Sunday 17 January 2010

What Naturally Flows

Although I am inundated with requests for movie song parodies, I need to prioritize what naturally flows from my pen or the computer keyboard.

I wish to thank the readers for understanding, if not believing, the Messenger of Allah’s literacy issue. Please clarify all your doubts by looking at them under the microscope of the Qur’an. However, there remains one more issue about which I would like to write: the humanness versus the divinity of the Messenger of Allah. I will postpone the matter until another time. For now, I need to reply to readers’ comments:

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Echoboom, thanks for mentioning the Hilful Fudul treaty.

I speak English probably better than I do Urdu but I never consider myself a slave of the colonialists. I would like my brothers and sisters to be knowledgeable about the bulk of issues that Muslims face today but do not know how to tackle.

I would want them to spend time busting the religious myths instead of getting themselves busted in NY, LA, or wherever the other side claims Al-CIAda lives.

We already have some uneducated Indusians at this website mocking away on a daily basis; why say things such as 'TWO(2)-Number MAAL' to make them happy? Self-pity is the easiest thing to do in the world.

We need to stand tall and face the challenges pushed into our faces. One must show patience, have hope, and make a decent effort to achieve the best in this world. I do see with great pain that our overall balance is almost totally tilted towards winning eternal rewards in the hereafter.

I, for one, cannot be a time-waster. I will not sit on my hands. Self-pity is a sin against oneself and being a Pakistani Muslim I refuse to sulk and do nothing. I abhor the mutterers who have nothing better to do than highlight problems; show us the solutions and then work towards achieving them.

Allow me to summarize below the salient points of Hilful Fudul for the benefit of readers who may not know Islamic history well.

Battle of Fijaar: A never-ending series of wars was on in Pre-Islamic period. The battle of Fijaar is one of the fiercest and bloodiest battles fought between the Quraysh and the Qais tribes. As the Quraysh were justifiable, Prophet Muhammad sided with the Quraysh tribe but he raised his hand on none. The Qais tribe dominated the battlefield but the Quraysh tribe overpowered them; the war ended on a compromise.

Hilful Fudul: The endless series of wars destroyed hundreds of households but there was no claim in life. After the battle of Fijar was over, some peace-loving people came forward and launched a reformatory movement. One of the uncle’s of the Prophet (peace on him), Zubair, proposed that concrete steps be taken to keep the situation under control. Hence, the elders of the Quraysh tribe sat face-to-face to sign a treaty that read as follows:

1. We will eradicate restlessness from within the land.
2. We will provide protection to travellers.
3. We will help the destitute.
4. We will stretch a helping hand to oppressed people.
5. We will not let any oppressor to operate from within Makkah.

Prophet Muhammad (peace on him) was also present there and he joined the treaty. During his life, he once said, "Even if I were offered red camels for breaking this treaty I would not have accepted them. If I ever get a fresh call for such a treaty, I will be there again."

These excerpts are taken from ‘HOLY LIFE OF HAZRAT MUHAMMAD (HAYYAT-E-TAYYABA)’ By Maulana Dr A. S. Muhammad Abdul Hai (Rahmatullah) of Jamia Milia Islamia (Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi order, Arif Billah Khalifa of Maulana A.I. Thanvi). He established more than a quarter century ago, Jameatus Salehat, a great centre of Muslim women education. He was a famous writer and the owner of the famous publishing house Maktaba Alhasanat that published some of the best Urdu magazines including Al-Hasanat, Noor, Batool and Hilal besides Hadi, a Hindi monthly for children.

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BHS75, thanks for laughing at the Barelvi commercial religious jingles; what they believe and what the Arabs believe has something to do with the geographical distance between the two lands.

Those blessed with seeing things through unwavering faith (Imaan) do not care about Barelvi or Wahabi beliefs. The Qur’an is full of references that show that the Messenger of Allah was born a human being and died as one. He married, had children and struggled very hard to oppose oppression.

Whether angels actually fought on his side is a matter that Dr Muhammad Asad has explained well, suffice to say, with help from his human friends, he was able to turn the tables within his lifetime and re-established a system prescribed by Allah.

Some (like that anti-Islam Dr. Koenraad ELST who was justifiably rebuffed on Chowq by this writer) think that ‘wahy was a state of trance in which a voice dictated Allah's own words to the chosen Messengers.'

The word ‘wahy’ (revelation) means ‘directing or guiding someone’ and it is derived from awha. It is the process of combined verbal and mental communication and inspiration. If men can invent Twitter and SMS, don’t you think our Creator has Divine methods to communicate with those who are tuned in to his station and who keep their hearts full of His remembrance and their minds logged on to His internet?

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Urstruly, thanks for escaping the ‘ban chowqing’ to communicate to me how much you like my thesis. I am one million years away from receiving a Ph.D. on the subject but abnormal beliefs have always disturbed me. Only a guided person can see all the wrong around; the Messengers were such people and we need to lock on to their targets and not to those which the IMF or the WB fax us at Islamabad.

I am sure, as a reader, you do read my posts and blogs on this pagan yubb-site, I wonder why you think I am ranting against every man with a beard? I propose complete submission to Him (Islam) thinking for oneself, seeking God’s direct help (with patience and prayers) and finding peace through a safe passage (taqwa). Is that being unjust to those who are a silent party to the death and destruction all around us?

As for the ‘classical clerical position that the Prophet (peace on him) was unschooled’, it is not my concern to speculate on his alma mater or teachers. Adam received his schooling directly from Allah—something that amazed the angels and set fire to fiery Iblees. Positions can and should change; now is the time to re-think what our beliefs really are, what fairy-tales we believe in and where we ought to be heading. I believe my previous blog solved the riddle of the Messenger’s education.

Whoever thinks that the Messenger (peace on him) ‘was imparted the necessary education (ability to read and write) through a Divine instrument and blessed with the first revelation in Hira’ is almost there; the rest of it is explained in the Qur’an by the Author.

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Thank you Mariposa for seeing to it that I write one more pious blog that will please the One who is indeed pleased by such human effort.

May Allah bless you all.

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