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 ISLAM
ISLAM is a religion of peace in the fullest sense of the word. The Quran
calls its way ‘the paths of peace’ (
the best policy (
of peace (
The root word of Islam is ‘silm’, which means peace. So the spirit of
Islam is the spirit of peace. The first verse of the Quran breathes the
spirit of peace. It reads:
In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.
This verse is repeated in the Quran no less than 114 times. It shows
the great importance Islam attaches to such values as mercy and
compassion. One of God’s names, according to the Quran, is As-Salam,
which means peace. Moreover the Quran states that the Prophet
Muhammad was sent to the world as a mercy to human kind. (
A perusal of the Quran shows that most verses of the Quran (and
also the Hadith) are based on peace and kindness, either directly or
indirectly. The ideal society, according to the Quran is Dar as-Salam,
that is, the home of peace (
The Quran presents the universe as a model that is characterized by
harmony and peace (
so ordered things that each part might perform its function peacefully
without clashing with any other part. The Quran tells us that “the sun is
not allowed to overtake the moon, nor does the night outpace the day.
Each in its own orbit runs.” (
For billions of years, therefore, the entire universe has been fulfilling its
function in total harmony with His divine plan.
These are only but a few references to show what great importance
Islam attaches to peace. In fact, Islam cannot afford not to be in a state
of peace because all that Islam aims at—spiritual progress, intellectual
development, character building, social reform, educational activities,
and above all missionary work —can be achieved only in an atmosphere
of peace and harmony.
According to Islam, peace is not simply an absence of war. Peace
opens doors to all kinds of opportunities that are present in any given
situation. It is only in a peaceful situation that planned activities are
possible. It is for this reason that the Prophet
Muhammad went to great extents to establish
peace at all costs.
Jihad is only another
name for peaceful
activism. And
peaceful activism is
the only weapon by
which Islam wants to
achieve all its aims
and objectives.
Some people bracket justice with peace,
but Islam does not subscribe to this notion.
Islam believes in peace for the sake of
peace. According to Islam, justice is not the
pre requisite of peace. Peace only provides
a framework within which we may work
towards justice. There are so many examples
in the life of the Prophet, which prove that the
Prophet never bracketed justice with peace.
He always took peaceful circumstances as an opportunity to work
for justice and did not attempt to derive justice directly from peace.
The treaty of Hudaybiyah, between the Prophet and his opponents,
provides one such clear example. From the details of the peace treaty
it is clear that no clause regarding justice was included. Obviously the
conditions of this treaty were quite against justice. But the Prophet
accepted this treaty, not because it was giving him justice, but because
it was paving the way to work for justice.
Because of the importance of peace, the Quran has clearly declared
that no aggressive war is permitted in Islam. Muslims can engage
themselves only in a defensive, not in an offensive war, irrespective of
the circumstances (
According to Islam, peace is the rule and war is only an exception. Even
in defensive war we have to see the result. If the result is doubtful,
Muslims should avoid war, even in a defensive situation. Stray acts of
aggression are not enough for Muslims to rush into war. They have to assess the whole situation and adopt a policy of avoidance when war is
not certain to achieve a positive result.
There are several examples of this kind in the early period of Islam. In
Islamic history, one such example is that of the Battle of the Trench. In
this event there was clear-cut aggression on the part of the antagonists,
who traveled as far as 300 miles from Makkah to Madinah only to
attack the Muslims. But the Prophet got a
trench dugout in order to prevent an armed
confrontation and thus avoided engaging in a
defensive war.
It is true that jihad is one of the most
important teachings of Islam. But jihad is not
synonymous with war. In Islam another word
is used for war and fighting. This word is ‘qital.’
When the Quran refers to war or fighting, it
uses the word qital and not jihad.
According to Islam,
peace is the rule
and war is only an
exception. Even in
defensive war we
have to see the
result. If the result
is doubtful, Muslims
should avoid war,
even in a defensive
situation.
Jihad literally means to strive or to struggle.
So jihad actually means peaceful struggle,
especially for dawah work. The Quran says:
Do great jihad with the help of the Quran. (
The Quran is simply a book, and not a sword, so “do great jihad with
the Quran” means to do great jihad with the ideological power of the
Quran. In fact, jihad is only another name for peaceful activism. And
peaceful activism is the only weapon by which Islam wants to achieve
all its aims and objectives.
The Quran has this to say of the mission of the Prophet Muhammad:
We have not sent you forth but as a mercy to humankind. (
In the Quran and the Hadith, there are many such references that go to
prove that Islam is a religion of peace, love and human brotherhood.
However, it is also a fact that in later times the image of Islam has
altered drastically. Now Islam has come to be regarded as a religion of
violence rather than as a religion of peace. It is not the media that has
produced this transformation in the image of Islam. The responsibility
for this falls on latter-day Muslims, who have failed to maintain the
original image of Islam.
In fact, the mission of all the prophets, right from Adam to Christ was
one and the same—of establishing the ideology of monotheism in the
world, so that man might worship one God alone. As we know, there came a large number of prophets in ancient times, but the message of
monotheism remained at the initial stage; it could not culminate in a
revolution. This state continued up till the time of Christ, the second
last Prophet. The reason being that in ancient times, the system of
monarchy was entrenched throughout the world. The kings, in order
to secure their political interests, adopted the course of religious
persecution. These kings suppressed all religious movements, which
were different from the state religion. They would nip what they would
consider apostasy in the bud, since they saw religion as a matter of
affirming one’s loyalty to the state. If a person adhered to a religion
other than the state religion, he was regarded as a rebel.
It is no exaggeration
to say that Islam
and violence are
contradictory to each
other. The concept of
Islamic violence is so
obviously unfounded
that, prima facie it
stands rejected.
That is why in ancient times prophetic movements could go no
further ahead than the stage of dawah. No sooner would a movement
based on monotheism arise then the coercive political system would
be activated to pull it out by its roots. The
reason for the absence of any historical
record of prophets (besides the Prophet
Muhammad) in antiquity is traceable to the
intense opposition of these coercive political
systems. Prophet Jesus was the last link in
the chain of these persecutions faced by the
preachers of monotheism. Then God decreed
the abolition of this coercive political system,
even if it entailed the use of force in order
that the age of religious persecution might be
brought to an end forever, and be replaced
by the age of religious freedom. This divine
plan was brought to completion through Prophet Muhammad and his
Companions. This is the command given in the Quran:
“Fight them until there is no more (religious) persecution
and religion belongs wholly to God.” (
Therefore the Prophet Muhammad received special divine succour
in the form of a powerful team consisting of more than one hundred
thousand individuals. Equipped with this team the Prophet had to
engage in defensive war to end this coercive system of religious
persecution, and it was in Arabia that it was first of all overthrown. Then
within a very short span of time, they advanced to abolish the coercive
system established by the Sassanid and Byzantine empires. In the
wake of this Islamic action, the coercive system was abolished forever
in the major part of the inhabited world of the time. This defensive war
engaged in by the Prophet Muhammad and his Companions was not a war as is commonly understood, but rather a divine operation, which
was carried out by a people who possessed a high standard of moral
character.
However, this operation was certainly only temporary in nature. Its
goal was to put an end to the age of religious persecution and usher
in the age of religious freedom. This end was fully achieved during the
early period of Islam, the age of the pious Caliphs. Afterwards the time
came to keep the sword in its sheath and engage in dawah work, that
is, the task of calling people to God, which was the real and permanent
goal of Islam. According to the explicit command of the Quran, the call
to God is the true and eternal mission of Islam, whereas war is only
temporary and allowed only in exceptional cases.
Here it would be pertinent to refer to a great Companion of the
Prophet. After the period of the pious Caliphate, a group of Muslims
once again engaged in war. At that time some senior Companions were
present in Makkah and Madinah. But they did not join these wars, one
prominent name being that of Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al Khattab. He
did not approve of these wars; therefore he remained away from them.
Some of those involved in these wars came to him and said: "God has
commanded us in the Quran to fight against fitna (persecution). Then
why do you not join with us in these wars?" Abdullah ibn Umar replied,
“the command of the Quran to fight against fitna is not what you hold
to be fitna. Fitna meant religious persecution and we have already
fought and put an end to this fitna (qad fa‘alna). Therefore now after
the removal of this obstacle, we have to engage ourselves in peaceful
dawah work, rather than initiating hostilities and creating new fitna
once again, which is akin to creating new obstacles for peaceful Islamic
dawah (Sahih al-Bukhari).
