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
Muslims1
. 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.
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW
THE most popular formula among people today is ‘right here,
right now’. This means that people want to live in their present
and are not willing to think about the other side of life.
The concept of ‘right here, right now’ is not workable. This thinking is
against human nature. The sensible decision can only be one in which
a person makes eternity his goal. According to human nature, anything
less than eternity cannot truly be man’s goal. If a person adopts a
method which is not in accordance with his nature, then he will forever
live in stress.
According to a survey, roughly 150,000 people die every day. Among
the dead, there are people belonging to all groups—children, youth
and the old. Long life has always been man’s beautiful dream. All the
kings and rich people wanted to have a long duration of life and were
ready to give all the wealth they possessed for it. But history tells us
that all of them failed in achieving this goal. By nature, man desires an
eternal life but he only gets a very short span of life.
In the present age, longevity has become a subject of medical research.
But to this date efforts towards lengthening human life have failed to bring about any real achievement. It is said that man’s average
life expectancy has now increased. However, this statement is highly
debatable. It is not an accepted fact. But for the sake of argument,
I would say that even if it is right, it doesn’t
mean that one now has a greater number of
active years of life. It rather only means that
man is now capable of spending some years
before death in hospital or in old age homes.
This kind of ‘longevity’ has no real importance
at all.
The right attitude
towards life is that
which takes into
account the postdeath
period
The right attitude towards life is that which
takes into account the post-death period. The
concept of life that is based on the pre-death
period alone will be certainly unnatural, and an unnatural attitude is
certainly harmful.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
SuccessThe conviction that one's goals are worthwhile,
the observation of discipline with no contradiction
between words and thoughts, cool thinking even in
times of crisis—all these are qualities of mind and
heart which determine success, and obviate failure
in the wider field of life.
THE HOLY MONTH OF FASTING AND PRAYER
Spiritual Nourishment
RAMAZAN, the month of fasting, is a blessed spiritual period for
believers, for it is during this month that they do their utmost to
awaken and enhance their spirituality. The aim of fasting during
Ramazan is to diminish a person’s dependence on material things, so
that he may elevate himself to a higher plane of devout living. Abiding
by the guidelines of fasting raises believers to a state of humility, truth
and honesty.
It was in the month of Ramazan that revelations of the Quran first
began to be made to Prophet Muhammad. The objective of fasting has
been aptly summed up in this Quranic verse: ‘Believers, fasting has
been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you,
so that you may guard yourselves against evil.’ (
Ramazan teaches the believer to uphold truth and refrain from evil and
falsehood.
It is important, therefore, to reflect upon the
Prophet’s admonition to believers: ‘God does
not need the fast of one who does not leave
off falsity in speaking or who acts according to
his false assertions.’
The prescribed
abstemiousness
of this month is
designed to train the
individual to control
all negative feelings,
so that he may lead
a successful life in
this world, for it is
negative feelings that
place the greatest
hurdle in the path of
human progress.
In the Hadith, Ramazan is called the “month of
patience”. The prescribed abstemiousness of
this month is designed to train the individual
to control all negative feelings, so that he
may lead a successful life in this world, for
it is negative feelings that place the greatest
hurdle in the path of human progress. By
the mere observance of a fast, he becomes
conditioned to leading a life of moral restraint.
As a reassurance to believers, the Quran
says: ‘Those who persevere patiently will be
requited without measure.’ (
According to the Prophet, ‘Whenever one of you is on a fast, he should
be soft in his demeanour. In the event of being abused or provoked, he
should simply say that he is on a fast.’
According to another tradition of the Prophet, ‘There is purification
for all things, and purification of the body is fasting.’ Just as bathing
purifies the body, so does fasting purify the soul. But it must be borne
in mind that Ramazan entails much more than fasting; it is the fostering
of a culture of abstinence aimed at purification of thought, speech and
general behaviour.
Two things make up a human being—body and soul. While the material
part of a person, the body, is indispensable for the performance of
mundane tasks, it is his soul which will raise him to higher realities. The
mind, or soul, must be preserved in a state of purity. Just as the body
requires physical nourishment, so also must
the soul be spiritually nourished.
Just as the body
requires physical
nourishment, so also
must the soul be
spiritually nourished.
Fasting entails cutting oneself off from the
world and turning to God; not in a physical
sense, but having one’s heart and mind
continually directed towards God, whatever
bodily activity one may be engaged in. When
a person has elevated himself from the
world, God endows him with wisdom, which
emanates from his lips. He is shown the ills of the world, and their
remedies. He is brought safely to the abode of peace.
The ‘Lailatal-Qadr’ (the Night of Destiny) is an important juncture in the
last ten days which bring the period of fasting to a close. On this night,
angels descend to earth, carrying the commands of God for the coming
year. Believers then pray all night, and according to the Quran, praying
on this night is better than praying for a thousand months. This night
brings wisdom to the human soul.
Reform through fasting
Fasting fosters a culture of restraint aimed
at purifying thought, speech and general
behaviour.
SECRET OF HAPPINESS
A Journey
Margaret Lee Runbeck (1905-1956), American author, teacher
and humanitarian has said:
Happiness is not a state you arrive at,
but a manner of travelling.
EVERY man desires happiness, but nobody gets real happiness in
this world. This world was not created for man to build his castle
of happiness in it. The one who believes it to be his goal in life will
never find it. It is only for the one who can learn to be happy without
happiness.
Were man to discover that sorrow is inevitable in life he will learn to
live with sorrow. If he experiences suffering or wrongdoing, he will not
complain or mourn, instead he will imbibe valuable lessons from the
experience. If his hopes and desires are dashed, he is not depressed.
Instead the experience gives him the maturity to acknowledge that in
this world there is no one whose every desire is fulfilled, whether rich
or poor, king or subject.
If something is to be gained by success and happiness then much can
be achieved with failure and sorrow as well. The experience of failure
and sorrow makes a man sincere. They turn
one into a serious thinker capable of grasping
new lessons about life. Sorrow and failure
change one's personality creating a new and
stronger person. If there was only success
and happiness in the world then the world
would only be a burial ground of weak and
insensitive people. It is only sorrow and
failure that make for strong and courageous
individuals in this world.
The one who believes
happiness to be his
goal in life will never
find it. Happiness is
only for the one who
can learn to be happy
without happiness.
The troubles of the world act like the furnace required for the
purification of ores. Heat from the furnace purifies and extracts pure
forms of gold and silver. Likewise, hardship and difficult experiences
forge the personality of an individual. They turn a dull and lifeless
person into a shining personality.
HISTORY OF WITHOUTS
Barriers to Spirituality
THE proponents of the theory of evolution believe that the
history of life on earth goes back millions of years. But historical
records however indicate that the age of man on earth dates
back hardly to 25,000 years. Looked at from the historical point of
view, we find a great difference between the material and intellectual
aspects of human life. That is, man has made tremendous progress in
the material aspect of his life. However, even after tens of thousands
of years man’s knowledge has failed to match the material progress.
Man’s dream of material progress has largely been realized, but no
worthwhile advances have been made in his intellectual and spiritual
life. This issue has been dealt with by Dr. Alexis Carrel, in his book, Man,
the Unknown, published in 1935.
The truth is that a guideline is essential for progress.
So far as the material or physical world is concerned, it contains
a guideline within itself. This guideline, or the law of nature, can be
discovered by experiment and the desired
journey of progress can be continued.
Man is constantly
conditioned from
birth by society.
This conditioning
becomes an obstacle
to forming objective
opinions
For instance, in the field of transport, in
ancient times man use to travel on horses and
camels. Then he made wheel carts; and later,
he built ships, bicycles, motorcars, aircraft and
rockets. For the making of all these vehicles,
the guideline or laws of nature which were
required, existed in the very materials used
for this manufacture.
But man, still remains an unknown entity. For instance, man is constantly
conditioned from birth, by society. This conditioning becomes an
obstacle to man's forming objective opinions. But this truth that man’s
mind becomes conditioned was ascertained as late as the first quarter
of the 20th century and that too only to a limited extent. Much on this
subject still remained undiscovered. For instance, the fact that the
conditioned mind could be ‘deconditioned’ and brought back to its
natural state was unknown.
The Quran being a book of God, its actual role is to provide trustworthy
guidelines for man. This human need is alluded to in the Quran in the
following verse:
There are some who dispute about God without having any
knowledge or guidance, or any enlightening Book. (
This verse tells us that the reason for the failure in human science is
people's failure to understand human life. They have tried to build
the whole framework of existence without guidelines. This is the sole
reason for human science not being developed. For, in the absence of
guidelines, man will fail to find the starting point for his actions. And
such a journey, can never reach its destination.
