His eminence sheikh Abdul-Rahman Al-Sudeis –May Allah protect him- delivered the Friday khutbah entitled "The Affliction of Disunity and Dissent" in which he spoke about unity and its importance to the life of individuals and nations; he indicated that disunity among the citizens of a homeland only brings about evils and corruptions; this will not be amended except by holding tight to the rope of Allah i.e. Islam, and by following the Sunnah of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam); the sheikh gave advice to media men and the youth using the sites of social communication to work for the unity of their homeland and to avoid delivering it to the scorching furnace of wars and afflictions.
Praise be due to Allah; we thank Him, seek His help, and ask Him forgiveness; And we seek refuge with Allah from the evils of our souls and the sins of our deeds; whomever is guided by Allah, nobody and nothing can misguide; and whomever is misguided by Him, nobody will be able to guide; and I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone with no partners; He made us into peoples and tribes; and I bear witness that our Prophet and Master Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger sent by Allah when the darkness of disunity was rampant. He brought along unity and adherence (to religion: Islam) as a remedy for vain diverging regiments; May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours and Mercy) and Peace on him, his family, Companions in the mornings and late afternoons, the tabi'in and those who follow them in righteousness and good manners till the Day (of Judgment) when the latest and the earliest generations on earth will be summoned.
Having said this, O servants of Allah!
Fear your Lord and thank Him for His bounteous blessings and increasing graces, for thankfulness entails protection and growth of favors; in addition it is a light that illuminates the sable taint of sins to suppress it.
The sheikh cites two lines of poetry:
For thankfulness would not reach the level,
Of what He has assigned and given of bounties,
How can thankfulness be parallel to the graces of a Giver,
Who bestows His graces without reminding His beneficiaries of his favors and gives without offending.
O Muslims!
During these dark days whose waves are tumultuous and in which good is mixed up with evil and afflictions raised up their heads and mobilized in certain places their agents, the conditions of the (Muslim) Ummah are critical since truth and falseness ,though at a distance apart, are now mixed up together; therefore, one of the worst afflictions is raising its head; its consequences will be calamitous and destructive; that is, O you may Allah protect you, is the affliction of people's disunity in religion and the violation of the unity of countries and homelands; it is indeed a disastrous affliction which upon spreading in a certain society will send its parts asunder; it is a dangerous axe in the structure of unity and a spark that ignites the primer of conflicts and brings about disunity and discord; it is an anguish that sets individuals of a certain Ummah (nation) against one another, implants in a society cureless diseases, spreads storms of dispute and hatred; Allah says: "And whoever holds firmly to Allâh, (i.e. follows Islâm – Allâh’s Religion, and obeys all that Allâh has ordered, practically), then he is indeed guided to the Right Path." [Al-Imrân: 101]. And Almustapha (the Prophet) (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) says: " The happy person is one who has been spared afflictions" Narrated by Abu Dawood via sound authorities.
Brothers in Faith!
Facing this critical phase that the Ummah is passing through characterized by the dominance of capricious desires, partisanship, disputes, disunity, fanaticism, a serious return therefore, is in demand to the origins and principles of our enlightening and unequivocal Sharia in order to appeal to its unchangeable rules for ultimate arbitration.
The sheikh cites two lines of poetry:
Our forefathers before us were not oblivious
Of the ways of homelands prosperity;
Never, nor were they ignorant of any meaning,
Through which unity and union could be accomplished.
This is the essence of unity and union among the citizens of all the homeland's parts; isn't the glory of homelands achieved only by the unity of its true citizens who have given it their hearts in order for it to reach the highest degree of Divine satisfaction. Religious and national unity is something certain and should be taken for granted; it is the origin of security and peace of mind, the pillars of civilization and construction of societies; rather, it is a ladder to gain the content and pleasure of Allah . Allah says: " And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur’ân), and be not divided among yourselves" [Al-Imrân: 103]. And He (?) says: "you should establish religion (i.e. to do what it orders you to do practically), and make no divisions" [Ash-Shûra; 13]. Imam Al-Baghawi – may Allah bless his soul- says: "Allah sent all the Prophets to establish religion, brotherly bonds, and community spirit and also to refrain from disunity and dissent.
