Islam: Between Ignorant followers and Incapable Scholars
22-06-2007
The following is an amazing excerpt from the book, “Islam: Between Ignorant followers & Incapable Scholars,” by ‘Abdul Qaadir ‘Audah.
“…Muslim scholars are also responsible for our ordeal and for what has afflicted
Islam. They are responsible for the sins and mischief caused by the colonialists
and imperialists, by the rulers and governments and by the masses who are
ignorant of and rebellious against Islam.
These scholars are worthy of such accusations because they support imperialism
or at least keep silent before its violence. They occasionally support the
non-Islamic rule and compromise with it at other times. They have left the
masses in their ignorance of the basic principles of Islam and in their
unawareness of the conspiracies forged against Islam.
They have detached Muslims from their religion, because they failed to indicate
to the masses the judgment of Islam with regard to the colonialists,
imperialists, and to the governments that aid and pay allegiance to them. As a
result, the Muslim masses obeyed the pro-colonialist governments. Islam has been
lost due to the silence of Muslim scholars, and the masses by turn, have been
put in a state of loss due to the loss of their religion. The masses might have
helped in reclaiming the loss because they believed that the Muslim scholars
would not approve of anything unless it was in conformity with Islamic teachings
and God’s commandment.
Muslim scholars have closed their eyes, shut their mouths and plugged their
fingertips in their ears, forgetting about Islam, and they have been asleep for
centuries while the Muslim people followed them in their somnolence, believing
that their Islam was safe and sound, or their scholars never would have kept
quiet.
Muslim scholars for long have disregarded their Islam. They have never censured
any attitude violating Islam, nor tried to repel and revoke any injunction that
ran contrary to the principles of Islam. They have never even convened a meeting
to encourage the reinstitution of Islamic jurisprudence.
Rulers have committed felonies, allowed the forbidden, shed blood, raped women,
spread mischief and transgressed against the limits enjoined by God, while the
scholars never so much as expressed indignation and opposition to such actions.
They uttered only the sounds of silence, as if Islam did not require them to
invite other to do the good and to forbid what is wrong, and as if Islam did not
make it incumbent upon them to give counsel to the rulers so that they might
apply the laws of Islam.
Muslim nations were occupied by rapacious foreign powers but our scholars did
not revolt against this aggression, nor did they indicate to the public what the
Qur’an and the Sunnah have inscribed in regard to fighting the invaders and
resisting the forces of occupation, and what Islam provided for those who
befriended such invaders and colonialists. The Muslim scholars had a duty to
boycott the non-Muslim aggressors, but instead became their allies and friends
to the extent that they used to celebrate some religious festivities in the
Residence Halls of the representatives of the occupying country!
Man-made laws have been enforced in Muslim countries, though they contradicted
Islamic provisions, nullified Islamic commands, allowed what God has prohibited
and prohibited what God has allowed. Yet, Muslim scholars were not disturbed by
this violation of their religion, nor were they perturbed about their own
future, though they earned their living at the expense of Islam. They did not
even hold meetings to discuss the tragic turn of events relative to their own
destiny and the future of their religion.
Adultery and lasciviousness have spread all over, brothels and dance halls have
been opened, governments have issued licenses to Muslim women to practice
prostitution, and people have publicly disobeyed Islam! Nevertheless, our
scholars contained themselves and did nothing more than “regret” such foul
deeds.
When secular schools which denied religious teachings were established, our
Muslim scholars were the first to send their children to them. When the
missionary schools started propagating Christianity and detracting Muslims from
their Islam, our dignified scholars SENT THEIR daughters thereto, in order for
them to learn foreign languages, dancing and Christianity.
Whenever a government met with a serious problem, it resorted to these quisling
scholars, who never failed to bid Muslims to “obey their government” even if
this government allowed alcohol, adultery, usury, atheism and mischief, and even
if it substituted Islam for popular whims and partisan fancy.
This state of affairs has been proceeding for so long that the majority of
Muslims foolishly believed that the prevailing conditions and mischief did not
violate their standing in Islam. No wonder then, misdeeds and corrupt actions
filled our life and efforts to remedy things became almost futile. All these
things occurred because of the laxity of Muslim scholars and their licentious
attitude toward the application of Islamic jurisprudence.
True scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, and it is most inappropriate
for scholars to take such a flippant attitude towards the legacy of the
Prophets. Islam has imposed on them the duty to command people to perform the
good deeds and to abstain from the wrong and hurtful deeds. Who else would
assume this task if the scholars decline to assume it?
Ironically enough, the scholars in Egypt have lately found their voices and have
broken their hoary silence. They have convened meetings and delivered speeches
calling for strikes and mutiny. Was it because of Islam and the enforcement of
its jurisprudence? No indeed; they revolted and instigated others to revolt
because of their own positions, allowances and salaries and personal vested
interests! They issued manifestos and statements, repeated their convocations
and speeches, which were well-decorated with Qur’anic verses and quotations from
the Hadith, to defend their selfish personal interests and to sustain their
individual honor aria. They did not do this for the sake of Islam - as if Islam
were less important than themselves and its dignity were lower than theirs. It
was lamentable see some of them trying to invoke Islamic sympathies in their
meetings and to steer this up surging revolt towards real Islamic reform, when
their colleagues present repudiated them and foiled this attempt. It seems that
positive action for the revival of Islam was considered by these scholars as
something taboo.
Ye Muslim scholars: You were debased and belittled by nations and governments
because you neglected and did not heed you religion.
Ye Muslim scholars: Behold! Your only dignity derives from that of Islam. Your
only power issues from that of Islam.
Ye Muslim scholars: It is nowhere a tenet of Islam that you should withhold your
tongues from indicating the laws of God and close your eyes to the enemies of
God, who desecrate the provisions of His judicial decisions.
It is nowhere a tenet of Islam that you should teach your students the laws of
Islam, but your governments need not apply them.
It is nowhere a tenet of Islam that you should take your stand in the mosques
inviting people to good behavior and morality and performance of their rituals,
while you leave them ignorant of what Islam has to say about politics,
government administration, legislation and justice, social relations, economics
and relations with allied and belligerent powers.
Why do you not fully educate people in their religion when your profession
demands this of you?
Why do you not tell them about Islam’s injunctions regarding aggressive
occupation and invasion, about those who support or befriend invaders, and about
those who strive and instigate revolutions against such enemies?
Why do you not inform people about what Islam enjoins regarding those who impose
on Muslims that which contravenes their religion, and whether Islam prescribes
for Muslims allegiance to such people and acceptance of their authority, or does
it prescribe disobedience to them and challenging their fitness for rule?
Why do you not declare to people whether Islam commands a Muslim to obey
man-made laws or to renounce them?
Why do you not set clearly before the people the judgment of Islam regarding
wealth, exploitation, and monopoly, and how to apply its decisions to our
present financial and economic conditions?
Why do you not inform people about their Islamic precept that forbids excessive
wealth for the few and fatal poverty for the masses?
Why do you not call out full-throatedly the Islamic verdict of doom reserved for
those who fight the advocates of Islam, and for those who assist the persecutors
of those devoted to the cause of Islam?
Why do you not explain fearlessly the Islamic stand toward those who deviate
from its standards by initiating perverse practices, and whether Islam orders
the faithful to keep silent about these intrusions, or does it command
struggling against them and abolishing them?
Why do you not make plain for the people the provisions of Islam concerning
counsel and interpretation, and whether each of these should be performed once
in a lifetime or whether both are an obligation so long as there is a need for
them, that by such means people may be reminded of Islamic laws at every time?
Why do you not eagerly advise people to the ruling of Islam against the fool who
demands respect for his own person but refuses to demand respect for Islam?
Ye Muslim scholars: I do not deny that there is among you a small, honorable
group who act in accordance with the Book of Allah and follow its teachings. Nor
do I deny that some of you did spare your time, energy and life itself to
establish the principles of the Qu’ran without fear or reluctance. But these are
few indeed, a group of individuals who would hate to be reckoned as having
associated with you. The activities of these few good, benevolent people will
not redeem your sinful deeds, nor mitigate the punishment due for your
negligence and lasciviousness.
Ye Muslim scholars: Follow the example of this righteous group and trace their
steps. Do something for Islam. Enough of your long silence and negative
reaction. Only in positive, intrepid action lies you good and the good of your
religion.”
[From: ‘Abdul Qaadir ‘Audah’s - ‘Islam: Between Ignorant Followers & Incapable
Scholars’]