Shira, the sacrifice of one’s
life:
The Arabic word
shira means buying and selling. This term is used in Ibadhi
writings for the action of sacrificing one’s life in the cause
of God to attain Paradise. Shurat (pl.) are “those who
have sold their souls for the cause of God.”18
The term al-shira is derived from the following verses of
the Qur’an;
“God has bought
from the believers their selves and their possessions against
the gift of Paradise; they fight in the way of God; they kill,
and are killed; that is a promise binding upon God in the Torah,
and the Gospel, and the Koran; and who fulfil his covenant truer
than God? So rejoice in the bargain you have made Him…..,”19 and,
“So let them fight in the way of God who sell the present life
for the world to come, and whosoever fights in the way of God
and is slain, or conquers, We shall bring him a mighty wage….,”20 and
this verse, “But other men there are that sell themselves
desiring God’s pleasure.”21
The first person
who practised Shira was Abu Bilal Mirdas b. Hudair. The
idea of Shira or Khuruj (coming out) occurred to
him when he saw the harm caused by Ubaidullah b. Ziyad to his
fellow-Muslims.22
His comment on the situation was, “Surely, being content with
tyranny is an offence, and drawing the sword and frightening the
people is grave, but we come out and fight no-one but those who
do us wrong.”23
Abu Bilal used to elect among the Muslims, the most trustworthy
and outstanding men for the task of Shira. He explained
the conditions of Shira in the following words in which
he used to address every person who wished to join him; “You go
out to fight in the way of God desiring His pleasure, not
wanting anything of the goods of the present World, nor have you
any desire of it, nor will you return to it. You are the
abstemious and the hater of this life, the desirous for the
World to Come, trying all in your power to obtain it. Going out
to be killed and for nothing else. So know that you are going
to be killed and have no return to this life; You are going
forward and will not turn away from righteousness till you come
to God. If such is your concern, go back and wind up you needs
and wishes of this life, pay you debts, purchase yourself, take
leave of your family and tell them that you will never return to
them. When you have done so I will accept your pledge.”24
Some scholars
suggest that the state of Shira was practised first
during the Meccan period of the Prophet’s life. They point out
that the Prophet declared Islam openly when the number of his
followers reached forty,25
and was directed by the Qur’an to leave the house of al-Arqam b.
Abi al-Arqam which was “the centre of his preaching
activities.”26
When he had passed the stage of secrecy, God revealed to him, “O
Prophet, God suffices thee, and the believers who follow thee.”27
According to Shaikh Muhammad Yusuf Atfaiyish, this verse was
revealed in Mecca and was included afterwards in the chapter of
the spoils (al-Anfal) which was revealed in Madina.28
However, it is difficult to agree with the suggestion that the
stage of Shira in Ibadhi doctrine was derived from the
above-mentioned event in the Prophet’s life. Even if the
circumstances were similar, which they were not, there is still
a great difference, which lies in the fact that the timing of
such actions in the Prophet’s life was directly determined by
revelation. The other thing is that all Muslims had to follow in
any action the Prophet had to take, especially if the Qur’an
commanded it, but the Ibadhis did not consider Shira as
an individual obligation; it was a voluntary duty only. This
was one of the main principles about which they differed from
the Azraqites who considered Khuruj as an individual obligation.29
The following are
the regulations of Shira as explained by Abu al-Abbas
Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Bakr; “…. They, i.e. the Shurat,
agree that they sell themselves desiring God’s pleasure, and
show no claim for ruling, but to end tyranny and revive
righteousness. They must not revolt with less than forty men;
they can complete the number with a woman. If their intention
was not to return before ending falsity, batil), they,
therefore, must not return to their homes unless they ended
falsehood or died. If they went out with the intention to
return if they wanted, they can return at any time. Their homes
are their swords, so if they return to their original homes for
any purpose, they must pray short prayers qasr and pray
complete prayers during their revolt even though they were far
away from their original homes.”30
Shira
the most commendable sort of Jihad in the absence of
manifest Imam. In fact, Ibadhis used shira in some cases
as a bridge for establishing the Manifest Imamate.”31
The following are
the main principles of Shira:
i. Shira
is a voluntary duty for Ibadhis in general, and an obligation
for those who imposed it on themselves.
ii. The minimum
number of forty persons must carry it out.
iii.
They must elect their leader among themselves. The authority of
their leader is binding on his followers only.32
iv.
Religious dissimulation, Taqiyah, does not behove
the Shurat, they have to fight till they bring tyranny to
an end or are killed.33
Some scholars say that they can return if only three of
them were left.34
v. They have no
home except the places where they gather to fight their enemies;
if they return to their original homes to get supplies, or
information, or for any other purpose, they must consider
themselves travellers and pray short prayers (qasr) while
in their original homes.
vi.
They must not fight anyone except those who fight them, must not
follow the defeated or kill the injured, must not kill old men,
women, or children, and must not take any spoils or property
unless they have a right to it.35
For instance, it is reported that Abu Bilal Mirdas and his
followers, in their revolt, came across a caravan bringing
spoils to the governor of Basrah, Ubaidullah b. Ziyad; Abu Bilal
stopped the caravan, took the emolument for himself and his
companions, and gave receipts for that.36
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