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.
The End
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan in a Panel Discussion on Unity in Diversity,
New Delhi
Do you agree with the understanding that Ultimate Reality, whatever
it is called, has to be One and that it is ineffable, that it is too great to
be described in words?
According to Islam, Ultimate Reality is only another name for God. The
Islamic concept of God is based on tawhid, or the oneness of God. God
is one, not only in number but in every other aspect. God alone is the
Creator and Sustainer of everything.
Islam stresses duality—that there is a Creator, or God, on the one
hand, and creatures, on the other. According to Islam, Reality is not
only a matter of belief but also a matter of conviction. And when it
is a matter of conviction, it is necessary to express that conviction in
words, because human beings cannot recognize anything or establish
conviction without expressing it in words. So, according to Islam, Reality
or God can be expressed in words.
I don’t wish to question the intent of proselytization that seeks to
bring others into one’s religious fold. But is it possible for followers
of a tradition that believes in proselytization to truly respect
religious diversity? Are they not bound to treat religious diversity as
a provisional state of affairs and cherish the hope that this state of
affairs will eventually be overcome when the gap between the self
and the other will be bridged via religious conversion?
In the light of my study, conversion is alien to Islam. The Islamic concept
is based on Ma'rifat, which means self-realization. According to Islam,
the reality of God is a matter of self-realization.
When people use the word ‘conversion’, it means there are two
persons—one, the person who converts from one religion to another,
and the other, the person who engages in trying to make others convert
from one religion to another.
This kind of concept is not present in Islam. Islam teaches that everyone
must try to discover Reality on their own, because without this kind of
discovery, without self-realization, there is no conviction. Conviction is
very important in Islam.
Now, about the question of religious diversity, I would say that dealing
with religious diversity is not a matter of religious belief. Rather, it is a matter of social ethics. A matter of belief is a personal matter, while
religious diversity is a social question. It poses the issue of how to live
in a religiously diverse society, a religiously-diverse world.
It is a fact that there are differences in every aspect of life. These
differences are due to the law of nature and cannot be eliminated.
In such a situation, it is unrealistic during dialogue to try to establish
one’s superiority. The purpose of dialogue is to find out how different
sections of society can co-exist peacefully. Diversity in society can never
be eliminated. So, bringing an end to diversity can never be the goal of
dialogue. Its goal is to search for a solution of peaceful co-existence.
Then, what is the truth? It is a subject of personal pursuit, and not of
social discussion or social gatherings. Everyone wants to find out the
truth in which they can believe, as human beings cannot live without
conviction.
This issue, therefore, has two aspects. One aspect relates to the
individual. As every individual wants to live in conviction he tries to know
the truth. The other aspect is to maintain social harmony. Experience
shows that social harmony can be achieved only by adopting the formula
of co-existence. In this aspect there is no other option before us.
Everyone is free to adopt whatever religious beliefs they want to, but,
at the same time, we all live in society, and so we must learn to live
peacefully with people who may hold other religious beliefs. Believing
strongly in a particular religion, being firmly convinced about it, and at
the same time living peacefully with people who follow or believe in
other religions are not contradictory to each other. The human mind
has enormous capacities, including being able to believe in something
and at the same time being committed to living at peace with people
who believe or think differently.
Allow me to cite my own example. I believe in one Reality or in one
religion, but, at the same time, I can say that I have love for everyone.
I believe in Jesus Christ’s call to love one’s enemies. If you operate on
my heart, you will find that there is no hate inside it for anyone, that I
love every person.
While the Prophet of Islam was in Madinah, one day a funeral procession
of a Jew passed by. The Prophet was seated at that time. On seeing
the procession, he stood up in respect. One of his Companions said
to him that the deceased was a Jew, not a Muslim. And the Prophet
responded, “Was he not a human being?”
So, as this example teaches us, every human being has equal status in
his or her capacity of being human. There’s no difference whatsoever.
Why should the Quran be distributed to the whole of humanity?
The Quran is not a religious book in the ordinary sense of the word.
When one reads it one can find out that it speaks of the law of nature
and tells us about God’s scheme of things. The Quran is not a book
which solely commands us to pray and fast, neither is it just a book of
jurisprudence. It informs us of the creation plan of God. It talks about
universal laws of human nature. According to Islam the Quran is the
book given to us by the Creator of the universe. It is preserved in its
entirety for all time to come.
For the above reasons, the Quran is not merely the book of a
certain religion. For instance, a verse in the Quran states: “Surely, with
every hardship there is ease.” (
problem, we must not begin to fight or clash with others. The difficulty
we are encountering will remain only for a temporary period. So, one
must peacefully make one’s plan of work rather than react or become
provocative. This principle is meant for all human beings. We have
an example of this principle in the histories of Germany and Japan.
Germany lost one-third of its land after WWII. It then began its economic
planning on the basis of the land that had remained with it and later on
emerged very successful. This line of action adopted by Germany was
very much an Islamic principle similar to the one stated in the above
Quranic verse.
The Prophet Muhammad too in his lifetime had to let go of his
hometown Makkah and had to migrate to Madinah. Though he had lost
Makkah, he still had Madinah as a place to carry forward his mission.
The Prophet then planned on the basis of Madinah and not of Makkah.
These principles of success are mentioned in the Quran.
The universal approach of the Quran wherein the laws of nature are
mentioned is the factor which justifies the work of making it accessible
to entire mankind.
Can you please say a prayer to unite us all?
I’ll recite a prayer of the Prophet. He used to pray thus:
Allahumma antas-salam wa minkas-salam ilayka yarjius salam hayyana
rabbana bis-salam wa adkhilna daraka daras-salam tabarakta rabbana
wa talaita ya dhal jalale wal ikram
It means, ‘O God, You are peace, peace comes from You, peace returns
to You. O God, bless us to live in peace with all. O God, grant us entry
into Your Home of Peace. O God, You are great, glory be to You!’
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
COMFORT
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Have We not lifted up your heart, and removed your burden that
weighed so heavily on your back, and have We not given you high
renown? So, surely with every hardship there is ease; surely, with
every hardship there is ease. So, when you are free, strive hard, and
to your Lord turn [all] your attention. (
The Prophet Muhammad went tirelessly in the quest of knowledge
about reality and Truth. God blessed him with this knowledge, which
opened his heart to the deep realization of Truth (ma'rifah). Then he
started preaching the oneness of God in Makkah, where he had to face
stiff opposition, but it was thanks to this opposition, that he became
known throughout the country.
This is God’s law in the present world. Hence, a man has to face difficult
conditions (usr) in the beginning, but if he perseveres with patience,
this usr or hardship becomes a stepping stone to new and easy
circumstances (yusr). Therefore, a man should always look towards
God and continue to struggle according to his capacity.
THE FIG
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
By the Fig and the Olive, and by Mount Sinai, and by this secure land,
We have indeed created man in the best of mould, then We cast him
down as the lowest of the low, except for those who believe and do
good deeds—theirs shall be an unending reward! What then after this, can make you deny the Last Judgement? Is not God the greatest of the
judges? (
Fig (Tin) and Olive (Zaytun) are the names of two hills in the vicinity of
Jerusalem where Jesus’s field of action was situated. Mount Sinai (Tur
Sinin) refers to that hill where God made His revelation to Moses. The
‘secure land’ (al-Baladu-ul-Amin) refers to Makkah where the Prophet
Muhammad was born.
God has created man with superior capabilities. These capabilities
have been given to man so that he should be able to recognize the
Truth conveyed to him through the prophets, and to shape his life
in accordance with it. Those who do so, will reach a high position of
honour, which will be theirs for all eternity. On the contrary, those who
do not make their God-given capabilities subservient to God’s will,
will have even the existing blessings taken away and they will have no
place to take refuge. Their lot will be total deprivation. The raising of
prophets and the end-results of their mission, bear testimony to the
veracity of this fact.
LIFE AFTER DEATH
Soul Eternal
IS there any life after death? The answer to this tends, nowadays, to
be in the negative because we are so used to thinking of life in terms
of all the material elements of which it is apparently composed. We
think of life developing when all the aforesaid elements are arranged
in a particular order, and, as a corollary to that, we think of death as
shattering that order and, in consequence, obviating all possibility of
life after death.
T.R. Miles regards the concept of resurrection as a symbolic truth and
refuses to accept it literally:
It seems to me that there is a good case for regarding ‘People
have experiences after death’ as a literal, factually significant
assertion capable in principle of being verified or falsified by
experience. The only difficulty, in that case, is that, until we die,
there is no means of discovering the true answer. Speculation,
of course, is possible. It might be argued,
for instance, that according to neurology
awareness of the space occupied by our
bodies (and of spatial relationships in
general) is possible only when the brain
is functioning normally, and that after
death, when the brain disintegrates, no
such awareness will be possible.
There are certain
assumptions
which suggest that
disintegration of
material particles in
a body does not bring
life to an end. Life
has a distinct and
independent identity
which survives in
spite of the change in
material particles.
But there are certain other assumptions
which suggest that disintegration of material
particles in a body does not bring life to an end.
And these assumptions carry considerable
weight. We should be prepared to recognize
that life has a distinct and independent
identity which survives in spite of the change
in material particles. It is known that the human body is composed
of certain specific elements called cells. These are the fundamental
units of living things, and are composed of microscopic particles with a
highly complicated structure. A man is made up of more than a billion
cells. It is as if cells were the tiny bricks of the human construction.
But whereas, real bricks remain the same as they were at the time of
building, human cells undergo a constant process of transformation
known as metabolism.
When a machine is in operation, it undergoes a gradual process of
deterioration; in like manner, our body ‘machine’ is in a continual state
of deterioration. Its ‘bricks’ are constantly being eroded and destroyed
in the normal course of our daily lives. But we compensate for this
loss by taking in food. Once digested, this produces various forms of
cells which counterbalance any physical deficiency. Our bodies are, in
fact, a compound of cells that is always in the process of change. It is
like a large river that is always filled with water, without the water ever
remaining the same. At every moment the old water is being replaced
by the new. The container remains the same, but the water flows on.
Our bodies are so constantly undergoing changes that a time comes
when all of the ‘bricks’ in our bodies have been eroded and replaced
by new ones. During childhood, this is a fairly rapid process. However,
as one ages, this process slows down day by
day. Over an entire lifetime, on an average, all
of the body cells are renewed every ten years.
This process of the death and decomposition
of the body goes on continually, whereas the
inner man survives in his original form. At all
stages of his life, he thinks of himself as being
the same ‘man’ that he was in the past, and
this, in spite of the fact that no feature of his,
eyes, ears, nose, hands, legs, hair, nails, etc.—
has remained the same.
Our bodies are like
a large river that is
always filled with
water, without the
water ever remaining
the same. At every
moment the old
water is being
replaced by the
new. The container
remains the same,
but the water
flows on.
Now if, along with the death of the body,
the man inhabiting it died too, he should
be diminished or depleted in some way by
this total replacement of his cells. But this is
not so. He remains quite distinct from and
independent of the body, and retains his
identity notwithstanding the death and decay of the body. Man is like
a river. And the human personality is like an island in it, unaffected
by the ceaseless flow of the cells. That is why a scientist has regarded
life, or the human personality, as an independent entity that remains
constant in the face of continuous change. He asserts that ‘personality
is changelessness in change.’ Now if death means the end of the body,
we might well say that whenever there is such a total replacement of
cells in the body, the man actually dies on each occasion. And that if
we see him moving about alive, he has really been resurrected. That is,
a fifty-year old man would have experienced death at least five times
within the short span of his life. If a man does not experience bodily ‘death’ five times in a row at ten-year intervals, how are we justified
in believing that, on the ultimate occasion, he will have ceased quite
finally to live?
Those who find this argument unacceptable—and modern philosophy
is, in the main, opposed to the concept of the soul as an independent
entity—will insist that the mind, or the internal entity, that is called
man does not, in fact, enjoy any independent existence. Man is simply
the outcome of the interaction between the body and the outer world.
All feelings and thoughts in man develop in the course of a material
process, just as friction between two pieces of metal causes heat. Sir
James Jeans is of the view that consciousness is merely a function or a
process, and contemporary philosophers maintain that consciousness
is nothing more than a nervous response to external stimuli. According
to this concept, once a man dies, that is, when he biologically
disintegrates, there can be no question of his survival, because the
nerve centres which interact with the outside world and produce a
set of responses which we call ‘life’ no longer exist after death. The
concept of life after death, viewed in this way, appears irrational and
unconnected with reality.
The process of
the death and
decomposition
of the body goes
on continually,
whereas the inner
man survives in his
original form.
It must be pointed out at this juncture, that
if this is the sum total of man’s existence, we
should certainly be in a position to create
a man—a conscious, living being. Today
we are highly knowledgeable about the
elements which make up the human body.
All of these are, obtainable in abundance,
beneath the surface of the earth and in the
atmosphere. We have examined in great
detail the internal system of the body with a
microscopic ‘eye’ and we are very well aware
of how the skeleton, blood vessels, tissues,
etc. have been constructed. Moreover, we
have the services of so many expert artists who can copy the human
body to perfection. If the opponents of the ‘soul’—concept are truly
convinced that their views are correct, they should prove their point
by constructing ‘human’ bodies, placing them in sets of circumstances
where they receive the correct number and type of stimuli and then
demonstrating to the rest of the world how these inert bodies begin
to move about and talk in response to their environment. The plain
fact that no man can create another man in this artificial way, that no
man can breathe the spark of life into a lifeless lump of flesh, should be enough to convince them that there is a great deal more to life than
permutations and combinations of cellular forms.
Apart from concerning ourselves with the probability of survival after
death, we must also look at this problem from the angle of what purpose
is served by having faith in such a concept. Religion makes it plain that
life is not as Nietzsche maintained, just a blind and meaningless cycle
of life, death, and resurrection, like an hour-glass being emptied of its
sand, time and time again, for no particular reason: it is, on the contrary,
a time of trial for the whole of mankind, and the afterlife is the time of
reward or punishment. The purpose of belief in such religious tenets,
therefore, is to strengthen the moral fibre of society by inculcating the
fear of God in the individuals—of which it is composed.
No man can create
another man in an
artificial way, no
man can breathe the
spark of life into a
lifeless lump of flesh.
The advent of the life hereafter assumes
a high degree of credibility when we find,
astonishingly, that the daily deeds of each
and every human individual are being
instantaneously recorded throughout the
universe at all times. The human personality
manifests itself in three ways: intentions,
words and actions. All three manifestations
are being preserved in their entirety, all
being imprinted on a cosmic screen in such a
manner as to make their precise reproduction
an instant possibility. No detail of one’s life on earth will remain a
secret. It will be possible to know who opted for the path of God and
who opted to follow Satan, who drew their inspiration from the angels
and who trod the ways of evil.
Since we soon forget the thoughts that pass through our minds, we
imagine that they have been erased from our memories forever.
However, when we dream of some long forgotten event, or when
someone suffering from a mental disorder begins to reveal things that
relate to a distant and not even dimly remembered past, it becomes
evident that the human memory is not confined just to that part of
existence which is consciously experienced. One may not be conscious
of certain compartments of the human memory, but they nevertheless
exist. Various experiments have proved that all of our thoughts are
preserved forever in the form in which they first existed. And even if
we so desired, we could not eradicate them from our memory. Such
investigations have revealed that the human personality does not have
its basis only in the conscious part of the brain. On the contrary, there
is another major part of the human personality which exists below the level of consciousness. Freud dubbed this part the subconscious, or
unconscious. The human personality is rather like an iceberg whose
tip—one-tenth part of its total volume—is visible above the ocean’s
surface, while the rest—a massive 90%—lies submerged, and therefore
hidden from view. It is in this hidden part, the subconscious, that all of
our thoughts and intentions are preserved. In his thirty-first lecture,
Freud elaborates:
The laws of logic—above all, the law of contradiction—do not hold
for processes in the id (inner nature). Contradictory impulses
exist side by side without neutralising each other or drawing
apart; at most they combine in compromise-formations under
the overpowering economic pressure towards discharging their
energy. There is nothing in the id which can be compared to
negation, and we are astonished to find in it an exception to the
philosophers’ assertion that space and time are necessary forms
of our mental acts. In the id there is nothing corresponding to
the idea of time, no recognition of the passage of time, and (a
thing which is very remarkable and awaits adequate attention
in philosophic thought) no alteration of mental processes by
the passage of time. Cognitive impulses which have never got
beyond the id, and even impressions which have been pushed
down into the id by repression, are virtually immortal and are
preserved for whole decades as though they had only recently
occurred.
Religion makes it
plain that life is
not just a blind and
meaningless cycle
of life, death, and
resurrection, like
an hour-glass being
emptied of its sand,
time and time again,
for no particular
reason.
This theory of the subconscious has gained
general acceptance in psychology, this in
turn, giving credence to the idea that every
good or bad thought that comes to mind
is indelibly engraved upon the human
psyche. The passage of time or different
sets of circumstances do not cause even the
minutest changes to occur. This process of
thought registration goes on independently,
and irrespective of human likes or dislikes.
Freud, however, failed to take stock of nature’s
purpose in taking such great pains to preserve
a record of our intentions and their outcome within the subconscious.
He thus felt the necessity of inviting philosophers to ponder the matter.
But when we look at this phenomenon in relation to the concept of
the life hereafter, we immediately grasp its meaningfulness. It clearly shows the advent of the life hereafter as a distinct probability—as
the time when every single human being will be confronted with a
complete and accurate record of his deeds on earth. His own entity will
be evidence of what the thoughts and intentions were which guided
him in the course of his worldly existence.
“We verily created man and we know the promptings of his soul,
and are closer to him than his jugular vein.” (THE QURAN 50: 16)
Let us now consider what happens to man’s words.
“Each word he utters shall be noted down by a vigilant guardian”. (
No matter whether his words are sweet or bitter, true or false, good or
evil, each and every one of them is being cosmically recorded, and man
shall be held accountable for them, for this record will be consulted on
the Day of Judgement.
Various experiments
have proved that all
of our thoughts are
preserved, forever
in the form in which
they first existed.
And even if we so
desired, we could not
eradicate them from
our memory.
Whenever a man moves his tongue to utter some words, this movement
produces waves in the air, just as a stone dropped into water will
produce ripples. If you enclose an electric bell
inside an airtight glass jar, pump out all the
air so that the bell is in a vacuum and pass
an electric current through it, it will ring, but
the sound will be almost inaudible, because
the sound waves from the ringing bell, cannot
pass through the vacuum to our ears. The
only sound which will be audible will be
that which comes via the wires carrying the
electric current, and it will be so extremely
faint as to be almost undetectable. It is only
when waves can pass freely through the air
to strike the tympanum of the ear that the
aural devices can pick them up and transmit
them to the brain, thus making it possible for us to understand what
we hear, whether it be the sound of a bell ringing, a bird chirping or a
series of spoken words.
It has been proved that sound waves once produced continue to exist for
ever in the atmosphere. Although our technology is not yet so advanced
as to enable us to catch and reproduce these sounds, science is making
such rapid and gigantic leaps forward that it will only be a matter of a
very short time before we are actually able to do so. It has been accepted,
in theory, that we shall have the physical means to listen to the sounds
produced in ancient times, just as we receive the sounds relayed from broadcasting stations and have them made intelligible for us by radios.
The obstacles to the actual catching of sounds from ancient times are
fewer than the difficulties of separating individual sounds from the
complex mixture of noises produced at any given moment. The same
difficulties occur in broadcasting. There are hundreds of radio stations
all over the world simultaneously relaying innumerable and vastly
different kinds of programmes at the enormous speed of one hundred
and eighty-six thousand miles per second. One might imagine that the
sounds received would be confusing and incomprehensible because
of their speed, huge numbers and widespread diffusion. But this is
not so, because the different radio-stations broadcast their respective
programmes on different wave lengths, some
on short waves, some on long, and we have
only to adjust our radios to the appropriate
meter-band and we can listen to any desired
programme without the interference of other
sounds.
Life hereafter is the
time when every
single human being
will be confronted
with a complete and
accurate record of
his deeds on earth.
The technique of segregating natural sounds
has yet to be evolved. But the very fact that
techniques already exist by which radio
transmitters and receivers separate artificial
sounds is a strong indication that sometime
in the future, we shall be in a position to hear distinctly separate,
naturally produced sounds. Then we shall have a first-hand account
of all periods of human history through the medium of the sounds
produced at that time. Once such a possibility is accepted, it becomes
quite comprehensible that, man’s speech having been perfectly
recorded in nature, everyone will be called to account for his deeds
and misdeeds.
It came to light that when a former Prime Minister of Iran was placed
under detention, a recording machine, which kept working round the
clock, was secretly introduced into his room, so that every single word
that he uttered, would be recorded and could be used in evidence
against him when he was brought into court. In a similar fashion, God’s
invisible angels are constantly hovering around every single individual
on the face of this earth, recording with unfailing accuracy upon a
cosmic disc his every thought, word and deed.
How are our deeds actually documented? Scientific studies have shown,
surprisingly, that all our actions, whether in public or in a private,
in broad daylight or in pitch darkness, linger in that atmosphere in photographic form. These photographs may be resorted to at any time
to lay bare the innermost secrets of an entire life.
Recent investigations have shown that all objects continuously emit
heat waves, (provided the surroundings are of a lower temperature)
no matter whether it is in darkness or in light, in motion or at rest. For
instance, suppose that after sitting in a room, a person gets up and goes
out of the room, the heat waves emitted by the person’s body while in
the room will still be there. With the help of certain thermal imaging
devices a complete ‘photograph’ of the person can then be taken. Since
this device functions by means of infrared rays, which can penetrate
darkness, it does not matter whether the room was in darkness or in
light. However, the thermal imaging devices
in use at present are only powerful enough to
register heat waves emitted up to a few hours
beforehand.
All our actions can
be documented on
a cosmic scale, just
as all the actions
of actors and
actresses on a film
set are caught and
registered on film.
In the near future, we shall be able to watch
history on the screen. And it is quite probable
that such a series of strange facts will come
to light as will drastically change our entire
conception of the past.
The remarkable performance and results
of such devices show us that all our actions
can be documented on a cosmic scale, just as all the actions of actors
and actresses on a film set are caught and registered on film by the
fast-moving, sharply-focused cameras of the film world. Whether you
strike someone or help a poor fellow to lift up his burden; whether you
crusade for a noble cause or stoop to collaborate in the evil designs
of others; whether you are in the light, in motion or at rest, all of your
actions are being imprinted on a cosmic screen. This is happening every
second of every minute in every home. There is no way of stopping it.
Once a story is filmed, it can be repeated on the screen even at far-off
places and after long intervals. It is watched by people as if they were
on the spot, witnessing everything as if it was actually happening there
and then. In exactly the same way, a total picture of an individual’s
good or bad deeds in this world can come before him on the day
of Resurrection in such minute detail as will make him exclaim in
bewilderment: “What can this book mean? It omits nothing small or
great; all are noted down!”
From the above discussion, it becomes clear how a complete account of
each and every deed is being unfailingly recorded. Every thought that comes to our mind and every single word that we utter are preserved
for eternity. We are pursued by such ‘cameras’ as are unaffected by
darkness or light and which go on documenting our lives without
interruption.
What happens is very similar to the fate of erring drivers, who blatantly
commit traffic offences, unaware that their every movement is being
picked up by closed-circuit television cameras. One such offender was
the driver of a three-wheeler scooter rickshaw who left his vehicle in a
no-parking area in Delhi in the year 1980.
The system was new at that time, so he had no idea he was being
watched. When he was admonished by a policeman, he tried to pretend
that he had just allowed a passenger to alight and that he was about
to move on. The policeman promptly took him to the traffic inspector
in the control room, where he was shown a film of all his movements—
his parking (no passenger to be seen!), his strolling around, chatting to
friends and finally his conversation with the policeman to whom he had
put on such an air of outraged innocence! Naturally, when he saw the
film, he had no defence left.
Cosmic recording is similar in effect, but it is no sporadic affair. It
is a round-the-clock process. And it is as if not only our external
personalities, but reflections of our inner selves were being regularly
pictorialized. This astonishing phenomenon is explainable only as a
means of providing evidence for or against individuals, to be used in
the divine court on the Day of Judgement. Now if even such a stark
reality fails to convince a man of his ineluctably being called to account
on that fateful day, it is impossible to imagine what would, in the last
analysis, cause the scales to fall from his eyes.
AN EXPERT IN GEMS
Uncut Jewels
IN a small town in South Africa, a man spotted a boy in a field playing
with a strange-looking stone. He took the stone from the boy, and
when he showed it to a lapidary—an expert in gems—he discovered
that it was actually a very large diamond!
You need to have the requisite expertise to examine precious stones
and estimate their value. You need the same sort of ability when it
comes to human beings too. Innumerable people are born into this
world, but they do not have the same abilities. Some of them are born
with a potential for special skills and abilities. But these skills and
abilities are hidden. They don’t loudly announce themselves. They
need a 'lapidary' to recognize them and to give them the opportunity
to express themselves.
There are two ways in which a person’s hidden jewels can be recognized.
One way is that the person becomes so aware of himself that he can
discover his hidden potentials. The other way is for someone who
truly cares for him to come into his life and to
recognize his jewels and to help him recognize
them too.
Both these options aren’t easily available,
though. To realize the jewels hidden inside
you, you need to be extremely realistic. And
to be able to recognize the jewels hidden
inside someone else and to help him realize
them, you need to be genuinely concerned
about his well-being.
To realise the jewels
hidden inside you,
you need to be
extremely realistic.
Experience tells us that these two qualities are exceedingly rare among
people. And so, it very often happens that people who are born with
hidden special capacities and abilities never go on to develop and
express them in their lives. Sometimes, it is because they fail to discover
these themselves. In other cases, it is because they do not find a sincere
well-wisher who can help them draw out their latent potential.
NEGOTIATING SOCIAL LIFE
Give and Take
TO be able to lead a respectable life in society there is a necessary
condition. And that is you must become someone who is
beneficial to others, a ‘giver’, or at least a ‘no-problem person’ as
far as others are concerned. Other than these two options, there is no
other way for you to lead a respectable life in society. Those who think
that there is a third way only go on to create trouble in society and for
themselves, too.
Social life is always based on the principle of give-and-take. If you are
contributing positively to society, society will regard you with respect.
And if you think you are not in a position to contribute anything to
society, at least you can become a ‘no-problem’ person for others.
If you become a giver as far as others are concerned, you are helping
society progress. Even if you simply become a ‘no-problem’ person, you
are still playing a social role—by not placing
any obstacle in the progress of society. In the
former case you are directly helping society
to progress. In the latter case, you are doing
this indirectly.
If you are
contributing
positively to society,
society will regard
you with respect.
But those who are neither givers nor ‘no
problem’ people only become a burden
on society. Although, according to the
conventional law these people may not be
criminals, but in terms of the etiquette of human life they are. Although
the courts of this world will not sentence them to punishment, in the
court of nature, they will be considered guilty of an enormous moral
crime.
Learning from the mistakes
of others is the easiest
way of not repeating that
mistake yourselves.
ACCEPTANCE OF OUR PRAYER REQUESTS
God's Domain
A YOUNG man had a feeling that though he keeps supplicating to
God for solutions to his problems, they were not being answered
and his problems were not being solved. He felt hopeless and
helpless.
This man was one of many who prayed to God for material things and
for solutions to economic problems. When such people see that their
problems are not solved in the way they want them to be, they lose
hope.
Supplication to God (dua) is a form of worship.
The acceptance of these supplications—we
must remember—depends on God’s will, not
our desire.
If our supplications
do not appear to be
accepted, we must
know that this is
what God wills. God
knows better what is
good for His servants.
In this world, material things are like
examination question papers. It is God
who decides who will be tested with which
examination paper. What we might prefer in
this regard makes no difference whatsoever.
A student appearing for an examination
cannot demand that the examination paper
should be as he wants it to be. The paper is
set not by him, but, rather, by the educational authorities. Likewise, the
examinations that God sets for us in this world to face are decided by
Him. We can’t expect them to be as we like.
Given this, we should continue to beseech God, turning to Him with
our requests, but at the same time we should leave the matter of the
acceptance of our prayer requests entirely to Him. If our supplications
do not appear to be accepted, we must know that this is what God
wills. God knows better what is good for His servants. Often, we are
concerned only with our desires and do not really know what is truly
good for us.
We should learn to willingly accept whatever God has given us. And as
for other things, we should pray, “O God! Please give me what is best
for me!”
IN TIMES OF CRISIS
Natural Behaviour
TIME and again we read news of disasters real or just averted or
some other type of dangerous situations and how people later
describe their feelings and reactions. One of the most common
thing to hear is that people call out to God for protection.
Experience enlightens us that when people face a critical situation—
when they feel that they are simply helpless to handle it—they cry out
to God. This proves that the concept of God is interwoven in human
nature. Every human being is potentially aware of God’s existence.
The purpose of inviting people to God is to turn this potential into a
reality. Inviting others towards God is not something separate from
the human personality. When one is called towards God, one is actually
being called towards something that is part of one’s own nature.
Man has an innate need for something to
depend upon in this world, something which
he can look up to. To believe in God is to look
up to Him alone, while disbelief is to live in
veneration of others besides Him.
Man has an innate
need for something
to depend upon in
this world, something
which he can look up
to. To believe in God
is to look up to Him
alone.
In ancient times, awe of natural phenomena,
such as the moon and the sun dominated
people’s lives. In the modern age, however,
man has become more materialistic, finding
fulfilment in such things as wealth, and the
greatness of other human beings. Whatever
the object of his veneration may be, man is satisfying an instinctive
urge in looking up to these things, and depending upon them. There is
a natural urge to seek the truth.
To truly believe in God is to find the true answer to the human search
for a superior. It is to see through superficial forms, the ultimate reality
that lies hidden within all things.
A believer is one who is not beguiled by the outward splendour of
worldly things. He realizes that everything has been created by God.
He is not overawed by things of material grandeur, because he knows
that they, like him, have been created by God. He does not look to
mortals for fulfilment of his needs, for he knows that they themselves
are helpless before God—that all are in truth His humble servants.
He continues his journey seeking and passing by all creation till he
reaches the Creator himself.
A believer is one who acknowledges that
everything is from God. Seeing that he has
no power in this world, he looks to God for
help and protection. The beauty of this world
serves to remind him of God’s beauty; the
greatness of natural phenomena impresses
on him the greatness of the One who created
them. So absorbed is he in the glory of God
that he loves nothing more than to spend his
time in pure thoughts and actions.
A believer is one who
acknowledges that
everything is from
God. Seeing that
he has no power in
this world, he looks
to God for help and
protection.
To believe in God is to see the invisible force
behind visible objects. This requires special
vision, enabling one to penetrate superficial
forms and perceive the reality of all things. One endowed with such
vision sees God everywhere; he looks only to God as great. He submits
entirely to God, and trusts in Him alone. So engrossed in God’s
overpowering greatness does he become that all worldly things fade
into insignificance in his sight.
ONLY ONE AUTHORITY
A Necessity
THERE is a lengthy saying of the Prophet of Islam in the corpus
of Hadith, a portion of which reads as follows: “Were Moses
alive, he would have no choice but to follow me.” (Shuab al-Iman,
al-Bayhaqi)
The ulema (scholars) have generally taken this Hadith in the sense of
superiority of the Prophet Muhammad. But this is not correct. This
concept of superiority of one prophet over another contradicts the
Quran and Hadith. The Quran (
We do not differentiate between any of His messengers.
The same thing is said in a Hadith in these words: “Don’t give superiority
to any prophet amongst God’s prophets.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
The fact is that in the above-mentioned Hadith
there is no mention of personal superiority.
It talks about a general principle—which is
that authority is always indivisible. Discipline
demands that the authority be just one.
Wherever the authority is two or more order
will not be maintained. In the time of Prophet
Moses, there were two prophets—Moses and
Aaron (or Harun). But Moses alone had the
position of authority, not Aaron. The task of
Aaron was to confirm the veracity of Moses as
the Quran says in 28: 34.
Discipline demands
that the authority be
just one. Wherever
the authority is two
or more order
will not be
maintained.
The belief about the superiority of prophets is without any doubt alien
to the Quran and Hadith. There is certainly one difference among the
prophets. This difference is in terms of role, not in terms of superiority.
In this sense, all prophets are models for us. Emulating the prophets
is in terms of method. As far as religious beliefs and the principles of
religion are concerned, the beliefs and principles of religion of all the
prophets were the same.
Contentment gives us the
blessing of a mind at peace.
DUTY TO PARENTS
Moral Obligation
AT SEVERAL places the Quran exhorts us to be on our best
behaviour with parents. Even when scolded by them, we are
commanded to refrain from angry retorts; we should never be
found lacking in loving them or in serving them. We should at all times
conduct ourselves with the utmost propriety, regardless of how our
parents treat us.
According to a Hadith, a man approached the Prophet and asked, “O
Prophet, who is more deserving of my good behaviour?” The Prophet
said, “Your mother.” The man then asked,
“Who after that?” The Prophet again said, “Your
mother”. The man repeated the question and
the Prophet again said “Your mother”. When
the man asked the Prophet the fourth time,
then he said “Your father”. (Sahih Muslim)
Serving parents
enables one to look
at all human beings
with love, it will
inculcate the attitude
of honouring them
thus making one to
serve humanity
at large.
There are many teachings which inform
us that after God it is to parents that one
has obligations more than to anyone else.
One reason is that individuals receive the
maximum benefits from parents. As such, it
is incumbent upon a person when he grows
up to serve his parents to the best of his ability. He should come to
their assistance in their old age as they came to his assistance in his
childhood.
Another reason is that serving parents enables one to look at all human
beings with love, it will inculcate the attitude of honouring them thus
making one to serve humanity at large.
The Quran in chapter 17 verse 23 and 24 enjoins us thus: "Your Lord
has commanded that you should worship none but Him and show
kindness to your parents. If either or both of them attain old age
with you, say no word of contempt to them and do not rebuke them,
but always speak gently to them and treat them with humility and
tenderness and say, " Lord, be merciful to them both, as they raised
me up when I was little."
FROM THE SPIRITUAL TREE
There is a tree beside my house. I call
it the 'Spiritual Tree'. I derive spiritual
inspiration from it. A tree is an evergrowing
being that was initially a seed
possessing the potential of becoming a
full-grown tree. A seed takes food from the
universe around it and then grows into a
tree. The same is true with spirituality,
the desire for which is intrinsic to, and an
integral part of, the very nature of every
human being. To realize this spirituality,
Man must derive spiritual food from the
universe around him. A tree converts
carbon-dioxide into oxygen; a spiritual person is one who can take positive lessons
from negative situations. From this perspective, a tree is an embodiment of a
spiritual personality. —Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
GOD IS THE GREATEST
THE phrase Allahu Akbar (‘God is Great’) is the most important part
of the Islamic form of ritual prayer. If you add up the number of
times this phrase is used in the azan (the call to prayer), and
while performing the ritual prayers five times a day, it comes to around
300 times every day! This declaration of God being the greatest is
the phrase that is heard and uttered the most number of times in a
Muslim’s life.
This shows that in Islam the most important thing is that a person
should discover the greatness of God. The glory and greatness of
God should be the most important part of his consciousness. God’s
greatness should be an integral part of his consciousness in such a way
that under no condition should he lose awareness of it.
The phrase “God is Great” enjoys the status of a master-stroke in a
person’s life. If you truly discover God, you will experience the most
enormously possible positive transformation in your life. You will
be transformed into a completely new person. God will become the
only focus of your thinking. Your life will become a truly God-centred
one. God will become your sole concern. Everything other than God will become secondary for you. You will stop
thinking in materialistic terms. Instead of
thinking on communal lines, your thinking will
be shaped on the basis of certain principles.
You will seek success in the Hereafter. You
will be fully cleansed of negative thinking. You
will become modest and will be freed from
arrogance.
If you truly discover
God you will be
transformed into
a completely new
person. God will
become the only
focus of your
thinking. Your life will
become a truly Godcentred
one.
In a sense, the phrase Allahu Akbar speaks
of a belief. In another sense, it embodies
a complete way of life for a person. In fact,
Allahu Akbar is the essence of faith.
MISUNDERSTANDING
Different Perspectives
THE following conversation between two gentlemen on the train
is worth analyzing to be able to understand the attitude of
people about Islam. This conversation was between a Hindu and
a Muslim. The Hindu said, “It seems that Islam is an intolerant religion.”
The Muslim replied saying, “That is a complete misunderstanding.
Islam, on the contrary, teaches tolerance.” Both advanced arguments
in favour of their separate viewpoints. The Hindu cited an instance of
Muslims in his locality becoming provoked by the preparations being
made by Hindus to take out a procession. A clash had ensued and
the procession was stopped. The Muslim passenger, however, simply
recited verses from the Quran to prove his point.
As the conversation proceeded it occurred that both of them, judging by
appearances, were serious and sincere. Neither seemed biased. Then
why was it that their views differed so widely? Considerable reflection
led to the conclusion that it was traceable
to the difference in their outlook. The Hindu
formed his opinion of Islam by judging the
behaviour of Muslims. The Muslim, on the
other hand, quoted extensively from the
Quran presenting the content of the verses as
if Muslims actually followed the code of ethics
enshrined in the scriptures.
If you want to
avoid having
your behaviour
misinterpreted by
others, you must
refrain from reacting
altogether in
negative situations,
even if you feel
that you would be
completely justified
in doing so.
A proper and more sincere approach would
be to engage in thorough self-appraisal
before sitting in judgement on others. Before
attempting to correct others' faults, one
should set about rectifying one’s own. It is
the gap between principle and practice that is
the main reason for misunderstanding. Once
this gap is eliminated, misunderstanding will
of itself disappear. Moreover, if one wants to be certain of not being
misunderstood, one must be ready to show restraint in the face of
provocation. One must not react negatively, even if it means some
initial sacrifice of one’s self-esteem.
Imagine what happens if someone abuses you and you retaliate
by throwing a stone at him. Later, while reporting this incident,
the wrongdoer will mention only the fact that you threw a stone at him. He will leave out all mention of his own bad behaviour. The
misunderstanding truly created is then well-nigh impossible to set right.
If you want to avoid having your behaviour misinterpreted by others,
you must refrain from reacting altogether in negative situations, even
if you feel that you would be completely justified in doing so. In that
way, no one can make the kind of spiteful allegations against you from
which misunderstandings so quickly arise.
MISSIONS AND MOVEMENTS
Seek the Help of God
THERE are two types of organized movements or missions. One
type is that which has a popular base. In this case, people have
a shared concern for a particular issue or cause and launch a
movement for it. Leaders of such movements mobilize support by
rousing people’s sentiments. Often, their aim is to draw large crowds.
For the success of such a movement, it is thought that impressive public
speeches do the work. And so, people who launch such movements, do
not find it necessary to turn to God and pray to Him for any help.
Relief work, social work, community work, rehabilitation work etc.,
are causes for which those who are engaged in them already feel very
strongly about. It is thought that it is enough to issue a call to people to
lend their support to such efforts to succeed. That in itself would draw
people to participate in them in large numbers, because they already
have great enthusiasm for these issues. When a function is organized
on such issues, it turns into a ‘grand affair’.
The work of calling people to God is just the opposite of this. Dawah
that is calling people to God which is akin to calling people to be God’s
worshippers and people’s well wishers is such a task that people do
not have great enthusiasm for it beforehand.
It is something that goes against popular
taste. Because of this, there is no pre-existing
crowd ready to take up this work. Only such
people will join this sort of movement who
are humble and sincere. Such people are
not concentrated in one place. They are
scattered in different places. It is not within
human capacity to bring them together and
form a team. That is why this task from its
very beginning, becomes a movement that is
based on asking God for help. From the very
first day the caller has to supplicate to God.
The task of calling
people to God is
something that goes
against popular
taste. Only such
people will join this
sort of movement
who are humble
and sincere.
Every movement has a certain psyche. Every movement’s psyche
shapes the mentality of those who are active in it. For instance, ‘people’s
movements’ are people-oriented. Their psyche is such that their leaders
say every sort of thing that serves to rouse the emotions of people so
that they are drawn to support the movement. In contrast to this, a
dawah is a God-oriented movement, it is a mission of peace and love for people. Its psyche is such that it stresses maximum possible on the
caller turning to God in all humility to supplicate to God to shower His
blessings on everyone. In this work God is accorded the position which
in other movements, is accorded to the cause.
In the call towards God, the caller has to be
a spiritual human being and a peaceful soul
first. He should be a person who contributes
positively towards the good of humanity. He
should believe one hundred percent that
all belong to God. He cannot afford to think
in terms of just one community. He cannot
afford to categorize in terms of superior or
inferior, rich or poor.
Further, for this mission it is necessary for
those who are in it to cleanse themselves of
negative thinking and replace it with positive
thinking. They must learn to love people, in
place of resenting or hating them. They must forget and forgive the
oppression of others, and, on a unilateral basis, become their wellwishers.
They must set about doing this without any worldly motive
and solely with enthusiasm for the rewards in the Hereafter. They must
completely abandon thinking in terms of 'they and us' and consider the
entire mankind as a global family.
In the call towards
God, the caller has to
be a spiritual human
being and a peaceful
soul first. He should
be a person who
contributes positively
towards the good of
humanity.
While amassing a large following or mobilizing huge crowds, organizing
big rallies and collecting donations are considered the indicators of
success of a ‘people’s movement’, the indicator of success of peaceful
dawah work is based on God’s help, as the Quran says: “God will
surely help him who helps His cause.” (
efforts.
Partners
Men and women play complementary roles to each
other. They have different spheres of activity. This
doesn't mean that one is inferior to the other. They
are different in role, but equal in respect.
THERE IS AN ENORMOUS ENERGY RESERVOIR IN YOU
Mind Power
SCOTTISH author and reformer Samuel Smiles observed in his book
‘Self-Help’, that 'It is not ease but effort, not facility but difficulty
that makes man.’ This statement is based on a natural fact and
history has proved its veracity. All those men who attained greatness,
regardless of which walks of life they came from, were the products
of difficulty and not of facility. They faced challenges and emerged as
super achievers.
But the question is, why is it that difficulty has a greater role to play
in the building of a personality than facility? The reason is traceable
to one of the laws of nature. According to this law it is the mind that
is the master of the human personality. It controls all of our activities.
Studies show that all our performances
depend totally on our minds.
It is the mind that
is the master of the
human personality,
as it controls all
of our activities.
Studies show that all
our performances
depend totally on our
minds.
The fact is that all of our actions, big or small,
are directly related to our minds. It is the mind
that directs all the activities of our personality.
The human mind is greater than all of the
great things of the universe; it has amazing
qualities. The mind has unlimited reserves of
energy. When we decide to do anything, the
mind at once releases energy and we perform
with the aid of this energy. The mind is the
prime source of energy and whatever we do
can only be done with the help of this energy.
If we choose to do some easy task, then the mind will release less
amount of energy. And, if we decide to do some difficult or great task,
then the mind will release greater amount of energy.
The building of a personality depends on one's own efforts. If one is an
easy-going person then one is bound to receive less energy from this
mind and the result will be a weak personality. If one is ambitious and
choose to embark on a great task, then certainly the mind will release
greater amount of energy, resulting in the development of a strong
personality.
Everyone is born with the same mind that is full of energy. But some
people fail to utilize their energy and die without developing their personalities. The other kind of people are those who set a great task
as their goal. Thus, their minds release a greater amount of energy for
the performance of this task, and so they become super achievers.
Man himself is the master of his destiny. It all depends on how much
a person has unfolded his mind and how
much energy the mind has released. One
achieves greater or smaller successes in life
depending on how much energy one’s mind
releases. Every man is a self-made man. But
the quantum of success depends on one’s
own planning. Wise planning makes one an
achiever while unwise planning makes one
lag behind in life.
Man himself is the
master of his destiny.
It all depends on
how much a person
has unfolded his
mind and how much
energy the mind has
released.
The mind of man is like an energy reservoir.
If one’s target is ordinary then the mind will
open the door of energy on a small scale.
But, if the target is a high one, the mind will open the gate of energy
on a larger scale. It is this difference that decides the level of one’s
achievement. Try to utilize your mind, and you will certainly achieve
anything you want to in life.
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.
A NEW AGE
THE present age is a most unique period of human history.
Ancient man would have been unable to even comprehend such
a phase of mankind. Many revolutions in human civilization
have bestowed man with numerous blessings. Religious persecution
has been abolished and replaced by religious freedom, traditional and
superstitious beliefs have given way to a rational and scientific era, the
age of antagonism and hostility has been put an end to and replaced
by an age of inter-dependence. In other words, an era of problems has
been eradicated and in its place we have only opportunities and more
opportunities everywhere.
But it is strange that Muslims are still living in conflict and controversy.
In an age of religious freedom, they feel that they are still in the age
of religious persecution. In scientific times, they continue to live with
superstitions and irrational beliefs in an age of inter-dependence and
collaboration they live with a mindset of hostility. It appears to them
that they are under siege from their enemies and that their opponents
are conspiring and plotting against them. In the age of opportunities
they only seem to be beset by problems everywhere.
Let us examine whether there is room for such thinking by studying the
teachings of the Quran and the Prophet and by objectively analyzing
the present situation of the world.
THE ERADICATION OF FITNA
Islam emerged in the first quarter of the seventh century. At that
time, monarchy was the order of the day all over the world. To the
political rulers of that epoch, dissent of any kind, particularly religious
free thinking, was anathema, because they saw it as a threat to their
power. Therefore, to achieve political consolidation, the monarchs of
those days adopted the principle of ideological coercion. Religious
persecution thus became a weapon in the hands of the despots, so
that no new ideology could be allowed to develop. Strong exception
was taken to the growth of any other religion save that approved by the
state. The independent thinking so essential for intellectual progress,
was thus cruelly suppressed, and that was why, during the long periods
of monarchical rule, neither could the sciences flourish, nor could
individuals opt for the religion of their choice. Anyone who had the
audacity to make an issue of this was likely to face summary execution.
The Quran refers thus to the religious oppression of ancient times:
Destroyed were the people of the trench, who lighted the
consuming fire and who sat around it watching the believers
whom they were torturing. And they had nothing against them,
save that they believed in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.(
The human condition of those days is similarly depicted in a Makkan
tradition narrated by Khabbab ibn al-Arat: We complained to the
Prophet at a time when he was resting in the shade of the Kabah wall.
We said to him: “Don’t you pray for us to
God?” The Prophet replied: “Those who went
before you faced such unbearable trials (due
to their faith in a religion other than that of
the state). One of them would be brought
for trial, a pit would be dug for him, then he
would be buried in it in a standing posture,
with his head above the edge of the pit. Then
a saw would be passed through his head until
it split into two parts. Yet even such severe
trials did not cause him to waver from his
faith. People were scraped with iron combs
until all their skin came off and the bones of
their bodies were exposed. Yet these acts of persecution did not deter
them from adhering to their faith. Certainly God’s will shall prevail (that
is, the age of religious freedom will certainly come) when a traveller
will journey from Sana’a to Hadhramawt, (that is, from one region to another) without fearing anyone save God. And he will fear no wolf for
his sheep. Yet you are in a hurry.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
God created this
world for the purpose
of putting mankind
to the test. For
this purpose to be
fulfilled, everyone
in this world had to
enjoy full freedom of
speech and action.
This Hadith shows that one of the revolutionary changes to be brought
about in the wake of the Prophet’s mission was the end of this ancient
age of religious persecution and the replacing of it with an age of
religious freedom in order to smoothen the path for God’s servants
to follow His religion. This most significant transformation was to take
place as part of a divine plan. That is why the Quran enjoined the
Prophet’s Companions to pray in advance to God: “Lord, do not lay on
us the burden you laid on those before us. Lord, do not charge us with
more than we can bear.” (
This prayer was revealed by God Himself
for the benefit of the believers. It was like a
divine ordinance announced in the form of a
prayer to be recited by the Companions. This
means God, who is the controller of history,
had decreed a change in this coercive political
system of ancient times. Then the age of
religious freedom would be ushered where
people would be free to believe in whatever
they had conviction in, which till that point
had been seriously hindered by the prevalent
religious oppression.
Islam is the religion
of nature, and in
treading its path, it is
non-discriminatory,
finding room within
its scheme of things
for every segment of
society.
Religious coercion through persecution was totally against the creation
plan of God. God created this world for the purpose of putting mankind
to the test. For this purpose to be fulfilled, everyone in this world had
to enjoy full freedom of speech and action. If people were divested
of their freedom, the very purpose of the test would be defeated.
Therefore, God granted special help to the believers, so that they might
put an end to a system which had suppressed the freedom essential to
the divine test in this world.
This means fitna, or the ancient political coercive system, had been
dealt a severe blow during the period of the 'Pious Caliphate' itself but,
like many other major historical revolutions, this new phase only very
gradually reached its culmination. In the wake of the revolution in the
first phase of Islam, religious freedom took a decisive course in history,
spurred on in the initial stages by Muslim action, and in the later stages
by the active participation of non-Muslim nations. In the first half of
the twentieth century, firstly through the League of Nations and later
through the United Nations, all the nations of the world unanimously declared that religious freedom was a fundamental right for all, and
could not under any circumstances be abrogated.
THE AGE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
The first stage of the cessation of fitna, which brought with it the dawn
of religious freedom, was accomplished in Arabia. This development
took place during the lifetime of the Prophet. During his last days, on
the occasion of his final Haj, the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be
upon him, preached a sermon, generally known as the Sermon of the
Last Pilgrimage, in the presence of all of his Companions. One of the
points in his address on which the Prophet laid emphasis was that God
had sent him “as a mercy to all mankind,” and that this being so, they
should communicate this message of peace to all people everywhere.
In obedience to this injunction given by the Prophet towards the end of
his life, his Companions travelled far and wide beyond the boundaries
of Arabia. Indeed, they spent the rest of their
lives carrying out their Prophet’s command.
Thereafter, their successors, as well as the
disciples of these successors, continued to
make it their mission to disseminate the
teachings of Islam, to the point where finally,
the message of Islam had reached the greater
part of the known, inhabited world of that
age. This method of conveying the message
from beginning to end was carried out in an
entirely peaceful manner.
The Quran has
clearly stated that,
for believers, political
power is a gift from
God, and not a goal
to be striven for.
Wherever there is political power, the element of coercion cannot be
far away: political confrontations must, therefore, be avoided at all
costs if the process of dawah, that is the task of conveying of Islam, is
to be set in motion and continued in an atmosphere of freedom. That
is to say that they had to abandon the path of political confrontation
in favour of continuing their activities in non-political fields, such as
education, dawah, the service of the Quran and Hadith, etc. The Quran
has clearly stated that, for believers, political power is a gift from God,
and not a goal to be striven for.
THE PEACEFUL PROPAGATION OF ISLAM
A major aim of the revolution brought about by the Prophet and his
Companions was to remove all obstacles in the path of calling people
to God so that such conducive conditions would prevail as would encourage people to practise God’s religion and invite others to the
same path. This process had to be continued from generation to
generation.
The first stage of this revolution was marked by the coercive system
being brought to an end, ushering in the dawn of religious freedom
in the world. The second stage was embarked upon, when, by availing
of the advantages of this freedom, Muslims disseminated Islam at the
universal level. Now, Muslims are in the third and final stage of their
history, when the progress of religious freedom has reached its zenith.
Muslims have to continue this task of conveying the message to people
and it is imperative that they do so by adherence to peaceful methods.
THE ROLE OF NON-MUSLIMS IN ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT
Islam is the religion of nature, and in treading its path, it is nondiscriminatory,
finding room within its scheme of things for every
segment of society.
In this world any natural process begins with the involvement of
different elements—as happened in the case of Islam. Humanity as a
whole is an interdependent body and Islam is not an exception. Islam
is an ideology aimed at human development,
and no process of human development can
endure without involving humanity at large.
Islamic history contains many examples
of the role played by non-Muslims in the
development of Islam. This principle of nonMuslim
involvement in Islamic development
can also be extended from an individual level
to the level of an entire group.
Islam is an ideology
aimed at human
development, and
no process of human
development can
endure without
involving humanity
at large.
In the present day context, Western civilization
is an appropriate example. Although Western
civilization developed in non-Muslim societies
without any direct contribution from Muslim minds, it is helpful for
Islam in many aspects. For example, it is this Western civilization that
finally ended religious persecution and opened the door for religious
freedom. Similarly, it is this Western civilization, which has developed
the modern means of communication that has made it possible
for Muslims to convey the message on a global scale. Also, modern
scientific discoveries made in the West have paved the way to proving
the beliefs of Islam on a scientific basis.
In previous times, it was assumed that the message of Islam, or
religion for that matter, could be supported only by arguments that
were inferential in nature and not by arguments that were direct. But
modern science, in bringing human thought from a macrocosmic level
to a microcosmic level, has made it possible to accept that inferential
reasoning is as valid as direct reasoning. This development has allowed
Islam to put forth its points on the same level as scientific theories are
proven.
From these examples, it is clear that Muslims as well as others have
contributed towards the Islamic development.
This aspect of a role for those other than Muslims, in the development of
Islam serves a moral end as well. It makes Muslims sympathetic towards
the rest of the world so that the hearts of Muslims are filled with love
for others instead of hate, enmity and distrust. The contribution of nonMuslims
to Islam has not been of a temporary nature. It has continued
throughout Islamic history. In present times these contributions made
by non-Muslims, especially in the field of scientific discoveries, have
been far greater than ever before.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS
Pampering or Hammering
ACCORDING to a Hadith, which deals with parenting of children,
the Prophet said: “There is no better and superior gift that a
father can give to his children than cultivation of good morals.”
(Sunan at-Tirmidhi)
In this Hadith, by ‘good morals’ is meant the best way of leading life. It
is about how one’s children should live in this world so that when they
have grown up they can be truly successful and be an asset to their
family and society, instead of becoming a liability.
If parents pamper their children, they give
them the worst possible gift. But if they teach
them the way to lead a successful life and
prepare them for that, they give them the
best possible gift. For instance, they should
raise them not to complain about others and
to always look for where they themselves
may have made a mistake or gone wrong
and rectify it. They should nurture them in
such a way that they develop modesty, not
pride or a superiority complex. They should
help their children to take responsibility for
their mistakes, rather than holding others
responsible. They should teach them to spend their energy and time in
useful activities.
If parents pamper
their children, they
give them the worst
possible gift. But
if they teach them
the way to lead a
successful life and
prepare them for
that, they give them
the best possible gift.
Parents must help their children learn that if they do something wrong,
they themselves must pay for it and that no one else can do that.
Children must learn that they must not complain about others and
that doing so is simply a waste of one’s time. They must learn to think
positively and save themselves completely from negative thinking.
They must abstain from bad habits. Moreover, parents should make
their children duty-conscious, not rights-conscious.
RELIGION A DIVINE NOT A SOCIAL PHENOMENON
Right Perspective
IF nuclear energy is treated as an American societal phenomenon,
it will be taken to mean the manufacture of lethal weapons which
destroy life. One is bound, in that case, to be opposed to it. But
if nuclear energy is taken to be a natural phenomenon, it will be
considered on its own merit. It will not matter how America or any
other military power uses it. In spite of being opposed to the atom
bomb, one will continue to support atomic energy.
No one thinks of nuclear energy as a social phenomenon of any nuclear
power. But there are many who look at religion as a social phenomena.
Religion is essentially a divine truth. But anthropology usually treats
it as a social phenomenon. For this reason, people have formed a
mistaken concept of religion. Worst of all, this
method of study prevents the student from
being able to distinguish between theory and
practice. Many people think of the practice
of Muslim nations, for instance, as the true
Islam. It is this method of study, which has
led people to write books like The Dagger of
Islam and Militant Islam in recent years. The
authors of these books saw that Muslims are
habitually “daggers drawn” and militant in
their demands. So, according to their concept
of religion, they came to the conclusion that
these were the features that made up Islam.
If one thinks of
religion as a truth
revealed by God and
preserved in the
text of Quran and
Hadith, then Islam
ceases to be a social
phenomenon and
becomes an ideology.
But if one thinks of religion as a truth revealed by God and preserved
in the text of Quran and Hadith, then Islam ceases to be a social
phenomenon and becomes an ideology. Now one begins to look at
Islam in the light of Quran and Hadith, instead of in the light of the
practice of Muslims. This is the only way to understand Islam as it is
with its message of peace and spirituality.
DOING ONES DUTY
Duty Before Right
A JOURNALIST who had worked for many newspapers shared his
experiences which have precious lessons for others. One of his
experiences was about a problem which arose about the Friday
prayer. It was between him and his manager. He went to his manager
and explained to him that he wished to attend the Friday prayer, and
that he would work extra hours to compensate for the lost time. His
manager gave him permission without a second thought.
The journalist proved true to his word. Every Friday he went for his
prayer and compensated for it by doing extra hours of work.
The arrangement worked well, and then came
the time for Ramazan. A few days before
Ramazan started, the manager himself came
to his cabin and said, “Ramazan is about to
start and I know you keep your fast. You
should adjust your working hours in such
a way that you are not subjected to any
inconvenience. You have full freedom to
come and go as you like. The normal office
hours are not applicable to you during the
month of Ramazan.”
Just as saying our
prayers is a duty,
doing our job
earnestly is also a
duty.
Just as saying our prayers is a duty, doing our job earnestly is also
a duty. If those who want to have some special privilege realize this
fact and perform both the duties with devotion, it will earn them rich
dividends. On the one hand, it will enrich their spiritual awakening,
bringing them close to God. While on the other, it will create in them
such social qualities as will endear them to all those with whom they
associate.
Gentleness
By gentleness one can win people's hearts.
Harshness only drives people further away.
God's blessings come to the one who behaves
gently instead of harshly.
FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Dr. Farida Khanam has been a professor at the Department of Islamic Studies at
Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. A Study of World's Major Religions, A Simple Guide
to Sufism are two of the books amongst many others, of which she is the author. 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 peacebuilding,
countering extremism and conflict resolution.
THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL
WELFARE IN ISLAM
ALL human beings, according to Islam have been created by one
and the same God, and for this reason they belong to one great
brotherhood. All being descendants of the same progenitors,
they should willingly come to one another’s assistance, like members of
the same large family. Charity has been preached by every religion of the
world. Islam has made charity obligatory, laying the greatest emphasis
on the support of the needy and destitute members of the society.
It is thus a sacred duty of the affluent towards destitute members of
society. It is incumbent upon the affluent to give part of their wealth to
fulfil the needs of the deprived members of the community.
A society can flourish only when its members do not spend all their
wealth on the satisfaction of their own desires, but reserve a portion of
it for relatives, neighbours, the poor and the needy. A true believer is
thus always prepared, after meeting the needs of the family, to assist
other people in need of help.
Charity in its broadest sense has been called sadaqah in Islam. Such
great importance is attached to charity that the month of Ramazan has
been fixed for individuals to be trained in the practice of charity. It has
therefore been made into an institution in order to give it permanence
and regularity. The law of zakat takes from the wealthy and gives to the
poor, rotates wealth in such a way as to balance social inequality.
Islamic law empowers the Islamic government or community to collect
the zakat and to keep separate account of it. Zakat funds must be spent
on the categories specified in the Quran in chapter 2 verse 177. Zakat
funds basically are to be used for the social welfare of the people which
includes education and other essential services.
There are two forms of charity in Islam—obligatory and voluntary,
which are respectively called Zakat and Sadaqah.
Zakat is from the verb Zakah, which signifies
“to thrive”, “to be wholesome”, “to be pure”,
meaning purification. Giving up a portion of
one’s wealth, which is in excess of what one
needs for one’s own sustenance, is a purifying
process.
Such great
importance is
attached to charity
that the month of
Ramazan has been
fixed for individuals
to be trained in the
practice of charity.
It has therefore
been made into an
institution in order to
give it permanence
and regularity.
Deducting the zakat amount from one’s
earning is a material acknowledgement of
the fact that the actual giver is God. And since
the giver is God, the recipient is duty-bound
to spend it in His cause. In spirit, zakat is an
act of worship, while in its external form, it
is the carrying out of a social service. Zakat is
thus not just the payment of a tax, but is of
great religious significance. Its importance is
underscored by the fact that the Quran treats
it on par with prayer.
The Quran frequently enjoins believers to perform the prayer and pay
the zakat and even goes to the extent of saying that one cannot attain
righteousness unless one spends out of one’s wealth for the love of
God. It also says:
By no means shall you attain
righteousness unless you give
of that which you love. (
There are many teachings of the Prophet which stress the importance
of giving sadaqah in the holy month of Ramazan. Therefore, in this
month of fasting, almost all those who can afford, help poor people in
one way or another.
In the words of the Prophet:
God has ordained that the rich are to pay out of their wealth to
an extent sufficient for the needs of the poor, so that if they do
not find food and clothing, or if any other need remains to be
fulfilled, it would be because the rich are not doing their duty,
and for this God will take them to task on the Day of Judgement.
Dr. Farida Khanam
hub@the spiritofislam.org
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.
STEPHEN HAWKING IS NO MORE
THE British scientist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking died on
March 14, 2018 at the age of 76. He was regarded as the most
important theoretical scientist of his time. Generally Dr. Hawking
is considered to be a secular scientist but one theory developed by him
is extremely important in respect of religion, and on this theory he
worked all his life. It is known as the ‘Theory of Everything’ or ‘Single
String Theory’ with each tiny string being a loop of energy. After the
time of Einstein it was believed that there were four physical forces
which controlled the entire universe, that is, gravitational force,
electromagnetic force, strong nuclear force and weak nuclear force.
This theory that the universe is controlled by four forces did not appeal
to the minds of scientists, because according to scientific observation,
every part of the universe functions in an extremely unified way. The
whole universe appears to be governed by a single law. This being
so, the theory of four laws governing the present universe appears
strange. Subsequent to the times of Einstein, when it was believed
that there were four physical laws governing the universe one such physical law was eliminated and then it was believed that there were
three governing laws. In 1974 Dr. Hawking published a thesis in the
journal Nature under the title “Black Hole Explosions?” This work is
hailed by scientists as the first great landmark in the struggle to find
a single theory of nature. With this, Dr. Hawking helped in laying the
foundation for unifying the remaining two forces of nature—gravity
and quantum mechanics, descriptions of the large and the small in
the universe. Stephen Hawking worked further on this theory. In other
words, Dr. Hawking’s work helped in the search for finding a cohesive
explanation for the functioning of the universe. It is this explanation
which is the equivalent of a scientific affirmation of the concept of one
God.
In 1963, as a graduate student at Cambridge at the age of 21,
Dr. Hawking learned that he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a
neuromuscular degenerative disease. He was given only two years to
live by doctors. The disease gradually left him wheelchair-bound and
paralyzed. He was able to move only a few fingers on one hand and
was completely dependent on others or on technology for everything
—bathing, dressing and eating. He used a speech synthesizer that
allowed him to speak in a computerized voice. However, Dr. Hawking
remained undeterred by his condition, becoming Lucasian Professor
of Mathematics at Cambridge University, and publishing several
bestsellers, including A Brief History of Time in 1988 and Universe in a
Nutshell in 2001. His A Brief History of Time, which introduces in nontechnical
language the nature, origin and structure of the universe,
made him known to people across the world. This book sold 10 million
copies and was translated into 40 languages.
Considered on par with the likes of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein,
Dr. Hawking is regarded as his generation’s leader in exploring gravity
and the properties of black holes. He discovered that black holes would
eventually fizzle out leaking radiation, which is now known as Hawking
radiation.
Dr. Hawking once said: “When you are faced with the possibility of an
early death, it makes you realize that life is worth living and that there
are a lot of things you want to do.” The British cosmologist Martin
Rees said that millions around the world have been inspired by his
unique example of achievement against all odds—a manifestation of
amazing willpower and determination. He believed that people need
not be limited by handicaps as long as they are not disabled in spirit.
Dr. Hawking, according to the mathematical physicist Roger Penrose,
had an absolute determination not to let anything get in his way and thought that since he did not have long to live, he should get as much
done as he could manage.
In my view, there were two significant contributions of Dr. Hawking
for those who want to explain things in a scientific way. The first is
the human contribution, that is, he put an end to the ‘disabled theory’,
as Dr. Hawking was a living example who proved that one who has a
challenging disability can overcome it and do every kind of work which
‘able’ people can do. This they achieve by availing of two things—their
minds and modern technology.
The second contribution of Dr. Hawking is that he transformed a dream
into reality. Everyone used to think that since the universe worked in
a harmonious way, it ought to have a unified explanation. This was
presented through Dr. Hawking’s work on the single string theory.
Dr. Hawking has given the human race the message that we can make
a big contribution to humanity and also live in the world with great
hope.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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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 )
