30 September 2008
By Dr Syed Bashir Ahmad
AMONG the things to which Islam calls with the aim of welfare of the humankind, is establishment of justice between all peoples. Justice of Islam is not for Arabs alone; it is for all peoples of the world without any exception.
While mentioning the objectives of heavenly religions, Allah says: “We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice...” ( Al-Quran: Al-Hadid: 25)
Thus it stands established that deputation of the Messengers and revelation of the books were basically aimed at achieving a basic objective, which is that the people accomplish justice i.e. fairness to ensure that everyone, without exception, gets his deserved right.
Allah says: “God doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; And when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice…” (Al-Quran: An-Nisa’: 58) The command is lucid in its message that when you judge between “people” — not only Muslims — that you judge with justice. Allah has commanded the believers to stand forth firmly for Justice. They should not be obstructed by emotion of love for the near ones or by dislike or hatred of those who may not be near or dear. Justice is above emotions of love and hate; it must be for Allah alone. Allah says: “O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin,…” (Al-Quran: An-Nisa’: 135)
This is the justice to the loved ones, whether it is the parents or the nearest of kith and kin or even ones own self. Allah also says: “O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do”. (Al-Quran: Al-Ma’idah: 8)
This is the justice to those, whom one might dislike for their hatred, abhorrence and animosity towards him. In spite of the dislike, faithful are not supposed to commit transgression, because Allah does not like those who depart from justice nor does He guide them to the right path, as such people never succeed — neither in this worldly life nor in the hereafter. Muslims applied this justice with all peoples; they applied it in the lifetime of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), during the time of the rightly guided caliphs and generally during the early centuries.
We know of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab ordering the aggrieved Coptic Egyptian to avenge from the son of the governor on Egypt — ‘Amr Ibn-Al-’Aas. The history then registered his historic statement: “Oh ‘Amr, when did you enslave the people whilst their mothers delivered them only free?” This concise spontaneous statement of Omar became the opening statement of the formal documents on human rights and of constitutions of advanced states in modern times.
During the caliphate of Ali Ibn-Abi-Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), the judge appointed by him passed his verdict against Ali himself — the Commander of the faithful — and in favour of a Christian subject, because Ali could not refute the claim against him. Upon seeing this Islamic uprightness and fairness of the Islamic justice, the Christian could not resist to declare publicly his faith in Islam and confess that Ali was right and had been framed, adding that such verdicts were nothing less than prophetic.
For more inquiries e-mail: drbashirahmad@hotmail.com
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Farewell oh Ramadaan
bismillahi walhamdulillahi 'alaa rasulillah...
" Departure now presents itself
My eyes are both filed up with tears
My heart within me cries out aloud
O' devoted month farewell, farewell.
If life remains we'll meet again
Or otherwise a sad regret
Alas From us taken leave
O' glorious month farewell, farewell
I could not do much of good deeds -
Now I am only offering few tears of sadness
Only this much is my whole asset -
farewell O' Ramadaan farewell O' Ramadaan.."
So ramadhan is about to end. How much did you take benefit of this month of mercy? Yeah, we all need to reflect on that. Personally, I am sad. I could have spent more time in devotion. Who knows if I am gona be alive to see this month again!
We bid farewell to the month of good manners, farewell to the month of generosity, farewell to the month of mercy.The masjid was full of worshipers at every solah, all standing together and bowing down to the Greatest Lord , with humility and devotion, with fear and hope, with prayers and thankfulness.
It had become easy to do good, had become easy to wake up early and stay awake late standing before Allah, with tears in our eyes seeking His mercy and forgiveness and such a blessed month is leaving us, will I be alive to witness another ramadhan ? or will this be my last ramadhan and no more ? did i make the most of this month ? some questions really arising in my mind as this month is fading away with the crescent moon of Shawal shining bright in the night sky in the company of the innumerable twinkling stars, I feel the warmth of Allah's mercy around me. I wish I had the taufeeq to make the most of this month, and wish I was successful in seeking Allah's mercy and blessings and wish my body is programmed enough to keep this eiman and spirit alive till the coming of next ramadhan so that I may increase further my eiman and learn to love Allah more and fear Him more and obey Him more, ameen.
Lets make a pledge that we will stive hard to keep this spirit of ramadhan alive in our lives in all the coming months, because we are Muslims throughout the year and not only in ramadhan. What is good in ramadhan is also good and compulsary in other months for a Muslim, like solah, charity, honesty, humility and the spirit of sharing. May Allah help us realize this eternal truth and lead us on the path of those who receive His blessings and Mercy and save us from the path of those who deserve His wrath and punishment, ameen..
