Harmony between
Islam and Homeland and Communities Security
Dr Suhaib Hasan - Secretary
General of the Islamic Sharia Council of Great Britain and Ireland
|
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
Preface
What might be the shortest definition of peace? “No war” or
“anti-war” would be the answer. In Qur’anic terms the answer is: No corruption
(Fasad) at all. As Muslims, we claim that the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, may
peace be upon him, was a messenger of peace, who established peace practically.
To prove this claim, let us look into it through these three criteria:
1.
To establish internal peace of mind.
2.
To establish peace in society at large where
people can live without fear and coercion; obtain their livelihood without
deceit and oppression and are protected by rules of law and justice.
3.
To establish peace internationally in a way the
wars are no more than a necessary evil, and exist only to eradicate oppression
and bring tyranny to an end.
And before we look at the great achievements of the Prophet
(SAW) in these three spectrums, let us have a glance on the conditions
prevalent in the Arabian Peninsula during the forty years preceding the
Prophetic mission i.e. from his birth in 570 AD to his declaration of being a
Messenger of Allah forty years later.
Arabs in his times were known to have some extraordinary
characteristics which eventually made them capable of carrying out the great
task of turning the Arabian Peninsula into the seat of Islam and a source of
global inspiration. They were known for bravery, generosity, sense of dignity
and gallantry and trustworthiness. But these highly merited characters were
marked with excessiveness which caused them sometimes to appear negatively.
The valour was turned into plunder and smouldering the
flames of war on petty issues. The wars of Dahis and Ghabra (names of two
she-camels) are such notorious examples. The generosity was turned into
gambling, even for charitable purposes. In the annual markets of Ukaz and
Dhul-Majanna where Arab dignatories used to gamble on pieces of camel flesh and
enjoyed parties of excessive drink.
The dignity and gallantry, of family and tribal pride led
them to create havoc and massacre in the ranks of enemies in the name of
vengeance and racial supremacy. They would even bury their own female infants
alive in the name of honour and jealousy. Trustworthiness was the only
character which remained pure and pristine even at the time of dealing with
their opponents.
The Prophet (SAW) was very successful in moulding these
characteristics in a positive direction, to a productive end and to a
constructive and peaceful way of life.
That is what we want to elaborate further through the three
criteria mentioned earlier.
Chapter
One
1.
To establish internal peace of mind internally:
The ultimate source of peace is the Al-Mighty Himself. One
of His attributes is: Al Mumin – the One
who grants peace. A believer is also known as Al-Mumin, the one who believes in
Allah but as some of Allah’s attributes are reflected in him, he spreads peace
around him. A mind in peace will live in peace and allow others to live in
peace too. A similar name of the believer is Muslim: the one who submits his
will to Allah; the one who enters into peace. The Prophet (SAW) defines the
believer by saying: “The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands other
Muslims are saved.” Such is the place of peace (SILM) in the religion that a
number of characteristics are associated with it.
Embracing Islam is to enter into peace.
“Enter into peace completely.” (2:208)
One of the attributes of the Al-Mghty is “ The Peaceful”
(23:59)
The Muslim greeting is “Assalamu-u-Alaikum” (peace be upon you).
One of the highest characters of a good Muslim is to adopt a
peaceful way if confronted by an ignorant, stupid person:
“And when the ignorant people address them, they say:
“Peace”. (25:63)
Even during hostile conditions, it is not allowed for a
Muslim to reject that person as an enemy while he addresses him with the
greeting of Islam.
O believers! When you set out (to fight) in the way of
Allah, carry out a careful probe, and do not say to him who greets you (as a
Muslim): ‘You are not a believer.’ You seek goods of the worldly life (in the
shape of spoils of war, after killing a Muslim declaring him a disbeliever).
So, (rest assured that) Allah has gains and booties in plenty. Before this you
(too) were the same. Then Allah conferred on you His Favour (and you became
Muslims). So investigate and confirm the truth (about others as well). Surely,
Allah is Well Aware of what you do. (4:94)
The Muslim who led his/her life peacefully will be granted
with the same greeting of peace by the angels at the time of entry into Paradise.
And those who persisted in fear of Allah will (also) be
conducted to Paradise in groups until, when they approach it (Paradise), its
doors will have been opened for them (well before) and the keepers of Paradise
will say, (greeting them): ‘Peace be upon you! Be glad and rejoice, and enter
it to dwell here forever.’
(39:73)
“And [mention, O Muhammad], when Luqman said to his son
while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with
Allah . Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice." (31:13).
By worshipping One God, a man aligns with the whole scheme
of the universe which follows a set of rules, whether it be the rotation of the
sun, the moon and the billions of stars in the cosmos or it be the living souls
with their complicated mechanism by which they operate or it be the phenomena
of nature in different forms and shapes.
Worshipping One God is like serving one master. The one who
has to serve more than one master will never enjoy a peaceful life. The
argument goes like this: As long as Allah, the Al-Mighty is the source of life
and death, and Provider of all your needs and requirements, necessary for your
survival in the planet, then why not worship Him alone; why degrade yourself by
worshipping deities that have nothing to do with your life. Is it logical, in this
practical example, to receive a handsome amount of salary from your boss but
instead of serving him or his company, you serve someone else.
Is it logical for you to be a serving soldier in your
homeland’s army where you are supposed to carry out the commandments of your
commander-in-chief, but instead you start showing loyalty to the opposing side.
Is this not an act of betrayal which will lead you to grief and sorrow
eventually? In a short passage of the Qur’an, entitled “Quraish”, Allah
Al-Mighty has reminded the tribe of Quraish, the custodians of the sacred
Mosque at Makkah the great favours of Allah upon them by providing them
peaceful trade routes in their northward and southward journeys which became
the source of their income and welfare. And if that is the case, then why do
they not worship the Lord of that House in Makkah who provided them that peace
and abundance of livelihood.
Chapter
2
Secondly, establishing peace in society.
Society itself is composed of small units: a house or a
family. There are a number of institutions that help create a peaceful society.
Let us consider each one of them.
1.
The House of the Family
‘Sakinah’ or tranquillity is declared as one of the most
important factors in creating a successful dwelling.
“And (also) of His signs is that He created for you mates of
your own kind so that you acquire peace from them, and He created between you
love and mercy. Verily, in this (system of creation) there are signs for those
who meditate.”
(Surah 30:21)
The Prophet (SAW) has left a number of teachings and
legacies concerning the good upbringing of the children from a young age. For
example, he said:
“The one who does not show mercy to our young ones and
respect to our old ones, is not one of us”.[1]
“A father cannot give his child something better than a good
discipline”.[2]
He emphasized on serving the parents, with more importance
on the mothers as a primary duty of the children. The concept of homes for the
elderly could not have existed if these teachings had been maintained to the
highest degree. Perhaps they could serve a purpose for childless couples, but
not for society at large.
Not all couples carry on with their marital life without
disruption and disputes. Some of them have to part eventually. To end a
marriage, a long process involving accusations, slandering, mud-slinging on
each other from both sides is not required at all. Though the man is awarded
the right of divorce because of his financial responsibilities toward his wife,
she has the right to ask for divorce by way of Khula’. In most cases, she has
the upper hand in the matter of the custody of the children.
As for privacy, maintaining honour and dignity among the
relations, a set of Islamic teachings are beautifully manifested in Surah Nur
and Surah Al-Ahzab.
2.
Next to the house comes one’s neighbours.
The Prophet (SAW) encourages everyone to take care of their
neighbours, to the extent of feeding them if needed. The Qur’an says:
“And worship Allah and do not set up any partners with Him.
