By Dr. Norlain Dindang Mababaya
By
Dr. Norlain Dindang Mababaya
Islam
is the Right Religion but most among mankind do not know it (Qur’an 12:40 and
30:30). Unfortunately, those
who understand Islam as the Right Religion are not united. Not all of them
adhere to the Qur’an and the Sunnah (Traditions or Practices, which include
the Ahâdith or teachings and sayings of Prophet
Muhammad r).
They are divided into different sects in the same way as the non-Muslims
are divided. Mankind must have
ample and correct knowledge of Islam based on the Qur’an and the authentic
Sunnah in order to be with the rightly guided Ummah (Muslim Nation) of the Prophet r
who will be saved from the Hell-Fire:
Abu
Hurairah t narrated
that the Prophet r
said: “The Jews were split up into seventy-one or seventy-two sects;
and the Christians were split up into seventy one or seventy-two sects; and my
community will be split up into seventy-three sects.”
(Abu Dawud 4579)
Abdullah
Bin Amr t
narrated
that Allâh’s Messenger r
said, “There will befall my Ummah exactly (all those) evils which befell the
people of Isra'il, so much so that if there was one amongst them who openly
committed fornication with his mother, there
will be among my Ummah one who will do that; and if the people of Isra'il were
fragmented into seventy-two sects my Ummah will be fragmented into seventy-three
sects. All of them will be in Hell Fire except one sect.” They (the
Companions) said: “Allâh’s Messenger r,
which is that?” Whereupon he
said: “It is one to which I and my
companions belong.” (Tirmidhi
171)
The
above authentic hâdîth tell us that only those who adhere and follow
the Prophet’s Sunnah will be saved from the Hell-Fire. For the guidance of the whole mankind, Allâh the Almighty
has commanded us to believe and follow Prophet
r
Muhammad r.
Allâh the Almighty tells us in His
Book:
“O
mankind! The Messenger has come to
you in truth from Allâh. Believe
in him: it is best for you...”
(Qur’an 4:170)
“Say
(O Muhammad): ‘If you do love Allâh follow me: Allâh will love you and
forgive you your sins for Allâh is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.’
Say: ‘Obey Allâh and His Messenger.’
But if they turn back Allâh loves not those who reject Faith.”
(Qur’an
3:31-32)
“Those
who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet
r,
whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures); -- in the Torah and the Gospel; for he commands them what is
just and forbids them what is evil. He
allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is
bad (and impure). He releases them
from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them.
So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the
Light which is sent down with him -- it is they who will prosper.”
(Qur’an 7: 157)
The
above Qur’anic Ayât (Verses)
clearly tell us that it is a must for all of us to follow and obey
Prophet Muhammad r,
Allah’s Final Messenger and Prophet to the whole mankind. We have to follow
his Sunnah as it is a clear divine commandment from Allah the Almighty Who Alone
is our Creator and Sustainer. Those
who do not follow the Prophet’s Sunnah do not actually follow the Qur’an for
Allah the Exalted has repeatedly tell us in the Qur’an to follow and obey
His Messenger r.
He has warned those who disobey the Prophet r
with humiliating punishment in the Hell-Fire:
“But
those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be
admitted to a Fire, to abide therein. And
they shall have a humiliating punishment.”
(Qur’an 4:14)
In
line with the Qur’anic divine injunctions on obedience to Prophet Muhammad r
and adherence to his Sunnah, our beloved Prophet
r
himself enjoins us to follow his Sunnah. He
admonishes us to keep away from the different sects that have deviated from the
True Path, Islam. He
tells us to keep away from those sects and not to change Islam as it is
the Right Religion:
Hudhaifah
ibn Al Yaman t narrated
that the people used to ask Allâh’s Messenger r
about good, but I used to ask him about evil for fear that it might overtake me.
Once I said, "O Allâh’s Messenger r!
