The Obligation of Muslims to Unite is Because of Allah
By: Ali Farkhan Tsani, Scholar of Al-Fatah Islamic School Indonesia
The unity of the Muslims will continue to be tested throughout the course of the propagation of Islam. However, efforts to undermine their unity will not work perfectly, as long as the foundation of the unity is due to Allah, and an attempt to divide them would fail.
The unity of the Muslims, this is the strength of Islam in addition to the conviction of the oneness of Allah, namely an appeal to Muslims to maintain unity among Muslims based on Islamic brotherhood and prohibition to disintegration.
Allah states in the Holy Quran:
وَٱعۡتَصِمُواْ بِحَبۡلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعً۬ا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُواْۚ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ كُنتُمۡ أَعۡدَآءً۬ فَأَلَّفَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِكُمۡ فَأَصۡبَحۡتُم بِنِعۡمَتِهِۦۤ إِخۡوَٲنً۬ا وَكُنتُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفۡرَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنۡہَاۗ كَذَٲلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ ءَا “يَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَہۡتَدُونَ
It means: “And hold tightly, all of you together, to the rope of Allah, and do not crumbled. and remember the favor of Allah unto you when you are in hostility (in the era of ignorance), then Allah brings your hearts together, then it becomes for you, with His blessing, the Muslims who are brothers whereas you have been on the brink of Fire, then He saved you from it. . This is how Allah makes His signs clear to you, so that you may take the right path”. (Verse 103, Al-i-Imran)
Through this verse, Allah states the importance of the rope of Allah, the Qur’an, that comes from Allah and sent down to mankind on Earth.
The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘ Alayhi Wasallam (peace be upon him) said about Qur’an:
Meaning: “Verily, this Qur’an is an intermediate rope, one rope is on the side of God, and the other end is in the midst of you, then stick to Him, and you will not get lost and perish if sticking to it (the Quran)”. (Hadith Narrated Ibn Hibbaan).
Rasullah even mentions Al-Quran with:
هُوَ حَبْلُ اللهِ المَتِيْنُ وَصِرَاطُهُ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ
It means: “he (Al-Qur’an) is the rope of God and his path straight”.
It is also said:
اِنَ هَذاَالْقُرْأَنَ هُوَ حَبْلُ اللهِ الْمَتِيْنُ وَهُوَ النُّوْرُ الْمُبِيْنُ وَهُوَ الشِّفاَءُ النَّافِعُ عِصْمَةَ لِمَنْ تَمَسَّكَ بِهِ وَنَجَاةً لِمَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ
Meaning: “Verily, Al-Qur’an is a sturdy rope of God, the light that illuminates, a bidder gives benefits, as guards for people who hold fast to him and savior for those who follow it”. (Hadith Narrated Ibn Mardawaih).
That’s how Muslims hold the rope of Allah or the Koran was to unite.
Furthermore, Allah forbids Muslims broke to pieces, because it shows the weakness of the Muslims in front of other people.
Therefore, the unity of Muslim ummah will bring the pleasure of Allah and discord will only cause His wrath.
God gives warning in the Al-Quran:
وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۥ وَلَا تَنَـٰزَعُواْ فَتَفۡشَلُواْ وَتَذۡهَبَ رِيحُكُمۡۖ وَٱصۡبِرُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِين
It means : “Obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not quarrel with each other, lest you should lose courage, and your prowess should evaporate, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are patient.” (Al-Anfal [8]: 46).
Hopefully, we can maintain the unity of Islam. (RS-2/RS05)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
