Spiritual Development

The objectives of spiritual development are:

1. Creating an awareness of self and of God, and an understanding of the meaning and purpose of life.
2. Creating a yearning for communion with God (dua), turning to Him constantly (tawba) and desiring to worship and serve Him alone (ibada).
3. Developing a deep sense of gratitude (shukr) to God for all His blessings and mercy, and an inner devotion and humbleness (khushu).
4. Creating a higher and noble vision; raising oneself above the self and material things.
5. Creating a compassionate, merciful and soft heart for other people; a deep desire to support and care for others.
6. Controlling negative emotions and feelings (for example, arrogance greed, selfishness, envy, etc.) that harden and corrupt the soul, character and conduct.

Islam: It's Shahadah at Work

“We are perhaps living in times when living for Islam is more difficult than dying for it.” [Abdul Malik Mujahid]

Why must Islam be so emphatically linked with the idea of struggle? Cannot a person be a good Muslim without involving himself or herself in a struggle requiring sacrifices? The answer is: No. And for very obvious reasons. Islam is not merely the confession of a faith which is made once in a lifetime. It requires a radical reorientation of life and thought. The confession is not merely verbal; it is an act of witnessing (Shahadah) which must transform our life into a living testimony of faith. You enter Islam by saying Shahadah (bearing witness). But you can live in Islam only by constantly doing Shahadah (Quran 2:143, 22:28). This will bring you in ceaseless confrontation with false gods inside you and outside you. Every act of sacrifice nourishes your Iman; for it transforms a verbal confession into a living reality. Therefore, it is through sacrifice that you can truly learn to love Allah, and to live and die for Him!

Compiled From:
"Sacrifice - The Making of a Muslim" - Young Muslims Publication

Rejoice: Do Not Crush the Joy of Eid

Feeling joy and showing happiness and delight are essential elements of Eid. That is why scholars stated that showing happiness in Eid is a religious rite. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the Muslim community to manifest happiness on this day. The following report emphasizes this point. Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Buath (a war between Madinah’s two major tribes, the Aws and the Khazraj, before Islam). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) lay down and turned his face to the other side. Then Abu Bakr came. Seeing that, Abu Bakr spoke harshly to them saying, “Musical instruments of Satan in the presence of the Messenger of Allah?” But the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Leave them, Abu Bakr, for there is Eid for every nation and this is our Eid.”

Another manifestation of joy in Eid during the Prophet’s time was the Abyssinians’ show: they gathered at the mosque and played with shields and spears. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard them, he looked at them then asked Aishah whether she would like to watch. She replied in the affirmative, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made her stand behind him and her cheek was touching his cheek. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged them saying, “Carry on, Banu Arfadah! Let Jews know that we have a space of relaxation in our religion.” Here we see the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) approving and even encouraging such shows of happiness and joy.

What makes one wonder is the act of those who overlook this Prophetic guidance and try to destroy this joy and spoil Eid’s cheerful spirit. In fact, some ascetics and worshipers did so in the past out of good intention. This gloomy spirit is echoed today by some sincere people who are used to turning Eids into occasions of lamenting the Ummah’s shortcomings and tragedies, and mourning over the lost glories. Sadness and gloominess will never be the remedy for our tragedies. The remedy needs more than that. It needs reflection and wise thinking, as well as courageous self-criticism and assessment. Rejecting the manifestations of joy, extinguishing every smile and succumbing to sadness and grief have nothing to do with liberating even hand-span of land, satisfying a hungry person, or answering any call for help.

The best guidance is that of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who used to seek refuge in Allah from worry and sorrow. He was always an optimistic, smiling man. We need to infuse the Ummah with this hopeful spirit. Eid is a ray that dispels the darks engulfing our souls and the despair strangling our hearts.

So let hope find its way into our souls. The life-span of Islam is far longer than ours; its horizons are far wider than our countries; the calamities afflicting us are not unchangeable fate. We should not be hasty and impatient. Allah’s laws in running the universe cannot be altered according to the humans’ whims or wishes. Let’s look at the bright side and appreciate the favours Allah has bestowed on us. A desperate soul overwhelmed by fears and blinded by a gloomy view can never be helpful in rectifying our situation. After all, we should remember that Allah is always there and that He Almighty is the Greatest.

Compiled From:
"Do Not Crush the Joy of Eid" - Abdul-Wahhab ibn Nasir At-Turairi

Religious Symbols

Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) Sura 22: Verse 32

"This is [to be bourne in mind]. Anyone who honours the symbols set up by God [shows evidence of ] God-consciousness in people's hearts."

A link is established here between the sacrifice offered by pilgrims and the way hearts are made conscious of God. The whole purpose of all pilgrimage rituals is to enhance believers' God-fearing sense. All these rituals are symbols confirming submission to God, the Lord of the Ka'bah, the Sacred House, as also obeying Him in all situations. They may also involve reminders of old events, from the time of Abraham and later generations, but these are reminders of complete submission to God, obeying His rules and looking up to Him for guidance. Such is the mark of the Muslim community evern since its earliest days. Hence, these symbols are to be treated on an equal footing with prayer.

Compiled From:
""In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 12, pp. 130, 131

Lesson of The Tragedy

Islam has a history of beautiful domestic affections, of sufferings and of spiritual endeavour, second to none in the world. That side of Muslim history, although to me the most precious, is, I am sorry to say, often neglected. It is most important that we should call attention to it, reiterated attention, the attention of our own people as well as the attention of those who are interested in historical and religious truth. If there is anything precious in Islamic history it is not the wars, or the politics, or the brilliant expansion, or the glorious conquests, or even the intellectual spoils which our ancestors gathered. In these matters, our history, like all history, has its lights and shades. What we need especially to emphasise is the spirit of organisation, of brotherhood, of undaunted courage in moral and spiritual life.

There is of course the physical suffering in martyrdom, and all sorrow and suffering claim our sympathy, — the dearest, purest, most outflowing sympathy that we can give. But there is a greater suffering than physical suffering. That is when a valiant soul seems to stand against the world; when the noblest motives are reviled and mocked; when truth seems to suffer an eclipse. It may even seem that the martyr has but to say a word of compliance, do a little deed of non-resistance; and much sorrow and suffering would be saved; and the insidious whisper comes: “Truth after all can never die.” That is perfectly true. Abstract truth can never die. It is independent of man’s cognition. But the whole battle is for man’s keeping hold of truth and righteousness. And that can only be done by the highest examples of man’s conduct – spiritual striving and suffering enduring firmness of faith and purpose, patience and coura ge where ordinary mortals would give in or be cowed down, the sacrifice of ordinary motives to supreme truth in scorn of consequence. The martyr bears witness, and the witness redeems what would otherwise be called failure. It so happened with Husain. For all were touched by the story of his martyrdom, and it gave the deathblow to the politics of Damascus and all it stood for. And Muharram has still the power to unite the different schools of thought in Islam, and make a powerful appeal to non-Muslims also.

That, to my mind, is the supreme significance of martyrdom. All human history shows that the human spirit strives in many directions, deriving strength and sustenance from many sources. Our bodies, our physical powers, have developed or evolved from earlier forms, after many struggles and defeats. Our intellect has had its martyrs, and our great explorers have often gone forth with the martyrs’ spirit. All honour to them. But the highest honour must still lie with the great explorers of spiritual territory, those who faced fearful odds and refused to surrender to evil. Rather than allow a stigma to attach to sacred things, they paid with their own lives the penalty of resistance. The first kind of resistance offered by the Imam was when he went from city to city, hunted about from place to place, but making no compromise with evil. Then was offered the choice of an effectual but dangerous attempt at clearing the house of God, or living a t ease for himself by tacit abandonment of his striving friends. He chose the path of danger with duty and honour, and never swerved from it giving up his life freely and bravely. His story purifies our emotions. We can best honour his memory by allowing it to teach us courage and constancy.

Compiled From:
"Imam Husain And His Martyrdom" - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Day of Ashura

It is reported in the Sahih of Imam Al-Bukhari and other authentic collections of hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram while they were in Makkah (before the hijrah).

It was a day on which people of Makkah used to change the covering (kiswah) of the Kabah. Quraysh also used to fast on this day. (Al-Bukhari, hadith 1489 and 1760)

After the hijrah when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, he found that the Jews of Madinah also used to observe this day with fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked them the reason of their fasting on this day. They said, “This is a blessed day. On this day Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy (in Egypt) and so Prophet Musa fasted on this day giving thanks to Allah.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “We have more claim to Musa than you.” He fasted on that day and commanded Muslims to fast on this day. (Al-Bukhari, hadith 1865)

In another report it is mentioned that Jews of Madinah used to hold a feast on this day. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told his Companions to fast instead. (Al-Bukhari, hadith 1866)

Ashura fasting was obligatory (fard) in the beginning. In the second year of hijrah (624 CE) when Allah’s command came that Muslims should fast the whole month of Ramadan, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then sent someone to announce to people that fasting of Ashura had become voluntary (nafl). This indicates that whosoever wishes to fast, may fast and whosoever does not want to fast, there will be no blame on him/her.

