إدريس عبدالله
_6 _July _2017هـ الموافق 6-07-2017م, 12:20 AM
An economic siege is a strategy based on the use of measures including placing of limitations on the export of capital and import of goods of which the primary effect is to weaken the economy of another state or a group of people belonging to a particular denomination.
Sieges are of the earliest forms of economic sanctions, which are aimed at starving into submission the besieged population. A historical example of an economic siege was the economic and social boycott of Banu Haashim by the infidels of Quraish. The leaders of the various clans of Quraysh met in a solemn conclave in the “town hall” of Makkah, and there, by consensus, they drafted and signed a document which stipulated that unless the clan of Banu Hashim surrendered the prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to them, it would be subjected to an economic and social boycott. They pledged themselves not to buy anything from, nor to sell anything to the members of the Banu Hashim and this was because they continue to show their unwavering support and protection to the Prophet Muhammad for the sake of familial relation.
Abu Talib; who was the leader of the banu Haashim saw clearly that a storm system was converging upon the Banu Hashim. The atmosphere in Makkah had become so explosive that Banu Hashim found itself in great peril. Abu Talib realized that it would not be prudent to live in the city where any moment, the enemy could set fire to their houses.
In the interests of the security of the clan, he, therefore, decided to leave Makkah, and to seek safety for it in a ravine near Makkah, which later came to be known as Sh'ib Abu Talib. The ravine had some natural defenses, and it was in any case safer to live in it than to live in their houses in the city which were highly vulnerable to attack.
On the first day of the year 7 of the Proclamation, therefore, the two clans of Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib moved out of Makkah and took abode in a ravine. The clans were in a state of siege that could be better described as economic siege.
The hypocrites at the time of the holy Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also encouraged each other in placing this siege on the Prophet and his believing followers as said by Allah in the Glorious Qur’an:
هُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ لَا تُنفِقُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَنْ عِندَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ حَتَّىٰ يَنفَضُّوا۟ ۗ
“It is they who say: "Do not spend anything on those who side with God's Messenger, unless they have dispersed." (Al-Munaafiqun : 7)
In our contempoaray world, a typical example of economic siege is Israeli sanctions on Gaza. The longstanding restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza have led to steadily deteriorating living standards for Gaza’s 1.8 million people since the imposition of the Israeli blockade in June 2007, to the extent that the UN Conference on Trade and Development released a report warning that Gaza could become ‘uninhabitable’ in less than five years, if current economic trends continue.
Other countries that suffered economic siege in our contemporary world as a sanction from the Western super powers include Iraq, Libya, the Taaliban government and other non-Muslim countries.
In view of the Sharia, economic siege is allowed if it is aimed at achieving lofty objectives. Some scholars regarded it as a form of jihad (holy struggle) for the sake ensuring the supremacy of Allah’s religion and uprooting injustice towards His slaves. Weakening the enemies economically is one of the legal foundations that must be safeguarded in all available ways during times of counteracting or waging holy struggle (jihaad) against the enemies of Allah’s religion. As it is known, the nations are founded on two main pillars: security and investment, hence, attacking any one of these two leads to weakening the strength of enemies and evacuating their rebelliousness. Due to this, the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used this siege against the people of Taa’if for a period. It was also used by the lofty companion; Thumaamata Ibn Athaal (may Allah be please with him) against the disbelieving folk of the Quraish. He cut food supplies from them until they were permitted by the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Among the contemporary scholars who issed verdicts in support of the legality of the usage of economic siege was Sheikh Abdur-Rahman As-Sa’di, he said: “among the most beneficial form of jihad is cutting relation in terms of imports and exports”
Sheikh Albaani in the series of ( Guidance and light) was asked concerning importing meats from Bulgaria to which he replied thus: “ if the Bulgarians even slaughter these meats according to sharia laws, I am of the opinion that is still not permissible to import meats from them until they desist from killing our Muslim brethren there, subhaanallah (Glory be to Allah)! Where is the Islamic brotherhood?”
Sheikh Utheimeen (may have mercy on his soul and give him paradise) was asked concerning economic siege during the Serbia massacre of Muslims, he said:“if all Muslim nation cut their relation from the Christians who are supporting those killing our brothers I believed it would bring a lot of benefit and the Christians and other non-Christians would have known the power of Muslims and that we are one of the same hand”.
