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.
NO THOUGHT CRIME IN ISLAM
ON 9 May 2017, the Christian Governor of Jakarta was jailed for two years for blaspheming against Islam. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, reportedly told fishermen in the Thousand Islands province in September 2016 that his opponents were using Chapter Five (Al-Maidah) of the Quran to deceive them into not voting for him. Some interpret verse 51 of Al-Maidah to mean that Muslims should not be led by a non-Muslim ruler. Ahok subsequently apologized but the comments were seized upon by his political foes and conservative Islamic groups that had long argued that Jakarta should not be led by a non-Muslim. The five-judge panel of the North Jakarta District Court ordered the arrest of Ahok, saying he had been found convincingly guilty of blaspheming against religion. Ahok’s supporters had hoped he would be acquitted or given a light sentence after prosecutors concluded he did not intend to insult Islam. (“Jakarta’s Christian Governor Ahok jailed for two years for blasphemy,” The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 May 2017).
Punishment for blasphemy is surely not a teaching of the Quran or the Hadith. It was the Muslim jurists of the later period who made these laws. This is why this law is in itself controversial: it has no authentic basis in the religion of Islam. The making of law in Islam is solely the right of God and His Prophet, and not of any jurist.
The second point here is that the remark given by Jakarta’s Christian Governor was certainly not on a verse from the Quran, rather it was on a self styled interpretation of that verse by some Muslims. For this reason, the matter cannot be called a case of blasphemy, but rather it is a case of difference of opinion. According to Islam, difference of opinion is a right of every human being. One’s difference of opinion can be addressed only through reason and logical argumentation: it is definitely not a matter of punishment.
Difference of opinion marks every phase in the history of Islam. In Muslim literary history, there have been numerous instances of differences between scholars with regard to the interpretation of the Quran or Hadith. Difference was never made a matter of punishing the person who expressed his opinion, rather it was always a matter of discussion between the parties involved. This is why if some Muslims of Indonesia had differences with the opinion of the above Christian Governor, they should have presented their argument explaining why they differed with him. No court or judge has the right to issue a verdict declaring the person who has expressed difference as a criminal liable for punishment.
It is with reference to such cases that the British author and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has said in his book, The God Delusion that Islam believes in the concept of thought crime. However, this is a completely unfounded assertion. There may be some Muslims who hold beliefs and ideas to be punishable, but there is no such injunction in the Quran or Hadith that enjoins Muslims to punish people simply for the opinions they express.
During the life of the Prophet, there were some opponents who would often pass negative remarks about the Prophet and his mission. But the Quran never laid it down that Muslims should punish such persons. Instead one of the Muslims of the time, Hassan ibn Thabit, was given permission by the Prophet to respond in a literary method to the opponents. This shows that in Islam words are responded to by words, and not by sword.
Those Muslims who are involved in the above case are themselves engaged in distorting the image of Islam.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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WRONG GENERALIZATION
Giving Short Measure
SOME years ago, I was travelling by a plane. The service was excellent, but I had one ‘complaint’. I was served food, but there was no toothpick along with the meal. I requested two members of the flight staff for a toothpick, but they perhaps forgot, and so I didn’t get one.
After this, for a while I thought, “This airline company is really bad. They don’t even stock toothpicks for their passengers!” But at once I felt that to think so would be against justice. There were 99 things that were available on the flight that were excellent, and there was just this one thing that was not in accordance with what I wanted. Given this, it would be very wrong if I took this one little lack and declare that the service of the airlines as a whole was awful. That would be wrong generalization. Declaring the entire airline company as awful would be a great injustice.
To obsess about one bad quality of a person and forget completely their 99 other good qualities is wrong.To exaggerate something or to underplay it are both wrong.
The Quran refers to this as ‘giving short measure’ (
Generally speaking, when people comment on others, they commit grave injustice. They take one minor complaint that they have about them and make a huge generalization. If they are pleased with somebody, they focus on one good quality of his and ignore his 99 bad qualities. And if they are upset with him, they obsess about one bad quality of his and forget completely about his 99 good qualities. This way of thinking is inhuman, and Islam being a religion of nature abhors everything that is inhuman. This is not the way God wants us to think.
The right approach in this matter is that when we describe something, we should do so, just as it is. To exaggerate something or to underplay it are both wrong. And they are both very harmful as far as our own character-building is concerned.
DEVELOPING ONES PERSONALITY
Positive Thinking
No! Their own deeds have cast a veil over their hearts. (THE QURAN 83: 14)
THIS verse refers to those who deny the revelation of the Quran indicating a psychological issue concerning those people who are stubborn and heedless. This issue is described in a Hadith as follows: “When a person commits a wrong deed a black spot appears on his heart. If he abandons the wrong deed, seeks forgiveness and repents, then the black spot will be erased from his heart. But If he returns to the wrong deed, the blackness increases until it covers his entire heart.” (Ibn Majah)
This Hadith relates a psychological fact in symbolic language.
Whenever a person does something wrong but then quickly becomes conscious of what he has done and develops the desire in his heart not to engage in the bad deed again, his heart becomes pure. But if he keeps committing one bad deed after another and does not introspect and neutralize their influence on his heart, then, gradually, his heart becomes insensitive. He begins to live in evil, and truth will have no influence on him.
Today, most people are drowned in negative thinking. Even if someone seems to be talking positive things, it is almost always only at a very superficial level.
Modern psychological research has shown that there are three major parts of the human mind. They are part of the human mind since birth.
These three parts are: 1. The conscious mind 2. The subconscious mind 3. The unconscious mind
Experience and research tell us that once a thought enters our mind, it becomes a part of the mind forever. As is known, our mind is actually another name for our personality. This means that once a thought enters our mind, it becomes a part of our personality, so much that if we try to separate it from our personality we cannot do so. Modern psychological research has further clarified this. It is no longer a mysterious belief and has now become a known fact. It has become understandable for us at the intellectual level too.
When a thought, whether positive or negative, enters our mind, it, first of all, becomes part of our conscious mind. This is also called our conscious memory. After this, when we go to sleep at night, following a natural process, the thought travels by itself from the conscious mind and enters the subconscious mind. When this happens, we have only 50% conscious control remaining over that thought. 50% is now beyond our conscious control. After this, the next night that we sleep, the thought travels further and enters our unconscious mind. When this happens, the thought gets completely out of our conscious control and becomes the source of moulding our personality according to this thought.
It is the everyday thoughts that enter our minds first into the conscious, then to the subconscious and lastly get stored into the unconscious that build our personality continuously. Therefore as our thoughts are, so is our personality. Positive thoughts create a positive personality. Negative thoughts create a negative personality
Today, most people are drowned in negative thinking. Even if someone seems to be talking positive things, it is almost always only at a very superficial level. If you discuss with this person in greater detail and seek to know the inside of his mind, you will find that his inner personality is as negative as anyone else’s. In this way, today every single person lives in negativity, without even being aware of it. And in this aspect there seems to be perhaps no difference between religious and secular people.
Experience and research tell us that once a thought enters our mind, it becomes a part of the mind forever.
It is a fact that the worst sort of personality is a negative personality and that the best personality is a positive personality. Given this, the question is: How can we build a positive personality?
