Presence Of Mind by Taqiuddin Nabhani

Action needs to be taken to create spontaniety either in the individuals or in the Ummah. Attempting to create it in the individuals would only create it in them, but not in the Ummah as a whole. However, effort to create it in the Ummah would definitely create it in the individuals. This is because the Ummah is the sum of the individuals with the effect of linkage among them by an ‘Aqeedah from which a system of life emanates. Therefore, it is necessary that action to create spontaniety in the people, as well as the individuals, should be action in the Ummah as a whole. So, we discuss the way to create spontaniety in the Ummah and from this spontaniety it is developed in the individuals. The creation of spontaniety in the Ummah starts with transforming the ‘Aqeedah from being a matter of doctrine only, to being a political idea or a political thought. The action then proceeds until we realize that the rules and concepts built on the ‘Aqeedah are political thoughts.

Once we achieve this, we start with quick understanding. Thus, firstly, it is necessary to start by making the ‘Aqeedah a political thought and then making the thoughts that are built on the ‘Aqeedah political thoughts. Making the rules that emanate from the ‘Aqeedah political thoughts results from making the ‘Aqeedah itself a political thought. Therefore, one does not concern himself with the rules as long as the ‘Aqeedah was of a political character. Thus, the origin is to make the ‘Aqeedah a political idea or political thought. So, in whatever way one started, this is the basis; whether one started with the ‘Aqeedah or with the rules that emanate from it. The fact that the Islamic ‘Aqeedah is Laa ilaaha illa Allah (There is no god except Allah), Muhammadun Rasoolullah (Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah), this means that no one is worthy of worship except Allah. So, one discharges the affairs of the Ummah, including one’s own affairs, with the fact that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. Thus, one does not accept for himself to worship other than Allah, or to be servant to other than Allah. This raises your status in the Ummah and the people, for while they do not see Allah and do not know His nature, it becomes great for them to see a person reject the worship of whom the people know.

So you will rise by that in their view. Thus, if the word “Laa ilaaha illa Allah”, by the meaning “there is none worthy of worship except Allah” became a political idea, it would change your view towards the people and how the people view you. If you declare “Muhammad Rasoolullah”, then you will abide by what he, Mohammed , brought from Allah, i.e. you will abide by the rules of Shar’. If you abide by this and take charge of the people’s affairs in accordance with it, i.e. act upon it and make the people act on it, then you will transform the whole ‘Aqeedah into a political idea, or a political thought. However, if you start with ahkaam (rules), this would appear to be easier and closer to generating spontaniety.

This is because what gathers between yourself and the people is the ‘Aqeedah, including the rules that emanate from it. If you take these rules based on Imaan, then the reality alone will indicate quick understanding and quick linkage. The listener to the woman’s complaint to the Ameer ul-Mu’mineen about her husband, in the assembly of Omar bin al-Khattab, did not concern himself with the Islamic ‘Aqeedah, for he knew that she and the Ameer ul- Mu’mineen believed in it. He rather concerned himself with what relates to this of rules that emanate from it, which is the preference of the right of the wife to the right of Allah . So he was satisfied with that and linked quick observance that occurred to him with this hukm emanating from the ‘Aqeedah. With this linkage to the hukm alone, he had spontaniety. He did not need to make linkage to the ‘Aqeedah, for he knew that the woman believed in this ‘Aqeedah and raised her complaint to the Ameer ul-Mu’mineen for he believed in this ‘Aqeedah also. The man had spontaniety from linking to the hukm shar’ee and not from the ‘Aqeedah followed by linking to the hukm shar’ee. Therefore, the generation of spontaniety from the ahkaam shar’iyyah, i.e. from that which emanates from the ‘Aqeedah, is easier and more attainable. Thus, generation of spontaniety in the people only requires making the ahkaam shar’iyyah political thoughts, by which the affairs are discharged and by which alone the people are held accountable.

However, all of this depends on understanding that the people believe in that from which the ahkaam shar’iyyah emanate, which is the ‘Aqeedah. If, for example, you took charge of the affairs of the people in Egypt, where the people of Egypt are Muslims and all of them believe in the Islamic ‘Aqeedah, then if you wanted to generate spontaniety in them, all that you would have to do is make the ahkaam shar’iyyah political thoughts in their view. Spontaniety would then exist in Egypt. However, if you wanted to generate it in France, for example, where the people do not believe in the Islamic ‘Aqeedah, it is necessary that you proceed first by making the Islamic ‘Aqeedah a political thought in their view. Spontaniety would then exist in them, albeit slowly and in succession. There is a difference between working in France and working in Egypt. Since we wish to generate spontaniety in the Islamic countries, the discussion will be on the ahkaam shar’iyyah that emanate from the ‘Aqeedah. This is quicker and easier when trying to generate spontaniety.

To generate spontaniety in people, it is necessary to start first, before anything else, by making the ahkaam shar’iyyah a political thought in their view - a matter that is easy and feasible. The people believe in the Islamic ‘Aqeedah and abide by it and by its ahkaam.

One only has to generate in them the idea that this is hukm shar’ee and that it is necessary to abide by what emanates from the ‘Aqeedah, the same way as it is necessary to abide by the ‘Aqeedah.

This is because Imaan and Kufr only occur from abiding by the ahkaam shar’iyyah or not. Once this exists in the people, the matter of transferring the ahkaam into political thoughts would depend on them and would gain influence over them, so they themselves would make the ahkaam shar’iyyah their political thoughts. One’s task would then be the stimulation and direction. Thus, if they view that the general liberties and freedoms contradict the ‘Aqeedah, or they do not emanate from it, it would be easy for them to abandon them and you would not need to be concerned with that. However, if they continued to view them as emanating from the ‘Aqeedah or not contradictory to it, then it would be difficult for them to abandon them, even if they were political thoughts. This is because they are linked to the ‘Aqeedah which they believe in. Thus, it is necessary that they understand that these freedoms do not come from the ‘Aqeedah. They contradict it and do not emanate from it.

Without this, it is not possible that they abandon the general freedoms. Also the fact that the Christian is a Kaafir, that alcohol is haraam, that domination and control by the Kuffar is not allowed, whether they were from the West or the East, that abiding by the hukm shar’ee is fard, all of these and their like are easy to understand once linked with the ‘Aqeedah. Thus, reading the saying of Allah , “They surely disbelieve, those who say: ‘Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary’” [TMQ Al Ma’idah: 72], is enough for the Muslim to consider the Christian as a Kaafir. The recitation, also, of the saying of Allah , “Will you then abstain (from them)?” [TMQ Al-Ma’idah: 91] is enough to know about the ayah of alcohol and that it is haraam. Similarly, the saying of Allah , “Allah never allows the disbelievers to have authority over the believers” [TMQ An-Nisaa’: 141], explains definitely that the domination and control of the Muslims by the Kaafir is not allowed. The recitation of His  saying, “But, no; by your Lord, they will not believe (in truth) until they make you judge of what is in dispute between them” [TMQ An-Nisa’: 65], and the recitation of His  saying, “Whatever the Rasool brought to you take it, and whatever he forbade you, abstain from it” [TMQ Al-Hashr: 7], makes one believe that the failure of the ruler in abiding by the hukm shar’ee is a sin or Kufr.

Thus, the matter of taking charge of the affairs by the ahkaam shar’iyyah is easy in the Islamic countries. If action starts with that, then success in it is easy and guaranteed. Therefore, work for spontaniety, i.e. to generate spontaniety in the people is easy. This is because it starts with the ahkaam shar’iyyah and transforming them into political thoughts, a matter which is easy and attainable.

The second matter remains, that is the generation of quick observance or quick understanding of the reality and whatever it indicates. This is what is meant by quick observance. This second matter requires education and generation; it is not enough just to draw attention to it. There is a great difference between quick understanding of reality, i.e. generation of quick observance and the generation of spontaniety. What was mentioned before only focused on generating quick observance, though this was in the context of generating spontaniety, for it is this that generates spontaniety. Though it was the first pillar, it is however considered the second pillar in spontaniety. This is because its linkage with the ‘Aqeedah and whatever emanates from it, or linking it with the ahkaam shar’iyyah, is what generates spontaniety.

Generating quick observance alone is not enough and it does not necessarily generate spontaniety, though it is the first pillar in it. It is rather necessary to know the purpose of the speaker. This purpose is only understood from the linkage with the hukm shar’ee which he understands and knows emanates from the ‘Aqeedah.

Therefore, it is necessary that the bond exist so as to make linkage with it and to know the purpose. Then quick observance can exist.

Though it is the speech that is said and the reality that occurs that generates quick observance, unless they are linked with the bond there would not be spontaniety in the people.

Therefore, if an Ummah, like the Islamic Ummah, managed to transform the idea into a political thought, she would have spontaniety if she linked the events that take place daily to what emanates from the ‘Aqeedah. Thus, the issue lies in spontaniety, though it is apparently connected with quick understanding of reality, i.e. generating observance or quick observance. However, it is, before and after that, related to transformation of the idea and the hukm shar’ee into political thoughts. That is why quick observance or quick understanding of reality is ignored. The focus instead is the transformation of the Islamic idea and the ahkaam shar’iyyah into political thoughts. Therefore, generating spontaniety in the Ummah or in the individuals is achieved by, firstly and before everything, making the Islamic opinion a political opinion. After that spontaniety will exist. This is how spontaniety must be generated and this generation must be on the basis of Islam.

Generating the Islamic opinion comes first. Making it a political opinion comes next. Then comes the generation of spontaniety.

Thus for example, fighting against Kuffar, because they are Kuffar is self-evident, it is a hukm shar’ee. The jizya is taken from them to prevent fighting. Thus the jizya is taken because peace is intended.

The jizya is taken because they are Kuffar who want peace. They are fought against because they are Kuffar who want war. It is aimed first of all to transform this Islamic opinion into a political opinion, not merely a fiqhi (juristic) opinion. After that, i.e. after this opinion is understood, they are fought and peace is made with them, then spontaniety becomes necessary in order to understand their situation. Spontaniety is thus necessary to understand their situation. This results either from their actions or from their words.

Therefore, the opinion must first be Islamic, then political and then after that spontaniety is achieved. Thus, spontaniety is necessary, but only on the basis of Islam, i.e. on the basis of hukm shar’ee. Other than that, though it may possibly produce spontaniety, we do not accept it, nor involve ourselves with it. We only accept the Islamic opinion. Anything other than that we do not accept or busy ourselves with. The Islamic opinion is the basis and spontaniety is necessary for this Islamic opinion. Even in the incident of seeing the petrol in the road, spontaniety occurred from understanding that it is petrol. But the reaction to the realisation of danger resulted from the Islamic opinion. Allah forbade man from placing himself in danger. When a Muslim flees from danger, his flight must be based on the hukm shar’ee. We do not flee just for the sake of safety. This applies to the other examples. Thus, the Islamic opinion comes first and before everything; then spontaniety follows.

24 Dhil-Qa’dah 1396 AH 16/11/1976 CE