THE FAITHFUL ONES
To Deserve
A MAN born into a good family experienced a decline in his
fortunes. Financially, he had reached a point where he was
living on the breadline. As time went on, he eventually found
himself without friends. Even his relatives deserted him. He had no one
to confide in. No one even greeted him on his way.
Then one fine day, his fortunes miraculously changed, and he acquired
affluence unrivalled in his town. Suddenly his old friends and relatives
started flocking back to him, full of reassurances that they had always
wished him well. Their reassurances, however, failed to convince him.
To none of these people did he pay any regard. But there was one
person who had stood by him through thick
and thin. This faithful friend was shown great
favour and taken into the man’s confidence.
So, it is with God. The man of sterling value in
God’s sight is one who proves his mettle under
adverse conditions; one who recognizes the
message of truth even when to do so is to
swim against the tide of his environment; one
who adheres to his faith, even in the face of
ridicule and scorn from those who judge only
by appearances.
It is the spirit in
which people do
things that matters
to God, not the
physical quality of
their actions. God will
be well pleased with
one who submitted
to Him while His
power still lay in the
realm of the unseen.
It is the spirit in which people do things that
matters to God, not the physical quality of
their actions. God will be well pleased with
one who submitted to Him while His power still lay in the realm of the
unseen. To do this requires inward vision—the capacity to see things
that do not meet the outward eye. One who has this vision will find his
place with God.
This signifies that at times of destitution a person is chosen for great
rewards. It is when ignorance is the order of the day that knowledge
truly shows itself. One who sticks to his beliefs even when the world is
pouring scorn on him is the one who will be brought close to God.
TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE
We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this is
a very narrow and restricted notion of peace. Peace is
deeply linked with the entirety of human life. Peace is
a complete ideology in itself. Peace is the only religion
for both—man and the universe. It is the master-key
that opens the doors to every success. Peace creates a
favourable atmosphere for success in every endeavour.
Without peace, no positive action—small or big—is possible.
PEACE IN KASHMIR
FOR centuries Kashmir has been known as ‘heaven on earth’. In
the past, Kashmir was ruled by a series of rulers who were not
indigenous inhabitants of the land—Pathans, Mughals, Sikhs
and Dogras. But throughout this period it still remained ‘heaven
on earth’. People from all over the world visited Kashmir. If the Taj
Mahal symbolized architectural beauty on the subcontinent, Kashmir
was the symbol of the beauty of nature. This history shows that for
Kashmir to make progress, it is not necessary that it should be ruled by
Kashmiris. Political power is a kind of political headache. Kashmir needs
constructive activities to be revived for its progress, and development,
and nothing else.,/p>
The Quran mentions everything that is good for man. But it does not
mention freedom or liberty. This shows that the word freedom is very
deceptive. It has no real meaningfulness. A clear practical example
of this can be seen in 60 Muslim countries, most of which won their
political independence after a long struggle, in the course of which their
people made immense sacrifices. However, in fact, these countries are
not really independent in the true sense of the term. Many of them are
now in the throes of civil war, where rival groups are fighting each other
for power. If the Kashmiris do not realize this and stop insisting on
independence, they are likely to meet the same unenviable fate. That is
why they should abandon their present political struggle and, instead,
concentrate on the work of positive and constructive development.
Had Kashmir treaded along the path of educational and economic
advancement, today it would have been a model of progress and
prosperity. But the incompetent leadership, with unrealistic dreams
and empty slogans, have caused terrible damage. The time has now
come for the Kashmiris to completely and permanently abandon
the path of militancy, and, instead, to adopt the path of peace and
progress. Only then can the dream of Kashmir as ‘heaven on earth’
come true. Unrealistic politics has played havoc with Kashmir, but now
through realistic politics we can once again lead Kashmir to progress
and development. Kashmiri Muslims have today become disillusioned.
They are living in an atmosphere of mistrust.
It is indeed possible for the Kashmiris to start a new life at any given
time, but for this, two conditions must be met. First, they must take
responsibility for the unpleasant situation they are faced with today.
Second, more importantly, they must come out of their delusional
world and learn to live in the world of practical realities. They must
understand that today it is the age of peace.
The only way to
progress is to avoid
the hurdles and avail
of the opportunities
to build one’s
life. To ignore the
problems and avail
of the existing
opportunities.
Today everything one wants can be achieved
by treading the path of peace. For their
growth and advancement to take place, they
must carve out a new plan of adjustment with
the present situation. India is a big country. It
has freedom and democracy. More than two
hundred million Muslims reside here. Almost
all the big Islamic institutions of the subcontinent
are located in India. All across India
is imprinted a thousand year history of the
Muslims, which should give them courage and
inspiration. Moreover, India provides great
opportunities to Muslims in the footsteps of
the Sufis to follow and spread the peaceful message of Islam—a task
which, according to a Hadith, can earn them salvation in the Hereafter.
Once, on a short visit to Karachi, a Muslim industrialist remarked that
the Indian Muslims were in a far better position than they were. When
he was asked the reason he said India being a vast country has a huge
market for his products. What he said has now become a fact of life.
In the twenty-first century, the Muslims of India have emerged as the
most developed Muslim community in the whole of the subcontinent.
This is in no way an exaggeration. And a comparative survey of any
city can establish the validity of this statement. If the Muslims of Kashmir whole-heartedly were to accept this then great opportunities
for all kinds of development would open up to them. The prospects of
progress here in the fields of education, economics and other fields are
not in evidence anywhere else. The Kashmiri Muslims should abandon
the policy of confrontation. They should abandon the path of militancy
in favour of education and progress.
The final hour has now come for the Kashmiris to rise above their
leaders and to view the whole matter afresh—not in the light of the
pronouncements of their leaders but in the light of practical realities.
In doing so, they must chart the course of their lives anew. There is
simply no other way for them to succeed.
In an open valley just outside Srinagar are
beautiful scenes of nature. From the towering
peaks rivulets cascade down the valley. If one
sits on the banks of the river one can notice
the way the stream flows till it arrives at a
boulder. It does not try to break the rock to
be able to move ahead. Rather, when it meets
the rock, it simply swerves to the left or to
the right, around the sides of the rock, and
continues its journey uninterrupted.
Today, the whole
world has become a
global village. Now
the change in the
political system has
become relative. Our
new global conditions
have made it possible
for anyone living
anywhere on the
face of the earth to
communicate with
people across the
world without any
restrictions.
This is an inevitable happening with all
streams and rivers, but when a foolhardy
man finds a ‘boulder’ blocking his path, he
wants to smash it so that he can forge ahead,
even if that results in his journey coming to an
abrupt end once and for all. This is precisely
what has happened in Kashmir. This is a
message from Nature to humans. This fact of
Nature tells you that if in the journey of life
you face a hurdle, you should not seek to hurl yourself against it to
carry on ahead. Rather, what you must do is carefully avoid the hurdle
and continue with your journey. This is the secret of success in life. This
applies equally to communities and individuals.
The only way to progress is to avoid the hurdles and avail of the
opportunities to build one’s life. The only sensible way out for them was
precisely what Nature itself has taught us—that is to say, to ignore the
problems and avail of the existing opportunities. This is not a principle
that one should adopt simply out of compulsion. This principle is a universal one. It applies to all individuals and groups. It applies just
as much to Muslim-majority countries as it does to countries where
Muslims are a minority.
A basic principle of success in life is that, in controversial matters, one
should willingly accept whatever is available to one at the very outset.
If we fail to do so in the initial stage in a bid to get more than what
we are being offered, we only prolong the conflict. Then the conflict is
bound to become more complicated. Consequently, we will lose even
whatever was available to us in the first instance.
‘A wise man is one who knows the relative value of things.’ Judging by
this saying, wise leadership will be aware of the dire consequences of
taking to the path of militancy. This issue can be understood in the light
of a verse in the Quran that explains that when the Prophet Solomon
sent a letter to the Queen of Sheba, demanding that she submit, she
sought the advice of her courtiers, who told
her that because they had considerable
military strength, there was no need for them
to submit to anyone. The Queen replied thus:
“Surely, when mighty kings invade a country,
they despoil it and humiliate its noblest
inhabitants—these men will do the same”. (
fact, and that is that when one confronts a
powerful ruler, one must think carefully of the
consequences of doing so.
The programme
for development
should be based
on three points:
education, economic
development, and
spreading the
message of peace,
harmony and
spirituality to the
people.
