Essay on Sunni Creed and Zaydi Creed

Both Muslims irrespective of their inclinations are in agreement that the absolute religious conviction of Allah is the Islam, and the single most perfect way of knowing Islam is by the use of the manuscript of Allah which is the Quran and sunnah of the holy prophet without any deletion or addition. The difference comes from the interpretation of various verses in the Quran plus in not believing or believing that part of sunnah as being sincere in its elucidation. The differences in the approach have led to the differing of the basic ideologies and some decrees of the Islamic religion. The essay, therefore, seeks to compare and contrast the Sunni creed and the Zaydi creed.

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Both the Sunni and the Zaydi belief that Muhammad is the last clairvoyant and that Allah will one day resuscitate all the mortal beings in which all shall be quizzed about their actions and beliefs. They both agree that any person who opts not to believe in the above elementary principles of Islam is non-Muslim. Further, they are in agreement that any individual who denies the tenets of Islam like the swam, salat, zakat and the hajj or believing that famous sins such as adultery, drinking of wine, murder, gambling, and lie are not ills is therefore never a Muslim even though he or she may have been believer in Allah and Muhammad as his clairvoyant. The denial of things like the prophet hood of Muhammad and his divine laws (Shariah) are against Islam (Halverson).

Significant contrasts exist between the Sunni and Zaydi Muslim. The difference is depicted in the subjects which they are not in agreement. Even though many people believe that that the major issues rest with leadership which arose after the death of the prophet, there are major differences that result from their teachings (Watt). All this is as a result of various leaders who instruct various methods of approaches to distinct issues.

Person of God

The Sunni scholars belief that Allah embraces a body which is not the normal human body. According to the Sahih al-Bukhari, the Arabic-English version, 9.532s its traditions describe God that he contains an insignia in His Shin of which he put the Shin on hell, and when he does uncover His leg (Shin), then persons will identify Him. Tradition 9.604 and 9.510 elucidates that Allah has fingers. It is believed that the body parts of God are a physical unit and Allah is decisively accommodated in His throne. However, most Sunnis (Asharites) have no interpretation of the face, leg, and hand as being the physical organs but have a belief that Allah embraces a hand, face, and leg which they indicate they do not discern how.

The Zaydi family believe resolutely that Allah does not embrace a face, nor fingers, nor legs, nor a body. They believe that Allah is one unique being and there is no one like Him for He is seeing, eternal, living, hearing, omnipotent, omnipresent and is above all needs. Regarding form, substance, body, form, accident, line, surface, heaviness, lightness, color, movement, rest, space nor time, He can never be described. To them, all the descriptions which can be applied to elucidate his form, He is above them. They believe that He is away from both the extremes, but He is existent in a form not like other prevailing things (Halverson).

According to the Zaydi creed, there are sections in the Quran which attribute words used such as limbs to the being of God, nonetheless conferring to the Zaydi imam's interpretation, their use is symbolic and metaphorical and not in the literal sense. Verse 28.88 of the Quran depicts that everything is mortal except His person.

Seeing of Allah

As an upshot of the direct above-stated difference, the Sunni scholars have believe that seeing of Allah is possible. To some, he can be viewed in this world and the worlds after. Other also depict that he can only be seen in the hereafter. According to Tradition 9.530-532, God can be seen, and He does change His looks so as to be renown by the people. However, the Zaydis belief that God cannot be seen anywhere physically since he does not embrace a body and because in the Quran 6:103, it is said that sight cannot reach Him. The Sunni scholars provide verse 7; 22-23 from the Quran as their proof which elucidates that on the Day of Judgment, some of the faces will be fresh and eyeing towards their Lord. According to the interpretation of the Zayd, the verse elucidates that they shall be looking towards the sanctification of Allah (Watt).

Aspects of Allah

The Zaydi belief that the aspects of Allah may be placed into two distinctive groups. The first designates His person while the second designates His actions. The Sunnis have no significant distinction, but they elucidate that His characteristics are Eternal.

Place of Purpose in Religion

The paramount and most significant distinction amongst Sunnis and the Zaydis is the purpose in religion (Betts). The Zaydis postulate that there are real demerit and merit in the different courses of actions irrespective of the religious commandments and due to a good thing which is noble which makes God remit it and is due to the wickedness of the other that God prohibits it. The notion is denied by the Sunni scholars as they indicate that nonentity is evil or good in itself. It is only that which God has instructed us in the good and that which he has prohibited us is sinful. If God prohibits a thing, it is bad. On the variance of attitude concerning the point of purpose within the religion, Zaydis belief that God does not act aimlessly or without purpose and all His deeds are utterly based on intelligent purpose and wisdom. According to the Sunnis, God can act aimlessly (Watt).

Gods Promises

Based on the position of Zaydis on Grace and Justice, they postulate that anything which has been promised by God as a reward for hard work will be fulfilled by Him but that which He has foreshadowed to be punishment for the bad work done, it will be upon His judgment (Betts). If it happens that He does impose penance, it shall be by His righteousness but if it happens that He absolves, it shall be in accordance to His Loveliness. The Sunnis say that there is certainly no integral demerit in any deed of whatever God will decide to pass.

Even though considerable differences exist between the Zaydis and the Sunnis, they both agree on the existence of Allah. That is the most important factor, and we all need to act according to His ways so as to receive eternal life on His coming.

Works Cited

Betts, Robert Brenton. The Sunni-Shi'a Divide: Islam's Internal Divisions and Their Global Consequences. Washington, D.C.: University of Nebraska Press, 2013. Discovery eBooks. Web. 2 Nov. 2016.

Halverson, Jeffry R. Theology and Creed in Sunni Islam: The Muslim Brotherhood, Ash'arism, and Political Sunnism. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Discovery eBooks. Web. 2 Nov. 2016.

Watt, W. Montgomery. Creeds: Islamic Creeds. n.p.: Gale, 2005. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2 Nov. 2016.