Uniting the Ranks Upon the Truth

Imaam ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Baaz –rahimahullah – said:

“There is no doubt that it is obligatory upon the Muslims to unify their ranks and to unite their word upon the truth and to co-operate in goodness and piety against the enemies of Islaam – as Allaah, the Most Perfect, ordered them with in His saying: 

“And hold fast altogether to the rope of Allaah and do not become divided.” [Soorah Aal-‘lmraan 3:102]. 

And likewise, Allaah has warned the Muslims against splitting up, as occurs in His – the Most Perfect’s – saying:

“And do not be like those who differed and split-up after the clear evidences came to them.” [Soorah Aal-‘lmraan 3:105]. 

However, the order to unify the Muslims and unite their word upon the truth and to hold fast to the rope of Allaah, does not necessitate that they should not censure wrong beliefs and practices – whether from the Soofees or other than them. Rather, what the order to hold fast to the rope of Allaah necessitates is: to order the good, forbid the evil and also to clarify the truth – with the clear Sharee’ah proofs – to whomsoever is misguided or has a mistaken opinion, until they unite upon the truth and turn away from that which opposes it. All of this is included in His – the Most Perfect’s – saying: 

“And help you one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression.” [Sooratul-Maa’idah 5:2]. 

And His – the Most Perfect’s – saying: 

“Let there arise from amongst you a group of people calling to all that is good, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, they are the ones who shall be successful.” [Soorah Aal’-lmraan 3:110]. 

And when the people of truth withhold from clarifying the mistakes of those who have erred or are mistaken, then they will not have achieved that which Allaah ordered them with, as regards calling to goodness, ordering the good and forbidding the evil. So the person in error will remain upon his error, and the one acting in opposition to the truth will remain upon his opposition. And this is contrary to what Allaah – the Most Perfect – prescribed, with regards sincere advice, co-operation upon goodness, ordering the good and forbidding the evil – and Allaah alone is the One who grants success."

Tanbeehaat fir-Radd ‘alaa man Ta’awwalis-Sifaat