Is Jihaad Going on in Northern Nigeria? Whoever has carefully studied the texts of the Qurân, the Sunnah and the statements of the veritable scholars of the Deen, as expounded above, will never fall into the wrong conclusion that the anarchy and chaos going on presently in the Northern part of Nigeria is a Jihâd. It is also a blatant erroneous supposition to say the matter is that of aJihâd Difaa(Defensive Jihâd), as some enthusiastic Muslim folks opine on some Internet forums. We have brought the statements of the scholars indicating that there is a Jihâd Difaa when a Muslim Community comes under the attack of the enemy. This is unlike when two or three persons in a community come under attack; that case is different. There may be a group of criminals – posing as religious charlatans, who create chaos and pandemonium about, whom the government of the time (Islamic or otherwise) may feel it is necessary to bring their activities to check; for the group to say it is carrying out a Jihad (DifaaorTalab, or whatsoever) when it comes under attack is to make a claim of what is not Islamically justifiable. The recent Jihad in Dammaaj, Yemen, where a Muslim community came under the attack of the Houthis (a Shia sect) and was repelled is an example of aJihâd Difâ. Virtually all the scholars of Sunnah of the time say the Jihad was appropriate; that is aTazkiyyah(testimonial) for it. No reputable scholar of Sunnah, to the best of the knowledge of this writer, gave anyTazkiyyahfor the Jihâd in the Northern Nigeria despite its notoriety. Rather it courted a widespread condemnation from scholars, local and abroad. Those close to the scholars are aware of this. For long had Shaykh Jafar Mahmud of Kano – may Allâh bestow his mercy on him, tried to persuade the leaders (not rulers, take note) of the Northern Jihâd to tread it softly. You would recall that Shaykh Jafar was brutally murdered by yet-to-be-identified gunmen on the eve of 2007 general elections. No scholar dare talk about the Northern Jihâd now for the fear of being killed. How many Muslims – scholars and laity – have been killed since the beginning of the Jihâd to make all Nigeria Shariah compliant! Those who try to equate the Dammâj experience with the event in the Northern Nigeria are but making a serious mistake. One, the Dammâj people are known to be scrupulous people as far as the correct disposition to Islam is concerned. They are never known as lawless people, in fact, they remain committed to the crumbling central government of Yemen, and they are ready to cooperate with it in goodness. As for the brothers – they are our brothers in Islam though we do not share the same views and we shall never fail to criticize them for their excesses – in the Northern Nigeria, they, authoritatively speaking, are lawless people who think it is unislamic to obey the basic traffic rules such as fastening the safety belt, wearing the safety helmet and not speeding above the speed limit. They think they can achieve anything they want to achieve anytime. They had one time carved themselves out of the whole population settling in a place called Yusufari in Yobe State, Nigeria; that was in 2004. The government forces routed them from their den then only to go Maiduguri metropolitan and constitute a menace. They would instruct their members to tear the certificates they obtained from western schools because it wasab initio, according to them, forbidden to attend such schools because of the western pollution prevalent therein, among other reasons they give. They say it was sinful to obey any law if not promulgated in the Shariah. Being fair to them however, they do not say all of the Western education isharam. That was the wild imagination of the Nigerian press which dubbed themBoko Haram. Therefore, it would be strange if any constituted authority would allow the activities of the group to go on unchecked. And for the record, the president of the country when the first major battle broke out in 2009 was a Muslim and no scholar of the Muslims had declared him a Kâfir even though he was a democratic president. There is no doubt that the group takes methodological lessons from Ikhwâni-influenced groups such asAl-Qaeda, the Islamic Jihâd, Hamas, etc. praise to Allâh the scholars of the Deen have denouncedIkhwaaniyyah(the Muslim Brotherhood with its roots in Egypt) and all its offshoots and they have specifically declared the infamousAl-Qaeda(and all groups who share their aspirations such as our brothers in the North) as being at variance with the correct teachings of Islam. Thus their Jihâd methods such as suicide bombings, robbing banks(they say this isghaneemah[war booty]!), bombing churches, killing innocent men and women including children, planting bombs in public places, etc. are not the Jihâd methods in Islam. We do not however rule out some elements of conspiracy in the matter. Nigerian society is a very complex one, politically speaking. That the Jihaad methods of these people (in the general sense) are not correct is what several scholars of Sunnah have referred to. Schlolars Verdicts on Some Notable Deviants of Our Time [The verdicts are derived from the book,al-fâidah min fatâwal-ulamâ fee muddaee al-Islâh wa tandheem al-qâidah] Said His Eminence Ash-Shaykh Abdul-Aziz bn Bâz – may Allâh bestow mercy on him: As for what the likes of Muhammad Al-Musiree and Sad Al-Faqeeh, and those who follow their footsteps, do today in terms of spreading