Lose Direction, Submerged In Various Issues
Posted on Jul 21, 2008 under Uncategorized
Written by Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Translation by Umm Hajar (ummhajar@gmail.com)
In a week, various issues have come to light in our not so big country causing uproar that is so loud it looks as if the world almost collapses. People are getting more befuddled and nauseated. The saddest part is that the issues being highlighted lately are private issues of the politicians. It seems like the people are being forced to bear their problems so that they forget about the rise in the price of goods and electrical tariff and the strenuous daily life of the commoners. The people have been spending thousands of hours of their time to squabble and argue about the dirty laundry of the politicians.
Some quarters do not agree with mubahalah (malediction) saying that is not the Islamic solution for such cases. A religious scholar even claimed that he has never heard of the word mubahalah and this is actually a sheer problem of deficiency of knowledge. I have explained mubahalah in this same column last week. It is in the al-Quran and was practiced by the Prophet s.a.w and the ulama to deal with the bullheaded attitude of some quarters that refused to properly accept strong lines of reasoning.
It is not a judicial process. It does not have a need for a judge, money and there is no need to hold up the al-Quran. I am recommending it because the situation has become too frenzied, some claim that the allegation is true, some say that it is a conspiracy and many more. The people are disagreeing with each other, the situation is becoming more precarious and the future is being gambled away. Both the sodomy case and Altantuya case are causing similar reaction.
The Muslim community is seemingly going to argue with each other continuously and is breaking apart. Finger pointing, slandering and attacks on people’s private life are being heard everywhere. To dampen down the situation, I have recommended mubahalah and the intention is so that the dignity of the prominent figures involved can be defended.
Suddenly, some are troubled by my recommendation and that puzzles me. Will mubahalah not restore the confidence of the masses and eliminate the slander being spread? The means to do it is just by saying, “O Allah! If I have committed that deed (state the case) then curse me.” After that, we are confident that Allah will not default on the method that was stated by Him in al-Quran.
If there are those who refuse to accept that recommendation then it is fine. It was just a suggestion. No one is forced to accept it. The Prophet s.a.w did not force the Christians in Najran when they refused to mubahalah with him. Only Allah knows the true fact of a particular matter. Only to Allah do we leave all matters. If all parties agree to obey the court, then let us all be calm until the court verdict is produced. There is no need to provoke the people to incessantly argue this matter.
Some label me as UMNO for recommending mubahalah. By Allah, I have never filled up the membership application form of that political party. I cannot afford to sue the accuser in court though. Those who are familiar with me know that I do not have much money. However, if the accuser wants to mubahalah with me, I will do it because I have never made the membership application.
Some request that the involved individuals take an oath in the name of Allah. Some say that there is no need to take an oath. The debate on denying the need for taking an oath or the appropriateness of taking an oath has consumed many hours of our time whereas taking an oath does not even take half a minute. I say that there is a difference between taking an oath to convince people out of the court with taking an oath inside of the court.
If we refer to the oath taken inside of the court, the defendant is not required to swear until enough proofs are gathered against him. Instead, the complainant is obligated to bring in his witnesses and the relevant evidences. However, taking an oath outside of the court is different. It is about convincing the others that the story or accusation is not true or that the statement of a certain individual is true.
This is like a case where a wife accuses her husband of having an extramarital affair and the husband denies it. The wife then says, “You should swear in the name of Allah.” If the husband does not do what he is being accused of, it is not wrong for him to swear. There is no nas (religious authoritative text) stating that the husband is wrong for taking the oath even though he not in the wrong.
Because of that, Saidina ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan swore in the name of Allah when he was surrounded by the rebels who wanted to kill him. Saidina ‘Uthman said, “By Allah! I have never committed zina (sexual relation outside of marriage) during jahiliyah (period of ignorance) or during Islam. Never have I changed my religion ever since Allah bestowed me with guidance. Never have I taken even one life without any good reason. Why do they want to kill me?” (Reported by Abu Daud, al-Nasai, al-Tirmizi and Ahmad)
Was ‘Uthman considered sinful for swearing that he had never committed zina while the accusers planning to kill him had not produced four witnesses? No! ‘Uthman swore not in court but it was done to defend himself. However, there is no compulsion in this matter. Whoever wants to swear, he can swear. If he doesn’t want to, he is not compelled to do so. Only Allah is Most Knowing of the reason why anyone wants to swear or not. To Him we leave all matters. He is Most Just, He knows what we do not know.
