) defined firqah an-najiyah (saved sect) as “those who are on the path that I and my companions follow”. Given that, it would not be appropriate to exclude more than a hundred sects today by calling them the others. Undoubtedly, there may be groups that directly contradict the principles of belief in Islam. Our scholars have tried not to declare those who do not think like them as unbelievers throughout history.

Do we, who consider ourselves Ahl al-Sunnah, not make any mistakes? In this century, the “brotherhood of belief” envisioned by the Quran is more important than in any other century. It is necessary to strongly avoid attitudes that will damage it, and not to discuss controversial issues. We accept Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia and Shiites in Iran as Muslims, and we refer their mistakes, if any, to Allah.

In an era when irreligious movements are shoulder to shoulder attacking the common belief principles of all the heavenly religions, it is obligatory for Muslims not only to ensure unity among themselves, but also to join hands with the sincere religious groups of the heavenly religions to fight against unbelief and debauchery, and to defend the basic principles of the true religion. While hundreds of currents around an atheist, materialist philosophy - just to eradicate the principles of the true religion and replace them with all kinds of immorality - have allied and united, so to speak, in the religion of irreligion, it is necessary and essential for the members of the true religion to unite for the sake of defending the truths of the true religion, for the sake of Allah, and not to see one another’s faults. Otherwise, it would be like fighting against the bite of a mosquito while ignoring the attacking dragons.