START CHANGE WITH THE INDIVIDUAL
Consolidation before Expansion
A TREE is a unique phenomenon of nature. The roots of a tree
go deep into the soil and its stem and branches rise above
and spread out into the open. This phenomenon of nature is
mentioned in the Quran in these words: “Do you not see how God
compares a good word to a good tree? Its root is firm and its branches
are in the sky, it yields its fruit each season with its Lord’s permission—
God makes such comparisons for people, in order that they may take
heed.” (
This principle of nature is also applicable to the human world. That
is, real change in human life can be brought about by following a
principle demonstrated in the natural world:
first consolidation and then expansion. Here,
consolidation means to firmly establish one’s
base in the ground, while expansion means
to spread out all over the world after gaining
strength from the groundwork done before.
If you want to bring
about real change
in society, first of
all you will have to
change individual
life.
Many people speak of social change or social
reform. If you want to bring about real change
in society, first of all you will have to change
individual life. For example, if you want to
successfully establish a political system, you
will have to train people’s minds in a way that they develop acceptability
for that system.
Similarly, if you want to run successful institutions, you will first need
to educate individual minds in order that you have competent people
for running these institutions. Individuals are the base of any social
building. If you want to bring about change in society, you have to
begin your work from individuals.
Building an institution without forming a base is like making sandcastles,
which do not have a lasting existence.
The formula for destressing: forget
the past and replan the future.
ABOUT THE MAGAZINE
Spirit of Islam is a monthly magazine which is now in its seventh
year of publication. The aim of this journal is to present Islam in
the contemporary idiom, while at the same time the contents are
of universal appeal and of interest to a wider circle of spiritual
seekers. It is our desire to help Muslims rediscover Islam, focusing
on its message of peace and spirituality as derived from the Quran
and the teachings of the Prophet, and in general we strive towards
religious understanding for bringing about greater harmony.
Another purpose of this magazine is to assist its readers to deal
with life’s challenges, deriving positivity even from negative
occurrences, gaining in spirituality and developing themselves
intellectually so that they may contribute constructively to society.
The magazine’s regular readers will appreciate that the entire
thrust of its articles is directed to the individual—a collection of
intellectually prepared individuals being the sole foundation on
which a peaceful and harmonious society can be built.
As the subtitle indicates, Spirit of Islam is working towards
enlightening people on the subject of global peace and regularly
addresses relevant contemporary issues. The articles on peace
based on the teachings of the Prophet of Islam offer us an ideology
of peace—principles which lay down how peace may be established
between conflicting groups, controversies resolved and conflicts
defused. We believe that violence begins in the mind and so an
effective ideology of peace needs to be presented to counter its
influence.
We hope and pray that God helps us in this noble endeavour
and grants us His special blessings!
FROM MAULANAS DESK
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, born in 1925, in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is an Islamic spiritual scholar who is well-versed in both classical Islamic learning and modern disciplines. The mission of his life has been the establishment of worldwide peace. He has received the Padma Bhushan, the Demiurgus Peace International Award and Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan Peace award for promoting peace in Muslim societies. He has been called ’Islam’s spiritual ambassador to the world’ and is recognized as one of its most influential Muslims . His books have been translated into sixteen languages and are part of university curricula in six countries. He is the founder of the Centre for Peace and Spirituality based in New Delhi.
THE CAUSE OF DISCORD
THE MANNER of Muslims’ reaction in the face of provocations
is counterproductive. This reaction can even be described as
senseless and unnecessary. Perhaps the reason for this can
be traced back to their pride psychology. It comes into being when
religion is no longer treated as a matter of responsibility, but as a
matter of pride. Such an attitude towards religion plays a fair share in
contributing to the degradation of the Ummah, i.e. the community of
believers.
The Quran says: “The true servants of God are those who walk upon
the earth with humility and, when they are addressed by the ignorant
ones, their response is, ‘Peace’.” (
when religious teachings cease to inspire people to do good deeds
and a moral decline sets in. People then become proud and haughty.
Whether or not they act upon the teachings of their religion, they
believe that they are the chosen people of God. Their attachment to
their religion is reduced to lip service. It exists in theory but not in
practice; in the outward form but not in spirit. When religion serves only to show one’s superiority over others, a high degree of moral
perversion has been reached.
People hold their heads high and declare that they are the upholders
of a religion which has retained the pure and original form of
monotheism. However, they contradict themselves by manifesting
such reverence for personalities both alive
and dead as should be accorded only to the
Lord, their God. They take pride in saying that
Islam teaches one complete equality but they
continue to discriminate between man and
man. They are the first to pronounce in public
that Islam exhorts one to do good and shun
evil in all circumstances, but in private they
disregard this. If their attention is drawn to
this contradiction in their words and deeds,
they will turn hostile to anyone daring to
criticize them.
They take immense pride in describing the sublime character of the
Prophet, for instance, his resistance to provocation; yet they themselves
become annoyed about quite trivial matters and even justify their
negative attitude by asking why they should not react in the face of
provocations.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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Follow Maulana at http://www.speakingtree.in (The Times of India)
FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Dr Farida Khanam is an author, editor, translator, public speaker and former
professor of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Among her books are
‘A Simple Guide to Sufism’ and ‘A Study of World’s Major Religions’. She has translated
into English many books authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently the
chairperson of CPS International, she is a regular contributor of articles to various
publications. Dr Khanam has edited Maulana’s English translation of the Quran
and has also translated his Urdu commentary of the Quran into English. She can be
reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
SUSTAINABLE LIVING—AN ISLAMIC
PERSPECTIVE
SUSTAINABLE living means to live in a manner without being a
burden on the environment, and instead contributing towards
improving the environment. In other words it refers to fulfilling
one’s needs without infringing on the needs of others in our family,
society, nation and the world, for the present as well as future
generations.
Islamic Perspective
Before we embark upon an understanding of the Islamic perspective
on sustainable living, we need to understand a few fundamentals about
Islam.
• The supreme concern of Islam is the discovery of God.
• The Quran is God’s message to humankind presented by God’s
messenger Prophet Muhammad.
• The subject matter of the Quran is man.
• The objective of the Quran is to make man aware of the creation
plan of God.
• Islam being a religion of nature lays before man the principles of
success in this life as well as the Hereafter.
Coming to the topic of Sustainable Living—An Islamic Perspective, let us
consider what Islam has to say about pollution.
We all agree that pollution adversely affects our environment and our
quality of life, as it affects the very air we breathe. If the most basic
need of humans, i.e the air we breathe is not of good quality, other
things are not going to be of much help for us to be healthy. From the
Islamic point of view, pollution of any kind is against the scheme of God
the Creator. Islam tells man that it is his duty to maintain the purity of
nature. Failure to do so is, in religious terms, a sin and in legal terms,
a crime.
The Quran says:
Do not corrupt the land after it has been set in order. This is for
your own good, if you are true believers. (
Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of the evil which
men’s hands have done: and so He will make them taste the fruit of
some of their doings, so that they may turn back from evil. (
In the above verses, the Quran refers to land pollution and water
pollution by name but, in their general application, all kinds of pollution
are included, such as air pollution, noise pollution and everything else
which spoils the peace and tranquillity of the environment.
The message of these two verses is that God Almighty has created
things in their best order and man is allowed to enjoy these things
for his own benefit. But he is not allowed to
destroy the balance of nature. Man was born
as a free creature, but the test for him lies in
not misusing the freedom. On the other hand
he should use the freedom for contributing
constructively towards society. Freedom
is meant to bring out the creativity which
benefits humankind.
Islam tells man
that it is his duty to
maintain the purity
of nature. Failure to
do so is, in religious
terms, a sin and in
legal terms, a crime.
Man can pollute nature, but he does not
have the power to create another world. So,
becoming sinful before God and depriving
humankind of the only source of life, that is,
nature, is a double loss for man. This state of affairs requires man to
be very careful and cautious, otherwise he will be compelled to pay a
heavy price for his negligence.
Islam—The Religion of Nature
Islam has its unique ways of drawing the attention of man towards
sustainable living. It gives a broad spectrum of principles and instils in man the capacity of finding creative ways for practical applications. For
instance the Quran presents nature as a model for human behaviour.
Everything in the universe submits itself to the will of God, which in
other words can be called as the law of nature. The whole world is
controlled by this law, and the crux of this law is submission. Therefore,
following Islam means living in harmony with nature. And this in turn
means that at all times and in every aspect of life man must unfailingly
do as God desires, bearing in mind that one day he will die and shall
have to give an account of his deeds to God. This natural model for
man is referred to in several parts of the Quran.
The sun supplies light and heat free to all living beings. Man must adopt
the principle of selfless service.
The stream runs its course around rocks and obstructions; man must
live a life of avoidance and plan his life around obstacles without
confrontation.
The honeybee enters the world of plants; along with the flowers it
encounters thorns but it always ignores the thorns. Man must adopt
the principle of ignoring the problems and
availing the opportunities.
The cow eats grass and then converts it into
milk, a wholesome food for humankind. Man
should learn the art of positive conversion.
Everything in nature serves as a model for man.
Nature’s silent and impeccable behaviour
shows man the right path. Therefore, man
should always follow nature’s perfect models.
Everything in nature
serves as a model
for man. Nature’s
silent and impeccable
behaviour shows
man the right path.
Therefore, man
should always follow
nature’s perfect
models.
One can discern from the above points that
it is the attitude of human beings which is
the most important factor in successfully
implementing the good things on this earth.
Likewise, it is man’s attitude that determines his position towards
the ideas of sustainable living. “It is our attitude that determines our
altitude”.
A Believer is Likened to a Tree
The Quran says:
Do you not see how God sets forth a parable that the good word is
like a good tree whose root is firm and its branches are in the sky, yielding its fruit every season by God’s leave? God gives parable to
men so that they become mindful. (
In this verse, God has compared a believer with a fruit tree. A tree
grows from a small seed, receiving food from the earth, water, air and
sun. Sprouting from a seed, it becomes a plant and then continues
growing until it becomes a full-grown tree; developing into a profitable
existence in the full sense of the word. Its branches, its leaves, its
flowers, its fruits, its shadow, in short, each part of it becomes beneficial
to all around.
The same is true of a believer. When he sows the seed of belief that
there is a Creator of this world to whom he is answerable, it starts
growing step by step in a moral, spiritual and intellectual course,
making progress in its development until it is able, like the tree, to
become profitable for the whole of humanity. This capacity of a believer
is so great that he receives positive sustenance even from negative
happenings. He becomes beneficial for everything inhabiting this earth.
A tree is a physical illustration of the spiritual life. Just like the tree, man
must take spiritual food from everything. When he is angry and controls
his anger, he is training himself in the art of anger management. When
he faces a crisis and manages to keep his patience, he is building his
capacity for positive planning. If he faces a violent situation and refrains
from reacting, he is shaping his personality so that he can maintain his
peace of mind, no matter in what condition he finds himself. This gives
a person the ability to conserve his energies, so that he may devote
himself to constructive work. It is as if he has enrolled himself in a
course of intellectual improvement.
All situations, both pleasant and untoward, are like intellectual food.
If you face these situations with a positive attitude, you will help
yourself grow. You will enhance your creativity. You will develop your
personality along positive lines. One who adopts this course will surely
emerge, sooner or later, as a well-developed personality, standing tall,
like a full-grown tree.
Need for Purification
Rain is a unique and natural phenomenon which is referred to several
times in the Quran. One such reference is:
And We have sent down from the sky blessed water with which We
have brought forth gardens and grain to be harvested. (
‘Blessed water’ in this verse means fresh water. This is purified water
that comes down as rain, giving vital nourishment to all forms of life
on the earth. Purified water means desalinated water. The original
source of this water is the salt water stored in the seas and oceans
that are spread over three-fourths of the earth’s surface. It is nature
that initiates a global process of desalination through the formation of
clouds. It is this blessed water, or desalinated water, that descends and
fulfils the needs of humans, plants and animals.
It is a demonstration by nature of how we can purify ourselves. By
following this natural pattern, we have to process events and things
around us through contemplation, and then make this to serve as a
tool for the purification of the soul.
We should learn the art of purification. We
must learn to extract spiritual lessons from
material events. How does this help in our
goal towards sustainable living, you may ask?
A purified person is a spiritual person; one
who contributes constructively to the world.
He not only refrains from harming the
environment but actually contributes towards
its improvement. He maintains the beauty
which God created and granted to humankind
to use beneficially.
Nature is silently
calling upon man
to mend his ways
before he finds that
he has no further
opportunity to do so.
There are many teachings of the Prophet of Islam regarding sustainable
living:
• Simplicity is a part of faith.
• God is pure and loves purity and cleanliness.
• Whoever cultivates wasteland, for him is reward therein.
• There are heavenly rewards for any act of kindness to animals.
• It is considered as charity on the part of the believer if he plants a
tree or sows a field and, man and birds or beasts eat from them.
Global Warming
It is of great importance that we understand the seriousness of the issue
of Global warming in order to be more sensitive towards practicing
sustainable living.
A recent news report from the Independent says:
Enormous Antarctic glacier on brink of collapse could raise sea
levels by half a metre alone, scientists warn. (The Independent, 9th
July 2019)
Global warming is regarded as the greatest problem besetting
humankind in the present times. Scientific investigations have revealed
that the earth’s life support system dependent upon the balance of
nature is fast falling apart. It is greatly feared that soon a time will
come when nothing will be left on earth to ensure the survival of life.
The present age has been one of an explosion of divine blessings in
the form of scientific discoveries leading to advanced technology,
covering every aspect of our life. But the abundance of these blessings
has only increased humankind’s arrogance. While making full use of
these blessings, humankind is distancing itself to a great extent from
the Giver of these blessings. Perversion in the name of freedom has
become the general culture today.
In the 7th century, the Prophet of Islam made it clear that human beings
were not being settled on earth for eternity; a time would come when
the present inhabited world would come to an end and be replaced
by another world where we will have to give an account of every deed,
which will either make us deserving of the perfect world of Paradise or
make us deserving of punishment. Evil will be separated from the good
in that world of the Hereafter.
The phenomenon of Global warming is showing that perhaps the
time for this to happen is nearing. Man has to change himself; he has
to abandon the way of disobedience to God and opt for the path of
obedience to Him. Nature is silently calling upon man to mend his ways
before he finds that he has no further opportunity to do so.
Nevertheless, the news of the end times being near is not to be
considered as a loss of hope, for the Prophet of Islam said:
If the Hour (the end of this world) is about to be established and one
of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even
one second before the Hour is established to plant it.
Dr. Farida Khanam
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WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Conspiracy Theories
DURING the lifetime of the Prophet of Islam many of his fellow
men opposed Islam and engaged in plotting against Islam and
Muslims. The Quran has mentioned this at several places. But
the counter-strategy advocated by the Quran was not to unearth their
plots and launch movements to defeat them, or even finally to wage
war against them. On the contrary, the Prophet and his Companions
were enjoined to place their trust in God alone. That is to say,
ignoring the plots and antagonism, trusting only in God and rising
above circumstances, they were to continue all activities which were
of a positive nature. This was an extremely
important injunction. By giving this guidance,
God set them on a course of positive thinking,
which left no room for negative thinking.
The Prophet and his
Companions were
enjoined to place
their trust in God
alone, ignoring the
plots and antagonism
of others and rising
above circumstances,
to continue all
activities which were
of a positive nature.
In short, this Quranic teaching encouraged
the early Muslims to live in a self-sufficient
way, free of baneful influence of their
opponents. If you have this obsession that
others are plotting against you, and that
everyone has turned your enemy, it will result
in your starting to suspect everyone, to the
extent that even if a member of your own
community underscores the importance of
tolerance and avoidance, you will take it in a
negative light and dub him an agent of the enemy. In this way, you
will weaken yourselves by turning your own people away from you.
One harmful aspect of such negative obsession is that one loses all
objectivity in thinking. One’s entire outlook becomes partisan and
prejudiced. One is unable to see reality as it is. One becomes like the
man who can see only the thorns in a garden of roses or the colour
blind person to whom a garden blossoming with flowers will appear in
melancholy shades of grey.
To act against others is Egoism to
act against oneself is Godliness.
WEATHERING THE STORM
Observing Equanimity
PEOPLE fall, largely, into two mutually exclusive categories: those
reared in the hard school of life, and those born into the lap of
luxury. Early environment has a decisive impact upon their yet
unformed personalities. It is the way people acquit themselves in their
contrasting situations of ease and privation that ultimately determines
how their personalities will develop.
To be brought up in the midst of ease and comfort in times of peace
and plenty may appear to be the greatest of good fortunes. Yet, that
man will have the stronger, better-rounded personality who suffers
hardships throughout his life. Too much comfort and convenience turn
people into weaklings. Only that person will emerge with the greatest
strength of character who puts up a struggle for everything he has.
There is a great deal of wisdom in the saying that “it is not ease but
effort, not facility but difficulty that makes men.”
On the stormy seas of life, there are countless individuals who are
confronted by difficulties. Some emerge unscathed, but more often, a
large number lose heart, become a prey to despair and ultimately give
up even trying. It is only those who stand firm in the face of adversity,
resisting all obstacles which hinder their progress, who will finally
advance towards a new and successful life.
But there is one danger to the latter group. Once they have attained their
objectives, there is a possible degeneration into materialism as a result
of their experiences in a world which is nothing if not materialistic. They
must guard against being morally swept off their feet by the status in
society which material wealth brings with it. Learning from hardships
is no learning at all if all it does is turn people towards materialism.
Material possessions do one no good whatsoever if they have been
gained at the cost of higher human principles.
Hardship in this world can only truly benefit us if, in the process of
the ensuing struggle, we learn the lessons of morality. We can only
learn from our experiences provided we do not allow ourselves to be
destroyed by them. We must always remember that it is quite possible
to taste the bitterness of life’s potion without falling a victim to its
poison. The difficulties of life should give us experiences which enable
us to become fuller and richer personalities; they should never cause
us to descend into negativism.
GROWING OLD IS CERTAINLY NOT A COUNTDOWN
The Golden Years
IT IS WIDELY held that once individuals become old, it is time to spend
their remaining years in withdrawal or retirement, as their overall
capabilities diminish and they are no longer capable of discharging
their former responsibilities. It is for this reason that as people age,
they begin to lose hope and then so many elderly people are relegated
to lead lives of despair and helplessness, sometimes in old age homes.
The best-selling Colombian author, Gabriel García Márquez observed
in his book, One Hundred Years of Solitude, “The secret of a good old age
is simply an honourable pact with solitude.”
This is an extremely morose approach to life, for just languishing, often
in seclusion, is definitely not what nature expects from man. Ageing
is a natural phenomenon and must be embraced rather than treated
like an ailment. As a person ages, his body weakens physically but
usually, not his mind. Even the argument of
lack of physical strength does not hold good
in today’s tech-savvy world. An old person
may, of course, be unable to run up and down
a flight of steps but he can still use a lift or
an escalator/elevator to reach his destination.
Similarly, a person may lose his vision but,
with the support of technology, he can still
continue to enjoy his favourite books. Physical
limitation is no longer a disabling aspect of
life—all one needs is a developed mind and
the capacity to think and learn anew.
Ageing is a natural
phenomenon and
must be embraced
rather than treated
like an ailment. As a
person ages, his body
weakens physically
but usually, not his
mind.
In old age, a man’s experience, knowledge and maturity increase,
offering him multifaceted ways to lead a fulfilling and meaningful life.
This view was endorsed in a study that found that in old age, the mind
continues to produce as many neurons as it did at an earlier age. Says
a report in The Times of India, April 7, 2018, “The findings suggest that
many senior citizens remain more cognitively and emotionally intact
than commonly believed, said Maura Boldrini, an associate professor
at Columbia University in the US. ‘We found that older people have a
similar ability to make thousands of hippocampal new neurons from
progenitor cells as younger people do.”
In other words, as one ages, one’s mind becomes more competent as
a result of the production of brain cells coupled with years of wisdom
and experience.
Ageing is not the beginning of a countdown,
but is rather, the time for a count-up. The
world can benefit greatly from the planning
skills and wisdom of the aged. This is, in fact,
nature’s way of enabling man to pass on his
wisdom to succeeding generations.
In old age, a
man’s experience,
knowledge and
maturity increase,
offering him
multifaceted ways to
lead a fulfilling and
meaningful life.
Longevity and old age are often spoken of
in the same breath. But here the emphasis
is misplaced. The key aspect of old age
is maturity, not longevity. An old person
develops mature thinking by experiencing the
vicissitudes of life. This not only enhances his knowledge but makes
him a prolific source of guidance and advice. Succeeding generations
are always in need of this unique gift from nature so that they may plan
a way forward. All major developments have taken place in the world
by people ‘standing on the shoulders of their predecessors’. It is time
to actively acknowledge the contribution that senior citizens can make
to society at large and to bring them into the mainstream so that they
may uphold the veracity of the old adage—‘old is gold.’
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 IDEOLOGY OF PEACE
HISTORY abounds in preachers of peace. But it is hard to find
in its annals an ideologue who has successfully presented the
concept of peace as a complete ideology. Perhaps this is why
over the centuries no revolution in the true sense of the word has been
brought about on the basis of peace. Although we have had a number
of peace-loving individuals, the establishment of a peaceful society on
a mass scale has never become a reality. Human interests are deeply
associated with peace. That is why every individual, for personal
reasons, wants to have a peaceful life.
As every individual desires peace, the following aspects must be
considered so that the foundation on which we build the edifice of
a peaceful society would not be faulty. What is built on impractical
premises cannot procure the results we are looking for.
Ideology of Peace for Guidance
Man is repeatedly faced with diverse situations that make it necessary
for him to have an ideology of peace to guide him. Peace being the
human need is not enough to make him exercise restraint and remain
peaceable in all situations. He needs an ideology which convinces him
at the conscious level of the necessity to maintain peace at all times.
Peace should not be Equated with Justice
People hold the idea that they should be first given justice and then rights, and only then can they live peacefully with others. “Peace with
justice” is their watchword. This attitude shows a lack of realism. The
truth is that justice does not directly follow from a state of peace. The
aim of establishing peace is, in fact, to open up opportunities for the
achievement of justice rather than the actual bearing of justice.
Peace has its Price
Like everything else, peace also has its price. No group or individual
can have peace unless it is willing to pay for it in due measure. In other
words, price refers to showing the willingness to suffer losses.
Peace Works on the System of Cause and Effect
Everything in this world works on the principle of cause and effect.
When this reality takes root in the mind of a human being, he will never
hold anyone else responsible for his own afflictions. He will instead
analyze his actions objectively to discover his shortcomings and rectify
his mistakes in order that he may be saved from unnecessary suffering.
Peace Ensues from the Policy of Avoidance
According to the law of nature, truth lives on,
while falsehood is destined for obliteration.
Given this state of affairs, it is enough for
the destruction of falsehood that we observe
a policy of silence. Speaking out or holding
protest movements to stir up agitation against
falsehood is to give life to it, while adopting
a policy of avoidance results in its dying a
natural death. The adoption of a peaceful
course to counter falsehood is as good as
extirpating it.
The aim of
establishing peace
is, in fact, to open
up opportunities for
the achievement of
justice rather than
the actual bearing of
justice.
Age of Globalization is an Age of Peace
The present age is one of globalization. The entire world has become a
global village. Looked at from this view-point, violence or armed struggle
in the present day has acquired the character of an anachronism. Those
who resort to violence to achieve their goals are unaware of the spirit
of the age. In this age everyone can peacefully work towards their goals
as long as they follow the policy of ‘live and let live’.
NOBLE ATTRIBUTES OF THE PROPHET
A Sublime Character
THE QURAN describes Prophet Muhammad as one possessing a
“sublime character.” (
which throw light on what this “sublime character” consists of:
“Never debase your character by saying that if people treat you
well, you will treat them well, and if they harm you, you will do
worse to them. Rather, become accustomed to being good to
those who are good to you, and not wronging those who harm
you.” (Mishkat ul-Masabih)
“Join hands with those who break away from you, forgive those
who wrong you, and be good to those who harm you.”
The sublime character described here was displayed—in its most lofty
form—by the Prophet himself. Such character is required of ordinary
Muslims as an accessory, but with the Prophet it was a basic requisite.
This is clear from this statement of the Prophet:
“Nine things the Lord has commanded me: Fear of God in
private and in public; Justness, both in anger and in calmness;
moderation in both poverty and affluence; that I should join
hands with those who break away from me; and give to those
who deprive me; and forgive those who wrong me; and that my
silence should be meditation; and my words remembrance of
God; and my vision keen observation.”
There are two levels of character, an ordinary
and a superior level. An ordinary character is
based on the principle: ‘do as you have been
done by’. Such a character might be termed
a “knee-jerk character”, for one possessed of
such a character offers only reflex responses
to treatment by others, breaking with those
who break with him, wronging those who
wrong him, and harming those who harm
him.
