Imaam al-Bukhaaree: How to achieve unity?

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Imaam al-Bukhaaree رحمه الله said:

I met more than a thousand men amongst the people of knowledge from the people of al-Hijaaz, al-Makkah, al-Madinah, al-Koofah, al-Basrah, Waasit, Baghdaad, Shaam and Misr... and I never saw a single one of them differ with respect to the following matters...

... And they (the people of knowledge) used to forbid and prevent [people] from the innovations - those that the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Companions رضي الله عنهم were not upon, due to His تعالى saying:

{And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allaah (i.e. this Qur’aan), and be not divided among yourselves} [Surah Aal-Imraan (3):103]

and due to His تعالى saying:

{If you obey him [the Messenger], you shall be on the right guidance} [Soorah an-Noor 24:54]

[Reported by al-Laalikaa'ee (2/172-5), The Creed of Imaam al-Bukhaaree p.13,28 - al-Maktabah as-Salafiyyah Publications]

Notes:

In the words of Imaam al-Bukhaaree is a clear indication that Muslim unity is to be attained by removing the innovations - and that is the unanimous understanding of the greatest of scholars of the noble Aayah in question; since it is the newly-invented matters (in the issues of belief, action and methodology) that have divided the hearts of the Muslims and set them against each other. Thus, in order for the hearts of the Muslims to unite and consequently, their word and rank, it is necessary for them to purify their beliefs, actions and methodologies from everything that was never taught by the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and which was never acted upon by the Noble Companions رضي الله عنهم اجمعين - whilst humbly submitting to the Pure and Clear Sunnah. But this cannot be attained until the Muslims attend to the authentic and beneficial knowledge - that which has been left by the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and which has been inherited by the Scholars after him, the Ahl ul-Hadeeth (the People of Authenticating the Narrations) and then to nurture themselves upon it. This issue was so clearly understood by the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and those after them, as will become evident by the narrations below.

The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Every innovation is misguidance and going astray.” [Sunan Abu Daawood (4607) and it is Saheeh]

The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم also warned against the people of innovation, from befriending, supporting or taking from them saying: “Whoever innovates or accommodates an innovator then upon him is the curse of Allaah, His Angels and the whole of mankind.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (12/41) and Muslim (9/140)]

And in his footsteps, we find the Noble Companions and the Taabi`een after them warning from the danger of innovations upon the Ummah, its people and their unity.

Ibn `Abbaas said: “Indeed the most detestable of things to Allaah are the innovations.” [al-Bayhaqee in as-Sunan al-Kubraa (4/316)]

Ibn `Umar said: “Every innovation is misguidance, even if the people see it as something good.” [Abu Shaamah (39)]

Sufyaan ath-Thawree said: “Innovation is more beloved to Iblees than sin, since a sin may be repented from but innovation is not repented from.” [al-Laalikaa’ee (238)]

Al-Fudayl bin `Iyaad said: “I met the best of people, all of them people of the Sunnah and they used to forbid from accompanying the people of innovation.” [al-Laalikaa'ee (267)]

Al-Hasan al-Basree said: “Do not sit with the people of innovation and desires, nor argue with them, nor listen to them.” [ad-Daarimee in his Sunan (1/121)]

Ibraaheem bin Maysarah said: “Whoever honours an innovator has aided in the destruction of Islaam.” [al-Laalikaa'ee (1/139)]

Sufyaan ath-Thawree said: “Whoever listens to an innovator has left the protection of Allaah and is entrusted with the innovation.” [Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah (7/26) and Ibn Battah (444)]

Imaam Maalik said: “How evil are the people of innovation, we do not give them salaam.” [al-Baghawee in Sharh us-Sunnah (1/234)]

Imaam ash-Shaafi`ee said: “That a person meets Allaah with every sin except Shirk is better than meeting Him upon any one of the innovated beliefs.” [al-Bayhaqee in al-I'tiqaad (p.158)]

Al-Fudayl bin `Iyaad said: “Whoever sits with a person of innovation, then beware of him and whoever sits with a person of innovation has not been given wisdom. I love that there was fort of iron between me and a person of innovation. That I eat with a Jew and a Christian is more beloved to me than that I eat with a person of innovation.” [al-Laalikaa'ee (1149)]

Al-Layth bin Sa`d said: “If I saw a person of desires (i.e. innovations) walking upon the water I would not accept from him.” So Imaam as-Shaafi`ee then said: “He (al-Layth) has fallen short. If I saw him walking in the air I would not accept from him.” [as-Suyooti in al-Amr bil 'Ittibaa wan-Nahee anil Ibtidaa`]