What is the obligation of scholars regarding partisanship and fanaticism?
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Question:
Your Eminence, since the unity of the Muslim community is the foundation of building the Muslim society, and since it is established that division under the name of parties or groups destroys this foundation or at least weakens it, and replaces the corruption of relations in place of Islamic brotherhood, the question is: What is the obligation of the scholars of Islam in returning the Muslims to the foundation and warning them against division and partisanship? May Allah reward you.
Answer:
There is no doubt that the division of Muslims and their splitting into factions and parties invites their enemy to encroach upon them, weakens their entity and their word, and causes their abandonment when they meet. Allah the Exalted said: [Al Imran: 103], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : [Al An'am: 159], and the Exalted said: [Al Imran: 105]. In many verses, the Exalted urges unity, cooperation, and connection, and warns against disagreement and division. And the Exalted says: [Al Anfal: 46].
If the Muslims unite on one word, cooperate in righteousness and piety, and give each other sincere advice, that becomes the greatest cause for their victory and their protection from the schemes of their enemy. It becomes the greatest cause for their enemy to fear them and not to proceed with what would cause them to rise against them and revolt against them. It is like ropes and sticks: if they are gathered together, one cannot cut or break them while they are united. But if they are separated, stick by stick and rope by rope, it becomes easy to cut and break them.
If the Muslims unite, cooperate in righteousness and piety, are sincere with their ruler, and become one hand, one body, and one structure in supporting the truth, adhering to it, and calling to it, and in abandoning falsehood and warning against it, then by that they deserve the victory of Allah. Their status in hearts becomes great, their entity becomes strong, their enemies fear them, and they are supported against them when they meet.
As for lagging behind, it is a diminishment of them and a tearing apart of them. Disagreement and contention in it is a humiliation for them, and it causes the separation of their unity. Because of it, enemies hope to destroy the Muslims and divide their word.
These associations and parties existing in the land of Islam must unite, and their goal must be one. Even if the countries are far apart, their goal must be one and their demand must be one, which is obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and standing firm on His religion, and abandoning what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden. This is how the goals of everyone should be, even if they are far apart. If the goal is unified, they are one thing.
These groups and parties are difficult to eliminate, but they must submit to the command of Allah, and they must prioritize obedience to Allah. Each one must help the other group to obey Allah and His Messenger, and their goal must be one, which is standing firm on the religion of Allah, implementing its rulings, and abandoning what contradicts its Shari'ah. If their word unites on this and they cooperate on this, the diversity of associations or the diversity of names will not harm them, if the goals are unified, the efforts are combined, and their goal is one and their intention is one, which is achieving obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and abandoning what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden.
This is only facilitated by the scholars fulfilling their obligation wherever they are and cooperating, and by holding meetings and discussions on this matter, and by doing their best to alleviate the aversion and disagreement between the associations and parties, and by doing their best to unite their word and unify their ranks for the victory of the religion of Allah and following its Shari'ah. This is the path of happiness, and Allah is the One to be sought for help.
Your Eminence, since the unity of the Muslim community is the foundation of building the Muslim society, and since it is established that division under the name of parties or groups destroys this foundation or at least weakens it, and replaces the corruption of relations in place of Islamic brotherhood, the question is: What is the obligation of the scholars of Islam in returning the Muslims to the foundation and warning them against division and partisanship? May Allah reward you.
Answer:
There is no doubt that the division of Muslims and their splitting into factions and parties invites their enemy to encroach upon them, weakens their entity and their word, and causes their abandonment when they meet. Allah the Exalted said:
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided
وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواIndeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا لَسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍAnd do not be like the ones who became divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them
وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُوا وَاخْتَلَفُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُand do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart
وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا فَتَفْشَلُوا وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْIf the Muslims unite on one word, cooperate in righteousness and piety, and give each other sincere advice, that becomes the greatest cause for their victory and their protection from the schemes of their enemy. It becomes the greatest cause for their enemy to fear them and not to proceed with what would cause them to rise against them and revolt against them. It is like ropes and sticks: if they are gathered together, one cannot cut or break them while they are united. But if they are separated, stick by stick and rope by rope, it becomes easy to cut and break them.
If the Muslims unite, cooperate in righteousness and piety, are sincere with their ruler, and become one hand, one body, and one structure in supporting the truth, adhering to it, and calling to it, and in abandoning falsehood and warning against it, then by that they deserve the victory of Allah. Their status in hearts becomes great, their entity becomes strong, their enemies fear them, and they are supported against them when they meet.
As for lagging behind, it is a diminishment of them and a tearing apart of them. Disagreement and contention in it is a humiliation for them, and it causes the separation of their unity. Because of it, enemies hope to destroy the Muslims and divide their word.
These associations and parties existing in the land of Islam must unite, and their goal must be one. Even if the countries are far apart, their goal must be one and their demand must be one, which is obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and standing firm on His religion, and abandoning what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden. This is how the goals of everyone should be, even if they are far apart. If the goal is unified, they are one thing.
These groups and parties are difficult to eliminate, but they must submit to the command of Allah, and they must prioritize obedience to Allah. Each one must help the other group to obey Allah and His Messenger, and their goal must be one, which is standing firm on the religion of Allah, implementing its rulings, and abandoning what contradicts its Shari'ah. If their word unites on this and they cooperate on this, the diversity of associations or the diversity of names will not harm them, if the goals are unified, the efforts are combined, and their goal is one and their intention is one, which is achieving obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and abandoning what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden.
This is only facilitated by the scholars fulfilling their obligation wherever they are and cooperating, and by holding meetings and discussions on this matter, and by doing their best to alleviate the aversion and disagreement between the associations and parties, and by doing their best to unite their word and unify their ranks for the victory of the religion of Allah and following its Shari'ah. This is the path of happiness, and Allah is the One to be sought for help.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.