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 Muslims1 . 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 SPIRIT OF MODESTY
A SUPERIORITY complex is present in everyone, in varying degrees.
This gives one courage and confidence. If a person has no ego,
he will be deprived of self-confidence and in the absence of selfconfidence no one can perform any worthwhile task. But it is necessary
that one’s feelings of self-confidence or superiority complex should be
bound by limitations, that is, it should be reined in by the feeling of
modesty.
In the absence of such pressure, a person will lose his utility and
viability in social life. He will suffer from ahankar or excessive pride.
And without doubt, there is nothing more destructive than excessive
pride in this world. There are two things in this world which make a
person modest. One is a scientific bent of mind; the other is being
God-fearing. A scientific bent of mind results from the realization of
knowledge. And, a God-fearing mind is the result of the discovery and
realization of God.
When excessive pride builds up in a person, it could be because he
sees himself in relation to others, and since there are many people he finds less accomplished than himself, the feeling of ego or appreciation
of his own greatness begins to grow. But one who has a scientific bent
of mind in the real sense, sees himself and his issues in relation to
knowledge rather than in relation to the person who has knowledge.
A person can be limited, but knowledge is unlimited. In relation to the
person who has knowledge, one can think of oneself as greater than
others but in relation to the vast world of knowledge, everyone is less
in stature. This feeling naturally produces
modesty in a scientific or learned person.
One who has fear
of God will see his
affairs in relation to
God, the Almighty.
When one sees
oneself in relation
to God, everyone
becomes small, in
relation to God.
Similarly, one who has fear of God will see his
affairs in relation to God, the Almighty. When
one sees oneself in relation to God, everyone
becomes small, in relation to God. No one is
great. In this way the belief of a God-fearing
man makes him a balanced person. The spirit
of Islam may be called the Allah-u-Akbar spirit.
The expression Allah-u-Akbar is repeated
several times during Salath or prayer. Allah-uAkbar means God is great. It implies that, ‘I am
not great’. In this way, every day, all believers
refresh their minds repeatedly with the idea that greatness pertains
only to God: there is no greatness for them. Congregational prayer is
a practical demonstration of this reality. In congregational prayer, all
believers make one person a prayer leader and the rest stand behind
him. This is a social form of expression of the Allah-u-Akbar spirit.
The purpose of saying Allah-u-Akbar is to develop the spirit of modesty.
When the spirit of modesty develops in a person in the real sense, it
does not stop at any point; just as this spirit manifests itself before
God during prayer, it manifests itself in like manner in relation to other
human beings. The spirit of modesty becomes part and parcel of his
everyday life.
Those who are imbued with this spirit will never display egoism or
pride. They will never distance themselves from others on minor
provocations. Working under others will appear to them as an act of
worship. Their spirit will find happiness in surrender and modesty
rather than in making others surrender to them. They will accept their
mistakes. They will be totally free from any desire for leadership.
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.
THE IMPORTANCE OF
EDUCATION IN ISLAM
“My Lord! Increase my Knowledge.” (THE QURAN 20: 114)
THE MISSION of the Prophet of Islam has been introduced in the
Quran at more than one place as an instructor of the Book and
a teacher of wisdom. Here is a verse from the Quran:
“It is He who has raised among the unlettered people a
messenger from among themselves who recites His revelations
to them, and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and
wisdom.” (
Similarly, on another occasion the Prophet of Islam presented himself
before the people saying, “I have been sent only as a teacher.”
The first word revealed in the form of the Quran was ‘Iqra’ or ‘Read’
(
Al-Qalam says:
“God has taught man by the pen.” (
We find more than 1500 derivatives and synonyms of the word Ilm, that
is, knowledge in the Quran. In this light, it becomes easy to understand
how the revelation of the Quran, in this almost illiterate nation of Arabia set off such a wave of receiving and imparting education which
can rightly be called a learning explosion.
The revolution brought about by this learning explosion ushered in a
new age of highly developed culture and civilization not only in Arabia
but all over the world. This is a fact that has been acknowledged by
historians. For instance, the Indian historian, T. Rama Rao, begins his
biography of the Prophet of Islam with these words:
When he appeared, Arabia was a desert—a nothing. Out of
nothing of the desert a new world was fashioned by the mighty
spirit of Muhammad. A new life, a new culture, a new civilization,
a new kingdom, which extended from Morocco to India and
influenced the thought and life of three continents—Asia, Africa
and Europe. (Life of Muhammad)
Merit of the Learned and the Learners
The Quran and Hadith both hold men of knowledge preferable to
the ignorant (
devoted to the importance of knowledge, and the rewards of teaching
and learning.
For instance, there is a saying of the Prophet that, one who treads a
path in search of knowledge has his way paved to Paradise by God as a
reward for this noble deed. (Bukhari, Muslim)
According to another saying, angels in
heavens, fish in the water and ants in their
dwellings pray for the well-being of a seeker
of knowledge. (Tirmidhi)
In another Hadith, the Prophet of Islam
observed, those who learn virtues and teach
it to others are the best among humankind.
(Al-Bayhaqi)
The mission of the
Prophet of Islam
has been introduced
in the Quran as an
instructor of the
Book and a teacher
of wisdom.
At the time of the revelation, few people could
read and write. They made the maximum use
of their abilities to memorize their learnings, preserving their entire
literary heritage in their memory. There was no trace of any systematic
or organized activity of learning or teaching in Arab society of the time.
But soon after the revelation of the Quran, the trend of education set
in. Everyone who accepted Islam learnt the Quran from the Prophet,
and after learning taught others who desired to learn. In this way, the homes of the early Muslims—Abu Bakr Siddiq, Al-Arqam bin Al-Arqam,
Fatima bint Khattab—turned into centres of learning.
From the very outset, the Prophet appointed scribes who were assigned
to write down the Quranic portions as soon as they were revealed. This
motivated others as well to learn writing so that they might make their
own copies of the holy textbook. It is to be noted that even under lifethreatening circumstances, the Prophet had appointed twelve people
who were most learned amongst them as teachers of the Quran. These
teachers were so sincere and enthusiastic that within a short period
of three years they spread the knowledge of the Quran to almost each
and every home of the tribes of Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj. Hence when
the Prophet arrived at Madinah in the 13th year of his prophethood, he
found all the young and old people of these
tribes well versed in the teachings of the
Quran.
Wisdom is the
believer’s property,
he should try to
take it wherever he
finds it. —Prophet
Muhammad
At the Battle of Badr between the Muslims
and the Makkans, 70 people were taken
prisoner. After consultation with the senior
Companions, the decision was taken that on
a ransom payment of 4000 dirhams each,
they would be set free. Most of the Makkans
being businessmen, knew how to read and
write. But the Muslims in Madinah were
mostly farmers, who did not know how to read or write. Owing to the
importance of education in Islam, it was decided that those prisoners
of war who were not able to pay ransom, should be asked to teach 10
Muslim children in order to secure their freedom. This was the first
proper school in Islam established by the Prophet himself. (Tabaqat,
Ibn Sad)
The learning explosion produced by the first divine word Iqra—
Read!—continued non-stop. It initially began at Makkah and gradually
spread throughout the world. After the demise of the Prophet, the
Companions spread out in the neighbouring countries with the same
spirit of seeking knowledge and imparting it to others. From Makkah
to Madinah to Abyssinia to Iraq to Egypt to Baghdad, this revolutionary
educational movement gradually passed on to Central Asia and the
East, then to Spain and the West.
As a result, there spawned international centres of learning, education
and medicine that served towards multidimensional development in
all spheres of life.
Women were not kept away from these activities. Starting with the
Prophet’s own household, Muslim families provided equal opportunities
to the female members to learn to grow and play a constructive role in
the progress and development of society. A large number of learned
women have found mention in history as authorities on various
Islamic sciences such as Hadith, Islamic jurisprudence, biography of
the Prophet, commentary on the Quran, etc. The Prophet’s own wife,
Aisha, imparted the knowledge and wisdom she received from the first
educator—Prophet Muhammad—for almost half a century. She has
narrated more than two thousand sayings of
the Prophet, and according to Muslim jurists,
these sayings are the source of two thirds of
Islamic laws relating to social, political and
cultural issues.
Starting with the
Prophet’s own
household, Muslim
families provided
equal opportunities
to the female
members to learn
to grow and play a
constructive role in
the progress and
development of
society.
