Dealing with Differences

"As for those who divide their way of life and break up into sects, you have no part of them at all. Their affair is with Allah. He will tell them the truth of what they did in the end." (Qur'an 6:159).

"Islam teaches that wudu is done this way." The man said confidently.

"But you're wrong," the young man replied. "That's totally against the laws of Islam."

"But it says in a hadith that." The older man started saying.

"That's a weak hadith!" The younger man interrupted.

"Oh Yeah! What's your daleel (proof)? I read in a book that the blessed prophet said to..."

By this time both men were fuming. The young man screamed, "I read in a book, too, that..."

But before he could finish his sentence, the older brother pushed him and he pushed back. A fight would ensued if some quick-thinking brothers nearby didn't break it up.

The two brothers eyed each other angrily and left in opposite directions. Those who remained just shook their heads in silence. Here were two brothers ready to fight over a difference of opinion.

The funny thing was, they both were right. They just didn't know how to handle a difference of opinion. The blessed prophet once remarked, "Difference (of opinion) in my Ummah are a blessing."

He didn't mean that Muslims should argue about everything or be divided, rather, he was pointing out that it was good for Muslims to think, to reason together, to discuss things and that if they disagreed over something, that it was all in the pursuit of knowledge. If anyone uses differences of opinion to form competing groups, then they have done wrong and may find themselves in trouble on the day of judgment!

Allah is very harsh against those who make divisions. He said, "And be not like those who split up their way of life and become mere sects, each group rejoicing in what it (claims) it has." (Qur'an 30:31-32).

Also he said, "As for those who divide their way of life and break up into sects, you have no part of them at all. Their affair is with Allah. He will tell them the truth of what they did in the end." (Qur'an 6:159).

Once the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), said that the Jews divided up into 71 sects, or groups, the Christians into 72 and that his community would eventually be divided up into 73. Then he said they would all be in the fire except one. When the people around him asked which one was going to Paradise, he replied that it was the one which would follow his example.

We are blessed as a community in that we have our original book and the complete record of the life of our prophet. If anyone comes and says, "This or that is Islam," we can easily check and verify whether or not it's true. If it doesn't come from the Qur'an or Hadith, then it can't be Islam. So we must use those two sources to explain what Islam really is. Sincere people seek to learn and practice the truth and Allah guides those who seek him. Anything else is opinion.

On many occasions Muslims have disagreed over what something means or what to do. The key is to follow the Islamic manners of how to deal with differences. We don't have to agree all the time, but we don't fight over disagreements as if we were enemies. And if we are truly wrong and realize it, we must not stick to a false position out of pride or fear of "losing."

An arrogant person refuses to accept logic and a proud and vain person never likes to listen to guidance. In contrast, the Qur'an states, "Those who, when they hear the signs of Allah being recited, humble themselves" So be humble where knowledge is concerned.

Before the battle of Khandaq, the Muslims had to decide what to do. Some wanted to go out and fight while others wanted to stay in the city and defend from there. The prophet listened to both sides and in the end, he agreed with those who wanted to defend from the city. He didn't barge in with his own personal preferences nor did the Shura, or group discussion, become heated and full of antagonism. People disagreed over an issue but united after a majority decision was taken.

Allah, the exalted, gave us a formula for dealing with differences when he said in the Qur'an that this book is Al Furqan, the standard to go by. And further he instructed us to follow the example of the blessed prophet (Qur'an 33:21)

If we have a disagreement, especially between the followers of one Madhab (School of Fiqh) and another, we must respect each other's opinions and present our evidence. In the end, even if neither side proves a point, we must be courteous and respectful. If we find our position is wrong, then we would be a fool to stick with something that is not true. Simply say, "Alhumdulillah," and thank the brother or sister for helping you to understand Allah's Shari'ah better. Khalifa 'Umar once said, "Allah bless the person who makes me a gift of my own faults."

I've seen countless showdowns between people with different opinions in which the end-result was ill will and hurt feelings. What's even worse is that such a display of rude behavior on the part of people who are supposed to know Islam makes other Muslims shy away from the Masjid and Muslim gatherings. It has an even worse effect on new converts and potential converts. Muslims handle their differences with proper adab, or manners.

I still remember an inter-faith dialogue meeting I sat in on several years ago. There were about ten Muslims, ten Jews, and fifteen Christians. Over the course of several hours, it became obvious to all that the Jews present were completely disunited, to the point that secular Jews were arguing with the orthodox who were in turn calling the reform Jews fakes.

