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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.
