Corrupt Modern Practices – Demonstrations, Sit-ins, & Strikes

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Corrupt Modern Practices –

Demonstrations, Sit-ins, & Strikes

Saleh As-Saleh

All Praise is due to Allah, and may the salaah and

salaam be on Prophet Muhammad, his household,

and the noble companions and those who follow

them until the Day of Resurrection.

Previously, we discussed the legal and illegal

pledges, known as al-bay’ah, as well as

partisanship (hizbiyyah). In continuity with that,

it is appropriate to discuss certain practices that

are taking place in the Muslim world in the form

of so-called protests, namely demonstrations, sit-

ins, and strikes. In our time, some people

embrace everything that comes to us from the east

or west. These practices are not an exception.

This has reached the extent that some consider

these practices as a means for da’wah (calling

others to Allah). Given this, it is appropriate to

determine whether this is the reality.

Types of Protests and Their Intentions

There are three specific types of protests that are

used. They are demonstrations, sit-ins, and

strikes.

A demonstration is when a group of people will

meet along a street or a main road carrying

banners, shouting, yelling, and demanding certain

things be done or to show strength. This is known

in Arabic as mudhaharah.

A sit-in is known as ‘itisam in Arabic. In our

times, it involves sitting in one place (e.g.,

headquarters of a party, parliament, a factory, a

campus, etc.) for a certain time, without leaving,

in objection to some grievance, demanding that

grievance be addressed.

The third type of protest is a strike. This is

known as idrabat, with the origin of this word

meaning refraining. As such, you refuse or hold

back from doing a certain practice in order to

request something. Examples of this include

workers in a factory refusing to go to work,

demanding higher wages or students not going to

school, protesting a certain matter.

Given the definition of the different matters, the

question arises how these things crept into the

Islamic society. Mostly, they came from the West

where they appeared originally; it was transferred

to the Muslim world by primarily political and

secular parties. These practices were later

embraced by some Islamic groups who imitated

such a methodology while trying to find some

evidence in shariah to support these practices.

Evidences Cited to Justify Protests

It is important to note that those who cite

evidences justifying these practices are not

scholars. They are primarily thinkers and writers.

First, they cite the narration that when Umar ibn

al-Khattab (radi Allahu ‘anhu) accepted Islam, the

Prophet (􏰀: sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) came

out resting on the shoulders of two companions,

namely Umar and Hamza. This was done to show

the strength of the Muslims to the pagan Arabs of

Quraysh. This hadith was reported by Abu

Nu’aim in his book, al-Hillayyah. al-Haafidh ibn

Hajar also reported it in his book al-Issaba

relating it to Muhammad ibn Uthman’s book of

history and as well as in al-Fath where he related

it to al-Bazaar. The narrations of this incident

revolve around a person named Ishaaq ibn

‘Abdullah ibn Abi Farwa. However, his hadith is

rejected. Therefore, this incident can not be cited

as a proof.

Second, these thinkers also take as proof the

gathering of the Muslims on ‘Eid and Fridays.

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They twist the nature of these events to make

them evidence for the permissibility of

demonstrating, sit-ins, and showing strength. In

response, it is necessary to note that there is no

evidence in this. The gatherings on ‘Eid and

Fridays are acts of worship and can not be linked

to these protests. These gatherings are to make

manifest the symbols of Allah in worship, in

accordance with the way Allah chose and

commanded. We can not stretch these acts of

worship the way we want as this would entail

abuse.

Therefore, there is no legally justifiable stance for

these protests.

Effects of Protests

The effects of these protests, demonstrations and

strikes are numerous and very serious.

Firstly, they bring forth chaotic behavior to the

streets due to crowding and the like, negatively

influencing the affairs of people. They can easily

endanger the lives of many, while also providing

an environment for theft and robbery. Many

businesses could also be affected; for example, if

a business does not close on the day of a

demonstration, the protesters may vandalize or

damage the building or even label the owners as

traitors. And all of this occurred in many Islamic

and Non-Islamic Capitals in the World.

Secondly, even when people try to go along with

these protests to protect their benefits, they are

forced to close their shops, negatively impacting

their affairs as well as the economy in general. If

they do not close their shops they are called

"traitors", "un-patriotic," and so forth.

Thirdly, these protests provide a golden

opportunity for those with hidden agendas or the

people of fitnah to infiltrate the ranks of these

demonstrations, to the degree where some of them

may use firearms to create a fitnah or escalate the

confrontation between the demonstrators and the

security forces. This will lead the security forces

to return fire on the crowd, potentially wounding

many people.

Fourthly, these acts instigate animosity and

hatred between the members of society,

specifically the citizens and the security forces.

Since the security forces usually try to prevent

these demonstrations, there will be bloodshed and

injury, which may lead to revenge attacks.

Fifthly, these practices lead to the halting of

economic production in many sectors of the

economy, especially during strikes. Most of the

time when these groups intend to demonstrate,

they ask the factory workers to join them, causing

work to cease at times when the country is in dear

need of collaboration between its ranks.

Sixthly, these protests disturb the overall security

in the land due to the confrontations associated

with them.

Seventhly, those who took these practices as a

means of worship are worshiping Allah through a

methodology that is not legislated and baseless.

Therefore, they end up worshipping Allah through

a way that is not acceptable to Him (􏰁:

subhannahu wa ta’ala). For any act to be

accepted, it must be done with the correct

intentions and condoned by shariah. The actions

of these people remind us of the statement of ibn

Masoud (radi Allahu ‘anhu) when he said,

“Many are those who intended good but could not

achieve it.”

In order to attain the good, you must work

according to the sunnah and the legal methods.

Eighthly, these demonstrations hasten

confrontations between the groups that utilize

them and the government, since these practices

appear as threats to the survival and security of

the government itself. Therefore, the plotting

begins against these groups, often resulting in

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unpleasant consequences and continuous

animosity and mistrust.

The claim that these protests are permissible has

led to their acceptance by the rejectionist Shia’

(Raafidah), who made such demonstrations

against what they classified as imperialism during

Hajj. Many innocent people were killed because

of this, as is well known.

Misconceptions

There are numerous misconceptions regarding the

value and permissibility of these practices.

For example, some note that other countries

regulate demonstrations and permit them

according to their laws. As such, they fail to

recognize the harm in doing the same. The

response to this is that even if the government was

to allow such practices, then we should not resort

to them because there is no legal evidence

justifying them, and we have to follow shariah

above all other matters. We do not follow the

general motto that says, “Objectives justify the

means.” In Islam, the objectives must be legal,

and the means that attain these objectives must be

legal.

Similarly, others engage in these practices saying,

“So-and-so considered these practices to be

permissible.” However, it is necessary to note

that these acts were not practiced by the salaf, and

had these demonstrations been something

beneficial, they would have resorted to it, and we

have no reports to indicate such. Moreover, when

someone gives a fatwa, what really matters is the

daleel (evidences) as any opinion without a proof

can not be considered, even if it is made by the

most knowledgeable of people as we are obligated

to follow the Prophet (􏰀: sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa

sallam) and his companions who informed us all

that is good.

If someone asserts that these practices had some

benefits during certain times or in some countries,

bringing useful results, then the response is that

such results is not a proof for their permissibility

since the criteria is the affirmation of the daleel

and the acting of the salaf. Furthermore, we

assert that if these demonstrations were successful

during certain times, then most often, they failed

and only lead to casualties, hastening

confrontations with these groups, leading to their

disintegration.

Conclusion

These are some points concerning these

contemporary matters, which are

counterproductive and have depleted the energy

of Muslim groups and youths in many parts of the

Muslim world. We ask Allah to save us and to

save our societies from all forms of corrupt and

deviant practices, and to show us the truth and

make us follow it while showing us the falsehood

and safeguarding us from that.

All Praise is due to Allah, and may the salaah and

salaam be on Prophet Muhammad, his household,

and the noble companions and those who follow

them until the Day of Resurrection.

Saleh As-Saleh

19-5-1427

June 15, 2006

Acknowledgment: This work originally appeared

on www.understand-islam in audio form. It was

based upon an article by sh. Muhammad al-

Khamees, may Allaah preserve him. It was

transcribed and organized by br. Abu Abdullaah

al-Amreeki, then text was reviewed by sis Umm

Ahmad Al-Kanadiyyah, Jazaahmu Allaahu

Khairan.