Tarbiyah

[AbuMubarak]

:


Author: Shaikh Ali Hasan al-Halabi


Source: Tasfiyah wat-Tarbiyah


Article ID : CAF020003


The Ways in which Creation Operates


Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: Once, when Cyprus was conquered and its people


were divided and they used to cry to each other, I saw Abud-Dardaa


sitting alone crying. So I said: O Abud- Dardaa! What makes you cry on


this day in which Allaah has strengthened Islaam and its people? So he


said: "Woe be to you O Jubayr. How insignificant the creation is to


Allaah when they abandon His commands. Between us is a nation, who


were evidently strong and had dominion, they abandoned the commands of


Allaah, so see what has become of them!"[2]


So this is a clear and indisputable evidence that cultivation and


education upon the commands of Allaah - with the beneficial knowledge


and righteous actions - is the basis for achieving the help of Allaah;


whilst abandoning this is the cause for defeat. "Indeed, Allaah - the


One free from all defects, the Most High - has established certain


Sunan (ways and causes) upon His creation, whosoever fulfills them


will achieve success and felicity, but whosoever turns away from them


has indeed gone astray. Allaah the Most High - explains this Sunan


with regards to those who disbelieve: "Similar Sunan were faced by


people before you, so travel through the earth and see what was the


end of those who disbelieved."[3]


And He - the Most Perfect - says:


"Such was the Sunnah (way) of Allaah with those who lived before.


Indeed, in the Sunnah of Allaah you will find no change."[5]


This established Sunan, or way in which Allaah's creation operates, is


not only for one particular nation to the exclusion of others, nor for


any one particular era to the exclusion of others. Rather, this matter


was practically taught to even the first of the Muslims, the Sahaabah


- may Allaah be pleased with them all - as in the battle of Uhud, when


the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam commanded the


archers to remain in their positions, yet they disobeyed his order;


which resulted in their defeat:


Lessons from the Battle of Uhud


Al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib radiallaahu 'anhu said:


We encountered the pagans on that day [of Uhud] and the Prophet


sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam positioned a group of archers and


appointed 'Abdullaah ibn Jubair to be in command of them and said: "Do


not leave this position, if you should see us conquer them, do not


leave this position; and if you should see them conquer us, then do


not come to our aid." However, when we met the enemy they fled on


their heels, until I saw their women running towards the mountain,


lifting their dresses from their legs, thus exposing their


ankle-bracelets. Some people started saying: The booty, the booty! So


'Abdullaah ibn Jubair said: The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam


has taken a promise from me not to abandon this position. However, his


companions refused to stay. So when they refused, Allaah confused


them, such that they did not know where to go; due to which they then


suffered seventy deaths...."[6]


Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (d 751H) - rahimahullaah - said:


"This calamity which struck them was caused by their own actions. So


our Lord said: "When a single disaster struck you, whereas you struck


them with a disaster twice as great, do you then say: from where did


this come? Say: It is from your own selves! Indeed, Allaah has power


over everything."[7]


And He mentioned this itself; in that which is more general than this


in the Makkan soorahs. He said:


"Whatever misfortune befalls you is because of what your own hands


have done, yet for many He grants forgiveness."[8]


"Whatever of good comes to you, it is from Allaah; and whatever


misfortunes befall you, it is from your ownselves."[9]


So the good and the bad here are blessings and misfortunes. So the


blessings of Allaah are something which He has favoured you with,


whilst the misfortunes have sprung from your own selves and your


actions. So the first is from His grace and the second is from His


justice. And the servant is always between His grace and His justice;


His grace is upon him, His judgment in him and whatever He decrees is


just. And Allaah concluded the first Aayah with His saying:


"Indeed Allaah has power over all things." After His saying: "Say: It


is from your own selves!" Thus indicating to them about the generality


of His Power along with His Justice - and He is the Most Just, the


All-Powerful."[l0]


Disobedience Results in Defeat


And the story of this battle of Uhud must give us the du'aat


(callers), an important lesson by which we benefit in our lives, which


is that: "When the Muslims suffer defeat in jihaad or in da'wah, then


they should blame themselves and straighten their course; and they


should weigh their actions with the true scales. Since Allaah - the


Mighty and Majestic - has informed the Muslims that the reason for


their defeat in the battle of Uhud was themselves, and this was the


same reason on the day of Hunayn. And it is from the Sunan of Allaah


that He does not remove a blessing from a people which has been given


to them, unless they change what He has given them of eemaan (faith),


guidance and good. Allaah says:


"That is because Allaah will never change the favour which He bestows


upon a people, until they change themselves."[11]


And this verse shows us the history of our Islaamic Ummah in the best


way. So our Salafus-Saalih (Pious Predecessors) clung to the blessings


of Allaah upon them, and the most important of these blessings is the


correct 'aqeedah (beliefs) and noble manners; and they kept away from


disunity and splitting. They took hold of those prescribed reasons


which made them the best of nations ever raised for mankind, and


thereby deserved through this, the victory of Allaah, establishment


upon the earth and the various tribes and nations being made


subservient to them.


