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This is a continuation of an essay by ibn Taymiyah, the first part of which is to be found in the last blog.
A Guide on Unity & Division:
Reasons & Results [Part 2]
[Vol. 1, Majmoo’ al Fataawa libni Taymiyah, translated excerpts]
Multiple Causes of Division
Further, Allah has also stated: …and they (those who were given the Scripture) did not divide except after knowledge had come to them – out of jealous animosity between themselves…[Aal Imraan(3):19]. Thus he informs us that their division was only after there had come to them the knowledge that clarified for them that which they should have taqwa about. For indeed, Allah is such that He would not “let a people stray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them what they should avoid” [at-Tawbah(9):115].
So He informed us that they did not divide except out of jealous animosity (al-baghyi), and jealous animosity is a passing of the limits [set by Allah]. As ibn Umar stated, “…1: pride and jealousy.”
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1. This segment of the sentence is missing in the original manuscript.
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And this is not a division that is related to the exercise of juristic judgement (ijtihaad) and is not in an issue of knowledge. And this jealous animosity is not intended to imply those differences that arise amongst the scholars that are of an acceptable nature. Jealous animosity is either that which completely sets aside the right [of another], or is the exceeding of a limit [set in the law of Allah].2 Thus it is either due to omitting an obligation or due to committing something forbidden. Hence, we learn that that is what leads to divisions.
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2. The author seems to differentiate between a complete disregard for another's right (e.g. by backbiting) and where a person does have a legal right to an action but then he exceeds the legal limits of that right (e.g. the right to respond to an attack that is initiated by an enemy in a sacred month - fighting is impermissible otherwise). Allah knows best.
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And this is similar to what He said about the People of the Book: And from those who say, "We are the Nazarenes (i.e. Christians)," We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded . So We caused among them enmity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection [ al-Maidah(5):14]. Thus, He informed us that their forgetting a portion of that which they had been reminded with – and that is actually by not acting upon some of things they had been commanded to do [emphasis added] – that became the cause for encouraging enmity and hatred amongst themselves.
Purification as a current case in point
And this is what has occurred even amongst the people of our nation. Such as what we find between the disputing parties in the issues pertaining to the fundamentals of their religion, and numerous issues in its finer details as raised by both their scholars in general principles and those in the finer details. And we find the like of this between the scholars and between the general worshippers. They are those who are more taken by the Mosaic tradition or the Christian tradition,3 until they even begin to resemble these two nations in saying to each other, "The other party has nothing to stand on."4
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3. Those highly influenced by the Mosaic tradition are obviously those who are following the typical mistakes of the Jews who are described as "those upon whom is the Anger" because they emphasised on the outward actions but were corrupted from inside. The Christians were the opposite: too much emphasis to the internal issues without too much concern for outside practice.
4. This is with reference to the ayat in the Qur’an which states: The Jews say "The Christians have nothing [true] to stand on," and the Christians say, "The Jews have nothing to stand on," although they [both] recite the Scripture… [al-Baqarah(2):113].
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For example, we find the jurists are clinging on to the outward actions of the religion, while the spiritualists are holding onto the hidden actions from it. Every one of the two parties is negating the way of the other and is claiming that they are not members of the religion. Or their apparent behaviour is that which considers him not from the religion. Thus between them arises enmity and hatred.
And that is because Allah has commanded the purification of the heart and has also commanded the purification of the body. Both of these types of purification are from the religion which Allah has commanded and has made obligatory. Allah, the Exalted, says:5
- …Allah does not intend to make any difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favour upon you that you may be grateful. [al-Maidah(5):6]
- …Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves. [at-Tawbah(9):108]
- …Indeed , Allah loves those who repent and He loves those who purify themselves. [al-Baqarah(2):222]
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5. These three verses make these statements in the context of actually physical purification: the first is with reference to the sequence of actions for performing ablution; the second is speaking about the men at the Mosque of Quba who, when asked what was special about their purification, described how they would purify themselves after having relieved themselves from the call of nature [see Tafsir ibn Kathir]; and the third verse is with reference to women bathing after they complete a period of menstruation.
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And He also says:6
- Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cleanse them by it … [at-Tawbah(9):103];
- … Those are the ones for whom Allah does not intend to purify their hearts…[al-Maidah(5):41];
- … indeed the polytheists are unclean…[at-Tawbah(9):28]; and
- Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin] , O people of the [Prophet’s] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification. [al-Ahzaab(33):33]
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6. This next set of verses now present the opposite case: where purification of the heart or the self is specified. It must be mentioned in the case of at-Tawbat(9):28, some scholars do take this to mean a physical impurity as the verse is commanding them not come near the Sacred Mosque after that year. But it seems ibn Taymiyah is of the view that this impurity emanates from their disbelief rather than their physical impurity. Allah knows best.
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So we find many of the jurists and the worshippers, their efforts are only directedtowards the purification of the body and they exceed in it over and above what is legislated in preparation and action. And they abandon of the purification of the heart what they have been commanded with: whether that be obligatory or recommended. There is nothing of the purification in them except that. And we find many of the Sufis and Fakirs, their efforts are only for the purification of the heart. Until they exceed in it beyond the legislated, in preparation or in action. And they abandon from the purification of the body what they have been commanded, obligatory or recommended.
