1.1 The
Meaning of Islam
The
word Islam is derived from the Arabic root "SLM" which Means, among
other things, peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the
religious sense the word Islam means submission to the Will of God
and obedience to His Law. The connection between the original and
the religious meanings of the word is strong and obvious. Only
through submission to the Will of God and by obedience to His Law
can one achieve true peace and enjoy lasting purity.
Some
outsiders call our religion "Mohammedanism" and address the
believers in Islam as "Mohammedans". The Muslims both reflect and
protest the use of these words. If our faith is classified as
Mohammedanism and if we are called Mohammedans, there will be
seriously wrong implications. This misnomer implies that the
religion takes its name after a mortal being, namely, Muhammad and
that Islam is no more than another "ism" just like Judaism,
Hinduism, Marxism, etc. Another wrong implication of this misnomer
is that outsiders might think of the Muslims, whom they call
Mohammedans, as worshippers of Muhammad or as believers in him in
the same way as Christians, for example, believe in Jesus. A further
wrong implication is that the word Mohammedanism may mislead the
outsider and make him think that the religion was founded by
Muhammad and therefore takes its name after the founder. All these
implications are seriously wrong or at best misleading. Islam is not
just another "ism". Nor do Muslims worship Muhammad or look upon him
the same way as Christians, Jews, -Hindus, Marxists, etc., look upon
their respective leaders. The Muslims worship God alone. Muhammad
was only a mortal being commissioned by God to teach the word of God
and lead an exemplary life. He stands in history as the best model
for man in prety and perfection. He is a living proof of what man
can be and of what he can accomplish in the realm of excellence and
virtue. More- over, the Muslims do not believe that Islam was
founded by Muhammad, although it was restored by him in the last
stage of religious evolution. The original founder of Islam is no
other than God Him self, and the date of the founding of Islam goes
back to the age of Adam. Islam has existed in one form or another
all along from the beginning and will continue to exist till the end
of time.
The
true name of the religion, then, is Islam and those who follow it
are Muslims. Contrary to popular misconceptions, Islam or submission
to the Will of God, together with obedience to His Law, does not
mean in any way loss of individual freedom or surrender to fatalism.
Anyone who thinks or believes so has certainly failed to understand
the true meaning of Islam and the concept of God in Islam. The
concept of God in Islam describes Him as the Most Merciful and
Gracious, and the Most Loving and most concerned with the well being
of man, and as Full of Wisdom and care for His Creatures. His Will,
accordingly, is a Will of Benevolence and Goodness, and whatever Law
He prescribes must be in the best interest of mankind.
When
the civilized people abide by the laws of their countries, they are
considered sound citizens and honest members of their respective
societies. No responsible person would say that such people lose
their freedom by their obedience to the Law. No rational being would
think or believe for a moment that such law-abiding people are
fatalists and helpless. Similarly, the person who submits to the
Will of God, which is a good Will, and obeys the Law of God, which
is the best Law, is a sound and honest person. He is gaining
protection of his own rights, showing genuine respect for the rights
of others, and enjoying a high degree of responsible, creative
freedom. Submission to the good Will of God, therefore, does not
take away or curtail individual freedom.
On the
contrary, it gives freedom of a high degree in abundant measures. It
frees the mind from superstitions and fills it with truth. It frees
the soul from sin and wrong and quickens it with goodness and
purity. It frees the self from vanity and greed, from envy and
tension, from fear and insecurity. It frees man from subjugation to
false deities and low desires, and unfolds before him the beautiful
horizons of goodness and excellence.
Submission to the good Will of God, together with obedience to His
beneficial Law, is the best safeguard of peace and harmony. It
enables man to make peace between himself and his fellow men on the
one hand, and between the human community and God on the other. It
creates harmony among the elements of Nature. According to Islam,
everything in the world, or every phenomenon other than man is
administered by God-made Laws. This makes the entire physical world
necessarily obedient to God and submissive to His Laws, which, in
turn, means that it is in a state of Islam, or it is Muslim. The
physical world has no choice of its own. It has no voluntary course
to follow on its own initiative but obeys the Law of the Creator,
the Law of Islam or submission. Man alone is singled out as being
endowed with intelligence and the power of making choices. And
because man possesses the qualities of intelligence and choice he is
invited to submit to the good Will of God and obey His Law. When he
does choose the course of submission to the Law of God, he will be
making harmony between himself and all the other elements of Nature,
which are by necessity obedient to God. He will be consistent with
the truth and in harmony with all the other elements of the
universe. But if he chooses disobedience he will deviate from the
Right Path and will be inconsistent. Besides, he will incur the
displeasure and punishment of the LawGiver.
Because
Islam means submission to the Good Will of God and obedience to His
Beneficial Law, and because this is the essence or the message of
all God-chosen messengers, a Muslim accepts all the prophets
previous to Muhammad without discrimination. He believes that all
those prophets of God and their faithful followers were Muslims, and
that their religion was Islam, the only true universal religion of
God (Qur’an, 2:128-140; 3:78-85; 17:42-44; 31:22; 42:13).
To sum
up this discussion, it may be helpful to reproduce my statement
which appeared in the Observer Dispatch (O.D.) of Utica on
December 4, 1972. The statement shows how much distortion and
confusion there is in this regard. The partial overlapping and
repetition may be forgiven because of the extreme sensitivity of the
issue and the need to reiterate the Islamic point of view.
A
particular news item (O.D., Nov. 25) is alarming. It invites
sympathy for the misinformed public and pity for many a school
teacher or man of the pulpit. It calls upon every man of good will
and conscience to stand up to his moral obligations.
Marcus
Eliason reported from Israeli-occupied Jordan that "The Moslems,"
among other things, "worship Abraham as Ibrahim…"
It is
incredible in this day and age, in this small world of ours, to read
in fresh print that the Muslims worship Ibrahim. It is more
incredible yet that this news comes from sources presumably
knowledgeable and is passed on to a public entitled to know.
For
centuries, many Westerners held and propagated the idea that the
Muslims worshipped Muhammed, whose religion was called Mohammedanism
and whose followers were known in the West as Mohammedans. Then it
somehow became apparent to those Westerners that the Muslims
worshipped Allah, a "deity of sorts." And now this new discovery
that they worship Abraham as Ibrahim.
The
fact is that the Muslims never worshipped Muhammad or any other
human being. They have always believed that Muhammad was a mortal
like the numerous prophets before him, and it is the highest tribute
to humanity that a man could achieve the most exalted status of
prophethood.
The
Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last, not the only prophet,
who reinforced and immortalized the eternal message of God to
mankind. This message was revealed by God to many prophets of
different nations at different times. including Abraham, Ishmael,
Isaac, David, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them). What
is more important is that the Muslims believe in them without
discrimination against any.
Because
of their universal outlook and cosmopolitan orientation, the Muslims
sorrowfully consider it an unfortunate misnomer to call them
Mohammedans and their faith Mohammedanism. The implications are
distasteful and for good reasons. The Muslims do not think of
themselves as a racial or ethnic group with any exclusive
monopolies. Their religion is not named after a man or place; it is
transcendent and temporal.
The
proper name of the religion is Islam and its followers are properly
called Muslims. In the religious context, the word Islam means
submission to the will of God and obedience to God's Law. The will
of God is defined by the Koran as good and compassionate, and His
law as the most beneficent and equitable, Any human being who so
submits and obeys is, therefore, a Muslim in a moral state of Islam.
It is in this sense that the Koran calls Abraham and all authentic
prophets Muslims and designates their religions by one and the same
title, namely Islam. Hence, the Muslim is not only a follower of
Muhammad exclusively; he also follows Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the
rest of God's messengers.
Finally, the word Allah in Islam simply but most emphatically means
the One and only Eternal God, Creator of the universe, Lord of all
lords, and King of all kings. The only unforgivable sin in Islam is
the belief in any deity besides or other than God. The most common
daily prayer among Muslims is: "In the name of God, the most
compassionate, the most merciful."
2.1 The
Concept of Faith (Iman)
Some
people may think that man becomes a Muslim when he confesses belief
in the Oneness of the True God and in Muhammad as His Last
Messenger. But this is far from the full meaning of Faith. The full
meaning of Faith in Islam is not, by any means, something nominal or
mere formality. Faith in Islam is a state of happiness acquired by
virtue of positive action and constructive conceptions as well as
dynamic and effective measures.
The
Holy Qur’an and the Traditions of Muhammad define these required
measures and establish the standards which build up a meaningful
Faith. Thus, the true believers are:
1.
Those who
believe in God, His angels, His Books as completed by the Qur’an,
His messengers with Muhammad being the Last of them all, the Day of
Final Judgment, the absolute knowledge and wisdom of God.
2.
Those who
trust God always and enjoy unshakable confidence in Him.
3.
Those who
spend in the way of God of what He has given them
in the form of wealth, life, health,
knowledge, experience, and so on.
4.
Those who
observe their daily prayers regularly as well as the weekly and
annual congregations.
5.
Those who pay
their religious taxes (alms or Zakah) to the rightful beneficiaries
(individuals or institutions), the minimum of which is two
and a half percent of the annual "net" income, or of the total value
of stocks if in business-after discounting all expenses and credits.
6.
Those who
enjoin the right and good, and combat the wrong and evil by all
lawful means at their disposal.
7.
Those who
obey God and His Messenger Muhammad; and feel increasing strength of
faith when the Qur’an is recited, and humility of heart when God's
name is mentioned.
8.
Those who
love God and His Messenger most, and love their fellow men sincerely
for the sake of God alone.
9.
Those who
love their near and distant neighbors and show genuine kindness to
their guests, especially the strangers.
