A model for humanity

By Prof. Mohammed Rafi

IN contemporary times, people in general and Muslims in particular need to emulate
Mohammads (peace be upon him) humane and practical approach to life. He showed that
Islam is not a theoretical philosophy. He preached and practised a code of life, its
commandments and prohibitions, and rendered good actions and service to mankind in all
spheres of human activity.
Within a short span of time, he had successfully ushered in an era of tolerance and
liberalism and had revitalized a decadent social order. He was able to mould the character of
his fellowmen, reform them and change their thoughts, put new ideals before them and
elevate them to the higher plane of a better, harmonious life. Subsequently, the Muslim
ummah, not based on relations of blood, race, colour or class, came into being through
sheer adherence to permanent divine values.
He never compelled anyone to become a Muslim. Through his exemplary behaviour people
were drawn to him. He lived for 40 years among the people before inviting them to Islam. It
was quite difficult for them to accept a human being like them as a nabi. He would plainly
say that he was but a man like others and that he had no treasures, nor did he claim to
know the secrets of the future. The Quran testifies to this: Say (O Muhammad) I am only a
man like yourselves (18:110).
The Prophet always showed composure and balance while confronting the tribulations of life.
The insistent demand of the people that he should work miracles to convince them made
him despondent. He changed the attitudes and characters of people through his behaviour.
They were astonished to see his reaction towards the citizens of Taif who had been very
unkind to him. He did not curse anyone, but prayed may Allah guide the people of Taif.
Following the defeat at Uhud, the companions asked him to curse the people of Makkah. He
said, I was not sent to curse people. I was sent as an inviter to the truth and as a mercy to
the people.
Edward Gibbon (Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire) writes, Even at the zenith of his
worldly power the good sense of Mohammad despised the pomp and royalty he submitted
to the menial offices of the family, he kindled the fire, swept the floor, milked the ewes and
mended with his own hands his shoes and his woollen garments. He observed the
abstemious diet of an Arab and a soldier.
How many of us claiming to be his followers practise these? His life was very simple. He
would put on whatever kind of cloth he could get. He would eat whatever was placed before
him. He would sit wherever he could find room, whether on a mat, carpet or the ground. He
was a model family man, very loving to the children.
As a role model we must remember that he taught us to obey Allahs commands, give alms,
speak the truth, to give back safe and whole what is entrusted to us by others, to be
affectionate to our neighbours, to shun wicked acts and to avoid bloody quarrels.
To the Christians of Najran and the adjoining areas he promised the security of God and his
own pledge. No cross or image shall be destroyed, they shall not be oppressed, they shall
not be required to furnish provisions for the troops were his standing orders.
Contrary to some modern-day notions, he disliked wars and when he migrated to Madina he

brought an end to the tribal wars which had been rampant for more than a century. He
invited the followers of all faiths and advised them to unite and establish a city-state to
forge a common defence and security against all adversaries. Surprisingly, his advice was
readily accepted even by the tribes of Aws and Khazraj.
The Meesaq-e-Madina (charter) is the first constitution of the world. Today, as the worlds
population is increasing and the number of people adhering to different faiths continues to
grow, this document should be widely propagated. It stifles all forms of priestly and clergy
rule. Following this ideal, the Islamic commonwealth included within its fold Jews, Sabians,
Christians and others as citizens like the Muslims. They were accorded religious, social and
political rights through this charter.
Today, when extremism and fanaticism have engulfed all faiths, it must be remembered that
Mohammad strictly obeyed the divine command, Revile not those unto whom they pray
besides Allah, lest they wrongfully revile Allah through ignorance (6:109). But Muslims
seem to have forgotten this important aspect of Islam, and as a result, we see many bloody
conflicts and the needless loss of life in the name of Islam. Mohammad had taught that the
greater holy war is the war inside us against our own weaknesses and failings.
One of his sayings shows his respect for all religions. When the bier of anyone passes by
thee, Muslim or non-Muslim, rise to thy feet. As a result of his teachings which laid the
foundation of human rights and values, Muslim communities all over the world, even as far
as China, India, Japan, Africa and the West, show that Islam still has the power to reconcile
apparently irreconcilable elements of race and tradition. If Muslims truly follow his teachings
in all aspects of social life, the opposition between eastern and western societies can be
replaced by cooperation.
Islam upholds the dignity of labour and Mohammad himself worked along with others in the
construction of the first mosque at Quba and in the digging of the trench in the battle of
Khandaq. He emancipated slaves and women from bondage. The slaves were placed on an
equal footing with their masters and they were elevated to the rank of generals and
commanders. Bilal was appointed the first muezzin of Islam and was respectfully addressed
as Syedna (chief) Bilal. Women were given the right of divorce and inheritance in the
property of their deceased husbands and fathers.
The Prophet was successful in bringing into existence a new type of man self-respecting,
self-reliant, conscious of his worth and desirous of enhancing it with the ambition to set up a
better social order in the world. Jeffery Lang in his book Struggling to Surrender writes To
swear that Mohammad is the messenger of God is to accept his life as an example and to
affirm that his actions set the standard for mankinds conduct regardless of time and place.
If Muslims are to convince western civilization that Islam provides a better way, then they
would have to either soften their commitment to Mohammads example or invest their time
and effort to argue their case convincingly.
A model which can serve as a standard for every class of people under different
circumstances and states of human emotions will be found in the life of Mohammad. For the
rich there is his example as a tradesman; for the poor is his example as an internee of
Shuayb Abi Talib and the emigre of Madina. For the vassal, there is the man who endured
the hardships imposed by the Quraish of Makkah; for the conqueror there is the victor of
Badar and Hunayn. In defeat, one can take a lesson from the discomforted at Uhud. As a
teacher, one can learn from the holy mentor of the school of Suffah; as a student from the
man who sat before Gabriel.

As a preacher, direct your vision to the man delivering sermons at Madina; if you are an
orphan, do not forget the child of Aminah and Abdullah left to the tender care of Halimah.
As a travelling salesman, cast a glance at the leader of caravans on the way to Basra; as a
judge or arbiter, at the Prophet entering the Kaaba before sunrise and installing the Hajr-iAswad. If you are married, draw a lesson from the behaviour of the husband of Khadijah
and Aisha; if a father, go through the biography of a tender and loving man who rejoiced at
the birth of girls.
Whenever anyone came, he moved quickly to give him a seat. He was quick to smile and
greet the person, and was never harsh or offensive, and rarely angry. He was generous in
praise, averse to conflict or too much comfort. He always rose to the challenge of history.
Abdullah Ibne Ubaiy withdrew one-third of the Muslim army in Uhud, but Mohammad did not
seek slaughter or vengeance. He said, We will have mercy and treat him kindly as long as
he remains with us. Fadallah came with the intention of killing him and felt nervous when
Mohammad met him with calm and a smiling face. Mohammad advised him kindly to seek
Gods forgiveness and Fadallah lived the rest of his life saying, I came to kill him and left
with no man more beloved and dear to me.
In short, whoever and whatever you may be, you will find a shining example in the life of
Mohmmad. All that Muslims need to know of him is readily accessible. There was never a
span of time, howsoever small, that he spent away from the gaze of his companions.
Mohammad laid the greatest emphasis on human rights and tolerance. He made his
followers realize the importance of observation and knowledge, and was able to divert mans
attention to the vast and limitless universe and find the clue to Gods greatness. He
disclosed a concept of life compatible with nature. Through his lifetime of struggle and
exemplary behaviour he emphasized that the Quran was not a collection of dogmas, but a
code of life which regulated everything that involved human life. He never preached what he
could not practise. His last words were not about property, dominance or kingdom, but the
protection of the weak and downtrodden. Today Muslims all over the world are miserably
placed. This is because they have failed to live up to the ideals set forth by Mohammad.
Seerat, a perfect model
By Muhammad al-Ghazali
THE entire history of mankind in the post-Muhammadan period provides testimony to the
Prophets impact on humanity. With the emergence of the Prophet (SAWs) on the stage of
history, humanity clearly entered a new decisive and final stage of religious consciousness
and cultural development.
When the Quran proclaimed in unmistakable terms that the institution of Prophethood had
reached its final stage with Prophet Muhammad (SAWs), this proclamation was also fully
attested by the subsequent course of human history.
No new Prophet or messenger, nor any other Divine scripture succeeded the Prophet (SAWs)
or the Quran. The Quran and the Prophets Sirah remain the authentic touchstone of the
truth and the reliable source of Divine call to humanity.
The foremost thrust of the Prophets teaching that changed the erstwhile religious
perspective was to liberate humanity from the animistic notions of the past that involved a

deification of the phenomenal world. The primitive religiosity of man largely prevailing in the
world before Prophet Muhammad (SAWs), was to invest everything beneficial or harmful in
this universe, with a supernatural sanctity or even at times with divinity.
Thus, man humbled himself before sun and moon, stars and galaxies, sky and earth, rivers
and oceans, even beasts and animals. This pantheistic notion constructed for mans
servitude and compelled him to bow before millions of gods and deities.
Another less primitive but equally obscurantist view that was held by a number of other
creeds was to see this world as an evil satanic scheme which undermines the spirituality of
man. These creeds also enfeebled man before the diabolical and devilish influences of this
world represented by corporeality and matter and body and flesh and thus took a negative
view of man and this phenomenal world.
These creeds and cults projected this world as a prison house in which man is placed by
destiny and from which the deliverance should be sought by emancipating oneself from all
sanguine, social, marital and material involvement. While one view imposed on man a direct
servitude of this material world, the other painted the world in evil and adversarial terms.
The Prophets sound and rational teaching dealt a powerful blow to all such obscurantisms
and superstitions. He taught in unambiguous terms that mans habitat and environment
have been created for the service of man. He reminded that this world has been created,
designed and tailored to suit the survival of man and to serve the needs of human life. Said
he in one of his oft-quoted sermons: indeed this immediate world has been created for you,
but you have been created for the ultimate world of the hereafter. For the eternal home of
lasting bliss which will be the final abode of mankind is really worth mans while.
It was precisely this teaching of the Prophet (SAWs) clearly articulated in the Quran that
gave rise to the crystallization of the empirical methodology of natural sciences. For unless
one has the satisfaction of knowing that this world is not essentially mans enemy, but
friendly and compatible to humanitys well-being and amelioration, natural science is hardly
tenable. Science and all its modes and methods of inquiry and investigation seem to
proceed clearly from the monotheistic doctrine of Islam taught by the Quran and the
Prophet. The Quran contains profuse statements that fully substantiate this contention.
All these statements of the Quran as explained by the Prophets teachings are premised on
the doctrine that nothing created by Allah is futile and fruitless. But on the contrary,
everything that He has created, He has created for a definite purpose. And the noblest of
these purposes has been assigned to man under the terms of his august office of
vicegerent. In this way, the Prophet (SAWs) emerges as a great benefactor of humanity.
People might still be persisting in their polytheistic or pantheistic views of religion, but the
enterprise of science is definitely a monotheistic enterprise. Sooner or later, humanity is
going to reach the stage when it is no longer possible to disbelieve in One Supreme God
Who alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Controller of this cosmos.
The logical flow of the overwhelming scientific evidence that is continuously pouring in will
also eventually shatter the myth that reason and revelation or theology and science were
incompatible. Those shallow interpreters of science in post-medieval Europe who, fascinated
by Newtonian physics, Darwinian biology and Freudian psychology, tried to dismiss theocentric worldview and circulated the view that science had rendered god irrelevant, are now
open to serious criticism by scientists themselves. The findings of ecological sciences, interalia, have furnished an un-controvertible evidence that the entire cosmos is serving the

interest of human kind.

Another conspicuous impact of the Prophets dispensation which is a logical corollary of the
first doctrine is the elevation of the status of man. In the first place, the emergence of a
man of the Prophets calibre on the scene of history in itself brought the status of man to
great heights unknown to mankind previously. The Prophet repeatedly reiterated the lofty
locus of man. He reminded him that his destiny lay in his own hands. He put great premium
on the value of human endeavours and achievements. The Prophet rejected all erstwhile
claims to pre-natal distinctions of race or colour, or clan or caste. He blotted out from the
innocent face of humanity the stigma of original sin.
Moreover, he declared in his last public sermon that all notions of mutual superiority among
humans are false, and that man had been created in the best form and invested with
unlimited potential for self-development. Thus he was fully eligible to fashion his own
destiny. He could make or unmake success or failure by his own conscious deeds and
misdeeds. What is more, the Prophet equalized genders. He recognized full value of woman
and her natural God-given gifts and talents.
The course of human cultural career subsequent to the Prophet (SAWs) is an ample selfevident commentary on these monumental cataclysmic reforms introduced by the Prophet
(SAWs) and fully promulgated in the socio-cultural, moral and spiritual dispensation
established by him and by his companions.
These are only some aspects of the many significant changes in thought and behaviour,
vision and perspective that the Prophet of Islam effected in the world. Humanity as a whole
and not merely the community of his loving followers owe to the Prophet (SAWs) a great
debt.
Mercy for the worlds
By S.G Jilanee
EVEN after the passage of nearly fifteen hundred years the personality and character of
Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) continues, still, to amaze and fascinate thinkers, historians and
intellectuals. And not only Muslims but even those who have little love lost for him even
the Jews, Christians, and others are impressed and charmed. Countless treatises have
been written on the subject but there always remains something more to be said.
If you look for any unusual factor or any spectacular feature such as in the field of miracles,
that distinguished him from his colleagues, the other Messengers of Allah, you may be
disappointed. For Muhammad was a plain, down-to-earth human, and the message he
propagated was equally plain and down-to-earth. There was nothing supernatural about
either his person or his work.
Yet, this very factor, this want of any superhuman traits, this absence of incredible
performances, was what separated him from other Prophets. For example he performed no
such miracles as Noah, Abraham, Swaleh, Hud, Loot, et al. He did not sail in an ark over an
all-consuming flood. He was not swallowed by any fish. He was not thrown into a pit of
flaming fire. He was not asked to sacrifice his son in the way of Allah. He was not a king like
David and Solomon. His club did not turn into a snake, nor did the palms of his hand emit
any effulgence.

Born like any other human, Muhammad did not speak in his cradle. He did not make birds
with clay and breathe life into them. He did not heal lepers and congenitally blind people nor
bring the dead to life. Nor were there jinns to do his biddings nor did he communicate with
birds. Yet, he was designated as Mercy for the worlds, the Seal of the Prophets, blessed
with Meraj, the celestial journey by night into Divine presence, and he stood on an
exalted standard of character.
As a Messenger of Allah, Muhammad was like unto all other Messengers. Men of faith make
no distinction between one and another (2:285). However, the miracles his predecessors
performed were, by their very nature, beyond human comprehension. But they were also
transitory, ephemeral, like a flood or a rain of rocks or other calamity. It came and went and
became history. On the other hand, what Muhammad performed and achieved was
something tangible; concrete; comprehensible. His miracle was reality, enduring, abiding,
permanent.
He transformed a wild people into law-abiding citizens, disciplined the undisciplined, civilized
the uncivilized, and established a modern society with a working system of governance all
within a span of about ten years. In response to defiance, denial and persecution he did not
invoke Divine retribution upon his tormentors and have them wiped out like the Aad,
Thamud and others. This is the most glaring testimony to his being an embodiment of
mercy, and one that largely distinguishes him from other Prophets.
Answering those who wanted him to perform miracles, he pointed to the miracles scattered
all around them, in the earth and in the sky. As truth can be stranger than fiction so realities
can be miracles, calling for open-jawed amazement. Look over the world, says he; is it not
wonderful, the work of Allah; wholly a sign to you, if your eyes were open! This earth,
Allah made it for you; appointed paths in it; you can live in it, move about in it.
Great clouds, black, awesome, with their thunder and lightning, where do they come
from! They pour down copious showers on a parched, dead earth, and grass springs, and
tall leafy palm-trees with their date-clusters hanging round, wherein is a sign. Your cattle
too, he points out, Allah made them; serviceable dumb creatures; they change the grass
into milk; you have your clothing from them. Ships, like huge moving mountains, with their
cloth wings spread out, go bounding over the waves, driven by Heavens wind, His wind,
under His command. And when Allah has withdrawn the wind, they lie motionless, dead,
and cannot stir!
These, indeed, are miracles par excellence! Besides, look at the creation of humans. Is that
anyway less than a miracle? Allah made you, he says, created you out of dust, then out of
sperm, then out of a leech-like clot, then out of a morsel of flesh partly formed and partly
unformed. (22:5). Ye were small once; then ye grew. Ye have beauty, strength, thoughts
and then old age overtakes you; your strength fades into feebleness; ye sink down, and
again are not. And, above all, Ye have compassion on one another. Is that not a great
miracle in itself, mutual compassion? What if Allah had made you having no compassion
on one another?
As among Allahs Messengers, so with other people; Muhammad (S.A.W.) was like a
common human, yet uncommon; similar, yet different. Totally free from cant, he never
pretended to be what he was not. He therefore repeatedly emphasized, I am a human like
unto you. (basharum mithlukum).
But Muhammad (S.A.W.) was not an ordinary person. The purpose of emphasizing the

likeness was to generate empathy with his interlocutors and his audience and to reassure
them that he was on the same grid with them. He felt the anguish of pain and the comfort
of pleasure, hunger and thirst, joys and sorrows, same as any human. Another reason for
repeating this reminder, frequently, was to prevent his followers from lapsing into the same
pitfall as the Christians, who, in their zeal called him the son of God. So he pointed out that
what distinguished him from ordinary humans was that he received wahi, the Revelation.
I am like unto ye, (but) on whom Divine Revelation has come that assuredly there is no
other deity for you but only One, Allah!
Events about his birth and childhood are too well-known to require any detailed treatment.
The man who was to be ordained as the last Messenger of Allah and who would testify to
the credentials of all other Messengers of Allah before him, was yet born an orphan. His
mother also died when he was only a child. His grandfather, a hundred year old man, Abdul
Muttalib, deeply loved the little orphan boy, the child of his youngest and most beloved son,
Abdullah. But Abdul Muttalib also died when Muhammad (S.A.W.) was only two years old,
leaving him to the care of his eldest uncle, Abu Talib.
What put him way above other humans was Muhammads character. That was his forte
character born of Sincerity and nurtured by truth. His companions, friends and relatives
named him Al Amin, The Faithful, the Trustworthy. Even at a young age, he was
recognized as a man of truth and fidelity; true in what he did, in what he spoke and
thought. From an early age he had been remarked as a thoughtful man. He was silent when
there was nothing to be said; but pertinent, wise and sincere, when he did speak; always
throwing light on the matter. Throughout his life he was regarded as an altogether solid,
brotherly, genuine man, a serious and sincere character; amiable, cordial, and
companionable.
Why would the Bedouins obey him, recognize him unless he had the mesmerizing power of
sincerity, the magic of truth and plain words? They were wild men, bursting ever and anon
into quarrel, into all kinds of fierce fights; no one without right worth and manhood could
have commanded them. Yet they accepted him as Prophet of Allah, because, there he stood
face to face with them; bare, not enshrined in any mystery; visibly clouting his own cloak,
cobbling his own shoes; fighting, counselling, ordering in the midst of them. They had seen
what kind of a man he was, judged him and then bowed before him. No emperor with his
tiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of his own clouting.
Muhammad had to deal with the ferocious bloodthirsty Arab heathens, who drove him out of
his home. He had to deal with the plots of the scheming Jews. It was a life-and-death war
with them. Carlyle takes note of the fact that in such situations cruel things could not fail,
but asserts that neither are acts of mercy, of noble natural pity and generosity wanting.
Such acts were each the free dictate of his heart; each called for, there and then, on the
spur of the moment, yet each done not as a self-seeker, not for personal aggrandizement or
ambition but in the way of Allah.
A tender heart was another facet of his character. His emancipated and beloved slave, the
first among slaves to embrace Islam, had fallen in the Battle of Tabuk. He said it was well of
the man. He had done his Masters work and has now gone to his Master. Yet the martyrs
daughter found him weeping over the body, melting in tears! What do I see? said she.
You see a friend weeping over his friend, answered the Prophet.
Muhammad personally led at least nineteen engagements with the heathens. There was
booty from those battles. Yet, his household was the most frugal; his common diet barleybread and water and occasionally some dates: sometimes for months there was not a fire

once lighted on his hearth. He would mend his own shoes, patch his own cloak, a true
paradigm of the man who having nothing yet hath all.
A man of truth and lofty morals
By Dr. Fazlur Rahman
NAY, by God, it would never be so! He would never sadden you. You have always been kind
to your relatives. You speak truth. You clear the debts of others. You help the poor. You are
hospitable. You assist your fellow men. You bear the afflictions of those in distress.
These words of solace came impulsively, without least hesitation, from the mouth of a lady
who had known him inside out, experienced him through thick and thin, for fifteen years as
his wife. This was Khadijah comforting her husband, Muhammad (PBUH) when he returned
from the cave of Hira, exhausted and terrified, fearing for his life, after the first ever
encounter with the arch-angel Gabriel and receiving the first Divine Revelation. She adduced
as her witness his past career when though he was not a prophet yet was reputed far and
wide as al-Sadiq al-Ameen, the truthful, the trustworthy, the faithful.
A man of Truth and Fidelity, true in what he did, in what he spoke and thought, (Carlyle).
How could such a noble soul, bearing such lofty morals, be forsaken, left uncared-for, by
God! She related what she had observed, experienced, felt and heard. The approach was
rational, the argument convincing, the reasoning sound. And what testimony could be more
reliable, more dependable than ones own wifes. So this was the man Muhammad, prior to
when the mantle of prophethood adorned his shoulders. And what after that?
Ali was the nearest and dearest of all his blood relations. He had been with the Prophet
since his childhood. It was he who as a lad had stood up out of all the kinsmen, whom the
Prophet had called at the mount of Safa in compliance with the Divine commandment
Admonish the nearest of your kinsmen (Q:26:214), and declared fearlessly, when others
had refused to believe in the prophetic call, his belief in his prophethood. He describes the
Prophet that he was benevolent, extremely generous, truthful and very kind-hearted. It was
a pleasure to be in his company. A man was over-awed by his first contact with him but
came to love him after remaining in constant touch with him.
Ayesha, his next beloved wife after Khadijah expired, who remained with him for nine
years, in his advanced age till death, thus acknowledged his graceful manners and high
morals: He did never cast reflection upon anybody. He never spoke ill of any one. He was
never revengeful. Instead he forgave those who offended him. He never turned down any
seemly request. He was always miles away from unjust behaviour.
Anas bin Malik, who as a boy had been appointed by his mother to attend upon the Prophet
just after his arrival in Madinah, and who remained attached to him for ten years, informs
us that during this long period the Prophet did never so much as scold him or find fault with
him, nor he ever reprimanded him for any lapse which he happened to commit.
These are the impressions of some of the many persons who had the opportunity to have
long and most intimate connection with him. But far more eloquent and emphatic is the
testimony of Allah Himself, Who, calling to witness all the historical records written and
preserved, or to be penned down at any time, by human hand declared: Verily there is in
store for you a great reward unfailing, never-ending, beyond expectations. And you, for
certain, stand on the most exalted pedestal of morality, (Q: 68:4).

At another place his virtuous character is extolled in the following words. It is by virtue of
Allahs compassion alone that you deal with them gently and leniently. Had you been gruff
or harsh-hearted they would have certainly broken away from about you, (Q3:159).
This was the practical manifestation of the Prophets own teachings. He had instructed the
faithful, Do not envy one another. Do not hate one another. Do not turn away from one
another. Be you O ! servants of Allah brothers. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He
neither lies to him nor does he hold him in contempt. It is evil enough for a man to hold his
brother Muslim in contempt. Every thing of a Muslim is inviolable for another Muslim : his
blood, his property, and his honour. And this was how he acted upon his own advice.
The Quran has been revealed to enable the mankind to differentiate between good and bad,
right and wrong, virtue and evil, and to guide it to the right path which leads to the eternal
bliss, the real success in this life and the hereafter. Prophet Muhammad through whom this
Divine message has been communicated is at the same time commissioned with the task of
putting it into practice, enacting its instructions, presenting his own self as the paragon par
excellence of its teaching.
He preached and practised and rose to the heights of being the role model for humanity at
large. Verily there is in the person of the Messenger of Allah the best of the patterns of
conduct for every one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day and who deeply engages in
the remembrance of Allah, (Q:33:21)
The life-blood of religion is the remembrance of Allah. The Qurans Olul-albab, Men of deep
understanding, are those Who remember Him standing, sitting, and lying down on their
sides, (Q:3:191). The Prophet has also instructed that Your tongue should always remain
wet with the remembrance of Allah. We are told that there was no moment when he was
not engaged in the remembrance of Allah.
The supplications of the Prophet which have been handed down to us, preserved in the
Hadith books and also found in several independent works show that on every possible
occasion and in all positions he maintained communion with his Lord and that at no time he
was lost in forgetfulness. He told the people to be ever vigilant in asking forgiveness from
Allah for their sins and shortcomings or substandard performance of their duties. What he
himself did was to ask forgiveness from Allah seventy or hundred times in just one sitting.
He said that every Muslim had to offer his prayers five times a day. He himself offered
prayers at least eight times a day. The night-prayer, Tahajjud, which was optional for every
one else was offered compulsorily by him. While offering night prayers he stood for such a
long time that his legs became swollen. When once Ayesha remarked that why did he take
so much trouble when Allah had already redeemed him, his modest reply was, Should I not
act as a thankful servant! He did never miss his congregational prayers. He was so
particular about it that even during his last illness which ended in his departure from this
world he attended the mosque while reclining on his two companions.
Fasting during the month of Ramazan was made incumbent upon every believer. The
Prophet himself fasted during Shabaan and Ramazan. He also fasted on Mondays and
Thursdays as well as on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of every month. During the
month of Shawwal he fasted for six days after Eid-ul-Fitr. He also fasted during the first ten
days of Muharram.
It was enjoined on the well-to-do Muslims to spend a fixed portion of their wealth as Zakat,

(Q:2:215,254). It was made optional for any one to give in charity as much as he could
afford after satisfying his needs, ((Q:2:219). None was required, however, to give away all
of that which he possessed. Make not your hand tied to your neck (be niggardly), nor
stretch it forth to its utmost reach so that you become blameworthy and distressed,
(Q:17:29). The Prophet also explained that the best act of charity was that which did not
result in destitution. The Prophets life was however that of giving preference to others
needs, sacrifice, generosity, magnanimity and self-denial.
Extremely frugal concerning his own needs he gave away whatever he had to the poor, the
destitute, the needy and the have-nots. Though he himself led a life of privation and bare
subsistence for others he was magnanimous beyond imagination. According to Ibn Abbas
More generous than all of us was the Apostle of Allah who gave away freely especially
during Ramazan. He never said no in reply to any request, and never took his food alone.
No matter in what small quantity the food was available, he invited all those present to
share it with him.
He had asked us to inform him if any Muslim died without clearing his debt, for he always
took the responsibility to get it repaid. The legacy of the deceased, evidently, devolved on
his heirs. Abu Dhar, a companion of the Prophet relates that once he said to him, Were the
mountain of Uhud turned into gold for me, I would not like three nights to pass with a single
dinar in my possession except whatever I may keep for clearing away somebodys debt.
The greatest and the most common weakness of those in power and high position is that
they are prone to fall an easy prey to the onslaught of nepotism. They are tempted to oblige
their incompetent relatives and undeserving friends by appointing them to responsible posts
where they could enjoy power and pelf, or out of public exchequer they squander money
upon those who have no right to it. According to the Quran it is a criminal breach of trust,
(Q:4:58). It has been condemned by the Prophet.
Once his companion Abu Dhar, about whom the Prophet said that he was the most truthful
of all those who walked on earth, requested him to appoint him on an administrative post.
The Prophet declined to oblige him saying he was too weak to shoulder the responsibilities
of that office.
On another occasion his beloved daughter Fatimah, much distressed by the hardships of
continuously drawing water from the well and grinding the hand-mill, requested him to
provide her with a maid-servant, he very politely turned down the request saying No
provision has yet been made for the poverty-stricken people of Suffah. Moreover, the
orphans of Badr have already made a request before you.
It is easy to say Love thy enemy but very difficult to practise, especially when the enemy
is in your grip. The life of the Prophet abounds with examples of showing mercy, compassion
and forgiveness when the deadliest and lifelong enemies were on their knees. General
amnesty for Abu Sufyan, the lifelong enemy, to his wife Hind who had chewed the liver of
his uncle Hamzah, and to his killer Wahshi, to the Makkans after the conquest of Makkah
with the words Go your way, you are the freed ones, forgiveness to Abd Yalail, the stonehearted chief of Taif who nearly killed him, are only a few examples of his humane and
merciful attitude towards his enemies. His entire life-span is an eloquent testimony to the
undeniable reality that he practised what he preached.
A perfect reformer
By Prof Mohammed Rafi

Today, more than ever, the Muslim world needs to look back at the practical aspects of the
Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) life and try to imbibe them in our daily lives for peace and
harmony. This is what Islam is all about. When Muslims accept some person as a Nabi
(Messenger), they must as well believe in emulating the example set by the Nabi.
It is understood that anything actually taught by the Nabi was either done or would have
been done by him had the occasion arisen. The Quran tells us that all Messengers were
charged by Allah with the same mission (2:136). It is also written that all people are a
single nation, so Allah raised Messengers as bearers of His news and as warners and He
revealed unto them the Book with truth (2:213).
In other words the message that comes from Allah of human guidance is a practicable verity
and not a dreamer's ideal. Prophet Mohammad received Divine Revelation and translated it
into action through his own example (2:129 & 151). He was the first to obey these laws
(39:11-14) and led others to pursue the path of guidance.
Earlier Messengers had come with Allah's message and guidance, but people changed these,
corrupted them or simply hid them. The Quran says 'O people of the Book there has come
to you Our Messenger revealing to you much that you used to hide in the Book' (5:15).
Pre-Islamic Arabia was a seat of different religions and sects, each decrying the other as is
being done nowadays. Prophet Mohammad denounced division and sectarianism and decried
the hostile attitude of the followers of these separate religions and sects.
'And the Jews say that the Christians do not follow anything good, and the Christians say
that the Jews do not follow anything good while they recite the same book' (2:213). People
were more inclined, like today, on rituals which were supposed to be the essence of all
religions.
The Quran says, 'It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East or West,
but righteousness (Taqwa) is that one should believe in Allah, the day of judgment, the
Malaika, the Book and the Messengers and give away wealth out of love for Him to the
nearest of kin and to the orphans, the needy and the wayfarer.
The captives pray and pay Zakat and fulfil the performance of their promises and be patient
in distress and adversity and in time of conflict. Such are the righteous ones' (2:177).
Prophet Mohammad did not propagate Islam through miracles. He worked what was more
than a miracle: striving against odds and achieved success never seen before or since in
history, and in the adverse circumstances to which he had been subjected. But to achieve
this unique success he did not resort to things beyond human reach, in which case he could
not have acted as an exemplary personality.
He used all honest and honourable means that were open to others. He would plainly say
that he was a man like others (18:1110) and 'It is not in my power to cause you harm or

bring you to the right path' (72:21) and 'The unseen is only known to Allah (10:20) 'with
Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures no one knows but He' (6:59).
One supreme quality that shows he had achieved the zenith of character and morality that
must be the final goal of human endeavour, where man reflects Divine values, was his
steadfastness.
In victory or in defeat, in power or in adversity, he remained the same. According to
Washington-Irving 'His military triumphs awakened no pride or vain glory, as they would
have done had they been effected for selfish purposes.
If he aimed at universal dominion, it was the dominion of the faith'. Gibbon writes in the
"Rise and fall of the Roman empire" that even at the zenith of his worldly power, the good
sense of Mohammad despised the pomp of royalty.
How many of us claiming to be his followers practise what he advised to do? In Madinah he
had the opportunity of practising what he had preached at Makkah. He ennobled and
enlarged the laws of Moses and brought upon earth the kingdom of heaven prayed for by
Jesus.
He established a state with those at helm of affairs not ruling but serving the citizens. There
was no prejudice of class, colour, race or descent.
To demolish this long prevailing social injustice, it was emphasized that the noblest in the
sight of Allah was he who was most virtuous among men. The state belonged equally to one
and all, male and female - and all, in turn, belonged to one universal God, all obeyed one
law, not man-made but sent down from the All Merciful and impartial God, which was the
same for rich and poor alike.
His life was very simple. He would put on whatever kind or quality of cloth he could get. He
would eat whatever was placed before him. He would sit wherever he could find room,
whether on a mat, carpet or the ground (Tirmizi 'Shumail').
Unlike the rulers of the modern world, he entered into treaties with his enemies and
honoured them. Following the treaty of Hudaybiah in 6 A.H., he discouraged the Muslims of
Makkah to flee the city.
The surrender of Makkah offered him ample opportunities of revenge, but he did not avail
himself of them. As a role model we must remember that he ordered us to obey Allah's
commands, give alms, speak the truth, give back safe and whole what is entrusted to us by
others, to be affectionate to our neighbours, to shun wicked acts and avoid bloody quarrels.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica says: "It is easy to make good and far reaching plans, but
more difficult to carry them out. Moses, Jesus and many of the prophets before Mohammad
did not live to see the success of their respective missions.

The emancipated children of the Egyptian bondage repeatedly disobeyed Moses; Peter and
other disciples denied their Master and left him in the moment of his dire need. But
Mohammad the humble preacher to the haughty Makkans, who had only the other day been
ridiculed, stoned and hunted out of their city of his birth, had within the short span of nine
years after his flight from Makkah lifted up his people from the abysmal depth of oral and
spiritual degradation to a conception of purity and justice.
"These who had dwelt in a state of permanent warfare among themselves and had revelled
in bloodshed and murder on the most trifling pretexts became wedded into a unique
brotherhood. Those who cherished no respect for women became the foremost champions
of female rights."
The spirit infused by Mohammad enabled the Muslims to face courageously the most
formidable foes that a man has to grapple with - one's own corrupt nature and evil habits.
He understood human nature and mind and did not propose to kill our instincts or crush our
passions. Instead he propounded a system to control them so that they may function to our
best advantage and pass from the bestial to the noble.
Muslims today are more inclined towards an individual and self-conceited Islam for entry
into heaven which lies somewhere beyond the sky. Mohammad pointed out the error of such
crude notions.
Heaven is the evolved condition of our soul, the casting or not casting of human passion into
the mould of divine attributes that makes our Heaven both here and in the hereafter - for
the Quran promises two Heavens (55:46) and also its reverse - Hell. He repeatedly said that
every person who seeks to observe good morals must tread God's earth reflecting Divine
attributes.
Every Muslim should examine, search and assess his deeds and review his conduct several
times a day. For this we were ordered to establish the system of 'Salaat' five times a day.
This involves the total submission to the laws of Allah in a practical shape.
Mohammad also proposed greetings through "Salaam Alaikum" (Peace be upon you) as AsSalaam is one of the attributes of Allah and means peace. The western equivalent of this is
'Have a nice day' which is oft repeated.
He also quashed a centuries old system of invoking God's mercy through an intermediary.
This belief had crept into almost all religions. No religion of Divine origin in its subsequent
stages remained free from it.
Islam has no priestly class. Addressing Mohammad (PBUH), Allah says, "And when my
servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am near; I answer the prayers of the
supplicant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me, that they
may find the right way" (2:186).

