The Ray of Hope
Jumaada-l Oolaa 1423
Jul-Aug 2002
A Journal By The Students Of Darul Uloom Sabeelus Salam, Hyderabad, India
Visit www.scribd.com/musarhad for more articles on Islaam.
_____________________________________________________________________________ Vol.1 No.5 Jumaada-l Oolaa 1423 A.H. Jul-Aug 2002 PATRON: MAULAANAA RIZWAN AL QASMI ADVISORY BOARD
Under the guidance of: Master Ameeruddin Sb Chief Editor: Noamaan Bader Editor: Syed Rashid Hussain Sub-Editor: Shamsul Islam
Maulaanaa Akhtar Imaam Aadil Sb Qasmi Ml Abdul Basit Sb Nadvi Ml Khursheed Anvar Sb Nadvi Madani Ml Md Ayyub Sb Siddiqi Nadvi
C O N T E N T S 1
Editorial: Tauheed: the bedrock of Islaam
Noamaan Bader
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Sayings of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ
Md Jamaluddin
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Faith: the real wealth
Syed Rashid Hussain
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Knowledge: boon or bane
Shamsul Islam
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Sincerity
Wasi Akhtar Nadvi
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The Ray of Hope
Jumaada-l Oolaa 1423
Jul-Aug 2002
Editorial
Tauheed: The Bedrock Of Islaam
Noamaan Bader Tauheed (Islaamic monotheism) is a revolutionary concept and constitutes the essence of the teachings of Islaam. It means that there is only one supreme Lord of the universe. He is Omnipotent, Omnipresent and the Sustainer of the world and of mankind. The concept of monotheism in Islaam is free from every vestige of mythology or anthropomorphism. The doctrine of Tauheed is the principle of permanent value in the structure of Islaam, and leads the modern age to grasp the significance of ‘ethical monotheism’. One can observe the stars scattered through infinite space, the vast panorama of nature with its charm and beauty, the astonishing harmony of the seasons – all of these point towards one fact: there is a God. We witness a superbly flawless plan in the universe – can it be without a Planner? We see great enchanting beauty and harmony in its working – can they be without a Creator? We observe wonderful design in nature – can it be without a Designer? Truly, Allaah Almighty said:
ِ ِ ﻳﺎ أَﻳﱡـﻬﺎ اﻟﻨﱠﺎس ا ْﻋﺒ ُﺪوا رﺑﱠ ُﻜﻢ اﻟﱠ ِﺬي َﺧﻠَ َﻘ ُﻜﻢ واﻟﱠ ِﺬ ِﱠ ِ ض ﻓِﺮا ًﺷﺎ واﻟ ﱠﺴﻤ ﺎء َ َ ً َﺎء ﺑﻨ َ َ َ َ َ ( اﻟﺬي َﺟ َﻌ َﻞ ﻟَ ُﻜ ُﻢ ْاﻷ َْر21) ﻳﻦ ﻣ ْﻦ ﻗَـ ْﺒﻠ ُﻜ ْﻢ ﻟَ َﻌﻠﱠ ُﻜ ْﻢ ﺗَـﺘﱠـ ُﻘﻮ َن َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ ُ ِ ِ وأَﻧْـﺰ َل ِﻣﻦ اﻟ ﱠﺴﻤ ِﺎء ﻣﺎء ﻓَﺄَ ْﺧﺮج ﺑِ ِﻪ ِﻣﻦ اﻟﺜﱠﻤﺮ (22) ادا َوأَﻧْـﺘُ ْﻢ ﺗَـ ْﻌﻠَ ُﻤﻮ َن ً ات ِرْزﻗًﺎ ﻟَ ُﻜ ْﻢ ﻓَ َﻼ ﺗَ ْﺠ َﻌﻠُﻮا ﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ أَﻧْ َﺪ ََ ًَ َ َ َ َ ََ َ
“O Mankind! Worship your Lord, Who created you and those before you, so that you may ward off (evil); Who has made the earth a resting place for you, the sky a canopy and Who causes water to pour down from the heavens, thereby producing fruits as food for you. So do not set up rivals to Allaah, when you know (the truth).” (Qur’aan 2:21-22)
This is the basic tenet to which Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢasked humanity to adhere. It is an important metaphysical concept and answers the riddles of the universe. It presents a unified view of the world and offers the vision of an integrated universe. After centuries of groping in the dark, man is now coming to realize the truth of this concept, and modern seientific thought is moving in this direction. Tauheed is not merely a metaphysical concept: it is a dynamic belief and a revolutionary doctrine. It means that all men are the creatures of one God (Allaah) and that they are therefore all equal. Any discrimination based on colour, class, race or territory is unfounded and illusory. It is a remnant of the days of ignorance that chained men down to servitude. Islaamic monotheism is a dynamic force in the unification of mankind. “One God” has its parallel in “One Humanity”, but the grand idea of the unity of man is impossible without rejecting the old fiction of the favoured children of God. Humanity is one single family under God, and there can be no sanction for these barriers. Men are one – and not white or black, Aryan or non-Aryan, westerner or easterner, Islaam gives us a revolutionary concept of the unity of mankind.
