Tawheed al-Hakamiyyah pt.2

Here is an excerpt from the book "The Methodology of the Prophets In Calling to Allaah, That is the Way of Wisdom & Intelligence." by Shaykh Rabee Ibn Hadee al-Madkhalee (hafidhahullaah) which bears great relevance to this topic. I will give a link to the entire book at the end of the excerpt which I highly recommed that it be read.

The Shaykh (hafidhahullaah) states:

"Then a further point of criticism of that orientation [dawatus-siyaasiyyah] in general is that they lay down a principle which is that, "Islaam is a whole and cannot be divided up." And it is a great principle, if only it were followed by the methodology of as-Salafus-Saalih without committing excesses. But unfortunately you find that they seriously contradict it because their strong attachement to the establishment of the Islaamic State (and they call it. The Call to the Sovereign Authority of Allaah (al-Haakimiyyah)) has preoccupied them from giving importance to the foundation of Islaam,which is Tawheed with all its categories. And to this time they have not realised, due to that preoccupation, that the necessity of giving full importance to the call to Tawheed is just as pressing and urgent as it was in the time of the Messengers, including Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), if not more so. So can any intelligent and just person deny this?! Then can any alert and attentive Muslim say or believe that the Muslims today are like the Muslims in the time of the preferred and best generation, not taking their beliefs and their acts of worship except from the Book and the Sunnah. Indeed the call to the sovereign authority (al-Haakimiyyah) of Allaah and its application is an important matter, and something important for every Muslim who understands Islaam (if its conditions are kept in mind), and everything which Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) came with is important and serious.

But we need to ask the question, "Does the call to Allaah's sovereign authority (al-Haakimiyyah) necessitate neglect of or falling short with regard to the most fundamental principle of Islaam? The answer is, "No!" The fact of Allaah's sovereign authority (al-Haakimiyyah) must be applied beginning with the greatest of the affairs of Islaam, which is correct Belief ('aqeedah) with regard to Allaah, and His Majestic Names and Perfect Attributes, with which Allaah has described Himself and made Himself known to us in His tremendous Book, and as was taught to us by our noble Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), so that our hearts may thereby be filled with light, eemaan, certain-Faith, awe and reverence.

Can it be permissible with regard to Allaah's sovereign authority (al-Haakimiyyah) and His religion that you deny or reject His Majestic Names and His Perfect Attributes or their meanings, when they are the highest, most exalted and greatest of what is comprised in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Prophet?!!

Why do we not earnestly demand from the scholars of the Muslims that they apply the judgement of the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) in this extremely serious matter?!!

Can it be permissible with regard to Allaah's sovereing authority (al-Haakimiyyah) and His Sharee'ah, and the way He has laid down for the affairs, that many of the Muslims contradict the methodology of the Prophets with regard to Tawheed of worship, and making worship purely for Allaah alone, and instead take rivals besides Allaah to whom they make supplication and call for their needs, calling out to them in times of distress? Then they sink so deeply into this that they even make them partners with regard to Allaah's Lordship (Ruboobiyyah), so they come to believe that they know the Hidden and the Unseen (al-Ghayb) and have control over creation?!!

Is this not a flagrant assault upon the greatest of Allaah's right?! Is this not the worst and severest of all transgressions and oppression? So where then are the callers to Allaah's sovereign authority (al-Haakimiyyah) and what has happened to justice?!!

Can it be permissible in the Judgement of Allaah and His revealed Law that we close our eyes to the Sufis whilst they play with the beliefs and minds of the Muslims, and so corrupt and destroy them with the belief that Allaah is incarnate and to be found within His creation (Hulool), and that everything in existence is in reality Allaah (Wahdatul-Wujood) and that all religions are in reality the truth... and the rest of the misguided deviance of Sufism?!!

Can it be permissible with regard to the sovereign authority of Allaah and His religion that thousands of tombs are constructed in most of the lands of Islaam, for people to perform tawaaf around and devote themselves to, and travel to, and to consecrate huge amounts of money to, and to organise festivals for them, and for the Muslims to do such things around them and within them are a shocking disgrace and affront to Islaam, which only cause the Muslims and Islaam to be mocked and lauged at by their enemies, from the idolaters, the Jews, the Christians and the Communists?

Can it be permissible with regard to the sovereign authority of Allaah that sunnahs be killed off and replaced by innovations, deviations and superstitious customs? Indeed these deviations and acts of shirk and innovations have wiped away the traces of Tawheed and the traces of Islaam in general.

