Contents
- Introduction
Why is it important to know and understand the basic principles of Political Islam? When and how to apply knowledge of the doctrine of Political Islam - Darura
The principle of darura in Political Islam - Obligatory prayers
- General information about obligatory prayers
- Missed prayers
- Clothing for men during prayer
- Mourning
- Actions that lead to leaving Islam
- Mosques
- Conclusion
- References
- Appendix
Practical application of some principles of Political Islam for law enforcement and state representatives
Introduction
Why is it important to know and understand the basic principles of Political Islam?
Motivation:
- Develop a method of rapid response to conflict hotspots, taking into account an understanding of the doctrine of Political Islam
When and how to apply knowledge of the doctrine of Political Islam
When to apply
At times when demands from the Islamic community conflict with a state’s laws and/or the interests and safety of its citizens.
How to apply
Use quotations from the Koran, hadiths and the Sharia code to remind members of the Islamic community that there is no need to comply with Islamic norms (darura), and any other information based on Islamic sources mentioned below.
Criticism and disagreement with the Koran and Hadith would constitute an act that leads to leaving Islam (see the section on "Actions that lead to leaving Islam"), which is one of the worst sins in Islam and is punishable by death. It is therefore unlikely that members of the Islamic community will disagree to arguments found within the Koran and Hadith.
Darura
The principle of darura in Political Islam
This document describes the principle of darura, which allows followers to avoid performing certain acts prescribed by fundamental Islamic texts without committing a sin.
The principle of darura exempts Muslims from obligatory acts without committing a sin if the situation compels them.
The principle of darura is universal and can apply to the whole range of actions in Islam, from domestic to religious to political. Referring to the principle of darura, a Muslim can adapt to any conditions and:
- skip obligatory prayers
- not observe Ramadan and the rules of eating related to Ramadan
- pray without special conditions
- eat any kind of food
- not adhere to the recommended dress code
Muslims can live in any conditions contrary to the requirements of Islam without committing a sin if the external circumstances are such. In this way, Muslims are freed from their Islamic obligations without committing a sin.
Darura (Arabic: "necessity, urgency")
Reliance of the Traveller: The Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law
book w5.0 "There will come a time in which Islam will weaken, tyrants multiply, corruption spread, lying pretenders grow numerous, and those helping the religion grow few, so that Muslims will be excused for leaving some things out of sheer incapacity, without being guilty of remissness, when whoever of the people of that time which contains trials and afflictions practices a tenth of what he has been commanded will find salvation because he is under duress, and Allah charges no soul with more than it is capable of, as He says, "Fear Allah as much as you are able to" (Koran 64:16)."
book r paragraph 32.1 "But one is excused if a pressing physical or religious need arises that tbere is no alternative but to fulfill, since necessity excuses one from any rule whatever (A: but only to the degree demanded by necessity)"
book p paragraph 30.0 EATING UNSLAUGHTERED MEAT, BLOOD, OR PORK
p30.1 "Allah Most High says, "Say: 'I find nothing in what has been revealed to me that is unlawful for a person to eat except unslaughtered meat, blood outpoured, or the flesh of swine, for all this is filth' " (Koran 6:145)."
book p paragraph 30.2 "Whoever premeditatedly eats these when not forced by necessity is a criminal."
book c paragraph 6.2 Dispensation is when what is normally forbidden is made permissible because of necessity or need.
For example, if someone is forced to make a statement of unbelief (kufr) it is made permissible, to ease his hardship, for him to do so as long as faith remains firm in his heart. Likewise with someone who is forced to break his fast in Ramadan, or forced to destroy the property of another; the normally prohibited act which he is forced to do becomes permissible for him, to ease the hardship. And it is made permissible for someone forced by extreme hunger or severe thirst to eat from an unslaughtered dead animal or drink wine (note: The latter is not permissible even under such conditions in the Shafi'i school.). Dispensation also includes being permitted to omit an obligatory act when an excuse exists that makes its performance a hardship (dis: c7.2, second par.) upon the individual. Thus, someone who is ill or travelling in Ramadan is permitted not to fast. And someone who is travelling is permitted to shorten prayers of four rak'as to only two rak'as (ibid., 121-22) [4].
