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.
WINNERS AND LOSERS, ALL
WINNING and losing are common phenomena in politics. During
the era of kings, the equation was clearly that of winners and
losers. But now we are living in an age of democracy and
a paradigm shift has taken place. Now the real equation is a win-win
equation. No one is a loser; both sides are winners.
In a democracy, victory is a responsibility and not
something to be arrogant about. No one is
a loser; both sides are winners.
Democracy has totally changed the concept of victory and defeat.
Earlier, there used to be genuine change in the seat of government,
but now elections mean a change of the political team, and that too
for a temporary period. In a democracy, victory is a responsibility and
not something to be arrogant about.
At Your Service
The new team thanks the old team, and the old team promises its
support to the new team. In the kingship era, the motto was: ‘I am here
to rule the land’, but in a democracy the motto is quite different. It is:
‘I am here to serve the land.’
This was India's 16th general election. We have travelled fifteen milestones
in our march towards democracy, and we are now embarking
on a new one. Democracy is based on the concept of sharing in politics.
In democracy, there are always two benches: the ruling bench and the
opposition bench.
The role of the ruling party is to give the country good governance.
Governance includes fulfilling of several responsibilities like providing
a corrupt-free administration, developing good infrastructure,
maintaining high standards of education, boosting the economy and
utilising the potential of the country in the best possible manner. The
winning team will be judged by its deeds, not by its words.
The role of the opposition is not that of a political rival; rather, it is a
role of participation. In this sense, the role of the losing party does
not come to an end after the elections, rather it continues. If, in the
previous period, it had played a leading role, now it is destined to
perform a supporting role.
May God help the new leaders of the country
realize this noble cause!
The winning party may inherit some problems from its predecessor.
But according to healthy democratic values, the new party must
take this as a challenge rather than exploit it in order to blame the
previous party. This is the time for both winning and losing parties to
set high democratic standards. The winning party must not try to take
revenge or blame its predecessors; nor should the losing party adopt
the attitude of opposition for the sake of opposition. It should not try
to stall the process of governance; rather, it should offer support for
the sake of national development.
Mahatma Gandhi was the founding father of India. His vision for a
free India was to make India an international lighthouse. I believe that
India is potentially a lighthouse for other nations. What is required is to
turn this potential into actuality. May God help the new leaders of the
country realize this noble cause!
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This article first appeared in The Speaking Tree, May 18, 2014.
THE TRIAL OF MAN
Angels and Satan
The story of Adam has been narrated in the Quran as follows:
When We said to the angels, ‘Bow down before Adam,’ they all
bowed except for Iblis (Satan). He refused and acted proudly
and became an unbeliever. We said, ‘O Adam! Live with your
wife in Paradise and eat freely from anywhere you may wish.
Yet do not approach this tree lest you become wrongdoers.’
But Satan caused them both to slip through this and thus
brought about the loss of their former state. We said, ‘Go
down from here as enemies to each other; and on earth
you shall have your abode and your livelihood for a while!’
THE QURAN 2: 34-36
WHAT was the reason for Satan disobeying God’s command
and refusing to bow down before Adam? This was because
of his feelings of superiority over Adam. He said 'I am
better than Adam' (THE QURAN 38: 76). The angels on the other hand
were free from such self-pride. They acknowledged that all greatness
belongs to God alone and therefore they immediately submitted to
God's command and bowed before a lesser creature. In this manner
in the beginning of creation, God clearly demonstrated two different
characters as examples for mankind. One, a satanic character and the
other, an angelic character. All of Satan's efforts are towards this goal
of making man follow him, but man must resist all temptations and
strive to acquire the character of the angels.
When another person attains a greater share of wealth, fame, or
power, man becomes jealous because he does not want to see others
becoming greater than him. He refuses to accept the truth proclaimed
by others; because doing so amounts to acknowledging another's
superior ideology. He is enraged by criticism, because he feels that the
critique challenges his superiority.
Consider why very few people are willing to support quiet, constructive
work. But a movement to depose a ruler from office will gather large
crowds in its support. The reason for this also is the same. In such
politics, these people find gratification in refusing to acknowledge the
ruler's authority. The principal weakness of man is his refusal to accept
another's superiority. On the other hand the real virtue in God's eyes is that man should eliminate the feelings of personal greatness and
immediately submit to God's command even though it may amount to
acknowledging someone lesser than him.
Those who stand up against a 'tyrant' ruler will find a large crowd
in their support. Seeing the throngs of supporters these people are
deluded into believing that the one who is in the seat of power is
the only oppressor in the country. All others are examples of peace
and justice. If this tyrant is removed from his seat of power then the
floodgates of justice will open and winds of peace will blow from all
corners. But this is a grave fallacy. The mob that assembles to support
the movement challenging the powers of a 'tyrant' does not do so
because of nationalist sentiments. Rather, these are always the result
of anti-national sentiments which are a common feature amongst
most communities.
Man should eliminate the feelings of personal greatness
and immediately submit to God's command even though it
may amount to acknowledging someone lesser than him.
To challenge the power of another is extremely appealing to such
sentiments. When any leader takes up such a negative issue, these
sentiments help in drawing the crowds towards his support. Because
of these very same reasons the ease with which the unity that develops
in the name of fighting against ‘oppression’ disappears as easily at the
time of establishing 'justice'. In reality, rising with the sole purpose
of bringing another down is due to anti-national feelings. Starting
such movements only serves to create conflict instead of justice and
reformation. Merely because such actions are resorted to in the name
of religion, they cannot be called religious activities.
Satan does not have any power or authority over human beings. His
method is one of false adornment of deeds (THE QURAN 15: 39). That is,
adorning bad deeds so that they appear good. Satan uses this very
method constantly to make man follow his path. Whenever justice calls
for a person to 'bow down' to another; when truth demands one to
accept the other’s contention, Satan appears and begins instigating
and influencing the person to follow his method instead of the angelic
method. So that instead of 'bowing down' he spurns and rejects the
other. All the evils of human society, within the family or outside of
it, begin with a grievance. A person gets angered over a matter that displeases him. In every such situation, there is a choice between pure
truth on the one hand and the demands of egotism and injustice on the
other. Man however chooses to ignore the call of truth and becomes an
enemy to his brother.
Man refuses to accept the truth proclaimed by others
because doing so amounts to acknowledging
another's superior ideology.
This is the real trial of human beings in this world. All such occasions
will determine who has adopted the path of angels and who has chosen
the path of Satan; who has qualified for eternal paradise and who is
deserving of eternal punishment. Whenever such occasions arise one
attitude is in conformance with the truth. The other attitude is one that
arises from feelings such as stubbornness, hatred, egotism, selfishness
and revenge. In the life of a human being, this is a repetition of the
same historical case that occurred at the time of the creation of Adam.
In such situations God sends His guidance through the Prophet's words
as 'O believers submit to the truth'. On the other hand Satan instigates
him, desiring that man follows the same egotistic method that he had
adopted at the time of Adam's creation.
The entirety of human history is the story of this two-sided clash.
Everyone — man or woman, rich or poor, ignorant or learned, leader or
follower — is standing between these calls from both sides. To some,
this struggle arises in the day-to-day issues of life and to some it may
occur in the major aspects of life. Some face this trial either with their
relative, neighbour, tenant, or a business partner and some may be
tested against other communities or nations.
Each time there is a conflict between two persons on any issue the
situation of this test arises. In such times, that person who adopts the
method of submitting to the truth will be the companion of the angels
and that person who adopts the method of pride and egotism joins the
brotherhood of Satan. For one there is eternal paradise and for the
other there is eternal punishment.
DEFINITION OF A GREAT MIND
Avoiding Trivial Pursuits
FRANCOIS de La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680) was a noted French
author of maxims and memoirs. He once said: 'Small minds are
much distressed by little things. Great minds see them all but are
not upset by them.'
