RACISM AND ISLAM II

 

RACISM AND ISLAM II

 

 Continuing from part one’s essay on Racism and Islam is the question of the Muslim response to racism and the Sharia’s prohibition of it. I mention this as it is well known that Islam is both belief and action so that a Muslim’s~~~ conformity to the lawful and abandoning the unlawful in the sacred law/shariah is considered a proof of his or her assertion of faith. The old saying ‘actions speak louder than words’ is consistent with the perfection of Islam reflected in the text sources (Qur’an and Hadith) after accepting the beliefs of Islam with one important difference, the texts were divinely revealed meaning they must be obeyed if our statements of faith/belief is true.

 Ma’sha’llah, turning to a distorted interpretation of certain authenticated Hadith   some Christian clergy and their followers have tried to use against the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) of calling black people “raisin heads.” As usual the Christians got it wrong similar to their accepting the distortion of the original message of Jesus (pbuh) who they claim to believe in to this very day.

To put this falsehood in perspective a few facts are in order: First, the Prophetic narratives that mention a man with a “head like a raisin”  reflect the Prophet’s (pbuh) means of educating Muslims in several areas, starting with the criteria of religious, legal and political authority. He used the example of people the Arabs of that time generally ‘looked down’ on as inferior to drive the point home.

Second: what is a raisin—a deformed grape.  By using this wording the Prophet (pbuh) was saying a leader’s looks and physical appearance could be offensive but this has no bearing on his capacity to lead. In saying this he rejected racism and tribal exclusiveness being the opposite of what he is criticized for in the Hadith. Here again we see deviated people twisting the sacred words of the last Prophet (pbuh) as they did with the previous Prophets and Messengers, i.e., Musa (Moses) and Issa (Jesus). (Alhs)

Third: the hadith indicates the importance of maintaining the ‘chain of command’ as Allah has stated, “OBEY ALLAH, HIS PROPHET AND THOSE CHARGED WITH AUTHORITY AMONG YOU.” (4:59). Fourth is the Islamic principle of credible expertise – in other words, choosing the best person for the job.           

It is interesting to note that playing the ‘race card’ is among the foundations of the Judeo-Christian tradition before the Prophet Muhammad’s time, (see Exodus 4:22) during his time and still lives in the hearts and minds of many non-Muslims today. 

The reason Allah (SWT) chose the Children of Ibrahim/Abraham (pbuh) was that his tradition of faith and service would be passed on to his descendants reflected in the Qur’anic term Millat-Ibrahim.   

During the lifetime of the Prophet (pbuh) some Jews attempted to distort their scriptures in one case to make the Prophet appear to look like them; more European than Semitic. This is said to be the background of the ayat: “THEN WOE TO THOSE WHO WRITE THE BOOK FROM THEIR OWN HANDS AND THEN SAY THIS IS FROM ALLAH...”  (2:79)   (The Holy Qur’an in today’s English Yahiya Emerick pg. 52 and Tafsir Usmani/The Noble Qur’an Vol.1, pg. 34)

Among the proofs the Prophet’s (pbuh) words were distorted to imply racism is reflected is his interactions with Black people. Usama Ibn Zayd was of ‘mixed’ parentage: his father was Arab, Zayd Ibn Haritha while his mother was African, Umm Ayman. Usama was among the Ahle-Bait or people of the Prophet’s house and not as a slave whom the Prophet loved. In addition is the well-known African Companion, Bilal ibn Rab’aah the chief Muaddhin (caller to prayer) along with acting as a distributor of the Zakat/treasury funds at the order of the Prophet (pbuh). In one incident an Arab Muslim made a disparaging remark about Bilal’s mother/parentage, when the Prophet (pbuh) heard about this he rebuked the Companion, saying “I see the signs of ignorance (racism, ethnic superiority) are still with you.” He then went to Bilal and sought his forgiveness for the remark.   

On a contemporary note, there are several Masajids in adjoining neighborhoods ‘run’ by immigrant African Muslims whose Khatibs/Imams know the Qur’an, Hadith and the Seerah books from the Arabic language speaking of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the most loving and respectful terms. Are they brainwashed or are they carrying a religious tradition based on the faith of Islam that goes back over 1400 years?       

I hope that none of my Muslim brethren were deceived into thinking or speaking ill of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as this comes dangerously close to unbelief if not unbelief proper. Whether due to the lack of knowledge on the issue of race from the Islamic tradition or being subtly influenced by the ignorant rantings of the two groups declared as deviated in the Qur’an (Jews and Christians), the result of their faith possibly hanging in the balance is the same.

 Alhs—Alay he salaam

 pbuh—peace be upon him

SWT - SubhanaAllah wa Ta'ala

THE ARABS AND THE KA'BA

 

"Ancient Arabia did not have a centralized government of any form. That is, there was no national governing body, or no one man, such as a king ruling the people. The Arabs were organized into tribes, with each tribe having its own chief, who was responsible for his own tribe in both war and peace. The members of a tribe were friendly with each other, and if one was in need of something the others tried to help him as much as they could.

As the Arabs were divided into different tribes, so were they divided by religion. Some Arabs were Christian, others were Jews, but the majority were idol worshipers-Pagans. These pagans prayed to the sun, the moon and the stars, but most of them prayed to idols fashioned by their own hands, whether out of stones, wood and any other material they could gather together. They even had special temples in which they offered sacrifices to these idols.

