Good Books on Islamic History

[tatheer]

I Am Just A Student Of Islamic History Being Non Muslim I Love All Prophets. I Am Really Impress By Mohammed. But I Am Too Confused About History. Please Guide Me Boook On Islam Written By Neutral Writters. Please Also Tell Is There Any Common Ground Where Sunni And Shia Differences Can Be Resolved.
Thanks
Tatheer

[AbdulHakam1]

Sunni and Shia differences cannot be resolved too much. The Sunnis could take a better position on Muawiyah, cause he definitly was WRONG, but they refrain from that due to the general status of the Sahabah. This was necessary to maintain the probity of the Sahabah. They could also recognize that some of the transmissions from the family of the Prophet (saaw) were probably lost due to the Shia fitnah and how protective we had to be. Ijtihaad could be re-opened and the tradition understood better in context.

The Shias could recognize that they were never the original Islam but a group who broke off with a different opinion on some issues, and kept evolving with differences. They could recognize the essential dualism that exists in regard to destiny and stop denying destiny 100% as well as to stop saying Allah doesn't know everything. They could retract their takfeer on the Sahabah and be more rational about that, like the Zaydi Shia. There are many things, but basically they could realize that Sunni Islam is absolutely the way of the main body and that if they want to differ they would have to do so as a minority Sunni group. Thats really the bottom line. Are they expected to do that? No not at all. This fitnah has went on too long and people in general follow their desires and guesses.

So there can't be resolution by compromise and resolution by way of accepting the truth isnt likely. So they need to establish peace treaties and agree to be separate and maybe cooperate on some things. Thats the best that can happen. In some regions that is very difficult. For example, the Deobandis don't think this way and their type of reform movement, which has a literalist tendency, is pretty much poison to peace efforts between Sunni-Shia. The Arab world, who largely have come to live with Sunni-Shia differences, have to take the lead in this. The exception to that is the Salafi reform movement who has brainwashed a lot of ignorant Arabs. Their sentiments are pretty much poison to peace as well.