After them came a people who changed that which the Messenger of


Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and his Companions were upon, in


'aqeedah and methodology, with their own customs, ways and manners.


They split into groups and parties and raised up the banner of


jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic ignorance), so Allaah made them despicable,


causing the lowly nations to dominate over them. So the best of them


were attacked and the minds of the children were brainwashed, and they


became scum, like the scum upon the waves.


So if the Muslims desire good, unity and establishment upon the earth,


then they should make their manners and behaviour like that of the


Salaf of this Ummah and begin by ch angingthemselves.However,hewho


is unable to change even himself, will not be able to change his


family, not to mention changing the Ummah.


And then this aayah comes between two aayaat, which informs us about


the people of Fir'awn - and those nations and tribes which preceded


them - who disbelieved in Allaah and His Signs. There was much


oppression and sin committed amongst them, so Allaah destroyed them.


So take heed - O people of understanding and hearts - and beware of


the punishment and the power of Allaah! And know that change begins


with the soul and is not achieved through having many helpers, nor


strength of information, nor the clamor of those who clap and shout,


nor by the arenas and streets being filled with huge crowds.


Indeed, the leaders of our Ummah - those through whom Allaah gave


honour and might to His Deen - when the conquest of a city was delayed


for them, then they gathered the army and asked them two questions,


for which there was no third: What are the Sunnahs that you have


fallen short in complying with? [ii] What are the sins you have


committed?![12]


Therefore, they used to take account of themselves, and they used to


fear the spread of sins amongst themselves. The leader used to be a


good example for his army, with regards obedience to Allaah and fear


of Him. However, as regards us today, then we read the previous aayah


and we read other aayaat which are like it, such as the saying of


Allaah - the Most High:


"Never does Allaah change the condition of a people, until they change


themselves. But when Allaah wills punishment for a people, then there


can be no turning it back, nor will they find besides Him any helper."[l3]


However, along with this, these sublime aayaat do not deeply enter


into our hearts. We accuse the east and the west, but we do not accuse


ourselves and we take a very precise account of other people - such


that it contains no pity, nor mercy - but we do not take account of


our ownselves."[l4]


From Where Will the Help Come?


Due to all this, Allaah attached His help and assistance for His


servants, to the servants aiding Him, and this does not come about


except with true tarbiyah (cultivation and education) and sincerely


clinging to the truth. So He - the Most Perfect - says:


"Indeed Allaah will help those who help His (cause). Indeed Allaah is


Exalted in Might, all-Powerful."[15]


'Urwah ibn az-Zubayr (d.94H) - rahimahullaah - said: When the people


were equipped and ready to proceed to Mu'tah, he said to the Muslims:


"May Allaah accompany you and defend you. " .... Then they went on


until they reached the land of Shaam (Syria, Jordan and Palestine),


where they were informed that Heraclius had arrived at al-Balqaa with


one- hundred thousand Romans, and added to them - from the Arab tribes


of al-Hazm, Jadhaam, Balqeen and Bahraa - another one-hundred thousand


men. So the Muslims waited for two nights, considering what to do. So


they said: We will write to the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu


'alayhi wa sallam and inform him about the number of the enemy. He


said: But 'Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah encouraged the people to bravery and


said: "By Allaah, O people! That which you hate is what you had come


out for. You seek martyrdom. We do not fight the enemy merely with


what we have prepared, nor with strength, nor with large numbers. We


do not fight them except with this Deen that Allaah has blessed us


with. So go forth, because it is only one of two good things: either


victory, or martyrdom. He said: So the people said: By Allaah! Ibn


Rawaahah has spoken the truth. So the people continued." [16]


The Mufassir and Imaam, ash-Shanqeetee (d.1393H) said:


"Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - explains in the above noble aayah


that He has sworn to help and give victory to those who help Him. It


is known that the help and victory of Allaah comes by following what


He has prescribed, obeying His command, avoiding His prohibitions, by


helping His Messengers and their followers, aiding His Deen and


fighting against His enemies and overpowering them - until the word of


Allaah is made uppermost, whilst the word of His enemies is debased


and made low. Then Allaah - the Most High, the Most Magnificent -


explains the characteristics of those whom He has promised would


receive His help and victory, distinguishing them from others. So He


said, whilst explaining those to whom He swore He would aid and give


victory to - because He is the one to aid and give victory:


"Those who, if We establish them in the earth, establish the prayer,


give the zakaah, enjoin the good and forbid the evil."[l7]


And that which this noble aayah indicates is that whosoever aids


Allaah, then Allaah will aid Him. This is clearly explained in other


than this place, such as His - the Most High's - sayings:


"O you who Believe. If you help Allaah, Allaah will help you; and


establish your feet firmly. But those who disbelieve, for them is


destruction and Allaah will make their deeds vain."[l8]


"Indeed, Our Word has gone forth of old for our slaves, the


Messengers, that they will certainly be victorious; and that Our


forces will certainly be triumphant."[19]


"Allaah has Decreed: It is My Messenger and I who will prevail."[20]


"Allaah has promised to those amongst you who believe and do righteous


actions that He will grant you the Khilaafah in the land."[21]


And in His - the Most High's - saying:


"Those who, if We establish them in the earth, establish the Prayer,


give the Zakaah, enjoin the good and forbid the evil."[22]


In it is a proof that there is no promise from Allaah of His help,


except by establishing the Salaah, paying the Zakaah, enjoining what


is good and forbidding what is evil. So it is these whom Allaah will


establish upon the earth and will strengthen His Word through them.


However, those who do not establish the Salaah, nor pay the Zakaah,


nor enjoin the good or forbid the evil, then there is no promise for


them from Allaah that He will aid and grant them victory. They are not


from His party, nor are they his friends - those who have the promise


of His help and victory. Rather, they are the party of Shaytaan and


his friends. So if they were to expect the help of Allaah and the


fulfillment of His promise upon them, then their example is like that


of a hired worker who refuses to do the job that he was hired for, yet


he expects to be rewarded. So whosoever is like this, then he has no


intellect![23]


The Fruits of Disagreement


There is here, an important point that must be mentioned, which is


that disagreement, opposing views and mutual disregard is one of the


greatest causes of defeat. This - in reality - is due to a deficiency


in tarbiyah (education and cultivation) and therefore it is one of


those matters which prevents victory.


Imaam ash-Sha'bee (d.104H) said: "No nation differed after its


Prophet, except that the people of falsehood from it, gained


ascendancy over its people of truth."[24]


And this - as has preceded - is precisely what happened to the


Sahaabah (Companions), those who were educated and cultivated under


the shade of Revelation, with their Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa


sallam. So what is the case of those who come after them?!


Indeed: "Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - explained that one of the


greatest causes for the loss suffered by the Muslims at the battle of


Uhud was the differing and ikhtilaaf (disagreement) of the archers,


and that some of them disobeyed the order of the Messenger of Allaah


sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. About this Allaah - the Most High - said:


"Indeed, Allaah did fulfill His Promise to you when you were killing


them by His Permission; until you lost your courage and began


disputing about the command, and disobeyed, after He showed you that


which you love. Amongst you are some that desire this world and some


that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them, that He


may test you. But He forgave you, and Allaah is Most Gracious to the


Believers."[25]


So in all the battles of the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi


wa sallam, the Muslims were a single rank and a single jamaaah '


(united body), taking orders from a single leader. Allaah - the Most


High - said:


"O you who Believe! When you meet an enemy, be firm against them and


remember Allaah a lot so that you may be successful. And obey Allaah


and His Messenger, and do not dispute less you lose courage and your


strength departs. And have sabr (patient perseverance), indeed Allaah


is with the patient ones."[26]


So obedience to Allaah and His Messenger means being free from defect


and blemish in both 'aqeedah (beliefs) and manhaj (methodology), just


as it means agreement in direction and where instructions are taken


from. However, defeat is the result of disunity and disagreement


between the hearts, and in having many leaders and many jamaa'ahs


(groups and parties).


