Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Many many thanks to the answers to my various questions which I have understood very very clearly, but judging from the answers given by you or for that matter as portrayed by Allah and the Prophet (saws) as you say,then it would become difficult for an individual to live alone, separate from the family and specially the community as a whole, to ensure he/she follows exactly what you explain. Thus, the person will be completely isolated from the rest and everyone, so how would he/she live alone in this world? because everybody have their own community and religion to follow, including the Muslims, and one or a few individuals have no place in this world.

Can you pls explain how could one isolate himself and stay alone and follow exactly Allah's guidance and to keep on the Siraat-ul-Mustaqeem (the Straight- Path of Islam) and in the event of one's marriage and burial who on this earth will assist or help? because the person won't be recognised of any community or will be having any friends for that matter.

This is serious and I want an authentic answer to my above question.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Difficult for an individual to live alone without any Community.

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Mu’minoon verse 52-54: And you all belong to one and the same ummah, and I am your Lord; so fear Me Alone! Yet afterwards the people divided themselves into different sects, and each sect rejoices in what it has. Well, leave them deeply involved in their heedlessness up to an appointed time.

In the above aayah of the Glorious Quran, Allah reminds us and states that we muslims all belong to one and the same Ummah, and He, Allah, is our Lord. Thus all these castes, creeds, and sects that have been created in Islam, is the handiwork of mis-guidance. The various leaders of all these creeds and sects claim that they have a special place with Allah, but Allah is a witness, that they are all liars. The Truth is what the Holy Quran says, and if any one says anything which goes against the Holy Quran, then he is a confirmed liar! Allah advises us to leave these sects in their heedlessness upto an appointed time.

Allah says in Chapter 30 Surah Rum aayat 30-32: "This (Islam) is the right and true faith, but most people do not know. (Be steadfast on this) turning wholly and sincerely towards Allah Alone, and fear Him, and establish the Salat, and do not be like the mushriks, who have set up their separate creeds and divided themselves into sects, each sect rejoicing in what it has."

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 28-29: The people who have accepted (the Message), their hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Note it well!, that is Allah’s remembrance Alone that brings contentment to the hearts! Blessed are those who have accepted the Message and done righteous deeds. They will have a good end.

Allah and His Messenger (saws) invite us to worship none but our Creator and Sustainer, Allah, Alone. And all these self-made leaders of all these various sects invite us to bow down to them and their dead ancestors in their graves. They invite us to obey and revere them and their families without question. They invite us to leave the understanding of the Holy Quran, and teach and preach us from every other book, except the Glorious Quran. They invite us to supplicate to them, their families, and their dead ancestors in their graves for anything that we want. They invite us to commit ‘shirk’!! And they invite us to nothing but the eternal fire of Hell!!!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verses 71-72: They invoke besides Allah, those, for whom Allah has sent down no authority, nor do they themselves have any knowledge about them. Such transgressors have no helper. And when our clear Revelations (Al Quran) are recited to them, you will perceive signs of disdain in the faces of the disbeliveers, as though they were going to assault those who recite our Revelations to them.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72: Whoever commits ‘shirk’ (invoking anything with Allah), Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode. And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 65-66: If you commit ‘shirk’ all your works will be rendered vain and you will be among the losers. Therefore, you should worship Allah Alone, and be among His grateful servants.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 67: These people (who commit shirk) have not recognized the true worth of Allah, as His worth should truly be recognized. (As for His Omnipotence) the entire earth on the Day of Resurrection shall be in His grasp and the heavens shall be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified is He and Exalted above the ‘shirk’ that these people commit.

We are commanded by Allah specifically in the Holy Quran, to obey and follow Allah and His Messenger (saws). Never have we been allowed to obey and follow any Imam, or Dai, or Syedna, or anybody else for that matter; if they do not obey the commandments of Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 31-32: O Prophet, tell the people, “If you sincerely love Allah, follow me. Then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for He is All Forgiving, All Merciful.” Also say to them, “Obey Allah and His Messenger.” And if, in spite of this, they do not accept your invitation, warn them that Allah does not love those, who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger.

