Islamic Politics The Middle Path

165 Pages·1.741 MB·English

AL – ETI’DAAL

Islam politics

The middle path

Sheikh-ul-Hadith
Moulana Zakariya Kandhalwi (Rah)

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Assalamua‟laikum

I found this book highly beneficial for myself, so I thought it should be brought online so that
the brothers and sisters who cant get access of this book can benefit from the book, as the
book deals with all the major issues we are facing today around the world. Please buy the
book if its available to you.

Hope it would benefit us inshallah.

Note: Though good effort was taken to bring this book error free, still some errors might have
crept in; I would like the readers to kindly bring those errors to my notice through this mail:
[email protected]

Jazakallah.

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Contents

FOREWORD ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Reply from Shaykhul-Hadeeth Maulana Zakariyya (RA) .................................................................................. 6
Question 1: .......................................................................................................................................................... 7
Answer ............................................................................................................................................................ 7
Advice for unity ........................................................................................................................................ 12
Verifying the friends of Allah ................................................................................................................... 12
A Persian couplet: ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Love for the saints .................................................................................................................................... 16
Persian couplet: ......................................................................................................................................... 16
Persian couplet: ......................................................................................................................................... 17
Persian Couplet ......................................................................................................................................... 17
QUESTION 2: .................................................................................................................................................. 18
Answer .......................................................................................................................................................... 18
The choice before Muslims in India ......................................................................................................... 23
QUESTION 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 24
Answer .......................................................................................................................................................... 24
Persian couplet: ......................................................................................................................................... 25
The accomplishments of Hadhrat Maulana Madani (Rahmatullah Alayh): ............................................. 27
Students and Politics ................................................................................................................................. 28
Respect towards Teachers ......................................................................................................................... 30
The Public and Politics ............................................................................................................................. 33
Jihad and sincerity .................................................................................................................................... 35
What is Jihad? ........................................................................................................................................... 38
Who is a Shaheed? .................................................................................................................................... 41
QUESTION 4 ................................................................................................................................................... 44
Answer: ......................................................................................................................................................... 44
Persian couplet: ......................................................................................................................................... 45
Important! ................................................................................................................................................. 51
The Persian Poet sings:-............................................................................................................................ 53
The causes of our misery .......................................................................................................................... 56
Why this oppression? ................................................................................................................................ 59
Disregard for the Messenger‟s (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) Warnings ................................................. 62
Why non-Muslims prosper? ..................................................................................................................... 64
Why the decline and fall of non-believers ................................................................................................ 67
Conclusion: ............................................................................................................................................... 68
Imitating the non-believers ....................................................................................................................... 73
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Urdu Couplet: ........................................................................................................................................... 74
Is Islam narrow-minded? .......................................................................................................................... 76
Subservience of Animals to the Saints of Allah and Fruits of Obediance. ............................................... 81
Persian couplet: ......................................................................................................................................... 82
Fruits of Disobedience .............................................................................................................................. 83
Displeasure at the slightest contravention of Shariat ................................................................................ 84
Question 5: ........................................................................................................................................................ 86
Answer: ......................................................................................................................................................... 87
Sincerity in actions and Deeds ...................................................................................................................... 87
Political parties and dishonoring of Muslims. .......................................................................................... 89
Persian Couplet: ........................................................................................................................................ 91
QUESTION 6 ................................................................................................................................................... 98
Answer: ......................................................................................................................................................... 98
Signs of Qiyamat: ..................................................................................................................................... 98
Degrading of the Ulema .......................................................................................................................... 101
Rejection of the Ulema ........................................................................................................................... 105
QUESTION 7 ................................................................................................................................................. 133
Answer: ....................................................................................................................................................... 133
Differences between Abu Bakr and Umar (Radiallahu anhum) ............................................................. 134
Differences between the Sahabah (Radiallahu anlium) .......................................................................... 136
Differences of the Four Imams (Rahinatullah Alayh) ............................................................................ 137
Causes for the Continuation of Controversies ........................................................................................ 138
Contradictory Iladeeth and Reconciliation (Izala) .................................................................................. 147
Why differences in deen? ....................................................................................................................... 149
The Sahabah (Radiallahu anhum) ........................................................................................................... 152
Lofty examples of Sahabahs‟ (Radiallahu anhum) dissent ..................................................................... 153
Last Testamentary Advice ...................................................................................................................... 157
Excluding yourself from gatherings ....................................................................................................... 161

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FOREWORD

Muslims everywhere are going through a period of uncertainty, turmoil and suffering. Throughout the world,
there appears to be a concerted effort to wipe out the very presence of Muslims. Bosnia, Somalia, Algeria are
the better known examples of this onslaught, but Muslims are under attack in many other countries. Kashmir,
Cambodia, Burma are examples.

In South Africa, too, Muslims live in uncertainty. The country is experiencing a period of lawlessness and
anarchy. There is an undermining fear of the future. Questions abound:

“What should we do?”

“Should we vote?”

“Whom should we vote for?”

“Why don‟t we get guidance from the Ulema?”

Islam does provide an answer, but the answers for Muslims are different from the answers for non-believers.
The causes for the elevation or degradation of Muslims are not the same as they are for non-Muslims.

A student of Sheikh-ul-Hadith, Hazrat Maulana Zakarriya Saheb, asked seven questions. Hazrat Sheikh‟s
reply was publised in a kitaab “Al-Eti‟daal Fe Maraatibur-Rijaal”. This kitaab not only provides answers to
the problems we are facing, but serves as a guide according to which a Muslim‟s life can be conducted.

It should be read and re-read. It should be studied carefully, so that full benefit can be derived from the
advice and guidance of Hazrat Sheikh.

May Allah Ta‟ala fill the graves of all our pious elders with noor, particularly the grave of Hazrat Sheikh-ul-
Hadith, (Rahmatullah Alayh). May He grant them a high place in Jannat and may He create in our hearts true
love for Allah Ta‟ala and His Rasul (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). May He make all of us think of and live
our lives for the ultimate end i.e. success in the Aakhirat. Aameen.

Shabbir Ahmed Saloojee
Principal: Darul Uloom Zakarriya.
Ramadaan 1414
February 1994

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Reply from Shaykhul-Hadeeth Maulana Zakariyya (RA)

Dearest Brother,

Assalaamu Alaykum. Your kind letter reached me.

It gave me great pleasure to note with what sincerity and deep feeling you express your thoughts. The type of
questions which you posed, are quite frequently put to me.

Generally, I reply in a concise manner. This could possibly be as a result of incompetence but on the other
hand it could also be because I am extremely busy.

This time however, because of your sincere intentions and special relationship with me (and the importance
of your question), I have decided to write the replies in considerable detail. I advise you to seclude yourself
and pursue this letter with close attention. Do no confine yourself to reading it merely once, but do so
repeatedly with thought and reflection.

Because of the special relationship that you have with me, I am sure that you will definitely go through the
contents more than once. It is only as a precautionary measure that I saw fit to appeal to you to cut yourself
off from feelings of sadness, anger, passion and prejudice, while reading with an open mind. Should my
words make sense to you, then please accept; otherwise there is no compulsion upon you to do so.

As I understand the contents of your long letter, the gist of it consists of the following points:

a) Although Maulana Thanwi and Maulana Madani are both saintly personalities of high character, how
is it that between them there exist such deep differences in (political thought)? How can there be such
deep differences between the saints of Allah?

b) Who in your opinion is on the right path and with whose views do you find yourself in agreement?

c) What should we do? Why is it that you do not side with any of the parties?

d) Today the Muslims are being crushed, overwhelmed and destroyed. What should they do?

e) Selfish personal matter play a great role in peoples actions and intentions, and it seems as if everyone
is following his own desires.

f) We see that the dignity of the UIema is purposely being destroyed and on every front we hear them
being criticized and abused.

g) Through the differences of the UIema, the Ummat is suffering great loss.

These points seem to be the gist of your letter. These very same points are continuously being written and
talked about. For this reason I feel that even though greatly troubled by the same, I shall now proceed to
answer your queries in some detail. I am not saying that whatever I shall write will be the exact truth and the
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correct replies. What I am in fact saying is this, that in my humble opinion, I see matters thus: And the Real
True Knowledge is only with Allah (Wal Ilmu Indallah).

Question 1:

How is it that Maulana Madani and Maulana Thanwi, although both being such saintly
personalities, can have such differences of opinion?
Answer

Let it be known that it is not unheard of to find differences of opinion among the true and sincere saintly
ones. There have always been such differences and there always will be. However, there is no need for
anyone who has acquired Islamic Knowledge to be surprised at the fact that Ulema can differ. As for me, I
am unconcerned about these differences. During the month of Shawaal, our class lectures commence and
finish in Rajab of every year. During the course of these ten months, hardly a day passes when the lecturer
does not say at least twenty times: “Regarding this masala, such-and-such an Imam believes this, whereas
such-and- such an Imam holds a different view.” “The Sahabas are of this opinion, whereas among the
Tabi‟een there are such-and-such differences of opinion.”

If we held the opinion that disagreement is a sign of lack of sincerity, it would cause us great anxiety and
confusion because it would mean (May Allah forbid) that those saintly persons (May Allah be pleased with
them all) will be excluded from the ranks of the saintly ones, just because they differ!

