Clear Definition of Cult Necessary for Avoiding Differences
This is according to Islamic seminary scholar Amin Shamshiri, speaking at a session about deviated cults. Following are excerpts from his remarks at the session:
The study of cults in the past was part of theology and a subcategory of al-Milal wa al-Nihal (sects and creeds). Ayatollah Sobhani is the flag-bearer in the field of religions, schools of thought and theology. He has defined Milat as Tarighat, Sunnah and rituals taken from others.
Some consider Millat to be the same as Shariat whereas the two have differences. Religion is also an extended concept of Shairat and Millat.
The question is whether Milal can be used interchangeably for cult. Milal is used for religions other than Islam such as Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism. Nihal is used for cults and even fake religions such as Baha’ism.
Ayatollah Sobhani has said about Nihal that it is used for fake and false issues and unfounded claims.
The difference between theology and the study of cults is that the latter only offers descriptions and does not engage in discussing whether a cult is good or bad. That is the task of theology. Milal and Nihal are only concerned with description.
The study of cults talks about cults that have accepted three principles of monotheism, prophethood and resurrection. Some groups, such as the Ghalis (those who exaggerate about the attributes of men of God and elevate them to the status of God), have accepted these three principles but introduced deviations in them. So the study of cults talks about them.
According to Ayatollah Sobhani, Milal and Nihal is in the realm of history of science and as every science has its own history, Milal and Nihal has its history as well.
I don’t think this is correct. We have a study of cults, a history of theology and theology itself, which are different. For instance, we want to describe Baha’ism, KHawarij, etc, based on their own books and this involves Milal and Nihal, especially Nihal.
Theology defends the entire religion but the science of Fiqh (jurisprudence) is not defending the religion. It only talks about what to do and what not to do. So theology defends the entire religion not just tenets of religion.
The study of theology is a good field of science in that it prevents Takfir. But it is very complicated because there are some ten thousand cults and thoughts and each one levels accusations against others. Therefore, we should have criteria and principles on which to base this branch of science.
