UPDATE 1/31 8:56 AM: Here is an English translation of the below Fatwā (Disclaimer: the below translation is via the Islam Policy website and was according to the post done in haste):
“What is the ruling on participating in the revolution in Egypt (the revolution of January 25)? I would like you toexpound in the answer to include everything that surrounds the subject of matters related to it? In the name of Allah, the Beneficent Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds May Peace and Prayers be Upon His noble Prophet and on his family and companions To what Proceeds: I mentioned the ruling on this issue in this article: “Revolution against Mubarak,” I said in that: (Certainly what is happening today in the land of Islam from the oppression, injustice and immorality within the circle of injustice is the shariah of Allah for His slaves to address it or face it .. He says in the description of people of faith: {And those who, when wrong is done to them, defend themselves} [Shura: 39]. He said in the description of the oppressed to lift oppression and to raise and repel it: {Yet indeed, as for any who defend themselves after having been wronged – no blame whatever attaches to them} [Shura: 41] He said (peace be upon him): “Fight without the owner until you take possession of ownership, or are killed so you become one of the martyrs in the Hereafter. (Saheeh: narrated by Imam Ahmad and Tabaraani). He said (peace be upon him): “Whoever is killed under oppression is a martyr” Narrated by Ahmad from Ibn Abbas. He said (peace be upon him): “Whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr”. Narrated by Muslim. He said (peace be upon him): “By He whose hand rest my soul, you either enjoin good and forbid evil and catch hold of the hand of the oppressor and persuade him to act justly and stick to the truth, or, Allah will involve the hearts of some of you with the hearts of others and will curse you as He had cursed them”(Tabaraani in Muajam Kabirr and al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan.) He said (peace be upon him): How to sanctify the nation is not taken from the strong of them for the weak among them? (Narrated by Ibn Haban and Tabaraani). He said peace be upon him: If you have seen my ummah fearing the oppressor and to tell him, “certainly you are unjust” simply tell them goodbye! (Narrated by Ahmad and al-Bayhaqi.) And Al-Bayhaqi said commenting on this hadeeth: (Ahmed said that the meaning of this is, “About them, if they feared for themselves from this statement and then abandoned it they are worse than it and the greatest of speech and the most feared action as they were called to Jihad with the mushrikeen but out of fear for themselves and their closest money and if they became like this therefore they were bid farewell and were deposited, and firmly established their presence and nonexistence (People of faith -Bayhaqi) oh martyrdom.” – It is obligatory that we know that offsetting the ruling regime in Egypt was a command hard to realize for the biggest jihadist organizations, so if these protesters succeeded in dropping the regime then that is a great victory for Islam and Muslims .. and it has emerged over the Western interests the strength in this great system and their fear of its falling .. so the U.S. government is following what is happening with great interest and the relations did not stop and the command came down on the internal affairs!! This shows the severity of their dependence on this system! And this is why they are today polishing ElBaradei, who is expected to be the next client, trying to preserve the empowerment of the lining of Mubarak, who felt that its demise is imminent .. If the Egyptian regime fell, God willing, we would lose an important client of the West, the most important customers who depended on them .. If the Egyptian regime fell, God willing, there would be mixed with a lot of leaves on the U.S. government will have to deal in a new way with the peoples of the region .. If the Egyptian regime fell, God willing, it will change a lot of circumstances and conditions of the Islamic world .. If the Egyptian regime fell, God willing, perhaps several other systems would fall down .. If the Egyptian regime fell, God willing, there may occur in the region a major earthquake similar to the raids of September 11 .. If the Egyptian regime fell, God willing, therefore this means that Israel has lost a sentry from its most important sentries .. The issue is important, substantial and sensitive not only for Egypt alone, but for the whole Islamic world .. we are facing a historic moment and a decisive stage in the history of the Islamic nation .. The issue for the Egyptian brothers today means a grab of dignity, pride and freedom and to get rid of the West’s customers, which means the birth of a new era in which Egypt has freedom and self-determination and dignity… in her religion and the law of her Lord and her ummah. According to the West, this means a serious defeat and the loss of a client regime which is one of its most important customers in the region and exit the country from the grip of their hands .. This is what explains the strong attachment to the survival of Mubarak in power and if not for this support given by them he would not have dared to defy the legions, which insist on his immediate departure and refuse that he stay in power .. The Egyptian brothers today repelling against this system and removing him make a major victory for their country and for Islam and Muslims .. They stand today in the bond of great repelling… Even if some of the