The Offices of Commander and Qadi - Mishkat al-Masabih 3677

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This noble hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) addresses the critical matter of preserving Muslim unity and the severe consequences for those who seek to divide the community.

Context and Meaning

The phrase "various corruptions will arise" refers to the trials and tribulations that will emerge within the Muslim ummah, particularly fitan (discord) that threatens communal harmony.

"Strike with the sword him who tries to cause separation" indicates the gravity of causing division. Scholars explain this applies to those who openly rebel against legitimate Muslim leadership and attempt to fragment the community's unity.

Scholarly Interpretation

Imam Nawawi comments that this hadith establishes the obligation to combat those who seek to divide Muslims and create schisms. The ruling applies regardless of the person's status - "whoever he be" emphasizes that no one is exempt from this judgment.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains that this applies specifically to those who break away from the jama'ah (main body of Muslims) and establish separate factions, not to ordinary differences of opinion.

Legal Implications

Classical scholars derived from this hadith that rebellion against legitimate Muslim rulers who maintain Islamic law is prohibited, and those who take up arms to divide the community must be fought.

The phrase "when they are united" indicates this ruling applies specifically when the Muslim community is cohesive under legitimate leadership following Islamic principles.

Contemporary Application

This teaching emphasizes the importance of Muslim unity and warns against sectarianism, tribalism, and other divisive ideologies that threaten communal harmony.

The preservation of Muslim unity remains a fundamental obligation, while recognizing that legitimate scholarly differences of interpretation do not constitute the type of division condemned in this hadith.