10.
Those who say
the truth and engage in good talk, or else abstain.
It is
clear that the very meaning of Faith makes Islam penetrate deeply
and constructively into every aspect of life. According to Islam,
true Faith has a decisive effect on the spiritual and material lot
of man, and also on his personal and social behavior as well as his
political conduct and financial life. To show how the Qur’an
describes the true believers, here are some examples. The Qur’an
contains numerous references like these:
They only are the true believers
whose hearts feel submissive (and humble) when God is mentioned; and
when the revelations of God are recited unto them, they (the
revelations) increase and strength their Faith; and who trust in
their Lord, establish the prayer (as enjoined on them) and spend of
what We have bestowed on them (in the cause of God). Those are they
who are in truth believers. For them are (high) grades (of honor)
with their Lord, and a bountiful provision (Qur’an, 8:2-4).
And the believers, men and women, are
protecting (and allied) friends of one another; they enjoin the
right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and they pay
the poor-due, and they obey God and His Messenger. As for these, God
will have mercy on them; verily God is Mighty, and Wise. God
promises the believers, men and women, Gardens under which rivers
flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in Gardens of
everlasting bliss. But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of
God. That is the supreme felicity (Qur’an, 9:71-72).
The true believers are those only who
believe in God and His Messenger (Muhammad) and afterward doubt not,
but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of God.
Such are the sincere (Qur’an, 49:15).
Besides
these Qur’anic references, there are many relevant Traditions of
Muhammad. For example, he says:
None of
you can be a true believer, unless he loves for his fellow believer
what he loves for himself.
Three
qualities are the sign of sound faith, and he who acquires them can
really feel the sweet taste of Faith. They are (1) to love God and
His Messenger most of all, (2) to love his fellow man for the sake
of God alone, and (3) to resent and resist returning to disbelief as
much as he does being cast into fire.
He who
believes in God and the Last Day of Judgment is forbidden to cause
any harm to his neighbor, is to be kind to his guests-especially the
strangers, and is to say the truth or else abstain.
There
are many verses and traditions like the ones cited above. But it
should be borne in mind, however, that the given quotations are not
and cannot be the exact words of the Qur’an and Muhammad as they
sound in the Arabic Text. The reason for that is simple. No
interpreter, however learned and masterful he may be, can ever
convey the spiritual power and charming appeal of the Qur’an through
any language. The Qur’an is-and so God made it - inimitable, and it
is beyond human imagination and power to produce anything like it.
What is true of the Qur’an in this respect is also true of the
Traditions of Muhammad to a certain extent, because, after the
Qur’an, his words are the most conclusive and eloquent.
2.7 The
Concept of Sin
One of
the major troublesome areas of human existence is the problem
of sin or evil in the world. It is commonly believed that sin
started with Adam and Eve during their life in the Garden of Eden.
That event led to the Fall and has ever since branded the human race
with guilt, stigma, and bewilderment.
Islam
has taken a unique position on the whole issue, a position which is
not shared by any other religion we know. The Qur’an states that
Adam and Eve were directed by God to reside in the Garden of Eden
and enjoy its produce as they pleased, assured of bountiful supplies
and comfort. But they were warned not to approach a particular tree
so that they would not run into harm and injustice. Then Satan
intrigued them to temptation and caused them to lose their joyful
state. They were expelled from the Garden and brought down to earth
to live, die, and be taken out again at last for the Final Judgment.
Having realized what they had done, they felt shame, guilt, and
remorse. They prayed for God's mercy and were forgiven (Qur’an,
2:35-38; 7:19-25;20:117-123).
This
symbolic event is significantly revealing. It tells that the human
being is imperfect and ever wanting even if he were to live in
paradise. But committing a sin or making a mistake, as Adam
and Eve did, does not necessarily deaden the human heart, prevent
spiritual reform or stop moral growth. On the contrary, the human
being has enough sensibility to recognize his sins and shortcomings.
More importantly, he is capable of knowing where to turn and to whom
he should turn for guidance. Much more important is the fact that
God is ever prepared to respond to the sincere calls of those who
seek His aid. He is so Gracious and Compassionate that Forgiveness
is Encompassing and His Mercy all-inclusive (Qur’an, 7:156). One
last revealing reading of the event is that discrimination on the
basis of sex and hereditary guilt or sin are alien to the spirit of
Islam.
The
idea of Original Sin or hereditary criminality has no room in the
teachings of Islam. Man, according to the Qur’an (30:30) to the
Prophet, is born in a natural state of purity or fitrah, that
Islam or submission to the will and law of God. Whatever becomes
of man after birth is the result of external influence and intruding
factors. To put the matter in terms of modern thought, human nature
is malleable; it is the socialization process, particularly the home
environment, that is crucial. It plays a decisive role in the
formation of human personality and the development of moral
character. This does not deny to the individual the freedom of
choice exempt him from responsibility. Rather, it is a relief from
that he burden of hereditary criminality or instinctual sin.
God, by
definition, is Just, Wise, Merciful, Compassionate, Perfect. He has
created man by breathing into him of His own Spirit (Qur’an, 15:29;
32:9; 66:12). Since God is the absolute infinite good and His spirit
the absolute perfect one; since man, through creation, received of
the Spirit of God, then man was bound to retain at least some
portion of this good Spirit of the Creator. This may account for the
good dispositions of man and his spiritual longings. But, on the
other hand, God created man to worship Him, not to be His equal,
rival, the perfect incarnation or absolute embodiment of His
goodness. This means that no matter how much good and perfect man
may be, by the grace of creation, he is still far short of the
goodness and perfection of the Creator. Man is not without such
qualities, to be sure. But they are limited and proportion man's
finite nature, capacity, and responsibility. This may explain the
imperfection and fallibility of man.
However, imperfection and fallibility are not the equivalent of sin
or synonymous with criminality-at least not in Islam. If man is
imperfect he is not left helpless or deserted by God to fall victim
to his shortcomings. He is empowered by revelations supported by
reason, fortified by the freedom of choice, and guided by various
social and psychological dispositions to seek and achieve relative
perfection. The constant gravitation between the forces of good and
evil is the struggle of life. It gives man something to look forward
to, ideals to seek, work to do, and roles to play. It makes his life
interesting and meaningful, not monotonous and stagnant On the other
hand, it pleases God to see His servants in a state spiritual and
moral victory.
According to the moral scale of Islam, it is not a sin that man is
imperfect or fallible. This is part of his nature as a finite
limited creature. But it is a sin if he has the ways and means of
relative Perfection and chooses not to seek it. A sin is any act,
thought, or will that (1) is deliberate, (2) defies the unequivocal
law of God, (3) violates the right of God or the right of man, (4)
is harmful to the soul or body, (5) is committed repeatedly, and (6)
is normally avoidable. These are the components of sin which is not
innate or hereditary. It is true, however, that man has the
potential capacity of sin latent in him; but this is not greater
than his capacity of piety and goodness. If he chooses to
actualize the potential of sin instead of the potential of goodness,
he will be adding a new external element to his pure nature. For
this added external element man alone is responsible.
In
Islam, there are major and minor sins, as there are sins against God
and sins against both God and man. All sins against God, except one,
are forgivable if the sinner sincerely seeks forgiveness. The Qur’an
has stated that truly God does not forgive the sin of shirk
(Polytheism, pantheism, trinity, etc.). But He forgives sins other
than this and pardons whom He wills. Yet if the polytheist or
atheist comes back to God, his sin will be forgiven. Sins against
men are forgivable only if the offended pardon the offender or if
the Proper compensations and/or punishments are applied.
In
conclusion, sin is acquired not inborn, emergent not built-in
avoidable not inevitable. It is a deliberate conscious violation of
the unequivocal law of God. If man does something that is truly
caused by natural instincts or absolutely irresistible drives and
uncontrollable urges, then such an act is not a sin in Islam.
Otherwise, God's Purpose will be pointless and man's responsibility
will be in vain. God demands of man what lies within the human
possibilities and reaches.
THE
PRAYERS (SALAH)
The
Purpose of Prayer
Prayer
constitutes one polar of Islam and is considered the Foundation of
Religion. Any Muslim who fails to observe his prayers and has no
reasonable excuse is committing a grave offense and a heinous sin.
This offense is so grave because it is not only against God, which
is bad enough, but is also against the very nature of man. It is an
instinct of man to be inclined to adore the great beings, and to
aspire to lofty goals. The greatest being and the loftiest goal of
all is God. The best way to cultivate in man a sound personality and
actualize his aspirations in a mature course of development is the
Islamic Prayer. To neglect prayer is to oppress the good qualities
in human nature and unjustifiably deny it the right to adore and
love, tie right to aspire and ascend, the right to excel in goodness
and achieve noble aims. Such oppression and denial constitute a very
serious and destructive offense. Here lies the significance and
vitality of prayer in the life of man.
It
should always be borne in mind that God does not need man's prayer,
because He is free of all needs. He is only interested in our
prosperity and well being in every sense. When He emphasizes the
necessity of prayer and charges us with any duty, He means to help
us; because whatever good we do is for our own benefit, and whatever
offense we commit is against our own souls. Here too, man is the
center of gravity, and his common interest is the main concern. The
benefit which man can derive from the Islamic prayer is
immeasurable, and the blessing of prayer is beyond imagination. This
is not just a "theory" or conventional assumption; it is a
fascinating fact and a spiritual experience. Here is an explanation
of the effectiveness of the Islamic prayer:-
1. It
strengthens the belief in the Existence and Goodness of God and
transmits this belief into the innermost recesses of man's heart.
2. It
enlivens this belief and makes it constructive in the practical
course of life.
