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.
POST ELECTIONS: WINNERS & LOSERS
Sage advice to politicians: Rival political leaders may well be fierce
competitors, but once elections are over, they need to cooperate to
make democracy work.
DEMOCRACY with discipline is a political boon, whereas
democracy without discipline may degenerate into anarchy.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of USA in his Gettysburg
Address in 1863, said democracy is: “Government of the people, by
the people, for the people.” Theoretically, this seems to be a correct
definition of democracy but, from the point of view of practical
application, it is perhaps incomplete. Democracy is not a religious
belief; it is a secular concept. It is a political formula that gives us a
workable ‘art of difference management’. In every society, there are
differences at every level and democracy is a kind of tightrope walk to
maintain the balance between differing groups in society. If leaders fail
to establish this balance, they risk turning the democratic system into
anarchy, which may cause them to miss the opportunities offered by
democracy.
The success of democracy depends at the outset on free and fair
elections. Every person has the equal right to present his opinion by
casting his vote. This was the point made by Evelyn B Hall echoing
Voltaire’s beliefs: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to
the death your right to say it.” Democracy spans two periods: the preelection
period and post-election period. In the pre-election period,
political parties compete with each other to win the election. But after
the election, the situation changes, as the time now comes for taking
a U-turn. Instead of considering each other as rivals and continuing
to fight, both sides must adopt the way of coordination. Political
competition before elections is necessary, but confrontation after
elections is so disastrous that it nullifies all benefits of a democratic
system. In the pre-election period, it is the political right of participating
parties to compete with each other. But it is essential for the success of
democracy that after elections both parties change their approach and
play a constructive role for the progress of the nation. The party that
has lost must accept its defeat without any sense of humiliation, while
the winning party must take its victory without pride.
Just as sportsmen demonstrate the sporting spirit, leaders in democracy
should demonstrate the democratic spirit. Without the sporting spirit,
sports would seriously lose in value. Similarly, if the democratic
spirit is absent from a democracy, it becomes difficult to avail of the
benefits offered by the democratic system. All parties must adopt the
philosophy of adjustment to and respect for each other, rather than
take to political fighting or confrontation.
All parties should focus on a single goal,
that is, national development. An example
worth quoting in this connection is that after
the 2008 US elections, when Barack Obama
became President, he chose as his Secretary
of State, Hillary Clinton, who had been his
rival in the Democratic party presidential
primaries. This was a healthy move meant
to guarantee the success of democracy. In a
similar manner, post election parties should
forget their differences and work together for
the best interests of the nation.
Rival political leaders
may well be fierce
competitors, but
once elections are
over, they need to
cooperate to make
democracy work.
Leaders elected in a democratic system are masters of their national
affairs for only a limited period. They can do a good job only if they
concentrate on the present. If they change their focus and devote all
their efforts to ensuring success in the next election, they will lose out, both in the present as well as in the future. A key prerequisite
for the proper functioning of a democratic system is good education.
Education is as important as the democratic framework itself. Without
good education, a good democracy cannot be established. Therefore,
the most important agenda for the winning party should be to provide
good education to the citizens of the country.
Democracy is a political boon for a nation, but to turn this potential
into actuality, we need such masters of democracy who can fulfil their
responsibility with complete sincerity and honesty.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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Sailing Safely
We must never lose sight of the fact that we
are not lone travellers on this earth. There are
always others who are trying to race ahead of
us in this world of competition. The resulting
situation can be approached in two entirely
different ways. One is to collide with anything
which obstructs our path. The other is to
circumvent obstacles and then to go on our
way. Clearly, the first is self-destructive, while
the second in avoiding confrontations, is much
more likely to prove advantageous.
A ship which sails straight at a rock or an
iceberg is doomed. It is the ship which veers
temporarily off its course to avoid the reefs
which will eventually sail safely into harbour.
THE FORM AND SPIRIT OF RAMAZAN
Spiritual Training
RAMAZAN is the ninth month of the Hijri calendar. Muslims are
enjoined to observe fasting from daybreak to sunset during this
month. Fasting is an annual worship in the Islamic faith and one
of the five spiritual pillars of Islam.
What is the purpose of this annual practice? The answer can be had
from the Quran. “The month of Ramazan is the month when the Quran
was sent down as guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance
and the criterion by which to distinguish right from wrong.” (
The Arabic word for fasting is ‘sawm’ meaning abstinence, restraint from
desires. That is, saving oneself from all kinds of distraction, including
basic needs, for a temporary period of time. The main purpose of
fasting is going through the Quran with complete focus and dedication.
This is a very serious study. So, believers are required to keep away
from all other activities, and concentrate their minds totally on the
study of the Quran.
In terms of spirit, the
month of Ramazan
is a month of selftraining.
Muslims
are required to
observe the month of
Ramazan as a month
of introspection in
the light of Quranic
teachings.
In terms of form, the month of Ramazan is the month of fasting. But,
in terms of spirit, the month of Ramazan is a month of self-training.
Muslims are required to observe the month
of Ramazan as a month of introspection in
the light of Quranic teachings. The Quran is
a divine criterion; it helps us examine our
deeds and differentiate the right from the
wrong. The Quran is like a divine mirror, in
which Muslims can see their true face. They
can identify the mistakes they have made in
the past in order that they may mend their
ways.
This annual practice enables Muslims to
reassess and re-examine their past. And, by
knowing this they can plan for their future on
better lines. To illustrate this point, here are
some examples from the Quran.
A believer prepares himself and starts reading the Quran with an open
mind. Then he reads this Quranic verse: “Whatever misfortune befalls
you is of your own doing.” (
it to his own life and to the life of the Muslim ummah. By doing so he will discover that anything which Muslims have suffered in the past
was not due to anti-Muslim forces, rather it was entirely Muslims’ own
mistakes. This discovery will lead to brainstorming and he will decide
with complete determination to convey this fact to the entire Muslim
ummah.
Fasting in the month
of Ramazan is like a
spiritual rehearsal
for every Muslim. If
this annual practice
is done in the true
spirit, it is bound
to revolutionize the
condition of Muslims,
both individually and
collectively.
Then during the study of the Quran, the
believer comes across this verse: “God does
not change the condition of a people's lot,
unless they change what is in their hearts.”
(
of the word, this Quranic verse is bound to
make a deep impression on his mind. He will
find the proper line of action for the future.
He will realize that one has to completely
abandon the language of complaint and
protest against others because, according to
the divine law, that will not work. He will decide
to bring about reform in his own life. Thus our
own reform is the precondition enshrined in
the Quran. If we fulfil this condition, we will be
able to receive divine help, and divine help is a guarantee of all kinds
of success.
Fasting in the month of Ramazan is like a spiritual rehearsal for every
Muslim. If this annual practice is done in the true spirit, it is bound
to revolutionize the condition of Muslims, both individually and
collectively.
Wise Man
A wise man is one who deliberately
forgets the unpleasant memories of the
past and does not let his mind become
a jungle of bitter thoughts.
THE GALAXY SPEAKS ABOUT ITS CREATOR
How Great Thou Art!
ACCORDING to a new study, the Milky Way is at least 50%
bigger than previously estimated. Research conducted by an
international team at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the
US has established the presence of a bulging ring of stars beyond the
known plane of the Milky Way. Their findings show that the features
previously identified as rings are actually part of the galactic disk,
extending across the known width of the Milky Way from 100,000 light
years2 to 150,000 light years.
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is a unique astronomical phenomenon of
which our solar system is only a tiny part. Until the early 1920's, most
astronomers thought that the Milky Way contained all the stars in the
universe. Edwin Hubble in the early 1920's with his new telescope was
able to produce astronomical photographs that resolved the outer
parts of some spiral nebulae as collections of individual stars. He was
also able to estimate the distance to the nebulae and found that they
were far too distant to be part of the Milky Way.
2 Light year = distance that light can travel in one year = 9,500,000,000,000 kilometres.
The Milky Way is estimated to contain 100–400 billion stars. The
Solar System is located within the disk, about 26,000 light-years from
the Galactic Centre, on the inner edge of one of the spiral-shaped
concentrations of gas and dust called the Orion Arm. The Sun is
is marked by a concentration of mass best explained as a supermassive
black hole with an estimated mass of 4.1–4.5
million times the mass of the Sun.
