FROM MAULANAS DESK
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, born in 1925, in
Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is an Islamic spiritual
scholar who is well-versed in both classical Islamic
learning and modern disciplines. The mission of his life
has been the establishment of worldwide peace. He has
received the Padma Bhushan, the Demiurgus Peace
International Award and Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan
Peace award for promoting peace in Muslim societies.
He has been called ’Islam’s spiritual ambassador to the
world’ and is recognized as one of its most influential
Muslims
. His books have been translated into sixteen
languages and are part of university curricula in six
countries. He is the founder of the Centre for Peace
and Spirituality based in New Delhi.
READY TO RESPOND EVERY MOMENT
GOD Almighty created man and declared that He would help man
in every aspect and would be with him, in every situation. There
are many verses in the Quran which describe this fact. One such
verse of the Quran is as follows:
All those who are in the heavens and the earth ask of Him;
every day He manifests Himself in a new state.
Which then of the bounties
of your Lord will you deny?
THE QURAN 55: 29-30
This verse addresses man. Man is the concern of God and God Almighty
is ready to respond to man at all times. The following Hadith further
illustrates the meaning of the above mentioned verse of the Quran,
Prophet of Islam said:
“Every moment God is ready to forgive one who seeks
forgiveness from Him, is ready to help one who
seeks help from Him and is ready to respond
to one who calls upon Him.”
Al Qurtubi
How can we enable ourselves to find this ever-available help of God?
Use every event in your life as a point of reference! Our world is full
of points of reference, provided you have an awakened mind. Every
observation and learning can serve as a point of reference to establish
contact with God instantly and seek His blessings. By following this
method, you will be able to receive divine blessings every moment.
For example, when you undergo a hurtful experience in life, you can
make it a point of reference and pray to God to save you from the
hurtful experience of eternal life. Similarly, when you receive comfort
in life, you can make it a point of reference and pray to God for comfort
in eternal life.
We are living in a world where every moment we are faced with
distraction and fail to remember God. How should we overcome this
weakness? How should we continue to live in the remembrance of
God? This continuity can be maintained only by engaging in intellectual
effort on a constant basis.
Our mind is like a mobile phone. A mobile phone becomes inactive
when its battery gets exhausted and so we need to recharge it. The
same is also true for our mind. Our mind also needs to be recharged,
again and again. This is the only way to continue to inculcate divine
awareness, every day and night.
For example, when you are reading this article, you are using your
mind, your eyes as well as the external light — sunlight or electric
light. All these things were not created by you but are supplied by
God Almighty alone. Remember this divine bounty and present your
gratefulness to God. This is acknowledgement; and acknowledgement
is what makes you a deserving candidate to receive further bounties.
This is mentioned in the Quran in these words,
Remember the time when your Lord declared, “If you are
grateful, I will surely bestow more favours on you;
but if you are ungrateful, then know that
My punishment is severe indeed.”
THE QURAN 14: 7
This is God’s promise to man and God never betrays His promise.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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THE SECRET OF UNITY
Agree to Disagree
THE importance of unity in life can never be over-emphasized.
Great works are always the result of united efforts. Unity is
the greatest strength of any group and conversely, disunity its
greatest weakness.
In Islam, there is such great importance given to unity that it has
been made obligatory to perform the salah five times daily in a
united congregation. Salah in such a manner is an extraordinary
example of unity. The question now arises: when Muslims perform
the daily united congregational salah in the mosques on such a grand
scale, why is this very unity completely absent from their practical
lives? The reason for this is that real unity can only be established
when differences are tolerated. Remaining united despite differences
is the formula for true unity.
Ritualistic unity can be maintained as a form of routine,
but true unity requires a conscious awareness.
Muslims perform the congregational salah in the mosques, because
in doing so there are no differences that arise. The momentary or
temporary unity in the mosques is a unity without any differences,
whereas, life outside of the mosque is full of differences. Here, it
becomes necessary to lead our lives in a united manner despite our
differences, and to ignore or tolerate the differences whilst maintaining
mutual unity. Present day Muslims lack this second attribute and that
is why they have no real unity in their social lives.
To be temporarily united whilst carrying out ritual acts is very easy, but
to remain united and live harmoniously whilst ignoring or tolerating
differences is extremely difficult. Ritualistic unity can be maintained
as a form of routine, but true unity requires a conscious awareness.
Muslims of the present day do not possess this conscious awareness,
and this leads to there being no real unity in their lives.
ISLAM AND PEACE
An address by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
I AM thankful to the organizers of this conference for giving me the
opportunity to share my views with this learned audience. The topic
for the present discussion is Peace. It is a very good topic, there is no
doubt about it. Regarding myself, I would say that I am a born pacifist. I
would say that I was born with peace, I live in peace and I want to die in
peace. Also, I want to be buried in the graveyard of peace. Peace is very
important in every religion. There is no exception to this.
Peace is not simply the absence of war.
Peace means the presence of all kinds of good.
For example, let us take the Buddhist discipline. The essence of
Buddhism is tolerance, and tolerance is only the other name for peace.
When I see a Buddhist monk, it is a very strange sight for me. A Buddhist
monk is an embodiment of peace. I think that Buddhism is peace and
peace is Buddhism. Then, let us take Hinduism and Jainism. According
to my study, both Hinduism and Jainism share a common belief, that
is non-violence or ahimsa. It is obvious that non-violence is only the
other name for peace. Then, let us consider Christianity and Judaism.
If you read the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament,
you will find that peace is very important in the teachings of both the
religions. For example, Jesus Christ has said: “Love your enemy.” What
does it mean? You cannot love your enemy without living in peace. If
you are living in peace; if your case is that of a peaceful mind, only then
will you be able to love your enemy, not otherwise. So, in every religion,
peace has great importance.
If you consult the dictionary for the meaning of peace, it will tell you that
peace is absence of war. This is not a true definition. It is an incomplete
definition. Because, absence of war has many other meanings — for
example, absence of war means the absence of all kinds of evil: absence
of anger, intolerance, hate, etc. Without the absence of all these things,
you cannot have peace. So, peace is not simply the absence of war. Peace
means the presence of all kinds of good. Where there is peace, there is
love, tolerance, compassion. Moreover, where there is peace there are
opportunities. Without opportunity, you cannot do anything. Without
opportunity, we cannot organize a conference, we cannot establish an industry, we cannot have a job, we cannot establish educational
institutions. Opportunity is basic to all kinds of constructive activities.
And, opportunity is an integral part of peace. Without peace, there is
no opportunity. Due to this importance, peace has a very great place
in Islam.
First of all, I would say that there are many names of God Almighty.
One of the names of God is As-Salam, that is, Peace. Thus, God Himself
is peace. There is a prayer of the Prophet of Islam: “O God, You are
peace, peace comes from You, peace returns to You. Bless us so that
we can live in peace and grant us entry into paradise, the abode of
peace." (Bukhari). Thus, peace is very important in Islam. There is a verse
in the Quran:
And God calls to the home of peace
THE QURAN 10: 25
It means that God wants to establish a peaceful society. It is God’s plan.
God has directed people that they must establish a peaceful society,
because a peaceful society is a must for any kind of constructive activity.
Opportunity is basic to any kind of constructive activity.
Without peace, there is no opportunity.
Peace is the culture of the whole universe. In the universe, there are
numerous bodies: stars, planets, and galaxies. All these celestial bodies
are in a moving state: stars are moving, the planets are moving, and the
sun and the moon are moving.
Movement often leads to accidents. Our roads are a very good
illustration of this phenomenon. There is movement on our roads:
cars, trucks and various other things are in motion. And, an accident
takes place every second on these roads. But, if you observe the
universe, there are no accidents. There is movement, but there are no
accidents. Why is this so? Because, God Almighty controls the universe.
The universe is a divine demonstration telling us, ‘O men and women,
you have to live in peace!’ This is the culture of the universe: a divine
culture, or a universal culture.
