THE WORD OF GOD

From The Scriptures

The Quran is the book of God. It has been preserved in

its entirety since its revelation to the Prophet of Islam

between CE 610 and 632. It is a book that brings glad

tidings to humankind, along with divine admonition,

and stresses the importance of man’s discovery of the

Truth on a spiritual and intellectual level.

Translated from Arabic and commentary by

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

O Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in an uncultivable valley

near Your Sacred House, Lord, so that they might establish their

prayers. So, make people’s hearts incline towards them and provide

them with fruits so that they may be grateful. ( 14: 37 )

The hilly and desert world of ancient Makkah was a natural training

ground for the realization of God; the entire panorama of nature was

an encouragement to man to remember Him. The only sign of human

construction here, which claimed man’s attention, was the stone

mosque, the Ka‘bah, built by Abraham and Ishmael. Here man could

enter and engage in the remembrance of God.

In this atmosphere, the children of Ishmael were miraculously provided

with water from the Zamzam spring. Moreover, it was so arranged that

they received sustenance (rizq) from produce which was not grown

there. This was, in fact, a special arrangement to make them grateful.

With the provision of extraordinary bounties, extraordinary feelings

of gratefulness arise in man. This was the wisdom which was hidden

in Abraham’s prayer that in the desert they should be provided with

sustenance in the shape of fruits.

Lord, You have knowledge of all that we hide and all that we reveal:

nothing in heaven or on earth is hidden from God. Praise be to God

who has bestowed upon me, despite my old age, Ishmael and Isaac.

Surely my Lord is the hearer of prayer. Lord, grant that I may keep

up the prayer, and so may my offspring. My Lord, accept my prayer.

Forgive me, Lord, and forgive my parents and all the believers on the

Day of Reckoning.’ ( 14: 38-40 )

In this prayer of Abraham, one sees glimpses of all those emotions

which emerge in the heart of a true subject of God while addressing

a prayer to Him. His submissive attitude compels him to admit his

humility before God; whatever he requests is on the basis of his being

needy and not on the basis of any entitlement; on the one hand, he

admits to the bounties already available to him and, on the other,

presents his request with all due respect. He admits that God is the

Giver and man the beneficiary.

He prays to God to make him live in the world as His worshipper. He

makes this request for himself, for his family members and for all

believers also. At the time of prayer, the greatest problem before him

should not be that of the world but that of the Hereafter, where a man

has to live forever.

The prayer then made is prophetic in nature, and if such a prayer comes

from a true heart, it will necessarily be accepted by God.

CHILDRENS CORNER

Selections from Quran Stories for Kids

Goodword is an award-winning publishing company

with a splendid range of Islamic Books in many

languages. It offers innovative products for children,

including Quran stories, moral stories, craft and activity

books, gift packs, Islamic games, Arabic and Islamic

readers for home and school.

Dear kids,

The Quran contains many biographical events from the lives of the

Prophets, their household and other pious people. These hearttouching events quite amazingly convey to us how a God-oriented life

is lived. In this issue, we introduce to you a collection of such twelve

stories. The book is titled Quran Stories for Kids and is authored by Dr

Saniyasnain Khan. He is an award-winning author and he is recognized

as one of the world’s most influential Muslims

Here, we reproduce one story The Brave Boy from this beautiful

collection. The book is beautifully illustrated.

Name of the Book: Quran Stories for Kids

Author / Translator: Saniyasnain Khan

ISBN: 8178980916

Page: 240

Binding: Hardbound

Availability: www.goodwordbooks.com

THE BRAVE BOY

Long long ago, about 4000 years ago, there lived the Prophet Ibrahim

(Abraham). He was gracious, tender-hearted and pure in faith. His

family lived in a beautiful valley, which is now known as Makkah.

One night, the Prophet Ibrahim (May peace and blessings of Allah be

upon him) dreamt that he was sacrificing his son Ismail (Ishmael). This

was an order from his Lord. Ismail (May peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was still a child, but the Prophet Ibrahim told him about

the dream.

Ismail was a brave boy. He was ready to obey the command of Allah,

Who had created him. So, without hesitating, he said to his father, “Do

what are you commanded, father. God willing, you will find me one of

the steadfast.”

Ibrahim took his son away to sacrifice him. As he reached a place, which

is now known as Mina—a valley near Makkah—Satan appeared and

tried to stop him from doing his Lord’s bidding. The Prophet Ibrahim

picked a few small stones and threw them at Satan. Little Ismail and his

mother did likewise.

