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Fortnightly Newsletter |
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Compiled by: Azeem Ayub |
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In the Name of Allah, |
The Keep-it-Simple Rule and Islam
Are God’s expectations from humans easy to fulfil? If they are, should we not let others do what they are doing and not get involved in unnecessarily disturbing them by declaring what they are doing as un-Islamic? Also, should we not let non-Muslims remain what they are? Isn’t it an unnatural expectation from them to convert to a completely new religion? If we are expecting non-Muslims to convert, why shouldn’t Muslims be expected to conform to the truth within their own faith? Is changing from one religious view to another not difficult? If it is, how then is Islam easy to follow? Why can’t we follow the Keep-It-Simple rule in Islam?
God Almighty wants us to make things easy for us. This is what He has to say: “Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire hardship for you.” (2:185) The Prophet (sws) strongly urged his followers to “make things easy and don’t make them difficult. Give them good news and don’t scare them away.”1 However, easiness in religion has to be done in the way the Almighty wants us to do it. It should not be mistaken for casualness. Here are the outlines of the easy way, as I understand, the Almighty wants us to follow:
i) One has always got to remain open to truth. It is only in that way that one acquires true faith. Laziness in matters of truth is an offence, though hopefully a minor one, but unjustifiable stubbornness in the matter of truth is an inexcusable crime. By the latter what I mean is that you refuse to take interest in the truth simply because you are already attached to some other ideology and you don’t want a new one to disturb you. In the process of comparing the contestants for truth, if I am confused, the Almighty would accept it as a valid excuse, inshā Allah. Ignoring the truth, however, can never be a part of the otherwise desirable keep-It-simple formula.
ii) There is no Muslim vs non-Muslim divide in the eyes of God. No one is at a disadvantage in this trial of life. Muslims are expected to be open to truth quite as much as the non-Muslims are. Those non-Muslims who know that the message of Islam is from God and are still spurning it out of arrogance are criminal kāfir (the condemned disbelievers) in the eyes of their Creator. Likewise is the case of Muslims who are guilty of a similar crime in any aspect of the truth that comes from God. So long as a person is confused about whether a certain message is from God or not, he is not guilty. The ultimate decision on all such matters will be taken, thankfully, by the All-Knowing God Himself.
iii) In matters of practice, the rule is that you are expected to follow the truth as much as is possible. God has promised that His expectations are simple. However, we need to understand them in order to follow them. That strategy would ensure that things are kept simple.
iv) In matters of new findings on religion, science, or any other discipline, we again need to remain open. Of course, not everyone is interested in everything, but if someone tells me that what I am doing right now is not acceptable to my God, then I cannot take it lightly. Even in non-religious matters, once we jump into a discussion, we have to behave like truth-seeking believers and not like truth-spurning kāfirs.
v) God Almighty has promised that He is not going to make any soul accountable for anything more than what his potential is. He has also promised that He will forgive people who repent after realizing that what they were doing was wrong and that He will only punish those who were insisting on a wrong, criminal attitude knowingly. What better keep-it-simple approach could there be than this?
vi) One of the things I am expected to do as a good believer is to get involved in the process of correcting those who are closely linked with me. Likewise, I should allow others to influence me positively whenever I am going wrong. Such an attitude of mutual correction is a demonstration of the believers’ concern for the welfare of each other. In no way does it demonstrate an unnecessary interference in the affairs of others. In fact, not doing so would be indicative of a lack of interest in the spiritual and moral welfare of the other person.