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Perhaps no better exposition of the principle of monotheism in Islaam can be offered than that of ‘Allaamah Iqbaal: “The new culture finds the foundation of world-unity in the principle of Tauheed (monotheism). Islaam, as a polity, is only a practical means of making this principle a living factor in the intellectual and emotional life of mankind. It demands loyalty to God, not to thrones. And since God is the ultimate spiritual basis of all life, loyalty to God virtually amounts to man’s loyalty to his own ideal nature. The ultimate spiritual basis of all life, conceived by Islaam, si eternal and reveals itself in variety and changes. A society based on such a conception of reality must reconcile, in tis life, the categories of permanence and change.” (Religious thought in Islaam) The prophet came to unite humanity on the word of Allaah, which says:
ِ َوا ْﻋﺘ .َﺻﺒَ ْﺤﺘُ ْﻢ ﺑِﻨِ ْﻌ َﻤﺘِﻪِ إِ ْﺧ َﻮاﻧًﺎ َ ﺼ ُﻤﻮا ﺑِ َﺤ ْﺒ ِﻞ اﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ َﺟ ِﻤ ًﻴﻌﺎ َوَﻻ ﺗَـ َﻔ ﱠﺮﻗُﻮا َواذْ ُﻛ ُﺮوا ﻧِ ْﻌ َﻤﺔَ اﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ َﻋﻠَْﻴ ُﻜ ْﻢ إِ ْذ ُﻛ ْﻨﺘُ ْﻢ أَ ْﻋ َﺪ ًاء ﻓَﺄَﻟﱠ ْ ﻒ ﺑَـ ْﻴ َﻦ ﻗُـﻠُﻮﺑِ ُﻜ ْﻢ ﻓَﺄ َ
“Hold fast all together by the rope which Allaah (stretches out for you) and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allaah’s favour on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love so that by His grace you became brethren.” (Qur’aan 3:103) This concept also defines the true position of man in the universe. It says that God is the Creator and Sovereign, while man is His vicegerent on the earth. This exalts man to the noble and dignified position of being God’s deputy on earth and endows his life with a lofty purpose: to fulfill the will of God on earth. This will solve all the perplexing problems of human society and establish a new order wherein equity and justice, as well as peace and prosperity will reign supreme. § § § § § § § § § §
Sayings Of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻳﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻡ
Md Jamaluddin Abu Hurairah ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪreported: The prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢsaid:
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ﺿْﻴـ َﻔﻪُ وﻣﻦ َﻛﺎ َن ﻳـ ْﺆِﻣﻦ ﺑِﺎﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ واﻟْﻴـﻮِم ْاﻵ ِﺧ ِﺮ ﻓَـﻠْﻴ ﺼ ْﻞ َرِﺣ َﻤﻪُ َوَﻣ ْﻦ َﻛﺎ َن ﻳُـ ْﺆِﻣ ُﻦ ﺑِﺎﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ َواﻟْﻴَـ ْﻮِم َ َْ َ ْ َ َ َ َﻣ ْﻦ َﻛﺎ َن ﻳُـ ْﺆﻣ ُﻦ ﺑِﺎﻟﻠﱠﻪ َواﻟْﻴَـ ْﻮم ْاﻵﺧ ِﺮ ﻓَـﻠْﻴُ ْﻜ ِﺮْم ُ ُ ِ ِ .ﺖ ْ ﺼ ُﻤ ْ َْاﻵﺧ ِﺮ ﻓَـ ْﻠﻴَـ ُﻘ ْﻞ َﺧ ْﻴـ ًﺮا أ َْو ﻟﻴ
“He who believes in Allaah and the Last Day, let him show hospitality to his guest. He who believes in Allaah and the Last Day, let him maintain good relation with kins. He who believes in Allaah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.” (Bukhaaree 5673) Commentary: To honour a guest means to welcome him cheerfully, entertain him happily according to our capacity and have full regard of his comfort and rest. As for our relatives, we are supposed to treat them nicely and to do our duty towads them. Reserve in speech i.e. speaking good or remaining silent implies that we should avoid senseless and irrelevant talk. We ought to pass most of our time in the remembrance of Allaah, seeking His forgiveness and saying what is good to everybody. Or we had better keep silent. These three qualities are possessed by those people who believe in Allaah and the Day of Reckoning. § § § § § § § § § §
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Faith: the Real Wealth
Syed Rashid Hussain Allaah gives wealth to Believers and Misbelievers, to those He loves and to those He does not love. So when we see a man who is very wealthy, his wealth does not signify that he is dearer to Allaah. Nor is a poor person less favoured by Allaah. Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢtells us: “Had this world (and all its riches) been worth even the span of one wing of a mosquito in Allaah’s sight, not a glass of water would He have allowed of it to any Misbeliever.” (Tirmizee 2242) If this world and all its riches are so worthless in Allaah’s view, then being wealthy does not mean that one is favoured or loved by Allaah. It is faith with which Allaah favours those whom He loves. Faith gives a person a good character and respect in his community. This is due to the fact that when one has faith, one ties his best to behave well with others, improve his manners and adhere to moral values. That is bound to earn him the love and respect of everyone. That is true wealth which is indicative of Allaah’s favour. Faith places certain requirements on people. They are supposed to sacrifice their money and their lives for Allaah’s cause. Yet such a sacrifice does not come so easy to all people. Man is sometimes governed by his narrow view of this world. He finds it difficult to part with his money, even foe a good cause. He may prefer to rest at night and finds it difficult to wake up in the middle of the night in order to stand up for worship. When a person shows such reluctance, it does not take him out of the realm of faith altogether. He is still a Believer, but his motives have not been refined enough by his faith. The prophet prescribes for him that he should repeat praises of Allaah. By doing so, he reminds himself of his position in this world and that he is totally dependent on Allaah. He remembers that Allah has given him so much of His grace that he should always be thankful. He may remember that when he fulfills his duty and sacrifices his wealth and shows his readiness to sacrifice his life, Allaah will give him more. That may come in this world or in the next life.
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Knowledge: Boon Or Bane
Shamsul Islam The innate relationship between Islaam and knowledge: its acquirement and transmission, is borne out by the fact that this is the ideal that we find equally pronounced in the beginning as well as the end of Prophet Muhammad’s ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢteachings. Thus, the first revelation to the Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢhas the injunction: 1) ﻚ اﻟﱠ ِﺬي َﺧﻠَ َﻖ َ ﺎﺳ ِﻢ َرﺑﱢ ْ ِْﺮأْ ﺑ َ )اﻗـ “Read, in the name of your Lord and Cherisher Who created.” (Qur’aan 96:1) And one of the last public addresses of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢcontains these words: ِ ِ ِ ِ ﺾ َﻣ ْﻦ ﻳَـ ْﺒـﻠُﻐُﻪُ أَ ْن ﻳَ ُﻜﻮ َن أ َْو َﻋﻰ ﻟَﻪُ ِﻣ ْﻦ ﺑَـ ْﻌ .ُﺾ َﻣ ْﻦ َﺳ ِﻤ َﻌﻪ َ ﺐ ﻓَـﻠَ َﻌ ﱠﻞ ﺑَـ ْﻌ َ أََﻻ ﻟﻴُﺒَـﻠﱢ ْﻎ اﻟ ﱠﺸﺎﻫ ُﺪ اﻟْﻐَﺎﺋ “Listen! The present ones must convey (all that he hears here) to the absentees; for some of those to whom the message is conveyed would preserve it in their memory better than some of the (direct) listeners.” (Bukhaaree 4054) The great importance that Islaam attaches to knowledge is further supplemented by the following famous Islaamic quotations: .ﺼ ْﻴ ِﻦ اﻃْﻠُﺒُـ ْﻮا اﻟْ ِﻌ ْﻠ َﻢ َوﻟَ ْﻮ ﺑِﺎﻟ ﱢ “Seek for knowledge even in China1.” .اﻃْﻠُﺒُـ ْﻮا اﻟْ ِﻌ ْﻠ َﻢ ِﻣ َﻦ اﻟْ َﻤ ْﻬ ِﺪ إِﻟَﻰ اﻟﻠﱠ ْﺤ ِﺪ “Seek for knowledge from cradle to grave 2.” However, at this juncture we must keep in mind that “knowledge” is a very comprehensive word which includes the secular education and the spiritual knowledge, the knowledge of material objects and the knowledge of divine things, the knowledge of the vulgar and obscene, the knowledge of the decent and modest, the knowledge of the ways and means to harm and hurt others and the knowledge of the modes and procedures leading to the benefit and service of others, and so on. 0F
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Imaam Suyootee mentions it in Al Jaami’-ul Kabeer 1/3926 and says: Ibn-ul Jauzee has mentioned it in his book of fabricated hadeeths. ‘Ujloonee says: It is a weak hadeeth. Ibn Hibbaan says: false hadeeth. … Al Haafiz Al Mizzee says: It has several chains of narrators which might collectively bring it up to the status of fair hadeeth. 2 “This is not a correct hadeeth with respect to its chain of transmitters. … However, its meaning is correct.” (Fataawa-sh Shabakat-il Islaamiyah 9/698, No.60804, date 01 Rabee’-ul Awwal 1426)
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Obviously, this is a crucial matter, perhaps even more important than the acquirement of knowledge itself. Thus, here we find even the great Prophet David ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢpraying to God to show him and teach him His paths: “Show me the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk. Lead me; teach me; for you are the God who gives me salvation. I have no hope except in You.” (Bible, Psalms 25:4-5) Now what does Islaam say on this issue? In the very first few lines of the divine revelation, the Holy Qur’aan, we have: ِﱠ ِ ﺼﺮا َط اﻟ ِ ِ ِ ﻀ (7) ﻴﻦ ُ ﺖ َﻋﻠَْﻴ ِﻬ ْﻢ ﻏَْﻴ ِﺮ اﻟ َْﻤ ْﻐ َ ﻳﻦ أَﻧْـ َﻌ ْﻤ َ ﻮب َﻋﻠَْﻴ ِﻬ ْﻢ َوَﻻ اﻟﻀﱠﺎﻟﱢ َ ( ﺻ َﺮا َط اﻟﺬ6) ﻴﻢ ُ َ ا ْﻫﺪﻧَﺎ اﻟ ﱢ َ ْﻤ ْﺴﺘَﻘ “Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your grace, those whose portion is not wrath and who do not go astray.” (Qur’aan 1:6-7) Thus Allaah’s bondman supplicates to Allaah Himself to teach him the right course of life and in reply, Allaah sends forth the whole remaining portion of the Holy Qur’aan. Islaam sets forth the differences between the two types of knowledge: beneficial and harmful, in such a clear manner that Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢprays to Allaah to grant him the former and protect him from the latter: ِ َ ُاﻟﻠﱠﻬ ﱠﻢ إِﻧﱢﻲ أَﺳﺄَﻟ .ْﻤﺎ ﻧَﺎﻓِ ًﻌﺎ َوِرْزﻗًﺎ ﻃَﻴﱢﺒًﺎ َو َﻋ َﻤ ًﻼ ُﻣﺘَـ َﻘﺒﱠ ًﻼ ْ ُ ً ﻚ ﻋﻠ “O Allaah! I pray you to grant me knowledge that is beneficial, subsistence that is abundant, and deeds that are accepted.” (Ibn Maajah 915) ٍ ِ ٍ ﻚ ِﻣ ْﻦ ِﻋﻠ ٍْﻢ َﻻ ﻳَـ ْﻨـ َﻔ ُﻊ َوِﻣ ْﻦ ﻗَـﻠ ٍ ْﺐ َﻻ ﻳَ ْﺨ َﺸ ُﻊ َوِﻣ ْﻦ ﻧَـ ْﻔ .ﺎب ﻟَ َﻬﺎ َ َِﻋﻮذُ ﺑ ُ اﻟﻠﱠ ُﻬ ﱠﻢ إِﻧﱢﻲ أ ُ ﺲ َﻻ ﺗَ ْﺸﺒَ ُﻊ َوﻣ ْﻦ َد ْﻋ َﻮة َﻻ ﻳُ ْﺴﺘَ َﺠ “O Allaah! I seek refuge in You from the knowledge which does not benefit, from the heart that does not entertain the fear (of Allaah), from a soul that does not feel contented and from an invocation that is not answered.” (Muslim 4899) In another hadeeth, the prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢmentions some subjects of knowledge and delineate its beneficial part from its useless or harmful part: وﺗﻌﻠﻤﻮا ﻣﻦ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم ﻣﺎ. وﺗﻌﻠﻤﻮا ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ ﻣﺎ ﺗﻌﺮﺑﻮن ﺑﻪ ﻛﺘﺎب اﷲ ﺛﻢ اﻧﺘﻬﻮا.ﺗﻌﻠﻤﻮا ﻣﻦ أﻧﺴﺎﺑﻜﻢ ﻣﺎ ﺗﺼﻠﻮن ﺑﻪ أرﺣﺎﻣﻜﻢ ﺛﻢ اﻧﺘﻬﻮا
.ﺗﻬﺘﺪون ﺑﻪ ﻓﻲ ﻇﻠﻤﺎت اﻟﺒﺮ واﻟﺒﺤﺮ ﺛﻢ اﻧﺘﻬﻮا “Learn that much of your genealogy with which you may pay the due to your close relations, then stop. Learn that much of Arabic language with which you may explain (the meanings of) Allaah’s Book, then stop. Learn that much of astrology with