There are billions of other galaxies in the
universe. The Milky Way has several satellite
galaxies and together with the neighbouring
Andromeda galaxy are part of the Local Group
of galaxies, which is a component of the Virgo
Super cluster, which is itself a component of
the Laniakea Super cluster of galaxies.
The Creator is truly
great! He made such
a vast universe, of
which our galaxy is
only a tiny part!
If a person could be far away in space and
have a telescope with which he could view the entire Milky Way, he
would be able to see a mind-boggling spectacle. He would see that,
in the vastness of space, there is a magnificent starry galaxy. On one
spiral arm of this galaxy, our solar system is situated. The planet earth is
part of this solar system which, along with other planets, is continually
revolving around the sun.
The viewer would simply have to exclaim in wonderment:
The Creator is truly great! He made such a vast universe,
of which our galaxy is only a tiny part!
Differences Of Opinion
Differences of opinion are immensely beneficial.
They help bring to the fore new dimensions of
issues under discussion and uncover hitherto
hidden aspects of a subject.
SINCERITY
True Value of Moral Action
SINCERITY is a necessary condition for all religious acts. Only those
religious acts that are done with sincerity are religious acts in
the true sense. An apparently religious act that lacks sincerity is
actually useless.
Our minds are a vast jungle of thoughts. They are always filled with
all sorts of demands, desires and motivations. This can lead people
to biased thinking. In this regard, sincerity demands that a person
should free oneself from preconceived notions and form opinions in
an objective manner.
The above principle must be applied to religious and moral actions as
well. If one does some religious act purely for the sake of God, then in
God’s eyes it will be regarded as sincerity in one’s intention. In contrast,
if one performs a religious act by adding some other, personal motive
in it—for instance, the desire for fame or in
order to be seen as very noble by others,
etc.,—the action becomes devoid of sincerity.
It will have no value in God’s eyes.
Sincerity demands
that a person should
free oneself from
preconceived notions
and form opinions in
an objective manner.
There is no external standard to gauge
a person’s sincerity. Sincerity is entirely
something related to one’s inner intention.
Only the person and God, who is fully aware
of what one thinks—can know it.
Negative Experiences
Make negative experiences grist to
the mill for your own personality
development. Nurture yourself on
what they teach you.
THE DONALD TRUMP PHENOMENON
Muslims must Respond Positively
DONALD TRUMP was elected the 45th President of the United
States on November 8, 2016. During the election campaign
as well as after entering the White House, he issued certain
harsh statements about Muslim immigrants residing in America. This
triggered criticism against Mr.Trump, not only by American Muslims
but also from Muslims all over the world. According to them, this
development was clearly anti-Muslim and perhaps no Muslim has given
a positive response in the matter.
Muslims believe that the Prophet of Islam is a complete model for them.
This complete model, however, is not in terms of superiority of the
Prophet, but rather in terms of his offering a guiding example in every
matter. Whenever Muslims face a situation, it is their responsibility
to search for a corresponding example from the life of the Prophet
and then act upon it. If the Prophet is a complete model, then his life
must provide a model for Muslims in every
circumstance they face. There is indeed
a model present in the Prophet’s life with
regard to the current situation as well.
Whenever Muslims
face a situation, it is
their responsibility
to search for a
corresponding
example from the life
of the Prophet and
then act upon it.
The Prophet of Islam was born in Makkah,
where he initiated his mission in 610 CE. After
a period of thirteen years, he and his Muslim
followers left Makkah for another town called
Madinah. In this way, the Prophet and the
Companions of the Prophet settled in Madinah
as immigrant Muslims. Here they often had to
face certain unpleasant situations from some
residents of Madinah. For example, a tribal leader of Madinah, Abdullah
ibn Ubayy, became a staunch opponent of the Prophet. Although he
had pledged allegiance to the Prophet, Ibn Ubayy abhorred to see that
immigrants from outside had taken a prominent place in his city.
Ibn Ubayy would often pass humiliating remarks at the Prophet and
the Muslims who had come from Makkah. For example, once he made
a statement which has been recorded in the Quran in these words:
“Indeed, when we return to Madinah, [we] the ones most worthy of
honour, will surely drive out from there the contemptible ones!”
(
words. On the contrary when Ibn Ubayy said this, the Quran simply stated: “All honour belongs to God, and to His Messenger and those
who believe [in God]: but of this the hypocrites are not aware.” (
After migration, the Prophet lived in Madinah for ten years. Time and
again he would face disparagement from those who had turned hostile
to him. For instance, Ibn Ubayy once said to his Madinan followers
about the Prophet and the Companions who had come from Makkah:
“Our example and the example of these Muslims from Makkah is as the
saying goes, ‘Feed your dog and it will eat you up!’” (Seerah Ibn Ishaq). In
spite of such provocations from Ibn Ubayy, the Prophet did not engage
in retaliatory measures nor did he respond verbally to the hurtful talk
from Ibn Ubayy and his supporters.
The approach followed by the Prophet and his
Companions in this regard can be summed
up in these words: Take it easy. Neither did
the Prophet take any practical steps nor did
he react in words.
Muslims believe
that the Prophet of
Islam is a complete
model for them. This
complete model,
however, is not in
terms of superiority
of the Prophet, but
rather in terms of
his offering a guiding
example in every
matter.
What was the reason for this unilateral
avoidance on the part of the Prophet? The
wisdom behind it was that the Prophet had
a positive mission to work towards. Had he
reacted to provocation from his opponents, it
would have inevitably led to a chain reaction.
By not reacting, the Prophet put an end to the
provocation in the very first instance. In this
manner, he found an opportunity to focus on
a higher mission without wasting his time and
energy on other issues.
The above policy of the Prophet can be summarized thus: ‘Avoid
provocation and continue with your mission in a positive manner.’ This
method of the Prophet proved to be successful and the result was that
his mission spread peacefully all over Arabia.
The strange response by present-day Muslims is because they have
made their Prophet only a matter of pride for their community. Due
to this, they have ceased to take him as a role model. It is only by
correcting this tendency will they be able to lead an honourable life in
this world.
THE PHENOMENON OF DEGENERATION
Reform and Revival through Intellectual Awakening
MUSLIMS, like other religious communities, went through a
phase of degeneration in their later period and matters have
not improved in the present day. What must be done when
this happens? The remedy was outlined in advance in the chapter
Al-Hadid (Iron) of the Quran. The translation of the relevant verses is
as follows:
Has the time not come for the faithful when their hearts in all
humility should engage in the remembrance of God and of the
revelation of truth, so that they should not become like those
who were given the Book before them, whose hearts with the
passage of time became hardened and many of whom were
disobedient? Remember that God brings the earth back to life
after its death. We have made Our signs clear to you, so that you
may fully understand. (
These Quranic verses refer to the period of decline of the ummah
(Muslim community). This degeneration has come about because the
members of the Muslim community have lost their fear of God and
have become insensitive to their faith. So, what is the principle for their
regeneration, or their reform, so that they may be brought back on to
the right path?
The decline of an
ummah means
decline in terms
of spirit, and not
in terms of form.
Forms or rituals
have always been
in existence: what
disappears is the
spirit. So, it is the
spirit that needs
to be revived, and
not merely forms or
rituals.
The principle is given here in terms of an
example from agriculture. With the passage
of time, land which had been fertile becomes
barren. When the farmer tries to make his land
fertile again, he begins his task by preparing
the land and not by harvesting. If he starts his
job by harvesting, it would be like putting the
cart before the horse.
The same is true of the declining Muslim
community. Here, reformers must start
their task from the beginning, and not from
the end. For example, if they try in such
circumstances to establish their political rule,
it will not work. But if they start by reviving
the spirit of religion, awakening the soul, and
bringing about intellectual development, then
it will be a right beginning.
The decline of an ummah means decline in terms of spirit, and not in
terms of form. Forms or rituals have always been in existence: what
disappears is the spirit. So, it is the spirit that needs to be revived, and
not merely forms or rituals.
What is degeneration? Degeneration is simply a kind of detachment.
When people forget the original message of Islam and cling merely to
some lifeless rituals—that is the sign of degeneration.
