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.
POSITIVE ALWAYS
TOWARDS the end of December 2016, I happened to meet a
Muslim youth of Indian origin in Delhi who had been living in the
USA for several years. In the course of our conversation, I asked
him to share some experiences of his life in the USA. He immediately
replied that the most lamentable experience for him was Donald
Trump’s election to the presidential seat of America and then openly
declaring his dislike for Muslims living in the USA.
I told him his obsession with this point
needed to be seen against the backdrop of
historical record. The fact is that it is now
the 21st century and we are living in the age
of democracy. In the democratic culture, no
political rule is permanent.
There can be no
greater challenge to
mankind than the
challenge of Satan.
I Witness how at the time of the creation of
man, Satan declared that he was the enemy
of humanity. Apparently the expression of
Satan’s intention signalled a permanent danger to humanity, but this
Satanic declaration notwithstanding, man has never ceased to flourish on planet earth. Man has been able to create a model civilization. When
it comes to human achievement, there can be no greater challenge to
mankind than the challenge of Satan.
II reminded this Muslim youth that our world has been created by God
Almighty. And, equally importantly, He is also its sole Sustainer and
the Controller of its history. Hence, it is impossible that human history
should be at variance with the creation plan of God. So, why was he so
aghast at the results of the US elections? His future, was in the hands of
God Almighty, and no human being has the power to alter the course
of human history.
II also pointed out that when the Prophet of Islam started his mission in
Arabia in the first quarter of the 7th century, God Almighty gave him a
very important commandment in the Quran in these words: “O Prophet,
do your work and shun misconduct (rujz)”
(
behaviour towards others. The Prophet was
told by God “During your work, you may face
negative experiences and instead of reacting
you should patiently keep to your peaceful
mission with a positive mind.”
God Almighty has
not only created the
world, but He is also
its sole Sustainer and
the Controller of its
history.
I said to this Muslim youngster that these
teachings of the Quran are for all eternity.
Therefore Muslims have to maintain their
positivity in every situation. It is God who
shapes human history, and not any political ruler. Muslims must always
adopt the attitude of: Do your work, and be friendly in your behaviour
towards others.
According to the creation plan of God as set forth in the Quran, there
is no permanent enemy. Avoid negative reaction and you will find that
your enemy has become your friend, the Quran (
All people are potential friends. Act positively and you can turn this
potential into actuality. And then you will see that for you, the whole
world has become a friendly place.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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PATIENTLY FACING ANNOYANCES
Towards Intellectual Growth
ABDULLAH IBN UMAR reports that the Prophet once said,
“A believer who engages with people and is patient when he
faces annoyance from them shall have greater reward than he
who neither interacts with others nor remains patient at the troubles
caused by them.” (Musnad Ahmad).
A person who lives all by himself, without any social interaction, will
not face any unpleasantness at the hands of others. But someone who
lives amidst others and interacts with them and is socially engaged will
very naturally face various troubles, big and small, from others.
Why is someone who leads a socially-engaged
life, and faces unpleasantness at times from
others, better than someone who leads a
reclusive, lonely life?
Every person is born
with innumerable
capabilities. But
these capabilities are
in a potential state.
In order to actualize
this potential, one
should face some
shock or the other.
The reason for this lies in a law of nature. Every
person is born with innumerable capabilities.
But these capabilities are in a potential state.
In order to actualize this potential, one should
face some shock or the other. The system of
nature is based on the principle of ‘shock
treatment’. If one can withstand the shock,
then one’s capabilities, that lie deep in their
own self or nature in potential form, will begin to activate and unfold.
That will help one grow intellectually. On the other hand, if one is not
ready to face and tolerate shocks, one cannot develop intellectually
and will die without making any real progress.
Seek Guidance
God did not just leave man in a world
where there was no way to find the truth
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Inner Purification
THE most desirable thing in Islam is the purification of the
individual; in other words, the intellectual development of the
individual in accordance with the creation plan of God.
The desirable attributes of a pious person are a result of this intellectual
development. From the academic point of view, study, understanding
and following of the Quran and Hadith are the means for intellectual
development. The more one studies and reflects on these sources, the
stronger one’s intellectual foundations become, and this is necessary
for the inner purification.
But there is an additional concept that is required for purification or
intellectual development. It can be termed as the ‘psychological aspect’
of purification. The scholars refer to this psychological aspect as a
feeling of faith that is oscillating between hope
and fear. In other words, the believer always
lives in a state of uncertainty. Sometimes,
he thinks of blessings of God upon him and
experiences certainty. Sometimes, he thinks
of his mistakes and shortcomings, and finds
himself in a state of doubt. These feelings
about the state of one’s faith are so common
that even the Companions of the Prophet
were not an exception in this regard.
God desires that
man should discover
the truth by his own
contemplation on the
realities of life.
Why does this happen? This happens because, according to the
demands of nature, this is the only way through which man’s intellectual
development can be carried on continuously. The state of doubt is a
sort of intellectual shock, and the study of human psychology tells us
that human intellectual development can only happen through shock
treatment.
God desires that man should discover the truth by his own contemplation
on the realities of life. And the only way to discover reality by oneself is
for one’s thinking process to continue uninterruptedly.
In order to acquire higher knowledge and realization, one needs
a mind-set that admits that one does not know, not a mind-set that
insists that one knows.
LAW OF NATURE
A Model to Follow
BY divine law, nature serves as a model for human behaviour. If
people follow natural models, they will always achieve success,
just as nature does. In the dictionary of nature, the word ‘failure’
does not exist. Man has to just follow nature’s example and then he can
be sure of success.
A pond is like a container of water. The rivers are also reservoirs, but
we know that water in a pond gets polluted after some time while the
water in the river always remains pure.
The reason for this difference is that the water in the pond remains
stagnant with no other inflow of water, but the water in a river is
continuously flowing, so that old water mixes with a new supply of
water. For this reason the water in the river always remains fresh.
Polluted water is a result of stagnation, while
the purity of river water is always a result of
its constant flowing.
In the world,
everywhere there
has to be a culture of
sharing. Man should
never allow this
culture to fall into
neglect.
This model is also applicable to human life.
In human society, there are young people
and there are also old people. Youth is an
energetic age. In his youth, a person is full
of energy but lacks in experience. In other
words, he is physically powerful but in terms
of wisdom, he has little to offer. In contrast,
an elderly person has diminished energy but has the moral and mental
strength of wisdom and experience. This situation indicates that young
people and old people must share with each other. Young people must
learn wisdom from their seniors, while the latter must lean on the
energy of the former. This is how the model of nature applies to the
life of human beings.
All parts and strata of the world are interdependent. In the world,
everywhere there has to be a culture of sharing. This is a universal
principle, to which man is no exception. Man should never allow this
culture to fall into neglect.
THE RIGHT WAY OF THINKING
Prevent Confusion
CONFUSION is a common phenomenon amongst most people
today. More than 99% people are prey to confused thinking.
Because of this, they get deprived of that great blessing that
is called right thinking. Right thinking is but another name for sound
thinking. The first thing for people to do is to gain expertise in right
thinking. Without it, their entire lives will be made meaningless,
intellectually as well as practically.
Confusion is something that only human beings suffer from. It is
completely unknown in the entire animal world. No animal ever falls
prey to confusion while deciding the course of its life. From an ant to a
tiger, and from a fish to a bird, every animal’s action is always proper
and appropriate. Every animal possesses, you could say, a predictable
character. You can observe this enviable feature of animals on the
popular Animal World TV channel. Animals always behave just as they
should.
In contrast to this, human beings present a completely different picture
altogether, an image of intellectual confusion. The basic reason for this
is just one—and it is related to ‘thought management’. Among animals,
thought management is perfect, while it is not so among human beings.
Here, once again, the question arises as to why is there a difference
between animals and humans?
Human beings
have to manage
their thoughts by
themselves. They
have to discipline
their minds on
their own, through
their own conscious
decision.
The reason for the difference is animals are
controlled by their instincts. Their instincts
are a definite guarantee of their thoughtmanagement.
In contrast, man is a free
creature. He thinks freely and forms his
opinions based on his free will. In other words,
human beings have to manage their thoughts
by themselves. They have to discipline their
minds on their own, through their own
conscious decision.
In human beings, why does the process of
thought management not continue in the way
it should?
This is because human beings live in a jungle of information. They
need to have the intellectual ability in order to discern the difference
between what is relevant and what is not so as to retain the former and discard the latter. This is the only art that guarantees healthy thinking
for human beings.
This point can be clarified with the help of some examples.
Many people cite Darwinism to argue that life evolved through evolution
and therefore, there is no need to believe in God. But this is a gross
mistake. First of all, the theory of evolution is still not a proven fact.
And even for the sake of argument if one takes it to indeed be a proven
fact, it does not prove that the belief in the Creator is false. At the most
what the theory of evolution might prove is only that the method the
Creator employed was not ‘special creation’, but, rather, ‘evolutionary
creation’. The theory of evolution is about the process of creation, not
about the Creator Himself.
Likewise, some people say that Quran cannot be a book which can give
guidance for all times because the conditions of life keep changing. In
changed conditions, it is necessary that people be given new guidance.
But this is another example of confused thinking, because Quran in its
essence is a collection of certain basic principles, and no changes need
to be made in the basics. Changes happen only in non-basics, and for
this change in non-basics, Islam has provided for ijtihad (exercise of
judgement with reasoning) as a method, which is definitely a perfect
solution to this issue.
Consider another example to illustrate confused thinking. Many people
cite the example of social workers who have devoted themselves to
relieving people who are suffering from various ailments. They think
that this alone is enough. While it is definitely a good thing to relieve
people of their physical ailments and problems, it is not enough. This is
because human beings are thinking creatures. So, if they recover from
a physical illness, unless they are suitably trained, their minds are likely
to fall prey to extreme mental sicknesses—for instance, phobias, pride,
jealousy, revenge, lust for power, selfishness, tribalism, arrogance,
selfishness, not acknowledging others' contribution, ungratefulness,
etc. In contrast, experience tells us that if a person who faces challenges
and struggles through them will have a sense of modesty and creativity
and strength of mind develops in him. Such a person becomes an
asset to the society.
Removing people’s physical difficulties is a partial or limited work. The
complete work to do is to help people develop right thinking, to assist
them in their spiritual development as well.
From the above examples one can know the importance of right
thinking in every aspect of life be it personal or pertaining to society.
THE SCIENTIFIC TEMPER
Indispensible for Success
THE Discovery of India, a book well known to millions of readers,
was written by India’s former Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru,
while he was imprisoned at Ahmednagar Fort in Maharashtra.
In this book, Jawahar Lal Nehru emphasized the virtue of the scientific
temper in these memorable lines: “The scientific approach and temper
are, or should be, a way of life, a process of thinking, a method of
thinking, a method of acting and associating with our fellow men.”
What is the scientific temper? The scientific temper is a frame of
mind based on reality, which demands the application of logic in all
situations. This quality is of prime importance. It is indispensible for
every individual and every group of people if they are to be successful
in life.
Scientific temper
makes you a positive
thinker and dictates
a realistic approach.
It makes you a giving
member of society.
Scientific temper makes you a positive
thinker and dictates a realistic approach. It
makes you a giving member of society. It
ensures that your mind develops along the
right lines and makes you a creative thinker.
One who possesses a scientific temper, being
an integrated personality, never suffers from
a superiority complex or the arrogance which
would lead to the kind of bias and hatred
that stems from unhealthy thought.
Scientific temperament is basic to all kinds of human activities, both
individual and social. It makes one patient, tolerant and forgiving. Only
those who are imbued with such a spirit can be good members of
their societies. While scientific temper gives one everything, it deprives
one of nothing. Without it, a man is no better than an animal, while
once possessed of it, he emerges as a true human being.
Religion
Religion is essentially the
voice of human nature.
CONTROL OVER THE UNIVERSE
Universal Harmony
THE words of the first verse of the Quran: ‘Praise be to God, the
Lord of the Universe’ (
response when he observes the universe. Telescopic observation
tells us that the universe is, to an unimaginable extent, vast and
majestic. Moreover, studies tell us that the unobservable universe is
as majestic as the observable universe. In spite of all progress made
by humankind, man has not yet succeeded in apprehending either the
vastness or the grandeur of the universe.
This vast and unfathomable universe is
continuously in motion. At every moment,
extremely meaningful events are taking place
therein. Further study tells us that this vast
universe is totally faultless. The universe can
continually remain in a faultless state only when
there is not even the most minute alteration
in its system. Even the tiniest deviation in
the universe can disturb its entire system.
Modern studies tell us that in spite of the
universe being vast to an unimaginable extent, it is entirely harmonious
in its function. This is because it is completely controlled by a single
force. All its parts are perfectly connected with one another.
The perfect harmony
in the universe is
a proof that it is
functioning under an
all-powerful God.
On seeing this universal harmony, scientists find it astonishing. They
do not know how to explain this extraordinary feature. This perfect
harmony in the universe can be understood as a proof that it is
functioning under an all-powerful God. Had this not been so, the whole
universe would be reduced to ultimate chaos. This perfect harmony
prevailing in the universe can be possible only because its Controller
possesses the attribute of omnipotence.
Prepare
Only after long years of struggle and
perseverance is it possible for one to
play his part successfully.
THE CULTURE OF DIALOGUE
Intellectual Development
ONE significant aspect of the culture of Islam is dialogue. It is
mentioned thus in the Quran: “They conduct their affairs by
mutual consultation.” (
should base their dealings on dialogue and mutual discussion.
Debate on the other hand is quite different from dialogue. Debate is
conducted between two parties, each trying to prove its superiority over
the other, while the essence of dialogue is mutual learning without any
bias. In dialogue, there are also two or more parties, but no party tries
to establish its superiority over the other. Everyone tries to learn from
the other. Everyone tries, in the sharing of experiences, to increase
their knowledge. Dialogue is a healthy practice, whereas debate is a
kind of intellectual wrangling.
In family life, in social
life and in national
life, it is good to
develop the habit of
mutual consultation.
It leads to intellectual
development for
everyone.
The practice of consultation (shura) was
common among the Companions of the
Prophet of Islam. For example, it is reported
of Umar bin al-Khattab, the second Caliph,
that he used to learn from everyone. This
means that it was a general habit of his to
engage in serious dialogue with everyone he
met. He would thereby learn something new
to enhance his wisdom and knowledge.
There is great benefit in mutual discussion
as everyone gains some new knowledge or
experience through this. When one conducts
a serious dialogue with another person, both derive some benefit from
this. Both enrich their minds and progress on the path of intellectual
development.
The Quranic word shura is generally taken to be a political term but,
in fact, it is not. “Political shura” may be a way of proceeding in Muslim
society, but it is only an occasional occurrence. In this sense, it is only
a small part of Muslim life. On the other hand, in general non-political
terms, shura is a daily part of Muslim life. In family life, in social life and
in national life, it is good to develop the habit of mutual consultation. It
leads to intellectual development for everyone.
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.
PEACE VERSUS VIOLENCE
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: ‘In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful’. In other words, one
of the attributes of the God who has sent this Book is mercy, and this
Book is an expression of this attribute of His mercy.
There are more than 6000 verses in the Quran. Of these hardly 40
verses are about commandments of war, which means less than
1%, and these too were revealed in the context of a war like culture
which was already prevalent in the society at the time the Prophet was
commanded to convey the message.
Those who regard the Quran as the book of God can be considered to
be true believers only when, abiding by the teachings of the Quran, they
become fully and completely peace-loving. On no condition whatsoever
should they take to the path of violence.
The fact is that
behaviour of Muslims
must be judged on
the basis of Islam.
Islam should not
be sought to be
understood on the
basis of the Muslims'
behaviour.
In this regard, one needs to stress the need
for people to distinguish between Islam,
on the one hand, and Muslims, on the
other. They must not label all the actions or
behaviour of Muslims as ‘Islamic’. The fact is
that behaviour of Muslims must be judged on
the basis of Islam. Islam should not be sought
to be understood on the basis of the Muslims’
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 Islamic
teachings do not have anything to do with Islam, even if they claim to
be its champions.