Life is full of experiences. We have to live in a jungle which is full of all
kinds of things, big and small; but, we have to be selective. We have to
differentiate between things that are really great and things that have
no importance in life. If you pursue everything that comes your way
with equal enthusiasm, without setting any priorities; there will be no
required focus, resulting in waste of your time and energy.
If you board an express train, you will learn that
express trains always ignore small stations;
they stop only at large stations.
We have to develop that wisdom which knows the difference between
trivial matters and real issues. Without this sagacity, we cannot do
anything worthwhile for ourselves or our society.
If you board an express train, you will learn that express trains always
ignore small stations; they stop only at large stations. Adopt the
character exhibited by the express train, and you will be able to reach
your destination at the right time.
Live like the flower
Man should live in the world in the way that the flowers do —
giving off a sweet fragrance even to those who give
nothing but abuse and remaining unruffled
even in the face of violent attack.
THE SPIRIT OF RAMAZAN
Patience and Self-Control
RAMAZAN — the month of fasting, is a special and blessed month
for Muslims. It was in this month that revelations of the Quran
began to be made to the Prophet Muhammad, marking the
commencement of Prophet-hood.
Ramazan is a month of restraint and worship; of caring and thanksgiving;
of repentance and piety. The multitude of benefits of Ramazan inspired
the Prophet to exclaim: "Welcome to the one who purifies!"
Ramazan is a month of spiritual activism when believers endeavour
to awaken their spirituality. It is a scheme to improve human beings.
The main aim of fasting is to weaken a man's dependence on material
things and strengthen his spiritual resolve, so that he may enter the
higher realms of piety.
The Prophet Muhammad divided the month of Ramazan into three
parts. He called the first ten days, "Blessings", the next ten days,
"Forgiveness" and the last ten days, "Freedom from hell-fire". The
Prophet also said, "The best days of this world are the last ten days
[of Ramazan].”
The Month of Supplication
While giving commands regarding fasting, the Quran makes special
mention of supplication, or dua.
When my servants ask you about Me, say that I am near.
I respond to the call of one who calls, whenever he calls to Me:
let them then respond to Me, and believe in Me,
so that they may be rightly guided.
THE QURAN 2: 186
Fasting by its very nature is an act of patience. Patience and forbearance
are what lead man to the state of the heart which enables him to
experience the feeling of nearness to God. It is only then that words
worthy of divine acceptance come to one's lips. Patience is the ground
on which the blessed tree of dua is grown.
Dua is not just a verbal act. In its essence, it is an act of the heart.
This shows the relation between fasting and dua. Fasting increases the spiritual capability of a man's heart and when this capability increases,
the dua which ensues is genuine, heartfelt and more precious. Real
fasting is that which induces real dua.
The Essence of Ramazan
According to Islam, man has been brought into this world so that he
may be put to the test. He has been given freedom of will so that he
may make use of this freedom in following the commandments of God
willingly. To pass the test of life, man has to restrict the use of this
freedom: he has to promote all that is good and try to eradicate all that
is bad. Self-control is needed for this and fasting is a form of annual
training to gain this self-control.
One has to have patience for this self-controlled life. Fasting inculcates
in the individual this spirit of patience. On this ground, the month of
fasting has been termed in a Hadith as the month of patience. The most
important thing required to lead an Islamic life in this world is patience.
For this very reason it was declared in the Quran:
Those who persevere patiently will be
requited without measure.
THE QURAN 39: 10
The same glad news of immeasurable reward for patience is also given
in a Hadith. Abu Hurairah quoted the Prophet as having said "The good
deeds of a person will receive tenfold to seven-hundredfold reward.
But [God, the exalted has said] fasting is [observed] for Me and I will
give reward [without measure] for it."
The Month of Contemplation
During Ramazan a dramatic change comes over the Islamic community.
Believers are seen sitting inside mosques, reciting the Quran, immersed
in prayer (dua) and the remembrance of God. They become more
detached and contemplative. Their boisterous and frivolous urges
are curbed.
Man is a social being: he is either encouraged or depressed by his
surroundings. This sea change in communal life during Ramazan
therefore affects the individual believer. He is encouraged by the
change in his brethren and inclines more and more towards God.
Believers turn away from common vices and peace and tranquillity
reign in all the neighbourhoods and market places.
All these changes create a good environment for moral rectification.
The bad become less so and the good become better.
Training in Humility
The Quran tells us that fasting is prescribed for you so that you may
fear God (THE QURAN 2: 183). So what does it mean to fear God? Fearing
God means that man should acknowledge his helplessness vis-a-vis
God's greatness.
The feeling of helplessness is not simply a feeling but is rather the
greatest motivational force in the life of a person. The feeling of
helplessness relates to God, but when this feeling is produced in man
in the real sense, it finds expression in human relations. One who
becomes truly modest before God finds this same spirit making him
modest before human beings.
The height of spirituality is a person's realization of his own helplessness
and the supreme power of God. The biggest obstacle to a person's
spiritual growth is his own ego and false pride which lead to his being
distanced from God. The sole concern of a spiritually pure person is
earning God's pleasure.
The Month of Sympathy
The Prophet said:
The month of Ramazan is the month of sympathy.
Fasting teaches a man what basic human requirements are. It tells
him what hunger is and what thirst is. Those who do not get a chance
to feel hungry or thirsty, experience these feelings during this month
when they fast. For a few hours, the rich also come to live in the same
conditions in which a poor man lives.
Ramazan is thus a process of rejuvenation of a believer. He can look
forward to applying the lessons learnt during Ramazan to everyday life.
A person who has fasted in the true spirit can count on drawing upon
the reservoir of fortitude that he has built up, on the power of dua, of
patience and gratefulness when he is faced with any trying situation.
TRUE FACE
Two representations
IT is said that a Jewish man used to live in the neighbourhood of Sufi
saint, Shaikh Bayazid Bustami. When Shaikh Bustami died, the Jew
was asked, ‘Why don’t you accept Islam?’
The Jew replied, ‘How can I accept Islam? If Islam is the religion that
Shaikh Bayazid Bustami followed, then it is beyond my capabilities, and
if Islam is the religion that I see among common Muslims, then I feel
ashamed of such an Islam.'
What does a non-Muslim, like this Jew, see in the religion of a venerable
Sufi like Shaikh Bustami? He sees a religion that calls for a person to
renounce the world and live as an ascetic. He sees a person who prays
all night, who completes reading the Quran several times each day and
one who fasts for the whole year. He sees a person, who, when he
goes on the Haj, offers extra prayers at every step, who has memorized
some words to remember God, repeating them several thousand times
every day etc.
On the other hand, what is the ‘Islam’ that is prevalent among the
masses? It is to take the name of Islam but to actually follow one’s own
whims and fancies. It is to prostrate before God and show arrogance
and pride in front of others. It is to recite the Quran ritualistically,
whilst ignoring its commands in life. It is to take great pride in Islam as
a 'complete religion' and at the same time not to follow even a part of
it. It is to champion the name of Islam to gain personal benefit and to
sever one’s connection with Islam when there appears to be none. It is
to follow the cultural version of the religion and at the same time label
it as the religion of God.
Islam is a simple and natural religion. It has an endless appeal for
human nature. Due to this natural attraction, Islam spread far and
wide in its early history. But in the later periods, different fabricated
versions of Islam appeared which resulted in Islam losing its appeal
to man.
Islam is a religion preserved in its original sources. In actual fact, even
today it possesses a natural attraction. If all the artificial veils are
lifted and Islam’s true face is seen, it will be recognized as the voice
of human nature.
REVELATION AND INSPIRATION
Guidance from God
IT has been stated in the Quran that God sent His revelation to the
bees (THE QURAN 16: 68). From this we know that in the animal kingdom
there are certain features that are similar to the revelations of God
to mankind. A study of these features will improve our understanding
of the revelations of God.
The concept of revelation is the receiving of guidance from external
sources of knowledge. A study of animal life clearly shows that
such sources of guidance exist amongst them. We can find many
characteristic features amongst animal life which can only be explained
by acknowledging that they have received guidance from sources
external to them. Migration amongst animals is one such characteristic
feature. The migration of birds and fish specifically demonstrate
signs that make the concepts of revelation and inspiration easily
understandable to man.
Certain features in the animal kingdom show
similarities to the revelations of God to mankind.
Here, we present the example of migratory birds. There are many
birds that migrate from their homes to other favourable places and
then after a specific period return back to their original abodes. This
seasonal migration is done at specific times due to seasonal changes
and in search of food.
Extensive studies have been carried out on the flight patterns of these
migratory birds. The common theme that emerges from these studies
is that the flight pattern of these migratory birds is not random or
aimless. In the words of one expert ornithologist, ‘these flight patterns
demonstrate a very high level of geographical arrangement’. These
journeys are as meaningful as any well planned and purposeful journey
of man. Recent observational studies have further established that
these migratory journeys are undertaken on ‘well-defined flyways’.
This journey of the birds is extremely remarkable. A successful journey
from one place to another for man becomes possible only after he
has obtained knowledge of the path and the destination from external
sources. These external sources for man can be the instructions from others, or a study of the discoveries of others or the experience of
oneself of unfamiliar conditions and situations. If man were to be cut
off from the progressive and historic collective knowledge base and the
interaction and exchange of ideas with others and the knowledge from
the academic institutions of learning then he would be helpless and
unable to make a journey or do anything.
The flight patterns of migratory birds demonstrate
a very high level of geographical arrangement.
For instance, Muslim geographer Al-Idrisi (1099–1165 AD) got his initial
concepts of the spherical shape of the earth from the works of Indian
astronomers and mathematicians, possibly Aryabhata. The Latin
translation of Al-Idrisi's geographical works amongst others influenced
Christopher Columbus' voyages. Columbus' experiences advanced
the knowledge of those explorers who came after him. This sequence
progressed one after another until the knowledge of the earth's
geography reached the advanced stage, which we find it in today.
Today when the captain of a ship sets sail across the oceans from one
shore to the other or when the pilot of an airliner takes off from one
airport to land at another, they are able to do so, utilizing the knowledge
gained from thousands of years of human experience.
Birds do not have any recourse to such knowledge. They cannot
exchange ideas with others in the manner that man does. Hence, they
are unable to derive any benefit or knowledge from the experiences of
their brethren. No bird can express its ideas in the form of a book so
that other birds could read and benefit from it. Completely devoid of
any such capability or facility they are still able to undertake journeys
similar to those of man. They are able to successfully complete
incredible journeys from one place to another distant place in the
same manner as the remotely controlled journeys of a rocket in space.
An expert researcher on the migration of birds has written that, 'the
migration flights of birds follow specific routes, sometimes quite well
defined over long distances.' The migratory behaviour of birds has a
unique regularity in Africa. For example, the standard-wing night jar
which nests in a belt extending from Senegal in the west to Kenya in
the east along the equatorial forest migrates northward to avoid the
wet season.
A map tracing the intercontinental migratory flight route taken by the
European White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) is shown below
This flight-path between its nesting grounds in Europe and Russia and
its wintering grounds in tropical Africa is known as the Mediterranean/
Black Sea Flyway. To avoid the harsh winters, these birds of Western
Siberia and Central and Eastern Europe, migrate south in autumn to
the warmer areas of Africa and Asia. In this long journey they have to
negotiate the Ural Mountains and cross three seas — the Black Sea, the
Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
To achieve their goal they fly in a systematic order and direction which
is most suitable for them. They choose their paths in such a manner
that their flight over the sea is minimized. Maximizing their journeys
over land allows them to take advantage of updrafts and thermals to
maintain their soaring flight and rest on land as and when required.
Today when the captain of a ship sets sail across the
oceans, he is able to do so, utilizing the knowledge
gained from thousands of years of human experience.
As a result, migration through the Mediterranean basin is concentrated
at a number of narrow straits and ‘land bridges’. Many migrants cross
from southern Italy, over the Messina Strait to Sicily and on into North
Africa, some via Malta. Another group takes the path over the land
mass of Greece that extends a long way into the Mediterranean and
then onto Crete before crossing over into Africa at the narrowest part
of the sea in this region.
Other birds circumvent the Mediterranean to the East, passing into
Anatolia via the Turkish Straits of Bosphorous and Dardanelles. From
here, they cross into the Middle East at the Belen Pass before heading
down the Jordan Rift Valley to Egypt and the Red Sea. The majority
of these birds enter into Africa through the Sinai Peninsula before
heading south along the Nile valley.
Yet another group of migrant birds follow a completely western route
over the Strait of Gibraltar where the sea crossing into Africa is only
ten miles.
In the words of an ornithologist, ‘these well-separated routes are a
probably a result of a stork's aversion to long flights over water and
the support they require over land’. This was the very same reason
that the ancient mariners crossed the seas from the straits rather than
from the open seas.
This migratory journey of birds is incredibly amazing. Today, when man
undertakes such journeys, he can only do so with the help of many
forms of knowledge. Birds however have neither the mental capability
of man nor any other mechanism of utilising knowledge. Then how is it
that these birds are successful in such complex journeys?
According to an expert ornithologist the answer to this is that ‘birds
have evolved a highly efficient means of travelling swiftly over long
distances with great economy of energy’. But these are just words. While
agreeing that behavioural and physiological adaptations necessary for
migration are under genetic control, these experts acknowledge that
migration has developed independently in many avian lineages.
Completely devoid of the capability to derive benefit
from knowledge, migratory birds are able to undertake
long journeys similar to those of man.
The truth is that birds do not demonstrate any evidence in their nature
that proves that they have developed this capability through the process
of evolution. If you ponder over this phenomenon, there can be only two
possible hypotheses: One, that these birds have a complete knowledge
of the geography of both the land and sea masses of the continents
of Europe, Africa and Asia. However, no study has established this as
a fact. According to all our available information, birds on their own
have no knowledge of any kind of geographical facts. In support of this
hypothesis, whatever is written or spoken is without any foundation
and is only a supposition which has no evidence in factual knowledge.
The second possible hypothesis — is that some external power with
complete geographic knowledge is helping these birds, using some sort
of hidden remote control. This power is guiding the birds in a manner
similar to that used in the radio-communication control of unmanned
spacecraft. This second hypothesis is a more credible hypothesis. In
reality, this matter confirms and establishes as true the concept known
in divine religions as 'revelation'.
There are such instances in the animal kingdom that cannot be
understood unless it is accepted that these animals are in receipt
of guidance from an external treasure house of knowledge. This
in religious terms is referred to as revelation. A study of animal life
makes it possible for us to understand the concept of revelation.
Credible circumstantial evidence in favour of a hypothesis is sufficient
to establish its occurrence and veracity.
The concept of revelation means that God sends His guidance to man
in an unseen manner. This guidance tells man what he must do and
what he should refrain from. This connection of revelation between God and man (Prophet) is unseen; hence some people refuse to believe
in it.
In other creation, for example a study of the migratory journeys of birds
shows that there exists such guidance similar to revelation. Migration
with such precision is an instance that makes credible the concept
of revelation. No other theory can be propounded to explain these
journeys other than that it be acknowledged that they are in receipt of
hidden guidance from an external source. When the birds themselves
do not possess these known faculties then what else can be said other
than that this guidance is external to them.
Some external power with complete geographic
knowledge is helping these birds, using some
sort of hidden remote control.
The proclamation of the Prophet that he has received guidance from
God in the form of revelation is without doubt a remarkable claim. But,
such hidden guidance is not strange in this present world. There are
other instances in this world that verify that such guidance is evident.
The case of migratory birds that has been briefly mentioned in this
article is just one example amongst many others in this world.
Big Bird of the Storm
‘The elephant walks on without being disturbed by barking dogs’.
This is the best illustration of one who has the capacity for
‘big bird thinking’. Life is full of storms, full of barking,
full of untoward situations. You have only two
options: either to waste your time and energy
by constantly stooping to reactionary
behaviour or to ignore all undesirable
situations and try to live like the
elephant in the adage. Elephantstyle
living is the only
successful way to live
in this world.
ZAKAT THE PRESCRIBED CHARITY
Social Welfare
ZAKAT, or the alms-tax, is one of the five basic tenets of Islam.
Its payment is obligatory, at the minimum fixed rate of 2.5% per
annum, on all wealth that is subject to growth. It takes the form
of the giving of alms out of one's own private means. This amount is
given in the name of God and is to be spent on worthy religious causes
and on meeting the needs of the poor and the helpless.
Zakat is an annual reminder to man that everything he possesses
belongs to God, and that nothing should, therefore, be withheld
from Him.
Man himself plays only a very small part in obtaining whatever he owns
in this world. Were he not to have the benefit of God's endless bounty,
he would neither be able to grow grain, raise cattle, set up industries
nor accomplish any other work of a useful nature. The system of life
created for him by God, fulfilling all of his requirements from those of
his inner being to those of his external environment, is one of greatest
perfection. Were God to withdraw even a single one of His blessings,
all man's schemes would lie in ruins and all his efforts would be in
vain. All productivity would grind to a halt, and life itself would come to
a standstill.
Society should be so ordered that people fortunately
placed in life come to the assistance of
their less fortunate brothers.
The observance of Zakat is a way of acknowledging this fact of life.
Islam desires that private wealth should be considered as belonging
to God, and therefore should be spent in the way as ordained by God.
In doing so, no one should consider that he is conferring a great favour
upon those less well-endowed than himself, and should in no way
be condescending to the recipients of his charity. When a man gives
alms to others, he should do so with the knowledge that they have a
rightful share in his wealth, for this is as God has ordained. He is doing
no more than giving others their due. But when he gives, he can feel
reassured that he himself will be given succour by his Maker on the Day of Judgment. In giving to others, he knows for certain that he will not be
denied by God at the Last Reckoning.
One's Responsibilities To Others
Zakat gives a clear indication of what one's responsibilities to others
should be. Everyone is required to recognize the rights of others, just
as everyone is expected to sympathize with those afflicted by adversity.
This feeling should be so well developed that one has no hesitancy
about sharing one's possessions with others, or coming to their
assistance, even when it is clear that nothing can be expected in return.
Even where there are no ties of friendship, one should be a well-wisher
of others and guard their honour as if it were one's own.
Gifts From God
Zakat brings the realization that all of one’s possessions are gifts from
God and makes one more keenly aware of the virtues of devotion to
God. In the light of such awareness, one cannot remain insensitive to
the needs of the society in which one lives. Zakat is a perennial reminder
that a selfish stance is a wrong stance, and that others must be given
their rightful share of our earnings.
Zakat is in the nature of an annual reminder to man
that everything he possesses belongs to God.
One unfortunate aspect of human relationships is that people tend
to give to others only when they hope to gain something in return.
Money, they feel, should be returned with interest. When such an
understanding becomes a factor in our social organization, exploitation
becomes rampant; everyone is ready to plunder everyone else. This
results in society falling prey to oppression and disorder.
No one — no matter whether they are rich or poor — can be at peace
in a society stricken with this malaise. Society should be so ordered
that people fortunately placed in life come to the assistance of their
less fortunate brothers, in the knowledge that they will ultimately be
rewarded by God. Believers have the assurance of God that if they give
to others, whatever they give will be returned to them many times
over in the next world; their trust in God's promise is complete. In a
society ordered in this way, feelings of antagonism and indifference
are not allowed to develop; people are not bent on exploiting one another. There is never an atmosphere of mutual resentment and
dissatisfaction, for everyone lives in peace with his neighbour. Such a
society, in short, is a haven of contentment and well-being.
In its external form then, Zakat is an annual tax. But in its essence, it is
the principle on which God and his creatures have a right to a share in
one's property.
The Ramazan Charity
Zakat-al-Fitr is specifically related to the month of fasting and is given
before the special Eid prayer. The reason for this Zakat is two-fold.
According to a Hadith reported by Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet made Zakatal-Fitr
obligatory for the fasting person to keep him from idle talk and
indecent conversation and to provide food for the needy. Discharging
the duty before the prayer is an accepted Zakat while discharging it
after the prayer is just sadaqah (voluntary charity).
In its external form then, Zakat is an annual tax. But,
in essence it is the principle on which God and
his creatures have a right to a share
in one’s property.
Zakat-al-Fitr perfects the fast of Ramazan and purifies the fast of any
indecent act or speech. It is obligatory on all Muslims: young, old,
male and female. Every Muslim who possesses over and above what is
needed as basic food for the duration of one day and night must pay
Zakat-al-Fitr for himself and his dependants and distribute it amongst
the poor and needy. The earlier it is given the easier it is for them to
make arrangements, so that they may also take part in the celebrations
of Eid without any difficulties.
Reality
Do not look at things from the point of view
of personal desires and whims, but from the point of view of reality.
TOUCH ME NOT
Emotions and Egos
THERE is a small plant found in shady areas. Its scientific name is
Mimosa pudica. On account of its sensitive nature it is popularly
called ‘touch-me-not’. Its leaves fold inward and droop when
touched, and they re-open on their own minutes later.
This is a phenomenon of nature. It is an illustration of how to successfully
tackle men and women. By nature, women are emotional and men are
egotistic. Allowance must be given to both the sexes in this matter.
Don’t meddle with women’s emotions, and you can successfully deal
with them. Similarly, don’t threaten men’s ego. This is the basic formula
for dealing with the two.
If one is sensitive to this aspect of women and men, one will never have
a bitter experience — both at home and outside, and can be assured
of a normalcy in every situation.
Generally, people live in tension. In majority of the cases, the reason is
improper handling of men or women. Intentionally or unintentionally,
people often ruffle the emotions of a woman or the ego of a man, and
it is this improper handling that leads to breakdown. The result is that
both parties unnecessarily develop tension.
For example, if a man returns late from the office, and his wife becomes
angry, he shouldn’t get provoked, rather he should reply with a smile:
“I am hungry right now, let us eat something and we’ll talk about this
later.” On the other hand, if a woman insists on going shopping, while
her husband doesn’t want to do so, then in such a case the husband
should not refuse downright. He should say: “Yours is a good idea, but
not for today. I will abide by your suggestion tomorrow.” This is the
easiest way to settle the matter between both the parties.
A tension-free mind is the greatest need for all of us. The only solution
is to learn the art of management. The art of management only requires
a few words, while tension swallows up your peace of mind as well as
your physical health.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IFTAR
True Perspective
IFTAR is an Arabic word, which literally means ‘to break’. In the
Islamic context, it means to break the fast, to eat and drink in the
evening after the daylong fast. Iftar is not simply a matter of having
dinner. It has great significance. It is a combination of spiritual and
physical food.
According to Islamic teachings, there are five pillars of Islam. One of
these pillars is fasting during Ramazan, the ninth month of the Islamic
lunar calendar. Fasting begins from dawn and ends at sunset. One can
take food before dawn, after which one is required to maintain a total
fast until sunset. After sunset, one is allowed to eat and drink according
to one’s choice. Taking food before dawn is called sehri. Taking food
after sunset is called iftar.
Iftar is like dinner, but it is a dinner combined with a spiritual experience.
It is like a compulsory form of training. When one experiences hunger
in the daytime, one discovers the importance of food and water which
give us energy. Indeed, one discovers the fact that one cannot live
without food and water. And, after this experience, when a person
takes food and water in the evening, he is filled with gratitude to God
Almighty, who not only created him, but also provided him with all the
basic needs, essential for his continuing existence.