Koran 5:3
"Forbidden unto you (for food) are carrion and blood and swine flesh, and that which hath been dedicated unto any other than Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which ye make lawful (by the death stroke), and that which hath been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the divining arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me ! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion AL- ISLAM. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin: (for him) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." [1].
Koran 6:119
How should ye not eat of that over which the name of Allah hath been mentioned, when He hath explained unto you that which is forbidden unto you, unless ye are compelled thereto. But lo! many are led astray by their own lusts through ignorance. Lo! thy Lord, He is best aware of the transgressors [1].
Koran 2:173
He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swine flesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful" [1].
Koran 5:6
O ye who believe! When ye rise up for prayer, wash your face, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if ye are unclean, purify yourselves. And if ye are sick or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have had contact with women, and ye find not water, then go to clean, high ground and rub your faces and your hands with some of it. Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks." [1].
Obligatory Prayers
- Missed prayers can be made up for later;
- Mohammed himself used to skip obligatory prayers and then make up for it. He also emphasized that those who prayed at irregular times were the only ones on earth praying at that moment, which made Muslims happy;
- Before the first mosque was built, Mohammed prayed in a sheep pen;
- Mohammed himself prayed in the mud on wet ground without a rug or mat.
Bukhari's Hadith Collection, Volume 3, Book 33, Hadith 252
Narrated Abu Salama bin 'Abdur-Rahman: I asked Abu Said Al-Khudri, "Did you hear Allah's Apostle talking about the Night of Qadr?" He replied in the affirmative and said, "Once we were in Itikaf with Allah's Apostle in the middle ten days of (Ramadan) and we came out of it in the morning of the twentieth, and Allah's Apostle- delivered a sermon on the 20th (of Ramadan) and said, 'I was informed (of the date) of the Night of Qadr (in my dream) but had forgotten it. So, look for it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. I saw myself prostrating in mud and water on that night (as a sign of the Night of Qadr). So, whoever had been in Itikaf with Allah's Apostle should return for it.' The people returned to the mosque (for Itikaf). There was no trace of clouds in the sky. But all of a sudden a cloud came and it rained. Then the prayer was established (they stood for the prayer) and Allah's Apostle prostrated in mud and water and I saw mud over the forehead and the nose of the Prophet." [2]
Bukhari's Hadith Collection, Volume 1, Book 4, Hadith 235
Before the mosque was built, Mohammed prayed in sheep pens. [2]
Mohammed said that the whole earth was created for him and his followers, so they can pray wherever prayer takes them;
Bukhari's Hadith Collection, Volume 1, Book 7, Hadith 331
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: The Prophet said, "I have been given five things which were not given to any one else before me.
- Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month's journey.
- The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due.
- The booty has been made Halal (lawful) for me yet it was not lawful for anyone else before me.
- I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection).
- Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind.
Mohammed said that the earth was made pure for him and is a place of worship;
Muslim Hadith Collection, Book 4, Hadith 1062 (USC-MSA web (English) reference)
Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon hlmg) said: I have been given superiority over the other prophets in six respects: I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror (in the hearts of enemies): spoils have been made lawful to me: the earth has been made for me clean and a place of worship; I have been sent to all mankind and the line of prophets is closed with me. [3].
Mohammed shortened the obligatory prayers by combining the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer, and the sunset prayer with the night prayer.
Muslim Hadith Collection, Volume 2, Hadith 1628
It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbâs said: "The Messenger of Allah prayed Zuhr [noon prayer] and 'Asr [afternoon prayer] together, and Maghrib [sunset prayer] and 'Ishâ' [night prayer] together, when there was no fear and he was not travelling."
Muslim Hadith Collection, Volume 2, Hadith 1622
Nâfi' narrated that if Ibn 'Umar was in a hurry when travelling, he would join Maghrib [sunset prayer] and 'Ishâ' [night prayer], after the twilight had disappeared. And he said: "If the Messenger of Allah was in a hurry while travelling, he joined Maghrib and 'Ishâ'." [3].
