The PPK Muslims (Proud, Practicing, Knowledgable) : A Critical Analysis Of A call by the Holy Quran: Shun your Parents, Kinsfolk, Materialistic Possessions and Disbelievers.

A Critical Analysis

A call by the Holy Quran:

Shun your Parents, Kinsfolk, Materialistic Possessions and Disbelievers.

ABSTRACT

“O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take your fathers and your brothers for allies if a denial of the truth is dearer to them than faith: for those of you who ally themselves with them - it is they, they who are evildoers!”
(Note. I am sorry, there were no issues this year in the months of January, February and March because of my illness. I am well now by the Grace of God Almighty.)
Look at the high bar that Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo has set for the sahaabaa. And they cleared it beautifully. They are required to disown their own fathers and brothers and fight against them if they choose to prefer disbelief over the true faith. In fact this ayah highlights that every relationship on the earth is to be cast off if it clashes with our rapport with Allah and HIS Messenger. Thus “the real bond is the bond of Islam and Eeman; all bonds of lineage and country must be sacrificed for it”. Let me hasten to add that this is the taweele Khaas—specific interpretation—of this ayah. We may discuss later the taawele aam—general interpretation as it pertains to us— of this ayah.
The faithful are cautioned about those relatives whose “denial of the truth is dearer to them than faith”. It should be emphasised that the Believers were not warned against the “person” of their fathers and brothers. In fact, the believers are asked to guard the interests of Ummah when these clash with those of the "deniers of the truth” among their family. This distancing of kinsfolk does not exclude “friendship” in normal human relationships as pointed by Dr. Asad. We have read many urgings in the Quran to be extremely kind to our parents and relatives. Furthermore, there is an ayah that manifestly allows us, nay encourages us to friendly and cordial relations with those disbelievers who are not actively hostile to the believers.5
In the very next ayah3 the list has been extended beyond relatives to include all our material possessions and wealth, our fear of losses in our business and commercial deals and our homes and properties which give us great pleasure. All these have to be sacrificed if they clash with the demands of Islam and Eeman. Imam Amin Ahsan Ilahi, a renowned scholar makes here a very controversial comment in his exquisite tafseer “Tadabbur al Quran”. ’فِسْق’, a word very commonly used in the Quran has been rendered by him as “exit from Eemaan”. This opens the floodgates of tafkeer, a serious affliction of our Ummah from days old. This is exactly what the venerable Imam has done. He says those who prefer the disbelievers over Allah and Rasool “walk out of eemaan” whatever their claim. It should be noted that we are not refrained here from these ambitions; these are all valid and even desirable. But we are warned against a penchant for these over the dictates and demands of our Faith.
The article quotes two related ayahs4 which shift the attention from the kinsfolk and our earthly ties and comforts, profits and pleasures, to the disbelievers who should not be taken as allies in preference to other believers. These along with some other ayahs with similar tone have given rise to a toxic and self hurting notion that the Muslims should keep their distance from Jews and Christians and idolators. For example, a very good Muslim American, successful and popular in his profession told me “I do not trust Christians”. On the other hand it is said in the non-muslim world that “Muslims cannot coexist with others”. This has led to very wrong and self-destructive ideas and practices in the inter-Faith relations in the present day life, specially highlighted in the Western countries. I have discussed this problem in one of my earlier blogs DOES QURAN AND SHARI'AH ALLOW MUSLIMS TO COEXIST WITH NON-MUSLIMS AND NON-BELIEVERS ON THIS PLANET?

Read ONLY, IF AND WHEN you have time and mood for:

“An Ayah of the Quran for 30 Days” -- April 2020

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 Version: For the Busy Bee One + Pages

The Main Story: Recommended Two + 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; as if Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo was with them on the grounds. 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 of the Quran once a month to see if it supports or rejects our views and actions in our daily life. I wish and hope this generates some soul searching and fruitful interactive discussion.

DUAA’

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

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 recollect 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).”

As there cannot be a greater boon or blessing or benefit than wisdom, 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 in matters religion we choose to resort to blind following -- taqleed, doctrine of classical Sunni Islamic Fiqh.

(NOTE: I have filtered out the proofs and details into the Footnotes for those who have the time and interest for them. The main text will then be of 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 Al Tauba No.9, Ayah No. 23

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا لا تَتَّخِذوا آباءَكُم وَإِخوانَكُم أَولِياءَ إِنِ استَحَبُّوا الكُفرَ عَلَى الإيمانِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِنكُم فَأُولٰئِكَ هُمُ الظّالِمونَ.
“ O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take your fathers and your brothers for allies if a denial of the truth is dearer to them than faith: for those of you who ally themselves with them - it is they, they who are evildoers!”

A SHORT VERSION

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’

(Note. I am sorry, there were no issues this year in the months of January, February and March because of my illness. I am well now by the Grace of God Almighty.)

Look at the high bar that Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo has set for the sahaabaa. And they cleared it beautifully. They are required to disown their own fathers and brothers and fight against them if they choose to prefer disbelief over the true faith. No wonder we are required to and we do respect them and honor them very highly; the Quran is replete with ayahs to do so. But this ayah highlights that every relationship on the earth is to be cast off, if it clashes with our rapport with Allah and HIS Messenger.
Thus “the real bond is the bond of Islam and Eeman; all bonds of lineage and country must be sacrificed for it”. Maulana Mufti Mohammed Shafi illustrates this beautifully in his grand tafseer Ma’aariful Quran “This was the way of the noble Companions. This was why they rose to be the superior most people of the Muslim Ummah. It was some trail they blazed by sacrificing all that was with them, their life, wealth, property, relatives and bonds of all sorts, only for the sake of Allah and His Messenger. That the bond of Islam was supreme and universal stood proved when Bilal from Ethiopia, Suhayb from Byzantium, Salman from Persia, the Quraysh from Makkah and the Ansar from Madinah became brothers to each other. And that the bonds of lineage and tribe had to be cast aside was also demonstrated when, on the battlefields of Badr and 'Uhud, swords were crossed between father and son and between brother and brother. These are significant evidences of the creed they held dear……..They left the comfort of their homes in Mecca and suffered exile in Medīna, gave up their trade and their possessions, strove and fought for God’s cause, sometimes against their own kith and kin or their own tribesmen who were enemies of Islam. They won through.” Let me hasten to add that this is the taweele Khaas—specific interpretation—of this ayah. We may discuss later the taawele aam—general interpretation as it pertains to us— of this ayah.

The faithful are cautioned about those relatives whose “denial of the truth is dearer to them than faith”. It should be emphasised that the Believers were not warned against the “person” of their fathers and brothers. In fact, the believers are asked to guard the interests of Ummah when these clash with those of the "deniers of the truth” among their family. This distancing of kinsfolk does not exclude “friendship” in normal human relationships as pointed by Dr. Asad. We have read many urgings in the Quran to be extremely kind to our parents and relatives. Furthermore, the following ayah manifestly allows us, nay encourages us to friendly and cordial relations with those disbelievers who are not actively hostile to the believers.5

“As for such [of the unbelievers] as do not fight against you on account of [your] faith, and neither drive you forth from your homelands, God does not forbid you to show them kindness and to behave towards them with full equity: for, verily, God loves those who act equitably—God only forbids you to turn in friendship towards such as fight against you because of [your] faith, and drive you forth from your homelands, or aid [others] in driving you forth: and as for those [from among you] who turn towards them in friendship; it is they, they who are truly wrongdoers!”

Please note that our Holy Text uses many different styles of expression and elucidation as it goes on. This has led to great difficulties in apprehending the true meaning. Initially it was regarded as a disjointed collection of ayahs revealed at different times and occasions. It was only in early twentieth century when the celebrated scholar Imam Hamid-ud-Din Farahi elaborated that the Holy Text is well coordinated into seven different groups. Each group has its own meaningful organization. It is also realized that one part of the Quran explains the meaning of another part. Moreover a topic is mentioned briefly at one spot and is expanded at another junction. Here, the index ayah is a clear example of this ; it is opened up in the very next ayah:3
“Say: If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your spouses and your clan, and the worldly goods which you have acquired, and the commerce whereof you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you take pleasure - [if all these] are dearer to you than God and His Apostle and the struggle in His cause, then wait until God makes manifest His will; and [know that] God does not grace iniquitous folk with His guidance.”

