Muadh_Khan, Naqshband66, Taalibah, Jinn, samah, the fake shaykh, abu mohammed, Acacia, dr76, my176, Abdullah bin Mubarak, BHAI1, Maria al-Qibtiyya, Abu Salma, Umm Khadeejah, abuzayd2k, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, ALIF, sipraomer, hmdsalahuddin, saa10245, bint e aisha, a2z, tanveerzakee 6 guests appreciate this topic.
Edward Gibbon wrote the monumental History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
He published it between 1176 to 1788.
He only captured the decline phase of that empire having long geographical and temporal extent.
Big things take a long time even in their collapse.
So even the decline and fall of that empire took nearly a millennium.
To describe that event in its essence requires effort and judgement.
Many people though that Gibbon did not do justice to various events in that long string on happenings.
And after thining and analysing for longer periods people came to the conclusion that after all Gibbon's assessments were the best ones.
This is called his historical sense.
To identify the most esssential elements in a plethora of material before you.
There is a parallel in Deoband of what Gibbon did.
Deoband revived the teachings of Islam.
Then there were some other scholars who thought that have found the meaning of Islam.
Salafis, Ahl-ul-Hadith, Ikhwanis and other Ghair Muqallid crowd.
Their latest stalwarts were operating in UK and Europe.
These were relatively young people.
They thought they have found deep problems with the Deoband interpretation of Islam.
And they said it with pomp and boady language and gaody colours.
And slowly one after another they are coming interms with the truth.
By now most of them feel that Deoband was after all right.
Good for them.
As far as Islam was concerned it was invincible nearly fourteen centuries ago and so will it remain till Allah (SWT) removes it from this world. To implement the last events.
This sinner feels that Deoband was the last reviver of Islam because we are getting signs to the effect that the final reviver, Imam Mehdi (AS), is around the corner.
This is a Grace of Allah (SWT) that we are living in those times that were fondly remembered by beloved Prophet (PBUH).
Taking care of my responsibilities is difficult enough for me. In view of that I have neither training, capacity, capability or inclination to solve theological issues.
I'll prefer to take ready made solutions from those people who have taken that kind of responsibility on themselves - our Ulama.
Corollary: I hate those people who indulge in hair splitting theology. And if Maulwis do that in public this sinner hates them too. Unfortunately for some time that has been the trend with some. Maulwis who are impressed with the western society where they live. And when I say some I definitely do not mean all.
That is what I am interested in - worldly matters.
I am interested in worldly matters that concern me and the Ummah of my beloved Prophet (PBUH).
And I would like to know the Islamic way to deal with them.
Two types of people are not interested in it.
One who wrongly think that a believer must be concerned only with hereafter.
Actually every believer must take requisite interest in worldly affairs.
If you do not do that then people move into your social, cultural, economic, political and military space and make your your life miserable and your Deen comes in the path of danger.
Then there is another class of people who are not interested in worldly matters are the people who do live in real world and are aware of the ground reality of the world but come to Islamic fora and gatherings to get away from that din of current world. There attitude is secular - keep this world and the hereafter separated.
These two classes togather make most of the people around.
Combinely these two groups make both Muslims and Islam vulnerable.
Indeed if we find Islam and Muslims in a very difficult position then the sole reason is that we ignored the external world that non-Islamic at the best and anti-Islamic in reality.
It is imperative that we take note of external world and face it in a proactive manner rather than digging our head deeper and deeper into desert sands to escape the external worldly danger that we can not escape.
Zakat Foundation of India writes to Arvind Kejriwal stating what all Muslims expect from his Government in Delhi.
By Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood, The Milli Gazette Online
Published Online: Feb 14, 2015
Dear Sri Arvind Kejriwal Ji,
Congratulations for your party's second victory in Delhi.
We promise that any office bearer or member of Zakat Foundation of India shall never seek any personal favor from you or your government for ourselves or any other well placed individual.
During its second innings the UPA Govt in the centre generally ignored the restoration of justice to Muslims except toning up the Waqf law. Through a PowerPoint presentation made at Ahmedabad on 29 June 2013 in a program of Sri Narendra Modi, the ZFI President had eloquently narrated the reasons of Muslim disenchantment with his party and the required remedial measures. But a substantial improvement has yet to come. During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and in the just concluded Delhi Assembly elections, Muslims overwhelmingly voted for AAP.
We would request you to kindly consider the following major recommendations of Justice Sachar Committee, Justice Mishra Commission, Mr. Harsh Mandar and others for planned implementation in Delhi.
With warm regards,
yours faithfully,
For Zakat Foundation of India:
Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood, S. M. Shakil, Asrar Ahmad, Anisur Rahman, Mumtaz Najmi, Irfan Baig, Mufti Dr Adil Jamal, Imtiyaz Ahmad Siddiqui, Kamal Akhtar www.zakatindia.org
Greatest writer from France wrote an article about Napoleon's take over of France called The History of a Crime.
In its part X he wrote the words that are now very famous.
An invasion of armies can be resisted; an invasion of ideas cannot be resisted.
What should a Muslim do about this quote or similar quotes from western writers or ancient Indian or Chinese statements?
My safest conclusion is that be wary of anything moral that emanates from non-Islamic sources.
This immediately leads to a doubt. Wont other people get ahead of us by utilizing such motivational thoughts?
Sometimes at worldly level this might happen but never at the level of hereafter for Allah (SWT) completed the religion for us all on beloved Rasoolallah (SWT) and religion includes all morality that we need. Any inclusion of even motivational material from non-Islamic sources potentially contains unknown dangers to our faith and belief even if it looks very pleasant, soothing and pious on face value.
West still dominates us today in military, economic, financial, industrial and hence in social and cultural aspects but only a blind man will not see the decline that has set in there. And their dominance has been a few centuries old only. Last great Muslim Empire was decimated only in 1923.
Whole social and cultural revolutions that lead to scientific and technological revolutions that lead to above dominance are a few hundred years older. before that, much before that, we dominated the scientific scene.
And slowly Muslims are rising in every field. Let us have confidence in our reawrds from Lord Most High.
Finally above quote from Victor Hugo can be turned in our favour. Just assume that Islam is the idea that no armies can fight.
This is true but if pondered on, the outcome isn't satisfactory.
Statistically Muslims are rising, but the question is- what is meant by "Muslims"? In most cases it means having a Muslim name or Muslim parents. By Allaah's سبحانه وتعالى limitless mercy, we've learnt that being Muslim isn't merely getting an identity. Being Muslim is about entering into Islam completely.
Putting this point aside, if we start observing educated Muslims' goal and activities, it will be found that most of their activities aren't for the sake of Islam. In worst cases, Muslims fill up the ranks of organizations which are devoted to wipe out Islam from the face of earth.
Rising of Muslims will be beneficial if they devote themselves in Islam and work for the sake of it.
You have raised some very relevant points ya akhi.
If you look at the number of Haj performers it is huge.
This is Islam surging.
Number of people fasting during Ramadan is huge - even if we can not testify to the exact numbers but sheer enthusiasm telles us something.
Amount of Zakat paid is staggering.
Just look at the number of Madaris - it is huge.
That is Islam resurging.
Consider the number of people entering Islam - the whole world is worried.
Is is progressing.
Number of people praying? That too is huge. Till a few decades ago there were not so many mosques.
Today we have many more of them. And they have people in them even if it because of Tablighi Jama-at.
All these points indicate a healthy state of Islam and Muslims.
And we can thank Allah swt for that.
I agree that the worldly progress of Muslims in not in the name of Islam.
But that is only partlu true.
Today many Muslims are not ashamed of being called Muslims.
That is progress.
I shall begin with the Islamic solution to existentialist crisis.
Supplication is an essential part of Islam.
Wise people have told us that we should start by supplicating first of all for ourselves then the closest people to us and then move on to near and dear ones and then neighbours and local society and then to global Muslim Ummah and the world in general.
Of course it is understood that when you supplicate in above manner your actions will be in consonance with the same.
And therein lies the solution to the existentialist problems.
Pragmatic people do not face existential problems.
Idealist people do.
Indeed an external solution to any existentialist problems is to create an emergency in the life of such a person that requires immediate and practical attention - another mundane crisis.
I once requested my teacher professor MSZ Chaghtai to explain existentialism to me. I had tried to get a perspective on the issue through his books but to no avail. He jumped back and forth from literature and philosophy and then concluded that you do not get it either this way or that way.
In person he told that today this is not an issue that gets much attention because terrorism and the things like that have become more urgent issues.
In conclusion existentialist issue is the confusion of an idealist about life choices. The solution is that most of the time there is no ideal choice. Pragmatism is always the solution.
Midlife crisis, seven year itch and the notions like are manifestations of the same problem.
The excessive selfish disposition that so many people adopt after going through above phases is the other side of the coin. Moderation is the Islamic way of life and the solution to this side affect of the solution called selfishness.
Have your of the old wives tale from India that talks about a washerman's dog.
This story is about a person who tries to benefit from two places and in the process does not benefit fom either.
A washerman's dog gets neither this nor that.
That is my story.
The two sides on which I lose concern religion and world.
The religious company either thinks that here is a modern educated fool who is so pliable.
The modern educated click has even lower opinion of yours truly - one of them called me a Maulwi Sahab.
You fill in the rest of the details.
Khuda hi mila na visal-e-sanam,
Idhar ke rahe na udhar ke hum
Neither God nor the idol I got
I ended up neither here nor there.
But please understand I am not complaining at all.
I wrote this all just to give an accurate impression of the state of affairs.
So now about the latest idea churning in my head.
There should be a specialized Ifta department.
It should handle matters of specialized nature.
Matters beyond the issues related to Ablution, Haj, Topi (Cap), Beard.
Issues of modern life.
Issues affecting the social, cultural, economic, political, business, science, technology, medical sciences, financial and military matters.
Our Elders started with complete Islam, including on field struggle.
Now they have restricted themselves to the teachings of the Noble Qur'an.
There is an interview by Hazrat Abul Qasim Nomani, Rector of Dar-ul-Uloom where he explicitly says the same.
Clearly worldly matters of Ummah can not be left atttended.
Some one must take care of them.
Social interests of Ummah have to be taken care of.
Same is true of other ineterests mentioned above.
First step in this direction is theoretical - like an institution for Fatawa on modern issues.
Mufti Saeed Ahmed Palanpuri once joked in a lecture at my local mosque in London.
He said one day someone complained to Maualana, "You sit here and give us lectures on how to urinate and wash and the Americans have excelled - They have reached the moon and we are still here learning how to wash". So Maulana told him, "If you go to the moon, will you not need the knowledge of how to urinate and wash, or is that not needed there."
I defer to Hazrat Maulana Saeed Ahmed Palanpuri (HA) .
These are the people who have been protecting our Deen.
And out of Deen and Duniya if we can save only one then we must prefer Deen.
That is the real treasure to save.
Having said that we also realize that what he said is not an accurate representation of the ground reality.
It is not US adventures to the moon that are problematic.
US adventures to the moon is a mere manifestation of what is right with the western society.
There are some things that are right with us, for example our Deen.
There are certain things that are wrong with us but right with US.
Like science and technology.
And their social, cultural, economic, financial, business, political and military advancements.
Every single one of those aspects are affecting us adversely.
Take a social example.
A woman in Muzaffarnagar, less than 30 km from Deoband, called Imrana was raped by her father-in-law.
We know the penalty for that in Islam.
The perpetrator of the heinous crime would have been stoned to death.
But even a normal death penalty can not be awarded even by Dar-ul-Ifta, let alone Dar-ul-Qaza, because of the situation in India.
A Muslim man was wrongly accused of rape and was snatched away from the jail by a thousands strong mob and lynched in north-east India, in Nagaland's Dimapur.
Muslims are targetted in that area by terming them Bangladeshis.
This is a social and cultural problem. More than a criminal event.
It has nothing to do with US landing on the moon.
I live in UP and it has various small scale industries.