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE OBLIGATORY PRAYERS
Reliance of the Traveller: The Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law
chapter c paragraph 3.1
A time-restricted Obligatory act is one the Lawgiver demands be done at a particular time, such as the five obligatory prayers, for each of which the time for current performance is set, such that the particular prayer is not obligatory before it, and the individual is guilty of serious sin. if he delays it past its time without excuse.
Chapter f paragraph 2.0 Time of prayers and making up missed prayers.
Chapter f paragraph 2.1 The prescribed prayers are five:
(1) The time for the noon prayer (zuhr) begins after the sun's zenith for that day, and ends when an object's shadow, minus the length of its shadow at the time of the sun's zenith, equals the object's height.
(2) The time for the midafternoon prayer ('asr) begins at the end of the noon prayer's time, and ends at sunset, though when an object's shadow (N: minus the length of its shadow at the sun's zenith) is twice as long as the object's height, the preferred time is over and the merely permissible time remains.
(3) The time for the sunset prayer (maghrib) begins when the sun has completely set. It only lasts long enough to perform ablution (wudu), clothe one's nakedness, make the call to prayer (adhan) and call to commence (iqama) and to pray five moderate-length rak'as (units) of prayer. It is a sin to delay commencing the sunset prayer beyond this, and if one does, one is making up a missed prayer (O: Le., according to the position the author has adopted, which contradicts the more reliable opinion that one's prayer is not a makeup until after the red has disappeared from the sky), though if one begins it within the right time, one may continue until the red disappears from the sky.
(4) The time for the nightfall prayer ('isha) begins when the red of sunset leaves the sky, and
ends at true dawn (n: true dawn being when the sky around the horizon begins to grow light.
Before this, a dim light sometimes appears overhead for some minutes, followed by darkness, and
is termed the deceptive dawn (al-fajr al-kadhib) (al-Iqna' fi hall alfaz Abi Shuja' (y7), 1.95). But
after a third of the night has passed, the preferred time for nightfall prayer has ended and the merely
permissible remains.
(5) And the time for the dawn prayer (subh) begins at true dawn' and ends at sunrise, though the preferred time for it ends when it becomes light outside, after which the merely permissible remains [4].
MISSED PRAYERS
Hadiths of al-Bukhari volume 1, book 10, hadith 542
Narrated Abu Musa: My companions, who came with me in the boat and I landed at a place called Baqi Buthan. The Prophet was in Medina at that time. One of us used to go to the Prophet by turns every night at the time of the Isha prayer. Once I along with my companions went to the Prophet and he was busy in some of his affairs, so the 'Isha' prayer was delayed to the middle of the night He then came out and led the people (in prayer). After finishing from the prayer, he addressed the people present there saying, "Be patient! Don't go away. Have the glad tiding. It is from the blessing of Allah upon you that none amongst mankind has prayed at this time save you." Or said, "None except you has prayed at this time." Abu Muisa added, 'So we returned happily after what we heard from Alllah's Apostle ." [2].
Reliance of the Traveller: The Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law
Chapter f paragraph 2.8
It is recommended that missed prayers be made up in the order they were missed. (n: The call to prayer (adhan) and call to commence (iqama) when making up missed prayers are discussed at f3.5, and whether to recite prayers aloud or to oneself at f8.25.) [4].
CLOTHING FOR MEN DURING PRAYER
- Mohammed did not urge his followers to wear a head covering while praying;
- Many authentic hadiths in Bukhari's collection relay Mohammed's instructions regarding dress during prayer with emphasis on covered shoulders and no distracting designs on the cloth, but they do not mention head covering.
Bukhari's Hadith Collection, Volume 1, Chapter 6, Hadith 361
Narrated Sa'īd bin Al-Hārith: I asked Jābir bin 'Abdullāh about offering Ṣalāt (prayer) in a single garment. He said, "I travelled with the Prophet during some of his journeys, and I came to him at night for some purpose and I found him offering Ṣalāt. At that time, I was wearing a single garment with which I covered my shoulders and offered Ṣalāt by his side. When he finished the Ṣalāt, he
asked, 'O Jābir! What has brought you here?' I told him what I wanted. When I finished, he asked, 'O Jābir! What is this garment which I have seen and with which you covered your shoulders?' I replied, 'It is a (tight) garment.' He said, 'If the garment is large enough, wrap it round the body
(covering the shoulders) and if it is tight (too short) then use it as an Izār (tie it around your waist only)'."
