THE METHOD OF ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN THE PRESENT AGE
These
are the six phases (or stages) of the methodology for an
Islamic revolution that
I have discussed
in a very concise
manner here. I have
understood this revolutionary process from
the blessed Seerah
of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) --- my only source for such study. Now I
would like to draw your
attention to another important fact, which is that
the first four phases of the
revolutionary process will, in every age remain
the same as are found in the Seerah of the Prophet (SAW). Thus
the first phase of the struggle
for an Islamic revolution
would still be "Invitation or call
to Faith" and "dissemination of its message". In this phase the Quran will occupy
a position of central importance and the revolutionary concept
(or viewpoint) underlying the message
of Islam will be
that of Tauheed. In the words
of Iqbal, poet of the East:
There
were times when God's
Oneness was
A
living force in the world of time and
space.
But
subtle points by pedants raised
Have changed
it into a theological maze.
Now a
days Tauheed has
been reduced to
an issue of argument
and polemics between
the Muslim sects
of Barelvis and the Ahl-e-Hadith,
A theological tug-of-war is taking
place over this
whereas Tauheed is in fact the very foundation of socio-political
system, a complete system
of life and a system of Justice.
The
next phase is that of "Discipline
or Organisation". Here also we will
have to follow the
Uswa or model of Prophet
Muhammad (SAW) exactly
as it is. In
my opinion the practical example set for the Ummah by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as regards
discipline or organisation is that of Bai'yah. Bai'yah will show how a
party or movement for an Islamic revolution is organised.
You may not necessarily agree with my
opinion. But in my candid
assessment there is no other
option in the
Seerah other than the
Surman of Bai'yah to constitute and
organize a movement (a party
or group of people) for an Islamic revolution.
There is a
Hadith (tradition) of
the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) attributed
to Hazrat Ibada bin
Al-Samai (RAA), a Muttafaq
Aleh Hadith, the
authenticity of which is attested by two
Iviuhaditheen (Hadiili scholars)
of great eminence. From the point
of view of genuineness no
Hadiih is more authentic than a
Muttafaq Aleh Hadith (over
which Hadith scholars-Imam Bukhari
and Imam Muslim
have a consensus of
opinion as to its authenticity). The
words of this Hadith
are so comprehensive in
their meaning that I
am deeply convinced that it embodies a complete constitutional framework
of a movement or party for
an Islamic revolution. I
would request you to
listen carefully and pay
full attention to the Hadith and its meaning.
The translation of the Hadith
reads:
Hazrat Ubada
bin Al-Samit (RAA)
narrated that "We took the
Bai'yh (solemn oath)
upon the Messenger's hand that
we would listen
and obey whatever
he orders us to do,
whether it be convenient or
difficult for us, whether
we find it
agreeable or whether
we would have to compel
ourselves to do it, whether
he prefers others over us and
whomsoever he appoints as Ameer
we will obey him and will not
quarrel with him. But
at the same
time we will,
wherever we may
be, definitely voice our opinion
and say whatever we feel is
the truth. And
in matters of religion
and faith we will
never hesitate to speak
the truth out of
fear of a critic's rebuke."
(Sahih
Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
This, in my
view, is the
Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as regards the
phase of discipline or
organisation. The only difference
to be noted
in this case
is that obedience to
the Prophet (SAW) was
unconditional and absolute, because everything he said fell in the category of lvui'arooh
(considered to be good by moral standards).
But now when he is no
longer among us,
obedience to any Ameer will not
be absolute; it
will instead be
within the limits/bounds of Ma'aroof---parameters set
by the Quran and
Sunnah.
In
the phase (or stage) of "Training" also we will
have to adhere entirely
to the Prophet's
method. Of utmost importance in
this regard is
observing the compulsory prayers and
doing so with regularity.
In addition to this reciting
the Holy Quran and
offering the late night (vigil) prayers should
become a regular habit
as far as possible. In the
same way
the phase of "Passive Resistance"
will also be an inevitable consequence
and will have to be adopted
as found in the Seerah (of Prophet
Muhammad SAW) during the Makkan
period: enduring patiently the hardships and severities involved
in the invitation
to faith and
the conveyance of its
message and in the struggle to establish Allah's Chosen
Faith (Islam), remaining
steadfast in its wake
and restraining oneself
from retaliating. These
are the four initial
phases of an Islamic
revolution for which we will have to adopt
the Prophet's method in toto.
However for
the fifth and
sixth phases of
the struggle namely those
of "Active Resistance and
Armed Conflict", we will
have to exercise
Ijtihad and make
a few amendments in
view of the
prevailing contemporary
circumstances. Try to understand
the reason behind
this. In the first
place the society
to which the
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) belonged was
in all respects a purely
pagan Arab society.