The Prophet Ibrahim gently placed his son on the ground and

blindfolded himself with a handkerchief so that he could not see his

beloved son while carrying out his Lord’s command.

As Ibrahim took a knife to sacrifice Ismail, Allah sent the angel Jibril

(Gabriel) down with a ram. “Sacrifice this ram. Do not sacrifice Ismail,”

said Jibril (May peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to Ibrahim.

Allah was so pleased with the readiness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his

beloved son that he commanded the believers to observe this day as

Id al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice. Every year, Muslims sacrifice an

animal in remembrance of the Prophet Ibrahim’s trust in Allah.

This story reminds the believers of the readiness of the Prophet

Ibrahim to give up his beloved son. Likewise, believers should be ready

to part with their precious belongings, and their wealth, and dedicate

their lives, if the cause of Islam so requires.

Thus the Quran says: “Truly, my prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my

death all belong to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (Surah al-Anam, 6: 162 )

THE VALUE OF PRAYING

The True Status of Man

PRAYING is the most powerful weapon in the hands of a believer.

Praying bestows upon the believer courage and hope. It offers

refuge from the negative experiences in this world.

Here are some sayings of the Prophet Muhammad concerning prayer

collected from authentic books containing Prophetic Teachings.

• Praying – that is what worship is.

• Praying is the essence of worship.

• God becomes displeased with one who does not beseech Him.

• Nothing, save prayer, can avert fate.

• As long as one does not pray for an abomination, or for the severing of some bond of kinship, God will grant one whatever one prays

to Him for, or else withhold evil from the supplicant in like degree.

• There is nothing dearer to God than prayer.

• Call on God, asking Him of His bounty, for the Lord loves to be

called upon.

• Prayer helps with regard to what has happened, and what has not

happened. Have recourse to prayer then, you servants of God.

• Praying is a means of asking God for the fulfillment of all our needs

no matter how mundane or insignificant as even a shoe lace.

Prayer is an

acknowledgement

of the supplicant’s

absolute helplessness

on the one hand, as

opposed to God’s

absolute power on

the other.

Prayer is an acknowledgement of the

supplicant’s absolute helplessness on the

one hand, as opposed to God’s absolute

power on the other. The act of prayer puts

man in his true place, and also gives God

His rightful station. Prayer, then, is to accept

things as they are. It is the supreme degree

of realism, and the apprehension of reality, in

turn, is the most excellent of all actions. For,

in this world, where man has been given a

choice between belief and disbelief, between

acknowledgement and denial, there is nothing

greater than acceptance of the true nature of things.

THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN ISLAM

An Interview with Ms Fahmida Khan

MS FAHMIDA KHAN (b. 1964) is a

senior CPS member. She conducts

weekly online lectures in Urdu. Her

lectures are focussed on the learnings from

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan and are broadcast

on Facebook Live. She plays an active role in

the group comprising of women members of

CPS. From a homemaker busy in mundane

affairs to a life of a missionary spreading the

peaceful message of Islam, her journey has

been truly inspiring. She lives in Faizabad.

Dr Safeena Tabassum interviewed her so that we could get the details

of this amazing journey in her own words. Dr Safeena Tabassum is

an ophthalmologist. She completed MBBS and MS (ophthalmology)

from Aligarh Muslim University. She joined CPS International in 2007.

Presently, she is moderating the CPS Ladies Group on WhatsApp that

was started by Fahmida Aapa.

Let’s start with your childhood. What was the environment in which

you were brought up? I mean what role women were expected to play

in the family or society?

There was no particular thrust on educating women. Performing the

household chores, rearing the children formed the responsibility of

a woman. Women could somehow pursue higher studies, but when

it came to their participation in the sphere of religion, they were

considered unfit.

For centuries, the contribution of women in Muslim societies especially

with regard to their participation in the field of religion was almost

zero. It was aapa (Dr Farida Khanam) who played an important role

in my life. She unveiled the true status of women in Islam. Trained

and guided by her father Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, aapa has been

playing her part in communicating the message of Islam.

Maulana has written books on this topic such as Woman in Islamic

Shariah and Woman between Islam and Western Society. After reading

these books, I have come to realize the role women can play in family

and society. Countless women have now realized their role in the

sphere of religion. They are now associating themselves with the CPS

mission.

You are a niece of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. So, how did your

association with this mission start? Did it come naturally to you

because of the family bond or was there some other reason?

