First Edition’s Publisher’s Note

The present problem of the Muslim world is that it is not being properly governed. The Muslim world is not dynamic. The main reason is that its leadership has been unable to understand the fundamental problems of the Ummah. They have failed to formulate an effective strategy and adopt a programme capable of leading them out of the present unstable situation. This is the overall state of affairs.

Those in Bangladesh who are working in the name of reform and renaissance have failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people because they have been unable to determine their priorities. The history of recent times is a striking example of this. Unfortunately, it is true that those who are now leading in Bangladesh have been unable to construct a theoretical basis for the priorities of their work—which task should be undertaken first, and why?

Islamic Information Bureau Bangladesh is a private, autonomous, non-profit organisation. The Bureau’s objective is to construct an intellectual foundation for social reform. For this purpose, the Bureau is publishing for readers a Bengali translation of Professor Dr.. Yusuf al- Qaradawi’s Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase—the Bengali translation of the book. We believe that this book will be able to awaken those in Bangladesh who are working for social reform from their deep slumber and help bring dynamism among them. It is hoped that the book will inspire social workers and, by instilling vitality in them, be able to play the role of an active catalyst in bringing about the desired social change.

This important book by Dr. Qaradawi was translated by the distinguished journalist Muhammad Sanaullah Akhunji from the first edition published by Dar al-Nasr, Cairo. When the translation was nearing preliminary completion, we obtained a revised and corrected edition of the book published by Awakening Publications, United Kingdom. As a result, it became necessary to rearrange the Bengali translation. Since Mr. Sanaullah Akhunji was unable, because of his various commitments, to give time to its rearrangement, revision, and correction, the publisher had to undertake the difficult task of rearranging and editing the book. The distinguished journalist Shafik Chowdhury and the poet Omar Biswas assisted me in this work. It should be mentioned that if any errors or omissions nevertheless remain in the Bengali translation, full responsibility for them rests with the editor and publisher of the book. This is because the Bengali translation was arranged in conformity with the revised English translation, which Mr. Sanaullah was unable to review because of physical illness. In translating the verses of the Holy Qur’an, we did not use any published Bengali translation of the Qur’an. Rather, the Bengali translation of the verses was made from Dr. Qaradawi’s revised English translation of the book. For this reason, we have not used quotation marks. The same applies to the translation of hadith. Mr. Shafik Chowdhury translated the book’s introductory note, the editor’s note to the English edition, and the author’s preface. The poet Omar Biswas translated the author’s profile and the publisher’s note.

The distinguished researcher Mohammad Abdul Mannan supplied the book published from Cairo, enabling us to undertake its translation. Mr. Shah Abdul Hannan gave us the revised edition of the book published in the United Kingdom. This made it easier to revise, correct, and rearrange the book. We are grateful to both of them. At our request, [email protected] sent us a brief biography of Dr. Qaradawi. We are also grateful to www.islamonline.net for this. We thank Mr. Shafik Chowdhury and the poet Omar Biswas for their voluntary assistance in rearranging and editing the book. As a token of his affection, the poet Omar Biswas undertook the arduous task of proofreading the book. It should be noted that, with one or two exceptions, the Bangla Academy’s Bangla Spelling Dictionary has been followed as far as possible in the book’s spelling conventions. Our dear Ahmad Hossain Manik devoted valuable time to the book. Above all, Mr. Sanaullah Akhunji presented us with a fine translation of the book. I am indebted to them all.

In May 1995, Islamic Information Bureau Bangladesh published the book Dr.. Ismail Raji al- Farouqi authored by Knowledge: Islamic Formulation. My distinguished friend Mahbubul Haq arranged for this book to be translated at my request. His important contribution to the translation of the book is undeniable. I am particularly indebted to Mr. Mahbubul Haq for giving me the opportunity to publish this outstanding book by Dr. Ismail Raji al-Farouqi. Our dear Ata Sarkar enhanced the beauty of this book through his overall supervision of its publication. Though belatedly, I acknowledge my debt to them.

Shah Abdul Halim

Chairman

Islamic Information Bureau Bangladesh

Introductory Note

The young and promising Hasan al-Banna has performed an important task through his revised translation into his mother tongue, English, of the book ‘Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase.’ The important reasons for translating this book into English are as follows:

1.. Contemporary Fiqh

Contemporary fiqh is necessary for educated Muslim youth, especially those who live in the West. Many of them are receiving various forms of guidance. These include extremism, fitnah or misleading doctrines, the tendency to declare others kafir, and an inflexible attitude. They behave harshly towards other Muslims. They display hostility towards the people of the country in which they live, even though they are a weak minority there. They have been abandoned by their own homeland. Many of them have been expelled from their native countries. Indeed, the governments of their homelands are inciting Western governments against them. Yet Western governments have not only given them refuge but also provided various social-welfare benefits. They have been given opportunities there to pursue education and business and to build mosques, social centres, and schools.

Such people should be grateful to those who have welcomed them. It is stated in the Qur’an: “Is the reward of good anything other than the best reward” ((Surah al- Rahman: 60)). This point is also mentioned in a hadith: “Whoever does not show gratitude to people does not show gratitude to Allah.” Instead, they are influenced by literature produced in Muslim countries where Islam has been established for several centuries. When deviation and confusion arise, scholars and Islamic preachers oppose them with harsh criticism and condemnatory language, calling them to return to the pure source.

Such calls and books are imported from those Muslim countries where scholars and preachers of the faith had acquired a frightening experience by taking a stand against autocratic and dictatorial rulers. This gave rise to an unbalanced Islamic way of thinking based on separation from society and declaring others unbelievers; even creating conflict between the ruler and society, and harboring suspicion toward any call for dialogue or freedom. Such literature is imported into the West from its original environment. The fundamental principle of fiqh—that fatwas change according to place, time, and circumstance—was not considered at all in this regard. Nor was the Muslims’ current position of weakness taken into account.

When the whole world was rejecting them, what wisdom and purpose could there be in creating hostility toward those governments that were allowing da‘wah work to continue and granting preachers of the faith various facilities, freedom, and dignity? When Muslim governments had failed to reestablish the Islamic state, what justification could there be for imposing that responsibility on minorities living in the West who face the threat of racism? What benefit would there be in involving these minorities in divisions among various Muslim groups when these differences have no connection with Islam? Moreover, there has never been any consensus among the scholars of the ummah regarding declaring any particular Muslim group unbelievers.

There is no explanation for the matters produced by the ignorance mentioned above. Dr. al-Qaradawi has given a lengthy account of them in his book and outlined the jurisprudence of priorities, the jurisprudence of balance, and the jurisprudence of reality.

2.Activism Fiqh

This book represents a new horizon in Islamic thought, although Dr. al-Qaradawi gathered its materials from the Holy Qur’an, the Sunnah, the tradition of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, scholars of fiqh, and religious and spiritual reformers.

Nevertheless, it is true that before Dr. al-Qaradawi, no one had successfully organized all these collected materials and related them to reality. He analyzed our current problems from various perspectives and also found solutions to them. He did so through precise explanation and logical, insightful analysis.

Alongside the work of Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali, this book is the product of Dr. al-Qaradawi’s painstaking effort. In it, he evaluates and analyzes the Islamic movement of the contemporary era. He exposes the root causes of the movement’s ailments and points the way toward their solution. He has also discussed these issues in various other books, including ‘The Phenomenon of Extremism in Takfir,’ ‘Islamic Awakening between Rejection and Extremism,’ and ‘Where Is the Wrong?’

This book also outlines an alternative Islamic perspective and methodology. By contrast, his earlier books shed light on extensive analysis, criticism, and evaluation. His contribution to developing and introducing a new kind of usul, or fundamental principles; activism in Islam; fiqh; the fiqh of lived experience; and the need for religious fiqh and the improvement and introduction of methods for implementing it is commendable.

Indeed, one of the main reasons for Islam’s present condition is the lack of Islamic literature. Much literature has been written on Islamic da‘wah, enriched with unrealistic arguments unrelated to contemporary problems or the nature of the place. What the predecessors left for us is treated as the final word, with no opportunity for its development, innovation, or renewal. Ideas and practices taken from various Islamic environments have created similar debates in Islamic circles in the West. As a result, confusion has arisen over what is specific and immutable and what is unspecified and changeable. These needless arguments have brought no benefit. The purpose of this book is to correct these confusions by showing that Islam and its tradition rationally confront, understand, and change reality through a practical approach.

3. The Author’s Scholarship

It would not be an exaggeration to name Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi as one of the foremost figures in contemporary intellectual Islamic thought and da‘wah. The reasons are as follows:

a. His moderate methodology and modern, balanced appeal. Between blindly following one particular madhhab while rejecting all the others, and following no madhhab at all, he has adopted a middle course. He has likewise taken a middle course regarding misguided and newly invented Sufi mysticism and those who oppose Sufis guided by the true path; regarding those who oppose revelation yet are guided by reason, and those who oppose the role of reason in understanding revelation. The madhhab of practical moderation thus gains dominance over the ummah, where every form of extremism loses its importance.

b. He possesses extensive and comprehensive knowledge of Islam. He has not confined his intellectual contribution to a single field. Just as he has written about aqidah, he has also written about the fiqh of worship and the fiqh of reality. He writes not only in these fields but in others as well. He has authored many books on the fiqh of the Qur’an and Sunnah and on the fiqh of reality and its application.

He has not departed from the path of the greatest scholars mentioned in Islamic history. He judges and analyzes matters according to the standards of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and rejects anything opposed to them. He is not among the blind followers of any madhhab, but neither does he support rejecting the rich Islamic tradition. His statements and counsel are very clear. His heart is filled with fear and love of Allah. He is a Salafi like Ibn al-Qayyim, a major writer and poet like the Sufi scholar Imam al-Shafi‘i, and a scholar well versed in contemporary issues like Imam Ibn Taymiyyah.

c. His profound conviction that Islam is not merely a religious belief, but an essential framework, organization, movement, and struggle—an understanding that, as a young man, connected him with the largest and oldest Islamic movement of the contemporary era, the Muslim Brotherhood. Because of the movement, he had to stand trial and was imprisoned. By Allah’s mercy, he showed immense patience until his prison term ended.

Nevertheless, carrying the banner of his Islamic mission, he has traveled from East to West even though he is now over seventy years old. May Allah shower His mercy upon him. May He grant him a long life. It is these journeys throughout the world that have made him well known and brought him close to contemporary Muslim thinkers, Muslim peoples, Muslim youth movements, and their companions.

He heads many fatwa councils in Europe and America. At the same time, he is the founder of numerous contemporary fiqh councils, universities, and research institutions, and is actively involved in their activities. He himself believes in free thinking and calls for the practice of free thinking in contemporary Islamic thought. By participating in debates and inter-madhhab dialogues in various forums—Islamic-secular, Muslim-Christian, and Arab nationalist-Islamic institutes—he has gained widespread recognition.

Indeed, the young Hasan al-Banna’s effort in translation is commendable. He has introduced Dr. al-Qaradawi to English-speaking readers.

In recognition of this great contribution to Islam and Muslims in the West, may Allah reward Professor Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi and S. M. Hasan al-Banna for translating it into English. Amin.

Shaykh Rashid Ghannouchi

President

Ennahda Party, Tunisia

April 2000

Editor’s note on the English edition

Unfortunately, the twentieth century did not witness the re-establishment of the Islamic caliphate system. Nevertheless, it can undoubtedly be said that conditions have arisen for an Islamic revival and resurgence. Among many people, particularly the educated and the youth, an awareness has emerged that Islam is a comprehensive way of life that will truly guide people to happiness in this world and the Hereafter.

The present situation of the Muslim ummah is such that it must confront many challenges, both internal and external. Today, Islamic civilization and other matters closely intertwined with it are facing decline, as a result of which many ailments and problems have emerged.

The failure to understand that Islam is a complete way of life has now become a common feature of the Muslim mind. Such people believe that Islam can fully coexist with secularism. On the other hand, there are those who are wholly sincere about carrying out Islamic da‘wah, but who are extremist—or else superficial—in their understanding and application of Islam. Many also fail to understand that broad problems require broad solutions. Others have high hopes and lofty objectives, but lack the intellect necessary to realize those hopes and dreams.

Moreover, many Islamic movements have arisen to correct the defects and shortcomings of the present situation and to re-establish the long-awaited, desired society in which Allah alone can be worshipped in every aspect of life. Such movements are seen to develop initially and gain the broad confidence of the people. But within a short time, they fall into stagnation. We are now passing through that very period. Yet, unfortunate as it is, the truth is that the Islamic movement too has been infected by the same defects and problems that afflict the Muslim ummah.

The question, then, is: Where should we begin? What are our shortcomings? What should we do? How should we do it? Do we clearly understand the nature of da‘wah, activism (harakah), and reform (islah)? Which method should we apply? How should we deal with the various segments of society? What are the priorities of the Islamic movement? It was with these questions in mind that Professor Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi wrote this book.

Among the few learned scholars of fiqh who are still alive, Dr. al-Qaradawi is, by the grace of Allah, one of them. Through combining the new, who represent modernity, with the old, who represent traditionalism, he has been able to present balanced modern rulings and opinions. His extensive experience and rich knowledge have brought benefit to the ummah.

Dr. al-Qaradawi is constantly reflecting on the problems, prospects, and progress of the Islamic movement. Whenever he considers himself capable of offering advice or guidance on any matter concerning the movement, he gives it without hesitation.

This book was born of his extensive experience in Islamic da‘wah and activism. We should derive from it not only advice but also guidance, for we live in a time when everyone has an opinion and a perspective, but only a small number of people possess the ability to provide direction.

The original book was written in Arabic. Ten editions of it have already been published. A preliminary English edition was published only a few months after the book appeared. However, it was incomplete. Consequently, the need was felt for a revised English translation that would come closer to the substance inherent in the original Arabic work.

I express my deep gratitude to the esteemed teacher, Shaykh Rashid Ghannouchi, for agreeing to write the introduction to this new English edition. Dr. Kamal Hilbawi offered valuable advice and counsel, for which I am grateful. Yusra Ghannouchi assisted in various ways, including translating the introduction. May Allah reward her for this assistance. The book was also made possible through the cooperation of Wali, Umar, Nadim, Bara, Sahira, and many others. May Allah reward them all.

Finally, I gratefully remember my respected father, Hafiz Abdul Qadir, and the other teachers who taught me the language of the Qur’an. I have come to realize that the true beauty of Islam can be appreciated only through the Arabic language.

May Allah keep us all steadfast in this world upon the path indicated by Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and in pursuit of the re-establishment of Allah’s sovereignty.

S. M. Hasan al- Banna

London, United Kingdom.

April 2000

Author’s Preface

All praise is due to Almighty Allah, by whose grace all good works bear fruit; and may peace be upon His sent Prophet, his family, and his followers.

It was my good fortune to meet the author, Mohammad al-Hashimi al-Hamidi, when I attended the annual congress of the Arab Muslim Youth Association of North America during the winter of December 1989. There he raised with me the matter of the Center for Studies on Islamic Future. It had been established through the initiative of a group of Muslim thinkers. He asked me to cooperate with and support the Center.

He spoke with me about organizing, at the initiative of the Centre, a symposium on issues connected with the future welfare and misfortune of Islam, and he also mentioned its topics and the names of the speakers. When he asked my opinion on the matter, I welcomed the Centre’s initiative and the organization of the symposium and offered whatever advice I could. Nevertheless, he wanted a clear commitment from me to participate actively in the initiative. To make his proposal more appealing to me, he said, “We will hold the symposium in a country you like”—and that country was Algeria. He asked me to focus on writing an article for the symposium on the priorities of the Islamic movement over the next three decades. Seeing my interest in reflecting on the priorities of the Islamic movement, he selected this topic. I have concentrated my thoughts on this branch of fiqh and have held many discussions about it. It is a subject of particular interest to me, aimed at guiding the Islamic movement along the right path and demonstrating the rationale for the Islamic revival. It is so significant that I prayed to Allah for help so that, after deep reflection, I might present the subject properly. The circumstances were such that I had no choice but to accept the invitation of the symposium’s organizers. The topic, the person extending the invitation, the participants, and the venue—not only did these factors inspire me, they compelled me to accept the invitation.

At that time, I had to travel repeatedly, which disrupted my thinking and research. Seeking Allah’s help, I devoted myself to writing the article.

This book is the fruit of that research. I hope that the ray of light it contains, though it may be faint, will nevertheless guide us along the right path. It is enough, however, that we have brought the subject to the stage of research and discussion. Even if it does not do so, at least it will serve as an inspiration. Everything I have written here is an addition to and continuation of my earlier books, essays, articles, and other writings on the Islamic movement in particular and the Islamic revival in general.

The difference between a movement and a revival is that a movement represents an organized group or groups with specific goals and objectives and a clearly defined course of action. A revival, on the other hand, is an all-encompassing current embracing individuals and communities, both organized and unorganized. A revival is a tide that strengthens and sharpens the movement. Conversely, a movement is a provision for the journey that guides the revival along the right path. There is an interactive relationship between the two. As the rationalists say, it exists between absolute generality and absolute particularity. Every movement is a revival, but not every revival is a movement. Thus, in terms of its objectives, a revival is broader and more comprehensive than a movement.

Here I would like to draw attention to an important point. Whenever I speak of the Islamic movement, I mean the Islamic movement in its entirety, not any particular type of organization or movement. Of course, in most cases I will refer by way of example to the Muslim Brotherhood, because it was within this movement that I had the opportunity to shape myself. Through the movement’s various trials and challenges, I gained experience and witnessed the course of events over more than half a century.

For this book, I have chosen the title “Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase.” In accordance with the request, I have not limited the subject of the discussion to three decades. In this rapidly changing age, I find no reason for a discussion restricted to such a limited period.

Professor Dr.. Yusuf R. Qaradawi

Doha, Qatar.

April 1990

FirstChapter

The Islamic Movement: Introduction

The Islamic Movement’s Definition

The Islamic movement means a collective effort organized by the people that seeks to re-establish Islam as the driving force in the leadership of society and, indeed, in every sphere of life.

Above all, the Islamic movement is an activity—a continuous and arduous exertion. This work is not merely a profusion of words, speeches and statements, or the writing of books. These things are certainly necessary, but they are only parts of the movement; they are not the movement itself. The Almighty Allah has said: And say, “Keep working, and Allah, His Messenger, and the believers will see your deeds.” (Surah At-Tawbah: 105)

The movement is the people’s collective effort

The Islamic movement is the effort undertaken by the broad masses of people, particularly through individual initiative and deep conviction. Faith is the foundation of this effort, which is undertaken for Allah’s pleasure, in the hope of receiving reward from Allah alone, not from any human being. When a Muslim becomes conscious of the Islamic revival, he feels within himself self-motivation, restlessness and excitement. When a Muslim sees a contradiction between his faith on the one hand and the reality surrounding him on the other, a profound turmoil arises in the depths of his mind. It is from this kind of mental unrest that self-initiative begins within him.

In light of this realization, moved by his love for the deen, his faith in Allah, His Messenger and the Qur’an, his concern for the Muslim ummah, and his pain at his own and his people’s negligence in fulfilling their duties, he spontaneously plunges into the movement. Thus, with deep eagerness, he is inspired to fulfill his duties, eradicate weakness, contribute to the effort to restore neglected obligatory duties with the aim of implementing the Shariah given by Allah, unite the Muslim ummah under the shade of the Qur’an, support the friends of Allah, fight the enemies of Allah, recover Muslim lands from all aggression or non-Muslim control, re-establish the caliphate system anew as demanded by the Shariah, renew his commitment to fulfilling the essential duty of propagating Islam, enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and continue jihad in the way of Allah through words, deeds, or at least in his heart. He undertakes these struggles so that Allah’s word may be exalted above all else in every sphere of life.

Government work’s inadequacy

In reality, the Islamic movement is established only through activity conducted with the sole aim of securing Allah’s pleasure. The formation of boards, higher councils, associations or unions under the supervision of the Ministry of Awqaf to conduct governmental or semi-governmental work—that is, Islamic activities—or the formation of any government agency to work vigorously for the interests of Islam, depends on the interest and enthusiasm of the people appointed to these government institutions. The outcome of Islamic work also depends on the degree of their devotion to the deen, and that of those who appoint them to these positions, rather than on the attraction that worldly life holds for them.

However, the activities of these governmental and semi-governmental institutions are always inadequate and defective in various respects. For example:

1. Their activities are conducted within the bounds of state policy, because it is the government that establishes and funds them. Since these institutions must remain loyal to the relevant policy, they cannot work according to their own wishes and plans. Consequently, while they represent the interests of that particular state to some extent, they do not represent the interests of Islam and the broader Muslim ummah to the same extent.

2. In most cases, these institutions are not run by tested people who have acquired expertise in the relevant field through struggle and campaigning and have been tested on the actual battlefield. Rather, they are run by people who support state funding. Such people flatter the state apparatus either to satisfy their desires or out of fear. Most of them are of such a character that they can neither disobey the state’s instructions nor say “why” or “no” regarding any matter. On the other hand, among government employees, there are some who work even better than the workers of the private Islamic movement. This is because they spontaneously devote themselves to the service of Islam as part of their wholehearted effort to establish the deen in the proper manner, out of obedience to Allah and their devotion to the deen.

3. In many cases, there is also a lack of genuine sincerity in safeguarding the interests of Islam. Indeed, these activities may be conducted entirely to achieve political objectives. In most cases, such activities resemble the “mosque of mischief” mentioned in the Qur’an, whose outward purpose is worship and the practice of piety. But its hidden objective is to create division among the believers and obstruct the activities of the workers of the Islamic movement.

4. For these reasons, the government’s Islamic programs face complaints from the people. As a result, these programs are deprived of the people’s sympathy and support. Even those government scholars who devote themselves to implementing state policy are deprived of popular support. They speak according to the state’s requirements and remain silent at the state’s command. Thus, they lose the people’s trust. The people call them “government scholars” or “police agents.”

For these reasons, in the absence of Islamic governance, governmental and semi-governmental Islamic programs cannot give rise to a genuine Islamic movement. Nevertheless, if these programs are properly utilized, they can make some contribution in the intellectual and practical fields and provide financial and moral support to the Islamic movement and its institutions—especially if the governmental and semi-governmental Islamic programs are conducted under the leadership of faithful and courageous people.

The movement is a collective effort

Although the Islamic movement is solely for Allah, it is an organized and collective effort. It is not enough to continue working for the sake of Islam through individuals’ voluntary initiatives, separately and in scattered locations. Nevertheless, their deeds and efforts will be added to the reckoning on the Day of Resurrection. For Allah will not cause the deeds of any man or woman to be lost. Each person will be rewarded after his or her intention and the soundness of his or her deeds have been assessed. It is stated in the Qur’an: “And whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.” (Surah al-Zilzal: 7)

In the present circumstances of the Muslim Ummah, individual efforts will not be sufficient to end divisions and achieve the desired result; collective efforts must certainly be undertaken for this purpose. This is both a religious obligation and the demand of the practical circumstances.

Islam encourages the spirit of organized and collective effort and opposes isolation. Allah’s help accompanies collective efforts. Whoever remains isolated will be cast into Hell. It is the stray and isolated sheep that falls into the clutches of the wolf. Therefore, if anyone performs the prayer alone, abandoning the Jama‘ah, or performs it by violating the discipline of the Jama‘ah, his prayer is not complete. A believer is to another believer like a solid structure whose bricks are firmly joined together. Cooperating in righteous and good works is one of the foremost religious obligations, and advising one another to uphold truth and patience is one of the essential prerequisites for remaining safe from worldly and otherworldly loss.

In this difficult reality, it is only natural that we must work collectively if we are to achieve the desired result. Applause requires two hands; weakness lies in isolation, while strength lies in moving forward with many. Great successes come through collective efforts. Surely, final victory in the battle can be achieved only by remaining united. It is stated in the Qur’an: “Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in rows as though they were a solid structure.” (Surah Saff’: 4)

Collective efforts should be well organized. This effort must be pursued in the light of responsible leadership, a firm foundation, and a clear outlook. It is the clear outlook that determines the relationship between the leadership and the grassroots in accordance with the principles of obligatory consultation (Shura) and obedience.

Islam does not recognize any collective effort that does not follow rules and procedures. Even the prayer performed together in congregation is founded on organization and discipline. Allah will not look toward a row that is not orderly. Not only that, the rows must also be closely packed. There must be no gaps between the worshippers in the rows, for Satan takes up position in such gaps. Therefore, they must stand shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot. The bowing, prostration, and outward form of the prayer are signs of unanimity in thought. “Do not fall into division, lest your hearts too become afflicted with division.”

For this reason, before beginning the prayer, the imam must ensure that the rows behind him are straight, and he will urge the worshippers to be “supportive of their brothers.” For the sake of discipline as a whole, an attitude of empathy and cooperation is essential when performing the prayer in congregation.

Then comes the question of obedience to the imam. The imam is appointed precisely so that he may be followed. When he says “Allahu Akbar,” one must say the same; when he bows, one must bow, and when he prostrates, one must prostrate. Again, when he recites, one must listen.

No one may violate the discipline, nor may anyone bow or prostrate before the imam, so that no one can create disorder and irregularity in this well-organized, well-coordinated structure and thereby have an opportunity to spread confusion. Whoever does so should fear.

But if the imam makes a mistake, correcting that mistake is not merely permissible for the worshippers lined up behind him; it is also their responsibility. Whether the imam’s mistake concerns an improper act, forgetfulness, Qur’an recitation, or any other fundamental matter of the prayer, the worshippers may point it out to him. Even the women worshippers in the rows behind may clap their hands to draw attention to the imam’s mistake.

Congregational prayer is a miniature representation of Islam’s overall congregational system and of how the relationship between commanders and soldiers should be. In other words, leadership can never be infallible, and there is no room for absolute and blind obedience.

The goal is the revival of Islam

What is the objective of the Islamic movement? The Islamic movement was initiated with the objective of reviving and re-establishing Islam in every sphere of life by removing all obstacles and impediments. The expression “the revival of Islam” is not new. It is a statement of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), narrated by Abu Hurayrah (RA) in an authentic hadith. The hadith states: “At the beginning of every century, Allah Almighty will send someone who will revive this religion” (Abu Dawud and al-Hakim).

Most commentators on this hadith have intended by “who” a particular person through whom the religion would be revived. In this connection, they have also mentioned the names of several renowned jurists and imams who died toward the end of a Hijri century and who brought about the revival of the religion. For example, Hazrat Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (RH) (died 101 AH), al-Shafi‘i (RH) (died 204 AH), and others. However, they differ among themselves as to who could have been the mujaddid of the third Hijri century.

Some commentators on the hadith have expressed the view that the word “who” in this hadith may be understood in the plural as well as in the singular. That is, “reviver” may refer not to a single person but to a group. Ibn al-Athir mentions in his work Al-Jami‘ lil-Usul that this is quite possible. Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi and others also support this view.

It should also be said that the involvement of any particular person or persons in the group reviving Islam is not essential. Anyone representing a particular line of thought and course of action may join this group if they are interested in working collectively for the revival of the faith.

This may be the most plausible interpretation of and approach to the hadith mentioned above at the end of one century and the beginning of another. We pray to Allah that the days of the new century may be better than those that have passed, and that Allah may make our coming days even brighter.

of revival strategy

The Islamic movement can bring about revival in three ways.

First means is, to form a vanguard group of the Islamic movement. Built in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation, this vanguard group will be able to lead contemporary society toward Islam effectively. In doing so, it will neither isolate itself nor encourage indifference. It will be able to remedy the ailing condition of Muslim society solely through the directives prescribed by Islam. This vanguard group must consist of people bound together by bonds of the heart, based on firm faith, profound knowledge and understanding, and close relationships.

The second means is, to create public opinion among Muslims. This public opinion should reflect the views of the broader population and, knowing the overall objectives of the Islamic movement, should trust the faith and competence of its activists and continue to love and support them. At the same time, this population should protect itself from the harmful effects of propaganda against Islam, the Islamic movement, and its leadership.

The third means is, to create a worldwide atmosphere in which the people of the world understand the true message of Islam and the true nature of its civilization and culture, and acknowledge the existence of the Muslim Ummah. At the same time, they should be free from the harmful effects of the religious fanaticism that arose in the Middle Ages, as well as the falsehoods and fabricated, distorted propaganda spread by anti-Islamic circles. This public opinion will be tolerant of the rise of Muslim power alongside the other world powers. For they will understand that, since Muslims are the majority in their respective countries, they have the right to establish systems of governance according to their religious beliefs. This is demanded by the much-praised and widely promoted democratic practice; and, in accordance with that practice, they also have the right to propagate Islam’s universal and humanistic ideal as one of the world’s noblest ideals. This ideal has a past, a present, and a future; and, most importantly, it has more than one billion followers in the world today.

Islamic movement’s priorities

The fields in which the Islamic movement must work in the future are broad and extensive. The movement’s active leaders and theoreticians should carefully review these fields. Such a review must be based on verified, accurate information and statistics.

The field of education

Work in this field is important for nurturing a generation aspiring to victory, members endowed with human virtues, and a vanguard group of the Islamic movement. The members of this group will fully understand and believe in Islam through knowledge, action, dawah, and struggle. The first task of this generation will be to convey the dawah of Islam to their own people, and then spread that message throughout the world. They will be able to do this only when they are committed to Islam, nurture a clear understanding of it in their hearts, implant the ideal deeply within their hearts, and allow Islamic morality to serve as the guiding force for their conduct in every sphere of life. They will worship Allah and deal with people in accordance with the Shariah, and will understand that Islam has a system and a civilization that will improve the present condition of the Muslim Ummah, unite humanity on the basis of the Word of Allah, and provide the misguided human society with the best and right guidance.

The political field

The objective of political activity will be to wrest power from the hands of all the fainthearted and traitors and entrust it to courageous and honest people—people who neither want to seize high office and flaunt their power nor want to corrupt the country. Rather, if Allah places them in power, they establish prayer and arrange for the payment of zakat, and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.

Social sphere

The objective of the social program will be to eradicate poverty, illiteracy, disease and immorality, and to confront those dubious institutions engaged in social and humanitarian work as a means of weakening the Muslim ummah’s identity and its ties with religion.

Economic sphere

The program for the economic sphere will free society from financial hardship and the burden of interest-based loans, and will contribute to the development of society by creating the foundation for establishing an Islamic economic system.

Jihad sphere

The objective of jihad will be to reclaim Muslim territories, fight the forces opposed to the Islamic da‘wah and the Muslim ummah, and preserve the freedom of Muslims to exercise their will and their right to make decisions independently.

Media and propagation sphere

The objective of this program is to propagate the ideals of Islam and explain its teachings in such a way that the characteristic moderation and comprehensiveness of these ideals become clear. Consequently, all ambiguities and falsehoods capable of obscuring the clarity of truth will be eliminated. For this purpose, every type of media must be used, from publications to audio-visual media.

Intellectual sphere

The purpose of this work will be to correct the prevailing misconceptions about Islam in the minds of Muslims and non-Muslims regarding the Islamic movement, thereby creating a correct understanding, and to correct those misconceptions and erroneous fatwas (legal opinions). Erroneous doctrines are widely prevalent among some Islamic groups. Therefore, these must be eliminated in order to properly understand the Islamic movement. This understanding will be built on a valid foundation derived from the fundamental principles of the Qur’an, Sunnah and Shariah, and this awareness and understanding must be created especially among educated Muslims. For this class has virtually no opportunity to learn about Islam correctly and accurately.

Responsibility allocation

It is essential to work in every sphere, and none should be neglected or left unattended. What must be done in this regard is to allocate manpower and resources to each sphere, taking into consideration, on the one hand, what each sphere requires and, on the other, what manpower and capabilities we possess.

During the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the Holy Qur’an prohibited all Muslims from going out for jihad. What was that sacred sphere toward which this prohibition was directed? It was in no way less sacred or important than the battlefield of jihad. Rather, this sphere was sometimes more important. For it reminds Muslims of jihad, paves the way for it, and warns against neglecting it. That sphere is the pursuit of knowledge and scholarship in order to understand the Din.

Surah al-Tawbah in condemning those who turn away from jihad, speaks of severe punishment. In this Surah’s 122nd verse, the Almighty Allah says: “It is not right for all the believers to go forth together for jihad. So, from each group among them, a party should go forth for jihad, so that those who remain behind may devote themselves to the study and research of the Din, and so that when those who participate in jihad return to their people, they may warn them against wrongdoing.”

This is a firm call for allocating the responsibilities of the relevant workforce and for becoming specialists.

Basis of importance and priority setting

In light of the priority-oriented thinking described earlier, the Islamic movement must henceforth devote attention to several particularly significant matters. These are:

1. In the intellectual sphere, attention must be focused on clearly explaining several schools of thought and presenting these explanations in a way that is understandable to everyone and in depth. We may call this “New Fiqh.”

2. To focus attention on which classes of society the movement can be expanded among and which classes can be brought into the mainstream of Islamic revival in propagating and spreading Islam.

3. In the field of education, particularly where the refinement of iman and aqidah is concerned, to focus on specific standards of quality in preparing future leadership and developing its qualities.

4. To take into account the development in thought and consciousness in the sphere of local and global political developments and international relations, so that the universality and dynamism of the movement in the political sphere can be ensured by breaking through the isolation and blockade of the Muslim world.

Subsequently, each of these four fields of work will be discussed separately.

SecondChapter

Islamic Movement: Intellectual and Knowledge Sphere

Intellectual and Knowledge Sphere

The intellectual sphere is the first and most important sphere. For it is the foundation for Islamic education and the propagation of the da‘wah. In reality, the intellectual crisis is the principal problem. Just as many people lack a clear understanding of Islam, they also suffer from a serious lack of knowledge concerning the teachings of Islam and the relative importance of these teachings—that is, which are most important, which are of ordinary importance, and which are not important at all.

There is also a serious lack of knowledge about the surrounding realities of the age in which we currently live. Our ignorance of others is such that we either attach excessive importance to them or look down on them. Yet others keep abreast of everything concerning us and are deeply informed about us.

We are ignorant even about ourselves. To this day, we have not thoroughly examined our strengths and weaknesses. Rather, we often make small matters seem large or create a storm in a teacup. Whether we consider our strength and ability or our faults and shortcomings, the situation is the same in both cases. This ignorance is not confined to ordinary Muslims alone. It is pronounced in both the leading group on whom the responsibility of advancing Islam’s interests depends and the people associated with the fundamental work upon which the Islamic movement will be built.

A New Fiqh

In fact, we need a new fiqh so that we may become worthy of being included among those whom Allah has described as discerning people. Here, fiqh does not mean fiqh as used in Islamic terminology—that is, the jurisprudence that determines detailed, specific rules such as the conditions of ablution, ritual purity, acts of worship, transactions, marriage, divorce, and child-rearing. However important these rules may be, that is not what we mean here. Nor do we mean the word fiqh in the sense in which it is used in the Qur’an and Hadith in this context, since it was expressed among words and concepts whose meanings changed after a certain period. Imam al-Ghazali explained this in the chapter on knowledge of his celebrated work ‘Ihya Ulum al-Din’.

In the Makkan surahs of the Qur’an, mention of the original word fiqh is found even before the detailed injunctions of commands and prohibitions within the framework of Shariah, and even before the enactment of all obligatory duties, hudud (penal laws), and laws of adjudication.

Revealed in Mecca, Surah al- An’’am, 65 th verse, the Almighty Allah says: Say, “He is powerful enough to send punishment upon you from above you or from beneath your feet, or to divide you into opposing groups and make some of you taste the violence of others.” See how We explain the signs in various ways so that they may understand.

