Global Intifada

There is nothing more draining for the Islamic activist then interacting with Muslims whose modus operandi is not fixated on implementing Islam in their hearts, minds, and limbs but who view Islam as their birthright out of the dumb luck of being born in a particular location. For some people, Islam is not that which one submits to, but a claim of entitlement based on one’s culture or ethnicity and it is not they who should submit to Islam, but it is others who should submit to them. Most people object to nationalist feelings when other groups promote their own nation, but seldom do they criticize their own nationalist feelings. Even in America, purportedly the most free and ideal environment for the growth of Islam, our communities are torn apart by ethnic and racial rivalries masquerading in the guise of legal or theological differences.
Nationalism is clearly one of the greatest diseases of the Ummah. It was responsible for the ultimate destruction of the last Khilafah, the Ottomans. Losing to Europeans on the military battlefield lead some of them to the conclusion that the only way to beat the kuffar would be to imitate them. Thus, they began imitating the West’s dress, clothing, and style of speech, (first in the military context and then in other areas of their society) all the while ignoring the voracious warnings of the ‘Ulema of the dire consequences in this life and the next for doing so. When the Napoleonic wars helped trigger the intense nationalist fervor in the 1840s and again in the late 1800s, some of the people of the Ottoman Empire followed suit. The Young Ottomans and later on the Young Turks began reforming the Ottoman Empire to imitate the model of the political and economic systems of the kuffar. The Arabs, lead by Christians who clearly had a personal interest in seeing Islamic governance replaced by secular nation-states, began playing around with nationalism as well. The nationalism of the Turks and the Arabs proved to be the most devastating diseases for the Ummah that gave rise to the nation-state system and has introduced much of the Ummah’s misery of today into world history, such as the situation in Palestine, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, etc. It is impossible to discuss the situation of the Ummah today without discussing the collapse of the Uthmani Khilafah and one cannot discuss the collapse of the Uthmani Khilafah without the rise of nationalism.

Thus, nationalism is a disease that has devastated the Ummah on both a microscopic level in the sense that it has created divisions between Muslims as individuals and also on a macroscopic level in the sense that it has created territorial and political divisions and conflicts between Muslim states. The disease itself has different facets: philosophical, political, legal, but also and most importantly, it has a spiritual dimension. The central tenet of nationalism is the notion of one’s pride in one’s nation. Hence, from the beginning, nationalism is not only a political problem for the Ummah and a source of division in our communities, it is a spiritual problem since its essence is based on takkabur. Kibr itself is one of the diseases of the Qalb and thus, the elimination of this disease falls within the realm of Tasawwuf. This is further proof that Tasawwuf is a cure for many of the diseases of the Ummah. This was discussed in a previous post entitled “The Cure for Terrorism is Tasawwuf.”

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says: “Verily, Allah does not love the proud ones.”

Rasulullah (sallahu alayhi wa sallam) said “He who has a grain of pride in his hear will not enter Jannah.”

In some ways, it could be argued that the first true sin was arrogance since that is what prevented Iblis (May Allah curse him) from bowing before Adam (alayhi salam) and lead him to refuse the direct command of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) which caused him to become a kafir and relegated to the lowest position in all of the creation.

“We created you and then formed you and then We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,” and they prostrated-except for Iblis. He was not among those who prostrated. [Allah ] said, “What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you to?” He [Iblis] replied, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and You created him from clay.” He [Allah ] said, “Descend from Heaven. It is not for you to be arrogant in it. So get out! You are one of the abased.” He [Iblis] said, “Grant me a reprieve until the day they are raised up.” He [Allah ] said, “You are one of the reprieved.” He [Iblis] said, “By Your misguidance of me, I will lie in ambush for them on your straight path.” [Iblis said,] “Then I will come at them, from in front of them and behind them, from their right and from their left. You will not find most of them thankful.” He [Allah ] said, “Get out of it, reviled and driven out. As for those of them who follow you, I will fill up Hell with every one of you.” (Surat al-A`raf, 11-18)

Thus, the primary reason why Iblis (May Allah curse him) to obey the command of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and bow before Adam (alayhi salam) was because he thought he was better than him since he was made from fire and Adam was made from clay. Not only did Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) evict him from Jannah due to his arrogance, but Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) pronounced him to be a disbeliever. Arrogance, then, can be said to have been the first sin and the sin that is so dangerous that it leads to the downfall of so many beings. Perhaps this is why that even a speck of it may cause one to be denied Jannah. May Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) assist in subduing our pride and our nafs and grant us all Jannat al Firdaus. Ameen.

With regards to nationalism, it is a spiritual disease in the sense that many people who support the nation-state because of their blind patriotism often view others as sub-human and legitimate horrible abuses against them. For Muslims, this is especially dangerous since many people have conflated being Muslim with being of a particular nation or ethnicity or race. This is not limited to just Arabs, but is very common in the desi communities as well. Thus, Islamic principles such as obedience to one’s parents are taken to such an extreme that many times it leads to the flagrant rejection of the Shari’ah. Other principles such as purdah are taken to such an extreme that they lead to treating women in a dishonorable and humiliating manner and treating them like animals. Thus, practices which are prohibited in Islam such as domestic violence are justified on the grounds that it offends one’s cultural sense of modesty.

What is most grieving of all is when oppressed people utilize Islam for political or military purposes, but the second the word Shari’ah is thrown into the public sphere, they are opposed. This has occurred in places like Iran, but also exists in many Arab states. For example, in Lebanon, many people support Hezbullah for their military achievements, but will not accept them if they desire to implement the Shari’ah like Fat-h al Islam vowed to do in the Palestinian refugee camps. The same can be said of HAMAS as well since many people support them for their resistance against Israel but decry them for trying to implement the Shari’ah in Palestine. One cannot support Islamic resistance groups or political movements for their benefit and reject the Shari’ah. The entire purpose of Islamic resistance is to raise up the Kalam of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) over all other ways of thought.

While we have many problems in the Ummah, they are not impossible to cure. The way to cure these diseases is through a strong rooting in Aqeedah, Fiqh, and most importantly, Tasawwuf. In order to do so, we must connect with the classical Islamic traditions. Thus, I will close with an excerpt from Shaykh Uthman Dan Fodio’s “Handbook on Islam.”

Pride is one of the blameworthy qualities and it is forbidden to have it. Allah ta`ala said: “I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant in the earth without right.” As far as its reality is concerned, you should know that pride is divided into inward and outward pride. Inward pride is a quality within the self, and outward pride is action which appears through the limbs.

The name pride (kibr) is more appropriate for the inward quality. As for action, it is the result of that quality, and you must know that the quality of pride demands action. When it appears on the limbs, it is called arrogance (takabbur), and when it does not manifest itself, it is called pride (kibr). Its root is the quality in the self which is satisfaction and confidence at seeing the self above anyone towards whom he is overbearing. Mere self-exaltation does not make someone arrogant. He might well exalt himself while seeing that another person is greater than him or his equal. In this case, he is not overbearing toward him. It is not enough merely to disdain others. In spite of his disdain, a person might see himself as more despicable and therefore, he would not be considered arrogant. If someone sees the other as his equal, he is not considered arrogant. He must see that he has a rank and someone else has a rank, and then see his rank as above the other’s rank. When he exalts his own value in relationship to someone else, he despises the one below him and puts himself above the other’s company and confidence. If it is very extreme, he may spurn the other’s service and not consider him worthy to stand in his presence. If it is less extreme, he may reject his basic equality, and put himself above this other in assemblies, wait for him to begin the greeting, think that it is unlikely that he will be able to fulfill his demands and be amazed at him. If he objects, the proud man scorns to answer him. If he warns him, he refuses to accept it. If he answers him back, he is angry. When the proud man teaches, he is not courteous to his students. He looks down upon them and rebuffs them. He is very condescending toward them and exploits them. He looks at the common people as if he were looking at asses. He thinks that they are ignorant and despicable.

