Being mindful of the echoes of one’s actions

In my last blog I wrote, from an Islamic perspective, about some people's belief in superstition and the taking of ill omens from others’ actions. Such false beliefs could be regarded as the first signs of a person’s lack of belief in his or hers religious upbringing and, if continued, go on to adversely shape their daily routines, cultural reactions and future social behaviour.

In Islam, the heart is regarded as the repository of purification that will ultimately shape one's character, actions and bring happiness to a person's life. Beliefs in superstition are the first elements that impact and reduce the bond between a person and his creator by weakening its surety and a proper grounding in Islam.  

In a hadith, the Prophet Mohammad, Peace and Mercy of God be upon him, says: '‘behold! There is a piece of flesh in the body, which if purified, all body gets purified. But when it gets corrupt, all body gets corrupted. Behold that is the heart'’.

When it comes to belief, we listen less  to our hearts and more and more to the cultural aspects of our beliefs or to what is 'in fashion' in our society, inevitably arriving at incorrect conclusions.

Islam frees people from this mindset. The biggest and most important decision, made by any persons in their life, is to choose what they believe, or indeed, do not believe. This decision is made by all of us, without any exception, consciously or subconsciously, and will impact directly or indirectly, on every aspect of our lives and affect any future decisions and actions. A good and right decision will deliver the right result. The wrong one will introduce a negative mindset. In either case, whilst the person making the decision will be the first beneficiary or victim, the consequences of the decision will inevitably affect others.

 The Quran, very succinctly, put it in this verse: '‘And whoever purifies himself, he does so for only himself’'. Or' ‘Indeed he has succeeded who has purified himself'’.

The heart motivates our desires and plans, and the mind executes them, while the rest of the body is the tool which implements them.  Hence the emphasis must be on cleansing the heart so that it can become the seat of purity, happiness and divine attachment, ensuring that a person becomes a person of comprehensive goodness of character.

A collection of such hearts will produce collective good in a society, one becoming the cause for another in continuing to produce goodness in people. But collective wrongdoing, even by implication, or by just not raising voices against evil and wrongdoing, will be the cause of suffering for many. In this the Quran says: ‘‘and be alert to the ‘fitnah’ tribulation which would not affect only the wrongdoers'’.

In another verse, the Quran says: '‘the corruption has spread in the land and sea as a result of what people’s hands have earned'’.

Purification in Islam begins with the cleansing of the heart. To accomplish this we must first distinguish between what is pure and what is impure. How are we to make this decision? How can we separate all that which has been collected in the heart of a person from his surroundings and through external senses and what should be retained or discarded?

An Islamic solution is proposed by the Prophet himself. He says: '‘when a believing person commits a wrong a black dot is placed on his heart. If he thereafter repents and seeks forgiveness of God, it is removed. However, if he does not repent, the dot gets bigger till it covers the heart and so it starts rusting’'. If further indulgence in wrongdoing continues a person loses sight of the right action to take.

Here we can see the reason why Islam disapproves strongly of any superstitious belief.  If ill omens exist, they should not arise from people, but from the actions of our own selves and wrongdoing of others .People should be advised and counselled if they are the wrongdoers, whether it is their actions that are ruining their family life, affecting the lives of others in the neighbourhood and the community, or impacting on the lives of a people or a nation.

Discarding superstition and protecting a true belief in Islam will not only  result in a good life on earth but will help to ensure God’s pleasure in the Hereafter, when we must all account for our deeds. The Quran says: '‘That the ‘Other Abode’ (the Hereafter We only grant it to those who do not display arrogance in the land and commit not corruption (therein) and the (good) outcome is for those who are seeking righteousness (restraints)''.

 We are all given to acts, words and thoughts which we later regret, or should regret. Few of us have not spoken in haste and by doing so caused others to react in a negative or harmful manner.  As the Prophet said: '‘a person falls to the deepest low because of a one word that he has spoken and did not think of it’'.  

We must realise that our action and words can have consequences that may have dire and sometimes fatal consequences for others.  Restraint is the best counsel and if people have to act then it should be well measured and well thought out.

Month of Safar and superstitions in Islam

Safar is the second month of the Islamic calendar and one of the first which comes after three consecutive months that are denoted in the Quran as ‘sacred months’. These three preceding months were proclaimed as sanctified in the Quran alongside a fourth month which is called ‘Rajab’.

The Quran thus said: ‘don not, therefore, wrong yourselves therein’. This is a warning not to engage in war or to initiate it. However, if conflict is imposed from outside, it has to be defended against.

War, conflict, and turmoil of any kind, that destabilises a nation, does injustice to others, causes murder and pillage and wide ranging destruction in the land, and to the lives of people, is abhorred in Islam and thus forbidden.

However, in the era before Islam, the month of Safar was the subject of two different conditions imposed by the people of Makkah. The first was what the Quran describes as an act of ‘An nasi’  (exchanging the previous sacred month with the month of Safar), so allowing the people of Makkah to enter into a war earlier than they would normally, by simply bringing  the month of Safar forward before Muharram. By this action they sought to justify their acts of aggression and war, and in addition completely disregarded divine guidance inherited from the time of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail (Abraham and Ishmael).

The second was the attribution of ill omens to the month of Safar, so the people could not travel in the month, and no longer regard it as a month of goodness and good fortune.  According to some other reports, the people of Makkah even emptied the city in this month to make it appear deserted.

Islam, in the  divine guidance it provides us, to rid us  from any superstitious acts that  damage its moral structure, comes down very hard when dealing with those who continue to practice them. The belief in one God, the Almighty and the Sovereign whose commands are not to be interfered with by any superstition, abrogates all superstitious beliefs of any kind.

The prophet Mohammad, Peace and Mercy of Allah be up on him, in a very loud and clear message, proclaimed saying: ‘there is no infection, no act of drawing ill omens, no spooks and no month of Safar’.

