Compromise (wasatiyya)

In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, The Merciful

As'salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu



Compromise (wasatiyya)





The terminology of compromise did not appear amongst Muslims until the modern age. It is a foreign terminology and its source is the West and the Capitalist ideology. This is the ideology whose creed is based upon a compromise solution. This methodology arose as a result of the bloody war between the church and the kings as well as Western thinkers and philosophers. The first group used to view the Christian religion as the basis for problem solving. The second group believed that religion was not a suitable mechanism to answer life's questions. According to them, the mind is able to come up with a system that is suitable to organise the issues of life. This dispute resulted in humiliation and misery.



After a bitter conflict between the two groups they agreed on a compromise solution. The solution was the recognition of religion only so far as the relationship between an individual and the Creator is concerned, so long as religion did not have any impact outside the sphere of religion. Life's affairs would be dealt with by man-made solutions. Separation of religion from life became the creed for their ideology. The basis of Capitalism emanated from this system. It was then carried to others via colonialism.



This creed, based on compromise was reflected in every act of legislation and behaviour of the followers of the Capitalist ideology, including political issues. In Palestine, for example we see the Muslims demanding the land as their own; while the Jews claim that it is the Promised Land that God promised to them. In 1947 the Western Capitalist states put forward a solution, which is the plan of partition, that called for the establishment of two entities in Palestine; one for the Arabs, and the other for the Jews. This compromise solution appears in many international problems that are controlled by the Capitalist nations.



As a consequence, politics depends on lies and deviousness. Rather than searching for the truth, they search for a goal that will satisfy, somewhat, each party involved. The issues of right and wrong are not important here. What is important is benefit. What is considered is which party is able to offer the Capitalist country the most benefits. Basically the stronger group takes everything it desires, and the weaker one is forced to relinquish everything it cannot obtain.



Some Muslims, instead of criticising the idea of compromise and the compromise solution and clarifying its error and fallacy, have adopted it. They say that compromise is thriving in Islam. They might even go as far as saying that Islam is established on it. So Islam is between spiritualism and materialism, between individualism and collectivism, between realism and idealism, between constancy and change. There is no excess or deficiency, nor exaggeration or exceeding the bounds.



To prove the opinion they have adopted a means of explaining their findings. According to them, every issue has two extremes and a middle point. The middle is the safe area, while the extremes are subject to danger and corruption. The middle is the centre of power, the area of balance and equilibrium between two poles. So, it is no surprise that compromise should emerge in very aspect of Islam. They would suggest that Islam is the in the middle between belief and worship and the middle between legislation and morals.



After they rationally measured the rules of Islam, they studied certain Shari'a texts and tried to distort them so that it would conform to their new understanding. For example, with regards to what is stated in the Qur'an, "Thus We have made you a just nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (saw) be a witness over you" [ Al-Baqarah: 143], the middle position of the Ummah is derived from the moderation in their minhaj and system. There is nothing in it of the excessiveness of the Jews and the negligence of the Christians. According to them, the word 'middle' (wasat) means justice, and justice is the middle of two conflicting sides. Justice, therefore, became synonymous with the idea of compromise. The correct meaning of the ayah, however, is the Islamic Ummah is an Ummah of justice. Justice is from the conditions of a witness in Islam, and this Ummah will be a just witness over the other nations to which she will convey the message of Islam. The ayah, though it came in the form of a notification (seeghatul ikhbaar), is an order from Allah (swt) to the Islamic Ummah that she spread Islam to the other nations; otherwise, she will be sinful. She is a proof against the other nations, just as the Messenger (saw) is a proof against her in his conveyance of Islam to you and his (saw) request from you that you should convey it to others, "Let the one present convey it to the one absent".



They were also known to distort the following ayah as evidence, "And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor nig.gardly, but hold a medium (way) between those" [ Al-Furqan: 67]. Here, they attributed spending with two extremes: extravagance and stinginess. They gave it a middle position, which is the medium.



This, in their view, is an evidence for moderation in spending money. They did not understand that the meaning of this ayah is that there are three types of spending: extravagance, nig.gardliness and moderation. Thus extravagance is the spending in haram, whether less or more. An example would be of one who spends a dirham for buying alcohol, gambling or bribery. So extravagance is haram. As for nig.gardliness, it is the abstention in spending in the wajib. If a person did not pay a single dirham that he owes for Zakat, or if he does not spend on those he is obligated to give maintenance to, then that will be nig.gardliness. It would be haram. Moderation (qawwaam) in this ayah refers to the spending that is in accordance with the rules of the Shari'a. This is regardless of the fact if such spending is more or less. So, honouring a single guest by slaughtering a sheep, chicken or camel is moderate spending. It is halal because it is mentioned in the ayah "between those" [ Al-Furqan: 67] to show that there are three types of spending: extravagance, nnig.ardliness and moderation. One of those three types is required by the Shari'ah; that is the moderation. It does not say: "between those two" to show the middle position between two different things.



There is no middle position or compromise solution in Islam. Allah (swt) created man, and He (swt) knows his reality. This knowledge is beyond the realm of man. Allah (swt) is the only one able to organise life accurately; no one can attain this level. So the rules have come defined, there is no middle position or compromise solution in the texts and rules of Islam. They are accurate, clear and distinct until Allah (swt) himself called them Hudood (limits) due to their accuracy and directness. In the Qur'an it says, "These are the limits of Allah, which He makes plain for the people which have knowledge" [ Al-Baqarah: 230]. Also, "And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein" [ An-Nisa: 14]. There was neither middle position nor a compromise solution when the Messenger of Allah (saw) said to his uncle Abu Talib, when his people offered him position, money and rank to leave Islam, "By Allah! O uncle, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, that I should abandon this matter. Until Allah makes it victorious or I perish I shall not leave it." Furthermore, there was no compromise in his (saw) statement to the tribe of Bani 'Aamir b. Sa'sa'ah when they demanded that they should have the rule after him (saw) in return for their Nusrah (support), "The matter belongs to Allah, He (swt) places it where He wills".



The compromise solution is an idea that is foreign to Islam. The Westerners and those Muslims, who are loyal to this solution, have attached it to Islam in order to sell it to those who are not willing to make sacrifices in the name of Allah (swt). Instead, they seek moderation. They distort the limits and clearly defined rules of Islam in order to suit their needs and desires.



http://www.adduonline.com/articles/wasatiyya.htm



[No Compromise in this Deen

Victory is promised

For the Muslimeen

Carriers of the Deen

Back on the scene

Ready to unveil this kafir’s scheme

Now we wonder why

Our youth decide to leave

Watching them compromise

Acting half way Islamicly incomplete

When they meet and they greet

The greatest Ummah ever to rise

Is now seen on his knees

An Ummah

who use to lead this world

Is now begging the kafir please

Have mercy

Can't you see?

They want us to Act like them

think like them and be like them

But we act based on Islam

Like Allah declared in the Quran

Because we know

Who is in command

Islam will have the upper hand

SOA: No Compromise]

Has not the time yet come for those who believe

that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has
come down of the truth?

[57:16]

Prophet Muhammad's Miracles

Prophet Muhammad's Miracles

Imam an-Nawawi

© 2001 Daar us-Sunnah Publications

[Editor's note: A number of works have been authored concerning this topic or discussing this topic amongst them are: ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Jawab as-Sahih li man Baddala Din al-Masih; what was mentioned by ibn Kathir, Tarikh and adh-Dhahabi, Tarikh al-Islam; ibn Hajr, Fathul-Bari [6/582]

Refer also to Khayru-d-Din Wanili, Mu`jazat al-Mustapha [3rd ed., Maktabah as-Sawadi, Jeddah]. Consult this for the evidences for what is mentioned in this chapter.]

The Messenger of Allah possesses many manifest miracles and signs demonstrating [his veracity], reaching thousands and they are well known.

From amongst them was the Qur'an, the manifest and clear miracle and brilliant proof, falsehood cannot approach it from before it or behind it. It is a revelation from One Who is All-Wise and Praiseworthy. It incapacitated the most eloquent of people in the most eloquent of times to produce a single chapter that would be comparable to it, even if the whole of creation were to gather for that purpose. Allah, the Exalted says,

"Say: If the whole of mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they assisted each other." [Al-Israa' (17): 88]

It challenged them to this despite their large numbers, their eloquence and their severe enmity, and it challenges them to this day.

As for the other miracles, it is not possible to enumerate them all due to their huge number and renewing and increasing nature. However, I will mention some examples:

The splitting of the moon, water flowing from between his fingers, increasing the quantity of food and water, the glorification of the food, the palm tree yearning for him, stones greeting him, the talking of the poisoned leg [of roasted sheep], trees walking towards him, two trees that were far apart coming together and then parting again, the barren [and therefore dry] sheep giving milk, his returning the eye of Qatidah bin an-Nu`man to its place with his hand after it had slipped out, his spitting lightly into the eye of Ali when it had become inflamed and its being cured almost immediately, his wiping the leg of `Abdullah bin `Atiq whereupon he was immediately cured.

His informing of the places of death of the Day of Badr saying, 'this is the place of such polytheists on the and-such a person.' His informing of his killing Ubayy bin Khalaf, that a group of his nation would traverse an ocean and Umm Haram would be amongst them and this occurred. That all that was drawn together for him of the ends of the earth and displayed to him would be opened for his nation, that the treasures of the Chosroes would be spent by his nation in the Way of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent. That he feared for his nation that they would be tempted by the wealth and allurement of this world and that the treasures of the Persians and Romans would be ours and that Suraqah bin Malik would wear the trousers of Chosroes.

He informed us that Hasan bin `Ali would reconcile between two large warring parties of the Muslims, that Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas would live such that nations would benefit by him and others would be harmed. That an-Najashi had died on this particular day while he was in Ethiopia and that al-Aswad al-`Ansi had been killed on this particular day while he was in Yemen.

That the Muslims would fight the Turks who were described as having small eyes, wide faces and small, chiselled noses and that Yemen, Syria and Iraq would be conquered by the Muslims.

He informed us that the Muslims would comprise three armies, an army in Syria, and army in Yemen and an army in Iraq. That they would conquer Egypt, a land whose [unit of land measurement] was the Qirat, that they should deal with their people well for they have protection [being Copts] and ties of kinship [through Hajar]. That Awais al-Qarni would come to you from the auxiliaries of Yemen, he would be afflicted with leprosy and it would be healed except for the space of a dirham, and he indeed arrived during the rule of `Umar.

He informed us that a group of his nation would always be upon the truth and that mankind would become many in number and that the Ansar would diminish in number and that the Ansar would not be given their due [with regards distribution of wealth and leadership]. That mankind would keep on asking questions until they would say, "Allah created the creation..." [Referring to the hadeeth, "the people would continue asking until they say, 'this is Allah Who created everything…but who created Allah?'" (al-Bukhari and Muslim)]

He informed us that Ruwayfi` bin Thabit would live a long life, that Ammar bin Yasir would be killed by the transgressing group, that this nations shall divide into sects and that they would fight each other.

He informed us that a fire would emanate from the land of Hijaz and the likes of this. All of this occurred exactly as he (sallallahu `alayhe wa sallam) said it would.

He said to Thabit bin Qays, "You will live being praised... and you will die as a martyr", and he lived being praised and was martyred at al-Yamamah. He said to `Uthman, "He would be afflicted by a severe trial." [The meaning of severe trial is his being imprisoned in his house and his being killed by the transgressors.]

He said about a person amongst the Muslims who had just fought a severe fight that
"He would be from amongst the denizens of the Fire", and later he committed suicide. Wabisah bin Ma`bad came to him in order to ask him about righteousness and sin upon which he asked, "Have you come to ask about righteousness and sin?"

He said to `Ali, az-Zubair and al-Miqdad, "Go to the garden of Khakh for indeed there is Dha`inah" who has a book with her. [Dha`inah is the woman with whom Hasib al-Balta`ah (radhiAllahu `anhu) sent a letter to the people of Mecca in order to inform them of the plans of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhe wa sallam) to fight them. It was concerning this that the first verses of Surah Mumtahinah were revealed.

The garden of Khakh is a place falling between Mecca and Madinah. Refer to Bukhari [no. 3983] and Muslim [no. 2494] and Tafsir ibn Kathir [4/344]]

They found her there but she initially denied having the book and then took it out from within her braids.

He said to Abi Hurayrah, when Satan had stolen some dates, "Indeed he shall return" and he did. He said to his wives, "The most prolific of you in giving charity will be the quickest of you to join me." and it was so [Zaynab bint Jahsh (radhi Allahu `anha) was the most prolific of them in giving charity and was the first to die. Refer to Muslim [no. 2452].]

He said to 'Abdullah bin Sallam, "You will remain upon Islam until you die."

He (sallallahu `alayhe wa sallam) supplicated for Anas that his wealth and sons increase and that he should live a long life and it was so. He lived for more than one hundred years and not one of the Ansar was richer than he and one hundred and twenty of his children had already been buried before the arrival of al-Hajjaj [to Basrah]. This is detailed further in Sahih Bukhari and others. [Bukhari no. 1982]

He supplicated that Islam be strengthened through 'Umar bin al-Khattab or Abu Jahl, and Allah strengthened it through `Umar (radiyAllahu `anhu). He supplicated against Suraqah bin Malik and the feet of his horse sank into the earth and he was thrown off, he called out asking for safe conduct and was granted it, then he asked the Prophet to make a supplication for him.

He supplicated that Allah remove feeling the bitter cold and heat from `Ali and so never did he feel cold or hot. He supplicated for Hudhayfah, the night that he sent him to spy on the Confederates, that he not feel the cold and he did not until he had returned. He supplicated for ibn `Abbas that Allah grant him understanding of the religion and it was so. He supplicated against `Utbah bin Abi Lahb... that Allah cause a dog from amongst his dogs to overcome him and he was killed by a lion at az-Zarqa`. [This is how it is in all of the printed editions; perhaps the author means `Utaybah bin Abi Lahb for this description fits him. As for `Utbah, he accepted Islaam in the year of the Conquest of Mecca.]

He supplicated for the descent of rain when they asked him to at the time of drought. There was not a single cloud in the sky, and then when he had supplicated, the clouds gathered like mountains and it rained until the next Friday. It rained so much that they had to come back and ask him to supplicate and stop the rain, so he supplicated and the rain stopped and they walked out into the glaring sun.

He (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) supplicated for Abu Talhah and his wife, Umm. Sulaym, that he bless them in the night they had spent together and she became pregnant and gave birth to `Abdullah. He had nine children and all of them were scholars.

He supplicated for the mother of Aba Hurayrah (radhi Allahu `anhu) that she be guided and Aba Hurayrah left to find her performing the ritual bath because she had accepted Islam. He supplicated for Umm Qays bint Muhsin, the sister of `Ukkasha, that she live a long life and we do not know of another woman who lived as long as she did. This was reported by an-Nasa'i the chapter concerning washing the deceased.

On the Day of Hunain he threw a handful of dirt at the disbelievers and said, "May the faces be disfigured", and Allah, the Exalted, vanquished them, filling their eyes with dirt. He once went out to one hundred of the Quraysh who were waiting to do something horrible to him and he put dirt on their head and went on his way without their seeing him.

Islaam.com

Has not the time yet come for those who believe
that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth?
[57:16]

Ajal - The Only Cause of Death

Ajal - The Only Cause of Death

The cause of death is often misunderstood, and erroneously attributed to various tangibles that surround a specific case. The distinction between factors accompanying death, and what causes it, is often lost to a casual observer. Death is a reality, and can be defined as the end of life. Since death is a universal phenomenon, its cause must be universally unique. However, it must be noted that death may occur in many ways, being dependent on circumstances that surround it. Therefore, the multiplicity of events in which death occurs should not be indicative of death being a multi-causal phenomenon.





The cause of death is defined as the factor that necessarily leads to death, and death does not occur without it. It is also not an effect of some other tangible factor. All other factors are cases in which death occurs. Some of these factors may always coincide with death, and some may not.





To illustrate this let us analyse two cases where death occurs:





(1) Death in a fatal state: Apparently stabbing seems to be the cause of death, however stabbing cannot be the cause, since it is an action initiated by an aggressor and therefore an effect of his decision. Moreover, stabbing does not guarantee death in itself. Therefore, stabbing only surrounds death and is not a cause of it. Since death is universally unique, its cause must also be characteristically unique. Hence if stabbing is the cause in this instance, it must be the only cause wherever death occurs. This is a ridiculous proposition. Similarly, physiological factors cannot be causes of death, because they are effects of stabbing. The only remaining possibility is that the aggressor inflicted the wounds thereby causing death of the victim. In this regard, we must note that the intention of the aggressor does not necessarily inflict death upon the victim. None of the above mentioned factors guarantee death, or exist independently. Conclusively none of these factors are a cause of death. The determinant lies beyond our perception, and the tangibles are merely descriptors of the event (i.e. death), or cases in which death occurs.





(2) Death in a gas chamber: There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that inhaling a poisonous gas (eg: Cyanide) always results in death. Perhaps this would imply to some that toxic gases caused death. Reviewing the scenario carefully, one notes that the presence of gases in a chamber for example, is in itself an effect of some other external factor (For example: opening the valves that allowed fumes to fill the chamber). This proves that although inhaling toxic fumes results in death, it is nevertheless triggered from outside. Further more, upon identifying the triggering element (i.e. the person who caused the fumes to fill the chamber), we notice that it does not guarantee death of the victim. This is because the act of opening the valves is not sufficient by itself to ensure death. Again the cause of death is not any of the tangible factors pointed above, nor a combination of them. These factors are merely events surrounding death, and exist only as cause and effect of one upon the other. However, the cause of death still remains obscure and needs further investigation.





The cause of death should be universal, because death is the same wherever it occurs. This implies that a particular incident of death is not caused by the prevailing circumstances, but by a determining element common to all such incidents. It should be emphasised that although the tangibles involved may describe or even explain a death scenario; the sequence of events leading to death will only culminate in death independent of the perceptible factors mentioned earlier.





However, our queries regarding the cause of death are answered by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) on multiple occasions in the Qur'an. Since Qur'an can rationally be proven to be the word of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), we accept the answer as decisive and therefore part of the Islamic Aqeedah. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) says,





"Nor can a soul die except by Allah's leave, the term being fixed as by writing." (Ale-Imran: 145).






''He it is who created you from dust, then from a sperm, then from a clot of blood, then He delivers you as an infant, then He makes you grow up to attain full strength then makes you to grow further to reach old age, though some one of you is recalled earlier. This is done so that you may reach an appointed time and may understand the reality. He it is who gives life and ordains death. Whatever He decrees, He only commands it to be and it is.'' (Al-Mu'minoon: 67-68)






''No ageing person grows old nor is anything reduced of his age except in accordance with a Book�'' (Fatir:11)





Therefore the cause of death is the expiration of time. It was preordained, by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) how long one will live. Medical science can only explain the failure of a living body when death occurs However it would be erroneous to conclude that a mere medical explanation is the cause of death. The cause of death is beyond our perception, and this point has been established by observing that none of the tangible factors fulfil the criterion of being a cause of death.





Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) says,






"Wherever ye are, death will find you out, even if ye are in towers built up strong and high!" (AI-Nisa : 78)





This Ayah was revealed as a response to those who said,





"Our natural term of life is short enough; why should we jeopardise it (our lives) by righting (correcting) that in which there is no personal gain?"





Here they are informed that death is inevitable and there is nothing in their power to escape it. Therefore it is a folly to say that if someone had not gone to Al-Jihad, he would have escaped death or even lessened his chances of dying. Or that a tyrant ruler should not be accounted brought to account, lest the speaker (the one accounting him) is killed. Rather, the belief that death is caused by an appointed time ordained by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) gives a believer the tranquillity and courage in Jihad. It is a source of courage for the one who speaks the truth and enjoins the ma'roof and forbids the munkar. While the fear of death exists, to a varying degree, in everyone, the Islamic Aqeedah stops it from being a constant source of worry. We are all familiar with the vigour, the Sahabah carried the dawah and fought with in numerous battles even when the enemy out numbered and out weighed them. Indeed they realised that the material strength of the enemy could not inflict death upon them. Indeed they realised that the life can only be taken by the Will of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala).





AdduOnline

Has not the time yet come for those who believe


that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has

come down of the truth?


[57:16]

Umar's Treaty

Umar's Treaty

After the rapid expansion of the Muslim dominion in the 7th century, Muslims leaders were required to work out a way of dealing with Non-Muslims, who remained in the majority in many areas for centuries. The notion of the "dhimma", or "protected person", made way for non-Muslims, upon paying the jizya tax, to be protected and their rights and privileges ensured, upheld and protected. While they would have to pay such a tax, they would not be obliged to pay other Islamic taxes, soley to be paid by Muslims, such as the zakat.
This compares well with the treatment meted out to non-Christians in Christian Europe. The Pact of Umar is the peace accord offered by the Caliph Umar to the Christians of Syria, a "pact" which formed the patter of later interaction.



We heard from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghanam [died 78/697] as follows: When Umar ibn al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, accorded a peace to the Christians of Syria, we wrote to him as follows:


In the name of God, the Merciful and Compassionate. This is a letter to the servant of God Umar [ibn al-Khattab], Commander of the Faithful, from the Christians of such-and-such a city. When you came against us, we asked you for safe-conduct (aman) for ourselves, our descendants, our property, and the people of our community, and we undertook the following obligations toward you:

We shall not build, in our cities or in their neighborhood, new monasteries, Churches, convents, or monks' cells, nor shall we repair, by day or by night, such of them as fall in ruins or are situated in the quarters of the Muslims.

We shall keep our gates wide open for passersby and travelers. We shall give board and lodging to all Muslims who pass our way for three days.

We shall not give shelter in our churches or in our dwellings to any spy, nor bide him from the Muslims.

We shall not teach the Qur'an to our children.

We shall not manifest our religion publicly nor convert anyone to it. We shall not prevent any of our kin from entering Islam if they wish it.

We shall show respect toward the Muslims, and we shall rise from our seats when they wish to sit.

We shall not seek to resemble the Muslims by imitating any of their garments, the qalansuwa, the turban, footwear, or the parting of the hair. We shall not speak as they do, nor shall we adopt their kunyas.

We shall not mount on saddles, nor shall we gird swords nor bear any kind of arms nor carry them on our- persons.

We shall not engrave Arabic inscriptions on our seals.

We shall not sell fermented drinks.

We shall clip the fronts of our heads.

We shall always dress in the same way wherever we may be, and we shall bind the zunar round our waists

We shall not display our crosses or our books in the roads or markets of the Muslims. We shall use only clappers in our churches very softly. We shall not raise our voices when following our dead. We shall not show lights on any of the roads of the Muslims or in their markets. We shall not bury our dead near the Muslims.

We shall not take slaves who have beenallotted to Muslims.

We shall not build houses overtopping the houses of the Muslims.

(When I brought the letter to Umar, may God be pleased with him, he added, "We shall not strike a Muslim.")

We accept these conditions for ourselves and for the people of our community, and in return we receive safe-conduct.

If we in any way violate these undertakings for which we ourselves stand surety, we forfeit our covenant [dhimma], and we become liable to the penalties for contumacy and sedition.

Umar ibn al-Khattab replied: Sign what they ask, but add two clauses and impose them in addition to those which they have undertaken. They are: "They shall not buy anyone made prisoner by the Muslims," and "Whoever strikes a Muslim with deliberate intent shall forfeit the protection of this pact."


From Al-Turtushi, Siraj al-Muluk, pp. 229-230.
[This was a from hand out at an Islamic History Class at the University of Edinburgh in 1979. Source of translation not given.]

http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/history/umar_treaty.html

Has not the time yet come for those who believe
that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth?
[57:16]

Islam in China

Islam in China

Islam in China dates back to the days of the Caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan (radiAllahu anhu), the third Caliph of Islam. After triumphing over the Byzantine, Romans and the Persians, the Caliph sent a deputation to China in 29 AH (650 CE, eighteen years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). The Ancient Record of the Tang Dynasty describes a landmark visit to China by Saad ibn Abi Waqqas (radiAllahu anhu), one of the companions and maternal uncle of the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) in 650 C.E. This event is considered to be the birth of Islam in China.



Saad Ibn Waaqas (radiAllahu anhu) invited the Chinese Emperor Yung-Wei to embrace Islam. Although the emperor Yung-Wei, found Islam to be a bit too restrictive for his taste, he respected its teachings. To show his admiration
for Islam, the emperor gave Saad (radiAllahu anhu) complete freedom to propagate Islam and approved the establishment of China’s first mosque at Ch’ang-an. The magnificent Canton city mosque known to this day as the ‘Memorial Mosque.’ That mosque still stands today after fourteen centuries.



As time passed, relations between the Chinese and the Muslim heartland continued to improve. Many Muslim businessmen, visitors, and traders began to come to China for commercial and religious reasons. [Arabs had already established trade in the area before Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam).] The Umayyads and Abbasids sent six delegations to China, all of which were warmly received by the Chinese.



The Muslim presence was resented by the disbelievers. However, their scorn was replaced by respect when their provocation met with their resounding defeat at the hand of a small Muslim force in 133 AH (751 C.E.) This victory eventually led to control over the entire Central Asia, and in 138 A.H. (756 C.E.), Caliph Mansur posted a unit of 4,000 troops to
consolidate the Muslim influence.



