salahdin
Junior Member
Abu Bakr al-Sidiq (rAa) and freedom of expression
No need to introduce this honourable personality of Islam who was very close companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. My focus here is to shed some light on some of the lessons which can be learned from his inaugural speech after the death of the Prophet of Islam (sAaww).
Here is is an excerpt of this speech:
“I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best of you. If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right. Sincere regard for truth is loyalty and disregard for truth is treachery. The weak amongst you shall be strong with me until I have secured his rights, if God wills; and the strong amongst you shall be weak with me until I have wrested from him the rights of others, if God wills. Obey me so long as I obey God and His Messenger. But if I disobey God and His Messenger, ye owe me no obedience. Arise for your prayer, God have mercy upon you.” (Wikipedia)
Abu Bakr al-Sidiq (ra) and freedom of expression
One of the many lessons he offers is the notion of freedom of expression and a reference to the formation of an opposition parties to keep the leader in check;
“ If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right”
Although this notion is being taught and encouraged by Islam, the messenger of God and our great early companions but unfortunately it remains very strange and non existence concept in the Muslim world today. Muslim countries are ruled by various types of corrupt political systems and mainly dictatorships and monarchies. Freedom of expression is tailored to suit the ruling elites and is redefined to say only things in favour of the ruler and his government and the rulers in these Muslim countries are unchallenged and indisputable. This has been the case for centuries.
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human principle
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human principle and it is the right of the human “Intellect” to be worthy of itself. To think free is the manifestation of Man’s free will which is a fundamental principle of his humanity. It is the desire of Man’s intellect to project his individuality and various intellectual dimensions of his personality. To be able to think freely is the only way to bring out Man’s marvelous potentials and inner true feelings. It will enable him to express his hopes and aspirations which would contribute to the process of progress of society. Freedom of expression in society will greatly influence and shape up its future and it will identify the negative aspects and the various obstacles in the face of progress and success. And it will also identify the elements of success and works towards strengthening it.
Unfortunately, freedom of expression, in the true sense, is non existence in the Muslim world today and is often considered a crime and hence in many cases is punishable by death. This reality in the Muslim world brings great surprise to all of us when we examine the socio-political situation which was prevalent during the early stage of Islam. During the life of the prophet of Islam we see Muslims have truly enjoyed the principle of “freedom of expression” in its highest level in comparison to the rest of the world at that time. In numerous occasions the holy prophet permitted his companions to express themselves in various important events. He (sAaww) was very eager to get their input in respect to many political and social issues. The beauty of these teachings of the prophet of Islam has profoundly influenced his companions. The great companion of the prophet Abu Bakr al-Sidiq (rAa) was one of the prophet true devotees and faithful students who have transformed himself from a primitive Arab tribesman into a remarkable personality which has profoundly influenced millions of Muslims many generations after his departure to his Lord. Upon his nomination as the first ruler, he laid down some of the fundamentals of ruler ship and governance through his remarkable speech to the Muslims.
There are more lessons in Abu Bakr’s inaugural speech that can be identified in regards to the leadership characteristics as follows:
1) A leader is not better than a subject;
“I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best of you”
2) The main mission of leadership is restoring the rights of the weak and destitute;
“The weak amongst you shall be strong with me until I have secured his rights”
3) The limitations of the strong;
“the strong amongst you shall be weak with me until I have wrested from him the rights of others”
In other words he sees the social strength of the rich do not have any influence on his governance and decision making process. Often the rich will have lobbyists to influence the political process of the government and this is the socio-political norms of societies in the past and present. But Abu Bakr was not influence by these unjust norms of society rather he was student of the best creation of God, the Prophet Muhammad (sAaww) and he was taught a different type of philosophy. Such philosophy is not influenced by Man’s social egotistic aspirations and special interests rather it is influenced by the divine social justice and Man’s universal aspirations.
4) A leader is subservient to the constitution and not above the law;
“Obey me so long as I obey God and His Messenger. But if I disobey God and His Messenger, ye owe me no obedience.”
It is important to note here that Abu Bakr has laid down the main two principles of the source of obedience for any Muslim; a leader, teacher, or for all Muslims at any human capacity, and that is God and His messenger. Now this important teaching of Abu Bakr raise some legitimate concern in regard to the principle of obedience which was presented after the death of the first and the second khalifas, namely Abu Bakr and Umer (rAa)..