For the first time, the principle of 'No compulsion in religion' was enunciated and acted upon
by Mohammad. Differences of opinion in religious matters were respected and freedom of
conscience was allowed. History is full of religious persecutions of the worst type and that is
evident even today.
Mohammad preached religious tolerance that had never been known before. To the
Christians of Najran and adjoining areas he promised the security of God and his own
pledge 'No cross or image shall be destroyed, they will not be oppressed, they shall not be
required to furnish provisions for the troops' were his standing orders.
Today a large part of the wealth and brain of the West is expended in discovering ways in
which they may utilize destructive weapons to pander to the spirit of aggression.
Mohammad allowed the use of force in three conditions only 1) To protect a house of
worship from destruction be it Christian, Jew or Muslim (22:40) (2) In self defence (22:39).
(3) To establish freedom of conscience and fight religious persecution.
He was the first leader of a religion that made religion and science help-mates. He abolished
dogma and made reason and logic the test of religious truth. He placed the cultivation of
knowledge on top.
For him, exploring the realms of nature for the benefit of humanity was the real glorification
of God. He gave such an impetus to learning that it brought forth within a century after him
a tremendous upheaval in the world of scientific research work.

A test of true faith

By S.G. Jilanee

"Ramazan is the month in which was sent down the Quran," which is a "guidance to all
mankind," says The divine proclamation. (2:185). The call is irresistible. Those who have
attained such a state of piety that their "skins tremble" when they listen to the Quran so
that "their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah's praises" (39:23), are
a class apart.
They are the ones who, not only say by word of mouth, "Truly, my prayer and my service of
sacrifice, my life and my death are (all) for Allah ...." (6:162), but demonstrate it in
practical life. So, when Ramazan comes they recall the Message, "O ye who believe! Fasting
is prescribed for you" (2:183), they prostrate themselves like obedient servants and say,
"We hear and we obey" (2:285). "Not for them to question, why."

Such people rejoice at the advent of Ramazan, for which they had been waiting in eager
expectation for eleven months. They spend the month in fasting, reciting the Quran, giving
alms and in prolonged prayers, particularly in the late hours of the night, when man can
communicate with Allah in absolute quiet.
But this should not at all be understood to mean that such people skip their normal chores
and duties during the month. On the contrary, they perform all those acts of piety side by
side with their normal daily business, reflecting the prayer, "Our Lord! Give us good in this
world and good in the hereafter." (2:201).
However, all believers are not at the same level of piety. Most of us are ordinary, sinful,
people. Actually, we are "Muslims," not "Momins," in the real sense of the term. To us
applies the anecdote of some desert Arabs who had claimed, "We believe (aamanna)," only
to be reminded "Ye have no faith. But say 'We have submitted our wills to Allah (aslamna),'
because faith has not yet entered your hearts." (49:14).
The Ramazan fast is for the whole month - thirty days or twenty-nine, at a stretch. No break
is permissible except in certain clearly defined cases. It was natural that this command to
trigger the feeling among some people that this stressful duty was imposed on the followers
of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), only. Therefore, to put their minds at rest, believers were
reminded that such was not the case.
Ramazan fast was not an innovation exclusively for the ummah. Fasting was ordained on
others before Islam - the Jews and Christians. "O ye who believe, fasting is prescribed to
you as it was prescribed to those before you," Allah pointed out. He even explained the
purpose behind prescribing the fasting, namely, "that ye may (learn) self-restraint."
(2:183).
But a few other questions would still bother the common Muslim. For example, "even if it
had to be thirty days, why consecutively? Why not allow the period to be spread out all over
the year, at the individual's own will?"
Turning to the question of consecutive fasting versus its alternative, first, the former is more
convenient if you ask anyone who fasts this way. The reason is simple. When people all
around are fasting, and food and drink are not on display, it creates a congenial ambience.
So an individual who fasts becomes a part of the crowd. He forgets the pressure of hunger
or thirst and completes his fast without any discomfort.
By contrast, if one were to fast at any other time, he would feel singled out, and become
self-conscious. He would also experience the stress of resisting food and drink when it will
be available aplenty, all over the place. If he is a smoker, the "aroma" of tobacco when
others around him are smoking would hit his olfactory senses to torment him. And above all
it would not be possible to offer taraweeh prayer in a congregation and listen to the
recitation of Quran.
Besides, in case of consecutive fasting, after the initial few days, it would become a routine.

A sort of habit would form after one has adjusted to the new schedule of daily meals. On the
other hand if one were to observe the fast by fits and starts, every time it would be new
exercise, and he would feel its rigour more acutely.
Another very tangible benefit of a full month of fasting is that it reduces air pollution to the
lowest level. There is no smoking either inside offices and stores or in the open. This result
could not be achieved by spreading out the thirty days over the full year.
And finally, due to its full month of fasting, Ramazan is a "culture." It touches every Muslim
and turns him towards piety, so that even those who do not offer prayers at other time
during the year, offer congregational prayers during this month.
Ramazan also creates its own peculiar ambience. Mosques wear a festive look and overflow
with people offering prayers. Even little children throng to the mosques. In the afternoons
everything wakes up into activity. Nights are full of life as stores and eateries keep open till
late hours. Nothing of this kind can happen if it is not a full month of fasting.
But, far more importantly, consecutive fasting is necessary to discover the wisdom of the
Divine purpose, namely, "that ye may (learn) self-restraint." Evidently one can't "learn" any
lesson in one sitting or casual, occasional sittings, and especially a lesson such as selfrestraint. Every lesson requires practice to imbibe its benefits and understand its virtue. The
same applies to self-control. Indeed, the virtues of self-restraint have been lauded through
the ages in all religions and societies.
Many Muslims spend money to feed the poor, but in a detached sort of way. They do not
know the agony of a hungry stomach and a thirsty throat. Ramazan fast offers them the
unique opportunity to voluntarily undergo the experience so they may genuinely feel for the
poor.
Fasting is not starvation. Starvation means suffering from lack of food. But in the case of
fasting there is no lack of food. It is a case of self-denial. It is a lesson in self-restraint which
is Allah's declared purpose behind prescribing Ramazan fasting. And even yet, it has been
made as convenient as could be. Thus, between the breaking of one fast and the start of the
next, people are free to eat and drink and partake of whatever bounties Allah has endowed
him/her with including performing their marital functions.
Fasting has many benefits both in the physical and the spiritual spheres. On the practical
side, it has been admitted to be one of the oldest therapies. Hippocrates believed that in
fasting the body heals itself. Eminent physiologists have hailed fasting as "the single
greatest natural healing therapy", and nature's universal "remedy" for many physical
problems. These problems include hypertension and heart disease, allergies, diabetes, and
cancer. Fasting has a therapeutic and preventive effect for many of these conditions. The
most common everyday application of fasting is in the case of indigestion.
Hardship there is in fasting. No question about that. Fast begins from the time when "the
white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread, until night appears"

(2:187). During this period of at least twelve hours, (longer during summer) not a grain of
food, nor a drop of water, must pass down the throat. Every Muslim, who is at his home, is
bound by the command, (2:185), except sick people, women during their period and those
on a journey. But they must complete the count later.
But then, Ramazan is a test of faith. And every test, even the most mundane one, imposes
some hardship. It is also a rewarding experience, both for the purification of the soul, for
which it acts like a catharsis, and for the prevention and cure of many a physical ailment.
The length of time it requires to go without food and drink may appear too discouraging to a
prospective entrant. But that is true of every adventure. No lecture can convey the real
purport of Ramazan fast, as fasting itself.

Belief in the 'Hereafter'

By Jafar Wafa

Belief in God and in the Day of Judgment and noble deeds are the three prerequisites of
reward from the Lord - immunity from any kind of fear and all kinds of sorrow (Quran 2:62
& 5:69). Thus, belief in the Hereafter is second only to belief in God.
According to Muslim theologians, belief in the life hereafter rests on five articles of faith: (1)
human beings are a responsible species and, thus, accountable to the Creator for all actions
- good, bad and indifferent; (2) The present world is ephemeral, destined to end with a few
bangs on the 'last day' known only to the Creator; (3) another universe will come into being
in place of the present one and the entire race of mankind that had once lived on the earth
from the inception of human life till its end will be recreated and assembled at one place for
accountability of every individual soul, in a transparent, fairest and most judicious manner.
(4) Those adjudged as good will be ushered in a delightful, pleasurable and permanent
resort called Heaven and those adjudged as bad will find themselves in a place of torment,
called Hell; (5) acquisition of luxuries or inability to acquire them in earthly life is, in the
final analysis, not the criterion of real success or failure.
Belief in resurrection and accountability predates the Abrahamic faiths that originated in the
land of the Syriac Semites, the land known as the 'cradle of civilization'. The ancient
Egyptians, having no association with the Semitic people, buried their dead monarchs in
huge pyramids with all their precious jewels and other belongings to be used by them after
resurrection.
The ancient Greeks believed in an underworld called Hades, the abode of the dead as well
as a dark purgatory. The Zoroastrians of Persia who were of Aryan stock held similar beliefs
of reward and retribution as the Semitic people had. The South Asians believed in
transmigration of soul, an unending chain of birth and rebirths till attainment of Salvation or
Mukti.

Coming to Abrahamic faiths - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - the Jews believed in Heaven
and Hell with the stipulation that, being God's chosen people, they will suffer the torment of
Hell for a limited period ranging from three days to a few months.
Christianity's Book of Revelations, included in its New Testament, contains a graphic
description, in symbolic language, how six angels will blow the trumpet, one after another,
signalling the destruction of the universe and finally the seventh angel's trumpet heralding
the completion of "God's secret plan" and proclamation of power being dedicated to the
Messiah, and so on.
The way the Quran presents the idea of the Hereafter is entirely different from the
mythological approach of other faiths. It argues the main points that arise in one's mind as
to why the life hereafter is necessary, who the sceptics are, who are inclined to disbelieve
resurrection for reckoning and accountability and on what grounds they reject this idea.
The Quran offers three cogent reasons for life hereafter: (1) Those who realize, after
pondering over the creation of galaxies after galaxies, all studded with planets and stars
gliding safely on their defined orbits without deviation, that this complex universe was not
created in vain but with a purpose - [3.190] (2) Such rational human beings also have no
doubt that the Being that produced the existing creation can re-produce it for satisfying the
purpose of creation, i.e., judging the performance of the best of His creations - the human
kind - [10-4]; (3) life hereafter is necessary "to explain to mankind as to wherein they
differed among themselves and to show to the unbelievers that they were liars" - [16:39].
Similarly, the Book categorises the main objectors of Hereafter. One is the group of those
who opine, "without sound knowledge and on mere guess work" that "there is nothing
beyond our life of this world - we die and we live and nothing destroys us except Time"
(45:24). The second group comprises those who consider resurrection of the dead as a
scientific impossibility, saying "who will revive those bones when they have rotted away?"
(36.78).
The answer to both the groups of 'intellectuals' who are inclined towards incredulity is
provided in words meaning that such persons do not ponder over their own creation or have
forgotten the fact of their own creation "from a drop of seed" and yet graduating into "open
opponents" of the Creator.
As to who will resuscitate the rotted bones, the doubter should be told that "He will revive
them (the bones) who produced them in the first instance." (36: 77-79). There is no effort
to dictate from a high pedestal but to furnish argument against a wrong notion and flawed
impression.
Muslim mystics (Sufis) and those who are disposed to be swayed by their reasoning, mostly
based on their muraqiba or contemplation in search of hidden truth, visualize three abodes,
not two - the present world and the world hereafter.

They interpose an abode called Barzakh (which begins from the grave till doomsday)
between the present world and the Hereafter. They base their judgment on two verses of
the Quran: One is in regard to the last wish of repentant agnostics in the throes of death to
be given a respite and sent back to earth so that they could then do right kind of deeds.
God's answer to their last moment prayer is, "Nay behind them is a barrier ('barzakh') until
the day when they are raised." (23:99-100).
So, there is a buffer zone between earthly life and eternal life after resurrection. The second
verse from which the mystics derive support is God's words: "We know them (the hypocrites
and agnostics) and we will chastise them twice thereafter they will be relegated to the
painful doom" (9:101).
This two-time chastisement before 'painful doom' meaning torment in Hell after the Day of
Judgment, suggests chastisement in the earthly life and in the buffer zone after death and
before resurrection.
They further suggest that in this world physical body is prominent while the soul is hidden
and whatever pleasure or pain affects the soul is through the medium of the body. In the
second abode (Barzakh) the pleasure and pain will be experienced by the soul directly, the
body being non-existent.
In the third and final abode, the world after the Day of Judgment, both the soul and the
body will become prominent, but the body will be quite different from this world's physical
mould; they will be in accordance with the nature of deeds performed by every soul during
life on earth.

Beyond dogmas & rites

By Jafar Wafa

Even those Islamists who are campaigning for political power to establish a Shariatcompliant civil administration and financial system lay all the emphasis on dogmas and
observance of religious rites which are already followed with amazing uniformity by Muslims
throughout the world. This not withstanding minor differences in modalities and irrespective
of where and under what form of government they live.
This over-emphasis on the observance of religious rites, which promises a berth in paradise,
has made them completely neglectful of their duties as responsible and honest citizens of
the state and unmindful of their rights as human beings. Consequently, most of them are
being ruled by dictators, hereditary monarchs and a corrupt bureaucracy.
It may appear paradoxical but is, unfortunately, a fact that the people who pray five times a
day, fast for a month and go for Umra and Haj at least once happen to be the citizens of

such states (barring notable exceptions) where, according to prestigious international

agencies, corruption is rampant and social development indices are touching rock bottom.
It is for the religion political leaders to ponder why this baffling contradiction in terms stares
them in the face and what corrective approach is indicated.
This is a typical case of missing the wood for the trees. The sheer frequency with which the
Quran exhorts the believers to 'establish Salaat (worship in all its forms) and pay Zakat
(poor-due)' was led to the false assumption that this is the be-all and end-all of faith.
The fact, however, is that this repetitive exhortation covers, symbolically, the requirements
of both worlds - present and the hereafter - Zakat to alleviate poverty and mitigate
economic hardship and salaat for reward in the next world. But this should not obscure
other ideas and axioms which are present in Islam from the very beginning but have
remained out of our theologians' focus in spite of the fact that these have been "one by one"
and generally, accepted by the West.
"These are the duty of free thought and free inquiry, the duty of religious tolerance, the idea
that conduct and not creed or class distinction should be the test of a man's worth in law
and social intercourse, women's right to full equality with men before the law, her rights to
property, the licence to divorce and remarry, the duty of personal cleanliness, the
prohibition of strong drinks..."
These quotations are from the British Muslim scholar, Marmaduke Pickthall's "Madras
Lectures". These well-known ingredients of the Shariat have been adopted in stages, by the
modern civilized societies without acknowledging the debt to Islam.
What is lamentable is that our learned clerics have not treated this subject with the
importance it deserves, as it would have acquainted the laymen and students of religious
seminaries with the valuable contribution their religion has made to reclaim the West from
its barbarism of the Middle Ages and as an example for other non-Muslim societies in
respect of social and legal rights of their male and female citizens.
To the ulema such axiomatic principles enunciated originally by Islam, which have now been
accepted and adopted universally, are purely secular in character and are outside the
purview of religion.
This is the main reason why they do not highlight them as Islam's contribution to reform
other societies that had no inkling of gender equality in the sense that women have the
same rights and duties as men, and that there being "no compulsion in the matter of
religious belief" (according to Quranic pronouncement) lacked religious tolerance. Thus they
waged the infamous crusades, erratically, dragging on for three centuries to finish off a rival
religion.
In short, our ulema compartmentalize the secular and the sacred separately, the way the
Christian church did in its heyday and viewed with disdain the Islamic axioms and ideas

mentioned by Pickt hall and called them irreligious and outside the domain of religion. The
matter, according to them, concerned itself only with dogmas and doctrines of Christian faith
and tenets governing prayers and worship.
Our ulema also overlook the fact that, much before the French Revolution, Islam laid the
foundation of a socialist system enunciated by 'revealed' guidance which not only stressed
economic justice but also piety and God-consciousness.
Allama Iqbal, contrasting Islam with Marxist Communism - "equality of stomachs", as he
calls it in Javed Nama - says that the latter is "lacking in the illuminating flash of divine
revelation".
Therefore, one can call the Islamic system, which lasted in its pristine purity for about 60
years during the lifetime of the earliest four caliphs, as a happy blend of social and
economic morality.
Political theorists of post-Renaissance Europe like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Hobbes, standing
on the opposite extreme end, ignored entirely the spiritual aspirations and sensibilities of
mankind, just at our present - day 'ulema' overlook the economic and other mundane
aspects, considering them irrelevant to their mission.
The banishment of communism from Russia, after the collapse of the Soviet system, proves
that a system which has no moral or religious basis and seeks to provide only a square meal
a day to all citizens and health care and education to those who need it is bound to collapse
like a house of cards once an economic crisis develops in the land.
Another lesson that one can draw from the disintegration of the Soviet Union after 70 years
of its enforced initially by means of repressive organs (like the dreaded KGB) and exemplary
punishments, can work satisfactorily only as long as there is economic satisfaction in the
country.
It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss the polemics of whether Shariat can be
adopted as the law of the land. It is difficult to convince the majority of right-thinking
persons that Shariat, as interpreted by our ecclesiastical class today, which is not different
from how it was interpreted by our venerable jurists eight centuries ago, can look after the
requirements of the complex fabric of a political-cum-financial-cum-administrative
infrastructure in the present age where globalization is the buzz-word and no state, however
strong militarily and economically, can carve for itself a completely independent path.
A path based on ideas and traditions of the remote past is not likely to satisfy the global
concerns of human rights. For instance, in respect of harsh punishments like the death
penalty which are now being outlawed.
It is inconceivable that the world community will not feel outraged if corporal punishments
like flogging, amputation of human limbs and stoning to death, according to Hudood laws,
are awarded by the judiciary and implemented by the executive arm of the government.

