The Way of Prophet Muhammad (PUBH) part 1 by

The Way of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) - Part 1

By Dr. Bilal Philips

Opening

Introduction

All praise is due to Allah and may Allah's peace and blessings be on His last Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and on all those who follow the path of righteousness until the last day. This evening's topic is the way of the Prophet or the way is only one.

The way of the Prophet or the way is only one. Meaning that the prophetic way is only one way. That there is only one way to Allah, to God.

For us to achieve or to receive the blessings which Islam has to offer, we can only achieve those blessings following one single path. And Allah in Surah Al-Ma'idah has stressed the importance of following the way, that single way. The way which He refers to as the way of the party of Allah.

Saying:

"And whoever takes Allah and His Messenger and the believers as supporters, then indeed the party of Allah, they are the victorious ones."

Party of Allah, they are the victorious ones. And no matter how much we research in the Quran and the Sunnah, we will not find any praise for division.

Not in the authentic Sunnah, we will not find any praise for division. In fact wherever we find division described, it is described in negative terms. Either Allah curses those people who fall into division, splitting up their ranks, as in Surah Ar-Rum 30th chapter verses 31 and 32.

"And do not be of the pagans, of those who split up their religion and became sects. Each sect rejoicing in what they have."

This is speaking ill of division and splitting of ranks.

Division Leads to Weakness

And we find Allah speaking about this splitting leading to weakness and failure. Saying in Surah Al-Anfal 8th chapter verse 46:

"And do not dispute among yourselves and cause your own failure and loss of power."

The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, had said in a hadith narrated by Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan: "Indeed those before you from the people of the book divided into 72 sects. And the followers of this religion will split up into 73 sects. 72 of them will be in the fire and one in paradise."

Is this praise of division? No.

This is implying that division, the process of dividing, the love of sectarianism, factionalism, all of this is despised in Islam.

Fabricated Hadiths About Division

However, there are some common hadiths which are quoted in defense of splitting up different groups. You know, people following different movements etc. and each one taking its own path. There are hadiths quoted among them:

"The differences among my nation is a mercy."

It's commonly quoted in this regard. However, this quote-unquote hadith is موضوع (mawdu'), meaning it is fabricated. For those of you that attended this past week's course in hadith, you know what mawdu' is: fabricated. Cannot be relied upon. It's a lie. Falsely attributed to Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

Another lie is:

"My sahaba or my companions are like stars. You will be guided by any one of them that you follow."

This is again promoting the idea that if you follow one of them, as long as you're following one, no matter if one goes this way, one goes the other way, you're rightly guided. So, it is something praiseworthy. But in fact, this division, this splitting up, is something condemned. Not praiseworthy at all.

The Single Straight Path

What we find in the Quran is a statement which Allah has the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, say:

"Indeed, this path of mine is a straight path, so follow it."

And on one occasion, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, that Allah's Messenger drew a line for us in the ground. On the dirt. And he said, this straight line which he drew, this is the path of Allah. Then he drew lines going off on either side, like the way the veins of a leaf branch away from the central vein.

And he said, these are the paths. On the head of each path is a devil calling people to it. Then he recited that same verse:

"And indeed, this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow the other paths, as they would separate you from His path, from the path of Allah."

One Path vs. Many Paths

In this particular verse from the Quran, we notice that when the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, is made to speak about his path, the term used is صِرَاطِي (sirati) صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا (sirati mustaqīman), my path, a single path. But when he speaks about the paths of the others, he uses السُّبُلَ (as-subul), the paths, the other paths.

Whenever Allah speaks of the way of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, it's described as a single path. Whereas the path of misguidance is described as a path having many branches in it, many different paths. So, this stresses the concept that there is only one way.

And Ibn al-Qayyim had said: "This is because the path leading to Allah is only one. And it is what He sent His messengers and sent His books with. And no one reaches Him except with this path."

To be continued in Part 2...