Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia – 2017/11/22

The rapid fall of Zimbabwe’s president, whose legendary craftiness and ruthlessness helped him outmanoeuvre countless adversaries, including economic isolation and colonial rule for over nearly four decades, probably has surprised no one more than Robert Mugabe himself.

While Mugabe has abdicated his seat after nearly 37 years as President of Zimbabwe, there are lessons we should take from his time at the helm of our northern neighbour.

The first, obviously, is that while, from the pinnacle of power, a country’s president may feel everything is under their control, but this is not the case.

Radio Islam’s Ml Sulaimaan Ravat says whilst all the analysis and political discussions will take place, there are Islamic and spiritual lessons we can take from the fall of an authoritarian ruler.

“Allah grants us a reminder now and again that no one is totally in control, it is only Allah who is absolutely in control.”

Ml Ravat says people would have assumed Mugabe had it all under control, but ultimately what Allah wants is what will happen.

“And what Allah doesn’t want, is what not will happen. Remember those words of Rasoolullah (SAW) to Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA) ‘that if the entire world comes together to benefit you and they can’t benefit you unless Allah has willed it, and if the entire world comes together to harm you, they cannot harm you except if Allah has willed it.”

Ml Ravat tracks back to when there was a time Mugabe was a hero.

“He was seen in the same kind of category as Nelson Mandela and now look at him, people are rejoicing, people are throwing frames of his off the wall, people are burning pictures of him, they are celebrating his fall and demise.”

Ml Ravat highlights that honour and disgrace can only come from Allah.

“It all depends on the will of Allah and it depends on what Allah SWT has decreed, as Muslims we should remind ourselves in that regard that it is Allah who is in control.”

Ml Ravat says human support and loyalty is fickle and fluid.

“Today people are with you, you are the flavour of the day, the hero, today you are the man. And, tomorrow, either because they get caught up in a crowd mentality (when a few people start a particular campaign) and then it gains traction and has a snowball effect and all of a sudden those very same people turn against you.”

-Ml Ravat says there were millions of Zimbabweans who up until the last election, voted for Mugabe.

“Now all of a sudden they want Mugabe out, it shows, that people will sometimes go with the popular wave and once the popular wave turns against you, those people who were loyal to you and supporting you and who were encouraging you, they also get carried away by that popular wave against you.”

However, Ml Ravat says that it is not always about the popular wave, self-interest also plays a part.

“So, people who as recent as last week, said they were ready to stand by Mugabe, now because they are in trouble, and could face jail or political isolation, are quickly apologising and abandoning him.”

Ml Ravat adds that Mugabe realised no one was standing with him towards the end.

“No one from his own party, cabinet, no one from his inner circle, even SADEC was not there for him, and eventually he had to throw in the towel.”

These lessons are all linked to a former President of a country, but Ml Ravat says these lessons can be applied to us as well.

“We may not be presidents of a country, but we may be enjoying some position or we may be enjoying some favour of Allah, let’s never think we have it totally under control, let’s never think that it will always be there, because only Allah knows what is around the corner.”

-Ml Ravat says we need to take these lessons and internalise it on our own level.

“Honour comes from Allah, today you may be having honour, and tomorrow it may go. If you want that honour to last, establish that link with Allah, do not anger Allah, do not break the commandments of Allah SWT.”

The Fall Of Mugabe

Ml Ravat adds that we cannot ignore the fact that Mugabe did remarkable things for the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe.

“You cannot take away the fact that he was 11 years in prison, the fact that he fought the liberation struggle.”

Ml Ravat likened Mugabe’s rule to doing many good things when we are not in ‘great circumstances’, and all of a sudden when we have power, authority, glory and honour, we tend to forget and blow our own legacy to shreds.