98. Is there anything known as ‘Rope of Unity’?

Verse (3:103) of the Quran says, ‘hold tight on to the ‘Rope of Unity’.

For a long time, this verse (3:103) has been misquoted to mean ‘Hold tight on to the Rope of Unity’.

Based on this wrong interpretation people argue, immaterial consequences a wrong act or deed results in, are to be suppressed to safeguard the unity of the community.

There is absolutely no substance in their argument regarding this verse.

For example, if the whole resident population of a town or a village watches a movie in a cinema hall or when the whole population unitedly indulges in the unholy act of dowry mongering, would Al-Mighty encourage it to maintain unity in the community?

The verse says ‘Everyone, together hold on to Allah’s rope’ meaning ‘to hold on to Quran and Prophet Muhammad’s explanations (i.e.) of the way of life prescribed in the Quran.

But the way these people explain it is, the wrong way as if ‘Don’t explain the Quran and the way of life of Prophet Muhammad if it disturbs the peace of the community’.

Even if others are reluctant to hold on to Allah’s rope, we should not lose our grip, and it is our duty to call them in this pursuit.

The slogan of community harmony is a toxic germ out to destroy humankind. Treating the good and the bad in the same plane becomes the root cause for all evils.

When we say worship Allah there is no disturbance to peace, but when we say do not worship any other than Allah there is a breach of peace. Islam has its base in this negative to unity concept in its ideology.

When we say do not worship idols, there is breach of peace, again when we say do not worship mausoleums/shrines of dead people, there is breach of peace, and when we forbid people from worshipping the living, there is breach of peace. But Islam emphasizes mankind to continue and follow this concept.

The Quran says to forbid evil; this will definitely cause upheavals in society causing disturbances.

The Quran also says do not help people propagate evil, this will also result in disturbances to the community.

The Quran also stresses importance to ideology than relatives, which again is considered a drawback to peace in the family.

Allah declared Islam as a way of life to distinguish people as good and bad, and also to pinpoint the good and evil cannot be viewed in the same plane. There is a difference between people who congregate to drink, accept dowry, scoundrelly, and others who refrain from all these.

The concept of unity in Islam is an invention of people who do not muster courage to fight evil and distortions of it.

There will be salvation in Islam only when the distorted concept of unity is destroyed.