Some stated that we cannot accuse others of committing sodomy or zina unless there are four witnesses. I say that it is a must for everyone to agree with that. It is haram (forbidden) to accuse others of committing zina or sodomy without four witnesses. Unfortunately, in the world of politics in this country, although most of the politicians are Muslims, accusations involving zina has become the norm.
On the platforms of politics, people have never been careful enough in accusing this and that person of getting involved in various sex scandals. It also seems like the internet sites possess a halal (permissible) logo big enough to accuse just about anybody they like. Is it just today do we realize that this is haram? Or probably it is haram for others and not haram for us?
Allah says (translated as): “Behold, ye received it on your tongues, and said out of your mouths things of which ye had no knowledge; and ye thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of Allah.” (Surah al-Nur: verse 15)
We should all clean up our political climate as a Muslim community from maliciousness such as this. If we can still recall, in our country, one can accuse others of committing apostasy or even hundreds of thousands although it is just based on hearsay and without any concrete proof.
I would just like to make a small correction. A religious figure in our country said that a person who claims that he or she is a victim of rape or sodomy has to produce four witnesses and if he or she fails to do that, he or she will receive 80 lashes. I am not referring to the case currently going on but I want to criticize the understanding on the issues of qazaf. There is a difference between accusing others of committing zina and claiming that someone has been a rape victim.
If a woman brings to the syariah court a claim that she has been raped, will the syariah court then state that she has to produce four witnesses and if not, she will receive 80 lashes? In this world, will there be four pious witnesses who are willing to let a woman being raped in front of them?
The difference between accusing others of committing zina and claiming that one has become a victim is in the issues of dignity. Accusing others of committing zina involves the element of degrading someone else’s dignity whereas claiming that one has become a victim is like gambling one’s own dignity. How is it possible for a person to just keep quiet after becoming a victim?
Therefore, for the second case, qarinah (related evidences) can be used as mentioned in Surah Yusuf (translated as): “So they both raced each other to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back: They both found her lord near the door. She said: “What is the (fitting) punishment for one who formed an evil design against thy wife, but prison or a grievous chastisement?”
Yusuf said: “It was she that sought to seduce me - from my (true) self.” And one of her household saw (this) and bore witness, (thus):- “If it be that His shirt is rent from the front, then is her tale true, and he is a liar! But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then is she the liar, and he is telling the truth!” So when he saw his shirt,- that it was torn at the back,- (her husband) said: “Behold! It is a snare of you women! Truly, mighty is your snare!” (Surah Yusuf: verse 25-28) Look at how al-Quran describes qarinah being used in this event.
Whatever it is, I agree to the struggle to defend the rights of the people who are marginalized. I oppose power abuse, graft, the extravagant spending of the people’s wealth and the likes of it. As a Muslim, what is much worthier to be opposed is if the country is being managed without using the guidance provided by the divine revelation. Islam is not just rhetoric or slogan but it is essence and execution. We are not supposed to struggle for an individual but rather, it has to be for upholding principles. Individual comes and goes but principles cannot be replaced. Our struggle is not to change the name of the ruler but it is to change the principles and conduct of the ruler.
The end does not justify the means. You can protest the rise in fuel price but you do not have to drop your pants in public to demonstrate your protest. A noble objective must be achieved using the means blessed by Allah. Power is used to uphold the principles. The principles are not sacrificed because of power.
The Prophet s.a.w rejected the offer to be in power by the dignitaries of Mecca when it was the principles of his struggle that he had to forfeit. Let the struggle be lengthy and tardy as long as it has sound objectives. Because of that, I always repeat the statements by our prominent religious figure, al-Syeikh Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali al-Nadwi that he once dedicated to the al-Ikhwan al-Muslimin: “O ye esteemed Ihkwan Muslimin! The target of da’wah al-Din (da’wah for Islam as way of life) and tajdid Islami (revival of Islam) is not easy. Its objective and focus are not only to replace the government. Also, it is not only to switch a particular political environment to another political environment. Also, it is not only to propagate education and knowledge, or to address illiteracy and ignorance, or to fight against unemployment, or to treat the community’s flaw and morality, or the likes of them as being fought for by the crusaders of revivification in the West and East.