Unawareness of the Creation Plan of God
Only the engineer of a complex machine can provide a manual for its
proper functioning. The same is true of our world. The present world
has been built by God in accordance with a creation plan. Man needs
to understand this creation plan for the proper construction of his life.
Any concept developed without understanding the creation plan of the
Creator will go awry and will not be in accordance with the actual state
of affairs. And any plan which goes against reality is destined to fail.
We learn from the Book of God, that God has built this world for the
purpose of putting man to the test. Here, man’s relationship with
this world is akin to that of a student in an
examination hall. A student comes to the
examination hall so that he may take the
requisite test and prove his ability to deserve
a place in the world outside the examination
hall.
The Quran being
a book of God, its
actual role is to
provide trustworthy
guidelines for man.
Similarly, this world is a place to take the
divine test. Man has to qualify in this test to
deserve God’s eternal rewards in the world
after death.
Man must learn the creation plan of God from His Divine Book—the
Quran—and build his life by following the guidelines set forth therein.
Those who do so will be successful and those who fail to do so will be
adjudged as failures.
The Building of an Ideal Life
The famous Greek Philosopher, Plato, was born about 2500 years ago
in Greece. His goal was to form an ‘ideal state’ in Greece. He presented
a model of this state in his book, The Republic. He thought that the
building of an ideal state was fully possible. Plato, being a teacher of the royal family, found an opportunity to train and educate the princes
to play the desired political role in this Ideal State. He called them
‘philosopher kings’. But this supposed ideal state, conceived by Plato,
could never come into existence.
This was not because his pupil, Alexander the Great, did not follow him
in the latter stage of his life, but was rather due to his ignorance of the
creation plan in which God had not envisaged an ideal state. The plan,
therefore, which Plato wanted to implement was impracticable. That
was why he failed utterly and miserably. If he had fully understood
God’s creation plan, and had tried to carry into effect some practicable
plan, he would certainly have succeeded.
Intellectual Activity without Deconditioning
The Prophet of Islam once observed: ‘Every child is born in its real nature
then his parents make him into a Jew or a Christian or a Zoroastrian.’
The above words of the Hadith are symbolic words for explaining
that, each individual is a product of his own environment. This fact
has now been proved by scientific research. It has been academically,
established that the environment in which human beings find
themselves, conditions their minds. No one is an exception to this
principle. Unconscious of what is happening,
people are involuntarily subjected to a
process of incessant conditioning.
Any concept
developed without
understanding the
creation plan of the
Creator will go awry
and will not be in
accordance with
the actual state of
affairs.
This matter of conditioning came into
prominence in the first quarter of the 20th
century. The American psychologist, Prof.
J.D. Watson, after in-depth research on this
subject, published his widely acclaimed book,
Behaviorism. His thesis was that everyone
necessarily undergoes conditioning. No
one can escape it. This theory of Watson
became so popular that for a long period of
time, this formed a part of the psychology
syllabus in many universities. But, in Watson’s concept, there was a
grave shortcoming. According to his theory, the formation of the
human personality is not carved out by nature, but can be nurtured,
and one who is conditioned in a particular way retains that personality
permanently. He cannot revert to his original nature.
Although the above theory was propounded only at the beginning of
the 20th century, it has dominated the thoughts of people throughout human history. Human beings remained oblivious to the fact that
the beginning of the intellectual process is the ‘deconditioning of
conditioned minds’. They failed to realize that they can remove their
artificial veils and return to their original, pristine nature. The Creator
has provided a material example of this matter in the form of an onion.
The onion, in the symbolic language of nature, counsels man to remove
the external layers from his mind, and only then can he understand
things in their original form.
But man neither learnt the lesson from the onion, nor could Professor
Watson and his supporters discover this reality. As a result, human
beings throughout their entire history have remained ignorant of this
reality.
History shows that all political and non-political movements have
been the result of some reaction or another; For instance Rousseau
reacted against monarchy, Marx against the
capitalist system. Jamaluddin Afghani rose
against western colonialism and Gandhi
against British rule. Ayatullah Khomeini led a
movement against the Shah of Iran, and Syed
Qutub against Zionism, etc.
Man must learn the
creation plan of
God from His Divine
Book—the Quran—
and build his life in
accordance with the
guidelines set forth
therein.
It is a fact that a reactionary movement is
always the result of a negative mentality.
Man develops a hatred for someone and then
launches a movement against him. This is
the entire story of human history. All human
beings have lived in one way or the other in a state of hatred; they have
failed to live in a positive state. The reason is that they have remained
unaware of conditioning. They have failed to understand that without
deconditioning their minds, they cannot see the facts in an ‘as it is’
form, which is the first condition of positive thinking.
Spirituality without Intellectual Revolution
Spirituality has always been a subject of interest for man. It is known by
different names in different circles, for instance, mysticism, meditation,
Sufism, etc. For the last several thousand years great activities have
been continuing on the spiritual front. But so far, these activities have
not yielded any real benefit, in spite of every effort. What man has
achieved is only ecstasy at the unconscious level, instead of spiritual
development, which was the actual goal of these activities.
For ages people have believed that the human mind is the centre of thinking, while the human heart is the centre of feelings and emotions.
That is why man has always believed in heart-based spirituality. Hence,
a spiritual philosophy has been formed on the basis of this supposition.
The belief has developed that the human heart is a source of spirituality
and, by awakening this latent source in the heart, spirituality can be
attained.
Scientific research has proven this supposition to be baseless. The
only centre of both thoughts and feelings is the human mind. So far
as the heart is concerned, it is merely a means of the circulation of
the blood and nothing more. This is the reason why, despite spiritual
exercises for the last several thousand years
man has gained nothing but ecstasy—far
from intellectual development—on the basis
of what he conceives to be spirituality.
This kind of spirituality, in fact, is limited in its
form, and is not spiritual development in the
real sense of the word.
The beginning of the
intellectual process is
the ‘deconditioning of
conditioned minds’.
As we know, ecstasy is only a pleasant but
indefinable feeling, while the greatest quality of man is the capacity
to think. All developments in human history have been achieved by
employing this thinking faculty. This being so, if spirituality has an
existence, it should also be attained at the level of the mind. The source
of all human progress lies in the intellectual faculty of the human mind.
Similarly, the ways and means of spiritual development should also lie
in intellectual activity.
Spirituality is in fact, a high level of the realization of truth. It has nothing
to do with any vague type of ecstasy. That is why real spirituality can
only be one which is achieved at the level of the mind, and not at the
level of the heart.
Due to the ignorance of this reality, man has failed to achieve real
spirituality throughout human history. What he took for spirituality
was something else. And because of the ignorance of true spirituality,
he could not begin his journey towards it. Perhaps there is no tragedy
greater than this in the entire gamut of human history.
DISCOVERY REDISCOVERY
When God made a covenant with the prophets, He said, “Here is the
Book and the wisdom which I have given you. When there comes
to you a messenger fulfilling that [predictions about him in their
Scripture] which is with you, you must believe in him and help him.
Do you then affirm this and accept the responsibility I have laid
upon you in these terms?” They said, “We will affirm it.” God said,
“Then bear witness, and I will bear witness with you.” (THE QURAN 3: 81)
THIS verse from the Quran indicates that faith is required at
the level of discovery. The contemporaries of the prophets
who believe in him are people who enter the fold of religion
after discovering the truth in the message of their prophets. But in
later periods, the communities (ummah) of the prophets follow
religion only because they were born into it. God does not require this
inherited religiosity. That is why it becomes necessary for people of
later generations to discover the truth of their religion, rather than
simply believing in it because they have inherited it as such from their
forefathers.
People of later
generations must
discover the truth of
their religion, rather
than simply believing
in it because they
have inherited it
as such from their
forefathers.
For example, in the ancient past it was
necessary for the followers of a previous
prophet to make a re-discovery of truth
through the contemporary prophet. Now, after
the seal of prophethood, no new prophet is
going to come, but the above-mentioned law
will remain intact. In later periods, it will not
be enough for Muslims to simply be following
the religion they have received as inheritance.
Members of the Muslim community will have
to once again discover the truth at a conscious
level. They must study, ponder and reflect so
that they can rediscover the truth of God’s
religion. Anything less than this will not be acceptable to God.
In the age following the Prophet of Islam, other people have to discover
God’s religion, while believers need to rediscover it.
NEGATIVE THINKING IS UNISLAMIC
Look Within
ONE community develops negativity against
another when it holds the other community
responsible for one or more of its troubles.
