ABOUT THE MAGAZINE
Spirit of Islam is a monthly magazine which is now in its seventh
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!
A MESSAGE FOR THE NEW YEAR
Dear Readers,
Greetings of Peace!
They are not thankful to God, those who are not thankful
to their fellow men. —Prophet Muhammad.
BEING one of those to whom the spirit of Islamic teachings is close
to the heart, I take this opportunity on the New Year to thank all
the readers of our monthly magazine Spirit of Islam.
The beginning of the 7th year of the publication calls for an enormous
gratitude to God Almighty for seeing us through every challenge which
one faces in an effort to continue any endeavour in the way of humanity.
Through this opportunity I would like to convey the benefits I have
received from this magazine. As per the teaching of our mentor
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan we should only present to others what we
ourselves benefit from.
It was my heartfelt desire to understand Islam in the contemporary
idiom since my childhood. I had read many books and journals on
Islam, but none gave me the picture of Islam in a language that I could
understand. When I got involved with Spirit of Islam and Maulana
Wahiduddin Khan’s Centre, my mind found what it had been looking
for all along. I felt this was the Islam that has been presented in the
Quran and Sunnah as it is, but conveyed in the contemporary idiom so
it could address modern minds. One-by-one I was able to understand
the principles of Islam.
I find the articles given in ‘From the Spiritual Tree’ and ‘Towards Global
Peace’ columns of particular relevance to me. Before getting involved
in the magazine one question I often asked was, ‘Is Islam a religion
of peace or does it sanction violence?’ The articles in these sections
made me realize that Islam is completely a religion of peace. It in fact,
gives an ideology of peace that is in perfect harmony with nature and
with contemporary times. Reading the spiritual articles helped me
find peace within myself while the articles on global peace helped me
understand how to attain peace in society and the world at large.
I would like to add that the magazine gives a holistic picture of Islam
after removing the misconceptions related to the religion. It makes one
understand the deeper meaning of jihad, the difference between jihad and qital, the status of women according to Islam, the place of peace
and spirituality in Islam, the need for ijtihad, (re-application of Islamic
teachings in changed times) etc.
The magazine has enabled me to apply Islamic principles to my daily
life. Prior to reading Spirit of Islam, the religion of Islam to me was a
set of commandments and rituals that I had to follow, but they had no
relation to my real life. As such, I did not understand what importance
these had to the building of my personality.
However much I tried, the pillars of Islam were not living parts for me.
But after reading articles from the magazine I was able to discover a
living Islam that had a direct bearing on my life. I would like to give one
example. There is a verse of the Quran which states, “(Paradise) is for
those who undertake tazkiyah” (
any meaning for me. But when I understood the principle of conversion
given in one of the articles of the magazine I realized that tazkiyah is
another name for purification of the soul, a method to reform one’s
character and personality. In spite of having negative experiences from
people I have the ability to convert the negative into positive in my
mind, and respond to others in a positive manner. I try not to get angry
or react in a negative manner. However, it is a day-to-day stru ggle.
As a result of my reading the various articles in the magazine I have
discovered Islamic spirituality. It is nothing mysterious in nature.
Islamic spirituality is based on a two point formula: Simple Living and
High Thinking.
Dear readers, I wish that this New Year helps all of us start a new
journey in life which is filled with wisdom and knowledge. Let us pray
that this year brings us peace and well-being and empowers us with
the ability to manage the day-to-day challenges of life.
Thank you,
Dr. Naghma Siddiqi
Editorial Committee
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.
IN THE WEST
THE seventh convention of the Parliament of World's religions was
held recently in Toronto, Canada. This reminded me of the first
time the 29-year-old Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) took to
stage at the Parliament in Chicago 125 years ago to share perspectives
on diversity and co-existence with intellectuals from across the globe.
Swami Vivekananda made a sensational debut at the Parliament. He
was initially nervous about delivering his speech but as he took the
stage, he began by addressing his audience as ‘Sisters and Brothers
of America!’ The hall resounded with a long burst of applause at his
words and he received a standing ovation from the delegates and the
crowd comprising several thousand people from world over. Today,
as we have become increasingly global, the expression takes a larger
dimension and has transformed into ‘Sisters and Brothers of the World!’
The President of Parliament of World’s Religions, John Henry Barrows
later remarked about Vivekananda, calling him “the orange-monk who
exercised the most wonderful influence over his audience.” The media
splashed articles and special features on him and he was labelled as the ‘most popular and influential man’ at the Parliament! In a world
of strangeness and separation, Swami Vivekananda had touched the
chord of familiarity and proximity, awakening a feeling of unity amongst
his audience.
The mission of the Parliament of the World’s Religions is to cultivate
harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities and
achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world. Swami Vivekananda
became the ambassador of this message of universal brotherhood at
the Parliament. He was the first to introduce Indian philosophy to the
West in this manner and received support,
leading to the establishment of Vedic centres
in the West. In his interactions, he extensively
discussed tolerance and cooperation between
communities of the world.
Follow one religion,
and respect all. I
can lead a life full of
love and compassion
devoid of any hatred
because in my mind
and in my heart,
I recognize every
person as a creation
of God.
In ‘Letters of Vivekananda,’ Swami Vivekananda
outlined the bright future of India as a nation,
to be shaped by two forces: Islamic Body and
Vedic Brain. I would modify this and say that
in order to create the future we all aspire for,
we would have to resort to a blend of ‘Western
Body, Eastern Brain’—this is the only way we
shall progress in times to come!
Swami Vivekananda was an ardent advocate of religious diversity being
the soul of universality. His formula was, ‘Follow One, Hate None’. This
principle was based on an inherent understanding of the fact that this
world is full of differences—family, society, religious communities and
nations; difference is an integral part of each ecosystem. But differences
are not evil; they are a blessing as they create challenges, which lead to
development and progress in the world.
In my experience too, this is the simplest and most natural formula—
to follow one religion, and respect all. As a nonagenarian, I can lead a
life full of love and compassion devoid of any hatred. This is because
in my mind and in my heart, I recognize every person as a creation of
God. Since every one of us is created by God, how can I hate anyone?
In this respect, there’s no difference between us. It is acceptance of this
reality that can pave the way for us to co-exist and that will enable us
to meaningfully adopt and leverage differences, rather than trying to
eliminate or remove them.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Dr. Farida Khanam has been a professor at the Department of Islamic Studies
at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. 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.
AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT
ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE
FIQH the Arabic equivalent to jurisprudence literally means an
understanding and knowledge of something. At more than one
place the Quran has used the word fiqh in its general sense of
‘understanding’. In the early days of Islam the terms ilm (knowledge)
and fiqh were frequently used to denote an understanding of Islam
in general. This shows that in the Prophet’s time the term fiqh was
not applied in the legal sense alone. The Prophet blessed one of his
Companions in the following words: “Allahumma faqqih ho fiddin,’ which
means ‘O God, give him understanding in religion’. By these words the
Prophet did not mean exclusively knowledge of law. He meant in fact a
deeper understanding of religion.
Brief History of Fiqh
After the Prophet, the Companions settled in different parts of the vast
Islamic empire. Here they were confronted with new problems, and they
had no option but to exercise their personal judgement. The Prophet
was no longer amidst them to turn to him for the solution of these
problems. Therefore whenever any problem arose they first consulted
the Quran and Hadith and only if they failed to find the solution there,
they resorted, to the exercise of their personal judgement, while
observing fully the spirit of the Quran and Hadith.
It was at this stage when the exercise of reason was done to deduce a
law, that the term fiqh came to be frequently used for this endeavour.
Towards the end of the seventh century a movement of collecting Hadith
started. Large number of people devoted their entire lives to collect
and record the teachings of the Prophet. There was another group of
people who were interested only in those teachings from which some
legal rule could be deduced. For this purpose they resorted to the
exercise of reason and personal judgement. This knowledge came to
be known as fiqh and those who were involved in this task came to be
known as fuqaha.
During the age of successors the Arabs settled in different parts of
the vast Muslim empire. Consequently they came into contact with
different cultures and civilizations—confronting with problems they
had never faced before. In their endeavour
to solve these problems they made great
advances in various fields of learning. Islamic
law developed and towards the middle of
the ninth century books began to be written
exclusively on fiqh.
Whenever any
problem arose they
first consulted the
Quran and Hadith
and only if they failed
to find the solution
there, they resorted,
to the exercise
of their personal
judgement, while
observing fully the
spirit of the Quran
and Hadith.
Origins of Different Schools of Law
One should be clear about the fact that
during the time of the Prophet there was
no such science as that of jurisprudence.
The only ideal for Muslims at that time was
the conduct of the Prophet. They learnt by
observing the Prophet’s actions and under
his instructions. On different occasions, cases
were brought to the Prophet for his decision.
Prophet’s decisions were taken as models for
similar decisions in similar cases. During this period, people were not
interested in unnecessary philosophical discussions or in meticulous
details. Prophet’s practice remained a general directive, interpreted by
the early Muslims in different ways. Of course the Prophet laid down
certain regulations but the jurists elaborated them with more details.
The reason for this further addition to the laws by interpretation is
that the Prophet himself had made allowances in his commands. He
left many things to the discretion of the community to be decided
according to a given situation.
The Prophet provided a wide scope for differences by giving instructions
of a general nature, or by validating two diverse actions in the same situation. Had the Prophet laid down specific and rigid rules for
each problem, the coming generations would have been deprived of
exercising reason and framing laws according to the need of the hour.
Thus whenever any problem arose the Muslims tried to solve it by first
referring to the Quran; If no definite answer was found in the Quran
then they would turn to the Sunnah (the practice of the Prophet); if there
too the problem remained to be solved then
they resorted to consensus of the scholars;
and as a final recourse they drew an analogy
with the Quran and Sunnah.
The Prophet provided
a wide scope for
differences by giving
instructions of a
general nature, or
by validating two
diverse actions in the
same situation.
From the above points we can understand
that the science of jurisprudence had come
into existence with the advent of Islam, but
it developed as an academic discipline in
the eighth century. Imams or scholars have
established four different Islamic schools of
jurisprudence. There is no conflict between
them and they are accepted by all the Muslims
of the world. One could follow any school of thought one wants to. For
example the Maliki School of law is dominant in the Arab west and is
also found in southern Egypt and Sudan.
These four different schools of Islamic jurisprudence have been
established by the following Imams and named after them.
Abu Hanifa Nu’man ibn Thabit (Hanafi School of Law)
Born in 699 CE in Kufa, Umayyad Caliphate
Died in 767 CE in Baghdad, Abbasid Caliphate
Malik ibn Anas (Maliki School of Law)
Born in 711 CE in Madinah
Died in 795 CE in Madinah
Abu Abdillah Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi (Shafi School of Law)
Born in 767 CE in Gaza, Bilad al-Sham, Abbasid Caliphate
Died in 820 CE in Egypt
Ahmad bin Hanbal (Hanbali School of Law)
Born in 780 CE in Baghdad, Iraq
Died in 855 CE in Baghdad, Iraq
Dr. Farida Khanam
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DECEPTION ON ALL SIDES
Until the Day of Truth
THIS is a world of deception and delusion. People are free to do
one thing in reality, but make-out that they are doing something
quite different. They may be pursuing a policy of personal
advancement and self-aggrandisement, but they use slogans which
make it appear as though—far from serving themselves—they are
only out to serve others. They make out that what they are doing is
for the good of their nation, whereas in fact they themselves are the
only beneficiaries of their policies. Everyone twists words to his own
advantage, making the cruelty and injustice that he inflicts on others
appear like justice and humanism. Those who have the law on their
side have a licence to act as they please: if the law sanctions their
misdemeanours, then no one can say that what they are doing is wrong.
This is the way with people of the world. As for people who call
themselves religious, the course that they follow is not very different.
They have attached the label “religion” to a few lifeless dogmas; they
have assigned the highest rewards to menial, mechanical rites and
ceremonies; they make ritual religion appear
like real religion; they give themselves credit
for practising religion, whereas in fact what
they are practising is religion made by man,
not the one revealed by God.
They have made
religion a topic
of argument and
disputation, and
have forgotten that
religion is something
to be practised, not
just to be talked
about.
The “God” that they have invented for
themselves is one that they do not need to
fear. They have appointed for themselves a
prophet who will intercede for them and save
them from damnation, no matter how they
act on earth. The afterlife that they claim to
believe in is one where Heaven is for them
and Hell for others. When they pray they are a picture of humility, but
their prayer does not prevent them from being proud and malicious
when they leave the house of worship. When they fast, they assiduously
abstain from food and drink, but they do not bother to refrain from
lying, deceit, and injustice. They have made religion a topic of argument
and disputation, and have forgotten that religion is something to be
practised, not just to be talked about. Then, to crown it all, they claim
that they are performing “missionary activity,” whereas in fact what
they are doing is seeking to consolidate their own power and prestige.
But counterfeit gold is only considered gold until it has been put to the
test of the touchstone. So it is with the deception that man practises in
this world. It can only prevail until the Day of Reckoning comes to pass,
when God’s truth will eliminate all falsehood and His justice will put an
end to all injustice. Man is free in this world because he is being put to
the test. He can do as he pleases as long as
his trial period lasts. When it comes to an end,
he will find himself absolutely powerless. He
will want to speak, but words will desert him.
He will want to run away, but his legs will not
be able to carry him.
But counterfeit gold
is only considered
gold until it has been
put to the test of the
touchstone. So it is
with the deception
that man practises in
this world.
