Some Truths Of Islam
1 The Whole Humanity is One Family
There could be no means for uniting mankind into one single brotherhood than by convincing them that all mankind is one family, children of the same parents.
Mankind was but one people; and God sent apostles as bearers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Book with the Truth that it might judge between men in that wherein they differed; and none differed therein; but those very (people) to whom it was given, after clear signs had come unto them, did revolt among themselves; whereupon God guided those who believed, by His Will, regarding that which the people differed about the Truth, and verily God guideth whomsoever He willeth to the Right Path. (2:213)
Besides this, there are other verses which declare that men and women were created from one single self It can easily be imagined how far the belief in the truth about the unity of the human race would go to sublimate the animal nature in man, to create in him the feliow4eeling for others of his kind and thereby establish a human brotherhood on earth. Unfortunately, in the West, the Christian world, there is racism, and in the East our Hindu brothers observe the caste system. The Holy Qur'an declares the unity of the human race and Islam lays great stress upon this truth.
2 The Mystery of the Individual Differences and the Unity of Purpose
Though man has been given physical and mental faculties necessary for his life and progress, not all men are gifted in equal measure. Some have certain gifts which others do not have. Some excel in physical strength while others are gifted with great mental powers. People differ in the level of intelligence and aptitude. Some are gifted writers, some are convincing orators, some are wonderful artists and some are enchanting poets, some are inventive scientists or mathematicians, and some are powerful administrators.
These are gifts of the Omnipotent Creator, intuitive mysteries with which the nature of man is endowed. The fact Seems clear that the members of the human race were destined to be dependent upon each other. If all had been endowed with exactly the same gifts, people would not have needed the help of each other and there would have been no social life upon earth. As man needs his fellow men, he also needs some one with special gifts to explain the very mystery of his life, the way to live, and life in the hereafter. Only those informed by the Creator Himself and chosen for this purpose fulfil this function, and they are the Apostles of God and the Imams (Guides).
3 From God alone can come Guidance
Man could not create himself He was created by a Self-Existing Sovereign Power, and Omnipotent Independent Authority. He was brought into an already-Existing world. Left to himself he could never have been able to guide himself. The ever-Extending universe with its astonishing energies, functioning in perfect harmony, indicates the causative will which is Omnipotent and All-Wise and with purpose. The knowledge of the purpose of creation is essential to man if he is to adjust himself to the harmony of his environment, talk from it and giving to it in return. Of the purpose in the creation of the universe, the Holy Qur'an says:
Thou who remember God, standing, sitting and reclining on their sides, think (seriously) of the creation of heaven and earth; saying, "O Our Lord! Thou hast not created (all) this in vain! Glory be to Thee! Save us then from the torment of the fire (Hell)." (3:190)
4 All Man-made distinctions annihilated
Islam demands the end of all man-made distinctions in human society. Such distinctions of caste, colour, community and race were outlawed in the declaration:
o ye people! Verily We have created you of a male and a female, and made you in nations and tribes, that ye may recognise each other; Verily the most honoured of you with God is the one of you who guardeth (himself) the most (against evil), verily God is the All-Knowing, the All-Aware. (49:13) The above declaration Clearly states that the distribution of the human family into tribes and families is only for identification, and the distinction within the human race shall be based only on the degree of piety and personal excellence of each individual, man or woman. 5 The Sources of Knowledge: man specially equipped Man has been blessed with special powers and faculties which no other creature on earth owns. But, like other animals, man has eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin. Through these doorways man acquires knowledge of the sensual world.
But man has the gift of special intellect by which he can ponder the mystery of life, choose his own way of life, and his welfare or perdition in the life hereafter. if man controls his sensual nature by the use of the great gift of conscience and reasoning he will succeed; if he allows his conscience to be ruled by degrading sensual forces, he will lose the game of life. This is the Test. 6 God is Nearest to Everything Man is warned that God is nearest to man, nearer thin his own Life-Vein:
And indeed We created man, and know We whatever thoughts whispereth he unto himself and We are nearer to him than his very life-vein. (50:16) 7 Man directed to seek the medium to reach the Lord O ye who believe! Fear ye God! And seek ye the medium of approach until Him. (5:35) 8 No Compulsion to Faith Since the Truth has been clearly revealed against falsehood, through the Holy Qur'an, Islam has sounded an open warning against compulsion to faith: No compulsion be in religion; Indeed truth has been made manifestly distinct from error; therefore he who disbelieveth the rebels (false deities) and believeth in God hath indeed laid hold on the strongest handle which cannot be broken; and verily God is All-Hearing, All- Knowing. (2:256)
9 Good and Evil promised to be Individually
Rewarded and Punished
Islam charges every individual man and woman with personal responsibility to make his or her own way to heaven or hell by being good and doing good, or by being evil and doing evil in this life. Life on earth has been said to be the season for cultivation of the life hereafter. As one sows here so shall one reap in the hereafter, in the life after death. As the right way to eternal bliss has been clearly shown, all have been warned through the following about the Day of Final Judgment:
On that day shall come out people (from their graves) in groups to be shown their (own) deeds. (99:6)
Then he who hath done an atom-weight of good shall see It. (99:7)
And he who hath done an atom-weight of evil shall see it. (99:8)
From this comes great encouragement to do good and to shun evil.
10 No Physical Eye can ever see God
Vision perceiveth Him not, and He perceiveth (all) vision; He is the Subtle, the All-Aware. (6:104) Hence, it is impossible to see God in Person at any time in this life or in the next.
11 The Word of the Holy Prophet is Final
And it is not for a believer, man or woman, to have any choice in a matter when God and His Apostle have decided the matter; and whoever disobeyeth God and His Apostle, indeed he hath truly gone astray. (33:36)
12 Speaking ill of the Holy Prophet
Those who speak ill of or hurt the Holy Prophet by acting against his will or command, or by hurting the Holy Ones or killing their issue, the Ahlul-Bait, the Holy Imams and their devotees shall be punished:
Surely those who hurt God and His apostle, God hath cursed them in this world and hereafter and he hath prepared for them a terrible chastisement.