The prophet categorically rejected four kinds of superstition, which the people were commonly practising in his time.  First he said: ‘there is no infection’. Of course infection and contagious diseases are an ever present reality and happen. The people of that time did believe in infection which is catching an illness from an infected person. Upon hearing the prophetic statement, a Bedouin stood up and said to the Prophet: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Then what about when a camel, living in the desert like a healthy deer, mixing with an infected camel and suddenly becoming infected itself (with scabies)? The prophet replied, saying: ‘then who infected the first one?’ Here, according to this statement, what the Prophet explains is, that while the source of infection to the second camel is known, that of the first is not. Who or what has caused the first infection?  Anyone not believing in God’s design and power may say it is the result of a weak immune system, a filthy environment, airborne hostile organisms or even unhygienic surroundings that may have caused the infection. The prophet said: 'the first cause is Allah whose design and power supersede any cause'.  

So what does this Prophetic statement try to achieve?  The statement negates a common perception that still, unfortunately, remains very much part of our modern day life; the source of infection always lies with other people.  Even where this is the case should we continue to seek to blame others, or, even worse, perhaps take revenge on them for the damage caused, or isolate them without providing any support and assistance. Or even regard them as cursed? It also denies any divine interference or the Will of God.

In the same way, the Prophet said: ‘No drawing of ill omens’, which also still remains common in many parts of our modern world. Let me give you an example from the Quran itself. The Quran mentioned Pharaoh and his people, when they were infected by the nine calamities and says:  ‘and when a calamity had befallen them they took bad omens from Moses and those who were with him’. That kind of act leads to the demonisation of a people and their unjust persecution. It denies the very existence of goodness in certain people and they are consequently mistreated and suppressed. All people belong to the God who has created them, with equal rights and equal dignity. Therefore there should not be any such superstition as the drawing of bad omens from any person or people.

The third act of superstition is mentioned as ‘no spooks’ (the Arabic word used here is ‘haamah’ and I have translated it as spooks, though the word has other meaning as well). Haamah is a bird, perhaps an owl, which many people superstitiously consider, in particular at night, and more so when they hear their cries in an open place, like a desert or graveyard or other spooky places, as sealing the fate of someone or as warning. Some people may abandon their journeys or change their travel plans, or try to formulate a ‘fortunate time’ for doing anything - even meeting someone. According to Islam, this is against the proper and authentic belief in God’s design and power over all things. 

The fourth superstition mentioned in the hadith statement is ‘Safar’. I have translated it as referring to the month of Safar, as against its other meaning of a stomach disease, because that would have placed it under the heading of infection. I have explained above the superstitious acts of people in the month of Safar, which the prophet categorically negated by saying there should not be any such act of superstition when it comes to days, times and place, which are all the creation of Allah.

People suffer harsh consequences from the evil acts and evil utterances they themselves have committed in order to create mischief and corruption in the society in which they live. So if any ill omen is to be drawn it should be as the result of the evil deeds. People should be afraid of the consequence of their own evil acts, for it is certain that they will experience both the justice of God and that of their community. All actions result in a reaction, and the latter may be greater than the first. A sound mind is not only the result of a sound body but is ultimately shaped by sound and profound thoughts and deeds.           

Disengaging from what does not concern one

I have always considered God’s teachings as a means of supporting one’s self esteem and personal values in order to enrich the quality of one’s life. Human society is made up from individual units who, working together, weave the fabric of the quality of their lives, good or bad, to better themselves or to regress and change for the worse.

These teachings and guidance are surely provided for the purpose of improving the quality of human society as whole and to maintain a climate, in which we all can prosper and co-exist, until we are brought in front of God for the final accountability.

We all understand the benefit of engaging with others for the good of all. Indeed most of us encourage a positive engagement, seeking good relationships in charitable work, and in the public interest, and when endeavouring to enhance the quality of all our lives.

However, there are times when such engagements are discouraged in Islam: when there is fear that engagement could become a liability and would harm the quality of human lives or the life of an individual. Indeed, given the chaotic situation that the Muslim world finds itself in at the moment, heads need to be put together to establish appropriate areas of engagement and disengagement for the Muslim community. 

I would like to mention some supporting references for what I have just said:

The Quran says: ‘O believers! You must guard your own self. No harm would come to you if anyone goes astray, if you follow the guidance’. S5 V105

Engagement with others begins with disengaging from one's self interest. There is a saying in Arabic: ‘The empty-handed person does not offer anything’. One has to possess the qualities of goodness and excellence for oneself in order to offer them to others. The above-mentioned verse does not advocate a total banishment from engagement, but reminds people to look at what, in the first place, concerns them, before they worry about others.

In the same vein, the Quran says in Surah 18 and Verse 6: ‘You would perchance fret yourself to death following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this message’.

These verses show two different levels of public concern but clearly define the limits of engagement whilst reminding us of their respective priorities.

What one achieves by the means of speech, action or indeed through thoughts depends, in the first place, on the consideration given as to the best positive outcome for all. Thinking about oneself before thinking about others is not always an act of selfishness. Indeed, it should be seen as a part of the process of being prepared before engaging with others.

Drawing attention to this understanding, the Prophet Muhammad, Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him, said: ‘the best part of the Islam of a person is to disengage from what does not concern him’.

Excellent advice, everyone should appraise their goal and purpose in life and evaluate their personal qualities. No one should attempt to pass on  to others what they don’t have or believe themselves.

The Prophet Muhammad, going further, and speaking somewhat bluntly, said: ‘whoever believes in Allah and in the Hereafter, must speak of goodness or (if not) rather shut up’.

Disengaging from wrongdoing or evil deeds is called an act of charity, and that in itself becomes an act of positive offering and engagement with positive thinking.