In the light of the above facts, one can construct the following qualities
of a peace loving person in comparison with a person inclined towards
violence:
A peace-loving person first thinks and then acts. In contrast, a violence
inclined person first acts and then thinks.
A peace-loving person is well-grounded in truth. A violent person
stands on falsehood. Peace and positive constructive work go hand-inhand,
while violence is wholly destructive.
A peace-loving person lives in the love of others, while a violence loving
person lives in the hatred of others.
A peace loving person overlooks problems and takes advantage of
the available opportunities, while a person inclined towards violence
ignores the available opportunities and gets entangled in a pointless
battle with problems.
Peace results from well-planned effort or action, while violence is a
passion-driven aggressive action. Peaceful action is based on hope, at
the beginning as well as at the end, while violent action is based on
false hope at the beginning and frustration in the end.
The path of peace cultivates a garden
blooming with flowers, while the path of
violence creates a thorny jungle of hatred and
enmity. Peace ends in success, and violence
in utter failure. Peaceful action abides by the
law, while violent action is lawless.
History is witness
to the fact that
whenever anyone has
attained any success,
it has only been after
adopting the method
of reconciliation.
In peace, one fulfills the obligations one owes
to God as well as those one owes to God’s
creation, 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 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 correct choice.
In this world, there are many things that are not desirable, but they
exist for the purpose of testing us. Such things are there so that people should avoid them and thereby prove that they can distinguish between
good and bad. The same principle holds for war, too. War is something
that is possible for people to resort to, but the right thing for human
beings to do is to desist from it.
In the ancient past, considering the prevailing conditions, permission
was given for defensive war. This permission was in accordance with the
law of necessity. But, 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 describes a particular natural law in the following words:
‘Reconciliation is best’ (
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.
Those who regard
the Quran as the
book of God can be
considered to be
true believers only
when, abiding by
the teachings of the
Quran, they become
fully and completely
peace-loving.
Why is this sort of unilateral reconciliation
taken to be best? The reason for this is
because a situation of conflict calls a halt to
constructive activity. The benefit of agreeing
to reconciliation is that one is spared the need
to waste one’s time, strength and resources
on useless confrontation and so can focus on
constructive efforts instead. A course of action
that is opposed to reconciliation is always and
inevitably a course that leads to destruction.
The method of reconciliation is always, and in
every case, a beneficial one.
A peace-loving
person is wellgrounded
in truth.
A violence inclined
person stands on
falsehood.
History is witness to the fact that whenever anyone has attained any
success, 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 establishing and
developing oneself and definitely not in the
destruction of hypothetical enemies.
MY HOME
A Test
IN this world, people build a house for themselves, which they call
‘my house’. They name their houses after themselves. So it is with
everything else. But in actual fact, in this world, every home is a
‘test-house’. In this world, every car is a ‘test-car’. In this world, every
property is a ‘test-property’. In this world, every child is a ‘test-child’.
In this world, every single thing is for the purpose of a test.
At the time of death,
man realizes that
the things he had
thought of as his
own had actually
been given to him by
God for a temporary
period and for the
purpose of a test.
Man, however, forgets this biggest reality, until suddenly death
overtakes him and then he leaves everything behind and enters the
next stage of life all alone. At this time, he
realizes that the things he had thought of as
his own had actually been given to him by God
for a temporary period and for the purpose
of a test. As soon as the pre-death period of
one’s life gets over, all these things are taken
away from him. And now he finds that he has
to live in such a world where he has to pass
his life in a state of complete deprivation. The
only exception to this will be those people
who, because of their good deeds, will be
given back all things as a reward.
After Making a Mistake
Often, people make a mistake, and then
add to it by making yet another mistake—the
mistake of trying to justify their first mistake. But
what they should actually do on making a mistake
is reflect and seek to discover why they made that
mistake in the first place. If one does not do that,
and, instead, seek to justify the mistake,one remains
in a state of error as before. On the other hand, if
one seeks to find out why they made that mistake,
they will save themselves from repeating it.
THE EVIL OF ONES SOUL
Seek the Protection of God
AHADITH of the Prophet Muhammad contains a dua or prayer to
God thus: “O God, guide me to the right path and protect me
from the evil of my own self.” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi). This Hadith
refers to the path of guidance, a path by treading which a person will
find success in both this world and the Hereafter.
This path has been clearly explained in the Quran and Sunnah. To know
the path of guidance or the right path and to walk on it is not something
difficult for us. Then, what is the evil of the soul that is referred to in the
above-cited dua? What is meant here is that whilst knowing the truth a
person changes its meaning by giving it a wrong interpretation.
Wrong interpretation always happens because of the evil of one’s own
self. There is enormous room for misinterpretation, and even a very
clear commandment can be twisted to supposedly mean something
completely different.
We should beseech
God for His help
to protect us from
Satan, to enable
us to recognize
Satan’s deceptions,
and to protect us
from Satan’s evil
suggestions.
For instance, the Quran commands the
believers ‘to establish prayer’ (
free from evil, one can very easily understand
the meaning of this commandment. But
if a person is under the influence of evil
promptings, that is, if his intention is not right,
he can give an absurd interpretation and
make this commandment appear to mean
something entirely different. Thus, he could
claim that by establish prayer is meant ‘to
establish a political system’, or that it means
‘to do social reform or social work’.
It is for each one to save themselves from such evil. We cannot save
ourselves from such wrongdoing simply by reciting some words of dua
or supplication. Actually, in this matter, fifty percent of the work here is
the individual’s, and the remaining fifty percent is the work of praying
to God. In this regard, the proper approach is to discover the right
path, motivated by sincere intention. We must have true enthusiasm
for this task. And then, we should pray to God to help us to remain
steadfast on the right path. We should beseech God for His help to
protect us from Satan, to enable us to recognize Satan’s deceptions,
and to protect us from Satan’s evil suggestions.
DRAWING LESSONS
Food for the Soul
WHEN a person grows deep in his discovery of truth and
becomes strong in faith, he takes life seriously. One aspect
of this seriousness that comes from faith is what can be
called ‘drawing lessons’. The Quran has many verses which call man
towards contemplation, to derive spirituality from material events and
to learn the right lessons from history. There are similar references in
the corpus of hadith—for instance, the Prophet once said, “My silence
should be for contemplation, and my vision keen observation.” (Musnad
al-Shahab al-Qazai)
Faith or the realization of Truth results from
drawing lessons from various experiences and
observations. What is the discovery of faith? It
is the discovery of the Creator after reflecting
on creation. You discover the invisible world
through the visible world. Through the signs
of God scattered all over the visible world, you
discover the inner realities of life. You develop
the capacity of discernment and insight, along
with external vision.
Faith or the
realization of Truth
results from drawing
lessons from various
experiences and
observations.
Contemplation and reflection are an integral and continuous part of
the life of a person of deep faith in God. This way of thinking leads
one to constantly think of and remember God. Every single day one
discovers things that help one's faith to increase and become stronger.
While other people see only the exterior form of things, such a person
discovers their inner realities.
There is no need for seclusion or for being in any sort of special place in
order to engage in contemplation and reflection. These processes are
constantly happening in the mind of a person of faith, and they do not
stop even in the midst of the hurry-burry of the world.
Drawing lessons from things and events is a sort of spiritual sustenance
for a person of deep faith. Physical food is a means for building
such a person’s bodily strength, while learning lessons from one's
surroundings is the spiritual food. Without physical food the body
cannot be healthy. In the same way, without intellectual food, spiritual
development is not possible.
TWO MIND SETS
Communal or Islamic
THERE was an article in a well-known Muslim magazine titled ‘The
Modern Age and Jihad’. In its opening lines, the article spoke of
what it claimed was the terrible oppression that Muslims were
suffering, which, it said had led to the emergence of what it called
‘jihadi’ organizations.
This way of thinking is not something specific to just this one Muslim
writer, the author of this article. Rather, it is the very same way of
thinking of almost all present-day Muslim orators and writers. They
claim that the violent actions that present-day Muslims are engaged
in is a result of the supposed oppression of Muslims. But the point
that needs to be considered here is that during the time of religious
persecution the Prophet and his Companions actually faced atrocities
on a large scale. One of these have been mentioned in the Quran in
these words: “When they came against you both from above you and
from below you, your eyes rolled [with fear] and your hearts leapt
up to your throats, and you entertained [ill]
thoughts about God. There the faithful were
put to the proof and they were shaken as if by
an earthquake.” (
The present world is
functioning on the
established laws
of nature. To know
these laws of nature
and to base one’s
actions on them is
the only secret of
success in this world.
Despite such extreme conditions, the Prophet
and his Companions never adopted the
method of reaction. Rather, they remained
firm on unilateral patience and planned their
actions on completely positive foundations.
This resulted in the great success of the early
period of Islam.
The greatest mistake of present-day Muslims is that they have not
been able to differentiate between Quranic teachings and the historical
events which took place under certain specific situations. Instead of
understanding the present age of religious freedom and planning
positively, they have adopted the method of negative actions based
on reaction. Today, Muslims throughout the world are engaged in such
actions. Almost all Muslim orators and writers today are doing just
this one sort of thing. Without any doubt at all, this is a destructive
attitude, a wrongful innovation. Till such time as Muslims abandon this
innovation they are not going to gain any success at all, no matter how
big their supposed sacrifices may be.
The greatest damage that the psyche of reaction causes is that it leads
to negative thinking in a person. Such a person begins to live in hate
and complaint. The deadly result of this sort of thinking is that it stops
the process of a person’s intellectual development. It is not possible for
one to think on proper lines and to plan one’s actions on proper lines.
If the Muslim community wants the present situation to change, they
must know that this can come about only through one strategy—
Muslims must unilaterally put a firm end to all their present negative
activities, and, motivated by a sincere concern for the welfare of all
human beings, engage in peacefully sharing
with them Creation Plan of God. Other than
this there is nothing that can become a means
for the Muslims’ welfare and salvation.
The greatest damage
that the psyche of
reaction causes
is that it leads to
negative thinking in
a person.
In this world, any sort of success can be had
only through wise planning. Complaining
and protesting against supposed oppression
can yield no result. The present world is
functioning on the established laws of nature.
To know these laws of nature and to base
one’s actions on them is the only secret of success. In the words of
the Quran (
that is to say, the time to take a U-turn and head towards progress and
development.
Informal Education
Informal education can be had
outside the school or university. There
are various means for informal education,
for example, library, journals, seminars and
conferences. The home is also a centre for
receiving informal education. But if other
members in the family are not ready to
accept your ideas, then you should apply
these ideas to your own self. You should
neither hate nor fight with members of the
family, you should only pray for them.
PEACE ACTIVISM
Reflections
THE following remark is from a letter of a person
wishing to know the usefulness of the method
adopted by some well-meaning persons.
“Many people, who are probably well-meaning, say
they are working for communal harmony—harmony
between people of different faith communities. But
basically what they are doing is fighting what is called
‘communalism’. They criticize people and groups who are spreading
hate in the name of religion and issue statements and take out
demonstrations when a particular community is attacked by members
of another. In other words, while they say or think that they are working
for peace, what they are essentially doing is condemning communalism
and hate in the name of religion.”
The solution for the above mentioned problem could be that instead of
adopting the method of issuing statements against others or holding
demonstrations one should explain to people that differences are
part of nature. Rather than attacking members of other communities,
one should adhere to the principle of mutual respect. People who
seek to promote harmony and peace between members of different
communities must educate people to accept differences, rather than
becoming provoked or trying to eliminate differences.
In the light of experience, the principle for communal harmony is
based on mutual respect. In other words, the principle that people
should adopt in this regard be: “We may
have differences, but we will accord complete
respect to each other.”
Those who preach
peace must first
be peaceful with
themselves and with
their surroundings.
Very often, people organize meetings in the
name of promoting communal harmony, but
these turn into communal debates. This is
wrong in terms of method. The right way is
that meetings for communal harmony should
not be for eliminating differences, but, rather,
for fostering the spirit of respecting each other in spite of differences.
Protesting against those who engage in promoting what is called
‘communalism’ is not a successful method in terms of its results.
Far from succeeding, it is only to make another mistake. Those who
attack members of another community are at fault, and those who demonstrate against the attackers are also at fault. The result-oriented
approach in this regard is to counsel people to cultivate in themselves
respect for people who follow different faiths.
Demonstrating against others is a negative approach and has no
positive aspect at all. Instead of solving the problem, it can only create
more problems. This method of working for harmony cannot bring
about change in people. It cannot transform their hearts. This approach
is unnatural. The right response to those who are prejudiced against
others is to try to educate them to understand that nature abhors
uniformity and to recognize that differences are a part of creation.
People should learn to live with differences, rather than try to get rid
of them.
Changing people’s minds in this regard can be achieved by adopting a
realistic approach. Those who issue statements against others and take
out protest demonstrations are only stooping
to reactionary conduct. Instead of doing this,
they should train people along the lines of
peaceful living. They should live with people
of different faiths in a spirit of mutual respect.
People who seek to
promote harmony
and peace between
members of different
communities must
educate people to
accept differences,
rather than becoming
provoked or trying to
eliminate differences.
Not everyone who calls himself a ‘peace
activist’ is really so. Many such people are only
critics of others in the name of promoting
peace and inter-communal harmony—‘peace
critics’ you might want to call them, not ‘peace
activists’. A peace activist, should possess
the quality embodied in this famous saying
of Jesus Christ: ‘Love your enemy.’ Even if
someone appears as one’s enemy, one’s
conduct towards him should be determined by high moral principles.
This is a trait a peace activist ought to possess, and one must also
impart this teaching to others.
There are some other essential qualities to be a peace activist. Someone
who is not at peace with God, with himself, with his family and with his
neighbours but yet claims that he is working for inter-community peace
or even for world peace cannot be a true or successful peace activist.
In other words, peace work, like charity, begins ‘at home’. Those who
preach peace must first be peaceful with themselves and with their
surroundings. Those who are not peaceful with themselves and others
are only ‘professional’ peace activists, not peace activists in the true
sense of the word.
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
GOD’S GUIDANCE
ADUA or supplication appears in a Hadith of the Prophet as
follows: “O God, give me guidance and show me the right way.”
(Sahih Muslim)
In this dua, the phrase ‘give me guidance’ means a request to be guided
along the straight path. The next phrase in this dua is ‘and show me the
right way’. This means that even after being guided to the straight path
people have need of continuous guidance from God. If we reflect, we
will realize that the request ‘show me the right way’ means a request to
be saved from distractions.
This same point has been mentioned in the Quran (
enjoined], ‘this is My straight path; so follow it, and do not follow other
ways: that will lead you away from His path.’
The verse provides the example of a person who sets off on his journey
on the highway, but then on the way the road may meander off onto
narrow, misleading paths, and in this way, straying far from the highway.
One way people can go astray is if they do not adopt the straight path.
A second way they can go astray is if they start off their journey on the
straight path but later get distracted by things that they see on the way and so change their direction, wandering
away from the straight path and meandering
off on little, narrow lanes.
Both sorts of people have gone astray. If the
first sort of people had gone astray at the
very outset of their journey, the second sort
go astray later, wandering away from the
straight path.
For physical travel
there is a highway,
with narrow paths
leading off from it on
either side. Likewise,
the journey of Truth
has a highway, with
narrow lanes leading
away from it on
both sides.
For physical travel there is a highway, with
narrow paths leading off from it on either side.
Likewise, the journey of Truth has a highway,
with narrow lanes leading away from it on
both sides. If you continue to journey along
the highway of Truth, you will arrive at your desired destination. But if
you take to one of the narrow paths that lead away from the highway,
you will deviate from your desired destination.
There is only one way to save yourself from this deviation. And that is,
to keep asking God to save you from going astray.
