"Until Our Hearts Submit To The Shari'a"- Da'wa Pamphlet From Jabhat al-Nusra
18 February 2016By Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
Like the Islamic State, Syria's al-Qa'ida affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra has its
own department responsible for the distribution of da'wa [religious outreach]
literature. This department of Jabhat al-Nusra is called the Maktab al-Da'wa
wa al-Irshad (Da'wa and Guidance Office). However, whereas the Islamic State
has unsurprisingly made many of the da'wa pamphlets it has produced via its
al-Himma Library available online since 2013 as part of its strategy of
flooding the Internet with propaganda and heavily encouraging foreign
recruitment, Jabhat al-Nusra has not done so, preferring to focus its
materials on local distribution.
Therefore, publications distributed by the Maktab al-Da'wa wa al-Irshad must
be obtained from the ground. Not all of the publications that can be acquired
from the office are original Jabhat al-Nusra works. In keeping with the
group's ideological alignment, the Maktab al-Da'wa wa al-Irshad also
distributes works by figures like Abu Mus'ab al-Souri, a jihadi ideologue
well-known for pushing the gradualist strategy to build jihadi influence in
societies, and Abu Qatada, a Palestinian-Jordanian cleric who stands out today
as a leading al-Qa'ida-aligned intellectual heavyweight in the Islamic
State-al-Qa'ida schism of today's global jihad.
A 2004 work by Abu Mus'ab al-Souri on the Algerian jihad of the 1990s obtained
by a local contact for this author from a Maktab al-Da'wa wa al-Irshad branch
in Idlib province. Souri was critical of the extreme tactics of the Armed
Islamic Group (GIA) and in this work he also wished to disavow "the evil role
that some of the supporters of that jihad played in London during the period
1994-1996"- referring to cheerleading for the GIA back then by some jihadists
(including Abu Qatada).
The pamphlet below- obtained from the Maktab al-Da'wa wa al-Irshad the branch
in Hureitan in the north Aleppo countryside- is actually plagiarised from Dr.
Iyad Qunaibi, an Islamist preacher in Jordan. The pamphlet fits in with the
idea of a more gradualist approach to implementing Islamic law in society,
with the title emphasizing the need for people's hearts to submit willingly to
the Shari'a, rather than mere outward compliance that leaves room for nifaq
(hypocrisy). Also of note is the pamphlet's point that the hudud (harsh
punishments for serious crimes like cutting off the hand for theft and
executing adulterers) should only be applied in rare and exceptional cases in
a society under the Shari'a system, likely an implicit contrast with the
Islamic State that makes a show of implementation of hudud in its propaganda
as one aspect of its supposed ideal society. Occasionally, the Jabhat al-Nusra
judiciary in the form of the Dar al-Qada in Hureitan has implementedhudud
punishments, though that has only been made public knowledge through Dar al-Qada
documents on the cases, rather than high quality photos and videos that are
the norm of Islamic State propaganda. It should also be noted, as Sam Heller
points out, that the Dar al-Qada in Hureitan enjoys the clear backing of other
factions in the area, which fits in with the conception of willing acceptance
of the Shari'a as advocated in this pamphlet.
The pamphlet is translated in full with occasional explanatory notes.
Until our hearts submit to the Shari'a
Da'wa and Irshad Office
Jabhat al-Nusra
Until our hearts submit to the Shari'a
We may disagree or agree with a program here or there that says it is
"applying" Shari'a, but our aim here is not supporting any of the human
programs or disavowing them, but rather that we should continue loving the
Shari'a of God and not reckon for a moment that it is no longer just for our
time, or doubt its justice or mercy. And whoever disparages "applying it," his
sin is upon himself, and it is not reckoned against the Shari'a of God.
Our aim here is that we should continue loving the Shari'a, longing to realize
it, striving for that, being honoured through it, and that we should meet God
with a heart sincerely amenable to the Shari'a that He has approved for us.
The Shari'a that we speak of is the Shari'a of the Compassionate, the
Merciful, the Benevolent, the Mild, who says: "Does He who created not know,
while He is the Pleasant, the Knower?" (al-Mulk 14)- [Qur'an 67:14].
It is what its Revealer- the Exalted- commands: "Justice, ihsan and giving to
relatives, while forbidding immorality, the condemned and oppression. He warns
you, perhaps you will remember" (al-Nahl 90)- [Qur'an 16:90].
It is what God Almighty has revealed to lighten the burden on His servants,
for He knows of their weakness. For He has said: "God wants to lighten your
burden, for man has been created weak"- (al-Nisa' 28)- [Qur'an 4:28].
The Shari'a that we speak of is not something rulers "apply" on those ruled,
as though we are not in conversation with it, and as though it is thrown on us
from above our heads! But rather the Muslims "establish it" in their lives, in
all that is possible, for it is their cause, spirit and that by which they
draw near to God, and they strive for it to be established on the level of
rule and for there to be a state for it.
The Shari'a is that which orders the father to be merciful to his children,
and the children to be respectful of their parents and attend to their
mothers' feet, and the ruler to be gentle with his subjects and establish
justice on himself before establishing it on them.
It is that in which the Ummah becomes one body and is freed from the chains of
the global system that oppresses it, humiliates it and plunders its resources.