These victories opened the doors of China for the Muslims to spread and propagate the faith. Over the years, many Muslims settled in China and they married Chinese women. They established mosques, schools and madrasas. Students from as far as Russia and India would attend these madrasas. It is reported that in the 1790’s, there was as many as 30,000 Islamic
students, and the city of Bukhara, - the birthplace of Imam Bukhari, one of the foremost compilers of hadith - which was then part of China, came to be known as the “Pillar of Islam.”



The Muslims who immigrated to China eventually began to have a great economic impact and influence on the country. They virtually dominated the import/export business by the time of the Sung Dynasty (960 - 1279 CE). Indeed, the office of Director General of Shipping was consistently held by a Muslim during this period.



In spite of the economic successes the Muslims enjoyed during these and later times, they were recognized as being fair, law-abiding, and self-disciplined. Thus, there is no record of appreciable anti-Muslim sentiment on the part of the Han (Chinese) people.



By the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 CE) Islam had been nourishing in China for 700 years. Up to this time, the Muslims had maintained a separate, alien status which had its own customs, language, and traditions and was never totally integrated with the Han people. Under the Ming Dynasty, generally considered to be the golden age of Islam in China, Muslims
gradually became fully integrated into Han society.



The early Muslims in China faced oppression, and the tyrannical Manchu dynasty (1644-191l) was the harshest era. During this period, five wars were waged against the Muslims: Lanchu (1820-28), Che Kanio (1830), Sinkiang (l847), Yunan (1857) and Shansi (1861). In these destructive wars, the Muslims suffered inestimable losses. Countless Muslims were martyred. Half of Kansu’s population, totalling 15 millions, was Muslim. Only 5 million could escape alive. Chinese Muslims sustained similar setbacks in several other small and big wars. During the past three centuries, the Muslim population has decreased at 30%.



The Manchus slaughtered Muslims and razed mosques. Led by determined leaders like Yaqoob Beg (l820-77), Muslims liberated the whole of Turkestan and set up an Islamic state that lasted from 1867 to 1877. The new Turkic-Chinese Muslim power in Central Asia, comprising of the provinces of Yunan, Szechawan, Shensi and Kansum, was seen with anxiety by the Russians and
the British who had colonial designs of their own.



The Muslims, inspired by examples of leaders like Ma Mua-Ming-Hsin, scored many victories. In Yunan, the Muslims, under Tu Wenhsin, routed the emperor’s troops. He assumed the name of Sultan Sulayman and rallied the Muslims of Tibet to rise up against the Chinese.



During the Mao Tse-tung’s revolution in 1948 the Chinese Muslims supported him. The Muslims also joined his Red Army. However, at no stage of their cooperation with the great Chinese leader did the Muslims forsake their Islamic identity even for a while. But at beginning of communist rule in China, the Muslims, as well as other ethnic minorities found themselves once again oppressed. They actively struggled against communists before and after the revolution. In fact, in 1953, the Muslims revolted twice in an effort to establish an independent Islamic state [in regions where Muslims were an overwhelming majority]. These revolts were brutally suppressed by Chinese military force followed by the liberal use of anti-Muslim propaganda.



At present, according to official statistics there are 28 million Muslim in China but in1936 it was estimated that the Muslim population was 48 million. The government census of 1982, however, put the number much lower, at 15 million. By this time total population has increased 3-4 fold. So we can conclude that the total Muslim population has increased minimum by that same proportion. In 2000 ,the number of Muslims in China is estimated at 200 million (IINA). These
Muslims represent ten distinct ethnic groups. The largest are the Chinese Hui, who comprise over half of China’s Muslim population and are scattered throughout all of China. There is also a high concentration of Hui in the province of Ningsha in the north.Under the Communist pretext of unification of national education, Islamic schools were closed and their students transferred
to other schools which taught only Marxism and Maoism. Other outrages included the closing of over 29,000 mosques, the widespread torture of imams, and executions of over 360,000 Muslims. There are approximitly 3,500 mosques in China at present. Today the campaign for assimilation started during the Cultural Revolution has slowed somewhat and the Turkic Muslims have greater freedom to express their cultural identity. The government has, for instance,

allowed the reinstatement of the Arabic alphabet for use with the Uygur language.



According to population statistics of 1936, the then Kuomingtang Republic of China had an estimated 48,104,240 Muslims. After the introduction of Mao’s policies, this number was reduced to ten million. No official Chinese explanation has ever been given for this apparent
disappearance of around 38 million Muslims. The mass extermination and destruction of the Muslims of China pales before the much publicized plight of Tibetan monks or the democrats
of Tiannaman Square.



Since religious freedom was declared in 1978, the Chinese Muslims have not wasted time in expressing their convictions. There are now some 28,000 mosques in the entire People’s Republic of China, with 12,000 in the province of Xinjiang.



In addition, there is a large number of imams available to lead the Muslim community (in Xinjiang alone there are over 2,800). Islamic literature can be found quite easily and there are currently some eight different translations of the Qur’an in the Chinese language as well as translations in Uygur and the other Turkic languages. The Muslims of China have also been given almost unrestricted allowance to make the Hajj to Mecca. In 1986 there were some 2,300 Chinese Muslims at Hajj.




http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/history/islam_china.html

Has not the time yet come for those who believe

that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has
come down of the truth?

[57:16]

The Honour Of The Woman

The Honour Of The Woman

In this article, Dr Nazreen Nawaz, examines Western attitudes towards the honour of women, their dangerous effect in the Muslim World and the manner in which Islam secures the honour of women.





Every society embraces the particular values that it honours, respects, and protects. However, the subject that is given such honour varies according to the viewpoint that the society and the state are established upon. This attitude towards honour will then consequently spread to shape the opinions of the individuals within the society at large.



Within a capitalist state, empty rhetoric is often expressed regarding the honour, care and protection given to the wife, mother, daughter and career woman. However, behind such words, the reality is very clear: the only object worthy of honour, care and protection is money and the values of freedom and democracy. Hence, we observe a situation in Western societies where the use of pornography and images of naked women to sell products has become an acceptable means due to its ability to create massive revenue. Under the guise of personal freedom, that stipulates that an individual should live his life according to his own desires and under his own accountability, we see an epidemic of crimes against women ranging from sexual harassment and rape to domestic violence. Women are encouraged by the male-run fashion industries to wear as little clothing as possible to reveal their beauty to all. We also see that slanderous allegations against the reputation of women have become commonplace in the media and within society at large. It is clear that the view of the woman being an economic commodity for the man, or tool to simply fulfil the desires of man, affects all levels of the society from the politicians, police force, army and doctors, to the simple man on the street. Such is the result of the capitalist ideology.