At such times Muslims need to revive their faith, to rediscover the living
ideology of Islam and to re-awaken their minds along the lines which
were followed by the Prophet and his Companions. It is this act which
is called in the Hadith (saying of the Prophet) tajdeed, or revival.
The process of tajdeed cannot be successful if the reformers only want
to revive the ritualistic form of Islam. The above example of the barren
land tells us that the starting point for reform is intellectual awakening
and not just the revival of ritualistic practices.
Moreover, the task of revival needs a creative approach, entailing the
use of the contemporary idiom; reformers should try to sense their
listeners’ moods and preach in such a manner that their minds may
be addressed. If people’s minds are not addressed, then no reform
movement will yield any positive results.
Super Achievement
Super achievement is everyone's dream,
but super achievement does not suddenly
knock at your door. It requires hard
labour, continuous effort, well-considered
planning, the utilization of full energy
on a single focus, and most importantly,
unshakable positive planning
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 GREATEST EVIL OF HISTORY
WAR is not a new phenomenon. It has always been a part of
human history. In the very first generation of man, fighting
broke out between Adam’s two sons and, as a result, Abel was
killed by his brother Cain. Fighting has continued since then in every
group and nation. However we learn from history that every period of
conflict has its end. Conflict has always had a limited span. There is no
battle which has raged indefinitely; even the First and Second World
Wars were fought for limited periods of time.
But the case of the Muslim community appears to be totally different.
We learn from history that once a battle is waged in the Muslim ummah
it has continued. In this respect, Muslims have become an exceptional
community. A deeper analysis of this matter shows that the reason for
this is a justification having been found for violence. That is, violence
has been legitimized by misinterpretation of religious law. Since, sacred
law is unchangeable, the violence which is held justified by it allows no
room for revision.
What is this ‘justified violence’? It is the perpetration of violence in
the name of Islamic jihad. In Muslim history, all battles were fought in
the name of jihad. And the traditional concept of Islamic jihad is that
success awaits one in either of the two situations: in the case of victory
as well as defeat. If they are victorious, Muslims who engage in jihad
gain in worldly terms and in the case of defeat and death, they become
martyrs and go straight to Paradise.
Rightfully speaking, in Islam, jihad in the sense of qital, or war, is
undertaken only in defence. Since defence is a matter only for the
state, it takes place infrequently.
All those Muslim activists who are engaged in war in the name of
Islam are “non-state actors”. No established Muslim state is involved
in this act. The nature of this present violence is itself un-Islamic. It is
an accepted principle of Islam that, ‘To declare war is the prerogative
of an established state.’ According to this principle, all those Muslim
mujahideen who are engaged in war have no justification to do so in
Islam.
Such people must unilaterally and unconditionally abandon all their
violent activities and adopt totally peaceful activities.
In present times, in particular, there is no
possibility of such wars. Now, according to
modern universal norms, man has been left
no option but that of peace.
The fact is that this
concept of 'justified
war'—actually, a
wrongful war—has
been developed on
the basis of a wrong
interpretation of the
Islamic scriptures,
both the Quran and
the Hadith.
The battles waged by Muslims in later times
have not been in defence of their country,
but—according to their own claim—have been
engaged in, in order to eradicate tyranny and
establish justice. This is without doubt a war of
their own innovation. No where in the Quran
or the Hadith have Muslims been commanded
to resort to war for the purposes of eradicating
oppression and establishing justice.
The fact is that this concept of ‘justified war’—actually, a wrongful
war—has been developed on the basis of a wrong interpretation of the
Islamic scriptures, both the Quran and the Hadith.
The worst form of this actually unjustified war is that which, in the
beginning, is directed against other nations, but, in its second phase,
develops into infighting amongst Muslims.
The reason is that when combatants see that they have derived nothing
positive from war, they think that there must be some conspiracy
against them to explain why their efforts have become futile.
They even come to regard the people of their own community as
conspirators, and imply that their failure is due to their machinations,
and, this said, they direct their animosity at their own community.
When things come to this level, the evil goes
beyond all limits, that is, Muslims start killing
Muslims. The Prophet of Islam had already
predicted this evil, which he said would creep
into the ummah.
This prediction of the Prophet has been
fulfilled in the twenty-first century. The self
proclaimed jihadists are killing Muslims as well
as others.
No where in the
Quran or the Hadith
have Muslims
been commanded
to resort to war
for the purposes
of eradicating
oppression and
establishing justice.
This phenomenon tells us that, in present
times, violence among Muslims is the worst
kind of evil. It is a warning to Muslims that if they do not repent and
abandon the way of killing and bloodshed, they are taking the risk of
being held as unbelievers in the eyes of God.
This prophetic warning should be enough to make the Muslims of today
sincerely repent and altogether give up violence without a moment’s
delay. They should throw their weapons into the sea and lead their lives
as peaceful citizens. There is no other option for Muslims.
Wise Way Of Living
To save our own freedom, we have to
tolerate the freedom of others. And
to save our own spirituality, we have
to overlook the misuse of freedom
by others. We have to ignore others'
undesirable behaviour in order to
ensure that our own personality
development will proceed along the
right lines. This is the wise way of
living in this world.
INNUMERABLE BOUNTIES OF FASTING
Character Building
FASTING (sawm) is the third pillar of Islam. Right from dawn till
dusk, a man who is strictly on a fast will neither eat as much as
one morsel of food nor drink a single drop of water. By submitting
to this discipline, that is, by depriving himself of the prime necessities
of life, man learns the valuable lesson of fortitude. With no food and
drink, he naturally feels hungry and thirsty, and his strength begins to
ebb. The entire routine of his life is severely disturbed and his whole
system is upset. But, out of a high sense of discipline, he braves all the
difficulties and discomfort, and remaining alert and never losing heart,
he steadfastly discharges his duties
Food and drink may be temptingly placed before him, but, despite an
overwhelming urge to have both, he will not even touch them. In this
way, he prepares himself for a well-regulated and responsible life, doing
only what is his duty and refraining from pernicious acts and habits.
He is strengthened to continue with his mission in life, no matter how
much he may be beset by adversity. God has
endowed man with innumerable gifts, but, all
too often, he takes them for granted without
any feelings of gratitude. Countless benefits
like the air, the sun, the water, have been
showered upon man, the absence of any one
of which would cast his delicately balanced
system into a living hell. But because he has
received these things without any effort on
his part, he sets no great value upon them,
and hardly ever stops to ponder upon how
they came to be his.
God has endowed
man with
innumerable gifts,
but, all too often,
he takes them for
granted without any
feelings of gratitude.
It is only when
fasting temporarily
curbs the satisfying
of his desires that his
consciousness of the
value of these divine
gifts is awakened.
It is only when fasting temporarily curbs the
satisfying of his desires that his consciousness
of the value of these divine gifts is awakened.
When, at sunset, after a whole day’s hunger,
thirst and the accompanying discomfort and
fatigue, a man begins to eat and drink, he
becomes fully aware of his utter dependence on God’s bounty. He
is then filled with the realization that he owes an endless gratitude
towards the Bountiful Creator.
The life of a believer in this world is one of fortitude and forbearance,
limited as it is to the enjoyment of whatever is allowed by God and
avoidance of whatever is forbidden by Him. The journey on the path of
righteousness and truth is beset by difficulties which a believer must
staunchly face up to.
In the face of provocation he cannot stoop to take revenge upon his
adversaries who have made him the object of their spite and malice.
On the contrary, the slights and injuries of this world should leave him
undaunted; he should simply be able to take such untoward incidents in
his stride so that he may continue unflinchingly to discharge his duties.
Whenever his pride has been hurt, or whenever some unpleasantness
has left him in a state of agitation, he must guard against adopting a
negative attitude—for this is sheer weakness—and must continue to
devote his energies in a positive manner to worthy objectives. Nothing,
in fact, should stop him, or even slow him down in his progress towards
the Hereafter.
All of the above situations demand enormous fortitude, and, without
it, no one can travel along the path of Islam. Thus, the annual monthlong
period of fasting aims to build up the strength of character.
Such strength is essential, if devout Muslims are to tread the path of
righteousness for the rest of the year, avoiding impatience, cruelty, evil
acts, and making no attempt to meddle with divine commandments.