Iftar not only gives physical energy, but also becomes
a source of spiritual development.
This spiritual experience also inculcates in his mind the importance of
philanthropy. He becomes more sensitive towards those people who
are unable to meet their needs. This feeling gives him an incentive to
give assistance to such people.
In this sense, iftar is a source of spiritual learning. The iftar time
becomes a time of inspiration. It is the moment when physical food is
converted into spiritual food. Iftar not only gives physical energy, but
also becomes a source of spiritual development.
According to Islamic teachings, iftar should be a simple meal and not
a lavish affair. Simplicity saves us from distraction and will make us concentrate on the spiritual aspect of fasting. On the other hand, if the
iftar takes the form of a lavish affair, all attention will focus on the taste
and the physical aspects, and the spiritual benefits will be lost. In fact,
a lavish iftar kills the true spirit of fasting. The Prophet of Islam and his
Companions always used to take simple food at the time of iftar.
Iftar ostensibly ends the time of fasting, but treating it as just that
would be an underestimation. For the spiritually awakened mind, it is
like a new beginning towards spiritual upliftment. Such a person will
analyse the experiences of the day and try to learn lessons from them.
Iftar gives a glimpse of the boundless rewards that
await man in the world Hereafter.
These days, organizing iftar parties has become a tradition. But this
party should not be like any other party. Such a party should give us an
opportunity for spiritual exchange, turning our individual experience
into a social experience.
It is reported that the Prophet of Islam used to say at the time of iftar,
‘Thirst has been quenched, and hunger is no more, and, God willing,
God will bless us with His reward.’ This shows that iftar invokes the spirit
of prayer. It gives us an opportunity to say, ‘O God, I have fulfilled my
duty and now I hope You will not deprive me of Your higher blessings.’
During the fast, the pangs of hunger and thirst make a man feel
vulnerable and he turns towards God with renewed zeal. He cries out,
‘God, I have obeyed Your one command, there are many I could not. I
kept one day’s fast, but I failed on several other occasions. I seek Your
special blessings.’
When a sincere prayer like this is uttered, God turns His special
attention to it, and the rewards are boundless. Man prays in this
world and the reward is given in the world Hereafter. But fasting is an
exception for which a taste of the reward is given in this world itself.
Iftar gives a glimpse of the boundless rewards that await man in the
world Hereafter.
THE CULTURE OF PEACE
Teachings of Islam
WHAT is Peace? Some scholars define peace as the absence of
war. This definition is, from the dictionary or literal point of
view, correct. If a society is free from violence and war, the
situation that prevails may be termed as ‘peace’. Whenever there is no
war or violence between individuals or groups, a state of peace begins
to emerge on its own.
However, for peace to be established in any society, it is not enough
that it has succeeded in ending violence or war. To define peace
as the absence of violence or war is a limited definition of peace. A
better way of defining peace is on the basis of the positive attributes
that characterise peace. Accordingly, a society can be said to enjoy
peace if positive and constructive thought and activity flourish among
its members.
The establishment of peace in a society can be likened to the lifting of
the gates of a dam, leading to a river being filled with plenty of water.
Life is like a flowing river that seeks to surge ahead, driven by its own
inner force. It stops its journey only when some artificial barrier is
placed in its path. In the absence of such a barrier, life flourishes in all
its dimensions, impelled by Nature.
A society can be said to enjoy peace if positive and
constructive thought and activity flourish
among its members.
Violence and war are barriers that seek to block the natural flow of life.
In contrast, peace opens up all the barriers that seek to impede life’s
onward journey.
We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this is a very narrow
and restricted notion of peace. The fact is that peace is deeply linked
with the whole of human life. Peace is a complete ideology in itself.
It is the master-key that opens the doors to every sort of success.
Peace creates a favourable atmosphere for success in every sort of
endeavour. Without peace, no positive action — small or big — is at
all possible.
Peace is the Religion of the Universe
The Quran tells us:
The sun cannot overtake the moon, nor can the night
outpace the day; each floats in [its own] orbit.
THE QURAN 36: 40
Referring to an astronomical phenomenon, this Quranic verse tells us
about the principle on which the system of the entire universe is based.
And this is the principle of peace. There are innumerable entities in the
cosmos, and all of them are in constant motion. Yet, they do not clash
with each other. Every entity in the cosmos carries on doing its own
work in its own orbit. None interferes in the sphere of the others. This
is why they never clash with each other.
This ‘culture of peace’ is also what human beings should imbibe. They
should base their lives on precisely the same universal principle that
conforms to the rest of the cosmos. This means they must abandon the
path of violence and confrontation and tread the path of peace.
The highest attribute of the God who has sent the Quran
is mercy, and this book is an expression of His mercy.
The culture of the cosmos is a ‘culture of peace’. It is because of this
peace that the cosmos has been functioning for millions of years and yet
has not witnessed any confrontation that has impaired its functioning.
If a ‘culture of violence’ had pervaded the cosmos, by now it would have
been devastated, and there would have been no possibility for human
life to exist.
The same Creator who made the rest of the cosmos has created us
human beings, too. The Creator wants that human beings should adopt
the very same ‘peace culture’ that He has established throughout the
rest of the vast cosmos. The only difference is that this ‘peace culture’
prevails in the rest of the cosmos on the basis of Nature, while humans
are independent creatures and have free will. And so, God wishes that
they should freely decide to adopt this ‘peace culture’ in their lives.
The Quran, a Book of Peace
The Quran is, without doubt, a book of peace. It is not a book of violence and war. All the statements of the Quran are, directly or indirectly,
related to peace. The very first phrase in the Quran is: Bismillah
ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, which means, ‘In the name of God, the Beneficent,
the Merciful.’ In other words, the highest attribute of the God who has
sent this book is mercy, and this book is an expression of this attribute
of His mercy.
All the verses of the Quran are, directly or indirectly, based on peace.
There are 6,
commandments of qital or war — in other words, less than 1 per cent.
In fact, they amount to just around 0.6 per cent of the total number
of verses.
The culture of the cosmos is a ‘culture of peace’.
Those who regard the Quran as God’s Book can be considered to be
momins or true believers only when, abiding by the teachings of the
Quran, they become fully and completely peace-loving. Under no
conditions whatsoever should they take to the path of violence.
In this regard, one needs to stress the need for people to distinguish
between Islam, on one hand, and Muslims, on the other. They must not
label the actions or behaviour of Muslims as ‘Islamic’. The fact is that
the behaviour of Muslims must be judged on the basis of Islam; and not
Islam sought to be understood on the basis of Muslim behaviour. Islam
is an ideology. A person can be truly considered to be a Muslim only
if he follows the teachings of Islam. Those who do not follow Islam’s
teachings do not have anything to do with Islam, even if they claim to
be its champions.
Peace versus Violence
Peace is a well-planned effort or action, while violence is a passiondriven,
aggressive action. A peace-loving person thinks first and then
acts. On the contrary, a violence-loving person first acts and then
thinks, if at all. Peaceful action is based on hope, in the beginning as
well as at the end, while violent action is based on false hopes in the
beginning and frustration in the end.
A peace-loving person is established in truth. A violence-loving person
is established in falsehood. Peace and positive constructive work
go hand-in-hand, while violence is wholly destructive. Peace ends in success, and violence in utter failure. Peaceful action abides by the law,
while violent action is lawlessness.
A peace-loving person overlooks problems and uses the opportunities
available, while a violence-loving person ignores the opportunities
available and gets entangled in a useless battle against problems. The
path of peace cultivates a garden bursting with flowers, while the path
of violence creates a thorny jungle of hatred and enmity.
In peace, one fulfils the obligations one owes to God as well as those
one owes to God’s creatures, including other human beings. Violence,
on the other hand, is a violation of the ‘rights of God’ as well as the
rights of people. If peace is heaven, then violence, in comparison, is
sheer hell. Choosing peace is making the right choice. On the other
hand, if one chooses war, it proves that he has failed in the test of
making a choice.
The behaviour of Muslims must be judged on the basis of
Islam; and not Islam sought to be understood on the basis
of Muslim behaviour.
In this world, there are many things that are not desirable, but they
exist for the purpose of testing us — for instance, alcohol. Alcohol
exists not so that people should drink it, but, rather, so that they
should avoid it and thereby prove that they can distinguish between
good and bad. The same thing holds for war, too. War is something
that can be resorted to, but the right thing for human beings to do is
to desist from it.
In the ancient past, considering the then prevailing conditions,
permission was given for defensive war. This permission was in
accordance with the law of necessity. But now, in the changed conditions
of today, this necessity no longer exists. And that is why there is now
no need at all for war.
Reconciliation is Best
The Quran (
words: ‘Reconciliation is best’ (as-sulh khair). The word sulh means
reconciliation. In the event of a conflict between two parties, they can
engage in violent confrontation. But there is another method they can
choose: to immediately come to an agreement and end their conflict.
This is what reconciliation is about.
It is very rare for this sort of reconciliation to be equally in accordance
with the desires of both parties. In most cases, this reconciliation
happens on a unilateral basis. That is to say, one of the two parties
sets aside its desires and agrees to settle the dispute according to the
desires of the other party.
Why is this sort of unilateral reconciliation termed as ‘best’? The reason
for this is because a situation of conflict puts a halt to constructive
activity. The benefit of agreeing to reconciliation is that one is thereby
spared the need to waste one’s time, strength and resources on
useless confrontation and one can focus on constructive efforts
instead. A course of action that is opposed to reconciliation is always
and inevitably a course of destruction. The method of reconciliation is
always, and in every case, a beneficial one.
Those who do not follow Islam’s teachings do not have
anything to do with Islam, even if they claim
to be its champions.
History is witness to the fact that whenever people have attained any
kind of success following conflict, it has only been after adopting the
method of reconciliation. Not a single person has ever achieved any
real success through confrontation and fighting. The importance of
reconciliation lies in the fact that it provides an opportunity to fully
exercise one’s right to use the available opportunities. On the other
hand, the path of confrontation leads one to waste one’s energies in
trying to destroy others; as a result of which, one can engage in no
constructive work whatsoever. The secret of success lies in stabilising
and building up oneself, and definitely not in the destruction of
imaginary enemies.
No to ‘Corruption in the Land’
The Quran describes a certain form of behaviour in the following words:
When they are told, ‘Do not cause corruption in the land,’
they say, ‘We are only promoters of peace,’ […]
THE QURAN 2: 11
This Quranic verse refers to people who, on the face of it, are engaged in some reformist efforts but whose method is not proper. Their
method is such that, in actual practice, it causes fasad, or ‘corruption’
in the land. Here, ‘corruption in the land’ means that as a result of their
method, people start clashing with each other. Their method leads to
stirring up hatred between people, weakening their moral sensibilities
and engendering negative thinking. All these are forms of fasad fil ardh
or ‘corruption in the land’ which this Quranic verse talks about, because
they destroy social peace, leading to violence and confrontation.
All activities undertaken in the name of reform that
disturb social peace and cause loss of life
and property are wrong.
From this Quranic teaching we learn that for an action to be considered
proper, it is not enough that it appears to have started for a good
cause. In addition to this, it is necessary to keep in mind the sort of
results activities undertaken in the name of reform produce. If these
activities give birth to hatred, tension, violence and so on and so forth
amongst people, then, despite claiming to be reformist activities they
are definitely not so. Rather, they are destructive activities, leading to
fasad or ‘corruption’ in the land. Those who engage in such activities
should be considered criminals and enemies of humanity, and certainly
not reformers or servants of humanity.
An action can be considered a genuine reformist effort only if it is
carried out within the limits of peace and humaneness. All activities
undertaken in the name of reform that disturb social peace and cause
loss of life and property are wrong. Efforts in the name of reform must
also necessarily bring about true reform in terms of their results. If,
instead, they result in what the Quran refers to as fasad or ‘corruption’ in
the land, then they are actually themselves a form of fasad, irrespective
of the beautiful words used to describe them.
Ending Conspiracies
The Quran tells us:
If you persevere and fear God, their designs will
never harm you in the least.
THE QURAN 3: 120
This Quranic verse indicates a very important fact of life. The real issue for individuals or groups is not whether they might have enemies
who are conspiring against them. Rather, it is whether or not they
have sufficient sabr or patience and have adopted the necessary
precautionary measures to cause any conspiracies against them to fail.
If conspiracies can be likened to the rain, patience and God consciousness
are like a strong roof. Rain is a problem only for those who have
not bothered to make a firm roof over their heads.
Restrain yourselves from committing
excesses (ghulu) in religion.
The world runs on the principle of competition. And that is why it is but
natural that sometimes rivalries will develop between individuals and
groups, which may later assume the form of conspiracies against each
other. Whenever something like this happens, one should consider it
not as an enemy’s conspiracy but, rather, as an expression of a basic
law of Nature. To think of a conspiracy as an action of an enemy takes
one towards violence. In contrast, if one takes it to be a result of a basic
law of Nature, one will nurture a way of thinking that will lead one to
take wise measures to avoid falling prey to such conspiracies — just as
a wise man does not protest against the rain; but rather, builds a roof
over his house to save himself from getting wet.
No To Extremism
The Quran tells us:
Do not go to extremes in your religion.
THE QURAN 4: 171
The same point is made in a Hadith report, according to which the
Prophet declared:
‘You should restrain yourselves from committing excesses
(ghulu) in religion. For it was due to their having gone
to extremes in religion that the previous
communities were destroyed.’
This Hadith is recorded in the collections by Al-Nasai and Ibn Majah,
and in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad.
The same point is made in a Hadith report, according to which the The word ghulu means extremism. Ghulu or extremism in every matter
is wrong. It is the very antithesis of the essential spirit of religion.
Ghulu can easily escalate into violence and confrontation. Those who
have fallen prey to the psychological malady of ghulu refuse to accept
moderation. They scorn peace and moderation, thinking them to be
inferior, and that is why they are very easily attracted to violence. In the
name of attaining some lofty objective, they unleash deadly violence.
The opposite of ghulu or extremism is moderation. If you are moderate
in your thinking, you will think in terms of peace. All your efforts will
be through peaceful means. Moderation and peace are very closely
interlinked. Where there is moderation, there will be peace. Likewise,
where there is peace, there will be moderation.
In contrast, the ghulu-psyche always drags one towards extremism.
And extremism very easily turns into violence and confrontation. Ghulu
and violence are thus very closely linked. This is why ghulu in religion
is looked at with great disfavour in Islam. Inclination towards ghulu is
another name for addiction to violence. And abstaining from ghulu is
another name for cherishing moderation.
.....to be continued.
Keep your mind alive forever
It is a fact that intellectual discovery is the most thrilling experience.
A discovery made by Archimedes while he was bathing gave
him such a thrill that he leapt out of his bath,
shouting: Eureka! Eureka!
And such a thrill is great food
for the intellect.
This process staves off intellectual starvation,
thus making the discoverer permanently
alive and young.
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
QUALITATIVE OR QUANTITATIVE ISLAM
MANY Muslim groups and organizations have mushroomed in
the present age. Several differences can be found between
them, but one thing is common to all. That is, in one way or
another every one of them has given a quantitative interpretation of
Islam. In place of a qualitative interpretation of the divine religion,
a quantitative interpretation has created misguidance and caused a
great loss in the name of religion.
In a qualitative interpretation of Islam man is always dissatisfied with
his religiosity. This is because piety and fear of God are personal
matters of the heart. They cannot be quantified and measured. But
in the form-based interpretation religiosity becomes a quantified
and measurable object. This results in fearlessness in man. Having
quantified his deeds, he feels that he has complied with what was
expected of him and therefore becomes complacent. Spirit-based
or qualitative thinking creates a fear of God whereas form-based or
quantitative thinking creates a false sense of conviction and makes
man fearless of God.
