29- I N S T I G A T I O N ( F I T N A )

KEYWORDS:

Amr al-maruf: ordering to do good actions, i.e., commanding others to obey Allah's commandments.

Nahy al-anil al-munkar: commanding others that they should not violate Allah's commandments.

Fitna: instigation.

Jihad: struggle, fight

Hubb-u-fillah: loving for the sake of Allahu ta'ala

Bugd-u-fillah: not loving for the sake of Allahu ta'ala.

Causing human beings to suffer distress and troubles or acting such a way to cause a military junta takeover of the civilian government comes to mean causing instigation (Fitna). In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "Fitna is sleeping. May Allahu ta'ala's curse be upon those who awaken it." Promoting rebellion against the laws of the land and against the government is considered as raising instigation. Raising instigation is forbidden. It is a greater sin than killing a man without proper justification. It is also forbidden to rebel against the cruel and oppressive governments. If the oppressed people rebel against the government, helping them is also forbidden. The harm of the rebellion is a greater sin than the harm and sin of the cruelty.

An Imam's reading more than necessary amounts during the "salat" prayer and thus extending the prayer is considered as raising fitna. If all the participants of the congregation consent to his long reading then it would not be instigation but would be permissible. Preachers' and men of religious posts' speaking or writing on subjects which are beyond the comprehension of their audiences or readers is considered as raising instigation. We should speak to others in a level they can understand. No one should order Muslims with the worships they cannot perform. Instead, they should be advised to perform the worships which they can carry out even if that advice depends on a weak proof of Jurisprudence (Fiqh). We should also be careful not to raise fitna while doing Amr al-maruf. We are not ordered to put ourselves into danger in order to do Amr al-maruf. We should neither cause instigation with respect to religion nor ever cause any instigation with respect to worldly affairs (Dunya) by harming others. Doing Amr al-maruf would be permissible in which the individual who performs the Amr al-maruf suffers worldly losses. His actions would be fight (Jihad.) But if one cannot be patient with the results which would be produced by doing Amr al-maruf, one should not do it. One should not depart from one's house and should not see anyone during the time of fitna. If one is caught in fitna despite all of the precautions, one should be patient with it.

Imam ar-Rabbani, may Allahu ta'ala be well pleased with him, says in the 68th letter of the second volume of his Maktubat: Oh my dear son! I am writing over and over again to emphasize that right now is a time for repentance for our sin and is a time for asking forgiveness from Allahu ta'ala. During times like this when instigations are increasing, we should lock ourselves into our homes and should not see anyone. Instigations increased so much so that it looks like they will pour down like a rain to cover everywhere. In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "instigations will spread everywhere before the time of Doomsday. The oppression of the instigations will turn the daylight into the darkness of the night. At that time, a person who leaves his home as a believer will return to his home in the evening as a disbeliever. The one who returns to his home as a believer in the evening will get up in the morning as a disbeliever. At that time, sitting is better than standing. The walking person is better than the runner. Break your arrows, cut your bows and strike your sword to the stones at that time. When someone comes to your home at that time, become like the good one of the two sons of Adam." Upon hearing all of these, the companions, may Allahu ta'ala be well pleased with them, asked Rasulullah, peace be upon him, as to how the Muslims of that time should behave. In response he said, "Become like a furniture of your house!" In another narration he said, "At such instigation times, do not depart from your homes!" [This hadith exists in the hadith books Abu Dawud and Tirmuzi.] You probably heard that presently "Dar-ul-harb" disbelievers inflicting oppression (Zulm) and torture on Muslims in Islamic countries, e.g., Nagrakut cities. They made unprecedented insults to Muslims. These type of lowly and base actions will increase during the time of the later era (Akhir zaman). [The translation from the 68th letter is finished here.]

The following is written in the Muhtasar of Tazkira-i Qurtubi: Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "Do not raise instigation (Fitna!) Raising instigation by speeches or conversation is like raising instigation through the sword. Instigations caused by sinners (Fajirs) and tyrants (Zalims) through backbiting, lying, and slandering of others are more harmful than the instigation caused through the sword." Almost all of the scholars are informing us unanimously that even those who are compelled into very difficult circumstances by the authorities, i.e., they have left no other choice than only saving their lives and properties, should not rebel against the government and laws of the land. Because, the hadiths are ordering us to be patient against the oppressive governments. Imam al-Muhammad Ash-Shaybani, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, informs us that Rasulullah, peace be upon him, read the following prayer (Dua), "Allahumma innee as'aluka fi'lal hayrat wa tarkalmunkarat wa hubbalmasakin wa iza aradta fitnatan fee kawmee fa-tawaffani gayra maftun." The meaning of this prayer (Dua) is: "Oh my Lord! Decree for me so that I may be able to perform good deeds, avoid doing harmful things, and love poor persons. When You decide to raise instigation(Fitna) among my nation, take my soul before I become involved in that instigation!" Imam al-Qurtubi, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, points out to this hadith and says that it is necessary to avoid instigation so much so that it is better to die instead of getting involved in the instigation.

Following hadiths cited in the book Mishkat say, "Follow the Muslims and their leaders during the time of instigation. If there is no one in the way of truth, do not join to the people who involves with instigation and rebellion. Do not involve with instigation until you die!" And "Follow the orders of the government during the time of instigation (Fitna). Even if it treats you with oppression and even it takes away your properties, still obey orders of the government!" And "Follow the orders of Islam during the time of instigation (Fitna). Save yourselves. Do not give advice to others! Do not get out of your house. Hold your tong!" And "Many people will be killed during the time of instigation (Fitna). Those who do not participate in the instigation will be saved!" And "Those who do not join to the people who raise instigation (Fitna) will obtain happiness. Those who are caught in the instigation but put up with it by being patient will also obtain happiness." And finally "Allahu ta'ala during the day of Judgement (Qiyamat) will ask someone why he did not stop a sinner when he witnessed him committing the sin. That person will answer by saying that he was afraid of the danger that might be inflicted by the sinner upon him and he will further say that he trusted upon the forgiving attribute of Allahu ta'ala." This hadith indicates that when the enemy is very powerful, not doing the Amr al-maruf and Nahy anil al-munkar is permissible.

It is written in the explanation of the book Shir'atul-Islam that doing Amr al-maruf and Nahy anil al-munkar is "Fard al-kifaya". It is Sunnat to order others to do the Sunnats and not to commit Makruhs. The person who is committing prohibited actions should be advised by explaining to him the ugliness of committing the forbidden actions and that he should stop committing them. We should not use force to stop him. On the other hand, a person who is getting ready to commit a prohibited action should be stopped by using force. We should be careful not to raise instigation while doing the Amr al-maruf either through using words or force. We should know ahead of the time that doing Amr al-maruf and Nahy anil al-munkar will produce useful results. Having a really strong feeling about a thing comes to mean knowing that thing. If one does not have Hubb-u-fillah and Bugd-u-fillah, one's worships will not produce useful results. If Amr al-maruf is not carried out without any excuse, the prayers will not be accepted. Goodness and blessings (Barakat) will disappear. Jihad and difficult matters would not be completed and resolved successfully. A secretly committed sin will hurt the one who commits that sin. If that sin is carried out openly, it will hurt everyone. We should not presume someone as evil because of somebody else's ill talk about him. His ill talk about him would be backbiting (Gibat) and listening to him would be forbidden (Haram.) In order to label someone as sinner (Fasik), one either personally see him committing a forbidden (Haram) act openly or two just (Adil) Muslims should inform about him to that effect. When one sees someone committing a forbidden action and does not stop him while having the power to do so, his action is considered as giving in or compromising (Mudahana) the religion. It is reported in a hadith that those who compromise their religion (doing "Mudahana") will rise from their graves in the next world as monkeys and pigs. A person who does Amr al-maruf won't be liked by his friends. Those who compromise their religion will be liked by their friends. Making Amr al-maruf to oppressive government officials by advising them is the best kind of jihad. If one does not have the power to give advice to the oppressive officials but one hates them through his heart, it is still considered as jihad. Government officials through force, scholars through giving advice and other Muslims through heart should perform Amr al-maruf. It is necessary to do Amr al-maruf for the sake of Allahu ta'ala as well as it is necessary to know the proofs of the given advice from the book and not to cause instigation while doing Amr al-maruf. If one perceives that doing Amr al-maruf will not produce any effect and will also cause instigation then, one should not do it, i.e., doing it won't be necessary (Wajib). Even, doing it under some circumstances would be forbidden. During such times one should not get out of his house in order not to be involved with the instigation. If instigation rises in a country or the government conspires to generate mischief in order to oppress the people then, it will be necessary to immigrate to another country. While the possibility exists for migrating to another country, the government's forcing one to commit sin would not be an acceptable excuse for one to commit the sin. When immigration is not possible, one should keep away from others and should not associate with anyone. If one understands that doing Amr al-maruf will not show any effect but also will not cause instigation, doing it won't be necessary (Wajib) but will be "Mustahab." If one knows that his advice will be effective but it will also cause instigation then, it won't be necessary (Wajib) to give that advice. If the instigation is something small like being beaten up then giving advice is "Mustahab". On the contrary, if giving advice will cause a big and dangerous instigation then giving advice would be forbidden. Doing Amr al-maruf in a soft manner is necessary (Wajib). Doing in a harsh manner will cause instigation. Muslims and disbeliever citizens of the Islamic state should not be threatened through guns and should not be oppressed or tortured. [Translation from the book Shir'atul Islam is finished.]