01-07-2007, 06:06 PM
WHERE TO START
Now, its clear that key to victory lies in obeying Allaah and His Messenger Muhammad (sallAllaahu alay wasallam). Help and victory of Allaah lies in Tarbiyah i.e. cultivation and education upon the commands of Allaah or raising the people to the correct understanding of the religion especially the youth. We have to discard disobedience to the creator and to bring in humble submission within ourselves first.
He who is unable to change even himself, will not be able to change his family, not to mention changing the ummah!
Imaam Maalik rahimaullaah said: “Nothing will benefit the ummah to come except that which benefited the early ummah”
We all agree that the current state of our ummah is not as bad as at the time of jahiliyah, we don’t marry our mothers today, nor do we circumambulate Ka’abah absolutely naked, nor do we bury our daughters alive! Our beloved Messenger (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) changed, transformed such evil society into a balanced nation, nation guiding the whole of mankind. What was the remedy Messenger used to change such evil society?
TAWHEED FIRST AND THE LAST
The one who looks and studies the history of the Prophet (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) is going to find in the history of his da’wah and his life and his efforts, that he gave much concern to calling the creation and the people to at-Tawheed. This is the issue that is the single most important issue in all of Islaam and it is the very first issue that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) began with when he began to call the people to the religion of the truth.
In the beginning, he went out in his da’wah effort and he said to the people when he started to call them to Islaam: ‘Say, there is no god worthy of worship except Allaah and you will be successful.’
So this is a clear proof and indication that he started giving da’wah to at-Tawheed. And if he wanted to send any of his companions out likewise, for them to call the people to the creator, he used to command them to do the same thing as he was an example for them.
Narrated By Ibn Abbas: Allaah's Apostle said to Muadh bin Jabal when he sent him to Yemen. "You will come to the people of Scripture, and when you reach them, invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and that Muhammad is His Apostle…
[saheeh Al-Bukharee,Vol.5, Book 59, Hadith No, 634]
It’s what he began his Da’wah with and it’s what he ended his da’wah with, which is a proof in and of itself of the importance of this particular point. Let us take a look to consider and let us remember what happened when he was on his death bed, and this is a proof that he ended his da’wah with at-tawheed. When he was on his deathbed, in the sickness and ultimately took his life, he said something that turned out to be the last words that he uttered.
“Narrated By 'Aisha and Ibn 'Abbas: On his death-bed Allaah's Apostle put a sheet over his-face and when he felt hot, he would remove it from his face. When in that state (of putting and removing the sheet) he said, "May Allaah's Curse be on the Jews and the Christians for they build places of worship at the graves of their prophets." (By that) he intended to warn (the Muslim) from what they (i.e. Jews and Christians) had done.”
[saheeh Al-Bukharee, Vol.4, Book 56, Hadith No.660]
Aa’shah (radee Allaahu ‘anhaa) who narrated this hadeeth, made a statement later on to explain to us why the Prophet (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) said that. She said: “He was warning us of what they did so that we would not repeat what they did and so as not to fall into the same hole. ”
This is a clear proof and a clear indication of the fact that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) began his da’wah with at-tawheed and he ended his da’wah with at-Tawheed. For 13 years of Makkan period his call was nothing but Tawheed.
“Say (O Muhammad ): "Verily, my Salât (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists). He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.” The Noble Qur’an 6:162-163
“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)” The Noble Qur’an 2:21
TAWHEED IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT ITTIBA
If a person says, with sincerity, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, but he does not go on to complete it and to make this addition, Muhammadur Rasoolullaah, then that will never, ever benefit him; in this world or in the hereafter.
Therefore, the Kalimah at-Tawheed is to establish the Tawheed of Allaah (the oneness of Allaah). And in addition to that, to establish the risaala of Muhammad (sallAllaahu alay wasallam). We have to do everything in our ability to come to the realization and truthfulness of the following the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alay wasallam), i.e. is called as al-Ittiba.
There is none to be followed in truth except the Messenger (sallAllaahu alay wasallam).
How many times do we see the people obeying and following a Shaykh unconditionally, or a ruler, a president, a person whom they love, honor and respect? But in reality none of them deserve to be followed except after confining following them, to their following the Prophet (sallAllaahu alay wasallam).
