In Islam, Backbiting Is Forbidden, But What About Exposing Injustice In Order To Restore Justice? What Is The Position Of Whistleblowers In Islam?

Is It Permissible For A Muslim To Reveal The Fault Of Others? Highlights 1. Is it considered backbiting to expose the wrongdoings of others? 2. It is forbidden to speak badly of others in public. 3. Only in the case of justice and in the face of oppression is it allowed to reveal the mistakes or misdeeds of others. 4. The oppressed have the right to speak out against injustices that have been done to them. ..... By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 10 December 2021 The verse of the Quran provides answers to the questions under discussion: “Allah does not love the utterance of evil words except in the case of someone who has been wronged. God hears all and knows all.” (4:148) Here, Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, warns us that He does not like anyone to speak ill of others in public. In other words, He dislikes and despises it, and He will punish those who do it. This covers any offensive and upsetting words, such as insulting, slandering, reviling, and so on. All of this is forbidden and Allah despises it. This shows that He appreciates good words like zikr, as well as loving and kind words. The sole exception in this verse is for oppressed people who make their oppression public in order for others to defend them from it. As a result, oppressed people may receive assistance, while oppressors may be restrained once they realise their reputation is being slandered. In this regard, Hazrat Abu Hurairah related that once a person complained to the Holy Prophet about a neighbour who was causing him undue hardship. The Holy Prophet recommended the individual put all of his personal belongings on the road. When the person followed the Holy Prophet's counsel, everyone who passed by inquired as to why he was outside. People began cursing his neighbour after he replied that it was due to the problems his neighbour was causing him. As a result, the neighbour was humiliated, and he eventually told the individual to return to his home, swearing to Allah that he would never cause him any trouble in the future. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Also Read: Whistleblowing Is a Form of Goodness, Righteousness, Justice and Truth, That Emanates from God's Command to Enjoin Good and Forbid Wrong (Amr Bil-Maroof wa Nahi an al-Munkar) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This above-mentioned verse is interpreted to mean that the oppressed people are allowed to pray against the one who has wronged them, to complain about him, and to speak hurtful things back to him, without lying about it, going beyond the level of damage done to them, or crossing the boundary and reviling others. However, it is best to forgive him and not respond in kind, as Allah instructs, “...But whoever forgives and reconciles, his reward is with Allah” (42: 40) According to verse 42:40, if a person is injured by another, the best course of action is to forgive the wrongdoers. If he is unable to pardon, he may seek justice for himself, but only to the extent of the injury, he has suffered. He will become the oppressor himself if he goes beyond the harm that has been done to him. Muhaddithin narrates a beautiful hadith about the reason for the revelation of this verse (4:148): Narrated Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab: While the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was sitting with some of his companions, a man reviled Abu Bakr and insulted him. But Abu Bakr remained silent. He insulted him twice, but Abu Bakr controlled himself. He insulted him thrice and Abu Bakr took revenge on him. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) got up when Abu Bakr took revenge. Abu Bakr said: Were you angry with me, Messenger of Allah? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied: An angel came down from Heaven and he was rejecting what he had said to you. When you took revenge, a devil came down. I was not going to sit when the devil came down. (Sunan Abu Dawud, No. Hadith: 4878) This verse (4:148) is known to have been revealed in the prohibition of speaking ill of others. Several Hadiths also provide guidance in this area, demonstrating that speaking ill of others is forbidden. We may answer the questions asked under this topic based on the above-mentioned understanding of the verse (4:148). It is forbidden for a Muslim to point out the faults of others. Exposing others' wrongdoings is likewise forbidden, but not when it comes to bringing or seeking justice for the downtrodden. It is only permitted to divulge the faults or wrongdoing of others in the sake of justice and in the face of persecution. In other words, those who have been oppressed have the right to speak out against injustices committed against them. This verse also states that for an oppressed person who goes around talking to people about the injustice that has been done to him or her, this will not be