There has - in this present age - been no battle in which we have


participated, except that in it we were differing and disputing


parties, having differing leaderships and having mutual hatred. So how


is it possible to achieve victory and establishment?! Indeed, everyone


talks about bringing about unity, and writes about it and looks


forward to it. However, the results are sorrowful and destroy and


frustrate the hopes. After every attempt it becomes clear that every


group strove to cause difficulties for the others; and to plot against


them; and to make conditions upon them which conflict with the goals


of unity and harmony. So the attempt that will be effective and


successful must have as its goal, corrections for the ailments of the


hearts and souls..... So when the souls are changed and the hearts are


filled with taqwaa (piety, fear and obedience to Allaah), then


everything in our lives will be changed."[27]


Lessons from the Battle of Hunayn


Thus the cause for the defeat has been very clearly manifested, and it


is a deficiency in the tarbiyah (education and cultivation). Another


clear manifestation of this also, is what happened in the battle of


Hunayn, about which Allaah - the Most High - said:


"And on the day of Hunayn, when you rejoiced at your great number, but


it availed you nothing; and the earth vast as it is - was straightened


for you, then you turned back in flight."[28]


Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim said:


"So from the wisdom of Allaah, He first gave them a taste of the


bitterness of defeat and of being overcome - despite their large


number, preparation and strength - in order that heads which had been


raised up due to the conquest of Makkah, should be lowered. For they


did not enter His land and His Sacred Precinct (i.e. Makkah) in the


way the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam entered it;


lowering his head with humility, upon his horse - to the extent that


his chin nearly touched the saddle - out of humility before His Lord,


humbling himself before His Greatness and submitting to His Might.


This was due to the fact that Allaah had made lawful His Sacred


Precinct and His Land for him, and He had not made it lawful to anyone


before him or after him. All of this occurred so that he should make


clear to those who said: "We will not be defeated today because of our


numbers!!" Explaining to them that the victory comes only from Him and


that whomsoever He aids, then none can overcome him; and whomsoever He


forsakes, then there is none to grant victory to him, besides Allaah.


And that He - the Most Perfect - took it upon Himself to aid and grant


victory to His Messenger and His Deen - not due to their large numbers


which they (falsely) delighted in, since that was of no avail to them.


Rather, they fled, turning their backs. So when their hearts had


become downcast, Allaah sent them the removal of their distress and a


prior taste of victory, by sending down His tranquility upon His


Messenger and upon the Believers and by sending down the unseen forces


(i.e. the Angels). So from His wisdom - the Most Perfect - was that he


only granted victory and its gifts to them when their hearts had


become downcast and saddened:


"And We desired to favour those who were weak in the land and to make


them leaders and make them the inheritors, and to establish them in


the land. And We let Fir'awn and Haamaan and their hosts receive from


them that which they feared."[29]"[30]


Impatience: An Obstacle against Tarbiyah


From that which negates tarbiyah and prevents its completion is: being


hasty and having lack of sabr (patient perseverance). This produces a


negative result, the least of which is a delay in the victory. Our


Lord - the Most Perfect - said:


"And what made you hasten from your people, O Moosaa? He replied: They


are close on my footsteps, and I hasten to you - O my Lord - that you


might be pleased. " [31]


A clear goal and a clear intention: I have hastened to you - O my Lord


- to please you. So Allaah said:


"Indeed We have put your people to fitnah (trial and tribulation) in


your absence. And indeed as-Saamiree has led them astray."[32]


So this is Moosaa 'alayhis-salaam, and he was one of the Oolul-'Azm


(foremost in resolve) from the Messengers, yet he sought to hasten the


affair. So when he sought to hasten the affair, fitnah (trial and


discord) occurred amongst his people which was that they began


worshipping others besides Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic. Allaah -


the Most High - said:


"So patiently persevere, and let not those who have no yaqeen


(certainty of faith) discourage you from conveying Allaah's Message."[33]


Imaam al-Baghawee (d.555H) - rahimahullaah - said:


"Meaning: do not let those who have no certain faith lead you into


ignorance and into following them upon misguidance."[34]


Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullaah - said:


"Whosoever considers the trials and discords that have come upon


Islaam - the small and the great of them - will realise that they were


due to abandoning this principle of not being hasty, and of having


sabr upon that which is harmful, and seeking to remove the harm in a


hasty manner. This in turn produces that which is greater and worse


than the initial harm."[35]


So this is a word from a Scholar who has carefully and thoroughly


examined the Book and the Sunnah, and has likewise carefully examined


the condition of the Muslims, and therefore said what he said - may


Allaah have mercy upon him.


Tarbiyah and Sabr: the Key to Victory


The teacher, Muhammad Qutb (one of the heads of innovation) - may


Allaah forgive him - said in his book: Waaqi'unal-Ma'aasir, and he was


speaking about the Islaamic Movements of Egypt, internally and


externally, he said: "So with regards to within the country, then


there occurred from them hastiness in showing the strength of the


jamaa'ah ' (i.e. the Muslims) - whether in making themselves manifest,


or in demonstrations, protest marches, entering into political affairs


of the time - such as fighting the communists; and supporting the


affairs of the country in the security council, and other than that.


It is as if the jamaa'ah - each and every time - wanted to say: we are


here, and we are able to do such and such.... Leaving aside the


matters of the day, then was this something which was permissible for


the Muslim jamaa'ah to enter into? Or was its obligation to call to


the correction of the fundamental manhaj (methodology) of living, to


the establishment of the firm pillars and to the perfection of the


desired tarbiyah. However, seeking to hasten the movement before its


time, then produced an effect upon the overall direction."[36]


I say: What will very clearly demonstrate the matter of hastiness and


its many negative effects is the saying of Allaah - the Most Perfect,


Most High - when He said:


"Have you not seen those who were told to hold back their hand from


fighting, and offer Salaah (Prayer) and give the Zakaah. But when


fighting was prescribed for them, behold! a section of them fear men


as they fear Allaah, or even more. They say: Our Lord! Why have you


prescribed fighting for us. Would that you had granted us respite for


a short period."[37]


"So those who were resolved upon Jihaad and loved it, when they were


tested with it, they were averse to it and fled from it."[38]


And they were from the Companions of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi


wa sallam - those who received tarbiyah (cultivation and education)


beneath the shade of Revelation and who were guided by the Sharee'ah.


So how about those after them - the greatest of whom cannot even reach


a handful, or even half a handful, of their calibre?!


And only Allaah guides to the Path that is straight.


NOTES


[2]. Related by Imaam Ahmad in az-Zuhd (2/63) and Abu Nu'aym in


Hilyatul-Awliyaa (l/216-217).


[3]. Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3: 137


[4]. Soorah al-Ahzaab 33:62


[5]. Qul Huwa Min 'Indee Anfusakum (p.58) of Muhammad Suroor.


[6]. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.4043).


[7]. Soorah Aal-lmraan 3:165


[8]. Sooratush-Shooraa 42:30


[9]. Sooratun-Nisaa 4:79


[10]. Zaadul-Ma'aad ( 3/238).


[11]. Sooratul-Anfaal 8:53


[12]. Such as the advice given by Umar ibn al-Khattaab to Sa'd ibn


Abee Waqqaas and his army - radiallaahu 'anhumaa - as occurs in


'Iqdul-Fareed (1/40).


[13]. Sooratur-Ra'dd 13:11


[14]. Qul Huwa Min 'Indee Anfusakum (pp.59-62).


[15]. Soorah Hajj 22:40


[16]. Related by Abu Nu'aym in Hilyatul-Awliyaa (1/119).


[17]. Soorah al-Hajj 22:41


[18]. Soorah Muhammad 47:7


[19]. Sooratus-Saaffaat 37:171-173


[20]. Soorah al-Mujaadalah 58:21


[21]. Sooratun Noor 24:55


[22]. Soorah al-Hajj 22:41


[23]. Adwaa'ul-Bayaan (5/703-704) of 'Allaamah ash- Shanqeetee.


[24]. Related by Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah (4/313) and adh- Dhahabee in


Siyar A'laamun - Nubalaa (4/311).


[25]. Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:152


[26]. Sooratul Anfaal 8:45-46


[27]. Qul Huwa Min 'Indee Anfusakum (pp. 93-94)


[28]. Qul Huwa Min 'Indee Anfusakum (pp. 93-94)


[29]. Soorah al Qasas 28:5-6


[30]. Zaadul-Ma'aad (3/477-478) of Ibn al-Qayyim.


[31]. Soorah TaaHaa 20:83-84


[32]. Soorah TaaHaa 20:85


[33]. Soorah ar-Room 30:60


[34]. Ma 'aalimut-Tanzeel (6/279) of al-Baghawee.


[35]. A'laamul-Muwaqqi'een (3/4) of lbn al-Qayyim.


[36]. Quoted in Mawqiful-Mu'min minal-Fitnah (pp. 28-29) by Shaykh


'Abdullaah al-'Ubaylaan - may Allaah protect him.


[37]. Soorah an-Nisaa 4:77


[38]. Majmoo'ul-Fataawaa (10/690) of Shaykhul-lslaam lbn Taymiyyah.