That will be the day of truth. On that day man
will shed the camouflage which hides his real
state in this world. Everyone will appear as
they really are. What a revelation it will be
when the pretences that people put on fade
away, and reality comes to the fore. In this
world only God knows a person’s true state; in the next world it will
be plain for all to see. Those who appeared in a certain light in this
world will be exposed in a completely different light there: they will be
exposed for what they were, rather than what they pretended to be.
WEALTH
The Great Deceiver
ACCORDING to the Quran, wealth is only meant to fulfil
man’s needs. It is not a goal in itself. It can fulfil the physical
requirements of man, but man is more than a physical entity.
Man is an intellectual being, and as such can only find fulfilment in
pursuing some alternative goal which is higher than accumulation of
wealth.
Wealth is certainly useful for man, but it is a wrong option if one focuses
on the acquisition and hoarding of wealth as the principal end in life.
Wealth can give one material comforts, but it cannot give wisdom and
learning. The best course for humankind is to live as seekers of truth,
wisdom, learning and ultimately a goal that is elevated. It is exactly to
bring about this understanding that the Prophet said:
“It is not poverty that I fear for you, What I fear for you is that you
should have too much access to worldly wealth, as happened to
communities that passed before you; and you become emulous of
it, as was the case with them.”
This Hadith has been propounded in both the main collections of the
teachings of the Prophet, Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
What the Prophet warned of, we have seen happening in recent
decades all over the Muslim world. Muslims have had worldly wealth
lavished upon them and with it have been put to a severe test. Palatial
houses to live in, advanced vehicles to drive, huge bank balances to
keep them in luxury, all these and much else besides have come with
the accumulation of worldly wealth.
The trouble with great wealth is that it is all too often bought at the price
of personal integrity. All too often it proves the great deceiver tainting
one’s vision and preventing one from seeing things as they truly are.
What is before our eyes today, we come to think of it as permanent; but
it will be gone tomorrow.
For this reason, worldly wealth has no value in itself. Great expertise
in worldly affairs will be of no avail when one stands before God in the
next world. Then it will only be realities which count. What a pity it is
that man is lost in his own illusions, that he is allowing himself to go
astray in what is, after all, only a transitory phase of his existence, quite
unmindful of the fact that what awaits him is eternity.
A BELIEVERS BEHAVIOUR
Prophetic Guidance
THE behaviour of a true believer in his environment is one of love,
mercy and compassion. Here are some relevant references from
the sayings of the Prophet of Islam in this regard.
“A guardian of orphans (whether the orphan be of one’s near or
distant relation or of strangers) and I will be in one place in Paradise,
like my two fingers”, said the Prophet and his fingers were nearly
touching each other at the time". (Muslim)
Someone said: ‘O Prophet of God, teach me something’. “Abuse
no one”, replied the Prophet, “and despise not anything good and
speak to your fellow-men with open countenance”. (Tirmidhi)
God has no mercy for him who has no mercy for his fellows. (Bukhari
& Muslim)
A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘How many times should
forgive a servant?’ The Prophet kept silent. The man repeated the
question thrice. “Forgive your servant seventy times everyday”, said
the Prophet. (Abu Dawud)
He who does not behave kindly towards younger people and does
not show due respect to older ones is not of us. (Tirmidhi)
Someone asked: ‘What is Islam? The Prophet said: “Purity of speech
and hospitality.” (Musnad Ahmad)
The Prophet said: “On the Day of Judgement God will question:
‘O Man, I was sick and you did not visit Me’. 'My Lord', the man
will wonder, ‘How could I visit you when You are the Lord of the
universe?’ God will remind! ‘My so and so servant was sick and you
did not visit him. Had you visited him, you would have found Me
there, with him?” (Muslim)
Visit the sick, feed the hungry, and help to relieve people’s misery.
(Bukhari)
Muslims who live in the midst of society and bear with patience the
afflictions that come to them are better than those who shun society
and cannot bear any wrong done to them. (Abu Dawud)
Every good deed is a charity, and it is a good deed that you meet
your fellowmen with a cheerful countenance and you pour water
from your bucket into the vessel of your fellow.
Answering a questioner with mildness is charity. Removing that
which is inconvenience to wayfarers, such as thorns and stones is
charity. (Tirmidhi)
The leader of a people is truly their servant. (As-Suyuti)
Faith (iman) is to restrain oneself against all violence, let no believer
commit any violence. (Abu Dawud)
God has forbidden you disobedience of parents, miserliness, false
claims, and the burying alive of female infants (female foeticide).
(Bukhari & Muslim)
Give the worker his wages before his sweat dries. (Ibn Majah)
y The seller is under obligation to disclose any defect in the article
offered for sale. (Bukhari)
Someone asked the Prophet, ‘What fanaticism was?’ and he replied:
“That you help your people in wrongdoing”. (Abu Dawud)
That one will not enter Paradise whose neighbour is not secure
against his mischief. (Muslim)
He who believes in God and the Last Day must not put his neighbour
to inconvenience. (Bukhari & Muslim)
He is not a believer who eats to his fill while his neighbour goes
without food. (Ibn Abbas, Al-Baihiqi)
The Prophet said: “A person passing through a street carrying
anything pointed or with a sharp edge should cover it up, so that
nobody is exposed to the risk of injury due to his carelessness.
(Muslim)
Once when the Prophet was in retreat in the mosque he was
disturbed by the sound of loud recitation. Raising the curtain, he
said to the worshippers. “Look, you are all intent on beseeching
God, but in so doing you must not trouble others. Don’t raise your
voices to outdo each other while reciting the Quran.”
He who eases the hardship of another, will have ease bestowed
upon him by God in this world and the next... God goes on helping a
servant so long as he goes on helping his fellow-men. (Muslim)
The Prophet was very insistent upon kindness towards animals.
On one occasion he noticed a dove flying around agitatedly, and
discovered that somebody had caught its young. He was very
annoyed and asked the person to restore the young to the mother
immediately. (Abu Dawud)
With regard to servants, the Prophet said: They are your brothers,
and you must treat them as such. Provide them with the kind of
clothes that you wear, and if you set them a hard task, join them in
it to help them complete it. (Abu Dawud)
The Prophet, during his night prayer, used to say, “O God! I bear
witness that all human beings are brothers”. (An-Nasai)
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
THE TEACHER TREE
THE tree beside my house is my teacher, although a silent one.
The previous summer, this tree, like many other trees, shed its
green leaves. Gradually, it became just like dry wood.
I was doubtful whether it would ever again turn green. But in the
spring, the whole scenario changed. My teacher tree again became a
tree with lush green foliage. The rebirth of this tree was a great spiritual
lesson. My teacher tree turned into a spiritual speaking tree. It gave me
a significant message: ‘Don’t be hopeless in any situation. After every
dry season, there is a good harvest. After every spell of hopelessness,
there is new hope, and after every failure, there is a great success.