From childhood, I had a special bond with Maulana. I remember that

when I was 10 or 12 years old, how happy I would feel when Maulana

visited us. He was always engrossed either in reading or in writing. I

would observe him stealthily from behind a curtain. Whenever I got the

chance, I would sit by his side silently. I liked to do something he asked

me to do. I even enjoyed just sitting by his side. This was how I knew

him but I knew nothing about the mission he was working on and also I

knew nothing about the God-oriented life he had been living. It was yet

to dawn on me that Maulana was a different person and that he had

dedicated his life to God.

I always felt this special attachment with Maulana that I did not feel for

other family members. The Urdu monthly Al-Risala that Maulana wrote

would arrive regularly at my home. I never consciously learned any

lesson from the magazine. To put it in a nutshell, for me Maulana was

always right. I would see the light of truth with him. Then it happened

that the travails of life forced me towards his mission. I consider this

shift a great blessing of God. Here, I found my soul at rest and peace

of mind.

Who played a bigger role in your upbringing, your father or Maulana?

I would say that Maulana played a bigger and integral role in my

upbringing. My father was a regular reader of Maulana’s writings.

Through his example, I would read Maulana’s books. In this way, father

and daughter, we both were trained by Maulana.

What are the lessons that you learned from the company of Maulana?

Some learnings are so thrilling that they cannot be described in words.

I would mention some very special life lessons that I have learned from

Maulana.

1. Maulana lived a need-based life, whereas people live a desirebased life.

2. He lived quite simply. He ate simple food. His life was far removed

from what we may call materialistic.

3. He used to quote: Simple living, high thinking. He lived his life

exactly in accordance with this quote.

4. The mentality of the people is shaped by how they see the world.

They are affected by what the people would say, what the other

people are doing, material comfort and success, etc. People do read

the Quran but they plan their lives making this world their goal.

They consider success in this world as a real success. Maulana told

us the true meaning of reading the Quran. He told us that reading

the Quran means striving to become the person the Quran wants

us to become. It means to live one’s life in accordance with God’s

plan. It means to realize the true aim of life. It means to accord

supreme importance to the Hereafter and doing one’s utmost to

achieve success in the Hereafter. Maulana once wrote: People start

reading the book of life without first learning the language of life.

How did the idea of getting the women members of CPS International

on one platform come to your mind?

After attending Maulana’s Sunday Classes, I realized that I was not able

to do justice to the task of communicating the Word of God. I was fired

with the zeal to make more effort for this noble task. I kept praying to

God. Then came a new idea to my mind. I formed a WhatsApp group

consisting of women members of CPS in which we started discussions

among ourselves about the ideology of the Al-Risala Mission.

Please tell us more about this group.

This CPS Ladies Group includes more than 100 women from all over the

world, who expand their scope of God-realization through it and try to

understand how to carry forward the task of communicating the Word

of God. They then strive to share it with other women members of

their family and office. This WhatsApp group includes not only women

from India but also from outside India. They ask each other a question

about religion and etiquette of life that they have about everyday life,

or they ask a question about religion about which they do not have

clarity. Then they discuss it among themselves. This discussion is based

either on the Quran and the corpus of Hadith and Al-Risala articles or

the personal experience of the members. This removes much of their

confusion. Many new aspects of religion open up, and their intellectual

development continues.

What is the response you are getting from the members?

It is very inspiring and positive. One member gave the impression:

“Today I have not been able to participate much in the discussion, but it

is great to read all the messages. My takeaway today is that I will focus

on education and intellectual development in myself and my family, and take this work forward in such a way that it continues for the next

generation.”

Ms Arifa Naseer (New Delhi) wrote: “I learn a lot of new things every

day, and for the first time it is happening that I am also practising what

I learn.”

Ms Razia Khan writes: “God gave me an opportunity to learn from a

scholar like Maulana Sahib. Every day I listen or read Maulana Sahib’s

teachings through this group. Then there is a discussion on it, which

brings out new points. It opens the mind, allows you to recover and

improve. Since I joined this group, my tension has decreased.”

How did Maulana respond to the new development involving women

members?

Maulana was very pleased with this development. He even wrote an

article about it. I would like to reproduce here what he said:

When I heard about the CPS Ladies Group, I remembered a

saying of the Prophet Muhammad. He said: “The whole earth

has been made a mosque and pure for me and for the people

who follow me. (Musnad Ahmad) In an extended way, this saying

means that there will come a time when people can freely

perform the task of communicating the message of God as

they are free to worship in mosques throughout the earth. This

task is now possible through the use of the virtual world of the

Internet i.e. Facebook and WhatsApp, etc.