Allaah states:
“And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers' way. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination.” The Noble Qur’an 4:115
“And let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements, etc.) (among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.” The Noble Qur’an 24:63
“He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad), has indeed obeyed Allâh, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (O Muhammad ) as a watcher over them.” The Noble Qur’an 4:80
HOW TO UNDERSTAND QUR’AN AND SUNNAH
Many of our youths agree that our society needs reformation and Alhumdulillaah many youths realize their responsibility but they are confused because today there are many jamaa’ahs, organizations, individuals doing reform concentrating on certain aspects of Deen , all claiming that they follow Qur’an and Sunnah and yet there are differences, disunity. How come everyone following Qur’an and Sunnah and yet they differ?
The solution to this confusion lies in the Glorious Qur’an
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allâh (Muhammad Sal-Allaahu 'alayhe Wa Sallam) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allâh and the Last Day and remembers Allâh much.” The Noble Qur’an 33:21
The Companion of the Prophet (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) Abu Dharr al-Ghifaari (radee Allaahu ‘anhu) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) died, and there was not a bird that flapped its wings in the sky except that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) mentioned to us some wisdom from what that bird did.”
What the companion meant here is that the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) had died, but he did not do so without completing his responsibility as a messenger. And his responsibility as it relates to the message that he brought. So, if our beloved Prophet (sallAllaahu alay wasallam) directed his companions to such minute details which will help them to succeed in this world and ion hereafter then, wont he have warned them about the problem this ummah will face? And wont he would have mentioned the solution to such problem? Definitely yes!!
IRBAAD IBN SAARIYAH’S HADEETH
So when we turn to the ahadeeth of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, we find that a small hadith might contain so much benefit that volumes can be written about it. This is the case with a particular hadith that we will discuss in some detail, the hadith of ‘Irbad ibn Sa’riya, named after the companion who narrated it. This hadith is so well-known and comprehensive that when this companions’ name is mentioned, this hadith comes to mind. It is an authentic hadith reported in the sunan of Abu Dawud and the ja’mi of Tirmidhi as well as others.
'Irbad ibn Sa'riya narrates: "Verily the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam delivered a sermon, which caused our hearts to tremble and our ears and our eyes to cry."
The Sahaabah said: “O Messenger of Allaah! We feel that you are about to leave us. So give us some concise advice” (give us a concise legacy).
The Messenger of Allaah said: “(my legacy to you is that) I advice you to have the taqwa of Allaah! And I command you to listen and to obey even if an Abyssinian slave becomes your leader. He who lives amongst you will see a lot of differing (Ikhtilaaf) So, I command you to turn to my SUNNAH and the SUNNAH OF MY RIGHTLY GUIDED KHALIFAS after me. Hold fast to IT (cling on to it) with your molar teeth. And I caution you (I warn you) against NEWLY INVENTED MATTERS. (be careful because) every single one of these innovations is qualified as a bid’ah and every bid’ah is a misguidance and every misguidance leads to the Fire of Hell”.
[sunan Abu Dawood, Jaami at-Tirmidhi. Declared authentic by Shaykh Naasiruddin al-Albani (rahimaullaah).]
Now let us understand the above hadeeth point by point.
1. So the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam started off saying, "My legacy to you is that I advise you to have the taqwa of Allaah ‘azza wa jall."
taqwa comes from the root waqa. Waqa means to place a barrier, to place a boundary, a wall between you and something. So in the Shari'ah, taqwa is a reference to placing a barrier between yourself and the punishment of Allaah ‘azza wa jall. You place a barrier, a safety net if you like, a protection, a means of protection against you and the punishment of Allaah ‘azza wa jall. And this barrier is not built with mortars or bricks, it is built with eman, it is built with good deeds, it is built by abstaining from evil deeds. This is how you build this barrier. This is the concept of taqwa, that you protect yourself from the punishment of Allaah by performing good deeds and abstaining from evil deeds.
