Question and Answer

QUESTION AND ANSWER action: sincere advice. The rest is left to God. The Messenger of God  prayed that his ummah should not be destroyed by famine, and God accepted this prayer. He also prayed that an external enemy should not be imposed upon his ummah, and God accepted this prayer. But when he prayed that they should not be divided into groups such that one group would dominate the other, God did not accept this prayer (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2890). This Hadith clarifies how to recognize an undesirable movement. The sign is whether the movement divides Muslims into groups that fight one another. Whenever a movement causes Muslims to split and clash, it is certainly undesirable and does not enjoy God’s support. Its spread will be with the support of Satan, not God. Such division may occur under political, religious, or other labels. The real criterion for a Muslim movement being desirable is not its name or its claim of following the Quran and Hadith. The real criterion is whether it promotes unity among Muslims or discord. A movement that promotes unity is desirable in God’s sight; a movement that promotes division and discord is undesirable. (Al-Risala, May 2003)