I wish all the Muslims all around the world a very blessed Eid. Please do not forget our brothers and sisters who are facing oppression from the kafr oppressors even in this month, our brothers and sisters who are not fortunate enough to celebrate this wonderful occasion. Please remember our brothers and sisters in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Palestine, Philippines, Kosovo, etc, please make dua to Allah for them and their families and dua is the least thing we can do to help them, and after dua if you are in a position to help them, please do it in the name of Allah, May Allah reward you for all the goodness you bring to the world.
goodbye ramadhan, may we meet again, insyaAllah..
TaqabbAllahu minni wa minkum wa astaghfiruAllah..
Al-Muhsineen
Bismillahi walhamdulillahi 'alaa rasulillah..
“Verily, he who fears Allaah with obedience to Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds), and is patient, then surely, Allaah makes not the reward of the Muhsinoon (good‑doers) to be lost”
[Yusuf 12:90]
“And verily, Allaah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers)”
[al-‘Ankabut 29:69]
someone told me this - few days before : if a woman accepts that and treats her husband and the other wife well, she will have the reward of al-muhsineen
..i want to be that woman.."the muhsineen" :)
he added, women should follow the good example of the wives of the Prophet sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam and his companions, who were patient and sought reward even though many of them felt jealous. If your husband goes ahead and takes a second/third/fourth wife then you have to be patient and content and treat him well so that you can attain the reward of the patient and the doers of good.
Note that this life is the life of trials and tests, and how quickly it ends. So congratulations to the one who is patient in obeying Allaah in this life until he attains eternal delight in the gardens of Paradise.
hence, He said in Holy Book :
“Is there any reward for good other than good?”
[al-Rahmaan 55:60]
I FEEL SOOOOOOOOO GOOD about His "plan of life" over me, WALLAHI.. :)
And Allah knows best ;)
“Verily, he who fears Allaah with obedience to Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds), and is patient, then surely, Allaah makes not the reward of the Muhsinoon (good‑doers) to be lost”
[Yusuf 12:90]
“And verily, Allaah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers)”
[al-‘Ankabut 29:69]
someone told me this - few days before : if a woman accepts that and treats her husband and the other wife well, she will have the reward of al-muhsineen
..i want to be that woman.."the muhsineen" :)
he added, women should follow the good example of the wives of the Prophet sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam and his companions, who were patient and sought reward even though many of them felt jealous. If your husband goes ahead and takes a second/third/fourth wife then you have to be patient and content and treat him well so that you can attain the reward of the patient and the doers of good.
Note that this life is the life of trials and tests, and how quickly it ends. So congratulations to the one who is patient in obeying Allaah in this life until he attains eternal delight in the gardens of Paradise.
hence, He said in Holy Book :
“Is there any reward for good other than good?”
[al-Rahmaan 55:60]
I FEEL SOOOOOOOOO GOOD about His "plan of life" over me, WALLAHI.. :)
And Allah knows best ;)
Islam on brotherhood and equality of all human beings
29 September 2008
By Dr Syed Bashir Ahmad
FROM fruits of the Islamic belief in absolute unity of Allah, is the human brotherhood. Of the prerequisites of the human brotherhood is the equality of humans. In his famous book, Gateway to Knowledge about Islam, Shaikh Yusuf al Qaradhawi says, “This brotherhood is based on two factors”: Firstly, by virtue of the call to belief in unity of Allah, all the humans are slaves or servants of the same single Lord; He created them and made them equals, so they enjoy sameness in the status of servitude to Allah.
Secondly, they all are sons of the same parents — Adam and Eve. Whatsoever the colour of their skins may differ or wherever their homelands may be located, or their tongues may vary or their classes may be disparate, they still remain the sons of Adam.
They are on par in their status of affiliation to Adam. This is what the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) communicated to his nation on the occasion of the Hajjatul Wadaa' (the Farewell Haj). In his sermon to the large congregation, he said, “O people, the Lord of all of you is one; the father of all of you is one; all of you belong to the Adam; Adam was created from the dust; an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab — except by piety” (1 Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad: 5/411 — through Abu Nadhrah; considered authentic by Albani).
