Nature of Active
Resistance Measures to be taken in the Present Time
Under
the present socio-political scenario there is only one way out and that is a
peaceful, organized national movement which will not resort to hooliganism and
will not harm public or private property. Albeit these people should be ready
to sacrifice their own lives. I call this a "one-sided war". These
people should come out on the streets and protest against the corruption and
evils in the body politic. These people should make clear their objective to
the government that we have sent petition to you many times before for the
containment and eradication of these evils, we have begged you to put a total
ban on interest but now we will do picketing, will bring people on the streets
for demonstrations and will picket banks and we will not let this interest
based system work in our lifetime. We will face bullets if security agencies
open fire on us.
In
my opinion this is the only practical way of bringing about a revolution today.
If we were to take up arms at being provoked who would we be taking up arms
against? Against the Army or the Air Force? Haven't past governments used the
Air Force twice in Baluchistan? Was it not by means of the Air Force that
Hafez-ul-Asad murdered thousands of Ikhwan in one day? And did he not destroy
their centre by bombarding it? Hence today it is a very unequal battle. Where
possible there can be a two-sided war. For example in a mountainous region
there could be guerilla warfare, this is not prohibited. The Prophet (SAW)
fought wars to establish the Islamic social order and we can do likewise even
against the person who recites the Kalimah but allows un-Islamic practices in
the state and economy management.
According to the point of view adopted by Imam Abu Hanifah (RA) if Muslim leaders were evildoers and violators of Islamic Shariah then one can rebel against them. Initially the process of calling towards the good and forbidding that which is evil should be done verbally. If this is not effective then force can be used to achieve the target. So even though theoretically armed resistance is legitimate but in the present conditions it is not practically possible or feasible. Against the un-Islamic practices Muslim leaders and governments of today the one-sided opposition and resistance in the form of non-violent mass movement and pressure group is the most appropriate plan of action.
According to the point of view adopted by Imam Abu Hanifah (RA) if Muslim leaders were evildoers and violators of Islamic Shariah then one can rebel against them. Initially the process of calling towards the good and forbidding that which is evil should be done verbally. If this is not effective then force can be used to achieve the target. So even though theoretically armed resistance is legitimate but in the present conditions it is not practically possible or feasible. Against the un-Islamic practices Muslim leaders and governments of today the one-sided opposition and resistance in the form of non-violent mass movement and pressure group is the most appropriate plan of action.
If
such an agitation is started against any government then naturally an effort
will be made to restrain it. In the beginning the police and paramilitary
troops will obey the government's orders and fire on the protesters. But
ultimately the time will come when the army will refuse to obey these orders
because they cannot kill a large number of their own countrymen. This is not an
invading army, it is the national army and those standing in front of them have
not come from an enemy country.
In 1919 when General Dyer gunned down thousands of people at Jalianwala garden, he had not the least pain on the event. He was an Englishman and those who died were Indians, no matter whether Muslims, Hindus or Sikhs. But it is not easy to kill your own countrymen, your own brothers. Orders are followed to a certain point but then a time comes when officers simply refuse to obey orders. An example (1977) can be given when Brigadier Muhammad Ashraf Gondal stood up and said we will not fire any more on the protestors in Lahore. Two more Brigadiers stood up in his support and Mr. Bhutto received the message. A few days prior to this event during a televised address he had clutched the arms of his chair and very arrogantly stated that "My power seat is invincible". I still remember that scene but when the message from Lahore reached him that this was the Army's stand now, the invincible power seat staggered. Then he sent an invitation for talks to the PNA. However it must be noted that in order to bring about an Islamic Revolution lives will have to be sacrificed. It cannot be done without such sacrifices.
In 1919 when General Dyer gunned down thousands of people at Jalianwala garden, he had not the least pain on the event. He was an Englishman and those who died were Indians, no matter whether Muslims, Hindus or Sikhs. But it is not easy to kill your own countrymen, your own brothers. Orders are followed to a certain point but then a time comes when officers simply refuse to obey orders. An example (1977) can be given when Brigadier Muhammad Ashraf Gondal stood up and said we will not fire any more on the protestors in Lahore. Two more Brigadiers stood up in his support and Mr. Bhutto received the message. A few days prior to this event during a televised address he had clutched the arms of his chair and very arrogantly stated that "My power seat is invincible". I still remember that scene but when the message from Lahore reached him that this was the Army's stand now, the invincible power seat staggered. Then he sent an invitation for talks to the PNA. However it must be noted that in order to bring about an Islamic Revolution lives will have to be sacrificed. It cannot be done without such sacrifices.
In
the recent past we have the example of the Iranians before us that they gave
their lives to bring about a revolution. Even though I do not consider the
Iranian Revolution a proper Islamic Revolution. In fact in my opinion it is not
even a true revolution because it never went beyond its own borders whereas the
expansion beyond borders of a revolution is a necessary characteristic of a
truly genuine revolution. In 1984-85 C.E at Masjid-e- Darussalaam, Bagh-e-Jinnah,
Lahore I gave a number of lectures on the topic 'whether the Iranian Revolution
was an Islamic Revolution?' After this I gave eleven lectures on the topic of
"Methodology of the Prophet's Revolution", the summary of which
I am presenting before you today. These lectures have now been published in the
form of a book entitled "Manhaj Inqilab-i-Nabawi" . If one has been
moved even slightly by reading this short tract, then he should definitely read
that book for more details and in-depth analysis.
To be continued ....
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