The Needless Controversy over the Age of Marriage of Ummul Mu'mineen Hazrat Ayesha (ra) With Prophet Mohammad (Pbuh): Tracing the Possible Source of a Misconception about Her Very Early Marriage

By MV Muhammad Saleem Moulavi 29 November 2022 (Translated from Malayalam by: V.A. Mohamad Ashrof, New Age Islam) Ayesha (ra): Born CE 606; Died: CE 678 Father: Abu Bakr Abdullah bin Abi Quhafa (ra); Mother: Umm Ruman. She lived nine years in the Prophet's house and has narrated 2210 hadiths. Of these, 316 hadiths were reported by Bukhari and Muslim. Marriage with the Prophet It was during CE 620 that the Prophet married Hazrat Aisha. She was married at the age of fifteen. Honeymoon was at the age of eighteen. 1 She was the most knowledgeable person about Islam in the early Islamic era; a reference for them to seek the opinion of the Companions of the Holy Prophet in the interpretation of the Holy Qur'an and also the art of human moral life. Umar (ra) used to send people to Aisha to understand the religious rules related to women and matters related to the personal life of the Holy Prophet. There was no one else who could compete with Aisha in any of these matters. Famous Arab jurist and traditionist Zuhari (d.741 CE) commented thus: Ayesha's knowledge was superior to that of all women. Leading traditionalist Al-Hakim al-Nishapuri (d.1014 CE) says in his ‘Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn’: Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha (ra) was a great personality, well versed in the Arabic language, in Halal and Haram, and in medicine. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (d.665 CE), a companion of Prophet Muhammad and an important figure in early Islamic history, says: Whatever doubts we, the disciples of the Prophet, were in, we would get a clear answer from Aisha. When a scandal was spread about reverent Aisha, it was Revelation from Heaven (Q.24:11-12) that has finally established her sanctity. This should be taken as her greatest glory. Ayesha's life was a great example of leading Muslims in all fields during their lifetime. In the field of knowledge as well as in the field of action, that unassuming personality shined brightly. The curtain fell on that eventful life in CE 678, 58 AH on the seventeenth day of Holy Ramadan. She was about 73 years old then. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: “Despite The Highly Sexualized Image of Him in the West, The Multiply Married Muhammad Was Celibate” - Lesley Hazleton: A Fresh Insight Into Prophet Muhammad’s Conjugal Relations With His Later Wives That Has Spawned A Great Deal Of Controversy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why this Study is Significant? Scholars need to conduct research and correct some misconceptions that are widely prevalent in the Muslim community in a venture to find out the reality. By reconsidering in this way, an attempt is being made here to explore a widely prevalent misunderstanding. This is also a topic of contemporary importance that has been debated by many eminent scholars and proposed to correct public perception about Islam. Let us go through the evidence cited by many researchers such as Abbas Mahmood Al Akhad, Dr. Hussain Munis and a group of historians, Salahuddin Ahmad Al Idlibi, Allama Kanthalavi, etc. Like in other areas, the family life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is also a model for the entire human race. Prophet Muhammad must be the paragon in all spheres. This can be discussed from multiple angles. The Prophet's first addresses were a polygamous society. The Prophet taught to change that system of polygamy with a broader liberative outlook for the destitute (Q.4:3). Child Marriage? One thing is particularly noteworthy here. The world will not discuss the child marriage of an emperor, a socio-political leader or a tribal chief. People just bluff it off arguing that it was a widely prevalent custom during their time. Here the protagonist is a prophet who is a Role Model for mankind till the end of the world. After him no other prophet would come to guide mankind on the basis of divine teachings. The connection of the inhabitants of the earth with the heavenly world ended with the revelation of the Qur'an through the Prophet Muhammad, the final Prophet. He is the receiver and interpreter of the Qur'an. Therefore, it is necessary that his model of life should be unique and superior to all others. Therefore, it is not correct to cite the examples of other leaders to justify the story of child marriage spread in the name of the Prophet. He is the great benefactor who determined the rights of women to remain till the end of the world and taught it to the world through his great exemplary life. We must not forget that his teachings should be superior to everyone else. We can say that all other marriages of this wonderful man were exemplary if we evaluate them with those considerations in mind. But there is no possibility that the Prophet (pbuh) would ever take a position that is not in accordance with the Quran, ignoring all the principles in a specific marriage. It is sad that the followers themselves believe and propagate that there was an incident in the life of the Prophet to discredit the exemplary life of the Prophet at a time when the guidance of Islam is most necessary for the world, which has tried all man-made ideologies in futile. It is against this backdrop that we must evaluate the research we are attempting here. Just because an idea remains uncorrected for a long period of time does not make it true. Believers should accept good wherever they see it, and never be willing to accept falsehood and immorality. Child marriage is widely recognized in the world. Even in the modern era, many child marriages take place. Islam does not teach the acceptance of some widely held practices. The followers of Islam, who have taught women to select their husbands out of their own free will, should not take away the rights of women by giving too much freedom to parents. Therefore, it is important to note that this discussion and explanation should be critically evaluated to form a considered opinion. Let us examine the married life of the Prophet from the basic level. Then only we can clearly understand the manner in which the Prophet behaved till the end of his life. It is only in that light that we must judge this particular incident of marriage of Aisha (ra). The Prophet started his marital life at the age of twenty-five. He married a woman who was 15 years older than him as his first wife. That marital relationship continued till the Prophet reached the age of 50. He did not think of another marriage until the death of his beloved wife Khadija (ra), who gave all her support in his activities. But after her demise, the Prophet accepted polygamy as part of Islamic teaching. The Prophet had nine wives when he left this world. This large family played an important role in the fulfilment of the Prophet's mission. It was through this huge family that the divine instructions related to women and the family, who were half of the society and a prominent element, were taught. The family of the Prophet set a great example to find solutions to the problems that are always faced in family life. Umm al-Mu'mineen Ayesha (ra) played the most significant role in the execution of this great mission. Among the wives of the Prophet (pbuh), there was only one virgin; all the rest were either widows or divorcees. Aisha, the youngest daughter of Abu Bakr, his best friend and closest follower, was the only virgin married by the Prophet. It is generally believed that the Prophet (pbuh) married in her infancy. Many Muslims also hold this view, without recognizing the intensity of damage to the personality and image of the Prophet Muhammad. Now, let us scrutinize the story of that marriage in detail. Khadija (ra) passed away when the Prophet was fifty years old. The mother of his children died. A family woman became necessary to protect their children and take care of the households. The followers saw the plight of the Prophet and represented Khawlah bint Hakim to the Prophet to persuade him to arrange a marriage relationship. ----------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: Was Hazrat Aisha Married to the Prophet in Her Childhood? ----------------------------------------------------------- The Engagement Happened Thus: "Would you like to get married?" Khawlah asked the Prophet. "Who?" inquired the Prophet. 'Virgin?' she asked. "Who is the virgin?" Holy Prophet enquired. "Your best friend's daughter Ayesha” said Khawlah.'' Widow?'' asked the Prophet again. Sawdah d/o Zam'ah, after it was indicated that Aisha was too young to rule the family, the Prophet asked to enquire about Sawdah bint Zam'ah. (Narrated by Tabarani, Hakim and Ibn Abi Asim on the authority of Aisha). Sawdah was a mother of five children at that time and was 55 years old. The Prophet was fifty years old then. Sawdah (ra) did raise the doubt that she would be a burden to the Prophet with her children at an age when male could not arouse interest. But the glorious position of the Prophet's wifehood is what every believer desires! It was after the marriage with Sawdah that the Prophet (pbuh) married his third wife Aisha (ra). Sawdah (ra) was helping Ayesha at every level. When Khawlah (ra) came with the marriage proposal, the mother of Aisha told her thus: A close friend of Abu Bakr (ra) Mut'im bin Adiy was looking for Aisha for his son Jubair. Usually, Abu Bakr does not reject Mut'im's request. I will reply only after knowing his opinion. When Abu Bakr (ra) went to meet Mut'im bin Adiy, his wife asked: "Is this marriage to join our son to the new religion?" Abu Bakr was willing to give his daughter in marriage to the Prophet only after knowing that Mut'im also had this disagreement. One thing is very clear: The Prophet did not show any excessive enthusiasm for marrying a virgin for the first time. It was three long years after the marriage that the Prophet had physical relations with Aisha. The Prophet was about 54 years old when he came in intimate contact with Aisha. The Prophet, who was the leader of a nation and the apple of the eyes of the believers, had many followers who were willing to accomplish whatever he wanted. All of them would come forward willingly to offer any beautiful maiden to the Prophet in marriage. However, that was not what happened. The Prophet married widows and divorcees again, for bestowing protection of the destitute. The divine revelation came to the Prophet when his wife Khadijah was fifty-five years old. And a year later, the Quraysh came up with a formula to turn the Prophet away from the new liberation movement. The key item in the formula was this: "The most beautiful young woman in Arabia can be married to the Prophet, if only this new propaganda is stopped." The Prophet said to his uncle: "Dear uncle, even if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand, I will not turn back from this mission." Aisha herself narrated the story: “I was six years old when the Prophet (pbuh) married me and consummated when she was nine years old. When the Ansari women were preparing me for my honeymoon, I was in a state of fever, hair loss, and poor health.” The rest of the story is that the Prophet died when Aisha was eighteen years old and she spent the rest of her life as a widow. There are many reasons to assume and circulate this story as a true account. It is placed in Bukhari and Muslim, who took great care to codify only the authentic hadiths. It has been reported in many history books through many series. Apart from this, child marriage was widespread in Arabia during that time. The age difference between the spouses was not a problem for anyone at that era. It was even common for best friends to use marriage to cement their relationship. ----------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: In Defence Of The Prophet's Marriage With Hazrat Ayesha Even If She Was A Minor, According To A Hadees Report Narrated By A Single Person, That Too A Senile Old Man ----------------------------------------------------------- Islam and Child Marriage This marriage of Aisha is often cited as proof that Islam accepts child marriage. An interpretation of a Qur'anic verse (Q. 65:4) is also used as corroborative evidence for the purpose. In the fourth verse of Surah Talaq, we read: “As for your women past the age of menstruation, in case you do not know, their waiting period is three months, and those who have not menstruated as well. As for those who are pregnant, their waiting period ends with delivery.” Some Qur'anic commentators have noted that the Qur'anic expression ‘of not menstruating’ refers to ‘young girls’. Many people have fallen into that notion. But there is a small percentage of women who are sexually mature and do not menstruate. It is quite clear that these particular women are meant in this verse (Q.65:4). The reason is that the specific verse is the explanation of Iddah. (Iddah is the period a woman must observe after the death of her husband or after a divorce, during which she may not marry another man). Iddah is obligatory only after intercourse. Iddah does not apply to little girls as is evident from the explicit