Interview With Ustadz Abu Jibriel Abdul Rahman About The Title
Ash-Shaheed Given To Imam Samudra And Friends
26-11-2008
The gift of the title "As-Shaheed" to Imam Samudra, Amrozy, and Mukhlas
following after their execution on Sunday, 9th November 2008 produced some pros
and cons. Some Muslims could understand and agree with the noble title given to
them. However, some others do not agree, in fact they do not understand the
meaning and why that title was given to them. In order to clarify this issue
Arrahmah.com interviewed Ustdaz Abu Jibriel who was involved in witnessing the
funeral of Imam Samudra in Serang, Banten. The following is the outcome of the
interview:
Arrahmah.com: Assalamu'alaikum. Wr.Wb! Ustadz, how are you? Straight to the
point Ustadz, what are the limitations for someone to wear the title As-Shaheed?
And is giving that title allowed in Islam ?
Ust. Abu Jibriel: Wa'alaikumussalam Wr.Wb. Alhamdulillah good. True, some people
are doubting the shaheed of the trio KAFILAH SHUHADA' mujahid and they said that
they were not mujahideen. In fact they even called them terrorists. Therefore,
it must be clarified here that without a doubt, THEY ARE MUJAHIDEEN AND THEY
DIED AS SHUHADA', Insya Allah. .
Why? Because giving the title "shuhada" to the mukmeen mujahid who were shaheed
in the battle field is the sunnah of Rasulullah. Rasulullah SAW had given the
title Sayyidus Shuhada (the leader of the Shuhada) to Hamzah bin Abdul Muthallib.
As for the three of them, they are qualified get that title for a number of
reasons:
Firstly: The Manhaj of their lives clearly followed the Salafus Soleh. They had
also done da'wah and conducted jihad in the way of Allah for the establishment
of the Allah's Shari'ah, since they were still teenagers until they were Shaheed,
there was no such things as tiredness or exhaustion, much less retiring from it,
and that means they had fulfilled the words of Allah,
"And serve thy Lord until there come unto thee the Hour that is Certain
(death)." (Qur’an 15:99)
Secondly: The principles of their lives were clear, only worshiping Allah and
keeping away from taghout, just as the words of Allah which says:
"Serve Allah, and eschew taghout." (Qur’an 16:36).
That was the principles of their lives until they were shaheed. Never
compromising with the taghout government in da'wah and Jihad for the sake of
establishing the Shari'ah of Allah.
Thirdly: Their way of life was: Iman-Hijrah-Jihad, this shows that they were
practicing the words of Allah,
"Those who believed and those who suffered exile and fought (and strove and
struggled) in the path of Allah,- they have the hope of the Mercy of Allah. And
Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful." (Qur’an 2:218)
They went through the journey of I'dad fulfilling the words of Allah,
"Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including
steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and
your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth
know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of Allah, shall be repaid unto you,
and ye shall not be treated unjustly." (Qur’an 8:60)
Fourthly: Their battles and target enemies were also clear, namely the kuffar
harbi, be it the Jews, Christians, Mushrikeen, and anybody else who are not
following the true religion (ie. Dienul Islam). It means they had practiced the
words of Allah,
"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden
which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the
religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay
the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." (Qur’an. 9:29)
Fifthly: Their highest ambition in life was to attain Shaheed, and this, insha
Allah had been achieved, thus it means they have practiced the words of Allah,
"Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs
(in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and
are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and
the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah. then rejoice in
the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme." (Qur’an
9:111)
And when we were together in the Jihad arena, we constantly studied and
understood deeper the promises and rewards of Jihad and dying Shaheed, just like
in the following hadith:
Miqdam Ibnu Ma'dikariba said, indeed Rasulullah SAW said:
"For the Shaheed in the Divine presence there will be six qualities: [1] he will
be forgiven from the first moment his blood is spilled; [2] he shall see his
seat in Paradise and be protected against the punishment of the grave; [3] he
shall be safe from the Greatest Terror [the rising of the dead]; [4] he shall be
crowned with the diadem of dignity, one ruby of which is worth more than the
entire world and its contents; [5] he shall be coupled with seventy-two spouses
from the wide-eyed maidens of Paradise; and [6] he shall be granted to intercede
for seventy of his relatives." (Hadith. Ahmad: 16553)
Sixthly: After conducting the operation of Jihad in Bali which had caused them
to be arrested, interrogated and then tried and given a death sentence, they
faced it with sincerity, calmness, perseverance, heroism, without getting
emotional, dispirited and surrendering to the taghout laknatullah, that means
they have practiced and taking lessons from the words of Allah,
"How many of the prophets fought (in Allah's way), and with them (fought) Large
bands of godly men? but they never lost heart if they met with disaster in
Allah's way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And Allah Loves those
who are firm and steadfast." (Qur’an 3:146)
Seventhly: For those who died shaheed, they have signs which can be witnessed by
those who are alive. The common signs that occurred in the Jihad arena of
Afghanistan for example are:
a. There is sweet aroma from the janaza of the shuhada'.
b. The janaza is warm and not stiff, even for some hours after he died.
c. Blood sometime still dropping from the wound, and still fresh.
d. Sweet smiles and radiant face as if in a normal sleep.
e. Birds in dim/thick green color fly and encircle as if in a dance over the
janaza.
