Pledge of Mutual Respect...

[Muslim]

...and Cooperation Between Sunni Muslim Scholars, Organizations, and Students of Sacred Knowledge

Hold fast to the Rope of Allah, all together, and be not divided. (Qur'an, 3:103)

Surely, those who have made divisions in their religion and turned into factions, you have nothing to do with them. Their case rests with Allah; then He will inform them of what they used to do. (Qur'an, 6:159)

In light of the Divine Word, we recognize that the historical nature of Sunni Islam is a broad one that proceeds from a shared respect for the Qur'an and Sunnah, a shared dependence on the interpretations and derivations of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and a shared respect for the writings of a vast array of scholars who have been identified by their support for and affiliation with the Sunni Muslims and have been accepted as the luminaries of Sunni Islam - as broadly defined.

Likewise, detailed discussions in matters of theology are the specific domain of trained specialists, and proceed on the basis of well-defined principles and methodologies, which are beyond the knowledge of the generality of Muslims.

Our forebears in faith, with all the dedication, brilliance and sincerity clearly manifested in their works, have debated and discussed abstruse and complex issues of creed and practice, and have failed in most instances to convince their opponents of the veracity and accuracy of their positions.

The average Muslim is only responsible for knowing the basics of creed as they relate to a simple belief in Allah, His Angels, Scriptures, the Prophets and Messengers, the Last Day, and the Divine Decree.

Recognizing that the specter of sectarianism threatens to further weaken and debilitate our struggling Muslim community at this critical time in human affairs, and recognizing that Allah, Exalted is He, has given the Muslim community in the West a unique historical opportunity to advance the cause of peace, cooperation, and goodwill amongst the people of the world, we the undersigned respectfully:

- Urge Muslims to categorically cease all attacks on individual Muslims and organizations whose varying positions can be substantiated based on the broad scholarly tradition of the Sunni Muslims. We especially urge the immediate cessation of all implicit or explicit charges of disbelief;

- Urge Muslim scholars and students of sacred knowledge to take the lead in working to end ad hominem attacks on other scholars and students; to cease unproductive, overly polemical writings and oral discourse; and to work to stimulate greater understanding and cooperation between Muslims, at both the level of the leadership and the general community;

-Urge Muslims in the West, especially our youth, to leave off unproductive and divisive discussions of involved theological issues that are the proper domain of trained specialists, and we especially discourage participation in those internet chat rooms, campus discussion groups, and other forums that only serve to create ill-will among many Muslims, while fostering a divisive, sectarian spirit;

-Urge all teachers to instruct their students, especially those attending intensive programs, to respect the diverse nature of our communities and to refrain from aggressive challenges to local scholars, especially those known for their learning and piety;

- Urge our brothers and sisters in faith to concentrate on enriching their lives by deepening their practice of Islam through properly learning the basics of the faith, adopting a consistent regimen of Qur'anic recitation, endeavoring to remember and invoke Allah in the morning and evening, learning the basics of jurisprudence, attempting to engage in voluntary fasting as much as possible, studying the Prophetic biography on a consistent basis, studying the etiquettes that guide our interactions with our fellow Muslims, and the performance of other beneficial religious acts, to the extent practical for their circumstances;

- Finally, we urge the Believers to attempt to undertake individual and collective actions that will help to counter the growing campaign of anti-Islamic misinformation and propaganda that attempts to portray our religion as a violence-prone relic of the past unsuitable for modern society, and by so doing justify indiscriminate wars against Muslim peoples, occupation of Muslim lands, and usurpation of their resources.

Saying this, we do not deny the reality of legitimate differences and approaches, nor the passionate advocacy of specific positions based on those differences. Such issues should be rightfully discussed observing established rules of debate. However, we urge the above measures to help prevent those differences from destroying the historical unity and integrity of the Muslim community, and creating irreparable divisions between our hearts. Further, we do not deny the urgency, especially in light of the situation in Iraq, of efforts to foster greater cooperation between diverse Muslim communities. Hence, this document should not be seen as negating any statements, or declarations designed to foster greater peace and harmony between diverse Muslim communities. However, we feel, as Sunni Muslims, a pressing need to first set our own affairs in order.

In conclusion, having called our brothers and sisters to act on these points, we, the undersigned, pledge to be the first to actively implement them in response to the Divine Word:

Do you enjoin righteousness on the people and refuse to follow it yourselves and all along you are reciting the scripture!? Will you not reflect? (Qur'an (2:44)

We ask Allah for the ability to do that which He loves. And Allah alone is the Grantor of Success.

Signed,

Abdelrahman Helbawi

Abdul Karim Khalil

Abdullah Adhami

Abdurraheem Green

Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera

Abu Aaliyah Surkheel Sharif

Abu Eesa Niamatullah

Aisha Faleh AlThani

Asma Mirza

Cheikhna B. Bayyah

Dawood Yasin

Ebadur Rahman

Faraz Rabbani

Fuad Nahdi

Gul Mohammad

Haitham al-Haddad

Hamza Yusuf

Hasan al-Banna

Ibrahim Osi-Efa

Jihad Hashim Brown

M. Abdul Latif Finch

M. Afifi al-Akiti

Mehdi Kader

Mokhtar Maghroui

Muhammad Alshareef

Muhammad Ash-Shaybani

Muhammad ibn Adam

Omar Qureshi

S. Abdal-Hakim Jackson

Shamira Chothia Ahmed

Siddique Abdullah

Suhaib Webb

Tahir Anwar

Talal Al-Azem

Tanveer Hussain

Tawfique Chowdhury

Usama Canon

Usama Hasan

Walead Mosaad

Yahya Rhodus

Yasir Qadhi

Zaid Shakir



http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=232316



http://www.suhaibwebb.com/blog/2007/09/22/a-great-blessing-in-a-blessed-month-pledge-of-mutual-respect-and-cooperation-between-sunni-muslim-scholars-organizations-and-students-of-sacred-knowledge/



http://muslimmatters.org/2007/09/22/pledge-of-mutual-respect-and-cooperation/#more-566 [/size][/size]

[abujamal]

hmmmmm.... quite clever the way they have played this one. My comments:

* They are talking of unity and opposing sectarianism - yet they confine their message to "Sunni Muslims".

* This makes sense as there is not and never has been a concept of clergy in the Sunni side but shia have it and are already largely controlled by America via Iran. This is in line with creating a clergy on the Sunni side through whom they can exercise total control via the signatories (many of whom are known to be endorsed by the Western governments via the UK governments www.raddicalmiddleway.co.uk project (suprise suprise!) as part of their campaign to suppress Islam.

* This clergy mentality requires the masses to be ignorant of what Islam requires of them so they can be easily be misled like sheep. Hence their statement:

"The average Muslim is only responsible for knowing the basics of creed as they relate to a simple belief in Allah, His Angels, Scriptures, the Prophets and Messengers, the Last Day, and the Divine Decree."

This is false as Muslims are required to know what is halal and haram to live their lives as Muslims as they are accountible for every atoms weight of behaviour. If the Muslims every accepted this, then they would allow the "Muslim Clergy" be their gods - following in the footsteps of the Jews and Christians, allowing them to legislate for them:

They (Jews and and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah. (Sura Tawba:31)

Adi asked the Messenger (saw) "They did not worship them.''' The Prophet said, "Yes they did. They (rabbis and monks) made haram halal for them (Christians and Jews) and made halal haram, and they obeyed them. This is how they worshipped them."

I remember at a FOSIS conference a couple of years ago in Leicester, some students had already fallen into this man-worship mentality by accepting homosexuality to be made halal to some extent and permission to abandon hijab and Jummah, if their clergy told them so - because they were "scholars" and to challenge this was not possible because they were "not scholars"!

* Also, this message aims to silence those who expose those who promote secularism challenge the promotion of its ideas such as democracy, human rights, pluralism, freedom etc and intends to turn people off from taking notice of the dawa carriers who will challenge their attempts to pervert Islam in order to make it easier for them to execute their campaign against Islam.

"They plot and plan but Allah also plans and He is the best of Planners".

[ivk]

"Likewise, detailed discussions in matters of theology are the specific domain of trained specialists, and proceed on the basis of well-defined principles and methodologies, which are beyond the knowledge of the generality of Muslims."

[al-muwahhid]

Salaam,

One thing i have noticed is they have got moderates from all sides to sign this, whether they are saudi backed salafis, BMF aligned brelwis, or ikhwanis, or sufis.

E.g.

Faraz Rabbani - part of sunnipath.com (he is a hanafi)
Abdurraheem Green - Saudi-Salafi
Yasir Qadhi - Saudi-salafi
Gul Mohammad - BMF (brelwi)
Hamza Yusuf - we all know him by now. (radical middle way)
Suhaib Webb - Ikhwani (radical middle way)
Haitham al-Haddad - saudi-salafi who writes some good articles which disagree with most of the above.

So I agree with Abu Jamal on this one, they are trying to regulate Islam with this body, just like they have regulations for all industry. Anyone not part of this body will be classed as a nobody, i.e. the layman who is not capable of understanding the texts.

[abujamal]

There was a conference in Amman, inaugerated "King" Abd-America of Jordan in 2005 which started the attempts to set-up a clergy body of Western-certified "scholars" who would be the only ones authorized to pass a fatwa.

See here http://www.isna.net/index.php?backPID=5&id=35&tt_news=226


Radical Middleway was discussed here:

http://www.hizbuttahrir.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=518

[Peregrine_Falcon]

- Urge Muslims to categorically cease all attacks on individual Muslims and organizations whose varying positions can be substantiated based on the broad scholarly tradition of the Sunni Muslims.

Well if they genuinely do believe in the unity of Muslims they should stand shoulder to shoulder with the Jihadis and accept their opinions as a valid Islamic evidence - instead of rallying around the cries of the kuffar for "moderation".

[abujamal]

"Whoever acquires knowledge to compete with the scholars and dispute with the ignorant and to attract the attention of people. The fire the fire."
(Hadith)

Anyone come across this hadith before?

I have been told that it is being pushed alot by Islamic Societies at Universities in a bid to silence challenging "scholars" in line with what has been discussed above.

[*Saifallah*]

Salams bro,

the only time i have seen this used is in some wahabi books, but guess what there is no reference to the chain of the hadith, neither the book nor reporter of it.

but it contridicts so many other hadith about carrying dawah.

i have seen this in quite a few wahabi books, but it would be nice of the brothers to give a reference.

[truthfinder]

Asalam alaycum,

Hello i'm new this forum, and i would firstly like to congratulate the brothers and sisters who have set up this forum and post regularly as it has helped my understanding of islam and made me more politically aware Jazakallah Khairun.

Excuse my ignorance in asking this question, but why is wrong to set up clergy in islam? and what are the islamic evidences against having clergy isnt having scholars the same as clergy?

[abujamal]

Salams bro,

the only time i have seen this used is in some wahabi books, but guess what there is no reference to the chain of the hadith, neither the book nor reporter of it.

but it contridicts so many other hadith about carrying dawah.

i have seen this in quite a few wahabi books, but it would be nice of the brothers to give a reference.

Ws

Looks like it is being adopted on a wider basis even though the best counter-argument I get when discussing with Wahabi/Salafi characters is "Ulema" to undisputed evidences and not any old "Ulema" but their specific ones and no-one else has teh right!

[abujamal]

Asalam alaycum,

Hello i'm new this forum, and i would firstly like to congratulate the brothers and sisters who have set up this forum and post regularly as it has helped my understanding of islam and made me more politically aware Jazakallah Khairun.

Excuse my ignorance in asking this question, but why is wrong to set up clergy in islam? and what are the islamic evidences against having clergy isnt having scholars the same as clergy?

WS Truthfinder

Welcome. I am glad this forum has helped and I encourage others who normally just read to begin partcipating too.

As to why there is no clergy in Islam, the clergy concept comes from Christianity where the clergy are responsible for the religious matters as long as they have had the "Holy Instruction" (ordainment) from the Clergy Hierachy (Pope, Deacon, cardinal, Bishop etc) and they are god's representatives who know best and everyone else is not allowed to question them in order to continue to be Anglican, protestant etc. So anyone who opposed the ordainment of women priests or gay bishops, he would have to leave the anglican church.

If a "muslim clergy" were to make halal homosexuality and "ordain" gay "imams", who would have to leave Islam? If Muslims ever adopted this concept on mass, then the one who opposed the clergy would be labelled as heretics who have left the religion because they opposed god, through his representatives ie the clergy.

In Islam, the deen is not restricted to spiritual matters but also political matters. And every muslim has been ordered with the commands and prohibitions including the political matters and is accountible for their implementation. This is what they are trying to restrict to enable mass obedience to the west through their clergy.

So in Islam we never had "people of god/religion" ie the clergy and everone else historically. Hence we do not have clergy uniforms to signify rank as in Christianity even though there is an effort to create this in the form of different coloured hats worn at various "islamic" institutes of learning to signify rank.

[Peregrine_Falcon]

Asalam alaycum,

Hello i'm new this forum, and i would firstly like to congratulate the brothers and sisters who have set up this forum and post regularly as it has helped my understanding of islam and made me more politically aware Jazakallah Khairun.

Excuse my ignorance in asking this question, but why is wrong to set up clergy in islam? and what are the islamic evidences against having clergy isnt having scholars the same as clergy?

Islam never established a clergy system. It did not exist during the time of the Prophet (SAW) nor in the time of the Sahaba or the succeeding generations. If someone wants to claim otherwise they need to present evidence for their claim.

Islam made all Muslims equal and responsible for establishing the commands and prohibitions of Allah, essentially making every Muslim the guardians of the Deen. "The believers, men and women, are Auliyâ' (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma'rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islâm has forbidden); they perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât) and give the Zakât, and obey Allâh and His Messenger. Allâh will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise." [At-Taubah 9:71]

Further, there are many verses in the Qur'an that call upon the Muslims without distinguishing them "O you who believe!". No distinction is made in Sharia with regards to clergies. There is not a single verse where Allah addresses "Oh the clerics!" or "Oh the scholars!"

If one was to call for the establishment of a clerical system, one would need to provide the evidence that such thing is permitted in Islam.

The notion of a Mujtahid is not the same as a cleric as all Muslims should seek to derive the Islamic rules directly from the sources. Ones reliance on a Mujtahid is determined by ones level of (or lack of) knowledge.

"So ask the People of Knowledge if you do not know" [Surah 21:7]
However, this asking those people of knowledge is subject to the individual who is asking verifying that what he is following is indeed from the deen of Allah and the correct opinion. And this is done by asking for the evidences.

"They have taken their rabbis and priests as lords other than God" [5:31] This ayah was explained by the Messenger of Allah (saw), as reported by Tirmidhi on the authority of Adi bin Hatim who was a Christian before accepting Islam. Adi who had just accepted Islam, heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) recite the above ayat. He objected, "They do not worship their priests." The Prophet (saw) replied, "Whatever their priests and rabbis call permissible, they accept as permissible; whatever they declare as forbidden, they consider as forbidden, and thus they worship them."

"O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allâh and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination."[4:59]
In this verse Allah makes it clear that obedience is to Allah and his Messenger, and obedience to any other is subject to Allah and his Messenger "...if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger (SAW)...".

Thus, Islam makes it clear there is no authority higher than the believer.

[Peregrine_Falcon]

http://atheism.about.com/library/glossary/islam/bldef_islamicclergy.htm

In Islam the clergy thing is restricted to the "Shia".

"Actual clergy are more a product of Shi'a Islam than of Sunni Islam. Religious leaders of Shi'a Islam start out with the numerous mullahs, who in general possess only rudimentary religious education.

The next step on the ladder are the mujtahids, a relatively small body of religious scholars. Most of whom are also accorded the title of hojjatoleslam."

Finally there are a small number of the most learned and pious of the mujtahids, who are given the title of ayatollah.

Which lends to the weight there are moves to create the same amongst the "Sunnis" as a means of controlling and manipulating the other 80% or so Muslims.

[truthfinder]

Jazakallah kair brothers, for the evidences and the reasoning as to why we don't have clergy in Islam. I was also thinking along the same lines that it is something which exists in christianity and the shia, and what they wish to include in sunni islam, but i wanted to hear the views of others.

I suppose it is part of the attempted 'reformation' of islam by its enemies adding concepts 'clergy', 'concentrate on yourself', 'dont go too deep into the religion' etc. so that the general muslims remain ignorant and thus declined.

[Baatil_Ka_Kaatil]

Salaam

A clergy in the Christian or Jewish sense of the word means a group of people that determine what is halal and haraam and continousally change the original message of their religion. One example of this is when a group of Christian scholars got together and decided to vote on whether or not Isa (as) Nouzobillah is God or the son of God.

However in Shia Islam you have Mujtahids which then have people doing Taqleed of them which literally means immitation and this is not a clergy like the Jews or Christians but rather they are a group of Mujtahids and nothing more. People who immitate them simply look for fatwa's released by them which deal with new issues and the Ayatollah's or Mullah's cannot change what is halal and haraam. However they can derive sharia from Quran and Sunnah and are allowd to pass judgement on new issues just like any other Mujtahid.