If the consequences would prove counterproductive,
then confrontation must be
avoided. Experience proves that confronting
a very powerful ruler is almost always counter-productive. It causes
death and destruction on a massive scale, and the honourable are
humiliated. That is why confronting a powerful ruler must be avoided as
far as possible, even if the ruler is just and virtuous. But if certain people
choose to ignore this advice or principle, and seek to directly confront
a powerful ruler, it is pointless for them to complain later on about the
loss of life and property. They ought to know that the destruction that
they suffer is the price they have to pay for their confrontation with
an established ruler. Those who adopt the path of militancy in order
to fight existing governments have necessarily to pay such a price. It
is simply impossible for a certain group to make a mistake and then
expect another group to pay the price. There is a valuable lesson from the words of the Queen of Sheba as recorded in the Quran, The Queen
adopted a wise policy that avoided the possibility of destruction and
oppression by the army.
Global Opportunities
Today, the whole world has become a global village. Now the change
in the political system has become relative. Our new global conditions
have made it possible for anyone living anywhere on the face of the
earth to communicate with people across the world without any
restrictions. In such a situation, even if people and groups do not form
part of the political class or do not have a state of their own, they can
still have all the benefits which in earlier times
they could have had only if they were part of
the ruling class or had their own independent
state. Numerous small countries or territories
have flourished and emerged as prosperous
commercial and financial hubs across the
world—Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Dubai,
Taiwan, for instance. Man is a psychologically
complex creature. If one is driven by negative
and destructive emotions and impulses, one’s
whole personality turns negative. Conversely,
if one is driven by positive thinking, one will
have a positive personality. This rule applies as much to individuals as
it does to groups, communities and countries.
A basic principle
of success in life is
that, in controversial
matters, one should
willingly accept
whatever is available
to one at the very
outset.
Moving Towards a Solution
In the history of a country it sometimes happens that its course of
progress comes to a standstill. At such times, it becomes imperative
for it to take bold steps if it wants to move ahead. Naturally, this is
a sensitive matter and such steps might go wholly against popular
sentiment. This is why such courageous decisions are often taken by
strong military rulers rather than democratically elected politicians
who, being chosen by their people, have to pander to their emotions
and prejudices and so are generally unable to take such steps as might
hurt their sentiments.
Let me cite one instance to make this point. The French President
Charles de Gaulle (d. 1970) was a top general in the French Army, but
later manipulated his way to the post of President. On the face of it,
this was an anti-democratic move, but by doing so, de Gaulle was able
to save France in a manner that a democratically elected government could not possibly have adopted. He unilaterally announced the end
of French rule in a number of French colonies in Africa and elsewhere,
because this was proving to be a burden for France, rendering France
as the ‘sick man’ of Europe in the wake of the Second World War, when
all European countries except for France were making great strides
towards progress and development. It was this decision, against the
wishes of the people, which made France one of the developed nations
of the world. Obviously, this move, which was widely unpopular
in France, was a necessary one for the greater good of the country,
but only a bold and strong ruler could do this, unmindful of popular
sentiment and opposition.
Now there are two starting points. One is to seek to change the status
quo by removing the roadblock for further action. The other is to
accept the status quo as it is and to make concerted efforts to avail
of the opportunities which are already available in the given status
quo. This second approach is what is called ‘positive status quoism’.
This is in accordance both with reason and with the teachings of Islam.
The Quran enjoins: “Reconciliation is the best. (
way to settle a conflict is to follow the policy of reconciliation. In other
words, conflicts are best resolved by the contending parties avoiding
confrontation and by coming to a mutual understanding.
This is the world of realities: nothing positive can come here from
emotional politics. The right way for the Kashmiris would be to make
a reassessment of their past and, chart a new course for themselves
in order to build their future. It is a fact that they have lost the first
chance. Now the only possible way for them is to consciously grasp
the second chance and wholeheartedly make use of it to their own
advantage. This programme for their future should be based on three
points: education, economic development, and spreading the message
of peace, harmony and spirituality to the people. They must completely
abandon politics and the path of armed struggle. They must set the
feet of this whole generation on the path of education. To this end,
they should focus their attention on building high-class educational
institutions. For at least 25 years they should spend all their energies
on the field of education.
So far as the economic field is concerned, there are extraordinary
opportunities for business and industry in the state. Kashmiris must
productively use the vast economic and other resources which are
still to a large extent lying untapped. The third field is that of the
communication of the message of peace and spirituality among the people. If peace prevails in Kashmir, the tourism industry will flourish.
This will be a great opportunity for the Kashmiris to spread the message
of peace and spirituality to the world, and this will contribute to success
in both this world and the next.
LESSONS FROM NATURE
Silent Teachers
ADAM, the first man, had two sons, one of whom killed the other
in anger while quarrelling. This was the first incident of the
killing of a man in the human existence and the murderer had
no idea of what should be done with the dead body of his brother.
The Quran mentions this incident. “Then God sent a raven which
scratched the earth so that He might show him how to hide the corpse
of his brother. 'Alas!' he cried, 'Am I not able even to be like this raven,
so that I may hide the corpse of my brother?' And he repented."
(The
sending one creature after another to us to guide us as to how we
should lead our lives. But man seldom takes heed of such occurrences.
The following incident observed by a person
in his house has a very important lesson for
the humankind about the quality of human
endeavour. It seems that two swallows once
built a nest under the eaves by bringing small
quantities of mud and laboriously attaching
it bit by bit to the underside of the wooden
roof. It took several days of continuous effort
to make the nest solid enough for them to lay
their eggs in it. Sad to say, while the hatching
process was going on, the nest suddenly
gave way one day, fell to the ground and was
destroyed. The weight of four eggs and two
swallows had been too much for it.
Our planning is so
often faulty and the
efforts we make so
often inadequate
that failures in
many spheres are
commonplace. But,
really, all it would
take to achieve
success would be to
give further thought
to the problems
besetting us and a
deeper appreciation
of the strategy we
need to adopt. It is a
wise man who learns
from his mistakes.
But quite undaunted, the birds began
fluttering around looking for some safer
place to reconstruct their home. They finally
found a niche with a rougher surface, which
would give the nest better support. Whereas
the swallows had made their first nest just
from mud, they made this one from a mixture
of mud, grass and straw. This combination
of materials proved much stronger than plain mud and this nest was
also more firmly fixed in position than the previous one. The eggs they
laid in it then were successfully hatched and this new, reinforced nest
continued to provide shelter for the baby swallows until they grew up
and flew away to make their own homes.
There is a great lesson in this for all of us; if a bird or animal fails in
some effort, it seeks to understand the reason for its failure. It does
not simply give up and succumb to adversity. It casts about for some
other, better way of doing things and rectifies its errors by harder
work and better planning. Human beings would do well to follow this
example. Our planning is so often faulty and the efforts we make so
often inadequate that failures in many spheres are commonplace.
But, really, all it would take to achieve success would be to give further
thought to the problems besetting us and a deeper appreciation of
the strategy we need to adopt. It is a wise man who learns from his
mistakes.
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
SPIRITUAL QUEST
IT was Thursday morning,
England, staying in the house of an Arab brother Alaref Ahmad.
While I was sitting in my room on the upper floor, I heard a gentle
knock on the door. When I opened it, I found a child of about five years
of age. It was Qanita, the first-born daughter of Brother Alaref. She
asked in all innocence and gentleness, “Do you need anything?” (turidu
haja). Perhaps it was her mother who had sent her, and although this
was a simple question, I was quite overwhelmed by this innocent voice;
to the extent that I could not utter a single word in reply. This was a
normal incident, but in my mind, it transformed into a supra-normal
event. Children are like the flowers of God and little angels. I felt as if
God Himself had sent me an angel to discover and meet my needs.
At this moment, a famous Hadith came to mind: “Your Lord descends to
this worldly heaven every day, looks at His servants and says, ‘Is there
anyone who has a need and asks Me, that I may give it to him?’” (Sahih
Muslim)
‘Do you need anything?’ was a short question that came from an
innocent soul, but it was enough to cause a great revolution in my
inner being; referred to by modern scholars as ‘brainstorming’.
For a while, I felt that I could see the whole of the universe on the
screen of my mind. This was a great spiritual experience which cannot
be expressed in human words. In the beginning, it seemed as though
God, through a little angel, was saying, “O my servant, do you need
anything?” Then, the matter extended to include the whole universe
with its heavens and its earth.
