The Station of Reconciliation in Islām

The Shaykh, al-Allāmah Rabī ibn Hādī Umayr al-Madhkhalī, may Allāh have mercy upon him, said:

All praise is due to Allāh, and may He raise the rank of and mention in the highest of gatherings the Messenger of Allāh, his family, his companions and those that follow his guidance. As for what follows:

Verily, reconciliation is from the greatest goals that Islām came to fulfil, and Allāh has ordered with reconciliation in His Noble Book, and urged with unity, and has warned from splitting and differing.

Allāh, the Most High, said:

یَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡأَنفَالِۖ قُلِ ٱلۡأَنفَالُ لِلَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَصۡلِحُوا۟ ذَاتَ بَیۡنِكُمۡۖ وَأَطِیعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥۤ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِینَ

“They ask you (O Muhammad) about the spoils of war. Say: "The spoils are for Allāh and the Messenger." So, fear Allāh and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allāh and His Messenger if you are believers.”

[Al-Anfāl: 1]

And He, the Most High, said:

وَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ شِقَاقَ بَیۡنِهِمَا فَٱبۡعَثُوا۟ حَكَمࣰا مِّنۡ أَهۡلِهِۦ وَحَكَمࣰا مِّنۡ أَهۡلِهَاۤ إِن یُرِیدَاۤ إِصۡلَـٰحࣰا یُوَفِّقِ ٱللَّهُ بَیۡنَهُمَاۤۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِیمًا خَبِیرࣰا

“If you fear a breach between them twain (the man and his wife), appoint (two) arbitrators, one from his family and the other from hers; if they both wish for peace, Allāh will cause their reconciliation. Indeed Allāh is Ever All-Knower, Well-Acquainted with all things.

[Al-Nisa: 35]

Ibn Abbās, may Allāh be pleased with him and his father, used this Ayah as a proof for the great station of reconciliation in Islām when he debated the Khawārij, and said:

“As for your statement (that ‘Alī) had men judge in an affair that was for Allāh; then I will read to you from the Book of Allāh, where Allāh has delegated His judgment to men regarding the eighth of a quarter of a dirham. So, Allāh commanded men to judge in this affair. Do you not see the saying of Allāh:

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقۡتُلُوا۟ ٱلصَّیۡدَ وَأَنتُمۡ حُرُمࣱۚ وَمَن قَتَلَهُۥ مِنكُم مُّتَعَمِّدࣰا فَجَزَاۤءࣱ مِّثۡلُ مَا قَتَلَ مِنَ ٱلنَّعَمِ یَحۡكُمُ بِهِۦ ذَوَا عَدۡلࣲ مِّنكُمۡ

“O you who believe! Kill not game while you are in a state of Ihrām for Hajj or 'Umrah, and whosoever of you kills it intentionally, the penalty is an offering, brought to the Ka'bah, of an eatable animal (i.e., sheep, goat, cow, etc.) equivalent to the one he killed, as judged by two just men among you.”

[Al-Mā’idah: 95]

It is from the judgment of Allāh that He delegated men to judge in this matter. If Allāh willed, He could have judged in this matter but He allowed men to judge. I ask you by Allāh, is it better that men judge in something regarding reconciliation in disputes and in preventing bloodshed or regarding the hunting of a rabbit?” They said, “Of course, this is better.”

And regarding a woman and her husband:

وَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ شِقَاقَ بَیۡنِهِمَا فَٱبۡعَثُوا۟ حَكَمࣰا مِّنۡ أَهۡلِهِۦ وَحَكَمࣰا مِّنۡ أَهۡلِهَاۤ

“If you fear a breach between them twain (the man and his wife), appoint (two) arbitrators, one from his family and the other from hers.”

[Al-Nisā: 35]

Are not men judging in reconciling disputes and in the prevention of bloodshed better than men judging regarding the private parts of a woman? Have we finished with this point?” They replied, “Yes.”