After every dark night, there is a bright morning’.
My spiritual tree never left its allotted space. Neither did it ever protest
against anyone; it never demanded that others find its new, living leaves.
It remained at the same place and started a new process within itself.
What was this process? The process was to get its food from below as
well as from sunlight. The strategy worked. The whole of nature came
to its aid and after some months, it gained its lost greenery once again.
This is the lesson I learned from my spiritual tree.
No protest, no complaint, no demand, and no street or stage activism:
simply trust your own natural abilities and work silently. Try to reshape
your destiny. And very soon you will be glad to discover that you have
regained your life.
What is a tree? A tree is an illustration from nature. Nature tells us of
its scheme through trees—that after every winter, a new spring will
follow.
What is needed is only to discover that you have the power to discover
your potential. Discover the opportunities around you and then avail of
all these opportunities by silent planning and action.
My spiritual tree creates no noise, no problems; it creates no unwanted
situations. These are the secrets of a green tree. This is also the secret
of human life. Adopt the tree culture and you will be a good member
of society, just like a tree which is a good ‘member’ of the environment.
Moreover, my spiritual tree has never asked me for anything. It has
never sent any bills to my office. Yet it gives me pleasant scenery,
shade, green branches, fresh oxygen, flowers, etc. It also provides a
perch for chirping birds who with their beautiful songs give me a lot of
pleasure.
The culture of my spiritual tree is that it
silently gives me a message: ‘Adopt my culture
and you will become a fitting ornament of the
garden of the universe. ‘
After every dry
season, there is
a good harvest.
After every spell of
hopelessness, there is
new hope, and after
every failure, there is
a great success. After
every dark night,
there is a bright
morning.
My spiritual tree gives me the best definition
of spirituality. Live as a complex-free soul and
you will find a complex-free world to live in.
Your destiny is in your hands. Never allow
others to decide your destiny.
Utilize your opportunities, turn your potential
into actuality and soon you will find that you
have no complaints to register against others.
Every tree is an embodiment of spirituality; a
silent lexicon. So adopt the tree as your teacher. The tree is a good
teacher who is available at all times to every student. The only condition
for learning from the tree is the ability to listen to silence.
TWO PICTURES
Return to Islam
A CERTAIN Jew lived near Shaykh Bayazid Bastami, the great Sufi
saint. When this saint passed away, someone asked the Jew if he
ever got attracted towards Islam during his interactions with the
Sufi saint. The Jew answered; “I saw two Islams, neither of which I liked.
On the one hand there was the Islam of Shaykh Bayazid Bastami, which
called for extraordinary capacity to follow. Then there was the Islam of
most Muslims, which I would be ashamed to make my own”.
On closer examination of this opinion of the Jew we can understand
that from the point of view of people of other faiths the religion of
the Sufi saint appeared to be a life of renunciation, total retreat—from
the world and unstinted devotion. Great feats of endurance are its
hallmark; nights spent in vigil, days in lengthy
recitations; arduous pilgrimages, punctuated
by prayer at almost every step; memorized
incantations, repeated over and over again,
thousands of times.
Islam is a simple,
natural religion,
possessing a
tremendous inherent
appeal to human
nature.
The religion that would be apparent in the
rank and file of Muslims in general, on the
other hand might be one which appears
far from the true Islam as presented by the
Prophet. For instance they might talk about
faith with great fervour but in action might
keep to their self-interests. They might
prostrate before God, but behave arrogantly with people. They might
recite the Quran but fail to follow the commandments given in it. They
may even resort to violence in the name of Islam. Such actions when
witnessed by others make them think, ‘is this worth following’?
Islam is a simple, natural religion, possessing a tremendous inherent
appeal to human nature. Because of the directness of this appeal, it
spread over a large portion of the globe in the first phase of Islam in
the time of the Prophet and his Companions. Later, however, contrived,
innovatory versions of Islam began to appear, with the result that
Islam lost its natural appeal. Islam is a preserved religion. For this to be
restored, all artificial veils have to be removed from the face of Islam.
Islam has to be presented in its original form, as it is presented in the
Quran and the teachings of the Prophet.
FEED YOUR STARVED INTELLECT
Beat Stress
THE problem of stress is very common. Almost all of us suffer
from stress and so we need to find a method for destressing.
Experience shows that there is no mechanical technique of destressing.
Such a technique could be applied only to a robot, not to a
living human being.
The first step is to diagnose the problem of stress. This is the beginning
of the process of destressing. Stress is actually a problem of starvation.
Just as our body needs food, without which we would go hungry, so
also does our intellect need ‘food’. When we have a feeling of stress
what we are actually experiencing is intellectual or spiritual starvation.
A verse from the Bible which is part of the Lord’s Prayer says: “Give us
today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6: 11)
These words are meant to indicate to us the course we need to take in
self-training. It tells us that we need to feed our souls and relieve our
spiritual starvation. But this can happen only if we learn how to extract
spiritual food from our daily experiences.
In nature, it is the honeybee which
demonstrates this method by extracting
nectar from flowers and making food from it
for itself. Similarly, there is spiritual nectar for
a person in every experience that one faces.
This nectar has to be extracted on a daily
basis from the experiences that we have. If
we fail to do so, we shall suffer from spiritual
starvation.
When we have a
feeling of stress
what we are actually
experiencing is
intellectual or
spiritual starvation.
Discover the art of
feeding the intellect
and you will never
complain of stress.
For example, while at work in your office, you
may feel that you are being discriminated
against. If you reflect on the matter, you will
find that what you faced was not a result of
the discrimination-factor, but of the quality-of-work-factor. That is, the
reason was not discrimination but was rather your own deficiency in
whatever qualities were required in your office. Discovering this is like
extracting nectar. Once you have extracted this ‘nectar’ you will find
positive lines on which to think. You will focus on improving the quality
of your work and soon see that there will be no more ‘discrimination’.
People generally live in a self-centred world. They know about
themselves, but remain unaware about others. Therefore every person
tends to overestimate himself while underestimating others. This
disparity in thinking results in stress. If you
are able to eliminate this disparity and adopt
a realistic approach, you will certainly be able
to lead a stress-free life.
Every person tends
to overestimate
himself while
underestimating
others. This disparity
in thinking results
in stress. Adopt a
realistic approach
and you will be able
to lead a stress-free
life.
Stress is often due to recalling past failures
and/or worrying about the future. A simple
solution to the mental anguish caused by past
failures is to forget them; similarly, a simple
solution for worrying about the future is that
you should think about the problem only
if it becomes a reality rather than worry in
advance. Frequently what one worries about
does not become reality, so there is no need
to worry about it beforehand.
There was a student who was so worried about the results of his exam
that he fell sick and had to be hospitalized. But when the results came
out, he had passed the exam with good marks. In this experience, there
was nectar for the student—that is, he should have waited for the result
rather than become worried in advance.
Stress may be equated with intellectual starvation. If you discover the
art of feeding the intellect, you will never complain of stress.
MANS PLIGHT
Every Dome Has a Grave
HOW grand and imposing the dome appeared from afar. Less so
when the great edifice was entered and there appeared, lying as
low as low could be, a solitary grave. What a contrast between
that mighty dome—a symbol of human greatness and that lowly
grave—testimony to man’s utter helplessness. The two constructions
presented a picture of the startling and agonizing discrepancy between
what man seeks in this world, and what actually comes his way.
He seeks to consolidate his own position on earth, to establish his
own greatness; but the most that he achieves in the end is a dome,
concealing one devastated and done away with by death.
Man seeks to take his fill of worldly pleasures, but it is a mouthful of
earth that is his final portion. He seeks to devour everything in sight
upon this earth, only to be himself devoured by this very earth.
When he speaks, he seems to be defying God, but he cannot truly defy
God, for God hears all that he says. By his own actions, he sets himself
on an infernal course. If only he realized the consequences of his
deeds! If only he saw the folly of condemning
himself to a fate that he does not have the
strength to bear.
The two
constructions—
dome and grave—
presented a picture
of the startling
and agonizing
discrepancy between
what man seeks in
this world, and what
actually comes his
way.
So, clear is the picture of truth that appears
before man on this earth, that one would not
expect him to deny it; yet he does so. Wilfully
and scornfully, he casts truth to one side,
putting his own interests first. Sometimes
his own faults loom before him, clear as the
midday sun, yet he does not acknowledge
them. Sometimes his attention is drawn
to some home truth. Despite having no
reasonable argument with which to defend
himself, he finds words with which to cast
blame on his admonisher.
What a strong stand he takes against oppression, but it is oppression
perpetrated by others that he objects to, not to that of which he
himself is guilty. Blissfully oblivious to his own corruption, he is quick to
expose corruption, and take a stand against it, when he views others as
corrupt. When it comes to fulfilling the rights of others, he is negligent in the extreme. He is quick, though, to take
up the cause of those who have been denied
their rights by others besides himself.
Man seeks to take
his fill of worldly
pleasures, but it is
a mouthful of earth
that is his final
portion.
In order to consolidate his own power, man
raises false slogans, not minding if a whole
nation has to suffer as a result. He seeks to
advance his own interests at the expense
of others, not seeing that in his attempt to
trample on the rights of others, he is in fact
trampling on truth. He lives in a dream world,
though the only world worth living in is one based on truth and reality.
If he were to remember death he would live a good life in preparation
to receive the rewards of God in the eternal life of the Hereafter.
ISLAMIC VIRTUES
Model Character
FOR centuries the lives of the Prophet and his Companions
have served as models of a truly God-fearing existence for all
humankind, and will continue to do so. Hence God’s preservation
of this page of history with such exactitude that anyone, who is sincere
about learning from their example can know, even today, every detail
of how they lived and died. The following are a few examples worth
emulating.
Running to Another’s Assistance is a Great Religious Duty
Abdullah ibn Abbas, a Companion of the Prophet was in retreat in
the Prophet’s mosque in Madinah, when a man, who was in trouble,
came and sat beside him. When Abdullah ibn Abbas asked him what
the matter was, he said “I owe a man some money, and I am unable to
pay him back.” “Shall I speak to your creditor on your behalf?” asked
Abdullah ibn Abbas. The man approved of this suggestion, and he at
once set off. “Perhaps you have forgotten you are in retreat,” the man
called after him. “No, I have not forgotten,” replied ibn Abbas, “but I
have heard the Prophet say that running to the assistance of one’s
brother and doing one’s utmost to help him is better than remaining
twenty years in retreat.”
For centuries the lives
of the Prophet and
his Companions have
served as models of
a truly God-fearing
existence for all
humankind, and will
continue to do so.
Deceivers are Not True Believers
Passing through the marketplace, the Prophet
noticed a man selling from a heap of grain.
The Prophet ran his fingers through the grain
whereupon his fingers became wet. “How is
it that this grain is wet?” he asked the owner,
who said that it was because of the rain. “Then
why not put the wet portion on top, so that
people can see it,” said the Prophet, adding;
“Those who deceive others do not belong with
us”.
Not Indulging in Vain Talk, or Wishing Anyone Ill
When people came to visit Abu Dujanah a Companion of the Prophet
as he lay on his death bed, and saw that despite his sickness, his face
was shining, they asked him how it was that his face was so radiant.
Abu Dujanah replied: “I place reliance on two things more than on any others. For one, I did not indulge in vain talk; for another my heart was
free from ill-feeling towards others.
The Polite Way of Seeking Permission to Enter a House
Safiyah the wife of the Prophet relates how she was with the Prophet
one day when Ali a Companion of the Prophet came and asked if he
might enter his house. He knocked very quietly at the door and the
Prophet asked for the door to be opened to him. On another occasion
Saad ibn Ubadah, a Companion of the Prophet came to see the Prophet,
and after asking permission to enter, he stood in front of the door so
that he could see right inside. The Prophet signed to him to stand to
one side, then, after a suitable interval, invited him to come in. “The
actual reason for asking permission to enter is to avoid seeing inside
the house,” said the Prophet.
LIVING IN A PROFESSIONAL WORLD
Reset Your Priorities
WE are living in a world of profession. In the present world, it is
one’s profession that defines one’s identity. The professionoriented
life is the generally accepted lifestyle of every
person.
Having a profession means living according to the dictates of the ‘money
market’. And everyone tries to develop a professional skill that enables
them to be a sharing partner in the flow of money in the market.
This culture has resulted in a new phenomenon that was absent in
former times, i.e., living in accordance with external requirements
and setting aside internal requirements, that is, what is required by
one’s inner nature. The result is that while everyone is a developed
personality in terms of his profession, in terms of his own nature,
everyone is an underdeveloped personality.
Talk to anyone at random and ask him about his profession he will readily
give you specific answers. If you speak to him about his professional
subject, he will give you a detailed answer for every question. But, if
you ask him about those issues, which pertain
to human life that is, non-professional issues,
you will find that he is not mentally prepared
to discuss this subject.
We are living in a
culture of duality.
When it comes to
their profession,
everyone is wellequipped.
But, as
far as the science
of life is concerned,
everyone is illequipped.
Upon enquiry with a lady from Europe in a
meeting about her profession it unravelled
that she was well-disposed in sharing
information about her professional field. But,
in her personal life she was unhappy with
her spouse and said that she had decided
to separate from him. The main reason she
cited was that her husband was an adamant
person and she did not like this. She knew the
science of her profession but was quite ignorant of the science of life.
This is true of every person. Each one is living in a culture of duality.