How to Question
Often people ask questions without
being really serious. A person should
ask a question on a subject which he
has been thinking of and studying about. This
means before asking a question, he must prepare
himself. And when he receives an answer for that
question from someone, he should objectively
ponder over it. This means that one who asks a
question has a pre-questioning responsibility and
a post-questioning responsibility. Only those who
fulfil both these conditions should question.
REFORMING A COMMUNITY
An Important Task
THE question of reforming a community always arises after the
period of a prophet. Hence, to reform a community means to
bring back on to the path of the prophets the later generations
of a people among whom degeneration has set in. In other words, the
purpose of reforming a people is to bring back their later generations
to the ways prevalent at the time of their prophet. It is this that Imam
Malik refers to when he cites his teacher Wahb ibn Kaisan: “The Muslim
community, in its last phase, will be reformed through that which
reformed it in its first phase.” The narrator asked Imam Malik what
was it that Wahb was referring to. Malik replied that what Wahb was
speaking of was taqwa, or God-consciousness. (Musnad al-Muwatta).
One of the traits of the Prophet’s Companions mentioned in the Quran
is that they were ‘firm and unyielding towards those who deny the truth’
(
influences. In contrast to this, with regard to degenerated people the
Quran says that they are prone to imitating others (
with regard to religion, they imbibe external
influences.
When degeneration
sets in among a
people, it is the duty
of its reformers
to deeply study
its conditions.
Discovering the
root cause of this
degeneration, they
must plan, in a
realistic manner,
for the community’s
reform.
In these verses, a law of nature is explained with
the help of references to some communities.
When a particular community or people are
in their ascendant phase, they are so firm on
their principles that they remain established
in their religious teachings without accepting
any influences from their surrounding
environment. In contrast to this, when a
people begin to degenerate, they lose their
concern for principles. As a result, in matters
of religion they begin to accept influences
from the surrounding environment. This is
the cause for the decline of communities.
When degeneration sets in among a people, it
is the duty of its reformers to deeply study its
conditions. Discovering the root cause of this degeneration, they must
plan, in a realistic manner, for the community’s reform. In the modern
age, there was great talk about Communism, Socialism and Democracy.
Their proponents viewed human life in terms of socio-political systems.
Soon, others, too, began to imitate them. Among these were numerous
Muslim thinkers, who began interpreting Islam, too, as a socio-political
system. For instance, there are certain commands that have been
mentioned in the Quran in the intransitive sense, but these people
wrongly interpreted them in the transitive sense. These commands in
the Quran were meant for a person to practice in his individual life.
But some Muslims scholars described these commands in terms of
imposition on others by force.
Converting intransitive Quranic injunctions into transitive injunctions
led to the emergence of various evils in the Muslim community. As a
result the mentality of political extremism took root among the Muslim
community. People began to clash with political authorities in the hope
of enforcing the system that they desired. Consequently, the Muslim
ummah was badly fractured, leading to radicalization.
In line with the law of nature, this political extremism proved to be
completely useless and pointless. It had no positive result whatsoever.
The consequent frustration that was generated among people took a
terrible form—of suicide-bombing, based in the belief that even if one
could not subjugate one’s supposed enemies, they could be harmed,
even if it meant losing one’s own life.
Reforming a community is a very sensitive matter. In this work there
is always the possibility that people may veer to some extreme or the
other, and then, instead of reform, their work will only lead to further
harm.
Result of Negativity
When negative thoughts
come in from one door, intellectual
development exits from another.
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
Islamic Perspective
ACCORDING to the Quran, God has created the universe with
a certain purpose. All its parts, which are strictly under His
control, are carrying out His divine scheme without the slightest
deviation.
Similarly, man, too, has been created with a certain purpose. Yet man,
unlike the rest of the creation, is totally free. He can do what he wants
by his own decision. However, in spite of this freedom, he is being
watched constantly by God, for God does not allow any such deviation
in human history over a long period as would nullify His very creation
plan.
Creation Plan of God
The universe made by God is so vast that, despite the enormous
progress made by human beings in their attempts to fathom it, many
of its secrets still remain unknown. The planet Earth, made by God as
part of the cosmos, was and still is unique in the entire universe, in that
it has been endowed with all the other factors which are essential to
make it habitable for man.
Amongst the
entire universe
that functions
compulsorily under
the will of God, man
is the only creature
that has been
granted free will.
After bringing into existence a favourable
world in the form of the Earth, God created the
first man, Adam, and his female counterpart,
Eve. Although the precise date of this event is
unknown, Adam and Eve were the first pair of
human beings to set foot on Earth.
Adam was the first man as well as the first
prophet. The way of God is to select a man as
His messenger from amongst human beings
themselves in order to send His revelations to
humankind. Therefore, God revealed to Adam
through an angel the purpose of man’s inhabiting the earth. According
to this plan, God created a special creature in the form of man, upon
whom He bestowed freedom. Amongst the entire universe that
functions compulsorily under the will of God, man is the only creature
that has been granted free will. The rest of the universe has no choice
but to submit to the will of God. It is desirable for man also to opt for
this divine plan of his own free will.
This plan of divine will is based on two basic principles—monotheism,
and justice. Monotheism holds man to worshipping one God alone,
and not associating anyone or anything in this worship. Justice holds
man to adhering completely to ethical principles in dealing with other
creatures, including fellow human beings, and refraining from all kinds
of injustice and oppression.
Along with this, God informed man that, although he appeared to be
free, he was fully accountable to Him. God has a complete record of
man’s actions. In the eternal life after death God will judge everyone
according to this record. One who exercised his freedom wrongly will
be thrown into eternal hellfire.
Adam died at a ripe old age. For a long period of time his people
continued to adhere faithfully to the divine guidance. But later,
degeneration set in. Polytheism replaced monotheism. People began
to adopt the ways of injustice and oppression instead of justice and
rectitude. After about one thousand years the perversion became allpervading
and they were completely distanced from the path of the
religion as shown by Adam.
The Age of Perversion
God subsequently sent Noah as His messenger. Noah was granted
an exceptionally long life of nine hundred and fifty years. During
this extended period, he continued to show people the right path,
generation after generation. But only a few people heeded his words.
The rest persisted in their sinful ways. Then, in accordance with the
ways of God, a huge flood engulfed them by way of punishment. Noah
and his small band of followers were saved in
an ark, while all the rest were drowned.
At that time, human population was probably
concentrated only in the region of Asia known
as Mesopotamia. The men and women saved
in the wake of this flood settled afterwards in
other parts of the world. Their race multiplied
until it spread over the continents of Asia,
Africa and Europe.
In the eternal life
after death God
will judge everyone
according to this
record.
After the death of Noah, his people continued for a considerable time
to adhere to the divine path shown by him. But again degeneration
set in amongst later generations and they deviated from the path of
monotheism and justice. God’s messengers—the Quran has mentioned
twenty-six by name—continued to come for several thousand years.
The Hadith tells us that more than one hundred thousand messengers
came to the world. In this way a long period elapsed between Adam
and Jesus Christ, when God’s messengers continued to come to the
world in almost every generation. But each time only a few individuals
believed in them. The majority rejected these prophets in every age.
The Reasons for Perversion
What were the reasons for this continued transgression? There were
two main reasons; one, political absolutism; another, ignorance about
the world of nature.
In ancient times, the system of monarchy prevailed over large parts of
the world. The kings of those days had adopted an easy strategy for
the consolidation of their empires, and that was to apply a complete
curb on intellectual freedom. As a result, science could not make any
progress.
The same was the case with religion. The policy adopted by these kings
was not to allow their subjects to follow any religion other than that
approved of by the king. Superstitious religion served their purpose only
too well. Therefore, not only did they themselves embrace superstitious
religion but they also compelled their subjects to adhere to it. People
were denied the right to think freely and opt for any religion other than
the official one. This policy of the kings produced the evil of religious
persecution. History shows that religious persecution has continued
from time immemorial in one form or another.
The element of
freedom is essential
in order that the
intentions and
actions of each
individual can be
properly judged.
The other main factor in this connection
was ignorance. In ancient times, man knew
little about the world and its phenomena.