Abdullah ibn Umar had made an extremely pertinent point at the most
appropriate time, but others did not forcefully take up this point of
view. Afterwards, when the Islamic sciences were being developed, this
important point made by Abdullah ibn Umar was not highlighted, with
the result that history took the course of wars and conquests, while
in terms of the real teachings of Islam, history should have taken the
course of the call to God and the propagation of Islam.
It is no exaggeration to say that Islam and violence are contradictory
to each other. The concept of Islamic violence is so obviously
unfounded that, prima facie it stands rejected. The fact that violence
is not sustainable in the present world is enough to convince one that
violence, as a principle, is quite alien to the scheme of things in Islam.
Islam claims to be an eternal religion and such a religion cannot afford
a principle in its scheme which will not be sustainable in later periods
of human history. An attempt to bracket violence with Islam amounts
to casting doubts upon the very eternity of the Islamic religion.
No wonder, then, that the Prophet Muhammad so earnestly used to
entreat his Lord in his daily prayer:
“O God, You are the original source of Peace; from You is all Peace,
and to You returns all Peace. So, make us live with Peace; and let us
enter Paradise: the Home of Peace. Blessed be You, our Lord, to whom
belongs all Majesty and Honour!”
CONCERNING WOMEN
Clarification of a Misunderstanding
AN anthology of the Quran prepared by English orientalist Edward
William Lane (1801-1876) was published in 1843. It carried a
foreword by way of introduction to Islamic teaching, which inter
alia, stated that “the fatal point in Islam is the degradation of woman.”
This ill-considered observation gained such currency that it was
commonly repeated as if it were an established fact. Almost a century
and a half has elapsed, but this conviction has only deepened. It has
even been quoted as if it were gospel truth by a prominent person in
one of the court cases.
Suppose a doctor tells his patient that his eye is a very delicate organ of
the body, to be treated gently and with great care, unlike his fingernails,
which can be cut and filed if necessary. The doctor’s instruction does
not mean that he is degrading the eye vis-a-vis the nail. He is only
pointing out the difference between the nail and the eye.
Islam has never
asserted that
woman is inferior
to man: it has only
made the point that
woman is differently
constituted.
If all laws in Islam are based on this fundamental reality that men
and women are of two different genders, it
is because their distinctive differences are
established biological facts. This being so,
male and female spheres of activity cannot
be one and the same, whether in family
or in social life. There must necessarily be
differences in the kind of work that they do,
and also in their places of work.
All scriptures have held the same concept of
women without its ever having been doubted.
In modern times it has been challenged by the
women’s liberation movement, which holds that men and women are
alike in every respect and that both should, therefore, be given equal
opportunities.
This movement first reared its head in Britain in the 18th century, later
spread across Europe and America. In 1772, the momentum increased
with the publication of A Vindication of the Rights of Women, written by
Mary Wollstonecraft. The author asserts that women should receive the
same treatment as men in education, work opportunities and politics,
and the same moral standards should be applied to both genders.
Such was the zeal and fervour with which this movement was launched that it spread far and wide. Both men and women participated, and
differences between man and woman were brushed aside as being a
sign of backwardness. By the beginning of the 20th century, this trend
established its hold all over the world, and laws were made or modified
accordingly. All doors were to be thrown open to men and women alike.
In practice, however, this experiment has been a failure. Even after
a struggle of almost 200 years, women have failed to achieve equal
status to that of men. The situation is the same today as it was before
the launching of the "women's lib" movement. The only practical result
has been that women have become a part of every field and work side
by side with men. This has given rise to new problems and society is
paying a heavy price for it.
The failure of women’s liberation has led to wide-ranging research
being carried out, employing strictly scientific
methods. Finally the patent biological
differences between men and women have
been scientifically proven. These differences
have all along been a reason for women’s
failure to find an equal place in every
department of life. Where philosophers had
doubted the religious concept of women
erroneously—scientific findings have now reestablished this concept’s veracity.
“We are not doing
women—and
specifically women’s
health—any favors
by pretending that
things are the same if
they are not” .
For instance, the following research though
specifically related to the medical field, which
can draw our attention to understanding the facts that the differences
between the genders are a part of nature and not a creation of society.
They are real and one cannot just wish them away.
Catherine Woolley is the William Deering Chair person in Biological
Sciences, professor of neurobiology in the Weinberg College of Arts
and Sciences and a member of the Women’s Health Research Institute
at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. This is what
she has to say:
“The importance of studying gender differences in the brain
is about making biology and medicine relevant to everyone,
to both men and women. It is not anyone who studies about
things such as who is better at reading a map or why more
men than women choose to enter certain professions.”
Male and female brains operate differently at a molecular level, the
research team reports in a new study of a brain function involved in
learning and memory, responses to stress, etc.
For 20 years, Woolley actively avoided studying gender differences
in the brain until her own data showed her that differences between
females and males were real.
“Being a scientist is about changing your mind in the face of
new evidence,” Woolley said. “I had to change my mind in the
face of this evidence.”
“We are not doing women—and specifically women’s health—
any favors by pretending that things are the same if they are
not,” Woolley said.
Currently a lot of research is focusing on these differences. Science has
supported the religious concept of men and women being different, as
being the right one. Still the allegation continues to be made that Islam
has ‘degraded’ woman. The Islamic concept of womanhood considers
the two genders as “equal in respect but different in roles”.
Anyone who studies
the Islamic concept
of womanhood will
know that Islam
considers the two
genders as
“equal in respect but
different in roles” .
It is very unfortunate that well-read people
have said that religious laws pertaining
to women were socially reactionary. Such
remarks are made so indiscriminately and so
frequently that it is time one considers the
possible root causes. One of the root causes is
that the results of research on the differences
between man and woman have remained
only as academic. These findings need to
be transformed into a popular intellectual
revolution. The social penetration of these
ideas will have to take place on a very large
scale. This is not far fetched since modern science has provided all the
arguments in its favour. It is only a question of engaging wholeheartedly
in the dissemination of those findings.
Men and Women Equal in Respect, Different in Role
The term ‘gender equality’ was used for the first time in Europe in the
late nineteenth century. To begin with, it was used only to argue for
women’s right to vote. However, it later came to be adopted for general
use to describe the equality of both sexes in every respect.
This term then spread rapidly all over the Western world, as an
expression describing the ideal status of men and women. In the second
half of the twentieth century, extensive research was carried out on
this subject, and this concept began to be doubted. The latest study
done on this is by an IIT-Delhi alumnus, which has been extensively
covered by the media.
A study team led by Ragini Verma, associate professor of radiology at
the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has revealed that
there are stark differences between men and women in the structural
connections linking different regions of their brains.
Verma and her colleagues are among the first
to demonstrate differences in the brain’s hardwiring to support long-standing observations
of gender differences in functional tasks.
Their findings appeared in the US journal,
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
December 2, 2013.
Islam says that men
and women are
different by birth,
rather than being
identical. Both are
complementary to
each other.
The researchers’ findings in this regard only
confirm the Islamic position stated in the first
quarter of the seventh century. Islam says
that men and women are different by birth,
rather than being identical. Both are complementary to each other.
This fact is referred to in the Quran in these words:
You [men and women] are members one of another. (
According to the Quran, everything in this world has been created in
the form of pairs:
We created pairs of all things. (
In the material world, every atom consists of positive particles and
negative particles. In the plant and the animal worlds, there are males
and females. The human world consists of men and women.
This pair-system in the world means that everything functions in a
pair-fashion. In other words, nature functions on the principle of
complementarity, rather than in an independent manner.
Observing this natural fact, one can say that using the term ‘gender
equality’ to express the relationship between men and women is not
natural. The right statement based on nature in this regard is: ‘Men and
women are equal in respect and different in roles’.
The Role of Women in Society
Studies show that women have been specially gifted by nature with
such qualities as fit them for the role of bringing about peace and
harmony in society in times of conflict. These qualities are gentleness,
selflessness, compassion, mildness and, above all, a spiritual approach
to life. A study of history tells us that women have always played this
role, albeit mostly on the home front.
It is a matter of common knowledge that women have always
contributed greatly to normalizing conditions at home by relieving
tensions and resolving conflicts. The softness of their approach to
problems and their marked capacity for pacifying are clearly attributes
which will eliminate stress.
