3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To my father, who instilled in me the
passion for seeking knowledge. May
Allah accompany his solitude and
alleviate his torment in the grave;
To my mother for her sacrifice. May
Allah make her walk;
To my wife Maria Erroujdani for typing
the Qur’anic verses and for her endless
support throughout the production of this
work. May Allah grant her pious
children;
To my beautiful princess Wisal
(Casawiyya) and to my twin handsome
sons, Yasser (Assoula) and Youssef
(Habboub Dyal Baba); I love you and I
miss you so much.
3
5. CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ..................................................................... 3
Introduction .............................................................................. 7
Reflections on the Early Life of the First Generation .............. 15
The Exemplary Point in the Unique Generation ...................... 41
The Causes and Effects of Haste
in the Contemporary Movement .............................................. 89
The Solid Base ....................................................................... 137
Expanding the Base ............................................................... 281
The Reality and the Ideal ....................................................... 341
Outlook .................................................................................. 355
5
7. INTRODUCTION
Inviting people to Islam, as the following verse implies, has
always been this nation’s continuous duty:
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There should arise out of you a group of people inviting
to all that is good, enjoining what is good and forbidding
what is evil. It is they who are the successful. (Al-
Imran:104)
This nation; that is, the Muslim nation (al-Umma al-
Islamiyya), has been entrusted with such a task because it is
the nation of Prophet Muhammad , the seal of all prophets
before him, and it will thus, take over the duty of
unremittingly conveying the original Message to mankind
until the Day of Judgment. The Message is two-fold:
inviting people who do not believe in Islam to follow Islam
and have faith (Eeman), and reminding those who believe in
Islam of their religious duty in order to strengthen and
uphold their faith:
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7
9. other upon you as you call guests to eat from a plate of
food.’ They said, ‘will we be few in number on that day O
Messenger of Allah ?’ He said, ‘no; rather, you will be
many on that day, but you will be like the foam on the ocean.
And Allah will remove the fear in the hearts of your
enemies and place in your hearts al-wahn’. They said, ‘what
is al-wahn O Messenger of Allah ?’ He said, ‘love of this
world and hatred of death.’”1
We are confident that this edifice will be restored and will
stand as high as it used to be, and all indications point to a
new phase of Islam, a mighty Islam, despite the war waged
against it by the trend of ignorance (al-Jahiliyya). It is the
second strange phase of Islam (al-Ghurba ath-Thaniyya):
“Islam began strange and will return to being strange and
Tuba (a field of heaven) to the strangers.”2 And it is a
mission that entails a considerable effort and a penetrating
insight.
During its initial strange phase (al-Ghurba al-Oula), Islam
was familiar to people, at least in its fundamentals; that is to
say, the belief in Allah Alone, the belief in Divine
Inspiration (al-Wahiy) and prophethood (an-Nubuwwa), and
the belief in resurrection. These fundamentals were known
to two types of people: people who embraced Islam from the
1
Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
2
Muslim.
9
10. very start, and people who opposed and sacrificed
themselves to uproot it. The initial strange phase of Islam
was manifested in its survival despite their being only a
handful of weak and frail advocates of Islam on one hand,
and the scores of strong and mighty opponents of Islam on
the other.
When Khadija informed Waraqa Ibn Nawfal of the story
of Divine Inspiration, the latter said to the Prophet : “I wish
I were in my first flush of youth to give you my full backing
when your people expel you.” “Are they going to expel
me?” the Prophet wondered. “There has never been
anyone who tried to guide them, except that he was
antagonistically opposed and resisted,” Ibn Nawfal
explained.1
A man asked the Prophet : “What is the purpose of your
mission?” The Prophet replied: “To invite people to
believe in One God (Allah ).” “The Arabs will not let you
carry out your mission in peace,” the man insisted.
As for the second strange phase of Islam (al-ghurba ath-
Thaniyya), it was different. People today find it so strange.
If you try to explain it to them or present it to them in the
clearest possible fashion, they react indifferently: “Where
does this Islam come from? This is not the Islam we know.”
1
See Seera literature.
10
11. When you advise people not to circumumbulate around the
tomb of someone who died hundreds years ago and seek his
help and blessing because it is an act of polytheism (shirk),
their response is “Who has put such a rotten notion in your
mind? Do you want to strip Islam of its spiritualism?”
When you advise people to implement Allah’s Laws and
discard man-made laws, you are given the following
negative labels: fundamentalist, extremist, barbaric and
reactionary. “Things have changed,” or “this is a type of
polytheism that does not strip one of Islam,” they would say
to you.
When you advise academics in the field of sociology,
psychology, education, history and so on and so forth that
the Western knowledge they have acquired and the subjects
they teach contradict the Islamic principles and in some
cases, explicitly violate the Aqeeda, they defensively say
“Islam has nothing to do with such knowledge. Do you want
to implement Islam in everything? This is knowledge; Islam
is a religion, and religion cannot interfere with knowledge.”
On this premise, it will be a very difficult task to convince
people of the truth about Islam –what has come to us from
Allah - and cleanse their minds of the concepts they have
formed about Islam. This is just at the level of acquainting
people with the precepts of Islam; that is to say, making
11
12. them know Islam (al-Ma’rifa); implementation (al-
Mumarasa) per se remains a tougher task. Knowledge alone
is not sufficient to know Islam, though it is something
necessary and basic.
The first word Allah sent to Muhammad via Gabriel
was &tø%$# Read. (al-Alaq:1), then after a while came
the phrase:
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Know, therefore, that there is no god but Allah.
(Muhammad:19)
Knowledge as such (al-Ilm), according to the pious
predecessors (as-Salaf As-Salih), was not just getting to
know something or getting acquainted with it; rather, it was
knowledge that leads to action. Hence, their knowledge
shifted from a phase of knowing the truth to a phase of
implementing this truth in real life.
