Question about the sects under Islam

ATA95

I ♥ Allah (SWT)
Assalamualaikum brothers and sisters. Since coming to Islam I have learned about three main sects in Islam - Sunni, Shi'ite/Shia and Sufi. I am aware that most Muslims are Sunni then some are Shia with the minority being Sufi. Which sect is the authentic and correct one? I'm confused.
 

Ahsen

Junior Member
Walekumassalam,
I don't know how shias can be called a sect because their intention is not islam but to extend the persian empire like it was before the arrival of islam. Shiasm might seem as love of Ali and husyan but their real agenda is to control the masses through one person that is the "Khomeni".

Sufism only brings ignorance among the muslims even though they claim to be pious and all that. Most of them are innovators.

The term sunni is only used to distinguish the real muslims from the other deviant "so called muslims". Sunnis follow the same religion which Allah sent to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Nothing is changed about islam since then . Sunnis still follow the same hadeeth and sunnah of the Prophet Peace be upon him.
 

kalamazoo

'Millat "IBRAHIM" {AleyhiSalaam}
ISLAM - WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

‘Islam’ is an Arabic word and connotes submission, surrender, and obedience As a religion, Islam stands for complete submission and obedience to Allah and that is why it is called ‘ISLAM’. Everyone can see that the universe we live in is an orderly universe. There is law and order among all the units that comprise this universe. Everything is assigned a place in a grand scheme, which is working in a magnificent and superb way. The sun, the moon, the stars and in fact all the heavenly bodies are knit together in a splendid system. They follow an unalterable law and do not make even the slightest deviation from their ordained course. The earth rotates on its own axis and in its revolution round the sun scrupulously follows the path laid down for it. Similarly, everything in the world, from the little whirling electron to the mighty nebulae, invariably follows its own laws. Matter energy, and life-all obey their laws and grow and change and live and die in accordance with those laws. EVEN in the human world the laws of nature are quite manifest. Man's birth, growth, and life are all regulated by a set of biological laws. He derives sustenance from nature in

Accordance with an unalterable law. All the organs of his body from the small tissues to the heart and the brain are governed by the laws prescribed for them. In Short, ours is a law-governed universe and everything in it is following the course that has been ordained for it. This powerful, all-pervasive law, which governs all that comprises the universe, from the tiniest specks of dust to the magnificent galaxies in high heavens, is the law of God, the creator and ruler of the universe. As the entire creation obeys the law of God, the whole universe, therefore, literally follows the religion of Islam-for Islam signifies nothing but obedience and submission to Allah, the Lord of the universe. The sun, the moon, the earth, and all other heavenly bodies are thus ‘Muslim’. So is the case with air, water, and heat, stones, trees, and animals. Everything in the universe is ‘Muslim’ for it obeys God by submission to his laws. Even a man who refuses to believe in God, or offers his worship to someone other than Allah has perforce to be a ‘Muslim’ as far as his bodily existence is concerned. For his entire life, from the embryonic stage to the body’s dissolution info dust after death, and every tissue of his muscles and every limb of his body follow the course prescribed for each by God’s law. His very tongue which, on account of his ignorance, advocates the denial of God or professes multiple deities, is in its very nature a ‘Muslim’. His head which he wantonly bows to other besides Allah is a born Muslim. His heart wherein, through his lack of true knowledge, he cherishes love and reverence for others, is ‘Muslim’ by intuition. These are all obedient to the divine Law, and their functions and movements are governed by the injunctions of that law alone. This, in short, is the real position of man and the universe. Let us now examine the problem in a different light. Man is so constituted that there are two aspects of his life: two distinct spheres of his activity. One is the sphere in which he finds himself totally regulated by the Divine Law. He cannot budge an inch or move a step away from it. Nor can he evade it in any way or from. In fact, like other creatures, he is completely caught in the grip of the law of nature and is bound to follow it. But there is another sphere of his activity as well. He has been endowed with reason and intellect. He has the power to think and form judgments, to choose and reject, and to adopt and spurn. He is free to adopt whatever course of life chooses. He can embrace any faith, adopt any way of life and formulate his living according to whatever ideologies he likes. He may prepare his own code of conduct or accept one formulated by others. He has been bestowed with free will and can chalk out his own course of behaviour. In this latter aspect, he, unlike the other creatures, has been given freedom of thought, choice, and action.

Both these aspects distinctly co-exist in man’s life.

In the first he, like all other creatures, is a born Muslim, invariably obeys the injunctions of God, and is bound to remain so. As far as the second aspect is concerned, he is free to become or not to become a Muslim. Here he has been given the freedom of choice-and it is the way a person exercises this freedom, which divides mankind into two groups: believers and non-believers. An individual who chooses to acknowledge his creator, accepts Him as his real Master, honestly and scrupulously submits to His laws and injunctions and follows the code He has revealed unto man for his individual and social life, thereby becomes a perfect Muslim. He has, so to say, achieved completeness in his Islam by consciously deciding to obey God in the domain in which he was endowed with freedom and choice. Now his entire life has become one of submission to God and there is no conflict in his personality. He is a perfect Muslim and his Islam is complete-for this submission of his entire self to the will of Allah is Islam and nothing but Islam. He has now consciously submitted to Him whom he had already been unconsciously obeying. He has now willingly offered obedience to the Master whom he already owed obedience unintentionally. His knowledge is now real for he has acknowledged the Being who endowed him with the power to learn and to know. Now his reason and judgment are set on an even keel-for he has rightly decided to obey the Being who bestowed upon him the faculty of thinking and judging. His tongue also is truthful for it expresses with conviction its confession of the Lord who gave it the faculty speech. New the whole of this existence is an embodiment of, in all spheres of life, he voluntarily as well as involuntarily obeys the laws of the same One God with the whole universe for he worships Him whom the whole world is for him and he is for God.



THE NATURE OF KUFR
In contrast to the man described above, there is the man who, although a born Muslim and unconsciously

Remaining one throughout his life, does not exercise his faculties of reason, intellect, and intuition for recognizing his Lord and creator and misuses his freedom of choice by choosing to deny Him. Such a man becomes an unbeliever-in the language of Islam a kafir.

Kufr literally means ‘to cover’ or ‘to conceal’. The man who denies God is called kafir (concealer) because he conceals by his disbelief what is inherent in his nature and embalmed in his own soul-for, indeed, his nature is instinctively imbued with ‘Islam’. His whole body, every sinew and every fibre, functions in obedience to that instinct. Each and every particle of existence-living or lifeless-functions in accordance with ‘Islam’ and is fulfilling the duty that has been assigned to it. But the vision of this man has been blurred, his intellect has been befogged , and he is unable to see the manifest. His own nature has become concealed from his eyes and he thinks and acts in utter disregard of it. The reality become estranged form him and he gropes in the dark such is the nature of kufr.
Kufr is a form of ignorance, rather it is ignorance pure and simple.

What ignorance can be greater than to be ignorant of God, the creator, the Lord of the universe? A man observes the vast panorama of nature, the superb mechanism that is ceaselessly working, the grand design that is manifest in every nook and corner of the creation-he observes this vast machine, but he does not know who is its maker and Director. He looks to his own body, the wonderful organism that works in the most superb way, and uses it to achieve his own ends but is unable to comprehend the force that brought it into existence, the engineer who designed and produced this machine, the creator who made the unique living being out of lifeless stuff: carbon, calcium, sodium, and the like. He witnesses a superb plan in the universe-but fails to see the planner behind it. he sees great beauty and harmony in its working-but not the creator of this all. He observes wonderful design in nature-but not the Designer! In the universe all around him he observes the choicest demonstrations of skill in science and wisdom, mathematics and engineering, design and purpose, but he blinds himself to the being Who brought all this vast incomprehensible universe into existence. How can a man, who has blinded himself to this great and significant reality, approach the true perspectives of knowledge? How can the vistas of truth and knowledge be opened to such a man? How can one who has made the wrong beginning reach the right destination? He will fail to find the clue to Reality. The Right path will remain concealed for him and whatever be his endeavors in sciences and arts, he will never be able to avail himself of the lights of truth and wisdom. He would be groping in the dark, and stumbling in the gloom of ignorance.
Not only that; kufr is also a tyranny, nay, the wars of tyrannies. And what is ‘tyranny’? It is an act of cruel and unjust use of any force or power. If you force a thing to act unjustly or to act against its true nature, its real will and its inherent attitude,-that is tyranny, root and branch.

We have seen that all that is in the universe is obedient to God the creator. to obey, to live in accordance with His will and His Law or (to put it more precisely) to be a Muslim is ingrained in their very nature. God has given manpower over these things, but it is incumbent in the very nature of these things that they should be used for the fulfillment of His will and not otherwise. But one who disobeys God and resorts to kufr is the person who perpetrates the greatest injustice, for he uses all these powers of body and mind to rebel against the course of nature and becomes an unwilling instrument in the drama of disobedience. He forces his head to bow down before deities other than God and cherishes in his heart the love, reverence, and fear of other powers in utter disregard to the instinctive urge of these organs. He uses his own powers and all those things upon which he has authority against the explicit of good and thus establishes a reign of tyranny. Can there be any greater injustice, tyranny, and cruelty than that exhibited by this man who exploits and misuses everything under the sun and unscrupulously forces them to a course which affronts nature and justice? Kufr is not mere tyranny; it is, to say the least, sheer rebellion, ingratitude, and infidelity. After all, what is the reality of man? What is his power and authority? Is he himself the creator of his mind, his heart, his soul, and other organs of his body-or have they been created by God? Has he himself created the universe and all that is within her-or has it been created by God? Who has harnessed all the powers and energies for the service of man-man or God? If everything has been created by God and God alone, then to whom do they belong? Who is their real owner? Who is their rightful sovereign? Verily, it is God and none else. And if God is the creator, the Master, and the sovereign, then who would be a greater rebel than the man who uses God’s creation against His injunctions-who makes his mind think against God, harbors in his heart thoughts against Him, and uses his various faculties against the sovereign’s will. If a servant betrays his master you denounce him as faithless. If an officer become disloyal to the state you dub him as traitor and renegade. If a person cheats his benefactor you have no hesitation in condemning him as ingrate. But what match can this betrayal, this ingratitude, and this rebellion have to the one which the disbeliever commits by his Kufr? After all, who is the real mainspring of all power and authority? Who gave man command over the resources? Who elevated people to positions of high authority and power? All that a man has and all that he uses for the benefit of others is a bestowal of God. The greatest obligation that man owes on this earth is to his parents. But who has implanted the love of children in the parents’ hearts? Who endowed the mother with the will and power to nurture, nourish, and feed her children? Who inspired the parents with the passion to spend everything in their possession for the well being of their children? A little reflection would reveal that God is the greatest benefactor of man. He is his creator, Lord, Nourisher, sustainer, as well as his real king and sovereigns. And this being the position of God vis-à-vis man, what can be greater betrayal, ingratitude, rebellion, and treason than Kufr, through which a man denies and disobeys his real Lord and sovereign?

Do not think that by committing Kufr man does or can do any harm to God Almighty. No, not the least. An insignificant speck on the face of a tiny ball in this limitless universe that man is, what harm can he do to the Lord of the universe whose dominions are so infinitely vast that we have not yet been able to explore their boundaries even with the help of the most powerful telescope; Whose power is so great that myriad's of heavenly bodies, like the Earth, the Moon, the sun and the stars, are at His bidding, whirling link tiny balls; Whose wealth is so boundless that He is the sole Master of the whole universe; and who provides for all and needs none to provide for Him. Man’s revolt against Him can do Him no harm; on the other hand by his disobedience, man treads the path of utter ruin and disgrace.
The inevitable consequence of this revolt and denial of reality is a failure in the ultimate ideals of life. such a rebel will never find the thread of real knowledge and vision; for the knowledge that fails to reveal its own creator can reveal no truth. Such a man’s intellect and reason always run astray; for reason which errs in knowing its own creator cannot illumine the paths of life. Such a man will meet with failures in all the affairs of his life. His morality, his civic and social life, his struggle for livelihood and his family life, in short, his entire living, will be upset. He will spread confusion and disorder on the earth. He will without the least compunction, shed blood, violate other men’s rights, be cruel to them, and create disorder and destruction in the world. His perverted thoughts and ambitions, his blurred vision and disturbed scale of values, and his evil-spelling activities would make life bitter for him and for all around him. Such a man would destroy the calm and poise of life on earth. And in the life hereafter he would be held guilty for the crimes he committed upon his nature, his powers, and resources. Every organ of his body-his very brain, eyes, nose, hands, and feet-will complain against the injustice and cruelty he had done unto them. every tissue of his being will decry him before God Who, as the very fountain of justice, will award him the fullest punishment he deserves. This is the inglorious consequence of Kufr. It leads to the blind alley of utter failure, here and hereafter.



