We are living in the age of mass communication, it is difficult to find people unaware of message of Islam. Once humanity developed to a certain level, Allah sent the final messenger Muhammad (Pbuh) with the final scripture Quran, which is protected by Allah. Even after 1400 years the Quran is available in its original revealed form but with the passage of time people lack in understanding the spirit and indulge in practice of undesirable activities; hence periodically the scholars of Islam make effort to rediscover the original message of Islam for practical application.
The present day publicity given to Islam has produced only a negative effect. People are now generally allergic to Islam rather than being interested in it writes, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan in his book “Islam Rediscovered”. The theme of his book ‘Islam Rediscovered’ is being reproduced here (with minor editing) is evident from its title, Discovering Islam from its Original Sources. He has made a distinction between Islam as presented by the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, and his companions (information about which is available to us in the Qur’an and the Sunnah) and Islam as represented by later Muslim generations — both in theory and practice. This is what he calls the scientific approach.
Islam is the religion of nature. If it were to be presented in its original form, people would turn to it quite naturally. Unfortunately, a section of Muslims is engaged in violent and aggressive activities, wrongfully indeed, in the name of Islam. It is such news as, through the media, has a great impact upon the general public and creates serious misunderstandings. Violence, however, is not limited only to Muslims. It is found in every community and in every group. But there is a basic difference between the two. When the adherents of other religions engage in violence, they do not do so in the name of their religion whereas the violence engaged in by the Muslims is being done in the name of Islam. People have thus come to take Islam as a militant religion. Since modern man is in search of peace, he finds no appeal in a religion which, as presented by the media, is one of hatred and violence.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan in this book attempts to introduce Islam as it is. It calls for a distinction to be made between Islam and the practices of Muslims. Taking a scientific attitude, you have to see Islam in the light of the Islamic scriptures and not judge it by Muslim conduct.
The aim is to present Islam as it is enshrined in its sacred scriptures, so that it may be brought before the people in its true form. The authentic source of information about Islam is the Qur’an. The Qur’an, according to Muslim belief, was revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him. The second source of knowledge about Islam is the Sunnah, i.e., the words, deeds and sanctions of the Prophet Muhammad, May peace be upon him. The lives of the companions of the Prophet provide another later source. Then, there is a full stop in this matter, no other person or historical record enjoys the status of source of Islam.
However, this write up does not claim to be a comprehensive introduction to Islam. That is something which can be had only by studying Islam directly through its basic scriptures, that is, the Qur’an and Sunnah. This effort thus presents a fundamental introduction for those who want to understand Islam as it is. Its aim is to provide a proper background in the light of which the original sources of Islam may be studied.
It is hoped that this information will be useful for those who want to know about the original Islam, as opposed to the “religion” represented by certain self-styled Muslim leaders introduced to us by the media.
14. The Shari’ah and its application
After going through some articles on Da’wah by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, a reader wrote that the point of view advocated by the Maulana Wahiduddin was quite contradictory to the Quran since Maulana says: Muslims should exercise patience against atrocities committed by other nations and engage themselves in Da’wah work. Whereas in the Quran, in sharp contrast to this point of view, God Almighty says: And fight them until there is no more fitnah, and religion becomes Allah’s, in its entirety (8:39)
Then, whom we are to pay heed to, Allah or Maulana Wahiduddin? This appears to be quite damning. But in reality, it is a total misapprehension. The error can be made plain if we may suppose for a while that if a complete Quran had been in people’s possession in Makkah, as it is in the possession of the person mentioned above, there might have arisen the same confusion in Makkah.
We find from traditions that in the early phase of Islam in Makkah, when the Makkan pagans had begun their cruel persecution of the Muslims, certain of the faithful, reacting to this grievous injustice, asked the Prophet’s permission to do battle with their persecutors. But the Prophet went on exhorting them to exercise patience, saying: “I have been commanded only to perform Da’wah, communication of the message of God. I have not been given permission to do battle.” If the complete Quran in bound form had existed at that time, someone might have stood up and said: “See, Muhammad, may peace be upon him, is asking us to exercise patience, while in the Quran God asks us to do battle with our opponents.” But no such thing took place in Makkah, for the simple reason that people did not possess the complete Quran as they do today.
This example shows where those who raise such objections have gone wrong. The actual error lies in their taking something out of context by misquoting the verses of the Quran. At a time when Muslims are in the stage of Da’wah and as such might have required to perform their Da’wah responsibilities by exercising patience, they have been mistakenly referring to the verses revealed to discharge the responsibilities at the stage of defence. In this way they have fallen into the error of wrong application of the verses. They are citing the verses applicable to such circumstances as prevailed in Medina, while they find themselves in the situation that prevailed in Makkah.
History shows that the Prophet of Islam and his companions were faced with all the problems and hardships in Makkah, as the Muslims of modern times have allegedly been facing. Yet when the Prophet of Islam asked his companions to follow the path of patience and avoidance, no one stood up to question why they must exercise patience, when the Quran enjoins them to do battle, simply because the complete Quran was not available. The truth is that the Quran was not revealed all at once in the form of a bound book, the one we have in our possession today. The Quran was revealed on different occasions over a period of 23 years, but in parts. Only those commands were revealed to the Prophet as were required by the circumstances. For instance, in the initial stage, the Prophet was given the command to perform Da’wah by observing patience (74:2-7). Later on, as circumstances warranted, the command to migrate was revealed (16:41). Subsequently, when circumstances further changed, the command to do battle was revealed (2:190), etc.
This shows that in the initial stage of Islam when the Quran was being revealed, the order of revelation tallied with the order of events. For this reason people did not find any difficulty in understanding their role as soon as a command was revealed. But afterwards, all the verses revealed over a period of 23 years, relating to different sets of circumstances, were collected together in the form of a bound volume. It is this complete book which has remained in the hands of later Muslim generations till today.
By the very law of nature, circumstances keep changing, and this fact must be borne in mind that the divine book we possess comprised of revelations made at different times and collected together in the form of the Quran. These scriptures contain various commands, injunctions pertaining to all kinds of situations—all collected together in one book.
Then how are Muslims of later times supposed to receive guidance from the Quran? The answer is that the study of Quranic verses should be done in the light of the causes of revelation (asbabal-nuzul). That is, first of all, those in search of guidance should determine objectively the state of affairs in a given situation, then strive to find the verse or verses revealed in a similar situation in the first phase of Islam. And when that injunction is found, it should be applied to the present situation. That is, the purpose served by the immediate revelation in the first phase, will now be served by pinpointing similarity between the past and the present situations.
For a better understanding of this, one should take into account the four different stages of the period of Prophethood of the Prophet of Islam:
(a) The first half of the Makkan period;
(b) The second half of the Makkan period;
(c) The first half of the Madinan period;
(d) The second half of the Madinan period.
Basically these four periods keep repeating themselves throughout human history. By studying the Quran in depth, the parallels to present-day circumstances can easily be discovered: it is very necessary if guidance is to be received from the Quran in later periods of history.
As mentioned above, the Quran which exists with us today in its complete form was not available to the Muslims during the lifetime of the Prophet. Instead it was revealed in parts. At that time only those passages of the Quran were revealed which were relevant to the circumstances, that is, whatever command was required pertaining to the actual situation only that was given to the believers. This way the believers had no problem in understanding their tasks and subsequently devoted themselves to performing them without any questioning. For instance, when circumstances required full attention to be paid to the task of Da’wah, this verse was revealed: Lead all men to the path of your Lord with wisdom and mild exhortation. (16:25)
Therefore all the followers of the Prophet adopted Da’wah as a single point formula and became engaged in this task with complete dedication. Similarly, when the circumstances required patience and fortitude, this verse was revealed: ”Bear up then with patience, as did the steadfast Apostles before you. (46:35)
Subsequently, the believers adopted an attitude of patience with total devotion and concentration. Similarly when, in the wake of aggression by the other party, the problem of defence arose, this verse was revealed in the Quran: “Fight for the sake of God those that fight against you.” (2:190)
On receiving this command, all the believers engaged themselves wholeheartedly in the field of battle.
This same pattern continued throughout the prophetic period lasting 23 years. Each time only that part of the Quran was revealed which was required in regard to the circumstances. The believers of this first phase were solely concerned with carrying out the particular commandment relevant to given situation.
They were not required to decide as to which of the various and different commandments were applicable. But, in later times, the state of affairs changed. Now, all the parts of the Quran revealed on different occasions were collected and bound in the form of one book. That is to say, the commands and their background had been separated from one another. Afterwards the responsibility devolved upon the Muslims themselves, by means of deep reflection and study, to strive to ascertain which of the injunctions was applicable to them in particular situations. Thus by discovering the relevant verse of the Quran, they should follow with unstinting devotion and dedication. Believers are urged “to listen to the Quran with attention, holding their peace.” (7:204)
That is, they must pay full heed to the passage of the Quran revealed to the Prophet and then wholeheartedly carry out the command. The latter day Muslims have been charged with the added responsibility of inference (see the Quran, 4:83) and ijtihad (striving) as mentioned in the Hadith. That is, to reflect with the utmost honesty, sincerity and God-fearingness as to pinpoint which divine command is addressed to them in relation to the state of affairs in which they find themselves at that point in time, and then to strive to carry out that command without showing any reluctance.
That is to say, in the first phase of Islam, the injunction of Da’wah was revealed at the time when the performance of Da’wah was required, the injunction of patience was revealed when patience was required and the injunction to do battle was revealed at the time when battle was required.
Thus people were not faced with any confusion in understanding the injunctions as well as their application. But later-day Muslims find out the injunctions—of patience, Da’wah and war—all together in one single book. It was now left to Muslims to find, on their own, which of the varied injunctions is relevant to their particular sets of circumstances. That is to say, earlier the circumstances and the injunctions tallied with one another, whereas now the injunctions are many and varied, while the state of affairs in any one particular given situation demands, (in practice), the application of only one injunction.
As mentioned above, the present Quran does not follow the order of revelation, that is, the chronological order of revelations has not been followed in the compilation of the Quran. The arrangement of the present order of the Quran not being based on the order of revelation is probably a matter of testing the faithful. This test requires Muslims to exercise their reason objectively in order to find out which one of the commands it is desirable for them to carry out in a particular situation. This test in its nature is like that given to the people of the first phase. In their case it involved the discovery of the true claimant to Truth out of many claimants. Similarly, the test of the Muslims of later times involved the discovery of that particular injunction applicable to their circumstances and desirable by God. The emergence of the Prophet was a test for his contemporaries to see if they could recognise the true guide, while the arrangement of the Quran based on a non-revelationary order serves to test people, on whether they can discover true guidance or not. Later-day Muslims have to pass this test in exactly the same way as the people of the first phase passed a test of the same nature.
The Prophet and the believers of his time lived in Makkah in the early stage of his Prophethood. At that time the idolatrous leaders of Makkah enjoyed the dominant position. They used to persecute the Prophet and the other Muslims. Now the question was as to what the believers should resort to in those circumstances. In that situation they were guided by God to say: “We will endure your persecution patiently. In God, let all the faithful put their trust.” (14:12).
That is, they had to adhere to the way of patience and forbearance regardless of the injustice and oppression of their opponents. In this way, by timely guidance, the believers learnt what their policy should be in whatever circumstances they found themselves in. They understood fully that even if the other party was guilty of injustice, they had unilaterally to maintain an attitude of patience. Then the time came when the Prophet and his companions migrated to Madinah, leaving their hometown. The circumstances changed. The injunctions too changed according to the new circumstances. Earlier the guidance given was to exercise patience on being persecuted, now the guidance to deal with persecution changed. The command given in the Quran on this occasion was: “Permission (to take up arms) is hereby given to those who are attacked.” (22:39). This shows that at times defence is required to deal with persecution. Whereas at other times no counter move is desirable except for patience. Now the question arises as to how to find out in which circumstance the way of patience and tolerance has to be adopted and in which circumstance doing battle in self-defence is to be resorted to.
The believers of the first phase did not need to take any decision regarding the answer to these questions. For the answers according to the prevailing state of affairs continued to be revealed by God. But this situation no longer prevailed for later-day Muslims. For them the questions exist in relation to the circumstances, but the answers have to be found by their own questing. Herein lies the test of the believers of later times. If the test of the people of the Prophet’s day consisted of recognising the Prophet, the test of the latter-day Muslims lies in recognising the command of the Prophet. The Quran enshrines verses on both kinds of injunctions together in the same volume. Now it is the responsibility of the believers themselves to reflect deeply, objectively, without any bias, to find which of the commands is to be applied to any given situation and which of the commands is to be considered abrogated for the time being. This nature of the command was earlier determined directly by revelation, while now this has to be determined by the exercise of ijtihad.
Let’s take up another aspect of this subject. The idolaters were there in Makkah when the Prophet and his companions lived in the city, and it was the same idolaters who lived in Makkah after the migration of the Prophet up until the conquest of Madinah. But the policy for dealing with them changed in the second of these two phases. History shows that the command given in regard to these idolaters in the first phase was simply to warn them by adopting peaceful means: “Arise and warn, call them to the path of their Lord with wisdom.” According to this injunction, the Prophet and his companions used to visit those people in Makkah and recite to them the verses of Da’wah from the Quran. They used to address their gatherings in these words: “Say there is no God but God and you will earn salvation.”
But after the migration and the conquest of Makkah, the situation changed. Now chapter nine of the Quran, titled ‘Repentance’, was revealed which conveyed a “declaration of immunity by God and His Messenger to the idolaters with whom you have made agreements.” After the revelation of this chapter, when the time of Hajj (pilgrimage) came, the Prophet sent a delegation of his companions to Makkah to make a public pronouncement of this declaration from God. From this example we find that when the Da’wah or the communication of the message was required in regard to the idolaters, the verses dealing with Da’wah were revealed. In this way, the knowledge of the very order of revelation sufficed to indicate what had to be done and when.
But the position of later-day Muslims is different. Now the state of affairs is that the entire Quran is in our hands in the form of one collected volume, containing both kinds of verses together. Muslims have, therefore, to discover from their own ijtihad which of the injunctions are addressed to them in the particular set of circumstances in which they find themselves.
This is the test of the later-day Muslims. Their success lies in their ability to discover that particular injunction which is desirable by God in terms of their circumstances. Their failure lies in their inability to discover this injunction desirable in their changed sets of circumstances. For instance, in terms of their actual state of affairs, the verses of patience and Da’wah are applicable to them, yet they are waging war with other nations by referring to the verses on fighting in the Quran. Such an act on their part amounts to their having failed in the divine test.
This failure is very grave in nature. This can be likened to a Prophet’s contemporary failing to recognise him as the true Prophet of God. The deprivation resulting from this failure is very serious while the gains resulting from success in recognizing is very great.
The secret of guidance and ignorance
The Quran states, “By it (the Quran) God causes many to stray and many He leads into the Right Path. But He makes only the disobedient go astray:” (2:26)
The Quran: The Quran is, without doubt, a Truth from God. Then why is it that some find guidance from it, while others are lead astray? The chief reason for this difference lies in the difference in reference. If the Quran is studied with reference to the correct context, the reader will receive guidance. On the contrary, if the reference is changed, the same Quran will become the cause of people going astray.
Studying the different parts of Quran in the correct perspective is to study them in the light of the traditions of the causes of revelation i.e. to understand the background of the verses. A number of traditions have been recorded in the books of Hadith and Tafsir which tell us which verse or verses of the Quran were revealed on which particular occasions. These traditions providing the background are not only conducive to understanding the initial message, but also serve as a reliable guide as regards their correct application in later times in similar situations.
Studying the Quran with reference to the traditions of the causes of revelation does not imply that the Quran was a book of an ephemeral nature. What is meant is that the initial nature of a command should be properly understood in order to discover its vaster application, so that it may be correctly applied at a later date.
Most of the injunctions in the Quran are brief in nature. For instance, the Quran states:
“Believers, if an evildoer brings you a piece of news, inquire first into its truth, lest you should wrong others unwittingly and repent of what you have done” (49:6).
According to the traditions of the causes of revelation this verse was revealed following a particular incident. But the verse neither mentions that incident nor the people involved in it. In order, therefore, to understand the actual meaning and message of the verse, it is essential to study it in the light of that particular incident—the cause of the revelation. In this way, that incident mentioned in detail in traditions gives us the knowledge of the background in the light of which we can properly understand the real nature of the injunction revealed in the concerned verses. When the original context of an injunction is properly understood, the application of the same to similar incidents taking place in later times is greatly facilitated. We are then able to understand what the Quranic injunction would be in a situation which is similar to the one referred to in the Quran.
The verse of the Quran (2:26) mentioned earlier tells us that just as the Quran is a source of guidance to people, so also does it become a source of leading them astray. Who are these people who are led astray? These are the people who do not study the Quran in its proper context. Studying of the Quran in this way means to study it in the light of one’s own whims and desires, instead of in the light of the causes of revelation.
If we study the verses of the Quran in reference to the causes of revelation, the reality dawns upon us that the target of Islam is not to exterminate the opponents of Islam, but rather to help them enter the fold of Islam by our performing Da’wah. This verse of the Quran gives us a clear guideline in this regard:
“And who is better in speech than one who calls men to God, works righteously, and says, ‘I am of those who surrender to Him.’ Good and evil deeds are not alike. Requite evil with good, and he, between whom and you is enmity, will become your dearest friend. But none will attain this save those who endure with fortitude and are of the greatest good fortune. And if a malicious attempt is made by the devil to tempt you, seek refuge in God. He hears all and knows all.” (41:33-36)
Understanding the background to the revelations is, therefore, extremely important in order to receive guidance from the Quran. If the verses of the Quran are studied without the help of those traditions, each verse will appear to be giving an absolute command (an injunction in the absolute sense). But when we study the Quran in the light of those traditions which give us the background of revelations, we come to know that they had specific application. Whenever any difficult situation arose, during the lifetime of the Prophet, a revelation would come in relation to it.
In such a state of affairs it is not proper to take any given verse of the Quran in an absolute sense and apply it to latter-day situations. It is therefore essential to study the verses of the Quran in the light of the causes of revelation. After learning the background we can apply them to any similar situation produced in later times. According to this principle, taking the verses of the Quran in their proper context is a source of guidance, while doing the reverse is a source of transgression.
In short, the Quran is a compendium of various and varied kinds of injunctions. For instance, at one place we find this injunction in the Quran: “Avoid the polytheists” (15:94). At another place we will find this injunction: “Fight against the idolaters as they fight against you.” (9:16). Both these injunctions are apparently contradictory to one another. So the question arises as to which command should be followed by a reader of today.
The background to the revelation provides the answer. All the injunctions in the Quran have been revealed on specific occasions. The traditions dealing with the background of the verses tell us which injunction was revealed on which occasion. In this way, by a study of the background of the verses, we can discover the first application of the Quranic injunctions. And when the first application is properly understood, having an exact knowledge of the second application is greatly facilitated. A proper understanding of the first application paves the way for total correctness in the second application.
Now what we have to do is, whenever we find ourselves in any set of circumstances calling for Quranic solutions, we must make a thorough study of the traditions dealing with the background of the verses. This will enable us to discover which of the verses were revealed in the Quran (that is, which injunction was given to them on that occasion) when the companions of the Prophet were faced with the same set of circumstances. In this way it is the element of similarity between the two situations which guides us as to which verse or verses are addressed to us in the circumstances we are faced with. That is, in the light of the first application we must determine the second application.
14. Spirituality in Islam
What is spirituality?—or rabbaniyat, to use the Qur’anic term. It is the elevation of the human condition to a plane on which the mind is focused on the higher, non-material realities of a godly existence. The opposite of spirituality is materialism, a course followed all too often in this world. One who takes this course, giving all his attention to worldly things, or to put it another way, who centres his attention on mere appearances, is regarded as being materialistic. Conversely, one who rises above material things or appearances, who finds his focus of interest in non-material things, is regarded as being spiritual or godly. The latter is one who obeys the injunction of the Qur’an: “Be devoted servants of God” (3:79) or, alternatively, “O people, be godly servants of Allah.”
To understand what constitutes materialism, imagine that you come across a palatial house, or see an attractive car being driven along the street. If a strong desire is kindled within you to have such things in your possession, that is a clear indication that materialism is a major motivating factor in your life. One who sees the same things, but remains unaffected by the notions of luxury that they convey, and therefore feels no desire to acquire them, lives in a more rarefied sphere in which materialism plays no part. He sees no attraction in the lesser world of material appearances, being engrossed in the higher realities of the supremely spiritual life. The truly non-material person is never influenced by superficialities: his soul exists at too profound a level of spirituality.
This is true, and without any exaggeration. Those who live for worldly pleasures believe that gratification cannot be had except from material things. But this thinking is due to sheer ignorance. Worldly pleasure being the only thing they have experienced, they imagine that for enjoyment they must depend solely on material things. Had they experienced spiritual pleasure, they would certainly have forgotten material pleasure. The pleasure to be derived from material things is limited in nature and very short-lived. Whereas spiritual pleasure may be eternally savoured.
Eating tasty food certainly gives us a sense of enjoyment. But it is only when the experience of eating such food results in an outpouring of thanksgiving to God that our pleasure knows no bounds. Travelling in a modern car is also enjoyable, but the pleasure which comes from a deep perception of reality, —i.e. the apprehension of the indescribably unique power of God as manifested in the world in the form of cars, aeroplanes and all the other modern amenities created for man’s comfort—is far superior to that which one experiences while travelling in a luxurious automobile.
The materialistic person can find pleasure only in something which he or she actually experiences. But the spiritual person lives on a higher plane. For him, even seeing things in another’s possession occasions an outpouring from the innermost recesses of his heart of his gratefulness to God. Another’s material pleasure transforms itself into a spiritual pleasure for him as well. A materially-minded person sees only the creature, while a spiritually-inclined person sees the splendour of the Creator through the creature. And it is obvious that the spiritual riches accruing from the discovery of the Creator cannot be gained in the discovery of mere objects of creation.
