ADMONITIONS FROM THE QURAN


MAINTAIN UNITY IN ISLAM

Those who have divided their religion and become sects, you are not with them in anything. Their matter will be with God... (Anam 6/159)

Don't be one of those who divided their religion into many sects. Each faction exulting in what it possessed. (Rum 30/32)

Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and do not follow any masters other than Him… (A'raf 7/3)

Hold fast the Rope of God (The Quran) all together...Do not be like those who, after they had been given clear evidence, split into factions and differed among themselves: a terrible punishment awaits such people. (Ali Imran 3/103,105)

The verses above have utmost importance. Almighty God warns denominations, sects and congregations which appeared after the first four khalifas. Their aim was to achieve dominance and derive benefits from the religion. Don't divide your religion into factions!

Instead of ensuring unity and integrity in Islam, hundreds of sects have arisen each claiming that its interpretation is the most accurate one. Based on these allegation brother has killed brother and Muslim has killed Muslim. In some countries such as Syria, Egypt and Iraq sectarian conflicts have continued until now with this becoming the main reason for those countries falling behind in their development. However aren't Muslims brothers among them? Hujurat 49/10: " The believers are indeed brothers. Therefore make reconciliation among your brothers, so that you may receive mercy. "

Ankara University The Faculty of Divinity Head of the Department of History of Islamic Sects Prof. Dr. Hasan ONAT, stated in the conference of Inonu University in 2012 regarding sectarian conflicts:

The Quran warns not to divide the religion however Muslims have been splitting into hundreds of sects and factions. Every group believes that they lead the way to salvation. These sects have been formed in first place to gain mastery and get benefits.

The sects are perceived like religion. Through more than 14 centuries of the history of Islam there have been hundreds of instances of sectarian violence in such places as Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Hundreds of people have experienced violence and death only for belonging to different sects that perceive their own beliefs to be like a religion. If Muslims kill each other despite the teachings of the Quran this has to be called ignorance.

Learning Islam from sects or factions instead of from the Quran and Hz. Prophet examples is a serious predicament. It is a natural result that a religious interpretation stays under the shadow of the tradition and this tradition becomes the religion. The worst result is the religion begins to split instead of unite.

They are spending their energy going at one another tooth and nail. Muslims could have expended their energy for the purpose of creating a wonderful civilisation. But thousands of people have lost their lives for no reason. A magnifical cultural heritage has disappeared because of the fanaticism of sects. The same danger still exists today. Any kind of sect, tariqa or faction can not identify with Islam.

In order to get accurate religious knowledge, the rope of the God has to be held fast and the content of the Quran has to be learned. Muhammad 47/24: "Do they not then reflect on the Quran?... " Jathiyah 45/19,20: "God is the Patron of the righteous (who have taqwa). This Quran is an enlightenment for the people, and eye-opener...." In the sight of God the most worthy one who has taqwa, knows the divine laws and performs them precisely.


TEACHING ABOUT THE QUR'AN IN SCHOOLS (As an optional subject)