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| Ramadhan – A Quest For
Unity Sheikh Abdur Rahman Khan Bismillahir
Rahmanir Raheem
“O
you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to
those before you that you may achieve Taqwa (God- Consciousness)”. Every year as Ramadhan comes around there
is always a special joy to Believers:
It is a time when we make an improvement in our relationship and connection with The Rabbul Aalameen. There is a unity of body and soul in which both together are seeking the obedience of Allah SWT . The body confirms what the soul is looking for; Taqwa or the consciousness that Allah SWT is watching over you. Hence, the body will go without food, drink and sensual desires from dawn to dusk hoping to gain Taqwa. Indeed,
this is the very purpose of Ramadhan as Allah SWT tells in 2:183 But while we pursue the unity of our body and soul in the service of Allah SWT, there is still a fundamental unity that is so lacking; the unity among ourselves as an Ummah. No doubt it is because of the lack of the unity amongst ourselves that this year we fast with so much of pains in our heart. Added to the pains of Kashmir, Kosovo and Chechnya is the opening up of an old wound: Palestine. Pain after pain, disaster after disaster, destruction one after another. Isn’t this a wake up call from Allah SWT
to this Ummah of Muhammad SAS? Just
as how we quest for the unity of our body and soul we have to make a
conscious and deliberate attempt to quest for unity in this Ummah. How
many times did we not read this verse:
O you
who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared and die not except in a
state of Islam. And
hold fast all together by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you) and
be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's
favor on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love so
that by His grace you became brethren; and you were on the brink of the
pit of fire and He saved you from it.
Thus does Allah make his signs clear to you: that you may be
guided. (3:102-3) This
is a command from Allah SWT to this Ummah to unite ourselves not by “our
rope” which is based on nationality, ethnicity, culture, tribe, social
status but by something that transcends man-made borders; The Rope Of Allah SWT. And The Rope of Allah SWT is His Book and
the guidance given to us by Rasoolullah SAS. Our
holding on to different things cause us to let loose of the rope of Allah
SWT
The
question is have we been holding on to The Rope of Allah SWT?
“To help believers is incumbent upon Us.” Through the history of Islam we read how the Muslims were victorious. In the Battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq the Muslims were far outnumbered by their opponents in many ways but they had true faith in Allah SWT and unity amongst themselves and that was the greatest weapon. Allah
SWT tells us that firm faith in Him is our weapon. In 22:38
“Verily Allah will defend (from ill) those who believe: verily Allah loves not any that is a traitor to faith or shows ingratitude”.
Truly
Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array as if they were a
solid cemented structure. 61:4
“And
obey Allah and His apostle; and fall into no disputes lest you lose heart
and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: for Allah is with
those who patiently persevere.” As He
warns in 3:105
And
in 6: 159 He again admonishes:
Rasoolullah
SAS would immediately correct Sahabas who wanted to differ and disunite
with each other. In Hadith Al- Bukhari he reported that Ibn
Masood said: I heard a person
reciting a (Quranic) verse in a certain way, and I had heard the Prophet
reciting the same verse in a different way. So I took him to the Prophet
and informed him of that but I noticed the sign of disapproval on his
face, and then he said, "Both of you are correct, so don't differ,
for the nations before you differed, so they were destroyed." Our
prayer five times a day in Jamaa’ah is a reminder of the unity that we
should inculcate in ourselves. In Hadith of Imaam Al-Bukhari, he reported
that Abu Huraira said: The Prophet said, "The Imam is (appointed) to
be followed. So do not differ from him, bow when he bows, and say, 'Rabbana-lakal
hamd' if he says 'Sami'a-l-lahu Liman hamida' and if he prostrates,
prostrate (after him), and if he prays sitting, pray sitting all together,
and straighten the rows for the prayer, as the straightening of the rows
is amongst those things which make your prayer a correct and perfect
one." What
is the consequence of differing from the Imaam? "Isn't
he who raises his head before the Imam afraid that Allah may transform his
head into that of a donkey or his figure (face) into that of a
donkey?" (Al- Bukhari) We
are known and proud to call ourselves “Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah”.
But don’t we find ourselves in our own “little Jamaa’ah”
ready to insult the other, ready to fight the other, ready to free
ourselves from each other as Allah SWT describes: “Each group is happy
with themselves”. As
we fast this Ramadhan let us all search for the unity that Allah SWT
commands us to do. Let us be prepared to forgo “our rope” and instead
let us all hold on to The Rope of Allah SWT. It is the only way we can
prevail over other systems:
Allah
has promised to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds that
He will of a surety grant them in the land inheritance (of power) as He
granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their
religion the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change
(their state) after the fear in which they (lived) to one of security and
peace: `They will worship Me (alone) and not associate nothing with Me.’
If any do reject faith after this they are rebellious and wicked. So
establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity:
and obey the Apostle; that you may receive mercy. Never think that the
Unbelievers are going to frustrate (Allah's Plan) on earth: their abode is
the Fire and it is indeed an evil refuge!
After all Allah SWT He says: “It
is He Who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth
that he may proclaim it over all religion even though the Pagans may
detest (it)”.
"If
you turn away I (at least) have conveyed the Message with which I was sent
to you. My Lord will make
another People to succeed you and you will not harm Him in the least.
For my Lord has care and watch over all things." May
this Ramadhan bring the blessings of Allah SWT on this Ummah and may we
all join in the quest for unity. |