According to a hadith narrated by the Companion of the Prophet Anas ibn Malik, a man commented on the death of another man, in the presence of the Prophet Muhammad, saying: ‘Have the glad tiding of the Paradise’.  The Prophet then spoke to him saying: ‘How can you say that? Perhaps he has spoken about something that did not concern him or withheld that which did not make him the less for it’.

This is an important subject and knowledge of it will certainly benefit any person searching to make a positive change and a real impact. Problems arise when the ignorant force their way into what is not, or should not be, their concern. If people only play the role that is their God given capacity, life would be better for all. People must desist from playing God, concentrate more on themselves, and not meddle in the affairs of others. Then, Insha'Allah we will enjoy a more peaceful existence, an enhanced quality of life for everyone, and human society will be less infected by slandering, mischievous acts, evil deeds and of course wrongdoers.

Muharram al-Haraam: Start of a new Islamic year or a new beginning?

The  new Islamic year of 1436 has just begun, marking the time that has passed since the migration of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions from their home city of Makkah to the new township of Yathrib: later called the City of the Prophet and now named Al-Madinah in his honour.

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar following the month of Hajj, being the 12^th month of the Islamic calendar. Muharram means sacred or made sacred, which is further qualified as ‘Al-Haraam’, meaning again  sacred or forbidden.

The twelve names of the months in the Islamic calendar each have their own characteristics, denoting their relative importance, purpose and the obligations required of us during their timelines.

Muharram is one of four months which were originally  marked out as ‘sacred’ on the day Allah created the heavens and the earth and designed the twelve months of the yearly cycle.

Let us look at the relevant Qur`anic verse which reads: ‘The number of months in the Sight of Allah is twelve, so ordained by Him the Day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred, that is the right religion so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight the Polytheists (of Makkah) all together as they fight you all together. But know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves’. S9 V36

By emphasising ‘that is the right religion’ the Qur`an  highlights the  corrupt practices of the Polytheists of Makkah when they ignored the ‘state of the sacredness’ of these months and acted only in accordance to their whimsical desires and their tactical planning for invasion and wars.

Allah (SWT) has marked out those four months as sacred and any transposing of those sacred months is called as ‘further stubbornness in the state of disbelief’.

The Qur'an elaborates the purpose of them being marked out as sacred by saying ‘so wrong not yourselves therein’ ; i.e. to either eliminate wars and their causes without any legitimate provocations, or to keep  their effects to the minimum.

The Islamic calendar started from the year in which Prophet Muhammad and his companions were compelled to leave Makkah and emigrate to what is now the City of ‘Al-Madinah’. The Prophet arrived in Quba, outside the city of Madinah on Monday 12^th Rabi al-Awwal, the third month of Islamic calendar and was warmly welcomed by its people.

When, in the time of the second Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattaab, the political establishment started taking shape and a need for dating official records and dealings emerged, the Caliph consulted his eminent colleagues. A host of suggestions was proposed by different companions of the Prophet. However, what attracted the most attention, and the approval of the people, was the Hijrah, which was regarded as the event that stood out most prominently in the life of the Prophet’s divine mission and  as the most important sacrifice made in the way of Allah in safeguarding the belief in Almighty the Creator and sustainer of the worlds.

All the companions of the Prophet agreed to mark this most notable event as  the beginning of their calendar, which is now called as the Hajri (or Hijrah) calendar.

As a result, every year, when a new Islamic calendar starts, it reminds (or should remind) Muslims of the sacrifices that have been made by the Prophet and his companions in preserving the integrity and uncompromising purity of this divine guidance. God is the ultimate reality or what the Qur`an terms  as ‘Al-Haqq’. The manifestation of His reality is all around; from the existence and functioning of man, to the sustenance of all other creatures and maintenance of this existence. The Prophet Muhammad would not deviate from this very essential message of Islam to the people and chose to leave his home city of Makkah to seek refuge rather than to accept any compromise about the reality of this foundational belief in God.

Starting the Islamic calendar with a sacred month, in which we are guided not to wrong ourselves, sends out a very positive and beneficial message to people and makes it very easy to declare to the world our 'new year's resolution’: Do no wrong!

One wonders why this simple guidance provided to our religion has failed to impact on many of its followers, many of whom don’t seem to have any annual plans or resolutions to create positive changes to their lives and to the lives of people around them or under their rule.

People who hold any authority, over anybody, need to reflect on the impact of their many (and often what are seen as deliberate} blunders that have created chaos and conflicts in the Muslim lands and the Muslim Ummah and come up with solutions. A starting point like the month of Muharram provides them with such an opportunity. Unfortunately, there is a definite lack of positive and character building leadership in most Muslim societies. Power grabbing, dislodging others by deceitful means, coupled with the ill-informed and uncompromising characters of those seeking to run religious institutions and those undeserving of the right to authority, is a commonplace phenomenon in  Muslim lands.

Why do we continue to fail to become involved in collective actions in the year to come which can benefit the Muslim nations, mend their ways and directions, guide them to the positive collaboration with the rest of the world on a programme of nation building, mutual understanding and the creation of a healthy world?  Why there is no time in our lives for reflection and collective thinking?

We need to reflect on our negativity and mistaken ways to make positive changes to our lives. That is the way ahead, in my opinion, if we are to make any progress, change the destiny of the Muslim Ummah and serve the purpose of Islam. Spoken words have no importance or merit unless and until they are believed and practised by all.

The just war: an Islamic perspective

It was my privilege recently to have been invited to the annual lecture series organised by the Catholic Chaplain to Higher Education in Bath, Father Bill O.S.M.

This year the principal guest was Field Marshal Lord Gutherie of Craigiebank GCB LVO OBE DL

The title of his lecture was ‘the Just War: The morals and ethics to consider before going to war.

The title of the lecture was interesting enough for me to ensure that I was there to listen to a man who had been at the helm of the British army, and led them in times of both war and peace.

I was impressed by both his modesty and his candid opinions.