There are many actions which come from the quality of pride. They are too many to be numbered. This is the reality of pride.

The harm it does is immense. The ‘ulama’ can help you but little against it, let alone the common people. How could its harm be other than great when it comes between a man and all the qualities of the mu’minun? Those qualities are the doors to the Garden. Pride locks all those doors because it is impossible for him to want for the mu’minun what he wants for himself while there is anything of self-importance in him. It is impossible for him to have humility - and humility is beginning of the qualities of those who guard themselves out of fear of Allah - while there is any self-importance in him. It is impossible for him to remain truthful while there is self-importance in him. It is impossible for him to abandon anger while there is self-importance in him. It is impossible for him to offer friendly good counsel while there is self importance in him. It is impossible for him to accept good counsel while there is self-importance in him. He is not safe from the contempt and slander of others while there is self-importance. There is no praiseworthy quality but he is incapable of it from the fear that his self-importance will slip away from him.

As far as its cure is concerned, there are two parts: the knowledge-cure and the action-cure. The remedy can only be effected by joining the two of them. The knowledge-cure is to know and recognise yourself and to kno and recognise your Lord. That will be enough to remove your pride. Whoever knows and recognises his own self as it should be known and recognised, knows that it is not worthy of greatness, and that true greatness and pride are only for Allah . As for gnosis of his Lord and His glory, it is too lengthy a subject for us to discuss here […].

Self-recognition is also a lengthy subject. However, we will mention what will help you towards humility and submisiveness. It is enough for you to recognise one ayat of the Book of Allah . The knowledge of the first and the last is in the Qur’an for whoever has his inner eye open. Allah ta`ala said: “Perish man! How thankless he is! Of what did He create him? Of a sperm-drop. He created him, and determined him, and then made him the way easy for him. Then He makes him die, buries him, and then, when He wills, raises him.”

This ayat points to the beginning of man’s creation, his end, and his middle. Let a man look at that if he desires to understand its meaning.

As for the beginning of man, he was “a thing unremembered”. He was concealed in non-existence. Non-existence has no beginning. What is lower and meaner than obliteration and non-existence? He was in non-existence. Then Allah created him from the basest of things, and then from the most unclean thing. He created him from earth and then from a sperm-drop, thena blood-clot, then a lump of flesh. Then He made the flesh bones, and then clothes the bones in flesh. This was the beginning of his existence and then he became a thing remembered. He was a thing unremembered by reason of having he lowest of qualities and attributes since at his beginning, he was not created perfect. he was created inanimate, dead. He neither heard, saw, felt, moved, spoke, touched, perceived, or knew. He began by his death before his life, by weakness before his strength, by ignorance before knowledge, by blindness before sight, by deafness before hearing, by dumbness before speech, by misguidance before guidance, by poverty before wealth, and by incapacity before capacity.

This is the meaning of His word, “From what did He create him? And determined him,” and the meaning of His word, “Has there come upon a man a period of time when he was a thing unremembered? We created him of a sperm-drop, a mingling, trying him. We made him hearing, seeing. We guided him upon the way, whether he is thankful or unthankful.”

He created him like that at the beginning. Then He was gracious to him and said, “We made the way easy for him.” This indicates what He wills for him during the period from life to death. Similarly, He said, “of a sperm-drop, a mingling, trying him. We made him hearing, seeing. We guided him on the way.” The meaning here is that He gave him life after he was inanimate and dead - first from the earth, and then from a sperm-drop. He gave him hearing after he was deaf and He gave him sight after he lacked sight. He gave him strenght after weakness and knowledge after ignorance. He created his limbs for him with all they contain of marvels and signs after he lacked them. He enriched them after poverty, made him full after hunger, clothed him after nakedness, and guided him after misguidance. Look how He directed him and formed him. Look at how He made the way easy for him. Look at man’s overstepping and at how thankless he is. Look at man’s ignorance and how he shows it.

Allah ta`ala said, “Part of His sign is that He created you from earth.” He created man from humble earth and unclean sperm after pure non-existence so that he would recognise the baseness of his essence and thereby recognise himself. He perfected the sperm-drop for him so that he would recognise his Lord by it and know His immensity and majesty by it, and that He is the only one worthy of true greatness and pride. For that reason, He described him and said, “Have We not given him two eyes and a tongue and two lips, and guided him on the two roads?”

He first acquainted him with his baseness and said, “Was he not a sperm-drop extracted? Then he was a blood-clot. Then He mentioned His favour and said, “He created and fashioned and made a pair from it, male and female,” in order to perpetuate his existence by reproduction as his existence was acquired in the beginning by original formation. When you begin in this manner and your states are like this, how can you have arrogance, pride, glory, and conceit? Properly speaking, man is the lowest of the low and the weakest of the weak. Indeed, even if He had perfecteed him, delegated his command to him and made his existence go on by his own choice, he would still dare to be insolent and would forget his beginning and his end. However, during your existence, He has given illnesses power over you, whether you like it or not, and whether you are content or enraged. You become hungry and thirsty without being able to do anything about it. You do not possess any power to bring either harm or benefit. You ant to know something but you remain ignorant of it. You want to remember something and yet you forget it. You want to not forget something and yet you do forget it. You want to direct your heart to waht concerns it and yet you are caught up in the valleys of whispersings and thoughts. You own neither your heart nor your self. You desire something while your destruction may be in it, and you detest something while your life may be in it. You find some foods delicious when they destroy and kill you, and you find remedies repugnant when they help you and save you. You are not safe for a moment, day or night. Your sight, knowledge, and power may be stripped away, your limbs may become semi-paralysed, your intellect may be stolen away, your ruh may be snatched away, and all that you love in this world may be taken from you. You are hard-pressed, abased. If you are left alone, you go on. If you are snatched away, you are annihilated. A mere slave. A chattel. You have no power over yourself or anyone else. What can be more abased? If you recognise yourself, how can you think yourself worthy of pride? If it were not for your ignorance - and this is your immediate state - you would reflect on it. Your end is death. It is indicated by His word, “Then He makes him die and buries him. Then, when He wills, He raises him.” The meaning here is that your ruh, hearing, sight, knowledge, power, senses, perception, and movement are all stripped away. You revert to the inanimate as you were in the first place. Only the shape of your limbs remains. Your form has neither senses nor movement. Then you are placed in the earth and your limbs decay. You become absent after you existed. You become as if you were not, as you were at first for a long period of time. Then a man wishes that he could remain like that. How excellent it would be if he were left as dust! However, after a long time, He brings him back to life to subject him to a severe trial. He comes out of his grave after his spearated parts are joined together, and he steps out to the terrors of the Rising. He is told, “Come quickly to the Reckoning and prepare for the Outcome!” His heart stops in fear and panic when he is faced with the terror of these words even before his pages are spread out and he sees his shameful actions in them. This is the end of his affair. It is the meaning of His word, “Then when He wishes, He raises him.”

How can anyone whose state this is be arrogant? A moment of freedom from grief is better than arrogance. He has shown the beginning and the middle of his condition. If his end had appeared to him - and we seek refuge from Allah - perhaps he would have chosen to be a dog or a pig in order to become dust with the animals rather than a hearing, speaking man, and meet with punishment (if he deserves the Fire). When he is in the presence of Allah then even the pig is nobler than him since it reverts to dust and it is spared from the Reckoning and the punishment. Someone with this state at the Rising can only hope for pardon, and he cannot be at all certain about it. How then can he be arrogant? How can he see himself as anything to which excellence is attached? This is the knowledge-cure.

As far as the action-cure is concerned, it is to humble yourself to people in a constrained unnatural manner until it becomes natural for you.

For more information on Shaykh Uthman Dan Fodio, click here.

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