UNLIMITED REWARD
Patience Unlimited
SAY, [God says] O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord.
For those who do good in this world will have a good reward and
God's earth is spacious. Truly, those who persevere patiently will
be requited without measure. (
It may seem extraordinary that God should give an unlimited reward
for any deed. But it is only one—that is, patience, that is so singled out.
There are two kinds of actions: in one, very ordinary character is
exhibited. For instance, if someone is good to you, he receives good
treatment from you in return. People of quite ordinary character behave
in this way without feeling it necessary to exercise any patience or
forbearance. In the second kind of action a very high level of character
is exhibited where even if one receives bad treatment one gives good
in return.
However, one inclined to embark on the second kind of action is required
to adhere strictly to religious guidelines which enjoin restraint among
others, and he must do so whether the circumstances be favourable or
unfavourable to him. This is the path of patience.
That is, even when someone is unkind to you, you are good to him.
Even if he adopts a provocative stance, you remain moderate in your
behaviour. Even if observance of the truth will be detrimental to your
interests, you continue to adhere to the path of truth and justice. Even
if the adoption of an unprincipled stand appears advantageous, you
continue to be a man of principle. It is the practitioners of that aspect
of religion which demands patience who will be ‘requited without
measure.’
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.
RAMAZAN
THE month of Ramazan is the ninth month according to the lunar
calendar. The month in which the revelation of the Quran began.
The first revelation was made to the Prophet when he was in the
cave of Hira, and it continued for the next 23 years, finally reaching
completion in Madinah.
The guidance given in the Quran is the best blessing to humankind
from God, because it shows man the path to ultimate success. It tells
man how to conduct himself so that in his eternal life he can gain entry
into Paradise. Paradise is the goal of man. The month of Ramazan is an
annual reminder of this blessing. The celebration of the revelation of
the Quran is not observed in the usual way but by abstinence and being
thankful to the Almighty. Fasting in this month is acknowledgement of
divine blessings. It is like saying, ‘O Lord I have heard and I accept.’
This is a month during which the Quran should be read and understood.
When the Quran is read during the month of its revelation, it reminds
us of the time when divine light from heaven fell upon the earth. Man
remembers this and calls out, ‘O Lord, fill my heart with Your divine light and make me among those who are near you’. When he reads
about Hell and Paradise, his inner self cries out, ‘O Lord, save me from
Hell, and let me enter Paradise’.
In this way the Quran becomes a guiding force in man’s life. He earns
his livelihood according to its dictates, he bathes in the ocean of its
message cleansing his soul. The Quran is a reward from God to His
servants. And fasting is acknowledgement
of the reward. The main aim of fasting is to
lessen a person’s dependence on material
things and strengthen his spiritual resolve, so
that he may enter the higher realms of piety.
Fasting is thus a stimulus for spiritual and
intellectual development. Once made aware
of his own helplessness as he is deprived of
his basic needs of food and water, the fasting
person connects to God with sincere prayer.
The practice of fasting is also largely aimed at
saving a person from distractions. It produces
sincerity. It draws a person’s attention away
from the external world and into the internal
world. Hence fasting prepares one for the
study of the Quran. And when a person
studies the Quran with a well-prepared mind, one can understand the
teachings and message in greater depth.
The celebration of
the revelation of the
Quran is observed
by abstinence and
being thankful to
the Almighty. Fasting
in this month is
acknowledgement of
divine blessings. It is
like saying, ‘O Lord
I have heard and I
accept.’
Ramazan provides a framework within which devotees may improve
themselves. Ramazan thus becomes a month of spiritual activism
not material activism. The month of fasting is a period of spiritual
purification. A time of proximity to the Lord, it is a special month of
training meant to engender all those qualities desirable in Islam. The
Encyclopedia Britannica has this to say in the chapter on fasting:
The month of Ramazan in Islam is observed as a period of penitence
and total fasting from dawn to dusk. Penitence, undoubtedly an
important part of Islam, so permeates the entire Islamic system,
that no Islamic act, including fasting, is devoid of this spirit.
However, while enjoining fasting, the Quran tells us that its special
significance in the month of Ramazan is thanksgiving as well as
penitence.
Fasting—an experience of powerlessness despite the possession of
power is an annual exercise in self-discipline. And only that person has fasted in the true sense of the word, who emerges from the experience
not only a thankful and pious devotee of God, but also a human being
in complete control of his thoughts, words and deeds.
The fasting person repeatedly reads in the Quran that God is the
Sustainer, that is, while man is the taker, God is the Giver. Everything
that a person receives in this world, right from his existence and the
oxygen he inhales to stay alive, to the sunlight necessary for his survival,
everything is God’s gift. When a person starts to think in this way, he
experiences a tremendous change within. He begins living in society as
a giver-member. He becomes a creative member of society.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that what one witnesses
during the month of Ramazan in the present culture is extravagance
in eating and shopping which is totally contradictory to what the
Quran wants of the believers. Do not judge Islam in the light of Muslim
behaviour but judge Muslims in the light of Islam. Fasting, the third
pillar of Islam, inclines one to become a student of the Quran and, by
seriously studying the Quran, one discovers those principles by which
one may develop one’s personality and become a peaceful person who
contributes positively to society.
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.
QURAN AND HADITH
DURING interactions with people in inter-faith programmes,
I have come across questions where people wish to know if
the Quran contains the teachings of the Prophet. The Quran
and the Hadith are the two fundamental scriptures of Islam and it is
imperative that people have an understanding of their sources if they
wish to know Islam.
The Quran is the Book of God. God is the sole author of this book.
There are about 6500 verses in the Quran revealed over a period of 23
years. The Prophet received these revelations from God and they were
immediately memorized and put to writing. It has been preserved in
its entirety for all time to come. The objective of the Quran is to make
man aware of the creation plan of God. That is, to tell man why God
created this world; what is the purpose of settling man on earth; what
is required from man in his pre-death lifespan, and what he is going to
confront after death.
The Quran is a book of divine warning. A combination of lessons and
admonitions, it would be even more appropriately called a book of
wisdom.
Teachings of the Prophet are known as Hadith and is totally separate
from the Quran. Hadith meaning a ‘statement’ or ‘report’ is used as
an Islamic term for the records kept of the words and deeds of the Prophet. In English the word ‘traditions’ is also used to refer to the
Hadith. The Hadith gives a full account of the life of the Prophet, and
serves as the commentary to the Quran as the Prophet lived out his life
in accordance with the Quran.
The Quran principally deals with basics. It is the Hadith that gives the
details and necessary explanations of the Quranic injunctions. For
instance, the Quran says: 'Say your prayers regularly'. But it does not
specify how this form of worship has to be performed. Not even the
timings and units of prayers are clearly mentioned. We need the Hadith
to give us complete information on this.
Even after knowing the details, it may not be possible to follow the divine
injunctions contained in the Quran, for not everything can be properly
understood by words alone. Therefore God’s Prophet demonstrated
before the faithful how the practice of worship was to be performed.
He said to the believers: ‘Look at me, see how I worship, and follow me.’
Thus the Prophet, besides teaching the believers about the divine
commandments in a theoretical way, also put these teachings into
practice in all matters pertaining to religion. He himself practised the
divine injunctions scrupulously. His practice was not a private matter;
it had the status of a detailed interpretation and application of the
Quran.