Allah, the Most Exalted and Glorified, says: “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)”. (Al-Quran: Al-Hujurat: 13)
Imam Ahmad has narrated through Zaid Bin Arqam that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to invoke Allah after every congregational prayer with the following three supplications: “Oh our Allah — our Lord and the Lord and Owner of everything —, I bear witness that you are the one and only deity who has no associate”. “Oh our Allah — our Lord and the Lord and Owner of everything —, I bear witness that all humans are brethren”.
This brotherhood is the broad human brotherhood. And certainly, brotherhood embodies three elements of love, equality and co-operation. Some people may say that Allah says — in the Quran — “the Believers are but a single Brotherhood” and that His Messenger — Mohammad (PBUH) — says, “a Muslim is the brother of another Muslim”, which means that the basis of brotherhood is nothing but religion and faith. We say that the religious brotherhood based on faith is the very special and deepest brotherhood, but it does not conflict with other types of brotherhood, like national or ethnic brotherhood — as mentioned in the following Quranic verses: “To the 'Ad People (We sent) Hud, one of their own brethren....” (Al-Quran: Hud: 50)
“To the Thamud People (We sent) Salih, one of their own brethren.…( Al-Quran: Hud: 61) “To the Madyan People (We sent) Shu'aib, one of their own brethren” …( Al-Quran: Hud: 84) Thus, the Quran confirms existence of brotherhood between those Messengers and their people; even though they rejected them and rebelled against them, they still belonged to them and were not alien to them. That is the ethnic brotherhood. And there is the bond of human brotherhood between the descendants of Adam in general. That is what we mentioned above in light of the prophetic supplications.
e-mail: drbashirahmad@hotmail.com
To be continued
By Dr Syed Bashir Ahmad
FROM fruits of the Islamic belief in absolute unity of Allah, is the human brotherhood. Of the prerequisites of the human brotherhood is the equality of humans. In his famous book, Gateway to Knowledge about Islam, Shaikh Yusuf al Qaradhawi says, “This brotherhood is based on two factors”: Firstly, by virtue of the call to belief in unity of Allah, all the humans are slaves or servants of the same single Lord; He created them and made them equals, so they enjoy sameness in the status of servitude to Allah.
Secondly, they all are sons of the same parents — Adam and Eve. Whatsoever the colour of their skins may differ or wherever their homelands may be located, or their tongues may vary or their classes may be disparate, they still remain the sons of Adam.
They are on par in their status of affiliation to Adam. This is what the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) communicated to his nation on the occasion of the Hajjatul Wadaa' (the Farewell Haj). In his sermon to the large congregation, he said, “O people, the Lord of all of you is one; the father of all of you is one; all of you belong to the Adam; Adam was created from the dust; an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab — except by piety” (1 Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad: 5/411 — through Abu Nadhrah; considered authentic by Albani).
Allah, the Most Exalted and Glorified, says: “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)”. (Al-Quran: Al-Hujurat: 13)
Imam Ahmad has narrated through Zaid Bin Arqam that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to invoke Allah after every congregational prayer with the following three supplications: “Oh our Allah — our Lord and the Lord and Owner of everything —, I bear witness that you are the one and only deity who has no associate”. “Oh our Allah — our Lord and the Lord and Owner of everything —, I bear witness that all humans are brethren”.
This brotherhood is the broad human brotherhood. And certainly, brotherhood embodies three elements of love, equality and co-operation. Some people may say that Allah says — in the Quran — “the Believers are but a single Brotherhood” and that His Messenger — Mohammad (PBUH) — says, “a Muslim is the brother of another Muslim”, which means that the basis of brotherhood is nothing but religion and faith. We say that the religious brotherhood based on faith is the very special and deepest brotherhood, but it does not conflict with other types of brotherhood, like national or ethnic brotherhood — as mentioned in the following Quranic verses: “To the 'Ad People (We sent) Hud, one of their own brethren....” (Al-Quran: Hud: 50)
“To the Thamud People (We sent) Salih, one of their own brethren.…( Al-Quran: Hud: 61) “To the Madyan People (We sent) Shu'aib, one of their own brethren” …( Al-Quran: Hud: 84) Thus, the Quran confirms existence of brotherhood between those Messengers and their people; even though they rejected them and rebelled against them, they still belonged to them and were not alien to them. That is the ethnic brotherhood. And there is the bond of human brotherhood between the descendants of Adam in general. That is what we mentioned above in light of the prophetic supplications.
e-mail: drbashirahmad@hotmail.com
To be continued
Saturday, September 27, 2008
A Story of Opportunity :)
Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu,bismillahi walhamdulillahi 'alaa rasulillah,
Have we estimated Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala correctly? Life is about people who take advantage of their opportunities to win the love of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala and Laylatul Qadr is one of them.