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In this Issue |
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Reflections
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Read & Reflect
* The Rituals of
Hajj &
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Debate & Discuss
Express & Explain
Pause & Ponder:
Announcements
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Javed Ahmad Ghamidi (Tr. by:Shehzad Saleem)
وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَى كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ لِيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا تَفَثَهُمْ وَلْيُوفُوا نُذُورَهُمْ وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا بِالْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ (٢٢: ٢٧-٢٩) And proclaim the pilgrimage among the people. They will come to you on foot and on the backs of lean camels from distant mountainous ways so that they are able to reach places of benefit and on a few appointed days invoke the name of God over their cattle which He has bestowed them. [So when you slaughter them] eat of their flesh, and feed the deprived beggar. Then let the pilgrims cleanse themselves of their dirt and fulfill their vows, and circle the Ancient House. (22:27-29)
It is this proclamation which was made centuries ago and it is in response to it that while uttering ‘لَبَّيْك لَبَّيْك’ we travel to Bayt Al-Haram, the Mosque built by Abraham (sws) in Makkah. It is this ancient mosque which in the words of Imam Farahi was the first house of God in this valley of Batha and about which it had been decided from the very beginning that it would fend off all those who would deviate from Tawhid. Consequently, when its inhabitants took to polytheism and left it, they took away some of its stones in order to worship them. When Abraham (sws) after migrating from Babylon while trying to find this ancient mosque reached this location, he could only discover a shining stone from its previous construction. After he attempted to sacrifice Ishmael (sws), the Almighty directed him to rebuild this place of worship. So both father and son started digging the earth beneath this very memorable stone. Once the ancient foundations became visible after some labour, they raised them and implanted this stone in one part of the erected structure. Ishmael (sws) was offered and devoted to this very house and thus regarded as its attendant and it was proclaimed in the name of the Almighty that people should come here to ceremonially devote themselves and revive their commitment to the belief of Tawhid. In religious parlance, these rituals are called Hajj and ‘Umrah. In the religion of Abraham (sws), these two rituals are the pinnacle of worship. The Qur’an has declared that Islam is in fact a contract of sale and purchase with the Almighty: We sell our lives and wealth for the Paradise the Almighty has prepared for us: ‘إِنَّ اللّهَ اشْتَرَى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّة’ (God has purchased from the faithful their lives and worldly goods, and in return has promised them the Garden (9:111)). Consequently, right after it is said: ‘فَاسْتَبْشِرُواْ بِبَيْعِكُمُ الَّذِي بَايَعْتُم بِهِ وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ’ (Rejoice then in the bargain you have made. That is the supreme triumph (9:111)).
This is the highest position a person can attain in his zeal for worshiping the Almighty: he is ready to offer his life and wealth for Him when he is called for this. Hajj and ‘Umrah are symbolic manifestations of this offering. Both are an embodiment of the same reality. The only difference is that the latter is compact and the former more comprehensive in which the objective for which life and wealth are offered becomes very evident.
The Almighty has informed us that Satan has declared war on the scheme according to which He has created Adam in this world since the very first day: ‘قَالَ فَبِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ثُمَّ لآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ وَلاَ تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ’ (Because You have led me into sin’, he declared, ‘I will waylay Your servants who are on Your straight path, then spring upon them from the front and from the rear, from their right and from their left. Then You will find the greater part of them ungrateful (7:16-17)).
The Qur’an (7:13-14) says that this challenge from Iblis was accepted and His servants are now at war with their foremost enemy till the Day of Judgement. This is the very test on which this world has been made and our future depends on success or failure in it. It is for this war that we dedicate our life and devote our wealth. It is for this objective that many a time the prophets of God have called out: ‘يَااَيُّهَا الَّذِيْن أمَنُوا كُوْنُوا أنْصَارَ اللهَ’ (Believers! Be the helpers of God (61:14)). This war against Iblis has been symbolized in the ritual of Hajj. The manner in which this symbolization has been done is as follows:
At the behest of Allah, His servants take time out from the pleasures and involvements of life and leave aside their goods and possessions, then proceed to the battlefield with the words ‘لَبَّيْك لَبَّيْك’ and just like warriors encamp in a valley.
The next day they reach an open field seeking the forgiveness of the Almighty, praying and beseeching Him to grant them success in this war and listening to the sermon of the imam.
Giving due consideration to the symbolism of waging war against Iblis they shorten and combine their prayers and then after a short stay on the way back reach their camps.
Afterwards they fling stones on Satan and symbolically offer themselves to God by sacrificing animals. They then shave their heads and to offer the rounds of vows come to the real place of worship and sacrifice.
Then they return to their camps again and in the next two or three days fling stones on Satan in the manner they had done earlier.
