Indeed, religious sectarianism, coupled with relentless political disputes and fights, as well as intellectual stupor, was the raison d’être for the Muslim cultural and civilization degeneration and fall.

So long as Muslims remained weak, disoriented and placid under the yoke of Western imperialism — such denoting an effect so favorable to the West and its expansionist ambitions — nobody really cared about the causes most responsible for the creation of the former.

And why anybody should, potentially creating unnecessary troubles and stirring up a hornet’s nest in the process, for hostilities and violence would have never begotten peace and progress under the circumstances, neither for the Western imperialists and colonizers, nor for their Muslim victims.

However, as Muslims started showing some serious and so, worrisome signs of a cultural and civilizational regeneration and rebirth, turning the tables on their subjugators and other out-and-out enemies, the most devastating weapon against Muslims had to be resurrected and optimally used. That weapon was intense religious sectarianism in general, and Sunni-Shi’ah fallings-out and conflicts in particular.

As a result of this, mainly, today’s Muslims are so weakened and torn apart that they dwell on the verge of a total civilizational collapse.

Most of us are victims of that ungodly conspiracy. Without realizing, many of us nonetheless actively participate in the suicidal crusade. Just examine your views, statements and, if necessary, actions as regards someone from “the other side” of Islam’s wide spectrum.

We have fallen into a trap set by Islam’s and Muslims’ enemies, failing to leap out and think as well as act freely and objectively. How we treat each other through thick and thin is not what Islam and its Prophet Muhammad teach us.

Deliberately compromising and jeopardizing in any way – even by a word, or silent approval — the most invaluable Islamic principles and values, such as brotherhood, unity, justice, compassion, forgiveness, kindness, safety, security, a culture of spiritual and intellectual excellence, the sacredness of human — especially Muslim — life, blood, property and dignity, is not to be associated with a nominal, much less honorable and righteous, Muslim.

While the modern Sunni-Shi’ah conflicts rage, threatening to consume us all, many Muslim governments — principally in the Middle East — are proving utterly debilitated and hopeless, which hardly spells a surprise when everything is taken into consideration.

So appalling are their decisions and actions that one often wonders if they are there to serve, or destroy, the interests of Islam and Muslims. Over and over again, such people of power and influence generate as much damage to the wellbeing of Muslims as their Western and even Israeli counterparts do; yet sometimes maybe more.

That is why, by the letter of the Quran and Sunnah, hypocrites and traitors are the worst categories of people, capable of causing most damage to the community as they act from within. Their moves are hardly predictable and hence, difficult to counter.

This Muslim governmental and institutional disgraceful ineptness notwithstanding, the ordinary Muslims and Muslim silent majorities ought to do something. Silence and inaction are no longer an option.

We must bear in mind that one day we will all have to stand alone in front of Almighty Allah and answer to Him what we in our diverse capacities have done during these perhaps most testing, painful and frustrating times. It might not be much, but doing nothing should not be considered acceptable anymore, for it plays into the hands of evil protagonists.

Some people will have to be held accountable on the Day of Judgment for shedding endlessly innocent Muslim blood, for continuous brutal confiscation and destruction of Muslim properties, lives and dreams, and for ceaselessly humiliating and disgracing Muslim honor, dignity, character and all their consecrated principles, practices, institutions, places and symbols.

Make certain you are not one of them. Start doing something and be prepared to give answers to Allah, your Master, about your ideas, initiatives, words and actions amid this unprecedented fitnah (trial and a state of trouble or chaos). Any direct or indirect, major or minor involvement and contribution, and in any manner whatsoever, will be bitterly regretted.

You can order the author’s book The Origins of the Concepts of Shi’ism and Sunnism.

Read Part 3