Why are we so divided..?

 

In one of our articles we have mentioned that how without any doubt the Muslim Ummah is in a divided and fragmented state and that this division is prohibited in Islam. Rather Allah (swt) has enjoined upon us to hold onto the rope of Allah (swt), which we established is the Quran and the Sunnah as understood by the Companions. But how did we reach this state in the first place, what causes disunity? 

Shirk:

Associating partners in worship with Allah (swt) Without doubt one of the major causes for people splitting up the religion and leaving holding on to the rope of Allah (swt) is shirk. This is the grave sin of ascribing partners with Allah (swt) in worship. Today throughout the world there are numerous examples of shirk amongst the Ummah, such as those who call upon the dead in the grave.

Allah (swt) says: “And invoke not besides Allah anything that will neither profit you nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Dhalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers).” [Surah Yunus 10:106] 

It is reported that Ibn Masood (ra) asked the Prophet (saws): “Which is the Greatest sin?” The Prophet (saws) said: “That you set up a rival for Allah, While He is the one who created you.” [Bukhari]

O Muslims it will not be hidden from you that throughout the world Muslims are stooped in such practices of calling upon the dead saint in the grave, asking him to remove their difficulty whether it be Abdul Qaadir al Jelanee or al Badawee or other people who’s graves have been made places of worship. How can unity be achieved amongst the Muslims when some Muslims can not unify their worship for Allah (swt) alone? 

How many Muslims: Wear Amulets and charms, despite the Prophet (saws) saying: “Whoever wears an amulet has committed shirk.” [Ahmad] Read astrology in magazines or go to fortune tellers, despite the Prophet (saws) saying: “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him something and believes in his words, will have his prayers rejected for forty days.” [Muslim]

So while all these non-Islamic beliefs and practices are present amongst the Muslims how can unity take place? Is not our first obligation to give dawah to those Muslims who are stooped in these practices? Thereby calling to tawheed as all 124,000 Prophets from Adam (as) to the Prophet (saws) did. They all began their call to the people with Tawheed – worshipping Allah (swt) alone.

Having incorrect beliefs:

Another major reason for disunity is the wide range of beliefs prevalent amongst the Muslims. Despite us having the same Quran and the same Prophet (saws), Muslims still have different beliefs. Why is this? If we all are referring back to the Quran and the Sunnah in every matter then why the differences. Allah (swt) says: “(And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (saws), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.” [Surah an-Nisaa 4:59] 
Imagine if every Muslim acted upon this ayah – would there be any differences then? NO except maybe in the issues of fiqh, such as the prayer. But our beliefs and methodology would be one, so why is this not the case? It is because many Muslims today do not refer every issue back to Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saws), rather they ask their local Imaam or their parents or refer it back to their madhab. 

Know O Muslim that the first thing that all the Prophets called to was the rectification of the beliefs, before calling to the Islamic state or to Jihaad, the first thing was purifying the beliefs of the Muslim. So how can we have unity while there are Muslims who believe that the Prophet (saws) was not human and was made from light, despite Allah (swt) saying: “Say (O Muhammad saws): ‘I am only a human being like you. It is revealed to me that your Ilaah (God worthy of being worshipped) is One Ilaah (God).” [Surah Fussilat 41:6]

That the saying of an Imaam should be acted upon over the hadeeth, despite Allah (swt) saying: “And let those who oppose the Messenger’s (Muhammad saws) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah) beware, lest some Fitnah (trials i.e. shirk) should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.” [Surah an-Noor 24:63]
That Imaan does not increase or decrease, despite the Prophet (saws) saying: “Imaan has seventy odd or sixty odd branches. The most virtuous of them is the statement, ‘There is none worthy of worship except Allah’, and the slightest of them is to remove something harmful from the road. And hayaa is a branch of Imaan.” [Bukhari and Muslim] 

Biddah- Innovations in the religion: 

Another cause for disunity and not holding fast to the rope of Allah (swt) is the occurrence of innovations in this Ummah. Allah (swt) has informed us in the Quran that He has completed this religion of Islam for us as He (swt) says: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Surah al-Ma'idah, 5:3] 

Since the religion is complete how can it be that we need to add new things and ways of worship to Islam? Whatever was not part of the religion at the time of the Prophet (saws) can not be accepted as a part of the religion now. The Prophet (saws) has warned us against adding new things to the religion when he (saws) said: “Whoever Innovates in this affair of ours that which is not from it will have it rejected.” [Muslim]
The people who propose unity at all costs have a saying that ‘An innovation that unites us is better than a Sunnah which divides’. SubhanAllah look at such the statement my Muslim Ummah, innovations are grave and serious and a cause for entering the fire as he (saws) said: “… and every innovation is misguidance and all misguidance is in the Hellfire.” [Reported by an-Nasai (1/224)] 

So if someone said to you look there is a fire over there lets all hold hands and unify and then go in to it, you would think they were crazy! So how can we come together upon something as dangerous as innovations, such as the innovations of mystics, who practice all kinds of weird and innovated invocations, which at times involve switching off the lights or chanting one of Allah’s name so that after some time what they are chanting is unrecognisable as a name of Allah (swt). Or the innovations of those who make up extra ways of worshipping Allah, thinking they will get more sawab or gathering relatives and friends and reciting Quran for the dead. How can unity occur amongst all the Muslims as long as these practices, which have nothing to do with Islam, keep occurring? 