Abu Dahda RA was one of those who found an opportunity and won that which is greater than the heavens and the earth. An adult companion of the Prophet sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam cultivated his garden next to the property of an orphan. The orphan claimed that a specific palm tree was on his property and thus belonged to him. The companion rejected the claim, so the orphan boy went to the Messenger of Allah sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam to complain. With his justness, the Messenger of Allah sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam measured the two gardens and found that the palm tree did indeed belong to the companion. The orphan erupted crying. Seeing this, the Prophet sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam asked the companion, “Would you give him the palm tree and to you is a palm tree in Jannah?” However, the companion in his disbelief that an orphan would complain to the Prophet sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam, missed the opportunity and went away angry.
But someone else saw the opportunity – Abu Dahda RA. He went to the Prophet sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam and asked, “Ya RasulAllah, if I buy the tree from him and give it to the orphan shall I have that tree in Jannah?”
The Messenger of Allah sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam replied, “Yes.”
Abu Dahda RA chased after the companion and asked, “Would you sell that tree to me for my entire garden?”
The companion answered, “Take it, for there is no good in a tree that I was complained to the Prophet about.”
Immediately, Abu Dahda RA went home and found his wife and children playing in the garden. “Leave the garden!” shouted Abu Dahda. “We’ve sold it to Allah! We’ve sold it to Allah!” Some of his children had dates in their hand and he snatched the dates from them and threw them back into the garden. “We’ve sold it to Allah!”
When Abu Dahda RA was later martyred in the battle of Uhud, RasulAllah sallalahu 'alaihi wassalam stood over his slain body and remarked, “How many shady palm trees does Abu Dahda now have in Paradise?”
What did Abu Darda lose? Dates? Bushes? Dirt? What did he gain? He gained a Jannah whose expanse is the heavens and the earth.
Abu Dahda RA did not miss his opportunity, and I pray to Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala that we do not miss our opportunity of standing to Allah on Laylatul Qadr, inshaAllah ameen :)
source : Youtube lecture by Shaykh Saeed Rageah
Significance of Islamic morals in politics
27 September 2008
By Dr Syed Bashir Ahmad
IN his famous book, Gateway to Knowledge about Islam, Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi says, as Islam has pegged economy with ethics, it has done this concerning politics too. Islamic politics is not Machiavellian politics wherein ends justify means, whatsoever their characteristics may be.
Islamic politics is the politics of principles and values, which must be adhered to and not relinquished even in the gloomiest situations or in perplexing times, whether it be in relations of the Islamic state with its citizens or in the external relations with countries and groups.
Islam vehemently rejects dirty means even if those are intended to reach to noble ends: “Allah is noble and accepts nothing but fair.” (Narrated by Muslim in Sahih) Unscrupulous means are unacceptable just like vicious ends; inevitably, there must be clean means to achieve noble ends.
Concerning relation of the state with its citizens, Allah calls upon those entrusted with authority to govern the affairs of Muslims with honesty and justice, saying: “Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; And when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice: Verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! For Allah is He Who heareth and seeth all things”.
(Al-Quran: An-Nisa’: 58) Hence, returning back of trusts of different material and moral types to whom they are due and judging between all people with justice, is the obligation of the Muslim state towards its citizens. It is not lawful for the Muslim ruler to favour anyone of his relatives or cortege and commission him with something unduly while depriving the deserving. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) reckoned to such a state of affairs as being the sign of approaching of the hour of doom for the Muslim nation.
