by The Comparison between the pleasure of the Paradise and of the World
Author: Ustadz Abu Ahmad Said Yai, Lc.
It is undeniable that Islam was “born” more than 14 centuries ago. This long time distance makes it highly possible for a digression to happen in Islam. More than 14 centuries, even in a very short time, a nation could fall into astray, as happened to the children of Israel when Prophet Moses -peace be upon him- left them for forty days. They changed, from the sole worshipper of Allah, to worship the idols.
Likewise, the very long distance between the center of Islam propagation in the past, such as Medina, Mecca, Baghdad, Egypt, etc, raised the similar probability, since in order to reach Indonesia, the preacher of Islam must go through a long voyage and lengthy journey.
According to the historical record, at the beginning of Islam entering the land of Indonesia, it was mainly propagated by the muslim merchants who interacted with the indigenous. They were not known to be scholars with profound and thorough understanding of Islamic sciences, as with the scholars who lived at the centre of Islam propagation. Supposed that they were truly scholars with profound knowledge, we would certainly able to find their scientific artifacts, be it in written form, or the narration of their sayings, or their fame in the Islamic world. But in fact we do not find any of it. Thus, we could conclude that Islam came to Indonesia through the teaching of people who hadn’t reached the level of a learned scholar. If that was the case, then it was possible that Islam was tarnished by their lacking of knowledge. This factor could contribute significantly to the digression in Islam in Indonesia.
Beside that, as we all know, the religion that was widely spread in Indonesia before the entrance of Islam were Hindu, Buddha, Animism, dinamism, and atheism. Whether we realize it or not, their existences could also cause the mixing between Islam and those religions. Not to mention the various cultures that exhibit strong influence over the muslims in Indonesia as we could see these days; this factor may support the emergence of disgression.
Upon reading the aforementioned factors, we could see that Indonesia could be a fertile soil for disgression and deviation to emerge and spread. Therefore, as muslim, we must truly pay attention to the Islam that we’re currently practicing, whether it is truly the right one and far from any deviation, or not. In a hadith from Abu Huraira, The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- proclaimed,
« افْتَرَقَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى إِحْدَى أَوْ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً وَتَفَرَّقَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَى إِحْدَى أَوْ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً وَتَفْتَرِقُ أُمَّتِى عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً/كُلُّهَا فِي النَّارِ إِلاَّ مِلَّةً وَاحِدَةً)).
“The Jews are divided into 71 or 72 sects. The christian are also divided into 71 or 72 sects. Whereas my followers will be divided into 73 sects [1]. All will be in Hell except for one group.” [2]
The hadith above has clearly depicted that the muslims will be divided into sects and there will be only one group that is saved. This is a foreboding that we must believe in because it was revealed by the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-.
The hadith has also informed us that the other seventy two sects are still considered as the followers of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- which means that they are still muslim, thus, even if they fall into committing apostasy, in the Hereafter, they will still be under Allah’s wish. if Allah wishes to punish them with tortures, He will torture them, and if not, then He won’t. However, in the end, all of them will enter the Paradise.
But I (the author, -ed) need to remind you readers that there are indeed groups that affiliate themselves with Islam, while in fact they are not included as the followers of Prophet Muhammad -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, such as Ahmadiyya, Jaringan Islam Liberal / Liberal Islamic Network (JIL) , some extreme sects of Sufism and Shia/Rafidha, etc. These groups are not included in the seventy three sects that was mentioned in the hadith.
Who is the one group that was mentioned in the hadith? To answer this question, we are not allowed to make subjective claim stating that we’re the one that walk upon the truth, except there is an indication from the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- that supports that claim. And we ought to always be cautious and dubious, whether the Islam we’re practicing now is correct or not. By that, we’ll be motivated to seek for the truth.
In the next part of the aforementioned hadith, the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- described the one group:
(( فَقِيلَ لَهُ : مَا الْوَاحِدَةُ ؟ قَالَ : مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ الْيَوْمَ وَأَصْحَابِي))
“Then the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- was asked, “Who is that one group, O Allah’s messenger?”. He -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- answered, ” The one that fits with what I and my companions stand upon today.”
Hence, the truest of Islam is the Islam that fits the teaching of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- without any addition or reduction in it, and also the Islam that was explained by the companions of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, since they were people who directly received the knowledge from Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-.
Today, there are many people who claim that their groups are the truest, because they based it on the Qur’an and the sunnah. But if it is true, then why there are still rifts and feuds happened among them, hence one group accused the other of infidelity and another one pointed the other as people in astray?
It happened because they tried to figure out the Qur’an and the sunnah only with their intellectual, or only with the Arabic language that they fathomed. As the result, they didn’t know whether they had fell into digression or not.
Dear readers, may Allah have mercy upon us all, if the Qur’an and the sunnah are to be interpreted or explained only by human intelligence, multiple understanding will occur, since each person has a very different level of understanding compared to others. If it continues, then Islam that exists from time to time will undergo transformation to transformation, and eventually become a new religion that is different from the Islam taught by the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him.