The sheikh cites two lines of poetry:
Whenever hearts are harmonious together,
They will accomplish all they desire;
Allah's hand ,as a rule, is with the community,
The fathers behaved accordingly as did their forefathers.
O Muslim Ummah!
The trend of crooked extremism will not be straightened and its followers will not be warded off except by unity and union, by mutual understanding and coherence, and by considering the interest of the homeland as a priority over personal desires; for the love of one's homeland is a natural disposition; therefore, let us hold tight to our Faith and cement our national unity which can only be established on the foundations of our Islamic unity.
The sheikh cites three lines of poetry:
Make unity your own shield,
For the one wearing the shield will not be afraid of arrows,
And derive the lesson from your own history,
How people ended up being divided,
A people will not be able to take care of matters,
Unless it has deservedly been weaned off from learning history.
Brothers in Islam!
One of the backbreaking things that exposed a very weak sense of national unity among some people is what has recently been perpetrated by a band of people who urged by base motives sacrificed their religion and homeland for ephemeral material gains violating thus the sanctity of human integrity which is an authentic value.
The sheikh cites a line of poetry:
This is the feature of someone whose insight is,
Closer to baseness for he is senseless and shameless.
They got involved in treason and ugly espionage via horrific channels of communication; they have committed a serious mistake after pledging loyalty and friendliness; however, thanks to Allah, Allah has divulged their secrets and exposed their hidden schemes.
The sheikh cites two lines of poetry:
He who conspires against (one's country),
Careless of his deed's sourness and tastelessness,
Will meet disgrace and accept every shameful thing,
For he has neither sense dignity nor generosity.
One of the deceptions befalling our national unity and eroding our deep-rooted and lofty glory which resembles a prestigious tamarisk tree is what is known nowadays as twittering; amounting in its majority to cawing, hooting and heresy that are resounding in communication and social interaction sites and the internet; all they aim at is to fuel afflictions and fear, to inflame evils and anger, to effect the split of disunity daringly for the sake of breaching the principles of coherence and union and splitting the essence of loyalty and friendliness. Allah says: " Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you" [At-Taubah: 47]. However, the flames of wickedness will only increase the faithful and truthful people's adherence to truth, firmness of position and reliance on Allah.
The sheikh cites two lines of poetry:
Words are like swords sawing the rib cage
Know that if you reverse a truth,
You will pollute and destroy your homeland.
Meanwhile, others have embraced totally deviant untrue and irrational ideas harboring in their torn bags arrows of false accusations, random useless judgments, poisonous propaganda, and injudicious fabricated allegations. They know, and how bad this knowledge is, that they have overlooked national allegiance and violated the (Muslim) Ummah's unity. However, the wise person is the one who protects his mind against deceptive false ideas and does not surrender to divisive repulsive desires and dispersing views; instead, he revives his national feeling within the framework of the constant principles of religion and the guidance of the master of the Messengers (Muhammad) and his righteous companions.
Wise people do not idolize human minds nor do they misinterpret verbal behavior maliciously, but rather interpret communication loftily; they do not mistake blood for sweat, especially when social communication networks have reached a stage of irreparable damage; hearing is closed, seeing is turned away burning with grief because of repeated croaking that brings about the death of reason, trodden honor, and disappearance of minds; this trespasses over the fence of the religious and national unity of the (Muslim) Ummah.
Let those who are twittering and whistling nervously fear Allah in what they say and write. what is indeed surprising, may Allah protect you, is that many of those people wear the gown of jealousy over religion and homeland, the gown of advice and reform pretending to claim rights and freedom of speech.
O dear Allah! this is an example of how whims prevail and their advocates pretend that it is the path of guidance; they convince the public through mobilization, uproar, clamor, confusion, disputation, and shouting.
