Salafi-Sufi dispute is ominous

The Secretary General of the Sudanese Muslim Clerics Council Mohamed Othman Salih has denied accusations of the clerics’ negligence of ongoing disputes between religious movements and “merely supporting the government and regime”. In an interview with ‘Arabstoday’, Salih said the Clerics Council followed the occurring disputes with "great concern", which erupted when some groups issued a Fatwa pronouncing the religious groups Al-Ansar, Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi and Hassan Torabi as "infidels" due to their opinions on women's affairs. Salih stressed that the Islam was based on tolerance and described the recent conflicts between the Salafist Ansar Al-Sunna group and Sufis, on Monday, as a “serious omen”. “We are worried that the country is heading for a religious conflict and serious sedition between people who are known for their tolerance,” he added. The renowned leader said that those who disagree on religious matters should resort to the Quran, its interpretation, and the Sunnah, where he stated solutions to all religious disputes could be found. He noted that the Ansar Al-Sunna group, which is divided internally into two groups due to different opinions, has denounced the assaults and surfacing extremism. Salih also said accusations that the scholars were supporting the regime were “offensive and not true,” explaining that the scholars supported the governor and the regime in matters where the ruler’s words were in compliance with Islamic Sharia law. He stressed that scholars did not have a fixed position regarding authority and the ruling regime, however, they “give advice and support to those who need it, and should they go astray, we bring it to their attention, offer advice, and remind them to refer to Islamic Sharia.” The head of the Sudanese Muslim Clerics Council highlighted the importance of setting things in perspective, and knowing who led each religious group, in order to hold whoever was responsible for the disputes accountable.   He also warned of the continuity of the current disputes, saying it may lead to a serious crisis in the Sudanese society. Clashes broke out between Ansar al-Sunna group and Sufis on Monday, in a square where festivities for the Prophet Muhammad's Birthday were held. The clashes led to the injury of about 35 people, most of which were serious. In addition, tents belonging to Ansar Al-Sunna were set ablaze. The police ultimately intervened to contain the situation and arrested some people involved in the clashes for interrogation.