Unite under one ‘Aqeedah
by: Syeikh Muhammad Sa'id Abu Al-Rub
Definition and explanation:
Aqeedah refers to those matters which are believed in, with certainty and conviction, in one’s heart and soul. They are not tainted with any doubt or uncertainty.
The Arabic word ‘aqeedah stems from the root ‘aqada, which conveys meanings of certainty, affirmation, confirmation, etc
Allah the Almighty said:
"لا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الأيْمَانَ"
“Allâh will not punish you for what is uninentional in your oaths, but He will punish you for your deliberate oaths” (المائدة 89)
In Islam, ‘aqeedah is the matter of knowledge. The Muslim must believe in his heart and have faith and conviction, with no doubts or misgivings, because Allaah has told him about ‘aqeedah in His Book and via His Revelations to His Messenger (عليه الصلاة والسلام)
The principles of ‘Aqeedah:
The principles of ‘aqeedah are those which Allaah has commanded us to believe in, as mentioned in the aayah:
" آَمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آَمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ "
"The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books and His Messengers. They say, ‘We make no distinction between one and another of His Messengers’ – and they say, ‘We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all).’"
[al-Baqarah 2:285]:
And the prophet Mohammed (عليه الصلاة والسلام) defined this belief in the famous hadith of Jibreel (عليه السلام) , in which he said:
) فأخبرني عن الإيمان، قال أن تؤمن بالله وملائكته و كتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر وتؤمن بالقدر خيره وشره....)
“Inform me about Iman (faith). He (our Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil”. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Regarding to these principles, we should hold them and believe in them without any doubt whatsoever. Allah the Almighty said in many verses praising the believer and showing the importance of these principles:
" إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا...." (الحجرات ،15)
(Only those are the believers who have believed in Allâh and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not.........)
"الم، ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ....." ( البقرة ،2)
(This is the Book (the Qur'ân), whereof there is no doubt)
" رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ النَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ...." (آل عمران ، 9)
(Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt)
Because the last issues which we are required to believe in are unseen matters, not visible, then Allah has praised the believers;
" الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ..." ( البقرة ،3)
(who believe in the Ghaib (unseen)…)
Miserable state of our Ummah and the remedy:
If we look to the state of the Ummah nowadays with regards to the Deen, we can recognize very clear the miserable state which is reflected by the ignorance of 'Aqeedah and matters related to it, splitting and differences in the existing methodologies, and negligence of spreading the call of Islam -worldwide - according to the 'Aqeedah and Manhaj of the First Generation with which the early generations had been rectified.
However, due to their differences in 'Aqeedah and Manhaj, Muslims have differed in their approach to deal with this state. This can be seen in the presence of numerous Islamic movements and groups that have been claiming reform for centuries. However, success has never written for them; on the contrary, these movements have caused great fitan, ordeals and trials due to their methodologies and 'aqeedah that contradict the commandments of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and what he came with.
So, what are the successful ways to solve this state of affairs?
And how we can unite Muslims to have a united ummah?
Although the state of Muslims nowadays is miserable, but it is not as bad as that of the Arabs at the times of Jahiliyyah when our Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was sent to them. This can be seen in following points:
• The existence of the Message of Islam among us
• The completeness of this Message
• The existence of the group that is established upon the truth, who acts on it, and call the people to the correct form of Islam in 'Aqeedah, worship, behavior and methodology.
However, it is obvious that the state of a great deal of the Muslim denominations today is similar to the state of the Arabs at the times of Jahiliyyah. In view of that, the remedy is the same. Just as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) cured that early state of jaahiliyyah, the Muslim callers of today should use the same cure to remedy the poor understanding of the Meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah and to treat the painful state of affairs.
This meaning becomes clear when we reflect upon the statement of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى):
{ }
“Indeed you have a good example in the Messenger of Allaah to follow…” (Soorat ul-Ahzaab, 33:21)
This means that our Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the best example to be followed in dealing with the problems which face the Muslims in this time as well as in all times. This necessitates that we start with that which the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) started with; that is, to set right what has become corrupt in terms of:
First: the beliefs of the Muslims;
Second: their acts of worship and
Third: their behavior.
Most of Muslims nowadays turned away from the type of reform that the all Messengers - started with, which is explained in Allah’s statement:
{ • }(النحل ،36)
”We have certainly sent messengers to every nation, (saying) 'Worship
Allaah and abandon false deities'.” (Soorat un-Nahl, 16:36)
They are not concerned with this fundamental principle and first pillar of the pillars of Islam. It is the same principle that the first of the Messengers, Nooh kept calling to for approximately one thousand years.
Nooh spent nine hundred and fifty years devoting his time and attention to calling to Tawheed. Nevertheless, his people turned away from his call as Allah says in his Book:
" • • "
”And they have said: 'You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave
Wadd, nor Suwaa', nor Yaghuth, nor Ya'uq, nor Nasr (names of the idols).” (Soorat Nooh, 71:23)
This indicates clearly that the most important affair to which the callers to 'the
True Message of Islam' should pay attention, is calling to Tawheed. This is the meaning of Allah’s statement:
" "
”So know that Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah)…” (Soorat Muhammad, 47:19)
This is how the Messenger's Sunnah was with regards to actions and method of education:
As to his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) action,: there is no need for any investigation because clearly his actions and call in the Makkah period were restricted to calling his people to singling out Allah with all worship without any partner.
As to education: This can be seen in the Hadith of Anas ibn Malik which is narrated in al-Bukhari and Muslim that when the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sent Mu'aad to Yemen, he said to him:
"Let the first thing you call them to be: to testify the there is none who truly deserves to be worshipped except Allaah alone. If they answer you in that tell them about prayet and so on …”.
So, let’s look now at the Hadith of our prophet (عليه الصلاة والسلام), did he tell us about the split and differences among his Uammah or not?
And if he told us, did he inform us about the solution and the cure for this disease?
On the authority of al-‘Irbad bin Sariyah (رضي الله عنه) who said: "The Messenger of Allaah (عليه الصلاة والسلام) gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. We said: O Messenger of Allaah it is as though this is a farewell sermon, so advise us. He said: "I advise you to have Taqwaa of Allaah and to listen and obey even if a black slave has been appointed as your leader. He among you who lives long enough will see many differences. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Khulafaa who will come after me, hold on to them with your molar teeth. Beware of Bid’ah (in religion) because every Bid’ah is Misguidance." [Aboo Dawood & at-Tirmidhi].
So, our prophet( عليه الصلاة والسلام) told us about this bad state of Ummah and gave us the solution which is to hold fast to his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the 4 guides Khulafa’a.
And in another hadith, Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood (radiyallaahu anhu) said, "One day the Messenger of Allaah drew for us a straight line on the ground and said: ‘This is the path of Allaah.’ Then he drew a number of other lines on the right and the left of the straight line, and said, ‘These are pathways, on the head of each path is a shaytaan calling people to it (himself).’ Then he recited:
"وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ"
"And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you become al-Muttaqûn." [Al-An’aam 6:153]
Mujaahid (the student of Ibn Abbaas) said about the saying of Allaah: …and follow not other paths : it means : "The innovations and doubts."
In another Hadith Prophet Mohammed (عليه الصلاة والسلام) said:
" أَلاَ إِنَّ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ افْتَرَقُوا عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمِلَّةَ سَتَفْتَرِقُ عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ ثِنْتَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِى النَّارِ وَوَاحِدَةٌ فِى الْجَنَّةِ وَهِىَ الْجَمَاعَةُ " (أبو داود- الترمذي )
"The People of the Two Scriptures divided into seventy-two sects. This Ummah will divide into seventy-three sects, all in the Fire except one, that is, the Jamaa’ah”.
The scholars have agreed that those sects are Muslims and all of them believe in the basic principles we mentioned above. However, one of the crucial reasons of this division is the disagreement of the details of the said principles. Allah will punish the misleading sects because of their misleading beliefs. We will explain briefly some important details about detailed beliefs which help us secure our self from being one of these sects, instead we have to gather our self and all Muslims to be with the safe sect which the prophet Mohammed (عليه الصلاة والسلام) told us about.
Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) also mentioned about this division and dispraises it by his saying:
"َولَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (31) مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ "
"and be not of Al-Mushrikûn Of those who split up their and became sects, each sect rejoicing in that which is with it." [Ar-Rum 31-32]
How to avoid false Aqeedah?
Although most Muslims are agreed with considering Quran and Sunnah as sources of religion, the Hadith, narrated above, about the division of the Ummah has described the reality of our Ummah for long period of time. In another narration of the above Hadith narrated from Abdullah bin Amr:
" وَتَفْتَرِقُ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً كُلُّهُمْ فِى النَّارِ إِلاَّ مِلَّةً وَاحِدَةً قَالُوا وَمَنْ هِيَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي "( صحيح الجامع)
(My Ummah will be divided into seventy three sects, all of them in Hell fire except one which follow my way and the way of my companions)
So the solution is to follow prophet Muhammed and his sahabah way. Those who prophet Mohammed described them by the best generation, he said in Hadith:
"The best of the people are my generation, then those after them, then those after them .. "
as has been demonstrated above by evidences, following the ways of prophet Mohammed and his companions is the only way to save ourself. We have to get knowledge first about the truth details of our beliefs and then gather people upon it as Allah commanded us
" وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا"
“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur'ân), and be not divided among yourselves” ( آل عمران ،103)
We have to call others to the rope of Allah, to the Aqeedah revealed by Quran and by Sunnah and explained by the companions. We have to follow the Prophet Mohammed how he gave the Aqeedah the priority among the other religious matters: He spent 13 years at the beginning of Da’wa just to teach his companions Aqeedah and Tawheed which are related to the most Essential principles. If we do that, then Allah will accomplish his promise to us as he said:
"وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا"
Allâh has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islâm). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. ( النور ،55).
At the end, I believe that in these times one should busy himself with two important points that constitute the foundation for true change. These two points are: Tasfiyah (purification from false ‘Aqeedah) and Tarbiyah (cultivation upon the correct “Aqeedah). They have to be combined together and then calling the people to correct 'aqeedah and worship, each according to his ability. Allaah does not burden a person beyond his scope.
Wallaho ‘Alam.
والحمد لله رب العالمين
by: Syeikh Muhammad Sa'id Abu Al-Rub
Definition and explanation:
Aqeedah refers to those matters which are believed in, with certainty and conviction, in one’s heart and soul. They are not tainted with any doubt or uncertainty.
The Arabic word ‘aqeedah stems from the root ‘aqada, which conveys meanings of certainty, affirmation, confirmation, etc
Allah the Almighty said:
"لا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا عَقَّدْتُمُ الأيْمَانَ"
“Allâh will not punish you for what is uninentional in your oaths, but He will punish you for your deliberate oaths” (المائدة 89)
In Islam, ‘aqeedah is the matter of knowledge. The Muslim must believe in his heart and have faith and conviction, with no doubts or misgivings, because Allaah has told him about ‘aqeedah in His Book and via His Revelations to His Messenger (عليه الصلاة والسلام)
The principles of ‘Aqeedah:
The principles of ‘aqeedah are those which Allaah has commanded us to believe in, as mentioned in the aayah:
" آَمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آَمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ "
"The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books and His Messengers. They say, ‘We make no distinction between one and another of His Messengers’ – and they say, ‘We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all).’"
[al-Baqarah 2:285]:
And the prophet Mohammed (عليه الصلاة والسلام) defined this belief in the famous hadith of Jibreel (عليه السلام) , in which he said:
) فأخبرني عن الإيمان، قال أن تؤمن بالله وملائكته و كتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر وتؤمن بالقدر خيره وشره....)
“Inform me about Iman (faith). He (our Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil”. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Regarding to these principles, we should hold them and believe in them without any doubt whatsoever. Allah the Almighty said in many verses praising the believer and showing the importance of these principles:
" إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا...." (الحجرات ،15)
(Only those are the believers who have believed in Allâh and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not.........)
