Buku Lost Islamic History telah diterjemahkan ke dalam Bahasa Indonesia oleh penerbit Bentang Pustaka. Setelah diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Indonesia, buku tersebut berganti judul menjadi Sejarah Islam yang Hilang. Buku ini menceritakan bagaimana Islam menjadi kekuatan agama, sosial, dan politik terkuat dalam sejarah selama 1400 tahun. Untuk membelinya, Anda dapat mengklik tautan berikut. Terimakasih.
http://bentangpustaka.com/katalog/product/sejarah-islam-yang-hilang/
Tamara Chin: "We are heirs to two Silk Roads: not the ancient and the modern, but the invented and the reinvented."
http://tamaratchin.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Chin-Critical-Inquiry.pdf
Anger cannot be overcome by anger. If someone is angry with you, and you show anger in return, the result is a disaster. On the other hand, if you control your anger and show its opposite – love, compassion, tolerance and patience – not only will you remain peaceful, but the other person's anger will also diminish
via Dalia Lama
Vol. 2, No. 2 (September 2002): Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart
https://jsr.shanti.virginia.edu/back-issues/vol-2-no-2-september-2002-pharaohs-hardened-heart/
Articles
Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart: Cruel and Unusual Punishment and Covenantal Ethics
Shaul Magid, Jewish Theological Seminary
Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart: Some Christian Readings
Stanley Hauerwas, Duke Divinity School
“I am Your Lord Most High”: Pharaoh and the Sin of Hubris in the Qur’an
Vincent J. Cornell, University of Arkansas
If you think children are innocent, read this...
"Tadi pergi popular bookstore nak cari hadiah, terserempak dengan dua budak lelaki dan perempuan sibuk letak storybooks dalam beg. Rasa macam ada benda tk kena, so i ask them dorg buat apa.
The girl answer, "oh ni kita da bayar, nk simpan dlm beg.." rasa tk sedap hati, saya tanya mana receipt, yang budak lelaki pula jawab "receipt dah hilang.. tak tau mana"
huhuhu saya cakap lagi "okay jom pergi counter, auntie bayarkan.." dengan cepat budak perempuan tu cakap " betul ke ni auntie? baik nya hati auntie.." bingo~! mereka dalam proses hendak mencuri.
selain buku, ada botol air yang diorg nak curi. katanya guru nya marah sebab tak ada botol air.. 😧😧 sambil jalan ke kaunter, tanya la datang dengan siapa, katanya dorg berdua sahaja.
selepas membuat bayaran, saya tanya umur dorg. Yang perempuan baru darjah 2, dan yang lelaki baru darjah 1. masa tu hanya Allah sahaja tau perasaan saya. Dah pandai mencuri dalam usia yang sangat muda..
saya perasan yang budak lelaki berkaki ayam je. bila saya tanya kenapa tk pakai selipar, dia ckp lupa. tapi, kawan dia pula ckp " tipu. bapak kau buang kasut kau kn. sbb dia benci kau" huhuhu.. tak sampai hati, terus saya belikan selipar satu. kwn dia tanye "abeh kalau bapak kau buang lagi mcm mana??"
lepas beli selipar, saya bawa dorg makan ice cream. Saya nasihat kan dorg jangan ulang benda yang sama lagi. budak lelaki tu ckp " dia ajak saya pergi sini untuk curi kt popular"
Dorg tanya saya keje mana, saya cakap la mesjid, yang budak perempuan tu terus ckp "best nya kerja mesjid, bole solat bole ngaji.."
nampak sangat keinginan dia nak belajar. dia ckp ,"dulu mak saya hanta tapi skrg da tk..
inilah realiti dunia sekarang.. saya speechless dan sedih sangat..
semoga Allah melindungi mereka."
22:67 To every people have We appointed ceremonial rites (of prayer) which they observe; therefore, let them not wrangle over this matter with you, but bid them to turn to your Lord (since that is the main objective of religion). You indeed are rightly guided. But if they still dispute you in this matter, (then say,) `God best knows (the value of) what you do."
88:21, 22; also see 24:54 And so, (O Prophet!) exhort them your task is only to exhort; you cannot compel them to believe.
48:28 He it is Who has sent forth His Messenger with the (task of spreading) Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to the end that tie make it prevail over every (false) religion, and none can bear witness to the Truth as God does.
36:16, 17 (Three Messengers to their people)Said (the Messengers), "Our Sustainer knows that we have indeed been sent unto you, but we are not bound to more than clearly deliver the Message entrusted to us.'
39:41 Assuredly, We have sent down the Book to you in right form for the good of man. Whoso guided himself by it does so to his own advantage, and whoso turns away from it does so at his own loss. You certainly are not their keeper.
42:6, 48 And whoso takes for patrons others besides God, over them does God keep a watch. Mark, you are not a keeper over them. But if they turn aside from you (do not get disheartened), for We have not sent you to be a keeper over them; your task is but to preach ....
64:12 Obey God then and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away (no blame shall attach to our Messenger), for the duty of Our Messenger is just to deliver the message.
67:25, 26 And they ask, "When shall the promise be fulfilled if you speak the Truth?" Say, "The knowledge of it is verily with God alone, and verily I am but a plain warner."
60:8 Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.
60:9 Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances), that do wrong.
2:256 “Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear from error. Whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things.”
16:82 But if they turn away from you, (O Prophet remember that) your only duty is a clear delivery of the Message (entrusted to you).
6:107 Yet if God had so willed, they would not have ascribed Divinity to aught besides him; hence, We have not made you their keeper, nor are you (of your own choice) a guardian over them.
4:79, 80 (Say to everyone of them,) 'Whatever good betides you is from God and whatever evil betides you is from your own self and that We have (O Prophet) sent you to mankind only as a messenger and all sufficing is God as witness. Whoso obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys God. And for those who turn away, We have not sent you as a keeper."
11:28 (Noah to his people) He (Noah) said "O my people! think over it! If 1 act upon a clear direction from my Lord who has bestowed on me from Himself the Merciful talent of seeing the right way, a way which you cannot see for yourself, does it follow that we can force you to take the right path when you definitely decline to take it?°
17:53, 54 And tell my servants that they should speak in a most kindly manner (unto those who do not share their beliefs). Verily, Satan is always ready to stir up discord between men; for verily; Satan is mans foe .... Hence, We have not sent you (Unto men O Prophet) with power to determine their Faith.
“Beware! Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority, or curtails their rights, or burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from them against their free will; I (Prophet Muhammad) will complain against the person on the Day of Judgment.” (Abu Dawud)
"He who believes in God and the Last Day should honour his guest, should not harm his neighbour, should speak good or keep quiet." (Bukhari, Muslim)
"Whoever hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys God." (Bukhari)
"He who hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state, I am his adversary, and I shall be his adversary on the Day of a Judgement." (Bukhari)
"Beware on the Day of Judgement; I shall myself be complainant against him who wrongs a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state or lays on him a responsibility greater than he can bear or deprives him of anything that belongs to him." (Al-Mawardi)
"Anyone who kills a Non-Muslim who had become our ally will not smell the fragrance of Paradise." (Bukhari)
Do not cause harm or return harm. (Sunan ibn Majah)
Apostasy in Context
The punishment for apostasy originated due to the dangerous phenomena of hypocrisy (nifaq) that threatened the community in Medina. Hypocrisy in this sense is not simply failing to live up to one’s stated moral standards, but rather this form of hypocrisy was the deliberate attempt by the enemies of Islam to pretend to be Muslims in order to infiltrate and harm the community.
Allah said:
وَقَالَت طَّائِفَةٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ آمِنُوا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَجْهَ النَّهَارِ وَاكْفُرُوا آخِرَهُ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
A faction of the People of the Book say to each other: Believe in that which was revealed to the believers at the beginning of the day and reject it at its end that perhaps they will abandon their religion.
Surah Ali Imran 3:72
Some of the Jews of Medina pretended to be Muslims outwardly with the intention of later publicizing their rejection of Islam in an attempt to shake the faith of newly converted Muslims. This was at a time when Medina was threatened with a war of extermination by the Quraish aristocracy.
Ibn Kathir reported:
عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى إِخْبَارًا عَنِ الْيَهُودِ بِهَذِهِ الْآيَةِ يَعْنِي يَهُودَ صَلَّتْ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَاةَ الْفَجْرِ وَكَفَرُوا آخِرَ النَّهَارِ مَكْرًا مِنْهُمْ لِيُرُوا النَّاسَ أَنَّ قَدْ بَدَتْ لَهُمْ مِنْهُ الضَّلَالَةُ بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانُوا اتَّبِعُوهُ
Mujahid said this verse is regarding Jews who prayed the dawn prayer with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and they disbelieved at the end of the day as a plot to turn people away, such that it appeared as if they saw misguidance after entering the religion.
Source: Tafseer Ibn Kathir 3:72
Likewise, other hypocrites in Medina were spreading lies and rumors among the Muslims at a time when their unity was most needed. Such acts constituted a serious threat to the security of the community.
Allah said:
لَّئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَالْمُرْجِفُونَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لَنُغْرِيَنَّكَ بِهِمْ ثُمَّ لَا يُجَاوِرُونَكَ فِيهَا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease and those who spread rumors in Medina do not cease, We will surely let you overpower them. Then they will not remain your neighbors therein except for a little while.
Surah Al-Ahzab 33:60
Therefore, the punishment for apostasy was prescribed in this specific context. It was not prescribed in order to punish the act of unbelief itself, as this is for Allah alone, but rather to protect the Muslims from the conspiracies of their enemies.
Taha Jabir Alalwani writes:
Hence, if the Messenger of Allah ordered the execution of those who changed their religion in order to destroy Islam’s inner front by shaking the Muslims’ faith, especially those who were still new to Islam, by spreading falsehoods in Medina with the aim of stirring up divisions and by plotting the Muslims’ downfall, then this can only be viewed as a security issue and therefore justified. After all, there is no nation on earth that will allow others to harm it in this way. Moreover, if the Jew who was being commanded by those plotting against Islam to appear to enter Islam at the beginning of the day, then repudiate it at the end of the day, realized that he would not be able to exit from Islam with the same ease with which he had entered, he would think twice, nay a thousand times, before throwing in his lot with such conspirators.
Source: ʻAlwānī, T. J. F., Roberts, N., Unus, I. (2011).Apostasy in Islam: A historical and scriptural analysis. London: International Institute of Islamic Thought. p.70-71
It is only in this situation that we can properly understand the statement of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:
مَنْ بَدَّلَ دِينَهُ فَاقْتُلُوهُ
Whoever changes his religion, then kill him.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 6524, Grade: Sahih
Scholars recognize that this apparently general statement must be restricted (takhsees) by other evidence. What we find is that the Prophet issued this directive within the particular context we have described and it should not be used to negate several verses and traditions indicating restriction. Rather, this tradition must be understood in light of the Quran and traditions as a consistent whole.