[Al-Nasā’i in Al-Kubrah #8522]

Allāh, the Most High, also said:

لَّا خَیۡرَ فِی كَثِیرࣲ مِّن نَّجۡوَىٰهُمۡ إِلَّا مَنۡ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوۡ مَعۡرُوفٍ أَوۡ إِصۡلَـٰحِۭ بَیۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِۚ وَمَن یَفۡعَلۡ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ ٱبۡتِغَاۤءَ مَرۡضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ فَسَوۡفَ نُؤۡتِیهِ أَجۡرًا عَظِیمࣰا

“There is no good in most of their secret talks save him who orders Sadaqah, or Ma'rūf (Islāmic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allāh has ordained), or conciliation between mankind, and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allāh, We shall give him a great reward.”

[Al-Nisā: 114]

He, the Most High, said:

وَإِنِ ٱمۡرَأَةٌ خَافَتۡ مِنۢ بَعۡلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوۡ إِعۡرَاضࣰا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَیۡهِمَاۤ أَن یُصۡلِحَا بَیۡنَهُمَا صُلۡحࣰاۚ وَٱلصُّلۡحُ خَیۡرࣱۗ وَأُحۡضِرَتِ ٱلۡأَنفُسُ ٱلشُّحَّۚ وَإِن تُحۡسِنُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِیرࣰا

“And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no sin on them both if they make terms of peace between themselves; and making peace is better. And human inner-selves are swayed by greed. But if you do good and keep away from evil, verily, Allāh is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do.”

[Al-Nisā: 128]

He, the Most High, said:

وَإِن طَاۤىِٕفَتَانِ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ ٱقۡتَتَلُوا۟ فَأَصۡلِحُوا۟ بَیۡنَهُمَاۖ فَإِنۢ بَغَتۡ إِحۡدَىٰهُمَا عَلَى ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰ فَقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلَّتِی تَبۡغِی حَتَّىٰ تَفِیۤءَ إِلَىٰۤ أَمۡرِ ٱللَّهِۚ فَإِن فَاۤءَتۡ فَأَصۡلِحُوا۟ بَیۡنَهُمَا بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ وَأَقۡسِطُوۤا۟ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ یُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِینَ ۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ إِخۡوَةࣱ فَأَصۡلِحُوا۟ بَیۡنَ أَخَوَیۡكُمۡۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ ۞

“And if two parties or groups among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both, but if one of them rebels against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which rebels till it complies with the Command of Allāh; then if it complies, then make reconciliation between them justly, and be equitable. Verily! Allāh loves those who are equitable. The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islāmic religion). So, make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allāh, that you may receive mercy.”

[Al-Hujurāt: 9-10]

Imām ibn Kathīr, may Allāh have mercy on him, said in the tafsīr of this verse:

“Allāh, the Most High, commanded with reconciliation between Muslims that oppress each other:

وَإِن طَاۤىِٕفَتَانِ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ ٱقۡتَتَلُوا۟ فَأَصۡلِحُوا۟ بَیۡنَهُمَاۖ

“And if two parties or groups among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both.”

So, He called them believers with their fighting, and Imām Al-Bukhāri used this and other than it as a proof that the one who performs a sin, no matter how great, does not exit from īmān due to it, not like the Khawārij and those that follow them from the Mu’tazilah and their likes say.

Likewise, it is authentically reported in the Sahīh of Imām Al-Bukhāri, from the hadīth of Al-Hasan, on the authority of Abu Bakrah, may Allāh be pleased with him, who said: Verily the Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings be upon him, gave a sermon one day, and with him on the minbar was Al-Hasan bin Alī, He would turn to him sometimes and sometimes turn to the people, and he said:

‘This son of mine is a leader and Allāh may make peace between two large groups of Muslims through him.’

And just as he said, Allāh made reconciliation through him between the people of Shām and the people of Irāq after a long war and horrific incidents.

He, the Most High, said:

فَإِنۢ بَغَتۡ إِحۡدَىٰهُمَا عَلَى ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰ فَقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلَّتِی تَبۡغِی حَتَّىٰ تَفِیۤءَ إِلَىٰۤ أَمۡرِ ٱللَّهِۚ

“But if one of them rebels against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which rebels till it complies with the Command of Allāh.”

I.e., until he returns to the command of Allāh and His Messenger, and listens to the truth and obeys, as is authentic in the Sahīh, on the authority of Anas, may Allāh be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Help you brother, whether he is an oppressor or oppressed.”

I said: O Messenger of Allāh, I help him when he is oppressed, but how do I help the oppressor?