But then, whose understanding to follow? The answer is that we should follow the understanding of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, his companions, and the people who followed them in kind.
Are they still exist today? The answer is positive, that the people who follow the understanding of the companions and those who followed them in kind are still exist today, until the Last Day. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,
(( لاَ تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِى ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِىَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَهُمْ كَذَلِكَ )).
“There will always be a group of people from among my followers who always show the truth. Those who disregard them will never bring harm to them until Allah’s decision come, while they are still upon the truth.” [3]
Why should we follow the understanding of the companions and the people who followed them in kind? There are at least four reasons why we should follow their understanding, namely:
Allah the Glorified and Exalted is pleased with them, as He revealed inside the Qur’an within His verse:
{رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ}
“.Allah is well-pleased with them, and they are well-pleased with Him.” (Chapter Al Bayyinah/The Clear Proof:8)
2. They were the best people in front of Allah
(( خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِى ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ))
“The best men are the ones who live at my time, and then ones who lived after that, and then ones who lived after that.” [4]
3. Allah had threatened the people who disagree with them in one of His decree inside the Qur’an:
وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا (115)
“As for him who sets himself against the Messenger and follows a path other than that of the believers even after true guidance had become clear to him, We will let him go to the way he has turned to, and We will cast him into Hell – an evil destination.” (Chapter An Nisa/The Women:115)
“The path of the believers”, who were the believers? They were none other than the companions of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-.
4. Allah had praised them inside the Qur’an and had prepared for them the Paradise
{ وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ (100) }
“And of those who led the way – the first of the Emigrants (Muhajirun) and the Helpers (Ansar), and those who followed them in the best possible manner – Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Allah. He has prepared for them Gardens beneath which rivers flow; therein they will abide forever. That is the supreme triumph.” (Chapter At Tawba/The Repentance:100)
Allah have mentioned in this verse the virtue of the Emigrants and the Helpers, and the people who followed them in kind. Allah was pleased with them, and prepared for them later, the Paradise. Therefore, we have to follow their lead in order to be among the people whom are mentioned after the Emigrants and the Helpers, and to gain the excellence of Allah’s please and His paradise.
Then how could we be truly certain that the Islam that we’re currently practicing is the one that goes according to their understanding? To be certain, we need to study this Islam seriously and revive the scientific method in embracing and practicing it. We shouldn’t accept, practice, and believe about anything except for the thing that has a firm basis inside the Qur’an and the hadith of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-. The hadith of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- that are currently spreading in the Islamic world should also undergo careful selection, because there are many classifications of hadith: valid and good hadith (these two types are the ones to be indication or argumentation); and weak or false hadith (both are not valid to be indication).
Still not enough, we should further examine whether our comprehension of Qur’an and hadith interpretations
Befits the understanding of the past-time muslims (the predecessors from among the companions, their students, the students of their students, and the people who followed them in kind), by reading the quotations of their sayings inside the books of the scholars with trustworthy quality.
Even in the worldly affair we ought to apply scientific method in accepting anything, for example:
In medicine, the doctors are not allowed to immediately approve of certain treatment method, except after scientific research and scientific evidence support it. Likewise, in technology, the scientists could not simply claim that certain finding is a knowledge except until it could be proven and explained with scientific theories.
More than anything else, in embracing the religion, we should revive the scientific method so that we do not mistakenly understand this religion and do not go astray.
We shouldn’t be too fanatic in following certain school of jurisprudence, such the school of Shafii, hanbali (by Ahmad), Hanafi and Maliki. The imams of those schools were not protected from sin, thus it was possible for them to commit mistakes.
There is no single school of jurisprudence but containing truth and mistake. Whatever correct and befit the indication, ought to be followed. And whatever wrong or doesn’t befit the indication ought to be rejected. The ultimate truth doesn’t lie in any certain method.
[3] HR Muslim no. 5059
[4] HR Al-Bukhari no. 2652 dan Muslim no. 6635
Therefore, we shall ask ourselves; Is our way of practicing Islam is already correct? If its not, then let’s mend it together, be patient in accepting the truth, and not be arrogant.
As the last words, I wish that the readers could help in spreading the goodness inside this writing by telling it to the people around you, of family and the muslims. May this article benefit us all. Amin.
Footnotes:
[1]. The end of the hadith from Abu Daud no. 4596, At Tirmidhi no. 2640, and Ibn Maja no. 3991. It was classified as valid hadith by Sheikh Al Albani.
[2]. Hadith narrated by Al-Marwazi in “The sunnah” no. 59, and Al-Hakim in “Mustadrak” no. 444. It has a supporting hadith, from Anas Ibn Malik, as reported by Ath Thabrani in “Al Mu’jam Al-Ausath no. 4886.
[3]. Narrated by Muslim no. 5059
[4]. Narrated by Al Bukhari no. 2652 and Muslim no. 6635