Furthermore, in the spiritual world there is no great difference between comfort and deprivation. What one gains from experiences of material pleasure is of far less value than what one gains from experiences of deprivation. The tears of pain flowing from an aching heart gives far greater satisfaction than the laughter of happiness. The greatest source of pleasure is in the remembrance of God. It is this reality which finds expression in the following verse of the Qur’an: “It is only in the remembrance of God that hearts are comforted.” (13:28)
Here comfort means not just the temporary solace to be found in everyday convenience, but the real comfort with its implications of peace of mind that can stem only from God Almighty. Man by nature is an idealistic creature. Anything short of ideal can attract only fitful attention from him, whereas true and lasting comfort can be achieved only through the Perfect Being.
Existing at the level of materialism is like descending into animality. Materialism is, in other words, a form of shallowness. The real man is one who discovers the secret of living on the elevated plane of spirituality. If in materialism there is the pleasure of laughter, in spirituality there is the pleasure of pain. If materialism is to live a life of limitations, spirituality is to live in limitlessness.
The Universe—A Source of Divine Inspiration
The universe has been fashioned by God in a way that it may become a source of spiritual inspiration for man. According to the Qur’an, it is the quality of tawassum (15:75) that enables one to find inspiration in the universe. What is tawassum? It is the ability to understand the signs of nature. That is, to observe the phenomena of the universe in order to draw lessons from them and receive spiritual nourishment from physical events.
Tawassum is, in a sense, a matter of conversion, on a parallel with grass entering the body of the cow and through a natural process being transformed into milk. Similarly, the truly religious person is like a divine industry. He is able to convert physical events into spiritual lessons. He extracts spiritual nourishment from material things.
The distinguishing feature of the wise people described in the Qur’an is that, they continuously derive such sustenance from their environment, thus maintaining their intellectual and spiritual well-being. This is elaborated upon in the Qur’an as follows:
“In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are signs for men of understanding; those that remember God when standing, sitting, and lying down, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth (saying): ‘Lord, You have not created these in vain. Glory be to You! Save us from the torment of the fire, Lord.” (3:191)
A Personal Experience
It was Thursday morning, 17th June 1999. I was in Manchester, England, staying in the house of an Arab Brother Alaref Ahmad. While I was sitting in my room on the upper floor, I heard a gentle knock on the door. When I opened it, I found a child of about five years of age. It was Qanita, the first-born daughter of Brother Alaref. She asked in all innocence and gentleness, “Do you need anything?” (turidu haja). Perhaps it was her mother who had sent her, and although this was a simple question, I was quite overwhelmed by this innocent voice; to the extent that I could not utter a single word in reply. This was a normal incident, but in my mind, it became transformed into a supra-normal event. Children are like the flowers of God and little angels. I felt as if God Himself had sent me an angel to discover and meet my needs.
At this moment, a famous hadith came to mind: “Your Lord descends to this worldly haven every day, looks at His servants and says, ‘Is there anyone who has a need and asks Me, that I may give it to him?’” (Muslim).
‘Do you need anything?’ was a short question that came from an innocent soul, but it was enough to cause a great revolution in my inner being; referred to by modern scholars as ‘brainstorming.’
For a while, I felt that I could see the whole of the Universe on the screen of my mind. This was a great spiritual experience which could not be expressed in human words. In the beginning, it seemed as though God, through a little angel, was saying, “O my servant, do you need anything?” Then, the matter extended to include the whole Universe with its Heavens and its Earth.
In fact, it was only a little girl at the door of my room, asking, “Do you need anything?” but in its extended sense, it was as if the whole Universe was asking the same question.
The vast Heaven was saying, “Do you need a shelter? Here I am to provide you with one, because God has ordered me to do so.” The gleaming sun was saying, “Do you need light? I am here to supply it and transform your darkness into light.” The majestic mountains were announcing, “Would you like to be on the highest level in all humanity? I am here at your service to help you attain that high position.” The flowing water in the river-beds was murmuring, “Do you want to have a spiritual bath to purify your soul? I am here to offer you that.”
And the gusting wind was asking, “Do you want to tour the Universe to see the wondrous signs of God? Here is my back for you to ride on to embark on such a Divine journey.” The trees were whispering, “Would you like to have a personality as radiant as ours? We are here to make your wish a reality.” The fruits on their branches and the crops in their husks were declaring, “If you crave nourishment for your intellectual and spiritual life, we are here to provide you with it.”
While this reel was playing in my mind, I heard birds chirping, “O servant of God! Here is good news for you: If you have a need, then God has made the whole Universe to serve your needs. God is so generous that He has created the whole of the Universe to be at your service, day and night. In addition to this, if you show thankfulness to God, He will give you what is greater than all of this — Eternal Paradise in which there will be “…neither fear nor grievance” (6:48).
Then, the following Qur’anic verse came to mind: “And He gave you all that you asked for” (14.34). This means that whatever is needed for Man to live a good life on this Earth has been prepared in advance by God, directly and indirectly. Horses, for instance, were directly created; whereas aeroplanes were provided indirectly. The travelling of the voice through the air is an example of direct provision, while its transmission by means of electronic equipment is a form of indirect provision. Perhaps, this is what is meant by the following Qur’anic verse: “And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride, and as an adornment. And He has created (other) things which are beyond your knowledge” (16:8).
God Almighty says, “O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you. And be grateful to God, if it is Him you worship” (2:172). This means that God Almighty has created everything, imaginable and unimaginable; great and small, in the most perfect form. Then, He gave all this free to Man. The only price to be paid for these endless blessings is thankfulness; it is Man’s recognition, from the depths of his heart, that God is the Giver and Man the receiver.
The Qur’an mentions as examples of God’s beneficiaries the people of Saba.’ God Almighty gave them a sign in the, “two Gardens to the right hand and to the left; (and it was said to them:) ‘Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him: fair is your land and Oft-Forgiving is your Lord’”(34:15). This means that if Man pays the price—that is, gratitude—then not only will he be allowed to avail of these blessings, but more importantly, he will also be rewarded with eternal Paradise, which is a perfect version of this present imperfect world of God.
God Almighty bestowed upon Man all these material things which man needs if he is to live a good life on this Earth. All these things are silently conveying the following message: “O Man! Are you seeking something greater than all this? Do you want spiritual peace in addition to material peace? Do you want a world of perfection after this imperfect world? Would you like to taste the blessings of God in the world of eternity after you have tasted them in this ephemeral world? Do you wish to have all these comforts as a blessing in the world to come, after you have had them as a trial in this transient world? Would you like to realize your full potential after experiencing the limitation of your capacities in this present world?”
God created a perfect and complete world as an eternal abode for Man. Then, He wanted to know who was worthy of inhabiting that eternal world. For this purpose, He created the time-bound and imperfect abode in which we are now living. This life, therefore, is only a test. Man is constantly under the observation of his Lord. With every utterance and movement, Man is writing his own eternal destiny. One who, during his pre-death period proves himself through his conduct deserving of that world will, in his post-death-period, be rewarded with admission into it. Others, however, will be flung into the Universal junkyard, that is Hell, condemned for all eternity. So, they will lose both worlds, the present incomplete world as well as the next, perfect and everlasting world.
God has revealed Himself in two books — the Qur’an and the Universe. The Qur’an is a literal version of God’s word, while the Universe or nature is a practical demonstration of it. These two are the basic sources of spiritual inspiration for a man who seeks to live a life according to the divine scheme.
This dual source of divine inspiration is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verse: “God is He who raised the Heavens without visible supports, then He ascended the Throne. He has compelled the sun and the moon to be of service, each pursuing an appointed course; He controls the affairs (of the Universe); He makes plain His revelations, so that you may be certain of the meeting with your Lord” (13:2). So, the Qur’an is like a guidebook. It prepares the mind so that one may properly understand the Universe and live in it as desired by God.
So, a Mu’min (true believer) has precisely that kind of prepared mind. When he sees the Universe with its various parts functioning in an absolutely coherent manner, he will spontaneously say: “There is no god but the one God!” and when he examines it, he will find that there are so many complex happenings in its vastness. Nevertheless, he finds that every part of the universe is highly predictable. With this discovery, he realizes that it is as if God was suggesting that he himself should have a predictable character. When he observes that the various parts of the Universe function with absolute harmony, he realises that, in like manner, he should live in complete harmony with society; without hatred for or malice towards anyone. When he sees the events of the universe always proceeding towards a meaningful result, he realises that man’s life, too, must have a meaningful end. Thus he exclaims: “O our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose. Glory be to You! Give us salvation from the torment of Hellfire!” (3:191).
In brief, the universe is a manifestation of the Attributes of Almighty God. Hence, it is a source of spiritual nourishment for those who want to lead a divine life on earth. For them, the whole universe becomes a great means of their reaching spiritual perfection. This spiritual development continues incessantly throughout their earthly life. As the ultimate result of this life-long developmental process, they attain that degree of spirituality which the Qur’an calls the ‘Rabbani soul.’ It is such as these who, in the life Hereafter, will be told by their most compassionate Lord: “Dwell in Paradise; you shall have no fear, nor shall you grieve.” (7:49)
There is nothing mysterious about spirituality in Islam. It is rather the direct result of the kind of intellectual development that takes place when a believer ponders over the Creator and His creation: he gains something in the process that may be termed spirituality. The source, therefore, of Islamic spirituality is perusal and reflection rather than any sort of mysterious exercise. That is why the Qur’an rejects asceticism (monasticism), referring to it as a bida‘a (innovation) in religion which God did not prescribe for people. (57:27)
From the Qur’an we learn that, in the very creation of the universe, the signs of God lie hidden all around us. A person who is in a state of keen awareness when he reflects upon the things of the world comes to see the Creator in the creatures. The meaning of the creation of the Universe is laid bare before him. Ultimately, the universe becomes a permanent source of spiritual inspiration. He is continuously nourished by it during his worldly experience, and his observation of the universe awakens in him latent divine qualities.
The result of this observation and contemplation of the universe does not result in his shunning normal life. Far from withdrawing from the world, he lives in it, participating in all its activities; yet despite his involvement, he remains aloof. That is to say, although he fulfils all his duties and responsibilities, his heart is not attached to worldly affairs. He appears to live in the world, but he stands apart from it. Thanks to this state of his heart, he acquires tremendous spiritual gains. The Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, says of such individuals: “God plants wisdom in the heart of one who shows disinclination for the world.” There is life for man in spirituality: this is indeed the real life for man.
15. Preservation, updating, Da’wah
Addressing the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, God Almighty has declared: We have sent you forth as a mercy to all mankind. (21:107). Similarly, the Qur’an states: “Blessed be He who has revealed Al-Furqan (the criterion), that is, the Qur’an, to His servant, so that he may be a warner to all mankind”. (25:1). In another chapter the Qur’an says: “We have sent you forth to all mankind, so that you may give them good news and warn them.” (34:28)
These passages in the Qur’an tell us that the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, was sent for all humanity and for all present and future generations. He was appointed by God Almighty to give a divine lead to all mankind, and this process has to be continued, generation after generation, till the last day of the world. During his lifetime he fulfilled this duty directly and, after his death, this task has to be continued indirectly through his Ummah. The task to be performed by later generations has been divided, basically, into three categories:
(a) Process of Preservation,
(b) Process of Updating,
(c) Process of Da’wah
The goal of the first process is to keep the book brought by the Prophet intact in its original form, generation after generation. There must be no human interpolations and none of its parts should be destroyed.
The first major step in the process of preservation was undertaken, after the passing away of the Prophet, during the life of the first Caliph, Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A). At that time tens of thousands of the companions of the Prophet had learnt the complete Qur’an by heart. It was thus completely preserved in human memory.
But as far as the writing of the Qur’an was concerned, it existed only in fragments on different kinds of writing materials. The first Caliphs, therefore, engaged scholars of the Qur’an from amongst the companions to prepare a single volume of the Qur’an. By employing the double checking system, that is, the Qur’an as memorized was checked with the Qur’an in its written form and the Qur’an in written form was checked with the Qur’an preserved in human memory. Thus the bound volume of the Qur’an was prepared, which served as the standard copy. All the later copies of the Qur’an were made from this original volume. [Caliph Usman (R.A) sent thee standard copies all around Muslim world].
Thus, the Qur’an was preserved by following the double method—writing and memorizing, generation after generation, until it reached the age of the printing press, whereupon any possibility of human interpolation in the text was ruled out.
Contribution of Muhaddithin (Scholars of Hadith)
In addition to this, a huge number of eminent Muslim scholars arose among the first few generations of Islam to prepare a totally authentic and unparalleled historical record generally known as Hadith, Sirah and Maghazi. Within a surprisingly short period of time, they produced a vast and systematic body of literature that contains almost each word uttered by the Prophet, every action done by him, anything approved of or disapproved of by him, including other chronological details about his companions and the succeeding generations. This literature, as a whole, is rightly considered to be the second basic source of Islam after the Qur’an. The authentic part of Hadith literature coupled with the Qur’an, provides an all-inclusive text of Islamic ideology. Thus, by both the sources having been committed to writing, the original version of Islam has been so perfectly and permanently preserved, that until the coming of doomsday, anybody can at any time confirm how Islamic teachings were revealed from God, and then how they were explained and practised by the Prophet and his companions.
Religious Institutions
Right from the days of the companions of the Prophet up till the present times the majority of Muslims, both rulers and ruled, have shown the greatest of interest in and concern about imparting a theoretical as well as a practical knowledge of Islam to their offspring. For the purpose of learning how to practise Islam in day-to-day life in accordance with the prophetic role model, numerous institutions came into existence. The religious schools of the traditional type was called a Madrassa, while the spiritual training centre was called a Takya. Starting in the remote past and continuing right up to the present day, a tremendous network of such religious institutions has proliferated all over the Muslim world, and in recent times has been marked with renewed vigour and vitality. Without doubt these institutions have been successful in at least one of their fundamental objectives, that is, to preserve and transmit the practical form or applied aspect of Islam from generation to generation. In the present century, the same purpose has also been achieved by a number of other religious organizations and movements. The movement of Tabligh may be cited here as an example.
Updating
The second point in this connection is the process of updating. The religion handed down by the Prophet (pbuh) remains one and the same. However, since the situations in human society are subject to change, it becomes essential that the original religion (al-din) could be reapplied to changing sets of circumstances. For instance, the Shari’ah permitted the touching of leather socks with wet hands for purification instead of the normal washing of feet during ablution. Now when socks made of artificial fibres came to be used, the question arose as to whether doing masah (rubbing with water) was lawful or not. Then it became necessary to re-apply the old injunction to the new situation; after the exercise of ijtihad, permission was given to do masah on these socks.
In every age the necessity arises of re-applying divine injunctions. And this has happened in modern times on a large scale. In ancient times, war was a means of settling conflicts, but with the invention of the latest deadly weapons, war today serves no positive purpose. Now power lies in peace alone. Such is the state of affairs that the commands of war in Islam require a reapplication. In days gone by, kingship, whereby the ruler unilaterally possessed absolute power, was the order of the day. Now it is the age of democracy, which is another name for the politics of power sharing.
Changed situations in every age demand that efforts be made towards adaptation of the injunctions of Islam to meet new exigencies. This is the way that the Islamic Shari’ah continues to be updated. This task of updating is performed through Ijtihad, a process which, in any community, requires creative thinking. And the essential condition for creative thinking lies in people having full freedom of expression, including that of criticism. This is why Islam has accorded such freedom to everyone, an atmosphere in which everything and everyone is open to criticism that creativity is developed. Creative minds alone can perform the task of Ijtihad at the highest level. Where there is no such open intellectual atmosphere, the process of mental development will come to a halt and that of updating as well.
Updating: Reapplication of Shari’ah
According to the Qur’an, there are two major parts of Islam—religion (din) and the law (Shari’ah). Din or al-Din is basic and absolute, always remaining the same, without the slightest change. It is obligatory for all believers, whatever the circumstances, and entails belief in the One God, and the worship of Him alone. The Shari’ah, on the other hand, may differ, depending upon times and places. On the subject of al-din the Qur’an has this to say: He has ordained for you the same din which He enjoined on Nuh (Noah) and which We have revealed to you and which we enjoined on Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isa (Jesus) (saying): Observe this din and be not divided therein. (42:13).
On the other hand, there is another verse of the Qur’an which tells us that the Shari’ah given to different prophets were not always identical. The Qur’an states: “We have ordained a law (Shari’ah) and a path for each of you. And had God so willed He would have made you all a single community, but He wanted to try you by what He had given you. Vie with each other then in good works, for to God you shall all return and he will resolve for you your differences. (5:48)
The Shari’ah, or external structure of the commands of Islam, and the Minhaj, or method varied from prophet to prophet, but only in a partial, not a total sense. It should be borne in mind also that such differences as these were related not to individual prophets but to the changed situations. The different circumstances of the times each prophet lived in were taken into account in the commands they were given in terms of the Shari’ah and Minhaj. These variations were based on the practical wisdom rather than related to the person of a particular prophet. That is why this principle of Shari’ah is valid even today. The principle of the change in situations governing partial and temporal alterations in the Shari’ah and Minhaj is duly adopted. While in the past this change was carried out through the Prophet, modifications are now arrived at through Ijtihad and carried into effect by the Islamic scholars.
That task in reality is not synonymous with bringing about a change in the Shari’ah but it is only a reapplication of the Shari’ah in terms of altered circumstances. The task of effecting such reapplication, which was undertaken in the past, will in like manner, continue to be carried out in the future. It is this process of continual adjustment which helps to keep Islam permanently updated.
Da’wah
The third requirement for this continuation of the Prophetic mission is Da’wah work. That is, to communicate the message of the Prophet to all people in all ages. Though this Da’wah work is carried out by human beings, it is, in fact, a divine task. That is why the Qur’an has called it nusrat of God i.e., helping the Almighty (3:52).
According to the Qur’an, Da’wah work means to make oneself nasih and amin, that is, an honest and sincere well-wisher of all. (7:68)
In short, it is to become wholly honest in relation to God and to feel and evince total goodwill towards all of one’s fellow men. Da’wah work can be properly performed only by meeting this standard. One important condition for the performance of Da’wah work is patience. This virtue was exemplified by the conduct of the early da‘is: “We will exercise patience regardless of the harm inflicted upon us.” (Qur’an, 14:12)
This verse of the Qur’an tells us of the character of the da‘i. The da‘i in relation to the mad’u adopts the attitude of patience unilaterally. He continues his process of Da’wah work in a peaceful manner despite provocation from the other party. This is an extremely essential condition. If the da‘i is provoked by the behaviour of the madu, the normal atmosphere between da‘i and mad’u will be disturbed,—and the whole process of Da’wah work will be ruined. It goes without saying that a conducive atmosphere is necessary for the successful carrying out of Da’wah action.
The most important aspect of this Da’wah work is that through it God’s message continues to be communicated to people in every age. Another aspect, no less important, is that people from different spheres continue to enter the fold of Islam. It is like the introduction of new blood into the believer. In this way the Muslim community saves itself from the natural process of degeneration. This is the only way of keeping the Muslim community revitalized at all times. On the other hand, the more the true message of Islam spreads through the Da’wah process around the globe, the more its textual, ideological and practical preservation is ensured, and the more Islam gains from the enlightenment and genius of freshly initiated minds—a factor which will keep its teachings updated for the generations to come.
16. Islam stands the test of history
Islam claims to be an eternal religion. Any claim of this kind invites people to judge its validity on historical grounds. If latter day history testifies to its claim, it stands endorsed, otherwise it must be rejected. Marxism in the 20th century is a clear-cut example of historical rejection. According to his concept of historical determinism, Karl Marx held that modern industrial capitalism bore within it the seeds of its own destruction. He further observed that according to its own inherent laws its antithesis would emerge which would destroy it. Whereupon a new synthesis would come into being. But, quite contrary to his prediction, industrial capitalism has not only survived, but is making great progress. Historical events have thus buried Marxist theory. Then there is the case of Adolph Hitler who made grandiose claims that Germans were the “master race” and were destined to rule all Europe. The rout of Hitler and his Nazi party at the end of World War II put paid to all such theorizing.
But the case of Islam is quite different. Even after a period of one thousand five hundred years, Islam has suffered no erosion of its validity. The well known British historian, Edward Gibbon, describes the rise and expansion of Islam as “one of the most memorable revolutions which has impressed a new and lasting character on the nations of the globe.”
An Indian historian, M.N. Roy, has observed: “Muhammad must be recognized as by far the greatest of all prophets, before or after him.” He goes on to say that “the expansion of Islam is the most miraculous of all miracles.” (The Historical Role of Islam, pp. 4-5)
The American writer, Michael Heart, in his book, “The 100” has made a selection of the 100 most influential persons in history, who have achieved the most outstanding success in this world. Right at the top of this list is the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, of whom the author writes:
He was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.
The great success that Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, had predicted for his mission at the very outset exactly came true. This too, in spite of the stiff opposition which Muhammad, may peace be upon him, faced right from the beginning, both from within his own family and from the outside world. This was in 610 AD, the year when he first started receiving divine revelations. At this stage he felt totally helpless. But then, in this adverse situation, he received a revelation from God, which said:
“They want to extinguish God’s light with their mouths. But God will perfect His light, even though the unbelievers may detest it. It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, so that He may exalt it over all religions, much as the pagans may dislike it.” (61:8-9)
At the very beginning of his prophetic career, the Qur’an declared that Muhammad, may peace be upon him, would certainly succeed in his mission. All his opponents, however powerful they might be, would ultimately be defeated. (This is pointed out at several places in the Qur’an in different wording). In history we find numerous personalities who began their work with towering claims, but none of them achieved the envisioned success. Throughout human history, the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, is the only exception to this rule, in that his predictions were fulfilled to the fullest extent.
Through the efforts of the Prophet and his companions, a unique event took place: starting from scratch, they succeeded in extending their influence to the entire populated world of that age. During this brief period, they not only conquered Arabia but also succeeded in crushing the two great empires of their time—the Roman and the Sassanid. This exceptional phase in history has been almost universally acknowledged by historians.
The Qur’an was revealed prior to the modern age of knowledge, yet fourteen hundred years ago, at the time of revelation, the Qur’an declared that the proof of its being divine in origin lay in its being in complete accordance with historical facts and in its remaining consistent with discoveries made contemporaneously and at all future times. Advances may be made in human knowledge, but they will never contradict Qur’anic statements. To a remarkable degree, latter day history has testified to this. While many statements contained in all the ancient books have been at loggerheads with the latest scientific discoveries, the Qur’an is unique in steering clear of all such contradictions.