When it comes to their profession, everyone is well-equipped. But, as
far as the science of life is concerned, everyone is ill-equipped. This is
so common that finding an exception is very difficult.
It is not a question of balance, it is a question of priority. Everyone
should set or reset their priorities right. The problem with this is when you try to reset your priorities, you fear that you are going to damage
your commercial interests, because when your mind is engaged in
intellectual issues, it will not be able to engage
in money-related issues. You gain one thing,
but at the same time you lose another. But,
this is not a genuine excuse. You should think
in terms of intellectual development and
not just in terms of material development.
Intellectual development is so important
that no excuse for neglecting it is acceptable.
Adopt a simple formula: make intellectual
development your first priority and then try
to manage all other aspects of your life.
Make intellectual
development your
first priority and then
try to manage all
other aspects
A lack of intellectual development is not a simple matter. It is the lack of
intellectual development which has resulted in all those problems that
are common in our present age, for example, tension, unnecessary
lifestyle diseases, lack of peace of mind and losing that very thing that
man so desperately wants—happiness.
FROM DENIAL TO BELIEF
Faith and Reason
PROFESSOR CHANDRA WICKRAMASINGHE is a Sri Lankan-born
British scientist, mathematician, astronomer and astrobiologist.
He headed the department of Applied Mathematics and
Astronomy at University College, Cardiff, in Wales until his retirement
in 2006. He has been conducting research into the origin of life since
1962 in the company of eminent English scientist, Professor Sir Fred
Hoyle. The results of their research have been published in the form of
a book entitled, Evolution from Space, (J.M. Dent, London, 1981)
When the two scientists commenced their research they both agreed
on one point: that the notion of a Creator is inconsistent with science.
But they were so shocked by the final result of their research that they
had to revise their thinking. “From my earliest training as a scientist,”
Wickramasinghe says, “I was very strongly brainwashed to believe that
science cannot be consistent with any kind of
deliberate creation. That notion has had to be
very painfully shed. I am quite uncomfortable
in the situation—the state of mind I now find
myself in. But there is no logical way out of
it. “
New evidence has
again and again
come to light, which
makes belief in God a
scientifically credible
concept, rather than
just a personally
desirable creed.
Both scientists made separate calculations into
the mathematical chances of life having begun
on earth spontaneously. Independently, they
both arrived at the same conclusion: that the
odds against life having begun accidentally
on earth were staggering in mathematical
jargon 10 to the power of 40,000. Add 40,000 noughts to the figure 1
and you have the figure. “That number is such an imponderable in the
universe that I am 100 percent certain that life could not have started
spontaneously on Earth,” says Wickramasinghe.
As they write in their book: “Once we saw that the probability of life
originating at random is so utterly miniscule as to make it absurd, it
became sensible to think that the properties of physics on which life
depends are in every respect deliberate.”
“Sir Fred Hoyle was tending much more than I towards the higher
intelligence Creator,” Wickramasinghe explains. “I used to argue against
it, but I found myself losing every argument. At the moment I can’t find any rational argument to knock down the view, which argues for
conversion to God. If I could have found an argument—even a flimsy
one—I would not have been a party to what we wrote in the book. We
used to have open minds; now we realize that the only logical answer
to life is creation, and not accidental shuffling. I still hope that one day
I may go back to favour a purely mechanistic explanation—I say ‘hope’,
because I still cannot come to terms with my conversion.”
“My being a Buddhist—albeit not an ardent one—was never a problem,
because it is an atheistic religion which does not profess to know
anything about creation and does not have a creator built into it. But I
now find myself driven to this position by logic. There is no other way in
which we can understand the precise ordering of the chemicals of the
universe except to invoke creation on a cosmic scale.”
Until recently, belief in God was considered to be just a personal creed,
not backed up by rational thought. In recent decades, however, this
situation has changed. New evidence has again and again come to
light, which makes belief in God a scientifically credible concept, rather
than just a personally desirable creed.
Science impresses on man the abstract reality of God’s existence, but
if there is a God, what should man’s relationship with Him be? Science
does not, and cannot, answer this question. This is a question that can
only be answered by religion.
Basically every religion answers this question. We present here the
concept from the Islamic perspective. The highlighting points being
God being one who is the Creator, Sustainer of the entire Universe.
A study of the cosmos shows that it operates in unity and harmony
which corroborates His Oneness.
A further in depth study of Islam will present before the reader the
creation plan of God for the humankind which is in accordance to the
law of nature. Further the study will give a clear picture of the exact
relationship of man with God.
DELUSIVE GRANDEUR
Don’t be Fooled
MAN is free in this world. God has not placed any curbs on
him. But this freedom is for the purpose of putting man to
the test, and is not meant to encourage him to lead a life of
permissiveness and then just pass away one day. Rather its purpose
is that man should lead a morally upright life of his own free will, thus
demonstrating that he is of a high moral character.
One who conducts himself in this manner should be reckoned as God’s
special servant. One who, without any apparent compulsion, chose to
be a man of principle; who, without being subjected to any external
force, did of his own free will, what his Lord would have desired. This
liberty accorded to man gives him the opportunity to gain credit for
being the most superior of all God’s creatures.
Man is free in this
world. God has not
placed any curbs on
him. But this freedom
is for the purpose of
putting man to the
test
All the things in this world are God’s
subjects. The stars and satellites rotate in
space entirely at their Lord’s bidding. Trees,
rivers, mountains, and all other such natural
phenomena function according to the
unchangeable laws of God laid down by Him in
advance. Similarly, the animals follow exactly
those instincts instilled in their species as a
matter of Divine Will. Man is the only creature
who has been given, exceptionally, the gift of
power and freedom.
This freedom has opened doors of two kinds for man, one leading to
success and the other to failure. If, on receiving freedom an individual
becomes arrogant and insolent, it will mean that he has failed the test.
People usually take worldly success to be an indication of success in
the life to come. But they are mistaken in this, for success in this life
has nothing to do with eternal success.
Worldly grandeur is no true grandeur at all. Whatever the conditions of
human existence, all men are the same in that they are being tested.
A person’s position on earth is not an indication of success or failure.
When one is raised in stature or in some way honoured in this world,
one would be mistaken if one were then to look down on others, for
all are equal in the face of death. Death puts the whole human race on one level. Great are those whom God sees fit to make great, and lowly
are those who are cast down by Him.
People usually take
worldly success to
be an indication of
success in the life to
come. But they are
mistaken in this, for
success in this life
has nothing to do
with eternal success.
The world being a place of trial, man can
pretend to be great, but it will not be long
before his real position is exposed. On that
day many who have honour in this world will
be debased before God; many who claim to
be friends of justice and humanity will be
exposed as enemies of the very causes they
espoused; many who are acclaimed amongst
the brave will be condemned as cowards;
many who claimed to bow to the truth will be
exposed as shams.