But there is absolutely no license for such
negative thinking in Islam. This is because God has
categorically declared in the Quran that,
Whatever misfortune befalls you is due to your
own doing. (
Therefore, according to Islam whenever any trouble comes upon you,
the only thing you must do is introspect to discover the fault within
yourself which is the real cause of your troubles. Only then can you
take corrective action. On the other hand, holding others responsible
for your troubles and engaging in hostility and enmity against them is
clearly forbidden in Islam.
This reality is also evident in many of the Hadith sayings of the Prophet
of Islam. According to one Hadith, ‘You will never overcome your
opponents unless and until you follow my practice. And if you leave my
practice, God will let such people overpower you who will neither fear
you nor have any sympathy for you, until and unless you return again
to my practice.’ (Sahih Muslim)
Holding others
responsible for
your troubles and
engaging in hostility
and enmity against
them is clearly
forbidden in Islam.
Another fact we learn from the Quran is that
enmity with others is created as a result of the
faults of the believers themselves. External
matters have no part to play in the existence
of an enemy. One verse of the Quran says, ‘..If
you persevere with patience and fear God, their
plots (conspiracies) will never harm you in the
least..’ (
real issue for the believers is not the presence
of plots and conspiracies, but the absence of
patience and piety. Were the believers to adhere to the path of patience
and piety, they would be entirely safeguarded from the conspiracies
of their enemies. No harm would ever transpire on them due to the
actions of others.
There are clear practical examples of this principle in the Quran. One
example is that of the Battle of Uhud which took place in the third year after the Hijrath (migration to Madinah). The believers suffered a severe
defeat in this battle. This battle was clearly due to the oppression of the
opponents of the Prophet of Islam. One obvious evidence of this fact was
that the battle occurred near Mount Uhud which was on the outskirts of
Madinah. The enemy forces had come from Makkah—300 miles away—
to Madinah to attack the Muslims. However,
when the Quran refers to the matter, there
is no mention of the oppression and plots of
the enemies, rather it says that the Muslims
had to suffer this severe loss due to their own
internal failings.
Were the believers
to adhere to the
path of patience and
piety, they would be
entirely safeguarded
from the conspiracies
of their enemies.
With reference to the Battle of Uhud in
the third chapter, the Quran says, ‘…when
your courage failed you and you disagreed
among yourselves [concerning the Prophet’s
direction]…’. (
were not to lay the blame of their defeat in the battle on others. They
were to hold themselves responsible for it and then make amends to
rectify their faults.
Abstain from evil
Apparently, fasting means to abstain
from food and drink but in spirit, it
includes abstaining from all kinds of
undesirable activities.
LAMENTING OVER THE PAST
No Regrets
AN American psychologist once observed that the activity on
which man wastes more time than on anything else is having
regrets. People’s energies are dissipated in recalling and mulling
over bitter memories of the past and in bewailing the fact that they
acted in one way and not another, or that friends, neighbours and
relatives had been remiss in their actions and attitudes towards them.
The businessman thinks, “If I had invested in project B instead of project
A, I would not have incurred these losses.” The young woman sighs,
“If I had married X instead of Y, I’d be a much happier person today.”
The elderly couple think, “If we had started paying up instalments on
a house instead of just renting one, we would now be the owners of a
house.” And so on, ad infinitum.
Bitter memories
can be converted by
positive thinking, into
useful experiences—
precious lessons for
the future.
To entertain such thoughts is a sheer waste
of time and energy. The moment we have
such thoughts, we should consider whether
any remedy is possible at this stage, if
something constructive can still be done,—
relations improved, an entirely new situation
contemplated, etc., and if the answer to these
questions is “No, things are now beyond
repair,” then one should simply dismiss these
distressing ideas from one’s mind and turn to
new avenues of thought. It is better to say, “I’ll do better next time,”
or “I’ll consider things in greater depth before taking my decision in
future,” or “I shall myself see to it that relations are never allowed to
deteriorate.” This is a more positive approach to take where there is
some possibility of similar opportunities or situations recurring and it
certainly keeps one emotionally more stable and mentally healthy to
tackle things in this way. In situations where there are no possibilities
of second chances, it is better to resign oneself to things as they are
and to view things in as detached a way as possible.
The material gain from such an approach is the saving of time and
energy which would otherwise be wasted by wallowing in self-pity.
Bitter memories can be converted, by positive thinking, into useful
experiences—precious lessons for the future.
It should be appreciated too, that remaining constantly apprehensive
about the future is just as bad as lamenting over the past, and no sound
future can be built by adopting such a fearful and negative attitude.
TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE
We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this
is a very narrow and restricted notion of peace. Peace
is deeply linked with the entirety of human life. Peace is
a complete ideology in itself. Peace is the only religion
for both—man and the universe. It is the master-key
that opens the doors to every success. Peace creates a
favourable atmosphere for success in every endeavour.
Without peace, no positive action—small or big—is possible.
THE RELIGION OF PEACE
OVER the centuries, much has been written about pacifism. It still
remains the subject of much debate and scholarship. Pacifism,
or the love of peace or the religion of peace, is a movement
that is several centuries old. It aims at completely ending war so
that human societies may live in peace. One can discern stirrings of
pacifism in almost all periods of human history. These stirrings have
taken different forms—sometimes being expressed in religious idiom,
at other times, being articulated in terms of philosophy or ethics.
Among pacifists there are some who desire peace for its own sake.
They define peace as the absence of war. Other pacifists insist that
peace must go hand-in-hand with justice. They consider the two to be
inseparable. According to them, peace without justice is a negative
peace, while peace with justice is a positive peace.
For any constructive
or positive work,
peace in society
is indispensable.
Without peace no
progress of any sort
is possible.
There is no doubt that peace is the most
desirable of desirable things, because for any
constructive or positive work, peace in society
is indispensable. Without peace no progress
of any sort is possible. Peace can come about
only through freedom, not through coercion.
Coerced peace is a form of oppression,
not true peace. Genuine peace is one that
emerges from intellectual revolution. The
Romans, for instance, had established peace
in their Empire in a limited sense, which they called Pax Romana. In the
same way, there appeared to be some sort of peace in the erstwhile Soviet Union in the 20th century—at least this is what the Communists
called ‘peace’. But both this Communist ‘peace’ and the ‘peace’ of Pax
Romana were forms of ‘coerced peace’. Needless to say, such ‘peace’ is
not desirable.
Some thinkers dream of a single world state in order to establish peace.
But history testifies that it has never been possible to translate this
dream into reality. The fact is that a peaceful society can be brought
into being through the mental training of—and intellectual revolution
in—individuals and not through dreaming about a state that controls
the whole world.
It is generally thought that religion is not of much importance in
establishing peace. Some people even claim that never in history
has peace been established through religion. They insist that efforts
to establish lasting peace through religious sanctions have had little
effect.
This interpretation of history is not right. The fact is that this perception
is based on faulty analysis. When these people think about the question
of peace-building, Islam does not figure in their list. That is why they
come to their conclusion on the basis of their study of religions other
than Islam. This is because of the widespread
misconception that Islam is a religion of
violence. The reality, however, is that Islam
is in the full sense of the word a religion of
peace.
Peace can come
about only through
freedom, not through
coercion. Coerced
peace is a form of
oppression, not true
peace. Genuine peace
is one that emerges
from intellectual
revolution.
Islam here refers to the early period of Islam,
which should be the basis for understanding
Islam as it really is. In this period, two major
developments occurred under the influence
of Islam. First, the ending of obstacles to
peace. And second, the establishment both
ideologically and practically, of a complete
model of peace.
It is true that in the early period of Islam some battles were indeed
fought. But the aim of these battles was precisely what is indicated by
the phrase “The last war, to end all wars”.
The Prophet of Islam was born in 570 CE in Makkah. He passed away in
monarchial rule. This system had been in existence for centuries. It had
completely eliminated human freedom. The will of the monarch alone
counted for everything.
To establish freedom and peace it was necessary to end this coercive
system. The Prophet and his Companions engaged in war for a limited
period so that this system could be ended. It was first brought to an end
in Arabia. After this, the early Muslims were confronted by two major
empires of the time, the Byzantine Empire and the Sassanid Empire.
The Muslims were victorious over both the empires, which brought an
end to the coercive rule that held sway in a large part of the world. The
French historian Henri Pirenne asserts that, had the followers of Islam
not put an end to this system of what he terms ‘Absolute Imperialism’,
it would never have been possible for the age of freedom and peace to
dawn in the world.
