Saying 1 - Ibn al-Labūn

We face disturbances at times, in the form of disagreements due to differences in opinions, in thought, in speech etc. Amīr al-Muʾminīn (ʿa) guides us on how to conduct ourselves in such situations

﷽

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful

قَال(عليه السلام): كُنْ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ كَابْنِ اللَّبُونِ ، لاَ ظَهْرٌ فَيُرْكَبَ، وَلاَ ضَرْعٌ فَيُحْلَبَ.

Amīr al-Muʾminīn, peace be upon him, said: “During civil disturbance be like an adolescent camel who has neither a back strong enough for riding nor udders for milking.”

To understand this beautiful, profound saying of Amīr al-Muʾminīn (ʿa), let us analyze the meaning of فتنه (fitnah) and ابْنِ اللَّبُونِ (Ibn al-Labūn) 

What does ‘Fitnah’ mean?

 Fitnah literally refers to the process of smelting by which gold is purified.

In one hadith it is said that people are tested the way gold is tested. (It should be kept in mind though, that in the course of such tests, just as good qualities reach their perfection in the believers, bad qualities also develop to the utmost in disbelievers.)

What does لبون (labūn) mean?

‘Labūn’ is the mother camel that has milk in its breast due to frequent and continuous births.

What does ابْنِ اللَّبُونِ (Ibn al-Labūn) mean?

This is the baby camel who has completed two years, and is starting his third year. Neither does he have the strength and capacity to carry any load on its back, nor is it capable of giving milk - in other words, it is at a stage where it is of no advantage to anyone.

Now that we have both key words of this saying explained, let us look at the saying again: 

قَال(عليه السلام): كُنْ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ كَابْنِ اللَّبُونِ ، لاَ ظَهْرٌ فَيُرْكَبَ، وَلاَ ضَرْعٌ فَيُحْلَبَ.

Amīr al-Muʾminīn (ʿa), said: “During civil disturbance be like an adolescent camel  who has neither a back strong enough for riding nor udders for milking.”

Imām (ʿa) is guiding us on how our stance should be during any disturbance in our lives. This could be within family or friends at a smaller scale, or within the community at a large scale. 

It is clear from this Hikmah of Amīr al-Muʾminīn (ʿa) that Imām wills not for his lover and follower to be a pawn in power games during times of fitnah (disturbance, troubles). When falsehood is fighting falsehood, stay out of the battle. He must keep himself far away from the fitnah, and not help either of the sides, both of which are false.

History has shown during times of misunderstanding between parties and power struggles, the influential people with power are used by both sides in order to win.

At such a time, the influential, wealthy people should be very careful. In fact Imām (ʿa) warns all people to be careful and not fall into the trap of mischief-makers, lest their deen (religion) or dunya (worldly life) be harmed. 

So according to the hadith, be in such a way, like an ابْنِ اللَّبُونِ, no one can put weight on it, nor does it give milk. Basically, be of no benefit.

A Muʾmin (believer) is Intelligent!

The Imām (ʿa) is guiding the Muʾmin to be very smart - no one should use his influence, time, power, wealth, health, energy for  egoistic agendas. And this is when ʿilm comes into the picture. It is only when I have noor of ʿilm that I can:

1. Assess the situation correctly? (Is this a genuine case?)

2. Be able to discern whether this is just a battle of egos? Or is there a sublime goal?

3. Be able to know that this is the situation where I have to be like what my Mawlā says, and that is be like the ابْنِ اللَّبُونِ (baby camel) 

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : اَلمُؤمنُ كَيِّسٌ عاقِلٌ

Imām ʿAlī (ʿa) said “A believer is sagacious and intelligent”

When we study the lives of the Aimma (ʿa), we notice there are times when they advised their followers to stay out of political disturbances, because they knew that there would be little benefit and more harm. 

Not only did they advise to steer clear of disturbances that had satanic agendas, but also further advised for the believers to adopt seclusion. 

الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : اَلعُزْلَةُ أفْضَلُ شِيَمِ الأكْياسِ

Imām ʿAlī (ʿa) said, “Seclusion is the best trait of the sagacious.”

But why opt for seclusion? When Imām Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq (ʿa) was asked why he had opted for seclusion from the people. He wisely answered:

فَسَدَ الزَّمَانُ وَتَغَیَّرَ الاِْخْوَانُ فَرَأَیْتُ الاِنْفِرَادَ أَسْکَنَ لِلْفُؤَاد

“The era has spoiled, the brothers have changed, I found seclusion more peace-giving for the heart.”

Examples from the Qurʾān, of individuals opting for seclusion:

Prophet Ibrāhīm (ʿa), who addressed the group of idolaters and said

وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ وَمَا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَأَدْعُو رَبِّي عَسَىٰ أَلَّا أَكُونَ بِدُعَاءِ رَبِّي شَقِيًّا

I dissociate myself from you and whatever you invoke besides Allah. I will supplicate my Lord. Hopefully, I will not be disappointed in supplicating my Lord.’(Sūrah Maryam (19), Verse 48)

In the story of Ashāb e Kahf, in Sūrah al-Kahf, Allah (swt) tells us about the People of the Cave (Ashāb E Kahf) going into seclusion, to keep themselves aloof from the mischief and the mischief-makers of the time:

وَإِذِ اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ فَأْوُوا إِلَى الْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًا

‎When you have dissociated yourselves from them and from what they worship except Allah, then take refuge in the Cave. Your Lord will unfold His mercy for you, and He will help you on to ease in your affair.’ (Sūrah al-Kahf (18), Verse 16) 

Seclusion Doesn't Mean Cowardice in The Face Of Injustice!

From what has been said, it is clear that the Imām (ʿa) never meant that if a false group rises up against the believers and the followers of the truth, we should not support the righteous believers.

وَإِن طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ فَإِن بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَىٰ فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّىٰ تَفِيءَ إِلَىٰ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ

If two groups of the faithful fight one another, make peace between them. But if one party of them aggresses against the other, fight the one which aggresses until it returns to Allah’s ordinance. Then, if it returns, make peace between them fairly, and do justice. Indeed Allah loves the just. (Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt (49), Verse 9)

Explaining لا ظَهْرٌ فَیُرْکَبُ and وَلا ضَرْعٌ فَیُحْلَبُ

How Can One Save Oneself From The Fitnah of Akhir Zamān?  ʿIlm And Taqwā

رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): سَتَكُونُ فِتَنٌ يُصبِحُ الرجُلُ فيها مؤمِنا ويُمسِي كافِراً، إلّا مَن أحياهُ اللّه‏ُ تعالى بالعِلمِ.

The Noble Prophet Muḥammad (ṣ) said, “There will come a time with trials where a person will rise in the morning a believer and turn a disbeliever in the evening, save those whom Allah, most High, revive with knowledge.”

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ (مَنْ يَتَّقِ اللهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً) مِنَ الْفِتَنِ، وَنُوراً مِنَ الظُّلَمِ،

You should know that “..whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out” (65:3) of troubles and (grant him) a light (to help him) out of darkness.

To conclude, learning from this profound hadith, perhaps we can say: Sometimes, you just have to be an Ibn al-Labūn!