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A
Call For Coexistance
Episode 13
In the name of Allah,
the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon
Prophet Muhammad (SAWS).
In this episode of "A Call For Coexistance" we will
begin learning about imam
ash-Shafi'y. Let me remind you that coexistance means being able to
understand each other, listen to each other, to accept and respect others'
opinion. Many problems emerged in our Muslim world due to lack of coexistance.
Coexistance is to try to find something in common with others, which is why
Allah (SWT)
said in what can be translated as, " …And help one another to benignancy and
piety, and do not help one another to vice and hostility…" (TMQ, 5:2).
Allah in this ayah
addresses all human beings because Islam is a universal message.
Allah (SWT) also says, "… Surely We
created you of a male and a female, and We have made you races and tribes that
you may get mutually acquainted…" (TMQ, 49:13). Therefore, the different
beliefs found in Lebanon nowadays should have enriched and cultivated this
nation instead of causing wars and the same thing applies for Iraq.
Let me share with you ten points about learning the
art of coexistance which I acquired from my own experience, reading books and
from the biographies of the four Imams who represent the best example of
coexistance. The Ten points are:
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Do your best in order to find something in
common with others.
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Search for any knowledge that may help you find
something in common with others.
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Integrate with people in your society.
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Do not refute any opinion entirely.
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Do not oppress who disagree with you and
consequently turn him to be your enemy.
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Have the pure intention while gathering people
under the will of Al-Haq (the Truth) instead of following your own
prejudice.
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Respect others in order to win their hearts and
coexist together as a result.
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Be flexible rather than being stubborn.
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Be a loving person even with those who disagree
with you.
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Coexistance does not mean melting inside other
cultures.
One of the best examples of coexistance is the life
of Imam ash-Shafi’y.
He lived during the ultimate prosperity of the Islamic nation. Due to that
prosperity many people from different countries, mentalities and beliefs
converted to Islam. Indians, Persians, Romans, people from
Europe and Andalusia (Spain) entered the Abbassids’
territories bringing with them their own beliefs, thoughts and creeds. These
people influenced society with their own ways of living, traditions, customs and
points of views, therefore a conflict emerged. Moreover, the new
generation of youth, who grew up in that prosperous life, became self-indulgent
and turned away from religion. Many poets at that time were not interested in
writing Islamic poems causing conflicts between them and scholars.
Evolution of other sciences such as the
science of optometry which was based on the physical appearance as a key to the
character, and the science of genealogy which mainly focused on the lineage of
the people, created more conflicts among the so many different races.
At the same time,
Abu-Hanifa in Iraq founded a juristic school built on
the concept of enlarging the juristic opinions and the treatment of the
ahadith.
Imam Malik from Hijaz disagreed with the views of Abu-Hanifa and believed
that ahadith should
be considered with great precision. For instance, Imam Malik
gathered 100,000
ahadith
but approved only
12,000. So we can see that Imam ash-Shafi’y lived at a specific time of
great conflicts.
As-Shafi’y was a self made
man. He started from nothing and reached the top in
very few years! Ash- Shafi’y’s father had moved to Gaza with his wife for a
better living hence ash-Shafi’y was born there in 105 A.H and died in 204 A.H at
the age of 54. A hadith by the Prophet (SAWS) indicated that
every hundred years Allah (SWT) sends someone who reforms religion for
the ummah (Muslim nation).
Ash-Shafi’y was considered to be the reformer of the second hijri
century. Ash- Shafi’y’s name was Muhammad Ibn Idriss Ibn Shaafi’ Ibn Saeed
Al-Qurashi. He was from the Prophet’s lineage (from Quraysh) and the grand son
of Shaafi, who was born a Muslim
and was one of the Prophet’s companions.
When ash-Shafi’y was 2 years
old, his father died leaving him with his young and poor mother. She devoted
herself to the mission of making of her son a great scholar who will help in
solving the problems and conflicts of the ummah. Consequently, she
returned with her son to Makkah, the centre of Knowledge, in order for her son
to gain knowledge and learn the Qur’an by heart. Soon after, ash- Shafi’y
became the best student among his mates and even started explaining things to
them while he was only 4. The teacher himself was so amazed that he asked him
to replace him and explain things to
students when he needed to rest. At the age of 7,
he had already learned the Qur’an by heart and also
tajweed.
People used to cry on hearing his qur’anic recitation.
From
the age of 8 to 13, he learned the exegesis of the Qur’an from the prominent
scholar Sufiane and the science of hadith from Muslim Ibn-Khaled, the
Imam of the Makkan Sanctuary at that time.
Ash-Shafi’y was poor to the extent that he had
no papers to write on, so his mother used get him used papers from the ruler's
council so that he could write on the other side. He asked for papers as
sadaqa (a charitable deed). His mother also used to go to the cattle’s
slaugthery place and get him shoulder bones of camels’ to write on. She was
such a great mother. We should learn from her how to bring up children who can
stop wars, unite people and be examples for coexistence, dialogue and acceptance
to find common area with others.
