Sudan Crisis: Part 3 - Islam’s cures for the diseases afflicting Sudan

When I started writing the two previous articles about the crisis in Sudan, my main aim was to explain some of the drivers that have led to this crisis within Sudan and externally.

As I explored some of the issues, it occurred to me just how much the problems that occur are due to an absence of the existence of Islam as a complete way of life and civilisation.

In this article I want to address a few of those matters in the context of the crisis in Sudan - mainly to help explain Islam in its holistic context.

Africa and Islam 

The relationship between Africa and Islam is arguably older than anywhere outside of Makkah and its surroundings. In the fifth year after the Prophet’s ﷺ mission a group of his companions who were persecuted in Makkah wanted to leave. He  ﷺ told them to seek refuge in Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia and Eritrea) - a land wherein there was a Christian king from whom they could expect just treatment. The Prophet  ﷺ  corresponded with this king - Al Najashi (the Negus) who gave the persecuted Muslims asylum, and it is reported that he eventually became Muslim. 

Egypt was opened to Islam during the Khilafah (Caliphate) of Umar ibn al Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, under the companion of the Prophet, ‘Amr ibn al Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, who remained governor. 

As early as the 7th century CE, merchants from the Red Sea coast of what is now Sudan became Muslim. Islam spread west across Africa, the remainder of what is Sudan today became Muslim many years later. Islam spread there by the eighth and ninth centuries.

From the sixteenth century, what is known today as northern Sudan was ruled by the Ottomans, but the Nile Valley region, which encompasses parts of today’s Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea was ruled by the Funj Sultanate - or Al Sultanah al Zarqa. The Darfur region came under Islam at a similar time under Sulayman Solong, the leader of the Keira clan, who became the first sultan in the region, declaring Islam as the official religion and establishing a capital at Al Fashir - the city that has been traumatised by conflict over the past year. 

In the early 19th century CE, as Egypt started to become more autonomous from the Ottoman Khilafah, its ruler Muhammad Ali Pasha set about a conquest of Sudan. 

Natural Resources

The root cause of the problem in Africa is its natural resources, as mentioned in part 2 of this series. In today’s capitalist world US and other global powers seek to control these resources for the multinational corporations who seek to profit from them. The elites and powerful factions in Muslim countries compete to get some of the spoils. All of them, at the expense of the people of Africa. 

Yet Abu Hurairah narrated that that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 

 ثَلاَثٌ لاَ يُمْنَعْنَ الْمَاءُ وَالْكَلأُ وَالنَّارُ    

- meaning - Three things cannot be denied to anyone: water, pasture and fire. [Ibn Majah] 

The Shari’ah of Islam is such that public resources - whether water supply, green pastures, energy/fuel (i.e. “fire” ) minerals and other natural resources - cannot be monopolised by a few people. 

This understanding is reinforced by the actions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in ruling. Ibn Majah and others narrated from Abyadh ibn Hamman that he (Abyadh) asked for a salt flat called the Ma'rib Dam to be given to him, and it was given to him. Then Aqra bin Habis At-Tamimi came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: “O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I used to come to the salt flat during the Ignorance period and it was in a land in which there was no water, and whoever came to it took from it. It was (plentiful) like flowing water.” So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked Abyadh bin Hammal to give back his share of the salt flat. He said: “I give it to you on the basis that you make it a charity given by me.” The Messenger of Allah said: " ‏ "‏ هُوَ مِنْكَ صَدَقَةٌ وَهُوَ مِثْلُ الْمَاءِ الْعِدِّ مَنْ وَرَدَهُ أَخَذَهُ ‏ “It is a charity from you, and it is like flowing water, whoever comes to it may take from it.” (One of the narrators) Faraj said: “That is how it is today, whoever comes to it takes from it.” He said: “The Prophet (ﷺ) gave him land and palm trees in Jurf Murad instead, when he took back the salt flat from him.”

Lands that contain uncountable natural resources - whether water, oil, gas, coal or minerals cannot be monopolised for the few under Islam. Rather they are for all the people. They should be a source of good for people, not profits for the rich and misery for those who live in the regions where they are plentiful. 

Islam and Security 

The death toll, the merciless and indiscriminate killing - which has caused over a million people to seek refuge in other countries - is unimaginable. 

Security is arguably the first thing that all people deserve. Indeed, the food insecurity and famine that millions face in Sudan is solely due to the security situation.

Allah ﷻ says 

وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ 

[Al Isra 17:33] i.e. "And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right." 

Moreover the same narration about tribalism narrated by Imam Muslim from Abu Huraira, the Prophet ﷺ said:   وَمَنْ خَرَجَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي يَضْرِبُ بَرَّهَا وَفَاجِرَهَا وَلاَ يَتَحَاشَ مِنْ مُؤْمِنِهَا وَلاَ يَفِي لِذِي عَهْدٍ عَهْدَهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَلَسْتُ مِنْهُ 

Whoever attacks my Ummah (indiscriminately) (literally, does khurooj i.e. is fighting for separatism) killing the righteous and the wicked of them, sparing not (even) those staunch in faith and fulfilling not his promise made with those who have been given a pledge of security - he has nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with him.

So the fighters currently engaged in this conflict face being expelled from the companionship of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ - which is a terrifying and tragic prospect. 

The Quran tells us: 

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُون

[Al Hujurat 49:10] i.e. The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy.

And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that   المسلم أخو المسلم، لا يظلمه ولا يسلمه  

i.e. A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. (Bukhari)

The absence of Islam as a civilisation is the cause for this, and its return under the Khilafah would be a cure. 

Allah ﷻ says: 

وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كَمَا ٱسْتَخْلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى ٱرْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًۭا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِى لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِى شَيْـًۭٔا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ ٥٥

[Al Nur 24:55] i.e. Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good that He will certainly make them successors (istikhlaf from which the word Khilafah comes) in the land, as He did with those before them; and He will surely establish for them their faith which He has chosen for them; and will indeed change their fear into security—˹provided that˺ they worship Me, associating nothing with Me. But whoever disbelieves after this ˹promise˺, it is they who will be the rebellious. 

Also, Khabbab narrated that the Prophet ﷺ  said: 

وَلَيُتِمَّنَّ اللَّهُ هَذَا الأَمْرَ حَتَّى يَسِيرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إِلَى حَضْرَمَوْتَ مَا يَخَافُ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ

i.e Allah will surely complete this religion (i.e. Islam) so that a traveller from Sana to Hadra-maut will not be afraid of anybody except Allah. [Bukhari].

Army vs Politicians vs Legitimate governance. 

It is a tragedy that those who are in the armed forces across the Muslim world are led by soldiers who would protect corrupt regimes or else usurp power for themselves.

In Sudan, the military supported Bashir’s rule - Bashir, who backed the Janjaweed militia that eventually became the RSF, which is now fighting the Sudanese armed forces. Both the army and the RSF helped bring about Bashir’s regime and cooperated in an unelected power sharing before turning on each other. Only recently a top general has proposed the army hold power for 20 years. Why? Because they cannot accept the current political class which was heavily influenced by British colonialism, as opposed to the more recent American brand that has influenced them. 

All of this means those leaders of the armed forces and the politicians do exactly what Allah ordered them not to when He said:

  وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ 

(Hud 11:113) i.e “Do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire." 

The Prophet ﷺ said:

أَلَا كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ فَالْإِمَامُ الَّذِي عَلَى النَّاسِ رَاعٍ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ

i.e. “Every one of you is a shepherd and is responsible (literally ‘one who is questioned’) for his flock. The leader of people is a guardian and is responsible (literally ‘one who is questioned’) for his subjects.” 

Islamic governance under the Khilafah is one whereby the Khalifah is a ruler who can be elected, and is in a contractual relationship with the people, to rule according to conditions. They must be scrutinised and accounted by the people - and can be subject to judicial process, even to the point of removal from office if they violate the conditions of the contract they were commissioned by. 

The Khalifah is responsible for foreign affairs policy, including military policy, so the armed forces are subject to the political commander - excepting in the circumstance that the ruler is judged by a court to have violated the conditions of his contract. 

The habit of military rule is a feature of the post-colonial/neo-colonial era, where the colonial powers feel they cannot always trust the people to vote for their ‘client’, and support their system.