This initiative of women members of CPS is undoubtedly

commendable. This is an effective way through which women

can carry forward the peaceful mission of spreading the Word

of God in the present times. I pray to God that this CPS Ladies

Group should do a great job of communicating the Word of God

at the global level. May God accept their efforts, and protect

them!

This mission asks one to learn positive lessons from negative

experiences. What is your discovery in this regard?

Greater the shock, greater the discovery. I wanted to study more, but

I was not allowed and then I was married. This was my first shock.

Then, the people in my life demanded so much from me that I could

not spare time for the mission. Unilaterally, I continued giving my all to

my family with the expectation that all will be well in the end. However, this hope never materialized and life went on. My health and wealth,

everything was used up for material causes.

When my father died, this came as a great shock to me. Now, I could

not gather myself to continue my old way of life. This time around,

when I came to Maulana, I was mentally prepared to understand his

words. I started reading his books sincerely. I remember reading this:

If you place a seed on a plate made of gold, it will dry and wither away,

when the same seed is placed in soil, it sacrifices its existence and it

turns into a plant, then a tree which provides flowers and fruits.

These words shook me to the core. I realized as if these words are

directly addressing me. A seed after losing its existence is converted

into a new life. In the same way, God has trained me and given me new

life. I felt I have been divinely trained. I felt that I have left the darkness

behind and entered the light. My restless soul was now at peace.

After getting free from the clutches of the material world, I found peace.

When I forsook the world, I found God. After wandering for most of my

life, I discovered God. For a person, there can be no discovery greater

than this. The discovery of God is my greatest discovery.

AN INCOMPLETE LIFE

Be Realistic

THE world of advertising and marketing is strange indeed. How

far removed is this world from the real world is strikingly shown

in a recent interview published in the Times of India website on

November 17, 2021.

Mr Vijaypat Singhania is a former chairman emeritus of the Raymond

Group and a former Sheriff of Mumbai (19 December 2005 to 18

December 2006). He is 83-years-old.

Raymond Group is an Indian branded fabric and fashion retailer,

incorporated in 1925. It produces suiting fabric, with a capacity of

producing 31 million meters of wool and wool-blended fabrics.

Mr Singhania recently published his new memoir titled ‘An Incomplete

Life’. Interestingly, Raymond’s tagline is ‘A Complete Man’. The fabric

produced by Raymond makes one ‘A Complete Man’, while the person

who headed the company for a decade feels his life to be incomplete.

When asked about this, he said, “My title ‘An Incomplete Life’ had much

to convey about my life. I have written that every person, to complete

his life, needs an association with his grandkids, which has been denied

to me. My grandkids have been forbidden to see me which I think, I’m

sorry to use the word, is criminal.”

It appears in the interview that he has had some very strong

disagreements with his son and his son has denied him to see his

grandkids. While taking a sympathetic view of this unfortunate turn of

events, there are many important lessons one can learn from this sorry

affair.

One should never forget that there is a great difference between

appearance and reality. One should strive to pierce the veil of

appearance that lies on reality. This is so important that the Prophet

Muhammad used to pray: O God! Show me things as they are in their

reality.

The reality of this world is that it functions according to the creation plan

of God. According to this creation plan, human beings are undergoing

a period of test on this earth. Based on how human beings performed

in this test, they will be granted everlasting bliss or eternal damnation

in the Hereafter. Everything that a person gets in this world is part of

the test. The Quran says:

Your wealth and your children are only a trial; God’s reward is great: so

be mindful of God as best as you can; and listen, and obey, and spend

in charity. ( 64: 15-16 )

The life of this world is but a sport and a pastime. Surely the Home of

the Hereafter is best for those who fear God. ( 6: 32 )

In view of this reality, we should do well to come out with flying colours

in this test. We should be ever watchful of our association with family,

friends, business and society, etc. This is the place where we appear

for the test. This is not the place where we get the reward. It is in the

Hereafter that we shall get reward commensurate with our deeds in

this world. It is God on Whom we should pin our trust.

MATURE AND PROACTIVE INDIVIDUALS

Asset for a Mission

ABDULLAH IBN UBAYY (d. 631 ) was a great chief of ancient

Madinah. The people of Madinah had unanimously agreed to

make him their king. However, it so happened that the Prophet

Muhammad left Makkah and came to Madinah. The people of Madinah

(Ansar) now started to treat him as their leader. In the beginning,

the people who had migrated to Madinah (Muhajiroon) were in the

minority. But people continued migrating from different places until

the Muhajiroon became the majority and Ansar became a minority.

