Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 941 [Read full issue]
Shadow of the Spear
In these unhappy times disputes have spread throughout the Muslim nation, causing Muslims to kill one another. The deaths resulting from this destructive infighting are greater in number than those killed in fighting Christian colonialism and Zionism. In general, governments in Muslim countries have far poorer records in respect of justice and cleanliness than the majority of non-Muslim governments. The Muslim masses possess little by way of culture, productivity and capacity in life and its duties. Their prevailing customs are very far from Islam in both spirit and action. The Muslim Community is now the one in the greatest need of teaching, education and self-recognition.
In spite of the fact that this is our current situation, some people still produce the hadith, "I was sent with the sword before the Hour and my provision was put under the shadow of my spear, and abasement and belittlement are heaped on those who oppose my command..." [Ahmad] My reply to them is: "I too wish that you had a sword with which to defend the Truth and repel its enemies from it. The truth is drowning and no one calls for help. Would that you had a spear under whose shade you could receive provision! You are asking for your provision from the crops of your enemy. He is the one who makes the weapons which you buy at such a high price, for purposes which Allah alone knows! What do you have to do with this hadith? .... I will pass over the weakness of this hadith from the point of view of its isnad, and I will not attack its soundness, although it has been attacked. But I ask, 'Why do you not study the deen and its fiqh and act on it and then call people to it in a proper manner? What is the role of the sword in your hands when you wrong one another and stray from the path of right guidance?'"
Today there exists an infantile Islamic tendency which desires to gain sole control over the reins of the Community. When those with intelligence listen to their discourse, they bow their heads in sorrow. The alarming thing is that it is an infancy of intellectuals which includes people with beards and people of importance and stature. They read hadiths which they do not understand and then present a form of Islam which evokes repulsion and fear. Our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said many things and his words must be respected and obeyed. But it is only possible to learn what is meant by the things he said if we ascertain the exact circumstances in which he said them.
Compiled From:
"The Sunna of the Prophet" - Muhammad al-Ghazali