When we look at Islamic history, the first instance we find of such
positive feminine influence is that of Khadija, the wife of the Prophet.
When the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from the
angel in the cave of Hira, it was a totally new experience for him, and
he trembled in fear at what he had seen and heard. He immediately
set off for his home after the disappearance of the angel. When he had
regained his composure, he related the incident to Khadija. She did her
best to assure him that no harm would come to him as he always spoke
the truth, helped the poor and those in distress, and invariably treated
others with respect. With these reassuring
words, she successfully calmed him down,
employing all her natural gifts of gentleness,
sympathy, understanding, and, above all,
selfless love.
Science has
supported the
religious concept
of man and woman
being different, as
being the right one.
After the Prophet of Islam left this world, great
differences arose among Muslims in many
matters. During his lifetime, all such issues
had been referred to him for a solution. But
after the demise of the Prophet, it was now
left to his wife Aisha, who had been under
his training for many years, to play the very positive role of guide and
mentor. Having become fully imbued with the spirit of Islam, she used
to give guidance to both male and female companions of the Prophet.
In this way, she successfully resolved such differences.
However, in those days there was no platform from which her example
could benefit the general public, nor was there the media—such as we
have nowadays—to cover such roles and place them on record. In most of the cultures in ancient and medieval societies, women remained
indoors and played their role within the confines of their own homes.
That is why we know so little about the contribution of women in this
arena.
Women have been
specially gifted by
nature with such
qualities as fit
them for the role
of bringing about
peace and harmony
in society in times of
conflict
The most prominent name of a woman within
the Sufi tradition is that of Rabia Basri (
family in Basra, Iraq. She devoted her life
to worshipping God and serving others. She
lived a life of extreme asceticism, and a large
number of disciples gathered around her.
Her mystical sayings have become proverbial.
In Rabia Basri’s times, Muslim society was
rent with great religious differences. But her
strong spiritual personality exerted such a
powerful influence that people eventually
forgot their doctrinal differences and rallied
around her. She laid emphasis on pure divine love, which alone could
minimize all these differences.
“Men and women are two equal halves of a single unit.”
The above teaching of the Prophet and many more teachings to this
effect in the Quran and Hadith ushered in a new age of gender equality.
With this new-found freedom, women were able to play a great role in
society, particularly women who belonged to royal families. They were
highly educated by the standards of their times, and, in royal circles,
with greater social exposure, they had better opportunities to exert
their influence.
One such woman was Maryam Makani, the mother of Akbar, the Mughal
emperor of India. Once, Mullah Abdun Nabi, Akbar’s teacher, insulted
the emperor before the entire court. Akbar was enraged and wanted
to punish him. This could have meant even the death sentence for the
offender. But Akbar’s mother intervened and successfully managed to
calm him down. She told him that his pardon would go down in history,
that history would remember that ‘an emperor, having all the power at
his disposal, forgave an offender’.
Such incidents abound in history, but because the central figures were
usually either a mother, like Maryam Makani, or a daughter or wife of
an emperor—women who were already famous because of their royal kinship—people failed to perceive how their roles could go beyond this
framework and become applicable to general
situations in society.
The spiritual role of
women has never
been properly
realized because
of the failure to
institutionalize their
role in society.
Both biological and historical studies show
that women have been specially gifted with
qualities required for the establishment
of social harmony. In the Muslim case,
this potential of women has never been
properly realized because of the failure to
institutionalize their role in Muslim society.
Had Muslim women been trained to perform
this task, they would have been able to play
this role far more effectively, and on a far greater scale. The need of
the hour today is to institutionalize this role and give proper training
to women so that this capability with which women have been so
abundantly endowed by nature may be fully harnessed. Once this
feminine potential has been realized, the world will definitely be a
better place for all to live in.
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!
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 EXISTENCE OF GOD
IT IS STRANGE to believe that there is a God, but not to believe in
God is even stranger. Therefore, I prefer the less strange to the
more strange.
Believing in God is so obvious that the application of simple logic is
enough for one to believe that there is a God. The French philosopher
Rene Descartes, considered the father of modern philosophy, applied
simple logic to his own existence when he said, “I think, therefore, I
am.”
By applying the same logic, one can say, ‘I am, therefore, God is.’ That
is, one can say that when a creature exists, the application of simple
logic is enough for one to believe that there is a Creator.
Einstein when asked, “Are you an atheist?” He said, “No, I am a skeptic.”
When a scientist like Einstein says ‘I am not an atheist, but rather a
skeptic’, I think it means he is trying to say that belief in God is a matter
of 50-50: if there is 50% chance that God does not exist, then there is
50% chance that He does exist.
Einstein believed in the relativity model of the truth. Quantum physics
took this concept further to the concept of probability. In the language
of quantum physics, it can be said that ‘probably’ there is a God. By
the Einsteinian model, one did not know whether there was a God or
not, but quantum physics made it possible to say that there probably
is a God. Now it is an established fact that probability weighs less than
certainty, but is more than just saying perhaps.
Scientific studies took knowledge even further ahead. It went beyond
the stage of knowing that when the child is in the mother’s womb, all
those things the child needs are supplied to it. This supply continues for
a full nine months, then the child is born, and comes into the external
world, where there is a complete life-support system.
Human studies progressed as far as the micro-world where the strange
discovery was made that it is not only the immediate world that the
child finds totally favourable to him, but that right from the microworld to the macro-world, the universe is exactly what is required for
the continued existence of human beings.
A human being and the world outside of him are totally compatible.
Compatibility between man and the mother’s womb, compatibility
between man and the solar system, then
compatibility between man and the entire
universe—the strangeness of this reality
is such that it motivates one to seek an
explanation for it. The British astronomer Fred
Hoyle says that, ‘Our world is a well-designed
world’. It is not a random world, but rather a
well-planned and well-managed world. This
fact again necessitates belief in ‘pair-creation’,
that is, one who has created the universe has
also created human beings. If you analyze
these realities, it will lead to the belief that the
Creator who created human beings also created the universe. Had this
not been so, both would not have been so inextricably linked with one
another.
The argument used by philosophers to support the concept of the
existence of God was the same as the argument from design: where
there is a design, there is a Designer. But this question remained to be
answered: when God is unseen, how can one believe in His existence?
This controversy has been put to end by studies about the fundamental
particles of the material world, also known as subatomic particles. A subatomic particle, although not visible, does exist. This shows that for
something to exist, it is not necessary that it should be visible.
This discovery has brought about a revolutionary change in the theory
of knowledge: probability is also an authentic source of argument,
because probability, although less than certainty is greater than
possibility.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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Follow Maulana at speakingtree.in
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.
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
EMPOWERMENT of women cannot be achieved by encouraging
them to make their entry into every field of life. A better
approach would be to increase their knowledge, skills, alertness
and awareness in their own sphere of activity. The more a woman is
endowed with these qualities, the more effective will be the part she
plays in the activities of daily life. An intellectual woman can perform
the greatest of services, whereas, if she is left ignorant and untutored,
she will never—even if she is brought to the forefront of things—be
able to play a role of any significance.
There have been many women in history who never emerged from their
homes, but who exerted a great influence upon the outside world. The
allegation that women cannot perform great services when confined
to the home is refuted by Islamic history. Home management is also
undoubtedly great work, but the work which concerns the outside
world can also certainly be performed by women, without putting
themselves into uncongenial surroundings, or forcing themselves to
play unfamiliar roles for which neither training nor biology has fitted
them.
It is a little understood fact that the role a woman plays does not depend
upon her physical environment, but rather on the degree to which her
intellect has been cultivated. In order to progress, it is not binding that she has to put herself into all kinds of unsafe situations in the outside
world. We can understand this from the following argument. If it were
put to a writer that he could serve humanity better by stepping out of
his study and jumping into the boxing ring, he would surely retort that
there is more to solving the problems of the world than just punching
people on the nose. He would, indeed, point out that the intellectual
can best operate in his own chosen sphere and that it is not physical
brashness which counts in this life, but the sharpening of the intellect.
Imagine a reversal of the social structure which entails a surgeon
working in a butcher’s shop, a teacher selling vegetables etc. In each
case, the change of workplace and role would
render useless and irrelevant the innate
and acquired skills, the knowledge and the
moral excellence of these highly qualified and
experienced professionals. Their competence
and effectiveness would moreover, be eroded
by the sense of frustration and discrimination
engendered by surroundings which clearly
were unsuitable for them.