The same surah’s 98 th verse alsomentions: “And He is the One who created you from a single being and appointed a place of residence and a place of safekeeping. Indeed, We have explained the signs in detail for those who understand.”

In these two verses, the meaning of the word fiqh is to deeply comprehend, in the light of the soul, the heart, and experience, Allah’s unchangeable laws, His creation, and His punishment for those who depart from the right path He has ordained.

In the Meccan Surah al- A’‘raf’s 179 th verse, those people whom the Almighty Allah has decreed will go to Hell are mentioned. He says about them: They have hearts, but they do not comprehend with them. Then it is said about them: These people are like four-footed animals; rather, they are even more astray than them. These people are heedless.

The attitudes of the polytheists toward the Qur’an are described in various surahs. In this regard, Allah the Exalted says: We have placed coverings over their hearts so that they may not understand the Qur’an, and We have placed locks on their ears (al- An’‘am: 25, Bani Isra’il: 46, al- Kah‌f: 57)।

In several Medinan surahs of the Qur’an, the word fiqh has been used to mean the lack of understanding among many polytheists and hypocrites. Surah al- An-‌fal’s 65 th verse addresses Allah the Exalted’s Messenger and the believers, saying: If there are twenty steadfast persons among you, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are one hundred among you, they will overcome one thousand disbelievers, because they are people who do not understand.

Here, the warning that the disbelievers lack knowledge means that they lack knowledge of Allah’s unchanging laws and of how He grants, in turn, all people various days of mercy and good fortune.

Surah At-Tawbah 87 th verse Allah has condemned the hypocrites, saying: They were content to remain with the women confined to their homes, and their hearts were sealed, so that they would not comprehend.

Here, comprehension means understanding the necessity of jihad, and understanding the protection of the Din means understanding the necessity of striving to protect life, honour, property, and society in its comprehensive sense. These duties will take priority over any personal interest, no matter how urgent it may be.

The same Surah’s 127 th verse states concerning such people, who lack understanding: And when a surah is revealed, they look at one another, asking, “Does anyone see you?” Then they turn away. Allah has turned their hearts away because they are merely a foolish people.

These foolish people forget that Allah sees them before any human being sees them. Indeed, they have lost their fiqh and understanding.

Surah Al Hashr’s 13 th verse says concerning the hypocrites, addressing the believers: Surely, in their hearts, your fear is greater than their fear of Allah; that is because they do not understand.

Surah Al Munafiqun’s 3 rd verse states: That is because they believed, then disbelieved. Therefore, their hearts were sealed, so they do not understand.

In verse 7 of the same surah, the Almighty Allah further says: They are the ones who say, “Do not spend anything on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they abandon him.” Yet the treasures of the heavens and the earth belong to Allah, but the hypocrites do not understand.

It becomes clear from this that a substantial portion of the Qur’an describes the hypocrites as “those who do not understand.” For the hypocrites believe themselves to be intelligent. Therefore, instead of taking sides, they adopt an opportunistic position and, following a double policy, try to deceive Allah and the believers. When they meet the believers, they say, “We believe.” But when they join their wicked associates, they say, “We are with you.”

But the Almighty Allah has exposed their secrets, hesitation, and deception in many verses. Surah Al Baqarah’s 9 th verse states: They think that they deceive Allah and the believers, but they deceive only themselves, though they do not realise it.

In reality, their hypocrisy has been exposed before Allah and humanity. They have lost both this worldly life and the Hereafter, and they will certainly be cast into the lowest level of Hell. What consequence could be more tragic than this?

Therefore, according to this description, if signs of hypocrisy are observed in anyone, it must unquestionably be understood that he possesses not even the slightest degree of understanding.

Conclusion

According to the Qur’an’s manner of expression, the word fiqh does not mean, in today’s language, the technical term for jurisprudence. Rather, it means understanding and acquiring knowledge of the Word of Allah and of His rules concerning the created world, life, and society.

Even Surah At-Tawbah’s 122 nd verse states: Let a group from each of their factions go forth for jihad, so that those who remain may devote themselves to acquiring religious knowledge, and so that when those who took part in jihad return to their people, they may warn them against wrongdoing.

The word fiqh in this verse has not been used in its conventional sense. If it were understood in the sense of jurisprudence, it would not convey the warning intended to alert the concerned person to the dangers of distorting meanings, failing to protect oneself, or neglecting the primary responsibility of carrying out da’wah.

There is a correspondence between the use of the word ‘fiqh’ in the aforementioned verse of the Qur’an and its use in a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The hadith states: If Allah wishes good for a person, He grants him understanding of the Din. That is, Allah illuminates his vision so that, instead of being satisfied with mere words and superficial meanings, he may undertake deep effort to better comprehend the truth, deeper realities, and objectives of the Din.

The fiqh that is needed

Several of the types of fiqh that we need have been discussed in my book ‘Islamic Awakening between Rejection and Extremism.’ It discusses the fiqh of practice and the fiqh of prioritizing actions.

Another part of this discussion has been included in my book ‘Islamic Awakening between Permitted Differences and Blameworthy Disunity.’ It discusses one of our most important needs, the ‘fiqh of disagreement.’ It states that we need five types of fiqh. Here, only two of them are discussed:

1. The fiqh of balance (fiqh al-muwāzanāt)

2. The fiqh of priorities (fiqh al-awlawiyāt)

Each of these types of fiqh requires explanation.

The fiqh of balance

By the fiqh of balance, we mean several things:

1. Maintaining balance when determining which matters are more important than others in terms of size and capacity, value and consequences, and endurance, so that it can be determined which should be given priority and which should be deferred.

2. Just as balance must be maintained among good matters, it must also be maintained among harmful matters, so that it can be determined which should be accepted and which should be avoided.

3. If good and harmful matters conflict, giving priority to avoiding harm over attaining benefit, and determining in which circumstances and at what times harm may be overlooked for the sake of a beneficial outcome.

two’kinds of fiqh

In this context, we need fiqh at two levels:

Fiqh of the Shariah

The first is the fiqh of the Shariah. Its foundation will be a deep understanding of the true essence of the Shariah. Its objective is to establish the decisiveness of the aforementioned “principle of balance” and determine its authenticity. This must be clear to those who strive to understand the primary sources and rulings of the Shariah and uncover their profound wisdoms.

The Shariah was revealed with only certain inherent needs in view, for the worldly and otherworldly welfare of human beings. Its beneficial levels are: necessities (al-daruriyyah), needs (al-hajiyyah), and embellishments (al-tahsiniyyah).

Fiqh of reality

This fiqh at the second level is in fact positive, and its foundation is research into contemporary reality. Research based on highly accurate data and information must be conducted carefully on a broad scale. In this regard, one must be wary of propaganda data and misleading, unrealistic statistics based on questionnaires. This is because a motive is at work behind them. They are not intended to reveal the truth in its entirety.

Coordination of fiqh

The fiqh of the Shariah and the fiqh of reality must be integrated, so that we can arrive at an appropriate process of theoretical balancing, one that is free from both extremism and indifference. In principle, the matter of the fiqh of the Shariah is clear here. This subject has been discussed in the works of usul al-fiqh, from Al-Mustasfa by Imam al-Ghazali to Al-Muwafaqat by Imam al-Shatibi, as well as in books dealing with legal rules, similarities, and differences.

When diverse interests conflict, lower interests must be sacrificed for higher interests, and individual interests for the interests of the public. However, the person whose individual interest is sacrificed should be compensated for the resulting loss. In cases of conflicting interests, long-term or permanent interests must be given priority over short-term interests, genuine interests over trivial ones, and certain interests over uncertain ones.

We have seen how, at the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) gave priority in certain cases to genuine, fundamental, and future interests—interests to which no one else would ever have wished to concede. He accepted conditions that, at first glance, appeared unfair and humiliating to the Muslims. He agreed to remove the phrase, “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate,” and in its place it was written, “In Your name, O Lord.” He also agreed that the treaty should mention only his name, “Muhammad ibn Abdullah,” without referring to him as “the Messenger of Allah.” There are many such examples.

When harmful matters conflict and one of them is unavoidable, the lesser of two evils and the less harmful option should be chosen. Muslim scholars have advised eliminating harmful matters as far as possible. However, a less harmful matter should not be eliminated in place of a more serious harmful matter. A minor loss should be tolerated if doing so makes it possible to avert a major loss. Likewise, an individual’s loss should be accepted in order to avert harm to the public. Numerous examples of this are mentioned in the works entitled Al-Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyyah and Al-Ashbah wa al-Naza’ir.

If a conflict arises between benefit and harm, it must be assessed in terms of its magnitude, consequences, and duration. A minor loss may be disregarded in order to achieve a greater interest. A temporary loss should be accepted for the sake of a long-term or permanent interest. Even a major loss may be accepted if there is a possibility of eliminating an even greater loss. Under normal circumstances, efforts should be made to avoid harmful matters before pursuing an interest.

This way of thinking should not be regarded merely as theory; rather, we must apply it in practice. This is because many differences of opinion exist among active Islamic groups precisely concerning these balances.

Hostile forces with an alliance forming

Can reaching an understanding or concluding a truce with governments that are not loyal to Islam be accepted?

Is it appropriate to participate in a ruling government that is not genuinely Islamic in character, is governed by a flawed constitution, or does not have our full support?

Is it appropriate for us to join an opposition front comprising various political parties in order to overthrow an irreligious, autocratic, oppressive, and corrupt government?

Can we establish Islamic financial institutions in an environment dominated by a human-made, interest-based economic system?

Is it generally appropriate to allow Muslims to work in interest-based banks and institutions, or to prevent devout people who follow the teachings of Islam from working in such institutions?

Practical life application

Formulating principles is easy, but adhering to them is difficult. It is not easy for ordinary people, or for those who make an uproar over minor matters, to understand the fiqh of balance.

When Maulana Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi and his party, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, expressed the view in the 1960s that supporting Fatima Jinnah over Ayub Khan in Pakistan’s presidential election was less harmful in light of the fiqh of balance, he and his followers faced intense opposition and harassment. An aggressive campaign was waged against them on the basis of the hadith: “A people who appoint a woman as their leader will never prosper.” Then what will become of a people who accept a dictator as their leader? Will they do the task very well? Never. This is where the fiqh of balance operates: choosing the lesser of two evils in order to avert the greater harm.

Some Islamists severely criticized Dr. Hassan al-Turabi, leader of Sudan’s Islamic movement, and his associates for deciding to join the Socialist Union and for accepting positions in Jaafar Nimeiry’s government even before declaring the implementation of Islamic Shariah in Sudan.

Our brothers and associates in Syria likewise faced opposition because they had decided to form an alliance with certain non-Islamic forces in resisting the dictatorial regime bent on destroying them completely. Yet the Noble Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, himself formed an alliance with the polytheistic Khuzāʿah tribe and sometimes supported one group of polytheists against another.

Of course, I am not taking sides here. I am merely presenting a principle: the fiqh of balance, upon which the framework of “Shariah politics” should be built. There is ample evidence in the positions adopted by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions, as well as in the extensive rulings of our Shariah, supporting the view that participating in non-Islamic rule or forming alliances with non-Muslim forces is permissible.

Evidence of the fiqh’of balance

If we study the Makkan and Medinan surahs of the Qur’an carefully, we will find much evidence for the fiqh of balance and means of weighing the importance of one matter against another.

We find an example of balancing interests in Aaron’s response to Moses’s question concerning competing interests: “O son of my mother, do not seize me by my beard or by my head. I feared that you would say, ‘You have caused division among the Children of Israel and have not respected my word.’ ((Surah Ta-Ha: 94).)।

An example of balancing harms can again be seen in al-Khidr’s explanation for making a hole in the boat: “As for the boat, it belonged to some poor people who worked at sea, so I intended to damage it, for there was a king ahead of them who seized every sound boat by force. ((Surah Al- Kah‌f: 79).)।

For its owner, keeping the damaged boat was less harmful than losing it altogether. In other words, saving some of it is undoubtedly much better than losing everything.

The matter of the fiqh of balance is also clearly stated in the Word of Allah: They ask you about fighting in the Sacred Month. Say, “Fighting therein intentionally is a grave offense in the sight of Allah. But preventing people from following the path of Allah, denying Him, barring access to the Sacred Mosque, and expelling its inhabitants from it are graver offenses in the sight of Allah. And persecution is worse than killing(Surah Al- Baqarah: 217)।

The Almighty Allah tells us that fighting in a prohibited month is a grave offense, but fighting to prevent an even more serious offense may be permissible.

For a comparison between tangible and intangible interests, let us read the verse in which Allah rebuked the Muslims after the Battle of Badr: “It is not fitting for a Prophet to have prisoners of war and then release them in exchange for ransom without having caused extensive bloodshed among the disbelievers in the land; you seek the possessions of this world, while Allah seeks the Hereafter; and Allah is Almighty, All-Wise(Surah Al- An-‌fal: 67)।

On the question of maintaining balance between good and evil, let us see what the Almighty Allah says: “They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, ‘In both there is a grave sin, as well as some benefits for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit(Surah Al- Baqarah: 219)।

In comparing various non-Muslim groups and factions with one another, Allah foretold in the opening verses of Surah Al-Rum the Romans’ victory over the Persians. This Surah mentions that the believers would rejoice on that day, although both sides were non-Muslims. Nevertheless, compared with the fire-worshipping Persians, the Romans were closer to the Muslims. As People of the Book, they were nearer to the Muslims.

Ibn Taymiyyah’s view

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah firmly expressed the view that it is permissible for a Muslim to accept a government position in a non-Islamic state if the person holding the position is willing to remedy certain injustices or suppress wrongdoing and corruption(Appendix–1)।

He also wrote a detailed passage on temporarily accepting or rejecting something when good and evil conflict, or when both arise together and cannot be reconciled or separated(Appendix–2)।

At a symposium on Islamic economics [in Algeria, 1990, on 2––5 March, the Sixth Barakat Conference was held. । I also several jurists with whom I had the opportunity to participate. । They were: , Shaykh Abd al- Hamid al- Sayeh, , Shaykh Mukhtar al- Salami, , Dr. . Abdus Sattar Abu Ghudda, , Dr. . Sayyid Darsh, and Dr. . Talal Bafaqih.।] Several fiqh scholars and economists participating in it expressed the view that, from the perspective of Shariah, buying and selling shares of companies and institutions established in permissible sectors in Muslim countries is permissible. Although there is a slight suspicion of involvement with interest in such transactions, the symposium, after examining the issue in the light of the fiqh of balance, expressed the view that such an important and productive sector should not be left in the hands of non-Muslims or irreligious Muslims. For this step would create grave dangers, particularly in some countries. Rather, shareholders may donate, as sadaqah or charitable work, the proportionate part of what they regard as the dividends they receive from interest-related transactions.

According to this fiqh, conscientious Muslim youths have been advised not to leave their jobs at companies such as banks and insurance firms. Although there may certainly be some risk of sin in this, they can use the experience they gain there for the development of the Islamic economy. In this way, while inwardly rejecting the harmful aspect, they are also joining those engaged in efforts to Islamize the entire system.

The Fiqh of Balance ’s Absence

If we do not apply the Fiqh of Balance, we will ourselves close many doors of benefit and gain. Consequently, the philosophy of rejection in every matter will become a tool; under the pretext of avoiding trouble, we will isolate ourselves and choose not to engage in confrontation with our opponents on the basis of their own reasoning. Then, regarding every matter subject to ijtihad, it will become easy for us to say “no” or “this is haram.”

But if we apply the Fiqh of Balance, we will find a way to compare one situation with another and to weigh benefits against harms in the short and long term and at the individual and collective levels. In this way, we will be able to choose the path of attaining benefit and avoiding harm in the best way possible.

In 1980, I received a request to write for the Doha magazine, published in Qatar. It is a literary and cultural publication, and most of its editorial staff are secular-minded. Although its principles are not opposed to Islam, neither is it Islamist or supportive of Islam. After hesitating for a long time, I considered the proposal according to the principle of balance and decided that it would be better to write for the magazine rather than boycott it. This was because its readers represent a broad-based cultural group that generally does not read Islamic magazines and newspapers. Since the readers of this magazine are not the same kind as those of a periodical such as Al-Ummah, we need to convey our message to them whenever we have the opportunity. This is a responsibility Allah has given us.

For this reason, even if the policies of these newspapers and magazines are not compatible with our views, we should agree to give them interviews or write for them. Many people still criticize those who write for daily newspapers that do not clearly follow an Islamic orientation. Some have also criticized me for publishing my book Islamic Awakening Between Permitted Differences and Blameworthy Disunity as a series in the Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat, because they do not support some of the viewpoints of that newspaper. But I gave greater consideration to the benefits of publishing the book in this widely read newspaper.

There are many people who believe that, because of misguided ideas and attitudes, all mass media, including audio and video media, should be boycotted. They forget that boycotting the mass media means that these media will take on an even more reprehensible form, while secular and morally corrupt people will have the opportunity to infiltrate them extensively and carry out subversive activities. And we will be deprived of an opportunity for which there is no alternative.

If we examine the matter in the light of the Fiqh of Balance, we will see that working in this extremely important field is not merely permissible and desirable; it is essential. This is because it can be a legitimate tool for continuing our da’wah work and confronting evil activities to the best of our ability.

The Fiqh of Priorities

By the Fiqh of Priorities, we mean considering every issue in its true context. No major issue should be deferred, no minor issue should be treated as major, and no major matter should be regarded as insignificant. Likewise, it is not right to attach excessive importance to a minor matter. The laws of nature and the rulings of the Shariah provide this very guidance. I believe that Allah’s creation and legislation have made it imperative to adhere to this true context. Surah Al- A’’raf’s 54th verse states:Indeed, His is the creation and the command.

The Prophet’s life: Fiqh of Priorities

During the Meccan period, the mission of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was limited to one matter. The program of this mission was solely to call people to the path of Allah and to build a believing group that would later spread this call among the Arabs and then throughout the world. During this period, the work of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was focused on establishing religious beliefs, practicing monotheism, eradicating polytheism and idol worship, and cultivating righteous and virtuous deeds.

The Qur’an supported the course of action of this period. The Qur’an did not instruct Muslims to focus on any particular subsidiary rulings; rather, it urged them to devote all their efforts to developing the Islamic outlook described in Surah Al-Asr. In this surah’s third verse it is stated: But those who believe, perform righteous deeds, and exhort one another to truth and patience.

During the Meccan period of da’wah work, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not permit Muslims to take up axes to destroy the idols they saw every day in the Kaaba, or to draw swords to fight them and the enemies of Allah, even though the unbelievers were persecuting those Muslims. At that time, when they came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) after being beaten and wounded, he would say to them, in the words of the Qur’an: “Restrain your hands and establish prayer” ((Surah An- Nisa: 77)।

There is an appropriate time for everything. If one hopes to obtain something before its appointed moment, it may cause harm instead of benefit.

Fiqh of Priorities and Fiqh of Balance’s mutual relationship

Fiqh of Priorities is closely related to Fiqh of Balance. In some cases, the two become intertwined or run parallel to each other, and at other times the process of maintaining balance leans toward priorities. In this way, it then falls within the scope of Fiqh of Priorities.

The need to maintain proportion

According to Fiqh of Priorities, it is essential to maintain proportion regarding the Shariah’s rulings and obligations (taklif) and acts of worship. If the proportion prescribed by Islam through the Shariah is violated, it will cause great harm in both religious and worldly life.

In Islam, faith takes precedence over deeds. This is because faith is the foundation, while deeds are the structure. There can be no structure without a foundation. Faith comes before deeds. Deeds are multifaceted. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said in an authentic hadith: Faith has 77 branches; the highest is [the declaration that] there is no deity except Allah, and the lowest level is removing harmful objects from the road.

It is stated in the Qur’an that deeds in the sight of Allah are not confined to a single level, but are divided into higher and lower levels. The Almighty Allah says: Do you regard providing water to the pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque as equal to the work of one who believes in Allah and the Last Day and strives in the way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. Those who believe, emigrate, and strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives are far higher in rank in the sight of Allah. And it is they who are successful (Surah at-Tawbah: 19–-20)।

For this reason, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said that participating in jihad is more virtuous than performing Hajj. The Hanbali jurists and other jurists have spontaneously described jihad as the best physical act of worship that one can perform. Jihad has been praised in many hadiths, including a hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: A Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was passing through a narrow valley where there was a spring of fresh water. He liked the valley and said, “How can I keep myself apart from other people in order to devote myself to the worship of Allah? I will not do so without obtaining permission from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” The man expressed his wish to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Do not do that. Striving in the way of Allah is much better than worshipping in your home for seventy years (Tirmidhi and al- Hakim)।

A hadith narrated by Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) speaks of the importance of guarding Muslims against the disbelievers (ribat): One day and one night of ribat is better than a month of fasting and night worship, and if someone dies while engaged in ribat, the record of righteous deeds will continue on his behalf as though he were alive; and if he remains alive, he will be safe from the temptations of Satan (Muslim)।

An imam such as Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak wrote a poem from a military encampment during jihad to a friend of his named al-Fudayl ibn Iyad, who was always travelling between the two holy places, Makkah and Madinah. The verses read:

O worshipper at the two holy places,

If you were to see us,

you would know that your worship is merely play.

Some moisten their cheeks with their tears;

while we moisten our chests with our blood…..

[Surah Al Imran’s last verse’s exegesis, Ibn Kathir this story has recounted.। Other historians have also the same story recounted.।]

According to established fiqh, voluntary worship (optional acts that are not obligatory like the obligatory acts of worship) should not be given precedence over obligatory acts; an individual’s obligation (fard ayn) is more important than a collective obligation (fard kifayah); a collective obligation that is not performed by anyone at all takes precedence over a responsibility for which there are sufficient people to carry it out. Likewise, a responsibility relating to a group or nation takes precedence over an individual’s right, and a task whose completion period is limited must be undertaken before a task for which there is sufficient time.

With regard to the importance of the interests prescribed by the Shariah, fiqh has explained which matter should take precedence. Necessary interests (al-masalih al-hajiyyah) and embellishing interests (al-masalih al-tahsiniyyah) are subordinate to essential interests (al-masalih al-daruriyyah). Necessary interests, in turn, are given greater precedence than tahsiniyyah interests. Yet when the interests of the nation and the individual come into conflict, the national interest takes precedence. Here the fiqh of balance and the fiqh of priorities converge at a single point.

Neglect of the Fiqh of Priorities

The problem with many groups associated with the Islamic revival is that the Fiqh of Priorities has no place among them, since they often give importance to secondary matters before primary ones. Rather than understanding the broader interests, they become absorbed in researching a particular aspect. Instead of associating themselves with established matters, they cling to controversial ones. Sadly, we discuss the shedding of an ant’s blood, but do not concern ourselves with the shedding of Imam Husayn’s blood. Or we become combative in defending supererogatory acts while people are neglecting the obligatory ones. We quarrel over the shell without caring about the substance.

Overall, this is the condition of Muslims today. I see millions of people performing Umrah every year, whether in Ramadan or in other months, and some perform Hajj ten times, or even twenty times. If they saved the money spent on these supererogatory acts, they could accumulate tens of millions. We spend year after year striving to raise a fund of one billion dollars for Islamic service institutions. Yet we cannot raise even one-tenth, or one-twentieth or one-thirtieth, of that amount. If these people who perform additional Hajj and Umrah were asked to use the money they spend on their optional journeys to prevent Christianization in Asia and Africa or to assist those suffering from famine, they would give nothing. This is such an old disease that no cardiologist could ever treat it. [Bashar al- Hafi’s’related incident in the Book of ‘al- Ihya,’ volume three, on page 409, has been described there .।]

By applying the Fiqh of Priorities, we can determine which issue deserves greater attention than other matters, so that we can devote more effort and time to it. The Fiqh of Priorities also enables us to know against which enemy we must deploy greater strength and concentrate our attack, and which struggle is comparatively worth pursuing. For, from the perspective of Islam, people are divided into several categories: Muslims, unbelievers, and hypocrites.

Among the unbelievers are those who seek peace and those with militant dispositions. Among them are not only unbelievers, but also unbelievers who obstruct the path of Allah. Among the hypocrites are those who display less hypocrisy, while others are deeply involved in hypocrisy. So where should we begin? Which field is most suitable for work? Which issue deserves greater attention?

The Fiqh of Priorities makes us aware of acting according to the demands of the time, so that a specific task can be properly completed without delay. For once an opportunity is missed, it may or may not return. And even if it does return, it may take a long time. A poet said about the value of time:

Make use of an opportunity, an opportunity

If you let it slip away, it will return as regret.

An Arabic proverb says: Do not put off today’s work until tomorrow.

When Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (r.) was advised to leave some work for the following day, he replied: I am already tired from doing one day’s work; then what will happen if I have to do two days’ work tomorrow?

Ibn Ata’s (r.) insightful saying is: There are many tasks for which there is ample time; they can be completed within that time. But there are also tasks that, if not done within a specified time limit, can no longer be done. For every new period come new responsibilities and new tasks determined by Allah.

Al-Ghazali and Fiqh of Priorities

Imam al-Ghazali (r.) criticized in the Book of al-Ihya those who remain content merely with acts of worship and devotion without paying attention to righteous deeds. He says: Another group is not as interested in obligatory acts as it is in supererogatory acts. We see them very happy to perform the morning supererogatory prayer and the night Tahajjud prayer, along with other prayers, but they take no pleasure in performing obligatory acts. Or they are not eager to perform the obligatory prayers on time. They forget the hadith narrated by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “There is no act by which My servant can draw nearer to Me that is better than those acts I have commanded him to perform as obligatory acts(Bukhari).” Neglecting the order of priority among righteous deeds falls within misconduct. A person may be in a situation where he can perform only one of two obligatory acts, or one act may need to be performed within a short time while there is ample time for the other. In such a case, if he does not maintain the proper order, he is misguided.

There are many examples of this kind in which both obedience and disobedience to Allah’s command become clear. What is genuinely ambiguous is assigning greater importance to some obligatory acts over others. For example, giving obligatory acts priority over supererogatory acts, giving individual obligations priority over communal obligations, giving priority to tasks that cannot be postponed over less necessary tasks that can be postponed, and giving priority to fulfilling the mother’s needs over the father’s needs.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: “Who is most entitled to my care?” He replied: “Your mother.” The man asked: “Who next?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Your mother.” The man asked again: “Who then?” and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Your mother.” The man asked for the fourth time: “Who then?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Your father.” The man asked again: “Who after that?” and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: “The nearest of your relatives, and then the next nearest.” A person should fulfill the rights of his relatives according to the degree of their kinship. If two of his relatives are equal in rank, he should help the one who is more in need of assistance. If their needs are equal, he should help the one who is more religious.

Likewise, if someone cannot meet his father’s expenses but still wishes to perform Hajj again, he should not go for Hajj. If he does, he will be acting like a fool. For he should give priority to safeguarding his father’s interests. In this way, he gives precedence to one religious obligation over another religious duty that is lower in rank.

Moreover, if the time for the Friday prayer arrives while someone is engaged in a previously scheduled task, he must join the congregation. If he goes to carry out the previously scheduled task, he will be disobeying Allah—even though fulfilling a promised task is also an obligatory duty. If someone notices some impurity on his clothing and behaves badly toward his parents, the impurity is indeed unacceptable, but hurting one’s parents is not acceptable either. It is more important to take care to refrain from hurting one’s parents than to be cautious about avoiding impurity.

There are countless examples of the relationship between prohibited acts and obligatory duties. Whoever disregards the order of priorities in any one of these matters is certainly misguided. [See ‘Al Ihya’, third volume, pages 400–404, also see my book see: ‘Imam al- Ghazali: Between His Praisers and His Critics’, pages 87–93]

Ibn Qayyim’s view

Which worship is better to perform—those acts of devotion that are very difficult, or those that are very beneficial? On these questions, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim expressed various opinions.

He expressed the view that there is no single act of worship that is always preferable. However, at certain times, certain acts of worship may be preferable. [Madarij al Salikin, Volume One, pages 85––90, my book ‘Ibadah in Islam’।] Providing food during a famine is the best deed; through it, a Muslim draws nearer to Allah. When forces of disbelief attack a Muslim country, jihad is the best act. The next in rank is supplying the mujahidin with weapons and funds. When a scholar dies without leaving any heirs, acquiring religious knowledge is the best deed. Through this, a Muslim may hope for a reward from Allah, and they also earn the praise of Allah and the believers. In this way, a balance can be maintained among good deeds according to their respective qualities.

ThirdChapter

The Islamic Movement: Propagation Campaign and Knowledge Field

Propagation Campaign

The Islamic movement should make strenuous efforts to conduct da’wah activities among all groups and classes of society and to create awareness of the Islamic revival among the general public in every corner of the world. If work is carried out in this way, no level of society will remain without the presence and activities of the Islamic movement. The movement’s call will reach everywhere. Its dedicated cadre will also participate in this effort. In this way, the number of the movement’s followers, supporters, and advocates will increase many times over.

It is possible to reach this stage by working in the fields of information and mass media. For this purpose, the latest scientific innovations, information technology, and mass-communication technology must be used in an organized and well-planned manner. For such work, all the methods and capabilities of the West and the East should be utilized as far as possible and wherever they can be found. This method should continue to be used for as long as it assists us in achieving our desired goal. An honest believer should always seek words of wisdom. Whenever he finds them, they are his rightful possession.

The movement should seek the assistance of experts who are experienced in how to address general assemblies and each separate group. These experts are learned in psychology, sociology, politics, and the science of mass communication, and they know how to employ this knowledge and experience in the best interests of the movement and Islam.

The movement must plan today to create a da’wah group capable of speaking in the language of this age and of dealing with contemporary circumstances with equal proficiency. They should be well-versed in the grandeur, breadth, universality, and balance of Islamic da’wah. A group of media professionals capable of conveying da’wah to people by presenting arguments in today’s language must be developed through high-quality training.

Now we will discuss how the work of Islamic revival and the movement can be expanded among the most important segments of society—the educated, workers, businessmen, and other classes.

Cultural Group

First, the Islamic movement must be expanded among cultural groups so that their thinking about Islam and its message, law, culture, and history may be directed along the right course, and so that they may be informed about the Islamic movement, its aims, objectives, and results.

False notion

Although Islamic revival has spread among many cultured young people, some are still ignorant of Islam, or their knowledge of Islam remains incomplete, distorted, or unclear. This is the consequence of centuries of backwardness or the new, distorted effects of ideological aggression by foreign powers.

Although many of them have received university education, they still believe in superstitions and fables. They tolerate polytheism in their beliefs, mix customs and traditions into their worship, and their conduct is marked by disorder. Yet these very people consider themselves truly religious. Many cultured individuals still visit the shrines of saints and dervishes as though these shrines and sanctuaries were equivalent to the Kaaba. They seek help from the dead, wear amulets and talismans, believe in summoning spirits, swear by the names of others besides Allah, and slaughter animals for the dead.

Although the number of such people is relatively small because of the far-reaching materialist tide and the West’s ideological aggression, they continue to exist under the influence of misguided Sufism. In many Muslim countries they still flaunt their power, and government authorities openly and secretly patronize them. An intelligent person has no reason not to understand the significance of this. These cultured individuals should understand the true faith and the fundamental basis of creed, and acquire knowledge of the methods of worship approved by Allah. Many educated people are still ignorant of the various aspects of Islam’s eternal form, strength, and glory. It can almost be said that they know nothing of Islam’s principles and distinctive features. They acquire their knowledge of Islam from Orientalists, missionaries, and the present condition of Muslims. They think that, given the condition of the Muslims around them, Islam must be like this. Thus, Islam itself is held responsible for the backwardness, corruption, and ignorance of Muslims. Yet none of these has any connection whatsoever with Islam.

Cultured people should know where knowledge about Islam can be obtained and which sources can teach them the true teachings of Islam. They should understand that Islam must not be judged by observing Muslims; rather, Muslims must be judged by the standards of Islam. Misguided Muslims are not the standard of Islam; true Muslims are.

Some cultured people still think that they can be truly devout Muslims. Yet they accept the rule of laws other than Islamic Shariah and live in countries whose laws and ruling governments are not Islamic.

They should understand that Islam is a way of life and a legal system, and that Allah did not reveal the Qur’an so that it would be recited for the dead. Rather, it is for the guidance of the living. Almighty Allah said: Indeed, We have revealed to you this truthful Book, the Qur’an, so that you may judge between people according to what Allah has shown you through revelation (Surah An- Nisa: 105). They should also understand that those who do not judge according to what Allah has revealed fall, according to the description in the Book, under disbelief, injustice, or wickedness—or all these faults apply to them together.

Some cultured people still think that Islam is a form of Christianity, and that Christianity accepts social class divisions and the division of life between God and Caesar. Matthew 22:21states: ‘Therefore give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.’ In this way, they confine Islam to the relationship between human beings and Allah. The only place for this special relationship, they believe, is the human conscience. If this relationship extends beyond the conscience, its only place will be the mosque, nowhere else. What does Islam have to do with life and its system, culture and its course, education and its curriculum, economics and its application, law and penal codes?

Even more sadly, some of them not only claim to be Muslims but also take pride in being Muslims. They pray and perform Umrah or Hajj. At the same time, they praise secularism, prefer nationalist bonds over Islam, and embrace Western thought completely, without any discrimination or examination of what they are pursuing.

They accept Darwin’s theory of evolution, Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis, Marx’s materialist interpretation of history, and Durkheim’s theory of the origin of religion. Yet they do not consider what place Islam has among these theories. One of them even once declared: I am a Muslim Marxist. It is incomprehensible how these two things can exist in one person. From where did he derive this inspiration—from the Qur’an, or from Das Kapital or the Communist Manifesto? If a conflict arises, who will be his example and arbiter—Muhammad (peace be upon him), or Marx?

If someone says, ‘I am a Muslim Buddhist or a Muslim Christian,’ can that be accepted? If the answer is ‘no,’ then how can he say, ‘I am a Muslim Marxist’? Is it because Marxism is not a religion but fights against all religions and regards religion as ‘the opium of the people’? If so, then Marxism should all the more be rejected. For Islam cannot merge with another religion, even if that religion is one of the People of the Book. How, then, can Islam be joined to a doctrine opposed to all religions?

In fact, although Marxism rejects all religions, it has a religious character. That character lies in Marxism’s demand for absolute obedience from its followers; for that reason, Marxism has not been able to merge with any other religion or ideology.

Marxism is an absolute, authoritarian philosophy. It leaves no place for Islam or any other religion. Indeed, religion has no role except when necessary, and in Marxist society religion is regarded as secondary rather than fundamental.

Some cultured people believe that Islam is the cause of the Muslims’ political weakness, military defeat, cultural backwardness, and poverty in science and technology. They believe that the West’s victory and progress became possible because it was freed from religious control and adopted the secular ideal that separates religion and the state.

This cultural group must be taught the true form of religion in the light of the two fundamental sources: the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace be upon him), just as the finest generations of the Ummah—the Companions and their followers—acquired knowledge. Then they will see that the best results can be achieved by correctly understanding the true doctrine of Islam and following it wholeheartedly.

The true teachings of Islam are nothing else. These teachings liberate the mind, purify the nafs, strengthen the will, and build the body on a sound and firm foundation. Through science, faith, mutual dependence, and morality, they lead society toward progress. They establish a government based on justice and consultation, rule according to Allah’s law, and show all humanity the best path.

By studying Islamic history, they must also learn the causes of Islam’s rise and decline, victory and defeat, development and collapse, strength and weakness. A review of history will certainly show that Muslims achieved victory, progress, and strength when they held fast to Islam, its values, and its teachings within a movement led by a caliph, a military commander, or a great thinker. This occurred during the times of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, Abu Ja’far al-Mansur, Harun al-Rashid, Nur al-Din Mahmud al-Shahid, Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi, and others.

