You have no idea how my chest swelled as I was reading this article this morning, makes me absolutely PROUD to be Bahraini:
However, leaders in Bahrain are at least making a serious attempt to promote Shiite-Sunni unity. Bahrain’s Islamic Affairs Ministry is currently studying a proposal aimed at combating the emerging divide between the two sects. Under the proposed legislation, any new mosque built in the kingdom would no longer be distinguished as either Shiite or Sunni; rather, each mosque would be identified solely as a place of worship for Muslims. Both Shiites and Sunnis would be encouraged to share centers of worship and thus not allow any unnecessary exaggeration of minor differences in religious interpretation.
The Daily Star’s Editorial :: 12 May ’06
I hope and pray that this will come to pass; I fully support this move, and recognise that even thinking about this at the government’s level is an excellent harbinger of tolerance, showing the world once again that even though we are a small country, our impact on the world stage is far larger than our size.
Go Bahrain!
Comments
… and then I read Dr. Abduljaleel Al-Singace’s post and got depressed…
well, it is good news if its not used only for propaganda.
I still remember when i was living in bahrain, that the mosque that is located very close to Al-sadiq mosque (al-salmania). It is very very close to it, less than 100 yards.
ask you self who belt it?! It is your king! the only reason is that, alsadiq is for Shiates.
So,do not get fooled by any news, just observe the actions.
Ayman, I’m thankful that you no longer live in Bahrain (regardless of you being Bahraini or otherwise, I don’t get the impression that you are), poison like yours is simply not needed. All you seem to be interested in is concentrate on the negative without giving due at all to anything good.
You’re welcome to your opinions of course, don’t expect however that I will give them any weight whatsoever.
Well, what does Dr. Al Singace’s post say? Is there an English version?
I think this is really good news. I believe that it doesn’t matter because everyone is praying to “one” God, Allah. After all is said and done, does it *really* matter how you place your hands? I know it all goes deeper than that, regardless, this is really good news.
“Both Shiites and Sunnis would be encouraged to share centers of worship”
I doubt that even with this new proposal that shiites and sunnis will share any mosque. Even if a new mosque will not be distinguished as either Shiite or Sunni, I’m sure that each mosque will have its own population. Shiites will pray in their mosques and sunnis in theirs and the divide will always exist. still, i think this is a step forward for bahrain.
Will that mean that our Sunni brothers will stop smashing our turbahs (the pieces of earth that we prostrate on) like they’ve been doing in the university and the airport.
I don’t believe that this project will to share centers of worship, but i do believe that if a sunnis pray in a shiit mosque no one will stop him or ask him why and nather a shiits if he pray in a sunnis mosque will be stoped i do pray in sunnis mosque some time if a didn’t find a shiit mosque.
My shiite friend once came and prayed in a sunnis mosque and all were normal, when I went one day to pray in a shiite mosque I was kicked out. Is that fair and equal?
Are u a shiite mahmood>?
I don’t want to offend you but you have a dog farm, neither shiites or sunnis accept this.
I’m “unisect” actually! (thanks Hassan :))
link in Arabic
I know that decades/centuries of animosity will not disappear overnight, and this proposal will certainly polarise the community a mosque is in with both sects fighting for control; just imagine the mess of trying to sort out the call to prayer and the Friday sermon, but I’m sure that given sincerety and even-handedness this does have a chance to become true, even if that is implemented in “new” areas being built now, it’s a good start. Who knows, in a 100 years we might stop this siliness and attempt to live like good neighbours.
Now the ministry of Islamic affairs – or some visionary within it – want to try something new, let’s give them the support they need rather than continue to be suspicious and sceptical about this very important issue. We’ve all been talking tolerance, now when the action is coming our way we turn skeptic?
Give it a chance, if every one of us reading this at least holds his/her fire and not speak ill of this scheme, we will have a nucleus of change happening.
I guess I can only hope this comes to pass. Though I don’t understand it, fully.
Being a product of the West, I see Catholic, Protestant, Buddist, Hindi and Muslim etc. houses of worship every day. It doesn’t matter a lick to me. My God is a loving God. I can’t see another House of Peace as a target of my vitriole. I see a house of a benevolent and loving God.
Maybe I am lucky that I don’t understand. I look to visit Bahrain some day soon.
“I’m “unisect†actually! (thanks Hassan )”
We could call this “Sushi” as the SMS I got recently suggests.
There is irony here, but I’m nervous about explicating it.
Scott
I wonder what the friday sermons are going to be like?
This is interesting and I support the move. Foremost it should be noted that I am not a Muslim but was born into a Sunni Muslim family and since, have done a lot of research on both Sunni and Shi’ite branches. But I have a question purely for personal knowledge.
Correct me if I’m wrong but…
Friday Sermons in Sunni and Shi’ite mosques are vastely different. This being that the role of the Mullah is too, between the sects. In Sunni Islam the mullah can only refer back to the Koran and one of the four major schools of thought for reference. In that sense, his friday sermons can be considered to be relatively subdued. Wheras in Shi’ite Islam they may refer back to the various Imams.
With the disaperance of the twelfth Imam and subsequent reinterpretations by Mullahs, the act of issuing fatwa’s and the like were then brought into the fold for mullahs to act as referer/interpretors (rather then the Sunni who may only refer). Furthermore, in Iran (not sure about the Shi’ite culture in Bahrain) the friday sermon is given much more significance. The Mullah is akin to refering back to Marja’s (Loosely Defined: Those to be emulated, these are high ranking religous leaders, issuing interpretations and fatwas)
Though a unisect mosque would very much be a good bridge between the sects locally, and could really work towards solving animosities between the two groups, does this also mean that the new mosques would by default have to have a subdued friday sermon akin to Sunni mosques, without refering to Imams or Marja’s? Which would then mean that by defult only those ideas agreed upon by both sects can be accepted…. which balances off closer to the Sunni interpretation?
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Vocab Clearup: To use the word subdued is not to argue that Sunni mosques are without hatemongering, bigotry or etc. But is used to refer to the extent of the Mullahs ability to call upon contemporary interpretations and religous teachings as a source.
Moclippa,
Sunni’s refer the quran, hadeeth, fatwas and qiyas. Shia’s go an extra step and refer to marja’s. Pretty much the same, only a different level of importance is given to each type of reference.
I personally beleive it’s a very good move. True, alot of people will probably avoid it at first, but that is only human nature. With time, the new generations and those of open thought will learn to take in from both. Understand what every mulla has to say. Take what they want and leave the rest for someone else. Isn’t that really what religon is? Different levels of submission to the one and only God?
I actually think that this specific mosque will be good for Sushis or Sanshas ? call them what you may. There is an extremely large population of mixed marriages and their offspring. Many neglect this type of beleif system that is ever increasing in our society. Most often than not, products of intersect marriages learn to adapt to both schools of thought. This is very healthy for society and for Islam, cause it encourages people to question what is being surmoned and engage in the process of being spoon fed by mullas that sometimes have ulterior motives.
I agree with you Gracie, it is a different level of importance, but I think that difference to some might be quite large.
And yes there is quite a large population of mixed marriges (I even hesitate to use the term ‘mixed’ because they are essentially both Muslims), this development would certainly curtail some of the spoon feeding that occurs in many of these mosques, encouraging people to think for themselves, or atleast be confronted with different ideologies head on, in a way that actively demonstrates cooperation through action rather then through words. Ofcourse as you’ve correctly noted this is a long term process, of which hopefully we’ll begin to see the real fruits of in the coming decades.
I just hope the small but relatively powerful fundementalist minorities and respective demagogues don’t find enough fault in this new legislation to spoil the soup for the rest of us.
Mahmood- So true, Bahrain is a very small country, I’ve always argued that its held a lot of potential to serve as a pinical of reform and social achivment regionally. it’s small size and for the most part friendly and open community offers much room for a wonderful social experiment, that if successful could prove to be a standard looked up to regionally. We all just have to work together to push through more reforms as such, and think outside the box in finding out how to internalize all the changes that exist in the world, all the knoweldge we accumulate, in a way that fits in our cultures, and allows us to all better ourselves and our environment….
Ha I’m always accused of being an idealist, but it doesn’t hurt anyone to have dreams right??
Gracie – You should also remember that the act of attributing the various Imams to a rank similar to that of the prophet, is often viewed as herasy in the first place… I’m still trying to figure out how that sort of material is going to be referenced in these mosques.
I think the social factors are already in play for Unisect mosques to achieve some degree of success early on… its really a matter of how the Mullah’s approach the material. Also how good a job the government does at showing it has nothing to do with the sermons, and that the content is prepared only through the Mullah. We definatly do not want these mosques to ever be viewed as tools of government propoganda or that would be disastrous to the whole effort…. Simply announcing and legislating that new mosques are going to be unisect is not enough, there has to be a lot of preperation, and consideration given to the task.
Another question —- How about the Grand Mosque? Is that Sunni? Will that be converted into a Unisect?… I think they really should, as a symbol of administrative will to put this plan in action. Furthermore, as a gesture it would also be nice to see the King, his cabinet and relatives making use of unisects as opposed to Sunni mosques, on those occasions where he or the prime minister actually go out to mosques. Our King is not only the top brass, but also a symbol… his actions will speak louder then any parlimentary legislation.
Well I know for sure that the King and the Royal Court do go out on feild trips to majlis’s of people of all sects, minorities…etc which in itself is a symbol of connectivity.
We must remember that the main aim here is to aleviate any friction between the sects, yet we should meddle with the intrinsic beleifs of the religous dogmas per se. That would be frowned upon!
It is only natural that these mosques will be used as a mecca of reducing religous tension and encouraging religous freedom.
My two pence 🙂
Im so proud of Bahrain!
I miss Bahrain.
Round 1 ! ring ring ring
who’s leading the salaat .. who’s praying behind who… lol
Let the fighting begin !
are there any ringside seats for this ?
is behrain community are in adulteration