While in its outward form, fasting means abstinence from food and
drink for a given period, in essence, it is training for a whole life of selfdenial,
inculcating patience, fortitude and forbearance.
Mindset
A negative mindset diminishes one's
abilities. But if one works hard with
a positive mindset one's abilities are
improved. This is a law of nature and the
law of nature is irreversible.
THE MIRACLE OF TEAMWORK
Achieve Great Success
ANDREW CARNEGIE (1835-1919) was a Scottish American
industrialist who led the expansion of the American steel
industry in the late 19th century. He is often identified as one of
the richest people and one of the richest Americans ever. He played
a leadership role as a philanthropist for the United States and British
Empire. During the last 18 years of his life, he gave away to charities,
foundations, and universities about $350 million—almost 90% of his
fortune.
Carnegie shared one of his experiences in these words: “Teamwork is
the ability to work together towards a common vision. It is the ability to
direct individual accomplishment towards organizational objectivities.
It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”
The above saying is very true. It is based on
a law of nature laid down by the Creator. If
there is a heavy stone and you want to remove
it from its original place by your individual
efforts, you may fail to do so. But if you put
together a group and try to remove the stone
by collective effort, you can certainly achieve
your goal. The Prophet of Islam said: “The
hand of God is on the group or team.”
The majority of
the great events of
history was the result
of teamwork. If there
is a team and every
member of the team
is imbued with the
right spirit and has
the sincere will to
achieve the projected
goal, the team will
certainly succeed in
this mission.
Teamwork means the combined action of a
group. This kind of work is destined to achieve
its desired goal, because the work is done
with team spirit. What does team spirit mean?
It means willingness to cooperate sincerely
as part of a team. The majority of the great
events of history was the result of teamwork.
If there is a team and every member of the team is imbued with the
right spirit and has the sincere will to achieve the projected goal, the
team will certainly succeed in this mission.
The highlighting factor is that there are bound to be differences
amongst the team members on various issues though they work for a
common goal. If all the members stay united inspite of the differences,
they will be successful in their mission. Differences should not be used
as an excuse to go away from the team.
The Quran has stated the importance of team work in the following
verse: Surely God loves those who struggle for His cause in ranks, as if
they were a solid cemented structure. (
This Quranic verse gives the definition of teamwork: working together
like a cemented structure. God Almighty has promised sure success for
those who work together with team spirit. Team work means making
efforts with total unity and solidarity. This kind of work needs conviction,
confidence in and emotional attachment to the mission. Dedication in
the members of a team is as important as team spirit. Those who are
full of this kind of spirit will certainly achieve success.
Overconfidence
Overconfidence is a common flaw in the
character of those who are lacking in humility.
The virtue of modesty makes one a realist—a
person who is cut down to size. Such people
generally proceed with caution because before
taking any action, they take into consideration
all of the factors in whatever situation they have
to tackle. They make a thorough assessment
of the risks involved. Taking this realistic
approach makes them take into account their
own shortcomings. This serves as a controlling
element in their lives and prevents them from
having to face untoward consequences.
COMPANIONSHIP OF THE PROPHET
Guidance for All Times
ASCHOLAR has very rightly said, “If there is a collection of Hadith
in a person’s house, it is as though there were in his house
the Prophet, speaking to him.” This means if you open, with
earnestness, a book of Hadith and read the sayings of the Prophet,
you will feel that the Prophet is directly talking to you and giving you
guidance. The same is true about the companionship of the Prophet.
If the true spirit is alive in you, and you sincerely desire to follow the
Prophet, even today you can experience the Prophet’s companionship.
For example, the Prophet’s practice was never to hate his enemies.
Instead, he used to treat them in a very noble way. If you have an
enemy and you do not respond to him with enmity, but instead, think 'I
should behave with my enemy in the same way as the Prophet of God
did with his enemies', and if you do precisely this, at that moment you
will develop a special relationship with the Prophet. You will begin to
associate with him, in terms of your thoughts
and feelings. This sense of association with
the Prophet will expand so much that you
will feel that the distance of time has been
overcome and that you have arrived, as it
were, in the company of the Prophet. This
is a fact. It is something that anyone can
experience anywhere.
The believers who
were contemporaries
of the Prophet
were blessed
with the physical
companionship of the
Prophet. Believers
in later times can be
blessed with spiritual
or psychological
companionship of the
Prophet.
The Prophet’s opponents treated him in
a very improper way. For instance, they
called him with derogatory names such as
mad, condemned one, a magician and a
liar. Yet, the Prophet never reacted against
them negatively. He neither complained nor
demonstrated against them. Instead, he
prayed to God for such people. Now, if you
face any such negative experiences and wholeheartedly adopt the
method of the Prophet in this regard, you will experience certain special
feelings of relationship with the Prophet. You will begin to experience
the companionship of the Prophet.
One can speak of two forms of the companionship of the Prophet.
One is physical companionship. The other is spiritual or psychological
companionship. The believers who were contemporaries of the Prophet were blessed with the physical companionship of the Prophet.
Believers in later times can be blessed with spiritual or psychological
companionship, provided they fulfill the necessary conditions for this—
and that is deep psychological compatibility with the Prophet.
Companionship is not necessarily about being physically present with
someone. It depends entirely on psychological compatibility. In the
early period of Islam, among those who accepted Islam were some
who had psychological compatibility with the Prophet. They drew great
benefit from his company. And those who did not have psychological
compatibility with him remained deprived of the benefit of his presence,
despite being physically present near him.
The difference between the true Companions of the Prophet and the
hypocrites was based precisely on this. The true Companions of the
Prophet had psychological compatibility with the Prophet. That is why
they were able to fully benefit from his company. On the other hand,
the hypocrites did not have this psychological compatibility with the
Prophet. And, that is why despite being physically present near the
Prophet, they remained deprived of the benefit of his company.
Law Of Nature
It is a law of nature that the
quantum of scope for success is
more than the quantum of failure.
No failure can stop one's journey,
provided one maintains positivity.
It is one's positive thinking that
matters and not the negative
experiences.
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
‘ALLAHU AKBAR’ SPEAKS OF A BELIEF
THE phrase Allahu Akbar (or God is Great) is the most important
part of the Islamic form of ritual prayer. If you add up the number
of times this phrase is used in the azan, the call to prayer, and
while performing the ritual prayers five times a day, it comes to around
300 times every day! This declaration of God being the Greatest is
the phrase that is heard and uttered the most number of times in a
Muslim’s life.
This shows that in Islam the most important thing is that a person
should discover the greatness of God. The glory and greatness of
God should be the most important part of his consciousness. God’s
greatness should be an integral part of his consciousness in such a way
that under no condition should he lose awareness of it.
The phrase “God is Great” enjoys the status of a master-stroke in a
person’s life. If you truly discover God you will experience a great and
positive upheaval in your life. You will be transformed into a completely
new person. God will become the only focus of your thinking. Your
life will become a truly God-centred one. God will become your sole
concern.
God’s greatness
should be an
integral part of his
consciousness in such
a way that under no
condition should he
lose awareness of it.
Everything other than God will become
secondary for you. You will stop thinking in
materialistic terms. Instead of thinking on
communal lines, your thinking will be shaped
on the basis of certain principles. You will
seek success in the Hereafter. You will be fully
cleansed of negative thinking. You will become
modest and will be freed from arrogance.
In a sense, the phrase Allahu Akbar speaks
of a belief. In another sense, it embodies
a complete way of life for a person. In fact,
Allahu Akbar is the essence of faith.
EXPLAINING CREATION
Purpose of Life
WHY is there a contradiction between the two worlds—the
material world and the human world? The material world is
a complete world. There is no defect in it. But the human
world is apparently an incomplete world.
When we study the material world, we find that it is well planned,
intelligently designed and flawless, while the human world is one
in which there are problems aplenty and many kinds of unwanted
situations. For man, happiness seems to be an unachievable goal. If
God is perfect and all-powerful then why this contradiction in nature?
If God is perfect and powerful, the world ought to be a world in which
there are no contradictions.
This kind of observation as noted above is based on appearances,
but if one tried to explain nature according to God’s scheme of
things, we would discover that the apparent
contradiction is a part of the different aspects
of the scheme of the Creator.
Paradise will be
accorded on the
basis of merit. Only
those individuals who
pass the test will gain
entry into Paradise.
