THE GOAL AND RULES OF DA'WAA
NEED REASON AND LOGIC TO REACH THE BAR
RAISED BY THE HOLY QURAN
Subject: Read ONLY, IF AND WHEN you have time and mood for:
“An Ayah of the Quran for 30 Days” -- April 2015
Choose the section you have time, in the next 30 days to read this ayah:-
Prelude: Recurrent Primary Message 1st. Page
Starting Dua, a note & The Ayah 2nd. Page
A Short Summary: For the Busy Bee Three Pages
The Main Story: Recommended Three Pages
Footnotes: For the Perfectionist One + Pages
PRELUDE
From the Pen and Perspective of a self-styled PPK Muslim (Proud, Practicing, Knowledgeable) with a humble submission that Islam totally rejects Blind Following BUT vigorously focusses on the Limitations of Pure Human Reasoning..............and clearly and comprehensively AlLAH knows best.
In the beginning of the seventh century C.E., the folks of Mecca and Medina had a fascinatingly unique window: they had direct access to the Heavens through one of their own. They were blessed with a regular stream of Divine counseling and guidelines. Question and answer sessions were part of the program. Even individual questioner was graced by an answer. In the short Introduction to this scheme they were assured that at the end of this twenty-two year project, Divine Directions and Admonitions will continue through the agency of the PEN. The whole discourse has been preserved and archived till eternity under the guarantee of our Lord and Creator. This record in known as the Quran.
It should sound unbelievable but factually appears to be true: Many of our prevalent, widespread and important concepts and opinions about religious matters do not have a basis in the Quran and sometimes even appear to be in obvious conflict with the teachings of the Quran. It would be very educative and helpful to discuss an Ayah once a month to see if it supports or rejects our views and actions in our daily life. I wish and hope this email generates a fruitful interactive discussion.
In the name of Allah, we praise HIM, seek HIS help and ask for HIS forgiveness. Whosoever Allah guideth none can misguide; whosoever HE allows to fall astray, none can guide him right. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah alone and we bear witness that Mohammed, SAW is HIS slave-servant and the Seal of HIS Messengers.
Further, we recall that Allah Ta’aala has declared in HIS Book1 “He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will grasp the Message (or remember or receive admonition) but men of understanding (or intellect)” and we also recall that he has warned us about the day of judgement2 “Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons (joy, pleasure).” We realise, that there cannot be a greater boon or blessing or benefit than wisdom and we wonder if this should be a timely reminder to very many of us sincere and practicing Muslims who use our critical thinking to enhance the mundane for ourselves and our families but resort to compulsory following -- taqleed, doctrine of classical Sunni Islamic Fiqh -- in matters religion.
(NOTE: I have filtered out the proofs and details into the Footnotes for those who have the time and interest for them. The main email will then be reasonable length, hopefully for the busy majority. What follows is not a sermon; I do not feel qualified to give one, anyhow. I wish, it may provide a food for thought. A caveat seems in order: If the ayah selected pertains to issues we face in our daily life with our family, friends, neighbours or peers it may affect us personally and lead to some self analysis and soul searching which in turn could be divisive and distressing. If taken in the right spirit, it can be a humble attempt towards finding the “straight path”.)
THE AYAH
Surah 10, Ayah 99
If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe! Yousuf Ali
A SHORT VERSION
“I am convinced about the veracity of my opinions, but I do consider it likely that they may turn out to be incorrect. Likewise, I am convinced about the incorrectness of the views different from mine, but I do concede the possibility that they may turn out to be correct.” — Imam Shafa’i
The translation does not seem to adequately reflect the weight and intensity of the phrase “kullu-hum jamee’aan” in the original text. The ayah is emphasising that if Allah had willed so, the whole humanity on the earth would have been Believers “all of them, each one of them”. Before I proceed let us make it “two ayahs for thirty days” for this month as the next ayah is complimentary to it and further elaborates its message.3
“And it is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah , and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason”. Sahih International.
These two beautiful and concise ayahs are dwelling on four important issues that we all face currently on the ground. Each one of them illustrates the point I have made out in the recurring Prelude : “Many of our prevalent, widespread and important concepts and opinions about religious matters do not have a basis in the Quran and sometimes even appear to be in obvious conflict with the teachings of the Quran.”
