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Lesson: 19 Tyrants should not be relied upon or supported
The Holy Quran
commands: And do not incline to those who are unjust, lest the fire touch
you, and you have no guardians besides Allah, then you shall not be helped.
This verse
describes one of the most basic guidelines of social and political and military
and religious life and announce to common Muslims that it is their duty to abide
by: Do not lean toward those who have committed injustice and oppression and
that you must not rely on them nor should you trust them = lest the Fire touch
you Fa ta mas sukumun naar and you have no guardians besides Allah Wa maa lakum
min doonillaahi min awliyaa and in such circumstances it is obvious that you
shall not be helped Sum ma laa tansuroon Now we invite your attention to some
important points:
1 - Meaning
of Rukoon inclination: This Arabic words maaddah root is Ra ka na which means
the pillars or walls keeping a building or other things stand on their base.
Thereafter it is used to mean reliance on or to trust a thing. Though the commentators
of Quran have given many meanings of this word in the context of this verse,
all or most of them have come to a comprehensive conclusion. For example, so
have taken it to mean tamaayal inclination and some to hamkaari cooperation.
Some others say it means Izhaare razayat satisfaction or agreement and some
khair-khaahi was itaa at well-wishing and obedience. All these meanings contain
the sense of reliance and trust and inclination or liking.
2 - In what
maters the oppressors should not be relied on or trusted? Obviously there should
be on participation in injustice, oppression and tyranny nor any assistance
should be given to them. Secondly, in the second stage, it is necessary to abstain
from such support to them that might result in weakening the Muslim society
or losing its independence and thus it turning into a weak and aligned organ
because such inclinations can only make Islamic nation weak and defeated.
But as for,
the business and educational relations of Muslims with non-Muslims meant for
securing Muslim interests and the security of Muslim societies, it does not
come in the purview of inclining toward the tyrants. It is not prohibited by
Islam. Such relations did exist even in the time of the Holy Prophet and they
have continued even thereafter.
3 - Philosophy
of banning support to tyrants: Support or assistance to an oppressor creates
much degeneration and chaos not unknown to anybody. Yet the more we pry in this
issue more and more fresh points come before us.
1 - Support
to tyrants makes tem strong and their strengthening causes widening of oppression
and injustice and destruction of a society. Hence circumstances even if he is
helpless a man must not obtain his right by approaching a tyrant or corrupt
judge, because, resorting to such court implies recognition of such court and
government which results in their strengthening and the harm of such deed sometimes
is more than the loss which lies in the usurpation of ones right.
2 - Depending
on oppressors gradually affects the culture of thought of a society which removes
dislike for tyranny and injustice and which results in encouraging people to
oppress others and to be come tyrants themselves.
3 - As a principle,
trust and reliance on others, which results in becoming their allies, would
not bring anything but misfortune. Then what to talk of inclining toward the
tyrants and oppressors.
That society
is strong and progressing and advancing which stands on this won feet as has
been explained through a beautiful example in verse 29 of Surah Fatha in the
Holy Quran. It says: Like green plants standing on their stems, not requiring
any inclination or alienation with others for living and growing up. Therefore,
a society is free and independent only when it is self-reliant in every way
or aspect and its relations with others are merely on the basis of mutual interests
not like those of a weak one with a strong one. Such reliance on others, be
it in the field of thought and culture or military and economy or politics,
with only result in enslavement and exploitation. If such reliance is on tyrants
and oppressors its consequence with be cooperation with their plans of oppression
and injustice. Of course, the above mentioned verse is applicable not only to
social relations but it addresses two individuals too, so much so that a Faithful
and free person must never rely or assist an oppressor because, it results only
in the losing of independence and also in the enlargement of the field of tyranny
and injustice and the strengthening of corruption and cruelty.
4 - The oppressors:
who are they? Commentators have given probabilities but what can be said is
this: All those persons who have done injustice to or oppressed the people or
have enslaved the slaves of Allah and who have unjustly exploited them for their
own interests fall under the common category of Al zee na aa Manoo and the
above verse does apply to them.