If you reflect on the issue in the light of both Islamic teachings and findings of psychology, you will find a clear practical way to do so.
By following the practical method discussed in the next few lines one could overcome this problem. Whenever a negative thought enters one’s mind, at the very first instance one should try to resolve it by converting it into a positive aspect. For example, if you are angry with someone, forgive him at once so that your anger does not assume the form of revenge. Or, if you are unhappy at someone’s progress, look at it as a good news that, hard work will bring in good results and feel motivated to work more for your own progress. This way you will prevent a feeling of jealousy which is a very harmful trait.
You should practice this method with every negative thought that enters your conscious mind, and make use of the consciousness completely to convert it to your advantage. If you delay in doing this, the thought will travel into your subconscious mind, and then, after some time, enter your unconscious mind. And when it enters your unconscious mind, it will become such an integral part of your personality that no matter how much you may try to separate it from yourself, you will not succeed.
Whenever a negative thought enters one's mind, at the very first instance one should try to resolve it by converting it into a positive aspect.
Generally people do not practice this. And they pay a terrible price for it—this being the negative personality behind every seemingly beautifully attired person.
If you want to save yourself from this terrible end, you must adopt the method outlined above and make it an integral part of your daily life. Other than this, there is no method to solve this issue.
Tolerance Tolerance means, to give consideration to others. A pious man should be a man of principle as far as he himself is concerned, but should be tolerant towards others. He should judge himself in the light of the ideal but in the matter of his fellow men he should show tolerance and broad-mindedness—this being inseparable from human gentility and nobility. Islam aims to produce this fine human quality of gentlemanliness by preaching tolerance.
THE MONTH OF CONTEMPLATION
Patience and Self-Control
RAMAZAN is a month of restraint and worship, of caring and
thanksgiving, repentance and piety. The multitude of benefits of
Ramazan inspired the Prophet to exclaim: “Welcome to the one
who purifies! “ There is a very special connection between the Quran
and Ramazan, for Ramazan is the month in which the Quran was
revealed. The Quran makes special mention of this, while making the
fast obligatory for its followers. In the words of 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. Therefore, whoever of you is present in that
month, let him fast; but he who is ill or on a journey shall fast a similar
number of days later on.” (
The Quran is specially recited during this month so that believers may
reflect upon it, understand its deeper meaning and make it a guiding
force in their lives. At night the Quran is also recited during the Tarawih
(extra prayers during Ramazan) prayer.
In the month of Ramazan, the fasting person
abstains from food and drink from dawn till
dusk. It is only after sunset that he satisfies
his hunger and quenches his thirst. In this
way he learns the art of desire management
and so builds up his self-control. By exercising
restraint for one month in a year, he is able to
lead a life of self-discipline in all matters for
the rest of the year.
By exercising
restraint for one
month in a year, a
fasting person is
able to lead a life of
self-discipline in all
matters for the rest
of the year.
The main aim of fasting is to lessen a person’s
dependence on material things and strengthen his spiritual resolve, so
that he may enter the higher realms of piety. Fasting is thus a stimulus
for spiritual and intellectual development. Once made aware of his
own helplessness, he connects to God with sincere prayer.
The practice of fasting is also largely aimed at saving a person from
distractions. It produces sincerity in him. It draws a person’s attention
away from the external world and into the internal world. Hence fasting
prepares him for the study of the Quran. And when a person studies
the Quran with a well-prepared mind, he can understand the teachings
of the Quran in greater depth.
The equivalent of spirituality in the Quran is rabbania, that is, a God
oriented life. This expresses what the Quran means when it refers to
spirituality. Spirituality, according to the Quran, is that mental state
in which God-oriented thinking can develop in the individual. Such
thinking reflects in his overall personality;
his behaviour with others becomes Godoriented
and his daily life becomes infused
with divine hues. Thus Ramazan provides
a framework within which devotees may
improve themselves. Ramazan thus becomes
a month of spiritual activism.
The main aim of
fasting is to lessen a
person's dependence
on material things
and develop a Godoriented
thinking
which will strengthen
his spiritual
and intellectual
development.
The fasting person repeatedly reads in the
Quran that God is the Sustainer, that is, while
man is the taker, God is the Giver. Everything
that a person receives in this world, right
from his existence and the oxygen he inhales
to stay alive to the sunlight necessary for
his survival, everything is God’s gift. When a
person starts to think in this way, he experiences a tremendous change
within. He begins living in society as a giver-member. He becomes a
creative member of society.
Fasting inclines one to become a student of the Quran and, by seriously
studying the Quran, one discovers those principles by which one may
develop one’s personality and become a positive thinker in the full
sense.
Trials & Tribulations
In this world the aspirants to wealth and fame do
not meet with success throughout their careers.
Many are the trials and tribulations through
which they must pass before they can savour the
fruits of their endeavours.
MAKE YOURSELF ELIGIBLE
Being Beneficial
THE Quran reveals the secret of a successful life. And the secret is:
Be beneficial to others. In this world, only people or communities
who prove to be beneficial to others earn their respect. The
world rejects those who are not beneficial to others.
This principle of life is referred to in the following Quranic verse:
He sends down water from the sky that fills riverbeds to
overflowing, each according to its measure. The torrent carries
along swelling foam, akin to what rises from smelted ore from
which man makes ornaments and tools. God thus depicts truth
and falsehood. The scum is cast away, but whatever is of use to
man remains behind. God thus speaks in parables (
Using an analogy, this verse expresses an important principle of life.
In a flood or when something is subjected to intense heat, useful
substances remain, while unwanted substances get separated.
The same holds true in the case of human beings. People and groups
gain a position of respect if they prove to be useful. In contrast, those
who lose their usefulness are dumped into
the dustbin of history and the world moves
on.
People and groups
gain a position of
respect if they prove
to be useful. In
contrast, those who
lose their usefulness
are dumped into the
dustbin of history
and the world
moves on.
People and groups
gain a position of
respect if they prove
to be useful. In
contrast, those who
lose their usefulness
are dumped into the
dustbin of history
and the world
moves on.
The whole of human history supports this
Quranic declaration. For instance, around the
mid-20th century, various European colonial
powers were forced to relinquish their control
over most of Asia and Africa. But when the
former European colonies in Asia and Africa
won political freedom, they discovered that
they had no one to man their educational
institutions. And so, many of these countries
invited ‘experts’ from the very same European
countries that they had earlier been colonized
by. Things went to such an extreme in some cases that political
independence soon turned into technical servitude. Today, Western
countries control these states by controlling their economies and
through their domination in the field of science, in just the same way
as they once controlled these states politically.
Like Muslims, there are many other minority communities who are
flourishing in society. If you study them closely you will find that they
are contributing positively to society in the form of services, in the
field of health, education and many other types of social work. Their
institutions serve people from all walks of life. In comparison to this
Muslims fall short of providing such services to their own community,
leave alone serving others.
This situation is completely against the law of nature. In such a
situation, the biases or discrimination that Muslims complain about
are actually in accordance with divine laws, and not, as they allege, a
result of discrimination by perceived oppressors.
God has created this world. In this world, whatever God wants,
happens. God has made water to quench thirst. He has made petrol so
that people can use it as fuel for vehicles. And so, your success lies in
availing of God’s bounties in the appropriate manner—by using water
for quenching your thirst, and using petrol for your car, for instance.