Political absolutism had placed an almost
total ban on scientific research. Therefore,
all kinds of superstitions regarding natural
phenomena prevailed. It was generally held
that the sun, the moon and the stars etc.
possessed supernatural powers. Similarly,
it was believed that the sea, the mountains
and other such natural phenomena were
endowed with some extraordinary, mysterious power and that they
exercised decisive control over human destiny.
The Problem of Evil
Those who want to interpret human history in the light of predetermined
law in the physical world cannot but meet with failure. While the
physical world may be explainable within the framework of predeterminism,
the events of the human world are simply not amenable
to interpretation in terms of any such law.
Others want to interpret the events of the human world in the context of
freedom. But they, too, are not satisfied with their interpretation. This
is because in the case of human freedom, the suffering experienced in
this world has no valid understandable explanation.
The failure of both interpretations of pre-determinism and absolute
freedom is due to the fact that they attempt to explain the whole in the
light of a part—which is not at all possible.
According to Islam,
there is only one
correct principle to
interpret human
history, and that is
the principle of test.
The truth is that the right principle by which
to interpret human history is neither that of
pre-determinism nor of freedom. According
to Islam, there is only one correct principle
to interpret human history, and that is the
principle of test. Man has been placed in the
present world for the purpose of being tested.
On the outcome of this test will depend the
eternal future of every individual.
The element of freedom is essential in order that the intentions and
actions of each individual can be properly judged. For, man can be
granted the credit for a good deed only on the condition that, despite
having the opportunity to indulge in bad deeds, he chooses of his own
free will to act virtuously.
If in this world everything had been totally pre-determined, the element
of trial would have been absent. However, the granting of freedom did
involve the risk of some people misusing their freedom, and misuse it
they did. This gave rise to the problem of human suffering which results
from evil. Yet, this suffering, or evil, is a very small price to pay for a
very precious thing. According to Islam, that person is most precious
who leads his life in this world in such a manner that despite facing
all sorts of temptations, he succeeds in overcoming them. Despite
having the power to misuse his freedom, he refrains from doing so.
Despite the possibility of leading an unprincipled life, he chooses of his
own free will to be a man of principle. To identify such individuals it is
essential that an atmosphere of freedom prevail in the world. This is
not possible under any other system.
RIGHT AND WRONG THINKING
Differentiate
SURAH AHZAB, a chapter in the Quran, tells us that man has been
given something that has not been given to anybody else in the
heavens and the earth—and that is, amanat or trust. It is this trust
that makes man the most noble of all creatures. Amanat here actually
means freedom of thought—the capacity to freely think and to freely
plan one’s actions. The proper use of this trust makes a person eligible
for Paradise, while failure to use it properly makes him fit for Hell.
According to the Quran, misuse of freedom leads to two kinds of results:
injustice, and ignorance. On account of misusing his freedom, man
quickly deviates from justice. In the same way, misusing his freedom
leads him to deviate from the path of wisdom. It is this deviation that
makes one deserving of punishment in the Hereafter.
If you reflect on the matter, you will realize that for a person’s reform it
is enough if he does not deviate from his nature. If you exercise control
over yourself and do not stray from the path of nature, nature itself will
become your guide. Deviating from nature leads one to destruction. In
contrast, remaining established in nature makes one successful.
Further reflection tells us that our test lies in always making the right
choice and saving ourselves from the wrong choice. This issue of right
choice and wrong choice relates to both thought and action.
In terms of thought, the model for making the
right choice is provided by what the angels did
at the dawn of creation. In contrast, making
the wrong choice is epitomized by what Satan
did. When the angels were told to bow down
before man, they did so. Satan did not agree
to this. He objected to man being given charge
of the earth.
Misusing freedom
leads man to deviate
from the path of
wisdom.
This objection by Satan is an example of
‘selective thinking’.
Satan was the chief of the Jinn (a living creation of God made from
fire; they have free will just like mankind). God had assigned to him
an important position. Yet Satan ignored this aspect and showed his
resentment by refusing to bow down to man and disobeyed God's
commandment.
This same disease has characterized the whole of human history. More
than 99% of people are victims of negative thinking—that is to say,
selective thinking. They ignore the good things that they do have and
make a big issue out of the things that they do not have and turn the
latter into the vortex around which their thinking constantly revolves.
In this regard, Muslims are no exception. Today, all kinds of excellent
opportunities are available for Muslims to make use of, just as is the
case with other people. But in line with the law of nature, there are
also some things that Muslims have not
been given. What Muslims have done is that
they have made what they do not have the
centre-point of their thinking, while ignoring
all the things that they have been given. As a
result of this, throughout the world Muslims
have got stuck in the quagmire of negative
thinking. And because of this, they are bereft
of gratitude, which is the highest form of
worship.
Reflection tells us
that our test lies in
always making the
right choice and
saving ourselves from
the wrong choice.
Ignoring the 99% of the bounties of God that they have been blessed
with and obsessing about the 1% they have not received shapes their
thoughts and actions. It is against what God desires of us. The greatest
price that people who are engrossed in this will have to pay in terms
of their failure to develop a positive character. And lacking a positive
character means being deprived of God’s blessings.
Success
The 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 which determine success.
SERVANTS OF GOD
Righteous Personality
A PERSON once asked the Prophet Muhammad: “Who are the
people close to God?” The Prophet replied: “They are people who
when you see them, you are reminded of God. In this Hadith,
'being reminded of God when you see them' means your meeting and
interaction with them will be a source of the remembrance of God.
When someone discovers the Truth and begins to live in the fear and
the love of God, he develops a certain level of seriousness. Everything
he speaks is, directly or indirectly, a mention or remembrance of God.
He seeks the pleasure of God in all his affairs and sees the 'hand' of
God in everything. As a result, his life becomes very different from
that of others. His talk is coloured with the hue of God. Whatever
he speaks contains spiritual insight for
those who listen to him. He does not speak
anything unnecessary and frivolous. Instead,
everything that he speaks is related to God.
The result of his speech is such that people
who gather around him begin to benefit from
his talk.
When someone
discovers the Truth
and begins to live in
the fear and the love
of God, he develops
a certain level of
seriousness.
Commenting on the above-mentioned Hadith,
one of the scholar says: “It probably means
that these people tell other people about God
and make them remember Him.”
Focus on Opportunities
Problems are the creation of man,
not of God Almighty. Opportunities are the
creation of God. The quantum of opportunities
is always more than 99%, while the quantum of
problems is less than 1%. Therefore one should
not be disturbed by problems, as they are far less in
number. One should always focus on the opportunities.
ISLAM PEACE BUILDING
Inseparable
IN our closely interlinked world, peace and
prosperity for everyone crucially depends on
harmonious relations between communities and
countries. Today, countries and communities can
no longer afford to live in isolation from each other.
Because we are all now so closely interdependent,
peaceful and mutually-beneficial relations between
different religious communities have become indispensable. We simply
cannot afford to resort to conflict in order to resolve disputes.
Today, the world is crying out for peace. Islam positively encourages
Muslims to work for peace and for harmonious relations between
them and people belonging to other communities.
Given the serious threat to peace posed by terrorism perpetrated in the
name of Islam, it is very important to articulate and promote a positive,
meaningful approach to conflict-prevention, conflict-resolution and
peace-building. After all, if conflicts are prevented at the very outset,
violence can be done away with. Amicably negotiating differences
before they degenerate into a conflict is the most sensible way for us
to handle conflicts.
Whenever a difficult
situation arises, the
right course is not
to take immediate
action but to stop
and reflect patiently
on the possible
consequences of
one’s response
An important point in the above context is to
know that one should differentiate between
Islam and Muslims: one should judge Muslims
in the light of Islamic teachings and not vice
versa. Islam, as per the, Quranic teachings
and examples from the life of the Prophet
Muhammad, provides inspiration and
appropriate guidance for peaceful relations
between Muslims and other communities
and for non-violent conflict-prevention
and conflict-resolution and peace-building
methods and approaches. Contemporary
instances of Muslims resorting to violence in
the name of their religion is, in complete contrast to Islamic teachings.
