PEACE THROUGH FAITH

PEACE THROUGH FAITH

           

Since September 11, attack on W.T.C at Washington, there has been a dangerous attempt by some circles to associated terrorism with Islam, which could lead to chaos and catastrophe in mutual relations of people. This is the result of shear ignorance of the teachings of the religion of Islam by even Muslims and other religionists, who easily fall prey to this sort of heinous propaganda.

            Even emotional feelings are aroused among ignorant Muslims by a counter propaganda that combating of terrorism by west is an excuse to come down upon innocent Muslims with heavy hand. In this process interested elements succeed in convincing people that an attack on a Muslim is to be considered an attack all Muslims. Here responsible Govt’s need to find alternative ways to avoid suffering of innocent people before this conflict takes the shape of a world wide conflict and mistrust between Islam and the west, disturbing thereby the PEACE and tranquility of the world.

            Through there is a common ground that all religions preach peace, it is because of ignorance of each other’s teachings that a mistrust gets developed. Hence, the necessity of understanding the teachings of each other’s religions is a must, to avoid mistrust and to build confidence among people.

            Misgivings have arisen especially among those who are not conversant with Islam. Such people, most of them Westerners are deplorably unaware of the fact that Islam is another name for peace and tranquility.

            Man has to accept that the universe wherein everything exists, which contains millions of galaxies ever-expanding, cannot be the result of an accident.

            The earth which is a small part of this universe compared to the heavenly bodies and appears to be a tiny speck serves as home, to us because of the will of the supreme planner- The ultimate source of power and wisdom i.e. the Almighty Allah.

            All the visible and the invisible objects, the splendid creations of Allah act upon his ordained natural doctrines and laws willingly or  unwillingly. The submission to Allah’s will is required from mankind willingly. Man has been granted wisdom and freedom of choice, the capability of doing both good and the bad deeds. When he chooses the virtuous deeds (which the Almighty Allah likes) throughout his life and dies upon the path of absolute submission to Allah, he will be rewarded with the everlasting life of complete peace and joy in the gardens of bliss.

            The Quran declares that Islam, which literally means “Surrender of one’s will before Allah” and obedience of HIS law, the only way of life acceptable to Allah and that all messengers of Allah invited man to follow this way. Such messengers were raised in all ages and in all places.

            “FOR EVERY PEOPLE THERE WAS A GUIDE” (Quran) “NEVER WAS THERE A PEOPLE WITHOUT A WARNER HAVING LIVED AMONG THEM”.(Quran)

            Prophet Muhammad (P.B.H.) also invited mankind to this path, he did not preach a new message and found a new religion.

            “HE HAS ORDAINED FOR YOU THE SAME RELIGION WHICH HAS BEEN ENJOINED ON NOAH AND IS (NOW) BEING REVEALED TO YOU AND WHICH WAS ENJOINED ON ABRAHAM, MOSES AND JESUS” (QURAN)

            Muhammad (P.B.H) only completed Islam under the guidance of Almighty Allah.

            A Muslim is therefore, enjoined to believe not only is one prophet but in all prophets including those whose names occur in the Quran and those whose names do not occur there. In this matter of belief, no discrimination is to be made against any prophet. The believers are ordered to avow. “WE DO NOT MAKE ANY DISTINCTION BETWEEN ONE AND ANOTHER OF HIS PROPHETS.”  (Quran) And what is the essence of this universal way of life preached by all prophets a way which the Quran declares to be the only acceptable way to Allah. “THE RELIGION BEFORE ALLAH IS ONLY ISLAM” “AND A WAY OTHER THAN WHICH THERE IS NO WAY OF SALVATION.” (Quran).

            “AND WHOEVER DESIRES A WAY OTHER THAN ISLAM (SUBMISSION TO ALLAH), IT SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED OF HIM AND HE SHALL BE AMONG THE LOSERS IN THE HEREAFTER”. (Quran). Its essence is that it is the law of the universe. All objects in the universe, the Sun, the Moon the Planets, the immeasurable vast Galaxies, the Earth and all things therein follow the law ordained by Allah, the law of submission of Islam”. AND ALL THINGS IN THE HEAVE’S AND ON EARTH BOW TO HIS WILL WILLINGLY ON UNWILLINGLY”.