The Quran repeatedly reminds us of the importance of Hadith, enjoining
us to strictly follow the Prophet.
Obey God and obey the messenger...(
Whatever the messenger gives you, take it and whatever
he forbids you, abstain from it...(
You have indeed in the Prophet of God a good example for those
of you who look to God and the last Day, and remember
God always. (
The Quran thus provided the fundamentals of religion while the Hadith
furnishes us with the necessary details and explanations. It is as if
the Quran is the text and the Hadith its commentary; the Quran being
theory and Hadith being the practice. Both the Quran and Hadith are
equally essential for the understanding of religion.
Dr. Farida Khanam
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THE WAY OF THE FAITHFUL
Action not Diction
OF the many traditions of the Quran recorded in the Kitab-alTafsir of Sahih al-Bukhari, the following concerns an incident
which explains the revelation of a few verses in chapter forty
nine of the Quran.
Once a delegation of the Banu Tamim tribe had come to Madinah to
seek guidance on selection of their leader. Abu Bakr, a Companion of
the Prophet proposed the name of Qaq’a bin Mabad for being their
leader, whereas Umar, another Companion of the Prophet was of the
view that Alaq’ra bin Habis was a better choice. Abu Bakr then accused
Umar of having said this just to oppose his proposal. But Umar said, “It
is not my intention to oppose”. Whereupon they began to argue and, in
the process, raised their voices. In consequence, a verse of the Quran
was revealed:
Believers, do not push yourselves forward in the presence of
God and His Messenger. Fear God. God hears all and knows
all. Believers, do not raise your voices above the voice of the
Prophet...lest your actions come to nothing without your
realizing it. (
After this, Umar changed his attitude completely. He would always
speak in a low voice in the Prophet’s presence, so much that he could
hardly be heard, and the Prophet would often have to ask him to
repeat what he had said. This is the way of the faithful. A believer may
unknowingly raise his voice above that of God and His messenger, but
as soon as he is made aware of it, he immediately lowers it.
This is applicable not only to the period of the Prophet but also to the
present day, when it is still required of the faithful that they should
not raise their voice. The only difference is that in the time of the
Prophet people received such instructions directly from him, whereas
nowadays people must instruct themselves by making reference to the
Quran and the Hadith, Even today, when listening to the commands
of God and His messenger, one must lower one’s voice like the early
Islamic believers.
What is the attitude which can inculcate such behaviour in the present
day Muslims? It is to do with making Islam an integral part of one’s life
as opposed to following it just as a form devoid of spirit. The following analogy will bring out this aspect. When a stone is dropped into a glass
of water, it descends to the bottom and settles to one side. It is in the
water but separate from it. On the other hand, if dye is put into the
same glass, the dye and water combine. Now the water is no longer
separate from the dye. Both have intermingled in such a way that no
one can detect any difference between the two.
The relationship between Islam and a Muslim should be like that of dye
and water, not of the stone and water. Islam
should not just be an accessory to a Muslim’s
life: it should merge with his whole being.
It should enter into his thoughts, moulding
his intellect in its own fashion. Islam should
become the eye with which he sees, the
tongue with which he speaks, the hands and
feet with which he performs his day-to-day
functions. Islam should so take possession
of a person that it excludes all else. Every
statement should bear the stamp of Islam
and every action should be dyed in Islamic
colours.
Islam should not
just be an accessory
to a Muslim’s life: it
should merge with
his whole being. It
should enter into his
thoughts, moulding
his intellect in its own
fashion.
If Islam is like a stone in water, then it is not Islam at all. Faith should be
absorbed in a person like dye dissolved in water. Just as the emotions
of love and hate are felt by the whole body, so when one adopts Islam
in the real sense of the word, it should become an issue affecting one’s
whole existence. The Muslim and Islam should become inseparably
attached and only this will enable a believer to truly follow the Prophet
and his Companions.
THE ANGELS
Helpers of Humankind
AMONGST the multitudes of beings created by God in His
omnipotence are creatures of great luminosity called angels.
They are divine servants of impeccable loyalty who convey
God’s commands throughout the length and breadth of the universe,
attending to the workings of His immeasurable kingdom under His allseeing eye. Their numbers perforce are legion.
The cosmic machine must run with flawless and never-ending
consistency. The earth, moon, sun and stars must revolve in their
pre-ordained orbits for all eternity. God has willed this to be so, and
His angels are the divine instruments through which He ensures the
perfect functioning of the universe.
From time immemorial a water cycle of awesome complexity has
continued to support life in its myriad forms. Trees and plants of
tremendous diversity emerge from the earth at every instant. A whole
host of creatures from man right down to the
humblest insect are born and provided for
every day. How is it then, that such a great
multiplicity of events—all of them extremely
complex—can take place contemporaneously?
God’s angels are the
divine instruments
through which He
ensures the perfect
functioning of the
universe.
The prophets in their wisdom have taught
that this is all part of a divine order which
the Almighty controls through invisible
angels acting as His intermediaries. It is
they who carry out His commandments and
communicate His word to the prophets.
They preserve a record of man’s actions by means of which God
decides who will be rewarded or punished. It is the angels who
take possession of the human soul at the moment of death, and
it is they who will sound the last trumpet which shall throw the
whole universe into disarray. It is then that the righteous shall dwell
forever in Paradise, while the sinful shall be cast down into eternal
damnation.
REMEMBERING GOD
True Zikr
THE Quran repeatedly tells us to remember God. This is what is
known as zikrullah. One should remember God as often as one
can. There may be some distractions in which you are engaged
or some work in which your mind is focused, but even these may also
lead, in an indirect manner, to the remembrance of God. When your
own divine feelings, your remembrance of and love and praise for God,
take expression in words, that is zikr. These words could be in your own
language or in the Arabic language.
It is very simple to remember God—to engage in zikr—and it is also
quite natural. For instance, when you are walking, you can bring to your
mind the fact that you are doing so entirely because of the blessings of
God. While outdoors, you see the sun up in the sky, and you remember
that it is God who is providing you sunlight. You breathe in fresh air
while taking a stroll and you remember that it is He who is supplying
you with oxygen. When you set your foot down on the ground and lift it
up, you remember that it is He who has created gravity, otherwise you
would be floating in the air and would not be able to walk on the ground
at all. You bring to your mind the realization that without these divine
blessings—of sunshine, of the air, of gravity—you would not be able to
go out for a stroll. If you recount all these divine bounties associated
with your walk, then you are remembering God, you are engaging in
zikr while walking. So, in this way, at every moment, no matter what
activity you may be engaged in—you can be doing zikr, remembering
God, praising, glorifying and thanking Him.
This is a way in which you can engage in zikr—remembrance of God—
throughout your daily life, not just for a few minutes a day, but rather,
all through the day.
Remembering God is not alien to your being. It is interwoven in your
being like energy. You and energy are apparently separate, but in fact
both are one and the same. So, at every moment there are bounties of
God all around you which you can remember. If you awaken in yourself
this consciousness at every moment, then you are remembering God
at every moment. This is a way in which you can be engaged in the
constant zikr of God.
In a report contained in the Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet’s wife Aisha
reports that the Prophet used to remember God on each occasion by making it a point of reference for God’s remembrance. So, for the
Prophet, remembering God, or zikrullah, and other tasks were not two
separate activities, rather both were intermingled.
The human mind has enormous potential. An American writer,
Walt Whitman, has said: “I am large enough to contain all these
contradictions.” He said this in a different context. However, this saying
applies here as well. While being engaged in different tasks throughout
the day, we can be engaged in zikr as well, reflecting on God’s bounties
in the context of the tasks we are doing or the things we are seeing. Zikr
means living with divine consciousness. When you have attained this
state of consciousness, at every moment you will be in a state of zikr,
even though you may not be uttering any specific words.
Remembering
God is not alien
to your being. It is
interwoven in your
being, like energy.
You and energy are
apparently separate,
but in fact both are
one and the same.
So, at every moment
there are bounties
of God all around
you which you can
remember.
Sometimes, you may find yourself lamenting
the past, experiencing negative feelings and
thinking about negative experiences. In this
way, your mind is diverted from zikr of God.
This is a very common occurrence. But you can
convert even this into a means to remember
and thank God. If you have had some painful
or negative experience in the past, when you
recall it today you can convert it into something
to be thankful to God. You can think of it as
yet another reason for shukr, or thankfulness
to God. You can thank God that He did not
make you stay on in that negative moment,
and that, instead, He made you reach a better
situation today. So, in this way, you can even
make the memory of a negative or painful
experience into yet another opportunity to
engage in zikr or remembrance of God.
Patience
Patience is no retreat. It only amounts
to taking the initiative along the path of
wisdom and reason as opposed to the
path of emotions.
HONESTY AND HARD WORK
Silent Teachers
THE study of the universe shows that everything gives something
to the others without taking anything in return. For instance, the
sun provides light and warmth to inhabitants of our little world,
but it does not take anything in return. The atmosphere continuously
provides life-sustaining oxygen, without taking anything in return.
Similarly, all the natural resources of the world serve us without taking
anything in return.
Nature is silently
teaching us to follow
the culture of giving,
treating unpleasant
experiences as
temporary and
avoiding colliding
with obstacles to
continue our journey
of life with positivity.
Look at the world of plants. Plants have silently
adopted the mechanism of photosynthesis.
They continuously supply oxygen that fulfils
the necessities of other living things, using up
unwanted carbon dioxide. This is a selfless
system of profitability. It is essential that we
also choose to follow this system in our lives.
This entire world is a world that gives, not
takes. It is a culture of giving. Everything in
the world continuously conveys the message
that we should give, without taking anything
in return. We should adopt this culture, and
live as givers, rather than takers.
Similarly, we see in the world of animals, that now and then, animals
quarrel. But it is always for a short time. They quickly become normal
as if nothing had happened. In the same way, throughout our social
lives, we will go through a lot of unpleasant experiences, but we should
ensure they are only temporary.
Look at the flow of water in a mountain stream. The flow is repeatedly
obstructed by stones in its path that appear to be obstacles to its
journey. But the spring does not attempt to remove the stones to
continue its journey. Instead, it carves its way ahead around and
alongside the stones. As if telling us not to collide with obstacles, but to
continue on our way by keeping away from them.
Thus nature is silently teaching us to follow the culture of giving,
treating unpleasant experiences as temporary and avoiding colliding
with obstacles to continue our journey of life with positivity.
THE GIST OF ISLAM
God’s Worshipper, Man’s Well-wisher
THE study of the Quran tells us that it is individual-based rather
than system-oriented. That is, the actual target of the Book is
to change the thinking of the individual. Changing the system
is not the Quran’s direct objective. This is because the system is
subservient to the individual and not vice versa. That is why the utmost
emphasis is placed on inculcating right thinking in man. Yet, it is not
the method of the Quran to set out everything in advance, in detail. It
rather encourages individuals to think along the proper lines, so that
they may discover for themselves the great truths of life. In educational
terminology this is called the ‘discovery method’.
Islamic teachings can be summed up under
two basic headings—first and foremost is,
believing in One God and worshipping Him
alone; secondly, regarding all human beings
as equal and according equal rights to them.
Islamic teachings can
be summed up under
two basic headings—
first and foremost
is believing in One
God and worshipping
Him alone; secondly,
regarding all human
beings as equal and
according equal
rights to them.
In brief, monotheism and justice for all—the
Quran enshrines these basic teachings, dealing
with them in their abstract and practical
forms, however for a detailed application of
their wisdom, one must go to the Hadith (the
sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad).
As far as social life is concerned, the essence
of Islamic teaching is that God has granted
freedom to everyone. This freedom in itself
demands that people should lead their lives
with proper restraint.
For if freedom is exercised without restraint, it will inevitably result
in friction, outright clashes and the descent of society into chaos.
Social equilibrium can be maintained only if conscience prevails over
the ego. In social life, our actions elicit good or evil depending upon
whether we have activated the ego or the conscience of the person or
persons concerned. If the ego is touched, we will face reaction from the
other side. However, if we awaken a person’s conscience we will see
antagonism turn to friendship.
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
BUILDING THIS WORLD, OR
PREPARING FOR THE HEREAFTER?
IF you look around you, you will see that everyone (including
probably yourself) seems frantically busy with something or the
other. People are so caught up doing their own things that they do
not seem to have the time to listen or think about anything else. They
know of just one way of using their time and resources—and that is, to
spend it on seeking to achieve the numerous worldly goals they have
set for themselves.
People’s business is geared simply to one thing. And that is, to make
their little worlds as nice as possible. By and large they are concerned
only with worldly progress.
Death, however, is a bold rebuttal of this worldview. Everyone has to
die one day, and so all the worldly wealth you have accumulated will
one day be snatched away from you. You will have to leave behind
forever the little world that you have spent all your energy, time and
other resources in building. You will be taken towards such a world for
which you possess nothing at all if you did not adequately prepare for
it while in this world.
Every person who is born into this world very soon starts thinking
in the same worldly terms as the people around him. Like them, he
too gets entangled in all sorts of material pursuits. Because of this,
materialistic thinking has become a part of the continuing flow of
human history. This sort of thinking has become such an integral part
of cultural traditions that it seems almost impossible for anyone to be
able to think free from it.
It is here that man’s real test takes place. If you want to be truly
successful in life, you must extricate yourself from this conventional
way of thinking and begin to think for yourself. You must separate
yourself from traditional culture and thinking and form your opinions
based on reality. Only then will you realize that the real issue for us
human beings is not worldly progress, but instead, preparation for
the eternal Hereafter. Our real task while in our pre-death period is
to prepare for the post-death period of our lives. We must work on
developing ourselves in such a way that in the eternal life that will
unfold after death, we will be able to attain success.
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.
THE MEANING OF JIHAD
JIHAD is regularly misconstrued as war, with all its connotations of
violence and bloodshed. However, in the Islamic context, and in the
literal sense, the word jihad simply means a struggle—doing one’s
utmost to further a worthy cause. This is an entirely peaceful struggle,
with no overtones even of aggression. The actual Arabic equivalent of
war is qital, and even this is meant in a defensive sense.
According to Islamic teachings, jihad is of two kinds. One is with the
self (jihad bin nafs), that is making the maximum effort to keep control
over negative feelings such as—arrogance,
jealousy, greed, revenge, anger—in one’s self.
The psychological efforts to lead such a life
of restraint is what jihad bin nafs is about. In
social life, it happens time and again that all
sorts of base, negative feelings well up within
a man, causing him to lead his life succumbing
to desires and temptations. The internal
effort made in such a situation to overcome
the temptations of the self and to continue
to lead a life guided by principles is the truly
Islamic jihad bin nafs.