considered backbiting (Gheebah), which is forbidden, because it is the oppressor who has provided the victim with the opportunity to complain. On the one hand, the holy Quran permitted oppressed people to employ the option of retribution against injustice. On the other hand, it has persuaded the victim of injustice to make a small sacrifice in this matter of his legitimate right and take no revenge for the injustice by teaching him to practise high morals, forgive and forget, and by focusing before him a great gain of the hereafter. The Holy Quran says, “If you do good openly or keep it secret or overlook an evil deed, then, Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Powerful” (4:149) The following are some of the most notable Ahadith in this regard: Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying: “When two persons indulge in hurling (abuses) upon one another, it would be the first one who would be the sinner so long as the oppressed does not transgress the limits”. (Sahih Muslim, 2587) 'A’ishah reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying: “When your companion dies, leave him and do not revile him” (Sunan Abu Dawud, 4899) Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Make a mention of the virtues of your dead, and refrain from (mentioning) their evils.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, 4900) Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying, “Do you know what is backbiting? They (the Companions) said: Allah and His Messenger know best. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Backbiting implies your talking about your brother in a manner which he does not like. It was said to him: What is your opinion about this that if I actually find (that failing) in my brother which I made a mention of? He said: If (that failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him it is a slander.” (Sahih Muslim, 2589) Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah; AbuTalhah ibn Sahl al-Ansari: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “No (Muslim) man will desert a man who is a Muslim in a place where his respect may be violated and his honour aspersed without Allah deserting him in a place where he wishes his help; and no (Muslim) man who will help a Muslim in a place where his honour may be aspersed and his respect violated without Allah helping him in a place where he wishes his help.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, 4884) The Prophet is reported to have said, “A backbiter will not enter Paradise” (Sunan Abu Dawud, 4872) URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/whistleblowing-justice-injustice-backbiting/d/125934 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

Is A New Understanding Of Shariah Texts On Women In Islam Possible? Should One Be Attempted? Are Muslim Women Actually Deficient in Intellect (Naqis-ul-Aql)?

By Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef, New Age Islam 9 December 2021 Are too Women Dim-Witted (Naqis-Ul-Aql) To Go Out, Seek Higher Education, Look For A Job And Be Active In Human Activities? Main Points: 1. Some hard-line religious zealots go even further that the entire being and body of a woman is something to be concealed. 2. General conviction about women among Muslims and particularly amongst the religious ones is that they are created for housework. 3. Whole narrative of Islamic intellectualism has been a narrative of a patriarchal society that has to be changed in changing times. ----- The general conviction about women among Muslims and particularly amongst the religious ones is that they are created for housework; for bearing and rearing children. And because, to them, a woman is a half-mind or dim-witted (naqis-ul-aql), so she should not aspire to go out, seek higher education, look for a job and thus be active in human activities and so on. Can these outdated concepts be acceptable in today’s world? Not only that, but these people say that if she steps out of her boundaries she goes astray. Some hard-line religious zealots go even further that the entire being and body of a woman is something to be concealed. Therefore, she should cover herself in every way. Veil is prescribed for her whole body and even for her voice, as she doesn’t have her own personality. So-called Islamic movements have made concessions that they allow a woman to wear scarves and expose her face (in the case of Muslim Brotherhood, not in the case of Jamaat-e-Islami) and also allow her to pursue higher education, especially in the area of educating and training of children in particular. In Islamic jurisprudence, women have been presented almost as in bondage. In today's world, there is a need to reconsider the interpretations of some Fiqhi wordings like tamelikتمليك (meaning that a man is the lord of his wife and not a partner) etc. While if we see the texts of the Quran and Hadees it is crystal clear that the veil of the face is not a religious duty but a cultural phenomenon. (1) According to an ambiguous Hadees on the authority of Abu