The same verdicts were reported of other scholars such as: Ibn Jibreen, sheikh Abdul-Aziz Ar-raajihi and others.
Sieges are of the earliest forms of economic sanctions, which are aimed at starving into submission the besieged population. A historical example of an economic siege was the economic and social boycott of Banu Haashim by the infidels of Quraish. The leaders of the various clans of Quraysh met in a solemn conclave in the “town hall” of Makkah, and there, by consensus, they drafted and signed a document which stipulated that unless the clan of Banu Hashim surrendered the prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to them, it would be subjected to an economic and social boycott. They pledged themselves not to buy anything from, nor to sell anything to the members of the Banu Hashim and this was because they continue to show their unwavering support and protection to the Prophet Muhammad for the sake of familial relation.
Abu Talib; who was the leader of the banu Haashim saw clearly that a storm system was converging upon the Banu Hashim. The atmosphere in Makkah had become so explosive that Banu Hashim found itself in great peril. Abu Talib realized that it would not be prudent to live in the city where any moment, the enemy could set fire to their houses.
In the interests of the security of the clan, he, therefore, decided to leave Makkah, and to seek safety for it in a ravine near Makkah, which later came to be known as Sh'ib Abu Talib. The ravine had some natural defenses, and it was in any case safer to live in it than to live in their houses in the city which were highly vulnerable to attack.
On the first day of the year 7 of the Proclamation, therefore, the two clans of Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib moved out of Makkah and took abode in a ravine. The clans were in a state of siege that could be better described as economic siege.
The hypocrites at the time of the holy Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also encouraged each other in placing this siege on the Prophet and his believing followers as said by Allah in the Glorious Qur’an:
هُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ لَا تُنفِقُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَنْ عِندَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ حَتَّىٰ يَنفَضُّوا۟ ۗ
“It is they who say: "Do not spend anything on those who side with God's Messenger, unless they have dispersed." (Al-Munaafiqun : 7)
In our contempoaray world, a typical example of economic siege is Israeli sanctions on Gaza. The longstanding restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza have led to steadily deteriorating living standards for Gaza’s 1.8 million people since the imposition of the Israeli blockade in June 2007, to the extent that the UN Conference on Trade and Development released a report warning that Gaza could become ‘uninhabitable’ in less than five years, if current economic trends continue.
Other countries that suffered economic siege in our contemporary world as a sanction from the Western super powers include Iraq, Libya, the Taaliban government and other non-Muslim countries.
In view of the Sharia, economic siege is allowed if it is aimed at achieving lofty objectives. Some scholars regarded it as a form of jihad (holy struggle) for the sake ensuring the supremacy of Allah’s religion and uprooting injustice towards His slaves. Weakening the enemies economically is one of the legal foundations that must be safeguarded in all available ways during times of counteracting or waging holy struggle (jihaad) against the enemies of Allah’s religion. As it is known, the nations are founded on two main pillars: security and investment, hence, attacking any one of these two leads to weakening the strength of enemies and evacuating their rebelliousness. Due to this, the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used this siege against the people of Taa’if for a period. It was also used by the lofty companion; Thumaamata Ibn Athaal (may Allah be please with him) against the disbelieving folk of the Quraish. He cut food supplies from them until they were permitted by the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Among the contemporary scholars who issed verdicts in support of the legality of the usage of economic siege was Sheikh Abdur-Rahman As-Sa’di, he said: “among the most beneficial form of jihad is cutting relation in terms of imports and exports”
Sheikh Albaani in the series of ( Guidance and light) was asked concerning importing meats from Bulgaria to which he replied thus: “ if the Bulgarians even slaughter these meats according to sharia laws, I am of the opinion that is still not permissible to import meats from them until they desist from killing our Muslim brethren there, subhaanallah (Glory be to Allah)! Where is the Islamic brotherhood?”
Sheikh Utheimeen (may have mercy on his soul and give him paradise) was asked concerning economic siege during the Serbia massacre of Muslims, he said:“if all Muslim nation cut their relation from the Christians who are supporting those killing our brothers I believed it would bring a lot of benefit and the Christians and other non-Christians would have known the power of Muslims and that we are one of the same hand”.
The same verdicts were reported of other scholars such as: Ibn Jibreen, sheikh Abdul-Aziz Ar-raajihi and others.