[Muslim]

Update 9.25.07: List of signatories missed in the first issuance, added below. .

In the Name of Allah, the Ever-Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy


All Praise is due to Allah, and may the salutations of Allah be upon the Beloved Messenger.


Alhamdulillah, a very blessed and important step was recently taken by a number of du`aat and students of knowledge in the Western world. This was done in order to achieve a more cooperative spirit and foster a greater degree of harmony amongst Sunni Muslims. A mention of this momentous event was made in another MM post here.

The attached ‘Pledge of Mutual Respect and Cooperation’, signed by people of diverse theological backgrounds, all of whom have historically used the label of Ahl al-Sunnah (or ‘Sunni’ for short), is intended to be a guideline for mutual interaction (a modus vivendi of sorts), primarily for themselves, and also for those who might look to them for guidance.

Primarily, it states that:

- The fundamental issues of creed, as embodied in the famous Hadeeth of Jibreel, are simple, and it is not a requirement of Islam that every single Muslim be cognizant of the more abstruse issues of theology.

- The situation and times we live in warrants an even more concerted effort to achieve unity amongst Muslims, and avoid splintering to the greatest extent possible.

- Disputations of more complex issues of theology need to be conducted by people who are trained in these sciences, and not by lay-Muslims. Additionally, even when such discussions take place, they should be done in accordance with proper Islamic etiquette.

- No charges of takfeer should be labeled against other Sunni groups or scholars, and neither should the motives or character of those who profess alternate theologies within Sunni Islam be impugned due to their allegiance to that theology.

- Individual Muslims should, to the greatest extent possible, respect the local scholars of the community, and not engage in rash actions that might polarize the community or lead to further strife. There are proper ways of handling differences of opinion – even theological ones.

- Lay-Muslims, especially the youth (i.e., college level) should avoid getting passionately involved in intra-Sunni polemics, whether on campus or online, as this inevitably leads to the splintering of an already fragile local community.

- At an individual level, all Muslims should strive to come closer to Allah through increased acts of worship, and at a community level they should come together in order to counter any and all negative and false images of Islam.

The last paragraph is also an important disclaimer. All of the parties that have signed on to this document identify themselves as being from the tradition of Sunni Islam. And it is an undeniable historical reality that this label has been used by a number of diverse, and at times contradictory, theological groups, for the last thousand years of Islam. I personally have no qualms considering these groups within the broad fold of Sunni Islam. What combines these various strands (for example, the veneration of all of the Companions of the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and a sincere attempt to understand and implement the Prophetic Sunnah as preserved in the Sunni canonical traditions such as the Saheehs al-Bukhari and Muslim, amongst other issues) is much greater than what disunites them, especially vis-à-vis other groups. That being said, there are indeed, as the document states, some serious and legitimate differences within these various strands. And it is my personal conviction that the purest theology is that of the first three generations of Islam; it is these generations that we should seek to emulate. The pious predecessors of these generations freed themselves from the dialectic theology known as the science of kalaam, and from the theological positions that were derived from this science. And this is something that I too hold to, and consider Sunni Islam at that pure and blessed stage to have been nothing other than the beliefs of these pious predecessors. It is important to stress, however, that the purpose of this pledge is not to vindicate or justify one ideology over another. These differences have existed within Sunni Islam (in the broad sense of the term) for the last twelve centuries, and the fact of the matter is that, barring some sort of Divine Intervention, it does not appear that these difference will leave us any time soon. Therefore there needs to be a more pragmatic and realistic attempt at cooperation, one that retains our traditionalisms and respects our historical traditions, yet at the same time takes into account the context of our current political and social situation.

No doubt there will be those who will find fault with this agreement. Some might read in phrases or ideas that are not present. Others will not be satisfied with the wording of the document, viewing it as either too liberal and encompassing, or too narrow and strict. But it is not meant to satisfy everyone, for that is not its purpose (and nor is it a feasible goal!). Rather, the document is nothing more than an expression of a shared conviction that all the signatories feel very strongly about. Those who disagree have the right to do so – it is not being forced on anyone. But it is hoped from those who look up to some of the signatories and take knowledge from them, that they might take an example from this collective stance and be more proactive with other groups and organizations. Having said that, there will always be extremisms on all sides, especially amongst over-zealous, under-experienced youth. What is desired, though, is that such extremism not find a voice amongst authentic and respected scholarship.

