In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “The sensible person looks at the reality and not (merely) what is apparent”. (1)

The following is a review of a claim made by Jason Burke and Zeinab Muhammad in an article they wrote on Tuesday, July 21 as follows:

First and foremost, we have all seen the destructive effects of revolt. Read articles at the following links:

http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=MNJ16&articleID=MNJ160002&pfriend=

Second, in the above quote, Jason and his associate referred to Hasan At-Turaabi – a misguided caller to innovation in religious affairs – as an ‘Islamist Ideologue’. In an effort to convey his observation and analysis, Jason has once again attempted to link the word Islam with foreign ideas. Many Western ideologues, demagogues, and writers define the term “Islamist” as “a person who strongly believes in Islam, especially one who believes that Islam should influence political systems, an advocate or supporter of Islamic militancy or fundamentalism”.

Indeed, the term Islamist encompasses both truth and falsehood, so let’s take a quick look at the situation. First off, if an individual who firmly holds to Islam, particularly one who believes that Islam should affect political systems, is referred to as an “Islamist” by Western writers, then this is undoubtedly praiseworthy in the Sight of the Creator. Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee [may Allaah preserve him] said: “Whoever Allah wishes good for, He gives them an understanding of the religion. The Islamic jurisprudence books—those that cover the rulings on prayer, zakat, fasting, marriage, etc.—are what the general public interprets when this understanding of the religion is addressed. This comprehension is inadequate. Fiqh (understanding) is first and foremost the understanding of the (sound) creed and Tawheed (i.e., sound Islamic monotheism). This is the greatest level of Fiqh since the nobility of knowledge is assessed according to the nobility of its subject. Tawheed is the noblest subject because it teaches people about their Lord’s attributes and the perfection of those attributes, about His Oneness, how to worship Him (alone), and how to sincerely establish their religion for His Sake. Therefore, we seek knowledge of Tawheed from the Qur’an, the (authentic) Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him], and the understanding of our pious predecessors. We seek understanding in every facet of (Sharee’ah) knowledge, including what is halal and haraam, what constitutes acts of worship, how to interact with others, and how to conduct sound Islamic politics and economics. (see footnote I)  All of these issues are covered in great detail in the (message) delivered by Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him]. The most important of these is the comprehension of Tawheed [Islamic Monotheism], and when the term “Fiqh” is used, it is meant to cover the understanding of every matter that is relevant to our religious and worldly affairs. (2)

Thus, if a Muslim firmly upholds Islam and adheres to the path described by Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee [may Allaah preserve him], then indeed, their pursuit is praiseworthy in the Sight of the Creator – the One Who revealed all the divine laws and required humankind to follow the guidance of the Prophets; however, one must keep in mind that this does not include the politics of the power-hungry Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt and others.

However, if an “Islamist” is defined by Western writers as “an advocate or supporter of militancy, radicalism, or terrorism,” then this activity is not to be attributed to Islam because Islam does not support the methodology of the khawaarij and those who are influenced by them. The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Whoever kills one who is under an agreement of protection will not smell the fragrance of Paradise”. This hadeeth makes it quite evident that killing a non-Muslim citizen who is protected by an agreement entails the threat of punishment for a Muslim in the hereafter. Therefore, how can any sane individual attribute the actions of such a Muslim to Islam?!

As for the word “Islamic Fundamentalism,” it is widely understood by those who use it to indicate “strict observance of the teachings of the Qur’an and the Shari’ah (Islamic Law),” despite the fact that there is substantial disagreement among people regarding its meaning. So, if this is what Western authors mean when they use the term “fundamentalism,” then indeed Allah [The Exalted] said:

فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُواْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ حَرَجً۬ا مِّمَّا قَضَيۡتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمً۬ا

But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission. [Surah An-Nisaa. Aayah 65]

Narrated Abu Musa [may Allaah be pleased with him] that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “My example and the example of what I have been sent with is that of a man who came to some people and said, O people! I have seen the enemy’s army with my own eyes and I am a plain warner; so protect yourselves!’ Then a group of his people obeyed him and fled at night proceeding stealthily till they were safe, while another group of them disbelieved him and stayed at their places till morning when the army came upon them and killed and ruined them completely. So this is the example of that person who obeys me and follows that truth which I have brought (the Qur’an and the Sunnah), and the example of the one who disobeys me and disbelieves the Truth I have brought”. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Vol 9. Number: 7283]

Consequently, if this is what Western writers mean when they use the term “Fundamentalism,” then it is a commendable act in the Sight of Allaah [The Exalted]. However, if they mean those who advocate violence, then this is indeed the behaviour of the Khaarijites (terrorists and innovators – ISIS, Al-Qa’idah, Jabhat An-Nusra and their ilk). It is therefore required of these writers to avoid combining fact and fiction.

Third, what exactly is an ideologue? It is frequently a partisan supporter or adherent of a specific ideology, especially one that is rigid and dogmatic; someone who has strong convictions about certain values and makes a conscious effort to uphold them etc.

Islam is a revelation based on the infallible Qur’an and authentic Sunnah, and humankind has been commanded to follow it and not oppose it with their ideas, views, or those of others, whether they are referred to as ideologues or not. Allah said:

ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ

[Say (O Muhammad)]: Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord (the Quran and Prophet Muhammad’s Sunnah), and follow not any Auliya’ (protectors and helpers, etc. who order you to associate partners in worship with Allah), besides Him (Allah). Little do you remember! [Surah Al-A’raaf. Ayah 3]

If Jason and his blind follower had spent some time studying Hasan At-Turaabi’s methodology and had referred back to the explanations of the upright Salafi scholars, like Al-Allaamah Muqbil bin Haadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him], they would have referred to Hasan At-Turaabi as an ideologue without associating the word Islam with his methodology or orientation, or at least clarified what exactly they meant by Islamist and then made a distinction between it and the methodology of the pious predecessors. Indeed, with regard to terms mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah, “Every believer has a duty to affirm them and to reject what Allah and His Messenger have rejected because Allah states the truth and directs us to the right path. The words (or terms) of the Sharee’ah are sanctified, and it is from the perfection of knowledge that one seeks after the [sound meanings] that the Messenger intended by them, to affirm that which he affirmed and to negate that which he negated because it is incumbent upon us to believe and bear witness to all that he has said and to obey him in all that he has commanded. Regarding terms (or words) that are neither mentioned in the Qur’an nor the [authentic] Sunnah, nor is there any consensus among the pious predecessors as to whether they are negated or affirmed, it is not obligatory to agree with one who either negates or affirms them until the term’s intended meaning is clarified. Therefore, if the intended meaning of something is in line with the (revelation) that the Messenger conveyed, it is accepted; but if the intended meaning is in conflict with what the Messenger conveyed, it is rejected”. (3)

Jason and his blind follower must refrain from referencing Islam until they return to the religion’s legitimate sources in order to avoid committing the crime of those who fell into uncertainty. Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allah have mercy upon him] said: “These people, whose reasonings against the Book and the Sunnah are in fact tantamount to ignorance, base their matter on ambiguous statements that carry several interpretations. Because of the wording’s generality and ambiguity, it can be used to convey both truth and falsehood; therefore, what is true in it is accepted by those who do not have a thorough understanding of what is false in it for the sake of ambiguity and conflating truth with falsehood; then with the falsehood in it, they oppose the texts of the Prophets. This is the source of the misguidance of those who went astray from the nations before us”. (4)

Visit links about Hasan At-Turaabi:

http://www.salafipublications.com/sps//sp.cfm?subsecID=NDV05&articleID=NDV050001&articlePages=1

Refutation of Hassan Turabi & Jamal Badawi | Abu Khadeejah Abdul Wahid‏

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Footnote I: Read this to learn how this political expertise is not founded on the deceptive practises of the so-called “Muslim Brotherhood”.

http://www.ikhwanis.com/authors/Abu.Iyaad.cfm

[Ref 1: Al-Uboobiyyah. page 87-88]

[Ref 2: An Excerpt from ‘Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm’. pages 243-244]

[Ref 3: Excerpt from ‘Al-Haqeeqatus Shar’iyyah Fee Tafseeril Qur’aan Al-A’dheem Was-Sunnatin Nabawiyyah’ page 17]

[Ref 4: As-Sawaa’iq Al-Mursalah. 3/925-927]