The Da’wah To Islam by Sheikh Ahmad Mahmoud

Here, it is clear to everyone the great importance attached to knowledge and the ‘ulema in clarifying the thoughts of ma’roof and thoughts of munkar present in their time, and their encouragement of the people to adhere to the ma’roof and leave the munkar.

The ‘ulema are the ones who have obtained the knowledge that others require, in addition to the knowledge linked to their own actions which is an individual obligation on them, as it is an obligation on the rest of the individuals in the Ummah. Thus, knowledge is a collective obligation on the Ummah which the ‘ulema have undertaken and they shall have the reward for that. Despite this knowledge, they are not exempt from any obligation that is on them. Thus, they are ordered to do whatever is required from any individual in the Ummah in exactly the same way. Part of which is the work to establish the Khilafah. If you are a scholar of the rules of inheritance and another is an expert in tafseer, and a third is a Shar’ee judge in the question of Shar’ee rules pertaining to marriage and divorce; all these ‘ulema and others like them are not exempt from undertaking the individual duties obliged on them, nor from the collective obligations linked with the whole Ummah. They are a part of this Ummah, reached by anything that reaches any of its individuals.What we see today of the ‘ulema’s inaction in undertaking this obligation - under whatever imagined pretext - is not acceptable from them according to the Shar’a. They will be accounted for this negligence before Allah 􀀬, and they must also be accounted before the Ummah.

Knowledge is for the sake of obedience and worship. Knowledge is that which leads to the taqwa (God fearing). Taqwa is to fear. He 􀀬 said; “It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah.” [TMQ 35:28]. From this exist the ‘ulema who you always see in the first line, whether in their Salah, Jihaad, carrying the da’wah, advising the rulers, challenging the kufr thoughts and godless concepts. You see them at the forefront guiding the people to the correct knowledge and the action according to it.

One should not imagine that the ‘ulema have an official position in Islam or that they have a religious rank or distinct form; or that they order (people) with their knowledge and the rest of people simply execute it. Rather, they are commanded like any individual Muslim. The khitaab (speech) of Allah 􀀬 includes them just as it included the Messenger 􀁕 and his Sahabah.

The Shar’a has obliged the presence of knowledge and ‘ulema so as through them the truth is known and it is undertaken. They are the medium of the Shar’a. Through them the Muslim knows the right of his Lord 􀀬 on him. Their presence or origination is a collective obligation. If they do not exist then the whole Ummah will be sinful. This is because the Ummah will descend into ignorance of the rules of Allah 􀀬 in her time. Consequently, Ijtihaad is a collective duty. There must not be an age that is devoid of the presence of mujtahideen, otherwise the whole Ummah will fall into sin.

In terms of the motivation, people by their very nature incline towards the scholar and like to take (opinions) from him. Thus, the scholar should not fall into a situation of temptation due to his knowledge; thus seeking position or profit, and giving fatawa to the people without (supporting)

knowledge, in accordance with their desires or falsifying the facts of Shar’a to please the ruler. Since knowledge of the Shar’a is a ma’roof, then its munkar is; riyaa’ (showing off), love for leadership, and seeking the cheap matters. Thus, the exploitation by the rulers, especially these days, of the scholars and their use for political objectives and making them agents for them. Thus you see them showering them with money, and presenting them to the people in the form of respected scholars, and strong propaganda is made for them, so they become reference points and muftis for the people, and the ones to whom the people refer in great matters. Thus, they give fatawa that please the rulers and anger Allah 􀀬. They make the texts subservient to the desires of the rulers and make the Shar’a at their disposal. Hence you see them, if the rulers made usury allowed, so they made it allowed as well, and went to the texts to twist them and present them, the way they gather the witnesses to prove the correctness of what they want. If the rulers allowed seeking the help of the Kaafir states, they agreed with them. If the rulers allowed peace with the Jews, they made it obligatory. These are the agent scholars and they are evil people who need to be advised. The Ummah must treat their action harshly, and break off from them, and she should not be subservient to them at the expense of the Shar’a. Such people and their likes who extend their hands (of help) to the rulers at the expense of the Shar’a, fall under the saying of the Messenger 􀁕; “The thing I most fear of upon my Ummah is every hypocrite who is a learned speaker.” [Reported by Ahmad]. These people and their likes need to be publicly denounced, so that others do not fall prey to the snare of their fatawa. Those are the ones who have bought the life of this world with the Hereafter.

Indeed, when the Muslims take up and adhere to this obligation by enjoining upon themselves the ma’roof and enjoin others, and abstaining from the munkar and forbidding others from it, then his individual life has become good. Thus, when the Muslim is adherent in his home and makes others adherent, and when he is adherent in his business and in his relations with people around him, then an important part of his deen will have been established correctly. However as we stated before, the aim of the deen is obedience, that society as a whole should be represented by the ma’roof and abandonment of the munkar, and that no part or aspect should deviate from the rule of Allah 􀀬, whether in the individual aspect or the collective side. Thus, society is not just made of individuals; rather it consists of individuals who have been united by a creed from which a system emanates for all affairs of life. If the individual aspect is secure, then only one aspect is secure but many aspects remain which must refer to the rule of Allah 􀀬. Those individuals have been ordered to be led by a Khaleefah who will establish Islam in their reality. That which is not brought about in the reality of the Muslims due to the motivation of fearing Allah 􀀬, will be established by the Khaleefah through the power of the sword. “Indeed, Allah 􀀬 will restrain with the Sultan (authority)

that which was not restrained by the Qur’an.” The Sharee’ah has ordered that this creed be established and protected and carried to the people (all people) and He 􀀬 has made the Islamic State the method for this, and this system has been clarified by the Shar’a as well as the manner of its implementation. That task of the creed being established, protected and carried to the people has been given to the Islamic State to carry out its implementation. Thus for the Jihaad, which is the topmost part of Islam - the Shar’a has made the state responsible for undertaking it, and it will spread the Da’wah via Jihaad. How eloquent is the saying of Imaam Ghazali when he said; “Indeed the Qur’an and Sultan (authority) are a twin. The Qur’an is a basis, and the Sultan is a guard. Anyting that does not have a basis will be easily destroyed; and anyting that has no guard will be easily lost.”