Ragging in Islam

Ragging
[Talk was delivered by Brother Abdul Karim on this issue]
'Ayisha (ra) reported that the Prophet (saw) said:
“Allah is gentle and loves gentleness in all things. He grants on
account of gentleness what he does not grant for harshness or
anything else.”
I want to discuss about a current ongoing process in campuses
and job places. We are involved in many actions without proper
justification from Islam. We do many things just because we
have fun on it. Ragging and hazing are prime of those actions.
Did you ever think is it allowed in Islam to involve such an
action like ragging or hazing? As a Muslim we have to think all
of our actions will be accounted and we will be punishing if any
of our action contradicts Islam.
Allah Says:
“And follow not that of which you have no knowledge; for every
act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be
enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning)” [TMQ Al-Israa: 36]
Ragging is term normally used in India, Pakistan and some
other countries."Society Against Violence in Education" gives
the definition of Ragging as such:
" Ragging' means the doing of any act which causes, or is likely
to cause any physical, psychological or physiological harm of
apprehension or shame or embarrassment to a student, and
includes– (a) teasing or abusing of playing Practical joke on, or
causing hurt to any student. or (b) asking any student to do any
act, or perform any thing, which he/she would not, in the
ordinary course, be willing to do or perform."
Similar action in west is define as "Hazing". Hazing is defined
by the FIPG (Fraternal Information Programming Group) as:
"Any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on
or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical
discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such
activities may include but are not limited to the following: use
of alcohol; paddling in any form; creation of excessive fatigue;
physical and psychological shocks; quests, treasure hunts,
scavenger hunts, road trips or any other such activities carried
on outside or inside of the confines of the chapter house;
wearing of public apparel which is conspicuous and not
normally in good taste; engaging in public stunts and
buffoonery; morally degrading or humiliating games and
activities; and any other activities which are not consistent with
fraternal law, ritual or policy or the regulations and policies of
the educational institution."
I’m giving you some data which explains that many students
ware victimise in India because of such action. Ragging causes
physical and mental harms to a student. Worst effect of it may
lead to suicide.
Amit Sahai was a student of NIT Jalandhar,
Punjab and he committed suicide on October
11, 2005 by jumping in front of a speeding train.
He blamed nine senior students of NIT
Jalandhar in his suicide note for having had
mercilessly ragged him.
Durgesh Shukla hanged himself from a ceiling
fan on September 18, 2007. He blamed seniors
in his suicide note.
Manjot Singh, an MBBS student, committed
suicide by consuming a poisonous substance
on August 8, 2007 .
18 year-old Chetan Raj committed suicide on
September 20, 2007. His body was found
hanging from the roof of his lodge room. He had
already complained to his parents that he was
being ragged in his college.
A first year engineering student, C Abraham,
hanged himself to death on December 14, 2005
at his residence in Hyderabad. In his suicide
note, he mentioned that he was not interested in
studies. His parents suspect that his suicide to
be a result of ragging.
A 19-year-old first year engineering student,
Anup Kapoor, committed suicide on September
19, 2002 by hanging himself from a ceiling fan
at his residence in Kanpur. In his suicide note,
Anup said that he was going through mental
agony due to the sexual harassment by second-
year students of the institute (Institute of
Engineering and Technology, Lucknow) in the
name of ragging.
Azad Nair was a 22 year old cadet at the
Officer's Training Academy(OTA) in Chennai.He
had hanged himself from the fan of his room on
5th November, 2006. Prior to his suicide he had
told his brother Soumendu over telephone that
he was being ragged and humiliated at the OTA
and he had pleaded to his father Padmanabhan
Nair to rescue him from the OTA.
So let us understand the topic from the Islamic view point.
Actions Involve during ragging
Insulting
When students take ragging from a junior they speak in insulting
manner.
Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw)
said:
“Truly Allah detests the obscene and foul-tongued.”
Reported by Ahmad with a reliable chain of transmitters.
Reported by at-Tirmizi who said the hadith is hasan sahih. Also
reported by al-Haakim and Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih.
‘Ayisha (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:
“Be calm, O 'Ayisha! Take care of kindness, and beware of
harshness and bad language.”
Pride
Students are often too proud as they are senior. Pride is only
for Allah
Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported on the authority of al-Haritha
b, Wahb al-Khuzaa'I that the Prophet (saw) said:
“Shall I not inform you about the inmates of Hell? It is every
violent, impertinent and proud person.”