Once someone asked him about the timing of the day of judgement and he replied saying, “When the trust is squandered, anticipate the hour. He was asked: how will the squandering of trust take place. He replied: when authority will be entrusted to the non-deserving, anticipate the hour”. (Al-Quran: An-Nisa’: 58)
It is also illegitimate to drop a prescribed punishment against anyone deserving the punishment for his lineage or status or for being near to the ruler. Regarding this, Hadeeth testifies: “Verily those before you were made to perish, because when the highborn amongst them stole, they spared him and when a powerless stole, they imposed the penalty upon him; By Allah, if Fatimah — the daughter of Muhammad — were to commit theft, I myself would chop off her hand.” (Al-Quran: An-Nisa’: 58)
The internal Islamic politics must be grounded on the foundation of justice, fairness and equality between all with regards to in rights, responsibilities and penalties. It must be based on truth with the people and frankness to them about the reality, without any deception, imposture or delusion. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has said that one of the three to whom Allah shall not look on the day of resurrection, nor exonerate them and for whom there shall be awful punishment shall be the untruthful ruler. (Narrated by Muslim — The Book of Faith — from Abu Hurairah )
With regard to international relations, the Islamic state must fulfil the treaties and all the commitments and respect its own word. Allah says: “Fulfil the Covenant of Allah when ye have entered into it, and break not your oaths after ye have confirmed them; indeed ye have made Allah your surety; for Allah knoweth all that ye do. And be not like a woman who breaks into untwisted strands the yarn which she has spun, after it has become strong. Nor take your oaths to practise deception between yourselves, lest one party should be more numerous than another: for Allah will test you by this; and on the Day of Judgment He will certainly make clear to you (the truth of) that wherein ye disagree. If Allah so willed, He could make you all one people: But He leaves straying whom He pleases, and He guides whom He pleases: but ye shall certainly be called to account for all your actions”. (Al-Quran: An-Nahl: 91-93)
In these two Quranic verses, Allah emphatically enjoins upon the faithful to respect treaties and pacts by relating covenants to Himself (i.e. the Covenant of Allah). He warns against breaking of oaths after the ratification of agreements, which amounts to the act of that foolish woman who puts in a great deal of effort into spinning of her yarn, but once the yarn gains strength upon processing, she imprudently breaks her own produce it into untwisted strands. He urges for basing treaties and agreements between nations upon insincerity and genuineness of intentions, without mendaciousness and swindling intended to take undue advantage and to gain more than the other party does; benefiting inappropriately at the cost of the other party. That is exactly what we notice in treaties and agreements of our times.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the paramount ideal in respecting of agreements and honouring of treaties, even when at times his companions believed that therein was unfairness towards Muslims — for example in the treaty of Hudaibiyyah. During one of the military expeditions against Quraish, when a man wanted to join the Muslim army, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not accept his request, as he had pledged to them that he would not fight them from the ranks of their enemy.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rather ordered him to honour his word, saying to him, “We are sufficient for them; we seek Allah’s help over them”. (Narrated by Muslim, Ahmad and others) If some people thought that politics knows no morals, such a notion is farthest from the Islamic politics, which is essentially based on justice, faithfulness, truthfulness, integrity and noblest of the morals.
e-mail: drbashirahmad@hotmail.com
By Dr Syed Bashir Ahmad
IN his famous book, Gateway to Knowledge about Islam, Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi says, as Islam has pegged economy with ethics, it has done this concerning politics too. Islamic politics is not Machiavellian politics wherein ends justify means, whatsoever their characteristics may be.
Islamic politics is the politics of principles and values, which must be adhered to and not relinquished even in the gloomiest situations or in perplexing times, whether it be in relations of the Islamic state with its citizens or in the external relations with countries and groups.
Islam vehemently rejects dirty means even if those are intended to reach to noble ends: “Allah is noble and accepts nothing but fair.” (Narrated by Muslim in Sahih) Unscrupulous means are unacceptable just like vicious ends; inevitably, there must be clean means to achieve noble ends.
Concerning relation of the state with its citizens, Allah calls upon those entrusted with authority to govern the affairs of Muslims with honesty and justice, saying: “Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; And when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice: Verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! For Allah is He Who heareth and seeth all things”.
(Al-Quran: An-Nisa’: 58) Hence, returning back of trusts of different material and moral types to whom they are due and judging between all people with justice, is the obligation of the Muslim state towards its citizens. It is not lawful for the Muslim ruler to favour anyone of his relatives or cortege and commission him with something unduly while depriving the deserving. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) reckoned to such a state of affairs as being the sign of approaching of the hour of doom for the Muslim nation.
Once someone asked him about the timing of the day of judgement and he replied saying, “When the trust is squandered, anticipate the hour. He was asked: how will the squandering of trust take place. He replied: when authority will be entrusted to the non-deserving, anticipate the hour”. (Al-Quran: An-Nisa’: 58)
It is also illegitimate to drop a prescribed punishment against anyone deserving the punishment for his lineage or status or for being near to the ruler. Regarding this, Hadeeth testifies: “Verily those before you were made to perish, because when the highborn amongst them stole, they spared him and when a powerless stole, they imposed the penalty upon him; By Allah, if Fatimah — the daughter of Muhammad — were to commit theft, I myself would chop off her hand.” (Al-Quran: An-Nisa’: 58)
The internal Islamic politics must be grounded on the foundation of justice, fairness and equality between all with regards to in rights, responsibilities and penalties. It must be based on truth with the people and frankness to them about the reality, without any deception, imposture or delusion. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has said that one of the three to whom Allah shall not look on the day of resurrection, nor exonerate them and for whom there shall be awful punishment shall be the untruthful ruler. (Narrated by Muslim — The Book of Faith — from Abu Hurairah )
With regard to international relations, the Islamic state must fulfil the treaties and all the commitments and respect its own word. Allah says: “Fulfil the Covenant of Allah when ye have entered into it, and break not your oaths after ye have confirmed them; indeed ye have made Allah your surety; for Allah knoweth all that ye do. And be not like a woman who breaks into untwisted strands the yarn which she has spun, after it has become strong. Nor take your oaths to practise deception between yourselves, lest one party should be more numerous than another: for Allah will test you by this; and on the Day of Judgment He will certainly make clear to you (the truth of) that wherein ye disagree. If Allah so willed, He could make you all one people: But He leaves straying whom He pleases, and He guides whom He pleases: but ye shall certainly be called to account for all your actions”. (Al-Quran: An-Nahl: 91-93)
In these two Quranic verses, Allah emphatically enjoins upon the faithful to respect treaties and pacts by relating covenants to Himself (i.e. the Covenant of Allah). He warns against breaking of oaths after the ratification of agreements, which amounts to the act of that foolish woman who puts in a great deal of effort into spinning of her yarn, but once the yarn gains strength upon processing, she imprudently breaks her own produce it into untwisted strands. He urges for basing treaties and agreements between nations upon insincerity and genuineness of intentions, without mendaciousness and swindling intended to take undue advantage and to gain more than the other party does; benefiting inappropriately at the cost of the other party. That is exactly what we notice in treaties and agreements of our times.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the paramount ideal in respecting of agreements and honouring of treaties, even when at times his companions believed that therein was unfairness towards Muslims — for example in the treaty of Hudaibiyyah. During one of the military expeditions against Quraish, when a man wanted to join the Muslim army, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not accept his request, as he had pledged to them that he would not fight them from the ranks of their enemy.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rather ordered him to honour his word, saying to him, “We are sufficient for them; we seek Allah’s help over them”. (Narrated by Muslim, Ahmad and others) If some people thought that politics knows no morals, such a notion is farthest from the Islamic politics, which is essentially based on justice, faithfulness, truthfulness, integrity and noblest of the morals.
e-mail: drbashirahmad@hotmail.com
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Significance of morals & economy in the message of Islam
25 September 2008
By Dr Syed Bashir Ahmad
A Muslim trader should not hide or cover up the defects and drawbacks of his merchandise and highlight its merits and advantages in an exaggeratory manner so that the deluded customers pay a price higher than what is really reasonable. This is known as swindling and the Prophet (PBUH) has said about this: ‘He who swindles is not from amongst us’ Islamic morals have their reach and impact on financial and economic affairs too, whether in production or in distribution or in delivery or in consumption.
In his famous book, Gateway to Knowledge about Islam, Shaikh Yusuf al Qaradhawi says, economy cannot grow, as some may want, without checks and balances, without being pegged to values or without adherence to ideals.
A Muslim is not supposed to produce whatever he may want without being concerned whether it is harmful, materially or morally, to his fellow human beings even though he was to gain heavily and profit profoundly from that production.
Cultivation of tobacco, hashish or other narcotic plants and production of harmful substances may lead to hefty material returns, but Islam prohibits its believers from trying to earn and gain from
loss and damage of others. Transformation of grape juice into wine may lead to high earnings and ensure high returns to vineyard owners and wine producers, but Islam demeans such gains against the immense wrongs caused and enormous harms inflicted by alcohol on minds, bodies and morals, manifested in the form of decadence and deterioration in the lives of individuals, families and groups.
The Quran says:
“They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: “In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit...”.( Al Quran: Al Baqarah: 219) Even in exchange of merchandise, a Muslim must not take buying and selling of wine, pork, dead meat or idols as his trade, nor should he sell something to someone whom he knows will use it in evil deeds, depravity or causing damage and harm to others. For instance, one cannot sell grape juice or even grapes to someone who is known to use these for preparing wine; one cannot sell arms to someone who is known to murder the innocent or to use them for brutality and aggression.