3. It
helps man to realize his natural and instinctive aspirations to
greatness and high morality, to excellence and virtuous growth.
4. It
purifies the heart and develops the mind, cultivates the conscience
and comforts the soul
5. It
fosters the good and decent elements in man, and supresses the evil
and indecent inclinations.
When we
analyze the Islamic prayer and study its unique nature, it will
reveal to us that it is not merely a physical motion or a void
recital of the Holy Book. It is a matchless and unprecedented
formula of intellectual meditation and spiritual devotion, of moral
elevation and physical exercise, all combined. It is an exclusively
Islamic experience where every muscle of the body joins the soul and
the mind in the worship and glory of God. It is difficult for anyone
to impart in words the full meaning of the Islamic prayer, yet it
can be said that it is:
1. A
lesson in discipline and willpower;
2. A
practice in devotion to God and all worthy objectives;
3. A
vigilant reminder of God and constant revelation of His Goodness;
4. A
seed of spiritual cultivation and moral soundness;
5. A
guide to the most upright way of life;
6. A
safeguard against indecency and evil, against wrong deviation and
stray;
7. A
demonstration of true equality, solid unity, and brotherhood;
8. An
expression of thankfulness to God and appreciation of Him;
9. A
course of inner peace and stability;
10. An
abundant source of patience and courage, of hope and confidence.
This is
the Islamic prayer, and that is what it can do for man. The best
testimony to this statement is to experience the prayer and avail
oneself of its spiritual joys. Then one will know what it really
means.
The
Conditions of Prayer
The
offering of prayer is obligatory upon every Muslim, male or female,
who is:
1.
Sane and
responsible;
2.
Relatively
mature and in the age of puberty, normally about fourteen. (Children
should be advised by parents to start practice at the age of seven
and strongly urged by the age often);
3.
Free from
serious sickness and, in the case of women, free from menstruation
and confinement due to child birth and nursing. The maximum period
of both is ten and forty days, respectively. In these circumstances
women are exempt from prayers completely.
Prayer
is not valid unless the following requirements are fulfilled:
1.
Performing the ablution (Wudu'), which will be explained later;
2.
Purity of the
whole body, the clothes worn on it, and the ground used for prayer
from all kinds of dirt and impurity;
3.
Dressing
properly in such a way as to meet the moral regulations aimed at
covering the private parts. For the male, the body should be covered
at least from the navel to the knees. For the female, the whole body
should be covered except the face, the hands and the feet. For both,
transparent clothes must be avoided in prayer;
4.
Declaring the
intention of prayer (NiyyA) by both heart and tongue whenever
possible;
5.
Facing the
right direction of "Qiblah", the direction of the Ka'bah at Mecca.
There are many ways to decide the right direction. If a person has
no means of telling, he would follow his best judgment.
The
Kinds of Prayer
The
following are the various kinds of prayer:
1.
Obligatory
(Fard), which includes the five daily prayers, the Friday's noon
congregation and the funeral prayer. Failure to observe these
prayers is a serious and punishable sin, if there is no reasonable
excuse.
2.
Supererogatory (Wajib and Sunnah), which includes the prayers
accompanying the obligatory services, and the congregations of the
two great festivals (Eeds). Failure to observe these is a harmful
negligence and a reproachable conduct.
3.
Optional
prayer which includes all voluntary prayers at any time of the day
or the night. Two periods have a special preference: the later part
of the night until just before the breaking of the dawn and the
mid-morning period.
The
Times of Prayer
Every
Muslim, male or female, must offer at least five daily prayers in
time, if there is no lawful reason for exemption, combination, or
temporary delay, They are:
1.
The Early
Morning Prayer (Salatu-l-Fajr), which may be offered any time after
the dawn and before sunrise, a total period of about two hours.
2.
The Noon
Prayer (Salatu-z-Zuhr) This prayer may be offered anytime after the
sun begins to decline from its Zenith until it is about midway on
its course to setting. For example, if the sun sets at 7:00 p.m. the
prayer time begins a little after 12:00 noon and continues until a
little after 3:30 p.m. Soon after that the time of the next prayer
begins. However, there are accurate calendars telling the time of
each prayer. But if there is none available, one must resort to
one's best judgment.
3.
The
Mid-Afternoon Prayer (Salatu-l-‘Asr), which begins right after the
expiration of the Noon Prayer time and extends to sunset.
4.
The Sunset
Prayer (Salatu-l-Maghrib). The time of this prayer begins
immediately after sunset and extends till the red glow in the
western horizon disappears. Normally it extends over a period of one
hour and twenty to thirty minutes.
5.
The Evening
Prayer (Salatu-l-‘Isha’), which begins after the red glow in the
western horizon disappears (nearly one hour and thirty minutes after
sunset) and continues till a little before the dawn.
It is
noticeable that Islam hits set the times of prayers in such a way
that our spiritual recreation remarkably coincides with our physical
nourishment, and combines the peace of mind with the relaxation of
body. The Early Morning Prayer is due in the regular period of
breakfast; the Noon-Prayer coincides with the lunch period; the
Mid-Afternoon Prayer falls about the break time for tea or coffee:
the Sunset Prayer is about the supper time; and the Evening Prayer
corresponds with the late snack. It is also noticeable that the
Muslim, by observing these prayers, marks the whole day with a
spiritual stamp in the beginning, at the end and throughout. So he
combines religion and life, feels the presence of God within him
throughout the day, concludes his daily transactions with a
spiritual feeling and builds up his moral prestige on strong
foundations. Moreover, in this way the Muslim introduces spiritual
vitality into all aspects of his life, and religion presents itself
to all fields of activity. It becomes effective in shops and
offices, homes and farms, factories and plants. It extends its light
to every circle of business and work, Indeed, this timetable of
prayer is remarkable because it is the work of God and the product
of Islam.
It is
always preferable to offer the prayer as soon as the time sets in,
lest some things cause unexpected delay or postponement. These
prayers are Divine contests. The reward for those who pass the
contests is immeasurable, and their delight is beyond imagination.
The happiness they attain, the rejoicing they feel, and the honor
they receive cannot be expressed in words. On the other hand.
failure to participate in these contests is a punishable sin. It
causes severe penalties, spiritual deprivation, mental agony and
social isolation.
The
Noon (Zuhr) and the Afternoon, (‘Asr) Prayers may be offered
together, if a person is traveling or sick. The same permission is
granted with regard to the Sunset (Maghrib) and the Evening (‘Isha)
Prayers.
The
PARTIAL ABLUTION -(Wudu’)
Before
offering the prayer one must be in good shape and pure condition. It
is necessary to wash the parts of the body which are generally
exposed to dirt or dust or smog. This performance is called ABLUTION
(Wudu’) and is preferably carried out as follows:
1.
Declare the
intention that the act is for the purpose of worship and purity.
2.
Wash the
hands up to the wrists, three times.
3.
Rinse out the
mouth with water, three times, preferably with a brush whenever it
is possible.
4. Cleanse the
nostrils of the nose by sniffing water into them, three times.
5.
Wash the
whole face three times with both hands, if possible, from the top of
the forehead to the bottom of the chin and from ear to ear.
6.
Wash the
right arm three times up to the far end of the elbow, and then do
the same with the left arm.
7.
Wipe the
whole head or any part of it with a wet hand, once.
8.
Wipe the
inner sides of the ears with the forefingers and their outer sides
with the thumbs. This should be done with wet fingers.
9. Wipe
around the neck with wet hands.
10. Wash the two feet up to the ankles, three times, beginning with the
right foot.
At this
stage the ablution is completed, and the person who has performed it
is ready to start his prayer. When the ablution is valid a person
may keep it as long as he can, and may use it for as many prayers as
he wishes. But it is preferable to renew it as often as possible. It
is also preferable to do it in the said order, although it will be
accepted from those who fail to keep this order. Ablution in the
said way is sufficient for prayer unless it is nullified by any
reason.
Nullification of the Ablution
The
ablution becomes nullified by any of the following:
1.
Natural discharges, i.e., urine, stools, gas, etc..
2. The
flow of blood or pus and the like from any part of the body:
3.
Vomiting;
4.
Falling asleep;
5.
Losing one's reason by taking drugs or any intoxicating stuff.
After
the occurrence of any of these things the ablution must be renewed
for prayer. Also, after natural discharges, water should be applied
because the use of toilet tissues may not be sufficient for the
purpose of purity and worship.
Complete Substitute for the Ablution (Tayammum)
Tayammum or resort to pure earth may substitute for the ablution and
even the bath. This is allowed in any of the following cases:
1.
When a person
is sick and cannot use water;
2. When
he has no access to water in sufficient quantity; 3. When the use of
water is likely to do him harm or cause any disease;
3. When the
performance of ablution makes the person miss a funeral or Eed
Prayer,
which has no substitute.
In any
of these instances it is permissible to make ‘Tayammum’ which is
performed as follows:
1.
Strike both
hands slightly on pure earth or sand or stone.
2.
Shake the
hands off and wipe the face with them once in the same way as done
in the ablution.
3.
Strike the
hands again and wipe the right arm to the elbow with the left hand
and the left arm with the right hand.
This
‘Tayammum’ is a symbolic demonstration of the importance of the
ablution, which is so vital for both worship and health. When Islam
introduced this repeatable ablution, it brought along with it the
best hygienic formula which no other spiritual doctrine or medical
prescription had anticipated.
Special Facilities in Ablution
With
regard to the ablution Islam has offered certain facilities. If
socks or stockings are on and have been put on after performing an
ablution, it is not necessary to take them off when renewing the
ablution. Instead of taking them off, the wet hand may be passed
over them. They should be removed, however, and the feet washed at
least once in every twenty-four hours. The same practice may be
resorted to if the boots are on and their soles and appearances are
clean. Similarly if there is a wound in any of the parts which must
be washed in the ablution, and if washing that particular part is
likely to cause harm, it is permissible to wipe the dressing bandage
of the wound with a wet hand.
After
the worshipper has done the ablution and after the ‘Adhan’ and
‘Iqamah’ are said, the prayer starts as follows:
1.
The Early Morning Prayer (salatu-l-Fajr)
In this
prayer two units (Rak’ahs) are offered first as supererogatory
(Sunnah). These are followed by two other units as obligatory
(Fard). Both Supererogatory and obligatory units are offered in the
same manner except that, when declaring the intention, one has to
distinguish between the two kinds. This is the description of
performance:
Act
1.
One stands in reverence
and humility, facing the Qiblah, raising his hands up to the ears,
and says: "Nawaytu Osalli Sunnata Salati-l-Fajr or Farda
Salati-l-Fajr (As the case may be); Allahu Akbar."
This
means: "I declare my intention to offer the supererogatory or
obligatory (as the case may be) prayer of the morning; God is the
Greatest of all." Then he lowers his arms and places the right hand
over the left one right below the navel.
Act
2. He then says in a low
voice the following: "Subhanaka-l-lahumma wa bihamdik, wa
tabaraka-smuk, wa ta'ala Jadduk, wa La llaha Ghayruk. A'udhu
bi-l-lahi mina-sh-shaytani-r- rajeem.
Bismi-l-lahi-r-rah-mann-r-raheem".
This
means: "Glory be to You, 0 God, and Yours is the praise, and blessed
is Your name, and exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god
besides You. I seek the refuge of God from the condemned devil. In
the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful."
Act
3.
Then in a low or
audible voice he recites the Opening Chapter of the Qur’an
(al-Fatihah), followed by any passage from the Holy Book. (The
Opening and examples of these short chapters and verses will be
found later in this section.)
Act 4.
Then he says: "Allahu Akbar," (God is the Greatest of all), lowering
his head down at a right angle, placing the palms of his hands on
the knees and saying in a low voice:
"Subhana Rabbiya-l-'Azeem"
("Glory
to my Lord the Great", repeated three times). This is called Ruku’.
After that the standing position is resumed with these words:
"Sami’a-l-ahu Liman Hamidah; Rabbana Laka-l-Hamd
(God
accepts any who are thankful to Him; Our Lord, praise be to You).
When saying this the hands remain on the sides.
Act
5.
The worshipper then
says: Allahu Akbar, prostrating himself with the toes of both feet,
both knees, both hands and the forehead touching the ground. This is
the position of Sujud and is accompanied with these words:
Subhana
Rabbiya-l-A'La
(Glory
to my Lord the Most High, repeated three times).
Act 6.
Then with the utterance of Allahu Akbar comes the Julus, a short
rest in a sitting posture: the outer side of the left foot and the
toes of the right one, which are in an erect position, touching the
ground and the two hands are placed on the knees.
After
this a second prostration (Sujud) is repeated in the same way with
the same utterances as in the first one. This completes one unit
(Rak’ah) of the prayer.
Act
7.
After the first unit
the worshipper rises, saying Allahu Akbar, to assume a standing
position for the second unit and recites the Opening (the Fatihah)
followed by a Qur’anic passage as in the first unit.
Act
8.
When he has finished
the second bowing and the two prostrations in the same way as the
first, he takes a sitting position as in Julus and recites the
Tashahhud with its two parts. (This will be found later in this
section.)
Act
9.
Finally he turns his
face to the right side saying these words: "Assalamu ‘Alaykum wa
rahmatu-I-Lah (Peace be on you and the mercy of God). Then he turns
his face to the left side uttering the same greetings.
This is
how any prayer of two units (Rak’ahs), whether obligatory or
supererogatory, is performed. When knowing how to perform this
prayer in the right way, all other prayers will be found very easy.
It should be pointed out that every move or every word in the
Islamic prayer has a great significance attached to it and is
symbolic of a very deep meaning.
2.
The Noon Prayer (Sulatu-z-Zuhr)
This
consists of four units as Sunnah, followed by four units as Fard,
and then two others as Sunnah. The performance of the Fard of this
prayer is as follows:
(a)
The first two units are
performed in the same way as in the morning prayer. The Fatihah and
a portion of the Qur’an are recited in a low voice. Bowing and
prostration postures are observed in the same way.
(b)
When reciting the Tashahhud after the second unit, the
worshipper stops at the end of the first part of it to resume the
posture of standing.
(c)
Then he recites the Fatiha only in the third unit without any added
portion of the Qur’an.
(d)
When he concludes the third unit, he stands for the fourth and
recites the Fatihah only as in the third.
(e)
After bowing and prostration he takes the sitting posture of Julus
and recites the whole Tashahhud with its two parts.
(f)
Then he utters the peace greetings right and left.
(g)
Offering the two Sunnah units is like the morning prayer but in a
low voice.
3.
The Mid-Afternoon Prayer (Salatu-l-'Asr)
It
consists of four units as Sunnah followed by four others as Fard.
These are performed in the same way as the noon prayer and in a low
voice.
4.
The Sunset Prayer (Salatu-l-Maghrib)
It
consists of three units as Fard followed by two as Sunnah. It may be
said in the first two units with a low or audible voice; the third
unit is in a low voice. It is performed in the same way as the noon
or mid-afternoon prayer except that the fourth unit is excluded and
the final sitting here, following recital of the Fatihah, bowing,
and prostrations, comes after the third unit, which ends with the
utterances of peace greetings. The two Sunnah units are offered in
the same way as the Early Morning Prayer.
5.
The Evening Prayer (Salatu.l-‘Isha’)
It
consists of four units as Fard, two as Sunnah and three as Witr
(higher than Sunnah and lower than Fard). The first two units of the
four Fard may be said in a low or audible voice. Other than that, it
is performed the same way as the noon or mid-afternoon prayer. The
two Sunnah units are performed exactly like the early morning
prayer.
As for
the three Witr units, they are performed just like the sunset prayer
with two exceptions: (a) in the third unit the Fatihah is followed
by a portion of the Qur’an, and (b) while standing after bowing and
before Prostration the worshipper says these words:
"Allahumma inna nasta'eenuk, wa nastahdeek, wa nastaghifiruk,
wa natubu ilayk, wa nu'minu bik, wa natawakkalu 'Alayk, wa nuthni
'alayka-l-Khayra kullah. Nashkurk, wa la nakfruk, wa nakhla'u wa
natruku man yafj-uruk. Allahumma iyyaka na’bud, wa laka
nusalli wa nasjud, wa ilayka nas'a wa nahfid. Narju rahmatak, wa
naklisha 'adhabak; inna 'adhabaka bi-l-Kuffari mulhaq wa
salli-l-llahumma 'ala sayyidina Muharnmad wa 'ala alihi - wa sahbihi
wa sallim."
This is
called Qunut and may be interpreted as follows:
"O God!
We beseech You for help and guidance, and seek Your protection and
believe in You and rely on You, and extol You and are thankful to
You and are not ingrate to You, and we declare ourselves clear of,
and forsake, him who disobeys You.
"O God!
To You do we pray and prostrate ourselves, and to You do we betake
ourselves, and to obey You we are quick, and Your mercy do we hope
for and Your punishment do we fear, for Your punishment overtakes
the unbelievers.
"O God!
Exalt our Master Muhammad and his people and his true followers."
If this
Qunut cannot be commanded by memory, it is sufficient to say any
recitation similar to it till it is mastered. All the Sunnah
(supererogatory) prayers are to be said individually, that is not in
congregation except the ‘Eed prayers, and the Witr in the month of
Ramadan.
The
Sunnah Prayers are not required from a person who has missed some
Fard Prayers. Instead, he must make up for what he has missed
and offer the obligatory services. Also the Sunnah Prayers are not
required, if the due time of the accompanying Fard Prayers has
expired. So, if a person misses any prayer and wants to make up for it, he has to offer the Fard only.
If a worshipper does not know how to say his whole prayers in, the
Arabic version, he may use any other language he knows if it can
express the same meaning of the Arabic. To make the Arabic version
easy we are giving the words in transliteration.
The
Fard Prayer is much more preferable when offered in a congregation
(Jama’ah) led by an Imam. The congregation is best when it is held
in a mosque, but it may be held in other places.
THE
EXTERNAL NATURE
The
external nature of man is as complex, subtle and wide as his
internal nature. We need to re-emphasize the fact that the soundness
of the former is greatly dependent upon that of the latter and vice
versa, because man’s complete nature is made up of both aspects. For
the sake of clarification, once more, we have to classify the
external nature of man into divisions and subdivisions. But we
should always bear in mind that any imbalance in the system of human
nature may become destructive and fatal. The fact of the matter is
that both the internal and external natures of man act and interact
responsively, and that Islam has extended its Divine touch to the
internal as well as the external aspects of life.
The
Personal Life
Islam
deals with the very personal life of man in such a way as to insure
his purity and cleanliness; as to give him a healthy diet and show
him the proper manners of clothing, behavior, adornment, sports and
so on.
1.
Purity and Cleanliness
It is
an Islamic injunction that before offering the prayer the Muslim
must perform an ablution, unless he has done one earlier and kept it
valid. This obligatory ablution is sometimes partial, sometimes
complete, depending on his or her condition. Now, if we remember
that a Muslim has to offer at least five obligatory prayers every
day in pure heart and mind, in clean body and clothes, on pure
ground and intention-we can very well realize the vital effect and
beneficial results of this single act for man (cf. Qur’an, 4:43,
5:7).
2.
Diet
To
maintain a pure heart and a sound mind, to nourish an aspiring soul
and a clean healthy body, special attention should be given to the
diet on which man lives. And this is exactly what Islam does. Some
superficial or self-deceived persons may imagine that food and
drinking stuff has no direct or important effect on the general
condition of the person who fills his stomach regularly. But this is
certainly not the viewpoint of Islam which takes the matter in a
most serious way. The general principle of Islam in this respect is
this: All the things which are pure in themselves and good for man
are lawful for diet as long as they are taken in moderate
quantities. And all the things which are impure and bad or harmful
are unlawful under all ordinary circumstances. There is always room
and flexibility for exceptions to meet cases of absolute necessity
(Qur’an, 7:157; see the section on Islamic Morals above).
Beyond
this general principle, there are certain foods and drinks specified
by God as forbidden. Among these are: meat of dead animals and
birds, the flesh of swine and that of anything slaughtered with the
invocation of any name other than that of God (2:173; 5:4). The
drinks which Islam considers harmful and destructive to the human
spirit and morality as well as to the physique and morale of man are
included in the Qur’anic verse which forbids all intoxicants and all
forms of gambling or games of chance (5:93-94).
The
prohibition of these foods and drinks is not by any means an
arbitrary action or a dictatorial decree of God. It is first and
foremost a Divine intervention in the best interest of man and for
his own sake. When the Qur’an describes these forbidden things as
bad, impure and harmful, it has a vigilant eye on mans morality and
wisdom, on his health and wealth, on his piety and common
behavior-all of which are invaluable assets in the estimation of
Islam. The reasons behind this Divine intervention are numerous.
They are of a nature intellectual and spiritual, moral and mental,
physical and economical. And the sole purpose is to show man how to
develop himself according to an upright course of life in order to
be a healthy unit in the structure of the family, then of society,
and eventually of humanity at large. Reliable medical doctors and
social scientists should be able now to verify the benefits of these
Islamic legislation.
Islam
is as orthodox and uncompromising on the quality of the organic
nourishment of man as it is on his spiritual soundness and
intellectual growth. This point is brought to light by the fact that
some dietary items are forbidden in kind, as mentioned above and
some in degree. The things which are lawful for the Muslim should be
taken in moderate quantities without indulgence or excess
(Qur’an, 7:31). After shunning all the forbidden items in kind and
degree, the Muslim is invited by God to enjoy His gracious
provisions and to experience gratitude to the Merciful Provider
(2:168, 172; 5:90-91).
3.
Clothing and Adornment
In
man’s clothing and adornment Islam takes into serious consideration
the principles of decency, modesty, chastity and manliness. Anything
in clothing or adornment incompatible with the attainment,
maintenance and development of these qualities is inhibited by
Islam. The clothing material and the dressing manners which may
stimulate arrogance or false pride and vanity are strictly
prohibited. So are the adornments which may weaken the morality of
man or undermine his manliness. Man should remain loyal to his manly
nature, which God has chosen for him, and keep away from all the
things that are likely to weaken or endanger his character. This is
the reason why Islam warns man not to use certain clothing
materials, e.g., pure silk, and certain precious stones, e.g., gold,
for the purpose of adornment. These are things which suit the
feminine nature alone. The hand-someness of man is not in wearing
precious stones or flaunting in pure and natural silken clothes but
in high morality, sweet nature and sound conduct.
When
Islam allows woman to use the things which are forbidden for man and
which are suitable for the feminine nature alone, Islam does not let
woman go loose or wander unrestricted. It allows her the things
which suit her nature and, at the same time, cautions her against
anything that might abuse or upset that nature. The manner in which
women should dress up, beautify, walk and even look is a very
delicate question, and Islam pays special attention to the matter.
The vision of Islam in this respect is focused on the general
welfare of women. Islam has served advice to both man and woman to
help women in particular to retain and develop their dignity and
chastity, safe from being the subject of idle gossip or vicious
rumors and suspicious thoughts. The advice is imparted in these
Qur’anic verses:
Say to the believing men that they
should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for
greater purity for them. And God is well-acquainted with all that
they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their
gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their
beauty and ornaments except what, (must ordinarily) appear thereof;
that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display
their beauty except before their husbands, their fathers . . . (and
certain other members of the household); and that they should not
strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden
ornaments (24:30-31).
Islam
is very sensitive to the manners of clothing and ornaments. It makes
it crystal clear that both man and woman should be confined to their
respective natures to safeguard their natural instincts and endow
them with modesty and high morality. Prophet Muhammad is reported as
having said that God condemns those men who behave or act in a woman
like fashion, and those women who behave or act in a manlike
fashion. Nevertheless, it should be borne in mind that Islam lays no
restrictions on the harmless or proper items of clothing and
ornaments. In fact, the Qur’an calls such things the beautiful gifts
of God and reproaches those who look upon them as forbidden
(7:32-33).
4.
Sports and Amusements
It is
gratifying to notice that most of the Islamic forms of worship,
e.g., Prayers, Fasting, Pilgrimage, display some sportive
characteristics, although they are basically and by nature meant for
spiritual purposes. But who would deny the constant interaction
between the physique and morale of man? Yet that is not all that
Islam has to say on the subject of sports and amusements. Anything
that provokes sound thinking or refreshes the mind and revitalizes
the body to keep man in healthy shape is encouraged and invited to
by Islam so long as it does not anticipate or involve any sin, or
cause any harm or delay and hamper the fulfillment of other
obligations. The general precept in this matter is the statement in
which the Prophet said that all believers in God have good qualities
but the strong one is better than the weak. It is also reported that
he approved of the sports and amusements which build up the enduring
physique and strengthen the morale.
It is a
regrettable mistake to associate with sports and amusements things
which are not really sportive or amusing. Some people consider
gambling and drinking as sports and amusements, but this is not the
viewpoint of Islam. Life is worth living and is granted to us for a
definite purpose. No one is supposed to abuse it by letting it go
loose or become dependent entirely on luck and chance. So it is no
intrusion on or violation of the personal rights of man when Islam
extends its Divine touch to organize life even in its very personal
aspects. Because life is man’s most valuable asset and is designed
for noble purposes, Islam has shown man the way to live it properly
and enjoyably. Among the measures taken in this respect is
inhibition of gambling which is really more tension-accelerating
than tension- reducing. It is a grave abuse of life to make it
subject to luck and mere chance. It is a deviation from the normal
course of life, if one entrusts his lot to the mad wheel of games,
and invests his abilities in the most unpredictable moves on a
gambling table. To protect man from all these unnecessary mental
strains and shattering of nerves, and to enable him to lead a
natural life in means as well as in ends, Islam has forbidden
gambling of all forms and kinds.
Similarly, it is a shameful retreat from reality and an
irresponsible insult to the best quality in man, i.e., mind, to get
entang1ed in the tight strands of intoxication or cornered in the
vicious whirl of alcohol. The menaces and tragedies of intoxication
are to obvious to be elaborated. Many lives are being lost every day
on this account. Many families break up because of this menace. Many
billions of dollars are swallowed in the drinking channel every
year. Countless doors are closed on misery and unhappiness arising
from the drinking habits. Besides the destruction of health, the
depression of mind, the dullness of soul, the absorption of wealth,
the disintegration of families, the abuse of human dignity, the
sabotage of morality, the humiliating retreat from realty; everyone
of the so-called social drinkers is a highly potential alcoholic.
Islam cannot tolerate these menaces or let man abuse the very sense
of life in this tragic way. That is the reason why Islam does
not associate gambling and drinking with good sports and refreshing
amusements and, instead, has banned them once and for all. To
appreciate the viewpoint of Islam in this respect one has
only to check any news medium, read any medical report, visit any
social service agency, or watch any court proceedings. Of all the
agonizing social problems, alcoholism is by far the most serious.
More than one-half million Americans become alcoholics every year.
One in every ten to twelve people who take their first drink in any
given year is destined to become alcoholic. All these painful
tragedies and real losses speak much louder than any theological or
trade arguments.
The
Family Life
There
have been many definitions and descriptions of the family. For our
purpose, we shall adopt the following simplified definition. The
family is a human social group whose members are bound together by
the bond of blood ties and/or marital relationship.
The
family bond entails mutual expectations of rights and obligations
that are prescribed by religion, enforced by law, and observed by
the group members. Accordingly, the family members share certain
mutual commitments. These pertain to identity and provision,
inheritance and counsel, affection for the young and security for
the aged, and maximization of effort to ensure the family continuity
in peace.
As can
be clearly seen from this, the foundations of the family in Islam
are blood ties and/or marital commitments. Adoption, mutual
alliance, clientage, private consent to sexual intimacy, and,
"common law" or "trial" marriages do not institute a family in the
Islamic sense. Islam builds the family on solid Wounds that are
capable of providing reasonable continuity, true security, and
mature intimacy. The foundations of the family have to be so firm
and natural as to nurture sincere reciprocity and moral
gratification. Islam Recognizes that there is no more natural
relationship than that of blood, and no more wholesome pattern of
sexual intimacy, than one in which morality and gratification are
joined.
Islam
recognizes the religious virtue, the social necessity, and the moral
advantages of marriage. The normal course of behavior for the Muslim
individual is to be family oriented and to seek a family of his own.
Marriage and the family are central in the Islamic system. There are
many passages in the Qur’an and statements by the Prophet which go
as far as to say that when a Muslim marries, he has thereby
perfected half his religion; so let him be God-minded and careful
with the other half.
