Sunni and Shia

There is an old Shia woman who carries water in our village,

and every time she passes the well,

the women spit on her.

It makes me sad. It makes Allah sad as well.

There is enough sadness here between Sunni and Shia to fill that well

a thousand times over.

I know the imams will say that I am wrong

and perhaps even blasphemous for saying this,

but say it I must.

It is not better to be Sunni than to be Shia.

It is not better to be Shia than to be Sunni.

Sin has seeped into every jar,

and all are equally tainted.

But love can be found in every jar as well,

mixed up inseparably with that sin.

All of us have drunk it.

All of us suffer.

All of us benefit.

Najat says, Allah sees no difference

between Sunni and Shia.

He only sees people who are equally thirsty

and have only unclean water to drink.