Our predecessors were known, respected, honoured and led the whole world when they were united with one voice and mind. Thanks to the bond of brotherhood established by the Prophet of Allah peace be upon him among his companions. It is a command from Allah (SW) in Surah Aal-Imran Ayah 103:
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says,
وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.”
It was said that the rope of Allah refers to Allah’s covenant as Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said in another ayah,
ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُوا إِلَّا بِحَبْلٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ النَّاسِ
“They have been put under humiliation [by Allah] wherever they are overtaken, except for a covenant from Allah and a rope from the people.” (Al-Imran 3:112)
A rope from the people refers to pledges and peace treaties.
“And do not become divided,” orders sticking to the community of the believers and forbids division. There are several ahadeeth that require adhering to the Jama’ah (congregation of the believers) and prohibit division.
(Disputing after Witnessing the Signs indicates Deviation)
Muslim recorded that Abu Huraira radhiAllahu ‘anhu said that the Messenger of Allah salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said,
إِنَّ اللهَ يَرْضَى لَكُمْ ثَلَاثًا، وَيَسْخَطُ لَكُمْ ثَلَاثًا: يَرْضَى لَكُمْ أَنْ تَعْبُدُوهُ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَأَنْ تَعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا،وَأَنْ تَنَاصَحُوا مَنْ وَلَّاهُ اللهُ أَمْرَكُمْ. وَيَسْخَطُ لَكُمْ ثَلَاثًا: قِيلَ وَقَالَ، وَكَثْرَةَ السُّؤَالِ، وَإِضَاعَةَ الْمَال
“It pleases Allah for you to acquire three qualities and displeases Him that you acquire three characteristics. It pleases Him that you worship Him Alone and not associate anything or anyone with Him in worship, that you hold on to the Rope of Allah altogether and do not divide, and that you advise whoever Allah appoints as your Leader. The three that displease Him are that you say, ‘It was said,’ and, ‘So-and-so said,’ asking many unnecessary questions and wasting money.”
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says,
وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا
“And remember the favor of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers.”
Ibn Katheer comments that this ayah was revealed about the Aws and Khazraj. During the time of Jahiliyyah, the Aws and Khazraj were at war and had great hatred, enmity and ill feelings towards each other, causing long conflicts and battles to occur between them. When Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala brought Islam, those among them who embraced it became brothers who loved each other by Allah’s grace, having good ties for Allah’s sake and helping each other in righteousness and piety.
(In All Matters, Give Precedence to the Book of Allah)
In Surah Al-Anfal, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says,
هُوَ الَّذِي أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِ وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ – وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ ۚ لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَّا أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ
“It is He who supported you with His help and with the believers. And brought together their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allah brought them together.” (8:62-63).
We have today, those who have been blessed with Islam but still decided not to hold to the rope of Allah and cause division among the Muslims. This write up is intended to open the eyes of today’s Muslims to the following:
1) To remind us of the honour and pride of our predecessors when the were united.
2) To turn our attention to what they experienced of loss due to disunity.
3) To guide us towards unity.
4) To open our eyes to the cause of the disunity after they had been united.
5) To inform us about bidia (innovations) into the aqeedah of Islam that led to destruction in the Muslim ummah.
6) To keep us in watch against these ideologies and
7) To let us link our present life to our past.
I think this write up will assist us in retracing our steps back to the era of unity and shun any act that can cause disunity. The advent of social media has not really helping the matter but making the situation worst.
To be continued
Olawale Ibraheem