On the other hand, periods of defeat, calamity, weakness, and decline came when Muslims moved away from the truth of Islam. The farther they moved away, the more calamities overwhelmed them.

Some cultured people are still ignorant of many matters commonly associated with Islam. For example, we have seen a writer choose the crucifixion as his subject, believing it to be true. Yet Islam has categorically rejected the alleged crucifixion of Jesus, peace be upon him. Others recount the story of how Eve, peace be upon her, tempted Adam, peace be upon him, to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree, with the result that they were expelled from Paradise and brought sorrow and suffering to humanity on earth.

This theory was taken from the Torah and the Old Testament, and has no basis in Islam. For it was Adam who ate the fruit of the forbidden tree, and Adam who disobeyed Allah’s command. Surah Ta-Ha’‘s 115 th versestates: And We had already made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found no resolve in him. In the same surah’s 121–– 122 verses,Allah says: And Adam disobeyed his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him, turned to him in mercy, and guided him.

It is clear that the primary responsibility lay with Adam, and that his wife merely followed him in eating the forbidden fruit.

Many cultured people still judge culture from a Western perspective. To them, dancing is a foremost element of culture. Thus, anyone who does not dance is not cultured. Our dance is performed with swords. Tell them further that we have the Lebanese Dabka folk dance, as well as many other folk dances, like those of every country, performed at weddings and other celebrations. If you tell them this, you will become an object of their ridicule. For you have not understood the only meaning of dancing. That is, dancing means women dancing with unrelated men and men dancing with unrelated women. While dancing, they feel one another’s bodies touch and move to the rhythm of music. But beware: do not harbor any bad opinion of them, for they are not ordinary people like you and me, who have instincts and desires. They are above suspicion and bestial impulses—indeed, they seem like angels roaming the earth.

Halal and haram stipulate for a Muslim that he cannot do whatever he wishes. Rather, he must act within the inviolable limits set by Allah. Allah Almighty in Surah At-Talaq’‘s first versesays: And whoever transgresses Allah’s limits has certainly wronged himself. To cultured people, this is a strange doctrine, which they are unwilling to accept.

Conduct toward cultured people

Two approaches should be adopted to attract the cultural group toward Islamic revival: remedial and preventive.

The remedial approach consists of steps to remove the misconceptions cultivated by cultured people. The message must be presented to them through calm, objective, theoretical discussion—not by insulting them, speaking recklessly, or attacking them with heated words. Rather, they must be directed to authoritative sources from which they can gain correct knowledge about Islam, the Book, the Messenger, theology, Shariah, history, and culture.

This approach is most suitable for young people who have not fallen into the grip of extremism, adopted it as a principle, or tried to build their lives according to it. It may also be effective for young people who sincerely seek truth for its own sake. Arguing with those who cling to extremism, progressivism, liberalism, the right wing, the left wing, and the like is futile. However, it may be helpful in explaining or refuting a particular issue.

The second approach is preventive. Its purpose will be to present the form of pure, authentic Islamic culture through accurate doctrine and clear expression: to provide guidance for understanding Islam, remove the various misconceptions that have developed among cultured people, and at the same time confront false and fanciful ideas and beliefs.

One of the main purposes of the preventive approach is to protect young people from the poisonous bite of aggressive ideologies. The knowledge young people gain through this approach will serve as a vaccine against the ideological epidemic spreading secretly or openly across our land.

Ordinary preachers and religious propagators should be kept away from the cultural group. These preachers and sermonizers can neither speak in the language of the age nor present their message through arguments that cultured people can understand and accept. Such religious preachers can create fervor among worshippers only through their emotional eloquence. But they cannot move the hearts of liberal-minded people. These liberals rarely say ‘yes’; rather, their questions are always, ‘Why? How?’

Popular preachers are like popular writers. The former create fervor through their melodious sermons and exhortations, while the latter stir emotions and feelings through lucid writing. According to an ancient Arab proverb, the pen is one of two tongues. The tongue is far more effective in exciting and overwhelming an audience through the voice and its sound. And if imagination is added to it, there is no comparison. The role and usefulness of these sermonizers and writers are limited to the extent of their knowledge. However, the harm they cause among cultured circles generally exceeds the extent of the good they do.

The People

Paying attention to the cultural group does not mean neglecting the common people. The work in the two areas is not mutually contradictory. The main characteristic of the Islamic movement is its popularity. The movement is popular in the sense that it is neither a governmental nor an elitist movement. It is a movement that springs from the hearts of the people and expresses their feelings. Through mutual interaction, the movement reflects the people’s views, speaks on their behalf, and helps secure their rights and fulfill their responsibilities.

The foreign enemies of the movement and their agents inside the country seek to isolate the Islamic movement from the people—sometimes through propaganda and distortion, sometimes through intimidation or pressure. Others continue this endeavor through various means.

Even more dangerous is for the movement itself to become detached from the people under the pretexts of arrogance, complaint, disrespect, recklessness, and busyness. The real danger arises when the movement forgets its interrelationship with the people, disregards their problems and sufferings, and becomes preoccupied solely with itself, listening only to its own voice. In this way, the movement becomes separated from the people and takes refuge in a secluded chamber.

The Islamic movement will succeed only when it is able to move forward together with the people. The people will identify with the movement’s interests and regard the movement’s problems or crises as their own misfortunes. The movement’s joy will become a source of their joy; they will praise all its roles, positions, and efforts, and curse its enemies. The Islamic movement will succeed only when its efforts are focused on merging with the people like blood flowing through veins and arteries. Its relationship with them will be like that of the soul to the body and sight to the eye. Then the tide of the people and the Islamic movement will become one, so that they cannot be separated from each other.

This will be possible only when the Islamic movement embraces the people’s interests as its own, shows empathy for their feelings and expressions, shares in their grief and sorrow, stands by them in times of hardship and danger, and becomes one with them.

Unreal dream

Because of our faith in the people and our confidence in their strength, we must not keep them away from facing harsh realities or immerse them in unrealistic dreams. The advocates and theorists of the Islamic movement must present the nation’s real ailment before it. The ailment must not be concealed, as is done in the case of a patient suffering from an incurable disease. However bitter it may be, the nation must be told the truth. No unrealistic dream should be presented if it cannot be fulfilled.

Muslim Sufi sages have distinguished between hope and desire, saying that hope is accompanied by action; otherwise, it is merely a wish. Hope is the aim of the believers, while for those who want to do nothing, wishing is a deception. The Qur’an addresses those who claim that Paradise belongs exclusively to them, although they neither believe nor perform good deeds. Surah Al- Baqarah’’s 111 th verse, it is said: “These are their wishes.” Say, “Produce your proof if you are truthful.”

Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his son Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him): “Beware; do not rely on wishes at all. Wishing is the support of fools.” An Arab poet said: “Do not become a slave to wishing, for wishing is the only resource of the resource-less.”

For a movement that seeks to illuminate the darkness of the dead of night with radiant light, hope, aspiration, and the desire for a beautiful future are its driving force. Hope and aspiration differ from wishing. For when one does not receive something according to one’s wishes, it leads to frustration; but in hope and aspiration there is no place for despair or hopelessness.

We must certainly present the harsh realities before the people. We must warn them about the dangers of the future so that they can prepare to face those hardships. They must not remain under the illusion that the path ahead is strewn with flowers, free of thorns, or one on which results can be obtained without effort.

The mistake the Islamic movement is making in disseminating Islamic slogans and statements containing solutions to problems among the Muslim people must be corrected. When the slogans say, “Islam is the solution,” “There is no hope without Islam,” or “Islam is the only solution to our socioeconomic and political problems,” ordinary people think that merely filling the air with these slogans, supporting the movement’s candidates in elections, and sending them to Parliament with a majority vote will magically or miraculously solve all their problems.

Those involved in the Islamic movement and the movement’s intellectuals must explain to the people directly and simply that Islam seeks to solve the people’s problems through the people themselves. Allah will not send angels down to earth to perform their tasks—to plough the land, raise livestock, industrialize, expand trade, build infrastructure, mobilize Muslim manpower for productive work, or protect the nation from idleness and the waste of energy.

A just society is necessary for a good life. The people themselves must work to establish such a society. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said to a few people who were staying in the mosque, expecting Allah to send help: “You should not sit idly, nor should you try to obtain immediately what Allah has decreed for you.” Then he said: “O Allah, send me whatever is in my destiny.” Yet he knew that gold and silver would not rain down from the sky. Allah says: “And when the Friday prayer is over, disperse throughout the land and seek the sustenance bestowed by Allah through work”(Surah Jum’‘ah: 10). The Qur’an clearly states this inviolable injunction as follows: “Indeed, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves”(Surah Ra’‘d: 11)।

This is the starting point. We must transform our erroneous ideas, bad ways of thinking, despicable character traits, and unacceptable principles and ethics into correct ideas, clear and honest thinking, commendable character, and refined morality. The way of life to which people are now accustomed must certainly be changed. Life must be made oriented toward work and productivity. We cannot remain idle and aimless. Life must be regarded as a serious matter, not a joke. Life is one of austerity, not luxury; of justice, not injustice; of hard work, not idleness.

Correction of erroneous conceptions

It is the responsibility of the Islamic movement and its advocates to correct all the erroneous notions about Islam that have spread among Muslims. For Islamic thought and consciousness can serve as an instrument for building society and achieving progress.

Many religious people harbor misconceptions about some of Islam’s principal values. These include faith, piety, honesty, and forthrightness.

It is stated in the Holy Qur’an: And if the inhabitants of these towns had believed and practiced piety, We would surely have opened for them the blessings of the heavens and the earth (Surah Al A’‘raf: 96). It is also stated: And whoever fears Allah and fulfills his duty toward Him, Allah will make a way out for him from every difficulty. And He will provide him sustenance from where he does not even imagine (Surah At-Talaq: 2-–3). Or it is stated: And indeed, We recorded in the Zabur, after the Preserved Tablet, the admonition that My righteous servants shall inherit the earth (Surah Al-Anbiya: 105). In another surah it is stated: And if they—the disbelievers—had believed in Allah and followed the true path of Islam, I would surely have showered them with abundant water (Surah Al-Jinn: 16)।

When ordinary people recite these verses, they think that the verses speak of certain rituals and the performance of obligatory duties, such as offering prayer, fasting, reciting tasbih, tahlil, takbir and other forms of dhikr and supplication, and keeping away from all prohibited acts such as drinking alcohol and gambling. There is no doubt that these are integral parts of religion. But din, iman and taqwa are not confined to these matters alone. Surah Adh-Dhariyat’‘s 56 th verse the Almighty Allah says: “I have created jinn and human beings only so that they may worship Me.” When Allah created human beings for His worship, He also indicated by this that human beings would be His representatives, or khalifahs, on earth, who would cultivate and develop it through knowledge and labor. Allah says: “Indeed, I am going to appoint a representative on the earth” (Surah Al Baqarah: 30). He is the One who created you from earth and settled you there (Surah Hud: 61). Here, the word “cultivate” means that He wants you to cultivate and develop it. This work of cultivating and developing it is also counted as worship.

The demands of faith, piety, honesty and forthrightness are that we establish a balance between our material life and our religious life, worship Allah by following Islam’s universal code of conduct, remain fully prepared to confront our enemies, cultivate the land and work in factories. Apply all branches of science and industry necessary for the religious and material life of the nation. For Muslim jurists have considered this a collective responsibility (fard kifayah) for the entire nation. If this duty is not fulfilled collectively, it will be a grievous crime.

The desired religious commitment is not the rosary in a dervish’s hand, nor the turban on the head of a self-proclaimed shaykh, nor a secluded place or khanqah chosen by a worshipper for worship and devotion. Religious commitment means the pursuit of knowledge and action, religious commitment and worldly engagement, body and soul, planning and organization, production and development, and attaining perfection and excellence. It is mentioned in a hadith: Allah is pleased when a person performs a task as well as it ought to be performed (Al-Bayhaqi). Indeed, Allah has placed excellence in everything (Muslim)।

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) urged Muslims to be highly skilled in all their undertakings—even in killing a small reptile. It is narrated in a hadith of the Messenger (peace be upon him): Whoever kills a gecko with one strike has earned one hundred good deeds. Whoever kills it with two strikes has also earned good deeds, though fewer than the first; and whoever manages to kill it with three strikes has also earned good deeds, though fewer than the second((Muslim)). One must strive to perform every task well, even if the task is insignificant.

The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not regard Islam as a religion of fakirs and ascetics, nor did they view faith and religious devotion as separate from life, nor did they become preoccupied solely with obligatory acts of worship while abandoning efforts to build a better life. When Sa’d ibn al-Rabi’ (may Allah be pleased with him) offered to give Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) a substantial amount of his wealth, the latter humbly declined, saying, “I am a businessman. Where is the market? Show me.” He conducted business and earned enormous profits. Yet this business did not diminish his faith and religious devotion in the least. Rather, he was so devout and God-fearing that he was one of the ten promised Paradise. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had given him the glad tidings of entry into Paradise and expressed his satisfaction with him at the time of his death. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) was also a member of the six-man consultative council formed by Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Umar formed this council to select a caliph from among them after his death.

Those are the truly God-fearing believers who, through faith in Allah and honesty, remain as eager to perform good deeds as they are to work hard for worldly welfare. Therefore, Allah grants blessings to their worldly efforts and will not begrudge them their reward in the Hereafter either.

Working People

By working people, I mean industrial workers and craftsmen in various fields. They are now a vast population employed in the major cities. This organized and united working class can bring daily life to a standstill by calling strikes to secure their rights and protest injustice and oppression.

A review of the matter shows that, to date, the Islamic movement has been able to exert only slight influence over the working class. In this stratum of our society, the leftists remain more influential and vocal. The leftists extensively exploit the demands and aspirations of workers for their own interests. In Egypt, the main organization of the Islamic movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, led by Imam Hasan al-Banna, began working with a group of Egyptian workers. Pledging their support for the objective for which the Imam was working, these workers took the oath of allegiance at Ismailia.

Although it has been possible to establish deep roots for the Islamic movement among students and learners in most Muslim countries—Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Pakistan, and so on—the movement’s presence among the working class is negligible. Despite the Islamic movement’s tremendous influence in Sudanese society, Dr. Hasan al-Turabi, leader of the Sudan National Islamic Front, mentioned this matter in his book The Islamic Movement in Sudan. In some areas, the movement has an overwhelming presence, and elsewhere as well it has been able to exert considerable influence.

I do not know the reasons for the Islamic movement’s failure to expand among the working class. Is the cause the weakness of religious awareness among workers? But since workers are part of the broader population for whom religion is an integral component, why has their religious consciousness become weak? Is the cause a lack of knowledge about true Islam and Islam’s role in life, together with the influence of imported alien ideas? This matter must be investigated.

Or is the cause the Islamic movement’s failure to recognize workers’ interests, take initiatives to protect those interests, and support their legitimate demands, or the activities of greedy capitalists and exploitative rulers? Or is it the success of the leftists, who deliberately influence and patronize workers in order to use them to spread their destructive policies and materialist philosophy? The leftists are highly skilled at these activities. They also know how to entice people, and are adept at spreading the propaganda that the Islamic movement will never benefit workers.

Whatever the reason, the Islamic movement’s strategy in this area should be reviewed. The working class is an important part of Muslim society. Islam is still a powerful driving force in the lives of working people, because they believe that Islam is the only religion that places the dignity of labor above all else and is uncompromising in ensuring justice for workers. Islam’s economic, social, and legal regulations safeguard workers and their rights, and Islam stands beside workers against those who wrong them or try to exploit them for their own interests. Islam urges the adoption of social arrangements to provide employment for every unemployed worker and support all able-bodied members of society.

A new factor is now helping to create a favorable attitude toward the Islamic movement among workers. It is the collapse of communist philosophy and methods. As a result, the farewell bells have sounded for the dictatorial governments of Eastern Europe. The working class rebelled against the dictatorships established in the name of protecting its own interests. Even the Soviet Union, the cradle of socialism, embarked on a new path toward social reconstruction in the light of the philosophy of perestroika. Marxist and socialist governments, established for workers and by workers, failed to bring the workers the desired happiness and peace—the happiness for which working people had rebelled against feudal and capitalist governments. It has been conclusively demonstrated that workers fare much better under the rule of free governments than under the shackles of communist rule.

The two parts of Germany before reunification provide an excellent example for understanding this matter in detail. How did workers live in the two parts, and what were their feelings? The people of East Germany felt as though they were living in one vast prison. Whenever they had even a slight opportunity, they fled en masse to West Germany. What better proof could there be?

Businessmen and Investors of Capital

Among the areas in which the Islamic movement must extend its influence, the merchant, business, and capital-investing communities are also important. The people of this community live in a world of money and capital, profit and loss, monopolistic trade and competition. They generally forget the restrictions of halal and haram and neglect the remembrance of Allah, prayer, and the payment of zakat. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was vigilant in guiding and advising businesspeople about the harmful and risky aspects of commercial activity.

He warned them against deception, saying: “Whoever deceives is not one of us.” He warned against monopolistic trade, saying: “Whoever monopolizes a commodity has acted unjustly”—that is, he is a sinner. He warned businesspeople against swearing excessively by Allah’s name. Criticizing those businesspeople who make the Almighty Allah a commodity, he said that they seem unable to buy and sell unless they swear by Allah. He also warned against false oaths—oaths that may increase a transaction but deprive the seller of Allah’s mercy. He warned against usury, saying: “Allah curses those who take usury, those who give it, those who write its contract, and those who bear witness to it.” He also sternly warned against selling goods that are not in stock (gharar), because the buyer is kept ignorant about the goods, and when the merchandise is presented, a dispute inevitably arises.

The Holy Qur’an also censures those who cheat in measure and weight, saying: “Woe to those who give short measure and weight (thereby diminishing the rights of others): when they take a measure from people, they take it in full, but when they measure or weigh for them, they give less. Do they not think that they will be resurrected on the Great Day, the day when all people will stand before the Lord of the worlds((Surah al-Mutaffi‌fin: 1––6))।

On the other hand, the Qur’an has praised those merchants who are not neglectful of their duties to Allah and the fulfillment of their obligations. Describing their regular attendance at the mosque for prayer, the Holy Qur’an says: “They are in houses, or mosques, which Allah has commanded to be raised in holiness and honor; in them men glorify Allah morning and evening—men whom neither buying nor selling distracts from the remembrance of Allah, from establishing prayer, or from giving zakat; they fear a day when many hearts and eyes will be overturned((Surah al-Nur: 36––37))।

Merchants and traders control the greater part of the nation’s wealth. They control the supply of goods to the people and determine the prices of consumer products. In this way, they exert influence over the national economy and financial policy. Therefore, merchants must be warned never to do what they ought not to do, and they must be urged to pay zakat on their wealth as well as give other charitable donations beyond zakat.

The merchant community does not fall within the scope of the Islamic revival movement, and they are occupied only with worldly affairs; therefore, it should not be considered futile to work among them. They are human beings like everyone else. Advice and warnings move them, and they too can be impressed by wise words presented with patience and propriety.

In the early days of the Messenger of Allah’s, peace and blessings be upon him, mission, many merchants believed in Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. Even when they feared that their businesses and capital might be destroyed or suffer loss, they responded to the call to tawhid. It is seen that among those who accepted Islam at the very beginning were Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, and Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, may Allah be pleased with him. They were among the ten promised Paradise. Hoping to attain Allah’s pleasure and mercy, and to support and assist Allah and His Messenger, they were compelled to leave their homes and possessions and migrate to Medina. For Allah’s sake, they contentedly accepted this change in their fortunes.

In our own time, we see many honest merchants voluntarily spending their wealth on religious work, giving greater importance to the life of the Hereafter than to worldly life. They do not cling to the wealth they have received as a sign of Allah’s mercy, for they regard their lives and wealth as belonging to the Islamic da’wah and movement.

Christian capitalists in the West are giving millions of dollars to Christian institutions throughout the world to propagate their religion. The same applies to Jewish capitalists. Despite their miserly and money-worshipping nature, they have continued to spend generously for Jewish interests both before and after the establishment of the state of Israel. Wealthy Muslims cannot afford to do less. For they know that Allah is the owner of wealth. Therefore, they must spend this wealth in the way of Allah, and Allah Most High will reward them for it.

I would like to shed light on an important aspect of material charity. Among Muslims there are many wealthy people who are honest and sincere and eager to spend their wealth to attain Allah’s pleasure. They give generously in charity. But they need to know how and on whom they should spend their money.

Islamic activities are the appropriate field for spending this money. Therefore, those who are able to give charity must understand that spending money is not the main point; the main point is to spend it in the right way. In this regard, it is essential to establish an order of priority for expenditure: which sector is more important now, and which field will be urgent at the next stage. It is truly regrettable that most wealthy Muslims, especially those who spend money on public welfare, generally show the greatest interest in giving charity only for the construction of mosques or similar religious institutions. For this reason, there is considerable resentment and complaint among the workers of the Islamic movement.

Africa’s Islamic Da’wah Organization has raised this complaint. Dr. Muhammad Natsir and his associates, associated with Indonesia’s Supreme Council for Islamic Da’wah, have made the same complaint. The same kind of complaint is also being heard from those who are working to promote Islamic ideals and teachings in opposition to secularism, Marxism, and other ideologies.

Experts and devoted supporters associated with the Islamic movement and da’wah have agreed that there are certain fields of work more important than building mosques. One such field is developing people—people who build civilization, bring success to da’wah work, move forward amid the oscillations of hope, build mosques, and advance step by step in efforts to shape various institutions according to the Islamic model.

Establishing a center to expand Islamic da’wah activities and create awareness among Muslims is one of the foremost programs for drawing close to Allah and serving Islam properly. Spending money in this cause deserves priority, and through a noble endeavor a Muslim can undoubtedly attain Allah’s pleasure. Such a center will help convey the call to pure Islamic ideals to Muslim youth and purify their thoughts and reform their conduct and behavior. Through educational camps, workshops, discussion programs, and various other means and methods, this center can help create attraction to and enthusiasm for Islam in the minds of young people.

A suitably trained, highly skilled, educated, refined workforce of the Islamic movement, enriched with religious and worldly knowledge and possessing adequate means of livelihood, will be able to fulfill its responsibilities properly and with complete devotion. They will regard negligence of this duty as a sin and consider the performance of this noble work worthy of reward from Allah and the praise of the people. In fact, this program requires not only money and time but also continuous efforts to implement it.

Women’s Activism

From the very beginning of its da’wah work, the Islamic movement focused on women. Imam Hasan al-Banna formed a women’s organization called “Al-Akhawat al-Muslimat” and entrusted them with spreading the da’wah among Muslim women and developing a group of women who would join and support the efforts of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was engaged in establishing Allah’s religion on earth. The women of this organization played a significant role. Enduring great hardship, they played an effective role in caring for the families of imprisoned members of the Muslim Brotherhood and providing them with food and financial assistance—an achievement worthy of mention. They performed this risky duty despite the danger of harassment by intelligence officers. Several of them had to endure extreme suffering. One such woman was Zaynab al-Ghazali.

Women among Islamic work the lack of

But we must acknowledge that Islamic work among women has not yet reached the desired level, although the message has reached women, especially university and secondary-school students.

Even though sixty or seventy years have passed since the movement began, no such female leaders have emerged who can independently and competently confront secularism and Marxism. This situation has resulted from the continued efforts to control the women’s movement by men. Men have never allowed women the opportunity to manifest their qualities and attributes or to demonstrate their leadership intelligence and abilities. Had they been given this opportunity, women could have proved their capacity to assume responsibility for their work without male domination.

The conditions for success

I believe that women’s Islamic work will succeed if the Islamic movement can produce female Islamic leadership in the fields of da’wah, thought, science, literature, and education.

I do not consider this an impossible or difficult task. Just as there are talented men, there are also talented women. Excellence is not the exclusive preserve of men. The Holy Qur’an has not related this story to us without reason, in which a people were brought to the threshold of success under the wise and courageous leadership of a woman. She was the Queen of Sheba. This story, concerning the queen and Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him), is narrated inSurah An-Naml.

At Qatar University, I observed that the girls perform much better than the boys in their studies. My other colleagues at the university held the same view. This is particularly true because girls have more time than boys for study, while boys are busy with unnecessary activities.

The spread of a rigid attitude

I wish to say frankly that a rigid attitude prevails in the Islamic movement regarding relations between men and women. On this issue, harsh viewpoints have been adopted that had never been seen before. I observed precisely this kind of arrangement at many conferences and symposia, even in Europe and America. In the mid-1970s, I attended the annual conferences of the Muslim Students’ Association of the United States and Canada for several consecutive years. Both women and men took part in speeches and debates there. They participated in commenting, question-and-answer sessions, and discussions on every major Islamic issue. These included theoretical, social, educational, and political issues. At sessions designated exclusively for women, only questions concerning women were discussed.

In the 1980s, after attending several conferences in the United States and Europe, I found that women were excluded from much of the main subject matter of important speeches and debates. Several women complained that they felt bored listening to speeches focused on the role, rights, duties, and status of women in Islam. The repetition of these speeches seemed to them like a kind of imposed punishment. At several conferences, I strongly criticized this outlook and said that, in worship and the acquisition of religious knowledge, participation by all is the rule. In Islam, there has never been a mosque reserved exclusively for women from which men were excluded. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) offered admonition at any gathering, women were also present. They attended Friday prayers, the two Eid prayers, and other congregational prayers alongside men, or at least were present there. Women asked questions about matters specific to them. They did not refrain from learning the religious rules and regulations on the pretext of their natural modesty. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) herself said this.

The Hadith books contain numerous examples of women asking questions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Some of these questions concerned matters exclusively related to women, while some women also asked questions on behalf of all women. For example, one woman said, “O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the women have sent me to you.”

The women also requested the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to allocate a separate day and time for them, so that they could speak openly and privately about any matter without the presence of men. Thus, alongside receiving general instruction together with men, women were granted this additional special facility.

Problems in the activities

The problem with women’s Islamic activities is that men, not women, lead them. Men are eager to maintain their authority in this regard because they do not want to see the rise of female leadership. Men impose their authority on women’s Islamic work, even in women’s meetings and gatherings. Taking advantage of women’s shyness, they never allow them to assume leadership in their own activities. As a result, in the process of the Islamic movement, women have no opportunity to demonstrate their talent and competence or to complete their experience and efforts. Nor do they have the opportunity to acquire knowledge, develop perseverance, and learn through these from the vast school of life.

Of course, our Muslim sisters are not entirely free of blame either. By placing their likes and dislikes in men’s hands and becoming content with comfort and luxury, they too have submitted to this distressing situation. Now is the time to open the door to effort, take steps to expand da’wah work, and silence those self-proclaimed female voices that claim expertise in the principles, ideals, laws, and values of the Muslim ummah. However loud these voices may be, they represent only a defeated and downtrodden minority group. They have no value in any sphere of religion or worldly life.

In 1989, I was invited to lecture to the female students at a university in Algeria. After the lecture, as was customary, I was answering the students’ written and oral questions. Several young men were also present. One young man had taken it upon himself to collect the questions, select which ones would be answered and which would be omitted, and bring them to me. Objecting to this role, I said, “Why is a female student not doing this on behalf of her classmates?”

I said, “Why are you boys interfering in the affairs of the girls? Withdraw. Let them do the task in their own way. Let them select the questions and decide which ones should be answered, and let one of them read the questions aloud.”

It was as though I had lifted a great burden from the girls’ hearts. A female student quickly stepped forward and performed the role that the young man who had accompanied me had been performing until then.

A similar incident occurred at a Muslim students’ convention held in Manchester, Britain, in the winter of 1990. After I had delivered my lecture to the Muslim women there, there was a question-and-answer session. There too, an enthusiastic young man took responsibility for collecting and selecting the questions. I told him plainly, “There is no reason for you to be here. One of the girls can do this. Women have the right to conduct their own affairs themselves.” But the gentleman told me that, according to the rules there, he had been assigned this responsibility and therefore could not stop doing it. He offered his own explanation, and I had to accept it.

The sisters in Egypt and Algeria make another complaint. When an active female worker in the Islamic movement, having become acquainted through the movement, marries an active male worker in the movement, it is found that he not only prevents her from participating in the movement but also forces her to remain at home. In this way, he extinguishes a torch that once showed another Muslim woman the path to light.

These have become such common occurrences that an Algerian girl working in the Islamic movement once wrote to me asking whether it would be unlawful for her to refuse marriage in order to avoid such a situation. For many sisters have been seen choosing to withdraw from the movement and da’wah work and spend idle lives at a time when Communist, secular, and liberal women are working for their own interests.

Objection and Refutation

The extremists may ask: How can we entrust Muslim women with leadership responsibilities to enable them to play an active role in the Islamic movement and demonstrate their presence in Islamic work, when the Holy Qur’an has instructed them to remain in their homes: “And stay in your homes and do not display yourselves as in the days of ignorance(Surah Al-‌Ahzab: 33)।

In response to the questions of such overzealous brothers, I would like to say that this verse addresses the wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They have a special status that other women do not possess. There were restrictions for them that did not apply to other women. The Almighty Allah says to them in the Noble Qur’an: “O wives of the Prophet! You are not like other women(Surah Al-‌Ahzab: 32)।

Nevertheless, this verse did not prevent Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) from going to the Battle of the Camel. In her view, she went to that battle to fulfill the demands of integrity in politics. Two senior Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) supported her. These two Companions had been nominated for the caliphate and were among the Companions who had received the glad tidings of entry into Paradise. According to the historians, Aisha’s (may Allah be pleased with her) later regret over this situation was not because it was unlawful for her to leave her home, but because her political judgment had not been correct. May Allah forgive her and shower peace upon her soul.

But when we examine the view of those who claim that all women are addressed by this verse, we find that it does not mean that women must remain inside their homes and be forbidden to go out. For the Qur’an prescribed confinement to the home as a punishment for those women whose adultery had been proven by four witnesses. This rule was in force before the introduction of the stringent punishment prescribed in the Qur’an and Hadith, known as ‘hadd’ (capital punishment). The Almighty Allah says: “And those of your women who commit adultery—call four witnesses from among you against them. Then, if they testify, confine them to their homes until death comes to them or Allah ordains another way for them(Surah An- Nisa: 15)।

There is also Allah’s command: “And do not display yourselves as in the time of ignorance(Al-Ah‌zab: 33).” This indicates that women are permitted to go outside dressed modestly, without ostentatious display. A woman is not forbidden to adorn herself inside the home; rather, she is permitted to beautify herself there as she wishes. She is only instructed to refrain from ostentatious adornment when going outside the home—to the streets, markets, or elsewhere.

ChapterFour

The Islamic Movement: Education and Training

Training in the Light of Faith

For any Islamic movement seeking to change conditions by bringing about change among the people, education and training are the fundamental and essential strategy. The basic objective of an educational program should be to develop a Muslim vanguard that will help advance the work of Islam. Just as the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) were in his time, so is the importance of the vanguard to us in this age.

The foremost qualification of the members of this vanguard must be faith. I mean the faith described in the Qur’an and Sunnah—the faith that has more than seventy branches related to values and morality, and about which many books have been compiled. For faith does not arise from whim or imagination. Faith originates in the heart and is proved through deeds or actions.

Thus, faith does not mean merely intellectual knowledge that does not touch the heart with light or stir the will. Nor does it mean merely internalizing terms such as Allah, Lord, religion and worship, Tawhid and Taghut, and Jahiliyyah. Nor does it mean taking pride in having acquired, by holding these matters in one’s mind, the qualities that true believers ought to possess. In reality, these are the ultimate and absolute convictions. Faith does not mean engaging others in argument and verbal disputes over words and terminology.

Neither argument nor verbal dispute will awaken the kind of faith that the magicians of Pharaoh had when they believed in the Lord of Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them), or that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had when they believed in the Word of Allah. The faith required is the first-rank faith described in the Qur’an and Sunnah. In this regard, it is sufficient to mention the verse of the Holy Qur’an in which Allah the Exalted responds to the Arab Bedouins’ statement, “We believe,” by saying that faith had not entered their hearts. Allah the Exalted says in Surah Al-Hujurat, 15, the verse: “Only the believers are those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, then have never doubted, but have striven with their lives and wealth in the way of Allah; they are the truthful.”

It was narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever possesses three qualities will experience the sweetness of faith. They are: loving Allah and His Messenger more than anything else; loving someone solely for the sake of Allah; and hating to return to disbelief, from which Allah has saved him, just as he would hate to be thrown into Hell(Bukhari and Muslim)।

For ordinary people who follow a leader, half-hearted or quarter-hearted obedience may be sufficient, but the vanguard of the Islamic movement must possess pure faith. Their faith must never be deficient or lacking.

Imam Hasan al-Banna used to tell his disciples, “Give me twelve thousand believers, and I will cross mountains, sail across seas, and conquer countries.” [Imam Banna r.. seems to have taken, Ahmad Abu, Dawud, al-Tirmidhi Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban and al- Hakim’s hadith compilations this meaning from a hadith included in them and transmitted.। These hadiths quote Ibn Abbas as saying that it is reported that a group of, twelve thousand believers are an invincible group, even though this number may seem small.। The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). on whose authority this hadith was narrated .।] Is this number sufficient to realize the aspirations of the Islamic Ummah? I say, yes, it is possible. With twelve thousand true believers, we will be able to achieve the desired goal. But I will also say that twenty-four thousand half-believers or forty-eight thousand quarter-believers will not suffice. Nor would a group of believers whose vast number might leave anyone dumbfounded be of any use when the need arose.

We want believers like the Ansar of Madinah, who joined in great numbers during wartime but were rarely seen when the spoils were distributed.

Those who are numerous but ineffective in reality are no better than the foam produced by a raging torrent [Thawban narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). ‘s one hadith mentions: There will come a time when such a time will come when from every direction various nations will surround you and close in on you and overcome you —। just as hungry people upon a dish of food fall upon it in a rush.। The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). was asked whether it would be, because the enemies outnumbered the Muslims in number and that alone was the reason this would happen.? He said,, No;; the Muslims at that time will be as weak as the foam on a raging torrent, formed from it, and will be weak. Your hearts। will become weak and your enemies will no longer be afraid of you. And your enemies will no longer be terrified by fear of you and will not.। The reason for this is that you will have a fascination with the world and a hatred of death. There is nothing better than that. Even if they number in the millions, they will never be worthy of inclusion in the vanguard of the movement. Faith-based education and training, or education and training inspired by the Word of Allah, is the prerequisite for raising a generation that will safeguard the interests of Islam. It is this group that Almighty Allah described in the Qur’an: O believers! Whoever among you turns away from his religion, Islam, Allah will soon bring forth a people whom He loves and who love Him. They will be humble and gentle toward the believers, firm toward the disbelievers, striving in the path of Allah, and fearing not the reproach of any critic. This is the grace of Allah, which He bestows upon whom He wills; indeed, Allah is Self-Sufficient, All-Knowing the hatred of death.।]There is nothing better than that. Even if they number in the millions, they will never be worthy of inclusion in the vanguard of the movement. Faith-based education and training, or education and training inspired by the Word of Allah, is the prerequisite for raising a generation that will safeguard the interests of Islam. It is this group that Almighty Allah described in the Qur’an: O believers! Whoever among you turns away from his religion, Islam, Allah will soon bring forth a people whom He loves and who love Him. They will be humble and gentle toward the believers, firm toward the disbelievers, striving in the path of Allah, and fearing not the reproach of any critic. This is the grace of Allah, which He bestows upon whom He wills; indeed, Allah is Self-Sufficient, All-Knowing (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 54)।

Authentic Sufi education

There is a need for authentic Sufi education based on the Qur’an and Sunnah. Such education helps develop a Sufi character that gives priority to Allah over His creation, the Hereafter over this world, and the attainment of religious objectives over the fulfillment of personal desires.

