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1. REVOLTING AGAINST IMPIOUS RULERS (1)

Long, long ago, in summer (June and July) o 1988, my

Egyptian friend and I were taking a journey with his car to

Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. We stopped

on the way to have rest and made fire for our food and drink.

After we finished our meal and drink he kept the fire burning with

wood which I considered wasting. So, I told him: “Do you realize

how long it took to grow a tree, just to burn it for nothing?” He

said: “What about bush fire, where so many trees are burned for

nothing?” Different view makes different attitude and behaviour.

Now, 25 years later, the same question comes to my mind.

In order to raise a child to become a young man to defend our

country, religion etc. it takes over twenty years, not to mention

the nine-month suffering of his mother carrying him in her womb

before he was born. We have a very long list of young Palestinian

men who sacrificed their lives in defending their rights, even

before reaching their thirties, and the list is going on and on.

Palestinian mothers keep raising their children to become one day

martyrs in defending their home-land. It is not an easy job to raise

a child for over twenty-years to become a hero. A mother might

have two, three, even more children to raise, and they grow up to

sacrifice their lives.

When we see the situation in the Middle-East, such as

Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon I remember what my friend did and

said when he burned the wood wasting trees, and compared it to

bush fire. Bush fire is accidental, unless a crazy arson does it,

whereas the situation in the Middle-East which almost like a civil

war, is not accidental, but the works of human, our own brothers

and sisters in faith who are at each other’s throat. This is the

consequence of revolting against their rulers. This situation could

have been avoided, if everyone followed reason, rather than

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emotion, the teachings of Islam, rather than their own passion and

the whisper of Satan who is our real enemy.

The Qur’an gives us a very valuable moral lesson in the

history of Hābīl and Qābīl (Abel and Cain). Allah said:

واتل عليهم ن بأ اب ني آدم بالحق إذ ق ربا ق ربانا ف ت قبل من أحدهما ولم ي ت قبل ت إلي يدك من الخر قال لق ت لنك قال إنما ي ت قبل الله من المتقين . لئن بسط

لت قت لني ما أنا بباسط يدي إليك لق ت لك إني أخاف الله رب العالمين . إني أريد أن ت بوء بإثمي وإثمك ف تكون من أصحاب النار وذلك

عت له ن فسه ق تل أخيه ف قت له فأصبح جزاء الظالمين. فطو (03-72من الخاسرين )المائدة :

And recite (O Muhammad) to them (the Jews) the

Story of the two sons of Adam (Hābīl and Qābīl –Abel

and Cain) in truth; when each offered a sacrifice (to Allah),

it was accepted from one but not from the other. The latter

said to the former “I will surely kill you.” The former said:

“Verily Allah accepts only from those who are pious. If you

do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never

stretch my hand against you to kill you: for I fear Allah the

Lord of the world (mankind, jinn and all that exists). Verily,

I intend to let you draw my sin on yourself as well As yours,

then you will be one of the dwellers of the Fire; and that

is the recompense of wrong-doers.” So, the nafs (self)

of the other (latter one) encouraged him and made

fair-seeming to him the murder of his brother; he

murdered him and became one of the losers.

(Q. 5: 27-30)

Out of jealousy Hābīl killed his own brother Qābīl in cold

blood.

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There are two views among Muslim scholars concerning

rebellion against oppressive, unjust, impious, or oppressive rulers.

The first view is that it permissible, which is the view of the

minority of scholars, whereas the second view is that it is

prohibited to do so which is the view of the majority of Muslim

scholars. Among the arguments of those who allow it are as

follows:

1. Allah says in the Qur’an,

ن هما فإن ب غت إحداهما وإن طائفتان من المؤمنين اق تت لوا فأصلحوا ب ي على الخرى ف قاتلوا التي ت بغي حتى تفيء إلى أمر الله فإن فاءت فأصلحوا

ن هما بالعدل وأقسطوا إن الله يحب المقسطين ) الحجرات: ( 9ب ي If two parties among the believers fall into a quarrel,

Make peace between them. But if one of them transgresses

beyond bounds against the other, then fight (all) against

the one that transgresses until it complies with the

command of Allah.(Q. 49:9)

They say that since tyrannical ruler and those who follow him

transgress beyond bounds against the other party, then fighting

them is justifiable.

