::: A R T I C L E S :::
1.
Medical advantages of Sajda(Prostration)
2.
My Neighbour
3.
Sports car and the Qur'an
4.
The Science behind the Veil
5.
The Art of Listening; Sand & Stone
6.
A Glass of Milk
7. Boss
& his Employee
:::
B O O K .... R E V
I E W :::
1.
The Noble Quraan
2. Zakat
BOOK REVIEW
ZAKAT – Raising a Fallen Pillar
by Abdalhaqq Bewley with Amal Abdalhakim-Douglas
(2001 Black Stone Press, pp. 96. Paperback. ISBN
0-9535993-0-2)
In sharp contrast to the growing body of so-called
Islamic academic works which seek to validate today’s
global economic system even though it is permeated
with as much usury as Chernobyl is with radiation,
Zakat – Raising a Fallen Pillar not only honestly
identifies the haram banking system for what it
is, but also proposes a halal alternative.
The authors remind the Muslims of how they have
been overcome – not by bullets and bombs, but by
paper and plastic; and indicate the means of escape
from the prison of slavery-through-debt imprisonment
– not by bullets and bombs, but by gold and silver,
which in fact involves doing no more and no less
than obeying Allah in what He has commanded.
By accurately describing what zakat is, the authors
indicate how what has been lost or abandoned by
the Muslims during the past two centuries can be
brought back to life and restored in a modern context,
knowing full well that Allah has never commanded
Muslims to do what is not possible, in any age.
Instead of encouraging ‘consumers’ to be aggressive
and innovative in today’s global free-for-all debt-for-most
market economy, the authors advise those who are
still human to hear and obey Allah. Inevitably Zakat
– Raising a Fallen Pillar will therefore attract
the blame of the kafirun and the munafiqun and the
praise of the muminun – which from a Qur’anic perspective
is in fact the sign of a good book, since Allah
says of the Qur’an that when it is heard by the
kafirun it increases them in their kufr – and when
it is heard by the muminun it increases them in
their iman.
The profundity of meaning conveyed in this book
is matched by the clarity of language used to convey
it – which is neither academic nor imprecise. In
other words, whether you agree with it or not, it
makes interesting reading. What is most refreshing
about the book is not just the clarity of its analysis
and expression but also the fact that the authors
emphasise what is possible. There is none of that
‘insurance is haram so I won’t drive a car’ mentality
which tends to characterise those who inwardly wish
to remain trapped while apparently striving to be
free – because they have never tasted what it is
like to be free.
The book consists of two distinct sections. The
first section, written by Abdalhaqq Bewley is mainly
analytical and descriptive. The second section,
written by Amal Abdalhakim-Douglas in collaboration
with others seeks to provide practical solutions.
It is clear that the authors are keenly aware that
simply identifying and condemning what is haram
without identifying a viable alternative which is
halal is of limited value.
In seeking to identify practical solutions, many
of which remain to be tested in action, it is also
clear that the book leaves room for further reflection
and action. It is written in the spirit of a Muslim
who sets out overland on the pilgrimage to Makka,
not knowing the exact route to be taken or how the
journey will unfold – but having no doubt about
the intended destination and not lacking the determination
to arrive and do what is required.
Thus the second section of the book is open-ended
– it indicates a beginning and a clear intention
as regards steps that must be taken, but does not
claim to be a definitive blueprint or a fully thought-out
five-year plan. Its proposals can be used as a stimulus
and a springboard to discover and implement what
up to now has perhaps been sensed but not as yet
articulated, let alone activated. The problem with
ignorance is that you are not aware of what it is
until you actually discover what it is that you
did not know. It is only then that you can do something
about it.
For example, since there are very few Muslims alive
today who have any experience of being governed
in accordance with the shari‘a by a khalif or by
an amir appointed by the khalif, the Muslims’ knowledge
of Muslim governance is therefore theory-based rather
than experience-based – and this includes their
understanding of zakat, the proper collection of
which is dependant on the authority of the khalif
who is responsible not only for arranging the collection
and re-distribution of zakat, but also for the minting
of the gold dinars and silver dirhams in which all
zakat on monetary wealth and trade goods – as opposed
to livestock, agricultural produce and mines (which
include oil wells) – must be paid.
Abdalhaqq Bewley’s section of the book not only
maps out how the use of paper and plastic have subverted
the use of gold and silver, and not only demonstrates
why zakat cannot be paid in paper and plastic, and
not only shows as an interim measure exactly how
paper and plastic ‘wealth’ can be assessed so as
to enable zakat to be paid on it in gold and silver
– but also it summarises succinctly and accurately
what zakat is payable on what and how and when;
and just as importantly, to whom it can and cannot
be re-distributed. It also outlines the fiqh of
jizya and emphasises the importance and centrality
of the waqf.
This is extremely useful knowledge, given that there
are many Muslims today who neither possess this
knowledge nor have access to it in a form which
is easily understood. It means that those who existentially
wish to begin to raise the fallen pillar of zakat
in their own lives, without having to wait for the
return of the khilafa (whose demise and restoration
were foretold by the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace, which means that
its re-establishment is only a matter of time),
can begin to do so now. As Abdalhaqq Bewley points
out :
ôIt must be clearly recognised that, because of
our inextricable relationship with the openly usurious
global economic system and also because of the nature
of paper money itself, all Muslims throughout the
world have clearly moved into the realm of the haram.
This is an absolutely intolerable situation and
it must be the explicit intention of each and every
Muslim to do everything in his power to combat this
abominable system and take all the necessary steps
to disconnect from it in the shortest possible time.
Only then will it be possible to re-establish the
pillar of zakat in a complete way.
Amal Abdalhakim-Douglas’ section of the book explores
this imperative in greater depth. Although it can
be argued that a husband is in charge of his household
and is therefore responsible for ensuring that any
zakat due from his family members is paid, it is
clear that zakat involves not so much individuals
and their families as the larger community of Muslims
as a whole – just as is the case with salat, sawm
ar-Ramadan and hajj. Thus this second section explores
how the collection and re-distribution of zakat
can be organised by Muslim communities, however
small or large – bearing in mind of course that
however many boundaries there may be on the maps
or in the books, the Muslims are one nation.
It is significant that the second section of the
book does not stop here. How could it? Since the
whole point of zakat is not only purification of
the self from attachment to the world but also the
re-distribution of wealth amongst those in need
of it and entitled to it, it follows that a necessary
dimension of this process of collection and re-distribution
is the existence of Muslim trade, utilising traditional
Muslim business and charitable structures such as
the sharika and the waqf, involving traditional
Muslim contracts such as the murabaha and the qirad
– and using the traditional gold dinar and the silver
dirham as its currency. As Amal Abdalhakim-Douglas
points out :
ôIn order to make the dinar and dirham real established
currency (rather than purely symbolic) then certain
institutions and also certain safeguards need to
be in place. It is therefore necessary to define
the major institutions and concepts to which we
will be constantly referring and which form some
of the strategic elements necessary in enabling
us to fulfil the task ahead.
Again, since most modern Muslims’ knowledge and
understanding of these traditional structures and
transactions is theory-based rather than experience-based
– and since even that theory has been poisoned and
betrayed by the so-called Islamic banking movement
which in the process of ensuring that Muslim wealth
is channelled into the main banking system has sought
to ‘islamicise’ what is haram by re-defining key
Islamic terms in order to market ‘financial products’
which are in reality no more than pigs in sheep’s
clothing – the suggested practical solutions regarding
halal trade, including opening an e-dinar account
today (via www.e-dinar.com), are invaluable for
those who would like their commercial activities
to be based on the sunna and in harmony with the
shari‘a.
To conclude, Zakat – Raising a Fallen Pillar is
essential reading for any Muslim seeking true independence
from the processes of colonisation and neo-colonisation
which have infiltrated his or her way of life and
perception of existence. As a wise man once indicated,
“Do not allow yourself to be defined by an old society
in collapse – define the new society.” To anyone
not familiar with the Islamic terminology used in
this review, I commend A Glossary of Islamic Terms
by Aisha Bewley, (Ta-Ha Publishers, London, 1998)
for concise definitions. To anyone who wishes to
hear what the chink of gold and silver coins really
sounds like, your time has come, but keep them in
your hand or in your e-dinar account, not in your
heart – and if zakat is payable on them, then pay
it. Perhaps this book will help you do this.
Ahmad Thomson
NB: Please publish this review exactly
as it is or not at all. If you want to make any
changes, please ask me first. Thank you.
Information@ibtsonline.com
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