Rather, it is an Islamic call that encompasses faith and moral, practice and system, ibadah (act of worship), personality of oneself and the community. It encloses intelligence and spirit, body and soul. It is dependent on a transformation deep within the heart and soul, inside the faith and mind. It shines from the heart before emerges though the pen, or printed on pages of a book, or articulated on a lecturing stand. It is realized inside the whole body of a Muslim missionary, and in his life, before it demands to be realized in the whole of a community. The prestige (in being Islam crusaders) and the willpower of the Prophets were unique because of their sincere approach that’s free from all thoughts of materialistic interest. They did not seek with their divine calling and crusade other than the gratification from Allah. They implemented His decrees and fulfilled His messages. Their mind and thoughts were untainted with deeds meant for worldly gain, for achieving certain status, for constructing power for the sake of families and followers, from gaining reign. Even more, all those had never even crossed their minds.
Indeed, the empire and power that they acquired during their times were in actual gifts from Allah. The rightful functions were mainly as a path to lead to the sanctified destination, to execute the rulings of Islam, to change the society for the better and to provide guiding principles in life. This was equivalent to the proclamation by Allah in surah al-Hajj, verse 41 (translated as): “(They are) those who, if we establish them in the land, surely they will establish regular prayer and give regular charity, enjoin the right and forbid wrong: with Allah rests the end (and decision) of (all) affairs.”
It was never one of their intents to acquire an empire, not even one of their objectives. Never had it become one of their topics of conversation, or one of their dreams. Rather, it was purely a natural gain in advocating and crusading for Islam, as natural as a tree that bears fruits as a result of its prolificacy and a diligent fertilizing job.”
He also stated: “O ye gentlemen! So vast is the difference between the intended goal and the results that surface from it. These different elements will be present in the hearts of those who work for it. Thus, he whose goal is to acquire a kingdom will lose his perseverance and will silence himself if he fails to achieve it. He will then stop from advocating Islam. If he’s successful, he will become an extremist at what he does. It is dangerous for any group to have a mindset shaped by the affection on gaining governmental power, and they work for it, because that will cause them to abandon the jihad on the path of da’wah, or to deceive their own group, or to drift off the course. This is mainly because the uslub (a systematic way to do something) to gain governmental power is different from the uslub of da’wah.
It is our obligation to purify our mind and soul to be exclusively for da’wah. Only for da’wah, for a duty, for a sacrifice, for giving a priority to other Muslim brother, for liberating humankind – with Allah’s will – from all darkness to brightness (Islam) and from ignorance to Islam and from the tightness of this world to its vastness, and from the cruelty of deviant religions and its cruel systems plus its erratic sects to the fairness of Islam and its far-reaching hue. The only worthy factors that shall bring us to good deeds and jihad are for accomplishing Allah’s commands and for attaining victory in the hereafter. Then there are other factors like compassion towards all creatures, sympathy towards a tortured soul and the desire for humans’ wellbeing.
If it should come to a stage, or to a certain time – once all principles of da’wah and faith are firm in the souls of Muslim missionaries – that the goals of da’wah could not be attained unless by gaining political power, then only we will strive to obtain it for the sake of da’wah. (It should be done) with a soul that’s sincere and pure, truthful and trustworthy, attentive and honest; done diligently as we are when dealing with the responsibility and pillars of our religion and other acts of devoutness. There should not be any difference, in the mind of a believer, between governmental task and other forms of ibadah if his intention was honest and genuine. All are within Allah’s blessing and all are following the path endorsed by Allah. All are ibadah that bring us closer to Allah.” (Al-Qaradawi, Al-Syeikh Abu Al-Hasan Al-Nadwi kama ‘araftu, pg. 122-125, Damsyik: Dar al-Qalam).
I feel that the principles of Islamic struggle have to be recollected by the brothers who were once very determined to make sovereign the doctrine of Allah and His Messenger. Do not let the scores of issues we have to face today cause us to lose our direction making us forget to say our name, the objective of our struggle and more importantly, whose blessing are we seeking for?
kzso - yes, whose blessing are we seeking for?
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