Fitnaul Kubra in Perspective
by Dr. Musa bin Mohd Nordin

The unending Afghan, Iraqi … tragedy is yet another classic example of incessant Muslim disunity (to put it mildly) and brutal killings and handling of fellow believers to put it realistically Is the ummah doomed to this fate and has no escape option from this vicious cycle of infighting ?

Is the fitnatul kubra the rationale, the justification and the permissible precedent for our gross misbehaviour towards fellow believers? Will the battles of Siffin and Al-Jamal continue to haunt the psyche of every Muslim prepared for the ultimate battle?

Much has been written about the the 2 battles. Notably the last century has witnessed the profileration of books and analysis of events which depicted the sahabah in a bad light based on unauthentic and unreliable hadiths and narrations.

In the battle between Ali and the people of Al-Jamal, the latter included the likes of Saad ibn Abi Waqqas, Zubeir bin AlAwwam, Talha bin Ubaidullah ( who including Ali were amongst the Mubasyirun – the 10 promised paradise during their lifetime) and Aisya RA & in the battle of Siffin near the Euphrates against Muawiyah RA.

This unprecedented fitnah was hatched by a munafiq named Abdullah ibn Saba’ (hence the term saba’iyin) inspired by the Yahudi who since time immemorial were in a conspiratorial mode with the bearers of truth. The desire to undermine the Muslim was in play during the time of Rasulullah SAW and in full gear with the assassination of Uthman RA. (see our reply to webmaster of Malaysia-Today when he ressurrected these issues “Swelling the ranks of latter day surrogate orientalists. *Part II by Dr. Mazeni Alwi & Dr. Musa Mohd. Nordin)

Events unfolding worldwide are testimony to this evil conniving blue print. And Muslims continue to fall prey as lame ducks. Probably the best expose’ of the difficult times during the period of the sahabah RA were authored by AlQadhi Abu Bakar Ibn Arabi (not to be confused with the sufi Muhid-Din Ibn Arabi) in 536 Hijrah. Al Awasim Minal Qawasim, Immunity from the Backbone Breakers is an expose’ which will inshaAllah protect us from saying things and believing in things that would be tantamount to being thrown into the Fire (thus breaking backbones). Quarrels were not uncommon during the time of Rasulullah SAW but they were settled amicably within the ethics of disagreements – adab ikhtilaf fil Islam.

Rasulullah SAW was supposed to know have known exactly the date of Lailatul Qadr but because of the quarrelings of the sahabah in masjid nabawi in his presence, the exact date escaped him. A companion of Prophet, Samith bin Ubadah reported that:
“The Prophet of Allah came out to inform us about the date of “Lailatul Qadr”. (He found that) two Muslims were quarrelling with each other. The Prophet PBUH said that I had come out to inform you about the Qadr Night. However, on account of the quarrelling of so and so the identity of the Night has been Rufiat – lifted or taken away. Perhaps it may be better for you, to try to find it on the 29th, 27th and 25th (nights of Ramadan).” (Sahih Bukhari)

This takes me back to my earlier deliberations on the Fitnatul Kubra and in particular the historical deadlock between Ali RA and Muawiyah RA. Fighting started in 36 AH and in 110 days, there were 90 battles and 80,000 killed !! All the intricacies of battle and arbitration (tahkim) aside, the absolute correct thing was that no war should have taken place. Impyling neither were absolutely correct.

However, the consensus of the fuqaha, the opinion of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the majority of the people of hadith, the majority of sahabah from Ansar and Muhajirun concluded that Ali was nearer to the truth, and that Muawiyah was a mujtahid but he was incorrect. And this was supported by the hadith that Khawarij would be killed by the group nearer to the truth and Ali killed Khawarij.

And as to the thorny issue why Muawiyah RA became Khalifah whilst there were better sahabah during his time was explained by Ibn Taimiyah as being permissible according to fiqh islami. Ibn Taimiyah in Fi Minhaj Assunnah mentioned from Qatada that “if you have witnessed what he (Muawiyah RA) has done then everyone of you would have said that he is the Mahdi”.

Imam Ahmad RA when asked about a powerful ruler but who is debauched and about a weak one but he is righteous, with whom one should make jihad ? He said ” as for the debauched but powerful (quwwah) ruler, his debauchery is for himself but his power is for the Muslims. As for the righteous (amanah) but weak one, his righteousness is for himself, but his weakness will not avail Muslims. So make jihad with the powerful, even he is debauched”

Wallahulam.

musa