FROM MAULANAS DESK
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, born in 1925, in
Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is an Islamic spiritual
scholar who is well-versed in both classical Islamic
learning and modern disciplines. The mission of his life
has been the establishment of worldwide peace. He has
received the Padma Bhushan, the Demiurgus Peace
International Award and Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan
Peace award for promoting peace in Muslim societies.
He has been called ’Islam’s spiritual ambassador to the
world’ and is recognized as one of its most influential
Muslims1
. His books have been translated into sixteen
languages and are part of university curricula in six
countries. He is the founder of the Centre for Peace
and Spirituality based in New Delhi.
THE ROHINGYA MUSLIMS—ISSUE
OR NON-ISSUE
FROM the ninth century onwards, Arab traders have visited the
Rakhine state, formerly known as Arakan, on the western coast
of Myanmar. In the 9th century, a group of them even settled
there. As a result of interaction between these traders and the local
population, Islam gradually spread until a large part of the Rakhine
state became Muslim.
For centuries, the Muslims of Arakan lived peacefully with the rest of
Burma and had no separatist tendencies. However, in 1947, certain
emotional Muslim leaders tried to make a separate Muslim state out
of the region where the Rohingya people lived. They described their
efforts as ‘self-determination’. This movement picked up in pace and
many extremist Muslims took an active part in it. For the central
government of Myanmar, their actions were looked upon as a revolt. In
essence, it was a movement for separation from Myanmar.
Prior to the insurgency, the Rohingya Muslims had lived peacefully
alongside the other citizens of Myanmar. But the emotional speeches
made by the separatist leaders initiated a tendency towards separatism in the Rohingya. To curb their activities, the Myanmar government
took tough action and stern measures against them. According to the
leaders of Rohingya, these steps by the central government were an
act of “oppression”, but in the eyes of the government, this was merely
retaliation. Their response was designed to bring discipline to their
country.
In 1971 when Bangladesh was formed, it gave a kind of political boost to
the Rohingya leaders who further intensified their separatist activities,
due to which the Myanmar government also reacted more stringently
than before.
The present exodus of the Muslims from Burma began after 25
August 2017 attacks by members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation
Army (ARSA). They struck 30 police posts and an army base and then
maintained several days of ambushes, as Myanmar security forces hit
back. The army began its counter-offensive
in response to this violence perpetrated by
militant Rohingya.
This is the story of the Rohingya Muslims in
brief.
The solution to
the problem of the
Rohingya Muslims
is only one—that
is, acceptance
of reality. The
Rohingya Muslims
must disavow their
insurgency and
militant activities.
They should make it
known that they are
a larger part of the
Myanmar nation.
It was in 1966 when I was in Lucknow. I
remember that one day a Muslim scholar
came to me and said he was going to Burma
and would I accompany him? When I asked
why, he replied that a movement for the
formation of a Muslim state was going on in
Burma and that we too should lend our full
support to it. I strongly disagreed with his
suggestion. I explained to him that people
who thought like him might be trying to form
a state in the name of Islam but that such an
act would only lead to strife. I told him that I
disapproved of their method of proceeding, as a movement that took
shape in such a manner was not truly Islamic, and could only lead to
conflict and dispute. I told him that I could not endorse such a cause.
He became angry and left.
Since 1966, my opinion on the Rohingyas is that Rohingya Muslims
are not oppressed but their case is the outcome of ill-judged political
activities instigated by unwise leaders. If the whole picture were to be
seen, one would arrive at the conclusion that the Rohingya Muslims
are not victims of oppression, but are rather paying the price of their own unrealistic actions carried out under the influence of misguided
leaders.
Moreover, I would like to say that such a separatist movement would
be unacceptable to any country, even if it were given the euphemistic
name of ‘self-determinism’. For example, the Muhajir leaders of
Karachi once tried to make it an independent state, but the Pakistan
government strongly objected to this and took very stern measures
against these leaders, who had to flee the country and now live in exile.
The solution to the problem of the Rohingya Muslims is only one—
that is, acceptance of reality. The Rohingya Muslims must disavow their
insurgency and militant activities. They should make it known that they
are a larger part of the Myanmar nation. They should rid their hearts of
separatist tendencies. I am sure that the Myanmar government would
then accept them, and the whole issue would be peacefully resolved.
The separatist movement has only caused
a deterioration of the condition of the
Rohingyas to the point of ruination, although
prior to this they were living prosperously
in Myanmar. Indeed, the best interests of
the Rohingya Muslims lie not in wanting a
separate land, but rather in living as part of
the state of Myanmar. This is true both in the
religious and secular sense.
The Rohingya
Muslims should
know that, in this
world, friendship
and enmity are both
relative terms. If you
offer friendship to
another person, he
too will definitely
accept you as a
friend.
In 1934 I took admission in the Madrasah al-
Islah, an Arabic seminary in Azamgarh, for my
religious education. I had only one friend in
this seminary, one Abdul Rashid Rangooni
(i.e. he was from Burma). He was a very
decent person and had a very good opinion
about Burma of his time. Judging by the impressions I received from
him about the Burmese people, I would say that the blame for the later
actions which were taken against the Rohingya Muslims lies not with
the Burmese administration, but with the unwise Rohingya leaders who
fuelled violent activities in the region. In the course of this militancy,
outside leaders also participated, further worsening the situation.
But I personally know that the Burmese are very good people and will
certainly re-accept the Rohingya Muslims wholeheartedly, provided
the Rohingyas acknowledge their previous wrong actions and remain
faithful citizens of Burma.
The Rohingyas Muslims should know that, in this world, friendship
and enmity are both relative terms. If you offer friendship to another
person, he too will definitely accept you as a friend. This natural law
has been stated thus in the Quran: “Do good deeds in return for bad
deeds and you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your
dearest friend.” (
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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A SOULSTIRRING REMINDER
The Final Judgement
WHEN religion becomes part of a national tradition, a new
phenomenon comes into existence; ceremonies performed
in the name of religion increase, but true religion disappears
entirely. This is exactly the case with the Muslims today. The number of
people who pray is on the increase, but there are few who really fear
God. There is no lack of people who speak on behalf of Islam, but there
are few who will remain silent for the sake of their religion. Everyone is
sure of his own righteousness, but few acknowledge righteousness in
others. There are plenty who are ready to display their piety in public,
but few are really pious in private.
Muslims want to see Islam established in the whole world, but no
one has time to establish it in the individual self. Everybody has huge
reserves of fine words at his disposal, but few have any fine action to
offer. Everybody thinks they have the keys to Paradise, but few feel the
need to tremble in fear of Hell. Everybody is enthusiastic about Islam
when it is embellished with material grandeur, but no one is interested
in the Islam which shakes one’s soul and makes one live in awareness
of the afterlife. Never before in the midst of such a proliferation of
religious activities has there been such spiritual bankruptcy.
Everybody is
enthusiastic about
Islam when it is
embellished with
material grandeur,
but no one is
interested in the
Islam which shakes
one’s soul and makes
one live in awareness
of the afterlife.
According to the creation plan of God, in
this world of trial every man is free. It is
possible to torment one’s neighbour, yet still
be acclaimed for one’s piety. One may be
struggling for leadership, yet still be hailed
as a holy crusader. One may choose to be
unjust to those one deals with, yet still be
invited to preside over meetings whose aim
is to promote peace and justice. One may
be forgetful of God in private, yet in public
places be considered a representative of the
divine cause. One may be totally indifferent
to the plight of the oppressed, yet still find
a place in the headlines as a friend of the
downtrodden. One may only be spouting empty words, yet be given
credit for beneficent actions.
A true believer will ponder about the awe-inspiring day when God
sits in judgement. No one will be able to be defiant or proud. Those who were loquacious in the world will be rejected by God. Those who
were thought of as mighty and powerful in the world will be rendered
powerless. Those who feigned piety in the world will be exposed for
the impious beings they really were. People may hide behind artificial
appearances in this world. They may hide behind seductive words; they
may conceal their true nature behind material grandeur and splendour.
But they will be denied these things in the life to come. Everyone will
appear in his true garb.
A true believer will
ponder about the
awe-inspiring day
when God sits in
judgement.