Jihad bin nafs
means making the
maximum effort to
keep control over
negative feelings
such as—arrogance,
jealousy, greed,
revenge, anger—in
one’s self.
According to the Hadith, a believer is one who wages jihad with himself
in the path of obedience to God. That is, at moments when the self divine path. This is his jihad—a permanent feature of life of a believer,
continuing day and night, and ending only with death.
The other form of jihad is to propagate the constructive message of
Islam. All those who embark upon this course must first of all study the
Quran and Sunnah in a dispassionate and objective manner. No kind of
conditioning should be allowed to come in the way of such study. Only
after passing through this intellectual jihad will one be in a position to
make a true representation of the religion to the world.
Two conditions have been laid down in the Quran for the communication
of the teachings of Islam to others—nasih (well wishing) and amin
(trustworthiness). The former appertains to God and the latter to man.
Two conditions have
been laid down in
the Quran for the
communication of
the teachings of
Islam to others—
nasih, well-wishing
and amin—
trustworthiness. The
former appertains to
God and the latter to
man.
What is meant by nasih is an earnest desire on
the part of the preacher of truth for the wellbeing not just of his immediate interlocutors,
but of the whole of humanity. This wellwishing should be so steadfast that it remains
undiluted even in the face of injustice and
oppression. Overlooking people’s negative
behaviour towards him, the preacher should
continue to remain their well-wisher. The
element of trustworthiness (amin) is important
in that it ensures that the religion God has sent
to the world will be presented to the people
without deletion, addition or distortion. For
instance, if the Islam sent by God is akhirah
(Hereafter) oriented, it should not become
world-oriented; if it is spiritually based, it should not become politicsbased; if it confines jihad to peaceful struggle, it should not become
violence-based. Islam asks us to perform jihad by means of the Quran,
calling this ‘greater’ jihad (
‘greater’ jihad by means of the gun.
This is a clear proof that jihad is, in fact, a wholly peaceful activity,
carried out through peaceful methods. It has nothing to do with violent
activities or violent threats.
Jihad through the Quran means striving to the utmost to present the
teachings of the Quran before people. That is, presenting the concept
of One God; presenting akhirah-oriented life as superior to worldoriented life; principle-oriented life as against interest-oriented life;
a humanitarian-oriented life as more elevated than a self-oriented life and a duty-oriented life as a categorical imperative, taking moral
precedence over a rights-oriented life.
According to the
Hadith, a believer is
one who wages jihad
with himself in the
path of obedience
to God. That is, at
moments when the
self (nafs), lured by
some temptation,
desires to deviate
from the path of
God, he keeps control
over it and remains
unswervingly on the
divine path.
Jihad, according to Islam, is not something
about which there is any mystery. It is
simply a natural requirement of daily living.
It is vital both as a concept and as a practice
because, while leading his life in this world,
man is repeatedly confronted by such
circumstances as are likely to derail him from
the humanitarian path of the highest order.
These factors sometimes appear within
man in the form of negative feelings. This is
something to which everyone must remain
intellectually alert, so that if for any reason
there is some danger of a negative mindset
gaining the upper hand, he may consciously
and deliberately turn himself to positive
thinking. Even if circumstances repeatedly
place him in situations which are depressing
and demoralizing, he must never lose course
or sight of noble goals. The reassertion of his
ethical sense is the real jihad which he has to wage.
From the Islamic standpoint, intention is all-important. Any
undertaking carried out with good intentions will win God’s approval,
while anything done with bad intention is bound to be disapproved
of and rejected by God. In fact, intentions are the sole criterion of
good or bad actions, in the divine scheme of things. And it is one’s
intense inner struggle to make all activities God-oriented, which is truly
Islamic jihad.
SPIRITUALITY GRATITUDE
Strongly Connected
THERE is nothing mysterious about spirituality in Islam. It is the
direct result of the kind of intellectual development that takes
place when a believer ponders over the Creator and His creation:
he gains something in the process that may be termed spirituality. The
source, therefore, of Islamic spirituality is perusal and reflection rather
than any sort of mysterious exercise.
That is why the Quran rejects monasticism, referring to it as an
innovation in religion, which God did not prescribe for people. (
From the Quran we learn that, in the very creation of the universe, the
signs of God lie hidden all around us. A person who is in a state of keen
awareness when he reflects upon the things of the world, comes to see
the Creator in the creation. The meaning of the creation of the universe
is laid bare before him. Ultimately, the universe becomes a permanent
source of spiritual inspiration. He is continuously nourished by it during
his worldly experience, and his observation of the universe awakens in
him latent divine qualities.
This observation and contemplation of the universe does not result
in his shunning normal life. Far from withdrawing from the world, he
lives in it, participating in all its activities; yet despite his involvement,
remaining aloof. That is to say, although he fulfills all his duties and
responsibilities, his heart is not attached to worldly affairs.
He appears to live in the world, but he stands apart from it. Thanks
to this state of his heart, he acquires tremendous spiritual gains. The
Prophet Muhammad says of such individuals:
“God plants wisdom in the heart of one who shows
disinclination for the world.”
It is important to note that the concept of spirituality in Islam is based
on the principle of God-realization. God is the treasure house of all
virtues. And when man’s contact with God is established in the world
of his feelings, at the psychological level, an unseen, inner revolution
is brought about, which is called spirituality. In this matter the
relationship between God and man can be likened to an electric wire
and the powerhouse. When the wire is connected to the powerhouse,
electricity is produced, and the place is lit up. In this way, spirituality is
the result of the connection to the power house of God.
Human nature is like an inflammable element. When an inflammable
substance like petrol comes near a fire, it is ignited. Similarly, human
nature is awakened when it comes in contact with God. This finds
expression in the Quran in these words:
God is the light of the heavens and the earth. His light containing
a lamp, the lamp inside a crystal of star-like brilliance lit from
a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west. The
[luminous] oil is as if ready to burn without even touching it.
Light upon light; God guides to His light whom He will. God
draws such comparisons for mankind; God has full knowledge
of everything. (
This is a compound simile. ‘Light’ here means the guidance of Almighty,
‘niche’ means the human heart and ‘lamp’ denotes the capability to
receive divine inspiration. Glass and oil elaborate upon this receptivity.
‘Glass’ shows that this receptivity has been lodged in the human heart;
protected from outside influences, and clear oil indicates that this
receptivity is very strong and is eagerly waiting to receive inspiration.
When it comes to
interactions with
people a spiritual
person will render
service to alleviate
the sufferings of
humankind.
This verse makes it clear that, on the one hand, is God, the source
of inspiration, and on the other, is the consciousness of spirituality
(God-consciousness) with which man is born. In this way when these
two things come together, Islamic spirituality
comes into existence. This is indeed
another name for the awakening of Godconsciousness. When it reaches its highest
stage, the believer’s realization of God
comes to that point where he begins to feel
consciously in his worship that he is seeing
God and if he is unable to come to this stage
then he consciously feels that God is seeing
him. If the first type of experience is called
direct spiritual experience, the second type
may be termed indirect spiritual experience.
As the Quran tells us, “Prostrate yourself and come closer to God” (
19). For God is always close to us—closer than our jugular vein (
total surrender to God, the soul can realize nearness to God.