Allah Ta’aala makes it very clear in these verses that HE does not need our help to control the census of Muslims on the planet. Every individual joins Islam of his freewill or, as a natural, essential and logical corollary opt out of it on his freewill. On the on the other hand, our Creator has defined very clearly what HE does want us to do in this regard and how to do it.4
“Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.” Yusuf Ali
We are commanded only to invite or call mankind to our Deen. Please note the high and laudable bar that Allah Ta’aala has raised for us in the practice of Da’waa. It has to be a “beautiful preaching” done with “wisdom” and delivered “in ways that are best and most gracious”. At the end of the verse, the Omnipotent reminds us that it is not our business to worry about the outcome of our Da’waa for HE knows “who have strayed from His Path and who receive guidance”.
It is difficult even to imagine how can gangs like ISIS etc. can claim to be the custodians of Faith and go about enforcing it brutally under the banner of Allah-o-Akbar. “Death for the renegade” is another “scholarly” and widely held opinion which runs directly against the Quranic injunctions we are discussing in this verse. As a matter of fact it is contrary to the core teachings of Islam. More over it deprives us of the right of Da’waa. According to the Islamic principles of justice we give them a right to stop conversion if we ourselves are doing it. Justice is one of the fundamental Principles of Islam. I doubt if any other religion or ideology can match the Islamic emphasis on justice; none can surpass it, I am sure. Allow me to quote two verses to prove my point.5
“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” Yousuf Ali
Kindly note the high standards of Justice that Allah Ta’aala is demanding from us, the Believers:
(1) As witness to Allah!!! (2) Stand up firmly for justice (3) Even if it goes against yourself, or your parents or relatives (can you even conceive a higher level than this) (4) Irrespective of considerations like poverty or wealth (5) Ignoring personal inclinations or desires and lastly (6) Not trying to twist or mince words or veer away from this duty. Not many of us mortals can meet these standards. But all of us have a duty to our Creator to try to achieve this standard of justice. Justice for whom? for Muslims? of course; for non-Muslims? Well!; for our enemies? What!!! But this is exactly what our Lord and Creator has ordained us to do; be just to our foes. Listen to what the “Rab-bul Aalameen” (Lord of the Worlds) is expecting from us:6
“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah , witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” Yousuf Ali
Subhan-al-Allah! What a clear and emphatic injunction in the imperative tense. We are commanded to stand up firmly for Allah, be witness for justice and clearly prohibited to deny justice on the basis of enmity or hatred. As if this is not enough Bari Ta’aala additionally endorses it with a single-word direct command: “a’diloo” i.e. be just/act justly/act equitably. Notwithstanding, all our protestation and passion for Islam, actually in practice we tend to ignore, either as weakness or carelessness such clear orders and instructions from God Almighty.
The ayah then continues to emphasize and reinforce this principle of freedom of religion in a very personal and effective style. Instead of directly prohibiting the Believers, Allah Ta’aala Subhanahoo seems to apparently chastise HIS own Beloved Messenger “wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!” What a beautiful, impressive and compelling style of proscribing us from forcing Islam on others. Compare the reality on the ground. Not only a particular brand of Muslims is bent on pillage, plunder and murder for this reason but “death for the apostate” is regarded and practiced (mercifully not very often) as a tenet of our Shari’ah. What a blot on the wonderful religion of Islam in clear opposition to the teachings of our Holy Text.
The next ayah quoted above describes another cogent reason why humans should not compel other humans in or out of Islam. It says:
“And it is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah”.
It is declared that every soul needs the permission/leave of Allah “to believe”; it is the will of Allah that is the deciding factor in this matter. It is in the Devine domain and not in Human sphere. The transmission of the Message is Human responsibility; the execution is a Divine prerogative. Those who kill because of non-Belief as well as those who kill because of walking out of Belief are in fact playing God!
