The Obligation of Unity and Denouncement of Division and Disagreement

First Sermon:

 

All praise is due and belongs to Allâh. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness and repent to Him. We seek refuge with Allâh from the evils of ourselves and from the wickedness of our own deeds. Whomever that Allâh guides, none can mislead him, and whomever He sends astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allâh alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

( يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ )

(O ye who believe, fear Allâh as he should be feared and die not unless you are Muslims) [Al-Imran: 102]

 

( يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاء وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءلُونَ بِهِ وَالأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا )

(O people fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul. From it, He created its spouse, and from both of them scattered many men and women. Fear Allâh, by whom you ask one another, and (fear) the wombs (lest you sever its relationship). Allâh is ever watching over you). [An-Nisa: 1].

 

( يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا * يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَن يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا )

(O you, who believe, fear Allâh and say sound statements. He will mend your deeds for you and forgive your sins. Whosoever obeys Allâh and His Messenger shall win a great victory) [Al-Ahzab: 70-71].

 

Slaves of Allâh! Our nation today is going through a stage of division, where conflict and discord are the order of the day. It is living a state of weakness and humiliation, and has become vulnerable to the ambitions of its enemies.

 

The division intended here is the act of breaching the unity and common word of the Muslim community. All that by which the truth and its adherents is violated, is division and detachment from affection. The obligation is to be united with affection and unanimity upon the word of truth. Division is the opposite of unity, disagreement is the antithesis of agreement, and conflict is the opposite of harmony. No betterment nor reconciliation can be attained without agreement, unity and harmony otherwise it will be a failure, May Allâh safeguard against that. Failure of the common people and high profile personalities of the nation, failure of the individual and society, and failure in moral and material things. Allâh the Almighty said,

( وَلَا تَنَـٰزَعُواْ فَتَفۡشَلُواْ وَتَذۡهَبَ رِيحُكُمۡ‌ۖ )

And do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength departs [Al-Anfal:46].

 

The strength of the believers who are charged with this speech, lies in their brotherhood, unity, harmony, love and affection for one another.

 

Among the most prominent reasons for this division is sins and acts of disobedience. Allâh the most High said,

( ظَهَرَ ٱلۡفَسَادُ فِى ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِى ٱلنَّاسِ )

Evil (sins and disobedience to Allâh) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds) [Ar-Room :41].

 

The Almighty also said,

( أَوَلَمَّآ أَصَـٰبَتۡكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَدۡ أَصَبۡتُم مِّثۡلَيۡہَا قُلۡتُمۡ أَنَّىٰ هَـٰذَا‌ۖ قُلۡ هُوَ مِنۡ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمۡ‌ۗ )

(What is the matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this come to us?" Say (to them), "It is from yourselves (because of your evil deeds) [Al-Imran:165].

 

Our Prophet Muhammad, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), said, "When acts of disobedience prevail in my nation, Allâh will send a wide-ranging punishment upon them" (Ahmad).

 

He, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), also said, "Disgrace and humiliation will be sent upon those that go against my command," (Al-Bukhari transmitted it among his Mu'allaqaat – Traditions in which one or more narrators is deleted from the beginning of the transmission chain uninterruptedly, even to the end of the transmission chain).

 

Imam Ali, may Allâh be pleased with him, said as mentioned by Ibn Al-Qayyim, (No calamity befalls except due to some sin committed and it is never lifted except by repentance) (See: Ad-Daa Wad-Dawaa).

 

It is understood from the foregoing that the menace caused by sin, is at both the individual and community levels, and that it is not lifted unless the cause disappears.

 

Just as the sins are a reason for all calamities, they also divert every affection and brotherhood. They cause division among all those united upon a kind of goodness. The Messenger of Allâh, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), said, "No two persons are united for the sake of Allâh and get divided except due to the sin perpetrated by one of them" (Al-Bukhari).

 

So what about if sins abound and are general and all-inclusive? There is no doubt that the matter is more dangerous and that the nation is vulnerable to ominous consequences, May Allâh safeguard against such.  Honest is he that said that sins lead to the doom of nations and peoples.

 

One of the reasons of division also is to be attached to this world, neglecting Allâh and the afterlife. Such impairs the body of the nation, and empowers the enemies over them, because Muslims are in a weak position. They have been shackled by this world and so  relied on it. If they had clung to the Hereafter, they would not have languished, got weakened and surrendered to their enemies. Allâh, the Almighty warned of falling in this:

( وَلَا تَكُونُواْ كَٱلَّذِينَ نَسُواْ ٱللَّهَ فَأَنسَٮٰهُمۡ أَنفُسَہُمۡ‌ۚ )

And be not like those who forgot Allâh (i.e. became disobedient to Allâh) and He caused them to forget their ownselves [Al-Hashr:19].