Biographers such as Ibn Khallikan (author of
Waqeya-tul-Ayan), Ibn Sa’d (author of Tabaqat),
Khatib Bhaghdadi (author of Taarikh Baghdad)
and Al-Miqrizi (author of al-Khutal-wal-Athar)
have mentioned the names of thousands of
women and their outstanding contribution
in the field of education and development
in the Muslim world. Noteworthy among
them, for instance, are the two sisters of AlFahri of Morocco, Fatimah and Maryam, the
daughters of Muhammad ibn Abdullah, who
founded the Qayrawan University and the Andalus University in the
historical city of Fas in 859 CE.
The Development of Natural Sciences
The emphasis of Islam on learning and teaching was not confined to
the Quran or the teachings of the Prophet. The Quran, in fact, has given
a new outlook, a new perspective or paradigm as coined by Thomas
Kuhn (The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 1955). According to this
Quranic paradigm, man’s most important activity being intellectual
contemplation or reflection, he was not supposed to blindly follow any
idea or notion just because it was attributed to his ancestors or some
other authority. He had to ponder on it critically and realistically. That
is why we find that the Quran is replete with hundreds of inspirational
and motivational verses that invite man to reflect on the wonderful
creation of God. For example:
In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation
of night and day, there are signs for people with intelligence,
those who remember God standing, sitting, and lying on their
sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth,
(saying) “Our Lord! You have not created all this in vain (without
purpose), Glory be to You!” (
This, we can say, was the intellectual seed
which in academic circles is referred to as
the spirit of enquiry. According to Arnold
Toynbee and other world historians, this
spirit of enquiry was the first and foremost
prerequisite for the inauguration of the
scientific era and the elimination of a
superstitious outlook on nature and life. So,
it would not be an exaggeration to say that it
is the Quran that has laid the foundation of
modern science.
The Quran and
Hadith both hold
men of knowledge
preferable to the
ignorant.
On the other hand, the Prophet himself has dealt with day-to-day
problems of life in accordance with this realistic approach taught by the
Quran. Consequently the same realistic approach became an integral
part of the frame of mind of his Companions. They all became curious,
inquisitive and realistic in all matters of life.
For example, once the Prophet passed by an oasis where he found
the farmers, who were date planters, at work. When he asked what
they were doing, he was told that they were pollinating the clusters
of dates in order to produce a better yield. The Prophet expressed his
disapproval of this process. Knowing this, the farmers immediately
stopped it. Later on the Prophet was told that due to lack of proper
pollination, the yield had been very low as compared to the previous
years. On hearing this, the Prophet replied: “You know your worldly
matters better.” (Sahih Bukhari). In other words, experiment and
observation should be the final criterion in such worldly matters.
The invitation of the Quran to enquiry on the one hand, and the
encouragement of the Prophet to engage in direct observation and
reflection on the other, led the Muslims to study everything objectively.
They started learning eagerly from everyone irrespective of their
religious and cultural origins. This trend of insatiable curiosity and
open mindedness motivated the succeeding generations during the
Umayyad and Abbasid times to enthusiastically learn and translate
the cultural legacy of other nations, particularly the Persian, Greek and Roman. Abu Jafar Mansur (714-775 CE) established Bayt al-Hikmah
(The House of Wisdom) where highly paid multilingual scholars were
appointed to translate into Arabic, books on Persian literature, Greek
philosophy, medicine, and other sciences available in those times in
different parts of the world.
This was an actualization of the Prophet’s inspiring words: “Wisdom
is the believer’s property, he should try to take it wherever he finds
it.” Of the Abbasid Caliphs, Harun ar-Rashid,
Al-Mamun and Mutadid Billah, are reported
to have invited doctors, philosophers, and
scholars from various parts of the world
to settle in Muslim cities and help in these
activities. They even bought some books by
paying for them in gold equivalent to their
weight.
Man’s most
important activity
being intellectual
contemplation or
reflection, he is not
supposed to blindly
follow any idea or
notion just because
it was attributed to
his ancestors or some
other authority.
This generous appreciation and support of the
state accelerated research work, and cultural
exchange through translation which reflected
on the general progress and development of
the entire Muslim world of the time. Spain,
under Muslim rule, witnessed a similar
progressive and developmental process.
A number of world renowned historians of science and civilization
(e.g. Hughman) have pointed out that Muslims’ contribution in the
development of natural sciences and philosophy were not merely
confined to translations from Greek, Persian, Indian, etc. For in view
of their inquisitive and critical mind-set, it was not possible for them
to accept Greek philosophy or any other sciences without an objective
analysis. The fervour shown in authentication of the Prophet’s words
was also in action in the field of natural science. Therefore, Muslim
scientists, doctors and other experts were able to remove so many
superstitious notions about nature and life that prevailed among the
Greek philosophers. On the other hand they proved to be creative
and innovative in the widest sense of the term. They sent missions for
exploring new lands. They established observatories. They corrected
many false concepts in astronomy, medicine, chemistry and physics. It
was the legacy of the Islamic civilization that reached Europe via Spain
after the fall of Granada in 1492 CE, which laid the foundation of the
Renaissance in the West.
Islam attaches such great importance to learning that the Quran says:
“Only those of His servants who possess knowledge, fear God.” (
Scholars are considered to be like angels (
for discovering the oneness and the glory of the Creator. To inculcate
this importance of knowledge in the minds of the believers, the Prophet
observed that the worship of a learned man is a thousand times
better than that of the ignorant worshipper (Mustadrak al-Hakim). By
way of encouraging reflection on the universe and nature in order to
explore divine glories, the Prophet is reported to have said: “An hour of
reflection is better than a hundred years of worship without reflection.”
(Al-Bayhaqi)
It was this interrelatedness of knowledge and worship that made
the early Muslims seek and impart knowledge wholeheartedly and
religiously.
But knowledge for the sake of knowledge
as such may not be an acceptable notion
according to Islamic ideology. Instead, a
Muslim is supposed to seek knowledge for
the pleasure of his Lord on the one hand
and for the rendering of better services to
the welfare of humankind on the other. In
other words, the motto of education in Islam,
would be knowledge for the sake of serving
God and His creatures. That is why from the
very beginning almost equal attention has
been paid to the learning of both the religious
sciences and the worldly or secular sciences.
The spirit of enquiry
was the first and
foremost prerequisite
for the inauguration
of the scientific era
and the elimination
of a superstitious
outlook on nature
and life.
Imam Ghazali, noticing a lack of interest among the youth of his times
in learning medicine and other useful crafts and skills, issued a fatwa
that doctors, craftsmen, and experts of other human skills are not less
important than the scholars of fiqh, Hadith and pure religious sciences.
(Al-Qadimwaal Hadith, M. Kurd Ali). If the two-fold purpose of life is
to worship God and serve humankind, a believer cannot succeed in
achieving it unless he devotes all his potential to the acquisition of
religious and non-religious knowledge. Thus we may conclude that:
• Iqra being the first word revealed in the Quran, an intellectual
process was simultaneously started which we have called the
learning explosion.
The commandment of Iqra has been linked with the name of
God (Read in the name of your Sustainer). This connection has
provided at the very outset the Islamic concept of education, that
is, knowledge should not be sought for the sake of knowledge, but
for the sublime purpose of the realization of God and the welfare
of man.
• This two-fold purpose of life naturally calls for Muslims to strive
hard in seeking knowledge both related to their religion and
to the progress and development of the human condition in
general. Since the Quran and Hadith have made no discrimination
between men and women concerning their rights and duties,
the commandment of Iqra is equally inspiring and motivating to
womenfolk. Consequently, they also did their best and contributed
to this noble cause with the same spirit, fervour and dedication.
• The Quranic paradigm based on the concept of Tawhid has
changed the traditional approach to the universe and human life.
An intellectual revolution took place; superstitious thinking was
replaced by rationalistic, realistic and objective analysis. Thus in
the words of Henri Pirenne, Islam changed the face of the globe.
traditional order of human history was overthrown.
Dr. Farida Khanam
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MISSIONARY ZEAL
Purpose in Life
Having a purpose in life makes one overlook all other considerations.
One is willing to endure every hardship to achieve one’s goal.
IN NOVEMBER 1922, a thirty-four year-old Spanish priest Fr. Henry
Heras (1889-1956) landed in Bombay harbour. The land of India
fascinated him. He was sure that it would be fertile ground for
Christian missionary work. He decided to settle in the country and
pursue his missionary activities here.
But India was not Fr. Heras’ motherland. He needed a base if he was to
work in the country; only after he had established himself here would
he be able to start preaching among the Indian people. He decided that
he would practise as a teacher in India, and then plan his work from
there. In a teaching capacity, he felt, he would be able to work both
inside the college campus and outside.
If one has a purpose
in life, then one will
overlook all other
considerations and
concentrate on
achieving one’s goal.
