Today after Friday prayers I was thinking if a person says I practiced Islam lets say from last 10 years, he actually practiced “Islam” or practiced the “teachings (methods)” of a particular group of Islam.
“Tafak-kaho fid-deen” “or deen ki samjh rakho” “and keep Understanding of Religion” is necessary, mandatory, important for us, but following a particular group is necessary, mandatory or important for us? If we are following a particular group than are we obeying the order of Almighty Allah:
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided”.
Almighty Allah is One, The Holy Qur’an is One, The Prophet Muhammad is One, but all the followers (Ummati) is not one.
“Tafak-kaho fid-deen” “or deen ki samjh rakho” “and keep Understanding of Religion”. If we truly understand this than I think there is no need of any type of groups except One God ‘Almighty Allah’ to worship, One Book ‘The Holy Quran for Guidance, One Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad how to live a life here.
May Almighty Allah guide us and forgive our sins. Ameen.
Nice point.. I think different fiqahs are just different methods / way for following our religion and we should not create enmity with other sects just because they follow different school of thoughts.
I was also thinking about this Shia-Sunni conflict all day. In the evening, I gave lift to some of my colleagues and we were four people in car, two following Fiqah e Jafria and two (including me) following Fiqah e Hanfia. The discussion started about the killing in Gilgit and silence by political parties and media. One of the guy took the discussion to Banu Umayyad and Bani Hashims conflict. I was thinking if we believe in one Allah, follow one Quran and there are no drastic differences in practicing Islam and Ibadaat, is it just 1400 years old history (which has two equal and opposite view) that is the basis of this all massacre. Do we only inherit enmities through religion?
People will not agree, but to me, following is way more important than understanding. Today we see so many sects, is because people are trying to "understand" islam instead of just following its core teaching as a real slave of Allah (that we all are)
Allah SWT in Quran in many verses that Obey Allah and His Messengers. In Surah Al Nisa verse 59, He said:
“O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if ye do believe in Allah and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination”.
The above ayah in vey imaculately without any additional tafsir or reference says that to Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, as well as those who charge with authority among us. If we follower of any sect do find anything which contradict the Message of Allah or His Prophet than we should get back at the beginning point that is Book of Allah (the Quran) and Sunnah (teaching of Prophet Muhammad ) and not to blindly follow any sects and divide into different groups.
The Four Imams of School of Thoughts also said that if anyone find their narration contradict from the sayings of Almighty Allah and Prophet Muhammad than they may reject their sayings.
I understand ‘Tafak-kaho fid-deen" “or deen ki samjh rakho” "and keep Understanding of Religion’ as stated above.
^ May be it is wrong to assume that following a particular group is not following islam, there are varying nature of sunnah being practised like rafa ya dayn. If all were following one group then only one of the sunnah could have been followed, now that different fuqaha have differences in giving preference to different sunnah ummat is practising all sunnahs at the same time.The difference is rehmat for ummah in variety of ways.
The rulings of four imams have been practised by fuqaha /Muhaditheen/Ulema for the last 1300+ years, how can some one question them now, remember the time near Prophet :saw2: was khair ul quroon. One should not blindly follow the fuqaha but should not start blaming fuqaha on the basis of translated quoted material.
There is no harm following a particular group neither i'm saying that don't follow any group nor i'm blaming anyone. I'm just saying that What is good take it and what you don't think is right just leave it. Like during the Hajj season, all muslim wear two pieces of un-stitched cloths and do all rituals shoulder-to-shoulder with each others. Nobody can diffrentiate among them that who is Ambassador, King, mason, driver, or who belongs to which group, belief or else. They all (in Ihram) are equal and same in view of 'One Almighty Allah'.
That is what i'm saying we shouldn't divide ourself into many different groups b'coz of the different teachings (methods) by different groups.
is One, but all the followers (Ummati) is not one.