The list has been extended beyond relatives to include all our material possessions and wealth, our fear of losses in our business and commercial deals and our homes and properties which give us great pleasure. The research scholar and mentor Javed Ahmed Ghamdi remarks here that, on deliberation one can see a fine psychological gradation in the sequence adopted. His mentor Imam Amin Ahsan Ilahi specifies in his exquisite tafseer “Tadabbur al Quran” that the words and there placement in this ayah very beautifully depicts the variation in the intensity of human likes and love. However he makes here a very controversial comment: ۔ ’فِسْق‘ کا لفظ خروج عن الایمان کے مفہوم میں ہے جس سے یہ بات آپ سے آپ نکلی کہ جو لوگ اللہ و رسولؐ کے مقابل میں اہل کفر کو اپنا دوست اور معتمد بناتے ہیں وہ ایمان کے دعوے کے باوجود ایمان سے نکل جاتے ہیں۔
’فِسْق’, a word very commonly used in the Quran has been rendered by him as “exit from Eemaan”. This opens the floodgates of tafkeer, a serious affliction of our Ummah from days old. This is exactly what the venerable Imam has done. He says those who prefer the disbelievers over Allah and Rasool “walk out of eemaan” whatever their claim.

It should be noted that we are not refrained here from these ambitions; these are all valid and even desirable. But we are warned against a penchant for these over the dictates and demands of our Faith.

This ayah actually threatens those who give preference to their worldly possessions: “then wait until God makes manifest His will” or put in differently “"brings about [the fulfillment of) His command”. This probably refers to the Day of Judgement. However, Dr. Mohammad Asad, the eminent Muslim scholar makes a very pertinent translation of this segment of the ayah in his exegesis “The Message of The Quran”: “This may be an allusion to the Day of Judgment or - more probably - to the inevitable degeneration and decline of communities which place narrow self-interest above ethical values. In particular, this passage rejects the tendency to regard ties of kinship and national affiliation (expressed in the term "your clan") as the decisive factors of social behaviour, and postulates ideology ("God and His Apostle and the struggle in His cause") as the only valid basis on which a believer's life - individually and socially - should rest.”
God Almighty has commanded the believers not to take their kith and kin as أَولِياءَ translated here as “allies”. This perhaps has deeper implications and needs some elaboration. This brings in two more related ayahs:4

“As for those who take the deniers of the truth for their allies in preference to the believers - do they hope to be honored by them when, behold, all honor belongs to God [alone]?”

“LET NOT the believers take those who deny the truth for their allies in preference to the believers - since he who does this cuts himself off from God in everything - unless it be to protect yourselves against them in this way. But God warns you to beware of Him: for with God is all journeys' end.”

These two ayahs have shifted the attention from the kinsfolk and our earthly ties and comforts, profits and pleasures, to the disbelievers who should not be taken as allies in preference to other believers.
Additionally, an appealing ayah on the subject under discussion:6

“Thou canst not find people who [truly] believe in God and the Last Day and [at the same time] love anyone who contends against God and His Apostle - even though they be their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or [others of] their kindred.1 [As for the true believers,] it is they in whose hearts He has inscribed faith, and whom He has strengthened with inspiration from Himself, and whom [in time] He will admit into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide. Well-pleased is God with them, and well-pleased are they with Him. They are God's partisans: oh, verily, it is they, the partisans of God, who shall attain to a happy state!”

These along with some other ayahs with similar tone have given rise to a toxic and self hurting notion in the Muslims at large. The ta’weele khaas is transplanted to the ta’weele aam without any thought. For example, a very good Muslim American, successful and popular in his profession told me “I do not trust Christians”. On the other hand it is said in the non-Muslim world that “Muslims cannot coexist with others”. The ayahs under discussion here are meant for a certain period and specific circumstances in our history. These need deliberations to be transferred to our times. Refusing to do so has led to very wrong and self-destructive ideas and practices in the inter-Faith relations in the present day life, specially highlighted in the Western countries. I have discussed this problem in one of my earlier blogs DOES QURAN AND SHARI'AH ALLOW MUSLIMS TO COEXIST WITH NON-MUSLIMS AND NON-BELIEVERS ON THIS PLANET?