The Blessings of Islam
After surveying the evils and disadvantages of Kufr, let us now cast a glance over the blessings of Islam. You find in the world around you and in the small kingdom of your own self innumerable manifestations of God’s divine power. This grand universe, which ceaselessly works with matchless order and in accordance with an unalterable law, is in itself a witness to the fact that its Designer, Creator, and Governor is an Omnipotent, All-powerful Being with infinite, all-embracing, and limit-less power, knowledge, and resources, Whose wisdom is the most perfect, and Whom nothing in the universe dare disobey. It is in the very nature of man, as it is with every other thing in this universe, to obey Him. As a matter of fact, he is unconsciously obeying His Law day in and day out, because the moment he goes against this Law, he is exposed to death and destruction. This is the law of nature, our everyday observance.

Besides endowing man with the capacity to acquire knowledge, the faculty to think and ponder, and the sense of distinguishing right from wrong, God has granted him with a certain amount of freedom of will and action. In this freedom lies man’s real trial; his knowledge, his wisdom, his power of discrimination, and his freedom of will and action are all being tried and tested. In this trial and test man has not been obliged to adopt any particular course, for by compulsion the very object of the trial would have been defeated. Evidently if in an examination you are compelled to write a certain answer to a question, the examination will be of no use. Your merit can be properly judged only if you are allowed to answer the questions freely, according to your own knowledge and understanding. If your answer is correct you will succeed, and will get access to future progress; and if your answer is wrong, you will fail, and your failure will bar the way to further progress. Similar is the situation which man faces in the world. God has given him freedom of will and action so that he may remain free to choose whatever attitude in life he likes and considers proper for himself-Islam or Kufr. Now, on the one hand, there is a man who under-stands neither his own nature nor that of the universe. He errs in recognizing his real Master and in knowing His attributes, and misuses his freedom by pursuing the path of disobedience and revolt. such a man has failed in the trial of his knowledge, intelligence, and duty-consciousness. He has failed to come up to the standard and does not deserve a better a destiny than the one discussed above.

On the other hand, there is another man who emerges successful from this trial. By the correct use of his knowledge and intellect he recognizes his creator, reposes belief in Him, and, in spite of being under no compulsion to do so, chooses the path of obedience to Him. He does not err in distinguishing the right from the wrong and chooses to follow the right despite the fact that he had the power to lean towards evil. He understands his own nature, and realizes the law and realities of nature and, despite the power and freedom of adopting any course, adopts the way of obedience and loyalty to God the creator. He is successful in his trial because he has used his intellect and all other faculties properly. He uses his eyes to see the Reality, his ears to listen to the Truth, his mind to form right opinions and puts all his heart and soul in following the right way he has so chosen. He chooses Truth, sees the reality, and willingly and joyfully submits to his Lord and Master. He is intelligent, truthful, and dutiful, for he has chosen light over darkness, and after seeing the light of reality has responded to its call willingly and enthusiastically. Thus he has proved by his conduct that he is not only a seeker after Truth but is its knower and worshipper as well. Verily, he is on the Right path, and such a man is destined to succeed in this world and in the life to come.

Such a man will always choose the Right path in every field of knowledge and action. The man who knows God with all His attributes knows the beginning as well as the ultimate end of Reality. He can never be led astray, for his first step is on the right path, and he is sure of the direction and destination of his journey in life. In philosophy he will ponder over the secrets of the universe, and will try to fathom the mysteries of nature, but, unlike an unbelieving philosopher, he will not lose his way in the maze of doubt and skepticism. His path being illumined with Divine Vision, his every step would fall in right direction. In science, he will endeavor to know the laws of nature, uncover the hidden treasures of earth and direct all the hitherto unknown forces of mind and matter-all for the betterment of humanity. He will try his level best to explore all avenues of knowledge and power and to harness all that exists in earth and heavens in the interests of mankind. At every stage of his inquiry his God-consciousness will save him from making evil and destructive uses of science and scientific method. He will never conceive himself claiming to be a master of all these objects, boasting to be the conqueror of nature, arrogating to himself the godly and sovereign powers and nourishing the ambition of subverting the world, subduing the human race and establishing his supremacy over all and sundry by means fair and foul.

Such an attitude of revolt and defiance can never be entertained by a Muslim scientist-only a Kafir scientist can fall a prey to such illusions and by submitting to them expose the entire human race to dangers of total destruction and annihilation. A Muslim scientist, on the other hand, will behave in an altogether different way. The deeper his insight into the world of science, the stronger will be his faith in God. His head will bow down before Him in gratitude. His feelings will be that as his Master has blessed him with greater power and knowledge so he must exert himself for his own good and for the good of humanity. Instead of arrogance there will be humility. Instead of power-drunkenness there will be strong realization to serve humanity. His freedom will not be unbridled. He will be guided by the tenets of morality and Divine Revelation. Thus science would in his hands, instead of becoming an instrument of destruction, become an agency for human welfare and moral regeneration. And this is the way in which he will express his gratitude to his Master for the gifts and blessings He has bestowed upon man.

Similarly, in history, economics, politics, law, and other branches of arts and science, a Muslim will no-where lag behind a Kafir in the fields of inquiry and struggle, but their angles of view and consequently their modus operandi will be widely different. A Muslim will study every branch of knowledge in its right perspective, will strive for the right objective, and will arrive at right conclusion. In history he will draw correct lessons from the past experiences of man, and will find out true causes of the rise and fall of civilization. He will try to benefit from all that was good and right in the past and will scrupulously avoid all that had led to the decline and fall of nations. In politics his sole objective will be to strive for the establishment of a polity wherein peace, justice, fraternity, and goodness reign, where man is a brother of man and respects his humanity, where no form of exploitation or slavery is rampant, where rights of the individual are respectfully upheld, and where the powers of the state are considered as a sacred trust from God and are used for the common welfare of all. In the field of law, the endeavor of a Muslim will be to make it the true embodiment of justice and the real protector of the rights of all-particularly of the weak. He will see that everybody gets his due share and no injustice or oppression is inflicted upon anyone. He will respect the law, make others respect it, and will see that it is administered justly, fairly, and equitably.

