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· ··S·IT· "IU,·' D'·-.··I~E;-~-I'S'·· ·IN········I' 'IS-'L"~ A,l M-;-·,·-

, ,'_ ." '_." _ .~' .. ' _ .'1 _ :_______:__., _', ,_ I ['.:__.'_:_.:__.: '_' .1., I" ..:_

ISlAM AND HU·!I-~ANITY'S NEE,~' OF IT

Byl

M'UHAMMAD YOUSS,E,F' MOUSSA,I Ph~ 0,.,

-r"tI,nsloJea ,tJII,d P,llIJlliJlre'd under' ,the auspices of TH:E SUPKE,ME CO'UN'ClL F'OR, lSL,AMIC .AfPAIRS M,lNIS~RY ,OF W,A'Q,FS", CAIRO

Dr' r'OS.··:·','M·'·'A~ 'N.··· A.c: M'I'· 'J'N:"

_ fill", _ _ I,. .' I I I " " .. ,

\

'The translatioo 'of the IQur,Anie: verses that is,c,ited,here are ., m, e re :i.le:r'p'retati'DD of 'the ru,e'.DiDg.

-,

,2.

INTRODUCI10N TO lBE SECOND, EDITION

n. first editi.tm of dUe -1NJok appeared. iDAtIIUIt 1·959 8D~ i:ll5OOO cepies wen seId ,out_ ..few _th, f This was 8B.indicatiGn that I ,hHl been .... ted. diviDe aid in writiDtit· ,1IJld. that the ~had a~peared whea it ,.,.1-·.rea]ly

_..1_..1 1

,n~IIN. ..

Comtected. wilhthis book is a straqe Itbry. whi,chl

.lIZ... - '18· .a:L_· --..I. • . ...L, fi _.J':"

wu. not WaDt to reo ' .. 11e m "UIe mu:vu1ld1oD to ..... ' II"It tNlIJOI1,.

·But I feel that it is DO¥Itime to leU it, as a IesSOllto those

WL; n.-..J_":-t,,-.d .1iD :~~:,aiU, ',~

Sio£e I went to FraDCe in 1154 10 special.ize m the study ofpbilosophY8ltJte, Paculty of ,Arts. at Paris U Diversity~, I hav •. ~iDSis,tiDs . 011 the necessity of writing a hook on II~i tba, would preseDt aD._peels ,ot it ~. itsd.octrine,. ltplatian. ethics, ,manis, pel, feet mstltutiens"aod iD fact" an that Islam brouaht us to' be. adoPted bysoci.ety" nalion aRd,\ .hum8ni1tyat larpl,oachieve peace, prosiparity and. happiness for tIte wboieworidl., [ ais_c, ,calledf .. the transla~,of that 'book _. after its completion - mID lite widely ipekea' '~"SO that it could heu_ alaR effective iustnuneat inacquainliag the! Westerners .with Islam, as I hatillMicerl duriat my :staym their (,Ountries,tihal they .bew

.hardly anythiRa about tkisrelipon.

Por this purpose,,1 approached50Dlt! of the forme'r RectGrs of ,AI Azh81" as well ,8:5 SCMne of theresrrv.,sible iof'fic~

, . r--

hlls~;ia . eertaiafJO¥emment departments. Butoone of tbos~

.0(-,

'G,

II ~

s,eemed to have heen in:~pired ),y lii,vOIe (:,)aril;y to put.my proposRlinto ~e~eculion. It ,even, ~ thiat thOSe peop,le. did ,DO,t read,th,e applications, I had sUlhmil~ to them 'to that efl~t '[

Hari .. ,lost ,all hope ,.f' il~IttinR' . ,BUY help ftun thos@ people, ,I, said lomyself as others Sai.d, te m,e: "Wby should I' not write die 'bOOk ~ys'elr" s~tha' bit ~,ting 'it - accord .. ingto my' ,ownmeags -I: could, clay out my ,duty to p:r-OPalate :Islam,. the ,duty ~'wbich is, mcumbent upon. every Musliln, and then 1!e8,¥ethe' 'question ofther hooIk,Jl:$translation and communication 'to tbeWes,tern -world, until, 'God decreed what He, witl,ed ,about it.? :n' .: And. tIla,t w~.s;_ wb,ai ~reaUy happened" lor' I ,~d 'heseecL' GOd':s' helpl :aud 'wrote tb,e bo€J:t" ~Nh!ich is, placed: he,m before DIy I',eaders~.,-

The I',esult w~,s, -:sucb more than, 14 had ever' expected .o~ hoped~ Demau,d lor the hook. froRl ~ajJ,.;aDd 'Mustim countries was so great that, the ,iii-s,t editiOn" o,'-wD.ich, thousands of' copies ha,d been. print,ed., 'wa~ ou.t. of 'printm" af,ew months, Then God, wined that the" book be, traRslated to Western languages, 'which W&:s the' :sa.,cred. obj:ect1ve I' had. forlOltR years, been yeamina for.

,Moreover, I came to 'know a. few da,ys ago th_1lt an . mid .. ian Muslim scbolar bad - ~~~-I the' traDSlatii(tD of' the bOOk

~!IIU:I. I!j M

~~to Urdu,. ,the 'laDgUBle spokeD by ~~or,es; ,of milHons of'

Indians, 'One part: of' tbebook has ,already .P~peued in ~at Janguale ia ,all ,lndiaD mag_ziIIe ofwhieh I have! rec,eived. (it CGPly .. ~benthe' ~anslatiOl:', of' the book, mto' Urdu is com·~ p]pite, h will oome 'ou.t in book. ~,th__rotqlb the, lloodness ,of

the Ahuighty 'God", .

God willing, tbe writ~, hopes: So' follow this 'book. with others ·ta,c.kli.ng the :S8:m.e subject; Dam.ely the 'expositlonof

Islam from all its, sides, ,in ,8. 'Ciorrecl, and S(:,ientifi,c way, with '. v,i,ew of OY'le~oomilD;R ,aU lhe, aquments gi,vi~1 ,':XC05eS, to ~le to'shtiil it or di-.:anl SOBle olf' the '11ene,ts" laws: ,a~d, moral) values ftyealed, thro~Bh the Iast of ellll tbe divine ,Apostles,.,

I. 'beseech God to, make the book, useful, and favourable t,o the ballaDeem its writ,er' at the'. Las,t Judiemeat, when ODe' soul :shab he powerl,ess for' aD,oIDersoul aD,d, w:hen all &overeipl'ty shall be 'w,i'~'h IGod,.

,_ 5-

By tJJe '~U,".lIOWDsehoIar, oar' brodier'PnJfessor A:iJ'lIl Haaaa Ali, AI &u __ , AlN~wy" Who is, aD ,emiDeDt: ..... 8 :scbolm ,and ,ad90C1te'· of ~ CbainDam, of the Ilblmi:

I L',

Aca,demy in LJKb.ow:;, I.dia, aodqieDJher of 'the! ,Ara i Academy iD 'DamaSC,IB., .

IN'I THI,",, N',"" ,~, • ., ,0'.' 'p~; i~ 11",1,,' ... t. ••• , '8-"-1 ~'B- 'I!"N:~~~t;i"'Ii, ,IIC,,~·J'T!,' _

__ '. __ .,, . i j •.• LL1'1':1.lILI ',0'" I~ JI_1' ,a,t~ .,~, .~I& _ £d;''_'.l II

"

The d,esiN, 10. !dud:y a~_erst8iD.15Iam, a:s., Idoclrine:;1 l!I'w' ·a" system bas ,.Own ,and ai£q:~ mDvlersa6iy, amool' ,modem cu),turedM:usliDu:8ild bnJedDii.ded" non~Muslims.,

Au ,of 'tDlelDJ :h"1fle' taken, 'tli,e,tmH,hJe' 1\0, ,rt!ad,smaU .. or medium :li,Hd, beob, DeaiutifUDy aal,clelWly' ~dinlls1am-~Yfjth ..

- .-

Old iDlrolviag, auy (lQIIlpticatiou, OI"'1mBeveuuy l,enethy'de .. ,

lails~ Such books :smnmariH' the,l:slamic Icuil,tmei,g 8! _0'" dem ,style pncisely" ,~reJial'.Y.

·A, ,DIIU'il)er of' sCholars, :bave tabit '.paiD:S tD write sach boobiin differe;Dt J .... qes: fOr the cultured, MDStimJOU:th~ who direfuDy need them as we)~, ,as: fwthe noa".Muslim;s

'L,,~,_ I!!, ~,.] II . d~· '. 'L, 'I OJ thl .L-';ilL~

WI~tlme aBu c,ll"CnmslaDces, "01 Bot. IJ.eIlP . i ,- ,Ml), 'ItO s'uilly

Islam: eX,ilensi.ely and, iD,teDsively'~

Of these, booi;;IS" :1 rememher dte "InUucluctioo 'To Islam"', which' wasreeend.Jwri,den by ,anIRdi,au"M:Dslim, Sf;hQllJr~

1'-

TheD came '"Islam 4IIId Hurmamty"sNeed of' It" by our ,haitotnbl,e friend Professor' Dr, Muhammad,Y oussef Moussa,. This _kis, 'oae' ,of',b,e best on this subject I: ha,v1e e¥er ,see,n~ It Icombines. dopati.: th,eoi,qy" :history:, doctrine, jiurisprnden,ce, expOsitiIDo,tea,chingsl" inte1l1ect ,and ~:eDtiment.

The '~tthinliti:s,tin.ui,sli~g it from OLtie'[' boOks tackl_,

..il:.c a " 1.:. '. t" ", . d )1 ~ d·

JD;g tne same SUIIJ)8CI_ 1.5 l'S, (.10ura,ge'" can ,our" C lainty' an pJ'Q..

,fGttnm 'belief' 'that Islani ']:1 th,e' le1ema] reli;Bion,1 whicJt ,j:s fit for all :qes ,a_nd place:!, aDd "which meets: th,@, D@ed of h,uman~ ity ,a.t anytim'B a:nd ,ev,erywbe:l'\e. 'The book is aIso distin~ished by 'be j,nte,llectuai independence characterizing its researches, It, ~on.tain'S; the gist o.flong' reading and strenuous thltb'~ng in its useful studies, ,and, information ,,~h.i,ch is needed by ,jchoffiars and 'profe,ss!Dr's.

, Foremost am'on!R the' best parts, 'of the book. is the fourth chapter on Islamic ~aJw"J' 'which ahnost covers the half of it. T beUevetha,t eimineD~ schola,t&; Ica,lm,ot 'do: ·\vithout re,adiog it" , 'The, mos:t, beautiful part ,of'tha:t chap'terils, that whi,ch :is ,en:ti,tled: "'The Cha'f,Q,cteristi·cs ,Bind Genent.l· Bas,es ;o( Islamic .LeiJjsJation,. '"

" .

,'The author's f:alth a:od loy,e' of r'eQlis.nl p,rlomp·.,~ed, him tc

'"', "

add to the academicresearches constituting' the ~ook ·8, :s:epar'-

h ...]. d "Th'C . F" . (I' la .' L- ," 1 "",.

ate e apter eQtlt~e "I'~. e . .' uture 0:,' s,am.),cegJl:s, ,ab(u'l. m

o;;vhich he boIdly ca.'n@d for the ,adop1tion ,and a,prpl.iJcailion ~f

the Islami,c 'law in ,aU Mu.sJim countries. " . . ,

I h I dmi d ,i . 'hi' bo ,1l.. h ",'L' f"· . h d

' _.: lave a, so ,a'mln1!:'lDt (1$ ~ oo~ tl - e a,UJ.DQI S ~ l,al1 . ..an:'

. J

his, deaEng a.t.lenlgthwitht~e .question of the. o~er world.,

o.f Paradise 81Ul the b.appinei5s it jpiflOVid@s Itno, huma:nity., This is a ~gnhii8tt fn',8ld,ed by many I[On:tem"por,ary writers ,and merely touch.ed' upon b:)" many YOUD,g ~chotars" as they find in it

,~ .

£trlulgeness aQ\4de:,ia:tioo .f'rolD. both the' sen.mnent and the spirit 'of the 18i1~' It 'can theref;ore"e ·ta~k@n as a cnterion accordlns' ·to whi,e-hlke f,ai.thand coums:e of~wri"ers: ,B,nd re-

- searchers a;r;e judged ..

'The writer afthesle M.M .ma,y Bat he: in full agreement with allthatha:s, been started. in - the' lMMlk, which contains a va.riety Iflt subjects.. The, dis81peement-may be either on

. - ~ .

some of ~hethoUglhts ,oontiained .. lD the 'book 01" o~ the way

those tbo~hts,were:-. le,xpressed. Bu:tdlis: does by . no, means depr,eciale th,e boQk~ _ It even heiiHptens i:tsyalue as it indicates that 1l:he book "was :D.<O',t. wri.uen - io ia. ·thoughtless, mOD!otonous style" void of' no¥elty ~ How1tve:r,tbe, wril~r ofth:is:preface believes thatthebcok has fined a b~g gap a,sr.3gards, this subject,itbsit fhe~e is ,dire ll.'eed of ~ore: similar book,s; and. that :it de:sel··''i(~sil!ohetr8D.slated i::ot;o< l~e langualges of t~e Wiest as wleU iRIO'f thehla:mic Ea.st., God is, 'He Who ordain.eth success and.giy,ethhel.p'.

Vic,e .. Chairman~

J amio,I.~I~ Ulam.t;;to-I.-Hind,.

___________ u _

Luckn.ow, India, 2tDbulhM .. ·J-.". '.,81. '2 .. -.·:'1-,II"iIo ... I ..

, . - ---, -- . ,;;.JII ~

In the R"unc "1 Allflll .. I'he MeliaiJ'ul~ "l'be' .B:e,IIeJi(Y?r:I·', ,P',flise' ,le' to Goo ... ,Ae SwttJ'inertJl ,.be WOI',lds.

Til,e' .. M'eni#u'l, the· fj'eneli,cen'l,

I Ar.~' .0.'·'-·'1.,.., n..-,. "',." 1-'''' ~.~ .. -~,~,·t,

_,#u_ u . ",') I:n~ ""''''1., ~'.I ', __ IIGF"'JI~~'._J'~

T,IwN! f stone) 00' ;we .1'J(JT:s.m,~" .a'l',tJ 'T,h~6' (,(2'I'oIl,e) a't) 111'e ,beseech' lor Atilt,·

G,uide us lontne'ri,A'" ,path,.

Ti,e "Ndl, 'f)II:tl'tose an'IIJJ,'hDIII T,mu' lrmt bes"'(JIlJf!fl.Th,,· GrlllJe"

Nt1I 1'(10/) toose uponwltom .is (Tlly)wril'.th and ';rIJ.ho ha.fJe ,rone lIIb"tllY ~

,A,mBn~

Prayer~, ,lRld pe·a,ce be UIIII:O t.be IDOSI honoulnd ,P.rophleil., Muhammad. Ibn .AbduUah, the mall ,of an G~I's Apostles, whiG '\\1.'5 :sent, '!o ,BDDoan.cje ;gla,d ·t:id:iIJIS" 'wam, IJe a nlJ!ht-FviDg 'orieh ,IlDa ,II mercy :forM:an :B.fte'r .h,e, feSllure.s; ·oflrUt,b hid been effiatetll, mMUa blih,derll ,andpeopJel lone aS~:J",ay,. Throu;p him .. , ·the'Almi,lhty sary,ed the .A:rabs, :guidled the \v'hOle uni.verse ,and immona'lis:edI :His re'llilio:DIcul:d '1IEn':I!lo,h~ M,an",;: :guidau£e thmllilh a.Uth.e aileis,. .

This bool is: a study on "Isla:m and HumaDity~sN,e\ed of It. '''In Qur'fiew." ,this "ludy shouldbed.e.ahwithlby many ICIOD1petent ~s('bolal''S"who hlv,~beeft Ilc!q,uainl:e,dl. ",rbb

- 11 -

coD,di.tiODS ,m the' world. bel_. ,anet after'lslam and until our preseD' 'i,me, thus 'eDablb'l 'tb,em. to, bOw· ~e' . causes 01: ,lory" ~ dignity ,and p~ri.1y mil booe haDd and of perp'lexity, disonler BiOd aaD.ely. on ~e ,olher"aoo the way :Iead·,

iug' to· salv'aDon, from the trou.,les,frQm wbic.ll ou_rpres1!nt, ap ,is suf'ferin:g ..

In this: .:stu.~y, I lcommitted :myself' to· ,Jmeci~on and, modera.tiun~ :1 rresorted..lleither '10 uunec.essary }length:y details nor to the extreme ,conciseness '1:I:kely to cause: ·tbe 'los,s' of part or th,e purpose ,of' tbe book:. .

Wei 'beseech lGod to .rant us: II,id,1 suet,ellS and gold.n,te.

P'ART' t.

REI JGION - ISLAM. IS 'T,HETRIJE- RELIGION·

..

,CIlAI'rIlll' ONB

, ,

. "

IS:- .. ".. I;S~ ....., TH· W1'D ·BBI·lPl~DN~·· r •

__ LIft.lu. - & KaI:I _ I ,,'U,D ,d'tJ _. _ '-

Othen ~1 'that it ~,the ~. of beliefs; ... flinjuactiODS Wbieb shoWd ipidle ,our bella"': with. GtMI"peaple' and.

·"tb ....._ __ II.- - '.

'WI ' 'UIlIDim,y ••

10 his, book M· Eaiths -and CNed.s"', AI. ShaluutaIl\Y ,ex", :pressesibe! opbdontbat mli ... is obedieace and nsipatiOll"

a~d it may mea.' :reward aDd. recJ .

AI 1"1"11: h . ,., L.::._ L. L "11:-.;1_ ._1':''''' 1m" __ 1

_, _ JI.'I~aDYt7 :.,.:1 lB. DI:Ii. uut.... '~.: ,_ ... ec;:, Ill;il,i

Terms" dia·tml.... is, '. Icliviae, j·,.dituu. pkting .those ,WhO luI¥e ..... ~ em".' vD&tiaa _. '18, rigbt.eoutaels in

... L!..... . .. 'Id" _,_.Ii 'L._. •.. • .. L .. _ ·L._~ I" " ~-~",

..... war ," ... ,u.PplReu. m_ .~.u,i~. ..:1, ICID _1p8.te

. .... '

the:· .failb of. , .. y. Pft9het,. '. :it ,DIllY lie! appliedl .,aally to

.IslaaL It is .rel.ted to· God, ba, ... ·1Jq11 illued .,.·,Him,io

the Propbet, baring been, :revealed thlloUgh him" and to the

. p

people wlio,adopt, it.

. .

If Aligim is, not taken as som~thing rev,ea;led flr-omtb,e

Almi;ghty 'God but; is rcoD;sider~. :(~. the tiDpistic point of . view alone" the:n i,t wiltiii;clude' IJoth' ~e troe a~d the false creeds, ace,pt those which 8dm~1 Jl,eJ'itb~ ·"suftetUon nOr' reward. This :~s because 'llie &ab:ic term for 'religjon (din) is deriv,ed from,th,e root "dAn"'" me,~ri~g '"100 ~ud. ~

. Wb,en, ·'the ho)y.·Qul",an:'S8:Ys, "'Fo' ·~':.be youi. ""lition, to. me . "lY' nelipoo.:", it ipdicate~ lhat· t;h,e. w'qI-,d .~' reUgiOB! ". includes .the unb"u,ecfiee(ls . asw-Il, for it, has ,de:sip.ated .as a relipoQ "the :palga'n belief : ,of the Arabs' in tJI,e. da,:~ ,of isnor~

ance. ',.

",- .

, But tru,e ·'religion., ,Qccor~g to' the Is~c 'law, is that

which is revealed, frlOm lGod far the ele~t am,oDR' His crea:t:_, ures"for man"s 19uidanc.: a_ODS the' Jilht p:ath. . It jneludes doctrines andprrinc~p:les oll-wbichGod~'s~postl.es· ~ pr,.yen and peace be 'Unto th~ ._, do, not ,dif'f:er .. ,· This is ,endenoed,

• h - lmic' 'h ,. '. .~ 7"'" .1..._ ,I.. H" "b- .... .J

10 teA ',-1;8:-lly,g ,sayllDg:' j),. 0 yw. Tltd,:, ',' ,11 pre.c~_ ea

.",.. I i

l he faith ,w,hich He rr:omrtUlndeJ. ,",00' .Noah, arui which we

hase r~,~Q:ted tp, thee', and: ;wn,ich we ,commIJ;"ded.· unto A~b~a~. ham ,and Moses and Jaw' say,n;, 'oIJ'G8rV'e' this' JOith, 'tmtJ' be

do. ·'3 .. .11 '. - . . L~ ~ "I' Th-" h God L.~.

not __ I.m~ 'ult,o: .. ~,18 ,t,Rtir.f1iT1.·· '. ':15 means t',at .• ~' .. ~ ... '. lIUS

revealed one singlereli,gion, t~, 'Mubanunad, and the! othm" Prophets ..

Inthe tr,uerelisi,oo,. one .must ,obsel'V,e ~ne"s; feeUog and the re,aliz8tioD of a ~_u~eme ,PoweJ: or an ,abSOilutely 'Higher Being,who has; ;c~ated the' world. find talef), care' of it: and de:" signed lis ,affairs .,c,cordinrg' to .His o~ WiD.. 'One' must also observe ones f'ee~~-~ ,of a sentiimeDlindu.cin,Oi .... " to the "Uet in

.. ~"I .. . Dl ~,

that Higher BeiDB ,8Dlti1he -,establishmen.t (If a .. c1. li'nk wilb, -,

-- 16-

'Him neeesaita,tiu,1 His worshi,p, throos. t\:l~: 'perioftllllftee of '1Various rites" In ,a&titioll 'tD' "th,e,e, 'the: pious lDwt have a

[! iI

strong belie" thlat tbi,s Higher Be:)D,I, Who is God,wiD re ..

ward him in the ,other 'Yforld accordIng. to his deeds in, ,this lif;e~

Religion with it~ ,dj,fferen't ~efin~tioDS is, '_i! ,~id, as hum .. a,nity' 'itself~N[ot a single, :P'OUP [of human beiuls livled in,' ancient times with'out :ha'yj~g a :r'eJiaj!ou aDa, c1ertuu. idolst,o, which: that groupt~ed t,[y intimida,tion a,t,' times, aRd. by

. -- - ..

· Iinati th p 'h L.._,&,,'l..,.' ',,o'..J_ • d ~ I"

IDC Ina.tlon at 0 c~ ers, '- e~ [I,ap': IDUIID mbDDtui:boD, ana 11')C, ,I:1l'"

arion Clonsntute ,8 char,acter.isticfea1ure, ,disdnguishiIqJ every religion, right :from'the le,arJies'l times· 'UDrti1'D~ prM~t ,a,ge.

~' -

It suffices us here 'to point Ou,t, tah,e. "Various religions known to humanity during' 'tb_e:earlies,t ages~, namely,[ tbo'u.s,~ ends of years before Christ __., in~ EsJpt" Babylon, Assyria" the ,ar'ee betwee~ the 'twOI rive:rs" 'In,dia 'and her' environs, China and, :her en'virons, 'Persia, and the o(ber countries of the wlorld.

Man is inquisitive h,.nature',. We' may e:'¥',ensa_y that. he "'is innately.:n:liFous, for Wre hav'e'Dot seen I, single human group UviQg ,in any a,le without ha,,:m,S:' its, QWIlwaty ,of' . thinking in aavountio,H for 'the phenomena and l!YeDts of' the universe as w,ell ,(1:8 fOr 'the ,origiD "ud de,stiDy of MaD,.,

Every group has mer'elora' its own, 'rie~W,tl whethel" tnte or' ,falSi", as ~gDdsa)l tb,ose th[iDgs~. It also has its OYrn conc.eption [of the {lower domina,ti. all those' phenom,eJ18 and

, d ... L .. L . ,£.... ' ·d ..-. ·01' &1.. _. "n.:-__ 'S. . "I!

ev1eDtI, aD,· 'I.DUS .oBS; ,JI'eBr BD· 'reverence ,_. [ Ulat, rv'Wer,.,uc-,'~

r - ~ , . '·.3~"':L .... 1.., .~., ' _..Ji -...1' ' ,.

a ,feelIng miluca 'wepoup' to .Dlue OfJllien:np, aDO, r"',~0I"ID,

certain rites in abidte wUl the' faYOUr' ell 'avOid the wrath

,_ 17-

of 1 :Power.. .is. ftOthi. 'at .-11 '0" _ aspects;

~.JI.'.': ·r af 1 ·.-- (.:'1)-' ......

auq _'. _ .. __ IL._ ,_

- .

It· is tnaelbat then iDay ... : ~ al II is~warl' feund

in aery'. - a m~1J in· cme' natioa. ~1IIC)ft,' carina 'aeitlle .fH ...... ..far nJisious iaues, aDd, driW!:D in itslfe ", the· :lweepiBs CllrftDI ai' materialism"'. · 'the

h'· L .. -lI __ of··' iI::::I_--L.!I __ ";:..:1--=_,_. 11!:._ .. ."

___ iVY IRBUCUIi I,,: ·iUlia,n'lHII: ~ .... lII~'m.erely 8., a

.aDIe and ...... he", '~ 10, do wtthrelipm., . But

Ibi tIoeI - ..;II......... ...1...- ~-.-. ... ...... - _ L'" .~-

_~:s ' .• _ c -.' DBIl1:t3iy IlIIt: "","wat '. mllHln"tyoeverre ...

ma_, . without adoptina 0118 "Baioa or ,aQOlber. Or 8:1

I AL_ '"' ...... ~~,- - !.....~II·' - th '1;';:.) -

leut,·· 'uiIWe II _.~ to muteate '. '. ,at ft,.~011 'CBme _liter

than 'Men ,Bill. 'huIUD lGCiet7~' -

It am ,Iairly '.e .. HI ...Mu :may ha,Y!e led part ol his life, w~ sImrt or .aa;,_ witkeu,t sciences, am, or in,d ... ustrieslOB.t: hittery has _per 'blown, 8 human SJRHlplthat

I~'_~II '~"".-.... 'i'll'" ..

l.~WllIlIUUt:.rell.,.. .

