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.
NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA
The following is a report on a recent development in Sydney, Australia:
POLICE in Australia's most populous state will be allowed, under a
proposed law, to shoot suspects in “terrorist-related” incidents,
even if the attacker does not pose an imminent threat, New South
Wales Premier, Gladys Berejiklian said yesterday. The change comes
after a series of “lone wolf” Islamist-inspired attacks, the most serious of
which raised questions about the traditional police strategy of “contain
and negotiate” in hostage situations. Under the proposal, lethal force
can be used immediately if an incident is declared “terrorist related”
by the state’s most senior police officer, Berejiklian told reporters in
Sydney. Currently, police have to wait until a suspect demonstrates
an imminent threat to others. Authorities said that the present law
curtailed their ability to end a 2014 siege in Sydney’s Lindt Cafe in which
three people, including the hostage-taker were killed.
(“Oz cops get more teeth in terror fight”, The Times of India, 9 June 2017)
Another news report from Victoria is as follows:
In a move slammed on Thursday as troubling and wrong, an Australian
Islamic council has called for taxpayer-funded “safe spaces” so young
Muslims can express “inflammatory” views without fear. News of the
request comes just days after a fatal shootout in Melbourne claimed by
the Islamic State group, which is being treated as a terrorist incident.
In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into freedom of religion,
the Islamic Council of Victoria demanded funding for federal counterterrorism
and anti-extremism programmes be diverted to create the
refuges. “Existing funding re-allocated to create safe spaces urgently
needed by Muslim youth to meet and talk about a range of issues in
emotional terms,” it said. “(A space) where they can be frank and even
use words, which in a public space would sound inflammatory.”
Victorian state Premier Daniel Andrews said he was “very troubled” by
any suggestion for safe spaces where Muslim youth “could be radical”.
“There is no safe way to rail against the West,” he told reporters. “I
am very troubled by the suggestion that we might have a space where
people could be radical as part of a de-radicalisation programme. That
makes no sense to me whatsoever.” He ruled out any funding for such
an initiative.
(“Australian Muslims demand safe spaces to talk about Islamic issues”,
Hindustan Times, 8 June 2017)
The above two news reports from Australia set me thinking about the
present age and the role of Muslims.
Of all events of the twentieth century, the Second World War particularly
stands out, as it was the worst event of destruction in the entire
history of war. However, it also had a positive aspect, that is, after
WWII the change in thinking that emerged led to the dawn of a new
age of globalization. This age was characterized by a new dimension to
tourism, global mobility between nations, opportunities for peaceful
activity, unprecedented expansion of modes of communication,
innumerable scopes for global interaction, an explosion in the desire
for the quest of truth.
In these changed circumstances, a new historical phenomenon was
witnessed. That is, people began to travel frequently to different
countries. This scenario had a natural effect on Muslims as well. Earlier,
Muslims had remained confined to their respective countries, but now
they too began to migrate to other places. Today, Muslims are present
in almost all the 196 countries of the world.
The modern age can thus be termed an age of diaspora for Muslims.
Previously the Muslims had gone into diaspora after the death of the
Prophet in 632 CE. They moved out of Arabia and spread out all over
the inhabited world of that time. In these foreign lands, Muslims came
as bearers of the divine message. Before the Prophet, Islam had been
only a regional religion, but later it became an international religion—all
this happened solely due to the seventh century diaspora of Muslims.
In earlier times, the Muslim diaspora had played a peaceful role in
the regions they entered—that is, they took the message of Islam to
the new populations they encountered. However, in the present age,
the Muslim diaspora is performing a completely opposite role. Their
activities have led to the spread of intolerance, hate, violence and
even suicide bombing in the countries in which they reside. Some
Muslims are engaged in all of this directly while others’ involvement
in this is indirect in that they do not openly condemn the heinous acts
committed in the name of their religion. Although Muslims perpetrate
these acts in the name of Islam, their actions are in truth only doing a
disservice to Islam.
News of this “disservice to Islam” can be continually seen in the media.
The latest news of this kind has come from Australia. The abovecited
newsreport is very alarming for Muslims. Prior to this, everyone
enjoyed complete freedom in Australia. But Australian Muslims, who
had originally come as immigrants, imitated Muslims living in other
countries by importing the “violent Islam” to Australia. As a result, to
maintain peace the Australian administration took the decision to pass
a new law which will give the police more power to curb violence.
This step from the Australian administration was quite natural according
to the situation that presently exists there. Australia is a peace-loving
country and desires a peaceful atmosphere to prevail. For this reason,
in giving more powers to its police personnel to control terrorism, the
Australian administration cannot be blamed for ignoring the plea of
human rights violation.
As the media also states, the Australian Muslim leadership has made a
very unwise plan against the backdrop of the violence that some Muslims
have committed. They have demanded that the taxpayer money meant
for counter-terrorism initiatives be used for creating spaces for Muslim
youth to gather and talk about issues, even if it involves speaking in an
inflammatory manner. This request would certainly be unacceptable
to an administration which is working towards putting an end to the menace of extremism, as fulfilling such a demand could be instrumental
in further fuelling the radicalization of impressionable minds.
The Australian Muslim leadership’s demand runs counter to wisdom.
At the present moment, they should have unequivocally condemned
the violence that the young Muslims have perpetrated. They should
divert the Muslim youth to peaceful activities such as going ahead in
education, participating in constructive activities and, most importantly,
conveying the peaceful teachings of Islam to their countrymen. This is
the solution to the problem of radicalism that the Australian Muslim
community is currently facing.
Australian Muslims should live as peaceful citizens and not allow any
separatism in the name of Islam. They must shun all forms of active
and passive violence. It is in their best interest to live as a creative
community in Australia and not a protestant community. This will be
possible if Muslims become part of the national mainstream. This is the
way to success for Muslims in Australian society. Any other path will
only lead to destruction.
>strong>Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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Signs
People see the signs, but pass
them by without detecting them.
One who has a prepared mind,
however is able to recognize them
and then turn them into objects of
contemplation.
THE SECOND AGE IS COMING
Be Prepared
BRITISH astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has made a new
documentary, ‘Expedition New Earth’, as part of the BBC’s new
science season Tomorrow’s World. In the documentary, he
claims that time is running out for Earth and if humanity is to survive
climate change, asteroid strikes, epidemics and overpopulation we will
need to leave our planet and venture further afield. In the landmark
series, Prof. Hawking and his former student Christophe Galfard will
travel the world to find out how humans could live in outer space.
Humans, according to him, will need to colonize another planet within
one hundred years to ensure their survival. (“Tomorrow’s World returns
to BBC with startling warning from Stephen Hawking—we must leave
Earth,” The Telegraph, 2 May 2017).
Stephen Hawking is considered a legendary physicist of the modern
age. He gained worldwide fame after publication of his book A Brief
History of Time in 1988. The above declaration by Prof. Hawking is
a scientific warning for all human beings. As far as colonizing other
planets is concerned, it seems to be science fiction in the light of current
knowledge. However, the end of the present world has now become a
scientific reality which will surely come to pass.
The present world
is a world of trial,
and for a certain
period God has kept
the realities hidden
in the realms of the
unseen. On the Day
of Judgement, this
curtain would be torn
asunder.
It is strange that this fact is present in the
Quran in the form of a religious warning.
According to religious history, the monarchs
of ancient Egypt were called Pharaohs.
Historical evidence shows that the Pharaoh
Thutmose II ruled Egypt about 15th century
BC. It was in this period that the Prophet
Moses was born. At that time, Memphis was
the capital of Egypt. The Prophet Moses went
to Pharaoh’s court and conveyed to him the
divine message which God Almighty had sent
him with. This story of Moses and Pharaoh
appears in detail in both the Bible and the
Quran.
According to the Quran, part of the message given to Moses to deliver
to Pharaoh was: “The Hour is coming. But I choose to keep it hidden, so
that every human being may be recompensed in accordance with his
labours.” (
Prof. Hawking and other scientists have earlier also made such remarks.
If the world we live in is reaching its end, then this is not great news. The
greater news is that when this world comes to an end, another ideal
world is going to come into existence. The Maker of the next world
will not be a human being, but God the Creator Himself. In the world
to come, only those persons will find entry who qualified themselves
for it in the first world. People will be selected
from entire human history and settled in the
world hereafter, which in religious literature
is called Paradise. Now, the time has come for
every person to prepare himself and develop
his personality so that he can be held a
deserving candidate for Paradise.
All evidence points
to the fact that the
age of the present
world is nearing the
end and the age of
the second world will
begin very soon.
According to the creation plan of God, the
present earth is like a nursery where human
beings are meant to be tested. The person
who gives proof of noble conduct and sublime
character—which is appropriate for the society of Paradise—will be
chosen to settle in the eternal world of the Hereafter. This eternal
world is a person’s true abode.
All evidence points to the fact that the age of the first world is nearing
the end and the age of the second world will begin very soon. At this
juncture, the Quran is calling all mankind in these words: “And vie with
one another for your Lord’s forgiveness and for a Paradise as vast
as the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for the Godfearing.”
(
The present world is a world of trial, and for a certain period God has
kept the realities hidden in the realms of the unseen. On the Day of
Judgement, this curtain would be torn asunder. Thereafter, the second
phase of man’s life would start, when everybody would be judged
according to their deeds in the present world.
Prayer
Prayer is not simply a set of rituals;
it is rather a way of acknowledging
God's greatness.
THE ROLE OF DIFFICULTY
Totally Positive
IN his book, Self-Help, published in 1859, the Scottish author and
reformer Samuel Smiles rightly observes: ‘It is not ease but effort,
not facility but difficulty that makes man.’ This statement is based on
a natural fact and history has proved its veracity. All those men who
attained greatness, regardless of which walks of life they came from,
were the products of difficulty and not of facility. They faced challenges
and emerged as superachievers.
But the question is, why is it that difficulty has a greater role to play
in the building of a personality than facility. The reason is traceable to
one of the laws of nature. It is this law of nature that is responsible for
the making of a successful personality.
The fact is that all of our actions, big or small, are directly related to
our minds. It is the mind that directs all the activities of our personality.
The human mind is greater than all the great things of the universe;
it has mind-boggling qualities. It is the mind
that is the master of the human personality,
as it controls all of our activities. Studies show
that all our performances depend totally on
our minds. The mind has unlimited reserves
of energy. When we decide to do anything,
the mind at once releases energy and we
perform with the aid of this energy. The mind
is the prime source of energy and whatever
we do can only be done with the help of this
energy. If we choose to do some easy task,
then the mind will release a lesser amount of energy. And, if we decide
to do some difficult or great task, then the mind will release a greater
amount of energy.
Never complain to
others. Try to utilize
your own mind, and
you will certainly
achieve anything you
want to in life.
The building of a personality depends on one’s own efforts. If one is
an easy-going person then he is bound to receive lesser energy from
his mind and the result will be that his personality will become weak. If
one is ambitious and chooses to embark on a great task, then certainly
his mind will release a greater amount of energy, resulting in the
development of a strong personality.
Everyone is born with the same mind that is full of energy. But some
people fail to utilize their energy and die without developing their personalities. The other kind of people are those who set a great task
as their goal. Thus, their minds release a greater amount of energy for
the performance of this task, and so they become superachievers.
Man himself is the master of his destiny. This saying is true, but not
in any mysterious sense. It all depends on how much a person has
unfolded his mind and how much energy the mind has released.
One achieves greater or smaller successes in life depending on how
much energy one’s mind releases. Every man is a self-made man. But
the quantum of success depends on one’s
own planning. Wise planning makes one a
superman, while unwise planning makes one
lag behind in life.
It is the mind that
is the master of the
human personality,
as it controls all
of our activities.
Studies show that all
our performances
depend totally on
our minds.
The mind of a man is like a great water
reservoir. Opening the gate of this reservoir
depends on one’s target. If one’s target is
ordinary then the mind will open the door
of energy on a lesser scale. But, if the target
is a high one, the mind will open the gate of
energy on a higher scale. It is this difference
that decides the level of one’s achievement.
Never complain to others. Try to utilize your
own mind, and you will certainly achieve anything you want to in life.
Peace
Peace relates to ‘means’ and not to ‘ends’.
All peace does is open up opportunities.
It is then up to people to avail of these
opportunities to achieve their goals. Peace
cannot present a person with what he
desires. It is for the person himself to reach
his goal through planning and struggle.
GUIDANCE FOR LIFE IN ISLAM
Voluntary not Coercive
THE statement ‘Islam is a complete guidance for life’ is both correct
and incorrect. If this idea is taken in the sense of following
Islam by one’s own choice, then it is true. However, if Islam is
considered a complete system of life in the sense of enforcing it on
others, then this would certainly be a wrong notion which finds no
basis in the Quran or the life of the Prophet.
Islam: A Subject of Individual Following
For example, a verse in the Quran enjoins Muslims thus: “Believers, fear
God, and say the right word.” (
believer speaks, he should be cautious about saying that which is true
and upright. But if the interpretation of the injunction given here is
taken to be the establishment of a political system in which people are
compelled to speak the truth and never utter anything that is improper,
then this would be a self-styled interpretation, which finds no sanction
in the Quran.
Similarly, at another place the Quran says: “When you speak, observe
justice.” (
be adopted in one’s individual life. That is, as an individual a believer
should always be honest in speech and should never say a lie. However,
if this verse is taken to mean that Muslims are duty-bound to establish
a political system which forces people to always speak the truth and
never be dishonest, then this would be a self-styled understanding of
the injunction to speak the truth. Such an interpretation has nothing to
do with this verse of the Quran.
Another verse in the Quran reads: “Remain steadfast in religion.”
(
divine religion in his life. If instead this verse is understood to mean
that Muslims have been commanded to establish a state by force and
to coerce people into abiding by the rules of this state, then this would
again be a wrong meaning given to this verse.
Islam is a complete code of life, however, it is so in the sense of an
individual following the religion of Islam in his life by his own choice.
To take Islam to be a complete socio-political system that must be
established in society at every level by the force of political power—is
a wrong idea.
The Goal of Islam
The goal of Islam is not to establish by authoritative power a sociopolitical
system in which people are forced into adopting the divine
religion in their lives and from which they are allowed no deviation. On
the contrary, the aim of Islam is to inculcate the love of God in every
individual and make him a God-fearing person. This spirit is called
al-rabbaniyah in the Quran and is described thus in one of its verses:
Kunu rabbaniyin, which means: “Be devoted servants of God.” (
Islam desires to instill this spirit of the love of God and the fear of God
in every human being so that he can lead his life in its guidance in
whichever situation he may be or wherever he may be.
According to Islamic teaching, the present world is a testing ground
for individuals, it is not a place of enforcement of commands. In the
present world, people are being put to the test to see whether they use
their freedom to follow the straight path as determined by God or they
deviate from it. Due to this reason, every human being has been granted
complete freedom so that he may have the choice to either accept the
divine religion or reject it. This reality about our present life has been
stated in the Quran in these words: “Say,
this is the truth from your Lord. Let him who
will, believe in it, and him who will, deny it.”
(
with respect to his contemporaries who were
in denial of his prophethood: “You are not a
keeper over them.” (
counselled not to compel people to believe in
the message he was conveying to them. For
this reason, a principle has been mentioned
in the Quran in clear terms: “There shall be
no compulsion in religion: true guidance has
become distinct from error. But whoever
refuses to be led by Satan and believes in
God has grasped the strong handhold that
will never break. God is all hearing and all
knowing.” (
Islam is a complete
code of life, in the
sense of an individual
following the religion
in his life by his own
choice. To take Islam
to be a complete
socio-political
system that must
be established by
the force of political
power—is a wrong
idea.
Divine Scheme of Things
A verse in the Quran sheds light on God’s scheme of things for human
beings. It speaks about the creation of the soul and says that God
“then inspired it to understand what was right and wrong for it. He
who purifies it will indeed be successful, and he who corrupts it is sure to fail.” (
freedom to man. Every human being has been given the opportunity
to think as one chooses and to act accordingly. This divine scheme of
things necessarily demands that every person enjoys full freedom.
Thus following a particular religion—whether it provides a complete
or an incomplete code of life—is a choice that rests solely with the
individual and cannot be compulsorily imposed on the individual from
outside by anyone else. Making a person conform to particular set of
commandments or regulations by force is tantamount to interfering
with the scheme of things God has chosen for human beings. Anything
which goes against the law of nature set by God for the present world
is doomed to fail.
The concept of Islam being a complete code of life which has to be
imposed on people will always yield counter-productive results. Those
who believe in this notion and try to forcibly implement it in society will
turn Islam, a religion of well-wishing for others, into a religion of enmity
and hatred.
Counter-productive Results of the Political Interpretation of Islam
When Islam is portrayed as a complete system of life, it immediately
brings to mind the point that some or the other group has already put
in place a certain system in society. The group that possesses political
power in a society has adopted the law or rule of conduct which it
considers proper. Now those who regard
Islam as a complete system of life would
wish to have full control over all the systems
and structures of a society. These people
would then realize that in order to have such
control, they would need to take political
authority and power in their hands. They
would thus turn their attention to grabbing
political power from the hands of those who
are currently in possession of it. Working
towards this would hold the foremost
importance for them. This is the main cause
for why reform of the self initially acquires a
secondary place in the minds of such persons
and gradually they cease to accord it even
minimal importance. They become obsessed
with the concept of changing the external
system instead of bringing about a change
within their own individual selves. Viewed from this perspective, the idea of Islam being a complete system of life
produces counter-productive results. Such an interpretation of Islam
can only foster an atmosphere of hatred and violence.
The concept of Islam
being a complete
code of life which
has to be imposed
on people will
always yield counterproductive
results.
Those who believe in
this notion and try to
forcibly implement
it in society will turn
Islam, a religion
of well-wishing for
others, into a religion
of enmity and hatred.
The notion that Islam is a complete and comprehensive religious
system is quite famous among present-day Muslims. Apparently, this
interpretation presents Islam as a complete religion, however, the
truth is that it is an incomplete interpretation of Islam. This is because
according to this interpretation, Islam is reduced to a kind of a manual.
Even if a manual were considered comprehensive, it can, by its very
nature, take into consideration only a partial aspect of a human being.
A manual can be complete only for a robot, not a human being. This
is because a human being is essentially a thinking animal. Any kind of
manual can serve to fulfil only the physical needs of a human being,
however, the greater intellectual aspect of a human being can never be
encompassed in a manual.
Islam: A Continuous Thinking Process
Islam is not complete in the sense of a manual
on paper, but rather it is complete when
it is understood as a continuous thinking
process. True Islam is one that creates an
intellectual storm in the mind of a person
and thus initiates a continuous thinking
process. Such an understanding of religion
develops creativity through which one is able
to discover novel aspects of God’s wisdom
and understand the higher realities of life. In
every experience or observation that one has,
one is able to extract divine food for oneself.
According to the
creation plan, God
has bestowed full
freedom to man.
Every human being
has been given the
opportunity to think
as one chooses and
to act accordingly.
This divine scheme
of things necessarily
demands that every
person enjoys full
freedom.
Two verses from Chapter 3 of the Quran are
helpful in illustrating the above point. This
passage describes those who reflect on and
ponder over the world around them: “There
are signs in the creation of the heavens and
the earth, and in the alternation of night and
day for people of understanding; who remember God while standing,
sitting and [lying] on their sides, and who ponder over the creation of
the heavens and the earth, saying, ‘Lord, You have not created all this
without purpose. Glory be to You! Save us from the torment of the Fire.’
(
are the people of faith who engage in reflection and contemplation
of the world and the universe. They are thus able to discover God’s signs when they observe God’s creation. In this way, their awakened
minds derive spiritual learning from their study and observation of the
natural world. This intellectual process develops in them, what is called
in the Quran, “a purified personality”. (
For example, consider a person who goes to bed after his long day’s
work. This is the time when he begins to introspect over what happened
during the day. He reflects over his actions and tries to figure out
whether they were proper or improper. When he thinks of a good deed
that he may have done, he is filled with thankfulness to God, but if
he realizes that he made a mistake somewhere, he feels repentant.
So before going to sleep, he would pray to God to forgive him for his
wrong actions and make a promise not to commit the same mistake in
the future. This is how the person ends his day.
Now when he wakes up in the morning, he observes the morning prayer
and then leaves for office. Here he faces several kinds of situations.
In every situation, he tries to extract spiritual food for himself. For
example, when he converses with someone over the phone while in
office, experience of being able to instantly communicate with people
who are at great distance from him makes him profoundly grateful
to God. He realizes that long distance communication is possible only
because God has made nature in such a manner that human beings
can utilize it as a tool for their various activities.
When such a person sits outside his room in the balcony, he observes
various natural phenomena—the sun shining brightly, the air supplying
him oxygen, the clouds raining down freshwater after the entire
process of desalinating seawater, the soil providing different essential
nutrients, and much more. His mind gets triggered when he beholds
the spectacle of nature before him. Then he sees that there are also
several cars continually going up and down on the roads. Since these
cars represent human planning and management at work behind them,
the numerous meaningful activities happening in nature must also
surely have a mind behind at work. Thinking in this manner, he comes
to the conclusion that the world of nature has a Super Mind which is
perfectly controlling all its affairs. This thought makes him recognize
the Creator and gives him conviction in His existence.
The above illustration helps explain in what sense Islam is a complete
religion. Islam is complete not in the restrictive sense of a manual. The
truth is that Islam is the name of high thinking based on discovery of
the Creator. Such kind of intellectual activity provides spiritual food to
a believer in every circumstance throughout his life.
THE POLICY OF DELINKING
Finding sure Solutions
THE British educator E.E. Kellet (1864 - 1950) writing about the
Prophet Muhammad in his book, A Short History of Religions,
observes, ‘He faced adversity with the determination to wring
success out of failure.’
What was the method which led the Prophet to this unusual success?
It was adherence to the policy of delinking two issues. An example
of this policy is in 610 CE, when the Prophet Muhammad began his
mission in Makkah, a town of Arabia, to propagate the ideology of
monotheism—belief in the one God and worshipping Him alone. It was
the first quarter of the seventh century and in those times the Arabs
were mostly polytheists.
Four thousand years prior to this, the Prophet Abraham had built a
mosque in Makkah in which to worship the one God. It is this mosque
which is called the Kaaba. But, in later periods, people belonging to
various Arab tribes began to worship other deities in Kaaba until,
finally, every prevailing tribe had their own
deity, so that there were a total of 360 deities
within the precincts of the Kaaba.
Wisdom demands
that before
embarking on a
mission, a person
should review
the situation in a
dispassionate way,
and refrain from
launching oneself on
a course of action
with an eye only on
the problems, for this
goes against nature.
From the point of view of his mission, this
was the greatest issue faced by the Prophet
Muhammad. Instead of taking steps which
would have resulted in a violent confrontation
with the custodians of the Kaaba, the Prophet
analyzed the situation dispassionately and
came to the conclusion that the prevailing
situation there had a positive side to it.
As different tribes of Arabia would come
to Makkah all year round to worship their
dieties, almost on a daily basis in and around
the Kaaba, there would be gatherings of
substantial numbers of people. The Prophet
Muhammad adopted the policy of delinking two issues: the worship
aspect and the gathering of people there. He decided to temporarily
ignore the first issue and to avail of the gathering of visitors there as an
audience for his mission.
The Prophet adhered to this policy of delinking for a period of
thirteen years, until finally a substantial number of Makkans became his companions. It is this wise strategy which has been described by
E. E. Kellet in these words: He faced adversity with the determination to
wring success out of failure. In other words, the Prophet adopted this
principle for his mission: Ignore the problems, avail the opportunities.
The principle adopted by Prophet Muhammad in Makkah was not, in
fact, a religious principle. This principle was based rather on the law of
nature. According to the general law of nature, this principle applies to
everyone, whether one’s mission be religious or secular.
The truth is that, according to the law of nature, in every situation two
things exist at the same time—problems and opportunities. It is not
possible that problems will exist and opportunities will not. That is why
wisdom demands that before embarking on a mission, a person should
review the situation in a dispassionate way, and refrain from launching
oneself on a course of action with an eye only
on the problems, for this is a way which goes
against nature.
The principle of delinking helps a person to
save oneself from opting for violent methods
and utilizing peaceful means to achieve one's
goals.
Result-oriented
action in this world
is that which is
based on peace. The
method based on
violence will always
be a failure.
In this world the only practicable method is
that which is based on positive planning: that
is, ignoring the problem and discovering the
opportunities present, and availing of them. This is realistic planning.
And in this world, realistic planning alone is successful so far as the result
is concerned.
In present times, those who are involved in violence show that they are
unaware of the principle of success based on the policy of delinking.
Since these people are going against the law of nature, they can
never be successful in this world. They are fated only to carve out a
history of destruction. They can never create a history of progress and
development. The eternal law of the Creator for this world is that the
way of violence never works and that only the way of peace is feasible.
Result-oriented action is that which is based on peace. The method
based on violence will always fail, just as a farmer would be unsuccessful
if he dropped a bomb on his field expecting lush green vegetation to
flourish there.
TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE
We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this is
a very narrow and restricted notion of peace. Peace is
deeply linked with the entirety of human life. Peace is
a complete ideology in itself. Peace is the only religion
for both—man and the universe. It is the master-key
that opens the doors to every success. Peace creates a
favourable atmosphere for success in every endeavour.
Without peace, no positive action—small or big—is possible.