The term "allies" (awliya, sing. wali) indicates, as if by definition simply political alliances. However in the present context, as pointed out by the eminent scholar Dr. Mohammed Asad, it obviously refers to a "moral alliance" with the deniers of the truth. It is easy to comprehend for us, as we have gone through the same under colonial rule that the believers had the psychological need to imitate the lifestyle of the the affluent and highly placed disbelievers so that they are “honored” as equals. This is dangerous. The echoing and aping of the Quraish runs counter to the moral principles of the Islamic faith and in the long run will ultimately lead to deserting and dumping of these very principles.

The ayah allows an exception to the believers by stating إِلّا أَن تَتَّقوا مِنهُم تُقاةً which literally means "unless you fear from them something that is to be feared”. Al-Zamakhsharī , a medieval Muslim scholar, a great Hanafite jurist, rationalist theologian and authority on Arabic language philology explained this phrase as "unless you have reason to fear that they might do something which ought to be guarded against”. This refers to situations in which "those who deny the truth" are more powerful than the Muslims, and are therefore in a position to damage the latter unless they become their "allies" in a political or moral sense, explains Dr. Asad. Hence the Muslims are, as a special case allowed association and affiliation with the nonbelievers in such a situation

........and Allah knows best.
May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding--“fahm”--of our Deen, Aameen.

Dr. Khalid Mitha

FOOTNOTES

(1) Surah 2/269
يُؤتِي الحِكمَةَ مَن يَشاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُؤتَ الحِكمَةَ فَقَد أوتِيَ خَيرًا كَثيرًا ۗ وَما يَذَّكَّرُ إِلّا أُولُو الأَلبابِ
(2) Surah 102/8
ثُمَّ لَتُسأَلُنَّ يَومَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعيمِ
(3) Surah 9/24
قُل إِن كانَ آباؤُكُم وَأَبناؤُكُم وَإِخوانُكُم وَأَزواجُكُم وَعَشيرَتُكُم وَأَموالٌ اقتَرَفتُموها وَتِجارَةٌ تَخشَونَ كَسادَها وَمَساكِنُ تَرضَونَها أَحَبَّ إِلَيكُم مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسولِهِ وَجِهادٍ في سَبيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصوا حَتّىٰ يَأتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمرِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لا يَهدِي القَومَ الفاسِقينَ
(4)
Surah 4/139
الَّذينَ يَتَّخِذونَ الكافِرينَ أَولِياءَ مِن دونِ المُؤمِنينَ ۚ أَيَبتَغونَ عِندَهُمُ العِزَّةَ فَإِنَّ العِزَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَميعًا
Surah 3/28
لا يَتَّخِذِ المُؤمِنونَ الكافِرينَ أَولِياءَ مِن دونِ المُؤمِنينَ ۖ وَمَن يَفعَل ذٰلِكَ فَلَيسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ في شَيءٍ إِلّا أَن تَتَّقوا مِنهُم تُقاةً ۗ وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفسَهُ ۗ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ المَصيرُ
(5) Surah 60/8-9

لا يَنهاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذينَ لَم يُقاتِلوكُم فِي الدّينِ وَلَم يُخرِجوكُم مِن دِيارِكُم أَن تَبَرّوهُم وَتُقسِطوا إِلَيهِم ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ المُقسِطينَ —إِنَّما يَنهاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذينَ قاتَلوكُم فِي الدّينِ وَأَخرَجوكُم مِن دِيارِكُم وَظاهَروا عَلىٰ إِخراجِكُم أَن تَوَلَّوهُم ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم فَأُولٰئِكَ هُمُ الظّالِمونَ
(6) Surah 58/22

لا تَجِدُ قَومًا يُؤمِنونَ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَومِ الآخِرِ يُوادّونَ مَن حادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ وَلَو كانوا آباءَهُم أَو أَبناءَهُم أَو إِخوانَهُم أَو عَشيرَتَهُم ۚ أُولٰئِكَ كَتَبَ في قُلوبِهِمُ الإيمانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِروحٍ مِنهُ ۖ وَيُدخِلُهُم جَنّاتٍ تَجري مِن تَحتِهَا الأَنهارُ خالِدينَ فيها ۚ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُم وَرَضوا عَنهُ ۚ أُولٰئِكَ حِزبُ اللَّهِ ۚ أَلا إِنَّ حِزبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ المُفلِحونَ.

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A Critical Analysis Of A call by the Holy Quran: Shun your Parents, Kinsfolk, Materialistic Possessions and Disbelievers.

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