This is a questions to all members, especially those having good knowledge of Islam.
I happen to visit some websites where i found many newly converted Muslim belonging to USA/Europe. They like to call themselves as "Plain Muslim" when somebody ask them about the school of thought they belong to. They dont like to call themselves as "sunni muslim" "Shia Muslim" or "Salfi" and feel satisfied as just a muslim !
I am wondering if these people can call themselves as "Plain Muslim" ..... means dont belong to any particular school of thought, cannot other muslim like us can call overselves just as MUSLIMS ? Or is it mandatory to attach oneself with a particular school of thought? And if it is mandatory to be in a school of thought, then what is the status of these converted muslims who are found all over the world and practice Basic Islamic teachings, like Namaz, Roza, Haj, Zakat but dont belong to any school of thought.

In my humble opinion, association with any school of thought is not mandatory. We should call our selves MUSLIMS instead of plain muslims. No need of exaggeration in Islam.

Regards,

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When you try, you risk failure. When you don’t try, you ensure it.

They also call themselves just MUSLIM, but when other muslims poke them about their school of thought, they are complled to call themselves as "Plain Muslim"

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/// Aur be ghum hain zamanay main muhabat kay siwa ///

It is necessary for a Muslim to associate himself with one school of thought and he should follow his Imam in all issues. Those who do not believe in following only one Iman or any Iman at all are Strayed Muslims.

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The Me you have always known, the Me that's a stranger still.

well, i dont think the term "strayed Muslim" will be accaptable to thousands of newly converted muslims from USA/Europe. It might create a new school of thought as "white muslim" as we see different Islamic practices in different regions of the world.

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/// Aur be ghum hain zamanay main muhabat kay siwa ///

Whether they accept it or not, the fact remains. By the way, who will be the Imam of this "White Muslim" school of thought?

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The Me you have always known, the Me that's a stranger still.

As per my minor knowledge attatching one's self with any particular sect is not at all binding upon us..Sectarianism is one biggest threats of many others which has brought pakistan on the verge of destruction today.In reality we ourselves are not following our religious values in its true spirit, this is the mere showboating that exists now.Its all about KALMA TAY'YEBA, extract its real essence and one will surely derive the fundamentals of Islam on which we have to get on!

@ last Island
As per my poor knowledge, it is not advised in the Holy Quaran to seek an Imam to be a perfect muslim.

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/// Aur be ghum hain zamanay main muhabat kay siwa ///

@industrious gal

We are discussing Fiqh (school of thought), not Firqa (sect).

Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah says that when a person begins to follow one particular Imam without any valid Islamic reason he begins to follow another Imam, he is actually following his own wishes and not the other Imam and this is Haraam. The great scholars have strongly discouraged for a person to sometimes follow the fiqh of Shafi’ee and at other times the fiqh of Abu Hanifah.

[ Fatwa Ibn Taymiyyah , Volume 20, Chapter of Taqleed ]

From Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyah’ Fatwa we have understood at one time we should follow one Imam and Taqleed is a necessity.

A person in the state of wudhu touches his wife. A person following the Shafie mazhab tells him that your wudhu is broken, therefore remake your wudhu. He replies No' I am a Muqallid of Imam Abu Hanifa (rahmatullah alay). According to him this does not cause the wudhu to break. I can read Salaat with this wudhu. Then this person vomits a mouth full. A person following the Hanafi Math'hab advises him to make wudhu as his wudhu has broken according to Imam Abu Hanifa (rahmatullah alay). This person replies that I am making taqleed of Imam Shafie (rahmatullah alay) (in this mas'ala) and according to Imam Shafie (rahmatullah alay) vomiting does not cause the wudhu to break. A person can read Salaat with such a wudhu. If this person reads his Namaaz with this wudhu then his Salaat will not be valid according to Imam Shafie (rahmatullah alay) and not according to Imam Abu Hanifa (rahmatullah alay). This is called Talfeeq and there is ijma and consensus of opinion that Talfeeq is baatil and, impermissible. In reality by doing this person does not make taqleed of either Imam Shafie (rahmatullah alay) or Imam Abu Hanifa (rahmatullah alay) but he is following his desires, and Shariat has prohibited us from following our desires. It results in going astray from the path of Allah Ta'ala.

Allah Ta'aalaa says in Surah HUD Ayat 26:

"And do not follow your desires (in future too) for it will lead, you astray from the path of Allah."

Therefore, It Is necessary to make taqleed of one Imam.

It is for this reason that the Quraan-e- Kareem has connected adherence with turning towards Allah (repentantly).

Allah Ta'ala says:

"And follow the way of that person who turns towards me."

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The Me you have always known, the Me that's a stranger still.

@ Last Island

The respected Imams surfaced at a particular point of Islamic history and muslims were there before that point of time in this world and were following the Islamic way of life. The question arise here is that if they were not following any respected Imam, were they "strayed mulims" ?

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/// Aur be ghum hain zamanay main muhabat kay siwa ///