These spiritual experiences cannot be explained in words. Everything
in the universe seems to convey a divine message. The leaves of the
tree become a thrilling experience. A waft of air gives a message of
truth. Divine music can be heard in the burbling of the river and the
chirping of the birds.
Due to this high state of receptivity, he is enabled, in the words of the
Prophet: “to see with God’s eye, to speak with God’s tongue, to walk
with God’s foot, to hear with the ear of God.” Then all limitations vanish
and his day and night are spent in God’s neighbourhood. All this can
be felt, not described in words. This can be explained with the example
of a child who has limitless love for his mother. He knows it himself in
the full sense but he cannot fully describe it in words. The same is true
of spirituality.
When a person is linked with the source of spirituality, he undergoes
such spiritual experiences as he himself fully understands, but has
difficulty in conveying to others. He may describe some external signs
but he cannot describe inner reality.
Although it is difficult to describe the inner reality of spirituality, its
method of attainment can be described to a certain extent and
followed by others. To attain spirituality, first of all man has to free
his mind from confusion. It is difficult for a confused mind to undergo
spiritual experiences. The basic reason for
confused thinking is that man is not able
to differentiate between the real and the
superficial, the relevant and the irrelevant,
rational thinking and superstition, logical and
illogical statements. One who thinks thus will
always remain in a state of mental confusion.
He will never be able to find the straight path.
As a result, his spiritual journey will never
start.
The Prophet
Muhammad has
said that, “One who
does not express his
gratitude to other
human beings will
never be thankful to
God.”
On the path of spirituality, a believer cannot
be his own guide. And one certainly needs a
guide. This guide is the Quran. It is an authentic and carefully preserved
book of God. That is why the Quran can be trusted as a guide by the
spiritual traveller. After making the Quran one’s guide, one can set
one’s spiritual journey on the right track.
The spiritual journey demands a change in lifestyle. The lifestyle for a
spiritual traveller may be put briefly in these words: ‘Simple living and
high thinking.’
Simple living means limiting one’s worldly requirements to the
minimum and assiduously avoiding comfort and luxury. That is why the
Sufis used to wear coarse clothes as a symbol of the simple life. It helps
the traveller in his spiritual journey. High thinking means that one's
thoughts are not embroiled in material things. By engaging one’s mind in higher realities, one becomes a recipient of divine inspiration. This
inspiration of divine light comes to his mind uninterruptedly, igniting
his whole existence.
The Quran attaches great importance to contemplation, reflection
and serious thought. There are a number of verses in the Quran that
indicate that innumerable signs of God are extant in the heavens and
the earth. The observance of God’s signs is the greatest source of
spirituality.
According to a Hadith, ‘Worship God as if you are seeing him’, (Sahih-al
Bukhari). When man engages himself in true devotion; he is linked with
God at a sensory or psychological level.
He comes close to God. Through an invisible cord he comes in contact
with God; God’s light passes through him. His entire existence comes
to be pervaded by this indescribable feeling, which is called spiritual
experience.
This is called rabbaniat in the Quran (Be devoted servants of the Lord)
(
individual attains spirituality, his state becomes like a lamp lit all of a
sudden. He undergoes spiritual experiences.
His heart becomes an ocean of spiritual
waves. He appears to live in this world, but
he has found another far superior world for
himself.
The spiritual journey
demands a change in
lifestyle. The lifestyle
for a spiritual
traveller may be
put briefly in these
words: ‘Simple living
and high thinking.
When it comes to interactions with people, he
will render service to alleviate the sufferings
of humankind. The following incident brings
out the concept of service to others in a very
profound way. During the British monarchy,
one of the British Emperors disguised himself
as an ordinary person to inspect his military
establishments. During an interaction when one military officer
admonished him in a very stern and harsh manner, the disguised king
asked, “Do you know who I am?”
Taken aback at such a question and doubting himself the officer said,
“Are you a military officer just as I am?” The king replied, “I am of a
greater position than that”. The officer said, “Then you must be a
Captain.” Again to this the king replied, “I am greater than that.” “Are
you a colonel?” asked the officer. “No, I am greater than that”, was the reply. The officer said, “Then you must be a General”. “No, I am even
greater than a general”, said the king.
Then the officer who was by now in total shock said, “Then you must be
the Emperor”. He said, “Yes, I am the king”. The officer handed his gun
to the king and said, “You may shoot me for my crime, I have failed to
recognize my king”. The king said, “No, you are a good military officer
but I have an advice for you. Whenever you interact with any common
man think of him as your king and of yourself as an ordinary soldier
then you will treat every individual in the best manner and will consider
the common man’s affairs as the affairs of the king”.
To understand the above more clearly the following Hadith is very
important. On Doomsday, God says to a person, “I was ill, but you did
not come to nurse Me.” The man will reply, “God, You being the Lord
of the universe, how can You be ill”? God will answer, “Such and such
servant of Mine was ill. Had you gone there, you would have found Me
there with him.” Then God says to another person, “I was hungry but
you did not feed Me.” The person will reply, “God, You are the Lord of
the worlds, how could You go hungry?” God says, “Such and such of My
servants came to you, but you did not feed him. Had you done so, you
would have found Me with him.” Then God says to yet another man,
“I was thirsty, and you did not give Me water to drink.” That person
will also say, “God, You are the Lord of the worlds, how could You be
thirsty?” God says, “Such and such servant of Mine came to you, but
you did not give him water to drink. Had you offered him water, you
would have found Me there with him.”
In this Hadith the teaching is that you consider every interaction with
others as an interaction with God. The words used in the Hadith are
symbolic and this Hadith guides us towards the character of a believer.
A person who treats every human interaction as an interaction with
God will not commit any excesses in his behaviour.
The Islamic principle highlighted here is that if a person wants to find
God, he shall first have to make himself deserving of this by serving
others. This paves the way to spiritual progress. Only those who have
elevated themselves spiritually will find God.
Now what is the connection between spirituality and gratitude?
If we realize the Unseen God in the above sense then it is impossible that
we will be ungrateful to our fellow beings as we are all interdependent
to live our life on earth. With this understanding we will move on to the
aspect of gratitude which highlights this point with more clarity.
The Prophet Muhammad has said that, “One who does not express his
gratitude to other human beings will never be thankful to God.”
Thankfulness is a state of mind which cannot be compartmentalized.
If it manifests itself in one place, the chances are that it will do so in
other places too. If a man shows gratitude to one person, he will surely
show it to others likewise. When a man does
someone a good turn, it is something quite
obvious—a tangible direct experience. On the
contrary, God’s kindness, being an indirect
experience, is not at all obvious. One has to
be perceptive, and reflective to be able to
realize the favours granted to man by God.
While the favours a man does are observable,
God’s favours can be realized only by thinking
about them.
If a person wants to
find God, he shall
first have to make
himself deserving
of this by serving
others. This paves
his way to spiritual
progress. Only those
who have elevated
themselves spiritually
will find God.
One who fails to perceive an event which is
directly observable cannot be expected to
grasp something which can be apprehended
only after a great deal of cogitation.
If the recipient of a favour fails to acknowledge it for fear of belittling
himself in the eyes of his benefactor, he does himself nothing but
harm. It is more a question of being belittled in the eyes of his own
conscience than falling down in others’ eyes—a course by far the more
injurious.
