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The Illusion of Choice: Why Voting in a Secular System Fails Muslims
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Every four years, as elections approach, a surge of enthusiasm for voting floods mainstream media, social media influencers, and various organizations. Muslims are also encouraged to participate, often through local Muslim organizations. For over two decades, they have been urged to vote for specific parties or individuals, hoping to gain benefits or prevent harm. In 2000, Muslims were encouraged to vote for George W. Bush, who then launched the War on Terror, devastating Muslim lands and resulting in the deaths of nearly 1 million Muslims. In 2008, Muslims supported Barack Obama, expecting positive change. Instead, Obama expanded FBI surveillance and entrapment programs targeting Muslims in America and supported dictators like Sisi in Egypt, further fueling conflict in the Middle East. In 2020, Muslims voted for Joe Biden, who has supported and funded the genocide in Gaza while advancing the LGBTQ agenda domestically. Even peaceful protests against the genocide by students of all backgrounds were crushed with support from the Democratic Party, while Republicans urged even more repression.
The events in Gaza expose the reality of the current world order. The genocide there, backed by powerful nations, shows how “democratic” systems can support oppression. Freedom of opinion is celebrated only when it supports the existing system. Historical patterns reveal that, regardless of popular choice, decisions often align with the interests of the ruling elite, and election promises that threaten those interests are quickly discarded. The people are left with a controlled system that profits the powerful while sidelining genuine change.
Muslim voices, however, do hold significance to secular decision-makers, but mainly to assimilate Muslims into secularism, urging them to give up Islamic values in favor of integration. This tactic aims to dissolve the distinct identity of the Muslim community, urging Muslims to participate in a secular political framework that ultimately undermines Islamic principles.
Some suggest voting for third-party candidates to disrupt the two-party system, thinking it can give Muslims leverage. Yet, the reality of who controls the system remains. Voting for a third party offers only the illusion of influence in a structure designed to maintain the power of the two main parties. For example, despite Europe’s multi-party systems, Muslims there face increasingly aggressive anti-Islam legislation. The same power dynamics remain, regardless of the number of parties, confirming the hadith of the Prophet (saw): «لَا يُلْدَغُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مِنْ جُحْرٍ وَاحِدٍ مَرَّتَيْنِ»“The believer does not get stung from the same hole twice.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Muslims often ask, “If we don’t vote, should we remain politically inactive?” On the contrary, Islam mandates Muslims to engage actively and promote justice within society. Allah says,
[ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ]
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction and argue with them in a way that is best.” (Quran, Surah An-Nahl, Ayah 125). The Prophet (saw) further stated, «مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الْإِيمَانِ»“Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith.” (Sahih Muslim). Islamic political activism does not require participation in secular voting but rather active engagement through enjoining good and forbidding evil.
Engagement must be based on the Aqeedah and aligned with Islamic rulings. Voting in systems that legislate contrary to Allah’s guidance is haram, as it endorses man-made laws over divine laws. Allah states,
[أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ]
“Do they seek the judgment of ignorance? But who is better than Allah in judgment for a people who are certain?” (Quran, Surah Al-Ma’idah, Ayah 50). Presidential and congressional elections, in which candidates authorize laws contrary to Islam, compromise Islamic principles, and support a non-Islamic system of governance. Allah warns,
[وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ]
“And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, then it is they who are the disbelievers.” (Quran, Surah Al-Ma’idah, Ayah 44).
The best path forward mirrors the way of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his Sahaba, who did not compromise Islamic values for temporary gains. Allah commanded,
[لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ]
“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah, you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day.” (Quran, Surah Al-Ahzab, Ayah 21). This guidance requires Muslims to build an Islamic political identity that aligns with divine principles.
The Muslim community has essential responsibilities, both locally and globally. Locally, Muslims should create their own political platforms, not for voting purposes, but to strengthen Islamic identity, build communal bonds, and engage in dawah. By addressing social issues like homelessness, economic disparity, and family values, Muslims can demonstrate Islam’s solutions to societal problems, presenting it as an answer to modern challenges. A strong Muslim presence, both in communities and on social media, can encourage reflection on the wisdom of Islamic teachings.
Globally, the Muslim Ummah must work together to restore unity and sovereignty, eliminate corruption, and expel colonial influence. This vision, grounded in Islamic ideology, aims to remove oppressive regimes and establish the just and merciful rule of Islam through the Khilafah. The Prophet (saw) foretold this return, saying: «ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةٌ عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ»“Then there will be a Caliphate upon the prophetic methodology.” (Musnad Ahmad). The reestablishment of the Khilafah promises the revival of justice and peace, fulfilling Allah’s words,
[وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ]
“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Quran, Surah 21:107).
In response to Allah’s call, Muslims are obligated to work towards this vision, uniting under the banner of Islam to lead society with compassion and justice. Allah reminds,
[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ]
“O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.” (Quran, Surah Al-Anfal, Ayah 24).
H. 22 Rabi’ II 1446
M. : Friday, 25 October 2024 -
Q&A: Ruling on Financial and Commercial Transactions Over the Internet
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Answer to Question
Ruling on Financial and Commercial Transactions Over the Internet
To Saed Khatib
(Translated)Question:
Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatahu,
What is the ruling on trading, for example, buying a dinar, oil, gold, etc. with dollars at a time of cheapness, then selling it at a time of high prices to make a profit, knowing that all of this is available on the Internet, and he can transfer the money to the bank and withdraw it whenever he wants?
A second question: Is it required when exchanging currencies to receive it in person or is it sufficient to receive it online without hand?
-I will add to the question: If he buys oil, is it necessary for him to possess it and receive it, and if he sells it without possessing it?
Knowing that if he buys oil, iron, gold or money, he cannot receive it unless he converts it to dollars and receives it as dollars. So if you buy oil, you cannot receive it as oil, but it is converted to dollars.
It was also stated in the book, Economic System that it is not permissible to sell it to it at all, and this includes what he owns but has not received, which requires possession for the completion of the sale, which is measured, weighed, and counted.As for what does not require possession for the completion of its ownership, which is not measured, weighed, or counted, such as an animal, a house, land, and the like, then it is permissible for the seller to sell it before receiving it.
The question is: How do I judge whether something is measured, weighed, or counted or not?He mentioned an example of something that is not measured, such as an animal or a house, but an animal like a sheep in our country when we buy it, we weigh it and it is sold according to its weight, if it appears to be weighed.Likewise, a house is called an apartment or two apartments, if it is counted, how do I consider them not counted or weighed?
Answer:
Wa Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatahu,
Regarding the subject of trading, we have previously answered a question similar to yours, and I have excerpted from it what is related to your question:
[As for the answer to the first question, which is online trading, it is as follows:
1- Regarding oil, the question is not clear:
Do you want to fill your car at a gas station with an electronic card and give it to the gas station official who will fill your car with gasoline?If that is the case, then it is permissible because if the withdrawal of the price from your account is delayed for a day or two, then it is permissible to buy this commodity on credit without interest, as you received the commodity (gasoline for your car) and he took the price immediately or after a day or two. If the reality is like this, then there is nothing wrong with that.
However, if the intended purpose of trading is to buy a limited quantity of oil and then sell it before receiving it, then this is not permissible because receiving it is a condition for selling these commodities. Abu Dawud narrated on the authority of Zaid bin Thabit who said:
«فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ نَهَى أَنْ تُبَاعَ السِّلَعُ حَيْثُ تُبْتَاعُ حَتَّى يَحُوزَهَا التُّجَّارُ إِلَى رِحَالِهِمْ»
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade that commodities to be sold in the place where they were bought, till the traders take them to their dwellings”. That is, these goods are not sold except after they are possessed and received. So, taking possession is a condition for the validity of their sale unless there is a specific text regarding a particular good, then it is permissible and not others, and this is not mentioned here… Accordingly, selling that quantity of oil without taking possession of it is not permissible according to Islamic law.
But if you mean to be a partner in an oil well by paying money via an electronic card over the Internet, then this is not permissible because oil wells are public property and do not have private ownership.
But if you mean something else, then clarify it.
2- Trading in gold and silver:
As for gold and silver, selling and buying them for each other or for cash must be done hand to hand, as in the hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud on the authority of Omar: “Gold for silver is usury except hand to hand,” meaning hand to hand. Therefore, buying gold for silver or for cash is not valid except by hand to hand.
And because after we have learned how to trade online, the exchange does not happen immediately, but rather it may take hours or days, therefore it is not permissible to buy gold and silver with an electronic card via the Internet unless the card is deducted from the account immediately when buying gold or silver, i.e. hand to hand, so do not receive the gold or silver except at the time the amount is deducted from your account. And since there is no immediate exchange in trading online, but rather after a day or two, then it is not permissible.
3-Trading in stocks and bonds is forbidden because stocks belong to joint-stock companies that are invalid according to Islamic law, and because bonds are linked to usury. We have detailed the subject of joint-stock companies in the book, The Economic System, as well as in The Turbulence of the Stock Markets other books. We have mentioned in the booklet, The Turbulence of the Stock Markets, a summary of the matter as follows:
“As for the Shari’ah rule pertaining to the dealing in these shares and in securities, whether buying or selling, it is forbidden. This is because these shares are those of a company that is unlawful according to Shari’ah. They are in fact certificates of bills which contain mixed sums from a lawful capital and unlawful profits made from an unlawful transaction. Each bill represents the value of a share, and this share represents part of the assets that belong to the unlawful company. These assets have been mixed with an unlawful transaction which Shari’ah has prohibited. Thus, it is illicit money, whose buying and selling becomes unlawful, and dealing in such money is also illicit. This is also the case for bonds, in which money is invested with interest, and so is the case for bank shares and similar, since they all contain sums of illicit money; thus their buying and selling is unlawful, because the money contained in them is illicit.” END QUOTE.
4- Trading paper currencies on the Internet, such as the dollar and the euro, is forbidden because there is no hand-to-hand exchange, which is necessary in exchanging money. Hand-to-hand exchange, as it applies to gold and silver, also applies to paper money on the grounds of currency, i.e. using them as prices and wages. We mentioned the following in the Answer to Question on 11/07/2004:
[Dealing with paper currencies
Yes, what applies to gold and silver in terms of usury and other monetary rulings applies to them. This is because the realization of the reason (cash, i.e. its use as prices and wages) in these papers makes them take the rulings of money.
Therefore, buying usurious items with these papers applies to what was mentioned in the hadith (hand to hand), i.e. it is not a debt.
The subject is as follows:
The Messenger (saw) says:
«الذَّهَبُ بِالذَّهَبِ، وَالْفِضَّةُ بِالْفِضَّةِ، وَالْبُرُّ بِالْبُرِّ، وَالشَّعِيرُ بِالشَّعِيرِ، وَالتَّمْرُ بِالتَّمْرِ، وَالْمِلْحُ بِالْمِلْحِ، مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ، سَوَاءً بِسَوَاءٍ، يَداً بِيَدٍ، فَإِذَا اخْتَلَفَتْ هَذِهِ الْأَصْنَافُ فَبِيعُوا كَيْفَ شِئْتُمْ إِذَا كَانَ يَداً بِيَدٍ»
“Gold is to be paid for by gold, silver by silver, wheat by wheat, barley by barley, dates by dates, and salt by salt, like for like and equal for equal, payment being made on the spot. If these classes differ, sell as you wish if payment is made on the spot.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Ubadah bin Al-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him.)
The text is clear when these usurious (riba) categories differ, that the sale is as you wish, i.e. like for like is not a condition, but the exchange is a condition.The word “categories” was mentioned generally in all usurious categories, i.e. the six, and nothing is excluded from it except by a text, and where there is no text, the ruling is that wheat is permissible for barley or wheat for gold, or barley for silver, or dates for salt, or dates for gold, or salt for silver… etc.No matter how different the exchange values and prices are, but hand to hand, i.e. it is not a debt. And what applies to gold and silver applies to paper money by virtue of the common cause (cash, i.e. its use as a price and wages).] End.
By studying how this online trading in buying and selling gold is done, it became clear that the collection or settlement is delayed for a day or two… from the date of the contract, and this is contrary to the agreed-upon condition of exchange, which the Prophet (saw) stipulated in his saying: “Hand in hand.” Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of Al-Bara’ bin Azib, who said: We asked the Prophet (saw) about that, and he said:
«مَا كَانَ يَداً بِيَدٍ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا كَانَ نَسِيئَةً فَذَرُوهُ»
“Take what was from hand to hand and leave what was on credit.” Muslim narrated on the authority of Malik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathan that he said: I came and said: Who is exchanging dirhams? Talhah ibn Ubaydullah said while he was with Umar ibn al-Khattab: Show us your gold, then come to us when our servant comes and we will give you your money. Umar ibn al-Khattab said: No, by Allah, you must either give him his money or return his gold to him, for the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: «الْوَرِقُ بِالذَّهَبِ رِباً إِلَّا هَاءَ وَهَاءَ…» “Gold and silver are usury, except for this and that…”
Accordingly, it is not permissible to trade the euro, dollar, and other forms of currency over the Internet because there is no immediate exchange)] End quote.
Regarding your question about measured, counted, and weighed items, we have previously answered a similar question as follows:
Answer to Question on 12/02/2006, which stated:
[Counted, weighed and measured are according to the reality of the sale of goods.
…Look at the market and see how this commodity is sold? Is it sold by number, meaning is it called in the market each grain for so much or each one for so much? Is it sold by weight, so is it called each kilo for so much? Or is it called each meter for so much? Or each saa’ (type of dry measurement) for so much?…
If this is the case, the description of counted, weight or measure applies to it, whether it is a description of one or more, meaning that the commodity can be described as weighed and counted…
Examples: wheat, barley… by weight and measure.
Bananas, oranges… by weight and by number (in some countries it is sold by number)…
…and determining its description when seizing these things is important to eliminate ignorance. When someone tells me that I have 100 kilograms of wheat, it is not enough to determine the description. Rather, the type of wheat must be specified so that the weight eliminates ignorance, and so it is with the measured and counted.
But is the animal sold by number, so that it is called out saying each camel for a thousand, or is it sold by the buyer seeing it and looking at it and saying this camel is not worth a thousand and then choosing the second camel? Is each camel like the other such that the sale is by number?
Then, are the houses sold by number, weight, or volume? In other words, does a man who has ten houses call out and say, “A house is for a thousand,” or is any house bought by seeing it, and it is different from the other…
Therefore, it is said that the animal and the house are not sold by measure, weight or number. You may say that some people sell their animals by weight, but this is not the case for every animal. He may sell a certain sheep by weight, but he does not sell every sheep, nor does he sell every animal, so he does not sell a cow by weight… as it is not said to me, you have a hundred kilos of animals (of course, meaning that they are alive).
Likewise, you may say that some people sell houses by the meter, but this does not apply to every house. Rather, a meter in this house is ten, and in that house it is twenty, and so on. So, the precise description of it is not by measurement, so it is not said to me, you have a house of one hundred meters…
And so….] End.
I hope this is sufficient, and Allah Knows Best and is Most Wise.
Your brother,
Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah11 Rabi’ al-Akhir 1446 AH
Corresponding to 14/10/2024 CEThe link to the answer from the Ameer’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/AtaabuAlrashtah.A.HT/posts/122127009638447297 -
The Du’a for the Destruction of the Jewish Entity
Answer to Question
The Du’a for the Destruction of the Jewish Entity
To: Agus Trisa
(Translated)Question:
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu
May Allah protect you wherever you are.
I want to ask you about this noble verse Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala says:
[وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِي إِذَا دَعَانِي فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ]
“When My servants ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me. So let them respond ˹with obedience˺ to Me and believe in Me, perhaps they will be guided ˹to the Right Way” [Al-Baqara: 186].
Is it true that Allah answers all man’s prayers?
Is there a prayer that Allah does not answer?
Some people ask, we have prayed for Israel to be destroyed by Allah, but why is their entity still strong and continuing in attacking Gaza?Thank you for your answer, may Allah reward you for your good reply
Wassalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa BarakatuhuAnswer:
Assalam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh
There are matters that must be known about Du’a (supplication):1- If a believer supplicates to Allah with a sincere heart, a supplication in which there is no severing of family ties, then Allah (swt) will answer it in one of three ways, as in the Book of Allah (swt) and the Sunnah of His Messenger (saw):
Allah (swt) answers the Du’a of the supplicant when he supplicates to Him, and He answers the one in need when he supplicates to Him; [وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ] “Your Lord has proclaimed, “Call upon Me, I will respond to you” [Ghafir: 60]
[وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ] “When My servants ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me” [Al-Baqara: 186] [أَمَّنْ يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ] “Or ˹ask them,˺ “Who responds to the distressed when they cry to Him, relieving ˹their˺ affliction” [An-Naml: 62].
However, the answer has a Shariah reality that was explained by the Messenger of Allah (saw):
«مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِدَعْوَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا إِثْمٌ وَلَا قَطِيعَةُ رَحِمٍ، إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا إِحْدَى ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ: إِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجِّلَ لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا». قَالُوا: إِذًا نُكْثِرُ. قَالَ: «اللهُ أَكْثَرُ»
“Any Muslim who makes a supplication containing nothing which is sinful or which involves breaking ties of relationship will be given for it by Allah one of three things: He will give him a speedy answer, or store it up for him in the next world, or turn away from him an equivalent amount of evil.”
Those who heard it said they would then make many supplications and he replied that Allah was more ready to answer than they were to ask.”(Narrated by Ahmad 3/18).
Also,
«لَا يَزَالُ يُسْتَجَابُ لِلْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ مَا لَمْ يَسْتَعْجِلْ». قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، مَا الِاسْتِعْجَالُ؟ قَالَ: «يَقُولُ قَدْ دَعَوْتُ وَقَدْ دَعَوْتُ فَلَمْ أَرَ يَسْتَجِيبُ لِي فَيَسْتَحْسِرُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ وَيَدَعُ الدُّعَاءَ»
“A servant is granted an answer provided he does not ask for anything sinful or for breaking ties of relationship, and provided he does not demand an answer quickly.” On being asked what demanding an answer quickly meant, Allah’s messenger replied, “It is when he says he has prayed and prayed and does not think he will be answered, so he grows weary in such circumstances and gives up supplication.” (Narrated by Muslim 4918).
We call upon Allah (swt) and if we are sincere, faithful, and obedient, then we are certain of the answer in the way explained by the Messenger of Allah (saw).
2- Dua’a is not the Shariah way to achieve the goal in all cases… It is recommended, but it is not the way to achieve the victory in wars or establish a state, etc. The Messenger of Allah (saw) prepared the army in Badr and arranged the soldiers, each in his position, and prepared them well for the fight, then the Messenger of Allah (saw) entered the tent, and supplicated to Allah for victory, and increases his supplication until Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, says to him: “Some of this is enough for you, O Messenger of Allah.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham 2/626). Du’a does not mean suspending taking the necessary means, but rather it is an integral part of them.
Also, whoever wants the Khilafah (Caliphate) to be established again, he should not be satisfied with supplicating to his Lord to achieve that, but rather work with the workers to establish it and supplicate to Allah for help in that, and to hasten its achievement, and persist in supplication sincerely to Allah while taking the necessary means. Thus, in all actions, one should be sincere in the action to Allah and be honest with the Messenger of Allah (saw) and supplicate and persist in supplication, and Allah is Samee’ Mujeeb (All-Hearing and All-Answering.)
3- We have previously answered a similar question on the 4th of Dhul-Qi’dah 1432 AH – 1/10/2011 CE, and it stated:
[…As for supplication while taking the necessary means, it has an effect on the results, and this is what the Messenger (saw) did, and what his companions, may Allah be pleased with them, did. The Messenger (saw) prepared the army and entered the tent to supplicate. The Muslims in Al-Qadisiyah prepared to storm the river. Sa’d, may Allah be pleased with him, turned to Allah in supplication…And thus the sincere believers prepare materially and did supplication. The one seeking sustenance strives while supplicating, and the student studies and strives while supplicating to Allah for success. This has an effect on the results, Allah willing.
It is stated in “Mafahim” (Concepts of Hizb ut Tahrir) at the end of page 50:
“It must be known that whilst the action indicated by the Tareeqah is a material (maadiyyah) action, which achieves tangible (mahsoosah) results, this action must proceed according to the commands (awaamir) and prohibitions (nawaahee) of Allah (swt). Proceeding according to the commands and prohibitions is for the pleasure (riDwaan) of Allah (swt). The Muslim must also be dominated by his awareness of his relationship with Allah (swt), so that he seeks closeness (qurbah) to Allah (swt) through Salah, Dua, recitation (tilawah) of the Quran and so on. He must also believe that Nasr (victory) is from Allah (swt). It is necessary that taqwa (piety) is established in the hearts to implement the rulings of Allah (swt). It is also necessary to make Dua and make remembrance (dhikr) of Allah (swt), whilst maintaining the relationship with Allah (swt), when performing all actions.”
It is clear from this that the importance of supplication being coupled with taking the necessary means in all the actions of the believer. This importance is increased by the repetition of the word “it is necessary” to indicate the utmost importance that all actions be coupled with supplication and the continuity of connection with Allah…
– The use of supplication together with taking the necessary means is, as we said, what the Messenger (saw) and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and the believers were upon, and if they are coupled, they have an effect on the results, Allah willing. Their use together does not contradict the method of Islam, but what contradicts it is limiting oneself to supplication alone without the method that the texts have shown for implementing the Islamic idea…]
Therefore, what was mentioned in your question about supplication to eliminate the Jewish entity…
supplication is not sufficient for this, but rather the action of the army of the state that is fighting the Jews must be coupled with supplication, as was the case with the Messenger of Allah (saw) and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. And Allah is the source of help.Your Brother,
Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah4 Rabi’ Al-Akhir 1446 AH
7/10/2024 CELink to the answers on the Ameer’s Facebook page
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Understanding Femininity and Masculinity in Islam
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Understanding Femininity and Masculinity in Islam
Femininity and masculinity are complex social constructs that have evolved over time, shaped by different cultures, religions, and ideologies. These constructs define what is considered “appropriate” behavior, roles, and attributes for men and women in society. However, different worldviews have different interpretations of what constitutes masculinity and femininity. This article explores the Western and Islamic perspectives on these constructs, highlighting the weaknesses of the Western view, especially in light of recent controversies, such as the case of the Algerian boxer competing in the Paris Olympics, which underscores the paradoxical and often hypocritical stance of Western views on gender.
Western Perspectives on Femininity and Masculinity
In the Western world, the concepts of femininity and masculinity have undergone significant transformation. From the rigid gender norms of the 19th and early 20th centuries to more fluid and “inclusive” understandings in contemporary times, Western views on gender have been shaped by historical, cultural, social, and psychological factors.
Traditionally, Western societies have often portrayed masculinity and femininity in binary and opposing terms. Masculinity was associated with strength, rationality, assertiveness, and leadership, while femininity was linked to nurturing, empathy, beauty, and domesticity. These constructs were influenced by patriarchal structures that defined men as leaders and breadwinners and women as followers and homemakers. Women were considered as less intelligent and not capable of certain things, such as voting and working.
With the rise of feminism, civil rights movements, and LGBTQ+ activism in the 20th century, these rigid definitions began to be questioned and dismantled. Modern Western perspectives increasingly view masculinity and femininity as fluid, socially constructed concepts rather than fixed biological determinants. Gender is seen as a spectrum, where individuals can express both traditionally “masculine” and “feminine” traits, regardless of their biological sex. This has led to a greater acceptance of non-binary, transgender, and genderqueer identities, challenging the traditional binaries of masculinity and femininity.
The Western perspective on gender remains fraught with contradictions and hypocrisies, particularly when viewed through the lens of recent events like the controversy involving the Algerian boxer at the Paris Olympics. The boxer, who is a biological woman, has been criticized by some Western media outlets and sports authorities for allegedly possessing higher levels of “masculine” hormones, suggesting that she should not be allowed to compete against other women.
This controversy is particularly illuminating when juxtaposed with the growing acceptance of transgender women (biological males who identify as females) in women’s sports in the West. Many of the same voices that critique the Algerian boxer for her natural hormonal levels are also advocating for the inclusion of transgender women in women’s sports, even though these athletes may have biological advantages due to male puberty.
This paradox highlights a deep inconsistency in the Western understanding of femininity and masculinity. On one hand, a biological woman with naturally occurring hormonal differences is criticized and policed, while on the other, biological men who identify as women are embraced as fully feminine, even if they maintain some physical advantages. This reveals a fundamental flaw in the Western narrative: the concept of gender fluidity is championed, but only selectively and often at the expense of biological women.
Islamic Perspectives on Femininity and Masculinity
The Islamic view on femininity and masculinity is deeply rooted in the teachings of the Quran, the Hadith (sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammad), and the overall Islamic worldview (Tawhid). Islam provides a distinct framework for understanding gender roles, responsibilities, and expressions, which often contrasts with contemporary Western notions.
Foundational Principles
In Islam, both men and women are seen as equal in the eyes of God (Allah), but they are considered to have different, complementary roles and responsibilities. This complementarity is not seen as a hierarchy but rather as a divinely ordained balance where each gender fulfills its role within the family and society. The Quran states,
[وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ]
“And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy” [Quran 30:21].
Femininity in Islam
Islamic femininity is characterized by qualities such as modesty, compassion, nurturing, and moral strength. The concept of modesty (haya) is particularly emphasized for women in both behavior and dress. However, this modesty is not seen as a sign of weakness or oppression; rather, it is a conscious choice to maintain dignity and protect one’s inner and outer self.
Islam also acknowledges the critical role of women in society beyond just domestic responsibilities. Women like Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (ra), the Prophet Muhammad’s first wife, were successful businesswomen and are revered in Islamic history. Aisha bint Abi Bakr (ra), another wife of the Prophet (saw), is noted for her scholarly contributions and is considered one of the most important figures in early Islamic jurisprudence.
Masculinity in Islam
Islamic masculinity is often associated with qualities such as strength, courage, justice, and moral integrity. However, these attributes are tempered by the emphasis on humility, kindness, and compassion. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) is considered the ideal model of Islamic masculinity, blending strength and leadership with empathy, humility, and respect for women. Men are generally seen as providers and protectors in the family, but this is balanced by the emphasis on cooperation, kindness, and shared responsibilities. For instance, the Prophet Muhammad often helped with household chores and stressed the importance of treating women with respect and dignity.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding the Algerian boxer at the Paris Olympics highlights a fundamental flaw in the Western understanding of femininity and masculinity: an inconsistent application of its own principles that often results in paradoxical outcomes. While Western views increasingly emphasize fluidity and the dismantling of traditional norms, the Islamic perspective focuses on balance, complementarity, and divine guidance.
Sumaya Bint Khayyat
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The Chip War and The Need for a Strong State
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمThe Chip War and The Need for a Strong State
The semiconductor shortage was caused by supply chain problems and led to major losses across industries during COVID. The fear that this will happen again, along with a desire to remain a leader in technological innovation, has led to some major political choices in the USA. These choices have had an impact on the rest of the world, and have also triggered a response from China- apparently locking the two countries in a Chip War.
The China – USA war isn’t that simple
Its “imperative that semiconductor technology remains a central feature of American ingenuity and a driver of our economic growth. We cannot afford to cede our leadership.” She identified China as the central challenge, condemning “unfair trade practices and massive, non-market-based state intervention” and cited “new attempts by China to acquire companies and technology based on their government’s interest—not commercial objectives,” Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, 2016
We all remember the trade war that broke out between the USA and China, during the Trump era, with Huawei at the center. But what we didn’t necessarily realize was the role that the semi-conductor played in this ‘war.’
“Huawei’s fight was over semiconductors…. Huawei has mastered the latest generation of equipment to send calls and data via cell networks, called 5G. Yet 5G isn’t really about phones—it’s about the future of computing, and therefore, it’s about semiconductors.” (Source: Chip War by Chris Miller)
But what the trade war did was give us an insight into how interdependent the two countries are- an interdependence which is partly because of how central semi-conductors are for the development of all electronic goods and technological – including military ones.
China, with its focus on the development of electronic goods, is a crucial market for semi-conductor firms – including US ones- either because these firms sold directly to Chinese customers or because their chips were assembled into smartphones or computers in China. And China is heavily reliant on the chips produced and designed by firms – including the US ones. Even Huawei uses Taiwanese chips, though it does develop the main processor chip itself.
“The Chinese market was so enticing that companies found it nearly impossible to avoid transferring technology. Some companies were even induced to transfer control of their entire China subsidiaries. In 2018, Arm, the British company that designs the chip architecture, spun out its China division, selling 51 percent of Arm China to a group of investors, while retaining the other 49 percent itself. Two years earlier, Arm had been purchased by Softbank, a Japanese company that has invested billions in Chinese tech startups. Softbank was therefore dependent on favorable Chinese regulatory treatment for the success of its investments.” (Source: Chip War by Chris Miller)
The problem is that while China is heavily reliant on chip manufacturers, they are working to develop their own semi-conductor industry – investing billions in the industry year after year, as well as in other technologies such as artificial intelligence. This led to the USA worrying that it will lose its technological edge – an edge has always been crucial to its position as the global hegemon. Especially as industry experts believe that China has the technical know-how to produce advanced chips though it lacks the commercial ability to scale up production.
So now, America is working to slow China’s progress down while developing its own technological advantage
In order to slow China’s progress, the USA began to throttle Chinese access to the computer chips or semiconductors needed for the most advanced artificial intelligence models. President Joe Biden also signed an executive order that authorized the Ministry of Treasury to restrict some investments in Chinese entities in 2023.
“This order will be applied at the beginning of 2024 and will focus on three sectors: semiconductors, microelectronics, and big data technology. Furthermore, based on the American rhetoric, this measure will prevent the American technological experience from being stolen by China, which the Chinese are willing to have to reach the American level in technological development. Besides that, it will achieve the American goal of stopping the development of Chinese military capabilities, which threaten the national security of the U.S.”
The administration has also announced the CHIPS Act, which sparked large investments in the USA’s semiconductor sector. Under the terms of CHIPS Act, chipmakers who are awarded funding are restricted from expanding their facilities in China and other “countries of concern” for ten years. This Act was also followed by a mix of sanctions and control instruments to defend U.S. intellectual property and national security and make it harder for Beijing to obtain or produce advanced chips. These include exports of equipment for producing chips at miniaturization levels at or below 14/16 nanometers.
But their concern goes beyond China
“DARPA and the U.S. government have found it harder than ever to shape the future of the chip industry. DARPA’s budget is a couple billion dollars per year, less than the R&D budgets of most of the industry’s biggest firms. Of course, DARPA spends a lot more on far-out research ideas, whereas companies like Intel and Qualcomm spend most of their money on projects that are only a couple years from fruition. However, the U.S. government in general buys a smaller share of the world’s chips than ever before…. As a buyer of chips, Apple CEO Tim Cook has more influence on the industry than any Pentagon official today.” (Source: Chip War by Chris Miller)
As a firmly capitalist country, the USA was concerned with finding ways of cutting costs while increasing their profits. This was largely because the chips were developed by private companies, albeit with government support and contracts.
At first this wasn’t an issue, the USA maintained its technological advantage by focusing its expertise on chip design even as they outsourced the manufacturing to cut costs. The two main companies who could manufacture the most cutting edge processors were TSMC and Samsung- and while the location of both companies were concerning, the USA were able to maintain their control of, and ensure that they had an alliance with, both of them.
But their concern that they were losing their technological edge became palpable in the final days of the Obama administration and it was carried on by the Trump Administration. Trump’s Administration believed that the revolving door between the Commerce Department and law firms who worked for the chip industry and lobbied against export controls. And that this door led to regulations which weakened America’s position relative to China as technology leaked from one to the other.
With this in mind, the administration took steps to strengthen USA’s position. One of these steps involved using their confidence in Japanese support to take a tougher stance against China, and effectively destroying their most advanced DRAM firm, Jinhua, in the process.
But the actual issue is that, after decades of offshoring, far less of the semiconductor production process takes place in the United States than before. This has put them at a disadvantage.
The share of modern semiconductor manufacturing capacity located in the U.S. has eroded from 37% in 1990 to around 12% today, mostly because other countries’ governments have invested ambitiously in chip manufacturing incentives and the U.S. government has not. Meanwhile, federal investments in chip research have held flat as a share of GDP, while other countries have significantly ramped up research investments.
So, now Taiwan produces more than 60 percent of the world’s supply of semiconductors and more than 90 percent of the most advanced chips. While the United States does not produce any higher-end chips today. This makes TSMC, and Taiwan, crucial to American policy.
But they are working to change this, initiating policies and legislations that aim to develop their own domestic manufacturing capabilities.
“The Joe Biden administration says that those and other investments put the United States on track to meet the near-term goal of manufacturing 20 percent of the world’s most advanced chips by the end of the decade.”
Intel is expected to spend roughly $25 billion this year and $21.5 billion next year on its foundries in hopes that becoming a domestic manufacturer. While this is done with the aim of convincing US chipmakers to onshore their production (rather than relying on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Samsung Intel currently uses TSMC for some of its high-end PC processors)!
What’s also interesting is that TMSC is currently working with America to support the development of three fabrication plants in Arizona. The company will receive $6.6 billion in grants and $5 billion in loans but it plans to invest $65 billion in the United States – marking the largest foreign direct investment in a greenfield project in U.S. history.
Despite all of this, the USA is still vulnerable
While the USA is trying to develop their local semiconductor industry, they will still be reliant on the rest of the international system. To date, despite consistent efforts, no government has been able to achieve true self-sufficiency in semiconductor manufacturing process.
They are aware of this – which is why they are investing time and energy in helping allies like Saudi Arabia to develop their semiconductor and tech industry. The USA is doing this with the desire to grow a healthy and resilient semiconductor ecosystem, which will help to fortify their own position along the supply chain.
This is not a new policy – it’s an old one, which dates back to the cold war and explains how they were able to establish themselves as a Global Hegemon in such a tightly intertwined international system.
The US State Department has partnerships with five countries — Costa Rica, Panama, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines — to explore semiconductor industry growth opportunities, as a precursor for ITSI funding. Other countries that are being considered include for such partnerships include Mexico, Malaysia and India.
There is also a deal in which the Belgian company ‘Umicore’ has partnered with Democratic Republic of Congo company ‘Gecamines’ to recover germanium, a rare metal used in semiconductor manufacturing and some high-tech military gear. The deal falls under the banner of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), a collaboration of 14 countries and the European Union – but it is chaired by the USA.
In Malaysia, American chip giant Intel in December 2021 said it will invest more than $7 billion to build a chip packaging and testing factory in Malaysia., GlobalFoundries, another U.S. chip giant, opened a hub in the country to “support global manufacturing operations” alongside its plants in Singapore, the U.S. and Europe.
These are just a few of the examples. But they show how the ecosystem is essential to their policy – and it’s not something that they can escape.
This is where their vulnerability lies – not only does it mean that they are not self-sufficient, it means that they need constant access to a global supply chain. This supply chain took a hit during COVID, and led to a knock-on effect on an array of major industries. But the chipmakers are also highly vulnerable to the conflicts, droughts, and logistical debacles that can obstruct waterways and sabotage international trade.
The semiconductor industry relies on “on sprawling supply chains and the steady flow of material, components, and equipment across multiple continents, prolonged disruptions to crucial maritime passages can hike up costs and negatively impact production…. And despite the sheer breadth of this web of waterways, the maritime shipping industry is heavily dependent on a handful of critical passages strategically positioned across the globe.” (Source)
If this vulnerability was exploited, the entire Western system would take a hit.
The Chip War shows us that there is a need for a strong state
What’s very interesting is the role that the semi-conductors played during the Cold War. It’s rarely discussed, with the focus being on nuclear weapons and the space race. Even though the policies and decisions that were made at that time set the stage for the semi-conductors ‘chip war’ that we see today.
During this time, the USA was able to establish itself as a leader in the semiconductor industry – setting the rules for it and by extension, the rest of technology.
“Every country’s electronics industry was increasingly oriented toward Silicon Valley, which so totally set the standard and pace of innovation that the rest of the world had no choice but to follow—even America’s adversaries.” (Source: Chip War by Chris Miller)
The reason that they were able to do so was the lack of competition from both the USSR and China – the only two ideological competitors of the USA at the time. This was largely a consequence of state policy. While the USA made a concentrated effort to advance semi-conductor technology, Chinese and Soviet government policy held them back.
In the case of China, Mao’s choice to plunge China into a Cultural Revolution, straight after the country developed its first integrated circuit, halted any advances that it’s scientists could have made.
He believed that “expertise was a source of privilege that undermined socialist equality” and sent “thousands of scientists and experts to work as farmers in destitute villages. Many others were simply killed.” Under his “Brilliant Directive issued on July 21, 1968”, the country would use poorly educated employees to build advanced industries, as it was it is essential to shorten the length of schooling, revolutionize education…. Students should be selected from among workers and peasants with practical experience, and they should return to production after a few years’ study.
He was against foreign technology and ideas. At times, he worried that “all electronic goods were intrinsically anti-socialist”, with his supporters arguing that “it was absurd to see electronics as the future, when it was obvious that only the iron and steel industry should play a leading role in building a socialist utopia in China.”
By the 1960s, he had “won the political struggle over the Chinese semiconductor industry, downplaying its importance and cutting its ties with foreign technology.” (Source: Chip War by Chris Miller)
After his death, China focused on developing electronic goods – “becoming the world ’s workshop” by the 1990s. While they knew that they needed to make the “components that powered electronics, like semiconductors”, Maos cultural revolution led to them lagging behind Taiwan, South Korea and the United States.
In the case of the USSR, the bureaucrats like Alexander Shokin, who was in charge of Soviet microelectronics, understood the need for the country to develop their semi-conductor technology. But his choices and methods for doing so were fundamentally flawed with Shokin adopting a “copy it” strategy. The strategy may have worked for nuclear weapons, but not for chips which advanced too quickly and required both advanced machinery and expertise for them to function reliably.
“The Soviet Union churned out coal and steel in vast quantities but lagged in nearly every type of advanced manufacturing. The USSR excelled in quantity but not in quality or purity, both of which were crucial to high-volume chipmaking.” (Source: Chip War by Chris Miller)
The USA and its allies also took steps to stop the USSSR from acquiring the advanced technology that they needed, including semiconductor components. And while the communist country could bypass the restrictions using companies in Austria or Switzerland, the pathway was hard to use on a large-scale basis. As a result, of all of this, the Soviets had to use materials that lacked the purity that was needed for chips, and equipment that wasn’t sophisticated enough – making it difficult for them to produce working chips.
With both of these examples, we can see the importance of state policy for technological advancement and innovation. Both China and the USSR had the scientists to potentially advance their semi-conductor technology, but the lack of support from their respective states kept them behind.
This changed when Chinese President Xi Jinping focused the country on rapid technology innovation – his plan is for China to achieve global leadership in science and innovation by 2050. This threat led to a response from the USA, who redirected their attention and resources to the semiconductor industry, and began to make a clear attempt to bring the tech companies back into the country.
But what the Muslim world needs is the Islamic State
The only way to change the status quo, and ensure that the Muslims are at the forefront of the technological advancements, is to re-establish the Islamic State. This won’t only unite the Muslim lands, along with their considerable material and non-material resources, it’ll ensure that the resources are focused on the technological innovation that is required to withstand western pressure and interference.
We cannot study the current situation and say that it’s impossible for the Islamic State to develop their own technology and become a leader in the semi-conductor industry. To do so, would be to greatly undermine the strength that will come with Muslim unity. It also forces us to apply Capitalist ideas and experiences onto the Islamic State- while we will learn from the mistakes that both the USA and China are making, the overall systems and policies of the Islamic State are so vastly different that a direct comparison of the two doesn’t make sense.
The USA and China are vulnerable because of how their industries and economies are interlinked – the Islamic State will not, or rather cannot, have such a reliance on foreign powers. This is the problem that the Muslim lands have today. Countries like Oman, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are developing aspects of their semi-conductor industries but those developments are heavily reliant on foreign funds and private company’s expertise.
None of this will be allowed under the Islamic State. We will have to have our own currency, which is tied to gold and silver, and must be independent of all foreign currencies.
We are also forbidden to use foreign funds for “Development and investment.” It is also prohibited to grant franchises to foreigners.” Article 165 of the Draft Constitution
When the Islamic State returns, we will focus on uniting the Muslim World, together all of whom will have the resources that are necessary to develop the technology and to ensure that we are self- reliant. In cases where we make political deals with foreign states, it will only be allowed on the condition that the states are not given power and influence over us. And that the terms of the deal benefit us.
What’s more is that the technological progress will not be an afterthought. This is an essential aspect of technological advancements – there needs to be a targeted effort towards achieving them. In fact, in Islam, it is not only essential for us to develop our technology – it’s a Fard (obligation) – and as such, state policy will be geared towards supporting manufacturing and innovation in the industry.
“All individual subjects of the State have the right to establish scientific research laboratories connected to life issues, and the State must also establish such laboratories.” Article 162 of the Draft Constitution
“…. Similarly, whether the factories are of the public property type or they are included in the private property and have a relationship to the military industry. All types of factories must be established upon the basis of military policy… it is a duty upon the State to manufacture weapons by itself and it is not allowed to depend upon other states, because this allows other states to control it, it’s will, its weapons and its fighting… This can’t be achieved unless the State possesses heavy industry and started to build factories which produce heavy industry, both military and non-military alike. Thus it is necessary that the State has factories for producing all types of atomic weapons, rockets, satellites, airplanes, tanks, mortars, naval ships, armored vehicles and all types of heavy and light weapons. It is necessary that the State has factories which produce machines, motors, materials, and electronics, and factories which have a relation with public property and light factories which have relation with the military or war industries.” Article 74 of the Draft Constitution
These policies will not be implemented in isolation, rather they will be a part of a larger system and thus supported by political, economic and education policy. It’s only when all of these work in cohesion, with a clear plan and state support, that the Muslim lands will be able to flourish and remove themselves from the mercy and exploitation of the corrupt Capitalist system.
Fatima Musab
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What is the official flag of the Caliphate?
The official flag of the Islamic State is called the rayah (الراية). It is a black rectangular flag with the words لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا ٱلله مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ ٱلله written on it in white. A full explanation of the ijtihad behind this is below.
Historically, flags were mainly used in warfare to identify the different armies on the battlefield. In modern times flags are used to identify different countries and are used as a symbol to unite the nation around. In America, there is a specific pledge for the flag and most public schools are required to schedule regular sessions for its recitation:
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
So what flag will a future Caliphate use to identify itself?
The Caliphate is an Islamic State and its structure must be derived from the Islamic texts (Qur’an and Sunnah). Therefore, when investigating the issue of what flag to use the starting point will be the Islamic texts. If no specific description is found for the flags used by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the companions then it will fall under the category of styles (usloob) and means (waseelah), as a subsidiary rule derived from the general obligation of ruling in the Qur’an:
إِنِ الحُكمُ إِلّا لِلَّهِ
“The rule is for none but Allah.” (Surah Yusuf, 12: 67)
As with all Islamic rules related to state and government, the actual detail is contained in the sunnah (actions, sayings and silence) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
If we look to the hadith then we find two types of flags used by the leader and commanders of the Islamic army. They are the liwaa’ (اللواء) and the rayah (الراية) which are translated as flags or banners.
عَنْ جَابِرٍ، رضى الله عنه أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَ مَكَّةَ وَلِوَاؤُهُ أَبْيَضُ
It is narrated from Jabir that the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah with his white liwaa’ (Sunan an-Nasa’i 2866)
لأُعْطِيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ الْيَوْمَ رَجُلاً يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ
The Prophet ﷺ said: “I will give the rayah today to a man (Imam Ali) who loves Allah and His Messenger.” (Ibn Majah)
Al-Qamus al-Muhit dictionary mentions the linguistic meaning of both liwaa’ and rayah as ‘alam (العلم) which means a sign or banner.
If no further description of the liwaa’ and rayah is found in the hadith then we could adopt any type of flag we wanted as long as it contained Islamic symbolism such as the crescent and star used by the Ottomans.
However, if we look to the hadith we find detailed descriptions of both the liwaa’ and the rayah which means these words transfer from their linguistic meaning of a general sign, to a sharia meaning with a specific description.
What is the difference between the liwaa’ and the rayah?
The liwaa’ is a specific flag used as a sign for the Corp Commanders (Lt. General), or commander in-chief (Caliph), whereas the rayah is used by the entire armed forces and by extension through qiyas, the entire population of the state. The rayah is flown during the battle, and if the commander in-chief (Caliph) is also fighting then the liwaa’ will be flown alongside the rayah. This is based on the battles led by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who was commander in chief, like Badr and Uhud. This can also be seen in the battles during the Khulufa’ Rashida (Rightly Guided Caliphs).
At the Battle of Siffin, the Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib directly led the battle and so both the liwa’ and rayah were flown. Ali assigned Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah to carry the liwa’ and Hisham ibn ‘Utbah to carry the rayah. (Muhammad As-Sallabi, Ali, Volume 2, p.155)
Keeping the rayah or liwaa’ aloft during the battle is a sign of motivation for the soldiers. The companions used to take the duty of flag bearer incredibly seriously as shown by Musab ibn Umair when he continued to carry the liwaa’ at the Battle of Uhud until his martyrdom.
يقول ابن سعد: أخبرنا ابراهيم بن محمد بن شرحبيل العبدري، عن أبيه قال:
حمل مصعب بن عمير اللواء يوم أحد، فلما جال المسلمون ثبت به مصعب، فأقبل ابن قميئة وهو فارس، فضربه على يده اليمنى فقطعها، ومصعب يقول: وما محمد الا رسول قد خلت من قبله الرسل..
وأخذ اللواء بيده اليسرى وحنا عليه، فضرب يده اليسرى فقطعها، فحنا على اللواء وضمّه بعضديه الى صدره وهو يقول: وما محمد الا رسول قد خلت من قبله الرسل..
ثم حمل عليه الثالثة بالرمح فأنفذه وأندق الرمح، ووقع مصعب، وسقط اللواء
Ibn Sa`d said: Ibraahiim lbn Muhammad lbn Sharhabiil Al-‘Abdriy related from his father, who said: Musab ibn Umair carried the liwaa’ on the Day of Uhud. When the Muslims were scattered, he stood fast until he met lbn Qumaah who was a knight. He struck him on his right hand and cut it off, but Musab said, وما محمد الا رسول قد خلت من قبله الرسل “and Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him “ (Aal-Imran, 3:144).
He carried the liwaa’ with his left hand and leaned on it. He struck his left hand and cut it off, and so he leaned on the liwaa’ and held it with his upper arms to his chest, all the while saying, وما محمد الا رسول قد خلت من قبله الرسل “And Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him”. Then a third one struck him with his spear, and the spear went through him. Musab fell and then the liwaa’. (Men Around the Messenger)
What is the colour of the flag?
The rayah is black and the liwaa’ is white so we cant use a red or green flag for example.
أخرج الترمذي وابن ماجه عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: كَانَتْ رَايَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَوْدَاءَ، وَلِوَاؤُهُ أَبْيَضَ
At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah have narrated on authority of Ibn Abbas who said: “The rayah of Prophet Mohammad ﷺ was black, and his liwaa’ was white.”
What is the shape of the flag?
The rayah has four corners so we can’t use a triangular flag. Through qiyas this also applies to the liwaa’.
أخرج أحمد، وأبو داود، والنسائي في سننه الكبرى عن يُونُسُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ مَوْلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، قَالَ: بَعَثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ إِلَى الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ رَايَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَاهى؟ فَقَالَ: كَانَتْ سَوْدَاءَ مُرَبَّعَةً مِنْ نَمِرَةٍ
Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and an-Nasa’i in his book al-Sunan al-Kubra have narrated on authority of Younus bin Obeid, the slave of Mohammad Bin al-Qassem that he said: Mohammad Bin al-Qassem sent me to al-Baraa bin Azeb to ask him about the rayah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ what is it? He said: “it was a black quadrangle (مُرَبَّعَةً) made from namira”.
What is the material of the flag?
The hadith above specifies the material used for the rayah was namira (wool). However, using this material is not a hukm but rather falls under the category of means (waseelah). You may ask why the material is considered means but the shape is considered a hukm. The answer is because the companions were limited to the cloth of their time which was mainly wool and they didn’t have a choice in this, whereas for the shape, colour and symbols they had a choice in these but chose a specific design.
Therefore, we can use any material for the flag such as nylon or cotton.
What is the size of the flag?
The size of the flag is not specified in the text therefore we can have any size of flag we wish.
Shakhsiya Islamiyya mentions “Close scrutiny of the texts clarifies that the rayah is smaller than the liwaa’” but goes on to say “It is allowed to use rayah and liwaa’ of greater or lesser measurement.”
The book also specifies a size for the flag but this is up to the Caliph to make an adoption on in the future.
liwaa’ = 120cm x 80cm
rayah = 90cm x 60cm
What is the aspect ratio?
The aspect ratio of the flag is not specified so we can use any ratio we want, but Shakhsiya Islamiyya mentions a 2/3 ratio in line with the majority of flags today. The Ottoman flag for example used a 2/3 ratio.
What symbol is on the flag?
There is ikhtilaaf (difference of opinion) on what is represented on the rayah and the liwaa’. This difference occurs due to differences on the strength of the hadith which specifies particular words on the rayah and the liwaa’. If a scholar views this hadith as weak then it means any symbol or writing on the rayah and the liwaa’ will become a style and we can chose any Islamic symbolism we want. If however, a scholar views the hadith as good then the wording becomes a hukm (rule) and there is no choice in the matter. The hadith in question is below.
فقد أخرج الطبراني في الأوسط قال: حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ رِشْدِينَ قَالَ: نا عَبْدُ الْغَفَّارِ بْنُ دَاوُدَ أَبُو صَالِحٍ الْحَرَّانِيُّ قَالَ: نا حَيَّانُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: نا أَبُو مِجْلَزٍ لَاحِقُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: «كَانَتْ رَايَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَوْدَاءَ وَلِوَاؤُهُ أَبْيَضُ، مَكْتُوبٌ عَلَيْهِ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ». لَا يُرْوَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِلَّا بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ، تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ: حَيَّانُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ
It was extracted by at-Tabarani in al-Awsat: (Ahmad bin Rashdin narrated that Abdul Ghaffar bin Dawud Abu Saleh al-Harrani said: Hayyan bin Obeidillah told us that Abu Mijlaz Laheq bin Humeid narrated on authority of Ibn Abbas who said: “The rayah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was black and his banner white written on it: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ”.
This Hadith is not narrated by Ibn Abbas except by this isnad (chain), and it is exclusive to Hayyan bin Obeidillah).
The dispute concerns the hadith narrator Hayyan bin Obeidillah. Sheikh Ata Abu Al-Rashta discusses this in one of his Facebook Q&As:
1- Ibn Hibban mentioned it in al-Thiqat, and this is in his book al-Thiqat Volume 6/230:
(7491 – Hayyan bin Obeidillah Abu Zuhair the slave of Bani Odai narrating from Abu Mijlaz and his father, and Muslim bin Ibrahim and Musa bin Ismail have narrated from him)
2- al-Thahabi mentioned it in his book Mizan al-I’tidal (623/1):
(2388 – Hayyan bin Obeidillah, Abu Zuhair, sheikh from Busra on authority of Abi Mijlaz. Al-Bukhari reported: al-Salt had mentioned his mix up).
3- Al-Salt is bin Mohammad Abu Hammam, and Abu al-Hajjaj mentioned him in his book, Tahtheeb al-Kamal fi Asmaa al-Rijal 79/2. He said: Abu Hammam al-Salt bin Mohammad al-Kharki is from Kharek, an island in the gulf area close to Oman, and al-Bukhri had narrated for him in al-Saheeh.
4- Due to his mix-up in ahadith due to his old age, al-Uqeili had considered him from the weak narrators in his book, al-Dho’afa’ al-Kabir 319/1 where he said: Hayyan bin Oeidillah Abu Zuhair is from Busra… And Adam bin Musa narrated that he heard al-Bukhari said: Hayyan bin Obeidillah Abu Zuhair was mentioned by al-Salt to be mixing up (jumbling) ahadith…
5- Al-Thahabi said about him in his book al-Mughni fi ad-Do’afaa 198/1 “Hayyan bin Obeidillah Abu Zuhair al-Basri on authority of Abu Mijlaz is not reliable.”
Therefore he is disputed as there are people who make him reliable, and others who consider him from those who are weak because he mixed up when he became old. It seems that when he became old, he started to jumble. However, the issue is the writing of “La Illaha illa Allah Mohammad Rasool Allah” on the rayah and the liwaa’, and jumbling ahadith does not affect this writing, especially since there are two reliable narrators in the sanad between him and the Prophet ﷺ i.e. Abu Mijlaz Laheq bin Hameed and Ibn Abbas. So we adopted the writing of the two shahadahs on the rayah and the liwaa’.
What is the Arabic font?
The Arabic font is not specified so we can use any Arabic font or calligraphy. This falls under the category of styles (usloob).
Are there any other flags?
The different army corps, divisions and regiments can use their own flags alongside the rayah as we find in any army today. The is derived from the hadith where different units or tribes used their own banners in the battle alongside the official rayah.
وقد ورد عند الطبراني في الكبير عن مَزِيدَةَ الْعَبْدِيَّ، يَقُولُ: إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَقَدَ رَايَاتِ الْأَنْصَارِ فَجَعَلَهُنَّ صُفَرًا
It was narrated in at-Tabarani in al-Kabeer on authority of Mazeeda al-Abdi’ saying: “The Prophet ﷺ has knotted the flags of al-Ansar and made them yellow.”
وكذلك ورد عند ابن أبي عاصم في الآحاد والمثاني عَنْ كُرْزِ بْنِ سَامَةَ قَالَ: …وَإِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَقَدَ رَايَةَ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ حَمْرَاءَ
And it was narrated from Ibn Abi Asem in al-Aahad and al-Mathani on the authority of Kurz bin Sama who said: “… And the Prophet ﷺ knotted the flag of Bani Suleim red”.
The Ottoman 136th Infantry flagConclusion
The official flag of the Caliphate is the rayah. It is known metaphorically as “The mother of war” (umm ul-Harb), and will be flown on top of all government buildings within the state including the Caliph’s residence. The population will unite around this flag and will display it in their homes, mosques and businesses. The armed forces will also display it alongside their regimental banners to identify them as the official armed forces of the Caliphate.
The liwaa’ is a special flag which will be flown alongside the rayah above the Caliph’s residence only.
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Al-Afkaar and Al-Mafaahem (Thoughts and Concepts)
This is taken from the book “An-Nahdah (Revival)” by Hafiz Saalih
Thoughts are an expression about a specific sensed reality that is external or a reality that is envisioned in the mind. Being present externally means that it is a judgment upon a specific reality that expresses it by any means from amongst the means of expression. So if he comprehends or realises the meaning of this thought, in other words he comprehends the reality that has been judged upon and the judgement has been applied upon it perfectly and affirmation has resulted via the application of the thought upon its reality, then this thought would become the regulator of the behaviour that is linked to that reality. In other words the comprehension of the thought has occurred and it has been affirmed (in application) and as such the thought would have become a concept. However if he was not to comprehend its meaning or affirmation (Tasdeeq) does not occur then this thought or this expression of the thought remains merely as information that is stored in the brain. The human may then require this (information) when a certain reality for it comes into being or opposes it. However if the expression or wording does not have a reality or cannot be conceived to have a reality, or it is not possible to envisage a reality for it, then this expression would represent no more than fiction, illusions and myths.
The following represents in summary the collections of knowledge that the human possesses:
a) Knowledge that he has comprehended its reality in a true manner and it has been affirmed and believed in, by the application of that knowledge upon its reality, in a decisive way. In other words certainty has been attained in relation to the application of that knowledge (Ma’rifah) upon its reality which has been built upon rational (intellectual) evidence (Daleel ‘Aqli) i.e. the judgement of the human mind that has occurred by the inevitable application of this knowledge upon its reality. This can occur either by a direct judgement from the mind (intellect) like the judgment that is made upon sensed and tangible matters in regards to their existence.
Fundamental Aqeedah thoughts fall into this category like the belief in Allah, that the Qur’aan is the speech of Allah, the belief that Muhammad (saw) is the Prophet of Allah (swt) and the belief in Al-Qadaa Wal-Qadr, or thoughts that are related to sensed and tangible things that we interact with which exist.
Or it can be a rational or intellectual judgement that is derived from a Daleel Naqli (Transmitted evidence) which has been confirmed in origin by the ‘Aql (mind/intellect) like the thoughts of the Aqeedah that do not fall under the senses such as the belief in angels, the resurrection, Jannah, the fire and the Day of account amongst other beliefs or information that the mind decisively has certainty in and is impossible to falsify or deny like the Mutawaatir informative (Khabariy) texts.
b) There is a secondary level of knowledge which is the knowledge which has been affirmed and believed in and its reality has been comprehended. However this belief contains some doubt and has not reached the level of Yaqeen (certainty). So the ‘Aql (mind/intellect) is not decisively certain about that which has been transmitted to it and as such it is not able to deny the possibility of error, forgetfulness or that what has been transmitted to him can hold more than one possible meaning. Therefore he suffices by outweighing one of its meanings that the text allows and this applies to the concepts (Mafaaheem) of the Shar’iyah, knowledge of the Aqeedah that is derived from Aahaad (single line) narrations, the Shar’iyah rulings that are derived from the detailed evidences or knowledge related to history, linguistics and other areas in which the correct understanding is outweighed.
c) A type of Knowledge where its reality has not been fully comprehended or the extent of its application upon the reality has not been fully conceived or comprehended. This means that the mind is able to envisage that it has a reality and can apply it upon this reality. It is therefore a Fikrah (thought) i.e. a judgment upon a particular or specific reality however the Tasdeeq (affirmation/belief) does not occur in regards to it which means that the affirmation has not occurred in relation to its application upon that reality. These types of thoughts occur very numerously throughout the course of the history of human life in general and knowledge related to Geography and Astronomy are equal in terms of affirmation and belief and not believing and the like of this type of knowledge represents thoughts. This means they are judgements upon a particular reality and every aspect of knowledge within them transforms into a Mafhoom (concept) when evidence is obtained that confirms the correctness of these thoughts and their application upon their realities. This is whether the evidence is ‘Aqliy like witnessing or seeing a thing or matter, or if it is Naqliy (transmitted)
when we trust the truthfulness of the one who has transmitted the knowledge of a matter to us.d) A type of knowledge where its reality is not fully comprehended or it does not apply upon the reality that it is describing and this type of knowledge remains stored in the mind as information alone. Therefore they do not lead to elevation because they have become thoughts or concepts that the human may need in specific circumstances like to confirm their falsity or reveal their error. This is like knowledge about the capitalist ideology, freedom, democracy or
communism amongst others which merely represent information.So for example the reality that communism discusses in relation to thinking has a comprehended and perceived reality however the judgment upon this reality when stating that it is the reflection of matter upon the brain is an incorrect judgment that does not apply to the reality of thinking.
The same applies in respect to the reality that capitalism discusses in relation to democracy when it states that it is the rule of the people and by the people. Despite this reality being comprehended the judgment upon it however is that it is incorrect because the rule of the people by the people is not (in actual fact) realised. This is because the people do not lay down their constitution or their laws but rather it is only a specific group from amongst the people that do this.
e) A type of knowledge that does not have a reality and it is not possible to envisage and see a reality for it. In addition it is not possible to study and look into it in terms of its application or non applicability upon a reality. These are the illusions, myths and imaginary fictions which include the like of goblins, phoenixes and science fiction amongst other matters that are imaginary and mythical.
The above is the reality of the collection of different types of knowledge that a human can gain in his life and whether these were gained through experimentation or imitation or by acquisition and derivation or by reading it in a book or hearing it from another person or through any other means. However when he acquires any knowledge then the origin is that he receives it as a thought so that it becomes part of his knowledge bank and even if the source was other than him. What we mean by receiving it as a thought or intellectually, is that he understands the meanings of the worded expressions and sentences that he is reading or hears or sees. He then attempts to envisage for that a sensed reality and then he attempts to apply what he has read or heard upon that envisaged reality or what it is expressed upon. If it applies upon it then it is viable to be correct or it is correct and as such it would become part of his concepts that affect his conduct and control his behaviours when he proceeds to satisfy his hungers or fulfil his wants.
If however he is unable to envisage a reality for it or is unable to apply it upon an envisaged reality then he will deny it and it would remain in his mind as mere information that has been confirmed to be false or has been unable to confirm its correctness. In addition Tasdeeq (affirmation/confirmation) has not occurred in respect to it and as such will not be a Mafhoom (concept) for him and will not have an impact or effect upon his conduct and behaviours.
The reason behind presenting the meanings of these types of human knowledge and distinguishing between them is so that the effect of the concepts upon the conduct of the human and his behaviour can be understood. This is the same whether these concepts include those concepts that are about things or they are concepts about life.
The behaviour of the human and his behaviour in relation to satisfying his hungers and fulfilling his wants is the sign that indicates his elevation or his low level and decline. He can either rise to a high level and be better than the angels or he can fall down and become more astray than the animals.
They are not except live-stock, rather indeed they are even further astray from the path (Al-Furqaan 44).
For this reason it is essential to know the thoughts and the concepts in a manner that makes us capable of distinguishing the sound correct thoughts from those that are incorrect and to know the elevated thoughts and distinguish them from the declined thoughts, and to distinguish between the shallow thought, the deep thought and the enlightened thought. All of this is so that the concepts of the human and his thoughts are elevated correct concepts that he has taken with awareness and in an enlightened manner so that he can be elevated by them to the level that Allah has wanted for him to ascend to. In other words that he is elevated to the level of a human being.
A close examination to distinguish between the thoughts and concepts in regards to being elevated or declined requires for there to be a principle or principles to act as a basis by which these thoughts and concepts can be judged. Built upon this principle or principles the thoughts can be classified and in order to distinguish between the wheat and the chaff (i.e. good from the waste) and the correct from the incorrect. So we must utilise the precise criteria when making judgement in relation to understanding every thought and every concept. Otherwise the colours will become blurred and the vision will become fuzzy and the human will be puzzled between the righteous and wicked, the good and the bad, and the pretty and ugly.
So what then is this principle, criteria and measurement that we are required to use to pass judgement and which will then be used to establish that which is elevated and what is declined?
The answer is as follows:
Our subject area is the human being who lives in this existence in this life and who seeks revival, elevation and to proceed on the path of completeness. Will he be able to achieve this without knowing the meaning of his existence in life and the meaning of this temporal life that he must spend time in? This is particularly the case as he can see himself as just one individual from amongst the humans who lives with a collection of people along with other living creatures upon this earth which lies within a vast universe!!
There is a vast difference between the human looking at himself as being Zaid or ‘Amr and between looking at himself as a human. This vast difference would be revealed with absolute clarity if we were to follow some of the steps in regards to it. As such the furthest point of decline is represented in his adoption of that individualistic selfcentred view, that view which is a reaction to the survival instinct and the manifestations of the survival instinct are indeed many. His individualistic view could expand and widen a little and expand beyond himself so that he sees that he is the son of so and so and that he has brothers and sisters, and that he is member of a family that he loves. And he likes to be the master of it which is another manifestation of the survival instinct which means that he is still behaving according to the instinctive reaction. This view could then extend further to include his wider family, tribe, village or town that he lives in and the result of this can be seen very clearly amongst those who link the name of their town or village to a certain name like Zaid Al-Khaleeli or ‘Amr Al-Baghdaadi. This view could widen even further to become nationalistic (Wataniyan) belonging to the soil and earth so he is then called Misry (Egyptian), or Shaami (From the Levant), or Hindi (Indian) amongst other namings. His horizons and vision could widen even more to include the Qawm (a people i.e. Arabs) that he belongs to and as such he becomes Qawmi (A wider Nationalist). Despite all of this expansion he did not elevate to arrive to the level of the human being. Allah had honoured him and created him in the best of moulds and yet he did not see himself as a human being who lives amongst others from amongst mankind.
From this fundamental view towards existence, life and the human we are able to distinguish between the elevated thought and the declined or low level thought. So if we were to draw an explanatory line we would place the lowest level of the human being at zero. This zero would guide towards the view of the human in terms of him being a human being. As for that which is less than this point then this would represent the beginning point of decline like from Qawmiyyah (nationalism related to a people) to regionalism to the wider family network until it reaches the end (of the chain) i.e. the self-centred individual. As for elevation then this begins from adopting the view of the human in terms of him being a human being until he is able to reach the highest level based on this view. This is when he fully comprehends that he is the slave of Allah and as such adopting the view of the human as a human represents elevated thought or the beginnings of intellectual elevation whilst anything less than this view represents a declined thought or a low level one. As for climbing the stairs of elevation and attempting to revive this human, then this is represented in the answer to the other question, which attaining knowledge about the meaning of the human’s existence in life. And any study or thought in regards to defining the meaning of life and the meaning of the human being within it represents and elevated study irrespective of the results that are reached. It is the type of thought that leads to revival irrespective of whether this revival is correct or incorrect.
From this perspective the first criteria in relation to a thought being elevated or declined is comprehensiveness. So if the thought is comprehensive in encompassing the reality that is being investigated and not restricted to one area, case or circumstance then this thought would possess the attribute from amongst the attributes of the elevated thought which is the attribute of being comprehensive. As such if the thought is not comprehensive then it will not be elevated.
As for the second attribute from amongst the attributes of the elevated thought, it is the depth in the study or investigation and to begin from the beginning, where the fundamental true reality of the matter that is being studied is reached. So this happens when he examines the universe, life or the human being and he does not just take one of its aspects or manifestations but rather it is necessary for his view to be deep so that he knows the basis from which this reality that he is investigating arose from. So when for example he examines the human being, it is necessary for his view to encompass the type of this human from the very beginning which necessitates knowing whether this human is Azaly (eternal) or a creation of a creator. From there he moves on to knowing what this human is made up of and what distinguishes him from the other living creatures. He then moves on to knowing or understanding the drives and motives that lead him into motion and action and whether he is compelled to undertake these actions or acts according to his choice. He studies this amongst other matters that would make it a deep fundamental thought about this human being. And when he undertakes this study he does not do so merely to increase his intellectual wealth, to develop a philosophical opinion or just to increase his knowledge and information. Rather he undertakes it because he is a human who lives in this life within this wide existence (universe) and this is because he wants to know the meaning of his existence within life. He will not be able to arrive at this knowledge unless he knows and understands the beginning of this existence that he is living within and the direction that it is heading to. And built upon his answer to that (whether it is correct or incorrect) he defines his conduct and regulates his behaviours. This depth in the study is the second characteristic or attribute of the elevated thought and by establishing that we have established its true reality. This is that the elevated thought is the thought that is characterised by comprehensiveness and depth. This is the thought that is fitting for the human as a human being and it is the thought that leads to Nahdah (revival). It is the thought that is viable and sound for the human if he wants to tread the path of revival and elevation. Otherwise he would decline falling to the depths of animals, indeed animals would be better than him.
They are not except live-stock, rather indeed they are even further astray from the path (Al-Furqaan 44).
It is for this reason that we find the Lord of the worlds and all creation directing us towards this type of thinking in hundreds of Aayaat like His (swt)’s speech:
Have they not looked at the heaven above them – how We structured it and adorned it and [how] it has no rifts? And the earth – We spread it out and cast therein firmly set mountains and made grow therein [something] of every beautiful kind. Giving insight and a reminder for every servant who turns [to Allah]. And We have sent down blessed rain from the sky and made grow thereby gardens and grain from the harvest And lofty palm trees having fruit arranged in layers. As provision for the servants, and We have given life thereby to a dead land. Thus is the resurrection. (Surah Qaf 6-11).
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (Aali ‘Imraan 190-191).
And a sign for them is the dead earth. We have brought it to life and brought forth from it grain, and from it they eat. (Ya Seen 33).
O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke besides Allah will never create [as much as] a fly, even if they gathered together for that purpose. And if the fly should steal away from them a [tiny] thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued. (Al-Hajj 73)
Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]? (At-Tur 35)
And have you seen the water that you drink? Is it you who brought it down from the clouds, or is it We who bring it down? (Al-Waaqi’ah 68-69)
O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous. Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you? (Al-Infitaar 6-7)
O mankind, indeed you are labouring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it. (Al-Inshiqaaq 6).
The above selection represents just some from amongst a great number of Aayaat which address the faculty of the human mind. They address him as a human and bring his attention to that which is around him in terms of life and impresses upon him the need to pay attention to this vast universe that he lives in.
Similarly the Aayaat bring his attention to focus upon the thing or matter in respect to its source:
Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]? (At-Tur 35)
And we have made everything from water. Will they not (then) believe (Al-Anbiyaa 30).
This is in terms of the elevation and decline in the thinking. As for distinguishing between the shallow thought, the deep thought and the enlightened thought then there are different criteria for this and principles that are used to determine the level of this thought. It is worth noting however that is still considered a thought and a judgment upon a reality and whatever the level of shallowness that is reached it is still considered to be a thought. It is distinguished from the instinctive reaction and is distinguished from imitation and simulation, and its possessor is raised to the level of a human and it represents viewing the human as a human being. It is the product of the human mind and the fruit of an intellectual effort otherwise it would not be fitting for revival or to proceed towards the path of completeness, or to transfer an individual or society to a better state and condition.
The shallow thought means to judge upon the most basic or simple aspects or appearances of things and their realities without knowing that thing or reality and understanding it well, like knowing what it is or the basis that it has emanated from, or the circumstances that surround it, or without possessing significant information about it and without attempting to obtain the information that explains that reality. Or the one who accepts information that has been explained to him whilst this thought is distinguished by shallowness or naivety.
It is very easy to deceive people who are characterised by this thinking which is done through deceptive displays or appearances, sweet speech and false promises. In addition a society in which the like of these shallow thoughts dominate remains in the hands of its leaders and rulers. These people are led by resounding charismatic speeches, moved by the stirring of emotions and are satisfied with the least of gains or outcomes. And how truthful were the words of the one who described these people with the words: ‘They are gathered by the drum and they are dispersed by the stick’. And how great the number of examples there are in our society which reflect this shallowness and how often do the people hasten towards thoughts which on the outside appear to be merciful whilst their inside (and true reality) bring suffering. This is so that the leaders and rulers are capable of taming the people and of bringing them down to the level of despair and despondency whilst leading them to accept any solution that the leader or ruler chooses for them. The most vivid example of the shallowness of the people is reflected in how easy it is to lead them by utilising deceptive mirages and fake appearances, and this state of affairs repeats itself time and time again. The best example of this is the issue of Palestine and the situations that is has passed through since its beginning until this hour. Room and possibilities have still been left available for the leaders and rulers to take Palestine as a means to achieve their aims or implement their desires or those of their masters by bringing the Ummah to a condition and state of despair, hopelessness and surrender despite its reality not differing much from the remaining Muslim lands. There (real) issue is the same issue and it does not differ except from the angle of the appearance that has been cast upon it. This is because all of the Muslim lands suffer from the same reality Palestine suffers from and the process of taming the Muslims is one single process even if its manifestations are many. So Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Morocco, Algeria, Saudi and Yemen are all the same in relation to the desire to tame the people and make them accept the rulings of Kufr (disbelief).
The shallow thought as we have stated is the judgement upon the most simple manifestation of a specific reality without paying attention to the truth of this reality and without expending effort to understand this true reality by knowing its causes and effects or to understand the basis that it has emanated from or what is built upon it. This in addition to not knowing or understanding its circumstances, conditions and what is related to it. For example:
When we here a commotion outside in the street we go out to see a mass of people raising banners and shouting slogans. It would in this case be shallow or superficial to find it enough to state that what has been witnessed is merely a demonstration. It is higher and more elevated to expend effort to know and understand what lies behind it and which parties or groups are leading it. And it would be even more elevated to know the real goals and motives that are hidden behind this demonstration and what the circumstances, conditions and realities are that has driven this party to organise a protest. It would also be necessary to make effort to understand if there is behind this party leading the protest any other influence or direction that has pushed this party in the direction of demonstrating in order to achieve a specific aim or objective.
All of this is necessary so that when we issue our judgment upon the reality it is correct or near to being correct. It is sufficient for our judgement to have been deep and not merely restricted to one manifested reality from amongst the manifestations related to that reality. Rather we would have expended effort to understand the reality according to its true reality and we would have examined the factors, objectives, circumstances and conditions that relate to this incident and after that we would have issued a judgement.
Another example: A young man wishes to marry; he sees a beautiful girl and then judges from her appearance that she is suitable to be his wife. This is a shallow and superficial judgement. It would be more elevated to know whether she is already married or not? Is she healthy or sick? Is she able to speak or is she mute? Is she fertile or barren? And even more elevated than that would be for him to know her family from her father? And what house she is living in? And even more elevated than this would be to understand her viewpoint towards life and what her beliefs are? What thought does she carry?
If he fulfils this study and gains an understanding of this reality then his judgement upon this reality would become elevated and close to what is correct.
Another example: When we listen to a text that is read out or we read a subject. If our reading or listening to that text was for the sake of killing time or self-amusement or if it was absent in terms of vision and depth in regards to comprehending its meanings or we were unable to do that, then we would pass a superficial or shallow judgement upon this text. However when we examine its literary form and make effort to know its conformity to the rules of the language, then in this case we can make a judgment from a literary angle and aspect. However when we try to contemplate its meanings and understand the reality upon which it applies, to know the one who has compiled the text and the occasion or circumstances in which it was made, then we would have taken from this text or this study an intellectual taking which is far from superficiality or shallowness. Our judgement upon it would then be a deep judgement that is far away from shallowness and superficiality as a result.
As for the deep thought, it is also a judgment upon a reality however it requires the knowledge of the reality and is not restricted to one manifestation from amongst its manifestations or one particularity from amongst its particularities.
Knowing and understanding matters and things requires knowledge of its partialities and specificities so that there minute composition can be arrived at. As for understanding the realities and events then it is necessary to know and understand the sides involved in the dispute and the matter being disputed over, in addition to the circumstance or conditions that the dispute is occurring upon and the direct causes and indirect causes for it if they exist. As for understanding the legislative text then this requires another matter as it requires wide knowledge needed to interpret the text and understand it, in addition to expending effort to distinguish between the legislative text and the literary text or algebraic text and so on. It also requires wide knowledge needed to understand the indications of the worded expressions whether they are literal or metaphorical and to comprehend the meanings of the sentences and compositional structures. If all of this knowledge is present and we have expended effort to judge upon the text or understand it, we would have then judged upon it or understood it correctly or close to that which is correct. This is the deep thought.
However it still remains incomplete and falls short in fulfilling all that the study requires. This is because things, matters and realities have circumstances and conditions that have an effect upon them and they have related matters that it is necessary to comprehend whilst these circumstances, conditions and related matters are not part of the things, matters, realities or events. So studying a poem does not mean that the poet is known, or the circumstance in which it was said or written are known, just as understanding a destructive explosion does not mean that the one who is behind it is known or the aim behind it or who ordered it to be done are known. Depth in the study does not lead to the arrival of these matters because the depth in the study is restricted to the partialities of a matter, its structured composition and its laws. As for what lies around it and what is related to it then this lies outside of the deep study and rather it requires during the study shedding light upon that which surrounds the studied matter to know what surrounds it and what is related to it because it is not (actually) part of it.
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Al-Insaan (The Human Being)
This study concerns the human and understanding his level of elevation or decline and the way of ascertaining that emanates from his actions and behaviours whether this applies upon an individual or a group, as the study relates to the human in his capacity as a human being. Therefore it is essential to understand this human upon his true reality, so that we can know when he is declined and when he is elevated. Understanding the human requires an understanding of the motivating factor for the actions and behaviours, understanding the manner in which they proceed in addition to that which controls the behaviour of this human and his conformity to the behaviour of the group or collective from amongst those who surround him.
Yes, it is correct to say that taking a view of the human falls under the overall view of the universe as a whole and what is included within it in terms of life however the human who fits into this universe differs from all other creations with characteristics and attributes that are unique to him. Despite being a material part of the universe and creation and from the forms of life that walks upon the earth, he does however differ completely from this creation due to what Allah (swt) made special with him in terms of his ‘Aql (mind) and that which has been bestowed upon him in terms of comprehension and understanding. This is the reason for subjecting that which exists in the creation to the service of man, as a mercy and favour from Allah (swt) to him.
And He has subjected for you all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth – from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought (Al-Jaathiyah: 13)
And He subjected for you the sun and the moon, continuous [in orbit], and subjected for you the night and the day (Ibrahim 33)
And He subjected for you the ships to sail through the sea by His command and subjected for you the rivers (Ibrahim 32)
There are in addition to these other Aayaat (verses) which explain that which Allah (swt) has bestowed out of his favour upon this human being in terms of the blessing of the mind and comprehension and what follows this in terms of providing and subjugating all that is in existence to him and allowing him to seek benefit from what he wishes and in whatever way he can find to utilise them.
So the human is a living body and has everything that any other living body has in terms of attributes. So he develops, grows, eats, drinks, rests, produces offspring, populates, he takes care and protects himself, he senses and feels his inabilities and need whilst seeking to cater for this. Similarly he feels compassion and tenderness, paternity and sonship, just as he feels fear and security, love of the self, of authority and ownership and he gets angry and pleased, he celebrates and he is sad amongst other sensations or feelings that generate within him the desire and provide for him an incentive to go forth in order to satisfy these wants and deal with these hungers, that are a product of the life energy that lies inherently within him.
Also this body that resembles a motor has needs in terms of its movement, continuation, building, forming, fixing what is broken or damaged and removing that which causes it damage in terms of waste. As such the Taaqah Al-Hayyawiyah (Life energy/force) drives him to obtain nourishment and water whenever the body requires this or to remove that which burns or is damaged within it. Therefore this human from the time of his birth until the time of his death is in a state of continuous and sustained movement and due to this he requires what he needs in terms of energy for this movement and what the body requires in terms of components and tools. The human is as such always busy in securing his need or driving away his hunger that is demanded from this body in its organ structure and instinctive structure, and in this way he is like any other living entity or being. However he differs from all other creatures or living things in regards to the manner in which he fulfils the attainment of that which satisfies his hungers and in regards to the manner of satisfying them. Other living things and creatures act by instinctive reaction (Raj’i Ghareezi) according to the Fitrah (nature) that Allah (swt) has given them.
And (the One) who gave proportion and guided (AL-‘Aalaa 3)
So these creatures behave in specific ways to maintain their life, to preserve themselves and maintain their species or to fulfil their hungers with mind boggling and wondrous styles and means. However the human being differs from them because he acts in accordance to his mind that Allah (swt) has bestowed upon him and not in accordance to instinctive reaction like the other living creatures. When he goes forth to satisfy his hunger or fulfil his need or desire he only does this based on a intellectual comprehension and by forming a concept about a matter that he is addressing, in regards to whether it can lead to satisfaction or not? And whether it is permitted for him to seek utilisation by it or not? As such the human does not proceed upon a matter from amongst matters until he has posed two questions to himself.
The first question: Does this thing or matter contain that which satisfies his hungers, meets his needs or satisfies his desires? And the answer to this question rests upon the concepts that he carries, so if his concept about the matter is that is satisfies his hunger or meets a need or satisfies his desire (whether this concept has originated from him or has been taken from others) then by this concept alone that he possesses, he will attain the inclination towards it and will feel the pressure and hunger towards taking it and this is what we call ‘the concept about a thing or matter’. However he refrains from engaging in taking it and seeking utility from it until he has heard the answer to the second question which is: Is it permissible to utilise or benefit from this thing or matter and satisfy his hunger from or by it or is it not permissible to do so? Then if the answer to this is negative he will incline away from it, turn his inclination away from it or attempt to do so because it is not permissible to benefit from it or meet his hunger by it. If however the answer is positive in the case where it is permissible to benefit from its use, then he will take it, perform it and satisfy his hunger by it. This is what we call ‘The concept about life’.
Therefore that which determines the conduct or behaviour of a person is his concepts about things or matters in terms of them being satisfying or not satisfying and then his concepts about life in terms of the matter being permissible or not.
The concepts about matters or things could virtually be the same in respect to the sons of Adam (humans) and there are no differences between them apart from differences in tastes and desires. As such in terms of the concepts about things and understanding or knowing the attributes they consist of and the benefits that they contain, then these are one and the same in respect to humankind. As such these do not affect the conduct or behaviour of the human in terms of his elevation or level of decline. So fruits, vegetables and meats in their different and various forms and categories, knowing that the female satisfies the hunger related to procreation, that worship satisfies the hunger related to sanctification, that clothing protects the person from the cold and heat or is worn for reasons of appearance, then all of these concepts about matters or things are the same in respect to the human being because they represent studied knowledge or a comprehension of the attributes of things in respect to them satisfying the hunger or not satisfying it.
As for the concepts about life in terms of it being permissible to seek satisfaction from a certain thing or matter or it not being permissible to do so, then this issue rests outside of the thing or matter itself and outside of the human himself. Rather it is necessary to return to a principle or principles which are used as criteria or a measurement for his actions and a measure for his behaviours. This means returning to his viewpoint in life in respect to undertaking an action or refraining from it. And the viewpoint of the Muslim in life is the Halaal and the Haraam. Therefore whenever a hunger comes to him like that related to the stomach for example and he sees a bowl of food and knows that it is suitable to be eaten due to his knowledge
that it is food that is eaten, then he will be inclined towards it, however he will not take it until he has answered the second question: Is it permissible to take benefit from it or is it not? In other words he is asking himself whether it is Halaal or Haraam to take it and eat it. If he then knows that this food contains something that contravenes and is against the measurement that he returns to (for judgment) i.e. his viewpoint in life, like if he knew that is was Najas or that pork was contained within it or that its owner had not given permission for him to take it, then in the like of these circumstances he would refrain from taking it regardless of his inclination towards it and he then attempts to distance this inclination. This example can be applied to anything that the human comes across in relation to the satisfaction of any hunger from amongst his hungers or desire from amongst his desires and whether it was from the organic hungers like eating and drinking or from the instinctual hungers like sanctification, procreation and survival.
And based on this we say: That all of the actions of the human are restricted by measurements, criteria and principles that he believes in and which have been defined by his viewpoint in life i.e. by his Aqeedah (belief about life). And that every action from amongst his actions is determined and runs in accordance to his concept about life in terms of proceeding to undertake the action or refraining from it, whether this action was a fundamental one or not, great or lowly and of high value or of low worth. So his Aqeedah is the fundamental principle (or basis) for his thoughts and concepts about life and all of the systems of life emanate from it. His viewpoint in life is taken from it, in addition to the principles, criteria and measurements that distinguish the Khabeeth (filth/bad) from the Tayyib (wholesome/good) and the wheat from the chaff.
This is what distinguishes the human from all other living creatures and this is what elevates him above them. He possesses a mind that comprehends the things and matters that are around him and has a viewpoint in life that can intellectually reason the truthfulness by thoughts, and he believes in these thoughts so that they become concepts for him that define his conduct in life and regulate his behaviours when he goes forth to satisfy his hungers and satisfy his
desires or wants.Based upon this the judgement upon this human is made through his actions. This is a judgement made upon what thoughts he believes in and what he has taken as a criterion for himself in addition to what he has made the viewpoint in life. Judgement upon these thoughts requires the presence of principles and given accepted truths that are
returned to when issuing a judgement.Therefore the issue here is about understanding a particular human being. Is he elevated or declined? It is a judgement upon his actions and behaviours based on our criteria of concepts and convictions about the elevated actions and behaviours and its associated characteristics like selflessness, goodness, chivalry and loyalty or trustworthiness, in addition to good neighbourliness, honesty in transactions, sincerity and perfection amongst other measurements and criteria that people use to ascertain the true reality of actions.
Allah (swt) said:
Verily Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded (An-Nahl 90)
Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveller, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives Zakah; [those who] fulfil their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous (Al-Baqarah 177)
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:
<< For one person to be guided by Allah by your hands is better for you than all that the sun rises upon >> (At-Tabaraani from Abu Raafi’).
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An-Nahdah (The Revival)
This is taken from the book “An-Nahdah (Revival)” by Hafiz Saalih
As we have said An-Nahdah is a modern Istilaah (terminology) and has been put down to express a specific reality which is the moving of a nation or people or individual from one condition to a better condition. However what condition do we mean? It has become evident to us that the abundance of educated people and graduates, the increase in wealth or resources and the existence of many affluent people does not mean (the realisation of) Nahdah?
Therefore what is this transformation or moving whose existence is an expression of the existence of Nahdah within a nation, people or individual? This is the crux of the matter to determine that which distinguishes one nation from another. And what is the difference between a revived people and a declined people? What is the measurement that distinguishes between a revived person and a low or declined one? What distinguishes one individual from another whilst both of them are human enjoying the same faculties and specificities and both of them strive to fulfil their needs and satisfy their hungers? Despite this we describe one as being an elevated person and the other declined whilst paying no regard at all to his outer appearance, the size and shape of his body or the colour of his skin. Having said that we are certain that the judgement that we have made upon them is a correct judgement and that it is a true judgment upon that is applied upon the person’s reality. This is because we do not judge him except after witnessing his conduct and after we have seen his behaviours and interacted and dealt with him. So that we do not pronounce a haphazard judgment upon him and do not describe him falsely then his conduct, the manner that he regulates his relationships and proceeds in life is the mirror that makes evident his true reality and it is the definite proof that we rely upon in making our judgment. In this way we are able to describe the people as being elevated or declined built upon their conducts and behaviours and this description would then be applicable upon the person’s reality
without excess or negligence.It is possible that we read the works of a certain author, or hear the speeches of another, or listen to a lecture of a lecturer or sit in a gathering of a certain person and as a result we could be enchanted by these writings or our hearts affected by these speeches. We could also denounce what came in the lecture or condemn what was mentioned in certain discussions however despite this we are not able to describe him from what we have heard from him or read from him. Rather we describe what we heard and what we read so the description is for the lecture and not the lecturer or the talk and not the speaker. As for the description of the lecturer, author and speaker then this is not arrived at unless we see or witness from his behaviours, conduct and actions that which allows us to make a judgement upon him.
As such the one who defined Imaan (belief) as: ‘The belief in the gardens (Janaan), the pronouncement with the tongue (Lisaan) and the acting according to the Arkaan (fundamentals)’ or as: ‘That which is pronounced by the tongue and affirmed by the acts’. This is because the definite proof and true mirror applying upon his image in its true reality is that which is reflected in his conduct, behaviours and actions and none other than these. As for the statements and written
works then these represent no more than an indication that acts as an incentive to monitor or follow up upon that person to understand his true reality.Allah (swt) states:
And of the people is he whose speech pleases you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents. And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption (Al-Baqarah 204-205).
And He (swt) said:
They say with their tongues that which is not in their hearts (Al-Fath 11).
And He (swt) said:
O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do (As-Saff 2).
As for confirming and verifying the true reality then Allah (swt) said:
And say: Perform acts for Allah will see your deeds, and [so, will] His Messenger and the believers. (At-Taubah 105).
As for passing judgement over speeches that we have heard, articles and books that we have read and discussions that we have listened to then these represent a collection of thoughts which are judged according to the manner that thoughts are judged. Thoughts have specific rulings, principles and criteria that allow the correct thought to be distinguished from the thought that holds no value and for the shallow thought to be distinguished from the deep thought.
Therefore when we pass judgement on a book, article or lecture we do not pay attention to the person giving the lecture or the writer but rather we pay attention to the thoughts and concepts that he has produced in terms of the words and meanings and without being affected in the least by the personality of the writer and knowing him.
We make a judgement upon these thoughts and concepts built upon solid criteria and specific principles which exist specifically to understand the truthfulness of ideas and concepts and their correctness.
Therefore the judgement upon a person is not arrived at except by knowing his conduct and behaviours and the judgement upon a person in terms of being elevated or declined would be judged through his behaviour which is different from the judgement that is made upon beliefs, thoughts, concepts and news.
That which applies to the individual also applies upon the society because the society is a group of people who have permanent relationships that exist between them. These permanent or continuous relationships is what transforms this group of people into a society and without them the group would have remained merely a collection of individuals like those found travelling together on a journey on a ship who are not called a society. The importance is therefore placed upon these relationships and the judgement upon the society is based upon these permanent relationships and it is not based upon suffering and deprivation or the enjoyment of riches and luxuries that are present. So the relationships are the true mirror that reflects the true reality of the society and it is these that regulate the life of the people and by which the customs and traditions are defined. By examining these relationships and taking note of how the people conduct themselves in accordance to these relationships and their interests then we make a judgement upon the society in terms of the society being sound or degenerate so that we can ascertain that the society is elevated or declined. In this evaluation there is no place for considering the abundance of the educated, cultured and graduates or the growth in trade and industry, or economic flourishing and the existence of obscene riches. Rather the consideration rests in the foundations that have made the society a society meaning that the consideration lies in the thoughts and concepts that dominate the society and by which the people’s interests are arranged in accordance with. This is in addition to the sentiments of displeasure and contentment that these thoughts and emotions have generated and the values and high example that the people believe in, and then the general system that regulates these relationships, organises them and preserves that which the people have agreed upon. In this way the relationships represent the true mirror that makes clear the true reality of the society and the description of the society would be built upon that perceived reality as a true description. Therefore if there was harmony between the public or general custom and the system where the thoughts and sentiments were the same as the system we would say: This society is harmonious and that there is complete harmony between the citizens and those responsible for the citizen’s affairs. And if the relationships were good and the sentiments were good, the values high representing a high example and that those responsible took care of these affairs, then we would say: ‘This society is an enlightened one and it is a revived society’.
The opposite is also true with a society where the relationships are in conflict and contradictory, the thoughts are scattered and fragmented built on a dull sensation and differing sentiments which hold hatred towards the regime and undermine it, the people are ruled by iron and fire, the mouths are gagged, necks are tied and sources of sustenance are cut and where selfishness and apathy dominate. In this case how would we describe such a society? This is the reality of all of the societies in our Islamic world irrespective of what they contain in terms of universities, colleges, educational institutes and schools and regardless of what these societies possess in terms of numbers of educated people, graduates and those holding higher educational certification, and irrespective of what Allah (swt) has bestowed upon these lands in terms of natural resources and riches. Regardless of all of this, these lands are still called the third world and the people are described as being backward.
The examples for this are many and clear. There is not a natural resource or treasure except that we have a lion’s share of it. So we have oil, natural gas, various minerals that are beneath the earth, agriculture and cattle in their many forms, a plentiful supply of sources of energy, onyx and marble amongst other valuable rocks and materials in addition to much more that Allah (swt) has bestowed upon us, all of which no other nation or people possess the like of.
On top of this we have a huge working man force and a large number of them carry certificates and are specialists in every field but have been driven to fill vacancies all over the world, whilst seeking a living and dignified life. We have all of this and yet the reality of these societies has not changed in the least and they have not elevated to a fitting level. Indeed they remain in the abyss of decline and have reached rock bottom or near rock bottom. All of this is because these matters do not represent the basis of revival or the basis by which a society moves from a condition to a better condition and state, and because these do not reflect the basis upon which a society is established. They do not represent the components of a society because the formation of a society rests upon its components and the components of the society are the bases that the permanent relationships are built upon and what regulate them. As such the formation of the society rests upon the knowledge of what it contains in terms of thoughts and concepts, and what emanates from these in terms of sentiments and values. Following this is the knowledge of that which regulates the relationships in terms of systems and laws.
There is no relation in this to the natural resources or other matters in regards to the formation of the society and in relation to explaining its values and the level that it has reached in terms of elevation or decline.
And by taking a close look to these societies which exist in our Islamic world we find that in addition to the intellectual decline, dull sensation and contradictions within the people as a result of attempting to reconcile between that which exists within the people and that which regulates their relationships, and the poisoning of their thoughts by the Western thoughts, in addition to all of this there is a difference or contradiction in relation to the system that is applied upon them which has made anxiety and confliction the basis of their lives. This has led to those who are in charge of implementing the system to resort to suppression and force by use of iron and fire to compel the people to submit to the system and to run their relationships and conducts in accordance to the laws that have been enforced upon them despite being contrary to their Aqeedah and thought. The people then began resorting to hypocrisy, desperate measures, plotting, weaving conspiracies or even seeking assistance from Shaytaan to get rid of the situation they found themselves in and to remove their dominance over them. The situation (today) remains the same in terms of domesticating and taming the people and humiliating them until they accept that which is implemented upon them. This is the reality that the societies in our Islamic world are suffering from, corruption and confliction in the thoughts,
weakness in sensation and differing sentiments or emotions with hostility existing between the people and the regime, so that those in authority became the number one enemy to the masses.How do we view this reality in relation to the statement of the Messenger (saw):
Verily the Imaam alone is the shield, he is fought behind and protection is found in him. (Muslim, Al-Bukhaari, Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa’iy).
