The Way of Life

LIBERATION OR SEXPLOITATION

2011-07-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

LIBERATION OR SEXPLOITATION

Posted by moralsandethics on November 1st, 2006

LIBERATION OR SEXPLOITATION

Today in some societies, particularly in the West a woman can walk semi-naked in public, swim topless, patronize bars and clubs, smoke, drink, dance in discos and have sex with anybody she feels like.

She can even serve her boyfriend, like an unpaid prostitute, and be free to murder her unborn baby if she falls pregnant. She can also compete in the business world by using her body to promote commercial commodities.

At the end of the day she will be regarded as a truly ‘liberated’ woman!

In Islam, however, Liberation of women is far more serious, noble and dignified than just the burning of bras as is done in the so-called permissive societies where the fair sex is regarded as no more than a sex object. Today the West is very quick to condemn Islamic laws, which protect purity of purpose and the intermingling of the sexes at all levels of society.

Look at the glossy cover of any magazine or advertisements on TV and newspaper, you will find that most of these advertisements have scantily dressed women in alluring poses to attract the attention of men. This proves that the Western society considers woman only as a sex symbol.

The liberation of women in Islam is far superior to Western liberation as it allows women to live with respect, dignity and equality in society.

Equality does not mean aping and behaving like men or dancing to their carnal tunes; that would be an act of inferiority in the face of one’s own femininity.

A truly liberated woman always dresses decently and modestly. A true woman will never degrade her body and sell her dignity to the highest bidder. No woman is truly liberated if she is still the slave of her wayward conscience, bodily lust or infidelity.

However, in Islam, women, whatever their role as mothers, wives, sisters or daughters, command respect and have a constructive role to play in society. The Hijab itself gives an aura of freedom to the womankind, facilitating their movement and protecting them from provocation and wanton greed of the human wolves. Removal of the Hijab makes you vulnerable to the lust of men.

WHAT IS HIJAB?

There are many sisters who have failed to understand the actual meaning of Hijab. Hijab technically means covering. Islam desires the preservation of social tranquility and familial peace. Hence, it asks women to cover themselves in their inter-actions with men, whom they are not related to.

WHY IS HIJAB NECESSARY?

The dangerous consequences of the Western culture of nakedness and permissiveness are before us. We should think twice before blindly trying to imitate Western life-styles.

HOW SHOULD WOMEN OBSERVE HIJAB CORRECTLY?

Basically, the dress of ladies should cover the whole body except the face and hands (i.e. palms & fingers). Hair should not be exposed because Islam considers it as half of the total beauty of women. The Hijab could be of any form and color, a one-piece chader or a three-piece ensemble, as long as it is not tight fitting and does not attract people’s attention.

BASELESS OBJECTIONS AGAINST HIJAB:

It seeks to imprison women: Those who feel that Hijab imprisons women should refrain from living in houses because it is nearer to a prison than Hijab.

It subordinates women: In fact, culture, which promotes nakedness, takes people nearer to the culture of animals. Wearing the Hijab, on the contrary, liberates women from the trap of Western fashion and maladies. It gives them greater, rather than less freedom and mobility.

Why only women? Science has confirmed that visual stimulation plays a predominant role in the physiology of men compared to women. The fact that the sex-industry in the West is targeted towards the male-market confirms it.

Victims of Ridicule: Some of our sisters come up with the excuse that the non-believers laugh at them if they observe Hijab and they feel degraded. They may laugh for a little while but after some time they will have no choice but to respect the Muslim women observing Hijab for their discipline, which could not be shaken, by their little laughs.

Let us not forget the famous phrase: The one who laughs last laughs the longest”.

Beauty is meant to be appreciated: True! But only by the husband. Hence women who truly love their husbands would never wish to be seen in public without Hijab.

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF DISCARDING HIJAB?

Becoming an easy target of anti-social elements.

Causing great stresses, insecurity and suspicion in the minds of husbands, ultimately disturbing the familial harmony.

Instigating young people to deviate towards the path of lust and immorality.

Giving rise to cases of divorce, adultery, rape & illegitimate children.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF OBSERVING HIJAB?

Confidence in social participation as human being and not as sexual commodity.

Guarding one self from the lustful looks of men.

Not diverting people’s attention from constructive social work.

Improving the moral character of the society.

In conclusion, women can achieve true dignity and experience true emancipation by observing Hijab and not by discarding it.

HIJAB ALSO FOR MEN

Say to the believing man that they cast down their glance. Allah (s.w.t.) is aware of the things they do. Holy Qur’an (24:30) To cast down one’s glance, means not to look in a fixed way, not to stare. The sentence means, “Tell the believers not to stare at or flirt with women.”

Allah (s.w.t.) has given equal rights to both men and women; He forbids either sex claiming supremacy over the other. Allah (s.w.t.) states in the Quran: “The most honored of you in the sight of Allah (s.w.t.) is (he who is) the most righteous of you.” Holy Qur’an (49:13)

Human beings must distinguish themselves from animals by decent and disciplined behavior. But how many of us take this life with the seriousness it deserves? All of us originated from one father and one mother and belong to one big family, but it is unfortunate that many of us live without any sense of collective responsibility. We are one community and the action of one-person will not only reflect on other individuals but also the whole community.

What successful women have to say?

It is amazing the way things changed overnight when I started on with Hijab. I can feel the extra respect coming my way. People take me more seriously; friends at college think it looks very neat and smart, and I feel protected and confident when I step out. Dr. Mrs. N.Z.Vakil (Medical Student)

The most important thing about Hijab is that it gives you an identity of a Muslim. Moreover, it is another way of obedience to Allah’s (s.w.t.) command. People often gives me due respect which I would have not got without a Hijab. Travelling among men has become easy for me as it makes me feel safe and protected. It also gives me a lot of confidence and last but not the least this has brought me one step closer to Allah (s.w.t.). Therefore, I consider Hijab as a blessing from Allah (s.w.t.) and I thank him for His blessing. Reshma Qazi (Arts Student)

Initially I felt I would be looked down upon in society, but after wearing Hijab, I realized that people do not give you as much importance as you feel they should. The nearness, which I felt to Allah (s.w.t) by obeying His commandment, is beyond expression. Moreover wearing Hijab has created an aura of respectability in my environment and has enabled me to remember Allah (s.w.t.) more often. Mrs. S.A. Vakil (House Wife)

I feel that at present when demoralisation is increasing in the society, every woman should wear Hijab, It is the only thing which protects a woman and makes her feel secured. Shenaz. F. Raj (College Student)

In the modern society of today, a woman has always been looked upon as just another sexual object for the men. Why should one display one’s beauty for unwanted eyes to feast upon? The Hijab protects a woman’s honor and doesn’t arouse unwanted passion from the opposite sex. I feel if the women were to universally adopt the Islamic code of dressing, the rate of incidences of eves teasing, molestation, rape, etc. would be negligible. Wearing the Hijab gives me more confidence in myself as a woman and it doesn’t obstruct me in any way in my profession. Mrs. Salva I. Rasool (Graphic Designer)

Source: http://moralsandethics.wordpress.com/2006/11/01/liberation-or-sexploitation/

FACTS about sexual assault:

1,900 raped every day in America

WASHINGTON-Nearly 1,900 women are raped every day in America, according to a study released on Thursday that paints a much grimmer picture than US Justice Department figures announced earlier this week.The National Victim Center, which promotes the rights of victims of violent crime, said 1.3 adult women are raped every minute and 683,000 US women are raped each year, based on a survey of more that 4,000 women, including 579 rape victims.

One in eight adult American women has been raped, bringing the total of rape victims to at least 12.1 million, it said.

The survey indicated that 61 per cent of all rape cases involve women under 18 and that 29 percent of all rapes occurred when the victim was less than 11 years old. - Reuters (Source: MID-DAY Bombay 25-4-92)

Somewhere in America, a woman is raped every 2 minutes. (National Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, 1996)

Sexual assault is down by half since 1993, yet there were still 248,000 sexual assaults in 2001.

About 10% of sexual assault victims are men.

One in six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape.

About 2/3 of sexual assaults are committed by someone who is known to the victim.

Less than 39% of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement.

About 44% of rape victims are under age 18; about 15% are under age 12.

(Most numbers in the above charts have been rounded. All data compiled by RAINN from US Justice Department, Bureau of Justice Statisics: National Crime Victimization Survey 2001 and prior years; Sex Offenses and Offenders 1997. All studies are available at www.rainn.org/statistics.html.)

Other Survey

According to the Justice Department, one in two rape victims are under age 18; one in six are under age 12. (Child Rape Victims, 1992. U.S. Department of Justice)

Two new studies of adolescent girls have found that 1 in 4 has been sexually or physically abused or forced by a date to have sex against her will. (New York Times, 10/1/97)

Every 90 seconds, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted. (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). RAINN calculation based on 1999 USDOJ NCVS data.) Globally, at least one in three women and girls had been beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime. (UN Commission on the Status of Women, 2/28/00)

A new report suggests that one in five adolescent girls become the victims of physical or sexual violence, or both, in a dating relationship. (New York Times, 8/01/01)

In 2002, there were 247,730 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. [2002 National Crime Victimization Survey,]Of these approximately 248,000 victims, about 87,000 were victims of completed rape, 70,000 were victims of attempted rape, and 91,000 were victims of sexual assault. [2002 NCVS]

Up to 4,315 pregnancies may have resulted from these attacks. [RAINN calculation based on 2002 NCVS and medical reports.

Because of the methodology of the National Crime Victimization Survey, these figures do not include victims 12 or younger. While there are no reliable annual surveys of sexual assaults on children, the Justice Department has estimated that one of six victims are under age 12. [Child Rape Victims, 1992]

Approximately 48% of victims are raped by a friend or acquaintance; 30% by a stranger; 16% by an intimate; 2% by another relative; and in 4% of cases the relationship is unknown. [2000 NCVS.]

One out of every six American women have been the victims of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime (14.8% completed rape;2.8% attempted rape). A total of 17.7 million women have been victims of these crimes.[Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women Survey, National Institute of Justice and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1998.]Age 12-34 are the highest risk years. Risk peaks in the late teens: girls 16 to 19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. [2000 NCVS.]

for more details refer to http://www.rainn.org/index.html

http://www.now.org/issues/violence/index.html

http://www.ku.edu/~weac/FemLinks.htm

enjoy reading ...... wassalam.

Make a difference during Ramadan

2010-08-18T03:42:00.000-07:00

I Can Keep Fasting In Ramadan Even When I Am Playing – Fredi Kanoute

Fredi explains how he makes the seemingly impossible a reality during a certain month each year...

Aug 24, 2009 10:00:00 AM

To be tremendously fit is a must for all professional footballers: a demand that leads some Muslim players to forgo the duty of fasting during Ramadan, preferring to fulfill their obligation when the football season ends. However, for Sevilla’s Freddie Kanoute, this is not the case.

The former Tottenham Hotspur striker believes it is possible for a modern footballer to remain in peak physical condition during the holy month.

The likes of Kanoute, along with Real Madrid's Mahamadou Diarra, Lassana Diarra, and Karim Benzema, are the talk of football world as doctors work around the clock to formulate a routine in order to keep them hydrated during the fasting process.

And as Spanish tabloids splash headlines about the fasting month and debates rage about whether players should even be allowed to fast and play during Ramadan - Kanoute insists he just wants to get on with it.

“I try to respect my faith and follow it as best I can,” Kanoute told Goal.com.

“It is sometimes harder to keep the fast because here in the south of Spain it is very hot, but I can do it, thank God.

“There are many Muslim footballers who people just do not know about in England in Spain, France and in many other leagues too. But having faith and practicing Ramadan is not something they wish to tell the world about.

“Personally, having faith helps my football and football helps me to be healthy and strengthens me. There is no conflict because people who know about Islam, they know that fasting empowers and does not weaken the Muslim.”

While Barcelona's fans are wondering if the likes of Eric Abidal, Seydou Keita and Yaya Toure - all Muslims - will be fasting, Real Madrid fans know of the importance their Muslim players - especially Mahamadou Diarra - place in their religion and his traditions.

“Every coach has respected my decision,” says Diarra on his Real Madrid profile page.

“They are difficult days during which one needs to eat, but it only lasts one month. I have another ten to play well.”

The Sevilla and Real Madrid players stance on Ramadan is shared by eminent specialist - Doctor Yacine Zerguni, a member of the FIFA and CAF Sports Medical Committees.

Zerguni collaborated with F-marc, the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre, in a study on the effects of observing Ramadan for Muslim players: two professional football clubs in Algeria agreed to undergo biological, clinical and psychological tests before, during and after the month of Ramadan.

The study constituted a world first in this particular area and formed the foundations for scientific analysis of the potential impact of Ramadan on player performance.

“This month of physical and mental self discipline, which must also be free from any unhealthy or aggressive behaviour,” Zerguni told Goal.com, when asked if Ramadan was compatible with the practice of top-level football.

“Ramadan is intended be a period of internal purification and meditation; a period of regeneration. It is far from harmful. Indeed, the psychological study of the personality formed an integral part of our research project.

Ramadan is intended be a period of internal purification and meditation; a period of regeneration. It is far from harmful.

“And although many players who were tested could not adapt to playing whilst fasting, one has to remember that it is highly likely that the effects of Ramadan are also linked to the spiritual qualities and physical capabilities of each athlete.

“Therefore certain players who continuously observe Ramadan when playing: their body can adapt because they are used to it - but many players can get tired. Players will have to work on effective pre- and post-match routines that will help them conserve energy and strength.”

Both Mahamadou Diarra and Kanoute place particular emphasis on the charity work during Ramadan. They donate a large portion of their earnings to charities in Mali with the hope of building a better future for their fellow citizens.

For Kanoute, a chance to “make a difference during Ramadan” is something very close to his heart.

“During Ramadan I give my all for my club and try not to let my team-mates and the fans down," he continued. "Everyone here has been very good to me and they understand. They also understand that during Ramadan you have a chance to reach out to those in need.

“For me, my charity is very important. I wanted to help with charity work for some time and a few years ago I went ahead with it and The Mali Children’s Village cares for orphaned and vulnerable children. There is a very big need to work with children here, especially orphans.

“My father was born a Muslim but as an orphan, he didn’t really know a lot about it, but he did try to teach me a few things. Children are our future and we should always try to ensure they are safe and have a good upbringing.”

source : Mohammed Bhana, Goal.com

For more information on Freddie Kanoute's charity, head to www.developmenttrust.com.

The Prophetic Tradition on The Genetic Code

2010-05-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

Science and Sunnah: The Genetic Code

Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed
Clinical Professor of Medicine
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Louisville, KY 40292
and
President, Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc
7102 W. Shefford Lane
Louisville, KY 40242-6462
E-Mail: IRFI@INAME.COM
Website: http://WWW.IRFI.ORG

HADITH 4

On the authority of Abu 'Abd ar-Rahman 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he is the truthful, the believed, narrated to us:

Verily the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother's belly for forty days in the form of seed, then he is a clot of blood for a like period, then a morsel of flesh for a like period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows the breath of life into him and who is commanded about four matters: to write down his means of livelihood, his life span. His actions, and whether happy or unhappy. By Allah, other than Whom there is no god, verily one of you behaves like the people of Paradise until there is but an arm's length between him and it. And that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of Hell-fire and thus he enters it; and one of you behaves like the people of Hellfire until there is but an arm's length between him and it. And that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of Paradise and thus he enters it. It was related by al-Bukhari and Muslim,

(Ref: An-Nawawi's "Forty Hadith". Translated by Ezzeddin Ibrahim and Denys Johnson-Davis. The Holy Koran Publishing House, Damascus, Syria, 1977, pp. 36-38.)

There are some Muslim thinkers who do not like the interpretation of Qur'an or Sunnah in terms of scientific terminology. However, the author believes there is nothing wrong in attempting to understand or interpret "Islam" in the light of modern knowledge. Through this article the author wants to encourage freethinking, stimulate research ideas among Muslim scholars, scientists and students so that our understanding of Qur'an and Sunnah can be furthered.

This Sunnah deals with the creation of human beings which is mentioned in great detail in Al-Qur'an. However, the astounding and astonishing matter about this Hadith is the angel who blows the breath of life into man and writes down four matters: (1) his means of Livelihood, (2) his life span, (3) his actions, and (4) whether happy or unhappy.

Before the scientific discovery of the Genetic Code and the award of Nobel Prizes to the three discoverers in 1968, it was humanly impossible to scientifically understand this Hadith. In 1990s, we are able to unravel the genetic code with regard to a person's inheritance of certain disease carrying genes. This information may tell us about an individual's life span and/or whether he will be happy or unhappy. Science is yet to discover the genes responsible for a person's "rizq" (food habits, dietetic profile, etc.) and a person's "actions" or behavior such as Type A, B, or C personality.

The present article attempts to show our current knowledge in our ability to perform genetic screening in order to understand a person's inheritance of carrying or developing a certain disease through the study of that person's genes. Our knowledge is still incomplete and we are very far away in attaining the knowledge about the four matters mentioned in this Hadith.

Inside the nucleus of a living cell there are 46 chromosomes which are visible only when the cell divides. The chromosomes are made of DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. A certain length of the DNA is called the gene. That length of DNA that codes for complete synthesis of a protein is also called a gene. Along the 46 chromosomes of every human cell are some 100,000 genes. The U.S. Government is funding a $3 billion, 15-year Human Genome Project, under the joint leadership of the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy, which will allow scientists to know exactly where on our chromosomes each of our 100,000 genes reside. Among these 100,000 genes, there are a few genes, which can be lethal. Every person has a unique set of these seven or eight deadly genes. They are usually hidden, but in the wrong environment or in combination with certain other genes they can express themselves in dangerous ways. Some families carry genetic diseases for generations and they know what type of lethal genes they carry. Most of the people do not know if they carry any genetically defective genes.

In the near future it is possible to get a blue print of our genetic inheritance-and with the knowledge of the most likely cause of our own death. This test can be performed by walking into a physician's office and giving a blood sample with a finger prick. The results of the test reveal if a person has any defective genes that will cause a certain disease or the result may be negative in which case that person will not carry the disease. Most of the adult-onset diseases involve several genes. For example there are at least 17 genes responsible for just one aspect of coronary heart disease-and the genes express themselves only under certain conditions. For most of the genetic diseases it is impossible to predict with a certainty. Geneticists now say that diabetes, hypertension, and cancer run in families. In other words these diseases are genetically inherited. Geneticists can treat adults for the presence of a handful of relatively rare genes - among them those that cause Huntington's disease (causes progressive brain degeneration); adult polycystic kidney disease (causes gradual loss of kidney function); polypsos (this condition leads to colon cancer); hemochromatosis (which could cause liver failure); and certain forms of cancer such as retinoblastoma, some leukemias, and small-cell carcinoma of the lung.

There are two important questions, which have not been answered so far. The first one is whether knowledge of the information is itself potentially hazardous to the individual; and the second one is whether institutions will misuse that knowledge to promote their own dominance and control.

There are two types of tests: prenatal tests and genetic screening tests. The prenatal tests inform future parents of a child's chances of inheriting a condition for which the parent is a carrier-Tay-Sachs disease, sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis- or of inheriting a condition from which a family member has already died-muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, beta-thalassemia. The genetic screening test tells the adults about their own genetic destiny. But do we really want to know? Are we willing to learn the details of our genetic destiny-especially when it involves diseases for which there is no cure? Are we capable of understanding the uncertainties inherent in this high-tech fortunetelling?

Adult polycystic kidney disease comes late in age and causes degenerative condition of the kidneys resulting in gradual loss of kidney function. It is carried on a single, dominant gene. If a man has the disease, then his son has a 50-50 chance of having the gene and if he has two daughters, their chances of having the disease is also 50-50. Usually this disease strikes when one is in his or her 110's. The genetic test only tells whether a persons has the gene that causes the disease, but it doesn't tell whether that person gets the disease in his UO ' s or in his late 60's. No treatment exists to prevent kidney failure in polycystic kidney patients.

There is a certain amount of unwillingness on the part of humans to know their future. However there are individuals who have taken the tests for the occurrence of Huntington's disease which is a neurological disease, a progressive and untreatable brain and muscle degeneration with symptoms that usually show themselves in the 40's. The chances of inheriting this disease

causing gene is also 50-50. Those who took the test and whose results were positive, there were no instances of suicide and only one of severe depression, and one marital breakup among the 71 patients screened.

Nancy Wexler of the Hereditary Disease Foundation says "If the information is limiting, enervating, depressing, if it tears at your self-esteem, if it gives you nothing to do, it might be better not to know." She devoted her professional life to the search for the gene for Huntington's disease which killed her mother and for which she and her sister are at risk.

Scientists stress that the results of genetic testing are ambiguous: genes alone do not determine a disease's prognosis. One can say whether or not an individual appears to have the gene, and those who have the gene have gone on to develop the disease. But one cannot say anything about when the disease will start, what will be the course of the disease, and what will be the relevant aspects of the illness.

The danger comes when imprecise tests are used inorder to predict the future, and when institutions actually use them to construct the future: when employers refuse to hire or train individuals at high risk of dying in their prime; when health-insurance companies insist on knowing the genetic profiles of their potential subscribers before paying for pre-existing genetic conditions; when schools require a permanent genetic record to anticipate which children will exhibit behavioral problems or learning disabilities. In United States genetic discrimination already exists. The risk of increasing the number of people defined as unemployable, uneducable or uninsurable exists. Genetic tests can identify employees who are susceptible to workplace toxins and companies may prohibit hiring such employees because they may contract occupational illnesses. 17 companies out of 500 had used genetic tests within the last 12 years, and 59 were considering the possibility. There is the danger of using the genetic tests for purposes of "eugenics." Eugenics means the deliberate manipulation of the gene pool with the idea of creating a master race. Defective people walking around may not be allowed to reproduce for the betterment of society.

Many of the conditions that will be uncovered through genetic studies are not life threatening, but might not fit into some societal scheme: genetic dyslexia, for example; genetic shyness; genetic arrogance; genetic left-handedness.

It is known that left-handed people have shorter life expectancies, which is relevant to insurance companies. But left-handed people may suffer for lack of knowledge whether left-handedness occurs for reasons other than genetic. They may be construed from birth as brain-damaged.

Allah is all knowing.

Source : http://irfi.org/articles/articles_1_50/science_and_sunnah_the_genetic_code.htm

ISLAMIC MEDICAL ETHICS-- SOME QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

2010-04-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

ISLAMIC MEDICAL ETHICS-- SOME QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

by Shahid Athar,M.D.

*Clinical Associate Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Chair, Medical Ethics Committee, Islamic Medical Association of North America. Presented at "Islam in America Conference" DePaul University, Chicago, September 29, 1995.

Medical Ethics: An Islamic Perspective

The introduction of newer technology in medicine in areas of life support in terminal patients, abortion, organ transplantation, biotechnical parenting, and care of AIDS patients has posed Muslim physicians and patients some new questions of ethics. The ethics is not being right or wrong, all black or all white, but as having shades of gray. It is the process of making better decisions or worse decisions compared to the worst decision. Islamic medical ethics are based on the priciples of the sanctity of human life and safeguarding its values, taking the lesser of the two evils. We look upon these issues from the perspective of Muslim physicians in that we have to face the dilemma in medical ethics on a daily basis.

Life, though short as it may look on this planet, is still a precious gift from God. Since we did not create our life, nor are the owners of it, we should not have the absolute power over it either. For our soul and spirit to live in our body for a certain period can be compared to living in a beautiful, leased apartment or house. The only thing which the landlord would like the tenant to do is to live with certain rules and regulations and do things to improve upon the apartment or house rather than destroy it. We have a duty to preserve our life and to use it for glory and pleasure in the service of God as the quality of life would permit.

The guiding principle in Islamic medical ethics which is mentioned in Quran and also in the Torah is, "If anyone has saved a life, it would be as if he has saved the life of the whole of mankind." However, the question that we are faced with, in terms of saving life, is at what cost and what quality. Does the quality of life modify our decision-making process and when resources are scarce, who takes precedence, the individual or the community?

In addition to the emphasis on preserving life and the quality of life, the principles of biomedical ethics include promoting and restoring health, alleviating suffering, respecting patients' autonomy, doing medical justice, telling the truth, and doing no further harm.

We, the physicians, cannot remain aloof from the religion of our patient as we ourselves, in patients not only expect me to help them in arriving at a medical decision, but also ask me to pray for them. If we, the physicians, understand the religion of our patients, we can communicate to them better and help them make viable decisions and comply with a prescribed treatment. Sickness precipitates questions about himself and his future in the mind of a patient and drives him closer to God, whatever his distance might have been at the beginning of the illness. During illness, many patients go through spiritual growth and find their spirituality at the end. A physician's own belief may influence his treatment options for the patient's outcome. For example, a physician who is totally against abortion will never advise his patient to undergo an abortion, and a physician who does not value the sanctity of life may become a suicide-doctor. The Muslim physician, knowing that we have no right to take our own lives, should not assist his patient in that, either.

Some of the rules of medical ethics include a) respect for the autonomy and b) beneficence.
People are autonomous in the decision-making process if they are able to understand and make intelligent decisions for themselves which are intentional and voluntary. The right of patient self- determination accepted by the State is based on this principle.

The second principle is that of beneficence, which obliges persons to benefit and help others. This principle requires positive action to prevent what is bad or harmful, to remove what is bad or harmful, and to do, or promote, what is good and beneficial.

The Islamic principle of forbidding what is wrong and enjoining what is good illustrates this. The knowledge of medical technology obliges Muslim physicians to offer what medical justice requires. Medical justice by itself is a principle of fair distribution of benefits and burdens. Justice requires that persons receive that which they deserve and to which they are entitled. These principles involve decisions to allocate scarce health resources. The actual implementation of this principle remains somewhat controversial. Physicians' response to individual justice differs at times with "societal" justice.

Another rule is nonmaleficence. This principle obliges persons to refrain from harming others including refraining from killing them or treating them cruelly. It is one of the non-intervention.

It also requires the person to exercise due care so that they do not unintentionally harm others such as malpractice in medical or surgical care. Let us discuss the questions of rights and obligations.

These rights mavbe considered in relation to the right to die, the right to abort a viable fetus, the right to have a child in case of infertility, or the right to donate or receive an organ, or the rights of the individual whose disease maybe due to an deviant lifestyle. Not only should we discuss the right of the individual, but also the rights of the spouse, relatives, physician and other care- givers, the unborn, and God. While discussing the rights, we must also discuss the obligations of the State, community, the individual, the spouse, and the relatives.

In the question of the right to live or die, the question is should one prolong the life or the misery. Who determines (the unconscious patient, the family, or the doctor), that the plug should be pulled and the life support system stopped? What is the definition of death, acceptable to both the medical technology and Islamic jurists? Is a living will justified? Is stopping the life support system an act of mercy, a medical decision, a murder, or a financial decision?

While Islam gives importance to saving life, it also makes it clear that dying is part of the contract with God and part of the journey on this planet. The final decision of the term is up to God. The quality of life is equally, if not more important than the life span on this planet.

Physicians and the family should realize the limitations of medical technology and should not attempt to do heroic measures for a terminally-ill patient who is in a vegetative state and cannot be resurrected to a quality of life acceptable to him. The heroic measures taken at the beginning of life like saving a premature baby are more justifiable than at the end of the life span. We consider euthanasia an act of murder. We do not see the difference between the gun used by a husband for his dying wife and the syringe used by the physician for his dying patient; both are weapons of death no matter what the intention of the killer was.

The ethical questions in the area of organ transplantation are what are the rights of the living donor, the dead body, and the recipient. To prolong life, does the recipient have a right to take away the organ from the dead? Is the sale of the organs justified? Is the taking of animal organs justified? Is accepting organs from aborted fetuses justified? Is harvesting fetuses to get more fetal tissue justified? Is the cost of transplantation worth the benefit derived from it? The total cost of heart transplantation is in excess of several hundred thousand dollars, with an average post-transplantation life of two to three years, and the quality of post-transplantation life is not necessarily the same level as it was before the development of end-stage heart disease. I have not seen a single heart transplant patient going back to work.

Transplantation, in general, is permitted especially if it is a gift from a living donor to another living person. From the Islamic perspective, transplantation from the dead to the living may not be permitted unless a free will is available before the death of the person. The relatives and the physicians should respect the rights of the dead body even though their intention to save another life is noble.

The ethical questions in cases of abortion are when does life begin? If a fetus is a living individual than is terminating its life a murder? What are the rights of the fetus? Who guards those rights? Do both parents even if unwed have the same rights over the life of the fetus? What should be done with the pregnancy that is the outcome of a rape? Should all such pregnancies be terminated?

What if the women wants to keep her baby even if she did not want it to begin with? Is promoting or not preventing abortion which will lead to more sales of aborted fetuses for transplantation of fetal tissue and organs or their delicate skin to make expensive cosmetics justified? Islam believes that life begins when the zygote is formed.

The women of pagan Arabia, before Islam, killed their infants for the fear of poverty or the shame of birth of a girl. Both of these acts have been condemned in Quran, but the women of today are killing their infants not for either cause but to sustain and enjoy the life of sexual freedom. God reminds them: "Such as took their religion to be mere amusement and play, and were deceived by the life of the world. That day shall We forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs, and as they were wont to reject Our Signs." (Qur'an 7:51).

There are many questions in the area of biotechnicall reproduction and surrogacy. Infertility is a disease and to desire to seek a cure for the disease is Islamic. However, this has to be done within the life span of an intact marriage between husband and wife. The marriage is a legal contract not only between man and a woman, but also between God and the couple. Thus the question is whether the child was born of an intact legal marriage or outside the marriage. In case of a surrogate father, who is the real father and does the child have the right to know his identity? In case of a surrogate mother, who is the real mother, the one whose ovum is being used or the one who lets her uterus be used? Is renting the uterus with money for this purpose allowed or justified?

A woman who does not want to go through pregnancy, labor, or lactation can donate her ovum every month to different women, technically, to hire a uterus and have many children. In the case of mothers renting their own uterus in place of their daughters', with the sperm of their son-in law, totally disrupts the concept of marriage and social norms and of lineage. The Qur'an is specific in terms of lineage and definition of motherhood. It says, "No one can be their mother except those who gave them birth" (Qur'an 58:2). Qur'an also says, "He has established the relationship of lineage and marriage" (Qur'an 25:54).

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has become the plague of the century. In the United States alone, over 220,000 have been diagnosed and half of them have already died. The ethical questions as to the care of AIDS are:

Who will pay for the cost of the billion of dollars spent on the care of AIDS patients since the insurance companies do not insure them?
should the AIDS patient be quarantined and forced to change their lifestyle?
should IV users be given free, clean needles, syringes and drugs since IV drug use and AIDS are very easily correlated?
should HIV positive carriers carry an ID card?
should everyone be tested for HIV without their knowledge, and if so, what should be done with the positive results in terms of employment and medical care?
does paying for AIDS cases by the public or the government mean that they endorse the lifestyle of the patient? and
should Muslim physicians care for AIDS patients?

The Islamic response to AIDS is, in brief, directed at a different level, firstly, to prevent the disease by having a sexual lifestyle prescribed by God. In those cases where AIDS can be acquired without a sexual contact, for example, by transfusion in case of hemophiliacs, all measures should be taken to protect the individual. After AIDS has been acquired, it should be treated like any other chronic disease.

We never question the lifestyle of patients with other diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, nor do we discriminate against them or stop caring for them. Thus Muslim physicians have an obligation to continue caring for AIDS patients while taking the necessary precautions for themselves at the same time when participating in preventive measures and education.

The Rights of God

Last but really most important, nobody seems to talk about the rights of the Creator. The Creator of life and death has certain rights over His Creations which man should acknowledge. They are:

He should be believed in,
His will and injunction should be sought,
Once known, His and His messengers' decisions should be given preference over man's ever changing opinion (Qur'an 33:36),
No deliberate attempt should be made to go against the will of God (36:77).

Shahid Athar, M.D., Inc.
8424 Naab Road, Suite 2D
Indianapolis, IN 46260
Tel: (317) 872-5159
E-mail: SAthar3624@aol.com

The Inadequacy of Western Methodology

2009-12-30T07:26:00.000-08:00

Methodology and the Inadequacy of Western Methods

Methodology ( in scientific study) is the fields of scientific inquiry concerned with the examination of the methods used in the study of natural and human phenomena. A scientific method consists of a number of rules a researcher must follow in the study of the subject matter of his research. Those researchers who apply scientific methods may claim that the knowledge produced by their research is scientific.

The researcher must use methods currently acknowledged by the scientific inquiry. however a new method could be applied provided he demonstrates its soundness. The determination of the soundness of scientific methods is the task of methodology.

Methodology is thus the fields of scientific inquiry into justification, description, and explanation of the rules and procedures which constitute scientific methods. As such, methodology is not confined to description of scientific procedures, but involves the analysis of the grounds which justify their use.

The Inadequacy of Western Methods

1. Modern Western methods have had an empiricist bias which culminated in contemporary times in the logical positivistic approach embodied in western behaviorism. they have abandoned behaviorism under pressure from its critics.

2. Throughout the last three centuries, Western scholarship was able to completely eliminate revelation as a source of knowledge, thereby reducing it into the level of mere fiction and myth.

source : The foundation of knowledge ( Louay Safi)

Religious Views on Eating Pork

2009-10-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

Why is the eating of pork forbidden in Islam?

By : Dr Zakir Naik

The fact that consumption of pork is prohibited in Islam is well known. The following points explain various aspects of this prohibition:

1. Pork prohibited in Qur’an

The Qur’an prohibits the consumption of pork in no less than 4 different places. It is prohibited in 2:173, 5:3, 6:145 and 16:115.

"Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah." [Al-Qur’an 5:3]

The above verses of the Holy Qur’an are sufficient to satisfy a Muslim as to why pork is forbidden.

2. Pork prohibited in the Bible

The Christian is likely to be convinced by his religious scriptures. The Bible prohibits the consumption of pork, in the book of Leviticus

"And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you".

"Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch, they are unclean to you."[Leviticus 11:7-8]

Pork is also prohibited in the Bible in the book of Deuteronomy

"And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you. Ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass."

[Deuteronomy 14:8]

A similar prohibition is repeated in the Bible in the book of Isaiah chapter 65 verse 2-5.

3. Consumption of pork causes several diseases

The other non-Muslims and atheists will agree only if convinced through reason, logic and science. Eating of pork can cause no less than seventy different types of diseases. A person can have various helminthes like roundworm, pinworm, hookworm, etc. One of the most dangerous is Taenia Solium, which is in lay man’s terminology called tapeworm. It harbours in the intestine and is very long. Its ova i.e. eggs, enter the blood stream and can reach almost all the organs of the body. If it enters the brain it can cause memory loss. If it enters the heart it can cause heart attack, if it enters the eye it can cause blindness, if it enters the liver it can cause liver damage. It can damage almost all the organs of the body.

Another dangerous helminthes is Trichura Tichurasis. A common misconception about pork is that if it is cooked well, these ova die. In a research project undertaken in America, it was found that out of twenty-four people suffering from Trichura Tichurasis, twenty two had cooked the pork very well. This indicates that the ova present in the pork do not die under normal cooking temperature.

4. Pork has fat building material

Pork has very little muscle building material and contains excess of fat. This fat gets deposited in the vessels and can cause hypertension and heart attack. It is not surprising that over 50% of Americans suffer from hypertension.

5. Pig is one of the filthiest animals on earth

The pig is one of the filthiest animals on earth. It lives and thrives on muck, faeces and dirt. It is the best scavenger that I know that God has produced. In the villages they don’t have modern toilets and the villagers excrete in the open air. Very often excreta is cleared by pigs.

Some may argue that in advanced countries like Australia, pigs are bred in very clean and hygienic conditions. Even in these hygienic conditions the pigs are kept together in sties. No matter how hard you try to keep them clean they are filthy by nature. They eat and enjoy their own as well as their neighbour’s excreta.

6. Pig is the most shameless animal

The pig is the most shameless animal on the face of the earth. It is the only animal that invites its friends to have sex with its mate. In America, most people consume pork. Many times after dance parties, they have swapping of wives; i.e. many say "you sleep with my wife and I will sleep with your wife." If you eat pigs then you behave like pigs. We Indians look upon America to be very advanced and sophisticated. Whatever they do, we follow after a few years. According to an article in Island magazine, this practice of swapping wives has become common in the affluent circles of Bombay.

