Uniting with Respect for Differences

The necessity for such a union is based not only on the need for a political solution to end the current situation; rather, and more importantly, unity is a requirement of being a Muslim. As in all areas of their lives, Muslims have to abide by the Qur'an's values in their national and international policies. As this morality requires the Islamic world's reunification as a priority, taking Islamic morality as the guiding principle will make this alliance possible, as well as long-lived and active.

Islamic morality requires Muslims to be conciliatory at all times and to be brothers and sisters in faith, as well as in solidarity and union. Allah commands the believers to: "not quarrel among yourselves" (Surat al-Anfal: 46), for doing so will only weaken them. Allah commands the following in another verse:

Do not be like those who split up and differed after the Clear Signs came to them. They will have a terrible punishment. (Surah Al 'Imran: 105)

... The noblest among you in Allah's Sight is the one of you who best performs his duty. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Surat al-Hujurat: 13) Chapel at Bethlehem, Thomas Allom

It is impossible for Muslims who have common sense and conscience not to unite with other believers or to be engaged in an ongoing dispute with them. This is true on an individual basis, as well as on the level of communities and nations. Allah points out this fact in the Qur'an and forbids Muslim nations to be unfair or hostile to one another. Allah states that those who engage in such harmful activity must be stopped, and instructs other Muslim nations to "make peace between them":

If two parties of the believers fight, make peace between them. But if one of them attacks the other unjustly, fight the attackers until they revert to Allah's command. If they revert, make peace between them with justice and be even-handed. Allah loves those who are even-handed. (Surat al-Hujurat: 9)

Of course, there can be cultural, traditional, and local differences of attitude and practice between Muslim nations due to different views, interpretations, and schools of thought. Such things are natural. However, these differences should not lead Muslim nations to antagonize one another, end their mutual dialogue, and consider the other nation as foreign and hostile, instead of agreeing on their common values. Doing so only leads to intolerable situations.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY DENGE TV, DECEMBER 9th, 2009 Adnan Oktar: AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY DENGE TV, DECEMBER 9th, 2009 Adnan Oktar: This spirit of opposition stemming from this sectarian difference needs to be eliminated. Shiites, Alawites, Bektashis and Wahabbists are all our brothers. They are all spotless, honest, pious believing people. They all have a profound love of Allah and the prophets. They are therefore a blessing for us, our brothers. They are all a blessing. That idea of opposition needs to be eliminated. Once Islamic moral values spread across the Turkish-Islamic world this will lead to industriousness, activity, clarity of mind, discipline, trust in Allah, cleanliness, quality and profound reason. The whole region will enjoy the resulting abundance and beauty. The Christian world and the Jews will also benefit from it. This needs to be hastened.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY INDONESIA'S ANTARA NEWS AGENCY, SEPTEMBER 16th, 2008  Adnan Oktar: For one thing, they must love one another, and there must be no sectarian differences. Alawite, Sunni or Shiite, we are all brothers. They must have joyous, loving ties to one another. The coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is imminent. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return at any moment. They will see that what I am saying is true within the next 10 years. All of the signs have come about. People must joyously prepare for the Turkish-Islamic Union. By Allah's leave, our lives in Paradise will also be most delightful, insha'Allah. We may hope for that from Allah if we make such genuine efforts. We are entities for whom eternity has already begun. We are entities who will exist for all eternity, once we have been created. Insha'Allah, we will live on in Paradise. But it is essential that we be completely honest, that we love one another with a great fervor. We must bow our heads to Allah. We must strictly follow the Qur'an and live by the morality revealed in it. When people do that, their hearts can be at peace, insha'Allah.

Allah warns Muslims away from such mistakes and reveals the People of the Book's (the Jews and Christians) errors in this respect as an example of what can happen. Allah states in Surat al-Bayyina: 4 that they were divided among themselves and went their own ways, even though they received Clear Signs to the contrary. Allah states in other verses that the causes for this split were such evil character traits as envy, injustice, and rebellion against truth. The following are some of these verses:

They only split up after knowledge came to them, tyrannizing one another … (Surat ash-Shura: 14)

The religion with Allah is Islam. Those given the Book only differed after knowledge had come to them, envying one another. As for those who reject Allah's Signs, Allah is swift at reckoning. (Surah Al 'Imran: 19)

Jewish and Christian history is full of conflict because of this continuing disunity. Christianity's first 16 centuries also can be described as the history of warring Christian sects. Even small differences in interpretation led to mutual accusations of heresy. Over time, the Catholic Church gained the upper hand and began to persecute other religious schools of thought that it considered heretical, such as Docetism, Montanism, Adoptionism, Sabellianism, Arianism, Plagiarism, and Gnosticism. The Catholic Church's persecution of such religious denominations as the Cathars and the Bogomils from the eleventh century onward, as well as the century-long bloody war between the Protestants and the Catholics, coincide with the darkest era of European history. It is interesting to note that European civilization began to rise after this sectarian warfare ended. As political scientists acknowledge, modern Europe was only born after the various Christian sects agreed to mutual compassion at the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.

People diverge in their religious practices and understandings because they do not practice morality, as commanded by Allah. This morality recognizes modesty. Those who distance themselves from this modesty perceive their own ideas as the ultimate truth, disregard those who think differently, and feel animosity toward them. Since they do not doubt the truth of their own views, they do not question themselves and so cannot improve themselves and find the truth. Allah describes those who only value their own opinions in the following way:

They disagreed and split up, dividing into sects, each party exulting in what it had. (Surat al-Muminun: 53)

Muslims who fear and respect Allah, and who believe that they will have to account for their actions on the Day of Judgment, must be aware of this situation. Those who realize the importance of this matter must warn other Muslims about the dangers of disunity, fragmentation, and segregation, and work for Muslim unity under the Qur'an's values.

Exemplary Muslims approach other people with love, compassion, and mercy, for they view all people as manifesting some of our Lord's names and attributes. They consider all people who share the same belief, and who believe in the Qur'an, obey Allah's commandments, and abide by the Sunnah of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), as their brothers and sisters, and never forget that they are one another's guardians. They must refrain from factionalism rooted in cultural, traditional, or differences of opinion and, instead of making an issue of them at every opportunity, must support unity under the Qur'an's values. Muslims must support one another in this union and be compassionate and understanding when dealing with disputed matters. As we pointed out previously, sincere Muslims who are aware of this issue's importance, as well as the Islamic world's leading thinkers and intellectuals, are especially obligated to work resolutely for Muslim solidarity and unity. A solidarity based upon love, respect, and compassion must be established in the Muslim world.

Hold fast to the rope of Allah all together, and do not separate. Remember Allah's blessing to you when you were enemies and He joined your hearts together so that you became brothers by His blessing You were on the very brink of a pit of the Fire and He rescued you from it. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will be guided. (Surah Al 'Imran: 103) Humayun's Tomb, India. One of the most important works of the Mughal Empire.

At its core, Islamic morality envisages religious unity and common values, rather than disputes and segregation. The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) showed the way for Muslims with the following hadith:

I have left among you the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Apostle. If you hold fast to them, you shall never go astray.¹¹

We just have to abide by this advice. Our Lord commands all believers to follow the true religion and refrain from disunity. Allah says:

He has laid down the same religion for you as He enjoined on Noah: that which We have revealed to you and which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: "Establish the religion and do not make divisions in it." What you call the idolaters to follow is very hard for them. Allah chooses for Himself anyone He wills, and guides to Himself those who turn to Him. (Surat ash-Shura: 13)