Similarly, restricting all overseas trade and commerce to riba-free transactions may not be
feasible unless the intention is to stand alone on the world stage, come what may. This
introduces the subject of ijtehad, or re-interpretation on the basis of Qiyas, or analogy, so
as to make the divinely-revealed injunctions applicable in the situation prevailing today on
the planet as a whole.
It is an encouraging aspect of our history that, during the last 13 centuries from the Khilafat
originating in Madinah till its abolition on the dismemberment of the Ottoman caliphate in
the first quarter of the 20th century, Muslim thinkers and administrators displayed an
amazing genius in adaptation and transformation of the Byzantine, Sassanid and postRenaissance European principles and art of government and their application in running and
managing the Khilafat successfully.

Blessings of fasting
By Sirajuddin Aziz

Even before the advent of Islam, it was customary for Arabs to devote a certain period of
the year to exclusive worship and prayer. Muhammad Hussein Heykal in his biography of the
Prophet (peace be upon him) has referred to this tradition as, "the Arabs annual retreat".
He states that much before the revelations, the Prophet would each year spend the whole of
Ramazan in the cave of Mount Hira, devoting himself uninterruptedly to his spiritual pursuits
in peace, solitude and tranquillity.
The sacred month of Ramazan is in fact an annual invitation to delinquents to shed evil
ways and put on the garb of humility. The Holy Quran states, "O ye who believe! Fasting is
prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off
evil" (2:183).
The regulations pertaining to Ramazan in Chapter II of the Holy Quran are coupled
repeatedly with the emphasis on two aspects: facilities and concessions given in respect of
fasting and the spiritual significance of fasting.
The verse i.e. II: 187, that follows the ordinance about Ramazan, is of particular
significance to the concept of self-denial and offers limitless assurances to those who fast,
"when My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the
prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me..."
According to a tradition, the Prophet said, "Verily, a month of blessing has come to you...
Allah has made obligatory the fast of it on you. The doors of paradise are opened during it,
while the doors of hell are closed.

Satan is put in fetters. There is a night in it, which is better than one thousand months.
Whoever is deprived of the goodness of it is really a deprived person."
Thus fasting has been enjoined and made incumbent upon every Muslim adult but with the
condition that he must be fit physically for it. A sick person, one who is travelling, an old
person and one who finds the severity of fast hard to bear on account of age or other
infirmities are exempt. But for the sick and the traveller this is a temporary exemption, they
have to complete the period on other days. "And whosoever of you is sick or on a journey
let him fast the same number of other days." (2:185).
Yusuf Ali, in his commentary on the Holy Quran, writes, "Illness and journey must not be
interpreted in an elastic sense; they must be such as to cause pain and sufferings."
On the other hand, Allah does not wish to burden the man who has permanent infirmity. For
such a person the Quran states: "And for those who cannot afford it there is ransom, the
feeding of a man in need." (2.184).
Fasting infuses in man a great degree of determination and trust in Allah, imparts loftiness
to his character and personality. There is a tradition related by Abu Hazim, that the apostle
of Allah once said, "In Paradise there is a gate named ar-Rayyan through which on the Day
of Reckoning those who fast will enter, and through which none but they will enter." It is
said that the Prophet during Ramazan was more generous than the rain-bearing wind.
Ramazan is a month of patience. Every Muslim during the course of this holy month has to
observe utmost patience against all provocations. "The object of fast is to attain
righteousness, patience in adversity, steadfastness in deprivation and to increase one's
power of resistance.
Fasting places everybody the rich and the poor; the high and the low on the same pedestal.
Both the well to do and the less favoured experience in common the pangs of hunger and
privation to an equal degree.
"Muslim fast is not meant for self-torture. Although it is stricter than other fasts, it also
provides alleviations for special circumstances. It is not merely a temporary abstention from
food and drink but this abstention enables the attention to be directed to higher things"
writes Yusuf Ali.
Fasting accustoms us to face hardships of life - by renouncing everyday comforts; we give
strength to our resolve and increase our power of resistance. It must not be forgotten that
the whole purpose of fasting during Ramazan is to promote righteousness, which is a
progressive cultivation of spiritual values.
The Prophet was very particular and emphatic in drawing attention to this aspect of fasting.
He said, "He who abstains from food and drink during the period of fasting but does not
strive to abstain and safeguard himself against moral lapses, starves to no purpose."

Maulana Mohammed Ali Jauhar in his eloquent discourse "The Religion of Islam" comments,
"the injunction laid down in the Holy Quran runs as follow: "the month of Ramazan is that in
which the Quran was revealed..." (2:185).
It will be seen from the words of the injunction that the choice of this particular month is
not without reason. It is well known that the Holy Quran was revealed piecemeal during a
period of 23 years; therefore, by its revelation in the month of Ramazan is meant that its
revelation began in that month. And this is historically true. The first revelation came to the
Prophet during Ramazan when he was in the cave of Hira. The month which witnessed his
greatest spiritual experience was thus considered to be the most suitable month for the
spiritual discipline of the Muslim community which was to be effected through fasting."
During Ramazan falls the night of al-Qadr on which day the Prophet received his call and the
first verses of the Holy Quran were revealed at Mount Hira. "Lo! We revealed it on the Night
of Power. (97.1).
It is on this night that God's decree for the year are brought down on the earthly plane.
"And angels and the spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with all
decrees."(97.4).
"The Night of Power is better than a thousand months." That is how this verse is interpreted
"A thousand nights must be taken in a very indefinite sense as denoting a very long period
of time. One moment of enlightenment under God's light is better than a thousand
months/years of animal life and such a moment of enlightenment translates into a period of
spiritual glory."
The Holy Prophet said about al-Qadr that whosoever rises up for vigil and prayers during the
night of al-Qadr with faith, and in hope of recompense, will have all his previous sins
forgiven.
The most significant aspect of "fasting" is the reformation of the "self" through a conscious
management of the "self". It is this process, which is to receive our utmost attention, while
we engage in fasting.
If this objective is not achieved, then fasting would be a ritual without a purpose. The object
is to make our behaviour symbolic of the virtues attending to fasting such as mercy,
generosity, truthfulness, endurance, patience and fortitude.
We should not defeat and outrage the primary teaching underlying this fundamental
injunction of Islam, because in the final analysis, fasting erases from the believing soul
every evil, it perfects and liberates the human spirit and directs it towards common welfare,
thus helping in the establishment of a righteous and stable society.

Book of guidance
By Haider Zaman

Besides being a book of guidance (2:2), the Holy Quran is also a book of wisdom and
knowledge (36:2). This is evident, among other things, from the most scientific, yet easily
comprehensible, way in which the Quran guides us towards a definite goal.
The entire scheme of guidance has been summed up just in one verse which says "Who has
created and then proportioned: Who has measured and then guided" (87:2,3). The words
"created" and "proportioned" in the verse imply the creation of human beings in the best
possible form (95:4), a form that could suit the objectives of their creation.
The word "measured" in the verse implies that Allah took calculated account of both the
capabilities and frailties with which human beings were born so as to devise a proper
scheme for their guidance. The word "guided" implies the provision of appropriate
guidance.
The rationale for guidance is manifest from the verses which say: "He it is who made you
vicegerents in the earth" (6:165) and "does the man think that he will be just left to
himself" (75:36).
What is spelled out by these verses combined, is that human beings were created to act as
Allah's vicegerents on earth for which they had to be provided necessary guidance with a
view to attain the desirable level of development - the level that could enable them to
discharge their responsibilities as Allah's vicegerents in a befitting manner.
The desirable level of development has been explained by the Quran thus: "In fact the one
who repents and does righteous deeds returns to Allah as he rightly should" (25:71). Return
to Allah means submission to the Will of Allah. The highest level of development has been
explained with reference to Hazrat Ibrahim which could be total submission to the Will of
Allah and doing righteous deeds (4:125). These two levels have been further explained by
the Quran as people on the right hand (having attained the desired level of development)
(56:8) and people being foremost in the race (having attained the highest level of
development (56:10) and supplemented by reference to two kinds of paradises (55:46,62)
and the principle of recompense, namely, that for all there will be ranks according to what
they do (46:19).
The Quran also tells us about the inclinations of human soul that have direct bearing on the
levels of development. One is the inclination towards doing wrong and evil deeds, termed as
Nafs-i-Ammarah (12:53).
The other is towards realization and repentance i.e. to realize immediately if one does
something wrong, that what he has done is termed as Nafs-i-Lowwamah (75:2). The third is

towards doing good and righteous deeds, termed as Nafs-i-Mutmainnah (89:27) also called
the soul at peace.
These inclinations of the soul are in turn influenced by two elements. One of them consists
of frailties and weaknesses common to all human beings. They are: inability to resist lust
(4:27,28), leaning towards injustice and unfairness (14:34), hastiness (17:11) ingratitude
(17:67), contentiousness i.e. not prone to accepting one's own faults or shortcomings
(18:54), niggardliness i.e. reluctance to part with what one has (17:100) and anxiety
(70:19,20).
These frailties influence these inclinations in the sense that they activate Nafs-i-Ammarah
and suppress the other two inclinations of the soul. For example, inability to resist lust,
leaning towards unfairness, and contentiousness activate Nafs-i-Ammarah and thereby
impel one to do wrong and evil deeds.
At the same time they suppress Nafs-i-Lowwamah and Nafs-i-Mutmainnah as a person
under the influence of these frailties neither repents over whatever wrong he does nor is he
ever inclined to do any good or righteous deeds.
The other element having direct impact on these inclinations consists of faculties that the
human beings have been endowed with. They are: the hearing, sight, affection and
intelligence (16:78), mercy and love (30:21), the ability to make distinction between right
and wrong in regard to one's own conduct (91:8) and above all the provision of guidance
(76:3) (20:123,124).
There exists direct relationship of cause and effect between the criteria of desirable level of
development, namely, repentance and doing of righteous deeds, and the three inclinations
of the soul as described above.
A person repents over whatever wrong he does and vows not to do any wrong again only
when his Nafs-i-Lowwamah is activated and Nafs-i-Ammarah is suppressed or controlled.
Repentance in this context involves two things. One is the activation of Nafs-i-Lowwamah
because the person realizes his fault or mistake and reproaches himself for it.
The other is the suppression of Nafs-i-Ammarah because repentance involves not merely the
expression of regret over the wrong done but also firm determination of not doing any
wrong again which implies nothing but suppression of Nafs-i-Ammarah.
Repentance without solemnly undertaking not to repeat any wrong cannot be treated as
repentance. Likewise, a person is impelled to do righteous deeds only when his Nafs-iMutmainnah is activated.
Repentance in the true sense could be reflective of three things. One is firm faith in the
existence and Unity of Allah and in the fact that Allah is All-knowing and takes note of every
thing one does.

The other is the fear of Allah. The person repents over what he has done because he knows
that Allah is well aware of what he has done and will duly requite him for it. The third is the
faith in the graciousness and compassion of Allah, that Allah will certainly forgive him if he
sincerely repents over what he has done and vows not to do any wrong again.
Pardoning of Adam (A.S) when he did that which he was forbidden to do (7:23) and of
Moses (A.S) when he killed a person by chance (28:16) and of Yunus (A.S) when after
deserting his mission he was swallowed by a fish, after repentance, could be the best
examples in this regard. One thing which was common in the expression of their regret was
the unequivocal admission that it were they who had wronged themselves.
Thus, in order to attain the desirable level of development, Nafs-i-Lowwamah and Nafs-iMutmainnah have to be activated and Nafs-i-Ammarah has to be suppressed or controlled to
a desirable extent if not to be completely suppressed (the occasion for repentance arises
when one does something wrong).
In other words, Nafs-i-Ammarah has to be controlled to avoid the commission of major sins
at least if it is not possible to avoid the commission of all the sins. The Quran treats the
persons avoiding the worst of sins, not all the sins, as being rightly guided (42:37).
The suppression of Nafs-i-Ammarah and the activation of other two inclinations of the soul
will depend largely on how we make use of the faculties that Allah has bestowed on us and
the guidance He has provided us.
Hazrat Yusuf controlled his lust and thereby Nafs-i-Ammarah when he perceived the Divine
argument (12:24). He was helped by four elements in perceiving the Divine argument and
avoiding what he was invited to do.
They were the use of reasoning and conscience coupled with guidance that enabled him to
know that what he was invited to do fell in the category of major sins and its outcome. The
other was the fear of Allah that impelled him to refrain from doing that which he was invited
to do.
The use of appropriate faculties coupled with guidance and the fear of Allah on the one hand
and firm faith in the Mercy and Magnanimity of Allah, on the other, could be of great help in
activating Nafs-i-Lowwamah and Nafs-i-Mutmainnah.

Caliph Umar's pivotal role

By Dr Dildar Ahmed

Despite much rhetoric on the part of governments of various hues, good governance, rule of
law and real democracy is a dream that unfortunately does not seem to come true in the

Islamic world. For a sincere government, however, there is a lot to learn in the way Hazrat
Umar, the rightly-guided second caliph, ruled more than 14 hundred years ago.
The total area of his caliphate was around 23 lakh square miles with continuously expanding
its frontiers. To rule over such a big caliphate stretched from Libya to Makran and from
Yemen to Armenia, Hazrat Umar had to establish an entirely new administrative system. For
the Arabs, in fact, it was for the first time that such a central government was established.
Hazrat Umar believed in shura and what today we call the devolution of power. He would
take no decision without the consultation of the assembly of the great Companions.
Common people were also consulted on matters of special significance.
He used to say: "There is no concept of caliphate without consultation". The roots of modern
democracy can be clearly seen in the administration of Hazrat Umar at a time when the
whole world was ruled by despotic kings and emperors.
Hazrat Umar divided the whole country into provinces and smaller units. He followed a very
strict standard for the appointment of governors, and took particular care to appoint men of
approved integrity to high offices under the state.
He kept a watch over them like a hawk, and as soon as any lapse on their part came to his
notice, immediate action was taken. Before assuming his responsibility, a governor was
required to declare his assets and a complete inventory of his possessions was prepared and
kept in record.
If an unusual increase was reported in the assets of a governor, he was immediately called
to account and the unlawful property was confiscated by the state. At the time of
appointment, a governor was required to make the pledge: (1) that he would not ride a
Turkish horse; (2) that he would not wear fine clothes; (3) that he would not eat sifted
flour; (4) that he would not keep a porter at his door; and (5) that he would always keep
his door open to the public. This is how it was ensured that governors and principal officers
would behave like common people and not like some extraordinary or heavenly creatures.
The governors were required to come to Makkah on the occasion of the Haj. In public
assembly, Hazrat Umar would invite all those who had any grievance against any office to
present the complaint. In the event of complaints, inquiries were made immediately and
grievances redressed on the spot.
The rightly-guided caliph also established a special office for the investigation of complaints
against the governors. The department was under the charge of Muhammad bin Maslamah
Ansari, a man of undisputed integrity. In important cases Muhammad bin Maslamah was
deputed by the caliph to proceed to the spot, investigate the charge and take action.
Sometimes an inquiry commission was constituted to investigate the charge. On occasions
the officers against whom complaints were received were summoned to Madinah, and put to
explanation by the caliph himself.

