Where does the name Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah come from? There are many in the Muslim Ummah today who claim to be from Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah (the People of the Sunnah and the Group). Amongst those who claim this coveted title are the Sunnis, the Shee’ah and many more. If one were to study the simple differences between the sects we have just named, one could deduce quite quickly that both the Sunnis and the Shee’ah cannot be of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah simultaneously, since the differences between these two sects are too great for reconciliation. Similar conclusions can be derived comparing the other sects and so forth. The question then arises, how do we know who is Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah and what do they stand for? Before we proceed and discuss this topic in more detail, it is vital for us to examine the Hukm (Islaamic verdict) with regards to choosing such titles for ourselves, since Allaah (swt) says, هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ “It is He who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (Revelation); that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and you be witnesses for mankind!” (EMQ 22: 78) And it is reported upon the authority of Imaam al-Harith al-Ash’ari that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) has said, “Call the Muslims by their own names, and by what Allaah has called them; Muslims, Mu’mins, and ‘Ibaad-Allaah.” Names & Titles in the Sharee’ah As Muslims who claim to believe in Allaah (swt) and the Last Day, we know that we must follow all that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) has brought and all that he (saw) has forbidden. Since Allaah (swt) has said, وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ “And whatsoever the Messenger brings take. And whatsoever He forbids you abstain and fear Allaah (swt).” (EMQ 59: 7) We also are aware that we will be judged upon all of our actions since Allaah (swt) has said, فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِيْن عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ “And by your Lord! He (swt) will call you to account all that you do.” (EMQ 15: 92-93) From these aayaat, a principal is derived in Usool ul-Fiqh (the Foundations of Islaamic Jurisprudence) that all actions require evidence before they are done. Consequently, attributing a name or title to ourselves thus also requires grounding in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Any innovated names or attributes must therefore be rejected. ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Abbaas (ra) is reported to have said, “Whosoever innovates a name to call himself (by), removes the Deen (Islaam) from his neck.” So the question may be posed, where does the title Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah derive from? It is reported that ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Abbaas said regarding the verse, “On the Day of Judgement, some peoples faces will be bright, and others will be dark…” (EMQ 3: 106): “Those whose faces will be bright will be Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, and those whose faces will be dark will be Ahl ul-Bid’ah wal-Firqah (the people of innovation and misguided sects).” Since the great Sahaabi ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Abbaas and many of the ‘Ulamaa (scholars) of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) used this title, we now have established the evidence for using this term Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. However, what does it actually refer to? Ahl ul Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah is not a Deen (way of life) Allaah (swt) says in the Qur’aan, إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللّهِ الإِسْلاَمُ “Indeed the only Deen (way of life) acceptable to Allaah (swt) is Islaam.” (EMQ 3: 19) لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ “And to you be your Deen and to me be mine (Deen).” (EMQ 109: 6) The above two verses highlight the use of the word Deen, which means religion or way of life. In the first example we see that the only Deen acceptable to Allaah (swt) is that of Islaam. Therefore, following any other adyaan (religions) such as Judaism, Christianity, Paganism, Buddhism, Democracy etc. will be rejected and all actions based upon these fruitless. A Deen therefore can be defined as a system or way of life that people attribute to Allaah (swt). Ahl ul-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah is not a Millah (religion) Allaah (swt) said, وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ “And strive in His cause as you ought to strive, (with sincerity and under discipline). He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the Millah of your father Ibraaheem. It is He who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (Revelation); that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and you be witnesses for mankind!” (EMQ 22: 78) Allaah informs us in this verse that we are upon the same Deen as Ibraaheem (as); since a Muslim is anyone who submits and follows the guidance from Allaah (swt). In the Qur’aan, Allaah (swt) uses the term Millah to attribute a particular way, thought and people to a Prophet. Therefore, we find examples of Millat ul-Ibraaheem, i.e. the way of Ibraaheem (as). As Muslims, we are upon the Millah of Ibraaheem (as) in Tawheed, and upon the Millah of Muhammad (saw), the final Messenger of Allaah (swt), in submission to the commandments brought by Islaam. Ahl ul-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah is not a Madh-hab (school of thought) When we are talking about Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, we are not speaking about the fiqh or madh-hab of Imaam Abu Haneefah, Imaam Maalik or Imaam ash-Shaafi’ie nor that of Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal. Since a Madh-hab is attributed to a particular scholar’s juristic understanding of a particular matter. For example, if we take the issue of combining the prayer and shortening when travelling - Imaam Abu Haneefah is reported to have allowed shortening of the Salaat but not combining; whereas Imaam ash-Shaafi’ie and the other A-immah (plural for Imaam) allowed both to shorten and to combine. Yet despite these differences, both are still from Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. In fact all four of these scholars are from Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. Ahl ul-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah is not a Jamaa’at (group) Although many groups claim to be from Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah itself is not a single group. A group is a collection of individuals who bond together for a particular duty or obligation. For example, we have Jamaa’at ul-Khilaafah, whose purpose is to re-establish the Khilaafah, or Jamaa’at ul-Jihaad, whose purpose is to fight Jihaad and liberate the Muslim lands from the occupation of the Kuffaar. ‘Abdullaah bin Mas’ood (ra) said, “The Jamaa’ah is what matches with the obedience to Allaah (swt) even if you are alone.” Ahl ul-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah is a Firqah (sect) Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah is a sect within the deen of Islaam. A sect is a group of individuals who are bonded together with the same understanding on topics related to Belief. Examples of these (sects) in Islaam include, Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, the Mu’tazilah, Ash’arees, Maatureedees and the Shee’ah Raafidah etc. Therefore Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah are the only saved sect out of 73, and it is a duty upon every Muslim to learn about their attributes and characteristics in order to make one of their aims in life to be from among them in this dunyaa and in the Aakhirah (Hereafter).
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 16:38:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015