Changes Through The Way Of The Ummah (‘an Thariq Al-Ummah)
Does Not Mean Through
The People Power or People's Revolution
Rabi-us-Sani 02, 1432 A.H, Tuesday, March 08, 2011
In these recent weeks, we are still heated by
the news related to the revolutions that occurred in some parts of the the
Muslim countries in the Arab lands, such as that happened in Tunisia and Egypt,
where the people succeeded in overthrowing President Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak
who had been in power for more than 23 years and 30 years respectively. These
revolutions turned out to be an inspiration for some other Muslim countries
especially in the Arab lands, for them to perform the same action i.e. to take
to the streets demanding the rulers to step down from the throne of their power.
In Indonesia, the same thing has ever happened i.e. in 1998 where the people and
students succeeded in overthrowing the Suharto regime which had been in power
for 32 years.
If we look at the reality of the changes that happened above, we can simply
conclude that apparently the power to make the change could come from outside
the parliament, and do not always come from within the parliament. And at least,
history has never recorded any change that could be done by way of parliament,
although it can be done. The changes in question here is the change from the
kufr system to Islamic system, or in other words from the Kufr
State (Darul Kufr) to become an Islamic State (Darul Islam).
From the above brief description, we can also conclude that apparently it is
through the people or ummah that changes can be realized, namely when
the ummah become more and more aware and when they understand better
how untrustworthiness their leaders are. That awareness makes the ummah
demand and call for the rulers who are in power to step down from the reins of
power. But it is quite unfortunate, the ummah who already understand
and are aware of the untrustworthiness of those rulers, are not balanced with
the correct understanding of how damaging the applied system is. The ummah
are only seeing those personages who led them, but they still do not understand
that the problem is not just who is leading them but also what system is used to
lead them.
However, by looking at the reality of the changes mentioned above, i.e. through
the implementation of a People's Revolution, it does not mean that it is allowed
by shara’. So the question is, how is the ruling of shara’
related to the changes by means of the People's Revolution, although it is also
through the way of the ummah (‘an thariq al-ummah)?
It was mentioned that the changes that we mean are the changes in the perception
of Islam, i.e. from the kufr system to Islamic system, or the changes
from the kufr State to the Islamic State. Therefore, the changes made
should be resembling what Rasulullah SAW had done when he succeeded in
establishing the Daulah (Sovereignty) of Islam in Madinah. But in this
case, we will not discuss in depth the subject about the marhalah
(implementation) of the da'wah of Rasulullah, because what we're
looking at here is the issue of changes through the way of the ummah,
is it just the People Power or is there any other means?
Changes Through The Way Of The Ummah
1. People Power
The People Power is the strength of the people; usually used to make changes by
toppling the existing regime and then replacing it with a new regime. These
changes through the power of the people can be used for the purpose of reform,
as well as revolution, whether it be for changing some parts of the existing
system or replacing the whole of the existing system with a totally different
system. This is as we can see from what have happened, be it in Tunisia, Egypt
or Indonesia.
However, it is very ironic when we look at how those changes came about. Isn't
it the purpose of changes to go towards something that is better? But the fact
is, the People Power or People's Revolution often causes tremendous chaos, among
others are at the expense of public properties such as road signs which got
vandalized, looting, destruction of other public facilities, as well as the
impacted welfare of the people. In fact, we even see the large numbers of
victims, either killed or injured. As this condition goes on, the aim to achieve
a better life is a far cry from reality. Moreover, this way can also trigger a
horizontal conflict which will result in the split amongst the ummah.
The question is, is it possible to build a solid state and government that can
ensure the operation of the entire system if the ummah or citizens are
divided? It is obviously impossible.
Besides that, the method of change such as this is clearly contrary to the
ruling of shara’, both in terms of the activities which are destructive
to public properties and the method of change itself which had never been
exemplified by Rasulullah SAW, although in reality it is through the wishes of
the ummah in general.
2. Developing The Awareness Of The People
The second alternative is by way of extensively developing the
awareness of the ummah about importance of change, which is not only
limited to the change in the regimes but also the system. The ummah
must be groomed to believe and accept the Islamic system, whether it be the
system of governance, economics, social, education, legal sanctions, as well as
its foreign policy. Because, the strength of the state and government in the
view of Islam lies in the ummah. Because, the fact is that the state is
a technical entity that implements the entire conception (mafahim),
standardization (maqayis) and conviction (qana’ah) accepted by
the ummah. Due to that, the acceptance of the ummah on those
Islamic conception, standardization and conviction become the basic pillars for
the establishment of the Islamic system. And same goes vice versa.
Therefore, it is important for a tasqif to be performed on the
ummah, be it tasqif murakazah (intensive development) or
tasqif jama’iy (the development of the ummah in general). The
ummah should be made to understand about the the perfection of Islam as a
religion, and at the same time as an ideology that gives birth to a system,
namely the Islamic system. So it will make the ummah understand and
realize and with it the ummah will naturally want a change, both on the
untrustworthy leaderships and the applied system.
Because, the problem is not just who is leading, but also what system is used to
lead. Put a trustworthy person to lead, one with good akhlaq, but if
the system used is not the Islamic system, then it can be argued that he is a
righteous leader but one who is being in the wrong place.
The Process of Change
After the ummah have been made to understand and realize about
the perfection of Islam, both as a religion and ideology, then the activities
used to actualize the next changes are the activities of thalab an-nusrah
or demanding of power. This was what Rasulullah SAW had done, since he was doing
the da'wah in Makkah to the time when he successfully established the
daulah of Islam in Madinah.
The method which has been outlined by Rasulullah SAW, the way used by Rasulullah
SAW in making changes, which includes in it the establishment of an Islamic
government, was through the thalab an-nusrah; namely by seeking help
from anyone who did have the power and was able to aid his da'wah.
Since the party that had the power at that time were the chieftains of the
various clans and tribes, so it was from them that Rasulullah SAW really tried
to get help. Rasulullah had approached the Bani Tsaqif in Taif, Bani Hanifah,
Bani Kalb, Bani Amir bin Sa’sa’ah and a number of other tribes. But it turned
out that they all refused. There were those who refused harshly, in fact even
inhumanely, such as what he suffered in Taif, there were also those who refused
unconditionally, such as what he received when he expressed his wishes to the
Bani Hanifah, or he was rejected because he did not want to grant the
preconditions set by them, such as what he experienced with the Bani Amir bin
Sa’sa’ah.
In the current context, the thalab an-nusrah can be made to the heads
of state, the chieftains of the clans and tribes such as the chieftains in
Pakistan and Afghanistan, the police, military or anyone who has the power and
influence in the community. But first, they must believe in the Islamic system
and acknowledge its truth. As the Prophet did and asked from the chieftains of
every kabilah, or to the rulers of the Arab countries at that time. He
also asked them to acknowledge him and provide him protection.
With that, what is meant by ‘an thariq al-ummah (through the way of the
ummah) is not the People Power or the People's Revolution, except hard
and systematic efforts to build a system based on the strength of the ummah,
through their conviction, support and implementation of that system. As for the
process of change, from the kufr system to the Islamic system, it is
only done through the thalab an-nusrah, no other way. Wallahu A’lam.
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Original Author: Adi Victoria
Submitted by a Mujahid