Dhamira ya Uislamu iliyoanzia Makka na kustawi Madina ilikuwa na kila kitu kilichohitajika ili ikue na kuwa dhamira ya kimataifa. Qur'ani ilieleza wazi kwamba Muhammad ﷺ alikuwa Mtume si kwa Waarabu peke yao, bali kwa wanadamu wote.28 Pia ilieleza kwamba miongoni mwa malengo ya dhamira hii ni kuzishinda dini na mifumo mingine. Kwa msingi, iliweka misingi ya kueneza Uislamu na kupanua dola yake. Kwa hakika, wakati Mtume ﷺ alipoaga dunia, majeshi ya dola ya Kiislamu yalikuwa mpakani mwa himaya ya Kirumi na ya Kiajemi.

The mission of Islam which began in Mecca and flourished in Medina had all what it takes to grow into a global one. The Quran explicitly stated that Mohammad was a messenger not only for the Arabs but for all mankind.28 It also stated that one of the objectives of this mission is to take over other religions and systems. In essence it laid down the foundation for the spread of Islam and the expansion of its state. Indeed, the moment the Prophet (PBUH) departed this world, the armies of the Islamic state were on the borders of both the Roman and the Persian empires.

Chini ya karne moja tangu kuanzishwa kwa dola ya Kiislamu huko Madina, Uislamu ulikuwa umeenea kutoka Uhispania (Andalusia) hadi Sumatra. Meli za Waislamu zilitawala Bahari ya Mediterania na Bahari ya Hindi. Wakati wa upanuzi wake, upinzani mdogo sana ulitoka kwa majeshi ya Warumi wa Byzantine au ya Waajemi. Himaya zote mbili zilikuwa zimeteseka kutokana na machafuko ya ndani, rushwa, na kushuka kwa ari ya jeshi. Uislamu uliwapa mataifa yaliyoshindwa hivi karibuni dini yenye itikadi ya kimantiki na rahisi, pamoja na mfumo unaojulikana kwa haki na usawa. Watu wengi waliupendelea Utauhidi, na walichukia utatu wa Byzantine pamoja na uwili wa Waajemi. Uislamu ulikuwa kwa kupenda kwao zaidi, na sio tu walisilimu, bali pia walisaidia kuueneza zaidi.

Less than one hundred years after the creation of the Islamic state in Medina, Islam had spread from Spain (Andalusia) to Sumatra. The Muslim ships dominated the Mediterranean Sea and the India Ocean. During its expansion, very little resistance came from either the Roman Byzantine or the Persian troops. Both empires have suffered from internal chaos, corruption, and decline of morale. Islam provided to the newly conquered nations a religion with rational and simple creed as well as a system characterized with justice and fairness. Many people favored monotheism and found the Byzantine trinity and Persian dualism distasteful. Islam was more to their liking, and they not only converted to Islam, but helped to spread it further.

Uislamu uliondoa sehemu kubwa ya mzigo wa kifedha na kodi zilizowekwa juu ya watu wa nchi zilizoshindwa. Uliondoa mipaka kati ya mataifa na kuyatendea mataifa na watu wote kwa kipimo kilekile. Hakukuwepo ubaguzi wa kitaifa wala wa kikabila. Waislamu walitekeleza kwa ukamilifu kanuni iliyotangazwa na Qur'ani: "Heshima hupimwa kwa uchamungu, si kwa utaifa."29 Lynn Nylson katika Medieval History,30 anasema kwamba "Waislamu walifuata uvumilivu wa kidini, na mafundisho ya kijamii na kiuchumi ya Uislamu yalikuwa ya kibinadamu zaidi kuliko yale ya watu wengine wa zama hizo." Anahitimisha kwamba Qur'ani iliwapa watu wa himaya ya Kirumi na ya Kiajemi seti moja ya sheria na maadili ya pamoja.

Islam removed much of the financial burden and taxation which was imposed upon the people of the conqured lands. It removed the boundaries between nations and treated all nations and peoples by the same standard. There was no national or ethnic supremacy. The Muslims practiced to the fullest extent the principle declared by the Quran: “Honor is measured by piety rather than by national identity.”29 Lynn Nylson in Medieval History,30 says that “Muslims practiced religious toleration, and the social and economic doctrines of Islam were far more humane than those of the other peoples of the time.” She concludes that the Quran gave the peoples of the Roman and Persian empires a common set of laws and values.

Pamoja na kuenea kwa Uislamu na kupanuka kwa dola yake, ustaarabu mpya uliibuka. Ustaarabu huu ulibadilisha mfumo wa kinadharia uliojengwa kwa muda mrefu kuwa mfumo wa kivitendo. Uliweza kuwageuza Waarabu wahamaji na wapiganaji kuwa kundi la watu waliostaarabika, wenye uwezo wa kusimamia mambo ya wengine kwa malipo pekee ya radhi za Allah Mtukufu. Ustaarabu huo ulijenga taswira mpya ya watawala wa nchi: hawakuwa juu ya sheria wala juu ya watu. Inasimuliwa kwamba mjumbe wa mfalme wa Kiajemi alipokuja Madina akimtafuta khalifa Omar bin Al-Khattab, alishangazwa kumkuta amelala usingizi chini ya mti. Hakuona ikulu kama ya mfalme wake wala walinzi kama alivyozoea. Maneno yake yalieleza kwa ufasaha sifa za viongozi wa ustaarabu mpya: “Tawala kwa haki, nawe pumzika kwa amani.”31

Together with the spread of Islam and the expansion of its state, a new civilization emerged. This civilization translated the theoretical model which was constructed over an extended period of time into a practical one. It was able to transform nomad warrior Arabs into a civilized group of people capable of looking after the affairs of others in return only for the pleasure of the Almighty Allah. The civilization created a new imagery of the rulers of the land: never above the law or above the people. It is reported that when an envoy of the Persian king came to Medina looking for the caliph Omar Bin Al-Khattab, he was astonished to find him lying asleep under a tree. He did not find a palace like that of his own king or guards like those he was used to. His comments elegantly characterized the traits of the leaders of the new civilization: “Rule with justice and rest with a sense of security.”31

Upanuzi wa haraka na laini wa Uislamu ulirekodiwa katika kitabu *World Civilization: The Global Experience*, 32 ambamo waandishi wanasema,

The rapid and smooth expansion of Islam was documented in the book World Civilization: The Global Experience, 32 in which the authors state,

Katika karne ya saba ya Kiwarabu ya Kawaida (C.E.), wafuasi Waarabu wa Muhammad ﷺ walienea kutoka Rasi ya Arabia na kuunda ustaarabu wa kwanza wa kimataifa.

