“Hold fast to the rope of Allah all together and do not be divided.”[1]

This is an excerpt from Madārij al-Sālikīn ‘Ranks of the Divine Seekers,’ by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya and translated by Ovamir Anjum.[2]

The heart now arrives at the station of holding fast. It is of two types: holding on to God, and holding on to the rope of God. God says: “And hold on to the rope of God, all together, and be not divided” [3:103]; “And hold on to God, He is your protector—and what a good protector and what a good guarantor of victory” [22:78].

[The Arabic word for holding fast] al-iʿtiṣām is the iftiʿāl form of al-ʿiṣma, which is to hold on to what protects you and shields you from what is prohibited and feared. ʿIṣma is protection, and al-iʿtiṣām is to seek protection. This is why fortresses are called ʿawāṣim, since they guard and protect.

Success in this world and the Hereafter depends on adherence to God and to His rope. There is no salvation without these two. Holding fast to ‘His rope’ is to be saved from misguidance, and holding fast to Him is to be saved from utter ruin. A traveler towards God is like any traveler headed toward a destination: he needs directions for how to get there, as well as security and safety on the way—no one can reach his destination except by ensuring these two things. He needs a guide to save him from getting lost on the way and show the way, while he needs guards or arms to protect him against bandits and other dangers.

Holding on to the rope of God ensures for the seeker the right path and adherence to the proof, while holding on to God guarantees him strength, preparation, armament, and what he will need to be safe on the way.

This is why, after pointing to the meanings given above, the Predecessors interpret the phrase “rope of God” variously. Ibn ʿAbbās said: [it means] hold on to the religion of God. Ibn Masʿūd said,

[It means] the community. It is the rope of God that He has commanded to hold on to. What you may dislike about being part of the congregation and obedience is better than any benefit you may see in separation.

Mujāhid and ʿAṭā said, “The covenant with God,” while Qatāda and as-Suddī and many other exegetes say it is the Qurʾan.

Ibn Masʿūd, God be pleased with him, said, on the authority of the Prophet, God grant him blessing and peace, “This Qurʾan is the rope of God, it is the brilliant light, the salubrious healing, protection for whoever holds on to it, salvation for whoever follows it.”[3]

ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, God be pleased with him, says on the authority of the Prophet, God grant him blessing and peace, concerning the Qurʾan, “It is God’s strong rope, and it is the wise remembrance, and it is the straight path, and it is the one with which desires cannot stray, it does not exhaust with repetition, tongues cannot muddle it, scholars cannot have enough of it.”[4]

Muqātil said, “[Hold on to God’s rope] through His command and obedience, and differ not like Jews and Christians differed.”

It is reported in the Muwaṭṭaʾ [of Mālik], on the authority of Suhayl b. Abī Ṣāliḥ, from his father, from Abū Hurayra may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger of God said:

Surely God loves for you three things: that you worship him and consider none equal to Him, that you hold on to the rope of God all together, and you give sincere advice to those whom God has given your affairs. God dislikes for you three things: gossip, wasting of wealth, and excessive questioning.[5]

The author of al-Manāzil said, “Holding on to the rope of God” means persevering in His obedience while vigilant of His command.

He means by “vigilant of His command” performing acts of obedience because it is God who commands and loves them, not merely out of habit nor any other reason but submission to His command. Accordingly, Ṭalq b. Habīb defined piety as,

Acting in obedience to God, upon light from God, seeking reward from God, and abandoning disobedience of God, upon light from God, fearing the punishment of God.[6]

This is the faith and anticipation that is alluded to in the words of the Prophet, God grant him blessing and peace, is his saying, “Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and anticipation, and whoever stands [praying] the Night of Power with faith and anticipation, all his sins are forgiven.”[7]

Here, fasting and standing in prayer are acts of obedience, faith is obedience to the command, the sincerity of the motive is that [the motive] should be faith in the one who commands and nothing else; and anticipation means hoping for God’s reward. Thus, holding on to God’s rope protects from heretical innovation and other ailments that afflict acts of worship.

Notes

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[1] Holy Qu’ran, Surah Al-i-Imran ayah 103

[2] Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, Madārij al-Sālikīn ‘Ranks of the Divine Seekers,’ Vol.2, translated by Ovamir Anjum, Brill, 2020, p.58

[3] Recorded by Ibn Abī Shayba in al-Muṣannaf 10:482–483.

[4] Recorded by Ibn Abī Shayba in al-Muṣannaf #10056, weak in this form; Ibn Kathīr considers it sound as the words of ʿAlī.

[5] Muslim #1715

[6] Ḥilya 3:64

[7] Bukhārī #1901; Muslim #760