Learning the Lessons of UNITY from RAMADHAN

By Majed Iqbal
As all of us have been been witnessing in the press and Media lately, both nationally and internationally, the heavy attempts made to malign the call for Shariah in the Muslim World as outdated, non-workable and depicted as not being the aspirations of the people.

We have seen attempts in Britain to divide the community into those who are moderate (non-political groups who tow the government line) and those who are branded as Extreme (Islamic political groups who challenge foreign policy and advocate shariah for the Muslim World). Internationally, powers have tried to strike a wedge by dividing the muslims on shia and sunni lines as seen in Iraq.

Despite these cheap efforts exhausted, the muslim world has continuoulsy called for Islam as the heart of any solution. Ramadhan evidences our Unity in Worship and Fasting. However, the Muslim Ummah lacks the Political unity which Islam calls for. Every Muslim acknowledges that their is disunity and this has been a major cause for our misfortunes. The British Foreign Minister addressed the British Prime Minister shortly before World War II in Parliament and said

"We must put an end to anything which brings about any Islamic unity between the sons of the Muslims. As we have already succeeded in finishing off the Khilafah, so we must ensure that there will never arise again unity for the Muslims, whether it be intellectual or cultural unity."
Lord Curzon, British Foreign Minister, in front of the House of Commons after the Lausanne Treaty of July 24th, 1924 said

"The situation now is that Turkey is dead and will never rise again, because we have destroyed its moral strength, the Khilafah and Islam."

Do we not see the significance of these statements for us today?

Islam demands muslim unity as a MUST for its prosperity, its life, its strength, its honour, its dignity, its power and its existence. Working to maintain this has been charged as one of the highest obligations in Islam. Imam Muslim narrated from Abdullah bin 'Umar who said that the Prophet (saw) said, "One who dies without having bound himself by an oath of allegiance (to a Khalifah) will die the death of one belonging to the days of ignorance (Jahiliyah)".

Ahmed and Ibn abi 'Asim narrated that the Prophet (saw) said, "Whosoever dies and he does not have over him an Imaam, he dies the death of Jahiliyyah".

This grave matter of Unity under an established and legitimate Islamic Leadership was fully understood by the best of generations, the sahaba- Ridwaan-Allah-alayhi ajma-een.

Ali ibn abi Taalib (r.a.) said, "The people will not be straightened except by an Imaam (Khaleefah), whether he is good or bad". (Bayhaqi, No. 14286, Kanz ul-ummal)

Abdullah ibn 'Umar (r.a.) said "The people in the Ummah will not suffer even if they were oppressors and sinful if the rulers were guided and were guiding. But the people in the Ummah will suffer and perish even if they were guided and were guiding if the rulers were oppressors and sinful". (Abu Nu'aim narrated in 'Hulayat Awliyyah.)

'Umar ibn al-Khattab (r.a.) said, "Laa Islam bi laa Jamaa'ati wa laa jamaa'ati bi laa Imaarah, wa laa Imaaratu bi laa sam'on wa taa'ah". "There is no Islam without a community, and there is no community without a leadership, and there is no authoruty without hearing and obeying".

It is a central tenent and pillar of Islam to have this Unification under the Khilafah State, with an appointed Khaleefah who rules by Ahkam Shariah.

It is up to us to Work for this and fulfill this noble task.