Islamic Denominations Explained

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This section introduces the topic of denominations in Islam and provides background information on the origins of religions.

Origins of Islam

• Islam is the third Abrahamic faith, following Judaism and Christianity.

• Traditional accounts state that Islam began with Adam and subsequent prophets, including Noah, Moses, and Jesus. However, academic scholars believe it emerged from a mix of ancient Arabic Pagan religious traditions and Jewish Christian groups like the Ebionites and Nazarenes.

• Islamic tradition mentions a group known as hanifs who followed the monotheism of Prophet Abraham. These may have been the Jewish Christians who inspired the religion of Islam.

• The Quran forms the core of Islam and was revealed to Prophet Muhammad between 610 CE and his death in 632 CE. It is considered the highest authority for Muslims.

The Hijra and Quranic Divisions

• In 622 CE, Prophet Muhammad went into exile from Mecca to Medina (known as Hijra), marking an important point in Islamic history. This event also marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar.

• The Quran is divided into 114 chapters called surahs. The Meccan chapters focus more on abstract concepts like monotheism and judgment day. After Hijra, the Quran addresses matters related to politics, disputes, war, diplomacy, etc.

Akida (Theological Nature) vs Fik (Judicial Nature)

• In Islam, there are two important distinctions in beliefs:

• Akida deals with the theological nature of Islam, including concepts like free will and predestination.

• Fik deals with the judicial nature of Islam, focusing on how to deal with lawbreakers and punishments.

Disagreements and Succession

• After Prophet Muhammad's death in 632 CE, disagreements arose among the community of believers.

• Some followers elected Abu Bakr as the first caliph (successor), while others wanted Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, to succeed him as caliph.

The Division between Sunnis and Shias

This section discusses the initial division between Sunnis and Shias, which was primarily about who would lead the Muslim community. Over time, this division became more complex as the Muslim community expanded.

The Initial Division

• The proto-Sunnis supported Abu Bakr as the leader of the community.

• The proto-Shias supported Ali initially.

• The division was mainly about leadership.

Expansion of the Muslim Community

• During the Prophet's lifetime, the Muslim community quickly expanded through conquests and alliances.

• After him, caliphs sent their armies into the greater Middle East, ruling everything between Tunisia and India.

• This vast empire brought its own problems in terms of governance and decision-making.

Authority in Islamic Law

• The Believers tried to follow the law laid down in the Quran, which is considered the highest authority.

• However, there were many matters that were not directly addressed in the Quran or Sunnah (examples from Prophet's life).

• Scholars known as ulama studied both sources to provide guidance on these matters.

Sunni Perspective

• Proto-Sunnis believed that examples from the Prophet's life (Sunnah) along with opinions of learned scholars (ulama) could guide believers.

• They recognized that ulama were educated human beings but respected their expertise in interpreting Islamic law.

Shia Perspective

• Proto-Shias believed that their imams, descendants of Ali and Fatima (daughter of Prophet), had divine guidance.

• They considered imams infallible and sole authorities on interpreting Quran and traditions of Prophet.

Sunni Schools of Jurisprudence

This section explores different schools of jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It highlights four major schools and their geographical influence.

Sunni Jurisprudence Schools

• Sunnis make up approximately 90% of the Muslim population, with Shias comprising around 9%.

• Four major schools of jurisprudence (fiqh) exist within Sunni Islam.

Hanafi School

• Largest school, popular in India, Pakistan, Turkey, and parts of the Middle East.

Maliki School

• Popular in Africa and previously dominant in Muslim Spain.

Shafi'i and Hanbali Schools

• Commonly followed in the Middle East, with Hanbali being dominant in Saudi Arabia.

Zahiri School

• Once popular in Muslim Spain and Northwestern Africa but has since died out. Recently experiencing a revival.

Schools of Theology and Islamic Revivalist Movement

This section discusses different schools of theology within Sunni Islam and their approach to rational thinking. It also mentions the Islamic revivalist movement.