As the Qur’an says: “Do they not ponder on the Qur’an? had it been from other than God, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy.” (4:82). (The word “discrepancy” here means inconsistency, that is, a Qur’anic statement not agreeing with eternal knowledge).
Much has been written on this aspect of the Qur’an in modern times. The French scientist, Maurice Bucaille, has shown in detail in his book, “The Bible, the Qur’an and Modern Science”, how the statements contained in the Qur’an are astonishingly in exact accordance with the discoveries of modern science. This shows that the Qur’an perfectly comes up to the scientific standards.
This development of human knowledge in favour of the Qur’anic contents is no mere accident. It is another historical proof that the Qur’an is a book revealed by the Creator of the Universe, whose knowledge is not bound by the limitations of space and time. Hence we find in the Qur’an a unique prediction to this effect:
“We will soon show them our signs in the Universe and in their own souls, until they clearly see that it is the truth.” (41:53)
After completing his comparative study of the Qur’an and modern science, Maurice Bucaille comes to this conclusion:
“In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad’s day, it is inconceivable that many of the statements in the Qur’an which are connected with science could have been the work of a man. It is moreover, perfectly legitimate, not only to regard the Qur’an as the expression of a Revelation, but also to award it a very special place, on account of the guarantee of authenticity it provides and the presence in it of scientific statements which, when studied today, appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms.” (p. 252)
To sum up, there is no other scripture that, having challenged all of mankind to disprove its authenticity as the Qur’an did, finally gained total rational support for its supernatural origin and veracity, even from its bitterest opponents. And there is no other historic figure whose future success was as uncertain as that of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), who was finally crowned with such supreme success.
17. Prophetic Vision
The Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, was born in 570 in Makkah, the power centre of Arabia, and died in Madinah in 632 C.E. His father Abdullah, died prior to his birth. His mother, Amina, also died soon after his birth. There was nothing extraordinary in his external circumstances. But, from his very childhood, his personality reflected extraordinary character. On seeing him, his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, used to remark that this grandson of his would reach a high place in life.
Chapters 93 and 94 of the Qur’an briefly describe the circumstances of his early years, and assert that, God took special care of him. In his youth when he went in search of truth, God gave him guidance through revelation. His livelihood was provided for when one of the wealthy ladies of Makkah, having become impressed by his extraordinary personality and character, desired to marry him. Besides, the Prophet was specially gifted with a vision that would enable him to recognise favourable opportunities, and turn every disadvantage to advantage.
The well known German psychologist Alfred Adler in his book, The Individual Psychology has written that, after studying human beings all his life, the greatest potential he found in them was “their power to turn a minus into a plus.” Throughout human history, the greatest example of this human potential coupled with vision is to be found in the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh).
This unique quality in him has been acknowledged by historians in diverse ways. For instance, British writer, Mr. E.E. Kellet writes: “Muhammad faced adversity with the determination to wring success out of failure.”
The Prophet’s vision was on a totally different plane from that possessed by the common man. It would be true to say that such extraordinary vision has never been found in a person who is not a Prophet. The extraordinary nature of this vision is a proof in itself that it was not a human quality in the simple sense, but that he had received it, in a special sense, from the Almighty whose knowledge encompasses past, present and future.
As an illustration of this, we mention some incidents from the life of the Prophet. These events are not just proofs of his personal superiority but, in their essence, they also provide proof of the fact that the Prophet was an inspired person, who had received knowledge directly from God— a knowledge the acquisition of which is not possible for an ordinary man.
Envisioning the Future
How great was this vision of the Prophet can be judged by an incident in the early period of his Prophethood in Makkah. It should first be explained that the Makkans regarded him as being so insignificant that instead of calling him Muhammad, son of Abdullah, they ridiculed him by calling him Muhammad the son of Abu Kabsha.’ (Abu Kabsha was a shepherd in Makkah, whose wife had been Muhammad’s, may peace be upon him, wet nurse.) In these apparently ordinary and unpropitious circumstances, his vision was nevertheless on so high a plane that, when in the early years of his Prophethood, the Makkan leaders gathered at the house of Abu Talib, the Prophet’s uncle, to ask the Prophet what it was that he aspired to, he replied with complete determination: I want only one word from you, if you are willing to give that, you will come to possess the whole of Arabia and all the other parts of the world will surrender before you. (Hayat As Sahaba, 1/56)
The day the Prophet made this pronouncement, he was all alone in the world, without any support [except his wife, friend Abubakr and young cousin Ali]. To those who lacked insight he had no future, yet he could visualize something which appeared inconceivable to others. Today we all know that these words uttered by him became a part of history. Within barely twenty-three years of the commencement of his mission, the whole of Arabia was brought into the fold of Islam, while in the next two decades the Roman and the Sassanid empires, —the two great empires of the world, — had surrendered before his followers. These events were so astonishing that historians have called them the greatest miracle of human history. In the words of historian M.N. Roy: “Every Prophet established his pretension by the performance of miracles. By that token Muhammad must be recognized as by far the greatest of all Prophets, before or after him. The expansion of Islam is the most miraculous of all miracles.” (Historical Role of Islam, p.4)
Seeing an Advantage amidst Disadvantages
After attaining to Prophethood, the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, lived in Makkah for thirteen years. This was the most difficult period of his life: only a few of the Makkans believed in him. While the majority— especially the leaders—put up stiff opposition to his ideas. They created all kinds of hardship for him and his companions, even killing some of them; placed a total boycott on him along with his family; deprived him of tribal protection, and resolved to kill the Prophet himself, in order to wipe out Islam forever etc. In those days the circumstances appeared to be extremely disadvantageous. It was a tribal age. It was held that the actual power of an individual lay in his male child, and since the Prophet had no son, his opponents used to call him ‘abtar’ (rootless), that is, he had no future. In these apparently desperate circumstances, the Prophet replied: “God has promised me a town which will swallow up all other towns, people call it Yathrib, but it is Madinah.” (Muwatta Imam Malik, 641).
What in essence he was saying was that God had decreed that he leave Makkah for another town, a town which would form the centre of his mission and which would then become so powerful as to “swallow up” all other towns. This was a figurative way of saying that all the nations of the world would surrender to it. This observation appeared strange, coming as it did from one who had become persona non grata in his own hometown, Makkah, and who was now apparently living in the most straitened circumstances.
When the Prophet (Pbuh) migrated from Makkah to Madinah, he did not even have a pair of shoes on his feet; hiding himself in this state from the Makkan leaders he reached Madinah. Called Yathrib in those days, was a town attached with no importance. However in that same Arabia where Makkah had become so inhospitable to him, Madinah proved to be quite the reverse. Almost all its inhabitants entered the fold of Islam, and moreover, the Muslims scattered outside the periphery began to settle within the town. In this way, Madinah became a powerful centre of Islam. Within the space of a few years, his mission flourished there, then it spread to all the other towns in Arabia. Ultimately, the whole of Arabia entered the fold of Islam.
Given the distressing nature of the circumstances in Makkah, it took great insight on the part of the Prophet (pbuh) to see what the future held for him in Madinah, which was situated at a distance of 300 miles from Makkah. The fact that he foresaw a great future there, is proof of his quite remarkable vision.
Apparently, the inhabitants of both the towns, Makkah and Madinah, were idolaters, yet there was a basic difference between the two: in Makkah, people’s material interests were linked with idolatry, whereas, for the people of Madina, idolatry was only an ancestral heritage; it had no other significance.
Due to the shortage of water in Makkah, agriculture and horticulture did not exist there. Idolatry, however, provided one of the greatest sources of the townspeople’s livelihood. The Makkans had placed in the Kabah idols numbering 360, belonging to all the Arabian tribes. These Arabian tribes used to visit Kabah to worship their idols where they also offered devotional presents. Due to their visit in great numbers the business in Makkah prospered. By the visit of these devotees, Makkans benefited in almost the same manner as countries benefit nowadays from the visit of tourists on a large scale. Furthermore, since the Makkans were the custodians of this idolatrous system, they had come to acquire the position of political leadership of the whole of Arabia. Abandoning idolatry, therefore, appeared to them to be synonymous with the collapse of their politics and economics.
Whereas the situation in Madina was quite different. There was water and fertile soil. By means of agriculture and horticulture, its inhabitants easily managed to secure their livelihood. Therefore, they were not afraid that if they abandoned idolatry for monotheism, their economy would be ruined. That explains the difference in the response from the people belonging to the two cities. Where the Makkans vigorously opposed the call of monotheism given by the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, the Madinans, soon after their first introduction to the religion of monotheism, abandoned idol worship and accepted Islam without any hesitation.
To understand this difference between Makkah and Madinah and to judge that Madinah rather than Makkah would provide the strongest ladder to progress called for keen perception. This assessment made by the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, is a living proof of the profundity of his vision, and is literally testified to by history.
Introducing peace as the most powerful weapon
The period in which the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, was born was one of war and conflict. Throughout the world the sword was regarded as the sign of power. The Arabs had a saying: The greatest check of war is war. In this connection the Prophet (pbuh) observed: “God grants to non-violence what he does not grant to violence.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
In the conditions prevailing fifteen hundred years ago such observations seemed extraordinary. Such sentiments were so highly at odds with the times that words of this nature could be uttered only by one whose mind had not been moulded by his immediate circumstances, but had been inspired rather by some higher source of knowledge. Both the initial as well as the later period of Islam testify completely to the principle of inspiration.
During the life of the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, the Quraysh, who enjoyed the leadership of Arabia, turned so hostile to him that they went to the extent of waging war against him. According to the books of Seerah, the Quraysh wanted to embroil him in minor or major battles on more than eighty occasions. But the Prophet (Pbuh) did his best not to engage in hostilities by adopting a peaceful policy. For instance, on the occasion of the Ahzab encounter, the Prophet (Pbuh) set up a buffer in the form of a trench between him and his enemies. Then on the occasion of Hudaibiya, when it came to making a peace treaty with the enemy, the Prophet (Pbuh), accepted all the conditions set by them.
During the 23-year period of his Prophethood, the Prophet (Pbuh), physically encountered his antagonists only on three occasions—at Badr, Uhud and Hunayn, where conflict had become totally unavoidable. Each of these three engagements lasted for only half a day. This means that the Prophet (Pbuh) fought for only one and a half days throughout his life, with the total casualties amounting to not more than 130 from both sides. The winning over of such an aggressive and belligerent people with so little bloodshed had been possible only because the Prophet (Pbuh) always used to lay stress on the power of peace.
Arabia had been conquered during the lifetime of the Prophet (Pbuh). The wars that took place in this process took a toll of less than one hundred and fifty people. This revolution brought about by the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, was indeed a bloodless revolution. And this bloodless revolution became possible only because he acted on his belief in the power of peace.
In the later centuries of Islam, too, this peace formula was followed. That is why Islam achieved such great successes. One prominent example of this matter is provided by an event which took place in the thirteenth century. During this period the barbaric Mongol tribes rose from Turkistan and devastated the entire Muslim empire right from Samarqand to Aleppo. The grand Abbasid Caliphate vanished altogether.