But, if you behave contrary to this and try to
quench your thirst by drinking petrol or try to
drive your car on water, you are, needless to
say, bound to fail.
Success comes
through proving
oneself capable,
not through making
demands, protesting
and stirring up a big
hue and cry.
God has made this world as a world of
competition. Here, everyone enjoys freedom
of choice. Everyone is trying to move ahead,
through hard work and skill. This principle
of competition has been established by God
Himself. You simply cannot destroy it. And
so, you have just one choice: that is in the
field of competition, you need to prove your capability and win your
place. If you want that the world should stop functioning on the basis
of competition, and that, instead, it should start running on the basis
of your demands on others, you are living in a fool’s paradise, because
this can never happen. If you want to lead your life by simply protesting
and demonstrating against others and demanding things for yourself,
you will have to make a different world of your own other than this
world of God’s, for this simply cannot happen in this world.
God has made this world a testing-ground. Here, everyone enjoys
freedom of action. This is the reason why the world is characterized
by constant competition between individuals and communities. This
environment of competition can never come to an end. Now, there
are two ways of thinking and responding in this regard. One way is by being overwhelmed by the conditions one faces. The other way is by
rising above these conditions. Because this world can never be free
from unfavourable conditions, people whose thinking is overwhelmed
by the unpleasant conditions they face always think in terms of
complaints. They have a complaining mentality. Their thinking is
reactionary, because they always react—negatively—to unfavourable
conditions. Instead of working positively, to help themselves and their
communities, they simply engage in completely useless agitations
and demonstrations against other people and communities, foolishly
imagining that in doing so they are doing great work.
In contrast to this, people who rise above the conditions they are faced
with and exercise their minds soon realize that unfavourable conditions
and factors that they sometimes face are actually in accordance with
the law of nature, rather than a result of other people’s oppression
or discrimination. This realization makes them realistic. They accept
reality as it is, and then make realistic plans
for their lives. Instead of ranting and raving
against others, they try to succeed on the
basis of hard work.
The Indian Muslims have become habituated
to thinking in terms of ‘discrimination’. That
is why they have developed an extremely
narrow and confined ghetto mentality. But if,
instead, they start thinking in realistic terms,
they will experience a profound sense of
freedom. They will realize that they do not
want to continue to blame others for their
woes. While in the first case, they are led to
view all roads as blocked, in the latter case
they will find vast vistas opening up all around
them.
If Muslims start
thinking in realistic
terms, they will
experience a
profound sense
of freedom. They
will find vast vistas
opening up all
around them. Instead
of ranting and raving
against others, they
will work hard and
succeed.
Take for instance, the case of the Urdu language. Muslims complain
that the Urdu language is being discriminated against in India. But if
you study the matter deeply, you will realize that the problem of Urdu is
actually because of the limitations of this language, rather than a result
of it being discriminated against. In other words, it is an internal, rather
than external problem. The actual problem lies in the fact that the Urdu
language has failed to establish its importance in the contemporary
world. That is why even the most passionate advocates of Urdu think it
necessary to send their own children to English-medium schools. Before 1959, the Russian language was given hardly any importance
in America. But when in that year Russia sent a rocket into space,
travelling at the speed of 7000 miles per hour and reaching the moon
in a little more than 30 hours, all of a sudden the Russian language
acquired great importance in intellectual circles in the West. This rocket
signified that Russia had surpassed America in space technology. It led
American experts to believe that their knowledge of space technology
was incomplete until they had read all the available literature on the
subject in Russian. This engendered a sea-change in attitudes towards
the Russian language in America. America began to arrange to obtain
Russian scientific journals and to translate them into English. All
important scientific treatises in Russian were rendered into English.
Because this world
can never be free
from unfavourable
conditions, people
whose thinking is
overwhelmed by
the unpleasant
conditions they face
always think in terms
of complaints.
This sudden importance that the Russian
language acquired in America was not a
result of any group staging demonstrations or
making demands. Rather, it was because the
language was able to prove that it was useful
and, therefore, deserving of such attention.
The same is true for the Japanese language
today. Till the mid-20th century, not many
people in the West cared to learn Japanese. But
today, scientific treatises written in Japanese
are quickly translated into Western languages
and enjoy great respect and popularity in
Western countries. This is because of Japan’s
amazing progress in the field of electronics. Western scholars realize
that their understanding of electronics will remain far from complete
unless they are able to read the latest research being conducted in this
field in Japan. This is one reason why there are so many scholars of the
Japanese language in the West today. By proving its importance and
usefulness, the Japanese language has won for itself a very respectable
position in the West, one that it did not enjoy before.
The actual problem with Urdu is that the corpus of Urdu writing consists
largely of just two genres: one is poetry, and the other is religious
sermons, written in a preachy mode. In today’s scientific age, these two
genres have lost their importance. There is now no area of research
where high-quality books are being written in Urdu, books that people
think that if they do not read, they will not be able to get a complete and
proper understanding of their subject of interest. In any discipline, be it
philosophy, history, sociology or technology or whatever, there are no books in Urdu which are impossible to ignore
if one wants to gain such an understanding. In
a climate of such utter intellectual poverty, the
‘inheritors’ of Urdu themselves cannot give
it adequate importance, leave alone others.
And so, to expect others to give it importance
is simply wishful thinking.
People who rise
above the conditions
they are faced with
and exercise their
minds soon realize
that unfavourable
conditions and
factors that they
sometimes face
are actually in
accordance with the
law of nature, rather
than a result of other
people’s oppression
or discrimination.
According to the Quranic verse cited earlier
(
world is to be beneficial to others. Here, the
giver receives. Here, success comes through
proving oneself capable, not through making
demands, protesting and stirring up a big hue
and cry. This principle, according to which the
world functions, has been devised by God,
the Creator of the world. People who refuse
to accept this God-ordained principle, on the
basis of which His world runs, can make an
imaginary world of their own if they want to.
They need to remember, however, that in this world, success can only
be achieved by abiding by God’s will, not by following their own.
Life's Experiences
Life's experiences for both the
spiritual and the non-spiritual are
like the grasping of a rosebush. On
each branch are beautifully shaped
and coloured blossoms whose scent
refreshes from afar the weary in body
and spirit. But also on each branch
are the inevitable thorns. The spiritual
individual will carefully avoid the
thorns in order to take possession of
the blossom and even if accidentally
his hands are pricked by the thorns he
dismisses it as a trivial matter.
MANS UNIQUENESS
Responsibility and Privilege
ACCORDING to scientific research, there are around 1 trillion
living beings in the world. Among all of these, human beings
have a special status. All other living creatures fully comply
with the law of nature. In the whole world, human beings are the only
creatures who have been given full freedom. They can choose their
actions based on their own will. This concept is mentioned in the Quran
as appointing man as successor on earth (
man (
reward of eternal Paradise in their next phase of life.
The test for man is
for him to bow down
before God despite
the freedom that he
enjoys. Despite this
freedom, he must
obey God.
In contrast to other living beings, man must
do something unique—and that is, to live in
self-discovered truth. Man must, through his
own choosing, walk on the right path. Through
his own will he must lead a life based on selfcontrol.
