Message for Friday - Sunnis & Shi`is are brothers in faith, one community

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

G'd says in the Qur'an (49:10) - The beleivers are but a single brotherhood, so make peace between your brothers. And fear G'd that you may receive mercy.

In the context of this verse of the Qur'an, beleiver means more than just belief in G'd. It means those who beleive in G'd and the message that was given to the last prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (SAAS). In this belief that he (SAAS) is the last prophet of G'd, who received the Qur'an, along with the belief in all of the books revealed before (Torah, Psalms & Gospels), angels, all of the prophets before him (SAAS), and the day of resurrection, there is no difference between Sunnis & Shi`is. Hence, these two groups have a special relationship as Muslims that is different than relationship with people of other faiths. The Muslims are a single nation.

The late Sunni scholar of Al-Azhar university, Mahmud Shaltut, issued a fatwa in 1959 to validate the legitimacy of the basis of jurisprudence of the Zaydi & Ja'fari schools within the Shi`i tradition.

SEE: http://www.shiachat.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t51716.html