Lord Guthrie detailed the changing definitions of war from time immemorial to the present, and how it is now used in attempts to eradicate poverty, terrorism and drug abuse etc.

Lord Guthrie also made references to the concept of war from a religious perspective, in particular Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and to some extent from a rational humanist perspective.

When Lord Guthrie started talking about the concept of war in Islam I felt a little apprehensive about what might be expressed, in the light of how Islam has been maligned and its teachings were badly represented both by Muslims and non-Muslims since the incident of 9/11, and all the wars and violent conflicts that have been, and are still ferociously raging throughout the Muslim lands, particularly those that continue to be described as Islamist led conflicts.

First of all, Lord Guthrie explained to the audience that the ethics and rules of war are laid down in the Quran itself. At this point, I wondered what he might quote from the Quran. Would it be the usual misrepresentations continually spouted by many bigots and the opponents of Islam? Or would his offerings be fair and honest?

His first statement was that ‘war is evil in Islam’, and surely it is. The Quran says: ‘indeed whoever killed a soul, unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land it would be as if he killed the whole mankind. And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of whole mankind’. S5 V32

No matter what one is, a Muslim or a non-Muslim, whoever kills or initiates a war, the burden of the sin, in the sight of God and for accountability purpose, will be on the shoulders of those who killed (or caused others to kill) an innocent soul (whoever that soul might be). This verse defines the parameters of ethics and necessity of a war.

Lord Guthrie, then, defined ‘Jihad’ and its meaning, to the visual relief of many in the audience. The word ‘Jihad’ is invariably misused to describe a war, even though that is not in God’s Path. Indeed, many in the West understand it as meaning ‘a holy war against infidels’.

But what is a ‘war in God’s Path’, and why should there be a war in the Path of God anyway? God demands that we all live in peaceful co-existence, not indulge in violent conflicts or be continually on a war footing.

To understand this, we need to understand this Verse from the Quran, which initiates permission for fighting back in war and or to be ready to defend oneself.

The Quran says: ‘To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight) because they are wronged and verily Allah is Most Powerful to their aid. They are those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of their right, for no cause except that they say: our Lord is Allah’. If Allah did not check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, Synagogues, and mosques in which the names of Allah is most commemorated in abundant measure’. S22 V39-40

It further says: ‘and fight in the Path of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits, for Allah does not love transgressors’. S2 V190

I think perhaps these verses were in the mind of Lord Guthrie when he further said: ‘Islam does not forbid war but regulates it’.

If war is seen as an unavoidable evil then it has to be constrained by ethical parameters and strict rules of accountability.

Violence and bloody conflicts in many Muslim countries have inevitably been regarded as linked to Muslim beliefs, but this has never been true. Wars happen, even to Muslims, but if Muslims do not hold fast to the ethical rules of Islamic conduct of war, can never be justified under the religious law. None of the many wars this world has experienced in its history has ever been perfectly ethical, including the most modern ones.

Like many in the audience, Lord Guthrie appeared to have doubts about the reasons expressed by some for entering into these conflicts.

I enjoyed his thoughts on the subject and it was refreshing to learn there still remains a desire for a proper understanding and discussion, even at the top. However, would it not be more appropriate if meetings such as this took place before entering into any war, and that those in power listened and learned from the ethics and principles presented before they acted?

Keeping steadfast

Life, in our modern times, has become a curse for many, particularly in the areas of morality, ethics and good principles. Morality has become, somehow, a misnomer while ethical values hardly attract any credence. Living with principles or ideals is seen as a thing of the past and ‘the casual life’ is increasingly becoming the norm.

Here I am directing my comments towards those seeking to enjoy a life that is religious and spiritual and where one's purposes cannot be achieved without abiding by the rules and obeying the laws.

The argument, by those who seek a life without God, leads, inevitably, to the loss of a solid moral and spiritual foundation and life becomes unsustainable in terms of purpose and direction.

This is an ever present danger to any individual who lives by any religious or philosophical teachings, and is why it is also a matter of utmost concern to Islam.  Our attention is drawn towards it in the Quran and by the teachings and guidance of the Prophet Muhammad.

Abu Amrah Sufyan bin Abdullah al-Thaqafy, a companion of the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, approached him and said: 'O Prophet of Allah! Teach me a word in Islam so that I would never again need to ask anyone after you about it'. The Prophet replied saying: ‘say: I believed in Allah and then keep steadfast on it’.

All Islamic beliefs are summed up by this belief in Allah. This is the most important and basic belief in Islam, and if ignored or dismissed, then nothing can save the rest of our beliefs from becoming corrupt.

An uncorrupted belief  in Allah, as mentioned in the hadith above, epitomises a belief that is most correct, recognising and accepting the deserved attributes  of Allah the Almighty, and that the Prophet's teachings  on  belief in God, as on all matters of morality, ethics and principles, should continue to guide us throughout our lives.

If a believer can retain his belief in God then all his other practices will fall into their correct place and attract rewards.

The Prophet Mohammad also guided us in another hadith saying: ‘Keep steadfast and you would never be able to count its rewards, and know that the best of your deeds is Salaah (the obligatory prayers), and no one would safeguard his wudu but a truly believing person’.

The life of a Muslim must not be influenced by his lust, desires and covert intentions. His loyalty must always be to God and its resulting principles, morality and ethics. He must never act to arrive at a result purely because of his desires, but strive to achieve a result that is not in contravention to God’s principles of morality and ethics: itself an act of obedience that will be rewarded. If he acts regardless of the divine principles of morality and ethics, then that person has not kept himself steadfast on the path of Allah.

Keeping steadfast in belief in Allah is a pure state of mind and brings one closer to God with its glad tiding of blessed Paradise by angels. The Quran describes it beautifully and in a most comforting way for the believers. It says: ‘Indeed to those who proclaimed, saying our Lord is Allah, and then kept steadfast on it, angels descend upon them (saying) 'do not fear and do not sorrow, and have the glad tidings of the Paradise that you were being promised'. 'We are your Guardian in the worldly life and in the Hereafter, and therein is everything for you that your selves may desire and everything that you may ask for, a hospitable gift from the One Most Forgiving and Most Merciful’. S41 V30-31

The rewards lie in toeing the lines of correct belief and in never deviating from them. The anarchy, lawlessness, stagnant life, and the crying voices and screams of the oppressed that are being witnessed throughout the Muslim lands, are the results of deviating from the Path of Allah. The sooner that Muslims realise that their good fortune lies in being humble servants of God and not in being amongst those who violate every principle of morality and ethics that God had laid down in His Book, the better.

Good and just rules are a divine call to mankind, but attaining  one's ends by any means cannot, and must not, be justified. Enough of brutality and enough of oppression. That is not the God’s way, and only leads to evil and away from God's path. We all need to reflect on our acts, whether they are acceptable in the light of God’s teachings and will we be accountable for them by God?

To conclude I would like to mention another hadith of the Prophet Mohammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, in which he says: ‘He has indeed became successful, who has sincerely surrendered his heart in belief, and turned his heart clear (of all wrongdoing and sins) ,made his tongue truthful, his soul tranquil and blissful, and his character steadfast’. (Ibn Hibban)

The true lessons of Hajj

Hajj, the fifth of Islam’s pillars, is about to begin in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. It is performed in the 12^th month of the Islamic calendar. The whole event takes place within a time scale of 5 – 6 days, the last day being optional, to allow those pilgrims who wish, to stay in Mina.

Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah to perform devotional duties, is one of the most desired and longed for Islamic practices that the majority of Muslims, whether with means or not, would like to accomplish in their life time.

In common with all other Islamic devotional obligations and practices, Hajj is intended to have a multi-dimensional impact on people’s religious, spiritual, social and moral life.  It provides an economic benefit , whilst offering people  opportunities to broaden their intellectual outlook and to reflect on their current situation.

The Quran describes the event in the Surah Hajj saying: ‘so that they may attend to benefits pertaining to them’: meaning benefits beyond those arising from the performing of the religious obligation of pilgrimage.

Also, the Quran very eloquently draws the attention of pilgrims towards the social and moral developments from Hajj, in this verse of Surah al-Baqarah: ‘Hajj is known months.  Whosoever obligates upon himself to perform Hajj, then let there be no obscenity, disobedience and altercation in Hajj. Whatever goodness you may act upon Allah will know it. And take provision and the best of provision is righteousness. And fear Me O people of understanding’.

Hajj, on the one hand, is a religious duty and one of five pillars of Islam, and if denied one will cease to be a believer. However, on the other hand, it is meant to develop and enhance the believer's   spiritual and social life.

Unfortunately it appears to have little impact on these aspects in many people’s lives. In my own experience I have seen people, although very sincere in their wish to perform the duty, and very devoted, but possessing little or no idea of what Hajj ethics are, or indeed of its possible benefits. It is very easy to recognise how many people confuse the true meanings of Hajj with the performance of its ritual duties.

While it is obviously the case that few people set aside adequate time to prepare themselves, in the full sense, to benefit from all that can be theirs from this blessed journey, it also appears that, to some, it has  become purely an exercise in the performance of a ritual duty. How then can one expect the beautiful outcomes of ‘best provision’, ‘acts of goodness’, ‘benefits’, ‘keeping away from obscenity, disobedience and altercations’, which were described in the above-mentioned verses, to be fulfilled on this blessed journey?

Performance of Hajj needs considerable effort by us, before and during it, to be worthwhile and to release its immense benefits into our lives. It should be a life changing journey, a journey which teaches us hundreds of valuable lessons; lessons from which we must learn and incorporate the results into our everyday existence.

Our Prophet Mohammad, Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him, performed only one Hajj in his lifetime, due to the circumstances of his time.  Hajj is an obligation which is to be observed once in our lifetime. Many people  perform multiple Hajj (and Umrah as well) but, because of their lack of preparation or lack of understanding, fail to see a  change in the spiritual and moral aspects of their lives.

On the occasion of that one Hajj, the prophet delivered a beautiful sermon from the top of the mount ‘Al-Rahmah’. In my opinion, the highlights of that sermon, as it was given on the occasion of Hajj, needs to be refreshed in the minds of all pilgrims. The sermon also needs to be repeated and explained in Friday sermons in the months of Hajj in all mosques around the world. There were also many other sermons delivered by the Prophet in places such as Mina.

Highlights from Prophet’s sermons:

What stands out in the Prophet’s sermons was his obvious emphasis on the sacredness of people’s lives, their property and honour. He spoke time and again saying: 'O people! Do you know what month are you in? what day is today? And what piece of land you are on? They replied: in a sacred month, in a sacred day and in the sacred land'. The Prophet then said: 'indeed your blood, your properties and your honour are as sacred upon you as the sacredness of this day, this month and this land till you meet your Lord'.

The Prophet further said: ‘do not turn out after me disbelievers  by hitting the necks of each other’.

He strenuously told people not to commit ‘Zulm’ or oppression or to wrong others in any way.

He forbade all matters belonging to the era of Ignorance, including claims of blood revenge and claims of usury and interest taken on in the era of Ignorance as well.

The Prophet reminded men to take care of women for God sake and that women have rights on them.

The Prophet reminded people that he left two things for their guidance: the Book of Allah and his Sunnah (accounts of his life). The prophet said that as long as they held fast to these two they would never go astray in their lives.

 If we Muslims want to build the future of this Ummah we need to pay heed to these last reminders and the guidance given to us by our Prophet Mohammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, while we try to perform the rituals of Hajj.

It was on the occasion of this Hajj that Allah completed His Revelation of the Quran to the Prophet. This important symbolism must live on in the minds of Muslims and reflect on its significance. Part of the verses that were revealed on this occasion announced: ‘this day We have completed for you your religion (Deen), and accomplished on you My Favours, and (for ever) have accepted Islam as your religion’.

A lot needs to be reflected on in the months of Hajj both by both the pilgrims and by Muslims worldwide. We need to re-learn the overarching message of our beautiful religion so that our lives ultimately improve and we can come to enjoy the pleasure of our spirituality.

Continuing the good deeds

Although Ramadan ended three weeks ago, few of our lives have changed for the better. People continue to wander around aimlessly, pretty much as before. Some people have asked me why there wasn’t much effect felt by them in the aftermath of Ramadan. I said: if people examined themselves honestly as to whether they had earnestly sought a change or not during those blessed days, their question would probably be readily answered.

1-                  Firstly, the very basic principle of Islam, covering all of our actions, underlines that we must possess a sincere intention and the proper commitment and dedication to achieve the desired result. If this basic principle is missing from our religious and spiritual obligations, all our  actions will be fruitless.

2-                   If people fail to prepare their minds before the blessed month, they should not reasonably anticipate any favourable change in their circumstances.

3-                  Islamic teachings and guidance aim for purification of the human soul. The Quran terms it as ‘tazkiyah’, which literally means purification of soul. The Quranic revelation, in a very subtle way, draws our attention to the fact that ‘Tazkiyah’ is a pre-requisite for ‘Ta`aleem’, which is teaching and training. These processes work in parallel to each other. So, while we make a solemn intention for our action, ‘tazkiyah’ would be a parallel process which would help us to reform, and by doing so achieve the desired result.

4-                  Many people regard blessed opportunities, like Ramadan, only as an event in the Islamic calendar which they should abide by.  This attitude is what makes many of us fail to achieve the proper outcome from those God given blessed religious obligations. We all need to realise the real spirit of these life changing occasions, when one may be able to change one's entire outlook on life and its purpose. We all need to get all our blessed opportunities into the proper perspective  if we are to attain all that  is possible in our lives.

5-                  In a nutshell, the Quran puts the causes of success and failure forward in this verse: ‘Indeed, Allah is with those who (continue to) have His conscience (and practising self-restraints) and with those who (continue) doing good.

This reciprocal relationship that exists between the actions of man and Allah’s response toward him, explains why, if we are sincere, we succeed in our actions and in our supplications, and why we fail when we make our commitments part time.

Here I remember advice given by Mohammad al-Baaqar to his son Ja`far, may Allah show mercy on them, when he said: ‘O my son! Allah has hidden three things in three things: He has hidden His pleasure in His obedience so do not ever belittle any act of Allah’s obedience, because it may be that His pleasure is hidden in that small act of obedience. Secondly, Allah has hidden His displeasure in His disobedience. So do not ever belittle any act of disobedience, as it may be that His displeasure lied in that (small) act. Thirdly, Allah has hidden His chosen friends between His servants. So do not ever look down on any person because may be that person is one of those who are chosen friends of Allah.’

This is what makes a person dedicated to the cause of Allah and even more so when the times and opportunities are more blessed and spiritual. We need to be God orientated, humble and striving in the path of goodness.

To sum up, let me mention the hadith of Abdullah ibn Abbas in which he says: ‘I was once behind the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, when he said: O boy! I am going to teach you some words; safeguard Allah and He would safeguard you. Safeguard Allah and you would find Him in front of you…..’

This very beautiful hadith reminds us that we need to engage with Allah if we wish Allah to engage with us. That engagement needs to be on an intellectual level, as well as in our everyday social and public actions. This is where we achieve or fail.

Welcome Ramadan

Once again we are about to enter the month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is a month designed especially to purify the hearts and souls of believers, bringing us closer to our creator, helping to turn our human shortcomings into strengths and make our lives more beneficial.

In a hadith, narrated from the Prophet Muhammad, it is said that when Ramadan starts, a caller, in heaven, calls each night saying: ‘O seeker of good, come forth, and O seeker of evil, back away’.

This Prophetic guidance emphasises the purpose and importance of this month. There is an entry point to this month and at that entry point we are reminded of the purpose of this month. The search for goodness is a very generic concept, embracing any good that may enhance the value and quality of our lives, but also that which may bring goodness into the lives of others. We therefore need to remember the Quranic verse which says: ‘You are the best of nations raised to (serve) mankind, enjoining what is good and prohibiting what is evil’.

To serve this purpose, we need to go, once every year, through this very tough training procedure, Ramadan, to prepare us to receive and understand the teachings and guidance of Islam. We need to acquire patience and to strengthen our resolve to serve others. We need to reinforce our spiritual base and identify and admit our faults so that we can correct them.

Ramadan helps us to do this, and Allah, the Almighty, provides us with the means to do it. The Prophet says: ‘When Ramadan starts, the gates of Paradise are opened wide and the gates of Hell are shut firmly, and the Shaytans are put in chains’.

The road to Paradise is shortened to make it easier for us to reach it. Indeed entry to it is encouraged and no hurdles remain between a person and Paradise except their determination to attain it.

The gates of Hell are closed and only those people who continue knocking on them will enter.

The month of Ramadan is so blessed and important within Islamic obligations that the Quran offers some detailed guidance about it. It says: ‘O believers! Fasting is prescribed (as an obligation) upon you as was prescribed upon those who were before you (the nations of other prophets before) in order for you to attain self-restraint’.

Yes, learning and training in ‘self-restraint’ is a practical goal which will help us all achieve a meaningful life in this world.

The Prophet, may the peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, would especially speak to people on the eve of Ramadan, greeting the month, and reminding the people about its blessings. At one such greeting sermon, welcoming the month, the Prophet spoke to the people saying:

‘O people! A blessed and great month has extended its shadow upon you. It is a month which has a night which is more excellent than the (nights of) thousand months (in devotion and submission to God).