Copyright © For Everyone, :: Ummah Network ::

Islam in the West : Its Future

2009-10-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

ISLAM AND ITS FUTURE

" When Allah's succour and the triumph cometh, and you see mankind entering the religion of God in troops, then hymn the praises of your Lord and seek forgiveness. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy" Quran 110:1-2-3

The movement of immigrants, refugees, migrant labor and exiles from all over the Muslim world to Western nations in the post-World War II era, coupled with the conversion of Europeans and Americans to Islam, has created a new dynamic, transforming the old relationship between "Islam" and "the West." Islam and Muslims are not exclusively "over there" or "the other." They have become part and parcel of the West. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, Islam is not only the second largest religion in the world, it has become the second- or third-largest religion in Europe and North America.

The Muslims in the West deserve the sympathetic support of the Muslim community (ummah) as a whole. And the ones who do feel concern for Muslims in the West must understand that they will only do harm if their motive is to force Western Muslims into any particular mold. We have the example of the village Imams imported from Pakistan and Bangladesh in the British communities, who do not help to integrate. The "Islam" which they offer to anyone who shows interest is not the Islamic Faith that Muslims in the West recognize or share. Another example is also those of our Saudi brothers who would like us all to adopt a Wahabi, or should I say Muwahid, understanding of Islam. No one should involve himself in this matter unless he is able to adopt a very broad and tolerant view of the Faith and unless he is prepared to make allowances for the difficulty in following the Shari‘ah fully in such an alien environment. What we most need is unity between the different communities of Muslim immigrants and also their offspring. We do not need the creation of further divisions and further conflict.

The essential, so far as Muslims in the West are concerned, is an agreement to differ. It is pointless to expect the majority of Muslims in Europe and America to practice Islam exactly as they did or should have done in their country of origin, and to insist that they do so is a sure way to drive the young out into the wilderness.
(source:The Muslims in the West by Charles Gai Eaton (Hassan Abdul Hakeem))

As for the future of Islam, many scholars and Muslims differ on its trend in the West. Many think that Islam will rise, anew, from the West and that the West will convert to Islam. Other scholars disagree. They think that the West lived and will still live as a secular world and that Islam cannot overcome the obstacles it has set forth.

Al-Faruqi, a Professor of Islamic studies in an American university, said: “The best of Islamic victories will be conquering America through its conversion to Islam. But is this feasible? Will America, so engrossed in materialism, become a Muslim country? We can hope that many more Westerners will one day convert to Islam.

He thinks that America will certainly be Muslim one day. The failure of Christianity and Capitalism may lead to that end. According to him, the West will soon seek another alternative to its way of life. Also, it can be seeen that many Western scholars are converting to Islam and trying to introduce Islam to the West. Dr. Murad Hoffman, former Germany’s ambassador to Morocco, wrote a book he called, “Islam is the Alternate Solution.” He wrote: “I think that the movement to revive Islam will come from Europe in the 21st century.” Also, when Roger Garaudy (a French philosopher) became a Muslim, Europe was shocked because a materialist and a communist thinker became a Muslim!

Dr. Kamal Abdul-Hamid Nimr, another professor with the Saudi Academy in Washington, disagrees. He said: “Those who dream of the rise of the Islamic state from America are misguided. The religious freedom, that they experience in America and were prevented from in their own homelands, is misleading. The rise of Islam from America is but a sweet dream!”. He thinks that it is impossible that Islam can be established in such a society so deeply egocentric and materialistic. He thinks that the west will stay as it is, an enemy of Islam, and is driven to this conclusion by what the West has become. He sees the collapse of morality, disbelief and rejection of faith that the West is experiencing. They think that the effect of Western Civilization and the huge number of misconceptions about Islam will prevent them from answering the call to Islam.

However the case, we shall be optimistic, given the number of people converting to Islam everyday in the Western countries, and we shall put our trust in God, who will not leave His people without help provided they make some humble effort to deserve this help. Insha Allah!

Original source, please visit : http://www.salaam.co.uk/themeofthemonth/april02_index.php?l=7

What type of justice would Western prefer... for the sake of human rights ?

2009-07-24T11:55:00.001-07:00

Killing Veiled Muslims in Europe, a Forthcoming Trend?

By Euro-Muslims Editorial Desk

Marwa Al-Shirbini, the victim
A veiled Muslim mother was savagely murdered in Dresden courtroom, Germany. The murderer is the same attacker who was in court appealing the €780 fine for his insult to the victim's Islamic headscarf.

Marwa Al-Sherbini, a 32-year-old Egyptian based in Germany, was stabbed several deadly times under the court ceiling and with the presence of the German police. She has been living in Germany for years with her husband, the Egyptian academic Elwi Ali-Okaz, who is studying for his post graduate studies in Germany.

The three-month pregnant mother was not the only victim but Okaz, her husband, was also hurt in his attempts to protect her from the criminal's knife and he is currently in a critical condition at Dresden College hospital.
The stabbing happened on July 1, just before Al-Sherbini was to give her evidence on a recent discriminatory attitude took by the criminal towards her hijab. During the struggle, other bystanders were also injured and police fired a shot. The killer, identified only as Alex W., is now subject to the German police forces' investigations.

While some officials insist on not to relate this criminal act to the fact that Mrs. Al-Sherbini is a veiled Muslim woman in the German secular society assuming that it has nothing to do with persecution against Muslims in Germany, others say that this incident shows a sample of open hostility towards foreigners and Muslims in Germany.

It is worth mentioning that this incident came days after the German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble sought understanding for Germany’s integration policies in a speech he gave at Egypt’s Cairo University, stating that anti-democratic ideas in Muslim communities must be combated.

After reviewing the story and the different opinions on it, how do you feel towards such a criminal act? Do you expect angry reactions from Muslims in Germany, and/or Europe? As a human being ─ regardless of your race, color, or belief, what will be your own reaction towards such a savage act?
________________________________________
Euro-Muslims Editorial Desk

Organ Donation.... how Islam deals With it?

2009-06-18T12:20:00.000-07:00

Organ Donation Problems

by Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D.
President
Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.
7102 W. Shefford Lane
Louisville, KY 40242-6462, U.S.A.
E-mail: IRFI@INAME.COM
Website: http://WWW.IRFI.ORG

Organ donation is the charitable act or gift of an organ to help someone who needs a transplant. Americans are not donating their organs to be used after they die, and hence there are over 78,000 men, women, and children waiting for organ transplants in America, and 14 of these people die every day while waiting to receive an organ transplant. There are more than five people waiting for every organ made available by donation. An estimated two in three Americans have not indicated their wishes about donation. The United Network for Organ Sharing found slow growth in the number of organs from deceased donors. Kidneys from living donors are more likely to survive than those from deceased donors. In 1999, there were a total of 21,715 transplants performed in the United States, up 44 percent from 1990.

Some people have religious or cultural objections to donate organs. Living donors--those who volunteer a kidney or parts of their liver or lungs--are understandably reluctant: they must undergo potentially life-threatening surgery and put their own future health at risk.

More and more people with HIV and/or hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C are going to need organ transplants, particularly liver transplants. Europe and Singapore have what is called a Presumed Consent organ collection system. That means that when an accident occurs to a person who has not opted out, and brain death is declared, his or her organs can be taken immediately without the time.

First transplants
Thousands of people have their sight restored by donated corneas. A cornea was first transplanted in 1905. In 1918 Blood transfusion became established and the first successful kidney transplant took place in 1954. Christian Barnard in Cape Town, South Africa performed the first heart transplant in 1967.

Deaths on Waiting List
The number of deaths on the waiting list has also more than tripled—from 1,958 in 1990 to 6,125 in 1999. In 2001 more than 6,000 people in the U.S. died while waiting for an organ transplant. The dire shortfall of organs compared with patient demand is growing as the population ages and more people experience organ failure. New
Immunosuppressive drugs have helped bridge the gap by allowing surgeons to transplant an organ that is a less than perfect match; even then, there just aren't enough organs available.

There were 5,849 cadaveric, or dead, donors in 1999 an increase of 30 percent from 1990. Each donor can give 3 to 4 organs. Among cadaveric donors, 85 percent died due to head trauma or stroke. There were 4,712 living donors in 1999, more than twice the number in 1990. Of living donors, 35 percent were siblings, 18 percent were parents and 20 percent came from people who were not related.
Survival Rates
89 percent of kidneys taken from a cadaver and 95 percent of the patients who received them survived at least one year after transplant. Among those who got kidneys from living donors, 95 percent of kidneys and 98 percent of patients were alive a year later. 81 percent of livers and 88 percent of liver transplant patients survived at least a year. 85 percent of hearts and 86 percent of heart transplant patients survived at least a year.

What organs are transplanted?
Kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas, small bowel, corneas, heart valves and bone can all be transplanted. Skin can be used to treat patients with severe burns. Techniques are improving all the time and it may soon be practical to transplant other parts of the body. An individual can donate heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, liver and small bowel.

Tissue that can be donated includes corneas, skin, bone and heart valves. Corneas can be transplanted to restore the sight of a person who has a severe eye disease or injury. Bone and tendons are used for reconstruction after an injury or during joint replacement surgery. A bone transplant can prevent limb amputation in patients suffering from bone cancer.

Heart valves are used to help children born with heart defects and adults with diseased or damaged valves. Skin grafts are used as protective dressings to help save the lives of people with severe burns.
Most people can donate tissue. Unlike organs, tissue can be donated up to 24 hours after a person has died and can be stored for longer periods.
Reproductive organs and tissue are not taken from dead donors.

Who can be a donor?
A person under sixteen can donate an organ provided the parents or guardian agree to donation. Older people can donate in the case of cornea and some other tissue, age does not matter. For other organs it is the person's physical condition, not age, which is the deciding factor. Doctors decide in each case which organs/tissue are suitable. Organs from people in their seventies and eighties are transplanted successfully.

Color of the Skin
Color of the skin of the donor does not matter. However, organs are matched by blood group and tissue type and the better the match, the greater the chance of a successful result. Patients from the same ethnic group are more likely to be a close match. It is important that people from all ethnic backgrounds to donate organs. Successful transplants are carried out between people from different ethnic groups wherever the matching criteria are met.

The organ shortage has led various policymakers to propose radical steps. U.S. policy makers are proposing to provide financial incentives to living donors or to the families of deceased donors. One approach, which has been instituted in Pennsylvania and is supported by the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, offers families who donate a loved one's organs $300 in food and lodging expenses. Medical journals are advocating the program assert that the amount of money is intentionally small to "express appreciation" for the donation but not to serve as a payment. It is similar to the token coffee mug or umbrella one receives after donating to public radio or television. More important, some are agonized that these programs would mark the first step in encouraging an inhumane and delicately coercive market for spare body parts. In Islam, buying and selling of human organs for transplantation is prohibited. It should be done only as Sadaqah.

Although the outright purchase of organs is illegal in nearly every country in the world, a number have black markets for living-donor organs, and the results have been frightening. A study of 305 living kidney donors in Madras (Chennai), India, found that 96 percent sold a kidney to pay off debts, receiving Rs.50, 000 or US $1,070 a piece. But 75 percent of the respondents soon faced debt and destitution once again, and 79 percent would not recommend organ selling to others. Permitting trade in organs has already led to the exploitation of the poor.

A multitude of bills now in Congress would create a "medal of honor" for donors, offer medical leave for living donors. Living donors will have life and disability insurance in case they experienced unconstructive side effects. There is a need for an expanded public education campaign that would explain the need for organ donation and throw light on the process. Physicians and hospital personnel also require more training in encouraging organ donation
It was shown that more than 95 percent of families would consent to organ donation if they knew it was the wish of their loved one. The unusual tactic of appealing to people's better natures may not be the only way to raise the number of organs available for transplantation, but it is the best method to start.

The Fact of Quranic embryology & Anatomy..... True or Not ?

2009-06-02T14:40:00.000-07:00

Scientists' Comments On The Qur'anic Theory of Embryology & Anatomy (Science and Revelation)

Extracts from the video This is the Truth by Sheikh Abdul-Majeed A. al-Zindani

Keith L. Moore
Professor Emeritus, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Toronto. Distinguished embryologist and the author of several medical textbooks, including Clinically Oriented Anatomy (3rd Edition) and The Developing Human (5th Edition, with T.V.N. Persaud).

Investigations in to the 'alaqa or leech-like stage.

Dr. Moore was a former President of the Canadian Association of Anatomists, and of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists. He was honoured by the Canadian Association of Anatomists with the prestigious J.C.B. Grant Award and in 1994 he received the Honoured Member Award of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists "for outstanding contributions to the field of clinical anatomy."

"For the past three years, I have worked with the Embryology Committee of King cAbdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, helping them to interpret the many statements in the Qur'an and Sunnah referring to human reproduction and prenatal development. At first I was astonished by the accuracy of the statements that were recorded in the 7th century AD, before the science of embryology was established. Although I was aware of the glorious history of Muslim scientists in the 10th century AD, and some of their contributions to Medicine, I knew nothing about the religious facts and beliefs contained in the Qur'an and Sunnah."[2]

At a conference in Cairo he presented a research paper and stated:

"It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Qur'an about human development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, or Allah, because most of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God, or Allah." [1]

Professor Moore also stated that:

"...Because the staging of human embryos is complex, owing to the continuous process of change during development, it is proposed that a new system of classification could be developed using the terms mentioned in the Qur'an and Sunnah. The proposed system is simple, comprehensive, and conforms with present embryological knowledge.

"The intensive studies of the Qur'an and Hadith in the last four years have revealed a system of classifying human embryos that is amazing since it was recorded in the seventh century A.D... the descriptions in the Qur'an cannot be based on scientific knowledge in the seventh century..."[1]
________________________________________

E. Marshall Johnson
Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, and Director of the Daniel Baugh Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Author of over 200 publications. Former President of the Teratology Society among other accomplishments. Professor Johnson began to take an interest in the scientific signs in the Qur'an at the 7th Saudi Medical Conference (1982), when a special committee was formed to investigate scientific signs in the Qur'an and Hadith. At first, Professor Johnson refused to accept the existence of such verses in the Qur'an and Hadith. But after a dicussuion with Sheikh Zindani he took an interest and concentrated his research on the internal as well as external development of the fetus.

"...in summary, the Qur'an describes not only the development of external form, but emphasises also the internal stages, the stages inside the embryo, of its creation and development, emphasising major events recognised by contemporary science."

"As a scientist, I can only deal with things which I can specifically see. I can understand embryology and developmental biology. I can understand the words that are translated to me from the Qur'an. As I gave the example before, if I were to transpose myself into that era, knowing what I do today and describing things, I could not describe the things that were described...

I see no evidence to refute the concept that this individual Muhammad had to be developing this information from some place... so I see nothing here in conflict with the concept that divine intervention was involved in what he was able to write..." [1]
________________________________________

T.V.N. Persaud
Professor of Anatomy, and Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Author and editor of over 20 books, and has published over 181 scientific papers. Co-author of The Developing Human (5th Edition, with Keith L. Moore). He received the J.C.B. Grant Award in 1991. Professor Peraud presented several research papers.

"It seems to me that Muhammad was a very ordinary man, he couldn't read, didn't know how to write, in fact he was an illiterate...

We're talking about 1400 years ago, you have some illiterate person making profound statements that are amazingly accurate, of a scientific nature...

I personally can't see how this could be mere chance, there are too many accuracies and like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind reconciling that this is a divine inspiration or revelation which lead him to these statements." [1]
________________________________________

Joe Leigh Simpson
Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.

He is the President of the American Fertility Society. He has received many awards, including the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Public Recognition Award in 1992. Like many others, Professor Simpson was taken by surprise when he discovered that the Qur'an and Hadith contain verses related to his specialised field of study. When he met with Sheikh Abdul-Majeed A.Zindani, he insisted on verifying the text presented to him from the Qur'an and Hadith.

"... these Hadiths (sayings of Muhammad) could not have been obtained on the basis of the scientific knowledge that was available at the time of the 'writer'... It follows that not only is there no conflict between genetics and religion (Islam) but in fact religion (Islam) may guide science by adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific approaches... There exist statements in the Qur'an shown centuries later to be valid which support knowledge in the Qur'an having been derived from God." [1]
________________________________________

Gerald C. Goeringer
Professor and Co-ordinator of Medical Embryology in the Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA.

Sheikh cAbdul-Majeed A.Zindani met with Professor Goeringer and asked him whether in the history of embryology was there any mention of the different stages of embryonic development, or whether there existed any embryological texts at the time of the Prophet. Sheikh Zindani also asked his opinion regarding the terms the Qur'an uses to describe the different phases of fetal development. After several long discussions, he presented a study at the 8th Saudi Medical Conference:

"...In a relatively few ayahs (Qur'anic verses) is contained a rather comprehensive description of human development from the time of commingling of the gametes through organogenesis. No such distinct and complete record of human development such as classification, terminology, and description existed previously. In most, if not all instances, this description antedates by many centuries the recording of the various stages of human embryonic and fetal development recorded in the traditional scientific literature." [1]
________________________________________

Alfred Kroner
Professor of the Department of Geosciences, University of Mainz, Germany.

Professor Kroner is one of the world's most famous geologists, becoming well known among his colleague scientists for his criticisms against the theories of some of the major scientists in his field. Sheikh cAbdul-Majeed A. Zindani met with him and presented several Qur'anic verses and Hadith which he studied and commented upon.

"Thinking where Muhammad came from... I think it is almost impossible that he could have known about things like the common origin of the universe, because scientists have only found out within the last few years with very complicated and advanced technological methods that this is the case."
"Somebody who did not know something about nuclear physics 1400 years ago could not, I think, be in a position to find out from his own mind for instance that the earth and the heavens had the same origin, or many others of the questions that we have discussed here...
If you combine all these and you combine all these statements that are being made in the Qur'an in terms that relate to the earth and the formation of the earth and science in general, you can basically say that statements made there in many ways are true, they can now be confirmed by scientific methods, and in a way, you can say that the Qur'an is a simple science text book for the simple man. And that many of the statements made in there at that time could not be proven, but that modern scientific methods are now in a position to prove what Muhammad said 1400 years ago." [1]
________________________________________

Yushidi Kusan
Director of the Tokyo Observatory, Tokyo, Japan.

Sheikh Abdul-Majeed A. Zindani presented a number of Qur'anic verses describing the beginnings of the universe and of the heavens, and the relationship of the earth to the heavens. He expressed his astonishment, saying that the Qur'an describes the universe as seen from the highest observation point, everything is distinct and clear.

"I say, I am very much impressed by finding true astronomical facts in Qur'an, and for us modern astronomers have been studying very small piece of the universe. We have concentrated our efforts for understanding of very small part. Because by using telescopes, we can see only very few parts of the sky without thinking about the whole universe. So by reading Qur'an and by answering to the questions, I think I can find my future way for investigation of the universe." [1]
________________________________________

Professor Armstrong
Professor Armstrong works for NASA and is also Professor of Astronomy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.

Prof. Armstrong was asked a number of questions about Qur'anic verses dealing with his field of specialisation. He was eventually asked, "You have seen and discovered for yourself the true nature of modern Astronomy by means of modern equipment, rockets, and satellites developed by man. You have also seen how the same facts were mentioned by the Qur'an fourteen centuries ago. So what is your opinion?"
"That is a difficult question which I have been thinking about since our discussion here. I am impressed at how remarkably some of the ancient writings seem to correspond to modern and recent Astronomy. I am not a sufficient scholar of human history to project myself completely and reliably into the circumstances that 1400 years ago would have prevailed.
Certainly, I would like to leave it at that, that what we have seen is remarkable, it may or may not admit of scientific explanation, there may well have to be something beyond what we understand as ordinary human experience to account for the writings that we have seen." [1]

William Hay
Professor of Oceanogprahy, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA.

Professor Hay is one of the best known marine scientist in the USA. Sheikh cAbdul-Majeed A. Zindani met with him and asked him many questions about the marine surface, the divider between upper and lower sea, and about the ocean floor and marine geology.

"I find it very interesting that this sort of information is in the ancient scriptures of the Holy Qur'an, and I have no way of knowing where they would have come from. But I think it is extremely interesting that they are there and this work is going on to discover it, the meaning of some of the passages."
And when he was asked about the source of the Qur'an, he replied, "Well, I would think it must be the divine being." [1]
________________________________________

Durja Rao
Professor of Marine Geology teaching at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Zindani presented to Prof. Rao many verses dealing with his area of specialisation, and asked: "What do you think of the existence of the scientific information in the Qur'an? How could Prophet Muhammad have known about these facts fourteen centuries ago?"

"It is difficult to imagine that this type of knowledge was existing at that time, around 1400 years back. May be some of the things they have simple idea about, but to describe those things in great detail is very difficult. So this is definitely not simple human knowledge. A normal human being cannot explain this phenomenon in that much detail. So, I thought the information must have come from a supernatural source." [1]
________________________________________

Professor Siaveda
Professor of Marine Geology, Japan.

Sheikh Zindani asked him a number of questions in his area of specialisation, and then informed him of the Qur'anic verses and Hadith which mention the same phenomena he spoke of. One of the questions was concerning mountains. Sheikh Zindani asked him about the shape of mountains; and whether they were firmly rooted in the earth. "What is your opinion of what you have seen in the Qur'an and the Sunnah with regard to the secrets of the Universe, which scientists only discovered now?"

"I think it seems to me very, very mysterious, almost unbelievable. I really think if what you have said is true, the book is really a very remarkable book, I agree." [1]
________________________________________

Tejatat Tejasen
Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and is the former Dean of the faculty of Medicine, University of Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Professor Tejasen studied various articles concerning the Qur'an and modern embryology. He spent four days with several scholars, Muslims and non-Muslims, discussing this phenomenon in the Qur'an and Hadith. During the 8th Saudi Medical Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia he stood up and said:

"In the last three years, I became interested in the Qur'an... From my studies and what I have learned throughout this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Qur'an fourteen hundred years ago must be the truth, that can be proved by the scientific means.

Since the Prophet Muhammad could neither read nor write, Muhammad must be a messenger who relayed this truth which was revealed to him as an enlightenment by the one who is eligible creator. This creator must be God, or Allah.

I think this is the time to say La ilaha illa Allah, there is no god to worship except Allah (God), Muhammad rasoolu Allah, Muhammad is Messenger of Allah...
The most precious thing I have gained from coming to this conference is La ilaha illa Allah, and to have become Muslim." [1]
________________________________________

Dr. Maurice Bucaille
Born in 1920, former chief of the Surgical Clinic, University of Paris, has for a long time deeply interested in the correspondences between the teachings of the Holy Scriptures and modern secular knowledge.

He is the author of a best-seller, "The Bible, The Qur'an and Science" (1976). His classical studies of the scriptural languages, including Arabic, in association with his knowledge of hieroglyphics, have allowed him to hold a multidisciplinary inquiry, in which his personal contribution as a medical doctor has produced conclusive arguments. His work, "Mummies of the Pharaohs - Modern Medical Investigations" (St. Martins Press, 1990), won a History Prize from the Académie Française and another prize from the French National Academy of Medicine.

His other works include: "What is the Origin of Man" (Seghers, 1988), "Moses and Pharaoh, the Hebrews in Egypt", (NTT Mediascope Inc, 1994); and "Réflexions sur le Coran" (Mohamed Talbi & Maurice Bucaille, Seghers, 1989)

After a study which lasted ten years, Dr. Maurice Bucaille addressed the French Academy of Medicine in 1976 concerning the existence in the Qur'an of certain statements concerning physiology and reproduction. His reason for doing that was that :

"...our knowledge of these disciplines is such, that it is impossible to explain how a text produced at the time of the Qur'an could have contained ideas that have only been discovered in modern times."

"The above observation makes the hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad as the author of the Qur'an untenable. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most important author, in terms of literary merits, in the whole of Arabic literature?

How could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human-being could possibly have developed at that time, and all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncement on the subject?"
________________________________________

Bibliography
[1] al-Zindani, Abdul-Majeed A, This is the Truth (video tape). Scientific Signs of the Qur'an and Sunnah containing interviews with various scientists. Available in Arabic, English, French, Urdu and Turkish. A full English transcript of this video with illustrations is also available: Al-Rehaili, Abdullah M., This is the Truth, Muslim World League, Makkah al-Mukarrammah, 1995. Also available on the web at: This Is The Truth!
[2] Moore, Keith L. and al-Zindani, Abdul-Majeed A., The Developing Human with Islamic Additions, Third Edition, W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 1982, with Dar Al-Qiblah for Islamic Literature, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 1983, page viiic. Limited Edition.
[3] Moore, Keith L., al-Zindani, Abdul-Majeed A., Ahmed Mustafa A, The Qur'an and Modern Science - Correlation Studies, Islamic Academy for Scientific Research, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Reprinted by World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), USA., 1990, ISBN 0-9627236-0-6. Collection of papers presented at a symposium sponsored by the Muslim Students Association, University of Illinois, May 1990.
[4] Moore, Keith L.; Johnson, E. Marshall; Persaud, T.V.N.; Goeringer, Gerald C.; Zindani, Abdul-Majeed A.; and Ahmed Mustafa A, Human Development as Described in the Qur'an and Sunnah, Commission on Scientific Signs of the Qur'an and Sunnah, Muslim World League, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia, 1992, ISBN 0-9627236-1-4. Collection of papers that were originally presented in the First International Conference on Scientific Signs of the Qur'an and Sunnah, held in Islamabad, Pakistan, 1987, and after some modifications and development, presented in their present form in Dakar, Sengal in July 1991.

Extracts from the video This is the Truth by Sheikh Abdul-Majeed A. al-Zindani, Director, Project of Scientific Miracles in the Qur'an and Hadith, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Elias Karim

Source : http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Science/scientists.html

Brief Analysis on Bennabi's Theory of Civilization

2009-06-02T13:27:00.000-07:00

A Summary of Malek Bennabi's Thought on Civilization

by Hasbullah Mohamad

As a Muslim thinker, Bennabi believes that the decline of Muslims is due to the problem of inner self of Muslim. He asserts that problem of Muslim world is a problem of its civilization (al-Haddarah). Therefore, he seriously looked for the proper solution of such problems. Thus, this study will attempt to analyze Bennabi’s theory of civilization including meaning, the process of civilization, and his proposal for reform of such project.

He was inspired with the spirit of islÉÍ (reformism) since he was youth. Thus, his experience had equipped him to make a great contribution towards Islamic civilization as he famously called as al-ÍaÌÉrah (al-haddarah).

In dealing with al-ÍaÌÉrah, Bennabi brilliantly attempts to give proper definition of civilization. For that, he defines it on the basis that the concept of civilization can be understood in different times from different angles. For him, it is rather the product of dynamic, integrated and concrete elements which consist of man, soil and time. As a whole, Bennabi looks at the ÍaÌÉrah as a complex phenomenon. First, he defines it as being in essence a culture (thaqÉfah) which is based on a set of cultural values. Second, the ÍaÌÉrah is a product of the world of ideas, which means that it is the living idea in a given society that produces the ÍaÌÉrah, leading this society, then, into history. Third, Civilization is defined as a function which available in twofold: first, the ÍaÌÉrah functions within a particular society. Second it also has a function within human history, for the movement of human civilization as a whole is but the movement of history (al-tÉrÊkh) to a particular point.

Bennabi describes that the civilization can be built and divided into three important elements, namely the man, soil and time. He then, divides man into two identities. First, man as natural identity which is unchangeable and second, man as social agent who is equipped with mental and psychological features which is changeable and enable to response to his surroundings. Therefore man is required to fulfill the effectiveness and its values which permit him to build the ÍaÌÉrah. Thus, Bennabi sees that tawjÊh (orientation) is a key to move towards civilization with a strong foundation and a unity of goal.

He believes that man must be generated into three principles namely tawjÊh al- ThaqÉfah (guidance of culture), tawjÊh al-‘Amal (guidance of Action) and tawjih ra’s al-MÉl (guidance of Capital). For him, al- ThaqÉfah (culture) is the environment that frames the individual’s personality and its characteristics. Giving an analogy, he identifies culture with the blood in the body of the society, for culture nourishes the society’s civilization, carries the ‘elite’ ideas as well as the ‘common’ ones. In this part, Bennabi stresses the role of religion in such culture as a prerequisite to the rise of any civilization.

Meanwhile al-‘Amal, is a guidance of the efforts of the whole social grouping to one direction. For him it is the action itself that traces the fate of things in the social framework. Ra’s al-MÉl (Capital), is judged by its quality and not by its quantity; the main thing is to make sure that every piece of money is moving along while creating a dynamic action. For the task is not to accumulate wealth but to socially activate the fund, balancing the interest of both the individual and the society.

Regarding the soil, Bennabi does not talk about nature and the particularities of the soil but he gives attention on its social value. In terms of time, it does not refer to the age of the individual but it has a social importance by contributing in the build-up of the active thoughts. He comments that the Muslim world lacks the true understanding of time, namely the valuable use of time in constructing active thoughts, meanings and things.

Since the elements of civilization consist of man, soil, and time, he explicitly points out to the necessity to adopt the same procedure as that of laboratory analysis by taking not the whole matter to the laboratory but simply a sample of it. It is essential to take attention that Bennabi puts religion (Islam) as the foundation of these three elements.

Bennabi contends that historical events are simply a reaction to the interaction of the three realms; (1) realm of ideas, (2) realm of persons, (3) realm of objects or things. The interaction of these three realms is what leads to historical movement. A society is defined as being developed when a healthy relationship is established between these three realms. However, when this relationship is shaken, the ties relating these realms become loose and they all fail to fulfill the collective work in an effective way. As a result, it leads to failure.

Bennabi divides societies into two kinds: the natural society and the historical society. The natural society is a static society like that of ants, bees, the African society before colonialism and the Arab society before the rise of Islam. The historical society (al-MujtamaÑ al-TÉrÊkhÊ), however, is the one that appears in some particular initial situation but later it starts to develop its initial characteristics toward advancement. In its development, this society undergoes three stages that are: (1) a stage before development, (2) a stage of development, (3) a stage after development. Bennabi identifies these three stages to those of the human being. For him, a civilization undergoes three stages similar to those of a child.

In a nutshell, Bennabi has greatly contributed towards the human capital development (al-ÍaÌÉrah). Bennabi’s message, in sum, is that if the Muslim ummah to make history and play its universal role it is entitled to play. It must engage all its intellectual capacity in a fundamental reexamination of its culture in proper manner for the sake of Islam and its civilization.

* this article actually taken from the conclusion of my brief assignment of "Malek Bennabi's thought on civilization".

Should we Celebrate the Mother's Day?

2009-05-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

History of Mothers Day

The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods.
During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called Mothering Sunday. Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent. Mothering Sunday honoured the
mothers of England.
During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants
would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.*

As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honour the Mother Church - the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration. People began honouring their mothers as well as the church.

In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe would hold organized Mother's Day meetings in Boston, Mass ever year.* In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia. Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May. While many
countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.*

Thus, we could celebrate Mother's Day without imitating the West (Christianity) on such specific days, but rather an appreciation to our beloved mother.....anytime we like... as long does not contradict with the frame work of Islam.

source : my friend's email ....
need further comments or correction if necessary....

Tq

Some Important points of diet from Islamic view

2009-05-15T19:08:00.001-07:00

DIET IN THE ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE

This was presented by a group of AHS students for UNGS 2030.

NATURAL INSTINCT
Allah gives us the instinct of loving delicious foods and drinks
“O you who believe eat of the good things where with we have provide you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He whom you worship.” (Surah Al-Baqarah:172)

PURPOSE
Maintenance of health
Prevention of diseases
Treatment of diseases
Play role as determinants of chronic NCDs, therefore occupy a prominent position in prevention activities

Rasulullah said:
“The stomach is abode of disease.” And he also said, “…if the stomach is diseased, then the blood vessels end up becoming diseased as well.”
(transmitted by Abu Nu’aim)

PRACTICE MODERATION
Rasulullah s.a.w said, ‘The Tribe of Adam fill no container worse than their own stomachs. Let the Tribe of Adam have a few mouthfuls to strengthen their loins. If possible, one third of the stomach is for food, one third for drink, and one third for one’s breath.
(transmitted by An-Nasai & At-Tirmidhi)

“O the sons of Adam, wear your most beautiful clothes whenever (entering mosques), eat and drink, and be not extravagant, verily He likes not the extravagance”
(Al-A’raf: 31)

The reason for moderation has been clearly stated. The Prophet is reported to have said:
“The stomach is the tank of the body and the veins go down to it. When the stomach is healthy the veins come back in a healthy condition, but when it is in a bad condition, they return diseased.”

In short, believers are advised to always take care of their stomachs and refrain from foods and practices that might pollute the stomach with various diseases. In order to do so the Prophet is reported to have advised believers to always stop eating before their stomachs are completely full i.e. stop eating when the urge to eat more is still present.

A Balanced Diet - Prescribed in the Qur’ân
Al-Quran goes to the extent of giving useful tips regarding a balanced diet, a diet which contains most if not all the useful ingredients required for the growth, strengthening and repairing of the human body. These ingredients include animal protein, fat, calcium, iron, salts, etc.

The importance of meat protein in the human diet

And the cattle, He has created them for you, in them there is warmth (clothing) and numerous benefits, and of them you eat.”
(16:5)
Fish has always been considered as a food of very high protein and is very important for human consumption. Allah says:
“And from them both (fresh and salt water) you eat fresh tender meat (fish).”
(35:12)
The usefulness of fresh milk is stressed in these words
“And verily in the cattle there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between excretion and blood, pure milk, palatable to the drinkers.”
(16:66)
The benefits of fruits as good nourishment can be understood from this verse:
“And from the fruits of date palms and grapes, you desire strong drink and a goodly provision.”
(16:67)

The Etiquette's of Eating and Drinking

Wash their hands before and after
Start eating with the praise of Allah to eat
Using the right hand
Not to eat until they really felt hungry
Not to eat and drink excessively.
By praising and thanking Allah for the food and drink, for making it easy to swallow and for producing an exit for it.

THE AMAZING OF WATER
The source of life

70% of human body composed of water

A research by Dr. Masaru Emoto
The arrangement of water molecules can be changed based on what kind of words are said on that water
Certain energy waves will be produced due to these changes, giving positive impacts to the body

Water interacts with the surrounding
The reaction of water with positive environment will produce a beautiful crystal shape to its molecule and otherwise.

Impact on human body
Good spiritual and physical apperance

AL-Quran as the best words
“Allah have made the best words which is Quran…”
(Az-Zumar : 23)
Ponder about it…
Why we not recite Al-Quran constantly everyday?

note : this topic originally was presented by a group my AHS students to fulfil the requirement of UNGSS's coursework as a part of evaluation for such studies.(without amendment).

Q & A about Swine Flu

2009-05-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) and You
May 3, 2009 3:29 PM ET

What is H1N1 (swine flu)?
H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in April 2009 in the United States. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

Why is this new H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?
This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus.

Do pigs carry this virus and can I catch this virus from a pig?
At this time, there is no evidence that swine in the United States are infected with this new virus. However, there are flu viruses that commonly cause outbreaks of illness in pigs. Most of the time, these viruses do not infect people, but influenza viruses can spread back and forth between pigs and people.

Are there human infections with this H1N1 virus in the U.S.?
Yes. Cases of human infection with this H1N1 influenza virus were first confirmed in the U.S. in Southern California and near Guadalupe County, Texas. The outbreak intensified rapidly from that time and more and more states have been reporting cases of illness from this virus. An updated case count of confirmed novel H1N1 flu infections in the United States is kept at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/investigation.htm. CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.

Is this new H1N1 virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this new H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people?
The symptoms of this new influenza A H1N1 virus in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu, severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.

How severe is illness associated with this new H1N1 virus?
It’s not known at this time how severe this virus will be in the general population. CDC is studying the medical histories of people who have been infected with this virus to determine whether some people may be at greater risk from infection, serious illness or hospitalization from the virus. In seasonal flu, there are certain people that are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. This includes young children, pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions and people 65 and older. It’s unknown at this time whether certain groups of people are at greater risk of serious flu-related complications from infection with this new virus. CDC also is conducting laboratory studies to see if certain people might have natural immunity to this virus, depending on their age.

How does this new H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of this H1N1 virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Can I get infected with this new H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork?
No. H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get this new HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

Is there a risk from drinking water?
Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the novel H1N1 flu virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water.

Can the novel H1N1 flu virus be spread through water in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational water venues?
Recreational water that has been treated at CDC recommended disinfectant levels (1–3 parts per million [ppm or mg/L] for pools and 2–5 ppm for spas) does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Currently, there are no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated swimming pool water. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the novel H1N1 flu virus to chlorine and other disinfectants used in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational venues. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels recommended by CDC are adequate to disinfect highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as the novel H1N1 flu virus would also be disinfected by these chlorine levels.

Can H1N1 influenza virus be spread at recreational water venues outside of the water?
Yes, recreational water venues are no different than any other group setting. The spread of this novel H1N1 flu is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

What should I do to keep from getting the flu?
First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not to touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Are there medicines to treat infection with this new virus?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these new influenza A (H1N1) viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. During the current outbreak, the priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during is to treat severe influenza illness.

How long can an infected person spread this virus to others?
At the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. CDC is studying the virus and its capabilities to try to learn more and will provide more information as it becomes available.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk, for example, and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against this new H1N1 virus. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Stay home if you are sick for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
Other important actions that you can take are:

Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines, alcohol-based hand rubs, tissues and other related items might could be useful and help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious.
What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?
If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill for 7 days or until your symptoms go away (whichever is longer). Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. We recommend that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

What should I do if I get sick?
If you live in areas where cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.

If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Fever with a rash
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
What is CDC doing in response to the outbreak?
CDC has implemented its emergency response. The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. CDC continues to issue new interim guidance for clinicians and public health professionals. In addition, CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak.

What epidemiological investigations are taking place in response to the recent outbreak?
CDC works very closely with state and local officials in areas where human cases of H1N1 (swine flu) infections have been identified. In California and Texas, where EpiAid teams have been deployed, many epidemiological activities are taking place or planned including:

Active surveillance in the counties where infections in humans have been identified;
Studies of health care workers who were exposed to patients infected with the virus to see if they became infected;
Studies of households and other contacts of people who were confirmed to have been infected to see if they became infected;
Study of a public high school where three confirmed human cases of influenza A (H1N1) of swine origin occurred to see if anyone became infected and how much contact they had with a confirmed case; and
Study to see how long a person with the virus infection sheds the virus.
Links to non-federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.
How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?
Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface.

What kills influenza virus?
Influenza virus is destroyed by heat (167-212°F [75-100°C]). In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodophors (iodine-based antiseptics), and alcohols are effective against human influenza viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time. For example, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used to clean hands. The gels should be rubbed into hands until they are dry.

How should waste disposal be handled to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus, it is recommended that tissues and other disposable items used by an infected person be thrown in the trash. Additionally, persons should wash their hands with soap and water after touching used tissues and similar waste.

What household cleaning should be done to prevent the spread of influenza virus?
To prevent the spread of influenza virus it is important to keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.

How should linens, eating utensils and dishes of persons infected with influenza virus be handled?
Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first.

Linens (such as bed sheets and towels) should be washed by using household laundry soap and tumbled dry on a hot setting. Individuals should avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating themselves. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub immediately after handling dirty laundry.

Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

Who is in charge of medicine in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) once it is deployed?
Local health officials have full control of SNS medicine once supplies are deployed to a city, state, or territory. Federal, state, and local community planners are working together to ensure that SNS medicines will be delivered to the affected area as soon as possible. Many cities, states, and territories have already received SNS supplies. After CDC sends medicine to a state or city, control and distribution of the supply is at the discretion of that state or local health department. Most states and cities also have their own medicines that they can access to treat infected persons.

*Note: Much of the information in this document is based on studies and past experience with seasonal (human) influenza. CDC believes the information applies to the new H1N1 (swine) viruses as well, but studies on this virus are ongoing to learn more about its characteristics. This document will be updated as new information becomes available.

Links to non-federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.

spurce : http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/swineflu_you.htm

Destruction of global wealth tops $20 trillion

2009-05-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

The global wealth losses amounting to $20 trillion
By: Fudzail

I have my doubts when reading some not-so-good reports as well as feel-good reports on the current turmoil. Sometimes, too much information is more harmful to our plans. Rumours have been circulating with some basis to believe these rumours do have some truth and during last few months, rumours have been all but rumours.
There is a latest hot rumour about the impending merger of two big real estate developers in the UAE from Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The merger of the two giants will create a, well, big giant if not a monster, positively, I like that idea.

In today’s business paper, it is reported that top international investment banks have confirmed that the world is now experiencing the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression. Believe it or not, the global wealth losses amounting to $20 trillion (Dh73.4trn).
Morgan Stanley, HSBC and The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNYM) unanimously say that the credit crisis has led to the biggest shock to world wealth since the Second World War.

The Great Depression was the largest and most important economic depression in modern history and is used in the 21st century as an example of how far the world's economy can fall. And like the current financial crisis, the Great Depression originated in the United States.
Historians most often use as a starting date the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday. The depression had devastating effects in virtually every country, rich or poor. International trade plunged by half to two-thirds, as did personal income, tax revenue, prices and profits. Cities all around the world were hit hard, especially those dependent on heavy industry. Construction was halted in many countries.
But the current crisis is more than just a depression, says Richard Hoey, chief economist of BNYM. "We expect a severe global recession rather than a depression."
"The global economy was in freefall in the fourth quarter of 2008 and this should continue in the early months of 2009.We agree with the view this is the greatest global financial crisis since the Great Depression," he added.
According to Morgan Stanley's estimates, the result of the current financial crisis has been a destruction of world wealth, which since mid 2007 has amounted to approximately $20trn (or down 16 per cent from its peak, which has been estimated at $125trn by the United Nations).
"This is the largest absolute and percentage decline in world wealth since the physical destruction of the Second World War," said the New York-based bank holding company.

You can read the rest here.

Just imagine, $20 trillion worth of wealth disappeared into the thin air. If we had had used that amount to build a better world for everybody on the planet, we may not lose that much. Imagine, even some richest Muslims do not pay zakat and one Islamic scholar here mentioned that if even half of these Muslims had paid their zakats, there would be no poor Muslims in the world….

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Source : see http://1426.blogspot.com/2009/02/global-wealth-losses-amounting-to-20.html

Human Nature in Islam

2009-03-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF HUMAN NATURE

by Mohyuddin Hashimi

Physical and biological nature of man is, although, not the main concern of the Holy Qur’an, it does provide significant insight about man and his nature. A brief description of Islamic thought on the subject is mentioned below:

Islam does not presuppose any inherent wickedness of human nature. Any negative representation of man’s basic nature as a source of evil and wickedness is clearly rejected. According to Islam, the human being is born in the state of fitrah, the original inherent nature of the human being. At birth, the baby is totally innocent and is not responsible for the sin of his parents or any of his ancestors.

Environmental and other external influences keep on modifying his blueprint. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Every child is created in the state of fitrah, it is the parents, culture, and society that make him a Christian, a Jew, or a fire-worshipper.”
Islam is the first religion to declare man as the most superior of the creatures and the masterpiece of the Creator. According to Islam, man is potentially capable of rising higher than the angels, that is why Allah has commanded angels to bow down before Adam. But, at the same time, he is equally capable of sinking lower than the animals. The Holy Qur’an says:
"We have indeed created man in the best shap, then We reduced him (to be) the lowest of the low, except those who believe and do righteous deeds: for they shall have a reward unfailing." (95:4¬6)

These verses indicate that Allah has given man the purest and best nature while man’s duty is to preserve the pattern on which God has made him. However, when he neglects his duty and goes in the wrong way, he will be reduced to the lowest possible position.

The Holy Qur’an asserts that inclination and attraction towards faith and virtue and repulsion from disobedience and corruption exists in man’s nature.
“But God has endeared to you faith and has beautified it in your hearts and has made disbelief and lewdness and rebellion hateful to you.” (49:7)
To sum up the point, man comes into the world with a pure and wholesome nature. Whereas sin and corruption in human being are merely accidental and violation of his original nature. The role of prophets and the scriptures is just to help human nature to flow in its true channel and to guide human nature to its ultimate goal of eternal felicity. This Qur’anic theory of human nature also implies the fact that if man consciously decides to submit himself to the will of Allah, he experiences no conflict in his personality. (10:62) while, on the other hand, if he misuses his freedom of choice by denying God and not submitting to His will, would be in a state of inner conflict and his personality gets disintegrated.

Man has been given the freedom of choice to do good or evil. This freewill gives him independence of intention, choice and action in various situations of moral conflict. Man is the only creature in this universe who has been given choice and discretion which accompany him through his life span. (The Qur’an, 15:36)
Man has also been granted potentialities to acquire knowledge of how everything else in the universe functions as well as the knowledge required for his felicity. (al-Qur’an, 2:33). This knowledge along with the faculty of reason and intellect, are man’s primary guide that distinguishes him from other animals and help him recognize the path of his ultimate felicity.

Man’s hopes are often related to various comforts and joys of physical and worldly kind while Islam does not deprive him of these. Islam, however, redirects him from false and transitory joys and values to real values and everlasting joys. The Holy Qur’an says:
“This life of the world is just a pastime and a game. And, indeed, the home of the Hereafter is the real life, if they know.” (29:64)

Since the topic of human nature and personality development is the central issue in the sufi thought, it would be unfair to avoid mentioning their views in this regard. According to the Sufi theory, man is the microcosm and a copy made in the image of God. Since man cannot know what is not in him, he could not know God and all the mysteries of the universe unless he founds them in himself. So God-consciousness and self-consciousness are interdependent and a true knowledge of one’s own self necessarily leads to the knowledge of God. According to Ibn Arabi, God’s breathing of His spirit into man, as described by the Holy Qur’an, (15:28-29) is of immense metaphysical significance. He believes that man is the perfect manifestation of divine attributes and names. (Nasr, Sayyed Hossain. (1988). Three Muslim Sages. Lahore: Sohail Academy.) He also refers to the saying of the Prophet (PBUH): “God created Adam in His form.” This conception of human nature reveals that man is inherited with unlimited capacity of development and perfection.
After mentioning the position of human nature in its basic and the pure form, it is necessary to point out how man’s nature gets corrupted.

The Unrefined Human Nature

Although man has been created with a natural tendency towards the righteousness, he (excluding the prophets) cannot be free from all sins and mistakes since his declared enemy, Satan, tries to divert his attention by all possible ways and means. He always encourages man to satisfy his urges and desires in an uncontrolled way, like animals, and to become submissive and a slave to these urges. Therefore, the human instinctive tendencies, unless refined and trained, could easily overwhelm any humanely cultivated qualities conducive to spiritual enhancement. This is because the uncontrolled and unrefined urges within him would weaken and subjugate the forces of reason and conscience.

Describing some aspects of the unrefined human nature, the Holy Qur’an says:
“Surely man was created anxious, fretful when evil visits him, and grudging when (some thing) good visits him, except the worshippers.” (70:19-21)
In another surah it says:
“As for man, whenever his Lord tries him by honouring and blessing him, he says: ‘My Lord has honoured me.’ But whenever he tries him by straitening his provision, he says: ‘My Lord has humiliated me.’ (89:15-16)
The Qur’an explains another weakness in human nature which impedes self development, is the weakness of will. While narrating the story of Adam, Allah informs:
And, indeed, long ago We made Our covenant with Adam; but he forgot and We found no firmness of purpose in him. ( 20:115]

God tells us in the Qur’an that the most honorable trust, that of knowledge of Allah the all Mighty, was offered to the heavens, the earth and the mountains but they refused it, recognizing that they could not take up such a weighty truth (33:72). Mankind, however, took it on, but since weakness and forgetfulness are part of the spectrum of human being, he sees himself at all times and forgets his source. This weakness which Allah has placed within human being is to make him remember Him who is Strong (al-Qawi).

Today it has been established, scientifically as well as philosophically that there does not exist an evil human being; there exist only sick human being. This is extremely a significant discovery in the history of humankind which has already been introduced by Islam. According to this theory, bad manners like injustice, stinginess, cunning, jealousy, greed, ingratitude and so on are considered as spiritual illness and should be treated exactly like any other disease. The Holy Qur’an considers the hypocrites as sick persons saying:
There is a sickness in their hearts. (2:10)

This Qur’anic theory requires people not to consider any one as evil person or show any hostility or resentment towards them. Instead, they should look upon them as sick human beings who deserve their sympathy.

The Components of Human Nature

While speaking about the nature of man, Qur’an uses words like nafs, ruh, Qalb etc. Spirit is transcendent and the center of man’s being. Whereas soul (nafs), in its downward or corporeal tendency, is attached to the body and in its upward or spiritual tendency, is attached to the spirit (al-ruh).
In order to understand the Islamic concept of human psyche and nature, one must understand these terms and their relationship to each other. These basic terms are explained here.

Nafs and its levels :

Nafs (pl. Anfus or Nufus) lexically means soul, the psyche, the ego, self, life, person, heart or mind. Tajul Uroos writes that this word is used normally to denote the total personality of a person. It also means knowledge and intellect. (Taj: Ibn-i-Faris). It is used for a person as well. It is further used to express greatness, superiority, courage, resolution, and punishment. (Taj and Lisanul Arab).
The term Nafs has different uses in the Holy Qur’an as well, and in most cases, it means the human being in reality, his self and his person. (see 3: 61; 12:54) It also means the human soul (see 6:93; 50:16 etc.)
The nafs is a basic element in the cosmology of existence. Al-Ghazali mentions the two dimensions of al-nafs: the upward dimension and the downward dimension. The upward dimension is the uppermost limit of psyche which connects it the spirit, whereas the downward dimension is represented by the sensory faculties which connect it to the body.

According to the Sufi understanding, nafs is the source the negative power of anger and sexual appetite in a human being which blinds his intellect. Sufis take "nafs" as the comprehensive word for all the evil attributes of a person. That is why they emphasize on doing battle with it and to break and inactivate it as it is referred to in the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH):
“Your worst enemy is your nafs which lies between your sides.”

The nafs needs to be nourished and developed in the Divine guidance. The nafs starts its career in an undeveloped form but equipped with immense potentialities of corruption as well as the development and getting closer to the Most Perfect Self, Allah (SWT), Whose attributes serve as an objective standard for the human self.
Although some scholars have classified the Nafs up to 7 stages, the Qur’an has described 3 main types of nafs which are:

Nafs ammarah bi al-su’, (the self urging evil)

This nafs surrenders itself to lusts and allows itself to be seduced by the devil. This is the raw self of an untrained person. Al-Nafs al-Ammarah has Shaytan as its ally who falsely promises him great rewards and gains and always invites him and attracts the soul to do evil. He presents falsehood to him in a form that he accepts and admires it.
By its very nature, Al-Nafs al-Ammarah directs its owner towards every wrong action. Allah says:
“Surely the human self urges evil.” (12:53)

Al-Nafs al-Ammara paralyzes the cognitive process of human being. Describing this fatal effect of Al-Nafs al-Ammarah, the Holy Qur’an says:
“They have hearts wherewith they do not understand; have eyes wherewith they do not see; have ears wherewith they do not hear. These are like cattle – no, but they are worse! These are the neglectful.” (7-179)

Al-Ghazali has mentioned the following negative tendencies of this nafs naming tem with ‘spiritual diseases’:
1- Nifaq (hypocrisy)
2- Pride and arrogance
3- Hawa or desire
4- Self-beholding
5- Greediness
6- Negligence
7- Restlessness
8- Ri’a

These are the most harmful tendencies of al-nafs and greatest barriers to the growth of man. When these dominate the self, man loses his insight and his total energies are diverted towards unnecessary activities. As a result, he starts believing deception as truth, fiction as reality and self-glorification as his highest goal in life.

Nafs al-lawwama, (the blaming self)

The second level of nafs is nafs al-lawwama, the blameworthy self which blames its owner for his own shortcomings. At this level, nafs is in a state of constant awareness, self-observation and self-criticism. It recognises his shortcomings, his wrong actions, his disobedience and the neglect of his duties. It is referred to it in Sura Al¬-Qiyamah when Allah says:
"And I do call to witness the Nafs that blames" (75:2).

Nafs al-lawwama is the one which cannot rest in one state. It often changes and alters, remembers and forgets, submits and withdraws, loves and hates, rejoices and becomes sad, accepts and rejects, obeys and rebels. Actually nafs, at this stage, is in the mid of its journey towards its growth and perfection.

Nafs al-mutma’inna, (the Self at Peace)

Nafs al-mutma’inna is the third and the highest stage of nafs. A person when advanced to this stage, he achieves full rest and satisfaction while his personality gets equipped with the qualities of quietness, mildness, tolerance, forgiveness, and understanding of all beings. This stage of nafs ultimately leads to resolution of one’s inner conflicts and attainment of harmony with God. His personality is now dyed with His universal Colour while his behavior reflects the Absolute being and the Ultimate Reality. (Haq, Manzurul. (1984). Concept of personality development in the light of Islamic thoughts. The Bangladesh journal of Psychology, 7, 118-128.) (An abridged quotation)

This is the soul to whom it is said at the time of death:
“O soul at peace, return to your Lord, well pleased and well-pleasing. Enter with My servants, enter into My Garden.” (89:27-30)

Al-Qatadah says abut this stage of nafs: "It is the soul of the believer, made calm by what Allah has promised. Its owner is at rest and content with his knowledge of Allah’s Names and Attributes, and with what He has said about Himself and His Messenger (PBUH), and with what He has said about the Hereafter…. So much so that a believer can almost see them with his own eyes. So he submits to the will of Allah and surrenders to Him contentedly, never dissatisfied or complaining, and with his faith never wavering. He does not rejoice at his gains, nor do his sufferings make him despair." (Al-Tabari: Jami’ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, vol. 13, Bulaq 1323)

Ruh

Muslim theologians are divided on the issue that whether the terms “nafs” and “ruh” signify one and the same thing or are they two different entities and whether they are interchangeable?” (Ibn Al-Ālusi’s Jala’ al-‘Aynayn, pp. 142-143) Although these terms may be used interchangeably in relation to their essence, each one has clearly separate and restricted applications in certain contexts.

While the ruh spans the entire spectrum of existence - the seen as well as the unseen - the nafs is restricted to only that which may be experienced in the creational world. We may speak of the nafs as being greedy or unjust in some situations only because the light of the ruh highlights these qualities within the nafs. Indeed the nafs only exists because of the ruh which energizes it.
Ruh or spirit is the core of man’s being, yet it remains hidden. During human life on earth, the spirit and the body are united but then there is a temporary separation during death with the final union to take place in the life thereafter.
According to Muslim scholars, Ruh is the reflection of the Divine presence in man. The Holy Qur’an declares that Allah (SWT) has blown His spirit into human body:
“When I have made him and have breathed into him of My spirit, (I ordered the angles to) bow down, prostrating yourself before him. (15:29 also see 38:72 and 32:8)
The status of being the recipient of Divine spirit elevated man from his humble origin, enabled him to overcome the baser part of his nature, and made him worthy of being the vicegerent of God.

Since human body is from the earth while the spirit is from the heaven and Divine, it always longs to be united with Whom it was separated from. It is stated in Qur’an “to God we belong, to Him is our return.”
Rumi says in his book, Masnavi that the reason why a child cries the first moment after it is born on earth is because it realizes its exile from the higher place. It is unhappy because it seems captive in this worldly body. Explaining the idea of the captivity of the spirit, Rumi narrates a Qur’anic story. It says that God made a statue of Adam and asked the Ruh to enter into the body but it refused saying, ‘Lord, I do not want to be imprisoned in this physical body’. Then God told the angels to sing and dance, and on hearing their song and with the rhythm of the dance the soul went into delight, and in that condition it entered the body. Rumi says that the reason why every soul is longing to attain something is that it is in exile and a captive in this physical body.

Due to the captivity of the spirit and limitation of his physical body, man’s vision remains small and narrow. Man’s innermost being can not be satisfied except for a short time by outside factors. There always comes a time when every one finds that nothing pleases him even if he possesses all what he wants. His lack of freedom causes a continual longing for spiritual achievements. And when man reaches the stage of spiritual attainment and gets closer to its origin, he gets inner satisfaction, he develops the outlook of God and his manners become the manners of God.

Qalb

The qalb (heart) is an immaterial and formless spiritual entity or basic subtle element which has got connection with the material heart. The qalb has the capacities to acquire comprehensive intuition, to retain real knowledge, the gnosis (ma’rifa) of God and the Divine mysteries, (‘ilm al-batin) and to gain far greater insight than that of human intellect. The Qur’an considers al-Qalb as the seat of wisdom and intellect. It says:
“Do they not travel trough the land, so that their hearts may learn wisdom and their ears may learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes, rather it is their hearts which are in their chests are blind.” (22:46)

The qalb is nourished by dhikr (remembrance of God). Its health also depends on its purity and freedom. It is the organ of a perception which is both an experience and a taste (dhawq). Al-qalb is also the master of human body which controls its organic and physical functions. All external behavioral acts of man are actually the reflection of states and conditions of al-qalb.

According to a Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) the heart is owned mutually by an angel and a shaytan:
"There are two impulses in the soul, one from an angel which calls towards good and confirms truth; whoever finds this let him know it is from God and praise Him. Another impulse comes from the enemy which leads to doubt and denies truth and forbids good; whoever finds this, let him seek refuge in God from the accursed devil." Then he recited the verse: "The devil shows you fear of poverty and enjoins evil upon you" (2:268) (Sahih Tirmidhi)

The mutual resistance of the angels and the devils remains constant in the battle over the qalb, until it is conquered by one of the two.
The same position of al-qalb and its relationship with al-ruh and al-nafs has been interestingly explained by Maulana Thanwi:
“The spirit (al-ruh) and the soul (al-nafs) engage in the battle for the possession of their common son, the heart (al-qalb). This is a symbolical way of expressing the nature of the spirit, which is masculine and the nature of soul, which is feminine.” (Thanvi, Ashraf Ali, al-sihhat hukm al-waswasah, (Deoband 1365 A.H.), 225)

According to another writer, if the spirit wins the battle, the heart will be transformed into spirit and, at the same time, transmutes its soul, engulfing her with spiritual light. Then the heart reveals itself; it becomes the lamp (mishkat) of Divine Mystery (sirr) in man. (T. Burckhardt, An introduction to Sufi Doctrine, trans. D. M. Matheson (Lahore: M. Ashraf, 1983) 27.)

The Healthy Heart

It is a heart purified from any passion that challenges Allah’s commands and safeguarded against the worship of anything other than Him. It seeks the judgement of no one other than him and His Messenger. Its services are exclusively reserved for Allah, willingly and lovingly, with total reliance, relating all matters to Him, in fear, hope and sincere dedication. When it loves, its love is for the sake of Allah. If it hates, its hate is for the sake of Allah. When it gives, it gives for Allah. If it withholds, it withholds for Allah (SWT). The Holy Qur’an uses adjectives such as ‘healthy’, ‘wholesome’ ‘contented’ and so on to describe this kind of heart.

Allah (SWT) has declared that on the Day of Resurrection, only those would be saved who come with a healthy heart:
"The day on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart. (26:88-89)"
According to an authentic saying of the Holy Prophet (PBUH):
“Inside the human body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is healthy, the whole body is healthy and if it becomes unhealthy, the whole body gets unhealthy. That is al-qalb.” (Sahih Bukhari)
The heart can not be healthy i.e. successful, righteous, contented, pleased, assured except by the worship of Allah, love of Him and repentance to Him as it has an inherent need for its Lord. According to the Holy Qur’an, the heart will remain restless until it rests in God:
“For sure it is in the remembrance of God that the heart finds rest,” (13:28)

The Dead Heart

The dead or sealed heart is that which is veiled from higher inspiration for example the hearts of the hypocrites. There is little or nothing one can do to heal such hearts. This is the opposite of the healthy heart. It does not know its Lord and does not worship Him. It clings instead to its lusts and desires, even if these are likely to incur Allah’s displeasure and anger. It worships things other than Allah, and its loves and its hatreds, its giving and its withholding, arise from its whims, which are of paramount importance to it.

The Sick Heart

A large number of Qur’anic verses describe the ‘sick’ heart. The sick hearts are those that find whatever they do, attractive to them. These hearts dislike what turns them away from the course they are on. They are wrapped up in fantasies, they are contemptuous, and they follow routines and old patterns, doing ‘what their forefathers practiced’. The sick heart is also proud and hardened. It lacks real understanding because it is engulfed in desire.

This is a heart with life as well as illness in it. It has love for Allah, faith in Him, sincerity towards Him, and reliance upon Him. These are the qualities that give it life. It also has longing for lust and pleasure; it prefers them and strives to experience them. It is full of self-admiration, which can lead to its own destruction. It listens to two callers: one calling it to Allah and His Prophet; and the other calling it to the momentary pleasures. It responds to whichever one of the two happens to have most influence over it at the time.
A Hadith of the Holy Prophet explain the process of heart getting sickness. It is as follows:
“When a believer commits a sin, a dark spot appears on his heart. If he repents and seeks forgiveness (of Allah), his heart becomes spotless again. But if he persists in sin, the dark spot increases. This is the spot that has been mentioned in the Qur’an: “But on their hearts is the stain of (the ill) which they do.” (83:14) (Ibn Majah)

Other Ahadith mention that if the sinner does not repent, and instead keeps on committing sins, the stain on his heart increases and gets more darkened until it overwhelms the whole heart. Ultimately, the heart of sinner is sealed and he becomes spiritually dead.
For the purpose of simplification, nafs can be thought of as the outer man, ruh as the inner man, and qalb, the composite faculties of reasoning and decision-making, and a bridge between the two.

Conclusion

Man, being the vicegerent of God on earth and the theater wherein the Divine qualities are reflected, can reach felicity only by remaining faithful to his nature or by being truly himself. And this in turn implies that he must become integrated. Man is composed of body, mind, nafs and spirit, and each needs to be integrated on its own level. The integration of man, according to Syyed Hossain Nasr, (Sufi Essays, 51) means the realization of the One and the transmutation of the many in the light of the One. Integration and unity of man himself as well as of the whole humanity has always been the highest goal of Islam. It is also an essential part of basic Islamic belief of Tawhid. The same concept has been highlighted by a sufi poet as:
“See but One, say but One, know but One,
In this, the roots and branches of faith are summed up.”

(source : http://www.hssrd.org/journal/fallsu...)

The Sources of Tarikh al-Tabari

2009-03-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

Al-Tabari's Methodology of his Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk.

Al-ÙabarÊ (d. 310 A.H.) wrote his TÉrÊkh al-Rusul wa al-MulËk (The History of the Prophets and Kings) which also known as TÉrÊkh al-ÙabarÊ has voluminous history starting with a discussion on the creation of the universe. He gave detailed account of Islamic history from genealogy of the Prophet (SAW) up to the year 302 A.H.

1. Sources of Al-Tabari's Tarikh

Al-ÙabarÊ depended mostly on the narrations which had already found their way into the works of his predecessors. Rather than collecting only those narratives which were according to his liking, he wrote in detail about each particular event without giving his own opinion. He gave the chain of transmitters (isnÉd) like the traditionalist that he was. He did not fail to mention the authors from whose works he took his material. For instance, relating to the story of Adam whom was taught all the names, al-ÙabarÊ quoted from Ibn ÑAbbÉs. He writes:
According to AÍmad b. IshÉq al-AÍwazÊ-AbË SharÊk (b. ÑAbd AllÉh al-NakhÉÑÊ)-ÑÓÎim b. Kulayb-al-×asan b. SaÑd-Ibn ÑAbbÉs, commenting on: “And He taught Adam all the names,” as follows: He taught him the name of everything, down to fart and little fart.

Up to the end of pre-Islamic portion, he presented events without giving any date or year for their occurrence, because of the non-availability of dependable information. From the Islamic era he wrote annalistically up to the year 302 A.H. The annalistic method of history writing is a unique contribution of Muslim historians. Europe was ignorant of it up to the year 1597 C.E.
As a scholar convinced of the preeminence of the material with which he dealt, al-ÙabarÊ was not inclined to waste time and space on such mundane matters as when and where he had contact with his authorities. Occasionally, he might very well have indicated such data, for it was the custom to keep notes including the name of teacher and the time of attendance at his classes. In fact that he often referred to someone with whom he undoubtedly had some personal contact; but later, he used the source that was transmitted to him by that individual in its written (published) form and quoted from it while pretending all the time to rely upon oral transmission.
Among the sources of the TÉrÊkh, al-ÙabarÊ’s own TafsÊr has always been consulted and cited. The Material quoted here by al-ÙabarÊ was no doubt taken from earlier Qur’Én commentaries, most of them still lost or imperfectly known. Some of those commentaries have recently been published; such as the works of SufyÉn al-ThawrÊ, MujÉhid, and MuqÉtil.
Most prominent among his teachers was Ibn ×umayd. AbË ÑAbd AllÉh MuÍammad b. ×umayd al-RÉzÊ was in his seventies at the time, and he died a decade later in 248 A.H. He became one of al-ÙabarÊ’s most frequent cited authorities. Ibn ×umayd had lectured in Baghdad and had been there by Ibn ×anbal, who is even said to have transmitted traditions on his authority. In al-ÙabarÊ’s time, Ibn ×umayd had apparently retired to his native city, in which al-ÙabarÊ could have continued his study with him there. Thus, the material he quoted on Ibn ×umayd’s authority was acquired by him in Rayy. Another teachers from al-ÙabarÊ,s days in al-Rayy al-MuthannÉ b. IbrÉhÊm whose nisbah was al-ÓmulÊ, and AÍmad b. ×ammÉd al-DËlÉbÊ.
It is significance that the instruction which al-ÙabarÊ received from Ibn ×umayd in al-Rayy extended to the historical works of Ibn IsÍÉq, famous above all as the author of the life of MuÍammad (al-SÊrah). He thus learned about pre-Islamic and early Islamic history. In al-ÙabarÊ’s case, more importantly, it would seem that in the process, the seeds were planted for his wider interest in history which later culminated in the writing of his great history. According to YÉqËt, Ibn KÉmil is supposed to have reported that it was under the guidance of AÍmad b. ×ammÉd al-DËlÉbÊ on the authority of SalÉmah b. al-FaÌl that al-ÙabarÊ studied Ibn IsÍÉq’s MubtadÉ’ and MaghÉzÊ and thus laid the groundwork for TÉrÊkh. However, in the TÉrÊkh itself, the isnÉd is always Ibn ×umayd-SalÉmah-Ibn IsÍÉq. Al-ÙabarÊ later on continued his study of Ibn IsÍÉq. In KËfah, both HannÉd b. al-SÉrÊ and AbË Kurayb tranmitted to him information from Ibn IsÍÉq’. According to another recension, that of YËnus b. Bukayr (d. 199 A.H.). At the same time, al-ÙabarÊ probably did not receive instruction in special course devoted entirely to Ibn IsÍÉq. It was rather through incidental reference that he learned more about him there.
Scholars in al-BaÎrah whom al-ÙabarÊ met during his visit there included men quoted again and again in his works. Among them were; MuÍammad b. ÑAbd al-AÑlÉ al-ØanÑÉnÊ (d. 245 A.H.), MuÍammad b. MËsÉ al-×arashÊ (d. 248 A.H.), and AbË al-AshÑath AÍmad b. al-Miqdam (d. 253 A.H.), meanwhile in KËfah, among others, IsmÉÑÊl b. MËsÉ al-FazarÊ (d. 245 A.H.) and SulaymÉn b. ÑAbd al-RaÍmÉn b. ×ammÉd al-ÙalÍÊ (d. 252 A.H.). The two men from whom he profited most in those years were MuÍammad b. BashshÉr, known as BundÉr (d. 252 A.H.) in BaÎrah, and AbË Kurayb (d. 247 or 248 A.H.) in KËfah.
The History, on the other hand was in accordance with the basic character of Muslim historiography, never really superseded. It remained the unique source for the period it covered, even when other sources for it were still available. Later historian constantly used al-ÙabarÊ’s work, at first directly, but then, in the course of time, usually indirectly through other histories such as the one of Ibn al-AthÊr. The new works offered much of al-ÙabarÊ’s information in a shortened form and naturally, added much subsequent history. Thus, they were easier to handle and had the advantage of being of greater interest for the majority of readers who wanted to learn about events close to their own times. Some, if not many, later historians continued to use al-ÙabarÊ and even seek out earlier sources, but manuscripts became increasingly difficult to find.

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Introduction to Ibn Jarir al-Tabari

2009-03-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

Introduction to al-ÙabarÊ

AbË JaÑfar MuÍammad b. JarÊr al-ÙabarÊ. He was born in Amol, Tabaristan (224 A.H.). He left home to study in 236 A.H. when he was twelve. He retained close ties to his home town. He did return at least twice, the last time in 290 A.H. when his outspokenness caused some uneasiness and led to his quick departure.
He first went to Ray, where he remained for some five years. A major teachers in al-Rayy were; Ibn ×umayd al-RÉzÊ, and AÍmad b. ×ammÉd al-DËlÉbÊ. Ibn ×umayd had taught in Baghdad and was now retired in his native city. Among other material, Ibn ×umayd taught al-ÙabarÊ the historical works of Ibn IsÍÉq, especially al-SÊrah, the life of the prophet MuÍammad (SAW). Al-ÙabarÊ was thus introduced in youth to pre-Islamic and early Islamic history. Al-ÙabarÊ quotes ibn Humayd frequently.
Then he went to Baghdad to study from Ibn ×anbal, who, however, had recently died. This was in late 241 A.H. He left Baghdad probably in 242 A.H. to travel through the southern cities of BaÎrah, KËfah and WasÊÏ. There he met a number of eminent and venerable scholars. On his return to Baghdad, he took a tutoring position from the vizier ÑUbaydullah b. YaÍyÉ b. KhÉqÉn. This would have been before 244 A.H. since the vizier was out of office and in exile from 244 to 248 A.H. In his late twenties he traveled to Syria, Palestine and Egypt. He died in ShawwÉl 310 A.H. in Baghdad.
Al-ÙabarÊ has numerous works in various disciplines of knowledge. Among the main referred references for generations are; JÉmiÑ al-BayÉn Ñan Ta’wÊl Éy al-Qur’Én (famously known as TafsÊr al-ÙabarÊ), TÉrÊkh al-Rusul wa al-MulËk (or TÉrÊkh al-ÙabarÊ), TahdhÊb al-AthÉr, AdÉb al-NufËs, AdÉb al-ManÉsik, KitÉb al-FaÌÉ’il, and IkhtilÉf ÑUlamÉ’ al-AmÎÉr.

Arab Historiography

2009-03-13T00:58:00.000-07:00

A Brief of Arab Historiography

Arab historiography has been continuously, as an art, cultivated for several centuries since the emergence of Islam. Slowly but steadily it assumed the form of a science of high proportions and acquired an importance that can hardly be underestimated. However, the evidence is not sufficient to show how this art progressed and became deep rooted among Arabs.
The earliest Arab society of which we have knowledge was that of the nomads, and there were some permanent settlements of which we have very scanty information. In South Arabia, some inscriptions have been found which reveal existence of four states before 1200 B.C. The head of the state had temporal as well as divine status. Although, these inscriptions are religious in content, yet some of these indicate the historicity of other human activities. The North Arabians did not lack information about Arabs of ×Êrah, their genealogy and their kings. They preserved accounts related to their deities, social happenings, battles and genealogy through oral tradition. These writings were known as the ÑAyyÉm literature.
However, it was not historian alone to whom we owe the first record of events of the Arabs of the past. It was the imagination of the poet, inspired by he valiant deeds of his tribe in the past which gave expression to these feelings in poetry. Ancient Arabic poetry may probably be regarded as the first attempt at preserving the happenings in the past. With the advent of Islam, the discourses of the Prophet MuÍammad (SAW) threw ample light on the activities of the Arabs, their position in history and the mission which they were called upon to carry out. The first generation of Muslims was led by natural drive of curiosity and piety to collect records and reports regarding the Prophet’s life and his struggles. The records of what the Prophet (SAW) said, did and approved in the course of his mission were eventually gathered together and systematized as collections of his ÍadÊths. Thus, Islamic law and rules along with the art of historiography were developed.
The biography (al-SÊrah) of MuÍammad (SAW) and his companions provided a firm ground for the development of early Islamic history. The method of ‘isnÉd in recording the ÍadÊths and their chronological order was so impressive that it became part and parcel of Muslim historiography for generations. The prominent scholars, who wrote al-SÊrah and al-MaghÉzÊ on the above mentioned pattern are: AbbÉn b. ÑUthmÉn b. ÑAffÉn of MadÊnah (d. 105 A.H.), ÑUrwah b. al-Zubayr of MadÊnah (d. 92 A.H.), ShurajÊl b. SaÑd of MadÊnah (d. 123 A.H.), Wahb b. Munabbih of Yemen (d. 110 A.H.), Ibn ShihÉb al-ZuhrÊ of Makkah (d. 124 A.H.), ÑÓÎim b. ÑAmr b. QatÉdah of MadÊnah (d. 120 A.H.), ÑAbd AllÉh b. AbÊ Bakr b. ×azam of MadÊnah (d. 135 A.H.), MËsÉ b. ÑUqbah (d. 141 A.H.), MuÑammar b. RÉshid (d. 150 A.H.), Ibn IsÍÉq (d. 152 A.H.), ZiyyÉd al-BakÉ’Ê (d. 183 A.H.), Ibn HishÉm (d. 218 A.H.), al-WÉqidÊ (d. 207 A.H.) and Ibn SaÑd (d. 230 A.H.).
The most outstanding SÊrah and MaghÉzÊ writer was Ibn IsÍÉq. He divided his work into three parts. The first was called al-MubtadÉ’, in which he gathered information from the creation of the universe up to the proclamation of the prophethood of MuÍammad (SAW). The second part is known as KitÉb al-MaghÉzÊ, which starts with the proclamation of the Prophethood of MuÍammad (SAW) up to his death, meanwhile the third is KitÉb al-KhulafÉ’ which deals with the periods of the pious caliphates and the early of Umayyad reigns. Ibn IsÍÉq is often criticized for some of his artistic lapses which, according to the critics, include his fabricated verses in KitÉb al-SÊrah, carelessness in quoting isnÉd, glaring mistakes in recording genealogies and his reliance and unjustified confidence in Jewish and Christian reports. But in spite of objections the credit goes to him for integrating the story of early Islam under the Prophet (SAW), his caliphs and the Umayyad rulers, and the early prophets as one whole. Later on, it was Ibn HishÉm who deleted all the fabricated and doubtful information and verses particularly from the MubtadÉ’ section, and thus prepared an abridged edition of al-SÊrah al-Nabawiyah.
Second in importance was al-WÉqidÊ (d. 207 A.H.). He was interested in the MaghÉzÊ, SÊrah and general history. According to KhaÏÊb al-BaghdÉdÊ, he did not leave any descendant of the companions of the Prophet (SAW) without inquiring about his ancestors’ participation in battles and his place of death or martyrdom. To authenticate his statements, he would record a particular event. Ibn NadÊm has mentioned twenty-eight titles of his works, out of which twenty-four dealt with history. So far, only KitÉb al-MaghÉzÊ (3 vols.), Futuh al-ShÉm (2 vols.), FutËÍ al-ÑAjam and FutËÍ MiÎr have been published. Critics seem divided and confused in forming a single opinion on what al-WÉqidÊ put forth for coming generations. There are some who go to the extent of calling him a liar and an untrustworthy reporter while there are others who not only hold him in great esteem but also acknowledge and appreciate what they consider his contribution to history.
MuÍammad b. SaÑd b. ManÊÑ (d. 230 A.H.), worked as secretary to al-WÉqidÊ and thus got the opportunity to study Islamic history in depth. His well known work ÙabaqÉt al-KubrÉ available in eight volumes is a standing proof of his stamina as a scholar of great caliber. The significance of the whole book lies in the fact that it records the life of the Prophet (SAW), his Companions, TÉbiÑÊn and their followers right up to his own age. When he completed the first two volumes of the ÙabaqÉt on the SÊrah, he added a chapter on those people who gave verdicts in MadÊnah in the Prophet’s time. He then recorded the biographies of the Companions and TÉbiÑÊn in order of their status and the last volume is completed with the biographical accounts of distinguished women. Thus, the ÙabaqÉt is considered among the foremost works in the subject which became one of the earliest works of RijÉl literature.
The ÍadÊth literature records not only the biography of the Prophet (SAW), but also the earliest event occurring in the nascent Islamic community after the death of the Prophet (SAW). It describes the foundations and the aims of the Islamic state and the victories of Muslims beyond the limits of Arabia. As regards the events connected with early Islamic society, since the time of the pious Caliphs, including the process of expansion and state affairs, we find two groups of scholars who have contributed a lot to widen the scope of the subject: one group belonged mainly to MadanÊ School and the other to the Iraqi School of history writing. In this school a group of erudite antiquarians like AbË Miknaf, Sayf b. ÑUmar and al-MadÊnÊ composed a series of works in a special monographic form about the early Arab conquests, the activities of the Muslim masses within the limits of the Islamic Empire, depicting the different tendencies and the confrontation of views within the community.
For instance, ÑAlÊ b. MuÍammad al-MadÊnÊ (d. 225 A.H.) was born in BaÎrah and afterwards settled in Baghdad. The influence of the method of isnÉd is visible in his writings. He has contributed 245 works in this field. Some of his books are; (1) KitÉb AkhbÉr al-KhulafÉ’ al-KabÊr, (2) KitÉb al-Dawlah al-ÑAbbÉsiyah, (3) FutËÍ al-KhurasÉn and (4) TÉrÊkh al-BaÎrah. He has earned praises for his critical approach to the events and their transmitters. Since he did not represent any particular political group, he tried to maintain a balance in the selection of his material.
In the pre-Islamic period, the Arabs generally preserved their genealogy in poetry. The poets would prefix some prose to elucidate and explain the abstruse or infamous events relating to their tribes. This provided important information to the historian. AÍmad b. YaÍyÉ al-BalÉdhurÊ (d. 279 A.H.) was one of the important genealogists. His well known work is AnsÉb al-AshrÉf, available in five volumes, is a masterpiece in genealogical literature. This book is considered to be an important source of Islamic history. He not only excelled genealogy, but also wrote on topics connected with history such as (1) AÍad ArdashÊr, (2) FutËÍ al-BuldÉn and KitÉb al-BuldÉn al-KabÊr.
His AnsÉb al-AshrÉf is genealogically arranged and begins with the life of the Prophet (SAW) and the biographies of his kinsman. The last portion of the work consists of the biography of al-×ajjÉj. It is one of the characteristic features of AnsÉb that biographies of the caliphs of the historical accounts connected with their lives are given chapter wise under a suitably allotted title. Badruddin Bhat views in outward appearance the book seems to be connected wholly with the AnsÉb literature but in reality its style resembles the ÙabaqÉt of Ibn SaÑd. Other scholars of this group are; MuÍammad b. SÉ’ib al-KalbÊ (d. 146 A.H.), MasÑab b. ÑAbd AllÉh b. MasÑab b. Zubayr (d. 233 A.H.) and AÍmad b. AbÊ YaÑqËb b. JaÑfar (d. 284 A.H.) known as al-YaÑqËbÊ.
Ibn Qutaybah, ÑAbd AllÉh b. Muslim (d. 276 A.H.) wrote KitÉb al-MaÑÉrif and ÑUyËn al-AkhbÉr, which contain historical information of a universal nature. His KitÉb al-MaÑÉrif is a compendium of historical information largely consisting of lists and facts connected with the holy Prophet (SAW), genealogical tables, the names of the sects and the like. The utility of the book is unquestionable, but it can scarcely be called history in the true sense of the term.
The most important historian of this type was AbË JaÑfar MuÍammad b. JarÊr al-ÙabarÊ (d. 310 A.H.). His TÉrÊkh al-Rusul wa al-MulËk (The History of The Prophets and Kings) is a voluminous history starting with a discussion on the creation of the universe. He gave detailed account of Islamic history from genealogy of the Prophet (SAW) up to the year 302 A.H. Al-ÙabarÊ depended mostly on the narrations which had already found their way into the works of his predecessor rather than collecting only those narratives which were according to his liking. He wrote in detail about each particular event without giving his opinion. Al-ÙabarÊ’s history has remained the most important and authentic source of al-MasÑËdÊ , Ibn Miskawayh, Ibn AthÊr, Ibn KhaldËn and furthermore, it continues to be so floor the researchers of the Islamic history even today.

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Women Rights in Islam - Modernising or Outdated?

2009-02-19T08:19:00.000-08:00

Women Rights in Islam - Modernising or Outdated?

by Dr. Zakir Naik
Source: www.ilovezakirnaik.com

Definition

According to the Oxford dictionary, ‘Women’s Rights are the rights, that promote a position of social and legal equality, of women to menE
According to the Oxford dictionary, ‘they are the rights, claimed for the women, equal to those of men, as regards to suffrage that right to vote, as regards to property, etcE
‘ModernisingE according to the Oxford dictionary means, ‘to make modern, to adapt to modern needs or habitsE
And according to the Webster’s dictionary it meansE‘To make modern, or to give a new character or appearance - e.g., to modernise ones ideasE
In short, modernising is a process of updating or opting for the betterment of the present status itself - It is not the present modern status itself.
Can we modernise ourselves, to master our problems, and to realize a new way of life, for the whole human race?
I am not concerned about the modern ideas, the conclusions and the categorical statements made by scientists and inexperienced armchair experts, as how a life should be lived by a woman.
I am going to base my conclusions and considerations on truth, which can be proved by experience.
Experience and unbiased factual holistic analysis, are the sure test, between the gold of truth, and the glitter of theory.
We have to check our thinking against reality, otherwise many a times, our mental process will go astray - Indeed the great brains of one time, believed that the world was flat.

Women Rights in the West
If we agree with the ‘Women’s rights in IslamE as portrayed by the Western media, you have no option, but to agree that the ‘Women’s rights in IslamEare outdated.
The Western talk of women’s liberation, is actually a disguised form of exploitation of her body, deprivation of her honour and degradation of her soul.
The Western society which speaks of upgrading the status of women in Islam, have actually reduced her status to concubines, to mistresses, to society butterflies, which are mere tools in the hands of sex marketers and pleasure seekers, which are disguised behind the colorful screen of art and culture.

Women Rights in Islam
Islam’s radical revolutionary support, gave women their due right and status in the days of ignoranceE1,400 years ago.
Islam’s objective was and continues to be, to modernise our thinking, our living, our seeing, our hearing, our feeling and striving for the women’s upliftment and emancipation in the society.
Before I dwell further with the topic, I would like you to make note of a few points.
• Approximately one fifth of the world’s population, consists of Muslims. There are different Muslim societies - Some may be close to Islam, some may be far away from Islam.
• The ‘Women’s rights in IslamE should judged according to the authentic sources, and not what individual Muslims do, or what the Muslim society does.
• The authentic sources of Islam, are the Qur’an, which is the word of God, and the authentic Sunnah, and the traditions of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him).
• Qur’an will never contradict itself, nor will the authentic Hadith contradict itselfE neither will these two authentic sources, contradict each other.
• Sometimes the scholars differ, and many a times, these differences can be removed by analyzing the Qur’an as a whole, and not just by quoting one particular Verse. Because if one particular verse of the Qur’an is ambiguous many a times the answer is given somewhere else in the Qur’an - Some people quote one source and neglect all the other sources.
• It is the duty of every Muslim, male or female, to seek the pleasure of God, and to act as His trustee on this world, and not to try and gain fame or satisfy one’s own ego.
Islam believes in equality of men and women E‘EqualityEdoes not mean ‘identicalityE
In Islam, the role of a man and woman is complimentary, it is not conflicting. It is that of a partnership, it is not contradictory, so as to strive for supremacy.
Where ‘Women’s rights in IslamE is concerned, I have divided it into 6 broad categories.

Six Categories of Women Rights in Islam
The first are ‘the Spiritual rightsE second are ‘the Economical rightsE third are ‘the Social rightsE fourth are ‘the Educational rightsE fifth are ‘the Legal rightsE and last are ‘the Political rightsE
Sex is Not the Criteria to Enter Paradise:
The greatest misconception that the West has about Islam, is that they thinkE‘Paradise in Islam, is only meant for the male - it is not meant for the femaleE
This misconception can be removed by quoting from Surah Nisa, Ch. No. 4, Verse No 124, which says, ‘If any of you do deeds of righteousness, whether it be male or a female and has faith, they shall surely enter Paradise and not the least injustice shall be done to themEnbsp;
A similar thing is repeated in Surah Nahl, Ch.16, Verse No.97 which saysE‘If any of you perform good deeds, be it a man or a woman and is a believer, We shall give you good life and We should reward you for all your good worksE
Just because in Islam, sex is not the criteria to enter Paradise, will you call such rights in Islam as modernising or outdated?

A. Spiritual Rights of Women in Islam
Another misconception is that, which the Western media has, that, ‘The woman has no soulE
In fact, it was in the seventeenth century, when the Council of wise men, when they gathered at Rome, and they unanimously agreed that the woman had no soul.
In Islam, man and woman have the same spiritual nature. It is mentioned in Quran, Ch.4, Verse No.1, which says that, ‘O humankind reverence your Guardian Lord, who has created you from a single person and created like nature his mateE
A similar thing is mentioned in Surah Nahl, Ch.16, Verse No.72, which says that, ‘We have made for you companions and mates of your own natureE
In Surah Al-Shura, Ch.42, Verse No.11, it says, ‘He is the one who has created the heavens and the earth and has made for you pairs from among yourselvesE
Just because the spiritual nature of a man and woman is the same in Islam, will you call such rights in Islam, as modernizing or outdated?
The Qur’an clearly mentions that, ‘God has breathed somewhat of His spirit into the human beingsE
If you read Surah Hijr, Ch.15, Verse No.29, it says, ‘When I have fashioned you in due proportion and have breathed into you something of my spirit, fall you down in obeisanceE
A similar thing is repeated in the Qur’an, in Surah Sajdah, Ch. 32, Verse No.9, which says, ‘Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His Spirit...E
Here, when God refers to as ‘Something of My Spirit, is breathed into the human beingsE- it does not mean, a sort of incarnation or a pantheistic form.
It means that Allah has given to every human being something of His spiritual Nature, and the Knowledge of God Almighty, and coming closer towards Him.
Here it refers to both Adam and Eve (may peace be upon them) - Both were breathed something of God's Spirit.
Again we read in the Qur’an, that Allah has appointed the human being as His vicegerent, as His trustee, as is mentioned in Surah Isra, Ch.17, Verse No.70, which says, ‘We have honoured the children of Adam and bestowed on them special favoursE
Note, here all the children of Adam have been honoured, male as well as female.
There are some Religious scriptures, for example the Bible, which puts the blame on Eve for the downfall of humanity.
In fact if you read the Qur’an in Surah Araf, Ch.7, Verse No.19 to 27, Adam and Eve (may peace be upon them both) are addressed, more than a dozen of times.
Both disobeyed God, both asked for forgiveness, both repented, and both were forgiven.
In the Bible, if you read Genesis, Ch. 3, only Eve is held responsible (May peace be upon her) for the downfall of humanity.
And according to the doctrine of ‘Original SinE because of Eve (may peace be upon her) the whole of humanity is born in sin.

Does Pregnancy Uplift the Women or Degrade?
If you read the Bible in Genesis, Ch. 3, Verse No.16, it says that, 'To the woman He (God) said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."'
That means, pregnancy and child birth has been said in the Bible to degrade the women and the labour pain is a sort of punishment.
In fact if you read the Qur’an, pregnancy and child birth have uplifted the women.
If you read Surah Nisa, Ch.4, Verse No.1, it says, ‘Respect the womb that bore youE
Its mentioned in Surah Luqman, Ch.31, Verse No.14, it says, ‘We have enjoined on the human being to be kind to the parents, in travail upon travail did their mother bore them and in years twain was their weaningE
A similar thing is mentioned in Surah Ahqaf, Ch.46, Verse No.15, it again repeats, which says, ‘We have enjoined on the human beings to be kind to his parentsE
To be kind to the parents - in pain did their mother bore them, and in pain did she give them birth - Pregnancy in the Qur’an has uplifted the women not degraded her.
Just because pregnancy has uplifted the women in Islam will you call such rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated?

Criteria in the Sight of God to Judge Male and Female:
The only criteria for judgment in the sight of Allah is ‘TaqwaE ‘God consciousnessEor ‘righteousnessE
It is mentioned in Surah Hujurat, Ch.49, Verse No.13 ‘O humankind, We have created you from a single pair of male and female and have divided you into nations and tribes, so that you shall recognize each other not that you despise each other and the most honored in the sight of God, is the one who is the most righteousE
Sex, colour, caste, wealth has got no criteria in Islam - The only criteria in the sight of God is ‘righteousnessE neither is sex the criteria for God to reward or to punish a person.
If you read Surah Imran Ch.3 Verse No.195 it says ‘I will never suffer the loss of any of you, be it male or female, you are companions unto each otherE

Equal Moral Duties for Men and Women:
I had started my talk by quoting a verse from the Qur’an from Surah Al Ahzab, Ch.33, Verse No.35, which says,
‘For Muslim men and Muslim women,
for believing men and women,
for devout men and women,
for true men and women,
for men and women who are patient and constant,
for men and women who give in charity,
for men and women who fast and deny themselves,
for men and women who guard their chastity,
for men and women who engage much in God's praise,
God has prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward.Enbsp;

This verse indicates that the spiritual duties, the moral duties, for the men and women in Islam are the same - Both have to believe, both have to pray, both have to fast, both have to give in charity, etc, etc.
But the women has been given certain concession in Islam.
If she is undergoing her menstrual period or pregnancy, she does not have to fast - She can keep those fasts later on, when she is more healthy.
During the menstrual period and during the postnatal period, she needs not pray also - she has been given the concession, and neither does she have to compensate it later on.
Just because the moral duties of the men and women are equal in Islam will you call such rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated?

B. Economical Rights to the Women
Islam gave economical rights to the women 1,300 years before the West.
An adult Muslim woman can own, she can dispose or disown any of her property without consulting any one, irrespective whether she is married or she is single.
In 1870, it was the first time in England, that the West recognized the rights of the married woman, where she was allowed to own or dispose any of her property without consultation.
I do agree that the women were given their economical rights 1300 years ago - these are ancient rights - but the question is E‘are they modernizing or outdated?Enbsp;

Women on Job:
A women in Islam, if she wishes to work she can work - There is no text in the Qur’an or the authentic Hadith which prevents or makes it prohibited for a woman to do any work, as long as it is not unlawful, as long as it is within the preview of the Islamic Shariah, as long as she maintains her Islamic dress code.
But natural, she cannot take up jobs, which exhibit her beauty and body - Like for example, modeling and film acting, and such kind of jobs.
Many of the professions and jobs which are prohibited for the woman are also prohibited for the man, for example serving alcohol, working in gambling dens, doing any unethical or dishonest business. All these jobs are prohibited for both men and women.
A true Islamic society requires women to take up profession such as doctors.
We do require female Gynecologists, we do require female nurses, we do require female teachers.
But, a woman in Islam has got no financial obligations - The financial obligation is laid on the shoulders of the man in the family - Therefore she need not work for her livelihood.
But in genuine cases, where there are financial crisis in which both the ends do not meet, she has the option of working.
Here too, no one can force her to work - She works out of her own, absolute free will.

Financial Security for Women:
A woman in Islam has been given more financial security, as compared to the man.
As I told you earlier, the financial obligation is not put on her shoulder - It is put on the shoulder of the man in the family. It is the duty of the father or the brother, before she is married and the duty of the husband or the son, after she is married to look after her lodging, boarding, clothing and financial aspects of her.

Compulsory Marital Gift for a Woman:
When she gets married, she is on the receiving end.
She receives a gift - she receives a dower or a marital gift, which is called as ‘MeherE
And it is mentioned in the Qur’an in Surah Nisa, Ch.4 Verse No.4 which says, ‘Give to the woman in dower, a marital giftE
For a marriage to solemnize in Islam, ‘MeherEis compulsory.
But unfortunately in our Muslim society here, we just keep a nominal ‘MeherEto satisfy the Qur’an, say 151 Rupees, or some people give 786 Rupees and they spend lakhs and lakhs of Rupees on the reception, on the decoration, on the flowers, on the lunch parties, on the dinner parties.
In Islam, there is no lower-limit, nor is there an upper limit for ‘MeherE- But when a person can spend lakhs of Rupees on the reception, surely the ‘Meher Eshould be much more.
There are various cultures which have crept into the Muslim societies, specially in the Indo-Pak area.
They give a small amount of ‘MeherEand they expect the wife to give a fridge, to give a T.V set, they expect the wife to give an apartment, to give a car, etc., and a large sum of dowry, depending upon the status of the husband.
If he is a graduate, they may expect 1 lakh - If he is an engineer they may expect 3 lakhs - If he is a doctor they may expect 5 lakhs.
Demanding dowry from the wife, directly or indirectly is prohibited in Islam.
If the parents of the girl give the girl something out of their own free will, it is accepted - But demanding or forcing directly or indirectly, it is prohibited in Islam.

No Financial Liabilities:
If a Woman works, which she does not have to - whatever earning she gets, it is absolutely her property.
She need not spend on the household - if she wants to spend it is her free will.
Irrespective how rich the wife is, it is the duty of the husband to give lodging, boarding, clothing and look after the financial aspects of the wife.
In case of divorce or if a wife gets widowed, she is given financial support for the period of ‘IddahE- and if she has children, she is also given child support.

Right to Inherit:
Islam gave the right to the women to inherit, centuries ago.
If you read the Qur’an - in several verses, in Surah Nisa, in Surah Baqarah and in Surah Maidah, it is mentioned that a woman, irrespective she is a wife or she is a mother, or a sister, or a daughter, she has a right to inherit. And it has been fixed by God Almighty in the Qur’an.

C. Social Rights of Women in Islam
Broadly it can be categorized into four sub-headings. Social rights given to a daughter, to a wife, to a mother and to a sister.
Social Rights to a Daughter:
Islam prohibits, female infanticide. The killing of female children is forbidden in Islam.
It is mentioned in Surah Taqveem, Ch. 81, Verse No. 8 and 9, ‘when the female child is buried alive and when she questions you, for what crime was she killedE
Not only female infanticide has been prohibited, all sorts of infanticides has been prohibited in Islam, whether it be a male child or a female child.
It is mention in the Qur’an in Surah A’nam Ch.6, Verse No.151 that, ‘Kill not your children for want of sustenance for it is God that will provide sustenance for you and for childrenE
A similar thing is mentioned in Surah Isra, Ch.17 Verse No.31 which saysE‘Kill not your children for want of sustenance, for it is God that will provide sustenance to you and your children, for killing of children is a major sinE
In the pre-Islamic Arabia, whenever a female child was born mostly she was buried alive.
Alhamdullillah, after the spread of Islam this evil practice has been discontinued.
But unfortunately it still continues in India - According to a BBC report, in the programe assignment the title of which was ‘Let Her DieE there was a British reporter by the name of Emily Beckenen, who came all the way from Britain to India to give us the statistics of the female infanticide.
In that programe, it gives the statistics, that every day more than 3,000 fetuses are being aborted on being identified that they are females.
If you multiply this figure by the number of days, that is multiplied by 365, you get a figure of more than one million female fetuses are being aborted every year in our country.
And there are big hoarding and posters in states like Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, which says spend 500 Rupees and save 5 lakh Rupees.
What does it mean? - That spend Rupees 500 on medical examination like Aminocententus or Ultra Sonography, and identify the gender of child.
If it is a female you can abort it and you’ll save 5 lakh Rupees - How?
The couple of lakhs you spend on upbringing her and the remaining lakhs of Rupees you spend on giving dowry to the man who will marry her (a custom in India).
According to the report of the Government Hospital of Tamil Nadu E‘out of every 10 female children that are born, four are put to deathE- No wonder the female population in India is less than the male population.
Female infanticide was continuing in India since centuries - If you analyze the statistics of the 1901 census, for every 1000 males there were 972 females.
According to the 1981 statistics and census, it tells you for every 1000 males you have 934 females.
And the latest statistics of 1991 tells you that for every 1000 males you have 927 females.
You can analyze that the female ratio is dropping every year - And since science and medicine has advanced, it has helped in this evil practice.
Just because Islam tells you that you should not kill any children whether it be male or female will you call these rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated?
Qur’an not only prohibits female infanticide, it rebukes at the thought of you rejoicing at the birth of a male child and getting saddened at the birth of a female child.

In Islam, a daughter should be brought up correctly.
In Islam, there should be no partiality in upbringing of the daughter or the son.
According to a Hadith, ‘In the presence of the Prophet Muhammad, once a man kissed his son and placed him on his lap but did not do the same to his daughter.
The Prophet immediately objected and said that you are unjust - You should have even kissed your daughter and placed her on the other lapE

Social Rights to Wife:
All the previous civilizations, they have considered the women to be an ‘instrument of the devilE
The Qur’an refers to the women as ‘MohsanaE that is a ‘fortress against the devilE
And if a woman, who’s good, marries a man, she prevents him from going on the wrong path.
There’s a Hadith in which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) he said that, ‘there is no monasticism in IslamE.
And again according to Sahih Bukhari, Volume No. 7, Ch. No. 3 Hadith No 4 it says that ‘the Prophet Muhammad ordained the young men, all those who have the means to marry, they should marry - For it will help them to guard their gaze and guard their modesty.
The Qur’an say’s that, ‘We have put love into the hearts of the husband and wifeE
If you read Surah Rum, Ch. 30, Verse No. 21 it says that, ‘And amongst our signs We have created for you mates or companions, so that you may dwell in them in tranquillity and we have put love and mercy between your heartsE
According to Surah Nisa, Ch.4, Verse No.21, marriage is considered as a strong agreement, a strong contract.
According to Surah Nisa, Ch.4, Verse No.19, it says, ‘You are prohibited to inherit women against their willE- Means, to marry the permission of both the parties are required.
It is compulsory that the man and women both should agree to marry. No one - not even the father can force their daughter to marry against her wishes.
There’s a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 69, which says ‘that a lady she was forced by her father to marry against her wishesE- And she went to the Prophet and the Prophet invalidated the marriageE
Another Hadith in Ibn-e-Humbal, Hadith No. 2469, it says ‘that a daughter was forced by her father to get married - And when the daughter approached the Prophet, the Prophet said you can either continue, or if you wish you can invalidate the marriage.

That means, the consent of both the male and the female is required.
In Islam, a women is considered as a homemaker - She is not considered as a housewife, because she is not married to the house.
Many people use terminology, without understanding what it means E‘HousewifeEmeans ‘you are the wife of the houseE
So I believe, from now onwards the sisters would prefer calling themselves ‘homemakersE than ‘house wivesE if they are occupied more in the home.
In Islam, a woman, she is not married to a master that she should be treated like a slave - She is married to it is equal.
And there is a Hadith which says in Ibn-Hambal - Hadith No 736, 7396. It says that, ‘the most perfect of the believers are those that are best in character and behavior, and those that are best to their family and their wivesE
Islam gives equal rights to the man and woman. Qur’an clearly mentions that men and women, husband and wife have equal rights in all aspects, except leadership in the family.
It is mentioned in the Qur’an in Surah Baqarah Ch.2, Verse No.228. It says that, E..the women have been given rights similar against them (men) on equitable terms but the men have a degree higher...E
Most of the Muslims have misunderstood this verse, when it says ‘a men have a degree higherE- As I said we should analyze the Qur’an as a whole. And its mentioned in Surah Nisa, Ch. 4, Verse No.34 which says, ‘The men are the protectors and maintainers of the women, for God has given one of them more strength than the other and they give them their meansE
People say the word ‘KawwamE means, ‘one degree higher in superiorityE- But actually the word ‘KawwamEcomes from the root word ‘IkamahE ‘IkamahEmeans for example ‘when you give the Ikamah before prayers - You stand upE
So ‘IkamahEmeans to standup - so the word ‘KawwamEmeans one degree higher in responsibility, not one degree higher in superiority.
Even if you read the commentary of ‘Ibne-KathirE- He says that the word ‘KawwamEmeans one degree higher in responsibility, not one degree higher in superiority.
And this responsibility, should be carried out by mutual consent of both husband and wife.
It is mentioned in Surah Baqarah, Ch.2, Verse No.187, which says, Which meansE‘Your wives are your garments, and you are their garmentsE
What’s the objective of garments - It is used to conceal and to beautify.
The husband and wife, should conceal each others faults, and they should beautify each other - Its a relationship of hands and gloves.
The Qur’an mentions that, ‘even if you do not like your wife, you should treat her kindlyE
It is mentioned in Surah Nisa, Ch.4, Verse No.19, that, E..consort with them (your wives) in kindness, for if you hate them it may happen that you hate a thing wherein God has placed much good.
Even if you dislike your wife you have to treat her kindly and with equity
Just because the rights of a wife are equal to those of the husband in Islam, will you call such rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated?

Social Rights to a Mother:
The only thing above respect to Mother, is the worship of God - It is mentioned in:
Ch.17, Verse No.28-29, It says thatE‘God has ordained for you, that you worship none but Him, and to be kind to your parents. And if any one or both of them reach old age do not say a word of contempt or repel them but address them with honour, and speak to them with kindness, and lower your wing of humility and pray to God - ‘My Lord! bless them as they have cherished me in childhoodE
Surah Nisa, Ch. No. 4, Verse No. 1 says, ‘Respect the womb that bore youE
Surah A’nam, Ch.6, Verse No.151, says that, ‘You have to be kind to your parentsE
Surah Luqman Ch.31, Verse No.14, says that, ‘We have enjoined on the human beings to be kind to his parents. In travail upon travail, did their mother bore them and in years twain was their weaningE
A similar thing is repeated again in Surah Ahqaf, Ch.46, Verse No.15, thatE‘We have enjoined on the human beings to be kind to his parents. In pain did their mother bore them and in pain did she give them birthE
Another Hadith related in Sahih Bukhari in Volume 8, Ch. No. 2 Hadith No. 2, as well as in Sahih-Muslim - It says that a man asked the Prophet MuhammadE‘Who requires the maximum love and respect and my companionship in this world?
The Prophet replied E‘your motherEbr> ‘Who is nextE E‘your motherEnbsp;
‘Who is next?EE‘your motherEnbsp;
The man asked for the fourth time, - ‘Who is nextEnbsp;
The Prophet replied ‘your fatherE
So 75% of the love and respect goes to the mother and 25% of the love and respect goes to the father.
Three fourth of the better part of the love and respect goes to the mother EOne fourth of the remaining part of the love and respect goes to the father.
Social Rights to a Sister:
According to Surah Tawbah, Ch. 9, Verse No.71, it says that, ‘The men and the women they are friends of each otherE
Prophet Muhammed (may peace be upon him) he said, ‘The women are the ‘ShakatE-‘ShakatEmeans sisterE

D. Educational Rights to a Woman
The first 5 verses which were revealed in the Qur’an were from Surah Alaq, or Surah Iqra, Verse No. 1 to 5 which says:
‘Read, recite or proclaim in the name of your Lord, Who has created the human beings from a congealed clot of blood (a leech like substance).
Read, your Lord is most bountiful.
Who has taught the use of the pen.
Who has taught the human beings that which he knew-notE
The first guidance given in the Qur’an to the humankind was not to pray, was not to fast, was not to give charity - It was read - Islam pays utmost importance to education.

Education is Compulsory in Islam:
According to Quran:
• God will exalt those of you who believe and those who are given knowledge to high degrees. (58:11)
• And say, O my Lord! increase me in knowledge. (20:114)
• And whoever is is given knowledge is given indeed abundant wealth. (2:269)
According to a saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) “It is obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, to acquire knowledge (Al-Bayhaqi).
Imagine, 1400 years ago, when the women were ill treated and were only used as property, Islam asked the women to be educated.
Because Islam tells that every woman should be educated, - Will you call such women’s right’s in Islam as modernizing or outdated?

E. Legal Rights to a Woman
According to the Islamic law, men and women are equal - The Islamic Law protects the life and property of a man and woman both.
If a man murders a woman he too will receive the capital punishment of ‘KisaasE
According to the Islamic law of ‘KisaasE men and women - irrespective the injury be of the eye, of the nose, of the ear, of the body - both receive equal punishment.
And if the guardian of the murderer, even it be a woman - If she says, that forgive the murderer and she accepts ‘DiaE that is compensation - her opinion cannot be rejected - they have to accept it.
And if there’s difference of opinion between the relatives of the person whose murdered - And some say that the murderer should be killed and some say that he should be forgiven and ‘DiaEnbsp; should be accepted - people should prevent the relatives from killing that murderer.
And irrespective whether the witness or the opinion is given by a man or woman, it has same weight.
According to Surah Maida, Ch.5, Verse No.30 - It saysE‘As to the thief, whether he be man or a woman, cut off his or her hand as a punishment for his crime, an example from GodE
Means, if a person robs, irrespective whether he is a man or a woman his or her hands should be chopped - The punishment is the same.
According to Surah Nur, Ch.24, Verse No.2, it says ‘If any commits fornication, be it a man or a woman, flog them with 100 stripesE
The punishment for fornication in Islam irrespective whether it is a man or a woman, it is the same - Flogging with 100 stripes.

The punishment for men and women, is the same in Islam.
In Islam a woman is allowed to give witness
Imagine, Islam gave right to a woman to be a witness, 14 centuries ago.
Even now in as late as 1980, the Jewish Rabai, they were considering that whether the women should be given a right to act as a witness or not - And Islam gave that right 1400 years ago.
Accord¬ing to Surah Nur, Ch.24, Verse No.4, it is said ‘If any of you put a charge against the chastity of a woman, produce 4 witnesses, and if they falter, flog them with 80 stripesE
In Islam for a small crime, you require 2 witness - for a big crime you require 4 witnesses.
Accusing a woman falsely is a big crime in Islam, therefore you require 4 witnesses.
Now a days you see in the modern society, you find men abusing women and calling them all sorts of name. They call them prostitutes etc, and nothing is done.
In an Islamic state, if a man calls her a ‘prostituteEin public or anywhere else, and if she takes that man to court - And if that man cannot produce 4 witnesses or even if he produces 4 witnesses and any one of them falter, all of them will receive 80 lashes each, and in future all their evidence will be rejected.
Islam gives utmost importance to the chastity of the woman.
When a lady marries, she normally adopts the name of her husband.
In Islam she has the option of either keeping her husband’s name, either adopting the name of the husband, or maintaining her maiden name.
And maintaining the maiden name is recommended in Islam - And we find in several Muslim societies that women, even after they get married they maintain their maiden name, because according to the Islamic law men and women are equal.
Will you call such rights in Islam modernizing or outdated?

F. Political Rights of a Woman
According to Surah Tawba, Ch.9, Verse No.71, ‘The men and the women they are friends (supporters) of each otherE
Supporters not only Socially - even Politically EPolitically, men and women should support each other.

Women can even take part in law making.
And according to the famous Hadith in which Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), he was discussing with the Sahabas, and considering putting an upper limit on the ‘Meher E since young men were discouraged from getting married - a lady from the back seat she objected and said When the Qur’an says in Surah Nisa Ch.4, Verse No.20 thatE ‘you can even give a heap of treasure, a heap of gold in ‘MeherE when Qur’an puts no limit on ‘MeherE who is Umar to put a limit (may Allah be pleased with him).
And immediately Hazrat Umar (peace be upon him) saidE‘Umar is wrong and the lady is rightE
Imagine, she was a common lady - If it would have been a famous lady, the name of the lady would be mentioned in the Hadith.
Since the Hadith does not mention the name of the lady, we can understand that the lady was a common lady.
Means, even a common lady can object to the ‘KhalifaE the head of the state.
And in technical terms it would be called that E‘she is objecting to the breach of the constitutionE- because Qur’an is the constitution of the Muslims - That means a woman can even take part in law making.

Women have even taken part in the battle fields
There is a full chapter in the Sahih Bukhari mentioning women in the battle field - Women gave water - they give first aid to the soldiers.
Because the Qur’an says ‘Man is the protector of the ‘WomanE
Under normal circumstances, the women should not go to the battle field. It is the duty of the man.
Only when required, under necessity are women allowed - and they should go to the battle field if they want.
Otherwise you’ll have the same position as you are having in the USA.

