The Grand Imam calls for solidarity with Gaza based on blood ties, kinship and common fate

 

The “Muhammadan character" enjoys infinite beauty and perfection that can encompass all the worlds

 

The Prophet (PBUH) was merciful in his dealings with humans and all creatures

 

Muhammad (PBUH) was a mercy to people, even in times of war, fighting and armed conflicts

 

Islam does not permit Muslims to fight except to repel aggression against their lives, religion, honor, or land

 

Early Muslim rulers and army leaders translated the principles of “virtue” and “benevolence” into a code of honor in war, unmatched by anything in history outside of Muslims battles

 

The Grand Imam reviews the rules of war in Islam and confirms it is a lofty human model that contrasts sharply with what we see of genocides, barbaric massacres, and heinous crimes committed against the innocent people of Gaza

 

The powerful, civilized world has turned a deaf ear to the pains and cries of oppressed peoples

 

The Grand Imam calls for renewing the Muslim nation’s awareness of itself, its pride in its ancient history, and its material and spiritual capabilities

 

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, stressed that whoever contemplates the attributes of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is amazed; one does not know which of them to start with and which ones to end with, nor does one know which of these abundant torrent of beautiful and majestic attributes should one take. No wonder this is the case since Allah describes the Prophet’s noble character in the Qur'an saying, "Indeed, you are of a great moral character" (Qur'an, 68:4). His wife, Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, described him saying, “His morals were those of the Qur’an.” His Eminence explained that she had realized the vast horizons of his prophetic morals, and the difficulty of describing them in brief to people, so she referred to the morals of the Holy Qur’an, due to the conformity and similarity between the Prophet's morals and those preached by the Qur’an. The Qur’anic morals are limitless in their beauty and perfection, and so are the “Muhammedan morals” which can encompass all the worlds.

 

 

During his speech on the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet (PBUH), which was held at the Al Manara International Conference Center in the Fifth Settlement, Cairo, and organized by the Ministry of Endowments in the presence of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of Egypt, the Grand Imam explained that the conformity between the Quranic morals and the Prophet's morals is the secret behind him being assigned a divine message that differs from previous divine messages. His message came as a seal to all previous messages, and as a universal message to all worlds: humans and jinn, at all times and places, while previous messages were limited to specific peoples at specific times.

 

His Eminence explained that although all the Prophet’s morals are characterized by their high status and perfection, to the point that he was described as the perfect human being, one of these morals, exclusively mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, is the quality of “mercy.” The Prophet (PBUH) is described at the end of Surat At-Tawba (Chapter 9 of the Qur’an), in the context of the Divine bounty to the believers, as a Messenger from among themselves, who is keen on their guidance, and who is “kind and merciful” towards them. 

 

The attribute of “mercy” was mentioned a second time at the end of Surat Al-Anbiya (Chapter 21 of the Qur’an) : "We have not sent you, [O Muḥammad], except as a mercy to the worlds" (Qur'an, 21:107). The exclusive style of the Qur'anic verse indicates that this Messenger was merciful in person and actions and that mercy was such a deeply rooted quality in his nature, his inner being that it controlled his actions.

 

The Grand Imam added that the Prophet (PBUH) confirmed this quality of mercy by saying: “I am only a mercy sent to people,” and he applied it in all his dealings with people and with all beings and creatures. In every one of his dealings, he drew upon this “mercy” that he was created with and that softened his heart. This was one of the strongest reasons that encouraged polytheists to embrace Islam. Allah Almighty says, “So by mercy from Allah, [O Muḥammad], you were lenient with them” (Qur'an 3:159). Indeed, he was a mercy to the people even in situations of war, fighting, and armed conflicts between nations.

 

His Eminence pointed out that the first manifestation of the Prophet’s mercy in situations of war and fighting is that fighting in Islam is not permissible for Muslims, except to repel aggression against their lives, religion, land, honor, or money, or anything else that falls under the meaning of “aggression” in its broad sense. As for fighting itself, or war against the enemy, or armed conflict, it has rules, and legislations in Islam that Allah Almighty has sent, and that His Messenger (PBUH) applied practically when he himself led the armies of Muslims in their battles with their enemies. He also ordered his nation to adhere to them whenever the circumstances compelled them to confront their enemy.

 

The Grand Imam explained that the first rule, concerning fighting to repel aggression, that draws our attention is the rule of “justice,” which is a comprehensive and deeply rooted rule in Islamic law, which Allah has commanded us to adhere to in dealing with friends and enemies alike: "Fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allāh does not like transgressors" (Qur'an 2:190). Justice, in turn, calls for a second rule that is inseparable from it which is “reciprocity,” which means, first and foremost, the prohibition of exceeding the limits of justice to injustice and aggression against others. This is evident from the Almighty’s saying, "If you retaliate, then let it be equivalent to what you have suffered. But if you patiently endure, it is certainly best for those who are patient" (Qur'an, 16:126).

 

His Eminence continued to explain that among the general rules of Islam in combat is adherence to the principle of “virtue” and “benevolence” that Allah has prescribed for everything, whether related to humans or animals. The Muslim rulers and leaders of armies have translated the principle of virtue into an honor code of war,  unmatched by anything in history outside of Muslims battles. Bidding farewell to the commander of his army to the Levant, the first Caliph, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I advise you to fear Allah, be obedient, avoid embezzlement, be brave, but do not destroy a church or a temple.”

 

The Grand Imam added that the idea of fighting in Islam is not complete without realizing the situation of prisoners. He pointed out that the jurisprudence of “prisoners” in Islam revolves around two matters defined by the Holy Quran in the Almighty’s saying, "Later free them either as an act of grace or by ransom" (Qur'an, 47:4). The Grand Imam explained that Islam forbids killing captives. The jurisprudential rulings also indicate the obligation to feed the prisoner, treat them kindly, protect them from heat and cold, provide them with sufficient clothing, remove any harm that may befall them, and the obligation to respect their positions and personal dignity according to their social status. Muslims are urged to be gentle to others in accordance with the Prophet’s saying: “Allah is gentle, likes gentleness, and gives for gentleness what he does not give for harshness.” and "Forgive the people with high moral values when they slip.”

 

His Eminence explained: “After what we have heard about war in Islam, which is only a glimpse, I do not think that I need to make a comparison between war in Islam and its lofty human model, and the ugly image of modern war in the twenty-first century, which has led to mass exterminations, barbaric massacres, and heinous crimes committed against oppressed peoples whom the powerful, civilized world has abandoned, and has turned a deaf ear to their pain and cries, or consoled them with empty words, or with cold stances that remind one of the feelings of a killer towards their victim. The comparison in this regard is misleading and its results will be alse.”

 

His Eminence concluded his speech saying, “It is enough for us to realize once again that it is not reasonable to compare between good and evil, beauty and ugliness, virtue and vice, or the laws of the jungle and the lesson that we must remind ourselves of on every annual memory of the Prophet’s birthday which is to renew this nation’s awareness of itself, of its ancient and honorable history, its material and spiritual capabilities, and its creative energies. We must be certain that this nation possesses the cure to its afflictions, and has to be constantly mindful of what the Prophet (PBUH) said, “People will soon summon one another to attack you as people at a banquet  invite one another to share the food.” Thus, our nation has to exert every effort to show solidarity with the children, women, youth, and elders of Gaza, and with the oppressed peoples of Sudan, Yemen, and elsewhere. We must know that this solidarity is not an unmerited favor bestowed upon these tormented peoples, but rather it is the duty of kinship in religion, blood ties, kinship, and common destiny.”