13 The importance of the Choice of a Leader
On the Day of Judgment every one will be called, along with his Imam, the leader whom he has followed in his life: Remember the Day (of Judgment) when We will summon every people with their Imam (leader); then whosoever is given his book in his right hand, these shall read books (with pleasure), and they shall not be dealt with in the slightest unjustly. (17:71)
who will be better than the Holy Ahlul-Bait whom God Himself purified (33:33)? The Imam is he who embraces all things. The Holy Prophet declared: "Ana Madeenatul wa Alliyyun Babuha." ("I am the City of Knowledge and Ali its Gate") Ali is the Gate of the City of Knowledge and the ever-triumphant Lion of God, a distinction held by Ali and by none other.
14 The Identification of a Genuine Heavenly Guide
If a man sincerely seeks the help of his Creator Lord to find a genuine heavenly guide, there is the Holy Qur'an, God's final word, to help him. It is the declared promise of the All-Merciful Lord to show the right way to those who seek him. The first condition is sincerity in seeking the divine help:
And those who strive hard for Us, certainly will We guide them in Our ways; and verily God is (always) with those who do good. (29:69) Say thou (O Our Apostle Muhammad!), "Of your associates is there any one who can guide unto truth?" Say thou, 'It is God alone Who guideth unto truth; Is then He Who guideth unto truth more worthy to be followed or he who himself goeth not aright unless he be guided? What then hath befallen you? How (ill) ye judge?" (10:35)
What! Is he who goeth along grovelling on his face better guided, or he who walketh upright upon the straight path?" (67:22)
Thus a genuine heavenly guide is he who never needs any education or guidance from any mortal in this world. He is sent into the world divinely conditioned with guidance as were all the apostles from God, the Last one of them the Holy Prophet Muhammad and the holy Thirteen of his godly family, ie. the Twelve Holy Imams and the Holy Lady of Light Fatema Zahra (the only daughter of the Holy Prophet, who was the wife of the first Holy Imam Ali ibne Abi Taleb, and the "mother?' of the other Eleven Holy Ones.)
15 Blind Following
Professing a creed, blindly following a crowd, or joining any religious order for any material benefit is quite different from adopting a faith with genuine conviction, knowing the truth therein after a thorough study of its fundamentals and reasoning them out against counter-arguments. Islam discourages any blind following, and abhors the exploitation of the ignorance of poor illiterates among the poverty-stricken masses of the slums, and is vehemently opposed to attracting any one or bribing any one with promises of material benefits or social or economic progress in order to swell the ranks of its adherents.
The only aim of Islam is to educate the members of the human family with the truth about the Absolute Sovereignty of the Only True God and the need for every creature to submit voluntarily to the All- Supreme Authority of the Creator Lord of the universe. Islam invites every awakened mind of the human world to a serious study of the mystery of the creation of life, the truth about the Omnipotent Originator, so that people may raise themselves from the abyss of material degradation and ascend to the heavenly heights of eternal spiritual bliss. Islam accepts only the independent judgment of the individual without coercion or pressure of any kind other than that of his own conscience.
16 Man charged with Personal Responsibility for being Guided Aright
Man had been deluded by the false belief in an unconditional escape from punishment for his wickedness by supposed atonement through man-made gods and goddesses. Islam dealt a death blow to such false imagination which allowed people to act without restraint in confidence of redemption. Islam charges man with the personal and individual responsibility for holding the right and correct faith and bearing his own burdens.
whosoever getteth guided aright, verily he getteth guided aright for his own self and he who goeth astray, verily he goeth astray against his own self nor shall the bearer of a burden bear the burden of another; And we chastise not (any people) until We raise an apostle (among them). (17:15)
And no bearer shall bear the burden of another; and if the heavy4aden one should cry for (another bearer to carry) its burden, (even) aught of it shall not be carried, and even if he be near of kin; Thou canst but warn those who fear their Lord unseen and keep up regular prayer; And whosoever purifieth (himself), he only purifieth for his own self And unto God (alone) is the destination (of all). (35:18)
17 The Individual Liberty or Freedom of Choice announced
Having shown the right way against the wrong one, every human soul has been given the freedom of choosing his own way to the life hereafter: Verily have We shown him the (Right) way, be he grateful or ungrateful (76:3)
Let those who blindly criticise Islam and its Holy Founder, attributing compulsion to the spread of the Qur'anic faith, dispassionately and impartially judge, in view of the above Qur'anic declaration and also verse 2:256 whether there be any room for doubt about the mission of the Holy Teacher.
18 The Individual and Personal Responsibility of every man and woman
Islam charges man with the individual responsibility to take the right path on earth, declaring that whatever a soul does, be it good or evil, it is for or against the soul itself:
whosoever getteth guided aright, verily he getteth guided aright for his own self and he who goeth astray, verily he goeth astray against his own self nor shall the bearer of a burden bear the burden of another; And we chastise not (any people) until We raise an apostle (among them). (17:15)
Whosoever doeth good, it is for his own self and whosoever doeth evil, it is against it; and thy Lord is not unjust unto the servants. (41:46)
whoever doeth good, it is for his own self and whoever doeth evil, it is against his own self then unto your Lord ye shall be returned (45:15)
19 The Qur'anic Formula for Following the Right
In a single sentence, the Holy Qur'an gives man the formula for a sure way to follow the Right path:
No compulsion be in religion; Indeed truth has been made manifestly distinct from error; therefore he who disbelieveth the rebels (false deities) and believeth in God hath indeed laid hold on the strongest handle which cannot be broken; and verily God is All-Hearing, All- Knowing. (2:256)
20 The Decree of the Holy Imam
The decree of the Masoom (the Sixth Holy 'main) with regard to Ijtehad is not the only tradition; there are, in fact, many undisputed traditions from other Imams establishing the institution of Ijtehad, prescribing the minutest details of its functioning, a brief outline of which is given below.
The decree of the Holy Imam is as follows:
Ammo Hawadisal Waqi'aat, Far 'jeoo ila ruwate Ahadeesenafa innahom hujati alaikum Wa ana Hujjatullah ("In all the events of life, refer ye to those who bear our traditions, they are the authority over you on my behalf and I am the authority on behalf of God.")
of the many declarations of the other Imams, two are outstanding. One is from Hazrate Imam Jafar ibne Muhammad As-Sadiq, known as the Maqool-el-Omar-bin Hanzala (the tradition of Omar ibne Hanzala); the other is from the Eleventh Holy Imam Husain al-Askari.
21 Taqleed
The best protection afforded to Shiaism against raids by Satan and his disciple missionaries is the ordinance about Taqleed (16:43), or to abide always by the A'li or the most learned one called the Mujtahid. This course always guides one to the right practice of the faith and protects him from committing any excesses and from onslaughts by Satanic forces.
Taqleed has also been misinterpreted in the innovation of the Mureeds with blind following of the Pirs. Be it known that being guided by a Mujtahid in practice of the faith has nothing in common with this blind following. Taqleed is used only of scholars who have reached the level of Itjehad (the ability to interpret the Holy Qur'an and the genuine traditions of the Holy Prophet). In matters of doubt about the practice of the faith, Furu-e-Deen or articles of faith Usool-e-Deen, following any one else is Haram (prohibited). For not every one can be expected to know all the minute details about the practice of the faith or correctly interpret the Holy Qur'an, the Hadith and the sayings of the Holy Prophet.
The highest authority in knowledge and piety need only be followed in the case of Fatwa or concerning the law; for the application of the law, to follow the Ijtehad is sufficient. Shiaism, the Islam-Original, has sounded a caution against the ruinous effects of unqualified administration of justice. The following is the decree of the Sixth Holy Imam, Jafar ibne Muhammad As-Sadiq, the Regulator of the Shia faith:
Any one who takes this seat, save a Prophet of God, or the Successor to the prophet, is an evil one.
This declaration warns that any unqualified one (lacking the authority from the Holy Prophet and the Holy Imam) who assumes the seat of Qaza'at (Justice) will be none but the evil one. Thus a Qazi (judge) must be a Mujtahid, qualified under the this declaration. While condemning the yielding to the rule of Taghoot, ie. authority without divine sanction, the Sixth Holy Imam said that, instead of submitting to such a tyrant, the people must seek the greatest scholar, who knows the traditions, the sanctions, the prohibitions and the rulings and accept him as Judge and Ruler. If he gives a ruling which is unacceptable, it will be an offence against God's Sovereignty, which is almost a Shirk (recognition of an authority other than God's.)
The definition and requirements of Ijtehad and Taqleed given below are those prescribed by the Masoom (the Twelfth Holy Imam), as ordained by the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnat which are an intrinsic part of the system of Divine Sovereignty and Absolute Theocracy within the meaning of the word "Islam", complete submission to the Absolute Sovereignty of God.
When the period of codification and consolidation of the Kitab and Sunnat was completed, the age of the Imamat serving that purpose came to an end. Thus the seclusion of the Twelfth Imam occurred, though his hidden existence continues as a link between God and His creation. The Imams declared the institution of Ijtehad as the sole directive authority on their behalf to lead men on the path of submission to God in all matters within the Kitab and Sunnat. In other words, Ijtehad and Taqleed are supplementary to Imamat, which is, in turn, supplementary to Risalat (Apostleship), which is the' manifestation of the Divine Sovereignty. There is no room for any individual view or choice, but the door is left open for any one, irrespective of race or place, to quality to the level of an Ijtehad.
22 The Definition of "Ijtehad"
Ijtehad literally means an effort to interpret and explain the divine orders, rules and regulations of the Holy Qur'an and the authentic sayings of the Holy Prophet and the apostolic Imams. It does not mean using one's discretion in the findings parallel to the Qur'an and the Sunnat. Any one who has the capacity to understand and interpret the divine laws, rules and regulations and is of outstanding learning, knowledge and piety, can be a Mujtahid. Any one who has not reached that level is a layman and must follow one who has reached that standard.
Where there are several men of equal standard, but who differ in their decisions, the layman can choose to follow any one of them, and where these Mujtahids differ in their accomplishments, the best among them should be followed. if one is better in knowledge and the other better in piety, the latter is to be followed.
In trying to find the best Mujtahid, the layman should refer to the evidence of competent and pious scholars of Islamic Theology. By the collection of these evidences, one can easily decide for himself who is the best. This is the best method used throughout history of the Niabat of the Imam after the Ghaibat There is no room for election or counting votes, nor is there any group to appoint an ecclesiastical head as in the Papal system of Christianity. Nor is it the Pin and the Mureedi practised by some sections of the Muslims as a parallel to Imamat The qualifications for Itjehad are recognised and measurable, unlike the qualifications for Piri which are neither fixed nor measurable.
It should be noted that the question of following the opinion of the best in knowledge and piety is confined to such questions in which Mujtahids differ; the question of which to follow does not arise in matters unanimously accepted by all Mujtahids.
For the administration of theological centres and other religious services, any pious Mujtahid is competent for the position, and if any pious Mujtahid offers to take on the task, another Mujtahid should not stand in his way, but should help him.
23 Mere Verbal Profession of the Faith is not Sufficient
Every one will be tried in his faith to prove to himself that his profession if bona fide:
what! Do people imagine that they will be let in by saying, "We Believe!" and they will not be fried? (29:2)
We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits; and give glad tidings to the patient ones. who, when misfortune befalleth them, say, "Verily we are God" and verily unto Him shall we return."
Those are they on whom are the blessings from their Lord and (His) Mercy; and they are the ones that are (rightly) guided (2:155-157)
24 The Real Islamic Piety Explained
To all hypocritical show of formal observance of the faith without sincerity in its practical expression, Islam has dealt a death blow in the following decree:
It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards the East and the West; righteousness is rather one who believeth in God and the Last day and the angels, the Book and the Apostles, and giveth his wealth out of love for Him to the kindred and the orphans and the poor and the wayfarer and the need' and for those in bondage; and establisheth prayer and payeth the poor-rate; And those who fulfil their promise when they make a promise and the patient ones in distress and affliction and in the time of war; these are they who are the Truthful and these are they who are the pious. (2:177)
25 Man Should Always be with the Truthful Ones
Man was ordained to be always with the Truthful Ones, those who do not utter a lie. The great lie is Shirk, the belief that there is another besides God, or worshipping false deities. Who else can be the Truthful ones other than the Holy Ahlul-Bait who never in their lives bowed down to any besides God and are the ones whom God says He Himself purified (33:33).
O ye who believe! Fear ye God and be ye (always) with the Truthful ones. (9:119)
26 Taqiah
Hiding the faith, giving out a mere verbal profession to save one's life. This is a Qur'anic ordinance.
And said a man who was a Believer, from among the people of Pharaoh, who used to conceal his faith: "What! Slay ye a man for saying, 'My Lord is God" and indeed he hath brought unto you clear proofs (of his mission) from your Lord? while if he be a liar, on him will be his life; and if he be truthful, then will afflict you some of what he warneth you (with); Verily, God guideth not him who is extravagant (and a liar)." (40:28)
And there came a man from the remotest part of the city, running (and) said, "O Moses! Verily the chiefs are consulting to slay thee. Begone (from here at once)! Verily, unto thee lam of the sincere advisers." (28:20)
27 Intercession Available
Intercession for redemption against deserved punishment is available, not from false deities, but from those divinely qualified to do it:
who is he who can intercede unto Him but by His Permission? (2:255)
They shall not own intercession, save he who has made a covenant with the Beneficent God. (19:87)
On that day shall avail not intercession (of any) save (that of) whom hath permitted God, and whose word He is pleased with. (20:109)
Knoweth He what is before them and what is behind them, and they can not intercede but for him whom He approveth, and they, of His fear, tremble. (21:28)
And will avail not aught any intercession with Him save Of him whom He hath permitted (34:23)
28 Killing of Even One Believer
And whosoever killeth a believer intentionally, his recompense shall be Hell, he shall abide therein and God's wrath shall be on him and His curse, and (there) is prepared for him a great torment (4:93)
For this reason did we prescribe unto the children of Israel that he who slayeth any one (man) without (that being for) murder or for mischief in the land, (it shall be as though he hath slain mankind as a whole; and he who saveth it (a human life) shall be as though he hath saved mankind as a whole; and certainly our Apostles came unto them with clear evidences, and yet verily many of them even after that certainly did commit excesses in the land. (5:31) Man must judge in the light of the above ordinances, the position of those who killed the very beloved ones of God, the Holy Ahiul- Bait. History testifies that none but the Fourteenth of the Holy Ones did escape murder at the hands of those who called themselves Muslims and as rulers of States, called themselves Caliphs.
29 The Dead in the Way of the Lord are Alive
The following declaration of God through His Final Word, the Holy Qur'an, says that those who lay their lives in God's way are alive, and must not be counted as dead. Thus the Shias believe that the martyrs are alive and continue to revere their memory:
And say not of those who are slain in the path of God that they are dead; Nay (they are) living, but ye perceive it not (2:154)
Reckon not those who are slain in the way of God to be dead; Nay! alive are they with their Lord being sustained (3:168)
30 Reverence and Respect for the Signs of God
Everything in the Universe is a Sign of God, particularly those associated with godly objects and the men of God:
Verily "Safa" and "Morwa" among the signs of God; whoever therefore maketh a pilgrimage to the House or performeth "Umra"; therefore it shall be no blame on him to go round them both; and whoever of his own accord doeth anything good in deed, verily God is Gracious, All-Knowing. (2:158) (As for the Camels) We have made them for you of the Signs of God. (22:36) That shall be so, and whosoever respecteth the Signs of God, then that verily is the outcome of the piety of heart. (22:32)
It is obvious that if the mounds of Safa and Marwa and animals of sacrifice are worthy to be Signs of God, the Standard of Islam with which Husain fought and established the Truth will be the greatest sign of God, the Sign of the Religion revealed by the Lord, and respect and reverence for it must be the Sign of the piety of the individual. The Shias, the followers of the Qur'anic faith, the Islam-Original, are more careful against Shirk than any other school. They regard the Alam-e-Husainy neither as God, nor as Husain, but as a token of the Standard of Islam.
31 Mourning for the Martyrs
So wept not on them the heavens and the earth nor were they respited (44:29)
The Holy Qur'an declares that heaven and earth also mourn When they do not mourn for the wicked, it means that they mourn for the righteous.
Mourning for the righteous, particularly for those who have laid down their lives for the Lord, is godly behaviour.
There are authentic traditions of the Holy Prophet shedding tears for the prophesied martyrdom of Husain even before the event had taken place.
There is Qur'anic evidence of Jacob's weeping for his son Joseph who had disappeared, even though, as an Apostle, he knew that his son was not dead.
Thus mourning for Husain or for any other martyr of the House of the Holy Prophet is in accordance with the apostolic tradition.
32 Breast-Beating for the Martyrs
Breast-beating, which is generally done by the Shias for the martyrs of the House of the Holy Prophet, the Ahlul-Bait, is not a part of the Shia faith. It is an active expression of sorrow for the holy ones and identification with their suffering in serving the Lord. History records similar conduct by Owais Qarani, who hurt himself, breaking his own teeth in grief for the suffering of the Holy Prophet in Ohad. This is known by the Muslim world and was recognised by the Holy Prophet Himself. Though breast-beating is not a part of the religion, it is tolerated.