After this, history began moving in a particular direction. The process
that started with Islam in the seventh century then carried on, reaching
its culmination in the 20th and 21st centuries. Thereafter, it became
impossible for the old-style coercive system to be re-established in
the world. This is no mere coincidence. The fact is that because of
the developments in the last two centuries, the world has witnessed
enormous changes that block the possibilities
of old style empires being established
anywhere. The factors that allow for such
empires to be established now simply no
longer exist.
The French historian
Henri Pirenne
asserts that had
the followers of
Islam not put an
end to 'Absolute
Imperialism', it
would never have
been possible for the
age of freedom and
peace to dawn in the
world.
One can cite several examples of deterrents
that oppose the establishment of political
empires in the modern world.
In the ancient past, when a monarch captured,
through force of arms, a certain territory,
the inhabitants of that territory accepted
his sovereignty, considering this to be the
conqueror’s right. This is why in those days,
only a monarch, and not commoners, could
defeat another monarch. But in today’s world,
thanks to democracy, political freedom and the concept of national
government, public opinion has changed so much that no external
conqueror can gain the wide social acceptance that is necessary to
establish rule.
In the past, the economy was based wholly on land, and land was
considered the personal property of the king. But today, the Industrial
revolution has given birth to innumerable economic resources that
everyone can access. And so, it has become possible for ‘ordinary’ people to acquire independent economic means outside the domain
of governmental control. This economic transformation has, in turn,
made the possibility of governmental coercion even less possible.
Likewise, today there is something that can be called a ‘media deterrent’.
In modern times, the development of media and communications has
made it possible for news about a local happening to be broadcast
almost immediately across the rest of the world, so that people
everywhere can come to know about it. This is a massive check that
has made it virtually impossible to resuscitate the old-style political
empires. Now, no emperor can do whatever he likes without fear of
censure, unlike before.
In the same way, today we have what can be called a ‘universal
deterrent’ in the form of the United Nations, Amnesty International and
numerous human rights groups. No ruler can afford to turn a blind eye
to them or to act against them for too long.
Relying only on
peaceful means
throughout, one
can now reach the
pinnacle of success.
The violent method
has now become an
anachronism. It is
contrary to the spirit
of the age.
Following these momentous changes at the
global level, human history entered a new
phase. Now the peaceful method has gained
the status of being a completely successful
method. Now, using this method alone, from
start to finish, one can carry out efforts for
any goal without needing to use violence at
any stage. Relying only on peaceful means
throughout, one can now reach the pinnacle
of success. The fact is that the violent method
has now become an anachronism. It is
contrary to the spirit of the age.
All the changes of the present times are in favour of Islam, and it is one
of the results of the revolution created by Islam itself. This happened
so that opportunities for conveying the peaceful message could be
opened up to the utmost extent. The followers of Islam now have no
need to enter into any confrontation and by adopting peaceful methods
they can convey the message.
ELIMINATE BAD HABITS
Forsake Falsehood to Discover Truth
THE creed of Islam is “La ilaha illa Allah”, ‘there is no god but Allah’.
This creed first holds a negation and is then followed by an
affirmation. Without a negation of falsehood one can not hold
and declare Allah as God. Both these aspects are an integral part of the
creed of tawheed in Islam. They cannot be separated from one another.
This is a law of nature. It is an abiding law of nature that only after
relinquishing something will one be able to acquire something else. In
this world created by God, a person will be able to realize a matter of
truth only when he has forsaken matters of falsehood. Desiring the truth
without renouncing falsehood is only wishful
thinking, as in reality such contradictory
concepts cannot simultaneously exist in one
person.
A person will be able
to realize a matter of
truth only when he
has forsaken matters
of falsehood. Desiring
the truth without
renouncing falsehood
is only wishful
thinking, as in reality
such contradictory
concepts cannot
simultaneously exist
in one person.
One who is a seeker of truth must acknowledge
this law of nature. For example, many people
make bad habits a part of their life. These habits
can be of various types, such as frivolous talk,
smoking and drinking, wasteful expenditure,
ostentatious display, useless entertainment,
jokes and amusement, idle banter, cultural
formalities and the meaningless pomp and
show in gifting and return gifting.
There are many other such habits that people
indulge in. Such people suffer two crucial
losses at the same time with these habits.
These habits weaken the personality. They deprive a person of superior
disposition. Secondly these habits squander a large part of a person’s
time and talents leaving one incapable of any serious work. The truth
is that bad habits are killer habits. They displace man from the human
pedestal reducing him to the level of animals.
SUCCESSFUL LIFE UNSUCCESSFUL END
Lessons from Super Achievers
THERE was a man in a western country who believed that wealth
could give him all the happiness he desired. He accumulated a
huge amount of wealth. He built a palatial house for himself. He
accumulated all kinds of comforts and luxuries around him but, even
then, he failed to find real happiness. Then he grew old and became
weak and bed-ridden. In his last days, he wrote these words in his diary:
Now, I am 90 plus and bedridden. My story can be summed up in
these two words—successful life, unsuccessful end.
This is the story of all those people who are known as achievers or
super-achievers. Achievers of great successes, they find little happiness
in this world. Finally, they are destined to leave the world in frustration.
This is so common that very few people are exceptions to this rule.
One of these super-achievers in India is the
celebrated singer Lata Mangeshkar. She has
now turned 80 and has acquired everything
in life that worldly people aspire to—wealth,
popularity, fame, great honour, etc. She has
had the opportunity to shop at international
malls, possess plenty of jewellery and has
all that a person could desire. But, having
reached this stage of her life, she feels she
has not found what she wanted in life. The
English daily, The Times of India (New Delhi),
September 30, 2007 published an interview
with Sudheshna Chatterjee, in which we learn
that Lata Mangeshkar, despite all apparent
successes, lives in a state of dejection. This interview was published in
the supplement, Times Life under this heading: “My dreams have never
got fulfilled.”
The interviewer asked Lata Mangeshkar what her answer would be if
God asked her what was her greatest desire at this last stage in her life.
Without any hesitation, she replied, “I would like to leave this world.”
The unsuccessful stories of successful people have a great lesson
for every one. The lesson is that people devote their entire lives to achieving a life of happiness, without realizing that they have been
pursuing something which was not achievable at all in this world.
Having desires, but not having a life of fulfillment of these desires
points towards a great reality. The reality is that whatever man wants to
achieve in the temporary pre-death period, the Creator of the universe
has placed it in the eternal post-death period.
In such a situation wisdom lies in making ourselves deserving of success
in the world Hereafter. For this, man should devote himself to the
preparation of the eternal life of the Hereafter
which will come after this temporary period
on earth. He should not endeavour to fulfill
his desires in this world itself.
The reality is that
whatever man wants
to achieve in the
temporary pre-death
period, the Creator
of the universe has
placed it in the
eternal post-death
period.
Man is an idealist by birth but, in the present
world, everything is less than ideal. This is the
actual reason for a life of tension. Whatever
man achieves—having exerted himself to the
full—is always less than his desired standard.
Therefore, he becomes stressed.
Therefore, having a foreknowledge of the
place of the fulfillment of one’s desires is
a matter of necessity. One who has this foreknowledge will plan his
actions realistically and will then be able to reach his destination. Such
a person will never live in a state of tension.
Faith and Reason
It is reason which transforms
blind faith into a matter of
intellectual choice.
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
BELIEF IN GOD
ONE manner of seeing a tiger is in the museum as a dead, stuffed
tiger. The other tiger is the one that you see in the jungle. The
tiger in the museum is only the skin of a dead tiger that has
been prepared, stuffed with cotton and mounted for display. It only
appears to be a tiger, but is not the real animal. People only see this
museum tiger for entertainment or for study. Nobody would feel the
need to fear or run from such a tiger.
But the tiger in the jungle is a live tiger. It is a symbol of boundless power
and majesty. When the tiger walks in the jungle, all other creatures
stand in awe. When the tiger roars, the animals fall down in terror.
Anyone who sees a live tiger in the jungle would tremble from head to
toe losing all sense of awareness except fear. A person witnessing such
a sight would not be anything like he was, before seeing the tiger.
This example can be used to understand the matter of belief in God.
Belief in God also can be of two types. One is a traditional belief in God.
The other is a conscious, live belief in God.
A traditional belief in God is a lifeless belief. Such a belief does not
move the soul of man. It does not cause any tremor in the personality.
It does not create any palpitation in the heart. In a traditional belief in God, there is an admission of God, but there
is no fear of God.