According to the Creation plan of God, everyone is free. But when an
individual is free, he can also misuse his freedom. As a rule, whenever
people find themselves in problematic situations—and life is full of such
contingencies—there is a tendency to make an immediate response.
This kind of instant reaction, however, serves
only to add new problems to the existing
ones. Reaction unleashes an unending chain
of action and reaction. The results of following
this path are disastrous.
Islam positively
encourages Muslims
to work for peace
and for harmonious
relations between
them and people
belonging to other
communities.
Whenever a difficult situation arises, the right
course is not to take immediate action but
to stop and reflect patiently on the possible
consequences of one’s response. Those who
choose to react by making an immediate
emotional response can only cause an
exacerbation of their difficulties. On the other hand, those who adopt
a well-considered approach will certainly find ways and means of
converting problems into opportunities for improving the situation
that they are faced with. There is great wisdom in engaging in this sort
of result-oriented planning.
A Human Weakness
A general weakness of us humans is that
we think that the good things that we have are
because of our own efforts, and we blame others
for us not having the things that we do not have,
but want. A disastrous consequence of this is we fall
prey to false pride in our abilities, on the one hand,
and to false complaints against others, on the other.
Actually we should consider the good things that we
have as gifts from God, and should attribute the lack
of the things that we do not have but want, to our
own shortcomings. In this way we can really help
ourselves in character-development. It can make us
positive-thinking people.
GLAD TIDINGS
From the Quran
We have made it (the Quran) easy, in your own language, so that
you may convey good news to the righteous. (THE QURAN 19: 97)
THE Quran is a divine book, revealed specifically for the purpose
of conveying glad tidings to humankind. This good news is that
if man treads the path of good and of right action in the limited
life of this world, he will find a place in eternal Paradise in the life
Hereafter. The Quran makes it clear that these glad tidings of Paradise
are meant only for the righteous.
This good news is for those who adopt a God-oriented or righteous life
in this world. Paradise is not to be the destiny of all and sundry, for it is
only for the God-fearing (THE QURAN 3: 133). It is to be given on a selective
basis only to those who are deserving of it. To find a place in the ideal
world of Paradise there is only one condition, and that is, being Godfearing
or righteous.
Being God-fearing
or righteous means
leading a life of
restraint or guarding
oneself against evil.
Being God-fearing or righteous means leading
a life of restraint or guarding oneself against
evil. It is, in actual fact, a phenomenon of
sensitivity. When someone becomes highly
aware of something, then, naturally, he
becomes very sensitive about it. Sensitiveness
plays the greatest role in human life. One who
is not sensitive about something will ignore it,
while something about which he is sensitive
will become his concern. He will pay his
greatest attention to it.
The message of the Quran for man is that he should save himself from
distraction. He should awaken his consciousness to the extent that
obedience to God becomes his sole concern. No other thing should
become the object or centre of his sensitivity.
Another verse in the Quran states: 'Do not follow what you do not know;
for the ear and the eye and the heart shall be called to account.' (
This verse of the Quran commands us to adopt right thinking. The
soundness of human life depends upon this. In both his words and
actions the righteous person fully conforms to the divine laws.
According to the Quran, this is in line with the creation plan for which
man has been created and settled on planet earth. The earth is no
luxury resort; in actual fact it is a testing ground for the purpose of
selecting those individuals who, thanks to their superior qualities, are
worthy of being lodged in an ideal place like Paradise. This is what is
referred to when the Quran says:
He created death and life so that He might test you, and find
out which of you is best in conduct. (
All the things that God has created can be broadly divided into two
categories: the material world, and the human world. The material
world means the entire vast universe known as nature. The material
world is totally governed by the divine laws laid down by God. It does
not deviate to even the slightest degree from these laws. But man’s case
is different. In this entire universe, man enjoys an exceptional position.
Man has been granted freedom of choice. Man has full freedom to
speak and act as he pleases. This finds expression in different verses
of the Quran.
Do they seek a religion other than the religion
of God? When everything in the heavens and
the earth has submitted to Him, willingly or
unwillingly? To Him they shall all return. (
Man has been
granted the power of
hearing, seeing and
thinking, so that by
using these faculties
he may discover
the right path for
himself
In the above verse of the Quran, the word
'submission' has been used, with the
implication that while obedience to the
Creator is required by the rest of the universe
compulsorily, the same obedience is required
of man voluntarily.
Man has been granted the power of hearing, seeing and thinking, so
that by using these faculties he may discover the right path for himself—
what is called in the Quran ‘the straight path’ (sirat-al-mustaqim).
Deviation from the straight path is proof of the fact that one did not
make proper use of the capabilities granted to him by God. Such a
man will be held accountable by God. No excuse whatsoever will be
accepted from him. (THE QURAN 30: 57)
An important principle of human life is avoidance of arrogance. In this
regard the Quran says: “Do not walk with pride on the earth: for behold,
God does not love arrogant and boastful people.”(
The above verse of the Quran gives us to understand that arrogance is
the source of all evil. By contrast, modesty is the greatest source of all
good. According to the Quran, the kind of man desired by God is one
who is totally free of arrogance. Such a person is a modest person in
the fullest sense.
In the chapter al-Fajr (
or unpleasant experiences faced by man occur solely as a means of
putting him to the test, but man takes such incidents in a negative
manner. As a result, having pleasant experiences causes him to
suffer from a superiority complex whereas
unpleasant experiences give him an inferiority
complex. (
The message of
the Quran for man
is that he should
save himself from
distraction.
According to the Quran, both complexes
affect man in extremely adverse ways. The
right thing for him to do is that in both sets
of circumstances, pleasant and unpleasant,
he should consistently tread the path of
moderation. Those who prove to be moderate
in personality and conduct are described
in the Quran as souls at peace (nafs al-muthmainnah), (
complex-free souls. The greatest success for man is his gaining entry
into Paradise in the eternal life after death. On this subject, the Quran
says: “Truly, this is a great victory! It is for the like of this that all should
strive.” (
This is a clear indication that, according to the Quran, man’s goal
should be one and only one, and that is, Paradise. The greatest feature
of Paradise is that it is the realm of the Lord of the universe. And
without doubt, there can be no success greater than finding oneself in
close proximity to one’s Lord in the eternal life after death. This unique
desirability of Paradise is expressed in this verse of the Quran, which
gives voice to a sincere and heartfelt human longing:
My Lord, build me a house in nearness to You in Paradise. (
GOD
If we deny God, we shall have
to deny our own selves.
THE BEGINNING OF REALIZATION
Our Helplessness
The Quran states: “We have created man into a life of toil and
trial. Does he think then that no one has power over him?” (
THE present world is so designed that man must inevitably
undergo hardships. No one is exempt from this general law.
This fact shows how helpless man is. In this world, it is only the
Creator who is Almighty, All-Powerful. This contradistinction is final. No
one is exempted from it, that is, [God is All-Powerful, and man is totally
powerless].
The Quran states: “Every human being is bound to taste death” (
It is a fact that whoever is born into this world has to die after a limited
period of time.
The incidence of death bespeaks man’s
helplessness. This event proves that
helplessness is man’s lot in life. None but the
Creator has true power.
The incidence of
death bespeaks
man’s helplessness.
This event proves
that helplessness is
man’s lot in life.
In the light of these facts, one can realize
that human beings are in a position of total
helplessness, while the Creator is omnipotent.
This discovery is the beginning of realization. For one who makes this
discovery, the journey towards the path of realization has been well
and truly initiated. Subsequently, all other things, which are desirable
in the divine way will become part of his life. This realization is like an
intellectual revolution in that it colours man’s entire life in the hue of
God. (
Right Planning
Awareness of the times along with
right planning leads to success. One should be
aware of the times one lives in, which will help
in doing the right kind of planning. Awareness
and right planning will give one success in one's
endeavours. Fighting against one's circumstances
is reaction, which leads to no positive result at all.
UNFULFILLED DESIRE
Life Eternal
THE British national daily newspaper The Guardian published a
news report that was later republished in The Times of India on
19 Nov, 2016, under the title Dying girl gets wish to have her body
frozen.