A few days later, he met the principal of
St. Xavier’s College, Bombay. The young priest
was a historian, and had a degree in history
from his own country: “Which branch of history
would you like to teach?” the principal asked
him after going through his testimonials.
“Indian History,” Fr. Heras replied at once.
“What do you know about Indian History?”
the principal asked him: Fr. Heras said that he
knew nothing. “How, then, are you going to
teach it?” “I shall study it,” Fr. Heras answered.
Fr. Heras realized that he was not going to teach history as a profession.
If he had been adopting it for his career, he could have taught European
history or any branch of history that he was acquainted with and
remained content with a pay-packet at the end of every month. He
had a special aim in his mind, and that was to establish a base for his
missionary work. For this purpose, Indian history was the most suitable
topic available to him. He was in India, and would be in a better position
to communicate his religion to the youth of the country as a teacher of
Indian history. That was why—despite his unfamiliarity with the topic—
he chose Indian history as his subject.
He studied Indian history so diligently that he not only became an
accomplished history teacher; he also established himself as a historian of the same class as Sir Jadunath Sarkar and Dr. Surendra Nath Sen.
The Heras Institute of Bombay stands today as a living memorial to
Fr. Heras and his life-work.
If one has a purpose in life, then one will overlook all other considerations
and concentrate on achieving one’s goal. Everything one does will
be aimed at that end. One will not act on the basis of mundane and
temporary profit; one will undergo loss, and endure hardship, if it
serves to bring one closer to one’s goal. There are many Muslims in the
world today who say they would like to accomplish “missionary work",
but are they ready for the selfless struggle that this work entails?
AN ISLAMIC PRINCIPLE
Patience and Tolerance
THE PROPHET advised, “It is not proper for any Muslim to disgrace
himself.” People enquired as to how someone might disgrace
himself? The Prophet replied, “By challenging an evil he is not
competent to fight with.” (Musnad, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal)
This Hadith of the Prophet reveals an important principle of Islam,
that in a composite society, whenever an evil or unpleasant situation
arises, it is not prudent for the law-abiding person to have an impulsive
confrontation with the wrong-doers. Instead, he should decide
pragmatically as to which of two options would be appropriate.
One is that he should see whether he has enough strength to fight the
miscreants and compel them to desist from their wrong-doing. If so, he
must fight with great determination so that the trouble is eradicated
and social uplift becomes possible.
The second option is to make a cool and realistic assessment of the
comparative strength of the two sides. If it is found that the odds are
too great for any favourable result to be
achieved through confrontation or that any
initial disadvantage could turn into a major
setback, it will become necessary to adopt the
policy of patience and tolerance avoiding any
confrontation with the wicked.
The policy of
avoidance does not
mean cowardice.
It simply means
refraining from
wasting time and
energy in a futile
conflict
The policy of avoidance does not mean
cowardice. It simply means refraining from
wasting time and energy in a futile conflict. By
following this course, one gains the respite to
prepare oneself adequately for future action.
It provides the opportunity to become strong
and dominant so that no one would dare do any harm. And in the event
of attempted injustice, there would be enough accumulated power to
effectively repulse any wrong-doer.
The approach of patience, tolerance and avoidance is undoubtedly one
of the most important principles of Islam.
MAN AND HIS MIND
Thinking Capacity
By space the universe encompasses and swallows me as an atom;
by thought I encompass it.
—Blaise Pascal, (1623-1662)
French philosopher and scientist
MAN has been created by God with two opposing yet
complementary qualities: the spiritual and the physical.
On the one hand is his mind, in respect of which he finds
himself limitless. He can think anything he wishes; there are simply no
boundaries to his thinking.
Yet, in his physical existence, man is extremely limited. He is bound
by innumerable kinds of constraints. The greatest limiting factor
which man faces is death. Death nullifies all
greatness in man.
In all his apparent
greatness, man must
acknowledge how
humble his condition
is. This is man’s
severest test.
This is man’s severest test. In all his apparent
greatness, he must acknowledge how humble
is his condition. Passing from a limitless to a
limited environment, he must acknowledge
the confines within which he lives. He must
accept restrictions in an atmosphere of
freedom.
Man is constantly under trial in this world.
To pass all tests, he must learn his practical
limitations vis-à-vis his intellectual limitlessness. By doing so, he can
save himself from all misapprehensions, and can exercise his free will
in the sphere of reality.
So far as animals are concerned, their thinking capacity barely goes
beyond the immediate needs of survival. They are, in this sense, like
living machines. By contrast, the area of man’s thinking is vast. The
greatest test of humanity is to discover a balance between thinking and
action.
REASON AND REVELATION
Guidance from God
Reason is a precious blessing from God. Referring to reason,
God has said that there is no creation superior to reason.
ALL OF THE TASKS a human being does are dependent on
reason. No development or progress can happen without the
application of intelligence. Without the mind, a person would be
reduced to a statue, being unable to differentiate between right and
wrong. Reason is in itself not a criterion which determines good and
evil, rather it is the ability to understand and discern. By definition,
reason is the intellectual ability by which conclusions are drawn from
premises. Thus reason is not an objective judge by itself.
Reason and revelation are not contradictory to each other. Revelation
is a source of knowledge while reason is not so. When a person
believes in what has been revealed, he does so by application of
his God-given reason to reflect and determine with certainty the
truthfulness and veracity of the knowledge he
has gained through revelation. Therefore, it
would be more appropriate to say that reason
supplements the understanding of revelation
and is not opposed or inconsistent to it.
Reason is the
intellectual ability by
which conclusions
are drawn from
premises. It is not an
objective judge by
itself.
Reason is an ability granted by God, it is not
any person’s own invention. In this matter,
deviation happened when some people
came to believe in an extreme version of
reason, that is, they began to regard reason
as a means of acquiring knowledge. Certain
religious groups reacted to this conception of
reason and began to consider reason-based discussions as inimical to
religion. Due to this mind-set they wrongly started claiming that the
spheres of reason and revelation were separate, and that the domain
of revelation begins where reason reaches its limits. The truth is that
there is a difference between utilizing reason to understand realities
and considering reason as the only source of knowledge.
The word aql, or reason, has been used in the Quran about fifty times.
The Quran repeatedly enjoins the reader to discover the credibility of
revelation by putting to use reason and rationale. For example, a verse
in the Quran instructs: “We have sent down the Quran in Arabic, so that you may understand [by applying reason].” (
verse a Prophet urges his people to reflect and determine the integrity
of his claim to prophethood (
A human being has been given various kinds
of capabilities: the hands to hold, legs to
walk, eyes to see, and ears to hear. Similarly,
humans have been granted reason so that
they may ponder over issues and comprehend
by doing rational analysis. Along with this,
humans have been given total freedom which
means that they can either make proper use
of their reason or put it to improper use.
Reason supplements
the understanding
of revelation and
is not opposed or
inconsistent to it.
The real purpose of reason is for man to
collect data or information and then through
examination and deliberation, arrive at useful knowledge. However,
reason in itself is not an authority which is why one can be either right or
wrong in taking support of reason in one’s pursuit of knowledge. Those
who see reason as the source of knowledge belong to an extremist
school of thought, a phenomenon observed everywhere including
within the sphere of religion.
A HAPPY ENDING TO THE TRAGEDY OF LIFE
The World Hereafter
THE CAPITAL of British India was initially Calcutta. In 1911, King
George V announced the transfer of the capital to Delhi. The British
architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens (1864-1944) was commissioned to
design the new capital. Construction work commenced in 1913, and
eventually the magnificent city of New Delhi came into existence.
This was a time when the whole world was being swept by a new
political wave: nationalism. Progressive trends in political thought had
rendered the colonial system of government untenable. The freedom
movement in India was fast gaining momentum. It was apparent that
British rule in India would not survive for long. The completion of New
Delhi thus coincided with the decline of the British Raj.
After the construction of New Delhi, a French political leader visited
India. When he saw the glittering palaces and spacious mansions of the
new capital of British India, he expressed his reaction in the following
words: “What a magnificent world they built to leave.”
This is not only true of the British in India;
it is true of all of us in this world. We come
into this world full of desires and aspirations.
We exert all our efforts on constructing a
“magnificent world” for ourselves on earth.
Then, just as our dream world begins to take
shape, the angel of death visits us and takes
us away from the world we have worked hard
to construct for ourselves. We are then taken
to what British author, Arthur Koestler called
an “unknown country”.
Life is a tragedy
when seen without
the Hereafter. This
tragedy can only be
given a happy ending
with the addition of
the life to come.
Life is a tragic story indeed if that is all there is to it. But this world,
like everything else in the universe, can only be complete with its
counterpart. The counterpart of this world is the Hereafter. For those
who have forgotten the next world, this life is certainly just a tragedy;
but for those who look forward to the life to come, and build for the
Hereafter in the present life, this world will become an invaluable step
towards a new, more successful existence in the next world.
Life is a tragedy when seen without the Hereafter. This tragedy can
only be given a happy ending with the addition of the life to come.
SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE IN ISLAM
Made in Heaven
THE COMING together of a man and a woman in marriage is one
of the most unique events in the universe. All the things created
in the universe are created in pairs, but the compatibility that
exists between a man and a woman cannot be found in any other
created thing. When a man and a woman come together as partners
for life, it is evident that they have been made for each other through
a conscious plan.
Marriage is not simply a social institution. In Islam, it has an importance
far greater than this. According to the Islamic concept of life, God
Almighty created an ideal world, Paradise. Paradise is a perfect and
eternal world. God wants to select those women and men who may
qualify to settle in this highly refined colony of Paradise. For the
purpose of this selection or test, God provided men and women with
free-will whilst settling them on Earth.
All the things created
in the universe are
created in pairs, but
the compatibility that
exists between a man
and a woman cannot
be found in any other
created thing
Nature demands that men and women lead
their lives together. The ideal way of leading
such a life according to the Islamic law is
within the bounds of marriage. In Islam,
marriage is both a social contract entered into
by mutual consent of the bride and groom,
and a sacred bond to which great religious
and social importance is attached. As an
institution, it is a cohesive force in society,
and worth protecting and preserving for that
reason. To that end, detailed injunctions have
been prescribed to maintain its stability and
promote its betterment.
However, in the knowledge that an excess of legal constraints can lead
to rebellion, such injunctions have been kept to a realistic minimum
and have been formulated to be consistent with normal human
capabilities. Moreover, their enforcement is less relied upon, and
importance is placed upon the religious conditioning of the individual
to ensure the maintenance of high ethical standards and appropriate
conduct in marital affairs and family life. It is said that the heart of the
believer is the custodian of the law.
The state of marriage not only lays the foundations for family life,
but also provides a training ground for individuals to make a positive contribution to society. When a man and woman prove to be a good
husband and wife, they will certainly prove to be good citizens in the
broad spectrum of their social group. This has been aptly expressed in
a Hadith:
“The best of you is one who is best for his family.”
The family being the preliminary unit for the training of human beings,
its disintegration has an injurious effect on society. Human beings
must individually make a positive contribution, if collectively they
are to form a good and just nation. If the family no longer exists, it is
the whole of humanity which suffers. Once a man and a woman are
bound together in the bonds of matrimony, they are expected to do
their utmost, till the day they die to honour
and uphold what the Quran calls their firm
contract, or pledge. To this end, the full thrust
of the Islamic law is levelled at preventing the
occurrence of divorce; the laws it lays down
in this regard exist primarily, therefore, as
checks, not incentives. Islam regards marriage
as an extremely desirable institution, hence
its conception of marriage is the rule in life.
Divorce is only an exception to that rule. The
Prophet Muhammad said, "Marriage is my
tradition; Then whosoever does not favor my
tradition is not with me." (Ibn e Majah)
In Islam, marriage
is both a social
contract entered
into by mutual
consent of the bride
and groom, and a
sacred bond to which
great religious and
social importance is
attached.
After having presented the Islamic view about marriage, it would be
pertinent to discuss the injunctions of Islam regarding the threats to a
stable married life. Islam gives guidelines which prevent all such evils.
‘Prevention is better than cure’, is an old maxim that we all know. Let us
now understand the principles which should govern one’s married life
as derived from the Quran and the life of the Prophet.
We are living in a world created by God Almighty. He has made this
world and sustains it according to a definite plan. This is known as the
creation plan of God. Any deviation from this by humankind will result
in disorder in the smooth functioning of life on earth.
The principles from the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet lay a
foundation for a pure society. A society where there is sanctity about
all relationships, interactions and dealings. Fear of accountability to
God makes a person view every interaction as an interaction which is being witnessed by God Almighty. With such an understanding we will
know what is to be accepted in the society and what is to be strictly
shunned.
The following teachings of the Quran if followed ensure that either
of the spouse will not fall into the evil ways which threaten their
marriage. One will not misuse one’s freedom and feel a great sense of
responsibility towards maintaining the sanctity of married life.
Tell believing men to lower their gaze and remain chaste. That is purer
for them. God is aware of what you do. Say to believing women that
they should lower their gaze and remain chaste and not to reveal their
adornments save what is normally apparent
thereof, and they should fold their shawls
over their bosoms. Believers, turn to God,
every one of you, so that you may prosper.
(
Once a man and a
woman are bound
together in the bonds
of matrimony, they
are expected to do
their utmost, till
the day they die to
honour and uphold
what the Quran calls
their firm contract, or
pledge.
Live with them (women) in accordance with
what is fair and kind, if you dislike them, it
may be that you dislike something which God
might make a source of abundant good. (
Do not look at the good things which God
has bestowed more abundantly on some of
you than on others. Men shall be rewarded
according to their deeds and women shall
be rewarded according to their deeds. You
should rather ask God for His bounty. God has knowledge of all things.
(
Lord, grant us joy in our spouse and children and make us a model for
the righteous. (
Bear in mind all that is recited in your homes of the revelations of God
and of wisdom. God is all pervading and all aware. (
Let the man of means spend in accordance with his means; and let him
whose resources are restricted, spend in accordance with what God
has given him. God does not burden any person with more than He has
given him. God will soon bring about ease after hardship. (
If you fear any breach between a man and his wife, appoint one arbiter
from his family and one arbiter from her family. If they both want to set
things right, God will bring about reconciliation between them: He is all
knowing and all aware. (
To those who have attained to faith We shall unite their offspring
(families) who have also followed them in faith, and We shall not let
any of their good deeds go unrewarded. (
The gist of the above teachings is motivation towards modesty and
being contented with what one is blessed with. It is calling people
towards seeking joy in what has been granted to them and not to
look at what is given to others. There is a commandment to make the
home a place for learning and intellectual development instead of
following a materialistic culture. People are advised to live according
to their means, which inculcates frugality. On the other hand, vying for
more wealth to live a luxurious life is sometimes a cause for one of the
spouses to indulge in extra-marital affairs. God promises His rewards
to those who live with faith in Him and live as per His commandments.
The following teachings of the Prophet further show the way of living
harmoniously with one another.
Only a man of noble character will honour women, and only a man of
base intentions will dishonour them.
No believing man should hate a believing
woman, for if there is any habit of hers that
displeases him, there will be some other habit
of hers which pleases him.
Beware, your women have rights over you
and you have rights over your women.
Virtuous men
and women are
considered a great
treasure for each
other. They are
helpers in the
management of life,
trustworthy partners,
and friends to each
other who are
available all the time.
They have found all the good of this world
and the Hereafter who have a heart that gives
thanks, a tongue that remembers God, a body
which is patient in the face of hardships, and a
wife who can be trusted to remain chaste and
refrain from misusing her husband’s wealth.
A woman is married for four things: for her
wealth, for her lineage, for her beauty or for
her piety. Select the pious, may you be blessed.
Virtuous men and women are considered a great treasure for each other.
They are helpers in the management of life, trustworthy partners, and
friends to each other who are available all the time. All this is possible
only within the framework of a marriage. Any other arrangement does
not have a congenial atmosphere for such companionship to flourish.
A marriage to be successful requires trust and loyalty and this has to
be nourished continuously by both husband and wife.
Islam regards
marriage as an
extremely desirable
institution, hence
its conception of
marriage is the rule
in life. Divorce is only
an exception to that
rule.
Islam is also very strict about preventing free
mixing of men and women in an atmosphere of
partying and entertainment as it is a cause for
promiscuity which leads to permissiveness. In
such a society one’s loyalties keep changing.
In a segregated society, where interaction
between men and women is restricted and
strictly work related one associates with one’s
spouse which keeps them away from forming
new loyalties while in a free society one
comes upon new faces every day, one better
than the other. In such a scenario loyalties
keep shifting.
Extramarital affairs, adultery, using women as an object of entertainment
by men and women initiating the same evils from their own choice are
to be looked at objectively in terms of its negative results and steps for
reformation should be taken towards building a better society. In this
regard the Islamic approach is to address individuals to change their
mind-set, not by holding demonstrations or protests. “Win the mind
and you will win the battle”. After all it is a group of upright individuals
who make an upright society.
Islamic Spirituality
Islam is a scheme of spiritual development.