Those who had been considered worthless
and rejected in the world will be raised in
value and accepted in God’s sight. Those
who had been considered weakest among
people will, by the grace of God, be given
great importance; it will be according to their
testimony that people will be sent either to
Heaven or hell. One who realizes the aweinspiring
nature of that day will suddenly be
reduced to silence; worldly honour will seem
to him as meaningless as worldly disgrace.
No facade, however perfect, can conceal man’s true nature from God.
But God keeps His superior knowledge hidden in this world and will
reveal it only in the Hereafter. The scales of God will be put into place
and everyone will be seen for what he is. There is no doubting the
coming of that day. No one will be able to postpone it or escape from it.
Wise are they who prepare for that day by placing themselves today on
the divine scales of justice; for those who are placed on them tomorrow
will be damned.
Control Your Anger
A strong man is not one who
overwhelms his opponent. A strong
man is one who controls himself when
he becomes angry
WHO CREATED GOD
Reasons to Believe
A COMMON argument from sceptics and atheists is that if all
things need a cause, then God must also need a cause. They
question, “Who made God? Something does not come from
nothing, so if God is a “something”, then He must have a cause?”
Another form of the argument is: “If we believe that the universe
was created by God—a Creator—then we must believe that God also
has a Creator. In this way there will be an endless series of Creators.
Hence, isn’t it better to believe that this universe came about without
a Creator?”
Such questions are inherently flawed because God, by definition, is not
in the category of things that are created or caused. God is uncaused
and uncreated—He simply exists.
How do we know this? We know that from nothing, nothing comes. So, if
there were ever a time when there was absolutely nothing in existence,
then nothing would have ever come into existence. But things do exist.
Therefore, since there could never have been absolutely nothing,
something had to have always been in existence. That ever-existing
thing is what we call God. God is the uncaused Being that caused
everything else to come into existence. God is the uncreated Creator
who created the universe and everything in it.
People who reject God, however, continue
to acknowledge and appreciate the universe
we live in. If we can accept that the universe
came about without a Creator—which in
any case is not rational—then, what is the
problem with accepting such a Creator (God)
without a creator? If we are ready to accept
and acknowledge creation or the universe
without a creator, then why can we not accept
a God without a creator?
God is the uncaused
Being that caused
everything else to
come into existence.
God is the uncreated
Creator who created
the universe and
everything in it.
Direct observational evidence for a Creator is impossible like for many
other scientific facts. It is neither with those who believe in a God nor
with those who deny God. However, indirect evidence of God ubiquitous
in nature and the universe is a valid reason and argument for belief in
God. Some of those evidences are presented briefly here below.
Origin of matter, space and time
It has been established that time and space had a coincident beginning.
The universe was created from nothing through or after a ‘Big Bang’.
The discovery of the ‘Big Bang’ is proof that time, space and matter are
temporal and not eternal. The universe appears to be an effect and,
thus, is seemingly dependent upon something outside of and beyond
itself (a transcendent causal agent). The universe therefore, implies the
need for a Creator or Originator outside of space-time.
Even if we refuse to accept a ‘God’, reason demands that we acknowledge
a Prime Mover or a power that caused the universe to happen. How
can we acknowledge the universe and fail to acknowledge the cause
of the universe? Feigning ignorance like many people do, is turning a
‘blind eye’ or ‘looking the other way’.
Order and design in the universe
After the Big Bang, the delicate balance of uniformity and irregularity in
the inflationary expansion of the universe, the balance of matter, dark
energy and dark matter that is responsible
for keeping the universe stable as it expands,
the perfectly tuned cosmological constant,
hydrogen and carbon formation, the earth’s
star, the sun’s luminosity, the forces and laws
in nature, the value of the various constants
that determine the nature of nature and
a million other features of the universe
demonstrate order and intelligent design.
The most elegant and
simple explanation
for reality is that of
an intelligent mind
designing a rational,
ordered universe that
produces intelligent
beings capable of
understanding that
universe.
This in itself establishes direction and
purpose in the formation of the universe
and consequently these are evidences for a
Designer, Director and Prime Mover.
Many physicists, cosmologists and scientists have acknowledged this
fact. For instance, Paul Davies says, “I concede that the universe at least
appears to be designed with a high level of ingenuity. I cannot accept
these features as a package of marvels which just happen to be, which
exist reasonlessly. It seems to me that there is a genuine scheme of
things—the universe is ‘about’ something.”
Fine tuning for life
Our unique planet Earth has been fine-tuned and custom-designed for
intelligent life—the earth’s atmosphere, the earth’s magnetosphere, earth’s geophysical history, water, vegetation, its position in the solar
system, its galaxy, its orbit, its axis, its satellite and a million other
features are evident to prove this.
How can such a formidably complex system of the universe come
about without a creative intelligence behind it? How can we refuse to
believe in an Organiser of an organised universe? The most elegant and
simple explanation for reality is that of an intelligent mind designing a
rational, ordered universe that produces intelligent beings capable of
understanding that universe.
God especially designed and crafted, through miraculous means,
planet earth, so that it would support life and human beings. The earth
is a product of divine design.
Physicist Lawrence Krauss’ in his book, A Universe from Nothing: Why
There Is Something Rather Than Nothing, treats the question of “First
Cause” as a serious argument against God:
Ultimately, many thoughtful people are driven to the apparent need for
First Cause, as Plato, Aquinas, or the modern Roman Catholic Church
might put it, and thereby to suppose some divine being: a creator of
all that there is, and all that there ever will be, someone or something
eternal and everywhere.
Nevertheless, the declaration of a First Cause still leaves open the
question, “Who created the creator?” After all, what is the difference
between arguing in favour of an eternally existing creator versus an
eternally existing universe without one?
The universe cannot
be self-caused—
nothing can create
itself, because that
would mean that
it existed before it
came into existence,
which is logically
not possible.
Krauss’s argument isn’t a very good objection
because God, unlike the universe, is the sort
of First Cause that accounts for His own
existence. God is an infinite being, the Creator
of time and space. It makes sense to say that
He always existed (since He’s necessarily
infinite). But the universe isn’t infinite, it’s
bound by time and space, and it had a
beginning.
Now, what if the questioner accepts that
the universe had a beginning, but not that it
needs a cause? Nevertheless it is self-evident that things that begin
have a cause—no one really denies it in his heart. All science and
history would collapse if this law of cause and effect were denied. Also,
the universe cannot be self-caused—nothing can create itself, because that would mean that it existed before it came into existence, which is
logically not possible.
As Aristotle cogently argued, there must be a reality that causes but
is itself uncaused (or, a being that moves but is itself unmoved). Why?
Because if there is an infinite regression of causes, then by definition
the whole process could never begin. And nothing is explained.
In conclusion, the choice we have is not between ‘the universe with
God’, and ‘the universe without God’. This is not an option. The real
option is between ‘the universe with God’ and ‘no universe at all’. We
cannot opt for the proposition “no universe at all”, since the universe
is too obvious a fact for us to deny its existence, therefore we have no
option but to accept the proposition of “the universe with God.”
A WORLD OF SECOND BESTS
Realistic Approach
ACCORDING to religious tradition, God created the human being
and settled him in Paradise. But after some time, man committed
a grave error and was sent down to earth.
In the beginning, God wanted to settle the whole of the human race in
Paradise, but after man sinned, God changed His plan. Thereafter, only
selected individuals would be allowed to enter Paradise. According to
this story of creation, we lost our initial advantage and since then only
the second best has been available to us. This story shows us the right
direction for our lives.
The human being is an idealistic creature by birth. Everyone tries to
find his ideal goal, one that is the very best for him. But it is a fact that
no one succeeds in doing so. If this is the case, what should we do? The
only course open for all men and women is to accept the second best
as the only available choice. This is the only way to have a tension-free
life in this world.
If you are not ready to accept the second best and you would
prefer to keep straining for the ideal, the result could well turn out
to be disastrous. For example, a certain lady, who was working in a
multinational company, failed to get promoted
for some reason. She fell into a state of deep
frustration and ultimately committed suicide.
There are many such cases of people failing
to find what they think is optimal, and then
they become deeply depressed.
The only course
open for all men and
women is to accept
the second best as
the only available
choice. This is the
only way to have a
tension-free life in
this world.
This kind of depression is due perhaps to
a lack of awareness of the law of nature. If
the lady in question, for instance, had been
aware that according to the law of nature,
only the second best was attainable for her
and that she (or others like her) had already
achieved that, the realization would have given her contentment and a
tension-free life. This principle applies not only to individuals but also
to nations.
The best principle to adopt in life is: Try, try by all means to achieve the
very best, but when you feel that you can only get the second best then accept it gracefully. Because if you remain in denial, and try to achieve
the acme of perfection, that will only land you in a worse predicament.
The same applies to nations. This is a competitive world and this could
be a formidable obstacle to everyone getting
the very best in life. In such a situation, the
only safe option is to accept the second best.
When you try to have the very best, then
you are compelled to engage in continuous
confrontation. The only risk-free option is
to accept the second best. So be a realist. If
you try to get the very best, it means your
approach is unrealistic, but if you accept the
second best, it means that you have opted
for a realistic approach. And in this world of
competition only a realistic approach can save you from disaster.
In this world of
competition only a
realistic approach
can save you from
disaster.
In short, the very best might be unachievable, while the second best
is always within your reach. It is a fact that everyone is an idealist by
birth, but you have to rein in your idealism and be content with the
second best. As a matter of practicality, there is no other option for you
in this world. This is the story of our lives: We tend to lose whatever
is second best on account of just one reason, and that is, our futile
pursuit of the very best.
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT IN RELIGION
Right Criterion
ONE principle of scientific study has been described in the Arabic
words tu’rafal ashya’ bi azdadiha, that is, ‘things are known by
their opposites’. It is through comparison that we understand
things the way they truly are.
If applied to the study of a terrorist mind, it will raise the question, why
are such destructive characters like terrorists born to religion and not
to science? When we ponder over this question, we will arrive at a very
important reality.
There are two basic branches of knowledge. One, the science of matter,
and the other, the science of mind. All branches of knowledge stem
from these two basic branches. The material, visible world is studied
under the rubric of the science of matter, while the unseen world is
studied under the rubric of the science of the mind. The science of
matter is based on observation and experimentation. Any knowledge
acquired through direct or indirect observation and experimentation
becomes a part of the science of matter. It is diametrically opposite to
the science of the mind where everything is based on speculation. That
is why the branches of knowledge related to the science of matter are
called exact sciences, whereas the branches of knowledge related to
the science of the mind fall into the category of speculative sciences.
There is a known and established way of settling differences in the
sciences of matter. That is why such differences do not escalate into
violence. However when differences develop in the field of the sciences
of the mind, it is not possible to reach a consensus. This is the reason
differences escalate leading to clashes and confrontation.
For instance, a common man sees the sun and the moon in the sky. It
appears to the naked eye that the sun and the moon are both equal
in size. The observer then forms the opinion that the sun and the
moon are equal in size and that there is no difference between the
two. However, modern astronomical instruments soon convince him
that the sun is far bigger than the moon. In this way, any doubts or
differences of opinion that anyone might have had about the size of the
sun and the moon immediately come to an end. This is how differences
are resolved in all the branches of the science of matter, paving the
way for its disciplines to make commendable progress.
Let us take an example relating to the science of the mind. A certain
person says that just as God is an omnipotent being with the power
to work miracles, similarly, those pious individuals who have gone to
their eternal rest too have comparable powers. In this way, he accords
a similar status to both God and to those regarded as saints. Then
another person claims that all power lies with God, no living or dead
person is invested with any kind of power. Now the views of both
differ and they start arguing to justify their respective stands. But their
differences cannot be resolved because there exists no such clearcut
criterion like a telescope or a microscope which may decide the
matter. Thus, the science of matter produces unity of opinion while the
sciences of the mind are reduced to a jungle of confusion.
Let us compare two examples to understand this issue. In olden times,
astronomers had different views regarding the solar system. Some were
of the opinion that the earth was the centre of the solar system and the
sun revolved around it, while others were convinced that it was the
other way round—the first group supported
the geocentric theory and the second the
heliocentric one. Through observation and
experimentation, a consensus was finally
arrived that the heliocentric theory was
correct.
According to Islam,
the human mind is
created for eternity.
It has the capability
to think and form
opinions freely. The
Islamic concept
of accountability
is related to this
freedom of thought.
Now let us consider the other example. For
thousands of years, man has been debating
the question of what happens to him after
death. Some are of the opinion that death
is the very end of a man, while some others
feel that there is life even after death. No
unanimity has ever been achieved on this
matter.
It has been a struggle with this seeming lacuna in the sciences of the
mind for many years. There was a strong desire to know whether just as
there was a clear criterion in the sciences of matter which is sufficient
to settle differences, was there any criterion in the sciences of the mind
which could settle differences similarly?
A study of the Quran offers the criterion. Due to this aspect of the
Quran it is called the standard or Muhaymin. (
There are three major categories of the sciences of the mind—
psychology, spirituality and religion. All three departments differ from
the departments of the sciences of matter. There is no external criterion
to give a concept an absolute form or a final shape. The Creator can only give a criterion. To illustrate this point let us take the three fields
of psychology, spirituality and religion then understand them one by
one.
Psychology is the study of human mind. However, so far, psychology
has not been able to understand the human mind completely. The
reason is that psychology does not have one definitive guide book. This
fact has been explained by Alexis Carrel in his book Man, the Unknown.
Among the many schools of psychology six are regarded as the major
ones. But the dominant school of thought is the one attributed to the
famous American psychologist John Bradus Watson (1878-1958). The
theory devised by Watson is called behaviourism. Today, although
behaviourism is not much in favour, it is still taught as a concept under
classical psychology. The essence of behaviourism is that man is not
made by nature, but by nurture. It holds that it is environmental events
that form man and not his mind. This view is totally opposite to the
Islamic concept of life. According to Islam, the human mind is created
for eternity. It has the capability to think and form opinions freely. The
Islamic concept of accountability is related to this freedom of thought.
But man’s position becomes totally different
from that of animals. As regards man, this
concept of behaviourism is based on a
misunderstanding. It regards a temporary
phase to be a permanent phase. It is true
that when a child is born it is influenced by its
environment, but this influence is superficial
not real. If these layers are removed, its
original personality will be revealed just as it
was at the time of its birth.
True spirituality is
that which leads
man to intellectual
development. It is
based on taking
lessons from God’s
signs spread in the
universe (Tawassum)
(
converting every
material event into a
spiritual lesson.
The teaching of the Prophet will help us to
understand this phenomenon. The Prophet
said that every child is born according to
nature, then he gets conditioned in the
environment he lives in. There are different
kinds of pressures in the environment which
influence his personality. This influence is called conditioning and
at times can be so strong as to suppress man’s true personality. He
then deviates from his original nature that he is born with. However
man possesses will power. His independent will power is a part of his
personality even after superficial conditioning. That is why it is always
possible for man to de-condition and return to the original nature he
was born with. The believers of behaviourism did not understand this reality. The Quran uses the word Tazkia which means purification. This
refers to the removal of the superficial conditioning to reveal man’s
true nature. Then the Quran gives the good news that “Paradise is for
those who purify themselves”. (
The second case is that of spirituality. Spirituality has existed in the
world in one form or the other for around five thousand years. But
studies tell us that, despite such a long period, spirituality has not
been able to make any noteworthy progress. It may be observed that
compared to spirituality, materialism has made tremendous progress
within a very short period of time. The goal of spirituality also, was
small. Spirituality for all practical purposes became a means of easing
tension. In today’s world, people usually live in tension and stress. In
the sphere of self-centred spirituality, people use different techniques
to stop the thought process which they think de-stresses them. If one
were to think deeply, one will realize that it is only a very temporary
relief.
The Quran has this explanation to offer to its sincere reader. It says
that man is bestowed with the capacity to think and this is what
distinguishes him from other creatures. True spirituality is that which
leads man to intellectual development. It is based on taking lessons
from God’s signs spread in the universe (Tawassum) (
converting every material event into a spiritual lesson.
The third case is that of religion. The history of religion is as old as
the history of man. However, religion has been reduced to a stagnant
state. It could not match the tremendous progress made by material
sciences. This was because within a few decades, degeneration set-in
amongst the followers. Etiquette, rituals and form came to be regarded
as religion and intellectual exercise was replaced with a set of rituals.