On the other hand, those who remain modest
and humble, bowing to their Lord’s will on all
occasions, will have made the right use of their God-given freedom.
They will, without any compulsion, have bound themselves by divine
principles. Those who choose this course will succeed in the test of
freedom. They will be handsomely rewarded by God as no other
creature. Held to be the chosen servants of God, they will remain in an
everlasting state of blissfulness and blessedness.
WORKING TOGETHER
Hold No Grudges
A hundred times have I fought with my beloved;
A hundred times have I befriended her.
She knew nothing of my fighting or of my befriending.
— A Persian poet
THESE words may seem to belong to the world of poetry, but it
also has enormous relevance to the real world. It gives us an
insight into the type of people needed to achieve any great
purpose in life, i.e., those who possess the quality, mentioned in this
verse, of being able to bury within themselves the grudges that they
feel towards others.
No great objective can be attained by lone individuals. Several people
have to strive together even if the simplest things are to be achieved.
But united effort, besides having many advantages, also presents one
great problem—the problem of people differing among themselves.
Whenever people work together, it is inevitable that various
disagreements and grievances should arise. Sometimes one will receive
a smaller share of the credit, while the other receives a larger portion.
Some attain to high positions while others have to be satisfied with
lower ranks. At times, it is something which has been said which offends
another; at others it is some ill-considered action which seems to hurt
another’s interests. Whatever the bone of contention may be, there
are bound to be repeated occasions which lead to resentment. There
will always be times when one feels anger, jealousy, vindictiveness and
animosity towards some colleague.
There is only one practical solution in such situations. That is, every
individual has to turn himself into a self-correcting machine. He must
defuse within himself the antipathy which he feels towards another.
The grudges which he harbours have to be forgotten. Only then will
people be able to work and struggle on together.
This is what Khalid ibn al-Walid did when the Caliph of those days, Umar
ibn al-Khattab, removed him from his post as the commander of the
Muslim forces in Palestine. At that time, he felt extremely aggrieved.
But then he resolved the issue in his mind by thinking that he was in
that post for the sake of God and God will reward him abundantly so
why should he be angry with Umar. In this way instead of airing his
grievances, he settled them within himself.
A NEW INDIA
Creative Mindset
AFTER 1962, India and China became hostile to each other. But
now, the equation between these two enemies has completely
changed, albeit without the issuance of any formal communiqué
to that effect. Now, in reality, India and China have become business
partners, not rivals.
This is on a parallel with the equation between the Muslims and
Hindus of India. After partition, Hindus and Muslims in effect became
not just each other’s rivals but each other’s enemies. One sign of
this phenomenon was the communal riots that, after partition, were
rampant all across India. But now, riots of this kind no longer appear
in the headlines of our national dailies. They are no longer a burning
issue.
Muslims have
emerged as a selfaware
community
of India, whereas
prior to this, they had
been lacking in any
appropriate sense
of their own value to
the country.
It was the demolition of the Babri Masjid that changed the minds of both
communities, leading to the development of a positive relationship
between Hindus and Muslims, who had both ultimately come to the
conclusion that the demolition of the Babri
Masjid had actually led to the decimation of
the Indian economy. The Hindu community
had ultimately to acknowledge that the
Muslims, rather than being their rivals, were
indeed their customers. And vice versa. After
this discovery, the thinking of both Hindus
and Muslims underwent a total sea change
and they performed a complete about–turn.
They started applying to each other that wellknown
maxim: “The customer is always right.”
One sign of this change is that the Hindu
community has bought up prominent Urdu
newspapers as Muslims bought up certain English newspapers after
independence.
After partition, because the Muslim community regarded the Hindus
as antagonists and rivals, they allowed their own development in
all fields to come to a standstill and, as a community in India, they
became directionless. But now, mostly under compulsion, Muslims
have performed a U-turn, without any declaration of a specific policy.
Indeed, Muslims have accepted Hindus as their brother community
rather than as their rivals.
After partition, the Muslim community was driving up a blind
alley, as it were. But now, with the complete change in the Muslim
attitude, the Muslims are, according to my assessment, a truly fast
growing community, in almost all walks of life in modern India, albeit
unconsciously, rather than consciously.
History shows that great success is always the outcome of great shock.
For Isaac Newton (1642-1727), “apple shock” led to a great discovery.
That is, the law of gravity. This applies also to the case of the Muslims.
The Muslims, by their way of thinking—which was unrelated to hard
reality—took the partition of India to be a
political shock for their future. But after 1971,
everything changed greatly, a new process
set in the Indian Muslim community, and
now this process has reached its culmination
and Muslims have emerged as a self-aware
community of India, whereas prior to this,
they had been lacking in any appropriate
sense of their own value to the country.
The so-called Muslim
intelligentsia is
still intent upon
proclaiming that
Muslims are under
siege, whereas the
reality is totally
different—Muslims
in India have
started rebuilding
themselves as a
creative community.
One international survey shows that when
two communities co-exist in one country—a
majority community and a minority
community—according to the law of nature,
such a situation is bound to be fraught with
tension. The pressure arising therefrom is
bound to start a natural process by which the
minority community, can do no other than enhance its creativity. If,
at the outset it was uncreative in character, it will eventually re-build
itself as a creative community. This is a law of nature that is bound to
come into force, even without any declaration of intention, or obvious
planning. This is an ongoing process in India, and according to the law
of nature, it is impossible for any group to call a halt to it: it is bound,
sooner or later, to come to fruition. The so-called Muslim intelligentsia
is still intent upon proclaiming that Muslims are under siege, whereas
the reality is totally different—the law of nature inevitably prevails, and
certainly, Muslims are no exception to it.
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
Before you also, the Messengers We sent were but [mortal] men to
whom We vouchsafed revelation. Ask the People of the Book, if you
do not know. [We sent them] with clear signs and scriptures. We
have sent down the Reminder to you, to enable you to make clear to
mankind what has been sent down to them, so that they may reflect
upon it. (
The People of the Book’ (ahl az-zikr), refers to those who have a
knowledge of historical facts relating to past peoples and past prophets.
What had to be ascertained from them was not about truth or untruth:
they were to be asked about whether the prophets appearing in past
ages were human beings or not. The fact that the Prophet Muhammad
was a human being was treated by the people of Makkah as evidence
of his not being the Prophet of God. They were told to ascertain from
the communities among whom prophets had been appearing (just as
in the case of the Jews) whether the prophets who appeared among
them were human beings or angels.
A prophet appears for the purpose of ‘reminding’. This reminding is, in
fact, done with the help of arguments. However, it is also necessary for
the preacher to prove himself to be absolutely serious in this regard. If
a man makes people aware of Heaven and Hell, but at the same time
engages in such activities as prove him to be flippant about Heaven
and Hell, his dawah efforts will become ridiculous in the eyes of the
people.