It is a little
understood fact
that the role a
woman plays
does not depend
upon her physical
environment, but
rather on the degree
to which her intellect
has been cultivated.
Studies in biology and psychology have
shown that the two genders are different in
nature, each being designed for a different
purpose. They are endowed by nature with
different capacities so that they may play their respective roles in life
with greater ease and effectiveness.
Difference of biological function does not imply inequality. In fact
differences are meant to make both genders play complementary roles
and endure the challenges of life by supporting each other with their
constructive capacities for which each is best suited. It should not be
looked upon as a matter of superiority or inferiority. Looked at with the
right perspective, these differences are blessings of God.
What the world perceives as a problem of inequality when it comes to
oppression and degradation of women is actually a phenomenon of
evil perpetrated by humans upon other humans due to the misuse of
freedom. It has nothing to do with the role accorded to each gender by
nature. Such evil is a part of every society.
The phenomena of oppression exist between the rich and the poor,
men and women, an adult and a child, people in power and the common
man, the educated and the illiterate, etc. The solution to this problem of backwardness of women due to lack of opportunity for progress lies
in helping people to change their mindset. To this effect there should
be tremendous efforts to raise the thinking levels of the individual to
overcome such negative behaviour in society.
Dr. Farida Khanam
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THE ETERNAL JOURNEY
Consider Seriously
EVERY affair should be looked at in its eternal context. A “guardian”
may give temporary support in this world, but when one reaches
the next world, there will be no one to lend a helping hand. If
we keep this in mind that we are on the way to the Hereafter, we will
consider everything which will become worthless in the next world as
worthless now, no matter how great a worldly price it may seem to
command. Importance will be given only to those things which will be
of consequence in our after life, no matter how inconsequential they
may seem in this world.
In the present world there may be
opportunities of using impressive words to
defy the truth; to wield one’s power unjustly,
content that one can victimize others without
being avenged, but in the Hereafter one will
be deprived of all words and divested of all
power. Wealth here may lead to arrogance
but there will be nothing to be proud of in the
Hereafter as the wealth will be left behind in
this world.
Faith calls for
constantly living
with a sense of
responsibility
of thoughts and
actions. It instills
the consciousness
that he will be held
accountable in the
Hereafter for all his
deeds done in this
world.
The person who lives his life with awareness
towards the eternal context is a person of
faith. A person who has no such faith lives on
this earth as if he is going to stay here forever.
Basically this difference is psychological.
However the result is regarding the attitudes which each one adopts
in their practical lives. Faith calls for constantly living with a sense of
responsibility of thoughts and actions. It instills the consciousness that
he will be held accountable in the Hereafter for all his deeds done in
this world.
Self-knowledge is the beginning of
self-improvement.
SURRENDER BY CHOICE
Freedom and Compulsion
GOD Almighty created the universe. In its vast space there are
stars, galaxies, planets, the solar system, countless other
Celestial bodies. All these are in total surrender to God, without
the slightest deviation. It is this surrender to God that makes our
universe a totally zero-defect universe. This fact is mentioned in the
Quran in these words: “God created seven heavens one above the
other in layers. You will not find any flaw in the creation of the Gracious
One. Then look once again: can you see any flaw?” (
However, there was a “missing link” in this universe. The universe, with
all its vastness, has surrendered to God under compulsion. Now, there
was a vacant room for a creature that surrenders to God by choice.
God Almighty created human beings to fill in this gap. Man was given
total freedom. At the same time, he was given a thinking mind.
It was required that man utilize this mind and surrender before God by
choice rather than as a matter of compulsion.
When such a human being surrenders to God
this way, it is as if he is saying, ‘O God, You
are great and I am not great. I am accepting
this fact as a reality, without the slightest
compulsion.’
The universe, with
all its vastness, has
surrendered to God
under compulsion.
It was required that
man utilizes his
mind and surrenders
before God as a
reality rather than
as a matter of
compulsion.
The fact is that man is the only creature
throughout the universe who has been
endowed with a mind. Although man has no
power, as regards freedom, he is totally free
without any restrictions. In other words, God
is All-powerful while man is all powerless in
spite of having complete freedom. When man
says: ‘O God Almighty, You are my Lord!’ he
says this consciously, without any compulsion.
This phenomenon is the greatest moment in the entire universe.
He who is most in error is one who
cannot say 'I have erred.
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
REAL LOSS
THE present world is a preview of the Hereafter. Here, a person
receives in embryonic form the joys and blessings which God
has made fully available in the world to come. This is so that
he may see the infinite joys of eternity in the guise of the incomplete
blessings of this world—so that he may see one drop of water, and
realize that it is indicative of a vast ocean beyond.
One who understands the true nature of this world will look beyond the
ephemeral pleasures of this world to the eternal joys of the Hereafter.
Only one who does not see the world in its true light will set store in it,
making it his ultimate goal instead of the Hereafter.
The sun shines in order to acquaint man with the radiance of the afterlife. Flowers and trees blossom in order to remind one of the beauty of
God’s’ eternal world.
The pleasures of this world should serve to increase one’s longing for
the world to come; but often one becomes so engrossed in them that
one fails to even think of the infinitely greater joys of the Hereafter.
One who is seduced by the alluring pleasures of this world loses out on
the next world. What anguish and despair he will feel when he reaches that world, and beholds the eternal blessings
which it has to offer.
The pleasures of
this world should
serve to increase
one’s longing for the
world to come; but
often one becomes
so engrossed in them
that one fails to even
think of the infinitely
greater joys of the
Hereafter.
He will realize then his foolishness. “This” he
will cry out, “is the true life. Earthly life has no
reality now. But I have lost eternal life for the
sake of the transitional blessings of the world.
I have forfeited true and lasting bliss—all for
the sake of pleasures which did not endure.
In seeking freedom on earth, where there
was no freedom to be found, I lost the true
freedom that is to be had now.”
TOLERATING LESSER EVIL
Wisdom
UMAIR IBN HABIB IBN HAMASHA, a Companion of the Prophet,
instructed his son, saying: “O my son, he who refuses to tolerate
the lesser evil of a foolish person will have to tolerate the bigger
evil of such a person.”
If a foolish person throws pebbles at someone, the latter may
immediately react by doing the same thing to him. However, the
best answer in such a situation is to exercise tolerance. By tolerating
‘pebbles’ you will prevent the situation from turning into a conflict that
involves ‘rocks’. The fact is that not to be willing to tolerate the lesser
evil of a foolish person will always mean that you will have to accept
having to face a much bigger evil instead, sooner or later.
Suppose a situation arises that threatens to turn into violence between
two communities. There are two ways to respond to this. One way is by
exercising patience. The other way is to get agitated. If you get agitated,
it is bound to only further escalate the conflict and degenerate into
violence. On the other hand, if you control
yourself and exercise patience, the problem
will be nipped in the bud and be soon finished
off.
Wise is one who does
not make matters an
issue of pride, but
adopts the practical
wisdom of putting
an end to conflict so
that time and energy
can be spent on more
constructive issues.
Such situations should not be judged by
trying to determine which party is right or
which party is wrong. The wiser party is one
which rises above this and tries to de-escalate
the conflict, even if it involves unilaterally
accepting the conditions of the other party.
What is required in conflict situations is
to put an end to the conflict by whatever
means possible, as conflict may turn to violence which would be to
the detriment of both sides. Wise is one who does not make matters
an issue of pride, but adopts the practical wisdom of putting an end
to conflict so that time and energy can be spent on more constructive
issues.
SELF DEVELOPMENT
Methodology
HARRY EMERSON FOSDICK has explained one fact of life in
these words: “No steam or gas ever drives anything until it is
confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until
it is tunneled. No life ever grows until it is focused, dedicated, and
disciplined.”(Living Under Tension by Harry Emerson Fosdick)
There is but one law of nature, which applies to both animate and
inanimate objects. It is that there is a price to be paid for every end in
life: without paying that price, nothing can be achieved. In this world
one has to sink before one can rise; one has to resign oneself to loss
before one can gain, to backwardness before one can advance; one has
to be able to accept defeat before one can claim victory.
