FRIDAY LEARNING ZONE FROM WESSEX JAMAAT

ALMAHDI, WICKHAM ROAD, FAREHAM, HANTS, PO17 5BU

www.almahdi.org.uk

  3rd Shawwal 1427 AH / 27th October 2006

 

AL-IKHUWWAH: BROTHERHOOD IN ISLAM

PART 1

 

“Indeed the faithful are brothers (to each other). Therefore make peace between your brothers and be wary of Allah, so that you may receive His mercy”. (49:10)

 

In order to understand any verse of the Holy Quran, one of the things that are required is to know the Shaan-e-Nuzool of that Ayah as to when and why that verse was revealed. By doing so, the Ayah and its message become clearer for the Mumineen. The Mufassireen write that:

 

[Aws and Khazraj were two tribes, which were at war with each other for countless years. After Islam, the Holy Prophet (saww) was able to bring peace between them and unite them as brothers. A Jew in Madina – by the name of Shaas bin Qays was jealous of this unity. So one day he entered into their gathering and through shrewdness that he possessed – he started to speak and remind them about the bitter moments between them before Islam. He spoke in such a manner that he was able to instigate the youths of both tribes to reach for their swords and re-ignite the war. As soon as the Holy Prophet (saww) was informed, he (saww) came to them and not only did he (saww) calm them down BUT he (saw) also made them feel that what they had done was wrong. The youths of both the tribes were so effected when they heard the Messenger of Allah (saww) that, they began to weep and then hugged each other. This way the matter was resolved and this verse was revealed.]

                               (Tafseer of Surah al-Hujuraat: Ayatullah Dasti Ghayb)

 

 

HABLULLAH: THE ROPE THAT HOLDS FIRM

 

The most important thing that holds the Muslims together is ‘Hablullah’ ‘the Rope of Allah’.  “And hold fast to the rope of Allah and do not be divided and remember Allah’s blessings upon you when you were enemies, then He brought your hearts together so you became brothers with His blessings”. (3:103) When we talk about holding a rope, what comes to mind is a rope that is hanging from the heaven to the earth and we have been commanded to hold it firm. Once again, the verse above refers to the division between Aws and Khazraj; and their eventual union. The ‘Rope of Allah’ is in reference to what guides one towards Him. The Prominent Sunni Scholars such as the author of Tafseer-e-Kabeer and Durrul-Manthoor have narrated this Hadith of the Holy Prophet (saww) in which he (saww) has said; “I leave behind me, among you, two ropes. If my people hold fast to these two ropes, they shall not go astray. They are the Book of Allah, hung from the heaven unto the earth and my Ahlul-Bayt. One of them is greater than the other. Be it known that these two shall never be separated from each other; and joined together, they shall meet me at the spring of Kawthar”. Therefore, when Allah (SWT) is telling us to hold firm His rope, He (SWT) means that: We must abide by the teachings of Quran and that of the Divine guides; these indeed will hold us together and save us from division that leads to our destruction.

 

                                                                          To be continued…………………………..

 

mulla@almahdi.org.uk