The Companions of the Prophet always remained in a state of fear that their deeds were not good enough and strived to do better and
more. This was because, to them religion was an internal matter of
the heart that could not be measured or described in mathematical
terms. Present day Muslims, on the other hand, do not fear God due
to their form-based mind set and assume that as long as they are
complying with the required number of rituals they have done their
duty; therefore, their affairs are in perfect order.
Spirit based or qualitative thinking creates a fear of God
whereas form-based quantitative thinking creates a false
sense of conviction making man fearless of God.
There are many interpretations of religion that are based on its external
manifestations such as a political interpretation, an interpretation
based on social issues, an interpretation based on intercession,
an interpretation based on being the ‘khair ummat’ (best of the
communities) etc.
All of the aforementioned are form-based interpretations of religion.
The most important part of religion is its inner content. Therefore all
such interpretations of religion which are based on form and external
rituals will be undoubtedly invalid. Following such ritualistic forms of
religion is an innovation and cannot be considered as following the
religion sent by God and professed by the Prophet.
FASTING AND FEASTING
Semblance of The World And The Hereafter
THE Prophet is reported to have said: 'The fasting person has
two delights: one at the time of breaking the fast and the
other at the time of meeting with his Lord God most High.'
Hadith – Sahih Muslim.
Fasting, and the breaking of the fast; both are different experiences in
their own right.
The reality of this life can be realized through the experience of fasting.
Eating, drinking and certain other specific activities are prohibited
during the fast for a temporary period throughout the day. Similar
prohibitions are imposed upon the true believer throughout his life.
He has to abstain from all that has been forbidden by God and live life
as a ‘fasting’ person.
Fasting gives us an awareness of the patience
and struggle of this life.
The very purpose of life is the ‘testing’ of man. Fasting is a semblance
of this test. This worldly life is only to do good deeds as enjoined by
God, to follow the path He has shown and refrain from all that He has
prohibited. For this conscientious life the promise of God is boundless
rewards in the Hereafter; rewards which are not manifest in this worldly
life. Fasting thus gives an awareness of the patience and struggle of
this life.
In contrast to fasting, Iftar (breaking the fast), presents a semblance
of life Hereafter. In the same spirit, the whole month of Ramazan
resembles the conditioned life of this world. Likewise, Eid-ul-Fitr,
the day of feasting, also gives us a faint taste and semblance of the
life Hereafter.
The day of the festival brings an end to the prohibitions and restrictions
placed during the period of fasting. Eid reminds us of the joys and
pleasures of the Hereafter for a believer who has successfully passed
this worldly test.
A true believer, having undergone the period of fasting in a most sincere manner, gets the feeling of the Hereafter as soon as the month
of Ramazan is over and the celebrations for Eid are under way. He feels
as if he is being entertained as a guest by God Himself. From the depths
of his being, his heart cries out:
Oh God, as you have helped me carry out the injunctions of
fasting and at the culmination of the month have bestowed
on me the joys of Eid, accept this life of mine as one spent in
fasting and bestow on me the delights of Paradise. Write me
down amongst the list of persons who have been bestowed the
life of Paradise by opening thy gates of mercy.
As fasting does not imply mere hunger and thirst, the day of the
festival does not imply mere feasting and celebration. It should, rather,
strengthen in us the right perspective of the ephemeral nature of this
worldly life and the imminent delights of the life Hereafter that are
sure to follow.
The reality of this life can be known through the
experience of fasting. In contrast, Iftar or Eid
reminds us of the joys and pleasures
of the Hereafter.
This should be truly manifested in the thankfulness we present to
the Creator by offering prayers and also by giving more in charity to
the needy. As the period of fasting was spent in self-preparation and
spiritual development, the day of Eid should inculcate in the believer a
new spirit and a renewed sense of zeal and determination towards the
journey to the life Hereafter.
The message of Eid fosters the rekindling of our faith and the opening
of new vistas and an entirely fresh and innovative approach to the
struggles of life which would culminate by the grace of God with the
rewards of everlasting Paradise.
DEVOTION TO GOD
Tawheed and Shirk
MAN requires a support system for his subsistence in this world.
Every man lives in the glory of something or the other. A believer
is one who lives in the glory of God alone. An unbeliever lives
in the glory of things other than God.
In ancient times, man lived in the glory of heavenly bodies such as the
sun and the moon. In the present materialistic world, man lives in the
glory of some contrived material power. Some have glorified wealth
and pursue it to find the answer to their inner quest. Some others are
engrossed in the worship of their heroes and leaders, living in someone
else’s glory. In this way they derive satisfaction for their natural urge of
relying on a sustainer that will support their existence.
A believer is one who lives in the glory of God alone.
All these are different forms of shirk, or associating others with God.
These are artificial solutions to a natural quest of man. A momin or a
true believer is one who finds the true answer to this natural quest. He
does not get caught in the allure of external appearances; instead, he
passes them by and reaches the ultimate goal.
A momin is not deceived by the glitz and glamour of the world. To
him, all these things are mere creations. He finds them in the same
powerless position as himself. A momin does not stop at any of these
things but continues his journey until he reaches God. He passes by all
of creation to reach the Creator.
A momin is one who considers everything that belongs to him as
given to him by God. He expresses his utter helplessness to God. In
the beauty of the earth, he finds the beauty of God. The glory of the
Universe makes him realize the glory of God. All greatness to him is
only a reflection of the greatness of God. He loses himself in the glory
of God, finding joy in praising and glorifying the Lord.
Faith in God refers to discovering the Unseen in the perceived; to
uncover the truth hidden in appearances. One who develops this kind
of vision finds the glory of God all around him. He makes God alone his
everything. He is so engrossed in the glory of God that he cannot see
any other glory, in himself or in anybody else.
RAMAZAN AND EIDULFITR
Deeds and Reward
A portion of an authentic Hadith reported by Abu Hurairah and recorded
in Musnad Ahmed is as follows:
During the last night of Ramazan, the sins of all the
believers who have been fasting are forgiven.
It was asked, 'O Prophet of God, Is this night
the one known as the 'night of power'?'
The Prophet replied, 'No, but as soon
as the deed is done, the reward for
the deed is immediately bestowed'.
ACCORDING to this Hadith, on the last night of Ramazan, those
amongst the followers of the Prophet who have fasted in the
true spirit will be rewarded for their deeds, and this will be
noted in their records. This night of Ramazan is referred to in other
Hadith literature as the 'night of reward' (al-Bayhaqi). God rewards
His believers for every good deed. Due to the special significance of
worship during Ramazan, this reward has been specifically mentioned
by the Prophet.
In reality, those who have spent the month of Ramazan in
its true spirit can never even contemplate that they can
spend the last night of Ramazan in frivolous activity.
It has been generally noted that when the month of Ramazan is
completed, the night before Eid is spent by most people in careless
indulgence and entertainment. They throng shopping centres and
market places. The above Hadith is a warning against all such frivolities.
The 'night of reward' is best utilised in more prayer and supplication,
in introspection of the whole month of Ramazan that has just passed
and in making fresh resolutions for the new year to come. To spend
this night in frivolous shopping and entertainment is to ignore its
importance and lose this great opportunity to earn rewards. In reality,
those who have spent the month of Ramazan in its true spirit can never
even contemplate that they can spend the last night of Ramazan in
frivolous activity. To such people, this last night will be one of prayer
and supplication and not of negligence or entertainment.
Another authentic Hadith regarding Ramazan has been reported by
Anas ibn Malik. One part of this Hadith is:
When the day of Eid-ul-Fitr dawns on them, then God is pleased
and proclaims to the angels, 'O my angels, What is the reward
for the doer who has completed his deed? The angels reply,
‘Our Lord, such a person should be given the complete
reward for the deed done’.