Hazrat Umar was a man of inflexible integrity. He believed in simplicity and had contempt
for pomp and luxury. Strong sense of justice, accountability before law, and equality for all
were some of his cherished ideals. He took particular pains to provide effective, speedy and
impartial justice to the people.
He was the first ruler in history to separate judiciary from the executive. Qazis/judges were
appointed in sufficient numbers at all administrative levels for the administration of justice.
They were chosen for their integrity and learning in Islamic law. High salaries were fixed for
them and they were not allowed to engage in trade.
In one of his ordinances issued to judicial officers, Hazrat Umar laid down the following
principles: "Verily justice is an important obligation to God and man. You have been charged
with this responsibility. Discharge the responsibility so that you may win the approbation of
God and the goodwill of the people. Treat the people equally in your presence, in your
company, and in your decisions, so that the weak despair not of justice and the high-placed
have no hope of your favour..."
Hazrat Umar took particular steps to build a social order according to the teachings of Islam.
He brought about far-reaching reforms in the social, economic and political sphere of
collective life. It is but he who could say: "If a dog dies at the bank of Euphrates, Umar will
be responsible for that".
As a consequence of large-scale conquests in Iraq, Persia and elsewhere a question arose as
to the administration of land in the conquered territories.
The army following the old maxim "spoils belong to the victors" insisted that all agricultural
lands should be distributed among the conquering army, and the inhabitants should be
made serfs and slaves. However, Hazrat Umar, after prolonged counselling and
contemplation, rejected army's demand and decreed that the conquered land would be the
property of the state and not of the conquering forces and the former occupants of the lands
would not be dispossessed.
This was a revolutionary decision. His general decree was that land belonged to the person
who could cultivate it, and that, a person is entitled to possess only that much land that he
could cultivate.
The caliph upheld the principle that there is no coercion in religion and the non-Muslim
population was guaranteed life, liberty, and property. The non-Muslims were treated as full
citizens of the state. There was to be no discrimination between Muslim and non-Muslim in
the eyes of law. Even on his death-bed, the caliph thought of the state's responsibility to the
non-Muslim citizens.
In his bequest to his successor, he said: "My bequest to my successor is that covenants with
ahl-ud-dhimma i.e. the People of the Covenant or Obligation, should be observed faithfully.
They should be defended against all invasions. No injustice should be done to them. They
should be treated as full-fledged citizens and should enjoy equality before law. Their taxes

should be fair, and no burden should be imposed on them which they cannot bear."
The high standards of integrity that Hazrat Umar set for himself and his family members
should be emulated by the rulers of today, particularly those of the Muslim world. The
allowance that he drew was just enough for a person of average means. When the people
around him insisted that his allowance should be raised, he refused to accept any increase.
He ate the most ordinary food, and wore clothes of the coarsest cloth.
Once he was late for the Friday prayer and the explanation that he offered was that he had
his clothes washed, and that took some time to dry which delayed his departure for the
mosque. When the envoy of the Byzantine emperor came to Madinah, he expected that the
caliph would be living in a heavily guarded palace. The envoy found no palace and no
guard.
He found the caliph sitting in the mosque in the company of ordinary people. When he went
to Palestine to receive the surrender of the city of Jerusalem the world witnessed the
strange spectacle of his slave riding the camel, and he himself walking on foot holding the
reins of the camel.
Once Hazrat Umar's wife, Umm Kulsum, purchased perfume for one dirham and sent it as a
gift to the Byzantine empress. The Byzantine empress returned the empty phials of perfume
filled with gems. When Hazrat Umar came to know of this, he sold the gems. Out of the sale
proceeds he handed over one dirham to his wife and the rest was deposited in the state
treasury. Hazrat Umar's son Abdullah was a very talented man but he refused to give him
any office.
Hazrat Umar was a great social and political reformer, and a man of extraordinary vision. He
was the first Muslim ruler to establish public treasury, courts of justice, appoint judges, set
up an army department and assign regular salaries to the men in the armed forces.
He created a land revenue department and was the first ruler under whom survey and
assessment work of land was undertaken. He was the first Muslim ruler to take a census,
strike coins, organize police department, and set up jails. He established guest houses in all
cities, rest houses on road-side from Madinah to Makkah for the comfort of travellers.
Hazrat Umar took special measures to minimize slavery. He ordered that any female captive
who had given birth to a child should not be sold as a slave. He established schools
throughout the country, and allowed generous salaries to school teachers. He fixed stipends
for the poor and the needy, and provided for the care and upbringing of orphans. His
caliphate was, in fact, a great welfare and egalitarian state.
Hazrat Umar (581-644 A.D.) was a great companion and a loyal friend of the Holy Prophet,
may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Before his death, Hazrat Abu Bakr, with the
consultation of the Companions, had appointed him as the caliph. During the ten years of
his rule from 634 to 644 A.D., Hazrat Umar changed the course of history.

Under his wise and courageous leadership, the Islamic caliphate grew at an unprecedented
rate, taking Iraq and parts of Iran from the Sassanids, and thereby ending that empire, and
taking Egypt, Palestine, Syria, North Africa and Armenia from the Byzantines. He was
assassinated by a Persian free slave, Abu Lulu Fairoz, and embraced shahadat on first of
Muharram, 24 Hijri.

Case against polygamy

By Qazi Faez Isa

The caricature of a Muslim man in non-Muslim societies is of a husband having four wives.
The Muslim response is invariably apologetic. But can a Muslim man marry more than once?
This very question was asked on television of a lady armed with a doctorate from the West
who runs a network of Islamic schools.
She tersely replied that a man can marry more than once and does not require permission.
An emphatic response, which brooked no doubt and slammed shut the discussion. The
conviction with which an educated lady from one's faith endorsed a prejudice, saddened and
hurt.
The majestic words of the Most High are often forgotten or else subjected to uninformed,
whimsical and arbitrary pronouncements. The Almighty directs us "to study" the Quran
(2:121). In addressing the question of polygamy, guidance can be had from a number of
Quranic verses.
The Quranic verse pressed into service to justify a man marrying up to four wives is verse 3
of the fourth Surah (chapter) entitled Nisaa (women). This verse is often selectively read
and mistranslated. To best appreciate the issue, the entire verse and its preceding two are
reproduced:
"O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person, created
of like nature, his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and
women; reverence Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence)
the wombs (that bore you): for Allah ever watches over you."(4:1)
"To orphans (yatama) restore their property (when they reach their age), nor substitute
(your) worthless things for (their) good ones; and devour not their substance (by mixing it
up) with your own. For this is indeed a great sin."(4:2)
"If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans (yatama), marry from
amongst them women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not
be able to deal justly (with them), then only one.... That will be more suitable, to prevent
you from doing injustice". (4:3)

In certain translations the aforementioned verse 3 is translated by leaving out the words
"from amongst them" rendering it, "If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with
the orphans (yatama), marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four."
Such a truncated translation leaves the text meaningless and it cannot be stated, as the
exponents of four marriages contend, that the part of the text "marry women of your
choice, two, or three, or four" stands alone, and has no nexus with the earlier part of the
same verse.
This translation also offends the latter part of the verse, which uses the words "fear" and
"justly" words which are also found in the opening of the verse, and therefore, clearly
demonstrate that the verse must be read as a whole.
Those canvassing polygamy attempt to refute this by stating, "then the word 'women'
appearing in the text adds nothing?" However, if the term "women" (menan nisaa) did not
follow orphans (yatama) then "yatama" appearing alone would cover boys and young girls,
since the term yatama includes both.
The earlier verse (4:2) which warns about safeguarding the property of yatama extends to
protect the property of both girls and boys, as the word "yatama" is not qualified. Moreover,
the term that follows yatama is not simply "women" but "those women" (menan nisaa),
which means the women amongst the yatama, and therefore, the reference to two, three,
or four" can only be to yatama women and not women generally.
The term yatama is usually translated as "orphans"; however, the Arabic word is rich in
meaning. In English, an orphan is one whose parents are dead, but in Arabic a child whose
mother is dead but whose father is alive is not a yatim (singular, the plural of which is
yatama).
Women whose husbands are dead are also covered by the term yatama as the Quran itself
makes clear by use of the term yatamal nisaa (4:127). Girls whose fathers are dead would
continue to remain "yatama" until they get married.
This verse prescribes the protection of not only women whose fathers are dead but also
other categories of females who are in a precarious or vulnerable position such as maids
and widows, who may be more open to exploitation. Or the hunger in their bellies or those
of their children may force them to walk a scarlet street.
Only in marrying a yatama (adult lady) can a man marry more than once. However, there is
an almost impossible condition to fulfil before marrying more than one yatama lady; the
mandate to deal with all such wives justly and equally.
Because "if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one". The
equal-treatment requirement is a continuous one for the entire duration of the marriage.
Our Benevolent Creator does not want any man to slip up and cautions man again that a
single wife will "be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice".

Can a man treat two wives fairly and justly? Almighty Allah, tells man, later in the same
Surah (4:129), that, "ye are never able to be fair and just as between women, even if it is
your ardent desire".
Would then a God-fearing man embark on a perilous journey where he must continuously
and forever attempt the impossible - to act fairly and justly between two or more wives? To
be able to act fairly with two wives would require two hearts in one body and "Allah has not
made for any man two hearts in his (one) body" (33:4).
Other than the aforesaid verse (4:3) there is no verse in the Holy Quran which permits a
man having more than one wife. There are, however, a number of verses which suggest
monogamy.
"Marry those amongst you are single" (24:32) is a command applicable to both men and
women. If a woman is marrying a man who already has a wife she would not be marrying a
man who is "single".
Verse 40 of Surah Nisaa is again suggestive of monogamy - "If ye decide to take one wife in
place of another", since there is only one "place" to occupy or take, next to the husband. If
it were permissible for a man to marry more than one woman then it would not be a
question of substitution but of addition.
It is surely not without significance that the first verse of Surah Nisaa starts by telling us
about how the human race began; with the creation of a "single person" (Hazrat Adam) and
from him "his mate" (Bibi Hawwa). A monogamous relationship and a perfect pair.
The pairing of the first man and woman populated the world. "O mankind! "We created you
from a single (pair) of a male and a female" (49:13). The theme of pairs runs throughout
the Holy Quran. "We ... produce on the earth every nobler creatures, in pairs" (31:10). "He
made you in pairs" (35:11). "He has made for you pairs from among yourselves" (42:11).
"And (have We not) created you in pairs" (78:8).
With trepidation, one inquires the purpose of Almighty Allah repeatedly telling us that He
has created us in pairs. The answer, too, is found in the Book of Wisdom: "Thus does Allah
set forth for men their lessons by similitudes" (47:3). And "do not treat Allah's Signs (ayah
or verses) as a jest"(2:231).
The Lord of the Worlds explains through the Quran that He has made His creation in perfect
proportion, measure and balance. "Verily, all things have We created in proportion and
measure" (27:49).
"He has created the heavens and the earth in just proportion and has given you shape, and
made your shapes beautiful" (44:3). In a world of such perfect order and balance, where
men and women are found in roughly equal numbers, harmony could not be maintained if
each, most or even some men were to marry more than one woman. And monasticism is

neither prescribed nor recommended (see 57:27).

The relationship between spouses is one of companionship, love, beauty, joy and comfort,
which harbours not a third, or a fourth, or a fifth. "It is He Who created you from a single
person, and made his mate of like nature, in order that he might dwell with her (in love).
When they are united, she bears a light burden and carries it about. When she grows heavy,
they both pray to Allah their Lord: 'If Thou givest us a goodly child, we vow we shall (ever)
be grateful' " (9:189).
The source of affection between a husband and wife is a gift from our Supreme Lord, the
Source of Peace, who bestows "hearing and sight and intelligence and affections" (16:78).
"He hath put affection between their hearts: not if thou hadst spent all that is in the earth,
couldst thou have produced that affection, but Allah hath done it" (8:63). An affection that
only a pair can share, like the intimacy, texture, feel and smell of a garment next to one's
body - "They are your garments and ye are their garments" (2:187).
The due proportion and balance of creation may at times be imperfect, with the dead left in
the battlefields and the widows at home, or in the form of the impecunious young orphan
lady whose hunger contemplates prostitution.
In a world of perfect balance there must be a mechanism to repair the fabric of society. And
in the Perfect Book (in verse 3 of Surah Nisaa) there is for the purpose just such a needle
and thread.
The needle is there to mend not to harm, to stitch a tear not to pierce open another. But
those who take more than one wife, do they take them from amongst the yatama, from
among widows, and unmarried orphans who no one wants to marry? Or does one witness in
the second, third or fourth wife youthful freshness and comely forms? An abandonment of
"the command of self-restraint" (48:26) and a rejection of Allah's message - "they reject
(the warning) and follow their (own) lusts" (54:3).
The only time that the Lord of Righteousness places the burden of another on a soul is when
such a one misleads those without knowledge. "Let them bear, on the Day of Judgment,
their own burdens in full, and also (something) of the burdens of those without knowledge,
whom they misled. Alas, how grievous the burdens that they will bear" (16:25).
The Quran prescribes monogamy and the only exception is in respect of unmarried ladies
whose fathers are dead, or are widows. This exception cannot replace the rule, nor be used
to indulge in lust. It is there, as it states, to justly restore a balance.

Character in Islamic context

By Prof. Mohammed Rafi

THE character of a person consists of all the qualities that make him distinct and reflect his
nature. Character is also reflection of truth. All over the world the Muslims feel angry at the
misconceived notions of the West about them and Islam. On the other hand, among the
Muslims emphasis is laid on rituals and not on the true message of the Quran, which places
man and his character on a higher level of life.
When Islam is judged in the light of character, attitude and behaviour of Muslims, the net
result is abysmally low and discouraging. The outward signs of a weak character are
commonly believed to be corruption, injustice and exploitation, but they do not reflect the
true nature of and significance of the term. Ultimately a mans character is judged in terms
of his moral behaviour which for a Muslim must be based on permanent values of the
Quran.
Moral action is generally considered to be an action freely performed for the sake of an
unconditionally and universally binding law. This law should be such that we can sensibly,
reasonably and conscientiously recognize. Preservation of life is an animal instinct, but the
preservation of honour is not. It is unknown in the animal world; it is a specific human value
and elevates the character and level of life of a human being.
Honour as an important ingredient of character signifies a number of things like chastity,
good reputation and respect. Its standard varies from society to society. For example in an
island on the Pacific there is a tribe with whom dishonesty is the best conduct and the
cleverest cheat is held in the highest esteem. Another example is that of nationalism which
is recognized the world over as a political and social creed and those who serve their nation
by exploiting other nations are regarded as patriots. On the contrary thee Quran says that
human values are the same everywhere and unchangeable.
It is the Divine revelation that gives abiding universal values and provides a universal
standard of character called Taqwa. According to Hastings Rashdall, That there is one
standard set of values which is the same for rational beings is just what morality means
(Theory of good and evil). A true Muslim adheres to the truth in all circumstances.
The Quran says, O you believers be the securers of justice. If you are summoned as a
witness for God regardless of your relationship with the parties, whether your evidence goes
against yourself or your parents and kinsmen and whether the party affected is rich or poor,
Gods law is the best protector. Let not caprice, personal gain, relationship or regard for
riches swerve you from the path of justice (4:135).
A lot of hue and cry was rightly raised over the desecration of the Holy Quran by Americans
at Guantanamo Bay camp. It is, however, a pity that nobody thinks about the actual
disregard in letter and spirit of the Holy Book that goes on everyday in all walks of life. For
example our courts are full of witnesses willing to lie under oath. A struggle between
material gains and Islamic values confronts Muslims at almost every turn in day-to-day life
and the test of their character lies in the kind of choice they make. How can a society, which

ignores Divine Laws of justice, survive? This is an important question. Is it possible to

sacrifice self-interest? Definitely a man will preserve human values if there is a reasonable
prospect of greater gain.
A hungry man will eat anything he can get hold of even if it is dirty; but the moment
someone tells him that it contains poison he will throw away the food. He would prefer the
pangs of hunger rather than risk his life. In our everyday life if we realize that ill-gotten
wealth is a deadly poison in the divine Universal system, we will avoid it.
Majority of the western and far eastern countries are progressing because they have
moulded their lives in accordance with this universal law. Man is free to observe and accept
or reject the dictates of the Quran; but once he makes the choice, he cannot change the
consequences. According to the Quran there are two concepts of life. One concept is that
man is only an animal and lives and dies as any other living being. This concept completely
excludes human values.
On the other hand man is a social being who preserves his physical self and also enhances
his character by obeying the Divine commands. Mans inescapable desire is to live a life of
eternity. Satan took advantage of this weakness and affectionately offered immortality and
power through his (mans) progeny generation after generation. This weakness in mans
character is evident all over the world, especially in Muslim countries.
Character also depends upon how a person develops his insight to differentiate between
immediate and long lasting gain. Allama Iqbal draws a distinction between two phases of
intellect. When it cares only for the satisfaction of physical urges, he calls it Aql-e-Khud
Been (Self seeking intellect) and when it cares for the satisfaction of the urges of both body
and character he calls it Aql-e-Jehan Been (All seeing intellect) Thus anything done under
the influence of self-seeing intellect would be an act of wisdom; but what is done in
pursuance of the all-seeing intellect would be wisdom cum character. A human being
through improvement in his character and attitude has the potentiality of reaching a state
higher than the angels; but at the same time he also possesses the power to deny God. It is
up to him to choose the right path or reject it. Everything is situated on a particular level of
existence; only man can stop being man. He can ascend above all degrees of universal
existence and by the same token fall below the level of the basest of creatures.
According to H. Nasr Man is presented with the unique opportunity by being born in the
human state and it is a tragedy for him to fret away and waste his life in pursuits which
distract him from the essential goal of his life (Islam, the Last religion).
Islam stresses achievement. This achievement is a life-long pursuit of knowledge through
which he improves his character and delivers to other human beings what he has received
from the Almighty. With regard to the permanent values of life, Hastings Rashdall (The
theory of good and evil) says that the universe has been created with the purpose of helping
humans in all positive matters and the acts of man in this context proceed from and express
the nature of his character.

Mans present actions affect his future. If he sees nothing beyond present life, he will
consider Islamic values of no importance. If he believes that character comes to an end with
the last breath of life, why should he worry about improving his character? Only those who
believe in God and an absolute moral law can develop their character and benefit the whole
humanity. The Quran says that faith and character are inseparable, that is why the words
Amelu as salehat (Do good deeds) are always preceded by Al lazeena amanu (Those who
have faith).
The Quran also makes the state responsible to see that every citizen is provided with the
basic needs of life and the means for the development and realization of every citizens
capabilities. Weaknesses of character arising directly from want and poverty are thus
eliminated. As opposed to communism, there is no regimentation is Islam; conviction is
brought home rationally through education and knowledge. The concept of blind faith is
alien to Islam.
The laws of nature apply to all irrespective of their faith and belief. The everlasting value of
a mans actions depends upon the faith he has in the Law of Retribution and the Day of
Judgment. At times we have also seen that secular societies exploited by religious bigots,
take refuge in the mystical approach, which by itself aims at annihilation and not integration
of self. It claims purification of self or spiritual advancement through various practices
performed in seclusion with no incentive for man to work for a social order. It discards
society, relations and desires.
Iqbal calls it an alien plant in the land of Islam True character is reflected when man
interacts with man. For this Islam gives utmost importance to society and social life. Even
the affairs of the state have to be decided on the basis of consultation with men of
character. The application of Quranic principles does not deprive one of the physical gains.
In a social order constituted on the basis of these principles, an individual has physical gains
along with the means of developing his character. The Quran says. Our Nourisher give us
good in this world and in the hereafter (2:201).
A balanced character is beauty in proportion which practically shows a positive aspect of life,
masters nature through education, knowledge and wisdom; establishes justice, rejects
sectarianism and fights religious and racial prejudices and attains his destiny by following
the straight path (Sirat-e-Mustaqeem). These in essence are some of the shining facets of a
developed self that shape a character and can bring back the respect which Muslims have
lost.

Teaching Islamiat
In the British era, schools of the Indian subcontinent did not have the formal subject of
Islamiat for their Muslim students. The senior members of a family were supposed to teach
juniors through their personal conduct.

Though at some places the madressah system was helping new generations to read the
Holy Quran (nazrah), character-building was considered to be the sole responsibility of the
family.
With the creation of Pakistan in 1947 and the subsequent adoption of the Objectives
Resolution in 1949, the subject of Islamiat was formally introduced. The first education
minister of Pakistan (Fazlur Rahman), who happened to be a religious scholar, considered
Islamiat as an essential subject within the whole scheme of holistic education.
The state education policy for Islamiat revolves around the objectives of making students
know and understand faith with firm beliefs in the basic concepts of Islam like Tauheed
(monotheism), Prophethood and the hereaf ter etc.
During Ayub Khan`s regime (1958-69), this subject was made compulsory at the
elementary level. Similarly, the 1973 Constitution also makes Islamiat a compulsory subject.
It requires the state to take steps to enable the Muslims of Pakistan to order their lives in
accordance with the fundamental principles and basic concepts of Islam.
Later in the Zia era (1977-88), the process of Islamisation was in full swing; therefore, the
subject got extra significance. Its teaching was expanded even to students of professional
universities. It was made a core subje ct in the training of doctors, nurses, engineers, the
bureaucracy armed forces etc.
During the last 67 years, Islamiat has been part of the curriculum and is being taught in
almost all schools across Pakistan. But its efficacy to inculcate Islamic values in students`
lives, turn them into ethically conscious citizens with empathy for others and to mould them
into one unified nation is yet to be seen.
Nobody denies the importance of Islamiat; rather, it is key to social transformation. It can
be a base for building strong ethical and civic foundations for individuals alongside a
healthy, progressive society. It should aim at promoting emotional, social and intellectual
development through Islamic perspectives.
But unfortunately, the concepts taught in Islamiat courses are mostly learnt only to be
regurgitated in examinations.
True and honest teaching of Islamiat can change an ordinary person into a better human
being and subsequently create a peaceful society. However, this depends upon well-trained,
well-versed and well-equipped subject teachers with a passionate sense of creating a Godfearing society. The subject`s contents and pedagogy need to be in line withour national
requirements.
At present, the contents seem abstruse; hence students tend to avoid them. Therefore, they
need a thorough review to make Islamiat responsive to our present problems. We should
incorporate aspects pertaining to ethics and civility, inculcating love for fellow human
beings, a caring attitude for all of God`s creations and consciousness of the divine presence

in students` hearts. Besides, students need to be engaged practically in various ethical

dilemmas challenging them to solve these issues in the light of Islamic teachings.
Many schools slack off in teaching Islamiat and regard it as a mere formality. Many school
managements do not value Islamiat as compared to other subjects. They remain impassive,
showing neither interest in nor concern for the subject. Mostly unqualified people having no
credentials of teaching Islamiat arehired. No in-service teachers` training is arranged for
Islamiat instructors.
Consequently, it has brought no improvement in our society. Though it has been taught for
decades, the results are entirely contrary to what had beenexpected. No impact is witnessed
in the state apparatus; rather many institutions have slid into disarray. We see that new
sets of problems have emerged in the last decade.
Pakistan is in the grip of horrendous problems like lawlessness, corruption, nepotism and
killings etc and with each passing day our problems are multiplying. Materialistic tendencies
are rampant and their overwhelming influence has made us more self-serving and
leastbothered abouttherights ofothers.
Islamic education needs to be based on the Quranic ayat which states: `... So vie with one
another in good work. Unto Allah ye will all return and He will inform you of that wherein
you differ` (5:48). The subject can help students discover divinity in their hearts. It can
make them aware of the divine presence behind the whole universe to which we belong.
The Islamic message is all-encompassing and always open for multiple interpretations; it is
lil Further, Islamiat can encourage love and affinity between relatives, neighbours, the
community, and humanity at large. Therefore, a thorough evaluation is the need of the
hour. The writer is an educationist with an interest in religion.

Morality & politics

THE relationship of morality to politics has occupied philosophers the world over since time
immemorial. While the ideas of Western thinkers such as Machiavelli and Kant have gained
universal acclaim, nonWestern philosophers have grappled with such questionsfor as
long,ifnotlonger, than their Western counterparts. Gandhi`s reflections, for instance, build
upon a line of thinking about the self and collective thousands of years old.
Most classical and contemporary thinkers acknowledge that politics is more often than not
amoral, especially at the highest echelons of power. This does not preclude us postulating
what politics should be about, but many philosophers believe that abstract notions of
morality typically bear little resemblance to what actually happens in the real-life political
sphere.
One of the defining precepts of modernity is that ethical, and political, concerns do not have

to be rooted in one or other conception of the divine. In short, religion is not the only source
of morality, and political choices can and should be made without recourse to the
universalistic appeals of one or the other faith.
While philosophers alert us to the complexity of the link between morality and politics,
politicians prefer to paint in broad strokes.
They regularly claim their ideals and choices are motivated purely by broader ethical
concerns, like the collective `good` or `rights` of citizens. This is true all over the world,
but we Pakistanis distinguish ourselves from the rest, largely because we make no
distinction between ethics, religion and politics.
Take the never-ending moralising of Imran Khan, who insists that he is the voice of
righteousness in the midst of an immoral mob that is posing as the rightful representative of
the people. The P TI chief regularly invokes Islam to verify his political credentials, and
never tires of reminding us that fate has decided thathe alone cansave Pakistan.
Khan employs such rhetorical flourishes in the mould of the religious right that is the PTFs
favourite political ally. Since the Zia years all mainstream parties have either willingly
employed religious rhetoric in their political discourse or reluctantly acceded to the fact they
have no choice but to do so.
Indeed, almost every major political statement in this country is laced with a moral/
religious tinge. For the most part politicians (and the army) express moral outrage at the
machinations of the `enemies of Islam`, but from time to time there is also celebration at
the outstanding moral character of individuals or institutions that embody the best
`Islamic` values.
Tellingly, it is not just mainstream politicians, the religious right or state functionariesthat
conflate morality and politics.
Progressives increasingly express their politics in moral terms as well. The whole discourse
of `terrorism` is both cause and consequence of this intensifying trend. After every blast
that takes innocent lives, a wave of moral indignation does the rounds, and the forces of
reason (read: the state) are implored to bring the incivility to a halt. The politics underlying
this moral indignation is generally of the liberal variety, usually voiced by individuals in their
capacity as `concerned citizens`.
Publicised incidents of gratuitous violence against women and groups whose religious
affiliations cast them outside the pale of the state`s version of Islam similarly induce moral
outrage and a round of protests but little in the way of an organised politics presumably
because parties that consider themselves liberal are wary of contesting the hegemony of the
faith-tinged morality that undergirds mainstream discourse.
Progressives regularly lament this meekness in the face of the religious right. But whatof
our own moralising and the politics implicit or otherwise into which this moralising

translates? Just take the most recent example of an admittedly horrific act of violence
against a Christian couple in Kasur. The reactions of progressives after the deathshave been
largely predictable, including the silence on fundamental aspects of the couple`s condition.
That the husband and wife were lynched by a mob on the basis of a trumped up blasphemy
charge is clear. But what about the fact that these two Christians and the rest of their family
were indentured labourers who were ultimately reduced to ashes inside the very brick kiln in
which they toiled their whole lives? Yes there are well-to-do Christians and other religious
groups for that matter facing victimization, but there is a close nexus between religious
identity and class that is operative in Pakistani politics which too many progressives
continually ignore. Moral indignation neither helps to make sense of this nexus or, more
importantly, build a politics against it.
Morality and politics are certainly related, but progressives need to stop being the mirror
image of the religious right if they want to challenge the latter`s hegemony. The writer
teaches at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

Land rights in Islam

IN Islam, everything, including the being of man, is owned by God. Land and its plentiful
provisions belong to Him, but have been given to man to keep in trust, to be used wisely for
his own benefit and that of the larger community.
For example the Quran says: To Him belongs what is in the heavens and what is on the
earth and what is between them and what is under the soil (20:6), while it also observes
that It is He who made the earth tame for you so walk among its slopes and eat of His
provision and to Him is the resurrection (67:15).
To promote entrepreneurship and human creativity, Islam has encouraged private holdings
of such resources that may be in excess, and are not held at the cost of peoples welfare.
The Quran does not lay out specific instructions on how land may be distributed, but it does
spell out the principles clearly for a fair and just system to be developed in an Islamic
society.
Over the centuries, Muslims have used their abilities to judge right from wrong, and to
develop land measurement and planning, usage and taxation systems that deter
exploitation by a few. Division of state lands among farmers is a standard Islamic practice.
Caliph Umar refused to divide land conquered through victories among soldiers for fear of its
concentration in a few hands. Most of the land was kept with the state, and used as a
commons.
Islam does not allow ownership, as in exclusive use by a few, but gives trusteeship under
defined terms. Those who have been given this trust have huge responsibilities to others in

terms of their well-being. If landholders do not fulfil these obligations, the state is fully
within its rights to take back the land and use it for the larger economic benefit, under the
principle of public interest (maslaha).
Private trusteeship is allowed and indeed protected in the Sharia, but only if it does not
create injustice, hunger and poverty in society.
Islam lays particular emphasis on social justice, the word justice having been mentioned in
the Holy Quran the third most frequently after God and knowledge. Muslims are urged to
ensure balance, fairness, kindness and truth in their dealings, reflecting on Gods qualities of
adl (justice) and qist (equity).
Both the Quran and hadith forbid taking over the property of others through unlawful means
by the individual or by the state.
Islam holds a strict yardstick for rulers to follow. They must ensure a socially just,
economically equitable and fair society, with land distributed amongst citizens in such a way
that they are not exploited by a few. They must also develop legal and transparent systems
of private trusteeship that may not be susceptible to fraud or forced takeover.
As data shows, both poverty and inequity are high in Pakistan, the former defined as a
composite of lack of education, nutrition, health and basic social services.
These conditions are especially prominent in the rural areas, where the often subhuman
conditions of landless farmers and those with very small landholdings are directly related to
the pattern of land ownership. Much agricultural land is held by a few feudal families while
peasants who do own land are often denied access to water for irrigation.
With the socio-economic situation clearly showing that the current landholding pattern is a
major factor contributing to increasing hunger and deprivation in the country, a judgement
by the Shariat Appellate Bench, declaring land reforms un-Islamic, is difficult to
comprehend. It is clear that several instances when the state should be able to intervene
were not considered. Contextual reasoning and ijtehad that Islam has always urged Muslim
intelligentsia to practise, were sacrificed for literal interpretation.
A most significant fact has been left out of the debate. The land distribution system existing
in Pakistan today is evidently un-Islamic as it negates the basic principles of justice and
equity for the majority. Eminent scholar Javed Ahmed Ghamidi points out that much of the
land in pre-Partition India had been handed over by the British to individuals, although most
Muslim societies had been using land as common goods. The result was that the jagirdars
began to see land as their exclusive right.
If there is a case for what is Islamic or not in terms of land rights, it is whether land
distribution pre- and post-1947 was legal and fair.
This should be relatively easy to prove, without affecting the Islamic tenet of protecting

legally purchased property.

This would pave the way to reduce the alarming levels of income disparity, hunger and
poverty, and contribute to ensuring land rights according to Islamic principles.

Glorious example
The Quran must be read with deep reflection to understand its meaning.
THE prophet of God (PBUH) was the noblest of humans. His conduct was declared by God as
the glorious example, and was an embodiment of sympathy, tolerance, justice, humility,
magnanimity and many other attributes quite apart from being most notably the truthful
(al-Sadiq) and trustworthy (al-Amin).
The fact that he was unanimously accepted as truthful (al-Sadiq) was confirmed at the
beginning of his prophetic mission by his sworn enemies too, who acknowledged
unanimously that he couldnt make an untrue claim when he ascended Mount Safa, calling
their attention to ask if they would believe him if he claimed that the enemy was preparing
to launch an attack on Makkah. Many of the same people became so aggressive that he had
to migrate to Madinah, but they still considered him to be so trustworthy that he had with
him many of their valuables which, before leaving Makkah, he gave to his cousin, Ali, to be
returned.
Khadija, his wife, the person closest to him, confirmed when he received the first revelation
that he was an extremely sympathetic person to whom God would not cause any harm. The
Qur'an he presented as Gods word preached forgiveness for enemies and he himself
demonstrated that attribute like no one else could. He preached and practiced religious
tolerance in a way that Jews and Christians were given the freedom to practice their faith in
the city-state of Madinah where he literally enjoyed full administrative authority. He declared
killing a human being as big a crime as killing all of humanity. He didn't allow his
companions to consider him higher in status than any of the other prophets. He taught
them not to doubt the intentions of others even if there were strong reasons to do so. He
implemented the dictates of justice on himself and his very close relatives and friends first,
before expecting others to be judged by them. The list of moral virtues he preached and
practiced at the highest level of expectation is endless.
What we find today in the conduct of the people who claim to be his followers is, however, in
many cases completely the opposite of his glorious example. If we trace the causes, we find
one reason more than any other: there is an absence of a serious effort to understand the
message the prophet of God brought. Instead of critically examining the contents of the
Quran to find what it is requiring the believer to acknowledge and practice, exceptions
apart, Muslims have chosen to emotionally and blindly follow what their elders taught them,
primarily from sources outside the Quran. The result is that instead of understanding the
message of the Quran as a coherent narrative, Muslim groups have accepted as their

religious understanding messages that are different and in some cases divergent from what
others have accepted.
The Quran has two sets of rules mentioned side by side which can easily be deciphered
through a serious reading of the text. There are rules that were meant for the prophet and
the people who received the message of God directly from him and there were others that
were universal. The Quran is unambiguous in presenting the two sets of rules as distinctly
applicable to the immediate addressees and to humanity respectively. However, if the
unwitting reader is bent upon considering each and every verse of the Quran universally
applicable, he is bound to generalise what was meant to be era-specific.
The Quran talks about deliberate deniers of truth (Kuffar) worthy of Gods punishment even
in this life for rejecting the truth they received directly from the messenger. The result of
generalising era-specific verses caused some zealots to search for Kuffar from among nonMuslims as well as, at times, from within Muslims, to take them to task. Without bothering
to distinguish between verses meant for all times and those that were describing Gods
displeasure against the immediate enemies of His messenger, many Muslims chose to
generalise that displeasure to apply to those people who in reality deserved to be
sympathised with and properly informed about the message, like the messenger of God did
in his prophetic mission.
The way out of this predicament is to teach Islam in a way that the Quran is read with deep
reflection for understanding its meaning, ensuring that all religious sources outside the
Quran including the hadith are understood in the light of its text. The Quran-centred
approach of learning Islam would ensure that the focus of affiliation of faith would shift from
sectarian rhetoric to the text of the Quran. As a result, Muslims would rely more on the
meaning of the book of God instead of hearsay-based information that has not only divided
Muslims but also presented a skewed message of the sirah of the prophet, which when it is
understood in the light of the Quran gives the message of a faith which is enlightening,
tolerant, humane, and convincing.

