اللہ کےحرف4

اللہ کےحرف4
محمد کےحرف4
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مسجد کے حرف 4
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موت کی تمنا نہ کرو

حضرت ابو ہریرہ رضی اللہ عنہ سے روایت ہے کہ آنحضرت صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے ارشاد فرمایا کہ موت کی تمنا نہ کرو کیونکہ اگر وہ شخص نیک ہے تو ہو سکتا ہے کہ اسکی نیکیوں میں اضافہ ہو جائے اور اگر وہ شخص گناہگار ہے تو ہو سکتا ہے کہ اللہ اسکی خطاؤں کو معاف فرمادیں(اور اسے توبہ کی توفیق مل جائے) رواہ البخاری۔۔حضرت جابر رضی اللہ عنہ سے روایت ہے آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے فرمایا کہ تم میں سے کوئی موت کی تمنا نہ کرے کیونکہ یہ ایک نہائت تکلیف دہ امر ہے اور سعادت کی بات یہ ہے کہ آدمی کی عمر لمبی ہو اور اللہ تبارک و تعالیٰ اسے انابت اور رجوع اللہ کی توفیق عطا فرمائیں۔(رواہ احمد)

ان احادیث مبارکہ میں ایک مومن شخص کو موت کی تمنا کرنے سے منع کیا گیا ہے جیسا کہ بعض لوگ دنیاوی مصائب و آلام یا وقتی برے حالات سے گھبرا کر موت کی تمنا کیا کرتے ہیں تو ایسا کرنے سے منع کیا گیاہے کیونکہ اگر وہ آدمی نیک خصلت ہے تو اسکی نیکیوں میں اضافہ کی امید ہے اور اگر وہ گناہگار ہے تو ہو سکتا ہے کہ کسی وقت رحمت خداوندی سے اسے توبہ کی توفیق نصیب ہو جائے اور اسکے گناہ بخش دیئے جائیں۔ بہر حال موت کی تمنا کرنا منع ہے کیونکہ اس نے اپنے وقت پر آہی جانا ہے اور اگر خدانخواستہ موت کے بعد قبر میں بھی سکون نصیب نہ ہو ا تو پھر .........کونسا ٹھکانہ ہے؟

Women in Islam Vs Women in the Judeo-Christian Tradition: The Myth & The Reality

The Judaeo-Christian conception of the creation of Adam and Eve is narrated in detail in Genesis 2:4-3:24. God prohibited both of them from eating the fruits of the forbidden tree. The serpent seduced Eve to eat from it and Eve, in turn, seduced Adam to eat with her. When God rebuked Adam for what he did, he put all the blame on Eve.

"The woman you put here with me --she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it." Consequently, God said to Eve:

"I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you."

To Adam He said:

"Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree .... Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life..."

The Islamic conception of the first creation is found in several places in the Qur***65533;an, for example:

"O Adam dwell with your wife in the Garden and enjoy as you wish but approach not this tree or you run into harm and transgression. Then Satan whispered to them in order to reveal to them their shame that was hidden from them and he said: 'Your Lord only forbade you this tree lest you become angels or such beings as live forever.' And he swore to them both that he was their sincere adviser. So by deceit he brought them to their fall: when they tasted the tree their shame became manifest to them and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: 'Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you that Satan was your avowed enemy?' They said: 'Our Lord we have wronged our own souls and if You forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be lost' " (7:19:23).

A careful look into the two accounts of the story of the Creation reveals some essential differences. The Qur***65533;an, contrary to the Bible, places equal blame on both Adam and Eve for their mistake. Nowhere in the Qur***65533;an can one find even the slightest hint that Eve tempted Adam to eat from the tree or even that she had eaten before him. Eve in the Qur***65533;an is no temptress, no seducer, and no deceiver.

Moreover, Eve is not to be blamed for the pains of childbearing. God, according to the Qur***65533;an, punishes no one for another's faults. Both Adam and Eve committed a sin and then asked God for forgiveness and He forgave them both.

Eve***65533;s Legacy

The image of Eve as temptress in the Bible has resulted in an extremely negative impact on women throughout the Judaeo-Christian tradition. All women were believed to have inherited from their mother, the Biblical Eve, both her guilt and her guile. Consequently, they were all untrustworthy, morally inferior, and wicked.

Old Testament

"I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare....while I was still searching but not finding, I found one upright man among a thousand but not one upright woman among them all" (Ecclesiastes 7:26-28).

In another part of the Hebrew literature which is found in the Catholic Bible we read:

"No wickedness comes anywhere near the wickedness of a woman.....Sin began with a woman and thanks to her we all must die" (Ecclesiasticus 25:19,24).

"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I don't permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner" (I Timothy 2:11-14).

If we now turn our attention to what the Qur***65533;an has to say about women, we will soon realize that the Islamic conception of women is radically different from the Judaeo-Christian one. Let the Qur***65533;an speak for itself:

"For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise-- For them all has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward" (33:35).

"The believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil, they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His Mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise" (9:71).

"And their Lord answered them: Truly I will never cause to be lost the work of any of you, Be you a male or female, you are members one of another" (3:195).

"Whoever works evil will not be requited but by the like thereof, and whoever works a righteous deed -whether man or woman- and is a believer- such will enter the Garden of bliss" (40:40).

"Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him/her we will give a new life that is good and pure, and we will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions" (16:97).

It is clear that the Qur***65533;anic view of women is no different than that of men. They, both, are God's creatures whose sublime goal on earth is to worship their Lord, do righteous deeds, and avoid evil and they, both, will be assessed accordingly. The Qur***65533;an never mentions that the woman is the devil's gateway or that she is a deceiver by nature. The Qur***65533;an, also, never mentions that man is God's image; all men and all women are his creatures, that is all. According to the Qur***65533;an, a woman's role on earth is not limited only to childbirth. She is required to do as many good deeds as any other man is required to do. The Qur***65533;an never says that no upright women have ever existed. To the contrary, the Qur***65533;an has instructed all the believers, women as well as men, to follow the example of those ideal women such as the Virgin Mary and the Pharaoh***65533;s wife:

"And Allah sets forth, As an example to those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh: Behold she said: 'O my lord build for me, in nearness to you, a mansion in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings and save me from those who do wrong.' And Mary the daughter of Imran who guarded her chastity and We breathed into her body of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His revelations and was one of the devout" (66:11-13).

Shameful Daughters?

In fact, the difference between the Biblical and the Qur***65533;anic attitude towards the female *** starts as soon as a female is born. For example, the Bible states that the period of the mother's ritual impurity is twice as long if a girl is born than if a boy is (Lev. 12:2-5). The Catholic Bible states explicitly that:

"The birth of a daughter is a loss" (Ecclesiasticus 22:3).

It was this very same idea of treating daughters as sources of shame that led the pagan Arabs, before the advent of Islam, to practice female infanticide. The Qur***65533;an severely condemned this heinous practice:

"When news is brought to one of them of the birth of a female child, his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief. With shame does he hide himself from his people because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain her on contempt or bury her in the dust? Ah! what an evil they decide on?" (16:59).

It has to be mentioned that this sinister crime would have never stopped in Arabia were it not for the power of the scathing terms the Qur***65533;an used to condemn this practice (16:59, 43:17, 81:8-9). The Qur***65533;an, moreover, makes no distinction between boys and girls. In contrast to the Bible, the Qur***65533;an considers the birth of a female as a gift and a blessing from God, the same as the birth of a male. The Qur***65533;an even mentions the gift of the female birth first:
***65533;To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills. He bestows female children to whomever He wills and bestows male children to whomever He wills" (42:49).

In order to wipe out all the traces of female infanticide in the nascent Muslim society, Prophet Muhammad promised those who were blessed with daughters of a great reward if they would bring them up kindly:

"He who is involved in bringing up daughters, and accords benevolent treatment towards them, they will be protection for him against Hell-Fire" (Bukhari and Muslim).

"Whoever maintains two girls till they attain maturity, he and I will come on the Resurrection Day like this; and he joined his fingers" (Muslim).

Female Education?

The attitude of St. Paul in the New Testament:
"As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church." (I Corinthians 14:34-35)

How can a woman learn if she is not allowed to speak? How can a woman grow intellectually if she is obliged to be in a state of full submission? How can she broaden her horizons if her one and only source of information is her husband at home?

Now, to be fair, we should ask: is the Qur***65533;anic position any different? One short story narrated in the Qur***65533;an sums its position up concisely. Khawlah was a Muslim woman whose husband Aws pronounced this statement at a moment of anger: "You are to me as the back of my mother." This was held by pagan Arabs to be a statement of divorce which freed the husband from any conjugal responsibility but did not leave the wife free to leave the husband's home or to marry another man. Having heard these words from her husband, Khawlah was in a miserable situation. She went straight to the Prophet of Islam to plead her case. The Prophet was of the opinion that she should be patient since there seemed to be no way out. Khawla kept arguing with the Prophet in an attempt to save her suspended marriage. Shortly, the Qur***65533;an intervened; Khawla's plea was accepted. The divine verdict abolished this iniquitous custom. One full chapter (Chapter 58) of the Qur***65533;an whose title is "Almujadilah" or "The woman who is arguing" was named after this incident:

"Allah has heard and accepted the statement of the woman who pleads with you (the Prophet) concerning her husband and carries her complaint to Allah, and Allah hears the arguments between both of you for Allah hears and sees all things...." (58:1).

A woman in the Qur***65533;anic conception has the right to argue even with the Prophet of Islam himself. No one has the right to instruct her to be silent. She is under no obligation to consider her husband the one and only reference in matters of law and religion.

Vows

According to the Bible, a man must fulfill any vows he might make to God. He must not break his word. On the other hand, a woman's vow is not necessarily binding on her. It has to be approved by her father, if she is living in his house, or by her husband, if she is married. If a father/husband does not endorse his daughter's/wife's vows, all pledges made by her become null and void:
"But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand ....Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself" (Num. 30:2-15)

In Islam, the vow of every Muslim, male or female, is binding on him/her. No one has the power to repudiate the pledges of anyone else. Failure to keep a solemn oath, made by a man or a woman, has to be expiated as indicated in the Qur***65533;an:

"He [God] will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; Or clothe them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths you have sworn. But keep your oaths" (5:89).

Companions of the Prophet Muhammad, men and women, used to present their oath of allegiance to him personally. Women, as well as men, would independently come to him and pledge their oaths:

"O Prophet, When believing women come to you to make a covenant with you that they will not associate in worship anything with God, nor steal, nor fornicate, nor kill their own children, nor slander anyone, nor disobey you in any just matter, then make a covenant with them and pray to God for the forgiveness of their sins. Indeed God is Forgiving and most Merciful" (60:12).

Mothers

In Islam, the honor, respect, and esteem attached to motherhood are unparalleled. The Qur***65533;an places the importance of kindness to parents as second only to worshipping God Almighty:

"Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, And that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, Say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, But address them in terms of honor. And out of kindness, Lower to them the wing of humility, and say: 'My Lord! bestow on them Your Mercy as they Cherished me in childhood' " (17:23-24).

The Qur***65533;an in several other places puts special emphasis on the mother's great role in giving birth and nursing:

"And We have enjoined on man to be good to his parents: In travail upon travail did his mother bear him and in two years was his weaning. Show gratitude to Me and to your parents" (31:14).

The very special place of mothers in Islam has been eloquently described by Prophet Muhammad:

"A man asked the Prophet: 'Whom should I honor most?' The Prophet replied: 'Your mother'. 'And who comes next?' asked the man. The Prophet replied: 'Your mother'. 'And who comes next?' asked the man. The Prophet replied: 'Your mother!'. 'And who comes next?' asked the man. The Prophet replied: 'Your father'" (Bukhari and Muslim).

Among the few precepts of Islam which Muslims still faithfully observe to the present day is the considerate treatment of mothers. The honor that Muslim mothers receive from their sons and daughters is exemplary. The intensely warm relations between Muslim mothers and their children and the deep respect with which Muslim men approach their mothers usually amaze Westerners.

Epilogue

The one question all the non-Muslims, who had read an earlier version of this study, had in common was: do Muslim women in the Muslim world today receive this noble treatment described here? The answer, unfortunately, is: No. Since this question is inevitable in any discussion concerning the status of women in Islam, we have to elaborate on the answer in order to provide the reader with the complete picture.

It has to be made clear first that the vast differences among Muslim societies make most generalizations too simplistic. There is a wide spectrum of attitudes towards women in the Muslim world today. These attitudes differ from one society to another and within each individual society. Nevertheless, certain general trends are discernible. Almost all Muslim societies have, to one degree or another, deviated from the ideals of Islam with respect to the status of women. These deviations have, for the most part, been in one of two opposite directions. The first direction is more conservative, restrictive, and traditions-oriented, while the second is more liberal and Western-oriented.

The societies that have digressed in the first direction treat women according to the customs and traditions inherited from their forebears. These traditions usually deprive women of many rights granted to them by Islam. Besides, women are treated according to standards far different from those applied to men. This discrimination pervades the life of any female: she is received with less joy at birth than a boy; she is less likely to go to school; she might be deprived any share of her family's inheritance; she is under continuous surveillance in order not to behave immodestly while her brother's immodest acts are tolerated; she might even be killed for committing what her male family members usually boast of doing; she has very little say in family affairs or community interests; she might not have full control over her property and her marriage gifts; and finally as a mother she herself would prefer to produce boys so that she can attain a higher status in her community.

On the other hand, there are Muslim societies (or certain classes within some societies) that have been swept over by the Western culture and way of life. These societies often imitate unthinkingly whatever they receive from the West and usually end up adopting the worst fruits of Western civilization. In these societies, a typical "modern" woman's top priority in life is to enhance her physical beauty. Therefore, she is often obsessed with her body's shape, size, and weight. She tends to care more about her body than her mind and more about her charms than her intellect. Her ability to charm, attract, and excite is more valued in the society than her educational achievements, intellectual pursuits, and social work. One is not expected to find a copy of the Qur***65533;an in her purse since it is full of cosmetics that accompany her wherever she goes. Her spirituality has no room in a society preoccupied with her attractiveness. Therefore, she would spend her life striving more to realize her femininity than to fulfill her humanity.

Why did Muslim societies deviate from the ideals of Islam? There is no easy answer. A penetrating explanation of the reasons why Muslims have not adhered to the Qur***65533;anic guidance with respect to women would be beyond the scope of this study. It has to be made clear, however, that Muslim societies have deviated from the Islamic precepts concerning so many aspects of their lives for so long. There is a wide gap between what Muslims are supposed to believe in and what they actually practice. This gap is not a recent phenomenon. It has been there for centuries and has been widening day after day. This ever widening gap has had disastrous consequences on the Muslim world manifested in almost all aspects of life: political tyranny and fragmentation, economic backwardness, social injustice, scientific bankruptcy, intellectual stagnation, etc. The non-Islamic status of women in the Muslim world today is merely a symptom of a deeper malady. Any reform in the current status of Muslim women is not expected to be fruitful if not accompanied with more comprehensive reforms of the Muslim societies' whole way of life. The Muslim world is in need for a renaissance that will bring it closer to the ideals of Islam and not further from them. To sum up, the notion that the poor status of Muslim women today is because of Islam is an utter misconception. The problems of Muslims in general are not due to too much attachment to Islam, they are the culmination of a long and deep detachment from it.

Abstract from the Article

Women in Islam Vs Women in the Judeo-Christian Tradition:
The Myth & The Reality
By Dr. Sherif Abdel Azeem

Jannat Mein Enter Hoon

** Gunah Chorne Ka Nuskha-e-Akseer **

Ghazi ilam deen aur Aamir Cheema Shaheed - Urdu Islamic Article

تلاوت ِ قرآن اللہ کے قرب کا ذریعہ

قرآن کریم راہ نمائی کا سرچشمہ اور آخرت کی ابدی زندگی میں فلاح اور نجات کی کلید ہے، بلند پایہٴ مفسر قرآن امام فخر الدین رازیفرماتے ہیں
”تمام آسمانی صحیفوں کا خلاصہ اور نچوڑ قرآن کریم ہے، یہی وجہ ہے کہ قرآن کریم پر ایمان لانا تمام آسمانی صحیفوں پر ایمان لانے کے مترادف ہے اور قرآن کریم کا انکار تمام الہامی کتابوں کا انکار ہے۔قرآن کریم ہی راہنمائی کا سرچشمہ اور آخرت کی ابدی زندگی میں فلاح اور نجات کی کلید ہے،یہ نسخہٴ کیمیا ہمارے انفرادی اور اجتماعی مسائل کا کامل اور اطمینان بخش حل پیش کرتا ہے، خالق کائنات اللہ عز وجل کے اس آخری صحیفہ ٴ ہدایت اور ابدی دستور زندگی سے کامل ہدایت اور روشنی کا حاصل کرنا اسی وقت ممکن ہے جب اس کتاب ِ مبین کو پڑھاجائے، اسے سمجھا جائے، اس پر غور وفکر کیا جائے اور اس کی ہدایات وتعلیمات پر تفکر اور تدبر کیا جائے۔ موجودہ دور میں سب سے بڑا المیہ یہ ہے کہ ہم نے قرآن کریم کی روشنی، ہدایت وتعلیمات پر عمل کرنا تو کجا اسے سمجھ کر پڑھنا ہی چھوڑ دیا ہے، جبکہ حقیقت یہ ہے کہ ہماری زندگی کا کوئی گوشہ اور بندگی کا کوئی شعبہ ایسا نہیں ہے جس سے متعلق ہدایات وتعلیمات اس کتاب مبین میں نہ ہوں۔ضرورت اس امر کی ہے کہ اس کے پیغام ہدایت اور بصیرت پر غور وفکر کیا جائے، اس کی تعلیمات کو حرزجان بنایاجائے، رسول اکرم ا کا ارشاد گرامی ہے:”ان اللہ یرفع بہذا الکتاب اقواماً ویضع بہ آخرین،،۔…”اللہ تعالیٰ اس کتاب مقدس قرآن کریم کی وجہ سے بہت سے لوگوں کو عظمت اور بلندی سرفراز فرمائے گا اور بہت سوں کو نیچے گرادے گا،،۔
ایک روایت کے مطابق اللہ تعالیٰ نے سو صحائف نازل کئے اور چار بڑی مقدس کتابیں نازل کیں، ان میں تورات، زبور، انجیل اور قرآن مجید شامل ہیں، پھر ان تمام صحائف آسمانی میں قرآن مجید کو فضیلت اور برتری عطاء کی گئی، اس کی عظمت کی سب سے بڑی وجہ یہ ہے کہ آج تک اپنی اصل حالت اور اصل پیغام کے ساتھ موجود ہے۔ قرآن مجید کے بے شمار فضائل اور مناقب ہیں، یہ قرآن کا اعجاز ہے کہ اگر انسان صرف اس کی تلاوت کرے تو قرآن اسے راحت وسکون پہنچاتاہے، اس کے مفاہیم پرغور کرے تو قرآن اسے دنیا اور آخرت میں کامیابی عطا فرماتا ہے، تلاوت قرآن مجید سے مؤمن کو اطمینان قلب عطاء ہوتا ہے، اللہ تعالیٰ نے قرآن مجید میں فرمایا:”الابذکر للہ تطمئن القلوب،،۔…آگاہ ہو کہ دلوں کا اطمینان اللہ کے ذکر میں ہے۔قرآن کا پڑھنا بھی ذکر الٰہی ہے، اس کی تلاوت سے اللہ کی محبت اور اس کا قرب حاصل ہوتا ہے، یہ وہ کتاب لاجواب ہے جو امام الانبیاء ا کا سب سے عظیم معجزہ ہے، قرآن آج کتاب کی صورت میں بھی محفوظ ہے اور حفاظ قرآن کے سینوں اور ذہنوں میں بھی محفوظ ہے، قرآن وہ کتاب ہے جو چودہ صدیوں کے بعد بھی بالکل محفوظ ہے، اس میں ایک حرف کا بھی رد وبدل نہ ہوا ہے اور نہ ہوگا، قرآن مجید کے علاوہ کسی اور کتاب اور کسی نبی نے ایسا دعویٰ کبھی نہیں کیا۔حضرت ابوہریرہ سے روایت ہے کہ رسول اللہ ا نے فرمایا:
”قیامت کے دن صاحب قرآن آئے گا اور قرآن اپنے رب سے عرض کرے گا: یا اللہ! اسے تاج پہنائیں پھر اسے کرامت کا تاج پہنایا جائے گا ،پھر قرآن عرض کرے گا یا اللہ! اس سے راضی ہوجا تو اللہ تعالیٰ اس سے راضی ہوجائے گا، پھر صاحب قرآن سے کہا جائے گا کہ پڑھتے جاؤ اور سیڑھیاں (درجات) چڑھتے جاؤ اور ہر آیت کے بدلے ایک نیکی زیادہ کی جائے گی،،۔یہ تمام بشارات اس خوش نصیب کے لئے مقدر ہیں جو اس کی تلاوت کے ساتھ ساتھ اس کے پیغام پر غور وفکر کرے، اسے سمجھے، اس پر عمل پیرا ہو۔ عام طور پر لوگ عربی زبان سے واقف نہیں ہوتے ،اس لئے انہیں قرآن کے مطالب اور مفاہیم سمجھنے میں مشکل ہوتی ہے ،اس کا بہترین حل یہ ہے کہ ہم سب کو اپنی مصروفیات سے ایک گھنٹہ نکال کر قرآن مجید کی تلاوت ترجمہ کے ساتھ پڑھیں اور اس پر غور کریں، اس سے استفادہ کریں اور اپنی یادداشت کے لئے ایک نوٹ بک بھی ساتھ رکھیں تاکہ تاریخ ڈال کر ایک صفحہ یا ایک رکوع جیسی سہولت ہو پڑھیں اور اپنی نوٹ بک میں جو اہم ہدایات ملیں یا کوئی اہم واقعہ کی طرف اشارہ ہو اس کو ضرور نوٹ کرلیں، دوسرے دن اگلا صفحہ شروع کرنے سے پہلے پچھلے دن کی پڑھی ہوئی آیتوں کا ترجمہ ایک مرتبہ ضرور پڑھ کران کو اپنے ذہن میں دہرالیں، اس طرح چند دن کی مسلسل تلاوت سے آپ کو قرآن مجید پڑھنے اور سمجھنے میں بڑا لطف آئے گا اور آہستہ آہستہ آپ عربی کے الفاظ سے بھی مانوس ہوتے جائیں گے، عربی کے بہت سے الفاظ ایسے ہیں جسے ہم روزمرہ اردو میں بھی استعمال کرتے ہیں، اللہ تعالیٰ ہم سب کو توفیق عطا ء فرمائے کہ ہم اپنی فرصت کی گھڑیوں میں سے چند لمحے اس عظیم کام کے لئے نکالیں، کیونکہ اللہ تعالیٰ کا وعدہ ہے کہ اس کی تلاوت دلوں کے زنگ کو دور کرتی ہے اور قلب کو صیقل کرتی ہے، یہ انسانوں کے تمام امراض کی دوا ہے، اس طرح قرآن کریم آج بھی ہماری زندگیوں میں تبدیلی لاسکتا ہے، دنیا میں انقلاب برپا کرسکتا ہے، ہمارے اخلاق واعمال کو درست کرسکتا ہے، ہمارے باطن کا تزکیہ کرسکتا ہے اور پھر سے ہمیں دنیا میں عزت وعظمت اور اقتدار دلاسکتا ہے۔