The Prophet exerted considerable effort to acquaint people
with the fine points of the concept of Laa Ilaha Illa Allah
(there is no god, but Allah Alone). Put differently, the
Prophet’s real efforts, especially in Makka, were to
educate the believers who accepted and believed in the truth
in accordance with the provisions of the phrase Laa Ilaha
12
13. Illa Allah until they gradually found themselves on the right
path. Subsequently, this well-established edifice (the early
believers) began to educate others and expand knowledge.
Today, in its second strange phase, inviting people to Islam
entails both presenting and teaching Islam to people.
Presenting Islam to people who only have scant knowledge
about it while they profess to know all about it may be
difficult, but even more difficult will be the task of teaching.
This is due to the multifaceted education required on one
hand, and the fact that people do not easily get out of their
habits or what is familiar to them, on the other. Hence,
people do not promptly and readily respond to changes that
require some effort, not to mention that the matter is not
simply creating believers, but shaping and producing well-
trained Muslims who will shoulder an enormous
responsibility.
It is crucial in this context to know how to invite people to
Islam (Da’wa), especially in the unprecedentedly sordid
circumstances Islam is currently facing. Humanity’s need
for Islam today is no less than when this religion was first
placed in the hands of the Prophet . Unless we adopt
insightful and calculated measures during the process, our
efforts will go down the drain and we shall never hit our
target or attain our goal.
13
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In the case of those who say, “Our Lord is Allah.” And
further, stand straight and steadfast, the angels descend
on them (from time to time): “Fear you not!” (they
suggest), “Nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of the
Garden (of Bliss), the one which you were promised! “We
are your protectors in this life and in the Hereafter;
therein shall you have all that your souls shall desire;
therein shall you have all that you ask for! (Fussilat:30-
31)
The miracle; rather, was the believers’ sighting of the angels
fighting alongside them:
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And this victory Allah did not make, save for pleasing
you and so that your hearts might get rest with it, there is
no help except from Allah. (Al-Imran:126)
18
19. Because Allah favoured the participants of Badr over
other believers, The Battle of Badr passes in history as an
unprecedented universal event. The Battle of Badr wrote
history, and history is not written or recorded all at once.
Rather, it is the product of events recorded over a period of
time.
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On the Day of Testing, the Day of the meeting of the two
forces.(Al-Anfal:41)
Apart from the miracle of The Battle of Badr, and some
unique attributes of the Prophet , Islam has otherwise,
taken a normal course: from weakness at the onset, trials and
tribulations and patience to gathering momentum and then to
firmness, strength and expansion. Hence, the lessons drawn
from the experience of the first generation are permanent.
They are not valid just for that period, but applicable under
similar circumstances because they (lessons) are the product
of a normal course of events rather than a specific passing of
events.
If Allah commands in the Qur’an that to implement His
Laws and study history -which is in essence the course of
events in real life- then it is incumbent upon us to study the
life of the first generation in an attempt to draw lessons and
19
21. Nowhere in the Qur’an or the Sunna would one find the
rationale behind such ‘passive resistance’ which means that
the matter is still open to exploration, research and
speculation by scholars. Perhaps the easiest way to find out
why would be to visualise what the aftermath would have
been, had the believers got embroiled in a battle with
Quraysh at that time or if they had not. Had the believers
picked up the first option, they would have been wiped out
because they were weak, outnumbered and lacked the
necessary ammunition. The Qurayshis in contrast,
outnumbered the believers, were very strong and possessed
sophisticated weaponry. This means that the believers’
ultimate goal –inviting people to Islam- would have ceased
to exist then, perhaps in one battle or a series of battles.
People would not have got acquainted with the reality of
inviting people to Islam, and ‘expansion’ would have been a
thing of the past.
Suppose the battle, despite the glaring disparity between the
two parties, did not lead to a complete annihilation of the
believers. There is another crucial issue which requires our
full attention as it is linked to our current state. To whom
did legitimacy belong to in Makka at that time? In people’s
minds, the legitimacy belonged to Quraysh, and the believers
were dissidents who deserved to be disciplined. It is true to
say that Quraysh’s punitive measures could reach brutality
and some people might get harmed by such brutality and
21
22. would attempt to protect those being tortured. All in all,
Quraysh in principle, had legitimacy in people’s minds and it
is logical that they had the prerogative to discipline the
dissidents. From this point of view, would the war with
Quraysh have been of any benefit to the mission of inviting
people to Islam under a ‘trend’ where the fingers of blame
pointed to the Muslims and where the Muslims were the
‘odd’ ones? Of course, it would not have been of any benefit
to the mission.
However, note that many things happened when the
believers acquiescently complied with Allah’s Command.
In the notorious Arab setting, Ibaa Adh-Dhaym, where long
and bloody all-out wars would be ignited for trivialities as
minor as one’s humiliation, as was the case with the battle of
al-Ghabraa and Dahis1. So much so that lines of verse were
composed. Antara, for instance, said:
I am worried that I shall one day die,
without ending the war with Bani Damdam,
1
The Battle was sparked off simply because Dahis, the horse of Qays Ibn
Zuhair, had overtaken that of Hudaiqa Ibn Badr. A man of Asad slapped
Qays at the instance of Hudaiqa which made his horse lose the race.
Thereafter, the war of attrition started in which a large number of people
lost their lives and many had to leave their hearths and homes.
22
23. who disgraced me, but I did not,
and who vows to keep on if I don’t respond.
Others said:
We don’t like to be provoked,
If someone provokes us, We shall retaliate.
In a setting such as this, it was a departure from the norm
when the reputation of men with even nobler pedigree than
that of Quraysh got tarnished, and nothing was done in
retaliation. In other words, not to react was not the product
of the environment at all; rather, it was the product of
something else. And why would they not react? Was it for
the sake of the tribe’s honour, material gain, or some worldly
desires? Simply, it was for the sake of Aqeeda. Also in such
a setting, Aqeeda may have been part of customs and
traditions to which people strictly and rigidly adhered to and
for which they were willing to spill blood, but ‘not to react’
was something totally new in such a setting i.e. the setting of
customs and traditions.
