Al-Bukhaari, Book 41, Number 6902:
The Arab Spring began in Tunisia, but it was in Egypt that it showed its promise. Where is that promise now? What began as an amazing showing of brotherhood - Muslims, Christians, Secularists - standing together against a tyrant, has devolved into sectarian violence. We recall the scene of the Jumu'ah Prayer led by Imam al-Qaradawi in Tahrir Square. It was truly a wonder and a hope.
What began as a proud moment has become a source of confusion and shame. And the military, who initially showed amazing restraint and acted in a manner that no other military force has, by remaining out of the political fray, has now jumped in with a vengeance.
Despite the sectarian bias of the hadith above of Ahnaf b. Qais, the basic message has been transmitted by others.
al-Bukhaari, Book 41, Number 6904:
As Muslims, we must beware of fitnah. Fitnah Akbar Min al-Qatl. Fitnah is worse than killing. We are forbidden to allow strife and fitnah from destroying our basic unity. Ikhtilaf is permissible (mubah) in Islam, but fitnah is not, it is haram. And to kill another Muslim is the gravest of sins. Allah SWT himself will punish this crime.
Today, in Syria and Egypt, Muslims, or at least those who call themselves Muslims, are killing other Muslims. How can anyone who calls themselves of those who have submitted to Allah possibly kill others who have done so. We must consider who is really benefiting from this fitnah.
When we consider who is benefiting from the fighting, we have to realize that only our enemies are benefiting. Our biggest enemy, Shaytan, is having a "field day." He must be laughing at all this killing. And those he inspires, no matter what their nationality or political affiliation, are laughing at us too.
We have to consider who is benefiting. Previously, the West did not want to get involved in Syria. Now it does. Why? The fact that it is proven beyond a doubt that Bashaar al-Assad possesses chemical weapons worries a certain ally of the US, and that ally has a great deal of money with which to lobby the US government to act on its behalf. When that ally was more worried about the rebels, the US did nothing, but when that ally began to fear that continued civil war would favor the Dawlat al Islami and that extremists might get the chemical weapons, the US decided to do something, which most likely will involve destroying chemical weapons stockpiles and little else.
We have to consider who is benefiting. In Egypt, we can also assume this same "ally" is benefiting the most from the strife. They fear a united Egypt, especially if it has a government that is not thoroughly controlled by itself. Obviously, an Islamic party would not be so controlled. However, we have to acknowledge that the Muslim Brotherhood has little experience in statecraft. How could they; they have been a banned party for most of their existence, and have not been able to gain such experience. So they made a great many mistakes, did little, and did not clean up the corruption in Egyptian society.
In fact, few in Egypt have administrative experience. All but the old guard know little about statecraft, so any new party will fail, unless they are able to get the necessary experience. The internet generation that led the Arab Spring needs to step up and learn how to serve, not just lead society.
One important step is development of Islamic Shura Government. Elsewhere, we have addressed the concept of Wilayat al Ummah - Islamic Democracy. Some people think that Islam calls for some kind of dictatorship. Even if they acknowledge Shura, they insist that there be one leader, and that that leader consult in shura. But this is not the governance practiced by the Prophet SAW. He practiced Wilayat Al Ummah.
Although Sayed Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr felt there was no evidence for the use of shura by the Prophet SAW, he has neglected certain clear events in the Seerah. The first is the Shura at the time of the Battle of Uhud. The Prophet SAW met with the Sahabi and discussed what to do about the army of Quraish marching toward Madina. Some were eager to go out and meet it. Some wanted to stay in Madina and defend it. The Prophet SAW favored this view. A third group suggested going out to Uhud. This option was finally agreed upon because it satisfied the urge of those who wanted to go out, but it also satisfied those who wanted to prepare defenses for the battle and to remain near Madina to come to its defense, if necessary. When asked later if they should have followed the Prophet's original opinion to stay in Madina, he said no. Once a decision is made in Shura, we understand that Allah SWT will support us. Allah SWT has said He will not allow us to agree on an error.
