Tajdeed

Sunni view:

وَلَا نَرَى الْخُرُوجَ عَلَى أَئِمَّتِنَا وَوُلَاةِ أُمُورِنَا وَإِنْ جَارُوا وَلَا نَدْعُو عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا نَنْزِعُ يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَتِهِمْ وَنَرَى طَاعَتَهُمْ مِنْ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَرِيضَةً مَا لَمْ يَأْمُرُوا بِمَعْصِيَةٍ وَنَدْعُو لَهُمْ بِالصَّلَاحِ وَالْمُعَافَاةِ

“We do not rebel against our leaders or those in charge of our affairs, even if they are tyrannical. We do not supplicate against them, nor withdraw from obedience to them. We view obedience to them as obedience to Allah Almighty, an obligation, as long as they do not order disobedience to Allah. We supplicate on their behalf for righteousness and wellness.”

Reference: Al-Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah in English and Arabic

The Creed of Imam al-Tahawi:
al-ʻAqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwīyah

Translated with references to proofs from the Quran and Sunnah
by Justin Parrott (Abu Amina Elias)

Zaydi view:

Through Jihād, the Book is upheld, the Sunnah is revived, and divine rulings are established. Falsehood and sins are eradicated, hungry stomachs are filled, naked backs are clothed, the oppressed are vindicated, the oppressors are suppressed, the Most Merciful is pleased, and Satan is angered. Troublesome desires are eliminated, and righteous causes are supported.

Allāh, the Exalted, has said: {“O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment? [It is that] you believe in Allāh and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allāh with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you if you should know. He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment.”} (Surah As-Ṣaff).

But if you do not do so [i.e., engage in Jihād], there will be a severe trial on Earth and great corruption} (Surah al-Anfāl).

The one who opposes the tradition of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, engages in the sinful act of drinking wine, commits evil deeds, neglects prayers, disregards giving alms, indulges in frivolous and vain pursuits, amuses himself with tambourines, oppresses orphans, unjustly takes the lives of fellow Muslims, oppresses the weak and the poor, dishonors women, promotes wickedness, and causes the deaths of virtuous individuals—Jihād against such people and those of similar inclinations becomes an incumbent duty upon the Ummah of Muḥammad.

It is their responsibility to rectify their condition and purify them from the vices they are entangled in, until they return to the decrees of Allāh and fulfill the rights ordained by Him. Once they have sincerely repented, established their religion firmly, and improved their affairs in accordance with Allāh’s guidance, then they must proceed to engage in Jihād against the Romans and other polytheists

Let those who weep for the state of Islam weep, and let those who lament the religion of Muḥammad, peace be upon him, lament. For it has become a stranger, neglected, with few to support it and many to oppose it. In such times, one must turn to Allāh in fear and complaint. He is the ultimate recourse and the source of hope.

May Allāh have mercy on a servant who introspects, evaluates their deeds, seeks salvation in the Hereafter, repents to Allāh for their sins, and works for their eternal life. They collect provisions for the Day of Judgment: {A day when neither wealth nor children will be of any avail except for those who come to Allāh with a sound heart} (Surah Ash-Shu’ara).

Reference:

A Treatise on the Fundamentals (Kitāb al-Uṣūl) – By al-Imām Muḥammad b. Yaḥyā b. al-Husayn b. al-Qāsim b. ʾIbrāhīm b. Ismail b. ʾIbrāhīm b. al-Ḥasan b. al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī b. Abi Ṭālib (278 – 310 AH) ~ translated by Muḥammad al-Sharīfī

Bismillah

It is known that the majority opinion of the majority of Muslims (i.e. Sunni Muslims) has been that it is completely impermissible to rebel against Muslim leaders even if they were oppressive and tyrannical. Nevertheless, there has been another opinion within Sunni thought that permits revolt against oppressors in certain occasions

The stance of quietism against oppressive rule becoming dominant is not surprising at all due to the Sunni school being historical quietist, due to Sunni thought placing a greater emphasis on allying with the majority (jama’a) and due to constantly supporting the established and powerful Muslim states of the time. Naturally, these Muslim empires were very powerful, and the great level of power and authority allowed them to be oppressive, and they justified this oppression through religious verdicts. Examples of historical Muslim empires which the mainstream Muslims sympathising and allying with were the Umayyads, the Abbasids and the Ottomans.

To support their doctrine of political submission to unjust Muslim leaders, they attributed a fabricated hadith to the Prophet Muhammad (sawa) which reads, “Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman reported: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, we were living in an evil time and Allah brought us good in which we live now. Will there be evil after this good?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Yes.” I said, “And any good after this evil?” The Prophet said, “Yes.” I said, “And any evil after this good?” The Prophet said, “Yes.” I said, “How will it be?” The Prophet said, “Leaders after me will come who do not follow my guidance and my Sunnah. Some of their men will have the hearts of devils in a human body.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, what should I do if I live to see that time?” The Prophet said, “You should listen and obey the ruler, even if he strikes your back and takes your wealth, even still listen and obey.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1847

This hadith is in conflict with many established facts and principles of Islam such as the command of enjoining good, forbidding evil, opposing injustice even if it is against ourselves. In fact, the Prophet Muhammad was the greatest embodiment of justice in this world and the companions of the Prophet were not blind submitters to their leaders, on the contrary they were critical of their leaders publicly. Moreover, not only did the grandson of the Messenger of God, al-Husayn b. Ali rebel against the tyrant of his time, but the collective descendants of the Prophet Muhammad upheld political and social justice. The Fatimid Alid Imams constantly rebelled against unjust Muslim rulers to correctly establish Divine law on Earth.

Some examples of political Alid Imams are Zayd b. Ali, Yahya b. Zayd, Muhammad b. Abdullah al-Kamil, Ibrahim b. Abdullah, Yahya b. Abdullah, Yahya b. al-Husayn al-Hadi, al-Hasan b. Ali al-Nasir al-Utroush etc. These are evidences that the report attributed to the Prophet Muhammad is clearly a fabrication to justify the injustices of the Muslim rulers.

In addition to all of this, the prerequisite for economic and social stability and prosperity in the world is justice. The implementation of law and justice is the most fundamental thing for there to be stability and progress. Instead, when injustice is rampant, when there are no laws, when the Divine commands of God are violated instead of being applied by the Muslims, then there will be great chaos and upheaval. This is precisely one of the reasons why the Muslim nations from Morocco to Pakistan are in this state today. The ummah should take responsibility and accountability before blaming external factors such as enemies. Whilst, the Western world is focusing on man-made laws and human rights, Muslim leaders have been violating the Divine law and decree of Islam intended by God.

The Qur’an states, “Indeed, Allāh will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allāh intends for a people ill,³ there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron”. (Surah 13:11)

As a result of all of this, there is no justice, no economic stability, and no social progress. In fact, socially people are unhappy, ethically they are declining, and this is why many Muslims seek refuge in non-Muslim lands under non-Muslim law. The political systems are in such a state where corruption is at its peak, leaders are stealing from the masses and the public are stealing from one another. Evidently, this is what the brotherhood of the Ummah has come to.

In conclusion, the nations of the Ummah have become an immoral animalistic society, people believe they need to be unethical to win and prosper. Thus, the spirit of Islam has been killed as Imam Muhammad b. Yahya b. Husayn has put in his Usul book. This type of corruption and distortion of Islam has been continuing since the martyrdom of the grandson of the last Messenger of God, al-Imam al-Husayn. The essence of Islam has died! The real Islam has been murdered and replaced with submission to corrupt rulers instead of submitting to the will of God.

By Abul Hasan al-Gabikani al-Shadi al-Shaddadi al-Hadhabani -al-Kurdi