The hardship took its toll to reach the point of economic and
social sanctions and even hunger. People starved to death,
yet they never relinquished their Aqeeda. Still, not reacting
to harm was something absolutely new in such an
environment and even in human nature. So, it must have
been something invaluable for which people were willing to
23
24. sacrifice their self, and it must have been something more
valuable than their security, comfort, dignity, and even lives.
It was the significance of the phrase
( öΝä3tƒÏ‰÷ƒr& (#þθ’ä.
Restrain your hands (An-Nisaa:77), which brought al-
Ansar (the supporters) from Al-Madina, though it did not
cause a great deal of change in Makka. In short, the
Makkans (Ahl Makka) kindled the fire, but the Madinians
(Ahl al-Madina) used it (the fire) as a beacon, and were thus
guided to the Right Path.
This was not the only significance al-Ansar drew from the
phrase Restrain your hands. ‘Legitimacy’ was another
more significant matter in the course of inviting people to
Islam. Allah says:
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Thus, We explain Our verses so that the sinners’ way
may be manifest. (Al-An’aam:55)
It is as if the verse (revealed in Makka) means ‘We (Allah
) shall keep on explaining the verses until the way of the
sinners becomes clear.
24
25. That the verse was revealed in Makka has and should have a
clear meaning. ‘Determining’ or ‘identifying the way of the
sinners’ was intended and made even more explicit by ‘laam
at-ta’lil’ that precedes the verb (⎦⎫Î7oKó¡oK + Ï9 ) (underlined
equivalent of ‘that’ in the target text). Moreover, the
revelation of this verse in Makka means that discovering the
sinners’ way was one of the goals of Da’wa; in fact, one of
the prerequisites of Da’wa at the early stages in the
development of the Muslim group (al-Jama’a al-Muslima).
So, what was the rationale behind determining or
discovering the way of the sinners? Discovering the way of
the sinners had two purposes: first, knowing who they were,
and secondly, knowing the ‘way’ or path they were adopting
for which they became sinners. The questions at hand now
are as follows: ‘Who are the sinners?’, ‘What is their way?’,
‘What is the link between explaining the verses and the
manifestation of their way?’
The verses clarify the issue of al-Uluhiyya, the most
important issue in the entire Qur’an, particularly in the
Makkan Chapters (As-Suwar al-Makkiyya). The verses
explain in detail that there is only one God, Allah Who
has no partner with Him in creation, management of the
universe, or anything else. The verses were successively
revealed to clarify the Attributes of Allah and reject
partnership with Him until the meaning of Uluhiyya
25
27. with Allah), besides Him (Allah). Little do you
remember! (Al-A’raaf:3)
This command polarised the people into two: The believers
who believed that there is one God (Allah ) Alone and did
not assign any partner to Him and complied with Allah’s
Command; and the sinners who refused to believe in Him ,
worship Him Alone or comply with His Command. So,
where does Quraysh stand in this division?
Prior to the revelation, explanation and clarification of the
verses, Quraysh had the legitimacy, and it was the Muslims
who were the defectors and outcasts in the eyes of Quraysh
and people. But what was the situation like after the
revelation, explanation and clarification of the verses and the
subsequent refusal of Quraysh to believe in Allah ,
worship Him Alone and comply with His Command? Did
Quraysh still continue to enjoy legitimacy, and did the
Muslims continue to be, in the eyes of the people, defectors
and outcasts? Or did the situation change -at least for some-
such that Quraysh and its followers became the sinners
whilst the Muslims seized the legitimacy?
This was a turning point in the course of the Da’wa for
people to know who the sinners were and what their way
was, and who the righteous were and what their way was.
This was a big issue for the Quraysh because of the superior
27
28. status they were enjoying: they were the guardians of al-
Ka’ba, a holy shrine for all the Arabs, and were affluent and
noble. In a nutshell, the Quraysh had, by Pre-Islamic (al-
Jahiliyya) standards, all the essential ingredients for
legitimacy mixed up with some distorted remnants of
religion by which they professed a pedigree that stretched
back to Ibrahim and Ismail’s ancestry. Hence,
shaking the edifice of legitimacy for them was not that easy,
especially under the circumstances where the defectors and
outcasts came from weak, poor and deprived backgrounds.
Only the true Aqeeda would shake and then strip these
people of their so-called legitimacy, and expose their true
self: they were the sinners who refused to believe in, worship
Allah Alone, and comply with His Command.
Now reverting to the initial question asked at the outset of
this chapter, would the sinners have been exposed had the
Muslims got embroiled in a war with the Quraysh who had
then held the legitimacy? If the Muslims got involved in a
war with the Quraysh, bearing in mind that the Quraysh had
the legitimacy and the Muslims were the dissidents, would it
have been conceivable for anyone –as was the case in the
mind of al-Ansar- that the issue carried more weight than just
the guardianship of al-Ka’ba, ancestry, affluence, army size,
tradition or history? Would it have been conceivable for
anyone that the issue was in fact, the phrase Laa Ilaha Illa
28
30. hiccups in the process, the scope of Da’wa would not have
expanded in such a fashion and within such a timescale.
When the way of the sinners became clear, there emerged al-
Ansar, and when al-Ansar emerged, the scope of Da’wa
broadened and a massive change in history took place! But,
who were al-Ansar, the people behind this change?
Were they zealous members of the public whose enthusiasm
was sparkled by admiration of the Prophet and sympathy
with a handful of brave men who showed patience in
adversity? Or were they soldiers who came forward to
display their strong selling points and join al-Mujahidin? It
goes without saying that love for Muhammad was planted
in their hearts because of his virtues which they had often
heard of and seen. He was a unique and an unprecedented
example in the history of humanity. Sympathy with the
tortured was also something planted in their hearts because
of the forms of torture and the forms of patience under
torture they had often seen and heard. Nothing stirred them.
