On the occasion of this kind word regarding division, for there is no division like the division of the Muslims in general and the committed in particular, how can the Muslims unite? May Allah reward you.
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The questioner : O our Shaykh, on the occasion of this kind word regarding division, for there is no division like the division of the Muslims in general and the committed in particular, how can the Muslims unite? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : We seek help from Allah, and there is no power or might except with Allah. There is truly no way to unify the word of the Muslims and gather their ranks except by returning to the Book of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet, and upon the methodology of their righteous Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them). Many of today’s Islamic callers, at least, have found themselves compelled to submit to the call of truth, which is the call of the Book and the Sunnah. They began to claim that they too are upon the Book and the Sunnah, or that they call to the Book and the Sunnah. But we see a very great difference between the authentic callers in this call since hundreds of years ago, since the Imam of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) and his noble students became aware of it, when they revived the matter of returning to the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the righteous Salaf. This renaissance in the present era is based on the voices of the true callers to reform, who are known in some Arab countries as supporters of the Muhammadan Sunnah, and in others as Salafis, the callers to the methodology of the righteous Salaf. In other Islamic lands, they are known as the people of hadith or the people of athar. Because of what these people did, large parts of this very great goal were realized, which is the awareness of many parts of the Islamic world of the obligation to return to the Book and the Sunnah and upon the methodology of the righteous Salaf. But some callers who did not absorb this call in their hearts, and it did not flow through their limbs like blood in their bodies, are content with calling to the Book and the Sunnah, which is a word whose effects have not yet appeared practically in the call of these people.
Therefore, the word that unites the ummah is by returning to the Book and the Sunnah and upon the methodology of the righteous Salaf. As for returning to the Book and the Sunnah, this has become a matter of agreement, praise be to Allah, even if only in appearance, among all Islamic groups, due to the explicit Qur'an in that, as He the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:59] This is an explicit text regarding returning to the Book and the Sunnah, because the scholars of tafsir agreed that returning to Allah is returning to His Book, and returning to the Messenger is returning to his Sunnah.
As for the condition of returning to the Book and the Sunnah in addition to the methodology of the righteous Salaf, this is due to the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted, and to hadiths that support the meaning of this verse, namely His saying, the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:115] The point of this verse is that [An-Nisa 4:115] it could have been shortened to: "And whoever opposes the Messenger after the guidance has become clear to him, We will turn him to what he has turned to and cast him into Hell, and evil is the destination." without saying [An-Nisa 4:115] Why did the Lord of the Worlds mention this phrase? In vain? Far be it from Him, the Exalted. Every word, indeed every letter, in His speech, the Exalted, has a meaning understood by the people of the language in which the Qur'an was revealed. His saying, Blessed and Exalted: [An-Nisa 4:115] contains an indication that it is not permissible for the Muslims in the last times to interpret the Qur'an or to interpret the Sunnah according to what appears to them of opinions and newly invented ijtihad. Rather, they must follow the path of the believers in their understanding of the speech of the Lord of the Worlds and their explanation of the Sunnah of the Master of the Messengers. Therefore, it was among the principles of interpreting the Noble Qur'an, as mentioned by the Imam of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) in the introduction to tafsir "Principles in the Introduction to Tafsir", that he stated: if two reports come from the Salaf in the interpretation of a certain verse, it is not permissible for us to invent a third report. And if three reports come from them, it is not permissible for us to invent a fourth. Rather, we must prefer one of those reports based on the evidence that justifies our preference. As for inventing a new report, this is contrary to the path of the Muslims, the way of the Muslims. For that reason, He the Exalted said in this noble verse: [An-Nisa 4:115].
Thus, it was very necessary that we call to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger and upon the methodology of the righteous Salaf, because it is the path of the believers, and Allah the Exalted has threatened that whoever opposes the path of the believers, He will turn him to what he has turned to and cast him into Hell, and evil is the destination.
I said earlier that there are some hadiths, or some hadiths, that support this, this addition is not an addition except to the previous premise, supporting His saying, the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:115] Those hadiths warn against opposing the path of the believers, so they meet with the verse, such as his saying, peace and blessings be upon him, in what al-'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated in the well-known hadith, where he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave us a sermon that caused our eyes to flow with tears and our hearts to tremble. So we said: O Messenger of Allah, we see you giving us a farewell advice, so give us advice that we will not need anyone after you forever. He said, peace and blessings be upon him: The point of this hadith is that it is as if it is a quotation from the previous verse, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not limit himself to saying only: but he added to it and said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2676 Why this addition? If you know the point in His saying, the Exalted, in the previous verse: [An-Nisa 4:115] you will also know why he, peace be upon him, said: So those after them must follow them in their methodology and in their path upon which they were.
Of this nature, and with this I conclude the answer to this question, if Allah wills, Blessed and Exalted is He, is the famous hadith narrated from more than one of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), among them Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: تفرّقت اليهود على إحدى وسبعين فرقة وتفرّقت النصارى على اثنتين وسبعين فرقة وستفترق أمتي على ثلاث وسبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة قالوا من هي؟ يا رسول الله قال هي ما أنا عليه والجماعة وفي رواية أخرى هي ما أنا عليه وأصحابي إذًا عطف على ما كان عليه الرسول ما كان عليه أصحابه.
فإذًا لا ينبغي أن نقتصر في الدعوة حينما ندعو إلى الكتاب والسنّة فقط بل علينا أيضا أن نُتْبع ذلك بقولنا وعلى منهج السلف الصالح لأنه ذلك سبيل المؤمنين وهذا هو السبيل الذي على كل المسلمين أن يسلكوه، فإذا سلكوا هذا السبيل اجتمعت الكلمة واتحدت الصفوف ولا سبيل سوى هذا والأمر كما قال تعالى وأن هذا صراطي مستقيما فاتبعوه ولا تتبعوا السبل فتفرق بكم عن سبيله وبهذا القدر الكفاية والحمد لله رب العالمين، يكفي هذا إن شاء الله لأن صوتي بدأ يبح.
السائل : جزاك الله خير. The Jews split into seventy-one sects, and the Christians split into seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire except one. They said, Who is that, O Messenger of Allah? He said, It is what I am upon and the community. In another narration, it is what I am upon and my Companions. Thus, he added to what the Messenger was upon, what his Companions were upon. Therefore, we should not limit our call to the Book and the Sunnah only, but we must also follow that by saying "and upon the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih," because that is the path of the believers, and this is the path that all Muslims must follow. If they follow this path, the word will be united and the ranks will be unified, and there is no way other than this. The matter is as Allah the Exalted said: "And this is My path, so follow it, and do not follow paths that will divide you away from His path." This is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. This is enough, if Allah wills, because my voice has begun to become hoarse. The questioner: May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : We seek help from Allah, and there is no power or might except with Allah. There is truly no way to unify the word of the Muslims and gather their ranks except by returning to the Book of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet, and upon the methodology of their righteous Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them). Many of today’s Islamic callers, at least, have found themselves compelled to submit to the call of truth, which is the call of the Book and the Sunnah. They began to claim that they too are upon the Book and the Sunnah, or that they call to the Book and the Sunnah. But we see a very great difference between the authentic callers in this call since hundreds of years ago, since the Imam of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) and his noble students became aware of it, when they revived the matter of returning to the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the righteous Salaf. This renaissance in the present era is based on the voices of the true callers to reform, who are known in some Arab countries as supporters of the Muhammadan Sunnah, and in others as Salafis, the callers to the methodology of the righteous Salaf. In other Islamic lands, they are known as the people of hadith or the people of athar. Because of what these people did, large parts of this very great goal were realized, which is the awareness of many parts of the Islamic world of the obligation to return to the Book and the Sunnah and upon the methodology of the righteous Salaf. But some callers who did not absorb this call in their hearts, and it did not flow through their limbs like blood in their bodies, are content with calling to the Book and the Sunnah, which is a word whose effects have not yet appeared practically in the call of these people.
Therefore, the word that unites the ummah is by returning to the Book and the Sunnah and upon the methodology of the righteous Salaf. As for returning to the Book and the Sunnah, this has become a matter of agreement, praise be to Allah, even if only in appearance, among all Islamic groups, due to the explicit Qur'an in that, as He the Exalted said:
And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
فإن تنازعتم في شيء فردوه إلى الله والرسول إن كنتم تؤمنون بالله واليوم الأخر ذلك خير وأحسن تأويلاAs for the condition of returning to the Book and the Sunnah in addition to the methodology of the righteous Salaf, this is due to the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted, and to hadiths that support the meaning of this verse, namely His saying, the Exalted:
And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.
ومن يُشاقق الرسول من بعد ما تبيّن له الهدى ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنين نولّه ما تولى ونُصله جهنم وساءت مصيراand follows other than the way of the believers
ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنينand follows other than the way of the believers
ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنينAnd whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers
ومن يشاقق الرسول من بعد ما تبين له الهدى ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنينAnd whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.
ومن يشاقق الرسول من بعد ما تبيّن له الهدى ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنين نوله ما تولى ونصله جهنم وساءت مصيراThus, it was very necessary that we call to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger and upon the methodology of the righteous Salaf, because it is the path of the believers, and Allah the Exalted has threatened that whoever opposes the path of the believers, He will turn him to what he has turned to and cast him into Hell, and evil is the destination.
I said earlier that there are some hadiths, or some hadiths, that support this, this addition is not an addition except to the previous premise, supporting His saying, the Exalted:
And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers
ومن يشاقق الرسول من بعد ما تبين له الهدى ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنينI advise you to fear Allah, and to listen and obey, even if a slave from the Habashah is appointed over you. Whoever remains alive among you will see much disagreement. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after me, and cling to it with your molars. Beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.
أوصيكم بتقوى الله والسمع والطاعة وإن وُلّي عليكم عبد حبشي وإنه من يعش منكم فسيرى اختلافا كثيرا فعليكم بسنتي وسنّة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديّين من بعدي عضوا عليها بالنواجذ وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالهHold fast to my practice
عليكم بسنتيand the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafa'
وسنّة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديّين من بعديand follows other than the way of the believers
ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنينand the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs
وسنّة الخلفاء الراشدينOf this nature, and with this I conclude the answer to this question, if Allah wills, Blessed and Exalted is He, is the famous hadith narrated from more than one of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), among them Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: تفرّقت اليهود على إحدى وسبعين فرقة وتفرّقت النصارى على اثنتين وسبعين فرقة وستفترق أمتي على ثلاث وسبعين فرقة كلها في النار إلا واحدة قالوا من هي؟ يا رسول الله قال هي ما أنا عليه والجماعة وفي رواية أخرى هي ما أنا عليه وأصحابي إذًا عطف على ما كان عليه الرسول ما كان عليه أصحابه.
فإذًا لا ينبغي أن نقتصر في الدعوة حينما ندعو إلى الكتاب والسنّة فقط بل علينا أيضا أن نُتْبع ذلك بقولنا وعلى منهج السلف الصالح لأنه ذلك سبيل المؤمنين وهذا هو السبيل الذي على كل المسلمين أن يسلكوه، فإذا سلكوا هذا السبيل اجتمعت الكلمة واتحدت الصفوف ولا سبيل سوى هذا والأمر كما قال تعالى وأن هذا صراطي مستقيما فاتبعوه ولا تتبعوا السبل فتفرق بكم عن سبيله وبهذا القدر الكفاية والحمد لله رب العالمين، يكفي هذا إن شاء الله لأن صوتي بدأ يبح.
السائل : جزاك الله خير. The Jews split into seventy-one sects, and the Christians split into seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire except one. They said, Who is that, O Messenger of Allah? He said, It is what I am upon and the community. In another narration, it is what I am upon and my Companions. Thus, he added to what the Messenger was upon, what his Companions were upon. Therefore, we should not limit our call to the Book and the Sunnah only, but we must also follow that by saying "and upon the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih," because that is the path of the believers, and this is the path that all Muslims must follow. If they follow this path, the word will be united and the ranks will be unified, and there is no way other than this. The matter is as Allah the Exalted said: "And this is My path, so follow it, and do not follow paths that will divide you away from His path." This is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. This is enough, if Allah wills, because my voice has begun to become hoarse. The questioner: May Allah reward you with good.