The moral life of a Muslim will always be filled with godliness, piety, righteousness and truthfulness. He will live in the world with the belief that God alone is the master of all that whatever he and other men possess has been given by God, that the powers he wields are only a trust from God, that the freedom he has been endowed with is not to be used indiscriminately, and that it is in his own interest to use it in accordance with God’s Will. He will constantly keep in view that one day he will have to return to the Lord and submit an account of his entire life. The sense of accountability will always remain firmly implanted in his mind and he will never behave in a carefree and irresponsible way.

Think of the moral excellence of the man who lives with this mental attitude-his will be a life of purity and piety and love and altruism. He will be a blessing unto mankind. His thinking would not be polluted with evil thoughts and perverted ambitions. He will abstain from seeing evil, hearing evil, and doing evil. He will guard his tongue and will never utter a word of life. He will earn his living through just and fair means and will prefer hunger to a food acquired unfairly through exploitation or injustice. He will never be a party to oppression or violation of human life and honour, whatever be their form or colour. He will never yield to evil, however high the defiance may cost him. He will be an embodiment of goodness and nobility and will uphold right and truth even at the cost of his life. He will abhor all shades of injustice and will stand firm for truth, undaunted by the tempests of adversity. Such a man will be a power to be reckoned with. He is bound to succeed. Nothing on earth can deter him or impede his way.

He will be the most honored and the most respected one. No one can excel him in this respect. How can humiliation ever visit a person who is not prepared to bow his head or even spread his hand for any favor before anyone except God the Almighty, the Sovereign of the universe?

He will be most powerful and effective.
No one can be more powerful than he-for he fears none but God and seeks blessings from none but Him.
What power can make him deviate from the Right Path?
What wealth can buy his faith?
What force can mould his conscience?
What power can coerce his behaviour?He will be the most wealthy and rich. No one in the world can be richer or more independent than he-for he will live a life of austerity, satiety, and contentment. He will be neither sensualist, nor indulgent, nor greedy. He will be contented with whatever he earns fairly and honestly and even if heaps of ill-gotten wealth are put before him he will not even like to look at them, to say the least of availing them. He will have the peace and contentment of heart-and what can be a greater wealth than this?

He will be the most revered, popular, and the loved one. No one can be more lovable than he-for he lives a life of charity and benevolence. He will do justice to all and sundry, discharge his duties honestly, and work for the good of others sincerely. People's hearts would be naturally drawn towards him and they would like him, love him, and revere him.

He will be the most trusted and honored one. No one can be trustworthy than he-for he will not betray his trust, nor will he go astray from righteousness: he will be true to his word, and straightforward and honest in his dealings. He will be fair and just in all his affairs, for he is sure that God is ever- present, ever vigilant. Words fail to describe the credit and goodwill, which such a man commands. Can there be anyone who will not trust him?-such is the life and character of a Muslim.

If you understand the true character of a Muslim, you will be convinced that he cannot live in humiliation, abasement, or subjugation. He is bound to prevail and no power on earth can overwhelm him or subdue him. For Islam inoculates in him the qualities which cannot be overshadowed by any charm or illusion.

And after living a respectable and honorable life on this earth, he will return to his Creator Who will shower upon him the choicest of His blessings-for he discharged his duty ably, fulfilled his mission successfully, and emerged from the trial triumphantly. He is successful in life in this world and in the hereafter will live in eternal peace, joy, and bliss.

This is Islam, the natural religion of man, the religion, which is not associated with any person, people, period, or place. It is the way of nature, the religion of man. In every age, in ever country, and among every people, all God-knowing and truth-loving men have believed and lived this very religion. They were all Muslim, irrespective of the fact whether they called that way Islam or anything else. Whatever is name was, it signified Islam and nothing but Islam.
 

Ayyub

Junior Member
:salam2:
Actually there are far more sects than the the on you mentioned of which one isn't a sect. Ahl ul sunna are the ones who follow the sunnah of the prophet (saw) but even in ahl-ul sunna there were sects formed by certain persons in the past.

There are in total 73 groups in islam of which only one is the saved one.

The saved one is :

http://www.fatwaislam.com/fis/index.cfm?scn=fd&ID=365

http://www.fatwaislam.com/fis/index.cfm?scn=fd&ID=539

http://www.fatwaislam.com/fis/index.cfm?scn=fd&ID=680

Q5: Does the statement of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) regarding divisions in his Ummah apply to the the creeds, sects, and denominations that exist today? Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours that is not of it (i.e. religion) it will be rejected. and this other Hadith: My Ummah will split up into seventy-three sects, all of them will be in the Fire except one sect? Guide us to the right answer! My Allah reward you !

A: Every denomination or newly invented sect created by people and contradicts Shari`ah (Islamic law) falls under this Hadith of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him): Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours that is not of it (i.e. religion) it will be rejected. and also under this Sahih Hadith (a Hadith that has been transmitted by people known for their uprightness and exactitude; free from eccentricity and blemish): "My Ummah will split up into seventy-three sects, all of them will be in the Fire except one sect." They asked: "Which one, O Messenger of Allah? He replied: "Al-Jama`ah (the true followers of the Prophet)."

In another narration, the Prophet's reply was: It is the one (sect) that follows what I and my Companions are upon now. Hence, whatever practice, deed, or act of worship people invent as a means of drawing nearer to Allah thinking that they will be rewarded while in fact it contradicts Shari`ah, it is considered a Bid`ah (rejected innovation in religion) that falls under this dispraise and censure stated by Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him).

Accordingly, it is the duty of all Muslims to weigh their words, deeds and acts of worship against the statements of Allah and His Messenger, what has been ordained by Allah, what is authentically reported from Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him), what is in accordance with Shari`ah and what is stated in Allah's Book (the Qur'an). This leads to the acceptable truth! On the other hand, whatever act or manner of worship that conflicts with the Book of Allah or the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet), it is rejected and it falls under this Hadith of the Messenger (peace be upon him): Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours that is not of it (i.e. religion) it will be rejected. .

All of this discussion refers to the acts of worship innovated by people as means of drawing nearer to Allah. However, new designs and modern inventions, such as weapons, vehicles, clothing, food, etc, are not what this Hadith refers to. The Hadith has to do with the acts of worship that people perform seeking to draw nearer to Allah. This is what is meant by the Prophet's (peace be upon him) statement: Whoever does something that is not in accordance with our command, their deed is to be rejected. and: Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours that is not of it (i.e. religion) it will be rejected.