What really stirred them, initially, was the phrase Laa Ilaha
Illa Allah wa anna Muhammad rasulu Allah (There is no
God, but Allah Alone and that Muhammad is His
Messenger). They believed in Allah as the Lord,
Muhammad as the Messenger, Islam as a religion, and
then pledged their full allegiance to Muhammad . The
Prophet asked them: “Do you protect me?” “Yes, we will
protect you from that which we protect our women and
30
31. children from.” They added, “If you want us to cross this
desert with you, we will do so, and if you want us to swim
across this sea, we will do so.” Total soldiership and utter
readiness for a new Da’wa…As for the rest of the populace,
the time had not come yet but they would surely set out on
their mission at the time prescribed by Allah .
Suppose al-Ansar were mere public enthusiasts stirred only
by love and sympathy. Would their enthusiasm have
endured the hardships of the journey? Would their
enthusiasm have endured the clash with the enemy once
Allah gave the signal?
That the Prophet would be delighted by their conversion to
Islam, and that the believers in Makka would be happy to
have some brethren in Aqeeda, were two matters beyond any
doubt. But doubtful and unlikely would be the Prophet’s
drafting these people in Da’wa. This is evidenced by the
Prophet’s questioning: “Do you protect me?” This was
not a question about their Faith (Eeman), for they had openly
declared it already; rather, it was a question about taking a
step further: bracing themselves for what might happen as a
result of what they believed in and what they knew was the
Truth (al-Haqq). The Prophet would not have ventured to
take them in had he sensed that they were sheer
enthusiasts who would not brace themselves for what the
Da’wa mission might bring about…After all, Muhammad
31
32. would not conceive of the expansion of the Da’wa scope
with a zealous public who believed in Allah (indeed), but
was not willing to bear the costs.
When did al-Ansar get ready for the Da’wa? It was stated
above that the fire the Makkans lit, the Madinians used (the
fire) as a beacon, and came forward to support the Prophet
and the new religion. They came through Allah’s
Preordainment, but also through one of Allah’s Customs.
The presence of a real model to support the new Da’wa is
the nucleus around which the masses gather randomly, and
the more this nucleus grows in size the more the masses
gather around it; a Lordly Custom in the universe and in
man’s life. Realistically, the nucleus represents the Muslim
group which gathered in Makka around the Prophet . This
group was produced by the Divine Inspiration (al-Wahyy),
but was educated, refined and shaped by the Great Educator,
Muhammad who closely followed their development with
patience, endurance, wisdom and insight. Then came a
string of trials and tribulations which further refined,
strengthened and brought such a group even closer to Allah
. It was the phrase restrain your hands which produced
this nucleus which then made history!
Had the believers engaged in a war with the Quraysh in
Makka, the formation of such nucleus and any gatherings
around it would have taken a long time, and many of the
32
33. attributes which the believers had hitherto acquired would
have changed, not to mention the blemish which would have
affected the issue of Laa Ilaha Illa Allah, and shifted it into a
winner-loser case.
Let us now look at what has happened since the revelation of
restrain your hands. In fact, many important things did
take place during the Da’wa process. First, it now became
clear that the conflict was exclusively over Laa Ilaha Illa
Allah. It was not over territory sovereignty, political
supremacy (the Prophet was offered power, but he turned
it down and the believers in turn never showed any interest
in or any greed for power), custody of the Kaaba and
providing pilgrimage services for pilgrims or economic
power (this was in the hands of Quraysh alone who would
fight the believers by imposing severe economic sanctions.
The believers however, never aspired to such power).
Rather, the conflict was -and it should always be- over the
greatest issue in the history of mankind. Who is the One
worthy of worship? And the questions that therefore
followed: Who is the Dispenser of all affairs? Who is the
Law-maker? Who is the Architect of the systems of life?
The Qurayshis picked up their whims, fantasies, customs and
traditions as potential candidates; whereas, the believers
around the Prophet opted for Allah . Secondly, all the
endeavours were stepped up to educate the solid base (al-
33
34. Qaeda as-Salba) upon which the edifice was to be erected.1
Thirdly, the verses were clearly explained to single out the
way of the sinners and those worthy of legitimacy. Fourthly,
the believers’ base was expanded through the drafting of
many soldiers who, guided by the beacon of the fire which
was once burned the nucleus (those around Muhammad ),
gave this base a real strength for the conflict. The last
important thing was total devotion (at-Tajarrud) to Allah .
At-Tajarrud is one of, if not, the most important prerequisite
for Da’wa; for the base in particular and for those involved
in Da’wa in general. This concept was rooted in the hearts
of that special group of people (those around Muhammad )
during the early education stages in Makka through the
verses of the Qur’an that call for the exclusive worship of
Allah , and through the direct lessons they would receive
from the Prophet on how such exclusivity should be
achieved.
What about the Prophet ? Who was his teacher? How did
he receive his lessons? It was Allah who taught him in
the best manner. From the very moment he set out on his
Da’wa journey, the Prophet was very sensitive to people’s
rejection of his message, and persistent in his guidance to
them because he was himself innately good, and loved good
for the people. However, Allah would comfort and
alleviate his grief:
1
The education process will be dealt with in a separate chapter.
34
41. The Exemplary Point in
This Unique Generation
I t is widely believed that the peculiarities of the early
generation during the phases of education in Makka are
not appropriate for our present time; therefore, these can
only be drawn upon for history’s sake, but in no way to
follow as an example or draw lessons from them. This
‘divorce’ needs clarifying because it is the dividing line
between the Islamic undertaking (al-‘Amal al-Islami) at the
present time. And unless the issue is completely and
objectively clarified, the trends in the Islamic undertaking
will continue to clash without reaching a unified or
homogeneous stance, at a time when the enemies of this
religion have been striving to destroy the Muslim nation as
was the case in Bosnia, Herzegovina, Kashmir, Chechnya
and elsewhere.