The Ka'ba, which was built by the Prophet Ibrahim (als) and his son Isma’il (als), as a place in which to worship 'One God' was taken over by these 'pagans', and it became the main temple for their idols. The Ka'ba held over 360 idols, and nearly every family had its own idol, its own 'home made' God. During certain months of the year, people from all parts of Arabia would come to visit these idols and to enjoy the sacrifices and the fairs (bazaars) which lasted for weeks. At these fairs, people made new friends and cleared up any misunderstandings among themselves. Poets sang their songs and orators read their rhetorical speeches. Poems and speeches the audiences liked were memorized and repeated by these people when they returned to their homes. In addition, the best speeches and poems were written in golden letters on scrolls that were hung on the door of the Ka'ba until the following year, giving the people ample opportunity to memorize them.

These fairs also served as an important source of income for the Meccan merchants. Members of the Qurayish tribe who were the merchants of the city sold their wares at very high prices. As I said before, most of the Arabs prayed to idols, they prayed to these gods which they could touch and see, because they thought they could give them help. In reality they were not very religious because the most important thing in life for them was to make money.

The city dwellers, especially, desired money and sought their own pleasures no matter what the consequences. Wine was drunk in the streets like water. People had no pity for their enemies, torturing and even burning them at the stake with no mercy. Those considered weak and those traveling the country were robbed. Married men had many wives, and women were treated very badly and were considered as part of her husband's property. As such, boys could inherit their father's wives along with the rest of their holdings. The people were also very sad when a girl was born, and some even buried a newborn female infant alive.

 

On the other hand, the Arabs were brave and very generous. If a stranger went to their home or tent he was greeted and made to feel at home. He was given the best to eat and drink, and was protected, if need be by his enemies. They were and are very hospitable people. In the midst of these people, and these customs (both good and bad) our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born and raised ....”

 

 COMMENTARY

The above Khutbah gives some background information on the character and conditions of the pre-Islamic Arabs and the first house of worship for mankind-the Ka'ba. Although most Arabs trace their lineage and religious traditions to Ibrahim (Abraham), in both religious beliefs and social norms, the Arabs particularly the Qurayish, (in the time of our Prophet) strayed from the ways of the great Patriarch. Over the course of time, idolatry replaced monotheism just as oppression and materialism replaced justice and benevolence among the children of Ismail (alhs). Yet, despite their flaws, as one scholar explains,  “... their virtues and natural potentialities were much more in comparison. They held in themselves possibilities of rising into a power that could change the course of history ... They had not been corrupted by the traditional traits of culture and intellectualism; that is why Banu Isma’il were called Ummi ~ that is unaffected by external cultural influences. The simplicity, the natural facilities, and the social traditions of the Arabs were the basic factors that invited the Mercy of Allah to choose them as the first people where a worldwide revolution could be launched. This thesis has been aptly elaborated by Shah Waliyullah in the first part of his 'Hujjat-Allah-al-Baligahah as well as by Khudri in his ‘History of Jurisprudence’ (Evolution of Social Institutions in Islam by Dr. Sayyid Matlub Husayn pgs.30-31)

The late Shaykh also mentioned in the khutbah the pre-Islamic fairs held in Mecca and their showcasing Arab poetry and rhetorical speech. This is due in part to the Arabs' love of the spoken word, for scholars tell us that the Arabic spoken by the Arabs of the seventh century "...was also the most archaic of all the Semitic languages, closer to the mother-Semitic than the rest." (Islamic Thought and Culture, (Compilation of papers) Edited by Ismai’l R. Al-Faruqi pgs. 20-23) Simply put, the type of speech among the people of this time contained much of the older/earlier characteristics of the Semitic languages amounting to pure, almost uncorrupted dialects. This phenomenon is also related to Ibrahim and the Ka'ba as the Arabs" ... could not have preserved intact their archaic language over the centuries while forgetting their attachment to the Ka'ba. The memory of the Arabs which served them as the repository of their oral literature and tribal histories, was not about to forget such decisive figures as Abraham and Ishmael, who play cyclical roles in the existence of the Arab nomads. If this is so then the Ka'ba is the most ancient sanctuary still in use at the present day, and the Pilgrimage to Mecca is the most ancient ritual still in operation. The Qur'an says, "LO! THE FIRST SANCTUARY APPOINTED FOR MANKIND WAS THAT AT MECCA, A BLESSED PLACE, A GUIDANCE TO THE PEOPLES; WHEREIN ARE PLAIN MEMORIALS (OF ALLAH'S GUIDANCE); THE PLACE WHERE ABRAHAM STOOD UP TO PRAY; AND WHOSOEVER ENTERETH IT IS SAFE." AND PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOUSE IS A DUTY UNTO ALLAH FOR MANKIND, FOR HIM WHO CAN A WAY THITHER." (3:96-97) (Islamic Thought and Culture, (Compilation of papers) Edited by Ismai’l R. Al-Faruqi pgs. 20-23)  

"The Islamic tradition would have it that the prototype Ka'ba is not earthly but celestial in nature. As a matter of fact, there are a number of otherworldly Ka'bas’, each one the center of its place of existence, just as the Ka'ba at Mecca is the center of the earth."  "The sacred nature of the Ka'ba is clearly indicated by the attitudes prescribed by the Law towards the Black Stone embedded in the eastern corner of the edifice. While making his circumambulation around the Ancient House, the pilgrim should kiss or at least touch the Black Stone. This would have no meaning if the stone were devoid of symbolism. Traditionally it is looked on as the right hand of Allah in the world”’ so that the Pilgrim, in kissing or touching the stone, renews his pact with the Lord of the Ka'ba more or less in the same fashion as a man renews his pact with his fellowman through a handclasps.' Some scholars believe touching or kissing the Black Stone is to renew one's allegiance to Allah in person (by visiting His Sacred precincts) as one renews his pact with his king or commander in person after swearing loyalty to and serving him for many years prior.

