(An Adaptation from AL AHAADEETH AL WAARIDAH FEE LUZOOM AL JAMAA’AH
pp 95-99
The textual evidences that exhort to clinging to the jama’ah and caution against disassociating (from the community of Muslim) are glaring enough, denoting the obligation to cling to the jama’ah and explicating the consequence of doing otherwise.
In the narration of ‘Umar radiyaLlahu ‘anhu: “It is upon you to hold to jama’ah and beware of disunity”
And in the narration of Al-Hudhayfah; “Cling to the jama’ah of the believers”
The narration of ‘Umar encompasses the crystal clear order on clinging to jama’ah, while the narration of Al Hudhayafa was narrated in an informative format but it means an order, and order means obligation.
Ibn Bataal said-rahimahiLlaah-about the narration of Hudhayfah; “There is an evidence in it for the group of scholars on the obligation of clinging to jama’ah of the believers, and jettisoning rebelling against the oppresive leaders”
It was narrated from the narration of Ibn ‘Umar and others about the prohibition of disassociating (from the jama’ah), and prohibition means forbiddance. The textual evidence indicates the obligation of clinging to jama’ah and forbiddance of disassociating from it:
Allaah the Most Sublime says:
“O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islaam” (Al ‘Imraan: 102).
Ibn Jareer rahimahuLlah narrated with its chain of narration from Ibn Mas’ood about the Saying of Allah: “And hold fast, all of you together to the rope of Allah.” He (Ibn Mas’ood) said (the rope of Allah means): Al Jamaa’ah.
Ibn Katheer rahimahuLlaah said about the Saying of Allaah: “Do not be divided” (Al ‘Imraan:102) “Allah commanded them to cling to Jamaa’ah and prohibited them from detachment(from Jamaa’ah).”
The Most Sublime also 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 awful torment (105) on the day when some faces will become white and some faces will become white…”
Ibn Jareer narrated with its chain back to Ibn ‘Abbaas radiyaLlahu ‘anhumaa about the Saying of the Most Sublime:
“Do not be like those who divided and differed among themselves”
He (Ibn ‘Abbaas) said: Allaah commanded the believers to cling to the Jamaa’ah and prohibited them from disharmony and group, He then informed them that nothing destroyed those before them but argumentation and controversies in the religion.
Ibn ‘Abbaas radiyahLlahu ‘anhu said about The Saying of Allah The Most Sublime:
“On the day when some faces will become white and some faces will become dark…”
It means: On the Day of Resurrection the faces of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah will become white and the face Ahlul Bidi’ah wal firaq will become dark”. Ibn Katheer narrated it.
The consequence that Allah placed on rebelling against the leader and detaching from the jamaa’ah is severe torment which substantiates the obligation of clinging to Al Jamaa’ah. It was mentioned by the two Imaams (Bukhaaree and Muslim) from the narration of Ibn ‘Abbaas radiyaLlahu ‘anhumaa, the Prophet sallaLlahu ‘alayhi was sallam said:
“Whosoever notices something which he dislikes in his ruler, then he should be patient, for whosoever becomes separate from the company of the Muslim, even for a handspan and dies, he will die as those who died in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance (as rebellious sinner).
The narration of Ibn ‘Umar radiyaLlahu ‘anhumaa is also like it (in wording).
The narrration of Aboo Dharr and Al Haarith Al Ash’ariy radiyaLllahu ‘anhumaa, the Prophet sallaLlahu ‘alayhi was sallam said:
“Whosoever becomes separate from the company of the Muslim, the noose of Islaam had been removed from his neck” It was also narrated from the narration of Hudhayfah Al Yamaan radiyaLlahu ‘anhu, the Prophet sallaLlahu ‘alayhi was sallam said:
“Whosoever detaches from the community of the Muslims and scorn the leader, he will meet Allah without any excuse”
An Nawawee rahimahuLlaah named a chapter about the narration collected in Saheeh Muslim with this meaning, with his title; “The Chapter of the Obligation of Adhering to the Community of Muslims during Trial and in All Condition, and Prohibition of Rebelling against the Leader and Detachment from the Community Of Muslims”.
From what asserts the obligation of clinging to the community of Muslims, and prohibition from detaching from it is the fact that it is from the creed of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah, and they recognise offering Salaah and going to jihaad with the leader even if they are extremely oppressive; thus the community of Muslims was protected. Al Imaam Aboo Isma’eel As Saaboonee rahimahuLlah said:
“The people of hadeeth recognize that offering salaatul jum‘ah and ‘eidayn (the prayer of the two festivals) and among others from other kinds of prayers behind every leader either righteous or oppressive, and they recognize fighting the unbelievers behind them even if they were tyrannical. And they recognize praying for their reformation, peacemaking, righteousness and extension of justice on citizens”.
‘AbduLlaahi bn ‘Umar and Anas bn Malik radiyaLlaahu ‘anhumaa used to pray behind Al Hajaaj bn Yoosuf,whom was known with injustice and oppression.
Ibn Mas’ood radiyaLlahu used to pray behind Al Waleed bn ‘Uqbah bn Abee ‘Umaamah bn Abee Mu’eet when he was Ameer at Koofah and he was a drunkard; one day he prayed Subh four rakah, and then said: “Should I increase it for you?” Ibn Mas’ood said: “We are still with you the day of increment”
Al Haafidh Ibn Hajar mentioned it in the biography of Al Waleed: The story of his Subh Prayer which he prayed as four units for people was widely collected.
THE MEANING OF AL JAMAA’AH (Summary of the First Research in the book, pp 82-83)
Al Imaam Ash Shaatibi rahimahuLlahu narrated some narrations which cointain the word “Al Jamaa’ah”, then he said: “The people (of knowledge) differed about the meaning of AL JAMAA’AH which was intended in these narrations into five sayings:
The first: It is the main body (sawaadul Adham) from the people of Al
Islaam (Ash-Shaykh Al Albaanee graded the narration that contains this
as weak in Ad Da’eefah no2896).
The Second: It is the group of independent scholars (mujtahidoon)
The Third: They are the Companions of the Prophet salaLlahu ‘alayhi was sallam.
The fourth: It is the people of Al Islaam if they unite on an affair, so
it is an obligation upon others from the people of other sects (like
the Jews and Christians) to follow them.
The fifth: The community of the Muslims if they unite upon a leader.
Ash Shaatibee said: “Summarily, the Jamaa’ah recourses to the concurrence upon a leader which coincides with the Book (of Allaah) and the Sunnah…”