And treat the parents with moral excellence and (do good to) relatives,
orphans, the needy, the close as well as unacquainted neighbours, and your
fellows and the wayfarers and those whom you possess. Surely, Allah does not
like the one who is arrogant (i.e., self-conceited) and boastful (i.e.,
egoist),”
(Surah 4:36)
3.
The institution of Al-Hisbah (Ombudsman)
How strongly someone feels when he is cheated by a
shop-keeper, through a fake sale or an ambiguous transaction. How a
neighbourhood reacts when their dwellings are surrounded by secret brothels,
dealings in narcotics and drugs, factories to manufacture wine or growing
opium.
A very recent example comes from Makkah (Saudi Arabia):
“Due to a complaint from one of the visitors, the Saudi
local authorities in Makkah raided a factory which trades into selling the
water of Zamzam in the form of bottles and packages. These containers were
found to be contaminated. Following the raid, 600 bottles were found to be
filled in with water taken from the bathrooms and other sources.
The police in Makkah warned the people not to buy such
bottles which are on sale in the streets as they are the product of a factory
being run by the Houthis from Yemen who admitted mixing the water with a
harmful poison to the body. They said that they had already circulated these
containers in a great number. The police destroyed 600 bottles as well as 16000
cartons ready for marketing.”[3]
4.
The institution of Bait-ul-Mal
Bait-ul-Mal (The Treasury) has been introduced in Islam,
right from the times of the Prophet (SAW) to collect all types of wealth
(money, cattle, grains) which is derived from Zakat, poll-tax and other
sources. One of its major functions is to spend it for the benefit of the poor
and needy. Thus alleviating their sufferings and helping them to enjoy a
peaceful life.
5.
The institution of Qazar (importing justice)
Though Qazis (judges) are appointed by the ruler, they are
allowed to give their judgements without fear or coercion. To establish a rule
of law and justice has been declared in the Qur’an as a fundamental objectives
of the Prophets of Allah throughout the ages.
“Verily, We sent Our Messengers with clear signs, and We
sent down with them the Book and the balance of justice so that people might
grow firm and stable in justice. And (of minerals) We brought forth iron in
which there is a fierce force (for weapons and defence) and which has (multiple
other) benefits for people (in industrial development). And (the purpose is)
that Allah may bring to light the one who helps Him and His Messengers (i.e.,
the Din [Religion of Islam]) without seeing. Surely, Allah is (Himself) the
All-Powerful, the Almighty.”
(57:25)
During Islamic history, a great number of cases have been
recorded where the rules (Caliphs or the governors) were seen standing in the
docks in front of a Qazi. The independence of the judiciary and the
implementation of the rule of law was one of the major factors in establishing
peace and security.
During the last days of the Second World War, Winston
Churchill, the British Prime Minister, was asked about the fate of England in
the face of constant attack by the enemy. He replied that as long as the courts
of this country were functioning well and providing justice to the people,
there was no reason for anyone to fear or despair.[4]
6. The institution of Mirath (the distribution of the
inheritance).
According to Islamic teachings, the inheritance of each
Muslim is to be distributed among his/her heirs in the way described in the
Qur’an. Thus, the assets of a deceased person, especially land, are not
accumulated in the hands of a few gifted individuals but are spread out among a
greater number of people. This helps reduce the number of landlords and increase
the number of the beneficiaries on both levels: land farming and commercial
ventures.
These are the few factors which help to consolidate peace in
the society. Breaching them is to attract the wrath of Allah Al-Mighty who
never fails to punish such people.
“And Allah has described the example of a township which was
(living) in peace and contentment. The means of sustenance came to (its
residents) in abundance from all quarters. Then the (dwellers) of this town
disregarded Allah’s blessings and showed ingratitude. Thereupon Allah clothed
them in the torment of hunger and fear due to the activities that they used to
carry out.”
(16:112)
Chapter 3
Thirdly, to establish peace internationally.
The Prophet (SAW) stands as a model, not only for the
Muslims but for all the mankind at large. During the early thirteen years of
his Prophetic mission in Makkah, he or his followers never took the sword in
their hands. In face of persecution, injustice and physical aggression, he
asked his disciples twice to emigrate to Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
In the third instance he asked them to leave for Yathrib
(Madinah) where he joined them later. During the ten years of his stay in
Madinah, he was subjected to aggression and attack a number of times. That is
the period in which the Qur’an gave permission to fight. Such verses are no
more than forty Ayat, comprising 1% of the whole Qur’an. Though he was
constantly forced to engage in fighting, seeking peace was his primary
objective in life.
“And if they (the combatant or hostile disbelievers) incline
to peace and reconciliation, you also incline to it and put your trust in
Allah. Surely, He alone is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”
(8:61)
The Treaty of Hudaibiya in the 6th year of Hijrah
stands as a splendid example of the Prophet’s character as a peace seeker in
spite of some humiliating conditions attached to the Treaty by the enemy. It
was the breach of the Treaty by the Makkans two years later which prompted him
to lead the Companions towards Makkah which brought him victory without
shedding any blood at all.
The legacy which was left by the Prophet (SAW) as for peace
and war could be summarised as follows:
1.
The objective of a State is to provide peace on
all levels, individual, social and nationally.
2.
War is a necessary evil which serves the purpose
of defence and eradicates tyranny and injustice. During his ten years of
dominance in Madinah, there had been 83 encounters with the enemy including the
four major battles: Badr, Uhud, Trenches and conquest of Makkah followed by
Hunain. Only 1018 persons from both sides were killed along with 127 injured
from among the Muslims.[5]
He himself participated in 23 battles
(Ghazwat) during which only one person was killed by his own hand because he
confronted him directly.
3.
Killing involved the combatants only. He
prohibited the killing of non-combatants especially women, children, old
people, persons confined to the houses of worship. Beneficial objects, whether
cattles or trees were treated as sanctuary.
4.
Peace is the preferred option over even if it is
accomplished on the expenses of one’s own interest. That was the lesson of the
Treaty of Hudaibiya in the 6th year of Hijrah.
5.
At the conquest of Makkah in 8th AH, the
Prophet (SAW) not only spared the lives of all the citizens of the conquered
town, Makkah, but guaranteed peace to his ardent enemies by declaring “Anyone
who enters the house of Abu Sufyan is secured. Anyone who remains behind the
closed doors is secured.”[6]
This legacy was followed by his
successors in their battles against the Romans and Persians to the letter.
Gustav Liban commented: “The history did not come across conquerors more
merciful than the Arabs.”[7]
In total contrast has been the
behaviour of other nations throughout the last 1400 years (since the advent of
the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)), like that of Genghis Khan (1206-1227 A.D), Nadir
Khan (massacre in Delhi in 1799), Crusades (11th and 12th
centuries) for example.
Leaving all these events aside,
let us consider the victims of wars in the last one hundred years since the
First World War. It is no secret that humanity has suffered because of tyrants,
expansionists, war-mongers, blood thirsty dictators and oppressors. Here are
some of these figures:
Examples of mass shootings in the US[8]
1.
14 dead, 22 wounded: San Bernardino, Calif. - DEC.
2, 2015
Two assailants killed 14 people wounded 22 more in a
shooting at the Inland Regional Centre in San Bernardino. The two attackers,
who were married, were killed in a gun battle with police. They were U.S.-born
Syed Rizwan Farook and Pakistan national Tashfeen Malik, and had an arsenal of
ammunition and pipe bombs in their Redlands home.
2.
3 dead, 9 injured: Colorado Springs, Colo. - NOV.
29, 2015
A gunman entered a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado
Springs, Colo., and started firing. Police named Robert Lewis Dear as the
suspect in the attacks. Three people were killed.
3.