The Christians, who represented at least ten different sects, fared no better. They disagreed on just about everything when topics in their religion came up. Two Christians even got into an intellectual duel which lasted almost fifteen minutes. The moderator, who was a Lutheran preacher, saw that his forum was descending into chaos. So he tried to get the Muslims to go at each other's throats also to deflect from the obvious disunity among the Jews and Christians present.

He brought up the old Sunni-Shi'a issues and tried to make disunity among Muslims, the primary topic of the gathering. None of us Muslims, about seven men and three women, had ever met before. We came from different regions of the metropolitan area. Three had identified themselves as Shi'a on the names list we all had. I wondered what would happen.

To my great relief, no matter which Muslim spoke, male or female, Sunni or Shi'a, we were all talking with one voice. We agreed on practically everything and felt a tremendous feeling of victory in our hearts. Despite the preacher's repeated accusations, insinuations, biting remarks and finally, obvious attempts to divide us, we united as one and handled any differences respectfully and wisely. We had no shouting matches, no glaring differences or understandings. Indeed, after the meeting we knew we were all brothers and sisters while the Christians and Jews kept their distance from each other. They were pairing up with us to talk in the social time.

When we have differences, we must not forget that it does not take away from our primary bonds of Iman. On one occasion, Khalid ibn Walid and Saad ibn Waqqas were having a heated argument. After Khalid left, a friend of Saad's started saying bad things about Khalid. Saad immediately stopped the man and told him, "The disagreement between us does not affect the bond of our Iman." (From: God-Oriented Life)

Once 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, who was the Khalifa, or political leader, went up to a person he disliked and told him to his face, "I don't like you." The person merely answered back, "Are you going to take away my rights?" Umar replied, "I don't like you, but I will respect your rights." Clearly, that is the best example for us to follow with regards to dealing with the differences among us.

Yahiya Emerick was a former vice principal at an Islamic school, President of the Islamic Foundation of North America and a Muslim author and has written many articles that have been published in local as well as national magazines, both in North America and abroad. He was born into an American Protestant Christian family and converted to Islam in 1989. Amirah Publishing was founded by Yahiya Emerick in 1992 in order to further his ideal of publishing American-oriented literature on Islam. Emerick's juvenile fiction books are amongst the very first examples of the Islamic Fiction genre.http://islamicfictionbooks.com/ifbauthors.html In addition to being an author he is also a lecturer and educator with national recognition. One of Emerick's books has been adopted into the curriculum of Al-Azhar University in Egypt, the world's oldest college and the foremost in Islam.

Islam in America: From African Slaves to Malcolm X

When we think of Islam-if we do at all-we might summon an image of Denzel Washington playing a stern and passionate Malcolm X in Spike Lee's 1992 film, or maybe we imagine Louis Farrakhan on the speaker's platform at the Million Man March in 1995. Some might have encountered Middle Eastern Muslims on the nightly news, mostly as "fundamentalists" and "terrorists." A few have met immigrant Muslims in their neighborhood. But Muslims are more diverse than popular images allow, and American Muslim history is longer than most might think, extending back to the day that the first slave ship landed on Virginia's coast in 1619. It incorporates two groups-Muslims from other countries who migrated to America by force or by choice, and African Americans who created Muslim sects in the twentieth century. Thus, a consideration of the Islamic presence in America provides a new perspective on several important (and familiar) issues that will be used to organize this essay:

1. What is the history of slavery in the United States?
2. How have immigrants resisted and accommodated American culture?
3. What were African Americans' experiences in the northern cities after the Great Migration?
4. How has African-American Islam addressed race relations since the 1960s?
5. Is America a Christian nation?

Islam is a diverse and long-standing American religion-one that has had a significant presence in the United States.
Islamic Center of West Virginia

There are over one billion Muslims in the world, most of whom live in Asia, not in the Middle East as most Americans presume. As in Christianity and Judaism, Islam (which is second only to Christianity in worldwide adherents) includes a number of communities or branches. The two major groups are Sunni Muslims, who constitute about 85 percent of Muslims, and Shii (or Shiite) Muslims, who account for 15 percent of the world's Islamic population. All traditional groups are represented among the five million Muslims in the United States, along with some new movements that have been cultivated on American soil.

