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:

Assalamualikum Warahmatulla-e-Wabarakatu

I am the Owner of a Yahoo Group named as IslamForEveryone.Where i spread islam by sending members mails,attachments about islami topics , ayats and articles now many people say to be that the GROUP that u have made is not right and u have infact made a GROUP of some islami men and women but i am saying that that meaning of GROUP is not right its just named a group an area where u can communicate with some people.not an different muslims islamic area ot group

plz tell me about it.

thanks

Allah hafiz

(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:

Difference between groups organizations sects

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever 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.

The manifestations and implications of the approved ‘way of life’ called Islam is extremely vast; where every major aspect of one’s life from running educational institutions, to charity, to building orphanages, and mosques, and hospitals, taking care of poor and needy, etc. have a role to perform and develop. There is absolutely no harm and no restriction if some God-fearing brothers and sisters wish to form an organization of like minded people focused in these and other noble causes for the development and endorsement of muslims in particular and humanity in general. The building and operating of such noble and well-meaning organizations are absolutely encouraged in Islam and if done with the right intentions to help mankind and thus earn the Pleasure and Good Will of Allah Subhanah, the people who initiate, develop, and operate such organizations will receive a huge reward from Allah Subhanah on the Day of Resurrection.

The organizations that are specifically prohibited in Islam are the ones that break away from the Ummah of the Muslims and form their own set of religious principles and beliefs, and enlist followers who believe that only their particular chosen sect is on the Straight Path and every other believer is misguided or a disbeliever. These type of organizations, sects, and creeds which encourage and propagate moving away from the Muslim Ummah is what is absolutely prohibited in Islam.

Allah says in Chapter 45 Surah Al-Jathiyah verse 17: "Then they differed amongst themselves after the knowledge (of Islam) had come to them, only because they wanted to wrong one another. Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning the matters in which they have been differing."

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(Allah) am your Lord; so fear Me Alone! Yet afterwards the people divided themselves into different sects, and each sect rejoicing in what it has. Well, leave them deeply involved in their heedlessness up to an appointed time.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 171 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘There will befall my Ummah exactly (all those) evils which befell the people of Isra'il, so much so that if there was one amongst them who openly committed fornication with his mother there will be among my Ummah one who will do that, and if the people of Isra'il were fragmented into seventy-two sects my Ummah will be fragmented into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in Hell Fire except one sect.’ They (the Companions) said: ‘O Allah's Messenger (saws), which is that?’ Whereupon he (saws) said: ‘It is one to which I and my companions belong.’

But if one wishes to form an organization of like minded brothers and sisters focused on furthering and nurturing a particular aspect of the needs of the believers, like education, charity, religious teachings, helping the poor and needy, etc.; without any intention whatsoever to break away from the Muslim Ummah, but rather with their noble works they wish to unite the Ummah; there is absolutely no harm and no restrictions in Islam in forming such good organizations. These noble brothers and sisters who work as a group to further the Cause of Allah will have a huge reward in the Presence of their Majestic Lord on the Day of Resurrection.

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 in Islam,

Burhan