However, even if the call of the preacher is of a high standard and
is presented in a perfect manner, it will benefit only those who pay attention to it. Those who do not pay attention can never be benefited
by the call of truth.
Do those who devise evil plans feel secure that God will not make
them sink into the land, or that a punishment will not come upon
them from where they least expect? Or that He will not seize them
suddenly in their daily activities and they will not be able to frustrate
Him? Or that He will not punish them by giving them a fright? Indeed,
your Lord is kind and merciful. (
This verse pertains to the last stage of the Makkan period when the
opponents of the Prophet Muhammad were conspiring to kill him. The
Prophet is God’s representative on God’s earth. Therefore, hatching
such a conspiracy against a prophet must necessarily be the handiwork
of such persons as are absolutely fearless of God’s retribution. The
fact is that God is the Possessor of such control over man that He can
cause him to be buried deep in the earth if He so desires, or He may
wreak vengeance on him at the very place which he considers safe; or
God may seize him in the course of his activities and he will not be able
to save himself. God may even seize upon him when he is conscious of
the risk and fully aware of the situation.
In short, God may seize upon man at any time and in any situation. If He
sees people doing mischief, yet lets them go unpunished, they should
not become fearless, because His restraint is due to His consideration
of ‘test’ conditions and not to His being powerless.
Have they not observed the things God has created, casting their
shadows right and left, prostrating themselves before God in all
humility? Everything in the heavens and all the creatures on the earth
prostrate themselves before God, as do the angels, and they do not
behave proudly: they fear their Lord above them, and do what they
are commanded. (
Man indulges in arrogance in a world where all the things surrounding
him are teaching him lessons in obedience. For example, the shadows
of material things. The shadow of a thing standing erect falls on the
ground. In this way, it symbolizes kneeling down (sajdah). It shows
symbolically how a man should bow down before his Creator.
Though angels are not visible to man, the running of this immense
universe in the most regulated manner proves that the agents appointed
by God to run it are extremely powerful. These angels, in spite of being
extraordinarily powerful, are totally obedient to God. If they were not so, the system of the universe would not function continuously with so
much precision and uniformity.
In view of this, to be entirely correct in his behaviour, man can do no
other than surrender himself to God, do obeisance to Him and become
His most obedient subject.
God says, ‘Do not take two gods. He is only One God. So fear Me alone.’
To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and on the earth, and
obedience is due to Him alone. Will you then fear anyone other than
God? (
God has warned man through His prophets that he should not hold to
any god except the one and only God. The God of this universe is only
one. Man should fear only Him; he should be obedient to Him alone.
If a man fully realizes that it is God who is the sole Creator and Lord
of all, and that his life completely depends upon Him, the feeling that
develops in him as a result of this realization is fear of God (taqwa).
Eternal obedience is the due of God alone in this heaven and earth.
Everything here is completely bound by divine law. In such a world, to
pray to or to worship or to repose hope in anybody else is absolutely
irrational. The present universe is such that it completely rejects
ascribing partners to God (shirk).
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
What is the role of a Mosque in Islam?
Mosque or ‘Masjid’, literally means a place for self-prostration; that
is, a place formally designated for the saying of prayers. According
to a teaching of the Prophet, “The mosque is a house of God-fearing
people”. This means in effect, that it is a centre for the inculcation of
reverence, where individuals learn what is meant by piety and are thus
prepared for a life of devotion to the Almighty.
The Masjid is built so that people may visit it to read the Book of God,
to remember their Creator, silently and in prayer, and to hear His
commandments on how they should lead their lives, that is, how to
conduct themselves according to His will.
The most important of all these activities is the saying of prayers, a ritual
to be carried out five times a day as prescribed by Islam. The mosque,
initially intended as a place of worship, has come to be built to serve
other related purposes, such as housing a seminary, library, lecture
hall, guest house, dispensary etc. The Prophet advised the building of
mosques in a simple style, so that there should be no dissipation or
dilution of the true religious and spiritual atmosphere.
What is the meaning of Azaan which we hear from the Mosque five
times a day?
Azaan is the call for prayer which is used to notify the Muslims about
the prayer times of the five compulsory prayers which are supposed to
be observed by Muslims daily.
Following are the words of the Azaan in Arabic with their translation:
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar
God is Great, God is Great, God is Great, God is Great
Aashhadu Allaa ilaaha Illal-Laah, Aashhadu Allaa ilaaha Illal-Laah,
I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, I bear witness that
there is no god except Allah
Aashhadu Aanna Muhammadur Rasoolul-lah, Aashhadu Aanna
Muhammadur Rasoolul-lah
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness
that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
Haiyya Alas-salah, Haiyya Alas-salah
Come towards Prayer, Come towards Prayer
Haiya Alal-falah, Haiya Alal-falah
Come towards Success, Come towards Success
Assalaatu Khayrum Minan Naum, Assalaatu Khayrum Minan Naum [only
said during dawn prayer]
Prayer is better than sleep, Prayer is better than sleep
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar
God is Great, God is Great
La ilaaha Illal-Laah
There is no deity but God.
When and why was this method of calling for prayer established?
In Makkah, the number of Muslims was small. They could gather for
prayers without any call. When Prophet Muhammad arrived in Madinah,
the number of Muslims started to increase. Prophet Muhammad
built Masjid Al-Nabawi to offer Salah regularly. By the second year of
Hijrath, (migration) the number of Muslims had increased. The people
announced the call to prayer in a loud voice so that those who heard
this call came to join the Salah. Muslims felt the need to find a way to
inform people to come to the Salah. Prophet Muhammad asked his
Companions for their advice.
Some of the Companions suggested that the Muslims, should blow
a horn to announce the time for the Salah. Others said, the Muslims
might ring bells. A few proposed that the Muslims, kindle a fire to call
people to pray. Prophet Muhammad wasn’t satisfied with any of these
ideas. He waited to hear a better idea or to receive guidance from God.
One day, a Companion, Abdullah ibn Zaid came to Prophet Muhammad
and said, “O Messenger of Allah! I had a beautiful dream last night.”
“What was the dream you saw”, Prophet Muhammad asked Zaid.
Zaid answered, “I’ve seen that a man wearing green garment taught me
the words of the Azaan and advised me to call people to prayer with
these words.” He then recited the words of the Azaan.
The words were beautiful and full of meaning. Prophet Muhammad
recognized that the dream of Zaid was true. He asked Zaid to teach the
words of Azaan to Bilal, another Companion of the Prophet.
Bilal stood up and called the Azaan. The voice of Bilal resounded
throughout the Madinah. People came running to Masjid Al-Nabawi.
Umar ibn khattab was one of the persons who came and said:
“O Messenger of God, an Angel taught me the same words in my dream
last night.” And Prophet Muhammad accepted this Azaan as the official
call to prayers.
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 )
