Saudishia.com - 29 / 5 / 2010 - 12:25 pm

"Sectarianism; Politics and Religion" is a book by Sheikh Hasan Alsaffar, a distinctive Shiite religious leader from Saudi Arabia, and published by Arab Culture Center. In this book, Alsaffar explains that the sectarian dilemma in all communities is promoted through two major factors; politics and religion.

He believes that the first factor is represented through adopting sectarian discrimination policy between citizens, and escalating cases of sectarian disputes for political purposes. As for the religious factor, he says that it is represented through sectarian religious discourse which focuses on dissimilarities between sects, and constantly recalls history to incite each sect against the other.

Sheikh Alsaffar indicates that both factors; religion and politics, highly increase the level of sectarian disputes in different nations. Therefore, all groups and individuals should work on promoting unity and coexistence.

In one of the book's chapters, Alsaffar mentions reasons of sectarianism and ways of eliminating them. He confirms the necessity of fulfilling the gaps to prevent foreign attempts from stirring sectarian disputes. He points that those gaps can be handled through expanding horizons of political participations, suppressing discrimination policies, preventing the culture of sectarian incitement and avoiding social alienation.

Alsaffar discussed the return of some concepts that were absent for ages like human rights, women rights, democracy, freedom and pluralism s well as unity, openness and rapprochement between religious and ideological sects. He mentions some problems that face the process of rapprochement that are provoked by conservatives.

He stresses the importance of social solidarity which is one of the most prominent principles in Islam.  He, also, confirms the necessity of coexistence between religious sects for confronting the contemporary challenges and achieving national unity and stability.

The second chapter of the book includes several examples for direct rapprochements. It presents Alsaffar's calls and speeches in various national and international conferences such as the International Conference of Islamic Unity in Tehran, Iran, and the World Conference on Honoring Imam Sharaf-Addin in Beirut, Lebanon.

The last chapter offers Sheikh Alsaffar's interviews in different newspapers, magazines and websites over various issues that concern Muslims World. Some of the most significant issues discussed were religious extremism, initiatives for sects' rapprochements and Muslims' unity, discrimination between Saudi citizens in certain fields and dangers that Muslims world confronts.