The Da’wah To Islam by Sheikh Ahmad Mahmoud

What obliges the reference to this classification, that Islam is a fikrah (thought) and tariqah (method) is the negligence that has appeared amongst the Muslims nowadays regarding many of the Shar’ee rules and their abandonment, under the pretext that we are not obliged to follow them today. This is also under the pretext that when the Messenger 􀁕 acted upon them he did so because they suited his situation and conditions. If it had suited our situation and conditions, we would have taken them but if they did not suit our conditions, we take other laws that do agree with them. It is from this viewpoint that one finds people who call for changing of the penal code claiming that it does not suit our current circumstances. They do not see whipping, stoning or cutting as acceptable as it used to be before, under the pretext that they are harsh rules which the West looks upon as barbaric, like the barbarism of the middle ages and they remind them of their religion, in which people were oppressed by tyrannical laws, and so this will drive people away from Islam. Then there is nothing wrong in replacing them by jailing and fines. Similarly, we also find those who call for the suspension of Jihaad. As long as Jihaad exists for the propagation of Islam, it is possible to replace it with other means of advertisement and media. Today’s age is one of exchanging cultures, and since Islam is the definite proof and the clear truth, then you are able through the use of the pen, television and radio, to realise more than what you may achieve by force, which closes the hearts and sows ill will and hatred. One also finds those who advocate the elimination of the Jizyah under the pretext that it sounds disgusting and revolting. There are also those who claim that the Khilafah system is not binding in Islamic Law. They went on to give fatawa, which justify the adoption of modern forms of ruling and called for the abandoning of the old Khilafah system. Since what is important is the application of Islamic systems and not the structure of the government that implements them, since that can take numerous forms.

It is from this standpoint that many proposals have been suggested, related to the method of working to establish the Islamic State, to the point that Muslims came to see the return of Islam through: writing Islamic books, building mosques, setting up charity associations, opening Islamic schools - on the model of the missionary schools, calling people to good morals, armed struggle or working to attain power through participation in government and the democratic game; whilst the method of the Messenger 􀁕 to attain power has been ignored.

In this manner, the Muslims today take the Shar’ee rules relating to the fikrah (thought) in a vague ambiguous manner. Hence they neglected the Shar’ee rules relating to the tariqah (method). All of this took place because they were affected by the Western thought and stood unable to understand Islam in a clear and legislative manner, and consequently unable to understand its application.

It was due to this that the discussion of the fikrah (thought) and tariqah (method) arose, so that the Muslims do not neglect the important Shar’ee rules whose purpose is to establish the whole of Islam and implement it in the reality of life. Their neglect of these rules is an abandoning of an important part of Islam, which is a sin that Allah 􀀬 will account for.

That is why we resorted to this classification; “the discussion that Islam is a fikrah (thought) and tariqah (method)”, in order to make it clearer and facilitate the understanding and simplify the application. The Muslims had resorted to such classifications in the past, such as: Islam is an ‘Aqeedah and systems, the social system, economic system, rules of mat’umaat (foodstuffs), malboosaat (clothing), ‘ibadaat (worships) or rules of morals.

All of these were scattered rules in the time of the Messenger 􀁕. Then the fuqahaa (learned scholars) gathered them and arranged them and gave them chapters in books, so as to make it easier for the Muslim to understand them and apply them, and so on and so forth.

This subject is so that the Muslims do not look upon certain proven and binding Shar’ee rules, and find it acceptable to substitute them and deviate from them, and as a consequence, neglect them and abandon abiding by them.

Accordingly, it is not allowed to replace the Shar’ee punishments with modern punishments, nor replace the Khilafah system with the republican system. Nor is it allowed to exchange the Islamic laws for the western civil laws, or substitute the method of the Messenger 􀁕 in attaining power for rational thoughts and rules, however many fatawa may be given for them.

Hence, because the hukm of establishing the Islamic State is a Shar’ee rule, so too the method of establishing it is likewise a Shar’ee rule. That means that the Shar’a has laid down detailed evidences and ordered us to adhere to them and not deviate from them, just like any other Shar’ee rules relating to the rules of the method.

If one looks at the books of Fiqh, he finds the fuqahaa of the Muslims set down fixed chapters and elaborated on the rules of ‘uqubaat (punishments), rules of Jihaad, rules of Imaarah (leadership), and other rules of the method. Only the rules of working to establish the Islamic State, were not discussed by them, since they were not in need of them.

This is because the Muslims, in all the different ages, did not require such a study because there was not a day when the Islamic State did not exist.

As for today, the efforts of the Muslims must be focused on deducing the rules of the method and adopting them. These should be from the Shar’ee evidences, and not by exchanging them for rational rules, affected by the circumstances and the people’s whims.

When the method is legitimate (by Shar’a), then adherence to the texts and emulation of the Messenger 􀁕 must appear in it. When the adherence exists, it is possible to account and advise. The ameer would then be accounted and advised, as any member of the group is accounted and advised. The matter will not be left to the mind, personal ties or life’s experiments. It is not correct to call the way of action as an experiment; rather it submits to the Shar’a alone.

The one who works to establish the Islamic State, it is natural that he asks about the Shar’ee method and its detailed evidences. He will discuss it and call for it. So what are the Shar’ee actions one needs to adhere to, in working to establishing the Islamic State?

In order to know the Shar’ee method, one must understand with precision and depth the reality in which the Muslims live today, so as to put the finger on the fundamental cause, which if treated, would make it possible to treat everything related to it. Hence the treatment would be a radical one. Once the reality has been understood, and the fundamental cause is known, then it is possible to define the Shar’ee objective we are required to realise. After this the group will be able to know the Shar’ee actions it must abide by. This is possible by referring to the period in which the Messenger 􀁕 lived, which is similar or close to this reality, in order to take the Shar’ee rules from his 􀁕 actions.