Now, ash-Shafi'y has learned Qur'an, tajweed,
hadith and interpretation. Then once Laith Ibn Saad, the imam
(leader in prayer) of Egypt at that time, visited Makkah and gave
speeches there. He said that one of the reasons of the ummah’s disunion
was the argument around language. Ibn Saad claimed that if people undertood the
language efficiently, they would certainly unite, therefore he who can learn the
sciences of interpretation, hadith and language well, then Allah (SWT)
will unite the Ummah through him. Language at that time was found only
in the desert, in Hazil tribe, because they had thousands of poems.
Consequently, ash-Shafi'y went to his mother and
told her of what he had heard, "Then go and learn from them!" she said. He was
thirteen years old when he started his first expedition from which he had
returned later with treasures. In that expedition, he had gone to the tribe
that was best known of their study of language, and stayed there for four
years. He had gained two things from there; learned javelin and became an
expert in it, learned language (poetry and aphorism) and memorized 10, 000
verses. Imagine his brain which was like a photocopier. He was 18 years old
when he returned to Makkah carrying 10, 000 verses, Javelin sport and
Genealogy. On his return, Muslim Ibn Khaled told him, "It is time that you sit
in Makkah for legal consultations."
Ash-Shafi'y asked his mother about staying in
Makkah for the legal consultations so she said, "No my son, if you do that you
will become a part of the argument between Malik and Abu-Hanifa, but if you wait
until you learn their knowledge then you can bring them together." Therefore, he
refused to give legal opinions and decided to go to Malik, the imam of
Madinah who was the greatest scholar in that era. Malik was between 60 and 70
years old and respected by all the caliphs and rulers such as Haroun Arrashid,
so Ash-Shafi'y wondered how he could be one of his students. He thought of what
Malik was known to like most and that was his book AlMowatta'. Ash-Shafi'y had
no money to buy a copy of that book for himself, so he borrowed one and
memorized its content within a very short time, about 9 to 15 days, in order to
return it to the owner. And for the third time he immigrated, this time to
Madinah. Why? To unite people through knowledge.
Due to lack of money, ash-Shafi'y mother decided to
mortgage their house in Makkah and shift to Madinah. Meanwhile ash-Shafi’y
doubted that Malik would accept him so he went to Makkah’s ruler and asked him
to write a recommendation letter to Madinah’s ruler, who took the letter and
accompanied him to Malik's house. On reading the letter Malik said, "Since when
was knowledge given by recommendations?"
“But,” Ash-Shafi'y said," Sir, I am from Quraysh,
my father is dead and I learnt Al-Mowatta' by heart. Please accept me!"
Malik looked at him and said," What is your name?"
"Mohammad Ibn Idris Ash-Shafi'y Al-Qurashy."
"How is your love for knowledge?" Malik asked.
"I hear the letter for the first time wishing all
my organs to become ears to enjoy knowledge as my ears do." Ash-Shafi'y
answered.
"Then how much are you devoted to knowledge?" Malik
asked.
" Like a mother who lost her son and has devoted
herself to look for him everywhere." Ash-Shafi'y replied.
"Then say something of Al-Mowatta'". Malik said.
Ash-Shafi'y proceeded to recite and then he
stopped.
"Say more." Malik said.
Ash-Shafi'y proceeded to recite and then he
stopped.
"Say more." Malik said.
Then he looked at ash-Shafi'y’s face and said, "I
see as if Allah has put light in your face, so do not turn it off by sins. Come
tomorrow and sit in the first row."
Ash-Shafi'y stayed with Malik for nine years then
he asked his permission to go to Iraq to learn something of Abu-Hanifa’s
knowledge. Malik agreed, but ash-Shafi'y had no money, hence, Malik gave him
from his own because the Prophet (SAWS) said that peacemaking is rewarded
more than prayers, fasting and Zakat
.
Ash-Shafi'y went to Iraq and met a student of
Abu-Hanifa’s, Mohammad Ibn Al-Hassan, because Abu-Hanifa died when Ash-Shafi'y
was born. Ibn Hassan admired ash-Shafi'y immensely. Later ash-Shafi’y returned
to Malik, who asked him to take over his place and give legal opinions. Indeed,
this is the essence of coexistence. But ash-Shafi'y said, "No, I want to have
all knowledge of Iraq!"
He learned the science of the Qur'an, Hadith,
Interpretation, and Sports. He memorised 10 000 verses and was knowledgeable of
the science of Genealogy, and all Malik's knowledge, yet he wanted learn that
of Abu-Hanifa. To be able to go to Iraq, he decided to move to Yemen to work
and collect money, and there he learned the knowledge of Shiites from the
students of Ja'afar, and learned Physiognomy, which interestingly enough was
detested by Malik because it had no evidence in Qur'an or Sunnah.
Ash-Shafi'y was an encyclopedia and yet wanted to
go to Iraq to gain more knowledge. In the next episode we shall cover this
stage of his life.
Tajweed:
The study of reciting the Holy Qur'an perfectly.
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