The world in which we live has been created
by God, not by us. This may appear to be a
simple fact, but it is one that a person usually
forgets in his everyday life. Since, we are living
in God’s world, we have no alternative but to
understand the principles He has set for the
world and follow these in our lives. There is no
other way we can make a place for ourselves
in the world. Trying to follow our self-styled
principles for achievement will only lead to
failure and frustration.
There is but one
law of nature,
which applies to
both animate and
inanimate objects.
It is that there is a
price to be paid for
every end in life:
without paying that
price, nothing can be
achieved.
It is important to draw lessons from the lives
of those who have gone by and heed the
guidance given by prophets and messengers
in order to know the way to lead life in this world. Those who wish
to advance and be successful in life without passing through the
necessary stages, will have to build another world for themselves—one
which satisfies their own requirements; for in the world that God has
created, their dreams can never come true.
Only after a long period one's
efforts reap true rewards.
OBSERVING THE UNIVERSE
A Silent Teacher
THE Quran is a book of cosmic knowledge, a dictionary which
defines the true meaning of what we see in the world around
us. The Quran says that:
“He (God) ordains all things. He makes plain His revelations.” (
God ordains all things in that He manages the universe; He makes plain
His revelations in that He explains its relevance in the Quran. Observing
the universe, one cannot fail to be struck by the wonderful works of art,
the ingenious displays of consummate skill, which lie before one.
There are atoms, dancing around within
matter. Two particles—without life—come
together to mould a third object—a new life.
Stars revolve in space, without the slightest
deviation from their set speed. Tiny seeds are
transformed into luxuriant trees. Life in all its
multiple forms seems like a torrent surging all
around us, all these events, and many more,
are happening in the universe, but they are
happening silently. No cosmic event defines
itself. Nothing speaks to man, revealing to
him its inner significance.
The Quran is a book
of cosmic knowledge,
a dictionary which
defines the true
meaning of what
we see in the world
around us.
Seeing this, a person tends to think that perhaps the universe is a
collection of dumb masterpieces. Once again, the Quran comes to
his rescue, telling him that the world, in all its manifold vitality, is
not without purpose. There will come a time when everything will be
revealed in all its meaning, when a needle will be lodged on the record
of the universe, and music will emerge from its hitherto silent groves.
For every vision there is a horizon in this world, but when the truth
comes to light it will illuminate all things. All one’s questions will be
answered. A person will take up the place which, in relation to reality,
is rightfully his.
Abstinence from wrongdoing
is more essential than the
cultivation of virtues.
WHY IS PRAYER NOT ACCEPTED
Giving to Receive
SOME people asked a venerable elder: “What is the reason that we
ask from God, but our prayers do not get answered?” The elderly
sage replied, this is because you people ask of God what you are
not prepared to give to other human beings. He explained by saying
that you pray to God to save you from the oppression of those who
oppress you, however, when one of you achieves dominance over
people, you do not abstain from oppressing them. Similarly, you ask
God to ensure the safety and security of your wealth and lives, but
when you get the opportunity you make
the violation of another person’s life and
property permissible for yourself. You seek
an honourable life from God, but when you
attain power over somebody you do not shy
away from dishonouring them. You want God
to protect you from the conspiracies of enemy
nations, but if you develop some differences
with a person, you do not rest content in
conspiring to uproot him.
The necessary
condition for
acceptance of one’s
prayer is that the
seeker be extremely
sincere in his request.
The prayer should
be a call which
represents his entire
personality, an
outpouring of his
being, and not merely
words that he has
uttered from his lips.
The necessary condition for acceptance of
one’s prayer is that the seeker be extremely
sincere in their request. The prayer should be
a call which represents his entire personality,
an outpouring of his being, and not merely
words that he has uttered from his lips. When
a person is sincere, his life becomes devoid of
contradictions—there remains no difference
between what he prays for and what he does
in his real life. For example, to persecute others and be unjust in one’s
own area of influence, while protesting against another’s oppression is
a contradiction which points to the lack of earnestness of one’s stance.
For the acceptability of one’s prayer, it is crucial that a person gives to
others in his life what he seeks from God in his entreaty. If he seeks
mercy and blessing for his own self from God, then he too, in his
dealings with people, should be an embodiment of compassion and
kindness.
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH
Awaken the Senses
THE power-supply used to be plentiful in the Ivory Coast. The
country had at one time been called the “Showcase of Africa” due
to its glittering array of houses and shops. In December 1983,
everything suddenly changed. People were forced to eat by candlelight
in luxury hotels, while houses and offices were lit by lanterns. Hydroelectric stations which had supplied ninety two percent of the Ivory
Coast’s electricity were brought to a standstill by a severe drought
which reduced the water flowing through the dams to a trickle. The
turbines simply stopped running, and the electricity supply fell so
low that at times there would be no power
for up to 18 hours. Industrial production
was reduced by 65%. Computers, electric
typewriters, refrigerators and other gadgets
ceased to operate.
People consider
themselves free
in the present
world. They think
of everything they
have as their own
property. But when
death comes, it
will dawn on an
individual, all of a
sudden, that he had
just been fooling
himself: he had been
given freedom as a
test whereas he had
thought it was his
right.
For fear of being caught in the lift, many
businessmen gave up going to their offices.
One commuter explained his situation to a
New York Times correspondent: “For years
I had gone from my air-conditioned villa to
my air-conditioned car to my air-conditioned
office. I never realized how hot it really is
here.” This businessman, dwelling in airconditioned surroundings in the heart of
Africa, was living in an artificial world. When
the electricity failed him, he realized that in
reality things were very different from what
he had supposed.
The same is true, on a larger scale, of all
humankind. People consider themselves free
in the present world. They think of everything
they have as their own property. But when death comes, it will dawn
on an individual, all of a sudden, that he had just been fooling himself:
he had been given freedom as a test whereas he had thought it was his
right; he had taken what was God’s to be his own; he was responsible
to God for his actions, but he lived under the misapprehension that,
whatever he did, he would never be taken to task for it.
EXPERIENCING THE PRESENCE OF GOD
Constant Requirement
ONE of the three astronauts who travelled in the Apollo 15
American spacecraft was Colonel James Irwin. He later described
the magic of that moment, in August 1972, when he set foot on
the moon. It was an ecstatic experience, he said, to feel oneself in God’s
presence, to feel so close to Him that His greatness appeared before
one’s eyes. Colonel Irwin did not look on his voyage to the moon as a
voyage of mere scientific discovery; it had given him new spiritual life
as well.
The moon was a new sight for Colonel Irwin. That is why, struck by its
magnificence, he was able to experience there the presence of God.
Colonel Irwin’s experience was not a unique one, for in truth all that
God has created is so wonderful that one has only to gaze upon it to
become lost in the wonders of what He has
fashioned. The face of the Creator shines
continually in the perfection of His creation.
In order to see God in His creation, we too
have to look at everything—not as old and
familiar—but new and exciting; we have to
look at things as if we are seeing them for the
first time.
In order to see God
in His creation, we
too have to look at
everything—not as
old and familiar—but
new and exciting; we
have to look at things
as if we are seeing
them for the first
time.
There is no greater discovery than the
discovery of God, no greater realization than
to feel Him everywhere. When this realization
is awakened, then everything becomes a
reflection of His glory. The sunshine will
portray His light, the trees His beauty. One will feel His gentle touch in
the winds as they caress one’s body. As one prostrates oneself before
Him, it will be as though one has cast oneself at His feet. God is, indeed,
everywhere, but only those who are blessed with vision can behold
Him.
There is no greater sacrifice than
that of one's own opinion.
PRAYER FENDS AWAY INDECENCY AND EVIL
Meaningful Prayer
THE believer has been advised in the Quran to be steadfast in
prayer, for prayer fends away indecency and evil. When the
Prophet of Islam was asked about this verse he said:
“If a person’s prayer does not fend away indecency and evil,
then his prayer is not really prayer at all.”
Prayer is to remember the fact that one is living before a God who—
though man cannot see Him—can see man. Whoever leaves the
mosque with this fact firmly embedded in his mind cannot live forgetful
of God. In prayer a person testifies to the fact
that God is the greatest of all beings. If one
is truthful in one’s testimony, then one will
not claim greatness for oneself when one has
finished praying.
Prayer is to
remember the fact
that one is living
before a God who—
though man cannot
see Him—can see
man.
Whatever one recites in prayer is a
covenant before God that one will keep His
commandments; then how is it possible that
one should leave the mosque and treat people
with arrogance and contumacy? The actions
of prayer are a manifestation of the fact that
one’s heart is full of fear and love for God.