LONDON: The teenager's instructions were explicit: she didn't want to
be buried, but to be frozen—with the hope that she could continue her
life in the future when cancer was curable.
"I want to live and live longer and I think that in the future they may
find a cure for my cancer and wake me up," the 14-year-old wrote to a
British judge before her recent death. She said "being cryopreserved
gives me a chance to be cured and woken up—even in hundreds of
years' time.”
Her plaintive words convinced high court judge Peter Jackson to grant
her final wishes in what he called the first case of its kind in England,
and possibly the world.
The judge said the girl had chosen the most
basic preservation option at a cost of about
£
Cryonics is the practice or technique of deepfreezing
the bodies of those who have died of
an incurable disease, in the hope of a future
cure.
The desire for
eternal life is innate
in every human
being consciously or
unconsciously. But it
is also a fact that no
one has been able
to realize this desire.
Everyone is destined
to die.
The girl's parents disagreed about the
procedure, with the mother favouring it
and the father initially saying no, though he
softened his stance as his daughter's death
neared. The girl, who, along with her parents, can't be named for legal
reasons, asked the court to designate that only her mother could
dispose of her remains so that she could be cryogenically preserved,
an unproven technique that some people believe may allow frozen
bodies to be brought back to life in the future.
The concept is regarded with scepticism by many in the medical
community because it has not yet been proven to be effective.
Barry Fuller, a specialist in low-temperature medicine at University
College London, said the technology of preserving cells at ultra-low
temperatures is promising but cannot yet be applied to large structures like a human kidney. "At the moment we have no objective evidence
that a whole human body can survive cryopreservation with cells which
will function after re-arming," he said, referring to the process of reactivating
cells in the future. He said there is ongoing research with the
immediate hope that scientists could use the technology to preserve
human organs for transplantation. He said that would be "a major first
step into proving the concept.”
The judge called the case that began in the family division of the court
unprecedented. Calling the case "an example of the new questions that
science poses to the law.” The girl's lawyer, Zoe Fleetwood, told the
BBC the girl learned of the favourable ruling on 6 October,
before her death. "She was delighted," said Fleetwood, adding that the
girl described the judge as a hero. His ruling cleared the way for the
girl's remains to be taken to a specialist facility in the US for the start of
the preservation process. Lawyers say that has been done, but details
have been kept private.
The girl was too ill to attend court proceedings, but Jackson visited her
in a hospital. He said he was impressed by the "valiant way" she dealt
with her impending death from a rare form of cancer. He said she spent
her final months researching cryonics on the internet. "I don't want to
be buried underground," she wrote at the end of her note. "I want to
have this chance. This is my wish."
Medical experts say cells once damaged during freezing cannot be
converted to living tissue. In spite of what they say, there have been
about 250 people spending huge sums cryo-preserving their bodies
with thousands more having already paid up to do the same when they
die. This desire to live eternally is not only the desire of a British girl. It
is innate in every man and woman, consciously or unconsciously. But it
is also a fact that no one has been able to realize this desire. Everyone
is destined to die. According to a survey the average age of a human
being is about 72 years. Why is this disparity between human desire
and actual fact? A study of man shows that, according to God’s creation
plan, he is born with a complete personality. In terms of his creation,
there is no defect in his personality. Then why it is that no one is able to
achieve the goal of eternal life? When the creation is perfect, the desire
of human beings must also be perfect.
This disparity poses a great question. The answer is only one, that is,
eternal life is not possible on the planet earth. It requires a new world,
that is, Paradise. We have to make ourselves deserving candidates for
Paradise. Only in this way can eternal life be achieved that is, in the
Paradise which is attainable in the world Hereafter.
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 CE. 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
The believers, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabaeans—all those
who believe in God and the Last Day and do good deeds—will be
rewarded by their Lord; they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.
(
Four communities are mentioned in this verse: Muslims, who are the
followers of the Prophet Muhammad; Jews, who follow the Prophet
Moses; Christians, who follow the Prophet Jesus; and Sabeans, who
adhered to the teachings of John the Baptist, the Prophet Yahya. The
last-mentioned sect resided in Iraq in ancient times, but is now extinct.
They were people of the Book, and offered their prayers facing the
Kabah in Makkah.
Here the Muslims have not been mentioned separately, but have been
grouped with other communities associated with prophets. This means
that all ethnic groups are equal in the sight of God; no community is
inherently superior to any other. Only true faith and righteous actions
are rewarded with salvation. This is a rule that applies consistently
to every community. No one, whether he calls himself Muslim, Jew,
Christian or Sabaean, is exempt from this rule. Belonging to a particular
community gives no special status in the eyes of God. God elevates
to a high rank only those who have sought to mould their own lives
according to His divine scheme.
The lives of those who associate with a prophet during his lifetime are
always based on true belief and righteous actions. At that time, certain
people hear the prophet’s call. Their spirits are moved by his message:
an intellectual revolution takes place within them, filling them with
new resolve. Their whole pattern of life changes. Where previously
they had been guided by personal desires, they now base their lives on the teachings of God, and may truly call themselves followers of the
prophets; these are the ones to whom the prophets gave good tidings
of eternal blessings in the next world.
The situation changes, however, as time passes. For the generations
that follow, religion becomes a kind of national heritage. Tidings which
had been given on the basis of faith and righteous actions come to be
considered to be the result of ethnic affiliations. People imagine that
they have a special relationship with God that others do not enjoy:
one who belongs to a particular community believes he is sure to be
saved, no matter what the standard of his faith and deeds. Paradise
is for us, hell for them, he imagines. But God does not have a special
relationship with any particular community. He has regard solely for a
person’s thoughts and deeds. In the Hereafter, people will be judged
according to their deeds and character, and not on the basis of the
group to which they belong.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
How should we look at the phenomena of
problems?
According to the law of nature, everyone is
faced with problems, both inside and outside
the home. If he takes problems as problems, he
will lose hope and end in failure. However, if he
takes the problems that arise as challenges, he
will consider them in a level-headed way and,
by using his powers of reasoning, will be able to
solve them successfully.
Why do you consider problems as a blessing in disguise?
I say that problems are a blessing in disguise because it is problems
that activate our minds. The occurrence of problems always leads to
brainstorming. They save us from intellectual stagnation by stimulating
intellectual awakening. The fact that problems result in creative thinking
is the greatest blessing for all human beings.
What prevents us from thinking positively while facing a problem?
We live in a society. A society is a construct whereby human beings
live in congregation for mutual benefit. But all of its members have
their differences. Differences are a part of nature. Indeed, society is an
amalgam of highly disparate elements. It is this difference that creates
problems. When you face a situation which is not in accordance with
your desires, you become irritated. Then a chain reaction sets in—
leading to anger, vengefulness, negative thinking and violence. It is this
phenomenon that prevents you from thinking positively in this sort of
situation.
Is there any method to face problems positively?
I suggest two principles to follow: one is, to manage the problems,
rather than trying to eliminate them. For this, one has to learn the art
of ‘problem management’.
The second principle is that if you don’t get the best, be content with
the second best. It is a fact that in every situation there is always
something that can be called the ‘second good’. All that is required is to
opt for the ‘second good’ and forget the ‘first good’.
According to psychological studies, every problem begins in the mind,
and it is also in the mind where problems can be solved. So, it is like
changing your intellectual gear. If you are able to change your intellectual
gear, then you have found the method for facing the problems.
Do you suggest that we should replace the word ‘problem’ with the
word ‘challenge’ in our minds?
Yes, certainly! All situations, both good and untoward, are like
intellectual food. If you try to face these situations with a positive
attitude, considering them as challenges, you will be helping yourself
grow. You will be enhancing your creativity. You will be developing your
personality along positive lines. One who adopts this course will surely
emerge, sooner or later, as a well-developed personality, standing firm
and tall, like a fully-grown tree.
Unfavourable Situation
An Unfavourable situation, no matter
what, is nothing but a new challenge.
Try to meet that challenge and very
soon you will find that it was truly a
blessing in disguise for you. It was
meant to provide you with a stepping
stone to better things.
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 )