On the other hand, a conscious belief in God
is a completely different matter. A conscious
belief in God arises from discovering God
and all His powers. One who discovers God
in such a manner cannot remain like he was
before finding God. After discovering God, his
whole personality is shaken. His very soul is
stirred with the intensity of fear. All other matters vanish from his mind
leaving him concerned with only the issue of God.
A conscious belief in God and the fear of God are two integral concepts.
You cannot separate the fear of God from a conscious belief in God.
Where these two have been disconnected, then know that it is not a
conscious belief in God but only a traditional belief, and a traditional
belief in God is of no value.
Importance of Education
Education makes man a right thinker and a correct
decision-maker. It achieves this by bringing him
knowledge from the external world, teaching him to
reason, and acquainting him with past history, so
that he may be a better judge of the present. Without
education, man, as it were, is shut up in a window
less room. With education he finds himself in a room
with all its windows open to the outside world.
GOD THE GREATEST
Manifestations in the Universe
THE distinguished British mathematician, Sir Michael Francis
Atiyah, has said that God is a mathematician. Likewise, Nobel Prize
winning physicist, Paul Dirac has said, ‘God is a mathematician
of a very high order.’ This idea is not new. Over fifty years ago, English
physicist and mathematician, Sir James Jeans suggested that the
universe was handiwork of a mathematician. Centuries before him
Pythagoras said that all things are numbers. To Picasso, God was an
artist. ‘God is really another artist,’ he said. ‘He invented the giraffe, the
elephant and the cat.’ Einstein once said that ‘the Lord is subtle and—
though not malicious—is very clever.’
One who observes the universe is confronted
with the awesome feeling that there is a
being greater than himself at work in it.
A mathematician comes across such high
mathematics as to make him aware of the
triviality of his grasp of the subject. ‘God is
a great mathematician!’ he exclaims. To an
artist, the art displayed in the universe appears
so sublime as to make his art seem worthless
and he spontaneously cries out, ‘God is the
greatest artist!’ The wisdom prevailing in the
universe is such as to astonish a genius; he in turn discovers that there
is a genius far greater than him at work.
The truth is that God is the greatest mathematician, the greatest artist
and the greatest genius. One who fails to find the manifestations of
God in the universe is blind, and one who does not believe in God after
having seen Him is insensate.
God’s might is indeed manifest in a thousand ways, but it is only those
who open their minds and hearts to Him who can be truly aware of His
blessings.
Superior Action
Peace is not inaction. Rather,
peace is a superior form of action
WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE
Repentance
ONE of the Quranic teachings is tauba, which means repentance.
When you make a mistake and do tauba, the blessing of God
will return to you. In the chapter entitled Al-Tahrim (Prohibition),
the Quran says:
O believers, turn to God in sincere repentance, in the hope
that your Lord will forgive you your bad deeds and admit you
into gardens watered by running streams. (
In this verse the Quran declares that after engaging in genuine
repentance, one who has erred will be unburdened of the effect of his
bad deeds. What is most important about this is that the wrong-doer
will be granted forgiveness by God and will consequently be rewarded
with Paradise in the Hereafter. This divine blessing is not confined to
the next world; in the extended sense, it also includes the present
world. Family life and social life will also be blessed with the fruits of
tauba.
If you make a mistake that arouses anger in another, but then you
repent and say: “Please forgive me, I was
wrong”, this will certainly cause the aggrieved
person to have a change of heart. Such an
apology will, on the one hand, inculcate
positivity in your soul and on the other, it will
promote the culture of love among the people
you are living with.
In family life as well as social life, untoward
events are unavoidable. Such happenings
sour relations and create a distance between
people. The best solution is tauba. Don’t wait
for others to take the lead. It is for you to come forward and say without
hesitation: “I’m sorry, I was wrong.” This is the only way of maintaining
normalcy among relatives, friends, acquaintances and even strangers.
Problems in social life invariably arise from some kind of wrong
behaviour. In reality, men are by nature egoists and women are
emotional. The simple solution to having a tranquil social life is not
to ruffle the ego of a man and not to neglect a woman’s emotions.
There is no social ill that cannot be set right by this two-point formula.
But it must also be accepted that to err is human, so whenever you err and some one becomes negative towards you, do not hesitate but
at once admit your mistake and say: ‘Sorry, I was wrong.’ This short
sentence will prove to be magical in its effect and the whole situation
will instantly be normalised. This is the miracle of tauba.
Tauba is an instrument of self-correction, initiating a process of selfreassessment.
This process is vital, as it enhances your intellectual
calibre and increases your capacity for analysis. This, in turn, leads to
spiritual development.
People have no difficulty in saying: “O God, forgive me.” But when it
comes to a human problem, they are reluctant to say: “O brother,
please forgive me.” This kind of hesitation is against the spirit of faith.
A true man of faith will say to another: “Forgive me,” just as easily as he
says to God: “O Lord, forgive me.” Tauba is an inner spirit, a readiness
to atone for every kind of mistake.
TAZKIYAAN ACT OF PREPARATION
Purify Yourself
IN the present material world, everyone is in need of some
employment. Everyone wants a good job. That is why everyone
prepares himself professionally to meet the demands of the job
market. One who fails to do so will be a failure all his life.
The same is true of the world Hereafter. But its exigencies are of a
much more pressing nature. The world Hereafter is a world of divine
activity of a very high order. In the world of Hereafter, only that person
will succeed who readies himself spiritually in the present world. One
who fails to prepare himself appropriately in this world will be a failure
in the Hereafter.
All types of success relates to competence. One type of competence
works in this world, while another type of competence will avail in
the Hereafter. In this world, any source other than God may work
but, in the Hereafter, belief in the true God alone will be of any avail.
In this world making one’s own self one’s
sole concern is advantageous but, in the
Hereafter, it is making God one’s sole concern
which will be of benefit. In this world, looking
at things from the material angle is profitable
but, in the Hereafter, only looking at things
from the spiritual angle will be of any use.
Materialism (interest-based thinking) benefits
one in this world but, in the next world, only
a man of principle will succeed. In this world
dishonesty apparently works, whereas in that
other world it is only honesty which will work. In this world, giving
importance to immediate interests works but, in the next world, it is
only giving importance to other-worldly interests which will be of any
avail.
Tazkiya means
preparing oneself
with regard to the
Hereafter; that is,
developing in oneself
those qualities which
will benefit one in the
Hereafter.
Tazkiya means preparing oneself with regard to the Hereafter, that
is, developing in oneself those qualities which will benefit one in the
Hereafter. The way of Tazkiya is to activate one’s thinking. One way to
do this is to identify such incidents in one's life when one was going
to be plunged into some great trouble but was saved by the special
succour of God.
It is a must for the seeker of Tazkiya to recall such incidents repeatedly
in order to refresh the mind of how, when he had reached the very brink of destruction, was saved by the special intervention of God.
He should keep remembering every graphic detail of these incidents
and beseech God thus: “O God, you have repeatedly saved me from
the horrible consequences of my actions in the life of this world. In
the same way, save me from the horrible punishment of hell in the
Hereafter.”
“O God, you have
repeatedly saved me
from the horrible
consequences of my
actions in the life
of this world. In the
same way, save me
from the horrible
punishment of hell in
the Hereafter.”
Another approach to this matter is to
remember one's shortcomings, mistakes and
awaken in oneself a feeling of repentance.
If one feels that in any matter one was 99%
right and was wrong by only 1%, then on such
occasions, one should forget the 99% and
exaggerate the 1% to the point where one
begins to feel that one was 100% wrong. This
will awaken the feeling of repentance. One
will shudder in the fear of God and will turn to
Him in prayer and seek His forgiveness.
There is nothing mysterious about Tazkiya. It is a known process, i.e.
thinking repeatedly about all aspects of self-purification. Tazkiya is
always the result of an intellectual awakening, rather than the result
of some mysterious miracle. The more one thinks about this matter,
the more one will be able to attain a state of self-purification. Tazkiya
is a conscious process in the full sense. Hoping to achieve it without
undergoing this conscious process is just wishful thinking. It will never
become a reality.
Right of the Country
Every individual and every group should
believe that the right of the country takes
precedence over all other rights.
WONDER OF WONDERS
Power and Perfection of God
LOOKING at the human body from a purely physical point of
view, one finds that it is just made up of water, carbon, oxygen
and some other chemical elements. One can even work out, as
scientist Robert Pattison has done, the price of material constituents
of the human body. According to his calculations their market value
is about six and a half US dollars, about four hundred Indian rupees
today.
Yet out of this four hundred rupees worth of matter, God has created
a human being so wonderful that no price can be set upon him. Not
even four hundred billion rupees can buy the priceless masterpiece
that God has fashioned within the human frame.