As for the disagreement being of tremendous depth, I say that I do not consider the differences to be strong at
all. All I can say is that the present political situation causes temporary disagreement. One person‟s view is
that joining the Muslim League is beneficial for the Muslim Ummat and that to join the Indian National
Congress is to their disadvantage, the other person on the other hand believes sincerely that the opposite is
true.

Now, it is the duty of every man of sound opinion, who looks at the present situation and understands it,
while bearing in mind the tenets of the Shanat, to choose the path of that person whom he honestly and
sincerely considers to be following the better path. As for him who is not well versed in these matters, he
should stay in the presence of these persons for a couple of days. Thereafter, whomsoever of the two he feels
himself drawn to most strongly, he should follow.

“Whomsoever of them you follow, you shall find guidance.”

There is definitely no need for any fighting or arguments.

Now I ask you: Why do you consider their disagreement to be so deep? Can this disagreement be worse than
what we found at the Battle of Jamal, which had to be settled with swords on both sides? Tell me: Which of
the two factions at Jamal (Sayyidina Au on one side and Sayyida Aysha on the other) will you exclude from
the ranks of the true Saintly Ones? Can you? When the name of Sayyidina All is mentioned, we say:
“Radiyallahu anhu i.e. May Allah be pleased with him.” He is the rightful Khalifa, the fountain head of the
saints. When Sayyida Aysha‟s name is heard, we also say: “Radiallahu anha.” She is the mother of the
faithful, the most beloved of the consorts of Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasaflam).
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Their disagreement was of such a nature that the Battle of Jamal will keep it alive and fresh in our minds
until the Day of Qiyamat. Listen to me. Because I consider myself to have sufficient right over you, I want to
tell you in very strong terms: Do not ever harbour in your heart any evil whatsoever against any of these two
saintly ones. If (May Allah forbid) you bear any malice against any of these two stalwarts of Islam, you will
not harm them in the least, but would only do yourself untold harm. I am very much surprised and
exceedingly perturbed at the actions of some persons who utter undesirable words against any of these two
elders of ours. In fact, I envy these two elders. They are continuously busy with their great work in the
service of the deen, for which they are well-rewarded. On top of that they also receive the good deeds of
those who attack and backbite about them. It is as if those backbiters, who make themselves guilty of
character assassination, are saying to these elders: “Because I am angry at you for the stand you take, you
may as well also take the reward of all the good deeds that I have carried out.”

What an injustice this man is doing to himself, by giving his righteous deeds to him with whom he is angry!
In this manner the critic becomes the real indigent one, the real evil doer.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) once asked the Sahabah (Radiallahu anhu): “Whom amongst you
do you consider to be bankrupt?” They replied: “He who has no possessions. „ Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) replied: “No that is not so. The real bankrupt one is he who will appear before Allah on the Day
of Qiyamat with righteous deeds, but he had acted unjustly to this one, had sworn at and degraded that one
and usurped the possessions of another. On that day money will be of no avail. Those whom he treated
unjustly will be given his good deeds. And when that will not suffice, some of their evil deed will be cast upon
him. “(Majma-ul-fawa-id).

On that day, judgment will be according to one‟s righteous and sinful deeds only. Hence in return for one‟s
injustices, one‟s good deeds will be ceded to the unjustly treated ones. And even if these had all been used
up, justice must still be done. For this reason, their evil deeds will be cast upon the unjust one. In this way
even the sins of others can be loaded on him.

It fills me with great astonishment that people can set about deriding and degrading the saintly elders and
praise the efforts of the unbelievers! Such people should take note of the Hadeeth:

“When a fasiq (evildoer) is praised, Allah is angered and the Throne trembles”

By this I do not mean that none should ever be praised. It is a completely different matter as to who should be
praised, to what extent and under what conditions. What I want to say emphatically, is that the elders should
never be degraded and that none should be praised with complete disregard for the rules of Shariah. I ask
you: If for argument‟s sake, a fault or misjudgment has been made on one side; does it necessarily mean that
one should close one‟s eyes to all that person‟s fine qualities?

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Our noble Shariat had taught us every minor detail of our lives and deen. But it seems that we, in spite of
claiming to be followers of the deen, pay no attention to it. Others follow our principles and prosper, while
we are busy discarding our great treasures and suffering great losses.

Listen to me: I accept (for a moment) that one of these sides are in the wrong, which may even be open and
clear error -which you find yourself unable to accept. Well, do not accept. Who is forcing it down your
throat? But in this respect, I would very much like you to remember the words of Sayyidina Ma‟az bin Jabal
(Radiallahu anhu), what a wonderful principle he explained as he addressed one of his students:

“I warn you against the error of the wise one. For sometimes the Shaitaan Utters through the tongue of the
wise one a word of error and the hypocrite sometimes speaks a word of truth.”The student asked: “May
Allah have mercy on you sire, if such is the case, how will I know when a wise one occasionally speaks a
word of error and a hypocrite a word of truth? How will I know what is false and what is truth?” Ma„az
(Radiallahu anhu) said: “Be careful of such statements about which is being said: “What kind of statement is
this? How can he have said this. “Do not allow such words to turn you away from the wise man. It is quite
possible that he may have recanted or retracted from the statement. Then you may find the truth when you
hear it. For the truth has light in it.”

