Perhaps it is of the Muslim World's bad luck to be in an era in which nations and superpowers strive to achieve and are humbly content with numerous forms of agreements, and unite to form political alliances and major economic blocs which have established trans-continental companies and organisations which break the barriers of geography and borders, while the Muslim World lives in its worst status, in which it is divided and disunited to the greatest extent. Every time the western nations find a reason of agreement and harmony, the Muslim nations find a myriad of reasons to fragment and quarrel. Every time nations retrieve their POWs, the Muslim nations offer theirs to the oppressors!

Each defeated [nation] has retrieved their female POWs,
Until none are kept captive other than our female POWs,
And on the bloody whips of oppressors I saw nothing,
Except the flesh of our POWs.
Poet is anonymous
Currently there is nobody left in the "Muslim World" to mend the division and fragmentation using methods, objectives and special plans except a few individuals who were blessed by Allah.

The problem does not lie in the existence of diversity; it rather lies in the way diversity is directed, for we have used it as a reason of fragmenting, instead of using it as one of the reasons of establishing a wholesome and natural multi-oriented society, in which every party holds on to its own theories, opinions and conclusions, knowing that it is everyone's right to do so, and to talk and express them, while nobody has the right to enforce his own personal opinions and plans onto everyone else. If one takes a look at western nations, such as the US or France, one finds within their borders immense contrasts and enormous differences, yet those nations were able to employ the contrasts in favour of establishing the idea of wholesome diversity which would help the nation remain united and strong. Even when we take Israel, the neighbouring, close enemy, as an example, within the political structure we find the moderate Right, the extreme Right, the Left, the doves and the hawks, and diverse parties which are all gathered together in the Knesset. There, diversity is employed to serve the interests of the contemporary matters of the Zionist establishment[2] and to serve the interests of its future matters, while an abnormal conflict exists in the Muslim World, a conflict which is present in politics, science, and every mentionable matter. You will not even find a different situation when you look at the everyday individual!

Originally the existence of diversity in thoughts, science and politics is a natural phenomenon, in fact it is necessary and it is a decreed right as long as humans have minds and intellect, and are able to express their opinions and thoughts. Within the human race there are so many contrasts and much diversity, and Allah had decreed such as a law of life and sign of its presence, for Allah has created an opposite to everything in order to complete any deficiency and to aid the opposite through the tasks of time and in doing that which is right. Allah, Most High, says: {And of everything We have created pairs...} 51:49

Therefore, one of the secrets of life is the existence of this diversity, which Allah had willed to be and had decreed in the religion, therefore people are diverse:

{...but they will not cease to disagree * Except him on whom your Lord has bestowed His Mercy (the follower of truth – Islamic Monotheism) and for that did He create them...} 11:118-119

That includes the diversity of personalities, languages and skin colours:

{...and the difference of your languages and colours...} 30:22

Life without diversity would be routine and boring; imagine if everything in this life were identical, such as people's features and their stature, their expressions, their clothes, their behaviour, and even the streets, houses, trees, stones, if it all had been one form life would be distasteful. Allah, Most High, says:

{Say (O Muhammad): "Tell me! If Allah made the night continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection, which god besides Allah could bring you light? Will you not then hear?" * Say (O Muhammad): "Tell me! If Allah made the day continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection, which god besides Allah could bring you night wherein you rest? Will you not then see?" * It is out of His Mercy that He has made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein (i.e. during the night) and that you may seek of His Bounty (i.e. during the day) – and in order that you may be grateful. } 20:71-73

Therefore, the alternation of day and night, the presence of the wind, and alternation of the days are some of Allah's great signs which prove the excellence of that which He created, and which stands as evidence that the laws of life are functioning normally and in harmony. Diversity in regards to humans is a built-in instinct, for in the Islamic law it is a protected right and respected matter supporting positive and reformative change, as the prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, "Verily, I swear by Allah that, by the will of Allah, whenever I make an oath to do something then find something better than it I expiate for the oath and do that which is better." Narrated by Al-Bukhârî and Muslim

There is also a saying which goes like this: Two types of people do not change their opinions: A dead person and an ignorant person. And the poet, Al ‘Aqqâd says:

Every day a person with intellect is born,
While every day an ignorant person is laid in his grave.

Diversity and disagreement are even part of the nature of the angles, such as mentioned in the parable about the man who killed one hundred people and that the angles of mercy and the angles of torment disputed the man's fate when he died on his way to the pious town, as mentioned in the two most authentic books of hadeeth. Also, the prophets of Allah were diverse and had disputes, as Moses did with Aaron, Moses with Al Khiďr, and Moses with Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Also, when it was mentioned that when Lot said, {...or that I could betake myself to some powerful support (to resist you).} 12:80, in regards to his tribe, Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, commented saying, "May Allah bestow mercy upon Lot, for he was already betaking powerful support". Also, Abû Bakr and ‘Umar had disputes before the apostle, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the companions (Saĥâba) had diverse explanations of one of the commands of the prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, when he said, "Do not pray the ‘Asr (afternoon) prayer anywhere but at the residence of Banû Qurayźa" Narrated by Al Bukhari and Muslim

Intellectual and religious diversity and the diversity of Fiqh is the product of diversity in feelings, characters, interpretations, minds, desires, upbringing, cultures, backgrounds, environments, eras, times and locations. Such is a natural, positive phenomenon which broadens the horizon of thought and introduces a fertile, welcoming ground for dialogue and positive, refined debating. Therefore, when a man brought a book of his to the imam Ahmed wanting to title it "The Book of Debates[3]", the imam Ahmed suggested to him, saying, "Call it 'The Book of Broadness[4]'; for such diversity broadens the options of comparison, makes matters easier for people and saves them from the defects of single-minded opinions."

Knowing that disputes are a natural phenomenon then they should exist in the scope of good morals and should be dealt with intelligently in order to employ them well and benefit from them with the intention to make matters easier for people and not to narrow matters. The morals of disputing enforce one to conduct just criticism directed to ideas not to individuals, and to list the points of dispute objectively and to list the reasons of such disputes, while avoiding bigoted expressions, directing accusations to the opposite side and quarrelling, and implementing concrete evidence and depending on the constants of the religion.


We should accept diversity, deal with it and interact with it in the context of cooperation to deal with the common fate (e.g. social affairs...) which concerns all, while giving disputes their correct portion of attention and not fearing from disputes nor eliminating their presence, and also we should listen and understand opposite parties well, and use convincing methods and evidence in disputes, not ill language nor clamour, and finally strive to show tolerance and find points of agreement in regard to worldly interests, even with those people who follow a different creed than ours, keeping in mind that the prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, commented on the Al Fuďûl treaty, saying, "If I were invited to a similar treaty I would attend". When we give all voices the opportunity to be heard and to have their say, eventually the genuine coin will abrogate the false one, while the atmosphere of closeness and care continues to let out its rays onto all, for such would be good for all of us. But when we choke the opponent's throat to prevent his words from coming out then we shall all suffocate, just as when a ship sinks nobody is safe from doom. Therefore, Intellectuals and bright-minded individuals must beware from falling into an ordeal which does not only affect the wrong-doers.


This article has been translated with slight modifications to the original text. Quotations are not accurate. Translations of Qur'anic verses were quoted from the King Fahd Complex translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan. The hadeeths have been freehandly translated. Paragraph endings and beginnings have been assumed from the context.


Original text from http://www.almokhtsar.com/html/news/1369/18/print_63203.php

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[1] I think we ought to get a conformation from Dr. Salman Al ‘Odah that he personally did write this article.

[2] i.e. State of Israel.

[3] كتاب الإختلاف

[4] كتاب السعة