Al-Furqan: The Most Distinguishing Criterion

Al- Furqan  25:45. Hast thou not turned
Thy vision to thy Lord?—
How He doth prolong
The Shadow! If He willed,
He could make it stationary!
Then do We make
The sun its guide;

46. Then We draw it in
Towards Ourselves,
A contraction by easy stages.

47. And He it is Who makes
The Night as a Robe
For you, and Sleep as Repose,
And makes the Day
(As it were) a Resurrection.

Allah SWT, in these ayaat, reminds us again of his signs.  Here in Surah Al-Furqan, He refers to the Criterion.  The word furqan is from the root, FRQ, which means to distinguish, to discern.  The word furqan is the most expansive version of this meaning, similar to the word, rahm or mercy and rahman, the most merciful.  The furqan is the best, most distinguishing criterion. 

Allah SWT mentions the shadows.  He is the one in control of the Heavens and the Earth.  The shadows change through out the day.  The shadow depends on the light.  It begins with the sun rise and moves shorter and shorter until the noon, when the sun is at the zenith and there appears no shadow.  Then the shadows lengthen again as the day moves into the sun set.  The Shams, the Sun, is the dalil or proof of the dhalal – the shadow or shade.  Besides a beautiful use of the Arabic language in the words dhalal and dalil, Allah SWT also reminds us of shade and light, of ignorance and knowledge.  The Sun, the Light is a guide, steady and true, the shadow is transient, temporary. 

Our lives begin like the shadow under the sun at dawn,  slowly we strengthen and the light replaces the darkness as we learn and grow, then we reach the full brightness of our maturity, and then we decline, our shadow ever lengthening until the night of death.

Allah draws the light back to Him in slow stages, just as He will draw us back to Himself after the stages of our lives.  Inna lillahi wa inna ilaa llahi rajiun

When the Night comes – in our lives, as a time of rest and repose – at the end of our lives, as a more complete sleep, before the dawn of resurrection.  It is said that Allah SWT takes our souls when we sleep and returns them to our bodies when we wake.  When we die, this process becomes permanent. 

48. And He it is Who sends
The Winds as heralds
Of glad tidings, going before
His Mercy, and We send down
Pure water from the sky,—

49. That with it We may give
Life to a dead land,
And slake the thirst
Of things We have created,—
Cattle and men in great numbers.

50. And We have distributed
The (water) amongst them, in order
That they may celebrate
(Our) praises, but most men
Are averse (to aught) but
(Rank) ingratitude.

Allah SWT is so generous to man.  He sends down winds as heralds of life giving rain, just as He sends Messengers as heralds of life giving guidance.  Allah SWT uses the same word, arsala, for both.  And He sends down the rain.  The rain, this water from the sky, is life giving and it is purifying.  He provides us a means to purify ourselves from all filth, physical and spiritual. 

Allah sends down these gifts to revive the dead land, and the dead souls.  Elsewhere Allah mentions that those who do not believe are as if dead in their hearts and souls.  The water of revelation, of guidance, is capable of reviving their dead hearts, if they but take advantage of it.

Allah SWT has created the many men and animals, and He has SARAFNAHU, He has distributed the water of His Mercy among them in order for them to remember Him, but most are forgetful and ungrateful. 

We all should remember Allah.  He created us from before and gathered all of the Bani Adam before Him and asked, “ are not I your Lord?”  and we all said, “balaa – yes you are our Lord.”  But most now forget.  They are lost in the shadow and do not take advantage of the light of Islam.

53. It is He Who has
Let free the two bodies
Of flowing water:
One palatable and sweet,
And the other salt
And hitter; yet has He
Made a barrier between them,
A partition that is forbidden
To be passed.

54. It is He Who has
Created man from water:
Then has He established
Relationships of lineage
And marriage: for thy Lord
Has power (over all things).

55. Yet do they worship,
Besides God, things that can
Neither profit them nor
Harm them: and the Misbeliever
Is a helper (of Evil),
Against his own Lord!

56. But thee We only sent
To give glad tidings
And admonition.

57. Say: "No reward do I
Ask of you for it but this:
That each one who will
May take a (straight) Path
To his Lord."

58. And put thy trust
In Him Who lives
And dies not; and celebrate
His praise; and enough is He
To be acquainted with
The faults of His servants;

Next Allah SWT provides us an analogy of water.  He mentions that He created man from water.  He created lineages and marriage.  He created these things we love of families and mates, of genetics and sex.  All of this is of His creation. 

He has also created the fresh water and the salt.  The fresh water gives us life.  The salt can harm us.  People lost at sea can die of thirst despite being in the midst of water, and if they drink the water, it will over saturate them and kill them. 

What is the difference between these waters? Remove the salt and the sea water can be fit to drink and water plants.  Humans are by nature, religious.  We have an innate need to worship something.  If Allah did not provide guidance, we would make things up, and we have.  In the past, we invented idols.  Today, we invent space aliens or other fanciful things.  Either way, if we worship them along with Allah, we are engaging in Shirk.  We are taking this perfectly good life giving water of the ability to worship Allah, and adding salt to it, which will only end up killing us. 

But Allah SWT does not force us to believe, He only sends messengers to give us glad tiding and an admonition, and not to demand any reward for that. 

If only we would put our trust in the One who created us, who did not begin and who will not die.  Only to Him should we raise any praises.

May Allah SWT forgive us and guide us always to His truth, to His deen.  We praise Him and seek His forgiveness.

51. Had it been Our Will,
We could have sent
A warner to every centre
Of population.

52. Therefore listen not
To the Unbelievers, but strive
Against them with the utmost
Strenuousness, with the (Qur-ān).

If Allah SWT had willed, he would raise from every village, a warner.  If Allah SWT had willed, He could raise a prophet from every single village and center of human population.  Instead, He has raised one from every people, or made it so that every person has an opportunity to hear the message. 

He has completely fulfilled this by sending Muhammad SAW, the khatma al anbiyyah, the seal of the Prophets, who came for all Mankind.  And He commands us to be a witness to all the world.  Some might say, we have not heard, but Allah SWT tells us not to listen to those who deny.  Through modern media, we are able to reach every corner of the globe. 

All we need to do is strive.  Many have misused this word for striving – jihad – it means to strive, to exert effort, in this case, in the path of Allah – to witness unto mankind the guidance brought to us by the Prophet Muhammad SAW.  When we take the shahada, we say these words not just to mouth words, but to vow to witness unto mankind, to be shaheed, witnesses as to the truth of Islam, that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger of Allah.  And we commit to put that faith into practice, which is the real meaning of jihad – strive, to act in accordance with our beliefs.  Our greatest means to witness, to testify to others about Islam is our own actions.  How do we treat our families, our friends, the people we don’t know?  Do we smile, are we just?  Are we fair, and honest? 

We have a duty and an opportunity.  Our duty is to witness, to be shaheed.  Our opportunity is use our everyday encounters with others to perform jihad – striving in the cause of Allah SWT through our righteous actions. 

On day of judgment, Allah SWT will hold us to account, and how will we answer Him?  And those around us, those who may even call us friends, what will they say?  Did we reach out to them?  Did they hear the message, the guidance? 

Yes, we need to support Islamic media efforts, but we can each do something every day, in those little brief encounters in our lives.  This is our Jihadan Kabiran, our great jihad.  May Allah SWT give us all His refreshing rain of guidance and help us to share it with others.

61. Blessed is He Who made
    Constellations in the skies,
    And placed therein a Lamp
    And a Moon giving light;

62. And it is He Who made
    The Night and the Day
    To follow each other:
    For such as have the will
    To celebrate His praises
    Or to show their gratitude.

63.  And the servants of (God)
    Most Gracious are those
    Who walk on the earth
    In humility, and when the ignorant
    Address them, they say,
    "Peace!";

64. Those who spend the night
    In adoration of their Lord
    Prostrate and standing;

65. Those who say, "Our Lord!
    Avert from us the Wrath
    Of Hell, for its Wrath
    Is indeed an affliction grievous,—

66. "Evil indeed is it
As an abode, and as
A place to rest in";

67.  Those who, when they spend,
Are not extravagant and not
stingy, but hold a just (balance)
Between those (extremes);

68.  Those who invoke not,
With God, any other god,
Nor slay such life as God
Has made sacred, except
For just cause, nor commit
Fornication;—and any that does
This (not only) meets punishment

Here in lies the furqan, the distinguisher between Heaven and Hell.  Those who follow the light, who night and day praise Allah SWT and show Him gratitude, those who stand at night in fervent prayer, who adore Allah and ask for him to avert from them His wrath and remove them from the punishment of Hell, the evil abode. 

Allah SWT reminds us that He is the source of all of our wealth, and that we should be neither spend extravagantly nor be stingy and hoard money.  We should act in a wise manner with all that Allah provides.

But most of all, we must not commit shirk, nor slay any person, nor commit sexual crimes – these are the greatest kaba’ir or great crimes, and if we avoid these, we will avoid the grave punishment awaiting those who commit them.  May Allah SWT prevent us from sin and give us His guidance and Mercy.

May He make of those who fit the criterion of those who will be with Him in the jannat al-firdaws, the highest heaven.  May He accept all of our prayers and fasting, our qiyam wa siyam, and make us of those who strive in the path of Allah, for His sake alone and for His pleasure.  And may Allah SWT grant us all the jannat al-firdaws.

Allahumma, aghfi lilmuslimeen wa almuslimaat, wa almu’mineen wa almu’minaat il-ahyaa’a minhum wa al-amwaat, innaka sami’u qareebun mujeebu udda’awaat.

What is Shariah Law?

 Islamic Shariah Law:  Principles and Objectives

Islam is based on three qawaaid, or principles;  Freedom, Equal Dignity, and Justice.  These three qawaaid underlie the Maqaasid al Shariah - the Overreaching Objectives of the Shariah. 

Many people are confused about the term Shariah.  They have been scared into believing it to be the imposition of cruel punishments on innocent people.  It is often equated with injustice and violations of human rights.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Shariah is Divine Law, legislated by the Divine Legislator, who knows us better than we know ourselves.  He, alone, knows what is best for us in reality, and He is All-Merciful.  With Him is no injustice or cruel inhumanity.  

Man-made law, on the other hand, has changed drastically over time and is subject to the whims and fancies of the times.  Just a few years ago, in the 1970's, a woman could not contract because she was still considered property of either her father or husband.  Now, women have a great many rights, although they still do not have the right to equal pay to which they are entitled under Shariah Law.

What many rightfully complain about when it comes to Shariah Law, is the incorrect or even corrupt interpretation and enforcement of this Divine Law.  Shariah is contained in the Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (more on this later if Allah SWT gives us life).  But it is frail humans who must do the interpreting and enforcing.  The interpretation or extraction of the law from the sources of Qur'an and Sunnah is called "fiqh," or "understanding."  This understanding can be flawed, as can all human endeavor.  

Imam Khassaf, in his book, Adab al Qadi, warns those who would assume to interpret the law that to do so when not qualified will land one in hell.  Yet, to have the ability and refuse to serve the community in this capacity, will also land one in hell.  It is a sirat - a tightrope, but the Qadi and Faqih must walk a fine line, using all his abilities diligently.  Only then, according the famous hadith, will Allah reward him ever if he errs.

The mantle of the Prophet is not worn lightly.  My sheikh nearly collapses under its weight each time he is asked to give a fatwa.  Yet we have youth, who have read a book or listened to a tape, and then consider themselves faqih and qadi.  How foolish they are, and how arrogant.  True knowledge only brings humility and submission to Our Lord.

So here is a brief summary of the difference between Shariah and Fiqh:

Shari’ah:  The Law

–The Divine Legislation from the Divine Legislator

–Shari’ah: literally means “a path to water” and refers to God’s legislative intent. It is by its nature perfect and an ideal to be sought after through diligence and exhaustive inquiry.

Fiqh: The Code

–The rules derived from the sources of law

–Fiqh: Literally means “understanding” and refers to the human approximation and understanding of divine legislative intent. It is by its nature imperfect and subject to dissenting opinions 

This distinction relates fundamentally to the very nature of Islamic law – The Shariah is Divine, the Fiqh is Derived by Man.  

 

There is no doubt that there are those who do not properly derive the law from the sources, who incorrectly and corruptly derive Fiqh.  They use their own whims and fancies, or traditions and cultural practices; things that have nothing to do with Islam.  On the other hand, those who properly exercise Ijtihad or Due Diligence, use the qawaaid of freedom, equal dignity, and justice and the Maqaasid Al Shariah of protection of Deen, Life, Property or Mal, Dignity and Lineage, and Reason or Aql, as the guides to correct interpretation of the Qur'an and Sunnah.

When we use the tools of reason/aql, logic/mantiq, qiyas/analogy, and rational principles such as maslaha and istihsan, then we are capable of creating a just system, a just wilayyat, a Wilayyat al Ummah with an independent judiciary ensuring justice and the watchful eyes of the shuhadaa to ensure that no oppression or injustice creeps in to the system and all are treated with equal dignity.

 

Mu'akhaah-Brotherhood in Islam

 

Al-Hujuraat 49:10. The Believers are but A single Brotherhood: So make peace and
Reconciliation between your Two (contending) brothers; And fear God, that ye
May receive Mercy. 

Islam is  call to Peace and a call to cease hostilities with Allah and with each other.  The law, the Shariah sets forth guidelines for our relationship with Allah and our relationship with each other.  The Qur’an provides the basis for a basic social contract between humans and calls upon Muslims to set up a social system based upon brotherhood and sisterhood.

In the modern world, many of us have become obsessed with the individual, the personal.  America has exported its concept of the supremacy of the individual world wide and has been very successful in convincing all of us to “have it your way.”  Considering that the current world economy is precariously tottering on the unstable whims of individual consumption, it is no wonder that we are bombarded with messages to think only of ourselves.

However, Allah calls us to brotherhood and sisterhood, and to a balance between the individual and the social.  Considering how the current economic downturn has revealed the interconnectedness of all people and all countries, how can we ignore our social side?  Only Islam, of all the world’s religions and ideologies is capable of balancing what appear to be competing interests and creating a complete and balance society capable of meeting our individual and social needs.

And it began 1400 years ago in the city of Madina. 

When the Prophet and his Companions made the hijrah to Madina, they left everything behind.  Their wealth and property was confiscated by the Quraish and they were barely left with the izar around their waists.  Allah then revealed ayaat like the one quoted above;

We have a duty as muslims to treat one another as brothers and to establish friendship with one another.

In order to fulfill this duty , the Prophet (SAW) established the institution of mu’akhaah or brotherhood, an institution based on mutual trust and mutual support.

We often think of this institution of Mu’akhaah as a means of providing financial support to the muhajirun who had lost everything, however it was more than that.  Certainly the Ansar, the people of Madina, gave everything to their Muhajirun brothers. 

Al- Hashr 59:9. But those who Before them, had homes
(In Medina) And had adopted the Faith,— Show their affection to such
As came to them for refuge, And entertain no desire
In their hearts for things Given to the (latter),
But give them preference Over themselves, even though
Poverty was their (own lot). And those saved from
The covetousness of their own Souls,—they are the ones
That achieve prosperity.

The Muhajirun said to the Prophet, “O Messenger of Allah!, We have never come to a people like the Ansar!  If they have a little, they are the best of people we have ever seen when it comes to giving support; and if they have much, they are the best in sacrificing it.  They have given us everything we need, allowing us to share in their happiness to such an extent that we are afraid that they would take all the reward from Allah.”  (Ibn Kathir – al-Sirah al- Nabawiyyah 2/320).

However, the brotherhoods were set up not just between Ansar and Muhajirun, but between Muhajirun themselves.  Abu Bakr and Umar were paired, as were Hamzah and Zaid ibn Harithah, Uthman and Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, Al-Zubayr ibn al Awwam and Abdullah ibn Masud, and the Prophet and his cousin Ali.

This shows that the mu’akhaah was not just for financial reasons, but a means of setting up a system of social support and cooperation.

In the beginning the brothers in Mu’akhaah even inherited from each other, but later this was abrogated by Allah after the Muhajirun gained more financial independence.  Some have taken this to mean that the entire institution of Mu’akhaah was also abrogated, but there a numerous reports of the Prophet establishing Mu’akhaah between Abu al-Darda and Salman al-Farsi, for example.  Salman became Muslim between the battle of Uhud and the battle of the Khandaq. 

Akram Diyaa al Umari in his book, Madinan Society at the Time of Prophet, notes that Mu’akhaah is an unabrogated part of our Deen.  And this overlooked and all but forgotten institution of our Prophet and his companions has many benefits for us today.

First,  this institution of Mu’akhaah teaches us to establish close personal relationships between each other, even when we are unrelated by blood.  In North America and Europe, where Muslims have often emigrated from other lands, the institution of Mu’akhaah is a way to gain the emotional support of family when we are far from home.

Second, Mu’akhaah teaches us to pool resources for mutual support.  It provides the basis for takafful or mutual insurance.  We know that standard insurance is haram under Shariah law for two reasons;  first because it involves gharar or uncertainty and is therefore, potentially unjust and oppressive, and second, because it has certain implications on tawakkul of Allah.  However, mutual forms of insurance are permitted by most scholars based on the mutual form of support practiced by the Prophet and his Companion, especially in Mu’akhaah.

Third,  when we establish close friendships, we establish a means to strengthen our deen.  If we chose our friends carefully, and we should always do so, we can encourage one another to birr and taqwa.  This method is used by many self-help organizations today, such Alcoholics Anonymous or drug rehab groups.  Members can call one another when they are tempted to drink or use drugs and gain support in those times of difficultly.

For Muslims, this kind of support is critical in a world full of temptations and bala. May Allah give us this kind of support, to have friends that amr bi al-maruf wa nahi anna al-munkar,  and prevent us from falling from his Sirat al-Mustaqim. 

This institution of Mu’akhaah is not just for brothers.  Our sisters need to support one another as well.  Islam teaches sisterhood.  But too often our sisters forget that Islam came to unite all humanity, and they focus too much on differences.  Competition is often thought to be a hallmark of male behavior.  We hear about men competing in business, but men also cooperate in business ventures, and form alliances with one another.  Competition is to often a hallmark of female behavior. 

We all know the stereotype of the mother in law and daughter in law.  How many marriages have ended in fitnah and divorce due to competition between these two?  Why does this practice persist?  

The Prophet (SAW) said,
"None of you has Iman (faith) until he desires for his brother (or sister) Muslim that which he desires for himself (or herself)." (Bukhari and Muslim)

He (SAW) also said,
"The Muslims in their mutual love, kindness and compassion are like the human body where when one of its parts is in agony the entire body feels the pain, both in sleeplessness and fever." (Bukhari and Muslim)

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said,
"On the Day of Judgement, Allah, the Most High, will announce, 'Where are those who love each other for the sake of My pleasure? This day I am going to shelter them in the shade provided by Me. Today there is no shade except My shade." (Muslim)

The Prophet (SAW) said,
"Do not be envious of other Muslims; do not overbid at auctions against another Muslim; do not have malice against a Muslim; do not go against a Muslim and forsake him; do not make an offering during a pending transaction. O' servants of Allah, be like brothers (or sisters) with each other. A Muslim is the brother (or sister) of another Muslim; do not hurt him (or her), or look down upon him (or her) or bring shame on him (or her). Piety is a matter of heart (The Prophet (SAW) repeated this thrice). It is enough evil for a person to look down upon his Muslim brother (or sister). The blood, property and honor of a Muslim is inviolable to a Musilm." (Muslim)

The Prophet (SAW) said,
"Keep company with a believer only, and let your food be eaten only by the righteous." (Abu Dawud and Tirmidi)

He (SAW) also said,
"A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, so look whom you befriend." (Abu Dawud and Tirmidi) 


The Prophet (SAW) said,
"One who helps a fellow Muslim in removing his (or her) difficulty in this world, Allah will remove the former's distress on the Day of Judgement. He who helps to remove the hardship of another, will have his difficulties removed by Allah in this world and in the Hereafter. One who covers the shortcomings of another Muslim, will have his faults covered up in this world and the next by Allah. Allah continues to help a servant so long as he goes on helping his own brother (or sister)." (Muslim)


"The believers, men and women. are Auliya (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on people) Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamio Monotheism and all that Islma orders one to do), and forbids (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they offer their prayers perfectly (Iqamat-as-Salat); and give the Zakat and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His mercy upon them. Surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise." (At-Tauba 9:71)

The Prophet (SAW) said,
"A Muslim owes six obligations towards another Muslim: when you meet him (or her), salute him (or her) saying 'Assalamu Alaikum; when he (or she) invites you, accept his (or her) invitation; when he (or she) solicits your advice, advise him (or her) sincerely; when he (or she) sneezes and praises Allah, respond with the supplication Yarhamuk Allah (Allah have mercy on you); when he (or she) falls sick, visit him (or her); on his (or her) death, join his (or her funeral)." (Muslim)

We need to promise one another, brothers and sisters, to hold each other in mutual respect, to be as merciful and compassionate to one another as we hope Allah to be to us on Yawm al-Qiyaama, to keep company with one another and show mutual support in all our needs, to lower our wings to one another, and to work hard to reestablish this great Prophet Sunnah, long neglected by us.

As we shall see, this institution of Mu'akhaah is essential to Wilayyat Al Ummah, the Islamic Shurah Democratic System.  In order for consensus to function we have to respect each other and treat each other as brothers and sisters, as one great Ummah family. When we feel brotherhood with each other, we will be able to look beyond differences, and understand that we have a stake in crafting solutions together.  With Mu'akhaah and Shurah, we can form a democratic Ummah that will be able to ensure freedom for all.  When joined with an independent judiciary ensuring justice for all, and the ever-watchful shuhada'a ensuring equal dignity, human rights and freedom from oppression, the Islamic system will provide the most humane and balanced society possible, to the benefit of all humanity.  

Any good contained herein is from Allah, and I seek Allah's forgiveness for any error, which is only from myself.  May Allah SWT guide and bless us all.

M. Ali Sadiqi      Falls Church, VA

Wilayyat Al Ummah: Shura Consensus Government

Surah Al Nahl 

16:38 And those who answer the call of their Lord and establish worship, and whose affairs are decided with Shura, and who spend of what We have bestowed on them.

Allah SWT has commanded us to decide our affairs in Shurah.  Shurah means consensus, not just consultation.  This was the Sunnah of our beloved Rasul Allah SAW. 

Remember the story of Uhud.  After Badr, the people were enthusiastic to support Islam and gain rewards - some for the hereafter, and some of this duniyah, in the form of booty.  Either way, when the army from Makkah headed for Al-Madina, the people were eager.  Some wanted to go out and meet the oncoming army.  Others were more cautious and wanted to stay in Al-Madina, since it was a very defensible city.  The Prophet SAW was one of these.  However, after the community came together and discussed the matter, they crafted an agreement to go out to Uhud.  

The going out to Uhud is a wonderful example of a carefully crafted agreement by the Ummah.  Here all parties had a chance to express their views and reasons.  Each was equally heard and respected, and each stakeholder got a "seat at the table."  Then the community came to a mediated decision that respected those who were eager to meet the impending army, and those who felt that defense of the city was also important.  Going to Uhud meant that the Muslims would look strong, and they could build adequate defenses for their forces, and they would still be close enough to Al-Madina to defend it, should it be attacked.  

By allowing all stakeholders to express their views and reasons, the Ummah could draw on the collective experience and intellect of all of its members, not just a few "leaders."  The Ummah could explore all possible actions, the pros and cons of each, and consider all possible outcomes.  They could craft a decision.  

Studies have found that people are more likely to comply with decisions in which they have a stake.  For example, people are 33% more likely to comply with a mediated settlement, than with a judicial decree by a judge.  People do not like being told what to do, as much as they prefer to do what they have voluntarily agreed to do.  Just as mediation or sulh allows people to voluntarily agree to settle a legal dispute, shurah allows communities to voluntarily decide their affairs.

In this ayat of Surah Al Nahl, Allah SWT tells us that deciding our affairs in this manner is part of answering the call of Allah SWT, of being obedient to Him.  And it is as important as establishing the prayer in a community and spending in the cause of Allah.  

Shurah is not Islamic dictatorship or kingship, with the tyrant "consulting" the people. It is democratic consensus government.  The same as that utilized by some Native American tribes in Canada, and some municipalities and international bodies.  

As described by the great shaheed, Sayyed Muhammad Baqir Al Sadr, Islamic democracy based on Shurah and Wilayyat al Ummah or governance by the people, is the foundation of a proper Islamic State.  

The Prophet SAW was not the father of any man among us, as the Qur'an notes.  The wilayyat or governance after him falls on the Ummah.  Allah SWT notes in Surah Al Baqara, that mankind was created to be the Khalif of this world.  We are the stewards of the earth.  This Khulafa' is the duty of all mankind.  But Wilayyat or "protecting governance" is for the Ummah of the Believers, the Muslims.  

Wilayyat is not for one tribe or another.  It is not for the Bani Umayyah, or the Bani Abdul Muttalib.  It is for the entire Ummah.  This was clearly laid out by Sayyed Al Sadr.  Sayyedna understood the Qur'an so deeply, and so he knew that the Qur'an itself provides proof of this Wilayyat through the ayat we have mentioned.

Many today desire a new system, one that is free of the corruption of the old, imperialist-supported regimes, free of tyranny, free of sin and rancour.  They want a system that is Islamic, really Islamic, not a veneer of Islam hiding an "old boy" network of thugs and mujrims.  They want material success - the Twitter/YouTube/FaceBook social networks and fast food conveniences.  But they also want morality, and freedom, and a say.  And they want it in a manner comfortable for people who care about community, and who are not the Western ideal of a rugged, lonely individualist.  

Sayyed Al Sadr, in the Introduction to his great book, Iqtisaduna, discusses this need for the Muslim world to have Muslim solutions; solutions that organically rise from within it, not that are imposed from without by a system which is underpinned by a vastly different ethos.  

So we suggest Wilayyat Al Ummah coupled with the La Rabawi/Zakat economy as a viable alternative to the Democratic/Capitalist system, ill-suited to the world of tribes, families, and communal identities.

If Allah SWT give us life, we will explore the attributes of both this Wilayyat Al Ummah, and the La Ribawi/Zakat economy in future posts.

May Allah forgive my many faults.  I ask for His forgiveness and seek only His Face.

Wisdom from Surah Al - Nahl (The Bee)

Al- Nahl 16:37 And those who shun the worst of sins and indecencies and, when they are angry, forgive,

38 And those who answer the call of their Lord and establish worship, and whose affairs are decided with Shura, and who spend of what We have bestowed on them,

39 And those who, when great wrong is done to them, defend themselves,

In these ayaat, Allah SWT gives us a list of actions we can affirmatively take that we know are pleasing to Allah. 

1.     to shun the major sins, the kabaa’ir and to shun indecent behavior

2.     to forgive when we become angry

3.     to respond to Allah SWT, obey Him and to establish the prayer and worship Him

4.     to decide our affairs in consultation

5.     to spend out our wealth, which He has given us

6.     and when we are oppressed, to defend ourselves

This list contains such a wealth of wisdom, and it is not easy to mine its depths.

First, none of us are perfect.  We are human and Allah SWT understands that we can be weak.  We can sometimes sin.  But we are humanly capable of shunning the major sins and of behaving decently.  We can avoid things like murder, theft, shirk, and sexual crimes.  Our conscience and natural inhibitions are capable of inhibiting such behavior, so if we give it a sincere try, we can avoid these things. 

Second, Allah SWT also understands that we do sometime react and become angry.  Fight or flight is a natural reaction to stress.  But we also have reason, so we can control this reaction and forgive those who we think have offended us. 

Third, we are responding to Allah’s call.  We say Labbayyak Allahumma Labbayyak.  We are here Allah.  And we can obey Him and worship Him.  We have the freedom of intention to do so, and Allah SWT gave us this ability so that we could worship and respond to Him.  We are capable of a personal relationship with the one who created us, in a way that only those who can turn to Allah freely can.  What a wonderful opportunity he has given us!

Fourth, consultation in governance is an integral part of this deen, in this worship of Allah SWT.  As noted by Sayyed Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr,  mankind is the khalif of Allah and walaiyyat or governance is in the Ummah, all of it.  In order to provide the best and most just governance, the government cannot be oppressive of the governed.  It must be government by the Ummah for the Ummah, and this is achieved through shurah or consensus.  This is not ijma, or unanimity, which is impossible, but consensus governance where the Ummah comes together to craft a decision with which all can be comfortable. 

One important point here is that even “worldly” affairs, such as governance, politics and social interaction, are “sacred” in Islam.  There is no separate secular world.  All of our actions must be in conformity with the will of Allah, including how we govern ourselves.

Fifth, we must recognize that all we have come from Allah and that He is the source of wealth.  We may be fooled into thinking that our wealth comes from our own efforts, or from our boss.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Our wealth comes from only one source – Allah SWT.  And so we should be willing to spend. 

Moreover, spending fuels the economy.  So here Allah reminds us that not only political matters, but economic matters must be in conformity with the will of Allah.  We should spend and not horde.  We should spend in the way of Allah, on spreading the Deen, on helping the poor, on education, and health care, and all social needs and causes.  We should understand the evil of hording, of accumulation of capital.  Causes by greed and selfishness, this evil has accumulated most of the world’s wealth in the hands of only a tiny percentage of people, who are not really consumers.  They buy luxury, specialty goods, and contribute nothing to the overall economy.  On the other hand, those that do consume, the working and middle classes, have less and less resources with which to contribute to the economy.  And so the capitalist economy is failing. 

Islam has a different approach.  La ribawi or non-riba/zakat economic system and shura consensus democracy are a viable and Divinely inspired alternative, we should now be offering the world.  Better to do so now, then to wait for the current system to crash down around us.

Finally, Allah reminds us that we are commanded to strive against oppression.  Oppression is worse than killing because it kills a whole society.  We must strive against it patiently.  Allah reminds us that maseebah may in fact be oppression, and not of our own doing.  Especially when it is happening to many people, to the whole of society, then it is more likely oppression, and we are commanded by Allah to oppose it. 

When we are afflicted by maseebah, we need to examine our situation and see if the cause is in ourselves, or is it system-wide, and therefore, fitnah and dhulm.  If it is in ourselves, we need to repent and be patient, relying soley on Allah and His infinite Mercy.  If it is system-wide, we need to strive patiently to change the situation.  But most of all, we need to ask Allah SWT for forgiveness and guidance.

(Excerpt from Khutbah)

Fault Lines in the Community of Believers

When the Prophet SAW died, this clan of the Ansar gathered round Sa'd ibn 'Ubada in the hall of the Bany Sa'ida; and Ali an Az-Zubair ibn al-'Awwam and Talha ibn 'Ubaydullah separated themselves in Fatima's house whiel the rest of the Muhajirun gathered round Abu Bakr accompanied by Usayd ibn Hudayr with the Banu Abdu'l Ashhal.  Then someone came to Abu Bakr and Umar telling them that this clan of the Ansar had gathered round Sa'd in the hall of the Banu Sa'ida: "If you want to have command of the people, then take it before their action becomes serious."  Now the body of the Prophet SAW was still in his house, the burial arrangements not having been completed, and his family had locked the door of the house.  Umar said, "I said to Abu Bakr 'Let us go to these our brothers of the Ansar to see what they are doing.'"  Related by az-Zuhri, recorded by Ibn Ishaq.

Prior to the death of the Prophet (SAW), the Muslim community was unified, at least on the surface.  However, just under the surface lay the seeds of division.  The Muhajirun were the first Muslims who had endured incredible prosecution in Makkah, before emigrating to Yathrib in the Hijrah.  They were the core, the heart of the community, tested by fire, and most knowledgeable of the teachings of Islam.  The Ansar were the second group of Muslims, who accepted Islam because they saw the wisdom in its teachings, and they were willing to defend it.  They took the refugee Muhajirun into their community and even into their homes, sharing everything.  But among the Ansar were some who joined the Muslims for reasons other than sincere belief.

Selfishness does not sacrifice itself.  The Muhajirun and Ansar were willing to make sacrifices by standing up and announcing their faith, and then being willing to defend it against those who sought to wipe them out physically through violence. They were unselfish, having submitted their whole selves to Allah SWT.  But when the Prophet SAW came to Yathrib, his community no longer suffered from the iron hand of the Quraish tribe of Makkah, and it began to flourish, not only spiritually, but financially.