Aligarh has locks, Khurja pottery, Muradabad brass works, Saharanpur handicrafts, Pilakhua cotton cloths, Kannoj perfumes, Firozabad glass works, Barelly cane furniture and so on. Muslims are involved in all of the. they are the main work force. And modern industrialization has affected all of them. same is true all over India. This is an economic issue for a large number of Muslims.
Politically we are completely ineffective at the central government level as well as state assembly level in spite of our more than fourteen percent populationin India that must be about 200 million. World does not have many countries with that type of population.
Whatever little money Muslims have that ultimately gets spent in fortifying Riba based economy.
Muslim finance is supporting Riba and Muslim masses have financial problems. India is a country of megabucks people but we have large number of Muslims with financial problems. This again has no direct connection with moon landing.
More than fourteen percent of Indian indusry should have been under Muslim controls.
Hardly any industry is under Muslim control.
No Muslim demands proportionate share in coal field allottments, 2G, 3G, 4G frequency allottments, ore fields and other natural resources.
Again not a question of moon landing.
Muslim percentage in police, paramilitary forces and military are nearly non-existent. In fact Sachar Committee was not even allowe to look into presence of Muslims in Indian military. This too is very relevant for worldly affairs of indian Muslims. Here too a joke can be cracked that most of Pakistan military consists of Muslims and that too will not be a nice joke.
I am in the fied of science and technology and Muslims have abismal presence in these fields the world over. In spite of Pakistan's nuclear weapons. This, I mean the nuclear weapns, is not same as going to the moon but it is ceratinly of similar importance. But that too has been completely neutralized by other factors. A significant advance in a field that is very important is completely ineffective because we are not taking care of other aspects of life.
I wanted to start a sort of scientific society of Muslims so as to use our scientific intellectual resources for the betterment of Ummah. I committed a mistake of taking the theological section of Ummah in to the loop. I showed the letter that I wrote to the Muhtamim of dar-ul-Uloom, Deoband to a Mufti. In that letter he replaced the phrase Scientific Knowledge to Scientific information ( Ilm to Ma'aloomat) everywhere.
That what he values my and the people whom i wanted to muster to serve the Ummah. This is a single anecdote but it is representatiove of the mindset. It did kill my motivation thoroughly.
I am aware of the attitude of the modern educated class towards the religious establishment. One such person called me a maulwi sahab with due derision. That is not the problem under consideration here. we are talking about the other side of the coind - theological class ignoring the worldly issues and making us believe that that is the right approach. I respectfully disagree.
I am not dumping the blame completely on the theological section on the Ummah by any means.
If west made their social, cultural, scientific, technological, political, economic, business, industrial and military advances without the religion of Christianity then Muslims should have done the same without any help from Islam. They have not done so. So they have to share a major part of the blame. But if that would have happened then it would have been a much bigger disaster than the western disaster. To get worldly blessings without Islam is a bigger disaster than getting worldly blessings without Christianity.
I feel that theological class is not adopting the right view about worldly matters. They are making fun of us as we suffer the ignominy at social level, derision at cultural level, are ignored at economic level, not encouraged in science and technology, stumped politically, not appreciated in business, industry and turned away from military.
I think Mufti Taqi Usmani's (Hafizahullaah) view is different from that of Deoband. I read once a book where he brought evidences from Rasulullaah and Sahabah رضي الله عنه on the favour of adopting new technologies for strengthening Islam.
Ummah is passing through most critical times.
External problems of Ummah have been because of two sources - crusaders and tatars.
This time it is former who is mostly inflicting the pain but in a suave manner - their aggression is suger coated in diplomatic language.
Of course the latter tormenter is very much on the scene in the form of China.
Even then I feel that we Muslims still can be happy.
Because of increased number of people entering Islam, number of people offering prayers increasing, many more people fasting, more people paying Zakat and Haj is a well known and well attended event every year.
If there is such a improved environment in all forms of worship then we can celebrate because Allah (SWT) sent us for this very purpose.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
We apologise but you have been denied access to report posts in this thread. This could be due to excessively reporting posts and not understanding our forum rules. For assistance or information, please use the forum help thread to request more information. Jazakallah
and Sahabah رضي الله عنه on the favour of adopting new technologies for strengthening Islam. 