Hadis Nabi tentang "lima perkara sebelum lima perkara" itu maksudnya adalah supaya kita mempergunakan waktu dan kesempatan dengan sebaik-baiknya, sebelum hilangnya kesempatan tersebut. Hadis tersebut diriwayatkan Imam Hakim dalam kitab al-Mustadrak.
Lima perkara tersebut adalah sebagai berikut:
1. "Pergunakan masa mudamu sebelum datang masa tuamu".
Masa muda hendaklah dipergunakan sebaik-baiknya untuk mencapai kebaikan, kesuksesan, dan keberhasilan, karena masa mudalah kita mempunyai ambisi, keinginan dan cita-cita yang ingin kita raih, bukan berarti masa tua mneghalangi kita untuk tetap berusaha mencapai keinginan kita, tapi tentulah usaha masa tua akan berbeda halnya dengan usaha saat kita masih muda. Maka dari itu masa muda hendaklah diisi dengan berbagai kegiatan yang bermanfaat hingga tidak menyesal di kemudian hari.
2. "Pergunakan masa luangmu sebelum datang masa sibukmu".
Disini kita dianjurkan untuk menghargai waktu, agar bisa diisi dengan hal-hal yang bermanfaaat baik untuk diri sendiri maupun orang lain. Misalnya, menengok saudara ketika ada kesempatan sebelum kesibukan menghampiri kita, hingga tidak sempat lagi untuk sekedar mengunjungi kerabat.
3. "Pergunakan waktu sehatmu sebelum datang waktu sakitmu".
Hal ini juga anjuran agar kita senantiasa waspada pada segala kemungkinan yang sifatnya diluar prediksi manusia, seperti halnya sakit. Sakit disini bukan sebatas sakit jasmani, tapi juga sakit rohani. Maka ketika kita sehat jasmani-rohani, hendaknya kita senantiasa mempergukannya untuk hal-hal yang bermanfaat tanpa mengulur-ngulur waktu.
4. "Pergunakanlah waktu kayamu sebelum datang waktu miskinmu".
Tidak terlalu jauh berbeda dari penjelasan di atas, ketika kekayaan ada pada kita, baik itu berupa materi atau lainnya, maka hendaknya kita memanfaatkannya sebaik-baiknya, jangan menghambur-hamburkan.
5. "Pergunakan hidupmu sebelum datang matimu".
Yang terakhir ini merupakan cakupan dari empat hal diatas. Ketika kita diberi kehidupan maka hidup yang diberikan pada kita itu sebenarnya merupakan kesempatan yang tiada duanya. Karena kesempatan hidup tidak akan datang untuk kedua kalinya. Kehidupan harus dijalani sesuai tuntutan kemaslahatannya.
Lima hal itu merupakan inti misi dan visi hidup manusia, karena kunci kejayaan itu terletak pada bagaimana kita "mempergunakan kesempatan dengan sebaik-baiknya". Mempergunakan kesempatan adalah bentuk pasrah pada upaya & usaha, bukan pada hasil. Prinsip pasrah pada upaya & usaha akan membentuk jiwa yang teguh, tegar, kuat, dan tidak mudah putus asa. Bila suatu saat upaya kita belum menghasilkan target yang kita harapkan, maka kita tidak lantas putus asa, karena kewajiban kita adalah berupaya. Berupaya dan berupaya.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Fasting of Ramadhan
Allah(swt) has prescribed fasting for Muslims and other monothestic faiths due to its many benefits. Material pleasures can be generalised into food and drink, sexual pleasures, and vanity. Fasting requires abstaining from these, going against the natural instinct of Man to observe the commandment of God. This builds the concept of No to our desires and Yes to the will of Almighty God. Other benefits of fasting include:
*Fasting instills patience, teaches self control and discipline.
*Fasting increases compassion for the less fortunate.
*Fasting builds focus on spirituality and deminishes focus on materialism.
*Fasting has many health benefits.
*Fasting can be atonement for sin and can earn great reward.
*Fasting is part of a strong spiritual and physical renewal plan.
*Fasting commemorates important sacred religious events.
Saum means "stop" and "halt" to anything such as going, talking, eating, etc.
In the month of Ramadhan we have made a covenant with Allah that at the sighting of the new moon beginning the month of Ramadhan, we shall obey him and follow nature to the end of the lunar month. Every prayer that the Muslims do is in accordance with nature and lunar movement. Our system is following the law of nature, in that the night brings sleep, the sun gives energy and action, and the weather effects our system and our mood.
"Oh you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may learn self restraint." Quran Sura 2, Aya 183.
The ninth Islamic month is called Ramadhan and fasting is prescribed in that month. We follow the movement of the moon as the frame of our action or as the length of our fasting. (From the sighting of the new moon until the next new moon is sighted.)
We must follow the movements of the earth and the sun for the start and stop of our fasting duties. By Fajr (Dawn) the fasting starts, until the time dusk falls; then we follow our normal Islamic lifestyle.
Every dusk we come to is called Iftar which implies moving towards self and nature. The movement of the month is towards Eid-ul-Fitr : returning to nature, our system of being, or what our life is composed of and within this month we come to our evaluation or night of power.
Fasting brings our life into total submission and complete surrender to the law of the Creator. Every part of the day we feel the hunger and thirst only for obedience to Allah, in addition to the mental and physical cleansing which one receives.
The hardships which one undertakes for his loved ones are hard and difficult but they are also sweet and pleasant. While fasting, even though we carry the hardship of thirst and hunger in the heat of the long summer days, it is pleasant because we obey our loved one, and there is no love greater than the love for our Creator. A love that puts man and his whole family and everything else in the battle front for His pleasure, for being obedient to Him. What love could be higher than the love for the Creator?
Your physical sexual life is forbidden while fasting, so you feel the spiritual love for the Creator. You prevent your personal desires, such as eating, drinking, having sex; so you sacrifice self for the love of Allah.
When His love comes to the heart of man, no place is left for any other love. One feels; how red is my blood so I can bring it to Him as a rose flower and how warm is my blood to give it in His way to achieve His pleasure.
If man does not realize the blessed month of Ramadhan and does not achieve the understanding of Laylatul Qadr night of evaluation, how could he find his goal in life and that his owner is Allah? In our awakening of predawn (Sohoor), in our prayer of dawn, and during the fasting in the day and every prayer, we go to Him. We follow these actions until we reach our Eid-UlFitr. So we come to our return towards our system of being, then we pay a price of one meal to the needy in our society with the feeling that: O people, I shared your effort in my life, you may share a meal with me.
What I write may be accepted as a beginning and a drop from the ocean of wisdom and the order of the Creator. But what He wants us to do is exactly what we should do.
We are a part of this universe, therefore, it is only appropriate and fair to follow the laws of creation. According to the movement of the earth and the sun, we begin fasting. Every sunset is called Iftar a moving toward nature. Our aim is "EidUl Fitr" or return to our nature and our system of being. What was our nature that we should return to it? Our nature is to follow the captain of the boat if we are in the ocean, we have no choice. We should follow his orders since we are under his command. In our life so we have any other choice but to breathe and fulfill the need of our sustenance. Then who is the provider of these means but Allah. We are in his kingdom and we should follow His command. This was our covenant with our Creator at the beginning. As the Holy Quran says in Sura 36, Aya 60:
"Did you not promise, oh you children of Adam, that you shall not worship satan. He is the clear enemy of yours."
To follow satan is to go against the laws of nature. Satan became a negative force in man's system of being and only with mankind, not with the rest of the creation. He was an angel that did not follow the laws of the Creator. Angels are moving forces in the universe, all obedient to Allah. When man was created with all of his abilities, one of his abilities was negative or "satanic" and against his own law of safety. Before the creation of man, there was no disobedience.
Creating man with evil within his system caused the comparison of right with wrong and truth with falsehood. The aactions of a drunk and his irresponsible performance enlighten us with an understanding of who not to be like and thus the rejection of intoxication. The misery of drug addicts or prostitutes will enable us to choose not to be like them. Man is able to choose the best way in achieving Allah's pleasure and man's choice is developed in stages in comparisons of actions by others. For this reason some of us are the enemies of the others. As stated in Sura 2, Aya 36:
" But the shaitan made them both fall from it and caused them to depart from that (state) in which they were; and we said: Get forth, some of you being the enemies of others."
When we recognize truth from Quran then we reject falsehood of evildoers, the struggle and battle of truth and falsehood generates until man will become victorious in following the constitution of Allah on earth and evil will be defeated ( in being the enemies of each other), yet remain active until the day of judgement.
Allah mentions in the Holy Quran that he created the firmament and kept it away from the disturbance of Satan. Every action in nature performs perfectly under the command of Allah except the human action, the actions that are in control of man. Since man is not able to change any revelation and revolution in the universal movement, the action will remain undisturbed by any negative force, as in Sura 37, Aya 6:
" We have adorned the lower heaven with the adornment of the stars and to preserve against every rebel satan."
Man needs to be reminded of his way, continuously. He is called the highest in creation if he follows the laws, and lower than the animals in his disobedience to Allah. Every year we move toward our nature "EidUl Fitr." We work toward adapting ourselves to be what we are supposed to be, that is, to control our selfish desires which are destructive to man. We, like animals, need food, water, shelter and sex. It is natural and the only way to survive. However, in this month, we will be tested on our ability to control our natural desires. So if there are any unnatural desires, they become controlled automatically. We learn how to control our desires and our behavior, so that "self" may be replaced by "Allah's law."
The awakening from the darkness of ignorance and selfishness just as we awaken every pre-dawn with His order, so that we may rise up against any injustice that is keeping us ignorant and in the darkness of unawareness.
Every evening is one step closer towards the means of our system of being(fitrat), as we make iftar, which means moving toward the means of our system of being, until we are in the last ten days of the month of Ramadhan. The days that angels are encouraging man to move in the right direction. The time is getting closer to recognizing ourselves, to evaluating our work - the time of evaluation, "Qadr" or ability, power, from the depth of darkness of "lower than animals" to the highest in creation, from the darkness of unawareness to the dawn of reality, we work for this achievement. We follow the law of nature so the darkness of unawareness, the night of evaluation, that has connected us to the Creator, to be the follower of Allah's law, to gain the power of positive force, the night of power will be manifested to us.
A sparkle of truth generates in the darkness of life, the attention moves toward the sparkle. The actions are directed toward that light as a lost thirsty man in the vast desert is directed to any sign of water, any image of a well, a tree, any evidence of life catches his attention. Now the move is only toward that sign. All the attention is directed toward that savior, that solution which has been sought. Now that the direction is determined, the movement is only toward that direction. The closer we move, the more clearly the sign of solution is evident. Now that it is found, we are no longer wandering around. The aim is known, the direction is spotted, our movement and our attention are only in that direction.
"From Allah we came, toward Allah is our return ."
Quran, Sura2, Aya 156.
Now evil can't mislead us again. Now that the truth has come, falsehood has disappeared. Allah has given man the power of recognition. He sees the truth, then falsehood is no longer acceptable to him.
When man was created, the angels asked Allah why he was creating a man who would kill, destroy and use his negative forces, while they (angels) were following his way exactly. Allah says: I know what you don't know." Allah knows man moves in his unawareness, but when the truth shows itself, then man follows that truth.
And say
"when the truth has come, and falsehood disappeared, for falsehood is (and by its nature) bound to fade away."
Quran, Sura 17, Aya 81.
The law of safety (Islam) is already present in nature, in the creation, in this system of being. It has to become noticeable to mankind. When he sees it, he will recognize it. The totality of the Holy Quran has been in nature (fitrat) from the beginning. The laws are complete and perfect. Then the prophet (peace be upon him) received it totally on that night of power and gradually within 23 years it was revealed. Man became worthy of receiving the message of the Quran that was compiled on that special night of power. This system of perfection became reasonable to man, from the highest part of the firmament to humanity on the small planet earth.
In Sura5, Aya 3, Allah says:
"Today I have completed for you your religion and completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your aim(Religion)."
Islam began when the first element in the creation was created and submitted itself. This great law and revelation that had been perfect in that darkness of selfishness brings you into light, that is the night of power (evaluation). The Holy Quran says In Sura 97, Aya 1:
"We have indeed revealed this in the night of evaluation." It may be the totality of understanding the system and the law of nature that is Islam. The example that may be given is that when looking for a solution to a problem, suddenly the solution comes to mind totally, then it can be broken to steps and times. The Quran as the total solution to man's problems was revealed over a period of 23 years.
It is called the night of evaluation so man is in darkness in search of the truth. When the truth comes to man in the night of power, no one can tell what night it may be. It is the result of how sincere we have been in our obedience to our creator.
My understanding and yours may not be the same. I may reach "Layla Tul Qadr" (night of evaluation) sooner than you on the 21st day. I may be slow in thinking , then I feel and recognize it on the 23rd or 25th or 27th. I may not be able to get the message, then perhaps during the next Ramadhan. No one can tell which night is the night of power. Then Allah says:
"And what made you understand what is the night of evaluation."
That tells us the night of evaluation is not too easy to understand. Every place in the Holy Quran, when this sentence appears: (And what made you understand ), it is news of understanding which demands hard work or hard thinking.
It is that night that you find your direction. You save yourself from self destruction. Lost in the desert and wandering aimlessly, you recognize a point of direction. Then that moment of self recognition, that moment of finding the direction is better than a whole life of aimless wandering.
"The night of evaluation (power) is better than one thousand months."
Quran, Sura 97, Aya 5.
One thousand months or 83 years and 4 months of unawareness, Satanic life, life of being non-Islamic and being without aim (Allah).
Compared with now that the truth is recognized, the direction is determined and life has a new movement and new meaning. His forces and actions are used only for his aim, for the truth that was shown to him in the same direction as Allah's will.
Quran, Sura 97, Aya 4.
"Therein come down the angel and the spirit by Allah's permission in every errand."
Our actions and our direction and anything we do from now on is with the command of our Creator. "By Allah's permission is every errand." Before the recognition of evaluation, we were the slave of our desire, the slave of unawareness, the slave of my mind and action. But then we become the servant of Lord of Creation, our effort is in pleasing Allah only. We serve Allah's way only, our actions are put to work only if he permits us to do so. We are ready to be the light through that first sparkle of light.
"Submission - this until the rise of the morn."
Quran, Sura 97, Aya 5.
Salaamon means submission to the safety of being. In that submission if there is no "Satan" then there is peace. One of the forces or actions of man is "Satan" that did not bow to the creation of man, or to the totality of the system of peace, Evil became active within man only. Therefore, man will never have peace as long as Satan is active and that is until the day of judgement. Man's duty becomes submission, or Islam, by rejecting the negative and disobedient forces, by continuing Jehad until the achievement of the Islamic state on the earth of Allah and the acceptance of the Holy Quran as an active constitution of man.
This battle of falsehood and truth will remain with man till death. It is the battle that started when the first sparkle of light came into our mind. We were headed toward the truth. To find the truth is to leave the falsehood. To achieve the truth is to fight the falsehood. From the depth of darkness of falsehood on that night of evaluation of ourselves, the words of "There is no God but Allah" become meaningful and rejection blooms in man's own system. The more we reject falsehood, the better and more clearly the truth shows itself. From that darkness, action against evil begins. The more we reject falsehood, the better and more clearly the truth shows itself. From that darkness, action against evil begins. The aim becomes felt in the heart and seen in the mind. In that darkness Jehad is the light of our way, the struggle between truth and falsehood, Allah and Satan. All the actions become centered on achieving the goal. The light of Jehad brings us to the path of truth and connects us to the dawn of the morn, to awareness and self recognition. Now we have the power of capturing the evil of our own system. If in this Jehad we succeed, we will have accomplished the order of Allah in this life. If we die for the cause of Allah the blood from our veins will bring the flow of a new struggle, and we shall be rewarded in the day of judgement.
This movement will never stop and every year the night of power and evaluation brings man to his "return to self realization" in Eid Ul-Fitr, so the system of submission remains active as Islam is the religion of action. In the Quran, fasting is mentioned 12 more times with other pronouns.
*Fasting instills patience, teaches self control and discipline.
*Fasting increases compassion for the less fortunate.
*Fasting builds focus on spirituality and deminishes focus on materialism.
*Fasting has many health benefits.
*Fasting can be atonement for sin and can earn great reward.
*Fasting is part of a strong spiritual and physical renewal plan.
*Fasting commemorates important sacred religious events.
Saum means "stop" and "halt" to anything such as going, talking, eating, etc.
In the month of Ramadhan we have made a covenant with Allah that at the sighting of the new moon beginning the month of Ramadhan, we shall obey him and follow nature to the end of the lunar month. Every prayer that the Muslims do is in accordance with nature and lunar movement. Our system is following the law of nature, in that the night brings sleep, the sun gives energy and action, and the weather effects our system and our mood.
"Oh you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may learn self restraint." Quran Sura 2, Aya 183.
The ninth Islamic month is called Ramadhan and fasting is prescribed in that month. We follow the movement of the moon as the frame of our action or as the length of our fasting. (From the sighting of the new moon until the next new moon is sighted.)
We must follow the movements of the earth and the sun for the start and stop of our fasting duties. By Fajr (Dawn) the fasting starts, until the time dusk falls; then we follow our normal Islamic lifestyle.
Every dusk we come to is called Iftar which implies moving towards self and nature. The movement of the month is towards Eid-ul-Fitr : returning to nature, our system of being, or what our life is composed of and within this month we come to our evaluation or night of power.
Fasting brings our life into total submission and complete surrender to the law of the Creator. Every part of the day we feel the hunger and thirst only for obedience to Allah, in addition to the mental and physical cleansing which one receives.
The hardships which one undertakes for his loved ones are hard and difficult but they are also sweet and pleasant. While fasting, even though we carry the hardship of thirst and hunger in the heat of the long summer days, it is pleasant because we obey our loved one, and there is no love greater than the love for our Creator. A love that puts man and his whole family and everything else in the battle front for His pleasure, for being obedient to Him. What love could be higher than the love for the Creator?