Fadl Ibn Ziyad reports: I heard Ahmad Ibn Hanbal respond to a question regarding the saying that the Sunnah overrules the Quran. Ahmad said:
مَا أَجْسُرُ عَلَى هَذَا أَنْ أَقُولَهُ وَلَكِنْ أَقُولُ إنَّ السُّنَّةَ تُفَسِّرُ الْكِتَابَ وَتُبَيِّنُهُ
I do not dare say that. However, the Sunnah is the exegesis (tafseer) of the Book and its explanation.
Source: Al-Bahr Al-Muheet 11
In fact, scholars now recognize that there are degrees of apostasy just as there are degrees in other areas of the religion. Scholars have divided unbelief, idolatry, hypocrisy, and sins into major and minor categories. Likewise, it becomes clear when all the evidence is presented that apostasy should be divided into major and minor categories as well.
Lesser Apostasy
Minor apostasy is when someone embraces Islam and later leaves the religion peacefully without causing harm to the community. The sin is purely between the apostate and his Lord, and worldly punishments are not applied in this case.
Allah said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَّمْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ سَبِيلًا
Verily, those who believed and then disbelieved, then believed and then disbelieved and increased in disbelief, never will Allah forgive them nor will He guide them to a right way.
Surah An-Nisa 4:137
In this verse, Allah describes a person who believes, then disbelieves, then believes again, and then disbelieves again. This person committed apostasy twice and yet Allah did not prescribe a legal punishment for him.
An authentic tradition relates the story of a bedouin who embraced Islam but later cancelled his pledge of allegiance to the Prophet, yet no punishment was applied to him.
Jabir reported: A bedouin came to the Prophet and gave the pledge of allegiance for embracing Islam. The next day he came with a fever and he said, “Please cancel my pledge.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, refused three times and he said:
الْمَدِينَةُ كَالْكِيرِ تَنْفِي خَبَثَهَا، وَيَنْصَعُ طَيِّبُهَا
Medina is like a furnace. It expels its impurities and collects what is pure.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 1784, Grade: Sahih
The Prophet did not punish this man even though he abandoned the community.
In a similar manner, Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz as Caliph did not apply any penalty to a group of apostates who had recently embraced Islam but were not firm in the religion. We can deduce from this narration that punishment is not necessary for people who only recently embraced Islam and are not firmly grounded in its teachings.
Ma’mar reported: Some residents of the peninsula told me that some people embraced Islam but they did not remain in it very long until they committed apostasy. Maymun ibn Mihran wrote to Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz regarding them and Umar wrote back saying:
رُدَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْجِزْيَةَ وَدَعْهُمْ
Let them return to paying tribute and leave them alone.
Source: Musnaf Abdur Razzaq 18102
These are clear-cut examples of minor apostasy in the early period of Islam for which there was no legal punishment.
Greater Apostasy
Major apostasy is when a person embraces Islam and later leaves the religion while combining this with the political crime of treason. Legal punishment against such persons can only be carried out by a lawful authority according to due process, and it is not permissible for individual Muslims to carry out this punishment on their own.
The presence of political treason as a condition for punishment is made clear in an authentic tradition.
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, applied legal punishment in the following case:
وَالتَّارِكُ لِدِينِهِ الْمُفَارِقُ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ
The one who leaves his religion and separates from the community.
Source: Sahih Muslim 1676, Grade: Sahih
The mention of one who “separates from the community” (al-mufariq lil-jama’ah) indicates that a person is not legally punished simply for leaving Islam, but rather for high treason against the Muslim community. This phrase is associated in other traditions with rejecting loyalty to the Muslim authority.
Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَنْ خَلَعَ يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَةٍ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا حُجَّةَ لَهُ وَمَنْ مَاتَ وَلَيْسَ فِي عُنُقِهِ بَيْعَةٌ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً
One who withdraws his obedience will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection without an argument for him, and whoever dies without swearing allegiance will have died in ignorance.
Source: Sahih Muslim 1851, Grade: Sahih
In another version of this narration, the Prophet said:
وَمَنْ مَاتَ وَهُوَ مَفَارِقٌ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ فَإِنَّهُ يَمُوتُ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً
Whoever dies while he has separated from the community (al-mufariq lil-jama’ah), then he has died in ignorance.
Source: Musnad Ahmad 5526, Grade: Sahih
Indeed, some of the companions interpreted the phrase this way and described an apostate as:
حَارَبَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
One who wages are against Allah and His Messenger.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4334, Grade: Sahih
From these traditions we can infer that one who “separates from the community” refers to one who “withdraws his obedience,” a treasonous action, not simply leaving the community as the bedouin of Medina had done.
The connection between apostasy and treason is made even clearer in a tradition in which the Prophet describes the major apostate as:
رَجُلٌ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الإِسْلاَمِ يُحَارِبُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَرَسُولَهُ
A man who rejects Islam and wages war against Allah the Exalted and His Messenger.
Source: Sunan An-Nasa’i 4048
The companions understood this type of apostasy to involve war and sedition against the community.
Ibn Abbas said:
فَمَنْ قَتَلَ وَأَفْسَدَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَحَارَبَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ثُمَّ لَحِقَ بِالْكُفَّارِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْدَرَ عَلَيْهِ لَمْ يَمْنَعْهُ ذَلِكَ أَنْ يُقَامَ فِيهِ الْحَدُّ الَّذِي أَصَابَ
Whoever kills others, spreads corruption in the land, wages war against Allah and His Messenger, and joins the unbelievers before he is subdued, then there is nothing to prevent the legal punishment from being applied to him because of what he did.
