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)