verse: "Believers, you have no right to expect a waiting period when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them: make provision for them and release them in an honourable way." (Q.33:49) Therefore, the said verse (65:4) cannot be cited as evidence for child marriage in any manner. Child marriage is not compatible with the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah regarding marriage. The Qur'an says in the fourth chapter: "And test the orphans [in your charge] until they reach a marriageable age; then, if you find them to be mature of mind, hand over to them their possessions.” (4:6). The time for restitution of orphans' property is fixed in this verse on the basis that there is a legal age for marriage. The commentators of the Qur'an have explained this age limit as follows: Marriageable age is when the physical signs of puberty appear or when one reaches the age of fifteen. While the majority said this, Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) commented: The age of marriage or puberty is eighteen for boys and seventeen for girls. Fiqh scholars have different opinions about puberty. From this it is very clear that the teaching of the Quran does not favour child marriage. Now Let's See What Is the Instruction on This Subject in Sunnah At that time in Arabia, women had no voice in matters of marriage; her opinion had little validity. Marriages were often most done according to parents’ intention. Arabia came to know the fact that women have rights and freedom of expression only after the advent of Islam. Umar ibn al-Khattab said: “In Jahiliya (period of ignorance), we used to have no regard for women whatsoever. But when Islam came and Allah made mention of them, this caused us to realize that they have rights upon us…” (Bukhari, Hadith 5505) Choosing a life partner is the most important right of women. No one has the power to force her to spend her life with someone she doesn't like. This is what the Prophet (pbuh) taught. Islam has given women the right to choose their life partner and reject them if they do not like them. A hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim: Aisha (ra) said: “I asked the Prophet. O Messenger of Allah, should women's permission be sought for marriage? The Prophet said 'Yes'. I said: If you ask the virgin for her consent, she might shy away and keep silent. Then he replied: "Her silence is her consent." But if she is divorced or a widow, she must express her consent. (Bukhari 5136) The Prophet's expression means that the matter of marriage should be consulted with her. If any person wants to have any opinion about marriage, he or she should attain a certain age. Infants do not know the merits and demerits of their prospective spouse. They are the same whether they agree or not. Therefore, the marriageable age taught by the Qur'an and the requirement of consent taught by the Prophet are the same concept. It is an essential part of marriage in Islam. The Prophet gave his daughter Fatima (ra) in marriage to Ali Ibn Abitalib at the age of twenty. The marriage occurred only after obtaining his daughter's consent. ----------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: Hazrat Aisha’s Controversial Age at Marriage: Nine or Nineteen? ----------------------------------------------------------- Ayesha's Age of Marriage through History Now let's do a historical check on Aisha's marriage. This is to understand whether the age mentioned in the hadiths is correct or incorrect. That might be the right way. The Prophet received Prophethood when he was 40 years old. It was in CE 610. The Prophet preached in Mecca for 13 years. In CE 623 the base was shifted to Madinah, after migration. He was engaged in preaching activities there for 10 years. His death was in CE 633. This is an established history and there can be any dispute over these dates. The Prophet married Aisha three years before the journey to Madinah. If Aisha was 6 years old then, her birth would be in CE 614; four years after receiving Prophethood. This is inconsistent with historical facts. All the historians record that the elder sister Asma (ra) was 10 years older than Aisha. Asma (ra) was 27 years old at the time of the migration to Madinah. So Asma (ra) would have been 14 years old when the Prophet received Prophethood. It is clear from this that Aisha (ra) was a 4-year-old girl at that time. Aisha was born in 606 and not in CE 614. Naturally, Aisha was 15 years old when the Prophet married her in CE 621. It was a year after the Hijra, the Prophet had sexual contact with Aisha. She must have completed 18 years of age. We can examine the various aspects of the subject through a detailed study of historical facts. The first thing to check is the information to confirm Asma's age. Asma’s son Abdullah bin Zubair (ra) was martyred in 73 AH. Asma (ra) passed away the same year. All historians agree that she was 100 years old when died. So it is clear that she was 27 years old at the time of Hijra (100-73= 27). At that time younger sister Aisha was 17 years old (27-10= 17). From this it is very clear that Aisha was born four years before the attainment of the Prophethood (17-13=4). Now check the evidence that Aisha was born four years before Prophethood. Ibn Jarir Al Tabari in his book Tariqul Umami wal Muluk (Tariq Al- Tabari) records as follows: “Abu Bakr married Khatila, daughter of Abdul Uzza before Islam (during Jahiliyyah). They gave birth to Abdullah and Asma. Before Islam he married Amir's daughter Umm Ruman. They gave birth to children Abur Rahman and Ayesha. These four progenies of Abu Bakr were born before Islam.” Here Tabari has said that Abu Bakr married both his wives before the inception of Islam. So again to say that they were married before Islam would be a meaningless utterance. Therefore, the meaning of what he recorded is that these four children of Hazrat Abu Bakr were born before Islam from the wives mentioned. Ibn Ishaq, in his famous narrative, records the names of the early converts to Islam: Later, a number of Arab tribes embraced Islam. Among them were Sa'id bin Sa'id, his wife Fatimah bint al-Khattab, Asma bint Abibakr, Aisha bint Abibakr - she was young - and others." And Ibn Abi Khaysama in Al Tariq A-Kabir recorded this event without any criticism of Ibn Ishaq. It has been quoted in Baihaqi, Dalailunbawwa, Ibn Abd al-Barr in his Addurar Fiqtisar Maghazi Wassir, Al Kala'i in his Al Iqtifa'il, Ibn al-Kazir al-Bidaya Wanniha' and al-Mukhrisi in Imta Ulma'il. Here, Ibn Ishaq is arguing about the people who came to Islam during the time of secret preaching. This method of secret instruction continued for about three years during the early days of Islam. After that, the Prophet was ordered to preach openly. The motivation to include the name of the little girl Aisha here may be her father's position and the association of her with her elder sister Asma. Another incident reported by Bukhari is as follows: Aisha (ra) said. "My parents were converts to Islam from the time I could remember. The Prophet (pbuh) used to come to our house every morning and evening. When the Muslims were persecuted, his father Abu Bakr fled to Absinia (Ethiopia)”. Young children may not be aware of their parents' religious beliefs or ideological positions. Abu Bakr's family embraced Islam in the early years of the Prophethood. So this statement only makes sense if Aisha had the maturity enough to understand Islam early on. Aisha did not say that she was born and brought up in a Muslim family. A phrase that compares both Islam and Jahiliyyah (Age of Ignorance) meant that the parents were converts to Islam. The first exodus to Ethiopia was in the fifth year after receiving the Divine Enlightenment. It is clear from this report that Aisha was old enough to remember exactly what happened that day. At the correct count Aisha must have been nine years old at that time. Aisha (ra) clearly remembers the revelation of Al-Qamar, the fifty-fourth chapter of the Qur'an. In the Tafsirs, it is said that the said chapter was revealed in the fifth year of the Prophethood. If she was merely six years old at the time of the marriage in CE 621, would she not have been a weaned little girl at the time of this chapter? The bare fact is that she was born four years before Prophethood and was nine years old at that time. Khawla (ra) came to seek permission to discuss marriage and described Aisha (ra) as a virgin (bikr). Khawla was looking for a family woman who can fill the void in every sense in the house of a man whose wife has died! This epithet of ‘bikr’ applies to a grown woman (there is no doubt that a six-year-old girl cannot control a family). Saying that Aisha was young even though she was 15 years old, the Prophet asked Khoula (ra) to look for Sawdah and later married her. We have seen that Aisha (ra) was considering marriage alliance with Jubair son of Mut’im while the proposal with the Prophet was made. It is also correct to assume that this wedding proposal took place before the inception of Islam. Ayesha (r) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) prayed for Umar (ra) to convert to Islam. Umar embraced Islam in the sixth year of Prophethood. The Prophet’s prayer was done before that. Born four years after Prophethood, Aisha would not have been weaned then. Actually she can remember all this just because she was born four years before the Prophethood of Muhammad. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: Hazrat Aisha's Contribution In The Spread, Propagation And Legacy Of Islam ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is well-known that Ayesha (ra) was with Umm Sulaym and Umm Ammara who served the soldiers at the Battle of Uhd. (See Bukhari, Jihad 64) A ten-year-old girl cannot serve on the battlefield. In a hadith reported by Anas (ra), Aisha (ra) is described as running to give water to thirsty soldiers with a goat skin filled with water on her shoulder. He recounts that she lifted her skirt to run so her legs were visible. It takes a lot of strength to lift a goat skin full of water. Nine or ten year olds can't carry it and run the way it was described. Aisha (ra) narrated the hadiths of what Khawlah bint Hakim said to the Prophet (pbuh) about marriage. A girl cannot hear and understand all such discussions at the age of six. Immediately after this incident, the Prophet married Sawdah. Later he married Ayesha (ra). In short, saying that the Prophet married Aisha (ra) at the age of six and married her at the age of nine is inconsistent with many brute historical facts. This will further create more anachronisms. (Anachronism means the action of attributing something to a period to which it does not actually belong.) The hadiths based on child marriage are not therefore trustworthy. It is necessary to examine how such a hadith entered Bukhari and Muslim. These hadiths were reported 184 years after the Prophet's marriage. In these narratives, there are expressions that deliberately slander great Ayesha. Some vested interests tried to cheapen that young gem who has excelled in reporting hadiths and explaining Islamic jurisprudence. For that reason, they might have used a series of fabrications of hadiths. There is a hadith reported through the same chain that Aisha (ra) reported to have said that the Prophet was afflicted with Sihr (black magic). Bukhari, Muslim, etc. may have been wrongly tempted to assume that it was also a reliable chain. There can be certain situations when the chain of reports is acceptable but the content contradicts with the historical facts (anachronism). The historical facts explained above are sufficient proof that the contents of these child marriage hadiths are false. To determine the authenticity of the hadith, the content should be checked along with the series of other reports. The content of the child-marriage hadith is also contrary to the teachings of the Qur'an and the established Sunnah as we have already established. The age of marriage is taught in the Qur'an as a definite basis. The Prophet emphasized that a woman should be married only with her consent. He could not have broken that noble directives. If we study the facts in detail, we can reach the following conclusion: Prophet (pbuh) married Aisha (ra) when she was 15 years old. It was only after the completion of 18 years, that the Prophet made a marriage alliance with Aisha. That marital relationship continued till her age of 27. The Prophet breathed his last while lying on her lap. That great virtuous woman journeyed to Allah in the year 58 Hijra leaving an indelible mark on Islamic history. She was 73 years old. May Allah's mercy be upon her forever. Ameen! References 1. Al Kamil, Tariq Dimashq, Siyru Aulaminnubalai, Tariq al-Tabari, Albidaya Vannihaya, Tariq Baghdad, Wafayat al-Aeyan, etc. 2. See Tafseer Al Qurtubi Volume 5, Page 35 for explanation 3. Al Tabari Vol. 3, pp. 425-426 4. Hakim Mustadrak, Volume 3, Page 83 ----- MV Muhammad Saleem Moulavi is the President of Ithihadul Ulema, a prestigious Islamic scholarly body of Kerala. (Translated from Malayalam by: V.A. Mohamad Ashrof) URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/controversy-ummul-mumineen-ayesha-prophet/d/128513 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

