THE SECTARIAN PHENOMENON

THE SECTARIAN PHENOMENON I N the later periods of any ummah or religious community, a phenomenon inevitably appears — that of its religion being divided up into different factions or sects. The Quran refers to this phenomenon of people splitting up their religion and becoming divided into sects, ‘each one exulting in what they have.’ (THE QURAN 30: 32) Further, in this regard, God tells us: Your religion is but one religion—and I am your only Lord, therefore, fear Me. Yet they divided themselves into factions, each rejoicing in what they had. (THE QURAN 23: 52-53) These lines can be better understood in the light of another Quranic verse: They have taken their learned men and their monks for their lords besides God. (THE QURAN 9: 31) From these Quranic verses, it appears that the phenomenon of a religion splitting into factions is a historical process that emerges in the life of every religious community. This has happened in the case of Muslims, too. There is no exception to this rule. A political interpretation of Islam is an example of an error in reasoning, because Islam is a divine movement, and not a political movement. How and why does this happen? In the later period in the life of a religious community, various reformers arise. These reformers’ interpretation of their religion is influenced by their circumstances. They begin to invite people to accept their faith as interpreted by them. Accordingly, a group of followers slowly starts to form around them. Gradually, these followers begin to develop a strong prejudice in support of their own particular school of thought. They believe that whatever the leaders or founding-figures of their group have said is the final word, the ultimate truth. This prejudicial mentality begins to harden, until each group is transformed into a distinct sect. Each sect becomes firmly convinced that it alone is true, and that all others are deviant. This is the historical process that the Quran indicates in the above-quoted verses.