Poverty challenge
Islam has introduced certain principles to tackle poverty.
POVERTY is one of the major global issues facing many countries. It is also considered to be
the root of many other problems such as inadequate nutrition, low life expectancy, lack of
education, healthcare and sanitation etc.
Poverty turns nights sleepless and days restless. A poor person has no respect in society
and many consider him worthless.
However, we must ponder why there is poverty when Allah declares And no living creature
is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. ... (11:6). Allah is indeed the sole
Sustainer of the entire universe. He provides sustenance to every soul.

When Adam was sent to Paradise, Allah assured him that ...You would never be hungry
therein nor naked. And you (will) suffer not from thirst therein nor from the suns heat
(20:118-119). However, upon his faltering, he was dislodged and sent down to earth. At this
point, Adam implored that he would feel hunger and thirst and face the vagaries of nature,
fear and trepidation from the onslaughts of Satan on earth. The Creator granted him all that
he asked for.
Ever since man descended to earth, he has hunted for food. His physical body needs
continuous nourishment and his intellectual and spiritual growth depends on his physical
nourishment. While referring to prophets, Allah says We did not create their bodies that
ate no food. ... (21:8). Therefore, every human being strives for food from sunrise to
sunset, travels to far-flung areas, and migrates to unknown lands in search of sustenance.
Most infighting amongst humans is over securing livelihood. Sometimes, man behaves like
an animal, snatching food from others mouths to put out the fire inside his belly.
The world and its resources are created for mans use. These are spread all over the globe.
They include resources buried beneath the soil, hidden in the mountains, laid underneath
oceans, spread over the surface and even in the outer atmosphere. Every corner of the
earth is full of resources for human use, yet millions of human beings live below the poverty
line a level where basic needs remain unmet. This is a great irony which needs
rectification.
Normally, those nations, communities and people are trapped in poverty which are too
lethargic to explore natural resources, uninterested in life-oriented education and careless
about life overall.
The Quran encourages humanity to spread over the earth to search for Allahs bounties; all
fields are open for human exploration and use. It is for man to explore the world and make
use of natural resources. Everything on earth has been created for man; it is his duty to
make use of all divine blessings. Thus exploration and exploitation of natural resources is
the prime duty of all humans. But man must remain mindful of his responsibility towards
nature. He has to leave a much better world for coming generations.
Keeping in view the vast and abundant natural resources, the problem of poverty seems
unnatural, man-made and perhaps reflects human lassitude. A man cannot grumble that he
is stuck in poverty because of natural causes. The mismanagement of natural resources and
the stratification of society are considered to be the major causes of poverty. This can be
overcome by proper resource management.
One can observe mismanagement at every level. There are people who dine at five-star
hotels with a surfeit of food, while in the same area there are people who starve and sleep
hungry. We see people travelling in air-conditioned cars while on the same roads people are
packed like sardines in rundown buses and also seated precariously on the roofs of vehicles.
We see children studying in elite schools while there are poor children who have nowhere to
study.

History reveals that all societies have remained stratified on the basis of resources in all
ages. Some have more resources than others. Therefore, those who have more resources
are more powerful with greater status. Many societies have seen clashes between people
due to income inequality.
Islam has introduced certain principles to bring people at par with each other. These include
generosity and philanthropy in the shape of zakat, sadaqah, infaaq and qarz-i-hasana.
In order to eradicate poverty, a life-oriented education system is the need of the hour,
whereby learners are equipped with the tools needed to fend for themselves.
People trapped in poverty need guidance, encouragement, proper infrastructure and the
right tools to improve their economic situation. There are enormous natural resources
waiting to be exploited to their full potential. Those who responsibly exploit these resources
are doing a service to humanity and Islam considers this ibadat, or worship.
The government needs to extend a helping hand to those individuals who want to climb out
of the pit of poverty by creating the right environment and providing them encouragement.

Mosque & seminary

No longer are madressahs the centres of thought and reflection.
THE two emblems of Islam the mosque and the madressah are frequently vilified,
feared and even shunned by many non-Muslims.
In Pakistan, some are places to avoid, rather than to seek out. People often first determine
which sect the mosque belongs to. The increasing number of madressahs has been
worrisome: many are linked to sectarian hatred and religious extremism. Before these
statements are refuted for reflecting the un-Islamic attitude of secularists, it would be
worth examining their validity.
The mosque is the translation of the Arabic masjid, which is derived from sajdah, to
prostrate. It is a place for worship, and since prostration is an essential element of Muslim
worship, it is where the Muslims gather to pray. From the advent of Islam, the masjid had
been used as a community centre, where people would gather to discuss and resolve
matters collectively. After Islam was formally established in its first state, Madina, mosques
attained a pivotal role.
Both men and women prayed in mosques daily, the Prophet (PBUH) gave sermons, and later
on, religious scholars talked about religious and social issues. Strangers to the town were
taken to the mosque to be looked after; the afflicted found solace and peace there; and

community life thrived around the mosque. All Muslims were welcome, and non-Muslims
were allowed, provided they adhered to the norms of respect and dignity. The wise, the
thinkers and those who were known to take interest in public affairs were to be found in
mosques. The followers of Islam worshipped where peace dominated.
The madressah began with the basic Quranic injunction Iqra, (read), and when the Prophet
said it is incumbent upon all Muslims to gain knowledge he was paraphrasing Gods
guidance. Initially, there was the maktab, associated with a mosque, where children were
taught Arabic, basic mathematics and Islamic law. This then evolved into the madressah,
which had an extensive curriculum of religion, arts and the sciences.
These centres became the first nuclei of thought and reflection on the universe, where
Muslim scientists and philosophers gained their insight and communicated it to the world. A
minimum of 16 years was required to complete the curriculum, and students had full
freedom to communicate, debate, write and teach. The madressah was similar to a modernday university. It became a centre of excellence for learning and knowledge and the most
eminent scholars emerged from it.
Nowhere has the spirit of both the symbols changed as radically as in Pakistan. While the
outward structure remains similar, many mosques have become bases of individuals who
often preach division and hatred, in the name of their particular brand of Islam, which they
believe is the only right religion. Women are barred from entry in most.
Using the most mundane differences between sects, preachers highlight the apparent
misdoings of other sects, instead of focusing on the multitudinous issues that prevail in
society. As Jesus is quoted as having said, They would strain out gnats, and swallow
camels. (Matthew, 23:24). They incite people to violence, persecution and killing of
innocent fellow beings, when they should be playing a role to develop collective ethics,
warning people against doing harm to others, and promoting strength of character.
The world has seen a gradually diminishing role of madressahs, as secular and religious
education were separated, but where the state would not attend to educating its poor young
as in Pakistan madressahs became the poor childs school. He could be taken in, at as
tender an age as four or five years, and his young mind tutored in whatever narrow vision
of the world (and of Islam) his teachers had. The latter belonged to a particular sect, had
read and interpreted the Quran without deep reflection of the internal coherence, context
and timing of the verses, and made their decisions on what they wanted to follow.
Spurred on by desire of power, and the lost glory of Muslims, they inculcated venom in
these young breasts, making them ready for what they saw as jihad. From being a centre
of learning, the madressah, more often than not, became one of ignorance and bigotry.
It is the control that people with distorted ideas about religion have over these emblems
that is the problem. Ordinary Muslims need to restore the sanctity and peace of mosques
and madressahs, by calling upon the state to take them under its control, remove any
sectarian claims, allow admission into a madressah only after the child has completed his

compulsory 12 years of general education, and establish a strict code of ethics for preachers
that must be monitored by committees that include local communities.
This is the only approach that would help reform these institutions in line with true Quranic
guidance.

Bounty of water
ALLAH has blessed humanity with innumerable bounties and water is perhaps the topmost
amongst all of these. He has made all creatures out of water as He mentions in the Quran:
We have made every living thing from water. ... (21:30). After oxygen, water is
considered to be one of the basic needs for living creatures.
At another place the Holy Book says: Allah has created every creature from water. Of them
there are some that creep on their bellies, some that walk on two legs, and some that walk
on four. Allah creates what He wills ... Allah is able to do all things (24:45).
The above verses hint not only at creation from water, but the latters continuous
importance in all spheres of life. The very survival and sustainability of all creatures depends
on water. It is in fact a part of Islamic teachings that one needs to be mindful, cautious and
responsible in using Gods bounties the scrupulous use of water and other God-given
bounties is an implied way of thanksgiving.
We see innumerable sources of water on earth; 71pc of the earths surface consists of water,
much of it contained, in the oceans. Seawater is yet to be made fully potable and usable for
irrigation through the development of cheap desalination technology. Other sources include
rain, rivers and glaciers, etc.
Until recently, many people used to think that water is free and an inexhaustible treasure.
Therefore, the usage of water in a profligate way was rampant. But now that thinking is
beginning to change. We are sensing various ominous signs of water scarcity as opposed to
rising demand. Intellectuals, experts and other concerned citizens are raising their voices
about the impending dangers of water shortage. Some countries are drying up and there is
the potential of inter- and intra-state violence over water that could lead to instability in
different regions.
According to some renowned environmentalists, water is going to be the most prized
commodity in the future, which may instigate mans animalistic traits to fight for the
commodity he needs.
Therefore, many countries have started thinking seriously and devising plans to avoid a
crisis situation. For example, the UAEs Water Aid campaign named Suqia has initiated a
plan aimed at providing potable water to five million people facing water shortage in Asia

and Africa and has reportedly raised nearly $50 million for drilling, pumping and water
purification methods in poor countries. The UAE Red Crescent has already reportedly started
work on boring wells in 10 countries, including Pakistan.
Similarly, Singapore, with very scarce sources of water, has embarked on building a good
number of water reservoirs. These are to be filled by capturing rainwater, thus reducing the
city states dependence on imported water from neighbouring Malaysia.
Pakistan is synonymous with crises major and minor ones pop up every now and then.
Water shortages in parts of the country have started making headlines. The problem may
snowball into a major crisis. Before we drift towards catastrophe, it is time to think
seriously, with planning and action. The most vulnerable sector which might suffer
extensively is agriculture, which forms the mainstay of our economy. If agriculture is
affected, the repercussions are felt in all other sectors. This is a warning sign which Pakistan
needs to take seriously.
Also, the situation in Pakistan is highly cumbersome with regard to water accessibility. There
are villages across the country where people have to walk miles to fetch drinking water
while, in contrast, we also see areas where water is used in a profligate manner. One can
also observe, especially in Karachi, numerous legal and illegal hydrants. Rusted and
dilapidated tankers can be seen spilling water as they transport it, on the way ruining roads.
This sector needs to be regulated, organised and monitored in the public interest. For
example, it should be made incumbent upon the tanker owners to use vehicles that do not
waste any water in the transportation process, while illegal operations need to be wound up.
There are a number of ways to pre-empt the emerging crisis. The first and foremost is
education. The general public needs to be educated about the conservation of water,
reminding them about Allahs commandment which says ...Eat and drink but waste not by
extravagance. Certainly He likes not Al Musrifun (7:31).
Secondly, it is necessary to build extra reservoirs where people can save rain and floodwater
for later use. During monsoon, we get enough rain which sometimes turns into floods,
destroying homes and hearths, crops and cattle. Experts need to look into ways to develop
technology to harness rainwater and retain it for later use. Waste water also needs to be
treated primarily for industrial purposes. In short, we must awaken before it is too late.

No questions asked
The decline of Muslim societies continues due to the rejection of reasoning.
THE quest for knowledge and exploration of the universe is one of the most powerful
commands of Allah Almighty. The Holy Quran emphasises contemplation of the creation of
the heavens and the earth. There are various verses which urge people to ponder over
nature.

The importance of studying nature is also evident from the names of several chapters in the
Quran such as ant, elephant and cow. The question arises: is studying nature without
questions possible? Indeed, it will be nave to think so. Then, why do so many Muslim
societies appear hostile to questions? Can we as a society afford to continue with the
suppression of questions? Are the root causes of the problems these societies are
experiencing not emanating from this hostility?
A cursory look at the histories of civilisations reveals that the stories of their rise and fall are
nothing other than endeavours to address the questions that were raised in the past.
Certainly, questions have been dominant in the evolution of civilisations. At times, questions
were viewed as threats; hence, the questioners were imprisoned and/or killed. Socrates,
one of the most influential philosophers, was persecuted for corrupting the minds of youth
with his questions. Many aspiring intellectuals and scientists met similar fates in other
societies as well.
Likewise, many Muslim societies have also been tainted with the blood of intellectuals, while
they have also been enriched by their significant contributions. These contributions were
primarily possible due to the openness of those societies. The tolerance towards asking
questions enabled them to produce philosophers and a panoply of people in other fields.
These societies have ceased to produce such people, which point to their decline.
The decline continues due to rejection of reasoning and the belittling of the role of intellect.
Consequently, they have actually belittled the structures of their societies as a whole. It is
an irony that the followers of the Holy Quran appear to have question-phobia.
The phobia is leading them towards mass ruin, which can be averted when questions will be
allowed. At present allowing questions means a blow to the interest of the elites, as it
creates a sense of insecurity in them. Therefore, to safeguard their interests they control
the flow of information and questions. Resultantly, an anti-question ideology has emerged
which tries to defend the interests of societies by banning them.
In the knowledge era, a ban on questions or evading them is tantamount to a suicidal act.
In fact, the inability to ask questions has led societies to produce extremists and terrorists
who are not only killing themselves and innocent people, but are also forcing societies as a
whole to be part of their ignorance.
It is fascinating to note that contrary to question-phobia, Islam strongly advocates the
asking of questions. Besides the emphasis of the Holy Quran, the life of the Holy Prophet
(PBUH) is full of examples whereby in order to educate people he used to ask questions. He
would also encourage people to ask questions. One Hadith states: Knowledge is a treasure
and the key to access this treasure is [to] question. Therefore, ask questions and there will
be the blessings of Allah on you. Asking questions is rewarding to four types of people: the
questioner; the teacher; the audience; and to the people who love the aforementioned
people.

There are even examples from the lives of the caliphs, when common people would ask
them questions. One widely quoted example is from the life of Hazrat Umar, when a person
asked him about his robe that was made out of the cloth of booty.
Unfortunately, the treasure of knowledge at this time appears to be far away from the
majority of Muslim societies as they have lost the key. Con*sequently, they are becoming
societies of superstition. The inability to ask questions leads people to declare the inventor
of the water car a hero and to garland people such as the murderer of the late Punjab
governor Salmaan Taseer. Many intellectuals justify their acts of heroism. In such an
environment, few people will dare to ask questions. And whoever dares to ask questions is
being silenced in the name of blasphemy and/or societal interests. The sane voices are
punished while insanity continues its bloody dance.
The dance will end only when educational institutions stop producing individuals who spout
readymade answers. Instead, they need to be substituted with independent thinkers
capable of asking questions. In order to revive themselves and be at par with the developed
nations, Muslim societies need to review their policy of banning or restricting questions, as it
is against the basic spirit of Islam which so strongly stresses the use of the intellect. They
also need to reform their educational policies in order to align them with the spirit of free
inquiry.

ONE COMMUNITY
WE are different from one another yet we are one community. In fact, the Holy Quran says
that all humans are one community. Everyone born in this world is human first, then takes
on his familys identity as a Muslim, Christian or a believer of any other faith. In some cases,
the familys faith takes precedence in a way that renders the person oblivious of his/her
prime responsibilities as a human towards fellow beings.
Presently, we are faced with the challenge of communalism. Everyone lives within his own
cocoon; life has become self-serving and exclusive, with people limited to their own circle.
Being human, one must realise that there is a divine thread running throughout humanity
connecting each person with the other. World peace, progress and prosperity are the desired
goals of entire humanity, but these are dependent on religious harmony and going the extra
mile beyond communal boundaries. It requires mutual understanding, respect, and
tolerance, holding fast to the rope that binds us together.
Islam invites all of humanity to worship the Lord (2:21). Worship means prayer and service
to humanity. Humanity is like one body; if an organ is in pain, then the whole body feels the
pain and becomes restless.
A divine thread runs throughout humanity.
All human beings inhabiting the earth irrespective of their race, religion, colour and caste
are created from one soul as per the Holy Book (4:1). Their body structure, systems,

blood colour and life requirements are the same. They collectively share the earthly
resources including the oceans water, air, glaciers, sunlight, outer space and other natural
phenomena.
They breathe oxygen, drink water and enjoy rain and sunlight drawn from one heavenly
source to sustain their lives. They get inspiration and enlightenment from one spiritual
fountainhead. The problem of one nation is the problem of another. If a calamity hits some
part of the globe, all of humanity feels the pain and expresses its sympathy for the victims.
Islam, through its teachings, is quite emphatic in making humans realise their single origin.
It says humans are the descendants of Hazrat Adam, who came to this world for a short
period. The earth and its resources are therefore entrusted to humans to manage in
accordance with the divine will.
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) is designated as a mercy for all creation with a mission to be kind
and gentle towards all human beings. His teachings are available for all peoples, no matter
what faith or background they belong to. He came as a blessing to the worlds and treated
those he encountered with kindness.
Differences at the level of culture and religion are natural, but they should not become a
cause of friction. Allah says that He will judge them on the day of Resurrection (22:17). The
need of the time is for humanity to live together in peace in order to surmount the global
challenges of food shortages, diseases and environmental changes. Accepting social and
religious diversity makes humanity akin to a tree, whose leaves differ from one another in
physical shape and size but are attached together to the branches and stem.
Every human being is worthy of respect, deserving the best, no matter what language one
speaks or what religion one professes. The Holy Prophet has set numerous examples
highlighting the spirit of oneness among humanity. The Constitution of Madina enabled
Muslims and non-Muslims to demonstrate the spirit of humanity. It recognised the pluralistic
nature of the world and provided a base for strength, wherein each party had a right to
keep its own law and customs. It is on record that the Holy Prophet respected all
communities, be they Christian or Jewish, who visited him as guests or sought his help.
As it is reported, once a funeral procession passed in front of the Holy Prophet and he stood
up till the procession left. He was told that it was the coffin of a Jew, to which the
Messenger replied that it was of a [human] being (Bukhari Book No. 23, Hadith 399). Also,
the Quran particularly invites the People of the Book towards the word which is similar
between them (3:64).
In recent years, the world has witnessed polarisation among people. In order to make the
world peaceful, progressive and prosperous, the new generations must be taught that
humanity is one community. The pluralistic nature of humanity needs to be understood,
valued and built upon to construct a better world. In Islam, pluralism is well-recognised and
respected.