Blind following and Partisanship:

This is one of the most evil of occurrences today and a major cause for disunity. Muslims are following their madhabs or their scholars over and above the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) despite Allah (swt) saying: “And whosoever opposes the Messenger (Muhammad-saws) 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!” [Surah an-Nisaa 4:115] 

When you tell Muslims that you should do this because it says so in the Quran and the Sunnah, they reply well that’s not what it says in my madhab or that’s not what my Shaykh says. SubhanAllah, why did Allah (swt) send us His final Messenger (saws) if it was not to teach us the religion of Islam. 
Allah (swt) says: “But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad saws) judge in all disputes between them and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions and accept (them) with full submission.” [Surah an-Nisaa 4:65] 

No Muslim will openly say I am disobeying the Prophet (saws), but how many of us ask for the proof on issues of beliefs and practices and look to see what is the truth. Another problem is the setting up of groups and parties with members, then being loyal only to that party, believing in the beliefs and aims of that party – not questioning it. Allah (swt) has warned against this: “And be not of Al-Mushrikoon (polytheists). Of those who split their religion, and became sects, each group rejoicing in that which is with it.” [Surah ar-Room 30:31-32] 

Setting up groups is a cause for disunity and spreads hatred amongst the Muslims so that a Muslim from one group will not give salam to a Muslim from another group just because they belong to different groups. Or a group from one masjid will not like Muslims from another masjid to come and pray in their mosque. All this stems from partisanship and it divides the Ummah. Unity will not occur whilst Muslims are in this state rather unity will occur when an end is put to partisanship and Muslims love each other because they are all have the same aims, beliefs and practices. 

The Means for Revival: 

Having looked at the reason why we are so divided, the question now arises as to what the means for reviving this Ummah are. Allah (swt) has given us the means for the revival of this Ummah, when He (swt) says: “Verily! Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.” [Surah ar-Ra'd 13:11]

The Prophet (saws) also said: “When you involve yourselves in interest bearing business transactions and you hold on to the tails of cows, and you are pleased with agriculture (i.e. the land) and you abandon making Jihaad in the Cause of Allah, Allah will send humiliation down upon you. He will not remove it from you until you return back to your Religion.” [Abu Dawood and al-Bayhaqee]
So this humiliation that Muslims are under will not be removed from us until we return back to the religion of Islam. So what is the religion of Islam if not Tawheed, having the correct Aqeedah, worshipping Allah (swt) correctly? So should we not start our revival with these issues. So just as the condition of the Arabs during the Days of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah) was not rectified except by the coming of their Prophet Muhammad (saws) with revelation from the heavens, which aided them in this world and which will save them in the next, then know O Muslims the foundation that the Islamic revival must be built upon in this time, is nothing else but the return to the Quran and the Sunnah, as implemented by the noble companions. 

We know from the Book of Allah (swt) and the Sunnah of His Messenger (saws) that the way towards realising this revival is only one way and it is the way which Allah (swt) has mentioned in His (saws) saying: “And verily, this is My Straight Path, so follow it and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path.” [Surah al-An'aam 6:153]

The Messenger of Allah (saws) explained this to his Companions. Thus, one day he (saws) drew a straight line for them on the ground and then drew short lines on the sides of it. Then, while his (saws) noble finger moved up and down the straight line, he (saws) recited the afore mentioned verse. Then he (saws) pointed to the lines that were drawn on the sides of the straight line and said: “This is the Path of Allah and these are the (other) paths. At the top of each of these (other) ways, there is a devil calling towards it.” [Saheeh hadeeth, graded in Dhilaal-ul-Jannah fee Takhreej-is Sunnah(16-17)] 

Furthermore, Allah (swt) says: “And whosoever opposes the Messenger (Muhammad-saws) 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!” [Surah an-Nisaa 4:115]

In this ayah there is profound and extensive wisdom, for Allah (swt), has connected the “the believers way” to what the Messenger (saws) came with. The Messenger (saws) has (also) indicated this point in the hadeeth about the splitting up of the Ummah into sects. When he (saws) was asked concerning the saved sect, he (saws) responded: “That which (adheres to what) I and my companions are upon today." 

”What then is the wisdom behind Allah’s mentioning of “the believers way” in this ayah? And what is the significance in the Messenger of Allah’s (saws) linking of his companions to himself in the previous hadeeth? The answer is: These noble Companions (raa) were the ones who received the two revelations (i.e. the Quran and Sunnah) from the Messenger of Allah (saws), having that explained to them by him (saws) directly, without there being any intermediary. They best knew how to implement the Sunnah, so after knowing this can any Islamic revival take place when the way of the Companions (raa) is abandoned and not adhered to, rather No it cannot.

For us to revive Islam and bring unity to the Muslims we must adopt the way and example of the Noble Companions (raa) said: “The latter part of this Ummah will not be rectified except by that which rectified its former part.” [ash-Shifaa of Qaadee 'Iyyaadh, (2/676)] 

So it will be clear to the Muslims that the only way to revive the Ummah is to return every affair of the Muslim back to the Quran and the Sunnah as understood and implemented by the best generation, the Companions (raa). To believe as they believed, to worship as they worshipped, to look like them, to give dawah in the way they gave it. Then only will we be united and have a true Islamic revival.

So, dear Muslims our Lord says…. “Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allah’s Reminder (this Quran) and that which has been revealed of the truth.” [Surah al-Hadeed 57:16].