Bukhari's Hadith Collection, Volume 1, Chapter 9, Hadith 365
Narrated Abū Hurairah: A man stood up and asked the Prophet about offering Ṣalāt (prayer) in a single garment. The Prophet said, "Has every one of you got two garments?" A man put a similar question to 'Umar; on which he replied, "When Allah makes you wealthier then you should clothe yourself properly during Ṣalāt . Otherwise one can offer Ṣalāt with an Izār and a Ridā' (a sheet covering the upper part of the body), Izār and a shirt, Izār and a Qabā', trousers and a Ridā', trousers and a shirt or trousers and a Qabā', Tubbān and a Qabā' or Tubbān and a shirt." (The narrator added, "I think that he also said a Tubbān and a Ridā'.") [2].
Translator's note: An Izār is a cloth covering the lower part of the body, tight around the waist.
Ridā' is the fabric covering the upper part of the body.
Qabā' - outer garment with long sleeves and a front opening.
Tubbān - underwear.
Mourning
The Hadith was given for women, but it applies to men as well: it is forbidden to wear mourning clothes for longer than three days.
Bukhari's Hadith Collection, Volume 2, Chapter 30, Hadith 1281
Narrated Zainab bint Abi Salama: I went to Umm Habiba, the wife of Prophet, who said, "I heard the Prophet saying, 'It is not legal for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for any dead person for more than three days except for her husband, (for whom she should mourn) for four months and ten days.'" [2]
Bukhari's Hadith Collection, Volume 7, Book 63, Hadith 253 (USC-MSA web (English) reference)
Narrated Um 'Atiyya: We were forbidden to mourn for more than three days except for a husband. [2]
Actions that lead to leaving Islam
Reliance of the Traveler: Classical Guide to Islamic Law
chapter o paragraph 8.7
(O: Among the things that entail apostasy from Islam (may Allah protect us from them) are:
(1) to prostrate to an idol whether sarcastically, out of mere contrariness, or in actual conviction, like .that of someone who believes the Creator to be something that has originated in time. Like idols in this respect are the sun or moon, and like prostration is bowing to other than Allah, if one intends reverence towards it like the reverence due to Allah;
(2) to intend to commit unbelief, even if in the future. And like this intention is hesitating whether to do so or not: one thereby immediately commits unbelief;
(3) to speak words that imply unbelief such as "Allah is the third of three:" or "'I am AlIah" - unless one's tongue has run away with one. or one is quoting another. or is one of the friends of Allah Most High (wali, def: w33) in a spiritually intoxicated state of total oblivion (A: friend of Allah or not, someone totally oblivious is as if insane, and is not held legally responsible (dis: k13.1(O:))), for these latter do not entail unbelief;
(4) to revile Allah or His messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace);
(5) to deny the existence of Allah, His beginningless eternality, His endless eternaIity, or to deny any of His attributes which the consensus of Muslims ascribes to Him (dis: v1);
(6) to be sarcastic about Allah's name, His command, His interdiction, His promise, or His threat;
(7) to deny any verse of the Koran or anything which by scholarly consensus (def: b7) belongs to it, or to add a verse that does not belong to it;
(8) to mockingly say, "I don't know what faith is";
(9) to reply to someone who says, "There is no power or strength save through Allah": "Your saying 'There's no power or strength, etc.' won't save you from hunger";
(10) for a tyrant, after an oppressed person says, "This is through the decree of Allah," to reply, "I act without the decree of Allah";
(11) to say that a Muslim is an unbeliever (kafir) (dis: w47) in words that are uninterpretable as merely meaning he is an ingrate towards Allah for divinely given blessings (n: in Arabic, also "kafir");
(12) when someone asks to be taught the Testification of Faith (Ar. Shahada, the words. "La ilaha ill Allahu Muhammadun rasulu Llah" (There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)), and a Muslim refuses to teach him it;
(13) to describe a Muslim or someone who wants to become a Muslim in terms of unbelief (kufr);
(14) to deny the obligatory character of something which by the consensus of Muslims (ijma', def: b7) is part of Islam, when it is well known as such, like the prayer (salat) or even one rak'a from one of the five obligatory prayers, if there is no excuse (def: u2.4);
