Written by: Maulana Abul Hasan Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (May Allah preserve him)
Question:
Nowadays, we see countless sects claiming to follow the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Kindly guide us on what the methodology of the Prophet (peace be upon him) truly was?
Answer:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the true Prophet and Messenger who presented the message of Islam. He forbade any form of sectarianism. There are several verses in the Quran and numerous authentic Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that explicitly prohibit division into sects. Islam invites towards unity and harmony and prohibits division and disunity. Sects such as Shia, Deobandi, Barelvi, and Wahhabi are creations that emerged after the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). To ask such a question about the Prophet (peace be upon him) is naive and foolish. This is akin to what the Jews and Christians claimed regarding Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The Jews said that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was a Jew, while the Christians claimed he was a Christian. Allah, the Exalted, states in the Quran:
"O People of the Book! Why do you dispute about Ibrahim, while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Do you not understand?"
Then, He further says:
"Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim, and he was not of the polytheists."
[Aal-e-Imran: 65-67]
Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq, Imam Ibn Jarir, and Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on them) have narrated in Dala'il al-Nubuwwah from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Christians of Najran and the Jewish scholars gathered before the Prophet (peace be upon him) and began disputing. The Jewish scholars said, "Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was a Jew." The Christians said, "He was a Christian." So, Allah revealed this verse to refute their claim, explaining that the Torah was revealed approximately 1000 years after Ibrahim, and the Gospel approximately 2000 years after him. So how could Ibrahim (peace be upon him) be either a Jew or a Christian? Following this, Allah declared that those who have the most right to claim a connection with Ibrahim (peace be upon him) are those who followed his religion, and also Muhammad (peace be upon him), his companions, and the Muslims.
[Tafseer al-Rahman li Bayan al-Quran, p. 1851]
This explanation clarifies that the Jews and Christians emerged long after the time of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), rendering their claims that he was a Jew or a Christian invalid. Similarly, it is baseless and false to assert that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) adhered to any of the present-day sects because these sects came into existence hundreds of years after the Prophet (peace be upon him). Among these sects, the one closest to the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the one that follows and obeys the religion that the Prophet brought. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) departed from this world, he left two things for his Ummah: the Quran and the Sunnah. Whoever adheres to these two will be on the right path and firmly established in truth. But whoever turns away from the Quran and Hadith, and does not follow Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), is misguided and has deviated from the Straight Path.
Therefore, we should distance ourselves from all forms of sectarianism and follow the Quran and Sunnah to save ourselves from misguidance. (Ameen)
Question:
Nowadays, we see countless sects claiming to follow the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Kindly guide us on what the methodology of the Prophet (peace be upon him) truly was?
Answer:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the true Prophet and Messenger who presented the message of Islam. He forbade any form of sectarianism. There are several verses in the Quran and numerous authentic Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that explicitly prohibit division into sects. Islam invites towards unity and harmony and prohibits division and disunity. Sects such as Shia, Deobandi, Barelvi, and Wahhabi are creations that emerged after the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). To ask such a question about the Prophet (peace be upon him) is naive and foolish. This is akin to what the Jews and Christians claimed regarding Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The Jews said that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was a Jew, while the Christians claimed he was a Christian. Allah, the Exalted, states in the Quran:
"O People of the Book! Why do you dispute about Ibrahim, while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Do you not understand?"
Then, He further says:
"Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim, and he was not of the polytheists."
[Aal-e-Imran: 65-67]
Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq, Imam Ibn Jarir, and Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on them) have narrated in Dala'il al-Nubuwwah from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Christians of Najran and the Jewish scholars gathered before the Prophet (peace be upon him) and began disputing. The Jewish scholars said, "Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was a Jew." The Christians said, "He was a Christian." So, Allah revealed this verse to refute their claim, explaining that the Torah was revealed approximately 1000 years after Ibrahim, and the Gospel approximately 2000 years after him. So how could Ibrahim (peace be upon him) be either a Jew or a Christian? Following this, Allah declared that those who have the most right to claim a connection with Ibrahim (peace be upon him) are those who followed his religion, and also Muhammad (peace be upon him), his companions, and the Muslims.
[Tafseer al-Rahman li Bayan al-Quran, p. 1851]
This explanation clarifies that the Jews and Christians emerged long after the time of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), rendering their claims that he was a Jew or a Christian invalid. Similarly, it is baseless and false to assert that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) adhered to any of the present-day sects because these sects came into existence hundreds of years after the Prophet (peace be upon him). Among these sects, the one closest to the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the one that follows and obeys the religion that the Prophet brought. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) departed from this world, he left two things for his Ummah: the Quran and the Sunnah. Whoever adheres to these two will be on the right path and firmly established in truth. But whoever turns away from the Quran and Hadith, and does not follow Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), is misguided and has deviated from the Straight Path.
Therefore, we should distance ourselves from all forms of sectarianism and follow the Quran and Sunnah to save ourselves from misguidance. (Ameen)