Your physical sexual life is forbidden while fasting, so you feel the spiritual love for the Creator. You prevent your personal desires, such as eating, drinking, having sex; so you sacrifice self for the love of Allah.
When His love comes to the heart of man, no place is left for any other love. One feels; how red is my blood so I can bring it to Him as a rose flower and how warm is my blood to give it in His way to achieve His pleasure.
If man does not realize the blessed month of Ramadhan and does not achieve the understanding of Laylatul Qadr night of evaluation, how could he find his goal in life and that his owner is Allah? In our awakening of predawn (Sohoor), in our prayer of dawn, and during the fasting in the day and every prayer, we go to Him. We follow these actions until we reach our Eid-UlFitr. So we come to our return towards our system of being, then we pay a price of one meal to the needy in our society with the feeling that: O people, I shared your effort in my life, you may share a meal with me.
What I write may be accepted as a beginning and a drop from the ocean of wisdom and the order of the Creator. But what He wants us to do is exactly what we should do.
We are a part of this universe, therefore, it is only appropriate and fair to follow the laws of creation. According to the movement of the earth and the sun, we begin fasting. Every sunset is called Iftar a moving toward nature. Our aim is "EidUl Fitr" or return to our nature and our system of being. What was our nature that we should return to it? Our nature is to follow the captain of the boat if we are in the ocean, we have no choice. We should follow his orders since we are under his command. In our life so we have any other choice but to breathe and fulfill the need of our sustenance. Then who is the provider of these means but Allah. We are in his kingdom and we should follow His command. This was our covenant with our Creator at the beginning. As the Holy Quran says in Sura 36, Aya 60:
"Did you not promise, oh you children of Adam, that you shall not worship satan. He is the clear enemy of yours."
To follow satan is to go against the laws of nature. Satan became a negative force in man's system of being and only with mankind, not with the rest of the creation. He was an angel that did not follow the laws of the Creator. Angels are moving forces in the universe, all obedient to Allah. When man was created with all of his abilities, one of his abilities was negative or "satanic" and against his own law of safety. Before the creation of man, there was no disobedience.
Creating man with evil within his system caused the comparison of right with wrong and truth with falsehood. The aactions of a drunk and his irresponsible performance enlighten us with an understanding of who not to be like and thus the rejection of intoxication. The misery of drug addicts or prostitutes will enable us to choose not to be like them. Man is able to choose the best way in achieving Allah's pleasure and man's choice is developed in stages in comparisons of actions by others. For this reason some of us are the enemies of the others. As stated in Sura 2, Aya 36:
" But the shaitan made them both fall from it and caused them to depart from that (state) in which they were; and we said: Get forth, some of you being the enemies of others."
When we recognize truth from Quran then we reject falsehood of evildoers, the struggle and battle of truth and falsehood generates until man will become victorious in following the constitution of Allah on earth and evil will be defeated ( in being the enemies of each other), yet remain active until the day of judgement.
Allah mentions in the Holy Quran that he created the firmament and kept it away from the disturbance of Satan. Every action in nature performs perfectly under the command of Allah except the human action, the actions that are in control of man. Since man is not able to change any revelation and revolution in the universal movement, the action will remain undisturbed by any negative force, as in Sura 37, Aya 6:
" We have adorned the lower heaven with the adornment of the stars and to preserve against every rebel satan."
Man needs to be reminded of his way, continuously. He is called the highest in creation if he follows the laws, and lower than the animals in his disobedience to Allah. Every year we move toward our nature "EidUl Fitr." We work toward adapting ourselves to be what we are supposed to be, that is, to control our selfish desires which are destructive to man. We, like animals, need food, water, shelter and sex. It is natural and the only way to survive. However, in this month, we will be tested on our ability to control our natural desires. So if there are any unnatural desires, they become controlled automatically. We learn how to control our desires and our behavior, so that "self" may be replaced by "Allah's law."
The awakening from the darkness of ignorance and selfishness just as we awaken every pre-dawn with His order, so that we may rise up against any injustice that is keeping us ignorant and in the darkness of unawareness.
Every evening is one step closer towards the means of our system of being(fitrat), as we make iftar, which means moving toward the means of our system of being, until we are in the last ten days of the month of Ramadhan. The days that angels are encouraging man to move in the right direction. The time is getting closer to recognizing ourselves, to evaluating our work - the time of evaluation, "Qadr" or ability, power, from the depth of darkness of "lower than animals" to the highest in creation, from the darkness of unawareness to the dawn of reality, we work for this achievement. We follow the law of nature so the darkness of unawareness, the night of evaluation, that has connected us to the Creator, to be the follower of Allah's law, to gain the power of positive force, the night of power will be manifested to us.
A sparkle of truth generates in the darkness of life, the attention moves toward the sparkle. The actions are directed toward that light as a lost thirsty man in the vast desert is directed to any sign of water, any image of a well, a tree, any evidence of life catches his attention. Now the move is only toward that sign. All the attention is directed toward that savior, that solution which has been sought. Now that the direction is determined, the movement is only toward that direction. The closer we move, the more clearly the sign of solution is evident. Now that it is found, we are no longer wandering around. The aim is known, the direction is spotted, our movement and our attention are only in that direction.
"From Allah we came, toward Allah is our return ."
Quran, Sura2, Aya 156.
Now evil can't mislead us again. Now that the truth has come, falsehood has disappeared. Allah has given man the power of recognition. He sees the truth, then falsehood is no longer acceptable to him.
When man was created, the angels asked Allah why he was creating a man who would kill, destroy and use his negative forces, while they (angels) were following his way exactly. Allah says: I know what you don't know." Allah knows man moves in his unawareness, but when the truth shows itself, then man follows that truth.
And say
"when the truth has come, and falsehood disappeared, for falsehood is (and by its nature) bound to fade away."
Quran, Sura 17, Aya 81.
The law of safety (Islam) is already present in nature, in the creation, in this system of being. It has to become noticeable to mankind. When he sees it, he will recognize it. The totality of the Holy Quran has been in nature (fitrat) from the beginning. The laws are complete and perfect. Then the prophet (peace be upon him) received it totally on that night of power and gradually within 23 years it was revealed. Man became worthy of receiving the message of the Quran that was compiled on that special night of power. This system of perfection became reasonable to man, from the highest part of the firmament to humanity on the small planet earth.
In Sura5, Aya 3, Allah says:
"Today I have completed for you your religion and completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your aim(Religion)."
Islam began when the first element in the creation was created and submitted itself. This great law and revelation that had been perfect in that darkness of selfishness brings you into light, that is the night of power (evaluation). The Holy Quran says In Sura 97, Aya 1:
"We have indeed revealed this in the night of evaluation." It may be the totality of understanding the system and the law of nature that is Islam. The example that may be given is that when looking for a solution to a problem, suddenly the solution comes to mind totally, then it can be broken to steps and times. The Quran as the total solution to man's problems was revealed over a period of 23 years.
It is called the night of evaluation so man is in darkness in search of the truth. When the truth comes to man in the night of power, no one can tell what night it may be. It is the result of how sincere we have been in our obedience to our creator.
My understanding and yours may not be the same. I may reach "Layla Tul Qadr" (night of evaluation) sooner than you on the 21st day. I may be slow in thinking , then I feel and recognize it on the 23rd or 25th or 27th. I may not be able to get the message, then perhaps during the next Ramadhan. No one can tell which night is the night of power. Then Allah says:
"And what made you understand what is the night of evaluation."
That tells us the night of evaluation is not too easy to understand. Every place in the Holy Quran, when this sentence appears: (And what made you understand ), it is news of understanding which demands hard work or hard thinking.
It is that night that you find your direction. You save yourself from self destruction. Lost in the desert and wandering aimlessly, you recognize a point of direction. Then that moment of self recognition, that moment of finding the direction is better than a whole life of aimless wandering.
"The night of evaluation (power) is better than one thousand months."
Quran, Sura 97, Aya 5.
One thousand months or 83 years and 4 months of unawareness, Satanic life, life of being non-Islamic and being without aim (Allah).
Compared with now that the truth is recognized, the direction is determined and life has a new movement and new meaning. His forces and actions are used only for his aim, for the truth that was shown to him in the same direction as Allah's will.
Quran, Sura 97, Aya 4.
"Therein come down the angel and the spirit by Allah's permission in every errand."
Our actions and our direction and anything we do from now on is with the command of our Creator. "By Allah's permission is every errand." Before the recognition of evaluation, we were the slave of our desire, the slave of unawareness, the slave of my mind and action. But then we become the servant of Lord of Creation, our effort is in pleasing Allah only. We serve Allah's way only, our actions are put to work only if he permits us to do so. We are ready to be the light through that first sparkle of light.
"Submission - this until the rise of the morn."
Quran, Sura 97, Aya 5.
Salaamon means submission to the safety of being. In that submission if there is no "Satan" then there is peace. One of the forces or actions of man is "Satan" that did not bow to the creation of man, or to the totality of the system of peace, Evil became active within man only. Therefore, man will never have peace as long as Satan is active and that is until the day of judgement. Man's duty becomes submission, or Islam, by rejecting the negative and disobedient forces, by continuing Jehad until the achievement of the Islamic state on the earth of Allah and the acceptance of the Holy Quran as an active constitution of man.
This battle of falsehood and truth will remain with man till death. It is the battle that started when the first sparkle of light came into our mind. We were headed toward the truth. To find the truth is to leave the falsehood. To achieve the truth is to fight the falsehood. From the depth of darkness of falsehood on that night of evaluation of ourselves, the words of "There is no God but Allah" become meaningful and rejection blooms in man's own system. The more we reject falsehood, the better and more clearly the truth shows itself. From that darkness, action against evil begins. The more we reject falsehood, the better and more clearly the truth shows itself. From that darkness, action against evil begins. The aim becomes felt in the heart and seen in the mind. In that darkness Jehad is the light of our way, the struggle between truth and falsehood, Allah and Satan. All the actions become centered on achieving the goal. The light of Jehad brings us to the path of truth and connects us to the dawn of the morn, to awareness and self recognition. Now we have the power of capturing the evil of our own system. If in this Jehad we succeed, we will have accomplished the order of Allah in this life. If we die for the cause of Allah the blood from our veins will bring the flow of a new struggle, and we shall be rewarded in the day of judgement.
This movement will never stop and every year the night of power and evaluation brings man to his "return to self realization" in Eid Ul-Fitr, so the system of submission remains active as Islam is the religion of action. In the Quran, fasting is mentioned 12 more times with other pronouns.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Ramadan is Approaching
The Month of Ramadan is upon us.During this special time, we should all reflect on the many blessings God has bestowed upon us. The amount of food we enjoy and unfortunately the amount that many of us waste, the expansiveness of most of our homes, our ready ability to own cars, trucks, and vans, our easy access to higher education, all of these blessings and many others are incomprehensible to many Muslims in faraway lands struggling to live from day to day.
Perhaps the greatest blessing we enjoy is the blessing of security. This is a great blessing that many people take for granted. The ability to be safe in ones home, to walk the streets without fear of assault, to travel freely down the highways and byways without fear of brigandage or harm to our person or loved ones, the ability to rest comfortably at night without fearing a sudden deadly intrusion, or a violent explosion as a projectile tears through the roof or walls of our dwelling visiting us with hell on earth. This is a great, expansive blessing.
God mentions that security is one of the great blessings He bestowed upon the Quraysh, the people of our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God upon him. He mentions in the Qur'an, Therefore, let them worship the Lord of this [Sacred] House; he who has fed them, warding off from them hunger; the one who has made them secure from fear. (106:3-4)
This latter blessing, the great blessing of security, the blessing that allows us to enjoy all other blessings, should never be taken for granted, for it can be taken away at any moment, and we could be cast into the throes of terrible tribulation with sudden swiftness. One of the ways to perpetuate the blessing of security and the many other blessings we enjoy is to express our deep thanks for them. That expression of thanks lies in our being good productive citizens, it lies in our faithful devotion to our Lord, and it lies in our demonstrating to people the good of our religion through our actions before we endeavor to do so with our words. It lies in our endeavoring to share our blessings with those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
The details relating to how we do these things are known to all of us and are as numerous as each and every one of our individual lives. Those details are revealed to us by God when we endeavor to be sincere in our service, true in our devotion, honest in our conviction to assist our fellow human beings. Ramadan is an excellent time to start for those of us who have been limping down the road of life oblivious to the blessings we enjoy; lacking any consciousness of the obligations those blessings impose on us. Ramadan focuses our appreciation of the food and other material blessing we enjoy by allowing us to experience at a personal level the reality of deprivation. Ramadan focuses our devotion to God by facilitating heightened levels of devotional acts by couching them in a communal manifestation.
Ramadan focuses our sincerity to God, for it is centered around fasting, the one act of worship it is impossible to "show off" with before other human beings, for at the end of the day, God alone knows if we are truly fasting. Ramadan, if we allow it to do so, focuses our spiritual energies by reintroducing the great blessing of the Qur'an into our lives. Finally, Ramadan focuses our attention on the centrality of charity in our lives, by encouraging us to greater levels and acts of charity during this time, a time when our beloved Prophet, peace and blessings of God upon him, the most generous of all people ordinarily, was excessively generous.
Although the negative attention is a reality, it does not hide the fact that many people are crying out for Islam. As Muslims, we have been blessed with the fruits of Ramadan, some of which we have mentioned above. We should not hesitate to work to share those fruits with others. The inner-peace, serenity, clarity of vision, and focus a conscious Muslim experiences in his or her life, all of which are highlighted during Ramadan, is a great blessing we should be hastening to share with others. Now is the time for us to proclaim the blessings God has bestowed upon us.
Let us translate the heightened focus on God, and our appreciation for His blessings into heightened levels of servitude to Him and to our fellow human beings. If we can do that as an entire community, with ample conviction, God will continue to shower His blessings down upon us and He will bless us to be secure in our lives and property, just as He has blessed us to be secure from material want. Such blessings are commensurate with the best community raised up for humanity (3:110).
However, for the manifestation of those blessings to be real, our service to God and to our fellow humans has to be real. So let us proceed through this blessed month with consciousness, willing devotion, and sincerity. Let us also proclaim to all and sundry the blessings God has bestowed upon us. By doing so we will express our appreciation to our Lord, and work to perpetuate the many blessings He has bestowed upon us.
Ramadan Mubarak
Source: The Islamic City
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tarbiyah...
The Importance and Methodology of Tarbiyah<br />(Education & Upbringing)<Tarbiyah in Islam is very important, for indeed all of the Deen is based upon tarbiyah (i.e. the education and upbringing of the people). This starts first of all with the education and training of our own selves, then of our families, and then of the community at large. But this tarbiyah is most important with respect to our children, so that they are brought up upon the correct path of Islam. Because of this, many of the scholars take care in discussing this aspect of tarbiyah more so than the others.<br /><br />After the benefit of al-Islam and our very creation, from the best of benefits is that of having children. We see their benefits both in this world and after we have passed to the next. As for the benefits in this world - when a person becomes old and unable to earn a livelihood, all of his friends and companions leave him alone and it is his children who look after and care for him, bearing his problems and burdens. As for after his death, then a person benefits from his children as the Prophet said: "When the son of Adam passes away, all of his deeds are stopped except for three. Some kind of charity that is continuous, or knowledge which the people are benefiting from, or a righteous child who is praying for him."<br /><br />Also from the benefits of having children is that if they were to pass away whilst still children, they will intercede for their parents. This is authentically reported from the Prophet , who said: "There is no Muslim individual, male or female, who has three of his children pass away whilst they are young and he is patient with that, except that they will come and intercede for him on the Day of Judgment." So 'Umar asked, 'What about two [children]?' Upon this the Prophet said, "It is the same for two [children]." (Al-Bazzaar, al-Haakim. Sh. al-Albaanee mentions it in his book, Kitaabul-Janaa-iz)<br /><br />As for the person who has one child who passes away and he is patient with this, seeking his reward from Allah , then he shall also find a great reward with Him. As in a hadeeth wherein it is reported that the Prophet used to sit down in his sitting place and his companions would sit in front of him to seek benefit and learn from him. From amongst them was a man who had a small boy; he used to come to the Prophet from behind his back by way of respect, then he used to sit in front of him and sit his son in front of the Prophet . The Prophet asked, "Do you love this child of yours?" The man replied, "Yes, and may Allah cause you to love him also." Then it happened that this child passed away, and the man was so sad that he used to refrain from coming to sit with the Prophet . So the Prophet asked his companions about this man saying, "Why is it that he no longer comes to my sitting place?" And this was from the Sunnah of the Prophet , that if he had people who would come to him and then stop coming, he would ask about their condition and their affairs. So the companions told him that the man's son had passed away and that he was sad because of that. So the Prophet went to meet this man and asked him, "What has happened to your son?" And the man told him that he had passed away. So the Prophet said, "Do you wish that your son could be here with you spending time with you, or do you prefer that your son would reach Paradise before you, waiting at the Doors of Paradise to open them for you?" So the man said, "O Messenger of Allah. I wish that my son would go forth before me and precede me to Paradise." So the Prophet said to him, "Verily, this is for you." So upon this, one of the companions said, "O Messenger of Allah, may I be sacrificed for your sake! Is this (reward) only for this man or is it for all of the people?" He said, "No, this reward is for all of the people (i.e. those who lose a child and are patient with their loss)." (Al-Haakim. Adh-Dhahabee declared it Saheeh as did Sh. Al-Albaanee)<br /><br />Also from the benefits of having children is that if one has daughters and is patient with them, bringing them up correctly, then for him is a great reward from Allah. Our mother Aa'ishah said, "A woman with two daughters and who was very poor came to my door requesting charity. All I had was three dates, so I gave them to this woman and her two daughters. The woman gave a date to each of her daughters and kept the third date for herself. But when the two daughters had finished their dates, they both looked up to their mother wanting the date which she had. So she felt mercy for her two daughters and split the date into two halves, she gave a half to each of her daughters and then she went away. When the Prophet came back I informed him about what had happened. He said, 'Anyone who has daughters and is good in bringing them up, then they will be as a barrier between him and the Hell-Fire'." (Bukhari & Muslim)<br /><br />It is obligatory for the parents to take care of their children as the responsibility for them is upon their shoulders. As the Prophet said, "All of you are shepherds and will are responsible for his flock." Unfortunately, many of the people look down upon this affair of bringing up the children correctly and consider it as a small matter and unimportant, instead busying themselves which affairs such as politics and those things which it may be beyond their ability to reach. They look to those things which are seen as more important and so look down upon the affair of raising their children correctly. In this, they are mistaken, as whoever the Imam or the leader of the believers may be, even if he was the most righteous of all righteous people and the most just of all rulers, if a person does not take care of their own affairs then no-one else is going to come into their house and look after their children for them. And if this Imam was the worst of all the people, yet a person was to take care of their own family as is his responsibility, then how is his harm and his condition going to affect that person? Allah says,<br /><br />"Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves." [Qur'an Ra'd 13:11]<br /><br />So it is upon us to change our own condition and the condition of our own families, and then to look to the condition of our communities and the community of the Muslims at large. For if we were to neglect this responsibility then we would never achieve the correct tarbiyah - training, upbringing and education - of our societies.<br /><br />Indeed the Book of Allah (Qur'an) and the Sunnah of the Prophet encourage us to bring up our children correctly; ordering us with righteousness and good conduct ourselves as well as ordering us to prevent our families from falling into that which would result in their own destruction. As Allah says,<br /><br />"O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones." [Qur'an Tahrim 66:6]<br /><br />And He says,<br /><br />"And enjoin Prayer on your family, and be patient in offering them (i.e. the Prayers)." [Qur'an Ta-Ha 20:132]<br /><br />The Prophet said, "Order your children with Salah when they are seven years old, and beat them upon it (i.e. force them to do so by hitting them) when they are ten years old, and (also) separate them in their sleeping place." So by the preceding Ayat and hadeeth, Allah and the Prophet teach the believers about the importance of Salah and worship, and also in the hadeeth the Prophet is teaching his Ummah about how to live this life free from all types of doubts and misconceptions, by avoiding those places and situations where such doubts and misconceptions may arise. So the order is that one should raise one's children upon the most blessed and praiseworthy of characteristics.<br /><br />So what follows are some practical steps in bringing up the family correctly.<br /><br />Seeking Righteous Children<br /><br />When an individual wants to get married, they should have the intention to have - and ask Allah to give them - righteous children. They should be patient upon this and seek their children with the correct intention i.e. to increase the number of the Prophet's Ummah, and seek Allah's reward in this life and the Hereafter by way of his children. As the Prophet said, "Marry those women who are loving and fertile, for verily I want to be amongst those (Prophets) who have the most followers on the Day of Judgement." So when a person gets married he should seek children with the intention to have many children which will go towards making up the Ummah of the Prophet and that these children may become righteous slaves of Allah so that he may benefit from them in this world and the Hereafter. This is because the intention has a special and important place with regard to the outcome, as the Prophet said, "Verily, every action is by its intention." So if one
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Understanding Politics in Islam - Fiqh al Siyasah
Adapted and rearranged from the book Fiqh al-Dawlah written by Professor Yusuf al Qaradawi.