Located closer to the markets of Sham then its rival city, Makkah, the city of the Prophet, Madina al-Munawwarah, flourished after the arrival of the Prophet SAW due to a combination of the business acumen of the Quraish Muhajirun and the hard work and agricultural knowledge of the Ansar.  We know that the community was flourishing from the evidence provided by hadith literature.  The community was so successful that Abu Bakr was able to give all he had of wealth several times.  Uthman ibn Affan was able to outfit an entire campaign.  And Ka'b ibn Malik records that he was never as comfortable was during the time of the preparations for the expedition of Tabuk (Related in Al-Bukhari).

Wealth acts as a magnet to those who prefer the life of this world over the life of the next world, so the vibrant economy of Yathrib began to attract people with little interest in spiritual matters, and far more interest in financial ones.  The Qur'an refers to these people as Munaafiq.  Many translate this term to mean "hypocrit," however the terms stems from the root n-f-q, which carries the connotation of spending of wealth.  How apt the name, because these people were often stingy with money, refusing to spend in the cause of Allah SWT, but they were also more interested in accumulating wealth and spending it on their own selfish interests, then in surrendering to Allah SWT and reconciling with the community of mankind.

The next group among the Muslims were those who had come into Islam following the Fatah Makkah or Opening of Makkah.  They entered Islam late in the game and they did so for several reasons.  Some, undoubtedly were sincere.  Abu Sufyan, for example, was so overwhelmed by seeing the Prophet SAW and his respectful treatment by the Muslims, that he accepted Islam after years of fighting against it.  Others just as undoubtedly, were only following the crowd.  They had not had the long careful training in Islamic character and principles afforded the Ansar and Muhajirun.  They retained much of the culture and character of jahilliyah, the time of ignorance.  The Qur'an refers to such people as barely having Islam.   

The desert Arabs say "We believe." Say "Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say `We have submitted our wills to Allah.' For not yet has Faith entered your hearts.  But if ye obey Allah and His Apostle He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful." (49:14)

They seldom had any real faith in Allah SWT, and the Prophet SAW, to them, was only a successful tribal leader.

Do not let a man deceive himself by saying that the acceptance of Abu Bakr was a falta (hasty mistake), which was ratified.  Admittedly, it was that, but Allah averted the evil of it.  There is none among you to whom the people would devote themselves as they did to Abu Bakr.  He who accepts a man as ruler without consulting the Muslims, such acceptance has no validity for either of them; and they are subject to the penalty of death.   Umar Ibn al-Khattab (Related by Ibn Ishaq and Al-Baladhuri)

Umar ibn Al-Khattab gave this speech after he heard that az-Zubair wanted to pledge fealty (baya') to Ali ibn Abi Talib.  He is probably correct, Allah ta'ala alim.  As we mentioned before, Abu Bakr was acceptable to all the factions - the Muhajirun knew him as the best friend of the Prophet; the Ansar knew him as the one whom the Prophet delegated to lead the prayers in his absence and during his last illness; and the newcomers knew him as a full member of the Quraish tribe.  Ali, on the other hand, was of the Bani Abdul Muttalib.

Before we proceed, we remind our readers that the goal of this blog is to bring unity to Islam.  Islam is neither Shia nor Sunni.  Islam is the religion of surrender to Allah SWT.  Allah SWT provided us with two gifts, the Qur'an - the verbatim word of Allah SWT, and the Sunnah - the actual sayings, doings, and behaviors of the Prophet SAW.  Through these two sources, we come to understand the guiding principles of the Shariah - the Islamic Law - and these are the Maqaasid al-Shariah.  Although precedent is persuasive, it is not slavishly binding.  The arguments of the scholars of the past provide guidance, not blindness.

Ali ibn Abi Talib was the second person to accept Islam, coming to the faith only after one other person, Khadijah (RAA), the first wife of the Prophet SAW.  He was the Prophet's cousin and later, his son-in-law.  Abu Bakr came to Islam right after him.  He was close the Prophet in age, grew up with him in Makkah, and was his best friend.  Both men were close to the Prophet, both knew Islam and its principles and teachings.  Both tried to put that faith into action in their lives.  Both had led the prayers when the Prophet SAW was away from Madina.  Both had the kinds of qualities necessary to lead the people after the Prophet's death.

In reality, though, Ali and Abu Bakr had one major difference.  Ali was of the Bani Abdul Muttalib.  We have noted previously that Shaybah ibn Hashim was born to a woman of the Bani Najjar in Yathrib.  He grew up there.  And his kunya shows, the Quraish never really accepted him as one of their own.  He was the 'abd' servant of the Quraishi Muttalib.  And his son Abi Talib suffered from the same prejudice.  When the Quraish, led by Abu Jahl and the Bani Umayyah, including Abu Sufyan, wanted to punish the Prophet and his followers, they boycotted the whole subclan of the Bani Abdul Muttalib, Muslim and non-Muslim.  And so, after the death of the Prophet, the Quraish, and especially the powerful Bani Umayyah, would never accept Ali ibn Abi Talib ibn Abdul Muttalib as their leader.

However, Ali ibn Abi Talib and his friends, Talha and Az-Zubair, may have not accepted Ali as leader either.  What evidence do we have regarding the position of the Prophet SAW on leadership after his death?  No hadith purports to say he chose Abu Bakr.  And although the Shia hold that Ghadar Khum marks the appointment of Ali as the successor to the Prophet's leadership role; just as likely is the Sunni interpretation of this event as providing support to Ali's legal judgments in Yemen.  Inshallah, if Allah SWT gives us life we will explore this issue later.  However, evidence also supports a conviction that the Prophet's successor is not single individual, but a governmental system of shura centered around the ashabiyyah/saqifah system he instituted in Madina.

