If there wasn’t a theory there already about that, then here is one … conscious categorization of people into groups and names leads to self-isolation and further defragmentation of society. Now, let's take that into action. Well.. I did last week!
Along with some friends, we had some intellect discussions that led to more "self-identification" and, for sure, other's alienation… It felt weird. We went on in streets practicing categorization of people.
"Hey, there is a Salafi there," "the sheikh we heard this morning was tableegh we daawah;" and the list went on … Strange enough, it went so far as to categorizing people through their voices! & that was awkward. "That man calling the prayer sounds like a Salafi, they have this style in Athan." At that point I realized that it was useful or even fun no more.
As the theory states, now, in a predominately Muslim country one can feel internal isolation as long as he/she is not present in between the small group he identified himself with. An Ikhwani, a "good genuine" one, would feel isolated in a community of religious fellow Muslims for the simple fact that they are "Salafis," for example, and vise versa. And the list goes on.
Out of the top of my mind I can name four Muslim Sunni groups in the community I live in. Each group would tell you why he thinks he is "the" right one and the other ones are totally out of the "right path."
Even more, following the same logic, one can isolated himself from the group he is in. You can hardly find two people that have the same taste or way of understanding.
Let Us Agree
Let us agree on one thing, Sunni Muslims no matter how different they are, they have that big common background that unites them. Consequences that would result from the categorization process, other than self-isolation, are massive and grave. Unity is strength … Muslims are already weak facing the foreign enemies, there is no need to further create more internal enemies.
Unity among Muslims isn’t that easy to talk about … I guess that is to be continued..