This Hadith also involves such contracts that contradict the Shari`ah, for any contract that runs counter to the Shari`ah is considered null and void.

- Shaykh Ibn Baaz rahimahullah
http://www.alifta.com/Fatawa/FatawaChapters.aspx?View=Page&PageID=6&PageNo=1&BookID=8


Here are a few points from the immensely beneficial book Sharh us Sunnah of Imaam Barbaharee translated by Br. Abu Talha Dawood Burbank which shed some more light on this hadeeth.

94: The religion was a single Jamaaýah and then the people split into sects

Know that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ýMy Ummah will split into seventy three sects, all of them in the Fire except one and it is al-Jamaaýah.ý It was said, ýWho are they, O Messenger of Allah?ý He (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) replied, ýThat which I and my Companions are upon today.ý [1]

The religion was a single Jamaaýah up to the time of the Khilaafah of ýUmar ibn al-Khattaab (radiallaahu anhu) and also in the time of ýUthmaan (radiallaahu anhu). When he was killed, schism and innovations appeared. People split into parties and sects. Amongst the people were some who remained firm upon the truth. When the affairsworsened, they spoke the truth, acted upon it and called the people to it.

The affairs remained in order until the fourth generation in the Khilaafah of so and so. When times changed and people deteriorated greatly, innovations became widespread and there arose many callers inviting away from the way of truth and the Jamaaýah. People were tried with things, which neither the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) nor any of his Companions spoke about. People called to sectarianism, whereas the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) had forbidden sectarianism. Each group declared the others to be unbelievers. Everyone called to his own opinion and declared those who differed with him to be unbelievers. The ignorant, the common folk and those with knowledge went astray. They caused the people to be greedy for the things of this world and to fear worldly punishment, so people followed them out of fear for their worldly affairs and out of desire for this world. So the Sunnah and the people of the Sunnah were suppressed. Innovation appeared and became widespread. The people committed disbelief in many ways that they were not aware of. They used analogical reasoning and considered the Power of the Lord, His signs, rulings, commands and prohibitions according to their intellect and opinions. Whatever accorded with their intellect they accepted and whatever did not agree with their intellect, they rejected. Islam became a stranger, the Sunnah a stranger and the people of the Sunnah strangers within their own homes [2].

106: Success lies in clinging to the Sunnah and the way of the early generations

He who limits himself to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa salam) and that which his Companions and the Jamaaýah were upon is successful and triumphs over all the people of innovation and is saved and his religion is preserved, if Allah wills, since the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "My Ummah will splitý" and the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) told us which would be the saved sect, saying, ýThat which I and my Companions are uponý [1]. This is the cure, the explanation, the clear affair and the straight and distinct road. The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ýBeware of going to extremes and harshness. Beware of exaggeration and cling to the ancient religioný [3].

107: Whoever follows innovation has rejected the Sunnah of Allahýs Messenger(sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam)

Know that the ancient religion is how it was from the death of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) until the death of ýUthmaan ibn ýAffaan (radiallaahu anhu). His murder was the beginning of sectarian dissension and the start of disagreements. So the Ummah fought amongst itself, split, followed greed and desires and inclined towards this world. There is no permit for anyone to do anything which has been introduced, which the Companions of Allahýs Messenger (sallallaahualaihi wa sallam) were not upon, nor for any man to call to anything innovated before him by people of innovation; he would then be just like the one who innovated it. So anyone who claims that, or speaks according to it, has rejected the Sunnah, opposed the truth and the Jamaaýah and has made innovation lawful. He is more harmful to the Ummah than Iblees [4].

NOTES
[1] The hadeeth is hasan and is reported by at-Tirmidhee (no.2643), Ibn Waddaah in al-Bidýah (p.85), al-Aajurree in ash-Shareeýah (p.15) and in al-Arbaýeen, al-Haakim (1/128-129), Ibn Nasr in as-Sunnah (no.62), al-Laalikaaýee in as-Sunnah (no.147), Ibn al-Jawzee in Talbees Iblees (p.16) and al-ýUqailee in ad-Duýafaaý (2/262) from the hadeeth of ýAbdullah ibn ýAmr.
[2] Perhaps the author is referring to what happened due to the trials caused by the saying that the Qurýan was created and the trial of the scholars of the Sunnah regarding it. Refer to ar-Radd ýalal-Jahmiyyah of ad-Daarimee.
[3] This is not a hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), but is a saying of Ibn Masýood (radiallaahu anhu) as reported by ad-Daarimee in his Sunan (1/50/nos.144. 145), ýAbdur-Razzaaq in his Musannaf (10/252) and Ibn Nasr in as-Sunnah (no.85) and others and is saheeh as such.
Ibn ýAbbaas (radiallaahu anhu) reports that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ýBeware of exaggeration in the religion for, indeed, those before you were destroyed due to exaggeration in the religion.ý Reported by Ahmad, an-Nasaaýee and Ibn Maajah and it is saheeh.
Ibn Masýood (radiallaahu anhu) reports that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, ý Those who go to extremes are destroyed.ý Reported by Ahmad, Muslim and Abu Daawood (Eng. trans. 3/1294/no.4591) and it is saheeh.
[4] Al-Laalikaaýee reports in as-Sunnah (no.238) that Sufyaan ath-Thawree said, ýInnovation is more beloved to Iblees than sin. A sin may be repented from, but innovation is not repented from.ý
 

rivergum

Junior Member
Walekumassalam,
I don't know how shias can be called a sect because their intention is not islam but to extend the persian empire like it was before the arrival of islam. Shiasm might seem as love of Ali and husyan but their real agenda is to control the masses through one person that is the "Khomeni".

Sufism only brings ignorance among the muslims even though they claim to be pious and all that. Most of them are innovators.

The term sunni is only used to distinguish the real muslims from the other deviant "so called muslims". Sunnis follow the same religion which Allah sent to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Nothing is changed about islam since then . Sunnis still follow the same hadeeth and sunnah of the Prophet Peace be upon him.

I'm glad I'm not a Muslim.

You guys are worse than Christians over who is/who is not 'orthodox'.

The reason I have made no commitment is Islam is the continuing hostilities which leave people dead in many parts of the world - all supposedly in the name of God.