Then the Prophet listed some of its blessed characteristics to the people:

a-                  Whoever offers therein one act of (voluntary) goodness it would equal offering an obligatory act.

b-                  Whoever would offer an obligatory duty, their act would equal offering of seventy obligatory acts.

c-                   It is a month of patience and endeavour. The fruit of being patient is only the Paradise

d-                  It is a month of compassion, kindness and showing of solidarity

e-                  It is a month in which the provision of a believer increases.

 He placed emphasis on the sublime purpose of this month so that everyone should enter it resolving to change, and remember that they are seekers of good and not of evil; a change that may bring a person closer to Allah, the Creator, the Almighty; a change that may enhance the quality of the life of a believer and increase his value in society. In other words, finding a beneficial purpose in life and reconnecting oneself with it.

It is a month of complete devotion and dedication to good purposes. If people can multiply their spiritual deeds, and fortify their Islamic framework of morality and ethics, they will be best placed to serve their neighbours, their community, and society at large. Remember, goodness is not in what we retain but in what we offer and give, and that is what Ramadan is all about.

May Allah grant us a blessed entry into the month of Ramadan and a fruitful ending to the month, so that we may all be extremely proud of our achievements. Ameen

Please also read my previous blog about Ramadan with the title Ramadan: Its true benefits and blessings written on 31 July 2011

Strengthening our spiritual lives

Muslims seeking spirituality and a proper bond with Allah, subhanahu wa-Ta`ala, the Almighty and the Creator, should strive to build and improve this connection by fully embracing their religious obligations and by striving to follow the guiding path of Islam in the most earnest manner.

With this in mind, the Prophet Muhammad, Peace and mercy of Allah be upon him,  chose to train the most suitable of his companions in certain teachings, so that they might convey those teachings in the most effective way to the future generations of the Muslim Ummah. Those who learned from those specific teachings would effectively be strengthening their own spiritual life and discover the means of becoming closer to their Lord.

In one of the most affectionate acts of teaching the prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, approached one of his closest companions, Muath bin Jabal, May Allah be pleased with him, and said to him holding his hand into his own: ‘O Muath! I surely love you and I would like to give you a (special) advice. Then he said to him: ‘do not miss saying after each obligatory salaah (Prayers) the following’: ‘O Allah! Assist me in my remembering You; in being grateful to You; and in offering my worship to You in the best way possible’.

Such a wonderful legacy of advice, and the beautiful manner in which it was delivered, shows us all the way by which we can ensure it becomes a part of the lives of all believing men and women seeking to strengthen their faith and their relationship with the Almighty.

The Prophet guided us through this special saying, in seeking Allah’s help and assistance, in the following three aspects:

1-                  In the remembrance of Allah

2-                  In showing gratitude to Him

3-                  In seeking to offer our religious and spiritual obligations in the most correct and beautiful way.

People take their lives and all the blessings and opportunities, great or small, for granted. But, when things are taken for granted rarely is any appreciation shown for them. Islamic teachings create a mindset of gratitude for God’s favours upon people, so that people may arrive at a different outlook on life's privileges and opportunities.

The bond of creation and the realities of existence bind us with the creator. However, the ultimate goal of this life is to return us to Allah involuntarily so that we are seen to be consciously choosing our path to Allah and so earning our privileges from Allah.  This is not any easy task. Keeping up with God’s way is an incredibly difficult task, as we are constantly diverted by the opposite ungodly forces of Satan and other evil desires.

Remembrance of Allah

In this context, the Prophet is guiding us to seek out Allah’s help. A person has to invoke Allah’s assistance in order to gain the privilege of remembering Him often. Most people are heedless of this and so become incapable of realising what they are deprived of. How many unnecessary and unwanted things are on our ‘to-do-list’ of daily chores, but still we continue to fail to remember God. No wonder our hearts are so empty, when we fail in this, the most noble of tasks.

The Quranic guidelines are as follows:

  ‘          1- 'O believers! Remember Allah as often as you could (in abundance) S33/V41

              2- ‘and do not obey those whose hearts We have caused to become heedless from our remembrance,         and he had followed his vain desires and all his affairs were in excess’. S18/V28

All Islamic obligations, consciousness of Allah in life, and the seeking out of Allah’s pleasure in our deeds, contribute to His remembrance. Avoiding evil, acts of falsehood and slander, resisting the influence of false human characters and all that is ungodly, while remembering that they displease Allah, also make up part of Allah’s remembrance.

This is the reason why we are guided to seek out Allah’s help in remembering Him.

Allah says: ‘Those who believe and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah. Behold! Through the remembrance of Allah alone, do hearts find satisfaction (blessings of true happiness)’ S13/V28

Being grateful   

The Prophet then said: ‘(seek Allah’s help) in showing gratitude to Him’. The question is, how many of us are really and truly grateful to Allah for what we have in our lives. It is easy to become heedless, or go into ‘negligence mode’, when we don’t appreciate the little or the abundance of what we have. Do we appreciate the little that we have and show gratitude for that before we ask and wish for more? Or we find ourselves resentful and unappreciative?

What do we do when we have plenty and life is full of privilege when compared with others? Don’t we all think it is our extraordinary background and marvellous qualifications that make us stand out above all the others? Do we think it is all because of our hard work, long working hours and privileged background? Or do some of us think we possess a privileged genetic superiority, and that make us what we are?

If we could only realise that God has shown us extra favour and made us privileged above many others, and we express our gratefulness to Him, then, and only then, will our existence become happier and more meaningful.

Being grateful to God is part of one's Islamic religious character that turns it into an act of Ibadah.

Allah says: ‘indeed We have shown him (man) the path, which is either the path of being grateful or being ungrateful’.

Being grateful is regarded as ‘wisdom’ in the Quran. In the Sura Luqman, Allah says: ‘Indeed we had bestowed wisdom on Luqman: show your gratitude to Allah. And whosoever show gratitude then his gratitude is for the benefit of his own soul, and whosoever is ungrateful then Allah is free of all wants and Worthy of all praise’. S31/V12

Ibadah in the most correct and beautiful way

The third thing the Prophet guided us towards, in seeking Allah’s assistance, is to ensure that all our acts of worship and religious obligations are completed in accordance with the best of guidance in Islamic teachings and manners. We should not offer our obligations half-heartedly or with little enthusiasm and warmth, neither should we regard them merely as rituals.

On the other hand, we must ensure human hands have not diluted those original divine teachings, and that no religious innovation has taken place in our practices, and that they remain as pure as they were in the Sunnah of the Prophet himself.

Combining all the above three aspects will transform the spiritual life of a believing man or woman and strengthen their bonds with Allah and with Allah’s Deen (the body of Allah guidance and teachings). 

15th Night of Sha`baan

Individual scholars and schools of Islamic thoughts hold different opinions about the spiritual relevance and importance of the 15^th day and night of the month of Sha`baan, the 8^th month of the Islamic calendar. Very often people  ask me  whether or not they should celebrate this  night of this month as special . I decided to offer the scholar's opinions on the matter to the wider readership and below is a gist of these opinions:

Excellence of fasting in Sha`baan

There is no doubt many authentic hadith have been narrated from the Prophet, Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him, regarding the excellence of fasting, in general, in the month of Sha`baan.

In a hadith narrated in the books of Bukhari and Muslim, Ayesha, May Allah be pleased with her, says: ‘I did not see the Prophet, Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him, completing the fast of a month except in the month of Ramadan, and I did not see him fasting most of a month except the month of Sha`baan. He would fast in Sha`baan except some of it’.

In another hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad and Nasai from Osamah bin Zaid who said to the Prophet: ‘I do not see you fasting in a month the way you fast in Sha`baan? The Prophet replied: ‘That is a month most people are heedless of; that is between the months of Rajab and Ramadan. That is a month deeds are raised therein to the Lord of the worlds. And I love that my deeds are raised ( to Him) while I am in the state of fasting’.

However, we must remember that there is no authentic hadith saying that the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, ever sought to fast a on any one particular day in Sha`baan by specifying it for any reason.

15^th Day and night of Sha`baan

A number of hadith have been narrated from the Prophet in relation to the excellence of the 15^th night of the month of Sha`baan. Broadly, the Ulema (Islamic scholars) hold two different opinions.

A large number of scholars of Hadith and Ulema are of the opinion that these hadith are unauthentic and weak and so should not be taken in account. Based on their opinions about the weak narrations of those Hadith, these Ulema and scholars of Hadith regard any special type of prayers or gatherings of Zikr in that night as Bid`ah, or religious innovation to the teachings of Islam.

Other school of thought base their opinion on hadiths narrated by Ibn Hibbaan, Imam Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

One of such Hadith  claims a narration from the Prophet saying: ‘when it is the night of the Mid Sha`baan, stay the night (in prayers) and fast its day, because Allah descends in that night after sunset to the lower heaven and says: Is there any who may seek forgiveness and I forgive him? Is there any who may seek provision and I grant him? Is there any who is  suffering and I release him (from  suffering), this remains until the first light breaks out’.

There is another famous hadith in this context which is narrated from Ayesha, May Allah be pleased with her, says: ‘I did not find the Prophet one night in the house, so I left looking for him and I found him at Baqee`; the famous cemetery in Madinah, holding his head high. He said: Did you think that you were let down by Allah and his Messenger? I said: O Messenger of Allah! I thought you might be with one of your other wives! The Prophet then said: ‘Allah surely descends the night of the Mid Sha`baan to the lower heaven and offers forgiveness to (the number of people) more than the hairs of the sheep of the tribe of Kalb’.

 Imam Ahmad offers a hadith from Abdullah ibn Amr, narrating from the Prophet, saying: ‘Allah pays special attention to His people on the night of 15^th Sha`baan and forgives His servants except two kinds of people; Mushahin and one who commit suicide’.

All these above hadith and others seek to explain the excellence of that night.

However, other scholars of hadith do not regard these hadith as authentic,

Sheikh al-Islam imam Ibn Taymiah says in his book ‘Iqtidhaus Siraat al-Mustaqueem’: ‘No doubt there are many hadith narrated about the excellence of the night of the mid Sha`baan, some of which are linked to the Prophet, while others are from the companions that explain the excellence of that night’.

Specifying the night with Salaah and Zikr

Ibn Rajab says: 'Nothing has been proven from the prophet or from his Companions regarding ‘specifying this night with special prayers and acts of Zikr’. At a  later date people in Shaam began to celebrate it and spend the night in spiritual acts and from these people it spread to others.

Specifying the fasting the day of the 15^th Sha`baan has no authentication and is regarded as makrooh (disliked).

Celebrating the occasion

Celebrating the day and the night of 15^th Sha`baan, or what is popularly called as ‘shab-e-Baraat’ or 'Lailatul Bara`ah' has no religious authenticity in Islamic theology. When many Muslims celebrate it with special meals or decorate their homes and market places, gather for special collective prayers in the mosques or in their homes and neighbourhoods, this remains nothing but part of popular religious culture and has nothing to do with true Islamic teachings.

No doubt the night has excellence and one may individually be mindful of its importance asking Allah to grant him forgiveness, blessings, increase in provisions, cure from illness and release from suffering and troubles of life.

However, anything else, to celebrate it with fireworks, the decoration of homes and market places, preparation of special foods and sweets, special collective prayers or to exaggerate the nature of that night, or anything more than what is narrated in these hadith,  should be regarded as innovative acts in the religion, with no basis and roots in Islamic guidance.

Let us be  accomplished Muslims who  worship Allah alone, follow the path of His Prophet, avoid popular religious cultures which do not have their roots in Islamic teachings and find the way to live our lives embracing  Islamic ethics and true manners in everyday life.