WHY ARE MUSLIMS DIVIDED INTO SECTS/ DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT?

Question
When Muslims follow one and the same Qur’an, then why are there so many sects and different schools of thoughts among Muslims?

Answer)
1)Muslims should be united.
It is a fact that Muslims today, are divided amongst themselves. This tragedy is that such divisions are not endorsed by Islam at all. Islam believes in fostering unity amongst its followers.

The Glorious Qur’an says:

“ And hold fast,
All together, by the rope
Which Allah ( stretches out for you),
And be not divided among yourselves:”
( al-Imran 3: 103)

All Muslims should follow the Qur’an and authentic Ahadith and be not divided among themselves.

2) it is prohibited to make sects and division in Islam.
The Glorious Qur’an says:

“ As for those who divide , The religion and break up
Into sects, thou hast, No part in them in the least,
Their affair is with Allah, He will in the end
Tell them truth of all that they did.”

( Al-An'am 6: 159)

In this verse, Allah s.w.t says that one should disassociate oneself from those who divide their religion and break it up into sects.

But when one asks Muslim, “ what are you?”, the common answer is either ‘I am sunni or I’m shia’h. some call themselves Hanafi or Shafi’e or Maliki or Hanbali.

3) Our Prophet was a Muslim.
One may ask such Muslims, “ What was our beloved prophet (pbuh)? Was he a Hanafi or a Shafi’e or a Hanbali or a Maliki?” No! He was a Muslim, like all the other prophets and messengers of Allah before him.

It is mentioned in chapter 3 verse 67, Al-Quran says that Ibrahim (pbuh) was not a Jew or a Christian but was a Muslim.
4) Quran says call yourselves Muslim
If anyone poses a Muslim the question what are you, he should say “ I’m a MUSLIM, not Hanafi or a Shafi’e”. Surah al Fussilat chapter 41 verse 33 says:

“ Who is better in speech ,Than one who calls ( men)
To Allah, works righteousness And says, I am those who bow in Islam ( Muslim)?”
( Fussilat 41: 33)

The Prophet (pbuh) dictated letters to non-Muslim kings and rulers inviting them to accept Islam. In these letters, he mentioned the verse of the Quran from Surah Ali Imran chapter 3 verse 64:

Says : “ Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims ( bowing to Allah’s will).”

(Al-Imran 3:64)

5. Respect all the Great Scholars of Islam
We must respect all the great scholars of Islam, including the four Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam As-Shafi’e, Imam Ibn Hanbal and Imam Malik ( May Allah be pleased wth them all). They were great scholars and may Allah reward them for their research and hard work. One can have no objection if someone agrees with the views ang research of Imam Abu Hanifah or Imam Shafi’e etc. but when posed the question, ‘what are you?’, the reply should only be ‘ I’m a Muslim’.

6. Some may argue by quoting the hadith of our beloved Prophet from Sunan Abu Daud Hadith No. 4579. In this hadith the Prophet ( pbuh) is reported to have said, “ My community will be split up into seventhy-three sects.”

This hadith reports that the Prophet predicted the emergence of seventhy-three sects. He did not say that Muslims should be active in diving themselves inti sects. The Quran commands us not to creat sects. Those who follow the teaching of the Quran and Sahih Hadith and do not creat sects are the people who are on the true path.

According to the Tarmizi Hadith no. 171 the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said,
“ My Umma will be fragmented into seventhy-three sects and all of them will be in Hellfire except one sect.” The companions asked Allah’s messenger which group that would be. When upon he replied: “ It is the one to which I and my companions belong.”

::Passage from the book “20 Most Common Questions About Islam”by Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik