Muslims Resorting To Violence Is In Complete Contrast to Islamic Teachings

By Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam 15 July 2022 Islam Is Not Being Followed In Spirit Rather It Is Being Utilized To Boost The Communal Pride Main Points: 1. Nonviolence and Peace are essential virtues of Islam, that have been retrograded by Muslims due to their senseless violence 2. The ideas of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan can be contested but not discarded without engagement 3. Maulana's writings form a bedrock of Peace theology in Islam. ----- Non-Violence and Peace-Building in Islam Author: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan Publisher: Goodword Books, Noida, India Pages: 127 Price: Not mentioned ISBN: 9789351791584 ----- The relationship between Islam and violence has been an intriguing one. The use of violence by certain Muslim groups in the name of Islam, has constructed an image of Islam, as a violent religion. The actions that these violent groups attribute to Islam, has resulted in Islam being rendered as a violent religion in the eyes of non-Muslims. Scholars and academics have been decrying through various media that the actions of few Muslims should not be seen as a case of Islam. But violent actions if justified in the name of Islam will certainly lead to construction of negative image of Islam. Also Muslims do not have a powerful media to ward off the negative portrayal of Islam. The common masses form their opinions through this popular media and culture. If nonviolent image of Islam has to be portrayed then the violence in the name of Islam needs to be condemned vehemently. It is what Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, has been doing throughout his life. His books testify the fact that he has been articulating the true image of Islam and its stance about violence. Maulana in his Introduction writes, “Contemporary instances of Muslims resorting to violence in the name of their religion is, I stress, in complete contrast to Islamic teachings.” (P-5). Then he goes on to deliberate about the concept of Peace and war in Islam. For Maulana, this world is a place where humans are to be tested, and as a part of this test they have been bestowed with the free will. Based on their utilization of free will if it is synchronous with the tenets of Islam they will be rewarded with paradise and if antagonistic they will be discarded to hell. So violence is a deviation from the fundamentals of Islam, and nonviolence is the spirit of Islam. In Maulana’s words, “Non-violence does not mean remaining peaceful so long as no one is acting violently towards you. Rather, it means to refrain from violence even in face of violence.” (P-14) Maulana has been criticized for his views about communal riots between Hindus and Muslims in India. He believes that Muslims need to end communal violence, is a stance that is problematic and unjustified. It is true and pragmatic that Maulana wants Muslims not to get provoked at the insistence of fringe communal elements, as they become the victims in any communal violence. The fringe elements are joined by the state machinery and ultimately Muslims are victimized in every communal violence. Hence, the best course for Muslims is to opt for nonviolence, tolerance and patience despite the violent provocations. The Muslims are not being oppressed but punished by God, is a new logic of Maulana, something that can be debated. Who is being punished, who is being tested is the domain of God that Maulana ventures to justify his logic, although who are being oppressed can be understood very well. Holding only Muslims responsible for communal violence is a position that does not stand the test of times. For Maulana every situation can be addressed either through reaction or by patience. For Maulana patience is one of the virtues of Islam, hence needs to be implemented. “A person’s lack of patience and wisdom is his enemy’s deadliest weapon. The most foolish person is one who hands over this weapon to his adversary himself. The same holds true for entire communities.” (P-49) Maulana further writes, “In this regard, one must also add that Muslims must put an end to all those factors that engender an atmosphere of conflict between them and others-such as for instance, demanding their rights, engaging the politics of protest, raking up disputes over mosques and temples, and so on.” (P-68) Maulana wants Muslims not to get provoked in the face of grave provocations. He also contrasts the case between North and South India, as in North the communal violence is much more than in the South. According to Maulana, Islam is not being followed in spirit rather it is being utilized to boost the communal pride. The communal pride is destroying the spirit of Islam, as its message is universal and it confines it within the vestiges of Muslim community only. Also this pride has rendered Muslims as the consumer community, not as a people who contribute to the common welfare of humanity like Christians. But instead of being concerned at this callousness of Muslims, they raise false flags decrying about the discrimination they are facing. Similarly in India, they have constructed Urdu as their communal language and are protesting that this language is being discriminated by the government. But in reality Urdu has failed to produce any high quality literature and research, so people are not interested in studying it. Further, studying Urdu does not open vistas for economic prosperity, hence few people and infact very few Muslims are opting to study and make a career in Urdu. While condemning the psychology of pride among Muslims, Maulana writes, “Whenever Muslims face decline, they develop a false sense of pride. The decline of Muslims worldwide today is because for them religion is no longer linked to duty, but, rather, to pride. The Quran (25:63) says: The true servants of the Gracious One are those who walk upon the earth with humility and when they are addressed by the ignorant ones, their response is, Peace… But when the Muslim community declines, a totally contradictory mentality develops. In this stage, Muslims invoke the teachings of Islam in order to stress their claims to superiority over others, not to mould their own lives according to these teachings. And so, Muslims in this stage of decline of the community will proudly declare, ‘Our religion is based on pure monotheism!’ and at the very same time, they will worship dead and living personalities. They will proudly announce, ‘Islam stands for equality!’ But this claim will not be reflected in their relationships and dealings. They will proudly claim, ‘Our religion exhorts us to promote goodness and combat evil!’ But if you examine their actual behavior in the light of this principle and critique them, you will immediately become their most inveterate enemy.” (P-100-101) This book is an important read for anyone who is interested in understand the concept of non violence in Islam and peace building in India between different communities. Maulana’s many views can be contested, but certainly as a strong advocate of peace and non violence, his views need to be engaged and cannot be discarded right away. ------- A New Age Islam columnist, M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/muslims-violence-islamic-teachings/d/127491 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism