4.3. THE MOVEMENT AND LIBERATION MOVEMENTS
The Islamic Movement’s concern should not be focused solely on the Muslim lands albeit they should enjoy a special attention by virtue of the mutual dependence and solidarity called for by Islam. The Movement should support all the causes of freedom from serfdom, imperialism and injustice all over the world, regardless of whether the subjects of persecution and imperialism are Muslims or not.
Islam was sent down as an all embracing call for the emancipation of man, on the grounds that man is honored by Allah who made him His vicegerent on earth and subjected all that is in heaven and on earth to his power.
Islam came to liberate man from slavery to any Taghut [anything worshipped other than Allah] and to qualify him to stand against any Taghut.
While the Message of Moses was one for liberating the Children of Israel from the tyranny of Pharaoh, Haman and Qarun, the Message of Mohammad was one for emancipating all mankind from all the Pharaohs, “Qaruns” and “Hamans” who enslave people and impose themselves as high and mighty rulers without right, looking down their noses on the servants of Allah, as they seek to share with Allah His Greatness and Grace, and so make themselves into gods that enslave their people.
The Quran has carried the call for freedom loud and clear. sending it through the Messenger of Allah to Caesars and monarchs: (Come to common terms between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we do not erect from among ourselves, lords and patrons other than Allah) [Surat AlImran: 64].
Reb’iyy Ibnamir declared [it] before Rustom, commander of the Persian troops, saying, “Allah has sent us to turn people away from the worship of humans to the worship of Him alone, from their narrow world to the vast expanses of the whole world, and from the injustice of religions to the justice of Islam”.
Allah the Almighty sent down His Books and tasked His Messengers to carry the Messages only for establishing justice on earth, as He says in the Holy Quran, (We sent aforetime our messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance [of right and wrong], that men may stand forth in justice) [Surat AlHadid: 25].
Therefore, any injustice by individual against individual, group against group or people against people, is an injustice against all the Messages of Heaven, especially when it is committed by tyrants and powerful men against the weak and downtrodden.
Hence the Quran’s fierce attacks on tyrants and fearsome threats to them, as conveyed by the following verses:
(But they sought victory and decision [there and then], and frustration was the lot of every powerful obstinate transgressor. In front of such a one is Hell, and he is given, for drink, boiling fetid water) [Surat Ibrahim; 1516].
(Thus Allah seals up every heart of arrogant and obstinate transgressors) [Surat Ghafir: 35].
(So enter the gates of Hell, to dwell therein. Thus evil indeed is the abode of the arrogant) [Surat AlNahl: 29]
The Quran also attacked the unjust in its Meccan and Medinan surats, see:
(Verily Allah does not guide a people unjust) [Surat Al Ma’ida: 51].
(Truly to no good come those who do wrong) [Surat Yusuf: 23].
(Such were the towns we destroyed when they committed iniquities) [Surat AlKahf: 59].
(Now such were their houses, in utter ruin, because they practiced wrongdoing) [Surat AnNaml: 52].
(Such is the chastisement of your Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous, indeed, and severe is His chastisement) [Surat Hud: 102].
(Of the wrongdoers the last remnant was cut off. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds) [Surat An’am: 45].
(And incline not to those who do wrong, or the Fire will seize you; and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor shall you be helped) [Surat Hud: 113].
Islam does not only hold injustice at fault and prohibit it to the extreme, it also urges that it must be fought by all means, holding those who do nothing against injustice as participants of sorts who are sinners on earth and will be punished in the Hereafter.
Islam even considers a nation where wrongdoers commit their wrong freely, with nobody facing up to them or denouncing their deeds, as a nation that has brought upon itself the punishment of Heaven and will certainly come to ruin. When the punishment comes down [on such a nation], it will take all of its members: the wrongdoers for their doing, and the silent for their silence.
Allah the Almighty says, (And fear tumult or oppression, which does not affect in particular [only] those of you who do wrong: and know that Allah is strict in punishment) [Surat AlAnfal: 25].
A Prophetic Hadith says, (If people see a wrongdoer and do not prevent him, they come close to a punishment from Allah, coming down on all of them).
Another Hadith (When you see my Nation fall victim to fear and does not say to a wrongdoer, “You are wrong”, then you may lose hope in them]. The above texts generally include all wrongdoers, regardless of whether their wrongdoing is against Muslims or others, for all wrongdoing is evil.
It should not also be strange that Islam blesses every positive step that involves resistance of wrongdoers or support of the wronged and the weak. It even considers that [resistance and support] as an act of worship and jihad in the cause of Allah. We find the Holy Quran urging believers to fight wrongdoers and rescue the weak from their evil, saying, (And why should not you fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated [and oppressed]? men, women and children, whose cry is: “Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect; and raise for us from You one who will help!) [Surat AnNisa: 75].
True, the weak [referred to] here are believers, hence their prayers mentioned in the verse, but Islam would not accept injustice for anyone even if he is an unbeliever, as hadith says, (Beware of the supplication [in complaint] of the wronged, even if he is an unbeliever, for there is no barrier preventing it [from reaching Heaven].
The Prophet (peace be upon him) once heard the story of a weak woman who had been wronged by a cruel man of power in the land of Abyssinia, and the Prophet commented, (How does Allah hold as sacred a nation where the right of the weak is not taken from the strong?) Abyssinia was Christian at that time.
Islamic conquests were in their reality a rescue of oppressed, wronged peoples from the tyranny of wrongdoers and the injustice of oppressors, and a liberation of these peoples from the domination of Persian monarchs and Roman Caesars. It was for this reason that these peoples welcomed Islam and took it up voluntarily.
It is the duty of all those who have a true faith and proper morals to urge one another to resist any wrong against a weak person and to support such a person until he gets his right wholly from the person who has wronged him.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) told us of an experience of that kind that he had witnessed and participated in during the Age of Ignorance while he was a young man that is Hilf AlFudul [the Alliance for Charity]. This pact comprised a group of good. charitable and honest men whose mission was to stand by the weak against the strong so as to get them back their rights and save their pride.
It was in speaking of this pact that the Prophet said, (I witnessed with my uncles in the house of Abdullah Ibn Jud’an a pact that I regarded as most precious. Were I to be invited to join such a pact in [the time of] Islam, I would readily agree). And why does not Islam restore the right of humans when they are wronged, abused, persecuted or forced to do what they do not want to do, when it defends the mute animals that are wronged, tortured or made to carry burdens that they cannot carry?
Source: Islamic Basics by Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
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