𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑨𝒍𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒎 𝑯𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑯𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒚. 𝑾𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒄𝒉 𝑯𝒊𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒏 𝒖𝒔 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚 (𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒎/𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒖𝒑𝒐𝒏 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑯𝒊𝒎 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆), 𝒇𝒐𝒓, 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒅, 𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆.

To start with, I seek refuge, with Allāh, from the accursed Shaytān, and In the Name of Allāh, The Most Beneficent and The Most Gracious, I commence this message… while hoping that nobody misinterprets or misrepresents my intention, and by virtue of what heralded writing this piece, it needs to be put forth that “this writer stands accountable for his actual intentions (only) and readers are also liable and responsible for their relative interpretations.”

Sequel to that, from the ink of an Arab Poet –𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐫 𝐁𝐧 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝– it was written that:

“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗺𝘀/ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝘁 (𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱)/ 𝗜𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻𝘁/ 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘁/ 𝗜𝗳 𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗹/ 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲/ 𝗜𝗳 𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 (𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆)/𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲…”

وَمَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَلْسُنِ النِّاسِ سَالِماً ** وَلَوْ أنَّهُ ذَاكَ النَّبِيُّ المُطَهَّرُ

فإنْ كانَ مقداماً يقولونَ أهوجُ ** وَإِنْ كَانَ مِفْضَالاً يَقُولُونَ مُبْذِرُ

وإنْ كانَ سكيتاً يقولونَ أبكمُ ** وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْطِقياً يَقُولُونَ مِهْذَرُ

وإنْ كانَ صواماً وبالليلِ قائماً ** يَقُولُونَ زَرَّافٌ يُرَائِي وَيَمْكُرُ

فَلاَ تَحْتَفِلْ بِالنَّاسِ فِي الذَمِّ وَالثَّنَا ** وَلاَ تَخْشَ غَيْرَ اللَّهِ فَاللَّهُ أَكْبَر

Following the above antecedent, it goes without saying that the religious imbroglios which have rented the air in the Muslim world, has been fueled, until recently, by nothing but hoity-toity attitudes of the various Muslim sects. Criticisms are thus on the loose like a wildfire, in a literal sense, and this has continually encouraged disunity among the Muslims – far and wide – across the globe contrary to what Allāh enjoins in the glorious Quran where He says:

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 (𝐡𝐨𝐰) 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 [𝐀𝐚𝐥-𝐞-𝐈𝐦𝐫𝐚𝐧: 𝟏𝟎𝟑].

وَٱعۡتَصِمُواْ بِحَبۡلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْۚ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ كُنتُمۡ أَعۡدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِكُمۡ فَأَصۡبَحۡتُم بِنِعۡمَتِهِۦٓ إِخۡوَٰنًا وَكُنتُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفۡرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنۡهَاۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَهۡتَدُونَ

Far from being sentimental however, muslims have not been enjoined to throw weights behind one another except on a good cause, as it is clearly stated, [in An-Nisa: 2] that, “help one another in righteousness and piety and do not help each other in sin and aggression. And fear Allāh, surely Allāh is severe in punishment.”

وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ

Indeed, Allāh is as He describes Himself! Just like He warns elsewhere saying: “[O Muhammad!] Inform my servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful; and that my punishment is the painful punishment” [Al-Hijr: 49–50].
نَبِّئۡ عِبَادِىٓ أَنِّىٓ أَنَا ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

وَأَنَّ عَذَابِى هُوَ ٱلۡعَذَابُ ٱلۡأَلِيمُ

Thus, this could be traced back to the final line of the introductory poem (as earlier ellipsed in the translation), and as Abu Bakr Bn Duraid advised in concluding it: “𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞’𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭/𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭.”

And certainly He is the Greatest and whom none should be feared other than Him, for He is great in mercy just as He is greatly severe in punishment.

Incidentally, one English writer and author was quoted to have said “when we judge other people, it is always by our own standards and that often prevents us from understanding them or giving them the compassion they deserve…” It is incontestable that this stands true about the various sects that have become known in this Islamic faith of ours, especially in today’s world where everyone has turned judges of morals and vices. Lo and behold! Is “Allāh not the Greatest of all judges?” [At-Tin: verse 7]. If He is, then the judged and the judges of today shall be rejudged all together before the Great Judge on the Doomsday.