With regard to the Hajj and its history, "the actual institution of the Pilgrimage goes back to Abraham's time, the only things introduced by the pre-Islamic Arab pagans being the idols, which were to be found in the Ka'ba itself. Apart from destroying the idols—all 360 of them—and prohibiting the circumbulation of the Ka'ba naked, the Prophet merely purified the Pilgrimage of their paganistic veneer and restored them to their Abrahamic state. There is no adequate reason why anyone would doubt the antiquity of the rituals connected with the Pilgrimage nor their relations to Abraham and Ishmael". (Islamic Thought and Culture, (Compilation of papers) Edited by Ismai’l R. Al-Faruqi pgs. 20-23)  

"The Pilgrimage to Mecca celebrates in its multiple rituals a whole series of events connected with the mission of Abraham his wife Hagar (Hajra) and their offspring Ishmael (lsmai’l). If we stop to examine the different elements in the Pilgrimage that have to do with Abraham and his family, we realize more and more, that the claim of lslam to be a reaffirmation of the Abrahamic way not only on the sacred words of the Qur'an, which count for much already, but also on an ancient, sacred oral tradition that the memories of the nomadic Arabs kept alive in pre-Islamic times along with their observance of the rituals surrounding the Ka'ba and the Pilgrimage to that ancient sanctuary. Let us remember, in passing, that Judaism and Christianity are connected to Abraham through Issac, while Islam is connected to him through Ishmael.” (Islamic Thought and Culture, (Compilation of papers) Edited by Ismai’l R. Al-Faruqi pgs. 20-23). Indeed, the northern Arabs consider him their progenitor, and the Prophet, like the other Arabs in his day had an ancestral line that took him back to Ishmael. That linage was accompanied with a mass of traditions and stories surrounding the Ka'ba and the pre-Islamic Arabs, the so-called pagan Arabs, transmitted as part of their historical and religious connections to that ancient edifice.” (Islamic Thought and Culture, (Compilation of papers) Edited by Ismai’l R. Al-Faruqi pgs. 20-23)

"The rituals of the Pilgrimage proper last for only some five days, beginning on the eighth day of the month of Dhu-al-Hijjah and ending on the 13th, though some pilgrims leave before then. The main rituals have to do with the circumambulation of the Ka'ba, the running two and fro between Safa' and Marwah, the standing on the plain of 'Ararat, the lapidation of the emblems of Satan, the sacrifice of animals at 'Arafat—all of this taking place between Makkah and 'Ararat, with the intervening places of Muzdalifah and Mina having their own importance also." (Islamic Thought and Culture, (Compilation of papers) Edited by Ismai’l R. Al-Faruqi pgs. 20-23)  

"In the symbolism of the Pilgrimage, there is a type of meeting with the Divinity that is in anticipation of the Day of Judgment, and the fact that pilgrims tend to go on the Pilgrimage toward the end of their lives and even consider dying in Makkah as a benediction—all this points to a kind of judgmental nature to this pillar of Islam. The unsewn pilgrim's dress, consisting of two plain pieces of white cloth, and the ascetical restrictions imposed upon all those who enter the sacred precincts indicated a state of confrontation with the Divine Presence that obliterates all the social hierarchies of the profane world; external distinctions disappear, the equality of all the immortal souls face-to-face with their Creator is what now appears. And since in that Divine Presence, the taking of lives, through hunting or uprooting of plants that have also a life of their own, and engaging in sensual pleasures would be out of the question, the Law prohibits all of that by way of keeping the believers within a framework of receptivity towards celestial graces.” (Islamic Thought and Culture, (Compilation of papers) Edited by Ismai’l R. Al-Faruqi pgs. 20-23).

 

(alhs) Aly-he-salaam

 

IBRAHIM AL-HANEEF

The Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca is universally acknowledged as an obligatory religious duty for Muslims -- one of Islam's five pillars or principles. What is not generally known is the religious significance behind the various acts which Hajj is made up of.  Any attempt to grasp the true spirit of this important foundation of Islam necessitates turning back the clock to the life of the great patriarch of monotheism, the Father of nations, Allah's Khalil (friend), Ibrahim (alhs).  Some of the rites of Hajj are connected with major incidents in His Blessed life. Our examination of the Prophet Ibrahim's  life will be confined to those events that interrelate to Hajj and parallel the life and Mission of our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

To begin with, "...Abraham was a lover of the Lord from his earliest childhood.  When he grew up, he began to preach openly the "Oneness" of God and condemned the association of any partner or rival with Allah." (The meaning of the Qur’an S.Abul A’la Maududi Vol.1 pg.187)  Most historical accounts portray Ibrahim's father as the chief idol maker and was among the priestly class in the cult of idol worship. Thus, this provided an incentive for Ibrahim to admonish his father first.  This is in addition to the principle among believers that admonishment, mutual support and help begins at home (i.e., with one's relatives) as embodied in the verse, AND WARN THY NEAREST KIN." (26:214) Although this verse is said to have been revealed in the third year of the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) Mission, it is one of the earliest revelations commanding preaching openly (Surat-tu-Nabi, Shibli Numani Vol.1, pg 195)