An ordinary
character is based on
the principle: do as
you have been done
by.
But the higher level of character is based on the principle: ‘do as you
would be done by’. One possessed of such a character deals with both
friends and foes in the same principled manner, irrespective of how he himself has been treated. He is reconciliatory, even joining with those
who break with him. He is compassionate, even to those who seek to
harm him. He is forbearing, even towards those who wrong him.
According to the French philosopher, Voltaire (1694-1778), “No one is a
hero to his valet.” It is because a valet has access to a person’s private
life, and in private life no one is perfect. Those close to a person usually
do not hold him in such high esteem as those who are further off. That
is why they cannot come to think of him as a hero. But, as Soren Smith
has written, this does not hold true for the Prophet of Islam. History
shows that the closer one came to him, the more one was enamoured
by his fine qualities.
Zaid Ibn Haritha was the son of Haritha Ibn Sharaheel, a member of the
tribe of Kalb. His mother’s name was Suda Bint Tha’alaba. She belonged
to a branch of the Tai tribe called Bani Ma’an. When Zaid was eight-yearold, his mother took him to her father’s home. There, some members
of the tribe of Bani Qayn ibn Jasr attacked their camp. Amongst the
booty that they captured was the young Zaid. They then took him to
the Ukkaz fair and sold him. The buyer’s name was Hakim ibn Hazam,
a nephew of Khadija, who was later to become the Prophet’s wife.
He brought the child to Makkah and presented him to his aunt as a
slave. When the Prophet married Khadija, she
placed Zaid in his service. The boy’s father and
uncle soon learnt of his whereabouts. They
came to Makkah to recover him, and take him
home with them. They met the Prophet, and
said that they would give any compensation
that he required, so long as he returned the
child to them. The Prophet said that he did
not want any compensation. If Zaid wanted to
go with them, they could take him. He called
Zaid, and asked him if he knew these people.
Zaid said that he did; they were his father and
uncle. “They want to take you with them,” the Prophet said. “If you want,
you can go home with them.” “I won’t leave you to go anywhere,” Zaid
replied. His father and uncle were incensed on hearing this. “What, do
you prefer slavery to freedom?” they asked. “Do you want to forsake
your own folk, and live amongst others?” “I cannot prefer anyone to
Muhammad,” Zaid replied, “not after seeing the qualities that he has.”
His father and uncle then returned to their home.
The higher level of
character is based on
the principle: do as
you would be done
by
This incident occurred before the commencement of the Prophet’s
mission. It reveals the tenderness that was inherent in his nature. The Quran has referred to this characteristic in the following words:
“It was thanks to God’s mercy that you were lenient to them.
Had you been cruel and hard-hearted, they would surely have
deserted you.” (
It was this magnanimity of the Prophet that gave him the power to
capture people’s hearts: the closer one came to him, the more one
would be won over by his noble character.
What a terrible time it must have been when, as night was falling, the
urchins of Taif were chasing the Prophet out of town and pelting him
with stones. This was the place where the Hijaz aristocracy used to
while away their summer days. The Prophet
had made the fifty-mile trip from Makkah to
call them to Islam. But the lords of Taif did
not listen to his well-meaning words; instead
they set the street-urchins on him, who kept
on chasing him until night had cast a veil
between them and God’s Prophet. His body
was covered in wounds. Bleeding from head
to foot and utterly exhausted, he took refuge
in a vineyard. This was a traumatic experience
for any man. The Prophet once told his wife,
Aisha, that it was the hardest night of his life.
But, at this gravest of moments, the Prophet did not wish his enemies
any harm. All he said was: “Lord, guide them, for they know not what
they do.” Such was the noble character of the Prophet, and it was
this nobleness which finally subdued his opponents and brought the
whole of Arabia within the Islamic fold. The force of his sublime spirit
was enough to conquer all in its wake. No prejudice, antagonism or
contumacy could withstand the charming power of good that was
embodied in his person.
A person who is in
need should not
be denied financial
assistance because
of his misconduct.
Rather one should
pardon him and
continue to help him.
The Prophet once said: “Honouring ties of relationship does not mean
honouring your ties with those who honour their ties with you; it
means honouring your ties with those who sever their ties with you.”
The well-known case of the accusation of adultery against Aisha, wife
of the Prophet and daughter of Abu Bakr, provides apt illustration of
this principle.
This accusation was absolutely slanderous. It was brought against
Aisha when she was accidentally left behind while returning from
the expedition to Bani Mustalaq (627-628 CE). She was rescued by a young Companion of the Prophet by the name of Safwan ibn Mu’attal.
Indeed, the episode has become famous in Islamic history as the “case
of the slander.” One of the persons responsible for its fabrication and
propagation was a relative of Abu Bakr named Mistah. When Abu Bakr
learnt that Mistah was one of those who had defamed his innocent
daughter, he cut off the allowance that he used to grant Mistah as a
needy relative. When Abu Bakr took this step, God revealed this verse
of the Quran to His Prophet:
“Let not the honourable and rich among you swear not to give to their
kindred, the poor and those who have fled their homes for the cause
of God. Rather, let them pardon and forgive. Do you not wish God to
forgive you? He is Forgiving, Merciful.” (
That is, a person who is in need should not be denied financial
assistance because of his misconduct. Rather one should pardon him
and continue to help him.
A man came up and insulted Abu Bakr one day when he was sitting
with the Prophet. Abu Bakr listened and was silent. The man continued
to abuse him. Again, Abu Bakr held his peace. When the man kept on
repeating his foul language, Abu Bakr could contain himself no longer,
and answered back. On hearing this, the
Prophet immediately got up and left. “Why
have you left your place, Prophet of God?”
Abu Bakr enquired. “As long as you remained
silent, Abu Bakr,” the Prophet replied, “God’s
angel was answering for you. But as soon
as you burst out, the angel left.” Thus, the
Prophet illustrated that God requites one for
any wrong done to one, as long as one does
not take retaliatory measures of one’s own.
But God leaves the matter to one who seeks
revenge. Obviously, a requital will be more
complete if it is left to God.
It was this
magnanimity of the
Prophet that gave
him the power to
capture people’s
hearts: the closer
one came to him, the
more one would be
won over by his noble
character.
The Prophet once borrowed some money
from a Jewish scholar. After a few days, the Jew demanded payment of
his debt. “At the moment, I have nothing to pay you with,” the Prophet
told him. “I won’t let you go until you have paid me back,” the Jew
retorted. And so, he stayed there, from morning until night, holding
the Prophet captive. At this time, the Prophet was the established ruler
of Madinah. He had the power to take measures against the Jew. His
Companions, indeed, intended to rebuke the man and chase him away.
But the Prophet forbade them from taking any action. “A Jew is holding
you captive,” protested one of them. “True,” the Prophet replied, “but
the Lord has forbidden to wrong anyone.” Night turned to morning.
With the light of dawn, the Jew’s eyes opened. He was profoundly
moved on seeing the Prophet’s tolerance, notwithstanding his power
to take action, and embraced Islam. This Jew was a rich man. The day
before, he had detained the Prophet on account of a few pence; but
the Prophet’s noble conduct had such an impact on him that now he
was willing to give all his wealth to the Prophet, saying, “Spend it as you
please.”
Abdullah Ibn Abi AI-Hasma once made a transaction with the Prophet.
It had not yet been completed when Abdullah Ibn Abi AI-Hasma had to
go home on some urgent business. “Wait here,” he said to the Prophet.
“We will settle this affair when I come back from my home.” When he
reached home, he became so engrossed in certain tasks that he forgot
his promise. He remembered it after three days and went back to that
place. He found the Prophet waiting there. All he said to Abdullah Ibn
Abi AI-Hasma was: “You have given me a lot of trouble; I have been
waiting here for three days.”
There is a magnetic power in conduct such as this which even the most
stubborn person cannot resist.
A new start begins from accepting
the fact that in the past you
committed a blunder.
BELIEF IN GOD
True Fulfilment
A HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY is a book by the British
philosopher Bertrand Russell published in 1945. In this 800-
page book, Russell raises the question as to why humans exert
their minds to resolving complex issues of philosophy, for instance,
what is the purpose of life, how can one arrive at an explanation of
the universe and so on. Humans have been trying to understand these
matters since thousands of years, then what is the reason behind
still engaging oneself in these subjects that have proved to be so
inexplicable and unfathomable? Russell answers that it is actually the
“terror of cosmic loneliness” that makes a person yearn to go on the
philosophical path of quest and search for the truth.