1. What is the aim of politics in Islam?
According to Al-Mawardi from his book Al-Ahkam Al-Sultaniyyah, it is hirasatud din wa siasatud dunya - to uphold the religion and administer the world. Politics is not munkar - is not a depravity - real politics is noble virtuous because it administers the affairs of all creatures, bringing man closer to good and away from fasad - evil. According to Ibn al-Qayyim, politics is really the justice of Allah the Almighty and His Prophet (peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him).
The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was a politician as well as the messenger conveying the risalah, murabbi - teacher, Qadi - Chief Justice, Head of the nation and Imam of the ummah. The Khulafa' al Rasyidun - the rightly guided leaders who succeeded him were also politicians following the Sunnah - way of the Prophet, establishing just administration, practising ihsan - the betterment of good and providing the leadership of 'ilm - knowledge and Iman - belief.
However in the present time, due to 'politics' man faced suffering as a result of deceit and political ploys and scheming and devious politicians, whether in the form of past colonialists, treacherous rulers, tyrannical leaders and regimes preaching Machiavellian philosophy (the ends justifies the means!).
It became common to label and describe committed Muslims as 'political' so that they are regarded warily and wickedly for the purpose of disassociating and furthering apart the people from them, intending that society will shun and hate what is called 'political Islam'. It has been such that symbols of Islam like the headscarf, the proper attire and congregational prayers - Salat jama'ah are attempted to be labelled 'political'.
It is a blatant lie for those who say that there is no religion in politics and that there is no politics in religion. This deceit was once tried in the form of an attempted fatwa - a decree while the members of the Ikhwan al-Muslimun were imprisoned in the detention camps in Egypt in the 50's. The regime wanted to influence the masses to regard the activists and the Dai' (the very people who wanted to uphold the Syari'ah, Al-Qur'an and Al-Sunnah) as the purveyors of fasad - evil by using corrupted 'ulama - paid scholars.
2. The Fight against Fasad and Zulm (Evil, Transgression and Tyranny) is the utmost in Jihad
From the understanding of the Prophet's tradition (mafhum hadith):
Munkar (transgression) is not limited to khamr - liqour, gambling and zina - - unlawful sex but degrading and defiling the honour and dignity of the people and citizens is a major transgression, so is cheating in the elections, refusing to give testimony - neglecting to vote, letting government be in the hands of those who are not deserving and undesired, stealing and squandering the nation's wealth and property, monopolising the people's needs for personal gains or cronies' interests, detaining people without crime or just cause, without judgement from a fair court, torturing human beings in prison and the detention camps, giving, accepting and mediating in bribes, cowering up to, praising evil rulers, allowing the enemies of Allah and the enemies of the Muslim community to be leaders and shunning the believers - the mu'min.
These are all grave transgressions!
When a Muslim remains quiet upon seeing all of these it means that he or she does not deserve to live (is not alive) from the mafhum of al-ayat and al-hadith.
Islam requires that every Muslim has political responsibility. A Muslim is required by his Iman - faith to be truly concerned with the affairs and problems of the ummah - community, helping and defending the meek and the weak, fighting tyranny and oppression. By retreating and abstaining oneself, it will only invite divine retribution and being seized by the flames of hell (mafhum ayat).
3. Political Freedom is Our Utmost Need Today
Islam is always rejuvenated, its message spread across, its resurgence, its reverberating call heard by all even if it is given some limited freedom. Therefore the first battle is to obtain freedom to deliver the message of da'wah, the risalah of tawhid (Unity of God), spread consciousness and enabling the existence of Islamic movements.
True democracy is not the whims and desires of the tyrannical rulers or their cronies, it is not the place to jail and incarcerate its fighters and not the place to torture its proponents.
Democracy is the simplest and proper way to achieve the aims of a noble life, to be able to invite all to Allah and Islam, to be able to call others to Iman without having our souls being imprisoned and our bodies sentenced to be executed by hanging. It is the space for a free and honourable nation to have the right to choose, evaluate the ruler, change governments without coups and without bloodshed.
The theory, way and system which looks alien maybe adopted if it benefits us and as long as it does not contradict clear Islamic edicts and the rules of Syariah. We appraise, amend according to our spirit, we do not adopt its philosophy, and we do not allow what is forbidden and vice versa. We do not relinquish or compromise what is ordained or compulsory - the wajib in Islam.
The gist of democracy is that the public, the people can choose the rulers who are going to administer them; the people having the right to select, criticise and terminate; and the people are not forced to accept systems, trends, and policies which they do not agree to and they are not abused. They are free to hold elections, referendums, ensuring majority rights, protecting minority rights, having opposition, have multi parties, have press freedom and safeguarding the independence of the judiciary. But once again to constantly uphold and safeguard the principles of Islam, the firm rulings, the al-thawabit: the determined laws - hukm qat'i, the daruri - the essentials of religion and the non-ijtihadiy must not be compromised or neglected.
Syura:
Syura or consultative decision making must be followed and not just as a debating factor. By practising syura, it is closer, hence even better than the spirit of democracy. It is but the lost jewel found, the lost wisdom - al-hikmah which has been rediscovered.
Syura enables musyawarah to be conducted, obtains views and opinions, becomes the responsibility of the people to advise and counsel the government (ad-dinu nasiha) and establish amar ma'ruf nahy munkar - enjoining good and forbidding evil. Among the obligations of amar ma'ruf nahy munkar is the highest jihad (struggle) that is to voice out the truth in front of the unjust tyrant.
The State of Politics in the Ummah:
The musibah or calamity of the ummah then and now is the absence and the abeyying of the system of syura and the adoption of an oppressive dynastical ruling system. In the modern era, dictators stay in power by the force of arms and gold - power and wealth resulting in the syariah being hindered, secularism being forced upon and cultural Westernisation being imposed. Islamic da'wah and the Islamic movement being victimised, brutalised, imprisoned and hounded viciously.
4. Qur'anic Examples of Tyrannical Rulers
The Al-Qur'an denounces all powerful rulers such as Namrud, Fir'aun (Pharaoh), Hamaan and Qarun. Namrud is taghut - the transgressor who enslaves the servants of Allah as his serfs.
There is the pact or collaboration of three parties:
Fir'aun - he claims to be God, carries out tyranny and oppression throughout the land, enslaves the people
Hamaan - the cunning politician, experienced, having self interest, in the service of taghut, propping up and supporting Fir'aun and cheating the people, subjugating them.
Qarun - the capitalist or feudalist who takes opportunity from the unjust and oppressive laws, spending fortunes for the tyrannical leader in order to profit and amass more vast returns, bleeding and exploiting the toils of the people. The origin of Qarun was that he came from Prophet Musa's own clan who colluded with Fir'aun due to the love of worldly life and materialism.
The combination of taghut and Zulm results in the spread of mayhem and the destruction of the community, subjugating man by force and degradation.
The People:
Al Qur'an denounces the people or citizens who are obedient and loyal to their oppressive rulers. The people who remain under the tutelage of taghut are fully responsible and accountable because it is due to their attitude that brought forth these fir'auns and taghuts.
Al-Junud (the collaborators):
These are the armies and enforcers of the rule and order of the taghut. They use force, fear and repression to eliminate and subdue all opposition and dissidents of the tyrant.
5. An Example of Leadership
Balqis, the Queen of Saba' as told in the Qur'an was a woman who lead her people well, just and administered them with intelligence and wisdom saving her people from a war that was destructive and made decisions by syura-consulting them. Alas, the story ended with the acceptance of Islam. She led her people towards the goodness of the world and the hereafter.
Leaders like her are much more capable and qualified with political acumen and wise administration than most of the present Arab and Muslim 'male' leaders. (Prof. Yusuf Qaradawi purposely avoided the term 'al-rijal')
6. Pluralism and Multi Parties in Islam
The existence of various parties or movements is not forbidden as long as unification is not achievable due to differences over objectives, approaches, understanding and the level of confidence and trust. Variety and specialisation are allowed as long as they do not become contradictory and confrontational. However everyone has to be in one united front when facing the challenges to aqidah - belief, syariah, ummah and the survival of Islam. Relations between parties and groupings should be in the atmosphere of non-prejudice, forgiveness, nobleness, counselling truth and steadfastness, wisdom and engaging in healthy cordial debate.
Even when the Islamic State is established there is no reason to feel distraught at the existence of pluralism and differences.
7. Counselling and Corrective Participation in Politics
Without the shedding of blood, the most effective way as the outcome of long and painful struggles is the existence of political forces which the government in power is unable to contain or eliminate: that is presence of political parties. The ruling regime can get rid of individuals and small groups of opponents but it is difficult for them to defeat or wipe out larger organisations which are well structured, organised and rooted in the masses of society. Political parties have the platform, machinery, newspapers and publications as well as mass influence.
Political parties or political movements are necessary to fight oppression, to enable criticism, bringing back the government to to uphold truth and justice, bringing down or changing the government. These parties are capable of monitoring and appraising the government, offer advice and criticism.
8. Voting
Voting in the elections is a form of testimony. A just testimony is considered as long as one is not convicted of crime. Whoever so votes or abstains from voting in the general elections causing the defeat of a trustworthy and deserving candidate but on the other hand allows the candidate who is less trustworthy and undeserving to win, one has gone against the command of Allah concerning giving testimony.
1. What is the aim of politics in Islam?
According to Al-Mawardi from his book Al-Ahkam Al-Sultaniyyah, it is hirasatud din wa siasatud dunya - to uphold the religion and administer the world. Politics is not munkar - is not a depravity - real politics is noble virtuous because it administers the affairs of all creatures, bringing man closer to good and away from fasad - evil. According to Ibn al-Qayyim, politics is really the justice of Allah the Almighty and His Prophet (peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him).
The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was a politician as well as the messenger conveying the risalah, murabbi - teacher, Qadi - Chief Justice, Head of the nation and Imam of the ummah. The Khulafa' al Rasyidun - the rightly guided leaders who succeeded him were also politicians following the Sunnah - way of the Prophet, establishing just administration, practising ihsan - the betterment of good and providing the leadership of 'ilm - knowledge and Iman - belief.
However in the present time, due to 'politics' man faced suffering as a result of deceit and political ploys and scheming and devious politicians, whether in the form of past colonialists, treacherous rulers, tyrannical leaders and regimes preaching Machiavellian philosophy (the ends justifies the means!).
It became common to label and describe committed Muslims as 'political' so that they are regarded warily and wickedly for the purpose of disassociating and furthering apart the people from them, intending that society will shun and hate what is called 'political Islam'. It has been such that symbols of Islam like the headscarf, the proper attire and congregational prayers - Salat jama'ah are attempted to be labelled 'political'.
It is a blatant lie for those who say that there is no religion in politics and that there is no politics in religion. This deceit was once tried in the form of an attempted fatwa - a decree while the members of the Ikhwan al-Muslimun were imprisoned in the detention camps in Egypt in the 50's. The regime wanted to influence the masses to regard the activists and the Dai' (the very people who wanted to uphold the Syari'ah, Al-Qur'an and Al-Sunnah) as the purveyors of fasad - evil by using corrupted 'ulama - paid scholars.
2. The Fight against Fasad and Zulm (Evil, Transgression and Tyranny) is the utmost in Jihad
From the understanding of the Prophet's tradition (mafhum hadith):
Munkar (transgression) is not limited to khamr - liqour, gambling and zina - - unlawful sex but degrading and defiling the honour and dignity of the people and citizens is a major transgression, so is cheating in the elections, refusing to give testimony - neglecting to vote, letting government be in the hands of those who are not deserving and undesired, stealing and squandering the nation's wealth and property, monopolising the people's needs for personal gains or cronies' interests, detaining people without crime or just cause, without judgement from a fair court, torturing human beings in prison and the detention camps, giving, accepting and mediating in bribes, cowering up to, praising evil rulers, allowing the enemies of Allah and the enemies of the Muslim community to be leaders and shunning the believers - the mu'min.
These are all grave transgressions!
When a Muslim remains quiet upon seeing all of these it means that he or she does not deserve to live (is not alive) from the mafhum of al-ayat and al-hadith.
Islam requires that every Muslim has political responsibility. A Muslim is required by his Iman - faith to be truly concerned with the affairs and problems of the ummah - community, helping and defending the meek and the weak, fighting tyranny and oppression. By retreating and abstaining oneself, it will only invite divine retribution and being seized by the flames of hell (mafhum ayat).
3. Political Freedom is Our Utmost Need Today
Islam is always rejuvenated, its message spread across, its resurgence, its reverberating call heard by all even if it is given some limited freedom. Therefore the first battle is to obtain freedom to deliver the message of da'wah, the risalah of tawhid (Unity of God), spread consciousness and enabling the existence of Islamic movements.
True democracy is not the whims and desires of the tyrannical rulers or their cronies, it is not the place to jail and incarcerate its fighters and not the place to torture its proponents.
Democracy is the simplest and proper way to achieve the aims of a noble life, to be able to invite all to Allah and Islam, to be able to call others to Iman without having our souls being imprisoned and our bodies sentenced to be executed by hanging. It is the space for a free and honourable nation to have the right to choose, evaluate the ruler, change governments without coups and without bloodshed.
The theory, way and system which looks alien maybe adopted if it benefits us and as long as it does not contradict clear Islamic edicts and the rules of Syariah. We appraise, amend according to our spirit, we do not adopt its philosophy, and we do not allow what is forbidden and vice versa. We do not relinquish or compromise what is ordained or compulsory - the wajib in Islam.
The gist of democracy is that the public, the people can choose the rulers who are going to administer them; the people having the right to select, criticise and terminate; and the people are not forced to accept systems, trends, and policies which they do not agree to and they are not abused. They are free to hold elections, referendums, ensuring majority rights, protecting minority rights, having opposition, have multi parties, have press freedom and safeguarding the independence of the judiciary. But once again to constantly uphold and safeguard the principles of Islam, the firm rulings, the al-thawabit: the determined laws - hukm qat'i, the daruri - the essentials of religion and the non-ijtihadiy must not be compromised or neglected.
Syura:
Syura or consultative decision making must be followed and not just as a debating factor. By practising syura, it is closer, hence even better than the spirit of democracy. It is but the lost jewel found, the lost wisdom - al-hikmah which has been rediscovered.
Syura enables musyawarah to be conducted, obtains views and opinions, becomes the responsibility of the people to advise and counsel the government (ad-dinu nasiha) and establish amar ma'ruf nahy munkar - enjoining good and forbidding evil. Among the obligations of amar ma'ruf nahy munkar is the highest jihad (struggle) that is to voice out the truth in front of the unjust tyrant.
The State of Politics in the Ummah:
The musibah or calamity of the ummah then and now is the absence and the abeyying of the system of syura and the adoption of an oppressive dynastical ruling system. In the modern era, dictators stay in power by the force of arms and gold - power and wealth resulting in the syariah being hindered, secularism being forced upon and cultural Westernisation being imposed. Islamic da'wah and the Islamic movement being victimised, brutalised, imprisoned and hounded viciously.
4. Qur'anic Examples of Tyrannical Rulers
The Al-Qur'an denounces all powerful rulers such as Namrud, Fir'aun (Pharaoh), Hamaan and Qarun. Namrud is taghut - the transgressor who enslaves the servants of Allah as his serfs.
There is the pact or collaboration of three parties:
Fir'aun - he claims to be God, carries out tyranny and oppression throughout the land, enslaves the people
Hamaan - the cunning politician, experienced, having self interest, in the service of taghut, propping up and supporting Fir'aun and cheating the people, subjugating them.
Qarun - the capitalist or feudalist who takes opportunity from the unjust and oppressive laws, spending fortunes for the tyrannical leader in order to profit and amass more vast returns, bleeding and exploiting the toils of the people. The origin of Qarun was that he came from Prophet Musa's own clan who colluded with Fir'aun due to the love of worldly life and materialism.
The combination of taghut and Zulm results in the spread of mayhem and the destruction of the community, subjugating man by force and degradation.
The People:
Al Qur'an denounces the people or citizens who are obedient and loyal to their oppressive rulers. The people who remain under the tutelage of taghut are fully responsible and accountable because it is due to their attitude that brought forth these fir'auns and taghuts.
Al-Junud (the collaborators):
These are the armies and enforcers of the rule and order of the taghut. They use force, fear and repression to eliminate and subdue all opposition and dissidents of the tyrant.
5. An Example of Leadership
Balqis, the Queen of Saba' as told in the Qur'an was a woman who lead her people well, just and administered them with intelligence and wisdom saving her people from a war that was destructive and made decisions by syura-consulting them. Alas, the story ended with the acceptance of Islam. She led her people towards the goodness of the world and the hereafter.
Leaders like her are much more capable and qualified with political acumen and wise administration than most of the present Arab and Muslim 'male' leaders. (Prof. Yusuf Qaradawi purposely avoided the term 'al-rijal')
6. Pluralism and Multi Parties in Islam
The existence of various parties or movements is not forbidden as long as unification is not achievable due to differences over objectives, approaches, understanding and the level of confidence and trust. Variety and specialisation are allowed as long as they do not become contradictory and confrontational. However everyone has to be in one united front when facing the challenges to aqidah - belief, syariah, ummah and the survival of Islam. Relations between parties and groupings should be in the atmosphere of non-prejudice, forgiveness, nobleness, counselling truth and steadfastness, wisdom and engaging in healthy cordial debate.
Even when the Islamic State is established there is no reason to feel distraught at the existence of pluralism and differences.
7. Counselling and Corrective Participation in Politics
Without the shedding of blood, the most effective way as the outcome of long and painful struggles is the existence of political forces which the government in power is unable to contain or eliminate: that is presence of political parties. The ruling regime can get rid of individuals and small groups of opponents but it is difficult for them to defeat or wipe out larger organisations which are well structured, organised and rooted in the masses of society. Political parties have the platform, machinery, newspapers and publications as well as mass influence.
Political parties or political movements are necessary to fight oppression, to enable criticism, bringing back the government to to uphold truth and justice, bringing down or changing the government. These parties are capable of monitoring and appraising the government, offer advice and criticism.
8. Voting
Voting in the elections is a form of testimony. A just testimony is considered as long as one is not convicted of crime. Whoever so votes or abstains from voting in the general elections causing the defeat of a trustworthy and deserving candidate but on the other hand allows the candidate who is less trustworthy and undeserving to win, one has gone against the command of Allah concerning giving testimony.
The Political Framework Of Islam
Translated by Prof Khurshid Ahmad
The political system of Islam is based on the three principles of towhid (Oneness of Allah), risala (Prophethood) and Khilifa (Caliphate).
Towhid means that one Allah alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Master of the universe and of all that exists in it - organic or inorganic. He alone has the right to command or forbid. Worship and obedience are due to Him alone. No aspect of life in all its multifarious forms ¾ our own organs and faculties, the apparent control which we have over physical objects or the objects themselves ¾ has been created or a acquired by us in our own right. They are the bountiful provisions of Allah and have been bestowed on us by Him alone.
Hence, it is not for us to decide the aim and purpose of our existence or to set the limits of our worldly authority; nor does anyone else have the right to make these decisions for us. This right rests only with Allah. This principle of the Oneness of Allah makes meaningless the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of human beings. No individual, family, class or race can set themselves above Allah. Allah alone is the Ruler and His commandments constitute the law of Islam.
Risala is the medium through which we receive the law of Allah. We have received two things from this source: the Qur’an, the book in which Allah has expounded His law, and the authoritative interpretation and exemplification of that Book by the Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him), through word and deed, in his capacity as the representative of Allah. The Qur’an laid down the broad principles on which human life should be based and the Prophet of Allah, in accordance with these principles, established a model system of Islamic life. The combination of these two elements is called the shari’a (law).
Khilifa means "representation". Man, according to Islam, is the representative of Allah on earth, His vice-gerent; that is to say, by virtue of the powers delegated to him by Allah, and within the limits prescribed, he is required to exercise Divine authority.
To illustrate what this means, let us take the case of an estate of yours which someone else has been appointed to administer on your behalf. Four conditions invariably obtain: First, the real ownership of the estate remains vested in you and not in the administrator; secondly, he administers your property directly in accordance with your instructions; thirdly, he exercises is authority within the limits prescribed by you; and fourthly, in the administration of the trust he executes your will and fulfils your intentions and not his own. Any representative who does not fulfil these four conditions will be abusing his authority and breaking the covenant which was implied in the concept of "representation".
This is exactly what Islam means when it affirms that man is the representative (khalifa) of Allah on earth. Hence, these four conditions are also involved in the concept of Khalifa. The state that is established in accordance with this political theory will in fact be a caliphate under the sovereignty of Allah.
Democracy In Islam
The above explanation of the term Khilafa also makes it clear that no individual or dynasty or class can be Khalifa: the authority of Khilafa is bestowed on the whole of any community which is ready to fulfil the conditions of representation after subscribing to the principles of towhid and Risala. Such a society carries the responsibility of the Khilafa as a whole and each one of its individuals shares in it.
This is the point where democracy begins in Islam. Every individual in an Islamic society enjoys the rights and powers of the caliphate of Allah and in this respect all individuals are equal. No-one may deprive anyone else of his rights and powers. The agency for running the affairs of the state will be formed by agreement with these individuals, and the authority of the state will only be an extension of the powers of the individuals delegated to it. Their opinion will be decisive in the formation of the government, which will be run with their advice and in accordance with their wishes.
Whoever gains their confidence will undertake the duties and obligations of the caliphate on their behalf; and when he loses this confidence he will have to step down. In this respect the political system of Islam is as perfect a dorm of democracy as there can be.
What distinguishes Islamic democracy from Western democracy, therefor, is that the latter is based on the concept of popular sovereignty, while the former rests on the principle of popular Khilafa. In Western democracy, the people are sovereign; in Islam sovereignty is vested in Allah and the people are His caliphs or representatives. In the former the people make their own; in the latter they have to follow and obey the laws (shari’a) given by Allah through His Prophet. In one the government undertakes to fulfil the will of the people; in the other the government and the people have to fulfil the will of Allah.
The Purpose Of The Islamic State
We are now in a position to examine more closely the type of state which is built on the foundations of tawhid, Risala and Khilafa.
The Holy Qur’an clearly states that the aim and purpose of this state is the establishment, maintenance and development of those virtues which the Creator wishes human life to be enriched by and the prevention and eradication of those evils in human life which He finds abhorrent. The Islamic state is intended neither solely as an instrument of political administration nor for the fulfillment of the collective will of any particular set of people; rather, Islam places a high ideal before the state for the achievement of which it must use all the means at its disposal.
This ideal is that the qualities of purity, beauty, goodness, virtue, success and prosperity which Allah wants to flourish in the life of His people should be engendered and developed and that all kinds of exploitation, injustice and disorder which, in the sight of Allah, are ruinous for the world and detrimental to the life of His creatures, should be suppressed and prevented. Islam gives us a clear outline of its moral system by stating positively the desired virtues and the undesired evils. Keeping this outline in view, the Islamic state can plan its welfare programme in every age and in any environment.
The constant demand made by Islam is that the principles of morality must be observed at all costs and in all walks of life. Hence, it lays down as an unalterable policy that the state should base its policies on justice, truth and honesty. It is not prepared, under any circumstances, to tolerate fraud, falsehood and injustice for the sake of political, administrative or national expediency. Whether it be relations between the rulers and the ruled within the state, or the relations of the state with other states, precedence must always be given to truth, honesty and justice.
Islam imposes similar obligations on the state and the individual: to fulfil all contracts and obligations; to have uniform standards in dealings; to remember obligations along with rights and not to forget the rights of others when expecting them to fulfil their obligations; to use power and authority for the establishment of justice and not for the perpetration of injustice; to look upon duty as a sacred obligation and to fulfil it scrupulously; and to regard power as a trust from Allah to be used in the belief that one has to render an account of one's actions to Him in the life Hereafter.
Fundamental Rights
Although an Islamic state may be set up anywhere on earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the boundaries of such a state. Islam has laid down universal fundamental rights for humanity which are to be observed and respected in all circumstances. For example, human blood is sacred and may not be spilled without strong justification; it is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded; women's honour and chastity must be respected; the hungry must be fed, the naked clothed and the wounded or diseased treated medically irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or are from amongst its enemies. These, and other provisions have been laid down by Islam as fundamental rights for every man by virtue of his status as a human being.
Nor, in Islam, are the rights of citizenship confined to people born in a particular state. A Muslim ipso facto becomes the citizen of an Islamic state as soon as he sets food on its territory with the intention of living there and thus enjoys equal rights along with those who acquire its citizenship by birth. And every Muslim is to be regarded as eligible for positions of the highest responsibility in an Islamic state without distinction of race, colour or class.
Islam has also laid down certain rights for non-Muslims who may be living within the boundaries of an Islamic state and these rights necessarily form part of the Islamic constitution. In Islamic terminology, such non-Muslims are called dhimmis (the covenanted), implying that the Islamic state has entered into a covenant with them and guaranteed their protection. The life, property and honour of a dhimmis is to be respected and protected in exactly the same way as that of a Muslim citizen. Nor is there difference between a Muslim and a non-Muslim citizen in respect of civil or criminal law.
The Islamic state may not interfere with the personal rights of non-Muslims, who have full freedom of conscience and belief and are at liberty to perform their religious rites and ceremonies in their own way. Not only may they propagate their religion, they are even entitled to criticize Islam within the limits laid down by law and decency.
These rights are irrevocable. Non-Muslims cannot be deprived of them unless they renounce the covenant which grants them citizenship. However much a non-Muslim state may oppress its Muslim citizens it is not permissible for an Islamic state to retaliate against its non-Muslim subjects; even if all the Muslims outside the boundaries of an Islamic state are massacred, that state may not unjustly shed the blood of a single non-Muslim citizen living within its boundaries.
Executive And Legislature
The responsibility for the administration of the government in an Islamic state is entrusted to an amir (leader) who may be compared to the president or the prime minister in a Western democratic state. All adult men and women who subscribe to the fundamentals of the constitution are entitled to vote for the election of the amir.
The basic qualifications for an amir are that he should command the confidence of the majority in respect of his knowledge and grasp of the spirit of Islam, that he should possess the Islamic quality of fear of Allah and that he should be endowed with qualities of statesmanship. In short, he should have both virtue and ability.
A shoora(advisory council) is also elected by the people to assist and guide the amir. It is incumbent on the amir to administer his country with the advice of this shooraThe amir may retain office only so long as he enjoys the confidence of the people and must relinquish it when he loses that confidence. Every citizen has the right to criticize the amir and his government and all reasonable means for the ventilation of public opinion must be available.
Legislation in an Islamic state is to be carried out within the limits prescribed by the law of the shari’a. The injunctions of Allah and His Prophet are to be accepted and obeyed and no legislative body may alter or modify them or make any law contrary to them. Those commandments which are liable to two or more interpretations are referred to a sub-committee of the advisory council comprising men learned in Islamic law. Great scope remains for legislation on questions not covered by specific injunctions of the shari’a and the advisory council or legislature is free to legislate in regard to these matters.
In Islam the judiciary is not places under the control of the executive. It derives its authority directly from the shari’a and is answerable to Allah. The judges are appointed by the government but once a judge occupies the bench he has to administer justice impartially according to the law of Allah; the organs and functionaries of the government are not outside his legal jurisdiction, so that even the highest executive authority of the government is liable to be called upon to appear in a court of law as a plaintiff or defendant. Rulers and ruled are subject to the same law and there can be no discrimination on the basis of position, power or privilege, Islam stands for equality and scrupulously adheres to this principle in social, economic and political realms alike.
The political system of Islam is based on the three principles of towhid (Oneness of Allah), risala (Prophethood) and Khilifa (Caliphate).
Towhid means that one Allah alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Master of the universe and of all that exists in it - organic or inorganic. He alone has the right to command or forbid. Worship and obedience are due to Him alone. No aspect of life in all its multifarious forms ¾ our own organs and faculties, the apparent control which we have over physical objects or the objects themselves ¾ has been created or a acquired by us in our own right. They are the bountiful provisions of Allah and have been bestowed on us by Him alone.
Hence, it is not for us to decide the aim and purpose of our existence or to set the limits of our worldly authority; nor does anyone else have the right to make these decisions for us. This right rests only with Allah. This principle of the Oneness of Allah makes meaningless the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of human beings. No individual, family, class or race can set themselves above Allah. Allah alone is the Ruler and His commandments constitute the law of Islam.
Risala is the medium through which we receive the law of Allah. We have received two things from this source: the Qur’an, the book in which Allah has expounded His law, and the authoritative interpretation and exemplification of that Book by the Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him), through word and deed, in his capacity as the representative of Allah. The Qur’an laid down the broad principles on which human life should be based and the Prophet of Allah, in accordance with these principles, established a model system of Islamic life. The combination of these two elements is called the shari’a (law).
Khilifa means "representation". Man, according to Islam, is the representative of Allah on earth, His vice-gerent; that is to say, by virtue of the powers delegated to him by Allah, and within the limits prescribed, he is required to exercise Divine authority.
To illustrate what this means, let us take the case of an estate of yours which someone else has been appointed to administer on your behalf. Four conditions invariably obtain: First, the real ownership of the estate remains vested in you and not in the administrator; secondly, he administers your property directly in accordance with your instructions; thirdly, he exercises is authority within the limits prescribed by you; and fourthly, in the administration of the trust he executes your will and fulfils your intentions and not his own. Any representative who does not fulfil these four conditions will be abusing his authority and breaking the covenant which was implied in the concept of "representation".
This is exactly what Islam means when it affirms that man is the representative (khalifa) of Allah on earth. Hence, these four conditions are also involved in the concept of Khalifa. The state that is established in accordance with this political theory will in fact be a caliphate under the sovereignty of Allah.
Democracy In Islam
The above explanation of the term Khilafa also makes it clear that no individual or dynasty or class can be Khalifa: the authority of Khilafa is bestowed on the whole of any community which is ready to fulfil the conditions of representation after subscribing to the principles of towhid and Risala. Such a society carries the responsibility of the Khilafa as a whole and each one of its individuals shares in it.
This is the point where democracy begins in Islam. Every individual in an Islamic society enjoys the rights and powers of the caliphate of Allah and in this respect all individuals are equal. No-one may deprive anyone else of his rights and powers. The agency for running the affairs of the state will be formed by agreement with these individuals, and the authority of the state will only be an extension of the powers of the individuals delegated to it. Their opinion will be decisive in the formation of the government, which will be run with their advice and in accordance with their wishes.
Whoever gains their confidence will undertake the duties and obligations of the caliphate on their behalf; and when he loses this confidence he will have to step down. In this respect the political system of Islam is as perfect a dorm of democracy as there can be.
What distinguishes Islamic democracy from Western democracy, therefor, is that the latter is based on the concept of popular sovereignty, while the former rests on the principle of popular Khilafa. In Western democracy, the people are sovereign; in Islam sovereignty is vested in Allah and the people are His caliphs or representatives. In the former the people make their own; in the latter they have to follow and obey the laws (shari’a) given by Allah through His Prophet. In one the government undertakes to fulfil the will of the people; in the other the government and the people have to fulfil the will of Allah.
The Purpose Of The Islamic State
We are now in a position to examine more closely the type of state which is built on the foundations of tawhid, Risala and Khilafa.
The Holy Qur’an clearly states that the aim and purpose of this state is the establishment, maintenance and development of those virtues which the Creator wishes human life to be enriched by and the prevention and eradication of those evils in human life which He finds abhorrent. The Islamic state is intended neither solely as an instrument of political administration nor for the fulfillment of the collective will of any particular set of people; rather, Islam places a high ideal before the state for the achievement of which it must use all the means at its disposal.
This ideal is that the qualities of purity, beauty, goodness, virtue, success and prosperity which Allah wants to flourish in the life of His people should be engendered and developed and that all kinds of exploitation, injustice and disorder which, in the sight of Allah, are ruinous for the world and detrimental to the life of His creatures, should be suppressed and prevented. Islam gives us a clear outline of its moral system by stating positively the desired virtues and the undesired evils. Keeping this outline in view, the Islamic state can plan its welfare programme in every age and in any environment.
The constant demand made by Islam is that the principles of morality must be observed at all costs and in all walks of life. Hence, it lays down as an unalterable policy that the state should base its policies on justice, truth and honesty. It is not prepared, under any circumstances, to tolerate fraud, falsehood and injustice for the sake of political, administrative or national expediency. Whether it be relations between the rulers and the ruled within the state, or the relations of the state with other states, precedence must always be given to truth, honesty and justice.
Islam imposes similar obligations on the state and the individual: to fulfil all contracts and obligations; to have uniform standards in dealings; to remember obligations along with rights and not to forget the rights of others when expecting them to fulfil their obligations; to use power and authority for the establishment of justice and not for the perpetration of injustice; to look upon duty as a sacred obligation and to fulfil it scrupulously; and to regard power as a trust from Allah to be used in the belief that one has to render an account of one's actions to Him in the life Hereafter.