Song, Dance and Music As Part of Islamic Sufism - Part 3

By S. Arshad, New Age Islam 30 November 2022 Dance Has Been An Integral Part Of Muslim Societies Main Points: 1. Dance is not a part of non- Muslim culture. 2. In Islamic countries traditional dance forms have existed. 3. In Tajikistan, men and women perform traditional dance forms like rapo and kulob. 4. Rapo is performed with poetry of Shams Tabrez, Khusrau and Hafiz. 5. In Morocco and Egypt, folk dance is still popular. ---- The general notion among the Muslims is that dance as a form of performing art is only a part of non-Muslim culture and society. In reality, dance has existed as a part of celebrations and festivities on the part of men and an expression of feminity and seduction on the part of women in many Islamic countries as well. In Morocco, dozens of genres of folk dance and mixed dance exist till today. These dance forms have existed since pre-Islamic era and are still in vogue in rural areas. Houara is performed by Berber tribes while Guedra is performed by women. Shikar is an Arab belly dance style while Awash is a tribal dance. Quais is a dance form performed by women accompanied by simple music. In Egypt, dance has been a popular means of celebration. Raqs Assaya ( dance with sticks ( like Dandiya in India), Tahteeb, Al Haqala and Tashkil are traditional dance forms of Egypt. Men and women dance in weddings and other social gatherings. Belly dancing is a typical dance style of Arab women that demonstrates Arab feminity. In Tajikistan, dance finds its roots in the pre- Islamic era. Here both men and women perform dance in social gatherings and state sponsored events like Independence Day and Nowroz. In other Islamic countries too, dance finds a special place in the folk culture. In this background, the place of dance in Islamic Sufism can be understood in a better way. In Iran, the tradition of Bazm can be said to be at the root of Islamic Sufi dance. In a Bazm, Sufi poetry was sung as a means of spiritual elevation. In Tajikistan, a special style of dance called rapo is performed with poetry written by Sufi poets like Shams Tabrezi, Rumi and Hafiz. Classical music of Tajikistan, called Shash maqam is accompanied by Sufi poetry and dance. Therefore, it seems that gradually dance became a part of Islamic Sufism under the influence of Iranian and Tajik culture of spiritual poetry and dance. However, by dance, Sufis mean balanced and restrained movement of the body. This movement is evoked by ecstasy on listening to Samaa. Imam Ghazali justifies Raqs ( dance) by saying that Islamic Sufi dance is the result of the ecstatic state of the heart produced by Samaa and is not a conscious act like traditional dancing. The spiritual ecstasy and trance produces dance like movements in the body. If these movements are incoherent, it is called Izterab and if the movements are coherent, it is called Raqs which consists of Pakobi ( footwork) and Dast Afshani (movement of hands). Therefore, many Sufis approve of Raqs when it is spontaneous due to ecstasy and disapprove of it if it is a conscious effort. Sufi Ali Hujweri has even discussed Raqs in a separate chapter in his spiritual treatise Kashful Mahjoob. He says that Shariat and Tareeqat do not have any place for Raqs. He calls it Lahw and Laib. He says that a dance cannot be an unconscious effort. If the Wajd ( ecstasy) produces movements in the body, its neither pakobi nor Dast Afshani. Whoever calls it Raqs is an ignoramus. The ecstasy and trance of Sufis is a divine state and therefore it is wrong to call this state Raqs. But Imam Ghazali has his own arguments in favour of Raqs as a spiritual practice. He cites the example of the dance of the negroes on the day of Eid which the prophet pbuh watched along with Hadhrat Ayesha r.a. Therefore, those who say that Raqs is haram are wrong. He considers Raqs a sport and a sport is not haram. Imam Ghazali also argues that Raqs is the result of joy and so it is acceptable. In his book Ahyaul Uloom, he discusses the topic under Samaa. He says that if an act is based on a bad intent, it is permissible, and if it is based on a bad intent, it is bad. So the acceptability or unacceptability of Raqs will depend on the intent of the dancer. Sufi Suharwardy also supports Imam Ghazali on Raqs. He says that if dance is performed to attract others or due to physical and sexual instinct or to show one's dancing skills, it is haram and if Raqs comes spontaneously due to spiritual ecstasy and spiritual joy, it is acceptable. However, Suharwardy is of the opinion that dance or Raqs is after all a kind of sport and is similar to Lahwa and la' ib and so is not befitting Sufis. Famous Sufi Shams Tabrezi supports Raqs as a Sufi practice. He says that when a Sufi dances, the entire universe dances with him. Raqs to him is a means to reach God. But he says that the Raqs of the Sufi is subtle, light and dignified. It is like a leaf swimming on the surface of water. Shaikh Sa 'di also favours Raqs as a means of spiritual elevation. But the Raqs as observed in some assemblies of so called Sufis today have only maligned the image of Sufi Raqs. The Raqs in some videos on social media look like a bedlam where people shiver in a violent way and shriek and groan as if in great pain. They move their body and head in such a violent way it in no way can be Raqs nor can it be called Izterab. It is not like a leaf swimming on the surface of water but a big boulder rolling down a hill. Perhaps this was the reason, some far sighted Sufis had disapproved dance as a an expression of mystic experience. Previous Parts of the Article: Song, Dance and Music As Parts of Islamic Sufism - Part 1 Song, Dance and Music as Part of Islamic Sufism - Part 2 ----- S. Arshad is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com. URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-ideology/song-dance-music-islamic-sufism-part-3/d/128530 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

Munshi Faizuddin’s Bazm-i Aakhir: A Picture Of Delhi From A Historian’s Eye And An Insider’s Memory

By Salman Khurshid 30 November 2022 The Last Gathering presents a picture of Delhi from a historian’s eye and an insider’s memory. It is also a handbook for the common reader interested in the life of the last two Mughal kings and life inside the Red Fort. It offers ideas of syncretism, empires and their impact, and evokes a cultural life in bloom through pre-eminent and contemporary personages such as Amir Khusrau and Ghalib. In 2012, when Ather Farouqui took over the reins of the oldest and most respected Urdu organisation, the Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu, Hind, established in 1882 to douse the fire of Urdu–Hindi controversy, he utilised his knowledge of Urdu and his translation skills to ensure Urdu was featured on the global stage again without diluting its authenticity. Anjuman is the organisation which is responsible for the canon formation in Urdu, much like the Academie Francaise in French. In 2017, Farooqui’s first English translation of Bahadur Shah Zafar as The Life & Poetry of Bahadur Shah Zafar was published, which saved the original book in Urdu by Aslam Parvez from further plagiarism by the English elite and historians who had had a field day using the text of the book ruthlessly without any acknowledgement since 1986. As he puts it in the Translator’s Note of Bazm-i Aakhir, ‘I do not aspire to the identity of a translator, knowing my limitations. These tasks for me are not just translations, but a serious effort at putting the historical record straight’ (p. xiv). And more importantly, when he succinctly says, ‘In new India, where the names of places are fast changing, nobody knows the future identity of these locations with their centuries-old names. Their topography has already changed completely’ (p. xvii). However, my take is that it is imperative to translate essential texts, especially the text of history from Urdu into English and, subsequently, other languages, from informed and authentic positions. With the fast-diminishing knowledge of Urdu, not only among the common masses but also among historians specialising in medieval Indian history, which is deplorable, these texts will be destroyed in transition by clumsy translations. Interestingly, Farouqui’s focus area is Delhi, and his translations open up the casement from which to view this ancient city through a modern lens. I have found the translation at hand especially to be a faithful testament to this. Bazm-i Aakhir: The Last Gathering is almost impossible to translate in the manner Farouqui has, exploring every shade of every word for which he has consulted practically every old and new dictionary in Urdu. This is evident not only from the text but also from the footnotes, which provide remarkable insights, and an extensive list of the dictionaries and glossaries consulted. An arduous task, to say the least—one of the dictionaries has 22 volumes! The original text comprises merely 66 printed pages in Urdu and 88 pages in English translation. Still, the scholarly Translator’s Note of 18 pages is remarkable, and the translated text with 133 notes is spread across 10 pages. This work is thus not just that of a translator but also a lexicographer. There are several instances where Farouqui has gone beyond mere dictionary definitions of terms. Like a fly on the walls of living rooms of Urdu-speaking families, he has sought out words in currency in lived private spaces that one cannot find in dictionaries, and to which historians working on Delhi are certainly not privy. One such example is Mirdhe (p. 87, fn. 3): ‘…a small section of Muslims comprising people who originally belonged to various castes, and had married outside their respective castes’, a meaning prevalent only in the small towns of western Uttar Pradesh, the Urdu heartland. Similarly, his meanderings in the narrow streets of Old Delhi gave him access to the word Tabreed, used in the local context: a drink used to counter the effects of a hangover (p. 88, fn. 6). This is in addition to the more prevalent meaning of the word, for which he has added four lines of verse, or qat’a, of Ghalib. He has recorded minor differences between the many dishes of Dilli with even the slightest variation in name. There is undoubtedly room to publish a separate coffee-table book on the culinary treasure trove from the reign of the last Mughal in the Red Fort featured in Bazm-i Aakhir. These dishes are fast disappearing from the Indian Dastarkha’n. There are many more instances of rigorous research undertaken during the translation of this text. I have two suggestions, however. The 20-page scholarly Introduction and the Translator’s Note appear separately, which makes little sense, and ought to be merged into one. As endnotes tend to interrupt the flow of reading this richly layered text, notes as footnotes on the relevant pages are preferable. I suggest ironing out these details in future reprints. Ninety per cent of the material referring to the later Mughals, specifically the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, is in Urdu. As a result, only those with a good command of the language will be able to understand this reference material. The main text makes for easy reading and is lucid and succinct. Ironically, the decline of the Mughal empire was also the time when Urdu language and literature flourished, with spectacular contributions by great poets like Mir and Ghalib. Ghalib is undoubtedly the most fascinating figure of 19th-century Delhi. To use syncretic material from this period that is devoid of religious bigotry requires the translator to be familiar with the nuances and cadences of the Urdu language, as the untrained eye can easily be swayed into misrepresentation. This Farouqui has done with aplomb. At this point, I must devote a little time to acquaint readers with the original book’s author. Munshi Faizuddin was a courtier working with one of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s sons; therefore, his Urdu, though not accomplished, had the flavour of not only that period but also of the Qila-i Mubarak or Qila-i Mualla (Red Fort). In service since the days of Akbar Shah II, he had witnessed life in the Red Fort during the reign of the last two Mughal emperors. Faizuddin served as the servant of Prince Mirza Mohammad Hidayat Afza alias Mirza Ilahi Bakhsh (1809–1878). Ironically, Prince Mirza was a member of William Hodson’s spy network and was instrumental in the arrest of Bahadur Shah Zafar by the British. He was conferred the title of Shehzada and that of Chief Representative and Head of the Royal House of Timur for his services. He received an annual pension of ₹22,830 from the British government and lived in the Rang Mahal of the old city’s Suiwalan locality. The book was published in 1885 after the impact of 1857 had subsided. Faizuddin presents a lively account of day-to-day life in the Fort and its significant social events and celebrations. All festivals, especially Diwali and Holi, were celebrated with gusto. One gets a detailed picture of the royal trips to the Jharna (waterfall), the frantic melancholia of Muharram, or when the Fort was abuzz with Sair-i Gulfaroshan (Phool Walon ki Sair: an annual several-day fair of flower-sellers held in Mehrauli during the rainy season). As this was the 18th century, the nobility took great interest in Mehfils (musical gatherings) and dance. Marsiya Khwans (Marsiankhan were professional reciters of elegies) were in great demand during Moharram. Shatranj (chess) and Chaupar (a board game played with dice) were popular pastimes, while wrestling, kabaddi and swimming were equally loved. Food was also central to the life of the nobility: being an accomplished gourmand came second to being a music aficionado and poetry lover. The code of conducting oneself while dining, speaking and presenting oneself to senior nobility was clear. These mores were clearly understood and expected. The original Urdu work presents essential information that is not available even in well-researched books by renowned scholars. Its translator, Farouqui, has done yeoman’s service by bringing these lesser-known facts to a larger readership by successfully representing 19th-century ethos through his translation. Delhi has always been the focal point for historians working on medieval India. Currently, Farouqui is translating the massive three-volume tome about Delhi called Waqia’t-i Dar ul-Hukumat Delhi, an uphill task close to impossible, and because of this, in a way, concluding work on Delhi has remained untranslated. If the achievement of The Last Gathering is any indication, historians interested in Dilli are in for a treat. We eagerly look forward to more hitherto unknown facets of Delhi that the translation of Waqia’t-i Dar ul-Hukumat Delhi will undoubtedly unearth. URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/munshi-faizuddin-bazm-aakhir-delhi-historian-/d/128527 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

Was the Waqf Beneficial for Muslim Society?

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 29 November 2022 Possibly It Hindered the Economic Development Of The Muslim World Main Points: 1. Waqf is sacred endowment created for a specific purpose 2. Although not Islamic in its origins, its use was widespread in the Muslim world 3. Due to its very nature, the institution was rigid and hence could not adapt to the demands changing times 4. It hindered the amalgamation of large capital which was essential for kick-starting the industrial age ------- The Sachar Committee, way back in 2006, told us that the total value of all Waqf properties in India was around 60 billion Indian rupees. In today’s value, it would have only gone north. Many Muslims have argued that if this money was put to better use, like funding of health and education, then the situation of Indian Muslims would materially change for the better. But this is better said than done, largely because the nature and function of Waqf is not fully understood by Muslims themselves. There was a time when the Waqf functioned as charitable institutions which also provided for some public works, but since the 16th century at least, these Waqfs have ceased to perform those functions and became one of the many reasons why Muslim societies could not progress. The origins of this institution is obscure; but one thing is certain is that it did not have an Islamic root. Waqf like institutions were present in the Roman Empire as well as amongst the Sassanians. And it appears most likely that the early Islamic society borrowed this institution from the Sassanids. Although it was later theologically justified as devoting a property to Allah, there is no record of earliest Muslims instituting any such grant. The earliest Waqf in Muslim societies therefore date after the establishment of the empire, rather than during the period of the Rashidun Caliphate. But once Muslims adopted it, they made wide use of it. Through this institution, they funded hospitals, madrasas, caravan Sarais, etc. Instituting a Waqf was simple: the property was bequeathed in perpetuity to God and a manager was appointed for overseeing the property. This property could generate income which was to be spent for welfare purposes; part of the income thus generated went to the family of the founder of the Waqf. Thus, apart from serving an important function, Waqf was also a means to provide for the financial fortunes of the future generation. Over the years, the latter function dominated the former. Thus, in many cities of the Muslim world, like Algiers and Istanbul, Waqf properties formed nearly 30-50% of all real estate. Since all Waqfs were exempt from taxation, this only meant that the state had less and less revenue to operate with. The presence of this institution, which served the important purpose of social service, therefore also had its downside: that of limiting the value of state revenue. Although a huge empire, but the Ottomans were forced to take loans from other countries and foreign banking consortiums. Becoming a mechanism of tax evasion was one of the many malfunctions of the Waqfs. The very nature of the institution made it rigid and hence unsuited to the changing economic realities. Once a Waqf was instituted, its purpose could not be changed or altered. Many Muslims, for example, established caravan Sarais throughout the silk route during the middle-ages. These Sarais served traders and their animals for a fee, the proceeds of which went to the upkeep of the building and to the children of the founder. However, as the silk route changed over time, these Sarais felt into disuse and could no longer be financially viable. But, owing to the fact that the Waqf was created for the specific purpose of serving traders and merchants in perpetuity, there was no legal way to change the nature, function or the purpose of these Waqfs. Similar is the case in India. It is all very good to feel proud about the value of Waqfs and to what better uses it can be put. But the reality is that the very nature of these properties will not allow Muslims to put them to a different use. Certainly, there are issues like government encroachment of Waqf properties. Huge number of them are also lying unused due to litigation which takes decades to solve. But even without these factors, the very nature of Waqf would make it extremely difficult to liquidate the property or to change its use. If someone instituted a madrasa as a Waqf, then it has to perform that function in perpetuity. God forbid if the founder also mentioned some books that he thinks should be taught in that madrasa, then those books also cannot be removed from the curriculum even after hundreds of years. It is this rigidity that makes Waqfs unsuitable for our times. However, Muslims of the time cannot be faulted for not planning ahead hundreds of years. The fault lies with us, the present-day Muslims, for rooting for the revival of Waqfs without realizing its negative effects. The late middle-ages was the time when banking consortiums were coming up throughout the Western world. Merchants and traders were coming together, pooling resources and establishing banks with huge capital which gave impetus to the upcoming industrial revolution. Something very opposite was going on in the Muslim world. They had the resources but these were increasingly getting locked up in immovable assets through the creation of Waqfs. The financial resources were therefore locked up and its very nature made it obligatory that it could not be used for any other purpose. Moreover, different Waqfs could not be merged together unless the founder had left explicit instructions to do so; which was very rare. Even when some Muslims realized their folly, it was too late and many did not speak up fearing the clergy who had by now declared these Waqfs as sacred institutions. Moreover, since Waqfs could only be created by the wealthy, this only meant that the elite of Muslim world bound itself within a rule which was no longer beneficial. Also, this institution was not beneficial for the children of the rich as the latter got dependent on the largesse provided by the Waqf and hence did not do anything meritorious in the lives. Today in India when we talk about the potential value of Waqf properties and how it can change the fate of Muslims, we must take into consideration its historical nature into account. The only way in which all the money that is locked up in various Waqfs can be put to better use it by a willingness to change the ‘sacred’ character of these institutions. But are there enough Muslims willing to take this call? ----- A regular contributor to NewAgeIslam.com, Arshad Alam is a New Delhi based independent researcher and writer on Islam and Muslims in South Asia. URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/waqf-beneficial-muslim-society/d/128514 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

Muslim Intelligentsia Is Still Stuck In Islam and Quran: A Polite Rejoinder to Mr Shanavas

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 29 November 2022 The Habit Of Islam Being The Be-All And End-All And Blindly Considering This Faith To Be An Inventory Of Universal Wisdom Ails The Muslim Intelligentsia And They Distort Facts To Suit Their Agenda Of Islamic Supremacism ------ Most of the Muslims (NOT ALL) suffer from jump on the bandwagon syndrome and vulturing (a sociological term coined by the sociologist Bruno Latour). I'm saying this to prove Mr Shanavas' (Islamic) rejoinder to my article in which I pooh-poohed Adam and Eve as mankind's 'spiritual' parents. One more Muslim butted in unnecessarily. This is called Vulturing. Vultures have a habit of seeing and poking into the rotten flesh even if they're not hungry. Mr Shanavas, who's an out and out Muslim and is adept at theological conceits, says, it is estimated that modern human was created from earlier species 200,000 years ago. I say, even more! Happy? Fossils and DNA suggest people looking like us, anatomically modern Homo sapiens, evolved around 300,000 years ago. Surprisingly, archaeology – tools, artefacts, cave art – suggest that complex technology and cultures, “behavioural modernity”, evolved more recently: 50,000-65,000 years ago. This is what I meant in my piece. It's not the dysfunctional existence but the functional presence (with cognitive faculty) that's of paramount importance. Starting about 65,000 to 50,000 years ago, more advanced technology started appearing: complex projectile weapons such as bows and spear-throwers, fishhooks, ceramics, sewing needles. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: Allah Sent Prophets To All Nations: A Reply To Mr. Sumit Paul --------------------------------------------------------------------- As for his objection to calling Zoroastrianism as the earliest Monotheistic faith that came into being 4,000 years ago, I must quote one of the leading neurologists in the world, Sultan Terlaci and a great sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, " Semblance of monotheistic religiosity among discrete cults and groups across the globe and also predating modern organized religions cannot be cited as definite examples of either monotheism or polytheism. That's animism and religio-tribalism. When you pare a cult down to bare minimum, it's naturally monotheistic. Deities add on and get accrued with time. This process progresses independently without a link because fear of the unknown is a generic concept integral to human psyche and genetics." As regards, Adam and Eve, should I laugh or cry? Mr Shanavas, however hard you may try, you cannot prove that Adam and Eve ever existed because these individuals never graced or disgraced the earth. For your reference, science tells us that Adam and Eve are fictions. That Saint Paul or Uncle Tom Cobley and all thought otherwise is irrelevant. They were wrong. This is not to say that they were stupid or careless. Two thousand years ago, for a Jew to believe in Adam and Eve was perfectly sensible. But time moves on and with it our understanding of the world around us, and old beliefs have to give way to new ones. Aristotle thought that some people were born to be slaves. He was wrong. St. Paul thought we are descended from Adam and Eve. He was wrong (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/adam-and-eve-dont-exist-g_b_874982). ----------------------------------------------------- Also Read: The Civilizational Myth of Adam and Eve ----------------------------------------------------- Scientists can trace our maternal and paternal lines back to a woman and man who lived a long time ago, but they ain't the Biblical or Semitic Adam and Eve. People refer to these two individuals as “mtEve” and “Y-Adam. This habit of Islam being the be-all and end-all and blindly considering this faith to be an inventory of universal wisdom ails the Muslim intelligentsia and they distort facts to suit their agenda of Islamic supremacism. Lastly, Prophethood is a Semitic concept, limited to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Hinduism believes in Avtarvaad, which's based on the concept of the immortality and indestructibility of the soul and reincarnation. The Teerthankars of Jainism and Dalai Lamas in Buddhism are not prophets in the usual sense of the term. Pitakas in Buddhism and Agams in Jainism don't treat Buddha and Mahavir as prophets because both the faiths are atheistic in nature. They're Sambuudham and Kaivalyam respectively, not your conventional prophet/s. So, I'm afraid, your claim that the Supreme Being sent prophets to all nations and civilizations, doesn't hold water. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian…. URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/muslim-intelligentsia-quran-hinduism-buddhism/d/128512 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

Alas, Aaftab Happens To Be A Muslim

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 30 November 2022 News is that Aaftab's van was attacked by sword-wielding men belonging to a Hindu outfit. Reprehensible, to say the least! Will these Hindu goons attack a Hindu woman and her stepson for killing a man (woman's husband) and cut her body into pieces a la Aaftab-Shraddha episode? This gory incident also happened in Delhi, the country's crime capital. Why is someone's faith so important to us? I've been reiterating that crime has nothing to do with the perpetrator's religion and his/her esoteric beliefs. Image OpIndia: India Posts English ---- At the moment, Indian society is polarised on the basis of religion/s (read, Hinduism and Islam). Bad-blood had been brewing for quite some time but now it has come to a pretty pass. Now, we're living in a binary of Hindus and Muslims. Followers of other faiths are secondary. When all these religious identities are causing so much rancour and retribution, why can't we leave them and become humans sans all insignia? Alas, we're not so advanced to accept and follow this. I remember, census people visited my place during the 2011 census. When they asked my religion and caste, I said that I neither had a religion, nor any caste and added that I was a complete apatheist. Flabbergasted, they asked me, " Bhagwan Par Vishwas Nahin Hai ( no faith in god), Koi Dharm Bhi Nahin Hai, Caste Bhi Nahin ( no religion and caste), Aap Kaise Jeete Hain (how do you live)? As if these are unavoidable and inescapable conditions for survival! They were quite reluctant to write NA (not applicable) as replies to one's faith and caste. This made me think deeply as to why we became so ghettoised. Mind you, that happened a decade ago and today's world, esp. Hindu India, is all the more religiously stubborn. Today, a person's identity is his or her religion and at a deeper level, an individual's caste, that seals the fate. Are we evolved? Certainly not. Mark my words, until you've belief in a man-made religion, caste and god, you'll not be able to treat your fellow humans in an egalitarian manner. Sorry, no self-praise or claim of higher evolution, except for my mentor Dr Zaifa Ashraf, I've not yet come across anyone in my whole life who's as irreligious, emancipated and ideologically as free as I've been throughout my life. Why can't we all become like that? All differences and divisions will vanish in a jiffy. Alack, you're all frightened. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian…. URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/aaftab-muslim-hindu-society/d/128529 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