وقت کی قدر کیجئے

شنید ہے کہ بھلے وقتوں میں کسی دانشور نے یاران نکتہ داں کیلئے یوں صلائے عام کی کہ بتاؤ! اس کائنات میں مہنگی ترین چیز کیا ہے؟ اس سوال کا جواب دینے والے مختلف ہوگئے، کسی نے سونے کو مہنگی چیز کہا، کسی نے ہیرے کو مہنگی شئ قرار دیا، کسی نے کچھ کہا اور کسی نے کچھ، الغرض جتنے منہ اتنی باتیں تھیں، دانشور صاحب کو کسی کا بھی جواب درست نہیں لگا تو خود ہی جواب ارشاد فرمایا کہ دنیا میں قیمتی ترین شئ ”وقت“ ہے۔

درست ارشاد فرمایا موصوف نے، واقعی دنیا میں وقت سے زیادہ قیمتی کوئی شئ نہیں، انسان دنیا میں کم سے کم اور زیادہ سے زیادہ ہر طرح کی ترقی کی راہوں پر وقت کے بغیر گامزن نہیں ہوسکتا، اگر آدمی کے پاس وقت نہیں تو وہ ایک سوئی بھی حاصل نہیں کرسکتا، اور اگر وقت ہو اور آدمی اپنی کوشش بھی جاری رکھے تو سونے کی کان تک بھی رسائی حاصل کرسکتا ہے۔

چنانچہ جب انسان دنیا میں وقت کو غنیمت جان کر رضائے الٰہی کے حصول میں لگ جاتا ہے تو وہ جنت جیسی ابد الآباد نعمتوں کا مستحق قرار پاتاہے، یہی انسان جب وقت کو صرف عیش کوشی اور خرمستیوں میں ضائع وبرباد کردیتا ہے تو جہنم کا ایندھن بن کے رہ جاتا ہے۔ نبی کریم رحمت عالم ؐنے فراغ (وقت فرصت) کو عظیم نعمت فرمایا اور اس سے فائدہ نہ اٹھانے والوں کو ”گھاٹے میں پڑنے والے“ فرمایا، چنانچہ مشہور صحابی رسول حضرت ابن عباس آپ اسے نقل کرتے ہیں:

”عن ابن عباس قال: قال رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نعمتان مغبون فیہما کثیر من الناس الصحة والفراغ“۔ (بخاری، ص:۹۴۹)

ترجمہ:…”حضرت ابن عباس سے روایت ہے کہ آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے ارشاد فرمایا: دو نعمتیں ایسی ہیں جن میں بہت سے لوگ غبن کرتے ہیں، ۱…صحت، ۲…فرصت کے لمحات“۔

اس حدیث کی تشریح کرتے ہوئے علامہ بدر الدین عینی المتوفی ۸۵۲ھ رقمطراز ہیں: 

”فکأنہ قال: ہذان الامران اذا لم یستعملا فیما یبنغی فقد غبن صاحبہا ای باعہا یبخس لاتحمد عاقبتہ“۔ (عمدة القاری:۲۳/۳۱)

یعنی اس کا مطلب یہ ہے کہ یہ دونوں چیزیں جب اپنے مصرف میں استعمال نہ کی جائیں تو گویا اس کے مالک نے غبن کیا، یعنی اس نے معمولی قیمت کے بدلہ میں اسے بیچا جس کے انجام کار تعریف نہیں کی جاسکتی۔

وقت کی اہمیت کا اندازہ اس سے بھی لگایا جاسکتا ہے کہ رب تعالیٰ نے قرآن کریم میں دن رات کے مختلف اوقات کی قسم کھائی ہے اور ایک جگہ زمانہ کی قسم کھائی فرمایا ”والعصر، ان الانسان لفی خسر“ آیات بالا کی تفسیر کرتے ہوئے مشہور مفسر علامہ فخر الدین الرازی المتوفی ۶۰۶ھ لکھتے ہیں:

”فکان الدہر والزمان من جملة اصول النعم فلذلک اقسم بہ ونبّہ علی ان اللیل والنہار فرصة یضیعہا المکلف“۔ (التفسیر الکبیر،ص:۶۷۴)

یعنی دہر اور زمانہ من جملہ نعمتوں میں سے ہے، اسی لئے اللہ نے اس کی قسم کھائی اور متنبہ کیا کہ رات اور دن فرصت کے لمحات ہیں جسے مکلف (انسان) ضائع کرتا ہے۔

بروز قیامت جب جہنمی مدد کو پکاریں گے تو ان کو وقت ضائع کرنے پر حسرت دلاکر ملامت کیا جائے گا اور ان کی کوئی شنوائی نہیں ہوگی، اس حقیقت کو قرآن کریم نے یوں بیان کیا۔

”وہم یصطرخون فیہا ربنا اخرجنا نعمل صالحا غیر الذی کنا نعمل، اولم نعمرکم ما یتذکر فیہ من تذکر وجاء کم النذیر، فذوقوا فما للظالمین من نصیر“۔ (الفاطر:۳۷)

ترجمہ:…”اور وہ چلائیں اس میں اے ہمارے رب ہم کو نکال کہ ہم کچھ بھلا کام کرلیں وہ نہیں جو کرتے رہے، کیا ہم نے عمر نہ دی تھی تم کو اتنی کہ جس میں سوچ لے جس کو سوچنا ہو اور پہنچا تمہارے پاس ڈرانے والا اب چکھو کہ کوئی نہیں گناہ گاروں کا مددگار“۔

اسی مضمون کو آقائے نامدار صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے اپنے مبارک ارشاد میں یوں بیان فرمایا:

”عن ابی ہریرة قال: قال رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم اعذر اللہ امرئ اخر اللہ عمرہ حتی بلغہ ستین سنة“۔ (بخاری،ص:۹۵۰)

اندازہ فرمایئے کہ وقت ضائع کرنے کا نتیجہ کتنا بھیانک ہے، لیکن اس کے باوجود ہمارے اس دور میں اگر یوں سوال کیا جائے کہ دنیا میں سستی ترین چیز کیا ہے؟تو وثوق سے کہا جاسکتا ہے کہ ستر فیصد لوگ وقت کو سستی اشیاء کی فہرست میں شامل کریں گے۔

وقت کی رفتار معلوم ہو یہ مشکل ہے

یہ زمین گھومتی ہے پر ہلتی نہیں

ہماری نوجوان نسل جس بے دردی سے اپنے اوقات ضائع کرنے میں لگی ہوئی ہے، اس کو دیکھ کر بے حد افسوس ہوتا ہے کہ ہم منزل سے کیسے بہکے جارہے ہیں؟ شیخ سعدی متوفی ۶۹۱ھ نے ایسے ہی موقع کیلئے ارشاد فرمایا تھا:

ترسم نہ رسی بکعبہ اے اعرابی

کیں رہ کہ تومی روی بترکستان است

نوخیز بچے اور نوجوان لڑکے سب ہی کھیل کود اور خرمستیوں میں بدمست ہیں اور تعلیمی اداروں کی حالت زار بھی دگرگوں ہے، والدین بچوں کا مستقبل روشن دیکھنے کی خاطر انہیں جن تعلیمی اداروں میں بھیجتے ہیں وہاں دینی تربیت مفقود ہونے کے بسبب یہ شتر بے مہار بن جاتے ہیں ، جس کے نتیجہ میں نوجوان نسل میں بے راہ روی فروغ پاتی ہے، پھر یہی نوجوان جب تعلیمی اداروں سے نکلتے ہیں تو لٹیروں کا ایک اچھا خاصا گروپ تیار ہوتا ہے، جن کے ہاں گن پوائنٹ پر لوگوں کا مال چھیننا ، بے قصور لوگوں کی جانیں ضائع کرنا کسی چیونٹی پر پاؤں رکھنے سے زیادہ حیثیت نہیں رکھتا، یہ تمام تر خرابیاں وقت ضائع کرنے کے نتیجہ میں وجود میں آئیں۔

اب تو وقت ضائع کرنا اور آسان ہوگیا کہ انٹرنیٹ کھول کر بیٹھ کر وقت ضائع کیا جاتا ہے، اگر گھر میں انٹرنیٹ نہیں ہے تو کیمرے والا موبائل تو ہر آدمی کے پاس موجود ہوتا ہے، جس میں بے حیائی کا اچھا خاصا سامان محفوظ کرنا اور اس سے لطف اندوز ہونا بالکل آسان اور سستا گناہ بنادیا گیا ہے۔

بڑے بڑے لوگ بچوں کی طرح موبائل لئے خود کھلونا بنے بیٹھے نظر آتے ہیں اور بہت کچھ اس سے آگے بھی ہے۔ الغرض وقت ضائع کرنے کے مواقع ہرانسان کے ہاتھ اور جیب میں موجود ہوچکے ہیں۔جس کو بھی دیکھو موبائل ہاتھ میں لئے مسیج لکھنے یا پڑھنے میں مصروف ہے، یہاں تک کہ کھانا سامنے رکھا ہواہو اور معزز لوگ بیٹھے ہوں تو بھی لاپروا ہوکر دھڑادھڑ میسجز کے تبادلوں میں مصروف رہتے ہیں اور اب تو بعض لوگوں نے اپنی تجارت بڑھانے اور محض پیسہ کی حرص وہوس میں الٹی سیدھی باتوں اور لطیفوں پر مشتمل رسائل سے بازار بھر دیئے، جس کی وجہ سے جو لوگ موبائل پر مسیج لکھنا نہیں جانتے تھے، وہ بھی اب آسانی سے اپنا وقت برباد کرتے ہیں۔لیکن رونا اس پر ہے کہ اس موذی مرض میں اچھا خاصا دیندار طبقہ بھی مبتلا ہے، ہم طلبہ کی اچھی خاصی تعداد اس کو معمولات کا حصہ جانتی ہے جبکہ اس میں وقت اور پیسہ کی بربادی کے سوا کچھ بھی ہاتھ نہیں آتا، حالانکہ دیندار تو کم از کم جانتے ہیں کہ زندگی کا حساب دینا ہے، اسراف کسی بھی چیز میں ہو، وہ مذموم ہے اور اللہ تعالیٰ کو ناپسند ہے، ان جدید آلات میں ہمارے قیمتی وقت کے ضیاع کے ساتھ مال ودولت کا بے جا استعمال اور ضیاع بھی ہے۔اللہ تعالیٰ ہمیں اس مرض سے بچائے اور وقت کی قدر دانی نصیب فرمائے، آمین

غافل تجھے گھڑیال یہ دیتا ہے منادی

گردوں نے گھڑی عمر کی ایک اور گھٹادی

عذاب قبر کا عبرت انگیز واقعہ

مولوی مصطفی ایک واقعہ بیان کرتے ہیں کہ دلی میں جمنامیں سیلاب آیا جس سے قریب کے قبرستان کی کچھ قبریں اکھڑ گئیں ایک قبر کھلی تو کچھ لوگوں نے دیکھا کہ مردہ پڑا ہوا ہے اور اس کی پیشانی پر ایک چھوٹا سا کیڑا ہے وہ جب ڈنگ مارتا ہے تو پوری لاش لرز جاتی ہے تھرا جاتی ہے اور ا س کا رنگ بدل جاتا ہے تھوڑی دیر بعد جب وہ لاش اپنی اصلی کیفیت پرا ٓجاتی ہے تو وہ پھر ڈنگ مارتا ہے لاش کی پھر وہی کیفیت ہوجاتی ہے ۔ سب دیکھ رہے ہیں اور حیران ہیں ۔

ایک دھوبی تھا ، جمناکے گھاٹ پرآیا تھا اس سے دیکھا نہیں گیا ۔ اس نے ایک کنکری اس کو ماری تو وہ کیڑا اچھلا اور ا س دھوبی کی پیشانی پر آکر ڈنگ مارا اور پھر وہیں جا کر بیٹھ گیا وہ دھوبی چلانے لگا اور تڑپنے لگا اس سے کسی نے پوچھا تجھے کیا ہوا ۔ تو اس نے کہا کہ سنو! مجھے ایسی تکلیف ہے کہ مجھے نہ صرف ایک بچھو اور ایک سانپ نے کاٹا ہے اور نہ صرف آگ کا کوئی شعلہ میرے بدن پر رکھ دیا گیا ہے بلکہ مجھے ایسی تکلیف ہے کہ میرے بدن کے ایک ایک عضو میں بلکہ ایک ایک رونگٹے اور بال میںگویا ہزاروں لاکھوں بچھو اور آگ کی چنگاریاں بھر دی گئی ہوں ۔

چنانچہ وہ تین دن تک یوں ہی تڑپتا رہا پھر انتقال کر گیا تو مولوی مصطفیٰ صاحب فرماتے تھے کہ میں سمجھ گیا کہ یہ اس دنیا کا کیڑا نہیں بلکہ بر زخ کے عذاب کی شکل ہے۔

میں نے سوچا کہ صاحبِ قبر کے لئے دوسرا علاج ہے قریب جاکر ہمت کرکے بیٹھا اور کچھ سورتیں ”یٰسین شریف اور قل ہو اﷲ احد“ وغیرہ پڑھنا شروع کیں ، جب میں نے قرآن کریم کی تلاوت شروع کی تو وہ کیڑا چھوٹا ہونا شروع ہوا اور ہوتے ہوتے ذرا سا ہو کر ختم ہوگیا ، جب ختم ہوگیا تو ہم لوگ بہت خوش ہوئے کہ اﷲ تعالیٰ نے اس کو عذاب سے نجات دی اس کا کفن برابر کرکے قبر بند کر دی گئی ۔

اب اس سے گناہوں کی سزا کا اندازہ لگایئے ، معلوم نہیں اس سے کون سا جرم ہوا ہوگا خدا کے غضب کی کون سی شکل اس میں ہو ، کچھ نہیں کہہ سکتے ۔

اﷲ سب کو فکر آخرت نصیب فرمائیں اور عذاب قبر سے محفوظ رکھیں ۔ آمین

ٹیکنالوجی کے منفی استعمال سے محتاط رہیں

ہرگز موبائل سی تصویر اور ویڈیو نہ بنائیں
سعودی لڑکی کی داستان سن کر سوچا ہم بھی کچھ ایسی باتوں سے پردہ اٹھائیں جو ہم نے اپنی آنکھوں کے سامنے ہوتے دیکھیں۔
اکثر آپ نےسنتے ہونگے کہ فلاں کا موبائل چوری ہوگیا یا فلاں کا موبائل چھن گیا ، یہ ایک الگ بات ہے مگر یہاں جو بات میں بتانے جا رہا ہوں وہ یہ ہے کہ کچھ ایسے گروپس ہیں جو چوری کے موبائل سے وہ تصاویر اور ویڈیو نکال لیتے ہیں جو ان میں موجود ہوتی ہیں اور وہ تصاویر اور ویڈیو چوری چھپے بیچی جاتی ہیں ..
ایسی کچھ تصاویر اور ویڈیو کچھ عرصہ قبل دیکھنے میں آیں کہ ایک مرد نے اپنی بیوی کی تصویر اور ویڈیو سوتے ہوے بنائی یا سہیلیوں نے کالج اور university میں اپنی سہیلیوں سے مذاق میں کمرے میں کچھ کرنے کو کہا اور ویڈیو بنائی یا ایسی بھی ویڈیو دیکھنے میں آئی کہ ایک سہیلی نے دوسری سہیلی سے کہا کہ اچھا بتاؤ تمہیں کونسی کونسی گالیاں آتی ہیں یہاں کوی سننے والا نہیں بتاو اور اس نے موبائل میں وہ ویڈیو بنالی blah blah blah…..
جب یہ موبائل چوری ہوجاتے ہیں یا غلطی سے بغیر تصاویر اور ویڈیو delete کرے بیچ دئیے جاتے ہیں تو ایک مخصوص گروپ نے ان تصاویر اور ویڈیو کو کاپی کرکے بیچتا ہے اور کافی جگہ چھپ کر یہ کام ہو رہا ہے اور بدمعاش لڑکے یہ خرید کر سب کو دکھاتے ہیں اور اب تو youtubeپر بھی اپلوڈ کرنے لگے ہیں اور سب کی عزت نیلام کرنے پر تلے ہوے ہیں ….
ضروری نہیں صرف اسی قسم کی تصاویر اور ویڈیو ، بلکے احتیاط کریں موبائل میں family کی تصاویر اور ویڈیو رکھے ہی ناں۔
اب تو موبائل میں ایسے پروگرام بھی آگے ہیں کہ ایک مخصوص area میں جس موبائل کابھی blue tooth آن ہوگا وہ موبائل hack ہوجاےگا اور اس کی تمام تصاویر ، ویڈیو ، پیغامات ، نمبرز ، hack کرنے والی ک پاس آجائینگے پھر وہ جو چاہے کرے۔

لہٰذا یہ مضمون پڑھنے والوں سے گزارش ہے کہ کبھی بھی اپنی فملے یا مذاق مین دوستو سے کبھی کوئی ایسی فرمائش نہ کریں اور ہر گز ہرگز اسے موبائل میں ریکورڈ نہ کریں ورنہ ہوسکتا ہے وہ بھی جلد youtube کا حصہ بن جا
ئے۔
غلطی ہونا انسان کی فطرت ہے مگر ایسی غلطی کو mobile اور youtube کی ذینت نا بنائیں اور یہ راستہ کھلتا ہے بلیک میلرز کی طرف۔
یہی احتیاط emails کے لیئے بھی ہے کہ کبھی بھی emails میں بھی ایسی چیزیں خاص طور پر family data تو ہر گز نا رکھیں ، کیونکہ hackers ایمیل hack کرکے بہت کچھ کرتے ہیں۔
یہاں پر وہ تجربات بتانے کا وقت نہیں کہ لوگوں اور families کے ساتھ کیا کیا ہوا ہے اس فتنے کی وجہ سے اور پورے پورے گروپس یہ کام کر رہے ہیں۔
جتنا ہوسکے لوگوں کو آگاہ کریں اور احتیاط کریں۔

