What is your opinion of the book by Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Khalq, *The Muslims and Political Work*, and what is your guidance regarding what is in it?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : There are some doubts in it, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : There is a book here by one of the da'is!
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : *The Muslims and Political Work*; there is disagreement here regarding the name, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Here, "The Muslims and Political Work," by 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Khalq. He is our student at the Islamic University, but I think he has turned to politics. Please, read it so we can see.
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. It says: "And we return to say: The political party, the charitable association, the gathering, the union, and the federation—these are institutions permitted by the democratic system of governance. Muslims must take the initiative to adopt them and make them the path and way to spread their religion, establish their creed, gather their strength, and train and educate their elements. Indeed, Muslims must strive for such legislation that permits this, even if the existing system does not permit it, because this is a right among their rights, and indeed a duty among their duties, to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and to be associations, groups, and parties that call to Allah, spread His religion, and exalt His word. We can deduce from the reality of the Prophetic biography the permissibility of obtaining such an association or party, or even just safety, a pledge, and protection for an individual or a group to spread the religion and call to Allah. And obtaining this legislation is permissible under a state that is disbelieving in heart and in form, so how much more so under a state that declares Islam in some aspects of its life. And what indicates this is..."
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : "...that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sought protection from some of the disbelievers so that he could be able to convey the religion of Allah after Quraysh had prevented him and harmed him. It was narrated in the *Sahihayn* from 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): 'Has a day ever come to you that was harder for you than the Day of Uhud?' He said:Sahih al-Bukhari 3231 He said: If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) offered himself to a disbeliever to protect him so that he could convey the message of his Lord, and if this is permissible, then it is even more permissible—may Allah the Exalted know best—to obtain permission to call to Allah and establish an institution, so that it becomes a gathering for enjoining good and forbidding evil, a place of knowledge and good."
The Shaykh : This is not a point of disagreement now. Establishing an association that enjoins good and forbids evil is not a point of disagreement. But the da'wah is broader than that. Did he finish his speech, or is there a continuation?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : "And someone might say: What happened to his Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was a passing favor. This is also an error. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) never ceased in Makkah from seeking someone to protect him so he could convey the message of Allah. He also offered himself to al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq and Suhayl ibn 'Amr, but they refused to grant him protection. Then, when he offered himself to al-Ma'tam ibn 'Adi, he responded to this. It is known that al-Ma'tam ibn 'Adi died a disbeliever, and yet the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) preserved his kindness and said on the day of the prisoners of Badr:Sahih al-Bukhari 3139; and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) meant by these the prisoners of Badr. If that was permissible in a time of weakness of the Muslims, then there is no doubt that it is permissible as long as this weakness exists, and it is known what the state of the Muslims has become today."
The Shaykh : Excuse me: If that is permissible, what does the demonstrative pronoun refer to?
The questioner : It means seeking protection.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Seeking protection from the disbelievers so that he could be able to implement his religion.
The Shaykh : Okay, where are the evidences for that long and broad premise he mentioned at the beginning of the speech?!
The questioner : I do not know.
The Shaykh : This is a problem here. The scholars say: "The evidence is more specific than the claim." The scholars, in such speech, and regarding the evidence, say: "The evidence is more specific than the claim." That is, no one disputes what the authentic hadith he mentioned indicates. But his long and broad claim has not been brought with evidence. And we say: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sought protection and support from those peoples, and they were disbelievers, did he seek it on the condition of deviating from something of his da'wah? Far be it from him. Now, the one who wants to work in a non-Muslim political party, will he not contradict the Shari'ah in many of its rulings?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So where is this speech and where is this evidence?!
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : There is a book here by one of the da'is!
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : *The Muslims and Political Work*; there is disagreement here regarding the name, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Here, "The Muslims and Political Work," by 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abd al-Khalq. He is our student at the Islamic University, but I think he has turned to politics. Please, read it so we can see.
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. It says: "And we return to say: The political party, the charitable association, the gathering, the union, and the federation—these are institutions permitted by the democratic system of governance. Muslims must take the initiative to adopt them and make them the path and way to spread their religion, establish their creed, gather their strength, and train and educate their elements. Indeed, Muslims must strive for such legislation that permits this, even if the existing system does not permit it, because this is a right among their rights, and indeed a duty among their duties, to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and to be associations, groups, and parties that call to Allah, spread His religion, and exalt His word. We can deduce from the reality of the Prophetic biography the permissibility of obtaining such an association or party, or even just safety, a pledge, and protection for an individual or a group to spread the religion and call to Allah. And obtaining this legislation is permissible under a state that is disbelieving in heart and in form, so how much more so under a state that declares Islam in some aspects of its life. And what indicates this is..."
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : "...that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sought protection from some of the disbelievers so that he could be able to convey the religion of Allah after Quraysh had prevented him and harmed him. It was narrated in the *Sahihayn* from 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): 'Has a day ever come to you that was harder for you than the Day of Uhud?' He said:
Your tribes have troubled me a lot, and the worse trouble was the trouble on the day of 'Aqaba when I presented myself to Ibn `Abd-Yalail bin `Abd-Kulal and he did not respond to my demand
ما لقيت من قومك كان أشد منه ، يوم أن عرضتُ نفسي على ابن عبد ياليل بن عبد كُلال ، فلم يُجِبْني إلى ما أردتThe Shaykh : This is not a point of disagreement now. Establishing an association that enjoins good and forbids evil is not a point of disagreement. But the da'wah is broader than that. Did he finish his speech, or is there a continuation?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : "And someone might say: What happened to his Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was a passing favor. This is also an error. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) never ceased in Makkah from seeking someone to protect him so he could convey the message of Allah. He also offered himself to al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq and Suhayl ibn 'Amr, but they refused to grant him protection. Then, when he offered himself to al-Ma'tam ibn 'Adi, he responded to this. It is known that al-Ma'tam ibn 'Adi died a disbeliever, and yet the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) preserved his kindness and said on the day of the prisoners of Badr:
Had Al-Mut`im bin Adi been alive and interceded with me for these mean people, I would have freed them for his sake.
لو كان المطعم بن عدي حيًّا ثم كلَّمَني في هؤلاء النَّتنى لَأطلَقْتُهم لهThe Shaykh : Excuse me: If that is permissible, what does the demonstrative pronoun refer to?
The questioner : It means seeking protection.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Seeking protection from the disbelievers so that he could be able to implement his religion.
The Shaykh : Okay, where are the evidences for that long and broad premise he mentioned at the beginning of the speech?!
The questioner : I do not know.
The Shaykh : This is a problem here. The scholars say: "The evidence is more specific than the claim." The scholars, in such speech, and regarding the evidence, say: "The evidence is more specific than the claim." That is, no one disputes what the authentic hadith he mentioned indicates. But his long and broad claim has not been brought with evidence. And we say: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sought protection and support from those peoples, and they were disbelievers, did he seek it on the condition of deviating from something of his da'wah? Far be it from him. Now, the one who wants to work in a non-Muslim political party, will he not contradict the Shari'ah in many of its rulings?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So where is this speech and where is this evidence?!
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.