9 dead, 9 injured: Roseburg, Ore. - OCT. 1, 2015
Christopher Sean Harper-Mercer shot and killed eight fellow
students and a teacher at Umpqua Community College. Authorities described
Harper-Mercer, who recently had moved to Oregon from Southern California, as a
“hate-filled” individual with anti-religion and white supremacist leanings who
had long struggled with mental health issues.
4. 9 dead:
Charleston, S.C - JUNE 18, 2015
Dylann Storm Roof is charged with nine counts of murder and three counts
of attempted murder in an attack that killed nine people at a historic black
church in Charleston, S.C.
5. 12 killed, 3 injured:
Washington, D.C. - SEPT. 16, 2013
Aaron Alexis, a Navy contractor and former Navy enlisted man, shoots and
kills 12 people and engages police in a running firefight through the sprawling
Washington Navy Yard. He is shot and killed by authorities.
6.
27
killed, one injured: Newtown, Conn. - DEC. 14, 2012
7.
12
killed, 58 injured: Aurora, Colo. - JULY 20, 2012
James Holmes, 24, is taken into custody in the
parking lot outside the Century 16 movie theatre after a post-midnight attack
in Aurora, Colo. Holmes allegedly entered the theatre through an exit door
about half an hour into the local premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises.”
8.
8
killed, 1 injured: Seal Beach, Calif. – OCT. 12, 2011
Scott Dekraai, 41, apparently enraged over a
custody dispute, allegedly walks into a crowded Seal Beach hair salon where his
former wife works and opens fire. Eight people are killed, including a man
sitting in a truck outside the salon. Another person is critically wounded.
Dekraai has pleaded not guilty in the case.
9.
13
killed, 32 injured: Ft. Hood, Texas – NOV. 5, 2009
Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist,
allegedly shoots and kills 13 people and injures 32 others in a rampage at Ft.
Hood, where he is based. Authorities allege that Hasan was exchanging emails
with Muslim extremists including American-born radical Anwar Awlaki.
10. 13 killed, 4
injured: Binghamton, N.Y. - APRIL 3, 2009
Jiverly Voong, 41, shoots and kills 13 people
and seriously wounds four others before apparently committing suicide at the
American Civic Assn., an immigration services center, in Binghamton, N.Y.
Rape case
Derry McCann, 28, raped a 24-year-old woman as
she walked back from an art show hours before he married his pregnant
girlfriend in January was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday and must serve
a minimum of nine years.[9]
Victims of War – 20th and
21st centuries[10]
1914-18: World War I (20 million)
1917-21: Soviet revolution (5 million)
1918-20: Russian civil war (1 million)
1928-37: Chinese civil war (2 million)
1931: Japanese Manchurian War (1.1 million)
1932-33: Soviet Union vs Ukraine (10 million)
1936-37: Stalin's purges (13 million)
1939-45: World War II (55 million) including
holocaust and Chinese revolution
1946-49: Chinese civil war (1.2 million)
1947: Partition of India and Pakistan (1
million)
1949-50: Mainland China vs Tibet (1,200,000)
1950-53: Korean war (3 million)
1958-61: Mao's "Great Leap Forward"
(38 million)
1964-73: USA-Vietnam war (3 million)
1966-69: Mao's "Cultural Revolution"
(11 million)
1967-70: Nigeria-Biafra civil war (800,000)
1974-91: Ethiopian civil war (1,000,000)
1975-78: Menghitsu, Ethiopia (1.5 million)
1975-79: Khmer Rouge, Cambodia (1.7 million)
1976-93: Mozambique's civil war (900,000)
1979-88: the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
(1.3 million)
1983-2002: Sudanese civil war (2 million)
1991-97: Congo's civil war (800,000)
1994: Rwanda's civil war (900,000)
1998-: Congo/Zaire's war - Rwanda and Uganda vs
Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia (3.8 million)
Arab-Israeli wars
I (1947-49): 6,373 Israeli and 15,000 Arabs die
II (1956): 231 Israeli and 3,000 Egyptians die
III (1967): 776 Israeli and 20,000 Arabs die
IV (1973): 2,688 Israeli and 18,000 Arabs die
Intifada I (1987-92): 170 Israelis and 1,000
Palestinians
Intifada II (2000-03): 700 Israelis and 2,000
Palestinians
Israel-Hamas war (2008): 1,300 Palestinians
7.2 million
Palestinian refugees worldwide[11]
These are
the alarming figures: there are many cases of murder, rape, robbery and
banditry everywhere in the world during this period.