For example, in the early period of Islam, we found companions of the Holy Prophet from
different lands, building the edifice of Islam together; Hazrat Salman Farsi from Iran, Hazrat
Bilal al-Habashi from Abyssinia and Hazrat Suhayb ar-Rumi from Byzantium all these
distinguished individuals hailed from different lands and cultures and together worked for
Islam under the ablest leadership of the Holy Prophet.

Space for dissent

PAKISTANS blistered soul faces challenges from overlapping factors of ideology, language,
ethnicity and multi-denominational belief systems. Within this disparateness, the pulpit is a
constant that can unite or divide. Right to citizenship by birth and right to citizenship by
blood cohabit awkwardly with religious imperatives. Denominations plus ethnic, ideological
and language groups constantly seek ascendancy through violence. Their power base is
usually religion, a balm to the soul that can also be its bane. Mismanaged hybrid ideologies
compound the inherent instability of a young nation. Each group claims to uphold untainted
ideals of democracy and social equality. Language itself is not immune to the onslaught of
purity. Urdu, English and Arabic are Pakistans national, official and religious languages,
respectively. Four provincial, five regional and the 60-odd minor languages fight hard to
claim purity and disclaim cultural sedition. Fear and frustrated ambition can erupt to the
surface and seek single-issue political platforms over a perception of ARCHIVE SEARCH
purity.
With eight major and seven minor ethnic groups broadly grouped by language, purity rears
its ugly head with the threat of ethnic purification lurking over the horizon.
Taking bickering denominations into acco unt, each of the dozen paths of redemption and
salvation declares inclusiveness in public but remains exclusive in private. The powerful seek
to purify the landscape of the impure. Faith has gone public and seeks state involvement,
patronisation and implementation. A single tribe may illustrate the overlap of ideology,
ethnicity, language, ideology and belief systems, having within it different religious
denominations that speak diverse languages and hold conflicting political opinions. Samad
Khan, a Sunni Muslim, is a Tareen Pakhtun whose Doabi Punjabi-speaking parents migrated
at Partition from Basti Pathan aan, Jullundur. His recently acquired Pashto complements his
Urdu and impeccable Eng lish, while his politics are Anglo-Pakistani populist democracy
selectively embellished with religion. Tareens may be native Urdu, Punjabi, Seraiki, Hindko,
Pashto or even Balochi speakers, representing various belief systems and ideologies. The
same is true for every tribal and clan group, yet there is intermarriage among tribal equals,
including religious denominations. Over the past 67 years, intermarriage and the ideological,
linguistic, ethnic, and multidenominational overlap should have created a homogenous
society gradually overcoming its natural divisions to fuel rather than regress development as
it has done in Pakistan. Denominations aside, 95 to 98pc of Pakis tanis are bound within a
common belief system that justifies high expectations of solidarity and stability. Yet the
opposite holds true. Accusations and counter-accusations by warring groups to proclaim
their purity have led to bloodshed and instability, starving development and feeding

poverty.
Each group is convinced of its righteousness, a violently expressed trend.
This righteousness emanated from the pulpit and became the rank and files prevalent
selfrighteousness embedded in belief. Neit her legislation nor the point of the bayonet will
eliminate selfrighteousness, the regrettable by-product of public religion. The Soviet Union
tried that for 69 years and failed. Religion is a fundamental need. In the aftermath of the
Soviet Empire the Orthodox Chu rch went bullish, and Islam emerged stronger. Pakistan has
been alternately experimenting with legislation, the bayonet and a Western-style electoral
system with religious trimmings. Neither has been satisfactory, and repea liable to worsen
matters. Pakistanis weakness for religion is also their strength. If their faith has been used
to divide, it also has the power to unite and stabilise. When the pulpit emanates
righteousness, it can also ensure against self-righteousness. Instead of conducting a losing
battle with the religious leadership, it is time to institutionalise it as a collegial body within a
system of checks and balances to serve as vigilant ombudsmen rather than versatile
political actors. Moreover, a state unfettered by religion will strengthen faith. It will also trim
state power, whichting the dose is often exceeds its remit. Purity will then become a concept
mitigated under checks and balances.
During the Pakistan Movement, the Muslim League rank and file filled the streets, yearning
for a Muslim/Islamic state. That expectation has not yet been fully satisfied. Self-interested
groups will always be able to harness that unsatisfied expectation. They need to be denied
that terrain. Pakistanis should submit to the will of the people without giving in to religious
tyranny, and adapt the loose framework of a constitutional theocracy to their needs in which
religion remains a principal reference for legislation, while ensuring that the power of the
collegial clergy is on par with that of the queens of England and Denmark. That should allow
Pakistan a badly needed cooling down to retrieve its tired soul. The writer is a freelance
contributor.

Responsible charity
DURING the month of Ramazan train and busloads of alms seekers converge on Karachi and
other large cities where the rich live. They roam on the roads, crowd around traffic signals
with sickly babes in arms, some of them skilfully made up to appear so, to seek alms.
They know that Ramazan is the month of giving and benevolence. So they come in their
thousands to seek out believers who would like to give from their wealth for the sake of
Allah the term zakat is derived from zakaa, which means to increase, purif y and bless.
But charity is sometimes given badly or not as well as it should be. Charity is not
responsible when it is used to patch up the effects of basic differences that are built into the
structure and values of society.
From this point of view, charity can sometimes be seen as actually accepting the injustices
of society while trying to mitigate the results of the injustices.

Philanthropy sometimes combines genuine pity and concern with the display of power and
this explains why the rich and the powerful are more inclined to be generous in their
disposition than to grant social justice to the sufferers. A certain senior Pakistani director of
a foreign bank would, during the month of Ramazan, keep a wad of five-rupee (now coins)
and 10-rupee notes on the dashboard of his car, with instructions to the driver that anyone
extending his hand for bheek (alms) should be handed one without delay.
When the long-serving driver respectfully pointed out to the seth that not all alms seekers
are genuine and some belong to racketeer groups the boss shut him down: `That is none of
your business and this is not your money. It is mine.` The driver was not too far off in his
assessment because there are a number beggars nowadays who are believed to act as
conduits, passing on information to their armed accomplices about the money and valuables
being carried in a certain car. Insofar as the `giver` is concerned, his generous impulse
freezes if his power is challenged or his generosities are not accepted with suitable humility.
Appeals for zakat during the month of Ramazan also come from free and charitable
hospitals, homes for women and the aged, social service wings of political parties,
educational and religious institutions, even media barons promoting relief for the poorer
segments of society. All of them indulgein an advertisingblitzkrieg seeking zakat support for
their programmes that are supposedly aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the poor.
Arguably, the purpose of giving charity is to solve the problems of individuals andsociety. Is
this the most effective way of solving the problems of need and poverty? In fact, giving
charity may distract from finding the best solution, which may involve a complex rethink of
the way a society organises its economic and social relationships.
Charity organisations can be more effective in pressurising the government to bring about
change. An excellent example of this is the rebuilding of two apartment blocks in Abbas
Town, Karachi, that had been totally destroyed in deadly bomb blasts.
The shine of the two buildings and the joy and relief on the faces of the residents and shop
owners is testimony to what sound philanthropy can achieve when a few wellmeaning
scholars take up the cudgels to act as a bridge between society and government.
An example of fair and equitable fundraising is provided by a prominent medical college and
hospital of Karachi. A fundscommittee comprising corporate heads reviews all proposals for
expansion and new projects. To set a good example, the committee members raise at least
10pc of the desired funds for the project and thus motivate their friends and associates to
join theeffort. The objective of this committee is to improve the effectiveness of grants,
lower the cost of administration and invest in more effective strategies for social change.
In charity spending, the interests of all persons must count equally and all discrimination
avoided in the rights and obligations ofindividuals.Inone case,ongoingthrough the old
records of grants and loans for financially deprived scholars I was appalled to find that many
of the loans had been allowed to the sons and daughters of senior bureaucrats, armed

forces personnel, company heads and friends of the group`s directors.

This was done as a public relations exercise in clear violation of the trust`s objectives.
Giving charity to causes that appeal to the donor does not necessarily mean these are the
causes with the greatest need.
Likewise, tax incentives to rich charity providers may worsen social inequalities by reducing
the funds that the state needs for social projects. Give zakat as a religious and moral
responsibility by all means. But do so with a sense of responsibility. The writer is a
freelance contributor

Claims of caliphate by Khalid Zaheer

The Taliban claim they are striving to reestablish the `proper` Islamic political system based
on khilafat (caliphate). While they kill innocent people in their efforts to achieve this goal in
Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Islamic State of Iraq and alSham (ISIS) has emerged as an
even greater threat to world peace, claiming to achieve the very same goal in Iraq and
Syria.
What exactly is khilafat? Does Islam call for it to be established? These claims are rooted in
the misperception of many Muslims about Muslim history (euphemistically called Islamic
history) which is often taken as the basic source of Islamic guidance. They believe that
whatever happened in Islam`s heyday must be replicated or else everything will be lost to
Muslims. The rhetoric is so pervasive that people are driven to sacrifice everything for its
cause.
When the Ottomans lost what was a mere shell of khilafat in 1924, Indian Muslims launched
a futile but massive movement for its restoration. The caliph was seen as a symbol of
Muslim unity throughout the world and one to which all Muslims must give oath of
allegiance.
In Islam there is no concept of khilafat the way it is being presented today. The Quran has
given certain principles to be followed when setting up a governance system, and that is
what should bind Muslims. These principles can take any form, depending on the needs of
the times. When the Quran gives principles to achieve a certain purpose, following those
principles is what matters. When God asked believers to be militarily prepared against their
enemies, He said: `Be ready against them to the utmost of your power and with wellprepared horses. ...` (8:60). It is quite clear that the mention of horses here was not meant
in the literal sense.
Likewise, there were certain aspects of the political system that were followed at the time of
the Prophet (PBUH). These were only the form that the implementation of Quranic principles
took at that point in time.

The features of the system that were not the real purpose of God`s requirement, included
taking an oath of allegiance by holding the hands of the leader (ba!fat) and the use of words
khalifa and amirul momineen. Muslims may continue to use them in their modern political
system, but they do not have a role in the Islamic polity as envisaged in God`s scheme.
The important concerns that need to be ensured in an Islamic state are that all collective
matters shall be decided through mutual consultation, Muslim rulers shall establish a system
of regular prayers and almsgiving, ensure virtue is promoted and vice discour-aged (22:41),
and a system of implementing Islamic law is followed in society, based on social justice.
The objective of establishing the system of prayer will require all mosques, and institutions
producing scholars for the mosques, to be the sole responsibility of the Islamic state.
This will eliminate sectarianism. It goes without saying that the state must be built on
Islamic values in letter and spirit.
Two Quranic principles are essential while implementing the above. The change must be
gradual and peaceful. While the first principle is borne out by the fact that God arranged for
the Sharia to be implemented gradually even through His Messenger, the second principle is
the outcome of the combined effect of the expectation from believers to engagein
consultations and tonotkill anyone unjustifiably.
The Quran gave mutual consultation a central role in collective matters to avoid bloodshed.
Unfortunately, Muslim history isreplete with violent struggles for power. The right to rule in
Muslim history has been either shared within a family or the question decided through
bloody battles,aside from the appointment of the first three caliphs.
No war can be undertaken to achieve the goal of establishing a political system in Islam.
War is a game of killing and God does not allow us to take lives except if someone is a killer
or guilty of causing mischief on earth (5:32). Even in these cases, only a Muslim ruler has
the right to implement the punishments. Jihad can only be undertaken under the authority
of the Muslim ruler to eliminate mischief on earth. God cannot at the same time condemn
killing of human beings and urge Muslims to establish khilafat by fighting battles.
It is therefore imperative that whoever wants an Islamic system must attempt to achieve it
through legitimate means and not through war. Waging wars on states such as what has
been happening in Syria, Iraq and other countries in the name of establishing an Islamic
system is totally against Islamic principles as stated in the Quran.
The battles undertaken by the Prophet of God and his companions were God`s punishment
that was inflicted on the people who had opposed him despite knowing him to be His
Messenger.

Islam & modernism

THERE are many examples of questionable traditions and interpretations of Quranic verses
offered by obliging divines. In such conditions it is the duty of individuals with conscience
and sensitivity to truth, to try and distinguish between wheat and chaff. It is a right which
Islam has given to all the right of personal interpretation. The need for thinking in depth
(fikr) as well as in breadth (dhikr) has been stressed in the Quran. There have been many
forces and agencies in history social, political, economic, philosophical and religious
which have attempted to cripple human intelligence in order to exploit men either for vested
interests of the self or of persons in power. Take, for instance, the despicable drama in
Nigeria where some 200 schoolgirls were taken captive in April by the extremist militant
group Boko Haram, reportedly to be sold as slaves. Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko
Haram, declared that he had abducted the girls and will continue to do so. By Allah I will
sell them in the marketplace, he boasted. Islam does not reject science and rationalism.
What is one to make of such religious interpretations by extremists when the Quran
unequivocally declares Read in the name of your Lord, Who created man from a clot of
congealed blood. Read! And Your Lord is the Most Generous Who taught by the pen, taught
man what he did not know. (Surah Alaq). In the same spirit is the hadith of the Holy
Prophet (PBUH) that urges believers to go to China [then a remote destination] to gain
knowledge if necessary. Boko Haram is of the opinion that Western education is evil. It is
mystifying how acquiring knowledge and education in any language or about any culture can
be evil. One reason for the contradiction is that religious leaders have attached less
importance to the essentials such as faith in God and the eternal moral code and given more
importance to accidental features and later accretions, in which they radically differed.
Narrow-mindedness of the clergy was also faced by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, who is
considered the first Muslim voice of reform in India. He appeared on the scene at a time
when Muslim society was sunk in obscurantism and inertia and showed no desire to emerge
out of its medieval grooves. The unwholesome influence of the clergy had made Muslims of
the time view education as hostile to religion. Syed Ahmed Khan wrote: I reflected on the
decadence of the Muslim community and came to the conclusion that modern education
alone is the remedy of the ills they suffer from. I decided on a strategy to disabuse their
minds of strong communal belief that the study of European literature and science is antireligion and promotes disbelief.
The objectives of Sir Syed were educational and social reform and he did not wish to dabble
in matters of religion. In fact, conscious of clerical hostility, he offered not to have any role
in religious curriculum in his college and invited leading clerics to do the needful.
But the maulvis of Deoband shot down the proposal and reportedly said they would not
associate themselves with an educational institution that had Shia students on its rolls. In
his biography of Sir Syed, Altaf Husain Hali wrote that 60 maulvis and alims signed a fatwa
accusing Sir Syed of disbelief and apostasy.
But even as voices of clerical hostility rose from Kanpur and Lucknow, Agra and Allahabad,

Rampur and Bareilly and Maulvi Ali Baksh travelled to Makkah and Madina to seek a fatwa
for beheading the great educationist and social reformer, he continued in his mission of
setting up a college. For, wrote he, my heart is overflowing with the idea of welfare of my
people in which there is no room for any anger or rancour. History proved that Sir Syed,
founder of Aligarh Muslim University, was right and the clergy utterly wrong. Has Islam
come in the way of modernisation? I venture to suggest that there is no inherent conflict
between Islam and modernism. Neither science nor rationalism has ever been rejected by
Islam. As a matter of fact, as modernism seeks social and economic justice it is working in
the direction that Islam has always favoured. There is nothing in Islam or in Muslim history
to suggest that it is averse to change. In fact, the ease and confidence with which Muslims
adapted themselves to new conditions which they found in the countries that came under
their sway shows that they do possess adaptability. Present-day Muslim scholars should
present Islam in a way that stresses the universality of its values, the tolerance of its
outlook and the compassion of its thoughts, so that the faith is not associated with a hostile
approach and taking irretrievable positions.