Not only did Ibrahim’s father reject his advice to worship the One true Lord and Creator of all, he became angry and threatened to punish him.  "THE FATHER REPLIED: DOST THOU HATE OUR GODS, O ABRAHAM?  IF THOU FORBEAR NOT, I WILL INDEED STONE THEE: NOW GET AWAY FROM ME FOR A GOOD LONG WHILE!" (19:46)

After publicly preaching, Ibrahim's message to return to the doctrine of pure Tawheed was rejected by the populace (6:80,81). Finally, in an attempt to demonstrate the illogical and erroneous nature of idol worship, Ibrahim breaks all the idols in the temple at Ur (Iraq) except the largest one and leaves the instrument used (an axe) (The Koran, translated by George Sale pg.,320 and Tafsir Usmani, Allama Usmani Vol.2, pg.1466) to destroy them on or next to it. "...NAY, YOUR LORD IS THE LORD OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, HE WHO CREATED THEM FROM NOTHING; AND I AM WITNESS TO THIS TRUTH. (21:5) SO HE BROKE THEM TO PIECES, ALL BUT THE BIGGEST OF THEM, THAT THEY MIGHT TURN AND ADDRESS THEMSELVES TO IT.  THEY SAID WHO HAS DONE THIS TO OUR GODS HE MUST BE SOME MAN OF IMPIETY!  THEY SAID, WE HEARD A YOUTH TALK OF THEM; HE IS CALLED ABRAHAM.  THEY SAID, THEN BRING HIM BEFORE THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE, THAT THEY MAY BEAR WITNESS.  THEY SAID, 'ART THOU THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO OUR GODS, O ABRAHAM.  HE SAID: NAY, THIS WAS DONE BY THIS--THE BIGGEST ONE!  ASK THEM IF THEY CAN SPEAK INTELLIGENTLY! SO THEY TURNED TO THEMSELVES AND SAID, SURELY WE ARE THE ONES IN THE WRONG! THEN WERE THEY CONFOUNDED WITH SHAME: THEY SAID THOU KNOWEST FULL WELL THAT THESE IDOLS DO NOT SPEAK!  ABRAHAM THEN SAID, DO YOU THEN WORSHIP BESIDES ALLAH THINGS THAT CAN NEITHER BE OF ANY GOOD TO YOU OR DO YOU HARM?  FIE UPON YOU AND THE THINGS YOU WORSHIP BESIDES ALLAH!  HAVE YOU NO SENSE?  THEY SAID, BURN HIM AND PROTECT YOUR GODS.  IF YE DO ANYTHING AT ALL!" (21:56-68)

 In consequence of exposing their irrational creed, the verdict was given by the authorities of the day to "BURN HIM AND PROTECT YOUR GODS..." Maulana Maududi says, that Ibrahim's arrest and trial "...is exactly what Prophet Abraham expected to happen.  He wished that the matter should not remain confined to the priests and the attendants but the common people should be present there to witness that their deities were helpless and their priests were deluding them about their powers.  The priests committed the same folly as was later committed by Pharaoh when he arranged an encounter between the Prophet Moses and the magicians in the open in front of the multitudes of the common people, and the former got an opportunity to show publicly the miracles of the staff were shattered the illusory, magical tricks of the magicians." (The meaning of the Qur’an S.Abul A’la Maududi Vol.7 pgs.157-159)  

 Such defiant resistance against the national religion of the day has to rank as a definitive act of moral courage, as this young man of faith (in his thirties)  (Abraham, His Life and Times, Mussarat Husain Zuberi, pg. 88) stood alone preaching to a people whose hearts were as dead as the stone images they worshiped.  The destruction of the idols was not only a great act of faith in itself but also provided a golden opportunity for a public forum on idol worship in general. "...Preparations were made for a month and the huge fire was stroked for seven days and the heat was so intense that no one could get near enough to throw Abraham into it and so he was thrown in from a catapult and stayed there for seven days but no harm came to him as Allah (SWT) has decreed."  (Abraham, His Life and Times, Mussarat Husain Zuberi, pg.60)

 "The commentators relate that by Nimrod's order, a large space was enclosed at Cutha and filled with a large quantity of wood, which was being set on fire burned so fiercely that no one dared venture near it; then they bound Abraham into an engine (i.e., catapult) and shot him into the middle of the fire from which he was preserved by Gabriel who was sent to his assistance; the fire only burning the cords with which he was bound." (The Koran, translated by George Sale, pg.321)

 "The oppressors celebrated the event of throwing this great pious personality into the fire.  When he was being thrown into the fire, Jibra'eel (alayhis salaam) presented himself and said: 'If you need my assistance, I am at your service.'  Ibrahim replied: 'If the assistance is from your side then I do not need it.  For the sake of that Great Being due to Whom this is being done, He Himself is All-Knowing...Whatever He has decided for me I am contented with it." (History of Qurbani by Mufti Muhammad Shafi, pg.5 )

 It is here that the quality and depth of Ibrahim's (alhs) faith is shown.  For it is one thing to preach or talk about the correct belief (At-Tawheed).  It is another to put one's life on the line in its service.  Ibrahim's acceptance of his fate (in the fire) with patience and deep rooted certainty (Yaqin) is shown by his saying, "For the sake of the Great Being due to whom this is being done, He Himself is All-Knowing...Whatever He has decided for me I am contented with it." His faith was so perfect that even when the primary medium of Divine help and Mercy (Jibreel) presented himself, Ibrahim considered his help insignificant, relying directly on He who lives and dies not (awj).