According to western thought, freedom is the summum bonum, the
highest good. But, I don’t subscribe to this concept. In fact, peace is the summum bonum. Freedom has some negative points, but peace has
no negative points. This reality has been stated in the Quran in these
words: “Peace is the greater good” (THE QURAN 4: 128), or peace is the
best or peace is the summum bonum. I know that there are some
Muslims who are engaged in violence. However, they are not following
Islam. You have to differentiate between Islam and Muslims. You have
to judge Muslims in the light of Islamic teachings, not vice versa. Thus,
Muslims are not representatives of Islam. If you want to know what
Islam is, you have to see its text; that is, the Quran and Sunnah, and not
the Muslim practice.
Peace is the culture of the whole universe.
If you read the Seerah or the life of the Prophet of Islam, you will find
that the whole life of the Prophet was based on peace. The Prophet
never engaged in violence. I will give some examples. There were many
excuses or reasons for the Prophet to take to violence; however, he
refrained from doing so. The Prophet of Islam was born in 570 AD. He
started his mission in 610 AD in Makkah. As we know, the Kabah is the
holiest place in Islam. At the time the Prophet started his mission, there
were 360 idols in the Kabah. The Kabah was built by Prophet Abraham,
but after some centuries, the Arabs became idol-worshippers and
placed many idols in the premises of the Kabah.
The Prophet of Islam was the Prophet of tawheed, he was a monotheist.
That is, his main message was that God is one. The Prophet, however,
never reacted against these idols and remained in Makkah with this
situation for thirteen years. He simply tried to make people aware
of the reality of tawheed, that is, monotheism. Peaceful persuasion
or peaceful dawah work was the culture of the Prophet at that time.
The Prophet knew that his reaction would lead to violence, violence
to war, and hence there would be no peace. Thus, all opportunities to
perform dawah work would get jeopardized. So, the Prophet tolerated
the presence of idols in the Kabah.
Then, the Makkan people turned hostile to the Prophet and decided to
kill him. However he never went to war with them. The Prophet instead
migrated from Makkah to Madinah. This was also an act of peace. At
that time there were two options before the Prophet: either engage in
war or migrate from Makkah. The Prophet opted for migration; he left
Makkah and settled in Madinah.
There were three Jewish tribes residing in Madinah at that time. Almost,
half of the population of Madinah consisted of Jews. When the Prophet
settled in Madinah, he adopted the Jewish qibla as his own in Madinah.
The Prophet’s qibla, or prayer direction, was the Kabah, but he started
praying in the direction of the Jewish qibla. This was done only to avoid
confrontation. This was the policy of peace adopted by the Prophet.
When the Prophet settled in Madinah, he issued a declaration that has
come down in history as Sahifat al-Madinah, which means the Madinah
Declaration. In this, the Prophet included a provision in these words:
“For Jews their religion, for Muslims their religion” (Ibn Hisham). It means
that the Prophet placed both the Jewish and Muslim communities on
an equal level. There was no difference between Muslims and Jews. The
Prophet gave equal status to both the communities.
According to Islam, the categorization of people into
enemies and friends is wrong. Everyone is either
a friend or a potential friend.
I would like to share an interesting incident here. When the Prophet
was in Madinah. One day it happened that he saw a funeral procession
passing by. The Prophet was seated at that time, and on seeing the
funeral procession, he stood up in respect. One of his Companions said:
“O Prophet, it was the funeral of a Jew, not a Muslim.” That is, you are
offering respect to a Jewish body. The Prophet of Islam remarked: “Was
he not a human being?” (Al-Bukhari). Here, we can see that the Prophet
was able to discover a commonality between Muslims and Jews: they
have equal status; there is no difference at all. This is the true spirit
of Islam. Those Muslims who say this or that community are enemies
of Islam profess un-Islamic thinking. According to Islam, no one is our
enemy, not even Jews. No community or nation is the enemy of Islam.
Once when I was in the US, I was invited to give a lecture in a
church. After my lecture, a Christian scholar asked me a question.
“In Christianity, we have a very good teaching. Jesus Christ has said:
‘Love your enemy.’ This is a very nice teaching. Can you cite any example
of this kind from Islam?” I replied: “Yes, you can refer to Chapter 41 of
the Quran. There are 114 chapters in the Quran, both big and small.
The verse in Chapter 41 reads: ‘Good and evil deeds are not equal. Do
good deed in return for bad deed; then you will see that one who was
once your enemy has become your dearest friend” (THE QURAN 41: 34).This means that according to Islam, the categorization of people into enemies
and friends is wrong. According to Islam, everyone is either a friend or
a potential friend. An enemy is a potential friend. The duty of a Muslim
is to turn this potential into actuality through good deeds. This is the
true spirit of Islam
We shouldn’t limit ourselves to what is appearing in the media or what
Muslims are engaging in. One must refer to the Quran, the Seerah and
the Hadith. Fortunately, we have the authentic version of Islam, that
is, the Quran and Sunnah. If you want to know what Islam is, then do
not form an opinion through the media or Muslim practices. One must
directly read the Quran. The translations of the Quran are available in
different languages. By reading the Quran, one can discover Islam. If one
starts reading the Quran, one will learn that in the very first verse of the
very first Chapter, God is introduced as “the Lord of the Worlds”
(THE QURAN 1: 2), and not as Lord of the Muslims.
All the verses of the Quran are based on peace, love and compassion.
In Islam, hate is taboo and unlawful. No one is allowed to hate another
person, because every human being has been created by God Almighty.
No man or woman was created by Satan. So, there is no difference
between 'this' and 'that'. You have to adopt a friendly behaviour
towards every human being. There is a saying of the Prophet of
Islam: “A Muslim is one by whose hands and tongue, people are safe.”
(Al-Bukhari). That is, a Muslim is a peaceful member of society. Anyone
who claims to be a Muslim but is not peaceful is not a Muslim. This is
the criterion for being a Muslim.
If you want to know what Islam is, then do not form an
opinion through the media or Muslim practices.
One must directly read the Quran.
Once, a Companion of the Prophet came to seek his advice. At that
time the Prophet was facing various problems and atrocities. In that
situation, this Companion said: “O Prophet of God, give me some master
advice by which I may be able to manage all the affairs of my life.”
(Al-Bukhari). He wanted a formula by which he could lead his life peacefully
in family, society or with those people who subscribe to some other
religion. The Prophet said: “Don’t be angry.” What is anger? People are
angry when they are provoked. Without provocation, there is no anger.
Anger is always the result of provocation. Thus, when the Prophet said, ‘Don’t be angry’, he meant, ‘Don’t be angry, even when provoked’. This
is the true spirit of Islam. Negative reaction or negative thinking is
un-Islamic. The word Islam itself has a connotation of peace. Because,
the root word of Islam is silm, which means peace. So, Islam is a religion
of peace.
‘Don’t be angry, even when provoked’. This is the true
spirit of Islam. Negative reaction or negative
thinking is un-Islamic.
There are many stories of the Prophet having engaged in war. The fact,
however, is that the Prophet never engaged in war, except sometimes
when he was compelled, he engaged in skirmishes. They were small
skirmishes, and not wars. All the so called battles or wars were actually
skirmishes, because they lasted for only one day. According to scholars’
definition, it requires six days to call an act a war. The minimum period
of war is six days. In the life of the Prophet there was no full-fledged
war, only skirmishes.
What is the reason behind this? The reason is that Islam has a great
mission. The mission is to make people aware of the Creation Plan of
God. That is, to tell people why God created man, what is the right path
and the wrong path; what is pre-death period and post-death; what is
the successful way of life; how can one find entry into Paradise; what is
salvation, etc. All these questions are very important. The only mission
of the Prophet is to make people aware of these issues. There is no
need for fighting in order to do this. Islam wants peace so that it may
complete its mission. Such a mission cann be carried out only in peace
and normalcy. If there is hate, violence and war, one cannot perform
this mission.
So, the only concern of Islam and the Prophet of Islam was to make
people aware of the Creation Plan of God. This is not conversion; rather
it is only dawah, or conveying the message to all mankind. Conversion
is not Islam’s goal. Only conveying of the message of Islam is the goal,
that is, telling others what is the purpose of life, what is Paradise and
how to enter Paradise. This is a peaceful mission, and can be carried
out only in a normal situation.
