Muslims Unity and sects

Wa’atismu be hablillahe jameean wala tafarraqu - "Hold the rope of Allah together and don’t be disunited" (Al-Quran)

[Please play your role for muslims unity and following the real teachings of Islam. Jazakallah.]

There are different sects in Islam (due to different opinions in some matters) but the source of every sect is Quran and Hadith. The difference of opinion arises when one group interprets a verse/hadith in one way and the other group interprets it in some other way. Similarly, one group considers one hadith more authentic than another and makes a conclusion based on the first hadith while the other group considers in reverse.

Fortunately, there are many ulama in every sect who understand the difference of opinions and hence respect all the sects - though follow their own sect.

And unfortunately, there are also many ulama in every sect who spend all their energy proving other sects wrong and out of Islam. Such ulama usually explains some verse/hadith according to their sect and tells that the other sect is not following this, hence denying a verse/hadith and hence exits Islam. Usually, they intentionally hide the fact that the other sect is also following Quran and Hadith but with a different interpretation. Another usual way of proving other sects wrong is to quote their partial and/or out of context statements and exlpaining with negative sight. Further, these ulama has made some topics so hot and important which probably had never been discussed/debated in the life of Holy Prophet (PBUH), Sahabah and Tabe'en.

All such effort and criticism is made in many mosques and as a result, a hate with other sects is produced in the general public. This hate has been grown and spread so much that many people appears to be criticizing other sects everywhere. Unfortunately, the same criticizm is being viewed at this forum from some time period.

Some people seems to be digging up material for ctiricizm on other sects and their beliefs, which is very painful and harmful to Islam. Naturally, everybody (either muslim or non-muslim) keeps an affection with his religion and beliefs. And due to this, a person simply rejects (in most cases) any criticism made by another person against his religion/beliefs as well as start criticising the other person - resulting into a battlefield. Developing such a battlefield among muslims is surely not in favour of Islam and muslims. Muslims are fighting with each other on such issues and weakening ourselves. This way, how can we spread the message of Islam to the non-muslims. Rather, this behavior makes the non-muslims laughing on inter-muslim fights.

So we should try our best to not to criticize any person/muslim who witnesses the oneness of Allah and that Muhammad (PBUH) is the last messenger of Allah.

First of all, we should think that how much important are these conflicting issues on which we are spending our time and energy. If these are not important ones, then ignore them and work for the propagation of the real message of Islam.
Secondly, if such an issue seems to be important to us, then we should consult the ulama of the other sect (with a cool mind) to get their opinion on that. I am sure that after getting their opinion, we will find that their belief is not baseless. We might give their opinion less weightage than ours but it will atleast remove or decrease the hate with that sect.

Here is a possibility that we still feel that a concept of a particular sect is almost baseless and its our duty to differentiate the truth and the falsehood. Even in this case, it does not seem suitable to make general public discussions on such topics - in order to avoid the battlefield among muslims.

So I request all the muslims to discourage such topics/criticizm and emphasize on the real message of Islam - a complete life guidance consisting of a long list of Haqooq-ullah and Haqooq-ul-Ibad. Allah may help us to make the muslims united and follow the real teachings of Islam. Ameen.

Unfortunately, this is an old story
Just after the death of Rasool Allah the whole Islamic ethics were put aside and KHarijis and so many others, started cursing other muslims, the Shias were there as a big group
The Amwis and the Banu Abbass, included all the noble muslims of that period, they were cursing each other.
The same traditions continues even after so many years.
Still we have got sects and groups, with so called learned ulemas , cursing each other.

The same was our past, the same is our present............what about future.

this is true

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	http://www.irf.net/irf/faqonislam/index.htm

Which School of Thought Should A Muslim Follow?

Q13. There are four schools of thoughts and we can follow any one of them. Is it permissible to follow two schools of thought to suit the situation ? For example, the Shafi school of thought considers 2.25 pm as the time for Asr prayers in our town while the Hanafi school of thought has fixed time at 3.08. So can we follow any of these two timings to suit our necessity ?

M. A. Hazarika, Seujpur, Dibrugarh

1. Muslims should be united

Muslims today, are divided amongst themselves. Such divisions are not endorsed by Islam. Islam believes in fostering unity amongst its followers.