Source: Sunan An-Nasa’i 4046, Grade: Sahih
Therefore, the death penalty was justified against such rebels who rejected lawful authority and committed treason against the community. This seemed to be implicitly understood by the early scholars, such as Imam Muslim who entitled a chapter of his Sahih:
بَاب حُكْمِ الْمُحَارِبِينَ وَالْمُرْتَدِينَ
The ruling of those who wage war and commit apostasy.
Likewise, Ibn Al-Qayyim associates apostasy with “aggression” and “assault” against religion, for which the death penalty was justified to protect lives.
Ibn Al-Qayyim writes:
فَأَمَّا الْقَتْلُ فَجَعَلَهُ عُقُوبَةَ أَعْظَمِ الْجِنَايَاتِ كَالْجِنَايَةِ عَلَى الْأَنْفُسِ فَكَانَتْ عُقُوبَتُهُ مِنْ جِنْسِهِ وَكَالْجِنَايَةِ عَلَى الدِّينِ بِالطَّعْنِ فِيهِ وَالِارْتِدَادِ عَنْهُ وَهَذِهِ الْجِنَايَةُ أَوْلَى بِالْقَتْلِ وَكَفِّ عُدْوَانِ الْجَانِي عَلَيْهِ مِنْ كُلِّ عُقُوبَةٍ
As for the punishment of execution, it is reserved for the greatest offenses such as those against life, so that its punishment is of similar kind, such as the offense against the religion by assaulting it and apostatizing from it. This offense is the first to be punished by execution in order to restrain the aggression of the criminal by every punishment.
Source: I’lam Al-Muwaqi’een 2/74
Nevertheless, the death penalty was not uniformly applied by the Prophet and his companions. There were some cases when the ruling involved a lesser punishment or even a full pardon.
Ibn Abbas reported:
كَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَرْحٍ يَكْتُبُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَزَلَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَلَحِقَ بِالْكُفَّارِ فَأَمَرَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يُقْتَلَ يَوْمَ الْفَتْحِ فَاسْتَجَارَ لَهُ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ فَأَجَارَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Abdullah ibn Sa’d ibn Abu Sarh would write to the Messenger of Allah but the devil deceived him and he joined the unbelievers. The Messenger of Allah ordered that he should be killed on the day of liberation, but Uthman ibn Affan sought protection for him, so the Messenger of Allah granted him protection.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 4358, Grade: Sahih
In this example, the Prophet pardoned the apostasy of Abdullah ibn Sarh after Uthman sought protection for him. This indicates that the punishment for apostasy is not a firm legal punishment (hadd) for which there can be no intercession, but rather it is a discretionary punishment (ta’zeer) to be applied by a qualified judge.
Abdullah ibn Sarh eventually returned to Islam, demonstrating the Prophet’s wisdom in showing mercy and forbearance. The great jurists of early Islam recognized such cases.
Al-Bayhaqi reported:
وَقَدْ آمَنَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ ثُمَّ ارْتَدَّ ثُمَّ أَظْهَرَ الإِيمَانَ فَلَمْ يَقْتُلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ أَحْمَدُ رُوِّينَا هَذَا فِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي سَرْحٍ حِينَ أَزَلَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَلَحِقَ بِالْكُفَّارِ ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى الإِسْلامِ وَرُوِّينَاهُ فِي رَجُلٍ آخَرَ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ
Ash-Shafi’ee said: Some people believed and then committed apostasy and then displayed faith again and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not kill them. Ahmad said: We have narrated this regarding Abdullah ibn Abi Sarh when Satan caused him to stumble and he joined the unbelievers, then he returned to Islam. We have also narrated this regarding another man from the Ansar.
Source: Ma’rifat As-Sunan wal Athar
Early Muslim scholars and authorities preferred imprisonment instead of execution in some cases. Umar Ibn Al-Khattab as Caliph expressed his desire to forego the death penalty when some men from the tribe of Bakr ibn Wail committed apostasy.
Anas ibn Malik reported: Abu Musa sent me to Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and Umar asked me about six people among tribe of Bakr ibn Wail who had committed apostasy from Islam and joined the idolaters. Umar said, “What has been done to the people of Bakr ibn Wail?” I said, “O leader of the believers, some people committed apostasy from Islam and joined the idolaters, so their fate was only to be killed.” Umar said:
لأَنْ أَكُونَ أَخَذْتُهُمْ سِلْمًا أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا طَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ صَفْرَاءَ أَوْ بَيْضَاءَ
That I accept their surrender would have been more beloved to me than whatever is touched by the rays of the rising sun.
I said, “O leader of the believers, what would you have done if you had seized them?” Umar said:
كُنْتُ عَارِضًا عَلَيْهِمُ الْبَابَ الَّذِي خَرَجُوا مِنْهُ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا فِيهِ فَإِنْ فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ قَبِلْتُ مِنْهُمْ وَإِلا اسْتَوْدَعْتُهُمُ السِّجْنَ
I would have presented to them the gate from which they went out that they might enter it again. If they did so, I would have accepted it from them. Otherwise, I would have left them in prison.
Source: Musnaf Abdur Razzaq 18083, Grade: Sahih
A similar incident was narrated by Imam Malik in Al-Muwatta.