2. Then he moved on and he said, "And I command you to listen and to obey," meaning the rulers, "even if an Abyssinian slave becomes your leader." To listen and to obey even if someone you do not like, someone you look down upon, becomes your leader. In the Shari’ah it is considered better to listen to the rulers even if they are not perfect, as long as they are not non-Muslims and committing open kufr. Listening to them is seen as a lesser sin than revolting and causing chaos, pandemonium, blood being shed, honor being dishonored, women being raped, and children being pillaged. All of these things could be direct results of revolting against a ruler who is Muslim, yet you dislike some things about them. So the Shari'ah says that if there is a ruler and a leader who is a Muslim and is judging, in general, by the Shari'ah, then it is better, it is the correct thing to do, to leave him in power even if there are other problems with him; and you listen to and you obey him.
3. And then he went on and he said, "He who lives long amongst you will see a lot of differing," meaning amongst the Muslims. When he said, “He who lives long amongst you,” he was talking to the Sahaabaa, the first generation of Islaam. And he said that amongst themselves they will witness a phenomenon that did not exist before. They will see something new that was not there before. And that is, there will be ikhtilaaf. There will be differences of opinion. There will be Muslims disunited. And this is something that never existed during the time of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam.
When Prophet Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa salla was amongst their midst this was unheard of because he was their Prophet, their leader, guiding them, advising them, and mediating between them. But he predicted this disease, ikhtilaaf, would appear shortly after his death, and would continue until the Day of Judgment. He predicted it because Allaah ‘azza wa jall told him about it. And he told the Sahaabaa this will not come after a thousand years or after a few hundred years, no. He said those who lived long amongst them, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years from now, while Islaam would still in its infancy, would be plagued by ikhtilaaf.
And it is exactly as he said, that shortly after Prophet Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam’s death, in the middle of the khilaafa of 'Uthman radi Allaahu anhu, the neo-Khawaarij, the first splinter group, broke away from the Muslims. And then in the time of 'Ali, the Rafidha broke away. And so on and so forth, it continued, the Muslims kept on breaking away from the Ummah. Until we live in a time that we have so many groups, so many methodologies, so many movements, so many ways of understanding Islaam, that we cannot even count them. Again, “He who lives long amongst, you will see a lot of ikhtilaaf.” So the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam because of his concern for us, because of his knowledge that Allaah ‘azza wa jall gave him, he warned us of a disease that would afflict all of us, the disease of ikhtilaaf, the disease of disunity; of not being united together.
He warned us of the problem and then immediately went on and he told us the solution. He said:
4. "So I command you (I put it upon you, the obligation is upon you) to turn back to my Sunnah."
This is the solution. When you differ, when you have ikhtilaaf, when you are disunited, then the obligation is upon you, to take this ikhtilaaf, to take this differing, back to the Sunnah. And obviously taking it back to the Sunnah means automatically you must take it back to the Qur’an as well. The Qur’an and Sunnah are hand in hand. Due to the important status of the Sunnah, everyone knows the Qur’an is there, it is understood even though it is not mentioned in the hadith.
As Allaah 'azza wa jal says:
“If you differ about the smallest thing (if you differ about an issue) take it back to Allaah and His Messenger, if you have eman in Allaah and the Day of Judgment. “ 4:59
Meaning, if you do not have eman in Allaah and the Day of Judgment then you will not take it back to Allaah and His Messenger. Only if you have eman will you then take it back to Allaah and His Messenger. Taking it back to Allaah ‘azza wa jall means taking it back to the Qur’an. And taking it back to Messenger means taking it back to the Sunnah. So the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam told us a part of the solution; go back to his Sunnah. Take whatever there is ikhtilaaf about and refer back to the Sunnah for a solution.
But the question arises, how is it possible when the majority of the Muslims of our time, those that call themselves Sunni, all of them acknowledge that we go back to the Qur’an and Sunnah, yet there is still ikhtilaaf? All of them say we believe in the Qur’an and Sunnah. The vast majority of what we call the conglomerate Sunni groups, even though amongst the Sunni group there are so many splinter groups, all of them are claiming the same thing: Our basis is the Qur’an and Sunnah. And yet, we still find this ikhtilaaf.