Women in USA are Not Safe
In USA women were allowed to join the battle since 1901 but they were not allowed to take active part - They only played the part of a nurse.
Later on after the ‘Feminist MovementEhad started in 1973, the ‘Feminist movementEdemand¬ed E‘Why aren’t women allowed to take active part in the battle field?E/font>
So the American government allowed women to take active part in the battle field.
And according to a report of the Defense Department of America, which was released on the 23rd of April, 1993 it said that, E0 people were sexually assaulted in a convention, out of which 83 were women and 117 officers were charged with in disciplinary actionE Imagine in one convention only, 83 women sexually assaulted.
What was the crime of those 117 officers?
They made the women run and they snatched at their clothes. They made them parade absolutely nude without even covering the genital parts. They were made to have sex in public.

Is this what you call ‘Women’s rightsE
If you think that this is what is ‘Women’s rightE then you can keep your rights to yourselves. We do not want our sisters, our daughters our mothers to be sexually assaulted.
And there was a uproar in the parliament and the President, Bill Clinton - he himself had to apologize publicly and he said, ‘Necessary action will be takenE
And you know when politicians say ‘necessary action will be taken, what happens.
So Islam allows women to take part in the battle field only when required.
But there also they should maintain their Islamic dress and the Islamic ethics, and their modesty.

USA Has One of the Highest Rates of Rape
United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in any country in the world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990, every day on an average 1756 cases of rape were committed in U.S.A alone. Later another report said that on an average everyday 1900 cases of rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got ‘bolderEin the following years.

Islamic Law Let's Women Breathe Easily
Consider a scenario where the Islamic law is implemented in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic dress as mentioned in Quran. After this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you, in such a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?
If Islamic law is implemented in any part of the world, women will breathe easier.

Conclusion
Before I conclude, I’d like to give an example.
As I said in the beginning of my talk, Islam believes in equality between men and women - Equality does not mean identicality.
Suppose in a classroom 2 students, student ‘AEand ‘BE during an examination both come out first - Both secure 80% marks - 80 out of 100.
When you analyze the question paper, the question paper has 10 differ¬ent questions, each carrying 10 marks.
In question 1 student ‘AEgot 9 out of 10, and student ‘BEgot 7 out of 10 - So in question 1 student ‘AEwas higher than student ‘BE
In question 2, student ‘AEgot 7 out of 10 and student ‘BEgot 9 out of 10 - Student ‘BEwas higher than student ‘AEin question number 2.
In question 3 both of them got 8 out of 10, both were equal.
So when we add up the marks of all the ten questions, both student ‘AEand ‘BEgot 80 out of 100.
So in short, student ‘AEand student ‘BEare over all equal.
In some questions ‘AEis higher than ‘BE in some questions ‘BEis higher than ‘AE in others both are equal.
In the same fashion, taking the example that since God has given man more strength - Suppose a thief enters the house will you tell, ‘I believe in women’s rights - I believe in women’s rightsE - will you tell your mother, your sister and your daughter, to go and fight the thief?E
No, but natural you’ll fight him - If required they may interfere - Under normal circumstances since God has given you more physical strength, you have to go and tackle the thief.
So here, in physical strength, man is one degree higher than the woman
Let us take another example where it comes to respecting the parents - The children are supposed to respect the mother 3 times more than the father (as mentioned earlier).
Here the women have one degree higher than the men - Over all both equal
So Islam believes in equality, not identically - Men and women are over all equal in Islam.
This was in brief, the highlights, of ‘the Women’s Rights in IslamE
After this what the Muslim society did is different - Many of the Muslim societies did not give the women their rights and they deviated away from the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
The Western society is largely responsible for this - because of the Western societies, many Muslim societies have become over protective, over precautions and have gone to one extreme and deviated away from the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
On the other extreme, some of the Muslim societies turned to the Western culture, and followed their culture.
I want to tell the Western society that if you analyze the women’s rights in Islam according to the Qur’an and the Sunnah - you will realize it is modernizing and not outdated.

please refer to the original source as mentioned above for further ....

How does Historiography approach its vision?

2009-02-15T23:31:00.000-08:00

Introduction to Historiography

Historical study concerns the past of men about everything they have done, said, thought in the flow of past time. This definition is simple. It is the fact in the form of records, oral traditions, inscriptions in stone, or writing on papyrus or paper, that historians can study and from which they can write history. Historical study then, is the study of the surviving records of men which needs a qualification and elaboration.

History is everything that has happened to men in the flow of past time. History as a study is the attempt to discover and understand what happened. Historians have sometimes hoped to recover the past as it actually was. But the actual past cannot be recovered for many reasons and not only because past men have left only traces of their acts and ideas. The surviving records, especially of ancient times are scanty, while the records of modern times, though partial and incomplete, are so vast that an historian can but sample them. The records were created by men; they may or may not give an accurate description, but they never give a full account of what happened. The historian himself is a product of his own times and has the biases of his own culture and he cannot, even imaginatively, fully project himself out of his own present into the lives of men of earlier times, for they acted and thought in ways partly beyond his comprehension.

History, like theology or natural science, is a special form of thought. The questions about the nature, object, method and value of this form of thought must be answered by persons having two qualifications. First, they must have experience of that form of thought. They must be historian. Second, they should not only have experience of historical thinking but also have reflected upon the experience. They must be not only historians but also philosophers; and in particular their philosophical thought must have included special attention to the problems of historical thought.

Collingwood’s The Idea of History, attempts to elaborate such idea in detail by investigating its history. He views that the historians nowadays think that history should be (i) a science, or answering of questions; (ii) concerned with human actions in the past; (iii) pursued by interpretation of evidence; and (iv) for the sake of human self-knowledge. But this is not the way in which people have always thought of history.

In a matter of fact, historiography reminds readers that historical writing has fashions in its method and approaches and attempted to provide as comprehensive an account as possible of the writing of previous historians.

What is Historiography?

Marnie Hughes-Warrington explains that historiography refers to a broader range of activities than is often acknowledged by historians and history teachers. It can be explored and suggested how knowledge of them can help us better understand both the diversity and limitations of the visions of history within these four approaches. First, studies of history as a social phenomenon. Historiography understood in this sense may entail the anthropological and sociological investigation of the historicities of various communities today, that is, their way of experiencing and understanding, and constructing and representing history. Anthropological studies of historical awareness make it clear that no single understanding of history binds culture together meanwhile sociological studies focused on single cultural contexts have also highlighted variation in historicities.

Second, relating to psychological studies of historical awareness and thinking. Sociological studies challenge man to think about the primacy of wtitten texts in historical and historiographical studies. We realize that the question ‘what is history?’ also entails asking ‘where is history?’. Psychological approaches to the study of historical awareness respond to that question by focusing on the mental activities of those who make and study histories, as well as social practices conventionally associated with the term.

Third, historical studies of histories play a prominent part in scholarship on teaching and learning history. When it comes to the consideration of historians’ activities, historical approaches are far more prevalent. For a number of historians, historiography is synonymous with the history of histories and history making. Arthur Marwick, for instance, has argued that the term ‘historiography’ can be collapsed into that of ‘history’. Historical studies of historians and histories range across ancient and modern cultures. A varied range of sources and methodologies have been employed in these studies, from narratological studies of the forms of works to numerical assessments of how many people came into contact with them. It might reasonably be expected historiographical research will present as complex an account of individual and social practices as that offered in historical research.

Fourth, philosophical study of history, it can be questioned how might we address a ‘should’ question in historiography? How do we decide what we ‘ought’ to research and communicate? The usual response to questions of this sort is that we require philosophical analysis. In both ancient and modern settings, writers and thinkers have looked to philosophical analysis both to address points of debate and illuminate agreed, unquestioned and taken-for-granted principles and assumptions. This is because every historian makes or affirms assumptions that define, refine, contract or extend their activities. Some of these assumptions are subject to great historical and cultural variation, while others are affirmed so often and for so long that they appear to be unalterable or subject only to minor alterations. Some are openly debated, while others are so deeply held that they cannot be clearly enunciated.

Sources :
1. Fifty key thinkers on History
2. Companion to Historiography
3. What is History

The Greatest Global Financial Crisis

2009-02-14T06:23:00.000-08:00

The global wealth losses amounting to $20 trillion

By: Fudzail

I have my doubts when reading some not-so-good reports as well as feel-good reports on the current turmoil. Sometimes, too much information is more harmful to our plans. Rumours have been circulating with some basis to believe these rumours do have some truth and during last few months, rumours have been all but rumours.
There is a latest hot rumour about the impending merger of two big real estate developers in the UAE from Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The merger of the two giants will create a, well, big giant if not a monster, positively, I like that idea.
In today’s business paper, it is reported that top international investment banks have confirmed that the world is now experiencing the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression. Believe it or not, the global wealth losses amounting to $20 trillion (Dh73.4trn).
Morgan Stanley, HSBC and The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNYM) unanimously say that the credit crisis has led to the biggest shock to world wealth since the Second World War.
The Great Depression was the largest and most important economic depression in modern history and is used in the 21st century as an example of how far the world's economy can fall. And like the current financial crisis, the Great Depression originated in the United States.
Historians most often use as a starting date the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday. The depression had devastating effects in virtually every country, rich or poor. International trade plunged by half to two-thirds, as did personal income, tax revenue, prices and profits. Cities all around the world were hit hard, especially those dependent on heavy industry. Construction was halted in many countries.
But the current crisis is more than just a depression, says Richard Hoey, chief economist of BNYM. "We expect a severe global recession rather than a depression."
"The global economy was in freefall in the fourth quarter of 2008 and this should continue in the early months of 2009.We agree with the view this is the greatest global financial crisis since the Great Depression," he added.
According to Morgan Stanley's estimates, the result of the current financial crisis has been a destruction of world wealth, which since mid 2007 has amounted to approximately $20trn (or down 16 per cent from its peak, which has been estimated at $125trn by the United Nations).
"This is the largest absolute and percentage decline in world wealth since the physical destruction of the Second World War," said the New York-based bank holding company.

You can read the rest here- http://www.business24-7.ae/articles/2009/2/pages/02112009_2915737489f34e1e81bd21ff620f21d5.aspx

Just imagine, $20 trillion worth of wealth disappeared into the thin air. If we had had used that amount to build a better world for everybody on the planet, we may not lose that much. Imagine, even some richest Muslims do not pay zakat and one Islamic scholar here mentioned that if even half of these Muslims had paid their zakats, there would be no poor Muslims in the world….

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Source : see http://1426.blogspot.com/2009/02/global-wealth-losses-amounting-to-20.html

Al-Ghazali's Contributions Towards Ummah

2009-02-12T13:19:00.000-08:00

Imam al-Ghazzali

Dr. G.F. Haddad

Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad, Abu Hamid al-Tusi al-Ghazzali [or al-Ghazali] al-Shafi‘i (450-505), "the Proof of Islam" (Hujjat al-Islam), "Ornament of the Faith," "Gatherer of the Multifarious Sciences," "Great Siddîq," absolute mujtahid, a major Shafi‘i jurist, heresiographer and debater, expert in the principles of doctrine and those of jurisprudence. Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi stated that, like ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz and al-Shafi‘i for their respective times, al-Ghazzali is unanimously considered the Renewer of the Fifth Islamic Century. Ibn al-Subki writes: "He came at a time when people stood in direr need of replies against the philosophers than the darkest night stands in need of the light of the moon and stars." Among his teachers in law, debate, and principles: Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Râdhakâni in Tus, Abu Nasr al-Isma‘ili in Jurjan, and Imam al-Haramayn Abu al-Ma‘ali al-Juwayni in Naysabur, from where he departed to Baghdad after the latter’s death. Ibn ‘Asakir also mentions that al-Ghazzali took al-Bukhari’s Sahih from Abu Sahl Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Hafsi. Among his other shaykhs in hadith were Nasr ibn ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Hakimi al-Tusi, ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Khawari, Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Muhammad al-Suja`i al-Zawzani, the hadith master Abu al-Fityan ‘Umar ibn Abi al-Hasan al-Ru’asi al-Dahistani, and Nasr ibn Ibrahim al-Maqdisi. Among his shaykhs in tasawwuf were al-Fadl ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Farmadi al-Tusi – one of Abu al-Qasim al-Qushayri’s students – and Yusuf al-Sajjaj.
On his way back from Jurjan to Tus al-Ghazzali was robbed by highwaymen. When they left him he followed them but was told: "Leave us or you will die." He replied: "I ask you for Allah’ sake to only return to me my notes, for they are of no use to you." The robber asked him: "What are those notes?" He said: "Books in that satchel, for the sake of which I left my country in order to hear, write, and obtain their knowledge." The robber laughed and said: "How can you claim that you obtained their knowledge when we took it away from you and left you devoid of knowl-edge!" Then he gave an order and the satchel was returned to him. Al-Ghazzali said: "This man’s utterance was divinely inspired (hâdhâ mustantaqun): Allah caused him to say this in order to guide me. When I reached Tus I worked for three years until I had memorized all that I had written down."
Al-Ghazzali came to Baghdad in 484 and began a prestigious career of teaching, giving fatwa, and authoring books in nearly all the Islamic sciences of his day. His skill in refuting opponents was unparalleled except by his superlative godwariness, which led him to abandon his teaching position at the Nizamiyya school four years later, deputizing his brother Ahmad, famous for his preaching, to replace him. Upon completion of pilgrimage to Mecca al-Ghazzali headed for Damascus, then al-Qudus, then Damascus again where he remained for several years, taking up the ascetic life with the words: "We sought after knowledge for other than Allah’s sake, but He refused that it be for anything other than Him."
He came out of seclusion in 499 and travelled to Cairo, Iskandariyya and other places, finally returning to Baghdad where he taught his magnum opus Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din until his death in nearby Tus, occupying the remainder of his time with devotions, Qur’an recitations, prayer and fasting, and the company of Sufis. Ibn al-Jawzi narrated in al-Thabat ‘Inda al-Mamat ("Firmness at the Time of Death") from al-Ghazzali’s brother Ahmad: "On Monday [14 Jumada al-Akhira] at the time of the dawn prayer my brother Abu Hamid made his ablution, prayed, then said: ‘Bring me my shroud.’ He took it, kissed it and put it on his eyes, saying: ‘We hear and obey in readiness to enter the King’s presence.’ Then he stretched his legs, facing the Qibla, and died before sunrise – may Allah sanctify his soul!" It is related that al-Shadhili saw a dream in which the Prophet (s) pointed out al-Ghazzali to Musa (as) and ‘Isa (as) asking them: "Is there such a wise scholar in your communities?" to which they replied no.
The following is a list of some of al-Ghazzali’s works as found in al-Zabidi ’s and Ibn al-Subki’s recensions:
• Four works in Shafi‘i fiqh: the large al-Basit, the medium, seven-volume al-Wasit, and the two-volume al-Wajiz, condensed in al-Khulasa. Al-Wasit received many commentaries and abridgments, among them al-Nawawi’s Rawda al-Talibin.
• Four books on usûl al-fiqh: al-Mankhul, written in the lifetime of his teacher, Imam al-Haramayn; Shifa’ al-Ghalil fi Masa’il [or Masalik] al-Ta ‘lil; al-Maknûn; and al-Mustasfa. "Imam al-Ghazali’s Encyclopedia of Shari‘a Source Methodology, his fourth book on the subject, and his last word, was al-Mustasfa, which has been printed several times in Egypt and elsewhere. Indeed, this is the work he wrote after coming out of his period of meditation and seclusion."
• Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, among his last works.
• al-Imla’ ‘ala Mushkil al-Ihya’, in which he replied to some of the insinuations made against the Ihya’ in his lifetime. This book is also called al-Ajwiba al-Muskita ‘an al-As’ila al-Mubhita.
• Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, now lost.
• Jawahir al-Qur’an.
• al-Arba‘un fi al-Tawhid, originally part of Jawahir al-Qur’an.
• al-Asma’ al-Husna.
• al-Ma’akhidh, on the divergences of jurisprudents.
• Tahsin al-Ma’akhidh, a commentary on al-Ma’akhidh.
• Kimya’ al-Sa‘ada, The Alchemy of Happiness, originally written in Persian.
• al-Lubab al-Muntakhal, on disputation.
• al-Iqtisad fi al-I‘tiqad, in which he said:
"The anthropomorphists (al-Hashwiyya) assert direction for Allah while guarding themselves from divesting Allah of His attributes (ta‘tîl), falling thereby into likening Allah to creation (tashbîh). Allah has granted success to Ahl al-Sunna in establishing the truth. They have recognized the proper goal in establishing their method, and understood that direction is denied and disallowed for Allah because it pertains to bodies and complements them; while vision of Him is firmly established because it directly follows knowledge and attends it as its perfecting component."
• Mi‘yar al-Nazar.
• Mihakk al-Nazar.
• Bayan al-Qawlayn, on al-Shafi‘i’s two schools.
• al-Mustazhiri, a refutation of the esotericists or Batiniyya.
• Qawasim al-Batiniyya, another refutation.
• Tahafut al-Falasifa declaring the disbelief of the philosophers, to which the qadi of Andalus Abu al-Walid Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rushd al-Maliki responded with Tahafut al-Tahafut.
• al-Maqasid fi Bayan I‘tiqad al-Awa’il, also known as Maqasid al-Falasifa.
• Asrar Mu‘amalat al-Din.
• Asrar al-Anwar al-Ilahiyya bi al-Ayat al-Matluwwa.
• Akhlaq al-Abrar wa al-Najat min al-Ashrar.
• Asrar Ittiba‘ al-Sunna.
• Asrar al-Huruf wa al-Kalimat.
• Bayan Fada’ih al-Ibahiyya, against freethinkers.
• Bada’i‘ al-Sani‘.
• Tanbih al-Ghafilin.
• Talbis Iblis, a title later used by Ibn al-Jawzi against al-Ghazzali and others.
• Khulasa al-Rasa’il ila ‘Ilm al-Masa’il, an abridgment of al-Muzani’s Mukhtasar.
• al-Risala al-Qudsiyya fi ‘Ilm al-Kalam.
• al-Sirr al-Masun, a book of Qur’anic invocations against enemies.
• Sharh Da’ira ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, also known as Nukhba al-Asma’.
• ‘Aqida al-Misbah.
• ‘Unqud al-Mukhtasar, an abridgment of Imam al-Haramayn’s abridgment of al-Muzani’s Mukhtasar.
• Rasa’il ("Epistles"), published recently in a single volume, in seven parts, comprising the following epistles:
(1) Al-Hikma fi Makhluqat Allah -- Subhan wa Ta`ala --; Mi‘raj al-Salikin.
(2) Rawda al-Talibin wa ‘Umda al-Salikin [in tasawwuf and tawhîd]; Qawa‘id al-‘Aqa-’id fi al-Tawhid which he included in the Ihya’ in full; Khulasa al-Tasanif fi al-Tasawwuf in which he defines tasawwuf as follows:
Know that tasawwuf is two things: Truthfulness with Allah Almighty and good conduct with people. Anyone that practices these two things is a Sufi. Truthfulness with Allah is that the servant put an end to his ego’s shares in the divine command. Good conduct with people is to not prefer one’s demands over theirs as long as their demands are within the para-meters of the Law. Whoever approves of the contravention of the Law or contravenes it can never be a Sufi, and if he claims he is, he is lying.
(3) Al-Qistas al-Mustaqim; Minhaj al-‘Arifin; Al-Risala al-Laduniy-ya; Faysal al-Tafriqa (fi al-Takfir); Ayyuha al-Walad, originally written in Persian.
(4) Mishkat al-Anwar; Risala al-Tayr; al-Risala al-Wa‘ziyya; Iljam al-‘Awam ‘an ‘Ilm al-Kalam; al-Mad-nun bihi ‘ala Ghayri Ahlih; Al-Ajwi-ba al-Ghazzaliyya fi al-Masa’il al-Ukh-ra-wiyya.
(5) Bidaya al-Hidaya; Kimya al-Sa‘ada; al-Adab fi al-Din; al-Kashf wa al-Tabyin fi Ghurur al-Khalq Ajma‘in.
(6) Sirr al-‘Alamayn wa Kashf ma fi al-Darayn; al-Durra al-Fakhira fi Kashf ‘Ulum al-Akhira.
(7) Qanun al-Ta’wil; al-Ahadith al-Qudsiyya; al-Munqidh min al-Dalal, in which he said:
The Sufi path consists in cleansing the heart from whatever is other than Allah... I concluded that the Sufis are the seekers in Allah’s Way, and their conduct is the best conduct, and their way is the best way, and their manners are the most sanctified. They have cleaned their hearts from other than Allah and they have made them as pathways for rivers to run, carrying the knowledge of Allah.
• Fatawa, in which he states the following responses:

source : http://www.ghazali.org

Islamic Political Framework

2009-02-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

The Political Framework Of Islam

The political system of Islam is based on the three principles of towhid(Oneness of Allah), risala (Prophethood) and Khilifa(Caliphate).
Towhidmeans that one Allah alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Master of the universe and of all that exists in it - organic or inorganic. He alone has the right to command or forbid. Worship and obedience are due to Him alone. No aspect of life in all its multifarious forms ¾ our own organs and faculties, the apparent control which we have over physical objects or the objects themselves ¾ has been created or a acquired by us in our own right. They are the bountiful provisions of Allah and have been bestowed on us by Him alone.

Hence, it is not for us to decide the aim and purpose of our existence or to set the limits of our worldly authority; nor does anyone else have the right to make these decisions for us. This right rests only with Allah. This principle of the Oneness of Allah makes meaningless the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of human beings. No individual, family, class or race can set themselves above Allah. Allah alone is the Ruler and His commandments constitute the law of Islam.

Risala is the medium through which we receive the law of Allah. We have received two things from this source: the Qur’an, the book in which Allah has expounded His law, and the authoritative interpretation and exemplification of that Book by the Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him), through word and deed, in his capacity as the representative of Allah. The Qur’an laid down the broad principles on which human life should be based and the Prophet of Allah, in accordance with these principles, established a model system of Islamic life. The combination of these two elements is called the shari’a (law).

Khilifa means "representation". Man, according to Islam, is the representative of Allah on earth, His vice-gerent; that is to say, by virtue of the powers delegated to him by Allah, and within the limits prescribed, he is required to exercise Divine authority.

To illustrate what this means, let us take the case of an estate of yours which someone else has been appointed to administer on your behalf. Four conditions invariably obtain: First, the real ownership of the estate remains vested in you and not in the administrator; secondly, he administers your property directly in accordance with your instructions; thirdly, he exercises his authority within the limits prescribed by you; and fourthly, in the administration of the trust he executes your will and fulfils your intentions and not his own. Any representative who does not fulfil these four conditions will be abusing his authority and breaking the covenant which was implied in the concept of "representation".

This is exactly what Islam means when it affirms that man is the representative (khalifa) of Allah on earth. Hence, these four conditions are also involved in the concept of Khalifa. The state that is established in accordance with this political theory will in fact be a caliphate under the sovereignty of Allah.

Democracy In Islam

The above explanation of the term Khilafa also makes it clear that no individual or dynasty or class can be Khalifa: the authority of Khilafa is bestowed on the whole of any community which is ready to fulfil the conditions of representation after subscribing to the principles of towhid and Risala. Such a society carries the responsibility of the Khilafa as a whole and each one of its individuals shares in it.

This is the point where democracy begins in Islam. Every individual in an Islamic society enjoys the rights and powers of the caliphate of Allah and in this respect all individuals are equal. No-one may deprive anyone else of his rights and powers. The agency for running the affairs of the state will be formed by agreement with these individuals, and the authority of the state will only be an extension of the powers of the individuals delegated to it. Their opinion will be decisive in the formation of the government, which will be run with their advice and in accordance with their wishes.

Whoever gains their confidence will undertake the duties and obligations of the caliphate on their behalf; and when he loses this confidence he will have to step down. In this respect the political system of Islam is as perfect a dorm of democracy as there can be.

What distinguishes Islamic democracy from Western democracy, therefor, is that the latter is based on the concept of popular sovereignty, while the former rests on the principle of popular Khilafa. In Western democracy, the people are sovereign; in Islam sovereignty is vested in Allah and the people are His caliphs or representatives. In the former the people make their own; in the latter they have to follow and obey the laws (shari’a) given by Allah through His Prophet. In one the government undertakes to fulfil the will of the people; in the other the government and the people have to fulfil the will of Allah.

The Purpose Of The Islamic State

We are now in a position to examine more closely the type of state which is built on the foundations of tawhid, Risala and Khilafa.
The Holy Qur’an clearly states that the aim and purpose of this state is the establishment, maintenance and development of those virtues which the Creator wishes human life to be enriched by and the prevention and eradication of those evils in human life which He finds abhorrent. The Islamic state is intended neither solely as an instrument of political administration nor for the fulfillment of the collective will of any particular set of people; rather, Islam places a high ideal before the state for the achievement of which it must use all the means at its disposal.
This ideal is that the qualities of purity, beauty, goodness, virtue, success and prosperity which Allah wants to flourish in the life of His people should be engendered and developed and that all kinds of exploitation, injustice and disorder which, in the sight of Allah, are ruinous for the world and detrimental to the life of His creatures, should be suppressed and prevented. Islam gives us a clear outline of its moral system by stating positively the desired virtues and the undesired evils. Keeping this outline in view, the Islamic state can plan its welfare programme in every age and in any environment.

The constant demand made by Islam is that the principles of morality must be observed at all costs and in all walks of life. Hence, it lays down as an unalterable policy that the state should base its policies on justice, truth and honesty. It is not prepared, under any circumstances, to tolerate fraud, falsehood and injustice for the sake of political, administrative or national expediency. Whether it be relations between the rulers and the ruled within the state, or the relations of the state with other states, precedence must always be given to truth, honesty and justice.

Islam imposes similar obligations on the state and the individual: to fulfil all contracts and obligations; to have uniform standards in dealings; to remember obligations along with rights and not to forget the rights of others when expecting them to fulfil their obligations; to use power and authority for the establishment of justice and not for the perpetration of injustice; to look upon duty as a sacred obligation and to fulfil it scrupulously; and to regard power as a trust from Allah to be used in the belief that one has to render an account of one's actions to Him in the life Hereafter.

Fundamental Rights

Although an Islamic state may be set up anywhere on earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the boundaries of such a state. Islam has laid down universal fundamental rights for humanity which are to be observed and respected in all circumstances. For example, human blood is sacred and may not be spilled without strong justification; it is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded; women's honour and chastity must be respected; the hungry must be fed, the naked clothed and the wounded or diseased treated medically irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or are from amongst its enemies. These, and other provisions have been laid down by Islam as fundamental rights for every man by virtue of his status as a human being.
Nor, in Islam, are the rights of citizenship confined to people born in a particular state. A Muslim ipso facto becomes the citizen of an Islamic state as soon as he sets foot on its territory with the intention of living there and thus enjoys equal rights along with those who acquire its citizenship by birth. And every Muslim is to be regarded as eligible for positions of the highest responsibility in an Islamic state without distinction of race, colour or class.

Islam has also laid down certain rights for non-Muslims who may be living within the boundaries of an Islamic state and these rights necessarily form part of the Islamic constitution. In Islamic terminology, such non-Muslims are called dhimmis (the covenanted), implying that the Islamic state has entered into a covenant with them and guaranteed their protection. The life, property and honour of a dhimmis is to be respected and protected in exactly the same way as that of a Muslim citizen. Nor is there difference between a Muslim and a non-Muslim citizen in respect of civil or criminal law.

The Islamic state may not interfere with the personal rights of non-Muslims, who have full freedom of conscience and belief and are at liberty to perform their religious rites and ceremonies in their own way. Not only may they propagate their religion, they are even entitled to criticize Islam within the limits laid down by law and decency.
These rights are irrevocable. Non-Muslims cannot be deprived of them unless they renounce the covenant which grants them citizenship. However much a non-Muslim state may oppress its Muslim citizens it is not permissible for an Islamic state to retaliate against its non-Muslim subjects; even if all the Muslims outside the boundaries of an Islamic state are massacred, that state may not unjustly shed the blood of a single non-Muslim citizen living within its boundaries.

Executive And Legislature

The responsibility for the administration of the government in an Islamic state is entrusted to an amir (leader) who may be compared to the president or the prime minister in a Western democratic state. All adult men and women who subscribe to the fundamentals of the constitution are entitled to vote for the election of the amir.
The basic qualifications for an amir are that he should command the confidence of the majority in respect of his knowledge and grasp of the spirit of Islam, that he should possess the Islamic quality of fear of Allah and that he should be endowed with qualities of statesmanship. In short, he should have both virtue and ability.
A shoora(advisory council) is also elected by the people to assist and guide the amir. It is incumbent on the amir to administer his country with the advice of this shooraThe amir may retain office only so long as he enjoys the confidence of the people and must relinquish it when he loses that confidence. Every citizen has the right to criticize the amir and his government and all reasonable means for the ventilation of public opinion must be available.

Legislation in an Islamic state is to be carried out within the limits prescribed by the law of the shari’a. The injunctions of Allah and His Prophet are to be accepted and obeyed and no legislative body may alter or modify them or make any law contrary to them. Those commandments which are liable to two or more interpretations are referred to a sub-committee of the advisory council comprising men learned in Islamic law. Great scope remains for legislation on questions not covered by specific injunctions of the shari’a and the advisory council or legislature is free to legislate in regard to these matters.

In Islam the judiciary is not places under the control of the executive. It derives its authority directly from the shari’a and is answerable to Allah. The judges are appointed by the government but once a judge occupies the bench he has to administer justice impartially according to the law of Allah; the organs and functionaries of the government are not outside his legal jurisdiction, so that even the highest executive authority of the government is liable to be called upon to appear in a court of law as a plaintiff or defendant. Rulers and ruled are subject to the same law and there can be no discrimination on the basis of position, power or privilege, Islam stands for equality and scrupulously adheres to this principle in social, economic and political realms alike.

Human Rights, The West And Islam

The Western Approach

People in the West have the habit of attributing every beneficial development in the world to themselves. For example, it is vociferously claimed that the world first derived the concept of basic human rights from the Magna Carta of Britain - which was drawn up six hundred years after the advent of Islam. But the truth is that until the seventeenth century of no-one dreamt of arguing that the Magna Carta contained the principles of trial by jury, Habeas Corpus and control by Parliament of the right of taxation. If the people who drafted the Magna Carta were living today they would be greatly surprised to be told that their document enshrined these ideals and principles.

To the best of my knowledge, the West had no concept of human and civic rights before the seventeenth century; and it was not until the end of the eighteenth century that the concept took on practical meaning in the constitutions of America and France.

After this, although there appeared references to basic human rights in the constitutions of many countries, more often than not these rights existed only on paper. In the middle of the present century, the United Nations, which may now be more aptly described as the Divided Nations, made a Declaration of Universal Human Rights, and passed a resolution condemning genocide; regulations were framed to prevent it. But there is not a single resolution or regulation of the United Nations which can be enforced if the country concerned wants to prevent it. They are just expressions of pious hopes. They have no sanctions behind them, no force, physical or moral, to enforce them. Despite all the high-sounding resolutions of the United Nations, human rights continue to be violated and trampled upon.

The Islamic Approach

When we speak of human rights in Islam we mean those rights granted by Allah. Rights granted by kings or legislative assemblies can be withdrawn as easily as they are conferred; but no individual and no institution has the authority to withdraw the rights conferred by Allah.

The charter and the proclamations and the resolutions of the United Nations cannot be compared with the rights sanctioned by Allah; the former are not obligatory on anybody, while the latter are an integral part of the Islamic faith. All Muslims and all administrators who claim to be Muslim have to accept, recognize and enforce them. If they failed to enforce them or violate them while paying lip-service to them, the verdict of the Holy Qur’an is unequivocal:
"Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down are the disbelievers (Kafirun)." (5:44)
The following verse also proclaims:
"They are the wrong-doers (zalimoon)". (5:45)
A third verse in the same chapter says:
"They are the perverse and law-breakers (fasiqoon)." (5:47)

In other words, if temporal authorities regard their own words and decisions as right and those given by Allah as wrong, they are disbelievers. If, on the other hand, they regard Allah's commands as right but deliberately reject them in favour of their owns decisions, then they are wrong-doers. Law-breakers are those who disregard the bond of allegiance.

This article is based on a talk by
Syed Abul A'la Maudoodi and has been translated
into English by Prof Ahmed Said Khan and
Prof Khurshid Ahmad. It was published by the
Islamic Foundation, UK.

Mukjizat al-Quran : Kulit Manusia

2008-11-22T13:39:00.000-08:00

PROFFESOR PELUK ISLAM HANYA KERANA KAJIAN KULIT MANUSIA

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Upon this we presented to him a lecture written by Professor Keith
Moore about the compatibility of modern embryology with what is
contained in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah and we asked Professor
Tagasone if he knew of Professor Keith Moore. He replied that he
knew him of course, adding that Professor Moore was one of the Most
world-renowned scientists in that field.

When Professor Tagasone studied this article he also was greatly
astonished. We asked him several questions in his field of
specialization. One of the questions pertained to modern discoveries
in dermatology about the sensory characteristics of the skin.

Dr. Tagasone responded: Yes if the burn is deep.

It was stated to Dr. Tagasone: You will be interested to know that
in this book, the Holy book the Qur'aan,there was a reference
1400
years ago which refers to the moment of punishment of the
unbelievers by the fire of Hell and it states that when their skin
is destroyed, Allah makes another skin for them so that they
perceive the punishment by a fire, indicating knowledge about the
nerve endings in the skin, and the verse is:

Those who reject our signs. We shall soon cast into the fire; as
often as their skins are roasted through. We shall change them for
fresh skins, that they may taste the chastisement: for Allah is
Exalted in Power,Wise (Qur'aan 4:56).

So do you agree that this is a reference to the importance of the
nerve endings in the skin in sensation, 1400 years ago?

Dr. Tagasone responded: Yes I agree. This knowledge about sensation
had been known long before. Because it says that if somebody does
something wrong, then he will be punished by burning his skin and
then Allah puts a new skin in him, cover him, to make him know that
the test is painful again. That means they knew many years ago that
the receptor of pain sensation must be on the skin, so they put a
new skin on.

The skin is the center of sensitivity to burns. Thus,if the skin is
completely burnt by fire, it looses its sensitivity. It is for this
reason that Allah will punish the unbelievers on the Day of
Judgement by returning to them their skins time after time, as He,
the Exalted and Glorified, said in the Qur'aan:

Those who reject our signs. We shall soon cast into the fire; as
often as their skins are roasted through. We shall change them for
fresh skins, that they may taste the chastisement: for Allah is
Exalted in Power,Wise (Qur'aan 4:56).

We asked him the following question: `Is it possible that these
verses came to the Prophet Muhammad,(sallallahu `alaihi wa
sallam),
from a human source?'

Professor Tagasone conceded that they could have never come from any
human source. But he still asked about the source of that knowledge
and from where could Muhammad have possibly received it? We
said, `From Allah, the Most Glorified and Most Exalted.' Then
he
asked: `But who is Allah?' We replied: He is the Creator of
all that
is in existence.' If you find wisdom then it is because it comes
only from the one Who is Most Wise. If you find knowledge in the
making
of this universe, it is because the universe is the creation of the
One Who has all the knowledge. If you find perfection in the
composition of these creations,then it is proof to you that it is
the creation of the One Who Knows Best. And if you find mercy, then
this bears witness to the fact that it is the creation of the One
Who is Most Merciful. In the same way, if you perceive creation as
belonging to one unified order and tied together firmly, then this
is proof that it is the creation of the Only Creator, May He be
Glorified and Exalted.

This is no less than a reminder to (all) the worlds. And you shall
certainly know the truth of it (all)after a while.(38:87-88).

**************

source : mujahidsolihin (sorry ... i forgot the exactly source)

Al-Ghazali’s Metaphysics

2008-11-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

Metaphysic in al-Ghazali’s Tahafut al-Falasifah

prepared by : Hasbullah M

The TahÉfut al-FalÉsifah marked a turning point in Islamic philosophy in its vehement rejections of Aristotle and Plato. Al-GhazÉlÊ challenges in his TahÉfut almost all the doctrines of Aristotle and Plotinus and their Muslim representatives such as al-FÉrÉbÊ and Ibn SÊnÉ. He argues, with a dialectical and analytical skill comparable to any in the history of philosophy, that many of their doctrines were positively false and baseless, such as the eternity and everlasting of the world, emanation from God of intelligences and souls of the celestial spheres and these spheres’ possessing the knowledge of particulars and having a purpose in their rotatory motions, etc. He says in his introduction about the purpose of the TahÉfut:

When I saw this vein of folly pulsating among these idiots, I decided to write this book in order to refute the ancient philosophers. It will expose the incoherence of their beliefs and the inconsistency of their metaphysical theories. It will bring to light the flimsiest and the obscurest elements of their thought which will provide some amusement for, and serve as a warning to the intelligent men (which they thought they could be distinguished from the common men).

Al-GhazÉlÊ’s attack is thus judiciously leveled at the two leading Muslim Neo-Platonist directly, and indirectly at Aristotle. Altogether, he enumerates sixteen metaphysical and four physical propositions that have an obvious religious relevance and against which the unguided believer must be warned. Of all these propositions, three of them, al-GhazÉlÊ becomes very bitter with them and charges them with downright infidelity; i.e (1) eternity of the world, (2) denial of God’s knowledge of the particulars, and (3) denial of bodily resurrection. The remaining seventeen propositions according to al-GhazÉlÊ do not justify to be irreligious, but simply that of heresy (bidÑah).

The conflict between al-GhazÉlÊ and the philosophers becomes essentially a conflict of basic metaphysical premises. He often affirms opposing premises if his own based on his capacity as a great theologian as well as philosopher and mutakallimËn. Al-GhazÉlÊ’s methodology is mainly based on the basis of superiority of revelation over reason. But sometimes he demonstrates some philosophical arguments in his discussion particularly with Muslim philosophers and Aristotelian.

Al-GhazÉlÊ uses several terms around which the conflict of metaphysical premises involves in it such as possibility (imkÉn), necessity (ÌarËrah), and causality (sababiyyah). For instance, the word mumkinan imkÉnan (possible) in the first proof of the philosophers is used in the sense of the probable.

Regarding the theory of possibility in the sense of the contingent is central to his metaphysical system. Al-GhazÉlÊ sees that God is not an existence necessary in His essence; God transcends such concepts as possible and necessary. Al-GhazÉlÊ who attacks the concept of necessity as a character of objective reality attacks the very foundation of Aristotelians and is very much harmony in modern empirical school.

The philosophers admit the existence of causes that precede their effects in time, but these are the accidental causes, not the essential. Al-GhazÉlÊ accepts the principle that everything other than God is caused, but with a very important qualification. There is no chain of natural causes. Every change in the world is caused by God’s voluntary act directly, or sometimes through the mediation of his angels. Natural existents have no causal efficacy. It is not fire that burns the cotton when it is in contact with it. It is God Who produces the burning on the occasion of the contact.

As the focus of this study is on the eternity of the world, the theory of essential necessary causation is the fundamental premise for the philosophers’ proofs based on the nature of God for the world’s eternity. For that, if God creates by the necessity of His nature, and if His nature is eternal and changeless, then the effect must proceed eternally from God. Just as the sun cannot give light, God cannot but cause the world. For al-GhazÉlÊ, this is blasphemy. This is not only a limitation of God that deprives His freedom, but it also makes of God an inanimate being. For only the inanimate are said to act by the necessities in their nature and not through volition. Al-GhazÉlÊ goes beyond this and attempts to prove the theory of an eternal world not only unproven, but false.

MORAL PRINCIPLE OF VICE AND VIRTUE IN ISLAM

2008-09-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

MORAL PRINCIPLE OF VICE AND VIRTUE IN ISLAM

Prepared by : Hasbullah Mohamad

The objective of sharÊÑah (divine guidance) brought by the prophet Muhammad (saw) is to guide people to the right path, to make lawful the good and pure things and to forbid bad and impure things. SharÊÑah was revealed to free mankind from the grip of their whims and fancy (al-hawÉ). So that they may submit and surrender to the will and guidance of Allah (swt) which it shows the purpose of one’s life towards God.

As a general principle, virtues are those things that are beneficial to the individuals and society. Allah (swt) has created things and the benefits derived them are essentially for man’s use and hence are permissible (ÍalÉl). Nothing is unlawful (ÍarÉm) except what is prohibited by any text of the Quran and Sunnah or the principles derived from them. Allah (swt) says:

قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتِ مِنْ الرِّزْقِ قُلْ هِيَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ(32)
“Say who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions? Say: these are for the believers in the life of this world, purely (theirs) on the resurrection day.” (7: 32)

Al-TirmidhÊ has narrated:
عن سلمان الفارسي أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "الحلال ما أحل الله فى كتابه والحرام ما حرم الله فى كتابه وما سكت عنه فهو مما عفا عنه"
“The ÍalÉl is that which Allah (swt) has made lawful in His Book and the ÍarÉm is that which Allah has forbidden, and that concerning which He is silent, he has permitted as a favor to you” (al-TirmidhÊ and Ibn MÉjah).

As far as the wordly activities of people are concerned, the principle is freedom of action; nothing may be restricted in his actions unless what has been restricted by Allah (swt). That is the right of Allah (swt) alone to make something lawful or unlawful.

According to al-GhazÉlÊ, the redeeming qualities (al-munjiyÉt) or virtues (al-FaÌÉ’il) and the destructive qualities (al-muhlikÉt) or vices (al-RadhÉ’il), in order to achieve the moral end, one has to build a good character which comprises all the virtues, the most important is love of God. The actual worth of a virtue is essentially determined by the part it plays in helping man to achieve perfection to be closed to God.

Al-FÉrÉbÊ describes that the ultimate goal of human existence is to attain supreme happiness (al-saÑÉdah al-quÎwÉ). He equates the supreme happiness with the absolute good (al-khayr ÑalÉ al-iÏlÉq). The absolute good is God which means the supreme happiness in a life hereafter is conditional upon happiness in the present life (al-saÑÉdah al-dunyÉ). According to his view, human perfection in the present life is a result from the acquisition of the virtues.

Meanwhile, vices are those things that are harmful to the individuals or the society. In Islam, whatever is conducive to ÍarÉm is itself harmful. If something is prohibited anything that leads to it is likewise prohibited. For example, Islam has prohibited sex outside marriage and also all avenues which lead to it. Vices are unethical forms of the natural propensities of man which become harmful when they engender love for the world at the expense of spiritual development.

According to al-GhazÉlÊ, the love of this world is the root of all vices. If the self is to attain perfection, these propensities must obey the dictates of reason. But, it often happens that they disobey reason, transgress their proper limits and subject self to humiliation and gradual decay. It is this transgression which takes the shape and colour of so many vices. Vices then, are the wrong developments of human propensities which act as curtains between man and his goal.

In Islam, sin comes as a result of forgetting the Oneness of Allah and the consequences of the Oneness of Him who is the All-Powerful and the All-Knowing, which in turn results in disobeying His commands and rebelling against Him. Islam is totally opposed to the idea of rebellion and revolt against divine authority. Islam does not emphasize the importance of sin any less than does Christianity. But it does not consider the sense of guilt in the same way as does Christianity and does not believe that man is sinful by nature.

In fact, it has to be noticed that any action will be considered lawful and virtue if it does not contradict with the teaching and general principles of Islam. It is divine Will that declares something to be vice and virtue. Human reason may be able to recognize some vices and virtues as long never contradict with Islamic primary sources (al-Quran and Sunnah) and the principles of Islam. Only the authority scholars have ability to determine such thing through the way of ijtihÉd and fatwÉ within the framework of sharÊÑah in which the Quran and Sunnah are silent about it.

REFERENCES :
Main Sources:

Abul Quasem, Muhammad, (1975), The Ethics of al-GhazÉlÊ A Composite Ethics in Islam, Petaling Jaya: Central Printing Sdn. Bhd.

Azami, Iqbal Ahmad, (1990), Muslim Manners, Leicester: UK Islamic Academy.

Al-Farabi, (1961), FuÎËl al-MadÉnÊ (Aphorism of the statesman), D.M Dunlop (ed. and trans.), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Al-GhazÉlÊ, AbË ×Émid MuÍammad, (n.d), IÍyÉ’ ÑUlËm al-DÊn, BayrËt: DÉr al-Kutub al-ÑIlmiyyah.

Heer, Nicholas L., (1997), Moral Deliberation in al-GhazÉlÊ’s IÍyÉ’ ÑUlËm al-DÊn in Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism, Parviz Morewedge (e.d), New York: Caravan Books Delmar.

Umaruddin, M, (2003), The Ethical Philosophy of al-GhazÉlÊ, Kuala Lumpur: A.S Noordeen.

Other Sources:

Afridi, M.R.K and Khan, Arif Ali, (2007), Social Philosophy of Islam, New Delhi: Pentagon Press.

Al-FarËqÊ, IsmÉÑÊl RÉjÊ, (1988), Christian Ethics, Montreal: McGill University.

Al-Ghazali, Muhammad, (1990), al-JÉnib al-ÑÓÏifÊ min al-IslÉm, al-Iskandariyah: Dar al-Dawah.

Al-KailÉnÊ, ÑAbd al-RaÍmÉn IbrÉhÊm, (2000), QawÉÑid al-MaqÉÎid inda al-ImÉm al-ShÉÏibÊ, BayrËt: DÉr al-Fikr.

Kotva, Joseph J, (1996), The Christian Case for Virtue Ethics, Washington, D.C: Georgetown University Press.

Pojman, Louis P, (1990), Ethics: Discovering Right and Wrong, Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Al-QaradÉwÊ, YËsuf, (1993), MalÉmiÍ al-MujtamaÑ al-Muslim, al-QÉhirah: Maktabah Wahbah.

Ross, William David, (1988), The Right and the Good, Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company Inc.

Shams al-DÊn , AÍmad, (1990), al-GhazÉlÊ ×ayÉtuhu Atharuhu Falsafatuhu, BayrËt: DÉr al-Kutub al-ÑIlmiyyah.

MODERNITY, POSTMODERNITY AND THE PRESENT

2008-09-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

MODERNITY, POSTMODERNITY AND THE PRESENT

Prepared by: Hasbullah Mohamad

Introduction

This study will concentrate on Smart’s article: Modernity, Postmodernity and the Present. There are some discussions and arguments based on the main concept of modernity, historical background and its role in society which could be accordingly evaluated as one of the current worldviews towards the survival of human life. For that purpose, several points of its content will be analyzed in order to come out either the shortcoming or outstanding of modernity.

The Main Characteristic of Modernity

The central idea of modernity is “the change” which means everything is changing and nothing stays as permanent. Therefore, there is no universal concept in human life. Everything including knowledge must be based on empirical methods and human reason only which accept assumption as a basis in one’s hypothesis. For them, anything cannot be achieved by any empirical method should be rejected. There is no place for religion and metaphysic which are later considered as a dogma.

How to Understand Modernity and Postmodernity

Barry Smart questions the way to understand modernity which only could be done by understanding the nature of the present and its conceptual distinctions namely industrial and postindustrial and the modern and postmodern.

The conceptual distinction between industrial and postindustrial society, that the change is determined or influenced by technology or associated with it. In fact the change in human life is a reality.

James believes that the idea of postmodernism as an appropriate way of understanding the cultural space of late capitalism. His view has been endorsed in the work of Lash and Urry who argue that the “breakdown of older organized capitalist forms” is accompanied by the emergence of a postmodernist cultural sensibility.

Towards a History of Modernity

In relation to modernity, there is a need to understand modern age, its emergence, development, and current crisis in relation to the past until the present age. Smart illustrates that Kroker and Cook take the view that the intellectual horizon of the modern age extends back beyond the Enlightenment and the respect works of Kant, Hegel, Marx and Nietzsche to the fourth century and Augustine’s radical reformulation of the philosophy of progress and exploration of the physics, the logic and the ethics of modern experience.

Toynbee argues that the beginning of the “Modern Age of Western History” occurs in the last quarter of the fifteenth century amongst the people on the Atlantic seaboard of Europe and derived from the emergence of a form of “cultural pharisaism” and an associated technology of the ocean.

Berman identifies three distinctive historical phases in the development of modernity; (1) first extends from the beginning of the sixteenth to the end the eighteenth century in the beginning to experience modern life. (2) Second phase commencing with the French Revolution and the emergence of upheavals in social, political, and personal life with “the great revolutionary wave of the 1790s”. (3) Finally, the global diffusion of the process of modernization and the development of a “world culture of modernism” (which precipitates more turmoil in social and political life).

The term “modern” derives from the late fifth century Latin term modernus which was used to distinguish an officially Christian present from a Roman, pagan past which is employed to situate the present in relation to the past of antiquity, appearing and reappearing exactly during those periods in Europe when the consciousness of a new epoch formed itself through a renewed relationship to the ancients.

In relation to reason, religion and aesthetic appreciation it was argued that moderns were more advanced, more refined and in possession of more profound truths than the ancients. The eighteenth century Enlightenment philosophical project has developed the spheres of science, morality and law in accordance with their respective inner logic and interpretation.

Modernism

The term is meant something to each person using it, that it referred to no specific school or movement. Modernism is described by Bell as a cultural temper pervading all the arts; as opaque, unfamiliar, deliberately disturbing, experimental in form and disruptive of mimesis. It constitutes a response to late nineteenth century social changes in sense perception and self-consciousness which arose from space-time disorientation associated with fundamental transformations in communication and transport, and a crisis of self-consciousness following an erosion of religious beliefs and values respectively.

The emphasis of modernism is upon movement and flux, on absolute present, if not the future as present and it is characterized by a refusal to accept limits, the insistence on continually reaching out to destiny that is always beyond: beyond morality, beyond tragedy and beyond culture. Those imply within the status of modernism as an adversary culture, one which seeks to negate every prevalent style including in the end, its own.

Postmodernism

The postmodernism is rarely rigorously differentiated from modernism, indeed within both aesthetic and sociological discourse there has been a marked tendency to conceptualized postmodernism as a part of the modern. Post-Modern Age is considered to be marked by the rise of an industrial urban working class.

The scenario of a post-Modern Age lying in wait for prosperous, comfortable and complacent modern middle class which had not only lost the necessary fund of creative psychic energy required to drive the Western industrial system, but imagined that a safe satisfactory Modern Life had come to stay as a timeless present. Toynbee argues that Western technology advances precipitated a crisis in human affairs through the imposition of a rate of change beyond the adaptational capacity of a single life. A problem subsequently described by Toffler as “future shock”.

Postmodernism has been described as a logical culmination of the premises of romantic-modernist traditions; as a reactionary tendency which reinforces the effects of technocratic, bureaucratic society and as a style which emphasizes diversity, displays a penchant for pastiche and adopts an inclusivist philosophy advocating eclectic use of elements from the past. Smart views postmodernism finally leads to suffer the same fate as modernism.

A concept of postmodernism has been invoked to signify that the limits of the modern have been reached, that the pursuit of unshakable foundations for analytic truth constitutes a fruitless project, one that will continue to remain incomplete in so far as the metaphysical presuppositions at the heart of Western philosophy are themselves problematic. It has been argued that the promised of modernity to achieve the emancipation of humanity from poverty, ignorance, prejudice and the absence of enjoyment is no longer considered to be feasible.

Smart’s view on Modernity and Postmodernity

Smart concludes that the contributors in their claims of modernity and postmodernity actually do not understand what is meant by modernity and the problem of postmodernity. Such responses should not be taken too literally and one might suggest that speculation in one of his earlier works, that the entire modern episteme formed towards the end of the eighteenth century might be about to topple, contributed significantly to the development of the modernism-postmodernism debate.

Another way to understand the present predicament is to recognize that what is encountered in the debate over the possibility of a distinction between modernity and postmodernity is a realization that the goals and values which have been central to Western European civilization can no longer be considered universal, and that the associated project of modernity is unfinished because its completion is inconceivable and its value in question. The critical implication is that complex transformations, questions and problems deemed to be constitutive of the present are not adequately articulated in prevailing forms of social theory, indeed cannot be so.

The Islamic Point of View

Islam is a complete way of life. It is very comprehensive and inclusive of all aspects of life. A true Muslim not only seeks to practice ordinary rituals but also to perfect all aspects of his life based on the guidance from the almighty God (Allah) which is clearly stated in the Quran:

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَاي وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ(162)لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ(163)
“Say: truly my prayers and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, all are for Allah, the Cherisher of the worlds. He has no partner. This am I commanded and I am first of those who surrender (unto Him).” (6: 162-163)

The objective of sharÊÑah (divine guidance) brought by the prophet Muhammad (saw) is to guide people to the right path, to make lawful the good and pure things and to forbid bad and impure things. SharÊÑah was revealed to free mankind from the grip of their whims and fancy (al-hawÉ). So that they may submit and surrender to the will and guidance of Allah (swt) which it shows the purpose of one’s life towards God.

In response to modernity, Islam has established the characteristics as a complete way of life for humanity as follow:

1. Stability (Permanence) and Flexibility

As modernity believes that “the change” is everything and nothing stays permanently in human life, but Islam is totally contradictory to such a worldview. Islam is a permanent religion in the sense that its fundamental teaching principles have been revealed to the prophet Muhammad (saw), who is the last Messenger. Allah says;

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمْ الإِسْلامَ دِيناً
“This day have perfected your religion for you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” (5: 3.)

The elements of creed or aqidah and the fundamental principle of sharÊÑah such as salat, zakat, Hajj, fasting, enjoining good and forbidding evil (etc.) are permanent. However, these elements of permanence do not make Islam as a rigid system that undermines flexibility, change and movement.

The absence of permanence or stability will generate relativism and anarchy. Meanwhile, the absence of flexibility and change will make the system rigid and inefficient that cannot admit any change coexist in harmonious equation which make the teachings of Islam appropriate to all times and places.

The Quran and Sunnah contain the eternal guidance given by the Lord of the universe (Rabb al-‘ÓlamÊn). Allah’s guidance is free from the limitations of space and time. It is eternal in nature. Allah swt has given man the freedom in every age in the way suited to the spirit and conditions of the age.

This freedom is exercised through ijtihÉd (intellectual effort to arrive at the truth) to apply the divine guidance to the problems of the age. Thus, the basic guidance is of a permanent nature, while the method of its application can change in accordance with the peculiar needs of every age. For example, collection of zakat, observation of the moon of Ramadhan, health and adhan. It shows that Islam is not opposed any sort of new things provided it must be within the framework of sharÊÑah.

In contrast, modernity and postmodernity reject revelation and religious experience which are considered as a dogma. They believe whatever values come from religion are not relevant and contrast with the principle of change which is totally based on empiricism and reason.

The fact that the Quran and Sunnah have been in existence for the last fifteen centuries and still available in its original form is a good sign of eternal care and permanence. Allah says;
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
“We have without doubt sent down the messenger and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)” (15:9)

2. Comprehensiveness and Universal

Modernity and postmodernity infect a new domination of the western culture that aimed at destroying all traditional systems, cultures, and values of non-western nations which is the ground upon which globalization has been established. According to modernist and postmodernist, there is no universality and comprehensive system of life instead the changes and individualistic values will take place in community which is influenced by technology and its changes from time to time.

Since Islam is the message to man in all phases of his life, no wonder, then the Islamic teachings as whole are so comprehensive that they can manage all human affairs. Such comprehensiveness is manifested in matters of faith, worship rituals, ethics, laws and regulations;

i. The Comprehensiveness of the Islamic faith
It can interpret and explain all the large issues that have always obsessed the human mind. Such issues as Divinity, the universe, man, prophet hood and fate.

The Islamic faith is also not conceived by the mind alone such as in the man-made philosophies which depend only on the mind to recognize Allah and understand the universe. Islam depends on thought (reason) and senses as two complementary tools to attain human knowledge under the guidance of revelation.

This criterion distinguishes Islam from modernity with the remark that Islam also considers reason and human perception are sources of knowledge in the sense that are not the absolute way of truth, but rather as the tools to subordinates the divine knowledge (revelation).

ii. The Comprehensiveness of Islamic worship
The Muslim worships Allah not only by his tongue, body, mind or senses, each one separately, but he uses these elements all together at one time.

The other implication of the comprehensiveness of worship is that it is not limited to the practicing of the known rituals such as prayers, zakah, fasting, pilgrimage, but involves any act which tends to please people and make life better in all aspects of dealing with community.

In Islam, everything (deed) will be considered as ÑibÉdah provided following two conditions; (1) sincere to seek a pleasure of Allah and (2) follow all of His commandment (halÉl and harÉm). According to the concept of ÑibÉdah, Islam provides proper foundation to human capital development in dealing with technology, culture and social life under the guidance of divine Will in which modernity and postmodernity did not provide such foundation anymore.

iii. The Comprehensiveness of the Islamic moral code
The Islamic moral code is much more than what people term as the “religious moral code” represented in practicing the rituals, avoiding intoxicants etc. It extends to cover all aspects of human life to portray a model example of what they should be on spiritual, worldly, intellectual, emotional, individual or collective scale. Some ethical concepts in Islam such as amanah, halal and haram doctrine in “the end does not justify the means”, the responsibility in performing duties and the rights, and commitment to values (good or bad) make Muslim answerable towards God as well as the society. All of these concept are totally ignored in modernity and postmodernity.

Islam as a universal religion for the whole of mankind and Allah is the Lord of the whole world. The mission of the prophet Muhammad is a universal, whereby all men are equal regardless of color, language, race, nationality, social, status, poor or wealth. Islam removes all socio-economic and cultural barriers and proclaims the ideal of the whole humanity being one family of Allah. Thus, the universality of Islam makes Muslim treats others in equality and justice regardless religion, region, race and ethnic. Meanwhile, modernity and postmodernity perform injustice because of lacking moral values. According to them, there is nothing but materialistic approaches in dealing with people and civilization.

3. Godliness (Rabbaniyyah)

Islam rejects modernism and postmodernism which only recognizes scientific method in their approaches of knowledge, meanwhile the concept of Godliness (Rabbaniyyah) is one of the most fundamental characteristics of Islam which means “(system) comes from Allah”. This criterion distinguishes Islam from the philosophical and scientific worldviews and their perception of God. Islam is attributed to Allah the Lord of everything who is the source of the religion.

According to al-QaradÉwÊ, The godliness (RabbÉniyah) in this context can be seen as follow:
1. The Godlines of objectives and goals
2. The divine origin of source and method

1. The Godliness of objectives and goals.
It indicates that the ultimate goal of Islam is to attain Allah’s love and pleasure. It is undeniable that Islam has other goals and objectives on either the human and social level, but reflection on them shows that they all serve greater goal which is to please Allah and win His reward. In Islam there are regulations for people’s transactions which only aim at systematizing people’s lives to refrain them from conflicting over worldly matters so that they can spare all their time for approaching Allah, worshiping and pleasing Him.

As a Muslim one has to bear in mind that everything which is commanded by Allah is certainly good for humanity and likewise everything which is forbidden by Him is bad. Only Allah alone has right to determine what is good and bad. The real Muslim will submit himself to the will of Allah in all circumstances without doubt. This is the reason why the essence of Islam is monotheism. Islam allows even encourages Muslim to utilize scientific knowledge in his research along with the above concept as a bottom line in dealing with it. By doing so, one will recognize Allah as the almighty Creator within his scientific research.

In contrast, modernity and postmodernity deny religious values to be along with scientific knowledge (empirical inquiry). As a result, scientific knowledge which is developed based on assumption rather than “conceptual knowledge” (divine teaching) leads to be more chaos and destruction in human life and the environment as well.

2. The divine origin of source and method
This category is related to the method which Islam designated to reach to its planned objectives. The method is purely divine because it is taken from a divine source which is the revelation to the Rasulullah (s.a.w) This method is not the demand of a certain person, dynasty, social class, political party, but it is the Will of Allah Who meant to make it a guiding light, a remedy and a mercy for His servant.

In Islamic concept, Allah is the only Law maker. He is the only One that commands and forbids, determines what is lawful and unlawful. He is Ruler of mankind, the God and Lord of mankind. No one but He has the right to legislate except for what He has permitted or left open. Even the Prophet (s.a.w) himself did not have the authority to make laws.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Islam provides the comprehensive and outstanding system of human life. Islam allows any approaches to be implemented in human life as long it does not contradict with divine regulation (revelation) as a centre of all considerations. In contrast, modernity and postmodernity give an absolute truth to human reason and sense perception to deal with civilization, even sometime ignore human reason in this regard. Revelation is not considered as a source of knowledge because of the rejection of dogmatic values.

As a matter of fact, modernity and postmodernity nowadays produce more chaos and destruction to humanity and environment as a consequences of the failure of such human-made worldviews which against the divine nature (the commandment of Allah) in forming dynamic society and humanity. Surprisingly, postmodernity or postmodernism which currently we live in, is getting worse from time to time which can be seen of increasing a number of crime, social problem, political conflict and instability, environmental problems, war and so many difficulties in today’s community. There is no solution unless returning to the Islamic way of life.

References

Al-GhazÉlÊ, MuÍammad, (1992), DustËr al-WiÍdah al-ThaqÉfiyyah Baina al-MuslimÊn, al-ManÎËrah: Maktabah Wahbah.

×awwa, SaÑÊd, (1993), al-IslÉm, al-QÉhirah: DÉr al-SalÉm.

Al-MaudËdÊ, AbË al-AÑlÉ, (1992), Towards Understanding Islam, K. Lumpur: A.S Noordeen.

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Article :
Barry Smart : Modernity, Postmodernity and Present.

Al-Ghazali's attitude towards Kalam (Scholastic theology)

2008-09-19T11:18:00.001-07:00

Al-GhazÉlÊ and KalÉm

1.0 Introduction

AbË ×Émid al-GhazÉlÊ (450-505 AH/1058-1111 AD) is one of the great Muslim jurist, theologian and mystics of the Muslim world. He lived in the 12th Century. He was a polymath who wrote on a wide range of topics including jurisprudence, theology, mysticism and philosophy. He was famously known as hujjah al-IslÉm as he contributed greatly to the development of the Muslim ummah especially in theology and Sufism.
Al-GhazÉlÊ was not only of his time but also of all times, he stands out prominently as the most representative spirit of his era. Whatever he wrote bears the stamp of the age in which he lived. A knowledge of the spirit of his age will, therefore, give us a true and proper understanding of the philosophy of this remarkable man who after assimilating whatever he took from the past and from his time, bequeathed to humanity a system of thought which bears so unique an impress of his own spiritual character that it will always remain a source of inspiration to those who yearn for communication with God. The works of al-GhazÉlÊ represent a very thoughtful exposition of Islam and at the same time a critique of the anti-Islamic elements of his times.
Al-GhazÉlÊ mastered philosophy and then criticized it in order to protect religion from being innovated. Among the issues of philosophical thought which were critically discussed between al-GhazÉlÊ with other Muslim scholars and philosophers is about his criticisms on the kalÉm.

2.0 Al-GhazÉlÊ’s Background and Scholarly Life

2.1 Educational Background
AbË ×Émid MuÍammad ibn MuÍammad ibn MuÍammad al-ÙËsi al-GhazÉlÊ, an outstanding Jurist, theologian and ØËfÊ, was born in 450 AH /1058 AD at ÙËs, near the modern Mashad in KhurasÉn which prior to his time had already produced so many prominent Sufis. The District of ÙËs itself was the birthplace of many outstanding personalities and men of learning in Islam, including the poet FirdawsÊ (d.416/1025) and the state man NiÐÉm al-Muluk ( d. 485/1092), who was destined to play a significant role in the intellectual life of al-GhazÉlÊ. Among its distinguished religious scholars, al-Ghazali’s uncle al-FÉrmadhÊ (d. 477/ 1084) was also one of his famous teachers in Sufism.
Al-GhazÉlÊ received his early education in Ùus itself not long before he died, his father entrusted the education of al-GhazÉlÊ and his younger brother AÍmad (d.1126) to a pious friend. Al-GhazÉlÊ’s education included learning the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth, listening to the stories about saints, and memorizing mystical love poems. After his educational trust fund was exhausted, he was sent to a madrasah where he first learned jurisprudence from Ahmad al-RÉdhkÉnÊ.
Later, before he was fifteen years old, al-GhazÉlÊ went to JurjÉn in Mazardaran to continue his studies in jurisprudence under AbË NaÎr al-IsmÉÑÊlÊ. At seventeen, he returned home to Ùus. Before his twentieth birthday he went to Naishapur to study fiqh and kalam under al-JuwaynÊ. At this time al-GhazÉlÊ composed his first work, entitled al-MankhËl min ÑIlm al-UÎËl (A Resume of Science of Principles), on legal theory and methodology. He was appointed al-JuwaynÊ’s teaching assistant and continued to teach at NiÐÉmiyah in Naishapur until the latter died in 505/1111.
It is important to note that al-GhazÉlÊ studied kalÉm with al-JuwaynÊ (d. 478/1085). The latter played a significant role in the philosophization of AshÑarite kalÉm. This philosophization influenced al-GhazÉlÊ’s own vision and treatment of kalÉm as a discipline. Al-SubkÊ claims that al-JuwaynÊ introduced al-GhazÉlÊ to study of philosophy including logic and natural philosophy. Since al-JuwaynÊ was theologian (mutakallim), not a philosopher, he must have imparted his knowledge of philosophy through the discipline of kalÉm. Al-GhazÉlÊ was not satisfied with what he had learned from his teacher. He later wrote al-munqidh that not a single Muslim religious scholar before him had directed his attention and endeavour to a through study of philosophy. The knowledge of falsafah that he gained through his study of al-JuwaynÊ’s discourse on kalÉm and possibly through other writings as well was sufficient, however, to acquaint him with the methodological claim of the philosophers that they are the people of logic and demonstration (ahl al-manÏiq wa al-burhÉn). This is because that claim had been current since al-FÉrÉbÊ and could not have been unknown to al-JuwaynÊ, a leading intellectual opponent of the philosophers.
Another area of study which engaged al-GhazÉlÊ’s mind during his stay in Naishapur was Sufism. He studied its theory and practice under the guidance of al-FÉrmadhÊ. Al-GhazÉlÊ actually managed to unite those who were in constant discord namely the theologians and the Sufis. Thus al-GhazÉlÊ became the faqÊh of the Sufis and the most learned ØËfÊ of the fuqahÉ’. He event acquired the distinguished title of hujjah al-IslÉm and become the innovator of the whole fifth century .
Thus al-GhazÉlÊ put an end to his seclusion and resumed his lectures and his preaching. He also sought to reconcile between external and hidden matters until he died in 505 AH, in Taws, where he was buried and where his mausoleum still exist today.

2.2 Al-Ghazali’s Works
Al-GhazÉlÊ applied himself first to kalÉm while still at Naishapur. In considering al-GhazÉlÊ’s statement about kalÉm in al-Munqidh, he claims that he wrote some works on the subject during this period. He tells us that he began his quest after knowledge by the study of kalÉm, for which he contributed written works. Other major works of al-GhazÉlÊ in kalÉm are al-IqtiÎÉd fÊ al-IÑtiqÉd, al-Munqidh min al-ÖalÉl, IÍyÉ’ ÑUlËm al-DÊn and IljÉm al-ÑAwwÉm Ñan ÑIlm al-KalÉm.
During his stay in Baghdad al-GhazÉlÊ completes his promised in-depth study of the four classes of knowers. This was also his most prolific perios of writing. Having studied kalÉm and written several works on discipline, al-GhazÉlÊ devoted himself to the study of philosophy. He tells us that he studied thoroughly the writings of the philosophers without the help of a master during his hours of free time when he was not writing and lecturing on the religious sciences.
This al-GhazÉlÊ’s work, short in term of the years he actually lived (55 years) but so rich in scientific achievements. It is said that he left some 230 books most of them in religion, philosophy, Sufism and history. Among his famous ones are:
1. IÍyÉ’ ÑUlËm al-DÊn
2. Al-Munqidh min al-ÖalÉl
3. Al-IqtiÎÉd fÊ al-IÑtiqÉd
4. IljÉm al-ÑAwwÉm Ñan ÑIlm al-KalÉm
5. TahÉfut al-FalÉsifah
6. MinhÉj al-ÑÓbidÊn
7. AdÉb al-ØËfiyah
8. KitÉb al-MadnËni bihi ÑalÉ Ghairi Ahlihi
9. BidÉyah al-HidÉyah
10. TahdhÊb al-Nufus bi al-AdÉb al-SharÊÑah
11. Jawhar al-Qur’Én wa Öuraruh
12. KhulÉÎah al-TaÎnÊf
13. Al-RasÉ’il al-Qudusiyyah fÊ QawÉÑid al-ÑAqad
14. FaÌÉ’ih al-BaÏiniyyah wa FadÉ’il al-Mustadhariyyah
15. Mi’yÉr al-Haq fÊ al-ManÏiq

3.0 ÑIlm al-KalÉm
According to Corbin’s History of Islamic Philosophy, the Arabic word kalÉm signifies word or speech . The word mutakallim designates him who speaks, the orator (in grammar, the first person). It is not possible here to trace the evolution whereby the word kalÉm came to mean simply theology. And the word mutakallimËn came to mean the theologians. This would involve a more detailed analysis of the genesis of the problem, touched on below, of the Qur’Én as kalÉm Allah, the Word of God.
Al-FÉrÉbÊ defines kalÉm as a religious science which arose in a religious tradition at some point in its history out of need to formulate a systematic defense of the tenet of that religion from various attacks from various sources as he says:
KalÉm enables man to support certain ideas and acts which has been stated by God (Allah) in order to refute the contradictory.

Meanwhile al-GhazÉlÊ describes kalÉm as a tool to protect Muslim faith from innovations, as saying:
For its aim is simply to conserve the creed of the orthodox (ahl al-Sunnah) for the orthodox and to guard it from the confusion introduced by the innovators.
Therefore according to al-GhazÉlÊ, a group of the mutakallimËn did indeed perform the task assigned to the God by defending the creed which had been revealed through revelation from philosophers or atheists who against the Islamic traditions specifically in tawÍÊd and divinity (ulËhiyyÉt).
Since kalÉm contributes as an important tool in tawÍÊd specifically in Abbasid Empire, the discussions of kalÉm are critically based on the attributes of Allah, His acts, the universe, prophet hood and the science of hereafter and unseen (samÑiyyÉt).

4.0 Al-GhazÉlÊ and KalÉm

4.1 Al-GhazÉlÊ’s Criticism of KalÉm
Al-GhazÉlÊ’s criticism of kalÉm is significant. For his authority in that discipline was widely recognized. He had studied under the greatest AshÑarite theologian and mastered the works of kalÉm. He himself became the leading theologian of his time with several excellent works on the subject to his credit. According to Osman Bakar, in al-GhazÉlÊ’s criticism of the mutakallimËn, he did not deal with the different school of kalÉm in matters of its doctrine but rather the common methodological stand that they had adopted . Al-GhazÉlÊ’s criticism of kalÉm will be discussed in several points emphasizing on his comments in his works and some distinctions with other theologians in this regard.
4.1.1 KalÉm and the Degree of Knowledge
Al-GhazÉlÊ in the Book of Knowledge of the IÍyÉ’, describes seeking knowledge is an ordinance obligatory on every Muslim (farÌ Ñayn) and he criticizes the mutakallimËn who claim that study of kalÉm falls under farÌ Ñayn as saying :
People, however, disagreed as to what branch of knowledge man is obliged to acquire, and as a result split up into about twenty groups. We shall not go into details but simply summarize the matter by saying that each group insisted on the necessity of acquiring that branch of knowledge to every Muslim (farÌ Ñayn) which happened to be its specialty. The scholastic theologians (mutakallimËn) insisted on scholastic theology because the unity of Allah, as well as His essence and attributes, is known through it.

In contrast, al-GhazÉlÊ himself treated kalÉm as farÌ kifÉyah, when defining kalÉm as a tool to protect religion from innovations not an end. He says:
….then know that all that theology offers in the way of useful evidence is contained in the Qur’Én and tradition. Whatever evidence is not contained therein is either reprehensible argumentation [which, as will be seen, is an innovation] or mere wrangling by dwelling on distinctions or amplification through the array of different opinions, most of which are derived and nonsense, despised by the mind and rejected by the ears, while others are ramblings into things unrelated to religion and not customary during the first period of Islam. To enter, into such discussions at all was then regarded heresy, but things have now changed. Innovations which turn people from the dictates of the Qur’Én and the tradition have arisen and a group has emerged who made imitations of the Book and the ÍadÊth and based upon it false speculation, so that certain dangerous things have necessarily become permissible; they have become as binding as the farÌ kifÉyah. To such an extent would an innovator go whenever he purposes to preach a heresy.

