"This is the way of men?!"
I'd never have ever thought it possible for there to be such a sadness, such support and such unity of feeling from the general Muslims around the world at the death of a man who oppressed and butchered thousands of people during his reign.
Thus ends the chapter of history that was al-Ra'ees Saddam Hussein.
From the shock on 'Eed morning until five days later, I've been reflecting on how on Earth could there be such a PR turnaround? How does one of the world's greatest criminals become the Muslim world's greatest "martyr" of the 21st Century? How is it that after reading through hundreds of Arabic and English reports, comments and commentaries on the whole episode, that there seems to be so much consensus of opinion between scholars and lay-people, friends and foe that Saddam died with honour and for "the cause", surely a massive own-goal from an intentionally provocative American execution.
I've struggled over this. Iraqis who had brothers and fathers killed by Saddam swore a few days ago that they wished they were in his place and died with such dignity. Iraqis who fled 15-20 years ago from Saddam's tyranny never to see their ageing families again, personally swear to me that he died a Muslim Shaheed, forgiven for his evil throughout his life and a changed man at the end.
"You what?!" I exclaim, but they insisted on it, and who am I to argue with those who hold the right to avenge for their own slain families. But I have come to realise that this forgiving feeling stems from the incredible insult and attack on our Deen by the aggressive invaders and their leaders on the Day of Sacrifice. As we got ready to slaughter sheep for ourselves, the invaders tried to slaughter the Deen via the hanging of a man and ended up causing such families above to slaughter their deep emotions; anger and revenge against Saddam turning to pardon and forgiveness with the new enemy clearly set in their hearts.
You may think this is all a farce because Saddam was a criminal etc, yet I am relaying first-hand from such families. Other stories and support are clear to see in the Muslim world ranging from the sublime to the maybe-not-so-ridiculous. Indeed, one of the less serious statements I heard from a Jordanian Shaykh was his analogy between Saddam's death and that of the man who killed 99 people, the last of them being a "monk" who gave misguidance and yet was forgiven by Allah in the famous Prophetic hadith. Well, as the Shaykh said, Saddam is the same except that his "Priest" was Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr...!
What?!
Distractions aside, I can't doubt the clarity of Saddam's testament at the end - so to Allah is his affair and indeed to Him we all return.
As for honour, then it is difficult to deny him that. As he was pathetically taunted by the Safavid transgressors on behalf of the internal and external enemies of Allah, his composure and dignity was scary. "This is the way of men?!" he replies to the chants of "Muqtada! Muqtada!" And then there was that Shahadah...
Was he playing the crowd? Was he sincere? I don't know but he certainly achieved the desired effect amongst many.
Many a brutal and evil man has gone down "honourably" at the final hour in order to milk the watching masses or even holding an utterly sincere belief, although sincerely wrong, that they were leaving as heros and martyrs. One incident narrated in the Saheeh always brings a smile to my face, simply for the utter arrogance and pride of the criminal. When the Prophet (s) requested 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud to go and check on the condition of Abu Jahl who had been mortally wounded at Badr, Ibn Mas'ud came to Abu Jahl and asked him mockingly whilst holding his beard, "So you're Abu Jahl?"
"Is there a man more greater than the one you have killed??" he immediately replied.
Ibn Mas'ud was a small man, especially compared to the obese Abu Jahl. In a further narration collected by al-Hakim, Ibn Mas'ud climbed on to the huge immobile frame of Abu Jahl, and placed his small leg on Abu Jahl's neck and said, "May Allah humiliate you, O Enemy of God!"
"And what have I been humiliated by? Is there anyone more honoured (than me) to be killed by someone (so noble) like you?" he replied.
His sarcasm was not missed by Ibn Mas'ud, who climbed on to him to which Abu Jahl said, "O Shepherd boy! You have climbed very high today!" to which Ibn Mas'ud took off his head.
I know, I know, what's the link? Well, there isn't one. It's just that when I saw Saddam the Tyrant acting so defiant and proud at the end, it reminded me of Abu Jahl's defiance and cockiness as well.