An even greater disadvantage of an ungrateful attitude is that it
produces a mentality of non-acknowledgement. Failing at first to
acknowledge the favours of one’s fellow men leads on to failure to give
wholehearted credence to the Lord of the universe. There is no greater
loss in this world than one who has failed to acknowledge his Creator.
Thus, Islam inculcates the spirit of gratitude towards one’s fellow
beings and towards God.
True spirituality is the elevation of the human condition to a plane on
which the mind is focused on the higher, non-material realities of a
Godly existence. The sign of a person being spiritual for sure is that
he will contribute positively towards humanity, will be compassionate,
kind to the animals as well and will not harm the environment. He will
be self-motivated in doing this.
A COMPARISON
For Introspection
RAMAZAN—the month of fasting, is a special and blessed month
for Muslims. It is a month of restraint and worship; of caring and
thanksgiving; of repentance and piety. The multitude of benefits
of this month inspired the Prophet to exclaim: “Welcome to the one
who purifies!”
It is a month of spiritual activism when believers endeavour to awaken
their spirituality. It is a scheme to improve human beings; to weaken
man’s dependence on material things and strengthen his spiritual
resolve, so that he may enter the higher realms of piety. The month
which encourages all to ask for higher things from God; to ask for His
forgiveness; for His blessings and for success in the Hereafter.
Ramazan is also the month of patience.
One has to have patience to live a life of
restraint and be self-controlled. The most
important thing required to lead an Islamic
life in this world is patience. Unlike other
months this month provides more time and
a congenial atmosphere to help the believer
to contemplate on the meaning of the Quran.
Therefore it is also known as the month of
contemplation. Believers turn away from
many activities and spend time in peace and
tranquillity which creates an environment for
moral rectification.
Ramazan is the
month of patience.
One has to have
patience to live a life
of restraint and be
self-controlled. The
most important thing
required to lead an
Islamic life in this
world is patience.
The month of Ramazan serves as a training course in humility. Humility
refers to fear of God which means realization of a person’s helplessness
vis-a-vis God’s greatness. This ensures the spiritual growth of a person
thereby cleansing him of feelings of pride and ego which lead to his
being distanced from God.
The above aspects of the month of fasting were fully observed by
the Prophet and his Companions. Today, if we compare the culture
followed in society during the month of Ramazan what do we see?
One cannot deny that there are individuals who observe this worship
in full earnestness in its spirit. However, the general tendency is
more towards lavish food at Iftar and Sehri time. Spending more time
in shopping centres, purchasing material gifts for others and for oneself. More people begging on the streets, excessive sleeping during
the day and continuous activity during the night without taking into
consideration the needs of the sick, elderly, children and people of
other communities.
Then how about the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr and the day of Eid itself? A portion
of a Hadith pertaining to the day before Eid is as follows: during the last
night of Ramazan, the sins of all the believers who have been fasting are
forgiven. It was asked, ‘O Prophet of God, is this night the one known as
the ‘night of power? The Prophet replied, ‘No, but as soon as the deed
is done, the reward for the deed is immediately bestowed’.
The month of
Ramazan serves as
a training course in
humility. Humility
refers to fear of
God which means
realization of a
person’s helplessness
vis-a-vis God’s
greatness. This
ensures the spiritual
growth of a person
thereby cleansing
him of feelings of
pride and ego which
lead to his being
distanced from God.
According to this Hadith, on the last night of
Ramazan, those amongst the followers of the
Prophet who have fasted in the true spirit will
be rewarded for their deeds, and this will be
noted in their records. This night of Ramazan
is referred to in other Hadith literature as the
‘night of reward’ (Al Bayhaqi). God rewards
His believers for every good deed. Due to
the special significance of worship during
Ramazan, this reward has been specifically
mentioned by the Prophet.
It is so unfortunate that the night before Eid is
spent by most people in careless indulgence
and entertainment. They throng shopping
centres and market places. The above Hadith
is a warning against all such frivolities.
Another Hadith regarding the day of Eid-ulFitr is reported as: When the day of Eid-ulFitr dawns on them, then God is pleased and
proclaims to the angels. ‘O my angels, what is
the reward for the doer who has completed
his deed, The angels reply, ‘Our Lord, such a person should be given
the complete reward for the deed done.’
The day of Eid is a day of glad tidings and its true spirit is to promote
spiritual values among people and create a peaceful environment
in society. This day should be celebrated with praises of God,
thankfulness, while refraining from causing any kind of inconvenience
to fellow citizens irrespective of what inconveniences one faces during
celebrations by others in society.
CLARIFICATION OF A MISUNDERSTANDING
For Better Understanding
MANY Muslims reckon the month of Ramazan as the month of
victory. What is the basis of this understanding? The answer is
that it is a fact that the battle of Badr took place during the life
of the Prophet in the month of Ramazan in 624 CE. In this battle, the
Prophet and his Companions emerged victorious. This was the logic
used to regard Ramazan as the month of victory.
But this is a flawed assumption. The battle of Badr was not a matter of
choice for the Prophet of Islam. It was a war fought to defend against
an enemy who had marched towards Madinah in this month to attack
the Prophet and his Companions. This armed aggression led to the
defensive war at Badr.
The month of
Ramazan is called the
month of patience.
It is the month of
self-control; curbing
of desires; not being
provoked in spite
of provocation;
developing
spirituality by
enduring the pangs
of hunger and thirst;
and striving to come
closer to God by
remembering Him
through prayer and
the reading of the
Quran.
None of the other defensive battles in the
initial history of Islam were fought during
Ramazan. This is a clear proof that the month
of Ramazan has nothing to do with war.
War is never the choice of the believers.
Islam states that war can be waged only in
defence. And it is more than clear that it is the
aggressor who fixes the date according to his
choice, leaving no option to the defender.
The Prophet is reported to have said: ‘Do
not wish for confrontation with the enemy,
instead ask for peace from God.’ (Sahih alBukhari)
This illustrates the basic principle of Islam
vis-a-vis war. Peace is the rule and war an
exception. In Islam war is an act of compulsion
rather than an option. The situation of war is
not created by the believers but forced on
them requiring a response in self-defence.
The month of Ramazan is called the month of patience. It is the month
of self-control; curbing of desires; not being provoked in spite of
provocation; developing spirituality by enduring the pangs of hunger
and thirst; and striving to come closer to God by remembering Him through prayer and the reading of the Quran. This is possible only
when man distances himself from the material world and comes closer
to the spiritual world of God.
The following dictums amply make it clear that Ramazan is the month
of peace. This is the month of awakening one’s inner nature, to be
engrossed in thoughts of God, rather than in embroiling oneself in
worldly matters.
On sighting the new moon of Ramazan, the Prophet Muhammad
observed:
‘O God, let the moon of the month of Ramazan appear on us
with peace and security'. (At-Tirmizi, Ad-Darmi, Musnad Ahmad)
The above supplication shows the feelings with which the Prophet of
Islam welcomed the month of Ramazan. These words of the Prophet
provide a definite proof that Ramazan has nothing to do with war.
Rather it aims at building a society in which peace and goodwill flourish.
On fasting during Ramazan, the Quran says: Believers, fasting has been
prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so
that you may guard yourselves against evil. (
prescribed to enable people to follow the right path; to receive training
for a life of righteousness (taqwa).