The violent expression of feeling on the part of Shias for the martyrdom of the Holy Ones of the House of the Holy Prophet represents a natural attachment to the Holy Ones. People do not Condemn one who weeps and mourns when a close relative dies, and the Shias actually regard the Holy Ones as their spiritual parents. The Holy Prophet said, "I and Ali are the two fathers of this people."
33 Reverential Prostrations
Reverential prostration before any sacred object is not prohibited in Islam. People who misunderstand it may wrongly term it Shirk. But Iblees or Lucifer was cast out for not prostrating himself before Adam:
And when said We unto the angels, "Prostrate ye before Adam!", they all prostrated themselves save Iblees, who refrained and was puffed up with pride and was turned into one of the disbelievers. (2:34)
And indeed We did create you, then We did fashion you, then said We unto the angels, "Prostrate yourselves unto Adam!" So they all did prostrate themselves except Iblees; he was not of the prostrating ones. (7:11)
Jacob, being the Apostle of God, prostrated himself; along with his sons, before his own son on the throne of authority:
And raised he his parents to the throne, and they fell down unto him, prostrating themselves, and he said, "O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream of aforetime! Indeed my Lord hath made it come true; and indeed He was kind unto me when He took me out of the prison and hath sown Satanic dissension between me and my brothers. Verily my Lord is Beneficent unto whomsoever He willeth; verily He is All-Knowing, All-wise."
34 Every Muslim is not a Mo'min ie. a Genuine Believer
The Qur'an clearly gives the actual position of a Muslim and a Mo'min. The word, Muslim, refers to one who submits himself to the faith of Islam, whether forced by circumstances or sincerely. The word, Mo'min, means a believer who has an earnest and genuine conviction about the Truth: Say the desert Arabs "We believe." Say thou (unto them), "Ye believed not, but say ye, We submit, for faith hath not yet entered your hearts; and if ye obey God and His Apostle, He will deny none of your deeds. Verily God is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful (49:14)
35 Respite Given to Disbelievers
The respite given to disbelievers is not, in fact, good for them. Let not those who disbelieve think that Our giving them respite is good for their selves; We only give respite to them that they may increase in sins, and for them it is a terrible punishment (3:77)
36 Hoarding of Wealth
These verses concern those who heard wealth and do not spend it in God's way:
And as for those who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of the Lord announce unto them a painful punishment.
On the day when the fire of hell shall be heated, their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with the words: "This is what ye hoarded up for yourselves, so taste ye what ye hoarded" (9:34,35)
37 A Goodly Loan to God has a Multiple Return
Spending in the way of God is lending to God, which earns not only a multiple return, but forgiveness of sins: If ye lend God a goodly loan, He will double it unto you and will forgive you; And God is Most Gracious and Most Forbearing. (64:17) Let him with abundance spend of his abundance and he who is straitened let him spend of what God hath given him; (for) God layeth not on any soul a burden save to the extent to which He hath given it; God will soon bring ease after difficulty. (65:7)
38 Self-Defence Prescribed
Islam is not an impractical ideal. Man must resist evil as best he can by all good means. But when the aggressor goes beyond the reasonable limit and exploits the goodness of the one who is resisting, then he must defend himself with an equal measure of strength, but he himself must not go beyond the reasonable limit.
O ye who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of (unlawful) murder freeman for freeman, bondman for bondman, woman for woman; but if any remission is made (in any case) by his (aggrieved) brother, then the recognised course be adopted and payment made to him in handsome manner. This is a dispensation and a mercy from your Lord, and whosoever transgresseth the limit after this, then for him shall be a painful punishment. (2:178)
This is an ordinance of the Holy Qur'an. The Bible teaches that one should turn the other cheek if one is smitten, and to surrender the coat if the cloak is taken away. This is not practical, and could never be practised even by the staunchest Christian. It is clear which ordinance will help to maintain peace, security, safety and order, and which will let loose mischievous elements through the practice of self-surrender preached by the Christian Church, which in fact is not, and cannot be, practised.
39 A Believer Described
Indeed successful are the believers, Those who in their prayers are humble, And those who, from what is vain keep (themselves) aloof And those who act for purification, And those who guard their private parts, Except from their wives or those whom their right hands possess, for then verily they are not blameable. (23:1-6)
40 Sex Segregation or Purdah for Women
Let those who advocate the modern social freedom and individual liberty which leads to immorality hear what Mrs Annie Besant says about the state of womanhood:
You can find others stating that the religion (Islam) is evil because it sanctions a limited polygamy But you do not hear as a rule the criticism which I spoke about one d~ in a London hall where I knew that the audience was entirely uninstructed. I pointed out to them that monogamy with a blended mass of prostitution was an hypocrisy and more degrading than a limited polygamy Naturally a statement like that gives offence, but it has to be made because it must be remembered that the law of Islam in relation to women was until lately,
when parts of it have been imitated in England, the most just law as far as women are concerned to be found in the world. Dealing with property, dealing with rights of succession and so on, dealing with cases of divorce, it was far beyond the law of the West, in the respect which was paid to the rights of women. Those things are forgotten while people are hypnotised by the words monogamy and polygamy and do not look at what lies behind it in the West - the frightful degradation of women who are thrown into the street when their first protectors, weary of them, no longer give them any assistance.
I often think that woman is more free in Islam than in Christianity. Woman is more protected by Islam than by the faith which preaches monogamy In Al-Qur'an the law about women is more just and liberal. It is only in the last twenty years that Christian England has recognised the right of women to property, while Islam has allowed this right from all times. It is slander to say that Islam preaches that women have no souls. (Annie Besant, The Life and Teachings of Muhammad, Madras, June 1932, page 3)
Islam aims at keeping men and women separate to keep them safe against sexual attractions and contact, and to protect them from modern lifestyles which permit pre-marital and free sex.
41 The Veil for the Believing Woman
And say unto the believing women that they cast down their gaze and guard their private parts and they display not their adornment save what is apparent of it; and to draw their veils over their bosoms and display not their adornment save to their husbands or their fathers or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants void of sexual stimulant, or the children who have not yet attained the carnal knowledge of women's nakedness, and let them not strike their feet (while walking) that what they hide of their adornment becomes apparent; and turn ye (repentant) unto God all of you, O ye believers, that ye may prosper. The believing ladies who faithfully follow the Holy Lady Fatema Zahra need no directions beyond that godly model of chaste womanhood.
43 Marriage: Man told to Marry
There is no celibacy or monasticism in Islam Man must marry. The Holy Prophet declared, Marriage is my "Sunnat" (tradition) and he who turns away from my Sunnat is not of me. Wed and meet and multiply yourselves, for on the Day of Judgment I shall be proud of the number of my followers compared to those of other peoples.
The First Holy Imam, Amirul Momineen Ali ibne Abi Taleb says:
A prayer (Namaz) consisting of (the minimum of) only Two Rak'ats (units) offered by a wedded pair is better than seventy Rak'ats offered by single ones.
44 "Muta": Temporary Marriage
What the Holy Prophet validated shall remain valid and none shall invalidate it. Muta, or temporary marriage, is valid 160 according to the Qur'an and was valid during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet and in the time of the first Caliph, Abu-Bakr. But later Omar chose to invalidate it. The Shias, who follow the Holy Qur'an, hold Muta as valid:
And (all) protected (married) ones of the women (are forbidden unto you) save those whom your right hands possess. (This is) God's written ordinance unto you; And it is allowed for you (all women) besides these that ye may seek (them) by means of your wealth taking (them) into marriage and not committing fornication; and as such of them that "ye have Muta" with them, give them their dowries as a fixed reward; and it shall not be a sin on you in whatever you mutually agree (to vary) after the fixed reward; Verily God is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
45 Polygamy and Islam
People, without knowing what Islam says about polygamy, criticise it Islam did not start Polygamy, but controlled it. No religion has protected women as much as has Islam. The verse permitting polygamy does not order a Muslim to be polygamous; in fact, it warns man that if he has more than one wife he must observe total equality among them. Islam permits man to marry up to four wives, but warns that if he cannot maintain justice he should have only one:
Then marry those who seem good to you, two, or three, or four, and if ye fear that, ye shall not deal justly (with so many) then (marry) only one. (4:3)
The earlier quotation from Annie Besant commends Islam for its treatment of women. And James Michener writes: Western writers have based their charges of voluptuousness mainly on the question of women. Before Muhammad, however, men were encouraged to take innumerable wives; he limited them to four only, and the Koran is explicit that husbands who are unable to maintain strict equality between two or more wives, must confine themselves to one. (James A. Michener, "Islam: The Misunderstood Religion" Readers Digest, American Edition, May 1955, pages 68-70)
Suppose the wife of a man becomes incurably ill, or she is proved barren, or she becomes incurably insane, without discarding his wife or himself living a miserable life, Islam allows him to take another wife.
46 Birth Control
Slay not your children for fear of poverty (6:152)
47 Reward for Shunning the Greater Evils Shunning the greater evils makes up for other sins:
And (as for) those who believe and do good, certainly blot out from them their evil deeds, and certainly we will reward them the best of what they are doing. (29:7)
48 Intoxicants and Gambling 48 Intoxicants and Gambling
When man becomes sunk in sinning, he begins to delude himself with self-deceiving arguments in favour of his conduct, justifying his actions as being within the law. He argues that liquor and gambling are not forbidden in the Holy Qiir'an. But the Qur'an speaks vehemently against these thing~.
They ask thee (O Our Apostle Muhammad) concerning wine and lots (games of chance); Say, in both these is great sin and also (some) profit for men; but their sin is greater than their profit. And they will ask thee (O Our Apostle Muhammad) what they shall spend (in alms);Say, "whatsoever can be spared"; thus doth God make clear for you the signs so that ye may ponder. (2:219)
O ye who believe! Intoxicants and games of chance, (dedications of) stones (ie. idols) and (divination by) arrows, are only an abomination of Satan's handiwork, so be ye away from it so that ye may be successful (5:90)
49 Niggardliness
A niggardly person regards only himself. Whatever he owns he will leave in this world and will leave it without spending his wealth in the right way and thus without earning good in the afterlife.
He who is niggardly is verily niggardly to his own self (47:38)
For God says:
Never shall ye attain to righteousness until ye give away (in the way of your Lord) of what ye love; and of whatsoever ye give, verily God knoweth it (3:91)
50 Behaviour Towards Parents
And thy Lord hath commanded that thou worship not (anyone) but Him, and show goodness to parents; if either or both of them reach old age with thee, utter not unto them (even so much a) "Fie", nor chide them, and speak unto them a generous word (17:23)
And We did enjoin upon man concerning his parents; his mother beareth him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning taketh two years (and) saying: "Be thou grateful unto Me and unto thy parents." (31:14)
51 Usury or Charging Interest on any Lending
Those who swallow interest will not (be able to) stand (in the Resurrection) except as standeth one whom Satan hath confounded with his touch; this because they say trade is only like (earning) interest, whereas God hath decreed trade lawful and hath forbidden interest, wherefore whosoever (after) the admonition hath come unto him from His Lord, if he desists, shall have what hath gone before; and his affair rests with God; and whoever returneth (to in even after the admonition), they are the inmates of the fire (hell), therein shall they abide. (2:275)
52 Life of This World
Verily the life of this World is only an idle sport and play. (47:36). See also 6:32, 29:64, 57:20
53 No One Knows where He will Breathe His Last
Verily, God is He with Whom is the knowledge of the Hour and He sendeth down the rain, and knoweth He what is in the womb. And knoweth not any soul what he shall earn on the morrow; and knoweth not any soul in what land he will die. Verily God is All-Knowing, All- Aware. (31:34)
54 Khatan: Circumcision
Circumcision in Islam is a tradition which is compulsory. Its origin lies in the time of Abraham, and was the token of Abraham's Everlasting Covenant with the Lord. It is said that the Holy Prophet and all the Holy 'mains of his House, the Ahlul- Bait, were circumcised. Older converts such as the earliest companions of the Holy Prophet were not circumcised and it was not insisted on for them.
Abraham:
This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee: Every man child among you shall be circumcised And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money to any stranger, which is not of thy seed. (Old Testament, Genesis 17:lO-13)
Isaac:
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. (Genesis 21:4)
Jesus:
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (New Testament, Luke 2:21)
55 Following the crowd blindly
Man is warned against following the crowd and being influenced by numbers:
Indeed We have created for hell many of the jinn and the men; They have hearts (but) they understand not with them; they have eyes (but) they see not with them; and they have ears (but) they hear not with them; they are like cattle, nay, more astray; These are they, the heedless ones. (7:179)
56 Misappropriating the Property of Orphans
And give unto orphans their property, and substitute not (your) worthless things for (their) good ones, and devour not ye their property along with your own; for verily it is a great crime. (4:2)
Verily, those who eat away the properties of orphans unjustly, they swallow (only) fire into their bellies and anon shall they enter the blazing Hell-fire. (4:10)
57 Repel Evil with What is Best
Man should as far as possible be good and do good, and if any one does evil, return evil with that which is best. The best, a very comprehensive term, meaning as well as the situation demands.
And equals cannot be the good and the evil Repel thou (evil) with what is the best, when lo ! he between whom with thee there was enmity, shall be as though he were a warm friend. (41:34)
The best example of some one returning good for evil is seen in Amirul-Momineen Ali ibne Abi Taleb, who having commanded a drink to be brought to him immediately after being mortally wounded by Abdur-Rahman ibne Muljim, served it first to his assassin. Many similar examples exist in the glorious lives of the Holy 'mains, and even of their devotees.
58 Mischief is Graver than Murder
Mischief is more grievous than murder. (2:217)
59 Merciful Pardon in response to Sincere
Repentance Promised
Islam, while warning against the false belief in vicarious atonement, preaches the hope of a sure and merciful pardon by the All-Merciful Lord where there is sincere repentance, and so encourages man to forsake his evil ways and return to righteousness:
Say thou (O Our Apostle Muhammad), "O My servants who have been extravagant unto their own selves, despair ye not of the mercy of God; verily God forgiveth sins all together; verily He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (39:53)
60 Every One's Actions are Being Watched
And say thou (unto them), "Act ye as ye wil4 God beholdeth your deeds, and His Apostle and the believers and then ye shall be brought back to the Knower of the hidden and the manifest." (9:105)
The Omnipresence of God is indisputable, and the presence of the Holy Prophet is definitely declared But who else can be the Believers other than those who were purified by the Lord Himself ie. the Holy Ahlul-Bait? (33:33)
The above verse declares that, in every age, there will be a Believer (a member of the Ahlul-Bait), the Imam of the age. As it has been declared by the Holy Prophet:
Man Maata walam ya'rif Imama Zamaanihi faqad Maatameetatul jahiliah ("He who dieth without knowing the Imam of his age, hath died the death of the age of ignorance (as did Abu Jehaland Abu Lahab and the others of his kind.")
REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE Qur'anIC TEACHINGS
The wonderful transformation that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, the Last Apostle of God, so successfully effected within the short span of only twenty-three years of his apostolic mission is, in itself, the mightiest of the miracles the world had ever witnessed. He successfully attacked every problem of wild barbarism and chronic paganism which prevailed at the time of his advent, and established a godly life of superb virtues through these changes:
1 Humanity was united under One God. 2 A death blow was dealt to the misconceptions about multiple deities. 3 All apostles of God were declared to be equally truthful, holy and sinless. Thus the Brotherhood of Religions was established. 4 Respect for the leaders of the other faiths was enjoined. 5 The truthfulness of all heavenly scriptures was declared, and respect and regard for all heavenly scriptures was ordained. 6 All kinds of worship of creatures other than the Creator was strictly prohibited. 7 All man-made distinctions of caste, colour and birth were eliminated. 8 Compulsory and regular congregational prayers (daily, weekly, and at other fixed times),
with the annual rehearsal of the Human Brotherhood at Haj, were prescribed and firmly established. 9 Uniform methods of prayer at fixed times, with the text of the verbal supplication to be recited, were prescribed to be strictly followed. 10 Idolatry of every kind was strictly prohibited and banned. 11 The rights of men and women were prescribed in detail and were effectively enforced. 12 The minimum amount of regulated charity was made compulsory. 13 Celibacy was condemned; marriage was encouraged and wedlock honoured. 14 The ways of a godly life in the world were demonstrated with practical examples to be followed.
15 Women were honoured; marriage was sanctified; parental rights were prescribed; widow marriage was legalised and commended. 16 Unlimited marriages and the institution of concubinage or having an unlimited number of wives was stopped and controlled. 17 Polygamy as a curative measure was made strictly conditional subject to a perfect equality among wives. 18 Women were given equal opportunity for spiritual elevation along with men. 19 The burial of female babies was stopped.
The value of daughters was made equal to that of sons. 20 Sobriety and temperance were ordained. The use of all intoxicants was strictly prohibited. 21 Distribution of property was prescribed in detail and strictly enforced. 22 Places of worship were declared open to all worshippers, without any monopoly for any individual or community. 23 Nude dances were stopped. Modest dressing was prescribed. 24 Seeking of knowledge was made compulsory for both men and women. Scholarship was encouraged and scholars honoured. 25 Gambling and all games of chance were declared to be crimes. 26 Adultery was declared to be the most abhorrent and the most severely punishable crime.