And his statement (saw):
The best of your Imaams are those whom you love and they love you, you make supplication for them and they make
supplication upon you. The worst of your Imaams are those you hate and they hate you, and you curse them and they curse you. (Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and Ad-Darami). -
Q&A: The Balochistan Region Between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمAnswer to Question
The Balochistan Region Between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran
(Translated)Question:
Dar Al Hilal published on 14/9/2024: (Pakistani police announced today, Saturday, the killing of at least two of its members in an explosion that occurred near a police bus in the city of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province in the southwest of the country…) Pakistan had previously witnessed the largest-scale attacks in years as part of an ethnic rebellion waged by militants for decades, (where more than 73 people were killed in several attacks… In a statement sent via email to journalists, the Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attacks. (Al-Hurra, 27/8/2024)). Thus why are these attacks escalating in Balochistan? Is Britain involved in creating problems for the army? Is America itself causing problems to distract the army away from occupied Kashmir and India? Is India also involved? And does China have a role in this?
Answer:
In order to clarify the answer to the above questions, we will review the following matters:
First: The Balochistan region extends between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. It is in southwestern Pakistan, known as the Pakistani Balochistan province, with the city of Quetta as its capital, and in southeastern Iran, known as the Sistan-Baluchistan province, with the city of Zahedan as its capital. It also extends more than 100 kilometers into southern Afghanistan and includes parts of the southern provinces of Nimroz, Helmand and Kandahar. In terms of population, the Pakistani part of Balochistan is considered the most important part of all, as it is inhabited by about 20 million Baloch and Pashtuns, and its area constitutes about 44% of Pakistan, and about 6% of Pakistan’s population of about 240 million lives in it. It is one of the richest regions in Pakistan in terms of natural resources, especially gas and minerals. It is considered one of the largest sites in the world for copper and gold.
For example, the Canadian mining company Barrick Gold owns about 50% of the Reko Diq mine located in Balochistan. Balochistan has become an important part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, within the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, which is financed by China to reach the Arabian Sea where the port of Gwadar is located near the Gulf of Oman. In addition, China is building an international airport in Gwadar. Therefore, the Balochistan region is gaining great importance in Pakistan. As for the Iranian part, it is inhabited by about 3 million people, while the number of Baloch in the Afghan part is estimated at less than a million people.
The people of Balochistan in these three countries are almost all Sunni Muslims. Islam entered these regions early in the year 23 AH during the reign of the Rightly-Guided Caliph Omar, may Allah be pleased with him. After unrest in it caused by the Hindu Kingdom of Sindh, the Khilafah (Caliphate) regained control over it during the reign of Caliph Muawiyah, who conquered it again. The Umayyad Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan made it a starting point for the conquest of Sindh.
Second: There are many separatist groups in the Balochistan region of Pakistan with nationalist orientations, waging a guerrilla war against the Pakistani army since the late 1960s. The most famous and largest of these groups is the Balochistan Liberation Army, which was founded in 2000. This group is locally allied with another major group, the oldest of these groups, the Baloch Liberation Front, which was founded in 1964 and waged a guerrilla war against the Pakistani army. It also participated in operations against the Iranian army inside Iran. There are other groups of lesser weight. As is usual for armed organizations that find themselves in dire need of money and weapons, the separatist groups in Balochistan quickly found themselves a target for various intelligence agencies. With the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979 and the transformation of Pakistan into a base for the Mujahideen against the Soviets, Moscow began to support the separatist groups in Balochistan to spite Pakistan. With the success of the Khomeini revolution in Iran in 1979 and the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war after that, the Iraqi regime began to support these groups (the Balochistan Liberation Army) for military action in Iran, as did India, which supported these groups in Balochistan against the backdrop of its wars with Pakistan in Kashmir. When America wanted India to be one of the pillars of its axis against China, both parties (India and America) began supporting those groups in Balochistan with the aim of occupying the Pakistani army with internal battles and distancing it from India’s borders and its control in Jammu and Kashmir.
Third: These are the political facts necessary to understand the reality of the attacks and guerrilla warfare waged by armed groups or factions in Balochistan against the Pakistani army. By following these attacks and their development over the decades, we find the following:
1- The Pakistani governments, before the American occupation of Afghanistan, were in contact with these groups and concluded peace agreements with them. The nineties were a period of relatively great calm, but the attacks of these groups, especially the Balochistan Liberation Army, have greatly escalated and their large size has appeared since 2003. Pakistan responded and killed the separatist leader in Balochistan, Nawab Akbar Bugti, in 2006, and the situation was ignited.
2- On 25 and 26/8/2024, Pakistan witnessed the largest attacks by the Balochistan Liberation Army in years, killing about 73 people, targeting police stations, railway lines and vehicles on a highway in Balochistan. (The most violent attacks took place on Monday, 26/8/2024, on a highway linking the Balochistan and Punjab provinces in Musa district, where gunmen intercepted buses and trucks and shot dead 23 Punjabi workers after verifying their identities, according to local sources. The Pakistani army also announced that it had killed 21 separatist militants in Balochistan. In 2023, it carried out about 110 attacks, and in the first months of 2024, it carried out about 62 attacks – according to statistics from the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies – based in Islamabad. (Al Jazeera, 26/8/2024) 3- (The Pakistani police announced today, Saturday, the killing of at least two of its members in an explosion that occurred near a police bus in the city of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province in the southwest of the country… while initial reports indicate that it was caused by the explosion of an explosive device planted on the side of the road. (Dar Al Hilal, 14/9/2024)).
Fourth: In addition to targeting the Pakistani army and police, these groups have begun to specifically target the Chinese and Chinese projects within the China Economic Corridor project in Pakistan. These attacks can be reviewed as follows:
1- There are a number of major projects in Balochistan run by China (five Chinese workers working at the construction site of the Dasu Hydroelectric Dam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and their Pakistani driver were killed in a suicide bombing that targeted their vehicle. (Alhurra, 27/8/2024).
2- Six people were killed in an explosion when their convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber (this is the third major attack targeting Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week. The previous two explosions targeted an air base and a strategic port in Balochistan province in the southwest of the country, where China is investing billions in infrastructure projects. (Asharq Al-Awsat, 26/3/2024).
3- The Balochistan Liberation Army includes the Majeed Brigade, which carries out “suicide” operations. One of its most prominent attacks was the “suicide” bombing that targeted a Chinese institute at the University of Karachi in Sindh province in April 2022. (Al Jazeera Net, 1/2/2024).
4- These attacks are repeated: from the killing of Chinese engineers in August 2018 (Reuters, 11/8/2018) to the attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi in November 2018 (Sky News Arabia, 23/11/2018), and the attack on a luxury hotel where Chinese people usually stay in the city of Gwadar in Balochistan in May 2019 (Alhurra, 12/5/2019) where the famous port built by China is located.
5- The separatists also target Chinese interests and Chinese workers in Balochistan. Recently, on 13/8/2024, they attacked a convoy carrying Chinese engineers to Gwadar Port, as happened previously in separate incidents in which Chinese academics working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, which is considered one of the pillars of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, were killed. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said “the militants also wanted to drive a wedge between Islamabad and Beijing.” (Reuters) (The attacks aim to harm the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.” (Al-Arabi, 30/8/2024)).
Fifth: As for the parties that direct these attacks against China’s interests and against the Pakistani army, they are India, and behind India is America:
1- As for India’s interest in these attacks on the Pakistani army, it can be noted in the following matters:
a- In 2018, The News International newspaper referred to security reports about India allocating more than 50 billion rupees ($261 million) to target the economic corridor by creating unrest in Balochistan. (Al Jazeera Net, 15/5/2022).
b- The Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army, General Raheel Sharif, and the local Chief Minister of Balochistan, in addition to the Chairman of the Senate, Reza Rabbani, (accused Indian intelligence of being involved in the matter. Sharif indicated that India wants to sabotage huge economic projects worth $46 billion that China has started in Balochistan, and New Delhi fears that this will negatively affect its economy, he said: “It attempts to destabilize the region and target the economic corridor project between Pakistan and China.” (Noon Post, 18/8/2016).
c- This group is back in the spotlight today (after claiming responsibility for a suicide attack targeting the Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi, the country’s economic capital, on June 29, which killed seven people. Immediately following the attack, Pakistan accused India of planning it and supporting the Balochistan Liberation Army and all other Baloch separatist movements. (Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, 12/7/2020)
d- (“Last year, on 9/4/2023, Pakistan arrested the leader and founder of the so-called Balochistan National Army, which was founded in January 2022, Gulzar Imam, who is responsible for dozens of attacks in Balochistan and Punjab.” The Pakistani military’s media outlet announced that the army’s main intelligence agency said “Gulzar Imam visited India and Afghanistan, and that hostile intelligence agencies tried to exploit him to work against Pakistan and its national interests.” (Al-Jazeera, 12/9/2023).
2- As for America’s interest in the Balochistan Army’s attacks, it is evident in the following matters:
a- Since 2014 until today, India has been ruled by America’s agents in the Bharatiya Janata Party led by Modi, who implements American policy towards China. Therefore, everything India has done and is doing towards China falls within the scope of serving America’s interests with Indian tools.
b- (Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar warned the United States of America against interfering in her country’s internal affairs. The minister was speaking after the US Congress approved a resolution calling for Balochistan to have the right to self-determination. However, the Pakistani minister said that she realizes that this resolution does not reflect the official US government policy. (BBC, 20/2/2012)
c- In 2022, the United States signed an agreement with the Balochistan government to build the first police investigation school in Balochistan, which gave the United States a major role in developing legal investigations, police investigations, and law and order in the region. This was an introduction to American interference in Balochistan’s affairs!
Sixth: Thus, we see that America has an interest in exploiting these separatist nationalist movements in Balochistan to threaten Chinese interests as part of its policy towards China, it appears that it is exploiting it, and its follower India, which is working to strike Chinese interests while waging a conflict against China due to its border disputes and serving American interests. All of these American goals are being achieved on the ground today, as the Pakistani army has been occupied in its internal regions away from India, especially Kashmir. It has been occupied in Balochistan to combat the insurgency and pursue separatist groups (and as a result of the escalation of the conflict in the region, the Pakistani government deployed 80,000 soldiers to fight Baloch organizations… AlJazeera Net, 1/2/2024), and the usual Pakistani statements and threats against India have disappeared and have been replaced by threats against terrorism and rebels… Thus, India’s front has been secured from Pakistan, and its army has deployed along its border with China and clashes started there, which is what America wants, to occupy China with the confrontation with India.
Seventh: As for Britain, despite the lack of evidence of its activities or the activities of its agents in the Gulf inside Balochistan, Pakistan (except that a split within the Balochistan Liberation Army in 2010 was led by Mehran Marri, who holds British citizenship and founded the United Baloch Army) (Al Jazeera Net, 1/2/2024), this may suggest its efforts to create influence within the separatist groups in Balochistan, but its influence remains small compared to America and India… Its influence has weakened greatly in India and Pakistan, where American agents rule.
Eighth: The conclusion from the above:
1- The ruling system in Pakistan should have dealt with the issue of Balochistan, which is part of its territory, by treating it with the care, justice and kindness according to Shariah, and by making use of the public property in the lands of Balochistan for all the subjects of the state, including the Baloch. But instead, it treated the problem as a security issue, by killing and arresting, not with good care as in Islam:
«الْإِمَامُ رَاعٍ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ»
“The Imam is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari).
2- Likewise, the armed organizations in Balochistan should not have allowed the enemies of Islam (America and India) to exploit them against their country, nor should they have worked for the separation and division of the state, as this is a major matter in Islam, its perpetrator will be held to a great sin, as Muslims are one Ummah that cannot be divided.
[إِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُون]
“O prophets! Indeed, this religion of yours is ˹only˺ one, and I am your Lord, so worship Me ˹alone˺” [Al-Anbya: 92]
3- The third, which is the most serious and bitter, is on the one hand: the loyalty of the ruling regime in Pakistan to America and the implementation of its orders to be preoccupied with its internal affairs instead of directing its forces to liberate Kashmir… and on the other hand, the separatist organizations in Balochistan seeking of help from kuffar and polytheists… and all of that is forbidden in Islam.
[وَلَنْ يَجْعَلَ اللهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلا]
“And Allah will never grant the disbelievers a way over the believers” [An-Nisa: 141]
4- The true unity of the people of Pakistan will not be restored except by implementing the rules of Islam, spreading the idea of true Islamic brotherhood, and applying the idea of equality among all Muslims in benefiting from the returns of public property such as gas, minerals, etc., until injustice, poverty, and marginalization are lifted from the Muslim people of Balochistan and other Islamic people. Islam has rejected and absolutely prohibited nationalistic sentiments, and has established brotherhood among Muslims.
[إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ]
“The believers are but one brotherhood, so make peace between your brothers. And be mindful of Allah so you may be shown mercy” [Al-Hujurat: 10].
At the same time, this brotherhood of Islam must push them to work with the workers to establish their one state, the Khilafah Rashidah (Rightly-Guided Caliphate), the source of their unity, the source of their pride, and the truth of their brotherhood…and that is the great victory.
[وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ* بِنَصْرِ اللهِ يَنْصُرُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ]
“And on that day the believers will rejoice * at the victory willed by Allah. He gives victory to whoever He wills. For He is the Almighty, Most Merciful” [Ar-Rum: 4-5]
14 Rabi ul Awwal 1446 AH
17/9/2024 CE