All Muslims who are engaged in war; it is their own concern, not Islamic
concern. Muslims are not doing jihad, they are actually engaged in their qaumi fighting. This is true even of Muslims in Palestine and
Kashmir. All those countries where they are engaged in jihad is not
true jihad. Because, Jihad means to 'strive or struggle'. Jihad doesn’t
mean qital, which is fighting. Jihad simply means to struggle. There is
no connotation of war in this.
If you want divine blessings, then you have to live in
peace and establish a peaceful society.
This is the essence of Islam.
There is a verse in the Quran: “Do great jihad with them by means of
this [the Quran].” (THE QURAN 25: 52). Now, the Quran is not a sword or a
bomb or a gun. How can one wage war with the Quran? The Quran is a
book of ideology. So, this verse means that Islam believes in ideological
jihad, and not violent jihad. Violent jihad is out of the scheme of Islam.
The only jihad is ideological jihad through the Quran, that is, conveying
the message of the Quran to all mankind. The gist of that message is:
And God calls to the home of peace
THE QURAN 10: 25.
That is, ‘O people, you have to live in peace. So that you can receive
God’s blessings.’ This verse tells us that if you want divine blessings,
then you have to live in peace and establish a peaceful society. This
is the essence of Islam. What I am saying, I am saying with conviction,
after a long study of the Quranic and Islamic texts.
In short, Islam is a religion of peace, compassion and it advocates living
with friendly behaviour in society. This is the formula to establish a
better society in this world. Also, this is the formula by following which
one can find entry into Paradise.
Thank you!
This address was given at a conference on “Peace-Building through Learning and
Understanding” organized by World Buddhist Culture Trust and Osmania University Centre
for International Programmes, at Osmania University, Hyderabad on November 29, 2013.
THE VEIL OF CAUSATION
Cause of All Causes
A STRONG conviction in the existence of God is most desirable but
experience shows otherwise. Most people are unable to have a
strong faith in God and some of them go to such extremes as to
deny God altogether. This fact can be observed throughout the history
of mankind. Why is this so?
This is because in accordance with the creation plan of God, all events
and incidents are a consequence of cause and effect. For every event
that happens in this world there appears to be a cause, because of
which, most people attribute the event to its cause. Due to the presence
of this apparent cause, they are unable to see the hand of God behind
the event.
In accordance with the creation plan of God, all events
and incidents are a consequence of cause and effect.
This phenomenon has been observable throughout human history. But
in the present age with the discoveries of science, it has taken the form
of an ideology that could be called the ‘law of causation’. When scientific
developments using microscopic and macroscopic observations in
the universe uncovered the natural causes for all events, it came to
be understood that everything was the result of its cause. Because of
these scientific discoveries it came to be said:
If events are due to natural causes they are
not due to supernatural causes.
However, this is the very test of man in this world. Man needs to
develop his consciousness so that he can see the hand of God behind
every causal event. He should discover that in these events the cause
is just a veil and not the reality.
The name of this discovery is faith in God. Those people who are
able to discover this reality in this world are the ones who will be
deserving of a reward from God which will be their entry into everlasting
Paradise.
DESTRUCTIVE POLITICS
Political Interpretation of Islam
Once, a well-known Muslim ideologue from the West, while addressing
a Muslim conference, declared:
Rebellion against a tyrant is obedience to God!
THIS phrase portrays the mindset formed by a political
interpretation of Islam. The modern generation of Muslims are
generally influenced by this political interpretation. Today, the
agitations and protests across the world in various countries in the
name of ‘Islamic Revolution’ are a product of this political interpretation.
This sort of so-called ‘revolutionary politics’ can by no means
whatsoever, be considered as Islamic politics. In stronger terms, this
politics is actually Satanic politics in the name of Islam. The foundingfather
of this politics was Satan himself. Today, the flag-bearers of this
sort of politics are undoubtedly following in the footsteps of Satan, not
of Islam.
To focus on one’s work without confronting the
authorities is the method of the angels. And confronting
the authorities and agitating, fired by the ‘politics of
opposition’, is the method of Satan.
The Quran relates that when God created Adam, there were two
other creatures present — the angels and the jinn. God ordered the
angels and the jinn to bow down before Adam. The angels obeyed
this commandment of God, but Satan, who was the head of the jinn,
refused to obey this order. And so he became a rebel against God.
This was the first incident of revolt against authority in human history.
This political revolt or the ‘politics of opposition’ is undoubtedly the
practice of Satan. To focus on one’s work without confronting the
authorities is the method of the angels. And confronting the authorities
and agitating, fired by the ‘politics of opposition’, is the method of Satan.
Strangely, this negative politics of Satan has prevailed throughout
almost the whole of human history, among both believers and others.
The direct result of this negative politics is that instead of becoming a
history of progress and development, human history became a history
of destruction. Why is it that almost the whole of human history turned into a history
of this sort of Satanic politics? The reason for this is that the Creator
has given man an exceptional feature and that is the ego. It is actually
the ego that provides man a special status in the whole of the cosmos.
This sort of so-called ‘revolutionary politics’ can by no
means whatsoever, be considered as Islamic politics.
There are two aspects of the ego — the positive and negative. In
collective life, be it within the family or in the wider society, it always
happens that people face experiences that prick their egos. On such
occasions, if a person can control himself — if he can properly handle
the issue of ‘ego management’ — he would have used his ego, as it
were, in a proper manner. But if his ego is provoked and he lets it affect
his entire personality, he will create immense problems for himself,
and for others, too. He will have failed in the art of ‘ego management’.
One has to always face this issue of managing the ego. When this
problem occurs in the political sphere and one fails to manage one’s
ego properly, it is what is called the ‘politics of opposition’. This is what
challenging the political authorities is about. Because most people fail
in the art of ‘ego management’, almost the entirety of human history
presents a picture of political destruction.
The solution to this problem is explained in the Quran and Hadith in
terms of what can be termed as the 'politics of patience' or sabr. The
politics of patience is no politics of defeat. It is but another name for
political status quoism — that is to say, to accept, in practical terms,
the status quo as far as the issue of political power is concerned, and,
without confronting the political authorities, to avail the opportunities
present in the non-political sphere.
It is this formula that is expressed in a Hadith report, according to which
the Prophet indicated that:
God grants to non-violence what
He does not grant to violence.
STARTING FROM SCRATCH
Humble Beginnings
“I have reached my present position by climbing a ladder
and not by coming up to it in a lift.”
THIS observation was made by a tailor who had started with
nothing but his own two hands and the will to work, and who had
become eminently successful in his line of business. “Making a
good coat is not child’s play. The whole process is so complicated that
without detailed information as to how to proceed, long experience
and a high degree of skill, it is almost impossible to accomplish. It is
only after a lifetime of hard work that I have succeeded in running a
prosperous shop in the city.”
The tailor went on to explain how he had served his apprenticeship
under the guidance of an expert tailor. Just learning the art of cutting
and sewing had taken him five long years. When he opened his own
little shop, he discovered that he had difficulty in giving his customers a
good fitting. This was because during his apprenticeship he had never
really grasped the fact that people could be of such different shapes and
sizes. He therefore set himself to the task of studying human anatomy,
but it was only after many years of effort that he could make a coat
with an absolutely perfect fitting. He eventually became so expert in
this that he could even give perfect fittings to those who unfortunately
suffered from deformities — such as hunchbacks. “In any type of work,
there are many things which one has to learn on one’s own. Often one
cannot foresee these things at the outset, and each obstacle has to be
overcome by hard work and ingenuity.”
The tailor talked of many things of this nature concerning his skills, and
it seemed as though it was a lecture on nation building by some very
experienced leader.
In truth, the only way to solve our economic and social problems is to
follow the example of the tailor. After this initial apprenticeship, he had
gone ahead and done things on his own. He had walked up the stairs
and not by taking a ride in the lift. There are no buttons which you
can just push and automatically reach your goals. You can only make
progress step by step. Progress can seldom be made by leaps and
bounds. By means of the ladder you can progress even to the stage of
owning the lift, but you cannot make a success of your life by starting
with the lift and expecting it to do everything for you.
THE ROLE OF THE ULEMA
Guidance & Reformation
TO elaborate on the role of the ulema in contemporary times, one
first needs to be clear about what role Islam sets for the ulema.
This will provide us the proper criteria for examining the course
of action adopted by the ulema in our times.
The following Quranic verse gives us appropriate guidance with regard
to the role of the ulema:
It is not right that all the believers should go out
[in times of war] all together. Why then does not a party
from every group come to [the Prophet] to acquire a deeper
knowledge of religion and to warn their people, so that
they can guard themselves against evil.
THE QURAN 9: 122
Division of Arenas of Activity
This verse was revealed at times when the conditions of conflict and
political jihad were prevalent. Madinah had become an established
political state under the Prophet of Islam. The fear of attack or conflict
from others was ever present and defensive methods had to be
adopted to pre-empt them.
Islam differentiates between the arena of activity of
scholars and political leaders. Their respective arenas
have been kept separate and distinct.
Under these conditions, with this verse, the Muslim ummah has
been provided with a guiding principle of lasting significance, which
separates, in practical terms, the arena of campaigns from that of
acquiring knowledge. Accordingly, one section of the ummah was given
the responsibility under such conditions, of being active in the field of
consolidation of the state, while another section was charged with the
responsibility of looking after the department of knowledge, to which
they were to devote themselves entirely.
For a section of the believers to remain behind to focus on matters
of knowledge was not in any way a restriction on them. In fact, this indicates the power of knowledge, for engaging in jihad through
knowledge is more important than doing so through arms.
This principle does not indicate any opposition between religion and
politics, but, rather, a division of the arenas of activity among the
believers. This division is fully in accordance with the shariah.
In Islam, the religion for men and women is the same. Men and women
are identical in terms of being addressees of the faith. However, their
arenas of activity have been separated. Women are charged with the
responsibility of nurturing future generations, while maintaining and
providing for their families is the responsibility of the men. In the
same manner, even among men there are differences in terms of their
respective arenas of activity. One such difference, that Islam makes is
between the arena of activity of scholars, on one hand, and political
leaders, on the other. Their respective arenas have been kept separate
and distinct. Scholars have the responsibility of being guides and
teachers of the people so that the latter do not go astray.
Scholars have the responsibility of being guides and
teachers of the people so that the latter do not go astray.
As far as practical politics are concerned, those who engage in this
field must possess the necessary skills. Not everyone can shoulder this
responsibility. It was on the basis of the recognition of this difference
among people in terms of their capabilities that the Prophet indicated
to the ummah that after him they should appoint Abu Bakr as their
leader; while on the other hand, he advised Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, Abu
Hurairah and Hasan ibn Thabit never to accept any political position.
Due to their in-born qualities, some people are more suitable for
occupying official posts than others. According to Islam, the political
field should be given over to those who possess the requisite political
skills and capabilities, while others should engage in various other
fields that are also necessary for the community. Accordingly, while
politicians are charged with the task of administering and organizing
the people, scholars have the responsibility of providing the people
with the knowledge that they need.
This distinction between the activity of politicians and scholars is made
clearer in the Hadith. The Hadith texts record numerous traditions that refer to the deterioration in governance in later times, exhorting people
that even if they see that their rulers have gone astray they must not
challenge them. Even in such circumstances, these traditions suggest,
they must not brand the rulers as ‘oppressors’ or revolt against them.
This clearly indicates that the believers must respect the division
between the ‘men of politics’ and the ‘men of knowledge’ even
in such extreme conditions. This also suggests that it is not only in
ordinary circumstances that the ulema of the ummah must fulfill their
responsibility as teachers of the people. Rather, they must continue
to play this constructive role even when they see that the rulers have
fallen prey to corruption. No matter how degenerate the system of
governance may appear to have become, the ulema must not deviate
from the work that they have been entrusted with.
Leadership based on society
In the section on leadership and justice in the Mishkat al-Masabih it is
reported that the Prophet said:
Your leadership will be a reflection of you [the people].
From this Hadith, we learn about two distinct things: on one hand, the
mentality of people, their likes and dislikes, and so on, and, on the
other hand, leadership over people. The political structure and the
nature of the leadership of a particular society, this Hadith teaches us,
is indelibly shaped by the former.
Politicians are charged with the task of administering and
organizing the people, scholars have the responsibility of
providing the people with the knowledge that they need.
The ulema are charged with the responsibility of helping to shape
people’s consciousness and guide them on the right path, leaving the
task of governing people to politicians. A healthy society must observe
this distinction of tasks and responsibilities. Violating this distinction
is bound to lead to great disruption. If people are properly guided
and their minds shaped in the right way by the ulema, they will enjoy
the right sort of government. Conversely, if people’s character and
minds are corrupted, the government that rules over them will be of
the same sort.
In life, the question of people’s character is more important than that
of the government that rules over them. The former is the base, while
the latter is the super-structure, which rests on this base. Often, people
mistakenly perceive this superstructure to be more important than the
base, but in reality the base is much more vital. It is for this reason that
the status of the ulema is loftier than that of the rulers, and the divine
reward that they will receive is more, too.
This principle was established in the early period of Islam, and it shaped
the actions of the ummah in later times as well. In Islam’s early period,
a group among the Companions of the Prophet engaged in physical
jihad, while another group, including, for instance, Abdullah ibn Abbas,
Abdullah ibn Masud and Abdullah ibn Umar, devoted themselves to the
fields of scholarship and inviting people to Islam.
No matter how degenerate the system of governance may
appear to have become, the ulema must not deviate from
the work that they have been entrusted with.
Among the two generations that followed the Companions of the
Prophet, this same division of sphere of activity was observed. Some of
these early Muslims specialized in the scholarly field, including Quranic
commentary, Hadith, fiqh and related disciplines. This pattern continued
for around a thousand years. Those who specialized in the field of
scholarship, as Quranic reciters, Hadith scholars, fuqaha, ulema, Islamic
missionaries, Sufis, teachers and so on, focused on their own particular
sphere of activity. This division of work gave rise to a glorious history of
scholarship and communicating the message of God, a precious legacy
of the ummah. Had all the Muslims in this period devoted themselves
to armed jihad, it would certainly have created an enormous vacuum in
the history of Islam.
The Emperor Aurangzeb
This tradition, of a clear distinction between the spheres of activity
of the ulema and the political class, was first breached in India in a
significant way at the time of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb (1618-
1707). Although Aurangzeb was born in the royal family, he was an
alim. Aurangzeb’s father, the Emperor Shah Jahan, wanted to make
his elder son, Dara Shikoh, his successor. In this way, circumstances
seemed to have been taking Aurangzeb in the direction of becoming an alim rather than an Emperor. But he did not accept this. In 1658, he had
his father dethroned, and then imprisoned him in the Agra Fort. Then,
in 1659, he murdered his brother, Dara Shikoh, after which he ruled as
the head of the Mughal Empire for about half a century.
Aurangzeb was a man with many skills. Had he played the role of an
alim instead of an Emperor, it is possible that he would have done such
a good job of it that he could have become a model for the ulema to
emulate for several centuries.
Aurangzeb’s reign was a period when the foundations of modern
science were being laid in Europe. The impact of this new knowledge
had reached India’s shores by Aurangzeb’s time. But Aurangzeb did
not consider this development, and instead, remained engrossed in
his political quest. His father, Shah Jahan, had built the enormous
Taj Mahal, and Aurangzeb had the opportunity to build an impressive
mahal or palace of knowledge in India had he wished.
He could have let Dara Shikoh handle the governance of the Empire
while he could have focused on establishing an educational empire
in India. Had he done so, he would have done much more for the sake
of Islam and the ummah than what he unsuccessfully tried to do
through politics and war.
The political structure and the nature of the leadership of
a particular society is indelibly shaped by the mentality
of people, their likes and dislikes.