So I hope that the intellectuals from this orientation will try, after bearing in mind that Allaah observes them, with regard to themselves and the sunnah, to give the due importance to the methodology of the Prophets, and to give each aspect of Islaam the importance it deserves, and that they keep in their minds the saying of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), "That Allaah should guide through you a single man is better for you than red camels."

It also used to be said to me, "These matters (the innovations and the acts of shirk) are things which have come to an end and been buried." But we see that they are still alive and still remain as secure as ever, and there are schools and governments which support them and protect them. They also have their own 'priests,' and 'rabbis' and custodians. So why is it that we do not explain to the Muslims that these actions of jaahiliyyah contradict the sovereign authority of Allaah?! And we do we not call those guility of such actions to submit to the Judgement of Allaah, and to submit to the sovereign authority of Allaah in all these spheres?!

So if our brothers who give such importance to the sovereign authority of Allaah realise and are certain that those who do these actions and hold such beliefs are contradicting the sovereign authority of Allaah and are not submitting to it in these things, then let them set to work earnestly and apply their full efforts to this area, and let them lay down plans of action, found schools, write books, and let the supports of the minbars quake with forceful speeches and correct guidance for correction of this. And I believe that if Ibraaheem, Nooh, Moosaa, Muhammad and all their brothers from the Prophets and Messenger, salawaatullaahi wa salaamuhu alayhim, were to come, along with all of the Companions, that they would not follow except their methodology which is reported from them in the Qur'aan, and they would obliterate the presence of these elevated tombs and every manifestation of shirk and misguidance. Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) would order the companions of theological thetoric (ilmul-kalaam) and the Philosophers and all the sects who have deviated from the Qur'aan and the Sunnah to return to the Qur'aan and the Sunnah and, "By Allaah, if Moosaa were to come it would not be correct except for him to follow me."

Do you think that these are unimportant and insignificant matters?

"And you think that it is harmless matter but it is something very serious with Allaah." (24:15)

But the matter is not as they suppose or as they are told, indeed the corruption cause by the evil scholars, the preists and the rabbis, and the leaders of innovation is worse and more dangerous than the corruption caused by the rulers and others, since the people are deceieved and taken in by them, so that they love them and trust their words and the way which they are upon. So they follow them and because of them stray from the way laid down by Allaah.

Look at the Qur'aan which guides to what is right and proper and cures diseases with full knowledge, since it is Revelation sent down by the One who is All-Knowing, All-Wise, Worthy of All-Praise. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) lived in the same time as the Jews who had no state and were covered with humiliation and misery. So how many are the Aayaat that were sent down concerning them, and how many are the places where they are censured, and where their evil deeds, corrupt actons, and filthy beliefs are exposed. Allaah the Most High, says:

"Say: "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do you criticize us for no other reason than that we believe in Allaah, and in (the revelation) which has been sent down to us and in that which has been sent down before (us), and that most of you are Fasiqun [rebellious and disobedient (to Allaah)]?" Say (O Muhammad to the people of the Scripture): "Shall I inform you of something worse than that, regarding the recompense from Allaah: those (Jews) who incurred the Curse of Allah and His Wrath, those of whom (some) He transformed into monkeys and swines, those who worshipped Taghut (false deities); such are worse in rank (on the Day of Resurrection in the Hell­fire), and far more astray from the Right Path (in the life of this world)." When they come to you, they say: "We believe." But in fact they enter with (an intention of) disbelief and they go out with the same. And Allaah knows all what they were hiding. And you see many of them (Jews) hurrying for sin and transgression, and eating illegal things [as bribes and Riba (usury), etc.]. Evil indeed is that which they have been doing. Why do not the rabbis and the religious learned men forbid them from uttering sinful words and from eating illegal things. Evil indeed is that which they have been performing. The Jews say: "Allaah's Hand is tied up (i.e. He does not give and spend of His Bounty)." Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for what they uttered. Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched. He spends (of His Bounty) as He wills. Verily, the Revelation that has come to you from Allaah increases in most of them their obstinate rebellion and disbelief. We have put enmity and hatred amongst them till the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire of war, Allaah extinguished it; and they (ever) strive to make mischief on earth. And Allaah does not like the Mufsidun (mischief­makers)." (5:59-64)

He says concerning them:

"So because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. And you will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them. But forgive them, and overlook (their misdeeds). Verily, Allah loves Al-­Muhsinun" (5:13)

And the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) lived in the time of the Christians who had empires and kings. The Roman Empire covered Europe, Greater Syria and Egypt. The Abyssinian Empire covered Abysinia and Africa. So did the Qur'aan confront their rulers and kings, or did it confront the Christians themselves and their deviations, and at the head of them their monks and priests?!

