The Blessed Messenger ﷺ Prayed for the People of Shaam
Congratulations to all the Syrians who stood up against a brutal regime, we salute our brave brothers and sisters for their sacrifices and goodness over the past 15 years. It was a long struggle. It also highlights the Quranic principle that falsehood can never succeed, though temporarily it seemed Assad‘s regime was winning. We also acknowledge the tireless work of UK Muslim charities that provide humanitarian support to the refugees. May Allah reward them all. How the Syrian freedom fighters and their leaders behave now will determine the outcome of this long Jihad. Let’s be hopeful and prayerful for its success.
The Syrian people’s Jihad against a brutal regime
The Syrian crisis, driven by the oppressive actions of the Assad regime, has led to immense suffering for our Syrian brothers and sisters, since 2010. In response to this injustice, Muslim countries and the Arab League broke relations with them, including our UK government withdrawing their diplomatic presence as a stand against tyranny.
The struggle of the Syrian people was Jihad in the traditional sense. The Assad regime has been ruling Syria for 60 years with an iron fist. They have killed and oppressed religious and human freedoms. The opposition was eliminated by arrest, torture and execution. I visited Syria in 2003 and later in 2008 and 2009. I saw firsthand how gentle and good the people of Syria were, they were patient and endured the tyranny for decades hoping it would end soon.
The Arab Spring of 2010 inspired them to rebel. Scholars agree that Jihad is a duty to improve the human condition. So, the Syrians eventually challenged the regime, putting into action the Divine commandment, “And fight in God’s way those who fight you and don’t transgress” (Baqarah:190). Here the oppressed Muslims are given permission to use force against force. For fifteen years they were bitterly persecuted in Makkah, but they endured patiently and silently.
The purpose of Jihad is to uphold the truth and justice and not for looting, economic and industrial competition, racial prejudice or other lowly instincts. The believer does not fight for such a lowly purpose. With whom? It says, “Those who fight you” but with the condition: “you do not transgress”. When passions are inflamed, and the fire of revenge is raging do not be unjust! Since “God does not befriend the transgressors”. Women, children, the disabled, the elderly, peasants, priests and labourers who are non-combatants should not be harmed in any way (taken from Zia-ul-Quran vol 1:P132 by Justice Muhammad Karam Shah).
Nearly 12 million Syrians, half the population have been displaced. And more than 165,000 civilians were killed. The United Nations reports that 16.7 million people in Syria require humanitarian assistance.
The magnanimous role of British Muslims
Aligned with the values of compassion and justice that Islam holds dear, the UK Muslims have been generous in helping Syrians over this period. The British government since 2012 has committed £2.81 billion in humanitarian aid – the largest response to a single crisis in UK history. This assistance provides food, clean water, sanitation and essential relief items to those in need.
As Muslims in the UK, we supported oppressed communities, drawing inspiration from the Quranic call, “Believers, stand up for fairness as Allah’s witnesses even if it is against yourselves, parents or relatives, and regardless of whether a person is wealthy or poor, Allah has more right to your loyalty than they. Therefore, do not follow your desire instead of being just. If you distort the truth or refuse to give testimony, then remember that Allah is aware of what you do” (Nisa:135).
We want the Arab neighbours of Syria to play a positive role in bringing about a stable government as soon as possible. We want the international community to catch and punish those responsible for severe crimes against humanity. There have been robust mechanisms in place that have monitored the evils of the Assad regime. The crimes have been documented with evidence; human rights violations are recorded. So, the process of justice against Assad and his collaborators shouldn’t be difficult. It requires a resolution from the International Court of Justice and the United Nations.
Conclusion
The struggle of the Syrian people to gain freedom and establish justice in their country was a great Jihad. They sacrificed their homes, families and lives. But equally laudable has been the role of global Muslims and other humanitarian organisations who carried out, Al-Jihad-al-Khair, the good Jihad with their donations and moral support. The Muslim UK charities also played an important role in this affair.
The biggest lesson for us is that when humans defy Allah’s way and become arrogant and angry we get wars. The only way to overcome this internal evil is to do Al-Jihad-Al-Akbar, the greater Jihad. This is the inner struggle against whims, passions, lusts, worldly pleasures and vices of arrogance, greed and anger. “The greatest Jihad is fighting one’s animal side. It is the internal striving in the path of Allah to overcome one’s beastly instincts. Man has certain animal characteristics, which if let loose, transform him into a monster” (Ghazali).
Every one of these Jihads has its place and time. Jihad is a noble concept of bettering the human condition at personal, social and political levels. So, let us keep the people of Syria in our prayers and support efforts that restore their dignity and rights.