.. In. tbiI conoectioa, :we fiDdihal,*e TweoDe,th, Century 'Lareusse' ,~ laYS: ,b, sentiment, or the religious iin.tincI" lil UIIii .... 1 ,mtI Imtwnte, aD, h,D ••• races~ It was ',Obsen',_ ~igprimiti¥e :Iomi with. the mostbarbaria.n people' whol ~ .. II tife .earer 'lathe 'HIe ~' 'DDilll8ls~

Tbis instiaet: OII.y,,_ens, lli",hes or .fad.aw,ay

l-.a-l _.1..'.....::,.~'_._. L-__ ·i1'iI'~·

lcam,. __ , "'II" C!Y.IJ.I.a'U" ~es noesllftlry ,ilD.DInftUS,.

,aDd dig Jlappea. UIIGQI a 1Iery- i.it" Dumber 'of people. '11ae~tenlt ... IliviD~ ,aadmetaplly.iCal ,upects, is one of die II-ral ami uuivenal_dencies,.whi.ch, have stelMlily ,and iCGDSland,. aided.ia. M .. ~

(-I·)'·. ['t- I· .. . '&'..I_W' iI,~,--,- ... -:I: .. ; '.01:'''' .. 10.._ Blat: II' -- I , 'to :refelto

_. _.' I ."' ...... e" UI ~0IlI """ .~ ._ OIle •....

tIg; ~'1Il De .... ., :M'uon - .A..rlel •.

- ,18-

111.. aD',jnsti,uctlve' ",i-. .m :Mu, de.,

rooted. iDbis ,. The: 'belief'. lCBDIthiaa or' ia • eertaiD

Bemg_~, -and 'dle.adop6m of d1enliPm- oI'that

'Ila.:_._ 'I'I...,__ '" .... ,_1 .IIi,~ - ,1,0' .. :....,_ 1-"

~ .... or rvwerlla , .. ~ ~.IIOII, m.. 1(....., II lale

-1....1.. "':I!..' 'I ~--.lI .. :-..- L.l... . ,_, ... 1 _ ..... .lI .:III ~ - ._ L.!._

UI·we'WI-.. DtZu_ .J!UI:' ,lUi: Mil. a.PU uom',_" WIll.

-L_,,,.,.&.- L': ... tile I BIt ":LenI he Ien!d aaJ

t,,~'~Dut aU _i_ :~ __clm, __ '_W,-,'ore . __ ,' wa, __ :__~· , __ ,~ 'II01Ir ...

i:"'Il..,"'.J ,:.t..,_. doi~I~~ .,~L._61k~11i iM'i-....... in him ..

mal J.J&e ai/li.il.7 uw~, .......... 11 ...... 11-.. _ _

II nUgioasfeelillli,1 oripnaJ. m. Man ",o,sucll BJI ,utent I,t IDy _. or age, .... wba,_erdie ,d ...... his adt\1N

and. clWlizati_ ' .. 81111'111. fI8ID his iIlquHiti_ _whic'h alwa,y'-f~tbe~, ..a yet upins,to :it" iheDft~ will remaj'B '811mq. ,as:theN,is hmMRlity" aIthou&h~ey may develop in scae aspeelS, Ie maid. th., .~. and culmral. pr.,.ss Bcllievedbythe bam_ poups ..

. Were. the retisiOUs mstiact. BottO ~J ~,' it

_,_,I~ 'L_L_ ..:1::&1: ~':la.' .. L.Dw...1..._- -..I'M'" '

W'U\UU lHIi¥e !ueeB 'UUl.lCWiI I'. we ..: -'71m11 .aa ' ! ,e&IIIIIpfI

'of God, to CODv6ythe ·diviD .• revelatift. to dlaseto, whoID: they had, heen :seDt; or, 'to be, morepNCise".e' r:GDfirmalion of the .revelaDOII iu. the :heart.s of '_~~. waultl. )laye ...

liVery difficu:Ittask~ ..

But. ,each ODe ·of tboseProphets 8odMessaprs; ,ef God did not find it his dUJtytD~ enaIe "Ilaat"nJiajoos "eeIin&iD. the 'heam ,of the· people 10 wh.OID die .Almi",,,, God~d sent .him,hec8oseddsletdli"· :is infUnclift and 'iDnatein Ma,D as we havea1reatly ·kDowD .. P.ada. c.me:oI' ,diem fOund

that people ha:d devialeclfnm thel pau. .Iead". the iInJe reliMian . ,alld the Deity, 'Wlho' d.."., to. ~ippect

Th.e Prop,I~ets 100Dd IODte ,01 . the ~~e'at their time

- ~

w:orshippms idols and. 'imaps .• 1DIe, othen, ~pped stan,

plUlets, trees· 'or ,aI1imalJ~ ''!heir ,. .... , was therefcn to·

)'.'.; .. ' -

~ ~I_._ 1-

· Aceonm..ly"we Ica.D ,stated1a~ the, pnpaaation of the' truereJipm ldoes~ not meaR. die CNa.bODof nUgjous inc~a,tions whic'h Idi4 nOt eust hefon., "I,t, only mea~s thed.irec~ don of: thosemcUoa,tloas ill' the'I'Ja;ht, way,whick leti,ds to, th.e tru.erre,lie10D.. .'Thus tII,f! liliYine nye)a,tioD 'in,VoIves :mftCv

I~ _ L.,

to, au' Icreawresi.I:t iguides 'lite souls "hic.k M,vle gOne astray" and, helps' 'the: mind to ,reaCh 'Truth "hly the: :shortest mia easiest W8,YS.,·

Weo' aroe ,iu,:p,oneed" ,aller ,aU thatJ:lasbee.D said,w, pomt 'out tthelact that humanirtyhas known .man,}'" un·heavenly

I;: ~. ~ h- 'L,~ th' di'" ~ I~· " ._..]1

re'gpoas: as: Ilt'.:&S ,_BDOlYD . ,'I Ie ·'_'nDe r-e_lfPODs, c-oD¥eyw

tbl'OUlh. Goo's .,Messeuprs ill, .vuiouis:agesand different tilDes .. , . Judaism, IOhristimity and -Islam, ue amoq; thOse ,div,me relipoos~ ... But Isla. is the Ia,n. of ·messages revealed from ·the,· Almigkty IGod[ ,,,His :sla.ves~ .)1· is the reJigioo

- - 11-

alp proved olb,. ,God lOr mankiDd at, alll lim.ell and m. aU

plaees,.Romani" urpDidy n.eedsi 1s18'R1.,

..

...

Man, 'w:ho is one i(lJf th,e ,(I'loms: ,t,ons,titU'&ioig 'tha ~~~orld, fails" if left, to him'self" to :I'ealize ,the {",ause of 'his-;;,:!xii~'m,ca as much as he t:aits to understand hi:! goal ,a,n~ all that in: valves Rood IOf' him. F'or thisreasen, IGod, h,ath. 0,01, left himh,el.p,le5,s" but has p'rovi,died, .hi,m wit:h a mind. to, guidie him to

\\'hat is gtXd and to .s:ho,w' 'him 'I:h,e clear main 'road. .

Thmu,gh th'i,s divine instrum'enl, Man, has 'tri,ed to know Ilhe' 'Universe" his 'position i:n it. all~l the~ objec'l, ;which he should cherish. Thishes resulted in the f,onnation· ,oftbe! human heritage', prior to,l.he ,age of p,rophe'fhood,s, ",r-i.t.1t its institution,s, views lJ.nd, ide'as in. religion, :s,oo,ofogy" p,hysics; ,jI,ndthe', ,other :fie:IDds rOf' knowl,edg@'.

But the mind may go astray, and itdoes 'too excessively when Man tries, 'to ~ealize what is beyon.dhisi ability~, partieularly wit:h regard to -tb@, :s:ubl.ime, world Bind, all that is, CcODD,ecied,with it, Henc:e ca,me all the me1t:aphysi.cal philn~ sophies left 'to, us b:y the natiollS, and se:l1e'I"Q'I,j,ons, which \V'ef'e' de:priv'ed, ?:f the .l'i;ght ,Dr th'e div~e insp,ir,a.'tion" in Eastern e,ountries,. Greece and ,e:lsewheR'. These p,;hilosop.hies, as a,

• ~ . , I!

whole, are' .nothing but a ·ridif:ulous:thing' to, the whol~e

mind'li,5 they ,dJei:ry human beings.. B.nd 'ev.eD anim.Is an,d inan.imat'e! objec't~s;, Th~y'mlake ,10:18; jiealous a.nd, at war willi eaeh ,other fordil.'e ~sa,k,eo:fthetri:lles ,of' 'this mortal world. !

- 21 -

But Gad, ... WIIo"is ,Just •• d, Wile" ,is , •• -are tI\Ja,t ~, be .. cmaes DOth~ if' left. to himself aDd, to, IUs O\¥R, mind, amd .in!

... ~...' . L_ - '. ". ". ;OL:I·· I'· L,:: .. ...J1---..III~·· U- ,~

'URIer to Dl8 .. , .1!IIIID ftlpGIIlJuie ., •. ,ws, a~, ISW.,_. ,as, ~iQlt

the ac:bift'emeataf the, p1DpOIe' lof 'bi~s emUmlce, it: 'wiU be jUlita 'me...' himlh". riPl wa,. distiQttfrom !error IID(I to separa,.' 'nth frum falseb,ooct 'Thils :ba,ppened throualll

III . _ . _ _., III • I' __

t~e elect of :Itis IC1'I!IIi,t.es.wbom ,He, ¢D,OIeto, t1DIl¥ey His

. ~,':::ch' .. ' I. ...• .........•.. . '. . ...,_.. ~.I.., ';L

.~JI WDI_-_'. ,amem :1De~ to conet,/::> WI_llule,

devet9,piQameDlalities of the people' Or Datioo :lor'wlJich tII,OIe' m ..... :were ,seDt.

1hUl 'we Dave seen Nlip.. ,eOlllin&", eathin the walke ,of tb,e ~e befOre iI" and- Goet'l 'm~~ iseDt olle ,after ,another.. Prior to the miIsiGn, lof die Prophet M,tm:amm,adi" each ]'I,Ii". ,Dad . a . Jiimli:ted Dumber ,of joDOIf.' aDd 'was ,conlineCIl '10 a IcertaiD period of. 'd~e. Thea, ,M,uammad, -

Pray .. ers ,IDd[IGod's ~ce 'be UftI!M hi., ~ was, _sent, with

I I' ~~ 'F""'!I!!!!I"--

1slam.1 the reJiRjon, ,of all ~'i when, .1baoIute necessi,ty

"!!i!!iio . . -

made ,his miuioD, iDevitahle iDonI:er to ~Itbe'worl.d, ou:t

of the clarb_l, error apcl, fal'sehood iBto which, it h~,d .fl!)JIII~

Had it a. beeD. 'orchis ,absolute 1III!e-euily" Heav1en would DOl ~¥e Icommurnkaleda ~Dew' messap to Earth, liS, ,Iuch INIIDDlUDricl'IIDB. :iDYOI". ,81 viola,don of 'dIe ),aw$ of

5 '* ..

:n&t'Ul'l\, ,8nel jt happens OiIly whea hll.anity becomes in,

ur .. t. ,and ldin, .eed of a,Dew re1iiaion,.,

Sue'_y die world was, in, din, Deed gf ,8, new' :JeligioP~1 aller" Yioiee' ,of die' prenous Messeapn, ,of, God ,had. :bel .

.. .!:11_ _ and .1... .'" I' .' of" .L, ..3.:.. '.'. '~II!!'i"~

. a::ane I!iUCIIt . --_c_ me' JR8IB ,leat1Del _ . 'iWe w:vme ~~~'Iil'; I., .

IGGd'S: :slaves had, heeD, !IOtt. 'TlUsW,BI,witnessal in the ',Mab eOuatries, ;'here th. :sacred ,Hable' :.: ,sibia~ ill (Deeee - tbe ·second homeland 101 'Chri'sdaD'i'y, in~enial which hi.d

'M •• iduteimi, ZenastriaBism , .... M ..... iism; ,8S weD as in many .1th.D.JWIlries ,af~e .. ld.

. .

'I) In Anlhia~, .peaple ~pped ·tII,e Ita·lUeI., idohr ami

i: .... s .wlUchtbey'_JI"., ·1mcI. hewed Oat. ad tkey t"" them 'er'I"'; beside God. la, his ~. "The··HitIoiy of The PrOphet " IImHeIham says dIa, ',aay _.e 01 til.. Arabs, who happmea 'ta. iF· 011 a joumey"laad, 'to take four pieces of stOne • Iris ,arrival at ,his ,.esw..tiQD, in, 1-... 'to deify

" ~

...01 them, whiehhe ICGIlIiduedthe . lIest" ,a.d· to 'make of

·L.... .,~ ..:L_........ - ._ h·' _ ..... _LO! -

te remaiDI• u~ 'portet~II,"". :,'J5 ~IDI"pot~

'Thei:r IMIRifiratiOK of hlols W'GS :ibdl, 'dlat the ,dweu.., -of leyery. 'lleuse made 8Di.o~ -'for tit,. ,...lhip'l AruI wb.en . any ODe,,,,' ·them . went ,oat on, 18 jaunley, the IIIlt- thiaI: he

hed to do ,Oft ·IU,I departuRt. an4 'tile tkstODbis.rriyal hcm.e ~w,as 'tollOUChthe i.oIwidJ a dew· 01 10."";:.. hlessings

(rom it ! -

.. Whea, the Almilltly sent, His Prephet 'MUhalnmad With the met .. ge --of MomdJ~~, the' peepl. 011' Quraish .asted . surpricedlY'1 tD IqUote tbeholy Qudn: i~ .MaMA~'" ~Ite· ,'''''' . :'0 be rme fOIl;' ~ A Ilritmp :rlJi'W' ,fonrtJoth: ii' ,t,'Iti,' l"

. "

" iii'

Ii) _ .~~ _&am.~~'~~~" ~ia lied, thle: d~l~ reli·

• . L__ "'''-:11 __ - •• _.:~_'" . ':L -., '.~ . . ·di·· fl- .' t

1I101l1, WIIUIIl' ·:I!Ul.l!U'wIlRlt" ·· .. ·Iy aSllley were Into ' ... erell·.·

.&edI, wereIlll8D:imo:1IS as nlstbe -rini dlat dlue are

. !1WO I" -:- lipt and cIubeIs- the ODe I. ~.while .~ _L. '.'-'. ~. ---,~I-~.. l~ ... ~n~ . -: ,~~'~~-"'I!r'I~:ai"'sectI- wtn:'e

_~. .. 1"- evJ .... ..I..lga 1,'WIIU'Wers UI UI!UIiIiC WI__ ~" ' ' ..

. ·ohliviau of .. the (ad 'dial.'" is IGllly oDe· 1Ged, WIle ,hasl ,ereiatetidteR_.ve.;s end. thelarth .~d, ·'has,cmI.ined,the

.

14ar1tneu·. ,_ the"'t.

Mozdajsm was .1000a. ·tltoae·~i'Jlea4iD:1 ,religions which ,ealledlor ,absolute aiIDlslII. Its. fouml~ MOzdak went DD in, 'bisn:ihiliamm-lhe eK.tmt· of 'AmakiBl ~D ,and·' money

, . .

,8 public ·pr,o:perly· in the'pOssesSio~ 01 w~ic:h an, people' were-

partners, ,ex8[ctl,' Uke water~, f:~eand p!asture H' (:11) '.

Sid.ebY side'wilh' this igra'V',e eErO~! in 'religi'on, ,8D)d ,c1",eeti, socia:llDjusltice'r,eached fUl nnhear,B,b'I'8 exte'D't in those co~t~ riles. The IChosroe,s ,cl.~imed tha,l, 'tbeT,e waiS djvin,e blood. in their veins. 'This made their s.ubiec.1:s, cons,i.der't~.elt1 gods" and thus makeorflerj~gsto t6,em and suffer intelera ble things.

/

Furthermeee, the Persian' socis,tywas a seetarian o:ne based. on ancestral ,aDld,pl~ofess,ionaIcons:idera,1ions,. ., Every citizen had to be content with his social position, and never loovet 'W'hla~ w'a~ above it, 'Thus, the' IB,P b~'twee!n the various sects of· that society W'CI.,s -im,p8,sia,ble~ and s,{lIm,~ of its members: took 'oth,'ersfor lords.

An.d 'when ,AI. 'Mllghira Ih'D Sb.oaba went to meet the Peesian. 'Co_mmand[er l\us~om during tb~ wars, between the' M:uslims, aDd the Persians hetried to ai,t, on tbe throne bes;id. Rusmm, but the people '0'£ the! l.s,tter f()lr,ced. him to descend, He' 'therlefiore s8'itt the! follo'Ying, according to the

. n,arr,ati've ,of Ihn 'G,arir ,Al'Ta~alY in his book of' :hi.story ;:

," We"the Ar,abs:, are equal. None of' us enslaves another e~cept in :figbtiu!g., It,houlht you treated your people' kindl.Y 8S we' ,tlo!~ Belter 1h:an this behaviour'ol 'yOU~S would be y,our s81yiDII dtat ,sam}e' [Df YO'O, :are the lords, 9£' the otheJ's and that nobody iste sit beside your lords, so t'hat I .could have :refrained from doing it. However,:l have co,me! he:re only at your' iDvitation, ao,d I have now Iearnt that your

'(1.)1 «Fai,ths a,nd Cr,e'eds.·'by A1. S;III,abl.:a'sia)li, ~, ,pu'bllish'edby' El , .. Shelkb "Ah:mia,d F,ath.,.- Muhammad, ,~ Vat .11: ,85~

ff .. '·II~' be ·' ... L d' ~ ~"-Il- l....... '·'_,L'ed-L,_.

,8 I alrSWli_: _' v,am,ullt!. ,ano. ,yOU, .. rJ_. ,U'i' v,aDqm._',L~_, ,~ca,use~

no, king,dom ,C8IDbe: :successfu'l ,when 'beha1Viu,8 jn .such WillY' or hl8l'ving sucb a men'tali,'ly'"

'Because 'of ,this, w'e sele the Eng,lisb historia,n Thomas Arnold s,tr'essing that the deteri'or'attio80f (lh,e r,eligiouSt and social conditions of p,'ersia."" caused the success of' the' Arab conquest ,Bind made it I,ppea,r in, ',he li,gh,t ofa d,eliver,ance '(o'r tha Persiana frem tbei'r conditio,ns:llitherto. When the :\ilusHms. achieved their p:tllrp05(!'S, :in ~ t'ha.tl,'rs,Ji, the Persians could breatheagain and they. thus welcomed the, Arabs" (1.),

Arnold"s:' claim thatonlv this caused the victory of the' Arabs i ,I ba,sel,e'ss claim inwbi.c'h he f<tUowed other 0' rienta H~SI:s,. 'Tll'@ real cause, 'which the author himsle'lf' mentioned in other places (l1,f the same book, isthat Islam is; the religi,()n of' the perfect instinct. . 'Thus it is accepted by the h.e'al.rts and minds: which are in.spilr,ed-by ,divine cla'ri.ly. The M'u~,Iims :flOuighttheir enemies w.hole,h@'8Jr(edlyin order ~Q realize one ,of the two best thi~gs. And there, is a great difference between these who fight to 'ex,alt the Wo'r,d 0,1' 'G,oo ,and those l'vho fight to' defend ,8 corrupt creed a furious state ,and 'au abominable oppressive social In:slitution ~'

3 In . Greece as well ,al in. the Near Eastern countries - .Syria and EgYp',t ~ Chris,tianity which was tolerant in. origin, was ·the predeminant :~eligirOn~ At' f'irs~', ,j't prr'ea,cbed, the worship ,of the' one 'G,od alone' and, it considered the :\fessiall, ~ peace 'be unto him, ,_ as n.oith'ing more dian. God"s: 'Wo/r,d,- Sla'v',e and M,essenger'.. But larer; it was reduced to a compli ca tied" religi,olllimpos,s:j hl,a' to understand.

The l:hri:sti,anChun::h ,sp),it into two ~ an, Orthodox in i'he' 'Eastern EmpiR' ,aDd ,BI ICa'tb1oJ:irc, in ,th,e Weslem. Empire" Icen.t@red in Rome' .. 'This split bad, la.r .. ,retl,chilll and da.e~roUis

'-- :results, ,B:S, each ,of' t'belWO' ,n,ew 'Chu~bes, c,onstitued· a CODl',Ie'teiy ind,ependerit reli!pon :rampant wi't:h stroBil hatred fOI~ t'h,e, Qth,er. This W,BIS because the spUt WI!S, in prilnc'ilpllfi am] basi.emles ,and nDt :merelly in DI,inQr issues:.

Each, oftL,e two Churches labelled diMe' who d'id DO!! ad,opt ,its doctrine as disseu,ters,-wlio m.us,l "be, punished fUII]1 oppressed~ IThis made p!Oplefeel that the' ChristialD life ,\18'" I05m:g I'ts rigonRI'S idealls". They 'therefOre,· s,trove' to, break awai fnun a wOll"I~ which could, no, 1a.~8er \be, toleralled.hy

·-them. 'The 'walst.e,1 ,o,r Egypt 'wer~' peopled, wi1h soJitairip; sec!lilng communi,oo with·God (I).

,such 'corrnption in creed, s:plit in religion an:d op~es~

, am of those, 'who ,dissented :'1001, 'the' Stale"s of'ficial doctrine .. were obviou.sly t01 be- foll,owed 'hy ]i(eD,ti,OlIsness~ in, mor,ab.' cOITll.ption in adml:inisba'tion.- ,a:nd. ,oppression in soci,e1y,. Ho,,'~ eyer, the rich ,cou'leI e'Vsde :lhlis: 'oppress,ion bly me'81'OS ,of t'hei~~

JlO:wer' ,and money,. '

These as,peels of eor,rup'bQD, of whi,cb Wl6 have menI:ii€)~ed, some, undoubtedly' had ,their -in.flue'Dee overthe spread of' ,lsl,am in many pans of' the' Roman Empire', where Christ~ ionpeo:p]e weJcomed it as they found, in j,t tb.eir sal.v8tio'n from the distress IBD,d apy hithenoafnicting them.

In this Icollnec:tion" 'Th.om_as Amolld to whomwie have (l'1.~e,ady ri!f~l, :sa,j,(I:, U'The; ,Afrie,an: .. and. Syrian doctor-

has ~ubsdtuted obstmse me1,apbysi,ccBJ dogmas for the: religion of.

.

Christ., 'The people wClie pra,cticaUy po,lytbeists, 'woismppmg,a,

crowd .of ma,rtyrs, saintsaod anl~ls;, the u,pper classes were efteminate and lco'rrupt,dle middle classes oppressed by tuatio:n., 'the slaveswithout hope for the present orth.e fu.ture~ Islam swept ,away this mass of cofIUp'tioD. aDd supersdtions,.,

, lI.iI'_~""- ..... - revo:1It-, ., ..... ~· .. -·rn;--",d. , nI"v' .•......•• I;-...,J~ .. -;'""'" .... -1. ........1 .•• , ..•..• e,mics·

..... ,"go, a 11 .. -.,_._" r-J" ~~- 1"""'''' .. --- "

it was -,amasouliDe pnIteII. apiDst, the ,eu!Jlalien of ceUu,cy

as ,a CIOWIi ef piety~ II hlVLllht out the 11",.aDleotal dogmas of Nlipn -the 'wDty ~qd peaIIlesl of God."(I)lo

I( It. SIlmved. ~t God. is: .merdful ,aalriRhteous, audlhat He cIB,imetll ,1betIieDee.,HiswiU, .resiPad.OIllllclfaith~ ,lit proclaimed .. 'responsi~~ty. lof man~,a f1ldure, _life and I day! of-)·.m .... '"

I." _~ II

",[t:en'f~ die du,ties- ,of 'prayersjlamJIJivi.ag, f.asting

. d be~ .... ···-- .. JI ., f .1....... "".I ... L_ ... '-""".: ..... '111· ., th

,.11.- .JiieYU'II!IU:e.'.. 't . ..,..... aSlae'UII:,IIti"IAIU'91It11es, .'. ' .• e'

reI~k.,Jds mcllollies, the' pen'" 1II0ral "ntiments ami the' • .ualsulJtleties; ,of ~I dispataDts. ' It replaced _Iti!ah~ .. ~rlD.DliDess. -It save hope tol the :slave'l WadI.hoed., -.lllIkin. a.d . ..,..itientD,thefUlldlamenta'~ fadS of IImna8L :D8tue ",

I

.

',(1)' '~ Pre .... IOf' W .... - _ TIIDm •• Amoidl - ,plon abd. •.

• '!I..

- 1'7-

ThlJJs\,b~am.lylhadloOketlf~ara :Ior a 10UI time to a new. right~us ~d mercifl.l'lretigion~ And. this was, Islam, the last, ,of all heaftllily. relisions.,We ,11"8 :not" 1here~ :rore~ to expec:t ,Qnoilier ~ei6sioo. from R:eayeD nor another M,es:seng,er from, 'God, 'lite Wiise, the' 'KDowiDg." as tbe Prophet Muhammad W8;S the· Jasli ,orlbe most ,elect Messenger,s of God~

What diD w,e thieirlefal"lft· wb;h f,'ortheimpr'Dve.ment of th~ world in which W'@ live, ,a.fter thelaiil~e of'sl" ,h,e politti!cat

~ ~

economic and! :slo(';ia~· msb,tutioDS .,8:ud,the. ~me:rlenice of phi-

losophies .c;alling I'or the denial of G,odJ1:s existeiDc@!, escape from ~espons:n)Uily 8Hld ,deviation from virtuous, moral~?

We wi'S~hfioI"11Dthin,g other tL,lD 10' Dav'e this Islamic. religion, .to b,ayeU,ettue be1i@i andOiDderstaodiqg of i,1 aad to Dlak,e of ours~lves siolCJer-ll advoclntes, aDd solicilors, who \\fiHdev'ote their liy,es to its: propagil.tion and fmdpeat hap.piness in that" and 'wllo wiJI - in pri'¥ale' aD.d p,ublic ~ be :good models and pious 'e:~ampll:": spe'a1king for. the ni.gnitud~ O'f IslaJn~

The' wor)d ils s,till in a:nl.eot need ·of this reliaion, as tbeiN! isn.o :salv,ltion f:or' humanity e~:cePtin be1ieving in Islam and in loUowing it., )'1; :ls:th.is: ,religion which en.join" wh.at -' is right. foibid;s ~Nhat is WirOJlI'I c,~ns, fol" truth. and guides us '011 the ,rilghtpl:tb,.,

-28,

,CHAPTB,. 'TH.'R.R

FROM 'THE CH~ABACTEB:ISTICS: or ISLAM

- - - - -- - ~ -- -- - - - - - - - -. -

Ev,ery ire-igloo. ha:siilS OWD char:a(tf'ri~tics, which :stinguish itlnnn ,other nl.pons. 'This ),e'a!~l.s' U:S 10 ask liat are th,e Chulracteristies of Islam, fOr· wllose ,advocation l~sp6re no ef~OJt ,aod withou.t ·whlchth~ca:p.~ "he,'Dosalv .. ad.OD. for the worl. ,after it Da,ssplit iu'o confJicti.ng camps

r- ~

- each 7waitiDBlpr" any chll~Be· 'Df fortune to befan the other _

~, and bas, suffered from ne:avy lcalamities I,nd afflictions from. which .it does nq,t know bow' 10' escape,

It_~s :Dot eiJS;Y nor iti:s req.uiredlbythislimi!,ed study ·to ,enumerate. aD the cbarac.teri,sbcs ,o,f Isiam. [lommunic,ated

. .

'by th.e' :lastofthe divme'Aipost)es" wR.,hnua:bt the' true' reli ..

ilion coosen lWth.eAlmi.Rltty God I'or tbe' whole' world and :101" 81_1 humanbeiupuntil 1J:Ie. ,advent. Qf theBo~~! -

, Thus, i~will :suffice us hel"-e to speak. in briel' ahout 'some' of those' Ithar,acterilstic:s,~ 15:1am is:tbe creed ofrelilioll,s, u.ni.ty, politic Ell unity and :sociaJ unity.. Jt. is the ,religion. of the'miDd and ilft~elleet" of the ins,ti,Rct and clanty" of liber~y and. equality as well ,8:8 ·of humaDi~y,.. FOlr' all this, 'it can be, said that IslaDlis a.religion, ,ana .•. 'sta_e~, and i:t is this religion w.hic·h 'proclaimed. the rights: oil Maln~

. 1 )B:El.JGIOU8U-NrrY

Surely lsI.am is the: re6giOllDot ODIIy ,of'Mon.otheism but alse of Unity~ Theterm '"Moo'otbeism,'" has a,equired one

sol,e mean'lII 'be,and which i!l doesi not 10" namely, thi' dictum Ih~al there i,s lUBe God. 001,,.., Who has, created the Heavens anal. 'lite Barth and. a:lltha, is, 1betw"een t:hem, ,and, lh,at e'¥eryth.i .. ' shan be, 'Iaken back to Him~ 'This meaaing' is 8,ainst t'he 58,1'1'''' that 'I.,ere llre'two pis, ~or 18 pluralil,Y 01' [pels.

Hence Islam. dees D,ot mere,I,.· (:,.U for' ,the belief :in thft (lniiLy .of Gad, a:s 'ilt is b .• sed on ," Unity·' in eVierythiq and matter, and :it ooventh.e dliYme', poI.itical, sexia] itlnd alll.ht' other sp,heres of I:i~f' :i.nlhis; world ..

Islam COle· 'w.henpeGplleall o~el't.h,e world were' w·or' .. · "h,iIPliw,1 adiyersj~y of lad5\~The .firstth,iJII' .it Idid was tOI dhicard aU~hose iPS; ond! '(0, declueth •• ·the,re is, ,one God only Wh(IUI1 is the 'kJn!Ql'd.am of 'the Heavens and ·of the Earth,

.:_ , _ ~" .' • ...-~, ~ , ,. I _ -~r' 1 I .. 1.. _'" I ~. __ . _ I .' _ ' I . ," __ • _ . _ • _ .~_ . -eo

Is18.m rej,etts th., idea lof die pl.uraU~y of pds ~ceiyed by polytheists in :p:neral as we'll. as the P:ers,ia'Ds" notion of' 'thel r,el, iKiousi duaU.ty,Oj· w:hi4:h isays lha.t~ 'I:'here' a:re! two" pdJ:s -. - . one' for :I~ and . the ~Jher for e!¥il~ It lequaHyrej'ectsllhe' hftlief in Ihe trinity .adl.p·led hy Ih.e Ch.ri,!11·ian,s, a!f,ter 'f,hp'i," dilstOflion ,of thl@ ~Dnlh aad ,lthe IGos,pet

The holy IQut',in .s'ti'pulates, ·th.e mOD,OIhei,stic ,doctri o.p ~'Il manv v,erses .. , In some of' these YeI'se5,the' AJm~~tv' say ... I·s :

'''' ~ _ .,11:& ilia Iii

"Sa,l" He' lis IGod Qlt:JIN'r.' .. ,~JI' il un'lo GotI.' ,/uri the mDSq'ue$

('I·."-~ ''''-t n,ftJI7rl'··' ,-;11:' I~. ".1.. .... : ... , -, .iI'I\n'J' ...... IfL~ .. , f'· L'~mnl w;t,L, .", .... ~"

__ fit ~~I_, II&r''!!!!!!o- _;jj. l~g;lt ,',!IV\t i_I'~r' .• Yi" •. ",5", ~_., 1_-lfll91l~.~'I.~ 1~_:,'&_lr' l.J!'I(III, ..

IU }''',o'' 'U- ',Ii" £"'i .... ~ I~C ,AM.' ,I"II_.A,. I L_:n :~~~ . ...-a 1t'"!.,..c.J L'ut· H'e:' ,L_ C····,··_·""s-·

, ,,' "If' 'l71Jl1· ",. I~I~ ~~ ·Ile'i~;· liflilil 11-IQ'" ~, III '_ :' U- '_"-11 _ 'I~' "~""r""".'"'-

.fiona/p., t:he Me,r.c~f;rd"' ,and. '"Say~'Ver:I~ly, He; ';$ ·(JIWGoiI, and

"., .. ,,' of' I!........... '0'.' 0'- .. 1. H- ~ "

, ina» Q,m",,"_,tlt/SS .'"., W'WI ye JOIn Wj~'n .. ' i;1111 ~

.. III' '.' ,iI!" I' ~

,.,_ ¥lUll"" ,~IIT' ,~',L.a- _ •• _IV ,;uo;. I'n/c'~-'I'- .,foIL-..., ,.Jt"t~..1 ,;,. ", L .... ~'V'fI ' " -.~ laDlI. . : ·,i_ i 'IJ'" dol-" _'liP _. _:, , .... ' I"'''' I"~" U'UII IN _-: I.,.,'

UUr'_ 101 ,hr:.': :" ,lor "her. i, no' God bill .. God"".. _

What is,rea',ly stranP, but sipificaat, of' the ClDITUp'dOlI of the miaCi and, the mability to discrimi.ale 1betweeDl 'what is, "P,t aDd what, is 'WI'ODI is, th~ fact dlat ,a~, Islam bJOUlht 'die: ,monotheistic: doctrine 10 ,lbe :polytb,eidl and proved its :IQUD,du_ throUCh IUlOIUIhle ana, ,seDtimt 8!pIDents" 'yet, thepolytbeists :still Said" aSi sta,ted in the -QuriD :' ",MGke,fj}, he the ,otis' to ,N Ibut one p4' il' A RTia;nse .fbin, fcrSODth is this!·

'The poI:ythei~stl said tmilwhile :seeilll thart, their' alleged .pis _ Icould neither see, hear" profit. ·them UJ~, nor' t,r,eatea MIle Oy even if'tbey assembled, and work,edcon,"', un:ed.ly for that, PIUlplle~ Bu,t .w,hat,· C'~ be :said ,in the :f,aee 'm the error of ,the ~mi.ncl, the Corrup,tiOll of the sense and the

'pOwe'r 'of ·b,Jmd imita·tiOD?

'lsJa'm, d.id BO·t only proclaim the unity of God" 'Who alone ,desenes ,0 be worshipped, but it also proved lba:t it -.:onStitllted ~tbthe othier ,dirine ~eHgi,ons pnoodin,1 it one . ·ulJihy" and on,e m.essage granied ~,y the Alm'igh,ty. God aulo- aD, ma'Dkind. These' Ic:iivine' r-elipons mmplement lea,ch· . oth,er in conformity with 'the,law- of Fad,ation in education, anei ,aU of ,them. ai~ at on.e si~IIe goa!" evea if the! media leading to that goal Idifferwith time or people.,

Let ushear in this cDonnection wb.a,t, th'e Almighty says, :iD Surat "Al Shoura,'" (the Counsel) '. " 'To rou ,hat.h He ,prescri~d z~ jail'h'whi'chHe loom'l~ed' ~'nto' Noah" I. whi'chJV:e have re1)saled' "0' thee', aM :whi'ch We' com,mtmdetl' unto; Abraham ,aiul' Mose~ .tmd Jesus, ,saying: 4:0bserve tms' laitn,tzndbe n01' di'villed .,intol sea» therein.' ", He then enjioineth His; ,Aposde tOo say':: "I" whmeVier Books

Goil /uzt'h' lent d.oum do I believe, .'. The refcnmc,e he're is to the IQurtn, ,and merest of 'th.e Idivin,I, Boob, ~edinl it.

In . these 'verses ,llSl: in mi~y olhersdea.ling 'witb 'the' lame :su'biect~ t'h,ere is' D, :louDd proof' that Is,llam consid@" the! mesSl;ges, of all Apos,lles as ODe~ '"'UBity,", w:hich cannot "he! dividjd, ,and, tha,t he.iho does n~ lJeJieve' in anyone of

. ,them can by no, means be, oons,idereda MUI:lim., It re'~ub5 from this that ,aU 'people ,i1r-t! ,equa.1. before th,ese religion.s anti rules: and alse 'helore IGod, ,Bind, that there' is 'no, discrimin .. ation between 'th,efonowers 011 th:i,s Apostle, ·or of the other

ODie as IOD,g, as tbey' a:Bbeliev8 inth,e miBS.ion of the last of au' Prophets. and Apostl!8S" be-st pr,ay'ers and divioepeace, be unto an ,ofthem~

. Islam :never says .'wha't 'W8:S said b,. the foUowers of ' :Moses B'nd Jesus _, peace 'be unto tbem - '"None IOU,t' Jew, 'OT' C,'uinian, ,hall' ItRlMr ,P,a:r:adi6.e~'. J:t refutesdtis s,tabJ..

,

32 ...-

The 'prin,c:ipl,@inlcluded, in 'these two "Ve'l"ses lexpHcitly sta'tes the unity in 'rel~gi(Jn as w'e)l as: in God's messages t'o Hb, Prophets and Aposde's, wh,ich W8IS, communicated by I:dam., It ialsD states llilel'i@Su'ldng unity in rights and duties 8:S weU as jn re:sponsibiHtr and reward in - ,this 'world and in the next ODie,.

Hence yre see AI, Imam ,AI Shath,y points Qulin his book "A_j Muwafaq,at"' that 'lho,M'eccan Suras, of the holy Quran stipulate laws, and rules \ go¥ern.ing universal issues, whi.ch do not Icour,ern .on"'particu),ar indhividual lor group, but are rather of ,interest to leverybody, ,and will r;emain to be :SO' for 'ever. NO, religion differs ,from, another as regard,s 'those ,issues" and it is tbefiefor,ebenefi!cial 'to' the \vhoh!,world to f'Qllow them at all times, ,aDld places.

." ,

(1) .obviously the bellier la, 'G,od:ne,cessita,t,es tti,e beUef In aU H]s

A.postles .and fD@m,essag'es: :,ent th'roug;h th,em. Stlrely' the Ia.sllt. o,t aU P:roplhets ,slid AposUes: ~s Rot ,@xeep,ted.

- ,a3--

, AD 'dlaf .'we! 'hav~sai,d: re:IB:tI. to, . ,the - - ,di:vine' r.e),igious '.

Ili,de.. As to ·th,e politiciJ,),s,ide,,''W'e Ie!e the- Almi:R.1y·· ·604. grained' islam ·to tbe An.bli~' -!,oo had .hitherto' heeD' CQm .. '. . ,letiely Idisi.nt~a.t:ed ·itri~ £eelin:R_ .Dlutual hatred iaDd. ,ei1L.o, :gaged in constant w,atfa.I\e against: ea,ch. oth.er·. :Heuce' pi.:ssell : what· is b,oWn ":in ~i!story ,8S, "The 'days of ·t:h~'Arlabsi''',iJame. ly, their' 'wan .in the ·tim'e· of ignorau.ce before the'. a~¥eat . ' of Islam,

. Som,e of the Arab coml'tnes, w·ere' '"~ir.ates" ruled by, Princes while othe.r:s W!eIie pardy 8.ut~onomous iholl;gh' poUt, . . icaIly theyfoUowled either: Pers.ia or Greece. Now' what . did I~lam do 'wi:th those: Idi:siin:t_egra.t,ed[ - ·tribes -and. :nations ,

The ,an.s'Wer isiha,t Islam 'Welded all- fhose fol'-ces, into B. truly united nadon und,er on:e single 'ruler", :foUowing OUIf unified. policY' and ,aimi·n.ga:t one isole pal, namely the prrr: pagation .'of the true ~e),igion, am,onR an h,uman beiI1IIS to be their :gui1ding beacon to S,ood. in. ·this. world. ,~s w,eU as m the hereaft,er "'

·~FloremOst among the thinlgs: done' in. thiseonn~on,'bY the Prophet Mu'hamma,d ~ 'God's 'peales' ~an.d·pra.:yef.s, be upon him -was' his. ,eHmination of' the old f,eud cons:IB,ntly aflame betw~eenth.e Aws ,andtbe' Khura.j in, the· city ot Ya,thrib" 'The Pn:»:phet united the.se two tribes,"1lpd ·constlt ...

, uted of them ''''AI Ansar" I(tbe helpers), who helped him egainst his enemi,es,the polytb,ei~ts,. This {a.et'i.s,w:ellknowu. to a.I]" who,- :~.av,e :I}ead the 'hooks: dea,liu1R' 'with,tbe~' histoty . ~ the dawn ,of lsIam~:

r

And when b~ 'mi,aratled to Median~a,;be' established' an

, a:tmosphereof 'broth,erbood b,etween.- the'. Mubajel'E',en (emil"

, -

34

,ra,als) aDdtb,e Ansar:, w,hlo bec:ame~ brothers: :in, re~gioJl and in, all other things, ~a'Dd 'who foqgh.t band in hand for the cause lof God and f,or His,re:tigion, 'w,hi,c:h, :H'e' has, chosen' for

II -1- -'L}!,---d' I 'I _ HQIIUdU ""

Tbe poJi:tical 'unity 'effected ~y I:sla,m In,dpir,eserv1ed, by the Aposde .and the believers can he @rvide'Dced in the inti .. dent in which th,e ,fi'fSt IC:aUph ~a:s el,ected. 'When th,e Pr0.phet: died, the Mus:I'i'm:$ I~)on:ven,ed a't ~USalqifa,t: Bani Sa,ldi," to choose a successor fOf' -him.'Fh,e Ansar h,e]d that;' it was their right that 'tbe Caliph sbould:. ~ , ,'elect,ed 'fro'm among them, due to the 'help ,they 'ba,(I e;xt.8nd,ed to J:sill'm· and ill . Apostle'. But AbuBakr and], aUtbe Muhaji~ee'nwith hi,m,

, though tbey' ackno'wled,ged: tbe 's,u:pport ,IQ,d feats,. of the Ansar" Dey,ernh,eleslsmaintarinedl that the! 'Cali,ph. must be elected, from; ,a:~oDI the, 'QUrai~bites:iD, pursuance of the

~, h 9) ~,~ .. ,.,

:r"'cvp~ - at,s: tnlaltlJOD. . -

"" . " Wi,lh'that, _A'[ ~Hab8b '''''11 AI. ,Munz,er,., _who was f~ , ,;dle Ansar,Pro~ed·th,e -ei'eetiol1 of' two Princes _._.' lone '. '" ~~ ,'th,eA"~$8t ',.:nd the otil"et: from,,:the Mub,a,jlereen., "But

. - .:~ar, "AJ' ~F~,rQll~l:~' J::ttl~_Wise) 'q~i~Je4 :_,10' ilia,t, ~,lY~t _ " . ,~ying": ·"~:s 'is:,,:far ,.~~ ~~I~ pos~ihle'", as no two PrinrA!S .' .: :: card ceme in.' lOUie ,eeRtury. f-:, :.J~ mis; way., . the , question ' wa~; ,

- '" sewed - by,th.election . ,of ,Abu Ba,kr~ .'

• . I ,.'

Th'~i1' ,thi.up went· on well' :duriD,i the dsy':s' Qf 'the !Rlcry

'. ':Qf 'lslam~:"a'Dd' there_ was, .~ne sole: C'aliph :(01 fbe ""hole Mus-

~. iI . •. • 'I' h : .. . I~ iii .. ,-. .: • •

Iim B8:b~n;, .I.owever vast orex:tensive' its state might ha~,'

," ~en,~ , ~is be:lpecl' tJie mai~'teJlaDCe ofihe political unity . ' of the' wbole 'nation ..

- "

. For this cause, nam1ely", ~e ,cause of prresemng

. political UJl'ity ofilhe .nll:1ioD", Musn~ juri:srb - a:rie of opinion that: tberemust be DO' two Calip'hs, for the

tJl~ 'th.e -

one

nation andtba:t it '1:5 dlutY' ,0'1 all 'Muslims 'tiOI figbtany one: 'who dares to revolt against thle ' Imam" ,of the age with the: parpose of claiming unri,glUly the 'Ca'li,p,hate fo'r bimself.

:80w fm- this, is our present '(;Qlulitioo, in whiCh the, ,Muslim nation is divided 'miDI many :s1ates, to, the effect b't each ,of tb,em bas_one O:ag'l ODe 'pDlp,it mdouel throne" - wben we are in odent, need of' lDlity" ~ solidarity aDd

" .. -, ,

UDBDlIDlty •

SOC- .:IAL(" ' 'UN'--:-"FI"V

,,_,_,.1· ..... ,1l".L,1.

If 'we m10ve :&0. 'tbe politiclls;id,el 't01 the social ,lSi de,

- ~

we shall .find th,at the social 'lUl:i~' m1cu1,cated b,ylslam has

a.t:taiued i.ts,lzeDith Bnd ibecomle 0" suc'hgreaf, m.gn],fi,een,ce that' as, aD example IchaUengin, ·tbe' whole history ,anti.1I nations,

In India, flor '9'lampI,e, wh.i,ch is, t'h.~ homeland - 01, one of the eldest worlld reli,rions,we see, Brahmanism i:fSe1f dis .. criminating betwlee'n, its followers'I' by ,di,viding 'the D.atioll into foUr' castes putting the Brehmans, or monks, on the top 'Bod the low 1(,18:$S',1 lor'the' U:DtolUc:ba.bles, in tb,e bottom.

ID. Qrder to realize 'the n,.graDt loppr,essi,on and extreme cruelty of 1his :SJectiona,Hsm", itwiU 'be,e'nough to 1mOW' that Manu who, w,as, ,ODe ,of the llegi:slators of' this r,eligion, said in the eode of laws, -w'b.ich, bears, hisl Di8'me' that the Brahms'B, must he respected and ~a;r-dedl 'with 'revereu1ce only because of his 'an,ciestral Mlati~, tha:this: judgmlents are, Bu,thentic, by themselves, lanldthO:l he 'is en,tidled 'to takel own,ership - ~hen he needs i~ ._- of' the property' 01' any' 'one' ibelonging to the lower class 'OD the :pret,exl thai the s]/Elve, aDd. aU that in hils baud Metheipmpedy af'his Master'.

3'L! _. __ I'D

· AcoordiDi t,Q tbi;srelia;i.OD, D,ODe' of' th.e peo;le be:loug", lng' to tIU:sun'ortunate ,elalsis allowed!' to Jea.mor h8V~ cOM:eetionwith :lIllything ,d~Bti.ns with religion;, ran:d he who Ii'ans to. d.o this wiOlle, subjectedt,o se'ft.re torture, sueh as the pouri0l ,of·fus:ed.leadinil'o his: ears, ther cutting out of his ~e ,ort~eteariD.a intO pieces of his: tJody rl'( i ) ..

:11 Brahmanmsm ha.s, ·thusdiscriminated .between its .followers Bndhals· 'set up society ,on such an ,abomi.nab·le class~sysl:em, the ,J,ews8nd 'Cluistilns,~oo"wh.o both belong to heavenly relliPODS~i inten3J.i,cledJ others from e'nj~in.1 God':s ample mertywhen.t1ley cla.imedJ.iha.tlh.!y a.l.onewe·ft God"s sons and bemmed Blld wben th!ey said~ " Noue but. Jew:s. Christians :shBII ,enier' 'PaI"8Im5e"' !

'The' J'eWsalso - dislcrim.ina.ted. in therb; laW5,between

-thoseWDO bel.ODl,ecito them ,and Ih,ose whor 'Wen aUeDI:~ FOr Ixamp,l.e"lhey'. ;&trlongly prOhihi·~~. usury ,RlpOnl ,he' Israeljtes~, ,1.lthough they made it theirla,wf'ul pmfi.tabl,e trade with nOD-lsraelites,wh!osel:rleachery W8:S dl.eemed laiwfulby them,. This is bec.8usethey said: "Wean!' not 'bound, to keep ,faith with. the ignorant (Pa,pn) :. folk"", wh'ell '~ht:y" were aware that they were :HM:s mvtmtiDR lies: rcoDcerninR: 16M.

Another"' ,example is that th,ByaUow th,e enslavement 01 non,-Isl1seli rCl'efttur~S' while' maintaining that no IsnreH sllould - uudrerany .,c1rcumslaaee- 'eosiav,e 'elnotber Israeli,

(1) Reader,s may refer 'tiotb,eboo<lksW'rl'tt:enl 'orn- .Il:dta :alld. ller eivilizatlGn" fOremost "8IWO'n:gw'bleb ,apt!!· cE:ruJi.:a"s OvillaatioM, by Dr" Just.we ,l,eboR.ud tll.e 'c StoQ' rOC' C~VUizatiOD ,t 'b,W", DilllF,IIIlt.

but should rath,ertreat hibt kindly ,and should assist him in his life-. (t.).

In the face] of these ]cwi,glDal tyrannical propensities of these peoples, whi,ch separate the one natiOn -on the one hand from an m,ankind 'ORth]e other, wle fin,d Islam explicitly declares with for,ceknowing no bounds the social .unity of all people', which necessitates equality in rights and duties without ,a,ny discrimination be:tween one'r,ace and another or between. one individual a,ndanotbe:r.

Right from the beginnin:g, Islam elimin,ated the state of ]arrogance attributed 1110 the' former days of ignorance, and outlawed boastfulnesa in tribe ,oran.,c~try;, elucidating that tbepeopJe"' are from OD'e origin~ Its glorious Book sayS! ~]O men l V]er£lYl We hve created you 'Of a male and a [emale; . anJ_'We haoe divided you into peoplflS an.d tribes the: ye might have kn.DW'leti,~ one ,0' another. Trubr, the most worthy of honour, J:n the' si,ht 0,. God is he_Who [eareth' Him. most", This: same m1eaning is expressed -'by

. the Prophet '-. 'God's prayers and peace be upon him ~ in' the, words: "You If!-!l rom'~ Jromt1d'amt_ a~ Adtml. iSQl dust, An Arab' ,has no' merit Irlver floon-~rQb,] unless he be' ,

. .

of,l!dter piel.y "

Thus there was no, distinction OIl the ,ground of race, ancestry, 'wealth, dignity ]01" ,any of the things used by people as criteria for- the assessment of values and bases, for ,distmCtiOD,.

(1) This dliscrimination Is shown ln the TorB.h ~Le\1Uicus .XX,V f32~39) and Deut@[onomyXV (7-.s:)]~ It .Is also e,x--:peri.eneed in thei:r past 8,I1,dJ present his,t@lry.

38

For tails rea:son" Islam know~ no c16sses, es,tablish,edon the' . basis of .r:ace ,or. ancestry f'or :elXample" . nor' ,does it. make laws for the Arabs and oihe'fS,'OI"' the non~Arab5:as·wa5th:e

. "

Icasewith.the 'Greieks ,au,d t_hel B.omans~ .In the sight· of the

I~Jain.icr,el.gion, lan.·Il~,e: ~llslims ,cons:~:iiute one! "unity" and are -ruled 'by 100ne ':single la'w:witl1. nodiscrDnination belw'H.n theruJ:er iEU1'~. the,~~d, the: n.ob'le: and.tb.e c:omm.oD.er" tb~ ·nell. and Ihe poor.

We all remember in. this connection ~hea.tti.tude 01

. . .

the Prophet·~ 'G~'~: 'p'l,ayers, iID,d.peace!be upon him" -

when" Zeid.. Ibn Haritha mtercede,d· for Al Ma~hzlDlle"a,. 'wnoh,sd ,committed ,I theft. with. a· view to :savOlgher· from the execution of~e Iega] plDuishmmt stipulat-ed "for that crime, :nam,ely the, cutting off of' her ha:n.d~·· 'The Prophet said: ," Do !Yo,uinterf,t;ede,. to wi:t.h.lwld one .01 .t,M ordl,~

" ,of A.llah.1' ,By 'God,. SbSldd F'atma"the Jau~ht'er: 0/ Muhl(lin~ mad, commit at,1wft, 1 ~W,OUl4' ~u,(relr CU~' her hant1.. ,oIl " .. ' .'

• ..... . I ••

. There is no d"i:sc~rim:in.ation. in. a.l1 this betlVeen the Muslims and the nen-Mnslims stayin.g· inrDar El Islam

t h M Ii '1. .). ~ itsb 00· h~ ~ h

~tle,: 'us1lm realm. ·untJer'JIJ.ts,anner.):, __' t, lSLpomt, the

Propbet says that ~he DOD-Mui]i.ms8re·entitled to .the, rights lenjoyedby us and 'tD perform. t'h@ duties incum:bent upon

1 h L h 'f .,. I h .. d h ~

us, 3.itl; DUgo t-1eywloy- Ii· It pleasesthem ~. Jl.l~'ge t~~elf

own "personal status 1\1'affa.i:~s 8,cc.ordin.g' . to' their' OYm laws. 'The' Propne·t 8,lsQ: enj,oin:s us to Je,8ve·tbe'm to their 'own

- "

beliefs~· .