Al-GhazÉlÊ accepts kalÉm as is not an end in itself and it is error to think that the mere engagement in it constitutes the experientially religious or that it is always needed for attaining salvation in the hereafter. Its role is very much akin to that of the armed guards protecting the pilgrims’ caravan against Bedouins marauders. It is needed, but only as a means to an end. Again, it is like medicine, which at times is certainly needed. But when not needed, or when needed but not properly administered, it can be very harmful. Thus it is not incumbent on all Muslims. It is a farÌ kifÉyah. Hence every region should have a mutakallimËn, a theologian, to defend Muslim faith.
Al-GhazÉlÊ also divides knowledge into religious and intellectual knowledge . All religious knowledge is praiseworthy which falls under two categories: farÌ Ñayn and farÌ kifÉyah. According to him, the category of farÌ kifÉyah religious knowledge includes: (1) the science of the sources of religious knowledge and (2) the science of jurisprudence which forms a part of the science of the branches. Therefore, sciences like ÑulËm al-Qur’Én (the science of Quranic interpretation), ÑulËm al-ÍadÊth, uÎËl al-fiqh belong to this category. Another important example of farÌ kifÉyah religious knowledge is kalÉm. FarÌ kifÉyah in this category is only within a certain limit which al-GhazÉlÊ calls “the limit of sufficiency”. He says:
The sciences whose knowledge is praiseworthy up to a certain limit are those which we have already mentioned under the sciences the acquisition of whose knowledge is farÌ kifÉyah.

Al-GhazÉlÊ at the same time puts also kalÉm in intellectual knowledge along with philosophy which comprises four chapters. The second and third are included under kalÉm as he says:
The second is logic which is a study of the nature of evidence and its conditions as well as the nature of a definition and its conditions. Both of these are included under theology. The third is divinity which is the science of the being and attributes of Allah. This also is included under theology.

The above discussion shows the significant of kalÉm in ÑaqÊdah as has been described by al-GhazÉlÊ according to his observation on that matter in terms of its function and the methodological concept which will be discussed later. It is clearly can be understood of his statement “farÌ kifÉyah in this category only within a certain limit which is called the limit of sufficiency” which differs one to another.

4.1.2 The Aim of KalÉm
Al-GhazÉlÊ approves the aim of kalÉm and its role in society, namely the defense of the common religious beliefs of the community by repelling errors and heresies and removing doubt and confusion relating to those beliefs. He even praised the mutakallimËn, describing them as people who had been inspired by God to champion orthodoxy by kalÉm designed to disclose the deceptions introduced by the contriving innovators contrary to traditional orthodoxy. KalÉm has its root in the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth. He says:
For its aim is simply to conserve the creed of the orthodox (ahl al-Sunnah) for the orthodox and to guard it from the confusion introduced by the innovators.

However, al-GhazÉlÊ was highly critical of certain aspects of the methodology of kalÉm. He considers the methods of kalÉm to be defective both to satisfy his thirst for knowledge of the reality of things and to inflict intellectual defeat opponents of kalÉm. He says:
But since that was the aim of their own science, their discussion of the subject was not the aim of their own science, their discussion of the subject was not thoroughgoing; therefore it did not provide an effective means of dispelling entirely the darkness due to the bewilderment about the differences dividing man.

Al-GhazÉlÊ clearly indicates that kalÉm is not the only way to protect religion because it’s only considered as a mean to an end and the above shows that al-Ghazali’s attitude towards kalÉm seems that this did not necessarily have to be so. It might be said that since kalÉm involves in philosophical discussions, the aim of kalÉm cannot be achieved for all community and logical arguments will only tend to be applicable to the level of taqlÊd. But for al-GhazÉlÊ it is supposed to be practical for all community.
Therefore al-GhazÉlÊ concludes that kalÉm did not provide him with the certainty in knowledge he was seeking, instead other factor can be utilized in order to obtain the aim of protecting religion (ÑaqÊdah) from being deviated. Moreover, according to al-GhazÉlÊ’s experience in dealing with kalÉm and Sufism, he believes that kalÉm partially fulfilled its aim but did not satisfy what he was striving after, but Sufism (kashÉf) is the proper way to that aim because it consists of the theory and practical as well. He says:
I knew with certainty that the Sufis were masters of states, not purveyors of words, and that I had learned all I could by way of theory. There remained, then only what was attainable, not by hearing and study, but by fruitional experience and actually engaging in the way. From the sciences which I had practiced and the method which I had followed in my inquiry into the two kinds of knowledge, revealed and rational, I had already acquired a sure and certain faith in God most high, in prophetic mediation of revelation and in the Last Day.

In fact, al-GhazÉlÊ affirmed the important and a need for kalÉm within the Islamic community to the end of his life, but he also believed that the scope of its relevance and usefulness was limited only for the case dictates under necessity. One would successfully strengthen his ÑaqÊdah without it.

4.1.3 Methodological basis of KalÉm
Al-GhazÉlÊ criticizes the methodology of kalÉm from two points of view. First, he accepts school of kalÉm and even affirms its necessity (as farÌ kifÉyah). But he criticizes the inadequacy its methodological tools to confront its intellectual opponents. Second, he criticizes kalÉm from the point of view of a seeker after a direct spiritual experience of God and inner reality of things.
According to al-GhazÉlÊ, the mutakallimËn were orthodox because they subordinated reason to revelation. But the use of reason in kalÉm had not been exercised to the fullest extent possible. He saw much scope for improvement in kalÉm’s methodology. He was not against the borrowing premises from the opponents of kalÉm, but in so doing the mutakallimËn relied on premises which they took over from their adversaries, being compelled to admit them either by uncritical acceptance, or because of the community’s consensus, or by simple acceptance deriving from the Qur’Én or traditions (ÍadÊths). Most of their polemic was devoted to bringing out the inconsistencies of their adversaries and criticizing them for the logically absurd consequences of what they conceded. But this approach for al-GhazÉlÊ is of little use for one who admits only necessary truths. He goes on:
So kalÉm was not sufficient in my case, nor was it remedy for the malady of which I was complaining.

Then al-GhazÉlÊ continues :
To be sure, when the discipline of kalÉm acquired some status and had been engages in for some length of time, the mutakallimËn showed an earnest desire for attempting to defend orthodoxy by the study of the true natures of things. They plunged into the study of substances and accident and their principles. But since that was the aim of their own science, their discussion of the subject was not the aim of their own science, their discussion of the subject was not thoroughgoing; therefore it did not provide an effective means of dispelling entirely the darkness due to the bewilderment about the differences dividing man.

The above statement indicates the usage the philosophical terminologies of mutakallimËn such as haqÉ’iq al-umËr, jawhar and ÑaraÌ had been involved in the discussion which lead to further discussions and debates on that terms without focusing on the aim of kalÉm itself. Hence, al-GhazÉlÊ says, “They plunged into the study of substances and accident and their principles”.
By the adversaries of kalÉm, al-GhazÉlÊ means the philosophers. Osman Bakar states, al-GhazÉlÊ’s patroyal of kalÉm as a discipline that had become influenced by falsafah was confirmed later authorities like ShahrastÉnÊ, Maimonides and Ibn KhladËn. Concerning premises borrowed from philosophers, could be referred to atomism and also reason and faith. He then criticized his contemporary mutakallimËn for being too closed bound in their views to previous authorities in kalÉm, like al-AshÑarÊ and al-BÉqilÉnÊ, even in matters relating to premises and proofs.

Al-GhazÉlÊ found defects in the mutakallimËn’s use of syllogism. To remedy this defect, he wrote several works on Aristotelian logic in a manner that had not been attempt before by any jurist or theologian. Al-GhazÉlÊ also considered undesirable the mutakallimËn’s emphasis on the logical inconsistencies in the arguments of their opponents, instead, says al-GhazÉlÊ, they should concentrate on the refutation of the fundamental doctrines of their opponents, insofar as these doctrines were viewed as heretical. The TahÉfut was seen as advocating this new approach of kalÉm. Referring to al-GhazÉlÊ’s view, the methodology of kalÉm was comprised of faith (ÊmÉn) and ratiocination tainted by false syllogism.
Thus, al-GhazÉlÊ describes the Sufis as those who claim that they alone enter into the Divine Presence, and as men of mystic vision (mushÉhadah) and illumination (mukÉshafah). The ØËfÊ is thus presented as an intimate witness of God. The ØËfÊ way of witness is described as authentic vision and the unveiling of the mysteries. According to al-GhazÉlÊ, to witness the Divine Presence is to attain the highest possible state of spiritual experience. He says :
From the very start of the way revelations (al-mukÉshafah) and visions (al-MushÉhadah) begin, so that, even when awake, the Sufis see the angels and the spirits of the prophets and hear voices coming from them and learn useful thing from them. Then their “state” ascends from the vision of forms and likenesses to stages beyond the narrow range or words: so if anyone tries to express them, his word contain evident error against which he cannot guard himself.

Since al-GhazÉlÊ was himself a distinguished ØËfÊ, he was able to give an authentic and authoritative account of the ØËfÊ methodology. He considers the Sufis method is the most excellent of methods and the Sufis the most excellent of the knowers of the truth. He himself found the light of certainty in the spiritual path of the Sufis. In Sufism there is a whole knowledge associated with this goal comprising theory as well as practical.
In a nutshell, al-GhazÉlÊ accepts the role of kalÉm in which it suitable for some people particularly the common ones, but the inadequacy of kalÉm still prevails. As far as he is concerned, kalÉm did not provide certitude knowledge (Ñilm al-yaqÊn) rather than Sufism.

4.1.4 KalÉm, TaqlÊd and MaÑrifah (kashÉf)
Al-GhazÉlÊ argues, the one who is obedient who controls his appetites, directing his thought solely to attaining one of reality (ÍaqÊqah min ÍaqÉ’iq) may not have this reality revealed to him. This is because of his being veiled from it by a previous belief that has come to him from youth, by way of taqlÊd and the reception from others in good faith (Íusn al-Ðann). This is also, he goes on, “is a great veil by which the majority of the theologians (akthar al-mutakallimÊn) and partisan of sectarian doctrines (al-mutaÑaÎÎibÊn li al-madhÉhib) are veiled”. This is because they are veiled by “imitative beliefs (iÑtiqÉd al-taqlÊdiyyah) that solidified in their souls, and became fixed in their heart, becoming a veil between them and the apprehension of realities (al-haqÉÑiq).
Al-GhazÉlÊ goes on with his discussion, it becomes even more explicit that the realities, the objects of knowledge that yield certainty, belong to the world of the unseen, the divine realm (ÑÉlam al-malakËt) as distinct from the domain of the seen (ÑÉlam al-mulk). Al-GhazÉlÊ however, also then speaks of both ÑÉlam al-mulk and ÑÉlam al-malakËt, when taken together. This, for al-GhazÉlÊ, constitutes the lordly, divine, presence (al-haÌrah al-rubËbiyyah) which encompasses all the existence, since there is nothing in existence except God, exalted be He, and His acts, His kingdom and servants being among His acts. For some people, what is revealed of this to the heart constitutes paradise itself. For those who follow the truth, however, the revelation (al-tajallÊ) is the cause for deserving paradise in hereafter. Moreover, the degree to which this tajallÊ is attained in this life determines the measure of reward in the hereafter. This tajallÊ and belief (imÉn), al-GhazÉlÊ states this is the first of three levels:
The first is belief of the commonality (al-ÑawwÉm). This is belief based on pure taqlÊd. The second is the belief of the theologians (mutakallimËn) which is mixed with some kind of inference. Its level is close to the belief of the common people. The third is the belief of the Gnostics (ÊmÉn al-ÑÉrifÊn). This consists of seeing with the light of certainty (kashÉf).

Al-GhazÉlÊ illustrates these levels of belief by an example, namely, that “your belief that Zayd is in the house which has three levels”, the first, as he says :
The first is that you are informed by you and you have always experienced to be truthful. Your heart acquiesces to him, and you are assured by the information simple by hearing it. This is belief by sheer taqlÊd, exemplifies the belief of the common people. For when they arrived at the age of discernment, they would have heard from their fathers and mothers about the existence of God, exalted be He, His knowledge, will, power and the rest of His attributes, the sending of His messengers, their verasity and what they have conveyed. This becomes a belief firmly established in their hearts and in which they become rest assured. What is contrary to what their mothers, fathers and teachers have taught them never crosses their mind. This belief is cause of salvation (al-najÉ) in the hereafter. The adherers of his belief are among the first of the ranks of the people of the right (aÎÍÉb al-yamÊn) but not among those drawn close to God (al-muqarrabËn), because in this belief there is no unveiling, insight and the opening of the breast by the light of certainty.

According to the above, clearly mentions the position of taqlÊd among common people (al-ÑawwÉm) represents the least level in ÑaqÊdah. For the second level of belief that is mutakallimËn, he describes:
The second is for you to hear the speech and voice of Zayd (for instance) from inside in the house, but from behind a wall. You would infer from this that he is in the house. Thus your assent, belief and certainty that he is the house would be stronger than your assent due to the sheer hearing (from that Zayd’s is in the house). For, if you are told that he is in the house and then you hear his voice, you would then become more certain (that he is in the house) because voices at a time when he has seen the visage. His heart then judges that is the voice of that individual. This is belief mixed with inference. It is possible, however, for error to enter into this. For one voice may be similar to another and this can be artificially undertaken by way of imitation.

For the second level i.e mutakallimËn, al-GhazÉlÊ indicates kalÉm plays important part for commonality in protecting ÑaqÊdah and more assured than the first, but for him the true knowledge can be achieved by maÑrifah Allah i.e kashÉf. For that, he gives his analogy:
The third level is for you to enter house and look at (Zayd) with your eye and see him. This is true knowledge and seeing with certitude. This is similar to the gnosis (maÑrifah) of those drawn close to God and the ardently veracious (tushbih maÑrifah al-muqarrabÊn wa al-ÎiddiqÊn). Within their belief is enveloped the belief of the commonality and mutakallimËn but is differentiated from it by a clear characteristic that renders the possibility of error not possible.

According to the above, al-GhazÉlÊ’s Ihya’ explains that belief of kalÉm is lower than gnosis (maÑrifah). This is based on al-GhazÉlÊ’s experience as theologian and ØËfÊ. M.E. Marmura clarifies that the same discussion also can be found in KitÉb al-ArbaÑÊn fÊ UÎËl al-DÊn which gives frank expression of the knowledge (maÑrifah) of the truth of the ÑaqÊdah.
Al-GhazÉlÊ maintains that maÑrifah is true knowledge and applicable to achieve the highest level in the kind of certitude, which is mentioned in the Qur’Én as haqq al-yaqÊn. It seems that al-GhazÉlÊ subordinates reason to intuition (kashÉf or maÑrifah) which indicates that religious knowledge (revelation) is superior than the intellectual knowledge (reason).

4.1.5 MutakallimËn and Salaf
Before turning to al-Ghazali’s attitude towards mutakallimun and Salaf, we have to have a clear vision about Salaf (or Salafiyyah) and mutakallimun, hence, we have to refer to some terminologies in it. According to Salaf (the Pious Ancestor), theology is designated by the term uÎËl al-dÊn meaning literally the sources or principles of religion, on the analogy of uÎËl fiqh meaning the sources or principles of law, and hence legal theory and methodology. However another term which came to designate theology is kalÉm. But this term is reserved by traditionalist theologian (Salafiyyah) to designate only that type of theology indulged in by rationalist (mutakallimËn). Whereas the mutakallimËn uses both terms interchangeably, equating kalÉm with uÎËl al-dÊn, the Salafiyyah regards uÎËl al-dÊn as the only legitimate king of theology, and condemns kalÉm and its partisans as outside the pale of orthodoxy. Anti- kalÉm literature abounds in the writings of Salafiyyah. To a Salafiyyah, a legitimate theologian is who one belongs to ahl al-ÍadÊth, the partisans of tradition, who set themselves against ahl al-kalÉm, the partisans of kalÉm, singly designated as mutakallim, that is a kalÉm expert.
The distinction between a traditionalist and rationalist may best be illustrated in their respective attitude with regard to divine attributes. The MuÑtazilites, who have been called the first rationalist of Islam, denied the divine attributes: thus they were called muÑaÏillah or partisans of taÑÏÊl, meaning the denudation of God of His attributes. The MuÑtazilites were the first users of kalÉm. They did away with the divine attributes by the use of metaphorical interpretation (ta’wÊl). The Salafiyyah, who upheld the divine attributes were called Îifatiyyah, because they affirmed the attributes (ithbÉt al-ÎifÉt). They opposed and censured kalÉm and ta’wÊl.
AshÑarite, as the MutakallimËn even though denied MuÑtazilites’s kalam, but still apply ta’wil as an approach in kalÉm in different way. AshÑarite school was founded in the middle of fourth/ten century by AbË al-×asan al-AshÑarÊ. He made up of many followers who admired his exemplary life, his thinking steeped in religious values. His followers found him a refuge both against the narrow literalism of the man of ÍadÊth and against the excessive rationalism of the MuÑtazilies. In this way, AshÑarism began to shape in the life of master.
In the seventh/thirteenth century, AshÑarism came up against adversaries of considerable stature in the person of Ibn Taymiyah who over the centuries became the father of Salafiyyah movement, denied that AshÑarism had a valid Sunni reform. He proclaimed an integral reform of Sunism, based principally on the absolute value of the literal text of the Qur’an and ÍadÊth. They were also known as ahl al-ÍadÊth consider kalÉm is unlawful such as MÉlik bin Anas, AÍmad ibn ×anbal, SufyÉn al-ThaurÊ and al-ShÉfiÑÊ.
Concerning al-GhazÉlÊ’s discussion on kalÉm, Makdisi observed that al-GhazÉlÊ’s hostile towards kalÉm is well-known. His work entitled IljÉm al-‘AwwÉm ‘am ‘Ilm al- KalÉm was the source of embarrassment to Ash’arite kalÉm. It could be seen in his reference to ShÉfiÑÊ in the Ihya’ as prohibiting kalÉm is evident and evolves from a desire to be conciliatory to s deep feeling of vindictiveness. He reported that al-KarÉbisÊ says:
Al- ShÉfiÑÊ says: “If men but knew what predilections lurk in scholastic theology they would have run away from it as they would run away from a lion.” And again he says: “Whenever I hear a man say that the name is the thing named, I testify that he is a scholastic theologian and has no religion.”
Al-GhazÉlÊ accepts the fact that some people might find their thirst for knowledge and certitude quenched by the science of kalÉm. But as far as he is concerned, kalÉm could not deliver the certitude that he sought. Al-GhazÉlÊ seems to be asserting that the spiritual and intellectual needs of man are not the same for all individuals.
There is some validity in the claim that the mutakallimËn were man of sound reasoning if they are contrasted with those who had been collectively called the ahl al-taqlÊd. These later groups were opposed to the use of reason in explaining religious belief. They condemned rational discussion in matters of faith as innovation (bidÑah) and sin. . That is what al-GhazÉlÊ understood from his own examanation of the Salaf sayings. Furthermore, al-GhazÉlÊ makes it quite clear that ShÉfiÑÊ himself was against kalÉm.
Then al-GhazÉlÊ accepts the way of truth towards aqidah is the methodology of Salaf which is taken directly from the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth, He says:
The truth is clearly what has been brought by al-Salaf (i.e referring to al-ØahÉbah and al-TÉbiÑÊn) those who demonstrate views and evidences (based on revelation) are absolutely truth.

Al-GhazÉlÊ’s IljÉm al-‘AwwÉm explains the purpose of his writing is to elaborate the methodology of Salaf and those who against them (bidÑah). Salaf’s methodology is referring to methodology of ØahÉbah and TÉbi’Ên in ÑaqÊdah which consists of seven requirements (i.e al-taqdÊs (sanctification), al-taÎdÊq (affirmative), al-‘itirÉf (recognition), al-sukËt (silenceness), al-imsÉk (evasion), al-kaff (prevention) and al-taslÊm (submission). For example, al-GhazÉlÊ explain al-taqdÊs as he says:
Al-taqdÊs (sanctification) means to deny everything which Allah has denied Himself (in the Qur’Én or ÍadÊth), whilst believing its fully perfect opposite with His Attributes like describing Him in a manner or attributes equal to Human or other creatures like Allah has body as human being’s.

Then al-GhazÉlÊ describes al-taÎdÊq (affirmative), which affirms the attributes of Allah what He deserves without any distortion (taÍrÊf) or denial (taÑÏÊl). He says:
Al-taÎdÊq (affirmation) of everything that Allah affirmed for Himself in His Book, or which His Messenger, affirmed for Him without distorting (taÍrÊf), without denial (taÑÏÊl), and without saying how they are (takyÊf) and without making any resemblance with the creation (tamthÊl).

Al-GhazÉlÊ also describes that we have to confess the attributes of Allah. The Might and Magnificent are only to be spoken of in accordance with a text (tawfÊqiyyah). So nothing is affirmed or denied for Him accept what which Allah affirmed or denied for Himself or which was affirmed by His Messenger. Every name confirmed for Allah, the Might, Majestic, is inclusive of an attribute, but the opposite is not the case. We are also required to abstain ourselves with regard to vague terms which are not found to be affirmed or denied textually, in wording or meaning, so further explanation is sought. Then if something false is meant by it, then we declare Allah free of that and reject it, and if something that is true and not to be denied for Allah, then it is accepted and the correct terminology as found in the text is to be made clear.
However, al-Ghazali accepts kalÉm only for the case of necessity within a certain limit which al-GhazÉlÊ calls “the limit of sufficiency” which has been previously discussed in farÌ kifÉyah knowledge. He says:
…theology offers in the way of useful evidence is contained in the Qur’Én and tradition. Whatever evidence is not contained therein is either reprehensible argumentation [which, as will be seen, is an innovation] or mere wrangling by dwelling on distinctions or amplification through the array of different opinions, most of which are derived and nonsense, despised by the mind and rejected by the ears, while others are ramblings into things unrelated to religion and not customary during the first period of Islam. To enter, into such discussions at all was then regarded heresy, but things have now changed. Innovations which turn people from the dictates of the Qur’Én and the tradition have arisen and a group has emerged who made imitations of the Book and the ÍadÊth and based upon it false speculation, so that certain dangerous things have necessarily become permissible.

Regarding al-GhazÉlÊ attitude towards kalÉm, it seems al-GhazÉlÊ accepted the methodology of Salaf in dealing directly with the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth instead of using philosophical arguments and terminologies in ÑaqÊdah. However, it does not mean he rejected totally the approaches of kalÉm but it rather suitable in the case of necessity in which al-GhazÉlÊ himself learned deeply kalÉm for such integral purpose.

4.2 Conclusion
Al-GhazÉlÊ’s study of kalÉm affirms the superiority of Sufism over any other modes of maÑrifah but he remained attached to the kalÉm perspective. His internal criticism of kalÉm was aimed at refining the rational approaches towards ÑaqÊdah.
Al-GhazÉlÊ as a theologian he subordinates reason to the revelation and at the same time he as a ØËfÊ subordinates reason to a mystical intuition (kashÉf). As far as he is concerned, kalÉm did not provide certitude knowledge (Ñilm al-yaqÊn) rather than Sufism and its role plays only in the limit of sufficiency.

5.0 Conclusion
In al-GhazÉlÊ’s discussion on kalÉm, some arguments have been discussed in order to point out his attitude towards kalÉm and the justification lies behind it. As the authority scholar (theologian) in kalÉm, al-GhazÉlÊ tried to refine the rational method which subordinates to revelation in proper manner based on his observation and dealing with mutakallimËn , philosophers and the community.
According to al-GhazÉlÊ, a group of the mutakallimËn did indeed perform the task assigned to the God by defending the creed and protecting religion from being innovated. But as far as he was concerned, kalÉm is not an end, it is only a tool to protect religion. Hence, It is needed, but only as a means to an end, like medicine, which at times is certainly needed. But when not needed, or when needed but not properly administered, it can be very harmful. Therefore he considers kalÉm as farÌ kifÉyah knowledge.
Al-GhazÉlÊ observed that kalÉm did not provide him with the certainty in knowledge he was seeking, instead his experience in dealing with kalÉm and Sufism, he believes that kalÉm partially fulfilled its aim but did not satisfy what he was striving after, but Sufism (kashÉf) is the proper way to that aim because it consists of both; the theory and practical.
In term of the methodology of kalÉm al-GhazÉlÊ viewed it from two points of view. First, he accepts school of kalÉm and even affirms its necessity (as farÌ kifÉyah). But he criticizes the inadequacy its methodological tools to confront its intellectual opponents. Second, he criticizes kalÉm from the point of view of a seeker after a direct spiritual experience of God and inner reality of things (in Sufism).
Al-GhazÉlÊ accepts the role of kalÉm in which it suitable for some people particularly the common ones, but the inadequacy of kalÉm still prevails. For him, kalÉm did not provide certitude knowledge (Ñilm al-yaqÊn) rather than Sufism.
Then al-GhazÉlÊ described the level of people in ÑaqÊdah could be divided into three: (1) taqlÊd (for commonality), (2) mutakallimËn, (3) maÑrifah (kashÉf). For him, kalam is applicable for the first two of these levels, but not for maÑrifah which could be achieved in Sufism. Al-GhazÉlÊ maintains that maÑrifah is true knowledge and applicable to achieve the highest level in the kind of certitude, It seems that al-GhazÉlÊ subordinates reason to intuition (kashÉf or maÑrifah) which indicates that religious knowledge (revelation) is superior than the intellectual knowledge (reason).
Regarding al-GhazÉlÊ’s observation on kalÉm (mutakallimËn) and Salaf , it seems that al-GhazÉlÊ accepted the methodology of Salaf which dealing directly with the Qur’Én and ÍadÊth instead of using philosophical arguments and terminologies in ÑaqÊdah. However, it does not mean he rejected totally the approaches of kalÉm but it rather suitable in the case of necessity in the limit of sufficiency.
As a conclusion for the whole discussion on al-GhazÉlÊ and kalÉm, it shows the significant and the role of kalÉm in Islam over the centuries. In order to develop and strengthen Islamic faith, some questions can be aroused: (1) Is the discussion of kalÉm still significant (relevant) for the present time? (2) If relevant, does it need some changes in its methodology for instance or some contents in kalÉm? (3) If not relevant, what is the proper way to study ÑaqÊdah due to need of the community today?

Fiqh and Akhlaq

2008-08-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

Relationship between fiqh (Syariat) and Akhlak (Ethics)

According to Imam al-Ghazali, character is an established state (of the soul) from which actions proceed easily without any need for reflection or deliberation.

 Ethics in Arabic is ‘ilm al-Akhlāq (science of morality), which is the branch of knowledge that studies akhlaq (morals).
 al-Akhlāq (the plural of khuluq/ خُلُق) refers to morality, which means a nature, or an innate disposition or temper.
 The proper signification of khuluq is the moral character; or the fashion of the inner man; his mind or soul and its peculiar qualities and attributes

Morality (Ethics) and law (syariah)
 Both law and morality are action-guiding.
 Law provides a series of public statements (a legal code), or system of dos and don’ts – to guide humans in their behavior and to prevent them from doing harm to others and violating their rights.
 Morality provides a similar system though might not be in written form.
 In addition to that, morality provides reasons behind any significant laws governing human beings and their institutions.

 Morality precedes law, whereas law sanctions morality; that is, law puts morality into a code or system that can then be enforced by punishment.

 Scope: In general, the law is taken to be concerned with acts, rather than attitudes.

The mere fact of having certain intentions is not really the sort of thing about which you can have a law.

In morality, by contrast, bad intentions may sometimes amount to a moral wrong. On the other hand, good intentions are in themselves good values.

 Morality is wider than law. What is moral in not necessarily enforced through law.
But there are some things which are governed by law (driving on the left or right side of road) which are presumably matters of indifference from a moral point of view.

 Conformity between morality and law:
= In Islamic law:
- Law should be a reflection of Islamic morals.
- Laws, rules and regulations are not supposed to be against Islamic moral principles
= In secular law
The relationship between law and morality is not entirely reciprocal. What is moral is not necessarily legal and vice versa.
Many practices have been inscribed in the law, that are clearly immoral (e.g., homosexuality, same sex marriage, mercy killing, abortion, usury, changing munkar …).

 Sanctions: If you break the law, you may be fined or imprisoned or executed. Various bureaucracies exist precisely to hand out legal sanctions.
If you do something that is morally wrong (but not also illegal), however, no similar bureaucracy is going to come after you.
Instead,
In divine religions you suffer a punishment on the Day of Judgment.
In non-religious world views you may suffer the sense of guilt in your own conscience, or your reputation may suffer, or you may be exposed to the blame of other people

Morality and Etiquette
 For the most part, “etiquette” pertains to norms that are of little ethical significance.
 It concerns form and style rather than the essence of social existence.
 Etiquette determines what is polite behavior rather than what is right behavior in a deeper sense. It represents society’s or religion’s decision about how we are to dress, greet one another, eat, celebrate festivals, express gratitude and appreciation etc.

In a nutshell : a comparison between fiqh (syariah) and ethics can be seen as follows ;

i. aim / goal - same ... to fullfil the needs of mankind as a servant and khalifah of Allah.

ii. scope / approach - different .... syariah emphasize more on external or bodily aspects ...in terms of validity or hukm, meanwhile akhlaq emphasize on internal aspects or values in human life such as purify the heart, intention ,truthworthy, justice, ihsan etc.

iii. Akhlaq is wider than syariah / fiqh in terms of its application / implementation all the time regardless condition, place, time, etc.

iv. As both are subjected to the will / command of Allah swt, both complement each other.

wassalam.

ISLAMIC WORLDVIEW : Sunnatullah

2008-06-07T09:31:00.002-07:00

SUNNATULLAH

 Definition of Sunnatullah (nature)
 Islamic Concept of Sunnatullah
 Characteristics of Sunnatullah
 Sunnatullah in Men and Society
 Purposes and Implication of Sunnatullah

DEFINITION OF SUNNATULLAH

 Literally, the word sunnah means tradition way, method, custom.

 When it is attributed to Allah- SUNNATULLAH:
it refers to the way of ALLAH’S DEALING WITH His creation that governs or controls its movement.

 It also denotes the practice of Allah and His judgement on different creatures of the universe.

 Sunnatullah means: pattern of Allah, laws of Allah, the creation of Allah and the command of Allah

 Sunnatullah in the Quran
 17:77, 33:38,62, 35:43, 40:85, 48:23, and 3:137 and 4:26

 The Quran uses two method to explain sunnatullah which are directly, where the concept sunnatullah is mentioned such as;

 “There can be no difficulty to the Prophet in what Allah has indicated to him as a duty: It was the practice (approved) of Allah amongst those of old that have passed away, and the command of Allah is a decree determined.” (33: 38)

 Or indirectly whereby the context refers to sunnatullah without mentioning the word sunnatullah or using other words. Allah says;

 “ Already has Our word been passed before (this) to Our servants sent “by Us” that they world certainly be assisted and that Our forces they surely must conquer” (37: 171-173)

ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF SUNNATULLAH

 1. It is a complete and integral system of cause and effect and it runs systematically and perfectly in accordance with the command of Allah (Ismail R. al-Faruqi)

 2. It is a power which forms and orders things and matter according to the Divine plan with perfection and without any waste(al-Baruni)

 3. It is laws of Allah which have been manifested and commanded by Allah directly according to the will of the supreme authority. The Quran says:

 “ They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord is the sure Accomplisher of what He planned” (11:107)

 “ Doer of all that He intends” (85:16)

 Because
 Allah’s will is itself the word and deed. There is no interval between them. He does not His mind and plan.

 No circumstances can change or influence His mind.

 4. It is the Divine laws and perfect system. The Quran says:

 “He who created the seven heavens one above another. No want of proportion will you see in the creation of Allah most Gracious, so turn your vision again, do you see any flaw?
 Again turn your vision a second time, your vision will come back to you dull and discomfited in a state worn out” (67:3-4)

 5. His laws are in proportion and measure.

 -His creation is not haphazard
 -everything has its appointment time, place and occasion as well as its definite limitation
 -every word, deed and thought of man has its fullest consequences.
 -no body can interfere with Allah’s work and plane
 -no change in His creation

 Miqdar means:

 The thing, which cannot be increased and decreased for instance what occurs in the mother’s womb either male or female. Man does not have any influence or function in it. The Quran says:

 “It is He who created all things in due proportions(25:2)

 6. Sunnatullah is a creature of Allah and His commandments. It is controlled by Al-Mighty through His laws according to His design and plan.

 He is able to destroy all His creatures and create again in an instant by His own power. The Quran says:
 “Verily, When He intends a matter, He said to is “Be and It is”, so glory to Him in whose hands is the dominion of all things: and to Him will you be all brought back” ( 36:82-83)

 7. Every thing will be perished but His Face, Existence, and Power will be remained.

 The Quran say:
 “All that is on earth will perish but will abide forever the Face of your Lord-Full of Majesty, Bounty and Honor”(55:26-27)
 The meaning of The Face is His personality, Glory, Majesty, Inner Being, essence, Self, the noble qualities which we associate with the beautiful names of Allah (2:112, 7:180 and 17:110)

 The most important magnificent objects in outer nature-the mountains and valleys, the sun and the moon, etc will also pass a away.

 All things mean the most magnificent works of man, i.e. Fleeting, Ships, Empires, the Wonders of Science and Arts and the splendors of human glory and intellect will pass a away

 8. Laws of nature are unalterable as the Quran declares.

 Nothings can happen against the divine decrees or commands

 Man has been able to understand and comprehend all these and laws

 There are some exceptional or supernatural issues happened in human history by the command of Allah, because of His will and His absolute power. Such as the miracles during the time of all prophets and karamat by the followers of prophet Mohammad(SAW)

 It is true that there is no change in the creation of natural laws, even Allah will not interfere them but man has been given the authority to change his or her situation in life by using his capacity, intellect, knowledge and strife and the final fruits of the strife will be given by Allah (SAW).

CHARACTERISTIC OF SUNNATULLAH

 The main characteristic of sunnatullah are the following ;


 PERMANENT/ UNCHANGEABLE/ CONSTANT

 The practice of Allah whether in terms of punishment or reward is constant and does not change. It is not influenced by the factor of time or condition. Allah says;

 “Such was the practice approved of Allah among those who lived a foretime, no change will you find in the practice of Allah”(33: 62)

 “(Such has been) the practice (approved) of Allah already in the past: no change wilt thou find in the practice (approved) of Allah.” (48: 23)

 FIXED (La Tataghayyar)

 Allah’s law is fixed and his ways of dealing with those who disbelief and belay on prophets are the same in all ages.

 Allah’s will cannot be turned away by any cause whatever. Because if sunnatullah is not fixed or can be deviated or redirected there will be injustice whereas Allah never commit injustice

 “On account of their arrogance in the land and their plotting of Evil. But the plotting of Evil will hem in only the authors thereof. Now are they but looking for the way the ancients were dealt with? But no change wilt thou find in Allah's way (of dealing): no turning off wilt thou find in Allah's way (of dealing).” (35: 43)

 VALID AND EFFECTIVE (NAFIZAH)

 Nothing can stop sunnatullah of being effectively carried out. Allah says;

 “But their professing the Faith when they (actually) saw Our Punishment was not going to profit them. (Such has been) Allah's way of dealing with His servants (from the most ancient times). And even thus did the rejecters of Allah perish (utterly)!”(40: 85)

 The people of A’d, Thamud, and the Pharaoh, Quraish with all power and wealth they had could not stop sunnatullah.

EXAMPLE OF SUNNATULLAH IN MEN AND SOCIETY

 Sunnatullah is the punishment of Al- Mukadhibin ( المكذبين ) believers of prophets, the arrogant and corrupters etc.

 “Do they not travel throughout the earth and see what was the end of those before them. They were more numerous than those and superior in strength and the traces in the land”(40: 82)

 Sunnatullah is assisting the prophets and servants.

 “They then sought to harm and plot against him but We made them the ones most humiliated “(37: 98)

EXAMPLE OF SUNNATULAH IN NATURE.

 Nature is Allah’s creation, which function according to the laws and patterns of Allah.