(15) to hold that any of Allah's messengers or prophets are liars, or to deny their being sent; (n: 'Ala' al-Din 'Abidin adds the following:
(16) to revile the religion of Islam;
(17) to believe that things in themselves or by their own nature have any causal influence independent of the will of Allah;
(18) to deny the existence of angels or jinn (def: w22), or the heavens;
(19) to be sarcastic about any ruling of the Sacred Law;
(20) or to deny that Allah intended the Prophet's message (Allah bless him and give him peace) to be the religion followed by the entire world (dis: w4.3--4) (al-Hadiyya al-'Ala'iyya (y4), 423-24).) [4]
Mosques
Building or opening a mosque, Islamic center, or prayer room may provide an initial sense of relief as pressure from Islamic organizations and individuals temporarily subsides.
What are the risks posed by mosques? Based on an analysis of the function of mosques according to Islamic doctrine (see the report Mosques and Islamic Centers), the following risks appear with the opening of any mosque, Islamic center or prayer room:
- Kafirs (non-Muslims) are not allowed to enter without permission, creating a serious security issue, especially for law enforcement;
- The mosque is the place of military colleges, strategic political decision-making and the center of jihad planning. It can be a place of consolidation, emergence and diffusion of Islamic political power and ideas;
- Mosques can be used to store weapons and other prohibited items;
- Mosques can be used as courts for trials, verdicts, and legal decrees, all in line with Sharia law rather than state laws.
Conclusion
Knowledge of information from the Koran, Hadith, and the life of Mohammed can be used as arguments to refuse requests that are contrary to a state's laws and/or the interests and safety of its citizens.
The principle of darura is absolutely universal. It can be applied in any context and situation.
The way Political Islam works is that it always make insistent demands under the pretext of religion, but when they lead to changes in the workings of secular society, it becomes a political action. In order to respond to such demands in a timely and reasonable manner, it is important to know and use some of the principles of Political Islam doctrine.
References
- Pickthall, Marmaduke, 1940. The Meaning of The Glorious Koran, An Explanatory Translation, London, George Allen & Unwin LTD.
- Muhammad Muhsin Khan 1994, The Translation of the Meanings of Sahîh Al-Bukhâri, translated by Mohammad Muhsin Khan, Darussalam, Riyadh. (Arabic-English version of the corpus of authentic hadiths (stories from the life of Mohammed) collected by Imam al-Bukhari.
- Imâm Abul-Hussain Muslim Ibn al-Hajjaj, 1957. Sahîh Muslim, translated by Nasiruddin Al-Khattab, Darussalam Publication, Riyadh.
- Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri, 1999. Reliance of the Traveller: the Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law. Reliance of the Traveller. Translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller. Revised Edition. Amana Publications, Beltsville, Maryland.
Appendix: Practical application of some principles of Political Islam for law enforcement and state representatives
It is essential to scrutinize the ideological basis of Political Islam in order to strengthen the state's decisive role in countering terrorism and extremism, identifying channels for their financing, illegal migration, and identifying hybrid threats.
As much knowledge as possible of the underlying Islamic political concepts will allow you to:
- conduct strategic planning of steps aimed at protecting vital national interests, ensuring national security, and developing timely political and diplomatic measures;
- to develop a universal system for assessing and responding to threats to the constitutional order, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity;
- When interacting with representatives of the OIC countries, achieve a balance of power and interests through diplomacy and carefully considered compromises;
- preserve cultures and models of social organization based on common values;
- respond effectively to cases of Christian oppression in the Middle East, as well as to develop a series of measures to prevent similar phenomena in the future.