Muslim Living in Congregation is A Virtue ️

By : Mustofa Kamal, Social Media Preacher, Alumni Tarbiyah Wustho Lampung

Living in congregation, the existence of an Imam (leader) and a congregation, is the main commandment from Allah and His Messenger.

In a hadith it is stated:

أَنَا أّمُرُكْم بِخَمْسٍ أَللهُ أَمَرَنِى بِهِنَّ : بِاْلجَمَاعَةِوَالسَّمْعِ وَ الطَّاعَةِ وَ الْهِجْرَةِ وَ اْلجِهَادِ فِى سَبِيْلِ اللهِ ،فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ خَرَجَ مِنَ اْلجَمَاعَةِ قِيْدَ شِبْرٍ فَقَدْ خَلَعَ رِبْقَةَاْلإِسْلاَمِ مِنْ عُنُقِهِ إِلَى اَنْ يَرْجِعَ وَمَنْ دَعَا بِدَعْوَىاْلجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَهُوَ مِنْ جُثَاءِ جَهَنَّمَ، قَالُوْا يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ وَ اِنْصَامَ وَصَلَّى ، قَالَ وَاِنْ صَامَ وَصَلَّى وَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُ مُسْلِمٌفَادْعُوا اْلمُسْلِمِيْنَ بِمَا سَمَّاهُمُ اْلمُسْلِمِيْنَ اْلمُؤْمِنِيْنَ عِبَادَاللهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

Meaning: “I command you (Muslims) five things; as Allah has commanded me with these five things; Jama’ah, listening, thaat, hijrah and jihad fie sabilillah. Whoever comes out of Al-Jama’ah just an inch, then the ties of Islam will be released from his neck until he returns to repentance. And whoever calls out with the call of Jahiliyyah, then he is one of the people who bend their knees in Hell.” The companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah, if he fasts and prays?” The Prophet said: “Even if he fasts and prays and claims to be a Muslim, then call the Muslims by the name Allah has given them; “Al-Muslimin, Al-Mukminin, servants of Allah ‘Azza wa jalla.” (HR Ahmad and Tirmidhi).

The hadith states, the first point in the lives of believers is to live in congregation, so living together is a virtue.

There is a series of practices that have been ordered by Allah and His Messenger, namely first living in congregation, then listening, thaat, hijrah and jihad. We cannot return from jihad first and then put our congregation in the last order.

Living in congregation is a commandment of Allah in the Qur’an and also the commandment of the Prophet Muhammad Shalalahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam.

In addition to Al-Qur’an Surah Ali Imran verse 103, there are other verses from the Qur’an that explain the lafadz of congregational sentences which are defined as united or together. Namely in Surah An-Nisa verse 71, Surah An Nur verse 61 and Surah Al-Hasyr verse 14.

The verses read:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا خُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ فَانْفِرُوا ثُباتٍ أَوِ انْفِرُوا جَمِيعاً

Meaning: “O you who believe, be prepared, and go forward (to the battlefield) in groups, or go forward together.” (Surat an-Nisa [4]: ​​71).

The verse contains a command from Allah so that the believers should be prepared and not be careless, to advance to the battlefield in groups of troops or to attack together.

In connection with this verse, Ali ibn Abu Talha narrated from Ibn Abbas, in connection with His words: Go forward (to the battlefield) in groups. That is group by group. In other words, split up into several troop units or advance together. That is, you all advance as one on the battlefield.

The same thing was said by Mujahid, Ikrimah, As-Saddi, Qata-dah, Ad-Dahhak, Ata Al-Khurrasani/Muqatil ibn Hayyan, and Al-Khasif Al-Jazari. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

In another verse, Surah Al-Hashr verse 14 Allah says:

لَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ جَمِيعًا إِلا فِي قُرًى مُحَصَّنَةٍ أَوْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ جُدُرٍ بَأْسُهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ شَدِيدٌ تَحْسَبُهُمْ جَمِيعًا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ شَتَّى ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

Meaning: “They will not fight you in a united state, except in fortified villages or behind walls. The enmity between them was very great. You think they are united, while their hearts are divided. That is because they are a people who do not understand.”

The verse explains, in fact the disbelievers cannot be united, they are scattered. When we see they seem to be united, even though their hearts are divided.

That is the nature of the people of the book and the hypocrites, as if they are united but in fact they are not.

It is very different from the unity of the Muslims in the form of a congregation, so when Muslims live together under the leadership of an Imam, they are united physically and mentally because of Allah.

The situation has been exemplified by the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam and his companions. Unite each other, love each other, protect each other, help each other, and strengthen each other, like a body mechanism that strengthens each other, like a building that supports each other. Between the Muhajirin and Ansar, the Aush and Khajrat tribes, they all live together in unity for the sake of Allah.

Thus, living in congregation is a solution that has been exemplified by the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam and his companions.

The is in line with the words of the Prophet, “Talzamu jama’atal Muslimina wa imaamahum”, but you are the congregation of the Muslims and their Imam.

Hopefully, we can practice and istiqamah in community life led by an Imam. Amen. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) ️