Islam Rediscovered
21. Islam in History
~ 361 ~
The famous traditionist, Imam al-Nawawi, has
commented on the tradition regarding
fitna
as
recorded in
Sahih Muslim
:
These traditions clearly convey that we
should not enter into any confrontation with
political rulers. Even if we find in them any
major deviation from Islam, our responsibility
will be limited purely to the giving of advice
in private. According to the consensus of
Muslim scholars, so far as revolt and armed
confrontation are concerned, even if the rulers
in question are corrupt and tyrannical these
actions are unlawful (haraam). (
Sahih Muslim
,
with the commentary of an-Nawawi,
Kitab al-
Imarah
, vol. 12, p.229).
From this commentary, we learn that the waging of
war against
fitna
in no way meant the replacing of
non-Muslim governments with Muslim regimes. Its
actual purpose was to put an end to the use of
intellectual and ideological coercion, so that God’s
servants might be at liberty to perform their
devotions to God and communicate God’s message
in an atmosphere of freedom. Waging war against
