Our Most Civic Duty

“Obey those placed in authority above you” (*1)

As a people we tend to hold authority in respect, so much so that we all to often fail to hold it to account. 

That we are required to do so can be seen in the first address of Abu Bakr (as), where he emphasised that most civic duty. 

For excesses of authority lend to tyranny. (*2)

And in the Quranic narrative these are the Taghut that will inevitably be destined for the lowest reaches of hell. (Read on from the greatest verse in the Quran; Ayatul Kursi, and contemplate the real example of Nebuchanezzar given there).  (*3)

This therefore is not a theoretical concept for a lazy day of contemplation, but it should be a very real worry at every corner of our civic lives.

For also within the Quranic narrative oppression is twinned with disbelief and freedom with true belief. (*4)

When we read the Seerah with contemplation we see how the Messenger (saw) was keen not to overstep his remit. 

How he consulted before the battle of Uhud on the appropriate course of action. 

How he was fully aware that the treaty of Aqaba held that the Medinese were bound to defend him against his enemies, but that an offence; even when that offence was for the defence of their own land and in their own interest; had no remit within that treaty. 

And this even with regard to his undisputed religious authority. Then what of others’ authority which rests solely on “the one who best serves the interests of the people”. (*5). 

Here is the high bar of checks and balances that permeated all of true Muslim society. 

That Abu Bakr (ra) worried about his stipend. 

That Umar (ra) eagerly asked Uwais ul Qarni (ra) to make supplication to God for his forgiveness. 

That Uthman (ra) did not retaliate against those that raised insurrection amongst us. 

That all authority needs to be held in check. 

That privacy within our society is of paramount importance, made clear by a saying of the Messenger (saw) carrying the weight of the whole of the religion. 

That we believe in the innate goodness of all people, even when they do not profess the Shahadah, and are not overtly Muslim. 

That those that police us do not hold unchecked power to snoop and make their case. That therefore policing is or should be confined to the public realm, unless what you do in private impinges on the rights of another, and sure evidence or multiple independent testimony can be brought to bear. 

How perfect our society where a single accusation carries no weight. 

And freedom is not a token of speech. 

How backwards this society where the wheels of justice grind slowly, and even slower for those wrongly accused, who then might often succumb to doubt. 

And where you are free to wrong, be watched every step of the way and not prevented, but instead facilitated. (*6)

In the name of doing the right thing, upholding justice and championing the victims, they would steal the rights from the majority and put us all within a country wide prison of state surveillance. 

It is fear that dominates their every thought. It is fear that blinds them to the (societal) harm that they cause. 

It is fear that cements their racism and bigotry.  

But for the Muslim, there is ever hope. And hope ever trumps fear, just as belief ever trumps faithlessness and disunity. 

Our society needs to be free from racial bias, and the only society that has proven true to that standard is Muslim society which is grounded both in the Unity of God, and the commensurate unity of Man. 

A true system of justice needs to be fair, open to all, un-encumbered by convention, grounded in a set of independent checks and balances, and policed by a force that is above reproach and answerable to the courts and not the executive (government). (*7)

A force that is not free, nor left unchecked. 

Working for a people that were born to be free to believe, free from tyranny. 

Knowledge is sought through study and contemplation. Not through lectures, nor talks, nor this above. 

NOTES TO FOLLOW IN COMMENTS

The Personal Love of God

“If music be the food of love, play on, play on”

The motivating factors that move us and cause us to act in an active fashion as opposed to a passive one are few:

Jealousy 

Spite

Greed

Anger 

Shame 

Revenge 

The need for recognition 

and not least Love. 

In referencing the motivating factors that move us towards negative and destructive ends, God in the Quran reminds us that He is the Lord, Master and Answerer of Supplications of ALL MEN. (S An-Nas). 

And that therefore we are not special, even though we might think that we are. 

The need for truth, justice and fairness is a principle that we must strive towards, but the thing that motivates us towards that noble goal is essentially love. That we love to be good, selfless, true and fair. 

There is something beautiful about these principles, that we admire. 

Love is the only real positive motivating factor. It is desirable, positive and giving. 

But it is not in itself selfless.

Those of us that live our lives according to principles, love to be selfless. But love itself is not selfless, but neither is it selfish. 

It is something that God blesses us with, and puts between us, for He is the source of all goodness. 

It is constructive to compare the Muslim idea of this with our religious forbears and cousins. 

The God of the Old Testament is a jealous God. And it is this trait that defines the Judaic Nation throughout history. 

In a Hadith Qudsi we have that God says I am as my slave believes me to be. 

For the Christian Nation God’s love is selfless and unconditional. God loves all. 

And it is these ideas that we need to constructively consider when we contemplate our religion and our texts. 

For our understanding is much more nuanced and much more intelligent. 

God’s mercy compasses all, for He is Ar -Rahman, and His mercy compasses even those that deny Him and are rebellious. 

But His love He reserves for those who do good, as is referenced so many times in the Quran. Here His love is conditional. 

For the Judaic Nation if God loves then He makes easy and supports you in stealing others rights, and oppressing them. For He loves them here in a jealous manner, reserving things for them whilst denying it to others. 

But for the Muslims this is a clear sign of God’s anger with you, that He loosens the rope that you may hang yourself by your evil deeds. (Vis a vis the story of the creation of Adam (as)). 

When we look at the early life of the Messenger (saw) then we can see how God’s love really becomes evident. 

When God loves you He protects you from harming another, guides you to a better way, and helps you towards Him through at times what look like hardships to others (even if those others cannot see the effects). 

These are personal miracles that God sends your way. That only those who believe can feel. 

And then God’s generosity knows no bounds. For He opens hearts for you, and removes from you those who are your enemies. 

And then even whilst God is arRahman and His mercy compasses all, He reserves His anger for the wrongdoers who oppose those on the truth. 

Allah t’ala says Lana’t’Allah- that God has cursed them. Why does He say that He has cursed them, even whilst they have cursed themselves by their injustice and their championing of wrong?

 

This is a difficult question to answer. 

But what is clear here is that this is something very personal to God, himself. 

For remember He says here- I have cursed them. 

And then it is clear that God’s love of you is conditional upon you doing good, but once you attain that station then His love of you becomes something personal to Him. Just as in a like manner if you oppress, and persist in oppression, then God’s hatred of you becomes a thing personal to Him. 

Interestingly here God is the God of all,  vis a vis the Christian idea of selfless love, whilst at the same time being similar to the Jewish idea where God’s love or hatred is something personal to Him. 

We are lucky as a Nation because we know how to attain to God’s love. 

And that is through upholding justice, being true, selfless giving, returning trusts and exhausting ourselves at the times when we are asked to exhaust ourselves (Ramadan and Hajj). 

The way towards knowledge is through study and contemplation. Not through lectures, nor talks, nor this above.