پاکستان کے مذہبی مسالک کا تاریخی و فکری جائزہ اور شدت پسندی کے اسباب کا تحقیقی مطالعہ

A Historical and Intellectual Study of Pakistan’s Religious Sects and an Analytical Review of the Causes of Extremism

Abstract

At the time of Pakistan’s creation, the country was home to multiple Islamic schools of thought that, despite theological differences, coexisted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and religious tolerance. Each sect practiced its beliefs without provoking or offending the others. However, starting in the 1980s, sectarian differences were deliberately exploited and politicized, transforming theological disagreements into violent sectarianism. This paper explores the roots and evolution of religious sects in Pakistan, distinguishing between legitimate juristic differences and the politicized radicalization that led to extremism. Drawing upon Hamid Kamaluddin’s analysis in “What is Sectarianism?”, the study explains that the majority of Islamic jurists and scholars have historically recognized major Sunni schools of thought—Hanafi, Maliki, Shāfiʿī, Hanbali, Zāhiri, and Ahl-e-Ḥadīth—as part of the mainstream Ummah. Their differences are considered “ikhṭilāf sāʾigh” (permissible scholarly differences) grounded in diverse interpretations of sacred texts rather than fundamental doctrinal deviations. The paper also presents a brief historical and ideological introduction to these sects and examines how political agendas fueled sectarian violence. The aim is to clarify misconceptions and highlight that legitimate theological diversity within Islam should not be conflated with sectarian extremism, which often arises from external manipulation and political motives rather than genuine religious disagreements.