In those days the Muslims’ political and military power had so greatly weakened that the saying spread among them that if you were told that the Mongols had been defeated, you should not believe it. It was in this situation that the Islamic policy of peace performed a miracle. Muslim men and Muslim women rose to the occasion, engaging themselves in peaceful Da’wah work. The result was miraculous, within a period of 50 years the scene was completely changed. In the words of the Qur’an (41:34), the enemies had been turned into close friends. The majority of the Mongols had been brought into the fold of Islam.
“The Religion of Muslims had conquered where their arms had failed.” (The Preaching of Islam, by T.W. Arnold). As another historian has put it: “The conquerors had accepted the religion of the conquered.”
The Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, held that the power of peace was far greater than the power of violence, and on many occasions, he and his followers successfully put this into practice. As a result this concept of peace, as opposed to violence, influenced the course of events at the time and continued to have an impact on later generations. In present times this thinking has assumed the status of a permanent social philosophy. Many prominent thinkers are its advocates. For instance, it was this principle of peaceful activism on which Mahatma Gandhi based his movement of non-violence and with this power of non-violence the freedom movement successfully achieved its target. [Muhammad Ali Jinnah also lead a peaceful non violent democratic struggle for independent homeland for Muslims]. Then it was this same principle by which the South African leader Nelson Mandela became successful in his political movement in support of the blacks against the whites.
The Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, was born in the second half of the sixth century AD. It was an age of constant skirmishing. In those days people resorted to violence, regardless of the issue, for they knew of no other solution to their problems. In such an atmosphere the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, declared that the power of peace was far greater than the power of violence. This peaceful activism could have been understood only by one whose vision was so profound as to enable him to penetrate appearances in order to see reality, one of rare insight, able to penetrate the present and see the future. As we know in present times, the invention and use of the latest weapons of war have only increased the destructiveness of war or violence. In no way do they herald success or victory for anyone. On the other hand, advances in modern science and technology e.g. today’s communications systems, have to a hitherto unimaginable extent, proved strongly supportive of the peaceful method.
These extraordinary possibilities which lay hidden in the darkness of the future, fifteen hundred years ago required an exceptional vision. This observation of the Prophet (Pbuh) serves, undoubtedly, as a vital proof of this vision.
His words determine the course of history
How extraordinary was the Prophet’s declaration recorded as follows in books of hadith: “The chain of Prophethood and messengership has been terminated and after me neither a prophet nor a messenger will be sent by God” (Sahih Muslim). In addition to his having said that there would be no prophet after him, this was also clearly stated in the Qur’an. (33:40)
Such a declaration had never been made before him, nor was it ever made after him. It is all the more astonishing that these words have become a matter of history. No one has so far dared to claim to be a prophet of God.
Certain personalities have been named in connection with the Prophethood, but this is certainly not right. These spiritual personalities have never made a claim in clear terms such as the Prophet Muhammad did: No doubt, I am a Prophet of God. (Ibn Hisham).
The first instance in this connection is that of Musailamah of Yamama (Arabia), a contemporary of the Prophet (Pbuh), who died in 633 AD. It is said that he claimed Prophethood. But the fact is that his claim was not that of being an independent Prophet but rather of being a co-sharer in the Prophethood of Muhammad (Pbuh). He sent to the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, in Madinah a two-member delegation who brought with them a letter from him in which it was clearly stated: “I have been made a partner in this matter of Prophethood with him (Muhammad).” (Seerat ibn Hisham, p. 244)
This makes it evident that Musailamah (The liar) had never claimed independent Prophethood. His claim, in fact, was that of having been appointed as a partner. This means that he himself referred the matter of Prophethood to the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, himself. That is to say, that only if the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, testified to the veracity of his claim could he be held truthful. Since the Prophet (pbuh) did not so testify, Musailama’s claim stands nullified.
Similarly, the Sikh religion is attributed to Guru Nanak, who was born in the Punjab. His devotees for their part sometimes call him a “messenger.” Guru Nanak himself never claimed that he was a Prophet of God. The book, the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred book of Sikhism, attributed to Guru Nanak, is actually a collection of work by different people. Nowhere in this book, is it mentioned that Guru Nanak regarded himself as God’s messenger or claimed to be one. This being so, including him in the list of prophets is not worthy of consideration.
Then there is the Iranian born Bahaullah (d. 1892), who is regarded as a prophet by his followers. The religion based on his teachings is known as the Bahai faith. Now the question is ‘Did he claim to be a Prophet of God?’ Events show that he never claimed either verbally or in writing to be a Prophet of God. His sole claim, according to the Bahai records, was that he was a Mahadi (Guided Person) and the manifestation of the unknowable God—Mazhar-e-Haq. (EB-732).
The declaration of the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, that he was the last Prophet still remains unquestioned. The case of Bahaullah does not even figure in the list. For he never claimed to be a Prophet of God. What he claimed (falsely) was something else, having nothing to do, directly with the declaration of the Prophet of God.
Another example is that of the India born Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani (d. 1908), regarded by some as a prophet. But, according to the historically established record, he also (falsely) claimed that he was a shadow of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) [then came up false claims of Mehdi or Messiah etc. He never (dared) to project himself as an independent Prophet.
As mentioned above, the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him declared that after him no Prophet or messenger would come until Doomsday. This means that after him neither a dependent nor an independent Prophet was to come to the world. The truth is that to say: “I am a Prophet” is more difficult than putting a mountain on one’s head. Such words can be uttered either by one who is a Prophet of God in the real sense or by one who is insane. No third person can let this claim fall from his lips.
I have had two personal experiences in this regard, one pertains to Guru Gurbachan Singh (d.1980) and the other to Sree Karunakara Guru of Santhigiri, Trivandrum (d. May 6, 1999). The devotees of both holy men told me that their respective gurus were Prophets of God. I said that it was the guru who had the knowledge of being a Prophet of God, and not his devotees. Therefore, the question of considering such a claim seriously arose only when the concerned person uttered these words: “I am God’s Prophet.” So long as these words were not spoken by the concerned person, the case was not worthy of consideration.
In the case of Guru Gurbachan Singh of Delhi, chief of Nirankari mission, some of his devotees visited my office and claimed that their guru was the Prophet of the time. I said that if they believed that to be true, I would come to see their guru, and they were to ask him actually to make the assertion that he was a Prophet of God. They said that they would request their guru to do so and that he would certainly utter these words in my presence. I further added that on that occasion I shall not debate his claim. After listening to those words from the lips of the guru, I would come back without questioning it. The devotees talked to their guru, and fixed the date and the time. At the appointed hour I went to the Sant Nirankari Mandal (New Delhi), where I was ushered into the Guru’s chamber. His devotees too were present along with me. Their faces showed that they were convinced that the guru would utter the desired words. I stayed with the guru for about an hour. He continued to talk to me about his mission all this while, but he never uttered these words. For I had given my word to his devotees that I would neither question him nor enter into any debate, so after waiting for one hour, I finally left.
In the other case, that of Sree Karunakara Guru of Santhigiri, a group of his devotees came from Trivandrum to Delhi, where they visited our centre and told me that their guru was a Prophet of God. I told them that I wanted to hear these words from the lips of the Guru. They invited me to their Ashram at Santhigiri and assured me that their guru would certainly utter these words.
I went to Trivandrum in February 1999. There I met the Guru at the Santhigiri Ashram, which is located about 20 km. away from the Trivandrum airport. This meeting took place in a spacious room, in which many of his devotees and some foreigners, men and women, were also present. These devotees were either standing or sitting on the carpet. The Guru reclined on a bed, beside which a chair was placed for me.
Thus the distance between the guru and me was about less than one meter. Since the guru did not know Hindi, the conversation took place in English. After some introductory remarks, I came to the point and asked him directly:
Do you claim that you are a Prophet of God in the same sense in which Moses, Jesus and Muhammad claimed to be Prophets of God?
A silence fell for a few seconds after my question, then the guru replied quite clearly: “No, I make no such claim.” Afterwards there was no need for further questions on this topic. I talked to him about his mission for some time, then took his leave after receiving his special parshad—an orange.
To conclude, we may confidently assert that the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, was endowed with such divine vision as enabled him to visualize the future very clearly. That is the secret behind all his religious, social and political achievements. It is no wonder then that, by the virtue of this vision, he was also able to predict the continuing ideological supremacy of his Prophethood—to the extent that the history itself has refused, and will refuse credibility to any later ideological counter claims, be they made in prophetic or non-prophetic terms.
18. Islamic Activism
Addressing the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, the Qur’an enjoins: “Therefore, bear up patiently as did the steadfast apostles before you. Bear up with patience and do not seek to hurry on their doom.” (46:35)
That is, showing restraint in adverse situations and refraining from negative reaction form the basic principles of Islamic activism. This means that, in unfavourable situations, no emotional move is made; rather, by avoiding the path of reaction and retaliation, actions are planned on the basis of realism.
This principle can briefly be called positive activism. That is, without interfering with the prevailing state of affairs, one should try to discover opportunities as they occur and avail of them. To initiate one’s actions by challenging the status quo amounts to choosing a negative starting point. On the other hand, maintaining the status quo and availing of all opportunities which present themselves amounts to taking a positive course of action. This method can briefly be called positive status quo-ism, for which a complete scheme can be chalked out in the light of the Seerah (biography) of the Prophet.
1. Positive Status Quo-ism in Religious Affairs
The Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, received his first prophetic call in 610 A.D. in Makkah. This city was dominated by idolaters, who had placed in the Kabah 360 idols belonging to various Arabian tribes. The Kabah had, therefore, become a religious centre for all these tribes. The presence of these idols in the Kabah was totally against the beliefs of the Prophet, an upholder of monotheism in the true sense of the word. Yet rather than make efforts to upset the status quo in Makkah, he fully engaged himself in his task of spreading the word of God, availing of whatever opportunities were available—despite the presence of the idols.
In those days the Kabah was the gathering point of the inhabitants of Makkah, and meetings were held there almost daily. The Prophet began to make use of these gatherings for the purposes of Da’wah. On his visit to the Kabah, instead of interfering with the idols, he would go to the people and recite the verses of the Qur’an to them. This policy of avoiding the idols and availing of Da’wah opportunities proved to be a wise one: many people, profoundly influenced by the Qur’an, embraced Islam, and this without there having been any disruption of Makkah’s peaceful atmosphere. This gave an added impetus to the Prophet’s missionary endeavours.
2. Positive Status Quo-ism in Social Affairs
In Makkah, there was a public place known as Dar Al-Nadwah, which served as a political centre. This was dominated by the idolaters. When their opposition to the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, intensified, they took a unanimous decision to boycott the Prophet, his family and his followers. When the boycott too failed to inflict any harm on his mission, his opponents issued a death warrant from this same Dar Al-Nadwa. When the Prophet heard of this, although his situation was now extremely serious, he did not attempt either to revoke the decision of Dar al-Nadwa or to launch a protest campaign supported by his followers. On the contrary, what the Prophet did was quietly leave the city for Madinah, a town 300 miles away from Makkah. Even after reaching Madinah, he did not devote any time to planning counter moves, but gave his full attention to the task of Da’wah. This was also an example of positive status quo-ism. In this way, the Prophet, by avoiding direct confrontation with the situation at hand, found another vast field in which to continue his peaceful activities.