If a boulder or a piece of rock remains lying on the surface of the earth
for millions of years, it would never experience loneliness. However,
a human being will surely suffer from the
feeling of loneliness. The explanation for this
phenomenon is that a human being by his
very nature has interwoven in him the desire
to submit to God.
A human being by
his very nature has
interwoven in him
the desire to submit
to God.
Psychologically, every human being finds
himself incomplete. He feels fulfilled only
when he finds something outside of him
to fill in the psychological vacuum that he
certainly experiences. From this perspective,
people can be seen to fall into three broad categories: first is the
philosopher who is continually in search of something that would fulfil
him, however, he dies without finding that very thing in pursuit of
which he spends his entire life; second is the person who accords the
position of God to something or someone other than God, and thus
gains artificial fulfilment from association with such a person or thing;
third is the true believer in God who is able to find the right fulfilment
to the requirement of his nature. His feeling of loneliness or the sense
of vacuum in his life is fulfilled by his discovery of and belief in God.
Such a person is the one who is truly successful.
ISLAMIC VIRTUES
Model Character
FOR centuries the lives of the Prophet and his Companions
have served as models of a truly God-fearing existence for all
humankind, and will continue to do so. Hence God’s preservation
of this page of history with such exactitude that anyone, who is sincere
about learning from their example can know, even today, every detail
of how they lived and died. The following are a few examples worth
emulating.
Being Methodical
During the caliphate of Umar, Abu Hurayrah, a Companion brought
800,000 dirhams from Abu Musa Ashari to Madinah. After the morning
prayer, Umar informed the Muslims about this new intake of revenue.
“In all of Islamic history, we have not, till now, received such a sum of
money. In my opinion, it should be divided into equal portions and
distributed among the people.” When he asked the gathering what
they thought, Usman offered his opinion: “In order to give to everyone,
a considerable amount of money will be needed. If people are not
counted, it will be impossible to tell who have received their share
and who have not. This will result in confusion.” Hearing this, Walid
ibn Hisham said, “Commander of the Faithful, when I was in Syria, I
saw that the rulers there had compiled registers for this purpose, and
had appointed people to maintain them. You
might do likewise.” Umar accepted this advice
and delegated the task of compiling registers
to three of his Companions.
For centuries the lives
of the Prophet and
his Companions have
served as models of
a truly god-fearing
existence for all
humankind, and will
continue to do so.
Reforming Others
A person asked Umar regarding the better
of the two courses of action: to be mindful
of reproach in doing his duty to God, or to
concentrate on improving himself rather than
others.
To the above Umar replied: “Whoever is appointed to manage the
affairs of a community, should not neglect his duty towards others,
that is to say he must carry out his duty even in the face of criticism. But
those who are not in authority should concentrate upon themselves.
They may nevertheless offer good counsel to those in a position of
authority.
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
MAGIC AND MIRACLE
IN THE TIME of Moses, the Pharaoh yielded so much power that it
struck terror into the hearts of everyone who came within its reach.
The Quran shows, however, that even such a power as the Pharaoh’s
was as nothing compared to the power of truth.
The Quran tells the story of how the Lord commanded Moses to go to
Pharaoh “for he has transgressed all bounds. Speak to him with gentle
words; he may yet take heed and fear Our punishment.” (
Moses expressed his fear of the Pharaoh’s “malevolence and tyranny,”
God told him to “have no fear. I shall be with you. I see all and hear all.”
(
Moses did as God commanded, but when he conveyed God’s message
to Pharaoh, the latter denied it and asked Moses, “Have you come to
drive us from our land with your sorcery? Know that we will confront
you with a magic as powerful as yours.” (
A day was then fixed for this confrontation, and all of the Pharaoh’s
magicians were assembled so that they should overwhelm Moses. At
the Pharaoh’s command, they threw their wands and ropes on the
ground, whereupon they turned into writhing serpents. Moses felt daunted at this, but God commanded him to cast his staff too. This
likewise turned into a serpent, but one larger than all the rest, which
devoured all the creatures which the magicians had contrived to
summon into existence.
When the magicians saw the effects of Moses’
power, they realized that it had nothing to do
with magic, but was a matter of divine truth.
What was evidently a miracle had given them
a glimpse of the very face of the Almighty, and
they expressed their belief in Him there and
then. The Pharaoh was, of course, humiliated;
and he felt so furious at this unforeseen
development that he ordered the magicians’
hands and feet to be amputated from opposite
sides, after which they were to be tied to the
trunks of palm trees and crucified. When the
magicians heard this sentence—the severest in the land—they did not,
as the Pharaoh might have hoped, renounce their new-found beliefs.
They said to the Pharaoh: “We cannot prefer you to the clear signs
which have come to us.” (
When the magicians
saw the effects of
Moses’ power, they
realized that it had
nothing to do with
magic, but was a
matter of divine
truth.
To the eternal credit of the magicians, they preferred truth to power;
proofs to personality. Even when threatened with the direst of
punishments, they saw the folly of putting mere mortals before Eternal
God.
ADAPTING TO A NEW WORLD
Overcoming Culture Shock
ON NOVEMBER 18, 1984, a host of giraffes from Kenya were
transported by aeroplane to the United States. Surviving
members of a particularly long-necked species of giraffe, they
were being taken to the United States for breeding. The journey in the
aeroplane presented a problem for the organizers; for the giraffes had
never heard the loud noise of jet engines before, and it was thought
that they may become alarmed when placed in an aircraft for the first
time. In order to make them accustomed to the sound which they would
have to experience during the long flight from Kenya to the United
States, the giraffes were exposed to tape-recordings of the sound of
jet engines for several weeks before their departure. When they finally
set foot on the aircraft the sound was nothing new to them, and they
showed no adverse reactions when the engines were switched on. (BBC
News, November 18, 1984)
Any animal or human being experiences a certain shock on stepping
into a new environment. If one has been accustomed to a certain set
of conditions for years, any change in these conditions will have an
inevitable effect on one’s general disposition.
When human beings are subjected to such
a change in their environment, the impact it
has on them is known as “culture shock”.
In this world, man
can put up an
excuse by casting a
camouflage of words
upon his actions; in
the next world empty
words will have no
weight.
To avoid suffering from the effects of
culture shock, humans go through a period
of preparation—much like that the giraffes
underwent—before switching to a new
environment. They read books on the country
they are going to visit; they learn its language
and acquaint themselves with the habits and
customs of its people, which may be very different from their own. Only
then will they be in a position to enjoy the pleasures that it has to offer.
All men are destined to leave this world. The journey they will undertake
after death will be more momentous than any they have undertaken
in their lives. The conditions of the next world will be entirely different
from those they have experienced on earth. In this world people
succeed by all sorts of underhand means; in the next world there will
be only one basis of success, and that will be the real worth of one’s
own actions. In this world, it is often injustice that holds sway; the next world will be one of total and perfect justice. In this world, man can put
up an excuse by casting a camouflage of words upon his actions; in the
next world, empty words will have no weight. Only those words that
are supported by reality will ring true.
Before switching to this totally different world, man needs to become
accustomed to it. For this reason, God sends His prophets to teach
man the conditions that will prevail in the eternal world for which he is
bound. He reveals His scriptures to enable man to prepare himself for
the next world, and adopt its conditions before he gets there. If man
fails to take heed of these warnings, however, he will reach the next
world unprepared. He will be exposed to such a massive shock that he
will not be fit to enjoy the untold blessings that lie there.
ISLAMS ORIGINAL SOURCES
The Quran and Sunnah
A TRUE believer in Islam is one who subordinates his thinking to
God, who follows God’s dictates in all aspects of his life. What are
the dictates of God? These are preserved in the original sources
of Islam: the Quran and the Sunnah. Both the Quran and Sunnah were
transmitted to us through the last Messenger of God, Muhammad bin
Abdullah.
The Quran
The Quran is a book containing the literal Word of God. It was transmitted
from God through the Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad, who,
in turn, delivered it to us. The Quran covers a wide variety of topics,
including evidence to support its claim of being the Word of the
Creator, stories of earlier generations, instructions which humanity is
asked to obey and tidings of the Hereafter. The claim of the Quran that
it is protected from change is confirmed by the fact that in its 1400
year history, not one of its verses has been
proven to be wrong even with the coming of
the scientific era and the fact that the earliest
copies and the latest copies are exactly the
same.
