Intra-faith Common Ground

Intra-faith Common Ground The first Shia-Sunni Alliance Forum retreat gathers Muslim scholars for solidarity

BY RASHEED RABBI

Shia and Sunni scholars from nine states spent the weekend of Feb. 7-9 in Northern Virginia to seek understanding, share their perspectives and examine divisive intra-Muslims viewpoints. This ambitious anti-sectarian endeavor convened as the first Shia-Sunni Alliance Forum’s (SSAF) retreat initiated by the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS; https://www.adamscenter.org) and the Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya (IMAM; https://imam-us.org).

These differences, which originally erupted over who would be the Prophet’s political heir, gradually coalesced into the Shia and Sunni branches. The Sunni branch favored one of his closest Companions, whereas the Shia branch contended that the Prophet had been presumably divinely inspired to appoint his cousin and son-in-law Ali (radi Allahu ‘anh).

EMPHASIZING DISTINCTION, NOT DIFFERENCE

In theological terms all Muslims form one community, for the diverse schools of thought were simply sources of intellectual enrichment instead of separation, ostracism and desecration of their sanctities. Thus, these influential Muslim leaders’ spontaneous participation and subsequent consent to empower the greater Muslim American community by uniting it accords with the Washington Declaration’s (www.washingtondeclaration.us) ongoing efforts to build a foundation for everlasting synergy between these schools of thought.

This retreat elaborated what this country’s communities have in common to foster mutual dialogue and harmony via shared methods, lessons and aspirations. The ensuing scholarly discussions, implications for everyday lives, the five congregational daily prayers and socialization empirically sketched the initial version of a shared space. Participants covered numerous controversial subjects within Islamic history, theology and jurisprudence to facilitate a niche of unity for this country’s Muslim communities.

Unlike traditional conferences, this event sought to overcome the existing hurdles and misconceptions. As a strategy, every imam paired up with another resident imam to complete a minimum of three projects in their states within the next year. For example, Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Kashimiri (IMAM religious director and vice chair, Washington, D.C.) paired up with Imam Magid (imam, ADAMS) and Shaykh Naghavi Nia (researcher, IMAM; president, Mufid Academic Seminary) to accomplish three projects.

DIVINE REMINDER OF UNITY

The retreat culminated in a community dinner at the ADAMS Center with two keynote speakers, Imam Khalid Latif (executive director and chaplain, New York University) and Shaykh Faiyaz Jaffer (research scholar and chaplain, NYU). Introduced by ADAMS’ board chair Rizwan Jaka, the event started with Qari Ali Azbouri’s recitation of “and hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided” — a perfect reminder of what this coming together hoped to achieve.

HARVESTING THE LOVE OF AHL-AL-BAYT

Imam Magid reiterated the true “representation of Islam where people would not find hatred or bigotry in attending mosques of other communities. Such Muslim unity in America would represent the narrative for next generations.” He also shared the story of how an unofficial meeting at the IMAM Los Angeles office during February 2019 led to a collaborative spiritual trip to Iraq and let their shared love for the Ahl-al-Bayt bring them together.

Quoting 21:92, Sayyid Kashmiri stressed that both Shia and Sunni hold that “We [Muslims] have one God, one Prophet, one scripture (Quran), and one qibla to face God during prayer.” So any division is merely superficial, and the SSAF strives to restore the greater commonality of Muslim American communities