I ask Allāh ﷻ to bless this gathering and to make us and you from those who when they hear some speech that they follow the best of it. I advise myself, my brothers and loved ones to fear Allāh ﷻ in private and in public, and to fear Allāh in all situations, and to know and be aware that Allāh ﷻ is watching everything that we do.

Likewise, I advise myself and them to cling to the rope of Allāh as Allāh commanded us in His Statement:

۞ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُوا

“And hold firmly – all of you together – to the Rope of Allāh (the Qurʾān and Sunnah), and be not divided among yourselves…” (Q 3:103)

It is obligatory upon the whole of this nation to hold on firmly to the rope of Allāh – the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. It is obligatory upon the whole of this nation to hold onto the rope of Allāh – the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ – as it pertains to belief, worship, politics, mannerisms and in every matter of their lives. Holding firmly onto the rope of Allāh is obligatory upon all Muslims. It is obligatory upon the rulers and the ruled. It is obligatory upon the scholars, the students of knowledge and even the ignorant.

It is obligatory upon all of them together to hold onto the rope of Allāh ﷻ. As we said to hold onto the rope of Allāh as it pertains to belief (ʿaqīdah) and everything else.

I advise you to stay far away from the causes of division and separation. I advise you to stay far away from the causes of division and separation, as Allāh ﷻ said in this verse:

۞ وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُوا

“…and be not be divided among yourselves…” (Q 3:103)

Division and splitting is evil. Splitting is evil and is a calamity. It leads people to misguidance and it leads people to have enmity and hatred, and it even leads to the shedding of blood. And Allāh’s refuge is sought!

And this is something that we witness today, and something that is taking place today around us. I advise you to hold firmly onto the rope of Allāh ﷻ – and to stay away from division and separation – for verily separation leads to problems that have no ending and no ceasing. And this is why Allah ﷻ commanded us with clinging to His rope and His guidance, and He severly forbade us from division and splitting.

However, unfortunately, this splitting has occurred, and we find that many people have left clinging to the rope of Allah as it pertains to their creed (ʿaqīdah), their worship, their politics, and have fallen into this horrid and destructive splitting and differing. And Allāh’s Refuge is sought!

There is no way for this nation to escape the trials and tribulations of differing except by returning back to the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of the Prophet, and clinging to them and biting onto them with the molar teeth.

As the Prophet said: “Whoever lives long from amongst you will see a great amount of differing. So stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. Hold onto it, and bite onto it with your molar teeth. And beware of newly invented matters, for verily every newly invented matter is a bidʿah, and all bidʿah is misguidance.”

The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allāh and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs is to hold onto the rope of Allāh (the Qur’ān and the Sunnah). It is upon us to walk upon this path, clinging to the rope of Allāh and following its guidance in all affairs – belief, worship, character, politics, and everything else.

I advise you to stay far, far away from splitting and the causes of splitting, especially the Salafīs. [Brothers, listen up] It is upon them to behave as brothers, to cooperate upon righteousness and piety. May Allāh ﷻ bless you. It is upon them to stay away from the causes of separation because separation is evil. It is evil.

Ibn Maṣʿūd – this noble companion – objected to ‘Uthmān praying four units as a traveler at Mina. He objected to this, yet he prayed with ‘Uthmān. And the people said to ibn Maṣʿūd, “you objected to the four, however you still prayed with ‘Uthmān.” Ibn Maṣʿūd said: “Differing is evil.”

So he explained to them (because): Differing is evil. SubḥānAllāh!

Ibn Maṣʿūd understood and had knowledge of the dangers and evil of splitting and differing. So stay far, far away from it, and distance yourself from it and its causes.

It is upon the Salafīs to behave as brothers and to seek knowledge from the primary sources – from the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and the Manḥāj of al-Salaf al-Ṣalīḥ (the righteous predecessors). This requires them to stick to the rope of Allāh and to stay away from differing and its causes. And refuge in Allāh is sought from that! For indeed, splitting is evil.

