The idea of consensus that harmed the "Islamists" greatly! Lessons from Egypt's events (4)

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah, dear brothers.

We mentioned in the previous session the mistakes that led Egyptian Islamists to the predicament they are in. We said that we would discuss their causes and motivations in an effort to rid ourselves of them.

The Misconception of Compromise

One of the most dangerous of these mistakes is the concept of compromise and the eagerness to please non-Muslims, even at the expense of Sharia. Islamists involved Christians and secularists in writing the constitution in the name of compromise, and they agreed to prohibit the establishment of parties on a religious basis in the name of compromise. They approved a constitution that had no share for Islam. Their argument in this regard was that it was a compromise constitution. They rejected the inclusion of Sharia rulings for the sake of compromise and placed texts from the Christian book in the students' curricula for the sake of compromise. They appointed Dr. Mohamed Morsi a Christian at the Presidential Institution for Democratic Transition for the sake of compromise, and they flattered those called artists, as in the Hurghada event and others, for the sake of compromise.

And their justification every time was: "There are Christians in society, what do we do with them? We cannot exclude them, do you want us to throw them into the sea?" And adhering to religion and establishing Sharia meant injustice to non-Muslims. And they would always apologize that they wanted reform to the extent possible.

Do you think that in the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, there was a call for compromise, even at the expense of Sharia?

The Islamic Response to the Concept of Compromise

Yes, what is the evidence? There are verses, brothers, when we read them after these events, we feel as if we are reading them for the first time, and I wish the Islamists would read them with sincerity and a quest for guidance.

Allah the Almighty says in Surah An-Nisa: "Have you not seen those who claim that they have believed in what was sent down to you and what was sent down before you? They wish to refer their disputes to the Taghut, while they were commanded to reject him. But Satan wishes to lead them far astray. And when it is said to them, 'Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,' you see the hypocrites turning away from you with aversion. Then how will it be when a disaster befalls them for what their hands have put forth, and they come to you swearing by Allah, 'We intended nothing but good and success.' Those are the ones of whom Allah knows what is in their hearts, so turn away from them and admonish them and speak to them a word that is effective."

"Have you not seen those who claim that they have believed in what was sent down to you and what was sent down before you? They wish to refer their disputes to the Taghut," meaning they refer their disputes to a man of the People of the Book, as the commentators said. The constitution that makes legislation for humans without Allah, as we have explained in many episodes, this constitution is a Taghut that they refer to and swear by, and they prevent exceptions in this oath. Why? Because it is a compromise constitution.

"And when it is said to them, 'Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,' you see the hypocrites turning away from you with aversion." Do not be offended, O listener, by the word "hypocrites." Try to be guided by the verses, may Allah guide you, and we will return to the word later. The call to enforce Sharia and to participate in gatherings demanding it appeared, and a statement came from Islamic parties: "We will not participate," and they let the people down regarding it. Why? Because it spoils the state of compromise.

The Calamity and the Weak Justification

Then Allah the Almighty said: "Then how will it be when a disaster befalls them for what their hands have put forth, and they come to you swearing by Allah, 'We intended nothing but good and success.'" So how will it be when a disaster befalls them? We are now in a calamity that has no revealer except Allah, and it is because of what their hands have put forth. "Then they come to you swearing by Allah, 'We intended nothing but good and success.'"

Ibn Kathir said: "That they apologize to you and swear that they did not intend by going to others and referring to your enemies except good and success, meaning appeasement and conciliation, believing in the correctness of that government, not believing in the correctness of that government." Meaning referring to other than Sharia. If they say: We want good, meaning the interest of Muslims, shedding blood, and success between all factions, and not causing a rift among the sons of one society, good and success, and we appease the People of the Book to whom we refer, otherwise, we do not believe in the correctness of their rule nor its superiority over the rule of Allah and His Messenger. This was their logic.

A Decisive Divine Direction

Allah the Almighty, who said: "Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching," says here: "And speak to them a word that is effective." Yes, the matter involves the loss of religion and raising the banner of compromise among everyone, even at the expense of Sharia, defying the Sunnah of Allah the Almighty, who says: "And never will the Jews and the Christians be pleased with you until you follow their religion." And it will lead you to lose everything without equivalent, and it indicates the weakness of the glorification of Sharia in the hearts. And Allah named these people hypocrites.

I know that many will be angry, but when we see that these diseases are still the same until now, the plague of compromise and success among the factions of society, even at the expense of Sharia, is still dominating the minds. And as long as the deviations exist, the Islamists in Egypt will not be saved, and Egypt will not be saved with them. We want to tell them: Remove from your minds a need called compromise, and if you insist on it, we are forced to name things by their names and clarify that this is hypocrisy.

Allah the Almighty said after these verses: "And We have not sent any messenger except to be obeyed by permission of Allah." Allah sent His Messenger to be obeyed completely, not for us to call ourselves Islamists and claim affiliation with the call of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and then waste it for the sake of compromise.

A Call to Repentance and Islamic Arbitration

Then He said: "But if they had wronged themselves and had come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance and Merciful." This is what we call you to, may Allah guide you. This is what we call you to, seek forgiveness for your past sins and for compromise at the expense of Sharia, and you will find Allah Accepting of repentance and Merciful.

Then He said, glorified is He: "But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they make you a judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in full submission." Until they make you a judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves. If we cannot establish this Islamic judgment at that time, then this is not an excuse for us to be part of a temporary rule and to step on it and give it legitimacy under the pretext of compromise. Rather, we must work from outside this ignorant system with a pure call to open Allah between us and our enemies with the truth. Any concession in this field means: "But no, by your Lord, they will not believe."

The Correct Agreement and Disassociating from Enemies

Are we, by warning against agreement at the expense of the Sharia, calling for injustice towards non-Muslims? Never. The Prophet, peace be upon him, agreed with non-Muslims in Medina on the Constitution of Medina, and gave them their rights, he gave them their rights. But all of this was under the umbrella of the Sharia, as it is stated in the document: "And if any dispute or controversy likely to cause trouble should arise it is to be referred to Allah and to Muhammad the Apostle of Allah, peace be upon him."

Rather, we say, my brothers: Disassociating from people based on creed is what leads to true agreement. Enmity towards the enemies of the religion leads to true agreement.

In Surah Al-Mumtahanah, Allah the Almighty says: "O you who have believed, do not take My enemy and your enemy as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, [and while] they have driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allah, your Lord. And if you have come forth [for jihad] in the cause of Allah and seeking honor [for Allah], then seek no blame upon yourselves; but seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful." Then He says: "Perhaps Allah will make between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them affection. And Allah is all-Powerful, and Allah is all-Forgiving and Merciful."

Imagine with the limited human logic: We must show affection to the enemies of Allah to maintain agreement and avoid their harm, while the Sunnah of Allah says: If we respond to our Lord and oppose them in Allah and seek the pleasure of Allah no matter how much the people are displeased with us, then Allah will make affection between us and them by them entering the religion of Allah in multitudes when they see us as honorable, holding firmly to our religion. The human mind without the revelation of Allah the Almighty does not reach this conclusion, and for this reason, "And Allah knows while you do not know."

The Conclusion and Advice

In conclusion, we say to the Muslims in Egypt and elsewhere: Al-Bukhari narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever pleases Allah at the expense of the people, Allah will suffice him against the people, and whoever displeases Allah at the expense of the people, Allah will entrust him to the people." By Allah, we are all in dire need now for Allah to suffice us against the people, and nothing is more harmful to us than for Allah to entrust us to the people whom we have sought agreement with at the expense of the displeasure of Allah.

So repent, may Allah guide you, from this agreement at the expense of the Sharia, repent from this unsuccessful agreement, for it does not please Allah nor does it preserve the relationship with the people whom we lose for the sake of those whom Allah has informed us beforehand that they will never be pleased with us. And remove this phrase from your tongues and delete it from your vocabulary forever. May Allah accept our repentance and yours, and may He have mercy on us and on you.

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.