Every year on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, a moment of silence is observed to pay homage to the fallen Allied soldiers of World War One. Many Muslims partake in this day unaware of the origins of this event and also what impact this war had on the Muslim Ummah. As November 11th approaches, Remembrance Day is upon us. What is this day all about? Is it permissible for Muslims to participate in such an event?
The Origins of Remembrance Day
When World War One ended, an armistice agreement was signed between the Allies and Germany which took place in Paris, France on Monday, November 11th, 1918. On November 6th, 1919, George Foster, the acting Prime Minister, rose in the House of Commons to read a message from King George V: “To all my people: Tuesday next, November 11th, is the first anniversary of the armistice which stayed the world-wide carnage of the four preceding years, and marked the victory of right and freedom. I believe that my people in every part of the Empire fervently wish to perpetuate the memory of that great deliverance and of those who laid down their lives to achieve it.”
In other words, Remembrance Day began with the end of World War One and was a day to recognize the victory of Britain, France, Russia, the United States and Italy against the Central Powers – Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Uthmani Khilafah.
Muslims in the First World War
The advent of World War One did not go unnoticed by the Muslim Ummah. Close relations with Germany and the continued enmity towards Russia – as they had invaded the northern part of the Khilafah and had supported the revolt in Southern Greece (a province in the Islamic State at that time) – pushed the Khilafah into joining the Central Powers.
The Muslim Armies fought many battles in order to protect the precious Islamic lands including The Battle of Lone Pine, The Nek, The Battle of Scimitar Hill, and The Battle of Hill 60 all of which contributed to the Gallipoli Campaign. The sacrifice of the Muslims ran high, with 131,000 martyred and 262,000 wounded.
In May 16, 1916, Britain and France made a secret agreement as to which parts of the conquered Muslim lands each country would control. Under the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the British and French split the Muslim land north of the Arabian Peninsula (Al-Sham) and Southern Turkey amongst themselves. Later, Italy and Russia were included in the deal.
Edmund Allenby, Commander of the V Corps in the Second Battle of Ypres worked along side the British Agent, T.E. Lawrence, and directed the marauding forces to Palestine. Despite the will and determination to protect one of the most sacred lands for Muslims, the Uthmani Army was defeated at Al-Quds on December 11th, 1917. An arrogant and pompous Allenby then declared, “The Crusades are now over.” French commander Gouraud, on arrival to Damascus in 1920, immediately marched to Salahuddin al-Ayyubi’s tomb and cried, “Nous revenons, Salladin.” (We have returned, Oh Salahuddin!).
By the end of the war, the number of Muslim Soldiers killed totalled 325,000, whereas the number of civilians totalled 1,000,000.
From a historical point of view it should be quite clear that wearing a poppy in recognition of those fallen soldiers in World War One implies support for the disbelieving colonial powers who invaded our lands, killed over 1 million Muslims, and stole our resources! We should not, in any way, be associated with it because doing so would be similar to participating in the remembrance of the defeat of Muslims at the hands of Quraysh during the Battle of Uhud, the Mongols in Baghdad or the Crusaders in Palestine.
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم – An Excellent Example
In eagerness to create a common ground between ourselves and the non-Muslims we may be tempted to adopt customs and traditions from the surrounding environment. If we think that by wearing a poppy, our neighbours or bosses will think better of us, or that by wearing a poppy we are going to create a “bridge of understanding” with the non-Muslims, we need to first ask ourselves how did the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم relate to the non-Muslims. We must follow his example because Allah سبحانه وتعالى revealed:
وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it), And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.”
(59:7)
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example (to follow) for him who hopes in (the meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”
(33:21)
When it comes to any situation, we must refer to the commandments of Allah سبحانه وتعالى revealed to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and follow his example as he was sent down as the role model to emulate. One situation occurred after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had migrated to Madina. Anas narrated, “When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم migrated from Makkah to Madina, the people of Madina used to have two festivals. On those two days they had carnivals and festivity. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, ‘Instead of those two days, Allah has appointed for you two other days, which are better, the days of ‘Eid ul-Fitr and ‘Eid ul-Adha.'” [An-Nasaa’i]
Despite the fact that there were prevailing customs and traditions the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not in any way compromise by involving himself or the Sahabah. Rather, he acted upon what was revealed.
One may ask about situations – like wearing the poppy – which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not engage in. What is the ruling on an action that did not occur during the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s time? Muslim reported on the authority of Ayesha that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
“He who introduces in our order that which is alien to it, it must be rejected.”
In this evidence, Allah سبحانه وتعالى commands us to initiate all of our actions according to evidences from the Quran and Sunnah. We cannot use any other criteria – not our inclinations, nor our logical conclusions. We must not fall into the trap of thinking “what is the harm in this action?” or “if I do this then maybe it will make the non Muslims around me more receptive to the message of Islam”. These are pitfalls we must protect ourselves from. As Muslims, our basis for actions is not our mind nor the environment around us but rather the Hukm Shar’i. Every action relating to subject matters that were revealed must be measured against this yard stick. It is the pleasure of Allah سبحانه وتعالى that we must seek and we must seek it in the manner that He سبحانه وتعالى has prescribed for us no matter what the society or trends around us dictate.
Who Should Be Remembered?
Remembrance Day should remind us of the state that our brothers and sisters have been living in since the Khilafah was destroyed. Once the Imam – the shield of the Ummah – had been destroyed, the colonial powers had a free hand in plundering and robbing our resources and subjecting us to political subjugation.
Remembrance Day should not only remind us of the last days of the Khilafah but also the beginning of the tyrannical rulers and dictators that have subjugated and oppressed the Ummah for the past 84 years. We see this subjugation and oppression continue today not only with the invasion of Iraq and the occupation of Palestine but also in the slavishness of our rulers who are more interested in bailing out Western banks than the Ummah. This day should be a catalyst to increase our activities in resuming the Islamic way of life by re-establishing the Khilafah Rashidah in the Muslim lands according to the method of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Looking back at the war and examining what it had achieved, we can see that there was nothing accomplished but bloodshed and a vying for political power. The war had less to do with right and wrong and more to do with fulfilling the insatiable desire of man for power and wealth. This drive did not end with “the war to end all wars” but is being continued in the wars that are being fought today. So the next time we walk past a booth and are asked if we would want to wear a poppy we should use this as an opportunity to invite people to think and reflect as to what this poppy represents and what was achieved by the war and if it has made any difference in our lives today.
May Allah سبحانه وتعالى allow us to remember Him and act according to His commandments, abstain from His prohibitions and remember that we will be standing in front of Him alone.
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ
“So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it.”
(99:7-8)