Song, Dance and Music as Part of Islamic Sufism - Part 2

By S. Arshad, New Age Islam 28 November 2022 Music Is One of the Fine Arts That Has a Soothing Effect on the Mind Main Points: 1. The universe reverberates with a subtle music. 2. Music of the Spheres refers to the music in the universe. 3. Plato believed man listened to music before his birth. 4. Rumi said that man has listened to the songs in the heaven. ------ Music is one of the fine arts that has a soothing effect on the mind. Music is a harmonious sound that is produced in a certain tone, pitch and rhythm. Man invented musical instruments to enhance the effects of poetry. In ancient times, poetry was not mean for reading. It was composed for singing in accompaniment of a musical instrument. In India, poetry was not recited or read before 10th century. Poetry and music were not imagined as separate fields. According to Jewish traditions, Prophet David a.s. sang the Psalms in accompaniment of the lyre. Song of Solomon or the Song of Songs attributed to King Solomon is one such example. Islamic Sufis were inspired by Indian mystics who sang devotional songs in accompaniment of various musical instruments like Dhol, flute, cymbal, Veena, Sarangi etc. Doha, Shabad, Sakhi, Chaupai, Kirtan etc. were sung by wandering minstrels of India. Devotional poems like Geet Gobindam of Jaydev and Shri Krishna Kirtan of Chandidas are lyrical plays. Charya Geetis of Buddhist mystics are also songs that were sung with music and dance during the 8th and 12th centuries or even in later periods. The Buddhist sadhus of Nepal even today sing these songs while dancing. Therefore, the sufis borrowed the tradition of singing devotional songs in accompaniment of music and dance and called it Samaa. Whenever the word Samaa is mentioned, it means songs sung in accompaniment of instrumental music. But Sufis have a cautious approach to Samaa or musical songs. Hadhrat Ali Hujweri says that while listening to Samaa, some discipline shoud be maintained. One should not be allowed to join a Samaa if he is not aware of the rules of Samaa. One should join it occasionally and should not be accustomed or addicted to it. He is, also of the opinion that novices should not be allowed to join a Samaa. Sufi Abu Ali considered Samaa haram for common people. The sufis forbade Samaa that is, listening to songs for lay people or novices because they did not have the spiritual training and maturity to benefit from the positive influence of music. They are carried away by its satanic influence and it becomes Lahwa (entertainment) for them. And the Quran forbifds Lahwa and La'ib. Lay people listen to the music as a means of entertainment and not as a means of elevating one's spiritual state or achieving spiritual ecstasy. Many spiritual and mystic songs are allegorical in nature in which earthly love - love between a man and woman -- is used to mean the devotee's love for God and his desire to have a union with God in the guise of a man's desire to have a union with his beloved. Such songs are listened by novices and lat men and produce romantic and lustful thoughts in the mind of the listeners. This is the reason, Sufis have prevented lay men and the uninitiated from joining a Samaa. Maulana Rumi says in his Mathnavi that the earthly music hs been taken from the spheres of the heaven. Men on earth only recreate the music with their voice and instruments. We have listened to these songs in the Paradise of Eden with Adam and we recall the forgotten music. Shaikh Sa'dii said that even camels are spell bound by music. One who does not get affected by music, he is an animal devoid of an aesthetic sense. Some Sufis put limitations on musical instruments used in Samaa. Imam Ghazali. He forbids the use of lyre, flute and Chang, Rubab and allowed Tabla, Shaheen and duff for Samaa. He has barred young men from listening to Samaa. He says Samaa should not be made a means of entertainment and it should not become an addiction. However, Maulana Rumi considers song and music a means to attract ignorant people towards religion. He says that when he found that people were not getting attracted towards God and are deprived from wisdom and spiritual gifts, he drew them closer to God with the help of poetry and music. Rumi considered the assembly of Samaa the Assembly of God. He had the knowledge of playing the musical instruments of his time and would also teach his disciples how to play them. He had got the knowledge of music from his Murshid Shams Tabrezi who was a poet and loved music. Therefore, song and music became a part of Islamic mysticism under the influence of Indian tradition of devotional songs that were presented by sadhus and wandering minstrels. During the life of Chaitanya Dev, the tradition of singing Kirtan by the devotees while dancing and waving their hands like the Sufis doing Dast Afshani became very popular. Muslim Sufis promoted Qawwali as a means of their spiritual expressions. However, there is still a section of Indian sufis who do not encourage music for spiritual purposes. They adhere to the Quranic and prophetic tradition of reciting poetry without music. The Prophet's Companions recited poetry and some even recited Naat. Kaab bin Zuhair's Naat is famous in Arabic poetry and Hadhrat Buseeri's Naat called Qaseeda Burdah is also famous. Music was not encouraged by Islam and the Quran is silent on the issue of music. Therefore, sufis have adopted a very guarded approach to the use of music in spiritual circles and have allowed for only mature and aged sufis. Part One of the Article: Song, Dance and Music As Parts of Islamic Sufism - Part 1 URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-ideology/song-dance-music-islamic-sufism-part-2/d/128508 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

Religion Has Institutionalized Gender-Bias

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 28 November 2022 The news is that Delhi's iconic Jama Masjid restricted the entry of unaccompanied girls but rolled back the decision under pressure. Jama Masjid, Delhi ------ That Islam is misogynistic needs no further elaboration. But when it comes to the entry of women into a shrine of any faith, innumerable restrictions are imposed on her. Whether or not she's menstruating, whether she has come with her brother, boyfriend or husband, is she young, middle-aged or old, is her dress too revealing or is she wearing loud make up; all sorts of silly, nay objectionable, questions are raised by the contractors of faiths? The question is: What makes all religions so antagonistic to women? Our troglodyte ancestors concocted super myths, albeit primitive. Then came all deranged prophets who 'divinised' ( to borrow Carl Gustav Jung's term) them after their own image as all were men. By the way, isn't it bizarre that not a single prophet has been a woman? So, right from the advent of human civilization and its religious history, it's man all the way. Women naturally got relegated to being mere appendages. Thousands of years of male behavioural supremacy culminated in women's religious subjugation. Women's spiritual enlightenment was always doubted and frowned upon. Kevin Douglas Osborne wrote in his seminal essay, " Gender bias in the mystical realm, " that even an enlightened soul like Rabia Basri and Kashmiri female Sufi saint Lal Ded (who often roamed around au naturel) had to experience gender bias coming from male Sufis. Even a man like Rumi believed that a woman would never be able to reach the apotheosis of enlightenment however hard she would try! The great Anwari believed that a woman could never become a Hafiz-e-Quran as Allah didn't give her the ability to memorise all 6, 234 verses in the Book. Sub-continent's 'evolved' men Tulsidas and Kabir were also disdainful of women. Kabir infamously wrote, "Naari Ki Jhaain Padat Andha Hot Bhujang / Uss Purush Ki Kya Gati Jo Nit Naari Ke Sang " (Even the king cobra would turn blind if the mere shadow of a woman falls on it/ Imagine the plight of a man who has to live with a woman day in and day out). Matadeen Gupta and Professor Grearson, English linguist of Central Indian dialects, were of the view that Kabir originally used the word BAARI which later became naari because Kabir didn't write anything as he was unlettered. The obsolete meaning of Baari in early Hindi was: a widow. The word is still in vogue in Bithur and Bundelkhand region. Kabir should have had a modicum of decency and sensitivity in treating a widow, esp. when he himself was a Brahmin widow's love child. Tulsidas wrote, “Dhor, Ganwaar, Pashu, Shudra, Naari / Sab Taadan Ke Adhikari“ (Drum, illiterate, yokel and a woman deserve to be beaten). Iran's highest religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini equates women with animals. If such sick mentality persists, how can a woman get entry into a mosque or temple and if at all she gets, she might even be raped by the priests. We're too prejudiced and gender-biased. Religion has institutionalized this bias. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian…. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/religion-gender-bias/d/128506 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

Remembering Indian Economist Dr. Nejatullah Siddiqi, the Father of Islamic Banking

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 28 November 2022 The news is that Delhi's iconic Jama Masjid restricted the entry of unaccompanied girls but rolled back the decision under pressure. Jama Masjid, Delhi ------ That Islam is misogynistic needs no further elaboration. But when it comes to the entry of women into a shrine of any faith, innumerable restrictions are imposed on her. Whether or not she's menstruating, whether she has come with her brother, boyfriend or husband, is she young, middle-aged or old, is her dress too revealing or is she wearing loud make up; all sorts of silly, nay objectionable, questions are raised by the contractors of faiths? The question is: What makes all religions so antagonistic to women? Our troglodyte ancestors concocted super myths, albeit primitive. Then came all deranged prophets who 'divinised' ( to borrow Carl Gustav Jung's term) them after their own image as all were men. By the way, isn't it bizarre that not a single prophet has been a woman? So, right from the advent of human civilization and its religious history, it's man all the way. Women naturally got relegated to being mere appendages. Thousands of years of male behavioural supremacy culminated in women's religious subjugation. Women's spiritual enlightenment was always doubted and frowned upon. Kevin Douglas Osborne wrote in his seminal essay, " Gender bias in the mystical realm, " that even an enlightened soul like Rabia Basri and Kashmiri female Sufi saint Lal Ded (who often roamed around au naturel) had to experience gender bias coming from male Sufis. Even a man like Rumi believed that a woman would never be able to reach the apotheosis of enlightenment however hard she would try! The great Anwari believed that a woman could never become a Hafiz-e-Quran as Allah didn't give her the ability to memorise all 6, 234 verses in the Book. Sub-continent's 'evolved' men Tulsidas and Kabir were also disdainful of women. Kabir infamously wrote, "Naari Ki Jhaain Padat Andha Hot Bhujang / Uss Purush Ki Kya Gati Jo Nit Naari Ke Sang " (Even the king cobra would turn blind if the mere shadow of a woman falls on it/ Imagine the plight of a man who has to live with a woman day in and day out). Matadeen Gupta and Professor Grearson, English linguist of Central Indian dialects, were of the view that Kabir originally used the word BAARI which later became naari because Kabir didn't write anything as he was unlettered. The obsolete meaning of Baari in early Hindi was: a widow. The word is still in vogue in Bithur and Bundelkhand region. Kabir should have had a modicum of decency and sensitivity in treating a widow, esp. when he himself was a Brahmin widow's love child. Tulsidas wrote, “Dhor, Ganwaar, Pashu, Shudra, Naari / Sab Taadan Ke Adhikari“ (Drum, illiterate, yokel and a woman deserve to be beaten). Iran's highest religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini equates women with animals. If such sick mentality persists, how can a woman get entry into a mosque or temple and if at all she gets, she might even be raped by the priests. We're too prejudiced and gender-biased. Religion has institutionalized this bias. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian…. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/religion-gender-bias/d/128506 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

Religion Has Institutionalized Gender-Bias

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 28 November 2022 The news is that Delhi's iconic Jama Masjid restricted the entry of unaccompanied girls but rolled back the decision under pressure. Jama Masjid, Delhi ------ That Islam is misogynistic needs no further elaboration. But when it comes to the entry of women into a shrine of any faith, innumerable restrictions are imposed on her. Whether or not she's menstruating, whether she has come with her brother, boyfriend or husband, is she young, middle-aged or old, is her dress too revealing or is she wearing loud make up; all sorts of silly, nay objectionable, questions are raised by the contractors of faiths? The question is: What makes all religions so antagonistic to women? Our troglodyte ancestors concocted super myths, albeit primitive. Then came all deranged prophets who 'divinised' ( to borrow Carl Gustav Jung's term) them after their own image as all were men. By the way, isn't it bizarre that not a single prophet has been a woman? So, right from the advent of human civilization and its religious history, it's man all the way. Women naturally got relegated to being mere appendages. Thousands of years of male behavioural supremacy culminated in women's religious subjugation. Women's spiritual enlightenment was always doubted and frowned upon. Kevin Douglas Osborne wrote in his seminal essay, " Gender bias in the mystical realm, " that even an enlightened soul like Rabia Basri and Kashmiri female Sufi saint Lal Ded (who often roamed around au naturel) had to experience gender bias coming from male Sufis. Even a man like Rumi believed that a woman would never be able to reach the apotheosis of enlightenment however hard she would try! The great Anwari believed that a woman could never become a Hafiz-e-Quran as Allah didn't give her the ability to memorise all 6, 234 verses in the Book. Sub-continent's 'evolved' men Tulsidas and Kabir were also disdainful of women. Kabir infamously wrote, "Naari Ki Jhaain Padat Andha Hot Bhujang / Uss Purush Ki Kya Gati Jo Nit Naari Ke Sang " (Even the king cobra would turn blind if the mere shadow of a woman falls on it/ Imagine the plight of a man who has to live with a woman day in and day out). Matadeen Gupta and Professor Grearson, English linguist of Central Indian dialects, were of the view that Kabir originally used the word BAARI which later became naari because Kabir didn't write anything as he was unlettered. The obsolete meaning of Baari in early Hindi was: a widow. The word is still in vogue in Bithur and Bundelkhand region. Kabir should have had a modicum of decency and sensitivity in treating a widow, esp. when he himself was a Brahmin widow's love child. Tulsidas wrote, “Dhor, Ganwaar, Pashu, Shudra, Naari / Sab Taadan Ke Adhikari“ (Drum, illiterate, yokel and a woman deserve to be beaten). Iran's highest religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini equates women with animals. If such sick mentality persists, how can a woman get entry into a mosque or temple and if at all she gets, she might even be raped by the priests. We're too prejudiced and gender-biased. Religion has institutionalized this bias. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian…. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/religion-gender-bias/d/128506 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