Taqwa, guarding oneself, is explained in the following conversation
between two companions of the Prophet. Umar Farooq, the second
Caliph once asked Ubayy ibn Kaab, a senior Companion to explain the
meaning of taqwa.
He replied, “O leader of the believers, have you ever taken a
path flanked by thorny bushes?”
Umar replied in the affirmative. Ubayy ibn Kaab wished to
know how he protected himself. He said, “I gathered my
clothes close to me and went on my way”.
Ubayy ibn Kaab said, “It is this cautious attitude which is called
taqwa.” (Al Qurtubi)
Ramazan is the month of taqwa; it is the month of guarding oneself
against ‘thorns’. It would be strange to think of Ramazan as the time for
embroiling oneself in thorns, instead of guarding oneself from them!
PARADISE AND ITS INHABITANTS
Qualification Required
WHAT is Paradise? Paradise is the supreme reward which God
gives to His special servants for their deserving actions.
Paradise is a world of unique blessings, admission to which
is reserved for the chosen few in the second stage of life, the Hereafter.
God’s special servants are those who have demonstrated in ample
measure their ability to live on the plane of realities in this present
stage of life—the stage of trial. They are the ones who have discovered
God’s existence from His signs; who have found that the messenger of
God is a human being just like themselves; who, without having seen
God, have prostrated themselves before Him in all humility.
These are unique human beings who, having been created with an
ego, have nevertheless divested themselves of it in the interests of
truth; who, having been given complete freedom of word and deed,
have voluntarily placed constraints upon themselves; who, having
apparently achieved everything by dint of their own hard labour, have
nonetheless given complete credit for all their achievements to God.
These are unique souls who, living amongst human beings, are
constantly remembering God. They are the ones who have had power
over others, but who now exercise it out of fear of God; it is they who
have agitated to take revenge, but who have had the fire in their souls
placated by the fear of God’s chastisement.
These are the worthy individuals who relish taking the back seats while
others scramble for the front rows. These are the people who give their
lives to lay solid foundations while others rush to find places right on
top of the domes.
These are the people of great spiritual refinement who rise above
personal prejudices before sitting in judgement; who, in order to deal
with others purely on the basis of principles, eliminate their own selves; who budge not one inch from the path of justice even at the most crucial
of moments, when complaints and differences seem insurmountable.
They do so by adopting a path for themselves which accords exactly
with the path of truth and justice overlooking all worldly considerations.
Paradise is God’s garden. Only those human beings deserve it who can
live in this world with the blameless innocence of flowers.
RESPECT FOR HUMANITY
A Foundation Virtue
GOD tells us in the Quran: “We have indeed honoured the Children
of Adam, and provided for them means of transportation on
land and sea, and given them wholesome food and exalted
them above many of Our creatures." (
This shows that man by his very creation deserves regard and respect.
This respect is man’s natural birthright, regardless of the community
he belongs to.
According to a Hadith: “That person is not one of us who is not merciful
to our younger ones and respectful to our elders.” According to another
Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad said, “One who believes in God and
the Last Day must honour his neighbours; one who believes in God and
the Last Day must honour his guests.”
There are a number of such commands to the
believers in the Quran and the Hadith which
lay great stress on showing due respect to the
servants of God. Our love and devotion for
God find expression in this world in the form
of our relations with other human beings.
One who is a true lover of God has an inner
urge to love God’s servants.
Respect for
humankind is one of
the basic teachings
of lslam. Anyone of
one’s own religion
or of any other
religious tradition,
whether he belongs
to one community
or another; whether
he belongs to a
friendly group or the
opponents group, in
all cases is worthy of
respect.
Respect for humankind is one of the basic
teachings of lslam. Anyone of one’s own
religion or of any other religious tradition,
whether he belongs to one community or
another; whether he belongs to a friendly
group or the opponents group, in all cases
is worthy of respect. According to the
teachings of Islam, human beings are to be
respected despite their differences. Even
where antagonism is displayed, we have to
adopt the way of avoidance of conflict and continue to show respectful
behaviour. In the eyes of Islam, all human beings are equal and deserve
our respect.
REFORMED BEHAVIOUR
Maintain the Order
DO not spread corruption on the earth after it has been set in
order, pray to Him with fear and hope, God's mercy is close to
those who do good. (THE QURAN 7: 56)
Reform means leading one’s life in accordance with God-established
system. It is not lawful for man to adopt any path other than this.
Human activity was initially designed by God to create no excessive
clamour. So, now man should refrain from using modern contrivances
which create noise pollution. Here, God has arranged for breathing
fresh air, so man must not indulge in activities which may pollute the
atmosphere. Vegetation and animals flourish in their separate spheres,
so man should remain in his own sphere, instead of encroaching on
those of other creatures. Since everything is
functioning in a planned way, man should,
refrain from adopting any such emotional,
hasty course that will lead to social disruption.
All the things of this
world are functioning
in complete
coordination with
one another, so man
must also lead his
life in harmony with
others, wishing them
well and seeking
what is profitable
for his brethren. The
benefits of such a
world are manifold.
All the things of this world are functioning in
complete coordination with one another, so
man must also lead his life in harmony with
others, wishing them well and seeking what
is profitable for his brethren. The benefits of
such a world are manifold.
There are only two possible kinds of behaviour
for man on this earth created by God—
reformed behaviour and corrupt behaviour.
Reformed behaviour is the conscious
following of the order already established
by God in the universe. As opposed to this,
corrupt behaviour is deviation from that
order and the adoption of a self-made system. But the latter course
ill befits God’s creatures, for the earth has already been reformed by
God. This has not been left for man to do. Man has only to follow the
path of nature and build his society in the same pattern. This reformed
earth of God is not only the best place for human habitation, but is also
the best model for human conduct.
THE WAY OF MODERATION
Beneficial Always
ACCORDING to a Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad observed: The
moderate action is the best of all actions. Ali ibn Abi Talib, the
Prophet's Companion, advised the people: ‘Adopt the middle
path.’ (Tafsir Qurtubi)
The middle path means the path of moderation. One instance of it can
be seen in the following verse of the Quran:
Be neither miserly nor prodigal, for then you should neither be
reproached nor be reduced to penury. (
The same point, worded differently, has been made in another verse
which characterizes “the true servants of the Merciful” are “those who,
when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but maintain
a just balance between those extremes” (
According to this verse, moderate spending means neither lavishness
nor miserliness but rather a balanced expenditure which will make
life much easier to lead. In the same way, as regards optional fasts,
prayers, etc., a middle path is desirable for man, as this enables him to
maintain such a pattern of behaviour over a long period of time.
This middle path—the best path to follow—relates to all spheres of life.
Man must shun extreme paths in all matters, for this accords with both
the spirit of religion as well as with worldly success.
The middle path, to put it differently, is the non-emotional way. If a
man loses his mental balance when confronted with any difficult
situation in life, he goes to one extreme or the other. But if he keeps his
feelings under control, he will be able to determine the proper course
of action by giving it ample thought. A well considered deed is always
a moderate one; one who does not follow a moderate path will exceed
all bounds both in friendship and in enmity. He will also be given to
undue optimism in positive and pessimism in negative situations, and
will unnecessarily regard some individuals as too bad and others as too
good. However, it is the verdict of nature, that in this world a moderate
approach in life always succeeds, while taking the path of extremes
inevitably leads to failure.
