Changes for the better.

The chaotic state of the Muslim Ummah that faces us now is extremely disturbing and unpleasant for all those who believe in Allah and His sublime guidance given for the welfare of the mankind and their prosperity. The main sources of this appalling situation are some of the very people in our society who are supposed to read, study and bring us the message of the sacred scripture of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet of Allah, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him. Paraphrasing the words of the famous poet Iqbal: this present state of affairs is because Muslims have become ‘reciters’ of the Book and not the ‘upholders’ of the Book. Many Muslims now appear unable to derive inspiration from the Book, or follow the destiny indicated in it, or attempt to build a better world for the benefit of humanity.

The religious atmosphere surrounding the creation of Pakistan, the destruction of Afghanistan by USSR and allied forces, the conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Palestine and ongoing upheavals in other parts of the Muslim world, have all contributed to its breakup, further destroying the spirit and morale of Muslims and shattering their unity. Converting religious differences into political warfare and deepening the religious diversity of opinions for political gain is now regarded as the only way forward by many of the politically motivated ulamaa or Muslim politicians. They are, as a result, seen as even less trustworthy than even the most seasoned politicians.

The increasing ignorance of Islam’s true message by the Muslim masses is not helpful either in changing the destiny of people. No doubt there are good and sensible scholars in the religious ulamaa and other Muslim professionals from non-theological fields, who are able to contribute to the welfare of our Ummah. But, there is no unity of purpose and certainly no unified direction for the work of these individuals and groups. No one appears willing to work with or for anyone else and all seem to think their vision is the best and only correct opinion. Following this path is not calculated to produce or maintain a culture of calm and visionary debate on any emerging new ideas or to introduce a willingness to create a platform for dialogue and mutual understanding on broader issues of concern for the Ummah.

These decadent attitudes continue to hamper the creation of any unified path or visionary direction. The Prophet made a prophecy, in which he said: ‘The Jews divided themselves into seventy one groups; the Christians divided themselves into seventy two groups and my Ummah will divide themselves into seventy three groups. All will be destined for hell except those one who uphold the unity (al-Jama`ah’. We can now see the truth of this prophecy!

Warning after warning, in many forms and from many backgrounds were given by the Prophet, trying to instil that people should keep to the path of unity and Muslim welfare and that a Muslims’ role in this world was one of enlightenment and blessings for all people. One can look anywhere in the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet and see that they are full of blessings for mankind, visionary leadership for resolving human misery and a common sense ‘Straight Path’ as described in the Quran, which cannot be qualified with any falsehood or crookedness. If our own beliefs about the guidance of Islam are so weak that they fail to convince even ourselves, then how on earth will we be able to bring any positive change to the world. In the words of Gandhi ‘we need to become the change that we want in the world’. We appear to reserve preaching for others and stubbornly remain in our status quo only because we like our own mindset and are too complacent and ignorant to change it.

How a lack of vision and absence of religious conscience works in creating a regressive mind is made abundantly clear in an example from a hadith in which the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him said: ‘The first fault that affected the children of Israel is when a person met another and said: ‘O you! Have the fear of God and don’t commit what is not permissible for you. Then they would meet the following day and the other person is still at the same state of his situation. That state of being (without any change) would not stop the person (scholar or the leader) from being a co-friend at meals or in mutual meeting places. When that happened Allah made their hearts alike (in nature). The Prophet, then, recited these verses from the Quran: ‘Those of the children of Israel who took to unbelief have been cursed by the tongue of David and Jesus, the son of Mary, for they rebelled and exceeded the bounds of right. They did not forbid each other from committing the abominable deeds they committed. Evil deed was what they did.’ S5 V78-79

This kind of attitude does not make a person an ally with truth or help them to serve a truthful cause and preaching becomes a job, or a situation, where no difference exists any more between the attitudes of those who preach and being preached to. When a person, who may hold a visionary approach, fails to identify those who hold back any spiritual or intellectual change in the society and allows himself to become part of their friendship and accept their way of life, he can no longer bring about change or work for the goodness of mankind.

