Analysis (September 2003)
Who are the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah and what do they stand for?

The Australian leader of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah, Sheikh Omran, has this past week been linked by Spanish court documents with al-Qa’ida.

In an interview on Channel Nine’s ‘Sunday’ program, Yasser Soliman, president of the Islamic Council of Victoria, was asked what he thought of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah. Soliman replied “I really don’t know enough about them, that’s the problem.”, and “I think they need to state what they stand for. I would like to find out the answers myself.”
Yasser Soliman has also said of Sheikh Omran that he had heard rumours about Sheikh Omran but the council would not shun him: “We really shouldn’t be in a democratic society shunning people because of suspicions,” Soliman told ABC radio. “These suspicions need to be followed up and verified one way or another. We’ve heard rumours, we’ve also heard reports in the past but they’ve really not been backed up with anything concrete that we’ve seen.”
Bilal Cleland, Human Rights Coordinator for the Islamic Council of Victoria was reported in the Herald Sun (Sept 5, 2003) as saying that Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah was known to have an extreme position on most things, but “it doesn’t mean they want to hurt others”. ABC radio has reported Cleland as saying that Muslims associated with the group should not automatically be assumed guilty: “Members who take a fairly strong position on particular issues aren’t necessarily people who advocate violence towards others”.
This report is a summary of some of the teachings promoted by Sheikh Omran’s organisation on their website, www.iisca.org. References in italics are to titles of essays on the website. These essays were all downloaded between July and September 2003.
You can do a google search for the titles in italics to locate the original articles, or search under ‘Knowledge’ on the IISCA website.
Within Islamic groups in Australia, the Ahlus Sunna Wal Jama’ah are representative of what Abdullah Saeed has called neo-revivalists (p. 74 of Islam in Australia). This group are also known as Salafis, or Wahabbis.

ESSAYS RELATING TO ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY
1.The perfection of the Shari’ah
http://iisca.org/knowledge/misc/perfect.shariah.htm
This essay argues for the incompatibility of Islam and democracy
The Islamic shari’ah is perfect, and fully complete when it was established through Muhammad. It cannot be improved upon in any way as a total system of life for human beings. No human philosophy can add anything to Islam.
Specifically, Islam is incompatible with democracy. Anyone who claims otherwise is an infidel, not a Muslim. To try to add democracy to Islam is shirk ‘association’ — counted the worst and most unforgivable of sins in Islam.

2. The Caliphate
http://iisca.org/knowledge/jihad/caliphate.htm
An essay presented at an Ahlus-Sunnah organization conference, June 2, 2002.
The Caliphate is a political entity, established under the rule of a caliph ‘representative’ who governs on behalf of God, to establish his laws for humanity.
It is obligatory upon Muslims to establish the caliphate. This is a religious and a logical necessity. It is a collective duty upon all Muslims. Everyone must do they best they can to re-establish the caliphate. This will re-establish the dominance and supremacy of Islam.
The purposes of the caliphate are to establish Islam by whatever means we can, including the sword.
No other form of governance is acceptable under Islam. Any other form of governance, including the ‘man made laws’ of democracy, is a kind of transgression. It is the duty of Muslims to hate, point out, reject, fight and disbelieve in all alternative forms of governance.

3.Believe in Allah and disbelieve in Taaghoot
http://iisca.org/knowledge/tawheed/taaghoot.htm
An exhortation to keep religion pure from non-Islam systems of governance
Muslims must reject all false deities. This includes anything that human beings might worship, and submission to any authority apart from God. Obeying legislation is also an act of worship.
‘Tyranny’ is defined as ‘exceeding the limits’ set by God for humanity through Islam. I.e. all non-Muslim religion, and non-Islamic legislation is by definition ‘tyranny’.
A (false) ‘deity’ is any one who set themselves up as a legislator apart from God. Such false gods include democratic representatives, and people who vote for them. Adherents of democracy are setting themselves up as equals to god: if anyone does that ‘he makes himself a legislator god’.
True Muslims must fight to get rid of the ‘slaves and helpers’ of democracy.
To be saved from hell fire, Muslims but reject all ‘gods and goddesses of the so called legislature’.
The rejection of democracy is the ‘apex of Islam’.

4.Six points on the fatwa of Ibn Katheer concerning ruling by other than what Allah revealed
http://iisca.org/knowledge/tawheed/six.points.htm
This is a ruling which revives an old fatwa of Ibn Katheer against Genghis Khan! The ruling extends the old fatwa to apply to all contemporary leaders of nations which do not rule according to pure Islam, but which take principles from different sources such as Judaism and Christianity or even from Islam. It seems this would include the governments of almost every nation on earth. What is the ruling of this fatwa?
“So whoever does that, then he is a disbeliever (Kaafir), whose fighting (sic) is obligatory (Waajib) until he returns to the ruling (Hukm) of Allaah and His Messenger such that he does not rule by other than it neither a little nor a lot.”
The implication is that every Muslim person is obliged to fight against (i.e. to seek to kill) every government leader who does not rule by strict shari’a principles.

ESSAYS DEALING WITH JIHAD
5. Jihad for Allah’s sake
http://iisca.org/knowledge/jihad/jihad_for_allah.htm
Although in Arabic the word jihad means ‘struggle’ or ‘hardship’, as a term of Islam, it means ‘to struggle against the disbelievers’. Other implications of jihad include struggling against Satan, ignorance and doubt.
The struggle against disbelievers must be conducted with all that a Muslim possesses: with body, soul, wealth, words and heart.
The world is divided into the powers of Satan and the forces of God. These are in competition for dominance. The one way to dispel power of Satan is the establish the Shari’ah in its totality over all the earth.
Fighting against unbelievers (jihad) became normative for Muslims after the migration to Medina. This is a sign of its importance.
Against whom should Muslims fight:
• Anyone who stands against the message of Islam and rejects it must become the object of jihad fighting.
• If non-Muslims do not accept the truth of Islam, Muslims are obliged to fight them.
• Whenever the freedom of Muslims to proselytize is inhibited, then the governing authorities must be overthrown.
What about the Koranic verse: ‘There is no compulsion in religion’? The application of this verse is that a Muslim ruler should not compel his subjects of accept Islam. They are only to be compelled to accept his political authority.
Non-Muslims therefore have three choices:
a) become Muslims and enjoy the rights of other Muslims,
b) keep their ancestral religion and pay the jizyah, or
c) be in a state of war (jihad) from the Muslims.
The aims of jihad are:
a) Fight non-Muslims to assure everyone’s right to choose Islam freely.
b) Fight non-Muslims to assure the right of Muslims to call others to Islam.
c) Fight non-Muslims to establish the rule and authority of Islam on earth. This is the supreme liberation of humanity.
Jihad is the highest expression of Islam. Fighting against unbelievers is an act of worship, one of the most supreme forms of devotion to God. Nothing compares with it in merit or reward. It brings material benefit (i.e. through booty), and spiritual merit.
Anyone who takes the path of jihad is guaranteed to be successful: either victory or paradise.
Muslim armies in the past spread across the world spreading knowledge of Islam, instilling faith, and crushing the power of evil, so everyone was free to enter Islam. Jihad is essential for the spread of Islam. Fighting against non-Muslims is THE way to call others to God. It was not a contextual response to the needs of the first period of Islam, but is an inseparable part of the invitation to Islam. Jihad is so deeply rooted in the Qur’an and the life and example of Muhammad, that it could not be merely a response to the times in which Muhammad lived.
Any position which sets itself up against Islam will, by definition, be violently opposed to Islam, and must be fought against. Evil — defined as opposition to Islam — is inherently militant. Furthermore, the only response to militant evil is an equally militant good: ‘Falsehood fortified must be met with truth ironclad.’
When Muslims today define jihad in ways other than described above, this is deception. They are diluting the Qur’an and the Sunnah. They are humiliated by their cowardice. Muslims must realize the true meaning of jihad, and ‘feel superior’ about their faith.

6. The Meaning of Jihad: Both Linguistically, and from the Shari’ah
http://iisca.org/knowledge/jihad/meaning_of_jihad.htm
Arguments against false understanding of jihad, current among Muslims today
Many Muslims today think that jihad means any kind of struggle for God. This is a false understanding. Jihad as an Islamic, legal term means fighting (al-qitaal). The word jihad can be used in a non-technical, everyday sense meaning ‘to struggle’, but this is a different sense of the word, not to be confused with the Islamic meaning.
Key points of the introduction:
Other Islamic words have two meanings. For example salaah has ‘prayer’ (du’a) as it basic meaning. But it has a technical religious sense meaning the obligatory daily ritual worship. Similar observations apply to terms like zakah, saum, and hajj.
No-one can satisfy shari’ah requirements by applying everyday meanings to such words. For example you cannot satisfy the requirement of zakah ‘purification’ by taking a bath. As a legal term zakah can only be performed by giving 2.5% of annual savings to charity. Likewise, the obligation to perform jihad can only be satisfied by fighting.
This distinction is well-known to the classical scholars of the four schools (madhaahib) of Sunni Islam.
In both the Qur’an and the Sunnah, jihad generally means fighting (qitaal).
This article has been translated in order to Muslim youth to take up fighting (‘legal jihad’) because some Muslims try to divert Muslim youth away from this to mere striving for Islam (‘linguistic jihad’). This is intended to be ‘a final blow to the obstacles in the path of the youths seeking martyrdom in the way of Allah.’
Here follows a section of work by Ash-Sheikh ash-Shaheed ‘Abdullah ‘Azzam, supporting these claims with definitions of jihad from all the four Sunni schools. These show that jihad in the path of God means ‘fighting against non-Muslims’.

7. The Greater and ‘Lesser’ Jihad
http://iisca.org/knowledge/jihad/greater_and_lesser.htm
A refutation of the misconception that struggling against desires is greater than fighting disbelievers. (From Nidaa’ul Islaam vol. 26).
Many Muslims believe that struggling against one’s desires is a ‘greater jihad’, and physical fighting is a ‘lesser jihad’.
This is based upon two hadiths. However these hadiths are not reliable, because they have weak chains of transmission.
Many other hadiths are cited, as well as certain Koranic verses, to show that fighting unbelievers (jihad in the path of God) is the highest, most meritorious, and most demanding act in Islam.

8. The religious, moral and social benefits of Zakat
http://iisca.org/knowledge/pillars/zakat/zakaat_benefits.htm
An advantage of giving charity is that it can be used for Jihad
This essay exhorts Muslims to observe payment of zakat. Among the various benefits of zakat is listed that:
‘It helps Muslims, at large, to generate a substantial source of income to support various vital causes such as support of Islamic strife and struggle (Jihaad)...’
[NOTE: this is indeed one of the purposes of the zakat listed in the Qur’an.]

9. Who are the At-Taa’ifah Al-Mansoorah (The Victorious Assembly)?
http://iisca.org/knowledge/jihad/taaifah_al-mansoorah.htm
An explanation of a saying of Muhammad
This essay examines the question: Who will God give the victory to — scholars or soldiers?
In the past, religious scholars said that the victory will be to the learned (the ‘ulamaa). This was because jihad was just taken for granted by Muslims at that time. The whole Islamic state was organized for war. In this context, the leaders in the ‘battle arena’ were the learned ones.
But today Islam needs both soldiers and scholars: ‘the religion cannot be established with knowledge alone nor with Jihaad alone, but with each of them together’.
Ibn Taymiyyah is quoted as saying “...that which establishes the religion is the guiding Book and the victory-giving Iron ...”

10. Jamaa’ah and Imaarah (The Muslim Group and Leadership)
http://iisca.org/knowledge/jihad/jamaah.imaarah.htm
A discussion of leadership of the Islamic community
Points made in this essay include:
It is obligatory for all Muslims to work to establish the Caliphate. Muslims must be united to achieve this.
The Islamic message has ‘great objectives’ which include:
• spreading Islam to all mankind
• making the religion of Islam prevail above all other religions
• jihad (i.e. fighting unbelievers) in order for the name of Allay to be the highest, and to humiliate disbelievers.
In order for Muslims to unite, they must hold fast to:
• The Qur’an
• The Sunnah of Muhammad
• Following the Islamic shari’a
• Refer issues to scholars to decide
• Establish a Muslim leader
• Support and develop Muslim organizations (whether open or secret)
The example of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Abdul-Wahhab (the originator of ‘Wahabism’) are especially commended.
All Muslims have the duty of striving to establish leadership, to unite all Muslims under one leader. This applies locally. It also applies to migrant Muslim communities in non-Muslim lands. Immigrant Muslim communities are obliged to unite under a leader.
The greatest obligation upon Muslims is jihad, fighting disbelievers. This cannot be carried out effectively without an organized Muslim community and a leader.
The essay continues with further advice on establishing a unified leadership, and commends the Salafi sect of Islam as the source as that leadership.
Every Muslims should seek to join up with a ‘rightly guided’ community of Muslim people. This will bring happiness in this life and the next.