Had Aurangzeb travelled to Europe, instead of spending years fighting
wars in the Deccan, he would have realized that what he was doing
was against the demands of his times. He sought to establish the
supremacy of Islam through the ‘politics of the sword’, although the
age had already dawned — and which would soon arrive in India, too
— when the ‘politics of knowledge’ would become a powerful means of
establishing supremacy.
It appears that Aurangzeb and the other ulema of his times were probably
unaware of not only the intellectual and scientific developments that
were taking place in Europe at that time but also of the progress that
had been made in this regard in the centuries of Muslim rule in Spain,
spanning from the early eighth century to the late fifteenth century.
When the Muslim Sultanate collapsed in Spain, many Spanish Muslim
scholars and scientists left for other lands. At that time, a powerful
Muslim Caliphate ruled over Turkey. Some Muslim scientists, fleeing
Spain, headed to Turkey, but they received no support in the royal court
there. Not long after the demise of Muslim power in Spain, the Mughals
established their empire in India. But the powerful Mughal Emperors
never thought of inviting at least some of the great Spanish Muslim
scientists to India to carry on their intellectual work. This sort of work
required governmental patronage. And so, when the scientists of the
erstwhile Muslim Spain received no support from, or opportunities in
the Muslim world, they shifted to Western Europe instead, where they
received the patronage of non-Muslim rulers. This was one reason that
the work that had begun in Muslim Spain reached its climax not in the
Muslim world, but, rather, in non-Muslim Europe.
Because he was unaware of all these developments, and owing to
his inordinate interest in politics, Aurangzeb took no steps in this
regard. And so, the entire credit for the flowering of modern science
went to Europe.
The ulema are charged with the responsibility of helping
to shape people’s consciousness and guide them on the
right path, leaving the task of governing
people to politicians.
The conditions that gave rise to what is called the ‘modern age’ as well
as the earliest manifestations of this new age had already appeared
by the time Aurangzeb ascended the Mughal throne. The first model
of the spring-driven watch, which was to replace the old-fashioned
clock, was produced in Germany in 1500. Based on Portugal’s advances
in geography and naval technology, Vasco Da Gama landed on the
Malabar coast in southern India in 1498, inaugurating a sea route
that connected Europe with Asia. In 1510, Portugal captured Goa. A
century later, the British East India Company was set up, and, a short
while later, the French East India Company. But because of his political
involvements, Aurangzeb was unaware of these developments or else
did not give them the importance they deserved, although they clearly
suggested the grave external challenges that they would soon pose,
not just to India but to the entire Muslim world.
Long before Aurangzeb was born, in the second century C.E., a rudimentary form of printing had been invented in China, which was
later further refined in Europe before Aurangzeb’s time. Aurangzeb is
hailed by some for making copies of the Quran with his own hand, but
he was not aware that before him, in 1455, Gutenberg had printed
the first copy of the Bible in the printing press that he had invented,
thereby taking the Christian missionary enterprise from the age of
handicrafts to that of the machine. Had Aurangzeb known of this
development, he could have set up printing presses in India to print
the Quran, rather than having to make copies of the Quran by hand.
Even though you may see injustice and corruption in your
political leaders, only speaking to them words of justice
and truth is considered as the best Jihad.
Cambridge University was established in 1571, while Paris University
and Oxford University were established much before that — in the
much better it would have been had he focused on a much more
important task — that of establishing a massive university in India for
all the various branches of knowledge! He could have set up centres to
engage in research in various contemporary disciplines. He could have
established a new ‘House of Knowledge’ in Delhi to translate important
works by European scholars. He could have arranged for an academy
of ulema, who could have acquired modern subjects and engaged in
research on them. But he did no such thing whatsoever. And the simple
reason for this was because he did not agree to observe the distinction
in the arena of activity that we have alluded to.
Ulema and political rulers
According to a Hadith,
To speak words of truth before a tyrant ruler
is amongst the best of Jihad.
Abu Dawud
It must be noted that the Jihad mentioned in the above Hadith, is a
verbal Jihad and not an armed Jihad. That is, according to its guidance,
even though you may see injustice and corruption in your political
leaders, only speaking to them words of justice and truth is considered
as the best Jihad. It does not imply that in the face of injustice and
corruption, a revolt or agitation can be undertaken against the leaders in order to remove them from their positions. To initiate or participate
in a campaign aimed at deposing an established political leadership is
against Islam. This teaching was universally accepted and followed by
all the Companions of the Prophet of Islam, the Hadith compilers and
the ulema of yore.
Early Islamic history is witness to the fact that the ulema has always
been acting as counsellors to the political rulers and have never
initiated any sort of political revolt against them. The ulema of the
modern age however, have gone against the spirit of this Hadith
and have instigated their followers to rebel and revolt against their
corrupt or nonreligious rulers.
Ulema and the dawn of the Modern Age
Muslim ulema found themselves in a situation where on one hand,
western colonial powers had put an end to Muslim political rule and
on the other, revolutionary discoveries in scientific knowledge were
brought about by these very same western powers. This presented a
unique issue that now confronted the ulema. Those who had put an
end to Muslim political power had a power even greater than political
power, on the strength of which they had spread out over the whole
world. This was the power of scientific knowledge.
To initiate or participate in a campaign aimed at deposing
an established political leadership is against Islam.
Muslims had their historical glory in political power. On the other hand,
the secret of their religious glory was hidden in scientific knowledge.
This was a time when the potential had been realised for the Muslim
ulema to establish the truth of their religion based on accepted
human knowledge. These very western powers had brought about
the culmination of the revolution in human thought that began with
the Prophet of Islam and his companions.
From the Quran, we know that in ancient times there was no freedom
of religious thought (THE QURAN 85: 4-8), there was no freedom of action
(THE QURAN 96: 9-10), and there was no freedom of expression (THE QURAN
in this world is that God wants to put us to a ‘test’. An imperative
condition for this ‘test’ is the freedom of man. In ancient times, man was
deprived of such freedom because in those times, religious power or religion belonged to those who had political power. It was the western
colonial powers that brought about the new age of freedom that was
in conformance with God’s creation plan.
Muslims had their historical glory in political power. On
the other hand, the secret of their religious glory was
hidden in scientific knowledge.
There is another verse in the Quran that says that the divine revelation
was sent to the Prophet so that mankind should be made aware of the
creation plan of God (THE QURAN 25: 1). In ancient times due to traditional
methods and the limitations of human knowledge, the global realisation
of this verse was not possible.
The famous tabeée, Uqabah bin Nafae stood on the African shore of the
Atlantic Ocean and said:
‘Oh Lord, if I knew that there were people on the other side of
this sea, then I would enter into this sea to cross it’.
At that time, knowledge was limited and most people were unaware
that lands existed on the other side of the Atlantic. Due to these
limitations, the global communication of the message of God was not
possible. Now, western powers have made this possible through the
advent of modern methods of communication. The print and electronic
media have realised the potential that was mentioned in this verse
of the Quran.
However, the Muslim ulema of the modern times have been unable
to appreciate this contribution of the western world. Instead of
developing a positive global humanitarian perspective, they have
become consumed in hatred towards the western powers who had
taken away their political and historic glory.
The Muslim ulema did not appreciate the hidden reality that the
western powers had a supporting role towards the benefit of Islam
and therefore could not avail of the potential opportunities that these
powers had presented them.
FATE OF THE TRUTHTELLER
Unbelievable But True
THIS is a true story that appeared in an American magazine. A
Greenland Eskimo was taken on one of the American North
Polar expeditions. Later, as a reward for faithful service, he was
brought to New York for a short visit. He was filled with amazement
and wonder at the miracles of sight and sound that he saw there. When
he returned to his native village, he told stories of buildings that rose
to the very face of the sky; of tram cars, which he described as houses
that moved along a track; of artificial lights, and all the other dazzling
concomitants of the metropolis.
His people looked at him coldly and walked away, and forthwith
throughout the village he was dubbed Sagdluk, meaning the Liar. In
shame, he carried this name to his grave. Long before his death his
original name was entirely forgotten. The simple minds of the Eskimos
were unable to visualize the startling pictures drawn by Sagdluk, so
they simply rejected the truth.