He said: “By preventing him from oppressing, that is your helping him.”” – end of speech of ibn Kathīr, may Allāh have mercy on him.

Allāh, the Most High, said:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ فَرَّقُوا۟ دِینَهُمۡ وَكَانُوا۟ شِیَعࣰا لَّسۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ فِی شَیۡءٍۚ إِنَّمَاۤ أَمۡرُهُمۡ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ یُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ یَفۡعَلُونَ

“Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects, you have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allāh, Who then will tell them what they used to do.”

[Al-An’ām: 159]

Imām ibn Kathīr, may Allāh have mercy on him, said in the tafsīr of this verse:

“From what is apparent is that the verse is general for everyone that splits the Religion of Allāh and differs from it, for verily, Allāh sent His Messenger with guidance and the correct Religion to make it superior over all Religions, and His Legislation is one, in which there is no differing nor splitting. So, whoever differs in it then he has broken up into sects, i.e., he has split like the people of sects, divisions, desires and misguidances. Therefore, Allāh freed the Messenger of Allāh ` from what they were upon.” – end of speech of ibn Kathīr, may Allāh have mercy on him.

He, the Most High, said:

فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّینِ حَنِیفࣰاۚ فِطۡرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِی فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَیۡهَاۚ لَا تَبۡدِیلَ لِخَلۡقِ ٱللَّهِۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ ٱلدِّینُ ٱلۡقَیِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۞ مُنِیبِینَ إِلَیۡهِ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَقِیمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِینَ ۞ مِنَ ٱلَّذِینَ فَرَّقُوا۟ دِینَهُمۡ وَكَانُوا۟ شِیَعࣰاۖ كُلُّ حِزۡبِۭ بِمَا لَدَیۡهِمۡ فَرِحُونَ

“So set you your face towards the religion of pure Islāmic Monotheism Hanifa, Allāh's Fitrah with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Khalq-illah (i.e., the Religion of Allāh Islāmic Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most of men know not. (Always) Turning in repentance to Him (only), and be afraid and dutiful to Him; and perform As-Salāt and be not of Al-Mushrikūn. Of those who split up their religion and became sects, each sect rejoicing in that which is with it.”

[Al-Rūm: 30-32]

Imām ibn Kathīr, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:

“So, the people of the Religions that came before us differed between themselves due to opinions and the likes of falsehood, and all of the sects amongst them claimed that they were upon something, and this ummah also differed with what was between them into different sects, all of them misguided except one, and they are Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamā’ah, those that cling firmly to the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and with what the first generation were upon from the sahabah, the tābi’īn and the scholars of the Muslims from the past and present.” – end of the speech of ibn Kathīr, may Allāh have mercy on him.

And since rancour between people is one of the reasons for splitting, differing and humiliating loss, and the enemies then being given strength and manifestation over the Muslims, Allāh, the Most High, warned from disputation, where He said:

وَأَطِیعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَـٰزَعُوا۟ فَتَفۡشَلُوا۟ وَتَذۡهَبَ رِیحُكُمۡۖ وَٱصۡبِرُوۤا۟ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِینَ

“And obey Allāh and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely, Allāh is with those who are As-Sābirīn.”

[Al-Anfāl: 46]

It comes in the authentic hadīth, on the authority of Abu Darda, that the Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Shall I not inform you of what is more virtuous than the rank of fasting, prayer, and charity?" They said: "Of course!" He said: "Reconciliation between each other. For indeed rancour with each other severs the Religion.”

[Sahīh Adab Al-Mufrad 391 / 302]

And on the authority of Az-Zubayr ibn Awwām, that the Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“There has come to you the disease of the nations before you, jealousy and hatred. Hatred is the destroyer that shaves. I do not say it shaves the hair, but rather it shaves (destroys) the Religion. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread (the greeting of) salām amongst yourselves.”

[Sahīh At-Targhīb Wat-Tarhīb 3/44]

In conclusion, it is upon all of the Salafīs that they apply all of these verses and narrations and keep them at the forefront of the mind, and to abandon differing between themselves, for verily differing is evil.

أسأل الله أن يوفق الجميع لاتباع الكتاب والسنة، والعض عليهما بالنواجذ