The Ultimate Internal Battle of the Muslim Society
The Role of Ibn Taymiyyahs Political Fatwas Used Today by Suicide Bombers
http://islam21.net/london-bombings.html
Najah Kadhim*
>The bombing of the Bus and Underground services in London on 7 July 2005, in which at least 56 people were killed and 700 injured, was murder, pure and simple. It has turned out that the atrocity was perpetrated by Muslims, who were clearly degenerate and devoid of any humanity. As Muslims, my co-religionists and I are deeply shocked that a crime was committed against innocent civilians in the name of Islam. The Quran clearly forbids such behaviour and the consciences of the vast majority of Muslims cannot
condone such a heinous murder. I feel the greatest sympathy for my fellow British citizens in their horrific experience during and after the tragedy. Yet, I feel equal sympathy for the innocent civilians (Shia, Suni, kurds, Christians...etc) in my country of origin, Iraq, of whom scores are killed daily even women and children are not spared in the indiscriminate attacks by violent groups in the name of religion. Those murderers are of the same ilk as the perpetrators of the bombing in London.
>It is good that we constantly hear that a serious attempt is being made to defeat these groups by military means. It is also good that political and intelligence strategies are being used to this end. Ultimately, however, it is a battle that needs to be fought within Muslim society by means of the intellect, humanity and education to overcome the rigid thought of the extremists and
eradicate the source that provides new recruits for their cause. It is an internal Muslim war of ideas and education. Its army of supporters must be equipped with modern methodology and the appropriate tools to revitalize the ancient, static and rigid Islamic discourse and to update or modify radically the educational syllabi, particularly those which have little or no connection with modern state education.
>It is clear that the modern phenomenon of suicide bombers is very complex and that a number of factors, such as psychological, sociological and political problems, need to be taken into account. However, this article will not discuss the anger and frustration felt and expressed by these groups because of political grievances or Western injustices. Instead, it will tackle the historical, in particular, the narrow medieval theological aspects used by them to justify the killing
of Muslims (as in the bombing of a hotel in Sharm al Shaikh in Egypt on 23 July 2005 or frequent killing of civilians in Iraq) as well as non-Muslims.
> On a superficial level, one may consider Osama bin Laden and his fellow Muslims to be merely a cult. Like David Quresh, who led a mass suicide in Wako, Texas in the 1980s, and the Reverend Jim Jones, the leader of the mass suicide in Guyana in November 1978, they are totally self-absorbed and do not feel the pain and sufferings of others.
>On a deeper level, however, these groups and the stream of young people that they produce to implement their policies draw their legitimacy from Islamic sources, namely, a tradition of a rigid interpretation of the Text, dominated by patriarchal concepts that have been long since outdated.
>There are two aspects that need to
be examined to understand these phenomena.
>One aspect is a serious analysis of the intellectual dimension. Today, the dominant mode of thought and articulation espoused by scholars of Islam is the discourse on Islamic heritage. It is best exemplified by the tradition of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), which is based on medieval systems of jurisprudence, yet which exhibits little awareness of modern philosophical thinking, psychological insight and social practices. Moreover, in the Middle Ages, the fuquhâ (jurisprudents) developed concepts and rules, some of which were based on violence and which are now being used by extremists to justify their actions. These concepts need to be confronted and dealt with to cleanse them of all violence. The killing of an apostate and the stoning to death of someone who has committed fornication (neither of which is mentioned in the Quran) are
cases in point.
>Clearly, philosophical and rational disciplines seem to be missing from the list of authoritative models of Islamic self-understanding.
>Imam al Ghazali, a very prominent scholar of Islam in the Middle Ages, waged a campaign against the philosophers, as is clearly discernible in his famous work, Tahafut al Falasifa [The Incoherence of Philosophy]. Nevertheless, the significant fact is that although al Ghazali rejected philosophy, he still supported the appropriate use of logic and its principles, considering it an admirable element of thought. His students went even further by destroying everything related to the mind, a process that culminated in the period dominated by the ideas of Ibn Taymiyyah, another very prominent scholar of the twelfth century AC. This resulted in a lethargy of scholarship, for Ibn Taymiyyah rejected philosophy and logic, believing
that both disciplines contaminated and debased Islam. His views generated a culture which purged everything considered un-Islamic in the thought and practice of society and which was followed by the purification of Islam itself as well as the implementation of political concepts used today by Takifri groups to justify their unspeakable brutality. This was best exemplified in the period of Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahab. The absence of rational inquiry and the predominance of the literal reading of Textual dictates contributed towards the decrease in the interaction of the human element and the Text. The Quran was no longer at the centre, with its influence radiating in all directions, interacting with the human intellect and the changing circumstances of human society, and thus enabling a positive advancement in human civilization. Instead, it became a rigid, impermeable sphere that
imprisoned the human imagination and even creativity itself. These negative developments prepared the Muslim world for a long period of decline, especially after the bitter experience of the Ottoman Empire, which continued into the early twentieth century. Although there appeared new imams who seemed to have new ideas based on modern circumstances, in reality they were only repeating what had been said in the fifth century AH, since they were using the same old epistemological patterns and tools.