It took the Christian Church the best part of two millennia to work out that killing people is not the way to God.

Sorry - I really get depressed when I read comments as outlined above.
 

Aapa

Mirajmom
Assalaam walaikum,

We are not worse than Christians at all. We have exact records of all historical events. Thus, there is no room for any misinterpretation.

Son, what you need is time. Actually, there is a lot of good information here on TTI. Some of the members have filled sections with useful knowledge.

There are reasons as to why sects are rejected. They are very good reasons. Please take the time to study the material. I am not trying to evade your questions. The knowledge is vast.

In Islam, we are serious. The way we live our lives leads to either heaven or hell. It is that simple. And we have been given the Word of Allah i.e The Quran and the example of how to live your life as did the Prophet, swas, which we call the Sunnah.

InshaAllah, if you are serious about seeking knowledge you should be taking shahada in a couple of weeks.
 

Ershad

Junior Member
I'm glad I'm not a Muslim.

May Allaah Subhanahu wa ta'ala Guide you. We are all glad that we are muslims and we pray everyday to die as Muslims. I wish you feel the gift of islam just like we do. The feeling of being content and happy after submission to God.

The reason I have made no commitment is Islam is the continuing hostilities which leave people dead in many parts of the world - all supposedly in the name of God.

Forget people. Are you going to say that to your creator on the judgement day? Islam doesn't need people. People need Islam. If people do something in the name of God, why do you take their word for it? Why don't you actually find what God say in Qur'aan yourself? Are you going to tell your creator that I was disobedient to you because of what some people did? Do you think that is an excuse good enough?
Think for yourself, Islam doesn't need your commitment. It is the other way. People come to islam in need of it, in need of submission to their creator.

It took the Christian Church the best part of two millennia to work out that killing people is not the way to God.

Sorry - I really get depressed when I read comments as outlined above.

We have no middle men or Church to dictate things to us. And Islaam doesn't allow killing of innocent people and strictly forbids it. It has been doing so since the time of the messenger :saw2: . And you can find all scholars of Islam who follow Qur'an and Sunnah saying that. No one is claiming killing innocents as work of God. Yes, there are people who do that. You have to see if they are true. Those are the people who use religion wrongly to do things they desire. To fulfill the desires. In the end, what I have to say is whatever people do or say is not going to help your cause. And it should not keep you away from truth.

Peace
 

Ershad

Junior Member
And for sects, yes, Our call will create sects. Because, there were and there still are people who oppose the truth. We do not mix truth with falsehood. We cannot form unity by compromising the truth. That is evil. If I were to say lets forget our differences and be together, that will be the worst thing I would be doing. In fact, the Prophet :saw: said, there will be 73 sects and only one of them will be the saved sect. And the saved sect is the one that follows the Qur'an and the Sunnah and takes whatever the messenger :saw2: gave and opposes whatever he forbids.

Peace
 

rivergum

Junior Member
Thank you for your reasoned responses.

What I struggle to understand is why, for so many, hatred and intolerance amongst Muslims seems endemic.

That is the view from the outside.

Peace
 

Ershad

Junior Member
Thank you for your reasoned responses.

What I struggle to understand is why, for so many, hatred and intolerance amongst Muslims seems endemic.

That is the view from the outside.

Peace

Rivergum, the reason would be either you have been with or talked to wrong examples of Muslims or you have wrongly perceived something as hatred. I am not claiming I am the right one. But, I would like you to know that people who kill innocents are not the ones we take as examples. We see our example to follow as Muhammad :saw2:, the prophet. And he is the right example for people to follow. If you see hatred, you should investigate why? Of course, All forms of hatred are not wrong. We do hate certain things just like you do. We hate evil, we hate lying, we hate injustice etc. If you were to love evil, that behaviour is hateful, isn't it? You should investigate why the hatred and tti will definitely help you with that if you have specific questions. In Islam we are taught to love what God loves, and hate what he hates and that which angers him. And definitely, God is the most just. He hates oppressors, he hates those who worship creations and not worship the creator, he hates those who are disobedient to him. In order to understand all this, you have to take and understand the religion from its sources (Qur'an and Sunnah and the Understanding of people who inherited it from the Prophet :saw2:) and not from media or ordinary people. If what you perceive as hatred in people is what stops you from embracing islam, I leave you with a story of Heraclius who recognized The Truth, but instead chose this brief world over ever-lasting Paradise :

From last hadith in The Book of Revelation of the 1st Volume of Sahih Bukhari:

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas:


Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allaah’s Messenger had truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius’s question said to them, “Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?” Abu Sufyan replied, “I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group).”

Heraclius said, “Bring him (Abu Sufyan) close to me and make his companions stand behind him.” Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me.” Abu Sufyan added, “By Allaah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophet. The first question he asked me about him was:

‘What is his family status amongst you?’

I replied, ‘He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.’

Heraclius further asked, ‘Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (i.e. to be a Prophet) before him?’

I replied, ‘No.’

He said, ‘Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?’

I replied, ‘No.’

Heraclius asked, ‘Do the nobles or the poor follow him?’

I replied, ‘It is the poor who follow him.’

He said, ‘Are his followers increasing decreasing (day by day)?’

I replied, ‘They are increasing.’

He then asked, ‘Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards?’

I replied, ‘No.’

Heraclius said, ‘Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet)?’

I replied, ‘No. ‘

Heraclius said, ‘Does he break his promises?’

I replied, ‘No. We are at truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it.’ I could not find opportunity to say anything against him except that.

Heraclius asked, ‘Have you ever had a war with him?’

I replied, ‘Yes.’

Then he said, ‘What was the outcome of the battles?’

I replied, ‘Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.’

Heraclius said, ‘What does he order you to do?’

I said, ‘He tells us to worship Allaah and Allaah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste and to keep good relations with our Kith and kin.’

Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following, I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact all the Messengers come from noble families amongst their respective peoples. I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man’s statement. Then I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom.

I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allaah. I, then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact all the Messengers have been followed by this very class of people. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects. I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the hearts and mixes with them completely. I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the Messengers never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allaah and Allaah alone and not to worship any thing along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would be from you, and if I could reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.’

Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allaah’s Messenger which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as follows: “In the name of Allaah the Beneficent, the Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad the slave of Allaah and His Messenger to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon him, who follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allaah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will be committing a sin by misguiding your Arisiyin (peasants). (And I recite to you Allaah’s Statement:)

O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allaah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allaah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allaah). (3:64)

Abu Sufyan then added, “When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my companions that the question of Ibn-Abi-Kabsha) (the Prophet Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the King of Bani Al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near future till I embraced Islam (i.e. Allaah guided me to it).”

The sub narrator adds, “Ibn An-Natur was the Governor of llya’ (Jerusalem) and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of Sham. Ibn An-Natur narrates that once while Heraclius was visiting ilya’ (Jerusalem), he got up in the morning with a sad mood. Some of his priests asked him why he was in that mood? Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer. He replied, ‘At night when I looked at the stars, I saw that the leader of those who practice circumcision had appeared (become the conqueror). Who are they who practice circumcision?’ The people replied, ‘Except the Jews nobody practices circumcision, so you should not be afraid of them (Jews).

‘Just Issue orders to kill every Jew present in the country.’

While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the king of Ghassan to convey the news of Allaah’s Messenger to Heraclius was brought in. Having heard the news, he (Heraclius) ordered the people to go and see whether the messenger of Ghassan was circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he was circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs. The messenger replied, ‘Arabs also practice circumcision.’

(After hearing that) Heraclius remarked that sovereignty of the ‘Arabs had appeared. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in Rome who was as good as Heraclius in knowledge. Heraclius then left for Homs. (a town in Syrian and stayed there till he received the reply of his letter from his friend who agreed with him in his opinion about the emergence of the Prophet and the fact that he was a Prophet. On that Heraclius invited all the heads of the Byzantines to assemble in his palace at Homs. When they assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace be closed. Then he came out and said, ‘O Byzantines! If success is your desire and if you seek right guidance and want your empire to remain then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet (i.e. embrace Islam).’

(On hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the gates of the palace like onagers but found the doors closed. Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islam and when he lost the hope of their embracing Islam, he ordered that they should be brought back in audience.

(When they returned) he said, ‘What already said was just to test the strength of your conviction and I have seen it.’ The people prostrated before him and became pleased with him, and this was the end of Heraclius’s story (in connection with his faith).
 

strive-may-i

Junior Member
Thank you for your reasoned responses.
:salam2:

Islam is about a deep dive in practice. Its whats practised that counts in sight of Almighty Allah. Muslims are at different levels of practice. May Almighty make each of us better each passing day... Ameen.

Brother Ershad has brought out most valid point in previous post. And here something more, from Our Messenger:saw:, none surpass him:saw: in practice. He is epitome of Walk the talk and talk the walk.

Narrated By Anas: Allah's Apostle said, "Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed," A man said, "O Allah's Apostle! I will help him if he is oppressed, but if he is an oppressor, how shall I help him?" The Prophet said, "By Preventing him from oppressing (others), for that is how to help him." [Hadith084; vol9; Book85 --Bukhari]

“That person is not of us who inviteth others to aid him in oppression; and he is not of us whofighteth for his tribe in injustice; and he is not of us who dieth in assisting his tribe intyranny.” (Tirmidhi)

“You will never be permitted to enter paradise unless after you believe in Allah. You will not have such a belief unless you love each other. Shall I not inform you of a better act which, if done, you would befriend yourselves to one another? Make peace between you.”

“Iman has more than seventy or eighty grades - the highest of which is to attest that there is no god except Allah, and the lowest of which is to remove from a path something that might cause harm to others. Modesty, too, is a grade of Iman.” (Bukhari)

Narrated ‘Iyad bin Himar: Allah’s Messenger said, “Allah has revealed to me that you should be courteous to one another. One should neither hold himself above another nor transgress against another.” (Muslim)
 

IHearIslam

make dua 4 ma finals
Assalaamu alaykum,

Just a thought here....since you're new to Islam, the whole sect thing might be too much of an information to consume. Stick to the basics. I was born a Muslim and STILL do not understand the whole concept of "sects" when Islam clearly forbids any sort of divisions! So, my advice would be to tackle the basics of this religion, increase your awareness about Allah ta'la. Learn about His names and attributes.....you will surely fall into the path of truth, only and only IF you take Mohamed Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam as the best example to follow.

Just my two cents,
 

rivergum

Junior Member
Rivergum, the reason would be either you have been with or talked to wrong examples of Muslims or you have wrongly perceived something as hatred. I am not claiming I am the right one. But, I would like you to know that people who kill innocents are not the ones we take as examples. We see our example to follow as Muhammad :saw2:, the prophet. And he is the right example for people to follow. If you see hatred, you should investigate why? Of course, All forms of hatred are not wrong. We do hate certain things just like you do. We hate evil, we hate lying, we hate injustice etc. If you were to love evil, that behaviour is hateful, isn't it? You should investigate why the hatred and tti will definitely help you with that if you have specific questions. In Islam we are taught to love what God loves, and hate what he hates and that which angers him. And definitely, God is the most just. He hates oppressors, he hates those who worship creations and not worship the creator, he hates those who are disobedient to him. In order to understand all this, you have to take and understand the religion from its sources (Qur'an and Sunnah and the Understanding of people who inherited it from the Prophet :saw2:) and not from media or ordinary people. If what you perceive as hatred in people is what stops you from embracing islam, I leave you with a story of Heraclius who recognized The Truth, but instead chose this brief world over ever-lasting Paradise :

Not really interested in stories - more interested in behaviour.

If God hates so much I am left wondering what could he possible love.
 

rivergum

Junior Member
Assalaamu alaykum,

Just a thought here....since you're new to Islam, the whole sect thing might be too much of an information to consume. Stick to the basics. I was born a Muslim and STILL do not understand the whole concept of "sects" when Islam clearly forbids any sort of divisions! So, my advice would be to tackle the basics of this religion, increase your awareness about Allah ta'la. Learn about His names and attributes.....you will surely fall into the path of truth, only and only IF you take Mohamed Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam as the best example to follow.

Just my two cents,

I think you under value yourself.

Thank you.
 

Aapa

Mirajmom
Assalaam walaikum,

Excellent observation about the endemic appearance of Islam. It seems that way because to the and forgive me for saying this the uneducated eye there is little or minor differences if any. But, faith is absolute. It is that fine line. To the Believer the fine line is the difference between heaven and hell. Now, that is some serious stuff.
 

IHearIslam

make dua 4 ma finals
I think you under value yourself.