Allah Sent Prophets To All Nations: A Reply To Mr. Sumit Paul

By T.O. Shanavas, New Age Islam 26 November 2022 I Did Not Expect Such Rambling And Desultory Response From Mr. Sumit Paul Who Claims To Be Religion Expert, I Have Experienced Such Response From Hate Mongers ------ Initially I thought myself not to respond to Mr. Sumit Paul’s incoherent rambling essay to discredit my paper Adam and Eve: The Spiritual, Not Biological, Parents of Human Species When serious topics are discussed, I did not expect such rambling and desultory response from Mr. Sumit Paul who claims to be religion expert. I have experienced such response from hate mongers. He stated that Islam came after Judaism and Christianity. Of course, his claim is based on the misconstrued definition of Islam, Muslim, and Mo’min. I remind Mr. Sumit Paul that the Qur’an is the guiding light for Muslims for their faith and life style: “That is the Book, wherein is no doubt, a guidance to the God-conscious.” (Qur’an 2:2). “….Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong)…” Qur’an 2:185). So, the definition of Islam must come from the Qur’an. The Qur’anic definition of Islam is rooted on tripartite belief: 1. God, 2. the Last Day, and 3. works righteousness (Qur’an 2:62. “.whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.”. Muslim means those who uphold the tripartite belief and Mo’min means those accept tripartite belief system along with life- style based on the Qur’an and the reported sayings of Prophet Muhammad (s) that abide with the Quran. For more details I refer all to my article: Divine Mercy and Qur’anic Definition of Islam, Muslim and Al- Momineen Mr. Paul sates: “Islam and Semitic faiths believe that Adam and Eve existed roughly 10 to 12 thousand years ago.” I don’t know from where he cooked up this fake information 12,000 history of human species. There is nothing in the Qur’an in support of Mr. Sumit Paul. It is estimated that modern human was created from earlier species 200,000 years ago. And based on genetic studies Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa 78,000 years ago. Many early Muslims believed human species existed long time modern before Adam came. Nasir al-Din Tusi (1201-1274) was a polymath, architect, philosopher, physician, scientist, and theologian. His Rawda-ye Taslim” is translated by S.Jalal Badkhchani. The translation is tattled “The Paradise of Submission.” According to Tusi, humankind existed long before Prophet Adam came. “As for [the proposition that] Adam was, from one point of view, first man in the first created world and, from another point of view, they profess that according to our understanding of his circumstances, the world and natural kingdoms—by which it has already been made clear that the human species has always existed in this world and always will—Adam cannot have been the first man in the first world.” (Ref: “The Paradise by Submission” by Nasir al-Din Tusi’s translated by S.Jalal Badakhchani. Page: 68-69). Mr. Sumit Paul asked, “If Adam was the first prophet preaching Islam, what was the role of Eve?” none needs to take my word. Nasir al-Din Tusi Said: “As for Eve, who is referred as Adam’s spouse, she symbolizes the spiritual significance (Ma’ani) within that Shari’at, as she was aware of the esoteric principles and realities (Batin Wa Ma’ani) [of it].She knew that the task of executing the religious law of that cycle was to be accomplished by Adam and herself.” (Ref: “The Paradise by Submission” by Nasir al-Din Tusi’s translated by S.Jalal Badakhchani. Page: 71). Mr. Paul claims also that “… the first monotheistic faith came into existence nearly 4 thousand years ago in the form of Zoroastrianism.” I did not expect such a cretinous “testimony” from Mr. Sumit Paul who claims to be an expert in comparative religion. It evinces that his knowledge of the history of religion limited to 4,000 years. Sorry, being forthright. The history of monotheism (Tawhid) in the world is longer than 4,000 years. Most surprising example for belief in the monotheism (Tawhid) prior to Zoroastrianism is the Australian Aboriginals who inhabited in the continent for about 130,000 years in isolation from rest of human species. (REF: India International Centre Quarterly. Vol. 18, No. 4, WINTER 1991. Page 6). Among Australian Aboriginals there are between five hundred to six hundred tribal units and each of them has their own independent history of social and religious development in complete isolation from each other except for occasional marginal contacts at the boundaries of their territories. It was not only the language barriers which stood in the way, but also their traditional aversion to socialize and communicate with outsiders, which had created an impassable barrier in the way of transfer of information from one to the other. In all the tribes of Australian aboriginal, without exception, there exists a belief in one Supreme Power, who is the first cause of all creation. They describe that entity with High Gods or All-Father. The term High Gods is not plural as it appears. In the aboriginal terminology, as we have plural pronoun for God in the Qur’an, High Gods is used to uphold the majesty of Supreme Creator. According to Sociologist Alfred William Howitt (1830-1908), the Aboriginals’ All-Father was “evidently everlasting, for he exists from the beginning of all things.” (REF: Eliade, M. (1973) Australian Religions. An Introduction. Cornell University Press, Ithach, p.13). In Making of Religion, Andrew Lang (1844-1912) states that “… the Supreme Being of savage faith, as a rule, never died at all. He belonged to a world that knew not Death.” (REF: The Making of Religion. By Andrew Lang. London: Longmans. First edition 1887. Page 186). “In its highest aspect that ' simplest theology ' of Australia is free from the faults of popular theology in Greece. The God discourages sin,”(REF: J. Anthrop. Inst. xiii. p. 459). All 500-600 aboriginal tribes isolated even among them found to have supreme God, the cause of every cause, right from the beginning of their 130,000 years history. So, Mr. Sumit Paul’s 4,000 year Zoroastrianism cannot be the source of their faith. Some western sociologists claimed the All-Father concept came 200 years ago from Christian invaders. The belief in Trinity is the underpinning of Christian faith. If sociologists’ claim is true we would have seen integration of Trinity with the All-Father concept. None of the 400-600 isolated tribes have belief in Trinity as a part of their faith. Moreover, first British fleet arrived in 1788. Later established colony in Sydney. The colonization of over 8,000 islands and the Interior and took place much later. So, it is laughable claim that the belief in All-Father by 400-600 tribes came from Christianity. Same history of acceptance oneness of God (Tawhid) existed among Indians of North and South America long before European colonialization of American continents. “Regarding American Indian world of religious conceptualization the supreme position is held by a divinity who surveys the course of events from his high abode in heaven” (REF: “The Religions of American Indians” by Åke Hultkrantz. University of California Press; First edition198. page 14). Fuegians are the indigenous inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego, at the southern tip of South America. “Characteristic of Fuegian religion is the position of the Supreme Being which is in many respects a central one. Among the Yahgan he is called Watsauni’ewa, ‘the old, eternal, unchangeable one.’…Similar to the situation in Tierra del Fuego, we find rather well-defined concept of a Supreme Being…in north-central-California.”(REF: The Religions of American Indians.” Page 18-19). “Pomo tribes of Indians in Northern California has a Supreme Being named Dasan who “came out on ocean and turn into man. He intended to build the world. He talked, and by the power of his words, the world came into being. After this he made first people.” (REF: The Religions of American Indians.” Page 20 Inca, also spelled Inka, South American Indians’ God is called Viracocha. Here is the prayer of Inca people: “Oh Viracocha, Lord of the world, Whether you are male or female, You are for certain the one Who reigns over heat and creation, …I wish you were not concealed these your sons,… Where is your tribunal? …Creator of the world Creator of mankind, …. Sun and moon, Day and night, Summer and winter, They wander not in vain But in prescribed order To their determined place To their goal … Ever-present Viracocha! You are unequalled on earth. You exist from the beginning of the world To its end You gave life and courage to man when you said “let it be a man” You gave same to the woman when you said “Let it be a woman.” You created us and gave us soul Watch over us that we live in health and peace You may be in the highest heavens Among the clouds Give us long-lasting life, Accept our offering O Creator” (REF: The Religions of American Indians.” page P96-98) Some of the contents of the prayer is almost verbatim from the Qur’an. The original population of Andaman Islands believed in one Supreme Being. “Andamanese turned out quite embarrassingly rich in higher elements of faith…The people are Negitos,…Their religion…have no traditions of presence of aliens in the islands before recent arrivals. Their God, Puluga, is ‘like fire’ but invisible. He was never born, is immortal. By him were all things created, except powers of evil. He knows even the thoughts of your heart. He is angered by Yubda = sin, or wrong doing, that is falsehood, theft, grave assault, murder, adultery, To those in pain or distress…He is judge of the souls, and the dread of future punishment to some extent is said to affect their course of action in the present life…There is a story of Deluge caused by the moral wrath of Puluga.” (REF: The Making of Religion. Page 195 ). The Dinkas of the Upper Nile prays to the all-powerful Being, dwelling in heaven, whence he sees all things. He is called "Dendid" (great rain, that is, universal benediction?).' He is omnipotent, but, being all beneficence, can do no evil; so, not being feared. The Dinkas have a strange old chant: ‘At the beginning, when Dendid made all things, He created the Sun, and the Sun is born, and dies, and comes again! He created the Stars, and the Stars are born, and dies, and come again! He created man, and man is born, and dies, and returns more! (REF: The Making of Religion.196) The unity of God (Tawhid) of Islam is in Hindu Scriptures also: "Ekam Evadvitiyam" "He is One only without a second." [REF: The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 447 and 448] and [Sacred Books of the East, volume 1 ‘The Upanishads part I’ page 93] "Na Casya Kascij Janita Na Cadhipah." "Of Him there are neither parents nor lord." [REF: The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 745] and [Sacred Books of the East, volume 15, ‘The Upanishads part II’ page 263.] "Na Tasya Pratima Asti" "There is no likeness of Him." [REF: The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 736 & 737] and [Sacred Books of the East, volume 15, ‘The Upanishads part II’ page no 253] “He (God) is called neither the second, nor the third nor yet the fourth. He is called neither the fifth, nor the sixth, nor yet the seventh. He is called neither the eighth, not the ninth nor yet the tenth. He takes care of all that breathes and of all that does not breathe. He has got all this conquering power. He is the One, One alone and only One. All these luminous forces of nature become one in Him. (REF: Atharva Vada XII 4. 19-21) I have shown that isolated populations, separated in continents by oceans, mountains and other barriers have faith in oneness of God (Tawhid). The widespread belief in one supreme all-powerful creator (Tawhid) among 500-600 Australian aboriginal, all living separately incommunicado, various tribes of Indians in north and South America, people of Andaman Island, Hindus of India, and others bolsters the Qur’anic revelation that God sends prophets to all nations to teach religion of Islam. The original Homo sapiens were in Africa before some migrated to other parts of the world 78,000 years ago. So, first Prophet, Adam, was in Africa. Based on the Qur’an Adam was the first prophet of God, and so he is the spiritual parent of Human species. The name given to him supports his African origin. The name “Adam” is derived from two Arabic root words, Adim and Udama. Adim means surface of the earth, and Udama means dark-complexioned. (Ref: lane’s Arabic-English Lexicon. Vol. 1, p 31.). The literal meaning of Adam, therefore, is a dark-skinned person who lives on the surface of the earth. This, too, supports the fact that Adam was created on earth and not in Paradise, and was of African origin. If many of the lowest “savages” known to us entertain of a Supreme Being such as we find among Fuegians, Australians, Bushmen, and Andamanese, Hinduism, others, the idea of monotheism started with Zoroastrianism is wrong. This belief of unity of God (Tawhid) in many continents is a proof that God sent prophets to all nations. Africans were the parental community of Homo Sapiens (modern man). Adam was sent there with the message of Islam, and so Adam, being the first prophet of God who lifted human species from animality to humanity with divinely prescribed ethical rules and regulation, is called spiritual parent of humanity. Obviously, if religion began in a form of relatively pure and moral, it must degenerate under priests who 'exploit' the lucrative, and can see no money or power or both in the pure elements of belief and practice. We have seen the lucrative elements in Christianity, Islam, Hinduism etc were exploited by the clergy, to the neglect of ethics, was precisely the complaint of the Reformers or Prophets. From these lucrative elements the creed of the prophets was free. We cannot possibly, then, expect to find the 'original' state of religion among a people subdued to a money or power grubbing priesthood or rulers. Let me quote from history of Christianity and Islam. The Council of Nicaea was an assembly of religious delegates arranged by emperor Constantine I between May in AD 325, which defined the Christian Church doctrine and beliefs, particularly relating to the holy trinity and relationship between God and Jesus, as is still accepted today. Similarly in the case of Islam it’s corruption started with war after Caliph Umar Ibn Khattab and establishment of royal family rule. Finally, Mr. Sumit Paul, the expert of comparative religion, must answer a simple question: How could 400-600 primitive social tribes of Australian aboriginals, various Indian tribes in north and South America, Africa , Hindus of India, and other places conceive the same idea of the One Supreme Eternal Creator, Tawhid of Islam, independently? ------ T.O. Shanavas is a native of Kerala, but is now based in the USA. He is the author of “Islamic Theory of Evolution The Missing Link Between Darwin and The Origin of Species.” Co-author of the book, And God Said, "Let There Be Evolution!": Reconciling The Book Of Genesis, The Qur'an, And The Theory Of Evolution. Edited by Prof. Charles M. Wynn and Prof. Arthur W. Wiggins. URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/allah-prophets-nations-religion-human-species/d/128496 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