 All components of nature such as earth, trees plants, heavens, mountain, seas and oceans etc are governed by sunnatullah.

 Scientist and scholars usually were hard to understand and discover the laws or patterns of nature and natural resources in their life and make sure of nature and natural resources in their industry, technology and scientific advancement. Allah invites people to think about it;

 “Do they not look at the sky above them how We have made it and there are no flaws in it. And the earth We have spread it out and set thereon mountains standing firm and produced therein every kind of beautiful growth (in pairs)” (50: 6-7)

SUNNATULLAH IN MEN AND SOCIETY

 The laws of Allah govern also men and society because they are Allah’s creatures like any other natural creature.

 Mankind’s life and all his activities; economic, political, cultural, etc. are subjugated to the patters of Allah.

 Social scientist like sociologist, historians, philosophers have always been attempting to discover the laws governing men’s behaviour and practice in order to develop human life and plan for a good life.

 Sunnatullah in man and society opens our minds and make us think objectively, wisely about anything we want to do.

 It helps us understand the past and present. It helps us understand our social atmosphere and everything around us.

 It also helps us to learn lessons from what happen to previous nations and generations and predict our future and take the appropriate measures and precautions.

Purposes and Implication of Sunnatullah

1. Human beings should observe natural beauty and discover the reality and the truth, the power and the glory of Allah. Allah has created every thing and assigned to it its measure, role, purpose and destiny for human understanding and uses. The Quran says:

 “Allah created every thing and assigned to its qadar, destiny, role and purpose” (25:2, 87:3)

In another verse, “We have not created heavens and earth and all that stands between them in sport”

 ‘Allah did not create the world in vain but for purpose, namely man may do the good works’ (11:7, 67:2 and 18:7)

 2. To Prove the existence of Allah through His created laws or natural laws

 3. All prophets came to realize the existence of Allah and His power through natural laws. For instance Prophet Ibrahim, prophet Musa etc. The Quran says:

 “When Moses came to the place appointed by us, and his Lord addressed him. He said: O my Lord, Show thyself to me, that I may look upon you. Allah said: By no means you can see Me directly, but look upon the mountain, if it abide in its place, then you shall see me. When his Lord manifested His glory on the mountain.

 He made it s dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon. When he recovered his senses he said:

 Glory be to you, to you I return in repentance. I am the first to believe” (7:143)

 -Prophet Moses observed and saw the true status of Allah and realized the distance between our grosser bodily senses and the true splendor of Allah’s glory.

 -He could not see Allah through his physical eyes but he fell down in a swoon

 -he realized the mysteries and hidden power of Allah.

 In another quranic verse,
 The dialogue between llah and prophet Ibrahim about Allah’s power over life and death.

 4. To develop and understand Allah’s mysteries and spiritual dimension of human life through the natural process and uniformity of the laws of the physical world (6:75-76) the Quran says:

 “We did show Ibrahim the power and the laws of the heavens and the earth, that he might with understanding have certitude” (6:75-76

 -to lead and cultivate the collective life of humanity through the gradual process of the creation of human beings because the process of human creation is one of signs of Allah’s power when he is in mother’s womb

 -Allah created his partner with love, affection, atmosphere and mercy

 -He made different colors, different faces, voices and different patterns and structures of his body

 -He created day for him for earning human subsistence and night for taking rest

 -He created male or female according to His will in the mother’s womb as a consequences of the wonderful mystery of sex, in the mother’s womb there are three veils of darkness (30:21)

 -Ears, sights, intelligence, hearts and understanding are created by His command.

 Allah breathes the spirit of man from Him into the body of man (38:72, 23:12)

 -The continuous process of human physical growth, i.e. child is born, he grows, he decays and he dies.

 5. The universe, the earth and its contents were made subservient to man(14:33-34)

 -Every thing in this world visible and invisible is subservient to man by Allah to be utilized by human beings in accordance with His laws

 -Allah has created the universe in purpose of providing all facilities and fulfilling all necessities to mankind

 -Every creature has his own role and it gives us thousands of benefits

 -Man is the best creature in the best form who will survive to get the pleasure of Allah by utilizing all facilities provided by Allah according to His measured laws

 -Man can also make dwelling and tents from the wool of sheep, the hair of goats and the soft hair of camels.

 6. To understand the sunnatullah through the understanding of human life, human intellect, human analogy, human heart and human thought.

 See also :
 Pondering on the Signs of God
By Harun Yahya (Required reading)

 SIGNS OF GOD - Design in Nature
By Harun Yahya (Required reading)

 Islam and the Nature of the Universe
By Nehal El-Hadi (Required reading)

 Teachings and Reflections of Qur'an and Sunnah About Science, Engineering, Technology and Management
By Abdul Rashid Shaikh (Recommended reading)

 Wassalam

note: previously I have attached this topic in the title of Sunnatullah (UNGS2030)

Human and Nature in Sunnatullah

2008-06-01T12:05:00.001-07:00

ISLAMIC CONCEPT OF HUMAN NATURE

Mohyuddin Hashimi

Physical and biological nature of man is, although, not the main concern of the Holy Qur’an, it does provide significant insight about man and his nature. A brief description of Islamic thought on the subject is mentioned below:
Islam does not presuppose any inherent wickedness of human nature. Any negative representation of man’s basic nature as a source of evil and wickedness is clearly rejected. According to Islam, the human being is born in the state of fitrah, the original inherent nature of the human being. At birth, the baby is totally innocent and is not responsible for the sin of his parents or any of his ancestors. Environmental and other external influences keep on modifying his blueprint. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Every child is created in the state of fitrah, it is the parents, culture, and society that make him a Christian, a Jew, or a fire-worshipper.”
Islam is the first religion to declare man as the most superior of the creatures and the masterpiece of the Creator. According to Islam, man is potentially capable of rising higher than the angels, that is why Allah has commanded angels to bow down before Adam. But, at the same time, he is equally capable of sinking lower than the animals. The Holy Qur’an says:
"We have indeed created man in the best shap, then We reduced him (to be) the lowest of the low, except those who believe and do righteous deeds: for they shall have a reward unfailing." (95:4¬6)
These verses indicate that Allah has given man the purest and best nature while man’s duty is to preserve the pattern on which God has made him. However, when he neglects his duty and goes in the wrong way, he will be reduced to the lowest possible position.
The Holy Qur’an asserts that inclination and attraction towards faith and virtue and repulsion from disobedience and corruption exists in man’s nature.
“But God has endeared to you faith and has beautified it in your hearts and has made disbelief and lewdness and rebellion hateful to you.” (49:7)
To sum up the point, man comes into the world with a pure and wholesome nature. Whereas sin and corruption in human being are merely accidental and violation of his original nature. The role of prophets and the scriptures is just to help human nature to flow in its true channel and to guide human nature to its ultimate goal of eternal felicity. This Qur’anic theory of human nature also implies the fact that if man consciously decides to submit himself to the will of Allah, he experiences no conflict in his personality. (10:62) while, on the other hand, if he misuses his freedom of choice by denying God and not submitting to His will, would be in a state of inner conflict and his personality gets disintegrated.
Man has been given the freedom of choice to do good or evil. This freewill gives him independence of intention, choice and action in various situations of moral conflict. Man is the only creature in this universe who has been given choice and discretion which accompany him through his life span. (The Qur’an, 15:36)
Man has also been granted potentialities to acquire knowledge of how everything else in the universe functions as well as the knowledge required for his felicity. (al-Qur’an, 2:33). This knowledge along with the faculty of reason and intellect, are man’s primary guide that distinguishes him from other animals and help him recognize the path of his ultimate felicity.
Man’s hopes are often related to various comforts and joys of physical and worldly kind while Islam does not deprive him of these. Islam, however, redirects him from false and transitory joys and values to real values and everlasting joys. The Holy Qur’an says:
“This life of the world is just a pastime and a game. And, indeed, the home of the Hereafter is the real life, if they know.” (29:64)
Since the topic of human nature and personality development is the central issue in the sufi thought, it would be unfair to avoid mentioning their views in this regard. According to the Sufi theory, man is the microcosm and a copy made in the image of God. Since man cannot know what is not in him, he could not know God and all the mysteries of the universe unless he founds them in himself. So God-consciousness and self-consciousness are interdependent and a true knowledge of one’s own self necessarily leads to the knowledge of God. According to Ibn Arabi, God’s breathing of His spirit into man, as described by the Holy Qur’an, (15:28-29) is of immense metaphysical significance. He believes that man is the perfect manifestation of divine attributes and names. (Nasr, Sayyed Hossain. (1988). Three Muslim Sages. Lahore: Sohail Academy.) He also refers to the saying of the Prophet (PBUH): “God created Adam in His form.” This conception of human nature reveals that man is inherited with unlimited capacity of development and perfection.
After mentioning the position of human nature in its basic and the pure form, it is necessary to point out how man’s nature gets corrupted.
The Unrefined Human Nature
Although man has been created with a natural tendency towards the righteousness, he (excluding the prophets) cannot be free from all sins and mistakes since his declared enemy, Satan, tries to divert his attention by all possible ways and means. He always encourages man to satisfy his urges and desires in an uncontrolled way, like animals, and to become submissive and a slave to these urges. Therefore, the human instinctive tendencies, unless refined and trained, could easily overwhelm any humanely cultivated qualities conducive to spiritual enhancement. This is because the uncontrolled and unrefined urges within him would weaken and subjugate the forces of reason and conscience.
Describing some aspects of the unrefined human nature, the Holy Qur’an says:
“Surely man was created anxious, fretful when evil visits him, and grudging when (some thing) good visits him, except the worshippers.” (70:19-21)
In another surah it says:
“As for man, whenever his Lord tries him by honouring and blessing him, he says: ‘My Lord has honoured me.’ But whenever he tries him by straitening his provision, he says: ‘My Lord has humiliated me.’ (89:15-16)
The Qur’an explains another weakness in human nature which impedes self development, is the weakness of will. While narrating the story of Adam, Allah informs:
And, indeed, long ago We made Our covenant with Adam; but he forgot and We found no firmness of purpose in him. ( 20:115]
God tells us in the Qur’an that the most honorable trust, that of knowledge of Allah the all Mighty, was offered to the heavens, the earth and the mountains but they refused it, recognizing that they could not take up such a weighty truth (33:72). Mankind, however, took it on, but since weakness and forgetfulness are part of the spectrum of human being, he sees himself at all times and forgets his source. This weakness which Allah has placed within human being is to make him remember Him who is Strong (al-Qawi).
Today it has been established, scientifically as well as philosophically that there does not exist an evil human being; there exist only sick human being. This is extremely a significant discovery in the history of humankind which has already been introduced by Islam. According to this theory, bad manners like injustice, stinginess, cunning, jealousy, greed, ingratitude and so on are considered as spiritual illness and should be treated exactly like any other disease. The Holy Qur’an considers the hypocrites as sick persons saying:
There is a sickness in their hearts. (2:10)
This Qur’anic theory requires people not to consider any one as evil person or show any hostility or resentment towards them. Instead, they should look upon them as sick human beings who deserve their sympathy.
The Components of Human Nature
While speaking about the nature of man, Qur’an uses words like nafs, ruh, Qalb etc. Spirit is transcendent and the center of man’s being. Whereas soul (nafs), in its downward or corporeal tendency, is attached to the body and in its upward or spiritual tendency, is attached to the spirit (al-ruh).
In order to understand the Islamic concept of human psyche and nature, one must understand these terms and their relationship to each other. These basic terms are explained here.
Nafs and its levels :
Nafs (pl. Anfus or Nufus) lexically means soul, the psyche, the ego, self, life, person, heart or mind. Tajul Uroos writes that this word is used normally to denote the total personality of a person. It also means knowledge and intellect. (Taj: Ibn-i-Faris). It is used for a person as well. It is further used to express greatness, superiority, courage, resolution, and punishment. (Taj and Lisanul Arab).
The term Nafs has different uses in the Holy Qur’an as well, and in most cases, it means the human being in reality, his self and his person. (see 3: 61; 12:54) It also means the human soul (see 6:93; 50:16 etc.)
The nafs is a basic element in the cosmology of existence. Al-Ghazali mentions the two dimensions of al-nafs: the upward dimension and the downward dimension. The upward dimension is the uppermost limit of psyche which connects it the spirit, whereas the downward dimension is represented by the sensory faculties which connect it to the body.
According to the Sufi understanding, nafs is the source the negative power of anger and sexual appetite in a human being which blinds his intellect. Sufis take "nafs" as the comprehensive word for all the evil attributes of a person. That is why they emphasize on doing battle with it and to break and inactivate it as it is referred to in the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH):
“Your worst enemy is your nafs which lies between your sides.”
The nafs needs to be nourished and developed in the Divine guidance. The nafs starts its career in an undeveloped form but equipped with immense potentialities of corruption as well as the development and getting closer to the Most Perfect Self, Allah (SWT), Whose attributes serve as an objective standard for the human self.
Although some scholars have classified the Nafs up to 7 stages, the Qur’an has described 3 main types of nafs which are:
Nafs ammarah bi al-su’, (the self urging evil)
This nafs surrenders itself to lusts and allows itself to be seduced by the devil. This is the raw self of an untrained person. Al-Nafs al-Ammarah has Shaytan as its ally who falsely promises him great rewards and gains and always invites him and attracts the soul to do evil. He presents falsehood to him in a form that he accepts and admires it.
By its very nature, Al-Nafs al-Ammarah directs its owner towards every wrong action. Allah says:
“Surely the human self urges evil.” (12:53)
Al-Nafs al-Ammara paralyzes the cognitive process of human being. Describing this fatal effect of Al-Nafs al-Ammarah, the Holy Qur’an says:
“They have hearts wherewith they do not understand; have eyes wherewith they do not see; have ears wherewith they do not hear. These are like cattle – no, but they are worse! These are the neglectful.” (7-179)
Al-Ghazali has mentioned the following negative tendencies of this nafs naming tem with ‘spiritual diseases’:
1- Nifaq (hypocrisy)
2- Pride and arrogance
3- Hawa or desire
4- Self-beholding
5- Greediness
6- Negligence
7- Restlessness
8- Ri’a
These are the most harmful tendencies of al-nafs and greatest barriers to the growth of man. When these dominate the self, man loses his insight and his total energies are diverted towards unnecessary activities. As a result, he starts believing deception as truth, fiction as reality and self-glorification as his highest goal in life.
Nafs al-lawwama, (the blaming self)
The second level of nafs is nafs al-lawwama, the blameworthy self which blames its owner for his own shortcomings. At this level, nafs is in a state of constant awareness, self-observation and self-criticism. It recognises his shortcomings, his wrong actions, his disobedience and the neglect of his duties. It is referred to it in Sura Al¬-Qiyamah when Allah says:
"And I do call to witness the Nafs that blames" (75:2).
Nafs al-lawwama is the one which cannot rest in one state. It often changes and alters, remembers and forgets, submits and withdraws, loves and hates, rejoices and becomes sad, accepts and rejects, obeys and rebels. Actually nafs, at this stage, is in the mid of its journey towards its growth and perfection.
Nafs al-mutma’inna, (the Self at Peace)
Nafs al-mutma’inna is the third and the highest stage of nafs. A person when advanced to this stage, he achieves full rest and satisfaction while his personality gets equipped with the qualities of quietness, mildness, tolerance, forgiveness, and understanding of all beings. This stage of nafs ultimately leads to resolution of one’s inner conflicts and attainment of harmony with God. His personality is now dyed with His universal Colour while his behavior reflects the Absolute being and the Ultimate Reality. (Haq, Manzurul. (1984). Concept of personality development in the light of Islamic thoughts. The Bangladesh journal of Psychology, 7, 118-128.) (An abridged quotation)
This is the soul to whom it is said at the time of death:
“O soul at peace, return to your Lord, well pleased and well-pleasing. Enter with My servants, enter into My Garden.” (89:27-30)
Al-Qatadah says abut this stage of nafs: "It is the soul of the believer, made calm by what Allah has promised. Its owner is at rest and content with his knowledge of Allah’s Names and Attributes, and with what He has said about Himself and His Messenger (PBUH), and with what He has said about the Hereafter…. So much so that a believer can almost see them with his own eyes. So he submits to the will of Allah and surrenders to Him contentedly, never dissatisfied or complaining, and with his faith never wavering. He does not rejoice at his gains, nor do his sufferings make him despair." (Al-Tabari: Jami’ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, vol. 13, Bulaq 1323)
Ruh
Muslim theologians are divided on the issue that whether the terms “nafs” and “ruh” signify one and the same thing or are they two different entities and whether they are interchangeable?” (Ibn Al-Ālusi’s Jala’ al-‘Aynayn, pp. 142-143) Although these terms may be used interchangeably in relation to their essence, each one has clearly separate and restricted applications in certain contexts.
While the ruh spans the entire spectrum of existence - the seen as well as the unseen - the nafs is restricted to only that which may be experienced in the creational world. We may speak of the nafs as being greedy or unjust in some situations only because the light of the ruh highlights these qualities within the nafs. Indeed the nafs only exists because of the ruh which energizes it.
Ruh or spirit is the core of man’s being, yet it remains hidden. During human life on earth, the spirit and the body are united but then there is a temporary separation during death with the final union to take place in the life thereafter.
According to Muslim scholars, Ruh is the reflection of the Divine presence in man. The Holy Qur’an declares that Allah (SWT) has blown His spirit into human body:
“When I have made him and have breathed into him of My spirit, (I ordered the angles to) bow down, prostrating yourself before him. (15:29 also see 38:72 and 32:8)
The status of being the recipient of Divine spirit elevated man from his humble origin, enabled him to overcome the baser part of his nature, and made him worthy of being the vicegerent of God.
Since human body is from the earth while the spirit is from the heaven and Divine, it always longs to be united with Whom it was separated from. It is stated in Qur’an “to God we belong, to Him is our return.”
Rumi says in his book, Masnavi that the reason why a child cries the first moment after it is born on earth is because it realizes its exile from the higher place. It is unhappy because it seems captive in this worldly body. Explaining the idea of the captivity of the spirit, Rumi narrates a Qur’anic story. It says that God made a statue of Adam and asked the Ruh to enter into the body but it refused saying, ‘Lord, I do not want to be imprisoned in this physical body’. Then God told the angels to sing and dance, and on hearing their song and with the rhythm of the dance the soul went into delight, and in that condition it entered the body. Rumi says that the reason why every soul is longing to attain something is that it is in exile and a captive in this physical body.
Due to the captivity of the spirit and limitation of his physical body, man’s vision remains small and narrow. Man’s innermost being can not be satisfied except for a short time by outside factors. There always comes a time when every one finds that nothing pleases him even if he possesses all what he wants. His lack of freedom causes a continual longing for spiritual achievements. And when man reaches the stage of spiritual attainment and gets closer to its origin, he gets inner satisfaction, he develops the outlook of God and his manners become the manners of God.
Qalb
The qalb (heart) is an immaterial and formless spiritual entity or basic subtle element which has got connection with the material heart. The qalb has the capacities to acquire comprehensive intuition, to retain real knowledge, the gnosis (ma’rifa) of God and the Divine mysteries, (‘ilm al-batin) and to gain far greater insight than that of human intellect. The Qur’an considers al-Qalb as the seat of wisdom and intellect. It says:
“Do they not travel trough the land, so that their hearts may learn wisdom and their ears may learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes, rather it is their hearts which are in their chests are blind.” (22:46)
The qalb is nourished by dhikr (remembrance of God). Its health also depends on its purity and freedom. It is the organ of a perception which is both an experience and a taste (dhawq). Al-qalb is also the master of human body which controls its organic and physical functions. All external behavioral acts of man are actually the reflection of states and conditions of al-qalb.
According to a Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) the heart is owned mutually by an angel and a shaytan:
"There are two impulses in the soul, one from an angel which calls towards good and confirms truth; whoever finds this let him know it is from God and praise Him. Another impulse comes from the enemy which leads to doubt and denies truth and forbids good; whoever finds this, let him seek refuge in God from the accursed devil." Then he recited the verse: "The devil shows you fear of poverty and enjoins evil upon you" (2:268) (Sahih Tirmidhi)
The mutual resistance of the angels and the devils remains constant in the battle over the qalb, until it is conquered by one of the two.
The same position of al-qalb and its relationship with al-ruh and al-nafs has been interestingly explained by Maulana Thanwi:
“The spirit (al-ruh) and the soul (al-nafs) engage in the battle for the possession of their common son, the heart (al-qalb). This is a symbolical way of expressing the nature of the spirit, which is masculine and the nature of soul, which is feminine.” (Thanvi, Ashraf Ali, al-sihhat hukm al-waswasah, (Deoband 1365 A.H.), 225)
According to another writer, if the spirit wins the battle, the heart will be transformed into spirit and, at the same time, transmutes its soul, engulfing her with spiritual light. Then the heart reveals itself; it becomes the lamp (mishkat) of Divine Mystery (sirr) in man. (T. Burckhardt, An introduction to Sufi Doctrine, trans. D. M. Matheson (Lahore: M. Ashraf, 1983) 27.)
The Healthy Heart
It is a heart purified from any passion that challenges Allah’s commands and safeguarded against the worship of anything other than Him. It seeks the judgement of no one other than him and His Messenger. Its services are exclusively reserved for Allah, willingly and lovingly, with total reliance, relating all matters to Him, in fear, hope and sincere dedication. When it loves, its love is for the sake of Allah. If it hates, its hate is for the sake of Allah. When it gives, it gives for Allah. If it withholds, it withholds for Allah (SWT). The Holy Qur’an uses adjectives such as ‘healthy’, ‘wholesome’ ‘contented’ and so on to describe this kind of heart.
Allah (SWT) has declared that on the Day of Resurrection, only those would be saved who come with a healthy heart:
"The day on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart. (26:88-89)"
According to an authentic saying of the Holy Prophet (PBUH):
“Inside the human body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is healthy, the whole body is healthy and if it becomes unhealthy, the whole body gets unhealthy. That is al-qalb.” (Sahih Bukhari)
The heart can not be healthy i.e. successful, righteous, contented, pleased, assured except by the worship of Allah, love of Him and repentance to Him as it has an inherent need for its Lord. According to the Holy Qur’an, the heart will remain restless until it rests in God:
“For sure it is in the remembrance of God that the heart finds rest,” (13:28)
The Dead Heart
The dead or sealed heart is that which is veiled from higher inspiration for example the hearts of the hypocrites. There is little or nothing one can do to heal such hearts. This is the opposite of the healthy heart. It does not know its Lord and does not worship Him. It clings instead to its lusts and desires, even if these are likely to incur Allah’s displeasure and anger. It worships things other than Allah, and its loves and its hatreds, its giving and its withholding, arise from its whims, which are of paramount importance to it.
The Sick Heart
A large number of Qur’anic verses describe the ‘sick’ heart. The sick hearts are those that find whatever they do, attractive to them. These hearts dislike what turns them away from the course they are on. They are wrapped up in fantasies, they are contemptuous, and they follow routines and old patterns, doing ‘what their forefathers practiced’. The sick heart is also proud and hardened. It lacks real understanding because it is engulfed in desire.
This is a heart with life as well as illness in it. It has love for Allah, faith in Him, sincerity towards Him, and reliance upon Him. These are the qualities that give it life. It also has longing for lust and pleasure; it prefers them and strives to experience them. It is full of self-admiration, which can lead to its own destruction. It listens to two callers: one calling it to Allah and His Prophet; and the other calling it to the momentary pleasures. It responds to whichever one of the two happens to have most influence over it at the time.
A Hadith of the Holy Prophet explain the process of heart getting sickness. It is as follows:
“When a believer commits a sin, a dark spot appears on his heart. If he repents and seeks forgiveness (of Allah), his heart becomes spotless again. But if he persists in sin, the dark spot increases. This is the spot that has been mentioned in the Qur’an: “But on their hearts is the stain of (the ill) which they do.” (83:14) (Ibn Majah)
Other Ahadith mention that if the sinner does not repent, and instead keeps on committing sins, the stain on his heart increases and gets more darkened until it overwhelms the whole heart. Ultimately, the heart of sinner is sealed and he becomes spiritually dead.
For the purpose of simplification, nafs can be thought of as the outer man, ruh as the inner man, and qalb, the composite faculties of reasoning and decision-making, and a bridge between the two.
Conclusion
Man, being the vicegerent of God on earth and the theater wherein the Divine qualities are reflected, can reach felicity only by remaining faithful to his nature or by being truly himself. And this in turn implies that he must become integrated. Man is composed of body, mind, nafs and spirit, and each needs to be integrated on its own level. The integration of man, according to Syyed Hossain Nasr, (Sufi Essays, 51) means the realization of the One and the transmutation of the many in the light of the One. Integration and unity of man himself as well as of the whole humanity has always been the highest goal of Islam. It is also an essential part of basic Islamic belief of Tawhid. The same concept has been highlighted by a sufi poet as:
“See but One, say but One, know but One,
In this, the roots and branches of faith are summed up.”

(source : http://www.hssrd.org/journal/fallsu...)

Belief in hereafter

2008-06-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

Belief in al-akhirah and its impacts on muslim’s life

Akhirah means life after death. Belief in Akhirah has a profound impact on the life of a believer. We are all accountable to Allah on the Day of Judgement, when we will be judged according to how we lived our lives. A person who obeys and worships Allah will be rewarded with a place of happiness in Paradise; the person who does not will be sent to Hell, a place of punishment and suffering.

Allah knows our every thought and innermost intention; angels are recording all our actions. If we always keeps in mind that we will be judged by our actions, we will try to make sure that we act according to the Will of Allah. Many of today's problems would disappear if we had this awareness and acted accordingly.

Belief in akhirah generates strong determination towards Allah in all circumstances of one's life. He only depends on Allah for everything. He absolutely believes that the Will of Allah cannot be stopped when He says be and it is. He not only emphasizes on the hereafter requirements but also pays full attention to worldly life. This is because he knows reward and sin will be rewarded based on his actions in this world as a bridge to hereafter. Therefore our action must follow all of the regulations which has been stated by the almighty God (Allah s.w.t).

Thus we become as a pious Muslim by performing all the commandments of Allah and refraining the forbidden deeds which shows the taqwa in the sight of Allah. We will consider and play our role as khalifah of Allah in the spirit of amanah by performing the trust in the best manner in order to obtain the pleasure of Allah in this world as well as hereafter.

In conclusion, belief in hereafter makes someone puts the fundamental concept of Tawheed - beleif in reward and punishment or paradise and hell- as a measurement or controller in making decision or doing something of his actions.

Pondering on the Signs of God

2008-03-16T14:02:00.001-07:00

Pondering on the Signs of God

By Harun Yahya

In the Qur’an, it is stated that the unbeliever is one who neither recognizes nor appreciates the signs of God. The distinguishing mark of a believer is his ability to see those signs and proofs. He knows that these are not created in vain, and can realize the power and great art of God everywhere and find ways to revere Him. He is one of those men of sense, who  celebrate the praises of God, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (and say): ‘Our Lord! not for naught have You created (all) this! Glory be to You! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire.’(Surat Aal `Imran 3:191)**
At various points in the Qur’an, expressions like, “will you not take heed?”, “...there is a sign for thinking men,” lay stress on the importance of pondering upon the signs of God. God has created an endless list of subjects for reflection. Everything we see and sense in the heavens and on the earth and in between is indeed a manifestation of God’s creativity and, as such should be food for thought. One of the verses gives the example of these divine blessing of God:
With it He produces for you corn, olives, date palms, grapes and every kind of fruit: verily, in this is a sign for those who give thought. (Surat An-Nahl 16:11)
Let us think for a moment of one of the above mentioned items: the date palm. The tree, as is well known, grows up from a seed out of the earth. From this tiny seed (a seed is not even 1 cubic centimeter in size), arises an enormous wooden mass of 4-5 meters long and hundreds of kilograms in weight. The only thing that the seed can use while constituting this great mass is the earth in which it is buried.
Look around you… How many wonderful signs of God can you see?
For more on the vast diversity of God’s creation see
A Beautiful World

How can a seed know how to form a tree? How can it “reason” to decompose the necessary substances in the soil to create wood? How can it predict the required shape and structure? This last question is especially important, because it is not an ordinary wooden piece that emerges from the seed. It is a complex living organism with roots for assimilating substances from the earth, with veins and with branches that are perfectly organized. A human being has difficulty in drawing even a picture of a tree, while on the contrary a simple seed can produce such an extremely complex object by merely using the substances in the soil.
This observation concludes that a seed is extremely intelligent and wise, even more so than we are. Or to be more precise, there is an amazing intelligence in what a seed does. But what is the source of that intelligence? How can it be possible for a seed to have such intelligence and memory?
No doubt, this question has a single answer: the seed is created by being endowed with the ability to form a tree, that is, it is programmed so in advance. Every seed on earth is encompassed by God and grows within His knowledge. In one of the verses it is stated:
With Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures that none knows but He. He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a record clear. (Surat Al-An’am 6:59)
It is God who creates the seed and causes it to spring forth as a new plant. In another verse it is said:
It is God Who causes the seed-grain and the date-stone to split and sprout. He causes the living to issue from the dead, and He is the one to cause the dead to issue from the living. That is God: then how are you deluded away from the truth? (Surat Al-An’am 6:95)
The seed is merely one of the numerous signs that God has created in the universe. If men begin to think not only with their minds but also with their hearts, and ask of themselves, the questions “why” and “how”, they will be able to understand that entire universe is the proof of the existence and power of God.
________________________________________
* Taken with permission from www.harunyahya.com
** The translation of the Qur’an used in this article is Yusuf Ali’s translation

MODERN CHALLENGES

2008-03-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

MODERN CHALLENGES

Contents
The Challenges Nowadays

Steps to Re-Inventing Islamic civilization

Steps in the Creation of an Authentic Islamic Science
Challenges Nowadays

Obstacles or challenges which prevent Muslims in developing the Islamic Civilization and some aspects that prevent westerners adopting Islam :

1. Globalization
2. Western arrogance / attitude
3. The spirit of the crusades
4. Negative Image of Islam / fear of Islam
5. Muslim weakness
6. Attitude of Muslims toward other civilizations
7. Interference in Islamic Teachings
8. Western media

1. Globalization
It is not the one that encourages unity of all civilizations by the name of friendship, love and mutual trust.

Instead, it contains decisions that have been made by the western people without containing a single Islamic element (value) and being brought up for Muslims to follow

MORAL AND CULTURAL

The amount of information, news, values, manners, and worldview of the western countries which are characterized by materialism, secularism etc. flow into Muslim society without any permission through the internet, TV station, news broadcasting, travel etc.

This will create a religious, moral, and cultural monopoly, where non-western nations will share the same worldview, lifestyle, and culture with the west.

Its result is Westernization of Muslim life, brainwash of Muslims generation

POLITICAL AND MILITARY

Globalization is seemed to have become an instrument of political superiority and military domination and colonization.

Any country and society that close the door before globalization (western interest) will be forced to open the doors especially that the world now is unipolar and monopolized by the superpower.

There is many bad implication of globalization:

- Increase the domination and monopoly of the rich
- Create disunity and discrimination.
- Destroying local industry ,
- Internationalized crime of all kinds, etc

2. Western Arrogance / attitude
Looking to themselves with superiority and to others with disgust because the westerners inherited Roman civilization which divided them into 2 groups :
1st masters (western)
2nd barbers and slaves (immigrant, etc)

Racial discrimination according to colour, race etc - it was dispensable factor in building at western civilization.

The white race was superior one which deserved sovereignty and domination over others.

3. The Spirit of Crusades

Christian consider fighting with Muslim is crusades.
Crusade I : 1099 – Muslim lost Jerusalem
Crusade II : 1187 – Salahuddin al-Ayyubi recaptured Jerusalem
Crusade III : 1291 – fought with King Richard the Lion Heart
Crusade IV : 2001 – Bush declared war on “Islamic terrorist”

Christian always find the way to destroy and emasculate muslims in every aspect of life (colonization, missionary, orientalisation)

4. Negative Image of Islam / fear of Islam
Misconception about war in Islam – colonization / terrorism.

Muslim fight only for the sake of Allah / syahid

That’s why Christian fear with Islam because Islam fight just for one path – jihad.

Islam as a threat to western – because of the comprehensiveness and tawhidic (rabbani) religion.

Labeled Islam / Muslim as a “ Terrorist”

5. Muslim weakness
Muslims are not unite among them / conflicts.

So, Christian take this advantage to put down Islam in the world.

The West have been able to control the world through application of latest technology and modern science.

Conquest Islamic countries (British, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutchman, etc. )

6. Attitude of Muslims toward other civilizations
The Islamic civilization is labeled as having most bloody borders and most likely to lose in any confrontations with other civilizations.

Muslim often do not accept the challenges seriously and lack od preparation.

Many civilizations have no problem with Islam but the force from the west change that situation.

7. Interference in Islamic Teachings.
Westerners force Islam (Muslim) to follow their rules / values according to Secularism and logical positivistic.

Attack Islam for its attitude toward women ( - : woman liberation)

Interfere in Human Rights & freedom, all aspects including religious life.

8. Western Media

Condemn Islam and muslims.

Bias reporting.

Based on Secularism in broadcasting

Steps to Re-Inventing Islamic civilization

1. Unity (Tawhid)

(a) Removal of dualism in educational system.

Separates between religious studies and modern sciences (based on secularism)

The system that produces either religious scholars (with no science) or scientists ( with no religious knowledge)

This system should be replaced by adopting fard ayn and fard kifayah approach towards knowledge.

(b) Removal of dualism in the approach of life

There are people who reject the world affairs and concentrate only in Hereafter.

While others – otherwise (emphasized on worldly life only)
Should be balance

(c) Removal of internal conflicts

One of the main reasons for our downfall is the division among the Muslims.

They were not united – because of religious sects and belief such as mazhabs, political or economic ideologies, parties, etc .

They need to re-unite to become stronger.

2. Rationalism

(a) Muslim must be willing to reject old practices, ideas and opinions which do not have sound and solid arguments.

Blind imitations (taqlid) should be checked and stopped if necessary – khurafat , etc.

(b) Muslims must be willing to explore new ideas, approaches within the framework of shariah and should not be rigid.

3. Reawakening the spirit to improve oneself

Allah will not change the ummah / the state unless every individual exert his effort to improve himself.

Regain the glorious civilization that they used to achieve.

Strengthen the Ummah physically and spiritually..

Steps in the Creations of an Authentic Islamic Science

1. Stop the worship like attitude towards modern science and technology which is prevalent today in much of the Islamic world.

Long rejected (scientism) by many of physicists and philosophers of science in the west itself.

Should base on independent Islamic world view whose roots are sunk in Allah revelation.

Only by basing oneself on the authentic Islamic perspective can the inferiority complex so widespread among the Muslim intelligentsia today be overcome and the ground readied for creative scientific activity related to the Islamic world view

2. Must in-depth study the traditional Islamic sources, philosophy, theology, cosmology and the like to formulate the Islamic World view.

This necessary task must be carried out within the frame work of the Islamic intellectual tradition itself.

Only the revival of the traditional Islamic world view can provide on authentic alternative to the current western world view which itself is now undergoing profound transformations.

Islamic science must be seen and studied from the Islamic point of view.

There must be a proper Islamic philosophy of science.

with its own methodologies, definitions and purpose while integrating all non-Muslim scholarship on this subject.

3. A larger member of Muslim students should allowed to study on the highest level the modern sciences especially the basic sciences (pure science).

Must confront any other school or mod of thought which lays claim to the knowledge of reality.

Muslims who are scientists but not functioning at the boundary of their science, they can at least point out the theoretical limitations of their science, the danger of scientism, the divorce of modern science from ethics and necessity for Muslims to emphasize the significance of ethics as much as possible.

Islamic thinkers, must help open up a place in the current Islamic mental space for the study of other possibilities of studying nature.

To revive the traditional Islamic Sciences whenever and wherever possible.
Especially in such field as medicine, pharmacology, agriculture etc.

Such an act would not only give greater confident to Muslims in their own culture, but also have immense social and economic consequences.

5. To re-wed science and ethics.
Not through the person of scientists, but through the very theoretical structures and philosophical foundations of science.

What is needed is a knowledge of the cosmos which is congruous and shares the same universe of meaning with ethical norms, which are drawn in all civilizations from the religions which have founded them

End
Wassalam