People regard rituals as synonymous with religion today. That is why
people fail to receive any benefit from religion. The reason terrorists are
surfacing from within religious circles is that religion has degenerated
into stagnant rituals. The thinking of religious people is not being
shaped by intellectual aspects of religion but it is being formed by
other factors like national and communal issues which have nothing
to do with God’s religion. Therefore if we are seeking to change the
situation and help people live God-oriented lives which is marked by a
well-wishing attitude towards humanity.
We must revive true spirit of religion. The source of true religion is not
a concept or a group, but the divine message of God and the teachings
of His Prophet.
PUTTING AN END TO SUPERSTITION
Islamic Revolution
AMONGST many others, a basic change brought about by
the Islamic revolution was similar in some respects to the
scientific revolution of modern times; that is, the rooting out of
superstitious thinking and the general prevalence of thinking based on
facts.
The continued existence of nature worship and superstitious
thinking in ancient times was due to the ignorance of human beings
regarding nature. Ancient man used to judge natural phenomena by
their appearance. Astounded by the power of nature and without an
understanding of natural phenomena, he began to hold them sacred.
It was this awe surrounding nature that gave rise in ancient times to
many stories, now called myths. On the basis of pure conjecture, man
developed many suppositions which, in the course of time, became
widespread beliefs, rooted in the human imagination.
In every age man has had a set of beliefs which moulded his thoughts
and deeds. In ancient times this set of beliefs was entirely based on
myths. The 7th century AD saw a change in
this pattern of thinking. Now importance
was attached to facts instead of superstition.
This revolutionary shift from superstition to
facts can be traced as a contribution of the
message of Islam. Anyone who understands
the pristine message of Islam from the Quran
and the teachings of the Hadith will realize
that the prevalent superstitions in the society
were understood as false and were shunned
by those who accepted the facts presented
by the Prophet. How did this happen? By the
simple fact that the message of Islam presented the concept of God
being the Creator of everything and that nature was to be explored
and God had to be worshipped. So, the awe surrounding nature was
replaced with a spirit of research and enquiry.
The Quran repeatedly
enjoins man to reflect
on the objects of the
universe thereby
inspiring one towards
scientific enquiry
In the wake of this revolution all those things which were held sacred
earlier were relegated to the status of mere creatures. They were there to
be harnessed by man and not for man to be enslaved by them. They were
entirely helpless beings, mere objects and not the masters of man.
Earlier as nature was placed upon a pedestal of sanctity it had completely discouraged an investigation of it. Without such investigation, scientific
and industrial progress was simply not possible. Here what Islam simply
did was to separate the Creator from the creation and gave a message
that nature was meant for us to make use of and to benefit from it.
In this way, it has happened that the phenomena of nature, looked
upon by ancient man with reverence, have now become objects of
investigation. The Quran repeatedly enjoins man to reflect on the
objects of the universe thereby inspiring one towards scientific enquiry.
This is no simple matter. The act of pondering over the nature of the
phenomena of the universe has been encouraged in Islam. This thinking
results in putting things in the universe to research and investigation.
The following example will illustrate the difference between science
and superstition presenting to the discerning reader the message of
Islam on the issue.
One of the phenomena of nature in our world is the eclipse: sometimes
the sun going into eclipse and at other times the moon. Today we have
discovered the astronomical laws governing these phenomena but, in
ancient times, man was ignorant of what these phenomena and their
causes actually were. Strange and wonderful stories on the basis of
conjecture were, therefore, concocted to bring them within the realm
of human understanding
The Chinese account of the eclipse and its ‘remedy’ is one of the more
fanciful.
When an eclipse occurred, the Chinese thought that the sun was being
swallowed by a huge dragon. The whole population joined in making as
much noise as possible to scare it away. They always succeeded! (Ian
Nicholson, Astronomy 1978)
Considering their ‘success,’ it is little wonder that the Chinese used the
same tactics with happy conviction on subsequent occasions. It is now
common knowledge that the dates and durations of such eclipses are
entirely calculable, just as the course of Halley’s Comet was entirely
predictable.
It was during this age of superstition that Islam had the following
teaching about eclipse. It so happened that the death of the Prophet’s
son Ibrahim, at the age of one and a half coincided with a solar eclipse.
The ancient belief still being prevalent that eclipses were caused by
the death of an important person, some of the inhabitants of Madinah
began spreading the story that the eclipse was due to the death of
the Prophet’s son. The Prophet, on hearing this, gathered his people together and explained the truth to them. This account of his is set
forth in two of the authentic books of Hadith, Muslim and Bukhari:
After praising and glorifying God he said: “Eclipses of the sun and moon
are not due to the death of any human being; they are just two signs
given by God. When you observe an eclipse, you should pray to God,
praise Him, ask for His mercy and blessings, and give something in
charity.”
The scientific way of thinking of the modern age initiated in the early
period of Islam, continued as a process, spreading from one country
to another until it reached the west where it saw its culmination in
the western world. In respect of its reality, this scientific thinking is a
revolution desirable by Islam itself. The Quran and the teachings of
the Prophet contain suggestions towards science and encourage its
adherents to undertake scientific pursuits.
The Prophet mentioned these suggestions as signs of God in the
universe, and the Quran has the following to say about these signs in
order to know Him as He is in the unseen:
We will show them our signs in the universe and within themselves, until it
becomes clear to them that this is the truth. (
A Dangerous Attribute
If you fail to immediately correct
a wrong way of behaving, it is very
possible that you will develop a taste
for this behaviour.
DEATHS LESSON
For those still Alive
AFTER the death of a person the body is washed and wrapped up
in a new sheet of cloth. People say the prayers that are recited on
such occasions, and then, lifting the corpse on their shoulders,
they head to an empty grave. They lower the body, with great respect,
into the grave and cover it up with mud. When one witnesses such
a scene one should ponder over the question as to “Why has Islam
ordained such honourable treatment for a dead body?”
The human body is useless after death, but is accorded a respectable
status and buried with full dignity. Burying it in mud is a commandment
directed not at the dead body, rather its significance is for those who
are still alive. Through a dead person an important lesson is conveyed
to living people—that they, too, will meet the very same fate one day.
In this way, the living can see themselves in the form of the dead. They
can experience death before death arrives.
A man who was a living being like any of us is now dead. Just the other
day, he was walking, talking, seeing, and doing so many things, but now
he lies perfectly still. The value he commanded in people’s eyes has
suddenly been completely wiped out. God
uses this event to convey a lesson about life
to others.
Through a dead
person an important
lesson is conveyed to
living people—that
they, too, will meet
the very same fate
one day.
When a Muslim dies, people wash and clean
and clothe a corpse with great care and carry
it to the grave that awaits it. And when they
lower the corpse into the grave, each of them
takes a handful of mud and puts it in the
grave. They do this three times. While doing
it the first time, they say Minha khalaqnakum
(“From the earth We have created you”). When
throwing in the mud the second time, they say Wa fiha nuidukum (“And
We return you to it”). And the third time, they say Wa minha nukhrijukum
taratan ukhra (“And from it We shall bring you forth a second time”).
This putting of mud in the grave three times is the climax of the whole
event. In this way, it serves to remind us of the reality of man and of
our final destination in the Heareafter.
GOODNESS IN EVERY SITUATION
Win Win
Strange are the ways of a believer, for there is good for him
in every situation. And this is not true for anyone except for a
believer. If he has an occasion of happiness, he is grateful, thus
this happiness becomes good for him. If a difficulty befalls him,
he keeps patience over it, and so the difficulty becomes good
for him. (Sahih Muslim)
THE conduct of a person other than a man of faith is very different.
If he experiences an occasion for happiness, he is filled with
pride. On the other hand, if he faces a difficult situation, he
falls prey to despair. Both these conditions are equally unwanted. In
contrast to this, if a man of deep faith experiences joy, his heart is
filled with gratitude. And if he is faced with a difficulty, he accepts it,
regarding it as God’s Will. In the light of this, reflect on this Quranic
verse (
As for man, when his Lord tests him, through honour and blessings, he
says, “My Lord has honoured me,” but when He tests him by straitening his
means of livelihood, he says, “My Lord has disgraced me.”
In this world, what is truly important is not whether the circumstances
of your life are good or bad. What is of real importance is that no
matter what the conditions, you should draw sustenance from them
for establishing a close bond with God. Every experience in life should
become a means for you to grow closer to God. You should continue
to draw divine food from every situation. You should discern God’s
glory in every observation of nature and the universe. Every pleasant
experience of life should remind you of God’s mercy, while every bitter
experience should lead you to grow in God-consciousness. Failure
should lead you to remember God, and success should take you closer
to Him.
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
BREAKING A PERSON’S HEART
THE petal of a flower and the feather of a bird are very beautiful,
but at the same time both are very delicate. Merely touching
them with the hand can cause a disturbance in their pleasing
structural form. This phenomenon is an indication that the Creator of
the petal and the feather possesses subtle aesthetic tastes. He desires
that human beings should behold and appreciate His beautiful creation,
but not trample on or treat it destructively. The Creator wants man to
draw nourishment from nature for his soul, but at the same time He
does not want man to pass on his filth and dirt to the constituents of
his natural environment.
In this world created by God, there is something even more fragile and
delicate than a petal or a feather, and that is, the human heart. There
is nothing in the world tenderer than a person’s heart. Hence, someone
who breaks the heart of another person will be considered guilty of
committing a grave crime in God’s eyes. A person who tramples on and
crushes with his feet an artist’s splendid artwork will have, according
to the artist, committed an enormous crime. But guiltier of a greater
crime is one who tramples on another person’s heart, destroys his
peace of mind and indulges in activities aimed at jeopardizing his work.
Those persons who witness these happenings but do nothing have an
equal share of responsibility as the one who is directly guilty of wrong
behaviour. They do not take any action to stop the oppression by the
wicked nor do they expend their capabilities in defending the ones who
are being wronged.
Most guilty of crime are those who take up leadership roles in the name
of bringing their community out of its state of oppression, however,
when an individual from their community presents himself with an
issue, they make no effort to alleviate his difficulty. In their speeches,
these leaders claim that when a helpless member of their community
raises his voice for help, other people of the community should not rest
content unless they have relieved him of his hardship. However, when
a grieving person actually does cry out towards them for help, they
have no urge to provide support and comfort to him.
Way of the Flower
Man should live in the world in the
way that the flowers do—giving off
a sweet fragrance even to those who
give nothing but abuse.
TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE
We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this is
a very narrow and restricted notion of peace. Peace is
deeply linked with the entirety of human life. Peace is
a complete ideology in itself. Peace is the only religion
for both—man and the universe. It is the master-key
that opens the doors to every success. Peace creates a
favourable atmosphere for success in every endeavour.
Without peace, no positive action—small or big—is possible.
THE POWER AND PRICE OF PEACE
ACCORDING to a Hadith, “God grants to gentleness what He
does not grant to harshness.” That is to say, peaceful activism
is distinctly superior to violent activism. There is nothing
mysterious about the point made in this Hadith. This is a simple and
a well-known fact of life. In a situation of war and violence, feelings of
hatred and enmity flare up between the two sides and, in the process,
the existing resources are destroyed. People from both sides get killed
and the entire society turns into a jungle of negative feelings. It is quite
obvious that in such an atmosphere no constructive and consolidated
work can be done. There is nothing to be achieved in war and violence,
save death and destruction.
On the contrary, an atmosphere of peace enables normal relations to
be established between people. Feelings of love and friendship prevail
in such a situation. In a favourable atmosphere constructive activities
flourish and the existing resources can be used for development or
other activities. A positive bent of mind will prevail which will help
develop academic and intellectual undertakings.
The greater ill-effect of war is that it limits opportunities whereas
the greatest benefit of peace is that it opens up opportunities to the
ultimate extent. War invariably results in further loss, while peace
invariably results in further gain. That is why Islam teaches us to avoid
war and confrontation at all costs and commands us to establish peace
to the greatest possible degree.
Everything has a price attached to it. You can acquire a particular thing
only when you are ready to pay for it. In this world, you simply cannot
get what you want without paying its appropriate price. This holds true
for peace as well. Peace, too, has its price. An individual or group can
obtain peace when one pays its price. What is the price of peace? It is
to tolerate loss.
This fundamental truth is narrated in the Quran (
words:
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. Those who say, when afflicted with a calamity,
‘We belong to God and to Him we shall return,’ are the ones who
will have blessings and mercy from their Lord: it is they who are
on the right path!
This verse of the Quran tells us about a basic
fact of life. According to the law on the basis
of which this world has been created, it is
necessary that people will face different kinds
of loss. Sometimes, they will face challenges
from others. At other times, they may face
economic loss. Sometimes, they may become
victims of some accident or the other. At other
times, they may be denied what they consider
to be their right. Every person undergoes
such unpalatable experiences sometime
or the other in their lives. This is entirely in
accordance with the law of nature. In such
a situation, if people do not tolerate their
losses, it will easily result in violence. If they
accept and tolerate their losses, it will enable
them to live in peace.
An atmosphere
of peace enables
normal relations
to be established
between people.
Feelings of love and
friendship prevail
in such a situation.
In a favourable
atmosphere
constructive activities
flourish and the
existing resources
can be used for
development or other
activities.
To patiently accept and tolerate loss is not
tantamount to defeat. Rather, it is something
that requires great courage and boldness. It is to voluntarily accept
reality. It is to remain aware that even though one may have suffered
some loss, one still has many resources left, on the basis of which one
can rebuild one’s life.
If one keeps patience and tolerance in the face of loss, one saves
oneself from losing balance. Despite a temporary setback, one is able to still retain the ability to view things in a balanced and pragmatic
way and to make new life-plans. Forgetting what one has lost; one is
able to carry on with one’s purpose in life on the basis of what one still
has. One saves oneself from hopelessness, and with wisdom, is able to
surge ahead in life.
In life, after every evening a new morning dawns. This world is full of
potentials and possibilities. Here, if you lose one opportunity, you can
gain another one. If you miss one step, another step leading to a new
door, opens up to you. In this way, if a certain plan fails, one can always
make a new plan to carry on with life’s purpose.
The fact of the matter is that in this world bad
news always comes along with good news.
Every accident silently gives us the good news
that we must not be disheartened, and that
instead, mustering our courage, we should
search for new opportunities. If we respond
in this positive way, then nature itself gives us
the good news that our loss is not permanent.
It tells us that we can very soon rebuild our
lives—and in a better way than before. It
conveys to us that we can convert what seems
to be our defeat into a new and brighter
future.
To patiently accept
and tolerate loss
is not tantamount
to defeat. Rather,
it is something
that requires
great courage and
boldness.
Those who do not accept loss fall prey to negative thinking and so
make their lives into an enormous burden. In doing so, they themselves
become a burden on others. On the other hand, those who respond
with patience and courage can build a new mansion on the ruins of the
past. They search and discover a new dawn after a dark evening, in the
light of which they carry on with their life’s journey unimpeded.
Universe with God
The choice for us is not between a
universe with God, or a universe without
God. It is rather between a universe with
God, or no universe at all.
THE SPIRIT OF SALATH PRAYER
Purification
ACCORDING to a verse in the Quran, in the Hereafter those who
are cast to Hell will be asked: “What has brought you into the
Fire of Hell?” and they shall reply, “We were not among those
who prayed.” (
In order to understand the Quran, it is important to bear this rule in
mind: Some verses of the Quran help clarify other verses. Therefore,
to understand the above verse, consider another verse of the Quran,
which says: “Paradise is for those who purify themselves.” (
This means only those people will be held deserving of Paradise who
undertake the purification of their personalities in this world. This
process of purification is called tazkiya.
Salath (Prayer) Helps in Tazkiya
When we reflect on both these verses, we realize that salath which does
tazkiya of the believers, and not merely a spiritless salath is what will
take one to Paradise. If one performs salath with spirit, only then will
one’s salath serve to purify one’s inner being. If salath is performed
merely as a set of rituals, it will certainly not have any impact on a
person’s character or personality. What actually is the spirit of salath
or salat?
To understand this we need to consider what is recited during the fivetime
daily prayer that Muslims are required to observe.
Three phrases are recited often. These are: Alhamdulillahi rabbil
alameen, Allahu Akbar and As-salam alaikum wa rehmatullah.
These three phrases represent the spirit of salath, and they can be
rephrased as: Hamd (praise of God), Takbir (glorifying God) and Salamati
(peace and security). A believer who incorporates these three in his life,
in the true sense, will be able to purify his personality such that he may
be held deserving of Paradise.
Praise of God
When we offer prayer, in every unit of prayer we read Surah Fatiha,
which is the first chapter of the Quran. The Surah Fatiha begins with the
words: ‘Alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen’ meaning, ‘All praise be to God,
the Lord of the universe’. Generally, people have translated hamd as
‘praise’. However, the best meaning is given by the scholar Hamiduddin Farahi as shukr. Thus, in the very beginning of salath, a worshipper
acknowledges that all gratitude is for God alone.
Our entire life is full of things which call for thankfulness to God, we could
begin with our own faculties of speech, hearing, thinking etc. Hearing
for example is possible because of the presence of air, which acts as a
medium for the transfer of sound waves. In the absence of air, sound
could not have travelled and we would have not been able to hear.
For further thankfulness one could remind
oneself of modern means of communication,
which has made it possible to be heard and
to hear others from distant locations. Both
these phenomena are a source of offering
of gratitude to God. It implies that God not
only provided air to enable communication
between people who are near to each other,
but also made nature in such a manner that
we could develop technology through which
the entire globe can potentially listen to what
one has to say. Even kings in earlier times did
not have the luxury of speaking and being
heard by all: they had access only to people
physically near them.
Those who truly
believe that God
is the greatest will
have an outburst of
thankfulness for Him
and will mention His
glory and greatness
when they speak,
instead of speaking
about the complaints
they have of others.
Since the twentieth century, Muslims kept lamenting about the loss
of the Abbasid, Ottoman and Mughal Empires. The focus of Muslims
since these empires collapsed has been to regain their lost glory.
But in reality, they could not regain what they had lost. A more grave
aspect of this tendency in Muslims was that as a result of their desire
to get back what they lost, they started living in a sense of deprivation.
Instead of living a life of gratitude and thankfulness to God for what
they already have, Muslim psyche came to be marred by the feeling of
loss and deprivation.
So although Muslims observe salath, and utter the phrase Alhamdulillahi
rabbil alameen, in reality they do not live with the spirit of true gratitude.
A person who yearns after something he does not have and fails to
regain it will naturally lament over it and become sorrowful, instead of
living with the feelings of thankfulness to the Creator. Though Muslims
perform the prescribed five-times salath, in truth their lives are devoid
of the spirit of thankfulness or shukr.
The Prophet had predicted this scenario of the Muslim community. He
had once said: “A time will come when mosques will be full [of people],
but devoid of guidance.” (Mishkat al-Masabih)
When the worshippers live in a sense of loss, how can they at the same
time also have feelings of gratitude for the Creator?
Glorifying God
During salath the phrase Allah Akbar is repeated several times. It means
‘God is Greatest and His Glory is foremost.’ In reality, however, Muslims
do not live in the glory of God. Often Muslims are heard saying: ‘Israel
and America are oppressing us. Or so-and-so is conspiring against us’.
Those who utter these words are considering ‘Israel’ or ‘America’ to be
greater than God.
The greatest harm done by the feeling of
loss is that it makes one devoid of the glory
of God. While the complaint that one has is
apparently against a human being, in reality
the one who complains is silently declaring
that he is bereft of the acknowledgement of
the glory of God. Those who truly believe that
God is the greatest will have an outburst of
thankfulness for Him and will mention His
glory and greatness when they speak, instead
of speaking about the complaints they have
of others.
Paradise is a place
where we will get to
see and talk to God.
Paradise is a place to
meet God.
Peace and Well-Wishing for Others
Salath ends with the worshipper turning to his left and right and
uttering the words: As-salam alaikum wa rehmatullah (May peace and
the blessings of God be with you!) Who are we saying this to? The
worshipper says this to all human beings who reside on earth. The
worshipper addresses all mankind: ‘O people! May there be peace and
mercy on you! My heart is full of well-wishing for you!’
But again if you read the articles penned by Muslims or attend any of
their meetings, you will realize that their speech is filled with the hatred
for other human beings. In mosques, Muslims call down God’s curse on
others—an act which is entirely and highly un-Islamic.
Therefore it is only salath performed in the right spirit that will take a
person to Paradise. This is the salath which inculcates in the worshipper
true thankfulness to God, makes him live in the glory of God, and lastly
develops in him feelings of peace, compassion and well-wishing for
fellow human beings.
Salath—A Training Course in Character Development
When Umar was the second Caliph and the Muslims had to engage
in battle with the Sassanid Empire, there was a covered area for
holding prayer in congregation. On one of the days before the battle,
Caliph Umar led the prayer of all the Muslims present in this hall. The
Iranian General at that time was Rustam. When he saw the Muslims
offer prayer, he remarked: “We cannot win against Umar, because he
teaches character and discipline to his people!” Rustam realized that
salath was something that inculcated high character in those who
observed it. This is the true salath, while the one that is performed only
as a set of rituals and which does not impact one’s real life cannot be
the salath that takes one to Paradise. Salath initiates a process in one’s
life which leads to the development of such character and personality
which make one worthy of inhabiting Paradise.
According to a hadith: “One who observes the morning (fajr) prayer will
come under the guarantee of God.” (Sahih Muslim). What is the meaning
of this hadith? How can one who prays in the morning be guaranteed
God’s protection?
The fact is that fajr salath is the beginning of the process of character
building. When you read salath in the morning it is like taking a pledge
to instil the spirit of salath in yourself. You take a pledge to follow this
spirit during the rest of your day. You decide to live in gratitude for
God, undertake the process of tazkiya, aiming to purify yourself of
negativities and becoming a positive person.
Then the prayers offered during the day—Zuhr
and Asr—are meant as mid-day reviews of the
pledge you had undertaken in the morning.
In companies and organizations, there is an
annual review system in which they make an
analysis of the profit or loss they may have
incurred during the year. God has instituted a
mid-day review system so that during the day
a believer can review what he had promised
to God in the morning.
Salath is not about
repeating empty
rituals or forms,
rather it is meant as
character-training for
the individual.
At the end of the day, when one prays at night (Isha), one engages in
introspection. The night prayer is meant for the believer to introspect
and understand whether he really spent his day in the spirit of salath;
whether he adhered to the lessons he had learnt in the morning prayer.
When the believer wakes up in the morning on the next day, he observes
the same course. Thus, salath is not about repeating empty rituals or
forms, rather it is meant as character-training for the individual.
What is Paradise?
A verse in the Quran tells us about the people of Paradise: “Whoever
obeys God and the Messenger will be among those He has blessed:
the messengers, the truthful, the witnesses, and the righteous. What
excellent companions these are!” (
of the best character from the whole of human history. The present
world is meant for training in the development of a character that
makes one deserving of Paradise.
At one place in the Quran it is said that Prophet Moses urged God
in these words: “My Lord, show Yourself to me so that I may look at
You.” (
being. Moses said these words on behalf of all humanity. Every person
has the deep yearning to see God, the Creator who created them. Just
as a father longs to see his son, similarly a human being has an even
greater wish to directly observe and speak to the One who created
him. Paradise will be the place where this desire in every human being
shall be fulfilled. The Prophet said that the people of Paradise will be
enjoying the blessings God bestowed on them. Then God will manifest
Himself and on beholding God’s glory and majesty, they will forget all
the blessings they had been enjoying.
Paradise is a place where we will get to see and talk to God. Paradise is
a place to meet God. This is a place where people will meet God, reside
in His neighbourhood and have the companionship of the best people
from all of human race. This is why the Quran says: “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 God-fearing.”
(
Paradise has been promised to a person who prays (salath).
We should know that if our prayer has to make us eligible for the
Paradise described above, it has to be a prayer which elevates the person
to the loftiest level of character befitting to be in the neighbourhood
of God.
EVERY SITUATION IN LIFE IS A TEST
Comforts and Hardships
A COMMON phenomenon observed when people get palatial
homes built for themselves is the display of words put up in
frame outside their home: “This is by the grace of my Lord.”
Apparently, the owner means that the house he possesses is a blessing
bestowed on him from God or a gift given to him by God. But this is not
the correct or complete meaning of these words.
The phrase “this is by the grace of my Lord” has appeared in the
Quran in Chapter al-Naml. These are the words spoken by the Prophet
Solomon. The context given in the Quran is that when the Queen of
Sheba entered Solomon’s royal court, he demanded the jinns of his
kingdom to bring to him her crown all the
way from Marib in Yemen to Jerusalem in
Palestine. One of the jinns who was under
Solomon’s command accomplished this feat
in the twinkling of an eye. When Solomon
saw this extraordinary feat of the Queen’s
crown being so swiftly placed before him, he
exclaimed: “This is by the grace of my Lord,
to test whether I am grateful or ungrateful.”
(
The real gift that
God bestows on a
person in the present
world is, therefore,
the ability to show
gratitude when
in comfort and to
remain patient when
faced with troubles.
If we keep all of Solomon’s words before
us, we will realize that he had taken God’s
“grace” as a means of putting him to the test.
According to him, this special blessing of God upon him was to test if he
would acknowledge His bounties and humble himself before God, or if
he would become arrogant and haughty.
In truth, believers will receive God’s gift in the world Hereafter. Whatever
a person gets in this world is only meant to test him; its real purpose
is to test a person and not to bestow anything upon him. From this
perspective, the comforts and luxuries of this world are, in essence, the
same as the difficulties and hardships—both situations are meant to
examine a person. One is required to be grateful to God when he enjoys
well-being and to exhibit patience when he experiences problems.
The real gift that God bestows on a person in the present world is,
therefore, the ability to show gratitude when in comfort and to remain
patient when faced with troubles.
ABSTAINING FROM BASENESS
Noble Character
A BELIEVER makes mistakes, but does not stoop to baseness.
Mistakes are often made in sudden fits of emotion, but, when
the passion cools, one becomes conscious of the error and feels
ashamed of one’s own wrongdoing. The next step is to seek out the
wronged person, beg forgiveness and make amends. If compensation
can be given, well and good. If not, one should pray: “Lord forgive
my mistake and accept this salutary prayer from me on behalf of the
person I have wronged!”
A person with a mean character would
behave in quite a different way. A person
who has stooped so low feels neither shame
nor any urge to make amends for what has
passed. In fact, he would be happy to see his
opponent suffer more. If he has a grievance
against someone, he is not satisfied merely
with a severance of relations, but does his
utmost to lay that person low. He makes
slanderous accusations and concocts vicious
plots against him. He does not just point out
a person’s errors; he seeks to discredit that
person completely and isolate him from the rest of society. He tries to
undo whatever his enemy has accomplished and bring all his gain to
nought. This shows a lack of magnanimity and, as such, is unbecoming
of a believer.
Refusal to admit
one’s faults is
contemptible. It is
likewise despicable
to favour one’s own
kith and kin, while
treating others with
disdain.
Refusal to admit one’s faults is contemptible. It is likewise despicable
to favour one’s own kith and kin, while treating others with disdain. A
base person cannot rise above envy and vindictiveness. Such a person
is far away from God.
Reason for Failure
The cause of man’s failure often lies in
his failure to recognize major threats and
his determination to concentrate all his
efforts on minor dangers.
REALIZATION OF TRUTH
Mirror of Reality
THE human mind is a mirror of reality. Everyone knows the
function of a mirror: it reproduces anything that is placed in
front of it. The image it produces corresponds exactly to the
reflected object, leaving nothing out and adding nothing of its own. So
it is with the human mind. When reality is placed before this mirror, it is
reproduced exactly. The image of truth which is reflected in the human
mind is exactly the same as that which stands before it. It recognizes
the truth for what it is, and accepts it as such.
This being the case, why is it that truth comes before many people,
yet they fail to accept it? The answer to this question is that it is
always personal attachments and commitments that prevent one
from accepting truth. There can be no sound
reason for denying the truth; those that
do so are motivated by their attachment to
something else which prevents them from
attaching themselves to truth.
The only ones who
can succeed in the
search for truth are
those who forsake
everything else and
give themselves up
to it entirely when it
comes before them.
If a third object is placed in between a mirror
and the thing that is meant to be reflected,
then the image will be obscured. So it is with
truth and the human mind. If something else
comes in between the two, then the image
of truth that should be cast on to the mind
becomes obscured. It is essential, therefore,
that nothing should be allowed to come in between oneself and truth:
there should be nothing to prevent one from accepting it. This is a
basic precondition for realizing the truth, yet it is one that people are
usually unable to fulfil. All too often they let something else come in
between themselves and the reality that has been placed before the
mirror of their minds.
Sometimes it is people to whom one is attached who come in the way of
truth. Sometime it is self-interest, or some other commitment. In every
day and age people have let some unconnected thing come in between
themselves and truth, with the result that they remained bereft of what
should have been lodged in their souls.
Abu Jahl was a major opponent of the Prophet Muhammad. He failed to
accept the truth due to concern for his own power and position. Taif was one of the places that the Prophet visited in his early days in Makkah.
The people of Taif refused to accept the truth that he presented before
them because he appeared to them to be an insignificant person. How
they thought, is truth being taught by one who does not rank high
among the mighty of this world?
The reason for them doing so was their superiority complex. The Roman
Emperor Heraclius showed clear signs of recognizing the truth. Yet he
did not accept it, the reason being that he did not want to become
isolated from his people: In each case the truth had been recognized.
There was no sound reason for these people’s denial, only their blind
commitments to something else which they could not break away from.
Truth only accepts one who has accepted it without any reservation,
who has given himself entirely up to it. Those who are attached to
something else which they cannot break away from can never find truth,
for they cannot give it the attention it demands. The only ones who can
succeed in the search for truth are those who forsake everything else
and give themselves up to it entirely when it comes before them.
WHEN A NATION SUFFERS DECLINE
Changelessness
IN ancient times when the Jews underwent political decline, they
decided to fight to regain their lost political power. At that time,
in the words of the Old Testament, their messenger Jeremiah
admonished them: “Say to the king and the queen mother, ‘Humble
yourselves and sit down, for your rule shall collapse, the crown of your
glory.” (Jeremiah 13: 18)
Here, the example of ancient Jews has been taken to point out that it is
a common phenomenon that communities see a period of ascendency,
but after that also experience a state of decline: after enjoying political
supremacy, they have to face a period of political subordination. This
happens according to the law of nature. When a community or nation
goes through this transition, it is required of
it to accept the change. Refusing to accept
this state of affairs may lead it toward further
destruction.
Change in society
is initiated by
making efforts to
bring about change
in the individuals
who constitute the
society, and not by
trying to magically
cause change to
happen at the level
of the whole society
at once.
The truth is that political power is not the
monopoly of any particular group. A certain
group receives political authority due to its
necessary competence. So long as a nation
has the required capability, it will remain in
possession of political power. But if it loses
this capability, its grip over political power will
loosen and go into the hands of another. When
this happens, it is essential for the nation to
work to regain its lost competence instead of
engaging in futile conflict with others.
The Quran speaks about this law of nature in these words:
God does not change the condition of a people’s lot, unless they
change what is in their hearts. (
In this verse, “condition of a people’s lot” refers to the collective state of
people while, “what is in their hearts” refers to the state of an individual
person. That is, a community or nation as a whole can undergo change
only if the individuals who form it have undergone this change. If a
nation finds that it is suffering decline at the collective level, it must
determine the cause for this deterioration within the people who
together make the nation. This is because a nation’s collective situation can be transformed only by changing the character and attitude of the
people comprising it.
Change in society is initiated by making efforts to bring about change
in the individuals who constitute the society, and not by trying to
magically cause change to happen at the level of the whole society
at once. Any action that is taken at the level of the entire society will
only be considered a leadership feat and not any serious step aimed at
reformation of a nation or community.
THE PROBLEM OF STRESS
Solution lies in the Remembrance of God
THESE days everyone complains of stress. This situation has
produced experts in de-stressing, but these experts have
only complicated the problem. One common solution for destressing
is to take a break from work and go sightseeing. This formula
has increased tourism, but it has totally failed to make people free of
stress. There is the widespread notion that the holiday culture has only
added a new item to the list of stressful things and that is holiday stress.
Why this failure to manage stress? The real problem is that modern day
stress is intellectual in nature, while people are trying physical means
to de-stress themselves. The nature of the present problem entails that
we find an intellectual solution.
In this regard the Quran has this to say: “Those who believe and
whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of God—surely in the
remembrance of God hearts can find comfort.” (
Remembrance of God means finding a high level on which to lead one’s
life. That is, engaging in what is called ‘big bird’ thinking in symbolic
language. Trying to find a solution for de-stressing at the same level
at which the problem has been produced is
futile. Such a formula is not at all workable.
Remembrance of God is the only workable
formula because it is an elevated formula.
This provides a higher level to lead one’s life
than that of the problem. The formula of
remembrance of God, in secular terms, can
be called positive thinking. Remembrance of
God is the religious term for positive thinking.
Both these terms in their nature are one and
the same. Positive thinking is an expression
of a developed personality.
Remembrance of
God means finding a
high level on which to
lead one's life. That
is, engaging in what
is called ‘big bird’
thinking in symbolic
language.
In the material world of nature there are models of positive thinking
for example, the rose plant. In the branches of the rose plant there are
flowers as well as thorns. But there is no conflict between the two. The
flowers and the thorns have learnt the art of peaceful living. Man must
adopt this physical model in his life and then he will find that stress has
suddenly disappeared from his life.
There is another aspect of the problem of
stress. Stress is not an evil. Stress is a boon.
Stress engenders a sort of energy—stressenergy.
It is the manner of its utilization that
makes it good or bad, positive or negative. If
you have a developed mind, you can divert
your stress energy towards positive thoughts
rather than negative thoughts.
Stress is a boon.
Stress engenders
a sort of energy—
stress-energy. It
is the manner of
its utilization that
makes it good or bad,
positive or negative.
Whether or not one finds certain situations
stressful largely depends upon one’s mental
attitude towards them. They may not in
themselves be stressful, but only require a calm appraisal of the
situation to be resolved rather than preoccupation with one’s own
symptoms of stress. The best aid to such a course of action is the
remembrance of our Creator.
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 AD. 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
Ha Mim A revelation from [God], the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
a Book whose revelations are well expounded, an Arabic Quran for
people who possess knowledge, proclaiming good news and a warning.
Yet most of them turn away and so do not listen. And they say, ‘Our
hearts are encased against that to which you call us, and there is a
heaviness in our ears, and there is a barrier between us, so do as you
will and so shall we.’ (
The call of a prophet is the pure call of religion. However, people mostly
follow the religion of their forebears. Their thinking is dominated by
their national traditions and contemporary mores. For this reason, the
prophet’s unadulterated religion does not fit the pattern or mould of
their thought. He appears a stranger to them. This difference acts as a
mental barrier between the prophet and the common people. Unable
to see the prophet’s call in its proper perspective, they are not prepared
to accept it.
The prophet’s call is in itself extremely rational. It is in itself a proof
that it has come from God. But the aforesaid mental barrier proves so
impregnable that a man is unable to penetrate it in order to grasp the
meaning of the prophet’s call. Thus God opens the doors of His Grace
to man, but he does not pass through them.
Say, ‘I am only a human being like yourselves. It has been revealed
to me that your God is One God. So take the straight path to Him
and ask His forgiveness.’ Woe to those who associate others with Him,
who do not pay the zakat, and who deny the Hereafter. ‘The ones who
believe and perform good deeds shall have a reward which will never
be withheld from them.’ (
Whenever the call for Truth is issued, it takes place at the level of
human beings. But people are unable to understand how it is possible
for a man to speak in the language of God, and therefore they deny
his message. But God communicates his message through a human
being. One who cannot see beyond the humanness of the prophet
and recognize the divineness of the message delivered by him, must
remain deprived of God’s guidance in the present world of trial.
Only that belief in the Hereafter is reliable which is accompanied by a
firm belief in the oneness of God and the giving of alms for the sake
of God’s pleasure. One who truly finds God can never be held in thrall
by the greatness of any other being. Similarly, one who truly finds God
cannot prevent himself from spending his wealth for the cause of God.
‘So take the straight path to Him’ means ‘keep your worship purely for
God’, i.e. your whole attention should be directed towards God; the sole
object of your prayers and worship should be the one and only God;
your entire thinking should become God-oriented. God’s perpetual
blessings will be showered on those who conduct themselves in this
way.
Say, ‘What! Do you indeed deny Him who created the earth in two
Days [periods] and do you set up equals with Him? He is the Lord of
the Universe.’ He placed firm mountains on the earth, and blessed
it. He measured out its means of sustenance all in four Days; this
is for those who ask for it. Then He turned to heaven when it was
vapour and said to it and to the earth, ‘Come willingly or unwillingly.’
They both said, ‘We come willingly,’ and in two Days He formed seven
heavens, and revealed to each heaven its functions; and We adorned
the lower heaven with brilliant lamps [stars] and guarded it. That is
the decree of the Almighty, the All Knowing. (
A study of the universe reveals that its creation has been effected
gradually in a phased manner. Creation in this way—in other words by
stages, means planned creation; and when the creation of the universe
has been so carried out, it essentially follows that it has a Planner who
has purposefully created it according to a set plan.
Similarly, there are mountains on this earth at various places that
maintain the balance of the earth. There are millions of species of
living organisms on this earth and every species requires different
types of sustenance, which are found in its habitat. Similarly, a study
of the universe also shows that initially all things were in the shape
of divided atoms. Then they combined to form different entities. It is further evident from such a study that all the things in this immense
universe are uniformly governed by the laws of nature.
These observations clearly establish that the Creator of the universe
is all-knowing and all-aware. He is all-powerful and dominant. So, who
else can be there whom a man can treat as being worthy of worship?
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
Why is Islamophobia spreading outrageously in the whole world?
The term ‘Islamophobia’ has come to denote prejudice against, hatred
towards, or fear of the religion of Islam or Muslims. In my opinion, this
term is a self-styled creation of Muslims and the real fact is contrary to
what Muslims think. For example, if the bereaved family members of
the victims of the recent killings in Manchester hold complaints about
Muslims or Islam, it is but natural. It is not due to Islamophobia; their
complaint is in fact a reason-based complaint whereas phobia is an
irrational aversion and it develops without a reason. Therefore it is
correct to say that there is no such thing as ‘Islamophobia’; it exists
neither in the West nor anywhere else in the world. So, what is needed
is for Muslims to reform themselves—then everything, including
other peoples’ negative perceptions about Muslims and Islam, will
be settled. It is a two-point formula: first, Muslims must admit that
this phenomenon is ‘Muslim-phobia’ and not ‘Islamophobia’ as such.
Second, they must correct themselves. It is the duty of right-thinking
Muslims to educate other Muslims in this regard.
Do you think political Islam is compatible with Western values?
Political Islam is based on self-interpretation and has nothing to do
with Islam. Political Islam rests on authoritarianism and is certainly
not compatible with Western values, which are based on freedom and
democracy. Islam is a religion of nature and operates on the principle of
freedom. Just as nature does not follow the course of authoritarianism,
similarly Islam does not encourage authoritarianism. Islam recognizes
individual freedom. But this also means that everyone is free to misuse
their freedom. It is this misuse of freedom that creates problems. In
such a scenario, those who misuse their freedom may be made to
understand and persuaded with reason. However, abolishing their
freedom is not the solution advocated by Islam.
Is the concept of ‘religion’ to be blamed for the chaos in the world, or
is it the humans who are responsible?
The source of chaos in the world is not religion. Its source is misuse
of freedom by human beings. God bestowed freedom upon mankind
in order to put us to the test in this world. It is the misuse of this Godgiven
freedom which creates all kinds of problems in society. Evil is not
a part of creation. It is a result of misuse of freedom by man.
Would the world be more peaceful, without religion, without borders,
with one culture, one language and no conflicts?
Religion, Border and Culture are a must—they result in a peaceful
society. But it must be understood that the values required for a
peaceful society do not come on their own. In reality, they come from
religion; religion is the source of these values. Without religion, these
values are nothing but rhetoric.
It is a mistake to believe that the world would be a more peaceful place
if there were just one culture or one language, without religions and
without borders. This will never happen because conflict is in human
nature; it has no existence in the external world.
There are two key aspects of human knowledge: humanities and
physical sciences. Physical science could not have any differences, for
instance, water shall always be H2O, and every scientist will always
end up with the same conclusion through different experiments, while
in the subject of humanities there will always be differences. As we
learn from 312-page book of Dr. Alexis Carrel wherein he has failed to
find the reality of human life. That is why he titled the book, Man, the
Unknown.
Psychological studies show that every man and women is different
from one another. It can be seen that even in a family living together
in the same house, following the same culture and speaking the same
language, there can still be differences. Such differences are not a
problem. Any difference causes discussion and it further leads to
brainstorming.
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 )