The prophets were made to see the world Hereafter
before its coming, so that they could warn
man of its advent.
Just as the Eskimo was made to see a hitherto unknown world, so God
gave the prophets a glimpse of the world that lies beyond death. They
came to their peoples and conveyed to them the truths that God had
embedded in their consciousness. But since these truths belonged to
an unseen world, which man was unable to visualize, people dubbed
them madmen and liars (THE QURAN 11: 27). This was the fate of all the
prophets of God (THE QURAN 36: 30).
Indeed, every truth-teller in the history of man has had to tread the
same rocky path. In this world a veil of falsehood clouds the truth.
Man has not seen the world in which truth will come into its own. The
prophets were made to see that world before its coming, so that they
could warn man of its advent. But they met with disbelief from people
who had seen nothing beyond the world which meets the eye.
IN THE NICK OF TIME
Be Prepared
A MEDICAL college professor, putting a student through an oral
examination, asked him, “How many of these pills would you
give to a man who had suffered a heart attack?” “Four,” replied
the student. A minute later, he piped up, “Professor, can I change
my answer?” “You can, by all means,” said the professor, looking at
his watch. “But, regrettably, your patient has already been dead for
forty seconds.”
Certain matters in life are so critical that they require the appropriate
step to be taken without a moment’s hesitation. But an instant decision
must also be a correct one, otherwise the consequences could be
drastic, and could mean a lifetime of repentance.
Certain matters in life are so critical that they
require the appropriate step to be taken
without a moment’s hesitation.
Our moments of decision-making are often very similar to our attempts
to board a train. Catching a train requires preparation. We have to
pack up our luggage, making sure we take the right things with us, buy
a ticket, arrange transport to take us to the station and we must, of
course, already be on the platform at the appointed time, otherwise
we are surely going to be left behind. For the train is no respecter of
persons. It arrives on time and departs on time, and pays no heed
whatsoever to tardy passengers. If we are like the medical student who
was caught on the wrong foot because of lack of preparation and who
was much too late with the correct answer, the train of life will go on
its scheduled course and we shall be left standing, wondering what to
do next and how to avert the disastrous consequences of our failure
to get on board.
It is, therefore, necessary to be prepared for all eventualities in life.
That means assiduously acquiring a good education and losing no
time in gaining useful experience relevant to our chosen occupations.
It above all requires a mental and physical readiness to seize
opportunities when they come our way, and to be firm of purpose, never
permitting one’s energy to be frittered away in pointless vacillation.
ABASEMENT AND DESTITUTION
False Perception
Surah Al-Baqarah (
of the earlier times and relates a law of nature in these words:
THE words ‘abasement’ and ‘destitution’ are used here in the
psychological sense. They indicate a condition where, in reality
a person is not debased; but yet, inside his psyche, he feels
himself to be so. He appears to be well-off, but yet, in his mind he feels
he is destitute. This Quranic verse refers to this psychological condition
of the people and not their actual condition.
This psychological condition emerges in a community that considers
itself to be superior to others on account of its beliefs and its history.
It considers itself to be the best and the greatest of all communities.
Along with this, it lives in its past glory. Any community that falls prey
to this psychological condition will develop a mentality that is based
on false pride. And it is this false pride that engenders psychological
abasement and psychological destitution in any community.
It is this false pride that engenders psychological
abasement and psychological destitution
in any community.
This psyche of false pride appeared very prominently among two
religious communities—one, Jews, and the other, Muslims. In earlier
times, Jews fell prey to this psychological condition, and today Muslims
are stricken by it. Today, Muslims number more than one billion.
Muslims rule almost sixty countries. In terms of material resources,
they have everything. Yet, despite this, every Muslim, in his capacity of
being a member of the Muslim community, today lives in the psyche
of abasement and destitution. The reason for this is that Muslims
consider whatever they have got, to be less than what they imagine
they should have, because of their false pride.
It is this false pride that is the real cause for all the problems of
Muslims today.
FROM THE SPIRITUAL TREE
There is a tree beside my house. I call
it the 'Spiritual Tree'. I derive spiritual
inspiration from it. A tree is an evergrowing
being that was initially a seed
possessing the potential of becoming
a full-grown tree. A seed takes food
from the universe around it and then
grows into a tree. The same is true
with spirituality, the desire for which is
intrinsic to, and an integral part of, the
very nature of, every human being. To
realize this spirituality, Man must derive
spiritual food from the universe around
him. A tree converts carbon-dioxide into oxygen; a spiritual person is one who
can take positive lessons from negative situations. From this perspective, a tree
is an embodiment of a spiritual personality. — Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
THE DISCOVERY OF OUR HELPLESSNESS
AS a created being, man is in the complete sense, a helpless
creature. However, for the purpose of the test of mankind it
appears as if he is in control and possesses the power to direct
his life. Man should reach beyond this apparent feeling of control and
discover his helplessness. This is a great discovery within which lies all
the secrets to his success.
The discovery of helplessness is the greatest discovery for any man.
This discovery gives him great prospects for remembering and
beseeching his Lord. It gives him the opportunity to say:
Oh Lord! You have created man as a helpless being. All Power
is only with you and all helplessness is in man. In such a
situation, You cannot afford to be indifferent towards me. This
is against your Glory as the Creator and Sustainer that You can
be indifferent towards Your helpless creatures. It is imperative
that between You and Your creation there should be a
relationship of a Giver towards the deprived. Only such a
relationship befits the glory of God the Beneficent the Merciful.
This is the type of supplication which is considered in the Hadith as the one which will definitely be responded to by God Almighty. When man
sincerely beseeches his Lord:
Oh God, You have created me a helpless being,
so now you cannot be indifferent towards me.
Discover your helplessness. This is a great discovery
within which lies all the secrets to success.
When a man calls out to his Lord in such a manner, God's mercy
reaches him in return faster than the speed of light. God's response is
so swift that it welcomes the supplication, rather than the supplication
requesting God's response.
No Need for Disappointment
Recognition always comes after rejection. It is a law of nature.
If you find that one door is closed for you, don’t stop your journey,
try to know the other door. And, you will happily find that
there was one who was ready to receive you.
THE SECOND FORBIDDEN TREE
On Earth
ADAM was the first human being. He was originally inhabited in
Paradise. There, he had every kind of freedom and all that he
desired. But, there was one tree which was forbidden to him.
Adam was instructed that he could do anything he wanted except
going close to the forbidden tree. If he approached this tree, he would
be evicted from Paradise.
This was the forbidden tree of Paradise. There is also a forbidden tree
in this world and that is violence. Those who indulge in violence will
have to pay a heavy price for this crime. They will be deprived of entry
into Paradise.
Violence is an interference in the order of nature
established by the Creator and such interference
is without doubt the most serious of crimes.
From the Quran we understand that Adam and his spouse were
expelled from Paradise and made to settle on earth. During the early
part of their life on earth there was a serious conflict between their
two sons Qabil and Habil which led to the killing of Habil by Qabil. The
Quran says that after this incident, God decreed that:
Whoever killed a human being except as a punishment for
murder or for spreading corruption in the land shall be
regarded as having killed all mankind, and that
whoever saved a human life shall be regarded
as having saved all mankind.
THE QURAN 5: 32
Such severe words have not appeared in the Quran for any other crime.
From this we can understand that in the eyes of God, the most heinous
of crimes is to commit a violent act against another human being. In
this matter if there is any exception it is only for an established
government after a judicial process. For common man, there is no
exception in this matter.
This strict forbidding of violence is because violence is against the
system of nature. The order of nature established by the Creator gives full freedom and opportunity to every man and woman to do as
they please. But, violence and conflict destroys this very fabric of
nature. Violence is an interference in the order of nature established
by the Creator and such interference is without doubt the most serious
of crimes.
If you indulge in passive or active violence, you will
be considered as having eaten of the fruit
of the forbidden tree.
