After the massacre at Hula most of whom were women and children, the killing continues. Only last Saturday another 80 have been reported dead, murdered by the barbaric and tyrannical Syrian regime. This has left many Muslims around the world feeling defeated, helpless and despair. However defeated and helpless is far from what our brothers and sisters in Syria feel. This is because they know that it is only the fear, yes fear, that they have struck in the hearts of the tyrants that is making them kill and massacre the way they are doing so at the moment. Since the time of Bashar’s father Hafez Syria has never seen (post WW1) the type of massacres being witnessed today. This only goes to show how weak and feeble the Syrian regime really feels resorting to such desperate measures to break the resolve of its people.
These events may leave some Muslims perplexed as to how can such atrocities be committed in a land that has been guaranteed protection by Allah (swt):
زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ ( كُنَّا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نُؤَلِّفُ الْقُرْآنَ مِنْ الرِّقَاعِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ طُوبَى لِلشَّامِ فَقُلْنَا لِأَيٍّ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ لِأَنَّ مَلَائِكَةَ الرَّحْمَنِ بَاسِطَةٌ أَجْنِحَتَهَا عَلَيْهَا
Zayd ibn Thabit said: “We were with the Messenger (saw) codifying the Qur’an on Riqaa’(pieces of cloth made out of leather) when the Messenger of Allah said, “Goodness be for Shaam.” We asked Why? Oh Messenger of Allah He said, “Because the Angles of the Most Merciful are spreading their wings over Ashaam” [Tirmidhi 3889, Hasan]
The Prophet (saw) mentioned that the Angles of the Most Merciful are spreading their wings, indicating that Allah has blessed the land with His Mercy. Furthermore the Prophet (saw) said narrating the address of Allah (swt) Himself to the land of Ashaam:
يا شام أنت صفوتي من بلادي أدخل فيك خيرتي من عبادي إن الله قد تكفل لي بالشام وأهله
“Oh Shaam you are the best of my lands and I will inhabit you with the best of my worshippers. Indeed Allah has guaranteed shaam for me and its people.” [Abu Dawood]
In this hadeeth the Prophet (saw) explains how Allah (swt) has guaranteed the protection of Ashaam and its people, those who are steadfast upon the truth. In yet another hadeeth the Prophet (saw) says “When the people of Asham are corrupted then there is no good in you, a group from my Ummah will continue to be victorious those who abandon them will not affect them until the Hour arrives (Day of Judgment).”
These ahadeeth may push one to question how such calamities can befall Ashaam after Allah has guaranteed its protection to the Prophet (saw). Suffice to say that the reality in Syria and throughout the Muslim world has to be seen through the eyes of the Qur’an, through the eyes of the Prophet (saw) and his companions (ra). Allah (swt) says:
مَّا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَآ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّىَ يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ وَلَكِنَّ اللّهَ يَجْتَبِي مِن رُّسُلِهِ مَن يَشَاء فَآمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَإِن تُؤْمِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَلَكُمْ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ 3:179
“3:179 (Y. Ali) Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which ye are now, until He separates what is evil from what is good nor will He disclose to you the secrets of the Unseen. But He chooses of His Messenger. (For the purpose) whom He pleases. So believe in Allah. And His apostles: And if ye believe and do right, ye have a reward without measure. –
This ayah was revealed regarding the battle of Uhud explaining that what befell the Muslims at Uhud in terms of the number of Muslims killed, was so that Allah (swt) may test those who say they believe. Allah (swt) in the TMQ:
وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ فَبِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ 3:166
3:166 (Y. Ali) What ye suffered on the day the two armies Met, was with the leave of Allah, in order that He might test the believers.
وَلْيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ نَافَقُواْ وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْاْ قَاتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ أَوِ ادْفَعُواْ قَالُواْ لَوْ نَعْلَمُ قِتَالاً لاَّتَّبَعْنَاكُمْ هُمْ لِلْكُفْرِ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَقْرَبُ مِنْهُمْ لِلإِيمَانِ يَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِهِم مَّا لَيْسَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَكْتُمُونَ 3:167
3:167 (Y. Ali) And the Hypocrites also. These were told: “Come, fight in the way of Allah, or (at least) drive (The foe from your city).” They said: “Had we known how to fight, we should certainly have followed you.” They were that day nearer to Unbelief than to Faith, saying with their lips what was not in their hearts but Allah hath full knowledge of all they conceal. –
So the pain and agony we are seeing in Syria today and still in Afghanistan, Iraq among others is due to this fact. Allah (swt) wishes to test the believers and in order that He (swt) distinguishes the people of falsehood from the people of truth.
Furthermore it is the Sunnah of Allah (swt) to test His most beloved of creations before granting them victory. If Allah (swt) was willing to allow the blood of the Messenger (saw) to be spilt before He (swt) gave him (saw) the victory at the hands of the Ansaar, then how can we expect victory from Allah without even lifting a finger, specially here in the West. In addition to this Allah (swt) wanted to elevate the status of the companions and thus tested them accordingly. From Khabaab ibn Al-Arat being dragged across burning coal till the fat in the flesh of his back melted, to Bilal (ra) who would be left sweltering under a boulder in the heat of the desert sun, all answered the call to Allah and His messenger.