PEACE IS POSSIBLE, BUT ONLY
THROUGH THE RIGHT WAY
IF your house is on fire, you will immediately get into action to try
to put out the flames. Now, there are two ways of doing this. The
first way is to act according to the principles that the Creator of this
universe has set for dousing a fire. The other way is that, overwhelmed
by emotions, you try out some other method, a method of your own
making.
You are free to choose either of these two methods. But the results of
the two are not the same. God has set pouring water as the method for
putting out a fire. You cannot extinguish a fire by pouring fuel on it. If
you do that, it will only add to the fire.
If God has
established
pragmatism as the
solution to worldly
problems, you
cannot get what
you want through
emotionalism.
The same holds true for other challenges in life. If God has made
patience the secret of success in this world of His, you cannot attain
success through impatience. If God has
made positive action the means to arrive at
a particular result, you cannot hope to get
there through fiery speeches, angry rhetoric
and inflammatory statements. If God has
established pragmatism as the solution to
worldly problems, you cannot get what you
want through emotionalism. If God has placed
the secret of reform and progress in the silent
transformation of individuals, you cannot
hope to progress by stirring up agitation and strife. If God wants us to get ahead in life by acknowledging our
mistakes, you cannot advance by trying to prove others to be criminals
and yourself to be faultless. If God has established a rule that if you
want to pluck a rose, you can do so only if you steer clear of the thorns,
you won’t be able to obtain the rose if you start fighting against each
thorn that you come across.
If God has made
patience the secret
of success in this
world of His, you
cannot attain success
through impatience.
This world is a place for us to be tested. This
is why every human being has been given the
gift of free will. But this freedom is of action
alone, and not that of obtaining results or the
fruits of our actions. Undoubtedly, we are free
to do whatever we like to, but we have not
been given the power to acquire the results
that we seek. One is free to choose whether
to dive into the sea or not, but the one who
does not know how to swim, does not have
the power to stop himself from drowning. One should remember that
this world is merciless when it comes to accepting useless excuses, no
matter how beautifully one might seek to embellish them.
The fact of the matter is that we do not live in a world of our own
making. Instead, this world has been made by God. We can obtain what
we seek only if we live in accordance with the principles that God has put
into place that govern the universe. If we deviate from these principles,
we cannot get anything positive at all. The devastating results of the
merciless violence engaged in by terrorists is ample proof of this fact.
After making a mistake
When you make a mistake, do not take it as
a negative experience. Take it rather as a
process of nature. Nature wants to activate
your thinking, so that your state of mind,
if formerly uncreative, is now blessed with
creativity. In all human progress, it is this
process that is the most effective.
THE POWER OF WILL POWER
Will not Wish
IN Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda in Central Africa, 'an immigrant',
a Gujrati Indian had a cloth shop. This gentleman’s story of success
was unusual and motivating. One could never guess during their
interaction that behind this gentleman's fluent English there was
ignorance of the English language.
How did it happen that he could speak good English with all his English
speaking customers? This business-man initially was compelled to try to
speak in English to his customers even if they were just a few words, to
do his business. During the early days his english was far from correct.
One day someone said to him, “If you are not in a position to speak
correct English, why are you trying to speak
in English?” The shopkeeper simply replied, “I
speak incorrect English so that I may be able
to speak correct English.”
Strong will makes you
able to learn from
experience, and it is a
fact that for a sincere
person, experience is
a successful teacher.
And so it came about. In two years’ time, he
was able to deal with his customers in the
English language. He became fluent in English
as a means of communication, and for a
shopkeeper that was quite good enough.
This success story bears out the old saying,
‘Where there’s a will there’s a way’. If you have
a strong enough will to achieve something, you will do so, sooner or
later. Strong will itself is like successful schooling. Strong will makes
you able to learn from experience, and it is a fact that for a sincere
person, experience is a successful teacher.
Studies of the human brain tell us that it contains numerous windows.
Some are open and some are closed. It requires a compelling situation
to open the closed windows of the mind. If one has a shocking
experience and takes it quite seriously, that will automatically open
those closed windows of the mind. This process can sometimes bring
about miracles: a person can then play a role that was unimaginable
prior to that experience. This principle can be applied to almost every
situation, big or small. Anyone can perform a miracle, the only condition
being that he should have the capacity to turn the shocking moment to
good account.
In psychology there is a theory that is called the brainstorm theory
which explains such abnormal events. According to psychological
studies, when there is a shocking experience, there is a storm in the
human brain. This brainstorm activates the dormant cells of the mind,
and the result is that one becomes capable of doing what one could
not have accomplished in a normal situation.
The will, if it is strong,
can unfold one’s
hidden potential. But
there is a difference
between willing
and wishing. Do not
follow any unrealistic
wish; follow your
true will and you will
be able to add your
name to the list of
superachievers.
There are numerous examples in history that
confirm this theory. One Indian example is
that of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891–1956).
He was born into a poor family considered
as, untouchables' in those times. As a boy,
he found himself rejected in his own society.
This sad experience was very strong, but he
decided to overcome this situation. After
much hard work, he successfully completed
his education, and finally emerged as a great
mind. After Independence he was appointed
as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of
the Indian Constitution.
What is imperative in such a situation is
that one who faces such adversity should
not become demoralized, but should try to overlook other people’s
behaviour towards him, so that he may unfold his own potential. Soon
he will find that he is at the top of the ladder of achievement.
The will, if it is strong, can unfold one’s hidden potential. But there is a
difference between willing and wishing. Do not follow any unrealistic
wish; follow your true will and you will be able to add your name to the
list of superachievers.
Silence
In silence we find ourselves
in the unlimited vastness of
the universe.
EXTENDED COMPANIONSHIP
Through Contemplation
THE Prophet of Islam was born in 570 CE at Makkah and died
in 632 CE at Madinah. The Muslims, of that time who were the
Prophet’s Companions, are called Sahaba (Companions). The
number of his Companions was about one lakh twenty four thousand.
The lives of Companions are well recorded in the books of ‘Rijal’.
But the number of Companions is not limited to those whose lives
have been recorded in these Arabic books. There are companions
other than those physically present during the Prophet’s life time, they
may be called the spiritual companions of the Prophet, and are spread
throughout the whole of human history.
Who were these spiritual companions? They were those honest people
who were born as seekers of truth. Then they discovered the Prophet
through further study, and decided to follow the pattern of his life.
Their sole concern was to understand the
example of the Prophet and then sincerely
follow it. Some of those spiritual companions
may be called “companion plus.” They were
in a position to know more regarding the life
and history of the Prophet of Islam in greater
detail which was naturally not available to the
believers of the early period. These historical
details were recorded in the books of Hadith
(sayings and deeds of the Prophet of Islam)
and Seerah (life of the Prophet) in the later
periods of Islamic history.
The spiritual
companions of the
Prophet were those
honest people who
were born as seekers
of truth. Then they
discovered the
Prophet through
further study, and
decided to follow the
pattern of his life.
People of this kind are bound to receive
continuous inspiration from God Almighty.
This will enable them to develop their personality on prophetic lines.
Such people will remain continuously in touch with the Prophet in a
spiritual sense.
Although the Prophet of Islam died in 632 CE, his guidance will continue
forever. In the physical sense, the Prophet of Islam is no more, but
in the spiritual sense he exists like a living personality. Anyone who
is eager to receive his guidance can receive it through study and
contemplation.
A DANGEROUS PHENOMENON
Predicted by the Prophet
During the last days there will appear some young people who will
not be intelligent. They will apparently speak well and read the
Quran, but their faith will not go beyond their throats.
(Sahih al-Bukhari)
THERE is a point in this Hadith that appears between the lines.
Understanding this hidden point will help us to comprehend the
actual meaning of the Hadith. What is mentioned in the Hadith
as a prediction by the Prophet is that in the future the world will have
opportunities which will give people the chance to become popular and
to occupy high positions at a very young age. This will happen despite
lack of adequate knowledge and experience amongst those people.
The present age is precisely the one that has been predicted in this
Hadith. Analysis of the present age indicates the conditions which give
rise to this phenomenon such as the media, stage, freedom of speech,
democracy, abundance of wealth, politics, showmanship, and presence
of gullible followers.
Today, it is clearly visible how these new phenomenon has given some
people the opportunity to garner high positions despite lacking the
necessary abilities. Such people despite being superficial, have acquired
popularity among the public through external demonstration. These
are the people who, bereft of the Quranic spirit, have won fame simply
through their impressive talk. Not fearing God and being unmindful of
the Hereafter, they have won a big following through speeches which
are popular among the masses. All of these are because of the new
possibilities that were created in the modern industrial age.
One should be wary of this phenomenon and choose carefully whom
they wish to follow. One should personally read and understand the
Quran and the teachings of the Prophet, be a keen observer of the
times and think objectively. If one does not develop intellectually then
there is every chance of following the aforementioned people blindly
which will result in failure.
