Life in Congregation is A Guidance

By Mustofa Kamal, A Preacher, Tarbiyah Wustho Alumni Lampung

Humans are God’s perfect creatures.
Therefore, humans are equipped with supplies, talents, energy and knowledge. Then Allah gives guidance to humans.

Hidayah is guidance or guidance from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. The guidance of Allah is the source in the Qur’an.

As Allah has said in the Qur’an that Allah has revealed the Qur’an as a guide for humans.

شهر رمضان ٱلذى أنزل فيه ٱلقرءان هدى للناس وبينت من ٱلهدى وٱلفرقان فمن شهد منكم ٱلشهر فليصمه ومن كان مريضا أو على سفر فعدة من أيام أخر يريد ٱلله بكم ٱليسر ولا يريد بكم ٱلعسر ولتكملوا ٱلعدة ولتكبروا ٱلله على ما هدىكم ولعلكم تشكرون

It means: “(The appointed days are) the month of Ramadan, the month in which the Qur’an is revealed (the beginning) as a guide for humans and explanations for the instructions and the difference (between the right and the false) …” (Surah al-Baqarah [2]: 185).

In Sentence:

هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَان

“As a guide for humans and explanations of the instructions and differentiators between the rights and vanity.” Means that humans get guidance or guidance to the truth (haq) and so that humans know what is vanity, which is halal and what is haram with the intermediaries of the Qur’an.

The Quran was revealed by Allah through the Angel Gabriel in Ramadan. Not only the Quran, the books of Allah Before the Koran which are guidance for humans are also revealed in the month of Ramadan, as in the hadith explained:

عن واثلة -يعني ابن الأسقع-أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “أنزلت صحف إبراهيم في أول ليلة من رمضان. وأنزلت التوراة لست مضين من رمضان, والإنجيل لثلاث عشرة خلت من رمضان وأنزل الله القرآن لأربع وعشرين خلت من رمضان ”

Meaning: From Wasilah (Ibnul Asqa), that the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam once said: The sheets of the Prophet Abraham were revealed at the beginning of the night of Ramadan and the Torah was revealed on the sixth of Ramadan, and the Gospels were revealed on the thirteenth of Ramadan, while Al-Ibrahim’s pages were revealed. The Qur’an was revealed on the twenty-fourth of Ramadan. ” (HR Ahmad).

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It is also narrated through the hadith Jabir ibn Abdullah, in which it is stated:

أَنَّ الزَّبُورَ أُنْزِلَ لثنتَي عَشْرَةَ [لَيْلَةً] َلَتْ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ ، وَالْإِنْجِيلُ لِثَمَانِ َََْ

It means: “That the book of Zabur was revealed on the twelfth of Ramadan, and the Gospel was revealed on the eighteenth.”

As for the sheets or suhuf, the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel were sent down directly in contrast to the Qur’an which was sent down gradually.

Congregate

When people receive guidance from Allah, in the Quran it is called Muttaqin, believers are also Muslims.

Guidance, certainly goes to the straight path as Allah says:

قُلْ إِنَّنِى هَدَىٰنِى رَبِّىٓ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ دِينًۭا قِيَمًۭا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ حَنِيفًۭا َْۚۚٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱ

Meaning: Say: “Indeed, I have been appointed by my Lord to the right path, (ie) the true religion, Abraham’s righteous religion, and Ibrahim is not among the polytheists”. (Surat al-An’am [6]: 161).

So, Allah gives guidance to the Believers, Muttaqin, Muslims on the right path, the nets of people who have been given favor by Allah, namely the way of the unity of ummah in the realization of the Muslim Community and their Imaam.

As Allah has said in Al-Quran Surah Al-Imran [3] verse 103:

وٱعتصموا بحبل ٱلله جميعا ولا تفرقوا وٱذكروا نعمت ٱلله عليكم إذ كنتم أعدآء فألف بين قلوبكم فأصبحتم بنعمته إخونا وكنتم على شفا حفرة من ٱلنار فأنقذكم منها كذلك يبين ٱلله لكم ءايته لعلكم تهتدون

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Meaning: “And hold all of you to the ropes (religion) of Allah in congregation, and do not be divorced, and remember the favor of Allah to you when you were (the time of Jahiliyah) hostile, then Allah unites your heart, then becomes you because of the pleasure of Allah, brothers and sisters; and you are at the edge of the abyss of hell, then Allah saves you from it. Thus, Allah explains His verses to you, so that you will receive guidance.

So in verse 103 of Surah Ali Imran Allah has shown, guiding believers to congregate (unite) in the knitting ukhuwah. Not only unite lahiriyahnya but his heart must unite.

It has become a certainty that the unified Mukmin will always win. Like the big events that happened in the month of Ramadan, Rasul and his companions always get a glorious victory because they are also united (in congregation).

So we, the Indonesian people, in terms of gaining victory or independence also have the unity saying “Unite, we stand firm, we collapse.”

With this great national unity, independence can also be achieved to coincide with the month of Ramadan.

So, once again I say that the Muslim Community is guidance from Allah.

Guidance

Guidance about the truth (haq) is absolute from God not from humans. Some people even hide the truth. As explained by God through His Word:

ولا تؤمنوا إلا لمن تبع دينكم قل إن ٱلهدى هدى ٱلله أن يؤتى أحد مثل مآ أوتيتم أو يحآجوكم عند ربكم قل إن ٱلفضل بيد ٱلله يؤتيه من يشآء وٱلله وسع عليم

Meaning: And do not believe but those who follow your religion. Say: “Verily the instructions (which must be followed) are the instructions of Allah, and (do not believe) that will be given to someone like what was given to you, and (nor do you believe) that they will defeat your evidence in the sight of your Lord”. Say: Surely the gift is in the hands of God, God gives His gifts to whomever He wants; and Allah is vast, His gifts are all knowing. (Surah Ali-Imran [3]: 73).

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Allah’s Word in another verse:

ولن ترضى عنك ٱليهود ولا ٱلنصرى حتى تتبع ملتهم قل إن هدى ٱلله هو ٱلهدى ولئن ٱتبعت أهوآءهم بعد ٱلذى جآءك من ٱلعلم ما لك من ٱلله من ولى ولا نصير

It means: “Jews and Christians will not be happy with you until you follow their religion. Say: “Verily Allah’s guidance is (true) guidance”. And indeed if you follow their will after knowledge comes to you, then God will no longer be your protector and helper. ” (Surah Al-Baqarah [2]: 120).

The Word of God in another verse says:

وَقَالُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَـٰرَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا۟ ۗ قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ حَنيفًَُُۭٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱٱ

Meaning: And they say: “Let you become a follower of Judaism or Christianity, surely you will get instructions” Say: “No, but (we follow) Abraham’s righteous religion. And not him (Ibrahim) from the group of polytheists “. (Surah Al-Baqarah [2]: 135).

In other verses it says:

وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

It means: “And do not confuse the right with the false, and do not hide the right, while you know.” (Surat Al-Baqarah [2]: 42).

يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِمَ تَلْبِسُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ وَأَنََََََُُْ

It means: “O People of the Book, why do you mix the haq with the false, and hide the truth, even though you know it?” (Surah Ali-Imran [3]: 71).

May we always get guidance from God and Muslims everywhere can take valuable lessons from the guidance of the unity and practice it, Aamiin. (AT/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)