Islam is an intellectual movement which is continually evolving and being passed on to others. It is our religious duty to pass on only the true message of Islam so that it may be understood by people so that they may develop a greater intellectual understanding of that knowledge.

In a hadith, the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, says: ‘May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears my sayings then he passes it on to others as he heard it (without any change). As there may be many people who may carry a knowledge without understanding it. And there may be many who may pass on their knowledge to someone who may understand it better than him.’ narrated  by Imam Ahmad and Thirmidhi

Knowledge stagnates when it is monopolised. We Muslims, in particular Muslim religious scholars, should help in creating an environment in which religious and spiritual knowledge is deliberated in public and non-theological professionals are encouraged to participate in these deliberations from their own points of view. People, in this way, will gain a stake in the debate, arrive at a better understanding of Islamic knowledge and become united in taking a unified approach towards the destiny of this Ummah.

The Prophet said in a hadith: ‘No Muslim would have gifted a better gift to his brother than a word of wisdom that either has increased him in guidance or safeguarded him from the path of destruction’.

If we Muslims want to break out of our present chaotic situation then we must listen to the guidance of the Quran and the Prophet and give it our most serious consideration. We need to be sincere towards the fate of this Ummah and work for its welfare. Our selfish approach towards the betterment of Muslims must stop and change to a collective approach for collective gains.

Freedom of the ‘tongue’

In a world of rapidly developing mass communications and the resultant rise in the use of social sites, we have the best opportunities ever to benefit from the vast amount of real and useful knowledge available, all easily accessible on portable or non-portable electronic devices. Embracing these opportunities, unfortunately, exposes a dark side as well: idle chatter, wasting time and gossiping and slander have become all too common. Disgraceful material containing degrading photos and videos, lies, bullying and false information are only some of the more unattractive aspects of this rise in mass communication.

While the expansion of electronic communication has made it easier for people to become closer to each other and to accomplish tasks at a faster pace and in a shorter time, its negative effects have also adversely affected people morally, spiritually, psychologically and socially.

Looking at the consequences of both the positive and negative aspects of these mass communication facilities I am reminded of a hadith that I wanted to explain to the readers, in which the ‘tongue’, sometimes, symbolises a totally irresponsible freedom of speech that can create havoc, ruin lives, create pain and distress and bring harm to people. The ‘Tongue’ can take people closer to their Creator or can remove them from the mercy of Allah, the Almighty.

The hadith is narrated from the companion Muath, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: ‘I asked the Prophet saying: O Messenger of Allah! Inform me of a deed that would enter me the Paradise and set me away from the hellfire. The Prophet replied: ‘You have indeed asked about a great matter. However, it is easy for those to whom Allah has eased its understanding upon them. You would worship Allah alone and not make a partner to Him. Establish the Salaah (the obligatory prayers), pay out the Zakah (the obligatory charity contribution), fast the month of Ramadan and accomplish the pilgrimage to the House of Allah. Then he said: ‘shall I not inform you about the ‘gates of goodness? Fasting is a shield. Charity extinguishes (removes) the wrongdoing in the same way as water douses the fire. (in addition) the prayer of a person in the heart of the night’

Here the Prophet recited this verse: ‘They forsake their beds of sleep, and they call upon their Lord in fear and hope, and spend (in charity) out of the sustenance We have granted them. No one knows what delights of the eye are kept hidden for them as a reward for their good deeds. S32 V16-17

The Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, then continued: Shall I not inform you of the essence of the matter, its pillars and its height? Muath said: yes indeed O Messenger of Allah! He said: ‘the essence of the matter is ‘Islam’, (a total submission to Allah in all matters), its pillar is the ‘Salaah’ the obligatory prayers and its height is the ‘total struggle’ (Jihad) in the path of Allah.

