\u0627\u0644\u0633\u0644\u0627\u0645 \u0639\u0644\u064a\u0643\u0645 \u0648\u0631\u062d\u0645\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647<\/p>\n
As-Sal\u0101mu `Alaykum wa Ra\u1e25matu Llahi,<\/p>\n
My discussion of current events is limited in scope to what our rich and well-preserved texts on Islamic law have to say about the legality of statements and actions in general. As Muslims, our first reaction to any statement or action should be to question what, if any guidance there is about any given matter from the Quran, the Sunnah or the verdicts of the Companions and T\u0101bi`\u012bn, may Allah be pleased with them. And once we discover that guidance, we should not abandon it for the opinions of anyone else.<\/p>\n
So when a prominent American Muslim leader decides to speak on current events and he references relatively classical texts of Islam, it is the duty of those who are able, to verify the references and scrutinize the conclusions drawn. This is due to the fact that American Muslim leaders have proven to be treacherous time and again, whether in spying on the Muslim community and aiding the prosecution of Muslims or remaining silent in the face of the oppression and slaughter of Muslims. In addition, as if these crimes are not enough, many American Muslim leaders dare to condemn other Muslims for their statements and\/or actions even if they are well within the bounds of Islamic law.<\/p>\n
And this last crime has more to do with attempts by Disbelievers to white-wash Islam and change it from within. Disbelievers rely on their allies among the Muslims to alter and corrupt Islam through adding and subtracting from the laws of Islam in their influence over curricula at Islamic universities; reinterpreting texts in a manner which benefits the enemies of Islam; and outright making false claims to those who do not have access to original texts and the Arabic language.<\/p>\n
It is for the above reasons that I have decided to check the references of one Mr. Waleed Basyouni who chose to speak on the matter of beheadings. In his treatment of the issue are the following issues: 1) selective quoting, 2) improper interpretation, 3) omission of relevant facts, 4) misdirection of readers, 5) false conclusions.<\/p>\n
This is not a refutation, rather the intention is to clarify what the classical texts cited actually state and what the author of said texts concluded. I think readers will find that it is the opposite of what Mr. Basyouni suggests.<\/p>\n
The first substantive statement from Mr. Basyouni is in the form of a question and then an assertion:<\/p>\n
“So is it true that Islam allows beheadings as we have seen from this group? It has not been narrated that the messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam ever commanded that or approved of it in all of his years of war against the disbelievers of Quraysh or any other entity whom he fought against.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The phrase ‘beheadings as we have seen from this group’ is ambiguous because it can be read two ways- 1) ‘beheadings in general, which a group carries out’ or 2) ‘beheadings as specifically carried out by a particular group’. Since Mr. Basyouni does not indicate in the rest of his writings any reference to a specific manner of beheading versus another, then I must assume that he is referring to beheadings in general with his comments.<\/p>\n
This is his first mistake, namely the allegation that the Prophet SAWS never commanded or approved of beheadings. The very book Mr. Basyouni proceeds to cite for evidence, as-Sunan al-Kubr\u0101 by al-\u2018Im\u0101m al-Bayhaq\u012b, in fact the very same chapter which Mr. Basyouni references repeatedly in his article, contains the following \u1e24ad\u012bth:<\/p>\n
On authority of \u2018Ab\u016b Na\u1e0drah: \u2018The Prophet SAWS met the enemy and said: \u201cWhoever brings a head, then it shall be incumbent upon Allah to grant him whatever he wishes\u201d. So two men brought him a head and they contested with one another [over the matter]. Then he ruled in favor of one of the two.\u2019 [as-Sunan al-Kubr\u0101 9\/223 #18354]<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
So why omit this important detail? I investigated the chain of narrators and as\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b D\u0101wud states, it is Munqa\u1e6di` or reported on authority of a\u00a0T\u0101bi`\u012b directly from the Prophet SAWS. Al-Bayhaq\u012b expresses a reluctance to reject or accept the \u1e24ad\u012bth as does \u2018Ab\u016b D\u0101wud, however the\u00a0T\u0101bi`\u012b is considered trustworthy as well as the rest of the narrators in the chain. But the fact remains that there is a narration that reports beheadings and that \u1e24ad\u012bth is found exactly where Mr. Basyouni conducted his ‘research’. Yet he fails to mention this fact when surely he could not have missed it, as the chapter is very brief.<\/p>\n
Other proof exists for the fact that the Prophet SAWS ordered beheadings, namely what is widely reported regarding `Uqbah bin \u2018Ab\u012b\u00a0Mu`ay\u1e6d during the conquest of Makkah. The Prophet SAWS ordered Al\u012b RA to kill him and the texts say that he RA: ‘Struck his neck’.<\/p>\n
Also, as I mentioned in another discussion, Ibn Taym\u012byah stated the following:<\/p>\n
“The legislated manner of killing is to strike the neck with a sword or something like it because that is the least painful way of killing, and as such is how Allah legislated killing that which it is allowed to kill whether human or beast, when possible in this manner. As the Prophet SAWS said: \u201cIndeed Allah has prescribed the most excellent way in all things- thus when you kill, then kill in a good way; when you slaughter, then slaughter in a good way- sharpen the blade and calm that which you will slaughter [\u1e62a\u1e25\u012b\u1e25 Muslim].\u201d [Fiqh of Jih\u0101d by Ibn Taym\u012byah p. 61-62]<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
Striking the neck does not always mean cutting off the head, however by and large, when ‘striking the neck’ is mentioned in connection with battles and warfare in the books of history, it means decapitation as well. There are many proofs that beheadings were commonly practiced in Islam, especially when dealing with ‘Ahl al-\u1e24arb, specifically because it is violent and harsh, just as al-Qur\u1e6dub\u012b explains in his Tafs\u012br [which will be mentioned below].<\/p>\n
The next statement of Mr. Basyouni contains some manipulation of the interpretation for effect and selective quoting as well:<\/p>\n
“Imam Al-Zuhri said, “No head was ever carried to the messenger of Allah, not even on the day of Badr. A head was once carried to Abu Bakr and he condemned that” (AlSunan AlKubra, Al-Bayhaqi)”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In dealing with the ‘condemnation’ of\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b Bakr RA, the question must be asked and answered: what is\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b Bakr RA disapproving of? The fact is that\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b Bakr RA is not disapproving of the beheading itself.<\/p>\n
The objection of\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b Bakr RA is made evident by several factors- first and foremost is the very chapter title in which the reports are mentioned. Al-Bayhaq\u012b named the chapter: ‘Transporting Heads’.<\/p>\n
And as with many narrations, there are short and long versions, with the longer versions adding more explanation. So the report of az-Zuhr\u012b is further elaborated upon in a report on authority of a Companion RA, as az-Zuhr\u012b was in fact a T\u0101bi`\u012b. In the report of the Companion, a direct witness to the reaction of\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b Bakr RA, he quotes\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b Bakr RA directly stating what his objection is:<\/p>\n
On authority of `Uqbah bin \u0100mir al-Juhan\u012b: \u2018`Amrw bin al-\u0100\u1e63 and Shura\u1e25b\u012bl bin \u1e24asanah both sent `Uqbah as a courier to \u2018Ab\u016b Bakr a\u1e63-\u1e62idd\u012bq RA with the head of Yann\u0101q by route of ash-Sh\u0101m. When it reached \u2018Ab\u016b Bakr RA, he rejected that and `Uqbah said to him: \u201cOh Caliph of the Messenger of Allah SAWS, they do that [as well]\u201d.\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b Bakr RA said: \u201cAre the traditions of Persia and Rome taken as a Sunnah? Do not carry heads to me, for indeed writing or reporting alone suffices\u201d.\u2019 [as-Sunan al-Kubr\u0101 9\/223 #18351]<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
In fact, an-Nawaw\u012b mentions the incident and clearly states that the objection was to the transport of the head specifically to Mad\u012bnah:<\/p>\n
“Yan\u0101q al-Bi\u1e6dr\u012bq the Disbeliever: The one mentioned in al-Muhadhdhab in the section of the Prophet\u2019s Biography, regarding the matter of the killing of captives. He was killed as a Disbeliever in ash-Sh\u0101m and his head was transported to Mad\u012bnah to \u2018Ab\u016b Bakr a\u1e63-\u1e62idd\u012bq RA. He rejected the transportation of his head and said: ‘Do you transport a cadaver to the city of the Messenger of Allah SAWS?'” [an-Nawaw\u012b, Tahdh\u012bb al-\u2018Asm\u0101\u2019 wal-Lugh\u0101t 2\/165]<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
So the reader can see that the objection is related to the head being transported. That is what\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b Bakr RA was objecting to and he says at the end of the more elaborate report: “Do not carry heads to me, for indeed writing or reporting alone suffices.” So it is clear that he is not objecting to beheadings, but rather to transporting the heads to him in Mad\u012bnah.<\/p>\n
Mr. Basyouni omits from the quote of az-Zuhr\u012b the end where he says:<\/p>\n
“And the first to have heads carried to him was `Abd Allah bin az-Zubayr RA.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
Isn’t this something relevant? Ibn az-Zubayr RA was also a Companion and he lived during the time of Companions. Certainly his allowing this to be done is relevant. Why omit the end of the report of az-Zuhr\u012b? Is it because the approval of Ibn az-Zubayr RA would complicate the false narrative and conclusions that Mr. Basyouni is positing? Let us hope that it was simply a gross error on Mr. Basyouni’s part.<\/p>\n
So this matter of concealing the real reason for\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b Bakr’s disapproval and Ibn az-Zubayr’s approval is either deceptive or a display of ignorance. I do not believe that Mr. Basyouni is ignorant.<\/p>\n
Mr. Basyouni goes on to make claims regarding the phrase ‘strike the necks’ in the Quran:<\/p>\n
“As for using as evidence, ‘Strike their necks,’ (Surat Muhammad v. 4) the mention of the striking of the neck was due to the majority of casualties in war being caused in that fashion as Al-Qurtubi mentions in his tafsir. Also what is narrated in the seerah from some who would say, ‘Allow me to strike the neck of this hypocrite’ what they intended was permission to kill them as that is how killing was executed in that time.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This will be the second time that Mr. Basyouni is selective in his quotation of a text he wishes to use as evidence. It’s true that al-Qur\u1e6dub\u012b says that the phrase ‘strike the necks’ was used because it happened a great deal in war at the time. However, al-Qur\u1e6dub\u012b also intimates another reason why the phrase is used, and I quote:<\/p>\n
\u201c[Allah] said: {So strike the necks\u2026} and not \u2018So kill them\u2019 because of what the expression \u2018strike the necks\u2019 entails of harshness and violence that is not found in the term \u2018kill\u2019; and for what it entails of painting a picture of the killing in its ugliest form.\u201d [Tafs\u012br al-Qur\u1e6dub\u012b 16\/226]<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
Once again, the reader can plainly see that for a second time Mr. Basyouni omits what is right in front of him and it appears he does so because it does not corroborate the narrative and conclusions he wishes to draw. And what are Mr. Basyouni’s conclusions as a result of his selective quoting, omissions and deceptions:<\/p>\n
“As for beheading individuals and boasting about it, that is something that has no place in Islam.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
On the contrary, beheadings do have a place in Islam, in fact it has had a place since the time of the Companions RA and was commanded by the Prophet SAWS himself. As for the ‘boasting’ part, not a single quote he brought mentioned anything about that, and frankly it is irrelevant.<\/p>\n
In the book, the Conquest of Syria, al-W\u0101qid\u012b mentions that az-Zubayr RA ordered that the heads of the polytheists be mounted onto the tips of the spears. It shook the hearts of the Romans to see 80,000 horses with heads on the spears. He mentions how\u00a0\u2018Ab\u016b `Ubaydah orders 1,000 captives to have their necks cut while the Romans were looking on. [1\/173] Ibn al-Ath\u012br mentions many incidents similar to this as well throughout Islamic history.<\/p>\n
And if it is not bad enough that Mr. Basyouni has gravely misled readers, then he makes matters worse by moving on to condemning Muslims based on his own misunderstanding and\/or attempts at deception:<\/p>\n
“As for what these terrorist groups commit of torture and taking pleasure in that it as if mercy has been removed from their hearts, and so they are more resembling of drug cartels and thugs. Those are the ones who spread fear with these types of barbaric actions and so they are their real sources of inspiration and predecessors.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
When did beheading become ‘torture’? And since we have proven that beheadings were conducted by the Companions RA and ordered by the Prophet SAWS, then how do we prevent these insults and disparaging comments from being cast at the best of creation and his righteous successors RA? We can only hope that Mr. Basyouni is casting aspersions out of ignorance of the fact that if they hit their mark, then they fall on the Prophet SAWS, his Companions RA and those who followed them in goodness, wal-`Iy\u0101dhu bi-Llahi.<\/p>\n
Once again, ignorance and deception compounded in the speech of the leaders of American Muslims forces those of us who are capable, to verify their references to the noble texts of Islam. And once again we find that American ‘Shuy\u016bkh’ cannot help but mislead and misguide those who are gullible or deprived enough to follow them. It is incumbent upon Muslims in the US to abandon these false callers and claimants to scholarship and leadership. And after abandoning them, the next step is to learn the Arabic language, ‘In Sh\u0101’ Allah.<\/p>\n
It is through knowledge of the Arabic language that hearts and minds find freedom from dependence on callers to falsehood and deceptive leaders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u0627\u0644\u0633\u0644\u0627\u0645 \u0639\u0644\u064a\u0643\u0645 \u0648\u0631\u062d\u0645\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647 As-Sal\u0101mu `Alaykum wa Ra\u1e25matu Llahi, My discussion of current events is limited in scope to what our rich and well-preserved texts on Islamic law have to say about the legality of statements and actions in general. As Muslims, our first reaction to any statement or action should be to question what, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[103,37,1],"tags":[180,181],"class_list":["post-544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tafsir","category-tarikh","category-uncategorized","tag-beheadings","tag-islam"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hanbali.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hanbali.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hanbali.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hanbali.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hanbali.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hanbali.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/544\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hanbali.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hanbali.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hanbali.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}