So far, Abdullah ibn Ubayy had been the ruler of the Ansar. (Tafsir Ibn

Kathir, 4/370)

This was the reason Abdullah ibn Ubayy had feelings of antagonism for

the Prophet and the Muhajiroon. He would somehow try to find ways

of accusing and humiliating them. One of the incidents in this regard

happened during the expedition against Banu Mustaliq (December

627 ). Abdullah ibn Ubayy participated with the people of his tribe in

support of the Muslims. Taking advantage

of an incident on the way, he made some

accusations against the Prophet and the

Muhajiroon. Addressing the people of his tribe,

he said, “Indeed, when we return to Madinah,

[we] the ones most worthy of honour will

surely drive out from there the contemptible

ones!’ [referring to poor Muslims]." ( 63: 8 )

The success of a

mission depends on

the fact that it gets

a team of prepared,

proactive and mature

people. Without such

a prepared team, no

mission can succeed.

This event is described in detail in books. In

summary, the caravan continued to move

until it approached Madinah. At that time a

very unusual incident happened:

His son Abdullah stood at the entrance of Madinah waiting for his father

Abdullah ibn Ubayy. When Abdullah ibn Ubayy reached the gate, his

son stopped him saying, “Wait, by God you cannot enter the city until

the Prophet of God allows you to enter.” When the Prophet reached

there, Abdullah ibn Ubayy asked him for permission to enter the city.

The Prophet permitted him to enter the city. His son Abdullah then left

his father so that he could enter.

This incident shows that the Companions of the Prophet were so

mature and proactive that they knew what they needed to do without

someone telling them. The Prophet had said nothing to Abdullah. He knew what he had to do on this occasion. The most appropriate thing

at that time was to show in front of Abdullah ibn Ubayy that he was no

longer a leader or chief of Madinah. It was the Prophet Muhammad

who was the chief of Madinah now.

Abdullah took the most timely and correct way of demonstrating this.

The best way to do this was to get the son of Abdullah ibn Ubayy to

do it. Abdullah understood this fact and at the right time played the

desired role that was expected of him on this occasion.

The success of a mission depends on the fact that it gets a team of

prepared, proactive and mature people. Without such a prepared

team, no mission can succeed.

There must be two qualities among the members of this team. One is

that every person of the team should be obedient. He should obey what

is said to him. He should not make excuses, whether it is a personal

excuse or an external excuse.

The second attribute is that the members of this team should be

mentally so mature that they are able to know what they need to do

without being told to. They should understand the situation without

someone telling them about it.

The importance of this second attribute is that there are many things

that cannot be said. When the mission expands and new requirements

emerge, it becomes impossible to tell people all the necessary things. In

such a time, the only practical thing is that a man himself understands

the depth of things with his own intellect, and he himself can take

necessary steps according to it at every opportunity.

No other attribute can replace this attribute of mental maturity and

readiness.

TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this is

a very narrow and restricted notion of peace. Peace is

deeply linked with the entirety of human life. Peace is

a complete ideology in itself. Peace is the only religion

for both—man and the universe. It is the master-key

that opens the doors to every success. Peace creates a

favourable atmosphere for success in every endeavour.

Without peace, no positive action—small or big—is possible.

CONSTRUCTIVE ENTERPRISE VS.

POLITICS

ABU ALI MUHAMMAD ibn Ali ibn Muqla (885-940) was a man of

great talent and capability. He made a substantial reform of

the ancient Arabic script (Kufic script) with his extraordinary

artistic ability. He succeeded in making it beautiful and comprehensive.

He took the Arabic script out of the early stages and carried it to the

highest stages. Philip K Hitti in his book History of the Arabs calls him the

founder of Arabic Calligraphy. (p. 468 )

Encyclopedia Britannica wrote that Ibn Muqla was born in Baghdad and

was the most prominent calligrapher of the Abbasid period (750-1258).

He gave the Arabic letter a novel beauty. (V/272)

Ibn Muqla was initially appointed as secretary on a six-dinar monthly

payment in an office of the Abbasid government in Baghdad. His artistic

mastery took him to the court of the Caliph. Here he gained so much

popularity that he was the vizier of three consecutive kings. First of

Al-Muqtadir Abbasi (895-932), then of his brother Al-Qahir Abbasi ( 899-

950), then of Al-Razi Abbasi (909-940).