Historically, the caliphates of the past were reckoned to be serious players in world affairs. Unlike today’s Egypt, UAE and Saudi - who are seen as easy to manipulate for the petty interests of their ruling elites - those caliphates had Islam as their civilisational basis, so that even if they weren’t liked they were at least respected. 

Islam opposes Tribalism  

Sudan, like many places across the world, is structured along tribal lines. It is said that the territory comprises 19 major ethnic groups and about 597 ethnic subgroups speaking hundreds of languages and dialects. People travelled and settled across regions that are divided by today’s nation-state borders. Some tribes were nomadic. 

In part one I mentioned that political factions supporting the armed forces incite and exploit tribal divisions, ‘othering’ huge portions of the population as not being properly Sudanese, or ascribing them to neighbouring Chad - and that it was also an ugly feature of the Bashir regime in the past, particularly in Darfur - despite this being a so-called ‘Islamist’ regime! 

In this context it is necessary for Muslims to see the disease of tribalism and nationalism for what it is. I do not mean that Islam does away with people having tribal affiliations or regional affiliation. Rather Islam opposed making these such a basis of one’s identity and loyalty that you fight for it, support it and even defend injustices done based upon tribalism.

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said 

مَنْ قَاتَلَ تَحْتَ رَايَةٍ عُمِّيَّةٍ يَدْعُو إِلَى عَصَبِيَّةٍ أَوْ يَغْضَبُ لِعَصَبِيَّةٍ فَقُتِلَ فَقِتْلَةٌ جَاهِلِيَّةٌ 

Whoever fights for a cause (lit: under a banner that is blind) that is not clear, calling to tribalism, getting angry for the sake of tribalism, and he is killed, then he has died a death of Jahiliyyah (ignorance). [ an-Nasa'i] A similar sahih hadith is narrated by Ibn Majah, and Imam Muslim narrates a similar hadith with the addition of    يَنْصُرُ عَصَبَةً i.e. and supports tribalism. 

There are many more hadith that condemn this filthy practice of ‘othering’ people due to their tribe, or supporting the superiority of your tribe, or fighting and getting angry for the sake of your tribe. 

It is a practice that should be shunned by Muslims collectively in whichever society they live. 

And by contrast the values that must be nurtured in society should be based on what Allah ﷻ  said:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍۢ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًۭا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۭ 

[Al Hujurat 49:13]  i.e. O people! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.

And what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said 

يا أيها الناس، ألا إن ربكم واحد، وإن أباكم واحد. ألا لا فضل لعربي على أعجمي، ولا لعجمي على عربي، ولا لأحمر على أسود، ولا لأسود على أحمر، إلا بالتقوى"

O people, your Lord is one and your father Adam is one. There is no virtue of an Arab over a foreigner nor a foreigner over an Arab, and neither white skin over black skin nor black skin over white skin, except by righteousness. [Musnad Ahmad].

The Future

So many of Sudan’s current problems can be seen as an absence of Islamic civilisation in the world and in the region. There is a direct correlation with human suffering. However, the future can be positive. It is not a false dream to think of Islam and the Khilafah as a solution. Rather it should be a real aspiration. 

Before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Al Madinah, the tribes of Yathrib - Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj - were at war for years. Other tribes in the region, like Banu Nadhir and Banu Qurayzah, used to play them off against each other to benefit themselves. 

Yet the arrival of Allah’s Messenger changed that. Islam was established as a system. The mercy spread from there. 

And Allah reminded us to hold to Islam - the Rope of Allah - and not to be divided. Because the division between them was like they were on the brink of a pit of fire, only saved by establishing the Guidance of Islam. 

وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًۭا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءًۭ فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًۭا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ 

[Aal-Imran 3:103] meaning - And hold firmly together to the rope of Allah1 and do not be divided. Remember Allah’s favour upon you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts, so you—by His grace—became brothers. And you were at the brink of a fiery pit and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you, so that you may be ˹rightly˺ guided. 

Africa has suffered under capitalism, more than most. It has prospered in every sense under Islam - and certainly can do again.

[وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ]

“But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allah has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not like corrupters.” [ Al-Qasas:77].

Abdul Wahid has been active in Muslim affairs in the UK for over 25 years. He has been published on the websites of Foreign Policy, Open Democracy, the Times Higher Educational Supplement, and Prospect Magazine. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AbdulWahid_X.