মাসিক আত-তাহরীক The movement for unity
(حَرَكَةُ إِتِّحَادِ الْأُمَّةِ)
Different Mazhab (group) within Islam has rejected willingly or unwillingly many correct decisions of other Mazhab though supported by authentic documents of Kitab (Quran) and Sunnah, just out of their Taqleedi bigotry. Thereafter, to suppress this narrowness, they have denied those saheeh Hadeethes accepted by other Mazhabs claiming those as Mansookh (abrogated). Or they have tried to give its indirect or wrong explanations or sometimes they have nicely avoided it saying both are correct. They hold the function of khatm-i-Bukhari (the ending ceremony of Saheeh Bukhari) with splendour, but do not obey to the Hadeeth of Bukhari. They feel proud of being a translator of Saheeh Bukhari, but made tricky device in translation. Moreover, they take attempt to slaughter the saheeh Hadeeth against their own Mazhabs with the knife of illogical notes and references. By those people, attacked with the cancer of Taqleedi bigotry has been broken in to the pieces the unity of Islam in the name of Islam itself and that has taken a permanent character now socially.
Now if anybody really wants Islamic unity and if he desires peace in this world and salvation in the life hereafter by properly following Islamic rules and regulations, then first of all, he will have to break the ties of Taqleed and to refrain from Mazhabi and sectarian narrowness. Thereafter with quite open mind, will have to be the followers of the holy Quran and saheeh Hadeeth devotedly. This might go against his own Mazhab, own family and society and even if against the conventional law of the country. By taking such a hard risk if one can accept the Haq (truth), only then he can hope for getting the Jannat (heaven).
In the early part of the decade of eighty (1980 A.D.) a new formula called ‘Unity with difference of opinions' (الاتحاد مع الاختلاف) was heard. But striving for long two decades (1978-98) begot no result.[1] Because, religious disunity puts deeper impression in the mind of the people than materialistic disunity. For this reason, the differences in Salat, the best of prayer, whether hands to be set on the chest or below the navel, whether to make Raf‘ul Yadayin (raising of hands) in ruku and rising from it, whether 6 (six) or 12 (twelve) Takbeers be given in the Salat of Eidayen (two Eids), whether Sura Fatiha is to be read in the Salat of Janazah, whether the Imam and Muqtadis will pray unitedly after salat raising their hands, whether the Azan of Jum‘ah is one or two and all such religious questions, have not yet been solved. While the easiest formula of unity in these matters is to accept all those which are proved by saheeh Hadeeth and give up the rest. If both are in saheeh Hadeeth, then the most Saheeh one will be practised or both will be practised due to scope and situation. There should not be any rigidity on a particular one. Needless to say, these sorts of differences are apparent in almost all matters in Fiqh.
Many people say, we have no difference in respect of Aqeedah (faith). All the differences are lying in branches and sub-branches only. This claim is totally baseless. Rather, along with the ‘Amal (Practice), there is a gulf of differences in Aqeedah as well. For example, it is widely spoken that Allah is an incorporeal being. He is Omnipresent. Whereas the holy Quran says that Allah has got His own form (Swad 38/75, Maidah 5/64 etc.). But there is none to be compared with Him (Shoora 42/11 etc.). He is placed on the ‘Arsh on the Heaven (Toaha 20/5 etc.). But His ‘Ilm (knowledge) and Qudrat (power of doing) are spread over everywhere (Talaq 65/12; Baqarah 2/148 etc.). Some are saying, ‘As many heads, as many Allah’. We are all part and percel of the Being of Allah (Na‘oozubillah). Whereas the Quran gives testimony that Allah is the creator of everything and all the rest are His creation. The creator and creation are never the same (Ra‘d 13/16; Nahl 16/17 etc.). Virtually these are the philosophies of the doctrine of non-dual and pantheism of the Iranians and Hindus, which has crept into Muslim society as Sufistic (Mystic) Philosophy in the name of Ma‘rifat.
Some say that, Prophet, Rasool, Peers and Saints do not die, but they would only be transferred from the surface of the earth to its inside i.e. to the grave. They remain alive in the graves and possess the power of doing good or bad to their devotees. Whereas, except Allah none can do any good or harm to anybody (Maidah 5/76). Even some of them have been regarded as Zinda Peer (Living Saint). Whereas Allah says, all people including the Prophets and Rasools will die (Muminoon 23/15, Zumar 39/30). They will remain in Alam-i-Barzakh (the world under the curtain) till the day of Resurrection (Muminoon 23/100). A group of strong fatalist says, ‘nothing happens by its own, everything that happens is by Allah’, we are nothing but like the dolls. ‘We play as we are played, so what is the fault with the dolls?’ Another group against it says that ‘there is nothing as fate. Man himself is the creator of his fate’. Whereas the straight and simple formula in the matter of Aqeedah is that, the verses of the Quran and the saheeh Hadeethes on the name and qualities of Allah should be accepted in their explicit meaning and to decide everything according to the Maslak (route) of the honoured Sahabis, Tabe‘iis and Muhadditheen.
Besides, in the name of Haqeeqat, Tareeqat and Ma‘rifat there remain four groups of Sufism called Chistia, Qaderia, Mujaddedia and Naqshbandia with their sub-groups of about two hundred sufistic orders in Bangladesh. There is no unity of Aqeedah (faith) and Amal (practice) among themselves. As a result, according to the govt. account of 1981 A.D, there have been created 2 lacs 98 thousands of peer in the country. There are thousands of Mureeds (devotees) of those Peers. There are great difference of Aqeedah and Amal of one Peer with another and with their devotees. So, the condition of 13 crores of Tawheedi Muslims are now like bamboo eaten up by insects. In which there are no strength at all. The only reason for it is : the various types of Shirki Aqeedah and Bid‘ati Amal i.e. the polytheistic faith and practices of innovation.
The introducer of these are : firstly, a group of evil minded Ulama (Religious scholars), who have introduced and fostered these for their worldly interests. Secondly, a group of social leaders who helped and guided these. Thirdly, by a class of rich people who for their false hope of getting Jannat, spend easily lots of money and resources behind these. Fourthly, the Govt. of the country who, in the name of religion, give security to these. To speak the truth, most of the peers and Islamic leaders do not know the true meaning of Tawheed (unity of Allah) or do not know the differences between Sunnat and Bid‘at. For that reason, so many Shirki Aqeedah in the society have been favoured in the name of Tawheed, similarly, the innovations in the society have been favoured in the name of Bid‘at-i-Hasanah (good innovation). As a result, as if there is no Shirk and Bid‘at at all in Bangladesh at present and so, all of those are Tawheed and all are Sunnats and all are Islam. The Ahle hadeeth who protest against these false practices is virtually ‘Bedeen' (sacrilegious) and la Mazhabi (Having no Mazhab). Ha-sha wa Kalla (Oh Allah! it is never so).
So, unlike the fundamental unity regarding Shirk and Bid‘at, the temporary superficial unity for the sake of collecting vote will never be durable. Rather, like a sliced bread the thin ties of selfish unity will be broken into pieces.
It is necessary to make it clear, that the enemies of Islam always prefer ideological or cultural aggression to territorial aggression, Many learned muslim scholar of the country have in the mean time been victims of their aggression and they took the stand against Islam, who are by infiltration into the press media, educational centers, economic sources, different political parties and the very fabric of state administration perpetuating their deceitful objectives. Therefore, we invite the Muslim leaders desirous of unity to pay more attention to the basic matters of Aqeedah (faith).
Ahle hadeeth movement wants to make a united great nation of the Muslim on a single point of submitting all the diverse factions of muslims to the highest authority of the holy Quran and saheeh Sunnah unconditionally. Ibraheem (A) the father of Muslim nation has been declared alone as an Ummah (community) in the holy Quran (Nahl 16/120). Though in fact, in his age, he was alone and all men including his father and his tribe had disowned him.
So, even today we should grasp the truth (Haq) at all risks and invite everyone with open mind to the path of truth. Whatever great or small in number those people on the right path, would be really a united Jama‘at before Allah. Ahle hadeeth movement invites people of the whole world to that straight path and wants to establish that Jama‘at pursuing the truth. Allah says, يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ ‘Oh believers! Fear Allah and always remain with the truthfuls (followers of Haq)’ (Tawbah 9/119).[1]. See: Professor Gholam Azam, Islami Aykka Mancha Chai (We want a plot for Unity in Islam) (Dhaka: Jamayat-i-Islami Bangladesh, Central publishing department, February 2000).
