Necessity of Sticking to the Jama’aah and the Rulers of the Muslims [Part 1]

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Shaykh Sa’d bin Naasir ash-Shithree [May Allaah Preserve him]
Former Member of the Committee of Senior Scholars
Main Administrator for Knowledge International University (KIU)
Jaami’ Imaam Turkee bin ‘Abdullah [May Allaah have Mercy on him], Deerah, ar-Riyadh
4/11/1433 – 20/9/2012

All Praises be to Allaah Who has Guided us to the religion of Islaam and has given us the ability to follow His Messenger [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him].

I praise Him, the Glorified and the Exalted, for the numerous favours we have. I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allaah Alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Slave and His Messenger, May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him, upon His Family, His Companions and all those who follow him.

To begin:

It is from the favours of Allaah that he has made the Muslims gathered upon the truth and that He has Given us a legislated law that we can use in our daily lives. Based on this, we need to know how to deal with others within this regard in our daily lives. One man alone is not able to uphold the Shar'eeah or the religion by himself, it is a must that he works with others in the matters connected to his daily life. Therefore, now we know that having a society and working together is a must and something necessary. It is needed by everyone within society in order for them to establish their lives and their religion. The society is mixed with people who have different expertise, some are better in religious aspects whilst others are more beneficial in the worldly aspects, therefore the society must be established to uphold all aspects of our lives.

Furthermore, the having a society that cooperates with each other upon goodness, means in reality that they are cooperating for their places in the Hereafter, because the people who are gathered upon goodness and the truth are those people who are establishing the religion and calling to it. Therefore, via these people the religion is established and its symbols are made apparent throughout the society.

The opposite is also true, if people didn’t work together and they established the religion to themselves, then all will be lost. Therefore, this religion has come with texts making it is obligatory for us to gather and congregate on the truth, in order to strengthen our ranks. Likewise, the texts have also come with a prohibition with us from splitting and having differences, as Allaah, the Most High, say:

“Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects (all kinds of religious sects), you (O Muhammad) have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allah, Who then will tell them what they used to do.” [al-An’aam 6:159]

And, He, the Most High, says:

“And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment.” [Aal-‘Imraan 3:105]

And there are multiple reports from the text to encourage us to be gathered and united on the truth, as Allaah the Most High says:

“Be not as those who divided and differed among themselves” [Aal-‘Imraan 3:105]

And Allaah then says about the favours he placed upon us, as we were misguided and then we were blessed and guided with the guidance of brotherhood,

“…but He joined your hearts together…” [Aal-‘Imraan 3:103]

There are also reports from the Sunnah of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] which also highlight this point. He stated that the brotherhood based on Eeman will be light and sign for us on the Day of judgment, as he said, Ummah like body.

And he [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] said:

“The example of the believers in regards to their mutual love is like that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, (feeling) sleeplessness and fever.” [Reported by al-Bukhaaree (5552) and Muslim (4685)]

And many other texts which encourage and obligate the Muslims to love and unite upon the truth and work together. Allaah, the Most High, says:

“Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.” [al-Maaidah 5:2]

The only way that the Muslims can cooperate upon Birr and Taqwa is via cooperating with each other and working within the society.

Based on this encouragement, the Shar’eeah has also given us practical steps on how we can be united and gathered in the society. For example, the Shar’eeah has encouraged us to have good manners between ourselves which encourages and instils love within one another. As the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] said;

“I guarantee a house in the highest level of Jannah for those who have good manners” [Reported by Aboo Dawood (4800) and classed as Hasan by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Aboo Dawood]

And,

“The person with good manners can reach the same level of those who regularly fast and pray.” [Reported by at-Tirmidhee (2003) and classified as Saheeh by Al-Albaanee in Saheeh at-Tirmidhee]

And there many texts that talk about having good manners.

The Shar’eeah has also come with a practical step for us to implement which is for us to be good in speech and for us to choose our wording carefully, only using the best of words and speech.

“And say to My slaves (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism) that they should (only) say those words that are the best. (Because) Shaytan (Satan) verily, sows disagreements among them. Surely, Shaytan (Satan) is to man a plain enemy.” [al-Israa’ 17:53]

Meaning, if someone says something bad then this has serious implications, people hate each other or they revile one another and it may even lead to something more serious, thus deflating any chance of unity within the society.

Also from the aspects of Shar’eeah which incite unity is the command of spreading the greetings of Islaam between ourselves.

 "You will not enter Paradise until you (truly) believe, and you will not (truly) believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the greeting of salaam amongst yourselves.” [Narrated by Muslim (54)]

The texts of Shar’eeah has also come with emphasis on loving each other for the sake of Allaah, The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon on him] said that Allaah said,

“My love is guaranteed for two who love one another for My sake…”

[Narrated by Ahmad (4/236) and (5/236); al-Tanaasuh by Ibn Hibbaan (3/338); Classed as Saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (3019)]

And there are many narrations similar to this encouraging us to instil love within our community in order to eradicate hatred and envy from one another and from our hearts

“For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned…” [an-Nisaa 4:32]

Likewise, the Shar’eeah has come to encourage us to love for others what we love for ourselves, in order for us to be compassionate and considerate for those who we live with in our society. The Prophet [Peace and Blessings be Upon him] said;

“None of you truly believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.” [al-Bukhaaree (13)]

If the society gathered in one place, living in one community then there is no doubt that differences, arguments and problems will occur. This is because Shaytan loves it when there is disunity and he will try and encourage disunity and will try his best to make sure that it occurs in the worst of manners. This is especially the case when the people in the society are connected to the Dunya, differences and argumentations will occur. Therefore, in order to combat this, we need to have a bond within ourselves and we need to have people who advise and seek to rectify the matters of differences between people. This is in fact from the orders and commands of Allaah, the Most High, for us to have a bond in order to eradicate all the ways and forms of disunity from our society. Therefore, Islaam places a strong emphasis on having a ruler and a leader and places strict conditions on those living in the society to obey him.