5. This is because the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam went on, he did not just stop there at “take it back to my Sunnah.” No, he said, "And also, the Sunnah (the practice) of the rightly guided Khalifas after me." Meaning, take it back to the Sunnah of the Sahaabaa, take it back to the understanding of the first generation of Islaam. And this is where the vast majority of Sunni groups fail. They take it back to the Qur’an and Sunnah, but they put a full stop there. Hardly any group, in fact there is only one group, that says we must go back to the Qur’an and Sunnah based upon the understanding of the early generations.
The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam described that generation (specifically the four major Khalifahs) as rashideen, meaning they have guided themselves, or mahdi'een, they guide others. Take it back to their Sunnah.
The status of the Sahaabee is not a trivial status. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "The best of all generations is my generation." Those of the Sahaabaa, "And then those that come after them," (Tabi'oon), "and then those that come after them," (the Taba Tabi'oon).” These three generations. Meaning that in the entire history of mankind, from the time of Adam until the Day of Judgment, never will there be an entire group, an entire generation, better than the Sahaabaa. Never.
And that is why Allaah refers to the companions as such in Surah 'Imran:
You are the best ummah that has ever been sent to mankind. You command what is good, you forbid the evil, and you believe in Allaah. 3:110
What does it meant the best? Most Muslims think that it means they are the best in their eman and taqwa; that they reached the heights of eman and taqwa and no one can reach those heights. This is of course true, but had this been the only meaning, then how would we be able to benefit from the Sahaabaa; what would there be for us to gain? If their eman reached the stars and ours can only reach a small amount, how would we be able to benefit from them?
Know with certainty that the Sahaabaa were of course the best in eman and taqwa, but they were also the best in their knowledge. They were also the best in their understanding of the Qur’an and Sunnah. They were also the best in their implementation of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Therefore, the fact that they are the best generation means that their understanding is the best understanding. Their opinions are the best opinions. Their implementation of the Qur’an and Sunnah is the best implementation. Without this, they would not be the best. They were the best in everything; the best in eman, the best in taqwa, the best in knowledge, and the best in actions.
So when we differ about something, the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam commanded us to take it back to his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the early Khalifaas after him.
And then he said, "Hold on fast to it [the Sunnah], cling onto it, bite onto it with your molar teeth." Emphasis after emphasis, this is what will save you. As they say a drowning man clutches at every straw so too the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam is telling us, cling on, bite onto it (the Sunnah). This is what will save you. Bite on with your molar teeth. Cling for sheer life, this is what will save you from the fitna, this is what will save you from the ikhtilaaf, this is what will save you from the disunity.
Another point to be noted here is that when Prophet of Allaah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) adviced the companions to stick to the Sunnah of Khulafa-e-Rashideen, he referred it as :
So, I command you to turn to my SUNNAH and the SUNNAH OF MY RIGHTLY GUIDED KHALIFAS after me. Hold fast to IT (cling on to it) with your molar teeth.
Prophet didn’t say ‘hold fast to those’ or ‘hold fast to these’, he has said ‘hold fast to IT’ therefore from this we understand Sunnah of the Prophet and the Sunnah of the Khulafa-e-Rashideen are not two different Sunnah, they are one.
So the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam told us the disease, which we see everywhere amongst us; the disease of disunity. And because of his character, the Ra'uf and the Rahim, he told us the solution to that disease: take it back to the Quran and the Sunnah and the understanding of the early generations. But the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam did not stop there, he went a step further. After having told us the disease, and then the cure, he then told us the virus that causes that disease. He pointed out the reason why there will be this disease. He said, “And I caution you (I warn you) against newly invented matters." These were matters of the religion that were not known to the early generations; matters of the religion that were not found in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Again, “I warn you against them, I caution you about them.” He went on: "Be careful, because every single one of these innovations is qualified as a bid'a. And every bid'a is a misguidance. And every misguidance leads to the fire of Hell."
Here, this is the virus that causes the disease of ikhtilaaf.
The Sahaabaa were one, they were united. They did not differ amongst themselves, not for the slightest bit with regards to this religion of Islaam, with regards to the names and attributes of Allaah, with regards to the concept of destiny, with regards to any of the aspects of aqeedah. They did not differ. Yet we find in our time so many different groups. What must have happened?