3. Positive Status Quo-ism in Political Affairs
When the Prophet migrated to Madinah, after thirteen years of his Prophethood, the existing society of Madinah was composed of three groups—Muslims, idolaters, and Jews. Accepting that social set-up as it was, the Prophet established a system based on plurality. The status of Madinah under this system was that of a city state, the Prophet being the head of state. Within this framework, other social groups were granted the right to lead their lives as they wished and resolve their issues in accordance with their respective religions and cultures.
This set-up provided another example of status quo-ism. It was by accepting the prevailing situation there, that the Prophet began his peaceful Da’wah mission. The result was miraculous. The multi-cultural society of the first phase was gradually transformed into a uni-cultural society in the second phase.
4. Positive Status Quo-ism in Matters Relating to Prestige
Even after the Prophet’s departure from Makkah— his homeland—for Madinah, the Makkans, unflagging in their enmity, decided to launch an armed onslaught against him. Apart from several minor skirmishes, two major battles, Badr and Uhud, took place. These wars again disturbed the peaceful atmosphere required to carry out Da’wah activities. Therefore the Prophet negotiated with the Makkans and, accepting all their demands unilaterally, entered into a 10-year no-war pact, known as the Hudaybiyyah treaty. This was yet another example of positive status quoi-sm. By the terms of this treaty, the Prophet accepted the Makkan position exactly in accordance with their demands. By his acceding to their position, the Prophet was able to utilize all the opportunities for Da’wah work offered by the situation. This resulted in what the Qur’an called an ‘open victory.’ (48:24)
5. Positive Status Quo-ism in Post Related Affairs
Throughout a significant part of his life, Muhammad, may peace be upon him, was a messenger of God as well as the head of state. After his death the question arose as to who should be chosen to fill the latter position. This issue was settled by following the guideline given by the Prophet: “The head of state will be selected from amongst the Quraysh.” Ostensibly, it was an unusual injunction, for, according to the teachings of Islam, all human beings are equal. None enjoys any superiority over another. As such, this advice to select the leader from amongst the Quraysh was a form of discrimination. But it was realistic rather than discriminatory. This was another example of positive status quo-ism. In fact, over the centuries, in line with ancient traditions, the Quraysh had acquired the position of leadership in Arabia. A sudden change in this status quo would therefore have created insurmountable problems. That was why the Prophet advised the Muslims to accept the existing political system. As a result of this wise policy, Arab unity remained intact and the furtherance of the Islamic mission continued unhampered, even after the death of the Prophet (Pbuh).
6. Positive Status Quo-ism in State Affairs
Even after the demise of the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, this practice of positive status quo-ism continued in the early phase of Islam. One outstanding example is the policy adopted by the religious scholars during the latter half of the Umayyad period and the entire Abbasid era. The political system had been corrupted during this period. Yet almost all the great Muslim scholars of those times (ulama, traditionists, jurists) avoided setting themselves on a collision course with those in authority. The religious scholars were thus saved from the backlash of the Muslim rulers; while those who, opted for the course of confrontation with the rulers were removed from the scene.
This policy of non-interference in the political system left scholars free to produce that great treasure known as the library of Islam. It is a historical fact that almost the entire classical Islamic literature was prepared during this period. The development of the Arabic language, its grammar, its calligraphy, the exegesis of the Qur’an, the collection and editing of the hadith, the formulation of civil and religious laws (fiqh), the preparation of the literature of kalam (theology), etc.— all were developed during this period.
It is a fact that, had the Muslim scholars and ulama of the age risen against a political system which they held to be corrupt, all this precious literature would never have come into existence, and the major part of the hadith, which enjoys the status of the second source in Islam, would not have been safely transferred to succeeding generations. The age of the press had not yet dawned, and the sole repositories of all Islam’s spiritual riches were the memories of the surviving scholars. Had these scholars engaged themselves in political confrontations with the rulers, all the treasures of Islamic thought and practice would have been buried along with them.
In social matters, positive status quo-ism is thus an unalterable policy of Islam. It was by opting for this policy that the Prophet and his companions forged the great history of Islam which heralded a new era in all the religious and secular fields of human civilization.
Unlimited Scope of Patience
When the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, began his mission of tawhid (unity of God) in ancient Makkah, there existed as usual a status quo. The Quraysh had assumed the leadership of the town, and according to their beliefs, they had established an idolatrous system. Now the question arose as to how Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, should begin his work. It appeared that the status quo under the hegemony of the Quraysh would have to be abolished and only then would the path be cleared for Prophet’s mission. At that juncture, certain basic guidance was revealed to the Prophet. God declared in the Qur’an:
Surely with every hardship there is ease; with every hardship there is surely ease. (94:5-6)
This means that although the status quo in Makkah appeared to be an obstacle, by the very law of nature, opportunities for the furtherance of his aims, opportunities also existed side by side. Therefore, any attempt to change the status quo was not to be made in the first stage itself. Without disturbing the prevailing situation, such opportunities as were available in other fields were to be utilized to promote the Islamic mission.
The method Islam prescribes for the achievement of our goals, and the model example we find in the life of the Prophet, can be described in brief as a method based on patience. That is, remaining in harmony with the status quo and launching one’s struggle in the sphere of the possible. In this respect, it may be called positive status quo-ism.
1. An Obstacle Turned Into a Stepping Stone
When the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, began his mission in Makkah, hundreds of idols had been placed in the most sacred mosque. The Kabah, which was built as a centre of monotheism, had virtually become a centre of shirk (polytheism). At that time the method adopted by the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, provides a perfect example of positive status quo-ism.
What the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, did was to refrain completely from interfering with the idols and idol worship. Instead, letting things remain as they were, the Prophet began to communicate the call of monotheism to the people who used to visit the Kabah daily, it being a central place. The Prophet availed of these large gatherings by going there every day and reading out to them passages from the Qur’an. In this way Islam began to spread gradually in the country.
2. Avoidance of Protest Gradually Changes the Status-Quo
The Prophet lived in Makkah for thirteen years after he received his Prophethood. During this period, a group of people embraced Islam, but the majority continued to be diametrically opposed to it.
At that time in Makkah, Dar-al-Nadwa was its political centre. The Makkan leaders held meetings here and decided unanimously to boycott the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him. When they failed to apply a brake even with this method, they decided to assassinate him. At that time, the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, did not launch a campaign to capture Dar-al-Nadwa, the centre of his opposition. The Prophet did not even commence hostilities against these Makkan leaders. There was no fight to the finish. Instead what he did once again was to accept the status quo and quietly leave that place for Madinah, which became the centre of his activities. As history tells us, extraordinary results were produced through this superb and far-sighted strategy.
3. Internal Harmony Results in External Expansion
At that time in Madinah, three religious groups existed—Muslims, Idolaters and Jews. Here too the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, did not directly confront the status quo. Instead, he issued a charter which is known as Sahifa-al-Madinah in the history of Islam. In this situation he adopted almost the same kind of policy as that known as non-interference in modern times. He declared that every religious group would enjoy full freedom in religious and cultural matters, and that the systems in Madinah will be run on the basis of the policy of mutual respect.
Consequently, the Prophet found an opportunity to consolidate his mission without unnecessarily setting himself on a collision course. Even after he had left his homeland, the Makkans did not leave him alone. They continued their hostile activities against him. Many big and small battles took place as a result.
Again the Prophet followed the same policy of refraining from interfering with the status quo. By accepting the superior position of the Makkans he entered into a peace treaty with them, which is known as the Hudaybiyya Peace Treaty. In this, he acknowledged the established position of the Makkans and made a truce with the condition that no war would take place between the two parties for a period of ten years. The Hudaybiyya Peace Treaty was a successful example of positive status quoism. Consequently, the Prophet, by accepting the prevalent situation in Arabia, secured full opportunities for peaceful Da’wah struggle and this opened the door for a “clear victory” in the words of the Qur’an (48:24). The principle of Islamic activism has been briefly alluded to in the Qur’an:
“Therefore bear up patiently as did the steadfast Prophets before you. Bear up with patience and do not seek to hurry on their doom.” (46:35).
According to this verse, there were in any given situation two ways of launching a campaign, — the patient and the impatient.
The latter is that of emotional while the former is that of considered response. The impatient person launches himself on a collision course at the very outset making the continuance of the struggle impossible. On the contrary, one who follows the patient method, and avoids any confrontation with the status quo, is free to make full use of any opportunities which come his way. This method leads to sure success without creating any new problems in society.
In short, there is unlimited scope for both individuals and groups who adopt the patient method as a matter of permanent policy in all their affairs. In this lies the secret of all great successes. This course of positive status quoism ensures that all our powers and potential will be completely focussed on the accomplishment of long term constructive plans, rather than being unnecessarily wasted in any non-productive or even self-destructive activity against the status quo.
Moreover, if you are one of those who wish to work for Islam or struggle for the revival of the Muslim Ummah, then treading the path of patience and adhering to the principle of positive status quoism is strictly obligatory on you. Firstly as we have shown earlier, it has been highly recommended in the Qur’an, and secondly, it was by the application of this same method that Islam secured an unopposed victory over all its enemies, bringing into existence, as a result, the ideal Muslim society of the early period of Islam.
19. The Islamic concept of history
According to the Qur’an, God has created the universe with a certain purpose, and all its parts which are strictly under His control, are carrying out His divine scheme without the slightest deviation. Similarly, man too has been created with a certain purpose. Yet man, on the contrary, is totally free. He can do what he wants by his own decision. However, in spite of this freedom he is being watched constantly by God, for He does not allow any such deviation in human history over a long period as would nullify His very creation plan.
Creation Plan of God
The Universe made by God is so vast that, despite the enormous progress made by human beings in their attempts to fathom the universe, many of its secrets still remain unknown. The planet earth, made by God as part of the cosmos was and still is unique in the entire universe, in that it has been endowed with an atmosphere and all the other factors which are essential to make it habitable for man. After bringing into existence a favourable world in the form of the earth, God created the first man Adam and his feminine counterpart, Eve. Although the precise date of this event is unknown, it is a fact that the first pair of human beings to set foot on earth was this very Adam and Eve.
Adam was the first man as well as the first Prophet. The way of God is to select a man as His messenger from amongst human beings themselves in order to send His revelations to mankind. Therefore, God revealed to Adam through an angel the purpose of man’s inhabiting the earth. According to this plan, God created a creature in the form of man, upon whom He bestowed freedom [beside Jinns]. Where the rest of the universe had no choice but to submit to the will of God, it is desirable for man to opt for this divine plan of his own free will.
This plan of divine will is based on two basic principles—monotheism and justice. Monotheism holds man to worshipping one God alone, and not associating anyone or anything in this worship.
Justice holds man to adhering completely to ethical principles in dealing with other human beings and refraining from all kinds of injustice and oppression.
Along with this, God informed man that, although he appeared to be free, he was fully accountable to Him. God had a complete record of man’s actions. In the eternal life after death God would judge everyone according to this record. One who exercised his freedom wrongly would be thrown into eternal hellfire.
Adam prepared tablets of clay on which he engraved the basic divine teachings, then heated them in a fire, thus preserving this divine guidance for the coming generations. It is believed that these divine teachings were written by Adam in the Syriac language.