The second part of this ayah is very crucial. Crucial because it is the footing and foundation to understand our Deen, crucial because it is emphatically announced and repeated all over our Holy Text, crucial because it was officially and publicly (and very surprisingly) renounced by the leading Islamic scholars and jurists of the tenth century under the label of “Taqleed”, crucial because this renunciation of this part of the ayah is pretty widespread —inadvertently or deliberately — not only in the ignorant masses and the Madrasah graduates but also in the University alumni. As you will recall, in these two verses we were discussing about Belief and Eemaan. Note, what Allah Ta’aala has added as a closing remark to this topic of Belief:
and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason”.
Straight from a discussion on Eemaan to a reminder of the practice Reason in very strong and blunt terms: announcing defilement/wrath/uncleanliness/abomination of those who do not reason. Why? Why this shift from a discussion on Eemaan to a powerful reference to Reason. The answer is there in the Text itself. The All Knowing and the All Powerful has repeatedly and clearly declared through out the Text that one needs to intelligently think to understand and gain and profit from the Quran:1
“…….but none will grasp the Message (or remember or receive admonition) but men of understanding (or intellect)”
The Quran constantly keeps appealing to our Reason, Understanding and Intellect as an essential ingredient to comprehend what the Text —the Quran — is trying to say. We need to think and ponder if we want to learn and gain form our Holy Book. However, as a caveat the limitations of Human Reason have to be duly stressed and understood. If this is not clearly visualised, Reason will jettison you miles away from Eemaan.
........and Allah knows best.
May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding--“fahm”--of our Deen, Aameen.
ALLAH HAFIZ
Dr. Khalid Mitha
THE MAIN STORY
“I am convinced about the veracity of my opinions, but I do consider it likely that they may turn out to be incorrect. Likewise, I am convinced about the incorrectness of the views different from mine, but I do concede the possibility that they may turn out to be correct.” — Imam Shafa’i
The translation does not seem to adequately reflect the weight and intensity of the phrase “kullu-hum jamee’aan” in the original text. The ayah is emphasising that if Allah had willed so, the whole humanity on the earth would have been Believers “all of them, each one of them”. Before I proceed let us make it “two ayahs for thirty days” for this month as the next ayah is complimentary to it and further elaborates its message.3
“And it is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah , and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason”. Sahih International.
Some authors have called it “Leave of Allah” or “will of Allah” instead of permission of Allah . Apart from “defilement” the word “ar-rijsa” has been rendered as “the wrath”, “uncleanness”, “doubt (or obscurity)” and “abomination”. Mufti Mohammed Shafi calls it “spiritual uncleanliness” (in his original Urdu translation). The Arabic word “yaa’qiloon”,familiar to Urdu speaking people is also translated as “who are heedless”, “who have no sense”, “who will not understand” and “who do not consider”.
These two beautiful and concise ayahs are dwelling on four important issues that we all face currently on the ground. Each one of them illustrates the point I have made out in the recurring Prelude : “Many of our prevalent, widespread and important concepts and opinions about religious matters do not have a basis in the Quran and sometimes even appear to be in obvious conflict with the teachings of the Quran.”
Allah Ta’aala makes it very clear in these verses that HE does not need our help to control the census of Muslims on the planet. Every individual joins Islam of his freewill or, as a natural, essential and logical corollary opt out of it on his freewill. On the on the other hand, our Creator has defined very clearly what HE does want us to do in this regard and how to do it.4
“Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.” Yusuf Ali
We are commanded only to invite or call mankind to our Deen. Please note the high and laudable bar that Allah Ta’aala has raised for us in the practice of Da’waa. It has to be a “beautiful preaching” done with “wisdom” and delivered “in ways that are best and most gracious”. At the end of the verse, the Omnipotent reminds us that it is not our business to worry about the outcome of our Da’waa for HE knows “who have strayed from His Path and who receive guidance”.
Freedom of religion and freedom of conscience in Islam is writ all over the Quran. The verses quoted here are just a taste of it. Contrast these glorious teachings of the All Knowing and Omnipresent with the conduct of HIS followers in HIS name on the surface of the earth. It is difficult even to imagine how can gangs like ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Shabab, Taliban and Al-Qaeeda can claim to be the custodians of Faith and go about enforcing it brutally under the banner of Allah-o-Akbar. What is worst is the fact that many many educated and good and sincere Muslims have some degree of overt or covert sympathy and justification for these bodies probably due to the pent up anti-West and anti-American sentiments most of us justifiably have in-turn due to the Western political escapades and exploitation of the third world.
“Death for the renegade” is another “scholarly” and widely held opinion which runs directly against the Quranic injunctions we are discussing in this verse. As a matter of fact it is contrary to the core teachings of Islam. More over it deprives us of the right of Da’waa. If you do not allow one of yours to go to the other side under the threat of death, why should the other side allow one of their to come over to you. If you do not allow conversion outside your religion why should others allow that. That, others have not stopped us from proselytization is because of their adherence to the “Islamic” principle of freedom of religion. They might change and start doing exactly that in the future. As a matter of fact there has been a movement in one of the States in India to ban conversion from Hinduism. According to the Islamic principles of justice we give them a right to stop conversion if we ourselves are doing it. Justice is one of the fundamental Principles of Islam. I doubt if any other religion or ideology can match the Islamic emphasis on justice; none can surpass it, I am sure. Allow me to quote two verses to prove my point.5
“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” Yousuf Ali
Kindly note the high standards of Justice that Allah Ta’aala is demanding from us, the Believers:
1) As witness to Allah!!!
2) Stand up firmly for justice
3) Even if it goes against yourself, or your parents or relatives (can you even conceive a higher level than this)
4) Irrespective of considerations like poverty or wealth
5) Ignoring personal inclinations or desires and lastly
6) Not trying to twist or mince words or veer away from this duty.
Not many of us mortals can meet these standards. But all of us have a duty to our Creator to try to achieve this standard of justice. Justice for whom? for Muslims? of course; for non-Muslims? Well!; for our enemies? What!!! But this is exactly what our Lord and Creator has ordained us to do; be just to our foes. Listen to what the “Rab-bul Aalameen” (Lord of the Worlds) is expecting from us:6
“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah , witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” Yousuf Ali
Subhan-al-Allah! What a clear and emphatic injunction in the imperative tense. We are commanded to stand up firmly for Allah, be witness for justice and clearly prohibited to deny justice on the basis of enmity or hatred. As if this is not enough Bari Ta’aala additionally endorses it with a single-word direct command: “a’diloo” i.e. be just/act justly/act equitably. Notwithstanding, all our protestation and passion for Islam, actually in practice we tend to ignore, either as weakness or carelessness such clear orders and instructions from God Almighty. Let me give a personal example.
At Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, the Faculty of Medicine had organized an hour of Quranic Study Session every Friday. At one of our meetings America was receiving some strong condemnation on a certain issue. I pointed out that we are being unjust in our criticism while our Deen wants us to be fair even to our enemies. I then quoted this ayah. There was immediate and spontaneous burst of loud laughter in the room. I was shocked and speechless; I did not know how to respond. How can a group of Muslims burst into laughter on hearing an ayah of the Quran. Does it not suggest that their feelings of hostility against America was stronger than their love and respect for the Quran? I do not know. After a pause one of the lady participants said “you have quoted the correct ayah but given a wrong example”. This was not a veiled woman from a Madrasah but a well dressed lady educated in the West. However I was too confused to discuss any further. I remain confused even today. How can you laugh at a Quranic ayah even if you think it has been misquoted?
The ayah then continues to emphasize and reinforce this principle of freedom of religion (“No compulsion in religion”; come, of your freewill; go out, of your freewill; you are accountable to your Creator on the Day of Judgement and not to your fellow human being on the surface of this earth) in a very personal and effective style. Instead of directly prohibiting the Believers, Allah Ta’aala Subhanahoo seems to apparently chastise HIS own Beloved Messenger “wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!” What a beautiful, impressive and compelling style of proscribing us from forcing Islam on others. Compare the reality on the ground. Not only a particular brand of Muslims is bent on pillage, plunder and murder for this reason but “death for the apostate” is regarded and practiced (mercifully not very often) as a tenet of our Shari’ah. What a blot on the wonderful religion of Islam in clear opposition to the teachings of our Holy Text. It sounds very arrogant of an ordinary Muslim like me to refute the fatwa of leading Imams and scholars. But I have a clear direction to support my stance from the distinguished and outstanding sage in Islam, the closest friend and companion of our Holy Prophet and second only to him the Rightly Guided First Caliph Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique who advised in his very first Khutba on his election as the Leader of the Ummah “...... So if I do the right thing and help me. If I do wrong then put me straight...... As long as I obey Allah and His messenger, you should obey me, and if I do not obey Allah and His messenger, then obedience to me is not incumbent upon you……..”. He was addressing the rank and file of the infant Ummah of that time and advised and guided each one of them to check him whether he was following the Quran and Sunnah. If not, no one was required to follow him. The later Imams and Scholars cannot claim a stature above him. These scholars have based their opinion about the Murtid on a controversial interpretation of a historical event under Caliph Abu Bakr ignoring or over ruling what we have discussed herein. I rest my case.
The next ayah quoted above describes another cogent reason why humans should not compel other humans in or out of Islam. It says:
“And it is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah”.
It is declared that every soul needs the permission/leave of Allah “to believe”; it is the will of Allah that is the deciding factor in this matter. It is in the Devine domain and not in Human sphere. God Almighty could have created mankind like the Angels: all alike and grounded in Faith. Instead, the All-Knowing and All-Wise, in HIS over all design and working of the Universe has bequeathed Free Will to Humans, has endowed mankind with intellect and thinking as opposed to the animals who can only follow their instincts and has set out rules of conduct leading to Faith or UnFaith. The paths have been laid by HIM — both the good and the bad — but the choice remains with the mortal. However our wish and will by themselves are not enough to reach our goal; we have to ask and pray for HIS guidance. To quote Yousuf Ali “……Hence Faith becomes a moral achievement, and to resist Faith becomes a sin. As a complementary proposition, men of Faith must not be impatient or angry if they have to contend against Unfaith, and most important of all, they must guard against the temptation of forcing Faith, i.e., imposing it on others by physical compulsion, or any other forms of compulsion such as social pressure, or inducements held out by wealth or position, or other adventitious advantages. Forced faith is no faith. They should strive spiritually and let God’s Plan work as He wills.” Take home message is clear: the transmission of the Message is Human responsibility; the execution is a Divine prerogative. Those who kill because of non-Belief as well as those who kill because of walking out of Belief are in fact playing God!
The second part of this ayah is very crucial. Crucial because it is the footing and foundation to understand our Deen, crucial because it is emphatically announced and repeated all over our Holy Text, crucial because it was officially and publicly (and very surprisingly) renounced by the leading Islamic scholars and jurists of the tenth century under the label of “Taqleed”, crucial because this renunciation of this part of the ayah is pretty widespread —inadvertently or deliberately — not only in the ignorant masses and the Madrasah graduates but also in the University alumni. As you will recall, in these two verses we were discussing about Belief and Eemaan. Note, what Allah Ta’aala has added as a closing remark to this topic of Belief:
and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason”.
Straight from a discussion on Eemaan to a reminder of the practice Reason in very strong and blunt terms: announcing defilement/wrath/uncleanliness/abomination of those who do not reason. Why? Why this shift from a discussion on Eemaan to a powerful reference to Reason. The answer is there in the Text itself. The All Knowing and the All Powerful has repeatedly and clearly declared through out the Text that one needs to intelligently think to understand and gain and profit from the Quran:1
“…….but none will grasp the Message (or remember or receive admonition) but men of understanding (or intellect)”
The Quran constantly keeps appealing to our Reason, Understanding and Intellect as an essential ingredient to comprehend what the Text —the Quran — is trying to say. We need to think and ponder if we want to learn and gain form our Holy Book. However, as a caveat the limitations of Human Reason have to be duly stressed and understood. If this is not clearly visualised, Reason will jettison you miles away from Eemaan.
It is interesting to note that Mufti Mohammed Shafi does not have any comments to offer on these two ayahs in his eight volume Tafseer. Syed Kutub has adequately dealt with these verses in his marathon Tafseer but has not noted any relevance of these ayahs to our current problems.
........and Allah knows best.
May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding--“fahm”--of our Deen, Aameen.
ALLAH HAFIZ
Dr. Khalid Mitha
FOOTNOTES
(1) Surah 2/269
(2) Surah 102/8