Muslim
scholars have interpreted the Qur’an to mean that marriage is a
religious duty, a moral safeguard, and a social commitment. As a
religious duty, it must be fulfilled; but like all other duties in
Islam, it is enjoined only upon those who are capable of meeting the
responsibilities involved.
1.
The Meaning of Marriage
Whatever meanings people assign to marriage, Islam views it as a
strong bond (mithaqun ghaleez), a challenging commitment in
the fullest sense of the word. It is a commitment to life itself, to
society, and to the dignified, meaningful survival of the human
race. It is a commitment that married partners make to one another
as well as to God. It is the kind of commitment in which they find
mutual fulfillment and self-realization, love and peace, compassion
and serenity, comfort and hope. All this is because marriage in
Islam is regarded first and foremost as a righteous act, an act of
responsible devotion. Sexual control may be a moral triumph,
reproduction a social necessity or service, and sound health a
gratifying state of mind. Yet, these values and purposes or marriage
would take on a special meaning and be reinforced if they are
intertwined with the idea of God, conceived also as religious
commitments, and internalized as divine blessings. And this seems to
be the focal point of marriage in Islam. To paraphrase some Qur’anic
verses, the call is addressed to mankind to be dutiful to God, Who
created them from a single soul, and from it or of it created its
mate, and from the two of them scattered abroad many men and women
(4:1). It was God Who created mankind out of one living soul, and
created of that soul a spouse so that he might find comfort and rest
in her (7:107). And it is a sign of God that He has created for men,
of themselves, mates to seek in their company peace and
tranquillity, and has set between them mutual love and mercy.
Surely, in that are signs for those who contemplate (30:21). Even at
the most trying times of married life, and in the midst of legal
disputes and litigation, the Qur’an reminds the parties of God’s
law; it commands them to be kind to one another, truly charitable
toward one another, and above all dutiful to God.
It is
noteworthy that the Islamic provisions of marriage apply to men and
women equally. For example, if celibacy is not recommended for men,
it is equally so for women. This is in recognition of the fact that
women’s need are equally legitimate and are seriously taken into
consideration. In fact, Islam regards marriage to be the normal,
natural course for women just as it is for men. It may even be more
so for women because it assures them, among other things, of
relative economic security. This significant additional advantage
for women does not, however, characterize marriage as a purely
economic transaction. In fact, the least focal aspect of marriage in
Islam is the economic factor, no matter how powerful this may be.
The Prophet is reported to have said that a woman is ordinarily
sought as wife for her wealth, for her beauty, for the nobility of
her stock, or for her religious qualities; but blessed and fortunate
is he who chooses his mate for piety in preference to everything
else. The Qur’an commands marriage, to the spouseless and the pious
even though they may be poor and slaves (24:32). On the other hand,
whatever dowry (marriage gifts) a man gives his prospective wife
belongs to her; and whatever she may have acquired prior to or after
marriage is hers alone. There is no necessary community of property
of husbands and wives. Furthermore, it is the husband who is
responsible for the maintenance and economic security of the family.
He must even provide the wife with the kind of help and service to
which she was used before marriage, and, according to some scholars,
she is under no legal obligation to do the routine housework,
although she may do so, and usually does, for some reason or other,
e.g. cooperation, economy, etc.
2.
The Permanence of Marriage
Because
Islam considers marriage a very serious commitment, it has
prescribed certain measures to make the marital bond as permanent as
humanly possible. The parties must strive to meet the conditions of
proper age, general compatibility, reasonable dowry, good will, free
consent, unselfish guardianship, honorable intentions, and judicious
discretion. When the parties enter into a marital contract, the
intention must be clear to make the bond permanent, free from the
casual and temporary designations. For this reason, trial marriages,
term marriages and all marriages that appear experimental, casual,
or temporary are forbidden in Islam. In one of his most unequivocal
statements the Prophet declared that condemned are the men and woman
who relish the frequent change of marital partners, that is, the
"tasters" who enjoy one partner for a while, then shift to another,
then to a third, and so on.
However, to insist on the permanent character of marriage does not
mean that the marital contract is absolutely indissoluble. Muslims
are designated by the Qur’an as a Middle Nation and Islam is truly a
religion of the "Golden Mean", the well-balanced and well-integrated
system. This is Particularly clear in the case of marriage which
Islam regards as neither a sacrament nor a simple civil contract.
Rather, marriage in Islam is something unique with very special
features of both sacramental and contractual nature. It is equally
true that the alternative to this casual or temporary extremity is
not the other extreme of absolute indissolubility of the marital
contract. The Islamic course is one of equitable aid realistic
moderation. The marriage contract should be taken as a serious,
permanent bond. But if it does not work well for any valid reason,
it may be terminated in kindness and honor, with equity and peace.
1.
The Holy War (Jihad)
Was
Islam spread at the point of sword? Was the Muslim emblem "The
Qur’an or the sword?" Were the Muslims imperialist and after mundane
power or loot? Some people like to think about that in affirmative
terms; some others in the negative, and some are undecided,
perplexed and reluctant. But where does the Qur’an stand? What does
the history of Muhammad reveal in this connection? It is certainly
imperative on every honest person who has respect for
truth
and human dignity to find out for himself, and to reveal his
findings to others.
The
Qur’an makes it clear that, whether we want it or not, war is a
necessity of existence, a fact of life, so long as there exist in
the world injustice expression, capricious ambitions, and arbitrary
claims. This may sound strange. But is it not a matter of historical
record that humanity-from the early dawn of history up till now-has
suffered from local, civil and global wars? And is it not also a
fact that, more often than not, victorious allies settle their
disputes over their gains and the status of their defeated enemies
through wars and threats of war? Even today humanity lives under
constant fear and buzzes of war over many hot spots in the world.
Could God overlook these facts of life? Or could the Qur’an fail to
deal with the matter in a realistic and effective manner? Certainly
not! And that is why Islam has recognized war as a lawful and
justifiable course for self- defense and restoration of justice,
freedom and peace. The Qur’an says:
Fighting is prescribed for you, and
you dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is
good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. God
knows, and you know not (2:216).
And did not God check one set of
people by means of another, the earth would indeed be full of
mischief: But God is Full of bounty to all the worlds (2:251). And
did not God check one set of people by means of another, there would
surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and
mosques in which the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure
(22.40).
Although realistic in its approach, Islam never tolerates aggression
from its own side or from any other side, nor does it entertain
aggressive wars or the initiation of aggressive wars. Muslims are
commanded by God not to begin hostilities, or embark on any act of
aggression, or violate any rights of others. In addition to what has
been already said in the previous chapter, some particular verses of
the Qur’an are of significant bearing. God says:
Fight in the cause of God those who
fight you, and do not transgress limits (begin not hostility): For
God loves not transgressors. And slay them wherever you catch them,
and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult
and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the
Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they
fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress
faith. But if they cease, God is Forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight
them on until there is no more persecution or oppression and there
prevail justice and faith in God; but if they cease, let there be no
hostility except to those who practice, oppression (2:190-193).
War is
not an objective of Islam nor is it the normal course of Muslims. It
is only the last resort and is used under the most extra- ordinary
circumstances when all other measures fail. This is the actual
status of war in Islam. Islam is the religion of peace: its meaning
is peace; one of God’s names is peace; the daily greetings of
Muslims and angels are peace; paradise is the house of peace, the
adjective ‘Muslim’ means Peaceful. Peace is the nature, the meaning,
the emblem and the objective of Islam. Every being is entitled to
enjoy the peace of Islam and the kindness of the peaceful Muslims,
regardless of religious or geographical/or racial considerations, so
long as there is no aggression against Islam or the Muslims. If
non-Muslims are peaceful with the Muslims or even indifferent to
Islam, there ran be no ground or justification to declare war on
them. There is no such thing as religious war to force Islam on
non-Muslims, because if I lam does not emerge from deep convictions,
from within, it is not Acceptable to God, nor can it help its
professor. If there is any religion or constitution to guarantee
peaceful freedom of religion and forbid compulsion in religion, it
is Islam. and Islam alone. To this point the Qur’an refers as
follows:
Let there be no compulsion in
religion: Truth stands out clear from Error; Whoever rejects Evil
and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that
never breaks. And God hears and knows all things (2:256).
Even in
the propagation of Islam a Muslim is not only forbidden to employ
force but is also commanded to use the most peaceful methods. To
Muhammad God says:
Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord
with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways
that are best and most gracious: For your Lord knows best who have
strayed from His Path and who receive guidance (16:125).
And dispute you not with the People
of the Book (Jews and except with means Better (than mere
disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and
injury): But say: ‘We believe in the Revelation which has come down
to us and in that which came down to you; our God and your God is
One; and it is to Him we bow’ (in Islam) (29:46).
Now if
Islam is so designated for peace, and if the Muslims are so
dedicated to peace, and if the Qur’an is favorable to peace, why
then did Muhammad launch wars and command battles? Why does the
Qur’an say ‘slay them’ and fight them? To examine this seemingly
innocent inquiry, it is indispensable to mention some historical
facts that accompanied and anticipated the Muslim wars against the
infidels.
After
receiving the Charge from God, Muhammad called a public meeting and
told the assembly of what he had received, appealing to them to give
up their idol-worship and believe in the One True God. His first
peaceful and logical appeal was met not only with resistance but
also with jeers, mockery and laughter. He tried continually to
present his people with the blessed Call but had little success.
Because he was not left free to propagate Islam in the open, he had
to resort to private preaching for some years to save the lives of
his few followers and mitigate their hardships. When instructions
from God came to him to preach in the open, persecutions and torture
increased and were brutally inflicted on the Muslims. But the more
the persecutions increased, the higher the number of Muslims arose.