 

The Messenger of Allâh, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), said, " The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allâh will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and  cast enervation into your hearts. Someone asked: What is wahn (enervation) Messenger of Allâh (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him)? He replied: Love of the world and dislike of death "Abu Dawud.

 

The reasons that bring about discord and division are many, and all of them are not off what have earlier been mentioned regarding the perpetration of sins and neglecting Allâh and the afterlife.

 

O believers! There are many and various kinds of division. Their number may be countless, but some of the most prominent types, which can be mentioned here, and about which Islam has warned are as follows:

Division in religion and disagreement regarding it:

 This is what has become the description of those upon whom the wrath of Allâh has befallen among the Jews and the strayed ones among the Christians. Allâh warned Muslims not to fall guilty of what those nations did. He recommended what one should hold on to, which is the strong cord of Allâh. Allâh the most High said,

( وَلَا تَكُونُواْ كَٱلَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَٱخۡتَلَفُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتُ‌)

And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them [Al-Imran 105].

The Almighty also said,

( إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَرَّقُواْ دِينَہُمۡ وَكَانُواْ شِيَعً۬ا لَّسۡتَ مِنۡہُمۡ فِى شَىۡءٍ‌ۚ )

Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects (all kinds of religious sects), you (O Muhammad) have no concern in them in the least [Al-An'am:159].

 

This shows that the risk was at the entrance of passions, which became the reason for division between people of the same religion. So they were penalized with an urgent penalty and they seized to deserve their affiliation to the truth, which came down from Allâh, the Almighty.

 

Among the most prominent types of division as well is the violation of the Muslim community, and inciting sedition and prejudices, where everybody exercises with those who oppose them a similar manner by word or deed. There is no doubt that this is one of the greatest menaces, and one of the greatest opportunities the enemies exploit to provoke disputes and conflicts among Muslims and cause dissention among them if not already there. If they do not already have issues, they introduce to them undignified things by whatever possible means. That is all the more reason the Prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), said, "Adhere to the Jama'ah (Muslim community), beware of division" (At-Tirmidhi).

So Islam invited to unity and rejection of division. Allâh says,

( وَٱعۡتَصِمُواْ بِحَبۡلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعً۬ا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْ‌ۚ )

And hold fast, all of you together, to the cord of Allâh (i.e. this Qur'ân), and be not divided among yourselves [Al-Imran:103].

 

Infallibility as it is displayed in the text can only be attained through holding fast to the cord of Allâh Almighty, (i.e. having faith in Him). It is the common uniting factor among all Muslims. There is no other sound and true factor besides it, otherwise how many Muslims gathered on other than faith in Allâh, the Almighty and took for granted what they should have adhered to, but that only increased them in division, dispute, and boycott of one another.

 

Islam's condemnation of division, disagreement and conflict, in all their forms and types, are shown by the previous religious texts, and many other texts. Hence, division is not one of the attributes of believers, whom Allâh told of saying,

( إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ إِخۡوَةٌ۬ )

The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islâmic religion) [Al-Hujuraat: 10].

 

This is because brotherhood requires cooperation, mutual support and love, not conflict, discord and disagreement. Due to the severity of disapproving division, the Prophet, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him),  said, " Do not revert to disbelief after me by striking (cutting) the necks of one another (i.e. killing one another)" (Agreed upon).

 

He further said, " And become as fellow brothers and slaves of Allâh".

 

Hence, division will bring nothing but failure, and disappearance of strength.

 

When the Muslims are divided, they become very weak and vulnerable in every aspect of life. They become easy prey for enemies, who are wolves in the form of humans. The wolf preys upon the disobedient and distant sheep, as in the previous hadith, " Adhere to the Jama'ah (Muslim community), beware of division", for the devil is farther from two persons and closer to one, "for the wolf eats up a solitary sheep that stays far from the flock " Abu Dawud. How about if there are many wolves, and multiple solitary sheep that stay far from the flock ?!

Lest we forget that the enemies of Islam are working day and night in order to fight it, through a large number of educational and media means, organizations and global institutions, in attempt to distract the adherents away from it, employing every dear means to get access to their wish. Allâh says,

( وَلَا يَزَالُونَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَرُدُّوكُمۡ عَن دِينِڪُمۡ إِنِ ٱسۡتَطَـٰعُواْ‌ۚ )

And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion (Islâmic Monotheism) if they can [Al-Baqarah:217].

 

Stating their craftiness at every time, Allâh said,

( وَإِن كَانَ مَڪۡرُهُمۡ لِتَزُولَ مِنۡهُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ )

Though their plot was not such as to remove the mountains (real mountains or the Islâmic law) from their places (as it is of no importance) [Ibrahim: 46].