If one prays in the true spirit of prayer, then one’s prayer will surely
fend away indecency and evil. But if one’s prayer is devoid of spirit, then
it will be no more than a perfunctory action which has no connection
with real life. It will be prayer in form, but not in reality: for it will not
fend away indecency and evil.
Wisdom is the ability to discover the
relevant by sorting out the irrelevant.
IN GODS COUNTRY
Follow the Rules
AN American lady went on a tour of Russia. There, she saw pictures
of the Chairman of the Communist party hanging everywhere
she went. She took offence at this and gave vent to her feelings
in the presence of some Russians.
Her companion whispered in her ear: “Madam, you are in Russia now,
not America.”
One can live as one likes in one’s own country, but when one goes to
a foreign country one has to abide by its laws. If one does not do so,
then one will be considered an offender. The same is true, in a broader
sense, of this world. A human being has been born into a world which
he has not created.
The only way that a
person can prosper
is by understanding
God’s scheme and
living in the world
according to that
scheme.
The world in which one lives is entirely of God’s making. Man, then, is
not in his own country: he is living in the country of God. The only way
that a person can prosper is by understanding
God’s scheme and living in the world according
to that scheme. If he contradicts the scheme
of God then he will be considered as a rebel.
The question is: how should one live in the
world in order to conform with the will of God?
It was to provide an answer to this question
that God raised up His prophets. The prophets
showed people, plainly and in terms that
they could understand, exactly what the Lord
requires of them; they defined the principles
that God wants a person to adhere to and the character He wants them to
embody The Quran is a collection of this prophetic guidance. It provides
spiritual guidance on how to lead one’s life such that one can develop
a noble personality which in the Hereafter is held deserving of God’s
blessings.
It is easier to blame
others than to accept the
responsibility oneself
POLYGAMY AND ISLAM
Solution to a Problem
ONE of the commandments given in the Quran as a matter of
social organization concerning polygamy, is permission for a
man to marry up to four women:
If you fear that you cannot treat orphans with fairness, then you
may marry such women (widowed) as seem good to you: two,
three or four of them. But if you fear that you cannot do justice,
marry one only. (
This verse was revealed after the Battle of Uhud 625 CE, in which
seventy Muslims were martyred. Suddenly, seventy homes in Madinah
were bereft of all male members, and the question arose as to how
all these widows and orphans were to be cared for. This was an acute
social problem. It was solved by the revelation of this verse asking the
people who could afford it to take care of the orphans, by marrying the
widows and keeping their orphaned children under their guardianship.
The background and wording of this verse
appear to express a commandment that
should be only temporary in effect. That is to
say that it applied only to a particular state of
emergency when, due to loss of men in battle,
the number of women exceeded the number
of available men. But the Quran, despite its
having been revealed at a particular time and
place, is universal in its application. One of
the great characteristics of the Quran is that
it describes eternal realities, with reference
to temporal issues, this commandment being
typical of this special quality of the Quran.
The permission to
practice polygamy
in Islam was not
given in order to
enable men to satisfy
their carnal urges.
It was designed as
a practical strategy
to solve a particular
problem.
Looked at from a practical angle, the above commandment of the
Quran can be complied with only if that particular situation exists
in society that existed in Madinah after the Battle of Uhud—that
is, there is a disproportion in the ratio of men and women. In the
absence of such a situation, this commandment of the Quran would be
inapplicable. But studies of human society and its history have shown
that the situation in ancient Madinah was not one that existed only at
a particular point in time. It is a situation that had almost always been
prevalent throughout the world. That situation of emergency is, in fact,
the general situation of humankind. This commandment is yet another proof of God’s omniscience. His commandment, seemingly elicited by
an emergency, became an eternal commandment for the whole of our
world under similar circumstances.
The Willingness of Women
The presence of a greater number of women in a society is not the only
prerequisite for polygamy. It is, in addition, compulsory that the woman
who is the object of the man’s choice should be willing to enter into the
married state. This willingness on the woman’s part is a must before
a marriage can be lawful in Islam. It is unlawful to marry a woman by
force. There is no example in the history of Islam where a man has
been allowed to force a woman into marriage.
Solution to a Problem rather than a Commandment
The permission to marry more than one woman is provided as a solution
to a social problem in the Islamic Shariah. The principle of polygamy,
as enshrined in the Islamic Shariah is designed, in fact, to save women
from the ignoble consequences of being alone. This commandment,
although apparently general in application, was given only as a solution
to a specific social problem. It provides an arrangement whereby
surplus women may save themselves from
sexual anarchy and have a proper stable
family life. That is to say, it is not a question of
adopting polygamy rather than monogamy.
The choice is between polygamy and sexual
anarchy.
If the commandment
to practice polygamy
is seen in the
abstract, it would
appear to be biased
in favour of men.
But when placed in
the context of social
organization, it is
actually in favour of
women.
If the commandment to practice polygamy
is seen in the abstract, it would appear to be
biased in favour of men. But when placed in
the context of social organization, it is actually
in favour of women. Polygamy is both a proper
and a natural solution to women’s problems.
The permission to practice polygamy in
Islam was not given in order to enable men
to satisfy their carnal urges. It was designed as a practical strategy to
solve a particular problem. Marrying more than one woman is possible
only when there are more women than men. Failing this, it is out of
question. It is inconceivable that Islam, just to satisfy man’s desires,
would give us a commandment that is neither possible nor practical.
To have more than one wife is not an ideal in Islam. It is, in essence, a
practical solution to a social problem.
THE NEWS OF SALVATION
Serious Issue
WHAT a mass of information there is clogging the atmosphere
nowadays. Everyone has some message to convey to others.
But in all this confusion, there is no one seeking to convey
the message of eternal life; there is no one anxious to break the news
of salvation and damnation in the world to come.
People’s conversations revolve around
worldly matters; no one has time for matters
pertaining to eternal life. This implies that
people are unaware of the meaning of
eternal life. No one has that news to tell—for
if they did they would never be able to keep
it to themselves. Indeed, so critical is the
importance of this matter that no other news
would seem worth telling. They would make it
their prime task in life to inform others of the
dangers of hell-fire, and the joys of paradise.
People’s minds
are occupied
by matters—
political, social
and economic—of
individual and
national concern.
They experience
these things in the
world about them;
the effect of these
matters is there to
be felt. That is why
they consider them
important and worth
talking about. But
the greatest issue
facing us is the Day
of Judgment.
If one knows there is going to be an earthquake
in a few moments, or a volcano is about to
erupt, then one can think of nothing else; one
leaves all other matters aside and talks only
of the dreadful fate about to descend.
Yet speakers make their speeches, and
writers write their lines, but their words do
not contain mention of man’s coming before
the Lord to be judged. It appears that they do
not even know of the coming of that fearful
day.
People’s minds are occupied by matters—political, social and
economic—of individual and national concern. They experience these
things in the world about them; the effect of these matters is there to
be felt. That is why they consider them important and worth talking
about. But the greatest issue facing us is the Day of Judgment. One
cannot actually see it, but no future event exceeds it in importance. It
is the matter most worth talking about, the greatest news that anyone
can hear.
LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE
Beneficial Conversion
EXPERIENCE always provides opportunities to learn lessons.
But there are very few people in this world who seize them.
Experience can always teach one something of value and should
be a source of intellectual development. But, as a rule, people fail
to understand the positive gain they can derive from bad situations.
This is because, in untoward circumstances, their first impulse is to
complain and indulge in negative feelings rather than think of what
their experience can teach them.
It is a law of nature that when any unpleasant event takes place, it is not
necessarily the fault of others. It is remarkable how often it happens
in such cases that to a greater or lesser degree both the parties are
to blame. More often than not, it transpires that whenever there is
any unpleasantness, it is seen as a one-sided affair. People tend to
gloss over their own culpability and lay the entire blame at the door of
others. This happens in almost 99 per cent of the cases.
But, in this way, holding a one-sided
opinion is against the law of nature. It is on
historical record that even the Companions
of the Prophet had to take their share in the
responsibility for undesirable happenings.
One instance of such an event—the Battle of
Uhud—took place during the lifetime of the
Prophet. In this battle, the Companions of the
Prophet were initially victorious. But later on,
due to their own ineptitude, they were forced
to incur heavy losses. (
One should invariably
treat experiences
as occasions for
learning lessons,
rather than making
them grounds for
complaint. Doing
so means that the
person concerned
has been able to
change a negative
event in his life into
something positive.
He has converted his
loss into a gain
One should invariably treat experiences as
occasions for learning lessons, rather than
making them grounds for complaint. Doing so
means that the person concerned has been
able to change a negative event in his life
into something positive. He has converted his
loss into a gain. On the contrary, those who
on such occasions are inspired to do nothing but complain and nurse
feelings of hatred deprive themselves of any gain which they could have
had from an unpleasant experience. In this way they have failed to
seize a golden opportunity to learn something of value and have thus
disadvantaged themselves in ways they cannot begin to understand.
MORNING IS THE BEST TIME
Be on Nature
PEOPLE have always believed that morning time is the best time
because one’s mind is most fresh at this time of the day. The
Quran expresses this fact in the following words: “The recitation
at dawn is indeed witnessed.” (
Several researches performed in today’s world corroborate to the
fact that morning is the most productive time of the day. Similarly,
numerous books authored on this subject describe morning time as
the best time. One such book is titled, ‘What The Most Successful People
Do Before Breakfast’ by Laura Vanderkam.
Research has shown that a person’s mind is blank in the morning. The
mind works like a computer and has a similar file storage mechanism.
Whatever the mind experiences, listens, sees
and undergoes during the day gets stored and
by evening, the mind becomes accumulated
with a jungle of thoughts. But when one
sleeps at night, one’s mind starts to work.
During sleep, the mind sorts out the
observations and thoughts and stores them
in their respective files. As a result of this
process, a person feels fresh when he gets up
in the morning, because his mind has been
cleared of all thoughts and is blank once
again.
‘Early to bed, early
to rise; makes a man
healthy, wealthy
It is for this reason that one has the ability to work far more peacefully
in the morning. Whether it is reading, contemplation, worship or
planning—everything is best done in those early hours. Another aspect
of the morning time is that one has least distractions to be enmeshed
in. This is thus the time when a person can focus on work far more
effectively than at any other time during the day.
An ancient saying aptly illustrates this principle in these words:
‘Early to bed, early to rise; makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.’
NECESSARY PREPARATION
Rule for Success
Gandhi is a very famous biographical film, released in 1982, on the life
of Mahatma Gandhi. The character of Gandhiji has been played by the
English actor Ben Kingsley. It is said that Kingsley had to experience
great rigour in the process of the preparations of moulding himself in
Gandhiji’s character. For example, Kingsley had the habit of leading a
royal lifestyle and was used to having lavish meals. However, for the
proper portrayal of the role of Gandhiji, he
observed partial starvation for a very long
time.
Training and
instructing of
one’s people are
undoubtedly the
most challenging
of duties. Those
who shoulder
the responsibility
of guiding their
community without
equipping themselves
adequately are
committing a grave
mistake.
Kingsley had a plump body, while Gandhiji was
a man with a thin frame who would often walk
holding a stick in his hand for support. It was
therefore important that when Kingsley came
on screen, he should appear to the audience
as slender in build just like the real Gandhi.
For this reason, before the making of the
movie, Kingsley would eat very less or remain
hungry in order that he could look slim. As a
result, he was able to reduce his weight by
seven kilograms. The Marathi woman who
has starred in the movie as Gandhi’s wife,
Kasturba Gandhi, also had to adhere to a
similar demanding and harsh lifestyle prior to
playing her role.
For a person to enact the role of a fictional character in a movie, it is
much less difficult than to perform the task of a leader who has to
guide his community in real life. In spite of the enormity of this task, it
is very strange that when it comes to the responsibility of guiding their
community, people make haste to plunge into the field without any
preparations at all.
Training and instructing of one’s people are undoubtedly the most
challenging of duties. Those who shoulder the responsibility of guiding
their community without equipping themselves adequately are
committing a grave mistake.
ONESIDED REPORTING
Intellectual Dishonesty
PEOPLE generally have the habit of stating only one half of the
story. They mention its latter half, but do not speak a word about
its first part. For example, a man was once hit on the road by
another person. While recounting what happened with him, he simply
said that he was beaten up by someone. However, he did not reveal
what he had himself done which had provoked the other person to
react in anger.
Similarly, at one time a dispute occurred between two groups which
led to instances of maltreatment and persecution of members of one
group by another. In all such incidents, it
almost always happens that one group, owing
to its actions, provokes the other group into
taking retaliatory measures. It then results in
a riot. However, when it comes to detailing the
account of such events, it is seen that people
of the first group would only relate the second
half of the story. They would blame the other
group for carrying out the rioting, but would
never specify the action they had originally
taken which then provoked the second group
to exact revenge.
Every person has the
habit of recounting
an incident in such
a manner that only
the involvement of
the other person
is apparent, whilst
remaining silent
about their own
involvement in the
matter. This manner
of reporting is unjust
and biased.
This tendency can be called incomplete or
one-sided reporting of events. Such kind
of reporting is very common in our society.
Every person has the habit of recounting an
incident in such a manner that only the involvement of the other person
is apparent, whilst remaining silent about their own involvement in
the matter. This manner of reporting is unjust and biased. Moreover,
speaking of events in this way is a sign of intellectual dishonesty as it
goes against the demands of justice and fairness. Looking at a situation
in this one-sided manner is ethically incorrect and is of no use when it
comes to finding a solution to the resulting problem or dispute.
A person who gives an incomplete account of facts may be happy
himself, but as far as the world outside of him is concerned, this
attitude can have no positive consequence whatsoever.
ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD
Real Test
THIS story is about a Ms. Sybil D’Silva, She was visited in her home
by a woman aged about 35. She told Ms. D’Silva that her husband
was seriously ill, and that she needed 5000 rupees urgently for
his treatment. “I am not begging from you,” she said, taking a golden
necklace out of her pocket. “All I want to do is sell this golden necklace
for just 5000 rupees.”
Ms. D’Silva said she was not interested, but
the woman kept pleading the desperateness
of her case. Eventually she persuaded
Ms. D’Silva to give her the money and buy the
necklace.
In this world,
everyone is delighted
with his deeds;
everyone thinks of
what he has done
as gold. But gold is
only real when it is
shown to be such
on the goldsmith’s
touchstone. In the
next world, God will
judge everybody’s
actions on His own
touchstone.
Next day Ms. D’Silva took the necklace to a
goldsmith He tested it on his touchstone.
After examination, its reality came to light.
Telling her story to the police, Ms. D’Silva said:
“He told me it was brass.”
So it will be in the next world. In this world,
everyone is delighted with his deeds; everyone
thinks of what he has done as gold. But gold
is only real when it is shown to be such on
the goldsmith’s touchstone. In the next world,
God will judge everybody’s actions on His own
touchstone.
The value of gold will only be attached to those actions which are
proved to be made of gold when put on God’s touchstone. If one’s
golden actions turn out to be made of brass, then they will only mean
disgrace and doom. People have the chance to disown what belonged
to them, in the world. But on the Day of Judgement there will be no
disownment. That which they were proud of in the world will cause
them only disgrace and humiliation when they come before God.
WHAT IS TAKEAWAY
Usefulness of Anything
DURING a walk along a street in London, a board in front of a shop
with the words 'TAKEAWAY' written in bold expression triggered
the mind to think further. Initially, this expression was used to
indicate that a restaurant offered you the facility of paying for food
which you would then take home instead of sitting down and eating it
on the premises. Later, this word came into common parlance and was
alternatively used to refer to the gist of something worth remembering,
some key fact, point, or idea which you had heard at some lecture or
meeting, or read in some book or article.
The success of a speech or a written text
depends upon the degree to which it offers
new points or ideas to take back home. On
the contrary, if it offers you nothing fresh
which you could regard as a takeaway, then
listening to such a speech, or such a book or
article should be deemed a sheer waste of
time.
The success of a
speech or a written
text depends upon
the degree to which
it offers new points
or ideas to take back
home.
A writer or a speaker must think deeply
beforehand about finding something worth
sharing with others and then expressing it in
clear language. The criterion of success for an article or a speech is that
it offers a real ‘takeaway’—something that may be beneficial for the
reader or hearer, and will contribute to his intellectual development.
Learn from All
The spirit for learning in us should be so great
that we should learn from every individual around
us. Words and behaviours which affect us in a
negative manner must provide us with positive
lessons. Thus we can develop the capability to
learn from every instance in our life.