harmful and misleading messages is without doubt a great evil; they call to evil and great corruption (in the land). It is imperative that people should be wary of their publications; people should do away with them and get their works destroyed. They should not cooperate with them in any matter wherein they invite to harm, evil, falsehood and tribulation because Allâh commanded that cooperation should be upon piety, fear of Him; not upon corruption and evil, nor upon spread of lies, nor upon spread of false calls which cause disunity (among the Muslims) or which create sense of insecurity in others. The publications that emanate from Al-Faqeeh or Al-Musiree, or others apart from them, among the callers to falsehood, evil and disunity; those publications should be done away with, destroyed and should never be considered. The evil callers must be advised and guided to the truth, and they should be warned against their (spread of) falsehood… my own advice to Al-Musiree, Al-Faqeeh and Ibn Laadan (Osama bn Laden) and all those who tread their path is that they should refrain from this evil path, they should fear Allâh and be wary of His punishment and anger; they should go back to what is correct and they should repent to Allâh for what had come from them (of evil)… [Majmuu fatâwâ wa maqalaat ash-Shaykh, 9/100]. Shaykh Abdul-Azîz Aal-Shaykh (the present Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) – may Allâh preserve him – was asked:Is it permissible to say that bn Laden, (Sad) Al-Faqeeh and Al-Musiriyy are misguided; and is it permissible for Muslims who do not have enough knowledge to listen to their talks on the Internet? Answer:O brothers; these people are the sources of evil and corruption (in the Muslim lands). There is no doubt that they are misguided people because right from time, they were products of the enemies tutelage; it was the enemies of Islam that trained them, they used to live under their shades; all their hearing and sight were with them. Therefore they are enemies of Islam, forget about their outward display and the hatred they pretend to show to such-and-such. Whoever studies their history and origin will know that they are evil and misguided.[Adapted from the lecture,The Illegality of Causing Corruption on Earth.] Said Shaykh Uthaymeen – may Allâh bestow mercy on him – about the Riyadh and Khobar Bombing: There is no doubt that this act will not be pleasing to every right thinking person let alone the believers. None will be pleased with it because it opposes the Book of Allâh and the Sunnah of His Messenger because it is unfair to Islam; home and abroad. All who hear about this act will not ascribe it to anybody except those who claim to hold to Islâm. They will say, These are Muslims. This is the character of Islam. Even though Islam is free from their act. These people in reality first committed a crime against Islam before any other thing. May Allâh hold them accountable by His Justice because of this their great harm to Islam. Secondly, they are unfair to their brothers who love to hold to the ethos of Islam because when people – including other Muslims – see that the act came from those who hold to Islam; those who say they are defending Islam, perhaps the other people will detest the genuine lovers of the Deen, they will say: That is how all those who hold to the Deen do. And what is known is that those people do not represent the conscious Muslims on the least because the conscious Muslim is he who holds to the Book of Allâh and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallaLlahu alahy wa sallam)… [From the tape,fatawaal-Ulamaa feel-Jihaad wal-amaliyaat al-intihaariyyah wal-irhaab]. READ WHAT HE SAID ON SUICIDE BOMBING: Ash-Shaykh Sâlih al-Fauzân – may Allâh bestow mercy on him – was asked:It will not be hidden from you the influence Usâmah bn Laadan (Osama bn Laden) has upon the (Muslims) youths globally, the question is, is it permissible to say that he belongs to the Khawaarij most especially as he supports bombings in our land and other places? Answer:All who embrace such a thought, call and induce to it is from the Khawaarij irrespective of the name and place the person finds himself. The principle is that whoever calls to such a thought – carrying out rebellion against the (Muslim) rulers and declaring them as unbelievers, and holding the blood of the Muslims to be permissible to shed, such a person is from the Khawaarij.[From the Lecture:The Misguided Group and Its Methodology]. Ash-Shaykh Sâlih al-Luhaidaan – may Allâh bestow mercy on him – was asked:What should be the disposition of a Muslim towards Al-Qaidah group and its methodology being promoted by Usâmah bn Laadan (Osama bn Laden)? Answer:There is no doubt that this organization possesses no good neither is it on the path of bringing benefit and success (to the Muslims). The disunity among the Muslims and the prevalence of many conflicting and warring groups are among the sources of trial and evil (for the Ummah), and from them are the factors of dissension and boldness over spilling of (innocent) blood. This organization (you asked about), is it an organization aimed at fighting the unbelievers and removing them from the lands of the Muslims, and going to the countries who live under non-Islamic culture to spread the Deen there? Or that this al-Qaidah induces the people in their countries to rebel against their rulers to cause spilling of blood, encroachment on rights, destruction of origins and spread of fear. We ask Allâh to better the affairs of all.