The Quran is a book
containing the literal
Word of God.
The Quran is no new heavenly scripture. It
is only an authentic edition of the previous
heavenly scriptures. In this respect, the Quran
is a book for all human beings of all nations. It
is the expression of God’s mercy for one and
all. It is a comprehensive message sent by God for each one of us. The
Quran is a light of guidance for the world just as the sun is the source
of light and heat for the world.
The Quran has 114 chapters. Its contents in a nutshell are: belief in one
God, and considering oneself answerable to Him; firm belief that the
guidance sent by God through the Prophet Muhammad is the truth and
that man’s eternal salvation rests thereon.
The Sunnah/Hadith
The Sunnah can be described as the sayings and the actions of the last
prophet of God: Prophet Muhammad. Through the Sunnah, we obtain
examples from the life of the Prophet, who is a model for a believer.
Whatever the Prophet did, said, or approved of is a source of Islam just as much as the Quran. The Prophet’s role is not overemphasized: his
life was dictated by what the Creator desired, and the Messenger did
not add or subtract to Islam according to his own personal whim.
God’s prophets came to the world to make this chosen path plain to
us. In their words and deeds, they showed us how to live in accordance
with the will of God. It is this way of life, which is known in Islam as
the Sunnah or the path of the prophets. It covers every aspect of life,
from personal matters to social reform and nation-building. Those who
earnestly seek to be included amongst God’s chosen servants must
follow the path of the Prophet in all respects. In no walk of life should
they consider themselves free to tread another course.
The most important practice of the Prophet’s personal life was
preaching the word of God. A study of his life shows that his greatest
concern was to bring people to the path of the Lord. That his concern
had turned to anguish is clear from this verse of the Quran:
You will perhaps fret yourself to death on account of their
unbelief. (
The Prophet said that one who disregarded his
Sunnah was not one of his community. Just as
this remark applies to the marriage contract
and other such social obligations, so does it
equally apply to the duty of calling people to
the path of God. Only those have the right
to be called true followers of the Prophet,
who, along with other obligations enjoined by
him, adopt this all-important practice of the
Prophet as well.
The Sunnah can be
described as the
sayings and the
actions of the last
prophet of God:
Prophet Muhammad.
In the Quran, these words have been
addressed to the faithful:
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. (
It is clear from this verse that in the life of the Prophet Muhammad,
there is a perfect example for every human being. But the only real
beneficiaries will be those whose apprehension of God is already
profound, whose hopes and aspirations centre on God, whose lives
are lived in fear of the punishment of the Lord. Those who cherish the thought of eternal bliss and truly yearn for it with every fibre of their
beings will be the ones to learn from the Prophet’s example.
Why should this be so? The reason is that one has to be sincere in
one’s search for truth if one is going to find it. If one “looks to God and
the Last Day,” one will be sincere with regard to them. Sincerity will
enable one to see the life of the Prophet in
true perspective, and draw the right lessons
from it. This is the relevance of the Sunnah for
a believer.
Therefore, there is a need to rediscover Islam
through its original sources—Quran, the
word of God, and the Sunnah, the sayings
and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. It is
imperative that for any study of Islam to be
objective, distinction must be made between
the source of Islam and the practice of
Muslims. Today, there are many misconceptions prevalent about Islam
and we must take an objective view of each misconception judging
them in the light of original Islamic sources rather than by the conduct
of Muslims to reveal the true face of Islam.
For the seeker who wants to know more about Islam, the following is a
concise yet comprehensive course that can be followed.
1. The Quran
2. Biography of the Prophet by Ibn Kathir
3. Mishkat al-Masabih, a book of Hadith
4. Lives of the Prophet’s Companions by Muhammad Yusuf Kandhalvi
These are well-known and readily available books. Though originally
written in Arabic, they have been translated into and published in
several languages. They can be acquired and read in the language of
one’s choice.
A person will appear as an enemy if
that is how you see him. If you do not
view him with animosity, he will surely
be amicable in return.
SERENDIPITY
In the Physical and Spiritual World
HORACE WALPOLE (1717-1797), the renowned man of letters,
who wore many feathers on his cap, once found himself at a
loss for an exact expression for the faculty of making happy
or unexpected discoveries by accident. He then coined the word
‘serendipity’, deriving it from the title of a Sri Lankan fairy tale, “The
Three Princes of Serendip”. The word thereupon entered the English
language and, since 1754, has become a regularly used expression,
since there do seem individuals who possess such a faculty and
important discoveries have often been made in this way. One such
discovery was of Penicillin, made in 1928 by Sir Alexander Fleming, a
Scottish scientist who shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945 with
Ernst Chain and Howard Florey.
But serendipity is not all that it takes to make a great discovery. Taunted
by the remark that the discoveries made by scientists were not really
their own achievements, but the result of chance, the distinguished
Indian scientist, Sir C. V. Raman retorted, “That is true. But chance of
this nature only happens to scientists!”
Just as the scientist
can make his
discoveries only if
he immerses himself
totally in his subject,
so can man discover
the awesome
splendour of God
only if he engrosses
himself totally in his
Creator
Discovery results primarily from a finely tuned concentration of the
mind. The more keenly one’s attention is focussed on any given subject,
the more alive one becomes to its hidden subtleties. In this way, the
genuine scientist, involved day and night, with
the object of research, develops such a close
mental affinity for it, that he is able, inevitably,
to progress from partial to absolute truths.
What holds for scientific discovery is no less
true of spiritual discovery, and, for man, the
greatest discovery he can make is God. But
just as the scientist can make his discoveries
only if he immerses himself totally in his
subject, so can man discover the awesome
splendour of God only if he engrosses himself
totally in his Creator.
Discovery of God comes from giving one’s
entire mind to God. It is only when one turns
resolutely away from this material world in order to contemplate the
divine processes of nature that one becomes aware, in every fibre of
one’s being, of the magnificence of the Supreme Reality.
MILITARY POWER IS SELFDAMAGING
A Leaf Out of History
IN THE PRESENT world, at times, it becomes a matter of necessity
to use force. But the use of force should be resorted to only when
absolutely necessary, and that too only temporarily. Excessive focus
upon accumulating military power is useful neither for individuals nor
for nations; neither for Third World nations nor for superpowers.
In his speech on October 5, 1991, George H. W Bush, the former
American President said:
“One cannot separate foreign policy and
military issues from economic growth and
reform. The world has seen only too clearly
the immense costs of over-armed, aggressive
states such as Iraq. It has also seen how
excessive focus upon projecting politicomilitary power and neglecting the economy
has badly, perhaps permanently damaged
the USSR.”
No one is powerful enough to keep pace with economic progress
and military power at the same time. Spending more resources on
military power is always at the cost of neglecting the front of economic
progress. Such a policy inevitably brings dangerous results, examples
of which can be found in both distant and recent history.
Peace should form the general policy and war should only be an
exception. The best and correct policy for any individual or nation
is to set matters right in all dealings with others through peaceful
means. The way of clash and confrontation should be adopted only in
emergencies.
Much as we long for a perfect
world we are compelled to live
in an imperfect world.
HOW TO FIND PURPOSE IN LIFE
Meaningful Existence
MEDICINES are usually accompanied by leaflets explaining what
illnesses they are designed to cure, how they should be used
and what their basic formulae are. But, it is a tragedy that
man is born into the world in such a condition that he knows neither
what he is nor why he has been put here. No convenient handbook
accompanies him; neither are there any signboards fixed to the
summits of the mountains to give him directions or provide him with
answers to his questions. Man has, in consequence, formed strange
opinions about himself, the earth and the sky, being ignorant of the
essential reality of life.
When he examines his own being, it appears to him as an amazing
accumulation of intellectual and physical powers. Yet, he did not will
himself into being, nor did he play any part in the making of himself.
Then he looks at the world outside of him and finds a universe of such
extreme vastness, that he can neither encompass nor traverse it, nor
can he count the innumerable treasures it
contains. What is all this and why is it there?
Where did this world start from and where
will it all end? What is the purpose of this
existence? He finds himself completely in the
dark on these subjects.
The Quran bears
verbal witness to the
sovereignty of God. It
describes, with great
force and clarity,
the great, hidden,
determinative force
on work throughout
the entire world, and
gives us definitive
information on
those metaphysical
realities, which elude
the hand and the eye.
Man has, of course, been given eyes, but all
his eyes can do is see the outside of things.
He has intelligence, but the trouble with
human intelligence is that it does not even
know about itself. Up till now, man has been
unable to find out how thoughts enter the
human mind or how the mind functions. With
such inadequate faculties, he is neither able
to arrive at any sound conclusion concerning
himself, nor is he able to understand the
universe.
Towards the above questions the Quran is presented as a book which
offers knowledge concerning the realities of life. Understanding the
universe on our own is just like those blind people who tried to find
out what an elephant is by touching the different parts of its body.
One touched its leg and thought that it was a pillar. Another felt its ear and concluded that it was a winnowing basket. Its back was proclaimed
as a platform, its tail as a snake and its trunk as a hosepipe. But in all
this explanation the description of the real elephant is not there. No
matter how these blind people put their findings together, they cannot
arrive at the correct answer. In the same manner many people in their
attempt to fathom the nature of reality in the universe have failed to
draw the right conclusions, have been fumbling in the dark and just
hazarding wild guesses as to the nature of their surroundings, without
ever truly understanding it.
There have been people in this world who have devoted their entire
lives to the quest for Truth but in their desperation at being unable
to find it, have taken the extreme step of putting an end to their lives.
Then there are some who drew conclusions based on pure conjecture.
The latter mistaking conjecture for reason, compiled their conclusions
and presented them to the world as Truth, the former saw speculation
for what it was, rejected it, then—anguished at their own ultimate
helplessness—opted out of this mysterious world.
The message of the Quran conveys that man
has been given the capacity to think and
understand, but this capacity is little better
than an eye, which can see only so long as
there is some external source of light. In
pitch darkness, this self-same eye cannot see
anything whatsoever. Only when a light is
switched on, does everything become clearly
visible. The human intellect, like the eye,
needs the light—the light of God’s word.
The Quran is a book
of guidance showing
man the path to
tread. It is a Light
which guides his
faltering steps giving
him timely reminder
of God’s will,
awakening the minds
of the readers.
The Quran presents this concept by saying
that not only God exists, but also paints an
incredibly vivid picture of the Being who
sustains and directs the universe. Not only does it tell us about the
creation plan for this world it also tells us about the life Hereafter. It
describes the Day of judgement so graphically that its horrors become
deeply etched on our consciousness. There is a well known story of a
Greek artist who painted such a realistic picture of a bunch of grapes
that birds would come and peck at it. Just think that if a painting
executed by an ordinary mortal could have such an extraordinary
effect, what heights of consummate artistry could not be reached by
the Lord of the Worlds in His word—the Quran?
The Quran bears verbal witness to the sovereignty of God. It describes,
with great force and clarity, the great, hidden, determinative force at
work throughout the world, and gives us definitive information on
those metaphysical realities, which elude the hand and the eye. Not
only does it spell out the facts of existence, but it also builds up an
astonishing gallery of word-pictures, which bring a hitherto unseen
world before our very eyes.
The Quran shows us where strength in this world lies, giving us a
handhold on a rope that never breaks. Without this, we have no real
support in life. Moreover, it is only attachment to God that human
beings can retain their hold on the cord that binds each to each.
The Quran explains that it is God alone who sustains us throughout our
lives here on earth. Through Him our hearts are set at ease, for it is He
who provides true warmth in life. He rescues us in times of peril, assists
us in the hour of need. All power rests in His
hands; honour and glory will be the rewards
of any nation who looks to Him for support,
while only disgrace and humiliation will be
the lot of those who abandon Him. To know
this is to hold the key to all the treasures in
life. He who possesses this key gains all; he
who loses it, loses all.
The Quran presents
this concept by
saying that not only
God exists, but also
paints an incredibly
vivid picture of the
Being who sustains
and directs the
universe. Not only
does it tell us about
the creation plan
for this world it also
tells us about the life
Hereafter.
The Quran is a book of guidance showing man
the path to tread. It is a Light which guides
his faltering steps giving him timely reminder
of God’s will, awakening the minds of the
readers. It conveys the Lord’s admonition. It
is a book that helps one to distinguish right
from wrong. It is a book of wisdom. It is a book
which lays down for us the very foundations
on which to build and organize society.
How can a man gauge whether he has actually developed a relationship
with God? There is only one answer to this question: by turning his eyes
inward, and judging how his inner self stands related to the Quran. For
how one relates to the Quran is a true reflection of one’s relationship
with God. The degree to which a man adheres to the tenets of the
Quran will be a sure indication of his attachment to his Maker. If the
Quran is the book he values most, it goes without saying that God is
dearer to him than any other. It is a scale on which man’s devotion to
his Creator may be measured.
The degree to which
a man adheres to
the tenets of the
Quran will be a sure
indication of his
attachment to his
Maker.
When man fears to stand alone, without
support, in an unfathomable universe, the
Quran sets his mind at rest by making his
destination clear to him, and directing him
towards it. In the Quran man thus meets his
Lord, beholds His promises and rejoices in
His good tidings. In this way, the Quran fills
a man with sufficient conviction to define
his place in the world. Giving concrete form
to the instinctive feeling which swirl in man’s
subconscious about his Lord and Master, the Quran sets his feet well
and truly on the path of submission to Him; brings him closer to God,
which is the true purpose in life.
THE KEY TO SOCIAL HARMONY
A Shift in Outlook
IT BECOMES distressingly clear as we progress through life, that
many individuals are less well-equipped than others to succeed in
any material or spiritual sense. Although we are all equal in the eyes
of God, when it comes to justice, mercy and obedience to the Divine
Will, it is quite apparent that the provision is disproportionate.
Philosophers, men of medicine, sociologists, and educationists are still
arguing as to the roles of heredity and environment in producing this
inequitable state of affairs, and as yet, they are far from producing
a solution to the problem. There is no wishing it away, and much as
governments and philanthropists have striven to redress this imbalance,
we have only to look around us to see with what seeming permanence
this situation is stamped. Many countries have attempted to provide
equal opportunities for all; but even where material assistance is the
greatest, there is always a small group of individuals who stand head
and shoulders above the others. There is always, beneath them, a large
body of quite average performers, and sometimes an equally large,
or even larger group at the foot of the ladder
who make very little of their lives, many
of them being what modern educationists
would call “under-achievers”. That is, they do
have a certain potential, but they do not make
serious efforts to live up to it.
Although we are all
equal in the eyes of
God, when it comes
to justice, mercy
and obedience to
the Divine Will, it
is quite apparent
that the provision is
disproportionate.
Capitalism has always exploited such
situations, exaggerating the differences
between the different classes of people.
Socialism, on the other hand, has tried to
eliminate such differences, in the interests
of both the state and the individual. But
irrespective of political objectives, individual psychology has remained
fundamentally the same. There is still the same friction caused by one
individual doing better than another, the same resentment at success
being the lot of one’s neighbour and not of one’s own self, the same
reluctance to give honour and acknowledgement where they are due.
Sometimes this takes the extreme form of character assassination of
genuinely superior individuals.
This is when we must stop short of such baseness. This is when we
must discount the effects of whatever political and educational systems we live under. This is when we must discard
hardened attitudes of envy, bitterness, spite,
and, returning to a pure mental state from
which all acrimony has been banished, look
upon ourselves and our fellow-men as being
equal in the eyes of God. According to a
Hadith,
All men descend from Adam and Adam was
created from earth.
We must discard
hardened attitudes
of envy, bitterness,
spite, and returning
to a pure mental
state from which all
acrimony has been
banished.
It is this aspect of human existence upon
which we must keep our attention firmly focussed, irrespective of its
material trappings. It is then and only then that we shall live in true
social harmony.
IS THERE AN AFTERLIFE
The Eternal Soul
WHEN I am dead, will I then be raised up again? This question
may hover on the periphery of the consciousness of even
those who do not have any deep convictions of the reality
of life after death, but the fact remains that very few people give any
direct attention to the question of the afterlife. The plain truth that
tomorrow’s life is not willingly and eagerly contemplated in the present
world is surely an indication of conscious or subconscious doubt as to
its existence.
If, however, we give serious thought to this reality, it becomes easily
comprehensible. God, wishing to put us to the test, has not divulged
the secrets of life after death to us, but has spread His signs throughout
the world which, if pondered over, can lead us to a true realization of
the essence of all things. This universe is a mirror in which we can gaze
upon the image of the next world.