Bakr, the prophet of Islam (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "those who have made a woman responsible for their affairs will not be successful." It is not clear whether it is news or intimation because the background is that when the Prophet was informed that the Persian people have chosen their empress a woman, a daughter of Khusro Pervez, then he made the above statement. It may be a political comment because the Persian Empire was going through its critical juncture. Khusrow’s own son had revolted against his father, imprisoned and killed his 14 brothers in cold blood, so that they could not be a challenge for the throne, and very soon he also died, then the courtiers crowned a woman. In this background, the prophet probably said this as a comment not as a verdict. Of course, in the case of Hadees one has to be always careful about its authenticity. Ulema (Islamic scholars, plural of Aalim) consider women to be irrational or dim-witted (ناقص العقل) based on another Hadees (tradition) as well. ‘’That women are deficient in intellect and religion”. The hadith “Deficient in Reason and Religion” was narrated by the two Ahadees, al-Bukhari (1/68), and Muslim (1/86).Here is the full text : "The Messenger of God, peace, and blessings be upon him, went out to the prayer-place on the occasion of Eid Prayer, so he passed by the women. He said: “O women, give alms, for I have shown you to be most of the people of Hell.” They said: What is the matter, O Messenger of God? He said: “You curse a lot your partner and disobey your relatives a lot. I have not seen people who are deficient in intellect and religion, make stray the heart of a firm man cleverer than one of you.” They said: What is the deficiency of our religion and our reason, O Messenger of God? He said: “Isn’t the testimony of a woman the same as half the testimony of a man?” They said: “Yes.” He said: “This is from the deficiency of her intellect. Isn’t it if she menstruates, she does not pray and does not fast?” They said: Yes, he said: “This is from the deficiency of her religion.” Hear a reader should note that it is a literal interpretation of original text while we can read نقصان here as a concession, for, a woman is given concession in her religious obligations and also in her outdoor duties. His description of women, is not an accusation against them, rather it is in hammering style to substantiate the point (to give alms), in which there is no accusation or degradation, and the meaning of the metaphorical expression is not apparent, rather what is clarified by the rest of the Hadees narration that “decreased intellect” means half of the testimony of a woman contrasting to a man’s, “and the decrease of Deen” means her abandoning prayer and fasting during menstruation. A menstruating woman’s abandonment of prayer and fasting does not involve a sin upon her, according to the consensus of Muslim jurists. As the woman throughout her period is in a state of weakness and turmoil, God relieved her of the obligation of prayer or fasting, etc. Instead of explaining these sayings in terms of a defect in the intellect, noted Islamic scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi explains the meaning in terms of giving more concessions to women. Because in most of the criminal cases, going to court and giving testimony is a very risky task that is why she has been given the concession by Shariat.(2) She is in distress during her monthly periods and for this reason, she has been given exemption from worship, etc. In contrast when a man ejaculates or he has had intercourse with a woman then it is obligatory for him to perform prayer and fasting after having a bath; so no exemption to him. As far as the narration “Keep the women behind as Allah Almighty has got them behind”أخروهن من حيث اخرهن الله is concerned, it is not the original Hadees but a saying of Abdullah bin Masood. Noted Muhaddisun have declared this tradition to be a concocted one, or weak, then it is not valid to put it forward as a reason, but it can be said that it is the understanding of Abdullah bin Masood and the understanding of Sahaba (companion) is not an argument in itself. I think a philosophical orientation here is possibly in order. Shah Waliullah says: ‘’And what is considered in the revelation of the Shariah laws is not the sciences, states, and beliefs people believe in only, but rather the greatest consideration and first and foremost is given to the nature on which they have been created, and their minds rush to it from where they know and from where they do not know.”(3) On this principle, one may infer that most of the statements of Quran and Hadees about women-only reflect the Aristotelian world view based on the differentiation between man and woman that was ruling the world when Islam came. The Quranic intention is not, as I see, to take these wordings verbatim, instead, we should take only their spirit which focuses on abiding by the moral code given by the Holy Quran. So these Quranic verses and Ahadees related to women are bound to be treated in the perspective of changing world views, meaning at one point of time the general understanding of people especially in Arab culture, being a nomadic and tribal one, that one needs physical power, workmanship, combativeness for survival in that society this is why they were letting down the women. So these are not absolute truths. Therefore if a woman has the ability to become an ambassador, writer, professor, merchant, entrepreneur, academician, lawyer, doctor, scientist, army general, etc. there is no hindrance for her to become so and so all Fiqhi fatwas and Ahadees of the prophet should be treated in this light. Shaikh Al-Tahir bin Aashoor says about the Quranic verse: فاضربوهن (4:23 ) that it is not an absolute verdict, rather it reflects the Arab cultural atmosphere at the time of Quranic revelation(4). In religious circles, It is said that a woman does not need higher education. She should be trained to do housework. She cannot travel without a mahram (blood relative). She doesn’t need to take part in any political, educational, or economic activities. Without any Qur'anic basis, it is accepted that a woman's workplace is her home and she will get out of it only when she needs it. Participating in all activities is forbidden for her. Yet in the prophetic era, a woman was seen in the battlefield, in the field of education and also in the market. (5) In such a case, there is no rational reason to discriminate between men and women. I must say that new Urdu Islamic and Arabic literature sets a false narrative about the West. For example, it is said that the coming out of a woman from her house into the public arena has broken the family system in the West. And crimes have increased there due to this. Proof of this is given as the long lists of crimes of rape, adultery, molestation and prostitution, etc. perpetrated in different western countries. Yes, the rate of crimes against women may be high, but western society is successfully tackling these issues, at least more successfully than many so-called Islamic countries like Pakistan, Somalia, Nigeria, and Yemen. Similarly, one may ask, in which country, there is no crime? There are claims that there is no complete equality in the west so why bother for the equality of men and women here in the East? Well, the statement that there is no equality in the west is sweeping statement. It may be true to an extent, but the fact of the matter is that women are treated there better than in Muslim societies. Take a look at Pakistan and Iran! The assumption is that a woman gives birth to a child, takes care of the kitchen, and serves the man, so she should stay away from civilizational and cultural activities. May I ask these gentlemen, that since man is the chief instrument in bearing a child and he is the main source of income to feed the family, so shouldn't he also restrict himself to the family matter only. Why does he do research in science, why does he lead nations, why does he fight wars, etc. What do these things have to do with the direct running of the house? Moreover, it is said that man is physically strong and possessive. He has strong nerves. He should be able to take the lead in various capacities. The answer is that this assumption was correct for an agrarian society. Nowadays we are living in the post-modern world. The whole scenario has changed because of the internet and due to new Cosmology, new world view and modern science and technology, which require more intellectual abilities than physical ones, and woman has proved that she is not behind men in any of these abilities. Now women scholars of Islam say that the whole narrative of Islamic intellectualism has been a narrative of a patriarchal society that has to be changed in changing times.(6) < Notes and References: (1) See: Tahrir al-Rusala fi Asr al-Rusala, Abdul Halim Abu Shaqqa and its summary (Urdu translation of Dr. Abdullah Al-Kabisi) published by Jogai Bai New Delhi and Sheikh Albani's book: Hijab Al-Mara Muslim (2) Javed Ahmad Ghamdi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQvPuwPT0nA (3) (Hujjat Allah Al-Balgha pg. 90, Part One, Faisal Publishing, Deoband. 1383 AH (4) tafsir Altanveer wal tahrir, referring to Alsharia Monthly December 2021 published Alshria Academy Lahore Pakistan http://alsharia.org/) (5) Prof. Yaasin Mazhar Siddiqui, Rasool Akram and Women A Social Study Islamic Book Foundation New Delhi (6) There is a need to engage and engage in dialogue with the women scholars of Islam, instead of imposing fatwas on Amina Wadud, Sadia Yaqub, Fatima Mernicy, Asma Barlas et al. --- Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef is a Research Associate with the Centre for promotion of Educational and Cultural Advancement of Muslims of India at Aligarh Muslim University. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/naqis-aql-shariah-women-/d/125926 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

Can A Wife Get Her Marriage Annulled By The Muslim Judge In Case She Is Unable To Obtain A Talaq Or Khula?