The question arises as to how can we establish a society free of violence
and conflict. There is only one answer to this. Those who fear God
should take upon themselves the responsibility of unilaterally showing
patience. In spite of experiencing violence they themselves will be free
of it. This is the only way a society devoid of violence can be established.
According to the Quran, when Qabil wanted to kill Habil, Habil said:
Even if you raise your hand to kill me, I will not raise my hand
to kill you. I fear God the Lord of the Universe.
THE QURAN 5: 28
This is the ultimate example of unilateral patience in the face of violence,
as established by Habil, the son of Adam. According to the Hadith, the
Prophet of Islam said: 'In later times there will be political degeneration
but you should never confront your rulers'. One of the companions
asked, 'If they should come into our homes to kill us, then what should
we do?' The Prophet replied, 'You become the better of the two sons of
Adam'. That is, even though you face death at the hands of others, you
should not attempt to kill them.
There are two forms of violence; passive and active. Passive violence is
that wherein you regard others as oppressors and then show hatred
towards them. Active violence is when you deem others as oppressors
and instigate and participate in violent acts against them.
Both these types of violence are sins of the same magnitude. If you
indulge in any of these types of violence, you will be considered as
having eaten of the fruit of the forbidden tree. Between the two types
of violence the difference is only external in nature. In truth, there is
no difference between them at all.
LIVING IN THE CULTURE OF DISCOVERY
For Intellectual Development
THERE is a Japanese saying: Discover something new everyday,
even if it be a new method of threading a needle. This saying is
based on nature. According to nature, everyone should develop
his mind. Intellectual development is a continuous process that
happens day and night.
The universe of facts contains innumerable items. If you are an
awakened person, if you have a curious mind, and if you are sensitive
about your learning, then it is quite possible that every experience,
every observation will teach you a new lesson. Each time, you will be
able to discover a new idea.
It is only the quality of man that he needs intellectual
development. And for this purpose, he needs
to discover new things every day.
Discovery is food for the mind, just as physical items are food for the
body. When we take lunch or breakfast, we take physical food and
thus we make our body energetic. So it is required for intellectual
health. We must be so conscious about this fact that we should
extract something new from every experience. It all depends upon
our intellectual awakening. If you are an intellectually awakened
person, then it is quite possible to extract such new items from your
observations every day and night.
Without this daily discovery, our mind will be reduced to a dull mind.
You will become similar to an animal. Apparently, you will be like a
human being, but in fact you will be like an animal.
All animals need physical food, but it is not the requirement of animals
to have intellectual food. It is only the quality of man that he needs
intellectual development. And for this purpose, he needs to discover
new things everyday. This habit makes one a creative person. And only
a creative person can do great things in life.
SCIENCE VERSUS MIRACLES
Authentication of Religious Truths
MAN finds himself in a world where there is creation everywhere
but the Creator is apparently unseen. There is design in this
world but the designer is nowhere to be found. There are
events happening in this world but the one who makes it all happen is
hidden from our sights. The whole Universe is working like a magnificent
industry but the master engineer who designed this industry cannot be
seen even with the help of the most powerful telescopes.
The Prophets taught that behind everything we perceive,
there is an unperceivable Supreme Being.
To answer these very questions, Prophets were sent to this world. In
all ages, the Prophets taught that behind everything we perceive, there
is an unperceivable Supreme Being. This is God, our Lord and Creator,
so acknowledge Him and worship Him. In this sense, the role of the
prophets in some respects was an inferential role. They showed man
that through observations in nature and the universe, he should use
his intelligence and derive the inference of an unobservable Creator,
thus laying the foundations of belief in God.
In order to authenticate this inferential role the Prophets showed
miracles to their people. The Quran speaks about these miracles in
these words:
We sent our messengers with evidence ...
THE QURAN 57: 25
These Prophets showed supernatural miracles so that man could
believe that the message they brought to them was the true divine
message. For instance, Prophet Moses came to the people of Egypt
between the 16th and 15th century BC. The Pharaoh of the time,
Rameses II was the ruler. He challenged Moses saying:
If you are a true messenger of God show me a miracle.
THE QURAN 7: 106
On this demand of the Pharaoh, Moses threw his staff on the ground
which miraculously turned into a slithering serpent.
Muhammad the Prophet of Islam received his prophet-hood in 610
AD in Makkah. All the Prophets before him followed the method
of demonstrating supernatural miracles as evidence towards the
truthfulness of their message. But with the Prophet of Islam, who
was the last link in the chain of Prophets, the method of supernatural
miracles came to an end (THE QURAN 17: 59).
The original text of the prophetic religion is preserved
and the language in which this original text was
revealed is also preserved.
After the Prophet of Islam, the system of prophethood together with
the supernatural miracles they demonstrated was abolished. There will
be no further Prophets. Now the prophetic task is continuing through
the followers of the Prophet. This is because after the Prophet of
Islam, the divine religion in its original form became a completely
preserved religion; so much so that now, there is no question of any
distortion or changes to this divine message. Now the original text
of the prophetic religion is preserved and the language in which this
original text was revealed is also preserved.
Now the question is, what is the substitute for the miracles of the
Prophets of earlier times? In the earlier days, the truth of the prophetic
message was authenticated through miracles. Now, what are the
means of authenticating the Prophet's message? The answer to this
question is modern scientific knowledge. Present day Science is the
replacement for the miracles of ancient times. Now, Science plays the
authenticating role that in earlier times was provided by miracles.
These two periods of authentication of the divine message of religion
have been clearly mentioned in the Quran. Regarding the first period
of authentication the Quran says:
We sent our messengers with evidence ...
THE QURAN 57: 25
The second period of authentication is mentioned in the Quran in the
future tense. In this regard the Quran says:
In time we shall show them Our signs in the Universe and
within themselves so that it will become clear unto them
that this [revelation] is indeed the truth.
THE QURAN 41: 53
The Prophet of Islam brought the divine message to mankind in the
first quarter of the 7th century A.D., and the scientific age appeared a
thousand years later. This scientific age was not a mere co-incidence
but was the direct result of the revolutionary message conveyed by the
Prophet. With the Prophet’s message, for the first time in the history
of mankind, the domination of nature worship was abolished. After the
end of the worship of nature, a new process of exploration began. The
result of this process was the scientific revolution. In ancient times man
had taken the wonders of nature as objects of worship. What was thus
revered as divine was not treated as a subject of study and research.
In this way, the spirit of enquiry was missing due to this mental block.
After the revolutionary message of the Prophet of Islam, a new process
in history began. Man became engaged in the research and the study
of nature. This continued relentlessly till the scientific discoveries of
the modern age. The hitherto hidden secrets of nature were unveiled
as natural events. The Quran refers to this as 'the appearance of signs
in nature and universe'. Modern Science is the other name for Natural
Sciences. It was the manifestation of the predictions of the Quran.
Looking at it in this context, modern Science is a replacement for
the miracles of ancient times. It has become the theology of the true
religion. Modern Science now provides the veracity to religion that in
earlier periods was provided by supernatural miracles.
Modern Science now provides the veracity to religion that
in earlier periods was provided by supernatural miracles.
There are two aspects of modern science — Theoretical Sciences
and Technical Sciences. Theoretical Science uses modern methods to
discover the realities of nature. In contrast, Technical Science is the
practical application of the scientific discoveries of Theoretical Science.
Technical Science led to the development of modern technology which
makes use of machines. In this matter, our reference is with regard to
Theoretical Science and not Technical Science. According to one Hadith,
this matter is mentioned in the following words:
Amongst the Prophets, every Prophet was given such signs
that his contemporaries would accept or acknowledge, and
to me was given the miracle of revelation (Quran).
Therefore, I hope that on the day of judgement
the people who believe in my message
will be more in number.
The fact is that there was little development of human knowledge in
early ages. Hence, it was not possible to verify the authenticity of divine
religion by means of human knowledge. That is why, in early ages,
supernatural miracles were shown by the Prophets. These miracles
were limited in nature, being restricted to the contemporaries of the
Prophets. But with the revolution that came to this world after the
Quran, there was a gradual and continuous development of human
knowledge. Then it became possible that through human knowledge
itself true religion could be verified and presented to the people.