Making Fun
It is so obvious that senior student’s demand singing, dancing,
acting from a new comer so that they can make fun.
Al-Hasan (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:
“Verily those people that make fun of people – for them a gate
of Jannah will be opened. It will be said to them: Come (and
enter). That person will come with all of his anguish and
depression – but when he gets close, the gate will be closed in
his face. Then another gate (to Jannah) will be opened and it
will be said: Come (and enter). So that person comes with all of
his anguish and depression. But when he gets close, the gate
will be closed in his face. This will keep happening to him until
it gets to the point where it will be said to someone: Come (and
enter), and he will not come out of despair from ever entering
paradise.”
Oppression/Injustice
Oppression doesn’t only mean physical torture; mental torture
is also a kind of oppression. Pulling out of shirt by force is
simplest mean of torture.
Ibn ‘Abbas (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) sent
Mu’az to Yemen and said:
“Fear the du’a of the oppressed for between it and Allah there
is no barrier.” (Agreed upon)
How should we behave with a fresher?
Look at Other Muslim as brother
Allah says:
“The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace
and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and
fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy.” [TMQ Al-Hujurat: 10]
In the hadith of ‘Umar it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(saw) said:
“A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him
nor deserts him. Whoever helps to remove the hardship of his
brother, will have his difficulties removed by Allah in this world
and in the Hereafter.”
Muslims are strongly tight up with bond of imaan. Therefore a
Muslim must loves another muslim. If we look at many Quaanic
ayah and sayings of Rasulallah (saw) we will see that Islam
teaches us to love our brothers, hide their faults, standby their
side when they need, protect them from enemy and be like a
mirror to each other. Allah says:
“The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another:
they enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil: they observe
regular prayers, practise regular charity, and obey Allah and His
Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is
exalted in power, wise.” [TMQ At-Tawbah: 71]
And, on the authority of Abu Dardaa` (ra) who said that the
Prophets (saw) said:
“Whoever defends his brother's honour, Allah will protect his
face from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.”
So, it an essential part of our aqeeda that we must love our
muslim brothers from our heart. The hadith of Anas (ra)
reported by al-Bukhari states that the Messenger of Allah (saw)
said:
“None of you will taste the sweetness of Imaan until a man
does not love a person except for Allah’s sake.”
Similar hadith is mentioned by Huthaifah (ra), the Prophet said:
"Whoever does not take an interest in the affairs and problems
of the Muslims, he is not of them. And whoever’s state is such
that, each morning and evening, he is not loyal and earnest to
Allah, his Apostle, His Book, the Islamic ruler and towards the
Muslims, as a whole, he is not of them."
Also at-Tabaraani reported with a trustworthy chain of
transmitters which is classed as hasan ahadith on the authority
of Zayd b. Thabit that the Messenger of Allah (saw):
“Allah continues to help a servant so long as he goes on
helping his brother.”
So, therefore we must be careful of matter that all Muslims
around the globe are our brothers as long as they are strict to
the point “la ilaha illahu mohammadur rasullah”. We must love
our brother’s regardless ethnicity, colour or country. We must
not oppress or humiliate any Muslim brother by the means of
ragging. We should help the fresher so that Allah becomes
pleased on us. Neither we should look think us superior as we
are senior. We must work for unity of Muslim and this will lead
us to Jannah.
Be nice to a non Muslim for the sake of Dawah
Quran instructs Muslims to treat non-Muslims courteously in a
spirit of kindness and generosity, given they are not hostile
towards Muslims. Allah says:
“Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you
because of religion and do not expel you from your homes –
from dealing kindly and justly with them. Indeed, God loves
those who act justly. ” (Al-Mumtahanah 60:8)
Al-Qarafi, a classical Muslim scholar, describes the depth of the
meaning of “dealing kindly” referred to in the above verse. He
explains the term:
“…gentleness towards the weak, providing clothing to cover
them, and soft speech. This must be done with affection and
mercy, not by intimidation or degradation… Also, praying they
receive guidance and [thus] join the ranks of the blessed with
external reward, advising them in all wordily and spiritual
matters, protecting their reputation if they are exposed to
slander, and defending their property, families, rights, and
concerns. Assisting them against oppression and getting them
their rights.”
Divine commandments to treat non-Muslims in this manner
were taken seriously by Muslims. They were not just verses to
be recited, but Divine Will to be acted upon. The Prophet (SAW),
himself was the first person to put the divine comm