Its goal is to establish direct communion
between God and man
in order that man may become
the recipient of divine inspiration.
In such a religion
it is moderation
which is of the utmost importance,
not extremism or fundamentalism
It is peace
which is of the utmost importance
and not violence.
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
TURNING TO GOD AT TIMES OF CRISES
EVERY individual faces crises in life, sometimes big and at other
times small. It is thus of relevance to every person to know how
to manage these crises. The only successful way of dealing with
such situations is that whenever one has these experiences one should
turn to God and entreat Him to resolve it.
This teaching has been stated by Ali ibn Abi Talib in these words:
“Goodness lies in whatever happened.” That is, one should consider
every situation that befalls one as coming from God and thus one must
develop acceptance for it. The same lesson has been expressed in a
Persian saying: “If the enemy is strong, the saviour is stronger.”
The truth is that everything that happens in this world has been directly
brought about by God Himself. The circumstances in which one finds
oneself have been put in place by God. The role of the individual lies in
either giving a positive response or a negative response to the situation
he is confronted with. If a person responds positively he does so to his
own credit while if he reacts negatively he discredits himself.
The right course of action for a person in such a situation is to refrain
from behaving impatiently and continually pray to God for a better
outcome.
A PHENOMENON OF DEGENERATION
Prophetic Model or Communal Model
Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian. He was an upright man,
one who had surrendered himself to God. He was not one of those
who associate partners with God. (QURAN 3: 67)
THIS verse does not seek to clarify which religion the Prophet
Abraham followed. Rather the purpose of this verse was to
dispel the claim of the groups of people who considered the
Prophet Abraham as their elder and believed that they were following
his religion.
These groups, in their period of degeneration, had developed a selfstyled version of the original religion brought by Prophet Abraham. These
people were in reality following a self-styled model of the Abrahamic
religion and were wrongly attributing it to the
Prophet Abraham. This way they were trying
to portray that the religion which they were
claiming to follow was the same religion that
the Prophet Abraham had originally brought.
When a community undergoes degeneration,
it develops the above kind of psychology.
There is no exception to any community as
regards this principle. In the present times,
the Muslim community is going through a
similar phase of degeneration. They have
created a self-styled edition of God’s true
religion which had been originally revealed to
Prophet Muhammad.
The tendency of
associating with
the Prophet only
in name develops
in a community in
the later periods
of its degeneration
in order to provide
religious justification
for its communal
behaviour.
Their self-styled version of religion is based on the communal
model and not the prophetic model. Only in name have the Muslims
attributed their religion to the Prophet, although in reality the present
formulation of their religion has got nothing to do with him. This
tendency of associating with the Prophet only in name develops in a
community in the later periods of its degeneration in order to provide
religious justification for its communal behaviour. The purpose of
such tendency in a community is to portray its communal conduct as
prophetic conduct.
CAN THE UNIVERSE HELP A SEEKER REACH THE TRUTH 2
Spiritual Lessons from Nature
GOD created a perfect and complete world as an eternal abode for
man called Paradise. Then, He wanted to know who was worthy
of inhabiting that eternal world. For this purpose, He created
the time-bound and imperfect abode in which we are now living. This
life, therefore, is only a test. Man is constantly under the observation of
his Lord. With every utterance and movement, man is writing his own
eternal destiny. One who, during his pre-death period proves deserving
through his conduct will in his post-death period, be rewarded with
admission into the perfect world of Paradise. Others, however, will be
flung into the universal junkyard, that is Hell, condemned for eternity.
So, they will lose both the worlds, the present incomplete world as well
as the next perfect and everlasting world.
God has revealed Himself in two books—the Quran and the universe.
The Quran is a literal version of God’s word, while the universe, or nature,
is a practical demonstration of it. These two are the basic sources of
spiritual inspiration for a man who seeks to live a life according to the
divine scheme. This dual source of divine inspiration is mentioned in
the Quran in the following verse:
It was God who raised the heavens with
no visible supports, and then established
Himself on the throne; He has regulated
the sun and the moon, so that each will
pursue its course for an appointed time;
He ordains all things and makes plain His
revelations, so that you may be certain of
meeting your Lord. (
The universe is a
manifestation of the
attributes of Almighty
God. It is a source of
spiritual nourishment
for those who want
to lead a divine life
on earth.
So, the Quran is like a guidebook. It prepares
the mind so that one may properly understand
the universe and live in it as desired by God. A true believer (momin)
has precisely such a prepared mind. When he sees the universe
with its various parts functioning in an absolute coherent manner,
he spontaneously says: “There is no god but one God!” and when he
examines it, he will find that there are so many complex happenings
in its vastness. Nevertheless, he finds that every part of the universe
is highly predictable. With this discovery, he realizes that it is as if God was suggesting that he himself should have a predictable character.
When he observes that the various parts of the universe function with
absolute harmony, he realizes that, in like manner, he should live in
complete harmony with society, without hatred or malice towards
anyone. When he sees the events of the universe always proceeding
towards a meaningful result, he realizes that man’s life, too, must have
a meaningful end. Thus he exclaims:
Lord, You have not created all this without purpose. Glory be to
You! Save us from the torment of the fire. (QURAN 3: 191)
God has revealed
Himself in two
books—the Quran
and the universe.
The Quran is a
literal version of
God’s word, while
the universe, or
nature is a practical
demonstration of it.
In brief, the universe is a manifestation of
the attributes of Almighty God. Hence, it is
a source of spiritual nourishment for those
who want to lead a divine life on earth. For
them, the whole universe becomes a great
means of attaining spiritual perfection. This
spiritual development continues incessantly
throughout their earthly life. As the ultimate
result of this life-long developmental process,
they attain that degree of spirituality, which
the Quran calls the Rabbani soul. It is such as
these who, in the life Hereafter, will be told by
their most compassionate Lord:
Enter the Garden! No fear shall come upon you nor shall you grieve. (QURAN 7: 49)
SIR SYED AHMAD KHANS LEGACY
Problems or Opportunities
TODAY, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898) is highly acclaimed in
all circles, be they religious or secular, as a pioneer reformer
of the Muslim nation. But, in his own times, he was branded as
heretic, an enemy of the Muslim community and an enemy of Islam.
What is the reason for the difference in past and present attitudes? It is
simply that those who nowadays extol his virtues, do so in retrospect,
having had the opportunity to see the results of his guidance, whereas
his own contemporaries were so lacking in foresight that they could
not imagine any good arising from his teachings. This has been the
fate of every reformer. There is no revolutionary who has not suffered
from the shortsightedness of his contemporaries and who has not, as a
result, had to face stiff opposition. Even the prophets were not spared
this fate. It is only when the reformer’s efforts ultimately bear fruit that
people begin to sing his praises.
Sir Syed lived in the days of British rule in
India―a period looked upon to by all senior
religious leaders as an age of slavery. All the
leaders of that time hated the British. In their
view, British rule afforded no possibility of
Muslim progress.
If there are problems,
there also exist
opportunities
side by side with
them. Ignore the
problems, feed
the opportunities,
and by availing of
opportunities, build
your life.
However, Sir Syed’s thinking was totally
different. He discovered favourable aspects of
those same British rulers who were regularly
depicted as the enemies of Islam. In the ‘slave
nation,’ as Muslim intellectual would have
it, he pointed out that certain freedoms did
exist.
What did his pointing out of freedom in slavery really mean? It meant
that even under the political subjugation of the British, Indians still
had educational and economic freedom. Notwithstanding the political
problem, the country still offered them the opportunity to carve out an
honourable, affluent life by working in non-political fields.
The opponents of Sir Syed, on the other hand, concentrated on the
problem of British usurpation to the exclusion of all else. In their eyes,
no progress could be made unless British rule came to an end. But with
his deeper insight, Sir Syed saw that if there were problems, there also existed opportunities, side by side with them. In very simple terms, he
gave the people a viable formula:
Ignore the problems, feed the opportunities, and, by availing of
opportunities, build your life.
In Sir Syed’s time, even those who had eyes failed to see the wisdom
of this dictum. But now, after the experience of a hundred years, even
sightless people can see that Sir Syed’s way was the wisest and most
appropriate.
In Sir Syed’s own time, his approach had appeared to be one of
cowardice and inaction. But its subsequent results showed its wisdom,
and what its potential had been for positive action. In fact, it was the
only possible strategy to adopt. Had his advice been heeded in the
initial stages, the Muslim condition would
certainly have been very different from what
it is today.
According to the
system devised
by nature itself,
problems in this
world are always
followed by
opportunities.
But the inability to learn from the past
is an ever-present human weakness.
