The Theory of Revolution in Islam

The strength of a society and its ability to endure are dependent on the personal worthiness of its member. Each member contributes his individual strength like a brick in a tall building. If the bricks are badly made, so that they erode and crumble, it will only be a matter of time before the entire building crumbles and falls. Can society survive if its constituents are of an inferior moral fibre? They are like the passenger on a ship who bores a hole in the hull without considering that, as a result of his action, ship, crew and passengers will quickly flounder. Therefore each and every individual needs to be reformed for producing a good society. For even a single member of the society can wreak havoc by his acts of perversion. Clearly, in a society which is entirely driven by corrupt and subversive forces, a revolution is called for. The most salient principle of Islamic revolution is that change must be brought about through peaceful efforts. A transformation can, of course, be effected by the use of violence, but it will in no sense be a positive one. For a revolution to be effective and beneficial, it is vital that it should be carried out peacefully. There is a hadith which says: “God grants to nonviolence what He does not grant to violence.” The Prophet Muhammad was eminently successful in bringing about major changes in both religious and secular beliefs and practices throughout seventh century Arabia and the countries surrounding it. The fact that this was done in the most gradual and pacific way, with the minimum of bloodshed, is a matter of historical record. Indeed, the Prophet’s life is replete with examples of how to bring about change in an ideally patient and tolerant manner, first of all on a very small scale, then gradually enlarging the scope of activities, and only in the final stages bringing about the thoroughgoing social revolution which, in effect, meant individuals on a large scale bowing to the will of the Almighty. It was only after a very long period of missionary work that the Prophet exhorted people, on the basis of divine revelations, for example, to give up drinking, gambling and adultery. Had he attempted to hasten matters by force or intimidation, people would have reacted negatively and might have decided never to comply with his requests (Al-Bukhari). It is a measure of the success of his persuasive methods that, despite the heavy addiction to liquor in Arab society, regular takers not only gave up the habit, but also destroyed all the pots in which they had liquor stored in their homes. Given the fifteen years of his painstaking work just to condition individuals’ minds to the sublimity of surrendering to their Creator, one might say that his method was evolutionary rather than revolutionary.