Importance of Jama`ah & Ukhuah in Islam Organize by Toronto Islamic Centre
و اع ت ص م وا ب ح ب ل الل ه ج م يع ا و ل ا ت ف رق وا و اذ آ ر وا ن ع م ة الل ه ع ل ي ك م إ ذ آ ن ت م أ ع د اء ف ا ل ف ب ي ن ق ل وب ك م ف ا ص ب ح ت م ب ن ع م ت ه إ خ و ان ا و آ ن ت م ع ل ى ش ف ا ح ف ر ة ح ف ر ة م ن الن ار ف ا ن ق ذ آ م م ن ه ا آ ذ ل ك ي ب ي ن الل ه ل ك م ا ي ات ه ل ع ل ك م ت ه ت د ون ن 3:103
And Hold fast all together to the cable of Allah 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.84 Thus Allah makes His signs clear to you that you may be guided to the right way. (3:103)
1. Jama ah ah 2. Prohibition 3. Ukhuah
1. Jama ah ah a)hold fast all together b) و اع ت ص م وا ب ح ب ل الل ه ج م يعا و لا ت ف رق وا ( ) (And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves.) It was said that, ب ح ب ل الل ه ] ] (to the Rope of Allah) refers to Allah's covenant, just as Allah said in the following Ayah, م ن الل ه و ح ب ل م ن الن ا س] ع ل ي ه م ال ذل ة أ ي ن م ا ث ق ف وا إ لا ب ح ب ل [ض ر ب ت (Indignity is put over them wherever they may be, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allah, and from men;) [3:112], in reference to pledges and peace treaties.
Importance of Jama`ah In order to establish Islam fully in ones life, to witness to it faithfully, to discharge one s s duties and responsibilities, it is absolutely essential to form a Jama ah ah based on the Principles set by Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
Collective life from Hadith Al Haris al Ash ari reported that Rasul (sallallahu( alaihi wa sallam) ) said I I enjoin five things on you, which have been revealed to me as commands by Allah, collective life, listening, obedience, migration and struggle in the way of Allah. Anyone who secedes from the body of Muslims, throws off allegiance to Islam, until he returns to its fold and he who exorts ignorance shall be consigned to hell. The companions of Rasool Allah submitted: Allah s s messenger, even if such a man keeps fasts and says prayers? The Prophet says: Affirmed Yes, even if he says prayers and keeps fasts and claims to be a Muslim (Tirmidhi,, Ahmad, Hakim )
Three Conclusions can be drawn from this Hadith Firstly, in order to work for Islam the correct procedure is to establish and organizational discipline wherein Members will hare and obey their leaders, and then to take up Hijra and struggle (Jihad), as the situation may warrant. Secondly, that secession from the Al-Jamah Jamah* * is tantamount to secession from Islam. Such secession means that the person concern is returning to the life of the three Islamic days, when the communal life is not organized around the obedience of the Creator. Thirdly, that only through corporate life, Jamah,, and collective struggle can we fulfil the main objective of Islam and moset of it requirement. 'Umar ibn al-khattab (r.a.).) said, "Laa" Islam bi laa Jamaa'ati wa laa jamaa'ati bi laa Imaarah, wa laa Imaaratu bi laa sam'on wa taa'ah". "There is no Islam without a community, and there is no community without a leadership, and there is no authoruty without hearing and obeying".
b) The Cable of Allah ( ب ح ب ل الل ه ه ) (to the Rope of Allah) refers to Allah's covenant, just as Allah said in the following Ayah, [ض ر ب ت ع ل ي ه م ال ذل ة أ ي ن م ا ث ق ف وا إ لا ب ح ب ل م ن الل ه و ح ب ل م ن الن اس ] (Indignity is put over them wherever they may be, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allah, and from men;) [3:112], in reference to pledges and peace treaties. (Ibn Kathir)
The expression 'cable of Allah', in this verse, refers to the 'religion of Allah'. The reason s a bond between man and the Creator and joins all believers together. To take a firm hold on this cable means that the believers should attach profound importance to their religion: this should always be the centre of their concerns; they should continually strive to establish it; and the common desire to serve it should make them co-operate with each other. (Tafhim)
b) The cable of Allah ( ب ح ب ل الل ه ) From Hadith: This Quran is the rope of Allah (sw) an is clear light and is cure of all human ills, and is protection for one who holds fast to it and is means of salvation for one who follows it. (Tirmidhi)
2. Prohibition و لا ت ف رق وا (and be not divided among yourselves), orders sticking to the community of the believers and forbids division. There are several Hadiths that require adhering to the Jama`ah (congregation of believers) and prohibit division. Reported by Abu Huraira Rasuluulah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said (It pleases Allah for you to acquire three qualities and displeases Him that you acquire three characteristics. It pleases Him that you worship Him Alone and not associate anything or anyone with Him in worship, that you hold on to the Rope of Allah altogether and do not divide, and that you advise whoever Allah appoints as your Leader. The three that displease Him are that you say, `It was said,' and, So-and and-so said,' asking many unnecessary questions and wasting money.) [Muslim] (ibn Kathir)
ب ي ن ق ل وب ك م ف ا ص ب ح ت م ب ن ع م ت ه إ خ و ان ا] ن ع م ة الل ه ع ل ي ك م إ ذ آ نت م أ ع د ا ء ف ف ا ل ف [و اذ آ ر وا (and remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so إ خ و انا ) brethren that, by His grace, you became.[ 3:103 ](إ خ و ان ا This was revealed about the Aws and Khazraj.. During the time of Jahiliyyah,, the Aws and Khazraj were at war and had great hatred, enmity and ill feelings towards each other, causing long conflicts and battles to occur between them. When Allah brought Islam, those among them who embraced it became brothers who loved each other by Allah's grace, having good ties for Allah's sake and helping each other in righteousness and piety. Allah said, ق ل وب ه م ل و أ نف ق ت م ا ف ى ا لار ض ج م يعا م ا ال ذ ى أ ي د ك ب ن ص ر ه و ب ال م و م ن ين و أ ل ف ب ب ي ن [ه و أ ل ف ت ب ي ن ق ل وب ه م و ل ك ن الل ه أ ل ف ب ي ن ه م ]
(He it is Who has supported you with His Help and with the believers. And He has united their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them) [8:62,63], until the end of the Ayah. Before Islam, their disbelief had them standing at the edge of a pit of the Fire, but Allah saved them from it and delivered them to faith. The Messenger of Allah reminded the Ansar [from both Aws and Khazraj] ] of this bounty when he was dividing the war booty of Hunayn.. During that time, some Ansar did not like the way the booty was divided, since they did not get what the others did, although that was what Allah directed His Prophet to do. The Messenger of Allah gave them a speech, in which he said,
االله ب ي و آ ن ت م م ت ف رق ين ف ا ل ف ك م م ع ش ر ال ا ن ص ار أ ل م أ ج د آ م ض ل ال ا ف ه د اآ م ف ه د اآ م «ي ا االله ب ي و ع ال ة ف ا غ ن اآ م االله ب ي» (O Ansar!! Did I not find you misguided and Allah directed you to guidance because of me Were you not divided beforehand and Allah united you around me Were you not poor and Allah enriched you because of me) Whenever the Prophet asked them a question, they would answer, "Indeed, Allah and His Messenger have granted us bounty.''
Brotherhood and among the believers is a pre-requisite requisite in Islam إ ن م ا ال م و م ن ون إ خ و ة ف ا ص ل ح وا ب ي ن أ خ و ي ك م و ات ق وا الل ه ل ع ل ك م ت ر ح م ون 49:10 (49:10) Surely the believers are none but brothers unto one another
The lowest limit of brotherhood is to have an unblemished heart towards you brothers and its zenith is to prefer him to yourself in privilege. Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam sallam gives a beautiful analogy of Ukhuah.. He said: Believers are like one body, if any of its limbs fill pain the whole body suffers in fever and sleeplessness.
Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam also said: Whoever loves for Allah and dislikes for Allah, gives for Allah and withholds for Allah, in deed perfected his faith.
In order to safeguard our brotherhood we must always remember those prohibited points which Allah (swt( swt) ) has mentioned one by one in Suratul Hujrat.
Prohibitions: In this verse Allah lays down certain prohibitions, which must be b implemented in order to practically establish the brotherhood of believers mentioned in the previous verse. There are total of six prohibitions, three in verse Number 11 and d three in verse # 12 Verse Number11 1. Let not a group scoff at another group. لا ي س خ ر ق و م م ن ق و م م 2. Nor defame yourselves و لا ت ل م ز وا أ نف س ك م 3. Nor insult one another by nicknames و لا ت ن اب ز وا ب ا لال ق ب ب Verse Number12 4. Avoid much suspicion اج ت ن ب وا آ ث يرا آ ث ير ا م ن الظ ن 5. Do not spy و و لا ت ج س س وا 6. Nor backbite و و لا ي غ ت ب ب ع ض ك م ب ع ضا ب ع ض ا
و ال ذ ين ج اء وا م ن ب ع د ه م ي ق ول ون ر ب ن ا اغ ف ر ل ن ا و ل ا خ و ان ن ا ال ذ ين س ب ق ون ا ب ال ا يم ان و ل ا ت ج ع ل ف ي ق ل وب ن ا غ ل ا ل ل ذ ين ا م ن وا ر ب ن ا إ ن ك ر ء وف ر ح يم 59:10 (59:10) (And it also belongs to) those who came after them, *20 and who pray: Lord, forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any rancour towards those who believe. Lord, You are the Most Tender, the Most Compassionate.
Al Haris al Ash ari reported that Rasul (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) ) said I I enjoin five things on you, which have been revealed to me as commands by Allah, collective life, listening, obedience, e, migration and struggle in the way of Allah. Anyone who secedes from the body of Muslims, throws off allegiance to Islam, until he returns to its fold and he who exorts ignorance shall be consigned to hell. The companions of Rasool Allah submitted: Allah s messenger, even if such a man keeps fasts and says prayers? The Prophet says: Affirmed Yes, even if he says prayers and keeps fasts and claims to be a Muslim (Tirmidhi,, Ahmad, Hakim )
"Laa Islam bi laa Jamaa'ati wa laa jamaa'ati bi laa Imaarah, wa laa Imaaratu bi laa sam'on wa taa'ah". "There is no Islam without a Jamaa h,, and there is no Jamaa h without a leadership, and there is no authoruty without hearing and obeying".
Amir Zaman amiraway@hotmail.com www.themessagecanada.com Canada