Schools of Theology

• Debate arose about adhering strictly to Quran and Sunnah or developing a logical approach to worldly problems.

• Athari are traditionalists who stick to Quran and Sunnah.

• Malthazelites follow reason and rational thinking more.

• Ashari and Mathuridi fall somewhere between these two extremes.

Inquisition (Mehna) during Abbasid Caliphate

• Mehna occurred during the reign of Abbasid Caliph Al-Ma'mun.

• Main question was about the nature of the Quran - whether it was created at the time of revelation or had always existed.

• Implications affected interpretations and updates to Islamic teachings over time.

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This section discusses the decline of the Mutazilites and the rise of neo-Mutazilite movements.

The Decline of Mutazilites and Neo-Mutazilite Movements

• The Mutazilites were followers of al-Mamoon's doctrine of the created Quran.

• Those who refused to support this doctrine faced imprisonment, torture, and seizure of property.

• The Mutazilites eventually declined and died out.

• Recently, there has been a revival of neo-Mutazilite movements aiming to revive rationalist thinking.

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This section explores the decentralization of Islamic theology and jurisprudence in Sunni Islam.

Decentralization in Sunni Islam

• After the decline of the Mutazilites, Sunni caliphs no longer had direct power to define Islamic theology and jurisprudence.

• Sunni Islam does not have a head of faith like the Pope in Catholicism.

• Different schools of theology and jurisprudence emerged, such as the Hanafis, Humblees, Matoridis, etc.

• Mosques are often named after these schools, and individuals tend to identify with their respective school more than their school of theology.

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This section explains the differences between different schools of theology within Sunni Islam.

Differences Between Schools of Theology

• The Humblees follow the authority school while Hanafis follow the Matoridi school.

• Humblees interpret the Quran and Sunnah more literally while Hanafis use rational thinking along with analogy and consensus.

• Most Muslims today identify more with their school of jurisprudence rather than their school of theology.

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This section discusses the influence of schools of jurisprudence and the choice of mosques in Muslim-majority countries.

Influence of Schools of Jurisprudence

• Mosques are primarily used for prayers, and the way to pray can vary based on the school of jurisprudence.

• In Muslim-majority countries, people tend to go to mosques managed by people from their own school (madhab).

• However, in Western countries, people go to any mosque that follows their sect (Sunni or Shia).

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This section explores the decline of Muslim empires and the emergence of revivalist movements.

Decline of Muslim Empires and Revivalist Movements

• In the 18th century, Ottoman and Mughal empires declined, leading to European dominance.

• Scholars concluded that Muslims had deviated from true Islam, resulting in this decline.

• Revivalist movements emerged in response to this decline.

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This section focuses on two reformers who advocated for a reevaluation of Islamic teachings.

Reformers Advocating Reevaluation

• A reformer named Inayatullah advocated for Muslims to stop following medieval imams and focus on learning directly from the Quran and Sunnah.

• Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab promoted a similar disassociation with medieval imams and their schools. His doctrine known as Wahhabism became dominant in Saudi Arabia.

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This section highlights different Islamic movements inspired by neo-Mutazilite thinking.

Neo-Mutazilite Movements: Hobbies vs. Ahl al-Hadith

• Hobbies claim not to adhere to any medieval school but actually follow the Humblee school. They call themselves Salafi after the Salafi movement.

• Ahl al-Hadith, born in India, also reject medieval schools but are more moderate compared to Hobbies.

• Both movements may have inspired each other.

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This section discusses different Islamic movements and their theological affiliations.

Theological Affiliations of Islamic Movements

• Barelvies in India and Pakistan are a mix of Hanafis and Sufism.

• Sufism is a mystical form of Islam with various orders and brotherhoods following different religious traditions.

• Shias believe in infallible imams from the descendants of the Prophet. They have their own schools of jurisprudence.

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This section provides an overview of Shia Islam and its subsects.

Subsects within Shia Islam

• Zadis believe in the imamate of Zaid Ibn Ali and that the Imam must fight for the caliphate. They are mainly found in Yemen.