It is that in whose state the affair of the Muslim individual is dignified in
a way in which the affair of any individual in any other state is not
dignified, for the Islamic state aids the individual and mobilizes the armies
to take up his rights and liberate him from his captivity and avenge his
blood, just as the Messenger of God (SAWS) mobilized the army of Mu'tah[1],
ousted the Banu Qaynuqa'[2], and his companions pledged to death in the Pledge
of Ridwan[3] and the dispatch of Osama was prepared[4], and all that for the
sake of individuals.
The Shari'a that we speak of is that which prevents the sowers of corruption
from plundering the Muslims' wealth and storing it in Switzerland, while their
neighbours eat from rubbish bins! It is that which strives to meet the needs
of the woman, the man, the young, the old, the Muslim and the Christian in
food, drink, healthcare, security, dignity and education.
It is that which ennobles the woman and ensures her body is not taken as a
cheap commodity. It is that which is made known among males and females in
society as the bond of brothers of faith, cooperating on piety and awareness
of God and building the glory of the Ummah, not voracity stripped of all
restraints...
It is that in which minds are sustained and talents are encouraged to set
forth to build up the land and be distinguished in the fields of sciences and
benefiting mankind.
It is that in which the Muslims are chosen as the ones to be ruled by God's
law, so He has mercy on them but sets down His harshness on the disbelievers
waging war.
It is that in which soundness of thought is spread, and in which the qualities
of treachery or disbelief are not attributed to anyone without legitimate,
considered evidence, and in which the accused is given a fair trial in which
he is given his opportunity to defend himself.
It is that in which people are given what they need to satisfy their instincts
lawfully, for no hadd is established in it except rarely: on those who have
been kept in check by what is lawful and insisted on sowing corruption and
assaulting the gates of what is forbidden.
This is the Shari'a, esteemed folks! Clean air in which the people live and on
which children are raised and all participate in protecting it.
This is the Shari'a: purity, decency, honour, piety, mildness, gentleness and
blessing. If the society of the Prophet that attained the pinnacle in
establishing the Shari'a had been susceptible to the likes of Abdullah ibn Abi
ibn Salul, the head of hypocrisy- despite the fact that he harmed the Prophet
(SAWS) and conspired against the Muslims, there was susceptibility to him
because he did not declare his disbelief openly but rather embraced outwardly
the rule of Shari'a[5]– will not our societies be susceptible on the
establishment of the Shari'a to the delinquents from the Muslims, whose noses'
dust is better than Ibn Salul, whatever their faults?
The impudent used to say to our Prophet (SAWS) out of desire for more than
their lot: "Be just, oh Muhammad, for you have not been just." Despite that,
he would be patient and say: "Woe upon you, and who will be just after me if I
am not just?" In the Shari'a that we speak of, the impudent may deride the
Muslim ruler openly so he tolerates them and is patient in the face of them
because he does not take revenge for himself, but he should be angry if the
taboos of God are violated.
This is the Shari'a that we speak of: so if there is after that one who is
choked by this clean air, his nose catches a cold and his eyes are burned from
the light of the Shari'a, and purity irritates him just as it irritated the
people of Lot because he cannot live except in open adultery, making it easy
to be come upon by four witnesses, and he cannot live except by drinking
alcohol that appears for society from the odour of his mouth and thoughtless
conduct and filth on his trousers, and he cannot live except by stealing from
the livelihood of others despite the fact that the Shari'a has provided for
his bare existence, he has every reason to fear the Shari'a! But let him free
us from his wailing, screaming and scaremongering about the Shari'a, for he is
not representative, not even of the rebellious of the Muslims whose eyes may
tear up at mention of God or the Messenger of God (SAWS) and who love the
Shari'a that we speak of in the depth of their souls, so also they will
participate in its establishment.
"Our aim here is that we should continue loving the Shari'a, longing to
realize it, striving for that, being honoured through it, and that we should
meet God with a heart sincerely amenable to the Shari'a that He has approved
for us."
Until our hearts submit to the Shari'a
Da'wa and Irshad Office
Jabhat al-Nusra
Notes
____________________
[1] Referring to the Battle of Mu'tah of 629 CE. A Muslim army was dispatched
in revenge for the execution of an emissary sent to the Byzantine Empire.
[2] Referring to the expulsion of the Banu Qaynuqa', one of the Jewish tribes
of Medina. The alleged trigger incident was a trick played on a Muslim woman
by one of the Banu Qaynuqa', prompting a series of retributions and
counter-retributions that culminated in Prophet Muhammad's move against the
Banu Qaynuqa', who had also openly rejected his call to Islam.
[3] The pledge of Ridwan refers to a pledge of allegiance given by the Muslims
under a tree to fight to the death after news came of the killing of Uthman
bin Affan, who was sent to inform the Quraysh of Mecca that the Prophet was
coming to visit the Ka'aba.
[4] Osama bin Zayd, the son of Zayd bin Haritha (killed at the Battle of
Mu'tah). Osama was subsequently sent by the Prophet on an expedition to the
Palestine area in 632 CE.
[5] Hence the derogatory reference among jihadis to the Saudi royal family as
"Al Salul" (The Family of Salul). Though Saudi Arabia might implement hudud
rulings in public and enforce aspects of Islamic law, the state is seen as a
client of the West.
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