A Hadeeth of the Prophet (PBUH) puts it thus: “When Allah forbade something, He forbade its price too; whoever withholds grapes during harvesting season to sell it later on to a Jew or a Christian or to whoever transmutes grapes to wine — ie even if it was to a Muslim, surely he deliberately plunges himself into hellfire.” A Muslim cannot monopolistically hoard foodstuff or similar (basic) items needed by the people with the intention of selling it for twice or more of its price. Authentic Hadeeth states it thus: “No one other than a wrongdoer (ie sinner) hoards monopolistically.” Allah, the Exalted says:
A Muslim trader should not hide or cover up the defects and drawbacks of his merchandise and highlight its merits and advantages in an exaggeratory manner, as is normally done through present-day advertising, so that the deluded customers pay a price higher than what is really reasonable. This is known as swindling and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has said about this: “He who swindles is not from amongst us.” In distribution and possession of wealth also, it is not lawful for a Muslim to possess wealth through wicked means. He is not permitted to acquire through aggression nor by deceit what he otherwise does not deserve.
For this reason, Allah has prohibited usury, gambling, devouring of people’s possessions by false pretences, all forms of unfairness, harming and undue Impairment of all sorts. As far as consumption is concerned, Islam has not let the reigns free for a believer, so that he could spend according to his whims and fancies without being concerned about the interests of his own self and the interests of his family and his nation. It has rather restrained it by moderation and temperance. The Quran reads: “Make not thy hand tied (like a niggard’s) to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and destitute”. (Al Quran: Al Isra’ : 29)
“… eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters”. (Al Quran: Al A’raf : 31) It has deplored extravagance and indulgence in luxuries and vain pleasures. It has prohibited all of sybaritic manifestations, like using utensils of gold and silver, and barred their use for men as well as for women. Similarly, it has forbidden wearing of gold and silk for men. All these guiding principles characterise and distinguish the Islamic Economy with the great peculiarity of being “ethical economy”. Many of the fair-minded scholars and honest researchers confirm this reality.
French writer Jacques Austeroi, writes in his book, Islam and Economic Development (Translated to Arabic by Dr Nabil Taweel): “Islam is simultaneously a system of practical life and of idealistic moral values. As these two aspects are interlinked and inseparable, we can say that secular economy is unacceptable to Muslims. Economy that derives its strength from Quranic revelation must certainly be an ethical economy. “These moral values are capable of redefining the concept of ‘value’ and to fill the intellectual void that is on the verge of emergence as a result of the mechanism of industrialisation.
He has denounced the harmful consequences of development of the depraved industrial civilisation in the west. Economy today faces threat arising from domination of ‘values of appetite’ over the genuine values. The West has started comprehending harmful consequences of the economic trends leading towards an unstable world, wherein man finds himself suddenly terminated from his job; wherein machines have become the master; wherein there is extremism in gaining possession of luxuries, like cars; wherein the attention is focused on absurd things. “The West never bothered to decelerate the enmity of machines towards the humans, although they occupy an important place in today’s civilisation.
“This convergence of morality and economy has not been out of the blue in Islam, the faith that knows no schism between materiality and spirituality. (Those who may be interested in extensive details on this subject may refer to my book The Role of Values and Morals in Islamic Economy (Pages: 440/ Published by Maktabat Wahbah — Cairo). If we examine the functional reality, we shall find the effects of this conjugation of economy and ethics very lucid and deep rooted in history of the Muslims, especially when Islam was the foremost influencing factor in their lives and the master pilot of their activity and behaviour.
e-mail: drbashirahmad@hotmail.com
By Dr Syed Bashir Ahmad
A Muslim trader should not hide or cover up the defects and drawbacks of his merchandise and highlight its merits and advantages in an exaggeratory manner so that the deluded customers pay a price higher than what is really reasonable. This is known as swindling and the Prophet (PBUH) has said about this: ‘He who swindles is not from amongst us’ Islamic morals have their reach and impact on financial and economic affairs too, whether in production or in distribution or in delivery or in consumption.
In his famous book, Gateway to Knowledge about Islam, Shaikh Yusuf al Qaradhawi says, economy cannot grow, as some may want, without checks and balances, without being pegged to values or without adherence to ideals.
A Muslim is not supposed to produce whatever he may want without being concerned whether it is harmful, materially or morally, to his fellow human beings even though he was to gain heavily and profit profoundly from that production.
Cultivation of tobacco, hashish or other narcotic plants and production of harmful substances may lead to hefty material returns, but Islam prohibits its believers from trying to earn and gain from
loss and damage of others. Transformation of grape juice into wine may lead to high earnings and ensure high returns to vineyard owners and wine producers, but Islam demeans such gains against the immense wrongs caused and enormous harms inflicted by alcohol on minds, bodies and morals, manifested in the form of decadence and deterioration in the lives of individuals, families and groups.
The Quran says:
“They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: “In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit...”.( Al Quran: Al Baqarah: 219) Even in exchange of merchandise, a Muslim must not take buying and selling of wine, pork, dead meat or idols as his trade, nor should he sell something to someone whom he knows will use it in evil deeds, depravity or causing damage and harm to others. For instance, one cannot sell grape juice or even grapes to someone who is known to use these for preparing wine; one cannot sell arms to someone who is known to murder the innocent or to use them for brutality and aggression.
A Hadeeth of the Prophet (PBUH) puts it thus: “When Allah forbade something, He forbade its price too; whoever withholds grapes during harvesting season to sell it later on to a Jew or a Christian or to whoever transmutes grapes to wine — ie even if it was to a Muslim, surely he deliberately plunges himself into hellfire.” A Muslim cannot monopolistically hoard foodstuff or similar (basic) items needed by the people with the intention of selling it for twice or more of its price. Authentic Hadeeth states it thus: “No one other than a wrongdoer (ie sinner) hoards monopolistically.” Allah, the Exalted says:
A Muslim trader should not hide or cover up the defects and drawbacks of his merchandise and highlight its merits and advantages in an exaggeratory manner, as is normally done through present-day advertising, so that the deluded customers pay a price higher than what is really reasonable. This is known as swindling and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has said about this: “He who swindles is not from amongst us.” In distribution and possession of wealth also, it is not lawful for a Muslim to possess wealth through wicked means. He is not permitted to acquire through aggression nor by deceit what he otherwise does not deserve.
For this reason, Allah has prohibited usury, gambling, devouring of people’s possessions by false pretences, all forms of unfairness, harming and undue Impairment of all sorts. As far as consumption is concerned, Islam has not let the reigns free for a believer, so that he could spend according to his whims and fancies without being concerned about the interests of his own self and the interests of his family and his nation. It has rather restrained it by moderation and temperance. The Quran reads: “Make not thy hand tied (like a niggard’s) to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and destitute”. (Al Quran: Al Isra’ : 29)
“… eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters”. (Al Quran: Al A’raf : 31) It has deplored extravagance and indulgence in luxuries and vain pleasures. It has prohibited all of sybaritic manifestations, like using utensils of gold and silver, and barred their use for men as well as for women. Similarly, it has forbidden wearing of gold and silk for men. All these guiding principles characterise and distinguish the Islamic Economy with the great peculiarity of being “ethical economy”. Many of the fair-minded scholars and honest researchers confirm this reality.
French writer Jacques Austeroi, writes in his book, Islam and Economic Development (Translated to Arabic by Dr Nabil Taweel): “Islam is simultaneously a system of practical life and of idealistic moral values. As these two aspects are interlinked and inseparable, we can say that secular economy is unacceptable to Muslims. Economy that derives its strength from Quranic revelation must certainly be an ethical economy. “These moral values are capable of redefining the concept of ‘value’ and to fill the intellectual void that is on the verge of emergence as a result of the mechanism of industrialisation.
He has denounced the harmful consequences of development of the depraved industrial civilisation in the west. Economy today faces threat arising from domination of ‘values of appetite’ over the genuine values. The West has started comprehending harmful consequences of the economic trends leading towards an unstable world, wherein man finds himself suddenly terminated from his job; wherein machines have become the master; wherein there is extremism in gaining possession of luxuries, like cars; wherein the attention is focused on absurd things. “The West never bothered to decelerate the enmity of machines towards the humans, although they occupy an important place in today’s civilisation.
“This convergence of morality and economy has not been out of the blue in Islam, the faith that knows no schism between materiality and spirituality. (Those who may be interested in extensive details on this subject may refer to my book The Role of Values and Morals in Islamic Economy (Pages: 440/ Published by Maktabat Wahbah — Cairo). If we examine the functional reality, we shall find the effects of this conjugation of economy and ethics very lucid and deep rooted in history of the Muslims, especially when Islam was the foremost influencing factor in their lives and the master pilot of their activity and behaviour.
e-mail: drbashirahmad@hotmail.com
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