Book & Sword

The scholars of the past used to say:

إن الله ليزع بالسلطان ما لا يزع بالقرآن
“God prevents by means of the SULTAAN (State/authority),
what He does not prevent by means of the QUR’AAN.”

Some people think: if a scholar gets close to a ruler, he is automatically a sell-out!

This “guilty-by-association” mentality is wrong.

When you see a picture of a scholar, standing alongside an evil ruler – don’t assume he is close to the ruler because he agrees with the ruler.

Maybe the scholar is trying to get close to the ruler to reform the ruler?

It is important for good scholars to engage with the rulers in order to bring reform – even if they are evil tughaat and oppressors.

Imam Ibn Kathir says:

يمنع بالسلطان عن ارتكاب الفواحش والآثام ، ما لا يمتنع كثير من الناس عن ارتكابه بالقرآن وما فيه من الوعيد الأكيد ، والتهديد الشديد ، وهذا هو الواقع
“God forbids through the state-authority a number of evils and vices that a lot of people do not refrain from in spite of warning and severe threats in the Qur’an, and this is a fact.”

[“Tafsir Ibn Kathir”, 5/111].

Most criminals don’t refrain from their crimes, just by us reading some Ayaat and Ahaadith on them – unless there is a force behind it.

That’s why the poet says:

السَيفُ أَصدَقُ أَنباءً مِنَ الكُتُبِ *** في حَدِّهِ الحَدُّ بَينَ الجِدِّ وَاللَعِبِ
“The sword is more truthful than what is written *
with its edge, it sets the clear boundaries between seriousness and a joke.”

Hence the saying: “Actions speak louder than Words.”

So, it is important for scholars and good people to engage with their local government and try to bring reform within their means.

Everyone will be judged according to their intentions.

Imam al-Shawkani wrote about this topic: https://www.facebook.com/mohmand.laghmani/posts/10159879641148496