Although some people think otherwise, not all tasawwuf (Sufism) is bad. Nor are all Sufis misguided, although many claim this due to a lack of knowledge or correct understanding. Sufis are a group like other groups. In this regard, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah wrote in an essay of his entitled ‘Al-Fuqara’: Among the Sufis you will find both righteous people and those who have gone astray. Some of them corrupt their nafs, some follow a middle course, and there are also those who, by Allah’s grace, are extremely righteous.

We certainly reject all the erroneous doctrines of philosophical tasawwuf, such as hulul (the doctrine of divine incarnation) and ittihad (in the sense of spiritual union with Allah), the various statements attributed to misguided Sufis concerning spiritual attainments, and the exploitative Sufism aimed at making money. We seek such pure Sufism as was exemplified by the eminent Sufis, such as al-Hasan al-Basri, al-Fudayl ibn Iyad, Ibrahim ibn Adham, Abu Sulayman al-Darani, Abul Qasi, al-Junayd, and others.

We seek a Sufism that follows the middle path of the Qur’an and Sunnah—a Sufism that gives importance to the purification of the heart, in which there is no place for various physical exercises of the limbs. Tasawwuf looks at the inner reality before the outward form. It is clearly stated in an authentic hadith: Allah will not look at your bodies or faces; rather, He will look at your hearts ((Muslim)।

We seek that Sufism which removes the diseases of the mind, closes the paths through which Satan enters the heart, and restrains the human heart’s tendency to fulfill its lusts, so that people abandon sinful conduct and attain true moral values and virtue.

A certain sage described Sufism: Sufism is being truthful before Allah and being beneficial to people. The Almighty Allah says: Surely Allah is with those who fear Him and are righteous (Surah Nahl‌: 128)।

Allama Ibn al-Qayyim, quoting the Sufis of the early period, said: Sufism is good character; if someone surpasses you in good character, then he is better than you. Commenting on this, Ibn al-Qayyim said: No, religion itself is good character, and if someone surpasses you in taqwa and piety, then, in the view of religion, he is a better person of character than you. Here, it is enough to remember a hadith of the Messenger, peace be upon him: I have been sent as a messenger to perfect morality (Bukhari)।

Four important matters

In the field of education, attention must be focused on four matters:

a.. Pure intention

The first important matter is to purify one’s intention. One must act solely for the pleasure of Allah—not to gain wealth, power, people’s favor, or any other motive hidden in the depths of one’s heart.

The work of Islam is worship and jihad. Worship is beneficial only when it is performed for Allah alone with a pure intention. Allah the Exalted says: They were not commanded to worship anyone but Allah, and to worship no one other than Him (Surah Bayyinah: 5)।

Jihad in the path of Allah is genuine only when it is undertaken with a pure intention, solely with the aim of exalting the word of Allah. He does not accept an act performed for any purpose other than Allah alone, nor an act in which the belief contains a share for anyone else. For this reason, Imam Hasan al-Banna chose as his first slogan: Allah is our goal. This was to emphasize that attaining Allah’s pleasure and reward is our ultimate desired goal.

We may say that we want to establish an Islamic society, or that we want an Islamic state or an Islamic system of government; or that we are working to restore an integrated Islamic way of life, or to achieve some other short-term or long-term objective. But our overall goal will be to attain the pleasure of Allah, so that He may include us among His righteous servants. Every Islamic worker should remember these two verses: Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are for Allah, the Lord of all worlds. He has no partner. Thus have I been commanded, and I am the first of those who submit (Surah Al-’An’am: 162–163)।

The efforts of those who seek fame and renown to achieve any objective do not succeed. According to a hadith, victory is achieved through the efforts of those who are benevolent, honest, and well-mannered; their presence is hardly noticed, but when they are absent, their absence is felt, and their hearts are lamps illuminating the path of Allah (Al Hakim)।

b.. Feeling Allah’s presence

The second matter on which to focus is to feel Allah’s presence in every task, so that true excellence may be reflected in that task. For this reason, when Jibril asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about excellence, he said: The highest degree of excellence is to worship Allah as though you see Him. And although you do not see Him, He surely sees you.

This is a prerequisite for any religious or worldly task. For excellence in one’s work is an obligation that every Muslim should strive to attain. Allah has urged excellence in every matter. In seeking excellence, a person should have no awareness other than that Allah is watching him, hearing him, and knowing everything he does.

Excellence is even more necessary when the task is related to the religion, especially when it concerns the Islamic call and the Islamic movement—whether such work is an individual obligation or a collective obligation. In the work of the Islamic call and the Islamic movement, the workers fulfill the responsibility on behalf of other Muslims who merely spend their time idly and observe. They may even attack the Islamic workers when they get the opportunity and urge them to abandon this religious work.

There is no lack of supervision over the Islamic workers. Their work does not require administrative inspection either, because they remain under self-supervision, and they themselves are the first inspectors of their work. This word of Allah always remains alive in their hearts: “And He is with you wherever you may be, and Allah sees all that you do”((Surah Al-Hadid: 4).)।

c. Self-accountability

The third central matter is to practise self-accountability (ehtesab). If, before beginning an action, our intention is clear and, during the action, we develop the awareness that Allah is present, then that is self-accountability. And this is accountability. It is narrated in a hadith: Intelligent is the one who takes account of his own nafs and prepares for what will come after death, while helpless is the one who acts according to the desires of his nafs and then relies upon Allah(Tirmidhi)।

It is also narrated that Hazrat Umar (RA) said: Take account of yourself before an account is taken from you. Weigh your deeds before they are weighed against you. Maimun ibn Mihran said: The person who is conscious of Allah is the one who takes account of his own nafs more strictly than a tyrant and a miser. Its source is the word of Almighty Allah: And I swear by the soul that reproaches itself(Surah Qiyamah: 2)।

Ehtesab continually intensifies the effort to purify errors and remove weaknesses. As a result, a person always strives to attain excellence and abandons the habits of self-praise, arrogance and condemning others.

In Islam, this principle of taking account of oneself is one of the fundamental principles in the moral and educational spheres. For this reason, all Sufis and educationists have regarded this principle as essential.

Nowadays people often use the term self-criticism. There is nothing wrong with using this term. The real fault, however, lies in accepting it in its conventional sense and considering it borrowed from others. For self-criticism is nothing other than taking account of oneself. And it is fundamentally prescribed by the Qur’an, the Sunnah and our culture.

d. Reliance upon Allah

The fourth central matter is to place one’s trust in Allah (tawakkul). It is a spiritual weapon that transforms weakness into strength. It is the weapon with which the Messenger (PBUH) confronted the tyrants of various nations. Their tyranny never frightened him, nor could their evil designs weaken him. Almighty Allah says: What reason could we have not to place our trust in Allah, when He has guided us to the path which we follow? We shall surely endure with patience whatever harm you have inflicted upon us. And in Allah alone should those who are patient place their trust(Surah Ibrahim: 12)।

The meaning of relying upon Allah is to accept Allah as the Guide, follow His commands, and depend solely upon Him. Allah the Exalted says in this regard: He is the Lord of the East and the West. There is no deity except Him. So take Him as the Disposer of your affairs ( (Surah Al-Mu‌zzam‌mil: 9)।

Of course, Allah should be accepted as the Disposer of affairs only after preparing oneself and taking every possible precaution; thereafter, one must move forward with the confidence that Allah will not abandon you. Relying upon Allah must in no way be understood to mean that one may neglect one’s duties, abandon the prescribed means of reaching one’s goal, show indifference toward approved rules and regulations, or wait to reap a harvest without sowing the seeds or caring for the field. Tawakkul means what the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and the prophets and messengers before him practiced. It means making every possible effort oneself, while relying upon Allah, firmly believing in His promise and hoping for His support, and then leaving the result to Allah.

The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, made the best possible preparations for the Hijrah. Even so, the disbelievers reached the cave in which he had concealed himself. When Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “If one of them were to look beneath his feet, he would surely see us,” the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “Abu Bakr, what do you think of two people accompanied by a third, who is Allah?” Surah al-Tawbah, 40 th verse states: Do not grieve or fear; surely Allah is with us.

Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, also said this to his people when Pharaoh pursued them with his army. The people of Moses became trapped between the sea before them and Pharaoh’s army behind them. Allah says: Then, when the two groups came within sight of one another, the companions of Moses said, “We are certainly overtaken.” Moses said, “Never! Indeed, my Lord is with me; He will guide me.” ((Surah ash- Shu’‘ara: 61––62)।

What we truly need is this kind of firm faith. Strengthened by the conviction that Allah is with us, we must confront the descendants of Pharaoh and Abu Jahl. Those with whom Allah is cannot fail. It is stated in the Qur’an: If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; but if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah alone should the believers place their trust ( (Surah Aal ‘Imran: 160)।

Importance of Proper Action

In forming the necessary vanguard, two matters must be brought together: sincerity of intention and correct action.

Pure intention and good will are essential in every Islamic undertaking. For every Islamic undertaking is worship and jihad. We have already said that no worship or jihad will be accepted if it is not performed in the proper manner. For this reason, our scholars have placed great emphasis on the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: “Actions are evaluated or measured according to intentions.” Scholars as a whole regard intention as one-quarter, one-third, and even one-half of Islam.

But good intention alone is not enough to advance the Islamic movement through powerful storms and tempests. In addition to sincere intention, one should have the ability to distinguish between what is right and wrong, even to determine which of two opinions is more correct, and to choose the lesser of two evils or the best of two good options. It is said that the person is intelligent who from evil can distinguish the good and recognize it, and the person is wise who can identify the lesser of’the two evils between them the lesser evil identify and can do so।

Indeed, a Muslim must try to determine what is correct. If someone makes a mistake despite making such an effort, he will be forgiven and even rewarded. It is narrated in a hadith that if someone reaches an incorrect decision after striving to learn the truth, he will still receive one reward; and if someone finds the correct path after striving, he will receive a double reward—one reward for the effort and the second for reaching the correct decision. The promise of a double reward for the correct decision is given because the constant aim of those who strive must be to know the “actual truth,” so that all wise believers may focus their efforts on learning the actual truth. At this stage, I will shed light on two matters.

First, those who will be rewarded for their striving must first be qualified to undertake this effort; that is, they must possess at least the minimum qualification for applying their personal judgment and reason (ijtihad). By ijtihad here, I do not mean the legal and technical sense described in the books of fiqh concerning this kind of effort; rather, I mean an intellectual effort undertaken in a particular field, which requires specialized knowledge. Ijtihad in political matters is certainly different in nature from ijtihad in military, economic, and educational matters. For specialized knowledge is essential in every field.

But if someone begins researching a subject about which he does not have good knowledge, and gives a judgment without adequate knowledge, he has wronged himself, done an injustice to his research, and harmed his people. He will not receive a reward; rather, he deserves punishment for an undeniable sin. For he gives a judgment despite being ignorant, like someone who enters the water and pretends to swim despite not knowing how to swim. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “There are three types of judges: one will go to Paradise, while the other two will go to Hell. The first is the judge who knows the truth and judges accordingly; therefore, he will go to Paradise. The second judge is ignorant yet gives a judgment; he will go to Hell. The third judge knows the truth yet gives an unjust judgment; he too will be among the people of Hell” ((Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Nasa’i and al- Hakim)।

In this hadith, the judge who gives a judgment despite being ignorant and the judge who gives an unjust judgment despite knowing the truth are placed on the same level. This is because he has involved himself in a field in which he is not experienced. In such a case, it would be better for him to withdraw from it and leave it to someone qualified for that position.

Even if such a judge reaches the correct conclusion, he will still not be rewarded. For the correct statement was made from an erroneous position. Since these actions are not based on proper methodology, they have no value. It is related in a hadith: Whoever gives an opinion concerning the Qur’an without knowledge is mistaken even if his opinion happens to be correct. [Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi have described this hadith as being reported ‘by’ a single narrator and An-Nasa’i and others have called the hadith weak or da‘if।] It is like shooting a gun with an unskilled hand.

Even if such a judge’s opinion is correct, it will be deemed wrong, because his ijtihad was formed according to personal whim, not by strictly following any valid rule or method. Therefore, no reliance can be placed on a decision reached through such a haphazard effort.

Second, those who strive wholeheartedly to seek the truth and focus fully on understanding the matter with genuine certainty will be rewarded merely for their ijtihad effort—even if they receive only a single reward. In doing so, they must understand and make use of all the means and resources available for uncovering the truth, as well as all the information and data obtained in the process. They must also consult knowledgeable people and enrich themselves with sound opinions and valuable experience. All this will help them reach the correct decision.

Future Leadership

The problem with the Islamic movement in many countries is that its base has become so broad that there is a shortage of leadership capable of managing it. There is no hesitation in acknowledging this.

The reason for this situation is that the contemporary Islamic movement has spread throughout the world. Its roots have struck deep in every country. As a result, its reach is continually expanding. Yet alongside this growth, suitable leaders are not being produced at the ideological, educational, and political levels. The present leadership must prepare for the future with this situation in mind.

The first matter to be considered here is loyalty to the dawah program. Thus, making sacrifices or being counted among the movement’s earliest participants are not the only qualities required for leadership of the Islamic movement, although these qualities have their own value in the sight of Allah and people. The type of leadership needed requires those entrusted with leadership responsibilities to possess special intellectual, psychological, and practical abilities. These characteristics will be in addition to the customary moral, behavioral, and doctrinal prerequisites.

By leadership, I do not mean the movement’s highest office. Rather, I mean the group responsible for planning, implementing, directing, and controlling activities, and for obtaining the maximum possible effort from those under its authority. They engage the relevant workforce in constructive processes instead of harmful activities, in active work instead of argumentation, and in hard work instead of idleness.

Those who have held leadership responsibilities from the outset should not obstruct new leaders, thinking that leadership is a lifelong right that can be taken away only by death. Otherwise, they will obstruct talented and capable young people from coming into leadership. We have been urged to follow the Rightly Guided Caliphs as our model, even though they were appointed for an indefinite period. In the present circumstances, we must abandon the attitude of choosing someone as leader for life.

In reality, these historical precedents are not laws that the ummah must follow until the Day of Resurrection. We have discussed this elsewhere. Here, what we must emphasize is the preparation of leadership for the next stage, so that firm, honest, trustworthy, and intelligent leaders can certainly take charge of the movement. We must develop leadership in the ideological, educational, and political spheres.

We must consider this matter seriously, take practical and effective steps, and transform theory into action.

Institutes for Building Special Leadership

With this objective in mind, I propose establishing an institute to develop Islamic leadership. Talented, committed individuals possessing the necessary intellectual, psychological, behavioral, and iman-based qualities should be selected as students of this institute. These students should be selected on the basis of recommendations from wise people capable of assessing human qualities and characteristics. Written and basic examinations should also be administered before recruiting them for training at the institute. It would be best for the institute to be residential, with the students living there as a community. The essential elements of life there would be religion, knowledge, dawah activities, brotherhood, and jihad.

The curriculum of this institute should be broad, profound, and multifaceted. It must combine tradition with contemporary knowledge and science, as well as integrate religious and human sciences within an Islamic framework. At the same time, due importance must be given to local, Arab, Islamic, and international affairs. In this connection, the curriculum must emphasize the examination and analysis of the forces opposed to our religion, the ummah, and its advance. This institution will harmonize knowledge with action and theory with practice.

Highly educated, reliable teachers with mature thought and conviction must be appointed to teach this curriculum. These teachers should remain far removed from both excessive softness and excessive harshness. They should possess integrated and balanced minds. None of them should regard the opinions of others as worthless; nor should any of them be a Westernist or an Orientalist, or belong to the left or the right. If they are, they will create contradictions and confusion in thought, thereby hindering the process of forming the students’ character.

I do not mean that these learned teachers must be exact replicas of one another. I only mean that, on the major issues, there must be agreement between their overall outlook and the fundamental philosophy adopted by the institute.

I will now discuss some of the features of the ideal we seek to establish through this ambitious initiative.

Characteristics of the Desired Ideal

Without any doubt or ambiguity, I wish to emphasize one point: for the future leaders of the Islamic movement, in addition to iman-based education, firm ideological training must be arranged as the key to moral development. This will be the fiqh-based education and training described earlier, which is necessary for the movement of tomorrow.

For us, iman is not opposed to reason or intellect. Rather, iman is grounded in reason and guided by reason, and the Quran describes the believers as intelligent people. The Quran is a guide for those who are intelligent and think deeply. For the distinguished intellectuals of the ummah, the basis of reason is all inherited knowledge of revelation. For without knowledge of revelation, neither the existence of Allah nor the validity of the risalah can be proved.

The instructions set forth in the Quran cultivate a rational mindset, which lays the foundation of worship and rejects all superstition and imitation of ancestors or eminent figures. [My book ‘The Prophet and Knowledge’, pages 38––40)]

Scientific Ideal

The ideal on which we wish to base the desired education and training has certain characteristics. Teachers should understand and implement these characteristics, and the educational curriculum must present them.

In the full literal sense, this education will be science-based. By science-based, I do not mean science concerned with theoretical and applied sciences, although Muslims should study these branches of science. Rather, it is an ideal in which no claim is acceptable without proof, no conclusion without a proposition, no testimony without evidence, and no proposition unless it is completely free of doubt.

We want scientifically minded thought and scientific consciousness in every sphere of life to guide us so that we can consider every matter, issue, situation, and person scientifically, and, free from the influence of emotion, impulsiveness, self-centeredness, group interests, and various everyday excuses, make judicious and strategic decisions in the economy, politics, education, and all other fields with a scientific mindset. The adverse factors mentioned above largely control our conduct. If a decision-maker is driven by his own whims or those of his group, he will seek to please the people by doing whatever they like; he will not focus on what is beneficial for the people, the homeland, and the future of the nation as a whole.

My ‘The Islamic Solution: A Faridah and A Must’ book, while discussing self-criticism in the Islamic movement, I highlighted some major characteristics of scientific consciousness. I believe these characteristics should be reiterated here—not for imported secularism, but with emphasis on the needs of the ummah.

Need scientific awareness

The important characteristics of scientific awareness are:

1. Adopting an objective perspective on various matters, situations and contexts, without paying heed to the source from which they originate. Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Do not try to know the truth through people; rather, first know what the truth is, and then you will easily recognize the people associated with it.

2. Giving importance to specialization. It is stated in the Qur’an: So ask those who have knowledge of the Scripture (Surah an-Na‌hl: 43), ask the one who is informed about Him (Surah al-Furqan: ‍59), and no one can inform you like the All-Knowing Allah (Surah Fatir: 14)।

Religion has its own specialists, just as economics, defense and other branches of knowledge do, especially in our age. A person who possesses knowledge of religion, politics, economics and defense and gives opinions on every matter in reality knows nothing.

3. There must be an inclination toward self-criticism, acknowledging mistakes, learning from them and clearly reviewing past experience. One must stay away from a complacent perspective, for it sees the past as filled only with glory and victory.

4. Applying the most modern and best strategies to ensure success and learning from the experience of everyone else, including the enemy. Knowledge is the lost property of the believers, wherever it may be found. The believer has a greater right to that knowledge than any other person.

Testing and examining every matter except definitive religious and ideological doctrines, and accepting the results without considering anyone’s side or opposition.

Not rushing to give decisions and opinions. If one adopts the process of forming a perspective only after careful review in the light of examination and verification, and constructive discussion with the opposing party, all the good and bad aspects of the matter under discussion will come to light.

The opinions of those who hold opposing views on diverse issues of fiqh and in all branches of knowledge should be seriously evaluated; as long as there is evidence and proof in each matter within its respective field, the matter should be resolved in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah in such a way that disagreement can be avoided. Our community of scholars has ruled that there are no restrictions on opinions based on ijtihad. Therefore, someone who offers an opinion based on ijtihad should not be regarded as superior to another. However, constructive discussion through ijtihad, and theoretical and impartial examination in a tolerant and sincere environment, should not be discontinued.

Scientific theory-opposing method

Over-simplifying complex matters, underestimating serious issues, taking difficult problems lightly, or dealing with major issues like ignorant people through dervish-like practices and conduct is contrary to scientific thinking.

Invisible hands and malevolent foreign powers devise sinister plots like criminals and patiently wait to push us into suffering until we ourselves step into the trap. In this situation, we find the scent of conspiracy in everything and think that we lack the strength to confront these evil circles. Therefore, it is better to fold our hands and do nothing. This kind of mentality is harmful to us. In some cases it may be true, but it is wrong to regard it as a universal explanation. Such an interpretation of the course of historical events is, in fact, itself the outcome of conspiracy and plotting. Whether these events are political, economic, social or cultural, there are two harmful consequences of judging them from the above perspective:

First, if this kind of attitude grows, it will give rise to a form of fatalism, as though we can do nothing against these satanic conspiracies. For we are extremely weak and unintelligent in comparison with the vast financial and intellectual power of these evil circles. In this way, we become chess pieces. Such thinking will create only a destructive mindset of despair and defeat.

Second, this mentality turns us away from self-criticism and creates no desire to make a sincere effort to understand our faults and shortcomings, remedy our problems, or examine our failures and offenses. As a result, efforts to diagnose the causes of the disease and seek a cure are also obstructed. This situation will continue as long as we believe that the causes of our weakness, indifference, corruption or destruction are wicked foreign conspiracies, rather than the consequences of our own conduct.

We often harbor this kind of mentality, yet the Qur’an teaches us that whenever we face misfortune, disaster and defeat, we must blame only ourselves. Allah the Almighty says: And whatever calamity befalls you, it is because of what your own hands have earned. And He forgives many things (Surah ash-Shura: 30)।

In the Battle of Uhud, the Muslims suffered a devastating setback, losing seventy of their valiant warriors. Yet this same Muslim army had achieved a brilliant victory in the Battle of Badr. When they questioned themselves about the reason for this, Allah the Almighty sent the following answer: What is the matter with you that, when a calamity befell you, although you had once inflicted twice as much harm on your enemies, you said, “Where did this come from?” Tell them, “This calamity has come upon you because of your own actions” (Surah Al Imran: 165)।

Realistic Ideal

The characteristics we would like to see in a scientific ideal for the Islamic movement in the future will be grounded in reality, not fanciful or dream-driven.

Balancing Ambition with Capability

We must firmly establish in our minds the practical truth that our ambitious program should be balanced in proportion to our capabilities. Alongside this, we must also assess what we want to obtain and how much we can actually obtain. We should not hope to obtain something for which we are unprepared or for which we do not possess the necessary means and resources to achieve. The Qur’an has permitted a warrior to retreat while attempting to implement a battle strategy or with the aim of rejoining his own army.

A mujahid is permitted to withdraw from the battlefield only when the situation is unfavorable to him because the enemy forces present are more than twice as numerous as the Muslim forces. Allah the Exalted says: “Now Allah has lightened your burden, and He knows that there is weakness among you. Therefore, if there are one hundred steadfast among you, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are one thousand among you, they will, by Allah’s permission, overcome two thousand. And Allah is with the patient (Surah Al-‌Anfal: 66)।

In the Battle of Mu’tah, the Roman forces outnumbered the Muslim forces many times over. Against one hundred and fifty thousand Roman soldiers, the Muslims numbered only three thousand. Because of this ratio between the numbers of troops on the two sides, the skilled commander Khalid ibn al-Walid devised a plan to withdraw the Muslim forces to a safe place rather than push them into a battle that could prove suicidal.

When he returned to Medina with his army, the angry youths of Medina welcomed them by throwing stones at them and calling them fugitives. But the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, supported them, saying: “No, they will be the attackers, God willing.”

He is the wise commander who looks after his soldiers. For this reason, Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, was not interested in campaigns against Byzantium during the early part of his rule. To those who urged him to undertake such a campaign, he said: “By Allah, a single Muslim is dearer to me than the Byzantine Empire and all its wealth.”

The wise Muslim does not involve himself in something he is incapable of doing. In this regard, the Almighty Allah says: “So obey Allah and fear Him as much as you are able (Surah Taghabun: 16)।

It is related in a hadith: A Muslim is not permitted to humiliate himself. It was said to the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him: “How does a person humiliate himself, O Messenger of Allah?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, replied: “By taking upon his shoulders a burden he cannot bear.”

The Islamic movement can easily make one mistake: making important decisions under the emotional pressure of the common people. In some countries, Muslim masses thrust some leaders of the movement into the political struggle. There, they plunge into this undertaking without fully acquiring the mental, political, and specialized skills required for it. In doing so, they place on their own shoulders a burden beyond their capacity. The failure of this step is certain.

Such failures result from haste, mistaken notions, overestimating someone’s abilities, and underestimating the capabilities of others. Before us is the example of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who did not permit his Companions to engage in armed struggle with the polytheists, even when they were being persecuted and harmed. He would say: “Withhold your hands from fighting and establish prayer.”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, followed this practice until he found, by Allah’s direction, a liberated territory and a strong base from which to begin jihad and conduct military campaigns. Regarding this, the Almighty Allah said: “Permission to fight has been given to those who are being fought, because they have been wronged; and indeed Allah is fully capable of granting them victory (Surah Hajj: 39)।

Old problems to get rid of

We want to resolve, by adopting a new ideal, those old problems that have weighed heavily on our minds and have caused many Muslim efforts to be thwarted for a long time. Such problems concern Allah’s existence and attributes. Are Allah’s attributes part of His essential nature, or are they something else? Or are these qualities neither part of His essential nature nor something else?

Among the problems was whether the Qur’an was created or uncreated, which subsequently led to the sword being raised against several distinguished imams of Islam. In interpreting Qur’anic verses on these matters, there were attempts to seek esoteric meanings (ta’wil), to raise needless and exaggerated disputes between earlier and later generations, and among scholars of universities in the Muslim world—such as Al-Azhar, Al-Zaytuna, Al-Qarawiyyin, and Deoband—to refute the doctrines of the Ash‘aris, Maturidis, and their proponents.

We should not be preoccupied with any of these problems. We must prepare our minds for the next stage: confronting Judaism, the Crusaders, Marxism, and the proponents of the destructive philosophies of the East and the West.

Needless debate

The realistic ideal we need is to focus our attention not on bargaining and debate, but on constructive activities. For when Allah wishes to punish a people, He immerses them in debate and inactivity. By debate, I mean debating issues that are historical, entirely speculative, or naturally controversial.

A debate is often raised that is unnecessary or from which we will gain no benefit today: the debate over the nature of armed jihad in Islam. Is it to be defensive jihad for the protection of Islam’s religious beliefs, sacred places, and territories, or offensive jihad for the worldwide spread of Islam?

Many contemporary scholars have written on this subject, and they became divided into two groups. Those who support the view that jihad is defensive include Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida, Shaykh Mahmud Shaltut, Shaykh Muhammad Abu Zahra, Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali, and Shaykh Abdullah ibn Zayd Al Mahmoud, among others.

The basis of their argument is a large number of Qur’anic verses: “And fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you, but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not love the transgressors (Surah Al- Baqarah: 190).” Elsewhere it is said: “So if they withdraw from you, do not fight you, and offer you peace, then Allah has not made for you a way against them (Surah An- Nisa: 90)।

Among those who support the other view are Mawlana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, martyr Sayyid Qutb, and others.

The foundation of their argument is the verse of the sword (Ayat al-Sayf). According to their claim, this verse abrogated all the earlier verses, and the circumstances in which those verses were revealed came to an end. However, they themselves disagreed over the verse of the sword, because they could not reach a consensus on which Qur’anic verse could be applied in this case.

At present, there is no further need to debate this issue for three reasons:

First, We Muslims have not fulfilled the duty of jihad, which is obligatory for each of the Islamic countries—particularly, to liberate Muslim territories from the hands of occupiers and aggressors. These Muslim territories are Palestine, Eritrea, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and the other Muslim republics of the Soviet Union [the situation before its collapse in 1991 .। Now six Muslim republics have become independent states .। These are: Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan।] other Muslim republics, and other places in countries such as China, Ethiopia, and Thailand. No Muslim can argue against the necessity of liberating these countries from anti-Islamic forces. Allah’s ruling applicable to them is this verse of the Qur’an: And what is the matter with you that you do not fight in the way of Allah and for those weak, persecuted and oppressed men, women, and children who pray, “Our Lord, bring us out of this town whose inhabitants are oppressors, appoint for us from Yourself a protector who will protect us, and send for us from Yourself someone who will help us” (Surah An- Nisa: 75)।

If the Muslim Ummah has not fulfilled this obligatory duty of self-defense, how can the question of offensive jihad arise now?

Secondly, offensive jihad, according to its proponents, means removing those forces that obstruct the path of Allah’s servants and seek to prevent Muslims from conveying Allah’s message to people. But today no one can obstruct our path if we continue striving to spread our dawah throughout the world with devotion and sincerity. Dawah can be disseminated everywhere in the world, in all languages, through basic written and audio-visual media. At present, its message can be conveyed through radio, television, books, newspapers, and Muslim communities in every country of the world.

But our people’s neglect in this regard is boundless. If we compare our activities with those of the Christian missionaries, we will see that, in order to propagate their religion, they translate the Bible into at least a thousand languages and dialects and send thousands of male and female missionaries throughout the world. Their missionary campaign has reached such a stage that they now wish to convert even us to Christianity so that we may follow them.

Thirdly, we are dependent on others in the field of military strength. Those against whom we wish to launch offensive jihad manufacture every kind of weapon and sell them to us. If they did not do so, we would be unarmed and defenseless against them, incapable of doing anything. If this is the situation, how can we speak of offensive jihad to bring the whole world within the scope of our dawah, when we can obtain only the weapons they give us, and only those weapons that they are willing to sell us can come into our hands?

Traditionalist Ideal

One of the distinguishing features of this ideal is that it is a traditionalist (Salafi) ideal. By traditionalist here we mean an intellectual method founded on the principles of the Qur’an and Sunnah, whose proper application was carried out first by the Companions, the first generation of the Ummah, and later by those who correctly followed their path.

Salafi Method’s Basic Principles

In general, the foundations of this method are as follows:

1. Analyze matters in light of the infallible foundational texts, not the statements of any human being.

2. In determining the meanings of the obscure (mutashabihat) statements of the foundational texts, rely on statements expressed clearly or unambiguously (muhkamat), and in matters that are indeterminate (zanniyyat), rely on definitive (qat’iyyat) statements.

3. Understand subsidiary (furu) concepts and supplementary (juz’iyyat) rulings in the light of fundamental principles and general guidelines.

4. Encourage individual research (ijtihad) and renewal (tajdid), and discourage rigidity and imitation (taqlid).

5. In matters of morality, encourage steadfastness in proper practice rather than laxity.

6. In fiqh, promote simplicity rather than complexity.

7. In guidance and leadership, encourage treating people with compassion instead of frightening them through harsh conduct (tanfir), and presenting them with orderly and beautiful examples (tabshir).

8. Rather than debating the subject of faith, focus on building pure and firm faith.

9. In worship, focus not on the method but on fulfillment.

10. Pay attention to observing religious laws and regulations, while striving to develop customs and practices in worldly matters.

This is the essence of the method followed by the believers of the early age, and this method was applied in the theoretical and practical teachings of the great scholars of that generation of the Ummah. The Almighty Allah and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, praised those who followed this method. History also tells us that this method is truly praiseworthy.

For the scholars of the early age left the teachings of the Holy Qur’an to their successors, and in the light of this Qur’an they built their lives, preserved approved ways of living, achieved victory, spread justice and benevolence, and firmly established the traditions of knowledge and faith. Thus they laid the foundation of a universal, ethical, humanistic, and religious civilization whose undying memory still lives in the pages of history.

Salafiya Ideal’s Mis interpretation

The term traditionalist (Salafiya) has been misinterpreted alike by its followers and its opponents.

Many proponents of the Salafiya ideal and their supporters have confined intellectual theology (ilm al-kalam), fiqh, or Sufi matters within a formal framework of argumentation and debate. Those who oppose the Salafiya position on these issues, or refute the Salafi view on minor details, engage in harsh criticism of the Salafis day and night.

Their view is so unreasonable that some regard the Salafi ideal as a method of disputation that is neither constructive nor action-oriented, or as a method that gives greater importance to detailed interpretations rather than universal principles, controversial ideas rather than approved ways of thinking, and outward appearances rather than profound meanings.

Opponents of the Salafi method regard it as backward thinking. This method, they say, always looks backward, never moves forward, and never cares about the present or the future. They call the Salafis extremists who, far from caring about the opinions of others, are unwilling even to listen to them. Opponents regard this Salafi mentality as opposed to renewal (tajdid), innovation (ibda), and ijtihad, leaving no sign of flexibility whatsoever. In reality, this is an injustice to the true Salafi ideal and its genuine proponents.

Perhaps the most famous proponents of the Salafi ideal in earlier times were Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and his disciple Ibn al-Qayyim. They were, in the truest sense, the most capable representatives of the Islamic revival movement of their time. They stood against the blind imitation (taqlid) and ideological, theological, and fiqh-centered rigidity that had dominated Islamic thought for several centuries. Their entire movement was devoted to reviving Islamic knowledge and the sciences.

Although they opposed the rigid method of taqlid, they gave the imams of the madhhabs the respect they deserved. This is evidenced by Ibn Taymiyyah’s book ‘Lifting the Blame from the Prominent Imams.’

Moreover, although Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim campaigned against ideological and theoretical deviations—especially the doctrinal errors of the proponents of hulul and ijtihad, and the behavioral deviations that had infiltrated Sufism through ignorant, hypocritical, and hired people—they did justice to and showed respect for genuine Sufism and its proponents. They wrote extensively on this subject. These works include Ibn Taymiyyah’s two-volume book of fatwas, ‘Majmu‘ Fatawa,’ and among Ibn al-Qayyim’s several books are the notable ‘Madarij al-Salikin’ and the three-volume ‘Sharh Manazil al-Sa’irin.’

Adopting the Method

I wish to emphasize that regarding any specific issue, we must adopt not only the decisions of the Muslims of the early age but also the method they followed. For someone may apply their decisions on a matter without knowing anything about their balanced and coherent method.

A person may strive to apply the significance of this method and understand its aims, while at the same time disagreeing with some of the decisions of the Muslims of the early age.

This is my position regarding Imam Ibn Taymiyyah and Imam Ibn al-Qayyim. I respect and properly assess their overall method. But this does not mean that I accept all their opinions. If I accepted everything they said, that would amount to imitating them. In this way, I would violate the very method of which they were proponents. Following this method brought them intense opposition and hardship. For their method is not about deep thought, evidence-based judgments, or the opinions of individuals who issue decisions. Every decision must be examined in the light of the arguments and significance supporting that very decision.

How can someone who blindly imitates Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim criticize those who imitate Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Malik?

It would also be unjust to highlight only the theoretical and intellectual aspects of the lives of these two imams while ignoring their other luminous qualities. We should not overlook that virtuous trait in Ibn Taymiyyah’s character reflected in this statement of his: “I often say that if the people of Paradise have lived as I have, then they are truly living a beautiful life.” Even while enduring hardship and imprisonment, he was able to say: “What harm can my enemies do to me? My imprisonment is a retreat for worship. My exile is a religious journey, essentially a quest for knowledge. And my death is martyrdom.”