It should be noted that the position of ‘vizier’ used to be synonymous

with the Prime Minister in ancient times. The king had only one vizier,

and he had all the powers. Hamid bin Abbas was a minister in the early

days of Al-Muqtadir. The king appointed Ali bin Isa al-Jarrah as a deputy

minister. This evoked surprise from the people. A poet wrote:

The strangest thing we’ve seen

That is, there are two ministers in one country.

These abilities of Ibn Muqla could have helped immensely in the

development of his art. If he had put these opportunities into the

development and research of the art of writing and other related

things in this regard, not only would the Arabic script have reached its

perfection long ago but many other inventions of the field of writing

and printing which came to light much later would have come into

existence much earlier.

For example, the paper was invented in China

in AD 105, eight hundred years before Ibn

Muqla. It was invented by Cai Lun who, like

Ibn Muqla, was the minister of the Chinese

Emperor Han Ho Ti. Some Chinese prisoners

who came into the hands of Muslims in

the Battle of Arabs and Chinese in Russian

Turkistan knew how to make paper. They were

asked to make paper in Samarkand. After that

in 795, the manual papermaking industry was

established in Baghdad. However, the work of

making paper through the machine was first

started in 1750 in Holland. The papermaking

in the form of a continuous roll started in

1798 in France.

History can forgive

Ibn Muqla of the

past, but what is

the excuse for the

present “Ibn Muqla”

who does not put

his abilities into

constructive work,

but is shying away

from his valuable

opportunities while

indulging in selfglorifying acts of

personal ambitions?

Similarly, the printing press was probably

first discovered by the Chinese in 770. This

was 115 years before the birth of Ibn Muqla. The oldest specimen of

printing was discovered in China even earlier in the fifth century AD.

The developed printing press in Europe was created by Gutenberg in

the 15th century and he used it to print the Bible. However, the printing

press in the Muslim world reached Egypt for the first time in 1798

through Napoleon.

Ibn Muqla was not only an expert in the art of writing but also had

amazing creativity. If he had put his God-gifted abilities in this field, then

paper printing and other such blessings which became available in the

Muslim world much later would have been made available during the

life of Ibn Muqla. Ibn Muqla would have been able to take the Muslim

world into the age of the printing press a thousand years ago. But he

was not content to restrict himself to this field. He could have utilized the opportunities available at the Ministry in the development of paper,

writing and printing. On the contrary, he used these opportunities as

stepping stones to jump to a life of fame and glory. As a result, he not

only ruined his life but the Muslims also lost the precious advantage

that could have been achieved through his abilities.

When Ibn Muqla reached the position of vizier (or Prime Minister),

the ideal thing for him was to use this great opportunity in some

constructive enterprise. But he suffered from the same psychological

disease which often afflicts those who are brought to a higher position.

His artistic and constructive ambitions now turned into political

ambitions. Instead of engaging in silent service, he now became the

leader of the secret political and military movements. Now he wanted

to bring about a revolution in the system of government for his own

benefit. He started plotting secretly to dethrone Caliph Al-Qahir and

crown Abu Ahmad ibn Muktafi as the Caliph of the Abbasid Empire.

There is an Arabic saying that the love of something makes a man

blind and deaf. Ibn Muqla suffered from this weakness despite all his

intelligence. He could not accurately assess his circumstances and the

power of the Caliph in comparison. So the secret was revealed. Ibn

Muqla was accused of conspiring with the army chief Monis Khadim to

dethrone Al-Qahir.

Ibn Muqla’s house was burnt down after the conspiracy was revealed.

Abu Ahmad ibn Muktafi was entombed alive. The intelligence of Ibn

Muqla came in handy for him. He escaped and then received the

ministry again after offering 500,000 dinars to the Caliph. But his

political ambitions again created problems for him. Al-Razi deposed

him from the ministry and put him under house arrest and cut off his

right hand. It was undoubtedly the harshest punishment that could

have been given to an artist. This is one of the verses he composed in

the prison of the house:

There is no enjoyment in life after the right hand is cut off,

O my life, when my right hand is separated from me, then you

also be separated from me.

