Protests, Demonstrations and Civil Disobedience in the

Light of Islam (Ethics 3.8)

abukhadeejah.com/protests-demonstrations-and-civil-disobedience-in-the-light-of-islam-ethics-3-8

Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wahid 24 September 2019

The photograph above shows protestors in Egpyt during the “Arab Spring” in 2011.

Objectives: Understanding protest and Muslim attitudes to protest.

Protest: An action to show disagreement with something, for example, government

policy.

Why people protest?

A protest is any action an individual or group may take to draw attention to an issue or
cause in which they believe. Protests usually arise when people feel an injustice
has occurred.

People protest against injustice in many different ways. This ranges from writing letters,
boycotting products and joining protest groups to even breaking the law and going to
prison. People may decide on some kind of public protest because they feel they have no
other way to make their voices heard. It is a way to attract media attention and make
other people aware of the issue. Protestors may think that it is right to stand up for what
they believe. Sometimes people may believe that it is the only way to bring about change
or correct something that is wrong.

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Non-violent protests involve methods of protesting that do not cause harm to others or
damage to property. These can be simple actions such as signing a petition, writing to an
MP or opting not to buy goods and services from a particular company or country. Other
forms of non-violent protests may involve more direct action: street marches, sit-ins
(occupying a building or space), refusing to work such as strike action or causing
disruption such as blocking roads. These actions can be frustrating for individuals and
companies who are affected by protests, but no direct physical harm to people is caused.

Some protestors feel that non-violent actions such as these are not enough. They believe
that they the only way their concerns will be heard is if they use more extreme forms of
protest. This can include methods that are intended to intimidate others and force
change. They believe direct violence against others and property will change public
opinion. However, this change may only be achieved due to fear of violence, not because
the people necessarily agree.

Islamic viewpoint:
Muslims must be guided by the Quran and Sunnah in all their activities from the
mundane to the most serious. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) taught his Ummah
(nation) every affair that would bring them closer to success in this life and Paradise in
the next, and he warned them from every affair that would harm them and bring them
closer to Hell.

When a Muslim sees injustice, he has been guided by the revealed texts to act
appropriately. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Help the oppressed and the
oppressor.” When it was said to him that it is correct that the oppressed should be helped,
but how does one help the oppressor?! He responded: “Stop him and prevent him
from oppression, and that is helping him.”

He also said: “Whoever among you sees an evil, let him stop it with his hand. If
he is not able, let him stop it by speaking. If he is not able, let him at least
hate it with his heart for that is the weakest of faith (Imaan).”

However, there are some mighty principles that go along with these Prophetic narrations
to avoid anarchy and disorder in societies. For example, if one’s mother and father are
involved in drinking wine or smoking and gambling, it is not permitted to physically
assault them or to harm them under the guise that one is forbidding evil!

Another example is that if a burglar breaks into one’s house, it is not permissible to
pursue him and imprison him in a homemade prison or carry out the prescribed
punishment upon him.

On the other hand, a father and mother may physically withhold their children from
taking drugs, stealing or smoking, by rebuking them. Likewise, a ruler and his appointed
courts may sentence criminals and punish them because they have an Islamic duty to do

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so. Many Muslims and non-Muslims misunderstand the Islamic texts and think that any
person can do whatever they wish to correct wrongs in society by “any means necessary”.
This is wrong and in contradiction to other explanatory texts.

The Messenger of Allah said: “If one of you sees something from the ruler that he
hates, let him not publicise it.” This is a clear hadeeth forbidding openly protesting
(even publicly speaking) against the ruler. Then he gave the Muslims a method of
correcting the ruler: “Rather you should take the ruler by his hand and advise
him. If he accepts the advice, then that is good. If he refuses, then you have
fulfilled your duty.” In another narration, he said: “The martyr is the one who
speaks a word of truth in the presence of the tyrannical ruler for which he is
killed.”

These authentic narrations make it very clear that the ruler should only be advised in his
presence and NOT in public. So, one may write to the ruler with gentle words advising
him with correct conduct. The Messenger (peace be upon him) never ever protested in the
streets of Makkah though he and his companions were oppressed and persecuted for 13
years in Makkah. They never once blocked the streets, participated in sit-ins, or plotted
assassinations. However, the Prophet would constantly advise them and remind them of
their duty to their Lord and the impending Day of Judgement wherein Allah would call
them to account.

So to oppose this methodology is to oppose the Prophet (peace be upon him) as he himself
said: “Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.” He also said: “You
will have rulers over you who will not follow my Sunnah, nor my guidance.
There will be amongst them men who will have the hearts of devils in the
bodies of humans.” When asked how one is to behave towards such oppressive Muslim
rulers, he responded: “Listen and obey the ruler, even if he takes your wealth
and beats you in your back. Listen and obey.”

So patience is very important in times of hardship. There is tremendous wisdom behind

this because of the great bloodshed and anarchy that results in standing up against those
in authority. Furthermore, it is a reminder that the Muslims are only ruled by those they
deserve and the leaders are merely a reflection of society. So Allah gives good people a
good ruler and wicked people a wicked ruler as the great scholars such as Ibnul-Qayyim,
Ibn Bāz and Al-Albāni have stated. So protests, demonstrations and rising up against the
rulers and those in authority are not allowed in Islam.

A case study of a deviated innovator calling to his innovation: The misguided

preacher, Yasir Qadhi (from the US) stated in opposition to the Qur’an, Sunnah and the
ijmā’, and in contradiction of the fatāwa the major scholars of Hadīth and Sunnah: “I say
this loud and clear: as Allah is my witness, my heart jumped for joy as I heard
news of these protests, and saw the masses of Egyptians pour out onto the
streets, wanting positive change, tired of the puppet-regime that had ruled
them for three decades, confronting tanks with their bodies, prostrating to
Allah in front of the troops even as they are doused with water guns. How can

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the heart of ANY believer not be overjoyed seeing the courage that the
average Muslim has in opposing the tyrannical regimes that they are living
under?” [1]

As for the duty of forbidding evil and how it is to be carried out, then the principle is as
follows:

1. Forbidding evil with the hand is for the rulers and those in authority such as the courts
and the police appointed by the ruler.

2. Forbidding evil with speech is for the scholars of Sunnah and those with knowledge
(and not pretenders who claim they know!).

3. Hating evil with one’s heart is for everyone to whom the truth has reached from the
general folk.

As for boycotting products and goods, then one should only do so if the ruler has
commanded with that or the great scholars of Sunnah with the authority given to them by
the Muslim rulers. Writing to advise the oppressive ruler should be done in private whilst
showing gentleness and concern, free from rude and wicked speech. Also one may
approach a government minister or scholar who can in turn advise those in authority. A
worker may approach his employer directly, or complain to the leaders in government
about mistreatment. This is the balanced and orderly method of rectification whilst
maintaining patience and supplicating to Allah.

One can see the evil effects of following a methodology that opposes the
Quran and Sunnah in the “Arab Spring” which began in Tunisia (in 2011)
with an Islamically forbidden act of suicide (a man burned himself alive as an
act of protest) and then these protests spread to Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen
and other countries that resulted in anarchy, mass killing of civilians and the
general collapse of Muslim societies.

People were deceived into thinking they were doing a religious act approved of by the
Quran and Sunnah. Since then, hundreds of thousands have died (and continue to do so),
millions are homeless, schools and hospitals are bombed, and thousands imprisoned.
Knowledgeable Muslims say: This is a clear proof that abandoning the guidance of the
Prophet (peace be upon him) and resorting to direct public protests only brings about
greater harm. One can see the many terrorist groups have arisen in the wake of
the “Arab Spring” such that no right-minded person looks upon those
protests except with sadness and regret. And let us not forgot that these protests
were condoned, justified and supported by many “liberals” and ignorant Muslims.

Further useful reading from this website:

“Muslims are oppressed around the world but the Salafis refuse to protest in
the streets and boycott goods. Why?!”

Questions:

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 1. Prove that protests are not supported by the Quran and Sunnah and that they only
bring about more harm upon the Muslims. Use the “Arab Spring” as proof.
2. What are the methods that the religion allows to show one’s disapproval to
oppression.
3. What are negative effects of protesting?
4. Why do you think the Prophet and companions never went out marching in the
streets of Makkah with placards and shouting out for justice?
5. “Muslims should engage in speaking publicly against the rulers from the pulpits and
call for their downfall” – Do you agree? Is this allowed?

Footnotes:

[1] Published January 31, 2011, by muslimmatters.org/2011/01/31/yasir-qadhi-a-brief-

statement-regarding-the-situation-in-egypt/

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muzammil ak says:
1st January 2020 at 11:46 am
‫اﻟﺴﻼم ﻋﻠﯿﻜﻢ ورﺣﻤﺔ اﷲ وﺑﺮﻛﺎﺗﻪ‬
A man is saying that there is a hadith in which prophet ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﻪ وﺳﻠﻢ‬asked a man to
protest on the street because his neighbor was troubling him. Is it true and does the
argument hold any water?

Please advise.
Regards
AbdulKareem

Reply

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Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wahid says:
2nd January 2020 at 11:28 am
Answer: As-salāmu-alaikum-wa-rahmatullāh

This person is speaking from desires and is grasping at straws to justify the position
he has already taken. Ahlus-Sunnah look at the text and then act upon it. Ahlul-
Hawā act upon desires and then run around looking for proof to support what
they’ve already innovated.

The hadeeth in question is reported by Abu Dawood. Abu Hurairah said: A man
came to the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) complaining against his neighbour.
So, he said to him: “Have patience.” He came back to him twice or three times. He
then said: “Then put your belongings in the street.” So he threw his belongings in
the street and the people asked him and he would tell them about his neighbour. So,
the people then cursed the neighbour, “May Allah do with him such-and-such.”
Then his neighbour came to him and said: “Return your belongings [into your
home], you will not see from me anything which you dislike” (Hasan, Abu Dawūd,
5153).

So, now let this person bring from the Salaf, from the scholars of Ahlul-Hadith from
the early centuries, or the Imāms of the early generations who used this hadeeth as
proof for protesting against those in authority, even if they are kuffār.

This hadeeth is talking about a dispute between two neighbours, not civil unrest
against the tyranny of the rulers. And if this hadeeth was to be understood as this
person has portrayed it, then it would mean that Muslims could openly protest in
any Muslim country because this event took place in Madinah, in an Islamic land
where the Muslims are the rulers.

So, in fact, the proof is against those who use this narration:

1. This hadeeth was not used by the early Muslims as evidence to protest in the
streets against the authorities.

2. If Ahlul-Ahwā wish to use this hadeeth, then it would not restrict protests to non-
Muslim countries because the narration is related to an event that took place in
Madinah ruled by the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam). Therefore, those who
use this narration will also justify street demonstrations in Muslim lands.

Alhamdulillāh, the Sunnah cannot be defeated by false interpretations and

distortions of the misguided people.

Abu Khadeejah.

Reply

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