Unity among Muslims

ASALAAMU ALAIKUM

The teachings of Islam are clearly mentioned in the holy Quran the last book of Allah Almighty that has been bestowed upon Muslims through the beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH. The concept of mutual understanding and unity among Muslims are of very high value. As a Muslim it is your duty to completely submerge yourself against the orders of Allah Almighty.

The Holy Quran mentioned:

ﻭَﺍﻋْﺘَﺼِﻤُﻮﺍ ﺑِﺤَﺒْﻞِ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪِ ﺟَﻤِﻴﻌﺎً ﻭَﻻ ﺗَﻔَﺮَّﻗُﻮﺍ

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. Qur’an), and be not divided among yourselves…”

(Aayah No. 103, Surah Aal-Imran, Chapter No. 3, Holy Qur’an).

Islam is basically a religion of peace that lays great emphasis upon mutual understanding and love among the fellow Muslims. Great stress is laid upon the unity and development of brotherhood among fellow Muslim brothers. In the eyes of Allah Almighty all Muslims are equal and no superiority is given to anyone on the bases of color, cast and creed.

In Islam we have the same prophet and we should obey Our holy Prophet PBUH as well as Allah.

 ﻭَﺃَﻃِﻴﻌُﻮﺍ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪَ ﻭَﺭَﺳُﻮﻟَﻪُ ﺇِﻥْ ﻛُﻨﺘُﻢْ ﻣُﺆْﻣِﻨِﻴﻦَ

“Follow Allah & Rasool-Allah (PBUH), if you are Mu’mineen.”

(Aayah No. 1, Surah Al-Anfal, Chapter No. 8, Holy Qur’an).

We should obey holy Prophet PBUH base on Quran and there is a good reward for this action:

ﻭَﻣَﻦ ﻳُﻄِﻊِ ﺍﻟﻠّﻪَ ﻭَﺍﻟﺮَّﺳُﻮﻝَ ﻓَﺄُﻭْﻟَـﺌِﻚَ ﻣَﻊَ ﺍﻟَّﺬِﻳﻦَ ﺃَﻧْﻌَﻢَ ﺍﻟﻠّﻪُ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻬِﻢ ﻣِّﻦَ ﺍﻟﻨَّﺒِﻴِّﻴﻦَ ﻭَﺍﻟﺼِّﺪِّﻳﻘِﻴﻦَ ﻭَﺍﻟﺸُّﻬَﺪَﺍﺀِ ﻭَﺍﻟﺼَّﺎﻟِﺤِﻴﻦَ ﻭَﺣَﺴُﻦَ ﺃُﻭﻟَـﺌِﻚَ ﺭَﻓِﻴﻘًﺎ

Allah says: "All who obey Allah and the apostle are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,- of the prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the Righteous (who do good): Ah! what a beautiful fellowship"(4:69)

Our holy Prophet PBUH has compared the Muslim community with human body according to him all the Muslims are like one body. When even a single part of human body suffers for any reason the restlessness is felt in all the parts of body.

The stress that has been laid upon unity among Muslims makes it compulsory for all the Muslims to respect and care about the wellbeing of their Muslims brothers.

Islam is the religion for all of mankind, and Allah has commanded us to convey it to all people. This can only be achieved if we are strong, and strength is based on faith and unity.

Hence Allaah has commanded all the believers to adhere to His religion and to be united, and not to be divided. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allaah (i.e. this Qur’aan), and be not divided among yourselves

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:103]

Division, differences and disputes are the cause of the ummah’s defeat, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And obey Allaah and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are As-Saabiroon (the patient)”

[al-Anfaal 8:46]

Unity and coming together are among the basic principles of Islam, and there are many aspects of unity in Islam, such as One Lord, one Book, one Prophet, one religion, one qiblah, one ummah.

In order to achieve the unity of the ummah, Islam urges us to adhere to the jamaa’ah (the group which follows the Qur’aan and Sunnah).

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained that the hand of Allaah is with the jamaa’ah, and that whoever deviates from that will be in Hell. Allah has enjoined coming together for all acts of worship in order to achieve this unity.

Allah addresses the ummah as one group in all rulings to indicate that they are one ummah, like one body. There is no difference between them; the commands and prohibitions are addressed to all.

In the context of worship, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Worship Allaah and join none with Him (in worship)

[al-Nisaa’ 4:36]

And He enjoins them all to establish regular prayer:

“Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawaat (the prayers) especially the middle Salaah (i.e. the best prayer - ‘Asr). And stand before Allaah with obedience”

[al-Baqarah 2:238]

Concerning zakaah, Allaah commands them all, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and give Zakaah”

[al-Baqarah 2:43]

Concerning fasting, He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”

[al-Baqarah 2:183]

Regards all people as equal before the laws of Allaah. Black and white, Arab and non-Arab, male and female, rich and poor – Islam brings them all together and addresses its commands and prohibitions to them all.

So whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger will enter Hell, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Whosoever does righteous good deed, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves”

[Fussilat 41:46]