Adam died at a ripe old age. For a long period of time his people continued to adhere faithfully to the divine guidance. But later, rot began to set in. Idolatry replaced monotheism. People began to adopt the ways of injustice and oppression instead of justice and rectitude. After about one thousand years the perversion became all pervading that they were completely distanced from the path of the Shari’ah as shown by Adam.
The Age of Perversion
God subsequently sent Noah as His messenger. He was granted an exceptionally long life. During this extended period, he continued to show people the right path, generation after generation. But only a few people heeded his words. The rest persisted in their sinful ways. Then, in accordance with the ways of God, a huge flood engulfed them by way of punishment. Noah and his small band of followers were saved in a boat, while all the rest were drowned.
At that time, human population was probably concentrated only in the region of Asia known as Mesopotamia. The men and women saved in the wake of this flood settled afterwards in other parts of the world. Their race multiplied until it spread over the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe.
After the death of Noah, his people continued for a considerable time to adhere to the divine path shown by him. But again in later generations rot set in and they again deviated from the path of monotheism as well as of justice. God’s messengers—the Qur’an has mentioned twenty-six by name—continued to come for several thousand years. The Hadith tell us that about one hundred thousand messengers came to the world. In this way a long period elapsed between Adam and Messiah, when God’s messengers continued to come to the world in almost every generation. But each time only a few individuals believed in them. The majority rejected these prophets in every age.
The Reasons for Perversion
What were the reasons for this continued transgression? There were two main reasons; one, political absolutism; another, ignorance about the world of nature. In ancient times, the system of monarchy prevailed everywhere. The kings of those days had adopted an easy strategy for the consolidation of their empire, and that was to apply a complete curb on intellectual freedom. As a result, science could not make any progress in the days of old.
The same was the case with religion. The policy adopted by these kings was not to allow their subjects to follow any religion other than that approved of by the king. Superstitious religion served their purpose only too well. Therefore, not only did they themselves embrace superstitious religion but they also compelled their subjects to adhere to it. People were denied the right to think freely and opt for any religion other than the official one. This policy of the kings produced the evil of religious persecution. History shows that religious persecution has continued from time immemorial in one form or another.
The other main factor in this connection was ignorance. In ancient times, man knew too little about the world and its phenomena. Political absolutism had placed an almost total ban on scientific research. Therefore, all kinds of superstitions regarding natural phenomena made inroads unchecked. It was generally held that the sun, the moon and the stars etc. possessed supernatural powers. Similarly it was believed that the sea, the mountains and other such natural phenomena were endowed with some extraordinary, mysterious power and exercised decisive control over human destiny.
The Problem of Evil
Those who want to interpret human history in the light of predetermined law as is done in the physical world, cannot but meet with failure. While the physical world may be explainable within the framework of predeterminism, the events of the human world are simply not amenable to interpretation in terms of any such law.
Others want to interpret the events of the human world in the context of freedom. But they are not satisfied either with their interpretation. This is because in the case of human freedom, the suffering experienced in this world has no valid understandable explanation. The failure of both these interpretations is due to the fact that they attempt to explain the whole in the light of a part— which is not at all possible.
The truth is that the right principle by which to interpret human history is neither that of predeterminism nor of freedom. According to Islam, there is only one correct principle to interpret human history and that is the principle of “Test”. Man has been placed in the present world for the purpose of being tested. On the outcome of this test will depend the eternal future of all mankind.
Favourable circumstances were a sine qua non for this test in the world. Predeterminism had to a certain extent to be a feature of these circumstances as a guarantee against any obstacle coming in the way of carrying out man’s trial. On the other hand, the element of freedom was also essential in order that the intentions and actions of each individual could be properly judged. For man can be granted the credit for a good deed only on the condition that, despite having the opportunity to indulge in bad deeds, he chooses of his own free will to act virtuously.
If in this world everything had been totally predetermined, the element of trial would have been absent. However the granting of freedom did involve the risk of some people misusing their freedom and misuse it they did. This gave rise to the problem of human suffering which results from evil, yet this suffering, or evil, is a very small price to pay for a very precious thing. According to Islam that person is most precious who leads his life in this world in such a manner that despite facing all sorts of temptations he succeeds in overcoming them. Despite having the power to misuse his freedom, he refrains from doing so. Despite the possibility of leading an unprincipled life, he chooses of his own free will to be a man of principle. To identify such individuals, it is essential that an atmosphere of freedom prevail in the world. This is not possible under any other system.
20. The revolutionary role of Islam
As a result of ignorance the evil known as the worship of natural phenomena was born in human society. Man attributed divinity to mere creatures. He began to worship all the things in the world, holding them to be gods. Owing to this intellectual aberration, idolatry became a rooted feature of human civilization. Not even the coming of thousands of Prophets and reformers could bring about any change in this state of affairs, in the practical sense. The rejection of the Prophets brought down on the deniers the chastisement of God, but shirk (idolatry) could never be wiped out from society. Then God took it upon Himself to intervene. One major manifestation of this divine intervention in human history was the emergence of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh). An American encyclopaedia has very appropriately described his coming as having “changed the course of human history.”
French historian, Henri Pirenne, has expressed it thus: “Islam changed the face of the globe. The traditional order of history was overthrown.”
The Qur’an, in defining the objective of the divine intervention, has this to say:
“It is He that has sent forth His Prophet with guidance and the true faith, so that he may exalt it above all religions. God is the All-sufficient witness” (48:28).
This has found expression in a Hadith recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari:
“He will not depart from this world as God has decreed, unless and until these people are brought to the straight path”. (Fathul Bari 449-8).
This shows that, for the prophets of the past, communication alone was required, whereas for the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, not just communication but also implementation was required.
The task of the earlier prophets was completed with the full communication of the message to the people. But the divine plan in sending the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, to the world was to bring about a practical revolution. His message could not, therefore, remain at the theoretical stage.
It being beyond human capacity to make the end result a certainty, how was the Prophet’s message to be translated into reality? It all became possible due to the special divine succour extended to the Prophet by God. This took the form of a divine plan which had two basic aspects to it: one, to provide the Prophet with a powerful and trustworthy team, and the other to significantly weaken the enemies of monotheism by means of a special strategy, so that the Prophet and his companions could easily dominate their opponents.
The first part of this divine plan was brought to completion in the form of the settlement of Ismail, son of Prophet Ibrahim, in the unpopulated desert of Arabia two thousand five hundred years ago. At that time it was a totally isolated place situated far from the centres of civilization. There a community was raised by Ismail ibn Ibrahim, trained in the desert atmosphere where there was nothing save nature. As a natural result of this unadulterated atmosphere, (free from all man-made pollution,) the human qualities of the inhabitants of the desert were fully preserved. It was like a vast natural training camp. It took more than two thousand years to evolve a nation of such high calibre as to be called a “nation of heroes” by a Western scholar. In the history of the Arabs, this nation is known as the Ishmaelites. Despite religious perversion having set in, so distinguished were they in human values— thanks to their particular training—that they had no peers among those who came before or after them.
The Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, one of the distinguished members of the Banu Ismail, struggled for about thirteen years in Makkah and ten years in Madinah. Ultimately, more than one hundred thousand people believed in him and joined his mission. Each and every one of his companions possessed a strong and dependable character. In this way the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, in an exceptional way, secured a team by which he could bring the message of the prophets to fruition—taking the prophetic mission from the theoretical stage of ideology to the practical stage of revolution.
The next part of this divine plan consisted of weakening these anti-monotheism forces so considerably that the last Prophet might subjugate them and usher in the desired revolution in the very first generation itself. To achieve this end, the Arabian tribes remained engaged for a long period of time in bloody, internecine warfare. Consequently, when the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, was sent to the world, the idolatrous tribes of Arabia, having so weakened themselves, could not continue their resistance for long. This enabled the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, to overcome Arabia and root out idolatry completely within a short period of time.
In those days there were two great empires outside of Arabia. These empires kept the major parts of Asia and Africa under their full control. Their power was so great that the Arabs could not even have dreamed of overcoming them. Despite this extremely out of proportion difference, how did it become possible for the Arabs of the very first generation, to conquer both these empires—the Sassanid and Roman—in such a decisive way as to crush them absolutely, resulting in the dominance of monotheism over idolatry throughout this region? This miracle became a reality owing to a special divine strategy, which is paralleled by the case of the Romans:
“The Romans have been defeated in a neighbouring land. But after their defeat they shall themselves gain victory within a few years.” (Qur’an, 30:1-3)
History shows that from 602 to 628 A.D., extremely extraordinary events took place between these two great empires.
First, the royal families in the respective countries clashed internally with one another, and in consequence, many individuals of great political worth were killed. In fact, these feuds gave a death blow to these empires, shaking them to the very roots. Subsequently, certain factors led to the destructive collision of these empires with one another. First the armies of the Sassanid empire crossed the border of the Roman empire to attack it. Circumstances proved favourable and they succeeded to the extent that the Roman Emperor Heracles decided to flee from his Palace in Constantinople. But again, events took a new turn. Heracles regained his lost confidence and after making full preparations, attacked the Sassanid empire, destroyed their armed forces and penetrated right into the heart of Jerusalem.
These civil wars, lasting for about twenty-five years, considerably weakened both these empires. Therefore, during the pious caliphate when the Arab forces entered the Roman and Sassanid empires, they managed to advance with great speed.
Historical Revolution:
This expansion of the Islamic empire was not simply a political event. Its aim, in fact, was to set in motion a revolutionary process in history. This process had been initiated in Makkah itself, then it travelled from Makkah to Madinah, to Damascus and Baghdad from where it entered Spain and thereafter it spread all over Europe and the entire world. We would probably be right in saying that the 20th century saw the culmination of this process.
There are two basic aspects to this movement. One was the end of religious persecution. (This kind of persecution has been mentioned in the Qur’an as ‘fitna’). (8:39)
The process began with the end of idolatry and was completed during the lifetime of the Prophet. The other, the advent of religious freedom, came about later, during the pious caliphate; with the disintegration of the two great empires—the Sassanid and Byzantine—the two greatest pillars of religious persecution were uprooted, and religious freedom became the order of the day. However, no great revolution materialises all of a sudden. It reaches fruition only by a long historical process, and the Islamic revolution was no exception to this rule. The process of human liberation, initiated by Islam, continued over a long period to make advances through individual and collective efforts, taking various forms. The second Caliph, Umar Faruq (d.644) addressing one of his governors and his son in a well known case asked: “Since when have you enslaved people while their mothers had given birth to them in freedom?” (Al-Abqariat Al-Islamia).
This voice was echoed eleven hundred years later by the well known French reformer Rousseau (d. 1778). His book, titled The Social Contract, began with this famous sentence: ‘Man was born free, but I find him in chains’. This concept of intellectual and religious freedom had fully matured by the end of the 20th century. With the establishment of the United Nations, all the nations of the world signed its charter of Human Rights, proclaiming that intellectual and religious freedom is the irrevocable right of every human being and that on no pretext can it be abrogated.
Note: The views expressed by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan provide another angle, meeting the challenges of present time.
[To be continued …… ]
References
http://Aftabkhan-net.blogspot.com