Fundamental Rights
Although an Islamic state may be set up anywhere on earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the boundaries of such a state. Islam has laid down universal fundamental rights for humanity which are to be observed and respected in all circumstances. For example, human blood is sacred and may not be spilled without strong justification; it is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded; women's honour and chastity must be respected; the hungry must be fed, the naked clothed and the wounded or diseased treated medically irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or are from amongst its enemies. These, and other provisions have been laid down by Islam as fundamental rights for every man by virtue of his status as a human being.
Nor, in Islam, are the rights of citizenship confined to people born in a particular state. A Muslim ipso facto becomes the citizen of an Islamic state as soon as he sets food on its territory with the intention of living there and thus enjoys equal rights along with those who acquire its citizenship by birth. And every Muslim is to be regarded as eligible for positions of the highest responsibility in an Islamic state without distinction of race, colour or class.
Islam has also laid down certain rights for non-Muslims who may be living within the boundaries of an Islamic state and these rights necessarily form part of the Islamic constitution. In Islamic terminology, such non-Muslims are called dhimmis (the covenanted), implying that the Islamic state has entered into a covenant with them and guaranteed their protection. The life, property and honour of a dhimmis is to be respected and protected in exactly the same way as that of a Muslim citizen. Nor is there difference between a Muslim and a non-Muslim citizen in respect of civil or criminal law.
The Islamic state may not interfere with the personal rights of non-Muslims, who have full freedom of conscience and belief and are at liberty to perform their religious rites and ceremonies in their own way. Not only may they propagate their religion, they are even entitled to criticize Islam within the limits laid down by law and decency.
These rights are irrevocable. Non-Muslims cannot be deprived of them unless they renounce the covenant which grants them citizenship. However much a non-Muslim state may oppress its Muslim citizens it is not permissible for an Islamic state to retaliate against its non-Muslim subjects; even if all the Muslims outside the boundaries of an Islamic state are massacred, that state may not unjustly shed the blood of a single non-Muslim citizen living within its boundaries.
Executive And Legislature
The responsibility for the administration of the government in an Islamic state is entrusted to an amir (leader) who may be compared to the president or the prime minister in a Western democratic state. All adult men and women who subscribe to the fundamentals of the constitution are entitled to vote for the election of the amir.
The basic qualifications for an amir are that he should command the confidence of the majority in respect of his knowledge and grasp of the spirit of Islam, that he should possess the Islamic quality of fear of Allah and that he should be endowed with qualities of statesmanship. In short, he should have both virtue and ability.
A shoora(advisory council) is also elected by the people to assist and guide the amir. It is incumbent on the amir to administer his country with the advice of this shooraThe amir may retain office only so long as he enjoys the confidence of the people and must relinquish it when he loses that confidence. Every citizen has the right to criticize the amir and his government and all reasonable means for the ventilation of public opinion must be available.
Legislation in an Islamic state is to be carried out within the limits prescribed by the law of the shari’a. The injunctions of Allah and His Prophet are to be accepted and obeyed and no legislative body may alter or modify them or make any law contrary to them. Those commandments which are liable to two or more interpretations are referred to a sub-committee of the advisory council comprising men learned in Islamic law. Great scope remains for legislation on questions not covered by specific injunctions of the shari’a and the advisory council or legislature is free to legislate in regard to these matters.
In Islam the judiciary is not places under the control of the executive. It derives its authority directly from the shari’a and is answerable to Allah. The judges are appointed by the government but once a judge occupies the bench he has to administer justice impartially according to the law of Allah; the organs and functionaries of the government are not outside his legal jurisdiction, so that even the highest executive authority of the government is liable to be called upon to appear in a court of law as a plaintiff or defendant. Rulers and ruled are subject to the same law and there can be no discrimination on the basis of position, power or privilege, Islam stands for equality and scrupulously adheres to this principle in social, economic and political realms alike.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
HARGA DIRI
Harga diri manusia adalah maruahnya
Pada maruahlah keindahan seseorang itu
Maruah tidak boleh dijualbeli
Kerana itu jagalah maruah diri
Jangan cemarkan maruah diri
Hilang kepercayaan seluruh manusia
Allah dan Rasul juga memandang tinggi maruah manusia
Jika di dalam kehidupan seseorang itu sudah dapat dilihat cacat-celanya
Seperti pembohong, penzina, bergaul bebas dengan betina,
mungkir janji, khianat, rosak akhlaknya, menzalimi, penipu,
mementingkan diri jadi budaya, harga diri sudah tiada
Hilanglah kepercayaan manusia
Diwaktu ini ilmu yang tinggi tidak dapat menebusnya
Wang ringgit tidak dapat memulihkannya
Pangkat dan darjat begitu juga
Sekalipun bertaubat
Jagalah harga diri jangan sampai tercemar
Jika berlaku musnah dan punah harga diri
Nama baik tercemar
Menderitalah sepanjang hidup seseorang itu
Nukilan: Ayahanda
Pada maruahlah keindahan seseorang itu
Maruah tidak boleh dijualbeli
Kerana itu jagalah maruah diri
Jangan cemarkan maruah diri
Hilang kepercayaan seluruh manusia
Allah dan Rasul juga memandang tinggi maruah manusia
Jika di dalam kehidupan seseorang itu sudah dapat dilihat cacat-celanya
Seperti pembohong, penzina, bergaul bebas dengan betina,
mungkir janji, khianat, rosak akhlaknya, menzalimi, penipu,
mementingkan diri jadi budaya, harga diri sudah tiada
Hilanglah kepercayaan manusia
Diwaktu ini ilmu yang tinggi tidak dapat menebusnya
Wang ringgit tidak dapat memulihkannya
Pangkat dan darjat begitu juga
Sekalipun bertaubat
Jagalah harga diri jangan sampai tercemar
Jika berlaku musnah dan punah harga diri
Nama baik tercemar
Menderitalah sepanjang hidup seseorang itu
Nukilan: Ayahanda
Monday, February 9, 2009
Niat ikhlas hapus empat perkara halang manusia beribadat
Oleh Wan Marzuki Wan Ramli
KEIKHLASAN hati dan jiwa melakukan ibadat kepada Allah adalah kemuncak kepada kemurnian nurani seseorang kerana dengan sifat ikhlas saja mampu menghalang daripada perkara yang menghadang diri untuk beristiqamah. Ulama besar al-Imam Ghazali menyatakan ada empat perkara besar yang selalu menjadi penghalang untuk beribadat kepada Allah iaitu dunia, makhluk, nafsu dan syaitan. Jika diteliti maksud dunia seperti diperkatakan ilmu tasauf merangkumi semua perkara yang tidak memberi manfaat apabila seseorang kembali ke hadrat Ilahi seperti wang, harta menimbun atau pangkat.
Setiap amalan bermula dengan niat. Justeru, jika niat kerana Allah maka amalan menjadi ibadat, tetapi ia hanya adat jika sebaliknya. Setiap perbuatan harus disertai niat untuk mendapat keredaan Allah.
Keduanya ialah gangguan dan halangan makhluk Allah termasuk anak, binatang ternakan dan harta yang boleh melalaikan manusia sehingga lupa kewajipan menunaikan ibadat wajib serta sunat.
Allah berfirman yang bermaksud:
“Dan ketahuilah bahawa harta benda kamu dan anak pinak kamu itu adalah ujian kepada kamu.” (Surah al-Anfal, ayat 28)
Harta apabila sudah menimbun, ada kalanya menjadikan seseorang hamba kepada hartanya. Malah, ada yang sanggup meninggalkan tanggungjawab mengerjakan solat kerana terlalu menjaga harta benda. Ada juga ibu bapa yang melewatkan solat atau tidak mengerjakannya pada tempoh difardukan semata-mata melayan kerenah serta tuntutan anak.
Ketiganya ialah keinginan atau lebih dikenali sebagai nafsu yang sentiasa merajai diri. Penghalang dalam diri ini yang selalu sukar dilawan hingga terus tumbuh dan menyubur dalam diri setiap insan.
Manusia sering tunduk serta tewas dengan kehendak nafsu sendiri sehingga terpedaya dengan bisikan supaya meninggalkan tanggungjawab terhadap Allah. Ada pula meninggalkan solat dan puasa fardu semata-mata memenuhi dan menghormati undangan rakan.
Tidak kurang yang meninggalkan solat fardu kerana memenuhi tuntutan tugas yang memerlukan mereka sentiasa bergerak atau berada lebih lama di tempat duduk menyudahkan tugasan diberi seolah-olah sudah tiada masa lagi untuk menyiapkannya.
Keempat adalah desakan iblis dan syaitan yang sentiasa menggoda dengan tipu daya supaya manusia mengikut mereka ke arah kesesatan sehingga hari kiamat. Godaan itu datang dengan pelbagai cara dan rupa.
Ketika solat juga syaitan terus menggoda hamba Allah supaya hilang tumpuan dan kerja mereka menjadi lebih mudah apabila manusia dalam keadaan leka.
Rasulullah SAW mengajarkan doa yang bermaksud: “Aku berlindung dengan Allah daripada syaitan dan aku berlindung dengan Allah daripada kehadiran syaitan itu kepadaku.”
Pernah suatu ketika Aisyah, isteri Baginda Rasulullah SAW dalam keadaan marah. Melihatkan hal itu lalu Rasulullah SAW menegur isterinya dengan berkata: “Wahai Aisyah, kamu ini masih dikuasai syaitan kamu. Aisyah terperanjat lalu bertanyakan Baginda apakah setiap manusia dibekalkan syaitan? Lalu Rasulullah SAW menjawab: Ya, saya sendiri mempunyai satu syaitan, tetapi syaitan saya sudah masuk Islam.”
Golongan insan yang sukar diperdaya iblis dan syaitan adalah mereka yang meletakkan sifat ikhlas dan jujur di puncak ibadat kepada Allah. Allah berfirman yang bermaksud:
“Dan tiadalah mereka diperintah melainkan supaya menyembah Allah dengan memurnikan ketaatan kepada-Nya dengan berterusan.” (Surah al-Bayyinah, ayat 5)
Firman Allah lagi yang bermaksud:
“Sesungguhnya syaitan itu adalah musuh bagi kamu semua, maka jadikanlah dia musuh (yang mesti dijauhi). Sebenarnya dia hanyalah mengajak manusia supaya menjadi penghuni neraka.” (Surah al-Fatir, ayat 6)
Kekuatan dan iltizam serta istiqamah dalam diri boleh menyingkirkan keempat-empat halangan melakukan ibadat kepada Allah. Selain niat yang ikhlas, kekuatan melawan bisikan supaya terus lalai memudahkan seseorang melaksanakan tanggungjawab sebagai khalifah Allah.
Pada masa sama, sentiasa berusaha memperbaiki diri dengan mendalami ilmu agama serta meningkatkan keimanan melalui amalan sunat kerana kesibukan melakukan perkara baik dapat mengelak daripada terjebak dengan hasutan membawa kepada kelalaian.
INFO: Penghalang ibadat
1. Dunia - semua perkara yang tidak memberi manfaat apabila seseorang kembali ke hadrat Ilahi seperti wang, harta menimbun atau pangkat.
2. Gangguan makhluk - termasuk anak, ternakan dan harta yang boleh melalaikan manusia sehingga lupa kewajipan menunaikan ibadat.
3. Nafsu - keinginan yang sentiasa merajai diri dan sukar dilawan sehingga terus subur dalam diri setiap insan.
4. Iblis dan syaitan - menggoda dengan pelbagai cara supaya manusia mengikut mereka ke arah kesesatan sehingga kiamat.
Sumber:Tazkirah Mutiara Hati
KEIKHLASAN hati dan jiwa melakukan ibadat kepada Allah adalah kemuncak kepada kemurnian nurani seseorang kerana dengan sifat ikhlas saja mampu menghalang daripada perkara yang menghadang diri untuk beristiqamah. Ulama besar al-Imam Ghazali menyatakan ada empat perkara besar yang selalu menjadi penghalang untuk beribadat kepada Allah iaitu dunia, makhluk, nafsu dan syaitan. Jika diteliti maksud dunia seperti diperkatakan ilmu tasauf merangkumi semua perkara yang tidak memberi manfaat apabila seseorang kembali ke hadrat Ilahi seperti wang, harta menimbun atau pangkat.
Setiap amalan bermula dengan niat. Justeru, jika niat kerana Allah maka amalan menjadi ibadat, tetapi ia hanya adat jika sebaliknya. Setiap perbuatan harus disertai niat untuk mendapat keredaan Allah.
Keduanya ialah gangguan dan halangan makhluk Allah termasuk anak, binatang ternakan dan harta yang boleh melalaikan manusia sehingga lupa kewajipan menunaikan ibadat wajib serta sunat.
Allah berfirman yang bermaksud:
“Dan ketahuilah bahawa harta benda kamu dan anak pinak kamu itu adalah ujian kepada kamu.” (Surah al-Anfal, ayat 28)
Harta apabila sudah menimbun, ada kalanya menjadikan seseorang hamba kepada hartanya. Malah, ada yang sanggup meninggalkan tanggungjawab mengerjakan solat kerana terlalu menjaga harta benda. Ada juga ibu bapa yang melewatkan solat atau tidak mengerjakannya pada tempoh difardukan semata-mata melayan kerenah serta tuntutan anak.
Ketiganya ialah keinginan atau lebih dikenali sebagai nafsu yang sentiasa merajai diri. Penghalang dalam diri ini yang selalu sukar dilawan hingga terus tumbuh dan menyubur dalam diri setiap insan.
Manusia sering tunduk serta tewas dengan kehendak nafsu sendiri sehingga terpedaya dengan bisikan supaya meninggalkan tanggungjawab terhadap Allah. Ada pula meninggalkan solat dan puasa fardu semata-mata memenuhi dan menghormati undangan rakan.
Tidak kurang yang meninggalkan solat fardu kerana memenuhi tuntutan tugas yang memerlukan mereka sentiasa bergerak atau berada lebih lama di tempat duduk menyudahkan tugasan diberi seolah-olah sudah tiada masa lagi untuk menyiapkannya.
Keempat adalah desakan iblis dan syaitan yang sentiasa menggoda dengan tipu daya supaya manusia mengikut mereka ke arah kesesatan sehingga hari kiamat. Godaan itu datang dengan pelbagai cara dan rupa.
Ketika solat juga syaitan terus menggoda hamba Allah supaya hilang tumpuan dan kerja mereka menjadi lebih mudah apabila manusia dalam keadaan leka.
Rasulullah SAW mengajarkan doa yang bermaksud: “Aku berlindung dengan Allah daripada syaitan dan aku berlindung dengan Allah daripada kehadiran syaitan itu kepadaku.”
Pernah suatu ketika Aisyah, isteri Baginda Rasulullah SAW dalam keadaan marah. Melihatkan hal itu lalu Rasulullah SAW menegur isterinya dengan berkata: “Wahai Aisyah, kamu ini masih dikuasai syaitan kamu. Aisyah terperanjat lalu bertanyakan Baginda apakah setiap manusia dibekalkan syaitan? Lalu Rasulullah SAW menjawab: Ya, saya sendiri mempunyai satu syaitan, tetapi syaitan saya sudah masuk Islam.”
Golongan insan yang sukar diperdaya iblis dan syaitan adalah mereka yang meletakkan sifat ikhlas dan jujur di puncak ibadat kepada Allah. Allah berfirman yang bermaksud:
“Dan tiadalah mereka diperintah melainkan supaya menyembah Allah dengan memurnikan ketaatan kepada-Nya dengan berterusan.” (Surah al-Bayyinah, ayat 5)
Firman Allah lagi yang bermaksud:
“Sesungguhnya syaitan itu adalah musuh bagi kamu semua, maka jadikanlah dia musuh (yang mesti dijauhi). Sebenarnya dia hanyalah mengajak manusia supaya menjadi penghuni neraka.” (Surah al-Fatir, ayat 6)
Kekuatan dan iltizam serta istiqamah dalam diri boleh menyingkirkan keempat-empat halangan melakukan ibadat kepada Allah. Selain niat yang ikhlas, kekuatan melawan bisikan supaya terus lalai memudahkan seseorang melaksanakan tanggungjawab sebagai khalifah Allah.
Pada masa sama, sentiasa berusaha memperbaiki diri dengan mendalami ilmu agama serta meningkatkan keimanan melalui amalan sunat kerana kesibukan melakukan perkara baik dapat mengelak daripada terjebak dengan hasutan membawa kepada kelalaian.
INFO: Penghalang ibadat
1. Dunia - semua perkara yang tidak memberi manfaat apabila seseorang kembali ke hadrat Ilahi seperti wang, harta menimbun atau pangkat.
2. Gangguan makhluk - termasuk anak, ternakan dan harta yang boleh melalaikan manusia sehingga lupa kewajipan menunaikan ibadat.
3. Nafsu - keinginan yang sentiasa merajai diri dan sukar dilawan sehingga terus subur dalam diri setiap insan.
4. Iblis dan syaitan - menggoda dengan pelbagai cara supaya manusia mengikut mereka ke arah kesesatan sehingga kiamat.
Sumber:Tazkirah Mutiara Hati
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Human Rights according to the Quran
By: Riffat Hassan
To many Muslims the Qur'an is the Magna Carta of human rights and a large part of its concern is to free human beings from the bondage of traditionalism, authoritarianism (religious, political, economic, or any other), tribalism, racism, sexism, slavery or anything else that prohibits or inhibits human beings from actualizing the Qur'anic vision of human destiny embodied in the classic proclamation: "Towards Allah is thy limit" 5.
In the section entitled "General Rights" which follows, an account is given of the Qur'an's affirmation of fundamental rights which all human beings ought to possess because they are so deeply rooted in our humanness that their denial or violation is tantamount to a negation or degradation of that which makes us human. From the perspective of the Qur'an, these rights came into existence when we did; they were created, as we were, by God in order that our human potential could be actualized. Rights created or given by God cannot be abolished by any temporal ruler or human agency. Eternal and immutable, they ought to be exercised since everything that God does is for "a just purpose" 6.