Are we in the Makkan era where society is undoubtedly
bonded, and the believers are those few who embraced the
new religion and who are thus the outcasts, managed by
what this society dictates? Or are we a Muslim society that
does not comply with the teachings of Islam, and tries to
remedy the situation by putting it back into its correct
Islamic frame? Or what are we, precisely?
41
42. Due to its seriousness, the controversy it has triggered and
the division it has caused, this issue needs careful study in
order to arrive at a clear picture without being geared by
emotions or prejudice.
Realistically, this is not the Makkan era and we - those
working in the field of and responsive to the Da’wa, fast and
perform pilgrimage (Hajj) [bearing in mind that fasting and
pilgrimage were imposed in Madina] - do what is
permissible and shun what is impermissible without being
tied up by the Makkan revelations concerning what is lawful
and unlawful.
It is equally true that this is not the Madinian era, and the
Da’wa does not have a stronghold in the land, nor is the
Shari’a the applied law in the majority of the Islamic world.
Those carrying the mission of Da’wa are either imprisoned,
on death row or hindered from carrying out their mission.
So, where do we precisely stand? And which method is
appropriate for us? Is it the one commanded by Allah and
adopted by Prophet Muhammad in Makka? Is it the one
commanded by Allah and adopted by Prophet Muhammad
in Madina? Or is it something else of our own making?
It goes without saying that there are obvious differences
between us and the Makkan society which many find as a
pretext to deepen the chasm between the two eras. During
42
44. a new creation? “Has he invented a falsehood against
Allah, or has a spirit (seized) him?” Nay, it is those who
believe not in the Hereafter that are in (real) penalty, and
in farthest error. (Saba’:7-8)
By contrast and with the exception of a few, we generally
believe in the resurrection, reward and retribution, paradise
and hell.
People during the Makkan era would reject the notion of
Muhammad as the conveyor of Allah’s Message. The
Qur’an both expresses and reports their complete surprise,
respectively:
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“What! Has the Message been sent to him (of all
persons) among us?” (Saad:8)
44
48. no other than this: they say, ‘We Hear and we obey’. It
is such as these that will attain felicity. (An-Nur:47-51)
Accordingly, Islam considers implementing other than
Allah’s Law as taking other than Allah as Lord, or
worshipping other than Allah .
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They have taken their rabbis and their monks as Lords
apart from Allah, and the Messiah, Mary’s son and they
were commanded to serve but one God; there is no god
but He; glory be to Him, above that they associate. (At-
Tawba:31)
What has secularism (al-‘Ilmaniyya) contributed to human
life? How many governments in the Islamic world
implement Shari’a? What do secularists think of Shari’a?
With the above in mind foregoing, how are we going to
assess this state of affairs in the Islamic world? The problem
48
49. with this assessment lies first in the flagrant contradiction
between what people claim is their Aqeeda and what people
do in actual life; that is to say, what people believe in and
what they practice in real life. Secondly, there is a division
in assessing such contradiction. Does such contradiction
classify one as a non-Muslim (Takfir) or not? Put
differently, the issue is assessing people.
In my view, this issue should not divert our focus from the
process of Da’wa nor should it trigger controversy and then
division. People, with some exceptions, have undoubtedly
fallen in the pit of polytheism (Shirk), be it polytheism in
terms of belief, worship or legislation. Nevertheless, judging
them as polytheists is a completely different matter. Not
anyone who falls in polytheism is considered a polytheist,
unless there are certain conditions and compelling evidence
to issue such a judgment.
Ibn Taymiyya said: “I would explain to them that statements
by predecessors concerning the issue of Takfir (classifying a
person as a non-Muslim) were true. However, we should
appreciate the difference between what is general and
specific, the first disputable issue among Muslim scholars
concerning the serious issues of fundamentals. The issue of
al-Wa’eed (threat); that is, ‘whoever does so shall have...’
and the likes in the Qur’an; for instance, are broad as in:
Those who wrongly usurp the orphans’ wealth… and
49
50. correspond to what predecessors said: “Whoever says shall
have...”
However, a person may annul such a threat through
repentance, good deeds which wipe out bad ones, expiating
misfortunes or granted intercession. Takfir is part of this
threat. However, if a man is a new convert or living in a
remote place, he should not be classified as a non-Muslim
unless there is concrete proof. This is because he may not
have heard such texts (verses on threats), or he may have
heard them, but it may not have been confirmed to him, or it
may be that such texts are opposed by someone else, though
he may be wrong.”1
“The texts concerning threats in the Qur’an and Hadith, and
statements by scholars concerning the classification of a
person as a non-Muslim are only applicable where there is
sufficient proof, with no difference in the fundamentals and
branches.”
“There are two views as to the classification of people as
non-Muslim and their abode in hellfire, both of which are
reported by Imam Ahmad on al-Khawarij (extremists) and
Rafida (rejectors)2 etc... It is true that the claims made by
1
Majmu’ al-Fatawa, Vol.3, pp.230-231.
2
Broadly, Shi’ite Muslims who reject (rafd) the caliphate of
Muhammad’s two successors Abu Bakr and Omar.
50
51. these religious sects violate the Prophet’s Message and are
thus considered as part of disbelief, and so are their deeds
similar to those of the non-Muslims. However, we cannot
classify a person as non-Muslim, and thus claim that his
abode will be in hellfire, unless certain conditions are
fulfilled. On this premise, the statement concerning
promises (al-Wa’d), threats (al-Wa’eed), classification of a
person as non-Muslim (Takfir) or as deviant (Tafsiq) are
general, but a person does not enter in such judgment unless
there is enough proof.”
