Municipal Strike Actions

Municipal Strike Actions In A Community – Threats Of A Shutdown – And The Local Imaam

A brother says:

Our town has been affected with municipal workers’ strike action. Last week, threats were made of a total shutdown of our town. Obviously, our businesses would be affected and be at risk.

Our community WhatsApp group had some brothers that shared some motivational messages. The following points were made on the WhatsApp group:

1. Muslim community to be proactive and draw Allah’s Protection through A’maal
2. Sura Yaa-Sien be recited
3. Nafal fast be kept
4. Our ulema of the community to kindly advise us more on this

Another brother also added one point to the above suggestion which was ‘And to be present for Fajr Salaah with Jamaat. Whole community’.

Later, the local Imaam replied as follows:

‘InshaAllah we will post program tomorrow , Jazakallah for suggestion’.

Kindly offer your comments on this issue where our local Aalim appears to be more interested in arranging programs rather than to encourage the men of the Muslim community to be present for Fajr Salaah with Jamaat in the musjid. Why ignore and be silent on the fact of the state of the musjid Fajr Jamaat time? It is an undeniable fact that the musjid is empty Fajr Jamaat time!

Also, what are the most effective Islamic guidelines for such circumstances where our businesses and houses may be at risk when strike actions take place?

Our comment: The following points should be noted regarding the above:

1. The importance of Salaah in the Masjid can never be swept under the rug, especially during such times as explained by the brother above. Salaah with Jamaat in a community is a powerful and an effective means of safeguarding the community from harm, evil, difficulty, riots, looting, the risks protest actions may have, etc.
2. The Phoenix Muslim Community can stand as a witness to this fact stated above. When the July-riots broke out just over 12 months ago, the Phoenix Muslims opened the closed doors of the Masjid which were closed due to the silly oppressive lockdown laws of the government who couldn’t respond to the rioting as the local citizens of SA responded in both, security and aid. As soon as the Masjid was occupied with Muslim men – some engaged in Zikr, Nafl Salaah, Du’a, Nafl I’tikaaf, etc. – the situation of the rioting calmed and the ‘dust settled’! Allahu-Akbar!
3. During the same July riots, other Muslim Communities kept their local Masaajid Aabaad (occupied) with Nafl I’tikaaf. Alhadulillah, such communities remained safe.
4. This shows what an important role a Masjid plays for the safety of the community. We should remember the above practical lessons we learnt in our own country in the July-riots, just over a year back.
5. In the message written by the brother, the Imaam of the town who happens to be part of the group/organisation of Muslim scholars who ran to court to keep Allah’s Houses CLOSED when an application was made in court by a group of Masjid-loving Ulama-e-Haq, which later had the patronage of EVERY Aalim/Mufti of the Haq as well as EVERY Masjid-loving Muslim of this country. Hence, it is not surprising to read what you’ve stated. Instead of keeping Allah’s Houses alive amidst a crisis be it rioting, covid, municipal strikes, shutdown threats, etc., unfortunately, these scholars keep the Houses of Allah Ta’ala the furthest away from the reach of Muslims by giving importance to their programs, etc. The Covid Masjid court case was a perfect example of this undeniable fact that the Masjid was depicted by their actions – of asking the court to KEEP the Masaajid CLOSED – to be the last place of sanctuary, whereas it is the first place of all sorts of safety, Barakaat and Hidaayat for the entire community, province and country.
6. When the winds would blow stronger than usual, Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) would hasten towards the Masjid!
   • One of the first and last places Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) frequented before departing and after arriving from a journey or war, was the Masjid.
   • The Masjid was very dear to Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and the Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu anhum).
7. The only solution of every difficulty lies in the Masjid (for men).
8. The only solution to ease and calm all difficult situations we are faced with, be it in terms of strike actions, looting, loadshedding, inflation, water-shedding, etc. is by frequenting the Masaajid by the community’s men for all five Salaahs.
9. Thus, the local scholar of the town you sent your message about should be asked that he stresses on the importance of Salaah with Jamaat in the Masjid by the men of his community. Arranging programs, etc. amidst threats of shutdowns, riots and strike actions may not really be needed once the Muslim community fill up the empty Masaajid, especially Fajr time! The Barkat of the men performing ALL their Salaah with Jamaat in the Masjid will be that such communities will – Insha Allah – be safeguarded amidst all threats, difficulty, crime, service delivery issues, kidnapping, looting and rioting, etc.
10. In a Hadith Shareef Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said that the one who performs his Fajr Salaah with Jamaat (in the Masjid) will be in the Divine Protection of Allah Ta’ala. This clearly shows us from the Mubaarak words of Nabi (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) of how important it is for men to be in the Masjid for Fajr Jamaat. Yet, the Masaajid of this country wail at the time of Fajr at the poor attendance of the men of this Ummat for Fajr Jamaat, then instead of asking the community to fill up the empty Masaajid, certain scholars give importance to ‘programs’.

How then do we expect safety, removal of anxiety, crime-rate to decrease, kidnappings to stop, inflation to ease, riots not to take place, loadshedding to cease, etc. if the men of this Ummat are absent from the Masaajid for Fajr Jamaat???

To download as pdf: http://custodiansofthehaq.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/A-towns-strike-action-its-Ulama.pdf