One can appreciate the pricelessness of the human body when some
part of it is lost. If one loses a hand, for instance, millions of dollars will
not buy a new one like it. If one loses one’s sight, all the wealth in the
world will not win it back. If one’s power of speech fails one, there will
be no tongue in the shops of the world which will put one’s thoughts
into words.
How incredible is it that God should fashion something so wonderful
out of things of no value. It is only He who can bring the dead to life;
only He who has the power to convert insensate matter into conscious
life, to make something out of nothing.
If only man were to
truly discover God,
he would become
totally absorbed in
the Lord’s wondrous
feats of creation.
Everything in
the world would
appear to him as
a remarkable sign
of God’s power and
perfection.
If a magician were to cast a spell on a stone,
making it break into speech, everyone would
be spellbound at his feat. The feat which
God has performed is one of much greater
complexity. He has made the inanimate matter
that constitutes man’s body into a moving,
talking, thinking human being. Yet God’s feat
does not cause people to wonder. How blind
are those who can see the skill of a conjurer’s
magical feats, but not the infinitely greater
feats of God’s creation! How ignorant are
those who rush to become devoted disciples
of anyone able to perform false tricks, but
are without feelings of any adoration for or
attachment to the One who performs truly
wondrous acts of creative genius.
If only man were to truly discover God, he would become totally
absorbed in the Lord’s wondrous feats of creation. Everything in the
world would appear to him as a remarkable sign of God’s power and
perfection. While dwelling in an earthly abode, he would see and feel
nothing but the Lord on high.
Rise above the immediate
When your thinking goes beyond your
immediate surroundings, you discover the
truth that is beyond you.
THE HUMAN PREDICAMENT
Desires Unlimited
WE come into this world with desires. Behind these desires is
the sense of enjoyment that is with us since birth. People
have all sorts of desires, but we simply cannot fulfil all of
them in this world.
Why is it there this contradiction, that while man has unlimited desires,
in this world only relatively few of them can or will be fulfilled?
Understanding this contradiction in the human personality can help us
properly plan our lives. We must desire only that which—in line with the
law of nature—we will get in this world. We must not chase after things
that, in line with the law of nature, we are not
going to get in this world. Every person ought
to understand and realize this. If one does not
one will just waste one's time and energy. And
will depart from this world without fulfilling
the purpose of one's life.
We must desire
only that which—in
line with the law of
nature—we will get in
this world. We must
not chase after things
that, in line with the
law of nature, we are
not going to get in
this world.
This is the biggest problem of human life. It
is also the starting point for the struggle of
life. Only someone who ponders deeply on
this question, free from biased thinking, can
respond to it in the right way. He can see
the problem as it is, separate from his own
desires.
To err in this regard can be very costly. It may even result in wasting
one's entire life. ,/p>
PATIENCE THE SUPERIOR SOLUTION
Success in this World and the Hereafter
PATIENCE, the focus of about 200 verses of the Quran, and referred
to indirectly in many others, may be termed the core subject of
the scriptures. The verses directly relating to patience are quite
explicit in their content. For instance,
And seek (Allah’s) help with patience and prayer. (
And endure patiently whatever may befall you. (
And exhort one another to be patient. (
Ignore their hurtful talk. Put your trust in God. (
A very pronounced and direct instruction to behave with patience and
endurance is apparent in these verses.
The majority of the other verses are also intensely concerned with
patience. The very first verse of the Quran begins with “Praise belongs
to God.” (Al-Fatihah) This shows that God expects mankind to express
gratitude and admiration to Him. But this is a very trying expectation!
We know that this world is full of unpleasant experiences and nobody
can be insulated from them. According to the Quran “Man is born in
toil.” Indeed, it is not possible for anyone to create a life of absolute
bliss for himself.
How then a person can become grateful and appreciative of God’s grace
in the real sense? The only way to be so is through patience. It is only
when a man patiently endures worldly problems that it is possible for
him to express his feeling of gratefulness to God. It is for this reason
that the Quran associates gratefulness with patience.
Patience makes a person capable of finding a positive and successful
solution to any problem. When someone explodes with anger while
facing his adversary, he loses the faculty to respond effectively or to think
of well-planned action. But when he applies patience and tolerance,
he finds himself competent to make a rational move instead of an
impulsive reaction. History testifies that one who acts on impulses and
emotional reactions, invariably fails; and one who responds rationally,
always succeeds.
Patience is undoubtedly the superior solution to all problems.
IGNORE THEM POLITELY
Conflict Management
LIFE is a series of different kinds of experiences, both good and
bad. A good experience, suits us perfectly well, but what should
we to do when we have some bad experience? The Quran gives
us a very simple answer: Avoid any unpleasantness by remaining noncommittal.
This principle is set forth in one of the chapters of the Quran. When the
Prophet of Islam started his mission in Makkah in 610 CE, the situation
was highly unfavourable. Often he faced unwanted situations and at
that juncture the following verse was revealed in the Quran:
Bear patiently with what they say, and ignore them politely. (
In such a predicament, patience is not a passive attitude; it demonstrates
great wisdom. When you keep your patience, you are saving your time
and energy. Being patient in a difficult situation means that if you
sense that the other person is not in a responsive mood, you should
adopt the principle of avoidance, give him
an evasive reply and then proceed with your
own affairs. It is only if you see that the other
person is listening to you in earnest that you
should present your point of view to him.
This principle is very important in social life.
Society is a combination of different kinds
of people and the way we live our lives in
society is very often determined not by our
own choices but by the will of others. If you
try to convince all the members of society of your wish to prevail, you
will seldom succeed, so practice the art of doing what is possible and
leaving what is impossible.
This is a sign of maturity. The mature person remains even-tempered
in situations which are impossible for him to change. If it is possible to
bring about a change in the situation, then try for change, but when
change is not possible, simply adopt the principle of adjustment.
This principle is important not only in society but also in your family.
In the domestic sphere, there are always occasions when you feel that
you cannot convince other family members of the rectitude of your
views. That is when you should follow this attitude: For you, your way
of thinking, and for me, mine.
Studies show that differences are a part of life. Each one has a different
mindset, sees things from a different angle, and has a different taste.
It is almost impossible to bring about uniformity among people. Trying
to establish uniformity is like trying to make the impossible possible.
In such a situation, adopting the above
Quranic formula, ‘Live and Let live’, which
is based on a practical principle, is the only
common sense solution. It means simply that
you should live by your own principles and let
other people live by their own principles. This
is maturity, adjustment and the positive way
of life.
Being patient in a
difficult situation
means that if you
sense that the other
party is not in a
responsive mood,
you should adopt
the principle of
avoidance.
Ignore them politely means deal with them
in a positive manner. If the questions put to
you are of a contentious nature, respond to
them in an indirect way or simply change the
subject. To change the subject is also a polite
way of answering. This kind of answer shows maturity and a disciplined
mind. Moreover, it is the sign of a strong personality.
THE CASE OF PRESENT MUSLIMS
Need for a Global Perspective
FORMER British Prime Minister Tony Blair gave an interview to
The Sunday Times on March 27. During the interview, he said that
“many millions” of Muslims hold a viewpoint that is “fundamentally
incompatible with the modern world.” (“Many millions of Muslims
‘fundamentally incompatible with the modern world’, says Tony Blair”,
The Independent,
annoy some Muslims, but it is based on fact. Moreover, his remarks,
directly or indirectly, apply to perhaps almost all present-day Muslims.
The comment that ‘Muslims are incompatible with the modern age’ is not
meant in the sense of the religious beliefs they hold, but relates to their
social behaviour. For example, in today’s world, freedom of expression
is accepted as an absolute right of every one, provided that one remains
strictly within the peaceful domain. However,
many Muslims are not ready to concede this
right to others. For instance, they are of the
opinion that one who, according to their law,
engages in an act of apostasy or blasphemy is
liable to be punished. Similarly, in the present
world, democracy is considered the right
form of government, but there are Muslims
who reject it claiming that it runs counter to
their religion.
The difference between Muslims and the
modern world is that Muslims, according
to their traditional mindset, believe
in absolutism, but the present age is
characterized by relativism. This means that
for Muslims certain things are absolutely
right or absolutely wrong, while modern thought does not agree with
this viewpoint and holds that a person has the freedom to adopt
whatever he thinks is correct according to him, only if he does not take
to violence.
