Hold on to the Rope of Allah: Shaykh Abdur-Razzaaq al-Badr [eBook]

All Praises belong to Allaah, the Lord of everything that exists. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah without any partners and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May prayers and peace be upon him, his family and all of his companions. As to what follows:

Oh noble Brothers (and sisters), may Allaah give you all success in good. Allaah the Mighty and Majestic said:

( وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ ه اللَِّ جَمِيعًا وَلََ تَفَ ه رقُوا)
“Hold on to the Rope of Allaah all together and do not divide” (3:103)

In this verse are clear and blessed words regarding one of the greatest blessings and gifts that Allaah has bestowed upon the nation of Muslims and the people of this upright religion. That (blessing) is the religion of Islaam unites and does not divide. Islaam brings together and does not cause separation. It is a religion of togetherness and mercy, and not a religion of punishment and division. Being a collective body of Muslims is a mercy and division is a punishment. Allaah honored the nation of Islaam with this great religion which joins the inharmonious hearts and the souls which are contrary to one another.

Allaah honored the Muslims with togetherness, connection, dealings and cooperation (with one another) upon righteousness and piety. Allaah says:

( وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ ه اللَِّ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنْتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَألَهفَ بَيْنَ
قُلُوبِكُمْ )
“And remember Allaah’s favor upon when you were enemies (to one another) and then He (Allaah) joined your hearts”(3:103)

The connecting and joining of the hearts is a great blessing and favor that is befitting for every Muslim to know its significance. Allaah the Mighty and Majestic says:

( وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ ه اللَِّ جَمِيعًا وَلََ تَفَ ه رقُوا)
“Hold on to the rope of Allaah all together and do not divide” (3:103)

In this (statement of Allaah) there is a command to holding fast together and a rebuke and blame for dividing. And holding fast together will not be (possible) except by holding to the Rope of Allaah. The

Rope of Allaah is His religion, laws, His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet (may peace be upon him). There can be no (unity or) holding on together except by this. Therefore that which unites is the Book of Allaah (the Quran) and the Sunnah of His Prophet (may peace be upon him). That which unites is the legislation of Allaah and His religion. Whatever is other than this only divides. For this reason, the people of knowledge have described the people of truth who adhere to the religion of Allaah with the following:

“Ahlus-sunnah wal jamaa’ah [1] are opposite than the people of innovation and groups because the Sunnah joins (the people) and innovation divides (them).”

It is not possible to gather the hearts upon innovations and newly invented matters (in the religion). That which joins the people together is the Rope of Allaah and His religion. For this reason Allaah did not order in this verse [2] to hold on together unrestrictedly; rather, He only ordered to hold on together with limitations [3]. As Allaah said:

( بِحَبْلِ ه اللَِّ )
“…to the Rope of Allaah”

So this is the true unity and holding together in which Allaah ordered His servants with and called them to. Allaah says:

( وَلََ تَفَ ه رقُوا )
“…and do not divide”

Dividing is with differing (and being in opposition) to the religion and parting in it. Dividing means not complying and yielding to the religion, or when one is obstinate4 or stubborn and follows his desires. Therefore with this is (the cause of) division. With adherence to the religion and preserving it, is unity and togetherness. The Lord of everything that exist (Allaah) is He who brings (the people together) and that which they are joined upon is the religion of Allaah. For this reason Allaah said:

( وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ ه اللَِّ جَمِيعًا وَلََ تَفَ ه رقُوا )
“Hold on to the rope of Allaah all together and do not divide” (3:103)

From the Qualities of the people of the truth:

Being diligent upon joining the people and gathering them together upon the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (may peace be upon him) and being distant from dividing and splitting is a quality of the people of the truth. So when an individual calls to the Book (Quran) and the Sunnah, then he is (actually) a caller to unity and togetherness. This is what joins and unites the people. Therefore calling to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (Peace be upon him) in itself is the call to unity and togetherness. This is because if the people have knowledge of the Book and Sunnah and works by them, they will come together (upon that), connect with each other, love one another, become brothers and cooperate with each other. This is because the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah join the hearts and connects the souls.

I ask Allaah the Generous, Lord of the great Throne, by His Beautiful Names and lofty Attributes, to correct those things between us and to join our hearts. I ask Allaah to guide us to the paths of peace and takes us from darkness into light. I ask Allaah that He blesses us in our hearing, sight, wives, children, wealth and time. I ask Allaah that He makes us blessed wherever we are and correct all of our affairs and to forgive us, our parents, scholars, Muslim men and women, believing men and women, and the living and dead.

Source: http://al-badr.net/detail/ynNqUpBWKm

Footnotes:

1. Those who follow the Quran and Sunnah upon the understanding of the righteous predecessors (The companions of the Prophet and those three generations of Muslims who came after them)
2. 3:103
3. With the restrictions that the people are holding on together based on Quran and Sunnah and not based on innovations, desires and oppositions.
4. The Shaykh used the statement: وأن يركب لإنساب ن رأاب This literally means ‘that a person rides his own head’ which refers to a person being big headed or having stubbornness, arrogance or haughtiness.

Shaykh Abdur-Razzaaq al-Badr

Posted with Permission from Translator.
Original PDF Doc can be downloaded Here