Imam Shāmil: A Real Believer

26 May by Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Adil Ar-Rabbani

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

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They were merciful towards everything. One example of this is: once they were fighting in war. One Sahabi was fighting with a non-Muslim one. So when you are fighting if they say, “O stop! I will become Muslim.” You cannot touch them. One time, one person was fighting the Sahabi very aggressively, but he won over him and wanted to kill him. But he said, “O I will become Muslim.” He [Sahabi] said, “He is afraid from my sword” and he killed him. Prophet salla Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam was very unhappy with this. Prophet salla Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam said to this Sahabi, “Why did you do this?” He said, “He is afraid from my sword, to not kill him.” Prophet salla Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam said, “Did you open his heart and look if [what he said] is real or not real?” Prophet salla Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam repeated this many times.

As we said, there are millions of examples about Mu’min people. The Mu’min is who believes and accepts what Prophet salla Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam is saying. Of course, many people are saying they are Muslim, but in reality they don’t have any belief, they don’t have anything. Since the time of the Prophet ﷺ, they have been making this Fitnah everywhere. The real Mu’mins, believers are fighting to make what Allah ﷻ wants them to do, to defend Islam, to defend their family and their place. There are many examples about this, but there is one, the famous one. In 19th Century in the Caucasus, where there is Dagestan, Chechnya and other. He is Sheikh Shāmil. He fought against the Russian Empire for more than 25 years. He also was not doing anything for the people who were not fighting him. He was only fighting the big army of the Russian Tzar, and he won every time. They even sent him a small army, they couldn’t win over him. After that, the Tzar got very angry. He ordered his commander, “Get the general and the others.” 50,000 very strong army went to them. He won over them and took many things from them. And they were running away. The second time, the Tzar ordered stronger generals. He even sent some of them who had fought with Napoleon Bonaparte and had won him. So he sent them with a stronger army, army of 60,000 and also couldn’t win on them.

But after this, what did they do, those who are unbelievers? They went to a village. In Caucasus there is a mountain, a high mountain where it’s difficult to go to. They couldn’t go after them. So they were attacking the village on the plains; which is only a flat place. They were killing people, torturing them. They were doing this to make Sheikh Shāmil surrender and accept what they want. They did this. And when the people came to Sheikh Shāmil’s mother telling her to ask him to make peace with these people to not torture them, she was very sad and she told him about this. When she told him this, he became very sad and he was crying because of what these people were saying. After that, he went to the mosque because he wanted to give an order: who asks [to make peace] from these people must be punished. His mother was very shocked from that and very unhappy with what happened.

Normally when something difficult happens to him, he goes to the mosque, makes Khalwah (seclusion) and prays. He sits the whole time there fasting, until something comes as ‘Ilham (inspiration) to him. He was a very beloved one for Allah ﷻ. He was asking for Madad from Prophet salla Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam. And he was a Naqshbandi Murid also of Sheikh Jamaluddin al-Ghumuqi, whose grave is in Istanbul.

After many days, he went out. And because it is an order, his mother must come to the court of the city and she must accept the decision they give, he said. Of course, his mother was very regretful of what she said, but she was a very strong lady, a very strong woman. She asked from Allah ﷻ to make this court not give any reduction, any less punishment. To tell people just what justice says. She was praying for this: for not to have a special [treatment] as the mother of Imam Shāmil. Imam Shāmil also said that they must say what’s just. And he was giving the decision. She is guilty, they said. And for the guilty, there must be 100 lashes. Sheikh Shāmil carried the whip and everybody was unhappy because she is his mother and they love him. All these people were loving Sheikh Shāmil and they would give [sacrifice] themselves instead of him. But Sheikh Shāmil said, “No, this is the decision. My mother is guilty. She gets this punishment: 100 lashes. But because she is making this for me, and with a good intention: she was merciful for other people to help them. So she is guilty but because I am her son, I will take this punishment upon myself.” When the people heard this, they were crying, “How will our Imam be whipped!” But no one can object any of his words. So he took his shirt off and told these people, “You must whip me as strong as you can. Don’t make it slow.” He went there and they began to whip him. All the people were crying for him. But he wasn’t saying anything; not any voice [came from him] until the 100 lashes were finished. His whole back was covered with blood. When they finished, he said, “Thank you O Allah, I made it.” And he made a Shukr Sajdah.

AlhamduliLlah with his Barakah, even after the Russians took it and made it like the communists; it was eighty years under their command and control – We first went with Mawlana Sheikh in 1997 I think or 1995; something like this – You wouldn’t believe that this country was under the control of a communist, secular, atheistic government for eighty years. You’ll think it is much better than many Muslim countries.

This is one example. There are still millions of examples about people with real belief who are merciful to people. Because even in their time, they sacrificed themselves. But this sacrifice didn’t go for nothing. They are alive. Allah ﷻ says, “بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ”, “Bal ‘Aĥyā’un `Inda Rabbihim Yurzaqūn”, “Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.” (Qur’ān 03:169).

Of course, shaytan is not stopping. He has many tricks. So he said to the new people, “Don’t be believers. No need to be believers. Don’t believe anything. Only believe yourself. You read the Qur’an, there’s no need for Hadith also. What you understand from the Qur’an, you can do.” Without these good people, the believers, nothing would be left from Islam in this area. But with these believers, Islam was alive and coming again to all of this area. For this, Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla is saying to these people, “Don’t say you are believers. Only say ‘We are Muslim’.” Believers are more precious and more acceptable in the Divine Presence of Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla. May Allah ﷻ help Muslims to be Mu’mins, to be believers insha’Allah. Amin.

Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq. Al-Fatiha.

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Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani

26 May 2023/ 6 Dhul Qa’dah 1444

Quebec, Canada

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