27 Slavery was abolished in the most practical and peaceful way. 28 The law of 'Maktabah' to help slaves to become liberated was enforced. 29 Usury was strictly prohibited. Lending without interest was highly commended. 30 A socialistic pattern of society was established through a commonwealth called 'Bait-ul-mal'. 31 The accumulation of wealth was controlled through the Laws of Inheritance and by an annual tax at a prescribed rate. 32 The hoarding of food grains and other foodstuffs was declared to be a punishable crime. 33 The just and correct use of weights and measured was ordered. 34 Cleanliness of body, thought, conduct and character was mandatory.
35 The varieties of food and drinks, and the limits of eating and drinking, were controlled.
36 Strictly regulated fisting was prescribed and made compulsory.
37 The protection and help of travelers was made obligatory and highly commended.
38 Patronage of orphans and the destitute was declared to be one of the great virtues.
39 Forced conversion was prohibited.
40 People were given freedom to choose their own faith.
These most ancient and basic works on Islam do not reveal any mention of Tahreef-Makani, or any addition to or subtraction from the present version of the Holy Qur'an which is in our hands. The only mention found in these basic authorities concerns Taweel (interpretation). In the Tenth Volume of the Biharul-Awar of Mullah Baqir Mujlisi, there is a discussion between Abdullah ibne Abbas and Ma'aviah. Ibne Abbas, in answering Amir Sham, who had commanded that praising Ali and the Ahlul-Bait be discontinued, does not speak of any distortion or misarrangement of the verses of the Holy Qur'an,
or of any addition or subtraction, but he questions Ma'aviah, challenging him on the interpretation of the verses of the Qur'an which expressly speak of Ali and the Ahlul-Bait. This is another clear evidence that the present Qur'an is the same collection as was made in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet at his command, and was the collection that was with Ameerul-Mo'mineen Ali ibne Abi Taleb, with the special explanatory notes from the Holy Prophet and by himself regarding the external as well as the internal meaning of the Word of God.
ONE OF THE MYSTERIES
One of the wonderful mysteries about the personalities of Muhammad, the A-c of God, his daughter Fatema, the Lady of Light, and the Eleven of the Twelve chosen successors (imams) from Ali-al-Murtaza to Hasan-Al-askari, is that all of them were martyred and none of the Holy Fourteen had had any education; and yet they were the fountainhead of a wonderful, divinely-inspired knowledge and were unequalled by any other than those of their own holy group.
Imam Hasan-al-Askari, the 11th Imam, was martyred in 260 A.H. The Abbasid Caliph Mo'tmad sent his men to kill the 12th Imam who, under divine inspiration, took shelter in the cave at 'Surra manra' and disappeared. Many great Sunni Scholars have also accepted this incident, namely:
1 Mullah Jami in his Shawahidun-Nubwwa.
2 Abdul-Wahab Sha'rani in his Lawahaqul-Answar and in his Alyawa queet-Wal-Jawahir.
3 Shaik-e-Akbar, Mohieddin ibne-Arabi, in his Futuhate- Makkiah.
4 Khaja Parsa in Faslul-Khitab.
5 Abdul Huq Mohaddis Dehlavi in A'immatul-At'har.
6 Jamaluddin Mohaddith in his raudzatul-ahbab.
7 Abu-Ahdullah Shami, author of Kifayatul-Tibyan-Fi- Akbare-Sahebuz-Zaman.
8 Sibt-ibne-Jawzi in his Tizkirae-Khawasal-Umma.
9 lbne-Sabbagh Nuruddin Ali Maleki in his Fusoolul- Muhimma.
10 Kamaluddin-bin Talha Shafayi in his Matalebus-Su'ool.
11 Shah Valiullah in his Fazlul-Mubeen.
12 Shaik Sulaiman Hanafi in his Yanabiul Mo'addah.
About the indefinite and extraordinary length of life granted to the 12th Imam, the great scholars have said that, when Muslims believe in the life of the holy prophets Jesus, Khizr, Idris and even the Dajjal, why should people wonder about the life of a Divine?
The Abbasid Caliphs
Until the Omayyids, there was one Caliph (Ruler) for the whole of the Muslim Empire, but with the start of the Abbasid Caliphate, the Spanish territory did not acknowledge the Abbasid rulers. Abdur-Rahman had established his hold on Spain, competing with the pomp and show of the Abbasid Court. The African positions were under different rebel heads. Thus, with the start of the Abbasid rule, there were many separate rulers in various parts of the Muslim Empire, each claiming to be the Caliph or the rightful successor of the Apostle of GOCL Thus the word, "Caliphate" and the title "Caliph" became openly identical with rulers of the Muslim States, but the people still considered the Caliphs as, not only their political lords, but as their supreme spiritual leaders. The Shias, the followers of Ali, though subjected to the most miserable persecution and painful torture, were always with the Holy Imams who were the source of spiritual knowledge.
The Abbasids, though related to Ali, as the issue of Abbas, the uncle of the Holy Prophet, were hostile to the family of Ali and Fatema.
The Abbasids ruled as kings until 656 A.H., when Mo'tasim, son of Mustansar, was killed by the Mongol King Halako, and thus the Caliphate at Baghdad came to an end. But one of the sons of Tahirbillah fled to Egypt and started a dynasty which ruled until 1517 ~D when Sultan Salim of Turkey conquered Egypt and founded the Ottoman Caliphate in Turkey which continued until 1922 A.D., when Mustafa Kamal Ataturk abolished it altogether. From that time there has been no Caliph. Thus the Caliphate 'started by man was abolished by man, while the Imamat, or the divinely commissioned succession from the Holy Prophet, continued and was acknowledged by the Muslim world as the Golden Chain of the divinely commissioned and sinless guides and Imams, guardians of the Holy Qur'an and its correct interpretation, and perfect models of Islamic practice.
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Author: S.V. Mir Ahmad Ali