He was a spiritual person, and his disciple Ibn al-Qayyim was the same. Those who study their writings attentively and with good intentions will certainly understand this. Moreover, we should not overlook the aspect of assisting dawah and jihad in the lives of these two imams. Ibn Taymiyyah himself took part in several military battles. Alongside fighting in person, he kindled flames of inspiration in the hearts of other mujahideen through the words he uttered. These two imams continued their tireless struggle for the revival of Islam. Because of their dedicated struggle, they were imprisoned several times. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah died in prison in 728 AH. This is the outstanding example of true traditionalism.

If we examine our contemporary history, we will see that the most renowned figure, Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida, played a leading role in spreading the modern traditionalist banner and the Salafi method through his writings, books, and his own magazine. He was the founding editor of the magazine ‘Al-Manar.’ It was in this magazine that he published ‘Tafsir al-Manar,’ which was widely acclaimed throughout the Muslim world.

Imam Muhammad Rashid Rida was, in his time, a true revivalist of Islam. Anyone who reads his tafsir, fatwas, or books such as ‘The Inspiration of Muhammad,’ ‘The Facility of Islam,’ ‘A Call to the Fair Sex,’ ‘The Caliph,’ ‘The Arguments of the Reformer and the Imitator,’ and his many other books and writings will certainly realize that his thought was truly a beacon of light (manar). This ‘manar’ showed the followers of Islam the path of light; his life, too, was a practical example of the Salafi ideal.

Imam Rida formulated a golden principle that Imam Hasan al-Banna later followed. The principle is this: We should cooperate with one another in matters on which we agree. As for matters on which disagreement exists, it is better for us to avoid one another.

What an excellent principle.[I have established the validity of this principle and substantiated it by citing and its supporting Shariah evidence and proofs in the book I have written ‘Contemporary Fatwas’ .।]It would have been wonderful if the proponents of traditionalism had only properly understood and followed this principle.

Revivalist Ideal

Another characteristic of the ideal we seek is that it is revivalist. It is limited neither to the ancient tradition nor to what has been inherited, nor is it bound by prevailing customs or practices. It is an ideal that believes in ijtihad and embraces creativity, because it rejects blind imitation (taqlid) and unquestioning obedience, and regards stagnation as tantamount to death. It believes in revival in fiqh, education, politics and all other fields.

Revivalism is not opposed to traditionalism .

I explained this matter in my book ‘The Islamic Awakening and the Use of the Arab Muslim World.’ There is no inconsistency or contradiction between the revivalist and traditionalist ideals. Rather, they are two sides of the same coin. Genuine revival is possible only when it is oriented toward tradition, and tradition can be preserved only when it believes in the ideal of revival.

The legitimacy of revivalism

We should never say that, in terms of its sources, direction, objectives and principles, the Islamic movement is rigid and leaves no room for revival.

Islam itself recognizes the legitimacy of revival. A sahih hadith states: Allah will send, at the beginning of every century, someone who will renew this religion (Abu Dawud and al- Hakim)।

Revivalism (tajdid) is legitimate and established by hadith. What could be better than what the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said? Therefore, there is no reason for us to be alarmed upon hearing of revival in the religion established by sahih hadith. What we should do is understand the significance of revival, so that no self-interested group can use the religion in the name of its so-called revival. For such people are far removed from revival.

In an article I wrote after researching this hadith, I explained the meaning of revival, its various aspects, and who may undertake it. In brief, revival does not mean bringing something to a pinnacle and replacing something else with it. Rather, it means restoring it, as far as possible, to the form it had when it first came into existence, while preserving its essential nature, characteristics and form with the utmost precision, without the slightest alteration. This applies in both theoretical and practical senses. Reconstructing an old building, such as a palace, monument or mosque, does not mean demolishing it and constructing another building on its site according to the most modern architectural style. Rather, it means taking every possible care to renovate it as close as possible to its original form. That is true revival.

Revival of the religion means revival of its fiqh, or understanding. That, then, is an ideological revival. The revival of faith in the religion is a spiritual feeling. Coming forward to support the religion and making renewed efforts to spread the da’wah is revival in the true sense. Every age requires a revival suited to its circumstances, one that will remove contemporary errors and shortcomings and cure the ailments of that age.

But there is one area in which renewal can under no circumstances intervene. It concerns those specific matters on which Islam has issued a definitive ruling. These include various aspects of creed, worship, and the laws (ahkam), through which the spiritual, intellectual, and behavioral unity of the Muslim ummah has been reflected. I have discussed this subject in detail in other books. [My ‘Ijtihad in the Islamic Shariah’ book’s ‘Guidelines and Controls for a Proper Contemporary Ijtihad section’ entitled paragraph। Ustadh Umar Abed Hasana written book ‘The Fiqh of the Da’wah: Its Features and Horizons’ book’s ‘Ijtihad and Renewal between Legal Controls and Contemporary Needs’ entitled paragraph, pages 147–188।]

Strategy restructuring

Although the movement is Islamic in terms of its origin, surrounding circumstances, principles, and objectives, it must adopt strategies and methods that, in the context of time, place, and circumstances, facilitate the observance of the religion and are suitable for establishing the religion on earth.

Strategies, methods, and systems are not imperishable like Islam. Nor are they as consistent as Islam’s fundamental principles and doctrines. This is because strategies and methods are formulated through human effort and endeavor with the aim of reviving and reestablishing Islam in people’s hearts and in practical life.

Imam Hasan al-Banna formulated guidelines for the organized work of the Islamic movement with the aim of achieving an Islamic revival. He did not claim that the strategy he formulated, by Allah’s grace, was infallible. Yet his strategy was so powerful that Sayyid Qutb Shaheed called it an ingenious organizational strategy. The Ikhwan’s General Guide, Umar al-Tilmisani, described him as an inspired and gifted leader. Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali said that Imam Hasan al-Banna was the mujaddid of the fourteenth century AH. These methods and strategies should be reviewed from time to time, just as educators review curricula and reference books every year, making additions, deletions, or corrections. This is necessary in every human endeavor, whether or not that effort comes close to accuracy or excellence.

Hasan al- Banna was flexible .

Imam Hasan al-Banna himself was flexible. He constantly reevaluated and improved the movement’s structure, institutions, and methods of operation. If one of his devoted followers held an opposing view regarding an opinion he had previously expressed on an issue, he would not become angry. In one of my writings on the issue of a multiparty system in an Islamic state, I disagreed with his view.

Even when someone added something supplementary to his fundamental principles, he did not object. For example, Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali did this when explaining Hasan al-Banna’s twenty fundamental principles in his book The Constitution of Cultural Unity for Muslims. There was no legal, traditional, or psychological obstacle to reconsidering the training methods of the Ikhwan’s Usra and Qatiba [Qatiba is the Ikhwan’s one spiritual training method.। Trainee members every week or every two-’weeks voluntary worship devotions, spending the night in them.।] Thus, there was no legal, traditional, or psychological obstacle to reconsidering the educational methods so that something new could be added to the operational strategy.

There is no harm in reviewing political strategy in light of local, regional, and international changes and developments. In view of prevailing circumstances, participation in a front or alliance, or joining an agreement or coalition, may be undertaken in the broader interests of Islam, the ummah, and the movement. Every country has a particular environment, every era has its own rules, and every group has its own capabilities, imperatives, and position, of which the group concerned is better informed than any other group.

The Islamic movement cannot exist, thrive, and develop without the diligent and creative thinking required in fiqh and other Shariah-related disciplines. If it falls into the clutches of the mentality of blind imitators, the movement risks becoming merely stagnant, constricted, and powerless. This is because creative thought is not cultivated in the ideas and consciousness produced by the fertile minds of blind imitators.

Rigidity is a disease

Rigidity is a disease that damages the Islamic movement’s well-structured methodology and also becomes one of the major obstacles in the movement’s path from within. I have explained this in detail in my book ‘The Islamic Solution: A Fardah and a Necessity.’

Rigidity is a stubborn tendency in organization, a stagnant process in education, a one-track strategy in da‘wah work, and an inflexible method for achieving objectives; if anyone tries to change or amend the strategy, their efforts are not merely rejected with envy, but they also face various slanders and accusations.

I would like to emphasize once again that the revival (tajdid) we seek does not mean abandoning the old ways; rather, it means modernizing, developing, improving the standard of, and continually adding to the old practices, especially in the areas of techniques and methods, which will naturally be flexible and subject to change. We should be able to make use of these contemporary techniques within our capacity, just as others do.

What I fear my fear

What I fear most about the Islamic movement is that it may oppose free thought, close the doors of tajdid and ijtihad, and confine itself to a single mode of thinking that recognizes no other perspective or opinion. Such opinions recommend different objectives, strategies, and stages for the movement. Different analyses of events, circumstances, and people are offered, or disagreement is expressed with one-sided thinking on matters that fall within the scope of human ijtihad. For human ijtihad is always subject to change in light of changing circumstances. Our jurists said long ago that fatwas must change with changes in place, time, customs, and circumstances.

If my fear becomes reality, thoughtful people capable of generating new ideas and innovations will slip out of the movement’s structure like water running through the fingers. Those who remain behind will be the conservative individuals skilled only in blind imitation and determined to preserve everything, however ancient it may be. They believe that what we know is better than what we do not know, and that everything we have done is better than what we have not yet been able to do.

The consequence will be that the movement loses from its organizational structure people of creative talent and inevitably suffers stagnation or lifelessness, just as jurisprudence and literature suffered a tragic fate during the era of taqlid. The movement’s remaining members, seeing no hope of any fruitful effort in support of Islam, will quietly withdraw, or they will work independently or join some other coordinated initiative, the outcome of which no one knows.

This saying has inflicted the most devastating harm on the Muslim mind throughout the ages: Our predecessors left nothing for their successors to add. Or, in other words, nothing better is possible.

At present, nothing can benefit the Muslim mind more than adopting this saying: our predecessors have left many unfinished works for their successors and that better things are always possible. The Almighty Allah says: “And He creates many things of which you have no knowledge” ((Surah an-Nah‌l: 8)।

A balanced ideal

Another characteristic of the ideal we seek is that it is balanced in relation to its objectives and surrounding circumstances. For it is a well-balanced ideal that reflects a moderate, integrated, and broad outlook toward humanity and life. This is the balanced outlook of a cohesive and well-balanced ummah free from extremism and indifference.

A balanced ideal on the major issues

The balance of this ideal’s outlook is clear on various major issues:

1. This ideal is balanced between those who advocate strict adherence to a particular madhhab in theology, fiqh, and related fields, and those who reject adherence to any madhhab.

2. This ideal adopts a balanced outlook between those who support Sufism in worship, regardless of whether it is misguided or deceitful, and those who oppose Sufism, however correct and compliant with the Shariah it may be.

3. This ideal maintains a balanced position between advocates of an uncontrolled open-door policy and advocates of an unreasonable closed-door policy.

4. This ideal adopts a balanced outlook between those who resort to reason when something contradicts the Qur’an and Sunnah, and those who never resort to reason in understanding the Qur’an and Sunnah.

5. This ideal is balanced between those who regard the heritage as sacred despite its human shortcomings and those who reject it even though it contains divine inspiration.

6. This ideal is balanced between those who engage in politics while neglecting education and those who completely neglect politics under the pretext of devoting themselves to education.

7. This ideal is balanced between those who seek the benefits before the fruit has ripened and those who cannot see the fruit until it has ripened and fallen into someone else’s hands.

8. This ideal is balanced between those who are concerned only with the present and do not think about the future, and those who go to excess in thinking about the future.

9. This ideal is balanced between those who regard working within an organizational structure as an act of worship and those who prefer working outside any organizational structure.

10. This ideal maintains a balance between the two groups: those who go to the level of excessive devotion in obeying the organization’s leader, and those who act independently and arbitrarily as though they were not members of the organization at all.

11. This ideal maintains a balance between those who advocate worldwide activity without considering local conditions and those who believe in narrowly regional activity without any connection to the global movement.

12. This ideal maintains a balance between those who are excessively optimistic without caring about obstacles and those excessively pessimistic people who see nothing but darkness.

13. This ideal maintains a balance between those who go so far in forbidding things that nothing in the world remains halal and those who go so far in granting concessions that it seems nothing is haram.

This balanced ideal is what we seek. Although the norm in our present society is to cling to one extreme, whether it is excessive exaggeration or extreme indifference, exceptions are very rare.

The decline of the balanced outlook

Some Islamists see only two colors—white and black. They neither recognize nor see any other colors, including the basic and blended colors that others can see. Some among them exclude all colors and limit their vision, and even life itself, to a single black color. They view people and things through eyes covered by black film.

With this black, pessimistic outlook, they prepare an answer to every question and hurl it like a missile, without caring whom it hits or where it lands. To them, the whole society is ignorant, just as in the pre-Islamic era. Everything in life is sinful. Everyone is either an unbeliever or a hypocrite. The world is full of evil forces, and the entire universe is full of misfortune.

In their eyes, everything people do in the contemporary age is nothing but haram. All music, acting, drama, and the arts are haram.

The pessimists boldly announced the aforementioned decision. Yet our predecessors were extremely cautious in using the word “haram” until they were certain beyond doubt that something was haram. In two verses of the Qur’an, wine is condemned as follows: “They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, ‘In both is great sin and benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.’(Surah al- Baqarah: 219)।

Elsewhere it is stated: “Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated(Surah an- Nisa: 43). Yet some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, continued drinking wine, and some said, ‘O Allah, send us a final ruling regarding wine.’ The final ruling was then revealed in verse 90 of Surah al-Ma’idah:Surah al-Ma’idah 90 — verse:“So abstain from it completely, so that you may prosper.”

We must acknowledge that quite a few ignorant ideologies emerged in the 1950s. These ideologies spread through Muslim society to such an extent that the tendency to reject everything, despair, doubt, and accuse others—including Muslims—became the dominant trend of thought.

At that time, conditions arose in which people were inclined to declare others sinners, unbelievers, and even kafirs, and such a repressive environment helped these ideas to develop. It was in such an environment that the Islamic movement and its followers faced that era. During that period, followers of the Islamic movement were publicly hanged. They were tortured secretly and pushed to the brink of death. Every other form of oppression was also inflicted. On the other hand, all doors were opened to communists, secularists, and the enemies of Islam.

It was during this period that the books of the martyr Sayyid Qutb were published, reflecting his final ideas. These works identified society as an unbelieving community and urged that the work of the Islamic da‘wah be suspended. The new initiative to revive and develop Islamic fiqh and renew ijtihad was mocked. A call was issued to launch aggressive jihad against people in general, while remaining separated from society. Advocates of tolerance and flexibility were labeled immature and as having suffered mental defeat before Western civilization.

This line of thought of the martyr Sayyid Qutb is clearly reflected in his famous tafsir Fi Zilal al-Qur’an, Islam and the Movement of Social Revolution, Islam and the Problems of Civilization, and other works. Although these writings had a broadly positive influence, their negative influence is also noticeable.

In addition, Shaykh Sayyid Hawwa strongly advanced similar views in his books.

Meanwhile, a new kind of fiqh devised by the neo-Zahiris, who interpret the Qur’an according to its literal meaning, emerged before us. Although they claim to follow the thought of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, no connection whatsoever can be found between Ibn Taymiyyah and his followers and the neo-Zahiris’ literal interpretation of the Holy Qur’an. They never confined themselves to external form and structure, to which the neo-Zahiris attach excessive importance.

Thus, rigidity and obstinacy gained dominance in Islamic thought, and for some time the tolerant spirit of sound, balanced thinking remained suppressed. I believe that the Islamic movement should distance itself from such abnormal modes of thought so that it can advance along a flexible, balanced path and give expression to a balanced Muslim ummah and a fully balanced system of thought—the ideal through which Allah desires ease for His servants, not hardship.

Moderation and Ease

In my view, ensuring ease goes hand in hand with adopting a moderate or balanced approach. In matters of religion, this approach offers a balanced perspective between rigidity and needless excess on the one hand, and laxity and unrestrained permissiveness on the other.

The Easier Path

The Islamic movement must advance along the easier path, not the path of complication. This easier principle must be adopted in the opinions of Islamic jurists concerning society, and in the fields of economics, law, conduct, and international law. I say this for several reasons.

First, our Shariah is founded on ease, forgiveness, and tolerance. It seeks to eliminate hardship and distress. This spirit is reflected in the foundational texts of the Shariah.

The Almighty Allah says: Allah intends ease for you and does not intend difficulty for you (Surah Al Baqarah: 185). Elsewhere, Allah the Exalted says: And Allah does not intend to place any hardship upon you (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 6). The Exalted Allah says: Allah intends to lighten your burden, for humankind was created weak (Surah An Nisa: 28). Allah the Exalted says: This is an easy provision and a favor from your Lord (Surah Al Baqarah: 178)।

The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Make things easy and do not make them difficult (Bukhari and Muslim). Another hadith states: You have been sent to make matters easy for people, so do not make them difficult (Tirmidhi)।

Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) performed the prayer on a cold night without performing the obligatory bath despite being in a state of ritual impurity. When his companions complained to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Amr defended himself, saying: I remembered the verse of the Holy Quran in which Allah the Exalted says: And do not kill yourselves; surely Allah is Most Merciful to you (Surah An Nisa: 29) . And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) smiled gently.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) also strongly condemned such an attitude in some people. They insisted that an injured man had to bathe because of ritual impurity, and the man died after bathing as a result of their cruel decision. In this regard, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “They killed him. Why did they not ask when they did not know? The remedy for ignorance is to ask. It would have been sufficient for him to bandage his wound and perform tayammum (Ahmad, Abu Dawud and al- Hakim and Sahih al- Jami al- Saghir this hadith has been narrated)।

Secondly, in our age, the need for facilitation in the interest of human welfare is far greater than at any other time. This is because people’s willpower has now deteriorated to such an extent that their interest in righteous and beneficial deeds has declined, while their attraction to evil deeds has increased.

Therefore, instead of urging people to follow the strictest rules in observing religious injunctions and commandments, it is desirable to encourage them toward facilitation. This was how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) treated those who accepted Islam in the early period and the Bedouins of the desert. They did not pledge to perform optional acts of worship beyond observing the obligatory religious injunctions. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted them as well, and he would say of some of them: “If he does good according to his word, he will be a righteous person”; or, “If he fulfills his promise, he will enter Paradise”; or, “If any of you wishes to see a person destined for Paradise, let him look at this man.”

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) showed such kindness solely out of compassion for them and in consideration of their difficult circumstances.

Thirdly, anyone may personally impose hardship upon himself to test the limits of his own willpower. But moderation is the best and most suitable approach. For the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah loves those who accept the facilitation He has granted them, because He hates their committing sins (Ahmad, Ibn Hibban and Bayhaqi and Sahih al- Jami al- Saghir this hadith has been included as well)।

Therefore, a jurist should not impose stringent conditions on the vast majority of the Muslim population. He must bear in mind that among the general public there are not only the weak and the elderly, but also people toward whom there are sound reasons for showing leniency. A hadith concerning leading the congregational prayer states: Whoever leads the prayer should make it brief, because among those praying behind the imam there may be elderly people, the sick, and busy travelers. Salat is a symbol in which various aspects of life are reflected.

Therefore, the jurists of the Islamic movement cannot adopt decisions that erect walls of restriction, offer no guidance toward ease, merely prohibit, and grant no permission—especially on issues involving women, the family, the arts, entertainment, and similar matters.

The same applies to other such questions in the sphere of transactions, where granting permission should be regarded as the normal rule and imposing prohibitions as the exception. This also applies to penal law. The minimum punishment should be imposed. The view that repentance nullifies the penal law should be taken into consideration here. For example, the punishment for drinking alcohol falls under ta’zir [our article ‘“The Factors of Flexibility in the Islamic Shariah”’।] —the amount of which is not specified in the Qur’an and Sunnah and is determined by the courts or the legislature, and so forth.

At this point, I would like to present our objective in light of the statement of Imam Sufyan al-Thawri: Only trustworthy jurists can issue rulings concerning ease; everyone knows how to impose prohibitions.

Future-oriented ideal

One of the defining characteristics of the ideal we seek for the Islamic movement is that it is future-oriented; that is, it does not confine itself to the present but always keeps its gaze fixed on the future. There is nothing surprising about this. The Islamic movement is concerned with the future because this is inherent to Islam itself, and this inherent quality is clearly reflected in the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Al-–Qur’an and the Future

A careful study of the Holy Qur’an reveals that, from the Makkan period onward, the Qur’an has drawn Muslims toward a promising future, declaring that the world is changing and circumstances are constantly changing. The victors of one era are being defeated, while the weak are becoming strong. In both the regional and international spheres, everyone has a turn at assuming power.

Muslims, too, must put their house in order and prepare to welcome the turn of change, which will certainly come—whether today or tomorrow, it will inevitably come, God willing.

In the Meccan Surah al- Qamar, verses 45––46 , Allah Almighty says concerning the powerful, well-armed, and numerous polytheists: They will soon be put to flight in greater numbers, and they will turn their backs. Rather, the Hour is their appointed time for their full recompense, and the Hour is most terrifying and most bitter. Allah Almighty says concerning the powerful, well-armed, and numerous polytheists: They will soon be put to flight in greater numbers, and they will turn their backs. Rather, the Hour is their appointed time for their full recompense, and the Hour is most terrifying and most bitter.

Ibn Kathir, citing Ikrimah in his famous Qur’anic exegesis, said: When the verse “They will soon be put to flight in greater numbers” was revealed, Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, asked: Which huge army will flee? On the day of Badr, I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, clad in armor and moving forward. He said: “They will soon be put to flight in greater numbers.” I understood the significance of this verse at that very moment.

On the authority of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, Imam Bukhari says: Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: This verse was revealed when Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was in Mecca, and at that time I was a young girl. The verse is: “Rather, the Hour is their appointed time for their full recompense, and the Hour is most terrifying and most bitter.”

The purpose of such verses is to prepare the Muslim mind for inevitable change and the approaching future.

At the international level, in the Holy Qur’an we find mention of the historical conflict between two contemporary superpowers—the Romans and the Persians—and, in Mecca, between Muslims and unbelievers; both groups were concerned about the conflict. In this context, the Qur’an promised the Muslims that a day was near when dominion would belong to the Romans, the People of the Book, and the fire-worshipping Persians would be defeated. Although they are victorious today, within a few years they will be defeated. In this connection, Surah al-Rum, verses 1––5 , it is stated: Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated in a nearby land. Yet, following this defeat, they will soon be victorious. The authority, before and after, belongs to Allah. And on that day the believers will rejoice in Allah Almighty’s help. He helps whomever He wills. He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

The aforementioned verses point us toward two aspects:

1. Although the Muslims were few in number and resources, they were quite aware of the course of events in the world, the conflicts and clashes among the great powers surrounding them, and the consequences of these conflicts for them.

2. By mentioning these events, the Holy Qur’an drew the Muslims’ attention to the forces of change and the transition from the present toward the future.

Surah al-Mu‌zzam‌mil’s final verse, Allah the Exalted said that He had relaxed the strict requirement imposed on the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and the Muslims concerning the Tahajjud prayer and recitation of the Qur’an. For they had to confront the enemy. These enemies were fighting against the Muslims and obstructing their advance along the path of Allah. Therefore, it was essential for them to conserve their strength to confront this conflict imposed upon the Muslims.

The Almighty Allah says: Your Lord knows that you and some of your companions stand in prayer for nearly two-thirds of the night, sometimes half the night, and sometimes one-third of the night. Allah alone can determine the full measure of night and day. He knows that you are unable to spend the entire night in worship. Therefore, He has shown you mercy. So recite as much of the Qur’an as is easy for you. He knows that some of you will be ill, while others will travel throughout the land in search of sustenance, and others will fight in the way of Allah. So recite as much of the Qur’an as can be recited with ease(Surah Muz‌zamm‌mil: 20)।

far-reaching vision

A careful study of the Sirah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) shows that he was not indifferent to the future of his Da‘wah. Rather, in light of all the opportunities, means and resources granted by Allah, he always thought and planned for the future.

A study of the efforts and activities of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) during the Hajj season is sufficient to understand this. All the tribes of Arabia would gather during Hajj, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would present the Da‘wah to them, seeking their support by promising them access to the wealth of the Roman and Persian empires. This shows how far-reaching his vision of the future was.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) believed in two principal principles:

First, a change in circumstances was inevitable, because the causes of change were already present. Islam was the alternative to the existing situation. The light of dawn would surely break through the darkness of ignorance. Therefore, Muslims must remain steadfast and patient, and must not expect results before the appropriate time.

The persecution by the unbelievers of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Mecca, especially those from the weaker classes, became so severe that Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), pleaded with him and asked for help. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was then sleeping in the shade of the Kaaba. Khabbab said: O Messenger of Allah, will you not ask Allah for help on our behalf? Will you not pray to Allah for us? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Among those who came before you, some were seized, buried in a pit dug in the ground, and then their skulls were split with a saw; others had their flesh separated from their bones with iron combs. Yet even then they could not be turned away from their religion. By Allah, He will surely establish this Islamic religion so firmly that a caravan traveling from Sana’a to Hadramaut (Yemen) will fear none but Allah. Of course, they will also guard the caravan lest wolves attack their flock of sheep. But you lack the patience to wait until you see that truth become reality(Bukhari)।

Second, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) believed that this desired future would become a reality only when people fulfilled their duties according to the laws approved by Allah, prepared themselves as far as possible, and worked to remove all obstacles from the path, leaving everything beyond that to the Creator. For what people can do is by no means difficult for Allah.

This truth was established through the emigration of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to Medina. He chose a place within the Arabian Peninsula as the destination for the emigration, considering it suitable, rather than a place such as Abyssinia. He regarded the Ansar as true Arabs. They had pledged to protect him as they would their own families. He gave priority to the emigration of his companions so that it would be easier for them to leave Mecca. Indeed, the arrival of the Messenger (peace be upon him) in Medina after them would thereby become even more significant.

After receiving Allah’s permission, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) arranged the animals for the journey. He also decided who would accompany him and who would serve as the guide along the way. He even determined in advance which cave he would hide in until the unbelievers stopped searching for him.

He made all possible preparations while maintaining every form of secrecy available to human beings, and entrusted to Allah those matters beyond his control. He had no doubt that Allah would help him. When Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him in the cave, “O Messenger of Allah, if any of them looks beneath his feet, he will certainly see us,” the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Abu Bakr, what do you think of two people who have a third with them, and he is Allah?” The Qur’an states: “If you do not help him (Muhammad), it does not matter, for Allah certainly helped him when the unbelievers drove him out, when he was one of two, when the two of them (Muhammad and Abu Bakr) were in the cave, and when he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve or fear; surely Allah is with us.’ Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon him and strengthened him with armies of angels whom you did not see, and He made the word of the unbelievers the lowest, while Allah’s word remained supreme. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise(Surah Tawbah: 40)।

ChapterFive

Islamic Movement: Political and International Levels

Reasonable Political Fiqh

Adverse Ideological Situation

In the case of the Islamic Movement, particularly in the political arena, there exists such an adverse ideological situation that it cannot escape the notice of any careful observer.

In the realm of ideology, there exist various harmful schools of thought that still influence, in one way or another, the political thought current among the leaders and writers of the Islamic Movement, as well as the books written for Da‘wah or educational activities. The Movement must free itself from the influence of these ideas and conduct its activities concerning the people as a whole, life and the world in the light of a beneficial ideology.

The Zahiri school of thought confines itself to accepting the literal meaning of the foundational texts and does not study the true objectives of the Shariah beyond that. Consequently, it has no concern for human interests. Distinguished scholars have emphasized that the objective of the Shariah is to secure human welfare in this world and the Hereafter. In the words of Imam Ibn al-Qayyim: If any rule abandons what is beneficial in favor of what is harmful, forsakes wisdom and gives encouragement to foolishness, it has no connection whatsoever with the Shariah, even if, through a mistaken understanding, it is considered part of the Shariah.

Such an ideology may be acceptable in matters of custom or rules applicable to particular individuals, but this approach can never be acceptable in Shariah-based politics. For the foundation of Shariah-based politics should be flexibility and tolerance, taking into consideration changes in place, time, circumstances and people.

Although the proponents of the Kharijite ideology may be regarded as possessing the qualities of honesty and courage, they are narrow-minded, and their outlook on religion and worldly affairs is short-sighted. Moreover, they are violent in their dealings with others and are always obsessed with rejecting, accusing and suspecting everyone, even the workers of the Islamic Movement. They are full of praise only for their own opinions. This self-satisfaction is extremely dangerous.

Then there is the Taqlidi ideology, which is another name for blind imitation. The followers of this approach seek answers to their ideological, political and legal questions in the books written by the earlier imam-faqihs of their respective madhhabs. They never wish to move beyond their own boundaries. The followers of the madhhabs do not view the Shariah with a broad perspective. They judge matters according to their own methods and approaches, while showing no interest in the present age, contemporary developments or solving emerging problems. This kind of outlook narrows what Allah has made broad and makes difficult what Islam has made easy.

Unless the Islamic Movement can free its followers from these abnormal ideologies and their negative effects, and unless it nurtures and practices the new approach to fiqh on which we wish to focus—comprising the fiqh of approved practices, or Fiqh al-Sunan, the fiqh of the objectives of the Shariah, the fiqh of balance and the fiqh of priorities—the Islamic Movement will be unable to develop a reasonable political ideology.

Political Fiqh’s Incomplete Nature

The Islamic Movement’s flawed and abnormal ideas and decisions, as well as its abnormal method of exclusion, need to be corrected.

In the field of political fiqh, these strange ideas, rules and methods are particularly evident. In the past, they did not receive such importance even in matters of worship, transactions and marriage.

Various erroneous ideas and weak judgments have entered contemporary political fiqh. They have taken root in the minds of Islamists in such divergent ways that when one person applies a rule, it creates a difference between his legal provisions and those of another like the distance between east and west.

Some regard consultation, or Shura, not as a binding duty but merely as an exchange of information. Others grant the head of state the authority to declare war and conclude treaties without consulting the nation’s representatives. Yet another group considers democracy to be a doctrine of unbelief.

Again, there are people who believe that women have no place in Islamic politics and that their only place is their parental home. From there, they can go to one of two destinations—their husband’s home or the grave. According to this group, there is no question of women standing as candidates in local government or parliamentary elections; nor do women have the right to vote in elections.

There is another class of people who believe that Islam has rejected the multiparty democratic system. They believe that in a Muslim state, no party or group following any political ideology or viewpoint can exist.

When several religious brothers showed me an article by an enthusiastic writer entitled ‘Entering Parliament Is Against Tawhid,’ I was astonished. For the article declared that becoming a member of parliament was contrary to Tawhid. I noticed in it a strange confusion between practice and creed. Practice is concerned with right and wrong, not belief and disbelief. These matters are part of Shariah politics, in which the reward for Ijtihad is prescribed as two rewards when it is correct and one reward even when it is mistaken.

The Kharijites of that era made the same mistake by issuing a fatwa declaring Imam Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, an unbeliever over a worldly matter related to politics. The matter they incorporated into the fundamentals of religious belief was this: he had established human control over Allah’s religion, whereas no one besides Allah has the right to judge. The Imam answered their accusation in exceptionally clear language, saying: ‘A true statement has been used as a pretext to establish falsehood.’

Political Fiqh Application

The scholars of Afghanistan led the jihad with valor and courage. But I was astonished that some of them considered women’s education haram and likewise held the same view regarding the use of elections as a method for choosing popular representatives or the president of the state. They believed that setting a term for the president and making shura obligatory were haram.

When discussing these matters with me, some religious brothers who believed in these ideas said that the reason for the failure of the Islamic movement in the present age was the belief in concepts that they considered un-Islamic, and that we Muslims would not be able to succeed unless Islamic methods were used to achieve Islam’s objectives.

I asked them: If Muslims set a term for the president’s tenure in their own interests, what reason could there be for considering it haram?

They replied: This is contrary to the Muslim practice that has continued since the time of the first Caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him. No caliph was elected for a fixed term. In particular, the Rightly Guided Caliphs remained in power for life, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, instructed us to follow every practice of the Rightly Guided Caliphs strictly. It has been narrated in hadith that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, warned us about newly introduced matters, or innovations, saying: Every newly introduced matter or innovation in the religion is a deviation from the straight path. And this is a new matter invented by people ((Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)।

In response, I said that we have been commanded to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, before following the practice of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Since the Sunnah is the second source of Islamic law, whenever there is a disagreement on any matter, we must turn to the Sunnah alongside the Qur’an. A hadith narrated by al-Irbad states: Follow my Sunnah and the practice of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Therefore, first you must take refuge in the Sunnah of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.

Everyone knows that the Sunnah of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, consists of his words, actions, or approval of an action. His action may not be obligatory in every particular case; rather, it may merely indicate approval or authorization unless there is evidence accompanying it that places his approval at the level of an obligation.

For this reason, when the Rightly Guided Caliphs saw that, under changed circumstances, an action or measure taken by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, for a particular purpose would no longer serve the interests of the Muslims, they decided contrary to that action of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.

One example is that, after the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, conquered Khaybar, he distributed the spoils of war among the soldiers. But Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, did not do so after conquering the rural regions of Iraq, because he did not consider it appropriate in the circumstances of that time. Many Companions of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, presented arguments against Umar’s view, particularly because, in its literal meaning, his decisionSurah An-‌fal 41 th verse was contrary to the general rule stated in it. This verse says: And know that whatever spoils you acquire as booty, one-fifth of it belongs to Allah.

Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, remarked: I consider the wealth sufficient for people both now and in the future. Do you want future generations to find themselves in a situation in which nothing has been left for them?

This means that Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, made the above consideration with future generations in mind—an astonishing measure aimed at ensuring mutual dependence among the generations of the Muslim ummah. Thus, the present generation would not be able to live a luxurious life while ignoring the interests of future generations. The basis of the reasoning behind Hazrat Umar’s measure wasSurah Al- Hashr 10 th verse. It mentions the ruling on the distribution of spoils among the Muhajirun and the Ansar, stating: And those who came after them. Imam Ibn Qudamah, explaining the difference between the measures of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and Umar, said: Both did what they considered most appropriate for their respective times.

Although some actions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, are integral parts of the Sunnah, they are not obligatory for those who come later. His Companions sometimes acted contrary to them after taking certain circumstances into consideration. Then why should the actions of later Muslims be obligatory for those who will come after them?

No precedent can constitute a valid basis for legal obligation. A precedent is sufficient only for the particular place, time, and circumstances to which it relates. If these factors change, action must be taken on the basis of the changed circumstances.

The central point here is that, among the systems and rules inherited from the past, we must select what is suitable for our time, environment, and circumstances from within the scope of the foundational texts and the objectives of our generous Sharia.

The controversy over the alleged consensus of Muslim scholars against limiting the terms of rulers is quite misleading. There is no question of disputing the consensus that a ruler may reign for life. However, the issue of limiting the term of office has never been discussed or studied. It was entirely a matter of silence. It is said that no comment should be made about a silent person. Similarly, scholars should not be made parties to an issue on which they have reached neither a negative nor a positive judgment.

On the other hand, it is said that setting a term for the head of state is a newly invented matter, or innovation, in Islam, and that the unanimous ruling on this matter is that every innovation is deviation. We accept the second part of this statement—that every innovation means deviation—but there is no evidence for the first part: that such a decision falls within the category of innovation from the perspective of Sharia.

It is mistaken to think that Islam takes a position against every new thing or invention under the name of innovation. In reality, innovation can occur only through introducing something into purely religious matters, such as faith, worship, and their branches. But the changing affairs of life—such as customs, traditions, conventions, and administrative, social, cultural, and political systems—fall, in the terminology of the scholars, within the domain of “the people,” an explanation of which we find in Imam al-Shatibi’s book Al-I’tisam. This is why the Prophet’s Companions did many things that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself had not done, such as producing copies of the Qur’an, using registers and records, imposing land taxes, and building prisons. The Tabi’un, the Muslims who came after the Prophet’s Companions, likewise did things in their time that the Companions before them had not done, such as minting coins and introducing a postal service.