"الم، ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ....." ( البقرة ،2)
(This is the Book (the Qur'ân), whereof there is no doubt)
" رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ النَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ...." (آل عمران ، 9)
(Our Lord! Verily, it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt)
Because the last issues which we are required to believe in are unseen matters, not visible, then Allah has praised the believers;
" الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ..." ( البقرة ،3)
(who believe in the Ghaib (unseen)…)
Miserable state of our Ummah and the remedy:
If we look to the state of the Ummah nowadays with regards to the Deen, we can recognize very clear the miserable state which is reflected by the ignorance of 'Aqeedah and matters related to it, splitting and differences in the existing methodologies, and negligence of spreading the call of Islam -worldwide - according to the 'Aqeedah and Manhaj of the First Generation with which the early generations had been rectified.
However, due to their differences in 'Aqeedah and Manhaj, Muslims have differed in their approach to deal with this state. This can be seen in the presence of numerous Islamic movements and groups that have been claiming reform for centuries. However, success has never written for them; on the contrary, these movements have caused great fitan, ordeals and trials due to their methodologies and 'aqeedah that contradict the commandments of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and what he came with.
So, what are the successful ways to solve this state of affairs?
And how we can unite Muslims to have a united ummah?
Although the state of Muslims nowadays is miserable, but it is not as bad as that of the Arabs at the times of Jahiliyyah when our Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was sent to them. This can be seen in following points:
• The existence of the Message of Islam among us
• The completeness of this Message
• The existence of the group that is established upon the truth, who acts on it, and call the people to the correct form of Islam in 'Aqeedah, worship, behavior and methodology.
However, it is obvious that the state of a great deal of the Muslim denominations today is similar to the state of the Arabs at the times of Jahiliyyah. In view of that, the remedy is the same. Just as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) cured that early state of jaahiliyyah, the Muslim callers of today should use the same cure to remedy the poor understanding of the Meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah and to treat the painful state of affairs.
This meaning becomes clear when we reflect upon the statement of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى):
{ }
“Indeed you have a good example in the Messenger of Allaah to follow…” (Soorat ul-Ahzaab, 33:21)
This means that our Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the best example to be followed in dealing with the problems which face the Muslims in this time as well as in all times. This necessitates that we start with that which the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) started with; that is, to set right what has become corrupt in terms of:
First: the beliefs of the Muslims;
Second: their acts of worship and
Third: their behavior.
Most of Muslims nowadays turned away from the type of reform that the all Messengers - started with, which is explained in Allah’s statement:
{ • }(النحل ،36)
”We have certainly sent messengers to every nation, (saying) 'Worship
Allaah and abandon false deities'.” (Soorat un-Nahl, 16:36)
They are not concerned with this fundamental principle and first pillar of the pillars of Islam. It is the same principle that the first of the Messengers, Nooh kept calling to for approximately one thousand years.
Nooh spent nine hundred and fifty years devoting his time and attention to calling to Tawheed. Nevertheless, his people turned away from his call as Allah says in his Book:
" • • "
”And they have said: 'You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave
Wadd, nor Suwaa', nor Yaghuth, nor Ya'uq, nor Nasr (names of the idols).” (Soorat Nooh, 71:23)
This indicates clearly that the most important affair to which the callers to 'the
True Message of Islam' should pay attention, is calling to Tawheed. This is the meaning of Allah’s statement:
" "
”So know that Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah)…” (Soorat Muhammad, 47:19)
This is how the Messenger's Sunnah was with regards to actions and method of education:
As to his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) action,: there is no need for any investigation because clearly his actions and call in the Makkah period were restricted to calling his people to singling out Allah with all worship without any partner.
As to education: This can be seen in the Hadith of Anas ibn Malik which is narrated in al-Bukhari and Muslim that when the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sent Mu'aad to Yemen, he said to him:
"Let the first thing you call them to be: to testify the there is none who truly deserves to be worshipped except Allaah alone. If they answer you in that tell them about prayet and so on …”.
So, let’s look now at the Hadith of our prophet (عليه الصلاة والسلام), did he tell us about the split and differences among his Uammah or not?
And if he told us, did he inform us about the solution and the cure for this disease?
On the authority of al-‘Irbad bin Sariyah (رضي الله عنه) who said: "The Messenger of Allaah (عليه الصلاة والسلام) gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. We said: O Messenger of Allaah it is as though this is a farewell sermon, so advise us. He said: "I advise you to have Taqwaa of Allaah and to listen and obey even if a black slave has been appointed as your leader. He among you who lives long enough will see many differences. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Khulafaa who will come after me, hold on to them with your molar teeth. Beware of Bid’ah (in religion) because every Bid’ah is Misguidance." [Aboo Dawood & at-Tirmidhi].