Through his own decision he must
adopt a life of submission to his Creator.
This is man’s uniqueness. But there is always
a responsibility that comes along with every
gift. And so, along with man’s uniqueness
a certain responsibility is also present—and that is what is called
a test. The test for man is for him to bow down before God despite
the freedom that he enjoys. Despite this freedom, he must obey God.
Despite this freedom, he must save himself from defiance and deviance.
He must stand firm in self-discovered truth and adopt the method of
self-imposed discipline. This disciplined life is termed in the Quran and
Hadith as doing something for the sake of God. This conduct that is
desired of man is so important that for this the Creator has assured the
greatest reward—eternal Paradise.
Status Quo
Accept the status quo and try to achieve your
goal by peaceful planning. In this way you
will certainly achieve success.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Purification of the Soul
TAZKIYA, or purification, is a Quranic term. The Quran tells us that
tazkiya is the means for human salvation (
the Quran (
of Paradise who have purified themselves in this world.
The literal meaning of tazkiya is ‘purification’. Just as iron ore passes
through various difficult stages and finally acquires the shape and form
of a useful machine, a human being’s character passes through difficult
stages and emerges as a purified soul.
What are these difficult stages?
These stages are when we are faced with unwanted conditions. These
unpleasant conditions are the situations that we need to pass through
in order to develop our character.
When our ego gets a beating and yet we
remain firmly established in justice, when we
feel angry but control our anger, when we
get some position of honour but still remain
modest, when we feel the fire of revenge burn
within us but douse out the flames inside,
when we experience hatred towards someone
but still retain concern for his wellbeing,
when we acknowledge others even though
we are not compelled to, are a few examples
of situations that serve to purify us. These are
opportunities for our tazkiya. They build within us a lofty character.
Unpleasant
conditions are the
situations that we
need to pass through
in order to develop
our character.
Such opportunities cannot arise in normal conditions. They arise only in
abnormal situations. According to the Quran (
only those people succeed who are patient.
Wrong-doing
Anything that proves to be harmful
to one's fellow men is wrong-doing.
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
COMMUNAL EGOS AND INTERCOMMUNITY
CONFLICT
A FATHER who was very strict constantly scolded his children even
on small issues. No one had ever heard him speaking kindly
with them. His children were so terrified of him that they did not
have the courage to even open their mouths in front of him. As soon as
he entered the house, they would fall silent and run away.
One day, the man climbed up to the terrace of his house. When he
got there, he saw, to his shock, one of his sons perched high up on an
electric pole. The boy’s kite had got stuck on the electrical wire and he
was trying to get it down by climbing the pole. As soon as the boy saw
his father, he was terrified. But, instead of shouting at the boy as he
normally did, the man spoke to him very gently.
“Son, what are you doing there?” he asked. Then, very lovingly, he
requested the boy to slowly get down the pole.
Later, the man related this incident to somebody, explaining, “I smiled
and spoke in a very gentle manner with my son because I feared that
if at that delicate moment I scolded him, he would fall down and injure
himself. This delicate situation compelled me to speak to him sweetly,
contrary to my habit.”
This example has valuable lessons, not just at the individual level but
also at the social level. It applies to entire communities too, just as
it does to individuals. If you are conscious of the sensitiveness of a
situation and are careful and concerned about it, your awareness, care
and concern will compel you to exercise tolerance, rather than to get agitated and angry. It will impel you to avoid confrontation, and in this
way you will be able to move ahead. Instead of getting stuck in a debate
about who is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, you will focus on trying to solve the
problem you are confronted with.
If however, you are not conscious of the delicateness of the situation
you are confronted with, you will start screaming at seeing your son
perched atop an electric pole, as it were, even if this means that
because of this he will fall down and break his bones.
The whole of human history testifies to the fact that if a person is
sincere about something, his approach and behaviour will be different,
totally contrary to that of a non-serious person. Only a sincere person
will be willing to realize the significance of the issues he is faced with.
Only such a person will be able to properly appreciate the delicateness
of a situation that he finds himself in. In contrast, an insincere man will
refuse to accept any evidence or argument that does not suit his way
of thinking. He will use every means to rebut
this evidence, raising all sorts of unrelated
and irrelevant debates in order to obfuscate
matters. If someone convincingly answers
his arguments, he will set off a new debate,
simply in order to refuse to change his stance.
Such a person is unwilling and unable to see
things as they are.
It is only their own
egos that instigate
and provoke some
Muslims against
other people, people
who they should
be inviting to God
instead.
Some days before, a small inter-communal
riot had erupted in a town. Based on the
experience about such issues the Muslim
community was advised to act with patience.
But the men said, “In our town, Muslims did not do anything provocative.
It was people from the other community who unnecessarily started
fighting with us.”
On further enquiry the following truth came to light. A temple and
a mosque were adjacent in this town. When the loudspeaker in the
mosque announced the call to prayer, the bells of the temple rang.
Just as the call to prayer was heard by everyone in that area the sound
of the bells could be heard inside the mosque. But the people from
the mosque objected to the ringing of the bells and when it was not
complied with, the riots took place out of anger.
In this episode the pertinent question is, what Shariah rule is it to insist
that during the Muslim prayer-time a non-Muslim should not ring a
bell in his place of worship? Such a thing is mentioned neither in the Quran nor in the Hadith. Neither have any of our scholars of Muslim
jurisprudence made any such claim. In fact, not a single Muslim ruler
ever issued a command that when it is time for the Muslims to pray,
non-Muslims cannot play their trumpets or ring their bells in their
places of worship. This being the case, why should one get so agitated
about this matter? If someone rings a bell, he has a right to do so just
like you are using your right to call others for prayer on a loudspeaker.
This explanation was not accepted by the people.
In India, most communal riots are triggered off by such small incidents.
What is the reason for this? When the Islamic Shariah has not ordered
us to stop non-Muslim processions passing by our mosques with their
music and singing, and when it has not commanded us to prohibit nonMuslims
from ringing bells in front of our places of worship, why do
Muslims want to do so?
The reason for this is entirely communal, not religious. As a result of the
politics of a hundred or more years, Muslims have turned such things
into a supposed symbol of their communal honour. They have made
them a question of their honour. If a non-Muslim procession playing
music passes by their mosque, they take it
as a personal insult. And if they manage to
stop the procession, they imagine they have
boosted their community’s prestige.
An insincere man
will refuse to accept
any evidence or
argument that does
not suit his way of
thinking. He will use
every means to rebut
this evidence, raising
all sorts of unrelated
and irrelevant
debates in order to
obfuscate matters.
This is an entirely un-Islamic approach. God
and His Prophet certainly do not prescribe
this. It is only their own egos that instigate
some Muslims to behave in this manner.
Their egos want to provoke them against
other people, people who Muslims should be
inviting to God. These Muslims’ egos stoke the
fires of communal hatred and make sure that
they can never relate to others as Muslims
should, because when Muslims and others
are divided by intense suspicion and hatred,
the task of dawah—inviting others to God—which Muslims should
engage in, can never happen. Needless to say, far from being rewarded
by God for stoking communal conflict, it is very much possible that
by giving their communal foolishness a so-called ‘Islamic’ label, such
Muslims will be punished by God.
THE SENSE OF REPENTANCE
Seek the Mercy of God
THE Creator has placed a special feature in man’s psyche—
and that is what is called ‘repentance’. This special feature is
particularly prominent in people who have firm faith in God.
Repentance is a wonderful means of mercy for human beings. This is
referred to in the Quran (
God will change the evil deeds of such people into good ones.
The transformation that this Quranic verse refers to, with reference
to the people of faith, takes place because of the sincere repentance
that wells up inside them after they do something wrong. A positive
aspect of repentance is that it engenders a strong determination in
a person to reform himself, and after having
done something wrong, to firmly walk on the
path of goodness thereafter. It is this positive
enthusiasm that follows from repentance
that, in line with law of nature, changes an evil
deed into a good one.
A positive aspect
of repentance is
that it engenders a
strong determination
in a person to
reform himself, and
after having done
something wrong, to
firmly walk on the
path of goodness
thereafter.
After doing an evil deed, one can choose to
continue in the same path. In this case, this
deed makes a person even more inclined
to evil. On the other hand, after committing
an evil act, a person can choose another
alternative. He can engage in introspection
and then make up his mind not to engage
in evil again. He can decide that he will
determinedly walk on the path of goodness thenceforth. If he does
this, the evil deed that he has done becomes a factor that leads him to
goodness. It is this quality that converts the evil committed by a person
of faith into something good.
Self-discovery
If someone speaks ill of you, then
make that a source of self-discovery
KNOW THE WORLD AND HEREAFTER
Save Yourself
WE are born into this world. We spend our short lives here.
The journey of our life in this world passes through different
and varied experiences. Because of these experiences,
consciously or otherwise people begin to think that this present world
is for us the real world. In contrast, they feel that the world of the
Hereafter is an imaginary world. On account of what appears to be
this difference between these two worlds, people’s thinking process
functions at the level of this present world. In practice, no real room is
left in their thinking and planning for the Hereafter.
This is the biggest issue facing human beings. From the point of view of
larger consequences, it is for us to develop Hereafter-oriented thinking,
not this-world-oriented thinking.
To save ourselves from going astray in this regard, God has arranged
that this present world be a world of problems. These problems serve
for speed-breakers for us. The problems and difficulties of life help us
to understand that this world is not our permanent abode. They are
reminders for us to lead our lives in the light of the Hereafter.
This reality of life is explained in the
following verse of the Quran:
We shall certainly test you with fear and
hunger, and loss of property, lives, and
crops. Give good news to those who
endure with fortitude. (
The biggest issue
facing human
beings is their lack
of planning for the
Hereafter.
The role of patience in the examination of life
is that it keeps us steadfast under any and
every circumstance. It prevents us from deviating from the right path
and going astray. Patience keeps us established in a principled way of
life, no matter what the conditions we might face. It is impossible to
pass the examination of life without patience.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS
Nurturing
ACCORDING to a Hadith, which deals with responsibilities of
parenting, the Prophet said: “There is no better and superior
present that a father can give to his children than cultivation of
good morals.” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi)
In this Hadith, by good morals is meant the best way of leading life. It is
about how one’s son or daughter should live in this world so that when
they have grown up they can be truly successful and do not become a
liability to their family and society. It is about nurturing them to become
'giver' members and an asset to their families and society.
If parents pamper their children, they give them the worst possible
gift. But if they teach them the way to lead a
successful life and prepare them for that, they
give them the best possible gift. For instance,
they should train them not to complain about
others and instead to always look for where
they may have made a mistake or gone wrong
and rectify it, and in this way make themselves
better people.
Parents should
nurture their children
in such a way
that they develop
modesty, not pride
or a superiority
complex. They
should help their
children to always
hold themselves
responsible for their
mistakes, rather
than holding others
responsible.
They should nurture them in such a way
that they develop modesty, not pride or
a superiority complex. They should help
their children to always hold themselves
responsible for their mistakes, rather than
holding others responsible.
They should teach them to spend their energy
and time in useful activities.
Parents must help their children learn that if they do something wrong,
they themselves must pay for it and that no one else can do that.
Children must learn that they must not complain about others and
that doing so is simply a waste of one’s time. They must learn to think
positively and save themselves completely from negative thinking.
They must abstain from bad habits. Moreover, parents should make
their children duty-conscious, not rights-conscious.
WHAT IS A CONSPIRACY
Cowardly Opposition
A CONSPIRACY is a negative activity. It is secret planning for
some harmful purpose. This method has been used throughout
human history. Opponents of any mission always adopt one of
the two methods. One method is to openly engage in hostile activities
against the mission. The other method is to do silent planning aimed
at destroying the mission.
There are examples of both methods being used against the Prophet
Muhammad. The Quraysh of Makkah openly opposed him. The Jews of
Madinah were also opposed to him, but their opposition to him took
the form of silent activities.
Conspiracy is actually
another name for
cowardly opposition.
Conspiracies are
always the
handiwork of people
who are
hypocritical.
Conspiracy is actually another name for
cowardly opposition. Conspiracies are
always the handiwork of people who are
hypocritical—that is, externally, they appear
to be good and nice, but on the inside they
harbour malice. Driven by malice, they
silently engage in negative activities. One
who is engaged in negative activities gives the
appearance of being a good person, but he
quietly indulges in negative planning.
The Quran (
conspiracy never succeeds in this world. This
is because the conspirator, due to his enmity for a mission, is unaware
of the weakness of his planning, while other people, who are free of
enmity, judge what he says on the basis of reason and logic. When they
find that there is no logic in what the conspirator says, they refuse to
accept it.
One who has become an enemy and conspirator of a mission is unable
to see the illogic of his stand on account of his enmity. But those who
have no enmity, because of their unbiased mind, can easily see the lack
of reason in the position adopted by the conspirator.
Because of this law of nature, the conspiracy of the conspirator is
practically rendered ineffective.
STUDY OF THE QURAN
Intellectual Food
ACCORDING to Abdullah ibn Abbas (Companion of the Prophet),
the Prophet of Islam once said that the one who reads the Quran
will not reach old age in an abject state (
In this tradition, reading the Quran means studying the Quran. One who
undertakes a profound study of the scriptures will continue to receive
intellectual food from them. This intellectual food will be an unending
source of energy which will result in his not being mentally impaired
in his old age. His mind will be continually
active. His body may become old, but his
mind will not grow old. Research shows that
there is a difference between the mind and
body of the human being. Purely biologically,
the body grows old, but the brain does not. If
one saves one’s mind from negative thinking,
one will become a positive thinker, then
one’s mind will not age. Anyone who makes
a thorough study of the Quran, will never
experience intellectual starvation. His mind
will forever be active. It will continually be
filled with creative thoughts.
The way material
food gives strength
to the body, in the
same way intellectual
discoveries give
a man energy.
For a man, the
greatest thrill is
the experience of
discovery.
The way material food gives strength to the
body, in the same way intellectual discoveries give a man energy. For
a man, the greatest thrill is the experience of discovery. One who
analyses the Quran in depth continually has this kind of experience.
This creative experience for a person ensures that when he reaches old
age, he will not become inactive.
True Reform
No reform work is truly such, unless it is confined to
the sphere of peace and humanitarianism. Any work,
even if it is carried out in the name of reform, is to be
condemned if it disturbs the peace, or worse, results in
the loss of lives or the destruction of property.
PRAYER FOR GOOD HEALTH
Importance of Well Being
ACCORDING to a Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad is said to have
remarked: “For whomsoever of you the door of supplication is
opened, for him the doors of mercy have been opened. And in
God’s eyes praying for good health is dearer to praying for anything
else.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)
In this world, people have been given freedom, but the truth is that
man’s share in controlling the affairs of life is extremely limited—less
than even 1%—while God’s share is more than 99%. It is because of
this that it is very important and necessary
for human beings to supplicate to God. One
who discovers this fact and faithfully acts
accordingly will certainly come in the fold of
God’s mercy.
By birth, man is a
weak creature. He
cannot tolerate even
a minor disturbance
of his health. A
person who does not
enjoy good health
cannot do anything
properly
In this world, for human beings faith in God is
most crucial. The next most important thing
to have is afiyat. By afiyat is meant what is
ordinarily called ‘good health’ or ‘well-being’.
By birth, man is a weak creature. He cannot
tolerate even a minor disturbance of his
health. A person who does not enjoy good
health cannot do anything properly. That is why one should engage
much in dua (supplication) so that one becomes capable of fulfilling
all of one’s responsibilities in the right way. But dua is not simply
repeating some Arabic words that one has memorized. The true dua is
one that is based in and emerges from marifat or God-realization.
It is the dua that emerges from the depths of one’s heart, and not
simply something that is repeated mechanically on the tongue. It
is this sort of prayer that definitely reaches God and is accepted
by Him.
Convert
If someone says something that goes
against what you think, then convert it
into a point of discussion.
THERE IS NO ENEMY
Rule of Self Interest
IN the past, people had both friends and enemies.
But times have now changed. Today, nobody is
anyone’s friend, and nobody is anyone’s enemy.
Every person is now just pro-self. Everyone has now
just one concern—and that is what is perceived
as their own interest. People today are so deeply
embroiled in their own perceived interests that they
have no time at all to think against others.
What is the reason for this?
In the past, opportunities were very limited. A certain privileged class
had control or virtual monopoly over opportunities. Today, in principle,
this situation no longer exists. All opportunities are now open for
everyone to avail of. This is why everyone is running after what they
think is their interests. In this frantic pursuit of what they regard as
their interests, no one has the time to think against others. They simply
don’t have the time to plot or conspire against them.
The fact is that the word ‘enmity’ has for all
practical purposes, been removed from the
dictionary of the modern world. Today, if
someone becomes somebody’s enemy, it
happens because he throws a ‘stone’ at him
and thereby provokes him. If somebody
adopts the politics of inviting a raging bull to
attack him, thereby provoking it, the bull will
definitely attack with his horns.
All opportunities
are now open for
everyone to avail of.
This is why everyone
is running after
what they think is
their interests. In
this frantic pursuit
of what they regard
as their interests, no
one has the time to
think against others.
There is a Hadith of the Prophet that has
particular relevance for the present day:
“Fitna is asleep; may God curse the one who
awakens it.” (Kanz al-Ummal) Fitna means a
state of discord, turbulence and strife.
If you lead your life with wisdom, you will not
face enmity from anyone nor will any one conspire against you.
ISLAMIC SPIRITUALITY
An Achievable Goal
THERE is nothing mysterious about spirituality in Islam. It is
rather the direct result of the kind of intellectual development
that takes place when a believer ponders over the Creator and
His creation: he gains something in the process that may be termed
spirituality. The source, therefore, of Islamic spirituality is perusal and
reflection rather than any sort of mysterious exercise.
That is why the Quran rejects asceticism (monasticism), referring to
it as a bida‘a (innovation) in religion, which God did not prescribe for
people. (
From the Quran we learn that, in the very creation of the universe,
the signs of God lie hidden all around us. A person who is in a state of
keen awareness when he reflects upon the things of the world, comes
to see the Creator in the creatures. The meaning of the creation of the
universe is laid bare before him. Ultimately, the universe becomes a
permanent source of spiritual inspiration. He is continuously nourished
by it during his worldly experience, and his observation of the universe
awakens in him latent divine qualities.
The result of this observation and contemplation of the universe does
not result in his shunning normal life. Far from withdrawing from the
world, he lives in it, participating in all its activities; yet despite his
involvement, he remains aloof. That is to say, although he fulfills all his
duties and responsibilities, his heart is not attached to worldly affairs.
He appears to live in the world, but he stands apart from it. Thanks
to this state of his heart, he acquires tremendous spiritual gains. The
Prophet Muhammad says of such individuals:
“God plants wisdom in the heart of one who shows
disinclination for the world.”
Only through spirituality can man rise to that higher level to become a
‘real man’.
So, we can say that the concept of spirituality in Islam is based on the
principle of God-realization. God is the treasure house of all virtues. And
when man’s contact with God is established in the world of his feelings,
at the psychological level, an unseen, inner revolution is brought about,
which is called spirituality. In this matter the relationship between God
and man can be likened to an electric wire and the powerhouse. When the wire is connected to the powerhouse, electricity is produced, and
the place is lit up. In this way, spirituality is the result of the connection
to the power house of God.
Human nature is like an inflammable element. When an inflammable
substance like petrol comes near a fire, it is ignited. Similarly, human
nature is awakened when it comes in contact with God.
This finds expression in the Quran in these words:
God is the light of the heavens and the earth. The metaphor
of His light is that of a niche in which there is a lamp, the lamp
inside a glass, the glass like a brilliant star, lit by a blessed tree,
an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would
well-nigh glow forth even though fire did not touch it. Light upon
light! God guides to His light whom He wills. And God sets forth
parables to men, and God has knowledge of all things. (
This is a compound simile. ‘Light’ here means the guidance of Almighty,
‘niche’ means the human heart and ‘lamp’ denotes the capability to
receive divine inspiration. Glass and oil elaborate upon this receptivity.
‘Glass’ shows that this receptivity has been lodged in the human
heart; protected from outside influences, and clear oil indicates that
this receptivity is very strong and is eagerly
waiting to receive inspiration.
This verse makes it clear that, on the one hand,
is God, the source of inspiration, and on the
other, is the consciousness of spirituality (Godconsciousness)
with which man is born. In this
way when these two things come together,
Islamic spirituality comes into existence. This
is indeed another name for the awakening
of God-consciousness. When it reaches its
highest stage, the believer’s realization of God
comes to that point where he begins to feel consciously in his worship
that he is seeing God and if he is unable to come to this stage then he
consciously feels that God is seeing him. If the first type of experience
is called direct spiritual experience, the second type may be termed
indirect spiritual experience.
Simple living means
limiting one’s worldly
requirements to
the minimum,
assiduously avoiding
comfort and luxury.
As the Quran tells us, “Prostrate yourself and draw near” (
God is always close to us—closer than the life-blood in the jugular vein
(
These spiritual experiences cannot be explained in words. Everything in
the universe seems to convey a divine message. The leaves of the tree
become a thrilling experience. A waft of air gives a message of truth.
Divine music can be heard in the waves of the river and the chirping of
the birds.