Except of course that one died a humiliated resident of the Fire at the hands of the greatest generation to walk the Earth, and the other died in dignity at the hands of the greatest transgressors of our times as a resident...
...of heaven?
Now that's something to think about.
I'd never have ever thought it possible for there to be such a sadness, such support and such unity of feeling from the general Muslims around the world at the death of a man who oppressed and butchered thousands of people during his reign.
Thus ends the chapter of history that was al-Ra'ees Saddam Hussein.
From the shock on 'Eed morning until five days later, I've been reflecting on how on Earth could there be such a PR turnaround? How does one of the world's greatest criminals become the Muslim world's greatest "martyr" of the 21st Century? How is it that after reading through hundreds of Arabic and English reports, comments and commentaries on the whole episode, that there seems to be so much consensus of opinion between scholars and lay-people, friends and foe that Saddam died with honour and for "the cause", surely a massive own-goal from an intentionally provocative American execution.
I've struggled over this. Iraqis who had brothers and fathers killed by Saddam swore a few days ago that they wished they were in his place and died with such dignity. Iraqis who fled 15-20 years ago from Saddam's tyranny never to see their ageing families again, personally swear to me that he died a Muslim Shaheed, forgiven for his evil throughout his life and a changed man at the end.
"You what?!" I exclaim, but they insisted on it, and who am I to argue with those who hold the right to avenge for their own slain families. But I have come to realise that this forgiving feeling stems from the incredible insult and attack on our Deen by the aggressive invaders and their leaders on the Day of Sacrifice. As we got ready to slaughter sheep for ourselves, the invaders tried to slaughter the Deen via the hanging of a man and ended up causing such families above to slaughter their deep emotions; anger and revenge against Saddam turning to pardon and forgiveness with the new enemy clearly set in their hearts.
You may think this is all a farce because Saddam was a criminal etc, yet I am relaying first-hand from such families. Other stories and support are clear to see in the Muslim world ranging from the sublime to the maybe-not-so-ridiculous. Indeed, one of the less serious statements I heard from a Jordanian Shaykh was his analogy between Saddam's death and that of the man who killed 99 people, the last of them being a "monk" who gave misguidance and yet was forgiven by Allah in the famous Prophetic hadith. Well, as the Shaykh said, Saddam is the same except that his "Priest" was Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr...!
What?!
Distractions aside, I can't doubt the clarity of Saddam's testament at the end - so to Allah is his affair and indeed to Him we all return.
As for honour, then it is difficult to deny him that. As he was pathetically taunted by the Safavid transgressors on behalf of the internal and external enemies of Allah, his composure and dignity was scary. "This is the way of men?!" he replies to the chants of "Muqtada! Muqtada!" And then there was that Shahadah...
Was he playing the crowd? Was he sincere? I don't know but he certainly achieved the desired effect amongst many.
Many a brutal and evil man has gone down "honourably" at the final hour in order to milk the watching masses or even holding an utterly sincere belief, although sincerely wrong, that they were leaving as heros and martyrs. One incident narrated in the Saheeh always brings a smile to my face, simply for the utter arrogance and pride of the criminal. When the Prophet (s) requested 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud to go and check on the condition of Abu Jahl who had been mortally wounded at Badr, Ibn Mas'ud came to Abu Jahl and asked him mockingly whilst holding his beard, "So you're Abu Jahl?"
"Is there a man more greater than the one you have killed??" he immediately replied.
Ibn Mas'ud was a small man, especially compared to the obese Abu Jahl. In a further narration collected by al-Hakim, Ibn Mas'ud climbed on to the huge immobile frame of Abu Jahl, and placed his small leg on Abu Jahl's neck and said, "May Allah humiliate you, O Enemy of God!"
"And what have I been humiliated by? Is there anyone more honoured (than me) to be killed by someone (so noble) like you?" he replied.
