Reminding the Shaykh of the hadith of Abu Thalhah al-Khushani, which Ahmad narrated in his Musnad, and which contains (…

The Shaykh : Imam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad from the hadith of Abu Thalhah al-Khushani (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “When we used to travel with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and we would stop at a place, we would scatter in the valleys and ravines. We traveled once with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and stopped at a place, and we scattered in it as we always used to scatter”. Then he said to them, may the prayers and peace be upon him: Abu Thalhah said: “So after that, when we traveled with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), we would gather and join together, some of us to others, until if we had sat on a single carpet, it would have been enough for us”. In this hadith is the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) concern for gathering the Muslims together in their bodies and persons, and his warning them against scattering in that manner, even in travel in the valleys and ravines. The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) responded to this guidance, so after that they did not scatter as they had previously, and they would support one another, some to others, until that despite their large number, if they had sat on a single carpet, it would have been enough for them. This scattering, which occurred only in travel, was not approved by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and he forbade them from it. So what is the case when the scholars and students of knowledge scatter in their scholarly gatherings? There is no doubt that this scattering is of the work of Satan, all the more so. And therefore, we remind you, considering that a good portion of you is hoped to be among those responsible for guiding the Ummah and teaching them the Book and the Sunnah. This is from the Sunnah that they should begin by reminding people of, namely gathering them in one gathering and not letting them be scattered like this, some separated from others.