- | Monday, 09 May 2016 12:15
Points of contention
Although the film does shy away from some of the more sensitive and controversial points of contention between the two groups, such as the question of succession of leadership after the death of Prophet Muhammad or the practice of self-flagellation by some Shias - which most Sunnis balk at - Elsoundani does identify the fact that one issue that seems to have driven an increasingly concrete wedge between the two groups is the practice, by some Shias, of cursing the companions and wives of the Prophet Muhammad. This is a source of great pain and anguish to Sunnis who hold those individuals in extremely high esteem.
To address this point, the girls interviewed Sheikh Arif Abdul Hussain, director of the Al-Mahdi Institute in Birmingham, and asked him if this practice of cursing the companions and wives of the Prophet is in fact religiously prescribed and sanctioned in Shiasm.
“This is a false belief and an innovation," he responds. "How can cursing make a person Muslim?... If cursing brings about bloodshed, animosity, war, hatred, then how can that at all be associated with a religion that is supposed to be revealed from God?”
Asked by Sofia if this practice is therefore an understandable source of division between the two groups, he goes on to say: “At present there are practises that have become religion for both the sects that are causing these conflicts. So for example, Shias feel that they need to maybe defame the Sahaba (companions) and the wives of the Prophet. It is not that it is a part of the Shia faith. Ali (the Prophet's nephew and son-in-law) respected the Sahaba, his contemporaries, they respected the wives of the Prophet."
Finally, when asked if he believes if unity among Muslims is possible, he answers without hesitation, "absolutely, absolutely".
Political or religious division?
Several of the people interviewed, including British politician George Galloway, indicated that the tensions are related far more to politics than theological differences.
Galloway pointed out that intermarriage between Shias and Sunnis was at one point extremely common in Iraq and Syria and is evidence of the fact that there was not always sectarian hostility between the two groups. He argued that "those who wish to destroy" countries like Syria and Iraq, are the ones causing the rift.
"Outsiders who invaded Iraq and occupied it, deliberately widened the differences between Sunni and Shia for their own ends. They wanted to keep Iraqis divided so that they could steal... steal Iraq's oil, steal Iraq's money, it's wealth and it's future. Of course there are differences between Sunni and Shia, and there have always been, but in Iraq people never fought each other [over] these things. In fact, intermarriage with Sunnis and Shias... joining their families together, was very common in Iraq. Much less common now."
Galloway also maintained that the same thing is now happening in Syria. "Those who wish to destroy Syria are making the tension between Sunnis and Shia much worse, and they hope, by dividing the Syrian people, to steal Syria away from them."
A similar point was also made by Dr Anas al-Tikriti, CEO of the Cordoba Foundation. Asked if he agrees that the issue is more political than religious, Dr Tikriti said: “I think that most conflicts, whether it’s between Sunnis and Shias or Muslims and Christians or Muslims and Jews, are political not religious."
"People like to make them look like they are religious because when you say that ‘my argument with you is about who is more religious,’ I will manage to get more and more supporters because most people... they want to be on the side of God. So when you say this fight of mine is religious, a lot of people will come and join... It’s not about religion. It’s ultimately about politics,” he added.
One further point was hammered home throughout the documentary. Again and again, Sofia would ask people: “What drives extremism?” and each time the responses centred around a “lack of education”, “ignorance”, “lack of wisdom” and a “lack of understanding”.
Example of coexistence
The documentary ends with the two sisters meeting a family in which the wife, Dr Yusra Al-Mukhtar, is Shia, and the husband, Al-Hassan Yasin, is Sunni. When asked what that makes their son, the husband, Yasin answered, “I guess it makes him Muslim, which is the way we agreed to raise him. We decided that we wouldn’t want to label him one thing or another."
With regards to their daily lives and how their different beliefs manifest themselves, they responded, “The commonalities are far more than the differences”.
The youngest of the sisters, Sofia, seemed relieved to have met a functional, harmonious and loving mixed faith family saying, “We can finally sleep in peace knowing that such families exist.”
A bond of love and respect is vital
Asked if any of her views on the subject have changed as a result of the filming process, Elsoudani explained that she "saw some really extreme views on both sides," but insisted "I truly believe that people have the right to be whatever they want and that we can all be united in spite of our differences. So no, my views have not changed."
"My overall message is that you should be able to practice your religion however you want to practice it - according to what you believe - but you must still have a bond of love and respect between you and others. How can so many Muslims get along with people from different faith groups and yet when it comes to people from their own faith, but of a slightly different persuasion - they often can't handle it?"
"It's too easy now for both Sunnis and Shias to call the other Kaffirs (disbelievers) and that's really sad and disappointing. It's a form of arrogance, but it breaks my heart."
Despite some nasty emails she has received in response to her film, she says this has not put her off. She focuses instead on those who have welcomed her project and embraced the message, if not of unity, then at least of the urgent need for more acceptance of the "other".
Elsoudani is in the middle of negotiating the rights to the film with various TV channels, but in the meantime, the film is being shown at numerous film festivals around the world.
Hanan Chehata
Middle East Eye
4-5-2016