The fact is that, the material world was created
as a supporting world. It is a custom-made
universe. The universe was made for man and
not vice versa, hence we find stability in the
world. Man, on the other hand, was created
according to quite a different scheme. It is
required of man that he develops himself as
a self-made man. For this purpose, man has
been given total freedom. It is this total freedom that creates all kinds
of problems and not creation itself.
According to the Quran, man was created according to a special
scheme. God Almighty created Paradise as man's eternal abode. But
this Paradise will be given to mankind on a purely selective basis. God
will watch man's behaviour in the present world, then, according to the
record prepared by the angels, Paradise will be accorded on the basis
of merit. Only those individuals who pass the test will gain entry into
Paradise.
ZAKATTHE PRESCRIBED CHARITY
Social Welfare
ZAKAT, or the alms-tax, is one of the five basic tenets of Islam.
Its payment is obligatory, at the minimum fixed rate of 2.5% per
annum, on all wealth that is subject to growth. It takes the form
of the giving of alms out of one’s own private means. This amount is
given in the name of God and is to be spent on worthy religious causes
and on meeting the needs of the poor and the helpless.
Zakat is an annual reminder to man that everything he possesses
belongs to God, and that nothing should, therefore, be withheld from
Him.
Man himself plays only a very small part in obtaining whatever he owns
in this world. Were he not to have the benefit of God’s endless bounty,
he would neither be able to grow grain, raise cattle, set up industries
nor accomplish any other work of a useful nature. The system of life
created for him by God, fulfilling all of his requirements from those of
his inner being to those of his external environment, is one of greatest
perfection. Were God to withdraw even a single one of His blessings,
all man’s schemes would lie in ruins and all his efforts would be in vain.
All productivity would grind to a halt, and life itself would come to a
standstill.
The observance of Zakat is a way of acknowledging this fact of life.
Islam desires that private wealth should be considered as belonging
to God, and therefore should be spent in the way as ordained by God.
In doing so, one should not consider that he is conferring a great
favour upon those less well-endowed than himself, and should in no
way be condescending to the recipients of his charity. When a man
gives alms to others, he should do so with the knowledge that they
have a rightful share in his wealth, for this is as God has ordained. He
is doing no more than giving others their due. But when he gives, he
can feel reassured that he himself will be given succour by his Maker
on the Day of Judgement. In giving to others, he knows for certain that
he will not be denied by God at the Last Reckoning.
Responsibilities to Others
Zakat gives a clear indication of what one’s responsibilities to others
should be. Everyone is required to recognize the rights of others, just
as everyone is expected to sympathize with those afflicted by adversity.
This feeling should be so well developed that one has no hesitancy
about sharing one’s possessions with others, or coming to their
assistance, even when it is clear that nothing can be expected in return.
Even where there are no ties of friendship, one should be a well-wisher
of others and guard their honour as if it were one’s own.
Gifts from God
Zakat brings the realization that all of one’s possession are gifts from
God and makes one more keenly aware of the virtues of devotion to
God. In the light of such awareness, one cannot remain insensitive to
the needs of the society in which one lives. Zakat is a perennial reminder
that a selfish stance is a wrong stance, and that others must be given
their rightful share of our earnings.
One unfortunate aspect of human relationships is that people tend
to give to others only when they hope to gain something in return.
Money they feel, should be returned with interest. When such an
understanding becomes a factor in our social organization, exploitation
becomes rampant; everyone is ready to plunder everyone else. This
results in society falling prey to oppression and disorder.
When a man gives
alms to others, he
should do so with
the knowledge that
they have a rightful
share in his wealth,
for this is as God has
ordained. He is doing
no more than giving
others their due.
No one—no matter whether they are rich or
poor—can be at peace in a society stricken
with this malaise. Society should be so
ordered that people fortunately placed in life
come to the assistance of their less fortunate
brothers, in the knowledge that they will
ultimately be rewarded by God. Believers
have the assurance of God that if they give
to others, whatever they give will be returned
to them many times over in the next world;
they trust God’s promise completely. In
a society ordered in this way, feelings of
antagonism and indifference are not allowed
to develop; people are not bent on exploiting
one another. There is never an atmosphere of mutual resentment and
dissatisfaction, for everyone lives in peace with his neighbour. Such
a society, in short, is a haven of contentment and well-being. In its
external form then, Zakat is an annual tax. But in its essence, it is the
principle on which God and His creatures have a right to a share in
one’s property.
The Ramazan Charity
Zakat-al-Fitr is specifically related to the month of fasting and is given
before the special Eid Prayer. The reason for this Zakat is two-fold.
According to a Hadith reported by Ibn Abbas:
Zakat-al-Fitr is an atonement for the fasting
person’s inadvertent idle talk and to provide
food for the needy. Discharging this duty
before the prayer is very important.
Society should be
so ordered that
people fortunately
placed in life come
to the assistance of
their less fortunate
brothers, in the
knowledge that they
will ultimately be
rewarded by God
Zakat-al-Fitr perfects the fast of Ramazan
and purifies the fast of any indecent act or
speech. It is obligatory on all Muslims: young,
old, male and female. Every Muslim who
possesses over and above what is needed as
basic food for the duration of one day and
night must pay Zakat-al-Fitr for himself and
his dependants and distribute it amongst the
poor and needy. The earlier it is given the easier it is for them to make
arrangements, so that they may also take part in the celebrations of Eid
without any difficulties.
Comprehensive Principle
All individuals be they literate or illiterate,
able-bodied or handicapped, whether of one
class or another, are certain at all events, of
their own likes and dislikes. What is required
of them is they should follow the principle
that whatever behaviour they want from
others, they should themselves accord to
others. Conversely, whatever behaviour
towards themselves they abhor in others
should likewise be eschewed by them.
GOOD PARENTING
Equip Your Children for Life
PARENTING or child rearing is the process of promoting and
supporting the physical, emotional, social, financial, and
intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood.
We all are familiar with the following maxim: To be born with a silver
spoon, in reference to a child born in an affluent family. Favoured
children are frequently less successful in their lives than those who
have failed to find favour from their family. Favour is only another name
for pampering. There is a better alternative for parents rather than
giving favour; it is to give their child self-confidence. A non-favoured
child is also a favoured child, but in a different sense; he has the selfconfidence
and incentive to work hard. If you love your child and in all
situations you are ready to provide him with help, that means you are
making your child happy but with a side-effect; it will lessen the spirit
of confidence in the child. Self-confidence is the best gift parents can
give their children.
Parents cannot be with the children all through their life like shadows.
Children as they grow have to face life with all the challenges it poses.
Good parenting is to train your children to develop self-confidence to
the extent that they may stand up to the challenges of life, especially
in the later period of their lives. That kind of parenting is good which
proves to be effective in their future and that kind of parenting is bad
which has untoward results. It is not inside the home that parenting
may be judged good or bad. It is outside the home that parenting must
be judged. That parenting which proves effective outside the home is
good parenting.
Parenting is a complex task. Parents have great love for their children.
That is but natural, but as far as their children’s future is concerned, love
alone is not enough. Love often turns into pampering their children.
And over-providing is not good parenting. That can make a child too
easy-going. He may shirk hard work and this tendency could stop his
future development.
Good parenting calls for living between two opposites: on the one side
being soft and on the other side being strict. Parents have to be both
subjective and objective in their behaviour towards their offspring.
Parents are almost always emotional towards their children. But
according to the law of nature, emotional behaviour may not prove good for them. It is in their nature to be emotional, but the best parents
are those who control their emotions and try to tackle the child with a
realistic approach.
Good parenting calls
for living between
two opposites: on
the one side being
soft and on the other
side being strict.
Parents have to be
both subjective and
objective in their
behaviour towards
their offspring
There are many examples of persons born
into poor families, who after hard work,
emerged as super achievers. For example, B.
R. Ambedker (1891-1956) was born into a poor
family in Maharashtra, who were subjected
to socio-economic discrimination. Although
Ambedkar was admitted to a local school, he
was segregated and given little attention or
help by his teachers. He was not even allowed
to sit in the class. When he needed to drink
water, someone from a higher caste would
pour that water from a height, as he was not
allowed to touch either the water or its vessel.
But this hardship only enhanced his incentive
to have an education. He used to read his
school books by the street light because there was no electricity in his
poor home. His efforts bore fruit. Despite all kinds of hardships he
continued his studies till he emerged as a great expert on constitutional
law. Finally, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India and
was appointed to draft the first Constitution of India.
From the above example we can see that it is challenge that motivates
the child to the extent that he can rise from ‘zero’ to a hero.
Your Destiny
Always remember that although
others can create hurdles in your
life, no one has the power to
decide your destiny
WESTERN CIVILIZATION
Age of Peace
THERE are several verses in the Quran which
make predictions of future events. For
instance, the prediction of the victory of the
Romans over Sassanid Persia (
was fulfilled within ten years, but of greater
significance is the prediction in the Quran which
clearly applies to the rise of western civilization—a
pro-human civilization—in the later period of human
history:
‘We shall show them Our signs in the universe and within
themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the Truth.’
(
This verse clearly foretells the developments which took place in
western nations one thousand years after the revelation of the Quran.
This civilization of the West was, in reality, based on science. There are
two aspects to this: the theoretical and the practical, or applied aspect.
The applied aspect of western civilization may also be called the
technological aspect. It is this aspect which is mentioned in the following
tradition of the Prophet:
God will certainly support His religion with
the fajir or non-believer. (Sahih Bukhari)
Fajir here means a secular person. This saying
of the Prophet is, in fact, a prediction of the
emergence of western civilization which, in
essence, was pro-human. That is, it would
benefit all of mankind as well as the divine
religion.
The greatest benefit
of these modern
developments is that
for the first time in
human history the
age of peace has
been ushered in.
Western or modern civilization is not the
property of a certain race or community. It owes itself entirely to
the discovery of hidden natural laws and the development of a
technology which benefitted and still benefits the whole of humanity.
For example, the discovery of the laws of nature introduced a new
age of communication, from which everyone benefitted, including the
proponents of the religion of Islam.
The evolution of western civilization has two sides to it. One pertains
to the intellectual revolution brought about in the social and political
world. For instance, one major step forward was the replacement
of monarchy by democracy. The other side pertains to the benefits
introduced by science and technology such as the modern means
of communication. This has given people a thorough knowledge of
geography, and facilitated travel from one place to another. The
printing press too has greatly facilitated the dissemination of ideas
across the whole world. Electronic technology has, indeed, turned the
whole world into a global village. Now it has become possible to speak
from one part of the globe and be heard and watched across the world.
The greatest benefit of these modern developments is that for the first
time in human history the age of peace has been ushered in. In earlier
periods of human history, battles had to be fought if any end was to be
achieved. Everything was decided upon on the battlefield and because
of this, a great number of human beings left this world without having
performed their due role. In the wake of modern developments, for
the first time in human history, it has become possible to achieve any
target, great or small, through completely peaceful means.
Through long planning the Creator had brought about a revolution in
human history, which brought the age of war to an end. In this way, it
had become possible by using peaceful means to attain all ends in a way
which was far better than the violent one which achieved nothing of any
value.
This is the greatest achievement of the modern age. Those who adopt
the method of war and violence in today’s age only demonstrate that
they are totally unaware of the modern developments of history. This
crass ignorance is reflected in their reckless use of arms. By stooping
to violence, they have committed the most heinous crime in history.
In such a situation, those who in the twenty-first century have
abandoned the peaceful method and opted for the strategy of guns
and bombs, are only proving that all they can carve out for themselves
and others is a history of death and destruction, and in the Hereafter
this verse of the Quran will apply to them:
Those of you who act thus shall be rewarded with disgrace in this world
and with a severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection. (
TRAINING IN WISDOM
In the Company of the Prophet
THE first ten years or so of a person’s life is called the formative
period. In this initial period of life, the major part of a person’s
character is formed. From the point of view of training, this
phase of a person's life is of great importance.
In his lifetime, the Prophet of Islam specially selected two people for this
purpose of training. One was Ali and the other was Aisha. He provided
both of them the opportunity to be in his company when they were at a
young age itself, and thereby they received training and obtained what
is called prophetic wisdom in the Quran (
This objective of training in wisdom can be achieved only at a young
age. The method that the Prophet adopted to keep Ali in his company
when the latter was still young, was by becoming his guardian. Aisha
being a woman, adopting this method was not possible. Therefore, the
Prophet married Aisha though she was very young.
Some people have tried to provide an interpretation of the issue of
Aisha’s age when she got married. But this is
an unnecessary effort. This is a question of
point of view. These people look at the issue
from the point of view of marriage. But the
actual matter was the issue of Aisha receiving
training from the Prophet in the formative
period of her life.
One way of
benefitting from
the Prophet was to
preserve his sayings
and to narrate them
to people. Another
way was by hearing
the Prophet speak
or observing him
closely, and inferring
principles of wisdom.
The results confirm this analysis and the
issue is considered an established fact
amongst Islamic scholars. They agree that
Ali and Aisha occupied—in terms of insight
and understanding of religion—a distinctive
stature among the Companions of the
Prophet.
One way of benefitting from the Prophet was to preserve his sayings
and to narrate them to people. In this regard, Abu Hurayrah had the
most prominent position among the Prophet’s Companions. Another
way was by hearing the Prophet speak or observing him closely, and
inferring principles of wisdom through this. This second manner of
learning from the Prophet could be obtained only through continuously being in his company. For this second purpose, Ali and Aisha were
chosen, at a young age.
Consider, for instance, this saying of Ali: 'The value of a person lies in
what he excels in.' This point is not found in these same words in any
Hadith of the Prophet. This is a piece of wisdom that Ali derived as a
result of being in the company of the Prophet. This wisdom can be
expressed as follows: ‘The value of a person lies in his excellence.’
The same thing was true of Aisha. Aisha’s inferences from the life of the
Prophet are very famous. All her inferences offer great wisdom. She
extracted these principles of wisdom by being in the company of the
Prophet. Consider, for instance, this wise saying of Aisha: ‘Whenever
the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always opted for
the easier of the two.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari).
Words of the Prophet that others heard him say are called Hadith. The
distinction of Ali and Aisha is that they not only related sayings of the
Prophet, rather they observed the Prophet closely and then deduced
principles through this observation. By living in the company of the
Prophet they grasped his wisdom and insight, and then expressed them
in their own language. This company greatly boosted their capacity to
grasp matters. At a young age, the two of them benefitted a great deal
from the Prophet’s company. And they were able to share this wisdom
with others for many years after the Prophet.
Ego Versus Conscience
Psychological studies show that every
human being is born with an ego and a
conscience. If you follow the tit-for-tat
policy, it arouses the ego of the other
person, whereas if you follow the policy
of forgiveness, it will activate the other
person's conscience. And it is a fact that,
in controversial matters, the conscience
always plays a positive role.
WORSHIP IN ISLAM
Connect to God
GOD has stated in the Quran: “I only created mankind and the
Jinn that they might worship Me.” (
principal goal of life on this earth, from day one, is for human
beings to show profound reverence for their Creator. The individual
who lives for worship has fulfilled the purpose of his life. Conversely,
one who does not lead a life of self-dedication to God has become
derailed. What is worship? Worship, the equivalent to devotion, means
giving oneself up wholly to God: it means surrendering oneself in both
the physical and the intellectual sense.
In Islam, there are four practices which are important and
complementary aspects of ibadat (worship): namaz (prayer), sawm
(fasting), hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca) and zakat (alms-giving). These
four forms of worship symbolise the nature of the extended worship
required of human beings throughout their lives. Namaz, for instance,
conditions human beings in modesty—a quality which gives a proper
religious hue to all spheres of human existence.
Similarly, fasting inculcates patience, a virtue without which there can
be no peace on earth. No less important is zakat, which is a gesture of
well-wishing for humanity at large. Hajj, while affording spiritual benefit
to the individual, aims at the uniting of all of God’s servants under the
banner of His religion. Each of these categories
of obligatory worship has a form as well as
a spirit; just as the human being has a body
as well as a soul—the one being inseparable
from the other. The essence of each of these
separate rites of Islamic worship is their spirit
rather than their form. On namaz the Quran is
explicit: “Successful indeed are the believers
who are humble in their prayers.” (
On the subject of fasting, we learn from a
Hadith that the one who fasts, but who does
not at the same time give up telling lies or
practising other forms of deceit, is not truly
fasting in the religious sense of the term, but
is merely experiencing hunger and thirst.