>The introduction of these new ideas resulted in new political-social and even psychological attitudes, as indicated by Mawdudis thinking. It was based on his fascination (some see it as his own invention) with the concept of God as the Judge of all, the Sovereignty of God, the increasingly stringent cleansing of Islam and Muslim society from foreign impurities and the warranty of
the purity of Islam and its followers. This type of thinking restricted Muslims to imaginary boundaries and encouraged them to pursue arrogant ideas, for they began to believe that they were superior to the rest of the world. Sayyid Qutb exemplifies this way of thinking in his famous books, Maalam fi al Tariq and Jahiliyat of the Twentieth Century, as well as in many other works. Not surprisingly, the combination of all the factors described above resulted in a culture of takfir (expulsion from the orbit of the faith) of the most rigid type, the like of which the Muslim world had not experienced since the era of the Kharijites in the very early years of Islamic history.
>Although there were great reforming figures such as Afghani, Abduh and, in the recent past, al Sader, yet they were unable to arrest the rapid decline. As Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, the Director of the Muslim
Institute, has pointed out: There has been a decline and dwindling of ideas since the period of Afghani and Abduh over the past hundred years or so, and we have today a total intellectual apostasy.
>What we see today is the spread of the extremely harsh mentality of takfir as interpreted by certain institutions and groups, which refuse to accept that they are part of a history that will continue its march, or to negotiate with any other agency. The extremists who assume the exclusive authority to decide what is Islamic and what is not Islamic fall mainly into one category which can be labelled the external dimension. It includes the many smaller groups, which are inspired by the ideas of Sayyid Qutb, Mawdudi and others, as well as the early fuquhâ (jurisprudents) such as Ibn Taymiyyah. They share a hatred of the modern states and societies, and are indeed prepared to kill
anyone who does not support their views. Current examples are Osama bin Laden of al Qaidah and the Groupe Islamique Armée (GIA) or the Armed Islamic Group in Algeria, whose members have taken it upon themselves to kill all the Algerians who do not belong to their clique. They consider themselves to be the only original and pure form of Islamic reference and therefore believe that they have the authority of Gods exclusive representatives.
>These jihad groups, which adhere to the concepts and methods of al Qâidah, as witnessed in London and Egypt in 2005 and almost daily in Iraq, put into practice political fatwahs (edicts) originally formulated by Ibn Taymiyyah. One notable fatwah is known as atrâs, an Arabic word meaning human shields. When the enemy, that is, Christians etc., and their collaborators, happen to have among them a large number of Muslims, then these
groups still consider that it is legitimate to launch an attack because those Muslims are simply collateral damage and will automatically go to Paradise.
>Another fatwah that is frequently used as a basis for jihad is al wala and al barâah, meaning loyalty and repudiation. It is a reference to the loyalty of genuine Muslims and their repudiation of those considered bogus such as the Shiites or the Sufis. This rule could be used to kill any genuine Muslims if, according to the groups definition of Muslim, they are considered to be the enemys agent or proxy. For example, the Iraqi police and army as well as bogus Muslims are regarded by Zarqawi as collaborators of the Coalition forces, and therefore a legitimate target for attack and repudiation by the Ummah. One can ask why it is acceptable to kill children, as happened in Iraq in July 2005, when 28 were blown to
pieces and many more seriously injured. According to the supporters of the fatwah, these are the children of the bogus Muslims (meaning the Shiites), and therefore when they grow up, they will, in turn, become bogus.
>There is also the minor category, which comprises the internal dimension. It is represented by some sectors of society and embodied in the traditional social and religious institutions, which assume the authority to interpret and impose the rules of Islam. In general, they do not treat religion in a complementary way by making use of the intellect or modern cultural education. Examples are the promotion of the traditional means of the cleansing of shame, otherwise known as honour killing; the fatwas issued by traditional Muslim scholars who condemn secularists as apostates and who deem it lawful to kill them; and the killing of civilian Iraqis in
the name of jihad against the Coalition forces occupying Iraq.