Thus brother, coming to your concern that you will be alone, if you follow and obey Allah and the Messenger (saws), let me assure you that the sects and creeds that have unfortunately formed in Islam, are all in the small minority. There are about 1.5 billion muslims in the world, according to the latest statistics. The Dawoodi Bohras number about 1 million, which makes up only about 0.07% of the muslim population of the world!! Yes, there are many such small, tiny, and insignificant sects and creeds in Islam, but the majority of the muslims worship no one, but Allah Alone! The fear that you will be alone if you forsake the community, or the community ostracizes you, the fact is that you will join the Ummah of Islam and the majority of the muslims. As regards to marriage, it is obviously easier to choose a life partner from 99.93% of the muslims, than it is from only 0.07% of the muslims! As regards your burial, please note that to give a muslim death a burial is a right of every muslim to his brother, given to him by none other than Allah and His Messenger (saws). It is a right of every muslim to receive a burial, no matter how good, bad, rich or poor he might be! It is only in the sects that they question whether you have paid your sabeel, wajebaat, zakat, hakkun nafs, etc. or have a ‘safai chithi’, as a pre-condition to getting a burial!!! In the broader muslim community, there is absolutely no such thing, and one is assured of an honorable burial.

Our worry should never be whether some community will allow us to marry into them, or whether we will get a burial in this worldly life or not. Our worry should be whether we are following the Siraat al Mustaqeem or not? Our worry should be whether we are on the concept and deen of Tawheed (One God) or not? Our worry should be whether we are committing the abominable sin of ‘shirk’, without realizing it! Our worry should be whether we are ready to face our Creator! Our worry should be whether we are worshipping or invoking somebody along with Allah! Our worry should be that we will have to account for all our deeds and beliefs one day in the Court of Allah Subhanah! Our worry should be about getting into Paradise and staying far away from the fire of Hell! That is what we should be asking ourselves today…..

The answers to all these and all the other questions are clearly outlined by Allah in His Message to us; the Al Quran. It is at hand for anybody who takes out the time and makes the effort to read and understand what His Lord and Creator wants to convey to him.

And one thing you will notice which will be the cornerstone of every caste, creed, or sect in Islam: The leaders of these sects will never allow their followers to understand the Message of the Glorious Quran! They will create a million doubts about the message of the Rabb-ul-Aalemeen. They will say that the Quran should only be understood in Arabic, knowing fully well that Arabic is not the mother tongue of their followers. They will say that if you try to understand the Quran, you will be mis-guided! They will say that each aayah of the Quran has 10 meanings each! They will say that the Quran is only to be understood by themselves and their families! They will say anything and everything to keep you away from understanding the Message of our Lord and Creator! And they know it: that keeping you away from the guidance of the Holy Quran, is the one and only way, they can get you to invoke them and their families and their ancestors in their graves!! That is the only way they can get you to commit the abominable sin of ‘shirk’!!!

Little do they know, that one day they will all be gathered in the Court of Allah, and will have to account for each and every word that they utter! They might get away with their fancy talk and false promises in this world, but they will never get away from the grasp of Allah in the hereafter.

O Allah, help us, guide us, have mercy upon us, and take us into your protection! O Allah, guide us to read and understand your Message. O Allah, make us of those who worship and invoke no one, except You Alone! O Allah, make us of those who follow every commandment of the Holy Quran. O Allah, make us of those who obey and follow every act of the Messenger of Allah (saws). O Allah, make the Quran the source of guidance for us in this world, and make the Quran the source of noor for us in the hereafter. O Allah, we beg You to answer our prayers and our supplications, because You Alone possess all the Power and Strength. You are the All Knowing, All Wise. You indeed are the All Mighty, All Powerful.

May Allah guide you and us all to the Siraat al-Mustaqeem

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan