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.
ENTERING THE NEW YEAR
WHEN you get out of bed after a good night’s sleep and see the
first rays of the morning sun, you are bound to exclaim, “What
a beautiful morning!” And the morning of every new year’s
day is not just beautiful, but extra special. In terms of the calendar,
New Year’s day is but the start of another year, whereas in terms of
human life, it is the day for fresh planning—having new experiences,
availing of new opportunities, and fulfilling new ambitions.
For every person memories of the previous year are all about successes
and failures. For our magazine, Spirit of Islam, the previous year was its
fifth year of circulation and now, it is entering the New Year. During
this period we have gone a long way, thanks to our readers having
given us feedback on a regular basis. Their contribution has been of
the greatest value to us. In consequence, the New Year for Spirit of
Islam will be a very special one. Now, in the coming year, we shall be
in a position, in the light of all the suggestions readers have made, to
further improve the quality of our magazine.
When we look at the previous year in terms of the feedback we have
received from our readers, we are convinced that, Spirit of Islam has
been like a beacon, guiding us to the path of spirituality. Indeed, many
readers have emailed us that they have rediscovered the positive
aspect of their lives. They have discovered how to convert negative
thoughts into positive ones. They have realized the truth that life is a
great gift from the Creator, and so they should not fail to avail of it.
Many readers have acknowledged that for them Spirit of Islam has been
more than a magazine. Because, once having been shown the spiritual
aspect of life, they have begun receiving the right guidance in leading
their lives. As one reader put it, he may have acquired a professional
education at the University, but it was Spirit of Islam which had taught
him the art of thinking. One lady said that in her childhood she used to
get angry when provoked, so her mother tried to make her understand
how anger was having a negative effect on her health and how some
people, by repeatedly giving vent to their anger, get into psychological
problems. But Spirit of Islam has made it very clear that there is nothing
negative about anger.
Anger is a mental state in which the mind releases the maximum
energy, and such energy can and should be availed of by just remaining
silent. If you remain silent in a moment of anger, nature will take its
own course and anger will be converted into positive energy. Having
grasped the point made by our magazine, she radically changed her
thinking, which enabled her to control her anger and direct it into
positive channels.
Every day, when the sun rises, it rises with a golden message. Its
message, in essence, is spiritual in nature. Every new year should
be taken as a period of potential amelioration. For, every new year
offers us fresh opportunities to rediscover the positive aspects of life.
Every new year, moreover, brings us to a fresh appreciation of the
beauty of nature. For this new opportunity to amass all that is good
and beneficial, we wish all our readers a very happy, prosperous and
positive New Year.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Dr. Farida Khanam has been a professor at the Department of Islamic
Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. She has to her credit the
authorship of several books. She has also translated many books on
Islam authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently, the chairperson
of Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS International), an organization
founded by her father Maulana Wahiduddin Khan she is a regular contributor
of articles to journals, newspapers and magazines. Dr. Khanam has edited
Maulana’s English translation of the Quran and has also translated his
Urdu commentary of the Quran into English. Under Maulana Wahiduddin
Khan Peace Foundation, along with the CPS team, she is designing a series
of courses on peace-building, countering extremism and conflict resolution.
WITH the January 2018 issue, Spirit of Islam enters its sixth year
of publication. The continued interest shown by readers
has encouraged our team to begin the new year with the
resolution to dedicate ourselves once again to ensure that the pages of
the magazine offer spiritual insight, wisdom and lessons to those who
yearn for meaning and purpose in life.
A few months back, an educated young woman from Kolkata shared
a conversation that the writings of the Maulana had been therapeutic
for her during a very difficult phase of her life. The purpose of Spirit
of Islam is to empower numerous such persons to deal with life’s
challenges, deriving positivity even from negative occurrences, gaining
in spirituality and developing themselves intellectually so that they may
contribute constructively to society. The magazine’s regular readers
will appreciate that the entire thrust of its articles is directed to the
individual—a collection of intellectually prepared individuals being the
sole foundation on which a peaceful and harmonious society can be
built.
As the subtitle indicates, Spirit of Islam is also working towards
enlightening people on the subject of global peace and regularly
addresses relevant contemporary issues. The violence being
perpetrated, especially in the West, in the name of Islam has called
for serious deliberation on the matter. Several articles in our various
issues have been singularly devoted to understanding the root cause
of the problem, to analyze the types of interpretations of Islam that instigates people to take up arms and how
the thinking of those engaged in such heinous
acts of terror may be redirected into peaceful
channels.
Islamic scripture and
the life of the Prophet
of Islam offer us an
ideology of peace
—principles which
lay down how peace
may be established
between conflicting
groups, controversies
resolved, conflicts
defused and enemies
turned into friends.
Those who have followed the magazine’s
contents closely will have realized that
Islamic scripture and the life of the Prophet
of Islam offer us an ideology of peace—
principles which lay down how peace may
be established between conflicting groups,
controversies resolved, conflicts defused and
enemies turned into friends. When a religion
has such ideas and concepts to offer, it is
certainly erroneous to suggest, as some have
claimed, that it is inherently violent.
The increasing readership of Spirit of Islam
leads our team to hope that the journey we have embarked upon is
definitely bearing fruit in people’s hearts and minds.
We hope and pray that God may help us in this noble endeavour and
give His blessing to our work this year as well!
Thank you,
Dr. Farida Khanam
Editorial Director, Spirit of Islam
hub@the spiritofislam.org
Intellectual Freedom
The development of human nature
is possible only in an atmosphere of
freedom. Just as a tree flourishes in an
open environment, similarly the human
being develops to the full only in an
atmosphere of total intellectual freedom.
DISCOVER REASONS FOR GRATITUDE
Conscious Thankfulness
IF you were to enjoy a delicious meal and then say ‘Alhamdulillah’
in thankfulness to God, then this would be gratitude at a very base
level. This is because the gratitude is based on taste and appearance
of the meal which is a carnal form of gratitude as opposed to a superior,
rational or conscious form of gratitude.
Gratitude at the rational or human level is possible when one were
to see food in front of them and be reminded of the entire structure
and organisation set up by God that made it possible to get the meal.
God has set up a natural process that miraculously culminates in the
conversion of what is non-food into food. This universal process makes
possible the formation of the various foodstuffs that one finds on the
plate.
This should further make one ponder about
the fact that the food on the plate in its
original form and by itself could not have been
a source of energy for us. Consequently God
has established a unique system to process
the food in our body—the digestive system.
This digestive system is an involuntary and
automatic mechanism in the body that
converts the food we eat into energy further
generating new living cells that form the flesh
and blood of our body. Such thoughts would
then result in an overwhelming sense of gratitude that one will find
hard to express in words.
God desires a
conscious form of
gratitude from man.
Merely a carnal form
of gratitude does
not behoove the
beneficence of our
Creator.
With the above example, we can understand the difference between
a base form of gratitude and a rational, conscious or human form
of gratitude. If we only have a poor form of gratitude within, we will
always live in a state of ungratefulness. To live with a superior form of
gratitude, we require the conscious gratitude of the rational kind. And
this is the type of gratitude that is lacking amongst people all over the
world. God desires a conscious form of gratitude from man. Merely
a carnal form of gratitude does not behoove the beneficence of our
Creator.
EVERY MOMENT IS PRECIOUS
Fleeting Treasure
Make the most of your life before you are struck down by illness or death.
(Prophet of Islam)
ABDULLAH IBN UMAR tells of how the Prophet once took him by
the shoulders and said: “Live in this world as though you were a
wayfarer.” Of our passage through life Abdullah ibn Umar would
say: “In the evening do not wait for the morning and in the morning do
not wait for the evening.”
The Prophet’s advice and the above-quoted sayings clearly indicate the
attitude a believer should adopt towards his earthly existence.
He should feel that he is a traveller in a foreign land, making a
temporary sojourn, with his true and ultimate destination always in his
thoughts. He should not feel that he is at home, in his own country, and
that he has made a permanent abode for himself. If he does, his life will
most likely be cast in the wrong mould: he will give all of his attention
to this life and not to the next.
The time-conscious
believer will strive
to live his life in the
most positive way
possible.
He must focus his attention on the temporary
nature of his stay on earth. It will enable
him to bear all kinds of afflictions and losses
without embitterment, as at any moment
he may be on the brink of a new life which
death will open up to him.
Even strong feelings of revenge will be stifled
by this thought, for will not the Just God
Himself see that justice is done in the Afterlife?
The time-conscious believer will strive to live his life in the most positive
way possible. He will not ever in the evening ‘wait for the morning’ or in
the morning ‘wait for the evening’.
Each moment of his life is precious—too precious to be squandered in
negative thought or reaction.
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.
PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS
IT is a well-known fact that the Prophet of Islam was a supremely
successful man in human history. But he was not just a hero, as
Thomas Carlyle has called him. According to the Quran he was a
good example to be followed. He has shown us the way of achieving
success in this world.
By studying the life of the Prophet we can derive those important
principles which were followed by the Prophet. In short, the Prophet
of Islam was a positive thinker in the full sense of the word. All his
activities were result-oriented. He completely refrained from all such
steps as may prove counter-productive. He always followed positive
methods to achieve his goal.
Begin from the possible
This principle is well explained in the following saying of the Prophet’s
wife Aishah: “Whenever the Prophet had to choose between two
options, he always opted for the easier choice.” (Al-Bukhari)
To choose the easiest option means to begin from the possible, and
one who begins from the possible will surely reach his goal.
Seek advantage in disadvantage
In the early days of Makkah, there were many problems and difficulties.
At that time, a guiding verse in the Quran was revealed. It said: “With
every hardship there is ease, with every hardship there is ease.” (
This means if there are some problems, there are also opportunities at
the same time. And the way to success is to ignore the problems and
avail the opportunities.
Change the place of action
This principle is derived from the emigration of the Prophet to Madinah.
This was not just a migration from Makkah to Madinah, rather it was to
find a more suitable place for conveying the message of God, as history
proved later on.
Make a friend out of an enemy
The Prophet of Islam was repeatedly subjected
to practices of antagonism by his opponents.
At that time the Quran enjoined upon him
the return of good for evil. And then, as the
Quran added, “You will see your direst enemy
become your closest friend.” (
A good deed in return for a bad deed has a
conquering effect over your enemies. And the
life of the Prophet is historical proof of this
principle.
In controversial
matters, one should
adopt the principle
of pragmatism
instead of stubbornly
refusing to
compromise the
ideal. One should
focus on resolution
of the issue,
even if it involves
making temporary
adjustments.
Turn minus into plus
After the Battle of Badr (a defensive war),
about 70 of the opponents were taken as
prisoners of war. They were all literate
people. The Prophet announced that if any one of them would teach
ten Muslim children how to read and write he would be freed. This
was the first school in the history of Islam in which all of the students
were Muslims, and all of the teachers were unbelievers. A quote from
a British Orientalist best describes the Prophet’s personality: He faced
adversity with the determination to wring success out of failure.
The power of peace is stronger than the power of violence
When Makkah was conquered, all of the Prophet’s direst opponents
were brought before him. The Prophet instead of keeping them as
captives or punishing them simply said: “Go, you are free.” The result
of this kind of behaviour was miraculous: all his opponents became
one among the believers.
Refrain from dichotomous thinking
One of the defensive wars in which Muslims engaged in with the
Byzantine forces is known as Ghazwa of Mutah (Mutah is located
about 600 miles north of Madinah). The commander-in-chief of the
Muslim side was Khalid bin Walid. Before the battle got over, Khalid
decided to withdraw Muslim forces from the
battlefield because he realized that they were
disproportionately outnumbered by their
opponents. When they reached Madinah,
some of the Muslims received them by
addressing them as: “O Furrar!” (O deserters!)
To this the Prophet said: “No, they are Kurrar.”
(Kurrar means ‘men of advancement’).
Those Muslims who thought that Khalid
and his army were deserters were thinking
dichotomously, that is, they thought either
one can fight in the battlefield or lose and retreat. However, the
Prophet observed that there was a third option and that is to avoid war
and find time to strengthen oneself. History tells us that the Muslims,
after three years of preparation, advanced again towards the Arabian
border with the Byzantine Empire, and this time they won a resounding
victory.
Discussion and dialogue instead of confrontation on the battlefield
This principle is derived from the treaty signed at Hudaybiyah in
believers in fighting, because obviously they were stronger and thus in
an advantageous position to win a battle. But the Prophet, by accepting
their conditions unilaterally, entered into a no-war pact. It was a tenyear
peace treaty. Before the signing of this treaty, the meeting ground
between the believers and their opponents had been the battlefield.
But after a truce came into effect between the two sides, the area of
engagement became ideological discussion. Before this, the two sides
only met with each other in battlefield, but now when they met each
other instead of fighting they would converse and discuss matters. As
a result of the interaction, within two years, majority of the opponents
became followers of the Prophet. Thus, Islam emerged as victorious
because its ideology was able to win people over to its side.
Gradualism instead of Radicalism
This principle is well-established by a Hadith narrated in Al-Bukhari.
The Prophet’s wife Aishah says that the verses of the Quran that were
revealed in the beginning were related mostly to Heaven and Hell. And
then after a long time when people’s hearts had softened and become
inclined towards Islam, the specific commands to desist from adultery
and drinking came down. This clearly shows that for bringing about
social change, Islam advocates the evolutionary method, rather than
the revolutionary method. In other words, change is brought about in
a gradual manner rather than abruptly.
Pragmatism in controversial matters
During the writing of the Hudaybiyah Treaty, the Prophet dictated these
words to Ali: “This is what has been agreed upon between Muhammad,
the Messenger of God and Suhayl ibn Amr.” Suhayl ibn Amr was the
representative of the Quraysh who were opposed to the Prophet. The
Qurayshi delegate raised objections over the words ‘Messenger of God’.
He stated that the Quraysh did not believe
that Muhammad was in fact a prophet. He
demanded that instead of ‘Messenger of God’,
the words ‘Muhammad, son of Abdullah’ be
written. The Prophet promptly accepted this
demand and directed Ali to erase the words
‘Messenger of God’ after his name and write
‘son of Abdullah’.
A good deed in return
for a bad deed has
a conquering effect
over your enemies.
The Prophet gave importance to the signing
of the peace treaty, instead of insisting
on the words ‘Messenger of God’ to be
written on the agreement. This gesture of the Prophet implies that in
controversial matters, one should adopt the principle of pragmatism
instead of stubbornly refusing to compromise the ideal. One should
focus on resolution of the issue, even if it involves making temporary
adjustments.
The principles outlined above throw light on how the Prophet of Islam
attained what historians term ‘supreme success’.
Unfortunately, today some Muslims have abandoned these teachings
of the Prophet. They are wrongly indulging in violence in the name of
Islam. Those Muslims who do not disown these actions and choose to
observe silence in this matter are also responsible. The need of the
hour is to unite and work towards changing mindset of the terrorists.
We must go by the dictum, ‘win the mind, win the battle’. The truth is
that terrorism is based on an ideology, which can only be dealt with by
a counter-ideology based on peace.
Centre for Peace and Spirituality has devoted itself to the task of
presenting a peaceful counter-ideology based on Islamic scripture. Our
goal is to educate and enlighten people about the peaceful teachings of
Islam so that they can abandon the course of violence and re-discover
and utilize the power of peace.
MUTUAL CONSULTATION
Seek Wisdom from Others
ONE of the teachings of the Quran is shura, which means mutual
consultation. The Quran inculcates the spirit of shura amongst
believers, so that they may decide upon all issues by discussion
and counseling. In the chapter Al-Shura (Mutual consultation), this
principle—placed in the context of virtues which will entitle believers to
God’s beneficence—is mentioned as “those who conduct their affairs
by mutual consultation and spend out of what We have provided for
them”. (
What is consultation? Consultation means the act of discussing
something with somebody before making a decision. Consultation is
not an isolated habit. The willingness to engage in it results directly
from qualities like modesty, sincerity, caution and the spirit of learning.
Without these qualities, no one can engage sincerely in consultation.
Belief in God brings with it all these virtues and makes one absolutely
sincere in all aspects of life. It is this sincerity as well as modesty that
compels a believer not to decide upon anything without first consulting
others.
The best form of consultation is that in which
one seeks others’ advice, while endeavoring to
share experiences. Consultation is important,
not just for the individual but also for society.
As far as the individual is concerned it is
through consultation or discussion that he
develops his personality. Consultation makes
one a better person and a society comprising
individuals of this kind becomes a wise
society.
The habit of
consultation
creates a degree of
trust between the
different members
of society. Mutual
trust and the spirit
of cooperation is
essential for building
a good society, and
consultation is a vital
part of that process.
In such a society people trust and help each
other. Indeed, the society becomes like a
family. Here consultation does not only mean
addressing major issues. Issues of that kind
no doubt warrant consultation but more
important is personal consultation. Everyone
needs others’ advice even in matters of daily
life. The habit of consultation creates a degree of trust between the
different members of society. Mutual trust and the spirit of cooperation
is essential for building a good society, and consultation is a vital part
of that process.
Consultation in one sense is a ‘give and take’ culture. When you discuss
an issue with someone, it is not simply a verbal exchange. During a
discussion you take something from the other and also give something
to the other.
Fruitful consultation has two conditions attached to it. One precondition
for effective consultation is that both the parties should have open
minds. The other condition is that both parties should be ready to
accept opinions on their merits and without bias. It can be conducted
between the rich and the poor, between seniors and juniors, between
the educated and the uneducated, between the young and the old or
between men and women. This all-encompassing nature of consultation
makes it fruitful to the ultimate extent.
WOMEN IN ISLAM
As per Nature
Treat women well, for they have been created from a rib.
(Prophet Muhammad)
IT is very important to understand the above saying of the Prophet
in the right perspective. This saying does not refer to the creation of
Adam and Eve, rather it is about women in general. It is the manner
of every woman’s creation that is referred to here and not specifically
that of Eve. The first important thing to know is that this statement is
meant in the metaphorical sense and so it should not be taken literally.
The words ‘they have been created from a rib’ have no connection
with the point conveyed in the rest of the sentence which says women
should be treated well. The correct interpretation of the word ‘rib’
would be one which is in accordance with the underlying purpose of
the Prophet’s statement. The Prophet had wished to convey: “Women
are akin to a rib and should be treated with due consideration.” There
is another saying which explains what this means. “A woman is like a
rib”, said the Prophet, “if you try to straighten it, it will break.”
The teachings of
Islam with respect
to women are in
accordance with
nature. The nature
of womanhood as
fashioned by the
Creator, for the
special contribution
they have to make
to society, demands
that their true nature
be appreciated.
The above saying of the Prophet related in
Al-Bukhari and Muslim—the most authentic
collections of Prophet’s teachings—makes it
clear that women are like ribs; they are not
actually created from ribs. The allusion is
figurative not literal. Light is also cast on the
meaning of the metaphor. Ribs break when
one tries to reshape them. Hence they should
be allowed to remain as they are. The same
holds true of women: it is wise to let them be
on their true nature.
“Women have been created from ribs”, and
“Women are like ribs”, are just two different
ways of saying the same thing. There is a
difference in the mode of expression of the
two statements, but there is no difference
in meaning. It is common in every language
for metaphors to be expressed directly, without the use of the words
“like” or “as”. For instance, if one wishes to pay tribute to a person’s
bravery, one can say that he is like a lion. But there is not much force in saying that a person is ‘like a lion’ as there is in saying that ‘he is a lion’.
The Prophet used a parable to explain the delicateness of women’s
nature, pointing out that they should be treated in accordance with
their nature. Their delicate emotional constitution should always be
borne in mind. God has created them that way, and He has done so for
a good reason. They should be treated kindly. If they have to be told
something, it should be done tactfully, in a gentle tone. Abruptness and
severity will break them, as a rib is broken by any attempt to change its
shape. Once, when the Prophet was on a journey, he saw some women
riding on a camel. The man leading the camel made the animal to drive
on faster, forgetting that this would cause undue discomfort to his
passengers. So the Prophet said to the camel driver: “You have glass
cases there. Be gentle with them.”
Modern research has further helped us with scientific studies on the
differences between males and females. Scientific researchers almost
unanimously agree that hormones help determine how people feel and
act. Thus the male-female differences are entirely genetic in nature.
The passivity found in women is due to the particular nature of the
female hormones. Differences between male and female hormones
exist from birth; they are not acquired later on, as would be the case if
they had stemmed from differences in environment.
Islam is a religion of nature. The principles Islam requires us to follow
are in fact our own instinctive human requirements expressed in words.
The teachings of Islam with respect to women are in accordance with
nature. The nature of womanhood as fashioned by the Creator, for the
special contribution they have to make to society, demands that their
true nature be appreciated.
Due to their delicate nature Islam teaches men to be gentle with
women. That way they will not lose heart or become too despondent
to perform their special duties in life. It is best to let them be, in their
natural state. If one treats them as though they were tough metal, one
would break them.
Difficulties are Ladders
God has made difficulties the ladders
to our success provided we give a
positive response to them.
INTROSPECTION
Personality Development
ISLAM places the highest emphasis on being a purified personality. It
is necessary for every believer to purify himself. Without purification,
a God-oriented personality cannot be developed. Purification leads
to growth, an example of which can be seen in the tree. A tree is a
result of the growth and development of a seed. When a seed finds
a favourable environment, it starts growing until it becomes a green,
verdant tree. The same is true of the purification of a human being.
Purifying oneself involves struggle on the part of the individual. It is
not at all related to any mysterious inspiration from some supposedly
saintly person. Rather, it means abandoning a life of unawareness and
leading a life ruled by the conscience. The believer has to save himself
from anything which comes in the path of truth, and when he faces any
hurdles, he must not resort to expediency. When desires arise within
him, he must crush them, and when he is overtaken by arrogance, he
should be able to overcome his overweening pride.
In the process of purification, introspection is crucial. It awakens
the mind, jolts the personality and gives the individual an incentive
to reform himself after making a mistake. One who is desirous of
purifying oneself should be careful about his
speech and actions at every moment. With
total objectivity, he must repeatedly engage
in self-reappraisal. This is the process of
introspection.
In the process
of purification,
introspection is very
crucial. It awakens
the human mind,
jolts the human
personality and gives
the individual an
incentive to reform
himself after making
a mistake.
The most powerful feeling in a person is that
of egoism. This feeling is so intense that every
person lives with the notion that he is all in
all. This is a form of self-glorification. This
kind of attitude should be anathema to a
person aiming at purifying himself. What one
should do is to develop anti-self thinking, so
that he may be able to stand up to criticism.
This feeling was so intense in one of the
Companions of the Prophet that he said, “May
God bless the man who sends me the gift of my shortcomings.”
This introspective
mentality is born
out of a discovery—
that of one's own
helplessness.
An introspective mentality is born out of a discovery—that of one’s own
helplessness. The seeker must discover that his sense of ‘I’ exists only at the level of his own senses, or feelings. It doesn’t exist in reality; he
has no power over anything outside of his own feelings. He exercises no
power over anything outside of his own self.
He exercises no power in the matters of life
and death, the life support system, the divine
court, etc. When a person discovers his total
powerlessness, the feeling of helplessness is
necessarily born within him. It is this feeling
of helplessness which compels one to engage
in introspection and it is in this discovery that
the real secret of purification lies.
THE QURAN A BOOK OF GUIDANCE
Spirit versus Form
IN earlier times, the Quran was a book of guidance for people, but
now it has been turned into a book of pride. Today we need to
once again make the Quran a book of guidance for ourselves. This
requires Muslims to revise the policies and activities in which they are
currently engaged.
In the madarasas and mosques, sermons given are generally centred
on the form of religion. In Muslim congregations, it is only the form or
the outward aspects of religion that is discussed. We have to return
to the original spirit of Islam. This can be understood from a saying of
the Prophet. The Prophet is reported to have said that in later times,
mosques would be full of worshippers but devoid of guidance.
This means in the later period of Islam, people will perform all rituals
associated with religion, but their worship would lack inner spirit.
Instead of focusing on reviving the spirit of Islam in individual believers,
present day Muslims only speak about working towards gaining political
power, which they think is the solution for bringing about a change.
Peace and tolerance
are important lessons
learnt in prayer. But
the real test of the
worshipper lies in the
application of these
lessons in society
when he is actually
living in the midst of
people.
As an example, consider the obligatory prayer
which Muslims are required to observe five
times a day. Towards the end of every prayer,
the worshipper turns to his right and his
left and utters the words: ‘Assalamu alaykum
wa rahmatullah’. It means: ‘May the peace
and blessings of God be upon you.’ In other
words, by doing this, a worshipper is in effect
addressing all of humanity and telling people
that they are safe from him. He is making a
pledge to live in society as a peaceful person.
Thus peace and tolerance are important
lessons learnt in prayer. But the real test of
the worshipper lies in the application of these lessons in society when
he is actually living in the midst of people. Although we see people
meticulously performing prayer, when they return to society it appears
they have not imbibed the spirit of prayer—they would get provoked,
enter into conflict and even resort to violence.
Here it can be seen how the spirit of prayer is as essential as the form
of prayer—without the former, the latter is merely a robotic act.
THE PAYMENT OF DUES
Trust Factor
A BELIEVER has important responsibilities towards both God and
man. His duty towards God means believing in God and His
attributes, worshipping Him, regarding himself accountable to
God and making himself ready to carry out wholeheartedly any such
demands that God may make upon him.
Another responsibility of the believer is one which concerns the rights
of human beings. This responsibility devolves upon him in his relations
with others. Every person with whom he has dealings with has some
rights over him. It is incumbent upon a believer to fulfil those rights,
failing which he will not be deserving of God’s succour.
The following is an example which discusses the responsibilities of a
believing employer towards his employee.
According to a saying of the Prophet, God said: “I will become a claimant
against the person who engaged a labourer, made him labour fully,
but did not pay the wages.” On another occasion the Prophet of Islam
observed: “Pay the labourer his wages before his sweat dries up.”
In this world, it repeatedly happens that one person employs another.
In all such matters Islam enjoins the full payment of wages without any
delay. After getting the work done, asking the labourer to come the
next day for payment is extremely inconsiderate, and as such Islam
forbids it.
Just as an employer needs the services of an employee, so also
does the employee need compensation for his labour. This is a twosided
demand. When the worker has finished his work, it becomes
incumbent on the employer to refrain from placing any obstacle in the
way of payment of the sum he has promised. In cases where wages
or compensation have not been fixed in advance, Islam demands that
for all services rendered, commensurate requital should be made
in one form or another. If this cannot be done, for any reason, in
material terms, the services should be fully acknowledged and publicly
commended, and supplications made to God for the performer of the
services.
Paying immediate recompense on completion of a task increases
mutual trust in society. Any practice contrary to this will cause society
as a whole to fall prey to misgivings about a lack of trustworthiness in
their fellow men.
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
WORSHIP OF GOD
ACCORDING to the Quran, worship of God controls one’s character.
In Chapter Al-Ankaboot, the Quran says: “Surely prayer restrains
one from indecency and evil” (
a very important aspect of worship. It presents the true picture of the
worship of God.
Worship is not a spiritless ritual. Worship is a living act. A worshipper
recites verses of the Quran during his prayer. These verses tell him
about the do's and don’ts of daily life. They tell him what the secret of
success is and how one can obtain salvation in the world Hereafter.
It means that worship makes a person conscious about his daily
behaviour and social conduct—from his family life to other walks of
life. After performing prayer, when the worshipper returns to society,
he is a man with a difference.
For example, in his worship, the worshipper repeatedly says Allahu
Akbar, which means, ‘Only God is great’, or in other words, ‘Greatness
belongs only to God Almighty’. This saying inculcates the spirit of
modesty in the worshipper. At the end of this worship, he addresses all of mankind by saying, Assalamu alaykum
wa rahmatullah, which means, Peace and
blessings of God be upon you.
A believer who worships every day and
imbibes in himself this spirit through his
worship is bound to become a person who is
very cautious in his behaviour. He would lead
a life of modesty. He would live with the spirit
of peace for all mankind.
A believer who
worships every
day and imbibes in
himself this spirit
through his worship
is bound to become
a person who is
very cautious in his
behaviour.
This Quranic verse gives us a criterion to judge
the veracity of worship of every individual.
If one’s worship reflects in one’s behaviour,
then it is worship in the true sense of the word. Those whose worship
does not fulfil this criterion are merely performing a spiritless ritual
and not engaging in real worship.
GOD REALIZATION
Positivity and Purity
Every Paradise has a Serpent
This world is beautiful. The only problem is that we cannot enjoy it. This
world cannot be enjoyed by any man while in it. There are always some
problems—boredom, troubles, evil, disease and eventually death.
Everyone wants to enjoy life on earth but no one has really been able
to—what is the reason for this?
It is because this world was not meant for a person to enjoy it. It has
been made only for a test. Just like a student in an examination hall
cannot enjoy his time in it, in the same way we cannot enjoy ourselves
in this world. We have to take the test and try to pass it. If we do not
attempt it, we will fail. This world is for trial but man wants to relax or
indulge in it. Just as the best of foods eaten in excess lead to troubles
and pain, the same is the case with our life. Too much of anything in
this world, will result in problems—boredom, poor health, tiredness.
We must soon realize that we have no other option but to accept the
‘test’ that God has set for us. We must accept the Creation Plan of God.
Scientific Argument
There are two distinct periods in the history of religion—pre-scientific
period and scientific Period. Prior to 18th century, in the pre-scientific
period there was a traditional framework of thinking. From the 18th
century onwards, the framework of thinking is based on science.
We have to come out
of all distractions
and devote ourselves
to the purpose of
discovery of God. To
realize God, we must
purify our souls.
In the pre-scientific period, religion consisted
of man’s own ideas—the oceans, mountains,
sun, moon and other objects of nature were
worshipped and held in veneration. In the
scientific or modern world, in which man had
set foot on the moon, the god-ship of moon
and other natural objects came to an end.
These natural objects and phenomena are
now not looked upon as gods. Science has
given man an opportunity to come out of
the age-old myths and seek the truth. It has
brought him out of darkness and into the light. Science made people
realize that the things that they used to worship as gods cannot help or
harm them in any way.
Earlier people thought that they must accept God as a belief and not
as a truth because there was no proof of God. Knowledge was earlier
restricted only to the macro world—or things that one could observe
directly. So people thought that if they cannot observe God, then He
does not exist. Today science has helped humans reach the micro-world
of atoms, electrons and quarks. The science of particle physics revealed
that even though we are not able to see these micro particles, they do
exist as we can determine their effects. This inferential argument is
held scientifically valid and acceptable. Another example is that we do
see the effects of gravity all around us, however, we cannot observe
the force of gravity.