Muhammad is not The father of any Of your men, but (he is) The Apostle of God, And the Seal of the Prophets: And God has full knowledge Of all things. (Qur'an 33:40).

The Saqifah: The First Appearance of Division

The history of Islam following the death of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW), is shrouded in a fog of partisan reporting.  However, in order to begin the process of reconciliation among Muslims, we must attempt to understand how we arrived at our current state.

We begin our journey into understanding the sources of fitnah in our religion of Islam with the first appearance of division within our Ummah. Following the death of the Prophet (SAW), the people were busy preparing for his janazah.  In the midst of this atmosphere of sorrow, the people of Medina, the Ansar, who had welcomed in the refugees from Makkah at a time when Islam and Muslims was subject to extreme persecution, met in their Sadifah to choose a leader.

That the Ansar would desire to choose a leader is both natural and reasonable. We should all remember how the Prophet (SAW) came to be in that enlightened town.  Yathrib, as it was called before the Prophet (SAW) came, was the home of two major tribes, the Aws and Khazraj, and many minor tribes, clients to these two super powers.  The Aws and Khazraj, however, were not at peace.  A war of attrition between the two was devastating the community.  Both tribes realized the situation was unconscionable and they realized they needed a single leader to bring the community together.  They considered appointing Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul to be their king, but they finally agreed to go to Makkah and ask the Prophet (SAW) to come to Medina and be their leader, both spiritually and politically.

When the beloved Prophet (SAW) died, the people of Medina quite naturally felt they still needed a single leader.  So they met in the Saqifah Bani Saa' ida to choose a new civic leader.  However, they also realized if they chose a single person, their choice would favor either one or the other of the two super power tribes.  They were reluctant to open old wounds and rekindle the flames of intertribal warefare.  We do not really know if they intend this leader to be for all Muslims or only for their city, but they met and they chose Sa'd ibn Ubadah, a member of the Aws tribe.

Hearing the news that the Ansar were meeting to choose a leader, Umar ibn al-Khattab met with his friend Abu Bakr as-Siddiq.  Umar was a practical man, well versed in tribal society and its mores.  He consulted with Abu Bakr and told him that the Quraish tribe, of which Abu Bakr was also a member, would never accept a person of another tribe as their leader.  The Quraish were too arrogant and proud of their lineage to accept anyone other than a Quraish member as their leader.  Both Umar and Abu Bakr were Muhajirun, those that had emigrated from Makkah in order to escape persecution in Makkah.  They knew their own tribe all too well.  They were now caught in the middle.  They still had love for their own tribe, but they also had great feelings of loyalty and brotherhood with the Ansar, who had given many of them half of their property and had taken them into their homes in a manner beyond the bounds of hospitality.  The Ansar had really treated the Muhajirun as members of their own family.  And Islam had created a bond between these people that was stronger than the blood of heredity because it was based on the blood of shared sacrifice.

The Quraish were long the preeminent tribe of Arabia.  They believed themselves to be more noble than any other tribe in Arabia.  This truth is born out by their treatment of the Prophet (SAW) and his family.  For three years, the Quraish tribe had boycotted the Prophet's family, the Bani Abdulmuttalib.  This incident shows Quraishi opinion of "outsiders."

How were the Prophet (SAW) and his family "outsiders?" The most powerful subclan of the Quraish at the time of the Prophet (SAW) was the Bani Umayyah.  The family of Umayyah includes Abu l'as, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, Uthman ibn Affan, and Muawiyyah ibn Abu Sufyan. Their chief rivals within the Quraish were the sons of Hashim.  One of sons of Hashim was Shayba ibn Hashim.  Shayba was born in the town of Yathrib to Salma bin Amr, a daughter of the Bani Najjar.  When he came of age, his father decided to have him brought down to Makkah.  He sent his brother, Muttalib up to Yathrib to get him.  Shayba came to Makkah riding behind his uncle.  When the people saw him, they assumed he was a new slave of Muttalib, so they called him "Abd al-Muttalib,"  "the slave of Muttalib."  The nickname stuck.

But, Shayba's kunya reveals something else.  He was not quite really Quraish.  He was never completely accepted.  And his status passed on to his son, Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet (SAW) and father of Ali ibn Abi Talib.  This facet of Shayba ibn Hashim's position within the Quraish tribe plays a huge role in the development of the Shia.

For now, however, we note this as proof that Umar was correct; the Quraish would not accept a non-Quraishi leader.  Umar, being realistic, realized that the community would need a Quraishi leader that would be acceptable to everyone.  He told his friend, Abu Bakr, that he should be the leader.  Abu Bakr was not a man who craved power or who had ambition, but he understood what Umar was saying, and so the two of them went quickly to the Saqifah, and appealed to the people to choose Abu Bakr as their leader.

The people quickly agreed to choose Abu Bakr as their leader.  Why were they so eager - well, the Ansar did not want their fued to resume.  If either an Aws or a Khazraj was the leader, the two tribes might start killing each other again.  And everyone loved Abu Bakr.  This was the "second amongst the two," who has fled with the Prophet (SAW) from Makkah.  Lifelong friends, the Prophet (SAW) said that if he had chosen a khalil then it would have been Abu Bakr.  And everyone of the Quraish also admired Abu Bakr.  He was not of a powerful subclan, but he was still fully Quraish.  How could anyone refuse to have Abu Bakr as their leader?  He was the best choice given the situation.

However, there were some who did not agree.  Ali ibn Abi Talib, Talha and al-Zubair separated themselves.  Why?  Inshallah, this we hope to explore in the next post, if Allah (SWT) gives us life.