 

One of the  leaders of disbelief spoke, declaring the intense hostility to Islam: (Destroy Islam and wipe out its followers). This is just a tip of an iceberg, of the maliciousness and cunning they bear in their hearts towards Muslims. Allâh spoke the truth when He said,

( قَدۡ بَدَتِ ٱلۡبَغۡضَآءُ مِنۡ أَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ وَمَا تُخۡفِى صُدُورُهُمۡ أَكۡبَرُ‌ۚ )

Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse [Al-Imran:118].

 

So they devised a means to achieve their goals, through the attempt to disband Muslims, and stir up everything that may lead to what they expect as regards rending the word of Muslims apart and sowing the seeds of discord among them, so that the nation enters a state of weakness and humiliation, then they do whatever they wish and desire, in form of distorting the sound belief, keeping people away from commitment to the ethics of their religion, and rendering them suspicious of it..

Hence, it is obligatory on Muslims, especially in such a time, in which the enemies, the Jews and the Christians and their allies from among the hypocrites, have heaped up against the Nation of Islam, to unite their word, and forget their differences, which do not justify their division in the religion, and separation from the Muslim community. The nation should revive the principle of being sincere towards one another, mutual forgiveness and tolerance. These are the ethics of Islam which it advocated very early, and called on people to comply with.

Allâh says,

( وَٱعۡتَصِمُواْ بِحَبۡلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعً۬ا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْ‌ۚ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ كُنتُمۡ أَعۡدَآءً۬ فَأَلَّفَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِكُمۡ فَأَصۡبَحۡتُم بِنِعۡمَتِهِۦۤ إِخۡوَٲنً۬ا )

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur'ân), and be not divided among yourselves[], and remember Allâh's Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islâmic Faith)[Al-Imran 103].

 

In the hadith, the prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), says, "Religion is sincerity." They said; "To whom, O Messenger of Allâh?" He said: "To Allâh, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the imams of the Muslims and to their common folk" (Muslim).

 

Moreover, Ali, may Allâh be pleased with him, said, " The believers are sincere to one another, and the hypocrites are cheats" At-Tabarani.

Second sermon:

 

All praise is due and belongs to Allâh, the Patron of the righteous. The good end shall be for the pious, and no aggression except upon the oppressors. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allâh alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

Slaves of Allâh! The Muslim nation has been plagued with some Muslim associates, who are actively trying to break up the word of the nation, serving the enemies by their own choice, or otherwise.

 

The duty of the nation as a whole, is to stop them in their tracks, remind them of Allâh the Almighty, establish the proof against them, and halt them from what they are attempting. This is the duty of all Muslims, each according to his ability, including those at the helm of affairs among the rulers and learned scholars, those Allâh wishes to be of help to their brothers on the path of goodness, as much as they can afford. Allâh has given them authority in what they do, the rulers have the authority of force, while the learned scholars have the authority of knowledge, and integration is the duty of everyone. Each assists the other, and other people will be of help to them. If those who seek to broadcast evil among the nation sense that, they will humble themselves and desist. This is all what the people hope for, to worship Allâh and live a decent life, wherein their word is united, their stand is unified, and their state is stable. Furthermore, to snub those seeking to spread corruption on earth, for " unity is mercy, and division is torment," as stated by Ibn Taymiyah, May Allâh bestow mercy on him.

Doing so should be a matter of cooperation on goodness, which is one of the greatest virtues. Allâh the most High said,

( وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۖ )

Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); [Al-Maedah: 2].

 

Again, snubbing the opponent is an act of being sincere towards him, by stopping him from doing his wickedness. The Messenger of Allâh, (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), said, " Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or is oppressed". A man enquired: "O Messenger of Allâh! I help him when he is oppressed, but how can I help him when he is an oppressor?" He (May the blessings and peace of Allâh be upon him), said, "You can keep him from committing oppression. That will be your help to him" (Al-Bukhari).

 

If Muslims perform their duty, Allâh will create the grounds for goodness and success, and He the Most Purified is the only One to be sought for help. Allâh the Most High, said,

( وَٱللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡرِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ )

And Allâh has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not [Yusuf: 21].

 

Invoke prayers and blessings of Allâh upon Al-Bashir An-Nadhir (bringer of glad tidings and a warner), and As-Siraj Al-Munir (Glittering lamp), our prophet Muhammad bin Abdullah, whom Allâh sent as a mercy to the worlds and whom you have been commanded to invoke prayers and blessings of Allâh upon when Allâh, the Most Exalted and Glorified said,

( إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا )

Allâh sends His Salah (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad) and also His angels too (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salah on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad), and (you should) greet him with the Islamic way of greeting [Al-Ahzab: 56].

 

All praise is due and belongs to Allâh, Lord and Cherisher of all that exists.