Unity does not mean uniformity

Where Unity necessitates uniformity

• The true meaning of Aqeedah
  • There are madhaib in Aqeedah, the same way their are madhahib in Fiqh.
  • Cannot differ in the Usool (the fundamentals) of Aqeedah, which are the the six pillars of the Islamic Aqeedah.
• The true aims and objectives of the Shariah
  • To please Allah
  • To worship Allah
  • To establish justice
  • The unity of the ummah
• The direction of the political aspirations of the ummah.
  • The ummah must be strong and powerful.
  • The ummah is split. One part of the ummah wants to establish Islam, and the other camp wants safety regardless of the establishment of Islam.
  • Many Muslims are normalising and uniting with dictators, against the interests of the Muslims and against their own brothers and sisters.
  • If a group does not want a strong ummah, then that group is a problem, because it means that this group doesn’t mind siding with the enemies against the ummah.

Where Unity does not require uniformity

• The branches of Aqeedah.
  • The Sahabah, Tabieen and Tabi Tabieen differed in the Furooh of Aqeedah (the branches).
• Fiqhi views and opinions.
• The ummah is stuck on question number 5 of the exam paper. We need to resolve the Moulood issue, the Tasawwuf issue, the Moonsighting issue. Because of certain minor issues, the ummah is stuck. 
• We need to move forward, Islam is so dynamic that it survived everywhere in world.
• Many of these views have been around for 1000 years. Do you think that most of the other groups views are baseless?  This is disrespecting yourself and your intelligence.
• As long as the view is in line with the aims and objectives of the Shariah, it must be respected.

Cooperating with Non-Muslims

“Help you one another in Al­-Birr and At­-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression.
And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.” (5:2)

• A fundamental disagreement in Aqeedah, is in Al Wala wal Bara. Who you should be loyal to and whom you should disassociate yourself from.
• In many countries we cooperate with non muslims to stop drugs, to support palestine, etc.
• The verse is not limited to Muslims only.  We should cooperate with Muslims and Non-Muslims in order to achieve virtue, righteousness and piety.

The responsibilities of the Islamic teacher

• When we had a khilafah and we were strong, the the scholars would dwell on the khilafaat (difference of opinion), and they used to write many books on it.
• When we teach the khilafaat instead of the foundations, then people think that these khilafaat are the most important aspects of the deen.
• They took the kuliyaat foundational principles for granted. 
• When you do not teach the relationship of the juziyaat (minor principles) to the kuliyaat (major principles).  You commit zulm (oppression).
• Instead of glorifying and expanding the disagreements, they should glorify the agreements, which are the fundamental principles of Islam.
• The teachers must fear Allah.
• Teachers must learn to sit like students.
• If the sheikh feels that he is above the students, the sheikh will not look at his mistakes.
• Nabi SAW used to be Jibraeel’s AS student, even though he was better than him.
• Teachers are always giving so they find it difficult to receive.

The problem with the classical Madrassa system

1. The essence of Aqeedah is lost, with atheism, secularism and liberalism, but we are busy arguing over minor issues.
   1. We don’t teach khuliyaat (major principles), we teach juziyaat (minor principles) and focus on it.
2. Teaching Islamic sciences as technical subject, narrows your understanding
   1. They use mathametical method to teach the deen.  This daleel is 69% authentic and this deleel is 70% authentic, so this one overpowers that one.
   2. You will not be able to see the bigger picture.
   3. It is not helping the unity of the ummah.
3. Teachers have a responsibility to expose their students to different views and teach them where those views come from.
   1. Many teachers want to control their students, because they want their loyalty, and want to protect them from the world.  Today, all students have access to the internet on their phones.
   2. If we learn one view only, then we will not be aware that their are other views that exist.

Islamic Organizations: The ummah is in need of the entire ummah

• If we disagree, let each group do what they believe in, as long as they don’t work for the disunity of the ummah.
• Don’t say that I am the only one on haqq.  Say I am on haqq as well.
• The tableeghi will not fit into the political group and the political muslims will not fit into the tableegh group.
• If they can’t work together, they must stay in their groups and complement each other.
• You don’t want to be involved in politics, no problem.  Just don’t say that involvement in politics is haraam or counterproductive.  
• Every group is fixing an important part of the ummah.

The curriculum should include

1. Imaan & Religiosity
2. Ilm Knowledge
   1. Islamic Knowledge
   2. Worldly Knowledge
   3. Awareness of the state of the ummah
3. Akhlaaq
   1. The ummah is Dishonest, cheating, backbiting, has no compassion.
4. The unity of the ummah
5. To empower the ummah by making the ummah effective.

The ummah needs to be effective in these areas

1. Politics – Deen without politics leads to politics without deen.
2. Media – The narrative war
3. Economy – A poor ummah will never be strong.
4. Legal – We are all governed by International Law, whether you like it or not.
5. Education – Should serve the ummah, not be against the ummah.
6. Military – Should serve the ummah, not be against the ummah.
7. Management – Intelligent people with poor management skills leads to corruption, wastage and weakness. Many Muslims are working against each other.