Is it not time that these communication channels and technologies be used for what might accomplish the interests of religion, country, and society?! These means of communication should deliver a balanced discourse that protects (religion, country, and society) against corruptions, takes into consideration effects and consequences instead of being a destroying axe targeting their cohesion and fatal stabs in their waist.
Some people sold out their religion in return for material gains that are not theirs; they have been implicated in espionage and treason, considering honor, conscience, and religion cheap commodities, and acting as mean puppets in order to serve the enemies' agenda. These are the worst people who renounced a country that protected and nurtured them; for when they grew strong they darted their country with their arrows ungratefully.
Others, yet, pursued means of destruction by marketing drugs in order to destroy the youth; those who are raising the banner of dissent and the heretical advocates of turmoil are deeply immersed in their error sowing the seeds of disunity and wicked categorization, raising ideological and sectarian slogans, aiming at piercing the ship of society to cause its wreckage, shaking citizens' belief in allegiance to it, and dispersing the organized community.
O you propagators of lies and suspicions! Reflect just a moment. And you who are spreading uncertainty and fear with their tweets and speeches! Take care of your societies and homelands before you feel sorry when it is too late; and learn the lessons from others; so is there anyone who can learn and remembers?!
The sheikh cites three lines of poetry:
How many people are received with open arms by the paths of evil,
And probably you would see people deaf and blind;
Whoever wears the shield of evils will increase in whims,
And will increase the flame of disobedience;
It is an ordeal to blame those who do not desist from
Their errors, and to speak to those who do not understand.
"They were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the best of those who plot" [Al-Anfâl: 30].
Dear beloved ones!
No matter how noble the Islamic passion is in seeking truth, good, and advancement, and in seeking to redress grievances and gain compensations though these are legal and true; this Islamic passion would not be useful if it is not framed by Sharia principles, reason, wisdom, and courtesy. Without these principles, noble Islamic passion will go wrong, do injustice, and spoil every desired objective. Thus, many a seeker of the truth has been unable to reach it! We seek Allah's help.
The intention, here, may Allah protect you, is to safeguard our Ummah, unity, harmony, and coherence against failure and danger; here is our Muslim Ummah right in the midst of reckless affliction winds; and there is no way but to establish a cooperative society based on the unshakeable foundations of truthfulness and sincerity, the strongest pillars of a community that listens and obeys.
Our practice is that when people go asunder we embrace one another, when they disperse we keep company together, when they disagree we support each other, and when they are mean we become generous.
The sheikh cites two lines of poetry"
These are indeed types of our unity,
When shall we listen to the voice of truth?
And write today an epic for history,
That overflows with love and pride; it is a hope.
Let us abandon fabricated and suspicious matters (introduced into religion) and guard ourselves against their evils; and let us follow what our Lord (?) says: " (And remain always) turning in repentance to Him (only), and be afraid and dutiful to Him; and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât) and be not of Al-Mushrikûn (the polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness ofAllah).? [Ar-Rûm: 31]. " Of those who split up their religion (i.e. who left the true Islâmic Monotheism), and became sects, [i.e. they invented new things in the religion (Bid‘ah ), and followed their vain desires], each sect rejoicing in that which is with it ? [Ar-Rûm: 32].
In the Sunan of Abu Dawûd " via Jubair Ibn Mutim that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: "He is not one of us whoever calls for a fanaticism, not one of us who fights for a fanaticism, and not one of us who dies for a fanaticism".
The sheik cites two lines of poetry:
The Book of Allah is the most just ruler,
In it one finds cure of illnesses and guidance for the bewildered;
The second ruler is the sayings of His Messenger,
There is nothing other than these two for a man of Faith.
My dear respected beloveds!
This is a reminder for those who can remember, and a clamor for attention addressed to the unmindful to hold tight to unity and mutual understanding, to stay put at the right path of Allah; this is, by my Lord, is the ideal basis of success and the stronghold castle of security and glory.
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