The infidels tried all kinds of pressure and temptation to silence
the Call of God. But the more they tried, the firmer Muhammad and
the Muslims stood. When the infidels failed to shake the Faith of
the Believers by threats, pressure, confiscation of property, jeers,
etc., they organized a harsh boycott, a fierce campaign of
ostracism, against the Muslims. For some years the Muslims were
forced to remain within a very tight circle of association, unable
to preach or sell or buy or marry or contact any of their fellow
Meccans. Even this did not shake the Muslims’ Faith. The boycott
went on until the infidels themselves were tired of its observance
and had to call it off.
Bringing the severe boycott to an end was no indication of peace or
anticipation of tranquility on the part of the infidels. On the
contrary, pressure and persecution continued with a rapid increase,
but it was all in vain as far as the Muslims were concerned.
Finally, the infidels convened a summit conference behind closed
doors to discuss what to do next to eliminate Islam and get rid of
Muhammad once and for all. A unanimous resolution was adopted to
select a strong man from every tribe and murder Muhammad in his bed.
The mission of Muhammad was not destined to end at that level. So,
God instructed him to leave Mecca, his dear hometown, and migrate to
Medina to reunite with the native Muslims and the earlier emigrants
who had fled from Mecca to Medina (see Qur’an, 8:30; 9:40). This was
the Great Event of Hijrah or, Emigration with which the history of
Islam began and by which the Muslim Calendar goes.
Fleeing
from Mecca, the Muslims were forced by a variety of circumstances to
leave behind practically all their properties, belongings and even
families. As soon as they settled in Medina, Muhammad resumed his
peaceful preaching and his gracious invitation to Islam. Some
natives responded favorably to the Call of God and immediately
became full-fledged members of the Muslim community. Others did not
embrace Islam but maintained their traditional beliefs. And because
Muhammad was dedicated to dignified peace and reform, he concluded
treaties with the non-Muslims assuring them of freedom and security,
and creating in their hearts, for the first time, a socio-national
conscience instead of the narrow tribal allegiance.
While
Muhammad was engaged in these reforms, trying to organize the Muslim
community at Medina and lay down the foundations of a stable and
peaceful society wherein Muslims and non- Muslims could live side by
side, the enemies at Mecca were restless. Their hatred of the
Muslims was burning, and their determination to eliminate Islam was
getting stronger and stronger every day. They reviewed their tactics
and as soon as they completed their new plans, they started to
implement them. They decided to make trouble for the Muslims from
within and from without. Plundering and fighting raids were
organized to attack Medina and get back to Mecca with whatever loot
they could lay their hands on. The non-Muslims at Medina were
getting increasingly envious of the popularity of Islam and the
novel spirit of brotherhood among the Muslims, something which they
themselves did not experience or particularly like to see
experienced. So, the enemies at Mecca hastened to exploit the
situation and stir internal troubles for the Muslims. The response
of the envious non-Muslims of Medina to the instigation of, the
Meccans was quick and manifest, and serious troubles were arising
all over Medina.
Now the
Muslims were being constantly threatened from within by the
disenchanted at Medina as well as by the raids organized from Mecca.
They were driven to a point where they could not stand any more
persecution and threats. Their families were separated from them by
force. Their properties were confiscated. Their blood was shed. They
were forced to leave their dear hometown in three waves of
migration: two to Abyssinia and one to Medina. They endured for over
thirteen years. With the new tactics of the Meccan enemies there was
no course for the Muslims except to await their final annihilation
in a plural massacre or defend themselves against oppression and
persecution.
It must
have been a paradox. Islam came to assure them of dignity and
strength, freedom and security, and to ally them with God the
Supreme Source of goodness and help, power and peace. Yet here they
were helpless and anxious, threatened and terrified. Islam
commissioned them to establish peace, to enjoin the right and forbid
the wrong, to support the oppressed and emancipate the subjugated,
and to prove how reliable and helpful to His servants God is. But
how could they do that; if they themselves were oppressed,
subjugated to terror and projected to helplessness?
What
perplexed them most of all was that the. Qur’an had been silent on
the matter, and had given them no specific instructions as to what
to do. Their perplexity did not last long, and God relieved their
grief by a Divine resolution to solve their problems and those of
any who might find themselves in a similar situation. Here is how
God words His resolution :
Verily
God will defend those who believe: Verily God loves not any that is
a traitor to faith or shows ingratitude. To those against whom war
is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;
and verily, God is Most Powerful for their aid; (they are) those who
have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right, (for no
cause) except that they say: ‘Our Lord is God’. Did not God check
one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been
pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which
the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure. God will
certainly aid those who aid His (cause); for verily God is Full of
strength, Exalted in Might, (Able to enforce His Will). (They are)
those who, if We establish them in the land, establish regular
prayer and give regular charity, enjoin the right and forbid the
wrong. With God rests the end (and decision) of all affairs
(22:38-41)
With
this permission from God there was no more persecution or oppression
to be inflicted on the Muslims. There was resistance from their side
to restore tranquillity, to regain their peace and freedom, to
reunite with their families and take back their belongings. There
were battles and wars with the malicious infidels who flagrantly
denied the Muslims peace and freedom. But never was there any
aggression from the Muslim side, or any destruction of homes, crops,
supplies, etc., or any killing of non-fighting children, women,
elders and disabled people. The Muslims observed these rules and
remained within the limits of God. That was something which had
never been experienced before nor has been experienced after. It was
under these circumstances that the Muslims had to fight, and it was
with these principles and instructions of God that they in the end
achieved decisive victories.
So much
has been said or written about the "ruthless" Muslims who emerged
from the burning and dry deserts of dark Arabia to conquer the Roman
and Persian protectorates, and even to venture around the walls of
Europe. Many have expressed the opinion that those Muslims were
motivated by religious zeal to spread Islam by force as far as they
could reach. Many others consider this opinion silly and naive,
because Islam-by its nature-cannot be forced; and even if it were
supposedly forced on the conquered people, it could not have lasted
there for long, and non-Muslims would have been liquidated from the
conquered regions. History bears witness to the fact that wherever
Islam reached it survived-with the exception of Spain on account of
certain reasons, and that wherever the Muslim conquerors went, they
lived side by side with non-Muslim natives Moreover, they argue, one
cannot force a religion like Islam an anyone and find him so sincere
and honest about his faith as were, those Muslim converts of the new
lands. It needs more than compulsion to develop such good
Muslims out of a defeated people, and it requires much more than
suppression to make them uphold and cherish the "forced" religion.
Another
trend of thought is adopted by some who like to call themselves
intellectuals or enlightened critics and authorities. They are not
satisfied with that silly and naive opinion about the spread of
Islam by force. They attribute the expansion of Islam to the
aggressive wars launched by Muslims who suffocated in the heat and
drought of Arabia, and were simply motivated by economic needs and
circumstances. Those wars and adventures were not religious or
spiritual but merely the outcome of pressing wants. This may
indicate that the Arabs had not arisen to such a high level of
sacrifice and devotion, or that after the death of Muhammad his
survivors and theirs lost interest in religion altogether and took
off to satisfy their immediate wants. It may also indicate that
Islam itself is incapable of generating such fervor and zeal in
those Muslim Arab warriors. The indication here is manifold, and the
"intellectuals" of this opinion are uncertain as to which
probability should have preference over others.
There
is still one more trend adopted by some people who ascribe the
Muslim wars out of Arabia to passionate lust for plunder and
raiding. They cannot see any motive or, appreciate any appeal in the
Muslims except hunger for blood and desire for loot. They refuse to
see any virtue in Islam and to associate the Muslims with any high
motives.
The
dispute between these various sections is quite serious and
sometimes takes the shape of academic discussion. But be that as it
may. The fact of the matter is that none of these critics has made
any serious attempt to understand the whole question and present the
truth in any honest manner. None of them has had the needed insight
and the moral courage to come out with the true version of the
entire case. How heavy their burden will be when they discover some
day that they have misled and misinformed millions of people! How
serious their responsibility will be when they know that they have
committed grave offenses against the truth, against the Muslims and
against their own followers!
It will
be impossible to present here the viewpoint of Islam in detail
concerning each war or battle. However, there are certain main
points which will, when mentioned, give a fair idea of the whole
matter.
1. It
should be remembered that Muhammad, who was commissioned by God as a
mercy for all mankind, tried to approach the rulers of the
neighboring territories, inviting them to embrace Islam and share in
the mercy of God. It should also be remembered that they did not
only reject his gracious invitation but also derided him and
declared open wars against the Muslims. In his lifetime the Roman
and Persian soldiers crossed the Muslim borders in various raids. So
by the time of his death the Muslims were involuntarily at war with
their neighbors.
That
state of affairs continued, and whatever happened later in the
following generations has to be seen in the context of those first
incidents. This meant at the time that all Christendom, including
Spain and France, was at war with the emerging world of Islam. The
adventure of the Muslims in Europe has also to be seen in the light
of these circumstances. The fact that all Christendom was operating
as one power is proven by the unquestionable authority of the Roman
papacy over Christians. It is also proven by the general
mobilization of Christian powers against Islam during the Crusades
of the Middle Ages and even of the first quarter of this twentieth
century.
So,
when Rome sanctioned war against Islam, the Muslims could not be
denied the full right to fight back on any battleground- whether in
Palestine or in the Fertile Crescent, Italy or Hungary. This is what
took them to Spain and Southern France. They could not afford to be
encircled from all around by, the mighty power of Rome and Persia.
Nor could they just wait to be wiped out from the face of the earth.