Similarly, with regard to animal sacrifice, the Quran says: “Their flesh
and blood do not reach God; it is your piety which reaches Him.” (
The Quran, moreover, makes it plain that when a servant of God turns
to his Creator in worship, contact with Him is immediately established
and without the intercession of any kind of intermediary. The act of
worship, therefore, is a direct link between God and His servants. This
has been variously expressed in the Quran and Hadith.
Worship is not
something
extraneous, in
the nature of
an appendage.
It is rather the
mainspring of the
truly religious life.
For instance, the Quran says: “Prostrate yourself and come closer to God.”
(
is at his prayers, his contact with God may be established by the
merest whisper. Islamic worship is, in fact,
an acknowledgement at the spiritual level of
man’s servitude to God Almighty. When the
individual finds himself engrossed in true
worship, he feels as if he is seeing God, as
if divine light has descended upon his inner
being; as if he has come very close to God.
The achievement; of such spiritual states
is the real goal of worship. Any experience,
which has such a profound effect upon a
man’s inner personality, must manifest itself
in his external behaviour. Therefore, when
an individual incorporates worship in his life on a regular basis, its
effect becomes apparent in his moral conduct. Ultimately, his entire
behaviour takes on the hue of his devotions.
As the Quran puts it: “Surely prayer restrains one from indecency and
evil.” (
believer worthy of receiving God’s blessings. In prayer one’s whole
being should be involved. Worship devoid of this spirit and performed
purely for show is fit only to be rejected by God as an empty ritual.
The Quran mentions that it is only those who say their prayers in right
earnest who will be ushered into Paradise and it admonishes those who
are only posturing when they pray: “Woe to those who pray, but whose
hearts are not in their prayer. Those who do things only to be seen by
others. Who are uncharitable even over very small things.” (
the true believer, worship is not something extraneous, in the nature
of an appendage. It is rather the mainspring of the truly religious life. In
essence, Islam is a holistic spiritual system, and worship being the key
factor builds and ensures the continuance of a relationship between
the Almighty and His creatures, His servants give expression to their
love, humility, reverence, obedience and devotion, in return for which
they may expect their Maker to look upon them with His divine mercy
and magnanimity.
LEARNING ABOUT LIFE FROM THE FAMILY
Continuous Experience
THE family is a unit of larger humanity. The conditions found at
the macro-level in mankind are also found, on a smaller scale,
within each family. In this sense, for every person, the family
serves as a training school. Within our own families, we can learn all
the many things that are necessary in order to lead a successful life
in this world. But there is one condition for this—you must not idolize
your family. You should view your family in just the same way as you
view other people.
It sounds strange, but it’s true: you can find all the many different types
of characters that exist in the world among members of your own
family! For everyone, one’s family is like the
legendary cup of the Persian king Jamshid.
If you looked into this cup, so the story
went, you could see every single thing in the
universe! In the mirror of your family you can
see models of all sorts of moral standards,
high and low. In this way, by interactions with
one’s family members, one can gain valuable
experience. The wisdom gained from these
experiences will be of immense help in the
course of planning realistically.
Most people fall prey
to a one-sided way
of thinking about
members of their
families. This is due
to lack of objective,
unbiased thinking.
Very few of us, however, take proper advantage of these potential
learning experiences afforded to us by our families. Why does one
miss out on such a learning opportunity? There is just one reason for
this—it is lack of objective, unbiased thinking. Most people fall prey to
a very one-sided way of thinking about members of their families. They
ignore or seek to ignore the faults of their near and dear ones. They
view people outside their families critically, but they generally don’t
think in the same way when it comes to their family members. Because
of this, they fail to draw the lessons they could from both members of
their families as well as others.
DEATH A DEMOLISHER OF DESIRES
Live Life Better
Every human being is bound to taste death. (THE QURAN 3: 185)
THE Quran reminds us that our deaths have been decided by
God. We are brought to life by God’s decision. Likewise, death,
too, happens because God wills it so.
Unlike what many people believe, death is not an accident. Rather, it is
a test. If we think of death as an accident, it leads us to be miserable.
On the other hand, if we accept death as a reality, we can be fired with a
new determination. Accepting the above concept of death will create a
mindset wherein a person will take life seriously resulting in motivating
him to live a God oriented life. It will prevent him from misusing God
given freedom.
Everyone who is born into this world has been born in order to go
through an examination. For each of us, a certain period of time has
been decreed for this examination. Once this period of time is over, the
angel of death appears to take our souls and convey us to the world of
the Hereafter.
We need to be realistic—to face the reality
as it is—on the question of death. We must
accept death as an undeniable fact. We need
to take death as a means to learn appropriate
lessons, not as something to regret or mourn
about.
We need to accept
death as an
undeniable fact. We
must take death as
a means to learn
appropriate lessons,
not as something
to regret or mourn
about.
Along with acceptance one should also
remember death often as it demolishes all
desires. Just as the one who accepts the reality
of death, will become exceedingly serious, the
one who remembers death often will become
very conscious of the accountability for each and every deed he does in
this world. He will be extra careful to spend his time, talent and energy
for doing good in this world and refrain from going towards what gives
him pleasure. He will train himself to be a paradisiacal personality.
The Prophet of Islam said, “Remember death often because it
demolishes all desires.” (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Death is a sort of personal earthquake. Just as people have no control
over an earthquake, they have no control over death, a unilateral
attack that everyone must face, some day or the other. Death comes
whenever it decides to, and man simply has to accept it, whether he
likes it or not.
But none of us know when our last moment in this world will arrive.
This realization is enough to make every worldly pleasure unattractive
for every person. Wealth, political power, fame etc, everything comes
to be seen as utterly meaningless.
This matter is not limited just to conventional material pleasures, but
is wider than this. For instance, people’s minds are such that if they
develop differences with somebody, they derive great pleasure in doing
their character assassination. Disfiguring their image becomes their
favourite pastime. They begin to think that talking bad about them is a
good thing, even though what they say is baseless.
If people were to live in awareness of death, they would have abstained
from such negative talk because they would know that as soon as death
arrives, all this talk would become baseless and there would be no one
to listen to it. One’s unpleasant experience with others might cause
one to engage in negative activities. But the thought of death keeps in
check these negativities in a person, as he realizes that his life in this
world is only temporary.
Being ever conscious of death, will actually make us live better. We will
value everything we possess today in terms of time and resources and
make use of it to the best of our abilities. The constant thought that
one day all this will be taken away from us, will be a great motivator for
putting it to the best use today.
Defuse
If someone provokes you,
defuse the issue through
unilateral avoidance.
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 Rocky Tract
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Alif Lam Ra.
These are the verses of a clear Book, the Quran. A time will surely
come when those who are bent on denying the truth will wish that
they had surrendered themselves to God, so leave them to eat and
enjoy themselves and let them be beguiled by vain hopes; for soon
they will realize [the truth]. We have never destroyed a township
without a definite decree having been issued; no people can forestall
their doom, nor can they delay it. (
The freedom enjoyed by man will last only for the duration of the
period of testing. This is a very critical issue. If a man seriously thinks
this problem over, he will feel that the period which is going to end
tomorrow has, as it were, ended today itself. This thought will shake
him terribly. But man lives his life in ‘today’. He does not pay attention to
‘tomorrow’. Reality lies exposed before him, but he remains engrossed
in wishful thinking. He seeks out some imaginary supports of his own
devising and thinks that they will help him on the Day of Judgement.
But such wishful thinking will not come to his rescue when the period
of testing is over and God’s angels come to take him away from the
world of trial to the world of retribution.
At a time like this, he starts remembering the occasions when he had
tried to reject a genuine argument by mouthing false words; when he
had ignored the voice of his conscience and followed the desires of
the self; when purely out of self-interest he had ignored the divine
preacher of truth, in spite of seeing glimpses of God in him. When he sees that no device of his has been of any avail, he will say, ‘Alas! I
should not have done what I have done! I should have adopted the
way of one who surrenders to the Truth instead of the way of one who
rejects the Truth.’