            And even man, as for as the involuntarily aspects of his being is concerned, follows this law. He is born at a point of time and dies at a point of time. He cannot contravenes the law using his limbs for biological purposes for which they have been designed, he is to breaths through his nose and hear through his ears. To this extent the involuntary aspects of his being man too is a Muslim, an unconscious Muslim though. But his trial in this world consists in the fact that he has been granted a limited freedom to love his individual and collective life according to his choice. He may or may not follow the law of Allah in this voluntary aspect of being. If he chooses to follow this law and surrenders, his will before the will of Allah he becomes a conscious Muslim, a Muslim in the real sense of the term.

            One who willingly chooses, to be a Muslim establishes at once a contact with the ultimate source of eternal peace and the conscious and unconscious aspects of his being and therefore he is at peace with himself for another he is now no longer the denizen of an alien universe but follows the same path which all other objects of the universe follow and feels at peace with this friendly universe.

Thus, Islam submission to God leads him to a peace, which is accessible in no other way. I would like to point out here that by its roots in Arabic, Islam also means religions of peace. This peace permeates not only the mind and heart of the individual believer but also the collective life of man when the law of Islam is followed. Islam declares that all men are borne equal and nothing race, colour, language, nationality, but only God consciousness can place one above the other.

            “O MANKIND, WE CREATED YOU FROM A SINGLE PAIR OF A MAN AND A WOMAN AND MADE YOU INTO NATIONS TRIBES SO THAT YOU KNOW EACH OTHER. INDEED THE MOST HONOURED OF YOU IN THE SIGHT OF GOD IS ONE WHO IS MOST CONSCIOUS OF HIM”. (Quran)

            Expounding this principle of the unity and brotherhood of mankind, the prophet (PBH) remarked.

            “AN ARAB HAS NO SUPERIORITY OVER A NON-ARAB NOR HAS THE NON-ARAB ANY SUPERIORITY OVER THE ARAB. SIMILARLY THE BLACK MAN IS NOT SUPERIOR TO THE RED-COMPLEXIONED ONE, NOR IS THE RED-COMPLEXIONED PERSON SUPERIOR TO THE BLACK MAN”.

            He also said: -

            “ALL OF YOU COME FORM ADAM AND ADAM CAME FORM CLAY”

            Islam also ensured peace by establishing a complete equilibrium between the rights of Allah and the rights of man; no one can be a Muslim unless he fulfils his duty to man, as well as his duty to Allah. Martyrdom is a blanket guarantee for one’s entrance into paradise, but even a martyr cannot be forgiven, unless he has discharged all his debts and obligations to other men. This is why Islam regards asceticism monasticism and other escapist ways as inhuman, anti life and un-Islamic because such ways prevent man from doing his duty to man and human civilization. The  essence of religion is not the observance of a set of rituals but fulfillment of one’s obligations to man and Allah. As the Quran says: -

            “IT IS NOT RIGHT EOUSNESS TO TURN YOUR FACES TOWARDS EAST OR THE WEST BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS TO BELIEVE IN ALLAH, THE LIFE HEREAFTER, THE ANGELS, THE REVELATION AND THE MESSENGERS, TO SPEND OUT OF YOUR SUBSTANCE FOR THE LOVE OF ALLAH ON RELATIVES, ORPHANS, THE NEEDY, THE WAYFARER, THOSE WHO ASK AND ON LIBERATING OTHERS FORM BONDAGE; AND TO PERFORM SALAH AND PAY ZAKAH AND TO FULFILL A PROMISE WHEN ONCE IT IS MADE AND REMAIN PATIENT AND STEADFAST IN PAIN, SUFFERING AND ADVERSITY. THOSE WHO POSSESS THESE QUALITIES ARE THE TRUTHFUL AND THE GOD CONSCIOUS”.

            Respect for human life which is the bedrock of social harmony is one of the cardinal tenets of the Islamic way. The Quran says: -

            “WHOEVER SLEW A PERSON UNLESS IT BE FOR MURDER OR MISCHIEF ON THE EARTH- IT IS AS IF HE SLEW THE WHOLE MANKIND AND WHOEVER SAVED A PERSON IT IS AS IF HE SAVED THE WHOLE MANKIND.” (Quran)

            Even when Muslims are defending themselves in a battle they are not allowed to touch any one, except those who are in arms against them. Old men, women, children and the non-belligerent cannot be harmed. In fact, Islam extends respect for life, to forms of life other than human, also. In a state of war trees cannot be felled, crops cannot be burnt and unnecessary destruction cannot be undertaken. The prophet once declared about a person, who took pity on a thirsty dog and gave it water, that, he won paradise by this act of kindness. On another occasion a   companion of his had caught the young one’s of a sparrow. The prophet admonished him and saw to it that the young one’s are replaces in their nest. Himself he forgave his worst enemies at the time of the conquest of MAKKAH and set an example which remains unparallel in the history of mankind, he declared the who creation as the family of Allah and said that “Allah loves that person must, who is most kind to his family”. He also said: -

            “BE KIND TO THOSE ON EARTH, ALLAH ABOVE SHALL BE KIND TO YOU” Islam does not rest content with mere platitudes but gives us a set of permanent principles to regulate our individual and social life. This code of conduct is not meant to limit human freedom but to save it from taking a disastrous course. History is replete with such disasters, consequent on man’s freeing himself from spiritual and moral control. If a fresh illustration was needed the misuse of scientific knowledge by modern man is there for all to see.

            Islam makes salvation dependent upon the virtuous thought and action of the individual himself. There is no escape form personal responsibility. In Islam there is no place for any form of atonement which sets an individual free to do whatever he likes nor can a person’s belonging to a certain tribe or race save him from the evil consequences of his actions. Salvation is not a monopoly of any individual or race; every one can be a candidate for it through faith (Iman) and virtuous action proceeding from it.

            “NOW WHETHER IT IS THOSE WHO BELIEVE (THE MUSLIMS) OR THE JEWS, THE CHRISTIANS, THE SABIANS, WHOEVER BELIEVES IN GOD AND THE LAST DAY AND ACTS VIRTUOUSLY SHALL HAVE HIS REWARD WITH THE LORD AND SUCH PEOPLE SHALL HAVE NO FEAR OR GRIEF”. (Quran)

            The life hereafter is a natural sequel to the earthly life. It is faith and actions, our conduct in this life, which appears as reward and punishment in the hereafter. The prophet (PBH) told his beloved daughter, Fatimah, that she should earn her salvation in the hereafter by her own faith and virtuous deeds. As in that new order, no one can bear any one else’s burden.

            “NO BEARER OF BURDENS CAN BEAR THE BURDEN OF OTHERS” (Quran)

            The fundamental principal laid down by the Quran in this regard is: -

            “MAN CAN HAVE NOTHING BUT WHAT HE STRIVES FOR”.

            This in nutshell is the essence of Islam the universal message preached to mankind by all the prophets of Allah. The Quran says this message was perfected and finalized through Muhammad (PBH) and that salvation now depends upon following this final version of Allah’s revelation to his prophets. It is a claim which deserves extremely serious consideration from all particularly from people like you who are earnestly engaged in the pursuit of truth, people who do not regard man as a mere animal to live for food, clothing’s and shelter only, but visualize as higher destiny for him, people, who in the language of Quran are as (MUTTAQIN), the God conscious ones. The Quran declared that without doubt it is book of guidance for such people: -

            “THIS IS THE BOOK CONTAINING GUIDANCE, WITHOUT DOUBT, FOR THE GOD-CONSCIOUS ONES”. (Quran)

            May Allah, in his boundless mercy, guide us to the way of truth and salvation – Ameen!