How did the Azzabah
system come about?
In the last decades
of the third century of the Hijrah two major events took place which had a
significant impact on Ibadis in Libya, Tunisia and Algeria. The first was the
destructive war between the Aghlabids and the Ibadis in Qasr Manu, in which the
Ibadis sustained a heavy blow at the hands of the tyrant Ibrahim b. Ahmed b.
al-Aghlab. The second was the defeat and destruction of the Rustamid state in
Algeria by the Shi’a.
Given that neither the Shi’i nor the
Aghlabid state governed according to Islamic law nor followed its precepts,
Ibadi scholars tried to devise a system by which they could live while
preserving the commands of God in their lands, and by which they could direct
the community in the right way, without the need to declare a new state or to
attach themselves with a despotic and tyrannical state: they were thus guided
to this system. At the beginning, it was followed by people informally.
However, towards the end of the fourth century, the great imam Abu ‘Abd Allah
Muhammad b. Bakr formulated it precisely in terms of a canon with articles and
instituted it as law in Ibadi lands, in Libya, Tunisia and Algeria, where it is
still applied exactly. On the basis of this, historians consider imam Abu ‘Abd
Allah as the founder of the ‘Azzabah system. It is indeed the case that
he founded this system since, but for him, we would not have received it in such
a sophisticated form. After Abu ‘Abd Allah, many great scholars dedicated
themselves to a thorough study of the system, adding some articles to it. Some
of them referred to it as ‘the way of ‘Azzabah’ (sirat al-‘azzabah).
Among the scholars that were interested in it and wrote about it are: Abu
Zakariyya’ Yahya b. Bakr, Abu ‘Ammar ‘Abd al-Kafi and Abu l-Rabi’ Sulayman b.
Yakhlaf al-Mazzati. The later among these made careful additions to it on the
subjects of ‘master and disciple’ (al-‘alim wa-l-muta’allim), etiquette
inside the halaqat al-‘azzabah and what should be avoided.
The student of this system, as it is
explained by those notable imams, will find in it on the one hand a unique
canon for the organization of education and culture, and [on the other] an
explanation of proper conduct for all Muslims, by which they can preserve their
morals and religion when they are subject to an evil tyrannical government.
This was the case with the Ibadis of Algeria, despite the efforts of the unjust
and despotic colonialists of France.
The power of the ‘Azzabah
The ‘Azzabah were
able to sustain this system for many long centuries and to apply its rules to
all individuals, without anyone succumbing to corruption or arrogance. So, what
is the secret strength that enabled them without difficulty to lead the people
so that they would accept their rulings and commands without trouble or
dissension? There are two important reasons for this:
1)
The personal authority
enjoyed by the Azzabah council on account of the excellent qualities of
the halaqah as a body, and of its members individually. For the
believers, when he commits himself to Islamic morals and conducts himself
according to their guidance and standards, commands the respect and veneration
of people and their obedience, so the reins of leadership are made easy for him
when he assumes them in a society or community.
2)
The rule of walayah and
bara’ah — an important rule and, as far as I know, unique to the Ibadis
among all other schools. Walayah means ‘love in God (for God’s sake)’,
and bara’ah means ‘hate in God (for God’s sake)’. Walayah is a
duty towards every upright Muslim, in whom fear of God and respect for the
boundaries established by God are recognized. Bara’ah is a duty on every
believer, and he is obliged to declare his dissociation from and hatred of
sinners and criminals until they repent to God.
Since the Azzabah council is
responsible for executing God’s commands, it is its duty, when it has proof
that a person has deviated from God’s religion, to declare dissociation from
him. When dissociation from a person is declared, his life quickly changes, for
he is denied good treatment by people and loses the radiance that comes from
being loved for the sake of God, and his friends, family and relatives avoid
him and people sever all relations with him, except in urgent cases. He thus
finds himself alienated from society, with no right to dignified life and is
thus forced to repent, to ask forgiveness and openly show regret in the mosque.
If the ‘Azzabah council is convinced of the truthfulness of a man’s
repentance, his regret over his error and his return to God, it declares
dissociation from him null. Then, all his rights return to him and he enjoys
all that he had enjoyed before Satan tempted him, and it is not for anyone
after this repentance to mention his error or to mock him on account of his
past.
The Irwan
organization
Irwan is a Berber word
meaning the scholars who have learnt the Glorious Qur’an by heart; they are
necessarily the ones who carry forth the Book of God, and those that occupy
themselves with study. The word is in the plural form. The singular is iru.
As for the word with fatha on the hamzah — aru — it is
used to refer to the animal known as zirban (polecat) in Arabic. Ar
— with a fatha on the hamzah and madda on it, and sukun
on the ra’ — is a lion; in the Sinhaja Berber dialect it means
‘give me’.
This organization is the second most
powerful in the country after the ‘Azzabah with its very own system,
practices and duties. It is similar to the Advisory Council auxiliary to the ‘Azzabah,
or the Council of Representatives in the case of the Shaykhs. The ‘Azzabah
frequently entrusts the Irwan Council with tasks. (I shall explain its
educational aspect in a forthcoming section of this book, ‘Systems of culture
and education’: the reader who so wishes may consult the relevant section).
The above is a simple summary of the ‘Azzabah
system that has been followed by Ibadis for a long time now in the Islamic
West. The ‘Azzabah system of government was abolished in this century in
Ibadi lands in Libya and Tunisia. Ever since its abolition in these lands,
perversion has been permeating society. Ibadis will not be able to return to
religion, morality and integrity while they do not adhere to the religion of
God and seek protection with Him. Muslims have only suffered what they have
suffered because they have deviated from God’s religion and seceded from His
way. The later ones of this community will only prosper by that which
the earliest of them prospered by.
Reference:
Ibadhism in History:
The emergence of the ibadi school; by Ali Yahya Muammar; pg: 76-78
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