The outstanding attributes of al-Firqatun-Naajiyah (the Saved Sect)

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Question: What are the most outstanding attributes of al-Firqatun-Naajiyah (the Saved Sect)? And does a shortcoming in any of these attributes remove a person from the Saved Sect?

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

The most outstanding attributes of the Saved Sect are adherence to the path of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in beliefs, worship, character and conduct – one finds that the Saved Sect is distinguished in all these four aspects:

In beliefs, one finds them holding fast to what is proven by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم sincerely declaring the Tawheed (Oneness) of Allaah in matters of worship, Lordship, and His Names and Attributes.

In worship, we find that this sect stands out due to its complete adherence and the implementation of what was followed the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم in acts of worship in all of their forms, their characteristics, their numbers, their times, their places and their causes. And one does not find them innovating in the religion of Allaah; rather, they behave in the best manner towards Allaah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم; rather, they behave in the best manner towards Allaah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and they do not place themselves forward before Allaah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم by adding (to the religion) any act worship not legislated by Allaah.

In character also, one finds that they stand out from others due to their fine character, such as their love of what is good for the Muslims, their open heartedness, cheerful faces, good way of speaking, generosity, bravery, and other noble traits and qualities.

In conduct and dealing, one finds them treating the people with honesty and openness; the two traits referred to by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in his statement:

البيعان بالخيار ما لم يتفرقا فإن صدقا وبينا بورك لهما في بيعهما، وإن كذبا وكتما محقت بركة بيعهما

❝Both parties in a business transaction have the right to annul it as long as they have not separated; and if they speak the truth and make everything clear, they will be blessed in their transaction; but if they lie and conceal (anything), the blessing on their transaction will be wiped out.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]

A shortcoming in these characteristics does not (necessarily) take the person out of the fold of the Saved Sect, but everyone will be at a level according to his deeds. However, a shortcoming in matters of Tawheed, such as violation in Ikhlaas (i.e. doing deeds sincerely for Allaah alone), might remove one from the Saved Sect. Likewise committing innovations may take one out from the fold of the Saved Sect.

Regarding the matter of character and conduct, deficiency in them does not remove one from this sect, even though it may diminish his status.

We might require a (detailed) categorization regarding the matter of character, for among the most important aspects of good character is mutual solidarity and being united upon the truth which Allaah, the Most High has enjoined upon us in His Words:

﴿شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ﴾

{He (Allaah) has ordained for you the same religion (Islaamic Monotheism) which He ordained for Nooh, and that which We have revealed to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), and that which We ordained for Ibraaheem, Moosaa and `Eesaa (saying): “Establish the religion, and be not divided therein.”}

[Surah al-Shuraa (42): 13]

And He تعالى has informed us that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is innocent of those who are divided in the matter of their religion and break up into sects, for Allaah, the Almighty the All-Powerful says:

﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا لَّسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ﴾

{Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects, you (O Muhammad ) have no concern with them in the least.}

[Surah al-An`aam (6): 159]

Therefore, unity in ranks and harmony of the hearts are among the most outstanding characteristics of the Saved Sect: Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah; and when differences occur between them arising from Ijtihaad in matters in which it is permissible to exercise juristic reasoning, they bear neither resentment, nor enmity, nor hatred towards each other. Rather, they feel that despite of such differences they are brothers, so much so that one of them will even pray behind a person whom he considers as not being in the state of ritual purity, while the Imaam considers himself otherwise. For example, when one of them prays behind a person who has eaten camel meat and that Imaam considers that it does not invalidate his ablution, while the one who is being led in prayer believes that it does invalidate his ablution, yet he considers his prayer behind that Imaam correct, even though if it were he who was praying in such a case, he would consider his prayer invalid.

This is because they are of the view that this discord arising out of Ijtihaad in matters in which it is permissible to exercise juristic reasoning, is not in reality discord because each of them has followed the evidence which he is obliged to follow, and is not lawful for him to renounce. As such, they believe that if their brother disagrees with them in a particular matter based on (his understanding of) textual evidences, then he is in fact in accord with them, because they (all) call for adherence to the evidence wherever it may be. So if their brother disagrees with them, in accordance with some evidence which he has, then he is actually in agreement with them, because he has followed the same path they call and guide to, which is to judge by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

It is well known to the scholars that such differences occurred between the Companions رضي الله عنهم, even at the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and he صلى الله عليه وسلم did not rebuke any of them. An example of this was when the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم returned from the Battle of Al-Ahzaab (The Confederates), and the Jibreel عليه السلام came to him directing him to proceed towards the (Jewish) tribe of Banee Quraizhah, who had violated their treaty. Thence, the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed his Companions (to proceed) saying:

لا يصلين أحد منكم العصر إلا في بني قريظة

❝None of you should pray the `Asr prayer except at Banee Quraizhah.❞ [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]

So, they left al-Madeenah for Banu Quraizhah and the time for the `Asr prayer overtook them. Some of them delayed the `Asr prayer until they had reached Banee Quraizhah after the expiry of the (prayer) time, because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had said:

❝None of you should pray the `Asr prayer except at Banee Quraizhah.❞

Others amongst them performed the prayer at its stated time (i.e. before reaching Banee Quraizhah) saying that what the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم intended was that we should proceed quickly towards Banee Quraizhah; he did not mean that we should delay the prayer past its stated time. They (the latter group) were right, but in spite of this, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not rebuke anyone among the two groups; and neither of the two groups held any enmity or rancor towards the other because of their differing in the understanding of the Prophetic command.

A such, I consider it an obligation upon the Muslims who claim adherence to the Sunnah to be a single nation, and not to divide into factions - this one belonging to this group and that one belonging to that group and the third belonging to a third group and so on – attacking each other with verbal onslaughts, and harboring enmity and hatred towards each other due to differences in matters where it is permissible to exercise juristic reasoning (Ijtihaad). There is no need to single out every faction by name, however the intelligent person understands, and the matter is clear to him.

I consider that it is an obligation upon Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah to unite, even if they disagree in some matters based on their (different) understandings of the textual evidences. This is because there is room for accommodating differences in these matters, and all praise is for Allaah alone.

The important thing is that hearts should be in harmony and that their ranks be unified. And there is no doubt that the enemies of the Muslims love to see the Muslims divided, whether they be enemies who openly exhibit their enmity, or enemies who give the appearance of being sincere to the Muslims or to Islaam while they are not so. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to be distinguished by this characteristic of the Saved Sect, and that is to have a untied stance.

[Fataawa Arkaan al-Islaam, Question #6 (Darussalam)]