• Ismailis and Twelvers (Imamias) follow the teachings of Imam Jafar Sadiq. Twelvers are the majority among Shias today.

• Shias also consider parts of the Sunnah narrated by Companions who sided with Ali.

The summary has been provided based on available information from the transcript.

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This section provides an overview of the different sects within Islam and their historical development.

Development of Sects in Islam

• The Ismailis formed their own caliphate in Egypt in 969 and considered their caliphs to be imams. They incorporated teachings from the Fatimid imams and Imam Jafar, leading to a unique jurisprudence.

• Some Ismailis rejected the Fatimid caliphate and formed their own subsects. The most well-known are the carnations, who sacked Mecca in 930, causing them to be universally reviled by Muslims.

• The Druze, a group not considered Muslim, emerged with secretive theology and beliefs such as reincarnation. They are a major religious group in Syria today.

• Twelvers became dominant in Iran during the Safavid Empire's reign. They had internal disagreements that led to the formation of two branches: osuli and akhbari. Osulis believed in using reasoning alongside traditional teachings, while akhbaris relied solely on traditional teachings.

• Alawites, often confused with Alavis, are a branch of Twelvers primarily found in Syria and Turkey. They are not considered Muslim by most other sects.

• Baha'is and Barbests also originated from Twelvers but are not considered Muslim. However, they retain some elements from Shia Islam.

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This section discusses the Millerites' belief in Jesus' return in 1844 and how it relates to the Baha'i faith.

Millerites and Baha'i Faith

• The Millerites believed that Jesus would return in 1844 but experienced disappointment when this did not happen.

• Some Baha'is believe that Christ did return as Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith, who declared himself to be the messianic figure.

• Rainn Wilson, known for playing Dwight Schrute on "The Office," is a member of the Baha'i faith.

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This section explores the first fitna and the emergence of the Kharijites as a separate group.

First Fitna and Kharijites

• The first fitna was a civil war between Ali IBN ABI Talib and Abu Sufyan. They faced each other in the Battle of Siffin but eventually agreed to arbitration instead of further bloodshed.

• Some followers of Ali, called shiatul Ali, believed that fighting against Ali's caliphate went against Islam. They formed a third side known as the Kharijites or those who left.

• The Kharijites followed a rigid interpretation of Islam and believed in an all-or-nothing approach. However, they are now considered extinct, with Ibadis being a more moderate branch found in countries like Oman.

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This section discusses other offshoots of the Kharijites and their current status.

Other Offshoots and Ibadis

• Throughout history, there were other offshoots of the Kharijites, but most have gone extinct over time.

• Ibadis are considered a major group from this branch and can be found primarily in Oman. They prefer not to be associated with Kharijites and claim to have nothing to do with them.

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This section addresses two groups whose Muslim identity is disputed: Ahmadis and Nation of Islam.

Disputed Muslim Identity

• Ahmadis were founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in India. They are accused by other Muslim groups of elevating Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to the level of a prophet, which goes against the fundamental beliefs of Islam.

• The Nation of Islam, popular among black Americans, claims that its founder Wallace Fard Muhammad was the Mahdi or even divine to some extent. Some prominent members include Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X.

The Muslim identity of both Ahmadis and Nation of Islam is highly disputed, with many Muslims not considering them as part of the Islamic faith.

The Islamic Golden Age and the Importance of Mathematics

This section discusses the emergence of Islamic denominations during the 9th and 10th centuries, known as the Islamic golden age. It highlights how Muslim scholars worked in various fields, including mathematics, which played a crucial role in their studies.

The Islamic Golden Age and its Impact

• During the 9th and 10th centuries, known as the Islamic golden age, various Islamic denominations emerged.

• Muslim scholars during this period made significant contributions to fields such as jurisprudence, theology, philosophy, architecture, and mathematics.

• Mathematics was particularly important during this era and required collecting books from distant places like Greece and India.

• These books were then translated to facilitate learning from them.

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