BleepingComputer.com: Islamic question

my parents just got into an argument because my dad said he really doesnt to go to the mosque next to my house because its sunni-populated (no offense). But my mom said its bad if you dont like other people, but other MUSLIM people should be REALLY bad.

So, is it HARAM to not like other muslims?


My family is shia and my dad doesnt really like sunni populated mosques because of the way they pray and practice the religion.


Any comments?


And I'd like for Muslims to post, but if you are a non-mulsim and know of something, I'd like to hear it .


Thanks

Your Mother is right,and your Dad is wrong, iDukeHelp.
We should always have respect for other People, who have different Religious beliefs, and how they practice those beliefs.IMO.
From a non Muslim.

Hello iDukeHelp,

When you say, "Is it HARAM to . . . " do you mean, "forbidden"? If so, forbidden by whom?

I'm not Muslim, but let me quote a former co-worker of mine who is. She made the pilgrimage to Mecca and she said, "God says you should love everybody."

Note, however, that there is a difference between liking someone and loving someone. For example, I can care for a person and make sure that person is comfortable because I love that person, but by choice I would not spend time in that person's company because I don't like him or her for any number of reasons. Out of love I might provide companionship anyway so that person isn't lonely, but I'd be quite happy to take my leave at the end of the visit.

I can understand your father being uncomfortable with the religious practices that vary from his own practices. Does this mean that the different practices are wrong? In my opinion, probably not. It also doesn't mean that he doesn't like the people, unless he has said so. Even more, it doesn't mean that he doesn't love them. For example, I am not comfortable in a Pentecostal church because of their practices, but I don't necessarily dislike the people.

The same kinds of conflicts that you describe occur among Christians as well. All too often among the Christians, there will be those who preach against socializing with or worshiping with other types of Christians. I suspect but do not know that the same is true among Muslims. From my perspective, such preaching is wrong as I echo my former co-worker's statement that we should love everybody.

I have known Muslims who instruct others in their practices, but do not force their ways upon others. They also listen to others describe their practices. In short, it is a dialogue in which everyone learns and grows.

Orange Blossom

I am by no means an expert in Islam (a recovering Christian, actually) but here's my take.

If the various denominations (right word) in Islam are anything like the ones in Christianity, then I would say that your Dad has every right to not want to go to a Sunni Mosque. It would be akin to a Baptist going to a Catholic Mass, methinks: they're not going to like it because it's not being done "the right way."

But as for disliking people simply because they're different, I can't say that I condone that at all.

Personally, I disapprove of all orginized religions. It would be a less conflicted world if we each practiced our spiritual beliefs in private with our prefered creator.

I agree with you Derethman
I read somewhere where 140 Million People have been killed in Religious Wars.
That's a shocking Stat.

Haram = Forbid by GOD "Allah"

I'm not sure about said issue. I'm a Muslim and I live in Malaysia.

As far of my understanding, Sunni and Shia are like two major groups in Islam.. Much like Catholic and Protestant in Christianity if I'm not mistaken.

I honestly don't know much about Shia as I'm a Sunni myself.

http://www.islamfortoday.com/shia.htm

From above link, the Shahadah of the Shia is "There is no god but Alláh, Muhammad is the Messenger of Alláh, Alí is the Friend of Alláh. The Successor of the Messenger of Alláh And his first Caliph.", am I right?

While for Sunni, the Shahadah is "There is no god but Alláh, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Alláh".

For me, once a Muslim, we belief there's only One God (Allah) and Muhammad as the Prophet. So, there should be no problem if we pray at any mosque, as we pray to the same God, and we have the same Prophet. We read the same Al-Quran. We believe in the same five Pillars

Five Pillars
- The Shahadah
- Solat (Pray) five times a day
- Fasting in Ramadhan
- Hajj in Mecca
- Zakat

Also we believe the same Six amendments..
- Believe in Allah
- Believe in angles
- Believe in Kitabullah (Holy Books)
- Believe in Prophets
- Believe in Qiamat (Judgement Day)
- Believe in Qada' and Qadar (Divine Justice)

Since we as Muslims regardless which Imam we follow (Sunni, Shia), we still abide by the above, so I don't see any problem if Sunni or Shia needs to pray at which mosque.. We will go to the same MasjidilHaram (for Hajj) and our Qiblat is the same Kaaba

Wallahua'lam Bissawab..

I hope you don't mind if i inject my two -cents into this discussion. The Bible - and to be fair, virtually every other religious text - says to treat your neighbor as you would want to be treated. This basically means to give others the same amount of love and respect as you would want or expect them to give to you.

I sorta have to object to Amazing Andrew's assessment of the denominational piece of this issue. From what I understand about Islam, the primary differences between Shia and Sunni center on who was to rightly take over leadership of Islam. Their core beliefs are essentially the same and - to my knowledge, there are no significant differences between the two on core values or even religious texts, unlike with us in Christianity where we have five different denominations and about twenty different varients of the Bible here in America alone.