In this respect Muslims’ stand on blasphemy and apostasy should be
re-considered. If somebody leaves Islam for another religion, Muslims
believe that he should be killed. However, the modern mind regards
opting for one religion instead of another as one’s freedom to choose,
something which is a person’s inalienable right. In a similar way, if a person passes a derogatory remark about the Prophet Muhammad, it
becomes an issue of blasphemy for Muslims, who demand punishment
for the blasphemer. But for the person who makes such a statement,
it is not an issue of blasphemy, rather one of freedom to express one’s
opinion. There were many instances during the life of the Prophet of
Islam when his opponents issued scornful statements about him, but
he did not command his followers to kill them.
The standpoint of Islam in this matter is that there is a need to
differentiate between personal belief and universal norm. A person is
free in matters of his personal belief, but when it comes to universal
norms, Islam agrees to what has been accepted internationally. For
example, in the case of the Hudaibiya Peace Treaty, the Prophet agreed
to erase the word ‘Messenger of God’ suffixed to his name as the other
party was not ready to accept him as prophet.
This means that in matters of belief, Islam holds that a person can follow
idealism, but in matters of international relations Islam advocates the
principle of pragmatism.
In matters of
belief, Islam holds
that a person can
follow idealism,
but in matters
of international
relations Islam
advocates the
principle of
pragmatism.
According to the dictionary, incompatibility
means not capable of existing in agreement
or harmony with something else. After the
formation of the United Nations, it has been
universally agreed upon that disputes should
be resolved through peaceful negotiations.
Many of the present Muslims, however, are
not ready to accept this: their militancy in
the name of jihad is a clear example of this
disagreement. It is important to note that
although this could be the way of thinking
of present Muslims, it is totally against the
spirit of Islam. In the first quarter of the
seventh century, Islam had accepted the principle that disputes should
be settled by way of peaceful negotiation. A practical example of this
policy can be seen in the Hudaibiya Peace Treaty which was signed
between the Prophet and his opponents in 628 CE.
If Muslims adhere to any other policy, it would be regarded as invalid
according to Islam. This is why in this matter, it is important for people
to judge the Muslim community in the light of Islamic teachings and not
vice versa.
GODS SIGNS
Open Your Eyes
Surely in the heavens and the earth there are signs for the faithful;
in your own creation, and in the beasts that are scattered far and
near, are signs for true believers; in the alternation of night and
day, in the sustenance God sends down from heaven with which
He revives the earth after its death, and in the marshalling of the
winds, are signs for men of understanding. (
THERE are multiple verses in the Quran which point out that
there are signs in the universe for men of understanding. God
requires man to believe in certain hidden realities. To make this
easier he has set up material symbols of these realities in the outside
world. What man has to do is see the reflection of invisible realities in
the mirror of visible signs.
The sun and the moon give us a glimpse of God—the source of all light.
The birds and the animals provide us with a picture of innocence; as
such they are God’s representatives on our
planet. The sky in its vastness gives us an
idea of the might and greatness of God. Wind
and water show us the mercy of the One who
created them. The trees and the mountains
provide a pointer to His exquisite beauty.
If a person opens his
mind to the wonders
of the world, taking
in all that he sees in
the universe, then
he will find the light
of God shining in all
that he beholds.
If a person opens his mind to the wonders
of the world, taking in all that he sees in the
universe, then he will find the light of God
shining in all that he beholds. He will see the
divine wisdom that lies behind every object
of creation. The cosmos in all its vastness will serve as a constant
reminder of the infinity of God. The earth and the heavens will become
manifestations of His splendour; by observing them he will come to
know the Lord.
THE SECRET OF SUCCESS
Single-minded Pursuit of Goals
ON April 12th 1983, a young Indian soldier, Kailash Chand, of the
10th Para Commandos, was returning by train to Jodhpur from
Pune with other jawans after completing their training.
The 5-Down Ahmedabad-Agra Fort Express was moving at full speed
between Jawali and Somesar stations. Kailash Chand was by a window
enjoying the breeze when suddenly he saw a jawan falling out of the
open door of the next compartment. Momentarily stunned, he lost no
time in pulling the chain to halt the train. But as luck would have it the
system was inoperative and the train continued to speed along.
Kailash Chand shouted for the guard who was in the next compartment.
Unable to attract his attention because of the din of the fast-moving
train, he decided that something needs to be done. With utter
disregard for his own safety, he rushed out
of the compartment, grasped the safety bars
of the train and inched his way towards the
guard’s van. With flailing legs, the paratrooper
managed to reach after about ten agonizing
minutes. The guard brought the train to a
halt, but it was for the soldier to convince the
engine driver that he should reverse the train
six kilometres and pick up the fallen soldier.
The loco-driver pointed out that he could not
take the train back without official orders: The jawan insisted that the
soldier be picked up first and the consequences faced later. As a result,
the seriously injured soldier was picked up and rushed to hospital. His
life had been saved.
Self-fulfilment
lies in putting
aside all thoughts
about oneself and
relentlessly pursuing
one’s goal.
The Government of India awarded the ‘Vishisht Seva’ medal for bravery
to Paratrooper Kailash Chand. Narrating the sequence of events, he
said that while inching his way towards the guard’s van, he had been
thinking only of the fallen soldier, not his personal safety. All he wanted
to do was to stop the train somehow, to save the soldier.
To save the soldier, Kailash Chand had to forget his own safety and after
that nothing could stand in his way. Similarly, to succeed in life, one must
do what Kailash Chand did. One should put aside all thoughts about
oneself and relentlessly pursue one’s goal. Personal considerations are
what people give importance to but success demands a single-minded
pursuit of the goal even if it be at the expense of personal security.
AFTER DEATH
Life in the Hereafter
When death comes upon a person, the day of reckoning starts
immediately after death for that person. (Prophet of Islam)
THIS Hadith of the Prophet implies that death is not the end of
man’s existence, it is a transition from one period of life into
another. There is no separation between these two periods of life.
The truth is that human life is a continuum. Death is only a manner of
transfer; the departure of man from one world leading to an entrance
into another world.
This present world is a place of personality
development. Here every person is building
their own personality. This personality
development can be of two types. A positive
personality or a negative personality. Those
who develop a positive personality in this
world will soon after death find themselves
in the gardens of Paradise. And those who
develop a negative personality will only find a
place in Hell after death. This reality is better
explained in another Hadith of the Prophet as,
‘The grave is a garden from amongst the gardens of Paradise
or a pit from amongst the pits of Hell.’
Death is not the end
of man’s existence,
it is a transition from
one period of life into
another. There is no
separation between
these two periods
of life.
This Hadith can be understood in the light of another that says, ‘It is the
deeds of every person that will be returned to that person in the Hereafter.’
There is no distance between man and his deeds. A man’s actions follow
his personality wherever he may be. In the present world, the deeds
of man are not directly apparent. But immediately after death these
deeds will become clear and evident. Man will suddenly find himself
surrounded by his deeds. The one who has good deeds will find himself
in the midst of good deeds and the one who has done bad deeds in his
life will find himself in the midst of these bad deeds.
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
Had God hastened the punishment of men as He hastens the good, the
end of their term of life would already have been reached. We leave
those who do not hope to meet Us groping along in their arrogance.
(
It is the law of God that when an individual performs a praiseworthy
deed, it is immediately included in the record of his deeds. But if he
commits an act which warrants punishment, God gives him respite so
that better counsel should prevail, and he may at some point reform
himself. This law of God is a great mercy to human beings; otherwise
man is a great transgressor and is always ready to perform evil deeds,
and if people were immediately seized upon for their evil deeds, their
lives would very soon come to an end and the face of the earth would
become devoid of human existence.
Those who lead their lives as if they are not required to face God after
death, live with arrogance in this world. They are those who lead
their lives free of the fear of God’s scourge, thinking that they are at
liberty to practice as much deceit and spread as much chaos as they
like. The fact is that man should realize that there is one Power over
and above all powerful ones—every man is helpless before Him. He will
one day seize upon all human beings and everybody will be compelled
to accept His verdict.
Whenever any trouble befalls a person, he prays to Us all the time,
lying on his side, sitting or standing; but when We remove his trouble,
he goes on his way as if he had never prayed to Us for the removal of
his trouble. Thus it is that the doings of the transgressors are made to
look fair to them. (
The system of this world is so designed that from time to time man is hit
by some calamity or accident. He begins to realize that he is absolutely
helpless against external forces. At that time he spontaneously starts
calling upon God; he admits his humbleness compared to God’s Power.
But, he is humble only so long as he is in trouble.