The argument that the evidence of design in this world
proves there exists a designer, is a similar kind of
argument as any scientific argument
used in the material world.
Another difference between these two periods is that, although the
miracles were an experience of veneration for those who witnessed
them, the aspect of conviction through reasoning was missing. In the
later periods when it became possible for the verification of divine
religion through human knowledge, it was natural that this type of
verification in contrast was universal. It became possible for every
human community to understand and acknowledge the message of the
Prophet and accept it on its own rationality. Another natural outcome
of this was that the numbers of people who would accept this message
could potentially be much more from amongst the later periods.
Ancient miraculous verification and modern scientific verification
have a common feature wherein both use the inferential method to
authenticate religious truths. In ancient times when the Prophets
demonstrated sensory miracles, it was not such that the miracle was a
mirror or a perfect representation through which the Prophets divine
message became clear. If a human being has performed an act that
is beyond human power, then it could be inferred that he is doing so
with the help of God. Consequently, it could also be inferred that the
message that he is presenting was also from God.
It is the same matter with scientific arguments for religious truths. In
scientific arguments, it does not happen that what is presented is the
direct demonstrable proof for the premise. Here also, it so happens
that the argument presented, indirectly provides the inference for the
real premise to be understood or acknowledged. However, modern scientific arguments have one superior facet as they are established
on the basis of rational axioms of the people.
This difference was the result of developments in nuclear science.
Early physical sciences were limited to the macro world or the macro
universe. At that time it was believed that everything had a measurable
physical form. Developments in the 20th century allowed man to
penetrate the micro world and changed this scenario. Now it is
known that matter in its ultimate form is so small that it could only
be considered as 'waves of probability'.
These developments in the nuclear science created a revolution in
knowledge, one aspect of which was that the standard of rational
argument changed. Now, the inferential argument was as accepted
and acknowledged as a direct argument. Knowledge had reached a
stage where a direct observable argument was not possible. Hence,
it became mandatory that inferential argument be given the same
standing as a direct argument so that the new discoveries of the micro
world could be further developed. These developments of human
knowledge made it possible for religious truths to be presented in the
same manner as those used in the material world. For instance, the
argument that the evidence of design in this world proves there exists
a designer, is a similar kind of argument as any scientific argument
used in the material world.
It has become possible for man to use supporting
arguments from rational human knowledge to
establish the truth of the divine message.
Now modern scientific knowledge has taken the place of the miracles
presented by the early Prophets. Religious truths which were presented
on the weight of supernatural miracles in ancient times can now be
understood on the basis of accepted human knowledge. Today's bearer
of truth does not need to show any miracles in order to support his
message. It has become possible for him to use supporting arguments
from rational human knowledge to establish the truth of his message.
He can address the modern mind on the basis of the same knowledge
that has already been accepted and acknowledged as true.
MIRACULOUS NINE DAYS
Divine Protection
ACCORDING to researchers at University of California, Berkeley, a
rapid succession of coronal mass ejections — the most intense
eruptions on the sun — sent a pulse of magnetized plasma
barrelling into space and through Earth’s orbit. The massive magnetic
storm had a speed of 3,000 km per second — enough to circle Earth
five times in one minute. Had the eruption come nine days earlier,
when the ignition spot on the solar surface was aimed exactly at Earth,
it would have hit the planet.
In a paper appearing on March 18, 2014 in the journal Nature
Communications, researchers say that the solar burst tore through
Earth’s orbit but, fortunately, Earth and the other planets were on the
other side of the sun at the time. Had Earth been in the line of sight,
it would have suffered severe magnetic storms as the magnetic field
of the outburst would have tangled with the planet’s own magnetic
field. This would have wreaked havoc with the electrical grid, disabling
satellites and GPS, and disrupting our increasingly electronic lives.
What was this “luck”? In fact, it was an intervention
by the Lord of the Universe.
According to this report, a massive magnetic storm erupted on the
surface of the sun on July 22, 2012. This event may have proved to
be destructive for the planet Earth. But, luck saved us from this
havoc. And, that luck was that Earth was on the other side of the sun
at that time.
What was this 'luck'? In fact, it was an intervention by the Lord of the
Universe. In the vast space, these solar bursts happen very often.
However, every time our planet remains safe from danger. This
phenomenon is proof that there is a high control of checks and
balances in the universe. It is this control that saves us from being
victims of those solar bursts. This universal management has been
mentioned in the Quran in these words:
Say, ‘Who will save you from the wrath of the Most Gracious,
by night and by day?’ Yet they turn away from the
remembrance of their Lord.
THE QURAN 21:42
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions, Answered
Is today’s economic crisis in the world the
result of unlimited freedom of the business
community?
The economic crisis is not because of unlimited
freedom, but the true reason is the unlimited
lust for accumulating wealth. This kind of lust
goes against the law of nature. Nature has
provided things only in a limited quantity.
Thus, if you try to acquire things without any
limitation, it would certainly lead to a crisis. It
is this natural fact that has been expressed by
Mahatma Gandhi in these words: “The world
has enough for man’s need, but not enough for man’s greed.”
Please explain how to develop God-oriented thinking in this material
environment.
God-oriented thinking cannot be obtained by going into seclusion and
engaging in meditation. It is developed through contemplation on the
experiences and observations of daily life. Our environment has two
aspects: outwardly, it is material, but at the same time it has spiritual
content. You have to extract that spiritual content, just as the honeybee
extracts the nectar content from the flower. This spiritual extraction is
the only way of developing God-oriented thinking.
Many say that if we live a life of simplicity or an ascetic life, how will
the economy run? Please comment.
Simplicity is the lifestyle of an individual, it has no connection with the
economy. JRD Tata, for example, was very simple as far his personal
life was concerned, yet he was able to establish an industrial empire
in India.
How should a person manage his expenditure within his means
of income?
Learn the art of differentiation between need and luxury. When you
are able to discern this difference, you will certainly be able to easily
manage your expenditure, whatever be your income.
Why is it that people remember God only when they are in trouble?
While, when they are enjoying the good things of life, they don’t
acknowledge God.
It is a general feature that people do good things when there is
compulsion. Otherwise, they fail to do good things. It is this human
psychology that causes people to remember God only when they are
in trouble; that is, when they are in compulsive situations. But, reward
is for those who remember God without there being any compulsion
to do so.
Many people say, “Materialism and spirituality cannot co-exist”.
Please explain.
It is not a matter of coexistence; because, materialism and spirituality
are not contradictory. Spirituality is the inner content of materialism,
and materialism is the outer content of spirituality. It all depends on
one’s intellectual awakening. One who is an intellectually awakened
person can combine both these without any problem.
Often, people are of the opinion that the right time to indulge in
spirituality and God-oriented thinking is after one has attained a
certain status in life and reached a particular age. Please comment.
This kind of thinking is completely wrong. Spirituality is the most
important part of one’s life. We need spirituality in every period of our
life. The only fact is that when a person is immature, he needs to take
advice from elders, and when he is mature he can take decisions on
his own.
Why is it so difficult for man to accept his limitations and why does he
keep nurturing the illusion that he knows it all?
Man is born with an insatiable nature. This nature is meant to provide
impetus to him, so that he can continuously engage in struggle. But,
sometimes people fail to accept the reality, so they take a jump that is
not within their capacity. This is a well-known saying for such persons:
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (1925-2021) was an Islamic scholar, spiritual guide, and an Ambassador of Peace. He authored over 200 books and recorded thousands of lectures giving the rational interpretation of Islamic concepts, prophetic wisdom, and the spiritual meaning of the Quran in the contemporary style. His English translation, The Quran, is widely appreciated as simple, clear and in contemporary style. He founded Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS) International in 2001 to re-engineer minds towards God-oriented living and present Islam as it is, based on the principles of peace, spirituality, and co-existence. Maulana breathed his last on 21 April, 2021 in New Delhi, India. His legacy is being carried forward through the CPS International Network.
What God most earnestly desires from human beings is worship. The Quran says: “I have not created jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” ( 51:56 )