[From Muhammad al-AreeneesWujuub Taaahtils-Sultaan Fee Ghair Masiyatir-Rahmaanpp. 59-60]. Said Ash-Shaykh Muqbil Al-Waadiee – may Allâh bestow mercy on him:I absolve myself by Allâh from Ibn Laadan; he is a misfortune and trial for the Ummah. His acts are evil.[Adapted from the magazine,Ar-Rayu al-Aam al-KuwaitiyyahIssue No 11503, 19/12/1998]. The Shaykh – may Allâh bestow mercy on him – was also asked:It is observed that Muslisms are facing difficulties in the Western countries mainly because of the bombings going on in every part of the world (by some Muslims)? Answer:I am quite aware of that; some of the brothers called me from Britain complaining about the restraints being meted out against them, they were asking whether it was permissible for them to announce their cut from Usâmah bn Laadan. We told them: As for us, we have freed ourselves from him and from his acts long ago. What is happening is that Muslims are facing difficulties in the Western countries due to the activities of the movements under the auspices of Ikhwaanul-Mufliseen (referring to the Muslim Brotherhood), or others apart from them. We seek help from Allâh. The Shaykh – may Allâh bestow mercy on him – was asked:Why didnt you advise Usâmah bn Laadan? Answer: I quite sent him some pieces of advice, but Allâh knows better if they got to him or not. Some brothers came to us from them trying to show us that they could help and aid us, so that we will call to Allâh (together). Then after that, they sent some money to us requesting us to share it among the chiefs of the tribes to buy ordinary and automatic rifles but I rejected their offer and asked them not to come to my house the second time. I told them we only engage in Dawah activities, we do not permit our students to do other than this.[Adapted from the magazine,Ar-Rayu al-Aam al-KuwaitiyyahIssue No 11503, 19/12/1998]. The Shaykh – may Allâh bestow mercy on him – also said: [One of the causes of the problem in the Muslim world] is referring (Islamic) matters to the ignorant ones. Al-Bukhâri and Muslim indeed recorded in their Sahîh collections on the authority of Abdullâh bn Amr – may Allâh be pleased with both – that the Messenger of Allâh (sallaLlahu alahy wa sallam) said: Verily Allâh will not seize knowledge suddenly from the people, rather He will take it (gradually) by the death of scholars such that there will not remain any scholar and people will take the ignorant ones as heads, they will be asked (questions about the Deen), and they will pass verdicts without knowledge, they will go astray and they will lead others astray.[Al-Bukhâri (100), Muslim (2673)]. This is as it is said:So-and-so scholar does not know the current happenings (in the Muslim world); [they will say] a concrete-like scholar, a scholar that dissuades (from Jihâd); as Sunnah Magazine, nay Bidah Magazine, puts it, in fact the magazine made clear its enmity to the People of Sunnah during the Gulf Crises. I say: Since the period people refused to refer matters to the scholars had they been falling into errors; Allâh the Majestic said: When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they make it known (among the people), if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly). [Nisâ: 83]. Those charged with authorityas used in the Verse refers to none other than the scholars, the rulers and the righteous intellectuals. Let recall when Qârûn came out to his people in his ornament, the people of the world said: Ah, would that we had the like of what Qârûn has been given? Verily! he is the qwner of a great fortune. But those who had been given (religious) knowledge said: Woe to you! The reward of Allâh (in the Hereafter) is better for those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and this none shall attain except those who are patient (in following the truth). [Qasas: 79-80]. It is the scholars that place matters in their rightful perspectives. And these similitudes We put forward for mankind, but none will understand them except those who have knowledge (of Allâh and His signs, etc.). [Al-Ankabût: 43]. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge. [Ruum: 22]. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is AllMighty, OftForgiving. [Fâtir: 28]. Allâh will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. [Al-Mujâdilah: 11]. Whom did Allâh raise in status; the scholars, or the rebels and the coup plotters? It has come in Sahîh Al-Bukhâri on the authority of Abu Hurairah – may Allâh be pleased with him – that indeed the Prophet (sallaLlahu alahy wa sallam) was asked: When will the Hour come to pass? He replied:When the affair (of Islam) is referred to those who are not qualified, then expect the Hour.[Al-Bukhâri: 59]. [An example is] the head of an ignorant group! An example of this tribulation is the tribulation that nearly tore the whole of Yemen apart; that was the tribulation that came from Usâmah bn Laadan. Whenever he is told: We want about 20,000 Saudi riyals to build a mosque in such-and-such town, he would say he did not have the ability, We shall give according to our ability. But whenever he is told, We need guns and automatic rifles and others he would reply: Take this 100,000 riyals, Insha Allâh, we shall give you the rest...
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 13:17:43 +0000
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