FROM THE SPIRITUAL TREE
There is a tree beside my house. I call
it the 'Spiritual Tree'. I derive spiritual
inspiration from it. A tree is an evergrowing
being that was initially a seed
possessing the potential of becoming a
full-grown tree. A seed takes food from the
universe around it and then grows into a
tree. The same is true with spirituality,
the desire for which is intrinsic to, and an
integral part of, the very nature of, every
human being. To realize this spirituality,
Man must derive spiritual food from the
universe around him. A tree converts
carbon-dioxide into oxygen; a spiritual person is one who can take positive lessons
from negative situations. From this perspective, a tree is an embodiment of a
spiritual personality. —Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
GOD’S WRATH AND HIS MERCY
WRATH is an attribute of God, and so is mercy. If someone thinks
that God created man in order to make man experience His
wrath, this would definitely be an underestimation of God.
It is more correct to say that the reason why God created man was
to make him experience His mercy. It is this understanding that is in
accordance with God’s glory.
This fact is brought out in a Hadith as follows: “God has said, ‘My mercy
surpasses My anger’.” (Sahih al-Bukhari). Another Hadith relates: “God
has said, ‘My mercy prevails over My anger’.” (Musnad Ishaq ibn Rahwayh)
A father possesses a sense of what is called ‘fatherliness’ for his son.
His fatherliness causes him to take responsibility for his son’s mistakes
and to seek to prevent his son from facing their consequences.
This very attribute is found in the Creator too, and in an infinitely larger
way. On the basis of this attribute, just as God’s mercy overcomes His
wrath, when God’s servant thinks of his merciful Creator, his hope
overwhelms his fear. Such a person hopes that his merciful Creator
will take care of his mistakes and will save him from having to face their
consequences.
This understanding of life leads a person to always fear accountability
in the Hereafter on the one hand, and, on the other hand, to always
remain hopeful with regard to his Creator. This reality is referred to
in the Quran in these words: “…they called on Us in hope and fear.”
(
Prejudice
When one is prejudiced
against something one cannot
see its rationality even if there
are clear signs in support of it.
CONFIDENCE NOT OVERCONFIDENCE
Harm of Excess
CONFIDENCE is good, but over-confidence is bad. Confidence is
very important in life for everyone. But when a person becomes
over-confident, he takes such great risks as are beyond his
capacity to deal with successfully. It is like fighting against the laws of
nature.
Why does a person become over-confident? The reason lies in overassessment
of his capabilities. Sometimes people rate their competence
too highly and plunge into situations that are beyond their control.
One historical example is that of the wrong decision-making of
Napoleon Bonaparte, the erstwhile Emperor of France. He used to say
that the word ‘impossible’ was to be found only in the dictionary of
fools. This was sheer over-confidence and led him into the ill-conceived
attempt to invade Russia in the winter of 1812. The Russian army at that
time was not very strong, but they had the advantage over the French
army of being able to cope with the severity
of their winter, whereas the severe cold of
that region proved fatal for Napoleon’s army.
The extreme cold accompanied by hailstorms
caused most of the French soldiers to perish
even before entering Moscow.
According to the
divine scheme of life,
any achievement
is a result of two
factors—one’s
personal planning
and support by the
external world. The
share of personal
planning is less than
fifty per cent while
the share of outside
factors is more than
fifty per cent.
The same happened with Adolf Hitler, the
dictator of Germany. It was his belief that
he was destined for success. He thought he
was invincible. Deluded by this obsession,
he invaded Russia in the winter of 1941. His
army too was caught up in a hailstorm and
was crushed at Stalingrad. Over-confidence
generally leads people into misadventures,
which can be fatal to both nation and
individuals. In this world, no one is so strong
as to court disaster with impunity.
According to the divine scheme of life, any achievement is a result
of two factors—one’s personal planning and support by the external
world. The share of personal planning is less than fifty per cent while
the share of outside factors is more than fifty per cent. It is this fact
which makes over-confidence untenable in this world. People, thanks
to their obsessions, take into account only their own planning, generally ignoring external factors. Unable to foresee future developments, they
indulge in unrealistic thinking, which eventually proves fatal. Most of
the people who are prone to this kind of thinking risk being failures.
Yet another example is that of an educated person who was in a good
government job developing his political ambitions, he resigned from
service and threw himself into the arena of politics. This adventure
proved to be beyond his capacity and he was defeated in the elections.
He lost both his government service and the assembly seat.
Then there is the question of how one can cope with over-confidence.
The method is very simple. Before taking a decision, discuss the matter
objectively with other people who are well-informed and when it is
proved that you are about to take a step in the wrong direction, accept
the reality and admit your mistake.
Over-confidence is a common flaw in the character of those who are
lacking in humility. The virtue of modesty
makes you 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 and make a thorough assessment of the
risks involved. Taking this realistic approach
prompts them to take into account their own
shortcomings. This serves as a controlling
element in their lives and prevents them from
having to face untoward consequences.
Over-confidence is a
common flaw in the
character of those
who are lacking in
humility. The virtue
of modesty makes
you a realist—a
person who is cut
down to size.
Overconfident people remain wrapped up in
their own thoughts. They know themselves but are unaware of the lives
of others. From inside their own cocoon, they are unable to draw upon
others’ experiences and develop the kind of inward-looking attitude
which can be highly damaging to all concerned.
There is a saying that, the young man sees the rule and the old
man sees the exception. With a slight change, one can say that the
overconfident person sees the rule and the confident person sees the
exception. Overconfident people are always more likely than others
to take risks. They hold that risk-taking is good. They say: “No risk, no
gain.” But taking a risk must be a well-calculated move, otherwise it
could lead to disaster.
SPIRITUALITY VERSUS POLITICS
One Essential other Situational
ACCORDING to the Quran, spirituality should be everyone’s
primary concern and politics, or political power, is based on
the availability of the opportunity for it. This order of priority
is made very clear in the Quran. For example, in the chapter Al-Saff
(Ranks), the Quran says:
He will give you another blessing which you desire: help from
God and imminent victory. Give good tidings to believers! (
This Quranic verse mentions that God will give many other blessings
to believers. According to Quranic teachings, spirituality is a vast
subject, covering almost all the non-political affairs of life. Believers
must therefore make every effort to attain spirituality, while relegating
politics to a subsidiary role.
According to Quranic teaching, a believer must adopt spirituality as his
goal. He should shape his life by adhering to spiritual principles and
applying spiritual norms in all aspects of his personal life.
The goal of
spirituality is to gain
a seat in eternal
Paradise of the world
hereafter, while
politics is basically
a worldly affair.
Drawing the line between what is spiritual
and what is purely political is essential and
it should be borne in mind that spirituality is
a target that is achievable in every situation,
provided you are sincere and determined to
achieve spirituality. It needs only one thing—
and that is willpower. This goal must be
attained regardless of whether conditions are
favourable or unfavourable.
But the case of political power is quite
different. As compared to spirituality, politics
is a bilateral or a multilateral issue. There are
always two parties and a number of political rivals. So, if you want to
make political gains, you have to overwhelm the other party or rivals.
This means that confrontation is inherently a part of politics; without
confrontation there is no politics. But confrontation breeds hatred and
sometimes leads to violence. Indeed, having a political target is quite
against the Quranic spirit.
According to the Quranic scheme, one’s principal endeavour should be
to lead a spiritual life and then try to spread the spiritual message to others. One may engage in spiritual activities, provided they are strictly
non-political.
The real part of a believer’s life is spirituality, while politics is quite
subsidiary. This means that spirituality is required in every situation, at
every stage in life, but politics is required only when the situation calls
for it. If there is a society that is ready for its affairs to be administered
according to Islamic teachings, then believers
can go into politics.
In other words, spirituality is a matter for the
individual’s choice, while politics comes into
the picture only when society is prepared
for this, i.e. when society itself wants to be
governed according to Islamic teachings.
Spirituality is a vast
subject, covering
almost all the nonpolitical
affairs of
life. Believers must
therefore make
every effort to attain
spirituality, while
relegating politics to
a subsidiary role.
As far as social or national affairs are
concerned, their management or governance
must be determined by democratic means,
through free and fair elections. Spirituality and
politics must both refrain from encroaching
upon others’ fields.
The goal of spirituality is to gain a seat in
eternal Paradise of the world hereafter, while
politics is basically a worldly affair. It is for society to adopt a political
system by its own decision.
Friendship
The principle of friendship is very simple. If
you are truly friendly towards others, then
you can safely predict that they will also be
friendly towards you. Develop genuine love
for others in your heart and then others
cannot but love you in return
REASONING
Highest Mental Faculty
IN answer to a question the Prophet Muhammad said: “Seek the
answer from your heart” (Musnad Ahmad). From this answer we
learn that the Prophet has guided us towards using common sense
for discerning the demands of faith.
Islam is a religion of nature. And so, whatever is in accordance with the
demands of nature will also be considered part of Islam. For instance,
every person loves his or her parents. They think this is in accordance
with religion, although nowhere is it written in words in the Quran and
Hadith that one must love one’s parents.
An Islamic scholar during a discussion disagreed about the example
of love for parents being not mentioned in the Quran. He cited the
following quranic verse to support his disagreement.
Your Lord has commanded that you should
worship none but Him, and show kindness to
your parents. If either or both of them attain
old age with you, say no word of contempt
to them and do not rebuke them, but always
speak gently to them. (
Logical reasoning is
a way of reasoning
that is accepted by
both the speaker
and the listener, and
is not a one-sided
hypothetical claim of
the speaker.
The above verse does not prove his claim.
The commandment that is contained in this
verse is not about loving one’s parents, but,
rather, about dealing kindly with them, that
is, fulfilling all of one’s moral duties towards
one’s parents. It is a case of illogical reasoning
to derive a commandment of loving one’s parents from a verse that
refers to ethical behaviour.
What is logical reasoning? It is but another name for correct reasoning.
Reasoning that is based on facts, in which while making an assertion,
the distinction between what is relevant and what is not, is clearly made.
Logical reasoning is a way of reasoning that is accepted by both the
speaker and the listener, and is not a one-sided hypothetical claim of
the speaker. Logical reasoning is founded on certainty, not conjecture.
It is completely free of emotion-based thinking. It is characterized by
completely objective thinking. And it is only logical reasoning that is
correct reasoning.
For further understanding of using correct reasoning we need to know
two other types of reasoning; academic and speculative.
Academic reasoning is reasoning that is based on some proven fact. For
instance, if you say that the goal of Muslims is calling people to God, and
that hence what Muslims should do is to bear witness for God’s religion
before all mankind, it would be an instance of academic reasoning.
It will be accepted that this statement is based on a genuine foundation,
because there are Quranic verses that support this reasoning
(
Muslims or the Muslim ummah.
Some claims are based on reason, while some others are based on
scripture. If a claim is based on reason, in order to prove that it is right,
it is necessary to offer a rational proof which, through rational analysis,
shows it to be a proven fact. Similarly, if a claim is over something
related to scripture, it is necessary that it be unambiguously and clearly
derived from the authentic scriptural sources—the Quran and Sunnah.
In speculative reasoning, a point is sought to be proved on the basis of
a certain hypothesis. For example, someone
makes the claim that the aim of Muslims is
to acquire global political rule, and then, on
the basis of this claim, launches a movement
aiming at this global political rule.
Islam is a religion
of nature. And
so, whatever is in
accordance with
the demands of
nature will also be
considered part of
Islam.
This sort of reasoning is speculative reasoning,
and because of this, its status is baseless. This
is because nowhere in the entire Quran is it
mentioned that the goal of Muslims is global
political rule and that, therefore, Muslims
should seek to acquire global political rule.
This sort of reasoning is utterly baseless. Equally baseless is any
movement that is launched based on this reasoning.
Tree
A tree is known by its fruit which is the
final phase of the tree's life. Similarly
the pattern of human life will be judged
on what it turns out to be.
LESSONS FROM NATURE
For Conflict Avoidance
SOME animals roam about in search of fodder;
others in search of their mates. Some busily run
around building their houses. Some hunt for
food for their babies. While engaged in these and
other such tasks, they may suddenly confront an
enemy. If they enter into a fight with them, the work
that they had set out to do would be completely
disrupted. That is why all animals abstain from direct
confrontation with their enemies, unless they find themselves in a
situation where they feel absolutely compelled to do so. In order to
continue their own constructive work, they simply avoid conflict and
move ahead.
The diverse methods
of protection that
nature has schooled
animals in hold
important lessons for
humans. Animals use
this approach to deal
with opponents on
the basis of instinct.
Humans must use the
very same approach,
but based on
conscious choice and
awareness.
Animals face two big challenges; finding food,
and defending themselves. Animals have
enemies in the animal world, and so every
animal has to arrange for its protection. The
diverse methods that animals use to protect
themselves hold great significance for human
beings, because these methods are natural
methods, bestowed by God. Nature directly
teaches these methods to animals. It is as if
animals are students who have received this
training in the school of nature. Their ways of
acting and reacting are lessons that nature
has schooled them in. These methods testify
to the Creator who made them.
Animal defensive behavior is a complete
subject of study in itself. This behaviour of
animals is used in the act of self-preservation,
to avoid falling victim to another animal
or predator. The function of this behavior is harm avoidance, and
may manifest in several ways, for example: bat hawks and bat falcons
protect themselves by staying out of sight.
The flat-tailed horned lizard is a good example of using camouflage
to the extent that it even eliminates its shadow and blends in with the
sorroundings. Moths, butterflies etc. startle the predator and make use
of the opportunity to escape. Pursuit deterrent signals is a strategy used by white tailed deer and a few other mammals which is like informing
that both prey and the predator should save time and energy by giving
up the chase. Playing dead, mimicry, distraction, using their defensive
structures etc., are a few other methods where animals instinctively
avoid confronting the enemies.
The goal of all the above being the same—to avoid fighting which will
result in destruction.
These diverse methods of protection that nature has schooled animals
in hold important lessons for humans. Animals use this approach to
deal with opponents on the basis of instinct. Humans must use the
very same approach, but based on conscious choice and awareness.
The behaviour of
animals teaches
us humans that
we too, should
avoid unnecessary
confrontation with
others, and instead,
should focus on our
own growth.
For man, too, the best policy to adopt vis-à-vis
their opponents is to save themselves from
directly clashing with them, and instead, to try
to move ahead. Your opponent should not get
the opportunity to feel that you are interfering
in his domain. If you happen to confront your
opponent, you should appear to be inactive,
saving yourself from his aggression. Or, you
should keep yourself carefully confined to
your own domain, and in this way, convince
your opponent that you will not cause him
any harm. Along with this, you should also
adopt measures that will enable you to foil
your opponent’s aggressive plans in a possible emergency situation.
Animals did not invent these above-cited methods of protection by
themselves. It was God who taught them, so these methods have divine
sanction. They are not a form or expression of cowardice. Rather, they
indicate a necessary pragmatism. They teach us humans that we too,
should avoid unnecessary confrontation with others, and instead,
should focus on our own growth.
Recognition
Recognition always
comes after rejection.
TEMPTATION AND ANGER
Enemies of Man
ADAM was the first man in human history. The scriptures tell us
that after the creation of Adam and his wife Eve, they were settled
in the garden of Paradise. The whole garden was theirs to live
as they pleased. The only restriction was that they were instructed not
to approach “the forbidden tree” otherwise they would lose Paradise.
Adam and Eve were always inquisitive about that forbidden tree.
Finally, they succumbed to temptation. They crossed the limit set on
them and approached the forbidden tree and tasted its fruit. Suddenly
their sojourn in Paradise came to an end and they were ordered to
leave the garden of Paradise.
This was the first sign that human beings were vulnerable to temptation.
It was a warning to all mankind that they must be on their guard
against temptation otherwise they will lose the blessing of the Creator.
If they live a life within proper limits, the garden of Paradise is for them,
otherwise not. The garden of Paradise is for
them but not as a right. It has to be merited.
If according to one's deeds, one is deserving
candidate for Paradise, they will be selected
for Paradise. The first entry of Adam and Eve
into Paradise was unconditional, but on the
Day of Judgement, Paradise will be given to
people on selective basis. And selection will
be made on the basis of merit, and not simply
as a matter of birth right.
The two great
enemies of man
in this world are
temptation and
anger. Temptation
comes from within,
while anger is the
result of external
experiences. The
principle for success
in regard to both
is control.
Scriptures tell us another relevant story. Cain
and Abel were the sons of Adam and Eve.
There was some disagreement between the
two and Cain became so angry that he could
not forgive his brother. In this rage, he killed
his younger brother. This was the first murder
in human history. It is a reminder for mankind that everyone must
control their anger. If they fail in the test of anger control, they will
go astray and commit blunders and consequently, will lose Paradise
forever.
As recorded in the scriptures, this is an eye opener in human history. It
gives a great lesson to all human beings. They must be much cautious regarding these great weaknesses: temptation and anger. If they are
cautious and avoid succumbing to these two weaknesses, they will have
eternal success, otherwise they will never gain entry into Paradise.
The two great enemies of man in this world are temptation and anger.
Temptation comes from within, while the anger is the result of external
experiences. The principle for success in regard to both is control—
that is, everyone must learn the art of self-management. They must
resist temptation and suppress anger. Those who develop their minds
sufficiently to save themselves from these two evils will achieve eternal
success.
Sincerity
Sincerity is not a single value.
Sincerity combines all the good
human values, where there is
sincerity, there are all kinds of moral
beauties. In contrast, insincerity
is bound to wash away all kinds
of moral beauties from one's
personality.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness puts an end to the
problem once and for all, while a
tit-for-tat policy only aggravates and
prolongs the problem. The supposition
that forgiveness encourages further
wrongdoing is flimsy and runs counter
to the law of nature.
INTELLECTUAL MOULD
Choose Carefully
EVERY person develops a certain mindset or intellectual mould,
which is shaped according to the conditions that one faces.
People think according to this mould, and form their opinions
according to it. No matter what the reality of things may actually be, our
ideas about them are those that accord with our particular intellectual
mould.
This fact about human beings is expressed in the Quran in the following
words:
Say to them, ‘Everyone acts in his own way, and your Lord
knows best who is rightly guided.’ (
That is to say, one forms an opinion about
something according to one's own mindset,
irrespective of the true nature of that thing.
It is the process
of introspection
that saves us
from developing a
wrong mindset and
spending our whole
lives being controlled
by it.
We human beings are social beings. We are
born into this world within a particular social
milieu. In this milieu, every day numerous
happenings keep occurring. Whether we like it
or not, we keep imbibing influences from our
environment. In this way, our minds become
conditioned. And, gradually, this conditioning
becomes so strong that we begin to think that
what we are conditioned to believe is true.
In this situation, what each one of us needs to do is to constantly
introspect. We must keep trying to find out what is natural and what
things our minds have accepted as a result of conditioning by our
environment.
It is this intellectual effort that is called ‘introspection’. It is the process
of introspection that saves us from developing a wrong mindset and
spending our whole lives being controlled by it. In this regard, then,
we have to become our own inspector and must constantly inspect
ourselves.
THOUGHT CRIME
Abominable Accusation
IMAM IBN TAIMIYAH AL-HARRANI (661-728 CE) was born in Syria.
Among Muslims, he generally occupies the position of a very
important religious scholar. He has been given the title of Shaikh-e
Akbar or ‘The Great Shaikh’, and his books are given the status of
authoritative reference works. In the famous Arabic digital library
al-Maktaba ash-Shamila, there are 154 books by him.
An article by an Arab scholar Muhammad Habash is available on
the Internet. It is titled: ‘Ibn Taimiyah and 428 fatwas under the title:
[A person will be asked to] seek repentance or otherwise will be killed’.
The author has made an in-depth study of Ibn Taimiyah’s books. In
his article, he shows which actions Ibn Taimiyah has, according to his
own way of thinking, declared to be crimes that supposedly merit the
death penalty. Muhammad Habash cites Ibn Taimiyah’s words in this
way: “Such people would be asked to repent, but if they do not repent,
they shall be killed”. According to Muhammad Habash, this phrase of
Ibn Taimiyah’s appears 200 times in his collection of fatwas or legal
opinions, and if other books by Ibn Taimiyah are also included, the
number of such “crimes” would amount to 428.
Now, which are these “crimes” that Ibn Taimyah refers to. All of them
are what could be called “thought crimes”.
Muhammad Habash cites some examples
from fatwas by Ibn Taimiyah which are given
below:
Ibn Taimiyah says, that if a person does not say
that God is on His throne above the skies, he will
be told to repent, and if he does not do so, he
shall be killed.
In Islam, thought
crimes are actions
that do not deserve
If a person says to someone else that he relied on him or that he trusts him,
he will be told to repent, and if does not repent he shall be killed.
If a mature person does not perform one of the five obligatory prayers or
abandons one of the agreed-upon religious obligations, he will be told to
repent, and if he does not, he shall be killed.
A person who does not say that God is above the seven heavens will, on
account of this, be declared a non-believer and shedding his blood will be
lawful. He will be told to repent, and if he does not, he will be executed.
A person who says that the Quran is created will be told to repent. If he
does not, he will be beheaded.
A person who does not adhere to the Shariah will be told to repent, and if
he does not, he shall be killed.
A person who claims that he has a way to reach God other than the Shariah
given by the Prophet Muhammad, through which he can obtain God’s good
pleasure, will be told to repent, and if he does not, his head will be chopped
off.
According to Muslim consensus, to eat a snake or scorpion is forbidden.
But, Ibn Taimiyah argues, if someone considers it permissible to eat these,
he will be told to repent. If he does not, he shall be killed.
If someone says that God did not speak to Moses,
he will be told to repent. If he does not, he shall
be killed.
The phrase ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is Great) is not
written in the Quran and all Muslims accept
this fact. If a person thinks that ‘Allahu Akbar’
is written in the Quran, Ibn Taimiyah opines, he
will be asked to repent, and if he does not, he
shall be killed.
If someone delays the obligatory prayer to
engage in hunting or to serve his teacher, so
much that the sun sets, he must be punished.
According to the majority of the ulema, Ibn
Taimiyah argues, if the person does not repent it
is compulsory that he be killed.
The fatwas of Ibn Taimiyah unfortunately were not looked at critically
by the later generation of the scholars (ulema). On account of this, even
after the passage of 700-odd years, no scholar worth mentioning has
written a book against this. Instead, despite the sort of claims that Ibn
Taimiyah makes, he continues to occupy a very big position among the
leaders of the ulema.
With regard to the issues for which Ibn Taimiyah has given fatwas
calling for the death penalty, it is instructive to note that not a single of
these “crimes” is mentioned in the Quran or Hadith. Yet, despite this,
why did Ibn Taimiyah and other ulema call for punishment for actions
that are not mentioned as crimes in the Quran and Hadith? The reason
for this is that these ulema did not distinguish between a “social crime” and a “thought crime”. In accordance with the teachings of Islam, stiff
punishments have been laid down for social crimes. But in Islam,
thought crimes are actions that do not deserve punishment at all.
Thought crimes are, in essence, a misuse of the freedom that God has
blessed human beings with. If such misuse of freedom by a person
is not physically harmful to someone, then the person will not be
held punishable for his thoughts or beliefs. As is mentioned in the
Quran: “This is the truth from your Lord. Let him who will, believe in it,
and him who will, deny it.” (
The fact of the matter is that in the later period of Islam, the notion of
dawah, of calling people to God, disappeared. Muslims began thinking
that a person who does something wrong—whether in word or deed—
must be given stern punishment. But this concept is completely alien
to the Quran and Hadith. According to the Quran and Hadith, there is
punishment for social crimes, but for one who expresses his difference
through words, Muslims’ response should be in the form of exhortation
and counselling, and not punishment.
The notion of stern punishment emerged in the later period of Islam,
when Muslims had established their political empires. In the initial
period of Islam, the response to such a situation was different—
it was a peaceful, dawah-based response. But in the later period of
Islam, Muslims came to think that because they now exercised political
power, they had to reply to such a situation with force. This concept
was against the Quran. The Quran is completely based on the concept
of peaceful dawah, not on the principle of violent punishment. In this
matter, this verse of the Quran enjoys the status of a guiding principle:
“So, [O Prophet] exhort them: your task is only to exhort, you are not
their warden.” (
This verse of the Quran employs the word musaytir, which means a
warden, that it is to say someone who forcibly enforces something. In
this Quranic verse it is ordained, in absolute terms, that the Prophet’s
and believers’ responsibility is only to share wisdom with people in a
peaceful manner. Thus, the responsibility is not to enforce their ideas or
beliefs on others through coercion. They should not imagine that they
are warders over people. The above Quranic verse makes it eternally
binding that in matters of thought they have absolutely no right to use
force against others. Their responsibility is only to exhort people in a
spirit of genuine well-wishing. The result is totally the domain of God.
INTERACTION
Important for Development
THERE is a Hadith that appears in various books. In the words
of one narration, the Prophet is said to have remarked:
“A believer who engages with people and is patient when he
faces annoyance from them shall have greater reward than him who
neither interacts with others nor remains patient over the troubles
caused by them.” (Musnad Ahmad)
This Hadith stresses the importance of social interaction. A Hadith
commentator comments on this report in these words: “A life of
social interaction is better than a life of solitude.” (Tuhfat al-Ahwazi).
The superiority of a life of interaction is not just in an ethical sense.
More than this is the importance of such a life in terms of personality
development.
The benefits of
social interaction
can be had only by
someone who has
the spirit of learning,
someone who is able
to see things in an
unprejudiced and
objective way.
One can avail of the benefits of a life of
interaction only if one has the necessary
seriousness about life. One should be willing
to think deeply about things and to learn
from others. Then every interaction becomes
a means for intellectual development. When
one interacts with others, one faces different
sorts of experiences. One learns new things
from them. Interaction with others provides
a person the opportunity to reform his own
thinking. One gains the chance to expand
one’s knowledge. These benefits of social
interaction can be had only by someone who
has the spirit of learning, someone who is able to see things in an
unprejudiced and objective way. Such a person willingly acknowledges
others. He gauges views and opinions on the basis of truth, not on the
basis of whose views and opinions they are. He is what can be called a
‘complex-free soul’.
Sound Thinking
Anyone who wants to inculcate sound
thinking must avoid suspicion at all costs.
DEATH
Compulsory Break
ONE of the rules of government service is that if a government
servant goes on leave without first having obtained official
approval, the government has the right to consider his absence
a break in service. This means that his seniority will be affected; he will
lose all rights to the benefits of service, and will return to the status
which he had on day one of his appointment. He will, therefore, forfeit
all the rights of promotion due to him for all his past years of service.
A break in service will thus mean a demotion for him.
This principle, in the context of the history of mankind, applies to all
human beings, only on a larger scale, and may be termed a break in
history. In this world, everyone stands on the history he has carved
out for himself. He is born, he gradually grows up, then different
opportunities present themselves to him, by availing of which he
makes a history of his own and acquires for himself various kinds of
supports—a home, property, a family, circle of
friends, popularity, power, wealth, treasures,
etc. His history becomes his identity. He
knows himself through it. This happens with
every person. Everyone constructs his own
history—a never-ending struggle—and it in
turn is a bastion of strength for him.
Death comes to
everyone, as an
irrevocable part of
human fate, and it
mostly comes without
warning. Man is
then disconnected
from the stage of life
before death and is
taken on to the stage
of life after death.
But few have the opportunity to live on for
a lengthy period of time. Inevitably, within a
period of approximately a hundred years, the
moment called death comes suddenly. Death
comes to everyone, as an irrevocable part
of human fate, and it mostly comes without
warning. Man is then disconnected from the
stage of life before death and is taken on to
the stage of life after death. It is like having the entire history of one’s
deeds suddenly nullified, and returning to a state without a history.
The advent of death, an event which takes place in the life of every
person, may thus be called a break in history. Everyone devotes their
energies to constructing a world which will satisfy their hopes and
desires. Every person lives in a world of his own making. Then, all of a
sudden, death comes and compels them to leave this world and enter
a world for which they have made no preparation. One leaves behind the world so painstakingly built by them, only to find that the world
which lies ahead for them is a never-ending desert for which they were
not prepared. One who has lived all along in security and comfort is
suddenly confronted with having to live in a state of total deprivation.
The stage of life before death is not just the first but is also the final
chance for all human beings to bow to God’s will. They are not going—
at any later stage—to have a second chance. One who made use of
this chance only to provide himself with worldly comforts and luxuries
will be compelled to live in the stage of life after death divested of all
former material supports. For death will separate him from his past
history and he will never have another chance to make a new history.
How strange it is that man is losing the only chance he has today
of developing those virtues most desired for him by God and how
devastating it will be when, tomorrow, man will be in a total state of
deprivation, and it will not be possible for him to save himself from it.
Voice of the Conscience
Going against one’s conscience is
not very easy. It is this behaviour
that creates what is called tension
or stress. If you want to live with a
tension free mind, listen to the voice
of your conscience and follow it
without any reservation.
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
Tell My servants, those who are true believers, to keep up prayer and to
give alms secretly and openly out of what We have given them, before
the Day comes when there will be neither trading nor befriending.
(
When a man confronts troubles, he tries his utmost to save himself
from them; if he has friends, he uses their strength; if he has wealth, he
spends it in that connection. A man’s anxiety to save himself compels
him to rush towards both these solutions.
Prayer (salat) and spending (infaq) are, in fact, the worldly manifestations
of man’s feelings about the problem of the Hereafter. Prayer (salat)
is running towards God’s protection so that one may thereby save
himself from God’s wrath in the Hereafter. In the same way, openly
and secretly spending in this world is like donating one’s earnings for
the cause of God, so that it may become the means of obtaining relief
from the rigours of the Hereafter. In the Hereafter, one may wish to
spend, but one will have nothing with which one could ransom oneself
from the suffering there.
It was God who created the heavens and the earth. He sends down water
from the sky with which He brings forth fruits for your sustenance; He
has made ships subservient to you, so that they may sail across the
sea by His command; and has subjected the rivers to you.
He has also subjected to you the sun and the moon, both steadfastly
pursuing their courses. He has subjected to you the night as well as
the day; He has given you all that you asked of Him; and if you try to
reckon up God’s favours, you will not be able to count them. Truly man
is very unjust, very ungrateful. (
To the most wonderful extent, the present world bears testimony
to God’s existence. The rotation of stars and planets in the vastness
of space; the provision and sustenance for life on the earth, the
abundance of water; man’s ability to run his vehicles on land, sail on
water and fly in space; the earth’s being favourable to man with the
help of rivers and mountains; the regularity of the seasons and the
occurrence of day and night with the help of the sun and the moon—all
these are phenomena too great to be adequately expressed in words.
There is such perfect co-ordination between man and the universe that
every imaginable, or unimaginable necessity of man has already been
provided for here in abundance.
All these things are so wonderful that they should shake a man and
should overwhelm him with feelings of submission to God. In spite of
this, why, on seeing the universe, is he not filled with wonder and why
does he not tremble at the concept of the Creator of the universe? The
reason for this is that man sees the universe as soon as he is born. By
seeing it again and again he takes it to be an ordinary thing; he does
not find any uniqueness in it, and takes it for granted.
Moreover, when a man receives anything in this world, it appears to
be available to him through the ‘cause-and-effect’ process. On this
basis, he thinks that whatever he attains is due to his own diligence
and talents. That is why the feeling of gratitude to God, the Giver, does
not develop in him.
Money
If you make money your
sole concern in life, you are
underutilizing yourself. Money
of course is a necessity, but
its acquisition should not be
your sole purpose in life.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
I do not believe that one religion, conventionally
understood, is the only and complete truth to
which others must be ‘invited’. Kindly comment
on this.
According to Islam, God is one and also religion is
one. According to the Quran, God Almighty sent
His prophets to every nation and community.
There was no difference between religions
brought by different prophets. In terms of the
past, this is the position of different religions. Muslims have been
guided to believe in every prophet and the books they brought.
The Quran further guides us to the understanding that the teachings
of other prophets and the books they brought were not historically
preserved. While the Quran claims that it is a historically preserved
book.
Being born seekers every person seeks the true faith. In this path of
seeking he realizes that there are many different paths. This state of
affairs compels the seeker to compare and then take a final decision.
Islam lays down the principle that the basis for such a decision should
be history. It considers the historical criterion as the rational criterion
in this regard. As no prophet is alive today in the world, one can only
make history the deciding factor for which path to follow.
To illustrate this matter, I will give an example. Dr. Nishikanta
Chattopadhyay (1852-1910) was a Bengali scholar, born in Bengal and
settled in Hyderabad towards the end of his life. He was a learned
man who knew several languages. He studied many religions by
applying the above historical criterion. He found that although many
prophets came to the world, history tells that the books they brought
have not been preserved. Dr. Chattopadhyay realized that there was
only one exception in this matter and that was of the Prophet of
Islam, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, who was born in 570 CE in Makkah
and died in 632 CE in Madinah. Dr. Chattopadhyay discovered that
Prophet Muhammad was the only historical prophet and the book that
he brought is preserved to date without any changes. He has written
about this in his book, Why I Embraced Islam? He remarked when he studied the life of the Prophet Muhammad: ‘What a relief to find after
all a truly historical prophet to believe in!’
In the light of the above guidance from the Quran and the example of
a seeker, it is a matter of conviction to the person who wishes to follow
a chosen path.
As far as ‘inviting’ others is concerned, it is a natural desire of every
person to present before others what one believes in. This is true not
only in religion but in other secular concepts also. The only important
thing to understand, is that one should invite people with beauty and
wisdom and not try to enforce anything. According to the Quran, one
is only asked to convey the message, and gives man total freedom
to choose his action. A related verse says, there is no compulsion in
religion.
The second important fact is to present the message with humility and
not with a superiority complex. This is what can be called an intellectual
exchange. Parting from such discussions will leave one enriched with
different perspectives and a better understanding of points put forth
by those engaged.
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 )