The second time shura was used was in the division of the booty/anfal from the Battle of Hunain. Here, the booty was not divided until after the Seige of Taif, when the Hawazin Tribe had become Muslim. So the Prophet SAW instructed the people to meet with their amirs and naibs and let them know if they preferred to keep either the captives or the property taken at the battle. All but two groups said they would return the captives and keep the property. When the two groups heard of this, one also decided to return the captives, but one held out and the Prophet SAW ransomed the captives himself.
Finally, the Prophet SAW set up the community in Madina into Saqa'if or Saqifahs, each with an amir or naib. This is similar to affinity groups in consensus governance. In fact, Shura is consensus governance. Some have translated Shura as consultation, but consensus is a better translation. Consensus is not unanimity or ijma. Consensus means that everyone 'can live with' the decision, even if they would prefer something else, just like the decision to go out to Uhud.
It is clear this is the method of governance preferred by our Rasul. Amirate is for ghazawat, not for the governance of the ummah. We encourage our brothers in Egypt to adopt this Wilayat al Ummah. One of the greatest strengths of shura government is that all voices get a seat at the table, and all parties have a stake. Studies have shown that people are more likely to fulfill mediated agreements rather than obeying judicial decrees. This is because they must work to come to mediated agreements, and so feel they have a stake in the outcome. They take ownership of the agreement and want to fulfill it. Shura government creates the same effect. But it does require work. The one problem with dictators is that it produces a lazy populace. People cannot be lazy and depend on others to govern them.
For too long, the Arabs have been ruled by "mamluks." It's time to be "maliks" again.
We pray to Allah SWT to guide us all and to prevent us from fitnah and killing. We pray to Allah SWT to guide us to the best
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) many ahadith and one of them was this: The last Hour will not come until the two parties (of Muslims) confront each other and there is a large-scale massacre amongst them and the claim of both of them is the same.Al-Bukhaari, Book 41, Number 6898:
Ahnaf b. Qais reported: I set out with the intention of helping this person (Hadrat 'Ali) that Abu Bakra met me. He said: Ahnaf, where do you intend to go? I said: I intend to help the cousin of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), viz. 'Ali. Thereupon he said to me: Ahnaf, go back, for I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When two Muslims confront one another with swords (in hands) both the slayer and the slain would be in Fire. He (Ahnaf) said: I said, or it was said: Allah's Messenger, it may be the case of one who kills. but what about the slain (why he would be put in Hell-Fire)? Thereupon he said: He also intended to kill his companion.
Is the Arab Spring Turning into the Arab Fall?
What began as a proud moment has become a source of confusion and shame. And the military, who initially showed amazing restraint and acted in a manner that no other military force has, by remaining out of the political fray, has now jumped in with a vengeance.
Despite the sectarian bias of the hadith above of Ahnaf b. Qais, the basic message has been transmitted by others.
al-Bukhaari, Book 41, Number 6904:
Thauban reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Allah drew the ends of the world near one another for my sake. And I have seen its eastern and western ends. And the dominion of my Unimah would reach those ends which have been drawn near me and I have been granted the red and the white treasure and I begged my Lord for my Ummah that it should not be destroyed because of famine, nor be dominated by an enemy who is not amongst them to take their lives and destroy them root and branch, and my Lord said: Muhammad, whenever I make a decision, there is none to change it. Well, I grant you for your Ummah that it would not be destroyed by famine and it would not be dominated by an enemy who would not be amongst it and would take their lives and destroy them root and branch even if all the people from the different parts of the world join hands together (for this purpose), but it would be from amongst them, viz. your Ummah, that some people would kill the others or imprison the others.
As Muslims, we must beware of fitnah. Fitnah Akbar Min al-Qatl. Fitnah is worse than killing. We are forbidden to allow strife and fitnah from destroying our basic unity. Ikhtilaf is permissible (mubah) in Islam, but fitnah is not, it is haram. And to kill another Muslim is the gravest of sins. Allah SWT himself will punish this crime.
Today, in Syria and Egypt, Muslims, or at least those who call themselves Muslims, are killing other Muslims. How can anyone who calls themselves of those who have submitted to Allah possibly kill others who have done so. We must consider who is really benefiting from this fitnah.
When we consider who is benefiting from the fighting, we have to realize that only our enemies are benefiting. Our biggest enemy, Shaytan, is having a "field day." He must be laughing at all this killing. And those he inspires, no matter what their nationality or political affiliation, are laughing at us too.
