Unity is strength. When the sand grains unite they become a vast
desert. When the sea drops unite they become a boundless ocean. The
conglomeration of stars in the firmament of sky soothes our eyes. The
seven colors emerge in the shape of a bewitching rainbow. The unity of
people makes an invincible strong nation. This is the reason Islam lays
great stress on the importance of unity. The Islamic concept of Tawhid
is the other name of the unity of humankind. The corner stone in Islam
is the unity of God. Allah’s unity teaches us the message that we
should not divide humans into sections and sects.
Almighty Allah in the
Quran says that the division of people in the races and clans is only
for their introduction. The best one out of them is the man of piety.
Dr. Mohammad Ali Al-khuli is his book titled “The Light of Islam”
writes. “Islam is the greatest unifying force in the world. It is a
religion to all humans regardless of color, race and language. It is a
religion that tolerates other religions and orders its followers to
respect and protect all humans.” According to a Hadith of the Holy
Prophet all persons belong to Adam and Adam was from soil. The racial
discrimination has been strictly prohibited in Islam. In the last
sermon from the Mount of Arafat the Holy Prophet had clearly announced
that no Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab; or the white over the
black. This is the reason that in Muslim countries we do not find racial
discriminations. Islam gives clear injunctions for the respect, safety,
security and prosperity of the non-Muslims as well. Unity teaches
peace, equality and paternity. The absence of unity brings and breeds
disruption, devastation and disputes. Islam ordains protection of
non-Muslims simply to show the respect for the Canons of divinity and
humanity. God is not only of the Muslims. God is the God of all human
beings. The unity of all humans is the ultimate aim of the teachings of
Islam. The doctrinal and ideological differences should not lead to
war or bloodshed. Man is a thinking creature. Aristotle, the Greek
philosopher introduced Rationalism in Philosophy. The Quran time and
again asserts on the need of cogitation. “Ijtihad” is an analogical and
analytical approach towards the matters of jurisprudence.
Ashab-e-Suffa were the people of wisdom. They gave more time to
cogitate on social and academic matters along with their saintly and
spiritual practices. They were praised by the Holy Prophet for their
involvement in intellectual pursuit. Once the Holy Prophet said: “The
juristic scholar who receives two rewards for every correct decision and
even one for every incorrect one, for he is endeavoring with all his
effort to reach the correct decision.” The difference of opinion must
be positive. It should not lead to prides and prejudices of priests.
It should be decent difference on the bases of logic like the
differences of Philosophers. Aristotle was the pupil of Plato. He
differed from his teacher on many points but he never issued the edict
of his assassination. Hegel and Bergson differed. Immunel Kant
differed with Nietzche. None cursed or condemned the other. These
differences were on principles; not personal. But unfortunately the so
called scholars and clerics of different religions brought immense
misery to mankind in the name of religion. The Jews, the Christians,
the Muslims, the Hindus, the Buddhists and others had mercilessly shed
the blood of each other in the name or religion. Each of these sects
then killed the followers of their own religions on minor interpretative
issues. Even to date the bloodshed in the name of faith is rampant.
This is the greatest error and must be rectified. The Quran discusses
the concept of unity on three levels. Foremost is the unity of
humanity. The Quran in Sura Al-Hujurat (The Inner Apartments) says: “O,
Mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you
into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most
honorable of you with Allah is the one who has piety.” (49:13). The
Quran no where addresses the Muslims. Either it addresses the believers
(momineen) or the people (Annas). The Quran on second level refers to
the unity of the people of the Books: the Jews, the Christians and the
Muslims- In Sura Al-e-Imran the Quran says:” O, people of the Book! Come
to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but
Allah, and that we associate no partners with him, and that none of us
will take others as lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say;
Bear witness that we are Muslims” (3:64). The fifth verse of the Sura
The Clear Evidence and the forty eighth verse of Sura The Table Spread
also shed light on the unity of the people of the Book. Then on third
level the Quran asserts on the unity of the Muslims. In Sura Al-e-Imran
the Quran says; “And hold fast, all of you together to the rope of
Allah, and be not divided among yourselves.” (3:103). Then Quran
condemns sectarianism and regards it shirk (polytheism). The Quran
again in Sura Al-e-Imran says: “O ye who believe! Fear Allah as He
should be feared and die not except in a state of Islam.” This verse
clearly ordains that instead of adhering to Sunnism, Shiasim or Wahabism
we should strongly adhere to Islam. In Mishqat Sharife there is a
tradition of the Holy Prophet which says; “The Muslims are like a body;
if one limb aches, the whole body aches.” Then the Messenger of Allah
says; “whoever does not care about the affairs of the Muslims is not one
of them.” From the above Quranic facts we deduce the result that Islam
believes in the unity of all humans and preaches peace, justice and
equality. Religion is to serve humankind. Religion has come to reform
and unite humans, not to divide them. We must condemn extremism and
terrorism in the name of religion and unite humankind if we believe in
the unity of God.
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