Knowledge of Things and Knowledge of Truths
We are unable to observe the truth directly with our eyes, but we know
and accept it. It is now acknowledged that we have to accept inferential
arguments for the existence of things we cannot see directly. With this
change in reasoning, even Bertrand Russell was compelled to say in his
book Why I am not a Christian, “If there is a design, there is a designer.”
Russell opined that this argument from design was a valid argument. In
the pre-scientific age, God was only a belief,
but in the scientific age, we must accept the
existence of God as a reality, as His existence
can be proved by inferential argument.
By acknowledging
the good favours of
people and accepting
them as good favours
of God, reiterating
and repeating
good things, words
and actions and
forgetting all
negative experiences
—this is the way to
developing a positive
personality.
Another important argument the scientific
era has validated is the universality of God.
Earlier due to a diversity of beliefs, people
thought there could be many gods. Science
helped us overcome this myth. It concluded
that all things—mountains, man, trees,
rocks, etc., at the end, are one and the same,
consisting of atoms, which are nothing but a
‘mad dance of electrons’. In essence, when
there is no diversity of things, then we have
no option but to accept that there are not
many gods, rather all have been created by
only one Universal God.
Ignorance can be an excuse to do anything. Once you know however,
you are compelled to do the right thing. There are only two right ways
to arrive at any conclusion—rational knowledge or revealed knowledge.
Without recourse to either of these, you do not have a basis to arrive at
any solid conclusion. A claim must be backed up by either arguments from rational or experimental knowledge or from revealed knowledge
of scriptures. If it cannot be verified by these two forms of knowledge,
then it must be considered baseless.
Removal of Barriers between Man and God
Yet another contribution of science is the removal of the barriers
between man and God. Many people all over the world believe that
man needs an intermediary to reach God and they believe that the
saints—both alive and dead are those intermediaries.
In the earlier days, there was no direct method of communication over
long distances. Letters had to be sent physically by man or pigeons. Today
science and technology have shown man that direct communication is
possible—so it is certainly possible for us to contact God also. Thus the
concept of ‘wasila’ or ‘referrals’ as a means of communicating with God
has been shown to be a superstition. We must realize now that if we
call to God, He can listen to us.
In this way, science has overcome all the
fallacies that had become barriers for man to
reach God. It is now up to man to find God. If
he continues to remain blind in spite of the
truth around him, then it is his own fault.
The age we are living
in today gives us the
potential to reach a
higher level of God realization
Paradise
Another idea that science has made clear
is the concept of Paradise. Hundreds of
years ago, man could not conceive of the
concept of Paradise. Even the palaces of kings did not have the
facilities and conveniences that a common man today enjoys—
such as modern housing, furniture, access to communication and
information, transportation, and so on. All these things were hidden
in nature and they have been invented or discovered by research and
experimentation. These modern day comforts and conveniences are
the prototypes of Paradise. These amenities give us an introduction to
the far greater comforts that we will enjoy in Paradise.
Science has made religious truths understandable.
Level of God Realization
In the pre-scientific times, when man looked up at the sky, on a clear
night he could observe about 10,000 stars. Nowadays, after the
invention of the telescope, it has been discovered that there are more than a trillion stars and most of them are incredibly big and much
bigger than the sun. Therefore the level of God-realization (marifat)
that people of previous times had was less than the realization of the
present day people. People are now in a better position to appreciate
God’s glory and majesty compared to those of the previous times.
Islam is not based on the quantity of rituals we perform, but on the
level of realization of God that we could attain in our lifetime. Thus, the
age we are living in today gives us the potential to reach a higher level
of God-realization (marifat). We now have far greater knowledge about
God’s wisdom and intelligent design in His creations than before.
A Higher Level of God Realization
Every Prophet had a high level of realization of God. This high level
of realization was given to prophets because the ‘unseen’ was made
evident to them. However, the people of later times, using scientific
means have been able to see the unseen world, and they would thus
be able to achieve the same level of realization as the prophets.
For example, the people of yesteryears only knew that we breathe in
and breathe out air. People today know that respiration is a process
of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is
taken in by plants and trees, and they give out oxygen in return. This
scientific fact, which has made evident the
munificence of God was not known to people
in earlier times.
Modern day comforts
and conveniences
are the prototypes
of Paradise. These
amenities give us an
introduction to the
far greater comforts
that we will enjoy in
Paradise.
Take another example. We know that the
Prophet was taken from Makkah to Jerusalem
in a very short time in a journey called
miraj. This journey was meant to increase
his understanding of God’s bounties. But
today we can make a similar journey in an
airplane and thereby acknowledge God’s
blessings upon us. Such observations take
our realization of God to a much higher level.
Lure of the Present Day World
The people of yesteryear could make Paradise their goal as they did
not have many distractions from the path of religion. There were no
paradise-like comforts in the world to get enmeshed in—no shopping
centres, luxury homes, cars, airplanes, instant communication, etc.
People used to bury their money as treasure beneath the ground as they had no use of money beyond a certain minimum amount. Paradise
was a dream of the after-life at that time and could not have been
realized in this world.
Today however, people have many other options. Nowadays, it is
possible to expend one’s money for various activities. We can buy
many things for our pleasure and luxury. With the amount of material
comforts, people try making a Paradise for themselves in this very
world.
Going after material advancements serves to distract people from the
path of religion and spirituality. Thus although
the knowledge and discoveries of the present
world potentially give us an opportunity to
realize God at a higher level, they also cause
to distract us in wasting our time and potential
in superficial entertainment and enjoyment.
Islam is not based
on the quantity of
rituals we perform,
but on the level of
realization of God
that we attain in
our lifetime.
The path to God Realization
To seek something, we must have sincerity.
Without sincerity, we will not be able to seek
it, find it or accept it. Only with sincerity, can
one find the truth.
Gautama Buddha once went to a milkman. The milkman told Buddha:
“I will give you milk in return for knowledge.” Buddha gave him a pot
for the milk. He washed it and put fresh milk in it for Gautama who
took it and started going away. The milkman said, “Buddha, where
are you going, you have still to give me knowledge”. To this Buddha
replied: “I have given it to you. I gave you a pot. You first cleaned it
and then poured milk in it. You realized that only a clean pot could
contain milk. In the same way, only if you become a clean container by
cleansing yourself of jealousy, anger, and hatred will I be able to impart
knowledge to you. If you are not cleansed, the knowledge that I give
you will only be spilled over.”
If one’s inner container is not clean, God will not accept it. If you desire
direct communion with God, you must be sincere and cleanse yourself.
Without that you cannot be in communion with God. We must first
cleanse our heart and mind of all negative thoughts and words.
De-conditioning of the mind: As soon as we are born, we start
getting conditioned by our environment and the people around us.
Upon becoming an adult—we have to start de-conditioning our minds’
conditioning, layer by layer, to reach our true nature.
Get rid of the confusion: Once we have reached our true nature, we
must try to rid our minds of the confusion around us. Everything in the
physical world is verifiable so there need not be any confusion. Man
lives in a jungle of ideas and is overwhelmed everyday by new concepts
from people around him and from the media. It is difficult to get rid of
this jungle of ideas. It is up to us to get out of this mire of confusion and
seek clarity in our thoughts.
We must cultivate
and develop
positive thoughts by
acknowledging the
good done by others.
Build a positive personality by banishing
all negative thoughts: Every moment, we
are confronted with problems or negative
experiences. We must kill all such negative
thoughts immediately. If this is not done, these
negative thoughts will fester in our minds and
lead to a negative personality. On the other
hand, we must cultivate and develop positive
thoughts by acknowledging the good done by
others. By acknowledging the good favours of
people and accepting them as good favours
of God, reiterating and repeating good things, words and actions and
forgetting all negative experiences—this is the way to developing a
positive personality.
Concentrate on realizing and discovering God: When we focus or
concentrate on one thing, it will soon become clear and evident. For
example, it is said of Newton that when he was a child, he used to be
lost in thoughts all the time. Later, it was realized that he used to be
actually concentrating on a specific idea. Only through such focus, was
he able to discover and understand the great laws of nature.
Likewise, we have to come out of all distractions and devote ourselves
to the purpose of discovery of God. To realize God, we must pay the
price and purify our souls.
ROOT CAUSE OF TERRORISM AND ITS SOLUTION
Changing the Mindset
THERE is no doubt that terror attacks in different
parts of the world are highly condemnable.
People the world over are trying to find a
solution to this menace. The authorities are trying
to crush the terror menace through legal action,
while reformers are trying to curb it by engaging in
condemnation. However both these methods are,
apparently, proving to be ineffective. Then what is
the solution?
Practical assessment shows that the present problem of terrorism is
based on an ideology and an ideology cannot be countered through
legal action or by mere condemnation. We have to develop a counterideology
to overcome it.
Peace is always
desirable for its own
sake, and every other
desirable state comes
after peace, not
along with it.
According to UNESCO, ‘Violence begins from
the mind’, it has to, therefore, be uprooted
from the mind itself. This succinctly captures
the root cause of terrorism. Therefore, in
order to eliminate this root cause we need to
initiate our efforts by beginning from the right
starting point—the re-engineering of minds
of individuals by taking them away from the
culture of violence and bringing them closer
to the culture of peace.
Mistaken belief
To explain the importance of the above, Let us take two parallel examples
from history: one of the American campaign against Communist Russia
and the other of the American campaign against Saddam-led Iraq. While
the US was successful in curbing the menace of Communist Russia, the
same America failed to cope with the menace of Saddam-led Iraq. This
is because America met the Russian challenge at an ideological level
while it opted for military action against Saddam’s Iraq.
Terrorism will persist in one form or another until the ideology of
violence is countered with another ideology based on peace. The
ideology behind present day terrorism is that, 'Islam being a political
system, it is the duty of all Muslims to establish Islamic rule in the world.' This thinking was not prevalent during the time of the Prophet
Muhammad. It is a later innovation which was developed in the last
few centuries by a handful of people. Having become widespread in
the Muslim world today, it is leading to present-day violence. It has
swayed many Muslims, especially the easily influenced youth, and
they have become obsessed with trying to establish the political rule
of Islam, thinking it to be their ticket to Paradise. Failing to achieve
this objective by the peaceful method, they have started resorting to
suicide bombing. The idea being that if one cannot eliminate the nonIslamic
rule, then one should at least de-stabilize it and pave the way
for Islamic rule.
Peace is a pre-condition
Understanding Islam through its original sources—the Quran and
Hadith—one can say that this political interpretation of Islam is an
innovation and the real Islam is based upon peace, compassion and
tolerance.
Peace is not prevalent in the world as people the world over are acting
intolerantly and indulging in acts of violence, saying, “Give us justice and
peace will ensue.” But when people, ostensibly seeking justice, stoop to
violence, peace can never prevail. Peace is always desirable for its own
sake, and every other desirable state comes after peace, not along with
it. So, the maxim to follow is: “Ignore the problems, and avail of the
opportunities.” Once people become tolerant and obtain peace for its
own sake, it opens up opportunities, which enable people to strive for
their ideals, eventually attaining justice and other constructive ends.
Islam: the religion of peace
This is the ideology of peace which can counter the ideology of
violence and it is based on the original sources of Islam. The Prophet
of Islam provides a very clear example in his method of negotiating the
Hudaybiyah Peace Treaty. In this treaty he unilaterally accepted all the
conditions of his opponents, without receiving justice or his rights, to
enter into a 10-year no-war pact. This gave him and his Companions
an opportunity to work uninterruptedly on a constructive programme.
Using this peaceful non-political programme, they were able to
consolidate themselves so thoroughly that without waging war, they
acquired Makkah peacefully.
From this example of the Prophet Muhammad, we can understand
that Islam is a completely peaceful religion and the Islamic method is
a completely peaceful method. Give people the true understanding of
Islam and God willing, peace will prevail.
SOCIAL ETIQUETTE
Healthy Society
THE Quran has given certain injunctions that ensure harmonious
social living. One injunction of this kind is set forth in the Chapter
Al-Nur (The Light) in these words:
Believers, do not enter other people’s houses until you have
asked their owners’ permission and greeted them. That will be
better for you, so that you may be heedful. If you find no one at
home, do not go in until permission has been granted to you. If
you are told to go away, then go away. That is more proper for
you. God knows well what you do. (
These verses give the Quranic etiquette for social living. The Quran
emphasizes and encourages good relationship between different
members of society. Towards this end, there are some principles which
ensure a better social life and healthy and fruitful interaction. The
principles given in these verses can be summarized as follows:
The first principle, in this regard is that, if you want to meet someone,
you should fix an appointment in advance, so that the person can meet
you without any reservation.
Everyone should,
from others' point of
view, be predictable
in character. All
members of society
must refrain from illfeeling
towards their
fellow men.
If you fail to make a prior appointment before
visiting someone’s house, you must on arrival
knock at the door and wait to have permission
from the occupants of the house before
entering. Without permission from within,
you must refrain from entering the house.
If you visit someone’s home without prior
appointment and after knocking at the door,
you find that there is no response from within,
you have to return without taking offense.
If you visit a house without a prior appointment
and are told by the occupants, that at that particular time a meeting is
not possible, accept this in a positive way and go away without any kind
of rancour.
The above principles are simple and practical. This is good for every
society. These principles do not apply only to strangers but must be
adhered to even by relatives and friends. These principles are common
and universal. There is no exception to them whatsoever.
The spirit of these principles is that the members of society should be
each other’s well-wishers. They should try to avoid creating problems
for others. Everyone should, from others’ point of view, be predictable
in character. All members of society must refrain from ill-feeling
towards their fellow men.
TIME IS A TREASURE
Value its Preciousness
TIME is our greatest wealth. All of us have been blessed with
the gift of time, but few of us spend it properly. Someone has
rightly said, ‘Money lost can be earned again, but lost time is lost
forever. So, use your time judiciously.’
It is unwise to waste and idle away one's time. It is a waste of life to
spend time on useless things. One should use time on things that
will benefit oneself in the true sense. Time is an external thing. It is
determined according to the calendar. But the proper use of time is
something that depends on an individual’s own quality.
We must properly regulate our life in order to use the time that we
have been allotted in the most beneficial manner. All of us have only
a limited period of time in this world. And, after that, our period is up!
We won’t ever be able to get back the time that has passed. So, we
need to clearly distinguish between proper and improper use of time.
We need to save ourselves from the improper
use of time in the same way as we might want
to stay away from a forbidden thing.
Success comes to
one who utilizes
his time and not to
the one who wastes
it. Success comes
from planning and
planning is the wise
utilization of
one's time.
To be deeply concerned about not spending
our time in an improper way will help us use
it in the right way. To further get direction
of how to use one’s time productively one
should take care of what one does in a day.
Every new day that dawns brings with it many
opportunities. These opportunities do not
loudly announce themselves. Rather they
speak very silently. It is for us to recognize
them and to use them in a properly-planned manner. Someone has
rightly said: ‘A day you have lived fully was your day. All other days are
simply dates on your calendar.’
There are two ways of leading life. One is to simply pass time, and the
other is to avail of time. If you live just to pass time, you are simply
wasting your life. But if you spend your life meaningfully you are truly
living. You are making proper use of this amazing blessing that is called
life. Success comes to one who utilizes his time and not to the one
who wastes it. Success comes from planning and planning is the wise
utilization of one’s time.
THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM
Spiritual Upliftment
ISLAM is an answer to the demands of nature. Islam as it is, is in fact
a counterpart of human nature. This is why Islam has been called a
religion of nature in the Quran and Hadith.
A man once came to the Prophet Muhammad and asked him what he
should do in a certain matter. The Prophet replied, 'Consult your heart
about it'. By the heart the Prophet meant common sense. That is, what
one's common sense tells one would likewise be the demand of Islam.
What does human nature desire more than anything? It desires, above
all, peace and love. Every human being wants to live in peace and
to receive love from the people around him. Peace and love are the
religion of human nature as well as the demand of Islam. The Quran
tells us, "God calls to the home of peace".
One of the teachings of Islam is that when two
or more people meet, they must greet one
another with the words, Assalamu Alaikum
(Peace be upon you). Similarly, salat, or prayer,
five times daily is the highest form of worship
in Islam. At the close of each prayer all
worshippers have to turn their faces to either
side and utter the words Assalamu alaikum wa
rahmatullah (May peace and God's blessings
be upon you). This is like a pledge given to
people: "O people you are safe from me. Your
life, your property, your honour is secure with
me. "
A true and perfect
man, from the
religious point of
view, is one who
has reached that
level of spiritual
development where
nothing but peace
prevails.
This sums up the spirit of true religion, the goal of which is spiritual
upliftment. It is the ultimate state of this spiritual upliftment which is
referred to in the Quran as the 'soul at peace.' (
Thus a true and perfect man, from the religious point of view, is one
who has reached that level of spiritual development where nothing but
peace prevails. When a person has attained that peaceful state, others
will receive from him nothing but peace. He may be likened to a flower
which can send out only its fragrance to man, it being impossible for it
to emit a foul smell.
An anecdote mentioned below brings out the spirit of religion. The
story goes that once a Sufi saint was travelling along with his disciples.
During the journey he encamped near a large grove of trees upon which
doves used to perch. During this halt one of the Sufi's disciples aimed
at one of the doves, killed it, cooked it and ate it. Afterwards something
strange happened. A flock of doves came to the tree under which
the Sufi was resting and began hovering over it and making a noise.
The Sufi saint asked the leader of the birds
what the matter was. The leader said, 'One of
your disciples has killed one of us.' The saint
questioned his disciple about it. The disciple
said that he had done nothing wrong, as the
birds were their food and what he had done
was normal. The Sufi conveyed this message
to the leader of the doves.
Peace and love are
the religion of human
nature as well as the
demand of Islam.
The latter replied: 'Perhaps you have failed
to understand our point. Actually what we
are complaining about is that all of you came here in the garb of Sufis
yet acted as hunters. Had you come here in hunter's garb, we would
certainly have remained on the alert. When we saw you in the guise of
Sufis, we thought that we were safe with you and remained perched on
the top of the tree without being properly vigilant.'
This anecdote illustrates well the reality of a true religious person or
spiritual person. One who has reached the stage of spiritual upliftment,
and has found the true essence of religion no longer has the will or the
capacity to do harm. He gives life not death, to others. He benefits
others, doing no injury to anyone. In short, he lives among the people
like flowers and not like thorns. He has nothing but love in his heart to
bestow upon others.
A believer who worships God can feel himself becoming imbued with
a special kind of peace and in turn he will live as a peaceful person in
society. He will be a well wisher to everyone and will consider all as his
fellow beings.
REFLECTIONS ON LIFE AND DEATH
Ephemeral and Eternal
OF all the stages through which a person will have to pass, death
is the most certain. Yet, it is something that few people bother
to seriously think about, leave alone prepare for. Everyone who
is alive now will be dead sometime in the future. One day, the eyes of
those who now see will fade and their tongues will freeze into silence.
Every human being will one day be leaving this world, never to return,
and will enter a world which he will never leave.
Death is commonly defined as the end of life in an organism. Upon
death, apparently all biological and other-related activities of a living
being stop, including the mind and the senses. Research suggests that
about 150,000 people die every day around the world. Throughout
history, a great majority of people have believed that humans also
have a soul in addition to the physical body and that the soul continues
in the afterlife, after leaving the body. It is here that religion adds a very
important aspect to the concept of death.
That is, religion says that there is a very meaningful relationship
between the pre-death and the post-death period of a human being.
The period before death in the present world can be likened to a
nursery where human beings are meant to grow and develop, while
in the phase after the present life, a human being will find his true
habitat. Human beings grow in the nursery of this present world, and
in the world of the Hereafter plants from this nursery are selected for
being settled in Paradise.
According to Islam, in the pre-death period, the Creator has bestowed
complete freedom to a person. This freedom is meant as a person’s
test. Those individuals who give proof of not having misused their
freedom and show that they are competent to lead life in a highly
disciplined way will be made deserving of entry to Paradise. Paradise
is a sublime society where selected persons from entire human history
will be brought together and where they will live for eternity.
Since all of us must, one day or the other, face death, we need to reflect
on death often and lead our lives in this world in such a way that when
our death finally arrives, we will be adequately prepared for it, having
lived as our Creator wanted us to. We should give attention to the
reality of life and death, and thereby lead our lives in a truly meaningful
manner.
CONSOLIDATION BEFORE EXPANSION
Natural Principle
A TREE is a unique phenomenon of nature. Its roots go deep into
the soil and its trunk rises up and its branches spread out high
above. This principle of nature is also applicable to the human
world. That is, real change in human life can be brought about by
following the natural principle: first consolidation and then expansion.
Here, consolidation means to firmly establish one's base in the ground
and expansion means to spread out everywhere.
Individuals are the
basis of any social
building. If you
want to bring about
change in society you
have to begin your
work at the level of
the individual.
If you want to bring about any real change in
society, you must first of all change individual
thinking and conduct. For example, if you want
to successfully establish a political system,
you shall have to train people's minds in such
a way that they find that system acceptable.
Similarly, if you want to run successful
institutions you shall first of all have to educate
individual minds. Individuals are the basis of
any social building. If you want to bring about
change in society you have to begin your work
at the level of the individual.
Building an institution without first laying a solid foundation is like
building sandcastles which soon crumble away.
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
Before you also the messengers We sent were but [mortal] men to
whom We vouchsafed revelation. Ask the People of the Book, if you
do not know. [We sent them] with clear signs and scriptures. We
have sent down the Reminder to you, to enable you to make clear to
mankind what has been sent down to them, so that they may reflect
upon it. (
‘The People of the Book’ (ahl az-zikr), i.e. those who have a knowledge
of historical facts relating to past peoples and past prophets. What
had to be ascertained from them was not about truth or untruth: they
were to be asked about whether the prophets appearing in past ages
were human beings or not. The fact that the Prophet Muhammad was
a human being was treated by the people of Makkah as evidence of his
not being the prophet of God. They were told to ascertain from the
communities among whom prophets had been appearing (just as in
the case of the Jews) whether the prophets who appeared among
them were human beings or angels.
A prophet appears for the purpose of ‘reminding’. This reminding is,
in fact, done with the help of arguments. However, it is also necessary
for the preacher to prove himself to be absolutely serious in this
regard. If a man makes people aware of heaven and hell, but at the
same time engages in such activities as prove him to be flippant
about heaven and hell, his dawah efforts will become ridiculous in the
eyes of the people.
However, even if the call of the preacher is of a high standard and
is presented in a perfect manner, it will benefit only those who pay attention to it. Those who do not pay attention can never be
benefited by the call of truth.
Do those who devise evil plans feel secure that God will not make
them sink into the land, or that a punishment will not come upon
them from where they least expect? Or that He will not seize them
suddenly in their daily activities and they will not be able to frustrate
Him? Or that He will not punish them by giving them a fright? Indeed,
your Lord is kind and merciful. (
This verse pertains to the last stage of the Makkan period when the
opponents of the Prophet Muhammad were conspiring to kill him. The
Prophet is God’s representative on God’s earth. Therefore, hatching
such a conspiracy against a prophet must necessarily be the handiwork
of such persons as are absolutely fearless of God’s retribution.
The fact is that God is the possessor of such control over man that He
can cause him to be buried deep in the earth if He so desires, or He
may wreak vengeance on him at the very place which he considers
safe; or God may seize him in the course of his activities and he will
not be able to save himself. God may even seize upon him when he is
conscious of the risk and fully aware of the situation.
In short, God may seize upon man at any time and in any situation. If He
sees people doing mischief, yet lets them go unpunished, they should
not become fearless, because His restraint is due to His consideration
of ‘test’ conditions and not to His being powerless.
Have they not observed the things God has created, casting their
shadows right and left, prostrating themselves before God in all
humility? Everything in the heavens and all the creatures on the earth
prostrate themselves before God, as do the angels, and they do not
behave proudly: they fear their Lord above them, and do what they
are commanded. (
Man indulges in arrogance in a world where all the things surrounding
him are teaching him lessons in obedience. For example, the shadows
of material things. The shadow of a thing standing erect falls on the
ground. In this way, it symbolizes kneeling down (sajdah). It shows
symbolically how a man should bow down before his Creator.
Though angels are not visible to man, the running of this immense
universe in the most regulated manner proves that the agents
appointed by God to run it are extremely powerful. These angels, in
spite of being extraordinarily powerful, are totally obedient to God.
If they were not so, the system of the universe would not function
continuously with so much precision and uniformity.
In view of this, to be entirely correct in his behaviour, man can do
no other than surrender himself to God, do obeisance to Him and
become His most obedient subject.
God says, ‘Do not take two gods. He is only One God. So fear Me alone.’
To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and on the earth, and
obedience is due to Him alone. Will you then fear anyone other than
God? (
God has warned man through His prophets that he should not hold
to any god except the one and only God. The God of this universe is
only one. Man should fear only Him; he should be obedient to Him
alone.
If a man fully realizes that it is God who is the sole Creator and Lord
of all, and that his life completely depends upon Him, the feeling that
develops in him as a result of this realization is fear of God (taqwa).
Eternal obedience is the due of God alone in this heaven and earth.
Everything here is completely bound by divine law. In such a world, to
pray to or to worship or to repose hope in anybody else is absolutely
irrational. The present universe is such that it completely rejects
ascribing partners to God (shirk).
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
Why should I respect Islam and its adherents? Suicide bombers, cruelty
towards ‘sinners’, patronising towards women, conservative medieval
social norms, sanctimonious people who look down upon others who
drink and smoke…
You are under no compulsion to respect Islam and its adherents.
However, you must certainly analyze what you hold in contempt.
The very word ‘Islam’ (from the Arabic silm) connotes peace. According
to a teaching of the Prophet, “Peace is Islam.” (Al-Bukhari, the most
authentic book after the Quran) This means that peace is one of the
prerequisites of Islam. The Prophet once stated: “A Muslim is one from
whose tongue and hands people are safe.” One of the attributes of God
described in the Quran is ‘As-Salam’, which means peace and security.
As per Sahih Muslim, the second most authentic book of Hadith, a
teaching is recounted as follows. It is narrated on the authority of Abu
Huraira that the Messenger of Allah observed:
"He who killed himself with steel (weapon) would be the eternal
denizen of the fire of Hell and he would have that weapon in his
hand and would be thrusting that in his stomach for ever and
ever, he who drank poison and killed himself would sip that in
the fire of Hell where he is doomed for ever and ever; and he
who killed himself by falling from (the top of) a mountain would
constantly fall in the fire of Hell and would live there for ever
and ever." (Sahih Muslim).
In addition, the Quran makes a very clear statement: “Whoever killed
a human being, except as a punishment for murder or for spreading
corruption in the land, shall be regarded as having killed all mankind.”
(
It is true that some Muslims are engaged in violence in the name of
Islam, but these violent activities are quite against Islamic teachings.
Islam in its very essence connotes peace and there is no association of
a peaceful religion with terrorist movements at all. You have to judge
Muslims in the light of Islamic teachings, and not vice versa.
How can we eliminate all terrorists from the world? Can there be
everlasting peace?
Terrorism is a phenomenon that results on account of 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.
As we cannot abolish this freedom, we cannot establish an ideal system.
It is this fact due to which establishing a perfect society or system is
simply not possible.
Which extremely unfair society became fair without violent processes?
The term ‘fair’ has to be understood in a pragmatic sense and not
in the ideal sense. This is because in this world, everyone has been
granted complete freedom to make their own moral choices. It is this
freedom that divides people into two categories—those who misuse
their freedom and the others who make proper use of it.
In view of human freedom, I would like to present a pragmatic example
of such a society which was fair—this was the society that Prophet
Muhammad established and which lasted for a limited period of time—
for about
with the Quraysh tribe. A few violent clashes were merely defensive
and did not last more than a couple of hours. Later on, after the death
of the Prophet, this society was also marred by violence which was
the result of misuse of freedom by some people called Khawarij or
the uncivilized desert dwellers, who became the chief reason for the
strife and violence in the society of that time. But despite their sharp
differences, the opposing parties used to come together for performing
the religious rites of the deceased. I do not know of any other such
example.
Why is there Islamophobia, but no Hinduphobia or Buddhistphobia?
There’s no such thing as ‘Islamophobia’. This is a concept which only
some Muslims have themselves innovated. There would have been
Islamophobia if this term had been coined by the West describing their
own attitude towards Islam. On the other hand, this term has been
attributed to the West by the Muslim community. Thus Islamophobia is
an allegation, and not a real phenomenon.
It is a common perception that Muslims become emotional very easily
when it comes to controversial issues. This is why people have come
to fear Muslims, while Hindu and Buddhist communities are tolerant in
comparison. It is because of people’s perception of Muslims as being
intolerant that there is fear of Muslims, but not of people of other
faiths.
If the Muslim community embraces peace, cultivates tolerance and
avoids being over-sensitive on trivial issues then the so-called
‘Islamophobic’ perception shall also disappear.
What is wrong with Islam in the 21st century?
In my opinion there is only one problem facing present-day Muslims–
that is, their self-styled concept of jihad. All other issues of intolerance
and extremism have branched out from their misconceptions about
jihad. The most essential point for Muslims today is to know the
importance of peace and to know that jihad is not needed in today’s
age. The command for jihad, in terms of qital (war), is suspended.
If in present times, we can achieve everything we want by peaceful
methods, then why engage in qital or fighting? This is the basic problem
that needs to be addressed. Trying to establish Islamic Shariah by force
or through coercion is also an offshoot of this wrong concept of jihad.
Muslims must throw away their arms in the oceans and work peacefully
for constructive goals.
Whenever Muslim countries are in crisis, why does Islamic
fundamentalism flourish there immediately?
Crisis in Muslim countries leads to flourishing of Islamic fundamentalism.
This is because since the time the Palestinian issue gained prominence,
Ikhwanul Muslimun (Muslim Brotherhood) has gained stronghold in
Arab countries. The Muslim Brotherhood were initially against the
West but later they also turned against their own Arab rulers and tried
to dethrone them because they thought that these rulers were agents
of the West. In order to destabilize the Arab rule, Muslim Brotherhood
began confronting and clashing with the rulers. As a result, the Arab
rulers became very sensitive towards Islamic movements, as they
considered them to be a form of extremism or fundamentalism whose
aim was to revolt and de-stabilize the existing rule.
Is the concept of ‘religion’ to be blamed for the chaos in the world, or
is it humans who are responsible?
The source of chaos in the world is not religion. Its source is the 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.
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 )