Many of those who claim Salafīyyah in this era involve themselves in matters which cause splitting, differing and feuds. [Brothers, should I repeat that] Many of those who claim Salafīyyah in this era involve themselves in matters which cause splitting, differing and feuds. These individuals are not truthful in their Salafīyyah! These individuals are not truthful in their Salafīyyah! These individuals are not truthful in their Salafīyyah! If they were truthful, they would distance themselves from these evil causes of splitting, which split, separate and cut the ranks!

O’ youth! It is upon you to hold onto the rope of Allāh, and to abandon splitting, and to behave as brothers, and to stay far away from innovations, which the Prophet warned against. Cling to the way of the rightly guided Salaf – the way of the Prophet and his noble companions, and those who followed them in goodness. Stick to this way in all affairs. Cling to this way – may Allāh bless you – in all matters, all affairs.

Allāh ﷻ said:

۞ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ مِنِّي هُدى فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلاَ يَضِلُّ وَلاَ يَشْقَى

“…Then if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My Guidance shall neither go astray, nor fall into distress and misery.” (Q 20:123)

۞ وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَه مَعِيشَة ضَنكا وَنَحْشُرُه يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى

“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur’ān nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.” (Q 20:124)

۞ قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرْتَنِي أَعْمَى وَقَدْ كُنتُ بَصِيرا

“He will say: “O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight (before).” (20:125)

۞ قَالَ كَذَلِكَ أَتَتْكَ آيَاتُنَا فَنَسِيتَهَا وَكَذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ تُنسَى

(Allāh) will say: “Like this, Our evidences came unto you, but you disregarded them and you turned away from them, and so this Day, you will be neglected.” (Q 20:126)

Whoever follows the guidance of Allāh will never go astray. So it is upon us to strive to please Allāh ﷻ. It is upon us to strive to please Allāh. This turning away that is mentioned in this verse is destruction. So it is upon us – may Allāh bless you – to hold firmly to the guidance of Allāh ﷻ, and to follow the texts of the Qur’ān and Sunnah, as this following the guidance of Allāh and the texts is a guarantee for this individual to be safe and secure from falling into misguidance as it pertains to belief, worship and all affairs of his life.

Allāh ﷻ will protect him from misery. Allāh ﷻ will protect the servant due to the servant clinging to the rope of Allāh and sticking to the guidance of Allāh, and Allāh will enter him into Paradise.

۞ سَابِقُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَة مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِه ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيه مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

“Race one with another in hastening towards Forgiveness from your Lord (Allāh), and towards Paradise, the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in Allāh and His Messengers. That is the Grace of Allāh which He bestows on whom He pleases. And Allāh is the Owner of Great Bounty.” (Q 57:21)

۞ وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَه مَعِيشَة ضَنكا وَنَحْشُرُه يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى

“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur’ān nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.” (Q 30:124)

This is the recompense of turning away from the remembrance of Allāh. What (is it)? A life of hardship for the one who fails to implement the guidance of Allāh as it relates to his belief (‘aqīdah), his worship, his politics, his character and the affairs of his life. This turning away is destruction; it causes a miserable existence in this life and a severe punishment and torment in the hereafter. May Allāh protect us all from that.

Allāh ﷻ said:

۞ وَنَحْشُرُه يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى

“…and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.” (Q 30:124)

This is referring to the disbeliever who turns away from the guidance of Allāh, and the innovator has a share of this. The innovator has a share of this, and the sinners who turn away from the remembrance of Allāh have a share of this. This is a severe threat!

۞ قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرْتَنِي أَعْمَى وَقَدْ كُنتُ بَصِيرا

“He will say: “O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight (before).” (Q 30:125)

۞ قَالَ كَذَلِكَ أَتَتْكَ آيَاتُنَا فَنَسِيتَهَا وَكَذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ تُنسَى

(Allāh) will say: “Like this, Our Āyāt came unto you, but you disregarded them, and so this Day, you will be neglected.” (Q 30:126)

It is upon us to cling to the rope of Allāh, and follow and cling to the guidance of Allāh, and to stay away from bid’ah and all misguidance. I ask Allāh ﷻ that He makes us firm upon the truth and guidance. Indeed, my Lord hears all supplications, and He is All-Knowing.