Hmmmmm!

The topic heading says - Islamic Interfaith Dialogue between Sunni, Shia, Sufi, Salafi, etc.

Correct me if I am wrong. There are two major sects within Muslim Ummah - Sunni (85%) and Shi'ites (15%). Then Suunis are divided into 35 sub-sects, while Shi'ites count for 37 sects. Salafis, Wahabbis, Deobandi, Ahl-e-Qur'an, etc. all consider themselves sunnis - while a sufi can be a Sunni or Shi'ite.

So who is talking to whom?

No offence.

No. That's not what I meant. I was merely keeping the facts straight - that except Shi'ites, every Muslim sectarian thinks that he/she is Sunni - including a Qadiani, or a Sufi

Personally, I never have stomach for any sectarian person or group. I participate on both Sunni and Shi'ite websites.

Wa Salaam

Aliya wrote: and some shia subsects, like zaidis are closer to sunni than to mainstream shias (Shia Ithna Asheri), but for some reason they fall under the umbrella of shia rather than sunni

I am afraid that's not true. Shi'itism is divided into two main sects - 12-Imami and Zaidi. The 7-Imami (Ismaili) are part of Zaidi.

On the other hand, both sunni sects - Hannafi and Maliki take Shi'ite's sixth Imam - Imam Ja'afar Sadiq as their Sunni Imam.

rami wrote: Bi ismillahir rahmanir raheem assalamu alaikum >>>Islamic Interfaith Dialogue<<< It is called "Intrafaith" meaning of the same religion, I made the same mistake. The four madhabs are not a sect, neither are sufi's (traditional sufi's anyway). Defanition of a sect in islam is a group who thinks they are correct while everyone out side there group is incorect ie munafiq,fasiq, kafir etc.

I disagree.

There are several Haddiths which mentions division of Ummah into 72 or so, sects.

The word "Madhab" has different meanings in different languages - for example in Persian and Urdu, it means 'religion'.

The 'four' are not 'madhabs', but "Schools of Fiqah (Jurisdiction)" - the fifth being "Fiqah-e-Ja'afariah".

As I posted earlier - Sufi could belong to Shi'ite or Sunni denomination of Islam. Historically, it were the Sufi Safvid dynasty, which converted Sunni majority into a minority in Iran, over a few centuries ago.