How should one respond to adversity?
- Firstly we have to know that victory and help comes from Allah alone. Allah (swt) says:
إِن يَنصُرْكُمُ اللّهُ فَلاَ غَالِبَ لَكُمْ وَإِن يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَن ذَا الَّذِي يَنصُرُكُم مِّن بَعْدِهِ وَعَلَى اللّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكِّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ 3:160
3:160 If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? in Allah, then, Let believers put their trust.
- Victory doesn’t only come from Allah but it has been guaranteed by Allah (swt), and only to those who aid the deen of Allah (swt):
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تَنصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ 47:7
47:7 O ye who believe! If ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly.
Aiding Allah (swt) means aiding His cause and his deen, with whatever is required at any given time. Many a people that came before us were tried and tested till they yearned for the victory:
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ 2:214
2:214 Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? they encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: “When (will come) the help of Allah.” Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!
So this is a Sunnah of Allah (swt), He tested Ibrahim (as) when he was thrown in the fire, He (swt) tested Musa (as) to lead Bani Israel with the Phir’aun in close pursuit and then to cross the ocean having trust in Allah (swt) alone. Allah (swt) tested Nuh’s (as) perseverance for 950 years before He (swt) granted him and those who believed respite from the disbelieving people. All the time every Prophet (as) had to do the unsavoury, say the unpalatable, and go against the very grain of the kufr society.
What is required of us today?
Firstly we need to unite on the correct solution not just for Syria but all the Muslim world. That solution is the law of Allah (swt) and nothing else, we cannot accept anything less than this, for it is Allah (swt) who says:
وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَالأَنفَ بِالأَنفِ وَالأُذُنَ بِالأُذُنِ وَالسِّنَّ بِالسِّنِّ وَالْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَّهُ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أنزَلَ اللّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ5:45
5:45 We ordained therein for them: “Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal.” But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers.
In this verse Allah (swt) states that the one who does not rule by what Allah has revealed is an oppressor thus concluding that there can be no justice, no freedom from oppression without the rule of Allah (swt).
The law of Allah (swt) means the Muslims of the world should have one leader, and one state. In the first ever constitution drawn up by Muhammad (saw) in Madina He (saw) stated:
“The Muslims from the Muhajireen and Ansaar are one Ummah (people) excluding all others”
The nature of this unity is political as the Messenger (saw) wrote this constitution as the head of state. This is further clarified in the later part of the document where he (saw) states:
“Their peace is one…..no Muslim should aid a non-Muslim against a Muslim”
This clearly shows that the Messenger (saw) was referring to the Muslim Ummah in Madina as citizens of a state and not a sort of spiritual unity that exists amongst Christians and Jews or Hindus for that matter.
All efforts must be exhausted in trying to unite the ideas of Muslims on this solution. Whether it be through events such as circles, conferences or seminars, or whether it be leaflets, comments on news papers or blogs and social media websites, one call has to resonate throughout, which is the unity of the Muslim lands under one Ruler. The Prophet (saw) said: “The Imam is a shield behind which you fight and behind which you are protected”.
Therefore the call should be to the Muslim armies to move in and protect the righteous Muslims of Shaam and unite the Muslim world under on leader who fears none but Allah (swt)
What we have to be cautious of and prevent people from?
Western intervention is an option some Muslims consider as in their eyes this may bring some immediate respite. Just on Thursday 28th May the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs Gen. Martin Dempsey said: “the Pentagon is ready for the option of military intervention to end the violence in Syria”. This sudden statement comes after a series of statements from U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta, and Secretary of State Clinton, and from the head of the US Government, Obama that ruled out military intervention in Syria because it would complicate matters.
It is clear from the behaviour of the US administration that it is afraid of the collapse of its puppet, Bashar, at the hands of Muslims before the emergence of their alternative, so it hints at military intervention, imagining it would prevent the return of Islam rising to power again. How can one hope any good to come from America when it was the Americans that supported Hafez the father of Bashar to get into power, especially at this time when the hatred that the US administration holds towards Islam is at its highest. Army lieutenant colonel Matthew A Dooley of the US army was teaching army officials to prepare for “total war” with Islam, and that they have to consider Hiroshima and Nagasaki style attacks on Mecca.
Conclusion
Enjoining in the good and forbidding the evil is a virtue that the Prophets of Allah (swt) were entrusted with. It is our responsibility to fulfill this duty by calling to the correct solution that Islam provides and forbidding the false solutions that Islam forbids. Thus calling for the one state solution and forbidding the failed western kufr solutions that are based on secularism and the rejection of Islam should be the activities that all Muslims throughout the world have to be calling to.
The Prophet (saw) said “By the One who posesses my sole, Islam will be broken down bit by bit, until no one will say Allah. You will command the good and you will forbid the evil, or Allah will make the worst of you your rulers and so they will punish you with the worst of punishments, and the best of you will make dua, but it will not be answered.” [Addaa’ wa addawaa’ ibn Qayyim]
Ustadh Mohammad Ali
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