Connect with us

Middle-East

Some Quranic Reflections on the Syrian Revolution

Published

What’s going on in Syria is horror beyond description.  In these dire times, we turn to the Qurʾān for answers.  Here are some reflections from our sacred text.

 النار ذات الوقود، اذ هم عليها قعود، وهم على ما يفعلون بالمؤمنين شهود

Fire supplied (abundantly) with fuel, when they sat by it (fire), and they witnessed what they were doing against the believers (i.e. burning them). [Surah Al-Burooj, 5-7]

Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah

Alhamdulillah, we're at over 850 supporters. Help us get to 900 supporters this month. All it takes is a small gift from a reader like you to keep us going, for just $2 / month.

The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.

These verses are referring to an oppressive king who decided to collectively punish his people for turning away from his religion and embracing monotheism.  His method of persecution was to dig ditches, build fire, and throw in it whoever refuses to follow his religion.  What’s interesting in these verses is that we see the Qurʾān focuses on the eyewitnesses, the people who were watching the genocide and doing nothing.  Those people, by Qurʾānic standards, were considered partners in crime.  Likewise, we now see the so-called international community watching the atrocities taking place in Syria and doing nothing. Take for example the recent firing of scud missiles into some residential areas of Aleppo that claimed at least 141 innocent lives http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/02/26/syria-unlawful-missile-attacks-kill-more-140.  This atrocious event was barely noticed and hardly protested by anybody of power in the world.  In contrast, we all remember the huge outcry when Saddam Hussein fired similar missiles into Israel back in 1991, though those missiles were mostly intercepted by Patriot missiles and hardly lead to any civilian casualties.

واذا الموؤودة سئلت، باي ذنب قتلت

And when the female (infant) buried alive (as the pagan Arabs used to do) shall be questioned. For what sin she was killed? [Surah At-Takwir, 8-9]

Now we move to another grave matter, which is the crime against children.  Surat at-Takweer which contains some of the most graphic depiction of the Day of Judgment brings the plight of the little girls who used to be buried alive in pre-Islam Arabia.  Along the major events that will change the universe on that Day, God will ask, “for what reason this innocent child was killed”?  From all the crimes that had been committed on Earth, God chooses crimes against children to highlight on that Day.  Now we all know the Assad regime has been especially cruel against children.  In some Middle Eastern media, Bashar is now referred to as “the killer of children”.  In fact, we all know that the Syrian revolution was started by the Children of Daraa.  The whole world witnessed what happened to Hamza al-Khatib and his classmates.  Likewise, we all witnessed children massacres like that of al-Houleh and others.  In fact, the Assad barbarism has touched every single child in Syria by robbing them from their parents, their families, or at least their innocence.

وقد مكروا مكرهم، وعند الله مكرهم، وان كان مكرهم لتزول منه الجبال

…they were plotting and Allah too was planning, and Allah is the Best of the planners. [Surah Al-Anfal, 30]

This verse talks about people in power plotting and conspiring.  Such plotting is so influential and powerful that it can wipe out whole mountains.  So at the outset, it appears to the weak and the oppressed that the situation is hopeless.  After all, what can unarmed civilians, who have been deprived from basic freedoms, do in the face of conspiring nations and superpowers.  Yet, this verse, through a parenthesis, brings an immense hope.  The parenthesis simply says that God contains their plotting.  So yes you may not be able to block or stop such plotting nor do you have the means to do so but God can and will.  Throughout the Syrian revolution, we have witnessed several powerful countries such as Russia, China, and Iran conspire against the Syrian people.  Many other powerful countries, including Western countries, have implicitly supported such plotting by doing nothing.  In fact, it may not be an exaggeration to say that the whole universe is plotting against the people of Syria.  One small example is how everyone rushed to label certain freedom fighters as terrorist while we haven’t seen anyone label the Assad regime as terrorist.  It’s not a surprise therefore that one of the most common slogans of the Syrian revolution has become, “Oh God, oh God, we have no one by You, Oh God”.  It’s a manifestation of this verse that the Syrian Revolution is gaining ground every day despite this universal conspiracy.

Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah

Alhamdulillah, we're at over 850 supporters. Help us get to 900 supporters this month. All it takes is a small gift from a reader like you to keep us going, for just $2 / month.

The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.

Born and raised in Lebanon, Hlayhel began attending study circles at his local mosque when he was ten. He came to the United States at 17 and studied electrical engineering at the University of Houston. At its MSA, he met Sh Yasir Qadhi and worked together to raise Islamic awareness on campus. Hlayhel studied traditional sciences of Aqeedah (Islamic creed), Fiqh (Islamic law) and Nahw (Arabic grammar) under Sh Waleed Basyouni and Sh Waleed Idriss Meneese among others. After settling in Phoenix AZ, he worked tirelessly, in the capacity of a board member then a chairman, to revive the then dead AZ chapter of CAIR in order to face the growing Islamophobia in that state and to address the resulting civil right violations. Today, he's considered the second founder of a strong CAIR-AZ. In addition, Hlayhel is a part-time imam at the Islamic Center of the Northeast Valley in Phoenix, husband and father of four. His current topics of interest include positive Islam, youth coaching, and countering Islamophobia.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Gibran

    March 5, 2013 at 1:04 PM

    Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

    JazzakAllahu khair

    Definitely Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth. In the face of oppression, lacking any outside help, if the people are patient and striving there are only two good possible ends.

  2. HelplessSlave

    March 6, 2013 at 8:51 AM

    Subhana Allah.

    The least we could do is atleast speak about our brothers and sisters who are masscered around the world, just cuz they have accepted Allah as their Lord, God and Saviour, and By His honour I promise that the Help of Allah has already upon the my people (the Muslims), let them jest,laugh, mock and sneer We will ask compensation from Allah on the Day of Qiyamah.

    I would have loved if you have added the part about how the Free Syrian Army has gained solid ground in the last 2 years by the Help of Allah.

    Ya Allah, the One who never turns down the one who seeks help from him, the One from Whom eminates all good and in Whose every will is unfathomable wisdom by our mediocre minds.

    Ya Rabb help our Mujahideen and our people, Ya Allah when one of our Nations victors over it’s oppressor another falls into war(Bangladesh). Ya Rabb please help Us . for we have no helper except you.

  3. Salaf-Stories

    March 8, 2013 at 5:02 AM

    Asalaamu alaykum.

    May Allah make them a way out from every difficulty, ameen. They really are going through alot of difficulties.

  4. Sumiyah

    December 25, 2013 at 6:52 AM

    Assalmo Alaium

    Jazakallh Khairan Akhi for enlightening Us with the Quranic references.

    I just hope we don’t find any other feeble excuses for being Silent.

    Ya Allah Lord of the Worlds make us worthy of helping your oppressed Creation.

    Ma’asalamah

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending