From the Nineteenth Discourse—page 393
in Irshad: Wisdom of a Sufi Master, by Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak Al-Jerrahi, trans. Muhtar Holland. An Ashki Book of Amity House, Warwick: 1988.
- The Sunnīs:
- Believe in Allāh and His Messenger. They acknowledge with their tongues, and confirm in their hearts, all the fundamental articles of faith, namely:
“I believe in Allāh, in His angels, in His books, in His Messengers, in the Resurrection after death, in the Last Judgment, and that destiny, good and bad alike, is from Allāh, Exalted is He.”
- Love and respect all the Companions of the Messenger of the Lord of All Worlds. Thus they love and respect Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān and ‘Alī, each and everyone of them.
iii. Love and respect the children of Muhammad and his wives and his friends, and also Imam ‘Alī, his wives and his children.
They in no way condone the rebellion mounted against Imam ‘Alī. They acknowledge Imam ‘Alī the Approved as a true exponent of the Law. They consider the transgression made against Imam ‘Alī to have been unlawful, and they have no love for those who brazenly committed that transgression. They recognize Imam ‘Alī’s right to the Imamate. They maintain that Mu’āwiya ibn Abī Sufyān was a misinterpreter of the Law. They love Imam Hasan, Imam Husayn and their offspring. In every one of their prayers they pronounce benedictions on the Family of Muhammad.
It was not the Sunnīs who martyred Imam Husayn. No Sunnī approves of this. The Sunnīs have no love for Yazīd, nor for those who love Yazīd. However, they do not recite maledictions against him. This is not because they have any respect for him, but because they do not wish to soil their tongues by uttering curses. Malediction brings no reward in the Hereafter. That is why we prefer to recite abundant blessings for the Family of Muhammad… We Sunnīs have no love, either, for those who despise the other Twelve Imams or the Fourteen Innocents.
In obedience to Allāh’s command, they perform the five daily prayers, make complete ablution, observe the fast for one month in each year. If they have the means to do so, they make Pilgrimage during the proper season once in their lives. Each year they contribute one fortieth of their wealth for the benefit of their Muslim brethren. They hold unlawful what Allāh has forbidden in His book, and lawful what He has allowed. They do not drink wine.
From the Nineteenth Discourse—page 394
in Irshad: Wisdom of a Sufi Master, by Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak Al-Jerrahi, trans. Muhtar Holland. An Ashki Book of Amity House, Warwick: 1988.
- The Khārijīs:
They believe in Allah and His Messenger, as they believe in the Qur’ān, the angels and resurrection after death. They perform the five daily prayers, fast, make Pilgrimage, pay the alms-due and accept the unlawful as unlawful and the lawful as lawful. They show love and respect for Abū Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allāh be pleased with them both, but they do not like the venerable ‘Uthmān, Imam ‘Alī or Mu’āwiya.
They say, unfortunately, that Alī and Mu’āwiya went against the judgment of the Qur’ān and became unbelievers.