Muhammad ibn Abdullah reported: A man came to Umar ibn Al-Khattab from Abu Musa Al-Ashari. Umar said, “Do you have any recent news?” He said, “Yes, a man has become an unbeliever after his Islam.” Umar said, “What have you done with him?” He said, “We let him approach and we struck his neck.” Umar said:
أَفَلَا حَبَسْتُمُوهُ ثَلَاثًا وَأَطْعَمْتُمُوهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ رَغِيفًا وَاسْتَتَبْتُمُوهُ لَعَلَّهُ يَتُوبُ وَيُرَاجِعُ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ
Did you not imprison him for three days and feed him each day with bread and call him to repent and return to the command of Allah?
Then Umar said:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي لَمْ أَحْضُرْ وَلَمْ آمُرْ وَلَمْ أَرْضَ إِذْ بَلَغَنِي
O Allah, I was not present and I did not command it and I was not pleased when I heard it!
Source: Al-Muwatta 1445, Grade: Hasan
This lesser punishment, in lieu of the death penalty, was preferred by other early Muslim scholars.
Sufyan Ath-Thawri reported:
فِي الْمُرْتَدِّ يُسْتَتَابُ أَبَدًا
Amr ibn Qais and Ibrahim Al-Nakha’i said: Regarding the apostate, he should be imprisoned indefinitely.
Sufyan said:
هَذَا الَّذِي نَأْخُذُ بِهِ
This is what we adhere to.
Source: Musnaf Abdur Razzaq 18084
Some scholars did not apply the death penalty to a female apostate because she does not pose a threat to the security of the community. The punishment for apostasy is not to punish the act of unbelief, as this is for Allah alone, but rather to avert war against the community.
Ibn Abi Shayba reported: Ata’ said regarding the female apostate:
لَا تُقْتَلُ
She is not to be killed.
Hasan Al-Basri said:
لَا تُقْتَلُ
She is not to be killed.
Source: Musnaf Ibn Abi Shayba 32083
At-Tirmidhi records:
وَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ تُحْبَسُ وَلَا تُقْتَلُ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ وَغَيْرِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ
A group of scholars said the female apostate should be imprisoned and not killed. This is the opinion of Sufyan Ath-Thawri and others among the people of Kufa.
Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1458
Ibn Humam writes:
فَكَذَا يَجِبُ فِي الْقَتْلِ بِالرِّدَّةِ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِدَفْعِ شَرِّ حِرَابِهِ لَا جَزَاءٍ عَلَى فِعْلِ الْكُفْرِ لِأَنَّ جَزَاءَهُ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَيَخْتَصُّ بِمَنْ يَتَأَتَّى مِنْهُ الْحِرَابُ وَهُوَ الرَّجُلُ وَلِهَذَا نَهَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ قَتْلِ النِّسَاءِ وَعَلَّلَهُ بِأَنَّهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تُقَاتِلُ
It is necessary to punish apostasy with death in order to avert the evil of war, not as punishment for the act of unbelief, because the greatest punishment for that is with Allah. This punishment is specifically for those who wage war and this is for the man. For this reason, the Prophet prohibited killing women because they do not fight.
Source: Fath ul-Qadeer 6/72
Some the early jurists, such as As-Sarakhsi Al-Hanafi, highlighted the distinction between an apostate’s sin against Allah and his sin against the community, particularly as he argued that women apostates should not be killed because they do not post a threat against the community.
As-Sarakhsi writes:
وَأَصْلُ الْكُفْرِ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْجِنَايَاتِ وَلَكِنَّهَا بَيْنَ الْعَبْدِ وَبَيْنَ رَبِّهِ فَالْجَزَاءُ عَلَيْهَا مُؤَخَّرٌ إلَى دَارِ الْجَزَاءِ وَمَا عُجِّلَ فِي الدُّنْيَا سِيَاسَاتٌ مَشْرُوعَةٌ لِمَصَالِحَ تَعُودُ إلَى الْعِبَادِ كَالْقِصَاصِ لِصِيَانَةِ النُّفُوسِ
The act of unbelief is among the greatest offences, but it is between the servant and his Lord. The recompense for it is delayed until the he reaches the abode of recompense. As for what occurs in this world, they are legislated policies for the welfare of people, such as legal retaliation for murder in order to protect life.
Source: Al-Mabsut 10/110
That is, the punishment for apostasy is not to punish unbelief in itself, but rather to protect the community from insurrection. Sheikh Mahmud Shaltut, the late Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar University, also mentions this distinction and he adds that the solitary (ahad) narrations used to justify the death penalty in every case cannot overrule the far more numerous verses of the Quran.
Sheikh Mahmud Shaltut writes:
وقد يتغير وجه النظر في المسألة إذا لوحظ أن كثيرا من العلماء يرى أن الحدود لا تثبُت بحديث الآحاد وأن الكفر بنفسه ليس مبيحا للدم وإنما المبيح هو محاربة المسلمين والعدوان عليهم ومحاولة فتنتهم عن دينهم وأن ظواهر القرآن الكريم في كثير من الآيات تأبى الإكراه في الدين
These narrations evoked various responses from the scholars, many of whom are in agreement that firm legal punishments (hudud) cannot be established by solitary narrations and that unbelief in itself does not warrant the death penalty. Indeed, the factor which determines the application of this punishment is aggression and hostility against the believers and the need to prevent possible sedition against religion. The obvious meaning in numerous verses of the Quran prohibit compulsion in religion.
Source: Al-Islam Aqidah wa Sharia 281
The jurists understood that legal punishments are not an end in themselves, but rather a means to achieve justice, welfare, and security. If it is possible to achieve these objectives without inflicting the maximum punishment, then it is highly recommended to do so.
Ibrahim Al-Nakha’i justified his preference for imprisonment over the death penalty, saying:
ادْرَءُوا الْحُدُودَ عَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَإِذَا وَجَدْتُمْ لِلْمُسْلِمِ مَخْرَجًا فَادْرَءُوا عَنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ أَنْ يَخْطَأَ حَاكِمٌ مِنْ حُكَّامِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فِي الْعَفْوِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَخْطَأَ فِي الْعُقُوبَةِ
Avoid legal punishments upon the Muslims as much as you are able. If you find a way out for a Muslim, then leave it to him. Verily, for the judge to make a mistake pardoning the Muslims is better than to make a mistake punishing them.
Source: Musnaf Abdur Razzaq 18085
This sentiment is consistent with the Prophetic teaching that it is better for a judge to err in forgiveness than in punishment.
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
ادْرَءُوا الْحُدُودَ عَنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَخْرَجٌ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُ فَإِنَّ الْإِمَامَ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ فِي الْعَفْوِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ فِي الْعُقُوبَةِ
Avoid legal punishments upon the Muslims as much as you are able. If the criminal has a way out, then leave him to his way. Verily, it is better for the leader to make a mistake pardoning the criminal than it is for him to make a mistake punishing the innocent.
Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1424, Grade: Sahih
Indeed, the Prophet described the true believers as the most restrained of people when it comes to taking life. The believers understand that life should only be taken when it is absolutely necessary.
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَعَفُّ النَّاسِ قِتْلَةً أَهْلُ الْإِيمَانِ
The most restrained of the people regarding killing are the people of faith.
Source: Musnad Ahmad 3720, Grade: Sahih
From all of this, we understand that the death penalty for apostasy should only be applied to extreme cases of treason and sedition in which such punishment is necessary for the safety of the community. The death penalty is the maximum punishment but lesser punishments or even a full pardon may be warranted by different circumstances.
Concerns of Application
We have a number of concerns about the application of the death penalty when apostasy is not combined with treason.
News stories appear now and again highlighting the cases of some people charged with apostasy and threatened with death, such as Abdul Rahman in Afghanistan in 2006, Hamza Kashgari in Saudi Arabia in 2012, and Meriam Yahya Ibrahim in 2014 in Sudan. These cases severely damage the global reputation of Islam and further distort an already corrupted view of Islam in the minds of many people. Furthermore, it is questionable whether the death penalty in these cases really serves to protect the Muslim community or if, in fact, it causes even greater harm.
The Prophet seriously considered the reputation of Islam when issuing such rulings. In one incident, the Prophet refused to apply the death penalty to a known hypocrite, even though the man was dangerous, because it would have been used as propaganda by the enemies of Islam.
Jabir ibn Abdullah reported: A man came to the Messenger of Allah on his way back from Hunain while there was some silver in the backpack of Bilal. The Messenger of Allah took a handful from it and distributed it among the people. The man said to him, “O Muhammad! Be just!” Umar ibn Al-Khattab said, “O Messenger of Allah, allow me to kill this hypocrite!” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَتَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ أَنِّي أَقْتُلُ أَصْحَابِي
I seek refuge in Allah that the people will say I am killing my companions.
Source: Sahih Muslim 1063, Grade: Sahih
We ought to consider if issuing such harsh rulings is truly in the interests of the community or if it will hand a propaganda victory to our opponents.
In addition, applying the death penalty can cause tension in our international relations. In our time, the Muslim countries are signatories to a number of international treaties that affirm freedom of religion. When Muslims fail to fulfil such obligations under these treaties, it is used by some non-Muslims to justify harsher measures against the Muslims living as minorities in their countries.
In the time of the Prophet, the Muslims concluded the truce of Hudaybiyah ending hostilities between Mecca and Medina. One of the conditions of the treaty was that people who commit apostasy and defect to Mecca will not be returned to Medina, but Muslims who defect to Medina must be returned.
Anas ibn Malik reported: They imposed a condition upon the Prophet that whoever came to Mecca would not be returned and whoever came from Mecca must be returned. The companions said, “O Messenger of Allah, should we agree to it?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
نَعَمْ إِنَّهُ مَنْ ذَهَبَ مِنَّا إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَبْعَدَهُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ جَاءَنَا مِنْهُمْ سَيَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ لَهُ فَرَجًا وَمَخْرَجًا
Yes. Whoever leaves us for them, then may Allah keep him away. Whoever comes to us from them, then Allah will grant him relief and a way out.
Source: Sahih Muslim 1784, Grade: Sahih
The companions understandably thought this was unfair and some Muslims today strongly resist calls to restrict the death penalty, but the wisdom of the Prophet proved over time that the peace secured by the treaty was much greater than the harm of letting apostates escape to Mecca. Similarly, we should consider that a strict death penalty for apostates may not be worth the harm it causes to international relations and the image of Islam.
Finally, we must consider how the law of apostasy has been abused throughout Islamic history to persecute righteous scholars and reformers. Perhaps the best example of this is the oppression endured by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal at the hands of Caliph Al-Mu’tasim.
As the Mu’tazilites rose to power, they instituted an inquisition in which scholars were brought to the Caliph and forced to profess their innovated belief in the creation of the Quran. Ahmad ibn Hanbal was one of the few scholars who chose to suffer persecution and death threats rather than affirming a false doctrine.
Muslims who support a strict death penalty for apostasy ought to consider the need for implementing safeguards against its abuse by the ruler, otherwise the ruling could just as easily be turned on them.
I'm spending a day in Madrid after my week-long trip to Andalusia. I didn't realize that even Madrid has so much Muslim heritage in it.
Madrid is the ONLY European capital founded by Muslims. It was the Muslims, under Muḥammad I, son of Emir Abd al-Raḥmān al-Dākhil the founder of Umayyad power in Andalus, that a fortress and small settlement was established, and because of the river running below, it was called مجريط, from which we get 'Madrid'.
The picture is the only part of the ORIGINAL wall built by the Muslims that remains; literally a stone's throw away from the Royal Palace (the official residence of the King of Spain). It dates back to around 850 CE - over 1200 years old.
In fact, my guide (born and raised in Madrid) told us that the Spanish king's palace was built over the ruins of the al-Qasr (Alcazar), the palace of Muḥammad I in Madrid. Quite literally, the foundations of the Muslim palace merge in and support the current King of Spain's palace (which was built in 1740, after a fire tragically destroyed the original al-Qasr).
After this whirlwind of a tour of Andalusia, I felt this was an extremely apt metaphor that symbolized the Islamic heritage of Spain - even though the Muslims left, their language, civilization, arts, architecture, culture and heritage left a lasting impact on Spanish, and in particular Andalusian, civilization. Spain would not be what it is today without an important foundation of Muslim influence.
I came away with a renewed sense of pride regarding our history, and I am even more resolved to learn myself, and teach others, these amazing snippets of our own heritage.
One hundred years ago, on May 16, 1916, the Sykes-Picot Agreement was finalized, in which European powers secretly carved out the Ottoman Empire and effectively created the modern nation-states in the Middle East.
While it is overly simplistic to blame all of the chaos and problems in the Middle East on the Sykes-Picot agreement, and Muslims and Arabs also share a large part of the blame, there is no question that the PRIMARY cause of the destabilization of that region is due to this agreement.
Firstly, the entire debacle of the Palestinian conflict and the creation of the state of Israel goes back to this treaty, as England effectively and arrogantly 'gifted' what it considered 'its land' (i.e., Palestine) to European Zionists. This 'gift' was secretly communicated in the infamous Balfour Declaration of 1917. Had it not been for Sykes-Picot, quite frankly Israel would never have been created.
And it is undeniable that the single greatest tension in the Middle East, and the primary cause for the hostility and anger (and yes, terrorism) against Western powers is the pathetic plight of the Palestinian peoples and the blind support for the Apartheid State that continues to trample on the rights of an entire people for over 70 years. [Disclaimer: of course I am opposed to terrorism as a tactic; my contextualization is not justification].
Secondly, the importation of the concept of nation-state and the drawing out of imaginary, and quite frankly arbitrary lines, between peoples of one background, one religion, one language, and even at times of one ethnicity and tribe, has led to numerous conflicts and wars. Muslims had no notion of the nation-state, and its European construct had no reason to be forcefully imposed by an illegitimate outside force. But that is exactly what Sykes-Picot did, and in fact almost all initial rulers put in charge of those nations were direct puppets of the British (the Sharif clan of Makkah had 3 brothers ruling over 3 nation-states at one time).
And lastly for this post (of course much, much more can be written), the proxy war that was played out and continues to play out, between Western superpowers on the one hand, and the Soviets on the other, that has been taking place since the end of WW 2, and continues to this day in places like Syria, where the nation states, created by the Sykes-Picot agreement, have been used as pawns in a far more vicious game in which the real players sit in palaces and white houses in lands far away, and the people whose blood is spilled and who resources are drained are all in the Middle East.
So, no, Sykes-Picot is not the only source of the problems of the Muslim world, and there is no doubt that incompetence, and greed, and lust for power, and religious ignorance and fanaticism, and a host of other factors, are also at fault. But let not Western colonizers pass the buck and ignore the first domino that directly caused and immediately facilitated all of these other factors to come into play and wreak havoc in the Ummah.
Out of all of the factors that we blame our current failures on, the first one in my mind is without a doubt the Sykes-Picot Agreement, plotted by European colonizers one hundred years ago.
#SykesPicot
PS Here is the original map of the agreement.
Every person has within themselves a natural spirit whose inherent state of being is to be content, grateful, loving, and peaceful, regardless of its external circumstances. We don’t see it because it gets covered by the negative thoughts, anxieties, angers, and desires of the world. As I internalize this fact, I understand what happened to me and why I am the way I am. When I was very young, for only a brief moment the veil was lifted and I experienced the unhidden soul. It compelled me to study religion, philosophy, and ancient wisdom, searching for some truth I only vaguely knew was there. It was an impulse and a force I did not understand and could not turn back even if I wanted to. One of my professors remarked, “Why do you think about these things? Other kids are playing basketball.” I didn’t know the answer then, but I know it now.
Al-Ghazālī put it this way [Iḥyā 3/12]: The heart is like a mirror that has been rusted over by the thoughts, sins, and desires of the world. As you control your mind and purify your heart, pray and give charity and remember God, the mirror gets polished and begins to reflect the Attributes of God: mercy, love, peace, justice, tranquility. The divine attributes begin to flow through you and permeate from you into the world. Then the true nature of the religion is revealed within the soul.
Knowing this has helped me understand both the cause and purpose of my suffering. I suffer because my heart is veiled by the world, I am separated from the divine presence and my natural state of being. But through my suffering I am motivated to find the eternal relief that I have faith is there and to pursue it to the end. If I can defeat my own suffering in this life, then I can help others overcome their suffering too. If I can lift the veil over my own heart and achieve peace, then I can help others do the same. I have no doubt that every individual soul can potentially experience the divine presence, and as more people awaken to it the world will be changed for the better. Realizing this truth is only half of the struggle; the other half is making it happen both within and without.
https://craigconsidinetcd.com/2016/04/01/10-great-prophet-muhammad-quotes-on-christians/
"We’ve heard the Prophet ﷺ tell us to speak good words or be silent, but have you considered that it refers to our inward statements as well? Bad thoughts create bad feelings, which lead to bad behaviors. When we habitually dwell on negative things in life, our worries, our doubts, our anger, and our worst-case scenarios, we get sucked into a downward spiral of depression. The way out is to train our inner dialogue to dismiss these thoughts, these empty frivolous fears that are no more real than a monster hiding under your bed, and replace them with prayers, with faith and optimism, with a look on the bright side. Think about your blessings, everything that is going right in your life, everything beautiful and peaceful. The God who parted the red sea, who brings the dead back to life, who performs miracles has the power to help us through any trouble. Say it to yourself. And if you have nothing good to think, then don’t think anything at all."
A comment in response (by me)
"But that will be inhibiting thoughts... We cant not think of bad things... i think that as long as you dont follow up that thought with any action, that it is fine... but it is my opinion..."
Justin Parrot aka Abu Amina Elias responded
"I’m talking about negative inner-statements like thinking pessimistically, nurturing anger, or saying bad things in your mind about yourself and others. Thinking itself is certainly a good thing when it is constructive and leads to good behavior and outcomes."
Another comment from another person who agrees with him
"Excellent point you made here Justin. I have been known to think of the worse case scenarios and all it does is hurt me. Thinking positive and doing hard work and leaving it to Allah at the end of the day makes for a healthy mind and positive emotions. Unnecessary stress is very bad for the body."
London's new mayor is the latest in a long line of Muslim mayors of European cities. Don't forget Muslim Spain, Sicily, and the Balkans.
http://www.juancole.com/2016/05/londons-nothing-european.html
Hijab Kristen dan Yahudi
Postingan ini khusus untuk teman-teman Muslim dan Muslimah di Indonesia yang hobi mengklaim bahwa tradisi hijab itu "eksklusif Islam." Karena "gagal paham" menganggap atau bahkan berkeyakinan bahwa hijab adalah "properti" umat Islam belaka, maka tidak jarang mereka sering "sensi", ngamuk, dan "mayah-mayah" kalau melihat non-Muslim memakai jilbab seraya menuduh mereka telah melecehkan dan menghina Islam. Atau, jika tidak, mereka menganggap kaum non-Muslimah yang "ujug-ujug" (tiba-tiba) berjilbab "sudah mendapat hidayah".
Sudah sering saya bilang bahwa, dalam konteks sejarah, tradisi hijab itu sudah ada jauuuhhhh sebelum Islam lahir di Mekah. Tradisi berhijab ini, misalnya, sudah dipraktekkan oleh masyarakat Assyria kuno ribuan tahun sebelum "bayi Islam" lahir di abad ke-6/7 M. Di kemudian hari, umat Yahudi dan Kristen (yang sama-sama lahir di Timur Tengah) melanjutkan tradisi ini seperti disebutkan dalam berbagai kitab suci mereka.
Belakangan, "si bungsu" Islam juga ikut-ikutan "kakak-kakak" mereka. Dalam sejarahnya, peradaban Byzantium dan Persia-lah yang memperkenalkan tradisi hijab ini ke komunitas Arab. Jika kini kita melihat banyak umat Kristen dan Yahudi yang tidak berhijab itu semata-mata lantaran proses sejarah dimana kedua agama ini sudah lama mengalami "proses pembaratan", sesuatu yang tidak dialami oleh Islam.
Karena tradisi hijab ini juga menjadi bagian dari sejarah, tradisi, dan kebudayaan umat Kristen dan Yahudi, maka tidak mengherankan jika ada sejumlah kelompok agama Kristen dan Yahudi masa kini yang masih memelihara dan mempraktekkan tradisi hijab ini seperti komunitas Kristen / Katolik Ortodoks di berbagai negara, belum termasuk kaum perempuan Arab Kristen di Timur Tengah seperti Lebanon, Suriah, Iraq, Palestina, Mesir, Yordania, dlsb. Foto di bawah ini hanyalah sekelumit contoh dari penampilan kaum perempuan Kristen di Irak yang tidak hanya berhijab tetapi juga sepertinya sambil menenteng Kitab Injil berbahasa Arab.
Begitu pula, komunitas Yahudi juga banyak yang berhijab (bahkan berniqab / berburqa seperti kaum Muslimah Saudi atau Qatar) seperti kelompok Sekte Burqa Heradi di Israel misalnya. Mereka menyebutnya "frumka" yang diperkenalkan oleh Bruria Keren, seorang tokoh agama Israel yang mengklaim bahwa tradisi hijab itu aslinya dari Yahudi, dan karena itu ia mengkampanyekan perempuan Yahudi untuk berhijab. Selain komunitas Yahudi Heradi, juga ada sekte Yahudi Lev Tahor di Quebec, Kanada (seperti foto di bawah ini) yang mengajarkan dan mempraktekkan tradisi hijab. Silakan diperhatikan dengan baik dan seksama tata-busana dari "kakak pertama" Yahudi dan "kakak kedua" Kristen ini. Sama persis kan dengan ukhti/ikhwat Muslimah?
Nah sekarang, saya tanya: hijab itu properti siapa, hayo?