Viewed thus, the Ihram worn in Hajj and ‘Umrah symbolizes the fact that a believer has withdrawn from the amusement, attractions and involvements of this world and like a monk wearing two unstitched robes, bare-headed and to some extent bare-footed too has resolved to reach the presence of the Almighty.
The ‘Talbiyah’ is the answer to the call made by Abraham (sws) while standing on a rock after he had re-built the House of God1. This call has now reached the nooks and corners of this world and the servants of God while acknowledging His favours and affirming belief in His Tawhid respond to it by saying: ‘اَللّهُمَّ لَبَّيْك لَبَّيْك’.
URL: http://www.monthly-renaissance.com/issue/content.aspx?id=151 |
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| Debate and Discuss: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Discussion Forum: Norms of Gender Interaction
Sabihah
atifrafi
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General Discussion Forum:
Anger Issues
Anjham
saba2 (Moderator)
Salam, a very warm
welcome to the forums. We must all strive to become good Muslims and to get over
or correct our faults, I will let you know some duas soon but meanwhile why
don't you try a few of theses "People use a variety of both conscious and
unconscious processes to deal with their angry feelings. The three main
approaches are expressing, suppressing, and calming. Expressing your angry
feelings in an assertive—not aggressive—manner is the healthiest way to express
anger. To do this, you have to learn how to make clear what your needs are, and
how to get them met, without hurting others. Being assertive doesn't mean being
pushy or demanding; it means being respectful of yourself and others.
Anger can be
suppressed, and then converted or redirected. This happens when you hold in your
anger, stop thinking about it, and focus on something positive. The aim is to
inhibit or suppress your anger and convert it into more constructive behavior.
The danger in this type of response is that if it isn't allowed outward
expression, your anger can turn inward—on yourself. Anger turned inward may
cause hypertension, high blood pressure, or depression.
Unexpressed anger can
create other problems. It can lead to pathological expressions of anger, such as
passive-aggressive behavior (getting back at people indirectly, without telling
them why, rather than confronting them head-on) or a personality that seems
perpetually cynical and hostile. People who are constantly putting others down,
criticizing everything, and making cynical comments haven't learned how to
constructively express their anger. Not surprisingly, they aren't likely to have
many successful relationships.
Finally, you can calm
down inside. This means not just controlling your outward behavior, but also
controlling your internal responses, taking steps to lower your heart rate, calm
yourself down, and let the feelings subside."
As Dr. Spielberger notes, "when none of these
three techniques work, that's when someone—or something—is going to get hurt."
See:
http://www.studying-islam.org/forum/topic.aspx?topicid=4110&lang=&forumid=1
return to the top ^ |
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Cannot the Indebted Perform
Hajj?
Answer: That persons in debt cannot perform Hajj is not a correct opinion. If you have to pay outstanding dues such as the ones you have referred to, and you are getting the chance to go to Hajj, do not loose it. At the most, write the exact amount and other details in a will document saying that if you (God forbid) do not return then such and such an amount should be paid to these people.
We must also remember that none of us can live without blemishes; the sins done after maturity and the pranks done in childhood are a common feature of every person’s life. Muslims are not expected to lead sinless lives; they are required to repent sincerely and ask forgiveness from the Almighty whenever they sin. Also, one must never loose a chance of earning reward and asking for the Almighty’s mercy. Sins should not stop us from praying or fasting – and certainly not from Hajj, for the opportunity might not come again. I think that Satan’s last and most effective weapon to lead a person astray is to make him feel frustrated and to make him loose hope from Allah’s mercy. This is what one should not succumb to, and the moment this element of frustration creeps in, one should realize that the Almighty is Ever-forgiving. Even to the subscribers of polytheism, He gives the following glad tidings:
Tell them [O Prophet]: O my slaves who have wronged their souls [by polytheism], despair not of the mercy of Allah who forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. (39:53)
One must remember that polytheism is the gravest sin a person can commit; if the Almighty can forgive it as a result of true repentance, he can forgive all others; the only thing is that we should keep repenting sincerely even if we commit the same sin over and over again.
wassalam
Dr Shehzad Saleem
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