** WHY ARE MUSLIMS DIVIDED INTO SECTS?
Question:
When all the Muslim follow one and the same Qur’an then why
are there so many sects among Muslims?
Answer:
1. Muslims should be united
It is a fact that Muslims today, are divided amongst themselves.
The tragedy is that such divisions are not endorsed by Islam at all.
Islam believes in fostering unity amongst its followers.
The Glorious Qur’an says:
“And hold fast, all together, 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. Besides 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 be not divided among themselves.
2. It is prohibited to make sects and divisions in Islam
The Glorious Qur’an says:
“As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects,
thou hast 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 Sunni, or ‘I am Shia’. Some call themselves
Hanafi, or Shafa’ee or Maliki or Hambali. Some say ‘I am a
Deobandi’, while some others say ‘I am a Barelvi’.
3. Our Prophet was a Muslim
One may ask such Muslims, “what was our beloved prophet
(pbuh)? Was he a Hanafi or a Shafa’ee, or a Hambali 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 Ibraheem
(pbuh) was not a Jew or a Christian but was a Muslim.
4. Qur’an says call yourselves Muslim
a. If anyone poses a Muslim the question who are you, he should
say “I am a MUSLIM, not a Hanafi or a Shafa’ee”. Surah Fussilat
Chapter 41 Verse 33 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 says “Say I am of those who bow in Islam”. In other
words, say, “I am a Muslim”.
b. 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 Ale Imran Chapter 3 Verse 64:
Say ye: “Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to
Allah’s Will).”
[Al Qur’an 3:64]
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, (pbuh) then they carry
no weight, regardless of how learned the scholar might be.
If only all Muslims read the Qur’an with understanding and
adhere to Sahih Hadith, in'sha'Allah most of these differences
would be solved and we could be one united Muslim Ummah.
"united we stand, divided we fall" ..::SHARE::..