. .

Lii.ewi:sls, Islam ,equa.lizes those people and the· M~s

and makes ittbe' ,du~y 01 the statetoassist the n@@dyamon.g them,,'Whethe,rdu~ir need .aris,es' eut o·ftbeir· ,disah,ilityto work or out ,ofth.e~ faHure to find· wort. lamar Ibn El Kha.~tab .is "rreP'?~~d: to have ,enjoined his olfitials in ,8 p~~lic

..

~.

,Circular 'to· pmvide such needy people, and th.eir children with. tbeirl'-tquiremeD'ts _,RS long as they ,stayed in Dar Ell I:slam~

The ,devotions, oma:in,ed by Is]am haYIe' had their strong: influence! _,over the consOlidation, merea,1e of 'power ,and provision oQ·f 'the falcrors, .of PerpetoaJity and immortality to this socia\unity'. Pra.yleiQ 8 lie' :kept up by .aU, a"fi~ed times, fasting is lob:sen1ed 'by ,all d,uri:osone -special 'DJOnth"pil·, ,BJimage' is perfonnedhy ,aU those who are ,aMe tlO un,lderta,k.e the journey to, it in wiell-,boWft months: ,Iuld ,at one single plaee, and Zakat (poor due) is, p~d according to. one single

.law appllcable '10 all. .

Relevan,'t tlO' this social s:ilde is wha,t 'bas: been inculcated by 15:1am and 'mted by the etbi,es:relatilng' to or deriving v,.lue from, i:t"nameiy" th.eJlecessjty of' effecting' ,8 harmeny betweenbodY8Dld, ~souI on t'he on,e haDI. ,and between the outlook onthis 'world aDd the ou.t'lliook on the' next worldoJl the other.

Thus Islam, which is the r~ligion of th.e perfect: instinet" bas given leach ,of ,the soul and the body Its right. Islam has neither :sided wif~lheE.:p,J,curea.ns ,and. ,the rest '0,' the beli.eyers ill the doctrine of se!nsual enjoyment in saying' that pleasure .i:s, the high@s,t good one must cevet, nor' with tbe Stoics 'Who maintain that the h:ighest good Iies in the' restraint 01 lusts, iront in, their' erradi:c,8tion." and in the' complete rejection of pleasure in ge-ner,al" even including

what is cood in it. '

Likewise Islam has neither !called. f'or th.e monastic life whicbtne Christians :inv'ented slu·d ob,s,e'nred not as it 0lllht' 10., have been olbsenr'ed." D,or for 'lea,Ying this, world altogether . in Il. hilcl to ,obtain the recompense'promised to be ,given

~ 40 ~,-

to the believe'r:s in the next world.. Tbe A1:migJl,ty says in His glorious Book: "Say.~ Wllo Mth prlJ'hib'i,t,ea God's gootl.'iy raiment; and the 1116:till_hfu:l viands u hie,1I He .hat'h p,rovid£!tllfJlr lIis se,r,vard'& ,J lJ /'

The \vho)"e 'lWisldom lies in what has been mculcated by Islam, 00 that 'question. ltsa.doption. protects soci!@ly from, going til) excess in Iusts, luxury ,8ln,d pleasure or f'onowin;g restraint iandpriV',s,t11Ion. It,""iU suffi,c@us to point here to the fact that only a fewg,eo,lera'd.ons after the advent IOf' Christia.nity, w'hi:ch came m.th. excessive monasticism and utter rejection ,of this world along with an its bounties, human, will became so wle'ak that 't'hey could nelenger toler .. at it, to ,qUOt'8 El Sheikh Muham'mad Abd,ou (I) '. And f:t became bey,ondpeople's:pow',er 10, adhere 1.0 its, ordinance,s Dr follow its: teachings.

Priests th.emselvles rose ot vie with KiIilgs in tbe acqui .. sinon Oof' power and to compete w'hh th.e' s;ecula;c people .in the accumulation '0:1 money,., The JI1,B,jority 0,( them deVlat,ed) from the genuine teachings ,of' the religion dlro,ugh eapric::ioU9 iJl't'erp~et,a'ti,tln and th'l' making of false accretions or dele1t.io[ui, as ittp;lea~s,ed them,

41 ~.

of the greo't Pr'Dphe't., The ,docl,r~n,es: e'nnncia'tedby it an~,! the rule!s and ,p,rinciples, on, which, ,it is based also indicate' this fact.

How great .is the number of Qurranjc vers@',s; whilch strong!y uJW! the discardm@llt of' the' imim'8,tion, of aneesters, fa,th,er'S, and,' the 'Iikie ~bief,s~! dO 10, Surat "Loqman" " ths Alm,ighty blames these who, dispute .of IGod and 'of that which W,8'S brough.t by the' teo,lbful, and faithful Apostle abDut Him" Dotwitb knowl,edge'", guid,an!c1f!or illuminating Book, but only inri:gid ,adher,eoc'e to 'what was followed by theiraDcestors,~ This .i!s ex:pries:sed, 'by' 'the Almighty's: say-

lang" ","S' !' ," But ~m' ,,',. nF,'D' t, ,~'-~~!i!' W~I' It"" ;l';~'J1IU''',~n" if'i,"',,';' G-,-,J we"", it It.-~,·t"

_:__:.', • '" .. '. a.'iUr;, r C!F Ii&Illp L_ ~fI',-"I"-' I, .... I/;lu' a"'liJir"---~' VI ._ lRL I -_'_' ,n~ .

ktmUJledge, arid htfV8 ,no ,guitlanc-e fJ'nd no il'luminating Book'" and '~Arui'w,he,n i,t ,is ,S1tZid to ~t,hem:, Tollo;w ye what' God

I.. ~ L ..I" .1. . .-.. ,. lL.F I., ,:- l"'· · L: h~

natn sent ,u.'olim,", t,i~j' ,sar, .'.":"},"', t'nul' r'e:··~gziOn In: WruC,,' .lUB·

,Iound our .Itlthers will u¥; 'olIOlp" ",

. Again, in Surat AI 'Ba!qar,a., Bes'ars: ,(( What I 1-hough tlu:Mr fathers ~ ,uit,teT:1r (,noremt and' deroid' of guidancei'''. 'The meanin,l ondlis ve.fs,e is: s:hould,~hey f:o])o,w their fathen ,even if those fathers 'coUld, understand nothing' a,r 'be! gui,ded to 1rudt :?

How great is' ,the :number ,of'· the' 'people" who w~e :prevented from beli,ev,ing in 'the Truth revealed through eifher of God"s .Apostles by the rigi,dity th,ey ha,d inherited :from their :fath.ers and iwa:nd:fa.the'rs: or by their imitation of them.! Such peopI'8 are reported to ha¥esai,d as, stated

.• s::: '''A" '-I Z_·_L1- ,-. (' 'Th' t'\...__ .' Go" I'd) '"' 1'7 ".1

m,unt .. c:_U&Rru~:-- II:, e 'Ufoament IOIJ:~ ';- -::1 : - v,mr.:y,.

we found· our ,Irrther-;f '01 ,,'hat psrswmon" and v,enl,., ,by :~heir' tOot8te,fJI ,do :108' pe ,our~IVes"' !'

FOr this the' Almighty 'God s'sys:a.f:ter that verse: «A,nd :rhus,.nBVer ,NforB"thy time d~d. we' :semi atoamer tQ'

'~42

---- -~~t·,-··- bu: its ,··,·--'· ... In .... \.' .,,~J '. ,f! V"--·'l- - .. ,-. '~I'" d· .',

on,. CI"Y nu: I,S W6UU" Y OlIBSSCDa., _ en,'y UJe'il,,_1I our

- lal,he" ;with a' r;eligion" ,and in their tracks UJe It,reated ',.

S' h 0 _ ,~.~ . ..J L_ '1'-' "W"c,I:".- .1'

ay, - SU'C=~ ,was I ur COm~oo to ,t~m,' ,apolt'_6'c__ - "i' 'UUf

"I' 1" l. • I· .' • h' . 1..,- ]f._- "-~". J'

.ven- J:' .. ' IUTtng you a re'zglon: more nB~',tt,'Uln' ,'nat y,e I'wna

your ,lather! lollOUJing}J "',. And ',they saiil:" "V:erU,. we be ...

,L~-.J'1D.·· .. ' ".- -:II- in y': : , '.~ .r· m' .'. 4'_r:rn . .,~' , " f

CJ.tf;...,.IP. LI·'Yih . I _ I." U!'I& '." _I#~~-g,'''' I!!!

,-'

As God :finds f,ault with imi(,B'ti'OD and blames imitators, 'in that wlayin H:~,sh()~y :8001.. He alse enj'oins u:s, in many 'Yerse's to resort torea;90n", ,observation a,ndi, in,teUect, so that 'we can reach 'Truth ,aud genuine ,faith, In the One and only

C -.. dl· - '1'1 'h' . ··'b 'h b H' c ~ h A'· 'II

reator al:n. :llD D, Ii 't_~at, 'W8S _Jl"'ou,g, ,t __ y ,IS C', esen .:-postll'ie~

Let us ;n,QW listen. tot.he, Abni,ght,y"s saying in Sur'at

MAl Baq,Bl'a.' ': ",Ass,ure4ly in t'he crem.ioll· 10/ Heavens and 'fJl the Earth;'aml in the' alle,rnflti,on 01 ,ni,:hi. and day; and in the ships wh-iGh pas« 1./I'1'01J,,,h ;sj,e ,sea with what is useJul' to man~:; land' in the ,rain w,hi'ch God sentleth down from Heaoen, givin, ,fiJe ,by it I() .'/ur' earth after' its deai'b., anti. by scaU,erin,' ouer ft all ,kiru:ls '0.1' eaule; and in the changlJ ot the' winds,. ,trnd in the clouds that are mmJe to do, seruice beuoeen the' Heaoen and' the E'an'i2!;; - are ~jB'ru' 10" thos-e w'ho unJerstrmJ".

In additien tothi,s verse .....:-. whi,ch, em,pha:A:zes ".he importance' of'ohs,ervatioD and ntional disclemme'Dt .for the attainment of :f,aitb in ,the only OD,e God, Who has crea,too the worl,d fr-om Dotbingnless and Who arranges, and, governs its arr,airs .as He' pleases _, we find many other verses con .. eluded "With the signifi1can.'1 clause: ,U That ye' .ma:y understand", "That Te may ta'klewa:ming" " '"'That y,e :may be, guided arilght''', FDr a people! 'of ,dis,cemment ", "For diose 'who :refiect" and '":For th.osewbo, understand",.

If' Islam did urge people so much, in j,ts; fir:s,t holy Book,

to :obsln'e ,tbe 'Um,verse with its pbenomeu,aandl manifestationaand tOU,1e ·t.he,lr faculties of discernment and intellect in c,ont@JJlp1la'tiuB' ,a'i. that :s,urn:ndlds, man. .B.d aU the world'. creatures; and _thins' cr-eated 'by 'theAlm:i.ghl,y 'God, i~ ,dild . . this only because it wants us: to go in. quest, IOf knowleqe', llsing' every means, ,aD'~ foUow:inC, el¥er,y way, so' that 'we· can uDdel'Slandtbe! 'Universe ?lith, all its; ')a,ws and_ orders to>

. -.

our best ,advantage., "In this,w',a,y", we' ea:n,becom,e real be-'.

Iievers ,a,'Dd lean lead hap,y and :prosperous, lives, ..

Thus, WI: find God, !h,e ,Knowing, the Wise, enjoins His A:pos,de' to - :SilY: "01 ,m,r Lo.Tti'" increase know/aBe, unto me" ,and, ": ShfllI,t,hey ,w'ho' have' k,nw:JIled,e ,and they who hmJe it not,,6;!' treated' alike i D. We also 6,sten in Surat AI Baq,a.ra, 'the' ,A1miRbty 'saying :uH e "il~,t',h wis:tJom~ ~ U),/wm He will,; and he to ,whom w'i'sdom- is ,gi'.vm, hath Iuxl much If10d given him; but none' will' ,bear i'l i'n mi'nd" except the wire '01 Mtlr:t' ",

III addition to, 'these 'Qurinic verses", we also hear the Prophet' - GOO'sp,~ayers and peace he un.to.h.im - says; " The Qcquiri:tion ,01 ,knarvWp is' CI ,dUlY' incu'mbmt on every Mlislim" ,mtIle _'fir lema""" and ," 'T.Ne 'ink Oll'#re's.r:hoIar U

__ .... ,1..~.ly"" , .. L_-;- "L._ .~".~~' A/'~' the n-'!y-'~,.-' "',

r"~'':;'' tIDI., I R!£6It'l: t_ ,"If& IU,MJItJU. I":. ',·TIe ,"II· ' 1,,"'" III

MOl1! d~etail,s a'bout dIe argum,ent tb;8'1 Islam - is the reUgjon of reason, intellect ,and leaming may CQD1~ in an ... other place ,eI tbi:s book. 1'1 will ,tbeJ'lefOl'e' ,suffice' Habere to say tha'i 'Islam has carried. ou.t: its mission as 'best as it coa.ld in coaoectionwitb, reason and, leamiug and that Arab-Muslim. btow:ledge wa~s "Memos:! a:mOl1l 'the strunpst· causes; ,of Europe':s RenaisSiDoe in. -the Middl~ Apt~.

Much of theiknow'ledgei" diSCO'feriesiB,nd, inventiens aChieVed. 'boy Muslim '5ciea.tists, ill the various fields or

tdenee andbmvledp ,_ :parti,e,ularly :m physics, cbemiSIl?", aItlODOIIIY" phannacolorY, medlir:me! and, :surpt"y ~ is still the mbj,ed ,of ,.~tiOD ad pride dtrouI,houtth,e ages. These aChi'e¥emeu',ts ,ha:ve unw _y been ful~1 a,ppmated by ",es,tem Scientists,.

') RFJ.'IGION OF INSTlNtT ,AND 'CLAIlrrY 5"

.In additiOll, 'to' .rill 'lb. :'We haft said, Islam is also

,.

clilfiupished hy i,ts, heiq the' 'religioo ,of iustiDtt, aDd. clarity

tb .., '11...,: h ~ ~'. d- ,., _ ..... ..JI &1-, 1_"":::

- ' e mstiDct wIiiC_;- IS, ,~;=..:ect ,aD ., pnume'iIDU. ule cw-ity

whieh doei not DIanthe :milMl fa,tigued or' UDable 'to under. .. stand or realize, any of the, dtiaas, '.~t ~ by 'it~ And,

th- ~.-I.. th' . ~ lam ,~.Il~~~- . th , .'..1 a,L, he ' __ ,.l tit

__ .. ¥Wt!S....e&e" Isy, - auo:ila;S8S ' ,e lDlDg"luie:1 :-ean lUlU I' e

intuition alloptiler,.

It suffices: .. indds: C8I1Dedi.oa to'poiu,t, out tb1;t Islam, from the dectrinal :side, ,en,joins, 'us: only to, worshipl the one' God, ,who ha,s; BOt .... a SO'D nor bas, a partner :in die Kin,~ It,ftjects 'the notion, purportinc that, there, are b90 -,peIs qllBl'fttUi'1lI ·'with leach other" _ which _as eBlDlciatH by .uaJilml, _ ... adYaca,_ elaiim tha,l IDe' j,l a, perpetual, ItrugIe 'Ite,tweentbepd 0(, pd and that ,of evil.

1i:-1 _ ,j _. aL ~.....!: ..... ,. ',. ('C)

~a.!" OJDIa'1IU '1IM!le I. IDe ''';lI!Ii'DitiaD, m;ystft'1eS I'. I .. '",

L::-h ' . of" a,'L"", ~-:' ., • . ' ,th, , '1- , .' , 1- .'

WoU; ", bODe . ", , I...,. 'VDriIbaD p1,'lHtlj -1,eDlSe'ves ClIO rea lze

orUDderstand ill a c.·ftlCi ,... ratioual.way,to the BDeDt that, til.. ask dleirf.Uo"u!l!i 10 believe ia, tboee 'mysteries;

"

ft., .... ,u ... """"'_IDf' lie ,tdJd·Q" .'Ute :..-_ IDr dle oU ... , ...... 11111 ........ __ .... tile! :I....-~, 'loodDt~CIdtd.

wi,thou,t atlempltiq ,to Imderstan:d 'them., ,Hnw' far this is &,om being possibler

The 'Idea of ·:mediatiao"' 'betw'een, God, a,D,d His 5),1;" .. :in Christia'R'ity :is Dot aeceptahle to themiud;, w,bj'ch finds :00 need ,an,d bows :no objeet of it., Tb.el',e can 'bf" :1]10. meaning in the mediationoi'apriest 1bet,ween. God, Bud, sl!y one' ,of the people, since, !Godl knows 'lhe' MUlture ,of e'very pers,OD and there iSD,D screen 'bet",.eel), Him, and any 01' His, lerea:tur~:.

Islam the'relore believes jhat 81ny creature can 'turn ldire'c.tly tawaflds, God and canmake his request without ,any mediation from any ,of the~ mle,n, of'reUgion" IOn this, the ,A1lmighty ,88Y:8, :: "And w,lzenMy' ~'eF;VQnts tIS~ thee' conI-

,i 'II ,. L,_, ·:'1'," b' '.' h ..' h-' ,'",',J

,eer,nIT"g lYi'16, t,nr::,n ,IJVI:'C ~ ell ,nl8:'~, IIn',O' tnem, . ;Wlil": ,an8,wer

ithe; ICry oJ him :that crie,l,h'" ,w,'hen lUi c,.iej',h~ ,Nnt,oMe 'j!; ~

Similar tothe idea of mediation j,1 the notion thpt' man

- hi l'·{ '11- , •. I 1...._.'.' 'I d d '. b' th- ," • '. I

cam:e to tms II;e Wi]Le Uie:),Il;(I ov'er' Oil ,e", W),I':. ,. :,Ieor::.g~na

sin", from, wh,i:ch 'theq, 'ODuld.be' no esc:a,pe fOr' him. 'This notion is, also eDu.nclated. by Christianhy, and w'e blOW it from :ilS boola, 'w:bich ,are av,aila ble to, us:. 'Cbristi.an.s m:ean· by this 'IIOt1oo 'tba't man is, hom. 'wbiJ,e belB,ringthe burd.eu of the SiD which wa,s committed b,. his gr'eat Find-father, Adam - pea,ceheunto bim _' - wben, h,e ~ran,sgress@dhi8' God's oo:mmanld a:nd ate from the' 'treef:orbi!dde'D to him

. . -

b:y his. Lerd,

Thus 'they hold 'maD relSpon,si.ble! for a. crim,e which he has never' ,committed ,and lb,ey'm,ak~ him s.pend all his lile suffering from. the; heavy bUI"de!Jl:s oj' th,ataUeged sin. Then rhey' ask him "tiD, 1beUev,8 in the, doe:trlne'of' M crucifixion and. a.toD..ement", ,acoonlilic to 'whilch the' A'MesiSi~h _ god M is

said 'tOI have belen ,crucif'ied 'til ,atoll'e f'or 'the eff'ects of 'the! first ,lj SiD'" 1GB m .. ankind ~I

"

Bu,t how ',cou:ld it be, possible for ,any sane! ':'mind . to be-lieve that "God" as they aUeiled" Icou1I~, bel ove~oweredand crucified 'by His; enemy 'while; .. , Hie was, imploring' help and getting no rescuer I!:

On. the: other hand" the Qur,An, wbi,c'b is, the holy Book of the Mulims', says ahoutAdam - pe'8ce be unto him :: iii And ,Adam disobeyed .his, l,o'rd' ,(1.'00 went astray, Afteruxuds his l.ord IC'hDse hi,m /0;1"' hims,el/" ,€1M was'tu.rned to-

',lIJilTtU him, and "wde.d ,him .. "' It ,also enunciates that nothin:g shall be. reckonedto ,8 man hut that for' 'w'hleh hehas made ,efforts, and that the burd,eD,edsoul sball not bear the hW'den ,or another.

It further 'enuneiates;'lha,1 man IS, born completely innocent" that whosoever shall ha,ve wro~ght an atom's

• I

weight of good shallbebold it and, that lvh.osoever shall

have .'Wrought en atom's weight 0,1 !e~vil sh,all. beholdl it, and that the! A~gh~y (~od Is Sbong' a.nclMigbty" so that nobody. can affect Him,

Finally, man can become a Muslim m,erely' bybeli@!v .. ing Jn -.e one' only 'God, who has no partn.er from among His. c[',eBtu~es, as well as in all 'God's a.pOIdes witbout,mak· ing any discrimination 'bel'w~een 'them., Obviously nothing is mnpler '. lor clearer than this,: Also, nothiugpI:'€!vents. tbe· ordinary mind from ,Qc:cepitin;g' these plrincip,les and. the rest 'of the 'principles on whie;:h Islam is, 'ba.l,ed, I~'

But, all Musilims -, - with the' ,exc,ep,tionofa few', whose .is~,n5ion is not wlortlly of ,a,ny oolis:id,e'r:a,ti'on --- unanim'ously agree on :glvin;g. plr'elerence te :rip;ht disoehIment over

. the' ap'parentmealuing ,of the M,u,slim laws, as, IcgmmUllicatecl in the wriuen text" 'W'h!enthel"e is cOD,tradiction ··"t-weeD we

, ·'('WO, whileadmittingth"e "-:-U'lh of' 111e "oDm)'unica,ed text ]ie,a,ving7 what is intended 01 i.t.to God, 'Ihe' bo_iDe, the' Wise'" or intel'pretiJ1B it ,ac!collding 10. the' mles,of'the 18 ..... age in, which the ',ext is 'written. an,d in cenformitywi'. -w'hat· has .been proved by i£lisc,emm,eJ),t (s),

•

~~s agreesiwi,th, ,t:he' ,coD,clusion:s M,IC:hed 'b, Al Imam AI. Ghazali in his book "Ma,arij Al Qu_ds'" (Tbe Ascents of Jerusalem) that discernment is like, th,e foundations of' a bui1d~ng while '''AI :Sbaria," I(the M'~slim, IIi,w') is like· the ~ constmetion work :in that building", and ,tbat both,supplemen,t leach other and are useless if' taken: indepe:ndently,. -

W,e may conclude eur study 'of ,this poin't' by motioning that thanks: to, the faltttha,t, Islam lS, the religion of perfect; instinct ,an.d 1h_a.t: ,all its doctrines: ,I,nd ide'¥~ltions an' ntlouai, Icle.'1" BOld ,eas;il:y compnbend,ed, this; 'true' :relipon. has never'been subjected to any ,of' th,e violem shocks from w~ith Christianity has ilP",e!atly :suf'fe.red be,cause' 'of' ,the dil ... ficult doctrines ,and 'mysteries ilin'v,oiYes, which are beyond: the J'lealizatiGD 'of 'the' mind,.

Thanks 'tiD ,this s,am,e charar::teristic, "'0 qUJo1e ',be' weUknown, Italian historiaD, 'Kilani,i:t, .hsippened 'tha:t when the n~ws of the sudden lemeJiRlenlce' of the Il/ew di:Yin,e' ,jnspiraliea came Gul of 't'be :Desen, Christianity ~ ·whi£.b :hard. hilherte been min:g1ed ,with deceits: an:d ,artificialities,··tom by intern.l

,,<I') b.a'ers may r,elierlO, .Islam :a'nld. 'CIlristlanltyt '_ U.elm ...

EJ: Shildl M:ubammad: .A,bihll (PPI sa-60}I •• d to 'TIIe, Law' of Interpnllali,ODI .,' AI lIDam .AJ Qllazali ,andl tT,OW.tIb, ,A IGood

"" .. p:. ..

I'

,. ~.'"

..I'::" • .. • ped'_.' '~'1...._" ~__ _._ . .1+

IIIft11DD1, IInp _. .... ,ltI _11£ ~"'~o::IJ lUlU ,III: .... over ..

...1:.._1--..1 .._, ".11_·:1..'&1 --r"~, ._i,;-'DS··" ~ \"'--'.;me·. ~ 1..-_ .' L ...... ,

.......... ~~~, ~UI .. _ _1 .... '.'~~~~ __ . ~. . U!V ;~. __ iDI.

• &I...~. _1:'-:-· L,!_'L, . __ , ......;JIi - .lI: • . .. .'.1...

to ' 'w:JC Dewi;~WIDI:D m_ ~ to' IUllSlpateWJillll

,ODe' , e ,aB thole ,deuhts ,~ to pnmde' h,pmaIDtY' wi ...

peat ad'wantap :in ,BcLliliou, 'I., its, 'ujjsputehle simple ancI clear princi:pJes,o; Atd.at- time,tiJe East, left, Chris1ia,nity

-- d-I ... L-: . ,~ ... ,,,,",,,"111 ,'.', . ,.:L,_ ,- - '1- .L· .A __ L_' 1a.-"L, (' .. ')

,aD __ ~W IlMW,lDto' lwa' ,BII'IRI, '0, Pie LU"1I'_ravpllet,, t ( •

,We may :saytheDiba,t aD,lhese thiup, happeD,edj in the early years of 1~lam,thaD,b, 10 Ibat chancteristic which distinguiShes it 'wer other reli,pOD,s., - It I ctistiDction will continue, untUtbe, Jastd~ys oftllil: w,ur],d"RD,d, people every .. ,,~erewin ,alw,ays and 1., ,ever' find, ,Isl.,m th"e ODly religjoo capable of a~actinB' :peopl'e 1Jeca,use of' it:s e)ari~ in addi ...

_'. .,L h . _.

bOIl to l:tS: 'o.:oer' (:_ - uacfensUCI:.,

6) RELIGION ,OF 'FREEIXlM AND EQUALrn

. ,

One of the odter impona.'nt Icbal"8ctenslUCs, ,of -Islam. is.

Ihat, it 'is also, 'the -rei_pOD ,of' lnec1om, with 'the full meaail1l" mel impUcations of the wonl, ,as: CODtieiyed h,y both, the· Westernen; and ~the Arabs. 'l"heweU .. b.own social 'philosopher Auguste 'Compte said that,the tlest, freedom we can haft is by w~ _ ·1Iest 8.B we ~ 10 :mab the pad

.. Iin- .' .. '. ~: Oi, "':L. L._ . ..I

IDc_I'~at18D1 :m us '11 .. 118118 me DiU, .....