In the seventh century C.E. the Arab followers of Muhammad surged from the Arabian Peninsula to create the first global civilization.

Waliuteka haraka dola iliyojumuisha vipengele vya ustaarabu wa kale wa Ugiriki, Misri na Uajemi. Wafanyabiashara wa Kiislamu, wanamafumbo

They quickly conquered an empire incorporating elements of the classical civilizations of Greece, Egypt, and Persia. Islamic merchants, mystics,

na wapiganaji waliendelea kupanua himaya yao barani Ulaya, Asia, na Afrika. Mchakato huo uliunganisha vituo vya ustaarabu kwa ajili ya kubadilishana mawazo na bidhaa, na ukaunda ustaarabu wa kweli wa kimataifa.

and warriors continued its expansion in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The process provided links for exchange among civilized centers and forged a truly global civilization.

Kama mtaalamu wa teknolojia mwenyewe, nilivutiwa zaidi na maoni ya aliyekuwa Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Hewlett Packard (HP) katika hotuba aliyotoa kwenye kongamano lililofanyika chini ya kaulimbiu “Teknolojia, Biashara na Mtindo Wetu wa Maisha: Nini Kitakachofuata.” Alibainisha kwamba ustaarabu wa Kiislamu, ambao ulitawala dunia kwa zaidi ya miaka mia nane, ulikuwa ustaarabu uliochochewa na uvumbuzi. Jeshi la Kiislamu liliruhusu kiwango cha amani na ustawi ambacho “hakijawahi kujulikana.” Kwa kutambua mchango wa ustaarabu wa Kiislamu, anasema teknolojia ya leo “isingekuwepo bila michango ya wanahisabati wa Kiarabu.” Kwa upande wa falsafa, wanafalsafa Waislamu kama Rumi “walipinga mawazo yetu kuhusu nafsi na ukweli.” Katika nyanja ya uvumilivu na kanuni za kiraia, viongozi kama Suleiman “walichangia mawazo yetu kuhusu uvumilivu na uongozi wa kiraia.” Kinachofanya maoni ya Fiorina yatofautike na kuwa ya kipekee ni kwamba yalitolewa wiki mbili baada ya vitendo vya ugaidi vya tarehe 11 Septemba, ambavyo vilisababisha Uislamu kuchunguzwa bila haki kwa madai ya ugaidi na tabia za kikatili.

Being a technologist myself, I found most intriguing the comments of former CEO of Hewlett Packard (HP) in a speech delivered to a conference held under the theme “Technology, Business and Our Way of Life: What Is Next.”33 She noted that the Islamic civilization which dominated the world for more than eight hundred years was one driven by invention. The Islamic military allowed a degree of peace and prosperity that “had never been known.” In recognition of the Islamic civilization contribution, she notes that today’s technology “would not exist without the contributions of Arab mathematicians.” On the philosophical front, Muslim philosophers like Rumi “challenged our notions of self and truth.” In the domain of tolerance and civic code, leaders like Suleiman “contributed to our notions of tolerance and civic leadership.” What makes Fiorina’s observations distinct and unique is that they came two weeks after the 9/11 acts of terrorism which rendered Islam unjustly scrutinized for notions of terrorism and savage behavior.

Kwa upande wa kiuchumi, ustaarabu wa Kiislamu ulitofautishwa na ustawi katika ngazi ya jamii na kuondolewa kwa umaskini katika ngazi ya mtu binafsi. Ira Marvin Lapidus anabainisha katika kitabu chake *The History of Islamic Society* kwamba ustaarabu wa Afrika Kaskazini na Uhispania ulichochewa na "ustawi wa ajabu wa kiuchumi."34 Wanahistoria kama Ibn Katheer na Al-Tabari wanaripoti kwamba ndani ya miaka sitini ya kwanza ya kuibuka kwake, Uislamu ulifanikiwa kuondoa umaskini katika ngazi zote. Taasisi kuu ya hisani katika Uislamu, Zakah, ilishuhudia ziada chanya ya fedha, kiasi cha kwamba wapokeaji wa aina hii ya msaada karibu wakatoweka kutokana na ustawi na utulivu wa kifedha.

On the economic side, the Islamic civilization was characterized by prosperity at the societal level and poverty elimination at the individual level. Ira Marvin Lapidus notes in her book The History of Islamic Society that the civilization in North Africa and Spain was fostered by “extraordinary economic prosperity.”34 Historians like Ibn Katheer and Al-Tabari report that within the first sixty years of its rise, Islam managed to remove poverty at all levels. The main charity institution in Islam, Zakah, experienced a positive overflow of money when recipients of this form of charity virtually disappeared due to prosperity and financial stability.

Wanahistoria, wanasiasa, waandishi, na wakosoaji wanakubaliana kwamba Uislamu ulienea na kupanuka kwa kasi ya kustaajabisha. Wanaelezea vipengele mbalimbali vya ustaarabu huo, na baadhi yao wametoa aina fulani ya maelezo kwa jambo hilo. Noah Feldman, katika kitabu chake The Fall and the Rise of Islamic State, alihusisha kuinuka na kuenea kwa dola ya kwanza ya Kiislamu na utekelezaji wa Shari’ah (kanuni ya sheria ya Kiislamu), pamoja na utaratibu wa kudhibiti na kusawazisha madaraka unaoendeshwa na wanazuoni waliojitangaza wenyewe. Mwanahistoria wa Kifaransa Lamartine alilihusisha jambo hilo na kasi ya msukumo wa 35

Historians, politicians, writers, and critiques agree that Islam spread and expanded at a breathtaking speed. They describe different aspects of the civilization and some have provided some sort of explanation for that phenomenon. Noah Feldman in his book The Fall and the Rise of Islamic State attributed the rise and spread of the first Islamic state to the implementation of the Shari’ah (the Islamic legal code) coupled with a check-and-balance mechanism maintained by self-proclaimed scholars. French historian Lamartine attributed the phenomenon to a momentum 35

yaliyotokana na tabia ya ajabu ya Mtume Muhammad ﷺ. Mambo kama haya pia yalisemwa na Sir Bernard Shaw.

generated by the extraordinary character of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Similar observations were made by Sir Bernard Shaw.