We were in ignorance and in evil and Allâh has bestowed upon us the present
good; will there be any evil after this good?" He said, "Yes.” I
asked, "Will there be good after that evil?" He said, "Yes, but
it would be tainted with Dakhan (i.e. Little evil).” I asked, "What will
its Dakhan be?" He said, "There will be some people who will lead
(people) according to principles other than my
Sunnah (Tradition). You will see their actions and disapprove of them.”
I said, "Will there be any evil after that good?" He said, "Yes,
there will be some people who will invite others to the doors of Hell, and
whoever accepts their invitation to it will be thrown in it (by them).” I
said, "Allâh’s Messenger r!
Describe those people to us.” He said, "They will belong to us and speak
our language.” I asked, "What do you order me to do if such a thing
should take place in my life?" He said, "Adhere to the group of
Muslims and their Chief.” I asked, "If there is neither a group (of
Muslims) nor a chief (what shall I do)?" He said, "Keep away from all
those different sects, even if you had to bite (i.e. eat) the root of a tree,
till you meet Allâh while you are still in that state.”
(Bukhari 4/803 and 9/206)
Abu
Hurairah t
narrated
that Allâh’s Messenger r
said, "Every child is born with a true faith of Islam (i.e. to worship none
but Allâh Alone) but his parents convert him to Judaism, Christianity or
Magianism, as an animal delivers a perfect baby animal. Do you find it
mutilated?" Then Abu Hurairah t recited
the holy verses: "The pure Allâh’s Islamic nature (true faith of Islam)
(i.e. worshipping none but Allâh) with which He has created human beings. No
change let there be in the religion of Allâh (i.e. joining none in worship with
Allâh). That is the straight religion (Islam) but most of men know, not.”
(30.30). (Bukhari
2/ 296, 441; 6/298 and Muslim)
For
our salvation, it is a must that we must strive hard to know Islam based on the
Qur’an and the Sunnah in order to revive the Sunnah of Allâh’s Messenger r.
The following Ahâdith must serve as inspirations for us to revive
the Prophet’s Sunnah:
Hasan
Al-Basrit narrated
that Allâh’s Messenger r
said: “He whom death overtakes while he is engaged in acquiring
knowledge with a view to reviving Islam with the help of it, there will be one
degree between him and the Prophet r
in Paradise.” (Tirmidhi 249
and Darimi)
Sa’id
ibn Thabit t narrated
that he heard Allâh’s Messenger r
say: “May Allâh brighten a man who hears a tradition from us, gets it
by heart and passes it on to others. Many a bearer of knowledge conveys it to
one who is more versed than he is; and many a bearer of knowledge is not versed
in it.” (Abu
Daud 3652)
Bilal
ibn Harith al-Muzanit
narrated
that Allâh’s Messenger r
said, “He who revived a Sunnah out of my Sunan, which has died after me, for
him is the reward like the reward of those who acted upon it, without any
decrease in that reward...” (Tirmidhi 168)
Abdullaht narrated
on the authority of his father, “I heard
Allâh’s Messenger r
saying, “He who revived a Sunnah of mine that was extinct after me,
would (receive) a reward like the reward of one of the people who acted upon it
without any diminution in their rewards...”
(Ibn Majah
1/210)
For
our complete guidance, it is a must for us to learn and follow the Sunnah.
If possible, let us invite others to learn and follow the same. We must
know that our Creator sent His Messenger r
with Guidance and the Religion of Truth to make it prevail over all religions
and that He promises great rewards for those who support the Truth.
Allâh the Exalted tells us:
“It
is He (Allâh) Who has sent His Messenger r
with Guidance and the Religion of Truth. That He make it prevail over all
religions, even though the pagans may detest (it).” (Qur'an
61:9)
“And
he who brings the Truth and he who confirms (and supports) it -- such are the
men who do right. They shall have
all that they wish for, with their Rabb (Only God, Cherisher and Sustainer).
Such is the reward of those who do good: so that Allah will remit from
them (even) the worst in their deeds and give them their reward according to the
best of what they have done.” (Qur’an
39:33-35)
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