"Allah Ta'ala commanded the fire to become "Bardaw wa Salaaman, cool and peaceful." (20:69) Its’ sky kissing flames turned into a garden of bed and roses. Ibrahim (alhs) walks out of the fire untouched, while the populace is literally stunned.  "After witnessing this clear "Mu'jizah (miracle) of Ibrahim (alhs) instead of accepting Imaan, their enmity increased." (History of Qurbani by Mufti Muhammad Shafi, pg.6)   

The miracle of the fire itself had a few important meanings: 1) it confirmed the truth of Ibrahim's call to worship the One true God; 2) It showed the powerlessness of the idols; 3) The "worship" of idols was a man-made belief; and 4) The Almighty Creator that Ibrahim (alhs) called them to believe in and worship was indeed Almighty, having power over all.  "There is no doubt that this was a miracle and a miracle had to take place to prove the existence and omnipotence of Abraham's God as contrasted with the helplessness of the mute stone gods whom Abraham had smashed and left the main one intact to shame them further...The miracle had to happen to prove the ascendancy of Abraham's Allah, to save Abraham from the raging fire and "make them the losers." (Abraham, His Life and Times, Mussarat Husain Zuberi pg.61)

The incident of Ibrahim breaking the idols and his subsequent punishment was not the first time he had dissented and rebelled against the "authorities" of the day.  Although the Qur'an does not give the name of the unbeliever Ibrahim argued with (2:258), most commentators agree that it was the same King Nimrod who ordered that men should take him as Lord. The commentators relate that the dispute arose because Nimrod demanded that Ibrahim (alhs) bow before him.  Ibrahim not only refused to bow but stated that he would bow before none but Allah.  In an attempt to prove his "god-like" ability of having the power of life and death, Nimrod had two prisoners brought before him.  He ordered that the innocent one be killed and the guilty one set free.  Ibrahim (alhs) retorted by saying, "Allah makes the sunrise from the east.  Can you raise it from the west?" (Tafsir Usmani, Allama Usmani, Vol.1 pg.148)

It is generally accepted that certain events in the lives of all the Prophets and Messengers (pbuta) parallel each other at some point.  The similarities between the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Prophet Ibrahim (alhs) bear striking resemblance to each other.  In the case of the Prophet Ibrahim the classic story of an upright and Divinely inspired man of faith standing against the society of his birth because of their practices of Shirk and misguidance is again presented.  But this version of the story has a slightly deeper significance.  "The Bible (Old Testament) is absolutely silent on this incident (i.e., breaking the idols) which is a turning point in the history of mankind.  Noah's monotheistic teaching had been forgotten and the first strident call to a Supreme Being, Creator of the Heavens and Earth and whatever there is between them was proclaimed by Abraham never to be forgotten or side-tracked again in human history." (Abraham, His Life and Times, Mussarat Husain Zuberi, pg.58) Indeed, for one of the most important acts this great Prophet would perform under Divine direction is the building of the Ka'ba and establishing the city of Mecca. The first and most enduring Bait (House of) Allah, would become, as it is today, the centerpiece of the only living monument and center established solely for the commemoration and perpetuation of pure Monotheism (At-Tawheed).

The next similarity between these two great Prophets and the fraternity of Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them all) in general is the campaign of oppression and maltreatment by the unbelievers in response to their preaching against misguidance, idolatry and Shirk.  The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was informed of this in the conversation between himself and Khadijah's (raah) cousin Waraqa ibn Nuwfal. After acknowledging the Prophet's experience with the Angel Jibreel (i.e, the first revelation) as consistent with the established information known to the savants and sages regarding Wahy or inspiration descending to a Prophet, Waraqa is reported to have said, "Would I be alive when your people would drive you out.  Would they drive me out," asked the Prophet (pbuh)? Waraqa replied it has happened to every Prophet who came with a message." (Bukhari) "AND THEY ILL TREATED THEM FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THEY BELIEVED IN ALLAH, EXALTED IN POWER WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE." (85:8)

When the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) undertook the Mission of preaching Tawheed and the rejection of Shirk, the response of his people was naturally one of outrage; eliciting both anger and resistance from the common folk and the leaders.  The reasons for this response should not be hard to understand as idolatry was among the cohesive elements of the socio-economic, religious, and socio-political foundations of his society.  In the time of the Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) the reaction of that society to his preaching Tawheed was the same as idol worship was the authorized "religion" of the day.

The solution the Qurayish chose in dealing with this threat to their "security" was similar to the verdict of Nimrod and his cohorts, with one difference:  the punishment of Ibrahim (alhs) was to be carried out in public, probably to quench the people's thirst for revenge and blood-lust for the "sacrilege" committed by him.  A public execution would also help to reinforce the "omnipotent" power of the state. The Qurayish, however chose the cover of darkness and stealth (i.e, covert action) in their plan to assassinate the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

To ensure that there would be no vendettas or blood feuds resulting from their evil plan, its architects made sure that each one of the young men chosen to carry out the Prophet's assassination would be from the most powerful and well-connected families and clans of the Qurayish.  This would make the desire to avenge the Prophet's death by his clan members (Banu-Hisham) impractical as they would have to wage war against the entire tribe. Their only alternative would be to accept blood-wit (i.e., money) for Muhammad's murder; thus averting a tribal blood feud and silencing Allah's Messenger (pbuh) once and for all with one murderous act.                                                                 

Allah (shwta) informed his Messenger (pbuh) of the Qurayish's plan in these Holy words, AND WHEN THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE PLOT AGAINST THEE (O, MUHAMMAD) TO WOUND THEE FATALLY, OR KILL THEE, OR TO DRIVE THEE FORTH; THEY PLOT, BUT ALLAH PLOTTETH; AND ALLAH IS THE BEST OF PLOTTERS" (8:30). The Prophet (pbuh) was also given permission to Migrate to Yathrib (Medina), and informing Ali (rah) of the intent of the Qurayish asked him to stay in his bed until the next day and return the possessions that were deposited in the Prophet's house to their owners. Ali naturally complied. When the Prophet (pbuh) felt the presence of the would-be assassins assembling outside his door, He began to recite Sura Ya-sin, (36:1-10) and when he reached the ninth ayat "AND WE HAVE PUT A BAR IN FRONT OF THEM AND A BAR BEHIND THEM, AND FURTHER WE HAVE COVERED THEM UP SO THAT THEY CANNOT SEE," he began to leave. Miraculously, the assassins were temporarily blinded and Allah's Messenger (pbuh) passed them undetected. Some of the Sira scholars say that as the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr (rah) were leaving for Medina, the Prophet cast a glance at the Ka'ba and said, O, Mecca thou art dearer to me than the entire world, but thy sons will not allow me to live here."  (Surat-tu-Nabi, Shibli Numani Vol.1, pg 248)                         

To make Hijra or leave one's home or place of birth because of persecution or the denial of freedom to worship Allah is another practice that was common to many of the Prophets (pbuta). Hijra, when properly understood, turns our attention to another characteristic of the Prophet Ibrahim (alhs), for Allah describes him as Haneef. The more familiar meaning of this word is one inclined to a correct state, (i.e., Islam), but it has a few other important connotations:  One who is orthodox or follows an established way; one who turns away, revolts or rebels. In reference to Ibrahim (alhs), it is he who rebelled against Shirk, and the worship of idols and false deities. In spite of the negative connotation used by the mushriks for the early monotheists, this term was considered a badge of honor for the unitarians even in the time prior to the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) Mission. 

                                                             GLOSSARY                                            

Awj-as wa jal

Alhs-alay-he-salaam

Shwta-Glorified is He the most high

Rah-radi-allah hum an-hum

                                                

RACISM AND ISLAM

RACISM AND ISLAM

 “…The best among you is most pious/God fearing.” (49:13) This verse of the Holy Qur’an reflects one of Islam’s moral principles/teachings. Despite the general abhorrence for the word discrimination, when it concerns ethical morality the following summary was explained to me on the night of my Shahada. “…Discrimination based on moral worth is not only well founded and tolerable, it is obligatory. This is what it means to honor the knowledgeable above the ignorant, the wise above the foolish, the virtuous above the vicious, the pious above the atheist or rebel, the just and loving above the unjust and hateful, and so on. Such discrimination has the positive quality of contributing to general moral felicity by enticing to excel in the deed. To excel in the deed is the purpose of the creation itself. It is all that matters.” Islam by the late Dr. Isma’il R. Al-Faruqi (d. 1986)

 Similarly, although some will recoil at the following historical assessment, thinking of it as an attack on the Judeo-Christian tradition. The truth is much of the racism throughout the world comes from the ethnocentricity in the Bible, starting with the Old Testament. It is here that the Israelites/Jews were spoken of as God’s chosen/Sons. (Exodus 4:22)

One Muslim scholar puts this reality in perspective. “…Islam recognizes in ethnocentrism something of a sinister nature.” “the people within the ethnic group are “the master race” the “people of God”, “the chosen of God”, while the others are “the subject races”, the “people of the devil”, “people of other inferior Gods”, or simply the creatures of the same God to whom they are related in a different way. This doctrine is sinister because of the deadening effect it has on the individual’s awareness of his or her creatureliness before God which is shared with all human beings and because of its stilling effect on an individual’s will to act on behalf of humankind. It is also sinister because it believes that there is more than one God with two different creations so that one may have superiority over the other. The former view is polytheistic; the latter is contrary to God’s justice and, ultimately, to His transcendence.” Islam by the late Dr. Isma’il R. Al-Faruqi (d. 1986) Notice how a false belief about Almighty God leads to a false notion or idea about His creation as well.              

 “The main evil resulting from ethnocentricity/exclusivism is holding one's connection or relationship to their group or race stronger and more valued than the tie to Almighty God/Allah. This is in addition to the inclination (be it ever so subtle) of injustice towards others which is the natural outcome of a world view or beliefs that emphasizes the importance of one group over others. A corollary evil connected to this is intentional neglect or indifference concerning the duty imposed on the truly God-fearing to correct friends and relatives from acts of wrongdoing and injustice by ‘enjoining good and forbidding evil’ especially when it concerns the rights of those not belonging to a particular group. Justice is another quality that cannot exist or properly develop without the aforementioned virtues of living by the principle of devotion to God as its basis and foundation while true brotherhood can never exist without it.” Revised excerpt of an article written by the author 10/1995.

As our brother Al-hajj Malik/Malcolm wrote of the European Christian nations who came to the indigenous people of Asia and Africa with the Bible in one hand and the flintlock in the other. When commenting on the Biblical texts one scholar writes, “Whilst some of the loftiest moral and ethical ideas of mankind have found eloquent expression in its pages, at the same time brutal slaveholders in 19^th century could find justification for the exploitation and subjugation of the Blacks in the story of Noah and Ham and in the remarks of Paul.” The Old Testament an Islamic Perspective Vol.1 by Jay R. Crook/Muhammad Nur.

Regardless of the attempts to reform the Bible’s distortions and misinterpretations by Christendom’s leadership over the centuries, this could only be done by Him who sent the original scriptures to the two greatest Israelite Prophets’ and Messengers: Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them).  The Holy Qur’an asserts these great Prophet’s received, followed and preached them correctly. The final and greatest of all the Prophets’, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah was sent with the final scripture, religion/lifestyle for all times completing a promise made to our father Adam (peace be upon him) and all humanity by God. “AND IF AS IS SURE THERE COMES TO YOU GUIDANCE FROM ME ….”(2:38)

Fast forward to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) 570-71 C.E. where Almighty God refuted a strain of ethnocentricity his tribesmen the Quraysh had adopted. The implication was their ancestral connection to Isma’il and the patriarch Abraham based on inheriting their control of the Ka’ba ‘excused’ their idolatry. “WITHOUT DOUBT, AMONG MEN THE NEAREST TO ABRAHAM, ARE THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM, AS ARE ALSO THIS PROPHET [MUHAMMAD] AND THOSE WHO BELIEVE; AND ALLAH IS THE PROTECTOR OF THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH”. (3:68) Thus, it is only the beliefs and the corresponding ethical morality that connects one to the great patriarch. 

Brothers and sisters, we must always remember not to imitate the beliefs/ideology or actions of wrongdoers while understanding the social/political reality of how often the oppressed become oppressors. Along with asking ourselves is the revulsion of racism and injustice many feel based on God’s prohibition or being victimized by it? The former is a believer’s response to the Will of the Almighty that elevates what may start as self-centered concern to a moral mandate once the motivation becomes subordinate to the Divine will. In the film ‘Lion of the Desert’ when U’mar Mukhtar’s men were going to kill an enemy captive, he stopped them and his men responded, ‘they do it to us’, he responded, “They are not our teachers”. Whether or not this part of the film is based on a true account, the Islamic teaching as stated in the introductory verse rings out loud and clear.

 

 

 

BID'A

THE AHLE-SUNNAH VIEW ON BID’A (REPREHENSIBLE INNOVATION)  

From the office of religious endowments and Islamic affairs, Dubai administration of Ifta’ and research by Dr. Isa al-Mani al-Humayri, chairman of Awqaaf, Dubai taken from the Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine, Book #3 by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani and published by As-Sunnah foundation of America 1998. 

The Prophet said, “He who innovates something in this matter of ours that is not of it will have it rejected.” He also said, “beware of innovations, for every innovation (kullu bid’a) is misguidance.” “Many…cite this saying and hold that the word every (kul) is a term of generalization, including all types of innovations with no exception…” By daring to say that they accuse the scholars of Islam of innovation. At the top of the list of those they have accused, then is our master Umar (rah)…“It follows then that the meaning of ‘every’ (kul) cannot be taken in its general sense…” For as the following examples show, there are many actions and practices instituted by his [i.e. Prophet] close followers after his time that are not deemed reprehensible innovation. 

The first and most important of the innovations is the companions of Prophet Muhammad compiling the Qur’an into book form or the Mushaf. This was done at the suggestion of U’mar ibn al-khattab to Abu Bakr that involved most if not all the surviving companions of the Prophet and took final shape in what is sometimes called the Uthmani Qur’an. Another is the second or third azan for juma it is also called the third as scholars consider the aqama as an azan as well. These are two out of many practices that were initiated by the early Muslims. In modern times we have the establishment of organizations to teach proper tajweed, memorization of al-Qur’an, universities for higher learning, giving daw’ah (proselytizing), reminding Muslims to enjoin good and forbid evil and charitable work among the poor and destitute. 

Muslim scholars consider two types of innovation in Islam. As for the claim that there is no such thing as good innovations, here are some sayings of the brilliant scholars of Islam belying this claim: Imam an-Nawwai said in Sahih Muslim, “the Prophet’s saying every innovation is a general-particular and it is a reference to most innovations. The linguists say, innovation is any act done without a previous pattern. Imam an-Nawwai also said, innovation in religious law is to originate anything which did not exist during the time of the Prophet (pbuh) and it is divided between good and bad. In the tradition of religious law it is called innovation and if it has an origin in the religious law then it is not innovation…“Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Hajar al Asqalani, the commentator of al-Bukhari, said,  “Anything that did not exist during the Prophet’s (pbuh) time is called innovation, but some are good while others are not. Imam Shafi’ is reported to have said innovation is of two types, praiseworthy innovation and blameworthy innovation and anything that disagrees with the Sunnah is blameworthy. 

Imam al-Bayhaqi reports that Imam Shafi’ said, “innovation are of two types: that which contradicts the Qur’an, the Sunnah, or unanimous agreement of the Muslims is an innovation of deception while a good innovation does not contradict any of these things.”….“Moreover the following prophetic saying as stated in Sahih Muslim is known even to common Muslims let alone scholars, “he who inaugurates a good practice in Islam earns the reward of it, and all of who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least...” Therefore, it is permissible for a Muslim to originate a good practice even if the Prophet did not do it for the sake of doing good and cultivating a reward.” End of Fatawah

COMMENTARY 

The scholar’s assessment is proven true as the Sahabi (rah) initiated things that were not done by the Prophet (pbuh), yet the allowance for this is validated by his saying to follow him (pbuh) and his companions; (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Daw’ud) meaning that he trusted their understanding of the specifics of the Deen and its three components: beliefs, daily living, and ethical morality.  Would the Prophet (pbuh) have given credibility for the guidance of his Ummah after his time to people who lacked character, knowledge and reverential fear of Allah i.e., taqwa? Aren’t there ahadith and Sirah reports of his (pbuh) knowing the fates and end of those who committed sins during his time before the person or persons passed away? Did he not give prophecy on the condition of the Ummah today? 

The facts presented above regarding the ijtihad of the Sahaba (rah);“he who inaugurates a good practice in Islam earns the reward of it”, shows that all good practices did not end with the death of Rasullulah (pbuh). It was the revelation that instructed mankind on the aqeeda/beliefs and religious practices that ceased with these holy words; “this day have I perfected your Deen…” Thus, the foundation of Deen-Allah was laid that allowed his successors to initiate certain practices that were unnecessary in the time of the Prophet (pbuh) for the benefit of the succeeding generations. Yet, even after this sects and deviants arose challenging the established beliefs of Islam due to the lack of education from the Muslim scholarly tradition or non-compliance to the Shariah’s prohibitions/restrictions in these matters. This is why scholars like Imam Shafi warned against studying scholastic theology during the times when sectarianism was rampant as the deviated ideas, notions and misinterpretations had to be sifted out similar to the fabricated ahadith in the early stages of the ahadith sciences’ development. However, its’ completion and explanation by the savants of this Ummah have rendered an invaluable service to it for all times,“…Any careful reader of Islamic history can see that if the Ashari scholars of Kalam had not engaged and defeated the various theological and philosophical sects on their own terrain, the silence of Ahl-al-Sunnah might have well sealed their defeat at the hands of their opponents…The use of Kalam in case of necessity is a legal obligation (wajib), and to keep silence about Kalam in case other than necessity is Sunnah”. (See Islamic Doctrines and beliefs Vol. 3 The Belief of the people of truth, Ibn ‘Abd-Salam, pg 30.) Clearly, it is aqeeda/kalam or the belief system that the ahadith on bi’da is pointing out as defined by the Ahle-sunnah scholars. (See Noah Hamim Keller’s translation of Reliance of the Traveler, and Shaykh Kabbani’s Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine.) 

As stated above, when times changed, issues that were not problematic or had not arisen during the Prophet’s lifetime had begun to emerge necessitating a response to protect the Muslims from the bi’da of the deviants. Oftentimes this was due to the deaths of the rightly guided, particularly government leaders, Imam’s, judges, religious scholars, etc. “..Allah takes away knowledge with the death of the learned/scholars.” (Bukhari, Muslim) The first major incident of this type in the history of Islam came to be known as the Riddah or apostate wars, when the outlying tribes of Arabia refused to make salat and pay zakat upon the death of Rasulullah (pbuh). 

The main issue when examining bid’a like numerous others in the Islamic tradition is the interconnection between the text proofs (i.e. Qur’an and hadith) as the usul (roots) of the religious sciences including Fiqh. This is why the early scholars such as Ibn Uyanah (a colleague of Imam Malik) have held, “hadiths are a source of misguidance except for the fuqaha.” The credibility of the Sahaba (rah) and their initiating new things for the benefit of the Ummah as the first generation of Muslim scholars is the best example of this. Thus the superficial reading/interpretation of the ahadith on bi’da would appear silent on this matter, however its’ connection to the ahadith,“He who inaugurates good things…”,sheds light on the context and scope of the hadith on innovation. Otherwise the meaning of the two ahadith would appear contradictory which they are not. 

Additionally, the misguided attempts to denigrate the legal decisions of the Sahabi (rah) effectively treats their status and ‘authority’ as no better than the common man. It is here that another half-truth based on literal interpretation is used to ensnare many of my brother and sister Muslims although unbeknownst to many; creating a false sense of ‘empowerment’. This assessment is based on the commonly held presumption that anyone who knows a requisite amount of the Arabic language can go directly to the text sources and gain a competent understanding of them like the first three generations of this Ummah. Keep in mind the virtuous character traits and insightful understanding of Islam possessed by these generations was stated by the Prophet (Bukhari, Muslim) starting with the Sahaba (rah) indicated by one scholar’s on point statement, “…Religion is what they thought it was…”   

In today’s world this means attempting interpretation unaided by traditional Islamic education from the salaf-saliheen (pious ancestors) is the equivalent of trying to “re-invent the wheel”. Such notions whether stated, inferred by implication or innuendo are rejected by Allah (shwta) and his Prophet (pbuh) for opposing the interpretation of the Sahaba and their successors. (4:115).This is because they are next to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as religious authorities reflected in verse 59 of an-Nisa with the term ‘ulu-al-amr’. (See Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence by Mohammad Hashim Kamali.) 

From what has been presented, the meanings of the ahadith on bi’da are not literal and does not include all additions but rather the reprehensible innovations starting with beliefs/aqeeda as there is confirmation on this by I’jma. Thus, any attempts at replacement, denigration or misinterpretation of the established beliefs held by this Ummah no matter how subtly presented is among the things Muslims must always be on their guard against. 

May Allah guide us all to what pleases Him!

Glossary

I’jtihad (independent legal reasoning).  

(I’jma) consensus scholarly/communal agreement, “…Following other than the believers’ way”. 

(4:115)