It is common knowledge that human beings have not always existed
in their present state. Man is derived from a formless substance,
which gradually takes on the form of a human being as it grows in the
mother’s womb. This process continues until, in the outside world, it
develops into a full-fledged human being. The
metamorphosis of an insensate, valueless
substance, imperceptible to the naked-eye,
into a six-foot tall human being, is an everyday
event, so why should there be any difficulty
in understanding how the minute particles
of our bodies, after being scattered in the
ground, will once again take on a human
form?
The plain truth that
tomorrow’s life is not
willingly and eagerly
contemplated in
the present world is
surely an indication
of conscious or
subconscious doubt
as to its existence.
Every individual walking around is, in fact, an
accumulation of countless atoms, previously
dispersed in unknown dimensions throughout
the earth and atmosphere. The forces of
nature brought these atoms together in one meaningful, sensate
pattern, so that we are now able to observe these same scattered
atoms in the form of a human being capable of thought, feeling and
movement. The very same process will be repeated when, subsequent
to our death, our particles are diffused in the air, water and earth.
Afterwards, at God’s command, they will be reassembled and once again assume the form of a human-being. What is so extraordinary
about the re-occurrence of an event which has already happened once
before?
Even in the world of matter, there are indications of the practicability of
a repetition of life. Every year, in the rainy season, vegetation flourishes
and greenery spreads in all directions. Then the summer pronounces
its death sentence and the earth dries up. Where flowers bloomed,
only a barren plain can be seen. Thus a full-fledged life expires. But
when the rains come again, and water pours down from the sky, that
very same vegetation is revived and dry land once again becomes a
meadow. In this very same manner man will be raised to life after his
death.
This proves that the word “homo sapiens”,
rather than being a label attached to a certain
physical form, which is erased with its death,
is a separate entity which remains intact even
after the diffusion of the body’s composite
parts. The fact that the body alters whereas
the soul does not, is conclusive proof of the
transitional nature of the body and the eternal
nature of the soul.
Some people consider life and death to be
the accumulation and subsequent diffusion
of multitudinous particles of matter. This theory has been expounded
by an Urdu poet, Chakbast, in the following words:
What is life? Elements arranging themselves in order, And
death? Their diffusion.
This, however, is a statement which is not borne out by fact. If life
were simply “elements arranging themselves in order”, then it follows
that it should survive only so long as this orderliness endured, and it
should conversely be possible for an expert scientist to create life by
an accumulation of these elements; obviously, both these propositions
are ludicrous.
We observe that it is not only those who have been torn limb from
limb in some accident, who die. In every condition and at every age
people are passing away. Sometimes perfectly healthy human beings
suffer sudden heart-failure and no doctor can provide an explanation.
We may regard a corpse as an “orderly, elemental manifestation”, but
the soul which inhabited it has departed. All elements are arranged in the same order as they were a few minutes
beforehand, but they are utterly lifeless. This
shows that the organization of elemental
matter does not create life, rather life is an
entirely separate entity.
When we die, we
do not pass into
oblivion, rather
we retire to reside
in another world.
The present world
is nothing but a
tiny interlude in
our never-ending
lifespan.
Clearly, life is not something which can
be eliminated. When we grasp that it is
something with eternal properties, we can
appreciate just how rational and natural the
‘life-after-death’ theory is. The facts cry out
that life does not consist merely of what can
be seen prior to death. There must be a life
after death also. Our intellect accepts the
transient nature of this world, but man is a being which survives it.
When we die, we do not pass into oblivion, rather we retire to reside in
another world. The present world is nothing but a tiny interlude in our
never-ending lifespan.
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 Gracious, the Most Merciful
When the sun is folded up, and when the stars lose their light, and
when the mountains are moved, when ten-month pregnant camels
are left untended, and when all beasts are gathered together, and
when the seas are set on fire, when the souls are divided into different
classes, and when the female infant buried alive is asked for what
sin she was killed, when the records of men’s deeds are laid open,
when the sky is unveiled, and when Hell is set ablaze, when Paradise
is brought close: [then] each soul shall know what it has put forward.
(
The scenes of Doomsday, or the Day of Judgement, have been
described at various points in the Quran. When Doomsday arrives, the
present balance of the world will break down, and man will feel himself
helpless. On that Day, all things except good deeds will lose their value.
Then the oppressed person will have the right to take his revenge upon
his oppressor.
I swear by the receding stars, the planets that run their course and
set, and the night that falls, and the first breath of morning. Truly,
this is the word brought by a noble messenger, endowed with power
and held in honour by the Lord of the Throne who is obeyed there
and is worthy of trust. Your companion is not one possessed: he truly
beheld him [the angel1
] on the clear horizon. He is not a withholder of
the knowledge of the Unseen. Nor is this the word of an outcast devil.
So where are you going? This is merely a reminder to all mankind;
to every one of you who wishes to tread the straight path. But you
cannot will it unless God, the Lord of the Universe, so wills it [to show
you that way]. (
The occurrence of day and night on the earth and the change of position
of the stars as observed by man are due to the rotation of the earth on
its axis. In this context, the meaning of these verses is that the system
of axial rotation of the earth is a witness to the fact that Muhammad is
the Prophet of God and that the Quran is the word of God which has
been revealed to him through an angel.
The axial rotation of the earth is one of the truly remarkable phenomena
of this universe. It is, so to say, a model which makes the matter of
revelation understandable to us. When you imagine that the earth,
while rotating on its axis, also revolves round the sun in the vastness
of outer space, you will feel as if there is a powerful remote control
system which directs its movements with the utmost precision. The
establishment of contact between man and God through an angel
is also on a parallel with this. The controlled movement of the earth
symbolically helps us in understanding the miraculous nature of man’s
contact with God through the angel.
ASK MAULANA
Your Questions Answered
Why is it so difficult to accept defeat?
It is difficult because people are not ready to accept the role of the
law of nature in deciding a result, be it success or failure. Man is often
governed by his ego and whims, which makes him a case of failure.
The logo of The Times of India bears the following inscription, ‘Let truth
prevail’.
On the same lines, I would say in real life, the principle to be followed
is: ‘Let the law of nature prevail’. If, however, we desire that our ego
prevails, it would be hard for us to accept failure and draw a positive
lesson from it. On the contrary, if we accept our shortcomings, not only
are we able to accept failure but also work towards self-improvement.
When does self-respect become ego?
Some take self-respect as an excuse to play a demanding and revengeseeking role. What they do not realize is that being demanding and
revengeful is a negative manifestation of ‘ego’, which has no place in
Islam. Islam teaches its proponents to be firm when it concerns a duty;
not to be stubborn in demanding a right.
A duty-conscious mindset looks at fulfilling the rights of others whereas
the mindset of seeking revenge simply aggravates the negative effects
of a person’s ego. A very important principle to keep in mind is that
doing one’s duty is a virtue only when it does not create another issue.
The Companions of the Prophet had migrated from Makkah to
Madinah. When Makkah was brought back into the fold of Islam, many
Companions said that they should take back their property which they
had left behind in Makkah. When the Prophet came to know this, he
announced that they all should immediately return to Madinah—he
did not allow the redeeming of lost property, as it would have opened
up a new chapter of avenging what was once lost. Those who were
occupying the property would not have given it up so easily.
During my days at my home village, a person usurped an area
encompassing thirty trees from our orchard. A neighbour, when he
learnt of this, told me that he would help me retrieve the ownership on
gunpoint! I refused. I told him that retrieval would not put an end to the
chain reaction that would begin. In essence, we must always think whether a new problem is being
generated or is the issue getting resolved. After thinking on these lines,
we should determine our course of action.
Should I stop getting offended for everything?
Yes, absolutely! God helps those who take themselves to such levels
of objectivity that they are not offended at all. God loves the one who
does not get offended whatever be the situation—when a person does
this, angels would rush in his direction, exclaiming: ‘Here is the kind of
a person we were looking for!’
How can a person identify his shortcomings?
In order to identify our own shortcomings, we must possess an
objective mindset and should not get offended by what another person
tells us about ourselves. We should imagine the other person to be like
a mirror, which gives us an exact reflection of ourselves.
Either one becomes angry on criticism or is overjoyed upon being
praised; both these responses are improper. Criticism should be
welcomed and due thought should be given to the message being
conveyed without becoming disturbed by its tenor. However, one gets
offended when one’s ego is touched and that happens even when
someone speaks the truth.
Our dormant ego may still get aroused on provocation. A true realist is
one who has an awakened mind, one that is able to gauge the slightest
of deviation from the path of realism. He accepts feedback as it is and
introspects to realize and overcome his shortcomings.
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 )