We have to consider who is benefiting. Previously, the West did not want to get involved in Syria. Now it does. Why? The fact that it is proven beyond a doubt that Bashaar al-Assad possesses chemical weapons worries a certain ally of the US, and that ally has a great deal of money with which to lobby the US government to act on its behalf. When that ally was more worried about the rebels, the US did nothing, but when that ally began to fear that continued civil war would favor the Dawlat al Islami and that extremists might get the chemical weapons, the US decided to do something, which most likely will involve destroying chemical weapons stockpiles and little else.
We have to consider who is benefiting. In Egypt, we can also assume this same "ally" is benefiting the most from the strife. They fear a united Egypt, especially if it has a government that is not thoroughly controlled by itself. Obviously, an Islamic party would not be so controlled. However, we have to acknowledge that the Muslim Brotherhood has little experience in statecraft. How could they; they have been a banned party for most of their existence, and have not been able to gain such experience. So they made a great many mistakes, did little, and did not clean up the corruption in Egyptian society.
In fact, few in Egypt have administrative experience. All but the old guard know little about statecraft, so any new party will fail, unless they are able to get the necessary experience. The internet generation that led the Arab Spring needs to step up and learn how to serve, not just lead society.
Mamluks or Maliks
One important step is development of Islamic Shura Government. Elsewhere, we have addressed the concept of Wilayat al Ummah - Islamic Democracy. Some people think that Islam calls for some kind of dictatorship. Even if they acknowledge Shura, they insist that there be one leader, and that that leader consult in shura. But this is not the governance practiced by the Prophet SAW. He practiced Wilayat Al Ummah.
Although Sayed Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr felt there was no evidence for the use of shura by the Prophet SAW, he has neglected certain clear events in the Seerah. The first is the Shura at the time of the Battle of Uhud. The Prophet SAW met with the Sahabi and discussed what to do about the army of Quraish marching toward Madina. Some were eager to go out and meet it. Some wanted to stay in Madina and defend it. The Prophet SAW favored this view. A third group suggested going out to Uhud. This option was finally agreed upon because it satisfied the urge of those who wanted to go out, but it also satisfied those who wanted to prepare defenses for the battle and to remain near Madina to come to its defense, if necessary. When asked later if they should have followed the Prophet's original opinion to stay in Madina, he said no. Once a decision is made in Shura, we understand that Allah SWT will support us. Allah SWT has said He will not allow us to agree on an error.
The second time shura was used was in the division of the booty/anfal from the Battle of Hunain. Here, the booty was not divided until after the Seige of Taif, when the Hawazin Tribe had become Muslim. So the Prophet SAW instructed the people to meet with their amirs and naibs and let them know if they preferred to keep either the captives or the property taken at the battle. All but two groups said they would return the captives and keep the property. When the two groups heard of this, one also decided to return the captives, but one held out and the Prophet SAW ransomed the captives himself.
Finally, the Prophet SAW set up the community in Madina into Saqa'if or Saqifahs, each with an amir or naib. This is similar to affinity groups in consensus governance. In fact, Shura is consensus governance. Some have translated Shura as consultation, but consensus is a better translation. Consensus is not unanimity or ijma. Consensus means that everyone 'can live with' the decision, even if they would prefer something else, just like the decision to go out to Uhud.
It is clear this is the method of governance preferred by our Rasul. Amirate is for ghazawat, not for the governance of the ummah. We encourage our brothers in Egypt to adopt this Wilayat al Ummah. One of the greatest strengths of shura government is that all voices get a seat at the table, and all parties have a stake. Studies have shown that people are more likely to fulfill mediated agreements rather than obeying judicial decrees. This is because they must work to come to mediated agreements, and so feel they have a stake in the outcome. They take ownership of the agreement and want to fulfill it. Shura government creates the same effect. But it does require work. The one problem with dictators is that it produces a lazy populace. People cannot be lazy and depend on others to govern them.
For too long, the Arabs have been ruled by "mamluks." It's time to be "maliks" again.
We pray to Allah SWT to guide us all and to prevent us from fitnah and killing. We pray to Allah SWT to guide us to the best
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