Title: Not Allowed to Read Ahadith Question: I am an Indian muslim residing in Bhopal. Here the mosques (all of them) are in the habit of reading Fazail-e-amaal (a book much disputed) after the Asr prayer. My brother once asked the Imam to read Bukhari instead. The Imam said that in order to read the Bukhari he needs permission from the Qazi of the city. This in my opinion is hampering any effort that goes to sort out sectarian differences. Can you please tell me something really strong to show them in order that they may understand? I believe the only way to ward off these differences is to stick to to the word's of Allah and his last Messenger PBUH. Answer: None of the rituals mentioned have any religious basis. Not even reading Sahih Bukhari , or any other books of hadith , is a religious ritual. After any prayer one may praise God as he wishes or make a speech or discuss a matter but none of these are mandatory and they do not carry any religious significance. Thus, what the Imam is doing and what you have suggested has no roots in Islam. This does not mean that you cannot partake in what the Imam is doing or suggest your idea; rather, it is to help you understand this fact and its relevance to the religion. You may want to suggest to the Imam that changing things up may help bring more attention to the event or that there are lessons to be learned from other sources of information such as the ahadith you are referring. If he accepts then all should be well. If he does not then you may do as you please: either stay and partake in the activities, leave, or commit to some other activity without disrupting in what the assembly is involved. Another suggestion is for the gathering to indulge themselves in the Holy Qur'an - the ultimate guide - rather than anything else. Sectarian differences arise from various reasons. One of the most blatant ones is that a person or a group of people feel that they are right in their interpretations or suggestions - whether it is true or not is not the issue - and that others should follow them. It is not the interpretation that causes differences, it is the attitude and response to those who disagree that is what creates sectarian conflicts. It is important that we not sanctify our opinions and give them religious rank. The only way for Muslims to align themselves with Islam is to stick to the words of Allah (swt) and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). When people try to follow these in earnestness maybe we will witness a change in people's attitudes. I hope I have clarified the issue. God knows best. Ronnie Hassan January 23, 2007