Muslims introduced many other things that had not even been heard of during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or his Companions, such as developing various branches of knowledge, including religious sciences, linguistics, and the humanities.

Sirah’s misguided application

One of the principal causes of errors and wrong judgments in political fiqh is confusion concerning the Sunnah and Sirah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In Islam, besides the Holy Qur’an, the Sunnah is a source of law. The Qur’an is the foundation and basis of the law, while the Sunnah is its explanation and application.

Some people, however, mistakenly place the Sirah in place of the Sunnah and cite events from the Sirah as though they were as binding as the Qur’an and Sunnah.

The Sirah is not synonymous with the Sunnah. This is because the Sirah contains detailed matters that have no relevance whatsoever to law. For this reason, the jurists did not incorporate the Sirah into the definition of the Sunnah. They said only that the Sunnah consists of what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, did, or approved. They did not include the Sirah here.

The hadith scholars, however, added to the Prophet’s words, actions, and approvals descriptions of what he looked like, how he conducted himself, and what his way of life was like. Without considering whether these matters were related to legal rules, they generally collected every detail concerning the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). They described in detail everything about the Prophet’s life, including his birth, care, upbringing, marriage, conduct, physical characteristics, and all other details relating to his birth and death.

What concerns us here is that some Islamic groups regard the Sirah as conclusive proof in support of a particular decision. They believe that it is binding on all Muslims. Here I would like to mention two points.

First, the Sirah includes many events transmitted from one narrator to another without conclusive evidence. This is because these narrators related the Sirah so casually that, when presenting accounts concerning the rules of Sharia and what is lawful and unlawful, they did not cite hadith sources.

Second, the Sirah is a picture of the practical aspects of the Prophet’s way of life (peace be upon him). None of the Prophet’s actions imposes an obligation; they merely indicate approval. Another proof is required to establish an obligation.

It is true that we are required to follow the example of the Messenger of Allah. It is declared in the Holy Qur’an: Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah there is an excellent example for you to follow (Surah Al-Ah‌zab: 21). Following the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in moral conduct, values, and general matters is obligatory, but not in details.

If it is possible and permitted to propagate the da‘wah openly, then there is no need for clandestine work in order to imitate the example of the Messenger (PBUH). Unless necessary, there is no need to leave our homeland and migrate to a safe place for the purpose of spreading the da‘wah of the faith merely to follow the example of the Messenger (PBUH).

For this reason, after the conquest of Mecca, it is no longer obligatory for every Muslim to migrate to Medina. For the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: There is no migration after the conquest of Mecca, except for jihad and an earnest desire for jihad; when you are called, you should go (Bukhari and Muslim). This means that migration to Medina is no longer required. However, if Muslims fail to establish the faith in a country, they are permitted to migrate from there.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) requested assistance from powerful tribes, and the tribes of Aws and Khazraj responded to his call. We no longer need to do this, because in this age that method is no longer sufficient.

Just because the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) carried out da‘wah work in Mecca for thirteen years, it does not mean that we too need to continue practicing faith and doing da‘wah work for thirteen years. For the Muslim community among whom we now live believes that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah. Therefore, we do not need such a long period to learn faith and creed.

If we now focus on matters such as social justice, shura, freedom, the Palestinian uprising, and the Afghan jihad, that will not be contrary to the guidance of the Messenger (PBUH). He was occupied with such matters in Medina. Before the Hijrah, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) lived in Mecca among an ignorant and polytheistic society that arrogantly rejected the da‘wah. Therefore, his first struggle with that society centered on tawhid and da‘wah. Our society is not similar. This society believes in Allah, His faith, and His Messenger (PBUH), although it may contain faults and deviations from Allah’s path.

Recovery of Muslim Territories

From its very beginning, the Islamic movement has adopted the recovery of all Muslim territories and the securing of liberation and independence as one of its most important programs. No sensible person can deny this.

Imam Hasan al-Banna said in one of his speeches: Our efforts and jihad are focused on two principal objectives—the Islamic ideal and Muslim territories.

He combined these two objectives because the ideal can be established only in an independent and free land where its values can be preserved and the provisions of its law implemented. This is the significance of the Islamic state, or Dar al-Islam. Islam survives within such a territory; from there its activities are conducted and guidance is given to the nation.

That is why the jurists of Islam have agreed that recovering and protecting all Muslim territories occupied by non-Muslims is a duty, and have declared that jihad is individually obligatory for the Muslims of those territories, while collectively all Muslims must certainly assist in this jihad with their lives, wealth, and weapons until their territories are liberated from the hands of the aggressors.

Therefore, if even a part of Muslim territory falls under the control of foreign aggressors, the Islamic movement cannot watch it like a silent spectator. There is nothing surprising about this. The Ikhwan headquarters in Cairo was also an operational center for the mujahidin and revolutionaries participating in the struggle against the occupiers in all parts of the Arab and Muslim world, from Indonesia to Morocco.

Hasan al-Banna once presented the Ikhwan’s national demands at a national conference. He spoke of building a Muslim homeland: a small homeland comprising Egypt and Sudan; a larger homeland encompassing the Arab world, extending from the Gulf to the Atlantic Ocean; and a still greater homeland encompassing the Muslim world, whose boundaries would extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean. He emphatically stated that freeing the greatest Muslim homeland from all forms of foreign influence imposed upon Muslims was an obligation for every Muslim and one of the Ikhwan’s principal objectives.

Hasan al-Banna placed Palestine at the top of the list as one of the foremost issues. Emphasizing it particularly, he urged the Muslim masses to focus their attention on the holy land of the prophets and messengers, the land of Isra and Mi‘raj, and to remain alert to the Jewish threat. For the Jews lie in wait to sink their vicious claws into this land. Arab and Muslim leaders are unaware of the web of conspiracy being woven against al-Aqsa Mosque, the first of the two qiblahs, even though al-Aqsa is enveloped in Allah’s mercy.

Hasan al-Banna wrote many articles to uphold Palestinian interests, led numerous marches, organized many meetings, recruited countless people, and collected substantial funds and weapons. His achievement in this regard can be sufficiently demonstrated by mentioning that the heroic struggle waged by his spiritual followers and fighters in the territory of Palestine in 1948 is recorded in history in letters of gold. Its truth was acknowledged by other commanders, including Major General al-Mawawi of the Egyptian army, and even by the Jews themselves. Many details of this glorious jihad are presented in the book ‘Al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun and the Palestine War,’ written by Kamal al-Sharif.

The Islamic movement has played its part in defending every interest of all Muslim peoples and confronting imperialism of every kind.

That is why the Islamic movement came forward to defend the interests of Afghanistan, the symbol of the first line of defense against Communist aggression. This interest was so profound that some thought the Islamic movement had perhaps forgotten the Palestinian cause. In fact, the Islamic movement has never forgotten Palestine and never will. For Palestine is the first and greatest Islamic interest, and its liberation is the first and greatest duty—a belief that the Afghan mujahidin also hold with all their hearts.

What is now needed in the Palestinian struggle is an Islamic banner around which people can gather and unite as one entity. This has occurred through the spread of the revolution in the mosques and through the popular uprising, or intifada, whose main slogans are ‘There is no deity except Allah’ (la ilaha illallah) and ‘Allah is the Greatest’ (Allahu Akbar). The steadfast, courageous, and vigilant Islamic resistance movement Hamas has transformed this uprising into an organized force.

Hamas is a symbolic institution of the faith of the Palestinian people, nurtured in ancient Muslim and Arab traditions. This people is still vigorous. With Allah’s help, it will never become lifeless until victory is achieved. A people possessing pure bodies and souls will carry forward the banner of jihad.

The movement must play a central role in every activity connected with Islamic interests. Wherever the call comes from, every appeal for assistance must be answered. The Islamic movement must join the jihad in Eritrea against Marxist Christian misrule. The junta there seeks to swallow Eritrea and hold the country as a colony, reducing its people to a slave class under a feudal system.

The Islamic movement must stand beside Sudan against the treacherous Christian racist rebellion. The Christians seek to impose their racist religious fanaticism throughout Sudan’s territory and isolate the country from the Muslim ummah and the Arab world.

Muslims must be supported against the biased Christian rulers in the Philippines. For the Christian junta seeks to exterminate the Muslims there and provide a place only for those who will accept a life of servitude—people who will be of benefit neither to themselves nor to others.

A helping hand must be extended to the Kashmiri Muslims in their struggle for self-determination until Kashmir becomes part of Pakistan or becomes independent, so that all the conspiracies of the Indian imperialists can be thwarted. In an attempt to erase the Muslim identity of this region and turn Kashmir into a base of conspiracy against Pakistan and the Muslim world as a whole, Indian imperialism is spreading irreligious education, immorality, and drug addiction.

The Islamic movement should support the Muslims against Somalia’s dictator. The country’s authoritarian junta is killing Muslim scholars and continuing to perpetrate oppression and persecution against anyone possessing a religious or intellectual character.

The Islamic movement must possess accurate information about these liberation movements. It is desirable that the Islamic movement be present at some level within the leadership and organizational structure of these liberation movements. Continuous work must be undertaken to eliminate distances among the various levels of the organization and achieve unity, and efforts must be made to remove minor differences of opinion in the interest of achieving the greater objective. The most serious symptom capable of damaging jihad is disunity among the groups. The Almighty Allah says: Surely Allah loves those who fight in His path in ranks, as though they were a solid structure (Surah Saff:’4 ))।

The Islamic movement must also assume responsibility for organizing the Muslims of the world for the Palestinian cause. For the Zionist movement has organized the Jews of the world in the interests of Israel. The Islamic movement must actively seek the support of conscientious people throughout the world for our just interests.

At present, it is absolutely essential to undertake such efforts from the platform of the Islamic movement. For the Palestinian struggle has now reached a critical stage. A conspiracy has been undertaken to settle Soviet Jews in the occupied territories, trampling upon Palestinian interests. The aim of this conspiracy is to realize the dream of Greater Israel, whose borders would extend from the Nile to the Euphrates, after which their desire is to expand as far as the Hejaz, Medina, and Khaybar.

Liberation Movements

The Islamic movement’s attention must not be focused solely on Muslim territories. Certainly, in accordance with the principles of Islam, Muslim territories may receive special importance in the interests of mutual interdependence and solidarity. But the Islamic movement must extend a helping hand to all those throughout the world, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, who are fighting for liberation from land occupation, imperialism, oppression, and injustice.

Islam emerged with a universal appeal for the liberation of humanity. Allah honored human beings by sending them to the earth as His vicegerents, and for this reason He subjected everything in the heavens and the earth to them.

Islam came to liberate people from servitude to any rebellious Taghut power and to prepare them to stand up against the Taghut.

The central message of the da‘wah of Moses (PBUH) was to liberate the Children of Israel from the oppression of Pharaoh, Qarun, and Haman. The purpose of the da‘wah of Muhammad (PBUH) was to liberate all humanity from the grip of every Pharaoh, Qarun, and Haman—those who place people in the chains of servitude and impose themselves as exceedingly powerful rulers without any right to do so. Such rulers behave arrogantly toward Allah’s servants, as though they share in Allah’s greatness and supremacy. They present themselves as gods and turn people into their slaves.

Through the Messenger, the Qur’an addressed rulers and monarchs, proclaiming the message of freedom in a clear and exalted voice: Come to a word that is just between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, that we associate no partner with Him, and that none of us take others as lords besides Allah (Surah Al Imran: 64))।

Rib‘i ibn Amir declared before Rustam, the commander of the Persian army: Allah has sent us to liberate people from the servitude of people, to bring them to serve Him alone, and to bring people from the injustice and wrongdoing of various religions to the justice of Islam.

The Almighty Allah sent His Book and His Messengers to the earth with the sole responsibility of establishing justice. In this regard, the Holy Qur’an says: Indeed, We sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and We sent down with them the Book and the balance so that people may uphold justice (Surah Hadid: 25).)।

Therefore, any oppression and injustice by one individual against another, by one group against another, or by one people against another—especially the oppression and injustice perpetrated by authoritarian and powerful people against the weak and oppressed—is essentially a violation of all divine revelations. For this reason, the Qur’an has issued a stern warning while severely condemning despots: But they began to seek victory and help, and every disobedient, obstinate tyrant was utterly defeated and destroyed. Before him lies Hell, and he will be made to drink boiling water mixed with pus and blood (Surah Ibrahim: 15–16)।

Thus Allah sets a seal upon the hearts of every arrogant tyrant (Surah Al-’Mu’min: 35)।

Therefore, enter the gates of Hell, abiding therein forever; indeed, how evil is the abode of the arrogant (Surah An-Nah‌l: 29)।

The Makki and Madani surahs of the Qur’an have severely condemned evildoers: Surely Allah does not guide those who are wrongdoers (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 51)।

Surely, the wrongdoers will never attain success (Surah Yusuf: 23)।

And We destroyed these towns when they committed wrongdoing (Al- Kah‌f: 59)।

These are their houses, lying completely in ruins because of their wrongdoing (Surah An- Nam‌l: 52)।

Such is the grasp of your Lord: He seizes the inhabitants of towns when they commit wrongdoing. Surely, His grasp is painful and severe (Surah Hud: 102)।

Then the roots of the wrongdoers were cut off. And all praise and thanks belong to Allah, the Lord of the worlds (Surah Al-’An’am: 45)।

And do not incline toward those who commit wrongdoing, lest the Fire touch you. You have no protector besides Allah; then you will receive no help anywhere (Surah Hud: 113)।

Islam has not merely declared oppression and injustice strictly unlawful and prohibited; it has commanded that they be resisted by every means. Those who do nothing to eradicate injustice will be deemed partners of the sinful on earth, and they will also have to suffer punishment in the Hereafter.

Even a nation that continues to commit wrongdoing and evil deeds openly and without hesitation, while no one protests or resists its misdeeds, is regarded by Islam as deserving divine punishment, and its destruction is inevitable. When Allah’s torment descends upon such a nation, no one will escape from it. The sinners will be punished for their sins, and the silent spectators for their silence. Allah the Exalted says: And beware of a trial that will not afflict exclusively those among you who do wrong; and know that Allah is severe in punishment(Surah al- An-‌fal: 25)।

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: If people see an evildoer committing wrongdoing but do not stop him, they come near to punishment from Allah, and that punishment descends upon all of them(Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban and Sahih al- Jami al- Saghir). Another hadith states: When you see my community become so fearful and intimidated that they do not tell any wrongdoer, “You are committing wrongdoing,” then you may give up hope in them(al- Hakim)।

All sinners fall within the scope of the aforementioned declaration. Whether their wrongdoing and injustice are directed against Muslims or against others, for every wrongdoing and evil deed is a sin.

There is nothing surprising in this either: Islam encourages every positive measure to resist wrongdoers and protect the oppressed and the weak. It even regards resistance and defense as worship and jihad in the path of Allah. The Holy Qur’an urges fighting against criminals and protecting the oppressed, saying: And what is the matter with you that you do not fight in the way of Allah and for those weak, oppressed and persecuted men, women and children who pray, “Our Lord, rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors, and appoint for us from Yourself a protector who will defend us, and send for us from Yourself someone who will help us”(Surah an- Nisa: 75)।

Here, the weak class refers primarily to the believers. Therefore, it is their prayer that is mentioned in this verse. But Islam does not support injustice against anyone, even if he is a disbeliever. A hadith states: Beware of the supplication and complaint of the oppressed, even if he is an unbeliever, for there is no barrier between their supplication and its reaching Allah(Ahmad and Sahih al- Jami al- Saghir)।

Once, upon hearing of a weak woman being persecuted by a powerful and cruel man in Abyssinia, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) remarked: How will Allah regard as pure a nation in which the rights of the weak are not wrested from the powerful (Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban and Sahih al- Jami al- Saghir)). It should be noted that Christian rule prevailed in Abyssinia at that time.

Indeed, the objective of Islam’s campaigns of conquest was to rescue oppressed and persecuted people from the tyranny of despots and the persecution of oppressors, and to liberate these peoples from the domination of the Persian and Roman emperors. That is why these people welcomed Islam and accepted it willingly.

In truth, it is the duty of those who possess faith and moral courage to encourage one another to resist the oppression of the weak and to help them until the rights of the weak have been fully restored by the oppressor. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) told us of such an experience. As a youth during the Days of Ignorance, he witnessed such an incident and became involved in it through the social welfare organization Hilf al-Fudul. This organization was formed by a group of honest, benevolent, and devoted people with the aim of standing beside the weak against the strong, so that the rights and dignity of the weak could be restored.

When Islam speaks out to protect the interests of innocent, voiceless animals, why would it not stand beside oppressed, persecuted, and abused people to secure their rights?

Muslim Minorities

The Islamic Movement must remain vigilant regarding the interests of Muslim minorities scattered throughout the world.

Important Information

In this regard, we must consider several factors, including the following:

1. Minorities constitute approximately one-fourth or more of the total Muslim population of the world. This information was found in a survey conducted by Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh approximately twenty-seven years ago.

2. Among these Muslim minorities, India’s Muslim minority constitutes the world’s second-largest Muslim community in terms of population. More than two hundred million Muslims live in India. This Muslim community has had a historical, scientific, and cultural impact on the Indian subcontinent and on Islamic culture in general.

3. Some so-called minority communities are in fact the populations of Muslim countries. Through the use of force, these countries were incorporated into certain neighboring large countries, so that their Muslim communities would be absorbed and become oppressed minorities within larger majority populations. Examples include the Muslim republics of the former Soviet Union: Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan. Surveys have proven that these countries are integral parts of the Muslim world.

4. Some Muslim communities have been presented as minorities in biased global statistics. The actual picture is completely the opposite. Genuine statistics show that Muslims are overwhelmingly the majority in the countries concerned, although false statistics deliberately report the Muslim population as smaller. In particular, the enemies of Islam portray Muslims in certain regions as minorities in order to achieve political objectives. The Muslims of Ethiopia are one of the most striking examples of this. Although Muslims are the majority in that country, they have been deprived of most basic human rights and kept underfoot.

What the Minorities Need

These minorities have much to receive from the wider Muslim world:

1. They need assistance for their religious institutions, especially educational institutions, so that their Muslim character can be preserved. In view of the terrible campaign launched by advocates and institutions of Christianization with the aim of eradicating Islam, this assistance is extremely urgent.

2. Basic Islamic books should be supplied to them as reliable sources of knowledge, presenting the fundamental beliefs of Islam, acts of worship, moral values, and rules and regulations in the languages of these Muslim minorities. They particularly need exegeses of the Holy Qur’an and several collections of authentic and reliable hadith.

3. It is essential to provide some students from Muslim minority communities with opportunities to study at Islamic universities in the Arab countries. There they will acquire knowledge and return to their own countries to devote themselves to spreading and propagating the teachings of Islam. As the Qur’an says: so that, when they return to their own people, they may warn them against wrongdoing (Surah al-Tawbah: 122)।

But regrettably, these universities have recently closed their doors to students from Muslim minorities in various countries. Yet this decision is dangerous for Muslim minorities, for Islamic da’wah in the countries concerned, and even for the Muslim ummah itself.

4. It is essential to provide Arabic-language instruction in minority countries and financial and other assistance to Arabic schools, yet the Arabs’ failure in this regard knows no bounds. Developed countries spend billions of dollars teaching their languages and use those languages to promote their civilizations and cultures. But the Arabs are inactive in this respect. When the promotion and expansion of the Arabic language is discussed, they cling to their treasuries. If Muslim minorities, out of love and devotion to their religion, the Messenger (peace be upon him), and their Book, had not established schools and colleges on their own initiative to learn Arabic as a foundation for the Qur’an, hadith, worship, Islamic culture, and cordial understanding within the Muslim ummah, we would not see a single Arabic speaker outside the Arab world.

Under the leadership of Prince Muhammad al-Faisal Al Saud and the direction of Dr. Tawfiq al-Sha’bi, the Association of Arab Schools has organized several useful courses for teaching and spreading the Arabic language in many countries of Africa and Asia, and has also provided assistance for this purpose to educational institutions. This initiative is praiseworthy.

5. Muslim minorities need preachers or missionaries and teachers who are proficient in the languages of the minorities. Living among them, they will educate the ignorant, advise those who have gone astray, answer various questions and issue fatwas, and bind people together through unity based on religious devotion, God-consciousness, harmony, and goodwill.

Of course, we must beware of destructive preachers. They not only harm society, but also ignite the fire of pointless argument and dispute, giving rise to hatred and hostility. Some of these preachers may have good intentions, but if ignorance accompanies those intentions, it causes more harm than benefit. An ancient proverb says: an educated enemy is less dangerous than an ignorant friend.

6. Meetings, visits, and discussions should be arranged between minorities and distinguished intellectuals, educators, and preachers. This will open new horizons of thought before them and revive their morale. Such visits, meetings, and symposia should be organized as frequently as possible, so that minority brothers living in various countries far from the heartland of the ummah do not feel neglected by the ummah’s mainstream or isolated from the empathy of the central thinkers and leaders of the Islamic Movement.

7. Perhaps their foremost need is to unite on a common front so that they can preserve their existence and religious identity. It is unfortunate that while minorities throughout the world are setting aside all differences and uniting to strengthen their existence in confronting majorities, Muslim minorities are constantly at odds with one another and wasting their time and effort on unnecessary and meaningless disputes, particularly religious polemics centered on issues of jurisprudence and creed.

It is the duty of all Muslims to stand beside one another in accordance with Allah’s command. For Muslims, this alone is sufficient: they possess a sense of unity from which they can begin. They are united in faith in Allah, the Messenger (peace be upon him), and the Holy Qur’an. I say this even though I know that the Muslims living in the heartland of the Muslim world themselves suffer many hardships and afflictions. How, then, can it be possible for minority Muslims living outside the Muslim world to have no grievances? If Muslims in Muslim countries themselves suffer oppression and injustice at the hands of rulers bearing Muslim names, how can we expect Muslims in non-Muslim countries under non-Muslim rulers—whether Christian, Communist, or pagan—to have no grievances?

A Nation Without Leadership

The most serious problem facing the Muslims and minority Muslims scattered throughout the world is that this vast and expanding population has no leadership capable of providing guidance to them in all matters.

Once we had the caliphate system, which united the Muslim nation under one flag. We had a caliph who represented the central leadership of the united ummah. The enemies of the caliphate system conspired against it and shattered this magnificent institution, the symbol of the unity of the Muslim nation. We no longer had a common identity, nor did we have a single flag beneath which we could gather.

We lost the caliphate system. But we were unable to devise any alternative system. Thus, we have had to carry on without any kind of leadership.

Christianity has its own leadership, recognized by its followers. It is an organized religious leadership with its own institutions, traditions, and personnel. Its financial resources rank third after those of the United States and Russia. Christian missionaries are spread throughout the world, including Muslim countries. But we Muslims have neither a revered caliph nor a pope. We are like an orphan whose knocking is met by every door being slammed in his face.

At one time there was an office known as Shaykh al-Islam. Although Islam had no official office by that name, some scholars were so learned, distinguished, respected, and pious that the Muslim people addressed them with this title out of reverence. Today’s scholars not only refrain from speaking the truth while keeping pace with the rulers, but also make misleading statements. As a result, the people have lost trust in many prominent shaykhs. Therefore, no scholar is now called Shaykh al-Islam. At the prompting of their masters, these scholars seize abundant resources and means and strive to isolate or disparage the true scholars who turn their backs on temptation, until the resistance of these true scholars is silenced and they become separated from the people.

The Movement’s Mission

The Islamic Movement must take up the reins of this lost leadership of the Muslim nation, with all its schools of thought and groups. Until a genuine Shaykh al-Islam worthy of obedience and support emerges from among them, the Movement will perform the role of leadership with the assistance of true scholars. And the Shaykh al-Islam who emerges in the future must have the capacity to call upon the broader Muslim ummah when necessary and must receive a response to that call.

Expatriate Muslims

In addition to Muslim minorities living in Europe, America, Australia and the Far East, the Islamic movement must also pay special attention to immigrants who have left Muslim countries.

Reasons for importance

Muslim immigrants are no longer few in number. Their numbers now run into the millions. In particular, France has a large North African population. Britain has Bangladeshis, Indians and Pakistanis. The presence of Turks in Germany is noteworthy. In the United States, the number of Muslims is significant because of the presence of Muslim Americans whose ancestors were abducted from Africa many generations ago. In addition, their numbers there have increased because of extensive immigration. There is no Western country without temporary immigrants who have gone there to study or work. Many others also go to those countries to settle permanently.

There are numerous recommendations from the Organization of the Islamic Conference to provide scholarships specifically for studying subjects in the fields of science and technology that are unavailable for study in certain Muslim countries. In addition, many male and female students go abroad every day to study, either at their own expense or at the expense of their countries. Others leave Muslim countries and head to Western countries in search of employment or for security or freedom. Surah al-Ankabut, verse 56, in which the Almighty Allah says: “O My believing servants, surely My earth is spacious, so worship Me alone.” The Islamic movement first began in the Western countries through Allah’s guidance; it was not initiated according to the plan of any Islamic organization. Young men and women went to the Western world in order to preserve their religion away from the conflicts and strife of their homelands and in the hope of attaining knowledge, freedom and security. There they found excellent opportunities to work and to spread dawah activities among immigrants, scholars and others from the East.

The presence of Islam in the West

In the present age, the presence of Islamic groups is necessary in societies that exert influence on world politics. The presence of Islamic groups is essential in Europe, South and North America, and Australia. The reasons are:

1. The presence of Islamic groups is necessary to spread the message of Islam among non-Muslims through gracious speech, rational dialogue, and exemplary conduct.

2. The existence of an Islamic community is essential for monitoring the conduct of new Muslims and nurturing their faith within an Islamic environment conducive to a sound Islamic way of life.

3. Newcomers, particularly scholars and immigrants, must be welcomed in Western countries, because these new Muslim arrivals will come into contact with the Ansar, who will receive them in their countries and come forward to help the newly arrived Muhajirun create an Islamic atmosphere.

4. The presence of Islamic groups is essential to protect the interests of the Muslim ummah and Muslim lands against the active opposition and propaganda of anti-Islamic forces.

It is not right that Christianity alone should continue to exercise unrestrained, exclusive dominance in these countries, or that only Judaism, as an opponent, should join hands with them in opposing Muslims. I conveyed this point several years ago to our Muslim brothers in America, Canada, Australia, and other countries. Of course, this task must be undertaken through sound planning, proper organization, and the fiqh of priorities. Therefore, we should strive to adopt the most suitable locations, the best programs, and the most effective strategies. Muslims should have their own social institutions and religious, educational, and recreational organizations in well-known countries and cities. There must also be scholars and religious leaders among expatriate Muslims so that expatriates can ask questions and receive answers, and so that the scholars can provide proper guidance whenever any disagreement or dispute arises.

Conservatism and Liberalism

I often tell the brothers living abroad: Try to preserve your small community within the larger society. Otherwise, you will be unable to maintain your existence and will disappear. For several centuries, the Jews have preserved their distinctive identity through their own ideas and rituals. Muslims, too, must preserve their distinctiveness.

I am not suggesting that we close our doors to the people around us. That would be tantamount to death. What is needed is to maintain contact with people with an open mind in order to convey the message of a unified ideal. This openness does not mean imitating others or following their every step.

For a long time, we have been hearing the complaint that Arab and Muslim talent is being drained away as many scientists and specialists emigrate because suitable opportunities are unavailable in their homeland.

If this complaint is true, then they must not, under any circumstances, lose their loyalty to their own religion, nation, culture, and homeland. We must continue every kind of effort to ensure their loyalty and sense of attachment to their people and country of residence. This is possible only when they remain loyal to Allah, the Messenger (peace be upon him), and Muslim interests. Such loyalty may also be expected if, rather than caring only about their own interests, they show sympathy for the suffering and hardships of their nation.

It is also the duty of the Islamic movement to ensure that immigrants do not become absorbed into the materialistic life of the West. Expatriates must also be made aware of where they came from.

Various Islamic student organizations have played an admirable role in this field over the past three decades. Before that, leftists, nationalists, and secularists had taken control of these organizations, and their activities were conducted under their direction. Those familiar with Islamic activities in the Western Hemisphere cannot deny the contribution of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) in the United States and Canada. It established branch offices in various places and organized several conferences. The Union of Muslim Sociologists, the Society of Muslim Scientists and Engineers, the Islamic Medical Society, the Islamic Society of North America, and other organizations emerged from the parent organization, the MSA. It was decided to keep the movement’s center in the United States in order to facilitate working from a normal position in society.

Expatriates’ duties

For several years, I attended conferences organized by the Union of Muslim Students. I find a source of joy in these events. The same is true of the Muslim Student Society of Britain, the Federation of Student Islamic Societies, and other organizations in Europe.

In my conversations and discussions with expatriates, I have always reminded them of five duties:

1. The expatriate’s own duty to oneself : to protect oneself and improve one’s skills.

2. Duty to the family: to protect the family from disintegration and run it on the basis of Islam.

3. Duty to one’s Muslim community : to unite them on a single platform.

4. neighbouring non-Muslim community’s toward duty:to invite them to the path of Allah through wisdom and excellent counsel.

5. Muslim Ummah’s interest-protection expatriate’s duty:to be attentive to their interests and extend a helping hand.

Cautionary matters

I would like to warn against two matters: racist and nationalist attitudes, and extremism and disagreement. Sadly, we see manifestations of racist and nationalist attitudes among several Muslim groups. Each such group keeps its own members separated from one another. The only exceptions are those whom Allah, through His mercy, protects from this wrong.

Even mosques are identified as belonging to different groups. There is nothing surprising about this. When you go to a city, you may be told that this is the Turks’ mosque, that one belongs to the Moroccans, the third to the Yugoslavs, the fourth to the Indians, the fifth to the Pakistanis, and the sixth to the Arabs or to some other Arab group. And in the United States, there are, of course, special mosques for Black Muslims.

Islam came to remove the various differences among people and place them on a footing of equality. The mosque is the means ordained by Allah for achieving this goal. How, then, can it become a means of division?

It is true that, at first, this separation was necessary because the first generation of expatriates did not know the local language. But until an understandable common language was cultivated among the various Muslim communities in each country or city, the situation could have been remedied by arranging separate lectures for each group in the same mosque. Although in most cases such separate arrangements have become unnecessary, some mosques have nevertheless remained identified with particular groups or ethnic communities. A mosque should be for all Muslims alone. And the banner under which all expatriates should unite must be the banner of Islam.

Expatriate Muslims will become strong only when they unite and come forward to help one another. For unity is strength, while disunity is weakness. Solidarity is always desirable, but it is even more necessary in foreign lands, where each person needs the company of someone like himself in order to overcome loneliness.

Secondly, I would like to warn against fanaticism and preoccupation with trivial details. Although this abnormal phenomenon has been observed for some time in Western countries, it is still in its early stages.

The Muslim brothers from the East should not import their disagreements and problems into the West. This would cause these negative aspects to raise their heads in their new homeland, because their circumstances of place, time, and context have changed. Expatriates have learned from their religious teachers that fatwas also change with changes in place, time, and context. So why should they not act according to what they have learned?

About ten years ago, I visited the Islamic Center in Los Angeles. There, some people with a negative attitude asked me, “Should films be shown in a mosque, even if they are educational?” I replied, “What harm is there in that?” If these films teach righteous deeds, watching them is an act of worship. And the mosque is a place of worship and a forum for acquiring knowledge and education.

I also said that the Messenger of Allah had permitted the Abyssinians to dance with spears in his mosque and had encouraged his wife, Lady Aisha, to watch their dance and urge them to continue.

Others asked, “May women who are not dressed in Islamic attire be allowed to enter the mosque to listen to sermons and admonitions?” I replied, “Yes. If we prevent them from coming to the mosque, where else will they hear Islam’s message and the word of Allah? If we bar them from entering the mosque and prevent them from listening to sermons and admonitions, we will lose them forever. The call to the faith will not reach them. But if they are given the opportunity to come to the mosque, it may be hoped that Allah will guide them to follow the path of Islam.”

While preparing this manuscript to send to the printing press, I received a letter from my respected brother, the scientist, poet, and advocate of Islam, Dr. Hasan. In the letter, he described a number of activities of the Islamic Center in Los Angeles and the work carried out there to help everyone, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Any Muslim who reads this letter will be delighted, for it clearly demonstrates that if people continue their efforts with sound understanding and sincere intentions, Islam will never disappear.

Political Freedom and Democracy

In the next phase, it is the duty of the Islamic movement to stand against autocratic and dictatorial rule, political arbitrariness, and the deprivation of the people’s rights. The movement must raise its voice for political freedom representing genuine, not sham, democracy. It must declare clearly that it does not recognize oppressive rulers and maintains no relationship with dictators. This remains so even if an oppressive ruler temporarily appears to show goodwill toward the movement in order to serve some interest.

The Messenger of Allah said: “When you see my Ummah become so frightened that they do not tell any wrongdoer, ‘You are doing wrong,’ then you may give up hope in them ((al- Hakim)). What, then, should be done about arrogant, oppressive rulers who force the people to say to them: ‘How just and how great you are, O our hero, our saviour, our liberator!’

The Qur’an not only condemned Nimrod, Pharaoh, Haman, and other oppressive rulers; it also reproached those who followed them and obeyed their commands. Almighty Allah, condemning the people of Noah, said: “And they followed people whose wealth and children caused them loss rather than prosperity” ((Surah Nuh: 21)।

The Almighty Allah also says concerning the people of Hud: “And they followed the command of every haughty tyrant” ((Surah Hud: 59)।

It is related concerning Pharaoh’s people: “They continued to follow Pharaoh’s command, and Pharaoh’s command was not at all right” ((Surah Hud: 97)). Elsewhere, the Qur’an says: “And they obeyed him. Indeed, they were utterly rebellious against Allah” ((Surah Zukhruf: 54)।

A close examination of the history of the Muslim Ummah and the Islamic movement in modern times makes it clear that Islamic thought, the Islamic movement, and Islamic awakening have neither developed nor become effective without a democratic and free environment. The movement and awakening have been obstructed because the people’s desire to hold fast to Islam was suppressed under the rule of despotic, oppressive rulers. In addition to secret persecution and public killings, dictators have used other cruel methods to forcibly impose socialism, communism, and secularism upon the people.

At various times, we have witnessed this cruel conduct under dictatorial rule in many Muslim states, including Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, South Yemen, Somalia, and the countries of North Africa.

On the other hand, the Islamic movement becomes effective and develops under freedom and democratic rule. After the fall of governments that had established a reign of terror and oppression over the people, the Islamic movement has been seen to regain vitality. Therefore, I cannot even imagine that the Islamic movement could support anything other than political freedom and democracy, while dictators allow every voice except the voice of Islam to be raised and permit every thought and ideology except Islamic thought and consciousness to be expressed, whether politically or in any other form. Yet Islamic thought speaks for the soul of this Ummah and gives expression to its beliefs in creed, values, consciousness, and existence.

Of course, some Islamists disagree with democracy. They are not even tolerant of the word “democracy.” Here I want to state emphatically that Islam is not democracy, nor is democracy Islam. Rather, I would say that Islam has no relationship with any other principle or system. In every respect—its objectives, approach, and method—Islam is unparalleled. I do not want Western democracy, along with its undesirable aspects, to find a place within Islam. Only by incorporating our own distinctive values and ideals can we integrate Western democracy into our broad framework.

However, the political principles that Islam implements in the world to rein in the desires and whims of rulers are quite close to the mechanisms and safeguards created by democracy. These principles are consultation, or shura; sincere counsel; enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; disobeying unjust commands; resisting disbelief; and remedying injustice and oppression by using force where possible. Only in democracy is parliamentary power clearly reflected within political freedom. If the constitution is violated, the people’s representatives can bring a vote of no confidence against any government. Only in such an environment are the greatest presence and influence of a free press, a free parliament, opposition parties, and the power of the people felt.

In this regard, many fear that democracy regards the people as the source of authority, even in the matter of making laws, although law belongs solely to Allah. This fear is unfounded, because the people we are speaking of are Muslim in their majority and have accepted Allah as Lord, Muhammad (peace be upon him) as Messenger, and Islam as their religion. It cannot be expected that these people would enact any law contrary to Islam, Islam’s inviolable principles, and its definitive rules and regulations.

Nevertheless, this fear can be dispelled by adding a clause stipulating that any law contrary to Islam’s inviolable laws shall be deemed void. For Islam is the state religion, and since the state is the source of the legitimacy of all institutions and customs, it cannot be violated.

It should be understood that acknowledging the principle that law belongs to Allah does not deprive the nation of its right to formulate the laws necessary for ever-changing life and worldly affairs.

We wish to formulate laws and regulations within the bounds of the foundational scripture, the Qur’an, the overall objectives of the Shariah, and the essential message of Islam. The number of obligatory commands and prohibitions is very small; on the other hand, the optional sphere, or the open scope for legislation, is very broad. The Qur’anic commands and rulings are so flexible and expansive that they allow for multiple understandings and the acceptance of multiple interpretations. As a result, several madhhabs and schools of thought arose within Islam’s broad framework.

Recently, I examined several laws introduced in Qatar and found that they included numerous clauses based on attaining benefit and avoiding harm. Yet, apart from one or two matters, these issues are not directly mentioned in the Qur’an.

The most serious threat to the Muslim ummah and the Islamic movement is Pharaoh-like law. The Pharaohs believed that their opinions were infallible and correct and could never be wrong. Such rulers adopt Pharaoh’s reasoning: “I show you only what I consider to be the right path, and I guide you only to the path of good” (Surah Mu’min: 29)।

These rulers reject and even denounce any opinion that opposes them, just as Pharaoh said about Moses (peace be upon him): “I fear that he will change your religion or cause corruption in the land” (Surah Mu’min: 26)।

Ethnic and Religious Minorities

The Islamic movement must adopt a definitive position toward the ethnic or racial and religious minorities of the Muslim and Arab world.

Solution to the Ethnic Minority Problem

In the Islamic system, ethnic or racial minorities are not a problem. Islam brings all racial groups together on one platform, based on one faith, one qiblah, and close brotherhood.

In Islam’s view, all Muslims are one nation, regardless of race, language, or homeland. Islam regards all Muslims—Arab, Persian, Berber, Kurdish, Turkish, Indian, or belonging to any other ethnic group—as equal. Even the lowliest among them has the right to speak in his own identity just like the highest-ranking person, and they stand against the enemy as one body and one soul. The Almighty Allah says about them: “The believers are but brothers” (Surah Hujurat: 10)।

Without taqwa, no Arab is superior to a non-Arab, no non-Arab to an Arab, no white person to a Black person, and no Black person to a white person. The Almighty Allah has said: “Indeed, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the one with the greatest taqwa” (Surah Hujurat: 13)।

The esteemed status of Sulayman of Persia (may Allah be pleased with him), Bilal of Abyssinia (may Allah be pleased with him), and Suhayb of Rome (may Allah be pleased with him) in the eyes of Muslims of every age is well known to all.

No scholar of Islam can deny the contributions that non-Arab scholars have made to Islam and the Arabic language. Islamic history is filled with examples of such renowned scholars and talented personalities, such as al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Sirin, Ata, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Abu Hanifa, al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, and others.

Although they were all originally non-Arabs, they came to be known as Arabs through Islam. Arabic became their language so that they could speak, write, and conduct research in the language of the Qur’an. A hadith narrated by Ibn Asakir states: One does not need Arab parents to be an Arab; language is sufficient. Whoever speaks Arabic is an Arab.

The hearts and minds of those who, like the Kurds, Berbers, Persians, Malaysians, and other non-Arabs, did not adopt Arabic as their mother tongue when they accepted Islam became Arabized under the influence of Islamic culture, that is, Islam. For, inspired by Allah, it was the Arabs who entered their lands many centuries ago bearing the message of Islam in order to guide them to the straight path.

Every Muslim loves the Arabic language because it is the language of the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and worship. Every Muslim loves the Arab lands because the Kaaba, the Prophet’s Mosque, and the blessed tomb of the Messenger (peace be upon him) are located there. Every Muslim loves the Arabs because they are the vigilant guardians of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and Islam, and they spread Islam throughout the world. An ancient proverb says: When the Arabs are strong, Islam will also be strong; when they are weak, Islam will also be weak.

From Islam’s perspective, there is no ethnic or racial problem; rather, the Islamic viewpoint can provide an infallible solution to ethnic or racial problems. But if the Arabs call for Arab nationalism, which has no connection with Islam, then the Kurds will demand Kurdish nationalism, the Berbers will raise the slogan of Berber nationalism, and if this continues, one ummah will undoubtedly be torn apart. Even in the individual countries, ethnic sentiments like those of the Days of Ignorance will rise up, the narrow-mindedness that was conquered only through Islam and Islamic brotherhood. Our great Prophet (peace be upon him) severed relations with anyone who raises the call of blind nationalism or tribalism, fights for it, or dies for it.

Minority Problem Solution

Due attention should be given to solving the problem of religious minorities. In an article, I referred to them as non-Muslim communities within Muslim society. The problems of non-Muslim communities should be addressed openly and with an open mind, not through political ulterior motives and hypocrisy.

I have discussed the Islamic viewpoint toward these minorities in my research book, ‘The Inevitability of the Islamic Solution.’ Without repeating it, I will briefly present a few of its points:

First, secularists, who generally have allegiance to neither Islam nor Christianity, allege that the Islamic solution and Islamic law are contrary to the freedom of non-Muslims. These allegations have no basis. For they either forget or ignore another important, indeed more significant, aspect. That is, abandoning Islamic law and the Islamic solution in the interest of non-Muslim minorities is contrary to the principle of the freedom of the Muslim majority to follow its religious commands. When the rights of a minority conflict with the rights of the majority, which right will receive greater importance?

The argument of democracy, which secularists loudly support, is that the rights of the majority will take precedence over the rights of the minority. This is the rule followed in all countries of the world. No system that everyone would support has yet been devised, because people were created with diverse inclinations. Everyone can never accept the same thing. For a system to be established, it is sufficient that the majority of people accept it and that it does not commit any injustice or wrongdoing against minorities or violate the religious laws of minorities. If Christian and other religious communities relinquish their rights so that Muslims may conduct governance according to their religion and enforce His law in the hope of Allah’s mercy, they will suffer no loss.

If religious minorities do not do this and pressure the majority to relinquish its rights, that would amount to imposing the dictatorship of the minorities upon the majority. For example, it would be like thirty hundred thousand minorities ruling over forty million members of the majority. Such a situation is unacceptable by either religious or secular reasoning. Moreover, there can be no question of the Muslim majority relinquishing its rights, because that would amount to apostasy, and the punishment Allah has ordained for it is Hell.

Second, the aforementioned allegation of secularists is based on the assumption that there is a conflict between the rights of the Muslim majority and those of non-Muslim minorities. In reality, there is no conflict between the two. If a Christian can be a citizen under secular rule, rather than religious rule, then there is no logical reason for him to object to living under Islamic rule.

Moreover, a Christian who correctly understands his religion should welcome Islamic rule. For the foundation of such rule is Almighty Allah, His revelation, and the reward of the Hereafter. This rule seeks to establish the values of faith and morality proclaimed by all the prophets and messengers. Islam regards Jesus (peace be upon him), Mary (peace be upon her), and the Gospel with respect, and grants special status to the People of the Book. Therefore, how can the followers of a religion that acknowledges Allah, His prophets and messengers, and the Hereafter fear a rule inspired by divine law and by moral and human values? Yet believers in Christianity are neither afraid nor anxious under irreligious secular rule, a rule that hates all religions and, even if it ever permits religious practice, confines it within a small sphere of life?

It is best for believing Christians to accept Islamic governance after considering it like all other systems of government. Muslims, on the other hand, regard this system of governance as their religious system, through which they hope to attain Allah’s pleasure and nearness to Him.

This is indeed better for Christians. For, in the words of Hasan al-Hudaybi, as a result of this belief, Muslims will remain vigilant so that no error or mistake occurs in enforcing Islamic law. They will feel that they are under Allah Almighty’s watchful gaze, and thus no fear of any ruler will find a place in their hearts—a fear that can generally be overcome.[Muslim Brotherhood’s former General Guide Hasan al- Hudaybi’s ‘Our Constitution’ book from।]

Thus, Islamic governance has been welcomed by the prudent and broad-minded as an insurmountable barrier to the advance of materialism. For materialism, under the patronage of world communism, has threatened all religions. The renowned thinker Farris al-Khouri said as much.

I would like to correct a misconception here. Many people think that the man-made laws imported from the Christian West are related to Christianity. This is undoubtedly a misconception. Those who study the origins and historical sources of law know this very well. The truth is that Christianity and its followers are closer to Islamic fiqh than these Western laws, for two reasons: religious reasons on the one hand and the influence of the surrounding environment on the other.

Third, the allegation that, in practice, Muslim rule will compel non-Muslims to engage in activities contrary to their religious beliefs is also false. The four branches of Islam are faith, worship, moral values, and Shariah. Islam in no way imposes its beliefs or worship upon non-Muslims.

There are two clear verses in the Qur’an concerning this matter, one revealed in Makkah and the other in Madinah. In the first verse, Almighty Allah addresses His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, saying: “Will you compel people until they become believers”(Surah Yunus: 99)?

In the second verse, Allah Almighty has declared even more clearly: “There is no compulsion in religion”(Surah al- Baqarah: 256)।

The Companions of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, used to say regarding Ahl al-Dhimma [Ahl al-Dhimma means non-Muslim subjects residing in a Muslim state।]—“Let them remain in their religion.”

Since the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, Jews and Christians have enjoyed their rights, including worship, without hindrance. The treaties concluded between Muslims and them during the rule of Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, are proof of this. One notable example is the treaty concluded between Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and the people of Jerusalem.

Islamic laws are so judicious that zakat is not collected from non-Muslims, nor are they required to participate in jihad, since both are among Islam’s principal acts of worship. Zakat is a form of financial tax, while jihad is military service. Instead, Islam imposes another type of tax on non-Muslims, which in Islamic terminology is called jizya. Women, children, the poor, and the disabled, however, are exempt from this tax.

If anyone is unwilling to accept the word jizya, let them call it whatever they wish. The people of the Arab Christian tribe of Banu Taghlib asked Umar ibn al-Khattab for permission to pay double zakat instead of jizya. Umar agreed and signed an agreement with them to that effect. In this connection, he remarked: “These people are foolish; they accept the meaning but reject the name.”

Regarding Islam’s moral values, it may be said that they are not different from those of other religions. For morality is the same in the view of all religions.

In Islam, ahkam, or Shariah, has a specific meaning: those laws that regulate mutual relations among people. These laws determine the relationship of the individual with the nation, his community, and his state, and also regulate the relationship of the state with its citizens and with other states.

In matters concerning family and marital relations, such as marriage and divorce, non-Muslims may choose either their own religion’s law or ours. They are not obliged to accept the provisions of Shariah. For example, in matters of inheritance, they may choose to follow Islamic law if they wish. Christians in some Arab countries have voluntarily accepted it. If they do not wish to apply Islamic law in their lives, it will not apply to them.

For this reason, it is desirable for Ahl al-Dhimma to have their own courts, where they may seek justice. They may also seek recourse to Islamic courts. There are precedents for this in history.

In other areas, such as civil, commercial, or administrative law, non-Muslims, like others, are subject to any law originating in the East or the West and recognized by the majority.

Thus, we see that Islam has not compelled non-Muslims to abandon any essential aspect of their religion, nor has it instructed them to do anything forbidden by their religious beliefs. Nor has it compelled them to believe in anything contrary to their religion.

There are only certain matters that are forbidden in Islam but regarded as lawful by non-Muslims, such as wine and pork. Even lawful matters may be avoided by individuals or groups according to their free will. Thus, Christians will not be guilty according to their religion if they give up drinking wine. I cannot imagine any religion encouraging the drinking of wine and approving of drunkenness caused by addiction. What the Bible says about wine is that drinking a small amount is good for the stomach. For this reason, Christians themselves are divided over drinking wine.

A Christian can go through his entire life without taking a single bite of pork. For eating it is not a religious practice, nor is it an age-old custom handed down by the prophets and messengers. Pork was also forbidden in Judaism before Islam.

Of course, many ulama have held the view that Christians may eat pork and drink alcohol within their own areas, and may even conduct trade in both commodities among themselves. However, these must not be spread among the Muslim community, nor may Muslim sentiments be disregarded through them. This is unparalleled tolerance. [my written ‘The Evidences of the Islamic Solution and the Ambiguities of Secularists and Occidentalists’ book’s ‘Religious Minorities and the Islamic Solution’ titled chapter।]

Dialogue and the Movement

In the next phase, the Islamic movement must not remain confined merely to resolving its own problems. The scope of the movement must certainly be broadened so that attention can also be directed toward the problems of others.

Many Islamic writers and thinkers write only for themselves—that is, for those who follow their initiatives and engage in propagating their views. They seem unable to cross this boundary of speaking only among themselves, as though there were no one else in the world besides them. If they do emerge from this circle, they write only for other Islamic groups that share their views on Islam and da‘wah, though they employ different strategies and different schools of thought.

When they leave the second circle, they write only for religious people in general, whether or not these religious people belong to any group or movement.

Now that the Islamic movement has reached a desirable stage and its foundation has broadened, it is appropriate to turn its attention to those who differ in ideology and thought. They should not be left to the inherited ignorance of the ancient past, disbelief in Islam, and the hands of propagandists, without attempting to guide them toward the right direction or show them the path of light.

Therefore, this is the appropriate time to end the Islamic movement’s self-imposed isolation, so that the movement can regard all Muslims as part of it and begin dialogue with them first. Thereafter, it is essential to initiate dialogue between, on the one hand, the movement and these like-minded Muslims and, on the other, those who oppose or even compete with them. In reasonable, calm, theoretical dialogue, those who hold the faith in contempt will become interested, those who are anxious will become reassured, and those who are caught in the turmoil of uncertainty will regain confidence. Even the hostile animosity of those who harbor it may come to an end. The Almighty Allah says: It may be that Allah will establish friendship between you and those among whom you have enmity; Allah is All-Powerful and Most Forgiving, Most Merciful(Surah al-Mumtahanah: 7)।

I would like to mention a symposium held in Amman, Jordan, to which I had been invited. The subject of discussion was ‘The Islamic Awakening and the Arab World’.

Muslims, Christians, Communists, and nationalists of every persuasion took part in the symposium. When I consulted several religious brothers about the symposium, they expressed the opinion that I should not attend. Their reason was that my presence at such symposiums, organized without following a genuinely Islamic course, might grant them legitimacy. But I paid no attention to such apprehensions or purely imaginary matters. Such imaginings are like seeing a ghost in a mustard seed. I accepted the invitation and submitted a paper to the symposium. It was later published as a separate book.

There, in the presence of several Islamic thinkers, including myself, Dr. Hasan al-Turabi, Fahmi Huwaydi, and Kamal al-Sharif, the views of the Islamists, articulated through the moderate Islamic trend, exerted a highly significant influence. It should be noted that I believe in the moderate Islamic trend and speak out in its support. Despite the small number of Islamists at the symposium, their influence was the greatest, and their statements attracted the most attention.

I will never forget what a nationalist Christian speaker said. At the dining table, he told me, “Our view of you has completely changed.” I asked, “What did you think of me?” He replied, “That you were a radical and a religious fanatic.” I said, “Where did you get that impression?” He answered, “I do not know, but, frankly speaking, that was our view of you.” I asked, “And now?” He said, “Now, as a result of what we have learned by observing you, discussing matters, and communicating directly, our mistaken view of you has completely changed. We now see that you respect reason. Your thinking is rational. You know how to listen to the opinions of others. For you are not stubborn or obstinate; rather, you are extremely flexible and tolerant.”

By relating this incident, I wish to say that direct communication and reasonable, calm dialogue conducted on an equal footing are necessary in the interests of the Islamic movement. The movement will benefit from this; it has absolutely nothing to lose.

I myself testify, based on my experience at all the meetings and gatherings attended by Islamists and non-Islamists together. The most recent symposium of this kind was held in Algeria. The subject under discussion was ‘Issues of the Islamic Future’.

Therefore, we can say that the slogan of the Islamic movement in the next phase should be, ‘Dialogue with Others Is Welcome.’ By others, I mean those who disagree with the Islamic movement regarding its objectives, methods, outlook, ideals, and even religious beliefs. The movement should welcome dialogue with all those who hold differing views. And dialogue with those with whom discussions have already begun must be continued.

The movement should also strive to obtain the support of all Islamic forces that share its views. It must also win the support of groups or individuals possessing intellectual and theoretical influence. The Qur’an has commanded dialogue with those who disagree with us. We have also been urged not to regard them as beyond hope and not to consider ourselves separated from them. The Qur’an states: Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and debate with them in the best manner(Surah al-Nah‌l: 125)।

What the Qur’an instructs is that argument and dialogue should be conducted in the best manner and by the best methods, so that conviction in the mind and awakening in the heart may be ensured. A remarkable manifestation of the Qur’an’s mode of expression is reflected in this verse. From the Qur’an’s perspective, da‘wah must be carried out excellently, but only reasoning and discussion presented in the best manner can be acceptable. This is because da‘wah is generally extended to one who has already agreed, whereas an argument must be advanced to one who does not agree. Thus, in every circumstance, it is appropriate to present da‘wah or an argument in the best possible manner.

Dialogue with Secularists

Dialogue with secularists is also included among the necessary dialogues—those secularists who are rational, reasonably good people, willing to listen to the Islamists, and who try to understand their objectives and program.

These secularists are essentially Muslims. Many even take pride in identifying themselves as Muslims. Some observe Muslim religious practices, perform the prayer, fast, and perhaps perform Hajj and Umrah. But their problem is that, like many cultured people, they never try to understand Islam correctly. This is because they have never had the opportunity to learn Islam from original or authentic sources, or to meet a reliable scholar or thoughtful person. Rather, they have formed their understanding of religion from Orientalists or Christian missionaries and their disciples and associates. Alternatively, they have developed an understanding of Islam from the present extreme misery of Muslims, or from hearing or reading about misguided people who are extremists or claim to be followers of Islam.

Nevertheless, their upbringing, education, and way of life never gave them the opportunity to know pure and genuine Islam. This painful past and present, with its misconceptions, misapplications, and abuses, has harmed Islam.

Alongside the splendor of Western civilization, which has reached its zenith, the dark situation prevailing in the Muslim world has become an excuse for secularists to misunderstand Islam, Islamic Shariah, and the Islamic way of life. Consequently, they believe that the way to escape the present dual crisis is to follow the Western path in order to achieve progress. For, having freed itself from religion, religious rites, and the clergy, the West embarked on the path of discovery, invention, production, construction, and creation by relying solely on science, and harnessed the forces of nature for human happiness and prosperity.

In the summer of 1985, at the invitation of the Physicians Association, we began a historic dialogue with secularists at Dar al-Hikmah in Cairo. I and Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali represented the Islamists in it, while their sole representative was Dr. Fuad Zakaria.

Journalists and the intellectual community warmly welcomed the symposium, because it reflected the importance of dialogue among different sides sharing the same homeland.

Many writers, including Fahmi Huwaydi, highlighted some positive aspects of this meeting. The most significant aspect was that each side heard the other side’s views directly. However, I noticed one flaw in this gathering: instead of being a dialogue between Islam and the secularists, the symposium turned into a debate.

Debate creates tension, especially when there is a large audience. Moreover, the representative of the secularists in this dialogue was a stubborn man who possessed not the slightest flexibility, tolerance, or courtesy. Consequently, he lacked the disposition to listen to the opposing view—a view from which he could have learned something about Islam. I must say with regret that his ignorance of Islam was profound.

Having realized the weakness of his statements and the hollowness of his arguments, he began writing articles in his supporters’ newspapers containing intensely hostile criticism of all the listeners in general, and of the Islamists and me by name in particular. In response to this criticism, I explained the issue in its entirety in my book Islam and Secularism: Face to Face.

I once again call for dialogue, not debate. The word “debate” itself contains a tone of challenge and an attitude of wanting to win. Consequently, each side tries to crush the opposing side forcefully.

I do not think much good will come from this kind of debate. For in a debate, neither side is likely to want to make concessions or withdraw from its position; rather, it may become even more stubborn and intolerant.

Debate may become acceptable to the Islamic side only when it feels embarrassed in the face of the opponent’s challenge. At that point, the Islamists have no option but to accept the challenge in order to avoid being accused of fleeing from conflict and retreating from the battlefield out of fear. But the principle of dialogue is to observe proper courtesy, as the Qur’an says: “Argue in the best manner.”

Rulers with Dialogue

Another type of dialogue is needed: dialogue with prudent, rational rulers—rulers who, while adopting a dissenting position, do not take an aggressive stance against Islam. Dialogue with rulers who adopt dissenting views and stand against Islam is futile, because they want nothing good except Islam’s extinction and total destruction. But Allah says: “They wish to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow this except to perfect His light, even though the unbelievers hate it.” ((Surah al-Tawbah: 32)।

There is another type of ruler who does not hate Islam but fears it. In most cases, this fear results from their ignorance of the reality of Islam, Islamic Shariah, and the nature of da‘wah. Many of them may be excused because they have had no opportunity to learn what Islam really is, nor have they been able to acquire knowledge from sound sources and reliable scholars. In this respect, they may be placed in the same category as the cultured and distinguished figures mentioned earlier. Various ideas have become tangled in their minds, and real events and fictional tales seem alike to them.

By the will of Almighty Allah, if we can explain true Islam to these rulers as a comprehensive whole rather than in fragments, as a pure doctrine without distortion, and as an easy matter rather than a difficult one, while highlighting its beneficial aspects, they will understand that Islam is beneficial for the life of the individual, the family, and society, and that it seeks to eliminate every evil activity in order to preserve the nation’s moral strength and material prosperity. If they accept this explanation with open minds, they will certainly change and adopt a different view of Islam and da‘wah, whether partially or completely. For rulers are human beings like us. Thus, change, influence, and understanding can arise within them in a way that ultimately brings change to their ideals and conduct as well.

History is full of examples of rulers whose attitudes changed under the influence of genuine religious scholars and learned men. Many rulers adopt an apprehensive attitude toward Islam under the influence of the false warnings of their scheming advisers or as victims of the plots of foreign “devils.”

We must approach these rulers by building on whatever sound judgment remains in their hearts and awakening the Muslim blood that still flows through their veins. They must be assured that, even if only temporarily, they will be allowed to remain on their thrones or in power if they grant freedom for Islam’s da‘wah activities—activities whose mission is to shape young people through moral values, awakening, and pure character; to protect them from intoxicants, narcotics, and prostitutes; and to oppose destructive policies harmful to both rulers and ruled.

There is nothing wrong with such a pact or understanding with rulers, even if the movement does not approve of their conduct or of maintaining relations with others. For the movement, guided by the fiqh of balance, believes that this principle is better than disregarding rulers or maintaining continual hostility toward them.

In this connection, I would like to issue a warning. Such an approach should in no way be sycophantic toward these rulers or merely insincere “lip service.” There is a vast difference between compromise and hypocrisy.

Dialogue with the Western-oriented camp

Dialogue between the Islamic movement and the West is essential, although many obstacles and difficulties stand in its way.

There are several differences between us and the West. There is a difference in religion. The West is essentially Christian, while we are Muslims. There is a difference in outlook. The West is materialistic and pragmatic, while we are spiritual and idealistic. There is also a difference in politics. The West generally supports Israel and opposes us, although this attitude may vary from one Western country to another according to its capabilities and position.

Nevertheless, we cannot avoid dialogue with the West. Whether we like it or not, it is a fact that the West has ruled the world for centuries. Its civilization prevails in the present world. It has ruled various countries of ours and occupied our lands for different periods. Later, it left the occupied countries, voluntarily or against its will, but it still exercises direct or indirect influence over us. It exerts influence, in one way or another, over our decision-makers. Its influence over the mentality and wishes of our rulers cannot be denied either.

Moreover, no people can become isolated from the world around them and live in an imaginary world based solely on their own religious beliefs and principles. In the field of communication, continuous technological change has, in the words of one writer, turned the earth into a global village.

Therefore, dialogue with the West is an indispensable duty for us, so that we can explain to Westerners what we want for ourselves and for others. For we are advocates of an ideal, not plunderers; bearers of a message of welfare, not carriers of evil; advocates of peace, not warmongers; supporters of fairness and justice, not abettors of wrongdoing and injustice.

Our aim is to guide confused humanity to the path of Allah and to connect worldly life with the life of the Hereafter, the earth with the heavens, and people with one another, so that a person likes for others what he likes for himself and does for others what he hates for himself—so that humanity may be freed from the common ailments of all nations: envy and hatred. These ailments strip humanity of religion.

We know that the West still views us through a gloomy lens, a lens that has tainted its attitude toward us since the time of the Crusades and that still resides in the hearts of most Westerners.

Many impartial Western thinkers, including the French philosopher and sociologist Gustave Le Bon, have acknowledged this. He stated it openly in several footnotes to his book The Civilization of the Arabs. When a Western scholar studies Islamic subjects, he loses his natural, impartial character and becomes biased and hostile to Islam. He may not even realize it, although these scholars judge other issues with a natural and impartial mind. More recently, the Orientalist Montgomery Watt said the same thing in his book What Is Islam?

We also see this Crusading spirit rearing its head in various fields at different times. Its influence is also evident in the West’s attitude toward aggressive Israel and the Palestinian people who are victims of aggression. This influence can be seen in the West’s attitude toward Christian Lithuania and Muslim Azerbaijan of the Soviet Union.

This sign is also evident in the actions of French, Spanish, and Italian officials. Alarmed by the spread of Islamic consciousness in Algeria, they carried out deliberate activities. This attitude of the West is also observable regarding South Sudan, Eritrea, Kashmir, the Philippines, and other political issues.

We have also observed this influence in certain social issues. The most important among them is Salman Rushdie—the Rushdie who changed his guise and betrayed his own religious beliefs and his people. This influence is also evident in the hijab issue in France. How can a country claim to be the “birthplace of liberty” when it could not tolerate several Muslim girls observing the religious dress code out of modesty, to attain Allah’s pleasure and to escape Hell? The country reputed to be the land of freedom and human rights did not grant girls the right to seek Allah’s pleasure even in a purely personal matter.

It is unfortunate that the spirit, outlook, and circumstances of the Crusades still exist in such a form that their extent is difficult to measure. Even Turkey—a country that, for nearly three-quarters of a century, eagerly imitated the West, shed blood by the sword, imposed Western-imported secularism upon Muslims, and banished Islamic Shariah everywhere—failed to receive Western support when it applied for membership in the European Common Market. The Chancellor of West Germany, explaining why Turkey’s application had been rejected, said that Turkey had a culture different from that of the West: they were bearers of Muslim culture, while we were bearers of Jewish and Christian culture.

Despite all this, we cannot become disappointed or despair of the West. Nor can we abandon it on the assumption that it may never be brought into dialogue. Although our civilization differs from theirs, can there be dialogue without two sides? Therefore, dialogue can take place precisely through civilization. The renowned thinker Roger Garaudy referred to the matter in these terms: not a clash of civilizations, but a dialogue among civilizations.

Then why should we not engage in dialogue with the West, when the Qur’an has urged us to engage in dialogue with those who hold different views? In this way, dialogue has been made a means of inviting people to the path of Allah.

Furthermore, the Qur’an mentions a dialogue between Almighty Allah and His vilest creation, Iblis. Almighty Allah did not close the door of dialogue even in the face of the accursed Satan.Surah Sad–verses 71–to 85  state: It is narratedAnd remember when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I am going to create a human being from clay. So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down in prostration before him.” So the angels prostrated—all of them together—except Iblis. He acted arrogantly and became one of the disbelievers. Allah said, “O Iblis! What prevented you from prostrating to that which I created with My own hands? Are you being arrogant, or are you among the exalted?” Iblis said, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.” Allah said, “Then get out of here, for surely you are expelled. And surely My curse will remain upon you until the Day of Judgment.” He said, “My Lord, grant me respite until the Day when the dead will be resurrected.” Allah said, “Indeed, you are among those granted respite until the appointed time.” He said, “Then by Your might, I will surely mislead them all, except Your chosen servants.” Allah said, “The truth is—and I speak only the truth—I will surely fill Hell with you and all those among them who follow you.”

Dialogue with the West should take place at several levels. This dialogue may be religious, intellectual, and political.

Religious dialogue

Religious dialogue between Islam and Christianity can take place with various objectives in view. The most notable are:

1. Confronting atheistic and materialistic thought: the thought that vehemently opposes divine revelation, mocks belief in the unseen, and denies Allah, His prophets and messengers, His punishment, and moral values. This dialogue will also confront permissive social mixing and moral degradation, which have almost completely destroyed the noble human qualities bestowed by revelation.

2. Identifying the points of unity between the two religions. In explaining how to speak with the People of the Book, the Qur’an instructs: “We believe in the Book that has been revealed to us and that which has been revealed to you. Our God and your God are one, and to Him we submit as Muslims” (Surah Al-Ankabut: 46)।

3. Beginning a new chapter of better and purer relations by normalizing the hostile relations created by the past Crusades and present imperialism, while fostering fraternity, humanity, and benevolence. This includes ending the Church’s support for the Christian side in conflicts between Muslims and Christians. Such conflicts occur in South Sudan, the Philippines, and other regions. Indeed, the Church even supports communists and idolaters against Muslims.

I know that many Islam-oriented people are suspicious of this kind of dialogue. They believe that an invisible hand operating behind the dialogue uses it for a particular purpose. For they believe that, since Muslims are undoubtedly the weaker party in dialogue, a powerful opponent uses them without their knowledge. Therefore, anyone who participates in such dialogue is accused of being a fool or an agent.

I believe that such suspicion is unfounded. In some cases their suspicion may be correct, but not in every case or at all times. Why should we lose so much confidence in ourselves? Why should we think of ourselves as the weaker party? We are strong with everything we possess. Why should we assume that anyone who participates in dialogue has forfeited his right to faith and surrendered to the other side? What is important is that we enter into dialogue after ensuring that those who represent us stand on a firm foundation, and with the conviction that dialogue is preferable to conflict or a mentality of retreat.

In fact, dialogue is one of the principal strategies of the mission that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) initiated through his historic letters sent to Heraclius, al-Muqawqis, the Christian ruler of Egypt, the Negus of Abyssinia, and other rulers among the People of the Book. He concluded these letters with this verse: “O People of the Book! Come to a common word between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, associate no partners with Him, and that none of us take others as lords besides Allah. But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’” (Surah Aal Imran: 64)।

Recently, a dialogue of this kind was held, with positive results. Ustadh Muhammad al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) told us about it. The dialogue took place in Rome between the Muslim World League and a Vatican delegation. The League’s delegation was led by its Secretary-General, Sheikh Muhammad al-Harkan. Maruf al-Dawalibi and Muhammad al-Mubarak were also with him.

As a result of this dialogue, each side’s image improved in the eyes of the other. This was particularly true of Islam’s image, concerning which an unjust and hostile attitude had been held. At times, this was also reflected in Muslim-Christian relations.

Another dialogue took place in Libya between several Muslim intellectuals and senior Church members. Dr. Izz al-Din Ibrahim reported that it too produced good results. He also participated in it. I read the paper he presented at the dialogue. Its argument was highly reasoned and balanced. It contained no trace of extremism or arrogance.

Intellectual dialogue

Alongside religious dialogue with the West, another complementary dialogue is essential: dialogue with Westernists and Orientalists who are interested in studying Islam, the Qur’an, the Messenger, religious beliefs, history, culture, knowledge, peoples, and matters relating to the present and the future. Dialogue is especially necessary with scholars interested in intellectual currents, the modern revivalist movement, and contemporary resurgence.

This dialogue is needed to purify thought, gain a closer understanding of all viewpoints, and pave the way for improving the atmosphere and relations between the two sides. If dialogue is possible with clergy and Church representatives—who embody their positions and deeply held beliefs nurtured over generations—then dialogue with Orientalists ought to be even easier and more beneficial. Yet some believe there is no difference between Western clergy and Western thinkers, or between missionaries and Orientalists. In their view, the only difference is their clothing: the clergy wear the attire of priests, while Westernists and Orientalists wear that of scholars. In reality, they are two sides of the same coin.

But if there is firm resolve, awareness of the objective, and a clear path, dialogue should not be impossible. Universities and intellectual forums can bring representatives of both sides together and initiate dialogue to begin research into certain designated subjects free from bias and provocation.

We must remain aware that Orientalists do not have a uniform view of Islam, the Muslim Ummah, and the Islamic revival. Much has been written about Orientalist scholars, such as al-Aqiqi’s book. Again, much has been written either in response to their allegations or in their defense. Essays and articles have also been written classifying these works, such as Dr. Muhammad al-Bahai’s essay. He entitled his discussion “Orientalists and Their Attitudes Towards Islam.”

I must say that most Orientalists share several common weaknesses.

First, since Orientalists are not proficient in the Arabic language, they cannot fully grasp its various nuances. Consequently, they naturally stumble when trying to understand the original Islamic sources, especially the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Thus, their understanding of Islam and its message remains unclear and incomplete.

Second, Orientalists suffer from a kind of arrogance regarding the mind, people, and civilization of the West. They regard the West as the lord of the world and Europe as the mother of all countries. They believe that history began in the West and will end there.

Third, they begin researching matters that are not suitable for examination. This is because they believe that the Qur’an was not sent by Allah and that Muhammad, peace be upon him, was not His Messenger. Thus, even before beginning their research, they form an opinion, conduct their research on its basis, and try by every means to prove their preconceived ideas. In doing so, they accept reports based on weak sources, believe falsehoods, make mountains out of molehills, turn termite mounds into mountains, accept suspicion as proof, and reject everything contrary to their ideas—even when their self-contrived ideas strike them in the face.

Fourth, in many cases Orientalists conduct their research at the behest of certain circles, with the aim of achieving political objectives. In most cases, large sums of money are spent on this research. Consequently, such research is neither completely unbiased nor free of ulterior motives.

Nevertheless, dialogue is still necessary in many cases. It can be conducted with people who possess open minds, whose number is increasing day by day. For many people are abandoning their old mentality and becoming influenced by new ideas.

When taking the initiative to begin this dialogue, we must choose those Orientalists who are relatively impartial and flexible toward all nations. Among them, Professor Jek Berek is noteworthy. He was invited several times to Qatar University.

Of course, from translated works by contemporary Orientalists, it appears that today’s Orientalists are much closer to impartiality than those of the past and are taking a position farther from exaggeration and extremism. In particular, Muslims now read their books, discuss their views, or refute them when they find them objectionable. But the Orientalists of the past wrote for themselves—in other words, for one another. For that reason, their writings often seemed more like specialized reports than general discussions of the subject.