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which you may find out your path in the darkness of land and ocean, then stop.” (Shu’ab-ul Eemaan by Al Baihaqee 1682, 4/245) Thus having known the importance of knowledge of constructive type, the Muslims began to pursue it right from the very beginning and the house of Arqam, in spite of being void of all resources, succeeded in educating all the Muslims present at Makkah: an enviable achievement which even our wealthier nuclear power nation finds difficult to attain in spite of the lofty ideals contained in the Constitution of India. Under the heading “Directive Principles of State Policy”, we have: “The State shall endeavour to provide, within a period of ten years from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years.” (Article 45) However, even more than fifty years after the implementation of the Constitution on 26 January 1950, 34.62% of the population is completely illiterate (according to the Census of India, 2001). We only hope that our fellow brethren – of this nation and others – strive to achieve education and knowledge that benefits the individual as well as the entire humanity in general. There is no doubt that their thirst for true knowledge, if they do feel it, will be quenched by following the lofty ideals of Islaam alone.
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S I N C E R I T Y
Wasi Akhtar Nadvi (Kulliyat-ul Hadeeth) Islaam is the religion of truth. It is the embodiment of the code of life which Allaah, the Creator and Lord of the universe, has revealed for the guidance of mankind. It has given a large number of teachings and commands – some pertaining to worship and others pertaining to individual and social affairs. Moreover, the religion also clarifies that the real things desired id sincerity. Sincerity is the feeling of one’s intentions from all impurities in order to come nearer to Allaah. It is to ensure that the intentions behind all acts of worship and obedience to Allaah are exclusively for His pleasure. Thus, referring to the People of the Book, the Holy Qur’aan says:
ِ ِ ِِ .ﺎء َ ﱢﻳﻦ ُﺣﻨَـ َﻔ َ ﻴﻦ ﻟَﻪُ اﻟﺪ َ َوَﻣﺎ أُﻣ ُﺮوا إِﱠﻻ ﻟﻴَـ ْﻌﺒُ ُﺪوا اﻟﻠﱠﻪَ ُﻣ ْﺨﻠﺼ
“And they have been commanded no more than this: to worship Allaah offering Him sincere devotion being true (in faith).” (Qur’aan 98:5) This verse makes it clear that Allaah has little to do with the exterior and appearance of the human deeds. The same idea is further detailed in a metaphorical manner in the following hadeeth: Abu Hurairah narrates that Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢsaid: “Allaah does not look at your countenance nor at your wealth (worldly status); rather he watches over your hearts and your deeds.” (Muslim 4651) All our pioneers and forefathers-in-Islaam had realized the importance of sincerity and this fact stands out clear when we go through the great books of hadeeth such as Bukhaaree, Mishkaat-ul Masaabeeh, Riyaaz-us Saaliheen, etc. as we find that most of them begin with the famous hadeeth of sincerity narrated by Umar ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪ:
ِ ﺎل ﺑِﺎﻟﻨﱢـﻴﱠ .ﺎت َوإِﻧﱠ َﻤﺎ ﻟِ ُﻜ ﱢﻞ ْاﻣ ِﺮ ٍئ َﻣﺎ ﻧَـ َﻮى ُ إِﻧﱠ َﻤﺎ ْاﻷَ ْﻋ َﻤ
“Deeds are by intentions. Everyone shall have that which he intended for.” (Bukhaaree 1) The realization of its importance led them to make it a part of their very existence. Consequently, sincerity which none but Allaah can know, manifested itself in their manners and even in their looks for all the world to bear witness to it. So we have the likes of Shaikh Nizaamuddeen, Mu’eenuddeen Chishtee and Aurangzeb ‘Aalamgeer – ﺭﺣﻤﻬﻢ ﷲto name a few among our later ancestors – whose faces were as brilliant as their hearts.
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