It is likely you have learnt to think Islam as a faith in division, a people split by a schism as old as time … it could not be farther from the truth. In all fairness, one could argue that this infamous schism Riyadh has been so keen on highlighting only really exist in the minds of a bigot clergy, whose understanding of Islam is anchored in exclusionism.

Islam you see is One. One God, One Message, One Prophethood, One Testimony of Faith so that Creation would learn Unity in the Divine. And while many have been the roads, voices, and fashions of people to undertake that journey, God has remained immovable and absolute in His Truth – altogether outside time, and time itself.

And yes there are various schools of thoughts in Islam, and some identify as Shia, Sunni or Sufi; but such labelling only speaks of Islam pluralism, and man’s free-will in adopting that he feels more incline to. Let us remember that in religion there can be no compulsion, and that Guidance ultimately lies with God.

Today it is the Shia of Ali, the followers of the First Imam of Islam who most of all have borne the brunt of Wahhabism’s wrath, on account this one people’s allegiance has always been to that the Prophet Muhammad spoke in Ghadir and which even Sunni Islam’s most revered scholar: Bukhari, immortalised in his collection of hadiths:

“O people, certainly I am a human being. I am about to receive a messenger from my Rubb and I, in response to Allah’s Call, but I am leaving among you two weighty things: the Book of Allah, in which there is a right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it … The second are the members of my family [Ahl-ul-Bayt], I remind you of your duties to the members of my family.”

There lies Islam’s grand dispute – there lies Wahhabism’s fear …

If the Qur’an remains the Word spoken, Ahl-ul-Bayt is the Word enacted – one is the rule, and the other the guidance. One cannot be complete without the other, just like the law cannot be divorced from the spirit of the law.

It is context, and wisdom Ahl-ul-Bayt offered, and their appointment was not their own … It is maybe this affront many could not come to term with. Maybe the siren call of power was much too great to be refused … Whatever it was, History tells us that al-Muhammad [Ahl-ul-Bayt] and their followers [Shia] have always suffered the greatest of persecution for the allegiance they refused to break.

If you must speak schism, then speak of Ahl-ul-Bayt’s denied legitimacy, speak of those Imams who, for they carried the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad were martyred where they stood – sacrificed to men of ambition and greed.

It is Islam’s History, this Tradition, this Truth, this House, Wahhabism has declared war to, and in its insanity chose to obliterate all traces off, so that none would ever contest their claim on religious sanctity.

In the process, it is the World Religious Heritage which has been exploded away. Maybe soon the world will learn that Islam’s stand is with all the prophets of God, and all manners of people, without judgment or oppression.

Let me take you back in time, back when the Prophet of Islam still walked among man so that maybe they would learn to rise dignified in submission.

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The pilgrimage of 631 CE was to be the Prophet’s last and he was accompanied by many of his followers who were most dear to him. There, at his side was of course his most trusted confident, ally and for all intents and purposes, son – Imam ‘Ali, forever the loyal companion and lieutenant, husband to one of Islam’s most distinguished and loved woman: Lady Fatimah, and father to two grand Islamic heroes and champions: Imam Hussein and Imam Hassan

When prophet Muhammad completed all the rituals of hajj and after the pilgrims began the journey home, there, at the camp of Ghadir Khumm, the Prophet revealed one of the last verses of the Qur’an: “O Messenger of God, make known what has been revealed to you from your Lord, for if you do not, you will not have conveyed His message. God will protect you from mankind. Lo, God guide not the unbelieving folk.”

Prophet Muhammad then gave a sermon onto the people which has defined and in many ways scarred the Muslim community as its reach and implications became most clear upon the death of the last prophet of God, when many saw an opportunity to challenge order for a grand power-grab.

As he stood before the people, and maybe because he had been given words of his imminent death prophet Muhammad singled out ‘Ali from the rest of the people and said:

“Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?”

To which the people answered: “Yes, O Messenger of God.”

The Prophet went on: “For whoever I am his Leader, Ali is his Leader. O God, be a friend to whoever he [Ali] befriends and an enemy of whomever he takes as an enemy.”

Some clerics have argued that the Prophet was referring to the leadership of the Bani Hashim when he appointed ‘Ali as his successor and not that of the Ummah. This debate of course has been the fountainhead of many debates and violent disputes since a commandment from God’s prophet equates to a Divine order – and who would be so foolish as to deny God when he calls on humanity to follow and obey?

For the Shia- the people of ‘Ali, the sermon of Ghadir Khumm was a defining moment in history as it sealed the belief that spiritual authority is passed down by a formal designation – just as it had been done by the Prophet when he appointed ‘Ali as his heir.

Shia which literally means a group of followers is being referred to in the Qur’an many times when relating to the followers of previous prophets, namely Ibrahim and Moses.