OMAN: The Ibadi sect of Islam thrives in the Sultanate of Oman.

Record ID: 794970

  • Title: OMAN: The Ibadi sect of Islam thrives in the Sultanate of Oman.
  • Date: 24th January 2008
  • Summary: VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF MOSQUE
  • Embargoed: 8th February 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Oman
  • Country: Oman
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVAAET4DVJ295TEDGPYLL4XCZP98
  • Story Text: Three-quarters of Omanis belong to the Ibadi sect, a moderate remnant of the formerly powerful Khawarij movement. There are some 1.2 million members of the sect in the Gulf country.
    As hundreds of Omani Muslims gather for Friday prayers at the Sultan Qaboos mosque in Muscat, a slight difference is noticed in the prayer rituals performed by members of the congregation.
    While some pray with the traditional Sunni movements of raising their hands to the sides of their heads at one stage during prayer and standing with their arms crossed at another, other worshipper stand with their arms immobile at their sides and their eyes closed.
    The second group of worshipers are members of the Ibadi sect of Islam, to which most Omanis belong.
    The sect is one of the earliest sects of Islam, thought to have been founded some 50 years after the death of the Prophet Mohammed, the founder of Islam. They developed out of the Khawarij sect, which revolted against one of the early Muslim caliphs. Ibadis say their founder was Jabir ibn Zaid al-Azdi from Oman, although some other Muslims dispute this.
    Today, some 70 percent of Oman adheres to the moderate Ibadi sect. The country's remaining Muslims are mostly Sunnis and Shi'ites, many of whom immigrated from south and east Asia.
    Ibadis and Sunnis in Qatar share the same mosques.
    ''The Ibadis mainly are basically based in Oman, they're the majority and they haven't got a specific mosque. It's mixed'', said a Sunni Omani Amin Said al-Barwani who is of southern Asian origin.
    Sunnis and Ibadis pray together but some doctrinal differences do exist between the two sects. Sunnis, for example, believe they will see God face to face on the day of judgement, while Ibadis do not. Ibadis also believe those who enter hell are destined to remain there, while Sunnis believe hell can purify sinners who can later enter paradise.
    Since the establishment of Oman in 1651, Ibadis, Sunnis, and Shiites have coexisted in relative harmony. Most Omanis consider the differences separating Sunnis and Ibadis as being mainly superficial differences in prayer rituals.
    ''The Ibadi faith was taught to us in schools and by our fathers and grandfathers. Most of Oman follows the Ibadi faith. So if we want to compare between the Ibadi sect and the Sunni sect for example, the Sunni faith involves movements during praying such as raising the hands and crossing them.
    This is all we have noticed. As for me, I have chosen the Ibadi sect, and I was also taught it by my forefathers. All faiths however are close to God," said Omani Ibadi Abdullah al-Nasiri.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register