* We are in Makkan stage

Refuting the argument, “We are in the Makkan stage”

((This article is about an argument from Islamic Organizations. I would like to briefly look at the argument of many of the Muslims who say, “We are in the Makkan stage because of this-and-this, and therefore, we cannot do Jihad.” -abu muQatil))
Now since these Muslims say, “We are in the Makkan Stage,” let’s see why they say it:
1. Because there is no Khilafah nor Khalifah today2. Islam is not dominant but is being dominated3. We are being massacred all over the world
Mainly because of these reasons, it is then similar – in the minds of these Muslims that argue this - to the “stage” that the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhe wassallam) was going through in Makkah because these were the same exact conditions that are occurring now. Therefore, the solution to the Ummah – that they are satisfied with – is Tazkiyyah (purification), since this was what our Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhe wassallam) was doing for thirteen years.
Like I said, I’m going to be brief, so we’ll stop here and start pulling apart this dodgy ‘Aqeeda.
First and foremost, whoever doesn’t believe that Islam isn’t complete, then he is a Kafir since Allah confirmed:
This day have I perfected your Deen for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your Deen. (al-Ma’idah: 3)

So to even suggest that Allah didn’t complete this Deen or that He didn’t leave a solution behind for the Ummah today, then he is in denial of this ayah, and obviously he is an individual that doesn’t read the Qur’an regularly enough to know the solution. And to be in denial of the ayaat of Allah that are Qatee’ (clear) is clear Kufr.

Secondly, since we cleared that up, now we ask the question: ‘Was Islam complete in the Makkan Stage?’
The answer is no and that many of the prohibitions such as alcohol, zina, mut’a, and riba were only prohibited after the establishment of Islam. Since that was the case, does that mean we are allowed to do these acts of prohibition until after the establishment of Islam? Absolutely not. Why? Because the prohibitions will stand as prohibitions until the Day of Judgment. And whosoever denies that the prohibitions do not last till the Day of Judgment, then he has denied the ayaat of Allah ‘Azza wa Jall which only takes him outside of the fold of al-Islam.

Similarly, the obligations in Islam stand till the Day of Judgment. For example, fasting in the month of Ramadan, the Adhaan, Iqaamah, Zakaat and so on and so forth, were made mandatory till the Day of Judgment. And whosoever denies this, then he is denying the ayaat of Allah which takes him outside the fold of Islam.

However, all of these commands only came after the establishment of the Islamic State. Therefore, does that mean we are allowed to dismiss these obligations just because we are in the “Makkan Stage”?
Obviously, the answer to all of this is a big No. Why? Because it is understood by even the global consensus of the Muslims that whatever Allah and His Messenger says, it goes. Allah says,

And that you should judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires, and be cautious of them, lest they seduce you from part of what Allah has revealed to you; but if they turn back, then know that Allah desires to afflict them on account of some of their faults; and most surely many of the people are transgressors. (al-Ma’idah: 49)

There are many ayaat in al-Qur’an that are similar to this but said in different ways to make the message clear to everyone: ‘If you don’t take what Allah and His Messenger gives you, and instead you choose your own whims and desires and logic and “hikmah” over what Allah and His Messenger has clearly commanded, then you are rebelling against Allah and His Messenger.’

Alhamdullilah, this should be crystal clear at this point for everyone. Keep in mind, we are talking from a general point of view of ‘Aqeeda, and nothing specific (like the famine during ‘Umar’s time). If anyone rejects the general view and calls themselves Muslim, they are in fact Murtad and to be fought against the way Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (radiyallahu ‘anhu) fought against the Murtadeen; even though they say Laa Ilaaha Illallah and prayed five times a day.

Now let’s get into the meat of this debate.
Since fasting in the month of Ramadan was made mandatory through revelation,
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ…Fasting is prescribed for you… (al-Baqarah: 183)

That means fasting in this Noble Month is an obligation till the Day of Judgment. There is no disagreement on this. You will not find people saying, “No Akhee, we are in the Makkan Stage and the ayaat on fasting in Ramadan were not revealed yet, therefore, you do not have to fast in this month until after the establishment of Islam.”