In furtherance, provided that we have come to embrace the reality that we cannot but agree to remain disagreeing sects despite our common identity as Muslims, we also need to face the reality and embrace the truth, as reported by Abu Hurayroh, that the Prophet ﷺ said: “the Jews shall be separated into either of seventy-one or seventy-two divisions, and the Christians too shall be separated in the same way; and my Ummah shall be separated into seventy-three divisions” (Sunnan At-Tirmidhi; No. 2640 – graded as good and authentic).

Again, and very importantly, as in the commentary/explanation of the quoted hadith, Abdullahi Bn Umar reported (in another version of the same hadith) that “all the divisions are in the hell-fire (i.e. would end up in the hell) except one creed” with emphasis that such is the miracle with which the Prophet ﷺ has been blessed (i.e. possessing the knowledge about the unseen – the affairs of the afterlife).

However, to whichever sect anyone or any group may belong, it stands incontrovertible that Prophet ﷺ had fore-warned a long time ago also – around the occasion of his farewell pilgrim – by saying: “I enjoin you to have fear of Allāh and that you listen and obey, even if a slave is made a ruler over you. Verily, whoever lives long among you will see great controversy (and many differences), so you must stick to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the rightly-guided caliphs, those who guide to the righteous path, clinging on to it stubbornly [literally: with your molar teeth]. Beware of newly-introduced matters, for every innovation (bid’ah) is misguidance.” Such was one of his valedictory message(s) that torn hearts of the believers who were in attendance into shreds… and to bridge the gap between this and the preceding paragraph, as the explanations on the quoted hadith has it: the only division that would enter Paradise are the People of the Sunnah… [i.e. Ahl-Sunnah wal Jammah] yet it was never permitted to tag anyone, belonging to any sect, with infidelity; one party was never granted any liberty or license to label another with disbelief regardless of the varying disparities and the creeds that set them apart on a wide margin.

In respect of the above however, it marvels and bewilders, yet it leaves one to wonder where the genesis of some self-acclaimed scholars originates as regards their knowledge and their imbibed culture of tagging ‘every Abel like Cain’ and anybody like Judas with unprintable names and profane descriptions, while the bone of contention has always been about Manhaj and Aqeedah (i.e. doctrine and methodology), every now and then, at the expense of good character and calmness, clemency and generosity, respect and humility, and a host of virtues that could strengthen the bond of Muslims and not sever the good ties with unprecedented hatred, despite that the Prophet ﷺ said “there is nothing that is heavier on the scale like good characters and manners.” And lest we forget, one of the rightly-guided caliphs, Abu Bakr, was quoted to have said: “𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐦, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡” [𝐈𝐡𝐲𝐚 ‘𝐔𝐥𝐮𝐦 𝐚𝐝-𝐃𝐢𝐧].

As a sequel to that, it is in record that the renowned Shaykh Bn Uthaymeen once said: “some of the students of knowledge are now distant from rationality, and they have neither decency, nor submission, nor humility. Rather, some people, the more knowledge they gain, the greater they grow wings (and Allāh’s aid is sought…). Indeed, the truly knowledgeable one is the one whose increase in knowledge increases him in humility.”

Meanwhile it was reported by Abdullahi Bn Mas’ud that the Prophet ﷺ said: anyone who has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart will not enter Paradise.” Then a man said: what if one likes his clothes and shoes to look good?” He said: Allāh is beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance is to reject the truth and look down on people.” So to speak, whether one is upon Sufism, Sunnah, Salafism, or whatever, the ruling from that hadith applies to everyone/anyone who(ever) rejects the truth ‘based on arrogance’ (and sometimes upon ignorance) regardless of status, influence, fame, and reverence he has before mankind.

In essence and unarguably, one major threat that is robbing this religion (Islām) of its pristine ideologies and fundamental creeds is the phenomenal ‘confirmation bias’ and ‘attribution theory’, with the first having negative impacts on Muslims’ unity in embracing a common tenents and ideologies, and the latter being a ‘haven’ for those with moral bankruptcy and those found wanting in their religious obligations. Interestingly, many times over, some supposed scholars and clerics would stop at nothing in their quest to find reference(s) for their preference(s) in respect of religious matters, especially the highly controversial affairs, and as they say, it takes two to tango, hence neither of any two disagreeing parties is completely guilt-free (of this).

While the Salafi brothers are often found using/sharing the lectures of the ‘refuted sheikhs’ (with either acceptable or refutable opinions) in favour of their stances, and in defending their arguments, the Sufi clerics (and others), in the same vein, are also found adopting some fractions of the Sunnah teachings to their individual circumstances and life contexts when it favours them too. Alas, both parties are often at daggers drawn, despising each other, except where their non-uniform creeds favour either’s arguments and preferences. It is really funny no matter how anyone could imagine it.

In spite that notwithstanding, it needs to be emphasized that some humans could be awfully obnoxious, desperate and hostile whenever the truth does not go down well with them, and they would flinch and take their stand arrogantly, and with headiness, once any fault in them is criticized, regardless whether such criticism is constructive or destructive, the truth always feel like a restless pill being forced down their throat, and they would exhibit restiveness, aggressiveness, and a daunting violence, as if they are some untouchable humans whose pride is gored, whereas the truth does not care about whose ox is gored.

If truth may be told further, it is highly discouraging and quite sickening that this religion’s adherents cannot find themselves on a common page due to self-pride, excessive ego, self-righteousness etc. and never can we be upon the same creeds until we ditch the ego and shun all forms of confirmation biases. It is even more disappointing that our religion has become instrumental to our personal vendettas in the sense that virtually everyone now hides under religion to unleash violence and wreak havoc on fellow individuals with whom we share identity as Muslims, whereas the Prophet ﷺ has said “the best of Islamic practice/of Muslims is one whom other Muslims are saved from the evil of his hand and his tongue (i.e. from his action and his speech)” and the big question here is: how did we get here with so much animosity over self-acclaimed religiosity? Just how… did we?

Beyond a shadow of doubt, it is high time we stopped these one-sided arguments and refrained from manipulating the texts (Quran and Hadith) to suit our purposes and intentions based on our dispositions, and rather take a neutral stand on every controversial affairs that are inherent in this Islamic faith so as to find a common ground upon the truth eventually.

Furthermore, with a specific focus on our traditionally rooted parents and relatives, including some Islamic/Arabic education teachers, embracing the idea of Alvin Toffler as implied (in his quote about illiterates of the 21st century) that learning, unlearning, and relearning, are triangular key aspects of positive growth and wisdom in this age of knowledge surplus. Instead of castigating others for reviving the long forgotten Sunnahs, it would be better, profitable and more rewarding to take a look more closely at the various texts in the glorious Quran, the like of where Allāh says:

O you who have believed, let not any group mock others; perhaps they may be better than they are; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than they are. And do not insult one another nor call one another by [offensive/hurtful] nicknames. Sinful is [the ascribing of] a bad name after [embracing] the faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers [Al-Hujraat: 11].

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا يَسۡخَرۡ قَوۡمٌ مِّن قَوۡمٍ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونُواْ خَيۡرًا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَلَا نِسَآءٌ مِّن نِّسَآءٍ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيۡرًا مِّنۡهُنَّۖ وَلَا تَلۡمِزُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَلَا تَنَابَزُواْ بِٱلۡأَلۡقَٰبِۖ بِئۡسَ ٱلِٱسۡمُ ٱلۡفُسُوقُ بَعۡدَ ٱلۡإِيمَٰنِۚ وَمَن لَّمۡ يَتُبۡ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ

Accordingly, as Muslims, we should be conscious of Allāh and preoccupied with His fear in all affairs, every single or minor one, as He mentions elsewhere that:

And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, “Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?” And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one [Al-Khaf: 49].

Consequent upon the verses above, nothing of this affairs should be triviliazed and even if it does not align with our disposition/inclination. Indeed, there is a day when no good acts could be possibly bring forth nor any bad acts could possibly be erased, however, only reckoning shall be possible at such time, and that minute begins consequent upon death for every soul, regardless of faith or fate he had in his lifetime. It needs to be stressed also, that Muslims have no choice but the Hobson’s choice which is: “to hear and obey”, just like the Prophet said: “none of you believes until his desires follow what I have brought.”

لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونَ هَواهُ تَبَعًا لِمَا جِئْتُ بِهِ

Also in the like manner, he had said everyone in his Ummah would enter paradise except whoever refuses. This got the companions enthralled and they quizzed the prophet who, in return, answered that those who turn away from his messages are those who have (already) refused to enter Jannah (paradise).

In view of the points advanced so far, to those who vilify others (publicly or in private) over every practice/act that doesn’t align with their stances, it needs to be drawn out from Surat Yunus that:

And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed – all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?