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 AD 610 and 632. 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 Beneficent the Most Merciful
O you who are wrapped up in your mantle, stand up to pray for much
of the night. It may be half the night or a little less than that or a little
more, but recite the Quran slowly and distinctly. For We are about to
send down to you a message of considerable gravity. (
Literally ‘recite the Quran in slow, measured rhythmic tones’. This means
‘recite, paying full attention to the import of the content’. When recited
like this, a two- way process between Quran and its reciter comes into
play. For him, the Quran is an address or speech by God and his heart
starts answering this address at every verse. In the Quran where there
is any mention of God’s majesty, the reciter’s entire existence is strongly
affected by the realization of His greatness. When God’s blessings are
enumerated in the Quran, the reciter’s heart overflows with gratitude;
when God’s retribution is described in the Quran, the reciter trembles
on reading it; when an order is laid down in the Quran, the feeling
becomes intensified in the reciter that he should become the obedient
subject of his Lord by carrying out that order.
Literally ‘weighty words’ refers to that order for giving warning which
is mentioned in the next chapter, ‘Arise and give warning’ (
means inform people about the hazards of the Hereafter. Undoubtedly
this is the most difficult task in the world. For this, the missionary has
to stand by the pure and unadulterated Truth, even if he becomes
a stranger to all his people. He has to tolerate being tormented by
the people, so that the relationship between him and his addressees
remains unaffected till the last moment. He has to be unilaterally governed by the principles of patience and avoidance of confrontation,
so that his status as da‘i should not be damaged.
Surely, getting up at night [for worship] is the most potent means of
subduing the self and most suitable for the word [of prayer]. You have
by day prolonged occupations [with Dawah work]. Remember the
name of your Lord, and devote yourself to Him wholeheartedly. He is
the Lord of the East and the West, there is no deity but Him, so take
Him as your Guardian. Bear patiently with what they say, and ignore
them politely. Leave it to Me to deal with the deniers, who live a life
of comfort, and bear with them a little longer. We have in store for
them heavy fetters and a blazing Fire, food that chokes and painful
punishment on the Day the earth and mountains shall shake and the
mountains crumble into shifting sand dunes. (
Delivering the call for acceptance of the Truth means initiating the
most difficult campaign. One who does so becomes persona non grata
in his entire surroundings. In such conditions, the only Being whom
the preacher of Truth finds as his sympathiser and supporter is his
Lord. He not only goes on remembering his God in his heart, but he
also stands before Him during the night. Night time is the time of
leisure. In the dead silence of night man finds a better opportunity to
turn towards God with full concentration. In the path of the mission of
Truth, strewn as it is with difficulties, this is the only real weapon which
the missionary has.
It is the way of a true preacher that, when he is troubled by an
addressee, he does not inveigh against or argue with him, but rushes
towards God. He abstains from negative reaction till the last moment.
And to continue to work, rising above such a reaction, is the essential
condition which makes a man a missionary of the Truth in the real
sense.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
Is fasting to do with not eating and drinking for a few hours during the
day and then eating as one desires past the restricted hours?
Fasting does not simply amount to observing hunger for a temporary
period of time. In fact, it symbolizes a lifelong culture of dedication.
The Arabic equivalent of fasting is sawm, which means abstinence.
Abstinence is the gist of fasting. Abstinence from food and water for
a limited period is symbolic training. Fasting reminds a faithful person
that if the acts of abstinence were to reach the extent of refraining
from food and water for a temporary period, then he would be ready
to do so for a higher purpose. Although this training is for a temporary
period it enables one to lead one’s whole life in accordance with this
spirit. Fasting is not a set of rituals. It is the adoption of the well-known
principle—simple living, high thinking. Simplicity in one’s food habits
will be an integral part of a believer’s life. One of the teachings of the
Prophet is ‘simplicity is a part of faith’. Extravagance of any kind will not
be the way of a true follower of the Prophet.
Is it true that during Ramazan Muslims are encouraged by their
religion to call people for Iftar parties and are supposed to give
sumptuous food?
Iftar is an Arabic word, which literally means ‘to break’. In the Islamic
context, it means to break the fast, to eat and drink in the evening after
the daylong fast. Iftar is not simply a matter of having dinner. It has
great significance. It is a combination of spiritual and physical food.
According to the Islamic teachings, iftar should be a simple meal and
not a lavish affair. Simplicity saves us from distraction and will make us
concentrate on the spiritual aspect of fasting. On the other hand, if the
iftar takes the form of a lavish affair, all attention will be focused on the
taste and the physical aspects, and the spiritual benefits will be lost.
These days, organizing iftar parties has become a tradition. But this
party should not be like any other party. Such a party should give us an
opportunity for spiritual exchange, turning our individual experiences
into a social experience.
Is the blessed night observed on the 26th of Ramazan by Muslims, a
night where everyone gets whatever they ask for from God? Is it to be
searched for during the last ten nights of the holy month?
This night is known as Lailatul Qadr in Arabic and its English equivalent
is the Night of Destiny. Common belief is that the Night of Destiny can
be found in the final phase of Ramazan. However similar to scientific
discoveries, finding it is the result of a long and arduous process of
seeking. A scientist spends years studying the subject and researching
it, and after a long, gruelling effort, he makes that one discovery.
Similarly, finding the Night of Destiny involves years of effort and
supplication.
A believer is required to spend a lifetime so that a prepared mind which
realizes the supreme greatness of God and one's own humility comes
into being, only then can he be hopeful of finding this night and his
prayer being accepted by God.
What are the rituals to be observed by Muslims in this night. Is it to be
observed collectively or individually?
There are no rituals as such. One has to spend the whole night in prayer
and supplication. It could be done in the mosque or in the privacy of
one’s home. It should be observed in all seriousness and sincerity.
Anything serious is not connected to any kind of loud behaviour. Every
aspect of such an activity will be sombre and solemn. Each one will
be wishing for solitude, peace and quiet to supplicate to God. Seeking
forgiveness from God cannot be a public or a loud affair. One can
understand the kind of atmosphere one needs to be able to do such
worship.
Is there any particular qualification to receive the blessings of this
night?
To answer this question it is important to understand the following
incident from the Prophet’s life. During the month of Ramazan the
Prophet was in seclusion (etikaf) practised in the final phase of
Ramazan. Then he came out of the mosque but went back in again.
He later told his Companions that an angel had come to pass on the
knowledge about the Night of Destiny. When the Prophet came out to
inform the believers, he saw two of his people quarrelling with each
other. Instantly, the knowledge of the Night was taken away from
the Prophet’s mind. This incident has a great lesson for the believers.
The quarrel was not an armed battle: the two believers were merely
arguing, but even a verbal fight is enough to have the divine knowledge
taken away. Those who adopt the path of violence can never become
the recipients of divine blessings.
To receive the blessings or knowledge from God, a believer must be a
positive personality in the ultimate sense of the word. Else the blessings
may be showered, but not on him! Positivity is the most important trait
that makes a man worthy of receiving God’s blessings. A positive mind
will not engage in conflicts and would remain free of revenge, hatred,
lust and negative thoughts. (Sahih-al Bukhari)
Kindly suggest a book where I can get the understanding of other
aspects of Islam.
You may read the magazine Spirit of Islam which publishes articles
about various topics. There is a search option on the home page of the
website www.spiritofislam.co.in from where you can read articles of
your interest.
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 )