The antithesis to this situation is the deen of Islam where the true preservation of the honour of the woman is viewed as a life and death matter to be given the utmost care and attention. This is exhibited by the society and state and at all stages within the Muslim woman's life as a daughter, wife, and mother. The Prophet (saw) said, ''Whoever dies protecting his honour dies shaheed.'' The woman is one of those honours placed within the palm of the man as an amana (trust) from his Creator Allah (swt) to be protected at all times. This attitude within an Islamic State would also affect every level of the society from the ruler, army, Qadis and to the man on the street.



An international view that has been propagated as to how the woman can achieve respect and honour within the society is to adopt the Western lifestyle, dress and to become a successful career woman. Alongside this, women have been instructed to call for the values of liberation, freedom, and equality and to aid the transformation of the systems of ruling within their countries to become more in tune with the Democratic system of government that secures all freedoms of the capitalist West. In contrast, the image portrayed of Islam is that it dishonours the woman by forcing her to cover in the khimar(head cover) and jilbab(loose outer garment), by encouraging early marriage, by commanding obedience to the father as a daughter and to the husband as a wife and by allowing polygamy for the man. The Western media, as proofs for their claim, repeatedly cite the existent pseudo-Islamic states such as Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.



The Western world calls for the Muslim woman to lock the Qur'an in the cupboard and disregard the rules and roles that emanate from Islam. It calls for her to uncover her beauty so she may be appreciated by men, to socialise freely with male friends and colleagues so as to elevate her status, to pursue her career at the expense of marriage and her marital duties and to call for further freedoms within her society.



Unfortunately, many of our dear sisters have taken this path, feeling that this will bring them the honour and protection that they desire as Muslim women within society. It is an attack that has been consistent over the past 150 years or so and this concept has corrupted the mentality of the rulers, scholars and intellectuals of this Ummah. Qasim Amin, an Egyptian judge in the 19th century, wrote a book entitled, Al Mara'at al Jadida (Modern Woman). In this, he rebukes Egyptians for glorifying their Islamic past and taking pride in their Islamic culture. He advises the Muslim woman to take the Western woman as her role model in order to elevate her status and the status of Egyptian society. He writes, ''This is our real ailment which needs to be eradicated first of all. The first way to get rid of it is that we should make our younger generations acquainted more and more with Western civilisation and its conditions and circumstances ... We will realise the value and importance of Western civilisation and see for ourselves that no reform is possible unless it is based on modern Western knowledge ... For this very reason we project the people of the West as a symbol of perfection, insist on their veneration as an ideal, and appeal to our countrymen to study the position and status of the Western woman.''



With this in mind, it is important for us to examine the true reality of the status of the honour of the woman within the western capitalist states and the consequences of the call for ideas such as freedom and liberation. Has the achievement of a successful career, a free lifestyle, and a greater voice in the parliamentary process and democracy brought her the honour, status, protection and security that she desired?



The Capitalist Western States and the Dishonouring of the Woman

The greatest idol within the capitalist state is money. Consequently, the main question that plagues the minds of the individuals within the society is how to increase their material wealth. As a result, the woman is not viewed as a human being that has certain needs that require fulfilment, including the protection of her honour. Rather, she is viewed as an economic commodity to be exploited by whoever wishes to make money. In existence is a capitalist dominated world where the pornography industry generates $7 billion every year, a figure greater than the whole of the so-called ''legitimate film and music industries'' combined. In the US, pornography films gross $1 million every day, and in Britain 20 million copies of pornography magazines are sold every year, producing revenue of �500 million. It is therefore clear that men are encouraged to simply view women as objects to gratify their sexual desires. Is this the honour that the Muslim woman seeks from the adoption of the idea of freedom?



Could it be possible that the successful working woman is not seen in this light due to her material achievements and service within the society, such as the doctor, manager, engineer, secretary or teacher, and rather her male colleagues view her with respect and honour? It is naive to think that in a society that is drenched with the culture of personal freedom and opinion, that the work place or office would be a haven from such degrading mentality and behaviour. If we examine the issue of sexual harassment in the Western states, within those institutions that should theoretically exemplify morality, such as the governments that look after the affairs of the people and the police force and army, we see the true picture of the male view towards their female colleagues. In a survey conducted in the UK among the British Civil Service, 70% of the respondents claimed to have been sexually harassed at work. A survey in nine US states, examining a period of 5 years, stated that 60% of the female lawyers interviewed had been sexually harassed, a third by colleagues, 40% by clients, and 6% by judges. In the 1998 study by the Yale University School of Medical Researchers it was discovered that amongst the female soldiers of the American army serving in the Vietnam or Gulf war, 63% had experienced physical and sexual harassment during their military service, and 43% reported rape or attempted rape. If these are the professionals who claim to uphold the law, then what can be expected from the rest of the society? A successful career within the capitalist state has not given the woman the status that she dreamt of. Is this the honour that the Muslim woman seeks when she strives day and night to build her career and neglect her family, children, and other Islamic obligations?



Some may claim that Western women achieve harmony and honour in the home, if not in the public arena? This is a delusional idea. The BBC reported that nearly 25% of women in the UK face domestic violence at some stage in their life. Police are called to an incident of domestic violence every 60 seconds and receive 1,300 calls each day related to this. Domestic violence kills two women each week in the UK. Professor Betsy Stanke from University of London was quoted as saying, ''What this shows is that men in Britain, like men around the world, also beat their wives.'' Is this the honour that the Muslim woman seeks by adopting the Western lifestyle and culture and by forsaking the Islamic culture?



If we study the ultimate form of dishonour that a woman can experience, that of rape, we find shocking statistics illustrating the reality. In the US, a rape occurs every minute, and in the UK, one-third of women have been sexually abused by the age of 18. Also, there was a 500% increase in the reporting of rape between 1996 and 1997. In addition, the sentence for rape can be as low as 180 hours community service. The recent case of a middle-aged woman raped by a group of youths along a canal in West London clearly illustrates how low the honour of the woman has become within this society. She was raped by a 15 year old and 18 year old, while others watched and encouraged the episode, the youngest being 11 years old. Perhaps more shocking than this was that a girl actually held down the victim while her friends raped the woman. It appears that even women no longer value their honour. It is not surprising that the majority of women in the West do not feel safe on the streets at any time of the day. Is this really the honour that the Muslim woman seeks by calling for the Western capitalist system, democracy and freedom to be implemented over her? The reason for this horrific reality is clear: the implementation of man-made law. Allah (swt) says:
''If the truth had been in accord with their desires, truly the heavens and the earth and all beings therein would have been in confusion and corruption! Nay we have sent them their admonition but they turn away from their admonition'' [ Al-Mu'minun: 71].