The Glorious Qur’an says:

“And hold fast, altogether, by the rope Which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves.” [Al-Qur’an 3:103]

Which is the rope of Allah that is being referred to in this verse? It is the Glorious Qur’an. The Glorious Qur’an is the rope of Allah which all Muslims should hold fast together. There is double emphasis in this verse. Beside saying ‘hold fast all together’ it also says, ‘be not divided’.

The Qur’an further says,

“Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger” [Al-Qur’an 4:59]

All the Muslims should follow the Qur’an and authentic Ahadith and ensure that they are not divided among themselves.

2. It is prohibited to make divisions in Islam.

The Glorious Qur’an says:

“As for those who divide Their religion and break up Into sects, you have no part in them in the least: Their affair is with Allah: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did.” [Al-Qur’an 6:159]

In this verse Allah (swt) says that one should disassociate oneself from those who divide their religion and break it up into sects.

But when one asks a Muslim, “who are you?” the common answer is either ‘I am a Hanafi or Shafi or Maliki or Hanbali. Some call themselves ‘Ahle-Hadith’.

3. Four Schools of Thoughts

The Islamic world has produced several learned Islamic scholars (Imams), but out of these, four became more famous and their teachings spread in different parts of the world.

It is a misconception that a Muslim should follow any one of these four schools of thoughts i.e. Hanafi, Shafi, Hanbali or Maliki. There is no proof whatsoever in the Qur’an or any authentic Hadith that a Muslim should only follow one of these four Imams.

4. Respect all the Great Scholars of Islam.

We must respect all the great scholars of Islam, including the four Imaams, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi, Imam Hanbal and Imam Malik (may Allah be pleased with them all). They were great scholars and may Allah reward them for their research and hard work. One can have no objection if someone agrees with the view and research of any one or more from these four great scholars of Islam.

5. All Four Imam said follow the Qur’an and Sunnah.

All the four great Imams said that if any of their Fatwas or teachings contradict Allah’s word, i.e. the Qur’an, or the sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) i.e. authentic Hadith, then that particulars Fatwa of theirs should be rejected, and the Sunnah of the Prophet should be followed.

Refer:

a. Eeqaadh al-Himam, Al Fulaanee (Imam Abu Hanifa)

b. Al-Majmoo’ of an-Nawawee (1/63) (Imam Shafi)

c. Jaami ‘Bayan al-Ilm, Ibn Abdul-Barr (Imam Malik)

d. Eeqaadh al-Himam (Imam Hanbal)

To give you an example in this context – Imam shafi said that when a women touches a man who is in a state of wudhu, the wudhu of the man breaks. However, this ruling of Imam Shafi contradicts the authentic saying of the Prophet.

Narrated Aisha
The Prophet (may peace be upon him) kissed one of his wives and went out for saying prayer. He did not perform ablution. (Sunan Abu Dawood Vol. 1 Chapter No. 70 Hadith No. 179)
Thus this particular teaching of Imam Shafi contradicts the authentic saying of the Prophet. So I reject this specific ruling of Imam Shafi who himself said , “ If I say something, then compare it to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His messenger and if it agrees to them, then accept it and that which goes against them, then reject it and throw my saying against the wall” – This is a saying of ash-Shafi’ee-rahimaullah. See Al-Majmoo’ of an-Nawawee (1/63).

Thus by rejecting this particular teaching of Imam Shafi which contradicts the authentic Hadith, I am practically a better follower of Imam Shafi than those who call themselves ‘Shafi’.

Similarly in practice, I claim to be a better follower of Imam Abu Hanifa than those who call themselves ‘Hanafi’. I claim to be a better follower of Imam Hanbal than those who call themselves ‘Hanbali’. I claim to be a better follower of Imam Malik than those who call themselves ‘Maliki”. If being a ‘Ahle-Hadith’ means following Qur’an and authentic Hadith then I claim to be a better follower of the Qur’an and authentic Hadith than those who call themselves ‘ Ahle-Hadith’. All these are mere labels (Hanafi, Shafi, Hanbali, Maliki, Ahle-Hadith) that are not endorsed by the Qur’an or the Sahih Ahadith.