Political Dialogue

After completing the religious and intellectual dialogues, the Islamic movement must conduct another dialogue with the West—with political decision-makers, that is, with those politicians who play visible or behind-the-scenes roles on the political stage.

I believe the two aforementioned dialogues will pave the way for this important dialogue. Although the Church formally keeps away from politics, it still exerts considerable influence over the leaders of states and operates behind the scenes in foreign policy, especially on matters concerning Islam and Muslims.

Although Orientalists are outwardly known as theoreticians, their connections with intelligence departments, national security agencies, and foreign ministries are undeniable.

Many try to sow seeds of suspicion regarding any initiative for political dialogue with the West. Others quote an old Western poet, saying, “East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet” (East is East, West is West; they never meet). But we have seen the West meet with India, Japan, and, most recently, China.

Others say that the West may meet with India, Japan, China, or Hindus, Buddhists, and Communists, but not with Muslims. In this connection, they also quote the fiercely anti-Islamic statements of missionaries, Orientalists, and Western politicians.

There are also people who view with suspicion anyone who tries to establish contact or arrange a dialogue with the West. They always keep accusations such as rebellion, collaboration, and treachery ready to disgrace such initiators. No one can forget the suffering that our faithful brother, the second Murshid al-‘Am of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hasan al-Hudaybi, had to endure for establishing contact with Mr. Evans. The leaders of the Egyptian Revolution knew about this contact and had even supported it. But in the end, they used that contact as a weapon against Hudaybi. Using his contact with Evans, they tarnished the reputation of Hudaybi, the Islamic movement, its members, and its principles.

We must remain cautious in these matters so that the enemies of the movement cannot exploit such contacts to harm it. I must say here that an abnormal degree of fear and hatred of Islam still generally influences the conduct of Western politicians. The battles of Yarmuk and Ajnadayn, the Crusades, and the Arab and Ottoman conquests remain nightmares for them. Names such as Khalid ibn al-Walid, Tariq ibn Ziyad, Salah al-Din Ayyubi, and Muhammad al-Fatih, the conqueror of Constantinople, still deprive them of sleep.

But we should not fall prey to fears arising from such abnormal attitudes. We must break through all our psychological barriers and cast off all new and old mental complexities.

Although Europe has been torn apart by war, conflict, and bloodshed for centuries, the countries of this continent are uniting and will become one country in the near future.

The Americans and the Soviets ended their hot and cold wars and erased the divisions between them. Why, then, should an understanding not be reached with Muslims?

The West’s reasoning on this matter is well known. There is no such thing as permanent friendship or permanent enmity. There are only permanent interests.

We have no objection to beginning dialogue on the principle of protecting mutual interests between us and them. I believe the West’s interests lie in avoiding the hostility of hundreds of millions of Muslims and gaining their trust, friendship, and respect. In return, we would seek to improve our image in the eyes of the West so that the notions accumulated over centuries through bitter conflict— notions that were not free from exaggeration and fiction—could be changed.

We do not deny that there are some among us who, through their ideas or conduct, fail to present Islam in its best light. They portray Islam as though it encourages violence, fanaticism, conflict with others, and disdain for freedom and human rights, especially the rights of minorities and women. The actual conditions prevailing in many Muslim countries have helped create this image, which is taken to be the consequence of Islam and Islamic law.

Such grave misconceptions cannot disappear on their own or be dispelled overnight. Rather, they can be removed only through goodwill and sustained dialogue—a dialogue based on open-mindedness and frankness, not political maneuvering and deception. Of course, such dialogue cannot be expected in politics, but it is not impossible. For in contemporary politics, nothing is impossible.

If we can convince Western leaders and those who influence politics that we have the right to live according to Islam’s creed, faith, Shariah, values, and moral standards, without harboring any ill intention toward the West or any desire to harm it, we will thereby advance a long way toward achieving our goal of establishing the Muslim society desired for our homeland.

There is no doubt that the first obstacle to achieving this goal is our rulers, who keep us under close surveillance, monitor our every move, and thwart any attempt to establish Islam as the governing system of social, political, and cultural life.

There is no doubt that the powerful West and its leaders exert influence over our rulers and warn them against Islam. They instill fear of Islamists in their minds. Through direct and indirect tactics, and through public and private speeches and statements, they make them suspicious of the Islamic movement.

Therefore, if we can explain to the West the necessity of Islam’s emergence as a guiding force and a great power, perhaps it will also be possible to convince the Arab and Muslim leaders. And that would be a great success.

Official Religious Institutions

The Islamic movement must make determined efforts to gain the support of religious institutions. Among the notable institutions are Egypt’s al-Azhar, Tunisia’s al-Zaytuna, Morocco’s al-Qarawiyyin, and Deoband in the subcontinent.

The movement must focus, in its essential plan, on achieving a major objective: it must enter official religious institutions with its own ideology and manpower and exert influence over them. If the movement succeeds in this effort, it will achieve significant results, including the following:

1. The movement will be able to avoid conflict with members of those institutions who still have support among the Muslim masses. These members, especially the rulers’ servants, still have the ability to damage the movement’s image in the eyes of the uneducated or semi-educated by making various true and false allegations.

Their allegations hinder the movement’s progress, and the movement must spend much time defending itself and refuting false accusations. Therefore, if it can avoid conflict with them—those who want to extinguish the light of Allah’s religion with the breath of their mouths—the movement will be able to proceed unhindered in confronting the true enemies of Islam.

2. Opportunities will arise to reform these important institutions so that, through reform, they can fulfill their fundamental and essential duty of spreading Islam’s true teachings. These institutions will present Islam in its complete, true, and unaltered form, so that they become free from the grip of tyrannical rulers, Communism, and Christians. Consequently, the institution will become an impregnable fortress of the Islamic da‘wah against the conspiracies of Islam’s enemies. If these official religious institutions can be reformed, people will be produced who will devote themselves not only to official duties but also to the service of the da‘wah and the religion.

3. The resources and means of these official religious institutions can be used to spread awareness among the people of Islam’s principal concerns and thereby influence them. These concerns include the problems of Muslims throughout the world, the duties of the Muslim masses toward the Islamic ideology and Muslim lands, and the movement’s efforts to realize an Islamic cultural revival in the fields of knowledge, activity, education, and the formation of Muslim personalities.

The resources and means of official institutions can also be used to confront the evil trend that, aided by the conspiracies of Islam’s enemies and internal hypocrites, is attempting to infiltrate the Ummah both secretly and openly.

Such cooperation and solidarity between the popular Islamic movement and official institutions will further broaden public support for the Islamic da‘wah and its noble cultural endeavor.

4. It will be possible to refute the excuses advanced by governments that seek to abandon Islamic laws as the driving force of life and society. Governments take certain weak and misleading fatwas issued by officials of these official religious institutions as the basis for their position.

Another objective is to establish the legitimacy of the movement’s demand and efforts to establish an Islamic state—one governed by the law sent down by Allah and one that adopts Islam as a fundamental belief, a way of life, and a message for the guidance and advancement of all people.

Imam Hasan al-Banna was always eager to continue discussions with the scholars of al-Azhar. Many of them were his friends. Once, at a conference held in Tanta attended by many eminent scholars of al-Azhar University, I heard Imam Hasan al-Banna say: “You, the scholars, are Islam’s regular army, and we are behind you as a reserve force.”

Naturally, this does not apply to those institutions that have sold the religion in exchange for the pleasures of this world, become spokesmen for autocratic rulers, and turned into swords in the hands of oppressive rulers—swords being used to strike genuine Islamists. These institutions must not be ignored or left alone. Rather, their masks must be removed before the people so that the people can remain alert to their evil activities and know who they are.

We must distinguish between those who have become pawns in the hands of autocratic rulers and those who hate autocratic rulers but, because of weakness and fear, lack the courage to oppose them. For the weak are so afraid that they consider it preferable to remain silent and fear even uttering a just word. But they do not involve themselves in unjust statements. Therefore, considering this abnormal condition, we should help them overcome their weakness and fear.

In Iran’s revolution against the Shah, religious institutions served as the driving force. In accordance with the Ja‘fari ideology’s demand for the people’s absolute allegiance, the revolution received an enormous response and support. In addition, at the call of the shaykhs and ayatollahs, the people were always ready to sacrifice their lives and property for the revolution.

The people’s voluntary contributions also supported this revolution. According to Ja‘fari fiqh, the contribution is khums, meaning one-fifth, calculated on total income. This amount in donations was handed over to scholars representing the “Absent Imam.”

Thus, Iran’s religious leaders were not dependent on the government’s favor. If they had been, the government would have paid their salaries and allowances and controlled the fortunes of them and their families. The power to appoint and dismiss them at will would also have remained in the government’s hands.

Therefore, one of the essential principles of reforming religious institutions is that these institutions must enjoy intellectual, administrative, and financial independence, as well as the freedom to recover seized waqf properties and use them for appropriate purposes, so that religious institutions can regain their designated authority. Regarding the secret of such authority possessed by Imam Hasan al-Basri, a certain ruler said: “His religion needs our government, but he does not need our money.”

This is the real problem: religious leaders become state officials, while the state has no need for religion, but they need the state’s money.

Islamic Revival

With the aim of establishing Islam in the world and resisting all aggressive forces opposed to the Islamic da‘wah, the Islamic movement must make every possible effort to unite all Islamic groups and all Islamic revival groups on one platform. This front must play an active role in determining the proper method of dialogue and correctly confronting the opposing side’s outlook, so that we can lay the foundation for cooperation on matters on which we agree and tolerance on matters over which we differ.

Imam Hasan al-Banna made every possible effort to end disagreements among Egypt’s Islamic groups and formulated the famous Twenty Points as a minimum program on which agreement could be reached.

The Islamic movement should always do this in order to achieve its principal objectives. For only the combined strength of all groups working in the Islamic sphere can strengthen the Islamic movement. Here I mean the Islamic groups that work with seriousness and dedication—not those insignificant or misguided groups, nor groups that engage in deception in the name of Islam.

If any Islamic group thinks that it alone is capable at this time of establishing Islamic rule and confronting internal problems and foreign conspiracies, it will be making a grave mistake.

What all Islamic groups and movements should actually do is consolidate all their efforts toward forming a strong Islamic alliance and end their disagreements, so that this alliance can support Islam’s allies and resist its enemies.

What I fear most is that selfishness will undermine the spirit of Islamic brotherhood. Each group magnifies itself and rushes to prove the others incapable—to the extent that, instead of trying to build its own group into a strong component of the entire alliance, it concentrates all its activities on destroying the others.

I also fear the narrow-mindedness that consumes Islamic groups and controls their thinking. It magnifies their disputes and conflicts, makes mountains out of termite mounds, turns secondary matters into fundamental principles, and includes matters of ijtihad among the fundamental principles of Shariah, as did the author of the essay entitled “The Right Opinion on the Contradiction Between Membership of Parliament and Tawhid.”

Establishing the strong Islamic rule that can bring about the religious revival of the Ummah and improve our worldly life requires the collective efforts of all Islamic groups and forces, regardless of their differing views, paths, and principles. In addition, the religious and enthusiastic individuals who belong to no group or organization must also be included in this effort.

I believe that if the Islamic movement can coordinate the efforts of all Islamic forces on one platform to achieve this goal, where everyone considers this state their state, this rule their rule, its victory their victory, and its defeat their defeat, then the movement’s success will be assured.

SixthChapter

Conclusion

What must not be left unsaid

As I come to the end of the book, I wish to emphasize that I must mention the Islamic movement’s need to maintain a clear outlook at the regional and international levels concerning the future. In light of this outlook, the movement will adopt a clear and detailed plan for achieving specific objectives through lawful means. Such a plan must be formulated on the basis of modern concepts, division into specific stages, and a theoretical process. This plan must be flexible, easily adjustable, and feasible to implement. All its responsibilities must be distributed equally among the appropriate institutions and organizations, and it should not depend on any individual. For if the implementation of the plan depends on one person or a few individuals, the plan will remain active only as long as they remain active.

The plan must be formulated on the basis of extensive research, without underestimating or exaggerating authentic information, actual statistics, comprehensive reviews, scientific analyses, an objective perspective, all available and potential material and human resources, and all internal and external psychological and material obstacles.[the plan in question its characteristics to learn if you wish read my book ‘The Islamic Solution: A Farida and A Necessity’। theoretical context this discussion has been made।]

Such a plan must be drawn up by a team composed of qualified experts from various fields of knowledge. Each expert will contribute their skill and intelligence to the team. The team may also collect opinions or information from any other qualified person as it deems appropriate.

Before and after formulating the plan, attention must be paid to three aspects: full-time work, the qualifications of experts, and information and research. We will discuss these three aspects in detail in the conclusion.

Full-time work

In the movement’s future planning, a number of qualified people should certainly be appointed to full-time work in all strategic and other important fields, particularly knowledge and science, education, information, mass media, politics, and planning.

The movement should not rely solely on the work of part-time volunteers. Since these people have to spend most of their time on their personal occupations, the little time they give to the movement cannot be expected to suffice for carrying out any major responsibility. Of course, those volunteers who spend even a little time for the sake of Allah must not be belittled. Rather, their contribution is extremely important and broadly fruitful. For it is the volunteers who create the movement’s expanding foundation. Except for a few people engaged in full-time work for the sake of da‘wah activities, all members of the movement work as unpaid volunteers.

Imam Hasan al-Banna continued to work as a teacher for several years while remaining within the movement, until the pressure of da‘wah work and the movement’s momentum compelled him to devote all his time and effort to the movement’s work.

In several countries, many members and leaders of the movement were once university professors, senior government officials, or independent businessmen or merchants. But the best effort can be made when a person is engaged full-time in serving the movement and achieving its objectives.

Of course, when appointing full-time workers, care must be taken to ensure that specialists in various fields are given responsibility. They will complement one another. In this way, the expertise of specialists must be utilized in every field of work. Thus, the path of specialization will not be confined to only a few particular fields while others are left out. As a result, no expenditure will be incurred anywhere except in the proper fields.

Money should not be a problem in this matter. For spending money in this field is one of the best means of attaining the pleasure of Allah. The necessary funds may therefore be collected from zakat, sadaqah, waqf, and similar other sources.

Interest earned from capital deposited in local and foreign banks may also be spent for this purpose. Since this interest is earned from a haram source, we should not hesitate to use this money. For it is haram only for the depositor of the capital. But spending it for the sake of Islam is halal. Above all, this money may be spent on the full-time workers of the Islamic movement.

Dedicated workers should not be reluctant to receive an adequate salary equal to that for work of a comparable level elsewhere, so that they can continue the movement’s work contentedly. Nor should they remain dissatisfied because of low pay. Neither excessively high nor excessively low remuneration can be regarded as a fair salary.

However, the right person must be placed in the right position after the appropriate qualities and characteristics have been assessed without any kind of favoritism. Qualification and integrity should be the sole criteria for selecting people. The Qur’an states in this regard: Indeed, the best person you can employ is one who is strong and trustworthy ((Surah Qasas: 26)।

Qualifications of experts

Efforts should be intensified to produce experts with the qualifications needed in every field of life. We now live in an age of specialization, whose specialists are truly specialists. We do not live in the age when exceptionally learned and gifted people expressed opinions on every branch of knowledge and science. Intelligence alone is not enough—not brilliance of intellect, nor talent.

What is needed is specialized educational qualification capable of keeping pace with the times, meeting needs, and demonstrating excellence in carrying out specific tasks. It is stated in a sahih hadith: Indeed, Allah has prescribed excellence in everything. [Narrated by al-Nawwas ibn Saman on the authority of Muslim–in his work।]. And Allah is pleased when any one of you performs a task perfectly. [Narrated on the authority of Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). by al- Bayhaqi .।]

In our age, excellence is possible only through specialization. Any step taken to perfect a wajib is itself wajib.

Take, for example, public relations and the diverse specializations associated with it. Preparing a manuscript is a science; turning it into a screenplay is also a science, as is directing it. Likewise, acting in it and marketing it are also sciences. In this way, it is possible to compile a long list of specialized knowledge extending down to the most basic level.

Directing a program for radio is one kind of work. Directing a television program is another. Stage direction and film direction, again, are two entirely different things. Today, work in the mass media is a field in which all the arts have converged. There are many institutes and colleges for learning these subjects proficiently, from which students receive education at higher and postgraduate levels.

The Islamization of these branches of knowledge will never be possible unless we seek the help of experts. Only they can provide an Islamic alternative in these fields.

The Islamic movement is rich in talent. But its talented personnel are not properly assigned to appropriate fields and positions. We often see clusters of specialists in a few fields such as medicine, pharmacology, or engineering. But very few specialists in the rare branches of science are associated with the Islamic movement.

This situation also applies to the humanities and social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, economics, political science, and public relations. Young people generally disregard these subjects and turn toward the applied sciences. Yet these sciences are more important for society and influence it. That is why Jews in the United States and other countries have established a monopoly in this field and occupied most of the important positions, so that they can direct these fields according to their wishes and in their own interests.

Although many intelligent young people are qualified and interested in the pursuit of the humanities and literature, social pressure compels them to study the applied sciences. Yet if their talents could be employed in the areas toward which their abilities and interests incline, greater results could be achieved in the relevant fields.

In fact, despite the importance of the humanities and their serious influence, the shortage of Muslims in this field is very pronounced. Even in literature—that is, short stories, literary criticism, and so on—the shortage is significant. It is almost as though there are no brilliant young people in this field. Although some of them practice literature, they do not receive the necessary opportunities for publicity as others do, whereas leftists and others help and cooperate with one another in this area.

Information and research

One extremely necessary requirement of the Islamic movement in the contemporary era is to establish a data bank or an information and research centre capable of meeting the demands of this age of information revolution. Appropriately trained specialists must be appointed at this centre. In this regard, Allah the Exalted has directed us: “None can inform you like the All-Knowing Allah” (Surah Fatir: 14). At the same time, this centre must be equipped with the most advanced facilities and personnel in accordance with the requirements of the twenty-first century.

The sources and methods of collecting information, as well as the methods of storing, classifying and retrieving it, have also become multifaceted. Have we taken any steps to use these methods and resources?

Even leaving aside the affairs of others, whether enemies or friends, we do not know even half of the information concerning ourselves. Yet our enemies keep themselves informed of everything about us.

I went to Istanbul with several Arab brothers who were working on Islamic banking. We met several brothers who had come from the Turkmen Republic of the former Soviet Union. They asked us: Where is your assistance now for your brothers in Turkmenistan and the other republics trapped behind the Iron Curtain, who are capable of working independently? They now need every kind of assistance and expert knowledge in the religious, cultural, educational and economic fields. Where is that assistance and expertise? Who will help them?

As soon as the effects of glasnost and perestroika became evident, the Christian religious authorities became active. They had all the information, data, statistics and maps marked with relevant symbols prepared. Consequently, they immediately began distributing Bibles and other books and sending missionaries everywhere. Since then, within this short period, nearly 2,000 churches have been built in new locations, rebuilt, or renovated after being on the verge of destruction. The churches and their people are still continuing this work there. So where is the Islamic work in the Muslim lands?

I asked them, What do you know about our brothers there? What are their numbers, their countries, their history, their material and cultural backgrounds, and their needs? I learned that we know very little about them, and that we do not even know of an Islamic institution possessing sufficient and reliable information about them that could be put to use.

The Islamic movement must be developed in a contemporary manner at the regional and international levels. Comprehensive efforts must be made for this purpose, and all the strength of the Muslims surrounding the movement must be mobilized to achieve the goal. With this goal before us, let us make this prayer:

O Allah, make our today better than our yesterday, and our tomorrow better than today. Shower Your mercy upon all our actions. Amin!

Appendix: Ibn Taymiyyah’s fatwa

1. Combating injustice and suppressing the wicked government position acceptance

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about a man who had accepted a government position and been given responsibility for several jagirs, whose subjects were obliged to pay the taxes imposed according to the government’s regulations. The man devoted all his efforts to lifting the burdens of injustice and oppression from the people’s shoulders, considering that even if he resigned, the injustice would remain, if it did not become worse. If the man could remit half the land tax and ease the subjects’ burden, while collecting the other half and spending it for the welfare of the people, should he remain in his government position because of his intention to lessen injustice as much as possible, or should he resign and hand the jagirs over to someone else, knowing that the injustice would not be removed and might instead increase because of his resignation? If he holds on to the government position, will he be sinful? If not, would it be correct to tell him to remain in his position? Which is better for him—to remain in office in an effort to remove injustice, or to resign and allow injustice to continue and increase? If the subjects prefer that he remain in power because they benefit from the ending of oppression against them, should he remain?

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah replied: All praise belongs to Allah the Exalted. Yes, he should remain in power if he is a righteous man and strives to remove the burden of injustice as much as possible; if his remaining is better than that of any other person; and if keeping it under his control is considered more beneficial than handing the jagirs over to someone else. He may remain in the government position, and he will not be sinful for doing so. If he has no better duty than this, remaining in the position is preferable to leaving it.

If no one else is available, it is the duty of such a person to remain in this position. Establishing justice by every possible means and eradicating this injustice is a collective duty. If a person considers himself capable and no one else is available, he should fulfil this duty. But the person who assumes the responsibility should not be pressured to remove any injustice that is beyond his control.

That person should not be asked to demand the withdrawal of the taxes imposed by the rulers on the subjects of the jagirs, since this may be beyond his power. Moreover, if the funds demanded by the rulers and their representatives are not collected, they cannot be paid. If that person does not meet this demand, they will assign someone else to take charge of the jagirs. That person will then continue the oppression and injustice or increase its extent. Therefore, it is much better to pay some of the taxes than to allow the rulers to collect all of them. For if that person strives to be as just as possible, he is better than others, even if he fulfils some of the wicked people’s demands in order to protect himself from their injustice. If that person collects taxes from the Muslims without committing oppression himself, he will be rewarded; and even if he collects taxes in the circumstances described above, he will not be punished. If he does his utmost to ensure justice, he will not be punished in this world or in the Hereafter.

That person may be the guardian of orphans, a trustee of a waqf, a partner in trade, or someone who acts on behalf of others or in their place. He is like someone who, on behalf of his clients, gives part of their capital to a tyrannical ruler if that is the only way to protect the clients’ interests. In that case, the man will have done the right thing, not the wrong thing. What he gives the rulers is like the real-estate and sales taxes that must be paid to tax collectors. For anyone who conducts such transactions in these countries, for himself or on behalf of others, must collect these taxes and pay them to the authorities. If he does not collect the taxes, he cannot protect the interests of those under his care without paying them. Consequently, the interests of those under his care, and even his own interests, will be harmed.

Many people think that such situations should not be allowed to arise merely to avoid accepting even a small amount of injustice being imposed on the subjects. If the people accept this view, injustice and corruption will certainly increase. For their situation would be like that of travellers attacked by bandits. If the travellers do not appease the bandits by giving them some money, the bandits will kill them and seize all their money and possessions. If someone tells the travellers that giving their money to the bandits is wrong, this means that he is advising them not to hand over even this small amount to the robbers. But if they follow this advice, they will lose not only this small amount but all their money and possessions. No person of sound conscience, quite apart from religion, could give such advice. The Almighty Allah sent His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to secure people’s welfare as far as possible, suppress the wicked and eradicate their evil.

If a righteous man who accepts a government position under a tyrannical ruler can protect people from major harm by collecting as little land tax as possible, but if he leaves the government position he will not be able to do anything else, and someone else will instead come and collect all the taxes from the people, leaving them unable to avoid any harm, then the person who accepts the government position with a good intention will be rewarded for his work and will not be punished for it in this world or in the Hereafter.

Such a person is like the guardian of an orphan or a trustee of a waqf who fulfils his duty while paying the unjust taxes imposed by the government. If he does not do so and relinquishes the responsibility, someone may take his place who will increase the degree of injustice. Therefore, it is permissible for righteous people to remain in government positions, and they will not be sinful for paying such taxes to a tyrannical ruler. Rather, remaining in their positions is a duty that they ought to fulfil.

This principle also applies to a soldier appointed to collect taxes in a jagir. Even if he collects less tax from the people, he does not hand all of it over to the government. For he has been instructed to purchase weapons, horses and other necessities from this money. A well-equipped soldier also has a better opportunity to serve the Muslims in war. If someone tells him that he has no right to collect taxes and should relinquish his jagir, that person speaks out of ignorance of religion. For when he relinquishes his jagir, someone may replace him who will increase the oppression and do nothing for the welfare of the Muslims. Even the presence of Turkish soldiers alongside Arab soldiers is better, because they are better than the other soldiers: they are concerned with justice toward the people and active in eliminating injustice and wrongdoing as far as possible. This soldier is good for the Muslims. Therefore, handing the jagir over to someone else in his place may be less beneficial and more unjust.

Any such just and public-spirited officials and employees will be rewarded for their good deeds, and they will not be punished for being unable to do anything good beyond their capacity. Therefore, they will not be called to account for what they collect and spend if they are unable to do anything else. For if they do not collect taxes and spend them for public welfare, it could result in greater harm. [Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s ‘Fatawa’, Vol. 3, p. 356––360।]

2. Conflict between Good and Evil in the Same Situation

In a chapter concerning the conflict between good and evil, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah says: Since it is established that a good matter brings benefit, failing to do a good deed is considered wrongdoing, and wrongdoing is harmful. An undesirable matter may also contain some benefit. Again, when it is not possible to accomplish two good deeds together, the better deed should be given priority. If it is impossible to avoid two evils, the lesser evil may be chosen. Likewise, when one good and one evil must either be accepted together or rejected together, acceptance or rejection must be determined by considering the greater benefit. That is, the good matter must be accepted if it offers greater benefit, or the evil matter must be accepted if greater harm can thereby be avoided.

The first type of conflict is like the conflict between an obligatory (wajib) act and a recommended (mustahabb) act—for example, giving priority to repaying a debt over giving sadaqah. Or, when choosing between an obligatory fard duty for all Muslims and a fard duty incumbent upon any individual Muslim, which should take priority?

The second category of conflict is like giving priority to spending money on one’s wife and family over spending it on jihad. Here, jihad is not an individual obligation. Again, providing financial assistance to one’s parents should take priority over jihad. In this regard, a sahih hadith states: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked which deed is most excellent. He replied: Performing the prayer at its proper time, then treating one’s parents well, and then jihad in the path of Allah.

Jihad, however, takes priority over Hajj when it falls under the category of an individual obligation, even though Hajj is a fard act. Similarly, priority between two permissible acts must be determined in the same way in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Reciting the Qur’an deserves priority over the remembrance of Allah if the heart and tongue are engaged equally in both. Prayer, in turn, takes priority over both if the heart is engaged in the prayer. Otherwise, remembrance should be given preference over Qur’an recitation if the heart is not engaged in that recitation. Of course, this is a matter requiring an extensive discussion in fiqh.

The third type of conflict is like the conflict between a woman travelling without a mahram and remaining in Dar al-Harb. For example, Umm Kulthum remained in Dar al-Harb. In this connection, the following was revealed: O believers! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them(Surah al-Mumtahanah: 10)।

Although it is haram in the fiqh of jihad to kill civilian women and children, if they become involved in a type of warfare, they may be killed when necessary—for example, through the use of missile-like weapons or in night raids. The Sunnah mentions striking during the siege of Ta’if and throwing stones with missile-like weapons in this regard. Night raids against unbelievers residing in Muslim lands have also been reported. The purpose of this ruling is to kill those involved in order to avoid fitnah; otherwise, those who may not be killed would not be killed.

Tatarrus, as described by the jurists, [tatarrus is the situation when the enemies their own women and children or Muslim prisoners of war as human shields as they use them। Its purpose is the Muslim forces from attacking to refrain from being compelled to do so।]; the issue too is analogous. The struggle against the seeds of rebellion sown by the unbelievers is jihad. This war must be waged despite accepting the relatively lesser evil. Therefore, the jurists agree that those used as shields may be killed if harm to the Muslims can be avoided only by killing them. There is, however, disagreement on this matter.

Another type of conflict arises when a Muslim, in a state of extreme hunger, has to eat the flesh of a dead animal. In this case, the good act of preserving life can be achieved only through this bad act. A similar issue is whether a forbidden medicine may be taken when its harm outweighs its benefit in curing the illness, especially when another medicine is available but recovery through it is uncertain. The same applies to drinking wine as medicine.

A harm may be tolerated in two cases: if doing so prevents a serious harm that cannot otherwise be avoided, and if it produces a benefit that cannot be dispensed with or attained in any other way. A benefit or interest may be abandoned in two cases: if preserving it may harm a greater interest, or if doing so risks causing a more extensive harm. This matter is related to religious balance.

Exemption from an obligation because of harm in worldly life, or acceptance of something impermissible in hope of a benefit in this worldly life—for example, exemption from fasting because of travel, permission to perform certain prohibited acts during Hajj because of illness, and exemption from fulfilling some basic conditions of prayer because of illness—all fall under religious concessions and the reduction of hardship. There may be differences of opinion among the various schools on this matter. But there can be no reason for disagreement in the cases mentioned above, at least in matters judged according to ordinary considerations. Even that must be determined in the light of reason. In this connection, a proverb may be mentioned: wise is not the person who can identify which of two things is beneficial and which is harmful; rather, wise is the person who can say which of two good things is better and which of two evils is less evil.

For example, people regard it as certain that rain during a drought is a mercy, even though the autocratic ruler may obtain the greater share of the harvest from it. But if there is no rain, everyone suffers. People prefer having a tyrannical ruler to having no ruler at all. A sage said: living for sixty years under a tyrannical ruler is better than spending a single night without governance.

Moreover, a ruler may be held accountable for the tyranny and oppression he commits and for the rights of people that he violates. But if a ruler or official is unable to fully perform his duties, while refraining from all unlawful acts and trying to avoid wrongdoing, whereas others commit such acts deliberately, he should be given governmental responsibility. For a government office may involve duties that must be performed, such as jihad against the enemy, distributing fay (property acquired without war), enforcing hudud (capital punishments), and ensuring security. The office must be filled. Otherwise, it will be given to someone unqualified, and that official will be unable to prevent it. In that case, his actions to fulfill the duty will be considered unavoidable. Therefore, the resulting harm is acceptable if it is less than the benefit of fulfilling that duty. Moreover, if an evil person occupies a government office, and someone else assumes that office to reduce injustice and oppression—lightening most of the burden while accepting a small burden—then, because of his intention, that person’s action will be considered good. Even if, while carrying out his work, he commits some bad acts in order to avoid a greater harm, that too will be counted as a good deed.

This is a case in which intention is the determining factor. If a tyrant orders a person to deposit a certain amount of money, and an intermediary, in order to save him from injustice, collects part of the amount from that person and gives it to the cruel ruler, thereby saving him from the ruler’s anger, then the intermediary has done a good deed. But if he does something to support the tyrant, he will have committed a wrongdoing.

Yet in most cases, a flaw can be found in the relationship between intention and action. If an act is deliberately performed with the aim of committing an injustice, or if a responsibility is abandoned, then the intention must be considered flawed.

Furthermore, even if accepting, desirable, or necessary, a government office may involve other considerations that are even more necessary or desirable for the person appointed to it. That is, sometimes by necessity and sometimes by choice, he must give priority to the better of two good things.

The matter of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) requesting responsibility for Egypt’s storehouses from the king of Egypt falls into this category. Yet the king and his people were unbelievers. The Qur’an states: “And certainly Yusuf came to you before with clear proofs, but you remained in doubt about what he brought to you(Surah Al Mu’’min: 34).” Regarding Prophet Yusuf’s role during his imprisonment, the Qur’an states: “O my two companions of the prison! Are many different lords better, or Allah, the One, the Supreme? You worship, besides Allah, nothing but mere names which you and your forefathers have invented(Surah Yusuf: 39––40)।

Since they were unbelievers, a system and tradition had been established for collecting their money and spending it on the royal court, the soldiers, and the subjects. This system and tradition had no compatibility with the ways, laws, and justice of the prophets and messengers. Thus, Yusuf (peace be upon him) could not do everything he wished to do according to Allah’s law. But what he was able to do was establish justice and righteous deeds, and, through his authority, secure benefits for the believers among his family that he could not have secured in any other way. All this falls under the words of Allah Almighty: “So fear Allah as much as you can and listen and obey”(Surah Taghabun: 16)।

If two obligations arise at the same time but only one can be performed, and the more important obligation must be chosen, then the other no longer remains an obligation. A person who abandons that task and fulfills the more important one cannot be called negligent in carrying out his responsibility.

Similarly, if two prohibited acts present themselves, the lesser prohibited act must be committed in order to avoid the greater one. In that case, the act is not in fact considered prohibited any longer.

However, if the act is not performed in either case, then in the first case it will be considered negligence in fulfilling an obligation, and in the second case it will be regarded as the commission of a prohibited act. In this connection it is said that there is an excuse for abandoning an obligation, whereas a bad act is committed for the sake of a greater benefit, out of necessity, or to avoid another serious harm.

The field of conflicts of interest is extremely broad, especially where examples from the time of the Sunnah and the Caliphate are rare. As a result, matters of conflict appear more significant. The rarer the traditional examples, the more widespread the conflict becomes, giving rise to disagreement within the Ummah. When good and evil become entangled in a puzzle, such obscurity arises that some people choose something extremely evil, believing it to be good. Others regard one thing as harmful and choose another in which there is no hope of attaining the desired benefit. Of course, there are also many people who reflect deeply on both matters.

A wise person should consider these matters carefully. For, as I have already said, rather than firmly declaring something permissible or prohibited, he may need to be flexible in deciding certain matters. For example, he may have to order an act that carries the risk of serious harm, but he must not order that act merely to avoid a lesser harm. For instance, no one may hand a guilty person over to a tyrant who will punish him more severely than his crime warrants, nor may anyone prohibit a bad act that also contains a good aspect when the good outweighs the evil. In such a case, no one should issue a prohibition that would require abandoning what Allah Almighty and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) have commanded. What Allah and His Messenger have commanded is more beneficial than abandoning these harms.[Shaykh al- Islam Ibn Taymiyyah’s ‘Fatawa’, 20 th volume,, page 48––61।]

Terminology

Ahl al- Dhimmah: Literally, a community under a protection treaty. Non-Muslim citizens such as Jews, Christians, and Sabians living under a Muslim government who enjoy security for their lives and property in a Muslim country by paying the jizya tax.

Ahl al- Kitab: Literally, the community of people who follow a revealed scripture—Jews and Christians.

Awqaf: Religious trust or public-service institution.

Dar al- Harb: A territory engaged in war; a country where peace has not been established between Muslims and unbelievers.

Dar al- Islam: An Islamic state; a territory where Islam and Islamic law are established.

Fard: An obligatory duty; compulsory worship and service.

Fatwa: A legal Islamic opinion.

Fiqh: Literally, an outline of knowledge; technically, the rules of Islamic law.

Halal and Haram: Respectively, matters permitted and forbidden in Islam.

Hijrah: The Muslims’ migration to Medina.

Jahiliyyah: The pre-Islamic era and the idolatrous customs of that era.

Janabah: Ritual impurity that makes ghusl obligatory.

Jihad: Struggle in the way of Allah.

Masalih al- Mursalah: Public interest.

Nafilah: Optional worship.

Ribat: Protecting Muslims from the hands of unbelievers.

Sadaqah: Charity in addition to zakat.

Tahlil: The recitation of the declaration, ‘There is no deity but Allah.’

Takbir: The utterance of ‘Allah is the Greatest,’ meaning that Allah is supreme.

Takfir: Declaring someone to be an unbeliever.

Tasbih: The utterance of ‘Glory be to Allah,’ meaning that Allah possesses all glory.

Usul al- Fiqh: The principles of jurisprudence.

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