Come let us look to the Qur'aan to see who was more deserving of being confronted, and who actually was confronted. Allaah, the Most High, says:

"And from those who call themselves Christians, We took their covenant, but they have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. So We planted amongst them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection (when they discarded Allaah's Book, disobeyed Allaah's Messengers and His Orders and transgressed beyond bounds in Allaah's disobedience), and Allah will inform them of what they used to do." (5:14)

He said concerning the Jews and Christians:

"And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allaah and His loved ones." Say: "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allaah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and to Him is the return (of all)." (5:18)

Allaah, the Most High, said:

"They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded [in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)) to worship none but One Ilah (God - Allaah) La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)." (9:31)

'Adiyy ibn Haatim entered upon Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) when he was reciting this Aayah, so he said, "By Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah, we do not worship them (i.e. the priests and rabbis)'. So he said to him, "Do they not declare forbidden things to be lawful, and so you declare them to be lawful, and they declare lawful things to be forbidden, and so you declare them to be forbidden?" He said, "Yes." He said, "That is worship of them."

He said with regard to the Jews and Christians:

"O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the Way of Allaah (i.e. Allaah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism). And those who hoard up gold and silver [Al-Kanz: the money, the Zakat of which has not been paid], and spend it not in the Way of Allaah, -announce unto them a painful torment." (9:34)

Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) died whilst cursing the Jews and the Christians for their deviance in belief, so he said, "Allaah's curse is upon the Jews and the Christians, they took the graves of their Prophets as places of Prayer."

The Aayaat and ahaadeeth rebuking them for their deviations in beliefs and manners are many, and there is not a single Aayah mentioning a rebuke of the Christians kings and rulers present in the time of the Prophet, despite their evil and corruption.

So why does the Islaamic da'wah have this orientation?

It is because this is the true and correct methodology of da'wah, and because the deviant leadership in religious matters is far more dangerous than corrupt leadership in political affairs, since religious leaders earn the trust and love of the people and their friendship. The people submit to them out of choice and lovingly. So if this religious leadership is misguided and deviant, then the people will deviate away from the methodology and way laid down by Allaah. They will lead them to Allaah's Anger and to the Fire, and even the rulers themselves submit to these religious leaders and heads. So the Jew submits to religious leadership, the Christian does the same, and amongst those who claim attachment to Islaam, the Shee'ee, the Mu'tazilee, the Ash'aree, the Khaarijee, the Soofee and so on, are likewise.

So the deviant leaders and heads of religion are the ones who have corrupted the beliefs of this ummah, and their manners, their worship and their civilisation. They have ripped all this to shreds. So why do we flatter them and treat them and their danger lightly, when they are source of every affliction?!! So over there we see the Shee'ah and the Raafidees and their various sects, and the evil heretics and apostates who are hidden amongst them. And over there are the leaders of Sufism and the heads of their many orders (tareeqahs) and their misguided beliefs, Unity of everything, the Creator and the created being one, the equality of all religions, that Allaah is incarnate within the creation, their acts of shirk and their innovations, and their deviations which do not stop at any limit. And over there are the heads of the Khawaarij, and the Mu'tazilah, the Murjiah and the Jabariyyah. All of these leaderships have crowned the ummah with trials and misfortunes whose extent is known only to Allaah. Then most of the Muslims are only puppets moved by these ideas just like the froth carried along by the torrent. So whoever sincerely and earnestly wishes to rectify the situation of the Muslims, then let him follow the way of the Prophets and their methodology, and at the head of them the final Prophet, and we have repeatedly made it clear.

"Say (O Muhammad): "This is my way; I invite unto Allaah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allaah - Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allaah i.e to the Oneness of Allaah - Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge. And Glorified and Exalted be Allaah (above all that they associate as partners with Him). And I am not of the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah; those who worship others along with Allaah or set up rivals or partners to Allaah)." (12:108)

I believe that those who lead the youth and the callers to deviate from the methodology do not know the methodology and the call of the Prophets which is the best that can be said in their regard, whether the political calls, the Soofee calls or whatever else, since Allaah's Messeneger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) left us upon clear white guidance from which no one strays except that he is destroyed. And whoeve gives the impression to the people that the source of corruption is the rulers, then he is contradicting what is affirmed by the Nobel Qur'aan, the Prophetic Sunnah, human and Islaamic history, and he is seeking to better the methodology of the Prophets, particularly when the callers restict all their efforts and apply them solely to the political field. Rather the fundamental and primary source of corruption and danger are for those affirmed by Allaah upon the tongues of all His Messengers, and He laid down a methodology for them to block and rectify them. Then all other causes of corruption follow on from them. So let the caller to Allaah understand that, and let them cling to the Rope of Allaah, and let them adhere to the way of the Prophets, 'alayhimus-salaatu was-salaam.

So these were some examples from the thoughts of Maududi [Shaykh Rabee before all this mentions many obeservations against al-Maududi and his thought that has affected many], and the thought of this orientation which is followed by many people in the east and the west and has become, in their minds, the essence of Islaam, and their final goal for which they struggle and sacrifice. Then this view produced from the thinking of Maududi and others like him was given added support by some Islaamic authors such as Abdul-Qaadir Awdah who said,

"The rulings of Islaam were prescribed for this worldly life and for the Religion, and the rulings which Islaam came with are of two types:

"(1) Rulings meant for the establishment of the religions, and this covers the rulings of matters of beliefs (aqeedah) and worship.

"(2) Rulings meant for ogranisation of the State and the organised body of Believers, and establishment of relations between individuals and or organised groups. This covers the rulings and mutual dealings, punishments, and personal, constitutional and state affairs... So Islaam combines the religion and the worldly affairs, and the mosque and the state. So it is a religion and a State, worship and leadership, and just as the religion is a part of Islaam, then the government is its second part, indeed the more important part of it."!

So he believes that Islaam has two parts: religion (worship) being one part, and the State (leadership) being the other part. Then he declares the more important part to be the second (government), and this is a slight to the importance of the religion, of belief (aqeedah) and worship ('ibaadah)...!

Then the intellectual Muslims in general, and some of the leaders of this orientation have realised that this orientation has led the youth into going beyond bounds in the importance they give to politics to the extent that it damages 'aqeedah (belief) and the Call to Allaah and harms the youth themselves. They therefore put forward advice for them, and from these writers are:

1 - Sayyid Qutb, raheemahullaah, who said, "After long research and study of the movement of the Ikhwaanul-Muslimoon, and by comparing it with the first Islaamic movement in Islaam, it becomes clear to my mind that the movement today faces a situation similar to that which human societies were upon when Islaam first came, with regard to ignorance of the reality of the Islaamic 'aqeedah, and their being far from the straight way and Islaamic manners. It is not just a case of being far from the Islaamic system and the Islaamic Sharee'ah. Then at the same time we find strong colonialist armies of the Zionists and the Christians who wage war upon every attempt at Islaamic da'wah and they work to demolish it using localised organisations and systems to establish and realise their plots and enfornce their instructions for the attainment of this goal. Therefore whilst Islaamic movements occupy themselves much of the time with localised and limited poltical movements, such as fighting a treat or agreement, or fighting against a party, or an opposition coalition in elections, and likewise preoccupy themselves with demanding from the governments that they follow and apply the Islaamic system and Sharee'ah, then at the same time the societies themselves as a whole have become far removed from understanding the Islaamic 'aqeedah and from concern and respect for it, and from Islaamic manners, therefore the Islaamic movements must begin with the fundamental matter, and that is to revive the meaning of the Islaamic 'aqeedah in the hearts and minds, and to educate and cultivate those who accept this call and the correct understanding with correct Islaamic education and cultivation (tarbiyah), and not to waste time in current political events, and not attempting to bring about the obligatory Islaamic system by seizing power before the Islaamic basis is found in the societies, then they will themselves seek the Islaamic order because they comprehend its reality and wish to judge by it... So attainment of the system of Islaam and rule by Allaah's Sharee'ah is not a goal that can be attained in the short term, since it cannot be achieved until the societies themselves, or a good proportion of them, carrying weight and importance in the life of the common people, are conveyed to a correct understanding of the Islaamic 'aqeedah. Then to the Islaamic system and correct Islaamic cultivation upon the manners of Islaam. No matter how long and how many slow stages it takes." "This situation makes it a duty upon me that I begin with each youth and proceed slowly and carefully with the necessity of understanding the Islaamic 'aqeedah correctly for before discussing the details of the Islaamic system and laws, and the necessity of avoidance of exerting efforts in present day domestic political movements in the Islaam lands, in order to bring about correct Islaamic cultivation (tarbiyyah) with the largest number of people possible. Then after this the following steps come naturally, following on from acceptance of and cultivation upon the principle in the society itself. This is because human societies today, including societies in the Islaamic lands, have come to closely resemble or be just like the societies of the days of ignorance (Jaahiliyyah) on the day when Islaam first came. So it began with them from 'aqeedah and manners, not with Islaamic laws and system. So today it is binding that the movement and the da'wah begins from the same point which Islaam first began with, and that it proceeds with similar steps whilst observing changed circumstances."

So these words from Sayyid and others is something good and correct which is a withdrawal from preoccupation with politics. However, unfortunately, Sayyid and others did not withdraw from mistakes in 'aqeedah and thinking which are still read and studied... so this has made it necessary that we should warn against Sayyid's mistakes in thinking and 'aqeedah in a special treatise, may Allaah facilitate its printing.

2- 'Umar at-Tilmisaanee, raheemahullaah, having been dismayed by the total preoccupation of the youth with the political side and lack of attention and importance for the other aspects of Islaam said, "However, unfortunately, whilst I am writing this at the beginning of the eighties, the work fo the youth in the field of Islaam is restricted to the poltical aspect which takes up the greatest share of their effors, and has caused them great strain and has caused them to lose a great deal. It is as if nothing is counted as being from the Call of Allaah except the potlical aspect!..." Then he said, indicating the reasons which led them to preoccupation with politics, "And there is no doubt that continual poltical events and the means through which successive governments sought to solve them, imposed themselves upon Egypt to the extent that they forced the Muslim youth to give their view about them and to suggest the solution. And whoever prevents the University students from thinking and giving their view about what affects their country internally and externally, then he is preventing them from a natural right of theirs..." Then he said, "However, at the same time, I criticise the Univeristy students for the fact that they almost eniterly restrict their efforts and attention to the political side, and to using means which are not to be approved of. They do not establish a conference in the University or in al-Azhar or in any other place except for the political goals. Then would that they were objective in these conferences. This is something which they must understand and keep to..."

So at-Tilmisaanee was correct in his criticism of this going overboard with regard to the political aspect, but he fell short in appraise of its causes. Indeed, there is no doubt that what he mentioned is from the causes, but there are more important reasons producing a stronger effect upon the minds and emotions of youth. These are the political thoughts which they grow up on, like the thoughts of al-Maududi which we have discussed in what has preceded in this treatise, and that was only a small part of a great deal from his writings and the writings of others from the leaders of this orientation.

So if it is the cause that even some of the leaders of this orientation have realised the craving of the youth for politics and their excessiveness in it to the point that, "They almost entirely restrict their efforts and attention to the political side, and to using means which are not to be approved of," as at-Tilmisaanee said, then why do they no re-examine, out of mercy upon this youth, their training (tarbiyyah) systems and those dangerous political thoughts which must be studied carefully in the light of the Book and the Sunnah, and whatever agrees with the Book and the Sunnah is to be confirmed, and whatever does not agree with them is to be abandoned?

It is essential that the Ummah is cultivated upon the correct 'aqeedah, and this must be the foundation and starting point. And we ask Allaah that He grants the Islaamic ummah and its callers that they accept and adhere to the methodology of the Prophets, wherein lies their well-being, success and ascendancy.

In conclusion I say: Indeed I believe in the sovereign authority (Haakimiyyah) of Allaah and that judgement is for Allaah alone, and I believe in the comprehensiveness of this sovereign authority, and that all individuals, groups, rulers and callers must submit to ti. And that whoever does not judge by what Allaah sent down in his call, and his 'aqeedah, and his state, then they are transgressors, the ones guilty of infidelity, and the wicked, as Allaah said and as understood by the Pious Predecessors (as-Salafus-Saalih), not as understood by those who go beyond bounds or those who fall short of what is correct. I reproach those who restrict it to one particular aspect or oppose the wise and clear methodology of the Prophets and begin with matters of detail before the fundamental principles, and with the means to an end which they turn into goals themselves and cause delay of fall short with regard to the true goals which were followed by all of the Prophets.

I hold out my hands, humbly beseeching Allaah that He guide all of the Muslims, their common folk, their rulers and their callers, that they should judge by and apply the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, in all of their affairs - affairs of 'aqeedah, manners and behaviour, economic affairs, social affairs and political affairs - and that He unites their ranks upon the Truth, and that He save them from all desires and sectarian beliefs and sicknesses of the souls which have split their ranks and shattered their unity.

Indeed my Lord hears and respons to the supplication, and may Allaah send His praises and blessings of peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and true followers, and upon his companions."

And here is a link to the book which should be read in its entirety to have a clearer understanding of the Manhaj of the Prophets and Messenger (alayhimus-salaatu was-salaam) in Calling to Allaah and outlining the deviation from this Manhaj found in many groups and parties today. http://www.troid.org/dawah/methodology-of-da-wah/the-methodology-of-the-prophets-in-calling-to-allaah.html