And examples like this are among the texts in which God commands unity and solidarity, and forbids division and discord. The people of this principle are the Ahl al-Jama‘ah (people of the community), while those who break away are among the fragmented and discordant. The essence of this is obedience to God and His Messenger. In Sahih Muslim, from a hadith of Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet ﷺ: “God is pleased with you in three things: that you worship Him and associate nothing with Him (shirk); that you hold fast to the rope of God all together and do not separate; and that you offer sincere advice to whoever He appoints over your affairs.” In the Sunan, from a hadith of Zayd ibn Thabit and Ibn Mas‘ud—two jurists among the Companions—from the Prophet ﷺ: “May God bestow His grace on one who hears from us a tradition and conveys it to those who have not heard it. Often the bearer of knowledge is not a scholar, and often the bearer of knowledge to someone else is more knowledgeable than he is. There are three things that no Muslim’s heart would detest: sincerity of action for God’s sake, sincere counsel to the rulers, and adherence to the community of Muslims. If you call them to something, they will encompass you from behind.” His phrase “no Muslim’s heart would detest” means that no Muslim would harbor jealousy toward these qualities; rather, he loves them and accepts them. And the first of these virtues to begin with pertains to me. You know, may God be pleased with you, that I do not wish any harm to befall any of the general body of Muslims because of me, let alone to my companions, neither outwardly nor inwardly. I hold no grievance or reproach against any of them. On the contrary, they are to me worthy of honor, reverence, love, and veneration countless times more than one might imagine. And no one is free from being either an ijtihad scholar who errs, a scholar who is correct, or a sinner. The first earns reward and thanks; the second, reward for his exertion and pardon for his error; the third—the sinner—God forgives us and him. This settles any discussion contrary to this principle: statements such as “So-and-so was negligent,” “So-and-so did not act well,” “So-and-so caused harm to the shaykh,” “So-and-so said this or that,” and the like, in which one elevates his own companion above another. I do not pardon anyone who embarks on such speech; indeed, we respond to its speaker with reproach, unless he has a good intention, in which case God may forgive him, God willing. And God has pardoned what has passed. And you also know that what passed from me in the way of stern admonitions and severity toward some of the Companions in Damascus, and what occurred recently in Egypt, and what is ongoing, is neither out of disdain nor because of any deficiency in their rights, nor has there been any change in my attitude toward them as a result. Rather, after having been addressed with firmness and sternness, they have become more esteemed, more mindful, and more beloved and venerated by us. Indeed, these matters are among the benefits for believers through which God reforms one by means of another. A believer to another is like two hands washing one another; sometimes dirt is not removed except by some roughness, but that roughness results in the cleanliness and softness that are praiseworthy. And you know that we are all cooperating in piety and righteousness; it is our duty to support one another strongly and profoundly. Whoever intends to harm some of the Companions out of what he may assume is severity expected in Damascus or Egypt at this moment or elsewhere is mistaken. Likewise, whoever thinks that the believers abandon what they were commanded regarding mutual recognition and assistance has a false assumption; and suspicion avails nothing against the truth. No one among the community has left us or come to us now or before whose status with us today is not greater, more honored, and more exalted than before. And you know, may God be pleased with you, that below this matter of unity there occur events arising from scholarly discretion, differences of inclination, the varied conditions of people of faith, and the inevitable temptations of Satan. It is inconceivable that a human being should be free from these, especially since God described humankind as unjust and ignorant, saying: “And Allah laid a trust upon the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were apprehensive of it, and man bore it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant (33:72). To punish the hypocritical men and hypocritical women, and the polytheistic men and polytheistic women; and to turn in mercy to the believing men and believing women. And Allah is Ever Forgiving, Ever Merciful (33:73).” Indeed, I say this as a reminder from the lesser to the greater and from the greater to the lesser.