What is Islam

What is Islam

Contents:

·  Religion of Unity

·  Religion of "Submission To The Divine Will"

·  Religion of Nature

·  Religion of Discipline

·  Religion of Truth

·  Religion of Temperance

·  Religion of Beauty

·  Religion of Reason

·  Religion of The Negation of Superstition

·  Religion of Action

·  Religion of Balanced Progress

·  Religion of Scientific Quest

·  Religion of The Sanctity of Labour

·  Religion of The Highest Idealism In Ethics

·  Religion of Peace And Goodwill

·  Religion of Struggle (Jihad)

·  Religion of "No Compulsion  In Conversion"

·  Religion of Brotherhood

·  Religion of Spiritual Democracy

·  Religion of Human Dignity

·  Religion of Rational Sex Morality

·  Religion of Salvation In This Life And The Hereafter

·  Religion With Authentic And Perfect Divine Scripture

·  Religion With The Simplest Creed

·  Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon  Him) The Pinnacle of Human Perfection

·  Absorption In The Love of God The Final Goal

 (A) RELIGION OF UNITY

(1) Unity of God
Islam teaches the purest form of Monotheism and regards polytheism as the deadliest sin. A Muslim addresses GOD by His Personal Name: ALLAH --- the word "god" and its equivalents in other languages being unstable in the matter of connotation. Allah, according to Islam, is the One God, who is Indivisible in Person and Who has no partner: wife, son or daughter. He is the Matchless and "naught is as His likeness". "He begetteth not, nor was He begotten". He is the First, the Last, the Eternal, the Infinite, the Almighty, the Omniscient, the Omnipresent. He is the Creator, the Nourisher, the Cherisher of all things. He is the All-just, the Avenger of the wrongs done to the weak and the oppressed, the Compassionate, the Merciful and Loving, the Guide, the Friend, the Magnificent, the Glorious, the Beautiful and the True. In short, He is the Possessor of all Excellence.
Speaking of the conception of God in Islam, Gibbon, the famous western historian, says: "The Creed of Hazrat Muhammad is free from the suspicion of Ambiguity and the Qur’an is a glorious testimony to the unity of God. The Prophet of Mecca rejected the worship of idols and men, of stars and planets, on the rational principle that whatever is corruptible must decay and perish, that whatever is born must die, that whatever rises must set. In the Author of the universe his rational enthusiasm confessed and adored an infinite and Eternal Being, without form or place, without issue or similitude, present to our secret thoughts, existing by the necessity of His own nature, and deriving from Himself all moral and intellectual perfections. These sublime truths …are defined with metaphysical precision by the interpreters of the Qur’an. A philosophic theist might subscribe to the popular creed of the Muhammadans."
(2) Unity of the Universe
From the Unity of the Creator, according to Islam, proceeds the Unity of the Universe, i.e., Unity of Creation and Unity of Purpose. In other words, the Cosmos is a Moral Order.
(3) Unity of Mankind
Islam regards the whole of mankind as an "organic unity" --- a single family, and emphatically says that the distinctions on the mundane plane, the distinctions, namely, of race, colour, language or territory, cannot form the ground for claims of superiority of one group over the other. The only distinction that has "value" is that which arises at the moral and spiritual planes – namely, the distinction of "taqwa", or, "piety and righteousness".Prof. H.A.R. Gibb, the famous English critic of Islam says, "…..Islam…..possesses a magnificent tradition of inter-racial understanding and co-operation. No other society has such a record of success in uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity and of endeavour so many and so various races of mankind… If ever the opposition of the great societies of East is to be replaced by co-operation, the mediation of Islam is an indispensable condition." (Whither Islam? p.379).
(4) Unity of Religion
According to Islam, the human intellect, though a great and powerful asset, has its natural limits, and, therefore, neither the normative nor the empirical sciences are capable of leading humanity to a sure knowledge of ultimate truths and the code of life based upon them. The only source of sure knowledge open to humanity is, consequently, Divine Guidance, and that course has been actually open ever since the beginnings of human life on earth. Allah raised His "Prophets" and "Messengers" and revealed His Guidance to them for transmission to humanity. Coming from the same Source, all revealed religions have, therefore, been one, i.e., ISLAM.
Allah's Prophets and Messengers continued to come to every country and community to work in their respective limited fields. Time after time, the revealed Guidance was either lost or corrupted through human interpolation, and new Prophets with fresh Dispensations were sent, and humanity continued to advance from infancy to maturity. At last, when the stage of maturity was reached – when humanity was practically to become one family --- instead of sectional Guidance, a perfect, final and abiding Revelation, addressed to entire mankind and for all time, was granted in the seventh century of the Christian era. That Revelation, which recapitulates all former Revelations and thus sets a seal on the Unity of Religion, is ISLAM; the Scripture which enshrines it is the HOLY QUR’AN; and the Prophet who brought it is the Leader of Humanity, Hazrat Muhammad (Allah bless him!).Thus all the Prophets of God, from Adam down to Hazrat Noah, Hazrat Abraham, Hazrat Moses and Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon them all), are the Prophets of a Muslim the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him!) being the Last and Final one, and all the Divine Scriptures are the Scriptures of a Muslim, though he follows only the Holy Qur’an because it alone exists in its original purity and it alone contains the religion of Islam which has been followed by all rightly-guided people since the day the first human being came into existence.
(5) Unity of Sexes
Differentiation of functions have misled certain cultures of the world to regard woman as a being who belongs, so to say, to a different and inferior species: and to meet out to her inhuman treatment accordingly. Islam emphatically repudiates that notion and teaches that both man and woman have sprung from the same essence and the same source and consequently possess the same human status. Their functions and interests, instead of being antagonistic, are meant to be mplementary. The natural relation between the sexes, in all its aspects, is therefore, that of love and harmony, without which no true human progress can be possible.
(6) Unity of Classes
Islam aims at the creation of a classless society by eliminating all possible social conflicts (through revolving the different interests).
In the sphere of economics, Islam lays down the principle that wealth should not be allowed to circulate among the wealthy only, and envisages, through its laws and institutions, a "Cooperative Common-wealth of Talents".
In the political sphere, Islam stands for the "Cooperative Commonwealth of the Pursuers of Righteousness".
Taken as a whole, the Islamic state is a "welfare state" where sovereignty belongs to Allah alone and no human being has a right to govern other human beings except in the name of Allah and according to His Will, and where nobody, not even the Head of the State, is above the law. Absolute Justice is the watchword and the Establishment of Righteousness is the goal.
The merits of Islam’s social ethics have elicited praise even from the otherwise hostile critics. For instance:H.G. Wells says: "Islam created a society more free from widespread cruelty and social oppression than any society that had ever been in the world before" (Outline of History, p.325).
H.A.R. Gibb says: "Within the Western world Islam still maintains the balance between exaggerated opposities. Opposed equally to the anarchy of European nationalism and the regimentation of Russian communism, it has not yet succumbed to that obsession with the economic side of life which is characteristic of present-day Russia alike." (Whither Islam? p.378).
Prof. Louis Massignon says: "Islam has the merit of standing for a very equalitarian conception… It occupies an intermediate position between the doctrines of bourgeois capitalism and Bolshevist communism." (Whither Islam? p.378).
(7) Unity of Human Activity
Islam conceives of the human personality as a "unity" and consequently regards the distinction of "secular" and "religious" as unscientific, irrational and absurd. The life of a Muslim, both in its individual and social manifestation, is a life lived for God and God alone.
"Islam," says Dudley Wright, scholar of Comparative Religion, "is no mere creed; it is a life to be lived. In the Qur’an may be found directions for what are sometimes termed the minor details of daily life, but which are not minor when it is considered that life has to be lived for God. The Muslim lives for God alone. The aim of the Muslim is to become God-bound, and to endeavour to advance the knowledge of God in all his undertakings. From the cradle to the grave the true Muslim lives for God and God alone."
(B)RELIGION OF "SUBMISSION TO THE DIVINE WILL"
The word "Islam" means "submission" and, as a religious term, it connotes "submission to the Divine Will and Commands". As such, ISLAM is co-extensive with NATURE. For, everything in Nature submits to the Divine Will without demur. The only exception is man. He has to choose "Islam" through his free will and thus to attain his destiny by falling in line with the rest of God’s Creation.
Goethe, the renowned poet-philosopher of Germany, says:"Naerrisch, dass jeder in seinem Falle Seine besomdere Meinung priest! Whenn Islam Gott ergeben heisst, Im Islam leben und sterben wir alle" viz:"It is lack of understanding that everyone praises own special opinion;(for) Islam means submission to God and in Islam we all live and die."
(C) RELIGION OF NATURE
The above statement brings out, and the Holy Qur’an emphasises in clear terms, that to be a Muslim is to live and grow in accordance with true human nature and in harmony with the Nature around. Islam, thus, means conformity to the Natural Law.
(D) RELIGION OF DISCIPLINE
The concepts of Submission to the Divine Will and Conformity to the Natural Law, when actively realized in human life, give rise to the healthiest form of ISCIPLINE and Islam is the religion of Discipline par excellence.
In his famous book; First and Last Things, H.G. Wells says:
"The aggression, discipline and submission of Muhammadanism makes, I think,… fine and honourable religion for men. Its spirit, if not its formulae is abundantly present in our modern world... I have no doubt that in devotion to a virile… Deity and to the service of His Empire of stern Law and Order, efficiently upheld, men have found and will find salvation."The German Orientalist Friedrich Delitzsch admits that the Muslim shows "owing to his religious surrender to the Will of God an exemplary patience under misfortune and he bears up under disastrous accidents with an admirable strength of mind." (Die Welt des Islam, p.28).
(E)RELIGION OF TRUTH
The concept of "Truth" forms the keynote of Islamic ideology and pervades the entire universal order presented by Islam. Not only is "truthfulness" a fundamental value in the elaborate Islamic Moral Code – a value which forms the foundation-stone of Muslim character, but God Himself has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an as "The Truth", or "the True", the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!) as the "Bearer of Truth", the Qur’an itself as "the Truth", and the abode of the righteous after death as the "Seat of Truth".
(F) RELIGION OF TEMPERANCE
Islam is the religion of Purity and Temperance par excellence. It stresses purity not only of the mind and the heart, which certain other religions also stress, but also of the body, its fundamental principle being the harmonious development of human personality. Consequently; it strictly prohibits the use of all drinks and foods which might be unhealthy and injurious to the body, or the mind or both. Thus its prohibitive injunctions cover not only all the intoxicants, e.g., wine, opium, etc., but also those foods which are harmful to healthy human growth. Ultimately, Islamic Temperance covers all evil thoughts, feelings and deeds.
(G)RELIGION OF BEAUTY
Unlike certain religions, Islam is not the religion of contempt for the world, of the negation of any fundamental value. It is positively and definitely a religion of fulfilment – fulfilment of all the faculties and positive capabilities with which God has endowed man. Aesthetic culture, therefore, forms part of Islamic life – of course, governed and controlled by Islam’s moral and spiritual principles. In Islam the concept of "Beauty" permeates the entire human activity – nay, the whole cosmic order, "Allah," says the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be with him!), "is Beautiful and loves what is beautiful." Beauty in thought, words and deed, and beauty in all creative activity is the Islamic ideal.Islam permits the creation of Art, within the limitations of its spiritual and moral framework. But its motto is not "Art for the sake of Art" but "Art for the sake of Life", whereby alone a true blending of spiritual, moral and physical beauty – the rational and harmonious goal of human life – is achievable.
(H) RELIGION OF REASON
Islam regards Reason as man’s distinctive privilege and God’s noble gift, and the Holy Qur’an has repeatedly exhorted mankind to employ Reason in the matters of social and natural phenomena and in understanding its Message and practicing its Guidance, thus giving to "personal judgment," its due place in the life of a Muslim."Intellectual Culture" in general, forms one of the noblest pursuits of human life in Islam and the acquisition and cultivation of knowledge has been made obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman.
(I) RELIGION OF THE NEGATION OF SUPERSTITION
Islam is a positively rational religion and stands opposed to the mystery cults and religions of mysterious dogmas whose acceptance is generally claimed on the basis of blind faith.
Speaking of the negation of superstition and the affirmation of Reason in Islam, Godfrey Higgins says: "No relic, no image, no picture, no mother of God disgrace his (Hazrat Muhammad’s) religion. No such doctrines as the efficacy of faith without works, or that of a death-bed repentance, plenary indulgences, absolution or auricular confession, operate first to corrupt, then to deliver up his followers into the power of a priesthood, which would of course be always more corrupt and more degraded than themselves. No indeed! The adoration of one God, without mother, or mystery, or pretended miracle, and the acknowledgement that he, a man, was sent to preach the duty of offering adoration to the Creator alone, constituted the simple doctrinal part of the religion of the Unitarian of Arabia." (Apology for Hazrat Muhammad).
(J) RELIGION OF ACTION
Islam stands in sharp contrast with those religions which interpret the Salvation of man in terms of the acceptance of certain intricate and inexplicable formulae. Simplicity is its watch-word and rationality its lifeblood, and as such it gives to both "Faith" and "Action" their due place. Wherever the Holy Qur’an mentions the problem of human salvation, it bases it on "right belief" as well as "righteous action", emphasizing the former as the ground and the latter as the sequence.
(K) RELIGION OF BALANCED PROGRESS
Islamic life is a life of the attainment of "Falah" which means, "The furrowing out of latent faculties". A Muslim, therefore, has to continuously strive for progress…. a progress controlled by righteousness and illumined by Divine Guidance, a progress grounded in spirituality, a progress balanced and comprehending all aspects of human life: spiritual, mental, moral, aesthetic and physical.Paying tribute to the balanced character of Islam and the progress which it inspires, the famous Orientalist Prof. H. A. R. Gibb says:"Within the Western world, Islam still maintains the balance between exaggerated opposites...For the fullest development of its cultural life, particularly of its spiritual life, Europe cannot do without the forces and capacities which lie within Islamic society." (Whither Islam? p.378).
(L) RELIGION OF SCIENTIFIC QUEST
While other religions may feel shy of science Islam has made the scientific quest a religious obligation. The aims of that quest, however, are not the unbalanced indulgence in physical pleasures and the tyrannisation over fellowbeings, but the advancement in the love of God through progress in the knowledge of His works and the service of humanity through the acquisition of control over the "forces of nature".
Speaking of the role of Islam as the inaugurator of the modern scientific era, Briffault, the reputed scholar of the history of civilisation, says:…although there is not a single aspect of European growth in which the decisive influence of Islamic culture is not traceable, nowhere is it so clear and momentous as in the genesis of that power which constitutes the permanent distinctive force of the modern world and the supreme source of its victory – natural science and the scientific spirit … The debt of our science to that of the Arabs does not consist in startling discoveries of revolutionary theories; science owes a great deal more to Arab culture, it owes its existence. The ancient world was, as we saw, pre-scientific. The Astronomy and Mathematics of the Greeks were a foreign importation never thoroughly acclimatised in Greek culture. The Greeks systematised, generalised and theorised; but the patient ways of investigation, the accumulation of positive knowledge, the minute methods of science, detailed and prolonged observation and experimental inquiry were altogether alien to Greek temperament... What we call science arose in Europe as the result of a new spirit of inquiry, of new methods of investigation, of the method of experiment, observation, measurement, of the development of Mathematics in a form unknown to the Greeks. That spirit and those methods were introduced into the European world by the Arabs… Neither Roger Bacon nor his later namesake has any title to be credited with having introduced the experimental method. Roger Bacon was no more than one of the apostles of Muslim science and method to Christian Europe; and he was never wearied of declaring that knowledge of Arabic and Arab Science was for his contemporaries the only way to true knowledge. Discussions as to who was the originator of the experimental method…are part of the colossal misrepresentation of the origins of European civilisation. The experimental method of the Arabs was by Bacon’s time widespread and eagerly cultivated throughout Europe … Science is the most momentous contribution of Arab civilisation to the modern world….. It was not science only which brought Europe back to life. Other and manifold influences from the civilisation of Islam communicated its first glow to European life. "(Making of Humanity, pp 190-202).H.G. Wells, another great Western authority, had to admit that: "Through the Arabs it was, and not by the Latin route, that the modern world received that gift of light and power (i.e., the Scientific Method)."
Because of its deep-rooted hostility to Islam, implanted during the Middle Ages, the West has been very slow in acknowledging the merits of Islam. Admissions and confessions have, however, been gradually coming forth grudgingly or ungrudgingly. Thus, as we have seen above, it has been admitted that the Muslims gave to the West the Scientific Method as well as the scientific inspiration. But the Muslims themselves received them from the Holy Qur’an. This fact has also been admitted at last. For instance, Stanislas Guyard observes: "In the seventh century of our era, the Old World was in agony. The Arabian conquest infused into it new blood … Hazrat Muhammad gave them (the Arabs) the Qur’an, which was the starting point of new culture. " (Encyclopedia des Sciences Religieuses, Tome IX,p. 501). Challenging the adversaries of Islam and referring to the Holy Qur’an, Dr. A Bertherand says: "Let them read and meditate on this great Book: they will find in it, at every passage, constant attack on idolatry and materialism; they will read that the Prophet incessantly called the attention and the mediation of his people to the splendid marvels, to the mysterious phenomena of creation… those who have followed its counsels have been, as we have described in the course of this study, the creators of a civilisation which is astounding to this day." (Contribution des Arabs auprogres des Sciences Medicales, p. 6).Emmanuel Deutsch oberves: "By the aid of the Qur’an the Arabs…came to Europe to hold up the light to humanity, they alone, while darkness lay around,…to teach philosophy, medicine, astronomy and the golden art of song to the West as to the East, to stand at the cradle of modern science, and to cause us late epigoni for ever to weep over the day when Granada fell."
(M) RELIGION OF THE SANCTITY OF LABOUR
In Islam, all honest labour is sacred and forms the life-blood of human progress. "For man is naught but what he strives for," says the Holy Qur’an, and "the labourer is the beloved of God," says the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!). Thus "idleness" is a sin and "industry" is a virtue in Islam.
(N) RELIGION OF THE HIGHEST IDEALISM IN ETHICS
Islam lays the foundation of ethics on "submission to the Divine will" and gives to humanity the ethical ideal of imitating the Divine Attributes, even as we have been exhorted by the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!) who says: "Imbue yourselves with Divine Attributes."
"The highest form of religious ethic," observes Sir Richard Gregory, "is that in which the aim of conduct is complete and implicit obedience to what is conceived to be the Will of God …(this obedience) may become a joyous and spontaneous acceptance of a mode of life, such as it is conceived would be consonant with the nature of God, subject to such limitations of the flesh as are ineradicable – the ideal of saintliness. Hence arises the desire for uprightness as end-in-itself; either with a view to reward, if not in this world, in the next, or pursued selflessly for its own sake. This concept of religious ethic has led to the highest idealism in human conduct." (Religion in Science and Civilisation, p. 63).
(O) RELIGION OF PEACE AND GOODWILL
The world "Salam", which means "peace", has close root-affinity with the word "Islam". Thus the concept of PEACE forms an integral part of the world ISLAM itself. Indeed, this concept permeates the Islamic religion through and through. For, God, according to the Holy Qur’an, is As-Salam, i.e. (the Source of) peace"; a Muslim’s Salutation, which embodies the ideal of Muslim life, is As-Salam-o -alaikum, i.e., "Peace be unto you"; and the abode of the righteous, towards which the Holy Qur’an invites humanity, is Dar-us-Salam, i.e., "the Abode of Peace".One of the ideals of Muslim life, therefore, is the attainment of peace on all fronts --- peace with self through harmonious self-realisation, peace with fellow creatures through the maintenance of the basic attitude of Goodwill, and peace with God through submission to the Divine Will.
(P) RELIGION OF STRUGGLE (JIHAD)
The Islamic concept of Peace is not, however, utopian, For, Islam is a practical religion par excellence –a religion of Struggle (Jihad) --- and does not, therefore, prescribe any course of action which is unnatural or impracticable. Thus, for instance, in international relations, although basically committed to the promotion of Peace and Goodwill, Islam does allow the participation of Muslims in war when it becomes morally inevitable – when no other course remains open for safeguarding justice, nay, peace itself.The word "Jihad", which has been maligned much by the evil-minded misrepresenters of Islam in connection with the wars of Islamic history, means "struggle" and, according to Islam, it is of two kinds: (1) Struggle for subjugating one’s lower self to the higher self. This is the higher form of "Jihad" and its function is purely spiritual: (2) Struggle for defeating the forces of evil on the collective plane. This is the collective Jihad.The collective Jihad may, again, be either of a peaceful character, namely, propagation of Islam and its establishment in the collective life of the people through preaching and reform, or it may be in the form of war against an aggressor.
The Islamic permission of war is basically for defensive purposes. And not only does Islam rule out all immoral impulses to war but it also lays down a rigid ethics which in its sublimity and humanness surpasses all other ethics of war which humanity has ever known.
