what advice will you give to younger people?
Advice to people of any age:
The words "Shia" or "Sunni" are not mentioned in the Quran. They have no existence in it. The Quran, in Surah Al-Imran, Ayah 103, says:
"Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided."
Allah, in Surah Al-An'am, Ayah 159, says:
"O Prophet! Those who divided their religion and became sects, you have no part in them in the least. Their affair is with Allah, who will tell them what they used to do."
Thus, creating sects within Islam is prohibited. Anyone who creates sects is moving away from the Quran and Sunnah. The Quran instructs:
"Obey Allah and obey the Messenger."
To be a Muslim, one must simply obey Allah and follow the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Moreover, do not feel superior to any other Muslim or any human based on caste or sect, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated in his final sermon:
"All humankind is from Adam, and no Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white; none have superiority over another except by piety and good action."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us humility. If you feel superior to another Muslim or human, you deviate from the righteous path and become a follower of Satan, who was the first to say, "I am better than him" (Quran, Surah Al-A'raf, Ayah 12).
Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said about arrogance:
"He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise." (Sahih Muslim)
Therefore, as Muslims, we need to focus on our faith and deeds and stop declaring others as 'disbelievers' based on their sect while considering ourselves as 'believers.' Unknowingly, we are wasting our good deeds and causing division, which is prohibited in our religion. May Allah guide us all on the straight path. Ameen.
The words "Shia" or "Sunni" are not mentioned in the Quran. They have no existence in it. The Quran, in Surah Al-Imran, Ayah 103, says:
"Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided."
Allah, in Surah Al-An'am, Ayah 159, says:
"O Prophet! Those who divided their religion and became sects, you have no part in them in the least. Their affair is with Allah, who will tell them what they used to do."
Thus, creating sects within Islam is prohibited. Anyone who creates sects is moving away from the Quran and Sunnah. The Quran instructs:
"Obey Allah and obey the Messenger."
To be a Muslim, one must simply obey Allah and follow the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Moreover, do not feel superior to any other Muslim or any human based on caste or sect, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated in his final sermon:
"All humankind is from Adam, and no Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white; none have superiority over another except by piety and good action."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us humility. If you feel superior to another Muslim or human, you deviate from the righteous path and become a follower of Satan, who was the first to say, "I am better than him" (Quran, Surah Al-A'raf, Ayah 12).
Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said about arrogance:
"He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise." (Sahih Muslim)
Therefore, as Muslims, we need to focus on our faith and deeds and stop declaring others as 'disbelievers' based on their sect while considering ourselves as 'believers.' Unknowingly, we are wasting our good deeds and causing division, which is prohibited in our religion. May Allah guide us all on the straight path. Ameen.