Protest is an action to show disagreement with something, for example, government policy.
Why people protest?
A protest is any action an individual or group may take to draw attention to an issue or cause in which they believe. Protests usually arise when people feel an injustice has occurred.
People protest against injustice in many different ways. This ranges from writing letters, boycotting products and joining protest groups to even breaking the law and going to prison. People may decide on some kind of public protest because they feel they have no other way to make their voices heard. It is a way to attract media attention and make other people aware of the issue. Protestors may think that it is right to stand up for what they believe. Sometimes people may believe that it is the only way to bring about change or correct something that is wrong.
Non-violent protests involve methods of protesting that do not cause harm to others or damage to property. These can be simple actions such as signing a petition, writing to an MP or opting not to buy goods and services from a particular company or country. Other forms of non-violent protests may involve more direct action: street marches, sit-ins (occupying a building or space), refusing to work such as strike action or causing disruption such as blocking roads. These actions can be frustrating for individuals and companies who are affected by protests, but no direct physical harm to people is caused.
Some protestors feel that non-violent actions such as these are not enough. They believe that they the only way their concerns will be heard is if they use more extreme forms of protest. This can include methods that are intended to intimidate others and force change. They believe direct violence against others and property will change public opinion. However, this change may only be achieved due to fear of violence, not because the people necessarily agree.
Muslims must be guided by the Quran and Sunnah in all their activities from the mundane to the most serious. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) taught his Ummah (nation) every affair that would bring them closer to success in this life and Paradise in the next, and he warned them from every affair that would harm them and bring them closer to Hell.
When a Muslim sees injustice, he has been guided by the revealed texts to act appropriately. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Help the oppressed and the oppressor.” When it was said to him that it is correct that the oppressed should be helped, but how does one help the oppressor?! He responded: “Stop him and prevent him from oppression, and that is helping him.”
He also said: “Whoever among you sees an evil, let him stop it with his hand. If he is not able, let him stop it by speaking. If he is not able, let him at least hate it with his heart for that is the weakest of faith (Imaan).”
However, there are some mighty principles that go along with these Prophetic narrations to avoid anarchy and disorder in societies. For example, if one’s mother and father are involved in drinking wine or smoking and gambling, it is not permitted to physically assault them or to harm them under the guise that one is forbidding evil!
Another example is that if a burglar breaks into one’s house, it is not permissible to pursue him and imprison him in a homemade prison or carry out the prescribed punishment upon him.
On the other hand, a father and mother may physically withhold their children from taking drugs, stealing or smoking, by rebuking them. Likewise, a ruler and his appointed courts may sentence criminals and punish them because they have an Islamic duty to do so. Many Muslims and non-Muslims misunderstand the Islamic texts and think that any person can do whatever they wish to correct wrongs in society by “any means necessary”. This is wrong and in contradiction to other explanatory texts.
The Messenger of Allah said: “If one of you sees something from the ruler that he hates, let him not publicise it.” This is a clear hadeeth forbidding openly protesting (even publicly speaking) against the ruler. Then he gave the Muslims a method of correcting the ruler: “Rather you should take the ruler by his hand and advise him. If he accepts the advice, then that is good. If he refuses, then you have fulfilled your duty.” In another narration, he said: “The martyr is the one who speaks a word of truth in the presence of the tyrannical ruler for which he is killed.”
These authentic narrations make it very clear that the ruler should only be advised in his presence and NOT in public. So, one may write to the ruler with gentle words advising him with correct conduct. The Messenger (peace be upon him) never ever protested in the streets of Makkah though he and his companions were oppressed and persecuted for 13 years in Makkah. They never once blocked the streets, participated in sit-ins, or plotted assassinations. However, the Prophet would constantly advise them and remind them of their duty to their Lord and the impending Day of Judgement wherein Allah would call them to account.
So to oppose this methodology is to oppose the Prophet (peace be upon him) as he himself said: “Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.” He also said: “You will have rulers over you who will not follow my Sunnah, nor my guidance. There will be amongst them men who will have the hearts of devils in the bodies of humans.” When asked how one is to behave towards such oppressive Muslim rulers, he responded: “Listen and obey the ruler, even if he takes your wealth and beats you in your back. Listen and obey.”
So patience is very important in times of hardship. There is tremendous wisdom behind this because of the great bloodshed and anarchy that results in standing up against those in authority. Furthermore, it is a reminder that the Muslims are only ruled by those they deserve and the leaders are merely a reflection of society. So Allah gives good people a good ruler and wicked people a wicked ruler as the great scholars such as Ibnul-Qayyim, Ibn Bāz and Al-Albāni have stated. So protests, demonstrations and rising up against the rulers and those in authority are not allowed in Islam.
