A discussion on naming groups as "jama'at" (communities).

Mashhur: ...and we are sitting, and the issue is not merely a verbal one. Without a doubt, the cause of the da'wahs—and I do not say "jama'at" because the point is to draw attention to the term "jama'at"—the cause of the da'wahs is that they have presented themselves as the locus of loyalty and disavowal, and that loyalty and disavowal has become attached to their very selves and their names, as if we are participating in that. When we say "jama'at," I do not know if, had we said what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "the community of Muslims," and there were no "jama'at" among the Muslims, and they were all one single community, the term "jama'at" with the meaning and connotation given to it in this way contains something of a contradiction. It should be abandoned, and we should not call ourselves anything but "the community of Muslims." I mean by my words, my teacher, that we should abandon the word...

The Shaykh : ...the word "jama'at."
Mashhur: The word "jama'at" is Islamic, and we should call for what the Shari'ah has called for. We are all one community, a single community. As for anything else, let us give it its proper name: either it is a da'wah, or it is a sect that was astray and far off, or it is called a party, or it is called a movement. As for the Muslims, they are one community, whether we like it or not. The reality is that we have found, our Shaykh, we have found, and everyone knows this, in the mosques of the Muslims, strange and odd conflicts, and sometimes things reach a point that cannot be described.

The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
Mashhur: ...every person. So I do not know if we should keep repeating the term "jama'at." Do you see the permissibility of this term, given that it has this known shadow, and its negative effects are observed in the Ummah?

The Shaykh : By Allah, this is good speech, my teacher, but I do not think reality supports it. I do not doubt that the term "jama'at" does not differ, in terms of its contradiction of Islamic etiquette, from the use of the term "parties." Are they not the same?
Mashhur: Yes.

The Shaykh : But in reality, are there not parties?
Mashhur: There are parties.

The Shaykh : If we want to express these parties, we want to say "parties" because that is the reality. But this reality should not be the case. So, parties, jama'at, sects, all are unlegislated terms. Realizing these terms is more eloquent in their illegitimacy. If the reality were one single community, one single party, and one single sect, then this argument would be valid and acceptable, and there would be no way around it. But if we want to express this reality which the Lawgiver does not support, how should our expression be?
Mashhur: Describing a reality. The word "jama'at" describes a reality.

The Shaykh : That is it. So then?
Mashhur: Long conflicts.

The Shaykh : Ah, these conflicts are in reality.
Mashhur: Within the same party, long speeches are raised, and time is wasted that only Allah the Exalted knows. Who is from the close community? And so on, what is not hidden from anyone. And without a doubt, all this speech is like scattered dust, because the community of bodies is not known, but the community, as Imam al-Shafi'i said, is a community of understandings. The principle is that they should agree on one understanding, not that it be as you have mentioned and said, that the issue is the number and so on. But does the warning, if it reaches all people, even to themselves, that no matter what you do, and no matter what and what, you must leave for others a right over you, which is the right of general Islamic brotherhood? And at that time, the matter becomes easy, and at least channels are opened. And if channels are opened, what follows becomes easy, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : That is to say, we are pointing out that it is not permissible for the reality to be such that it forces us to express it with terms that the Lawgiver does not approve of. This is a good matter, and may Allah reward you with good.
Al-Halabi : Glory be to Allah, our Shaykh, terminology has a great effect in changing legal realities.

The Shaykh : Indeed, Glory be to Allah.
Al-Halabi : And may Allah have mercy on the Shaykh al-Islam.

The Shaykh : May Allah have mercy on him.
Al-Halabi : And his student Ibn al-Qayyim focus very much on this issue.

The Shaykh : What Allah willed.
Al-Halabi : Allahu Akbar.

The Shaykh : May Allah have mercy on them. Now, if you have a brief question, or shall we proceed, if Allah wills?