This is the key issue in Da’wa and the approach adopted by
the Muslim movement. People, with some exceptions, have
fallen in a polytheism similar to that of the pre-Islamic era
(al-Jahiliyya) though they do not all necessarily fall under
the label of ‘polytheism.’ What is of paramount importance
in Da’wa is to reveal the reality of faith (Eeman), what
invalidates faith, inviting people to discard any polytheistic
act they may be committing -regardless of whether or not
they are polytheists according to Allah’s Law- and to
embrace the true Islam and implement it in real life rather
than in their hopes and dreams.
It is not our concern to brand people as polytheists, but to
remind them –nicely and kindly- that what they are doing is
part of polytheism which they should denounce, and ‘get
51
52. into’ the reality of Islam. This is the reality in which people
live and our duty toward them.
On the other hand, the status-quo in the Islamic world
indicates that there is some resistance to the Da’wa. The
Du’at are; in fact, prevented from showing the complete
reality of faith and what invalidates it, particularly the
implementation of other than Allah’s Law. Long-term
prison sentences, death penalty, and any other forms of
punishment or torture are awaiting anyone wishing to show
the true reality of the phrase Laa Ilaha Illa Allah as revealed
by Allah .
What is the most appropriate approach to the Da’wa? What
do we invite people to? What shall we focus on? And what
mediums should we use to reach or come close to our target?
If we envisage the real circumstances and resolve; and at the
same time, the problems, which result from issuing
judgments on this generation without possessing enough
proof; we will find ourselves closer, if not, similar to the
Da’wa in the Makkan era, though not completely, due to
some differences here and there. Such differences will
prompt differences in judgment, yet they do not affect
judgment on the circumstances. In fact, it is the
circumstances which decide the approach to be adopted in
the Da’wa and also the quickest means to attain goals.
52
53. From this standpoint, following in the footsteps of the early
generation is broader than it seems at first. We need, using
our insight and intelligence, to refer to a host of issues in that
era for inspiration, and arrive at an appropriate approach for
our Da’wa mission.
If we –properly- study the state of the Islamic nation across
history, we will find that many distortions have taken place
during the last 1400 years and gradually distanced people
from the reality of Islam until Islam is reduced to the stage of
al-Ghurba ath-Thaniyya (the second strange phase) which
Muhammad long informed us about: “Islam began strange
and will return to being strange and Tuba (a field of heaven)
to the strangers.”1
If we closely examine these distortions –and we should do so
because we need to diagnose the disease- we will find that
they were not confined solely to behaviour, but also to
concepts. All concepts about Islam, even that of Laa Ilaha
Illa Allah, have been distorted: worship (al-‘ibada), fate and
divine decree (al-Qada’ and al-Qadar), this life and the
Hereafter, civilisation, education, Jihad, and so on and so
forth.2
If this is the case, how shall we start? Shall we start
correcting the misconception about Laa Ilaha Illa Allah? Is
1
Muslim.
2
Consult the author’s Mafahim Yanbaghi an Tusahhah (Misconceptions
Which Need Correction).
53
54. it possible to correct people’s life on an Islamic base without
correcting first the misconception of Laa Ilaha Illa Allah in
people’s minds and hearts? The function of the mind is
coming to grips with reality; whereas, the function of the
heart is translating this grasp into practical behaviour.
Hence, this is the road to reform. Let us now look at what
has happened to the concept of Laa Ilaha Illa Allah.
Laa Ilaha Illa Allah has become an empty word that does not
carry any weight for –with few exceptions- people, a mere
reiteration that has no influence in real life. In fact, the
phrase no longer prevents some people from falling into
polytheism, be it polytheism of belief, worship or legislation.
The difference between our society and that of the pre-
Islamic era at the time of Prophet Muhammad’s mission is
that people at that time would openly practice their
polytheism, and would at the same time refuse to utter the
phrase Laa Ilaha Illa Allah. In contrast, people in the
present time –with few exceptions- do utter the phrase Laa
Ilaha Illa Allah, but fall in one or all types of polytheism.
We therefore, need an approach very similar to that of
Prophet Muhammad in Makka in order to show to people
the reality of Laa Ilaha Illa Allah and translate it into real
life for those who embrace this religion. This is in my view
an arduous task, no less than the hardship endured during the
first phase of Islam to remove the estrangement Islam
underwent at first (al-Ghurba al-Oula).
54
56. When it is said to them “Follow what Allah has
revealed”, they say ‘Nay! We shall follow the ways of our
fathers.” What! Even though their fathers were void of
wisdom and guidance? (al-Baqara:170)
As for the second phase, we will not find it difficult to force
people to utter Laa Ilaha Illa Allah. They already utter it
day and night. The difficulty; however, lies in assuming that
by mentioning Laa Ilaha Illa Allah, they have become
Muslims whatever their practical conduct and whatever their
violation of the provisions of this phrase in real life. Another
potential obstacle is that if you tell people that Laa Ilaha Illa
Allah has certain conditions which must be fulfilled before
one is given the name ‘Muslim’, they will attempt to refute
your claim, asserting that they have never heard their
ancestors mention anything like it.
Most of these people carry the blemish of al-Fikr al-Irja’i
(Irja’ Doctrine) which claims that whoever says Laa Ilaha
Illa Allah is a believer though he never performs any Islamic
act, that faith (Eeman) is belief (Tasdiq) or belief and
acknowledgment (Iqrar) (action is not included in faith), and
that all forms of violations are simple sins, stressing that “a
sin does not affect one’s faith.”
Uprooting this blemish from people’s lives and steering them
toward the correct concept of Eeman which says that Eeman
is both belief and action, and which the pious predecessors
56
57. wholeheartedly embraced is the real mission of some people
(al-Ghuraba’) whom Muhammad gave the following glad
tiding: “Islam began strange and will return to being strange
and Tuba (a field of heaven) to the strangers.”1
The first port of call in our mission will be to define Laa
Ilaha Illa Allah whose meaning became unclear or unknown
in the second phase of Islam (al-Ghurba ath-Thaniyya).
