By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz 

 

Today marks the start of the Islamic Unity Week initiated by the Father of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, following victory of the grassroots movement of the Iranian people, in order to bring Muslims of various denominations on a common platform through bridging of the two dates of the month of Rabi al-Awwal – 12 and 17 – considered to be the birthday of the Almighty’s Last and Greatest Messenger.

The blessed birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) is indeed an occasion of joy. It is a cause to celebrate in order to promote the dynamism of the Shar’iah in society by focusing on the immaculate personality of the Best of creation, who bequeathed to humanity practical precedents that ensure harmony, peace, and prosperity, if diligently followed.

Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), born in the monotheistic Hashemite clan that adhered to the path of Prophet Abraham (AS), was the Messenger of Mercy. He was sent to unite people and not to divide them.

Foretold by all prophets of the past, he excellently accomplished his mission. During the 23 years that he preached the universal message of Islam, he not just transformed fratricidal polytheist Arab tribes into a fraternal monotheist nation, but also many Jews, Christians, Sabians, Zoroastrians, and Hindus into sincere Muslims as torchbearers of science and civilization.

Unlike the numerous sects and castes that Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and other creeds are splintered into, Muslims despite their jurisprudential differences, follow the same fundamental tenets of Islam.

For instance, they believe in the One and Only God; face the same focal point (the Holy Ka’ba) for the daily ritual prayers; recite the same single Qur’an as the Revealed Word of God (as opposed to the numerous versions of the Christian Gospel); fast in the blessed month of Ramadhan; perform Hajj on the same days of Zil-Hijjah; and unanimously regard Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) as the Seal of all prophets raised by God Almighty since the creation of Adam and Eve.

So, where are the points of difference about which the enemies of Islam brag about in order to sow seeds of discord amongst Muslims?

Only the devilish elements who masquerade as Muslims, but whose hearts are devoid of faith, bite the Zionist-Imperialist bate and turn into Takfiris to terrorize and slaughter true Muslims.

Now we understand why deviated elements regard celebration of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) as “bid’ah” (innovation), because they are fearful that Islamic unity will sound the death knell for their creators in the West.

Thus, in view of these facts, the difference of date regarding the day of birth of the Prophet is not a matter of fundamental difference. It could be a scribal error of the days when the Arabic numerals had not yet been standardized.

Another explanation in this regard is the chain of authorities of narrators. For instance, the Sunnis, on the narrations of the Sahaba – who before becoming Muslims from decades of idol-worship and unbridled sinning were not much familiar with the Prophet – believe the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal to be his birthday.

The Shi’ites, believing family accounts of the Ahl al-Bayt to be more reliable, consider the 17th of the same month as the auspicious day the “Mercy unto the creation” was born.

It is worth noting that for the Infallible Imams of the Prophet’s Household the account of the life of their ancestor was a household affair. It is also on their authority that we have come to know of so many events of his life, beginning from the miracles at his birth and details of the forty years he spent before the Divine commandment to proclaim his mission, including his marriage to the Immaculate lady Hazrat Khadija (SA), with whom he spent over 25 years of marital bliss.

Didn’t the Prophet said in explicit words in the famous Hadith Thaqalayn:

“I am leaving among you the two weighty things; the Book of God (the Qur’an) and my progeny the Ahl al-Bayt. Hold fast to them and you will never go astray for the two will never part with each other even when they return to me at the Pool (of Kowsar on Judgement Day).”

Doesn’t God say in the holy Qur’an?

“Hold fast, all together, to Allah’s cord, and do not be divided; and remember Allah’s blessing upon you when you were enemies, then He brought your hearts together, so you became brothers with His blessing.”

In view of these undeniable facts, there is no obvious discord, and there ought not to be any, regarding the Messenger of Mercy and his universal message.

As Muslims of various denominations join together these days to celebrate the birthday of God’s Greatest Creation – no matter if the heretical Takfiris seethe in anger – we indeed feel indebted to the foresight of that Sage of our Age, Imam Khomeini (RA), for taking the commendable step 45 years ago to designate the Islamic Unity Week to bridge these two dates of Rabi al-Awwal, so that the plots of the enemies could be nipped in the bud.

If only, the political and religious leaders of the Muslim world had overcome their prejudices to endorse Imam Khomeini’s dynamic initiative, the Ummah would not have been in such a sorry fragmented state of affairs. 

True, today Muslims worldwide are making sincere efforts to foster unity, but their enemies, such as the US, the Zionists, and others, have not stayed silent and are busy trying to sow seeds of disunity.

We are, however, confident they will not succeed in their nefarious plan, and Islamic unity will finally prevail all over the world the moment we decide to follow with sincerity the practical precedents set by Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), of whom Ayah 21 of Surah Ahzaab says:  

“In the Prophet of Allah there is certainly for you a good exemplar, for those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remember Allah greatly.”

Indeed, the Prophet removed all ethnic, lingual, colour and class barriers. He said there is no difference between a Qurayshite Arab and a black African. He appointed Bilal the Abyssinian as “Muezzin” or official caller to the daily ritual prayers, even though this non-Arab Muslim couldn’t correctly pronounce certain Arabic alphabets.

If the Roman refugee Suhayb had the honour of becoming his companion, he hailed the Iranian Salman as “Minna Ahl al-Bayt” (from us the People of the House) – an honour no Arab companion ever achieved.

Therefore, better late than never; and now is the time for Muslims worldwide to rise above petty sectarian, ethnic, lingual, political, geographical, cultural, class, and colour of skin differences, to knit the Ummah into a monolithic bloc, not just to prevent desecration of Islamic sanctities by Godless elements and safeguard their national and international interests, but to attract conscientious persons of all other creeds to the all-embracing fold of Islam.