Allah (swt) also says:

''Whoever follows My Guidance shall neither go astray, nor fall into distress and misery. But whoever turns away from My Reminder (That is, neither believes in the Qur'an nor acts on its orders) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection'' [ Ta-Ha: 123-124].



The Current Reality of the Muslim World and the Dishonour of the Woman



However disgusting the statistics may prove, nothing can compare to the distress from understanding the reality of the Muslim world today. Our societies, if not mirroring the status of the Western picture, are rapidly approaching this. This is as a result of the domination of capitalism over our lands, the infiltration of the Western culture based upon freedom and democracy, and the absence of a true Islamic State, the Khilafah, to protect the honour of the Muslim woman.



In February this year, Reuters reported the case of three former Bosnian Serb commanders convicted by the United Nations War Crimes Court for rape and sexual enslavement of dozens of Muslim women in the area of Foca, in Southeast Bosnia, during the Bosnian war. Prosecutors said the three men took women and girls as young as 12 to a variety of ''rape houses'' for brutal beatings and assaults. Many women were so forcibly abused that they suffered permanent harm. One woman, identified as ''witness 75'', was raped for three hours by 15 men. One 15-year-old girl described a knife wielding man who threatened to gouge her with a crucifix and forced her to drink alcohol. He made her assume a Serb name as he raped her. She described the horrific experience of being raped, ''I remember he was very forceful. He wanted to hurt me. But he could never hurt me as much as my soul was hurting me.''



Such realities are not few in number. Our sisters continue to suffer such humiliation worldwide from Kosovo, to Palestine to Kashmir, due to the absence of the protection of the Islamic State.



The infiltration of freedom into our lands has brought with it rape, domestic violence, sexual perversion and prostitution engaged in by Muslim men. In Pakistan, a woman is raped every two hours. In March 1998, a case came to the attention of the Pakistani courts of a 14 year old school girl named Naumana Tabbasum who was gang raped in a governmental building in Peshawar by the section officer of the local government department and three of his colleagues. They had threatened to kill her parents if she revealed the truth. Is it not the government that should be the protector of the people and not its enemy? There are numerous reports also of police in Pakistan stripping women naked and parading them in public.



In Bangladesh, prostitution has been legalised, and it is said that the rate of abortion there of girls between 15 and 49 is 28/1000, almost the level of that within the US. Domestic violence is also reaching epidemic levels in the Muslim world. In Pakistan, there is a shocking statistic of domestic violence. It is said that 70% of women are subjected to violence in their homes. A new style is used in the Asian sub-continent called, ''stove burning'' where the woman is set on fire for reasons ranging from not bearing sons to not having added enough salt to the food. Lahore newspapers report over four cases of women injured per week from such treatment, and two hospitals in Pakistan stated that 500 women had burned to death as a result of such incidents in the past three years.



The reason for such problems is clear: the idea of personal freedom where the man can fulfil his desires and behave in any way he pleases. The consequences on others within society, and the honour of women, are dire. It is evident then that a call for the Western way of life, the adoption of the Western culture and the capitalist system can bring nothing but humiliation, dishonour, and insecurity for the Muslim woman.

The Organisations that Bring the Dishonour of the Muslim Woman to the Muslim Lands



The infiltration of Western culture and the introduction of the capitalist laws within the Muslim lands are not chance events. Calculated moves are taken by the Western states to constantly redefine the Islamic social system and attack the identity of the Muslim woman. They stand guilty of having exported the degradation of the woman within their societies to the sisters of the Muslim countries. The styles used include the Western media, the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) functioning within Muslim lands and institutions such as the United Nations.



In June of last year, 188 nations from amongst Muslim and non-Muslim countries, and 1250 NGOs world-wide, gathered in New York for an International Women's Conference entitled ''Beijing + 5''. The objective was clear: to accelerate the standardisation of the relationship and roles of the men and women within society of all the nations of the world to be in line with the capitalist values. If we examine certain aims established through the discussions, this is openly apparent:

''Ensure that women of all ages can fully realize their sexuality, free of coercion, discrimination and violence, by developing legislation, disseminating information, and promoting accessible and affordable services.''. ''Discourage, through media and other means, customary laws and practices, such as early marriage, polygamy ... ''



In Bangladesh, the NGOs aided the introduction of the legalisation of prostitution and continue to call for the freedom of the women within the society.

We should realise that the underhanded objectives behind such events is to drive the Muslim woman further away from her role and duties defined by Islam and to drive a wedge between her and the obedience to her Creator. Truly, we should understand the danger from taking our solutions from these institutions. It is a call for women to discard their honour and to lead them away from the beauties and rewards of Jannah. Allah (swt) warns us in the Qur'an:



''O ye who believe! Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: They will not fail to corrupt you...'' [TMQ Ale-Imran: 118].

Allah (swt) also says:

''O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaytan. And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaytan then verily he commands Al-Fahsha (indecency) and Al-Munkar (evil). And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins'' [ An-Nur: 21].

Islam: Securing the Honour of the Woman



Having established that the call for the adoption of the Western woman's dress, lifestyle, goals and systems will bring nothing but humiliation to the Muslim woman and her society, it is crucial that we understand that Islam is the only way of life, and that the Khilafah is the only ruling system that brings the woman honour, protection and elevation in society. We can observe how Islam brings the honour, dignity and tranquillity to the woman in three ways: having a correct aim in life, honouring the Muslim woman in society and securing her honour under the Khilafah.



1. Having the Correct Aim in Life



There is no doubt that the greatest honour in life is to be a Muslim. The greatest honour that can be bestowed upon the human being is to be a servant of Allah (swt) and to gain the pleasure and blessings of the Creator with every action performed in accordance with His command. Allah (swt) says:



''But honour belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and to the believers but the hypocrites know not'' [ Al-Munafiqun: 8].



Success is ensuring that not one minute passes without securing the rewards of the Hereafter by the pursuance of the fulfilment of the obligations to Allah (swt) in every area of life. Whether in ibadat, as a wife, a mother, daughter, fulfilling the contract of a job, covering her awrah with the khimar(head covering) and jilbab(loose outer garment) in the public arena, segregating from the men or carrying the da'wa to make Allah's (swt) word the highest by the work for the re-establishment of the Khilafah. Allah (swt) says:



''For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for truthful men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God's praise, for them has God prepared forgiveness and a great reward'' [ Al-Ahzab: 35].