Now let us ponder over the important points mentioned by Sayyidina Ma‟az (Radiallahu anhu):

a. In the first place he tells us that not everyone speaking a word of truth is necessarily a wise man. A
hypocrite also does that. This shows that just because one had heard a word of truth from anyone, one
should not become an ardent follower of his. We people have a habit of becoming ardent fans of such
people after sometimes merely having heard one speech by him or after having merely read one
single article by him. Then on the basis of that single speech or article we tend to praise him to high
heaven. And worse than that: Sometimes we are aware of the fact that a certain person is irreligious
and acting in a sinful manner. Yet, because he utters such words which are in agreement with our
desires, we try to prove him to be a deeply religious personality of saintly nature -so much so that
(May Allah forbid) we bring him even near to prophethood. If occasion comes along when he says
something in disagreement with our wishes, we bury him down below. The result is that about the
very same person we will one day shout: “Zindabad! Brave! Long may he live!” And the next day we
will shout: “Murdabad! May you die! Death to you!” Is this not similar to the case of “waking up as a
believer and going to bed at night as an unbeliever” as is mentioned in a Hadith?

b. Secondly Sayyidina Ma‟az (Radiallahu anhu) says that it is possible that a wise man may sometimes
utter a word which may be an error and lead astray. Hence after merely having heard a person one or
two times, one should not become an ardent adherent. What is needed is that the actual facts and
circumstances should first be ascertained, pondered over and considered. If, in the majority of affairs
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he is found to be a follower of the Shariat and a sincere follower of the Sunnat, then undoubtedly he
may be accepted as a guide.

Then, if after full investigation, some derogatory thing or unacceptable statement is attributed to him, it
should not be accepted. In such a case do not become separated from him. It is quite possible that (having
held that view) he may retract and recant. Otherwise you will be cut off from him for always.

This, in short, is what Sayyidina Ma‟az (Radiallahu anhu) said. There is much scope for meditation in his
statement. Now let us look at our present situation and judge. What do we generally do? We have some
thought in our minds, which may be quite insignificant and of minor detail. When we hear anyone speaking
and uttering something which agrees with our preconceived idea, we start to heap praises on the speaker,
offer our complete support and assistance and are even prepared to consider any serious acts of his which are
against the Shariat to be insignificant. This is indeed injustice. It should have been such that his good points
be praised and that his evil deeds be condemned. Or at the very least, silence should be expressed at his evil.
But here even his evil is being considered to be of minor importance and even justified! At times it goes so
far that those rules of Shariat which he transgresses are being looked upon as being nonsensical and absurd!
That is not all. We find that even regarding Salaah, which is one of the major pillars of our deen and which
has, in numerous Ahaadeeth been mentioned to be the distinction between faith and disbelief, such words are
being said and written, that to repeat them here fills me with revulsion and anguish. Just because our hero
does not perform Salaah, Salaah becomes jeered and scoffed at, and a mockery is made of it.

Then on the other hand, if we find anyone mentioning anything against our ideas and wishes, we go so far as
to consider his every action as being blameworthy. Even their outstanding saintly qualities become degraded
in our eyes.

The Shariah and sound logic demand that everything should be put in its own rank and category, from where
it should neither become unduly elevated nor relegated.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said:

“Keep people in their proper ranks of respect.”

It is most unfortunate that in most things nowadays we swerve from the path of justice and resort to excesses.

Now, even if I do accept that the differences in opinion between these two holy men are of a serious nature,
then it should be borne in mind that according to the Ulema the differences of the elders is not something
which lowers their dignity and not against the Shariat. And furthermore, when there is any difference among
the Ulema, then to the same degree that these differences will be, so strong will be the arguments on both
sides. The deeper the differences, the more forceful the type of argument they will bring forth.

For example: If one Imam considers something to be compulsory while another considers it as being
prohibited, then the arguments (on both sides) will indeed be very strong and forceful. Similarly if one Imam
considers something to be Waajib (obligatory) and another looks upon it as Makrooh Tahrimi (extremely
abominable) then the arguments (on both sides) will also be quite strong arRd forceful and even harsh in
nature. It is this which had caused even the Sahabah (Radiallahu anhu) to come to blows on the field of
battle. According to Abu Dawood, one Sahabi (Radiallahu anhu) is reported to have said Witr Salaat is
Waajib. To this another Sahabi (Radiallahu anhu), whose researches brought him to a different conclusion
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