And it is not for a soul [i.e., anyone] to believe except by permission of Allah, and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason. [Yunus: 99–100].

وَلَوۡ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَأٓمَنَ مَن فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كُلُّهُمۡ جَمِيعًاۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكۡرِهُ ٱلنَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُواْ مُؤۡمِنِينَ

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ أَن تُؤۡمِنَ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَيَجۡعَلُ ٱلرِّجۡسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ

Yet, on the contrary, for those who may take solace in hiding under the pretext of the preceding sequential verses, it needs to be recalled that Allāh promises and categorically states (with clarity) in two different verses [of Suratul-Ankaboot] that:

As for those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our paths. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good [Al-Ankaboot: 69].
وَٱلَّذِينَ جَٰهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَهۡدِيَنَّهُمۡ سُبُلَنَاۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمَعَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

And whoever strives, strives only for himself, for Allāh is free from being in need of the worlds (and what are therein) including all His creatures [Al-Ankaboot: 6].

وَمَن جَٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَٰهِدُ لِنَفۡسِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

To this end, the writer, to the best of his ability, has ensured a maintenance of a neutral stand in this exposition on the heart-rending and worrisome state of the Muslim nations, and for all disagreeing sects, apart from the generally condemned sects like those disguising pure infidelity as Islamic identity, I do not hate nor condemn, and provided that no party has been abused nor any has been favoured, it is hereby enjoined in conclusion that:

If at all we cannot do without our diversities and the animosities surrounding it all, then those who would call to goodness and give constant reminders/admonitions should always go about it with diplomacy. It is said that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, which implies that people are easy to tame with kindness and calm words. The Quran also enjoins the same: “invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and persuasive exhortation and reason with them in the most courteous manner. Surely your Lord knows him who strays from His path, and He knows him who is rightly guided” [An-Nahl: 125].

Again and incidentally, amidst all the clashes between the warring parties, some people (who are also considered Muslims either by name or by birth) like the whores, musicians, Yahoo-boys etc. are actually left outside the whole drama and saga over religion, whereas they are living in a way-ward lifestyle that corrupts our societies in a manifest number of ways, whereas both the refuter(s) and the refuted among the present Islamic scholars can do nothing (or do something) about perhaps, if at all they have not given up on them like some stray dogs. Indeed it is Allāh who has made the deeds of everyone seem fair and alluring to them. And He is capable of all things.

It is worth remembering what the Prophet ﷺ implicitly advised, however, that: “that Allāh should guide someone (aright) by you is beneficial for you than this world and all its treasures.” However, inasmuch as learning is said to be from cradle to grave, a lasting advice to the Muslim nations is that we should all keep learning until we find ourselves on a common page (if at all it’s not impossible) and we should all drop the metals and pick the petals so as to become a better Ummah (nation) all together. But let’s not forget these two final remarks:

And if your Lord had willed, He would surely have made mankind one nation, but they will not cease to differ.

Except whom your Lord has given mercy, and for that did He create them. But the word of your Lord is to be fulfilled that, “I will surely fill Hell with jinn and men all together” [Al-Hud: 118–119].

وَلَوۡ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةًۖ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخۡتَلِفِينَ

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَۚ وَلِذَٰلِكَ خَلَقَهُمۡۗ وَتَمَّتۡ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لَأَمۡلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجۡمَعِينَ
May Allāh grant us salvation from the hell-fire.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲. 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 – 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 [𝗼𝗻𝗲] 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 [𝗔𝗹-𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮: 𝟯𝟲].

وَلَا تَقۡفُ مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡبَصَرَ وَٱلۡفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنۡهُ مَسۡئُولًا

Finally, with this minor religious act, this writer would welcome any constructive criticism from anybody, and at the same time, dissociate himself from any insults and uninvited criticism from any source whatsoever.

May Allāh overlook our errings and intention(s), as writers, if at all it is doused by any misrepresentation or an iota of insincerity considering its target being aimed at addressing a religious issue. May Allāh grant us Ikhlās.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬.

سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إلـــه إلاّ انت استغفرك واتوب إليك

Abdulhafeez Abdullah,
writes from Ilorin, Nigeria. Contact: abdulhafeezolaide@gmail.com
08030681620/08023500210

𝐃𝐡𝐮𝐥-𝐐𝐚’𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐡 𝟐𝟒, 𝟏𝟒𝟒𝟑 𝐀.𝐇
𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐂.𝐄

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