His sarcasm was not missed by Ibn Mas'ud, who climbed on to him to which Abu Jahl said, "O Shepherd boy! You have climbed very high today!" to which Ibn Mas'ud took off his head.
I know, I know, what's the link? Well, there isn't one. It's just that when I saw Saddam the Tyrant acting so defiant and proud at the end, it reminded me of Abu Jahl's defiance and cockiness as well.
Except of course that one died a humiliated resident of the Fire at the hands of the greatest generation to walk the Earth, and the other died in dignity at the hands of the greatest transgressors of our times as a resident...
...of heaven?
Now that's something to think about.
posted by Abu Eesa at 1:34 PM
16 Comments:
Interesting...
I wonder though, was the way he died really dignified? He was a powerful dictator and to have his own people taunting him in his final moments, to have his execution broadcast worldwide like that... I think it was the last straw in humiliating him, after the poking and prodding when he was captured and after the bogus court trials.
You took the words right out of my mouth, AE. I've been perplexed as to what to write over the last few days, and you've done the story perfectly. Jazakum Allah.
My haiku on deenport the day he was executed:
In the end his hold
extended over nothing
but a length of rope...
Ozymandius? Nimrod?
Thanks for your eloquence and presenting the perplexing ambiguity so clearly!
I too am one of those who has been left with very mixed and confusing emotions. Ordinarily I would have sat down and written a blog entry on this event but I don't think that I could express my emotions or even make sense of them. I am left with some semblance of "admiration" for Saddam in his last moments and I hate to admit it, as we all know what he has been responsible and capable of in his years as the tyrant of Iraq. Still, how many of us will be given the opportunity to utter the shahada in our last moments, who knows what that will count for in the akhira for him?
It is Allah who raises and Allah who abases.
We have a man who committed alleged tyrannical actions during his time as leader of Iraq. Some of these allegations may be true, some may not. We are not really in a position to know the complete truth, as most of our "facts" come from third and fourth hand sources via the "ever-reliable" Western and Middle-Eastern news outlets. We are not even in a position to enquire his state-of-mind, his reasoning, his knowledge or his regret over any of these alleged actions. Yet, like a pack of dogs, we all rush to condemn him.
I find it interesting that on the one hand we warn people never to take things at face value and to always check our sources, but on the other hand we willingly capitulate to our emotions and adhere to the prevalent mood of our little social spheres, abandoning any form of disciplined sense and Islamic rooting.
It's always easy to sit on the outside, baying with the rest of the rabble, than to rise above them and reach beyond what is known or presented.
How would we deal with this humiliating imprisonment if we were treated in the same way as Saddam Hussein’s final months? How many of us “sincere Muslims” would buckle and fold under the same conditions? How many of us would abandon (fully or in part) our Deen if presented with the same? Maybe Saddam rediscovered his Deen during these difficult times?
One thing is for certain, Saddam Hussain proclaimed the full Shahaddah just before he died, and he did so with dignity and steadfastness – just as a Muslim is commanded to do so by Allah.
And to remind us all, what did our Prophet (SAW) tell us about the person who proclaims the Shahaddah before he dies?
"Prompt your dying ones (to say): laa ilaaha il-lal-laah and whoever's last words before dying are: laa ilaaha il-lal-laah, will enter Paradise one day,even if he is afflicted before that by punishment." (Sahih Muslim,Vol.2,#1996, Saheeh ibn Hibbaan)
"I testify that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. Any servant who meets Allah with those two {testimonies}, having no doubt in them, will enter Paradise." (Muslim, vol.1, p.18, #36)
"Allah, Most Great and Glorious, will accept his servants repentance until the throes of death begin." (Riyadh-us-Saleheen,vol.1,p.12,#18)
There is a balanced article here (http://talk.islamicnetwork.com/showthread.php?t=12437) about this very issue, based upon knowledge and not emotion. I would thoroughly recommend you all read this, inshallah.
Furthermore, trying to draw a very poor analogy between Abu Jahl’s death and Saddam Hussain’s death is like comparing oranges to apples, as one didn’t utter the Shahaddah and never bowed down to Allah, whereas the other did utter the Shahaddah and did bow down to Allah.
Lastly the comment, “Distractions aside, I can't doubt the clarity of his testament at the end - so to Allah is his affair and indeed to Him we all return.”, begs the question, “Then WHY are you commenting about his affair and state throughout the rest of your blog entry?”.
I suggest that we all speak good or keep silent, as we may well be eating the flesh of a fellow Muslim who died as Martyr. Allah knows best.
An excellent summary of how many of us feel. Having never blogged before i just had to comment on this one.
Similar emotions can be felt everywhere one looks. When speaking to Muslims theres no doubt that many of them have a sense of empathy towards Saddam after watching his last moments.
Previously with no doubts about him, people are now for a moment having a change of heart...including myself...i never thought i would be so confused about something which i thought was always so obvious...wierd or what?!
I share your sentiemtns brother and was led to write about this as well. I felt as if all Sunnis were killed on that day.
Mashallah Abu Isa, a really excellent article. Like other commentors I felt I should write something, was also confused and so didn't.
I think one thing to bear in mind is that from many stories and accounts that we have heard it is not easy to die with the shahada on ones lips, and certainly Allah's Mercy is endless, and can easily encompas Saddam or anyone else for that matter!
May Allah guide our enemies to Islam!
Assalamu-alaykum AE. There is something which many of us have missed: the power and impact of shahadah. For those of us who are involved in da'wah and seen non-Muslims take shahadah in front of us, there is an emotional impact on the people who are witnessing. Sometimes we choke in our tears and secretly wished we had this opportunity to have all our past sins forgiven! Think about the shahadah of a person who is about to die and consider its emotional pact on the viewers; which will surely be much more than what we feel when someone becomes a Muslim. It is a matter of going to Paradise!
Yes, the ummah is in a state of flux and events like this brings unity to this ummah. We had a discussion about this at our work and we all agreed that it was a sign of good end. Allah has been merciful to Saddam and on His ummah for agreeing on what so obvious. Now it is another matter that this ummah finds it so difficult to accept so many other obvious things ;-)
Nicely put Abu Jesus. Thanks.
Well said ARG. Allah's mercy is infinite, and His mercy will overcome His wrath.
Daniel: Nimrod indeed.
Actually talking of poetry and on the unity of feeling on the death of Saddam (well, certainly amongst the Sunnis) then it reminds of the legendary poem by Muhammad Ali:
Me.
We.
Think about it.
um........ya Aba Eesa, i thought it was
Me
Oui
Really? If it actually is "Me.Oui." then allow me to take credit for the one above instead of Mo Ali, for Me Oui makes absolutely no sense in the context I want to use it for!
The use of "Me. We." is to show that Saddam recognised himself as the symbol for Sunni Islam, wanting to unify them against the Shi'a through his martyrdom. And he did exactly that.
Anyway - hence "Me. We." and not some French deviation...
;-)
Assalamu-alaykum... while we are on the topic of shahadah before the death, I found out an Islamic inscription which is on the tombstone of Abāssa bint Juraij, dated 71 AH. It reads: She died on Monday fourteen days having elapsed from Dhul-Qa‘dah of the year seventy one, confessing that there is no god but Allāh alone without partner and that Muhammad is His servant and His apostle.
Now here's something new; for me at least. If you've been for Hajj this year (2007), you may have noticed this symbol plastered everywhere.
http://saudimasoniceye.blogspot.com
I think the main thing is that we have to have hope. That despite genuinely trying to repent for our sins, we stil commit them, that Allah (swt) will forgive us, if we die with Shahaadah.
We must see people that are given the opportunity to recite Shahaadah as being fortunate. That Allah(swt) has gifted them with that opportunity. So we should not look at the wrongs of others and judge their hereafter. Allah-hu-Alum. We should look at the infinite Mercy of Allah as some of you have suggested and pray that when our time comes, that Allah (swt) grants us the opportunity to recite Shahaadah.
Ameen.
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