- .-

Remon QII,.e .... shaid helie¥es th •. tf~ is DI8Il'S seH, .. NSInlint,. whiCll iI,.ehlftett 'thruuPltbe wetrk of die operatiDl miDd ,and die will apinst Iuat, ... caprice.

(1) '. :&_.1 ... 1 AI, :111 •• ,. (.... AIm_Mef ai' -'I" ... , ,..:....yo. :D (p •..

, - - - I .... .. ... .. _.' ..

1011).

~.

- ,t"-

Befo~e these two thinkers,tbe well-known stoic philo·sopher "'Epictetus'Msaid:: "He who wants to be, a freaman must neither fear nor' ,covlet. ,anythi.D,g o!\medby another person, otberwi,se be will be ,definitely a ~da.v'e!n.

In a.dditi,oft toall these we, kn.owthat flieedlom also in .. eludes the liberation '0:1 th.@ :mindlf'r,om dle,cepitillDS and false traditions" the UberiatiaD. !of ·tllie weak from. ·tbe :powerand might of. the sitl""!()ng,. ,Bnddle! ~beration ,of in tellect, the win and work, as long as it d,Des :Dot ,.0, hsrmto ,others or to, LWte 'puhli,c interests,

These 8lre.Jthe, mean.IDgs ~rthy ·to he· mend.onedlor the word ,nfr;eed,om.'''m halth. 'the Wes:tem and the' Eastern tbou,ght. Islam came ·with. the ell'Wlcia.uon ,()f this freedom in aU itslonns, .

.

It Iiberatedman from -the . worship of' idols and Unages;,

which n,eitherse.nse 'DGT ha,v,e :po,wer ov,e~r anybody either 'for good. 'or II!!)I" evil, It also liberated. him from the errors and traditions Qfthe ,.·Uters ,andl.anoes,tor.s" wbic,h. were far from truth and which dJisEI,DTeetiwilh ·the: rio,·Lt thinkina,,' of~

- IC)'- _. - ICI,u·- - - . L'='

the whole.some mind ..

In this ,conn,ectioDwe: find. Islam strlol1lgly, lay ·the' blame on those w.ho usetlto sal)'" whenthe:y we~e invited. te the true faith:: ~ In "his IDe tountl.: 'OUT' f(1the1'$"~ In that 'w,ay, those people f,ette:l'ed 'tbeDtS8'1.¥es: and their minds by the' false ereed a.n4m:is:I,eadiJil:G; tboll.l~t o:f' their' fa.·lhers: and. anoesto,rs, ,oblivious of 'the risbt the'y sh,o;uld. have to ,&n.jloy the fr@@d,om ,of'ihoughtand,beU.ef .. a:n,d b'), f'OUOlY Tm.th., 'when guided. to iL

Then, Islam :s~o-ngl,y ,d:irects onr attentio,n.to the' fac.t, that there is DDreason in our taking 'eac'~,others for lords

be'side God, Thi;s, is, ,expounded 'by the A1mitghtyis injuneli.on to His -Apostle to :S8JY 1:0 the people ef the: Book" who ga;y,e a d,eaf ear to this advocacy : "0' ,peo:pl':e of ,the Brit>"£: l l£Joms Y,B' loa iust j,ud"men:t ,Oe'tw,'ee,n, uri and 10U _', T1}a,1' we' worshfp' no,ttlU,,'hl but God, antl. that sue join no o"wr cod widl Him, ana' .rMt' the. one lot ,u.s: tQ,lu! ,not other /'or'

gods, beside' God. Then if'they tum th,ei,' b,tlcb, S:a'Y' "B'elak ye; witness that' we' are M,fUi'mJ·

Onthe people' 0' dl.'e :Bodk re:f,erred ttl, in tbe ,D bove VI'Tse" who, w~e Jews and.. Chl',jstian,s" the ,Almighty also. says :

" T"h-' ,-- h '.' L_ nd -h ~ k d 'J ,lIl"

, ',' -.6)' tase tnetr ,';fRlc"~,rs,, an , t. ,'fI.lr mlon'-s, an,~ ,t 'le Jt es-

'siah., ,,·on' oj Mary, lor IG'odS' beside ,God, though b.itltts,f/&, tOI wors,/Zip one God Oldy .T'h,,~,r,e' is no' 1Ga-j but H e ] ,FaT from His glory be tM'l' :they asseeiote wi't'hH'lm I"

After this, w'e findls,lam liberates; tha weak from thl" strong as well as ,fr,om his; power.. The: Arabs and1b,e' olbe)

'. b ~. 1- l' ~" · h·' d- ,ch k I ·

natIons .~ elOI'e .,!',am ,u:I$10 ,,'enle,. 't. .,,~ w'ea· er '~em,ent In

the family.; name;'y, w'omen en.d children, They even. consi,de,red tbe wif:e as :part of the legacy le,f', by tha dread husba.n.d",

Justifying this conduct, the ,old Arabs said tlrat inherit .. , ante was only :for "those who eeuld fiSh.t and. iget 'the booty". They 'we~e t:be,re:(ore extremely s,urp'ris~rI, ;when they f'ound the, 'Qurin a:ssis,ninlK a fix:e,d share in. the, inheritance for the ,,"fe, the d.aughte:r a:nd. the little' son" Thus" 'be ,sbOlili,on of the 'hahiits ,of'the' dark age of Ara,biBD l:d'stor.J' involved, the Ube'rati,on 10{' the weak .......... whose weakness w,;s ,either in:sti.nctiv,e: or on groWl,ds, IDf _Ige ,_ from the' oplpre:s ..

• ' . f' L.

1100. o:_} ble 6ttODg,.

Leaving aside the 'qu.estilon of jnhe~ritan~e"wefjnd the 'I;'tmng - in general - ,cherish,ed his str8'ogtb with its

- ,5.1 ,~

"' .. -: ....

, \, ,

different causes, :IDd 'W'IS impelled by,the fOf'ce oil' hilS nature to

'wrong 't:be' we:aik, 101 the extent of humiliaUng I,nd evenenslaving him. This phenomenon is lewden~ed ,a:m.on.g indiv~du,als" groups land natio,ns" :in both the aaeient ,and modle~ll1times,

Islam, then lcam~'as 18 :sb'oq farctor 101" the li,ber;ation lof the weak, froJD tbe 'power, oppressli'on d,d tyt'8'm:ly'of the 8,trong. This is: '~plicitly shown in maID,Y' Qurirlllic verses" hadifhs an,d in the wad,ition lof the Prophe",~ - IGod's, peace IDd prayers he 'Upon him ,_ ,as wei), as in his:' Id,earUng with his oomp,uUQDS,.

His ,f,int ICa~pb" AbuBab AI. 'SfKldiq - may God he .af~sto him-- i:sreported t,Q his vie said in the fim: speech he Igave foll&wing his relection by th,e Muslims '·for' the Calipha'tie: M He who, 'i:s weak, ,among' y,ou is, strong iD ,my eyes until J 'tale for him his right, ,and, hewlio is, stroI1I' i,s weak in my ~yes 'Until, I ta,lie dia,t, right from bDn if God WiDs\. "

In addition to this, 'W\e! :~member the eftI"-resouudbqr llatement U Since,wh.en have' you, enslaved pIOp,Ie whe'D, 'tb~y \gef1!' hom. :fmemen. by 'their motbe'TS:?' ", Thi,s .'temea'i w,as ,1II8II,e by' tle 5eOaud Caliph, Omar' Ibn AJ Khat .. lab.,,'·'to ,his 'CommissiOner" 10 Eu'P,I:,r Amru Ibn, A), As,s, when • 'weak 100pt, rmmpllaiued to "the Callipb apiDst Amnll's SGQ for havinc 'beateD .~. Th'l! caliph summoned] the ..... lOr and pm.Uahed, him for ,bis ,affea,ce .piast, tII,a ....,.k

li'ii'lI'IIN'IiI~: , ... - ~r'WCUllfi'

Tbis stat,ement is Ian. will for ever be used, .: an example 'r4equa61;y between, ,';Upeop,l.e without , •• , dis-

~ ~., .". .1.._. . . .L_. ..... . 'd' . ...L,. ..' . ..... ..L_

CI'l'DUIIB1UOIl, loetween we IIIIOI1f aD' . l.IIe' ,._' alll'Gl1\l'Im:HI"

W·· . '. ..I:....~ .' I. . I' . tha· .' . II.. ., - ..'.' d-':La-..:l ..

, '.' e! lDaylll~Imv .; .e •• IIe' : It Dmnam:ty' IIID .. ~,I"

the principles of "Iiberty, fr,aternity and equality" to Islam and n,ot to jhe French Revolull0:n as ,a,lIeged by those who, are'ignof'ant of' Islam and its; his,tory or ,those' who are prej udiced againstthe religion perfected by the Master of the worlds, for all mankind,

This a"ctio.n by the C:a'lipb, 'Om,ar" w,os not a freak not to be repeated Ior a second 'time.. Equality be!tween.a.U peopme and the punishment of tbeBgiH',essi'vie, strong in favour of thew,ronged weak w'ere, forelDos;tamong' the principles on which Omar'srule was based. And there! is; no wonder in, this sine - tbe Qur,an enjoin.s: it and both, the' Prophet and his, first Celiph exercised it.

When,ever the wiseCali:plh Onuir' sent a Go?ernor nr Commissioner to anyMusUmnafioin" he used to say ~ ~ 0 " God! I have sent them neitheeto take tbeirpl"openy nor' to beat their bodies. And he, who is oppressed by his ruler should ,owe! no an~nCle 'to a:nY'OD,e :sa,'ve 'myself" ~

..

In one 'Oof h.:isFridays' :Siermon.S he' g,aid: "0 'My M,3ster Tale I Thee to 'witness th,at I have s;ent t.he' Governors to their district,s to jeach ~pll'ctheil"re'ilgion Bind 1h,e,tradi~, Dons, of their Prophet_, to divide t~:eir \Wlahh hetwee,n t~em and bl act rightly and iostly,~ And ifthe'y "find ,any dif ... ficwty :in that taJsk,they may :re-Jer it to, me: "',.

In another' :SenDion 'he, 're,fenced, to, I:he! saim.,esubrject and Aid: g, A,ndt be' who is; treated ot'henviis@!, should R'port to' me the, wroDg' done 'to him, ,~nd .1 swe •. r' by Him Who holdethi my soul in His hands that: Jwill punish. .heWl'OI\I-doerL~ ~ 'With that Am'N Ibn AI, Ass rose aDd said: "0' ,lCOmmander lof the Faithful! '[)o, you, DIem 'thIS'1 if' any rUler happelil '10 puniSh ,one lof' his :suhj1ects, 101 memI him diat :;ruu, will maiD requital fJuth8,I,ru.i.er?' '",

M Yes", ,answer,ed IOtna:r" w'hoadlded:: ,. I again swe'ar by HUn Who hold,eth Omar's soul in His hands to punish such a ruler, Foroow' ean T re,f~a]n, from doing so wbeD [ sa:w the Aposde of ,God making requital on himself? ",

'Then, we :fi:nd that Islam strongly denoun,oes him who yields fc hiacaprice and al.[olws hil&, hists ,to Idominate his mind, which isdte mlost honollf'ed ,ele'ment in Man. .It, warns such a person ,aga.instthe gr,a,v:e' censequenees of that course, whi.ch may Iead 1o '8ROl"' and t,o the, torment of the flame'.

To 'be truly' free, man should, 'DOt lei his, caprice, 'Justs, and instincts ,ens'!JRvle him, nor should be suh1ject 'his conduct to. anything but his, wise' discernment. Tbisfact ,is, empbasised by Islam in. the IQuran and through the s,ayings ,of the Apostle, companions and true foUowe'rs,.

-.

The Prophet, Ged's peace .and prayers, be unto him" is reported to ha.ve~ said! ,U The ,be's," mind e,v,:,' ,acquired ,by d 'person is r·ha,iwh:i',c,h, ,uilks thatperson to' th« ri',ht' way ,anti d'ri'ves him ,ba,ck ,trom ,dtlllBer when he is exposed ,&0 i't"'. This means that man is sav,ed from ,danger ,ilbe liher,ates himself frem his ,ca.price and f:oUow's the voi,ce~ of the whol. some mind and the r~lhleous conscience .. ,

Aly Ibn. Abi Ta:leb· -·may God be F,a(:ious~o him - is also qnoled.to have, saildt "'J,fea.r two' things for you'~ flo follow. ylO\ll'" eapriee lor 'W' hSV1epretennous 'I!XP'E! eta. tions, for the first pI'ieventsYODfr,om~eacb:ing Truth, while the second makes 1'00 forget dl@,sec,t)ndwor]·(j (11)1,.

Foremost 8.D1.0I11 themanii'@'slalloos: sh:Dwilng the· interest whi.ch. Islamtakes inthe freedoRlof e¥,e~l' c.reature is that it. - does not 8110credit men afreJigiloD. 8:S, m,edjia,torsbetwleen. God and His slavesto all.o'W8Ddl disaUDw things Ol't:,o absolve them of their sms:as .istb.e ,c:;~s;eMth ChristiaDity~ Islam enables e'\flery creature to he 1:n 'oomDuniou 'With the .s:uprem'e Creator, to ,oonfer ill. priV(1lewith Him .and! to implai~e :fO:I"~ giv1e'D@:ss forhisi sin ffiom ffim" .. if'bel is ·sincefiem his repentance, fof' is. He ,alone' Wh.o bears: the secret and the priv,ale ,dm:scour:se~ .and Who answers the oppressed when tbeycrytol Him anti ta_kers; their :ills: and forgives whom 'He win,s.s sta,ed, in the h.oly Qiur'an~

Another' m:aDj~esta,tion showiuii 'dIre inb!reettakenby Islam .in the freedom ofMan,.fmm the· d,octrinaJ :side,l'S tbat God sent Hills. .Aposde mel'1e,Iy as D. guide, ~.nnounoerol pod. tidings; andwame·r.·,!. wilh.ou.t empowerin.g him to force anybody to beUevein.Him lor in His messsge,

This is ,e11'licLtIy shown illtbe' Almighty"'g! Saying in BUret ~A:l Bagan": ,U Let ther1!H ,no CfJlmpu.lrian in Beli .. IrJon.i Nmvis Ins right I!NlY' .mmle din:inci from error", a:nd. :in Surat You Dies (Jonah): u:lJu~· .. ift'/Zy' .Lara had pkaserl, ven":l'y ltdl who arre ,in: . :r:he earth ;1DtJU1tJ.:htJv,e' beUev:ed together. What.t wilt .t·hoocompeil men to ,become beli':ev,£2'rs}!"

·(1) Readlenmaf'-Dlutolm:a:m Abu·l. H:assaD.AIBasry A.l Mawar-, dy';sOOo:kcEthi!IS 0,1 the world aodl reUgion:. ~ :s€u~ond @dltioo

.~

I:sbtm ':5 care: and .app,reci8JlioD, lof' th.e! tibe!rty f)tf Man is .furtherm.a:nifei's:tediin tbe· views()f' t(he' Muslim. jlur.ists who say.: "II ,a boy,whM@ lparentalge is unknown" happen ...

. led lobe the subj!oct. of !dispute 'between a Muslim Rn.d llDI :infid@l, and .i.ftbe infirde;I said thai( 'the boy was his SODI ·while· the Muslim said tha,t hie was, only hi.s: s.l,ave" then the boy is 1;0' be,' rel·eased and begivelD tOI tbeini idJel ( s ), he .. cause in tbat,w,aythe hoy B.llaiu,s fr·eedom. at the moment andlslam.].llter·wh@nhe(l!ows;. Dip and becoplesable to! understend jhe tnrm,dences p'mying the· eX'istenceof' the AJl.mighty God -alnotbf!' m'ission olE His Apostle who was s.rent 'with Islam, dllemostpedect ol,allreligio.lls~

N:aw we !iIlain ·I'letum.'o imiUlltion. BID.d its peat danger" but from !8.Dllother sid@, nam@]y." that ofjurisprude'nc@·anEi the ][nowle~ge of the reli.giousca.Dons~. This imita.·tion in .. yolves :ri:gidity and interdiction. ·of·the·m.in·d as well a5·~ Qf' its fr,eedom. in. ":Iji"tiha;J" (ana·I.ogi:c81.dJeduc:tl:on) when .Mall is prepared. for .it and is. :prn"l·ildedwith .. all Its neces;s,ary tool91 land when. it is lenjoined b.ylsl.am and urged by t~e: Apostl'9!,. who. .a.!cceptled it .from his ·Cmn·p.anirons..c

IjHhadl has been. !oineofth.1 :import.alntfa.c:~().rs contribut .. inK 1:0 ·the· flexibUi .• :y rand Id.ev,elo·pmen.t. oflslam,iic C4:Piqh ". (jurisiprude'nte)andtbe ·I;S,tahls:hll1@Ot off t,Le' we:U~knOWD

. jUl'ispruclen.t:i.a~ dl.octrine.s. sp·read ia1]ove'r the Mus]im world. too.ilIlY as w,e:n ,8!:S 'OJfthe ,other d'octr1,D.es,. which have a.ln·ady faded ,away :aftldh,aveno· 1llfDIJe'r any loUawers: to support 1Ihem.

But V!eI')' un'ort.u:nale).yandpainrully,. w1e have for

I(J) H,e .• delil •• yrefer t:o C·,UDulf· AI Mallc:ht .• I".' (Tlle' .·lleeted·

Genl.,) Y·ol JV (p'p. d5 .uid _) ~th'kd, ed:~UO:D"

56·_....·

lonR centuries hem :afflicted with.·rigidity and th'e imitation !ofoertain ,d'octrines"beC8,Urseit has: been aUepd that the Bste'to Ijtih.adha:s fOI" 10Bg tu:ue He'Ds.eraIed Up' ~

These whe aU. this mokeit; incumbent upon every Musl.im toimitate one 'of the established. doctrines, although the expowulers ·1them:slslves ,ofdtos'e ,d,octrines prohibited imitation." 'Theirp:rohibition was d.eclared by ~l .Im.BDl. Abu Hanj'fa as well ,as,: by !other le,B1ding jurists: ..

AI_ Imam AI Sbaf@i,as nSInated by AI BlJihaqy, :said:

"Be whO' :SJeeksknowl~wilh,ont ar;gument is I ikea nigh.t wood.<1!lt:u~'r carrying ,I bundl,@; of' wood in. whi:ch. then~ iSH snake, 'Which hites bi:m with.oul-bis;realization.'" ( 1 ).. .AI Imam Ahmad Ibn Ha.mhal is: also reported. to ltavesaid:

J "'-!Ii

,uDo not imiltatem!e ,or any 01 the OIh~'rlm.ams ~. Malek

Al 'Thawry Dr A] .Aw:zai ._ bu·t take knlowled:ge' from the Bournes of·thelr ]mCJw]!ege". :namelliy,. ·the lQur,an and the tradi .. lion of the Prophet.

Ismail Al MozB.m states in the early p1ages: of his "'Smnmaryof Jurisprudeaee" that he epitomises, in it the learning' o,f .AI Imam. Al Sha,fei in ordertosimpHfy it,-Jor whoever WtllDt,ed. it, whUepl"!oh.ibi.ti:nIR him w:ho,rea.dlB it from imitating-it mr' ,any :simi:la1"workwitbaview to observe his religion and taking precau.lWus for lhimseU' (2\ ) ~

Now where is this . frgedJom Oil tbought", which is l!Dved by God and. His Apostle! and 1C)n. which. the· edifice, ·of Islamic jurb;prudence BDdl'eaming ~ in gene'rnl ~. ha~'e' been based" in the iattem.ptsmade by certaia people .in these days ta

(1 and :nR1il',ad.ersma)" re:fer to cAI,':am AI. Mu.waqieen", by Ibn AI Qayi!!.m.. ~ V!ol~ I[ ("fill);

stop .us within mhe hounds:- _of'the Jestablis'h:ed deetrines aml._ to ,disanow '"Ijtibad "'Erven. for those' who. are .(i.t foJ' it, when we are in diJr,e ~d :for an~alogical,deduttiJon l' .

1:!1;lam is thela:st ofallth.e: divin.e:· ·me:ssages se:Dtimm II~a'v'@:1l: to Earth,. and, ,1.8 such, it has rohe ,8,' ··univeJ'salreH ... - glOD. .rot a11 -people,. Th.e n.aturie ,of 1his -mles.sage m~s.t be 01 a' kind thatmakes it fit. lor .buma.nit,. in. 'I!veryagEl,gener:a .. tion - andtime. The personality " character ,andi.n.a.tur,eof the Prophet'must . be- ,oftb.e id}eal -typ,ehe:fitti.ng· hi.s being tl1:t elect Apostle 'for ,aU 'Godf's. slav'es;- so 1hat ~v~ry person can .find in. ·him.ms. i,de\a~ and the 'lig,ht which will.tlw~e hint tbr,oughop.t.·his Iife,

. .• '.' . - i. -

. . .

"Thus, we "f~d' tbeA.l!mighty G,od :s:a,y.s .on His Prophet

in thlE3 .: holyQuran: ~, F ~lr thDU art dr· q noble 11..(;LtUnFJ ~; .

.. '~ Hiitlst - thou been' S$,ve:";fJ" ,and- h'(l'rsh-netlrl'ed', they ,fl)(juld have b:roken ,away "lronl .t,h.e:e "aud· U Nou: ho:t'iJan; Apostle come unto r'o,u l~f}m ,among y,ou,.se'l:oe$~·' yWJuri'ni,qut~~s' P1l8S' h_,~a'Vilr upon· ·hi,m.~ - -Ye-is' ctlTefu,1 C).v,e',. l'o.u"and' touiard« the falthlul,. compassionate '(J'1~U.l· meTci;j'u,l 101.

On the nature and extent of" hismessage, the Alnri.gh:ty

- - -,

. says: ,'~ W,e luiue ,not sen:t ,/~hee ot,hierwis'{!' ,t,hirfl a's rnerc:y

um« .Iall· creature» "', ,~ And W:e have ,s.erd tli'l!.ft ·uJ,mankind ,Ill "large to:annQU.llC'(!WX1,d nffJ'UlS and I,D, warn Ji' B.nd .ii Blessed be

- L . •

He w'hn i1'1lth sent d;own Al' .F.ul'Qa.n (t.he. i.l·lurfti'nat'ion) on:

. His' serixmt, that 1.0 ,(I,ll,ct:ea,t,Ul"e;$ he maybe.a teamer" ~

~. e , _r ..

- .

'The Proph_~;t, :fumy 'Gfld.'s: pray'f;'.!j~$' and peace be upon

him.,' is e~\jo;inedhy t~e Alml.i:g;h:ty .'Q·adl,dre~ss .aU peop:le, not

_" I _ _

. I ~

only the' Arabs, seyin,g: ~: 0' men! Verily I amGod'. ,aponle "0' you ,al';W,OOse ,irthe .ki,.ngdbm: 01 she Heaoens and '0/ the ,Earth. .!There is .nlD' God ,but He" land 'i~O' ~n ! 1

1"'""_'."", .... 'R· ·l~:w ', .. , ..... ,,,,.' .n.1W'n' :1t~'~D,..:"

tN"'~ "='_ .. ~.'-.J' !,.I,:' ,~" I~F'~I~II~' I~g;,' !~'I~Ji_' II!!

Be"fore Islam", the !ca.sewals qui.te d:i.fferent. Prophete descending from Israel for 'ex,am,ple', ,direct'eittheir' ealls only to theirkinsm,en. or ,the'ir oountrymen~ Th.\lS their ca:lls: were confirl.ed'"Ul Syria", EgJrp,t or Irs'q. alene,

It is histor:ic,aU,y'p'nlV,ed, thattbe . nu~ssage of Jesus" pe'ace' be unto him, tarter found someonete carry i t te th,e . I.Dm.ans and non-Romans, or in otherwocdJs" tota.ke it ~, yond its: f'ir's:t homlel,BDldi"wh:i:ch malrke(J. im~ ::r@v,@.],ation throulgb. the "sons ofl:sl'sel,. Y'et."it :i.s also pro:ve~.th$t its earlier propbets and advocates never thought or m.at.i.ng it ,Q univer~nl ,m.es:s8ige for h.um,anityat :Iarge~. Th.eir hi:st,ory is, a true wible-SiS: tesUfyingwhlst I 'a:m saying.,

1 think it i:s good in this eonnection ··to, quote the Blood vie:w on tithe samlepoint o:ftthe~ scbolar',,- .Pr!ofessor Suliman Al .~adawy" ,in wh~eb besa,ys r( 1):: .~. The S{),~S 'o,f l·sracl confined ' die WDl'm~· .to': 'them alooo and li'mi.~:ed it by tbe 'bounda:ri.es; of their .sta.~:,es.. Th:e:y ev,ea claimed. that the: Lord ·of' a~~: the worlds "was buttheGpd of the·tt nation only' and

that Hewas ,theirs r,at:hel" 'than ,any"body eJSi~I's~,· -

-.

'" For ' ihis" 'wefin~~th'e calls of _ the Prophets ""'&0

. descended from ·ls:r,a.el,an.d..their'scriptDr1es!!' did not spread. ~l)ng othe~ na lion s, Both the Mosa.ic .law and the .Jewish '

religion. are s,till confined to the Israelites a:IQDe.The.ir scriptures

59

address :nODI but tlhel~:r;ale~Hlmesand their 'God is to be caned ordy by their tribes. StiUmo:F,e,! Jesustended nOlh~lng bUI the straying sheep efthe descendants oflsrael ~ and he conveyed his message in their villhliges and territory and amllds,tlbose wilt) belonged '[.0 them.,

W,e may add 'to this that the 'Qiuran emphasizea uhe f~£t hist()ri~aUy proved thatlhe messages ,of prophets and apostles beiot'e' Islam were pri\f,a,te.E'1"eI'Y apostle was sent to his own people ,EI Ione, It wiU sul fi.c,e us here tlf) mention, as examples, the Almiighly' s, Saying in surat "oud z " We se,ntNoo,fJol (J,hl unto ,his petJpl'e' '~A,nJ' un,to .A.,d' We sent thel~rbn)f,h,e". llatlJn, "',An;d' u'nt'(}1 Themou4We' sent their ,brother .sal,e/l"~ and. ", ,ArulW'e sent to .Alailian lh.re~":'rbrolh:eJ'

'f!! L~,""': ',"'"c-','b',: I "' '~,'IUfI'. ~

Hie a:lo;;i~ SiJJys,wiJ'th more ig~ner.aUZ;~tdion, in sural, '" A.l Roum" (The Greeks ):{'I 'Wit? I~,(JV',(! sem aposl'~es belore thee

"0 their people"., whicchm'E",ans.that each apostle was sent '10 h.is ewn 'p:oopl1e.A:gain .in !ji,ura,t '~AI R,a~adi" (Thunder] IU And e,fc)l!rr ,pel(j,ple ,ha,th' 1','5 ,ruJ~de'"'!

But lhe'mission of Is'lama.s w,p' said be' (ore is the fir;t and last granted by IG,od,untol all peoph;~,\~heth'erthey are .,ed or Y1eUow,. \1'Ilhiil'E! o:rblQlc'l:,. A)'",abs or non-Arabs, for it is the last nlle!s~slag,e from God to the w]1Io,le,,~oI'ld and to all human beings until the end of' this Iife, Ilf!~ill.:g thus, it is natural that it should be g'e:neraJ. cUld. comprehensive.

The PIioplle''t.Slent wiih,'llJat mission w'asfun,Y aware ,of thegrealt: di£fer,enlc,e in ,tbaltpoi!nt between him and the Prophets whopreceded him. He knew tha! he was the last' of an Prophets and Apostles, as. there '\f"iH be no other Apestle after him. un:till.be e'nd. ,o~, th.is, 'ft°orld.. 'ThU$" he'

M_lim. :::.

II 'The li~8 ,rJ/ me aml '01 ,h8 ~I ~". :nwil .tns ,£ZlImpIIJ ,fila .man, ,wlm ,txJIt$I:ruCletl Q house' per/l!JCtly .tm4 lbeautifully, ,1!;r,r;-ep1' ,lit Q1iB' lIIII.' wMre' Il' b;~1c ·was Inis.rinr~ J>eople' ,who· ,smv,/m" l:ifflUSB' tmtrlfJiJ lB'OU1Id'i'~ "pprecitzli'W' i,ts ,iNNmtr tII'Jd eZllFiemng .'he Usjre to ,,_,,.. tlun brick .puti,,:t;he empty ,~. .So, l~am ~'1UrI brick lind I am: tJiB "IMt' 01 till PIVPMts"'~.

~e Propher;Muhamm,ad. ,al90UDIJentood wen the great; miS1UOO entruded 10 him by the AhBighty ~..He' tberef,ore spared no! effort for' its, ·DDivenali~.ti()D~ We see hi,m sei;z .. '~Ith:e ,.,pportunlly 8CC~ hy th.e' oonc:lusi.oD ·of the' Hudaibe;yaPeace'w coDv1eyhis message! toth.e'world then. kDowo.He! seutletlers to the Kiop and Beads 01 Stolte of the :neighbourwg ,countriesmviting them 10 Islam." which God DBS antain:ed tD be Hi!1 last ,a~n.d, uD,jverssl mess8geto the ' wholewf)rld" Aooordiugly, Dehy,a AI. KaIby was sent to theBllmaD.Etn.perorHen.cliDS~ ,A.hdullah Tho Huzefa A1Sah'm.y to 'Ch~: :Pan'is of'Pern8r" Halteblbn ,Abi Bal .. 1la"ah. to dt,e Egyptian :Soy,ereipl Al Muqawqas~ Omar Ibn Umayya tD th.eNegns ,of .Ah1yssima MId Sbuga' Ibn. Wahab,AI Assldy to "lh:e Syrian KiugAl Haritb Al Gbassany ..

He alse sent ~ Ibn AI. .Ass 10, me SaViereigns, of' Oman'l Sulaillhll Amro to the OOvenaips, of A1 Y.amam3,. .AI AJa"iB Ibn A~ :aa.dr,.-my 'IoA.I I\1unzi.r Ib,n Sa:wy AI Abdy '"'""'7'" th.e King Df Bahrein 8n.d Al. Muba.jir ThD. Abi Umayya A)·.Makhz,umylO· .AIHuith. Th,n Abd Kalal AI Hemiary, 'lhe Kmg ·of Yemen..

Thus" :it. is: DOW clear fhat t11e. Prophetsen.t ,ambassadors to the :Kin:gs and. Commanders ,of the :neigbbouring. countries to

co:nvleyto thera hiscoroplrehensiv[e' and uni versal message t inviting tbem to Islam and the guidance and light it brought' for all maaklnd (1)..

It can be said tha't the school ,oftbe Apostle -. God's

. prayers and peace be, UPO'D him .~ was another example of the universality of his; miSQOR" a,s it included disciples and, followers lof different races and nationalities. There were Abu Bakr, Omar, Osman, Ali, Talha, AI Zubair and m,any -others from Quraish. There w,er~ also Abu Zar o,{ the ·Gaffar tribe, Abu Horaira of tbeYe:meni Aws tribe" Abu Moussa AI, Ash'ari of anether Yemeni tribe" Damad. Ibn Tha'alaba of the Qabtanit;e Uzd tribe, Khub~b Ibn Al Art who WI8S the brother of Bani Tamim, and both. Munqiz IbD Haban [and Munzir Ibn A"jld ,of Bahr,aw,.

Furthermore, there were Farwa Ibn Ma'an from Syria, Bela1 from Abyssinia, Suh,ai.h front Greece, Sliliman frOID Persia, Fliroz: AI Di,alm:y Ulld O'thers~ Hence" 'we find the .Muhammadan 'school was readly to welcome any COOler from any Dation,.' hUDlC!lB race, or [class' ...

,

After'all this, .t.lu! ,last of., all . God_'s, Prophets and

,A,posties -~. upen w'hom all . peace be - ,cons,titu.ted in his, great perwn and most noble character ',and nature a supreme ideal comhin:ing all the :ia[eas. 0:£ igoodness,tigntOOu:sness and truth charac,terizing other Prophets, .

He .had. in him the: strictness B,nd resentment against the infidels and the . polytheists' of N'oah, the rebellion an~

(1) Re[adlers: m,ay re:fer to the!~Is:tory of I'bn.He'sham. _- Vo1.JV (pp. 22B • 229) where the Pro[pilet is: 'F@port,ed to have, sal1, to his Cempantons: «IGod hath sentm.e amlercy for all mankIndl. Do, ylolu shall!", m~y Oodhe mlerlclf'ul wUh you,;,

s't:l"u@g1le to, lIeslrOy' .idrils .andJ: .~ Q~eterizia,g Akal'" ham, themclinatioll to ·,eua,lct the ,adequabJ rules, aDd 'wise'

I hi' h ":'-,--".1. 'L_ d-lr-I,..wiI ib' _111 'th- 'L, •• ;II::· --.I,' ;L.':'-h ~s"w - -( __ ::pIUW ,1, ~"8ur~'I;y ',uU'-", 8' wu,e¥eIS IIiI.IU Wrl.Ki_'

diStinguished Moses" and, 'tiJe _leuieDey".'foq;,v'e.n~s ud'loVe'

- ., - .

known 'about ,Jesus.,' Hie, 'usecl 'lop~, 18ms; God . With the' ,

, words: i' ',,", 0 God f Guids·~'y-;""'" ~. ~''''e~ ·ileiJtl 'oJ'

- I • ~ • _ _ _". ,_ ... _1 ~ • L~· •

kmrollNlBe ". '

, "We' also -f'ind in, ,Iilin 'the- Patien~e' of A,~b (Job) under . ,misfDitunesandc81~ties aDdbis:lP",atilu,de fOr the favoUt' and tSb"eDgtb :gnmted unto him, by God ,after' the trial,,' th,!, patience ,of 'Y;OUSiSef (JOseph)~der" tem~ltatian an~ his, ,iDsi:s:telloo on ,caUin;1 'Ior_ 'th,e ldivine! ~Iuth~ealed_'.to him

. wben be was· suf.fering.from 'th,e ,hardships o~ ,captivity and

, the . ,affliction 'ofimpristmment, . and -the' - powel"~ ·oj' Yaacoub ' (Jacob) to O1'ernom,e despair even' wh~ it ,reac:bed its

. -. .. ". .

highest pitch tog~ther wit:b his 'c:ODfi,deuve Bnd, -trust iu 'Gxl.

Hep.ce, we find the ApQStI~, vombining in his; great

.. M - ~

character ,a~most fine' and illustrious history all those!

jd~s.,He' ,eveR ,exceUed- ,bis, b!~thren~ the Prophets a.M, Apostles ' 'who"preceded .him. in _,~b' of-those' ideals., Everyon,e: of' his followen -and Compamion~i_ £lnds m bimhis' ideal" - which h.e e.:gerly yearns· ,to,' ,appl'Qalch ,anel follOY¥,.

There' is, no, better erideD~ than tms;k) prove that his mission was uni'¥enalt that be ~ w.:s: the l.a5t of ell Prophets and Apostles .as;'ooolher Prophei, o.r Apostle· w_s lO'~me': - _ 'aIter him, and 'that his pedec~~ co~~eheDstveand upiversal mes_g&is a ~acoB . and, :sui,~gtil)tt 'fOr· , 'Qlyone! se,ekin'g diviM guidanlte! .,an~,here co;Ida,.-aby. time.

[.)1 'REI~IGION AND 'THE, STATE

. ,Fin a Ur:, a's I.slam is' Ihe' Ntipon, of SIU mankind. ,Ind as the' -Wise God 'vrilled.libat ,iI should be, tIM.! last diviD~ Dtessaa:etotbe .wh'CI)[@' world until, He inherits tbe Earth ami ,aD dial is 'upaa, it, :tJds re1JipInbas DOt, therefore~ ,let, 'its people adopt the~ laws and rules theyJike' fOr IfJOventinc their actiens ,and beba:viour :in, the 'various :sp'heres of life.

. ~

It has ,provi,ded.tbeDI -with the~ law,s and! rules: necessary

Ior the establishment oftbe wbolesom.e socie'ty everywhere and al anytim[e :vr,ith DO discriminatiDn betw:een ODe nation ,andanotber ..

TIds is 'because Islam is, not mel"e'ly H: religious It reed [or' an ethicail, :system~ .It,]S ·a, "mli[gion ,sDda state" with [a'll tbe signific,anlce' ,and implications of ~i5tenn ..

U:n,d'lJubted~y Islam is ,a ,perfect and Icmnpr,ehensive institutien, It :goy,erm man and his actions in all his; COD~ ditiODS" in, cODDlection 'with his own penon, his :re~atiQn with the Almighty 'God, his; place in his family and his various relations with 'the :sociely in. which he' lives. It also goverm the relations betweentbe Muslim State, and all the other mUD'tries. 'Thus ,j't can. 'be laid that it ,organ.izes, all those conditions, and-rel.alions - by inttoducin,g the ·gelleral rules and principles on 'which 'they should be, Lased as 'w;eU as the di:flel'ient .regula,aons:" laws, and systems gov"eming them,.

Ye't,i,t is also tro'l! tIia~t _th,e' "Mosai;c re1migion" too, did introduce I a few- mles,and ~~ation$lor' tbe Dr:ganization, of h,umJaIl ,dealinp,.. But some or them 'w,ere' - so se'V1eFe that they befitted only the :sevle:te and hanh;·hea,rted, Je;ws~ Then" Is:1.aDl came ,a:nd [alleviated· the ,severi't;y ,of those rules, widen ~

_.II ... L,··· of" .. 1. .. ,_ '. hi:ll L ,··dj- L"' ........ ---, '. --~. c , ... , .... ,..1 ,--. --!.Iled'-

'8IIWO&e' " "~' c~_... WACk, aa, 1~_.o_;JIIJTO\'I '1IUiI proVUI -,.'

.' '

','h--- - ---'-hi· _"L. aL,-- '1- .'L .... ~II 'lose'll· ';ldI ~.Y . ,ac.EU.

Thus", Is].~mba,s in,traduced 'what is fit, to, "be perie£t p',rinlc,i,ph~is and )Ia:ws,'or the, establishment ,of' the' ,slate-on 'l'leasonable and a,ooep'\ab,le bases~, and, 'to, 'm,eet the needs pi my' society at any :time: or age'.,

Thanks:lO- aUthis~, t'he' Muslhn nation has never been in need. of ,adopting tbe laws, of. ,811Y other nation, ,c-on,~ary to the case with the levvs and 'Christians, who were' in neeld

~ ,

of' taking their laws fllom, p8g8'D nations like the :Romans"

du:e ('0, tb!e: absence ,of' 'the laws sui,tah,le' for' the bui~ding .up of the ntrtion an,d the Sl,B,'le in their hOly 'BoOks A

g) ENUNCIA:nON OF' MAN"S BIGHTS.

II, is Muhammad", God[I':S, "rayss and peace be UpGD him", who, expUcitly ,a:nd, strongly p1l'OClaj:med mo-r,e than thirteen and albalf centuries ,a,lo Man's rights, to ,all mankind. This 'was in compliance with IGod's Command, because .irt was: ,God. Who, :S8nt ,him 00, liberate man and be, B mercy for .,an 'peOple with. a :message Ides tined to be. '~Diversa'll and efl,emal, ·throughoutth'l! ales: and to nd:i,a.teligbt a~d IguidaDo~ ,ev,eryWhen.

.'

'The' .AJmiHh'ty IGod. ...,_. Who, 'know:s a'll that is fit fO'l

hlwDani,ty :atl8'~ge! and Who, is . Wise! in His enactment ·of Ilaws, 'principles -a ~d, ~le5: - revea]edto, His rveat Prophet" 'who was bronghtu:plor,pban, poor' and illiterate" the Say-

., " 0·· ...... ·' L_" 'II :iUA .. ' b /rrl - '. " 0-' ".el

Dl!gS ::. ' ,_,,_ti.y t,re. 1'lIIl:r, .... are'_'Tet,~, ': ~ .. ~r,

We ,hiso,"B' '. (Zimte4 you I",' '. rntIk' _" I~; _; We

d.:i~pitJled rou ,inropeople am1 tribes l,hill' y:e' m~lht',hav'IJ ,knawl.e4,6 ol ,0'fNl ,anmher~ T'ruly" ,tA~ most UJr!ri~y nt ,hDnou.:r II'n the '&~I'ht 01 IGfJd'i:$ ,he ,who ,lelUie1ft, H:im mmt ,"', ,Elnld u; A,ltd 17"lI1W ,hav,:eWe' ,~,.ed the' c:hi'I'Jren: of Adam ,~ .

This noble meanill:8' was lempha:sizedbytlie "Apos:de

· who said: ,(r; ,PeopiB' areos' ,eqlial {IS thet',eelh o/,a 100mb' ,~,

CC "T:- 1.,.. ~ '~_'I" I At.. A . ,I-

( , ~I'8,r,e' is' 110 'S'(.IeClmm"Sr:1"1 01" an nT'(lu' o'wr Q no~ --, ,rtziJ

,~, -. . - . ~

g~cep~ by r,i,:hteousnes:s ,and ,piet,' u, ,a,nd. ,~~ Y,OUtJT:S ,all from

A-~~, ~ ...... J All .J,' .... ,~. ;,- ,0' 'II d:ust :I,

_UfD';'{tl fSTlIC£, ~1l,.g:I'JI'-I'" II,S --""J' 1. ._, II!!J

Thus"Islam came, 'wl,ffi:h D.ew .s,~8Jnd,ards for d:ignity,

. bon oar, men'ta'od noblie manne-rIS, when we' fmid ,tbe Jews Bind 'Christian;s 5:8y; "S1om are ~ lof G,otI ,arul' hisblSl0Vi!d/J'. Th'E!Y ,&190 "AT,ant to make 'God,'s mercy 3Indllood"p'lea:sufle,ibe' confined to th"em ialone. 'Th.e'yther,e£o~e ~ay: "None ,but Jeu)s or CltrimQJ1.S' 'shtrll' iJ,m'er .PQf;lIi1ise,·n 1

Onth,e other' hland" the RomaD:s claUn!ed, that it w,as, quite lUtlW"'ClII "that tbey s'hould be the roil,81[',S ,of the 'wh.ole, wortd. asether people· 'were'ibu,I 'barbarians and, seryan.ts far' them, 'the Arabs bellDN Islam Wiele of the op,inion. that it was 'they alone w:ho'wereihemas,Mi':s ,of ·eloqu.ence,. rbetoric ,8nd.(lo:mma,n.d of Wol"(dls" th~eBr,ahmans, believed that Gad" hald ,~,I@d 'them from, His Boblen. part . M,d tll;e untonch ... ables, :from, H~iS ];OWe6lporti:ODSana, that theee 'W,IS, a gre!a.t ,diffenmce:betw'een thehea.d, ,aud, th,e foot r ,Such' was the state of :affair:~ befDre th,e ·emergeuce' ,of :ls.lam, roth. its; guid .. ing ligh.t (Ne~ the whoI:e world and,al) human hei.ngs~Merit and ·distinction were as:Se5'sed 00. 'the grtJUDd, Df' race" nlisiWl,1 ,ancestry, m.oneyarul t'ke nom:.. ,of' Ichi;~n :~

Although lslam' 'eUmiciated Dnthethood ,among ,aJll be:lieven, all,d honoDn'il. ,B'n humlan beings, irrespective 01

i·

th.eir Idifferen.of! in'I'BOO, fta·t.iQnality or colour" it also pl'OC~ laimed the in!edOM ,of creed :m. compHa'nce! vritbthll' Al'~igbty's Saying': ,U ul.Iwr~' be no dJmpulsion in. Reli ... pm.. .NfJUJ is' iJ,he .ri,lft· UItI'J'"' mails distinct from error '"

and '{"But.if the ·MMie,r MdiJp.le,tlSe'd" verily .all who are .in· ,fhe ,earth W10uJ'd base beiieved toge,the.r .. WII:o, I' w';:I, til:o,u, c,ompelmen to' become b'erlieve,rs.PJ1',f

The resul·t althis :is; ·the respect.wekno~ for the ·creeds 'of the -people· 101 the Bodk,_ a:nd- the, command. '00 treat them kindly, justJyandbeni"ol.endy and to, :safeguard· their freedom to keep,up,th.eiir ,devotiODs8nd rites, as long as they :stay with 'us in BDyMuslim. 'ClOun~try:

Likewise, Islam ,~Iso enunciated. the' "_freedom, ef thoQght and op,i~~·: on, The' result of' ·this fFleetiom is the'ie:Q1erpnce lofa largle number ,of Islami.cvie:ws ,and idleoJogies in the fieJds Df mtellect" .knowledge an.d. 1_~I" and. even in. that ,o·flliel Islamic Idocbines and jurisprudence (Fiqb. and! Shari'a) . Thos,thEWe is, no inlenJilctioD !of dIe' freedom of tbought,llor oPP·feSsion. of the thmken.. M.d if such. inter .. diction ha.ppenedl oD¥eryrm ,occasions:,. it 'was msde against the rules of' 'Islam.

- 67

~ , .

.PAJ,RiT II·

10

AND ITS'-c-: D' ;Et'''InLlIIT '0' 'nll.f'li:!I' ,'.1'11.1'1"1"' '

_ __ _ _1,._ ,'-._' __ I··_Z'. ~'.~'·I'C'~.aAJ.''£

Muslim speculativ:e tbeology" i,l b.sed OD the belief' tJta;t, there is one' ,and, 'O~YOD~' IGod who, has' :DO associate in his attributes, self or' deedsi.. Hie ha,$' sent, prophets to

. -

dD-ect all ~um,a'nity 'to the waY' ,of igoodiD t:his world" ,aud

inJthe nil'xl; He q~es1ion:s, m~ ,about his wordly deeds"

nil"" • hiDa 1..,:~~ ~ .... ,: _, . __ .]1 "I d ..1_

,a:w'a'-L~ilng' or pUmSdLliGIUDI!iOr ms 11JUO. 01" e¥],1 ,~_eeWi.,

''' .... I: I " A' 1- fJ"" ,1..':'..1., th" 'b -h f' tb~1 , " '11 " . hj*_L

. .I.D" ,--8 ,am ,"'., -,.I ,aI.ilrUU: :1:8 ;,' ~ at, _ranc ·'0 ' ;~Leo!logy W II, IQJ:

,studies :religious and .l'Ielated dognl8S and, whiCh man' 'can. reach ,through, rea)'50D ,and] intuitiOD~ Thus ,AI,~'T,au.,hid :is tbe,saencle' that ,d,efends; these dogmas; ,I,nd, !rePlies to tDos'e who, d,snytbem or differ' or deviate ff'Omthmn.

,AJ..· Tawhid 'rose in Islam :jlust as it did in 'the lother :reli1po~ and precleded it, in aU,S\¥el to certain :facton neressi:latiut j,ts exismnce~ - C:ir,cUJmm.D!&es 'were 18:ter '10 eDSu,e that ,caUed for' a, Iurther. Id!e,ve:lapment 'Within :tha,t science, For like other' branches of' mowlqe'i't was mt: ro_mplew at the' moment of its birth, During itsfirs,t stages it COT~ed ,a limited. area ~hieh 'w,as, Al,c,coniing to the law ,of ,eV1olution and advan,,,ement, to expan1d, gra:du.a'~y· ,c-over: ..

in,l, a progre~ssi,ve;Iy 'wider area, 'wh'ich W'8'S t:IO be

influenced in its developmem by many 'factors whicb in their turn helped it to grow and. develop till it fin.a]ly reached the: degree of' completion in wlUcb it stands, before us 'to-.da,y. These factors can be divided inro 'three groups; first there are those that stern directly fromthe Qurin and from the precepts of the Prophet; the second group Is related to fhe in.flue'Dce .of men of different nationalities 'who were to join Islam later bringing with them their own mental and cultural backgrounds; and tbe third gJQUP goes back 10 the influence of Greek philosophy and other philosophical systems which were carried over to Islamic culture.

TbeQurin ·'wh:i.,eh is the first bodk to be . w:ri,tten in Islam invites the individ,ual· to tbought, 'to 'in,teUect~l perm ception and. sensuous observation" -while' at the same time 'it depreciates sheer imitation, ,es,pecialty in the, sph,ere of reli~ gious belief.. That is wby ,Muslims: found 'themselves, obliged to submit to, intellectual exo.minati,on, of' both the 'QudD and the precepts .of theP['\ophet wbich, ca~e to, support and explain it. In such a peeeess the:y were' helped by the Pro .. phet himself to und~rst,and what~er problems they brought before him,

The death of the Prophet brought 'with it the problem 0'£' the' CaUphalE",especi,allyafte'r'the; af'm,c.tionths.t had bef allen both Osman and Aly and gav,e rise 'to. deep discord and dispute which in their turn carl.1ed f:oF' a solution of their d,i:fference,s.

Muslims: differed ,al" to 'who wa~sto be, their Imam and the rightful leader of l~:lam" and B:I,so ,upon the' conditions that weire to 'Icoom.pany th.,at leaders,~p'~ In ~is 'they were di;vided ,.m~ng .,th~~se'lvles. ITb,eFle. weN the Shiites, ' who, would limit, the' Ical1phaJte toAly and, hi~ ·.de$.()e)1,~a.nts,the

,_ 7'2

Kharijitet; ,andw.ith them the M'u)1:alzilitles who would eler; Ir or Tmam he 'who was most fit to be' one, were .he s!ave 01' non - Arab ;whil,e·theMu 'tadilites" th.ethi.",d grOlll'P and j he greatest in number, ~,awthat the' one filt 00 be' Imam Wi'IS to come from 'Qurais:h. They wereback.ed in their attitude by tbe words of the Proph.et: ~'T'hl), Imams are to OO",e from IQurm's.h'''" especially when the authentic] tv of those words came finaHylto be established.

After the death of Osman Muslims differed much amnng themselves as to 'the' deaotarion ·of "mortal sin 7; nnd upon wh.lether it impla.~Fs one's f3litb~ rendering Ilne. an infidel This in its. tum led them to 8 cJiv.ision of opi n ion upon th:e significance 0" "true faitht" its denotation andl ex planatien. Such a dli vi:SY~'on. s.a.w them cleft in to thfft."P Sleets _. The Kharijites, The Murj'ites, and later Tho M u'taaihtes.

Th1Js, we SI€!e that the political division, that tame into existence ,amo'1~ the Muslims was. to d@ve~,oj)l into .a religjous one, becoming one 'Of the· signiJicant problem'~ of monotheism. It~s in this manner that thepl"o'bl@m of the doctrine of the Imam 0.£ the Cali pha1te came to ~~plac,ed within the realm of this science desp,ite the! ",alct th,a tit is more fit to be classed within. jurisprudence as mt deals, with .a practical rather than with .i!i religious problem, For -in short, it is a question of ·the fitness ''ll ·wbos.(fie,ver is chosen 10 manage the .affairs of Muslims, rather than a question of faith dealing'with.a.ny of the bases ·of r@]iigiQn. But as, some' Islamic

h 'd . .,,- "'. hi 'hl 'll"-k I - I dC,

sects . -el- . n.otl0l1;S ,alUQut :I.t ''W,'lC~ . ·were· most·· ~I,-C"_Y to ~ea.'

them. 1,0. a 'refusal or ma.ny of the precepts. of' . Jslam, men . who nphel.d AI-T.,)hid as their creed atta.,ched the Caliphate problem io t'hi' :fie·td of s1udy~·· For t.ben·it eoold best be inv stiga'ted 'in ,a'D~ .. abDosplhe'r,@whi:ch.· Was d.et.lch~ from, any

'73

,f;ADaticism lor- 'prejiudiee" ,and aD, atmospbere 'Widell ,c-ould enable themto~ disttiuguish between righ\and Vnong; ,and SIll finally to,' :protlect 'true :re6giau,s betiefs,.,

Islamic OO:Dquests aDd expa.nsion 'WelI}I'lollowed b;y 211

. period lofstabiJity,. NUmJbeR of people Who believed, in II god other thaD .Muh,a_mmad,':s", or m some~ deitY'"andl were COIl¥ened 'to 'ISlam, others Who contin.ued W'pr8Ctid 'their 'own rreliBious lbeli,efs, -- B.ll c1ootiuu,ed to,live' side 'by' side, with Muslims" bringing intol ,discussion their former' beliefs 81ld at the :same time! eD,Buging Muslims in tbeirdebaws. This was foUowed. hythe tr;aJlSiation of old philolsophies t~ther with ,tlhedeep ,tthoU;ght~'e-ngagin:g prdhllems i,t raiseti

. Thus it was that through, Sll~, ,a, channel B'nd ob.rs that many problems ,came within the field of the' science of AI'" ,L.!'J

.";' ,:~~ ItlJUlBa~

Some of the, problems centre' roundtb,e Idlivine q:ua.1.ities of Ged, ,tbe re,la'ti,an between God ,and man ,or the question of' free win;. others r-elateto NViela,doD, ,aDd the Deed, for a,posdes B'nd prophets, while the remamder' deal 'With oth.er known pbilosophlcal, problems.

FOr' these reasoDS: an!dI, lor' oth!en:, in.to wbich.we, D.eed, Dot IJO here'l 'we :f:iDd ,Mustims in:ten.l. ,on, understanding the' \\!llrses of the Q'wl,n and the preceplts of the Prophet .biCh ceulre round ,these problems. Sueh yenes and. ,precepts, are consequendy ,analysed 'to, Vindicate tb,eirinterplJ'etation in 'the 'way that we shaU show· ,in the '''Ourge' of our study,. All such analysis has finally ,IODe to fOrm a sOlid, pan ,of the scieuce 'of' A,I~'Tawhiil.

But wh,eD, the' ath,ftst dauBer' ,grew m.ol'e' intense and. intent OIl, sPlnta,dins lamODR Muslims mislnding views" ~

- '74

,'~~er with· .its tnmslaiion.iDloArabi.c of' "books, on n...;!y-

legjW~ ,~, r~ "_

th.eism and 'ilreatisesbuilt 'OB false sta.tements" me.DoE monotheistic le~ settbeDlSelvf!s up to, re(ute those

. treatises ·aDd. views~~,~ the foreground and· leading this

., di -,. . -b ... 111 ,-.. 11

couniter~reacbon camea • . _StlJl8U1;Si "-'W FOuP ,0,' sunn.tte &no

Mu'taziUtes;,who set lout to write pamphl,ets ami. 'hoOks that still. stand in hilb credit .

..... ·s···· t'"'ft -I-TI-C·-I'S-M··.· AN- .' D ..... V'" 'ALI I 1iT'l!::!I" .11 •

. .1.1.1.. lyiJR .L ._I.~J_' .)__ _.e_. _ .... .: ... ~ ... lUI£.,

Wbeu M:ustimsclme· into, centaet with the Greeks and 'had tbeiirbooks tta,nslaied in·tol Arabic" ·they pmved v,ora'ci~ous readers, ~e ,of th.e.m wleTeabl,et1~)profit fn)m. these book:s in a. way ihatplloved. .he:althyfartbelir )'Ietigious creed,

~ --

strengtheninlS all the more' ·th.elines: of 1bair thought and

morals:." others who is,Bv,e:free rein. 'to their minds, saw n(:) limits tOI thought ,exoept those 01 logic whileD, could. le-ad n,ght or 8s\r,ay"

.

But ·often. the deep oonlarctth.8it, AI~Tlawlhjd' lor Al-Ka-

laam marCie' M.th phUosophyhad aba:d infiuenceupon Islmm.cDoetriD'e,.which ,c~used nUgi.olus, men. .'resen,t it iRod set tlIem. tD 'warning th.e' loommon man ,away .from it. It 'Was, howe Vier, to be carried lbysomel to sheer le!xaggel'a ..

- .

tlOD.

An.d inth:is Clounecti.OD we: would. refel" to Imam. Sba,fii 8S Iquoted by Ibn el-Gomi (dl.,5gI1H~)~

"'Wou],dth,BtDl8ft1be afffittedl by sUthot God. has prDhihi.tJed .~ ,e~cept polyth1eism. ~·thBD. halve ial 1C1Ok ,atAl:" ITalm:tm., .(.' 1· ')"1

AI' . __ " .. -,1,.' I.'' ,'I"

The same reference 'qu.o~, the words of Ahmb<\ Ibn- , Hanbal :

" He,· who, practises A,I-KaIQQm meets, with nothing but fail ure, a.1I wbo do so 'aille bUlt iDfi~@I~. '~

In his book A'l~M,aqurlzi (d, 845, H.) mentiens In a mapter' which he devmes to tra,ce the' devielopment of Islamic doctrines, tin ,the spread of the, creed, o,f Abou elHassan e~e,Asb',ari,tha'ltth.e ,leading f'igul:es Qf. Islam, seeing that 'many had ,()fl:m,e to adJop,'t the Mu"lazHite, innovation, forbade jhe adoption .of that treed discrediting at the same time this ,ICalaam and disowning, ,all who p1ractised it.

At the end .. 011 _the same, chapter Al-,Ma"q~~zi says "This is a summoIJ: ,of the basic principles of this.creed (i.e, AJ Ash'ari's}, w,bich has been ,a(\op,ted 11,,- many in the Islamic oountries,,; 'whoever contradicts j,t, does; this at the expense o:f' his own life .. 'Ii'

About ,it century 'later or s'o,' v'I(e!f.ind 'Tasch Kubra Zada (d, . g62 H',,) stating that a grelat number 01' contemporary scholars were hesivily criticizing those! w'ho,. ,aevoted-. their powers to tb'8 :~tudy 'Q,f AJ·cllalilam,. For that purpose he sal'{ .it incumbent upon hi,mt9J' diffe'ren.~a't~ bet'ween ,A{Kalaam whi1ch" came (6 be m.ingledwith philosophical viewsthat did nOI convene yvith 'eitb,ertbe IQur&.llic pfiecep,ts or

'with the SUdDB; and AI~,llfllaam whi,ch. I"emain.ed,' in its

~ 0;. II

central issues, essentially based. upon, the Qurin and the

Sanna.. Itjs the Iirst, 'be ooncl1ld,@s.tha,t 'should- be rejected -and diJctled.ited; ( • )

-- '76-

We~ hOYle¥er:, be6eve, .that, the above .. ,m,e'Dtioned· scholars ,andth,eir like carried too far. this heavy criticism of that science, though we s'till believe that thei:r ,attitude ha:d SOJue' tenab.[@' ,ground.

In . this eonneetien, and DOW' 'th,at w[e bav,e' mentioned these diffeft:Dtpaints ofvie:w", Lshould lik,@, to. re,ler' to one' with which lam .. in fuUacoom., This is[ the viewpoint held by Sb.eikb. Hussein, 'Wah", one of the great men of' ·AI~Azhar (d. 1L 936;) ., The' viiew' isgivenfuUe'xp,ression in, his, book ,~titled "·Al~T:mi;hid/'., It states that to understand religious: doctrine in such 8 'way as to be able to l:eadand direct UJ it, it is: mere fruitful to study the IQur'[anthan bookswritten on AI-TtZWlUd or AI ... IGahwm., :For those latter evolved at a time when a ,dire· need,was felt [of answering attacks direi;ted. at Islam by difiercent sects such 8S the Dahrites, the' Zendic5- the atheists and the' innovationists, But now that those alta,cks belong to history there is no need, to bring back te life a dJead"p'ast whUe at the' same timewe mgnor~~' the attacks that are bein,g directed against Islam at the p:r~P sent moment, [a,ttacks that canoruy be answered through the Qur,an itself if the advocate is but toshow it in itself as it really is.

It is equally indiscreet f,or· one to waste one's life fighting imaginary opponents le,aving untoulched, the Fea.l enemy who is actually bl'ockinlg' all wa':ys:he'ore him.. Besides, books on. A,[I-,KallZlJm are filledwitb tldck clouds blocking out all igtJiding ligbt andm,sy [end, .in :sm,oth,ering, a finn and rightful doctrine.

'We V\',ould also add thar the proofs which were in tbe past e.rf~ecdve in convincing IOD.le or in, meking ·him give in, cannot be used in, our present era when science has, advanr-

ed so .much, especiallym tb,e' fi.eld. ofpbjsieal sei.ence- "Which . cannot. helieV'8 ,ex.cep--"t in ·what. it. 'CaD submit, to eSlmmation

- .. '-'

and uperim[eJJ;t., 'Ibis poUP' of sciJmees" how"er, yield m

us undeniably tru~ ,e'Videnc:e as, tOI ·the existence lof ,8 bigb· powerlhat 'has created ·this, world and is directing it according to mv.ariabJ,e .Dahma! laws ,_, a power without wbich we· can :nner le~laiD" DOl" can w~ understand this: wonderful worlld.

FurtheDDOfle!, it is not. wise to' fac,e' our' yOUDiR' me'D, wbo have added. to this: Is]ami,c ~]igious, culturf\ a part of the materialist and. physilcal, edue.dOlI 01 the West·" ''Wld1 proof,s such as Our f:.,efathersused ineon:troT'ersies with their CODtem;Pomries' at a time wh.m. religion \Va.s m. :ib, heyday and bad a rvea·t :innue.ace u,poJlthlem" and. when the :physical sciences, had not yet ,acbj,e'Vled. th.e'ir present p~ss.,

11 is tb.ussmpris,i.nc and iDogi.ca] to spend. 'lllmB argUiDg . with. men of old wheoWt!:f,ael "-I.BCik of poise and sta~ili.t,· and. lealve uDan:swered sects like the Q'i.diani.tes and the Ba.h,atites, 'withthe ,ac~rilies ,and. propaganda they ma&e for their mi!slea:':"li·[,", creeds m.E~pe" America. and ',even in 'Eastern OOlmlriesi.

Men of' AI .. A:zhar shoUld finda[ cure for the' pest of .atheisDl which :i:ts ad.oca·t,e5 iSUPpose' tOlbe based en eentemporary bowled.ge, IB.nd which, as we· s'ee"ha;s :spread. ,am.ong most learned men. ,and UIIOIII 'yonng m,en who have .re£e::ved. I :biSh ,educatOti

:1 knew sev1eral of th~ :r0lUlR men whom '1 met while ,'they were studyial ,abftad. and ,also .h.eft· in :EtJpt and they are all eitbel"' MusJ·jms, '01" ChriSti.IUlS. The:,." say tbat they , cuuld not arri¥e! ,at ,8 'prOof' for' ·the exis.teooe' ,of [God, and

... II'

-7'8

that it is withm muf':s rea,ch· to explaiD 'ms1eBee andtbe': univ,erSe 1ritbou,t baving .'to base his ~;Iment 'upon the'· assumpltion of the: ,enstenc-e olf God, And, ,if yrou question them about the: doobtsthat stood, betweeD them 8.1Idthe: certainty of the: exist,enoe of 'God" 8ra:-u.ug 'with' tbeft\ 'through. an 'that you have ,leuJlt of boola: of ,Al ... Kal'amn you stiU will not arrivie' ilD~hel1e withthe'm, .. , O~ the contrary', they Lw:ould ask Y1outo prOO.u,(le: proof:, that are 'hased on facts or OD, 'the tenets of :modern sci,enc,e,.

,

. We' de Dot 'set!k ,thron8hiheopinioID, we are adV8nciQg

,heN" to lea1d, away' :frrom the ,study ,of' Al-T'trwb.iJ" what we ,aim at is to point 'Gut then8C:essityfor' the de:velopment of that scieace in poam,l. This we ,can do, ibybrinrJjng up to date l'ts boob, pFoofs ,andr pmD,lems logetlier with~ the oppos .. ingviews which we ,shaD setout to' ,U1:SWe'f" It is then that it can become ,~ :inclispensable' science jrielld'inl' a lot 'of good thro. establi~g ~eligio;usi dacf:rine and, b:y guidiDlthose who were led aSb:,a.y~ This, 'wiUbe made poss,ibJ!e since it 'is gomg tofplI 'm with 'the :spmt oftJhe' a,se helping it to :solYe its problems,.

&6C''1r'1::l'Q='DQ'' ··"LOI .' - -G'- -y~-'

,.y.J.I:f.~: .. ' _I_,.~.".' ,-,._~ ... :....:. ~

The! outline' 10,1 our m,elbod in IsJa,mic,doctrlne will be

- - - J

~ -1"1'

as '1.0:£OW9 ::

t 0, .~ TD' iioUow the' meibod used by' th.e~ 'QurBn and "y

tbe:Propbet in .,emonsb"ating thes:e,dloc,trinesi through proofs 'that are to leed to :intel.lectual Iconvictioo.. They lu;e to be ! proofstlmt iU'e to sj1Vl8' emotional and intuitive sati.,sfactioD: 'Ylbile :ma~ki:ng ·'[I,se a,t ·the' same time! of the' di:scoveries 'which

.'

"',0, _ _ . IIIV -

modern science had made ill the wonderful order of -the universe. 'This 'Wilf render iDe-vi,ta,ble the' be,Jj,ef in the existence of ajudicions,· ,a,lI-knowing; ,God 'who has, created the' Universe and :is tho ,organi:zin,g princ,iple 'behind it., Such ,8 beUef is both an intellectual ,lind ,an :intullivl8 necessity

..

which gains; the! acquiescence of the mind before that of the

heart

2~. ,_, To demonstrate the 'eff,f'ct of this doctrine despite its multiplicity of v ers ions in man ',s soul and in the kind of deeds' to which it. gives rise, F:or the value of an allabsorbing doctrine Iies in the good w-Uf'k to which it leads, and in the' evil and bad deeds it helps. man to' avoid.

3. - To make, ,iii. poinr - when occasion demands

of answeriag whetever Ic),oubtmigbt arise blocking one's ,,,ay towards the belief in the tenets di:ctated by religion, and without which ,3 Muslim cannot be so considered. In fact, he cannot be considered a true believer except when his, words and deeds emanate from ,tbese doctrines.

4-. _. To circumscribe one s demonstration of these' doctrines 'to concepts which are essential, such as the existence of God, his. oneness- his know ]ed~e will and. power; his gptUy messages ,andman,'s need for them, the relation he tween God and the universe ; betV\ireen God and man and his deeds so that we can de1dde the degree of' man's freedom in choosing his actionsrthe existence of the otherworld and what it, holds ,of reward and rpurushment fOT' man.

In our research VIlle sit aU a'foid all discursrveness, gi \:-'ing it a concentration that is te avoid ... as much as we C8.n the elaborate argum,ents, of eontroversialists and of the technlicalitiesof legicians and philosophers,

~, Say, 'Cu,nsitller wMt'evp is in hsa.ven: and' on ean h: buls£g,n:s Q:"e o/,mJ (Jv,ail,nei'l'ber p"eachers, unto peoplew:hQ uliU n!(.>t bBll~eve. ~ Jo.'nQ$j 10'.1.

" Or' do ,n'hey m?( 'DrYn,i.~mpllz:&e' :r'he .lingdom 0.1 healXfl;.nt.imr,t,h" ,and fhel'hincs 'Am .. G:oti' has creased?

- - ~ ~

AnJ consider th-at ;pl!'raJ.'v1e'n;t;u'r:e' il mar be that=their

erul dr;al1Jf?t.h nigh »» .A,l .A.rat, l'8"j, ..

Inth'ese, verseswe are rightly dji:r,ec1ted to, where man is to look for evidenloe· forlbe' ,e'xistJon.ce of God. Through his sensea.mind "and thought man is likewi.se t.o approach and understand both ·theanim,atte'aJ.nd tb.e inanimate worlds. Through. them .. heis to,poridier 'OiVer th,ewonders' of the ( rea tina of the ·,;univ·,e'I":~c and the lawsthali diirect and render exact its motjon; and jo coatemplate the' wonderful pattern be-hind botJ) .the lil.le of ,apim,sls,a.nd plants withtheirvarious species and kinds. It its then that he ~is convinced. ·that the existence of such . phenomena is 11,01 ineidental but. is the result of ,I deliberalea'(>L ,of cf,e'stioJ;J' ha.ving behi"nd it an a ~.15po"verful,' judicious IGod ..

In vthis connection we, SllIDU.Jd: like to mention . the fo~ ~ ]o\\!il11g' ver5ae's of the IQurJi1l1 .lm1 iUustratjoll,· ~,f some. 'of the' fcn1siden3Jti,iQ.n.sH,ndl 'tl~o1lghts. uponw h:i:ch Godochrised Durn 1'0 dwell so tbat he can ,B'rr.iv·£!' 10' a, ' CODY mcl:ion of the existif'UOP of .God.

(~T'l;Ul'r~ "are signs ,of !t'he d,i~)J~tu: pml.ie1,cil gootlnes,s "in. the earth .. unto' ,m,en ()j_ .6OUriil u:nilerGl'and!,ing'; and also in 'you, own seines ~;. ,ujil:l ye n,OI therelore cons.l:der ,J ,~

TluiDruspersing., lJ :"22.

~L

;:.

82: ~

,-,. "I' ... ,1;., .... 111 __.. ... J, -.......:I_,_ .... , . ..J' ... , .. ,.1.,..,.,-,,1.,#11,"'_" . ·1····· ,'"'-J:."

,1Il11Ie ,gn,1Q UU ''"':ut'M """.1 ,"":11,1_" IUIll ,lll II7W C""''t!Iilre; 0 IVI, .... ,

......... .Jr' . ,,1.._ ·I·'_'.'.'~_ .L_ - .. pBl'I:I_,..J'. Ji • ' •. \ 1. ......... , ... :

fUlCI ,n.: C:~ ,t,ntM.: are lcorn,:" "IR toiaOI SSlVtC.-e ,pe;'w~~"

, - ~-~

L·_'_I!'IdM-:-..1"'~~'_JDl~8J1U~ .. Dill!!ftfl"- I~! _~:J -,~~,..JI·ft18 " ,. ... ~, .•. UT~, ~·,.n, I", !PI ~.D'!!II~' 1",,-, ,r~rjlllf ~J 1l1if.tICr4!1'.~",_!".,,,.,

''The, ICoW, 1.6 ... ,

In 'these verses, as in :Dlany lothers there is ,., ,s,troIlfI invi,·, .tation exa,lcting om' intellectual ins,pection aad c:onsideration of' tb,e entirre,wUYR':se which we see' aDd b.ow i&rOJIUld USi., For' this is, ,th,e lODe way that lcan" :.1',&11'0 ,a baUef in 'the eD,sit~, enee of' an a1l~creati:v'e God.

'TIre hasic essenoe ,of buman life: Ues in a "seed"' from which thebnma'D '1KK1:y is,ereated with, .Uits 'bones, ,flesh, ,muscles, 'Denes_and 'yeiDl~ The,. are" aD p&rts~t eaCJ:l of 'whiCh has ,B 'lmlCtion ,of its OWD" finany' ,oombiDj,.~ -witb the J!eStm II wODderfuJ., cohesiOD.,

Who bas e8'Dsed aD. this to :stem. fromtha,t initial) :seed,

I growiug in,to thedjfleren~y shaped "boDes, iutb, O,esh" uer ... yes BDd, ~Ie :res1,'~ lVbo, has aiv~, maD ,aUthese~ O!"8,ans and f'acUlties, the absen.ce '~f wmeh. Idec'apaldtates :maD,. such :faladties ,as :nside in the optic and audito17' s~steml,. iDtne organs ,of smell ;lIBeI taste" 'in. the '11:1aod, 'circula'lory system, ill ·lbe "meDtal, and, ,seD,sorlal .Y~I 8Ild so OD ?-

"- .All, 'these, :sliru,ctures could Biever :h.a:ve come' mto ,eDIt:· 'en.ce ,of' ,themselvea" but 'tell ,of ,ahig~i CTea~ve" wise and wilful power.. This ,power' is what we ,desipate' as God, the'

83

~ I ~l

ablle" the knowing and the w'ise- God 'who has, created all and is the best, of creators,

In this connection Imam Al Ghaz8,li" who is a cornerstone in Islamic studies, has said in the fourth volume' 0'1 his. grestbook ,U The. Rev.i,vul -oIR'el'i'giaus S',tudies'~ that if you look, at the' picture of someone that ha been drawn on a, w'aU and which has b@,oOD1J@', through the a bility 0If' the' artist, a close :r1e'p:roouc:tio'n of'tbe original youYliH he taken by the skill and a'rtftdn"es:s of the painter and by his deftness of hand, all of which are informed by his perfect intultlvepO'''ie,r.Your peat admiration will not be im paired eV'£Hl when VOlt are made Iully o wa re that the

. . ~

picture is but an artifact made through the use' O'l paint.

pencil" hand and 'w,aILN,e:d,eJr \i\-i'in your admlratioo diminish if you are made aware that a. ·particle of the crea ti vie for' e of these cons tit uent el,ements does not proceed from the' creative ability of the painter but resides in another power, The ultimate perfection of the artist Ue'S in the, harmonious unison be creates between paint and, background, according to .ell certain on:ler ..

If. we .Iook at 'the 'world 0:[ plants with its differen t kinds." fruits. and uses, weshall see how, despite the Iac t that they all Iive in one' Bind the same' environment, receiv ing the same nourishment; each :g,oe's, on reproducing i l S O\1\~n, kind, keeping its; characteristics \'Vile't)J"er of' colour, fruit or taste,

And the same is true of th.e. '·seed" out of' whiCh, man was created. 'Throughout its stages of development it devie lops, 8 form that has poise and balance. Its' constituent parts hi8v,e' been sllbdivid~ad inte dl'i'f'f'e'renl pa,nil,c.,es each havinig by itself H shape whi,ch is made tn cohere with the

.. .

rest; aU finally creating D, .peirE'eet form,.," Thus, the, v'ery hones that go to build up the' humaa body are made torest both on i,t!; inner and ou.tel" aspects, on. a networ'k of nef"\TleS and veins lhat are so ord,ered as to be ,a" means of its nourishment and a source ,of ,its lexis.tence", til,) they finally grow into man as weknO'V'l him" with his f,ae~lties of hearing and seeing that develop .)lnto' his capacity for abscrbing' knowledge and g.iv,ilng it expressien.

Thus, when onepoolde'rs o'V'erthe wonders embedded in, the marvellous arnd 'perfect cr,eation: of man, one is iil the end' led to a belief in 'God who, has created man in H perfect form, Indeed, in all his: creation GOOw'a~ ever perfection made' rea],

The 'Very e,arth which we see ex,p,loited fQrour 'own good yields what we need, It serves for us .as ,Q resting ana sleeping place, we go' about in its corners ~herewe want; rain brings "life to it, after the' waste' that momentarily seems to envelop it, extracting .from: it .wond.erful plants, and combining them in a well. "harmo:niz,ed pattern '. Two trees which grow in one' and rhe S'aD1,e spot and under the same weather conditions 'f'lre fed. by tbe same source of nourishment and ye't despite 'Ihat each tree' brings forth dif'f,erent f~t in kind, co!)our ,and taste. Does not all that point to We hand ofa wise, all-powerful Clleator ?'

B:esitCies, we find' around us many signs that' po~nt to the existence of ,God and of his being the creative for-ce giving existence. 'to this wonderful universe with .all that it envelops both on earth" ,h,ea ven and . the intermediary world,

,A look at the sequence 01' nmgh,t and dlay that is 5.0 harmonized to 'en,abl;e man to have 'ail'orde'r-ed pattern of

work' and, :rest;' a iook at 'the ,eloulJsl 'that hRIII .bet"'"~ both. bee,ven ,and earth with the 5O'I.1Ke' of' life' 'that tb~y ,conwn within 'them, bes,~ :it len ~. in tlte' form ,~' ram.;· .: a ,look at the ,air 'Inrd~ beat, the indispmsah1e ~.'of ~e,

haL--l h '- 1..'1 l ii, ~I . '~b "'.II

-----w euic;r ': -umab, .9'tB!D,1 B" or a)1:IIQJ\a~ _, s,~, ,_, CODSIaer ...

alians Will enable us to.p:_ut our' finap,n 011, shA~' 'pT~·I'DDf&, fos;

~ :__ D'Wii'!'i :-:i!IIj,r, .. J

the e~isllence 'of· 'God -the :powerful"the: willmg'l . 'the

. ,knowing ,aD,d the' prvvid'eDt.. . .

Ibn Rushd", ~e S~panilhpltilosOpbet:\, rcUlized that for one to, use 'the, Icreation ,of a,e' unlveneand in,deed of exist .. ence II:!·· suehl' as pn10f far the eXistence of God. 'me would lollow the ,sam,e me.:bod 'used in th,~ Qura·n. He, ,81so ,eon .. Icludes ~at ,aU thl,t ,exists is: b,ul 'the' w-urk ,of a power'that, is perfect in i.ts ,~eatilon. . In, his; book ('1)1 he' has quoted

. many venesihat, :lJOtD illustr.tehis ~()Di one 01' these 'verses is - tbe:lollowiDg::

" HtJve we ,not IrlUlttl. ,,,-, _rl'h/Or tI' bed, mttl ~"'l mountlliTu ioc' ,d.~ to ,fix ,Ae .s~'?' A,.rul· hdv'l1 we. ,rrDI creo,fed. ·:rou ~I f'U)Io sues;: ,."" Itlppointed you,. sleep for 'T88t, and mtzrle :t.he ~,ht IQ,arm.t' ,10' ,cover .YOU; t1I1d de#i~ t,be ,dDy to t,be .,m:m~g' 01' rour: li;uelilftlotl; tRttl built Ol)te,r you ,wven sOlid be.tJW1I:&; .,d' pltJced It/uirfein

I ,.

a'~.'''''_;"c.'.tII'···. - 'lam pc,,; " A·,-· ~..J' ",,'."~ ,c, I/nd ,~_." ... ~~' ~'-, .• ""7 I·"~ ,~I. .... ""':

P .... '~~.I'" g.I:,' i· .: ,RD· aIJ .~ .-IoU'., I~ I~n: _ ""~',I 1'1,,1''';'

c,louth preWi", forth: ,.,,,in',. ,1lJS~ter pourine·tIoum in,

n,I. ..• - .. ;-- .. ,.J:- .... ---.;---~ ............ Cl. , ... ,1-: .. ':..- ...• ' ... ]1 ..... :11- .. - .. - ... ~ ... ..,L .. - . ..-.L ..• ~ ... -' .. "j-'C"''i6,. _...~ ... _~ ...... '. _ .... .l.~ t. ........... : .. L_,

~V~f.IHU~'1 _rra;J ~ '~'~.~".- I .. :ne, fij;.r.-U7 I'" l~ -. "-~ ~'., ~'-;IU.. Tt'W'rVl/J

and ,ardmspltm:tBtl thick with trees ? ft'

. .

In USini'i'Jhese, v1ersesasa ,proof to vindi.C8te tbe,belief'

in the exis,tence' ;aDd~wl~leof' God, and, thai the UDi.ft!'se'

.

,(i), AJ. :KaMI ',aR :Hanahl. :B1,":",AdCleilllb 6 ~A.kka~,.d ,el ... Menah~

86 .. ··.' -

I __ I -

pn1iJCeed.s: fmm him" Ibn, Ru.sltd sa:r,~ tha,j :if one cpnsiders, deepl7 "these" v,enes one wi.llrealize bow the constituent puts ,of' tltewrivene are so barmooi'z,ed as to receive human existenee.

For in th,e begiDnil1g God hall Himel]f €)rderetithe

_" _.",

benefi,cial creation of ,urib ,iD, a" lormthat renders, COnV(;l:n ...

"ient and possible' our IElxistrmme upon, it~ For were it given, a size" a fOnD or 8, position, Qilier thaD its present 'ones"

. '

bwnan Ufe ,w,oluld ,not have been upoll i.t~ ,AU 'this is,

iUustralJed, in tGoo,'sw!onis: ," Hf1,~' ~we nat ,m'OiM' t,1ie earth for (J 'beIl'?' IJ ,I,nd the wont, fbed,' her-e gathers with it A, hannonyin ,'(JIm and posi.tion, wbichis expressed, 'in the! pea:oeit creates, ,added 10 ita ,conn.o,tatinn ()if' comfort and salto,ass ·~allthele5hades ,of~ me~l,ning loaded with this curt statement, a thln;gt.hatmake,s on,@'wond,er a,t this compeessed yet' IDr10e,flll exp.re:slsioJ'l,.

Inthewordsthaf fiollow - I{( and the moumains lor

- 1.._,- '" - - '. ,.' dl'·' - d -h - bili ... :1..

sta~~" -,' our ,aHenUOD IS .~ ~ec:te=. '10,' 1;, ~le sta--JltYlliat

mountains ]bestow upon e8Jrth; if mountai:ns, had been less hi,gh tban they .I'eft~ny are, th.ey would have been dispbllOed tiu-ou,gh foroefu'~ wind, a.ndw,a.tel"l and would have been

.. shaken by earthquakes, both leading to the inevita.br~, destruction of li'e upon them.

Th'us Ib,@ 'harmloDy~ha.1 @arth doe's ,ofl'er' for whateve(' is to exi~t upon it h.asDot.ileenha.phallllRtly "1Jaced,, theee, bntTlM·-,c,r,eated throug~ a funy iDtendi.nga.nd purposeful pow'er. It: is a n~$ityfonned 'liooonTe'D.e with·' the will o.f Godalld a.ceording ('Ollie :sh.ape tbathe ·himself has esitimated.

In the wo~ds that foUow - ," We .Mvle mmle the nitht (J ,QI7nl!nt to ,OOVW y.o,u, ami' d.est'·,nd 1M' 00'1' tOI tlz'6 gmn£ng

,OIl' rOUT' ,liH'lihood' ~l' 'OUf' ,81'tte'n,'tlon is drawn to the oonvenient atmospher-ethat nig'b.t· en.d ,day ,affDl!d to the world

I t- -

of both animal ~ a'n"dplaDt~ For n:ig:ht protects the earth

from the' rays of the sun just ,as clothesprot,ect man's body ,against irs bur:ning. hes,l,:; it also affords all Hving creatures sleep that ,.brings, them rest" the notion, of. which is, con-

'tained in the words _- C appoint.tNl your' sleep' !orrest'" (the Arabic WOJDd. that is, used, for ;ire5td!eDo,te'S;th.e meaning of cessation and this is to stress complete [lest that ni,ght of'f',eILos because of the' darkness it brmgs with it) (r ) .

In the wonlsthat, .foUow -- "and buil; ooer you: seoen so,Utl. ,heave.ns·;) ~ the creatien 'of heaven is rete'rred to- us an act ,of building with the harmony that is to exist among its constituent. psrts and with th.e purpose for' which it has been created, Both connotations aile expressed in the

" h··· ~ -I·'eI' hi h- .'. fu he ....oJ. he .. . .,

ep'll_,,,eI;: so .:"" wme lls"urter maoe to ca,ITY t~le n.oflo:\11

of its capacity fOI'Clontinuou'sand everlasting onevement.

'Through an this Godpoi:nts 'to the harmonious pate tern that mekes the :skies" the planetsa:nd. their orbits together 'wilhtheir number, form" 'pla,tleand movement C()~ here ?lith ,allth.at which 'exi.sls on and 8'F'OU'od earth, So that if any of the celestial bodies stopped for' a single moment in its movement, it w!Dul.d"bes;ides bringing to a cessationthe whole, sys't@'m, cause rdisorder'lothalt on earth,

In the words that foUow these ~ I~' and ,pla1ced therein ,(J ,burDin,B' ,ltrm,'f)~' .~ he'refers US 1:0 the special uses that the sun has lor all tba.twhi,ch exists on. earth" forwithoitt 111:8 light neither c:ou.ld man 0.01" beast '. ,m,ake' use of the

"

power to see, 'The ',c'apra.tily tha,t, me'SUD, bestow·s" upon, main is here si'ng'led ,out because of its, II1OS:t nohle, 'Use,s f:or man; this of oourse besides its 'Ileio,g indis,pensabl@ ':01" the lif'e e,'f

" , " " l.. ..... :~ ""t ,--,d~- ,,-11,, I "t

man, ,uv8,S, ,liD p"an,.,

Inth,le ()onclwl~g 'w'ords of' the.$E! Terse,s, ,_ «And do we'not send ,down, from~ the ,c'r.R.Ub'Pl'ia!5i", fOIJ1'h rain" ,U1fl:-

ser ""Jin'~n,.-'-'-"·n' in a'~b' I,,~-'~"~'-d tL,_... W' 'In ,_''''y t"L,~J..-," pro-

N ~"!I',,~: UCIILII!"-' .,1 1,·'·: ,1"'IUIl.BI~"~' _1'Rq:, _-',c;,;i !F'!r',M!&,~,,' _1.,u;s,rr~Vl I~."_' .

duoe or.Jn:l, ,amJ.' hver/J:s' ',tJn:4' "tlTde,m pllll1itBd z,h,:ck wi:th trees."~ - mention is made of tbe - care that is ~akm io send down rein ,at., definite periods and, in' ,definite 'qu8'Dtities, "0 feed animals ,8ln,d 'p,llants; such 8n ,oni,er which does nlot :r,e,s'l on chance, tens Il)ftheexistenoe of a, high pow',el!" that looks. after the good and eanhly ,exisl:ence.

From all this, 'lYe conclude tbat when all existing objects, whether on earth, bea'Yen or in the sphere beneath them, are w,eU cODsid,em ,and, ,pond'8roed[ over',. this, "POints 10. theexistence ,o,fa high pJwler that has: 'Cn!a.tedl:hat worbl ,ac,cording to ,the wonderful and deliberate pattern 'Upon which it re'sls.

'SiiDce' the creating ,of these ,objects ~ the sk;y", ~e earth" plants and a,mmals: of s'even1 .:diflm:utkmth _, lol~ 'lOws upon a stage Il)f lexiste~ce' 'when D,OD,e' oftbEII\ W,QS" and since "every' 'e'xisting o1bjectthst. has, been ,crealed ,out of' D.othingnesrs: tells of'(.~eatiy,~! pow'er"" we ,CODiIequently ('IGod!'ude 'tha't "thi.spower must be God, the, Willin.g, tbe wise and the ,aU ~knowilljg.

-; Th'" " . th-' - . --Jd-l ,..n··t-'h ,'h"- w .l~.--lt I ...... .l .. :L1 '. ,. '. "t' b1 ..

. . ·U!S .. e' wor"c_ "'",u~' ~ I ,e' ·.'ODliJl£rIU aDo, we, UUIDl, BI,: f'"

. " ,

pattern 'upd~ ·w.hi.ch it .. rests ishoul4 be 'the' QIIe cenriDc:iDg

proof for the' existJen,ce ,of God" who, ·bas' givea it. ems;ttm.ce. It ,also shou.ld be, the ,correct .means: w'hicb. ,leads _ whoeTer·

. .

sucoeeCls : in tmd,ersta:nd'iJll it· 10 ,a·. kno91ledge of, God~ . :Such

an 'DDltentaftding'is" :however" "ibecomin&aU the ID,Ol'e' ,clear

th.a;l!'d,,J-,y.· s'"

. .:;~ ua,_',·.

. .

..

Th~ ,no, :mn,er rem~, I£oy ft:ClHe fOr ,either ~ose

who, disbeHeve. ',~those _0 doubt in the'· existene,e o.f Godl aDd who used to . ,Bldvanee 8.6: a. pretext, . fOr. their ,attitude

the- ....:L 'I:..-'Ii·· ~ 1, • .1.,;"",_ tb th f '1....: h

' t 'iwey ,arm ~'",e. umy m. ... tiiifs,,;i: i; -e' 'tnJ?-,- Oi' W,IU,(l.- can

be valida'edih~h modem ,scieoce.- FOr :scieDce' 'lms al,oDR its lOng :daBf8S ,of development "di_loo¥er-ed, ,ma.y :~re'f.s, of thee'world". thus yiel.ding W'OM' the, Delu,ced Ind, jl1st,riew of I,euned,· men miany pnlOf's ,8S, 10' the ,e,xistencf! of . the

'Al~;"'btrv God

'~~'~3 -III!

In this ICODulectiOD we' :shouId 'Hie to refer to a valuable '1...-'1.... . . b ''f'l.._....·f' . C··' M··... "', .. ( - ) -' th b . " .1_ . hi' • h .DUO&; vrntten '1' rJIVe!iI!;:,or •. '. _.':. 10171['5011" .. ,l.I.._ ,e .~ OOa,'W _~'-,(;. .

has, been tlaDs:latedinto Ara,bi,(Wlder tIt,a title ,"''Sc:ience Preaches Ior F'ai,th "", and is worthy of' r:eediDg"The author ends his r-ntrocluction :10 the' bookhy e'xp,lainmg his aim in 'writing a.s ,that of "'throwing light upon the great mystery that :now :surround:s what Is not ,eYidently known to us at the moment; such 18 l~ghl may I,ea,at us' to', tb,e stao1:,ement of ~, exilsten,oe (If a~ore uni~er'sa]" s.u.b1ime mind, in other wlords" to' tb.e' ',existenoo of . the C:re'otor .. "~

. That, ,the purpose which has morved the autho~ to write

"hi" 1-·~,··Jk h" . , '1)- '-b" '. ~li' 'h ... ,~l ", ' .... --,_..lled'" by' th

,'S 1.;,00 ", _ as ,actn,a.' .y .•.. I ~eeD ,aciICom'p~. ,IS ,~w IS, rE!t.W:u -,,~ ~-~ tne

• I. J '

la J' tho L_~'}_. '.' ,..'L,,·~' 11, "'. -. "'1' fc-~,1I1

trans . tor er . . e [IJUIiJA :10, u,~"e 'l'O!ll..lOwmg: ,comment :: .-:~, ,_' W Y

(1) He is tlt,e :furmer ,be:ad of the Ae:a.demy olf 'Scienoo in New York aUla :Ishre:ad of 'tIl,e' He'w ¥ork. Institute; h.e 'is also, a member' lof thle :Ex'e,cul'tive Co'mmittee' 101' 'N',aUoDal Besea'reh or the, U.S\.A. '

90

ladmire thai uobme 'purpose thai ~~d the' writing ,of this book,. . The author aims to prove the ,exH;tence of God and His 'OOlnes's 'tIIrDujgh 'endeD,ceconsolidated by, proofs ,drawn, from the materialistic modem, seiences, F,or-mer'~ ly, ,atheists, (in. order 'to ~ali,d,a'te their ,stao\d,poiDt) used to advancewbat the;yihought were sei,enoficaUy 'ba;se~ pro()fs, to the extent IIm,t :9ODle weill!: made to think thart science

. "

land faith are two contradictory ,opposite,s:' that: cannot '00--

exist,

" HlU'8 w:e ,have one' ,of the, well-known men ,O'f science lof America and w'ho has been for some' time "the head ;of

" .

the American Institute of Seience, M,akiD! a 'clear' state ..

men( that, modem seieaoe goes, tOlproVS: ,'beyond any pessible IdDUhlt, the ,existence of' ,God an.d ends: W, the he lief in ,His oneness: 'n

~ His book, has :for :its title "Man Does No: S1.and

, -

,Alone'" and has :gone to·, d,emo1lstrate' throll~b different '"

proofs drawn from di"ferent lbxanches: of science, that God

is the creator of the' uni.verse,.hi:s power being behind al1

. ~ .

things. It :is for this,so]le reason that I took: care to translate

the' book, hoping that - it 'would ,s:p,read am,ong ,the Arabie

reading pu~lic as, it did in Am,erica" where !it had. '. great mfluenee in "resisting the, wave 01 atbe~sm" thus- establishing all the :more the 'power of faith.. "I

The 8'im th.at 'the ,author Sleets ootto realize ',in his book.

. .

is Illnstrated b,Y· scientific, ,proofsanaloDgthe~various

chapters lof the book.· We shall not try to meDIi on these here" but w'e :sbould only refer 10lwbat has been said in lconnection with :man':s s,ys'lem. of food. digestien, The book states. that the .st:omac~,whicb isth,e greatest labola,llOry in the' wGild, receiv,@s all the different. kinds of food and

drink, where they are 8loalysed. into, t:he,j,lf first chemical

, .

elements and partilcle,s" m,aking ,Q,('them ,Q,p,roper nourish-

ment te support the diff:eJlenit, oe!U". This is, done in such

•

away that it renders, all tbe living matter which is,

ess'enlialtotife p~e-s'ell'l in. ,ordered 'quantities; so' as, 'to meet e'very need which aU the cells oS' the body m.ightpre,sen~." cells that exceed in number the entire human race.

'~H'elre then is a ,c'h,em,ical laboratory that produces more matter than, does, ,any other labora.tory tbatwas ever

, -

built by man's intellect: ,and!' hel"le is 81 s,y:st,em. of distribution greater th,an any other' the wor'ld has known, where' ev erythi n,g "IDS ,(u)ooro,ing to strict order. '"',

Thus if aUI' these\l-'Vond~'f'J'S run aC(iording' to a perfect order, and order negates the possible existence' of chance i'l: goes beyond doubt that suchao organism must be the work ofap,.eirfect - wjse and aU.-k:nowing: creator,

If we look at another ,of our phy~si~al organs ,and the· work it performs Uke,the,)@ns of our ,eyes, for e:x:amp~e,V\',e' rome ~.'O realize tbeharmonious ,effOrt that accompanies such an organ, For the lens receives and,ref'r;acts the- lighl rays so that" theym.3,ybe, clearly focussed on the retina which is a structure at the back of the eye containing rods and cones and which is especially sensitive 'to' Iight 'rays,

These particles that go to build t:h~' e'ye' into aw,eUe ordered and harmonized structure w,ere' similarly brought into existence, 'snd\'Velre ne,c~ssary t~' give' man the capacitv to' see. Such a process of ereation was not performed haphazardly, but was thewerk of' 'God;1 10 whom, nothing

92'·'

~ ~ .:._~. 11I,.!!IiiI!i!!!ilh

jls beyont! tile pale' [of ,his ,eD:S'leace[" ':a'D,d' who bas brougbl '110 ,perfection aU 'that, . .he - hall Icreated,., (1,)

.

Besides" tb1e world in W)hich we 'liVieha,s, been, SOl weli

placed wit~, tbelini\9lersal.~'bli~ the,I:, bad die" oeeau' 'been [a few .:feet Id,eeper '~8'D it :presendy j,s, we woul,d, 'hB've 'been l4ePri~ed qf OXfipD, and ,of the'wOfld oj _ plap,ts; mid welt~ ,the," gl,obe t~ slacken in: i.teS[ :movemeD,t" tll~inl more than '24 hours in i:ts daily ,c~tuit" liile em it would cease~obe.

, Thus, if we ca,st, a look alth,€! wo~der's[ of the world 'an,d nature' 'from [In sidles: ,aDd, eon:iider tbe[BI: ,diee:P[ly,. w,e soon come to rea:Ji,u tbat behind, evelY object there is a plan [aud ,8 p~ that -are 'well carried'ou[t '-ae,oording'l() the will of ,~~,' [M, SinoeoUl"' mbtds' are limited we eannot :~~SJp what' is unllimit[ed. Ths'nfare oursmDst ~ but it belief in thehilbJy ,creative -]JO'Wer' tha,t has Icreatled and ordered! aD objects, [down '~o 'Ihe very 8'1o:ms, stars, sun and nebulae,,," (2)

:Andin co~~ln5ion - One is apt 'to, [ask, wbl,t is[ 'the! UB" 0:(

I;~ h 'L'-:Ii~ ~' .. L, ,." .If' r~.ll .II": h

a re~on 'tli at Iut::. evlel m me e'XlSt~ce 0), 1Uvu:, ane In t(l'

('a~tIi to wbichrel~gion invi,te[s[, 'US!" ,and for- the proof of' Wh:E,c_fl the IQuraD, 111.9 lesta;hlished sJlarpl evid,eoceiJasedl, on 'man'~ mental power andi,on the '~8r:v 'Ilature [of tb~e~ ~i~if.~Se[a~d its perfect 'Cl'eabon? ,Is it not enough 'fol'" m.n 110 ll'leliev'e in his OWlI, mental [capacities..tJhrongb, whi,ch he WIIS, able to :matt~ th,e'univ'er:se, to, reach ,tbat :stage'of' 'knowt~~d8e" eivilizB,tion" ,and also inbi:s [capa[chies, which, eD8lble.r.t, him to make earth bend 'to his B[eedS ?

1(1),' Look 'o,P 'the tr,ea'tm[e:n.t tiI[:1 'this 'poin.t i:n p,arUicoi,ar illil ,AI .. G;haz:~ [.,.1, : dI";lhkD~ 'V;dl. :IV", 314.

,(2) ,«ki.DC ..... CU,I I,.' : .... P. 181["

-19=.3:-.'

-" .. ~

·i._'_ iL.. ... , .. , ~.ll __ ,-....:I ,aL ~' 1...,: ... 1i..-.' __ ·I~;'" f: boa,L .t.,..I&U .rJiIj, WI~ ale :s.cepe Us aN, AIiUw '~el 0:. ,,', '*'

the, knuwo [and ~ 'WOrlds, lcouquering 'both qJMIe aDd he8ve.DiiBu,t .' lias, '~ed on, him, .dlese' . m,ents] elpa,cities ,lirouah which he was'able to" 'accomplish ftlll this: ? II it man 'h,jm[MU lor' aDother .... ' who, is of a, more sublime' Dature thaD [an other ibeinlP ,ami has fI, pOwer ,above [an. other thinp ~ It is:, uiukJubledly" IGod,[ without whOm DO' life cauld . .haw ICome. iBID -·Ie.l.isamee,i mt maiD YiOUId Dot h:" it' 'been fOund, OD earth ..

~ .

The ,lIelief in the leasteace of IGod, [aDd. th.th,p is eyer

near 10 JDaJI, to ,help", _ mel lemlhim to~l,rAt-,"[=t-is of ,8 g':-]·[ea,t y[a1~e tnat ·cannot 'be prop.:.y estiiDated '~~t by ~e~ ~f 'knowl. and, -faith.. ·~dividual aDd' social Yirtues, e,pAcial~

~ '_ ..

17 the latter" proceed :fl1)lD,··a,heJ.j,ef[in God, and in e:ternity

anA in .. better :WOl"laWDen me .is: most; fairl~,,' l'ew,arded ,for

• . ii'

the good 'he' has perfonlllKt . .

PitJlT' III

THIIE lONENESS OF'GODI ANDI IOTHER IQUALI1~IRS OF PERFECl'llON

I" '=: ... ' .,.JI 'JI

I. -'HIS IONENF.sS:

Gad, ,'Vb@! has. [created ~this, worldj~ is: - ene umfie,d :power':

Th,' godly. pow[er' 'bas DOt, 8S,- the dualis,ts, ~ofess, ,8 ,double aspect,,_ one' stsndiag fer "good I laDdllig~1~,- ,aD~dJ, the other, for evil Bnd· darkn,ess,. Neither'is God, 8:s:,·Chrl,:tians believe" ~nQ ,of a trin~ ,~·a,henef th,ar~-.has led~ man far ,as,tra,Y~

The eviden,o:e that goes 10 :eFOy,e this -oneness of _God is expressed in these two verse~ :

c' HfNl t'My rei' e heave-n ami ear~h) deiti., ,be8itie .Go!J.'

.t~.~ '~efal~~ t: ·;"';;'¢ori.'~

CC,r't, .... J' ,f.-'h· .~# b;'iJ!on:;IIt'DlI'J' ;'O"I!"IJ~'D' '_mjL,- .;"" -*1.. ... -", a·-'N'Y" other

~, TIUt '_ ,'I~" I--'-e'~l(.'_-~.'~I ~"~O~" 'l~t.far":lBlr ~ £~lI:1fir~ --'111;1 r VI~:-"

god' wi"h' Him; ,othsrwise' ,gv,t?", god' had ,.surelY' take« at.IJi'If"·,tNtt iwliich he .,had ,crBatBd; (11m/" 'some of tbem. hI1tl e%alted ",nemseluBs' ,aboVe the ,other'S:." The 'True Be-

.. .

'-I" .

, levers, 91"

, If we ,aS,SUlDe ,the·' existenc,e of mOI'1e - than one Goo. :it ·!Would .then 19owithout ,sayinig that. each must have a knowled;ge, ,a ,will and, a pO¥Werthat can ·run ,eanlr,ory" 'to, 'those ttl' the l()thel"., This would in its, 'hun -)!ea:d, .to ~, diff'erence ~m the line of action and in tlleyery deliberation or the world and., waulld, in the ,end Ii-a,d, 10 ,8· deterioration of both beav'en

- . - . - -- -

and earth, ·all ':iilat~er ,~d llife" tha.t· tie 'beitween. them .. Not

only this" but ~~ucll a ·oonflictbetweenthose, 'qualitie's, ,of each and the' results 'that ensue from them,[ might rob ,the w«rtd lof its,ve!ry existence, But, the! 'UIliVel"se vath its constituent

[ge, [7" _

~ =1,1 -

parts. run 8.'CCording loa perfect 'olrder, a fac·t· that makes U,\, conclude that the p:()wer that gjves: it trea:don. and existence must be a. tmifi,ed ,One ...

But someone '~ight :s;ay,,' ," ICan we nol assure the existence of several g,}xls who can at I.he same time aaree ,among-:',

- - ~~.--~

themselvesth,at eachwere to have under him ,8 certain

area. to. control and 'innueJIDe"?'» Our" answer to this. would be tbatw,e'wouJdl" then hie' left with more than 01U"

. -

universe, each ha.vinig its 'Oml la.ws and pattern of control , But as a, matter of fact thera carmor be' but one universe" th.e OOl,lstiIUle:ntparts of whicb are so' mtegrated as, to' run according lathe same 'principles and Iaws, Consequently the' creator is but one and onealone,

And if' Islam is a religio:n t.h,at basicaHyrests on. the absolute oneness ,of G-,odl who orders us to re quest ._ ~'Say" God is one God; the Eternal IGO'd~; He bege'ueth not" neither is He be;l!ottie,rt ,and th,e,re i:s not anY' one I:ik;e' UtUO Him' "it 'follows that we are to pray (or and fear' none but him; these'

, two acts being th;every heart a,!]d axis of th.e act of worship

Thus:-we cannot consider as fait:',ful the' acts performed by the common Jayman in sol:ici,tl,n"g' _ the, favour of' holy and faithful men, ,I'nd, ,carryi~~: to their tombs, offerings for which they themselves .stand. in need. Such acts he does in the, hope that some wishes ,o,f his might come true or tha,t he may ucqui~e' some goodl. in: tbis wor~d. IDr l-the next,

When asking for helpte withs.tand any wOl·l:dly cates trophe, 'just as in hi:s worship, man must direct his steps towards 'G,Dd alene, Has not God himse'lftaught us to say in the Preface, " Thee ,d'o' Iwer ,worship" and 0/ the« do lJJf! ,beg essistance." "And has not thle· P,rop1het ,said, g 1/ )"CU'

do beg, beg aRty from Him" a'nd' ,if you do, ask. for help" ILfk from Him alone. H,?

We' should not, however, get so' confused as, not to realize that a visit to the tomb ofaholy man selicitmg his ,amid in some ~ood does not :run eontrery to the doctrine of the oneness of God as long as the pleader's heart abound's: in faith in God and. in a belief that God, is the one active force to bri,l1lg about whatever be wams, and that the holy

man is only a means of interceding with. 'God", .

In this connection we should also like to'. mention anollie'!" misconception that some people mayhave, There are' some' who believe that God may answer the' appeal of'the fakhful,cs'p,eciany as it is mentioned in the Quran that the' prayer' or appealwbich a prophet, or holy man directS' tOI God is most liable to be answered, for does not God say ~ " but i"l/rey, after they haoe ,i,ftj.ured their own, souls, come unto thee, ,and ask pardon r()it Goo', and the apostle askpar~ don, for them; they sholl sur,eir f;in:d God easy to be ream-

"11 ed ".1' "I' I '" W'" _ 6

oue; ana mercuus. .1' a;men,'4 ..

We also. read ill Ibn Saad's Ai' 'I'abaqqat that when, in the year 18 A.It known. as the ~ ,Ag,h Y,euF'u" people turned their back on pilgrimage, a wave of dearth swept over the land, bringing death to both menaad cattle, Omar was then the' Khalif and be spent some months :in supplication, praying God tJO forgive them and send them rain, as aid all the Muslims" 'One da.y the Khalif, deeply immersed in his prayers" grasped' the hand of Al-Abbas (the Prophet's uncle) and, ho),ding it fast in his, sai,d these word.s ~

,tt ,0" Lord, ,let the Prophet's uncle iDte.rced,~ in my supplication to y,ou. and send us rain, "J' Al-,A'ibbas 'rel!lained beside, Omar and with tears filling his: eyes, joined him in his

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