2. Allah says:

هن قال إني جاعلك للنا س إماما وإذ اب ت لى إب راهيم ربه بكلمات فأتم ( 471قال ومن ذريتي قال ل ي نال عهدي الظالمين ) البقرة:

And (remember) when the Lord of Ibrāhīm (Abraham) (i.e.,

Allah) tried him with (certain) Commands, which he fulfilled.

He (Allah) said (to him), “Verily, I am going to make you an

Imām (a leader) for mankind (to follow you). Ibrāhīm

(Abraham) said, “And for my offspring (to make leaders).”

(Allah) said, My Promise does not extend to the wrong-doers.”

(Q. 2:124)

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They say that since it is not permissible for wrongdoers to obtain

leadership, it becomes obligatory to rebel against him to stop

him from committing wrongdoings.

3. Allah says:

ثم والعدوان ... ) المائدة: ... قوى ول ت عاونوا على ال ( 7وت عاونوا على البر والت Help one another in righteousness and piety, but

help not one another in sin and rancor (Q. 5:2)

They say that not revolting against the tyrant is tantamount to

helping him in his committing sin and rancor.

4. Islam enjoins Muslims to do what is right and prohibits them

from doing what is wrong. Allah says,

هون عن المنكر ولتكن منكم أمة يدعون إلى الخير ويأمرون بالمعروف وي ن (431وأولئك هم المفلحون )آل عمران:

Let there arise of you a band of people inviting

to all thatis good, enjoining what is right, and

forbidding what is wrong they are the ones to

attain felicity (Q. 3:104)

The Prophet s.a.w. says,

ره بيده فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه من رأى منكم منكرا ف لي غي يمان فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه وذلك أضعف ال

)رواه مسلم والترمذي وأبو داؤد و النسائي و ابن ماجه( Whoever of you sees an evil must then change it with

his hand. If he is unable to do so, then [he must change it]

with his tongue. And if he is unable to do so, then [he

must change it] with his heart. And that is the

slightest [effect of] faith.

(Reported by Muslim, al-Tirmidhī, Abū Dā’ūd,

al-Nasā’ī and Ibn Mājah)

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5. The Prophet’s statement that there is no obedience in a matter

involving disobedience to Allah. He says,

مع والطاعة على المرء المسلم فيما أحب أو كره إل أن ي ؤمر بمعصية فإن أمر الس والنسائي و أحمد( داؤد وأبوبمعصية فل سمع ول طاعة )رواه البخاري و مسلم والترمذي

Hearing and obeying are upon a person concerning what he likes

and what he dislikes, unless he is ordered to do an act of

disobedience [to Allah]. If he is ordered to do an act of

disobedience, there is no hearing or obeying.

(Reported by Bukhārī, Muslim, al-Tirmidhī,

Abū Dā’ūd, al-Nasā’ī and Aḥmad)

6. The Prophet s.a.w. indicates the danger of misguiding rulers

when he says,

ة المضلين إني أخاف على أمتي الئم و أحمد( )رواه الترمذي وأبو داؤد

I fear for my Nation from the misguiding rulers.

(Reported by al-Tirmidhī, Abū Dā’ūd, and Aḥmad)

They say that it implies revolting against them.

7. Muslim scholars agree that any Muslim group that refuses to

abide by Islamic law is to be fought. This could imply fighting

governments that rule by man-made laws rather than the

Sharī‘ah.

According to the majority of Muslim scholars the above

arguments do not imply rebellion against unjust rulers. Fighting

against the group that transgresses, and revolting against a ruler

is itself a kind of transgression. Instead of fighting the unjust

ruler which could lead to bloodshed, trials and affliction,

people are ordered to be patient. The obligation of enjoining of

what is good and prohibiting evil should not be used as

evidence in justifying rebellion against unjust rulers.