Yet it is agreed
that those who did a little injustice to others in the course of their lives
do not come in the definition of this word, because, in that case, only a few
will be excepted and then it will not be permissible for anyone to support anyone.
Hence it is proper to take this in the meaning of one who has assisted a person
who had committed an all round oppression and injustice or tyranny and in this
way, the one who has committed such tyranny even once also falls in this purview.
5 - Between
what can be derived from the above verse and whale the Ulama of Ahle Sunnah
say there is a very wide distance. Sunni scholars, in their books of jurisprudence
and beliefs, have raised the question whether the obedience of a tyrant and
sinner sultan ruler is obligatory?
Fabricated
narrations
Ibne Hanbal,
Shafei and Malik say patience must be maintained against the oppression of tyrant
rulers.
This stand
is based on false and concocted Traditions or traditions. Here are some examples:
1 - It is quoted
from Abu Bakr that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: Troubles will arise when
sitting will be better than walking and walking will be better than striving
and striving will be better than adding fuel to the trouble. Beware! Whenever
you face such trouble some situation get dispersed whoever has goats should
go for grazing his goats, or camels, and whoever has agricultural land should
engage in the work of agriculture. A man asked: If one does not have goats,
or camels or agriculture what should he do? He said: He should hit his sword
on a rock and break it so tat he may not fight with the rulers.
2 - It is quoted
from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.): If a man takes reigns of government in his
hands and then begins to disobey God, whoever observes his offences should dislike
him the offender but he should not raise his hand to fight with him.
3 - It is quoted
from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.): If a man dies and he is not bound by an oath
of allegiance of anyone be he an oppressor he has died the death of the time
of ignorance pre-Islamic.
4 - It is also
quoted from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.): One who dies without having allegiance
of obedience of the leader of the nation has died the death of ignorance.
5 - Similarly
it has been narrated that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: If one receives
evil from the ruler he should show patience because if one opposes Muslims to
a little extent and then dies, he has died as if in the time of pre-Islamic
ignorance.
6 - They have
quoted from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.): It is your duty to obey the king sultan
or shah Even if he grabs your property and flogs your back.
It was this
series of narrations that confused a group of people. Hence when Imam Husain
(a.s.) did not give allegiance and migrated to Mecca, some people said: Abu
Saeed says that: I said to Husain (a.s.): Fear God and sit in your house and
do not rise against your Imam ruler.
And after the
martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.) a Holy-looking man like Qazi Shurah said: Husain
has been killed by the sword of his grandfather. He argues that the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) had said: Do not fight with a ruler. As Husain opposed the ruler
he got killed.
It is like
those who forgot the Quranic verse: Do not support those who oppress, otherwise
fire will overtake you.
Or narrations
in this regard such as: The one who please a tyrant ruler, through a deed which
angers God, gets out of the religion of Allah.
It has been
quoted from Imam Baqir (a.s.): One who obeys the disobedients of God has no
religion.
Amirul Mo-mineen
(a.s.) has been quoted saying: Obeying an order which contravenes Gods commandment
is prohibited.
After it has
been made clear that, from the viewpoint of Islam, assistance to and friendship
with oppressors is prohibited, now we invite your attention to some verses and
narrations prohibiting such aid to and friendship with the unbelievers:
1 - Let
not the believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than believers; and
whoever does this, he shall have nothing of the guardianship of Allah, but you
should guard yourselves against them, guarding carefully; and Allah makes you
cautious of retribution from Himself; and to Allah is the eventual coming.
2 - O you
who believe! If you obey those who disbelieve they will turn you back upon your
heels, so you will turn back losers. Nay! Allah is your Patron and He is the
best of the helpers.
3 - O you
who believe! Do not take the unbelievers for friends rather than the believers;
do you desire that you should give to Allah a manifest proof against yourselves?
4 - O you
who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends
of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely
he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.
5 - O you
who believe! Do not take for guardians those who take your religion for a mockery
and a joke, from among those who were given the Book before you and the unbelievers;
and be careful of your duty to Allah if you are believers.