Due to this high state of receptivity, man reaches the stage where the
wavelength of God and man becomes one. And he is enabled, in the
words of the Prophet: “to see with God’s eye, to speak with God’s tongue,
to walk with God’s foot, to hear with the ear of God.”
Then all limitations vanish and his day and night are spent in God’s
neighbourhood. All this can be felt, not
described in words. This can be explained
with the example of a child who has limitless
love for his mother. He knows it himself in the
full sense but he cannot fully describe it in
words. The same is true of spirituality.
When an individual
attains spirituality,
his state becomes
like a lamp lit all
of a sudden. He
undergoes spiritual
experiences. His
heart becomes an
ocean of spiritual
waves.
When a person is linked with the source
of spirituality, he undergoes such spiritual
experiences as he himself fully understands,
but has difficulty in conveying to others. He
may describe some external signs but he
cannot describe inner reality.
Although it is difficult to describe the inner
reality of spirituality, its method of attainment
can be described to a certain extent and followed by others.
To attain spirituality first of all man has to free his mind from confusion.
It is difficult for a confused mind to undergo spiritual experiences. The
basic reason for confused thinking is that man is not able to differentiate
between the real and the superficial, the relevant and the irrelevant,
rational thinking and superstition, logical and illogical statements. One
who thinks thus will always remain in a state of mental confusion. He
will never be able to find the straight path. As a result, his spiritual
journey will never be started.
On the path of spirituality a believer cannot be his own guide. And one
certainly needs a guide. This guide is the Quran. It is an authentic and
carefully preserved book of God. That is why the Quran can be trusted
as a guide by the spiritual traveler. After making the Quran one’s guide,
one can set one’s spiritual journey on the right track.
This spiritual journey demands a change in lifestyle. This lifestyle for a
spiritual traveler may be put briefly in these words:
‘Simple living and high thinking.’
Simple living means limiting one’s worldly requirements to the
minimum and assiduously avoiding comfort and luxury. That is why
the Sufis used to wear coarse clothes as a symbol of the simple life. It
helps the traveler in his spiritual journey. High thinking means that his
thoughts are not embroiled in material things. By engaging one’s mind
in higher realities, one becomes a recipient of divine inspiration. This
inspiration of divine light comes to his mind uninterruptedly, igniting
his whole existence.
The Quran attaches great importance
to contemplation, reflection and serious
thought. There are a number of verses in the
Quran that indicate that innumerable signs of
God are extant in the heavens and the earth.
The observance of God’s signs is the greatest
source of spirituality.
According to a Hadith, ‘Worship God as if you
are seeing him' (Sahih Bukhari). When man
engages himself in true devotion; he is linked
with God at a sensory or psychological level.
He comes close to God. Through an invisible
cord he comes in contact with God; God’s
light passes through him. His entire existence
comes to be pervaded by this indescribable
feeling, which is called spiritual experience.
The Quran attaches
great importance
to contemplation,
reflection and serious
thought. There
are a number of
verses in the Quran
that indicate that
innumerable signs
of God are extant
in the heavens
and the earth. The
observance of God’s
signs is the greatest
source of spirituality
This is called Rabbaniat in the Quran (Be people
of the Lord) (
thinking, and whose actions are God-oriented, who has placed God at
the centre of his attention. When an individual attains spirituality, his
state becomes like a lamp lit all of a sudden. He undergoes spiritual
experiences. His heart becomes an ocean of spiritual waves. He
appears to live in this world, but he has found another far superior
world for himself.
EID THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER
Reminder of Life in Paradise
ACCORDING to the Islamic tradition, there are two festivals
observed by Muslims every year—Eid-ul-Fitr just after Ramazan
and Eid-ul-Azha in the month of Haj. Eid-ul-Fitr literally means
‘festival of breaking the fast’. Like other festivals, Eid-ul-Fitr is a symbol
of an important article of faith. It reminds one of an Islamic belief in the
form of social practice.
Muslims believe that human life is divided into two parts: the predeath
period and the post-death period. One who follows divine
commandments in the pre-death period will be rewarded in the postdeath
period. Just before Eid-ul-Fitr, Muslims keep a fast throughout the
whole month of Ramazan. Fasting symbolises life in the present world
in which Muslims follow God’s commandments. Eid-ul-Fitr denotes the
reward that will be given by God Almighty in the Hereafter in return for
our good deeds.
Fasting in the month of Ramazan is not
simply giving up food. In fact, it symbolises
abstention from all kinds of practices that are
unlawful in Islam. The Arabic word for fasting
is ‘sawm’ which means abstinence. Abstaining
from food and water in the daytime during
Ramazan reminds Muslims that they have to
lead their lives with a sense of responsibility.
They have to remind themselves that, in the
present world, they have to adopt a life of
abstinence, taking something and leaving
something. This is the true spirit of Ramazan.
Then comes the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr, a symbolic reminder of the fact
that one who leads a responsible life in this world will be rewarded
with a life of happiness in eternal Paradise. Eid-ul-Fitr also has a social
connotation. On this day Muslims go out of their homes, offer a
congregational prayer, meet their neighbours, exchange good wishes
with other people and enjoy special food. All these activities are
reminders of life in Paradise.
Eid-ul-Fitr may be a Muslim festival, but Muslims, like other communities,
live in a society, in a neighbourhood. This makes Eid-ul-Fitr automatically
a social festival. Therefore, Muslims meet not only with their religious brothers, but also with neighbours of other denominations and with
their colleagues at work or in business. It is this social aspect of Eid-ulFitr
that has led to the practice of Eid Milan. Muslims observe Eid Milan
(get together on Eid day) by inviting their neighbours and others to
spend some time with them. In this sense Eid-ul-Fitr promotes social
harmony.
Like other festivals, Eid-ul-Fitr cannot be
observed in isolation. It is but natural that the
festival begins as a Muslim tradition but, in
practice, it turns into a social festival. During
their preparation of Eid, they are bound to
meet their fellow brethren. Then when they
leave their homes to go to mosques, they
again meet other members of society. Thus,
every activity of Eid-ul-Fitr automatically
turns into a social activity. In this sense the
observation turns into a human festival rather
than a Muslim festival, sometimes directly
and sometimes indirectly.
If Eid-ul-Fitr is
observed in its
true spirit, it will
energise the whole
community, bringing
people together
in harmony and
gratitude.
Eid-ul-Fitr has a form, but at the same time there is a spirit inherent in
all the festivity. In terms of form it may seem to be a limited festival,
but in terms of spirit it is a universal festival. If Eid-ul-Fitr is observed
in its true spirit, it will energise the whole community, bringing people
together in harmony and gratitude. Eid-ul-Fitr therefore truly means
Eid-ul-Insaan or a festival of humankind.
Conscious Decision
Willingness to keep the peace—a matter
of conscious decision making—is a noble
human quality. For peace, man has to
curb his anger and be forgiving. He has
to control his feelings of hatred and
project feelings of love for others.
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
We have tied the fate of every man about his neck; and We shall produce
a book for him on Resurrection Day that he will find spread open. It
will say, ‘Read your record, today there will be none but yourself to
call you to account!’ Whoever chooses to follow the right path, follows
it for his own good; and whoever goes astray, goes astray at his own
peril; no bearer of burdens shall bear the burdens of another. Nor do
We punish until We have sent forth a messenger to forewarn them.