Hence the prevalence today of the same
shortsightedness as existed in Sir Syed’s time.
People, of course, have now begun eulogizing
the Sir Syed of the past, but if anyone speaks
of applying Sir Syed’s solutions in the present,
they again turn hostile to him as his own
contemporaries did.
The most pressing reality of this world is its competitiveness. In such
a set-up, it is inevitable that one group or the other will be left behind.
This state of affairs has existed since the days of Abel and Cain (the
sons of Adam), and it will continue to exist till Doomsday. This system,
created by God Himself, will never change.
What needs to be done in this world of competition is not to keep
protesting against the prevailing circumstances, but to make a careful
study of them. Instead of reacting against the way things are, some
method of adjusting to realities must be sought. Sir Syed’s formula is
the key to such an adjustment.
This world, being one of competition, is bound to be problem-ridden.
It has been so throughout the ages and it is still so today. But it must
be borne in mind that problems stem from nature’s own system and
not from the oppression and prejudice of others. What is even more important to grasp is that according to this system devised by nature
itself, problems in this world are always followed by opportunities.
Given this state of affairs, both reason and wisdom make only one
demand:
Ignore the problems; avail of the opportunities.
The inability to learn
from the past is an
ever-present human
weakness.
This is the only way to succeed in this world.
Whenever an individual or a group has
achieved success in this life, it has been done
by adhering to this principle. Those who
attempt to fight problems are more likely to
fail than succeed, while those who avail of
opportunities have every chance of doing well
for themselves. There is no other path to selfimprovement in this world, either in India or
in any other country. And what holds true for
the present, holds equally true for the future.
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.
ISLAM AND PEACE
ISLAM aims to build a peaceful society at all costs. It is because
higher human objectives cannot be achieved in the absence of
peaceful circumstances. The spiritual as well as moral progress of
the individual is possible only in a peaceful atmosphere. Hence the
atmosphere of peace is essential for the building of good society.
Academic research too is possible only in peaceful circumstances.
And, the task of the propagation of truth too can be performed only in
peaceful atmosphere.
That is why one of the teachings of Islam is ‘reconciliation is the best’
(
cost of unilateral sacrifice and patience. An event of the first phase of
Islamic history provides us with an example of this unilateralism. This
is known as Sulh Hudaybiya (Hudaybiya Peace Treaty). This was in fact
a no-war pact which was secured by accepting all the demands of the
rival group.
To bring about an atmosphere of peace within society, Islam has
given a number of commandments. For instance, the Prophet of Islam
observed: ‘A believer is one from whom people feel secure as regards
their lives and property’. (Tirmidhi). Another Hadith has this to say: ‘By
God, he is not a believer from whose nuisance his neighbour is not
safe.’ (AI-Bukhari)
Islam aims at making all individuals peace-loving to the ultimate
extent. That is why we are enjoined to greet one another by saying ‘Assalam-u-Alaikum’ that is, peace be upon you. According to another
saying of the Prophet, the best Islam is to greet everyone you come
across, whether or not you are acquainted with the person. (Fath ulBari)
The frequent reiteration of this phrase ‘peace be upon you’ is in fact an
external manifestation of the desire for peace
within. Islam wishes to inculcate this feeling
within every individual so that he become
a true lover of peace to the point that this
feeling starts welling up in his heart, finding
expression whenever he meets a person.
Islam enjoins us
to establish peace
even at the cost of
unilateral sacrifice
and patience.
Islam is a peace-loving religion from beginning
to end. And it is but natural that it should be
so, as all the best results it aims to achieve,
can be achieved only when an atmosphere of
peace is maintained at both national and international levels. This path
of peace is followed by the entire universe. It is known as the law of
nature, which is imposed upon it by God. Whereas man has to adopt
the path of peace of his own free will. This has been expressed in the
Quran in these words:
Do they seek a religion other than the religion of God, when
everything in the heavens and the earth has submitted to Him,
willingly or unwillingly? To Him they shall all return. (
When peace is the religion of the entire universe, it should, therefore,
be the religion of man too, so that, in the words of Jesus Christ:
The will of the Lord may be done on earth as it is in heaven.
(Matthew 6: 10)
In a similar vein, the Quran tells us that:
The sun cannot overtake the moon, nor can the night outpace
the day: Each floats in [its own] orbit. (
When God created heavens and the earth, He so ordered things that
each part might perform its function peacefully without clashing with
any other part. For billions of years, therefore, the entire universe
has been fulfilling its function in total harmony with His divine plan.
Peace is no external commodity to be artificially imposed upon man.
Peace is inherent in nature itself. The system of nature set up by God
already rests on the basis of peace. If this system is not disrupted, it will continue to stay the course set for it by the Almighty. It is true that the
only condition to maintain the human system on the path of peace is
to keep it free from the elements of corruption. That is why the Quran
states:
And do not corrupt the land after it has been set in order. (
In order to preserve peace established by nature from disruption,
two important injunctions have been laid down by Islam. One, at the
individual level, stresses the exercise of patience, and the other, at the
social level, forbids taking the offensive.
The path of peace
is followed by the
entire universe. It
is known as the law
of nature, which is
imposed upon it by
God. Whereas man
has to adopt the path
of peace of his own
free will.
Negative reaction on the part of the individual
is the greatest factor responsible for disrupting
peace in daily life. It repeatedly happens that
in social life one experiences bitterness on
account of others. On such occasions, if one
reacts negatively, the matter would escalate
to the point of a head-on collision. That is why
Islam repeatedly enjoins us to tread the path
of patience. The Quran says: ‘Truly, those who
persevere patiently will be requited without
measure.’ (
The reason for the rewards for patience being
so great is that patience is the key factor in maintaining the desired
system of God. In the words of the Quran, the patient man is the helper
of God. (
The other injunction, designed to maintain peace in human society is to
forbid the waging of an offensive war. No one in Islam enjoys the right
to wage war against another. There are no grounds on which this could
be considered justifiable. (QURAN 2: 190)
There is only one kind of war permitted in Islam and that is a defensive
war. If a nation by deviating from the principles of nature wages war
against another nation, then, a defensive war, with certain conditions,
may be waged by the country under attack.
To sum up, Islam is a religion of peace. The Arabic root of Islam is
‘silm’ which means peace. The Quran states: ‘... and Gods calls to the
home of peace’ (
establish a society of peace in His world. Peace is basic to all religions.
Let us all strive then to establish peace in the world, for that is the
bedrock on which all human progress rests.
A GOOD SOCIETY
Towards Communal Harmony
A GOOD society is the cherished ideal of every human soul. But
a consensus has yet to emerge about what constitutes a good
society. This is undoubtedly one of the most complex questions
facing us today.
It would be no exaggeration to say that three major initiatives, designed
in their separate ways to offer a solution, have been utter failures. A
hundred years ago it was generally assumed that the setting up of a
national government would provide the answer. It was felt that it was
foreign rule which was responsible for the rot that had set in society,
and that indigenous rule alone could set matters right. We did finally
succeed in establishing a national government in 1947, but it failed to
yield the desired result―a good society.
If individuals are
reformed, society
follows suit. And
if individuals
degenerate, society
too goes into a
decline.
Similarly, the initiative which led up to home
rule, i.e. the non-violent movement started
seventy five years ago by Mahatma Gandhi,
did not usher in any utopian ideal. It had
come to be assumed that once the principle
of non-violence became the mainstay of
Indian politics, it would automatically be put
into practice in society. But this transference
of a principle from the political to the social
sphere did not take place. We may have been
successful in launching a political movement
based on non-violence, but we were to find that it took more than
earnest enunciation of the principle of non-violence to build a good
society.
The third initiative, carried out after independence, was the attempt to
bring about a good society by legislation. There are now scores of laws
aimed at social reform, each social evil having several specially framed
laws to itself. But this multitude of laws has done little to bring a good
society into existence.
Our basic shortcoming is to think purely in terms of systems. This has
caused us to devote all our attention to overall social reform, at the
expense of the more worthwhile reform of individuals. Over a period
of a hundred years, all the major movements launched in our country
have been system-based, rather than individual-based.
The individual is the primary unit of society. If individuals are reformed,
society follows suit. And if individuals degenerate, society too goes into
a decline. That is why our best efforts should centre on the individual,
who is, after all, the basic building block of society. The day we reform
individuals in their thousands and tens of thousands we shall have set
ourselves well and truly on the path of successful social reform.
The solution to our problems lies in uniting in spite of our differences.
The need of today is to hold dialogues. Serious minded and influential
people from all communities should participate in this dialogue. Its goal
should be the securing of peace on the basis of purely non-political
grounds.
