abu-bakr-naji-the-management-of-savagery-the-most-critical-stage-through-which-the-umma-will-pass
abu-bakr-naji-the-management-of-savagery-the-most-critical-stage-through-which-the-umma-will-pass
abu-bakr-naji-the-management-of-savagery-the-most-critical-stage-through-which-the-umma-will-pass
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he permitted <strong>the</strong>m to speak words <strong>of</strong> unbelief under certain circumstances. He also worked<br />
to prepare for opposing falsehood and ga<strong>the</strong>ring <strong>the</strong> armed Ansar. The judicious leader<br />
does not abandon his followers as plunder for <strong>the</strong> enemies for a long period <strong>of</strong> time.<br />
O<strong>the</strong>rwise, that would lead to <strong>the</strong> dwindling away <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> followers.<br />
[This is a close<br />
paraphrase <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first footnote on this page.] Therefore, he must quickly strive to remove<br />
<strong>the</strong>m from <strong>the</strong> oppression <strong>which</strong> <strong>the</strong>y submit to and work to reclaim <strong>the</strong>ir rights. Thus, you<br />
find that <strong>the</strong> Messenger <strong>of</strong> God (peace and blessings be upon him), after a trivial amount <strong>of</strong><br />
time <strong>of</strong> staying in Medina, sent <strong>the</strong> raiding party <strong>of</strong> `Abd Allah Ibn Jahsh (may God be<br />
pleased with him) in order to lie in wait for a caravan <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Quraysh in order to reclaim<br />
some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir rights; (he did this) even though it opened <strong>the</strong> door <strong>of</strong> opposition [from <strong>the</strong><br />
Meccans], <strong>which</strong> some may have thought would lead to negative results. However, such is<br />
<strong>the</strong> sound human soul, <strong>which</strong> must demand its rights. If not, <strong>the</strong>n its patience <strong>will</strong> al<strong>most</strong> be<br />
exhausted. Even Bilal, when he saw that Umayya Ibn Khalaf [his former master] was a<br />
captive <strong>of</strong> `Abd al-Rahman Ibn `Awf (may God be pleased with him), could not leave him.<br />
`Abd al-Rahman Ibn `Awf defended Umayya and yelled to Bilal, "He is my captive!" Bilal<br />
only responded, "I <strong>will</strong> not be saved if he is saved! I <strong>will</strong> not be saved if he is saved!" The<br />
human soul is made <strong>of</strong> flesh, blood, and sinews and it has a limited capacity that ought to be<br />
respected; o<strong>the</strong>rwise, <strong>the</strong> leaders <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> movements should blame no one but <strong>the</strong>mselves if<br />
<strong>the</strong>y are taken by surprise by <strong>the</strong> dwindling away <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir followers and <strong>the</strong>ir dissolution, one<br />
after <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, or at least <strong>the</strong>ir fall into lassitude and <strong>the</strong>ir lack <strong>of</strong> giving. In time, <strong>the</strong><br />
movement <strong>will</strong> dissolve by degrees, or <strong>the</strong> least one can expect is that its leader <strong>will</strong> seek<br />
refuge in changing it into a movement that is a pale distortion in order to preserve its<br />
numerical size by holding back <strong>the</strong> movement from any action in <strong>which</strong> <strong>the</strong>re is a large