THE SECRET OF UNITY
Agree to Disagree
THE importance of unity in life can never be over-emphasized. Great works are always the result of united efforts. Unity is the greatest strength of any group and conversely, disunity its greatest weakness.
In Islam, there is such great importance given to unity that it has been made obligatory to perform the salah five times daily in a united congregation. Salah in such a manner is an extraordinary example of unity. The question now arises: when Muslims perform the daily united congregational salah in the mosques on such a grand scale, why is this very unity completely absent from their practical lives? The reason for this is that real unity can only be established when differences are tolerated. Remaining united despite differences is the formula for true unity.
Ritualistic unity can be maintained as a form of routine, but true unity requires a conscious awareness.
Muslims perform the congregational salah in the mosques, because in doing so there are no differences that arise. The momentary or temporary unity in the mosques is a unity without any differences, whereas, life outside of the mosque is full of differences. Here, it becomes necessary to lead our lives in a united manner despite our differences, and to ignore or tolerate the differences whilst maintaining mutual unity. Present day Muslims lack this second attribute and that is why they have no real unity in their social lives.
To be temporarily united whilst carrying out ritual acts is very easy, but to remain united and live harmoniously whilst ignoring or tolerating differences is extremely difficult. Ritualistic unity can be maintained as a form of routine, but true unity requires a conscious awareness. Muslims of the present day do not possess this conscious awareness, and this leads to there being no real unity in their lives.