The Light English Edition November 2017

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November 2017 The Light 10 early Muslims and therefore those who turned against it are called ‘unjust’ by Almighty Allah and will be deprived of Divine guidance. NOTE: They are censured by Allah not because they ‘bore witness that the Messenger was true’ but because they subsequently discarded such testimony. This clearly tells us that it was by the command of Almighty Allah, the Most High, that it became incumbent upon the Believers to bear witness of the truth of Muhammad (s) as the testimony of their faith. And it is not for any human agency 1400 years later to suggest going against the Divine will by discarding such testimony. By doing so they will be flirting with Divine wrath as indicated in the very next verses that follow: “As for these, their reward is that on them is the curse of Allah and the angels and of men, all together — abiding therein. Their chastisement shall not be lightened, nor shall they be respited — Except those who repent after that and amend, for surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (3:87 – 3:89) Therefore, the part of our kalima shahada which states wa ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasulula — “And we bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” — is based on the Holy Quran itself. Another proof is contained in verse 1 of chapter 63 entitled ‘The Hypocrites’. It deals with those people who were insincere in their shahada of the Nabi (s): “When the hypocrites come to thee, they say: We bear witness (nash hadu ) that thou art indeed Allah’s Messenger. And Allah knows thou art indeed His Messenger. And Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are surely liars.” 63:1 This verse also confirms beyond a doubt that ‘bearing witness of the Messenger of Allah’ was part of the testimony of faith of the very early Muslims. And the testimony (nashaddu innaka larasulul lahi – thou art indeed Allah’s Messenger) was sanctioned by and approved of by none other than Almighty Allah. So much so, that even those who dared to declare it, hypocritically, without sincerity, was frowned upon by Almighty Allah and deemed ‘liars’ by Him. So we are not just told to declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah but indeed I Shall Love All Mankind. to do so with sincerity of heart as well. ‘Wallaahu ya’lamu innaka larasuluhu — “And Allah knows thou (Muhammad) art indeed His Messenger.” What better testimony do we need than that of Almighty Allah Himself? Almighty Allah Himself has elevated Muhammad (s) in the Holy Quran There are several verses in the Holy Quran where Almighty Allah Himself has joined His Messenger, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) as an integral and inseparable part of our faith as Muslims. This does not mean that we worship the Prophet (s); on the contrary, it is through the Messenger (s) alone that we learn with absolute certainty about the ‘Oneness of Allah, Who has no partners.’ Through him alone we have come to know about the wonderfully unique attributes of Allah (Rabb, Rahman, Rahim etc.) never known to man before. Through him, we now have a Book from Allah that is pure and guarded against corruption. Through him, the Faith of Islam has been perfected (Q 5:3), and it is therefore through him alone that we find the Sirat al mustaqeem – a direct, straight path that leads to Almighty Allah. The part of the kalima shahada – Muhammadar Rasululah – i.e. where we testify that Muhammad is indeed the Messenger of Allah, distinguishes us from others who also claim to have a path to Allah such as the Hindus, Jews and Christians. They also claim that they believe in the One God, even Trinitarians argue that they believe in One God although they say ‘Three in One’ and idolatress Hindus argue the same, that their millions of idols merely represent the God of the Universe. Their teachings, however, contain many human interpolations that have caused the purity of its original teachings to suffer many distortions, which in turn have led to many of them going astray. It is therefore important that the Kalima or testimony or declaration of Faith of the Muslims should not only contain absolute faith in the Oneness of Allah but also firm belief in the Messenger of Allah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s), as the one who has brought the perfect code and perfect, unadulterated teachings that provide
November 2017 The Light 11 absolute and certain knowledge of the Tauheed, Oneness of Allah. This final Messenger of Allah was thus raised to bring all of the humanity back to the straight path that leads directly to the One, Universal God. The God Who has no partners, amidst Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Atheistic, Agnostic, and Satanic based influences and ideologies that prevail alongside Islam in the world we live in. Therefore it is extremely important that the name of Muhammad is mentioned in the Kalima Shahada of a Muslim as it distinguishes us from such other influences, ideologies, and belief systems that lay equal claim on the human psyche. It is not to worship Muhammad or to put him on the same pedestal as Almighty Allah like some petty faultfinders allege. Besides, the Book of Allah itself describes the inseparable relationship of the Almighty with His noble Messenger (s), and the latter’s superior spiritual rank in the sight of Allah in several places: “Say: Obey Allah and the Messenger; but if they turn back, Allah surely loves not the disbelievers.” 3:32 “And obey Allah and the Messenger, that you may be shown mercy. “ 3:132 “Whoever obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys Allah.” 4:80 “O you who believe, be not unfaithful to Allah and the Messenger, nor be unfaithful to your trusts, while you know.” 8:27 “The heart was not untrue in seeing what he saw.” 53:11 “Do you then dispute with him as to what he saw?” 53:12 “And certainly, he saw Him in another descent,” 53:13 This is the highest darajat (spiritual rank) that a human being can reach. It is referred to by the Sufis (Mystics) as fanaa fillaah (complete surrender to Almighty Allah). The Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) is the only person that is recorded in the Holy Quran as having reached such a high spiritual rank, a rank bestowed on him by Almighty Allah Himself. Last, but by no means least: “So, believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Light which We have revealed. And Allah is Aware of what you do.” (64:8) (Go To Contents) Creation of Pakistan Iqbal’s Explanation “And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and obey the Messenger, so that mercy may be shown to you.” 24:56 “And on the day when the wrongdoer will bite his hands, saying: Would that I had taken a way with the Messenger!” 25:27 “And We have not sent thee (Muhammad) but as a mercy to the nations.” 21:107 “Certainly, you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the Latter-day and remembers Allah much.” 33:21 I Shall Love All Mankind. In his address to the All India Muslim League at Allahabad on 29 December 1930 Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal asked for the creation of a new state on the northwest frontier of India. This was to consist of the Muslim majority states, Punjab, Sind, North West Frontier and Balochistan. In the UK, Iqbal was criticised for this demand. During a subsequent trip to the UK Iqbal wrote to the Times and explained the reasons for his demand. A scan of his letter is in the next column with the typed version below it. “Sir, Writing in your issue of October 3 last, Dr E. Thompson has torn the following passage from its context in my presidential address to
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