Questions about the Manhaj to Al-ʿAllāmah Sālih Al-Fawzān
From the book al-Ajwibah al-Mufīdah ʿan As’ilah al-Manāhij al-Jadīdah.
Question 71:
The Ummah today lives in a state of confusion in thoughts and ideas, especially in that which is related to religion. There are so many jamaʿāt and Islamic sects that claim that their methodology is the true Islamic Methodology that is obligatory to be followed, such that the [average] Muslim is left in confusion about his affair: what is he to follow, and which one is upon the truth?
Answer: Splitting is not from the religion because the Religion commands us with unity, and that we are a singular body (jamāʿah), and a single Ummah upon the ʿaqeedah of tawheed and upon following the Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam). Allah (the Most High) said:
إِنَّ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً وَأَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمْ فَٱعْبُدُونِ ٩٢
“Truly! This, your Ummah is one Ummah [upon one religion], and I am your Lord, therefore worship Me alone.” (Al-Anbiyā’: 92)
And Allah (the Most High) said:
وَٱعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا
“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (Book and Sunnah), and be not divided among yourselves.” (Aali ʿImrān: 103)
And He (the Most High) said:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا لَّسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ ۚ إِنَّمَآ أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ ١٥٩
“Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects – you, [O Muḥammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is left only to Allāh; then He will inform them about what they used to do.” (Al-Anʿām: 159)
This is a severe warning against splitting and differing. So, our religion is a religion of being together, a religion that gathers and unites—and dividing is not from the religion. So, the presence of numerous jamaʿāt is not from the religion because the religion commands to be a single united body (jamāʿah wāhidah). The Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:
الْمُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ كَالْبُنْيَانِ يَشُدُّ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا وَشَبَّكَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ
“A believer to another believer is like a building whose different parts reinforce each other.” He interlaced his fingers. (Al-Bukhārī no. 2446)
So, it is a must that there is unity and the Jamāʿah is one [body]—its foundation is tawheed, its methodology is the daʿwah of the Messenger (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) and its course is the Deen of Islam. Allah (the Most High) said:
وَأَنَّ هَـٰذَا صِرَٰطِى مُسْتَقِيمًا فَٱتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا ٱلسُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّىٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ١٥٣
“And, verily, this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.” (Al-Anʿām: 153)
These groups, and this division that is present among the Muslims today, are not supported by the religion of Islam—rather Islam prohibits it with the strongest of prohibitions, and it commands with unity upon the [correct] ʿaqeedah and tawheed.
Notes:
The misguided sects present in the field of daʿwah today hold the view that calling to tawheed, forbidding shirk, demolishing shrines, warning from bidʿah and refuting the opposer will not unite the Muslims. Do they not know that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) was sent in a time when the people separated and scattered, having enmity and hatred—then Allah united their hearts through the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) upon tawheed? The Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) also came to separate between the people of truth and falsehood. Al-Bukhārī reported (no. 7281) the hadeeth of Jābir Ibn ʿAbdillāh from the speech of the Angels that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) saw in a dream:
وَالدَّاعِي مُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَمَنْ أَطَاعَ مُحَمَّدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ عَصَى مُحَمَّدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَمُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَرْقٌ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ.
“… The caller is Muhammad. So, whoever obeys Muhammad has obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeys Muhammad has disobeyed Allah. Muhammad is one who separates between the people.” Meaning: he separates the believer from the unbeliever, and the truth from falsehood.
Abu Khadeejah ʿAbdul-Wāhid
END