Why Does Islam Need A Renaissance Urgently?

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 26 November 2022 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Until Muslims, Esp. Those Who Have A Semblance Of Reason And Logic, Introspect And Stop Thinking That They're Allah's Chosen People, This Religion Will Continue To Languish In The Dungeon Of Ignorance And Obscurantism ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I concur with Mr Ghulam Mohiyuddin that Islam does need a renaissance urgently. The problem with this desert faith is that it deserted logic and modernism right from its inception and the scenario is still unchanged. One glaring example is Qatar's ongoing charade of (predominantly) offering Islam along with the FIFA World Cup! That a universal sporting event like the Soccer World Cup is being turned into a saga of Pan-Islamisation is simply unthinkable and ridiculous to boot. A universal pariah like Zakir Naik is being invited to preach Islam! Multilingual Islamic scholars have been appointed to dispel the doubts of people and sports lovers regarding Islam as if they're visiting Qatar to know more of Islam and watch less of football! No alcohol (but freely available in heaven!), no love-making or consensual sex between two consenting adults! No rooms to gays! Is the country having a World Cup or holding a month-long rigorous International Seminar on Islam? Philosopher Rousseau and writer Miguel de Cervantes believed that European society (during the Renaissance), must talk less about religion and god and much more about reason and universality. Mind you, both were believers but not regular church-goers. Both believed along with other Renaissance writers and philosophers that god, church and Bible must be shelved for the time being and the focus should only be on free thinking that was free of religious elements and inanities. But look at the Islamic society! A country is preaching Islam along with organizing world's biggest sporting carnival. Afghanistan's Talibanis are openly flogging and stoning couples for adultery, limbs are being amputated and eyes are getting gouged out! All in the name of a peaceful 'civilized' faith called Islam. My foot! Not to be left behind, India's Maulana Tauqeer Raza wants to stone half-buried Aftab to death! This is extreme sadistic voyeurism expected only of Muslims, weaned on blood-curdling violence and indoctrinated with an overdose of vengeance. No refinement and finesse in spirit and behaviour have taken place in Islam and it has remained a Rip Van Winkle in its history of a little over 1400 years. When its 'educated' followers still fuss over and debate that whatever useless is written in the Quran is the divine truth and no change is allowed, how can their faith keep pace with the evolving times? Readers are aware that evangelization activities were at their lowest ebb during the Renaissance. And here, even a whole country is involved in spreading the message of Islam! Until Muslims, esp. those who have a semblance of reason and logic, introspect and stop thinking that they're Allah's chosen people, this religion will continue to languish in the dungeon of ignorance and obscurantism. Time to wake up and face the truth. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/renaissance-islamic-society/d/128495 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

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: ‘Look Here I Have Mixed Your Hindu And Muslim Cha And Made Jai-Hind Cha Out Of It”

By Saquib Salim, New Age Islam 26-11-2022 The British divided Indians in every possible fashion. As a result back then at public places, like railway stations, one could find separate water tanks for Hindus and Muslims, brazenly called. Hindu Pani and Muslim Pani. Similarly, food and tea stalls also had a Hindu or a Muslim tag…. Capt Lakshmi Sehgal with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose ----- A Slice Of History When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose organised Azad Hind Fauj, he ensured that communal division do not plague the national freedom struggle. Religions of soldiers did not define their commitment to India. Lakshmi Sehgal of the Indian National Army (INA) said, “Hindu, Muslim. Sikh and Christian all felt that they were Indians first, last and always.” In 1945, after the War was over, soldiers were arrested and brought to India by the British. Trains ferried these soldiers as Prisoners of War. On one such instant, a battalion of INA soldiers on-board a train, under arrest of the British, heard cries of tea vendors at a railway station - Muslim Cha, Hindu Cha (Muslim tea, Hindu tea). The INA soldiers felt agitated. They had not imagined that their country for which they had been waging a war was still divided along religions. Lakshmi Sehgal recalled, “what a shock to get back to India and hear on our very first railway journey at home, after an absence of six years, the voice of cha (tea) vendors calling out ‘Hindu Cha’ and ‘Muslim Cha’. Such a thing went against the grain of every member of INA.” The INA officers deplored this communalism and expressed hopelessness. It was when an INA Sepoy stood up and told everyone that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had taught us to act instead of witnessing a situation helplessly. A newspaper reported, “he jumped out of the train and set for both the tea vendors. Heading out his battered mess tin he asked the Hindu Cha Wallah to pour a cup into it and then turning to the Muslim Char Wallah, asked him to do likewise. Then turning to both he said: ‘Look here I have mixed your Hindu and Muslim cha and made Jai-Hind Cha (Jai-Hind Tea) out of It.” Separate water, tea and food for Hindus and Muslims at railway stations was banned a few months later when Asaf Ali took charge of the Railway Ministry in the interim government. Source: What was Jai-Hind Tea of Azad Hind Fauj? URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/netaji-bose-hindu-muslim-cha-jai-hind-tea/d/128494 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

The Ghazwa-e-Hind Claims Of Pakistani Jihadi Militants: Does Authentic Hadith Literature Enjoin Jihad Against India Just Before The Day Of Judgement - A Comprehensive Study (Concluding Part 2)