Then the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, said: ‘Shall I not inform you of the essence and nature of this matter in its entirety? Muath said: Yes indeed O Messenger of Allah! The Prophet, then, held his tongue and said: ‘hold you upon this’. Muath replied: O Messenger of Allah! Are we indeed going to be accountable for what we utter about? The Prophet said: Be lost O Muath! Wouldn’t people fall in the hellfire except by being the victims of their tongues? Narrated by Tirmidhi

Free speech must be responsible speech that does not violate the rights of any other person. Most grievances, that cause people heartache or ruin relationships, are the results of irresponsible use of their ‘tongue’, either spoken or written. The problem becomes even greater when people explore so many new opportunities of expressing themselves and enhancing their importance and space through mass communication.

The Quran guides the believers saying: ‘Believers! Fear Allah and speak the truth (straight speech), Allah will set your deeds right for you and will forgive you your sins. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has achieved a great triumph.’ S33 V70-71

The Quran further says, guiding us about the etiquette of using our tongue: ‘Believers! Let not a group (of men) scoff at another group, it may well be that the latter (at whom they scoff) are better than they; nor let a group of women scoff at another group, it may well be that the latter are better than they. And do not taunt one another, nor revile one another by nicknames. It is an evil thing to gain notoriety for ungodliness after belief. Those who do not repent are indeed the wrongdoers’. S49 V11

In this age of mass communication, it has become common practice to ‘share and like’ a message or a video clip. In many cases, people do this without bothering to investigate the reality and truthfulness of the message, not understanding that spreading false and untrue information is as bad as originating it. We ‘forward’ the message and then shrug our shoulders and ignore our responsibility. This is not an Islamic act.

The Quran says: ‘Believers! When an ungodly person brings to you a piece of news, carefully ascertain its truth, lest you should hurt people unwittingly and thereafter repent at what you did’. S49 V6

The Prophet said: ‘It is enough for a person to be a liar to utter everything that he may hear’.

It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that we take extra care when we speak, write or indeed when we ‘forward’ messages that may be based on lies and falsehood. By failing to do so we may spread indecency, corrupt people’s morality or create havoc in society. Some people derive a perverse satisfaction from tormenting others and enjoy the misery they cause, but sometimes silence is indeed ‘golden virtue’ and far more rewarding than futile arguments, false information or words that are meaningless or misguided.

Acts of goodness - the Islamic way

Islam is a guidance from Allah as to what is good and beneficial for mankind. Mankind is a creation of Allah and He guides us to what is ultimately good for our spiritual and physical existence. No aspect of the Islamic teachings is harmful or opposes anything that will benefit people in this life or in their life after death. That this is so may not be readily apparent, when one compares the results of political carnage and the havoc created by extremism, created in the name of Islam, with what is so obvious about Islam’s goodness and its beneficial message.

However, to start with, there is a beautiful verse in the Quran which describes Allah and good and their connectivity in the following manner: ‘Say O Allah! Lord of all dominion! You bestow dominion on whomever You please, and take away dominion from whomever You please, and You exalt whom You please and abase whom You please. In Your Hands is all good. Surely You are All-Powerful.’ S3 V26

In Allah’s Hands all is good and He is Merciful and compassionate. So, when He sends down a guidance for mankind it contains only that which will benefit us most and has no harmful elements. It is in this sense that the Quran describes the purpose of the mission of the prophet Mohammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, as merciful, saying: ‘We have sent you forth as nothing but mercy to people of the whole world’. S21 V107

Goodness is also what is required from human beings, as is described in a hadith in which the prophet Mohammad said: ‘The best among mankind in the Sight of Allah are those who are most beneficial to people’.

The essence of the character of a Muslim should be that his moral standing surmounts all and he is the kindest amongst the most kind. Unfortunately, people are slaves to their private desires and lustful thoughts and although they carry the label of Muslim they may not, in practice, conduct themselves as such.

In a hadith, the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, says: ‘indeed, for this goodness (Islam) there are treasures and for those treasures there are keys (openers). So blessed be a servant whom Allah has made him an opener for goodness and a source of closure for evil. And woe to a person whom Allah made him an opener for evil and a source of closure for goodness’.

This and many hadith like this are testimony to the fact that Islam directs mankind towards what is good and beneficial for all humanity. Muslims, in particular, should always be on their guard, to ensure they fall into the category of the ‘openers of goodness’ and not into the category of people that are ‘openers of evil’ and vile acts.

