The Muslim faithful of the world today has never been divided as before, at a time the various enemies of Islam and their agents are persecuting, maiming and attacking Muslims in their countries.

Instead of the Muslims to unite, some are busy spreading the message of intolerance, bigotry within the Muslim Ummah. This attitude of some scholars and their followers has weakened the Muslim nations and make them susceptible and vulnerable to their enemies. Yesterday they were in Afghanistan and Iraq, today they are aiming towards Iran and Syria, tomorrow it could be any other Muslim countries.

In the eyes of the enemies of Islam there is not distinction between Sunni, Shia, Tariqa and Izala etc they are the same and one people, names are merely appellation. Why then do we fight and condemn ourselves?

WHAT DOES QURAN AND HADITH SAYS REGARDING MUSLIMS UNITY

Allah (S.W.T.) is emphatic about the unity of Muslims, he says in the Qur’an ‘Hold on to the rope of Allah and do not be divided (Surah Al-Imran Verse: 103).

‘verily, the believers are brothers, make peace within yourselves and fear Allah so that you can receive his mercy’ (Surah Hujrat Verse 10).

The holy prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.A) said: ‘The Muslim ummah is one whole body, if a part of this body is afflicted with pain the rest body feels it’.

‘He is not a Muslim, whose fellow Muslim is not save from his tongue and hands’.

There are more of hundreds of this beautiful exhortation from the Qur’an and Hadith of the holy prophet (S.A.W.A). If we are indeed true followers of the Quran and sayings of the holy prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.A). Why don’t we imbibe the lesson from the above versesand hadith, why the hate, a pathy sometime not found in the darkest heart of the unbeliever?

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISUNITY AND MIS-UNDERSTANDING

Why so some scholars still sow the seed of discord and disunity among Muslim ummah? There are two factors that are responsible:

Lack of understanding of some quranic verses and hadith of the holy prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.A), in this case, Qur’an and Hadith are interpreted in isolation and not in conjunction with others. This scholars and their followers presume the message is devoid of wisdom or rationality.

Deliberate attempt to establish one’s point of view as perfect and not prone to mistakes. This scholars and their followers holds on tenaciously to their opinion without listening or reasoning with others, even if their arguments falls flat in the face of stronger arguments, yet they still prefer monologue.
These two factors tends to sway believers from the illuminating light of Allah because they are self serving, embedded in pride self delusion and ignorance. We need to understand that no two human being can think and posses exact opinion on all issues, they must differ on some.

It is wrong for us to hold to opinions as if we are infallible, or for us to condemn or call others names simply because they do not share our views. Difference of opinions as a result of misunderstanding should not lead to enmity and finally disunity, tolerance for other people views is clearly stated in the Qur’an. ‘There is no compulsion in religion, truth stands and clear from error’ (Baqarah Verse 256).

‘Call unto the way of your lord with wisdom and good exhortation, argue with them in the best form, for thy lord who knows those that are rightly guided and those who go astray’ (Nahl Verse 125).

Misunderstanding occurs when one un-intentionally gives wrong interpretation to Quranic verses and hadith and goes ahead to apply such wrongly in accordance with his understanding while disunity occurs when one deliberately stick to a wrong opinion without taking correction from the teaching of the Qur’an and Hadith.

Misunderstanding if well handled and not allowed to degenerate into disunity broadens the Muslim ummah’s knowledge as it leads to critical appraisal of other people’s view and opinion, while disunity brings hat, enmity and utter destruction to the ummah. The history of the Muslim is replete with such happenings, up till today.

THE REAL ENEMIES OF THE MUSLIMS.

The enemies of the Muslims is explicitly named by the Qur’an in Surah Maidah Verse 51 ‘O you who believe do not take the Jews and Christians for friends, whoever among you befriend them, his is one of them, verily Allah guide not the evil doers’

In surah Baqara Verse 120, He said: ‘Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with you, unless thou follow their form of religion’.

My dear brothers and sisters, our enemies are the present occupiers of Palestine, the Israelites; who are busy shelling and killing our brothers in Palestine sending them into refugee camps. The occupiers of white house in Washington who are busy everyday attacking, killing, raping our sisters in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Your enemy is not that poor brother in your neighborhood who held a different opinion from you, but the Jews and present American government who are humiliating your brothers and sisters all over the world.

We should learn to channel our grievances in the right direction rather than destroying ourselves before the enemies finally clamp on us. Let us unite to fight and defend our faith. Whoever spread the message of disunity is helping the course of Zionism and anti Islam.

CONCLUSION: Dear brothers and sisters, make it an article of faith as taught by Qur’an and Hadith. To regard fellow Muslims as your brother and sister, let them be free from your tongue and hand, share the pains of your brother in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and all over the world.