If such a struggle were
to take place in any Muslim
state today confrontation will
be with Muslims even
if the majority of its rulers
and population consist of morally corrupt
and non-practicing Muslims. They may possess
a secular mindset but
they do recite the Kalimah and as
such they will be counted as Muslims.
This is one way
in which the
current socio-political scenario differs from
that in the past.
Secondly there wasn't much difference among the combatants in arms used in terms of quality: the same type of swords was used by both the Muslims and the Mushrikeen and Kuffaar (idolators and disbelievers). Although disparity did exist in terms of numbers but essentially the same type of spears, swords, bows, horses and camels were possessed by both sides. But nowadays whatever type of exploitative system is in existence, be it a capitalist system or a feudal system, it has the protection of the Government which in turn is composed of individuals belonging to such exploitative classes whose interests are closely linked with the prevailing system. As a result the Government comes in opposition (against the Islamic revolution movement) with unlimited resources and power at their disposal. Therefore engaging in armed conflict in the present age is quite difficult.
An alternative will have to be found for it. Such alternatives have been provided to us by social developments during the past few centuries. Holding peaceful demonstrations, staging picketing, blockade, and open challenge to the ruling party that anything that is against Islam would happen only over our dead bodies. These are some of the alternatives provided by the gradual development over the years in society. Until this phase is reached only the power of words, both written and spoken, will be used to express condemnation of practices that are against Islam, contrary to its spirit and Haram (forbidden in Islam).
Secondly there wasn't much difference among the combatants in arms used in terms of quality: the same type of swords was used by both the Muslims and the Mushrikeen and Kuffaar (idolators and disbelievers). Although disparity did exist in terms of numbers but essentially the same type of spears, swords, bows, horses and camels were possessed by both sides. But nowadays whatever type of exploitative system is in existence, be it a capitalist system or a feudal system, it has the protection of the Government which in turn is composed of individuals belonging to such exploitative classes whose interests are closely linked with the prevailing system. As a result the Government comes in opposition (against the Islamic revolution movement) with unlimited resources and power at their disposal. Therefore engaging in armed conflict in the present age is quite difficult.
An alternative will have to be found for it. Such alternatives have been provided to us by social developments during the past few centuries. Holding peaceful demonstrations, staging picketing, blockade, and open challenge to the ruling party that anything that is against Islam would happen only over our dead bodies. These are some of the alternatives provided by the gradual development over the years in society. Until this phase is reached only the power of words, both written and spoken, will be used to express condemnation of practices that are against Islam, contrary to its spirit and Haram (forbidden in Islam).
But when
the stage is
reached where the
Islamic Revolutionary
Movement feels that
it has mustered enough power
to pressurise the
Government through staging protests
it will openly
declare that anti-Islamic practices will
not be tolerated
and allowed to
flourish. They will come out on
the streets in protest, hold
peaceful demonstrations,
stage sit-ins and
picketing. What will happen
in response to all this? Baton charges and
arrests would be made. Protesters would be thrown
into lock-ups. Taking a further
step the government will resort
to firing and shelling. Why would
the people associated with the Islamic
Revolutionary Movement show
their backs when they
have already taken
a vow to lay down their
lives and are prepared to
suffer all eventualities? An Urdu
poet has beautifully portrayed
this passion of
revolutionary workers thus:
True Muslims aim at martyrdom only
Neither the rule of earth nor its pleasures is their goal.
Now either
the Government will
surrender because after all how long
the law enforcing agencies can
stain hands with the
blood of their
own people, who
belong to the same
country as the police and
army does. The members of the
Movement who sacrifice
their lives for
Allah's Cause, on the
other hand, have
a tremendous sense
of relief by discharging their divinely-ordained duty.
This has
been demonstrated in
the present era
by the Iranians. Although
the required degree
of effort was not made
in the first
four phases of
the revolution in
Iran, there being a lot of deficiencies left that I do
not wish to discuss
here. The Iranians
nevertheless did manage
to prove one thing. They did not carry out an armed
rebellion against the Shah (of Iran). They
did not resort
to armed aggression. Instead they
themselves came out for protest demonstrations on the
streets to lay
down their lives. Thousands were
killed but this
did not deter
them. However, the result of
these sacrifices was that
the police were rendered helpless
and the army
refused to fire anymore
upon the demonstrators
and so eventually
the Shah (of Iran) was forced to
flee from his country.