6 - O you
who believe! Do not take your fathers and your brothers for guardians if they
love unbelief more than belief; and whoever of you takes them for a guardian,
these it is that are the unjust. Say: If your fathers and your sons and your
brethren and your mates and your kinsfolk and property which you have acquired,
and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which you like, are
dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way, then wait
till Allah brings about His command: and Allah does not guide the transgressing
people.
Question: why
the Holy Quran repeatedly says: you cannot befriend the unbelievers?
Answer: These
verses, in fact, give an important political and social lesson to Muslims that
they should not accept the aliens as friends nor as guardians and helpers and
should not be deceived by their sweet words of apparently deep love and affection,
because, history say that people having Faith and aim have suffered serious
losses in this way.
It we look
deeply in the history of imperialism, we find that the imperialists and colonialists
have always penetrated the societies of their colonies in the garb of friendship
and sympathy and development and construction so much so that the word Colonialism
Istemaar that refers to habitats is used in the same meaning. After strengthening
their clutches in the colonised nations they fall on them mercilessly and plunder
each and every item of their wealth.
In order that
this dishonest programme of the unbelievers may not penetrate the Muslim societies,
the Holy Quran prohibits such work with full force and with complete clarity.
Yet, alas, some of the Muslims have forgotten this Commandment of the Holy Quran
and have selected shelters among the aliens and history gives witness that most
of the hillock of the Muslims have come up only from this source!
For this subject,
Spain is a fresh signboard that indicates how Muslims created the brightest
civilization in Spain, but because of relying on the aliens, how easily lost
it too!
The big Ottoman
empire which, in a very short duration, broke up and melted away like the summer
ice, and the dirty government of Pahlavis turned Iran into dependent country
and how American consultants were brought into Iran in the garb of officers
and servants who, in fact, ruled over Iran and who fully bound up Iran with
America. Had this great Islamic Revolution under the leadership of the heart
of the weakened people of the world, Imam Khomeini, not occurred, it was not
known whether the fate of our beloved Iran could have been worse than that of
Spain.
Now we must
pay attention and we must take care to safeguard this independence of ours.
We must realise that an alien under every circumstance even if they participate
with us in common interests and even if the cooperation is in limited fields,
in critical circumstances, they will not only us part with us but will also
inflect severe blows on us. Therefore, our awake Imam, before the success of
the Revolution, told the people in his speeches and announcements to be cautious
of the Marxist groups so that they may not knife you from behind. Despite this,
you saw how they hit us. Had we not the awakened leadership of the Imam and
the general public not supported the Imam, it cannot be said what would have
happened to this Revolution and what kind of fire would have spread in this
country.
For better
understanding of this fact also pay attention to a historical event.
The Prophet
of Islam (s.a.w.s.) was so much careful in this matter that during the war of
Uhad, when a hundred Jews mentioned their readiness to co-operate with Muslims
against the polytheists of Mecca, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) turned them back
from half way and did not accept their assistance. This was despite the probability
of their playing and effective role in the war of Uhad. Why? It was because
they, after a short while, in the critical moments of war, co-operated with
the enemy and also took with them the remaining Muslim forces.
We conclude
this discussion with two questions and answers:
1 - Is it permissible
for us to participate in their meets and or to pray for them even if they are
our near and dear relatives?
The answer
is certainly in the negative. The Holy Quran asserts: It is not fit for the
Prophet and those who believe that they should ask forgiveness for the polytheists,
even though they should be near relatives, after it has become clear to them
that they are inmates of the flaming fire.
2 - If praying
for the unbelievers is not permissible then how did Ibrahim pray for his father?
The Holy Quran
mentions like this: And Ibrahim asking forgiveness for his sire was only
owing to a promise which he had made to him; but when it became clear to him
that he was an enemy of Allah, he declared himself to be clear of him that he
was an enemy of Allah, he declared himself to be clear of him; most surely Ibrahim
was very tender-hearted, forbearing.
