Re: Sects in Islam: How do you explain this?
Sady :salam2: I am daring to address your post and ready to face the consequences.
You must understand the dynamics of ‘life cycle of nations’.
Unfortunately at the present times the Islamic Ummah is in the lowest point of decline which started when the Islamic Ummah lost the will to lead Humanity and was in turn colonised by the other more dynamic nations. This rot and stagnation affected all the spheres of life in the Islamic Ummah and Islamic faith was no exception.
This rot and stagnation also had effect on purity of Islamic beliefs. All that was foreign and un-Islamic has crept in practices of ordinary Muslims’ lives. Rituals and traditions which were alien to Islamic faith became the norm in the mostly lay population and unscrupulous opportunist ‘priests’ took advantage of the situation to set up their own ‘shops’. This process further spread ignorance in the general public at large.
The Blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) had warned us this era as that of Trials and Tribulations.
*Narrated that Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan said: The people used to ask the Messenger of Allaah [an error occurred while processing this directive] (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about good things but I used to ask him about bad things, fearing that they might catch up with me.
I said, “O Messenger of Allaah, we were in a state of ignorance and evil, then Allaah brought us this good. Will there be any evil after this good?”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Yes.”
Hudahyfah asked, “Will there be any good after that evil?”
He said, “Yes, but it would be tainted with dakhan (i.e. a little evil).”
I asked, “What will its dakhan be?”
He said, “There will be some people who will guide (people) according to something other than my guidance and will lead them according to something other than my Sunnah. You will see their actions and disapprove of them.”
Hudhayfah 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).”
Hudhayfah said, “O Messenger of Allaah, describe those people to us.”
He said, “They will be from among us and speak our language (i.e., from among the Arabs).”
Hudhayfah asked, “What do you command us to do at that point?”
He said, “Adhere to the jamaa’ah (group) of the Muslims and their leader.”
Hudhayfah asked, “What if there is no jamaa’ah and no leader?”
He said, “Keep away from all those different sects, even if you have to bite (i.e. eat) the root of a tree, till you die while you are still in that state.” *Saheeh al-Bukhaari (3606) and Saheeh Muslim (1847)
As we are living in the times of fitnah and tribulations those who follow the Islam as it should be followed are in minority and Jahliyyah (Ignorance) is widespread thus the majority are in this camp.
So to sum it up Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamaa’ represent and practice true principles of Islam because they follow teachings of the Blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) through his Companions (may Allah Almighty be pleased with them all) and his Ahlul Bayt – members of his family (may Allah Almighty be pleased with them all).
Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamaa’ has always been in overwhelming majority from day one. At present times Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamaa’ represent 90% of Muslims.
Just being from Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamaa’ will not automatically qualify or guarantee anyone a free entry into Jannah.
Those from Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamaa’:
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Who keep faithful to the pristine principles as preached and practiced the Blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and faithfully adhere to Huqooq-Allah (the rights due to Allah Almighty) and huqooq-ul-ibaad (the rights due to Allah’s creation or His slaves) will with the Grace of Allah Almighty will enter Jannah without incurring any difficulties.
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Who in principle agree and accept pristine principles as preached and practiced the Blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) but are lax and negligent in carrying it out in practice will have to go to Jahanum to pay for their misdeeds.
If these souls are fortunate Allah Almighty exercising His Right can forgive them. The Blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) or some close relative who is Shaheed or Hafiz may intercede for them as the Blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has informed us.
- Who professed to be from Ahlul Sunnah wal Jamaa’ but their beliefs are tainted contrary to the pristine principles as preached and practiced the Blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and they practiced “unislamic customs like believing fortune tellers (palmists, numerologists), acceptance to music” qawalis, etc etc etc etc etc and are negligent in regards to Huqooq-Allah (the rights due to Allah Almighty) and huqooq-ul-ibaad (the rights due to Allah’s creation or His slaves) will have to go to Jahanum to pay for their tainted beliefs and misdeeds.
If these souls are fortunate Allah Almighty exercising His Right can forgive them. The Blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) or some close relative who is Shaheed or Hafiz may intercede for them,
Rest of the sects split from the main body of the Muslim Ummah – Initially this was strictly a political split but few centuries later the split came more on religious grounds and these groups deviated from the pristine principles as preached and practiced the Blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
The pious among these who faithfully adhere to Huqooq-Allah (the rights due to Allah Almighty) and huqooq-ul-ibaad (the rights due to Allah’s creation or His slaves) will have to answer for their deviated Beliefs and practices and those whose piety is lacking will have to answer for their deviated beliefs and misdeeds. It is Allah Almighty’s Right if He wants to forgive anyone from among them.
Allah Almighty can forgive all sins except that of Shirk - associating anyone or anything with Him.
Nahjul Balagha is considered by Shias as the most authentic book on the sayings of Hz. Ali bin Abu Talib (may Allah Almighty be pleased with him)
In his Sermon the great Imam Ali bin Abu-Talib (may Allah Almighty be pleased with him) commanded his followers not to split from the “the great majority of Muslims”. And he disowned those followers who split from the “the great majority of Muslims”!
Ali says:“With regard to me, two categories of people will be ruined, namely he who loves me too much and the love takes him away from rightfulness, and he who hates me too much and the hatred takes him away from rightfulness. The best man with regard to me is he who is on the middle course. So be with him and be with the great majority of Muslims because Allah’s hand of protection is on keeping unity. You should beware of division because the one isolated from the group is a prey to Satan just as the one isolated from the flock of sheep is a prey to the wolf. Beware! Whoever calls to this course [of sectarianism], kill him, even though he may be under this headband of mine.” Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 126
Similar hadith is in Masnad Imam Ahmad
Ali bin Abu-Talib (r.a.) said:
*"The Messenger of Allah called me and told me: “You are like Jesus, Jews hated him till they slandered his mother, and Christians loved him till they put him in the position that is not for him. With regard to me, two categories of persons will be ruined, namely he who loves me too much and the love takes him away from rightfulness, and he who hates me too much and the hatred takes him away from rightfulness. Verily, I am not a prophet, and there is nothing revealed to me. But I work according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of his Prophet (pbuh) as much as I can. So whatever I have asked you in regards to obeying Allah, it is your duty to obey me whether you like it or not.” *[Masnad Imam Ahmad]
I believe you! Looks like nobody is agreeing with you 