Ni kweli kwamba haiba na tabia ya Muhammad ﷺ zilikuwa na athari kubwa katika kuibuka na kuenea kwa Uislamu. Lakini kwa athari hiyo kudumu kwa karne nyingi zijazo kunahitaji mjadala wa kina zaidi. Vivyo hivyo, utekelezaji wa kanuni za Uislamu katika mfumo wa Sharia ulikuwa na mchango mkubwa katika kudumu kwa dola ya Kiislamu na ustaarabu wake. Lakini kwa Sharia hiyo kubaki na umuhimu kwa kipindi kirefu namna hiyo kunahitaji uchambuzi zaidi.

It is true that the personality and character of Mohammad had a great impact on the rise and spread of Islam. But for that impact to last many centuries ahead requires more elaborate discussion. Similarly, the implementation of the rules of Islam in the form of Shari’ah was instrumental to the sustainability of the Islamic state and civilization. But for that Shari’ah to remain relevant for such a long period of time requires more analysis.

Uongozi na mbinu zilizotolewa na Mtume Muhammad ﷺ zilibaki kuwa na umuhimu na athari kwa sababu moja rahisi. Muhammad ﷺ alionekana na Waislamu kuwa ni mtu anayepokea wahyi kutoka kwa Allah. Imani kwamba Muhammad ﷺ ni mjumbe kutoka kwa Allah ilikuwa sawa na imani kwamba Allah ni Mungu. Kwa hiyo, Waislamu walipoanza kuandika maisha ya Muhammad ﷺ, walijua kwamba wanakusanya chanzo kingine cha wahyi pamoja na Qur'ani. Si jambo la bahati mbaya kwamba Waislamu wa mwanzo walibuni mbinu mpya kabisa ya kukusanya kauli, matendo na tabia ya Mtume ﷺ.

The leadership and methodology provided by Prophet Mohammad remained relevant and influential for one simple reason. Mohammad was perceived by Muslims as one who receives revelation from Allah. The belief in Mohammad as a messenger from Allah was tantamount to the belief in Allah as a god. So when the Muslims set out to document Mohammad’s life, they knew that they were compiling another source for the revelation in addition to the Quran. It is not a coincidence that early Muslims formulated a whole new methodology for compiling the statements, the actions, and behavior of the Prophet (PBUH).

Wanachuoni wa Kiislamu walibuni kile ambacho kwa kiasi kikubwa ni hifadhidata ya maarifa ya kuwatambulisha watu, ambamo walikusanya kila maelezo yanayowezekana kuhusu kila mmoja aliyekuwa na mawasiliano ya moja kwa moja au ya kiasi kwa Mtume ﷺ. Hili lilionekana kuwa la lazima ili kuthibitisha kila kipande kilichonasibishwa kwa Mtume ﷺ. Katika mchakato huo, wanachuoni wa Kiislamu kama Bukhari, Muslim, Nisa'i, Tirmidhi na Abu Dawoud waliweza kuchuja maelfu ya riwaya zilizonasibishwa kwa uongo kwa Mtume Muhammad ﷺ (rehema na amani za Mwenyezi Mungu ziwe juu yake). Kwa Waislamu, maisha na mafundisho ya Mtume Muhammad ﷺ ni sehemu ya itikadi. Qur'an imethibitisha ukweli huu katika sehemu kadhaa. Katika sehemu moja, imeunganisha moja kwa moja kumpenda Mwenyezi Mungu na kumfuata Muhammad ﷺ.36 Katika sehemu nyingine, Qur'an inawaamuru Waislamu kuchukua na kukubali kila kitu alichokileta Mtume wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ kwao.37

Muslim scholars invented what amounts to a profiling knowledge database in which they collected all possible details about each and every one who has been in direct or indirect contact with the Prophet. This was deemed necessary to authenticate any piece that was attributed to the Prophet. In the process, the Muslim scholars like Bukhari, Muslim, Nisa’i, Tirmidhi, and Abu Dawoud managed to filter out thousands of references falsely attributed to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). To the Muslims, the life and products of Prophet Mohammad were part of the creed. The Quran confirmed this fact in several places. In one location, it made a direct link between loving Allah and following Mohammad.36 In another place, the Quran asked the Muslims to take and accept everything that the Messenger of Allah provided to them.37

Katika kufuatilia kuenea kwa utume wake, Mtume Muhammad ﷺ alichukua mikakati, mbinu na mipango ambayo ni ya kuonekana na ya vitendo. Hakuwahi kutegemea nguvu za kishirikina au za kimiujiza katika kupanga au kutekeleza mipango hiyo. Wakati alipohubiri kwamba ushindi hatimaye hutolewa na Mwenyezi Mungu, alisisitiza kwamba maandalizi yote na tahadhari zote zinapaswa kufanywa na watu wenyewe. Kwa maneno mengine, alifanya wazi kwamba mafanikio au kushindwa kwa utume kunategemea kiwango cha kujitolea, kujikita na kujitoa mhanga kwa watu wanaoubeba utume huo. Ukweli kwamba mawazo, dhana, kanuni, sheria na thamani ni za haki, za usawa na za juu kabisa haitoshi kwa ujumbe wa Uislamu kuinuka na kustawi. Uwepo wa kundi la watu wanaoamini mawazo hayo na mifumo yake ni muhimu kama vile usahihi wa mawazo yenyewe.

