THE PRINCIPLE OF ISLAMIC UNITY
By Ali Farkhan Tsani, a preacher of Al-Fatah Islamic boarding school, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says :
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 ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَہۡتَدُونَ
“Hold fast together to the cable of Allah by united and be not divided. Remember the blessing that Allah bestowed upon you: you were once enemies then He brought your hearts together, so that through His blessing you became brothers. You stood on the brink of a pit of fire and He delivered you from it. Thus Allah makes His signs clear to you that you may be guided to the right way.” (Al-E-Imran [3]: 103).
The ‘cable of Allah’, in this verse, refers to the ‘religion of Allah’ (Islam). The reason for use of the word ‘cable’ (habl) is that it both establishes a bond between man and Allah and joins all believers together.
If Muslim away from their true objective in life, so schisms and dissensions are bound to plague their lives. If Muslims do this they are bound to suffer indignity and disgrace both in this world
This refers to the state of the Arabs on the eve of the advent of Islam. There were animosities among the tribes which regularly broke out into fighting; every now and then there was much bloodshed. It was due to the blessings of Islam alone, they unified into one brotherhood the Aws and Khazraj, two tribes which had long been sworn enemies.
Therefore, the golden principle of unity has been presented with great eloquence and wisdom, for the principle, being the only effective binding factor. It can be said that unity is something good and desirable, a premise generally approved by all human beings, no matter what place, time, religion or life style they adhere to. This is why all groups and parties around the world invariably ask people to unite.
Imam Ibn Kathir in his tafsir on verse of surat Al `Imran writes: “This verse in context of the tribes of al-Aws and al-Khazraj who had many wars between them in the pre-Islamic times (al-jahiliyya). They were bitter enemies of one another, with hatred and ill-feelings and hence because of that there were extended fighting and confrontations between them. When Allah gave them Islam they embraced it and became brothers to one another loving each other because Allah.
So, disunity is unlawful, and Creating disunity was a ruse and plot of the Muslim enemies. Then, Muslims must be and remain united, because unity is an obligation. And unity must be established on an Islamic basis, belief-based.
Therefore, just like the old flames and differences were stoked amongst the Aws and the Khazraj during the time of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, likewise the same attempts will be continued in our current times in order to divide and weaken the Muslim ummah along lines of nationalist identities.
In another verse Allah says
إِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُونِ
“Verily, this brotherhood of yours is a single brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore serve Me (and no other).” (Al-Anbiya [21]: 92).
Messenger of Allah, Muhammad Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam taught us,
اَلْمُسْلِمُ أخوا الْمُسْلِمِ
“The Muslim is a brother of another Muslim”.
The Islamic Unity is the most important issue which concerns all Muslims in accordance with their degrees and social positions.This Unity starts from the bonds and solidarity between two Muslims due to their brotherhood-in-faith and reaches to the cooperation and mutual assistance among all Muslims throughout the entire Islamic World.
That is the reason why the enemies who cannot resist against this material and spiritual power, try to destroy the Unity and the Solidarity of the Islamic World in order to break this power into parts, using all types of trickery and stratagems. (P4/R03)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
taken from some sources