Disobeying unjust rulers who orders to commit sin, does not

necessarily mean removing him from his position. Imām al-

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Nawawī, for example, says: “As for rebellion against them

[rulers], this is forbidden according to the consensus of the

Muslims, even if they were impious, oppressors.” An

oppressive ruler is better than anarchy.

The Prophet’s statement indicating the prohibition of

revolting against unjust rulers is as follows:

، م ك ي ل ع ن و ل ص ي و م ه ي ل ع ن و ل ص ت ، و م ك ن و ب ح ي و م ه ن و ب ح ت ن ي ذ ال م ك ت م ئ أ ار ي خ ا :ن ل ، ق م ك ن و ن ع ل ي و م ه ن و ن ع ل ت ، و م ك ن و ض غ ب ي و م ه ن و ض غ ب ت ن ي لذ ا م ك ت م ئ أ ار ر ش و

، لة م الص ك ي ا ف و ام ق ا أ م : ل ال ق ؟ ، ف ك ل ذ د ن ع م ه ذ اب ن ن ل ف أ الل ل و س ر يا ن ي م ت أ ا ي م ه ر ك ي ل ف الل ة ي ص ع م ن ا م ئ ي ي ش ت أ ي آه ر ف ال و ه ي ل ع ي ل و ن م إل

.ة اع ط ن ا م د ي ن ع ز ن ي ل ، و الل ة ي ص ع م و الدارمي و البيهقي( و أحمد مسلم )رواه

“The best of your rulers are those whom you love and

they love you. You pray over them and they pray over you.

The worst of your rulers are those whom you have and they

hate you. You curse them and they curse you.” They said,

“O Messenger of Allah, shall we fight and oppose them over

that?” He replied, “No, not as long as they establish the

prayer among you. No, not as long as they establish the

prayer among you. If someone is appointed over a person

and he sees some act of isobedience to Allah from him,

he should dislike what he does of disobedience to Allah

but he should not remove his hand from obedience.”

(Reported by Muslim, Ahmad, al-Dārimī, and al-Bayhaqī)

One example is Imām Abū Ḥanīfah who did not accept al-

Manṣūr as the rightful caliph was offered a position of the Qāḍī

al-Quḍāt (Chief Judge) of the State in 146/763. He refused the

offer politely, saying that he was not fit for the position. “You are

lying,” said al-Manṣūr, and Abū Ḥanīfah said, “If I am lying, then

how can you appoint a liar to the exalted post of a Chief Qadi

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(Judge)?” He also said, even if he were to accept this position,

and the caliph wanted him to pass his judgment on his favour, or

to be thrown into the river, surely, he would choose to be thrown

into the river.

Al-Manṣūr imprisoned him and thrashed him with a stick,

but he became more popular, that the caliph allowed him to teach

in the prison. Out of frustration, the caliph poisoned him, and died

in the prison of Baghdad in 150/767 at the age of 70. His funeral

was attended by over fifty thousand people and the funeral prayer

was performed six times. The qāḍī who washed his body said to

him, ‘You are the greatest faqīh (jurisprudent) and most pious

man of our time.”

But this view of the minority is being adopted by many

people in Muslim countries. People revolted against their rulers

whom they considered corrupt, and the rulers oppressed the

rebels. The consequence: bloodshed, sufferings of people

including elders, women and children who are not involved in the

conflict. They have become unsafe in their own homes, and many

of them took refuge to neighboring countries. Most refugees

nowadays are Muslims from Muslim countries. It may take and

sacrifice thousands and thousands of innocent people to replace a

corrupt ruler. May Allah guide us all to the right path. (CIVIC,

30.08.13)

Sources:

1. Al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah

2. Al-Mutairi, Dr.Abdul Rahman (trans. Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo),

Religious Extremism in the Lives of Contemporary Muslims.

Denver: al-Basheer Publication & Translation, 2001

3. http://www.sunnah.org/publication/khulafa_rashideen/life_of_

imam_abu_hanifah.htm

4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abū_Ḥanīfa