Says O. Houdas: " … The Qur’an states: ‘And fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you; but commit not the injustice of attacking them first; verily God loveth not the unjust’ – S.II 190…… Jihad had to be waged to defend Islam against aggression… Once the war was terminated, the Muslims always displayed a great tolerance towards the conquered peoples, leaving them their legislation and religious beliefs." (La Grande Encyclopaedia, Tome 20,p. 1006)."In their wars of conquest," says E. Alexander Powell, "the Muslims exhibited a degree of toleration which put many Christian nations to shame." (The Struggle for Power in Moslem Asia, p. 48).
(Q) RELIGION OF "NO COMPULSION IN CONVERSION"
As regards forcible proselytisation, it has been explicitly banned by Islam with the Qur’anic declaration: "there is no compulsion in matters of faith", and the propaganda that Muslims went out into the world with the sword in one hand and the Qur’an in the other to convert the non-Muslims forcibly is a pure fabrication. Indeed, it is so utterly unfounded that even an enemy of Islam like Rev. Dr. O’Leary had to admit:"History makes it clear that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword upon conquered races, is one of the most absurd myths that the historians have ever repeated". (Islam at the Croos-Roads, page 8).
(R) RELIGION OF BROTHERHOOD
Islam inculcates the love of God’s creation in general and of the human family, in particular. "The best of you is he who is best to God’s family (i.e., humanity)," says the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (God bless him!) Islam regards humanity as ‘one Fraternity inside which it affirms the existence of the "Islamic Brotherhood", wherein all distinctions of caste and tribe, race and colour, language and territory are superseded and obliterated, and which has been allotted the function of acting as the servant of, and the torch-bearer of Divine Guidance for, the larger Human Brotherhood.Side by side with the code of conduct meant to be observed within the circle of Islamic Brotherhood Islam also gives a definite code of Human Love which relates to the dealings of Muslims with the larger human society.
"The brotherhood of Muhammadanism," says Dr. Leither, "is no mere word. All believers are equal and their own high-priest." (Muhammadanism. P.18).
The Dutch Orientalist Snouck Hurgronje observes: "The ideal of a League of Human Races has been approached by Islam more nearly than by any other ideology; for the League of nations founded on Hazrat Muhammad’s religion takes the principle of the equality of all human race so seriously as to put other communities to shame." (Muslim World Today).
(S) RELIGION OF SPIRITUAL DEMOCRAY
In the sphere of worship, Islam stands for the establishment of direct relation between God and human being without the mediation of any priest. Every Muslim man and woman is, therefore, his or her own priest or priestess.
It is wrong to regard the scholars (Ulama) or the leaders (Imams) of congregational prayers in the mosques as priests. Any good Muslim who knows Islam can lead the prayers, while the ‘Ulama’ are simply scholars and experts of Islamic knowledge and merely fulfil a responsibility which rests on the shoulders of the entire Islamic Brotherhood. For, Islam wants every Muslim man and woman to be a scholar of its teachings, unlike, for instance, Hinduism, where those belonging to the caste of Brahmins alone possess this privilege.Rev.W.Wilson Cash, the famous Christian missionary and hostile critic of Islam, had to confess: "Islam endowed its people with a dignity peculiarly its own… Direct access to God makes one of the strong appeals of Islam" (The Expansion of Islam p. 177).
(T) RELIGION OF HUMAN DIGNITY
Problem of Slavery
By emphasizing freedom as the birthright of all human beings, by proclaiming human equality without distinctions of caste, colour or clime, by denying the sin-innate theory and all other theories of the evil origin of mankind by affirming that the progeny of Adam is the noblest creation of God, by raising humanity to the status of the Vicegerency of God on earth, by making imitation of the Divine Attributes the ethical ideal of mankind, and by pointing out the conquest of the universe as the human destiny, Islam has established human dignity on the loftiest pinnacle conceivable.
Humanity was suffering in various ways because of the wrong notions held by pre-Islamic cultures and religions about human dignity, when Islam appeared. Cruelty was being perpetrated in the name of caste, tribe and race, large masses of humanity had been reduced to the status of serfs, and slavery, which had been an age-old institution, was being practiced by various races and peoples of Europe and Asia, including the Arabs, with the sanction of such scriptures as the Bible and without the least moral compunction. Islam raised its masculine voice of protest against all those evils and gave to the world a philosophy and a legislation which has made it the saviour of the downtrodden and the oppressed for all time.
Among the many misconceptions spread about Islam by its enemies, one is that which relates to slavery. For a proper appreciation of the role of Islam in the abolition of slavery, the reader is referred to the present writer’s "Islam and Slavery." Here, in this brief brochure, we might confine ourselves to the brief statement of a fair-minded non-Muslim scholar of the last century, who said: "His (i.e., Hazrat Muhammad’s) law of slavery is, ‘If slaves come to you, you shall’ --- not imprison and then sell by public sale, though no claimant appears, as in the nineteenth century is the law of Christian England in her provinces, but, --- ‘redeem them, and it is forbidden to you to send them forth’ (Qur’an II, p.85). And this was a man standing up in the wilds of Arabia in the seventh century." (Westminster Review no. IX, p. 221).Even the hostile and biased Dutch critic of Islam, Prof. Snouck Hurgronje, had to say: "According to the Muhammadan principle, slavery is an institution destined to disappear."
(U) RELIGION OF RATIONAL SEX MORALITY
Problem of polygamy
The Islamic view of the fundamental equality of sexes has been already stated in the section on "Religion of Unity" and an impartial historical appreciation of the problem proves beyond all doubt that it was "Islam which removed the bondage in which women were held from the very dawn of human history and gave them a social standing and legal rights such as were not granted them in England till many centuries later." (Lady Evelyn Cobbold, in "Pilgrimage to Mecca"). But the widespread propaganda of the enemies of Islam in connection with polygamy necessitates a specific statement in that connection.
In the first instance, polygamy was not invented by Islam, nor was it made in any way obligatory. It had existed in pre-Islamic societies since time immemorial with the sanction of religion and had been practiced even by those who were accepted as holy personages as for instance, we find in the Old Testament. There it was governed by no law whatsoever, and so also it was in the Arabian society at the advent of Islam. What Islam did was to regulate it and to subject it to such severe restrictions as to make it prohibitive except in cases of emergency. Indeed, monogamy has been the ideal and polygamy only an exception in Muslim Society. This fact is fully borne out by the present as well as the past history of the Muslims and has been admitted by all fair-minded critics of Islam. For instance, William Kelly Wright says: "Most Mohammedans in all ages have had only one wife." (Philosophy of Religion, New York, 1935).
Islam is a natural religion and it takes a very serious view of sexual vices and social ills. Consequently, it was very natural for Islam to permit limited and restricted polygamy for the maintenance of social health in all those situations where it is the only natural remedy. For instance, when war alters the natural sex ratio, giving to women preponderance over men, there are only two alternatives, namely, widespread prostitution or polygamy. Islam prefers the latter to the former in the interests of moral health and social wellbeing of womanhood. Similarly, if the first wife is sterile or suffers from any incurable disease, there are only two possible alternatives, namely, either the first wife should be divorced and a fresh wife taken or she may continue in her status undisturbed along with a second wife. The former course would mean distressing, spinsterhood for the first wife while the latter course would provide to her an honourable normal life without temptation to evil. Polygamy can also become a necessity in a medically incurable case of the hypersexed male who, in most cases, would look to more than one woman for the satisfaction of his biological need. In all such cases, the Islamic permission of polygamy with all its responsibilities and restrictions would be a definitely healthier course than the hypocritical adherence to the formal monogamy.
Polyandry (i.e., the marriage of one woman with several husbands) is not permitted in Islam because psychologically it is unsound, sociologically it is impracticable and biologically it is most dangerous for the physical health of the persons concerned. Certain primitive tribes who practice polyandry are infected with the plague of venereal diseases.
Speaking on polygamy, Dr. Annie Besant says: "There is pretended monogamy in the West, but there is really polygamy without responsibility; the ‘mistress’ is cast off when the man is weary of her and sinks gradually to be the ‘woman of the street’, for the first lover has no responsibility for her future, and she is a hundred times worse off than the sheltered wife and mother in the polygamous home. When we see thousands of miserable women who crowed the streets of Western towns during the night, we must surely feel that it does not lie in western mouth to reproach Islam for polygamy. It is better for a woman, happier for a woman, more respectable for a woman, to live in polygamy, united to one man only, with the legitimate child in her arms, and surrounded with respect, than to be seduced, cast out into the streets, perhaps with an illegitimate child outside the pale of law, unsheltered and uncared for, to become the victim of any passer-by, night after night, rendered incapable of motherhood, despised of all."Another critic of Western social order observes: "The law of the state, based upon the dogma of the Church, which makes it a criminal offence for a man to marry more than one wife, by that same provision makes it illegal for millions of women to have husbands or to bear children…It is untrue that monogamy was advocated by Jesus Christ… whether the question is considered socially, ethically or religiously, it can be demonstrated that polygamy is not contrary to the highest standards of civilisation ….. The suggestion offers a practical remedy for the western problem of the destitute and unwanted female: the alternative is continued and increased prostitution, concubinage and distressing spinsterhood" (J.E. Clare McFarlane: Case for Polygamy).
(V) RELIGION OF SALVATION IN THIS LIFE AND THE HEREAFTER
It is the distinctive merit of Islam that it does not concern itself merely with Salvation beyond the grave—salvation in the Hereafter, but also gives full consideration to --- in fact, ensures --- human salvation in this life. For that purpose, it provides comprehensive Guidance which guarantees moral perfection, social progress, economic justice and political health – in short, all that is needed for the practical realisation and attainment of true human happiness in earthly life and all-round harmonious evolution of humanity.Laura Veccia Vaglieri says: "A religion which is not content with being a theory adapted to the aspirations of our human nature, nor with fixing a code of sublime precepts which may or may not be applied, but which also provides a code of life, establishes the fundamental principles of our morality on a systematic and positive base, precisely formulates the duties of man towards himself and towards others by means of rules which are capable of evolution and compatible with the widest intellectual develo-pment, and which gives its laws a Divine sanction, surely deserves our most profound admiration, as its influence is continual and salutary on man." (Apologie de L’ Islamisme, p. 88).