By Grace Mubashir, New Age Islam 25 November 2022 The Islamic State Founded By Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Was Not An Absolute Islamic State, But The Totality Of The Islamic Community On Earth At That Time To Be Emulated By All ----- The Islamic State founded by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was not an absolute Islamic State, but the totality of the Islamic community on earth at that time to be emulated by all. Because at the time of the death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Islamic community was not a global experience spread across all continents as it is today, but a limited population living only within the boundaries of the country that the late Prophet (PBUH) led. Islam is the vision presented by Allah, the creator of the universe, for all mankind until the last day. The Islamic society nurtured by the Prophet (PBUH) was responsible for transmitting it across centuries and continents. The secure existence of the Prophet's disciples as a community depended mainly on the security of the polity in which they lived. Because of this, the Muslim community did after the death of the Prophet (PBUH) whatever was required to be done for the security of a country according to the ethics of the world order that existed at that time, following the progress of the Arabian political system built by the Prophet (PBUH). Growing as an empire was the way of political prosperity then. The then world political environment dominated by the Roman Empire and the Persian Empire that tried to conquer each other and conquered small countries for convenience. If the Islamic community had tried to confine itself to being an Arabian phenomenon that could be swallowed up by Rome or Persia whenever they saw it fit. This would have ended not just an Islamic state, but Islam itself. It was the quest of history that the Islamic state should be safe from the imperialist threats outside Arabia as well as from the tribal threats inside Arabia. The accepted international policy of the day was 'surrender or be conquered'. It was not the international community of today, when the concept of nationalism, the League of Nations and the United Nations came in and fixed boundaries for nations and declared interference beyond the boundaries an international political crime. In that era, when there were only two possibilities: grow yourself into an empire by expanding your boundaries, or disappear in the expansionary process of some other empire. The second possibility had to be avoided at all costs as far as the Islamic State was concerned. The Prophet (PBUH) had not struggled to build an Islamic society only so it faded into history within a few decades of his death! Neither Rome, nor Persia, nor the Arabs themselves felt that the political unification achieved by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was strong enough to grow into an empire. It is still one of the most mysterious miracles of history that before Rome and Persia even had time to realize the power of Arabian innovation, the Muslim armies entered the borders of these two empires and marked a new empire on the map of the world. The Arabs, who had no experience of leading any world wars until then, shook the forts of Persia and Rome during the time of Caliph Umar and established a new great empire that included today's Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt in addition to the Arabian Peninsula. In all these areas, Muslims began to live, Islamic instruction became active, and the local people embraced Islam en masse. The caliph and his colleagues were convinced that their military conquests were as much about Islam's mission to become a world religion as it was about the preservation of an existing Islamic society. Due to these religious dimensions, the Prophet (PBUH) had in many ways called it a great virtue to continue military operations for the survival and progress of the nation he founded. These motivations given by the Prophet (PBUH) were the real driving force behind the establishment of the Islamic Empire. The need for the Islamic army to focus outside of Arabia had been practically explained to the Islamic community by leading the Tabuk campaign towards Rome in the ninth year of Hijra. The Prophet (PBUH) left this world not only proclaiming the virtue of military advances but also prophesying that the Muslims would have victories that would amaze the world in the way of empire building. At a time when Madina did not even have the manpower or weapons to overcome the challenges raised by the polytheistic tribes within Arabia, the Prophet (PBUH) made many prophecies about the future, based on divine instructions from Allah, when the Islamic community would become the rulers of an empire. When the dawn of those prophecies came during the time of the righteous Caliphs, the truthfulness of the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was also strongly underlined. Those who understand the context of the said prophecies can easily understand the vision of the 'India War' hadiths. It is well-known that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told his companions that the glory days of the emperors of Persia and Rome were coming to an end and that soon Muslims would manage their treasuries. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was living in Madina when Persia was at the height of its glory under King Khusro. When Khusro died during the Prophet's lifetime and one of his daughters succeeded him as empress, the Prophet (PBUH) said: "That nation - the Persians - who have made a woman their leader is not going to win." In the fifth year of Hijra, the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions laboriously dug a large trench around the city limits to protect the city from a large coalition army of various polytheistic Arab tribes that unexpectedly surrounded Madina. While digging this trench, the Prophet (PBUH) used an axe to remove a huge boulder that stood in the way and removed it with prayers. After cutting the rock, the Prophet (PBUH) said that Allah was showing him the Persian and Roman cities while he was cutting the rock. Then, upon the request of his companions, the Prophet (PBUH) prayed to Allah that those lands should be conquered by the Islamic army. The Persia of the hadiths is geographically the nations of today's Iran and Iraq. Rome is Byzantine Rome; mainly the vast land which was called 'Sham' in Arabic at that time - included the countries of today's Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Egypt. How pitiful is the historical knowledge and world knowledge of someone who presents prophetic statements about the impending collapse of Rome and Persia or Arab Islamic military conquests there as 'evidence' to establish that Muslims have religious enmity with Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt, or that Muslims regard the destruction of said countries as virtuous! None of these mentioned nations existed in the time of the Prophet (PBUH). The Rome mentioned by the Prophet (PBUH) had no political entity like Persia exists today. Not only Rome and Persia, but also the Islamic Empire that the Prophet (PBUH) said would lead these wars no longer exists. The age of empires has faded into history and we have entered a new world order of nation states. These hadiths from the Prophet (PBUH) are about a period that has become history today. The Prophet (PBUH) predicted that the Islamic kingdom founded by the Prophet (PBUH) in the Middle Ages, when the political grammar of the world was imperialism, would grow into an empire according to the natural state ethics of that time after his death, and overthrow the Roman and Persian empires that were hostile to Islam and Muslims. All those prophecies were fulfilled during the time of Caliph Umar (RA) with immense accuracy. That's where the issue ends. All the provinces of these empires where the Prophet (PBUH) told the Muslims that they would fight were enemy countries that did not have the presence of Muslim communities at that time and were eager to destroy the Islamic Empire. With the prophesied military advances of the Prophet (PBUH), they all entered a new historical phase with the presence of large Islamic societies. If anyone seriously thinks that the message of these hadiths is to fight the current Iran, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Egypt, then they have only misread those hadiths. They have not mastered the narrative language of the time in which they were spoken, they have not known that their prophecies have been fulfilled in history, their enmities are irrelevant today, and they have not noticed that the time to which their political logic applies is over. A hadith from Thawban (RA) shows that the Prophet (PBUH) mentioned India as a land that touched the military expansion of the Islamic empire, like Rome and Persia. India is translated from the Arabic word 'Al Hind'. Al Hind in Arabic at the time of the Prophet (PBUH) is not India, which came into existence on August 15, 1947, which is our motherland. Sindhu and Hindu were mostly heard of by the Arabs and as an abstract concept that extended to the eastern 'edge' of the world, as they understood, encompassing parts of present-day Malaysia and Indonesia in addition to the Indian subcontinent. In terms of present-day nation-states, Al Hind in medieval Arabic is a signifier that includes Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia. As soon as this becomes clear, the call for Jihad in India would be no longer valid; but against the teachings of Prophet himself. Because ‘India War’ Hadiths are about Sindh/Hind War Hadiths. From them anti-Pakistan, anti-Bangladesh, anti-Malaysian and anti-Indonesian wars can be determined by the same criteria as anti-India. In the accounts of the global spread of Islam, Arabia was a little more distant than Persia and Rome but inhabited by many warlike kings and uninitiated peoples. As in the case of Persia and Rome, that phase has passed in medieval Islamic history. The hadith sheds light on those occasions when early Islamic military advances reached the 'Hind' provinces. It has nothing to do with the modern Indian nation or the modern Muslims in India. In medieval Arabic, the expression 'Al Hind' was sometimes extended to 'Sind wal Hind'. It was a term used to refer to the vast tracts of land denoted by 'Al Hind' as Sind to the west of the Indus and Hind to the east of the Indus. The Hadith has nothing to do with Hinduism and never in literature Hinduism has been mentioned as enemies of Islam. The Hind in Arabic literature is used to show the geographical extension. To employ the Hadith to present social and political condition is malicious and against Islam itself. Based upon the Hadith, the call for Jihad is erroneous and to be confronted both intellectually and physically. Likewise, Islamophobes fear mongering using these Hadiths must be countered to facilitate mutual cohabitation peacefully. Eastward military movements reached Sindh and then crossed the Indus to the other side during the golden days when the capital of the Islamic Empire shifted from Madina to Damascus and imperial growth accelerated brilliantly under the Umayyad Caliphate based there. This was during the caliphate of Walid ibn Abdul Malik ibn Marwan (reigned 705-715 CE). In Iraq, which had already become part of the Islamic Empire, Walid's governor at that time was the famous Hajjaj Ibn Yusuf. As the officer in charge of the eastern provinces of the empire, he directed further eastward campaigns aimed at Hind. As far as the cradle of Sindh province, during the first Umayyad caliph Muawiya (died AD 680) the Islamic Empire had already expanded. The army commanded by Muawiya (RA) led by Sinan Ibn Salama expanded the empire to the Makran province on the coast of the Indian Ocean near Sindh. During Walid's reign, the famous Sindh and Hind campaigns were accompanied by the expansion of the empire when the Islamic army led by Qutaybat ibn Muslim made significant moves towards Central Asia near China under the instructions of Hajjaj ibn Yusuf. If Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had prophesied about a 'Ghazwatul Hindi' and its virtue, the dawn of that prophecy would have occurred in parts of present-day Pakistan within decades of the prophecies about Rome and Persia. As is well known Hazrat Abu Huraira (603–681 CE) who had related this Hadith was hoping to participate in Ghazwa-e-Hind during his lifetime and had talked about what would happen if he comes back alive or is martyred in this battle. The hypocrisy, and indeed chutzpa, of linking a story about an event some 1300 years ago when some of the soldiers of the then Islamic nation fought against some kings and soldiers of a region now part of Pakistan, with a completely new state called India and its Muslim citizens that came into existence on August 15, 1947, would be obvious to anyone with even a modicum of intellectual integrity. Those who understand that the victories of Persia and Rome mentioned in the hadiths were achieved long ago by the Islamic community and that its interest is not to win victory by fighting with today's Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine or Egypt, all those who understand that the battle of the hadith regarding the Indian war is no different, if they read the history of Muhammad bin Qasim. Just as the Prophet (PBUH) spoke of Rome and Persia as completely non-Muslim countries, and the military advances of the Prophet (PBUH) that fulfilled his prophecy changed the course of those countries, it is also relevant that North India, which had no Muslims when the Prophet (PBUH) spoke, became the centre of many medieval Muslim regimes and millions of Muslims after Muhammad bin Qasim’s invasion. After the decline of the power of the Abbasid Caliphate, it was the India of the Delhi Sultans, Mughals and Nizams that remained the pre-eminent political seat of the Islamic world. Even today, India remains the second largest Muslim population in the world. Like Rome and Persia, India is one of the regions that were opened to Islam and Muslims through the military advances of Muslim rulers and changed Islamic history in the descriptions of all the early Islamic historians. The famous Tariq of Imam Tabri (d. CE 923) mentions the victory of Islam in Al Hind. Yaqubi (d. CE 897/8) speaks specifically about the military campaign of Muhammad ibn Qasim. Baladuri (d. CE 892), in Futuhul Buldan (Victory in the Lands), a work on the conquests of Islam in various lands, Muhammad ibn Qasim gives a detailed account of the conquests in India. Ibn al-Atheer (died c. AD 1160) quotes Baladuri in detail to tell the story of India's arrival at the level of Muslim settlement. In the provinces of the Indian subcontinent Muhammad bin Qasim conquered, the families of many of the Arab Muslim soldiers who came with him lived for generations. A book later compiled by some of them in Arabic, based on the war memories of their forefathers, was translated into Persian in the 13th century as Chach Nama, which is extant still today. The Chach Nama has special relevance as a text composed in India itself, reading India as an important chapter in the early Islamic conquests. Hafiz Ibn Kathir's famous Al Bidayat is an example of this. Under the heading 'Al Iqbaru an Ghazwatil Hind' (Chronicles of the Battle of the Hind), after quoting hadiths relating to the Indian War, Ibn Kathir points to the fact that Muslims had fought wars in India as an explanation for them. Clearly, if at all the Prophet predicted a Ghazwa-eHind, it was fulfilled with Muhammad bin Qasim’s invasion. There are some Muslim scholars and eschatologists who are of the opinion that the 'War against India' mentioned by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is not a past event in history but is to happen just before the Day of Judgment. The fact that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) mentioned the Muslims who will be in the army of Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus Christ) along with Ghazwat al-Hind in the hadith and preached the same reward to both groups may make some of them think so, if they consider those Ahadith authentic. Both Muslim and Christian eschatologists believe that Prophet Jesus (PBUH) will return to earth before the Day of Judgement. It has become a popular Muslim and Christian belief too. It is clear from the hadiths that this is when the end of the world is approaching. But the fact that two military movements are mentioned together in the same statement, so as to say that the members of both have the same reward, does not prove that both were to occur at the same time. If the Prophet (PBUH) had said that "those who return after the war of India will meet Easa ibn Maryam and his group", it would surely be certain that Ghazwatul Hind was to happen in the future before the Doomsday. But we mentioned above that the narrations which are seen to have been said by the Prophet (PBUH) are weak and unacceptable as authentic. We know that there were hundreds of thousands of concocted ahadith. As a result of this, the authenticity of every Hadith becomes doubtful, no matter what the Muhaddithin may say. Therefore, the contention that the text of the hadith indicates that the Ghazwatul Hind is future event, unlike the Roman/Persian wars, does not seem to have any merit. Another thing that is pointed out is that some early Muslim scholarly accounts have 'Ghazwatul Hind' as a sign of the Last Day. There is an important fact to consider here. We do not know how many centuries there are between Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the end of the world, because Allah did not inform anyone. No Muslim scholar naturally possesses this knowledge, which even the Prophet did not have. The very appointment of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is counted as a sign of the Last Day in Islamic tradition. The Holy Prophet has mentioned that he and the Last Day are as close as the index finger and the middle finger. To say that the prophethood has ended means that the world is very close to its end. But nobody knows how much is meant by this 'more. We are living in a world where one and a half millennium has passed since the death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The early Muslim scholars naturally did not know that the world would go on without end for so long; It's like we don't know how much longer the world will last. Since the end of the world can happen at any time, scholars have understood that every prophecy after Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is a sign of the end of the world, and a sign that we are getting closer to the end of the world. The victories of the Muslims in Rome and Persia were, naturally, signs of the last days. Similarly, Muhammad Bin Qasim's arrival in India can be understood as an event related to the end of the world. This is only to point out here that the Hadith or the interpretations of the Hadith do not prove that the 'War against India' is a future event for us, to happen in the days immediately before the Last Day, as claimed by some sections. But it is not that there is no possibility of such an opinion being correct. There are scholars who are of the opinion that the war of the Muslims with the Romans, apart from what happened during the time of the Companions, will happen again very close to the Last Day, in connection with the return of Prophet Isa, and this has been pointed out in some hadiths. The view that 'Ghazwatul Hind' is one of a series of such wars near the end of the world is a scholarly opinion that may be right or wrong, as with scholarly, eschatological opinion on all subjects without clear evidence that can be accepted as authentic. But clearly these Hadith are not in reference to present political social conditions in Indian subcontinent. Muslim eschatologists believe that it is clear from the hadiths in (Kitab Al-Fitan Wa Al-Malahim) that the present world or political situation will not exist at the time of doomsday that the Muslim world would be plunged into civil wars and that eventually the entire Muslim community would unite politically under one leader to end them and his Islamic army, who would be known as the Imam Mahdi, would fight the enemies of the Muslim world. At a time when the world rule of Imam Mahdi and Ibn Maryam comes into existence, what do the radical elements think that the political conflicts that take place at a time when today's maps are only historical pages have anything to do with the current Indian situation? Even if the assumption of the scholars who believe that 'Ghazwatul Hind' is a future event to take place during or just before the return of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) is correct, such arguments have no place in current realities of the nation. Muslims would do well to get out of fanciful eschatological beliefs and start living in the contemporary 21st century world. Part One of the Article: The Ghazwa-e-Hind Claims Of Pakistani Jihadi Militants: Does Authentic Hadith Literature Actually Enjoin Jihad Against India - A Comprehensive Study (Part 1) ----- A regular columnist for NewAgeIslam.com, Mubashir V.P is a PhD scholar in Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia and freelance journalist. URL: https://newageislam.com/radical-islamism-jihad/ghazwa-hind-jihadi-militants-judgement-part-2/d/128486 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