(
In ancient times superstitious people tried to predict their fate by
observing the flight of birds or the revolution of stars, or through
different charms. In the present day, even those who do not believe in
such superstitions, attribute their fate to some mysterious cause or the
other. They think that it is some external factor which truly influences
their destiny.
God, however, says that the human fate is not linked with the birds or
the stars: neither is it connected with any external thing; indeed, the
fate of every man hangs upon his own deeds. Whatever a man thinks
or does is being recorded throughout his existence. On the Day of
Judgement, therefore, man will find his life history written in the shape
of a diary, which contains all matters, both great and small.
God raised prophets among the various communities and revealed
the scriptures to them. He did this so that people should be aware in
advance of the unforeseeable Day of Reckoning. Now it is for every man
to decide what fate he wants to face in the future: eternal paradise as
a result of his following the path of guidance, or an eternity in hell as a
result of his straying from that path.
When We decide to destroy a town, We command the affluent section
of its people, but they transgress therein; thus the word [sentence of
punishment] is justified, then We destroy the town utterly. How many
generations have We destroyed since Noah’s time. Your Lord is well
aware of the sins of His servants and observes them all. (
The conduct of the leading group of a community is the chief indicator
of the level of honesty or corruption of the community’s members.
Only this group has the understanding and resources to influence their
inferiors. Only they can bear the cost of leadership.
This is why the reformation of the prominent group amounts to
the reformation of the whole community and the corruption of this
prominent group amounts to the corruption of the whole community.
If a study is made of communities right from the time of Noah to the
present day, the history of each community will confirm the correctness
of this general principle.
Those leading lights, or elders of the community, who exploit the people
to establish their leadership, teach the community emotionalism
instead of realism; they teach the community to live in wishful
thinking, instead of admitting the truth. In short, instead of making the
community attentive to God, they turn it away from God by making it
attend to worldly concerns. Thus misleading the community, they bring
about its destruction.
When leaders of this kind dominate a community, it is to be expected
that God has taken a decision to destroy it. Every event of this type
happens by God’s will, for no deed or misdeed of any person or
community is hidden from Him.
We give whatever We will to whoever desires immediate gains; but
then We have prepared Hell for him which he will enter, disgraced and
rejected. Anyone who desires the Hereafter and makes a proper effort
to achieve it, being a true believer, shall find favour with God for his
endeavours. (
In the present world as man travels towards his ultimate destination,
he finds himself standing before a fork in the road. One side leads to the
path of immediate gains, while the other is a path on which everything
is to be given on merit. One who follows the first path chooses instant
benefit (ajilah), whereas one who follows the other path chooses the
Hereafter (akhirah).
On the one hand, man has before him the way of opportunism, which
leads him straight to immediate honour and wealth. On the other hand, there is the way of infinite love of truth, the credit for which
man will receive only when he begins his life after death. If a man has
a grievance, one way of dealing with it is to become vindictive and
vengeful. The other option is to forgive and, offering prayers to God,
leave the whole matter in His hands. Similarly, man may spend his
wealth in fulfilling his desires and furthering his ambitions, or he may
spend it for the cause of God.
Likewise, there are two different ways of dealing with life’s contingencies:
one is to fulfil one’s own desires, while the other is to dedicate oneself
to the worship of God. One is to give importance to appearances, the
other is to give credence to the reality of the unseen; one is the way of
expediency, while the other is the way of principle. The former bears
the mark of impatience while the latter makes manifest the virtue of
patience.
The first way is associated with temporary gain followed by eternal
deprivation. The second way is that of temporary loss followed by
everlasting honour and success.
Upon all, both these [who desire the world] and those [who desire the
Hereafter] We bestow the bounty of your Lord: none shall be denied
the bounty of your Lord—see how We have exalted some above others
[in the present life]. Yet the Hereafter shall be greater in degrees of
rank and greater in excellence. (
Be it in this world or in the Hereafter, success results from availing
of the opportunities provided by God. For those who have made
success in the life Hereafter the goal of their lives, God has made
such dispositions as will facilitate the spiritual journey leading to that
success in the next world.
One can see that in this world some people are ahead of others, while
some are lagging behind. Some have more and some have less. These
are ways of telling us in the language of symbols, that there is no
limit to opportunities in this world of God. The harder one works the
more one achieves. Similarly, the more one is involved in Hereafteroriented
activities, the greater the reward one will receive in the
Hereafter. Furthermore, whatever one receives in the next world will
be eternal, while whatever one receives in this world will be ephemeral
in nature.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
What is the purpose of fasting?
There are two purposes of fasting: to make one
cautious in life and to make one thankful to God.
(QURAN 2: 183 &
The Quran makes special mention of the month
of Ramazan. Is there any particular reason for
it?
There is a close link between the month of
Ramazan and Quran. In the words of the Quran, In the month of
Ramazan, the Quran was revealed as a book of guidance for mankind with
clear proofs and criteria distinguishing right from wrong. The Quran is
a reward to His servants from God and fasting is acknowledgement
of the reward. Through fasting man makes himself worthy of being
thankful to God.
What is the essence of fasting?
The essence of fasting is to eschew all evil ways throughout the year.
The true fast is that from which one learns a lesson.
How does fasting inculcate discipline in a person?
During the month of Ramazan a believer, of his own free will, abstains
from food and drink in the day time. It is only after sunset that he
satisfies his hunger and quenches his thirst. In this way he builds up
his self control. By practicing restraint for one month in a year, he is
able to lead a life of self-discipline in all matters for the rest of the year.
Kindly give us one specific point of the reason behind considering
Ramazan as a month of patience?
In the hadith, Ramazan is called the month of patience. This month is
meant to serve as a training course which will enable the individual
to lead a successful life in this world by keeping his negative feelings
under control. Negative feelings, it must be remembered, present the
greatest obstacle to human progress. Fasting is the pious way to solve
this biggest of human problems.
What is the rationale behind the period of 30 days of fasting, why not
less or more?
The rationale behind fasting for a month is made clear by psychological
studies. It tells us that for a habit to be inculcated, thirty days are
required. It is not an overnight miracle but a lengthy process. The
practice becomes a part of one’s personality only when it is observed
everyday for at least thirty days and only then it may continue for the
rest of the year.
Can you give us a modern equivalent understanding of fasting?
Yes. Fasting is for personality and intellectual development. It could be
best described as learning the art of desire management. In fact, not
understanding Islamic teachings in an intellectual way and only using
traditional explanations have led to practicing the religion only in its
outer form with the spirit completely missing. This spiritless worship is
the cause of the rise of a culture which is not the Islam as preached by
the Prophet and as followed by him and his Companions.
What advice would you give us, as until now we used to see the
practices of people around us during this month and conclude that
the month of Ramzaan was somehow connected to eating lavishly
in the evenings after a full day of fast and shopping for the festival
towards the last part of the month and throwing parties?
These practices have nothing to do with Islam. Please do not judge Islam
in the light of the behaviour of the Muslims but judge the behaviour
of the Muslims in the light of Islam. If you wish to know what Islam
actually preaches please refer to the original sources, the Quran and
Prophet’s life.
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 )
