Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!bu.edu!m2c!wpi.WPI.EDU!zahle.wpi.edu!shari
From: darwish@eng.umd.edu (Mamdouh Maher)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re:  The Muslim Problem & it's Solution
Message-ID: <1991Mar27.140846.12362@wpi.WPI.EDU>
Date: 27 Mar 91 14:08:46 GMT
References: <1991Mar19.101321.23645@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
Sender: news@wpi.WPI.EDU (News)
Organization: College of Engineering, Maryversity of Uniland, College Park
Lines: 66
Approved: shari@zahle.wpi.edu
Originator: shari@zahle.wpi.edu
Nntp-Posting-Host: zahle.wpi.edu


 Assalamu `alaykum,

 I would like to comment on Br. Mohammad Hanif's article.

 Brother Hanif writes:
> 
>  - The Khilafah will unify one billion muslims and automatically -
>AUTOMATICALLY ! - solve all existing problems . Is this not a little bit
>too simplistic ? At least the statement was bracketed with an insha-allah .
 
  I agree, but one has to admit that a true Islamic leadership would solve
many problems and almost all problems that are due to corruption, which 
is the majority.
  At the time of Omar, may God be pleased with him, there was a famine, but
then again, Omar himself refused to eat until there was abundant food for 
everyone. This is all the people want, a leadership that fears God. Problems
will remain, but the leadership will be a major part of the solution. 

>Islam may well envisage Khilafah - whichever way you define it - as the
>ideal form of government but the two are not the same thing nor does Islam
>need an Islamic state to somehow 'complete' it .
 
  To the best of my knowledge (I may be wrong), Islam has not set a definite
form of government. Instead, Islam only requires that certain conditions be
met for a government to be Islamic. Beyond that, any form of government that
obeys these conditions is acceptable. Again, I may be wrong, please correct 
me if I am.

>  The idea that we should overthrow our present muslim rulers is something
>which I believe is Islamically valid only when one can prove that the present
>bunch of pick-pockets and tyrants have openly indulged in kufr i.e. the
>criterion given in the above hadith .
 
  Actually, from another hadith (Sorry, I do not have the isnad):

  "No obedience to the created in the disobedience of the creator."
  
  In other words, one does not have to wait for the leader to become a
tyrant to disobey.
  if a Muslim leader makes it a point to drink on TV in Ramadhan
or imprisons members of a certain brotherhood because they oppose his policies,
then at the very least, this leader is reprehensible. If this leader has taken
on numerous occasions a course of action that benefits only his government and
not the subjects, then he has breached his contract with the people as their
leader.

  I agree with what you mean to say, but there are several leaders of Muslims
countries who have committed errors too big to ignore. As for pick-pockets
and tyrants, I can count a dozen such Muslim leader in my head.

>   To conclude , reform through gentle persuasion and preaching by example was
>the way of the Prophet and should be our way in reconstucting muslim society .
>Revolution is the instrument of change in Marxism , not Islam . We should not
>be fooled into reaching for the easy option .
 
  Reform through gentle persuation and preaching actually IS the method used
by most islamic organizations. Witness Algeria, Jordan and Egypt. 
  Violence is the product of oppression. 


>W'assalaam,
>Mohammed Hanif.


  Wa `alaykum assalam.