In fact, it was only a little girl at the door of my room, asking, “Do
you need anything?” but in its extended sense, it was as if the whole
universe was asking the same question.
The vast heaven was saying, “Do you need a shelter? Here I am to
provide you with one, because God has ordered me to do so.” The
gleaming sun was saying, “Do you need light? I am here to supply it
and transform your darkness into light.” The majestic mountains were
announcing, “Would you like to be on the highest level in all humanity?
I am here at your service to help you attain that high position.” The
flowing water in the riverbeds was murmuring, “Do you want to have
a spiritual bath to purify your soul? I am here to offer you that.” And
the gusting wind was asking, “Do you want to tour the universe to
see the wondrous signs of God? Here is my back for you to ride on to
embark on such a divine journey.” The trees
were whispering, “Would you like to have a
personality as radiant as ours? We are here to
make your wish a reality.” The fruits on their
branches and the crops in their husks were
declaring, “If you crave nourishment for your
intellectual and spiritual life, we are here to
provide you with it.”
Here is good news
for you: If you have
a need, then God
has made the whole
universe to serve
your needs. God is so
generous that He has
created the whole of
the universe to be at
your service, day and
night.
While this reel was playing in my mind, I
heard birds chirping, “O servant of God! Here
is good news for you: If you have a need, then
God has made the whole universe to serve
your needs. God is so generous that He has
created the whole of the universe to be at
your service, day and night. In addition to this,
if you show thankfulness to God, He will give you what is greater than
all of this—Eternal Paradise in which there will be “...neither fear nor
grievance” (
Then, the following Quranic verse came to mind: “And He gave you all
that you asked for” (
live a good life on this earth has been prepared in advance by God, directly and indirectly. Horses, for instance, were directly created;
whereas aeroplanes were provided indirectly. The travelling of the voice
through the air is an example of direct provision, while its transmission
by means of electronic equipment is a form of indirect provision.
Perhaps, this is what is meant by the following Quranic verse: “And
(He has created) horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride, and as an
adornment. And He has created (other) things which are beyond your
knowledge” (
God Almighty says, “O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We
have provided for you. And be grateful to God, if it is Him you worship”
(
and unimaginable; great and small, in the most perfect form. Then, He
gave all this free to man. The only price to be paid for these endless
blessings is thankfulness; it is man’s recognition, from the depths of his
heart, that God is the Giver and man the receiver.
In this way, the spiritual quest, in my view, is a means for the creature
—man—to make contact with his Creator—God.
ABOUT THE MAGAZINE
Spirit of Islam is a monthly magazine which is now in its sixth year
of publication. The aim of this journal is to present Islam in the
contemporary idiom, while at the same time the contents are
of universal appeal and of interest to a wider circle of spiritual
seekers. It is our desire to help Muslims rediscover Islam, focusing
on its message of peace and spirituality as derived from the Quran
and the teachings of the Prophet, and in general we strive towards
religious understanding for bringing about greater harmony.
Another purpose of this magazine is to assist its readers 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 working towards
enlightening people on the subject of global peace and regularly
addresses relevant contemporary issues. The articles on peace
based on the teachings 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 and conflicts
defused. We believe that violence begins in the mind and so an
effective ideology of peace needs to be presented to counter its
influence.
We hope and pray that God helps us in this noble endeavour
and grants us His special blessings!
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.
THE AIM OF ISLAM
THERE are some who claim that religion is an individual matter,
and others who take the opposite view, zealously putting forward
their claim that religion is a complete social order. Outwardly
both views appear to be opposed to one another, but they do have
one thing in common: both present religion as a system related to
individual life, and the second as a system related to society as a whole.
The aim of the
religion of Islam is to
discover our Creator.
In its true essence, however, religion is neither
an individual nor a social system; it is a divine
path. The aim of the religion of Islam is to
discover our Creator. Religion is to believe in
what is unseen as if it were before one’s eyes;
it is for thoughts of God and the life after
death to dominate one’s mind—so much that
one is always thinking about them and setting
the course of one’s life in accordance with
their demands.
The true purpose of Islam is to bring what the Quran calls ‘devoted
servants of God’ (Rabbaniyun) into existence. Islam seeks to imbue
every single individual with love and fear of the Lord. The type of person
that Islam seeks to form is one who fears God
above all else, whose focus of attention is the
next eternal world; one who subordinates all
his actions and dealings to the will of God;
who does not follow the dictates of the devil
and his own desires but submits to one God
alone.
The true purpose
of Islam is to bring
what the Quran calls
‘devoted servants of
God’ (Rabbaniyun)
into existence. Islam
seeks to imbue every
single individual with
love and fear of the
Lord.
Islamic faith is essentially a discovery—the
discovery of God. Islam is for one to see
beyond the superficial forms of things to the
reality that lies beneath; it is for one to set
one’s gaze beyond creation and fix it on the
Creator. This is to see something that others
have not seen, to discover something that
others have yet to discover. When true Islam
enters a person’s soul it is the most shattering of experiences. It brings
one face to face with a reality which changes the very nature of one’s
life. It is rebirth, the making of a new man.
Islam addresses itself to the individual, not to society as a whole, for
only an individual can experience the psychological upheavals that
Islam brings about. To seek to Islamize society, without individuals
having undergone the inward transformation essential to Islam, does
not serve to strengthen and consolidate God’s religion; it can only
undermine it.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Follow Maulana at speakingtree.in
Peace
Peace is a prerequisite for all kinds
of human progress. With peace, we
progress without peace, we face ruin.
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 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 has designed a series of courses on
peace-building, countering extremism and conflict resolution.
WOMANHOOD IN ISLAM
O MANKIND, fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul.
He created its mate from it and from the two of them spread
countless men and women (throughout the earth). Fear God
in whose name you appeal to one another, and be mindful of your
obligations in respect of ties of kinship. God is always watching over
you. (
Fear of God and honouring of one’s fellow men—this is the twin
foundation of Islam laid down in the Quran in the above verse.
According to most of the commentators who have penetrated deep
into the meaning of the Quran ‘it’ in the above verse refers to ‘species’.
That is Eve was created not from Adam himself—but from the same
species as Adam.
In several other verses from the Quran the word ‘soul’ has been used
to mean ’species’—for example ‘God has created for you spouses of
your own kind”. (
Another of His signs is that He created for you from among yourselves
spouses, so that you might find repose in them, and He created between
you affection and kindness.
Thus women and men are from the same species. Biologically
speaking, women have not been extracted from the bodies of their male counterparts. God fashioned them according to His Will, just as
He fashioned men in accordance with His Will and Power.
Modern research has presented the facts on a purely academic level,
that fundamental, inborn differences do exist between men and
women. A detailed article on the Status of Women in Encyclopaedia
Britannica includes a section on Scientific Studies of Male-Female
differences. Here the author points out physical differences in the
respective constitutions of male and female forms of the human
species. “With respect to personality traits”, he writes, “men are
characterized by greater aggressiveness, dominance, achievement
and motivation, women by greater dependency, a stronger social
orientation and the tendency to be more easily discouraged by failure
than men. (Encyclopaedia Britannica vol.19 p.
And there are a number of latter-day scientific
experiments to back this up. Child specialists
say that male-female differences are entirely
genetic in nature. The passivity found in
women is due to the particular nature of
the female hormone. Differences between
male and female hormones exist from birth;
they are not acquired later, as would be the
case if they stemmed from differences in
environment.
The tenets of Islam
are based wholly
on nature. This
is because Islam
is the religion of
nature. The laws
Islam requires us to
follow are, in fact,
our own instinctive
human requirements
expressed in legal
terms.
The tenets of Islam are based wholly on nature.
This is because Islam is the religion of nature.
The laws Islam requires us to follow are, in
fact, our own instinctive human requirements
expressed in legal terms. And the teachings
of Islam with respect to women are no exception. They too are based
on nature. Modern psychological, biological and anatomical research
proves women to be more passive than men. This is the way their
Maker has fashioned them. The nature of their womanhood and the
special part they have to play in society, demand that they should be
just as they have been made—that is relatively delicate as compared
to men.
It is this fact of nature on which Islamic teachings have been based.
Because of women’s delicate constitution, Islam teaches men to be
gentle with them. That way they will not lose heart or become too
despondent to perform their special duties in life. Women are not like iron and steel, immune to rough treatment. They are like ribs; fragile
and delicate. It is best to let them be, in their natural state. If one treats
them as though they were tough metal, one will only break them.
Thus, when God says that He created man’s mate from the same soul
He means simply that women are of the same species as men. God
created them that way so that there should be harmony between the
two sexes. If men and women had been derived from different species—
then the two would have been unable to get on together. Family life
would have lacked peace and harmony; men and women would have
been unable to struggle hand in hand to build a better world.
As far as the saying of the Prophet likening women to a rib, it is a
parable illustrating the need to treat women gently on the basis of
their particular natural constitution. The Prophet of Islam delivered
this advice time and again, in various ways and it is something that he
himself practised throughout his life.
During the time of the Prophet, women used to attend the night prayer.
Sometimes they used to take their small children along with them. The
Prophet used to pay special attention to strict and full observance of
prayer. Yet so great was his consideration for women that sometimes,
when he heard babies crying, he would cut short the prayer. He said
that “Sometimes I stand up for prayer, with my intentions being to do a
long one. Then I hear a baby cry, so I cut short the prayer, not wanting
to make things difficult for the child’s mother. (Bukhari)
Dr. Farida Khanam
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dawn Follows the Night
After the night comes the dawn,
so that in its light individuals may
continue their journey without
a break.
JESUS IN THE ISLAMIC SCRIPTURE
The Messiah
A MAJOR portion of the Quran is dedicated to the exemplary
lives of the prophets. Jesus—one such prophet—is frequently
mentioned in the Quran as “The Messiah,” “A Mercy,” “Prophet,”
“Messenger,” “Word from God,” “Spirit,” “A Sign,” “One brought near
(to God),” “Upright,” “Servant,” “Eminent,” “Blessed,” “A Witness,” and “A
Parable.”
As such, he is honoured everywhere by Muslims. The Prophet
Muhammad during his Night Journey to Heaven, saw Jesus and
described him as “a man of medium height, red complexion, curly hair
and broad chest.” Mary, the mother of Jesus, described in Quran as
“one exalted above all womankind,” has a whole chapter of the Quran
(number 19) named after her, which tells of the miraculous birth of
Jesus. The story begins with an angel announcing the birth of a holy
son to Mary, who, being a chaste woman, was quite distraught at this
news. But the angel reassured her that this was the will of God, that it
was not a difficult thing for Him and that it was a sign and a blessing to
all humankind.
When Mary gave birth to Jesus and brought him to her people, they all
pointed their fingers at her. But she was told by God to remain silent
and to point to the baby. As the people were wondering how they could
talk to a child in the cradle, the baby Jesus performed his first miracle
by saying these fine words: “I am God’s servant. He has given me the
Book and made me a prophet; He has made me blessed wherever I may
be, and He has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving throughout
my life. He has made me dutiful toward my mother, and He has not
made me arrogant or wicked. Blessed was I on the day I was born, and
blessed I shall be on the day I die and the day I am raised to life again.”
(
When Jesus attained manhood, God bestowed upon him “scriptures
and wisdom, along with the Torah and the Gospel.” He was also given
the power to perform a number of miracles, such as fashioning a living
bird out of clay; giving sight to the blind; healing a leper and raising the
dead to life; he also had the wisdom to inform people what they ate
and stored up in their houses.
The Quran also mentions the day when his disciples demanded that he
bring down from the sky a table spread with good things. Jesus prayed for this, but warned them of God’s wrath, if they disbelieved in Him
afterwards, His prayer was then answered and his disciples happily
had their feast.
Yet, despite these clear signs, the Israelites rejected him, accusing him
of sorcery. They made clear their outright disbelief in him when he
said to them, “I am sent to you by God, confirming the Torah that came
before me and bringing good news of a messenger to follow me, whose
name will be Ahmad.” (
Muhammad, meaning “The Praised One”).
They even tried to kill Jesus, but God saved
him at the last minute by raising him up to the
sky: “They did not kill him, nor did they crucify
him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had
been so].” (
Mary, the mother
of Jesus, described
in Quran as “one
exalted above all
womankind,” has
a whole chapter of
the Quran (number
19) named after her,
which tells of the
miraculous birth of
Jesus.
The Quran further clarifies that his creation
was no different from that of the first human
being: “Jesus in the sight of God is like Adam.
He created him from dust, then said to him,
‘Be!’ and he was.” (
Jesus taught no false worship, but only
preached the unity of his Creator. On the Day
of Judgement, God will question him: “Jesus,
son of Mary, did you say to people, ‘Take me
and my mother as two deities besides God?’”
Jesus will disclaim this, saying: “Glory be to You! How could I ever say
that to which I have no right?” (
what You commanded me to, ‘Worship God, my Lord and your Lord.’”
(
The Quran mentions: “Of the People of the Book there are some who
stand by their covenant; they recite the word of God during the night
and prostrate themselves before Him, who believe in God and the Last
Day, who enjoin justice and forbid evil and vie with each other in good
works. These are righteous men.” (
to a common faith, saying: “People of the Book, let us come to a word
common to us that we shall worship none but God and that we shall
associate no partner with Him and that none of us shall take others,
besides God, for lords.” (
FOR THE GOOD OF HUMANKIND
Courageous Souls
IT was the fourth of November, 1847. The servant entered the room
of his master, a Scottish doctor, to find him lying face-down on the
floor alongside two of his colleagues. They appeared to have rolled
down from their chairs. The servant thought that perhaps they had
drunk too heavily, so he covered them up and quietly went away. But
the facts were quite different. For the men lying unconscious on the
floor were Sir James Simpson (1811-1870) and his two assistants who
had inhaled chloroform for the first time ever in order to experience its
effects on the human body.
Simpson was the youngest son of a poor baker. At the age of four, he
began his education at a village school. As time went on he became
so greatly interested in his studies that his
father and six brothers agreed that the
sacrifices must be made for him, so they cut
down on their expenses and sent the boy to
the city for higher education. So he came to
Edinburgh University, where he acquired an
M.D. Degree, the highest degree in medicine
in those days, thus making himself worthy of
his family’s tremendous sacrifices.
During his studies, Dr.Simpson had learnt
that chloroform possessed certain properties
which temporarily benumbed the senses, so
he began to conduct research into it, finally
coming to the conclusion that if the patients
were rendered unconscious by means of
chloroform they could be relieved of severe
pain during the course of operation. He
continued his research and, by experimenting
upon himself, he proved that chloroform
could successfully induce harmless anaesthesia. This son of a poor
baker was thus able to give to humanity, in the words of Dr.Brown, “
one of God’s best gifts to His suffering children”.
The secret of the western nations’ leadership of the world can be
explained by the existence of such people who have the courage to risk
their own lives so that others may be saved from risk—who have the
courage in other words to sacrifice themselves for humanity. And also the existence of people who were courageous to play the secondary
role of sacrificing in order to let the person primarily in command
to achieve the goal set by him. Both are exemplary roles. The world
today needs more and more such people to find solutions to problems
which beset the humankind pertaining both to physical and mental
suffering.
REPETITION IN THE QURAN
Coherent with Nature
READING the Quran one finds that it repeats itself on some themes.
The Quran is believed to be the book of God. If God had wished
He could have made every verse deal with a separate theme; but
instead certain topics have been stressed over and over again. This has
been done in order to engrave the message of the Quran in the minds
of its readers. Its opponents, however, have seen this in a different
light and made this repetition a basis for derisive propaganda against
the revealed word of God:
And they say, "It is just fables of the ancients, which he has had
written down. They are dictated to him morning and evening.”
(
As Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Uthmani has noted in his Urdu commentary
of the Quran, opponents of Islam used to say: “Muhammad has just
noted down some stories from the People of the Book, or some people
of the sort: these same stories are recited to him again and again,
morning and evening, and then reproduced in a different style. That is
all there is to the Quran.”
There is repetition
in order to engrave
the message of the
Quran in the minds
of its readers.
It is only people who are insincere in the search
for truth who say such things. Those who are
sincere realize that this ‘repetition’ is in fact
fulfilling an instinctive need of man. There is
no one who does not repeat something or the
other in this world. Look at smokers or teadrinkers.
Do they not repeat the same action
time and again? Does a mother not repeatedly
kiss her beloved child? A music lover—does he
not listen to the same song over and over? If
a person is attached to something he repeats
it time and again without even being aware
of the repetitiveness of his action. It is only natural that one should
repeat something one loves or enjoys. If, however, one is not attracted
to something then repetition of it will bore one; one will be averse to
hearing it even once, let alone many times.
The Quran wants people to reach this state of attachment with the
word of God. It repeats themes so that people may be drawn to the
source of the Quran; so that they should not pay attention to the fact that things are being repeated but be aware of the fact that what is
being said is from God and feel that repetition is required to instil the
importance of what is being said, as one forgets things easily. This is
the type of individual that the Quran is seeking to mould—one who is
attracted to the divine world as people normally are to this world; one
who finds that the word of God grows on him the more he hears it; one
for whom the Quran becomes food for the soul, more welcome than
any food with which one nourishes the body. Such people will not be
averse to repetition of the words of the Quran, for every repeated word
will bear for them a new meaning.
GREAT GOALS
Surmounting Difficulties
THE English poet William Blake said: “Great things are done
when men and mountains meet. This is not done by jostling in
the street.” This is quite true. It is a fact that to achieve some
great goal great acts are needed. It is only after scaling the heights of
a mountain that one reaches the top. Just raising slogans or making
speeches at big gatherings does not mean that any great work can be
accomplished.
In order to undertake any great work and bring it to its conclusion
it is necessary that we try to estimate and understand the situation
thoroughly. It is necessary that we be willing to take stock of our
resources and external possibilities and only then go ahead. We must
fully grasp the fact that, when we begin our journey, we are going to
confront many other travellers on our way.
Then we should also be willing to make every
sacrifice that our cause entails, this may
mean expenditure of time and money; it may
mean the relinquishing of opinions or the
suppression of emotions. Sometimes we have
to reckon with others, and sometimes it is
ourselves that we have to reckon with. There
are times when we can walk and times when
we can only halt in our steps.
No great goal is ever
realized without
facing difficulties;
without surmounting
great obstacles.
The entire process
involves a great
struggle.
No great goal is ever realized without facing
difficulties; without surmounting great
obstacles. The entire process involves a great struggle. Activity that
benefits the coming generations when we have passed away; which
shapes our future; which changes the course of history—demands
untiring struggle and infinite wisdom. Those who think that organizing
processions and raising slogans is all that is called for are grossly
underestimating the importance of the task at hand. Such actions
serve only to worsen the situation. They cannot produce any enduring
benefit for posterity.
CREATIVE THINKING
Mind Power
OPTICIANS usually have arrangements for eye-testing on the
premises so that customers can have their eyes tested and buy
their spectacles all in the same shop. One particular optician
had a small shop which could not permit eye-tests to be carried out, for
a distance-vision chart has to be 18 feet away from the client. And this
shop was only 9 feet in length. But the shop keeper was unperturbed
by this limitation. When asked how he proposed to do eye-testing in
such a confined space, he said “Simple! We just fix a mirror on the wall,
and there you are ! The distance is doubled!” The clients could then
be asked to read the chart through the mirror
because the reflection would have the effect
of doubling the distance. Undeterred by the
acute shortage of space, this optician had
shown great ingenuity in solving his problem.
This principle is applicable in most of life’s
arenas. When you have limited opportunities,
when your horizons seem narrow, there is
no need to become defeatist , it is simply a
question of racking your brains and you will
be able to “convert” your “9 feet shop” into an
“18-feet shop”.
All of your limitations
can be quickly
overcome provided
you put to good use
the natural gifts
bestowed upon you
by Almighty God.
If your home is small you can always make space by arranging things
creatively as per need. When you do not have enough resources to
make investments, your basic honesty is your best guarantee of
success. When you do not possess university degrees or other high
qualifications, your courtesy and hard work will in large measure
compensate for this. When there are no chances of overcoming your
opponent by being tough then your wisest policy would be to win his
heart, when your share in political fields is limited you can still score
in the economic field and achieve a different but equally important
set of objectives. When you feel you are in a weak position because
your sympathisers are few in number, you can make up for this by
encouraging unifying forces and striving towards efficient organization
of whatever human resources are available.
Every small shop can be converted into a big shop. A shop is small
only so long as you do not use your brains to expand it. All of your
limitations can be quickly overcome provided you put to good use the
natural gifts bestowed upon you by Almighty God.
SOUND JUDGEMENT
Accountability
ABU MOOSA AL-ASHARI was one of the leading Companions of
the Prophet Muhammad. During the Prophet’s time he was
appointed governor of Aden. Then, during the rule of the second
Caliph Umar, he was given the governorship of Basra.
Abu Moosa said that a qazi (judge) should not pass judgement until
the truth is to him “as clear as day”. When Abu Moosa’s statement was
reported to Umar, the Caliph ratified it, saying that this should be the
policy of every qazi.
In fact, the principle that Abu Moosa laid down is applicable not only
to judges but to every human being as well. It is not only judges who
have to deal with other people’s cases: every human being is required
at times to make decisions regarding matters pertaining to others.
With an ordinary individual it is a personal
decision all the same. The only difference
is that a judge’s word is law, while ordinary
people cannot enforce their decisions by legal
means.
A judge should
not pronounce
judgement on a
matter until the
rights and wrongs of
it have become as
clear to him as day is
clear from night.
Still everyone will finally have to answer before
God for every utterance and judgement that
they make. In real terms, therefore there is
no difference between someone who passes
judgement in a court of law, and one who
makes a decision at home, office or village.
Both will be taken to task in exactly the same
fashion. Those who believe that one day they will come before God
should follow Abu Moosa al-Ashari’s advice: they should not pronounce
judgement on a matter until the rights and wrongs of it have become
as clear to them as day is clear from night; if the truth is not “as clear
as day” then there is only one thing to do, and that is hold one’s peace.
Those who really fear God should only pass judgement on matters
which are absolutely clear to them. The judgement of what they are
not clear about should be left to God.
MEANINGFUL LIFE
Achievement
AN express train is tearing at full speed towards its destination.
A continuous spectacle of lush crops and brimming streams and
brooklets flashes by on either side. However much the scene
attracts attention towards itself, the express train shows no interest in
it. It ploughs through plain and mountain, over land and river, without
reducing its speed. Small stations are dotted along the line, but even
they do not interrupt the train’s motion. It carries on, as if it will stop
nowhere.
It is much the same with a purposeful life. One who has adopted a
purpose in life will fix his attention upon it. He will not waste his time
with peripheral issues. A purposeful person is like a traveller who
seeks to spend every moment of his time steering himself towards his
destination. Alluring worldly attractions hover enticingly before this
traveller, but he closes his eyes to them. Luxurious shade invites him to
be cooled from the scorching sun. Lavish mansions call him to rest his
feet from the long, hard road. But he has no
time for these things; all he sees is the goal he
has set before himself. All kinds of different
requirements confront him, but he steers
clear of them and continues on his way. His
determination to reach his destination does
not alter with the ups and downs of life. The
speed and direction of his journey remain
constant through thick and thin.
For life to be invested
with meaning, it is
essential that one
should set a target
for oneself. One
should be absolutely
certain of the
worthwhile nature of
one’s chosen target.
A purposeful person is quite unlike a wayward
traveller who, lacking direction, sometimes
sets off in one direction and sometimes in
another. He knows where he is going. The
road that he must tread clearly stretches out before his eyes. There is
no question of him interrupting his journey or diverting his attention
towards other things. He travels on and on until his purpose is fulfilled,
his destination reached.
For life to be invested with meaning, it is essential that one should set a
target for oneself. One should be absolutely certain of the worthwhile
nature of one’s chosen target. In pursuit of it, one must have the total
support of one’s conscience. It should permeate one’s entire being,
running through one’s body as blood runs through one’s veins. It is by concentrating his mind and setting his heart on a certain target that
man becomes different from animals. If he lacks a target in life, there is
no difference between him and beasts of the jungle. When one adopts
a dominating purpose, one’s life undergoes a drastic change. One
becomes a completely different person. So total is one’s absorption
in one’s quest in life that one has no time for petty side issues. One
pursues one’s goal with unswerving dedication, not resting until it is
achieved.
WISDOM FROM THE PROPHET
Gift to Humankind
THERE are three things that are especially pleasing to God: that
you should worship Him, ascribing no partners unto Him; that
you should all cling to the rope of God and not be divided among
yourselves; and that you should have a benevolent attitude towards
those whom God has put in charge of your affairs. And three things
cause Him immense displeasure: idle talk, asking too many questions
and wasting money. (Sahih Muslim)
Worshipping God means concentrating one’s entire attention on Him.
