The Urgency of Al-Jama’ah (By: Imam Yakhsyallah Mansur)
By: Imam Yakhsyallah Mansur
Let us contemplating on the Qur’an Surah Ali-Imran verse 103:
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
“And hold fast all of you to the rope of Allah in congregation and do not make firqah-firqah, and remember Allah’s favor on you when you were enemies (during ignorance first), then Allah united between your hearts (with the blessings of Islam), So, by the grace of Allah, you are Muslims who are brothers and you were on the edge of the abyss of hell (because of your disbelief during the time of ignorance), then Allah saved you from that hell. Thus Allah explains to you the verses of His explanation, so that you may receive His guidance.” (Surah Ali Imran: 3: 103).
Ibn Kathir in his commentary explains the importance of holding fast to the rope of Allah, namely the Qur’an which came from Allah Ta’ala and was sent down for mankind on earth. As for how to hold fast to the Qur’an, it is followed by the following sentence, namely by being in congregation and forbidding division.
Whoever clings to the rope of Allah and lives in congregation, and avoids division, then his life will be protected from mistakes.
As for the sentence “Walaa tafarrquu” which means “Don’t be divided”, Ibn Kathir explained:
اَمَرَهُمْ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ وَنَهَاهُمْ عَنِ التَّفَرُّقَةِ
“Allah ordered them (Muslims) to live together and forbade them to be divided.”
Because living in congregation for Muslims will bring the pleasure of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. On the other hand, being divided will bring the wrath and punishment of Allah in this world and the hereafter.
Shafiur Rahman Al-Mubarakfuri explains the above verse, giving the theme:
اَلْلَا مْرُ بِالْاِعْتِصَامِ بِحَبْلِ اللّٰهِ وَلُزُومِ الْجَمَاعَةِ
“The commandment to hold fast to the rope of Allah and settle on Al-Jama’ah.”
Congregation and unity is a way out in dealing with various problems in society, as in the hadith of the friend of Khudzaifah bin Yaman;
كَانَ النَّاسُ يَسْأَلُوْنَ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ الْخَيْرِ وَ كُنْتُ أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الشَّرِّ مَخَافَةً أَنْ يُدْرِكَنِي فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ أِنَّا كُنَّا فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَشَرٍّ فَجَاءَنَا اللَّهُ بِهَذَا الْخَيْرِ فَهَلْ بَعْدَ هَذَا الْخَيْرِ شَرٍّ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقُلْتُ هَلْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ الشَّرِّ مِنْ خَيْرِ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَفِيْهِ دَخَنٌ قَلْتُ وَمَا دَخَنُهُ قَالَ قَوْمٌ يَسْتَنُّوْنَ بِغَيْرِ سُنَّتِي وَيَهْدُوْنَ بِغَيْرِ هَدْيِي تَعْرِفُ مِنْهُمْ وَتُنْكِرُ فَقُلْتُ هَلْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ الْخَيْرِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَالَ نَعَمْ دُعَاةٌ عَلَى أَبْوَابِ جَهَنَّمَ مَنْ أَجَابَهُمْ إِلَيْهَا قَذَفُوْهُ فِيْهَا فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صِفْهُمْ لَنَا قَالَ نَعَمْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ جِلْدَتِنَا وَيَتَكَلَمُوْنَ بِأَلْسِنَتِنَا قُلْتُ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ فَمَا تَرَى إِنْ أَدْرَكَنِي ذَلِكَ قَالَ تَلْزَمُ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَإِمَامَهُمْ فَقُلْتُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ وَلاَ إِمَامٌ قَالَ فَاعْتَزِلُ تِلكَ الْفِرَقَ كُلَّهَا وَلَوْ أَنْ تَعَضَّ عَلَى أَصْلِ شَجَرَةٍ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَكَ الْمَوْتُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ (رواه البخارى ومسلم)
“People (the companions) asked the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam about goodness, and I asked him about ugliness (badness), fearing that the ugliness would come to me. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, verily we were in ignorance and evil (evil), then Allah brought good to us, then after this good there is evil? Is there any good?’ He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied, ‘Yes, but in it there is smoke (turbidity).’ I asked, ‘What is cloudiness?’ give directions not with my instructions. You know them and you deny it.” Then I asked, “Will there be evil after that?” He replied, “Yes, preachers (callers) who are at the gates of Hell, whoever answers his call, they will throw that person into it.” I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, explain their characteristics to us.” He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied, “Yes, (they are) a people whose skin is the same as our skin (our people) and they speak our language.’ I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what do you order me to do when I encounter this?’ Muslims and their Imams.” Then I said again, “What if there is no congregation and imam?” He said, “So stay away from all these groups, even if you have to bite the root of a tree until death strikes you. guest, and you remain in that state.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
As for the meaning of Al-Jamaah in the hadith above, Imam At-Tabari stated:
وَالصَّوَابُ اَنَّ الْمُرَادَ مِنَ الْخَبَرِ لُزُوْمُ الْجَمَاعَةِ الَّذِيْنَ فِى طَاعَةِ مَنِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى تَأْمِيْرِهِ فَمَنْ نَكَثَ بَيْعَتَهُ خَرَجَ عَنِ الجَمَاعَةِ
“What is meant by the hadith is that the Al-Jama’ah are those who obey the leadership they have agreed upon together. Whoever breaks his allegiance, he has left Al Jama’ah.”
Living together will bring grace. With that grace, a person will be able to provide benefits to fellow humans and the surrounding environment. By living in congregation, leadership will be formed, obedience will be realized, being able to advise each other, building ukhuwah Islamiyah, and maximizing the implementation of worship, including avoiding the possibility of slander.
Congregational life is a fundamental Islamic Shari’a, it cannot be separated from other Shari’a. Living in congregation is a great and noble principle. Therefore, whoever hopes for mercy, compassion, welfare from Allah, he should be in congregation, as the Prophet sallallaahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam said, “Congregation is mercy and firqah-firqah is a punishment.” (HR Ahmad).
With that congregation too, Muslims will get strength and help from Allah Ta’ala, as stated in the hadith: “The hand (help) of Allah overshadows Al-jama’ah.” (HR At-Tirmidhi).
Hopefully, we can practice and maintain community life among Muslims and stay away from all forms of division. Amen yaa robbal ‘aalamiin. (T/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