Imam at-Tirmidhi mentioned that ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say that we should fast on two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram to distinguish ourselves from the Jewish community. (At-Tirmidhi, Hadith 686)

Ibn Abbas also quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying, “If I live next year, I shall also fast on the 9th day.” (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, hadith 2002)

There is a great reward in fasting the day of Ashura. There are many hadiths that mention its blessings and virtues. It is good to fast on this day, although it is not obligatory.

Compiled From:
"Significance of Fasting the day of Ashura" - Muzammil Siddiqi

Elevating Humanity

Al-Muminun (The Believers) Sura 23: Verses 51-52

"Messengers! Eat of that which is wholesome, and do good deeds: I certainly have full knowledge of all that you do. This community of yours is one single community and I am your only Lord. Therefore, fear me alone."

This address to the Messengers requires them to live as human beings, which is the very thing that those who opposed them questioned. Eating is a human need, but choosing only what is wholesome is the aspect that elevates human beings and makes them grow in purity. It enables them to establish a bond with the Supreme Society.

They are also required to "do good deeds." While taking action is common to all human beings, insisting on doing good is the characteristic of goodly people, providing a measure of control and a clear goal for their deeds. Again such people look up to the Supreme Society when they embark on anything.

No Messenger of God was ever required to abandon his humanity. Rather, what they were asked to do was to elevate this humanity to the highest standard God has made possible for human beings to achieve. Thus, the Prophets provided the role model and the ideal which other people should try to emulate. It is left to God to judge their actions according to His own fine measure.

Emphasis is placed on the fact that neither time nor place is of any significance when compared with the single truth that all messengers preached. They all shared a very distinctive nature, were given their messages by the One Creator of all, and worked towards the same goal.

Compiled From:
"In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 12, pp. 221-222

Suicide Bombing

Al-Nisa (The Women) Sura 4: Verse 29 (Partial)

"... And kill yourselves not, for God is truly Merciful to you."

People who are driven to despair are thus reminded to have faith in God's mercy in the hope that they may be relieved of their suffering. Since suicide is prohibited, anyone who tries to facilitate it, or acts as an accomplice, is also liable to a deterrent punishment that may be quantified by the court while taking into consideration the material circumstances of the case. Commentators have, moreover, drawn a five-point conclusion from this verse as follows:

1. the obvious meaning is that suicide is forbidden;
2. the text also stipulates that 'you may not kill one another' nor facilitate suicide;
3. one may not undertake a task which is likely to cause his own death, even if it be in lieu of a religious obligation;
4. no one should deprive himself of the necessities of life to the point of self-destruction; and
5. the text covers cases of self-destruction regardless of the manner in which it is done.

The manuals of Islamic law are silent on the issue of suicide bombing, a disturbing phenomenon of our time that became frequent in connection with Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially when Israel unleashed a new wave of aggression on the street processions of unarmed Palestinian youth in 2000-1. The aftermath of 11 September 2001 and more recently the horrendous violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, added new dimensions to the incidence of suicide bombing among Muslims.

Suicide bombing in the name of Islam is a 'sociopolitical phenomenon, not a theological one'. And any long-term solution to the problem must also address the causes that have brought so much pain and hopelessness to many Muslim societies.

It would be simplistic to lump the Palestinian suicide bombing with Al-Qaedah terrorist activities. One can hardly deny the genuine suffering of the Palestinian people and legitimacy of their struggle against sustained Israeli brutalities. It would appear equally simplistic, however, to equate suicide bombing with martyrdom and jihad. This is because suicide bombing contravenes two fundamental principles of Islam: prohibition against suicide, and deliberate killing of non-combatants. The argument that proceeds over reciprocity and retaliation is also flawed by the involvement of innocent non-combatants in suicide bombing.

Those who have raised the issue of 'collateral damage' in this context have also exaggerated their case, simply because non-combatants are chosen as the direct target of suicide bombing. They are, as such, neither collateral nor incidental.

The Muslim fighter who is motivated by the spirit of jihad enters the battle, not with the intention of dying, but with the conviction that if he should die, it would be for reasons beyond his control. Martyrdom in Islam does not begin with suicidal intention, let alone the linkage of that intention with the killing of non-combatants.

To justify suicide bombing under the banner of retaliation, or as a form of jihad, is therefore questionable, simply because it begins on an erroneous note, which goes against the essence both of just retaliation and justified jihad.

Compiled From:
"Shariah Law - An Introduction" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali,