When is the silence of the 'Ulama justified

Edited by Friends of Deoband

The 'ulama are the brains and the heart of the community. When they become decrepit with moral and spiritual diseases, there is no hope for the masses. As long as the 'ulama faithfully discharge their sacred obligations, the community as a whole will remain on the Path of Rectitude and safe from the universal punishment

However, there are situations when it becomes virtually impossible for most 'ulama to publicly practise Amr bil Ma'ruf wa Nahy an l-Munkar (enjoining which is good and forbidding which is evil). Such situations exist in places where evil, immoral munafiq (hypocrite) regimes exist. In countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, etc., 'ulama are imprisoned and tortured for proclaiming the haqq (truth).

Although the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) has said: "The noblest Jihad is to proclaim the truth in the presence of an oppressive ruler", it is not in the constitution of every 'alim to execute this duty, especially in this era of spiritual weakness. Allah does not impose on the sincere 'ulama an unbearable task.

Silence

It is not wajib (obligatory) to offer one for imprisonment and torture by the fasiq and munafiq state authorities. If an 'alim feels that he is unable to bear the hardship of imprisonment and torture, his silence is justified. While his silence is justified, ta'wil-e-baatil (baseless interpretation) to mutilate and subvert the Shari'ah is never permissible.

When circumstances compel an 'alim to maintain silence when he observes vice and sin, it then is time for him to go into seclusion. He is under obligation to sever his ties with the errant community and devote his time to zikr (remembrance of Allah). It is not permissible for him to fraternise and socialise with the community which shuns his advices of admonition. Such fraternisation creates desensitisation in the 'alim. In other words, the repugnance of sin and vice gradually departs from his heart. He will then be deprived of the  ‘ibada (worship) of bughd lillah (hatred for the sake of Allah). Awliya’ and 'ulama in the past were destroyed and eliminated by the universal punishment of Allah when they had abstained from Amr bil Ma'ruf wa Nahy an l-Munkar, but at the same time snugly fitted into society.

Seclusion

Abstention from Amr bil Ma'ruf for a valid reason is justified only if the 'alim severs his ties with the rebellious community and adopts seclusion as his sanctuary. His seclusion and severance of ties will be his wajib hijrah (compulsory migration) from evil, sin, and disobedience.

But such a situation to justify abstention from Amr bil Ma'ruf does not exist in South Africa. In this country the 'ulama abstain from executing their sacred obligation solely on account of nafsaaniyat and shaitaaniyat. There is no third factor for their gross dereliction of duty.

Awake: To The Call of Islam (August 2011) p. 8-9