Last Friday, the Imam of Bath – br Rashad Azami, reminded us about As-Shura Day which is commemorated by Muslims on the 10th of Shura (or formally called as Muharram) the first month of Islamic Hijra calendar. While the Shiites are practising exagerration (bid’ah) in celebrating the holiday by hurting themselves until they are unconcious of losing blood, Sunnites are remembering it by 2 days fasting, either on the 9th and 10th or the 10th and 11th of Muharram. Sunnites celebrate the day as the Prophet SAW did so, believing that Muslims deserve to commemorate the day when Prophet Moses pbuh and his followers escaped from Egypt and the Pharaoh and his army by crossing the Red Sea, more than the Jews or the Christians, due to the fact that it was Moses pbuh who kept on advising him to ask for God’s concession from 50 times a day prayers until only 5 times a day – until the Prophet SAW himself felt shy to ask for more reduction.
I remember when I was young, back in Jakarta, my mum’s ustadzah (female teacher) taught us about this day of Orphans to remember the unjust killing of Hussain pbuh -the grandson of the Prophet SAW through his daughter Fatimah pbuh in the Karbala desert of year 680. Based on this, I would argue that Muslims in Indonesia are not a strict practicing Sunnism and opened to any of the Shiite’s tradition. In fact, I would argue that they are not strictly adhered to any of the mazhabs, even though As-Syafii is widely known as the major mazhab there.
Why it is important for Muslims not to be tied into one grouping or sect? History shows from Spanish Andalusia to the recent Iraq case, Muslims are not strong (maybe not blessed as well) when they are not united. It is crucial that Muslims start to forget about their differences and get together to work hand in hand solving their own problems from poverty to moral decadency. Furthermore, it is high time to upgrade the OIC (Organisation for Islamic Conference) to IEC (Islamic Economic Community) and promote using gold and silver dinar as a common curreny among the Muslim Nations.
Wallahu alam bis sawab …