One who truly worships Gods feels empty if there is no place in his
life for God. To ascribe partners to God, on the other hand, is to make
something besides God the focus of one’s attention. To forsake all
forms of false worship, and to serve one God alone, is the essence of
Islam. When one does this, one becomes a selfless soul; one thinks of
others before oneself. Those who have developed such qualities will
remain united among themselves; they will not split up into sects. They
will have a benevolent, co-operative attitude towards others who are
in positions of responsibility; they will not set themselves up as rivals
to those who are in power. They will work for the common good and
contribute towards the benefit of humankind in general. Pleasing God
by serving His creation will be their goal as
they are the true worshippers of God. This is
the understanding of how the three things—
worshipping God, not being divided and an
attitude of benevolence are interconnected.
It is pleasing to God
that you should have
a benevolent attitude
towards those whom
God has put in
charge of
your affairs
The three things which are displeasing to
God are such that all the three if present in
a person will cause him to be a person who
is not beneficial to the entire society. Idle talk
and prattle harms other people’s reputation,
robs their peace of mind, can cause quarrels
and fights, ill will, lead to spread of false
news etc. Asking unnecessary questions, prying in the personal affairs
of others, asking questions based on false suspicions make a person
unwelcome in gatherings. Likewise spending money extravagantly robs
one of the chances of spending it on constructive activities.
The above wisdom taught by the Prophet is applicable so much more in
the present times where we are witnessing so much of mayhem in the
societies where people are prying in others’ matters unrestrained; and
materialistic culture is the rule of the day.
THE SUCCESSFUL METHOD
Goodwill
A PUBLISHER, who had despatched ten thousand copies of a book
specially printed for a big institution, was suddenly summoned
to meet its manager. No sooner had he set foot in his office than
the manager began to heap abuse on him for having sent him spoilt
copies of the book. “Look at these edges,’’ he shouted, “Look at how
badly cut they are!” While the manager continued to vent his anger on
him, the publisher picked up several copies and examined them. They
were indeed defective. When the manager’s fury had abated somewhat,
the publisher very quietly asked him why he was so upset. “It is our
loss and it is, therefore, for us to feel bad about it.” This stopped the
manager short in his tirade. “What on earth do you mean?” he asked.
“How is it your loss?”
The publisher said, “Obviously I cannot expect you to accept this
whole consignment in the condition it is in. I shall of course, take every
copy back and have fresh consignment printed, at my own expense.
It is my responsibility to make good the defect.” When the manager
heard this, he immediately softened. All his harshness vanished. The
printer’s admission of his mistake and his willingness to compensate
had wrought a kind of miracle. This offer went completely beyond his
expectations and it was quite natural that he should be impressed by
the magnanimity of the gesture. “No,” he said, “Why should you bear
such heavy expenses?” Hearing the kindness of his tone, the publisher
ventured to make another suggestion “I have an idea of how I can
rectify this,” he said, “Let me have few copies of the book, and if it
works, there will be no need to reprint them.” The manager agreed, the
printer took ten copies, re-cut them with great care, then brought them
back and showed them to the manager. The latter was quite satisfied
that they were now in excellent shape and requested him to have all of
the defective books similarly re-cut.
‘I am ready to admit to a one-foot fault even when it is only an inch
in the eyes of the customer,” said the printer. “It is very important to
make such concessions if one is to be successful in business. A satisfied
customer creates no problems and the moment a fault comes to my
notice, I invariably inform the customer before he has even suspected
that anything is wrong. Then I leave it to the customer to suggest
how matters should be rectified. As a rule, this elicits the customer’s
sympathy and the matter ends with absolutely no ill-will on either
side.”
AN IDENTITY CARD
For Privileges
A VILLAGE boy came to the city. As he was walking along the road,
he passed by a school. It was anniversary day, and hundreds
of school boys had formed a line outside one of the windows.
As he approached closer, he was able to see that sweets were being
distributed. Each boy was taking his share and going away. The village
boy also joined the line, and waited for his turn, thinking that just as all
the other boys were being given a packet of sweets each, so he would
also be presented with one.
Finally he reached the window and stretched out his hand eagerly. A
voice came from behind the window: “Where is your identity card?”
The boy of course, was unable to show a card, and he was turned away
empty handed. He realized that the sweets were not for anyone who
turned up at the window; they were for those who had studied the
whole year in the school.
It will be much the same on the Last day. The Last Day is the day when
God’s judgement will come to pass. All humankind will be gathered
before their Lord. People will find their rewards with Him. But the
rewards of that day will only be for those who
have qualified for them; they will only be for
those who are able to show an “identity card”
proving their eligibility for the favours that
are being bestowed.
Those who neglected
God in this world will
be neglected by
Him on that day.
They will reach God’s
world, but will not
be able to
behold Him.
The time is fast approaching when all one will
want to see, feel and adore will be what is
with the Lord of the World. Everyone will be
vying to be amongst those brought close to
Him. The most honourable position that one
will be able to occupy will be to be counted
among His humble servants. But this privilege will only be for those,
who, before the coming of that day, have shown themselves deserving
of divine approval. Those who neglected God in this world will be
neglected by Him on that day. They will reach God’s world, but will
not be able to behold Him. That will be the day when all secrets are
divulged; but even then they will find themselves left out in the cold,
and not allowed to share in the wonders that will unfold.
REMEMBRANCE OF DEATH
Not Morbid
HISTORY is a witness to some famous people’s futile attempt
towards conquering death. Take the example of Louis XI (1423-
1483), the king of France, who ruled the country for a period of
was the last word that he would allow to be uttered in his presence. He
did not want to die. During the last days of his life he went in seclusion
in an enclosed fort where only selected people could enter. Around the
fort was dug a deep trench so that no one could gain access to it.
All of the twenty-four hours, forty archers remained on duty, over and
above which forty horsemen patrolled the fort night and day. Whoever
was seen making any unauthorized effort to enter the fort was arrested
and executed on the spot. All kinds of luxuries were provided inside
the fort so that the king never became melancholic. King Louis XI was
so eager to live as long as possible that he had given orders that the
word ‘death’ should never be uttered before
him. An expert doctor attended him day and
night. This doctor drew a monthly salary
of ten thousand gold crowns. In those days
in Europe no military officer earned such a
salary even with forty years’ experience to his
credit.
Were man to
remember the reality
of death, his life
would undergo the
most sublime of
transformations.
However, none of these precautions saved
the king from weakness and old age. During
his final days, he became so weak that he
could hardly pick up his food and put it in
his mouth by himself. But his will to live was
indomitable. When he was told that tortoises lived for 500 years due to
their possessing some life-giving properties, he despatched three ships
to Germany and Italy to bring them for him in huge quantities. These
tortoises were kept in a big pond near him so that they might pass on
the gift of life to him.
Finally paralysis attacked him on 30th August 1483; death at last
conquered him. The last words uttered by him were: “I am not as ill
as you people suppose.” All his efforts went in vain. Finally the king of
France had learnt that no one could conquer death.
While King Louis was an example of the one who did not want to die
and was therefore constantly trying to forget and to conquer death, there are others who think about death very often. Now, in such cases
the question arises, does remembering death help us in any way and
does it have any benefits or will it lead people into fear and negativity?
The Guardian weekly quoted Linda Kurtz in the following words:
"Death is not the last taboo at all, but a very modern one. In this era
of demystification, death becomes perverse and more mysterious,
more terrible, than ever before. We need to have death back again.
Its transcendence puts banalities, impotence, frustration, vanities and
some kinds of love in their places. Contemplation of terminal issues is
not in the least morbid, but life enhancing”.
How so are they life enhancing, we might ask? Were man to remember
the reality of death, his life would undergo the most sublime of
transformations. It would drive home the point with tremendous
force how inane it was to oppress the poor, unfortunate individuals
who crossed his path and fell into his clutches. He would realize how
senseless it was to ill-treat others, how mindless it was to entertain
ideas of his own greatness, for greatness which cannot endure is of no
intrinsic value, how useless it was to have accumulated wealth which is
of no use after death.
Not keeping the reality of death in mind makes man drift through life,
an unthinking, pleasure-seeking, power-hungry, fame-loving, materially
ambitious creature who enjoys making friends and accumulating riches
and spending time in merry making. He revels in trivial distractions.
Death comes unannounced and unbidden. In an instant he is bereft of
all his worldly possessions , his friends, his loved ones, his pleasures,
his riches—all that he holds dear and he is carried away to the utter
solitude of the grave.
The Messenger of God said: “These hearts rust just as iron rusts" When
someone asked what is the method of polishing, the Prophet replied,
”Frequent remembrance of death and recitation of the Quran."
Persistence
The only condition of success is
continuous effort, that is, to make such
unflagging efforts, as are essential to
achieve the desired objectives.
GLOBAL WARMING
A Divine Warning
THE Times of India of October 26th, 2018 has the following report
under the heading “Air scrubbed off CO2 could be a reality
soon—A radical idea takes shape in race to stop global warming.
With time running out to avoid dangerous global warming, America’s
leading scientific body urged the federal government to begin a
research programme focused on developing technologies that can
remove vast quantities of carbon‒dioxide from the atmosphere to help
slow climate change".
Scientists from all over the world are repeatedly emphasizing that
global warming is the greatest danger of present times. Both print and
electronic media inform people daily of this perilous situation. Reports
based on the findings of international scientists, such as “Doomsday
Not Far” (Hindustan Times, December 8, 2007) and ‘Five Years to
Doomsday’ telecast on December 20, 2007 on
an Indian TV programme warned that climate
change is now turning into climate disaster.
As a result, the day is fast approaching when
human beings, regardless of where they are
living, will no longer be able to inhabit this
planet earth.
Scientists from
all over the world
are repeatedly
emphasizing that
global warming is the
greatest danger of
present times. Both
print and
electronic media
inform people daily
of this perilous
situation.
As we all know, there are huge ice caps at
both the north and south poles. These are
vast reservoirs of fresh water, but they are
now melting at an alarming rate. Also there
are huge, mountain-top glaciers,—gigantic
storehouses of drinking water—which, as a
consequence of global warming, are likewise
rapidly melting and their stored water is
draining off into the oceans through the rivers.
This is going to result in two unbearable situations. On the one hand,
very soon the level of water in the seas will rise, inundating coastal
cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, etc.
On the other hand, the non-coastal areas will suffer from an intolerable
water shortage. It is predicted by some scholars that the shortage of
water will become so acute that even a Third World War might take
place over this issue.
The rivers are always full of water, because the ice in the mountains
keeps gradually melting the whole year round and this water
continuously comes to the rivers through tributaries. But when all this
ice has melted, naturally the rivers will run dry. And all their fresh water
will be mixed with the salty water of the ocean. The ocean will be full
of water but, being too salty, it will be fit neither for irrigation nor for
drinking. The situation prevailing will be somewhat like that portrayed
by Samuel Coleridge in his poem ‘The Ancient Mariner’: “Water, water,
everywhere; nor any drop to drink”.
God’s prophets have constantly told us that the present world will
not be eternal, that it is perpetually on its countdown, and that a time
will come when its term will expire and it will come to its end. All the
scientific evidence tells us that this countdown
is approaching its final number. The scientists
of the 20th century discovered the law of
entropy and concluded that the world’s energy
is continuously on the decrease, and that this
process cannot be reversed. Therefore, it is
certain that after a fixed period of time the
present world will come to its end. Now the
scientists of the 21st century have told us,
according to their researches, that the time
for the end of the present world has come
very close. It could even be a mere 10 to 20
years. All these revelations which are being
covered in the media under the heading of
‘global warming’ are in fact ‘divine warning’.
Corruption has set
in on land and sea
because of the evil
which men’s
hands have done;
and so He will make
them taste the fruit
of some of their
doings, so that they
may turn back from
evil. (Quran)
Corruption has set in on land and sea because of the evil which men’s
hands have done; and so He will make them taste the fruit of some
of their doings, so that they may turn back from evil. (
declaration by the Creator that, according to His plan, this period of
the world has come to its end. According to this plan, the first phase
has expired. Now the time is not far away when the present world will
be replaced by its second phase. The first phase, meant purely as a test
for humankind, was temporary. The second phase will be for the result
of that test, and it will be eternal.
In the present world, man has been given freedom of action. This is
not because he deserves freedom on account of his general prowess:
it was allotted to him temporarily for the purpose of testing him. It was
meant to see who makes the proper use of freedom and who misuses
it. According to the system of nature, the record of every person is being prepared. This record will be presented before the Creator in the
next stage of life. Those whose records show that they made proper
use of their freedom “will find a place in Paradise where they will live
eternally.” (Quran) They will be accorded by their Creator a place where
they will lead an eternal life of comfort and happiness. On the contrary,
those whose record shows that they misused their freedom will be
consigned by their Creator to punishment where, in the words of Jesus
Christ: “There will be wailing and weeping for all eternity.” (Matthew 13: 42).
Now the time has finally come for all humankind to arise from their
slumber. By engaging themselves in introspection they must reform
themselves. They must make the attainment of a successful life in the
next phase of life their sole concern. Every one must know that the
chance they have been given in the present world is the first and last
chance. No other chance awaits them. Global warming tells us that
the point of no return has already been reached. Let us avail of this
opportunity before the time is up. After this, no one will be given any
further opportunity to come back to the present world. Nor will there
be any opportunity in the next world to atone for one’s misconduct or
be rewarded for the belated performance of worthy deeds.
RIGHT CHOICE
Pragmatism
MACHINES, for instance, clocks and watches generally run on a
system of cog wheels. The movement of one such wheel sets
another in motion. If either of the wheels does not mesh with
the other, neither will the cog wheel move, nor will the machine be set
in motion.
The same applies to human plans in the modern world. There are two
“cog-wheels” here as well. And life’s system functions properly only
when the two engage and work together in unison.
One wheel in this world is that of man, while the other is that of
concomitant circumstances. Here, the individual can be effective only
to the extent that external circumstances will permit. Given this state
of affairs, wisdom lies in his knowing what is possible and what is not
possible for him in terms of his circumstances.
Where interests are in conflict, the actual point at issue is not what
should be the settlement from the point of view of justice; the actual
solution to be sought in such a situation, is that which is possible in
practical terms. That is why, in such instances, one should be willing
to accept the possible, instead of engaging in futile hostilities over the
issue of ideal justice. Such efforts will lead to nothing but further loss.
The same is the case with nations. Here, too, the leaders should look to
what is achievable and what is not in respect of actual circumstances.
The degree of success achieved by the individual or the nation is in
direct proportion to the effective interlocking of “cog-wheel”, within a
broad framework of non-adherence to rigid ideologies.
Those nations who understood the laws of nature and started their
national journey in accordance with these laws made steady progress
and have become developed countries of the world. This principle of
nature, in brief, favours healthy competition. Their leaders granted
freedom to their citizens and opened up opportunities to achieve
the desired success by proving their capability in a highly competitive
field. These leaders limited the government sphere to law and order,
thus granting its citizen full freedom of action in other fields. As a
result everyone found unhampered opportunities for the optimal
development of personal potential.
They did not attempt to pour society into the mould of a fabricated
ideology as the basis for national progress. Instead they looked only at
what was naturally sustainable and adopted it.
On the contrary those nations whose theorists clung to a contrived
ideology, attempted to re-structure the whole of society accordingly.
When society refused to accept this, the rebels were killed as if they had
no more significance than insects. This scheme of things was against
nature and that is why, after a tumultuous struggle they met with failure.
Having properly understood actual conditions and circumstances, they
should have left society to proceed unhindered on the thoroughfare of
nature. In this way an atmosphere of healthy competition would have
been produced, and the capabilities of all their citizens would have
played their role in the process of progress and development. But this
was not to be. Ideological fanaticism produced the logic of coercion,
which vitiated everything which came within its orbit.
The right way to proceed in this world is to allow things to take their
natural course without placing any obstacles in their path. If any wielder
of power conceives of a plan which in his view is superior (whatever its
actual merits may be), he should work towards its implementation along
peaceful lines, remaining strictly within the sphere of persuasion. He
should wait also for the appropriate moment when people’s thinking
has changed, so that his plan may be carried into effect, in consonance
with the law of nature itself. In that way, its outcome will be beneficial
to all.
The actual point worth considering in the building of the social system
is not some ideological scheme of things formulated by any particular
leader, but what is humanly achievable from the practical standpoint.
The part played by any given leader in the overhaul of the social system
and, moreover in its subsequent consolidation, is only fifty per cent.
The remaining fifty per cent is attributable to external circumstances.
If a leader, failing to grasp this reality, is under the misapprehension
that the entire country is his personal fiefdom, it would be the gravest
blunder on his part to force upon the people his personal ideology.
This would be verging on madness, for whatever he then did as a result
of his misunderstanding should culminate not in construction but the
very opposite.
It is good to be an idealist, but it has to be conceded that the attainment
of the ideal in social life is seldom within the realms of the possible. The
secret of success in restructuring society is for leaders and followers
alike to aim at elevated goals, while taking care to subordinate personal
idealism to overarching practicalities.
THE PRACTICAL APPROACH
For Success
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) a French philosopher and scientist said:
By space the universe encompasses and swallows me as an atom;
by thought I encompass it.
MAN has been created by God with two opposing yet
complementary qualities: the spiritual and the physical.
On the one hand is his mind, in respect of which he finds
himself limitless. He can think anything he wishes; there are simply no
boundaries to his thinking.
Yet, in his physical existence, man is extremely
limited. He is bound by innumerable kinds
of constraints. The greatest limiting factor
which man faces is death. Death nullifies all
greatness in man.
Man is constantly
under trial in this
world. To pass
all tests, he must
learn his practical
limitations vis à vis
his intellectual
limitlessness.
This is man’s severest test. In all his apparent
greatness, he must acknowledge how humble
is his condition. Passing from a limitless to a
limited environment he must acknowledge
the confines within which he lives. He must
accept restrictions in an atmosphere of
freedom.
Man is constantly under trial in this world. To pass all tests, he must
learn his practical limitations vis à vis his intellectual limitlessness.
By so doing, he can save himself from all misapprehensions, and can
exercise his free will in the sphere of reality.
So far as animals are concerned, their thinking capacity barely goes
beyond the immediate needs of survival. They are, in this sense, like
living machines. By contrast, the area of man’s thinking is vast. The
greatest test of humanity is to discover a balance between thinking and
action.
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 humankind, 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
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Praise be to God, to whom belongs all that the heavens and the earth
contain and praise be to Him in the Hereafter. He is the All Wise, the All
Aware. He knows whatever goes into the earth and whatever comes
forth from it, and whatever descends from heaven and whatever ascends
into it. He is the Merciful, the Forgiving. (
This universe is an introduction to its Creator. Its terrifying vastness
reveals the majesty of its Creator. The utter perfection of its harmony
indicates that its Creator is a perfect and complete being. The fact
of the universe being extremely congenial and conducive to the
nourishment of human life clearly shows that its Creator is extremely
kind and merciful towards His creations.
One who ponders over the mysteries of the universe will be totally
absorbed in the realization of God’s majesty and perfection. He will be
convinced that from the beginning of time till the end of eternity, all
majesty pertains to the one and only God and to none other than Him.
Those who deny the truth declare, ‘The Hour will never come upon
us.’ Say, ‘Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come upon you! Who knows
the unseen. Not the smallest particle in the heavens or the earth, or
anything less or greater than that escapes Him; all is recorded in an
open Book. He will surely reward those who believe and do good deeds:
they shall have forgiveness and an honourable provision.’ But those
who strive against Our signs, trying to defeat them, will suffer a painful
torment. Those who have been given knowledge know that what has
been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and that it guides to
the path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy. (
The addressees of the Quran were not disbelievers in the Day of
Judgement. It was just that they did not believe that Judgement Day
would bring them humiliation and punishment. The world they lived
in appeared safe to them and they could not, therefore, understand
how they would be in jeopardy on reaching the world Hereafter.
This truth about life and the universe is found in all divine scriptures. It
is the Quran’s mission to reveal this reality in its pure and unadulterated
form. Now, those who take a stand in opposition to this mission are
indulging in the most improper bravado. Before God, they will be
treated as deserving of the severest punishment.
Those who deny the truth say, ‘Shall we point out to you a man who will
tell you that when you are broken up into particles, you will be put
together again in a new creation? Has he invented a lie about God, or
is he afflicted with madness?’ Indeed no. It is those who do not believe
in the Hereafter who will suffer torment, for they have strayed far into
error. Do they not observe how they are encompassed by what is before
them and what is behind them in heaven and on earth? We could, if We
pleased, cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky
to fall upon them. In that certainly there is a sign for every servant of
Ours who turns to us. (
The people of Makkah held the Prophet and his Companions in
contempt, and used to mock them. They did so due to their disbelief
in the Hereafter and because in their hearts they were not fearful of
God’s scourge; this made them quite flippant about the affairs of the
Hereafter.
The worst punishment for a man in this world is to be incapable of
right thinking. One so punished is not capable of seeing things in their
proper perspective. He is unable to learn lessons even from obvious
realities. For example, innumerable stones of varying sizes fall towards
the earth’s surface but get destroyed as soon as they come in contact
with our atmosphere. If these stones were to start falling on human
habitation, the entire humanity would be wiped out. A major part of
the centre of the earth consists of hot molten lava. If that lava were to
erupt and flow unchecked over the surface of the earth, everything in
its path would be burnt to a cinder. But God, having made special
arrangements, does not allow such catastrophic events to occur.
There are clear signs in heaven and on earth which show man’s
helplessness. But when a man is incapable of right thinking, no sign of
God can give him guidance.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
Time and again I have come across people who have promised
something and not kept their word. What is the Islamic perspective
about promises?
In mutual dealings in social life, it often happens that a person gives his
word to another. There is apparently no third person or group between
the two, yet there is always a third present and that is God who is the
supreme witness. That is why every promise becomes a divine promise.
A believer therefore should be extremely sensitive about giving
his word. His conviction is that every commitment made between
two persons is under the watchful eyes of God, and that he will be
accountable for its fulfilment in the court of God. This compels him to
be highly responsible as regards his promises. Whenever he gives his
word to anyone he makes a point of keeping it.
Many other virtues come in the wake of the regular fulfilment of
promises. One of these is mutual trust. In a society where mutual trust
exists, there is no discord and dissension between the people; there
is an atmosphere of confidence and peaceability as there is no fear of
promises being broken. Readiness to fulfil promises is a commendable
trait; it is true faith that makes man the possessor of this highest
human virtues.
I have heard that Islam gives a sort of daily program to its adherents
to follow. Can you elaborate on this?
Islam gives a programme for life covering the individual’s entire
existence. From morning till evening not a single moment of the
believer’s life excludes the sphere of Islam. It is only after saying his
prayers that he goes to bed at night and when he wakes up early in the
morning, he first of all purifies his body, performs his dawn prayers.
The day begins with purity and worship which is the beginning of a God
oriented life. The ensuing hours between morning and noon are meant
for economic activities. However during this period too a believer
remembers God constantly. In all matters he adheres strictly to the
limits set by God, and in his dealings with people, he is scrupulously
honest in all kinds of interactions.
Then between noon to night there are 4 more prayers which keep
reminding him that God’s help and guidance is there for him to face his
day-to-day challenges. The rest of the day he does all kinds of activities connected to his work or studies daily chores, meals, rest etc. Like I
mentioned in all his actions he tries to conduct himself in a way which
will be acceptable to God. He will be duty-conscious more than rightsconscious.
He will be a man of principle, a predictable character and he
will make the best use of all the resources of time, energy and money
to benefit himself and the society.
To sum up, the day is divided into 5 parts which is based on the time
between one prayer to another and there is guidance in the Quran and
teachings and life of the Prophet of how to plan efficiently the activities
for working towards success based on the role of each person in this
world.
Once while waiting in a lounge during travel I observed a Muslim
praying in a corner. Many of the actions he was performing I could
understand the meaning but towards the end he turned his face to
the right and to the left what does this stand for?
As per your observation the kneeling and prostrating and standing in
a humble posture before God is the physical expression of the idea
that the only course that befits him is to lead his life as a submissive
servant of God. The prayers is concluded by turning the face first to
the right side, then to the left, and reciting the words Assalamu Alaikum
Warahmatullah (Peace and blessings of God be upon you). This is a
demonstration of the fact that, spiritually conditioned by prayer, the
devotees are now entering into the world with no other thoughts and
feelings in their minds but those of mercy towards people all around
them and peace for all humankind. Prayer turns their resolve to remain
peaceful members of society, and to harbour no ill feelings towards
anyone.
Prayer in one respect is the worship of God and in yet another respect,
it prepares the individual to lead a worthy life among people, adopting
an attitude of modesty, sympathy and goodwill in all his dealings. It
perfects man’s relation with God as well as with other human beings.
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 )
