All the great Prophets and Imams of Islam too opposed their Pharaohs, Emperors, Kings, Caliphs, Sultans, Governors, etc. And many died for that, died at the hands of these Rulers.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
First, read the extract of this news report by The Malaysian Insider of 2 April 2009:
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin urged Bukit Gantang voters to 'behead' PAS's Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin by not voting for him in the upcoming by-election. Muhyiddin, who is the Barisan Nasional election director, said the country is witnessing an unprecedented development where the decision of a Malay Ruler was being questioned by the people.
"Because of this act of treason against the Ruler, what they are doing is a despicable act. How can a mentri besar, a PAS leader, a Muslim who wishes to turn this country into an Islamic state say 'Saya mohon derhaka' (I beg to differ)," he said repeating the line used by Nizar when he disagreed with the Perak Sultan.
"In the old days what do you think the punishment would have been?" he asked the crowd to shouts of 'pancung' (decapitation).
"We behead him by not electing him, not behead like in the old days," said Muhyiddin.
Now, read the following about some of the Imams of Islam:
Imam Malik
Like all scholars of Islam, Malik was famous for his piety and integrity. He courageously stood up against the powers-that-be and was prepared to suffer for his convictions. When the Governor of Medina demanded that the people take the oath of allegiance to Caliph al-Mansour, Imam Malik issued a fatwa that such an oath was not binding because it was given under coercion. This resulted in many people finding the courage to express their opposition to the Caliph. Imam Malik was arrested, found guilty of defiance, and publicly flogged.
Imam Abu Hanifah
Imam Abu Hanifah was the first of the Imams to advocate the use of ‘reason’ in the consideration of religious questions based on the Qur'an and Sunnah. He was also the first Imam to systematically arrange all the subjects of Islamic Law. His most important work is the Kitab-ul-Aasaar, which was compiled by his students - Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad. In 763, Al-Mansoor - the Banu Abbas Caliph of the Muslim Empire at Baghdad - offered Imam Abu Hanifah the post of Chief Qazi of the state. The Imam, however, declined to accept the post and chose to remain independent. In his reply to the Caliph, the Imam said he did not regard himself fit for the post offered. The Caliph, who had his own ideas and reasons for offering the post, lost his temper and accused the Imam of lying.
"If I am lying," the Imam said, "then my statement is doubly correct. How can you appoint a liar to the exalted post of a Chief Qazi?" Incensed by this reply, the Caliph charged the Imam with contempt and ordered him arrested and sent to prison where he was poisoned and died.
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib
Assassinated by Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam, a Kharijite in Kufa, who slashed him with a poisoned sword while he was praying. Buried at the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq.
Imam Hasan ibn Ali
Poisoned by his wife in Medina, Saudi Arabia, on the orders of the Caliph Muawiya. Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.
Imam Husayn ibn Ali
Killed and beheaded at the Battle of Karbala. Buried at the Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala, Iraq.
Imam Ali ibn Husayn
According to most Shi'a scholars, he was poisoned on the order of Caliph al-Walid I in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ali
According to some Shi'a scholars, he was poisoned by Ibrahim ibn Walid ibn Abdallah in Medina, Saudi Arabia, on the order of Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik. Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.
Imam Ja'far ibn Muhammad
According to Shi'a sources, he was poisoned in Medina, Saudi Arabia, on the order of Caliph Al-Mansur. Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.
Imam Musa ibn Ja'far
Imprisoned and poisoned in Baghdad, Iraq, on the order of Caliph Harun al-Rashid. Buried in the Kazimayn shrine in Baghdad.
Imam Ali ibn Musa
According to Shi'a sources, he was poisoned in Mashad, Iran, on the order of Caliph Al-Ma'mun. Buried in the Imam Reza shrine in Mashad.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ali
Poisoned by his wife, Al-Ma'mun's daughter, in Baghdad, Iraq, on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tasim. Buried in the Kazmain shrine in Baghdad.
Imam Ali ibn Muhammad
According to Shi'a sources, he was poisoned in Samarra, Iraq, on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tazz. Buried in the Al Askari Mosque in Samarra.
Imam Hasan ibn Ali
According to Shi'a, he was poisoned on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tamid in Samarra, Iraq. Buried in Al Askari Mosque in Samarra.
Most of the renowned Imams in Islam opposed the Rulers, as did most of the Prophets of Islam. For that matter, according to the Muslim belief, God ordered Prophet Muhammad to leave Mekah and seek refuge in Medina because the powers-that-be was plotting to assassinate him.
Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mekah to Medina is known as the Hijrah and is the beginning of the Muslim Hijrah calendar. That is how important the Hijrah is to Muslims. The Hijrah was, in a sense, the beginning of time. And it was all because Prophet Muhammad had opposed the Rulers of Mekah.
What has Prophet Muhammad and the other Prophets of Islam, as well as the many renowned Imams, taught us? They taught us one thing. And that is a good Muslim must oppose the Ruler, unless of course that Ruler deserves obedience. But then, through the ages, which Ruler has deserved obedience, if we believe what history says? It appears like almost all the Prophets as well as the Imams have had to oppose the Rulers. And many paid for it with their lives.
So what is Muhyiddin Yassin talking about? So he wants the people (voters) to behead (pancung) Nizar for opposing the Sultan of Perak? So what is new? All the great Prophets and Imams of Islam too opposed their Pharaohs, Emperors, Kings, Caliphs, Sultans, Governors, etc. And many died for that, died at the hands of these Rulers. That just makes Nizar a great man, as great as the many Imams of Islam who also opposed their Rulers and paid dearly for it.
I say the Perak voters, in particular those in Bukit Gantang, should ‘punish’ Nizar by sending him into exile. Nizar opposed the Sultan, so he should be punished. And he should be punished by being sent into exile to Kuala Lumpur. And the only way to do this would be to vote for him and make him the Member of Parliament for Bukit Gantang so that he will have to spend all his time in Parliament in Kuala Lumpur.
That is the most befitting punishment for Nizar.
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