Read on Twitter
There is no historical interpretation of Islam that demands Sunni vs Shia war, it's just the influence of clashing secular states. Proof of this is that the excuse of hating Iranian Shia for calling some sahaba hypocrites, is conveniently absent against Ibadis of Oman who do same https://twitter.com/AkyolinEnglish/status/1325817763936542723
Saudi and Arab gulf states enjoy good relations with oman, despite the ruling majority being Ibadis (who share some ideological lineage with the khawarij) who consider Uthman and Ali (RA) to be hypocrites, bcos Saudi has no interest to fight Oman, but against Iranian influence..
Another evidence that people's *emotions* relate to politics not madhaab/schools, during the 2006 war with Israel many Sunnis within the Muslim world demonstrated for Shia/Iran-backed fighters in Lebanon
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2006/07/arab-j20.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5195730.stm
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/28/world/middleeast/28arabs.html
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2006/07/arab-j20.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5195730.stm
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/28/world/middleeast/28arabs.html
But this then changed when those fighters (urged by Iran out of nationalist interests) went to fight for the brutal secular regime of Bashar al Assad and suppress a popular uprising against him.
It was then common to hear Sunnis refer to them as 'Hezb ul Shaytan' after that.
It was then common to hear Sunnis refer to them as 'Hezb ul Shaytan' after that.
The point of mentioning these examples, is to show that contrary to Akyol's 16th century Europe thesis, hatred in the Muslim world emanates from a SECULAR politics of Asabiyah (groupism/tribalism), not from a concern for differing or heretical opinions within Islam.
And lastly, in the 16th c. Catholics and Protestant States were engaging in forced conversions of Christians living within them towards their sect. We don't see Saudi doing this to its Shia population, nor Iran doing this to its Sunni population. So again, Akyol is wrong.
Secular politics doesn't end violence, it creates the motivations for it. As Muslims, we should reject and not support any of these groups, states or factions.
Instead, we need Islam in politics. Islam sees no division between Muslims and our differences are resolved by debate.
Instead, we need Islam in politics. Islam sees no division between Muslims and our differences are resolved by debate.