As for the first, they exit into doubts arising from whispers within themselves that are blameworthy. This is exhibited in the form of excessive wastage of water (when purifying oneself), considering as an impurity what is actually not an impurity, and avoiding that which the Islamic law has not commanded avoidance of. This is while their hearts are involved in things like jealousy, pride and deceitfulness with respect to their brothers. Thus, in such matter, they resemble of the Jews.
And the others exit into a state of heedlessness that is blameworthy. Hence, they exaggerate in the issue of the soundness of the inner-self until they have made ignorance of the of evil things, which one must be well-acquainted with [those that one must save himself from], a part of maintaining the soundness of the inner-self.
And they do not differentiate between the soundness of the inner-self and the intention to do a forbidden evil, and between the soundness of the heart and the knowledge of evil – a knowledge which one has been commanded with (to seek). So with this ignorance and heedlessness, of course, they do not avoid impure things nor do they establish the obligatory purification in imitation of the Christians.
And so enmity between the two parties arises because a good part of what they had been reminded with was avoided and their was transgression by way of crossing the set limits, whether that be through shortfalls in or completely abandonment of right, or through hatred and actions in what is unjust.
And this transgression sometimes occurs amongst themselves and sometimes it occurs in the rights of Allah and there exists a correlation between the two [types of transgression]. That is why He said, “transgression amongst themselves”. For, indeed, each party transgresses against the other and then the other does not recognize the first’s rights upon them. Thus, it does not restrain itself from enmity against that party.
The repeated caution
And Allah the Exalted has stated:
- And those who had been given the Scripture did not divide except after came to them the clear evidence[al-Bayyinah(98):4].
- Mankind was one religion; then Allah sent the Prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed. And none differed over the Scripture except those who were given it – after the clear proofs came to them – out of transgression amongst themselves [al-Baqarah(2):213].
- And surely We gave the Children of Israel the Scripture and the judgement and the Prophethood…And We gave them clear proofs of the matter [of religion]. And they did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves.[al-Jathiya(45):16-17]
- ...And do not become those who divided and differed after came to them clear evidences[Aal-e-Imran(3):105];
So...
And He, the Exalted, states: Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything[al-An’am(6):159].
And He, the Exalted, says: So direct your face towards the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah . That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know. [Adhere to it], turning in repentance to Him, and fear Him and establish prayer and do not be of those who associate others with Allah. Of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has [ar-Room(30):30-32]. That is because the Mushrikin (polytheists), they all worship the god that they desire.
This is similar to what He mentions in the verse that was previously under discussion …[that you should establish the religion and not divide therein.] It is a difficult thing for those who associate partners with Allah that which you are calling them to [ash-Shura(42):13].
And the Exalted states: O Messengers, eat from the pure things and do righteous
actions. Indeed, I am – of what you are doing – Knowing. And indeed, this ummah of yours is one ummah, and I am your Lord so fear Me. But they divided their affair among them into sects – each faction, in what it has, rejoicing [al-Mu’minoon(23):51-53]
Ijmaa' is thus an absolute evidence
Therefore, what emerges is that the cause of unity and mutual love is uniting on the religion and acting on it in its entirety. And that is worshipping Allah Alone, associating no partners with him; as has been commanded both inwardly and outwardly.
And the cause for division: leaving a good portion of what the slave has been commanded with and transgression against each other.
And the result of unity: the Mercy of Allah, His Pleasure and Prayers, happiness in this world and in the Hereafter and the faces being made white (on the Day of Judgement).
And the result of division: the Punishment of Allah, His Curse and the blackening of the faces, and the Messenger (Allah's prayers be upon him and peace) declaring himself free of any [further] duty towards them.
This is one of the evidences that the consensus (of this nation) is an absolute proof: for if they are united, surely they have been obedient to Allah and by virtue of that the recipients of Mercy. Allah’s obedience and His Mercy will not be there, by virtue of an action that Allah has not commanded, whether it be an issue of belief, statement or action.
For if that statement or action upon which a consensus has been reached was something not commanded by Allah; then that would not be in obedience to Allah, and that should mean there is no reason for His Mercy [so disunity should occur rather than unity].
And of course, Abu Bakr Abdul Aziz7 used this argument in the beginning of "at-Tanbeeh", where he highlighted this issue.
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7. He is Abdul 'Aziz bin Ja'far bin Ahmed, Abu Bakr, more famously known as "Ghulaam-ul-Khilaal" (285-363A.H.). He was a commentator of the Qur'an and a much trusted scholar of Hadith. He was of those leading scholars from the Hanbali school of fiqh who are credited with helping its growth. Ibn Ya'la (another later leading Hanbali scholar) states, "He was one of those who possessed deep comprehension (of the religion); knowledge was made more reliable by him and he had a wide knowledge of narrations". For further reading refer to Tabaqaat-ul-Hanaabilah by ibn Abi Ya'la [2/119-127], and al-A'laam [4/139].
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