[One Ummah] - Re: "Religious Wars"

[One Ummah Network]

Submission by:  madiha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Topic:               Re: "Religious Wars"

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Text:  

Asslamu Alaikum,

The importance of history books cannot be underestimated. Here I want to
make some points clear about THE RELIGIOUS WARS. Initially this article was
written to show that even the differences between sahaba(raa) didn't
dis-united them. Infact they
remained united as they were. The differences between Ali(RAA) and
Muawiayah(RAA) were based on principles and rules of Islam. None of them
wanted to claim the leadership so they can enjoy some wordly benefits.
Today, some people creates more differences by giving their examples which
is totally wrong. 

If I was asked with which side would I'll fight? I'll say neither. And this
is not the worst case. Again we should see the behavior of great companions
in this civil strife. Abdullah ibn-Umar-ibn-Al-Khattab(RAA) refused to take
part in this fight on both sides! He
was infact one of the most knowledgeable people at that time and no one
accused him or dare to say a word against his witty decision. When he(raa)
was asked about this he said: To the one who says, "Come to prayer," I will
respond. And to the one who says,"Come to success," I will respond. But to
the one who says,"Come to kill your Muslim brother to take his money," I
will say, "NO". ibn-Umar(RAA) remained neutral and isolated. Many other
muslims followed him chanting his words and
making it thier motto!

This neutrality and isolation from civil strife at that time doesn't show
cowardinance and hypocrisy. We should keep in mind that Ali(RAA) and Amir
Muawiyah(RAA) didn't want to fight and divide umma into different sects.
There were a lot of new muslims
entering Islam becuase of the rise in it's power. A great number of
hypocrites were present in Ali's and Muawiyah's army, who ignited fight and
hatred among innocent muslims. Many great muslims became the target of
these hypocrites because "good" muslims only had "good" intentions. A civil
strife against Uthman(RAA) included many great companions like
Az-Zubair-ibn-Awwam and Talha(RAA). None of them meant to harm any muslims
but to eradicate the growing fitna. And in that cause the hypocrites easily
used these supporters as their examples gathering a mass of people to do
evil things!

The history of Truth goes with the history of Falsehood and hypocrisy.
Allah(swt) has shown us the Truthful and harmful
people. HE(SWT) has indeed separated Truth and falsehood for us to
recognize. Today we don't read (atleast we shouldn't) history to point our
figures at the Companions of Prophet(saw) justifying this one was right
while the another one was a tyrant; or this one was better in leadership
than the other. We infact read it to learn from the differences of these
Companions. To learn that our inner enemy can be more fatal than the outer
one. We can fight the outer enemy on our frontiers but how to deal with the
enemies sitting besides us or how to recognize them. And we cannot
underestimate the power of hypocrites. They've caused us more harm than
anyone else and they love to see us fighting than anyone else. So in order
to deal with them we don't need the
modern or western tactics. We only need to go back in history and learn how
the Prophet(saw) and Companions(raa) dealt with them.

Again our differences are there to TEACH us; and to UNITE US. Therefore, we
should avoid as much as possible debating which group was good/bad or
right/wrong which as we have seen divides us further into sects and creates
hatred among us. While on the topic we are debating is not even important
in the eyes of Allah(swt) and Messenger(saw).   

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