Now look at the Arabic carefully of that ayah. Study it carefully and perhaps, if you want, take out a Tafseer and read the explanation of this ayah on fasting. It is clear that fasting is mandatory from that point on till the Day of Judgment. So I ask you, O Muwaahid, to compare that ayah with this ayah:

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِتَالُFighting is prescribed for you… (al-Baqarah: 216)

Look at the Arabic of this ayah and you’ll notice that it is exactly the same with the command on fasting. In other words, after this ayah was revealed, Qitaal fe Sabeelillah had been ordained on all the Muslims till the Day of Judgment exactly the way fasting is prescribed for all Muslims till that Day. If you want, you can even pull out a Tafseer and read the explanation of this ayah and you will see that Jihad fe Sabeelillah is ordained till the Day of Judgment.

So how can one say, “We are in the Makkan stage, therefore no Jihad, but we can still fast in Ramadan,” when this is apparently picking and choosing the ayaat of Allah with ones evil desires? Is this not clear my dear Muwaahid?
Regarding the series of revelation for Jihad fe Sabeelillah, in the very beginning, Allah commanded the Muslims to “tie their hands” and to not fight back; this was in Makkah. Then Allah later revealed in Surah al-Hajj that Jihad was permissible against the ones who fight you. Then Allah sealed the command and revealed,

Fighting is prescribed for you, and you dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knows, and you know not. (al-Baqarah: 216)

Therefore, just these arguments alone can destroy the dodgy ‘Aqeeda of the Murji’ah (liberals) that we are in the “Makkan stage” and since the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhe wassallam) didn’t do Jihad, therefore we cannot do Jihad. If anyone says this, then he has to reject – without compromise – all the commands we have mentioned beforehand such as fasting, zakaat, salaat, and so on since these commands were revealed in the “Madinan Stage.”

A brother once told me – and I’m sure many have heard this feeble excuse before – that, “Akhee, don’t talk about Hijrah and Jihad to these people since these people are not ready for it yet! We are in the Makkan Stage, and had the ayaat on Jihad been revealed in the Makkan stage, the Muslims would not be able to accept it!”

This is from the greatest of invented lies to hinder people from the path of Allah ‘Azza wa Jall and to only give them a mentality of defeatism. Who is going to tell the people the truth about the affairs of today? If I am the only person in my community that will do it, then I am obligated to speak on these vital affairs. If the people are not ready for Hijrah and Jihad, then we force them to get ready because sooner or later, the Kafireen of this land will force them to make Hijrah and Jihad fe Sabeelillah – in my opinion, they are already doing this with their war on Allah ‘Azza wa Jall. Are these people not at war with what Allah has revealed (Jihad, Hijaab, Niqaab etc.)?!

This argument is too pathetic to even refute since it is a statement that is branching off of Nifaaq (hypocrisy). And we only say Nifaaq because the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhe wassallam) said,
“Whosoever dies without participating in a Ghazu (battle, i.e., Jihad fe Sabeelillah), nor has the intention to do so, then he dies on a branch of Nifaaq.” (Sahih Muslim; narrated by Abu Hurayrah)

And verily an individual that dies in this wretched state has not died in the state of Islam, and therefore getting to Paradise will be impossible. Allah has already told us that the Munafiqeen will be in the worst depths of the Hellfire.

Also, to keep in mind for historical records, look at the incident of at-Tartar when they destroyed the Islamic State and killed the Khalifah. The Muslim Ummah was without a Khilafah and Khalifah for three years! Did they say, “Since we don’t have a Khilafah nor Khalifah, we are back in the Makkan Stage, and therefore no Jihad”?! No, to the contrary, they made Jihad fe Sabeelillah against at-Tartar and defeated them by the will of Allah ‘Azza wa Jall. Then they established the Khilafah and Khalifah. The Shaykh ul-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah), called this group that made Jihad as “At-Taa’ifah al-Mansoora” or “The Victorious Group” which the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhe wassallam) had prophesied its presence in each and every age until the Day of Judgment:
Jabir Bin Samrah reported that Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu ‘alayhe wassallam) said: “This Religion (i.e. Islam) will never cease to exist, and a group of people (Usba) from amongst the Muslims will continue to fight for its protection until the Hour is established.” (Sahih Muslim)

Therefore Jihad will continue in every age whether there is a Khalifah or not.