A Wife Can Get Her Marriage Annulled By the Muslim Judge on the Legal Grounds Acceptable In Islam Main Points: 1. In general the husband has sole authority over granting Khula and Talaq to his wife. 2. What are the requirements for a Muslim court to declare the marriage null and void? 3. If the Muslim judge finds evidence that the husband is violent, or fails to pay her alimony and fulfil other marital rights, he can annul the marriage. ....... By New Age Islam Staff Writer 8 December 2021 (Representational Photo) ---- Question: There are many cases reported in the present day when the husband deliberately runs away and refuses to give divorce. He may have gone abroad for work and doesn't want to have anything to do with his wife. Nor would he release her from the prison that her marriage may have become. He simply wants to deprive her of her marital rights. The wife wants her marriage to be declared null and void. She has attempted to contact her spouse in order to demand her rights. She has asked for divorce and Khula, but her husband refuses to utter the words of divorce and Khula. What other options does she have now? In such a circumstance, does Islamic Sharia allow for the annulment of the marriage [Faskh-e-Nikah]? What are the requirements for a marriage annulment? In response to all of these queries, we will not respond on our own behalf, but will instead quote material from various fatwa websites and urge readers to express their perspectives on the matter in light of the Qur'an and Sunnah, in order for the subject to become more apparent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Also Read: Qur’anic Sharia (Laws) On Divorce: Triple Divorce, Temporary Marriage, Halala Stand Forbidden (Haram) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A fatwa published on Banuri Education reads, In general, the husband has sole authority over granting Khula and Talaq to his wife. The court will not grant Khula or divorce without the permission of the husband. If the husband wrongs the wife, for example, by failing to pay alimony and the wife proves it through witnesses, the Muslim judge may annul the marriage if she meets the court's legal requirements. The marriage can only be dissolved if the conditions are considered valid. What are the requirements for a Muslim court to declare the marriage null and void? According to Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, who is referenced in the fatwa, the judge should be a Muslim who is just, that is, a person who avoids major sins (Kabaair) and does not always commit minor sins (Saghaair). He should also be able to judge, and legal proof that is accepted in Islamic law should be submitted to him. If the Muslim judge, based on evidence, is certain that the husband is not fulfilling the rights of his wife such as bread and maintenance, he has the ability to annul the marriage, and his judgement will be legitimate. (Heela Naajizah, p.31-41) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: Sultan Shahin Raises Triple Talaq Issue at UNHRC, Asks Muslims to Engage In Serious Rethinking Of Islamic Theology and Bring It In Line With the Needs of 21st Century ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another Fatwa published on Darul Ifta Deoband says, “If there is a rift between the spouses due to oppression and severe beating by the husband and the wife does not want to live with the husband, then in some cases there is scope for annulment of the marriage according to Islamic law” (Kaarwaai wa Tajaaweez, Eleventh Fiqhi Seminar, p.9) (Representational Photos) ---- The fatwa published on Darul Ifta Jamiaturrasheed says, In essence, Islam has granted men the right to divorce. "Divorce is the right of men," the Holy Prophet is reputed to have declared. As a result, if a woman goes to court without a legal reason to get her marriage annulled and the judge rules in her favour, the judge's decision will be invalid. Yes! According to Islamic Sharia, a judge's decision to annul a marriage on the basis of legal grounds is valid. The reasons for which the decision will be considered valid are as follows: 1. When the husband neglects the wife's rights and refuses to pay alimony. 2. When the husband is impotent. 3. When the husband has vanished. 4. When the Husband is totally mental. There are distinct conditions for the annulment of the marriage in each of these circumstances. It should be mentioned that due to the difficulty in obtaining the conditions for annulment of marriage, the court now utilises the term Khula in its degree. Even in these situations, the ruling of the court will be regarded as an annulment of the marriage, provided that Shariah rules are followed. For example, a decision in favour of a woman may be made without the husband's knowledge. This ruling is only legal if the court makes its judgement in accordance with all Shariah requirements, such as the woman's claim being supported by two witnesses and the husband failing to appear in court after being informed. The decision of annulment of marriage or Khula will be declared null and void in circumstances where the decision was reached in an illegal manner, and then the woman will not be given the permissibility to remarry. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: Muslim Women’s Right To Unilateral Divorce Given In Quran Restored By Kerala High Court After Five Decades ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The fatwa published on Fatwa Online says, If the couple is not living together and their hate has grown to the point that they can no longer live together, they should split in order to establish Allah Almighty's limitations. This separation can take place in one of two ways: the husband can divorce, or the wife can take the matter to court. If the case goes to court, the judge's first aim should be to bring the couple back together. If the husband refuses to reconcile, the judge should convince him to divorce willingly. If the husband isn't ready, the woman should create some sort of deal and persuade the husband to divorce (this is also called Khula). If any of these tactics fail and the wife provides reasons acceptable in Sharia, such as the husband abusing and physically and mentally torturing her, failing to pay her dues and refusing to divorce her, failing to pay expenses and maintenance, the husband suffering from a contagious disease, the woman having been defrauded at the time of marriage, etc., the court or the Qazi has the authority to annul the marriage. (End of the Quotes) ---- Related Article: Can A Wife Demand A Khula Divorce From Her Husband, And What If The Husband Refuses? Is Present Islamic Sharia Unjust To Women? 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Can A Wife Demand A Khula Divorce From Her Husband, And What If The Husband Refuses? Is Present Islamic Sharia Unjust To Women?

It Is Forbidden In the Discriminatory Sharia That Prevails Today For a Wife to Demand a Divorce from the Husband without a Solid Reason Main Questions: 1. A wife asks her husband for a divorce, but he refuses. What options does she have under present Islamic Sharia? 2. What is the right method for requesting a Khula’? Or should the question be, why should there be any method for seeking divorce when her husband can summarily divorce her, no questions asked 3. Her husband has anger issues, and she doesn't feel comfortable around him, therefore she wants a Khula’. Is this a good reason to ask for a Khula’ from him? 4. .. Can one say that the real question is: why should the woman have to seek divorce from a husband who simply wants to torture her by denying her divorce? 5. . Why should there be two different terms and procedures of divorce, one for husband and another for wife? ...... By New Age Islam Special Correspondent 8 December 2021 (Representational Photo) ---- It will be good to understand Khula’ (the divorce that a wife has to seek from a husband) before answering these questions. The procedure of separating married couples in which the lady requests divorce by returning the dower (Mahr) or something else that she received from her husband is known as Khula’.' The husband cannot be held responsible for the instant divorce because Khula’ is issued at the woman's request. It is forbidden in the discriminatory Sharia that prevails today for a wife to demand a divorce from the husband without a solid reason. “Whoever woman, without justification, asks her husband for a divorce, then the scent of Jannah is forbidden for her,” Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, is said to have said in Hadith, that are more often than not, of doubtful authenticity. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Also Read: Qur’anic Sharia (Laws) On Divorce: Triple Divorce, Temporary Marriage, Halala Stand Forbidden (Haram) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A lady who desires Khula’ from her husband is labelled a hypocrite in another Hadith by Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him). This is undeniably the case when the khula' is desired for no good cause. Otherwise, it is allowed to seek Khula’ when there is a valid basis. In the Quran, Allah Almighty says, “Divorce is twice; then either to retain in the recognized manner or to release in fairness. And it is not lawful for you to take back anything from what you have given them unless both apprehend that they would not be able to maintain the limits set by Allah. Now, if you apprehend that they would not maintain the limits set by Allah, then, there is