Thank you.

I don't know how I came to be perceived as someone who "under values" herself. I don't even know if I should take that as a compliment?

You're welcome though, I am glad I could help. I hope you stick around, you seem to have a bit of misunderstanding about Islam and God in general----stick around Insha'Allah (God willing) He will show you the path of truth.
 

Ershad

Junior Member
Not really interested in stories - more interested in behaviour.

If God hates so much I am left wondering what could he possible love.

If you are interested in behaviour, you need to know the reason for behaviour and the history. Each sect that deviates from the path of Qur'an and Sunnah has misguidance and evil associated with it. If I give you an example, probably you will understand. Say for the example the sect "Shia", they practice something called "Mutah" marriage - It is kind of marriage where the man could write a contract of marriage with a girl for few hours, or few days or months and then at the end of the contract, he sends her home and probably he gives her a child but won't take care of the child or pay for its expenses. And they claim this is from Islam when it is not. Another thing they do is one of their festivals, where they take swords and knives and cut themselves and they ask their children to do the same. They claim it is from Islam when it is not. Do you think after all this evil they do under the name of God falsely, God will love them? God doesn't love people who are disobedient to him. But, he is merciful and will forgive those who accept truth and turn in repentence. Those who return to the path of Qur'an and Sunnah.
What your are seeking is eternal love - love for evil - love for injustice- No, that doesn't exist and love for injustice is evil in itself. And till they return to correct path, we don't love them as well. Rather we advice them and warn them.

And what God loves? God loves those who are obedient to him, he loves those who take care of their family, those who try to be righteous and those who wish good for their brothers and help in the cause of God.

Rivergum, just a suggestion. If you want to know about Islam, try to understand the basics from the sources. You will still fail to understand what I am saying or probably think this is gibberish since you don't know the background or basics. You are looking into the middle of a book without reading its first pages and that is why you do not understand the context.

If you are interested in Islam, you shouldn't be concentrating in these things. Just know that the Islam which needs to be followed is from its sources. Why don't you read and trying to understand that? Probably later on in life, you will understand about these sects. I didn't know about these sects probably 5 years ago. Before that I learnt the basics of the Islam, Who is God and His attributes, and how to pray and fundamentals of belief. That is how it must be - organized. I feel you are doing it disorganized and might end up having a wrong impression. I suggested you start with fundamentals.

I hope you understand. Peace
 

rivergum

Junior Member
If you are interested in behaviour, you need to know the reason for behaviour and the history. Each sect that deviates from the path of Qur'an and Sunnah has misguidance and evil associated with it. If I give you an example, probably you will understand. Say for the example the sect "Shia", they practice something called "Mutah" marriage - It is kind of marriage where the man could write a contract of marriage with a girl for few hours, or few days or months and then at the end of the contract, he sends her home and probably he gives her a child but won't take care of the child or pay for its expenses. And they claim this is from Islam when it is not. Another thing they do is one of their festivals, where they take swords and knives and cut themselves and they ask their children to do the same. They claim it is from Islam when it is not. Do you think after all this evil they do under the name of God falsely, God will love them? God doesn't love people who are disobedient to him. But, he is merciful and will forgive those who accept truth and turn in repentence. Those who return to the path of Qur'an and Sunnah.
What your are seeking is eternal love - love for evil - love for injustice- No, that doesn't exist and love for injustice is evil in itself. And till they return to correct path, we don't love them as well. Rather we advice them and warn them.

And what God loves? God loves those who are obedient to him, he loves those who take care of their family, those who try to be righteous and those who wish good for their brothers and help in the cause of God.

Rivergum, just a suggestion. If you want to know about Islam, try to understand the basics from the sources. You will still fail to understand what I am saying or probably think this is gibberish since you don't know the background or basics. You are looking into the middle of a book without reading its first pages and that is why you do not understand the context.

If you are interested in Islam, you shouldn't be concentrating in these things. Just know that the Islam which needs to be followed is from its sources. Why don't you read and trying to understand that? Probably later on in life, you will understand about these sects. I didn't know about these sects probably 5 years ago. Before that I learnt the basics of the Islam, Who is God and His attributes, and how to pray and fundamentals of belief. That is how it must be - organized. I feel you are doing it disorganized and might end up having a wrong impression. I suggested you start with fundamentals.

I hope you understand. Peace

I don't think it is gibberish at all. The 'background' (the fundamentals) of Islam is similar to both Jewish and Christian traditions - but that 'background' has been given a continual 'face lift' to reflect certain worldly concerns.

Thank you.

I apologize if I have offended anyone.
 

Ershad

Junior Member
I don't think it is gibberish at all. The 'background' (the fundamentals) of Islam is similar to both Jewish and Christian traditions - but that 'background' has been given a continual 'face lift' to reflect certain worldly concerns.

Thank you.

I apologize if I have offended anyone.

I think you have studied Christianity and Judaism. Please do not paint Islam with the same brush. Your claim of Islam getting face lift is not true. Islam that we try to follow is same as it was in the time of the Prophet :saw2: . God revealed in Qur'an that he will be the guardian of Qur'an :


Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian. (Surat Al-Ĥijr 15:9)


Hence, Qur'an is safe from any corruption that human might try to do to it. In Bible or Torah, it is not the case. However, we also believe in Bible and Torah as revelations of God. But, they were the Revelation for the people of that generation or nation, the people of Isa (Jesus) Allayhi salam and Moosa (Moses) Allayhi Sallam. Those people will be judged by what was revealed to them i.e. Bible or Torah. Allah says in Qur'an:

Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah ] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allah , and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers. (Surat Al-Mā'idah 5:44)


And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous. And let the People of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the defiantly disobedient. (Surat Al-Mā'idah 5:46-47)


This generation or nation is of Muhammad :saw2:, and the Revelation we have to follow is Qur'an. and the manners of our Prophet :saw: . We will be judged by Qur'an and not, Bible or Torah. Nor has Allah subhanahu wa ta'la guaranteed to preserve Bible or Torah.

And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.(Surat Al-Mā'idah 5:48)

Hence, what you have understood of Islam are some misconceptions. I think by learning more about it, you will understand the truth of Islam. I sense some sincerity in your search for truth. I appreciate that. If you ask questions, we do not get offended easily because Islam asks us to have patience so that we can teach what we know and clear doubts that you might have. So feel free.

Peace.
 
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