GENERAL RIGHTS
A. Right to Life
The Qur'an upholds the sanctity and absolute value of human life 7 and points out that, in essence, the life of each individual is comparable to that of an entire community and, therefore, should be treated with the utmost care 8.
B. Right to Respect
The Qur'an deems all human beings to be worthy of respect 9 because of all creation they alone chose to accept the "trust" of freedom of the will 10. Human beings can exercise freedom of the will because they possess the rational faculty, which is what distinguishes them from all other creatures 11. Though human beings can become "the lowest of the lowest", the Qur'an declares that they have been made "in the best of moulds" 12, having the ability to think, to have knowledge of right and wrong, to do the good and to avoid the evil. Thus, on account of the promise which is contained in being human, namely, the potential to be God's vicegerent on earth, the humanness of all human beings is to be respected and considered to be an end in itself.
C. Right to Justice
The Qur'an puts great emphasis on the right to seek justice and the duty to do justice 13. In the context of justice, the Qur'an uses two concepts: "'adl" and "ihsan". Both are enjoined and both are related to the idea of "balance", but they are not identical in meaning.
"'Adl" is defined by A.A.A. Fyzee, a well-known scholar of Islam, as "to be equal, neither more nor less." Explaining this concept, Fyzee wrote: "...in a Court of Justice the claims of the two parties must be considered evenly, without undue stress being laid upon one side or the other. Justice introduces the balance in the form of scales that are evenly balanced." 14. "'Adl" was described in similar terms by Abu'l Kalam Azad, a famous translator of the Qur'an and a noted writer, who stated: "What is justice but the avoiding of excess? There should be neither too much nor too little; hence the use of scales as the emblems of justice" 15. Lest anyone try to do too much or too little, the Qur'an points out that no human being can carry another's burden or attain anything without striving for it.16
Recognizing individual merit is a part of "'adl", The Qur'an teaches that merit is not determined by lineage, sex, wealth, worldly success or religion, but by righteousness, which consists of both right "belief" ("iman") and just "action" (" 'amal") 17. Further, the Qur'an distinguishes between passive believers and those who strive in the cause of God pointing out that though all believers are promised good by God, the latter will be exalted above the former 18.
Just as it is in the spirit of "'adl" that special merit be considered in the matter of rewards, so also special circumstances are to be considered in the matter of punishments. For instance, for crimes of unchastity the Qur'an prescribes identical punishments for a man or a woman who is proved guilty 19, but it differentiates between different classes of women: for the same crime, a slave woman would receive half, and the Prophet's consort double, the punishment given to a "free" Muslim woman 20. In making such a distinction, the Qur'an while upholding high moral standards, particularly in the case of the Prophet's wives whose actions have a normative significance for the community, reflects God's compassion for women slaves who were socially disadvantaged.
While constantly enjoining "'adl", the Qur'an goes beyond this concept to "ihsan", which literally means, "restoring the balance by making up a loss or deficiency" 21. In order to understand this concept, it is necessary to understand the nature of the ideal society or community ("ummah") envisaged by the Qur'an. The word "ummah" comes from the root "umm", or "mother". The symbols of a mother and motherly love and compassion are also linked with the two attributes most characteristic of God, namely, "Rahim" and "Rahman", both of which are derived from the root "rahm", meaning "womb". The ideal "ummah" cares about all its members just as an ideal mother cares about all her children, knowing that all are not equal and that each has different needs. While showing undue favour to any child would be unjust, a mother who gives to a "handicapped" child more than she does to her other child or children, is not acting unjustly but exemplifying the spirit of "ihsan" by helping to make up the deficiency of a child who need special assistance in meeting the requirements of life. "Ihsan", thus, shows God's sympathy for the disadvantaged segments of human society (such as women, orphans, slaves, the poor, the infirm, and the minorities)
D. Right to Freedom
As stated earlier, the Qur'an is deeply concerned about liberating human beings from every kind of bondage. Recognizing the human tendency toward dictatorship and despotism, the Qur'an says with clarity and emphasis in Surah 3: Al-'Imran: 79:
It is not (possible) - That a man, to whom - Is given the Book, - and Wisdom, - And the Prophetic Office, - Should say to people:- "Be ye my worshippers - Rather than Allah's" - On the contrary - (He would say): - "Be ye worshippers - Of Him Who is truly - The Cherisher of all." 22
The institution of human slavery is, of course, extremely important in the context of human freedom. Slavery was widely prevalent in Arabia at the time of the advent of Islam, and the Arab economy was based on it. Not only did the Qur'an insist that slaves be treated in a just and humane way 23, but it continually urged the freeing of slaves 24. By laying down, in Surah 47: Muhammad: 4, that prisoners of war were to be set free, "either by an act of grace or against ransom" 25, the Qur'an virtually abolished slavery since "The major source of slaves - men and women - was prisoners of war" 26. Because the Qur'an does not state explicitly that slavery is abolished, it does not follow that it is to be continued, particularly in view of the numerous ways in which the Qur'an seeks to eliminate this absolute evil. A Book which does not give a king or a prophet the right to command absolute obedience from another human being could not possibly sanction slavery in any sense of the word.
The greatest guarantee of personal freedom for a Muslim lies in the Qur'anic decree that no one other than God can limit human freedom 27 and in the statement that "Judgment (as to what is right and what is wrong) rests with God alone" 28. As pointed out by Khalid M. Ishaque, an eminent Pakistani jurist:
The Qur'an gives to responsible dissent the status of a fundamental right. In exercise of their powers, therefore, neither the legislature nor the executive can demand unquestioning obedience...The Prophet, even though he was the recipient of Divine revelation, was required to consult the Muslims in public affairs. Allah addressing the Prophet says: "...and consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And...when thou art resolved, then put thy trust in Allah" 29.
Since the principle of mutual consultation ("shura") is mandatory 30, it is a Muslim's fundamental right, as well as responsibility, to participate in as many aspects of the community's life as possible. The Qur'anic proclamation in Surah 2: Al-Baqarah: 256, "There shall be no coercion in matters of faith" 31 guarantees freedom of religion and worship. This means that, according to Qur'anic teaching, non-Muslims living in Muslim territories should have the freedom to follow their own faith-traditions without fear or harassment. A number of Qur'anic passages state clearly that the responsibility of the Prophet Muhammad is to communicate the message of God and not to compel anyone to believe 32. The right to exercise free choice in matters of belief is unambiguously endorsed by the Qur'an 33 which also states clearly that God will judge human beings not on the basis of what they profess but on the basis of their belief and righteous conduct 34, as indicated by Surah 2: Al-Baqarah: 62 which says:
Those who believe (in the Qur'an) - And those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), - And the Christians and the Sabians, - Any who believe in God - And the Last Day, - And work righteousness, - Shall have their reward - With the Lord: on them - Shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. 35
The Qur'an recognizes the right to religious freedom not only in the case of other believers in God, but also in the case of not-believers in God (if they are not aggressing upon Muslims) 36.
In the context of the human right to exercise religious freedom, it is important to mention that the Qur'anic dictum, "Let there be no compulsion in religion" 37 applies not only to non- Muslims but also to Muslims. While those who renounced Islam after professing it and then engaged in "acts of war" against Muslims were to be treated as enemies and aggressors, the Qur'an does not prescribe any punishment for non-profession or renunciation of faith. The decision regarding a person's ultimate destiny in the hereafter rests with God.
The right to freedom includes the right to be free to tell the truth. The Qur'anic term for truth is "Haqq" which is also one of God's most important attributes. Standing up for the truth is a right and a responsibility which a Muslim may not disclaim even in the face of the greatest danger or difficulty 38. While the Qur'an commands believers to testify to the truth, it also instructs society not to harm persons so testifying 39.
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E. Right to Acquire Knowledge
The Qur'an puts the highest emphasis on the importance of acquiring knowledge. That knowledge has been at the core of the Islamic world-view from the very beginning is attested to by Surah 96: Al'Alaq: 1-5, which Muslims believe to the first revelation received by the Prophet Muhammad.
Asking rhetorically if those without knowledge can be equal to those with knowledge 40, the Qur'an exhorts believers to pray for advancement in knowledge 41. The famous prayer of the Prophet Muhammad was "Allah grant me Knowledge of the ultimate nature of things" and one of the best known of all traditions ("ahadith") is "Seek knowledge even though it be in China."
According to Qur'anic perspective, knowledge is a prerequisite for the creation of a just world in which authentic peace can prevail. The Qur'an emphasizes the importance of the pursuit of learning even at the time, and in the midst, of war 42.
F. Right to Sustenance
As pointed out by Surah 11: Hud: 6, every living creature depends for its sustenance upon God. A cardinal concept in the Qur'an - which underlies the socio-economic-political system of Islam - is that the ownership of everything belongs, not to any person, but to God. Since God is the universal creator, every creature has the right to partake of what belongs to God 43. This means that every human being has the right to a means of living and that those who hold economic or political power do not have the right to deprive others of the basic necessities of life by misappropriating or misusing resources which have been created by God for the benefit of humanity in general.
G. Right to Work
According to Qur'anic teaching every man and woman has the right to work, whether the work consists of gainful employment or voluntary service. The fruits of labour belong to the one who has worked for them - regardless of whether it is a man or a woman. As Surah 4: An-Nisa': 32 states:
...to men - Is allotted what they earn, - And to women what they earn 44
H. Right to Privacy
The Qur'an recognizes the need for privacy as a human right and lays down rules for protecting an individual's life in the home from undue intrusion from within or without 45.
I. Right to Protection from Slander, Backbiting, and Ridicule
The Qur'an recognizes the right of human beings to be protected from defamation, sarcasm, offensive nicknames, and backbiting 46. It also states that no person is to be maligned on grounds of assumed guilt and that those who engage in malicious scandal-mongering will be grievously punished in both this world and the next 47.
J. Right to Develop One's Aesthetic Sensibilities and Enjoy the Bounties Created by God
As pointed out Muhammad Asad, "By declaring that all good and beautiful things to the believers, the Qu'ran condemns, by implication, all forms of life-denying asceticism, world- renunciation and self-mortification.48 In fact, it can be stated that the right to develop one's aesthetic sensibilities so that one can appreciate beauty in all its forms, and the right to enjoy what God has provided for the nurture of humankind, are rooted in the life-affirming vision of the Qur'an.49
K. Right to Leave One's Homeland Under Oppressive Conditions
According to Qur'anic teaching , a Muslim's ultimate loyalty must be to God and not to any territory. To fulfill his Prophetic mission, the Prophet Muhammad decided to leave his place of birth, Mecca, and emigrated to Medina. This event ("Hijrah") has great historical and spiritual significance for Muslims who are called upon to move away from their place of origin of it becomes an abode of evil and oppression where they cannot fulfill their obligations to God or establish justice.50
L. Right to "The Good Life"
The Qur'an uphold the right of the human being only to life but to " the good life ". This good life, made up of many elements , becomes possible when a human being is living in a just environment. According to Qur'anic teaching, justice is a prerequisite for peace, and peace is a prerequisite for human development. In a just society, all the earlier-mentioned human rights may be exercised without difficulty. In such a society other basic rights such as the right to a secure place of residence, the right to the protection of one's personal possessions, the right to protection of one's covenants, the right to move freely, the right to social and judicial autonomy for minorities, the right to the protection of one's holy places and the right to return to one's spiritual center, also exist 51.
Excerpted from a paper written by Dr. Riffat Hassan, "Are Human Rights Compatible with Islam?". Dr. Hassan is a Professor in Humanities (Religious Studies) at University of Louisville, Kentucky.
Source- IslamiCity.com
To many Muslims the Qur'an is the Magna Carta of human rights and a large part of its concern is to free human beings from the bondage of traditionalism, authoritarianism (religious, political, economic, or any other), tribalism, racism, sexism, slavery or anything else that prohibits or inhibits human beings from actualizing the Qur'anic vision of human destiny embodied in the classic proclamation: "Towards Allah is thy limit" 5.
In the section entitled "General Rights" which follows, an account is given of the Qur'an's affirmation of fundamental rights which all human beings ought to possess because they are so deeply rooted in our humanness that their denial or violation is tantamount to a negation or degradation of that which makes us human. From the perspective of the Qur'an, these rights came into existence when we did; they were created, as we were, by God in order that our human potential could be actualized. Rights created or given by God cannot be abolished by any temporal ruler or human agency. Eternal and immutable, they ought to be exercised since everything that God does is for "a just purpose" 6.
GENERAL RIGHTS
A. Right to Life
The Qur'an upholds the sanctity and absolute value of human life 7 and points out that, in essence, the life of each individual is comparable to that of an entire community and, therefore, should be treated with the utmost care 8.
B. Right to Respect
The Qur'an deems all human beings to be worthy of respect 9 because of all creation they alone chose to accept the "trust" of freedom of the will 10. Human beings can exercise freedom of the will because they possess the rational faculty, which is what distinguishes them from all other creatures 11. Though human beings can become "the lowest of the lowest", the Qur'an declares that they have been made "in the best of moulds" 12, having the ability to think, to have knowledge of right and wrong, to do the good and to avoid the evil. Thus, on account of the promise which is contained in being human, namely, the potential to be God's vicegerent on earth, the humanness of all human beings is to be respected and considered to be an end in itself.
C. Right to Justice
The Qur'an puts great emphasis on the right to seek justice and the duty to do justice 13. In the context of justice, the Qur'an uses two concepts: "'adl" and "ihsan". Both are enjoined and both are related to the idea of "balance", but they are not identical in meaning.
"'Adl" is defined by A.A.A. Fyzee, a well-known scholar of Islam, as "to be equal, neither more nor less." Explaining this concept, Fyzee wrote: "...in a Court of Justice the claims of the two parties must be considered evenly, without undue stress being laid upon one side or the other. Justice introduces the balance in the form of scales that are evenly balanced." 14. "'Adl" was described in similar terms by Abu'l Kalam Azad, a famous translator of the Qur'an and a noted writer, who stated: "What is justice but the avoiding of excess? There should be neither too much nor too little; hence the use of scales as the emblems of justice" 15. Lest anyone try to do too much or too little, the Qur'an points out that no human being can carry another's burden or attain anything without striving for it.16
Recognizing individual merit is a part of "'adl", The Qur'an teaches that merit is not determined by lineage, sex, wealth, worldly success or religion, but by righteousness, which consists of both right "belief" ("iman") and just "action" (" 'amal") 17. Further, the Qur'an distinguishes between passive believers and those who strive in the cause of God pointing out that though all believers are promised good by God, the latter will be exalted above the former 18.
Just as it is in the spirit of "'adl" that special merit be considered in the matter of rewards, so also special circumstances are to be considered in the matter of punishments. For instance, for crimes of unchastity the Qur'an prescribes identical punishments for a man or a woman who is proved guilty 19, but it differentiates between different classes of women: for the same crime, a slave woman would receive half, and the Prophet's consort double, the punishment given to a "free" Muslim woman 20. In making such a distinction, the Qur'an while upholding high moral standards, particularly in the case of the Prophet's wives whose actions have a normative significance for the community, reflects God's compassion for women slaves who were socially disadvantaged.
While constantly enjoining "'adl", the Qur'an goes beyond this concept to "ihsan", which literally means, "restoring the balance by making up a loss or deficiency" 21. In order to understand this concept, it is necessary to understand the nature of the ideal society or community ("ummah") envisaged by the Qur'an. The word "ummah" comes from the root "umm", or "mother". The symbols of a mother and motherly love and compassion are also linked with the two attributes most characteristic of God, namely, "Rahim" and "Rahman", both of which are derived from the root "rahm", meaning "womb". The ideal "ummah" cares about all its members just as an ideal mother cares about all her children, knowing that all are not equal and that each has different needs. While showing undue favour to any child would be unjust, a mother who gives to a "handicapped" child more than she does to her other child or children, is not acting unjustly but exemplifying the spirit of "ihsan" by helping to make up the deficiency of a child who need special assistance in meeting the requirements of life. "Ihsan", thus, shows God's sympathy for the disadvantaged segments of human society (such as women, orphans, slaves, the poor, the infirm, and the minorities)
D. Right to Freedom
As stated earlier, the Qur'an is deeply concerned about liberating human beings from every kind of bondage. Recognizing the human tendency toward dictatorship and despotism, the Qur'an says with clarity and emphasis in Surah 3: Al-'Imran: 79:
It is not (possible) - That a man, to whom - Is given the Book, - and Wisdom, - And the Prophetic Office, - Should say to people:- "Be ye my worshippers - Rather than Allah's" - On the contrary - (He would say): - "Be ye worshippers - Of Him Who is truly - The Cherisher of all." 22
The institution of human slavery is, of course, extremely important in the context of human freedom. Slavery was widely prevalent in Arabia at the time of the advent of Islam, and the Arab economy was based on it. Not only did the Qur'an insist that slaves be treated in a just and humane way 23, but it continually urged the freeing of slaves 24. By laying down, in Surah 47: Muhammad: 4, that prisoners of war were to be set free, "either by an act of grace or against ransom" 25, the Qur'an virtually abolished slavery since "The major source of slaves - men and women - was prisoners of war" 26. Because the Qur'an does not state explicitly that slavery is abolished, it does not follow that it is to be continued, particularly in view of the numerous ways in which the Qur'an seeks to eliminate this absolute evil. A Book which does not give a king or a prophet the right to command absolute obedience from another human being could not possibly sanction slavery in any sense of the word.
The greatest guarantee of personal freedom for a Muslim lies in the Qur'anic decree that no one other than God can limit human freedom 27 and in the statement that "Judgment (as to what is right and what is wrong) rests with God alone" 28. As pointed out by Khalid M. Ishaque, an eminent Pakistani jurist:
The Qur'an gives to responsible dissent the status of a fundamental right. In exercise of their powers, therefore, neither the legislature nor the executive can demand unquestioning obedience...The Prophet, even though he was the recipient of Divine revelation, was required to consult the Muslims in public affairs. Allah addressing the Prophet says: "...and consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And...when thou art resolved, then put thy trust in Allah" 29.
Since the principle of mutual consultation ("shura") is mandatory 30, it is a Muslim's fundamental right, as well as responsibility, to participate in as many aspects of the community's life as possible. The Qur'anic proclamation in Surah 2: Al-Baqarah: 256, "There shall be no coercion in matters of faith" 31 guarantees freedom of religion and worship. This means that, according to Qur'anic teaching, non-Muslims living in Muslim territories should have the freedom to follow their own faith-traditions without fear or harassment. A number of Qur'anic passages state clearly that the responsibility of the Prophet Muhammad is to communicate the message of God and not to compel anyone to believe 32. The right to exercise free choice in matters of belief is unambiguously endorsed by the Qur'an 33 which also states clearly that God will judge human beings not on the basis of what they profess but on the basis of their belief and righteous conduct 34, as indicated by Surah 2: Al-Baqarah: 62 which says:
Those who believe (in the Qur'an) - And those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), - And the Christians and the Sabians, - Any who believe in God - And the Last Day, - And work righteousness, - Shall have their reward - With the Lord: on them - Shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. 35
The Qur'an recognizes the right to religious freedom not only in the case of other believers in God, but also in the case of not-believers in God (if they are not aggressing upon Muslims) 36.
In the context of the human right to exercise religious freedom, it is important to mention that the Qur'anic dictum, "Let there be no compulsion in religion" 37 applies not only to non- Muslims but also to Muslims. While those who renounced Islam after professing it and then engaged in "acts of war" against Muslims were to be treated as enemies and aggressors, the Qur'an does not prescribe any punishment for non-profession or renunciation of faith. The decision regarding a person's ultimate destiny in the hereafter rests with God.
The right to freedom includes the right to be free to tell the truth. The Qur'anic term for truth is "Haqq" which is also one of God's most important attributes. Standing up for the truth is a right and a responsibility which a Muslim may not disclaim even in the face of the greatest danger or difficulty 38. While the Qur'an commands believers to testify to the truth, it also instructs society not to harm persons so testifying 39.
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E. Right to Acquire Knowledge
The Qur'an puts the highest emphasis on the importance of acquiring knowledge. That knowledge has been at the core of the Islamic world-view from the very beginning is attested to by Surah 96: Al'Alaq: 1-5, which Muslims believe to the first revelation received by the Prophet Muhammad.
Asking rhetorically if those without knowledge can be equal to those with knowledge 40, the Qur'an exhorts believers to pray for advancement in knowledge 41. The famous prayer of the Prophet Muhammad was "Allah grant me Knowledge of the ultimate nature of things" and one of the best known of all traditions ("ahadith") is "Seek knowledge even though it be in China."
According to Qur'anic perspective, knowledge is a prerequisite for the creation of a just world in which authentic peace can prevail. The Qur'an emphasizes the importance of the pursuit of learning even at the time, and in the midst, of war 42.
F. Right to Sustenance
As pointed out by Surah 11: Hud: 6, every living creature depends for its sustenance upon God. A cardinal concept in the Qur'an - which underlies the socio-economic-political system of Islam - is that the ownership of everything belongs, not to any person, but to God. Since God is the universal creator, every creature has the right to partake of what belongs to God 43. This means that every human being has the right to a means of living and that those who hold economic or political power do not have the right to deprive others of the basic necessities of life by misappropriating or misusing resources which have been created by God for the benefit of humanity in general.
G. Right to Work
According to Qur'anic teaching every man and woman has the right to work, whether the work consists of gainful employment or voluntary service. The fruits of labour belong to the one who has worked for them - regardless of whether it is a man or a woman. As Surah 4: An-Nisa': 32 states:
...to men - Is allotted what they earn, - And to women what they earn 44
H. Right to Privacy
The Qur'an recognizes the need for privacy as a human right and lays down rules for protecting an individual's life in the home from undue intrusion from within or without 45.
I. Right to Protection from Slander, Backbiting, and Ridicule
The Qur'an recognizes the right of human beings to be protected from defamation, sarcasm, offensive nicknames, and backbiting 46. It also states that no person is to be maligned on grounds of assumed guilt and that those who engage in malicious scandal-mongering will be grievously punished in both this world and the next 47.
J. Right to Develop One's Aesthetic Sensibilities and Enjoy the Bounties Created by God
As pointed out Muhammad Asad, "By declaring that all good and beautiful things to the believers, the Qu'ran condemns, by implication, all forms of life-denying asceticism, world- renunciation and self-mortification.48 In fact, it can be stated that the right to develop one's aesthetic sensibilities so that one can appreciate beauty in all its forms, and the right to enjoy what God has provided for the nurture of humankind, are rooted in the life-affirming vision of the Qur'an.49
K. Right to Leave One's Homeland Under Oppressive Conditions
According to Qur'anic teaching , a Muslim's ultimate loyalty must be to God and not to any territory. To fulfill his Prophetic mission, the Prophet Muhammad decided to leave his place of birth, Mecca, and emigrated to Medina. This event ("Hijrah") has great historical and spiritual significance for Muslims who are called upon to move away from their place of origin of it becomes an abode of evil and oppression where they cannot fulfill their obligations to God or establish justice.50
L. Right to "The Good Life"
The Qur'an uphold the right of the human being only to life but to " the good life ". This good life, made up of many elements , becomes possible when a human being is living in a just environment. According to Qur'anic teaching, justice is a prerequisite for peace, and peace is a prerequisite for human development. In a just society, all the earlier-mentioned human rights may be exercised without difficulty. In such a society other basic rights such as the right to a secure place of residence, the right to the protection of one's personal possessions, the right to protection of one's covenants, the right to move freely, the right to social and judicial autonomy for minorities, the right to the protection of one's holy places and the right to return to one's spiritual center, also exist 51.
Excerpted from a paper written by Dr. Riffat Hassan, "Are Human Rights Compatible with Islam?". Dr. Hassan is a Professor in Humanities (Religious Studies) at University of Louisville, Kentucky.
Source- IslamiCity.com
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Story of A Smile- and The healing hands of the Prophet Muhammad
By: Faisal Ansari
As we move through history and the chaos of our time, and amid the chaos in places like Gaza, when all they can hear is the thunder of gunshots, and all we can hear is the thunder of materialism and greed and all they could smell is the violence in the air, and all we can smell is our own lack of content. I think back and am amazed at how I could allow myself to loose hope whatever the circumstance in my own life be here in the land of the free and the home of the brave. We all have something we are hurting from and we reach out to each other as Muslims hoping someone will lend a helping hand. Maybe it is time to rethink whether we really care or not, or are we just living day to day?
And it is then that my thoughts become so clear and true, that three words run through my mind endlessly, repeating themselves like a broken record: Smiling is a charity, Smiling is a charity, smiling is a charity. His saying softening my heart somehow and seeing things differently allowing the anguish and the pain to fade like the stars at dawn.
The final messenger of God named Muhammad (peace be upon him), when first learning of him it was through a smile that I became a practicing Muslim.
And now when thinking of the Prophet he reminds me of a Desert Rose, a desert rose dressed tall in Red standing and illuminated by the light of the moon, his message calls to me like a siren in the night and he is a freedom to me from the evil of my soul, hope, faith and the strength to carry on and his selfless message contained the greatest gift to me and to you, a healing and a solace - the greatest gift being the love of God and a clean soul. A hope that through a smile we can end the injustice and hatred against the innocent.
In every story of the Prophet Muhammad there is a reminder of how he would treat people with a soft heart, affection, concern, love, and most of all, a smile. They say that He once said something magnificent- "Even a smile is charity."
A long time ago this young man in his early twenties used to hate going to the mosque and would only go when his mother would force him to. When he would go there all he would see were faces of hatred and discontent. One day feeling lost and alone he found himself at the footsteps of that mosque. As he stood outside it, a brother of Syrian origin appeared and he had a great big smile on his face and he was smiling right at the young man. This brother had noor (Iight) on his face and around him, metaphorically speaking. He really did, and the young man could not gather why he smiled at him and actually greeted him and asked him how he was doing. The young man developed a burning desire after that day to seek out this man and he eventually became his student and learned the basics of Islam from him.
It was a smile that brought that confused young man to the light of God. A simple implementation of the practice of our beloved Prophet Muhammad being a smile that shined the light of Islam on him. Who would have every thought that a smile could go so far and it came from the heart connected to the light of God. "Light upon Light."
It is through learning about the Prophet and how he dealt with people that we can learn to love again and treat our loved ones with respect and a kind word. It is not easy to do but it can be attained. The Prophet Muhammad who had a prayer for everything one could think of conveyed stories of how he dealt with his people including the non-Muslims, the new converts to Islam, travelers, the poor, the passerby, his friends and his loved ones and so on. And we learn from his history that he took everyone's situation into consideration and dealt with them with a gentle word and not with harshness as we are so accustomed to these days. As the Prophet said, "one who is devoid of mercy is not shown any mercy (Sahih Muslim)."
It's hard to go up to a father who treated you and your family in an inhuman way on a daily basis for years and forgive. What will we do as Muslims? Let's, let the hurt go, because it is time to stop playing victim to depression, anger, hatred, guilt, and greed as our Prophet taught us to not dwell on the past.. As one scholar said, if we were tested with some of the things that Muhammad , had to deal with, then we would end up in the puzzle factory wondering what hit us. Because the problem with our new culture is that we can't handle pressure and we break at the slightest things because we live in a Prozac society of instant gratification.
Instead, Shine your light and be all that you can for Allah and his Prophet and help yourself and lead yourself and your family and humanity. And lastly the Prophet said, "Sabr (patience) is a shining glory. The Qur'an is an argument either for you or against you. Everybody goes out in the morning and sells themselves, either setting themselves free or destroying themselves." It is time to stop running and hiding between the shadows and the lies wherever that may be for us and to be a light to other people and make the world a better place as the Quran tells us.
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth,
The parable of His Light is as if there were a niche,
And within it a Lamp: The Lamp enclosed in Glass;
The glass as it were a brilliant star;
Lit from a blessed Tree,
An Olive, neither of the East nor of the West,
Whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it;
Light upon Light!
Allah doth set forth parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.
Quran 24:35 Al Nur (The Light)
As we move through history and the chaos of our time, and amid the chaos in places like Gaza, when all they can hear is the thunder of gunshots, and all we can hear is the thunder of materialism and greed and all they could smell is the violence in the air, and all we can smell is our own lack of content. I think back and am amazed at how I could allow myself to loose hope whatever the circumstance in my own life be here in the land of the free and the home of the brave. We all have something we are hurting from and we reach out to each other as Muslims hoping someone will lend a helping hand. Maybe it is time to rethink whether we really care or not, or are we just living day to day?
And it is then that my thoughts become so clear and true, that three words run through my mind endlessly, repeating themselves like a broken record: Smiling is a charity, Smiling is a charity, smiling is a charity. His saying softening my heart somehow and seeing things differently allowing the anguish and the pain to fade like the stars at dawn.
The final messenger of God named Muhammad (peace be upon him), when first learning of him it was through a smile that I became a practicing Muslim.
And now when thinking of the Prophet he reminds me of a Desert Rose, a desert rose dressed tall in Red standing and illuminated by the light of the moon, his message calls to me like a siren in the night and he is a freedom to me from the evil of my soul, hope, faith and the strength to carry on and his selfless message contained the greatest gift to me and to you, a healing and a solace - the greatest gift being the love of God and a clean soul. A hope that through a smile we can end the injustice and hatred against the innocent.
In every story of the Prophet Muhammad there is a reminder of how he would treat people with a soft heart, affection, concern, love, and most of all, a smile. They say that He once said something magnificent- "Even a smile is charity."
A long time ago this young man in his early twenties used to hate going to the mosque and would only go when his mother would force him to. When he would go there all he would see were faces of hatred and discontent. One day feeling lost and alone he found himself at the footsteps of that mosque. As he stood outside it, a brother of Syrian origin appeared and he had a great big smile on his face and he was smiling right at the young man. This brother had noor (Iight) on his face and around him, metaphorically speaking. He really did, and the young man could not gather why he smiled at him and actually greeted him and asked him how he was doing. The young man developed a burning desire after that day to seek out this man and he eventually became his student and learned the basics of Islam from him.
It was a smile that brought that confused young man to the light of God. A simple implementation of the practice of our beloved Prophet Muhammad being a smile that shined the light of Islam on him. Who would have every thought that a smile could go so far and it came from the heart connected to the light of God. "Light upon Light."
It is through learning about the Prophet and how he dealt with people that we can learn to love again and treat our loved ones with respect and a kind word. It is not easy to do but it can be attained. The Prophet Muhammad who had a prayer for everything one could think of conveyed stories of how he dealt with his people including the non-Muslims, the new converts to Islam, travelers, the poor, the passerby, his friends and his loved ones and so on. And we learn from his history that he took everyone's situation into consideration and dealt with them with a gentle word and not with harshness as we are so accustomed to these days. As the Prophet said, "one who is devoid of mercy is not shown any mercy (Sahih Muslim)."
It's hard to go up to a father who treated you and your family in an inhuman way on a daily basis for years and forgive. What will we do as Muslims? Let's, let the hurt go, because it is time to stop playing victim to depression, anger, hatred, guilt, and greed as our Prophet taught us to not dwell on the past.. As one scholar said, if we were tested with some of the things that Muhammad , had to deal with, then we would end up in the puzzle factory wondering what hit us. Because the problem with our new culture is that we can't handle pressure and we break at the slightest things because we live in a Prozac society of instant gratification.
Instead, Shine your light and be all that you can for Allah and his Prophet and help yourself and lead yourself and your family and humanity. And lastly the Prophet said, "Sabr (patience) is a shining glory. The Qur'an is an argument either for you or against you. Everybody goes out in the morning and sells themselves, either setting themselves free or destroying themselves." It is time to stop running and hiding between the shadows and the lies wherever that may be for us and to be a light to other people and make the world a better place as the Quran tells us.
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth,
The parable of His Light is as if there were a niche,
And within it a Lamp: The Lamp enclosed in Glass;
The glass as it were a brilliant star;
Lit from a blessed Tree,
An Olive, neither of the East nor of the West,
Whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it;
Light upon Light!
Allah doth set forth parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.
Quran 24:35 Al Nur (The Light)
Monday, January 19, 2009
Muslims and Palestine
By: Tariq Ramadan
Listening to the feelings expressed by Muslims around the world, one perceives an emotion of anger and revolt mixed with a deep sense of helplessness. The current massacres are but a confirmation of the well known: the "international community" does not really care about the Palestinians, and it is as if the state of Israel, with the support of the United States and some European countries, has imposed a state of intellectual terror. Among the presidents and kings, nobody dares to speak out; nobody is ready to say the truth. All are paralyzed by fear.
While the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is sometimes perceived, and experienced, as crucial to the relationship between the West and Islam, many Muslims no longer know how to act and react. What does Islam have to do with it? Should we make it a religious concern in order to call upon the ummah to mobilize itself? Essential questions in truth.
Muslims around the world are facing three distinct phenomena. First, in the Muslim-majority countries or in the West, they see they can expect no reaction from governments, especially from the Arab states. They adopt the position of silent complicity, hypocrisy, and contempt for Palestinian lives. Second, Western media coverage is alarming, with a majority of them accepting and reproducing the Israeli story: two belligerents are of equal strength, with the victim of aggression (Israel) acting in self-defense. What a distortion! Yet the third phenomenon is most interesting: while 73% of Europeans were backing Israel in 1967, more than 67% are supporting the Palestinians today. With time, understanding and sensibility have evolved: populations are not blindly following the games and hypocritical stands of their political elites.
Considering these factors, Muslims around the world, and especially Western Muslims, should clarify their position. While refusing to turn the Israeli-Palestinian war into a religious conflict, they should not deny its religious dimension and thus take a clear stand. From an Islamic viewpoint, it should be clear that their resistance is not against Jews (anti-Semitism is anti-Islamic); targeting innocent civilians must be condemned on both siddes; and the objective should be for Jews, Christians, and Muslims (with women and men of other religions or no religion) to live together with equal rights and dignity.
The Palestinians are never going to give up; and Israel, for all its awesome firepower, has not won the conflict. Muslims around the world should be a driving force of remembrance and resistance. Not as Muslims against Israel or the hypocritical Arab states, but more broadly for justice with all (religious or not) who refuse to be brainwashed or reduced to powerless spectators. It is time to create broad alliances and synergies around clear political objectives.
If the Middle East is teaching Muslims anything, it is to stop acting in isolation and return to the universal values they share with their fellow citizens. They should realize they are in and with the majority. Demonstrations, articles, and so on are necessary but we need to go further. To launch a global movement of non-violent resistance to the violent and extremist policy of the state of Israel has become imperative. The violence inflicted, in front of us, upon a population of one and a half million humans makes our silence, our divisions, and even our limited emotional reactions undignified, unhealthy, and inhumane. A true and dignified resistance requires commitment, patience, and a long-term strategy of information, alliance, and non-violent democratic participation.
Tariq Ramadan is a professor of Islamic studies at the University of Oxford and the author of Radical Reform: Islamic Ethics and Liberation (2009), In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad (2007), Western Muslims and the Future of Islam (2004), Islam, the West, and the Challenge of Modernity (2001), and To Be a European Muslim (1999). A version of this article in English first appeared on Ramadan's Web site on 2 January 2009. This version is based on the English text that appeared in his site.
Buy books by Tariq Ramadan. All book sales benefit IslamiCity. A non-profit site working since 1995 to promote objective information about Islam.
Listening to the feelings expressed by Muslims around the world, one perceives an emotion of anger and revolt mixed with a deep sense of helplessness. The current massacres are but a confirmation of the well known: the "international community" does not really care about the Palestinians, and it is as if the state of Israel, with the support of the United States and some European countries, has imposed a state of intellectual terror. Among the presidents and kings, nobody dares to speak out; nobody is ready to say the truth. All are paralyzed by fear.
While the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is sometimes perceived, and experienced, as crucial to the relationship between the West and Islam, many Muslims no longer know how to act and react. What does Islam have to do with it? Should we make it a religious concern in order to call upon the ummah to mobilize itself? Essential questions in truth.
Muslims around the world are facing three distinct phenomena. First, in the Muslim-majority countries or in the West, they see they can expect no reaction from governments, especially from the Arab states. They adopt the position of silent complicity, hypocrisy, and contempt for Palestinian lives. Second, Western media coverage is alarming, with a majority of them accepting and reproducing the Israeli story: two belligerents are of equal strength, with the victim of aggression (Israel) acting in self-defense. What a distortion! Yet the third phenomenon is most interesting: while 73% of Europeans were backing Israel in 1967, more than 67% are supporting the Palestinians today. With time, understanding and sensibility have evolved: populations are not blindly following the games and hypocritical stands of their political elites.
Considering these factors, Muslims around the world, and especially Western Muslims, should clarify their position. While refusing to turn the Israeli-Palestinian war into a religious conflict, they should not deny its religious dimension and thus take a clear stand. From an Islamic viewpoint, it should be clear that their resistance is not against Jews (anti-Semitism is anti-Islamic); targeting innocent civilians must be condemned on both siddes; and the objective should be for Jews, Christians, and Muslims (with women and men of other religions or no religion) to live together with equal rights and dignity.
The Palestinians are never going to give up; and Israel, for all its awesome firepower, has not won the conflict. Muslims around the world should be a driving force of remembrance and resistance. Not as Muslims against Israel or the hypocritical Arab states, but more broadly for justice with all (religious or not) who refuse to be brainwashed or reduced to powerless spectators. It is time to create broad alliances and synergies around clear political objectives.
If the Middle East is teaching Muslims anything, it is to stop acting in isolation and return to the universal values they share with their fellow citizens. They should realize they are in and with the majority. Demonstrations, articles, and so on are necessary but we need to go further. To launch a global movement of non-violent resistance to the violent and extremist policy of the state of Israel has become imperative. The violence inflicted, in front of us, upon a population of one and a half million humans makes our silence, our divisions, and even our limited emotional reactions undignified, unhealthy, and inhumane. A true and dignified resistance requires commitment, patience, and a long-term strategy of information, alliance, and non-violent democratic participation.
Tariq Ramadan is a professor of Islamic studies at the University of Oxford and the author of Radical Reform: Islamic Ethics and Liberation (2009), In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad (2007), Western Muslims and the Future of Islam (2004), Islam, the West, and the Challenge of Modernity (2001), and To Be a European Muslim (1999). A version of this article in English first appeared on Ramadan's Web site on 2 January 2009. This version is based on the English text that appeared in his site.
Buy books by Tariq Ramadan. All book sales benefit IslamiCity. A non-profit site working since 1995 to promote objective information about Islam.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Hijrah tuntut perubahan prinsip dan sikap
Oleh Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleh
Generasi muda mesti berilmu serta matang membuat keputusan harungi cabaran alaf baru
PENGHIJRAHAN kaum Muslimin di bawah pimpinan Rasulullah SAW dari kota Makkah ke kota Madinah adalah dimensi baru kepada dakwah Islamiah serta simbolik kepada penghayatan ajaran Islam sebenar. Ia juga detik penting kepada pembaharuan sistem nilai dan hidup manusia. Penghijrahan yang mematangkan penyebaran risalah Allah tidak mungkin berjaya jika tidak diiringi perubahan sikap dan prinsip umat Islam ketika berdepan suasana baru.
Rasulullah SAW sendiri dalam misi Baginda sudah menanam benih perpaduan, persaudaraan, tolong-menolong, pengorbanan, kecintaan dan ketakwaan dalam sanubari golongan Muhajirin serta Ansar. Itulah unsur paling penting kepada umat Islam sebagai persediaan menghadapi cabaran dan ujian sama ada daripada kaum kufur, munafik, iblis atau nafsu diri sendiri.
Perjuangan meneruskan misi Rasulullah SAW di muka bumi ini iaitu meninggikan kalimah Allah sehingga menjadi rahmat kepada sekalian alam, memerlukan keyakinan tinggi dan mantap. Ummah perlu yakin berbekalkan keimanan, semangat jihad serta panduan berasaskan al-Quran dan sunnah, perjuangan menyampaikan risalah Islam akan berjaya dan mendapat pertolongan serta inayah Allah.
Hari ini, perubahan zaman yang begitu pantas menghambat umat Islam melakukan persediaan dan persiapan jitu bagi menghadapi perubahan serta kejutan dengan menyediakan barisan pelapis generasi muda yang bukan saja tega menghadapi ledakan perubahan bahkan meneruskan perjuangan memartabatkan Islam di muka bumi ini. Dunia tanpa sempadan dan cabarannya hanya mampu diharungi generasi umat yang bersedia dari segi mental, fizikal dan spiritual. Penghijrahan nilai, etika serta peradaban hidup perlu diberi perhatian khusus dalam membentuk negara menuju alaf baru dan sejahtera.
Tiada guna kita maju dalam teknologi dan maklumat, tetapi jiwa kering kontang, senang dibawa arus hawa nafsu yang dipimpin iblis dan syaitan. Selepas hijrah, umat Islam perlu memantapkan kefahaman menerusi akidah tauhid dengan mendalami ilmu agama, penghayatan al-Quran, mengkaji sejarah dan perjuangan Rasulullah SAW serta sahabat. Perbincangan ilmiah sesama cendekiawan Islam dan pada masa sama menguatkan hubungan dengan Allah dengan memperbanyakkan solat, doa, dan ibadat sunat.
Allah berfirman yang bermaksud:
“Sesungguhnya Allah tidak mengubah apa yang ada pada sesuatu kaum sehingga mereka mengubah apa yang ada pada diri mereka.” (Surah Ar-Ra’d, ayat 11).
Hijrah juga mengingatkan kita pentingnya sikap cekal dalam diri. Berbekalkan penghayatan nilai kecekalan inilah barisan pelapis umat berupaya tabah dalam mengharungi cabaran alaf baru. Pencapaian umat Islam yang begitu gemilang dalam bidang keilmuan sehingga mampu mencorak dunia dengan pelbagai disiplin ilmu, tidak mungkin datang tiba-tiba dan kebetulan tanpa usaha yang cekal, gigih berserta semangat jihad tertanam kuat dalam jiwa. Sesungguhnya daya juang tinggi dapat dikutip daripada generasi hijrah pertama. Ilmu juga diperoleh melalui pengalaman apabila seseorang mengalami peristiwa yang memberi pengajaran kepadanya. Sejarah menunjukkan kepada kita perkara utama dibawa Rasulullah SAW kepada masyarakatnya ialah ilmu yang boleh menyedarkan mereka untuk mengenali diri dan Allah seterusnya melaksanakan tanggungjawab diamanahkan kepada mereka.
Umat Islam perlu merenung dan berfikir mengenai keruntuhan serta kemusnahan kaum terdahulu supaya dapat memperkukuhkan jiwa menghadapi alaf baru. Sebab itu hijrah mengajar kita bersikap matang dalam mengambil sesuatu keputusan atau tindakan.
Kewarasan bertunjangkan syariat dan ketenangan berasakan iman serta takwa yang melahirkan kematangan perlu disemai dalam jiwa umat Islam pada zaman siber kerana tindakan yang hanya berlandaskan akal atau nafsu menyebabkan negara dan ummah binasa.
Kita tidak boleh meletakkan kebenaran atas suara ramai. Justeru, kita perlu berpegang kepada prinsip berlandaskan al-Quran dan hadis. Ketika Rasulullah SAW ditawarkan harta, pangkat dan wanita supaya meninggalkan seruan Islam, Baginda bersabda yang bermaksud:
“Sekiranya diletakkan matahari di tangan kananku dan bulan di tangan kiriku supaya aku meninggalkan pekerjaan ini, tidak sekali-kali aku tinggalkan sama ada aku berjaya atau menemui ajal.”
Pada hari ini, jelas kelihatan betapa masyarakat Islam semakin tidak bersatu-padu, sekalipun mereka mengetahui kehidupan begitu sifat masyarakat jahiliah. Keadaan masyarakat yang kebanyakannya hidup dengan mempertahan serta mementingkan diri boleh melemahkan ummah dan negara. Sikap individualistik tidak patut dididik dalam pemikiran umat Islam terutama generasi muda. Sejarah membuktikan umat Islam lantaran perpecahan di kalangan mereka, menjadi mangsa kekejaman, pembunuhan dan permainan musuh Islam. Umat Islam sanggup bermusuhan dan berbunuhan tanpa menyedari puak kufur adalah dalang pembunuhan sesama mereka.
Justeru, kesatuan dan perpaduan adalah aset terpenting sebagai bekalan umat ke alaf baru. Perpecahan sekalipun sedikit dan kecil, lambat laun pasti akan merebak dan seterusnya menyentap perjuangan umat Islam daripada puncak kejayaan. Peristiwa hijrah membuktikan perpaduan umat Islam antara Muhajirin dan Ansar adalah inti pati kejayaan hijrah dan perjuangan Islam. Memasuki alaf baru yang serba-serbi sejagat tidak memungkinkan kita hidup dalam keadaan terasing.
Dunia tanpa sempadan serta kemajuan yang menyatukan pelbagai bangsa dan negara adalah cabaran yang berhajatkan umat Islam bersatu padu. Percanggahan perkara pokok mesti dielakkan, manakala perselisihan masalah cabang memerlukan sikap keterbukaan dan berlapang dada.
Umat Islam perlu sedar musuh pasti akan bersatu apabila berdepan dengan Islam. Firman Allah yang bermaksud:
“Orang-orang Yahudi dan Nasrani tidak akan senang kepada kamu sehingga kamu mengikuti agama mereka.” (Surah al-Baqarah, ayat 120)
- Penulis ialah Pensyarah Kanan Fakulti Syariah dan Undang-undang Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Sumber:http://nurjeehan.hadithuna.com/hijrah-tuntut-perubahan-prinsip-dan-sikap/
Generasi muda mesti berilmu serta matang membuat keputusan harungi cabaran alaf baru
PENGHIJRAHAN kaum Muslimin di bawah pimpinan Rasulullah SAW dari kota Makkah ke kota Madinah adalah dimensi baru kepada dakwah Islamiah serta simbolik kepada penghayatan ajaran Islam sebenar. Ia juga detik penting kepada pembaharuan sistem nilai dan hidup manusia. Penghijrahan yang mematangkan penyebaran risalah Allah tidak mungkin berjaya jika tidak diiringi perubahan sikap dan prinsip umat Islam ketika berdepan suasana baru.
Rasulullah SAW sendiri dalam misi Baginda sudah menanam benih perpaduan, persaudaraan, tolong-menolong, pengorbanan, kecintaan dan ketakwaan dalam sanubari golongan Muhajirin serta Ansar. Itulah unsur paling penting kepada umat Islam sebagai persediaan menghadapi cabaran dan ujian sama ada daripada kaum kufur, munafik, iblis atau nafsu diri sendiri.
Perjuangan meneruskan misi Rasulullah SAW di muka bumi ini iaitu meninggikan kalimah Allah sehingga menjadi rahmat kepada sekalian alam, memerlukan keyakinan tinggi dan mantap. Ummah perlu yakin berbekalkan keimanan, semangat jihad serta panduan berasaskan al-Quran dan sunnah, perjuangan menyampaikan risalah Islam akan berjaya dan mendapat pertolongan serta inayah Allah.
Hari ini, perubahan zaman yang begitu pantas menghambat umat Islam melakukan persediaan dan persiapan jitu bagi menghadapi perubahan serta kejutan dengan menyediakan barisan pelapis generasi muda yang bukan saja tega menghadapi ledakan perubahan bahkan meneruskan perjuangan memartabatkan Islam di muka bumi ini. Dunia tanpa sempadan dan cabarannya hanya mampu diharungi generasi umat yang bersedia dari segi mental, fizikal dan spiritual. Penghijrahan nilai, etika serta peradaban hidup perlu diberi perhatian khusus dalam membentuk negara menuju alaf baru dan sejahtera.
Tiada guna kita maju dalam teknologi dan maklumat, tetapi jiwa kering kontang, senang dibawa arus hawa nafsu yang dipimpin iblis dan syaitan. Selepas hijrah, umat Islam perlu memantapkan kefahaman menerusi akidah tauhid dengan mendalami ilmu agama, penghayatan al-Quran, mengkaji sejarah dan perjuangan Rasulullah SAW serta sahabat. Perbincangan ilmiah sesama cendekiawan Islam dan pada masa sama menguatkan hubungan dengan Allah dengan memperbanyakkan solat, doa, dan ibadat sunat.
Allah berfirman yang bermaksud:
“Sesungguhnya Allah tidak mengubah apa yang ada pada sesuatu kaum sehingga mereka mengubah apa yang ada pada diri mereka.” (Surah Ar-Ra’d, ayat 11).
Hijrah juga mengingatkan kita pentingnya sikap cekal dalam diri. Berbekalkan penghayatan nilai kecekalan inilah barisan pelapis umat berupaya tabah dalam mengharungi cabaran alaf baru. Pencapaian umat Islam yang begitu gemilang dalam bidang keilmuan sehingga mampu mencorak dunia dengan pelbagai disiplin ilmu, tidak mungkin datang tiba-tiba dan kebetulan tanpa usaha yang cekal, gigih berserta semangat jihad tertanam kuat dalam jiwa. Sesungguhnya daya juang tinggi dapat dikutip daripada generasi hijrah pertama. Ilmu juga diperoleh melalui pengalaman apabila seseorang mengalami peristiwa yang memberi pengajaran kepadanya. Sejarah menunjukkan kepada kita perkara utama dibawa Rasulullah SAW kepada masyarakatnya ialah ilmu yang boleh menyedarkan mereka untuk mengenali diri dan Allah seterusnya melaksanakan tanggungjawab diamanahkan kepada mereka.
Umat Islam perlu merenung dan berfikir mengenai keruntuhan serta kemusnahan kaum terdahulu supaya dapat memperkukuhkan jiwa menghadapi alaf baru. Sebab itu hijrah mengajar kita bersikap matang dalam mengambil sesuatu keputusan atau tindakan.
Kewarasan bertunjangkan syariat dan ketenangan berasakan iman serta takwa yang melahirkan kematangan perlu disemai dalam jiwa umat Islam pada zaman siber kerana tindakan yang hanya berlandaskan akal atau nafsu menyebabkan negara dan ummah binasa.
Kita tidak boleh meletakkan kebenaran atas suara ramai. Justeru, kita perlu berpegang kepada prinsip berlandaskan al-Quran dan hadis. Ketika Rasulullah SAW ditawarkan harta, pangkat dan wanita supaya meninggalkan seruan Islam, Baginda bersabda yang bermaksud:
“Sekiranya diletakkan matahari di tangan kananku dan bulan di tangan kiriku supaya aku meninggalkan pekerjaan ini, tidak sekali-kali aku tinggalkan sama ada aku berjaya atau menemui ajal.”
Pada hari ini, jelas kelihatan betapa masyarakat Islam semakin tidak bersatu-padu, sekalipun mereka mengetahui kehidupan begitu sifat masyarakat jahiliah. Keadaan masyarakat yang kebanyakannya hidup dengan mempertahan serta mementingkan diri boleh melemahkan ummah dan negara. Sikap individualistik tidak patut dididik dalam pemikiran umat Islam terutama generasi muda. Sejarah membuktikan umat Islam lantaran perpecahan di kalangan mereka, menjadi mangsa kekejaman, pembunuhan dan permainan musuh Islam. Umat Islam sanggup bermusuhan dan berbunuhan tanpa menyedari puak kufur adalah dalang pembunuhan sesama mereka.
Justeru, kesatuan dan perpaduan adalah aset terpenting sebagai bekalan umat ke alaf baru. Perpecahan sekalipun sedikit dan kecil, lambat laun pasti akan merebak dan seterusnya menyentap perjuangan umat Islam daripada puncak kejayaan. Peristiwa hijrah membuktikan perpaduan umat Islam antara Muhajirin dan Ansar adalah inti pati kejayaan hijrah dan perjuangan Islam. Memasuki alaf baru yang serba-serbi sejagat tidak memungkinkan kita hidup dalam keadaan terasing.
Dunia tanpa sempadan serta kemajuan yang menyatukan pelbagai bangsa dan negara adalah cabaran yang berhajatkan umat Islam bersatu padu. Percanggahan perkara pokok mesti dielakkan, manakala perselisihan masalah cabang memerlukan sikap keterbukaan dan berlapang dada.
Umat Islam perlu sedar musuh pasti akan bersatu apabila berdepan dengan Islam. Firman Allah yang bermaksud:
“Orang-orang Yahudi dan Nasrani tidak akan senang kepada kamu sehingga kamu mengikuti agama mereka.” (Surah al-Baqarah, ayat 120)
- Penulis ialah Pensyarah Kanan Fakulti Syariah dan Undang-undang Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Sumber:http://nurjeehan.hadithuna.com/hijrah-tuntut-perubahan-prinsip-dan-sikap/
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
XSMJ Gathering At Asun
Its great to be together again after about forty five years of leaving school.We were friends then and so its now eventhough times have changed everythings but friendship remains.This is one of our afford to gather all our school friends in a totally different environment.The men of honour in the gathering were our ex-teachers.We thanks them so much for their willingness to attend the gathering.
It's what each of us sows, and how, that gives to us character and prestige. Seeds of kindness, goodwill, and human understanding, planted in fertile soil, spring up into deathless friendships, big deeds of worth, and a memory that will not soon fade. . . .
It's what each of us sows, and how, that gives to us character and prestige. Seeds of kindness, goodwill, and human understanding, planted in fertile soil, spring up into deathless friendships, big deeds of worth, and a memory that will not soon fade. . . .
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