Islamic Fundamentals: Sharia and Culture

By Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam 22 May 2023 Islami Aaqaid Aur Shariat Aur Shaqafat (Islamic Fundamentals: Sharia and Culture) Author: Prof Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi Publisher: Haji Sheikh Ghulam Muhammad & Sons, Srinagar, Kashmir Pages: 444, Price: Rs 995 ------ Millions of books have been written about variegated aspects of Islam. This process is still continuing and will remain so, till eternity. Islam is a faith of more than a billion people, so millions take their faith quite seriously. Hence, Muslims need guidance to understand different issues related to Islam. Islamic dynamism renders it possible that it guides its followers with teachings about everything that they are baffling. There are not micro managing techniques offered by Islam, but it does provide a broad framework through which spirit of Islam can be followed in our lives. Those who have paddled the narrative of Islam, providing micro details and guidance about every aspect of life, including politics, science, history and economics have failed both Muslims and Islam. The focus of Islam is not to resolve day today problems of humans, although it provides certain values that it expects Muslims to follow. The world however is an imperfect place, to expect perfection is to be living in a fool’s paradise. Humans are supposed to pass the test by adhering to the values and teachings as enshrined in the doctrines of Islam, and be rewarded or punished in the Hereafter, based on their deeds. Prof Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi, is a prolific writer and scholar of Islam. This book is a collection of his articles that he has written in the last three decades. They deal with numerous issues, fundamentals and culture that Islam envisions to create. The basic doctrines of Islam, Tawhid and opposition to Shirk are engaged in the work. Most of the articles reflect the context in which they were written, when the creation of an Islamic State was the cherished utopia. Also, the younger Rafiabadi, appears to be quite revolutionary in those years of youth, as is depicted in his writings. Despite, believing in an Islamic revolution, he upholds a novel view that for any Islamic revolution the ground is prepared by strengthening belief in Hereafter (P-32). In most of the revivalist movements, the belief in Hereafter somewhat gets retrograded to the background, as huge emphasis is put on the apparent and result oriented working Islam. This result oriented working Islam, is manifested through agitations, pressurizing states to pass laws that are not antagonistic to Islam and ultimately capturing power through electoral process that will make Islamic State a reality. However, Islam lays huge emphasis on life after death. This life is a preparatory ground for the life after death, but like materialism, even Islamist movements get so much caught up in a different form of religious materialism, where all emphasis is put on this life and results delivered in this world. Jihad, in the form of insurgency witnessed an upsurge given the role of Uncle Sam, against USSR, that they fought by exploiting Islamic concepts of Jannat, Jihad and Justice. Thus, we find few topics touching the theme of Jihad and Islamic leadership, as Muslim world seemed to be in crisis, but it still is mired with crisis, that seem to be further deepening with each passing year. Few Arabic articles on Jihad written by Allama Yusuf al Qardawi and Sheikh bin Baaz are translated by Rafiabadi and compiled in this work. How a Muslim leadership is expected to carry out and execute decisions, that favour the Muslims, is engaged too. But Muslim rulers since the rise of Islam, have always worked for consolidating their own power, safeguarding their vested interests and prioritizing personal plans over the common welfare of Muslims. So, these values mostly remain ideals, that were followed quite rarely by Muslim leaders and rulers. Hypocrisy as human conduct is condemned by Quran time and again. We find a good number of hypocrites among Muslim ranks in Medina, whose conduct is denounced time and again. But the question avoided by Prof Rafiabadi, is failing to delineate the fact whether we too are hypocrites? As we believe in something but are compelled to do something else. Is it hypocrisy or just oppression, that renders us opt for such a stance in our daily lives? Not to talk about common people, even scholars are culpable of such hypocrisy. Struggling in the path of Allah, migrating (Hijrah) for the sake of Allah, its implications for Islamic revolution and Miracles of the Quran too form important themes of the work. Then there is a long chapter which is autobiographical in nature, dealing with his journey as a student, then being enrolled in various universities in India including JNU, Indian Institute of Islamic Studies, Hamdard Nagar, his scholarly engagements and writings. The reader is made aware about the academic environment in these institutes and his engagement with the Hindu students, the elite among them had accepted communism as way of life. But according to Rafiabadi, they were arm chair revolutionaries. We are made aware about Urdu Bazaar of Delhi and its charm. Also documented is the struggle of various scholars, writers and philosophers for seeking knowledge. Some articles pertain to innovative issues like Animal rights and their protection in Islam, reasons for the decline of Muslim Ummah, the perils of Hero worship instead of God worship. One of the very first published writings of Rafiabadi, is about Maulana Abul Ala Mawdudi and youth. He praises Mawdudi for rendering Islam very easy for comprehension by common people, not something that was understood by Ulema and scholars only. His exegesis of Quran and other writings on Islam are very easy to be understood even by Muslims of modest learning. Rafiabadi, is critical of the way, youth have penchant for movies, cinema and other such futile things, while their lives should be dedicated to some great cause. He praises Mawdudi while criticizing Freud, Darwin and Marx, that reflects the profound impact of Mawdudi on his writings. If Rafiabadi, were to write on the same themes today, his thoughts and writings would be of a different nature, given his evolution and contemplation. But these writings too have their own essence and academic merit. Some of the themes that he has engaged with are still quite relevant, and few of them qualify to be translated in English for greater dissemination. Both the author and publisher need to be complimented for bringing out such a comprehensive work about various shades of Islam. ------ M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir. URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/islamic-fundamentals-sharia-culture/d/129824 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