The moment he gets relief from trouble, he becomes as negligent and
arrogant as he was earlier. God does not accept the obeisance of such
people, because only that obeisance is acceptable which is offered in a
free atmosphere. Obeisance offered under the pressure of compelling
circumstances has no value in the eyes of God.
Man is a creature who likes justification. He seeks justification for every
action of his. If a man chooses to be arrogant, his mentality will be
inclined towards that. He will, in practice indulge in arrogance, and
his mind will provide him with beautiful words in order to prove his
arrogance justified. This is known as taz’in. Man expresses his misdeeds
in beautiful words and is satisfied that he is in the right. But, this is like
a man holding a burning lump of coal in his hand and thinking that it
will not burn him simply because he calls it a red flower.
And indeed, before your time We destroyed [whole] generations when
they [persistently] did evil; their messengers came to them with clear
signs, but they would not believe. Thus We requite the guilty. (
The prophets addressed their communities with clear arguments,
(baiyinat), but they did not accept them. This shows that the missionary
call—given on behalf of God—rests on the basis of reasoning. People
have to recognize the prophet at the level of arguments and reasoning.
Those who want to find him basking in outward glories surrounded
with huge numbers of supporters will never be able to find him,
because he will not be there at all. The prophet does not perform
miracles, but engages rather in the process of argument. At the stage
of the missionary call, all work is done on this basis. Individuals and
groups transgress in not recognizing the Divine call appearing in the
form of arguments or reasoning. They reject it, not having found it in
accordance with their self-devised standards. Due to this behaviour,
such people are punished by the law of God.
The communities of the past which had incurred God’s retribution
for their rejection of the prophets, were not actually total rejecters of
prophethood. All these communities had accepted some prophet or
the other of earlier periods, but they rejected the prophet of their own
times. In the case of the earlier prophets, the corroborative historical
facts had accumulated to back them. They had become objects of national prestige, and public predilections favoured them, while
the contemporary prophet was as yet devoid of all such additional
attributes. They recognized that past prophet who had as a result of
tradition over the generations, become their national prophet, and
connecting with him was synonymous with linking themselves with a
tower of greatness. They recognized their national prophet as such,
and rejected that prophet who could be recognized only through his
reasoning and arguments. In the eyes of God, this was such a serious
crime that those who were declared to be rejecters of the prophet
were destroyed.
Then We made you their successors in the land, so that We might
observe how you would conduct yourselves. (
'Then We made you their successors (khala’if, sing. khalifah) in the land.’
The real meaning of khalifah is ‘one who comes afterwards’. This word
‘successor’ is specially used for coming into power after another. This
succession is in relation to human beings and not in relation to God. In
the Quran, wherever the word khilafah has been used, it is in connection
with succession to some creature and not in connection with succession
to God. Making somebody a successor is solely for the purpose of
putting him to the test and is not meant to confer any honour. Making
somebody a successor means giving one an opportunity to work after
another; it is placing one community in the arena of testing in place
of another community. For example, in India, the native Rajas' were
replaced by Mughals. Then they were removed and the Britishers were
made their successors. Later, they (the British) were made to leave the
country, making way for the majority community. In all these cases, the
‘one coming afterwards’ was the successor (khalifah) of the earlier one
Upright Nature
Man has been created with an upright nature. If no
hindrance comes in the way, then every man will, on
his own, take the right course. That is why the utmost
precaution must be taken against allowing unnatural
obstacles to come in the way. Then guided by this
upright nature, man will continue to walk along the
right path until he meets his Lord.
JUSTICE MARKANDEY KATJU'S TESTIMONIAL
to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
I am a great admirer of Maulana Wahiduddin (born 1925).
Although he had Muslim religious education, he was always secular
and preached brotherhood between all communities. He is truly a
great man. I have met him on a few occasions.
In 1992, when the atmosphere was highly charged throughout India due
to the Babri Mosque incident, he felt the necessity to convince people
of the need to restore peace and amity between the two communities,
so that the country might once again tread the path of peace.
To fulfil this end, he went on a 15-day Shanti Yatra (peace march)
through Maharashtra along with Acharya Muni Sushil Kumar and Swami
Chidanand, addressing large groups of people at 35 different places
from Mumbai to Nagpur. This Shanti Yatra contributed greatly to the
return of peace in the country. It is because of his advocacy of peace
on the subcontinent and throughout the world and the espousal of the
cause of communal harmony that he is respected by all communities
and in every circle of society.
Invited to meetings by all religious groups and communities within
India and abroad, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is, in effect, India’s
ambassador of communal amity, spreading the universal message of
peace, love and harmony. Directly addressing individuals, he has been
re-engineering minds in order to develop positive citizens of the world
—who can live together peacefully—so that the culture of peace and
brotherhood may be spread at a universal level. Over decades, he has
prepared a team of individuals—the Ambassadors of Peace.
Markandey Katju
Human Society
If people do not show reliability and predictability in their
character, human society will crumble.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
Q & A with Maulana Wahiduddin Khan on the
election of Sadiq Khan as London’s First Muslim
Mayor.
Sadiq Khan, the son of a bus-driver, has been
elected as the Mayor of London, and with a
sizeable margin. He is London’s first Muslim
Mayor. How do you respond to this?
In his first address as the Mayor of London, Mr.
Sadiq Khan said, while expressing his gratitude towards Londoners,
that they had made the impossible, possible. In my view, it would be
better to say that Londoners had demonstrated to the entire world,
and especially to Muslims, what the spirit of this age is—that in today’s
day and age, sectarian thinking has ended and competence alone holds
meaning. If one is able to prove one’s competence, one can achieve
anything. In this age of globalisation, there is no room for any kind of
sectarian thinking. There is only one criterion of success—and that is,
competence.
What do you think Mr. Khan’s election can imply in the context of
the much talked-about question of relations between Muslims and
others, both in the West and globally, more generally?
The issue of relations is a unilateral one—the rest of the world has
adopted the spirit of the age already, and now it is time for Muslims to
change their attitude and adopt the spirit of the modern age, too.
What do you think it means in the context of claims of widespread
‘Islamophobia’ in the West, and among non-Muslims generally?
“Islamophobia” is a baseless rumour that Muslims have invented. It
exists neither in the West nor anywhere else in the world. This is the
age of opportunities, and today every person is busy in availing these
opportunities; no one has the time to become enemy to another.
Muslims must realize that the victory of Mr. Sadiq Khan completely
dispels the notion of “Islamophobia”. Muslims must accept that they
were under a wrong impression until now while the reality is quite
different. It is now the responsibility of Muslims to unilaterally come
out of this negative mindset.
Besides living up to his other responsibilities as mayor of London,
what do you think Sadiq Khan could do to improve relations between Muslims and others in the UK and the West more generally?
It is now the turn of Muslims to change their perception towards
the West. “Islamophobia” was a self-invented obsession that has no
relevance. Muslims have not yet understood the spirit of the modern
age, which invites everyone to adopt a “customer- friendly” attitude. It is
only a friendly atmosphere that can allow the global economy to thrive,
foster goodwill and sustain this era of professional development. In
this modern age, no one can potentially remain an enemy to another.
What lessons do you think we can draw from Sadiq Khan’s victory in
terms of relations between Muslims and people of other faiths?
Mr. Sadiq Khan’s victory should make Muslims realize that they live
in a new age. Today’s global economy thrives on competition and
cooperation and upholds competence as the single most important
factor of development. Mr. Sadiq Khan is not a Muslim leader, but
the result of his victory has left a lesson much bigger than any other,
inviting Muslims to re-think and re-plan their efforts and channelize
them in constructive matters.
What lessons do you think can be drawn from Sadiq Khan’s victory in
terms of political representation of Muslims and minorities?
In my opinion, the concept of political representation is irrelevant.
What is relevant is political competence. In politics, quantity is
nothing, it is competence that matters; quantity has only a secondary
significance. For example, Jews are a minority community in the United
States of America but they outshine others in their spheres of work.
This has become possible only because today competence is given
supreme importance. The concept of representation emphasizes only
on quantity, but in our view life is not a game of quantity. It is quality
that matters!
The people of London elected their first Muslim Mayor. What message
do you want to convey on the basis of this to Muslims in Muslimmajority
countries in terms of how they should treat the minorities
living in their midst?
At present, Muslim countries have adopted a “We-They” concept with
respect to non-Muslim minorities. This concept is anachronistic to the
modern world. The concept of today’s age is “We-We”, that is, equal
human rights for all. Muslims are free to follow their choice in matters
of cultural belief but in social and political affairs they must adopt and
practise universal norms. That is, as far as human rights are concerned,
there is no difference at all between any human beings.
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 )
