Saturday, March 17, 2012

Rallies, Demonstrations, & Protests: Have they been Foretold in Islam?

Shaykh Hamood at-Tuwayjiree refutes the claim of Shaykh Aboo Bakr al-Jazaa'iree that rallies, demonstrations, and protests have been specifically foretold in Islam by the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)

[ In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy... ]

Al-Jazaa'iree said (in his book about the foretold signs of the Day of Judgement), "Demonstrations will take the place of battles and jihaad." [2]

Furthermore, he (Aboo Bakr al-Jazaa'iree) said, "Verily the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) mentioned this quite explicitly, and spoke of it being from the signs of the Last Day... Here is at-Tabaraanee in his book al-Kabeer, with his chain of transmission, relaying the statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam): "When you see three things, then the Hour will be established." Then he clarified them, saying, "That buildings will be demolished and rebuilt without need, that battles will turn into nidaa (loud announcements), and that a person will take care of his trusts how a (hungry) camel nibbles at a tree."

Then, he (Aboo Bakr al-Jazaa'iree) mentioned in a footnote that the hadeeth was collected by al-Baghawee in his book, Mu'jam as-Sahaabah, and Ibn 'Asaakir in his book, at-Taareekh.

Then, he (Aboo Bakr al-Jazaa'iree) said, "The point of relevence from this hadeeth is the Prophet's (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) statement, "That battles will turn into nidaa (loud announcements)," The meaning of nidaa here is when the demonstrators raise their voices saying, "Long live So-and-So," or, "Down with So-and-So," or the likes. They feel that raising their voices as loudly as they can with such slogans in their demonstrations is a battle and a kind of jihaad, or perhaps even greater than a battle or jihaad. [3]

In response to this, I (Hamood at-Tuwayjiree) say: The hadeeth which al-Jazaa'iree has mentioned was collected by at-Tabaraanee with a weak chain, from the narration of 'Urwah ibn Muhammad ibn 'Atiyyah as-Sa'dee, by way of his father, who narrates from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) that he (allegedly) said, "When you see three things, then it (the Last Day) is near, it is near! That buildings will be demolished and rebuilt without need, that battles will take place with rifd (assistance), and that a person will take care of his trusts how a (hungry) camel nibbles at a tree." [4]

About this hadeeth, Al-Haythamee said, "It was collected by at-Tabaraanee, and in its chain is Yahyaa ibn 'Abdillaah al-Baabbalatee, an unreliable narrator (dha'eef)." [5]

It was also collected by al-Baghawee and Ibn 'Asaakir with the wording: "Verily from the signs of the Hour are: That buildings will be demolished and rebuilt without need, that battles will take place with fidaa (ransom), and that a person will take care of his trusts how a (hungry) camel nibbles at a tree." [6]

A handwriting mistake has lead to the word rifd (assistance) being changed into the word fidaa' (ransom) in this hadeeth. [7] Al-Jazaa'iree has built on this mistake and erred even further by reading the mistaken word fidaa as nidaa (loud announcements), with an "N" instead of an "F". I have not seen anyone else make the same error. [8]

The correct word is rifd (assistance), as found in at-Tabaraanee's narration, and quoted by al-Haythamee in his book, Majma' az-Zawaa'id. And the meaning of battles taking place with rifd is that assistance will be sought by hired fighters and by offering them incentives. This has been specifically mentioned in a hadeeth collected by Ibn Mandah, by way of 'Abdur-Razzaaq's narration [9] from Ma'mar, who narrated from Katheer ibn 'Ataa' al-Janadee, who said that 'Abdullaah ibn Zubayb al-Janadee said that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:

"O 'Ubaadah ibn as-Saamit! O Abal-Waleed! When you see charities being kept hidden, fighters being hired for battles, people taking care of their trusts how a (hungry) camel nibbles at a tree, and the demolition and rebuilding of buildings without need, then you and the Hour will be like these two."

Then he held up his index finger along with his middle finger. This narration was mentioned by al-Haafith Ibn Hajr in his book, al-Isaabah [10], in the biography of 'Abdullaah ibn Zubayb al-Janadee.

However, the proclomations of the ignorant people in their demostrations and their shouting, "Long live So-and-So," or, "Down with So-and-So," is not something that intelligent people do, let alone a kind of jihaad. It is merely a manifestation of ignorance, foolishness, and chaos.

Had only al-Jazaa'iree mentioned the advent of demonstrations in the last days as something foretold in a general way by the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) when he spoke about the spread of ignorance, it would have been more appropriate.


FOOTNOTES

[1] Translator: From the book Tanbeehaat 'alaa Risaalatayn lish-Shaykh Abee Bakr al-Jazaa'iree (p.36-39) of Shaykh Hamood at-Tuwayjiree (may Allaah have Mercy on him). The title of this article is from the translator: Moosaa Richardson.

[2] al-Luqataat fee Ba'dh Maa Thahar lis-Saa'ah min 'Alaamaat (p.54)

[3] al-Luqataat fee Ba'dh Maa Thahar lis-Saa'ah min 'Alaamaat (p.55-56)

[4] al-Mu'jam al-Kabeer (19/243)

[5] Translator: Majma' az-Zawaa'id (7/330)

[6] As found in Kanz al-'Ummaal (17/186)

[7] Translator: The words rafd and fidaa' look very similar in Arabic writing.

[8] Translator: Refer to: Silsilatul-Ahaadeethidh-Dha'eefah (3436), where Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have Mercy on him) also mentioned the hadeeth with the word nidaa and ruled that the hadeeth is unauthentic.

[9] Translator: al-Musannaf (9464), without mention of Ma'mar in the chain.

[10] Translator: al-Isaabah (p.1492 of the Daar al-Ma'rifah printing); Ibn Hajr concluded that 'Abdullaah ibn Zubayb was not a Companion, and thus the chain of narration is broken. However, its meaning is supported by the other weak narration mentioned previously from al-Mu'jam al-Kabeer, and thus it may be considered hasan lighayrihi, and thus acceptable, excluding the mention of the hiding of charities, and Allaah knows best.

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