After the end of Ramazan, the day of Eid-ul-Fitr appears with glad
tidings, with tidings of everlasting happiness as reward. This reward is
for those believers of God who have proved themselves deserving of it
by reviving the true spirit of all kinds of good deeds during the month
of Ramazan.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FASTING AND LIFE
Brakes on Desires
FASTING in the month of Ramazan is not just a kind of annual
custom. It is a living creative process. Fasting is related to the
entire life of a human being, the aim of which is to make man’s
life a fasting-oriented life.
The reality of fasting is to put a curb on desires. In one Hadith, this is
referred to as ‘renouncing one’s desires’. Food and water are essential
needs of man. Sleep and rest are also needs of man. During the month
of fasting there are restrictions to these essential needs by compulsion.
This training inculcates in man the capability to restrain his desires
willingly so that he consciously leads a disciplined life.
The aim of fasting is for man to apply a brake on his
desires so that he may carry out the desirable
deeds in this world.
There is a 50:50 ratio in all the actions man has to perform in life i.e.
50% of the actions require abstaining from something and the other
50% acting on something. In the Islamic creed, ‘There is no other God’
comes before, ‘there is one God’.
The same ratio of negative and positive aspect is found in all the
religious acts. In this respect, the aim of fasting is for man to apply a
brake on his desires so that he may carry out the desirable deeds in
this world.
Symbolically speaking, the position of fasting in human life is akin to
the brakes in an engine. Brakes keep the engine of a vehicle in control
so that the journey can be completed successfully. If there is no brake
in the engine, the vehicle will not be able to function effectively.
The same is the case of fasting in the life of a believer. Man should
accord the place of brakes to fasting in his life so that he may travel
successfully on the path of God. The fasting of that person is true
for whom fasting is like applying brakes on the things forbidden
by God.
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
610 and 632 A.D. It is a book that brings glad tidings to mankind,
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
Qaf. By the glorious Quran! Indeed, they are astonished that a warner
should have come to them from among themselves. So these deniers
of the truth say, ‘This is indeed a strange thing, to come back to life
after we have died and become dust? That is most improbable!’ We
know very well what the earth takes away from them: We hold a book
which records all things. But they denied the truth when it came to
them, so they are in a state of confusion. (
The history of the prophets shows that their contemporaries were not
ready to accept them. It was only in later times that people readily
accepted their status as prophets.
The reason for this is that the prophet appears to his contemporaries
as ‘a person just like themselves’. They find it surprising that one whom
they have always treated as their equal should suddenly become great
and start advising them. But, as time passes, a history of greatness
becomes attached to the prophet’s name. So, he starts appearing to
succeeding generations as a ‘person greater than themselves.’ That
is why, in later periods people did not find it difficult to accept the
prophetic status of a prophet. In other words, to the people of the
early days, the prophet was a controversial figure, while to the people
of later times he acquired the aura of an established personage. The
people of the earlier period had to undertake a journey in consciousness
in order to fill the gap between them and the prophet, while in the
later period, this gap would have been filled by history itself.
In the eyes of those who entertain doubts about the prophet-hood
of God’s messenger, everything about him becomes doubtful — even
those beliefs that are already enshrined in tradition. However, nothing can act as a shield or an excuse for the doubters. If the rejecters of the
prophet were simply to consider the inimitable literary majesty of his
book, they would be compelled to accept as a prophet the one who
brought that book.
Have they not observed the sky above them and marked how We have
built it and adorned it, leaving no flaws in it; We spread out the earth
and set upon it solid mountains and We brought forth from it all kinds
of delightful plants, as a lesson and reminder for every human being
who turns to God; and We have sent down from the sky blessed water
with which We have brought forth gardens and grain to be harvested,
and tall palm-trees with their thickly-clustered dates, as a provision
for human beings; and by [all] this We bring dead land to life. Such
shall be the Resurrection. (
The meaningfulness of the universe, its creative wisdom, its being
free of shortcomings, and its being consistent with human needs
compel every thinking and rational man to accept the sublimity of
creation, and one who gives serious consideration to the system of
the universe, will find the Creator in His creations. He will see a glimpse
of the other world (the Hereafter) in this world, because, in fact, the
world of the Hereafter is essentially another, more superior form of
the present world.
Before them, the people of Noah and the people of Rass denied this
truth; and so did the people of Thamud. And the tribe of ‘Ad, and
Pharaoh, and the brethren of Lot, and the dwellers of the Wood, and
the people of Tubba‘: every one denied their messengers, and so My
warning came true. Were We then worn out by the first creation? Yet
they are in doubt about a second creation. (
In the course of history, as presented by the Quran, it has happened
again and again that as a result of the prophets’ addressees rejecting
them, the communities were destroyed. A few of these devastated
nations are mentioned here by way of example. The destruction of
these peoples is, in fact, a sample of the conditions in the Hereafter. A
part of the punishment the rejecters of Truth are destined to receive
in the Hereafter is shown here in this world of today.
The first creation of this world proves the possibility of the second
creation. If a man is serious, he does not require any further proof, to
make him believe in the Hereafter.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions, Answered
What should we do when we come across
people who lie to us?
When you come across people who lie, don’t
take their words seriously. You must try to avoid
such people and not enter into any dealings
with them.
What is the difference between belief and
ideology?
According to general perception, belief is that
which is based on subjective thought and ideology
is that which is based on objective facts.
But, according to my experience, there is no difference between belief
and ideology. If one is able to find reasons to believe, then his belief
becomes ideology.
How can we adopt two different attitudes at the same time —
following idealism at the level of thinking and adopting a practical
attitude in other matters?
It is quite possible to do so. Idealism pertains to one’s own mind and
behaviour. So, there is no problem in adopting what you want to adopt
for yourself. But, when it comes to society, you have to be practical and
you have to take others into consideration. You have to adjust with
other people. In such situations, it is quite reasonable for a person
to adopt idealism in his own life, and to adhere to practical wisdom
in his social behaviour. Both the behaviours can be summed up in a
single formula: idealism for individual life, which is possible — and
pragmatism for social life, which is also possible.
What is the main obstacle to realizing the difference between
reaction and positive action?
Positive response means giving a well-considered response to the
situation. On the other hand, reaction is a response given without
doing serious planning for analysis of the situation. If you are
serious you will certainly opt for the first choice; but if you are not
serious you will be prone to taking the second option.
What is the “Art of Questioning”? What is the definition of a
healthy question?
A question for the sake of questioning is an unhealthy question,
while question for the sake of learning is a healthy question. This is
the art of questioning. One who knows this fact is a master of the art
of questioning.
How does one deal with the guilt that is sometimes borne out
of introspection?
Guilt-consciousness is a very positive sign. It provides you an incentive
to correct yourself. If one is ready to correct oneself, then the feeling of
guilt is very good. However, it becomes a problem only in the situation
when one is not ready to reform oneself.
In an article it is written that it is very important to love ourselves
in order to feel the love and affection from others. What is your
view on this and how important do you think it is to love one’s
own self?
I don’t subscribe to this formula. My formula is: Discover your
responsibility toward yourself as well as toward others. It is the sense
of responsibility that is important, and not love. Love is the highest
aspect of man’s nature. It is, thus, meant only for God, the Creator.
According to my experience, the right formula is: Love for God and
responsibility towards fellow human beings.
Man has been given a very strong ego which comes in the
way of surrendering before God. Why is man put under such a
difficult test?
It is not a matter of difficulty; rather, it is a matter of realization. If you
realize that the ego is a gift from God and it was not created by you, then
it becomes very easy to surrender to God. Because after this discovery,
surrender becomes acknowledgment of God, and to acknowledge is
the greatest urge of one’s nature.
When we are born with the spirit of submission, what makes us
turn arrogant and become a rebel?
Man is born with ego. Modesty comes when we exercise control over
our ego. Ego comes by birth and modesty comes by choice.
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 )