Despite their diversity, Muslims have a good deal in common. They look to the Qu'ran- the sacred book that records the message of Allah [God] as it was revealed to his final prophet, Muhammed (A.D. ca. 570-632), and they seek to follow the example (sunna) of the prophet. All accept the Five Pillars of Islam, the basic beliefs and duties of Muslims:

1.A profession of faith (shahada). All Muslims must proclaim "There is no God but Allah and Muhammed is his prophet." Note here that Muhammed is not God in Muslim theology but rather a spokesperson or mouthpiece for the divine.
2.Prayer (salat). All Muslims pray five times daily while facing the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
3.Alms (zakat). Faith also means outreach. To give thanks and follow the example of Muhammed, Muslims with the economic means must give alms to those who are less fortunate.
4.Fasting (sawm or siyam). Muslims who are physically able are to fast from dawn to dusk during the ninth month (Ramadan) of the Islamic calendar.
5.A pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca. At least once in their lives, all Muslims who are able must make a pilgrimage to the Great Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, toward which they have knelt while praying five times daily during their lives. (The Autobiography of Malcolm X offers a vivid account of this pilgrimage, which was life-transforming for him. It was on hajj, he recounts, that he first glimpsed the possibility that people of different races could get along.)

Muslim Slaves in America
A small but significant proportion of African slaves, some estimate 10 percent, were Muslim. An interesting story is that of Omar Ibn Said (also "Sayyid," ca. 1770-1864), who was born in Western Africa in the Muslim state of Futa Toro (on the south bank of the Senegal River in present-day Senegal). He was a Muslim scholar and trader who, for reasons historians have not uncovered, found himself captive and enslaved. After a six-week voyage, Omar arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, in about 1807. About four years later, he was sold to James Owen of North Carolina's Cape Fear region. In 1819 a white Protestant North Carolinian wrote to Francis Scott Key, the composer of The Star Spangled Banner, to request an Arabic translation of the Bible for Omar, and apparently Key sent one. Historians dispute how much the African Muslim leaned toward Christianity in his final years, but Omar's notations on the Arabic bible, which offer praise to Allah, suggest that he retained much of his Muslim identity, as did some other first-generation slaves whose names have been lost to us. (Omar's Arabic bible, which has recently been restored, is housed in the library of Davidson College in North Carolina.)

Muslims and Immigration, 1878-1924

Most history courses cover the immigrants who changed America's population throughout the nineteenth century. But not all immigrants were European or Christian. Many were Chinese and Japanese migrants who practiced Buddhism and other Asian traditions. Thousands of Muslims came as well, and most of these first Islamic immigrants were Arabs from what was then Greater Syria. These Syrian, Jordanian, and Lebanese migrants were poorly educated laborers who came seeking greater economic stability. Many returned, disenchanted, to their homeland. Those who stayed suffered isolation, although some managed to establish Islamic communities, often in unlikely places. By 1920, Arab immigrants worshiped in a rented hall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and they built a mosque of their own fifteen years later. Lebanese-Syrian communities did the same in Ross, North Dakota, and later in Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Michigan City, Indiana. Islam had come to America's heartland.

The first wave of Muslim immigration ended in 1924, when the Asian Exclusion Act and the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act allowed only a trickle of "Asians," as Arabs were designated, to enter the nation.

African-American Islam in the Urban North

A Euro-American, Mohammed Alexander Webb (1847-1916), proclaimed himself a Muslim at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, but converts have been more prominent among Americans of African descent, especially those who followed the mass migrations of southern blacks to northern cities beginning in the early decades of the twentieth century. Noble Drew Ali established a Black nationalist Islamic community, the Moorish Science Temple, in Newark, New Jersey in 1913. After his death in 1929, one of the movement's factions found itself drawn to the mysterious Wallace D. Fard, who appeared in Detroit in 1930 preaching black nationalism and Islamic faith. Fard founded the Nation of Islam there in the same year. After Fard's unexplained disappearance in 1934, Elijah Muhammed (1897-1975) took over, and he attracted disenchanted and poor African Americans from the urban north. They converted for a variety of reasons, but, for some, the poverty and racism in those cities made the Nation of Islam's message about "white devils" (and "black superiority") plausible.

Race Relations since the 1960s
Islamic Cultural Center of New York

Elijah Muhammed won an important convert when Malcolm Little (1925-1965) joined the faith in a prison cell. Malcolm X, the name he took to signal his lost African heritage, became a public figure during the 1960s, although he separated himself from the Nation of Islam before his death. After Elijah Muhammed's death in 1975, the movement split. One branch, under the leadership of the fifth son of Elijah Muhammed, moved closer to the beliefs and practices of Islam as it is practiced in most of the world. This group, which would later change its name to the American Muslim Mission, is the largest African-American Islamic movement. The much smaller Nation of Islam, which the American Muslim Mission and other Islamic groups condemn as racist and unorthodox, is much more familiar to most Americans. Many American Muslims would claim that the Nation of Islam, led by Louis Farrakhan, is not representative of either immigrant or convert Islam in the United States.

Muslims and the New Immigrants after 1965
Islamic Center of Long Island

Post-1965 significant demographic changes related to Muslims took place in America. Palestinian refugees arrived after the creation of Israel in 1948. More important for the history of American Islam, the McCarran-Walter Act of 1952 relaxed the quota system established in 1924, thereby allowing greater Muslim immigration. The gates opened even more widely after the 1965 revisions of the immigration law. Since then, Muslim migrants have fled oppressive regimes in Egypt, Iraq, and Syria; and South Asian Muslims, as from Pakistan, have sought economic opportunity. By the 1990s, Muslims had established more than six hundred mosques and centers across the United States.

Is America a Christian Nation?

Islam may soon be the second largest American faith after Christianity, if it is not already. Estimates vary widely, and a moderate estimate is five million American Muslims in 1997-more than Episcopalians, Quakers, and Disciples of Christ. As we reflect on Islam in America and recall the history of Muslim slaves and the early debates about the First Amendment, we might ask whether America is a Christian nation as some have proclaimed. Could we elect a Muslim president? If so, would she (while we are imagining, let's get bold!) view this land as a New Jerusalem or take her presidential oath on a Christian Bible, as has been traditional?

Thomas A. Tweed holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University in Religious Studies and is currently the Zachary Smith Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Tweed is the author of Our Lady of the Exile: Diasporic Religion at a Cuban Catholic Shrine in Miami (Oxford University Press, 1997) and the editor of Retelling U.S. Religious History (California University Press, 1997). He most recently co-edited, with Stephen Prothero, Asian Religions in America: A Documentary History (Oxford University Press, 1999).

Peace & Justice in Islam

We are living in a world where there could obviously be more peace. As Muslims, we realize this fact more than most people, as the peace of many off our brothers and sisters in various parts of the globe has been tragically disrupted: Palestine, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Kashmir, and other locales. Similarly, we are living in a world where there could be more justice. We read almost daily of assassinations in various parts of the world where terrorist groups, military forces, or intelligence services, oftentimes in summary fashion, declare victims guilty and then proceed to execute them. Unfortunately, such unprincipled political behavior has become increasingly common in both the foreign and domestic policies of this country, causing untold damage to her image and credibility abroad.

These two issues, peace and justice, are joined in the slogans we hear from many activists, especially here in the United States, "No Justice, No Peace!"1 This linkage is logical, as justice must be considered one of the indispensable prerequisites of any lasting peace. This article intends to briefly look at the ideas of peace and justice in Islam and explore their deeper significance in the life of a Muslim,

Peace

In the Arabic language, the word peace is derived from the radicals S-L-M. The scholars of language mention four closely related terms that can be derived from this origin: Salam, Salamah, Silm, and Salm. Raghib al-Isfahani says in his lexicon of Qur'anic terms, "As-Salm and as-Salamah mean freedom from any external or internal ruination."2 Based on that, he mentions that true peace will only exist in Paradise, for only there will there be perpetuity with no end, complete satisfaction with no need, perfect honor with no humiliation, and perfect health with no disease. In this regard, God is known as As-Salam, because He alone is described as being totally free from any defects or flaws.3 This understanding of true peace being a reality associated with a transformed world is also understood in both Jewish and Christian theology.4

At the level of interstate relations, if we ponder the above definition, we can consider peaceful relations between nations as a condition where violence, a state inevitably involving both internal and external ruination, is absent. In this sense, war can be viewed as an aberrational state. The aberrational nature of war is made clearer if we consider that murder, the ultimate consequence of war, is considered an innovation that destroyed the peace formerly existing among the human family. It is stated in a prophetic tradition, "No soul is killed unjustly, except that the elder son of Adam (Cain) shares in the stain of the crime. That is because he was the first to innovate murder [in the human family]."5

At the individual level, peace can be viewed as an absence of the ruinations of the heart. One free from such ruinations will succeed, God-willing, when he/she meets his/her Lord. Therefore, he/ she will enter safely into the Abode of Peace (Dar as-Salam). God says in that regard, [On] the day no amount of wealth or children will be of any benefit. [The only one benefited] will be one who comes before God with a sound (salim) heart. [Quran 26:89]

If one reflects on these meanings, it should be clear that the wars that Muslims have been involved in throughout our long history do not nullify the validity of the statement, "Islam is the religion of peace." what is meant by that expression, and God knows best, is that Islam provides a path for the human being to enter Paradise (Dar as-Salam), and there he/she will know true peace.