(W) RELIGION WITH AUTHENTIC AND PERFECT DIVINE SCRIPTURE
There are three fundamental merits of the Holy Qur’an, the Scripture of Islam, in which it stands unique among the scriptures of the world. They are: (1) authenticity of its text: (2) perfection of its literary form; (3) rational character, comprehensiveness and profoundness of its guidance. Even a brief discussion of these merits is not possible in the present introductory sketch. They are, however, so well-established that even the non-Muslim western scholars, who are always ready to attack Islam on the slightest pretext had to admit them in forceful words.Commenting on the beauty of form of the Holy Qur’an Paul Casanova remarks: "Whenever Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) was asked a miracle as a proof of the authenticity of his mission, he quoted the composition of the Qur’an and its incomparable excellence as a proof of its Divine origin. And, in fact, even for those who are non-Muslims nothing is more marvelous than its language with such a prehensile plenitude and a grasping sonority that its simple audition ravished with admiration those primitive peoples so fond of eloquence! The ampleness of its syllables with a grandiose cadence and with a remarkable large rhythm have been of much moment in the conversion of the most hostile and the most sceptic." (L’ Enseignement de I’Arabe au College de France, Lecon d’ouverture, April 26, 1909).As regards perfection in matter of guidance and the authenticity of its text, Laura Veccia Vaglieri observes: "But besides the perfection of form and method, the Book is also revealed inimitable by its very substance, for, we read in it, among other things, previsions or future events and of relations of fact accomplished since many centuries or which are generally ignored, and allusions to the most different sciences, religious or profane. On the whole we find in it a collection of wisdom which can be adopted by the most intelligent of men, the greatest of philosophers and the most skillful politicians….. But there is another proof of the Divinity of the Qur’an: it is the fact that it has been preserved intact through the ages since the time of its Revelation till the present day. And so it will always remain, with God’s Will, as long as the universe exists. Read and re-read through out the Muslim world, this book does not rouse in the Faithful any weariness; it rather, through repetition, is found feeling of awe and respect in the one who reads it or listens to it." (Apologie de L’Islamisme, pp.57-59).
(X) RELIGION WITH THE SIMPLEST CREED
The Islamic creed is as simple as the Islamic ideology is profound. Its first fundaments are:
(1) SEVEN ARTICLES OF FAITH
They are: Belief in:
Allah;
Angles;
Divine Scriptures;
Messengers of Allah;
the Hereafter;
the pre-measurement of Good and Evil;
Resurrection after death.
(2) THE "FIVE PILLARS"
They are:
Declaration of faith in the One-ness of God and in the Divine Messengership of Hazrat Muhammad: (Peace be upon him) La ilaha Illallah Muhammadur-Rasulullah;
Obligatory Prayers;
Obligatory Fasts;
Zakat or Poor-tax;
Pilgrimage to Ka’aba at Meccaa by those who possess the means.A Christian critic of Islam makes the following confession: "Islam had the power of peacefully conquering the souls by the simplicity of its theology, the clearness of its dogma and principles, and the definite number of practices which it demands. In contrast to Christianity which has been undergoing continuous transformation since its origin, Islam has remained identical with itself" (Jean Lheureux: Etude sur L’Islamisme, p. 35).For an appreciation of the Seven Articles and the Five Pillars, the reader is referred to "The Principles of Islam" written by His Eminence Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqi and published in the present series. Here it may be noted, however, that these Seven Articles and Five Pillars constitute only the "first fundaments", while the complete ideology of Islam, which shoots off from these fundaments and which is enshrined in the Holy Qur’an and the Prophetic Traditions, is so comprehensive as to cover the entire sweep of necessary guidance on physical, moral, social and spiritual aspects of human life.
(Y) Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) THE PINNACLE OF HUMAN PERFECTION
A code alone cannot, by its existence as such, inspire mankind to action. Hence to love the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Allah bless him!) above all human being and things of the world, to believe in him as the Most Perfect Embodiment of Human Perfection and as the Absolute Leader and the Last and the Final Prophet (after whom no new prophet of any category, zilli, buruzi, tashri’ee, ghairtashri’ee --- shadowy or real --- is to come), and to follow him as the "Best Example", form the prerequisite of Islamic Belief.This is the theological status of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be with him) in Islam. As regards his refulgent personality, that would require volumes even to do bare justice to it.
It is said that the best testimony is that which comes from the enemy’s camp. Here, therefore, we might quote a few statements of the Western scholars of Islam.Hazrat Muhammad’s (peace be with him) figure was highly majestic, his complexion and features were extremely handsome, and "he was gifted", says the renowned Orientalist Lane Poole, "with mighty powers of imagination, elevation of mind, delicacy and refinement of feeling. ‘He is more modest than a virgin behind her curtain", it was said of him. He was most indulgent to his inferiors, and would never allow his awkward little page to be scolded whatever he did. ‘Ten years,’ said Anas, his servant, ‘was I about the Prophet and he never said as much as Uff to me.’ He was very affectionate towards his family. One of his boys died on his breast in the smoky house of the nurse, a blacksmith’s wife. He was very fond of children; he would stop them in the streets and pat their little heads. He never struck anyone in his life. The worst expression he ever made use of in conversation was, ‘what has come to him? May his forehead be darkened with mud!’ When asked to curse someone, he replied, ‘I have not been sent to curse but to be a mercy to mankind.’ He visited the sick, followed any bier he met, accepted the invitation of a slave to dinner, mended his own clothes, milked the goats, and waited upon himself, relates summarily another tradition. He never first withdrew his hand out of another man’s palm, and turned not before the other had turned.‘He was the most faithful protector of those he protected, ‘the sweetest and most agreeable in conversation. Those who saw him were suddenly filled with reverence; those who came near him loved him; they who described him would say, ‘I have never seen his like either before or after.’ ‘He was of great taciturnity, but when he spoke it was with emphasis and deliberation and no one could forget what he said."He lived with his views in a row of humble cottages separated from one another by palm branches cemented together with mud. He would kindle the fire, sweep the floor, and milk the goats himself. The little food he had was always shared with those who dropped in to partake of it. Indeed, outside the Prophet’s house was a bench or a gallery on which were always found a number of poor who lived entirely upon his generosity, and were hence called ‘people of the bench’. His ordinary food was dates and water, or barley bread; milk and honey were luxuries of which he was fond but which he rarely allowed himself. The fare of the desert seemed most congenial to him even when he was the sovereign of Arabia…"There is something so tender and womanly, and withal so heroic, about the man that one is in peril of finding the judgement unconsciously blinded by the feeling of reverence and well-nigh love that such a nature inspires. He who, standing alone, braved for years the hatred of his people, is the same who was never the first to withdraw his hand from another’s clasp; the beloved of children who never passed a group of little ones without a smile from his wonderful eyes and a kind word for them, sounding all the kinder in that sweet-toned voice. The frank friendship, the noble generosity, the dauntless courage and hope of the man, all tend to melt criticism into admiration."He was an enthusiast in that noblest sense when enthusiasm becomes the salt of the earth, the one thing that keeps men from rotting whilst they live. Enthusiasm is often used despitefully, because it is jointed to an unworthy cause or falls upon barren ground and bears no fruit. So was it not with Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be with him). He was an enthusiast when enthusiasm was the one thing needed to set the world aflame, and his enthusiasm was noble for a noble cause. He was one of those happy few who have attained the supreme joy of making one great truth their very lifespring. He was the Messenger of the one God, and never to his life’s end did he forget who he was or the message which was the marrow of his being. He brought his tidings with a dignity sprung from the consciousness of his high office together with a most sweet humility." (Speeches and Table-talk of the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad, Introduction’ XXVIII – XXX)."The essential sincerity of Hazrat Muhammad’s (Peace be with him) nature," says Professor Nathaniel Schmidt, "cannot be questioned; and historical criticism that blinks no fact, yields nothing to credulity, weighs every testimony, has no partisan interest, and seeks only the trust, must acknowledge his claim to belong to that order of Prophets who, whatever the nature of their psychical experience may have been, in diverse manners, have admonished, taught, uttered austere and sublime thoughts, laid down principles of nobler than they found, and devoted themselves fearlessly to their high calling, being irresistibly impelled to their ministry be a power within." (The New International Encyclopaedia. Vol. XVI, p. 72).Speaking of the glorious success which attended the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad’s (Peace be with him) mission, Caryle observes: "To the Arab nation Islam was a birth from darkness into light; Arabia first became alive by means of it. A poor, shepherd people, roaming unnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world; a Hero-Prophet was sent down to them with a word they could believe: see the unnoticed becomes world-notable, the small has grown worldgreat. Within one century afterward Arabia is at Granada on this hand, at Delhi on that, glancing in valuour and splendour and the light of genius, Arabia shines through long ages over a great section of the world. These Arabs, the man Hazrat Muhammad, (Peace be with him) and that one century --- is it not as if a spark had fallen, one spark on what seemed black, unnoticeable sand? But lo ! the sand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Granada!" (Heroes and Hero-Worship: Chappter on "Hero as Prophet").O. Houdas, the French scholar, said half a century ago about the inner vitality of the Holy Prophet’s Message: "Never has a religion developed with parallel rapidity. In less than half a century Islam spread from the banks of the Indus to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, and, if this movement slowed down, it still persists after fourteen centuries of existence. After having penetrated in India, in China and Malaysia, Islam continues its invading march in the African Continent which will before long become entirely Muslim. Without special missionaries and without resort to the force of arms, the religion of Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be with him) has converted the Black Continent, and it is not without some astonishment to point out the existence in England and America of small white communities which….. have adopted the Islamic doctrines and made efforts to propagate them. This invasion of Europe, hardly visible today, will surely grow." (La Grande Encyclopaedie, Tome 20, article: Islamisme).
(Z) ABSORPTION IN THE LOVE OF GOD THE FINAL GOAL
Cultivation of and absorption in the love of Allah, and the permeation of the heart with the sweet ecstasy of that love, until a person becomes virtually incapable of acting against the Divine Commands, is the final goal, which bestows upon a Muslim "Abiding Life" --- a life of Peace, Progress and Perfection.