Ibn Muqla’s extraordinary ability can be gauged from the fact that

when his right hand was cut off, he started practising writing with his

left hand. Even with his left hand, he would write as well as he would

write with his right hand. He attached a pen in his severed hand and

wrote with it too. It is said that no one could discern any difference in the writings before the hand was cut off and from the writings after the

hand was cut off. This man of extraordinary talent died at the age of 56

in his prison. (Hitti, p. 424 )

Ibn Muqla was also a poet. He penned many verses in mourning his

severed hand. He used to say: The hand which wrote a number of

copies of the Quran, which recorded a number of Hadith reports of the

Messenger of God, which wrote down the court commandments that

were sent to the east and the west, was cut off like the hand of thieves.

But in this world, such emotional words have no value. Ibn Muqla’s

fault was that he did not stop at writing the Quran and Hadith. And

whoever goes beyond the limits like this, this is how it ends for him.

Ibn Muqla died, but his character is still alive today. There are still many

people who are following exactly the path of Ibn Muqla. They invest

their opportunities in acquiring personal glory rather than building

society. The result is that today the history of the Muslim community has

become a history of destruction rather than a history of construction.

History can forgive Ibn Muqla of the past, but what is the excuse for

the present “Ibn Muqla” who does not put his abilities into constructive

work, but is shying away from his valuable opportunities while indulging

in self-glorifying acts of personal ambitions? Do they not remember a

saying of the Prophet that a believer is not stung twice (by a snake)

from the same hole.

It is a fact that the best talents have always been ruined by political

ambitions. Only those jump into the field of politics who are born with

great potential from nature. Instead of putting their great potential

into a constructive service, they try to oust political rulers from power.

As a result, numerous human lives are lost. Numerous economic

resources are wasted. What actually transpires is that some people

gain leadership and fame, and instead of one ‘wrongdoer’, another

‘wrongdoer’ gets to sit on the throne.

There is no precedent in history that the politics of tussle has ever

yielded any real results. The secret of raising the nation is that the

leaders of the nation should lower their political flag. When the seeds

of individual courage are buried in the earth, then the magnificent tree

of the national future grows. Today, our history awaits the same kind

of psychological evidence, not murder and death.

WHEN WORDS BECOME THE TRUTH

IN the early period of Islam, there are many events that showcase

the exemplary character of the Muslims. Of these, I find a few

moments in Islamic history very rare. The words that were said in

these moments cannot be said again in history.

The first such moment is about the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet

had migrated in secret from Makkah to Madinah. He was hiding in the

Cave of Thawr with his Companion Abu Bakr. Meanwhile the Quraysh

search party scoured the area south of Makkah where the Prophet and

Abu Bakr where hiding. They came upon the mouth of the cave, and

had they looked down while standing at the edge of the cave, they

would have surely found the men they were hunting.

With the Quraysh so close to discovering their hiding place, Abu Bakr

became very tense about the Prophet’s safety. The Prophet reassured

him, “How can you be apprehensive about the two with whom is a third,

the third being God Himself?”

This is not some plain statement. These words express the Prophet’s

utmost trust in the help of God.

The second moment is about the death of the Prophet Muhammad.

The people at large were greatly perturbed. It was at this time Abu Bakr

came riding his horse from his dwelling place. He got down from it,

entered the Mosque and did not speak with anybody and went directly

to the Prophet, who was covered with a marked blanket. Abu Bakr

uncovered his face. He knelt down and kissed him and then started

weeping and said, “My father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O

God’s Prophet! God will not combine two deaths on you. You have died

the death which was written for you.”

Then he went out and said, “Whoever worshipped Muhammad, then

Muhammad is dead, but whoever worshipped God, then God is Alive

and shall never die.”

These words show the quality of differentiation that a believer shows

between God and His servants.

The third moment shows the emotional turmoil Umar underwent when

he heard the news of the Prophet’s death. He refused to believe that

the Prophet had died. He stood at the gates of the Prophet’s mosque

with his sword in his hand.

Abu Bakr told him to sit down but Umar refused. Abu Bakr again told

him to sit down but Umar again refused. Then Abu Bakr left him alone

and addressed the gathering. Among the things he said, he also recited

this verse of the Quran: Muhammad is only a messenger. Messengers

have passed away before him. If he should die, or be killed, will you

turn back on your heels? Those who turn on their heels do not harm

the Lord in the least. God will reward the grateful. ( 3: 144 )

The effect of Abu Bakr’s address was electrical

in character. It appeared as though the people

did not know that this verse of the Holy Quran

had come down until Abu Bakr had recited it

that day. Umar later said:

“By God when I heard Abu Bakr recite these

words I was dumbfounded so that my legs

would not bear my weight, and I fell to the

ground knowing that the Holy Prophet was

indeed dead.”

A person’s character

is expressed through

his words. The words

of a true believer

radiate with trust in

God, realization of

the greatness of God,

acceptance of reality

and a keen sense of

the mission that he

has to follow.

This is a statement of recognition of truth,

even if it is against one’s own wish.

The fourth moment is that of the Caliph Umar

bin Abdul Aziz, also known as Umar II. One of his governors, Jarrah bin

Abdullah, said he did not want to encourage people embracing Islam.

His reason was that if a large number of people became Muslims, the

amount of money collected in the form of taxes will be reduced, and

the government finances will be affected tremendously. It must be

noted here that this tax exempted the followers of others faiths to join

the army and it was the responsibility of Muslim rulers to provide them

security and safety.

Umar bin Abdul Aziz replied: God Almighty sent the Prophet Muhammad

as a guide to humanity, not as a collector of taxes.

This profound statement is an expression of the complete realization

of the responsibility of the believers to communicate the Word of God

on the one hand and realization of the true mission of the Prophet on

the other.

A SOURCE OF SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT

DAVID CRYSTAL, a British linguist, is the foremost writer and

lecturer on the English language. For students who wish to

improve their English language skills, he prescribes reading the

quarterly English Today three times daily before or after meals. Being

so passionate about mastering the English language, I followed this

advice to the letter.

Existential questions, faith in the unseen, peace and spirituality are

the areas that have always grabbed my attention. I feel it equally

important to have a reason-based understanding of faith and religion

to live a productive and uplifting life. To aid me on this journey, I read

the magazine Spirit of Islam (SOI) three times daily. SOI has been the

source of my spiritual nourishment.

Every day, this world throws up new challenges that may well unseat

the reason of any person. It becomes all the more important to know

the bigger picture behind everyday occurrences. Human reason, with

its limitations, stands stunned to challenges such as the problem of

evil, why one needs to follow a universal code of conduct, violence,

injustice, natural as well as man-made calamities. Human reason sans

divine guidance is prone to misjudgement. What a relief it is to find

practical solutions for not only mundane affairs but also lofty questions

of human intellect in the pages of SOI! Read this passage that appeared

in the first issue of SOI if you are thinking about why you cannot always

have all the good things in life:

God has placed unpleasant things alongside the pleasant things

of life. Just as the rose bush, along with its exquisite flowers,

also possesses piercing thorns, so also does life contain an

amalgam of both pleasing and displeasing objects. This is the

way God has created the world. There is nothing for us to do but

to fit in with this order of nature that He has laid down. Much as

we may try, it is impossible for us to have things any other way.

(January 2013)

The contents of SOI are based on the writings and ideas of Maulana

Wahiduddin Khan. The uniqueness of SOI lies in the fact that its

contents take into account the divine guidance enshrined in the Quran,

the practical model of the Prophet Muhammad, a true understanding

of human nature and modern science. This results in very practical and

real solutions to problems and challenges. We all wish to see an ideal

society come into existence. We have some ideas as to how that should

be brought about. It is also an undeniable fact that an ideal society has

never materialized. Read this passage on this topic:

A man builds his personality by his own decision. It is enough

for a human being to have individual willpower, but it cannot

be with the whole society. The will is within an individual, the

collective will within society is just an imaginary concept. It

does not exist in reality. That is why in history there have been

many individuals who possessed an ideal character, but it never

happened that the whole society or the whole collective system

became an ideal society. According to the creation plan of God,

this is not possible. (April-June, 2021)

SOI helps us to gain perspective. It guides towards a God-oriented life.

It emphasizes a duty-conscious life as opposed to right-conscious life.

It teaches us to learn positive lessons from the seemingly negative

occurrences. It inspires us to never lose hope. It encourages us to

trust the indomitable human spirit. It opens doors for us to have direct

communion with God. And, it guides us to believe in God and put our

trust in His creation plan for us.

Because of the profound relevance of SOI in our life, I am tempted, like

David Crystal, to suggest to all our readers to read it daily. With this

issue, Spirit of Islam enters the 10th year of its publication. This is a

humbling occasion. It is special succour of God

that SOI has come thus far. I, along with the SOI

team, offer our praises to God for the plenteous

bounty and gifts which He has bestowed upon

us.

We wish all our readers a safe, peaceful and

happy New Year. May God bless you with health,

peace and happiness! May God guide us all to

the Straight Path!

Mohammad Usman

Sub-editor