Islam’s teachings convey a unique message, a kind of ‘spiritual revolution’ that changes the way people act. It removes any ‘selfish motive’ from a person’s dealings with others. Islam does not teach us to deal with people in the same manner in which they deal with us. Islam institutes and encourages its followers to always behave with kindness and good manners. Islam issues its own principle and basis for dealing with others, saying: ‘The upper hand is better than the lower hand’. It also says: ‘Your smile in the face of your brother is an act of charity’. Further it says: ‘Compete in or take initiative to accomplish good deeds before seven kinds of situation affect you. (because) you are waiting for either a poverty that would cause you forgetfulness, or a richness that would divert you from the path of Allah, or an illness that would disable you from best performance, or an old age that would take away your best judgement ability, or a sudden death, or the time of Dajjal (the great deceiver) he is the worst absentee being awaited for, or the Final Hour which is most tricky and bitter one’. narrated by tirmidhi 

An act of goodness is the best human trait that a man can display, it pleases Allah, it pleases people and it brings happiness to the person who performed the act of goodness. What is more, an act of goodness connects a person with his creator as he fulfils His purpose for creating that life. The measure of our success, in our trials with both good and evil, is that we continue to choose the path of goodness, with a conscious mind and with the intention to seek the pleasure of Allah.

Allah says in the Quran: ‘Believers! Bow down and prostrate yourselves before Your Lord and serve Your Lord and do good that you may prosper’. S22 V77

Islam, according to many observers, has an image problem. This is, in my opinion, because Islam has been side tracked into becoming a political entity instead of remaining solely a religious guiding element in all ethical and moral issues.

It is only ‘acts of goodness’ that can correct human behaviour, but such acts can never be the subjects for human approval. Human approval, regrettably, carries with it the ability to twist the motive behind any act, according to personal desires or an interest in the results. An ‘act of goodness’ is always what Allah has commanded us to do and guided us as being good, even though we may not desire it. Conversely, an act of wrongdoing is what Allah has prohibited us from carrying out, even though we may desire it.

Allah says in the Quran: ‘It may well be that you dislike a thing even though it is good for you, and it may well be that you like a thing even though it is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know’. S2 V216.

He also says: ‘Believers! Be upholders of justice and bearers of witness to truth for the Sake of Allah, even though it may be against yourselves or against your parents and kinsmen, or the rich or the poor, for Allah is more concerned with their wellbeing than you are. Do not, then, follow your own desires lest you keep away from justice. If you twist or turn away from the truth, know that Allah is well aware of all that you do’. S4 V135

In conclusion: the definition of good (al-Khair) cannot be based upon our own personal vision and personal judgement, as inevitably, this will alter from time to time in accordance with our own moods or self-interests. The definition of good lies solely with Allah, the creator of the heavens and the earth, who knows well what is best for the person in any situation or in the overall schemes of Allah for His creation. All that we need to do is to submit ourselves to the Will of Allah, both by committing to acts of goodness and by refraining from evil deeds. Only by acting in this manner will we prosper in both worlds.

Another new year and another hope

From ancient wisdom and later narrated within Islamic writings, comes the following:” If the happenings on two consecutive days in the life of a person are identical then he has suffered a loss. If he has not experienced any changes to his circumstances then he is in obvious loss’. The wisdom of these sayings is logical for a person who seeks to improve his life and become more prosperous.

We have just entered into a new year with many people exchanging greetings for the wellbeing, health and prosperity with others. This is a natural course of action towards people for whom one has respect and friendship.

Islamic guidance and teachings are a permanent source of goodness for humanity, guiding us throughout every moment of our daily lives. Islam wishes all people well at all times and continually shows what is good for them. In surah 8 and verse 24 the Quran says: ‘Believers! Respond to Allah and respond to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. Know well that Allah stands between a person and his heart, and it is to Him that all of you shall be mustered’.

This Quranic verse sums up the message of Islam in few words. It is the life that is in response to the call from Allah that we all want throughout our time on earth. Our wrongdoings remove the positivity from our lives and replace it with negativity and pessimistic attitudes. Islam creates hope and benefits for humanity, but anyone who strays from this path and by doing so creates misery for others, deviates from the path of Islamic teachings.

Many examples are contained in Islamic teachings of the many occurrences and opportunities that may bring changes to people’s lives.  Below are mentioned a few to continually remind us all if we are to benefit from them.

In a hadith narrated by imam Tirmidhi, the Prophet Mohammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, says: ‘A smartly intelligent person is one who accounts for his actions and works for the life after death. And he is an impotent person who follows his self-desires and wishes from Allah all kinds of wishful desires’.

This hadith opens up a horizon for opportunity and the ability to change our perspectives, as it is well known that all actions generate reactions, either or both of which can affect our future wellbeing. This hadith also sets up a practical definition for intelligence and smartness in life and warns against actions that ‘do not give life’, as the Quran has put it.

In another hadith, narrated by Ibn Hibban, Abu Dhar, may Allah be pleased with him, who is a famous Companion of the Prophet, it says: ‘My closest friend the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and mercy be upon him, advised me of some traits of goodness. He advised me that I should not look towards those who are above me but towards those who are below me. He advised me to love the poor and become closer to them. He advised me to join relations and that I should not fear reproach from any reproacher in matters for Allah. He also advised me to speak the truth no matter how bitter that might be. He also advised me to increase saying of the ‘there is no power and no might except for Allah’ because it is one of the treasures of the Paradise’.

These beautiful words of advice from the Prophet lay down a guiding path for any person who seeks to bring meaning into his life, indeed, such pearls of wisdom can change lives for the good. 

Resolutions made at the beginning of a new year,  like quitting smoking, taking up exercise, eating healthy food, rarely last the course. Such resolutions are no doubt desirable, in terms of removing bad habits and the introduction of new good ones, but if they are not based on solid principles and firm discipline they will inevitably fail.  Islam gives guiding principles which create discipline from the core and then build on the rest of our dispositions in such a way that brings meaning into all our lives.

Islam’s five pillars are meant to sustain this guidance in our lives. According to the Quran, the only means of attaining bliss and satisfaction in people’s hearts is the ‘remembrance of Allah’ in all our actions throughout our lives. Everything else is called desire and desires are what they will remain.

In our time we have seen much chaos in the world of Islam, which obviously does not represent Islamic teachings. This has damaged and corrupted the real picture of Islam and given opponents of Islam the basis for their allegations and false claims. Islam is beautiful and it serves humanity. It gives meaning to the existence of God the Creator and proper understanding of His attributes.

One of our new year’s resolutions should be to know and understand how we relate to Allah and how Allah relates to us in our lives. Politics has twisted and continues to twist Islam’s merciful nature and its teachings and guiding principles.

Islam creates spirituality and tenderness in people and Allah is described by Him as ‘Raoof’ compassionate towards His servants. That must be our baseline approach in Islam. Indeed, in a hadith, the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, says: ‘Deen (religion) is all about dealings’. We conveniently forget or misinterpret these compassionate aspects of Islam and damage it still further by introducing violence in the name of Jihad. 

Our new year’s resolutions should include a proper understanding of Islam from its original sources, without malice or prejudice and give a fair hearing to a proper study of Islam and its values, differentiating it from cultural values and their consequences.

Islam makes a huge contribution in all walks of human life and has never been an obstacle to human endeavours. On the contrary, Islam encourages us through its messages that life must change for the better and that those who serve mankind are the ones who should be encouraged and supported. Islam further encourages us by asking us to travel and find out how creation and the formation of the earth began. Islamic guidance tells us that life started with water and that the earth and the heavens were a solid mass before Allah tore them apart.

Islamic teachings have everything to offer and the rapid rise of civilisation from the progress made from this guidance has been amply demonstrated in the past.

Our new year’s resolutions, should we want to make any, need to include a rightful pleasure for Allah’s teachings and a grateful attitude towards His favours. That is what will demonstrate our smartness and intelligence and create the life that is blessed in both worlds.