ESSAYS ON STRATEGY
11. The trial before the strengthening
http://iisca.org/knowledge/misc/strengthening.htm
This essay develops the idea that the world is divided into the forces of God and the forces of Satan. They are waging the ‘battle of the ages’ against each other. Muslims must stand firm in fighting for God, even if they are in the minority and forces against them seem stronger than they are. Eventual victory is assured.
12. The Understanding of Abdul-Hameed Ibn Badis of the Phases of Da’wah
A study in the methodology of Islamic proclamation - translated by IISCA staff.
Ibn Badis was an Algerian Islamist who opposed French colonial rule. He was based in Constantine. His work proceeded in distinct phases, beginning with Islamic education, and steadily becoming more political as his organization’s power base increased. The essay describes how Ibn Badis deceived the French colonial authorities about his true intention.
The first stage was to concentrate efforts totally on education and teaching. He taught young and old. The writer reports that the French ‘thought that he was a Shaikh like the rest of the Shaikhs, with no danger about him’. He initiated no political actions. These were years of formation in which he worked to undermine Sufism amongst Algerian Muslims, and to promote the learning of Arabic and Arabic culture.
As his influence grew, Ibn Badis dealt carefully with the French, seeking simple and realistic demands. An example of his approach is a newspaper article he wrote:
‘...because we are Muslims we act for the preservation of the traditions of our religion...’
‘... we are not intending .. to mix religion and politics ...’,
‘... because we are a colony, we seek to fasten the bonds of friendship between us and the French nation. And we call on France to adhere to its three foundational principles: Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood [fraternity]’.
In the second stage he began to criticize Sufism more openly, as well as collaborators of the French. He established an Association of Islamic clerics, the Jam’iyyatul ‘Ulamaa. The French, who had supposed they had permanently attached Algeria to France, ‘were taken by surprise by a tremendous work’ — that is, the quiet work of uniting Muslims.
The constitution of the Jam’iyyatul ‘Ulamaa stated that ‘It is not permitted for the Jam’iyyah, under any circumstances to get involved in political matters’. It focused on social problems such as alcohol and gambling. But ‘that was just to conceal the real activities that were happening. Indeed the Jam’iyyah got involved into political by another avenue which was building Arabic schools in the Algerian cities and villages; calling for the Islamic brotherhood, human rights, and resistance to the oppression and servitude.’
Ibn Badis’ plan was not to engage in overt confrontation with colonialism, but ‘his plan was to encircle it and to destroy its objective and strategy step by step’.
This movement had three principles:
• The Qur’an is the book of Islam
• The Sunnah of Muhammad explains and clarifies the Qur’an
• Monotheism is the pillar of faith
When the French media attacked the Jam’iyyatul ‘Ulamaa for inciting the people, Ibn Badis would reply ‘...what business has the Jam’iyyatul ‘Ulamaa in this matter, when it is a religious organisation, merely corrective, and completely far away from politics?’
The essay notes how at least one of the French writers realized the danger to the colonial authorities of this movement.
The third stage saw a shift to direct opposition against the French.
For example Ibn Badis wrote to the French authorities accusing them of interfering with the religious affairs of the Algerian Muslims contrary to the French Penal code. A resistance movement was initiated. Algerian Muslims asked for approval to live by shari’ah laws in all personal and domestic matters.
[NB — During this stage of Ibn Baadi’s work, in 1934, Muslims in Constantine attacked the local Jewish community. 23 Jews were killed and there was widespread damage to Jewish property.]
The next stage, was to have been the use of force. Towards the end of his life Ibn Badis wrote ‘desperation is driving us toward exploit and sacrifice.’ He died in 1940. Armed resistance against the French was started in 1954, leading to enormous civilian casualties, and eventually to independence.