The (so-called) Shahan-i-Shah (Shah
of Shahs or
King of Kings) who
was the ally
and chief protector of American Interests in that region was denied refuge even by America. What power was it
that forced the shah of Iran to abandon his power seat and
flee from his country? That power
was the resolve and spirit
of the masses and their
readiness to sacrifice their
lives for Islam
without which a preexisting system does not change. So with
the help of Ijtihad, and after taking
into consideration the
current circumstances, we come
to the conclusion that in
deciding about the
final action we will
have to adhere
to the policy
of "passive resistance"
and an" armed conflict" is not
necessary.
However where
conditions are such
that they favour
an "Armed Conflict",
there it will have
to be opted, like
the one that is taking place
in Afghanistan these
days. It is taking
place there because
(i) people of Afghanistan as a nation have for centuries existed on the world map as an independent nation where Western Imperialism could not cast its shadows. They were never enslaved like the people of the sub-continent who remained under the yoke of British Raj for two hundred years;
(ii) weapons are quite freely available there. It will be a rare household that does not have a weapon. Their children are from an early age accustomed to playing with guns and rifles. Also the terrain of the country is such that a guerilla war can be fought there whereas the terrain in our country is such that it is impossible to fight a guerilla war.
(i) people of Afghanistan as a nation have for centuries existed on the world map as an independent nation where Western Imperialism could not cast its shadows. They were never enslaved like the people of the sub-continent who remained under the yoke of British Raj for two hundred years;
(ii) weapons are quite freely available there. It will be a rare household that does not have a weapon. Their children are from an early age accustomed to playing with guns and rifles. Also the terrain of the country is such that a guerilla war can be fought there whereas the terrain in our country is such that it is impossible to fight a guerilla war.
Thus where
circumstances are favourable
for an armed conflict, then
according to a
Fatwa by Imam Abu Hanifa
(RA) the
use of force is permissible
and armed action
can be taken to
put an end to the
political system which thwarted the Shariah. It
is not as if the option of an armed revolt against
a Muslim ruler who is
a rebellious sinner (in matters of faith)
is altogether invalid. An armed
revolt is permissible but the condition that has been set for it by the Islamic scholars
is that there
should be sufficient
power such that to the best of one's assessment and analysis
there is a high chance
of success in
the revolt. What
actually happens depends upon
a lot of unforeseen factors which make
it difficult for us to
predict the result with
certainty. So, even though this
course of action is conditional, it is certain that
it is not Haram absolutely.
But
the conditions within our country make it impossible
to practically carry out an
armed rebellion. The alternatives for it are peaceful and
organized demonstrations and all
those measures that I have discussed
already. In this way we can at least lay down our lives for Allah's Cause.
We have only but our lives to give and we should
always be prepared for this.
Let me narrate to you two Ahadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in this context. It would mean fulfilling that which is demanded by the love for Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his true following, if our inner feelings resonate the words of the Prophet's Hadith. It has been narrated by Abu Huraira (RAA) that prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:
Let me narrate to you two Ahadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in this context. It would mean fulfilling that which is demanded by the love for Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his true following, if our inner feelings resonate the words of the Prophet's Hadith. It has been narrated by Abu Huraira (RAA) that prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:
"By Him in Whose
Hands is my life! I would love to be
martyred in Allah's
Cause and then
get resurrected and then get
martyred, and then get resurrected again
and then get
martyred and then get resurrected again and
then get martyred."
(Sahih Al Bukhari:
Volume IV Book 52 Hadith No.54)
The
presence of such a desire
in the heart of every Muslim is
testimony to his/her
belief and is
a fundamental requirement of true
following of the prophet Muhammad (SAW). Similarly
on another occasion the Prophet
(SAW) said: (Narrated by Abu Huraira RAA),
"One who
dies in a state that
he neither fought in Allah's
cause nor even wished that he
should do so, he suffers from a
sort of hypocrisy, and he will not die as a true believer."
(Sahih Muslim)
In other
words, holding the
desire that, 'O
Allah! May this life
of mine be
spent, my blood
be spilled and
my body cut to pieces in holding high the flag of Your chosen Faith', is essential even if such
an occasion does not arise. There are
many among the
Blessed Companions (RAA) who
passed away before
the start of military
campaigns in the prophet's struggle.
It could have happened
that a Companion (RAA)
died a natural death
during the time Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was
in Makkah, and he may not have
had the opportunity
to get martyred
in battle. Likewise it is
entirely possible that
in our lives
the occasion, may never come
which demands the sacrifice
of our lives in Allah's
Cause. But our hearts
should bear the intent,
the desire and
the longing for
it and Allah
may reward us only for this.
To Be Continued....
