The Hudaibia Approach

 

 

My spiritual friend is well versed in theology, but has no clue of sociology and historiography that was founded by Ibne Khaldun who explained how societies succeed and fail. When he talks of knowledge, he is not referring to Algebra, which takes its name from the Arabic book Kitab aljabr wa al-muqabalah written by Al-Khwarizmi or for that matter Algorithms which is a highly developed mathematical concept worked out by the same Muslim Arab whose corrupted name it still bears. Yet the scholar was a product of a madrassah of 9th. Century Baghdad and this friend of mine graduated from a 21st. Century madrassah in Pakistan. He has not heard of these 1200 years of gems of knowledge that were borrowed by those nations who now rule the world, because the knowledge of religion has since been separated from the knowledge of the world around us, that was never the intention of Islam.

Perhaps his compartmentalized knowledge that excludes the realities of the changed world, is the cause of confusion in coping with the world that he hardly understands. No wonder he is frustrated in finding why has his society collapsed over him. A person with such a victimized perspective may buy or steal Klashnikoves in desperation to express his rage but may not be able to repair them when they malfunction. Such a person may aim guns at the enemy but may not know how to calculate the trajectory. In his frustration he is ready to lay down his life to bring back the glory of Muslims but he has no idea how it will come about.

Though his intentions of defending Islam are noble but his sacrifice of life may go to waste because the idea of defeating his perceived enemies with the destructive weapons that he borrows from them, is by itself self-defeating. It would have been a different story, had he chosen to borrow the instruments of construction from his adversaries to build his strength, like his adversaries did in the 15th. Century Europe.

First of all he must identify his true enemy that has put Islam in danger, which is his IGNORANCE of the technology of progress. That makes him an incomplete entity in the world community that is driven by knowledge. He must pick up the threads where he had left and make a run to join them with the present day realities, whatever it may take. It is not as formidable a task as it may look at first sight. He has sufficient means to educate himself and the sources of information are in plenty and faster than ever. All he needs is the will to overcome the obstacles in his way to recovery. This may however need sacrifices --- but a different kind of sacrifice.

He has to prevail upon the rulers who decide his destiny, not to misappropriate billions to keep in their personal accounts, but spend for educating the masses. It may cost them their power and treasures, but will make them more respectable and their nations more powerful. He has to join forces with his compatriots in other lands to bring about solidarity and to ensure cooperation in trade, industry and research that are the true sources of power of a people and only guarantee for peace. These efforts may no doubt put my friend in trouble. He may be put behind the bars, but such sacrifice of personal freedom will deliver freedom to Ummah in the long term. This may cost him even his life, but it will be a worthwhile sacrifice and will deliver what no suicide bomber has been able to achieve.

My spiritual friend asked me, how could he survive as a weakling, while the long process of change takes place. He does not have to go far looking for an answer. It is already spelt out in the great wisdom of the treaty of Mecca that can be called the "Hudaibiya Approach". When you do not have the wherewithal to prevail upon your adversary, there is no need to kill innocent people, which is against the teachings of Islam, or get killed yourself in vain. Use diplomacy --- simply make peace and persevere. This approach may be used to enhance the strength of your social and moral values and to re-structure your knowledge base, which will win you more friends and make your economy and defense capability stronger.

Those who are trapped in Wana, (Wana is located about 17 miles from the Afghan/Pakistan border on the eastern edge of a valley approximately 4,500 feet in elevation. In March 2004, Pakistan military carried out an operation in the region against suspected al Qaida and Taliban members) are sadly the victims of circumstances and their own miscalculations. Their clever friends made them believe that they were fighting a war against the Godless Communists and defending Islam. In fact they were sacrificing their lives in defense of Capitalism. When the truth was revealed and the friendship turned sour, they became the victims of the same Capitalism --- for Capitalism has no friends but the lust for wealth. Sadly, it is questionable whether these fighters did serve Islam then or are serving it now, despite their pious intentions. Valor may be a commendable quality, but watchfulness comes first. Not only should one know his enemy but should also be able to choose the battleground where he can win.

People who want to master their destiny must possess the KNOWLEDGE of how societies progress and grow from strength to strength in the fields of economy, science, technology, diplomacy and solidarity with friends, and how the greedy adventurers can be kept away. A deep faith in the essence of Islam should provide an anchor, which others may learn to emulate.

The author is an independent commentator based in Karachi, Pakistan