Classical Scholars on Groups In Islam
There
is a very common misconception that all groups are forbidden in Islam,
and people regularly spread this idea throughout the Ummah. Any group
that is not affiliated with the Saudi version of so-called “Salafiyyah”
is immediately denounced as Hizybiyyah (partisanship) or Tafriqa
(forming sects), and people are taught to not discuss with these groups,
or sit with them, or associate with them.
This
incorrect idea is actually a relatively recent phenomenon (late 1700s
to today), and it contradicts nearly everything that the classical
scholars said on the issue.
This
post explains what the classical scholars said regarding the
permissibility (actually, the obligation) of forming groups in Islam,
including screenshots of these quotes below, and an explanation of where
the line is drawn between *permissible* Islamic groups, and *invalid*
unIslamic divisions.
Allah (swt) says in Surat Aal-Imran, verse 104:
ولتكن منكم أمة يدعون إلى الخير ويأمرون بالمعروف وينهون عن المنكر وأولئك هم المفلحون
“Let there come from among you a group that calls to the Good (Islam),
and orders the Ma’roof and forbids the Munkar, and they are the
successful ones.”
There is near unanimous agreement among nearly all the Mufassireen regarding the meaning of this Ayah, as shown below:
- Al-Tabari said in “Al-Tafseer Al-Kabeer”: ولتكن منكم: أيها المسلمون. أمة: جماعة " Let there come from you an Ummah: meaning a Jama'ah/group"
- Al-Suyooti said in “Al-Durr Al-Manthoor”: ليكن منكم قوم يعني واحدا أو اثنين أو ثلاثة نفر، فما فوق ذلك أمة “Let there come from among you a Qawm (people), means one or two or three people. Whatever is above that is an Ummah (group).”
- Al-Mahalli and Al-Suyooti said in “Tafseer Al-Jalalayn”: ومن للتبعيض لأن ما ذكر فرض كفاية " (Let there come) from (you): meaning a group from the whole (Tab’eedh), because what is mentioned is a Fard Kifaayah"
- Al-Shawkani said in “Al-Fath Al-Qadeer”: منكم للتبعيض...بأن الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر من فروض الكفايات "From you: meaning a group from the whole (Tab’eedh)...because ordering the good and forbidding the Munkar are a Fard Kifaayah"
- Ibn Katheer said in “Tafseer Al-Qur’an Al-’Adhim”: المقصود من هذه الآية أن تكون فرقة من الأمة متصدية لهذا الشأن "What is meant by this Ayah is that a Firqa/group must be tasked with these duty from among the Ummah" (yes, a “Firqa”)
- Ibn Hazm said in his commentary of “Tafseer Al-Jalalayn”: وجعل من للتبعيض...والأمة: الجماعة “From: meaning a group from the whole (Tab’eedh)...and Ummah: meaning a Jama’ah/group.”
- Al-Qurtubi said in “Al-Jaami’ Li Ahkaam Al-Qur’an”: ومن في قوله منكم للتبعيض...فأنه يدل على أن الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر فرض على الكفاية “From you: meaning a group from the whole....this indicates that ordering the Ma'roof and forbidding the Munkar is a Fard Kifaayah"
- Al-Zamakhshari said in “Al-Kashf ‘Ann Haqaa’iq Al-Tanzeel”: من للتبعيض لأن الأمر بالمعروف النهي عن المنكر من فروض الكفايات "From: meaning a group from the whole, because ordering the Ma'roof and forbidding the Munkar is a Fard Kifaayah."
Therefore
it is very clear from this that forming groups to call non-Muslims to
Islam, and to call Muslims to implementing the Ma’roof and forbidding
them from committing the Munkar, is an obligation.
As for the types of “groups” that Islam forbids, these are two types:
- - The first type is a group that is dedicated to attacking other Muslims on matters that Islam allows difference of opinion on. Such groups claim to be superior in Iman or that others are deviants for disagreeing with them, and . This behaviour is forbidden.
- - The second type is a group that disagrees on Qat’iee (100% certain, indisputable) issues. These are groups such as those who believe that Isa (as) was crucified (such as Ahmadis), or that Jibreel brought Islam to the wrong person (such as the Ghuraabiyyah), or that there is a new prophet (such as Nation of Islam), or that Ahadith are to be rejected completely (as the so-called “Quranists”). These are groups that have left the fold of Islam.
Islam
allows Muslims to differ on valid Ijtihaadi matters, which are the
Thanni (not 100% certain, open to debate). The Sahaba differed on these
issues, and scholars throughout history disagreed on these issues, and
everyone welcomed such disagreements, as long as they were within the
limits of what Islam identified as permissible. The Messenger of Allah
(saw) clearly stated, as narrated in Sahih Al-Bukhari: إذا حكم الحاكم فاجتهد ثم أصاب فله أجران ، وإذا حكم فاجتهد ثم أخطأ فله أجر
”If
the judge performs Ijtihaad and reaches the correct conclusion, he
receives two reward, and if he judges and reaches the incorrect
conclusion, he receives one reward.“
Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah made this point very clearly regarding groups (Ahzaab) in Islam, in his book Majmoo’ Al-Fataawa: وأما
رأس الحزب، فإنه رأس الطائفة التي تتحزب، أي: تصير حزباً، فإن كانوا
مجتمعين على ما أمر الله به ورسوله من غير زيادة ولا نقصان؛ فهم مؤمنون،
لهم ما لهم وعليهم ما عليهم، وإن كانوا قد زادوا في ذلك ونقصوا، مثل التعصب
لمن دخل في حزبهم بالحق والباطل وإعراض لمن لم يدخل في حزبهم سواء كان على
الحق أو الباطل، فهذا من التفرق الذي ذمه الله تعالى ورسوله، فإن الله
ورسوله أمرا بالجماعة والائتلاف ونهياً عن الفرقة والاختلاف وأمراً
بالتعاون على البر والتقوى، ونهياً عن التعاون على الإثم والعدوان
“As
for the head of the Hizb (party), he is the head of the group that
forms a party, meaning: becomes a Hizb. If they are grouped for
something commanded by Allah and His Messenger, without adding or
subtracting, then they are believers, and for them is what is for them
and upon them is what is upon them. And if they increase or decrease
from it, such as becoming partisan to only those who join their group,
claiming that only they are on the truth, and everyone else who has not
joined their group is shunned regardless of whether they are on the
truth or not, then this is the Tafarruq (dividing) that Allah and His
Messenger have forbidden; as Allah and His Messenger commanded us to
remain a united Jama’ah and to reconcile between each other, and forbade
us from separating and dividing - we have been ordered to assist each
other in Birr and Taqwa, and are forbidden from assisting in sin and
enmity.”
Hence,
from all this, since Islam obligates the existence of Islamic groups
that call to Islam, and Islam also permits difference of opinion among
Muslims, it is therefore permissible for groups to disagree when it
comes to how they undertake their tasks, as well as what tasks they
prioritize, as long as all the groups are following a valid Ijtihaad on
every issue they undertake.
We must not make Haram what Allah (swt) has made Halal (or even Fard).
May
Allah (swt) rid the Ummah of the foul behaviour of those who dedicate
their time to attacking other Muslims who simply work collectively
within groups to call to Islam and resume the Islamic way of life. We
must realize that the only way to bring about change is through
collective efforts, and anyone who looks at the revival of the Ummah
during the past 90 years will find that the greatest effect on this rise
has been the collective efforts that the Muslims have undertaken as
groups.
Maoni