They say, ‘You to whom the Reminder [the Quran] has been sent down,
you are surely possessed. Why do you not bring down the angels upon
us, if you are truthful?’ But We send down the angels only to bring
justice and then they will not be reprieved. (
The addressees of the Prophet Muhammad suspected him of being mad.
What was the reason for this? The reason for this was his declaration
that he was a representative of God; that one who accepted his word
would be successful, while one who did not would remain a failure.
But the addressees themselves actually perceived things to be just the
opposite. They were of the view that the prevalent system had bestowed
the position of leadership on them. On the contrary, the Prophet, due
to his being a preacher of an unconventional religion, was a stranger
and a man without a status in the prevalent system. Because of these
apparent shortcomings, the addressees were emboldened to say that
he (the Prophet) appeared to them to be a madman. They said, ‘God
has given us all kinds of worldly glories, yet still you say that success
lies with you and your supporters.’
But such thinking was caused by a difference in perception. The
addressees regarded whatever was material in their possession as
‘rewards’, though all of these things were simply a means of trial, given
to all and sundry on a temporary basis.
They also used to say, ‘You claim that the angels of God come to you.
Then why are these angels not visible to us?’ This comment too was
due to a difference of point of view. An angel who comes to a prophet is
the angel of revelation. He brings God’s words to the prophet. Besides
this angel there are other angels of God who come to the people in
order to uncover the reality to them. But they come after the process
of conveying the truth to the people is over. And when they come, it is
the time for judgement and not the time for calling people to the faith.
It is We who have sent down the Reminder [the Quran] and We will,
most surely, safeguard it. (
The Quran, revealed by God in an age steeped in tradition—many
centuries before the modern, scientific age—was a controversial book
which presented a challenge to the whole of humanity. It set a definite
standard for mankind to observe until Doomsday. If it was to survive, it needed a strong group to protect and preserve it. But there was no
such group. The early Muslims were extremely weak as compared to
their many enemies. Moreover, in the seventh century A.D., paper and
the printing press had not yet come into existence. Yet the Quran has
remained intact, in the original Arabic, till the present day. There are
several reasons for its survival. One is that the absolute veracity of
its statements have stood the test of time. Another is that strenuous
efforts were immediately made to write down the divine revelations
and commit them to memory. But the most compelling reason was
that God Himself had ensured its safekeeping, ‘We will, most surely,
safeguard it.’
We sent messengers before you to the previous peoples, but there was
never a messenger who came to them but they mocked him: thus We
cause this [habit of mocking] to enter into the hearts of the sinful.
They will not believe in it, though they have before them the example
of former peoples, and even if We opened to them a door from heaven,
and they began ascending through it, they would still say, ‘Our eyes
have been dazzled. We are bewitched.’ (
God’s prophets were scoffed at in every age. The reason for this was
that people judged their worth as representatives of God by selfdevised,
imaginary standards. The contemporary prophets did not
appear to match up to the said standards, and so were dismissed as
objects of ridicule.
In order to discover a new reality, it is necessary for a man to think with
an open mind and be prepared to form an opinion purely on the basis
of facts. Those who reject the truth do so mostly because the truth
appears to them strange in relation to their own familiar standards.
Over a long period of time those familiar standards permeate their
hearts to such an extent that it becomes impossible for them to think of
accepting alternatives. Till the last moment they are unable to emerge
from the sphere familiar to them and recognize the truth.
The result of this attitude in communities was that the people belonging
to them, in spite of being shown miracles, did not embrace the faith.
Once they judged a prophet to be an ordinary man, basing their
opinion on purely material factors, the person so judged could never
be anything more than ordinary in their eyes. Even if he performed
supernatural feats in front of them, their ideas were so rooted in the
earlier traditions that he went on seeming unimportant, and so they
would hold that his feats were just magic or some optical illusion and
not a proof of his being a representative of God.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
What comprehensive advice would you give
related to welfare, both for this world and for
the Hereafter?
In the light of the Quran, my answer is, “Adopt
the method of patience, and then, with God’s
blessings, you will be successful in this world, and
in the Hereafter, too.”
The fact is that there is a permanent divine guide
within man. And that is, man’s conscience. The human conscience is an
unerring guide. It always guides man in the direction of the right path.
But in addition to this, man has various types of desires. In the Quran,
the conscience is called nafs al-lawwama and desires are called nafs alammara.
Man’s conscience gives him, at every moment and opportunity, the right
guidance. But along with this, man’s desires seek to drag him in their
direction. In this way, a conflict emerges between man’s conscience and
man’s desires. In this conflict, often desires overpower the conscience,
and man, ignoring the voice of his conscience, runs after his desires.
This happens both in the case of worldly affairs as well as the affairs of
the Hereafter.
In such a delicate situation, it is patience that proves of benefit to man.
If you are able to be patient, you can control your desires. In this way,
you will not deviate from the Straight Path. Following your conscience,
you will be able to carry on journeying in the right direction till you
arrive at your destination. That is why the Quran (
those who persevere patiently will be requited without measure.”
In practical terms, in life the importance of a passive attribute is more
than that of an active attribute. Someone who knows only to act but not
to stop can never obtain any higher-level of success in life. Life is like a
car. If a car does not have a brake, then, no matter how otherwise good
the car is, it cannot reach its destination. The importance of patience in
life is like the importance of a brake in a car.
What is the importance of trials in our lives?
According to a Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad said: “Indeed, greater
reward comes with greater trial. And indeed, when God loves a people He subjects them to trials, so whoever is content, then for him is
pleasure, and whoever is discontent, then for him is wrath.” (Sunan
at-Tirmidhi)
From this Hadith we learn that trials are a means for our spiritual
development. We face different types of shocks. Tests and trials of life
shake up our minds and our hidden potentials are awakened.
While undergoing these unpleasant experiences if you wallow in
negative emotions, and allow yourself to fall prey to anger, start living
in frustration and complaint, you will fail in the test. You do not gain
anything positive from the tests. But in contrast, if you are intellectually
awakened, you will be able to maintain your balance when faced with a
test. Despite unfavourable experiences, you will preserve your positive
thinking. You will be able to extract goodness from the trials you go
through.
Trials always appear to come to us in the form of problems. People
who panic when faced with a problem will not get anything from trying
situations, other than complaint and despair. But those who regard
trials as part of God’s Plan, face them with a positive mind-set. It is
these people for whom trials of life work as a means for increasing
their reward.
With God, there is no lack of reward. But one gets a great reward from
God, only when one develops a great deservingness for it. And there
is just one means for making oneself deserving of great reward—one
must, in every condition, remain steadfastly positive in one’s thinking.
Your positive thinking must remain firmly in place, and no event should
cause you to waver.
Who is a complete person?
He is someone in whom the human attributes are found in the fullest
possible manner. God has given every human being attributes in
potential form. A complete person embodies these attributes to the
maximum possible extent. Such a person has a balanced character.
He is free from psychological complexes. He lets his conscience prevail
over his ego in every situation, until he becomes an emblem of a soul
at peace. (
A complete person is one who, passing over the material things of the
world, begins to live in the higher realities of life. He rises above things
of superficial importance and engages himself in matters of deeper
significance. He reaches the stage of perception described in a Hadith as
the ability to “see things as they are”. Such a person thus begins to see things as they truly are, rather than as they externally appear to be. He
willingly bows down before a reasoned argument just as a person bows
down before might. He judges matters on their true merit, not because
they may be for or against him. Despite having great capabilities, he
develops in himself modesty. He is free from every sort of negative
emotion. He relates to people without making any distinction of ‘friend’
and ‘stranger’. He is completely above personal interest. Instead of
living in his own self, he lives by the higher principles of life.
God has made every human being a complete person in the potential
sense. But to turn this potential ‘completeness’ into a reality, that is,
in the form of a real character, is a task for each person to do. A verse
in the Quran speaks of this reality in these words: “We have indeed
created man in the best of mould, then We cast him down as the lowest
of the low.” (
becomes a case of the “lowest of the low”. It is a person’s own conscious
effort that makes him reach the stage described by the phrase, “best
of mould”.
The secret of becoming a complete person lies in inculcating a sense
of deep God-consciousness. It is the fear of God that makes someone
a complete person. There is no other way of becoming a complete
person.
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 )
