The sixteenth issue[1] is that the narration of those who narrated, “and that is the Jama‘ah (Group),”[2] as the meaning of the saved sect, is in need of commentary, because although its interpretation is clear by means of the elucidation of another narration – and that is his statement, “what I and my companions are upon,”[3] – the meaning of the word, “Jama‘ah,” in terms of its intent in the unqualified usage of the Shar‘iah is in need of commentary; as it has appeared in many hadiths:
- from them is the hadith which we are commenting on;
- from them is what is authentic from Ibn ‘Abbas from the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), he said: “Whoever sees from his commander anything he dislikes, let him endure it, for indeed the one who departs from the Jama‘ah one hand span, then dies, he dies the death of Jahilyyah.”[4]
- And it is authentic from the hadith of Hudhayfah, he said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Verily we were in [a period of] Jahiliyyah and evil, and Allah brought this goodness to us. Then, is there any evil after this goodness?” He said: “Yes.” I said: “And is there any goodness after that evil?” He said: “Yes, and there is dinginess therein.” I said: “And what is its dinginess?” He said: “A people following other than [my] guidance, you recognise [some things] from them [as correct], and you do not recognise [other things].” And in another narration: “A people following other than my guidance and adopting other than my Sunnah, you recognise [some things] in them and do not recognise [other things].” I said: “Then, is there any evil after the goodness?” He said: “Yes, callers on the gates of Jahannam. Whoever answers them in that [call], they will throw them therein.” I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Describe them for us.” He said: “They will be of our complexion, and they will speak with our tongues.” I said: “What do you advise me, if that [time] reaches me?” He said: “[That] you stick to the Jama‘ah of the Muslims and their Imam.” I said: “And if they do not have a Jama‘ah, or an Imam?” He said: “Withdraw from the sects, all of them, even if it were that you bite on the root of a tree, until death reaches you, and you are in that [state].”[5]
Al-Tirmidhi and al-Tabari transmitted from Ibn ‘Umar, he said: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab delivered a sermon to us at al-Jabiyah, and he said: “I stand amongst you in the standing-place of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) amongst us, when he said: ‘I bequeath to you my companions, and then those who follow them and then those who follow them, and then lying will spread, until a man will take oath and will not be asked to take oath, and will bear testimony and will not be asked to bear testimony. [Incumbent] on you is the Jama‘ah! And beware of division! A man must not be in seclusion with a woman, for indeed a man is not secluded with a woman except the third of them is Satan. Satan is with the individual, and he is farther from two [people]. Whoever desires the centre of Jannah, let him adhere to the Jama‘ah. And whoever’s good pleases him and evil displease him, that is a believer.”[6]
- And [it is reported] in al-Tirmidhi from Ibn ‘Abbas, he said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The hand of Allah is with the Jama‘ah.” [It is] an uncommon hadith.[7]
- And [he narrated] the like of it from Ibn ‘Umar, he said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Verily Allah will not unite my ummah” – or he said “the ummah of Muhammad” – “on misguidance, and the hand of Allah is with the Jama‘ah, and whoever is isolated, is isolated in the Fire.”[8]
- And Abu Dawud transmitted from Abu Dharr, he said: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Whoever parts from the Jama‘ah one hand span, he has removed the noose of Islam from his neck.”
- And [it is narrated] from ‘Arfajah, he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) say: “Verily there will be tribulations after tribulations in my ummah, so whoever wishes to split the affair of the Muslims while they are united, strike him with the sword whoever he may be.”[9]
The people differed over the meaning of the “Jama‘ah” intended by these hadiths, according to five views: