The Backbone that Never Breaks

[xiinfaniin]

^^well put Abu Salman.

[Fabregas]

If we return to the case of the individual known as Samaritan, Musa dished out an extremely stern punishment to him: the burning of his false diety and eventual exile from the community/land. Meanwhile, the israelites who worshipped the calf were told to be slayed by those who didn't. Another stern punishment right there. And this the only way they could have earned forgiveness according to the laws of the time.

 

As for Harun, at first Musa was harsh with him; however, Harun was excused because his life was threatened by the calf worshippers and he didn't want to create fitna between Bani Israel factions. Though it must be noted that indeed Harun did establish the evidences against his tribe, warning them against the dangers of worshipping the false dieites. He was not obvlious to the whole saga

 

So, what are the lessons in this, O Xiinfanin?

 

In my opinion, it is that, simply put, all of the anbiya took heroic stands against kufr and shirk, never diluting or compromising on the tawheed of Allah. I must agree You are correct when you point out the differences between the youthful Musa and Musa the elder Prophet.

 

Like you said, the youthful Musa is the one who thinks with his fist and gets into fights when he sees his tribesman being wronged. On the other hand, Musa the wise Prophet is a man of dialogue, reasoning, wisdom and great leadership skils.This change occured when Allah took Musa to the desert of the Midyan, moulding him into a real man of many qualities who was set a great task.

 

 

 

If one closely scrutinises Musa's conduct with his tribe, you will realise the great forebearance of the man towards his tribe, who rebelled and petulantly obscured his efforts at every opportunistic moment. Perhaps this is a wise lesson for us, ya Xiin?

 

 

Now, a few words on the subject of tarbiyah and whatnot;

 

I agree that all of the different Anbiya were given gradual tasks and they didn't seek to build Islam in a day. Somedays their struggle was waged with the mouth and dialogue; somedays by the stones against powerful foes( Daud); and, somedays by the sword against the powerful empires of the time. One only needs to read the seerah of the Prophet Muhamad to understand this phenomena.

 

Though what I will disagree with is this notion that there has to be some slow motion process towards the establishment of the tawheed of Shariah of Allah in the muslim lands. And, furthermore according to this logic, the ummah can live by shirki and kufr systems along this slow motion process towards Islamic governance. D

 

During the time of the Prophet Muhamad , a man who's tribe converted to Islam was instructed to destroy an idolistic tree( which they believed had certain powers). Using the excuse that his tribe was new to Islam,the companion asked for a time delay in convincing his tribe to uproot the tree*. The prophet refused to even give a days delay and asked for the tree to be destroyed at once. In the same manner, the early muslims established the axkam of Allah when they revealed and they never said there needs to be some future age wherein everybody must be ready or that the whole world must accept it.

 

 

Abu Bakr also took a similar stance, much against the wishes of Umar, when the Arab tribes rejeced the Zakat and he came to the decision to fight them. And we all know the stance that Ibn Taymiyah took against the tartars. It can be said that in all of these cases that excuse of maslaha could have been used. But what is required sometimes is steadfastness and brute force. Unfortunately, what we see today is the two extremes, that is, some muslims who want to purely focus on dialogue and some who believe the only solution is through sheer force. The story of Musa does show the power of dialogue, Oh Xiin; yet, it also show the power of strength and courage.

 

So, my questions to Xiin and Abu Salman are :

 

today, how can there be maslah or maqaasid al shariah in compromising on/ abandoning the Shariah itself for the modern day idoltary systems? Isn't this an oxymoron in itself? Secondly, do you believe that likes of Shariff have completely abandoned Sharia governance for a secular system due to international pressure and also as a means the suffering of Somalis? Or is it merely a strategic compromise designed to gradually implement the xukum of Allah at a later stage? I believe it is the former!

 

 

 

* I may have told the narration incorrectly. if I have, someone could correct me inshallah.

 

* my writing style is not as polished as some of the other brothers, so I apologise if my post was a bit long, muddled and repetitive.

 

Fabregas

[Abu-Salman]

Originally posted by Fabregas:

 

today, how can there be maslah or maqaasid al shariah in compromising on/ abandoning the Shariah itself for the modern day idoltary systems? Isn't this an oxymoron in itself? Secondly, do you believe that likes of Shariff have completely abandoned Sharia governance for a secular system due to international pressure and also as a means the suffering of Somalis? Or is it merely a strategic compromise designed to gradually implement the xukum of Allah at a later stage? I believe it is the former!

 

 

Shariah implementation is a flexible as well as gradual process with preconditions (legitimate authority).

For instance, even when proper procedures are adhered to and the strict conditions met, the prescribed Hudud may not be applied when stealing occurs in times of compelling yet widespread need.

 

More crucially, education, raising awareness and providing for the needs should be the real priorities and duties of the authority in place; it is the latter's responsibility to precisely prevent the need for Hududs by assisting the population under its control (whether it be towards jobs creation, welfare, assisting the youth in regards to marriages etc).

 

In case of one witnessing say instances of greater Shirk, then it falls under his own responsibilty to educate and gently persuades away his folks from such practises; in that sense, Shariah implementation is relevant at every level, individual or famillial, certainely not a duty that squarely fall on the shoulders of one man or his team.

 

On another level, "husnu than" or thinking positively about fellow Muslims until overwhelming and clear, precise evidences is a must.

 

To descend further in the reasoning, there are not yet scholarly consensus in one direction or another concerning Sh Sharif's administration, regardless of his fortuitous ascend to power, while all his previous choices or background point towards an honest Islamic character more concerned with piousness than fame, profit and other usually associated lusts (from his origins to his occupational choice or his methods)...

[AYOUB]

^ Fab knows that but said he believes "the former" is taking place. Is he right? If not, the onus is on you to prove otherwise. You can start by explaining how one could square the delaying of "Huduud" on compassionate grounds with Amisom firepower as the means.

 

Fabregas

I hear you. It's substance over writing style.

[xiinfaniin]

Febragas great points indeed. Your writing style is fine. It’s your understanding of the historicity of critical milestones of Shareecah Implementation that we have issues with however. You cant in all honest question the gradual stages, or gradation to use a proper term, Islamic shareecah implementation went through. It was a blow-by-blow, step-by-step process. It was tedious and tiring at times. From the big picture perspective, there are two main stages to Muhammad’s struggle; the Mecca and Medina stages. One cannot ignore or skip the political dynamics of Mecca stage and jump ahead to cite Abubakar’s military solution to those who rebelliously rejected Islamic state’s authority to collect Zakatul maal in the Medina era. Abubakar was the head of an Islamic state that was close to a political maturity. It was a functioning state, which had all the branches of governance, including standing army. But above all, and, as Abu Salman pointed out, it had legitimacy. Legitimacy yaa Febragas in the realm of Islamic theology is not a matter that can be taken lightly. But in avoidance of veering out of topic, lets stick to the tarbiyah lessons in the Musa stories. You are agreeing that Musa when at his prophetic maturity resorted more to dialogue and reasoning than raw force compared to his youthful era. I thank you for coming to that useful conclusion. And if one reads the Quran attentively, one observes that Musa was not unique in his embrace of that formula. Indeed the primary objective of this deen is laying out the well-argued case of cubuudiyah of Allah; it’s giving people the knowledge that Allah exists, and warning them the consequence if other alternative is chosen. There is a reason why Nuh spent Millennium breaching without succeeding to reach a critical mass. It was hard awoowe to breach continuously without achieving appreciative results. It was hard for Luud. And for Luud being born into a minority tribe did not help. At one point he hoped he were born to a majority tribe, and Allah’s interjection are beautiful as they are to the point reminding Luud that was not the point at all. So throughout the Quran the formula for success is perseverance, and clarity of purpose. It was so for Muhammad (scw) when he was both in Mecca and Medinah. Even when he had a functioning state the prophet charted a political dialogue with Jewish community and pagan Arab tribes purely for political and military reasons, because he was weak and new to that part of Arabian landscape.

 

Lets come back to Somalia. Awoowe Somalia is not an Islamic state. It’s not even a state today. The question has never been in my mind whether Somalia’s Islamic character is in danger. For Somalis are and have for long a time been Muslims. Current situation in Somalia with all the apparent instability and insecurity and lack of consensus does not favor the emergence of effective Islamic state however. Arbitrary shariicah implementation through makeshift courts without adequate legitimacy or even judiciary infrastructure does NOT certainly help either. But even that would have been tolerable had it not manifested itself in the most politicized and reactionary way. Islam is a religion of knowledge and learning. And these angry alshabaab men are good at using slogans they don’t understand. They fight without slightest knowledge of the fiqhi of fighting. They therefore kill easily. When Usaamah (rc), I believe it was Usamah, accepted the dual of a Mushrik, actively fighting man in the heat of the battle, and as he closed in, the man uttered the shahaadah, Ussaamah heard it but swiftly severed the man’s neck. Subsequently Muhammad(scw) posed this profound question to Ussaamah: what are you going to do with kelimatu laa ilaaha illaaha when it confronts you in the day of judgment. Ussaamah latter recounted that he wished he entered Islam that day, after he killed the combatant man. Febragas, remember that was a mushrik, armed, and active man in a battlefield that Muhammad (scw) was talking about. Come to Alshabaab and they have issued a verdict that entire segment of Somalia’s political community are riddah. Allah! They are actively plotting and planning to kill these political leaders because of the disagreements between them. They rejected dialogues and peace talks. Those they don’t do. They like to fight. And kill. There is where they find pride and dignity. And there lie the Sharaf our good brother Kashafa talks about day in and day out. I have no problem calling that for what it is: illustrious case of annafah and cizzah seeking youth. But I cannot call it Islam.

 

And what did Somali Muslim scholars say about this? They have begun to talk about it albeit a bit late, but they are doing it now. There was a great conference held in the city of Milk Lakes attended by most of reputable Muslim scholars from different regions in Somalia. Similar conference is being held or will be held in Qardho, I heard. No one I know from the mainstream scholars doubted Sharif’s faith. Only in Alshabaab circles one can find the luxury to throw men out of the Islamic fence using raw nusuus that he does not apparently comprehend.

 

I think Abu Salman did a great job giving the abstract of maqaasidu shariicah. And without firm understanding of those objectives one’s deeds will sadly be in vain.

[xiinfaniin]

Abu Salman wrote:

 

More crucially, education, raising awareness and providing for the needs should be the real priorities and duties of the authority in place; it is the latter's responsibility to precisely prevent the need for Hududs by assisting the population under its control (whether it be towards jobs creation, welfare, assisting the youth in regards to marriages etc).

 

Baraakallaahu Fiika, yaa Abu Salman!

 

This is the essence of Islamic governance. Contrary to the prevailing perception perpetuated by the practice of few lunatics on the fringe of Islamic theology, providing service, not implementing xuduud, has been the primary purpose of previous Islamic states. Case in point: a woman came to Muhammad (scw) confessing that she had committed adultery, asking him to cleanse the sin from her by stoning her. The messenger looked the other way, signaling that he would rather have her go away and vanish. But this woman’s resolve was so strong, her desire so determined, that she would walk around the rasuul and tell him to do the xuduud on her. Finally the rasuul examined her sanity by asking questions, asking her if it was her head telling her that she committed this sin. When she said she has a proof in the form of early but visible pregnancy, Muhammad (scw) told her to go and wait till she delivers the fetus. After nin months the woman came back carrying the child on her back, to confront the messenger again and asking him to carry out the xuduud. But Muhammad (scw) resisted her again, and instructed her to breast feed the child. The child he said has a right on you as a parent. She went back to do what the resuul told her to do. But she came back again, after two years, with a child strong enough that he was holding a piece of bread in his hand.

 

It was after that, after she, and not masked vigilant men, brought her-self for the xuduud, that rasuul ordered the xad on her.

 

Allah! What do we have today? With no legitimacy bestowed upon them, some folks are carrying out arbitrary executions in the name of xuduud. It is as though brutality is construed to equal effective Islamic governance. And some are clapping for such farce scheme in the name of shariicah Islamaaiyah.

 

And where is my sheekh Nur. We need his guidance on this

[Malika]

^This guidance was and HAS to come from the Islamic Somali scholars whom up to now had been silent and neglectful of their duties.

 

It is harsh to judge youngsters on the little they know of the subject of Shari'a and its implications.What knowledge has been passed on to these young people? If those in the know how have been silent,which has allowed a gap for ignorant s to be leaders,leading people astray.

 

If we go back to the highly frequent mention story in the Quran of Musa[sAAS],it was clear that there was a confrontation between Truth and Falsehood. On one side you have Firqawn[Falsehood] - Whom was a symbol of disbelief,tyranny and transgression in those times, on the other side you have Musa[sAAS][Truth] - Whom was hunted,banished, opposed, ridiculed, mocked and had meager support and little resource..As you can see, there was only two sides..As it seems, it's the same circumstances that we are faced with as of current situation.Either your with them or your with us,aaye shekadu tahay.

 

Perhaps,Sharif underestimated the problem when he took on the role,perhaps it would have been wise to meet with Islamic Somali scholars before he shoke hands with USA,UN,AU,AMISOM and Zenawi[whom clearly are seen as falsehood], perhaps then the situation would have not escalated this far..[Who knows]

 

* I know you have said,they are in support of him,but to what extent have they intervene?

 

*What has been the outcome of the recent meeting?

 

[Allahu yaa Callam]

 

ps.I know am being hard on the scholars,but when you look around,there is so much calamity that has befallen upon our people and nothing is being said by those in the know how,and that is upsetting..They need to raise their voices,they have a huge responsibility upon their shoulders..May Allah make it easy for them and us..Amiin

[AYOUB]

^ Xiin is being disingenuous to the core. Anyone can see how high he lifts the bar when it comes to the Youths as opposed to their opponents. Whatever errors the Youths have committed, they cannot be compared the Warlords in the "government". Somehow he is expecting us to believe the Ethio-trained "government militias" in Baladweyne or Amisom tactics are better . Please!

 

As for Sh. Sharif being the "authority", if truth be told, he got the title by pretending to be the leader or at least having influence over the Islamic Resistance and ignoring the scholars advising against him joining the TFG. That's how he got his 200+ MPs.

[Malika]

^I believe xiin is talking of a bigger concept then Sharif iyo TFG,he is talking about the discipline that is required to bringing change through Islam by all involved.

 

I for one have learned something from xiin's points and I hope he continues to enlighten us by his depth knowledge.

 

Why do you think baani Israel have been mentioned over and over in the Quraan?

[Nur]

Xiin bro writes:

 

The biggest tarbiyah lesson in this event, as I see it, is the inevitability of conflict and the importance of dialogue as remedy.

 

 

True.

 

There are three dimensions to this fitnah, and Musa tackles each one of them. It can be said that there are two Musas in the quran.

 

I would rather say, one Musa. Different situations and different stages in our journey toward Allah, call for different approaches.

 

 

The first is the physically strong man, who grew up playing around majestic buildings, and who as the quran points out slaps adversaries in the face to side with the xaq.

 

Musa reacted for the sake of Justice, the Egyptian was the tyrant, the Israelite was the oppressed, Moses, who grew up as a Prince in Pharaoh's court but who was well aware of his identity acted with full dignity, it was the unintentional manslaughter that was his sin, not the heroic defense on behalf of the weak and the oppressed.

 

 

The second is the humble, wise and educator Musa who as we can see in this episode overcomes his anger and uses dialogue to advance his message.

 

In reality, Moses reacted with anger when he came to know that his people worshiped the calf during his absence, he acted with violence toward his brother Aaron who he pulled his beard and head. To be angry in the cause of Allah is a virtue, in the day of judgement, a pious man will be ordered to hell for not showing signs of anger on his face for the sake of of Allah ( Lam yatamacar wajhu hu lillah).

 

 

The transition is brought about by rigorous spiritual and as well as physical training prescribed by Allah, and in the surati Dhaha the sequence of that transition is beautifully captured by one of the best, and certainly my favorite, quranic narrations; Ji’ta calaa qadarin yaa Musa.

 

 

Allah narrates Moses' upbringing and his preparation for the leadership of the oppressed children of Israel. It was not a coincidence.

 

In the meantime, and while good Febragas is contemplating on the matter, let me draw Sh. Nur in to this discussion, and directly ask him how could the stories of prophets in general and their struggle to advance xaq under the shade of thulmi and the approaches they took to overcome it contrast with today’s rebellious, reactionary manifestations in resorting to swift justice, as they called it, even when its clear that it’s hardly that swift.

 

Akhi Xiin, unless one is in the kitchen, theoretical approach hardly presents solutions in the face of organized oppression and tyranny. depending on the situation and the personality, people take different paths to solve a problem, Abu Bakar was known for cool headedness while Omar was known for swift justice, but during the wars of the Ridda, they took oppiste approaches, Abu Bakar was for swift justice against the Murtaddeen, while Omar was the apologetic.

 

 

What was the dignity and sharaf nabiyyullaahi Luud lacked, for instance, when he was clearly willing to offer his daughters to wicked men to save his angelic guests that today's linnets in the form of armed groups posses and die for it in rejecting alternatives other then the one that is supposedly found in the so called rapid Islamic justice? One wonders if such act would be considered dab0dh1lif practice in light of today’s mindless rhetoric from some groups in Somalia.

 

Akhi al Xabiib, its precisely the fear that the whole world might turn soddomists that is driving the call for the application of the Sharia in Somalia and rejection of secularism. The Quraan shows, if secularists have their way, the world will become Sodom and Gomorrah towns again, without Prophet Lut, a Pharoah's Kingdom without Moses, A Roman Empire, without Jesus, a Chaos of the Arabian desert, without Muhammad SAWS.

 

You read the story of Huud, Saalax, and Yonis and the pattern never changes. It’s one of resolve and gradual gain, and not what we see today in many places of Islamic world.

 

 

Akhi Al Xabib, we have these good examples in the form of the Ducaat, those preaching Islam everywhere today, who are making the difference, and who have taken the responsibility of the Prophets, its because of their efforts that Islam is coming back to become an intergral part in our lives, wa low karihal kaafirun!

 

As for those who calls others Dabbodhhillif, it shows lack of religious maturity, a Muslim is not a Faaxish or Lacaan Mid dadka caaya ama naclada) according to the Hadeeth, a wise man like you should forgive them for Xusnul Dhann!

 

Baarkallahu feek, akhi

 

 

Nur

[AYOUB]

Originally posted by Malika:

^I believe xiin is talking of a bigger concept then Sharif iyo TFG,he is talking about the discipline that is required to bringing change through Islam by all involved.

 

I for one have learned something from xiin's points and I hope he continues to enlighten us by his depth knowledge.

I learned a lot too and JZK to him and the rest of the chaps. I still think it would be better not to narrow what Fab posted down to the conflict raging in Somalia today, especially as bias Xiin and Nur seem to be. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

Why do you think baani Israel have been mentioned over and over in the Quraan?.

Go on, educate me. Is it because they were chosen for Revelations that preceded the QUR'AN? So we can learn (from their) history?