Heroic Stands by Shiekh Abu Nizhar Ash Shaami: Al-Hussayn and Az-Zubair – The Champions of Prophetic Methodology

Our lives are a collection of stands taken. These stands are what will decide our status and value before Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgement. Heroic stands, which changed the course of history, produced events, and greatly influenced all who witnessed them or heard of them. Heroic stands, which we mention while living at a time when most stands, we see are those of humiliation and shame. Heroic stands, we mention them whose heroes are mentioned in the Quran, and the pages of the Seerah and our Ummah's past and recent history are overflowing with them. Heroic stands, which we mention in order to take lessons from. We mention them in order to receive flames of glory, optimism, and expecting good from Allah (swt), and to prove that our Ummah, by the permission of Allah (swt), is capable of bringing back the dignified stands which will fill the world with justice and light after it was filled with injustice and tyranny.

If heroism is by those following the methodology of the prophethood is praised, then heroism is truely born in the noble sons of the prophetic household and nothing else is expected from them. True history has recorded for us the most majestic stands by the sons of the prophetic household and revivers of its period. The noble grandchild and flower of the Chosen One, one of the masters of the martyrs in Jannah, Al-Husayn bin Ali (ra). And after him is Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr (ra), the first child born in Islam. The heroism which decorated the life stories of these was their principled and bold stand regarding the biggest issue in the Deen: the Khilafah. Since, Al-Husayn (ra) saw the first attempt to change the Khilafah Rashida from the prophetic methodology to a hereditary methodology, to the biting rulership: inheriting power. He witnessed the coup against the pillars set by his infallible Grandfather as if he had sensed the bitterness of the biting rulership and what it will bring upon the Ummah of crises and darkness. He (ra) also saw the corrupt having control over the trust of ruling and the absence of the conditions of uprightness which were legislated by the Quran and Sunnah. He (ra) saw the attempt to usurp the Ummah's right in choosing the pious and competent freely without coercion and suppression. And here was his courageous stand through which he prevented the Ummah's authority being seized from her hand. Thus, his (as) revolution came in order to return sacredness to these two fundamental pillars in ruling: firstly, Shura. There is no legitimacy for the one who usurps the people's right to choose their leaders and nobody is to take the office of Khilafah against the will of the people.

This, my brothers and sisters, was the prophetic methodology followed by the rightly-guided Khaleefahs. Umar (ra) said in a Saheeh narration: "Whomever tried to take leadership for himself without the consultation of the Muslims then it is only Halal for you to kill him."

Secondly, uprightness. The Fasiqs and deviants should not get the Bay'ah. The Ibn Ali (ra) clashed with piles of obstacles. The public agreed with him and droves gave him Bay'ah. Likewise, many were too afraid to come near him and others were fearing for him. But he (ra) bore the entire cost and gave his pure life for defending the Ummah's right which was given to her by Allah (swt) no matter how much the Ummah herself neglected preserving it and didn't seek it. Al-Husayn (ra) was killed and Ibn Az-Zubayr (ra) came after him and continued in the path of the glories written by the noble predecessor. So, he refused giving Bay'ah to those whom he saw were corrupt and grabbed the biting rulership with both hands, shaking it, so that it doesn't settle into place. He tried to revive the Khilafah by pumping the prophetic methodology into its veins but he was failed by the people's fear and retreat. He was followed by heroes and abandoned by others. And when he found himself facing death, he visited his mother, Asmaa bint Abu Bakr (ra), requesting her support and reinforcement. And here, my brothers, the mother (ra) took the rare heroic stand and said: "My son, if you know that you are upon the truth and calling to the truth, then persevere towards it - persevere on it and the Deen will not diminish with your companions being killed for its sake. However, if you are seeking the Dunya by this, then what a wretched slave you are; you just had yourself and your companions killed." It is from here, my brothers, that these greats attain their heroism and stands: A mother who nurtures, a Deen that strengthens, and then an Ummah that supports or abandons.

Ibn Az-Zubayr (ra) went forth such that he mixed his blood with that of Al-Husayn (ra). i.e. not retreating nor neglecting (with the same fate). And unfortunately, the biting rulership took control over the best nation and which was then followed by the tyrannical rulership which we suffer from day and night. Such are the heroes; their lives turn into lessons for those that come after them, lighting the path for them and teaches them that the Ummah's neglecting of its right will bring her tyrants after tyrants, and the Ummah's laxity in protecting the knots of Islam will undo all of the knots and then Islam becomes open season and our honours are violated as we see today; to Allah (swt) we complain. These greats teach us that bringing back the Khilafah upon the prophetic methodology is an obligation for which blood is uncostly and lives are sacrificed for it. We learn to remain steadfast upon the truth despite being abandoned by those close to us, having few joining us and few supporting us. O Allah, bring forth from among us heroes like Al-Husayn, Ibn Az-Zubayr and Asmaa (ra), who stand up to the tyrant no matter how extreme he gets and challenge tyranny no matter how powerful it becomes. And let us see the prophetic methodology erase the misery of the tyrannical rulership and heal the hearts of the believers.

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