Shia & Sunni burning Iraq

The daily destruction of human life in Iraq has reached a level that is now described as a civil war. Much of the current killing is brought on by Muslims against fellow Muslims. Shias and Sunnis are dangerously armed and killing each other with impunity. Various interest groups who have everything to gain from the prevailing chaos are also joining the killing spree overtly or covertly.

People blame the US occupation for the killing and justifiably the argument can be made that all the bloodshed could have been avoided if the US had not invaded Iraq and had tried to work out alternatives to change the regime in Iraq. Mr. Bush and his war fanatic cabinet members, Mr. Cheney and Mr. Rumsfeld have failed in their war. Their incompetence and reckless ideology has resulted in the ongoing slaughter of innocent people unabated and unchecked. Needless to say, history will recognize these people as perpetrators of this century's first biggest bloodbath.

But part of the blame has to be shared by some of those who claim to be the leaders of Sunnis and Shias in Iraq as well as other leaders in the Middle East. These people must also be held accountable for spreading lies and hatred.

Doubtlessly, the religious discourse amongst many of those who identify themselves as Shias or Sunnis is ugly and inhumane. Judged from the Islamic criterion of decency, it is unacceptable. Analyzed from the perspective of Prophetic traditions, it is unimaginable. Yet, the sectarian bigotry has taken the hatred to a level, where many have tried to justify the killing of others on religious grounds. 

Many Scholars are afraid to speak up either because they are afraid or because they want to be politically correct. One has to admit loudly and clearly that there are many among the Sunnis and Shias that behave towards each other in a manner that is against Islamic ethics. Many of them hurt each other, humiliate each other and denounce others as non-Muslims. Many of them are arrogant. Many of them have total disregard of the life of the other. In their hatred they are willing to destroy everything that comes in their way including, the Quran or Islamic places of worship. 

Some of the Shia and Sunni leaders promote a notion of loyalty to their sect that could be considered bordering on polytheism. Violence is considered as a norm rather than a deviation to resolve their differences. Sometime, to make a statement of political correctness they shake hands with each other and issue statements of unity, but when most retire to their supporters, they speak a different language, a language that is insulting and un-Islamic. It is these issues that the majority of Shia and Sunni leaders have refused to address.

What is happening in Iraq can be traced back to a deep rooted hatred and suspicion that has been created by a hateful preaching of decades or even centuries?

The majority of the leadership of the two sects has failed to address some of the most fundamental Islamic and human issues. Must human-beings be killed because they differ with someone's opinion? Must people always humiliate, and denounce the other in order to prove their supremacy. Must the other be condemned to death for adopting a different point of view? Must religious identity be expressed in an arrogant and violent manner? Is this the way we please God by hurting and killing His creation?

Unless the religious leadership of the two sects take an aggressive approach to develop an Islamic response based on the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet, they will continue to remain the prisoners of history as is the case presently. They have a window of opportunity to discuss these and other related issues in the context of Iraq sooner rather than later. Both can play a dynamic role in bringing the two sects together and helping them overcome their differences.

It was encouraging to see Sunni and Shia religious leaders meet on October 19, 2006 in the holy city of Makkah. The leaders made a plea together for an end to sectarian bloodshed, especially in Iraq. The meeting was organized by the Organization of the Islamic Conference and backed by Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately the effect of the meeting has been limited.

Meeting just once and making statements against "violence"is not enough. There needs to be a sincere will and sustained approach to resolve the Sunni and Shia conflict. Leaders from Iraq, Iran and other parts of the world should meet on a regular basis to address the ongoing conflict in Iraq. They must go back to the most basic massage of the Quran about the dignity of the children of Adam that cannot be preserved without ensuring their right to life.

Even if they fail to resolve their disagreements, they must make a loud and clear unified declaration that violence must never be allowed to resolve their differences because violence is anti-divine.

Dr. Aslam Abdullah is editor in chief of the weekly Muslim Observer. He is also the director of the Islamic Society of Nevada and the acting president of the Muslim American Council. Recently, he joined the Lahore based International Iqbal Institute of Research, Education and Dialogue (IRED).