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The following is taken from "Al-Wasiyah al-Kubrah" (The Major Legacy) by
Ibn Taymiyah (published by Maktabat al-Sideeq 1987), page 111. "Al-Wasiyah
al-Kubrah" is advice that Ibn Taymiyah wrote to the followers of Shaykh
`Adiy Ibn Musaafer

It is not permitted to divide the Ummah
by affiliation to a Group

Likewise dividing the Ummah and putting it through tests on the basis
of things which were not commanded by Allah and His Messenger  [is not permitted]: for example saying
to a man: Are you a Shukaily or a Qirfandy? These names are false and
Allah has not sent any authority for their use, and there is neither in
the Book of Allah nor in the Sunnah of His Messenger  nor in any of the known narrations from
the Salaf of this Ummah any [mention of the names] Shukaily and Qirfandy.

The obligation of the Muslim if he is asked about this is to say: I am
neither a Shukaily nor a Qirfandy, I am a Muslim who follows the Book of
Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger .

It is narrated that Mu`aawiyah asked `Abdallah ibn `Abbas: "Are you in
Ali's group or in Uthmaan's group?" He said: "I am neither in Ali's group
nor in Uthmaan's group, I am in the group of the Messenger  of Allah."

Likewise each of the Salaf would say: "all these 'ahwaa' [whims or sects]
are in the fire." Another would say: "I do not know which is the greater
blessing? That Allah has guided me to Islam or that he has prevented me
from these 'ahwaa'."

Moreover Allah (Most High) has called us in the Qura'an: the Muslims,
the Believers, the Slaves of Allah, so we do not leave these names that
Allah has given us and adopt names which some people and their parents
have innovated, and which Allah has given no authority [for their use].

Indeed the names which might be desirable to use such as those indicating
the affiliation of people to an 'Imaam like Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi`i,
Hanbali, or a Shaykh like Qadiri or `Adawi etc, or affiliation to the
tribe like Qaisi or Yamaani, or a country, like Syrian, Iraqi, Egyptian.
No one is allowed to put the people through tests on the basis of these
names, neither can they show walaa' [allegiance] or show enmity on the
basis of these names; indeed the most honoured of people in the sight
of Allah are those with the most taqwa [fear and consciousness of Allah],
whichever group they belong to.

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