My Islam Way (The Reason)

Bismillah.

When someone converts to Islam or when a born Muslim begins to study Islam seriously, an essential question often arises: Which Islam is true?

We see the number of non-Muslims embracing Islam growing rapidly. Yet, many mualafs (converts to Islam) find it challenging to determine which approach to Islam is the purest. Even lifelong Muslims, including myself, often feel confused about which method is the most authentic for practicing this religion.

Like other religions, Islam has many sects. Islam is said to have more than 70 factions, as mentioned in the Hadith:

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ كَثِيرِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ الْحِمْصِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّادُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ حَدَّثَنَا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو عَنْ رَاشِدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ افْتَرَقَتْ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً فَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ وَافْتَرَقَتْ النَّصَارَى عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً فَإِحْدَى وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ وَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَتَفْتَرِقَنَّ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً وَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَثِنْتَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ هُمْ قَالَ الْجَمَاعَةُ

Amru bin Uthman bin Sa'id bin Kathir bin Dinar Al-Himshi narrated: 'Abbad bin Yusuf narrated from Safwan bin 'Amru, from Rashid bin Sa'd, from 'Auf bin Malik. He said that the Prophet (saw) stated, "The Jews will be divided into seventy-one groups; one group will go to heaven and seventy will go to hell. The Christians will split into seventy-two groups; seventy-one will go to hell and one group will go to heaven. By the One in whose hand is Muhammad's soul, my ummah will split into seventy-three groups; one group will enter heaven, and seventy-two will go to hell." He was then asked, "O Messenger of Allah, who are they (the ones who enter heaven)?" He answered, "The Jama'ah." (Sunan Ibn Majah, 3982)

In Indonesia, there are numerous Islamic factions, organizations, and groups that are officially recognized by the government. In my opinion, this only complicates matters further. When someone has just hijrah (made a spiritual transformation), the array of different sects and ideologies can be overwhelmingly confusing.

THE JOURNEY

In 2008, I studied abroad in Malaysia. I majored in Business Information Technology but did not finish due to various issues. During my studies, I tried to understand Islam better. Although I was a Muslim, I hadn’t practiced or been genuinely interested in Islam until that time. To quench my thirst for Islamic knowledge, I browsed many Islamic websites. Unfortunately, I stumbled upon Khawarij pages, which led me to believe that "if I didn't fight non-Muslims, I wouldn’t enter Paradise"—a terribly misguided view. Alhamdulillah, this phase didn’t last long. I returned to Indonesia and resumed a more traditional Muslim lifestyle (praying, eating, sleeping, and repeating).

Later, in 2011, I continued my studies in Bandung, majoring in English. Again, my interest in Islam grew. I explored various Islamic sects and organizations, such as Nahdlatul Ulama (the largest faction in Indonesia), Muhammadiyah, Jamaah Tabligh, LDII, and others. Eventually, I encountered the Salafi movement. Initially, I wasn’t particularly drawn to Salafism, thinking it was too strict for the modern day, as it adhered strictly to the Qur’an and Hadith. At that time, I gravitated more toward Jamaah Tabligh, as they didn’t prohibit music, which I loved passionately. My father even lulled me to sleep with rock songs from bands like Firehouse, Queen, Metallica, and White Lion.

Despite enjoying Jamaah Tabligh’s teachings, something kept me from fully committing. In late 2014, I left the Jamaah Tabligh and got married.

My quest to find the true Islam began in 2015. Life’s struggles continued, and the more sects I studied, the more confused I became. At times, it felt like my head would explode from all the questions.

By 2016, YouTube had grown substantially, and many ustadz (Islamic teachers) began posting their lectures there. Learning through YouTube was much easier than it had been in 2011 in Malaysia. I watched countless lectures from various sects and organizations, and in 2017, I encountered the term manhaj, which refers to a particular way of following Islamic teachings. This led me to a deeper understanding of Salafism. However, I still struggled to practice it fully, as Salafism prohibits music—a difficult challenge given my lifelong love for it.

In 2018, I began learning about ruqyah, a form of healing through Qur’anic recitation used to expel jinn or devils from the human body.

When one of my ruqyah ustadz found out I followed Salafi teachings, he discouraged me, saying Salafism contained too many flaws. He criticized it for calling those who practice bid’ah (innovations) as kafir (disbelievers), condemning demonstrations as haram, and labeling music as sinful. This criticism shook me, and I left Salafism to join Haraki (an Islamic path that prioritizes unity over strict monotheism).

For nearly two years, I believed Haraki was the best path, as it allowed one to learn from any source, listen to music, participate in demonstrations, and more.

THE REASON

I was once a Salafi, then a Haraki, and finally returned to Salafism. Reflecting on this journey, I found some answers that made sense:

  1. Purification: Through ruqyah, my soul reached a purified state. This cleansing guided me to the most authentic form of Islam, as Allah alone leads us to the truth.

  2. Seeking the Purest Path: Every sect claims its methods are best, supported by its own dalils (evidence). The question is, which is purest? The answer lies in purification—like emptying a bottle to fill it with pure water.

  3. Simplicity of Salafism: I found Salafism the simplest method, as it strictly adheres to the Qur’an and Hadith without extensive interpretations that complicate the religion.

  4. Inner Peace: I felt calmer, focusing solely on the quality of my practice.

  5. Salafism as a Method, Not a Sect: Salafism is not a sect or organization but a method of practicing Islam. This independence made me feel at peace, as my only allegiance is to Allah.

FINAL STATEMENT

I don’t claim that everyone outside Salafism is wrong. However, in simple terms, those who don’t follow the Salafi way might inadvertently fall into syubhat (ambiguity), risking endless sin without realizing it. To avoid this, it’s best to follow the purest path, grounded in the Qur’an and Hadith.

Last but not least, seeking truth requires effort; without striving and searching, the gate to hidayah (guidance) may remain closed. As Allah says: “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Ar-Ra'd: 11)

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