>It is owing to this serious lack of intellectual effort that we believed in the importance of establishing the IFID (International Forum for Islamic Dialogue) in 1994 as a global network for intellectuals. Consequently, we began to publish Islam 21, that is, Islam for the twenty-first century.
>We believe that the key to a better future and the stable development of Muslim nations lies in developing modern interpretations of Islam, that is, Muslim thought and attitudes that are compatible with the contemporary world. It is about a humane, democratic and intellectual Islamic thought, or, more precisely, a way of thinking that takes into account the movement of history. In contrast, the militant and other Muslim extremists believe that the march of history came to a halt a long time ago. As Professor Ziauddin
Sardar, a leading Muslim writer, expressed it: The mentality of extremists is ahistoric. It abhors history and drains it of all humanity and human content.
>The other aspect is the dire need for the modernization of education in general, both religious and secular, and the inclusion of civic participation in particular.
>In 2002, IFID began designing a course suitable for young people and religious leaders on Civic Muslim Participation. It was believed that Muslims had reached a crisis in their public attitude, as shown in their rejection of modern civil institutions, aggression towards the other, general apathy and little participation in civil life, and passivity in the face of political violence. As Dr Laith Kubba, former IFID Director and current spokesman for the Iraqi government, has pointed out: There is confusion over the role of Islam in public life, as there
are conflicts between traditions and modernity as well as conflicting interpretations of Islamic teaching.
>The abuse of Islam in public life has shown itself in the religious violence against other Muslims, let alone non-Muslims, in Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, etc. and the spread of Osama bin Ladens ideas. That is why Dr Talib Aziz, one of the designers of the IFID course and an educator in democracy in the Middle East, believes in
>
>the need for an Islamic-based civic curriculum that combines Quranic concepts with modern civic values and human development and progress using modern pedagogical methods and teaching formats to provide Muslims, youths in particular, with mental and material tools as well as basic life skills.
>
>These courses are designed for the needs of Muslim youth, that is, to provide them with the mental and material tools as well
as basic skills that will aid them in their public activities and the practicalities of daily life. There should be a serious effort to understand the problems of Muslim youth. Young Muslims should be included in public life, where they could be given the opportunity to express themselves as an alternative to venting their frustration in the form of violence. We should remember that over half of the Arab population (of nearly 300 million) are under the age of 30. In Britain, over 60 per cent of the Muslim population are under the age of 35. These statistics underline the importance of addressing these issues.
>In addition, Muslim women should be given greater opportunities to contribute to public life outside the Muslim community. Their flexible mentality and more humane and practical approach to solving problems are much needed to complement the contribution of Muslim men to
modern society. The double standards practised by some Muslim men and their medieval attitude towards the position of women, in both public and private life, are unacceptable in modern times and should be jettisoned.
>Further useful networking such as the City Circle, a network of young professionals, in London led by Asim Siddiqui should be copied and developed as it provides the necessary interaction between responsible young Muslim citizens and the wider community.
>Also intra Muslim debate like the one orchestrated by Dr. AbdoolKarim Vakil, Muslim Parliament Brainstorming chair, to shed light on weaknesses and achievement of the British Muslim community should be strengthened and it is as important as the interfaith dialogue.
>What is currently missing in these groups and networking is the fine line that connects the young and old networks in the community to
provide the mix of junior and senior experiences.
>
>Eventually, it will be the Muslims who will be able to help themselves and be in tune with the global movement to address the two key aspects, that is, the lack of rational humanity in the Muslim approach and traditions, and the Muslims responsibility to face the crisis in state and religious education by introducing Civic Participation.
>Closer to home, the Muslims in Europe (including Britain) and the United States have progressed a few steps in the right direction. Nevertheless, much more is needed to eradicate the problem of violence and terrorism from our midst.
>It is not rational to say that the actions of violent Muslim groups are not Islamic, for they do draw heavily on Muslim sources.
>It is not enough simply to condemn the indiscriminate killings and their perpetrators, for these crimes
continue to be repeated.
>It is important to understand why extremists are carrying out such horrific acts, so that Muslims can play a principal role in producing a solution to this problem and in overcoming the current crisis that is affecting the world.
*Najah Kadhim (PhD) is a Senior University Lecturer and Director of the charity IFID.
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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