So, our prophet( عليه الصلاة والسلام) told us about this bad state of Ummah and gave us the solution which is to hold fast to his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the 4 guides Khulafa’a.
And in another hadith, Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood (radiyallaahu anhu) said, "One day the Messenger of Allaah drew for us a straight line on the ground and said: ‘This is the path of Allaah.’ Then he drew a number of other lines on the right and the left of the straight line, and said, ‘These are pathways, on the head of each path is a shaytaan calling people to it (himself).’ Then he recited:
"وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ"
"And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you become al-Muttaqûn." [Al-An’aam 6:153]
Mujaahid (the student of Ibn Abbaas) said about the saying of Allaah: …and follow not other paths : it means : "The innovations and doubts."
In another Hadith Prophet Mohammed (عليه الصلاة والسلام) said:
" أَلاَ إِنَّ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ افْتَرَقُوا عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمِلَّةَ سَتَفْتَرِقُ عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ ثِنْتَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِى النَّارِ وَوَاحِدَةٌ فِى الْجَنَّةِ وَهِىَ الْجَمَاعَةُ " (أبو داود- الترمذي )
"The People of the Two Scriptures divided into seventy-two sects. This Ummah will divide into seventy-three sects, all in the Fire except one, that is, the Jamaa’ah”.
The scholars have agreed that those sects are Muslims and all of them believe in the basic principles we mentioned above. However, one of the crucial reasons of this division is the disagreement of the details of the said principles. Allah will punish the misleading sects because of their misleading beliefs. We will explain briefly some important details about detailed beliefs which help us secure our self from being one of these sects, instead we have to gather our self and all Muslims to be with the safe sect which the prophet Mohammed (عليه الصلاة والسلام) told us about.
Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) also mentioned about this division and dispraises it by his saying:
"َولَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (31) مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَ "
"and be not of Al-Mushrikûn Of those who split up their and became sects, each sect rejoicing in that which is with it." [Ar-Rum 31-32]
How to avoid false Aqeedah?
Although most Muslims are agreed with considering Quran and Sunnah as sources of religion, the Hadith, narrated above, about the division of the Ummah has described the reality of our Ummah for long period of time. In another narration of the above Hadith narrated from Abdullah bin Amr:
" وَتَفْتَرِقُ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً كُلُّهُمْ فِى النَّارِ إِلاَّ مِلَّةً وَاحِدَةً قَالُوا وَمَنْ هِيَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي "( صحيح الجامع)
(My Ummah will be divided into seventy three sects, all of them in Hell fire except one which follow my way and the way of my companions)
So the solution is to follow prophet Muhammed and his sahabah way. Those who prophet Mohammed described them by the best generation, he said in Hadith:
"The best of the people are my generation, then those after them, then those after them .. "
as has been demonstrated above by evidences, following the ways of prophet Mohammed and his companions is the only way to save ourself. We have to get knowledge first about the truth details of our beliefs and then gather people upon it as Allah commanded us
" وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا"
“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur'ân), and be not divided among yourselves” ( آل عمران ،103)
We have to call others to the rope of Allah, to the Aqeedah revealed by Quran and by Sunnah and explained by the companions. We have to follow the Prophet Mohammed how he gave the Aqeedah the priority among the other religious matters: He spent 13 years at the beginning of Da’wa just to teach his companions Aqeedah and Tawheed which are related to the most Essential principles. If we do that, then Allah will accomplish his promise to us as he said:
"وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا"
Allâh has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islâm). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. ( النور ،55).
At the end, I believe that in these times one should busy himself with two important points that constitute the foundation for true change. These two points are: Tasfiyah (purification from false ‘Aqeedah) and Tarbiyah (cultivation upon the correct “Aqeedah). They have to be combined together and then calling the people to correct 'aqeedah and worship, each according to his ability. Allaah does not burden a person beyond his scope.
Wallaho ‘Alam.
والحمد لله رب العالمين
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