Defining Laa Ilaha Illa Allah should not be in the form of a
lecture, lesson or advice; rather, it is a real and continuous
endeavour with subsequent follow-ups of cleansing people’s
souls of the stains implanted by the Irja’ doctrine as well
secularism. Both trends are an ‘acid’ that is eating away the
pillars of Aqeeda, depleting it of its vital content and wasting
away its full force which it once cherished when it was first
revealed by Allah . Therefore, hastiness in this matter
(Laa Ilaha Illa Allah) under the pretext that it is obvious and
does not require any effort, that the efforts already exerted in
this matter are sufficient, or that there are other more
important issues to be dealt with than defining Laa Ilaha Illa
Allah will not serve the Da’wa or produce the desirable
results.
The exemplary people in this respect are the unique
generation. We need to ponder the Qur’an as well the
Sunna’s concern with clarifying this issue (early generation
1
Muslim.
57
62. those who have strayed from His path and who receive
guidance. (An-Nahl:125)
We need to realise that wisdom and beautiful preaching do
not mean turning a blind eye on people’s errors and
deviations in order to earn their satisfaction. Prophet
Muhammad was the most aware of Allah’s Goal
because he directly (verbatim) received Allah’s Message.
How did he convey the Message? Did he overlook people’s
polytheism? Did he avoid facing them with their reality,
whilst he was the one who was commanded to fearlessly
express the Truth (Al-Haqq):
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Therefore, expound openly what you are commanded.
(Al-Hijr:94)
The polytheists complained to Abu Talib (the Prophet’s
uncle) about Muhammad’s shattering their hopes and
dreams, scolding their gods and branding their forefathers as
non-Muslims. Prophet Muhammad’s confrontation with
Arabs was carried out through pure wisdom. And wisdom
was ‘restraining the hands’ and passive reaction approach at
that time, without causing any provocation which might
make their hostility against us a justifiable cause. This
brings about one of the most important issues of our time.
62
66. Now let us look whether these have been achieved in our
present time? Has the issue of Laa Ilaha Illa Allah been
resolved not only for the public but for the Du’aat
themselves? Do the Du’aat now realise that implementing
other than Allah’s Law is a form of polytheism that drives
the user out of faith (Eeman) and that contentment with this
man-made laws is also a form of polytheism that drives the
user out of faith (Eeman)? Or is the controversy still going
on over this issue?
Recall that assessing people here is another matter that
should not preoccupy us at this stage at the expense of our
mission, which is showing the true reality of Laa Ilaha Illa
Allah. They are –and they should be- two different issues.
One is educational; that is, showing people the facts; facts
which many people ignore due to the second strange phase
of Islam (al-Ghurba ath-Thaniyya). It is the Message which
Allah has entrusted us with (Amana) and which we should
convey to people however unfamiliar it may seem to them.
The second is practical, and practice should be preceded by
evidence first. There should be an exhaustive explanation of
the issue only, without confusing people by raising other
issues which may divert people’s attention and put them off.
Is the issue of implementing other than Allah’s Law clear
for the Du’aat –ignoring the masses- or is Ibn Abbas’s
statement “Kufr duna kufr…” still confusing for them? Ibn
66
67. Abbas’s statement does not imply implementing other
than Allah’s Law; rather, it is judgment on a specific issue
on implementing other than Allah’s Law out of ignorance,
misinterpretation, fantasy and bribery without making such
judgment a law that contravenes Allah’s Law. For
example, a judge who does not implement Allah’s Law
concerning drinking alcohol because he accepted bribery
from the family of the guilty person is a corrupt judge, but
his corruption does not mean he is Kafir. However if he one
day says that drinking alcohol is not a crime or is not a
punishable offence, and comes up with another punishment,
then he is, according to Muslim jurists (Fuqaha’), considered
as Kafir because he has ‘invented’ a law that contravenes
Allah’s .
The Tsars (at-Tataar) once implemented a concoction of
laws, some taken from the Qur’an, some from the Bible,
some from the Torah, and others enacted by Genghis Khan, a
mishmash of laws. In his interpretation of the following
verse:
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67
68. Do they then seek after a judgment of (the days of)
ignorance? But who, for a people whose faith is assured,
can give better judgment than Allah? (Al-Maida:50)
Ibn Kathir commented on the Tsars’ act, stating: “Allah
condemns any law that does not comply with His Law.
Allah’s Law contains all the good, forbids evil, and is
fairer than any other views or laws made by man without
drawing upon Allah’s Shari’a. A case in point is the
Tsars who preferred their King’s concoction of laws over
Allah’s Shari’a and adopted them as the regulator of their
affairs, instead of the Qur’an and Sunna. So, whoever
implements such laws is a Kafir who deserves the death
penalty, unless he returns to Allah’s Law and Sunna.”1
Because of his scholarly knowledge of jurisprudence issues,
Ibn Kathir knew very well the meaning of Ibn Abbas’s
statement, and the difference between issuing judgments
other than Allah’s on an issue, and implementing other
than Allah’s . In his thesis entitled Tahkim al-Qawanin al-
Wad’iyya (Adopting Man-Made Laws in Judgment), Sheikh
Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Abdullatif Al Sheikh, who is
noted for his scholarly knowledge and outspoken character,
says: “Note the tags of Kufr (disbelief), Zulm (injustice) and
Fusuq (deviation) Allah attaches to those who implement
other than Allah’s Law. And it would be wrong to think
1
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol.2, p.68.
68
69. that Allah would brand one as a Kafir whilst he is not. A
person who implements other than Allah’s Law is a Kafir.
His Kufr may either be in terms of belief which invalidates
one’s faith (Eeman) or be in terms of action which does not
invalidate faith. Kufr in terms of belief are six types:
First, the judge disagrees with Allah’s Law and
Muhammad’s Sunna, and this is the meaning of Ibn
Abbas’s statement. According to scholars, whoever
disagrees with one of the fundamentals of religion or a
branch of it, or rejected one of the words in the language of
the hadith, is considered as a Kafir, a Kufr that invalidates
one’s faith.