The only label or title given by the Qur’an and the Sahih Ahadith is MUSLIM.

6. All the Groups have sub divisions

I personally have no objection if someone calls himself Hanafi, Shafi, Hanbali, Maliki or Ahle Hadith. People give different labels to themselves to identify which set of teachings they prefer to follow and to disassociate themselves from those people who follow wrong practices. From history we come to know that all the labels given to different groups, at a later stage the people from that group themselves did not follow their teachings and made new sub-groups. Therefore in all the groups you find a sub-division.

But as far as giving a label to identify what a person practices in Islam is concerned, there can not be better label than what Allah (swt) has given i.e. a Muslim.

7. Our Prophet was a Muslim

“Who was our beloved Prophet (pbuh)? Was he a Hanafi or a Shafi, or a Hanbali or a Maliki ?” No! He was a Muslim, like all the other Prophets and Messengers of Allah before him.

It is mentioned in chapter 3 verse 52 of Al-Qur’an that Jesus (pbuh) was a Muslim.

Further , in chapter 3 verse 67, Al-Qur’an says that Ibrahim (pbuh) was not a Jew or a Christian but was a Muslim.

8. Qur’an says call yourselves Muslims

There is no Qur’anic verse or any authentic Hadith that says you should call yourselves Hanafi, Shafi, Hanbali, Maliki or Ahle Hadith.

If anyone poses a Muslim the question who are you, he should say “I am a Muslim, not a Hanafi or a Shafi or a Ahle-Hadith”.

In Surah Fussilat chapter 41 verse 33 Allah (swt) says: “Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, ‘I am of those Who bow in Islam (Muslim)?’ “[Al-Qur’an 41:33]

The Qur’an instructs, “Say: I am of those who bow in Islam”. In other words, say, “I am a Muslim”.

The Prophet (pbuh) dictated letters to non-Muslim kings and rulers inviting them to accept Islam. In these letters he mentioned the verse of the Qur’an from Surah Al Imran chapter 3 verse 64:

Say ye: “Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (submitting to Allah’s Will).”[Al-Qur’an 3:64]

9. Lip Service Muslims

Allah knew that even in the Muslim Ummah there will be many people who claim to be Muslims (i.e. claim to submit their will to Allah) but practically will not follow Allah’s commands.

Allah refers to such people in the Qur’an as lip service Believers (Al Qur’an 5:41). Thus we can conclude that those who claim to be Muslims but do not follow Qur’an and Sunnah are Lip-Service Muslims. Those who follow the Qur’an and authentic Hadith should not change their label, and stick to the best label given by Allah (swt) i.e. Muslim and which the Prophet also called himself.

10. The Prophet had said that there would be 73 sects.

Some may argue by quoting the Hadith of our beloved Prophet, from Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith No. 4579. In this Hadith the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said, “My community will split up into seventy-three sects.”

This hadith reports that the prophet predicted the emergence of seventy-three sects. He did not say that Muslims should be active in dividing themselves into sects. The Glorious Qur’an commands us not to create sects. Those who follow the teachings of the Qur’an and Sahih Hadith, and do not create sects are the people who are on the true path.

According to Tirmidhi Hadith No. 171, the prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said, “My Ummah will be fragmented into seventy three sects, and all of them will be in Hell fire except one sect.” The companions asked Allah’s messenger which group that would be. Where upon he replied, “It is the one to which I and my companions belong”.

The Glorious Qur’an mentions in several verses, “Obey Allah and obey His Messenger”. A true Muslim should only follow the Glorious Qur’an and the Sahih Hadith. He can agree with the views of any scholar as long as they conform to the teachings of the Qur’an and Sahih Hadith. If such views go against the Word of Allah, or the Sunnah of His Prophet, then they carry no weight, regardless of how learned the scholar might be. A true Muslim will not follow any ruling or teaching of any great scholar of Islam if that particular ruling or teaching contradicts the Qur’an and Saheeh Hadith.

Thus, the only school of thought that a Muslim should follow, is that of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The only Madhab that a Muslim should follow, is the Madhab of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). And Allah knows the Best.

11. Time for Asr Salah

As far as your specific query regarding the timing of Asr Salah is concerned, it is mentioned in Sunan Abu Dawood Vol. 1 Chapter No. 147 Hadith No. 393,

Narrrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said : Gabriel (pbuh) …. prayed the Asr Salah with me when shadow of everything was as long as itself….. On the following day he prayed the Asr Prayer with me when his shadow was twice as long as himself….. Then turning to me he said : Muhammad, this is the time observed by the prophets before you, and the time is anywhere between these two times.
It is mentioned in Sunan Abu Dawood Volume No. 1 Chapter No. 158 Hadith No. 426,

Umm Farwah said :

The Apostle of Allah (pbuh) was asked : Which of the actions is best ? He replied: Observing prayer early in its period.

Therefore it is preferable to pray early (i.e. at the beginning of the prescribed period for Salaah).

For all the Salaah except Isha, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said it is preferable to pray early.

Narrated Saiyar bin Salama :

The Prophet loved to delay the Isha… and he disliked sleeping before it and speaking after it.

(Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol. 1 Hadith No. 522)

However, if a person is unable to pray at the early hour, it is permitted to pray at any time within the prescribed period for Salaah.

Only If all the Muslims read the Qur’an with understanding and adhere to Sahih Hadith, Insha-Allah most of these differences would be solved and we could be one united Muslim Ummah.

And Allah Knows the Best.

_________________
Sarfaraz Ahmed
CA Finalist, MIIA (usa), B. Com
http://www.islamhouse.com/
http://www.fatwa-online.com/
http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ln=urd
http://www.jamatuddawa.org/

Jazakallah Khair. Sarfaraz Very well explained.

Allah Barik Feek.

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Allahoakbar

i think so

Bringing forth a movement that will change humanity
,we will fight not with swords but words
,intelligence and integrity.

-Annum.K.-(MSA program)

i think muslims should stop thinking about the sects or divisions i islam; rather, start thinking to get united as One Islam, One Muslim Nation.

Sarfarazloveyou explaination is the conclusion of this topic.It is the real explaination & the rest is missguidence.Jazaak Allah Khaira & keep it up.

past is history today is present and tomoro is mystery

its dr zakir naik's explanation

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Exposing falsehood .... for sake of truth ..

I am a practicing muslim and i h8 sectarianism. i pray anywhere whether it's a barelwi mosque, deobandi mosque or a ahle hadith /wahabi mosque. never let sectarianism get in the way of anything especially ur namaz!!!

muslim unity is only possible by love and effection of beleive. this things is easy to say but have lots of concepts to understand. love, ishq is the key of success in relegion. this lelment is now ignored and we are wasting our time in other elements.

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its funny to discuss things with nationals intrest and recent devolopemtns in pakistan and around globe.

the basic key for muslim unity is amal coz wtever v listn by the alam of any sect then it is most important v follow that sayin in our amal too
basic problem arises when v jst listen and v never adopt it
qoul aur amal man tazad hota hy
2nd if v chk muslim history then c when SHAFI followers goes to IMAM HANIFA:S mehfil they say Qalma Tayaba in slow voice and when
IMAM HANIFA;s followers goes to IMAM SHAFI;s mehfil they start sayin Qalma Tayaba in loud voice
so they nevea make it a trouble for others
they respects each other
but
now circumstances r lyk this
k the followers of Imam Abu Hanifa never bears those who r followers of Imam Shafi and similarly others
but i think ULAMA IKRAM who have vast knowledge of islam they nevea make it a trouble
amal krnay waloon k liye choti si cheasan meanin nahin rakhti
yeh beamal loog hotay han jo 1 baat suntay han then 1 dosaray ki tangan awan hi khanchna start kr daitay han pta hota nahn kuch 1 baat suni us ka literal meaning liya and larai start kr di
so i thnk those who do kehncha tani in islam they infact nevea follows islam they r not muslims.]

salam 2 all! i think this sect problem is getting serious day by day. what all of us need 2 do is that first of all dnt give importance to this division n do wht Mr. asadakhtar does i.e pray wherever u find a mosque without caring 4 the sect. 2ndly n most importantly remove just one sentence from ur general talking i.e "he is nt a muslim". for Allah's sake leave this decision to Allah n blv me v ll b ONE...