The Roles of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in the Sphere of Civilization (Part 6)
3. The Holy Prophet, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Creation of Unity
Another feature that can be effective in the emergence of civilizations is unity and integrity, which has been the focus of Islam since the beginning of the Prophet’s call. Of course, today unity is often understood as the expression of jurisprudential (Fiqh) unity, but this was not the case in the past. The unity of jurisprudence (Fiqh), where all people gather around one interpretation of religion while excommunicating or rejecting others, actually undermines the greater body of religion. The unity of jurisprudence alone does not contribute to civilization, as there was no consensus on jurisprudence at the beginning of Islam. Instead, the unity was political and geographical, which is the true essence of unity. At that time, the Islamic Ummah was at the peak of civilization and development because political and geographical unity is essential for civilization. In those eras, it was referred to as Dar al-Islam, not merely the motherland, during the time when Islam reigned. Similar to today’s Sykes-Picot divisions in countries such as India, where there is no total unity of jurisprudence, political unity and civilization can still exist.
The Literal and Idiomatic Meaning of Unity
Unity means being one, being unique, and being connected. It is a human quality that arises from our nature and is utilized to achieve common and collective goals, standing in opposition to concepts such as plurality, dispersion, difference, division, grouping, and divergence.
Translation: “And hold fast to the rope of Allah (the Qur’an and Sunnah) and do not scatter! And remember Allah’s [great] blessing upon you, how you were enemies to each other, and He created peace between your hearts. By the blessing of Allah, you became brothers! And you were on the brink of a pit of fire; Allah saved you from it. Thus Allah reveals His signs to you, so that you may be guided.”
It is narrated from Abdullah Ibn Umar, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “A Muslim is a brother to another Muslim, and a Muslim does not oppress another Muslim. Allah will keep him away from the sorrows of the Hereafter, and whoever covers the faults of a believer, Allah will cover his faults on the Day of Resurrection.”
In this hadith, brotherhood is seriously emphasized, and the responsibility of one Muslim toward another is stated. Another hadith reported by Abi Musa Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “A believer is to a believer like a building, parts of which strengthen one another,” while he interlaced his fingers to illustrate this.
Likewise, Allah, the Exalted, has also said:
«إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ» Translation: “The believers are brothers. So make peace between your brothers.”
In another verse, it is also stated:
«وَاعتَصِموا بِحَبلِ اللَّهِ جَميعًا وَلا تَفَرَّقوا وَاذكُروا نِعمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيكُم إِذ كُنتُم أَعداءً فَأَلَّفَ بَينَ قُلوبِكُم فَأَصبَحتُم بِنِعمَتِهِ إِخوانًا وَكُنتُم عَلىٰ شَفا حُفرَةٍ مِنَ النّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِنها كَذٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُم آياتِهِ لَعَلَّكُم تَهتَدونَ» (103) Translation: “And all of you hold on to the rope of Allah [the Qur’an, Islam, and any means of unity], and do not scatter! And remember the [great] blessing of Allah upon you, how you were enemies of each other, and He created peace between your hearts. By His blessing, you became brothers, and you were on the brink of a pit of fire; Allah, the Exalted, saved you from it. In this way, Allah reveals His signs to you, perhaps you will be guided.”
