Ibadhism
Who Are The Ibadhis?
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. Among the things which are shocking but we mention only as an example, is that those who tell lies are among the ones who are reputed with knowledge. Some of them who hate the Ibadhis spread lies that the Ibadhis allow marriage between man and man. O Lord, you are far above this slander! It has escaped those who spread this lie that the third sex was not available in the places where the Ibadhis loved and that those who flirt with boys were not the Ibadhis! Art books are full of flirtations with the youth and men, and I challenge anyone from the East and the West to give one verse by an Ibadhi flirting with youth or man. How then, could this slander be attributed to the Ibadhis whereas the Ibadhis consider the penalty for homosexuality to be stoning similar to the penalty for adultery! There are even those who see that a homosexual should be hanged and stoned to death. The Ibadhis have pre-determined this and have maintained it throughout their history and have been penalising those committing this horrible crime accordingly.
This is another example of a slander on the Ibadhis. How then could it be strange if one told lies in those by-gone times? The times when the Ommaiads were collecting together without exception all the people who were making empty propaganda which helped to strengthen their rule! Equally was the case with the Abbasides; and whoever wished to revolt against that tyranny and that oppression would be thrashed with abundant accusations and a number of things for which he is innocent, as Imam Abu Al-Aalaa has mentioned.
In comparing the past with the present we may remind the reader so that he understands the truth. We undoubtedly understand in our present time that many of the Muslim people who worked for the the call to God and to make Islam manifest and to fight inventions and to defend the honour of this Religion have been stormed with numerous accusations and branded with bad names. The truth was distorted as it is clear to everyone who knows the facts.
Here I want to mention an event by which a person will know how justly the Ibadhis treat others while they are not justly treated. I was on a visit this year to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a group of our brothers on an invitation sent to us by the Saudi Minister of Justice.On the second day of Jamadul-Uwla of this year 1406 Hijria we entered the office of Sheikh Abdil Aziz bin Abdulla bin Baaz. We were anxious to benefit from him and to listen to his advice and to learn from his words, but we were taken by surprise which we did not expect. Immediately upon entering his office he took us to a narrow place and began — according to his opinion — to shout for what he has heard from me some of my formal legal opinions (FATWAS) on contradictory matters about which the Ibadhis have their opinions. They derive their opinions from the Book of God and the Sunnah. His advice prevailed with words which were devoid of satisfaction. He referred to Ibadhism as astray and far from the truth which was brought by the prophet from God. I replied first by thanking him for his advice and then said: “Truth is claimed by everybody and everyone who opposes his opponent claims that he is right and his opponent is wrong. But truth is not arrived at through presumptions but through correct proof. It is therefore our duty to reveal the truth through quite objective discussion to be transmitted to the people through the voice of the Quran in Mecca, and through the Saudi Television. Also other radio stations and televisions to be allowed to transmit the discussion through satellites and correspondents of the News Agencies to be allowed to transmit the discus sions to their newspapers, so that the truth becomes manifest to everybody.” The Sheikh strongly refused this suggestion. I asked him what he wanted and he said he wanted us to abandon our ideology and to adopt their ideology. I told him that the issue is not as simple as that, and that one who claims the truth is not a coward or shy: “If you believe that you are on the right and we are on the wrong, then what will harm you if we meet and discuss the issue before the hearing and the viewing of the people?” He said no, the wrong must be silenced and should not be publicised. I told him that in this (way) the truth will prevail and the wrong will quell and that there is no spreading of the wrong in this. He said no; but the wrong must be hidden from the people in order that they do not know it. I told him that if a Christian or a Jew or a Magian came to you and criticised Islam, would you refuse to discuss with him before listeners and viewers? He replied that in that there is a call to Islam. I told him that also in this there is manifestation of correct Islamism as brought by the Prophet, and that the argument is to reach the unmistakable judgement. “So if you consider us to be wrong why then do you not agree that we be exposed in public?" “The fact is that you are convinced that you have no argument, and therefore you have insisted upon refusing. If you had an argument, and knew that you are on the clear truth, then you would not have been timid to make this truth manifest as applicable in the Book of God and the Sunnah of the Prophet.” The Sheikh strongly insisted on refusing.
What then can be the greatest provocation than this one which the Sheikh has made when he wants to compel us to abandon what we believe to be the truth wherever we see the signs of the Book and the Sunnah proving it! We invite him to a lawful decision of signs and proofs — This is an honest fairness.
We call upon all the people to either study the Ibadhi sect perfectly, carefully and impartially so that the fanaticism does not mislead them from understanding the truth, or to keep silent with us.But if they assault without proof or reason, without studying or examining the fundamentals of the sect, its beliefs and the history of its followers and confine only to that which has been written by resentful authors of the past and the present, then that is not fairness.
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