Mujahideen today exists in Egypt it is one of the best jihads to participate in this blessed revolution.. If I asked about the standing of ten or a hundred of the finest Mujahideen for a martyrdom operation in which all of us to perish for Mubarak and his regime you would not see anything wrong with this because it’s in the interests of Islam and Muslims and defeats the enemies of the religion. How many of us wished to be behind our brothers in Egypt and to have the privilege to contribute to the overthrow of this system, even with half a word. We ask Allah to accept all the martyrs who fell in the face of this tyrant and to give sustenence to their parents pay, patience and fortitude. Those demonstrators who came out on the street today, chanting the slogan: “People want to overthrow the regime” may in fact have reached the same conclusion reached by the jihadi groups two decades ago that there was the necessity to dispose of this system considering it an extension of the West .. And here the youth today go out to the street to face the police themselves which was undertaken by the militants two decades ago the need to confront the necessity .. and they are burning cars and smashing its headquarters .. This was a period sufficient to recognize the Muslim masses for the right decision taken by the Mujahideen: So it shows you the position of the ignorant *** and alter the news from one who did not provide. Please note that the Mujahid groups in Egypt said that it did not resort to the decision to confront the system until after it was forced to because of stifling and exactly how much the public was forced today to confront the system due to cracking down on them. Here is the system today, even after the breakdown of security is out of his hand, he describes that all the many people going against it are a group of thugs outside the law! Just as this group of terrorists said of the Mujahideen that they are terrorists, outlaws! – I am amazed from those who are shy to come out for these demonstrations! If these systems who were switching the law of Allah and were corruption and tyrannical it obligatory to rebel and fight with the sword, as is the matter with all the groups abstaining from the law of Allah, it is it not obligatory to come out for it with other ways other than protests? If we claim that we are excused and justified in leaving them, we will be disabled it should be known that we are not excused in leaving the protests against it because ease does not fall without hardship. And how it is prescribed for us to come out and fight the ruler who fights Allah’s religion by force and arms. And it is not prescribed for us to ask him to just claim to relinquish power? There was some who associate themselves to the methodology of the salaf today that became unfortunately adoptive of a negative direction about the matters of the ummah similar to the passivity of Tablighi Jamaat, that never made any change during her work even if the Kaaba was hit by nuclear bombs. And the events that happen are greater than what is going on now and this group never moves. The sanctity of Muslims was assaulted and the sanctity of a Muslim is greater than the sanctity of the Kaaba but the Jama’ah did not move a muscle. Thus, some affiliated with the approach of the methodology of the salaf they leave or abandon all the matters of the Muslims ummah and have no interest except in their books and papers, and study circles, ignoring the words of the Prophet peace be upon him, “He who does not care about the affairs of the Muslims is not one of us.” Increasingly, I am surprised by the audacity of some young people who are not committed to the ummah by their enthusiasm and their support for these issues, while some young people who claim to be students of knowledge do not even move their head! If they talk and they participate they only warn people of the strife of fitnah as though they don’t know that people are already full of fitnah around them. And some of them rioting to participate in the protest against these regulations says: – If you fall down this regime you only will get the secular regime does not apply the law of Allah! The answer about that is that we are now talking about the matter of toppling the regime and this is a demand that we agree with the rest of the people.we should contribute to achieve it. And after the demise of the regime we can seek to establish a new constitution that rule with Allah’s law. Participation in overthrowing this regime does not mean it will be followed by the adoption of systems in violation of Allah ‘s law. The matter is about reducing the evil and to achieve what can be achieved from good. People are already injustice, oppression and persecution, we must contribute to the lift it .. Prisons are full of muwahidun and We must help with their release.. And qunoot (night prayer) and du’aa is obligatory upon all Muslims in order to fell the tyrant and so he leaves my dear Egypt. O Allah destroy him and cut off the tail (America)
Allah accepts the martyrs and to pour constancy upon their mothers and sisters, patience and fortitude likewise .. O Allah decree for this nation a wise matter where the people of your worship can have dignity and humiliate the people of sin and judge them in it with your shariah.
—
NOTE: Shaykh Abū al-Mundhir al-Shanqīṭī recently published an article last week titled “Revolution Against Mubarak,” which you can see here.
—
Shaykh Abū al-Mundhir al-Shanqīṭī — “What is the Ruling of Participating in the Revolution in Egypt Now”
[scribd id=47813415 key=key-1qab0w130qqvktpuym82 mode=list]
