Watering the Seed of Knowledge and being One!

Allah (SWT), said, “And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah [i.e. Allah's covenant] and do not separate.” Surah Aal-Imraan (3), Verse 103

Regarding the verse Ibn Katheer said: “[It] 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. Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah 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…”

Just wanted to write about this brief issue that was on my mind for a little while.

Indeed we are living in a time, where there is much confusion and mystification about Islam, amongst the people in general. We find that around us there many grey areas and many things that seem gloomy and may not be clear to the common folk. There is no doubt that within these confusing times, the Muslims are witnessing an awakening to knowledge by the grace of Allah (SWT). If Allah (SWT) has made easy for you the doors to seeking knowledge, then know that He (SWT) has made it easy for you worship Him on insight.

In saying this, we still face much confusion and conflict amongst the people who have started to practice and those who have embarked on the path to knowledge in many issues, some, which we can even call it fundamental issues. Due the lack of supervision and the correct nourishment, these differences between them cause’s enmity and hatred to flair among them, to the extent that one group will dissociate from another group or an individual from another individual. There are so many different cases like this.

For example, some people try to separate the act of Jihaad and Seeking Knowledge. These ideas amongst some people, who are seekers of knowledge, assume that if you are on the path of knowledge – there is no Jihaad. This is obviously wrong; to assume that there is Jihaad without knowledge, this is incorrect, and to assume that the scholar or the seekers of knowledge can’t do Jihaad, then this is also wrong. Some people claim that we need to be strong first before Jihaad, but in reality the strength is through Jihaad. This is indeed a major issue at hand, which is causing divisions amongst the Muslims, on large and small scale.

So, it ever so important, if Allah (SWT) has made easy for you the path to seek knowledge, that you are overlooked, nourished, supervised, throughout this journey in order to safeguard and protect yourself from stumbling in the midst of seeking and acting upon the knowledge.

One must protect one’s self from, intellectual, ideological, behavioural, divisional, and partisanl as mentioned by Sheikh Bakr Abu Zayd.

Indeed, no walaa’ and baraa’ should be pledged in sectarianism and partisanship. The people servitude to Allah (SWT) [al-uboodiyyah], are not renowned to people with names which they are know by i.e. ‘He is a salafee!’ and similarly they are not known bound to any one activity i.e. ‘He is a jihaadi!’ In fact, as mentioned by Ibn Al-Qayyum in his explanation of the commentary of the Sufi text ‘Manaazil As-Saa’ireen’ by Abdullah al-Ansaari al-Haruwi covering tazkiyyah said, “...for indeed this a defect in servitude and it is restricted servitude. As for unrestricted servitude, it is where a person is not know by a specific name from amongst its meanings because he answers all the call of servitude regardless of the type [of worship], and her participates in all activities of all the people of servitude...”.

In the path of knowledge, whilst studying and learning, one should have humbleness and keep that humbleness; out of humbleness, do not give fatwaa’ or reject fatwaa’ – whilst seeking knowledge, there is more input. Seeking knowledge is different, it changes your character, and not it changes you. One should be distinguished in worship and in ones closeness to Allah (SWT). One should observe sincerity, seek knowledge to follow the Truth, [the path of the Salaf], to please Allah (SWT), to lift ignorance from one’s self and others, and to understand the Deen deeply to defend it. Indeed the Saved Sect are distinguished and known for their knowledge, fighting for the sake of Allah (SWT), love of Allah (SWT) and forsaking the Dunya. May Allah (SWT) make us from amongst them! Ameen!

Abu Siyaam