I myself
remember, fifty years ago, when I was a student at the Islamic University of
Madinah, that money-exchangers everywhere in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah used to
draw a curtain on the shop at prayer time. They would leave for the mosque
without any fear about the vast amount of different currencies lying unlocked
behind the curtain. This is only due to the strict implementation of Islamic
Sharia in the Kingdom. Though much has changed in the past half-century, the
crime rate is still among the lowest in the Crime Index. For example, according
to the Crime Index for 2017, the United States comes at number 53 with 48.76
crime index, the United Kingdom at number 70 with 41.19 crime index and Saudi
Arabia at number 113 with 23.65. The lowest in the list is Qatar at number 125
with 15.70 crime index.[12]
CONCLUSION
1. Peace
of mind brings peace and security to the society at large. A strong belief in
God and in the accountability on the Day of Judgment are the basis of this
peace. Cases of random shooting, murder and other heinous crimes occur because
of the lack of such peace.
2. A
community based on the rule of justice, respect of human values and a bold
check on evil activities, flourishes and prospers. It does not matter whether
it is a country in the Middle East or in Europe, the more you commit to these
basic factors, the more you enjoy the fruits of a peaceful environment.
3. Some of
the reasons behind war are an aptitude to expand boundaries and capture the
sources of wealth such as oil, gas and other minerals. The invention and use of
WMDs such as nuclear weapons, especially by superpowers against weak targets,
has increased the suffering of humanity on a vast scale. The most recent
example was the "mother of all bombs", dropped on Afghan soil by the
USA. The true tally of victims of this horrible experiment are still unknown.
4.
Injustice practised by a number of states, violating human rights, especially
those of minorities, is a blot on the face of humanity. One of the worst examples
is that of Rohingya Muslims in the Arakan province of Myanmar, and similar
persecution by tyrannical rulers of their own people in response to political
opposition. The situation in Kashmir and Syria is an eye-opener. The policy of
non-interference adopted by the UN in such cases stands as a mockery of the
justice for which this international body was established.
5.
Military intervention by superpowers in weaker nations with baseless excuses
led to the rise of extremist and terrorist organisations like Daesh. Once the
main cause is eradicated, the effects would disappear as well.
6. Respect
for international treaties and agreements, such as those on the distribution of
river water among neighbouring states such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh,
or African countries that share the River Nile, guarantees perpetual peace and
harmony amongst them. But above all is to honour the covenant between the
Divine and the human that brings a real peace to peoples and nations.
And remember the favor of Allah upon you and His covenant
with which He bound you when you said, "We hear and we obey"; and
fear Allah . Indeed, Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts.
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for
Allah , witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you
from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah ;
indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.
(Surah Al-Maidah: 7-8)
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[1]
Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidi, Al-Nasa’i
[2]
Tirmidi, 1952, Al-Tabarani, 12:320
[3]
Sabq.org/Mx2gde
[5]
Qazi Muhammad Sulaiman Mansurpuri: Rahmat-tul-Alamin, 2:213
[6]
Muslim: Kitab-ul-Jihad
[7]
Liban Gustav: Tamaddun-i-Hind
[9] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/apr/28/man-who-raped-stranger-hours-before-his-wedding-given-life-term
accessed
8th May 2017
[12]
Crime Index for Country 2017. This is numbeo.