The representatives of all communities should
hold discussions with open hearts. They
must strive to put an end to controversial
situations on their sides and they should
discover a common basis by adopting which
both communities can live together as good
neighbours.
Dialogue is not a
meeting of rivalry
but is a brotherly
meeting. Such noble
tasks are performed
by rising above
the defeat-victory
psychology.
A dialogue of this kind is exactly in accordance
with the Islamic Shariah. The Hudaybiya peace
treaty in Islamic history is an instance of a
successful dialogue of this nature. After the
Prophet’s emigration in AD 622, the relations between Muslims and
non-Muslims had considerably deteriorated in Arabia. A number of
battles and skirmishes ensued, walls of prejudice and hatred barred
one another from coming closer.
Finally, Prophet Muhammad was forced to stay for about two weeks at
Hudaybiya near Makkah in AD 628. Here began negotiations with nonMuslim Makkan leaders. And then according to most of their conditions,
a peace treaty was signed between Muslims and non-Muslims known
as Hudaybiya Treaty in Islamic history.
If such a dialogue is held with full justice and sincerity, a new chapter will
be opened in the history of India. It is at this point of inter-community
relationship where the history of India is standing still. Once this
problem is solved and the relations between communities improve,
nothing else will come in the way of India’s progress.
The dialogue, if it has to succeed, should not take the form of
polemics. They should not become spokespersons of their respective
communities during the discussion. What should be uppermost in their minds is larger national interest and the path of improvement for all
communities.
All parties will have to commit themselves
to differentiating between issues and nonissues; that they will not hold any matter as
an issue of prestige; that they will not adopt
the way of claim and counter-claim; that they
will speak only with the result in mind; that
their way will be one of impartiality; that
while pressing their demands they will also
be willing to concede; that while taking from
others they will also be willing to give.
The solution to our
problems lies in
uniting in spite of our
differences.
Dialogue is not a meeting of rivalry but is a
brotherly meeting. Such noble tasks are performed by rising above
the defeat-victory psychology. Its aim is to solve the matter and not
confound it. The feeling at work behind dialogue is one of reconciliation
and not of rivalry.
Dialogue means an attempt to solve controversial matters through
negotiation rather than through confrontation. If a dialogue is started
with this spirit, its success is certain. The door to progress of our
country is barred. And a dialogue keeping this spirit in view can surely
open the closed doors provided it is conducted with true spirit.
THE ANTIDOTE
Overcome Depression with Hope
EVERY DAY the media reports news of suicides. A common
observation from these reports is that, it is only very rarely that
a handicapped person kills himself. Most of the people who
die by their own hands are physically quite healthy. There are many
reasons, however, for their taking the extreme step of suicide; failure
to gain admission to post-graduate courses, or to secure a good job
after completing a university education, postponement of promotion,
inability to marry the person of one’s choice, depression due to various
other social factors.
Most of these people had everything in their favour, including good
health. They lacked none of the necessities of life. But because one
thing—which seemed of great importance to them—eluded their
grasp, they fell prey to such an overwhelming sense of frustration that
they decided to end it all.
One thing—the greatest thing in the world—
was absent from all of their lives: hope.
Man lives on hope. Where it evades him,
life appears so meaningless that he sees no
sense in continuing with it. That is when he
takes his own life.
Because the present
has not been blessed
with abundance does
not necessarily entail
that the future will
not change for the
better.
All who commit suicide make the mistake
of looking only at the present and not at
the future. Because the present has not
been blessed with abundance does not
necessarily entail that the future will not change for the better. If a man
contemplating suicide were instead to turn his attention to exploiting
his own capabilities and seizing whatever opportunities came his way,
it is very likely that he would soon come to possess all those things,
absence of which makes him so miserable today.
The man whose gaze is fixed on the present may find much to depress
him. It is only when he looks to the future that he will find the courage
to act.
THE MESSAGE OF THE QURAN
Acknowledge Your Lord
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL.
Praise be to God, Lord of Creation; the Compassionate, the MercifuI;
Master of the Day of Judgement. You alone we worship, and to You
alone we pray for help. Guide us to the straight path. The path of those
whom You favoured; not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor
of those who have gone astray. (QURAN 1: 1-7)
It befits man to commence any task in the name of God, his Master.
God is the source of all mercy and compassion. His blessings are
continually descending upon creation. To commence any undertaking
in His name is to pray that God, in His infinite mercy, should come to
one’s assistance and bring one’s work to a successful conclusion. This
is man’s acknowledgement that he is God’s servant, and also brings
divine assurance of success.
The Quran has a special way of expressing a believer’s inner sentiments
in the best possible words. The invocation of God and the opening
chapter of the Quran constitute a supplication of this nature. The
feelings which are naturally aroused in one after discovering the truth
are given the form of words in these lines.
Man’s being is a great gift of God. It is so precious to him that he would
never exchange his eyes or hands, or any part of his body, for any
kingdom of the world. Even this basic gift of God is more precious to
man than a kingdom is to kings. Similarly, when man looks at the world
around him, he cannot fail to notice God’s power and mercy in evidence
everywhere. With what care God watches over the world! Everything
has been made to fit in with man. This observation shows one that
the great cosmic machine cannot be in vain. One realizes that there
must come a day when the ungrateful will be taken to task and the
grateful rewarded. One spontaneously entreats God in words to this
effect: “Lord, You are Master of the Day of Judgement. I have submitted
to You and humbly seek Your help; have mercy on me. Lord, show us
the path that is, to You, the true path. Enable us to tread the path of
Your chosen servants. Help us to avoid the path of those who have
gone astray, and the path of those who have incurred Your wrath due
to their obstinacy.”
God requires His servant to live his life with such feelings and emotions.
The opening chapter of the Quran is a miniature picture of such a
believer, and the rest of the Quran an enlargement of this picture.
TWO CATEGORIES
Grades of Piety
PARADISE is the ultimate abode of the pious servants of God. As
the Quran tells us, the inhabitants of Paradise will fall into two
broad categories: the especially exalted class of good people,
who are nearest to God or, muqarrabun (
in general, who are called ‘Companions of the Right Hand’. Magnificent
rewards are reserved for the first group―the foremost in faith, while
rewards of a general nature are reserved for the other group.
What will be the basis of the difference between the two categories?
The Quran tells us that those who gave of their wealth before the
Prophet’s victory and who took part in the initial struggles are of a
higher standing than others who did not. They have a ‘degree greater’
(
lived, but to the nature of their faith. This is what will determine the
final categorization.
Truth stands by itself, in abstract form. At
the very outset, it is like an ideology, which is
supported solely by the force of logic. Later
when truth enters the phase of victory and
influence, it no longer assumes the shape
of a mere intellectual exercise, but rather
becomes a tangible reality, visible to one and
all.
When truth enters
the phase of victory
and influence, it no
longer assumes the
shape of a mere
intellectual exercise,
but rather becomes
a tangible reality,
visible to one and all.
In the initial stages, truth is recognizable only
through verbal argument, whereas, in the
later stages, concrete evidence is there to
support it. In the first phase, as soon as a man
accepts the truth, he becomes a stranger among his own people. One
who accepts it in a later phase immediately becomes respected and
popular. In the first phase a man stands to lose, whereas in the second,
he is the gainer. In the first phase one is likely to sink into oblivion,
whereas in the second, one scales the heights. It is the difference made
by the kind of sacrifices one has made, which decides whether one is to
be placed in the first or the second category.
DISTINCTIVE QUALITY
Science and Reason
ISLAM as presented in the Quran and demonstrated by the Prophet
possesses the quality of being in accordance with human reason
and human nature. Rational thinking and academic progress do
not clash with the message of Islam. That is to say, at no stage does
Islam and reason contradict one another. No believer is faced with the
problem of accepting religious dogmas at the expense of science and
reason.
Acknowledging this characteristic of Islam, George Bernard Shaw
writes:
When the Mohammedan reformation took place, it left its
followers with the enormous advantage of having the only
established religion in the world, in whose articles of faith, any
intelligent and educated person could believe.
It is due to this characteristic of Islam that
people have been attracted towards Islam
before as well as after the age of science.
The modern educated mind when presented
with the different aspects of Islam as it is,
acknowledges that it is according to nature
and appeals to one’s reasoning.
The modern educated
mind when presented
with the different
aspects of Islam as
it is, acknowledges
that it is according to
nature and appeals
to one’s reasoning.