All the above signs could be found post-Shaheed of three of them, and besides
those things their steadfastness, bravery, taqwa and tawakkul can also be
witnessed, their longing for shaheed could be proven through their expressions
and answers during the trials and at all times in the prison of the taghout.
Their lives we busy with da'wah even inside the prison. The prisoners and prison
warders, both received the blessings of their da'wah. The strength of their iman
and their fortitude were like the corals in the sea, unmoved even after the
endless pounding by the waves and storms.
They had been oppressed inside the prison for 6 years, that long years were used
by them for worships, zikr, tawbah to Allah swt, and not even a bit of their
time was wasted for taqarrub (seeking nearness) to Allah especially the days
approaching their executions. Thus, there is no doubt that they are the kafilah
shuhada, insha Allah.
Arrahmah.com: So, there must firstly be a process or practice of jihad? What is
the shar'i meaning of jihad Ustadz ? Hadn't Imam Samudra, Amrozy and Mukhlas
already conducted jihad ?
Ust. Abu Jibriel: Sure they had, because the highest form of shaheed is to die
during jihad fie sabilillah in the battle arena. The ulamas have divided the
shaheed death into three types:
First: Shaheed in this world and akhirah, ie. those who died in jihad for the
purpose of raising high the kalimah of Allah sincerely and purely for seeking
the pleasure of Allah and not mixing it with other intentions.
Second: Shaheed in this world only, ie. those who fought (and get killed)
because of seeking ghanimah, or because of riya', or due to nifaq, this type of
shaheed does not obtain heavenly rewards, but the outward rules and regulations
are still applied on them. Both of these types of shuhada' will have the usual
regulations for those who die shaheed applied on them.
According to the four Madzhabs, their janazas need not be washed or shrouded, as
well as prayed except the opinion of Madzhab Hanafi which says that the funeral
prayer is to be performed.
Third: Shaheed in the akhira only, ie. those who die due to the caving in of a
building for example, or because of drowning, or anything similar to it. Just as
what Rasulullah SAW had told us, in this type Shaheed the janaza should be
washed, shrouded and the funeral prayer peerformed [See: Kitabul Fiqih ‘Ala Al-Madzhaabih
Al-Arba'ah, by Al-Jaza'iri juz: 1]
Arrahmah.com: So, the giving of the title As-Shaheed to them (Imam Samudra,
Amrozy, and Mukhlas) is allowed by the shar'i? Even though we have not been able
or are able to ascertain it?
Ust. Abu Jibriel: The reality of shaheed is only known to Allah. We only know
the outward signs. Therefore the most exact expression is "Insha Allah Shaheed"
Arrahmah.com: If according to Ustadz, the three of them are qualified to be
given the title Ash-Shaheed, was there any specific identification that
accompanied their shaheed?
Ust. Abu Jibriel: They, insha Allah are qualified to be given the title shaheed,
for the specific identifications we have mentioned above.
Arrahmah.com: According to Ustadz is there any party out there who
unsurprisingly feel uneasy and continually instilled confusions in the Islamic
Ummah regarding the nobility of jihad and dying shaheed? Who are they? Why are
they doing things like that?
Ust. Abu Jibriel: Obviously yes, they are the taghouts and their accomplices,
the su' ulama, and the intellectual Muslims who had been infected by the disease
of SIPILIS (or syphilis in English used to mean SECULARISM, PLURALISM and
LIBERALISM in religion - ed).
Arrahmah.com: Lastly Ustadz, what should be done by the Muslim Ummah in this
country in general? and the Islamic media specifically?
Ust. Abu Jibriel: The Muslims should be united in confronting the real
terrorists, led by George Bush laknatullah, and then the ulama' must be honest
in explaining the true meaning of Jihad and its applications, so that the Ummah
will not be affected by the shubha fitnah or the poisoning of the understanding
and comprehension of Jihad.
And the Islamic media must not be opposed to each other and they must not try to
impede the broadcasting of true Islamic data, and it is best if they shoulder to
shoulder do da’wah for Islam for the sake of Islam's and the Ummah’s success.
Arrahmah.com: Jazakallah khairul Jaza' Ustadz for the time and ‘ilm (knowledge).
Wassalamu'alaikum. wr. wb!
Submitted by a Mujahid