Peace has meanings wider than those mentioned above. One of the loftier objectives of our religion is to introduce into the world an ethos that facilitates the spreading of peace at every level. Our personal relations with our fellow Muslims should begin with the implementation of the Prophetic order "Spread peace between you all."6 This order is so pressing that the Beloved Prophet - advised its indiscriminate implementation. He said at the end of a tradition in which he described one of the best forms of Islam, "Extend the greeting of peace, to those you know and those you know not."7 This is a very weighty matter that calls for our deeper reflection. Its weightiness is illustrated by the fact that it is mentioned as being one of the things that completes our faith. The Prophet said in that regard, "You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I indicate to you something that will surely lead to your mutual love? Spread the greeting and spirit of peace between yourselves."8

Our relations with our spouses should also be characterized by peace. God admonishes us concerning those relations, And peace is best. [Quran 4:128] Similarly, in our relations with other nations, God commands us, If they (the enemy) incline towards peace, then you should similarly incline, and place your trust in God. [Quran 8:61] As mentioned above, peace is the original state that prevailed in relations between individuals and societies. This opinion is based, among other narrations, on the saying of the Prophet that Jesus "will return the world to a state of peace" (Yurji' as-Salim) after his appearance at the end of time.9

Justice

Our lexicographers define justice, variously, as "to rule based on that contained in the Book of God and the tradition (Sunna) of His Messenger and refraining from ruling based on empty opinion." It is also defined as "extending inherent rights [to their possessors] equitably."10 This latter definition emphasizes the importance of equity as an essential aspect of distributive justice.

The concept of justice is one of the essential pillars in the maintenance of both the natural and social orders. God, be He Exalted, has said, He has established the scale, therefore, do not transgress in the scale [of justice]. Undertake the measuring with justice and do not cheat concerning the scale. [55:7-8] Justice, as many of our scholars point out, is one of the underpinnings of the order that has been established by God. This reality is also a foundation of a healthy social order. God says in that regard, O, You who believe! Be upright for God, witnesses to justice; and do not let your hatred of a people move you to a position where you are unjust. Be just, that is closer to piety. Be mindful of God! Verily God is well informed concerning all that you do. [Quran 4:135]

This social aspect of justice has been beautifully summarized by Imam al-Qurtubi. He says, discussing the relationship between two words that are usually translated as justice (al-'Adl), and distributive justice (al-Qist), "Justice is the basis of all human relations and a foundation of Islamic rule."11 This saying is illustrative of the meaning conveyed by the saying of God, Verily, we have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and we have revealed unto them the Scripture and the Balance in order that they lead people with justice... [Quran 57:25]

Imam al-Mawardi has summarized the social implications of distributive justice in the following way:

One of the things that reforms worldly affairs is the principle of distributive justice. It facilitates amicable relations between people, engenders obedience to the Divine Law, and brings about the prosperity of countries. It is the basis of a thriving economy, strong families, and stable government. Nothing devastates the land nor corrupts the mind as quickly as tyranny. That is because there are no acceptable limits [to regulate tyranny].12

For this reason, Ibn Taymiyya sees the responsibilities of Islamic government emanating from a single verse in the Qur'an, God enjoins that you deliver the Trusts to their rightful possessors. And when you rule over [or judge between] people, that you do so with justice... [Quran 4:58]13 The Noble Prophet has said in this context, "Surely the most beloved of people with God and the closest to Him on the Day of Resurrection will be a just leader. And the most hated of people and the furthest removed from Him will be a tyrannical leader."14

Clearing himself from even an inadvertent association with oppressive, unjust acts, our beloved Prophet is reported to have said:

You bring your disputes to me for adjudication; perhaps one of you is less eloquent than another, and I rule against the wronged party on the basis of what I have heard. Therefore, if I inadvertently grant one of you something owed to his brother do not take it, for I am granting him something that constitutes a piece of Hellfire.15

Our impeccably just Khalifa 'Umar b. al-Khattab uttered the following penetrating words:

Verily, God sets forth parables for you, and He directs admonition towards you in order that hearts will be quickened. Surely, the hearts are dead until God quickens them. Justice has signs and portents. As for its signs, they are shyness, generosity, humility, and gentleness. As for its portents, they are embodied in mercy. He has [likewise] made for every affair a gate, and He has made that gate accessible by providing a key. The gate of justice is a deep consideration of consequences, and its key is otherworldliness. Consideration of consequences ultimately involves remembering death and preparing for it by freely parting from one's wealth. Otherworldliness involves dealing justly with everyone and being satisfied with what suffices. If one is not satisfied with what suffices him, no abundance will every enrich him.16

Much of this discussion has focused on distributive justice. However, the Qur'an also places great emphasis on commutative justice. God commands us, Do not be moved by partiality to discriminate in meting out divinely legislated punishments. [Quran 24:2] The Prophet Muhammad mentioned that one of the reasons behind the ruination of a nation is a lack of commutative justice.17 In this context, he mentioned that if his very daughter were to steal, he would not hesitate to punish her to the full extent of the law.18

In summary, this brief discussion should make it clear to any Muslim that peace and justice are comprehensive concepts with deep implications and we have to be people committed to peace and justice. We must clearly illustrate to the world that our religion is indeed the religion of peace. However, our striving for peace must never allow us to be unjust, nor should it allow us to passively accept injustices. We must take a stand for justice, as we are ordered in the Qur'an, Be you upright supporters of justice... [4:135] However, that stand must go far beyond slogans, such as the one mentioned at the beginning of this article, and move into the realm of positive action; action inspired by the Qur'an and the words and deeds of our illustrious Prophet



Excerpted from the book "Scattered Pictures", by Imam Zaid Shakir

Islam and The Food Crisis

Rising food prices have sparked outrage across the world. The United Nations World Food Programme, which provides food aid to over 70 million people, says that the rise in prices of cereals and fuel caused it to increase its budget for 2008 by 17% – from $2.9 billion to $3.4 billion. Spokesperson Christiane Berthiaume says that people living close to the poverty line, who previously struggled to survive, could very soon find that prices are simply impossibly high. The food crisis has had the following impact around the world:

Egypt: Workers rioted for 2 days, where protesters threw petrol bombs at security forces and police fired tear gas at the crowds. When workers attempted to strike as a protest against the high prices, plainclothes security men took control of the factory and forced them to work.

Bangladesh: About 20,000 textile workers have clashed with police near Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, demanding better wages to meet high food prices. In a recent press conference, the World Bank President Robert Zoellick stated: "In Bangladesh a two-kilogramme bag of rice...now consumes about half the daily income of a poor family".

Indonesia: Protesters demanded that the government bring down food prices after the media reported cases of starvation. It is estimated that Bangladeshis and poor Indonesians are now spending 70% or more of their income on food.

Haiti: Food prices rose over 40% in one year, resulting in 10 days of violent protest and the ousting of the Haitian Prime Minister.Unrest has also occurred in Mexico, the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Mauritania, Mozambique, Senegal, Uzbekistan, Yemen, and Bolivia.

Food Crisis: Who’s to Blame?Due to the widespread nature of the problem, it is only natural to examine the role of global policies in causing this crisis. Politicians, analysts, etc are blaming the following:

Bio-fuels: World Bank President, Alistair Darling (Chancellor of UK) and Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul (German Development Minister) blamed the rising food prices on the shift in agricultural production from food to bio-fuels (i.e. fuels made from plant sources). The German Minister stated that “increasing production of bio-fuels was 30 to 70% responsible for the rapid rise in food prices”.

Rising fuel costs: John Holmes, a UN official, blamed rising fuel costs; “The rising price of fuel, particularly diesel fuel used to transport food, is also adding to the issue by prompting a simultaneous increase in the cost of food.”

Falling US Dollar: Unlike Canada, developing countries have not let their currencies rise, in order to ensure that their exports continue to be sold in the American market. This makes US dollar denominated items (e.g. fuel) even more expensive to buy.

Growth in India and China: The exponential economic growth due to foreign investments in India and China has increased demand for goods, thereby pushing up prices.

Investor speculation in commodities: Jose Graziano, a UN official noted that, "The lack of confidence in the (U.S.) dollar has led investment funds to look for higher returns in commodities ... first metals and then foods"

Holding Capitalism AccountableAlthough the individual factors cited above could likely be responsible, the real issue is examining why such policies are pursued in the first place. The prime concern of the Capitalist economic system is to ensure that man’s freedom of acquiring and selling is guaranteed. As a result, if the investor wants to invest in fuel production instead of food production – then the system must ensure that he is “free” to make that choice without interference. The same thought process underlies the issue of speculation in commodities. Investors will move money from stocks and bonds to wheat, corn, and rice – if they believe they can make more money on rising food prices.

As a result, the current food crisis is a source of celebration for agribusinesses and other corporations. In other words, Capitalism is working as it was designed to – the increase in hunger is not something that the system attends to or cares about. Ensuring food security has no relevance to this mindset. Its sole concern is maximizing profits.

Islam and Food Security

Allah (swt) has revealed:“We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice” [TMQ Hadid 57:25]

Observing the food crisis unfolding over our Ummah and much of humanity, we should recognize that this situation is firstly caused by following a law and system that has not been revealed by Allah (swt). As Allah (swt) has revealed:

“The Deen before Allah is Islam” [TMQ 3:19]

We are aware Allah (swt) is the Creator of all reality. He (swt) created humans, their need for food and also the means and resources, such as plants, animals, etc, to satisfy their hunger. Therefore, only Allah (swt) is qualified to design a system that will ensure the food security of humanity. Subsequently we should not be surprised that the current state of affairs is unfolding, as the secular Capitalist system is man-made and therefore incapable of dealing with the task of ensuring humanity’s well-being.

As a result, when we examine the Quran and Sunnah, we find that Allah (swt) has prescribed many ahkam (laws) that would ensure food security for humanity. These ahkam specify responsibilities of the state, responsibilities of the community, and the responsibilities of the individual.

The Khaleefah is in general responsible for those under his guardianship. Rasullah (saw) said:“Each of you is a shepherd, and all of you are responsible for your flocks.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

It is the responsibility of the ruler to guarantee housing, clothing and food for every single citizen of the Islamic state, based on the following hadith:

"The Son of Adam has no better right than that he would have a house wherein he may live, a piece of clothing whereby he may hide his nakedness and a piece of bread and some water." [Tirmidhi]

Consequently, the ruler will be diligent in applying the ahkam that pertain to economy, as this will be his best defense on the Day of Judgment. That is, the ahkam of Allah (swt) will address the issue of food security. Some examples include:

1. "Muslims are partners in three things: in water, pastures and fire" [Abu Dawud]. Muslims have common ownership of pastures and water –the fundamental resources required to produce food. All energy resources are also owned by the people. This means that no individual or company can monopolize its benefits/profits.

2. Land cannot remain idle. Landowners must ensure that their lands remain productive and do not stay idle. If they fail to use the land within 3 years, it is given to someone who will use it. This is based on the ijma of the sahabah (i.e. who acted on sunnah of the Prophet (saw) without mentioning it) on the saying of Umar ibn Al-Khattab (ra): “The one who circles a land has no right in it after 3 years.”

3. Prohibition on price-fixing. In era of rising food prices, the State is forbidden from fixing prices based on the following narrated by Imam Ahmed (ra): “Prices increased at the time of the Messenger of Allah (saw), so they said, O Messenger of Allah, we wish you would price (fix the prices). He (saw) said: “Indeed Allah is the Creator, the holder (Qabidh), the Open-handed (Basit), the Provider (Raziq), the Pricer (who fixes prices); and I wish I will meet Allah and nobody demands (complains) of me for unjust acts I did against him, neither in blood or property.” When States do not follow the sunnah of Rasullah (saw), they find that fixing the price of food actually make the food shortage worse, as food retailers hoard their provisions and sell the goods for high prices in the underground market.

4. Hoarding/monopolizing goods is forbidden. Producers or retailers cannot hoard or monopolize goods in order to cause the price to rise. This is based on the ahadith: “The Messenger of Allah (saw) forbade that a foodstuff be monopolized.” [Athram] and “Whoever monopolized is a wrongdoer.” [Muslim].

Under the Khilafah of Umar ibn-al Khattab (ra), Madinah experienced a famine. Umar (ra) ordered his governor of Egypt, ‘Amr bin al-As, to dig a canal from the River Nile to the Red Sea to transport grain to the Arabian Peninsula. Umar did not eat anything more than oil and dry bread until he was sure that everyone in Madinah was full.The Muslim community is also responsible for ensuring that all people within the community are fed. This is based on the following narration of the Prophet (saw):“Any community, whosoever they are, if a person among them became hungry, they will be removed from the protection of Allah the Blessed, the Supreme.” [Ahmed]The implication of this hadith is that if a hungry person stole from the community, then the community would have no recourse to recover that property on the Day of Judgment.

Each Muslim is also responsible for ensuring that their neighbour is fed based on the following hadith:“The one who slept (satisfied) while his close neighbour was hungry, and he was aware of that, would not have believed in me truly.” [Al-Bazzar]

Beyond the responsibility of ensuring the community is fed, Islam promotes a lifestyle where people eat less (which is in sharp contradiction to the Capitalist way of life that promotes over consumption). Rasullah (saw) said:“No man fills a container worse than his stomach. A few morsels that keep his back upright are sufficient for him. If he has to, then he should keep one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for his breathing." [Tirmidhi]

This sunnah ensures and promotes a wider distribution of food, as individuals are encouraged to eat what is required.

Raising the issue of hunger with non-MuslimsWhen discussing the issue of food security with the community at large, we should keep in mind that the Islamic solutions can only be applied based on the aqeedah of Islam. That is, the capitalist mindset of cost-benefit is incapable of implementing the hukm of Allah (swt) because it contradicts it at a fundamental level. Capitalism maintains that man is free, making contradictory for the ideology to prescribe ‘fard’, i.e. responsibilities for people. Allah (swt), through the ahkam shariah, is the only One capable of dictating what is an obligation and what is not. In such discussions, we should be confident in raising this issue. That is, the West likes to talk about rights (e.g. the right to food), but shies away from the discussion of who is responsible for providing this right. The Islamic way of thinking makes responsibilities the primary concern for the individual, as he or she will be held accountable by Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgment for fulfilling these.

"And We have not sent you except as a mercy to mankind.” [TMQ 21:107]

A letter from my Brother

O Ummah of Islam! This is a letter from a prisoner to all those who are responsible: to every scholar… to every Muslim… to all men and women…O Muslims…

“Indeed I am living through testing times. Illness has overwhelmed me and fatigue has exhausted me. The sun blazes continuously until sunset and the dealings of the captors are very harsh. Every time I enter or exit my cage, the chains are on my hands and feet. I am weighed down by their weight. What can be bitterer than to fall into the hands of a seething enemy? What can be more distressing than to be forced to bow and be humiliated in front of a Christian lout? However, to Allah I complain of my helplessness, the weakness of my stratagem and my dishonour in front of people. O Most Merciful! You are the Lord of the oppressed! You are my Lord! Whoever have you entrusted me with, whether into the hands of a distant person who frowns upon me or to an enemy who has been given control over my affairs, but as long as Your Wrath does not fall upon me then I do not care.

But Your Pardon is sufficient for me. I seek protection from the Light of Your Face that illuminates the darkness, through which the affairs of this World and the Hereafter are set right. May it never be that I should incur Your Wrath, or that you should be angry with me. And there is neither power nor recourse but to You Alone!

O to the one who hears my letter, whatever situation I am in from anguish, misery and distress, it pales in comparison to what runs through my head when I think of how the Muslims have forsaken us. How they have forgotten our issue, how they have not raised awareness of our plight … as if we are people of another planet … as if we are not Muslims. It is indeed shameful that the Western organisations are moving to defend our cause in the midst of the incompetence and apathy of the Muslims towards our situation. It is strange how Australian-American relations can become strained because of one Australian prisoner and how the relationship between the Anglo-American Alliance has become worse because of a few British detainees. As for us, no one will cry for us despite there being more than six hundred of us. Rather, if it was not for America declaring our nationalities, the Arab countries would have continued pretending to ignore us and our existence.

O to the one who hears our letter … we are the prisoners…we will stand against you all before Allah on the Day of Judgement and we will say to Him … ‘These people, they knew the orders of your Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) regarding freeing the prisoner, but they did not oblige nor did they take all the courses of action that could lead to our freedom.’

Indeed we call out to all people who are jealous of their religion. We call you with the bond of Iman that is between us, that you move to make our issue a living issue. Through lawyers that can demand our release, to speak about our plight via the media, to put pressure on America, to warn her that it is against her interests if she does not let us free. As for the one who can do nothing then the very least that he can do is to raise his arms in the last third of the night praying against the oppressor and the despondent one, asking Allah to relieve us of our woes and to remove the burden from us. The Prophet (SAWS) said, ‘Whoever forsakes a Muslim in a situation while he has the ability to help him, Allah will forsake him at a time when he would want the help of Allah.’ And he said (SAWS), ‘Whoever removes a grief from a Muslim, Allah will remove a grief from him on the Day of Judgement.’

If you do forget us – then please do not forget our wives and our children, to care and look after them, for we can bear with resolve - and to Allah do we pass our complaint. And finally to my dear and beloved mother and father, have patience; seek the reward from Allah and say often, ‘There is no recourse or power except with Allah,’ as our Prophet (SAWS) advised us.

Indeed Auf bin Malik Al Ashja’i came to the Prophet (SAWS) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Indeed the enemy has taken my son prisoner and his mother has become distressed. What do you order me to do?’ He (SAWS) replied, ‘I order you and her to say as often as you can, “There is no recourse nor power except with Allah.”’ The woman said to her husband, ‘What a blessed thing he has asked you to do.’ So they began to repeatedly say this, until the enemy then became negligent and the son managed to flee with a herd of four thousand sheep, which he then brought to his father. The following verse of the Quran was then revealed, “Whoever fears Allah, Allah will find a way out for him (from every difficulty) and He will provide for him from sources that he could never have imagined.” [Quran 65:2-3]

Finally do not forget our plight. We are the prisoners… we are your sons in Cuba… do not forget our plight … do not forget our plight…”
© Cageprisoners.com 2003 14