Orders were issued from Rome to slay Muhammad and present the Royal
Court with his cut head, something which the pagan Romans had done
to the early Christian pioneers. However. it must be admitted that
some wars of later centuries had no relation to Islam, although they
were fought by Muslims. They were not for the spread of Islam.
Rather, they were motivated by certain local and, perhaps, personal
reasons. Aggression is aggression, whether it be from or against the
Muslims, and the attitude of Islam toward aggression is known and
unchangeable. So, if there was aggression in those later wars, it
could not be justified by Islam or acceptable to God.
2. None
of the said critics tries to understand the nature and circumstances
of those early centuries. The media of mass communication did not
exist. There was no press or radio or television or even regular
mail service. There was no way of public information or preaching
except by personal contacts. There was no respect for life or
property or honor or treaties of the individuals and of the weak
nations. There was no security or freedom of expression. Whoever
stood for a noble cause or came out with unpopular beliefs was
menaced. This is revealed from the history of Socrates the Greek
philosopher, of the Christian pioneers, and of the early Muslims.
Many emissaries commissioned to deliver special messages to rulers
and governors never came back alive. They were cold-bloodedly
murdered or captured by their very hosts.
With
all these hardships the Muslims of Arabia had to cope, and under all
these circumstances they had to work. They had a message to deliver
to mankind, a contribution to make to humanity, and a formula of
salvation to offer. The Qur’an says invite to the Way of God by
wisdom and beautiful preaching, and argue in the most gracious
manner. But who was there prepared to listen to the peaceful Call of
God? It is a fact that many disbelievers used to avoid hearing the
Prophet lest they might be affected by his peaceful preaching. They
even resisted by force the peaceful Call of Islam. The early
experience of Arabia taught the Muslims that it is more effective to
be peaceful and at the same time stand on guard; that you can move
in peace only when you are strong enough to guard your peace; that
your voice of peace would echo better when you are able to resist
pressure and eliminate oppression.
Now
they had, by the order of God, to make Islam known to the outside
world, but there was no telecommunication system or press or any
other mass medium of communication. There was only one course to
take, namely, personal and direct contacts, which meant that they
had to cross the borders. But they could not do that in small or
unarmed groups. So they had to move in large protected groups which
must have appeared like an army, but was not an army in the real
sense. They crossed the borders in various directions at different
times. What took place then deserves consideration. In some
areas they were warmly welcomed by the natives, who had long been
oppressed and subjugated by the foreign powers of Rome and Persia.
In some other areas they were first to offer Islam to those who were
prepared to accept it, and there were many. Those who did not
embrace Islam were asked to pay tributes equivalent to the Islamic
tax (Zakah). The reasons for demanding this kind of tax were: (1)
that they wanted to be sure this taxpayer knew what he was doing,
and that Islam was presented to him but he rejected it with his own
free will and choice; (2) that they undertook to protect the
taxpayer and guarantee his security and freedom in a way equal to
that of the Muslim himself, because any danger to him was a danger
to his Muslim compatriot-and, to defend the Muslim, they had to
defend the non-Muslim and insure his security; (3) that the new
state of affairs demanded the support and cooperation of all
sectors, Muslims find non-Muslims alike: the former by Zakah, the
latter by tributes. which were all spent in the public interest; and
(4) that they wanted to be certain he was not hostile to them and
their new brethren, or inclined to make troubles for his Muslim
compatriots.
Those
who rejected Islam and refused to pay tributes in collaboration with
other sectors to support their state made it hard for themselves.
They resorted to a hostile course from the beginning, and meant to
create trouble, not so much for the new Muslim comers as for the new
Muslim converts and their compatriots, the tribute- payers. In a
national sense, that attitude was treacherous; in a human sense,
mean; in a social sense, careless; and in a military sense,
provocative. But in a practical sense it needed suppression, not so
much for the comfort of the newcomers as for the sake of the state
in which these very traitors were living. This is the only time
force was applied to bring such people to their senses and make them
realize their responsibilities: either as Muslims by accepting Islam
freely, ox as loyal citizens by being tribute-payers, capable of
living with their Muslim compatriots and sharing with them equal
rights and duties.
3. It
may be wise for these critics to study the Qur’an with honest
intentions to see what it ordains with regard to war and peace. It
may be wiser still for them to investigate the status of the
"conquered" people, and the conditions under which they lived before
and after their contact with the Muslims. What will they say, if
they find out that urgent appeals were made to the Muslims by
natives of the Persian and Roman protectorates to come and deliver
them from the oppressing foreign rule? What will they think, if they
happen to discover that the Muslim "conquerors" were joyfully
welcomed by common people as well as by the religious patriarchs,
who were longing for Muslim protection and Muslim justice of
administration? How would they explain the phenomenon that some of
the "conquered" people not only welcomed the "invading" Muslims but
also fought on their side against the oppressors? How would they
conceive the prosperity, freedom and progress of the "invaded"
regions under Islam, in comparison to what had prevailed therein
before?
We are
not ascertaining any particular point of view on the matter or
making any hasty conclusions. We simply believe that the question is
worth reconsidering and deserves serious investigation. The findings
will certainly be interesting and significant. Perhaps a Western
mind can understand better, if the whole matter is considered in the
light of the prevailing conditions in today’s world. The deep
concern of the Western Allies over Berlin, the appeals of the
oppressed everywhere, the anxiety of the South Koreans, the fears of
the Laotians, the NATO business, the SEATO affairs, the instability
of the Communist Satellites-all that may help the Western mind to
understand the events of those remote centuries and the actual
policies of the Muslims of those days.
4. The
idea that Muslim wars in the outside world were motivated by
economic needs of the Arabs is worth considering too. Although
seemingly certain of their own assumptions, the upholders of such an
idea have not really studied the case seriously. Do they honestly
think that the economic needs were the reasons to urge the Muslims
to cross their Arabian borders? On what ground do they assume that
Arabia-with its ancient centers of business, valleys and oases-was
no longer capable of producing enough for the Muslims? Have they
made any serious inquiry as to how much the "invading" Muslims made
for themselves, how much they distributed among the people under
their rule, and how much they sent back to the Central
Administration in Medina or Damascus or Baghdad or Cairo? Have they
compared the revenues of the "invaded" territories before and after
Islam, and found out whether or not the "invaders" were simply
self-interested business adventurers? Have they any reasons to
believe that those Muslims took more than what they gave, or drew
more than what they had deposited, or made More than what they had
invested? Have they come across any evidence to prove if the Central
Government in Arabia had at any time received tributes or taxes from
its "conquered" protectorates which were needed for the development
of these very protectorates, and if so how much was received, and
was it worth the adventure in the unknown world? Have they collected
any reliable information to show that Arabia was privileged or given
preference, in expenditures or development programs over the
"invaded" areas? Finally, did Arabia, all of a sudden feel the
threat of a "population explosion" which forced the Muslims to carry
out adventurous wars and/or economic explorations?
The
attempt to interpret the Muslim contacts with non-Muslims in terms
of economic needs may sound novel and worthy of sympathy, but it
does not seem to have much truth in it or carry much bearing on
serious scholarship. The least reservation that can be made as
regards this attempt is that it is so far from being satisfactory
and complete. There is so much yet to be done in terms of research,
investigation, analysis and comparison. Until this is done, no
critic has any moral right to pass his own theoretical assumptions
as valid or binding. This presents another gracious invitation of
Islam to all critics to make more serious attempts to search for the
truth.
There
is not much need to take as serious the opinions of those who
consider the Muslim wars in terms of plunder and loot. What can be
more casual or more stereotyped than such an opinion? It is a short
cut in the field of scholarship and an easy way out of some
intellectual and moral problems, but it is so far from being the
truth. The same questions of points 3 and 4 above can be asked
again, just to find out how much loot the Muslim adventurers took or
sent back to Arabia, and how many of their men returned home with
spoils. This is not to mention the flourishing, the renaissance and
prosperity of the "looted" territories under these very "looters".
It is not even to mention the harsh persecutions and heavy losses of
lives and properties inflicted on Muslims, or the provocation and
threats hurled at them. It is simply an appeal to those of such an
opinion to make more careful studies of the case and present more
responsible conclusions, However, they have to remember that
whatever loot collected by the Muslims was very little compared to
what they had lost by confiscation, usurpation, persecution and
other provocative action inflicted on them from the hostile camps.
Whether
or not the critics of these various grades accept the point of view
of this survey, the fact remains that Islam is the religion of peace
in the fullest sense of the term; that unjust war was never among
its teachings, that aggression was never in its tenets or tolerated
by it; that force was never employed to impose it on anyone; that
the expansion of Islam was never due to compulsion or oppression,
that misappropriation was never forgivable by God or acceptable to
Islam; and that whoever distorts or misrepresents the Islamic
teachings will do more harm to his own self and his associates than
to Islam. Because it is the religion of God and the straight path to
Him, it survived under the most difficult conditions, and it will
survive to be the safe bridge to happy eternity. Should these
critics have any doubt about this fact, they would be wise to study
Islam, re-read the Qur’an, and refresh their memory of history.
The
fact that economic prosperity and cultural renaissance followed the
spread of Islam into the "conquered" regions does not necessarily
mean that the Muslims were after economic gains and military spoils.
Even if such alleged gains and spoils became incentives in later
periods of Islamic history, it still does not follow that Islam
prefers war to peace and the Muslims relish war spoils. There are
better explanations. One of these should be very clear to those who
are familiar with the classical discussion of The Protestant Ethic
and the Spirit of Capitalism where Protestantism, along with other
factors, led to the rise of modern capitalism. No serious mind would
contend that the Protestants developed their ethic to become
economically prosperous or that modern capitalism still depends on
the Protestant Ethic.