The second implies that the judge does not disagree with
Allah’s Law and Muhammad’s Sunna on the grounds
that these two are valid. However, he believes that a law
other than that of the Prophet is more comprehensive and
appropriate for people involved in disputes, or for new
circumstances. This is undoubtedly a type of Kufr because it
gives preference of fallible man-made laws over Allah’s
Perfect Law. More to the point, Allah’s and
Muhammad’s Laws do not change with the change of time
and circumstances. There is not a case, but that it has its
corresponding judgment in the Qur’an and Sunna...
69
71. Fifth, this is the type which explicitly, arrogantly,
intentionally, formally, loyally, referentially and disputably
disagrees with Allah’s Laws in all aspects. Just as legal
courts have their judgments set up by the Qur’an and Sunna,
these courts have a concoction of legal references derived
from different legal systems such as the French, British,
American legal systems.
Sixth, this type consists of laws used by heads of tribes and
clans, mostly derived from ancestors’ tales and traditions
which they call ‘Sawalif’ (precedents).
The other category is Kufr in terms of action which does not
invalidate faith. This category does not invalidate faith.
This is the kufr duna kufr” which Ibn Abbas refers to in
his interpretation of the verse:
And whoever does not rule by what Allah has revealed,
such are the disbelievers. (Al-Maida:44)
It is so called because it is a judgment passed on a case out
of fantasy or desire. The person who passes such judgment
does not refute the validity of Allah’s Law and the
Prophet’s Sunna, and admits his mistake and deviation
from the Right Path. It is true this Kufr does not invalidate
one’s faith, but plunges one in one of the most serious sins
such as fornication, drinking alcohol, theft, al-yamin al-
ghamus (the oath that drowns one in sin), and so on and so
71
72. forth. A sin which Allah refers to as Kufr in the Qur’an
and is more serious than the one He does not refer to as Kufr.
Is the issue now clear for the Du’at themselves or are some
Du’at still confused, sometimes by the purport of Ibn
Abbas’s statement and sometimes by the influence of Irja’
doctrine which separates Faith and action, though such
action explicitly violates the provisions of Laa Ilaha Illa
Allah; for instance, implementing other than Allah’s Law?
If some Du’at are still confused by the issue, what about the
masses? How much work is needed to clarify the issue in
people’s minds so that they can see the ‘Divine Truth’ (al-
Haqq ar-Rabbani)?
Al-Hakimiyya (adopting Allah’s Laws in judgment) is not
the only issue that desperately needs clarification concerning
Laa Ilaha Illa Allah. In fact, resolving the issue entails first
liberating it of the Arab nationalism and social justice, and
other similar issues which crept in during the course of
Da’wa. There were several issues before the Prophet
Muhammad which he could have raised to increase the
masses. The Arab Peninsula was occupied by the Persians
and the Romans. Prophet Muhammad could have ‘stirred’
the Arab nationalism to attract the masses, and then easily
instruct them to say Laa Ilaha Illa Allah. There was also the
social issue in question. Whereas the rich grew richer, the
72
73. poor grew poorer. And no one thought of ever putting a
limit on the rich’s affluence by eliminating usury -at least-
and transferring the excess of wealth from the rich to the
poor. He could have raised this issue, earn the approval of
the deprived masses, and then gather enough momentum to
confront Quraysh. Driving home the phrase Laa Ilaha Illa
Allah amidst the dust of war would have been so much
easier. There were equally, other general issues, which by
their nature, constituted a material useful enough to win the
voices of the masses. However under the ‘Divine
Directives’, Muhammad never raised any issue of this
nature during the educational phase in Makka. Rather, he
raised and defended the issue which incurred the antagonism
of the ‘superiors’ and subsequently that of the masses. He
, despite all the antagonism, remained steadfast in his
mission until Allah opened up the hearts of the unique
generation for the phrase Laa Ilaha Illa Allah.
This does not mean that other issues were unimportant. The
Islamic Movement dealt with them one by one, but the most
urgent and crucial issue in the ‘Divine System’ is Laa Ilaha
Illa Allah upon which depends man’s life in this life and his
destiny in the Hereafter. Moreover, all life issues –in the
Divine System- ought to emanate from and be tied to Laa
Ilaha Illa Allah so that they take on the virtues of honesty,
loyalty and submission. That is why it was necessary to
resolve the issue of Laa Ilaha Illa Allah first, ‘cleansing’ it
73
74. of any ‘haziness’ during the development phase so that
worshipping Allah is for the sake of Allah and for the
sake of earning Allah’s Satisfaction. Once Laa Ilaha Illa
Allah is settled well in the hearts, other life issues will be
achievable without fear of confusion in those hearts, because
if fear persists during the phase of development and
confusion crops up in early stages, then the Satan finds his
way in easier.
Is the issue of Laa Ilaha Illa Allah, now pure and clear in the
hearts of Du’aat –ignore the masses for the time being-
‘uncontaminated’ with nationalistic and social justice issues.
Have the Du’aat steered clear of talking about ‘Islam
Communism’, ‘Islam Democracy’, and ‘Islam Pluralism’ to
attract the masses? Has now the issue of legitimacy been
resolved, not for the masses, but for the Du’aat themselves?
But how do we define the concept of legitimacy?
During the second strange phase of Islam (al-Ghurba ath-
Thaniyya), especially after the phasing out of Islamic Shari’a
as a valid source of judgment in most Muslim countries, we
overlooked our Islamic standards and superseded them with
Western ones, particularly in the field of ‘Legitimate
Politics’ (As-Siyyasa ash-Shar’iyya). To the West, the
criterion for legitimacy is victory in the elections; that is to
say, a landslide victory means leadership. This was not the
74