What George Bernard Shaw has termed an
enormous advantage for the Muslims of the
first phase, exists equally for the believers of
today. But it is not being availed of. Instead of
presenting the message of Islam peacefully,
Muslims are putting up a violent and unfriendly image of Islam. If
people create obstacles by resorting to general ill-will, there will be a
misunderstanding of the religion. When this obstacle is removed, the
Islamic goal of living in harmony society will be fulfilled.
Being patient
Through patience you can turn your
fortune around; without patience you
can expect nothing but failure.
DARE TO TAKE RISKS
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
WALTER WRISTON, former chairman of Citicorp, said, “Failure is
not a crime. Failure to learn from failure is.” When Jim Burke
became the head of a new products division at Johnson &
Johnson, one of his first projects was the development of a children’s
chest rub. The product failed miserably, and Burke expected that he
would be fired. When he was called in to see the chairman of the board,
however, he had a surprising reception. “Are you the one who just cost
us all that money?” asked Robert Wood Johnson. “Well, I just want
to congratulate you. If you are making mistakes, that means you are
taking risks, and we won’t grow unless you take risks.”
No one knows for
certain what factors
will be conducive to
the success of any
venture. Given our
human limitations,
the only possible
course is to take the
initiative in spite
of being unable to
forecast the result.
One of the ever-present features of our present
world is that no one knows for certain what
factors will be conducive to the success of any
venture. Given our human limitations, the only
possible course is to take the initiative in spite
of being unable to forecast the result. This is
the risk factor.
No doubt there are apprehensions about
taking risks. But in the present world nothing
can be achieved without a certain amount of
daring. As the proverb says,
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
God at all times
It is possible for man to contact God
at any moment. This concept gives
one unshakable confidence and a
source of help in every situation.
A GRAND ADVENTURE
Sacrifice Before Success
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long
months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful.
Honour and recognition in case of success. —Sir Ernest Shackleton
THIS is an advertisement published in The Times, London, 1900,
by Sir Ernest Shackleton. He required a team for exploration of
the Antarctic. As a result of this advertisement Shackleton’s epic
voyage to within 100 miles of the South Pole (1907-1909) took place.
No commercial stunts or slogans, just a few lines of type pulled
applications that far exceeded the requirement, so Shackleton had to
make a selection from among them in order to form a team.
It was neither the subject of the advertisement nor the personality of
the advertiser which produced such a great response; it was the nation
to whom the appeal was made. It is a historical fact that during the 19th
century, the British nation was the most ambitious and adventurous in
the world. On account of this, it established an empire which extended
over such a vast portion of the globe that the sun never set on it. Indeed,
it was not only for the Antarctic exploration, but for any adventure
whatsoever, that this nation could produce highly dependable people.
Nothing great was ever accomplished without making sacrifices.
Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS) through its publications such as
the monthlies Spirit of Islam and Al-Risala, breathes the same spirit
as the above advertisement. Our appeal, then, is addressed to those
who have the same spirit of adventure and self-sacrifice as those who
responded to Shackleton’s appeal. Our aim is to form a team which will
set out, as Shackleton’s team did, on a grand adventure requiring selfdenial and courage. This team, however, will have its sights set not on
any worldly goal but on an eternal cause: it will strive to communicate
the true message of Islam to the people of the world. The Muslim world
today is engaged in all manners of activities; but it has neglected this
all-important task.
This is a mission which demands the sacrifice of life and property; it
calls for suppression of desires and ambitions; it requires one to rise
above the thoughts of visible gain in this world for the sake of invisible
gain that is promised in the life to come, for God has promised Paradise
to those who come forward to serve His cause. Eternal blessing and
eternal comfort: they are there for the asking. Will anyone come
forward?
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
Alif Lam Mim Sad
This Book has been sent down to you—let there be no heaviness in
your heart about it—so that you may warn by means of it and it is
a reminder to the believers. Follow what has been sent down to you
by your Lord and do not follow any protector other than Him. How
seldom you take heed. (
The Book of God is, in essence, a book of guidance. But as such it is
of value only to the few who have kept their consciences alive. For
the others, it amounts only to a warning of the impending grievous
fate towards which they are moving because of their arrogance. The
preacher of truth is concerned to see that what he sees as the absolute
truth is being rejected by the majority of the people who consider it
a falsehood. What is paramount in his eyes is treated by people with
unconcern, as if it had no substance, as if it were completely unreal.
This is a world of trial. Here, everybody has the opportunity and the
liberty to accept or reject the truth as he pleases, and even find clever
words to justify his stand. But this position is a temporary one. As soon
as the period of trial comes to an end, it will be revealed to all that
the preacher’s words were based on eternal truths; that it was sheer
bias and egotism on his opponents’ part which prevented them from
seeing the Truth at the core of his arguments. It will become clear
at that time that the arguments advanced by them to contradict the
preacher’s words were simply a falsification of the facts and not a form
of reasoning in any real sense.
How many towns We have destroyed. Our scourge fell upon them by
night or at midday when they were resting: and when Our scourge fell
upon them, their only cry was, ‘We were indeed wrongdoers!’ Then
shall We question those to whom Our message was sent and those
through whom We sent it with full knowledge, We shall tell them what
they did, for We have never been away from them. Truth alone will be
of weight that Day. Those whose scales are heavy shall be successful,
and those whose good deeds are light [in the balance] will be the ones
who have lost themselves because they wrongfully rejected Our signs.
(
In this world, the importance of an individual is gauged by the material
splendour surrounding him, and his ability to influence people with
his impressive words, and thus have a massive following. Since the
preacher is not generally in such a happy position, his word is valueless
in the eyes of worldly people, while the words of his opponents, who
bask in material grandeur have a greater impact. But when Doomsday
uncovers all the facts, the position will be just the opposite. Now, all the
weight will be on the side of the Truth: Falsehood will be divested of all
its arguments and will be rendered valueless.
We established you in the land and provided you with a means of
livelihood there: yet you are seldom thankful. (
Whatever God has bestowed upon man in this world has been given for
the purpose of eliciting his gratitude. But this is the very thing which
man does not offer to his Lord. The reason is that Satan contrives
to distort his feelings and steers him away from any expression of
gratitude.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
THE 5 WHYS
Why God?
All of us have the feeling that we suffer from limitations that make
us helpless. These experiences—a loss, illness, accidents, death or
old age—repeatedly remind us of the fact that we are in need of a
Superior Power without which we cannot go on in life. These feelings
are a psychological proof of the existence of God. In this way each one
of us, in our inner beings, witnesses the existence of God. The nature
of every human being constantly urges them to recognize the need for
God. Without God, our lives cannot be complete. Without the help of
God, we cannot succeed in life.
Why Freedom?
Man has been given freedom in this world by his Creator as a test.
This freedom has opened doors of two kinds for man, one leading to
success and the other to failure. If, on receiving freedom an individual
becomes arrogant and insolent, it will mean that he has failed the test.
But if on the other hand, he remains modest and humble, bowing to his
Lord’s will on all occasions, he will have made the right use of his Godgiven freedom: he will, without any compulsion, have bound himself
by divine principles. One who chooses this course will succeed in the
test of freedom. He will be handsomely rewarded by God as no other
creature. Held to be the chosen servant of God, he will remain in an
everlasting state of bliss and blessedness.
Why Peace?
Peace is the only option for man in the world today. The greatest
benefit of peace is that it opens up opportunities to the ultimate extent;
whereas the greatest ill-effect of violence is that it limits opportunities.
That is why Islam teaches us to avoid violence and confrontation at
all costs and commands us to establish peace to the greatest possible
degree. Peace enables normal relations to be established between
people. Feelings of love and friendship prevail in such a situation. In a
favourable atmosphere constructive activities flourish and the existing
resources can be used for progress and development. A positive bent
of mind will prevail which will help develop academic and intellectual
understanding.
Why Tolerance?
The habit of tolerance prevents a man from wasting his time and
talent on unnecessary matters. When negatively affected by another’s
unpalatable behaviour, your mental equilibrium is upset. On the
other hand, emotionally untouched by such behaviour, your mind
will fully retain its equilibrium and, without wasting a single moment,
you will continue to perform your work in the normal way. The policy
of tolerance or forbearance enhances your efficacy, while intolerant
behaviour reduces it. Tolerance is not an act of compulsion. It is a
positive principle of life, expressing the noble side of a man’s character.
The existence of tolerant human beings in a society is just like the
blooming of flowers in a garden.
Why Hard Work?
All learning is acquired in the school of hard work; all progress is
achieved at the price of unflagging effort. Perseverance is a virtue which
can be practised at all times, even by one who is crippled by a disease,
and even by one who had failed to get a degree from a university. Hard
work, in fact, is the brightest jewel in the crown of human virtues.
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 )
