By Abdulahmeed Abdulrozaq Bilal | Fact Frontier.
Click here to read more about the reporter.
Last Friday, on the 10th of October, 2025, the atmosphere at the MSSN Central Mosque in Ikire/Apomu, Osun State, was one of profound reflection. The Khatib, Shaykh Owolabi Muhydeen (Afghani), delivered a powerful and timely sermon that cut to the very heart of the Muslim condition in our time. His message, drawn directly from the pristine teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), was a clear admonition against the divisive forces of sectarianism and a passionate enjoinder for unity within the Ummah.
In a world—and indeed, in a nation—where labels and divisions often overshadow our shared faith, the Shaykh’s words were a healing balm and a clarion call. He reminded the congregation that before we are anything else, we are Muslims, bound by the same Shahadah, facing the same Qiblah, and believing in the same Allah and His Final Messenger.
The Divine Command: Hold Fast to the Rope of Allah
The foundation of this unity is not a matter of mere social convenience; it is a direct command from Allah SWT. The Shaykh powerfully illustrated this by citing the unequivocal words of the Qur'an:
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided. (Qur'an 3:103)
This verse is a masterpiece of divine instruction. Allah commands us to hold fast to His rope all together (jamee'an), explicitly forbidding division in the same breath. The verse then beautifully reminds us of our own history—how Allah Himself transformed our hearts from enmity to brotherhood. This brotherhood (ikhwah) is a favor from Allah, and to fracture it through sectarian, ethnic, or political divisions is an act of ingratitude for that immense blessing.
The Prophetic Prohibition: A Warning Against Division
The Shaykh further reinforced this Qur'anic injunction with the definitive hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that addresses the reality of division within the Ummah. He narrated the prophecy where the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
The Jews split into seventy-one sects, the Christians split into seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in the Fire except one. The Companions asked, Who are they, O Messenger of Allah? He replied, Those who are upon what I and my companions are upon. (Jami` at-Tirmidhi)
This hadith is often misused as a tool for exclusion. However, as the Shaykh elucidated, its primary purpose is a severe warning. It is a prophecy that division will occur, but it is also a clear roadmap to salvation: adherence to the way of the Prophet and his righteous companions. This is not a call to create a new, exclusive sect called "The Saved Sect," but a call for every Muslim to constantly align their beliefs and practices with the authentic Sunnah and the understanding of the Salaf (the pious predecessors). It is a call to unity upon truth, not unity for its own sake.
From the Pulpit to Practice: Rebuilding Our Unity
Shaykh Owolabi Muhydeen, with his unique alias Afghani, is imparting knowledge in the heart of people in Yorubaland, especially to the indigenes of Ikire, Apomu, and Ikoyi of Osun State, and he is a living testament to the transcendence of Islam over ethnicity and culture.
So, how do we translate this powerful Friday sermon into our daily lives?
1. Promote Respectful Dialogue: We must learn to discuss our differences with knowledge, wisdom, and the best of manners. Disagreement in jurisprudence (fiqh) is a historical reality, but it should not lead to enmity or the nullification of brotherhood.
2. Focus on Common Ground: Let us emphasize what unites us—the Tawhid of Allah, the finality of Prophethood, the belief in the Hereafter, the five pillars of Islam—rather than magnifying our differences.
3. Collaborate on Common Goals: Our communities are faced with immense challenges—poverty, ignorance, Islamophobia. By collaborating on projects of social welfare, education, and Da'wah, we can build bridges of cooperation that strengthen the entire Ummah.
4. Check Our Intentions: We must constantly ask ourselves: Are my actions and words fostering unity based on the Qur'an and Sunnah, or are they driven by partisanship for a group, a leader, or my own ego?
The sermon at the MSSN Central Mosque, Ikire, was a much-needed reminder. The path to being one Ummah is not the path of erasing all differences, but the path of returning to our common source with sincerity, humility, and a profound love for our brothers and sisters in faith. Let us hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah, and may He make us among those who are united upon the truth and granted His mercy in this world and the next. Ameen.
