Quote:
The enemies of Islaam are diligent in the dividing and differing of the Muslims. This is their goal! Rather, what is greater than this is that they are diligent in striking one against the other.
The Salaf-us-Saleh (righteous predecessors [first three generations]) did not divide into sects, parties.
Every group takes for itself an ignorant leader who is obsessed with leadership, obsessed (maftoon [a trial for him]) to be over the people, calling the people to himself. It becomes a thing that he is diseased by, and tried by. He calls those who are not a part of his group "misguided," simply and solely because they are not with him (and his party). And he warns against them, simply and solely because they are not with him.
By contrast, the Salaf (righteous predecessors) were one Ummah, uniting for Allaah's sake, and disassociating for Allaah's sake (loving and hating for Allaah - not because of personalities).
Allaah said (what means): Verily, your Walee (Protector or Helper) is Allaah, His Messenger, and the believers... (Al-Ma`idah, ayah 55)
So the allegiance is for Allaah and His Messenger (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and the believers who are upon the kitab and the Sunnah (with the correct understanding).
But what hurts the heart is the differing and dividing of the callers. These deviants bring about the ardent desire of the enemies of Islaam - to divide and differ. And we are not calling one group from the groups to leave off their opinions for the opinion of another group. But rather what we are calling all the groups to is to leave all of their opinions and refer everything back to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam).
Allaah, Ta'aala, said (what means): O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allaah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. (An-Nisa`, ayah 59)
So this command of Allaah provides for us a remedy (makhraj) a way out from the fitnah of division, an escape from the trials of differing. So if you differ in anything, then refer back to Allaah and His Messenger (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam).
This indeed is a makhraj (a way out), an escape from the fitnah of dividing.
Indeed, I believe with certain knowledge that the followers of these parties (groups) only want the truth. If they were to know that that which they were upon from dividing the ranks of the Muslims is not permissible, then many of them would flee from these obsessed leaders who have been maftoon, tested and tried with leadership.
And this is why it is important to mention (what the Salaf mentioned): that bid'ah is worse than sin, because the one who commits the sin knows that what he is upon is evil and wicked, but as for the one upon bid'ah then he believes his bid'ah to be truth. He believes that which he is upon to be correct, truth and righteousness to the Muslims, and therefore he clings firmly upon it (and therefore does not repent from it).
As ['Abdullaah] Ibn Mas'ood (radiallaahu 'anhu) said [to those in the circles who innovated a new way of making dhikr and said to Ibn Mas'ood that they only intended good]: "How many desire good, but do not obtain it."
The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Indeed, Shaytan has given up all hope of being worshipped in the Arabian Peninsula, so therefore he seeks to sow discord.
This dividing and hizbeeyah has weakened the Muslims, and brought humiliation to the Muslims. Dividing and leaving off the Sunnah of the Messenger (in 'Aqeedah, Manhaj, character, and manner of worship)...
By Allaah, what we fear is that this hizbeeyah will end up as a Taghoot [a thing to be worshipped besides Allaah] for some of the Hizbees. If they were to make unification upon the Hizb, and to make enmity because of the party, and call the people to this party. Indeed, what we fear for them (as an end result) is a Taghootiyah. ...