“O Dawud (David)! Verily! We have placed you as a successor on earth, so judge you between men in truth (and justice) and follow not your desire for it will mislead you from the Path of Allah…” [Saad 38:26]

There are also incidents in the time of the prophet where he would consolidate between two people, following the rulings of Islaam;

“Surely, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur'an) in truth that you might judge between men by that which Allah has shown you (i.e. has taught you through Divine Inspiration)…” [an-Nisaa 4:105]

This is something that was then followed in Islaam, after the death of the Prophet there came Caliphs and after them Caliphs, they all upheld the rulings of Islaam and spread peace and harmony between the Muslims. By the presence of the ruler, many doors to corruption and evils were closed as the ruler was a shield for the Muslims from these sources of evil, thus creating betterment for their Dunya and Aakhira. By all of this, the Muslims were strong and Islaam spread and all the possible good that could be found in the community was made present, and all the vices of evils were shunned.

As The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] said;

“The Imaam is a shield for those behind him, he protects them from harm reaching them.” [Saheeh Muslim (1841)]

Meaning he was a protection and a shield for them, protecting them from all the evils that may approach them and closing all the ways to disunity.

The ruler in Islaam cannot achieve these goals unless if he upholds the Shar'eeah of Allah and his religion, therefore if we have a leadership and obedience to him based upon the Shar'eeah of Allaah then this will bring the help and assistance of Allaah and it will be a cause of the enemies of the Shar'eeah of Allaah to be repelled.

“Allah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islam). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).” [an-Noor 24:55]

There are many textual proofs for us to understand that having the Shar'eeah and ruling by it is an obligation, therefore unity and a better society will not come about unless we follow the ruler who is doing this. Therefore, Islaam places heavy emphasis for the population to follow the rulers of Shar'eeah set out by the ruler as it is part of establishing the religion of Allaah, glorified and honoured.

It is from the favours of Allah that He has given us a ruler who is doing this, that there is a government that is calling to the way of Allaah, following the Kitaab and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salaf of the Ummah, so that the leadership is blessed and organised upon the Sunnah, so that it flourishes and repels the enemies who hate that such a state exists.

The believer, in all aspects of his life, is one who holds fast to the teachings of the Quraan and the Sunnah. Therefore, if there arises an issue then he returns his affairs and seeks the ruling and advice from these two sources, gaining the pleasure of Allaah and a result, he gains the good of the good of the Dunya and the Aakhira. Verily Allaah has described those who follow the Quraan and the Sunnah, his religion, and judge by it as those being successful on the day of judgement. Likewise, he has also promised them all forms of goodness in the worldly life as long as they stick to following the Quraan and the Sunnah, as He, the Most High, says,

“Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter).” [an-Nahl 16:97]

And,

“Say (O Muhammad): "Who has forbidden the adoration with clothes given by Allah, which He has produced for his slaves, and At-Taiyibat [all kinds of Halal (lawful) things] of food?"” [al-A’raaf 7:32]

Therefore, the Kitaab and the Sunnah are sources that judge in all our affairs and nothing is hidden from it, especially the point that we are talking about today, the importance of having a Jam'aah and the importance of obeying the ruler.

Therefore it is not permissible for us to turn away from this point and resort to other than the Kitaab and the Sunnah to judge in our affairs. Today, we are seeing many new trends in the world where people are trying to gain reform using other than the Kitaab and the Sunnah, however this is wrong and there is no correctness without the Kitaab and the Sunnah. Furthermore, we will stand in front of Allaah on the day of judgement as we will be asked on if and how we followed the Quraan and the Sunnah and these people will have to answer to the question, did they follow the Quraan and Sunnah in their call when they were demonstrating and protesting, or splitting in groups or other than that.

Based on this, we are not allowed to follow those who don’t have a proof from the Kitaab and the Sunnah, even if they are trying to create a beneficial reform, as we will be questioned on it on that day. In fact, the Quran and the Sunnah deals with issues that these people are trying to reform. Often reforms are sought in order to restore justice for people and remove oppression or to create unity between people or to remove the differences that may occur in the society. From them, is to have a ruler and obey him without revolting against him and removing the hand of allegiance from him. In fact doing this is a major sin based on the various texts that have come from the Kitaab and the Sunnah. Therefore there is no need to follow those people who call to revolt against the ruler based on the text and the evils is can bring. From the textual prohibition, Allaah, the Most High, says:

“But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars” [al-An’aam 6:28]

Here Allaah has told us to resort our affairs and all matters of disunity and disagreement to the rulers and those who have knowledge, those who know the text from the Kitaab and the Sunnah and judging between the people with them. Therefore, this Aayah shows that there is a prohibition from us leaving the obedience of the rulers and the scholars and following those who have no knowledge of the Kitaab and the Sunnah.