Introduction:
Verily, all praise is due to Allâh and may the Blessings and Peace of Allâh be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his companions until the Last Day.
To proceed:
Since the events of September 11th, 2001, a number of trends have emerged, which have far-reaching implications upon the Islâmic Ummah collectively, and for Muslims individually. Without doubt, one of the trends witnessed throughout the Muslim world in this time are the flow of retractions and recantations coming from high-profile Muslim groups, scholars, writers and preachers while in the custody of the apostate governments and the prisons of the enemies of Allâh.
The goal of this project is to offer a critical analysis of this phenomenon along with some commentary and guidelines from the scholars of Islâm â passed and present â in order to put this trend into context and to prepare the youth who are most often confronted with these retractions, along their path of working for their religion.
Certainly, it can be confusing when individual scholars or the leaders of Muslim groups â known for their commitment to Jihâd and Daâwah â issue written, recorded or televised retractions of their former teachings or their previous verdicts. Obviously, scholars and groups are entitled to change their views, regardless of whether those views relate to the detailed rulings of Jihâd or any other subject, so long as those changes are a result of studying the evidences of the Sharîâah. But the question which emerges is: What is to be said when these retractions are issued from behind bars or while the individual or the group is in the custody of their enemies and those who have a vested interest in seeing these retractions made publicly?
Obviously, a discerning Muslim would greet such news with a degree of scepticism and doubt as to the authenticity or legitimacy of such retractions. Still, one can not underestimate the effects and the outcomes upon the regular Muslim masses that often remain complacent about such realities and who are accustomed to merely blindly following the words of their scholars and the groups which they support.
Therefore, as part of the previously stated objective, we hope to present the reader with examples of our pious predecessors and those who took their path in defending the truth. This path is inevitably confronted with degrees of opposition and hostility. One can imagine what lengths the enemies of this truth would go to, in order to prevent the masses from following that path. And if a caller to this path finds him or herself overpowered by its enemies, or under their control, there would be nothing more pleasing to these forces than a public retraction or recantation by their captive, in order to discourage others from following that same path.
The degrees of coercion and compulsion faced by those captives, in the custody of their enemies, vary from time-to-time and place-to-place, in accordance with the circumstances of that situation and the issues being opposed. And just as the degrees of coercion and compulsion vary according to the situation and circumstances; similarly, the ability to remain steadfast and resolute by those experiencing this pressure would be different from person-to-person, in accordance with their personalities, their personal strength and their unique position under the power of those who have detained or imprisoned them.
We ask Allâh, عز ÙجÙ, the One who controls all of the affairs, to free our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters, our scholars, our callers, our fighters and those who follow their path, from the prisons of the enemies of Islâm. And we ask Allâh, تعاÙÙ, to shower His mercy upon those members who remain within their dungeons and to keep them steadfast upon the truth and to protect them from the physical torture and torment, the threats, and the mental distress and suffering while in their custody. May their patience under such circumstances be a key to their forgiveness and reward on the Day of Resurrection. And may their example be a source of inspiration and influence upon the rest of us traversing this same path.
And may the Blessings and Peace of Allâh be upon our Prophet, Muhammad and upon his family and upon his companions and upon all those who follow their path until the Last Day.
At-Tibyân Publications