Would
Gog and Magog be sent/raised after Jesus (‘alaihi
al-Salam) has returned and after he has killed Dajjal? (Hadith)
“...It will be under such conditions that Allah
will reveal to Jesus these words: I have brought forth from among My servants
such people against whom none will be able to fight; you take these people
safely to the mountain, (fa yab’athullahu Y’ajuja wa M’ajuj)and then (in those periods of history which lead to such events) Allah will
send or raise Gog and Magog (this does not necessarily imply that the release
or unleashing of Gog and Magog will have to take place only after Jesus
returns) and they will spread out in every direction or occupy every place of advantage.
The first of them will pass by Lake Tiberias (i.e. the Sea of Galilee) and
drink out of it and when the last of them would pass (and that would have to be
a very long time later), he will say: ‘There was once water here ....’” (Sahih Muslim)
This Hadith has been almost
universally understood to state or imply that the release of Gog and Magog into
the world cannot take place until Jesus (‘alaihi as-Salam) has
returned and has killed Dajjal. This book rejects the use of such
a defective methodology which focuses attention on a solitary Hadith
interpreted in a way that nullifies all the evidence to the contrary that has
been amassed from both the Qur’an and Ahadith.
THIRD STAGE OF THE
QUR’ANIC REVELATIONS FOR THE PROHIBITION OF RIBA: THE TOTAL ELIMINATION
OF RIBA FROM THE ECONOMY
It was a matter of great
moment that the Prophet (s) chose his sermon on the occasion of the
farewell pilgrimage, just three months before his death, to launch the effort
for the final and complete elimination of riba from Muslim
society:
O People, listen to my words,
for I do not know whether I shall meet you again on such an occasion in the
future. . .
All interest (riba)
obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however is yours to keep
(in accepting the return of only the principal sum lent) you shall neither be
inflicting injury nor yourselves suffering inequity. Allah has judged that
there shall be no interest (riba) and that all the interest due to
'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib shall hence-forth he waived . . .
What the Prophet (s)
did was to enforce the legislation prohibiting riba (revealed in Surah
ale-'Imran) retroactively. Thus the third stage of the process of dealing
with riba was one which witnessed the total and complete eradication
of riba from the society.
Some two months later came
the last Qur’anic revelation on riba, which was also the last
revelation in the Qur’an and which come down to complete the revelation of the
entire Qur'an. It was revealed shortly before the death of the Prophet (s)
and it confirmed the third stage which had already been promulgated by the
Prophet (s) at A’rafat applied the prohibition against riba
retro actively in order to achieve the complete eradication of riba
from economy. It annulled all outstanding riba transactions, thus
effecting a total and complete elimination of riba from the
economy. It instructed Muslims to recover only the principal sum lent, and thus
eliminated even small interest payments or service charges. It urged the creditor
to forego even the principal in case of the borrower’s hardship thus bringing
about debt relief. The revelation again severely censured riba,
but this time it responded to those who argued that riba is but a
form or trade. The Qur’an rejected that argument and went on to establish a
clear distinction between trade and riba:
Those
who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and openly - surely for
such (people) there is reward with their Lord, nor shall they have cause for
fear or grief.
Those
who live off the interest (riba) on loans behave but as might behave those whom
Satan has confounded with his touch; That is because they say: Trade is similar
to taking interest (riba). Yet Allah has permitted trading and forbidden taking
interest (riba). Anyone who receives such an instruction from his Lord and
thereupon desists (from riba) may keep his past gains (i.e the riba he
previously accepted), and his affair rests with Allah (i.e. it will be for
Allah to judge him). But as for those who return to it - they are destined for
the fire, therein to abide forever!
(And
remember that) Allah deprives riba (usurious gains) of all blessings, whereas
He blesses charitable deeds with manifold increase. And Allah does not love
anyone who is stubbornly ingrate and persists in sinful ways. (So do not be
stubborn and persist in riba even after this revelation has reached you).
Verily
those who have attained to faith and do good works and are constant in prayer
and dispense charity - they shall have their reward from their Lord and no fear
need they have and neither shall they grieve. O you who have attained to faith!
Remain conscious of Allah and give up all the riba which is outstanding (i.e.
which people still owe you) if you are truly believers.
If you
do not do so (i.e. if you do not give up outstanding riba) then take notice of
war from Allah and His Messenger (i.e. take notice of an ultimatum of war for
the liberation of debtors unjustly dealt with and oppressed). But if you turn
away (i.e. if you give up riba) then you shall have (i.e. you will be entitled
to) only your principal sums (which you had lent on the basis of riba) (i.e.
you may have only the principal, - not the principal plus a reasonable amount
of interest).
You
deal not unjustly and you shall not be dealt with unjustly. (This might more
properly be understood as follows: In accepting the return of only the
principal sum lent you will not be inflicting injustice on the borrower. and in
giving up the interest which was due will not, yourself, be subjected to any
injustice.)
If the
debtor is in difficulty, grant him time until it is easy for him to repay. But
if you remit it (i.e. if you write off the debt) by way of charity, that will
be best for you. if you only knew.
And
fear the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah, then every soul will be
paid what it earned and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.
(Qur’an: al-Baqarah:-
2:275-281)
An indication of the tremendous
importance which Allah, the Most High, devoted to the elimination of riba
can be discerned from the fact that this was, as we noted earlier, the last
revelation of the Qur’an to be sent down (the last revelation was in fact,
verses 179-181 and so 174-178 must have been revealed earlier). The dedication
of war against usurers by Allah, the Most High, and His Messenger (s) is
by far the most forceful language used in the Qur’an against sinners.
Now a declaration of war by
Allah, the Most High and His Messenger (s) must definitely implicate the
believers. The implication is that the oppressed were given a divine sanction to
wage war, to kill and to be killed, in an effort to extricate themselves from
the oppression that is inherent in riba. The believers were also
required to wage war to eradicate riba from any society and from
any territory whose oppressed people were crying out for help. My teacher of
blessed memory Maulana Dr. Muhammad Fadlur Rahman Ansari (may Allah have
mercy on him) further argued the case for the use of force in view of the fact
that the Qur’an:. . enjoins active steps,
through coercive authority for ending exploitation. He
quoted, in this connection the following verse:
If two
parties among the believers fall into a quarrel, make peace between them. But
if one of them transgresses beyond bounds against the other then fight (all of
you) against the one that transgresses until it complies with the command of
Allah.
(Qur ’an: al-Hujurat: 49:9)
He went on to explain that the
verse in its general bearing ... provides also the principle that if a group
of Muslims tries to exploit another group, it is the duty of the Islamic State
to restrain the exploiters by force. And he concluded by pointing out that:
The prohibition of usury and interest (riba), whereby the rich
exploit the poor, is part of the Qur’anic legislation (requiring the use of
force for eradicating it). . .
Finally the last revelation
to be sent down concerning riba continued the process of
education which characterized all previous revelations on the subject. In the
last revelation Allah, the Most High, again effected a contrast between ‘charity’
and ‘riba’ and between ‘spending’ and ‘riba’. Of
course spending should not be understood in terms of conspicuous consumption,
spending on luxury items, etc.
When people spend of their wealth,
wealth circulate, in the economy. Everybody benefits from such. Or anyone can
benefit from such. When spending bypasses the market, however which is what
happens in riba transactions then only some will benefit. Thus
when an economy is based on riba it should be as clear as
daylight that the rich will always remain rich and the poor will be permanently
poor. In fact it is worse than that. The rich will keep on growing richer and
the poor will become poorer. That is a recipe for the breakdown of any social
order. And that is precisely what the world has been witnessing for at least
one hundred years now.
Thus the last stage of the Qur’anic
revelation dealing with riba accomplished the following:
retro-active enforcement of the legislation prohibiting riba;
The
ultimate Muslim response to the ‘attack on America’, an attack which has been cynically
exploited to savagely attack Islam and Muslims while hiding behind the
curtain of ‘terrorism’, is to rededicate themselves to remain faithful to Allah
Most High and his Messenger regardless of the price they may have to pay for
doing so!
They
do so when they devote their lives to preparing for that armed struggle
through which the Holy Land will be liberated and Islam will reemerge
triumphant in the world.This is what
the Qur’an has to say about that armed struggle.
It
was the second Shaban in Madina when Allah subhanahu wa t’alah
sent down the revelation concerning Qital (fighting). The British Prime
Minister, the American President and the Israeli Prime Minister may have
difficulty in digesting the following verses of the Qur’an. But in the
context of the British/American/Israeli attack on Muslims we must redirect the
attention of all Muslims to what Allah Most High has said concerning fighting.
1. He
has made it obligatory. It is Shirk for a government, or for the United
Nations, to outlaw that which Allah has commanded.It is also Shirk for anyone to accept
as illegal that which Allah has commanded:
“Fighting is prescribed upon
you although you dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing that
has benefit for you, and that you desire a thing (not having to fight) that is
evil for you. And it is Allah (and not the godless Euro-Jews and
Euro-Christians who now control the world) Who truly knows (what is beneficial
and what is harmful for you) and you know not.”
(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:216)
2. The
Muslim must fight to defend himself when he is attacked:
“Fight in the cause of Allah
those who fight you (the godless Euro-Jews and Euro-Christians who now control
the world are doing precisely that), but do not transgress limits; for Allah
loves not transgressors.”
(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:190)
3.
Fighting is supposed to result in the establishment of a world free from oppression
and injustice, and such is possible only when Allah's Din (i.e., Islam)
is established on earth:
“And fight them on until there is no more
tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they
cease (fighting you) let there be no hostility except to those who practice
oppression.”
(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:193)
4.Allah
has made it obligatory for Muslims to fight to liberate those of the oppressed
who are themselves crying out for help and for liberation from oppression:
“And why should ye not fight
in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and
oppressed)? Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us
from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from Thee one who
will protect (us); and raise for us from Thee one who will help (us)!”
(Qur’an, al-Nisa, 4:75)
[There
is no town on the face of the earth today in which there is more oppression than
Jerusalem.]
Allah
Most High goes on to recall the Jewish reluctance to fight.He then warns of the dire consequences of
such reluctance:
“Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who were told to hold
back their hands (from fight) but establish regular prayers and spend in
regular Charity? When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them,
behold! a section of them feared men as, or even more than, they should have
feared Allah; they said: Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordered us to fight? Wouldst
Thou not grant us respite to our (natural) term, near (enough)? Say: Short is
the enjoyment of this world: the Hereafter is the best for those who do right;
never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least!”
(Qur’an, al-Nisa, 4:77)
5. A
Muslim is not allowed to fight other than under the command of a Muslim and
other than in accordance with Allah’s law as it pertains to fighting.Those who fight under any other command or
law would be fighting under an evil command:
“Those who believe fight in
the cause of Allah, and those who reject Faith fight in the cause of Evil: so
fight ye against the friends of Satan: feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan.”
(Qur’an, al-Nisa, 4:76)
6. Nor
should a Muslim refrain from fighting because of fear of death:
"Wherever
ye are, death will find you out, even if ye are in towers built up strong and high!
If some good befalls them, they say:This is from Allah; but if evil, they say:This is from thee (O
Prophet)!Say:All things are from Allah!But what hath come to these people, that they
fail to understand a single fact?”
(Qur’an, al-Nisa, 4:78)
7. The
disbelievers are going to fight the believers with terrible rage and fury.A respite will come from Allah if the
believers rouse themselves to take steps to respond to the disbelievers:
“Then fight in Allah’s
cause, thou art held responsible only for thyself, and rouse the Believers. It
may be that Allah will restrain the fury of the Unbelievers; for Allah is the
strongest in might and in punishment.”
(Qur’an, al-Nisa, 4:84)
8. The
best Muslims are those who rouse themselves and fight in Allah’s way. They are
decidedly superior to those who ‘sit at home’:
“Not equal are those
Believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight
in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah hath granted a
grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to
those who sit (at home). Unto all (in Faith) hath Allah promised good: but
those who strive and fight hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home)
by a special reward.”
(Qur’an, al-Nisa, 4:95)
9. There
will be some who will offer as an excuse for their non-participation in fighting
the plea that they were helpless in this matter.For example they would argue that they lived
under governments that did not allow them to fight in Allah’s cause.But such excuses would not save such Muslims
from the hell- fire since they would be asked: ‘Was Allah’s earth not wide
enough that they could have migrated to another place in which they would have
had the freedom to fight?’:
"When angels take the
souls of those who die in sin against their souls, they say:In what (plight) were ye?They reply:Weak and oppressed were we in the earth.They say:Was not the earth of
Allah spacious enough for you to move yourselves away (from evil)?Such men will find their abode in Hell, what
an evil refuge!
Except those who are
(really) weak and oppressed, men, women, and children who have no means in
their power, nor (a guide-post) to direct their way.
For these, there is hope
that Allah will forgive: for Allah doth blot out (sins) and forgive again and
again.
He who forsakes his home in the cause of
Allah, finds in the earth many a refuge, wide and spacious: should he die as a
refugee from home for Allah and His Messenger, his reward becomes due and sure
with Allah: and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