On a personal note, I am very happy that Allah blessed me to be a part of this process from its very inception. Although I am very passionate about the specific theological doctrines that I hold to be correct (and all those whom I’ve had the privilege to teach can attest to that), I believe that there is a time, a place, an audience and a methodology for dealing with such issues. And I also believe that such issues need to be put into perspective, taking into account our local, national, and international situation. Even if I disagree with some specific theological doctrines of other signatories, I am proud to call all of them my brothers in faith; I am always honored to be in their company; I am eager to further my relationship with them; I sense a genuine spirit of Islamic brotherhood whilst amongst them; I wish the best for them and their da`wah; I am desirous to benefit from their wisdom and knowledge; and I consider myself the least amongst them in piety and taqwa.

In this blessed month of Ramadhan, I pray that this pledge helps in bringing about a renewed sense of optimism, and fosters greater unity, amongst us all. No doubt other steps need to be taken, but insha Allah this is a blessed and necessary first step.

Yasir Qadhi
Download document - Pledge of Mutual Respect and Cooperation (pdf)

Please also see AE’s background post

Co-signers include (MM’s on-board Islamic Specialists highlighted):

Abdelrahman Helbawi, Abdul Karim Khalil, Abdullah Adhami, Abdurraheem Green, Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera, Abu Aaliyah Surkheel Sharif, Abu Eesa Niamatullah, Aisha Faleh AlThani,, Asma Mirza, Cheikhna B. Bayyah, Dawood Yasin, Ebadur Rahman, Faraz Rabbani, Fuad Nahdi, Gul Mohammad, Haitham al-Haddad, Hamza Yusuf, Hasan al-Banna, Ibrahim Osi-Efa, Jihad Hashim Brown, M. Abdul Latif Finch, M. Afifi al-Akiti, Mehdi Kader, Mokhtar Maghroui, Muhammad Alshareef, Muhammad Ash-Shaybani ,Muhammad ibn Adam, Omar Qureshi, S. Abdal-Hakim Jackson, Shamira Chothia Ahmed, Siddique Abdullah, Suhaib Webb, Tahir Anwar, Talal Al-Azem, Tanveer Hussain , Tawfique Chowdhury, Usama Canon, Usama Hasan, Walead Mosaad, Yahya Rhodus, Yasir Qadhi, and Zaid Shakir.

UPDATE to SIGNATORIES: The following names were missed from the original list of signatories and will be likely added in the next update: Yaser Birjas, Mohammed Faqih, Waleed Basyouni

[abujamal]

Salaam

A clergy in the Christian or Jewish sense of the word means a group of people that determine what is halal and haraam and continousally change the original message of their religion. One example of this is when a group of Christian scholars got together and decided to vote on whether or not Isa (as) Nouzobillah is God or the son of God.

However in Shia Islam you have Mujtahids which then have people doing Taqleed of them which literally means immitation and this is not a clergy like the Jews or Christians but rather they are a group of Mujtahids and nothing more. People who immitate them simply look for fatwa's released by them which deal with new issues and the Ayatollah's or Mullah's cannot change what is halal and haraam. However they can derive sharia from Quran and Sunnah and are allowd to pass judgement on new issues just like any other Mujtahid.

Shias actually do have a clergy setup with the Grand Ayatollah being at the top of the hierarchy and to disobey them is tantamount to disobeying Allah. It was the likes of Ayatollah Sistani which pacified the Muslims in the south to American occupation and instead ordered them to collaborate with the Americans.

If it was not for this clergy mentality, the people would have rejected Sistanis position but they did/could not.

[BLOOD_THIRSTY]

is this the reason why the majority of shia's arent fighting the occupation in iraq???
as far as i know the shia's are actually collaborating with the americans and not fighting the occupation because their ayotollah's have tld them not to....

[abujamal]

is this the reason why the majority of shia's arent fighting the occupation in iraq???
as far as i know the shia's are actually collaborating with the americans and not fighting the occupation because their ayotollah's have tld them not to....

If their clergy instructed them otherwise, then the Americans could not have survived this long in Iraq. This clergy mentality, which they want to introduce to the rest of Muslims would allow them to control Muslims at large in the same way.