No need to introduce this honourable personality of Islam who was very close companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. My focus here is to shed some light on some of the lessons which can be learned from his inaugural speech after the death of the Prophet of Islam (sAaww).
Here is is an excerpt of this speech:
“I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best of you. If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right. Sincere regard for truth is loyalty and disregard for truth is treachery. The weak amongst you shall be strong with me until I have secured his rights, if God wills; and the strong amongst you shall be weak with me until I have wrested from him the rights of others, if God wills. Obey me so long as I obey God and His Messenger. But if I disobey God and His Messenger, ye owe me no obedience. Arise for your prayer, God have mercy upon you.” (Wikipedia)
Abu Bakr al-Sidiq (ra) and freedom of expression
One of the many lessons he offers is the notion of freedom of expression and a reference to the formation of an opposition parties to keep the leader in check;
“ If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right”
Although this notion is being taught and encouraged by Islam, the messenger of God and our great early companions but unfortunately it remains very strange and non existence concept in the Muslim world today. Muslim countries are ruled by various types of corrupt political systems and mainly dictatorships and monarchies. Freedom of expression is tailored to suit the ruling elites and is redefined to say only things in favour of the ruler and his government and the rulers in these Muslim countries are unchallenged and indisputable. This has been the case for centuries.
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human principle
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human principle and it is the right of the human “Intellect” to be worthy of itself. To think free is the manifestation of Man’s free will which is a fundamental principle of his humanity. It is the desire of Man’s intellect to project his individuality and various intellectual dimensions of his personality. To be able to think freely is the only way to bring out Man’s marvelous potentials and inner true feelings. It will enable him to express his hopes and aspirations which would contribute to the process of progress of society. Freedom of expression in society will greatly influence and shape up its future and it will identify the negative aspects and the various obstacles in the face of progress and success. And it will also identify the elements of success and works towards strengthening it.
Unfortunately, freedom of expression, in the true sense, is non existence in the Muslim world today and is often considered a crime and hence in many cases is punishable by death. This reality in the Muslim world brings great surprise to all of us when we examine the socio-political situation which was prevalent during the early stage of Islam. During the life of the prophet of Islam we see Muslims have truly enjoyed the principle of “freedom of expression” in its highest level in comparison to the rest of the world at that time. In numerous occasions the holy prophet permitted his companions to express themselves in various important events. He (sAaww) was very eager to get their input in respect to many political and social issues. The beauty of these teachings of the prophet of Islam has profoundly influenced his companions. The great companion of the prophet Abu Bakr al-Sidiq (rAa) was one of the prophet true devotees and faithful students who have transformed himself from a primitive Arab tribesman into a remarkable personality which has profoundly influenced millions of Muslims many generations after his departure to his Lord. Upon his nomination as the first ruler, he laid down some of the fundamentals of ruler ship and governance through his remarkable speech to the Muslims.
There are more lessons in Abu Bakr’s inaugural speech that can be identified in regards to the leadership characteristics as follows:
1) A leader is not better than a subject;
“I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best of you”
2) The main mission of leadership is restoring the rights of the weak and destitute;
“The weak amongst you shall be strong with me until I have secured his rights”
3) The limitations of the strong;
“the strong amongst you shall be weak with me until I have wrested from him the rights of others”
In other words he sees the social strength of the rich do not have any influence on his governance and decision making process. Often the rich will have lobbyists to influence the political process of the government and this is the socio-political norms of societies in the past and present. But Abu Bakr was not influence by these unjust norms of society rather he was student of the best creation of God, the Prophet Muhammad (sAaww) and he was taught a different type of philosophy. Such philosophy is not influenced by Man’s social egotistic aspirations and special interests rather it is influenced by the divine social justice and Man’s universal aspirations.
4) A leader is subservient to the constitution and not above the law;
“Obey me so long as I obey God and His Messenger. But if I disobey God and His Messenger, ye owe me no obedience.”
It is important to note here that Abu Bakr has laid down the main two principles of the source of obedience for any Muslim; a leader, teacher, or for all Muslims at any human capacity, and that is God and His messenger. Now this important teaching of Abu Bakr raise some legitimate concern in regard to the principle of obedience which was presented after the death of the first and the second khalifas, namely Abu Bakr and Umer (rAa)..