In pursuing the prevalence of his mission, Prophet Mohammad assumed strategies, tactics, and plans which are both tangible and practical. He never relied on superstitious or supernatural forces in sketching or implementing the plans. At the time when he preached that victory is ultimately provided by god, he insisted that all preparations and precautions need to be carried out by the people. In other words, he made it clear that the success or failure of the mission depends on the degree of commitment, devotion, and sacrifice of the people who carry the mission. The fact that the ideas, concepts, rules, regulations, and values are just, fair, and supreme do not suffice for the message of Islam to rise and prosper. The existence of a group of people who believe in the ideas and its systems is as essential as the correctness of the ideas themselves.

Qur'ani ilibainisha kwa makini mpaka kati ya haiba ya Mtume na wahyi wa Mwenyezi Mungu. Msisitizo ulikuwa katika wahyi wa Mwenyezi Mungu. Katika sehemu nyingi, Qur'ani ilimwonya Mtume ﷺ mwenyewe kuzingatia kwa uangalifu mkubwa kanuni iliyofunuliwa.38 Katika Surat Al-Maidah (sura ya 5, aya ya 49), Qur'ani inatoa kizuizi kifuatacho: “Basi wahukumu (ee Muhammad) baina yao kwa yale aliyoteremsha Mwenyezi Mungu, wala usifuate matamanio yao, bali jihadhari nao usije wakakupotosha mbali na baadhi ya yale aliyokuteremshia Mwenyezi Mungu.” Hoja ni kwamba itikadi ya Kiislamu haikuacha shaka kwamba Mtume ﷺ alikuwa mtu tu anayepokea wahyi kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu, na kwamba Waislamu watakuwa wanamwabudu Mungu pekee pale tu watakapomfuata Mjumbe ﷺ. Kwa hiyo, mradi itikadi hii inaendelea kuishi katika akili na nyoyo za waumini, athari ya Mtume Muhammad ﷺ nayo inaendelea kuishi na kuwa hai.

The Quran carefully drew the line between the personality of the Prophet and the divine revelation. The emphasis was on the divine revelation. In numerous locations, the Quran warned the Prophet himself to keep a strict observation of the revealed code.38 In Surah Al-Maidah (chapter 5, verse 49), the Quran makes the following restriction “And so judge ( O Muhammad) among them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they turn you far away from some of that which Allah has sent down to you.” The point is that the Islamic creed left no doubt that the Prophet was but a man who receives revelation from Allah, and that the Muslims will only be worshiping god when they follow the Messenger. Then as long as the creed remains alive in the minds and hearts of the believers, the impact of Prophet Mohammad remains alive and active.

Vivyo hivyo hivyo, Qur'ani ilipoteremsha kanuni ya mwenendo, ilifanya hivyo sambamba na imani yenyewe. Qur'ani haikuwaomba waumini tu kutenda tendo jema au kujizuia na tendo baya. Badala yake, ilisisitiza uhusiano kati ya tendo hilo na chanzo cha kimungu kilicho nyuma ya amri ya tendo hilo. Kwa mfano, Qur'ani ilipoteremsha hukumu ya kukataza kinywaji cha kulevya, iliifunga hukumu hiyo ndani ya seti ya maadili mengine makuu. Katika Suratul Maidah (sura ya 5, aya ya 90) inasema: "Enyi mlioamini! Hakika vileo (aina zote za vinywaji vya kulevya), na kamari, na Al-Ansâb, na Al-Azlâm (aina za bahati nasibu) ni uchafu katika kazi ya Shaitani. Basi jiepusheni nayo (kikamilifu) ili mpate kufaulu." Angalia jinsi aya inavyoanza kwa wito "Enyi mlioamini!", ikiwakumbusha wasikilizaji imani yao, jambo muhimu kwa kutii amri hiyo. Kisha inaunganisha vitendo vilivyokatazwa, kama vile vileo, na vitendo vya shetani (Shaitani). Aya hii ilipoteremka, Waislamu walimwaga divai yote waliyokuwa wameihifadhi hapo awali, kiasi kwamba mitaa ya Madina ilijaa divai.

By the same token, when the Quran revealed code of conduct, it did so in conjunction with the creed itself. The Quran did not simply ask the believers to do a good deed or to refrain from doing an evil deed. Rather it emphasized the link between the action and the divine source that stands behind the command of the action. For example, when the Quran revealed a rule regarding the prohibition of alcoholic drink, it wrapped the rule within a set of other supreme values. In Surah Al-Maidah (chapter 5, verse 90) it says, “O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al-Ansâb, and Al-Azlâm (forms of lottery) are an abomination of Shaitân’s (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.” Note how the verse begins with an address “O you who believe!” reminding the audience of their belief, which is important for their compliance with the command. Then it links the prohibited acts, e.g., alcoholic drinks, to the acts of the devil (Shaitan). When this verse was revealed, the Muslims dumped all the wine they had previously stored to the extent that the streets of Medina were flooded with wine.

Qur'ani ilipowaomba waumini watoe fedha kwa wale wenye mahitaji, ilifanya hivyo kwa mtindo unaohimiza ukarimu na moyo wa kutoa kwa wingi. Katika Surat Al-Baqara (sura ya 2, aya ya 245), Qur'ani inawahamasisha waumini kuwakopesha ndugu zao fedha zao, ikisema kwamba kitendo hicho ni sawa na kumkopesha Allah.39 Katika sehemu nyingine, Qur'ani inarudia ukweli kwamba Allah anawaomba waumini watumie mali waliyopewa na Allah. Wazo hili liko wazi zaidi katika Surat Al-Hadeed (sura ya 29, aya ya 7), inayosema: "Mwaminini Allah na Mtume wake, na tumieni katika kile alichokufanyeni wakala wake. Na wale kati yenu walioamini na kutumia (katika njia ya Allah), watapata malipo makubwa." Mtindo huu unaendelea kuwa thabiti katika Qur'ani yote, iwe sheria zinahusu mali, biashara, tabia za chakula, ndoa, talaka, vita, amani, mahusiano ya kifamilia, maadili, au suala lolote jingine.

When the Quran requested of the believers to give money to those who are in need, it did so in a style conducive to generosity and munificence. In Surah Al-Baqara (chapter 2, verse 245), the Quran motivates the believers to lend their money to their fellow men saying that this act is equivalent to giving Allah a loan.39 In other places it repeats the fact that Allah requests the believers to expend the wealth that has been provided to them by Allah. This notion is most clear in Surah Al-Hadeed (chapter 29, verse 7), which states, “Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend of that whereof He has made you trustees. And such of you as believe and spend (in Allah’s Way), theirs will be a great reward.” This style is consistent throughout the Quran, whether the rules are related to wealth, trade, food habits, marriage, divorce, war, peace, family relations, morals, ethics, or any other issue.

Jambo ni kwamba Uislamu ulikuwa na msisitizo mkubwa wa kudumisha mamlaka ya mwisho kwa Mwenyezi Mungu Muumba, badala ya kuyapa mamlaka hayo sheria na kanuni zinazotoka kwake. Kufuata sheria na maadili ya mwenendo hatimaye ni ushahidi wa uaminifu wa imani ya mtu katika itikadi ya Uislamu. Katika Surat An-Nisaa (sura ya 4, aya ya 65), Qur'ani inathibitisha hitimisho hili: {Lakini hapana, naapa kwa Mola wako Mlezi, hawataamini mpaka wakufanye wewe (Ee Muhammad ﷺ) kuwa hakimu katika mambo yote wanayogombana, kisha wasiwe na upinzani wowote moyoni mwao juu ya hukumu zako, na wayakubali kwa unyenyekevu kamili.} Hili linaleta tena ukweli kwamba Mtume Muhammad ﷺ alitumia zaidi ya asilimia 65 ya maisha yake kama Nabii akijenga na kuimarisha itikadi kama msingi wa imani na itikadi.

The point is that Islam was very keen about maintaining the ultimate sovereignty to Allah the creator rather than to the laws and regulations that come from him. The adherence to the laws and code of conduct is eventually a proof for the sincerity of one’s belief in the creed of Islam. In Surah Al-Nisa’a (chapter 4, verse 65), the Quran confirms this conclusion: “But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) rule in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” This brings back into play the fact that Prophet Mohammad spent more than 65% of his life span as a prophet building and strengthening the creed as a foundation of faith and the ideology.

Kuenea kwa Uislamu, upanuzi wa dola ya Kiislamu, na kutawala kwa ustaarabu wake kulikuwa matokeo ya asili ya kushikamana na kujitolea kwa jamii ya Waislamu kwa ujumla (Ummah wa Kiislamu) kwa misingi ya kifikra ya imani. Kile alichokiona Noah Feldman kupitia utafiti na uchambuzi wake ni udhihirisho wa kuzingatia huku kwa imani kupitia utekelezaji wa Shari'ah. Jukumu la wanazuoni lilikuwa ni kudumisha tu viungo kati ya kanuni ya Shari'ah yenyewe na chanzo cha kanuni hiyo, yaani Allah Mtukufu. Watu walipoomba maoni ya Kiislamu kuhusu suala lolote, wanazuoni (ulama) hawakutoa tu maoni ya kidhahania ya Kiislamu kuhusu suala hilo mahususi (kwa mfano, yanaruhusiwa, ni wajibu, yanapendekezwa, yamekatazwa, au yanakatishwa tamaa). Badala yake, walitoa hukumu hiyo kutokana na matini zilizopo katika Qur'ani au Sunnah (kauli na vitendo vya Nabii ﷺ). Walipitisha hukumu hiyo pamoja na dalili zilizotumika kuitoa. Kwa njia hii, waliwaweka wasikilizaji wameunganishwa na wahyi wa Mwenyezi Mungu, ambao unaipa hukumu nguvu na kuwapa wasikilizaji sababu ya kuifuata hukumu hiyo.

The spread of Islam, the expansion of the Islamic state, and the dominance of its civilization were a natural consequence of the adherence and devotion of the Muslim community at large (the Muslim Ummah) to the intellectual foundations of the faith. What Noah Feldman observed through his research and analysis is the manifestation of this observance to the creed through the implementation of the Shari’ah. The role of the scholars was merely to sustain the links between the code of Shari’ah itself and the source of the code, i.e., Allah the supreme. When people requested an Islamic opinion on any issue, the scholars (ulama) did not simply provide an abstract Islamic opinion on the particular issue (e.g., allowed, obligated, recommended, banned, or discouraged). Rather, they would derive the rule from given texts in the Quran or the Sunnah (Prophet’s statements and acts). They would pass on the rule together with the evidences used to derive that rule. This way, they kept the audience connected to the divine revelation which gives power to the rule and provides the audience with the reason to adhere to the rule.

Mazoezi haya yameandikwa kwa kina katika kazi za maulamaa mashuhuri ambao madhehebu makuu yalipangwa kuzunguka majina yao. Vitabu maarufu vya wanazuoni wakubwa Abu Hanifah, Ja'afar, Al-Shafi'i, Ahmad Bin Hanbal, na Malik Bin Anas ni ushahidi bora kabisa wa jambo hili. Ndani ya kila madhehebu, vitabu mia kadhaa viliandikwa. Kila kimoja cha vitabu hivi kinatoa mkusanyiko wa hukumu pamoja na matini zote husika kutoka Qur'ani na Sunnah, pamoja na mantiki iliyotumika kuzitoa hukumu hizo kutoka kwenye matini hizo.

This practice was thoroughly documented in the literature of the prominent scholars around whom the main schools of thought were organized. The famous books of the major scholars Abu Hanifah, Ja’afar, Al-Shafi’i, Ahmad Bin Hanbal, and Malik Bin Anas provide an outstanding proof to this effect. Within each school hundreds of books were composed. Each and every one of these books provides a collection of rules with all relevant texts from the Quran and Sunnah and the logic used to derive the rules from these texts.

Dola ya khilafah iliyoanzishwa na Mtume Muhammad ﷺ mwaka 623 ilisimama kabisa tarehe 3 Machi 1924. Baada ya miaka elfu moja mia tatu ya kukua, kupanuka na kutawala, Uislamu ulipoteza chombo kilichohusika na utekelezaji wake katika maisha ya kiuchumi, kisiasa na kijamii ya watu. Uamuzi wa kukomesha dola ya khilafah ulichukuliwa na Bunge la Taifa mjini Istanbul chini ya uongozi wa Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Kukomeshwa kwa dola hiyo halikuwa mwanzo wa kudorora; kwa kweli kulikuwa matokeo ya mchakato mrefu wa kudorora ambao ulianza katika hatua ya mapema zaidi katika historia.

The state of khilafah established by Prophet Mohammad in the year 623 came to a complete halt on March 3, 1924. After thirteen hundred years of growth, expansion, and dominance, Islam lost the instrument responsible for its realization in the economic, political, and social lives of people. The decision to abolish the state of khilafah was taken by the National Assembly in Istanbul under the direction of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The termination of the state was not the beginning of the decline; in fact it was a result of a long process of decline which began at a much earlier stage in history.

Noah Feldman, katika kitabu chake The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State, anahusisha kuporomoka huko na kupungua kwa nafasi ya wanazuoni katika kudumisha udhibiti juu ya wajibu wa watawala wa kutekeleza Shari'ah ya Kiislamu. Mchakato huu ulianza zaidi ya miaka mia moja kabla ya kuanguka kwa mwisho kutokea. Hakuna shaka kwamba nafasi ya wanazuoni ni ya msingi kwa uendelevu wa Shari'ah. Hata hivyo, wajibu wao ni kuendelea kuhuisha nguvu ya imani katika akili na nyoyo za watu pamoja na watawala. Kanuni za dola zilipokusanywa na kuandikwa katika kitabu kiitwacho Majillah, zilitolewa kama kanuni dhahania zilizotengwa na chanzo cha kimungu kilichozipa nguvu hapo awali. Kanuni hizo zilitokana kwa usahihi na vyanzo vya Kiislamu. Hakuna aliyeweza kupinga uhalali wake kwa mtazamo wa Kiislamu. Kutokana na kutengana kati ya kanuni za Shari'ah na msimbo wa kimungu nyuma ya kanuni hizi, umma karibu ulipoteza uhusiano wa imani yao na mambo ya maisha yao ya kila siku, isipokuwa labda ibada za kila siku. Uamuzi wa kufuta Khilafah ulipotolewa mwaka 1924, umma kwa ujumla haukuhisi kwamba msingi wa Uislamu wao na msingi wa imani yao unang'olewa.

Noah Feldman, in his book The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State, attributes the decline to the diminishing role of the scholars in maintaining a check against the rulers’ obligations to implement the Shari’ah of Islam. This process began more than one hundred years before the final collapse took place. There is no doubt that the role of the scholars is instrumental to the sustainability of the Shari’ah. Their role, however, is to continuously rejuvenate the energy of the creed in the minds and hearts of the people and the rulers alike. When the rules of the state were compiled and coded in a book called the Majillah, they were given as abstract rules stripped off the divine source that gave them power in the first place. The rules were correctly derived from Islamic sources. No one could argue against their legitimacy from an Islamic perspective. Due to the separation between the rules of the Shari’ah and the divine code behind these rules, the public almost lost the connection of their creed to their daily life affairs, except maybe for the daily rituals. When the decision to abort the khilafah came in 1924, the general public did not feel that the base of their Islam and the foundation of their faith were being uprooted.

Inapaswa kusemwa mara moja kwamba kudorora kwa Uislamu na kuondolewa kwa dola yake na ustaarabu wake duniani hakukutokana na kasoro na dosari za ndani katika msingi wa Uislamu, kama ilivyokuwa kwa ujamaa na ubepari. Kinyume chake, ni kuondoka kwenye msingi wa Uislamu ndiko kulikoleta kudorora, badala ya kufuata kanuni zake. Kuzingatia kwa karibu wahyi wa Mwenyezi Mungu na kutekeleza kikamilifu amri zake na kanuni zake ndiko kulikosababisha na kuwezesha kuinuka kwa kwanza, kupanuka, na kuenea kwa Uislamu, dola yake na ustaarabu wake. Sababu na chanzo hicho hicho ndicho kinachoendesha kuinuka kwa pili leo.

It should be immediately stated that the decline of Islam and the removal of its state and civilization from the world was not due to internal faults and defects in the foundation of Islam as was the case with socialism and capitalism. On the contrary, it was the departure from the foundation of Islam which led to the decline rather than the compliance with its principles. The close observance of the divine revelation and the strict compliance of its ordinance and rules caused and facilitated the first rise, expansion, and spread of Islam, its state and civilization. It is the same cause and reason that is driving the second rise today.

Inaweza kusemwa kwamba kuongezeka kwa Uislamu leo kunasababishwa na mahitaji pamoja na amri na wajibu. Tangu kuanguka kwa dola ya Kiislamu na kuondolewa kwa Shari'ah, Waislamu katika nchi zenye wingi wa Waislamu wamepitia baadhi ya hali mbaya kabisa kuwahi kutokea. Mgawanyo wa kijiografia wa ardhi za Kiislamu unaonyesha tofauti kubwa na kutokuwa na usawa. Hili linaonekana katika muundo wa nchi ndogo zenye idadi ya watu chini ya nusu milioni lakini zenye utajiri mkubwa sana, na nchi kubwa zenye zaidi ya milioni mia moja za watu maskini sana. Kuwait, kwa mfano, ina raia wa Kuwait chini ya milioni moja pamoja na Pato la Taifa (GDP) la zaidi ya dola bilioni 140. Misri, kwa upande mwingine, ina idadi ya watu zaidi ya milioni themanini na nne na Pato la Taifa la dola bilioni 165. Tofauti hii kubwa ya utajiri imeleta hali zisizovumilika ambazo zimezua wito mkubwa wa kuunganishwa kwa ardhi za Kiislamu na kuwaunganisha Waislamu chini ya dola moja. Mwanzoni, wito wa umoja ulichochewa na Upan-uarabu. Baada ya kushindwa mara kadhaa kwa wanaharakati wa Kiarabu, wito wa kuunganisha ardhi na nchi za Kiarabu ulichukuliwa na watetezi wa Kiislamu.43

It can be argued the rise of Islam today is caused by necessity as well as ordinance and obligation. Since the collapse of the Islamic state and the removal of the Shari’ah, the Muslims in Muslim-majority countries have experienced some of the worst conditions ever. The geopolitical distribution of the Muslim lands shows a great disparity and irregularity. This is evident in the composition of small states with less than a half million population but with extremely large wealth and very large states with more than one hundred million extremely poor people. Kuwait, for example, has less than one million Kuwaiti nationals with more than $140 billion GDP. Egypt, on the other hand, has a population of more than eighty-four millions and a GDP of $165 billion. This huge disparity in wealth created unbearable conditions which have promoted serious calls for the integration of Muslim lands and the unification of Muslims under one state. Initially, the unification calls were prompted by Arab pan nationalism.42 After several setbacks experienced by Arab nationalists, the call for the integration of Arab lands and states was carried forward by Islamic advocates.43

Faharasa ya Mtazamo wa Rushwa (CPI) hupima "matumizi mabaya ya madaraka aliyokabidhiwa mtu kwa manufaa binafsi."44 Isipokuwa nchi nne, nchi za Kiarabu na Kiislamu zilipata alama chini ya 5 kwenye kipimo cha 1 hadi 10, jambo linaloonyesha kiwango kikubwa cha rushwa. Asilimia 37.5 ya nchi zote duniani zilizopata alama chini ya au sawa na 3 ni nchi za Kiarabu au za Kiislamu. Hali ya rushwa imeathiri nyanja zote za maisha katika nchi hizi, na imekuwa chanzo kikuu cha mabadiliko ya tawala na mifumo.

The corruption perception index (CPI) measures the “abuse of entrusted power for private gain.”44 Except for four states, the Arab and Muslim states scored less than 5 on a scale from 1 to 10, indicating a high level of corruption. The 37.5% of the states worldwide which had score less than or equal to 3 are either Arab or Muslim states. Corruption conditions have impacted all aspects of life in these countries and have become a driving force for regime and system changes.

Kabla ya kudorora kwake, shule na vyuo vikuu vya Kiislamu huko Andalusia, Baghdad, na Cairo vilishika nafasi ya juu duniani, na vilikuwa chimbuko la maarifa na mwangaza. Mwanahistoria wa Uingereza, Sir John Davenport, anaripoti barua aliyotuma Mfalme George wa Pili wa Uingereza kwa khalifa wa Andalusia akiomba kupokelewa kwa ujumbe kutoka Uingereza katika vyuo vikuu vya Kiislamu.45 Tangu kudorora kwa ustaarabu wa Kiislamu, vyuo vikuu vya ulimwengu wa Kiislamu vimebaki nyuma. Kielelezo cha 30 kinaonyesha viwango vya vyuo vikuu duniani kote. Kuna chuo kikuu kimoja tu cha Kiarabu ndani ya vyuo vikuu 200 bora duniani, viwili miongoni mwa vyuo 500 bora, na vinne tu miongoni mwa vyuo 1,000 bora. Kwa mujibu wa jedwali la alama za elimu ya juu lililohesabiwa, nchi zote za Kiislamu na Kiarabu ziko nyuma katika alama zao za elimu ya juu, huku Saudi Arabia, nchi tajiri kwa mafuta, ikiongoza kwa alama 38%! Katika wigo mpana wa ulimwengu wa Kiislamu, Uturuki ina chuo kikuu kimoja miongoni mwa 500 bora, na Iran ina kimoja miongoni mwa shule 1,000 bora duniani. Kutokana na takwimu hizi za kusikitisha na za kukatisha tamaa katika elimu ya juu, si ajabu kutarajia kudorora sambamba katika sekta ya viwanda, kama ilivyojadiliwa awali.

Before the decline, Islamic schools and universities in Andalusia, Baghdad, and Cairo ranked top in the world and were the source of knowledge and enlightenment. British historian Sir John Davenport reports on a letter sent by King George II of Britain to the caliph in Andalusia asking him to enroll a delegation from England into Islamic universities.45 Since the decline of the Islamic civilizations, the universities in the Islamic world have fallen behind. Figure 30 shows the ranking of universities around the world. There is only one Arab university within the top 200 universities in the world, two among the 500 top universities, and only four among the top 1,000 universities. Based on a calculated higher education scoreboard, all Muslim and Arab countries lag behind in their higher education score with Saudi Arabia, the oil-rich country leading the score with 38%! In the wider scope of the Muslim world, Turkey has one university among the top 500 and Iran has one in the top 1,000 schools in the world. Given these devastating and demoralizing figures in higher education, it is only natural to expect a parallel decline in the industrial sector as discussed earlier.

Hii ilikuwa matokeo ya kuanguka kabisa kwa mfumo wa kijiografia na kisiasa wa ulimwengu wa Kiislamu baada ya kuondolewa kwa dola ya Kiislamu na mifumo yake. Chini ya miaka ishirini baadaye (mwaka 1967), nchi hizo hizo zilipata kushindwa jingine kutoka kwa vikosi vya Israeli na kupoteza ardhi zaidi katika vita. Iwe ni katika medani ya kidiplomasia, kisiasa au kijeshi, nchi za Kiarabu na Kiislamu hazikuweza kupata mafanikio yoyote ya maana katika kutatua mgogoro wa Palestina. Matatizo mengine ya kijiografia na kisiasa yaliibuka huko Kashmir, Eritrea, Bosnia, Kosovo na Azerbaijan.

This was a result of total collapse of the geopolitical system of the Muslim world after the removal of the Islamic state and its systems. Less than twenty years later (in 1967), the same countries suffered another defeat by the Israeli forces and lost more land in the war. Whether it is in the diplomatic, political, or military fronts, the Arab and Muslim countries could not achieve any reasonable success in resolving the conflict in Palestine. Other geopolitical problems surged in Kashmir, Eritrea, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Azerbaijan.

Vita vya ndani kati ya nchi za Kiislamu, licha ya katazo kali la kupigana kati ya Waislamu, vimeteketeza maisha ya mamilioni ya watu. Miongoni mwa vilivyo vya kuogofya na kushtua zaidi ni vita kati ya Iran na Iraq, vilivyodumu karibu miaka kumi (1980-1989) na kuteketeza zaidi ya watu milioni moja kwa pande zote mbili. Yemen, Saudi Arabia na Misri zilipigana vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe vilivyokuwa vya umwagaji damu mwanzoni mwa miaka ya 1960. Pakistan na Bangladesh zilipigana vita kadhaa kabla Bangladesh haijajitenga na Pakistan. Iraq ilivamia Kuwait mwaka 1991, na matokeo ya vita hivyo yaliendelea hadi Iraq yenyewe ikawa mwathirika wa uvamizi wa Marekani. Kando ya mipaka ya Uturuki, Iraq na Iran, kumekuwa na vita kwa miongo kadhaa kati ya Wakurdi Waislamu na Waislamu kutoka Uturuki na Iraq. Hasara inayotokana na kudhoofika kwa umoja, uadilifu na usalama wa Waislamu imekuwa ya kushtua mno.

Internal wars between Muslim countries, despite the strong prohibition of fight among Muslims, have consumed millions of lives. Among the most overwhelming and shocking was the war between Iran and Iraq, which lasted for almost ten years (1980-1989) and consumed more than one million casualties on both sides. Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt fought a bloody civil war in the early 1960s. Pakistan and Bangladesh fought several wars before Bangladesh broke away from Pakistan. Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1991, and the consequences of the war ensued until Iraq itself became a victim of occupation by the USA. Along the boarders of Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, a war has been going on for decades between Muslim Kurds and Muslims from Turkey and Iraq. The toll of the decline on the unity, integrity, and security of Muslims has been more than shocking.

Wakati Mtume Muhammad (SAW) alipohamia Madina mwaka 632, alijenga dola ya Kiislamu na jamii ya Kiislamu, zenye muundo, msingi na nguzo zilizotokana na wahyi safi wa Mwenyezi Mungu. Katika Qur'ani alionywa mara kwa mara kushikamana na njia iliyonyooka kama alivyoamriwa na Mola wake. Katika Surat Ash-Shura (sura ya 42, aya ya 15), Qur'ani inamwelekeza Muhammad wito huu: “Basi waite watu kwenye dini hii ya Uislamu; na simama imara juu ya yote aliyoyaamrisha Mwenyezi Mungu kama ulivyoamrishwa; wala usifuate matamanio yao, bali sema: Nimeamini kila Kitabu alichokiteremsha Mwenyezi Mungu, na nimeamrishwa kutenda uadilifu baina yenu.” Kwa amri ya aina hii, Mtume hakuweza kujenga dola yenye mwelekeo wa kizalendo wa kibaguzi wala wa kikabila. Hakuweza kujenga jamii yenye upendeleo maalum kwa Waarabu, au kwa matajiri, au kwa watu wa tabaka la juu. Sifa pekee ya dola na jamii aliyoijenga ilikuwa ya Kiislamu. Mamlaka pekee iliyokuwepo katika dola yake ilikuwa ya Uislamu. Sifa hii iliipa dola ya mwanzo nguvu na nishati ya kutosha kudumu kwa karne nyingi. Hata pale mbegu za kuporomoka zilipoikumba dola, ilichukua mamia ya miaka kabla ya kuanguka.

When Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) migrated to Medina in the year 632, he built an Islamic state and an Islamic society, with a structure, foundation, and pillars derived from the pure divine revelation. He was warned time and again in the Quran to keep a straight path as ordered by his Lord. In Surah Al-Shura (chapter 42, verse 15), the Quran directs this call to Mohammad, “So unto this religion of Islam invite people; and stand firm on all that is ordained by Allah as you are commanded; and follow not their desires but say: I believe in whatsoever Book Allah has sent down, and I am commanded to do justice among you.” With this type of order, the Prophet could not have built a state with nationalistic or cannibalistic flavor. He could not have built a society with specific favors to Arabs, or rich men, or special elites. The only characteristic of the sate and the society he built was Islamic. The only sovereignty that existed in his state was that of Islam. This character gave that initial state enough power and energy to survive for nanny centuries. Even when the seeds of decline hit the state, it took hundreds of years before it collapsed.

Inavutia kutambua kwamba katika moja ya unabii wa Mtume Muhammad ﷺ alieleza hatua za utawala wa Kiislamu.

It is interesting to note that in one of the prophecies of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) he described the stages of the Islamic reign. He 54

Alisema kuwa hatua ya kwanza ni hatua ya utume na rehema, ambayo wanahistoria wanakubaliana kuwa ilikuwa kipindi ambacho Mtume ﷺ alikuwa mtawala, kisha ikafuatiwa na makhalifa wanne waliongozwa kwa uongofu. Kisha anaelezea hatua ya nasaba zilizotawala dola ya Kiislamu. Hatua ya tatu ni hali ya udikteta, ambapo kanuni za Uislamu zinafutwa kwa nguvu, na watawala nao wanapata nyadhifa zao kwa nguvu pia. Kisha Mtume ﷺ alieleza hatua ya mwisho ambapo Uislamu utainuka tena, na akaieleza hatua hii kuwa ni "Ukhalifa unaofuata mfano wa utume." Hayo yakisemwa, si vigumu kuona kwamba mifano ya Kiislamu iliyojitokeza katika miongo michache iliyopita ni mifano ya nusu tu ikilinganishwa na yale aliyoyaeleza Mtume ﷺ. Mfano wa kwanza wa mifano hii ulikuwa Jamhuri ya Kiislamu ya Iran. Ingawa Wairani walifanikiwa kuanzisha mapinduzi makubwa, mwishowe walijenga dola ya Kiislamu yenye sifa za kimadhehebu za Shi'a na sifa za kizalendo za Kiirani. Kanuni na sheria za kienyeji nyingi ni za Kiislamu, lakini tabia ya jumla ya jamii na dola inabaki kuwa ya kipekee kwa Iran na kwa madhehebu ya Shi'a.