The greatest tranquillity is in the knowledge of the promise of Allah (swt) of the rewards of Jannah (paradise) for those men and women who restrict themselves to His limits and fulfil all of His obligations in life without discrimination. Truly, this is the greatest honour and success of all, to be in the company of the Prophets, the pure companions, and Insha'Allah to spend eternity in nearness to Allah (swt). Allah (swt) promises:



''The righteous (will be) amid gardens and fountains (of clear-flowing water). (Their greeting will be): �Enter ye here in peace and security.' And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury: (They will be) brothers (joyfully) facing each other on thrones (of dignity). There no sense of fatigue shall touch them, nor shall they (ever) be asked to leave'' [ Al-Hijr: 45-48].

We see then, for a Muslim woman, to fulfil the duties of wife and mother in Islam is a great honour. For her to obey her husband, or to serve him meals, or bring comfort to his life is not oppressive but an honour; for, she receives the pleasure and rewards of her Creator. The same can be said for the man fulfilling his role as a husband of providing for the family, consulting with the wife over affairs and being constantly observant over her physical and emotional welfare. The Prophet (saw) said, ''Among my followers the best of men are those who are best to their wives and the best of women are those who are best to their husbands. To each of such women is set down a reward equivalent to the reward of a 1000 martyrs...''

For the mother to nurture her children physically, emotionally and with the Islamic culture, by feeding them, bathing them, playing with them and smiling at them, is a great honour. The Prophet (saw) has said, ''When a woman breast feeds, for every gulp of milk she will receive a reward as if she had granted life to a being, and when she weans her child, the angels pat her on the back saying, �Congratulations! All your past sins have been forgiven, now start all over again''' [Riyadh al Salihin]. He (saw) also said, ''During pregnancy until the time of childbirth, and until the end of the suckling period, a woman earns reward similar to that of the person who is guarding the borders of Islam'' [Al-Tabarani].



2. The Honour of the Muslim Woman in Society



Allah (swt) has commanded the man to view the woman as an honour to be protected at all times, whether it is his mother, wife, daughter or any woman within society. The Prophet (saw) once told Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra), ''Shall I not inform you about the best treasure a man can hoard? It is a virtuous wife who pleases him whenever he looks towards her, and who guards herself when he is absent from her.'' On another occasion, he (saw) said, ''The world and all things in the world are precious but the most precious thing in the world is a virtuous woman.'' In his last sermon to the Muslims, he reminded them, ''O People, it is true that you have certain rights, with regards to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers.''



He (saw) has also said, ''Whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favour his son over her, God will enter him into paradise.''



A man at the time of the Prophet (saw) came to him and asked, ''I have carried my mother single handed around the Ka'ba seven times, does this repay the kindness she showed me as a child?'' The Prophet replied, ''It does not even repay one contraction of the womb.''



This is the way that Allah (swt) has described the honour of the woman. Within an Islamic society, such an understanding will affect the men within the society at large, who will view the woman as an honour, regardless of whether she has a career or not. They will not belittle the position of the wife and mother but regard it with the highest of esteem.



This can be illustrated by an example at the time of the Khilafah of Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) when a Jew was found killed. Umar asked the people if they knew about the matter, whereupon a Muslim called Bak'r in Shad'dakh appeared before him and said, ''I have killed him.'' Umar (ra) was astonished and asked him for the reason. The man explained that a Muslim brother had gone on Jihad and consigned his family members to him to look over in his absence. When he arrived at the house of the brother, he had found the Jew inside reciting poetry slandering the reputation of the brother's wife by implying that he had spent the night with her in his absence. As a result, he killed him to protect the honour of the woman who had been placed under his protection. On hearing all the details, Umar (ra) exempted him from paying any ransom.



3. Honour of the Muslim Woman Secured by the Khilafah.



Having understood the command of Allah (swt) to ensure the honour and security of the Muslim woman within the society, we should ask ourselves why such a reality is not present today. The examples of how the woman faces shame and humiliation from pornography, to rape, to domestic violence every day in the Muslim lands and societies has already been detailed. The reason is clear, it is due to the absence of the Khilafah system. The question that now needs to be addressed is ''How can this reality of the honour of the woman be secured once again within a society?'' The answer is simple; it can only be through the re-establishment of the Khilafah. Then, we will have the ability to propagate the correct viewpoint to the individuals within the society through the education system and the media, and we will have the authority to enforce the appropriate punishments upon those who dishonour women. Let us examine two examples to illustrate how the honour of the Muslim woman was protected under the Khilafah of the past, compared to the reality of the world today.



This example is also cited during the Khalifah of Umar (ra). While he was visiting Syria, a Jew came to him and complained that a Muslim had beaten him badly. Umar (ra) asked one of the companions, Suhaib (ra), to find out who was guilty of the action. The accused was Auf bin Malik Ashjai (ra) who was brought in front of Umar (ra) and asked to explain his actions. He replied, ''Let it be known to you that the plaintiff was driving away a Muslim lady on his ass and on the way he gave her a jerk so that she would fall from the ass, but when she did not fall he pushed her. When she fell down, he mounted on the lady and lay with his face downward.'' The father and husband of the woman confirmed his story. Umar (ra) ordered for the Jew to be killed.



It can be seen clearly from such examples that in order to establish the rule of Allah (swt) in protecting the honour of the Muslims within the society, it requires the presence of the structures of the Khilafah. During the time when the earth was blessed with the cool breeze of the Islamic State, harmony was brought to societies and tranquillity to individuals in turmoil. Women felt secure in their homes and on the street.



It is not a successful career in itself, financial independence or the fewer clothes that are worn, that brings a woman honour and success, but the abiding of the commands of her Creator and the establishment of the Islamic State over her.



The Islamic State brought true honour to the woman who had, for so many years, been viewed simply as a commodity and object to satisfy the desires of men. For 1400 years the woman remained protected, safe and valued. With the loss of her shield, the Khilafah, she has once again become an economic commodity in the palm of the capitalist and an object of desire within the capitalist way of life.



The protection of the honour of the Muslim in the society is not an option but an obligation. The responsibility then is for the believing man and woman to work with all their efforts to re-install the body that will achieve the fulfilment of this obligation within the society: the Khilafah.



Dr. Nazreen Nawaz

Has not the time yet come for those who believe

that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has come
down of the truth?

[57:16]