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
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. (
All human beings are one and the same by birth. Ultimately, everyone
can trace his origin to the same man and woman as father and mother.
It is, therefore, necessary that all human beings should have a feeling
of affinity with each other and live with fairness and goodwill like the
members of one extended family. This racial unity becomes more
compact in family relationships and the importance of decent behaviour
among kinsfolk becomes further heightened. Good behaviour between
fellow human beings is important, not merely from the moral point of
view, but rather as a matter of personal concern to man himself. This is
so, because everyone is governed by the Great, Almighty God, who as
the Reckoner for one and all, will decide the eternal future of all human
beings in the Hereafter, requiting them according to their actions in
this world. Man should, therefore, not consider his dealings with others
as a matter between man and man, but as a matter between man and
God. He should fear the grip of God and should adhere to the bounds
set by God so as to save himself from His wrath.
According to a Hadith, God proclaimed, ‘I shall associate Myself with
one who strengthens the ties of kinship and detach Myself from one
who severs them.’ This shows that man’s attachment to God is being
tested by the criterion of his relations with other human beings. One who goes in fear of God while dealing with the rights of others, is one
who truly venerates Him; one who loves other human beings, is one
who really loves his Creator. The virtues of fair dealing and compassion
are general requirements of human society, but so vital are they to
maintaining good family relations that in importance they stand second
only to God.
Give the orphans the possessions that belong to them, do not exchange
good things with bad and do not consume their property, adding it to
your own. Surely, this is a great crime. If you fear that you cannot deal
fairly with orphan girls, you may marry women of your choice, two or
three or four; but if you fear that you might not be able to treat them
with equal fairness, then only one—or [from among] those whom you
rightfully possess. That is more likely to keep you from committing an
injustice. And give the women their dowers willingly, but if they, of
their own accord, remit any part of it to you, you may make use of it
with pleasure and goodwill. (
Orphan boys and girls are the weakest members of a family or society
and, therefore, dealing with them appropriately is the toughest test of
one’s being imbued with the fear of God.
Orphans deserve to be treated in a manner which is just and
compassionate and whereby their rights are ensured the maximum
protection. It is a major sin for a joint property to be divided in such
a way that some are given valuable shares, while others are given
worthless shares, only for the purpose of tallying the listed items.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
Director of the New Delhi-based Centre for Peace and Spirituality,
editor of the monthly Al-Risala journal and author of almost two
hundred books, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is one of India’s best
known Islamic scholars. In this interview with Yoginder Sikand, he
talks about issues related to Islam and women.
You have written extensively on the issue of Islam and women.
Contrary to many traditional ulema, you argue the case for gender
equality in Islam. How does your approach differ from that of most
traditionalist scholars?
The approach of the traditionalists is based largely on the corpus of
medieval fiqh, (Jurisprudence) while my understanding is based on a
direct reading of the principal or original sources of Islam—the Quran
and the authentic Hadith. The former, by and large, uphold what can
be called the Muslim cultural tradition that developed in the medieval
period of Muslim history. So, I would call mine a scriptural approach
and theirs a cultural approach.
Take, for instance, the institution of the burqa, which many traditionalists
stress as essential for Muslim women. The burqa is part of Muslim
culture, but is not mentioned or advocated in the Quran. Another
example is the traditionalist ulema’s insistence that women and unrelated men cannot, or should not, talk to each other, on the grounds
that, so they say, a woman’s voice is something to be kept concealed
from such men. This notion is absent in the original sources of Islam.
In fact, there are many Hadith that tell us that there was considerable
intellectual exchange between men and women at the time of the
Prophet. For instance, Aisha, one of the wives of the Prophet, regularly
spoke to or addressed many of the Prophet’s Companions, on a vast
range of issues. They used to come to her for guidance and discussion.
According to one report, whenever the Companions faced a problem to
which they could find no answer they would approach Aisha. So, how,
then, can it be said that a woman’s voice is to be kept concealed. I am
not aware of any authentic Hadith about the women’s voice.
If the traditionalists have any such proof of their claim, they must offer
it. But even supposing, hypothetically, they are able to come up with
such proof, we need to redefine or reinterpret it in the present context,
and also by taking into account the accepted principle, recognized by Islamic scholars, that sometimes ‘necessity makes the unlawful lawful’.
We are living in a vastly different age today, where there is simply no
escape from hearing the voice of women!
Many traditionalist scholars often cite a Quranic verse that describes
men as the qawwam of their wives to argue that this means men are
their superiors and that women must be subordinate to them. How do
you interpret the term qawwam?
It is a universal principle that everywhere—in government, in a
business, in a school or whatever—there has to be a manager to
manage practical affairs or else there will be chaos. This applies to the
family also. This role of manager of affairs is what is actually meant by
qawwam. It does not at all imply subordination or degradation, or any
sort of hierarchy. Rather, it is simply a principle for overall management
and administration of the family. In my own home my daughter is the
qawwam. She runs the affairs of the house. She is the manager of the
house. So, it does not mean that a woman cannot be the qawwam of
her house.
Unfortunately, many scholars translate the term qawwam to mean
that the man is the hakim or ruler of the house, as if he can be some
sort of dictator. Many Quranic commentaries give a completely
wrong interpretation of the term. Some go to the extent of describing
husbands as the ‘symbolic god’ of their wives. This is really a sign of
deep-rooted patriarchy and deviation from Islamic teachings. It is a
wrongful innovation
We have the model of the Prophet Muhammad to explain the correct
meaning of the term qawwam. His first wife Khadjiah looked after him
when he was in distress. He worked for her, in the business that she
ran. He took the advice of another of his wives, Umme Salamah, on
many issues, contrary to some Muslim scholars, who argue, without
any convincing proof, that a Muslim man may take the advice of his
wife but must do precisely the opposite of what she recommends.
One can cite several examples to suggest that the Quran does not call
for women’s subordination to men, unlike what some traditionalist
Muslim scholars as well as critics of Islam claim, and contrary to what
their rendering of the term qawwam suggests. Thus, for instance,
although the Caliph Umar issued a fatwa calling upon women not to
pray in mosques, his wife refused to listen to him and he could not stop
her because that was her Islamic right. Barirah, the wife of Mughis, a
Companion of the Prophet, once came to the Prophet in order to seek
a divorce from her husband. The Prophet advised her against this, to which she responded by asking him if that was his personal opinion
or the command of God. When the Prophet replied that it was his own
view, she told him that she did not agree, and so the Prophet arranged
for her to be separated from her husband.
Traditionalist scholars (as well as critics of Islam) contend that the
Quran allows husbands to beat (dharaba) their wives if they are
disobedient. How do you respond to this argument?
The dharaba that the Quran refers to is simply a token pat, not wild
hitting. One Hadith report suggests that this should be done with a
tooth-stick (miswak), which implies that it is not meant to be any sort
of serious beating. According to another Hadith contained in the
Masnad of Imam Ahmad, no prophet ever beat his wives. Sometimes,
the Prophet Muhammad had problems with some of his wives but yet
he never beat them.
The Deobandi-dominated All-India Muslim Personal Law Board
(AIMPLB) projects itself as the sole authority as regards Muslim
Personal Law matters (most of which impinge on Muslim women) in
India. What do you feel about this organization, particularly its stance
on Muslim women’s issues?
The claim that the AIMPLB is the spokesman of all the Muslims of India
is completely false. In fact, it does not have any mass base. It is, to my
mind, just a group of maulvis who have put a stamp on themselves,
projecting themselves as leaders while they have little contact with the
masses. They might represent just themselves, but certainly not all or
most of the Indian Muslims.
Permit me to say this, but I regard the traditionalist maulvi class, to a
very large extent, as responsible for the backwardness of the Muslims
of this country—and not just as far as women’s issues are concerned.
They have little knowledge of the complexities of the contemporary
world and so cannot address modern problems or interpret Islam
in a manner that would appeal to modern minds. But, I see signs of
change all around now. Increasingly, Muslims are refusing to listen
to their fatwas which they find outlandish, and are marching ahead in
the race for modern education. Even the sons of leading maulvis are
choosing not to become traditional maulvis but, instead, are entering
universities. I hope that augurs well for the future and that modern
educated Muslim scholars would be in a better position to interpret
Islamic teachings, including about women, in a proper manner.
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 )
