Allah SWT says in the Quran, after mentioning many other signs and evidences “And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colors. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge” ar-Rum 22.

When going through the Islamic history, one should find that there are many causes and diseases that weaken the Muslim Umma in the past and today and one of them is A’SABIYYAH. This is one of the deadly disease which is affected the Umma, hence the once unified merciful and organized Muslim Umma has transformed into differing, conflicting and warring entities.

For this reason, it is a must for us to know what A’SABIYYAH is and understands all its forms and to know what Islam says about A’SABIYYAH and why Islam has fought it, and how we can rid ourselves from it Insha Allah.

Definition: Linguistically: Asabiyyah comes from the word A’sabah, which are the relatives of the person from his/her father’s side. In other words Asabiyyah is man’s supporting people to whom he belongs, whether they are right or wrong, oppressing or oppressed.

What causes Asabiyyah?

One has the feeling of being better than others, and due to this a considering others are at a lower class.

This kind of thinking is corrupted, and it is in fact a kind of arrogance that comes from the mentality of Iblees-shythan, which led him to disobey the command of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala when Allah (SWT) ordered him to prostrate to Adam (AS). Iblees said, "I am better than him, You created me out of fire and you created him (Adam) out of clay."

The Prophet Muhammad sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam warned us when he said, "No one enters Paradise if they have in their heart a grain weight of arrogance." The Prophet sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam defined this arrogance (KIBR) in two things: Rejection of the truth and looking down on people.

Due to Ignorance : lack of understanding about the deen, indulged with traditional misconceptions:- One who knows the deen properly he will understand what Islam propagates, what Qur’an and sunnah. says : Allah says; in Surah ar-Rum (30-22)– it is the sign for the people of knowledge.

If you look at the verse carefully, you will come to know that Allah (SWT) telling us that, the differences amongst people are a sign/evidence that indicates the greatness of Allah’s Creation and His Power like the sign of the creation of the earth and the sky.

Another cause it came along with their previous state/culture : People who came/converted from a background which they have this culture/tradition of differentiation or inferiority or superiority complex makes them to have this mentality of chosen ones.

Does not sincere in their belief : The people just say they believe in but actually it is not the case, the belief is not entered below their throat, Allah says in Hujrath (49:14)

What are the types A’sabiyyah?

1) Relatives relationship and ethnic descent

a. It is the most ancient and the strongest kind of Asabiyyah. The closer the relationship is, the stronger the Asabiyyah.

b. Tribalism, ethnicism, and nationalism are of this kind of Asabiyyah. From this comes a Jahili (un-Islamic) slogan, "Support your brother whether he is oppressing or oppressed."

2) Principles and Madhahib/school of thought

a. This kind of Asabiyyah grows amongst a group of people who are abided by one school thought or one principle, be it religious or not, or the followers of a certain madhab school of Islamic law.

b. The individual in this group of people strongly supports his group or the followers of his madhab whether they are right or wrong.

c. Some times it goes into extreme cases, in some countries they will not have any relationship with other school of thought groups, they will do not attend even the funeral prayers!

Allah says in the Quran about the one who makes sects in the deen and warning them..

Those who split up their Religion, and become (mere) Sects,- each party rejoicing in what they had with them! [Ar-rum 30-32]

3) Regionalism – It is formed amongst a group of people who live in one part or region of the world.

a. It is formed amongst a group of people who live in one region. They think that just because they are living together in one region, that by it self will give them better qualifications than others. So they look down on others and think highly of their own selves even if those other people have lived with them for tens of years and even if they were born in their region but they are not originally from them.

b. This regionalism was a goal that was sought by the enemies of Islam, so they planted this deadly thought and nourished it with all means, and people ended up victims of this deadly Asabiyyah that only benefited the opportunistic people by keeping and strengthening their positions. In the past, this kind of Asabiyyah (regionalism) was the reason behind losing Andalousiah (Al-Andalous)

c. Hadith : ‘ no Arab is better than a non-Arab, no non-Arab is better than an Arab- except with TAQWA piety (God conscious)

4) Racism

a. It is formed amongst people with the same color of skin, thinking that their skin color by itself makes them better than other people of different skin color.

b. This kind of Asabiyyah does not exist in the Muslim Umma (walhamdulillah) for some extend, but it is deep rooted in the western countries.

What are the harms of Asabiyyah ? Asabiyyah is harmful in many ways

1) Destroys the Ummah

2) Changes the unity and harmony into disunity and disharmony

3) People will be focused on their clan/tribe/etc.. and doesn’t care about others

4) It drives the community go astray because of blind following and support

When Islam wants to spread peace by greeting to the one to whom you know and you don’t…same time this Asabiyyah makes one to think differently. For example on the salutation spreading salam to one who knows and do not know.

-Once a man asked the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) about which aspect of Islam was best. The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) replied: "Feeding the hungry, and saying salaam to those you know and those you don''t know." (Bukhaari and Muslim)

Dear Muslims, the Asabiyyah, in Jahiliyya time before Islam turned the Arab tribes into enemies and made from their Arabian Peninsula a battlefield. Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala told us about their situation before Islam in Surah Al-Imraan, (verse 103), what can be translated as, "And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah’s Favor on you, for you were enemies one to another, but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith) …and you were at the brink of the fire pit and He saved you from it" This kind of situation is not restricted to the Arabs, it actually plagued all nations that were disunited because of Asabiyyah.

This is such a serious issue and Rasulullah SAW said: ''If two Muslims meet each other with their swords then (both) the killer and the killed one are in the (Hell) Fire’. Al-Bukhari

Dear brothers and sisters, we all as Muslims, those who inherited Islam and those who converted cannot be true Muslims if we still carry any kind of Asabiyyah. When we accept Islam we have to leave and throw away all kinds of Jahiliyya beliefs, thinking, mentality, and behavior. This is how we will accept Islam as a complete way of life.

What is the Islamic stance towards it?

In General, Islam rejects all kind of A’sabiyyah just because of they are not suitable to be a fair and just framework for the human society, they are in fact manifestation of injustice, oppression, corruption and transgression on the earth

Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala proclaimed that He created the differences amongst people to be a reason for them to get to know each other, and live together in cohesion and collaboration and not a reason for them to look down on one another. In reality, the scale of being better than others is at-taqwa (righteousness) and the good deeds.

Quran:

O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you in the sight of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala is those who has most taqwa… Al-hujrath(49-13)

Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala also says in another verse, that the differences amongst people are a sign/evidence that indicates the greatness of Allaah''s Creation and His Power like the sign of the creation of the earth and the sky.

And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colors. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge Ar-Room (30-22)

Similarly Prophet SAW warned in many ahadith about this disease of jahiliyyah

Ahadith:

Imam Abu-Dawood reported that the prophet SAW said “he is not of us if he calls to A’sabiyyah, and he is not one of us if he fights for the sake of A’sabiyyah and not one of us if he dies on Asabiyyah

In another authentic narration by Imam Abu-Dawud, the prophet (S.A.W.) said, "Allah (S.W.T.) took away the Asabiyyah of jahiliyyah from you, and your boasting about your fathers. So, man is either a righteous believer or a corrupted non-believer. You are the children of Adam, and Adam is from dirt; let men quit their boasting of their own people, they are nothing but coal from the coal of Hell or they will be more humiliated in the sight of Allah more than the dung beetle/insect that pushes dung with its nose."

Dear Muslims, We need to ask ourselves, why Islam has fought Asabiyyah and warned us against it?

Islam rejects it simply because gathering and mutual support on the basis of Asabiyyah contradicts the fundamentals of Islam and its teachings. The Muslim who believes in Allah (S.W.T.) has his heart that filled with love of Allah and love toward those who are loved by Allah, and hatred toward those who are hated by Allah.

Dear Muslims, We must keep in mind that Islam does not cancel races, languages, and regions, but makes them members and parts within this one body; they move when the body moves towards a common goal, in a way that none of the roles of any parts of the body is canceled.

The scale of being better in this society is not the race, language, color or national origin, .etc..; it is righteousness and good deeds, Allah (S.W.T.) says in surat Al-Hujurat, (verse 13), what can be translated as, "Verily, the most honorable of you in the sight of Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa"

How do we get rid of it?

1) Adhering to the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.

a. This is clarified in the Qur''an. Allah (S.W.T.) commanded us in. Al-Imran (4-103) Holding the rope of Allah and do not disunite

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (which is Islam) and be not divided among yourselves.”

Also, it is a must that Muslims unite regardless of the factors that suggest differences, like skin color, languages, regions, national origins, because unity is obligatory.

2) Obey Allah and his Rasool SWT when you differ on something turn to the main sources – which is of course the holy Quran and authentic Ahaadith.

3) Remember that In the sight of Allah the ‘most honored one’ is the one with Taqwa and help one another

(al-Maidah 5:2) Help one another in birr* and taqwa, and do not help one another in ithm (sin) and ''udwan (transgression).

4) By purifying the soul from jahiliyaah (ignorance) and Kibr (arrogance)

a. The cure is also with purifying the soul from the traces of jahiliyah and purifying it from arrogance and looking down on people and one should focus on planting the virtue of humility and respect of others.

5) Understanding each other an mingle with them talk to them and pray for them..

Abu ad-Darda and uwaimir bin Zaid (RA) said that they heard from the Messenger of Allah SAW said: “Every Muslim slave who invokes Allah for the benefit of his absent brother (in Islam), then the angel will reply, ‘Amin, and for you the same.”

O’ servents of almighty, let us have this practice and make a habit of praying for your brother or sister (in Islam) in their absence. By that Insha Allah we will be getting two benefits. 1) As it mentioned in the above Hadith, Angels will make Ameen for your DUA/supplication and 2) Your relationship with the brother will increase for the sake of Allah.

6) The cure is also with the total awareness that Asabiyyah is from the works of Iblees and a means of destruction in the hands of the enemies of the Muslim Ummah from within and from outside..

Dear Muslims, unity will not come in a night or day but it is an effort working together and starting from the individuals like you and me. It is working towards for a common goal and by ignoring some of the differences as long as, if it is not affecting the aqeedha /creed and fundamentals of Islam. We need to help each other on the birr and piety and forgive one another for the short comings.

(al-Maidah 5:2) Help one another in birr* and taqwa, and do not help one another in ithm (sin) and ''udwan (transgression).

We ask Allah (S.W.T.) to protect us all from all forms of Al-Asabiyyah Al-Jahiliyah and make us true believers. ( Ameen )