Historically speaking, the first group comes along, the Khawaarij, and they invent something which the Sahaabaa do not agree on. So the next generation finds two opinions – that of the Sahaabaa and that of the Khawaarij. And then another group comes, the Rafidha, and they invent a third opinion. And then another group, the Qadariyyah, and then the Jahmiyyah, and then the Muht'azila and then the Asha'ira, until in our times we are surrounded by a plethora of groups, a myriad of groups, and we do not know where to turn to.
What was the problem? How was this caused? People kept on inventing, people kept on adding, people kept on appending to the religion of Islaam, to the understanding of the Sahaabah, to the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Bid'as, innovations, this is how this disunity started and this is why it is still here. There was no disunity in the time of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. The first bid'a is introduced, there are now two methodologies. The second bid'a is introduced, there are now three methodologies, and so on and so forth until we have in our time so many we cannot even count them.
As the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"My ummah will split into seventy-three groups. Every single one of them is destined for the fire of Hell except one."
In an authentic hadith of Tirmidhi, the companions asked, "Who are they ya RasulAllaah?" The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "The group that follows what I am upon today and my companions."
Once again, the emphasis here is put on “I and my companions.” This infers that it is essential to look at how the Prophet lived and how the Sahaabee understood and implemented Islaam from him. This statement is of paramount importance and we should understand that that means to go back to the understanding of the companions as well as that of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. If you do not heed this, you will be left as the majority of groups have been left; with no standards, no criterion, and no judge of what is right and what is wrong.
Every single one of these seventy-two groups like the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, is under the threat of going to the fire of Hell. This doesn’t mean that they will all necessarily go to the fire of Hell. But they are under the threat of going because they have deviated from the correct path. It means that they are in error, they are in misguidance and it is possible that they will go to the fire of Hell for a period of time to be purified and then they will eventually going to Jannah, as long as they were still within the fold of Islaam. It is also possible that Allaah 'azza wa jal will forgive them.
The point here, my dear brothers and sisters, is that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam in this legacy that he left us, shined a light on one of the most difficult problems that the Muslim Ummah faces – the problem of ikhtilaaf, of disunity. He warned us of the divisions to come within the Ummah, but also gave us a solution: turn back to the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Understanding Qur’an and Sunnah according to the early generation i.e. of Sahabaahs, the generation followed them (Tabi’oon) and the generation followed them (Taba-Tabi’oon) is the correct methodology of understanding and implementing the Deen.
THE THUMB RULE
At today’s scenario, if anyone wants to know or confirm any act of worship or any act this ummah doing or implementing like Mawlid, grave worshipping, saint veneration, fasting and praying on the night of Israa- wal-Mihraaj, etc., is part of Deen or not just take it back to the early generations of Islaam; this is a simple rule of thumb. Ask youself, “Is this understanding, this belief, this aqeedah, this practice, shared by the Sahaabah? Is this methodology I’m being asked to follow, something that was implemented by the companions, by the Tabi'oon, by the Taba Tabi'oon?” They were the ones with the correct understanding so if they implemented it, then alhamdullilah. If not, then it must be a newly invented matter.
Unity is not a slogan that we unite with any Muslim who says I am Muslim. No. Unity is based on your adherence to the Qur’an and Sunnah. The closer a person adheres to the Qur’an and Sunnah, the closer our unity is with him. And if someone disagrees with the Qur’an and Sunnah, and the understanding of the early generations, then he is the one causing disunity, not us. He is the one causing disunity by refusing to go back to the Qur’an and Sunnah and by refusing to go back to the understanding of the early generations. This is the person who is breaking away from us and we are not breaking away from him.
Even the Qadiyanis, who believe Mirza Ghulam Ahmed to be a Prophet, a'oodhubillah, claim to be Muslim. There is not a single Muslim anywhere in the world who considers this group to be Muslim. Yet, they claim they are Muslim and they believe in a Prophet after the Prophet Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. They pray five times a day, they go for hajj if they can, and they fast in the month of Ramadan. Does this make them Muslim? Of course not, because they have committed an act of kufr. They have gone against their testimony of la ilaha ilallah Muhammad ul Rasullulah. We cannot be unified with this group. If we are, then how are we going to expect the blessings of Allah upon us?
So unity is based upon adherence to the Qur’an and Sunnah and the understanding of the early generations. Anyone who breaks away from this, he is the one breaking away from unity. And again, there are shades of gray. A person who has a small mistake, a group that has a small deviation, we may cooperate in many ways and ignore that difference. But a group that has greater deviations, then that cooperation and love and unity will be less, because they are the ones breaking away from the standards.
What is so important about the salaf and the scholars of the past and the Sahaabah and the Tabi'oon that we have to follow them? I will quote six or seven proofs to show you the importance of taking this ikhtilaaf back to them. The first set of proofs is the Qur’anic proofs, the ayat of the Qur’an, which prove the high status of the Sahaabah. And there are literally dozens of verses in the Qur’an discussing the status of the Sahaabah.
Of them:
“Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah.” 9:100
“Allah has testified that he is pleased with the sahabah. Therefore, should we not go back to them when we differ?”
“You are the best ummah that has been sent to mankind.” 3:110
And,
“…Whoever breaks away from the Prophet after guidance has been shown to him and follows a path other than the path of the believers…” 4:115
This verse was revealed when there was only one group of believers, the Sahaabah. Whoever follows a path other than the path of believers will go to the fire of Hell. This is what the Qur’an says. In other words, whoever follows a path other than the path of the Sahaabah has gone astray.
The second set of evidences is the ahadith of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. We have quoted some of them before:
"The best of nations is my nation, and then those that come after them, and then those that come after them."
The hadith of 'Irbad ibn Sa'riya: "I command you to follow my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khalifas after me."
The hadith of seventy-three groups, and when he was asked who the one safe group was he said, “That which follows what I am following and my companions."
The third set of evidences is, the statements of the companions themselves, and there are many. When innovations spread, and the Khawaarij came and then the Shi'a and the Rafidha and so on and so forth, the companions advised those after them to stick with the Sahaabah of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. Realize that in the time of the Sahaabah, three deviant groups came. And yet, not a single Sahaabee ever went to those groups. The Sahaabah were one so they kept on advising that generation after them. Look around these groups, the Khawaarij, the Shi'a, the Rafidha, and those after them, the Jahileeya and the Qadareeya. Do you see any companions amongst them? Not a single companion went to join those groups. As Ibn Masoud said, "Follow us and don't innovate after us because it is sufficient for you what we are upon (What we are doing is sufficient for you, don't do more than that).”
The fourth set of proofs is the proofs from history - Islamic History. From Islamic History we see that the Sahaabah were united in their beliefs and in their theology. These deviant groups that came after them, not a single companion was amongst them. The Khawaarij, they numbered in the thousands, and they fought the Sahaabah in many wars. Never did any companion leave the ranks of the companions and join the Khawaarij. Ali radi Allahu anhu himself was alive when the Rafidha were there and he had some of them executed. None of the companions were upon that deviation. Likewise, the Qadareeya, they too appeared when the Sahaabah were alive. None of the companions joined them. And the same follows for the other three generations as well. The group of the Sunnah, ahlul Sunnah wal jam'a, or the Sunni Muslims, they were distinct and clear. There was only one ahlul Sunnah wal jam'a for over two hundred and fifty years. Any other group had other names. Be it the Jahmeeya, the Mu'atazila, the Asha'riya, the Qulabeeya, the Qadareeya, and others. But the ahlul Sunnah were always one. So for the first two hundred and fifty years, it was clear who was following the Sunnah and who was a deviant.
After this, other groups appeared within ahlul Sunnah wal jam'a, such that in our times we have so many methodologies, so many deviations, so many groups, and all of them claiming to be Sunni Muslims. But this was not the case for the first two hundred and fifty years of Islam. Historically speaking, we have a generation, three generations in fact, where the Sunnah was distinct from innovation. There was no bid'a, or if there was, the bid'a was distinct from the Sunnah. Why do we not go back to them, see what they were doing, see what they believed, see what they preached, see what their methodology was, and take from them?
The fifth set of proofs is a logical proof. Obviously, the best generation that we should go back to for a criterion, for a reference, is the Sahaabah. So from a common sense point of view, we need to have a standard, and that standard is the Sahaabah.
And the last set of proofs is a realistic proof. This proof becomes apparent if we examine many of the groups today. Let us look at those groups who say we should follow the Qur’an and Sunnah, yet they put a full stop there. They number in the dozens – dozens of methodologies and dozens of groups. All of these groups claim they follow the Qur’an and Sunnah. Realistically speaking then, it is not sufficient only to put a full stop there and say you are going to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah. Look at that reality. Look around you at how many groups claim to be Sunni groups, following the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and at the same time claim each other to be Kafir. So realistically speaking there must be something more and we believe that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam must have told us about it. He could not have told us the problem without telling us the solution, and he did. Realistically speaking, the solution is not just the Qur’an and Sunnah, which of course is the fundamental, but the Qur’an and Sunnah based upon the understanding of the early generations.
So these are some proofs of the Qur’an, of the Sunnah, of the Sahaabah themselves, historical proofs, logical proofs, and realistic proofs. The practical steps to achieve unity are contained in these proofs. Turn to the Qur’an and the Sunnah and to the understandings of the early generations and cling to that.
Allah says in the Quran:
“Hold on all of you to the rope of Allah together.” 3:103
Allah does not say, “Hold on all of you together,” without telling you what to hold on to. There is something you need to hold on to and that is the rope of Allah, meaning the Qur’an and the Sunnah. It is not alright that we all stand together and say, “We are Muslims!” We cannot combine the Shi'a with the Qadareeya with the Qadiyani. We cannot do this. Unity, its definition according to the Qur’an and Sunnah, will not be achieved in this way.
Realize our blessings. Our 'iza (honor) is from Allah 'azza wa jal. It is not in our strength, it is not in our numbers. Have we forgotten the battle of Uhd, of Badr, of Tabuq, or all of the battles the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam fought? When have we won by numbers, by quantity? It is the quality that Allah 'azza wa jal wants from us, the quality.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“If Allah helps you, no one can conquer you / But if he destroys you, if he humiliates you, then who is there that can help you after him?” 3:160
We need to look at the Muslims who are really Muslims, and they are the ones we have to be united with. As for the Muslims who are turning away from Islam, meaning the Qur’an and the Sunnah and understanding of the earlier generations, then our duty to them is to guide them to the truth. Our duty to them is to give them advice. Our obligation to them is to guide them to the truth. But if they are extremely deviated, unity cannot be with them. Unity with a good Muslim cannot be equivalent to unity with a deviant Muslim. Similarly, a Muslim who follows the correct understanding of Islam, as understood by the companions, your love for him and your unity with him will be far greater than it will be for a Muslim who has major deviances, who disagrees with the Qur’an and the Sunnah and the understanding of the early generations.
As we said, unity is based on a principle, the rope of Allah. There is a standard, there is a criterion, and that is the Qur’an and the Sunnah based upon the understanding of the early generations. And if any group is not upon this then our unity with them will be proportional to their correctness and we must differ with them where they are incorrect.
My dear Muslims, unity as we said does not come from quantity. It does not come through masses. It comes through quality. It comes through a person's eman, taqwa, and adherence to the Qur’an and Sunnah based upon the understanding of the early generations. If a person does not wish to be upon that understanding, then he is the one causing problems, he is the one breaking away, he is the one becoming disunited and fractionalized.
Therefore, in conclusion, the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam advised the companions, to have the taqwa of Allah 'azza wa jal, and to listen and obey – to listen and obey even if your rulers are people whom you do not like because you will see, you have seen, and all of us have seen, a lot of ikhtilaaf. So when we see it, let us revisit the Sunnah of the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khalifas after him. Hold onto this, stick with this; this is the way we will be united, this is the way that we will be saved. And I caution you, just as Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, I warn you against innovations, against bid'as. Because every single innovation into this religion is a bid'a, and every bid'a is a misguidance, and every misguidance leads to the fire of Hell.
Reference:
1. Tarbiyah: The Key to Victory- Shaykh ‘Alee Hasan Al-Halabee
2. Special Characteristics Regarding the Manhaj of the Salaf- Shaykh ‘Alee Hasan Al-Halabee
3. The Basis of Unity- Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhi
COMPILED BY
IMTIAZ BASHEER AHMED