no sin on them in what she gives up to secure her release. These are the limits set by Allah. Therefore, do not exceed them. And whosoever exceeds limits set by Allah, then, those are the transgressors” (2:229) In this verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah Almighty has authorized the woman to seek a divorce in exchange for the dowry she was given at the time of Nikah if they both believe they are unable to fulfil one other's rights. Khula' is the name for this. If this is the case, and the husband has failed to meet his obligations, he is not allowed to demand anything in exchange for the divorce, including the dowry paid at the time of Nikah. If the wife fails, he may ask for the dowry and the freedom from paying her provision while she is in Iddah; however, asking for anything more is frowned upon in Shariah, though it is permissible. The story of Jamilah, Thabit ibn Qays’ wife, is the most well-known account that mentions khula and serves as the basis for legal interpretations: It is narrated by Ibn Abbas that Thabit bin Qais’ wife approached the Prophet and said, “Greetings, Allah’s Apostle! I don't hold Thabit responsible for flaws in his character or religion, but as a Muslim, I don't want to behave in an un-Islamic manner if I remain with him" (Representational Photos) ---- The Messenger of Allah said to her, “Will you give back the garden that your husband has given you as Mahr?” She said, “Yes”. The Prophet then gave Thabit the following command: “O Thabit! Accept your garden, and divorce her once.” It's vital to emphasize that Khula' only takes place with the husband's consent because, in actuality, it's a divorce. It executes a Talaq-e-Baa'in, which is an irreversible divorce. According to Islamic Law, Khula' is when the husband releases the woman from the Nikah in exchange for the dowry and other things. The woman is incapable of completing the task on her alone. “If the husband and wife continue to argue and fear that they will be unable to abide by Allah's boundaries, there is no harm in her freeing herself in exchange of wealth (khula'), and when they do Khula', a Talaq-e-Baa'in will occur, and the wealth agreed upon is necessary upon the woman,” (Al-Marghinani, Al-Hidaya) The criterion for Khula' is that the woman accepts the offer, which can only happen if precise terminology is used and an amount is mentioned in exchange. If the husband says, “I have done Khula with you,” without specifying an amount of money, it will be declared a Talaq, not a Khula’, because it is contingent on her agreeing or accepting it. If he says, “I have done Khula’ with you in exchange for the dowry I paid at the time of Nikah,” it will be contingent on the wife’s agreement. If she says, “I accept this,” then Khula has taken place and a Talaq-e-Baa'in has been issued; she will enter Iddah, and after Iddah, she will be free to marry another, and the amount mentioned will be due. All of their rights owed to them as a result of their Nikah are terminated by Khula'. The burden of providing maintenance for the wife will remain with the husband while she is in Iddah unless he has liberated himself from it in the phrase used for Khula' that she accepted. Based on the reasons mentioned in the questions, anger is a common human trait, but the question about feeling uncomfortable implies that he is physically abusing her. She has the right to bring other people into the relationship and petition for divorce if she is scared for her life or the safety of her bodily limbs. If his fury stems from his own problems and stress, he is among the worst of people, and Allah and the Prophet (peace be upon him) are displeased with such a person. She must act quickly to avoid being plagued by such abuse. Allah Almighty says, “Allah does not burden a soul but that which it is capable of.” There are many cases reported in the present day when the husband deliberately runs away and refuses to give divorce. He may have gone abroad for work and doesn't want to have anything to do with his wife. Nor would he release her from the prison that her marriage may have become. He simply uses the iniquitous and unjust provisions of Sharia laws to torture her. The ulema, who are by an large themselves the biggest violators of human rights, will do nothing to change the situation and make Islamic laws more gender just. As far as Islam is concerned, there are enough possibilities in jurisprudence to bring about gender justice. If the Prophet himself simply demanded the return of the dowry, for allowing Khula, why should present day ulema make the wife's release from bondage of marriage so conditional? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: Muslim Women’s Right To Unilateral Divorce Given In Quran Restored By Kerala High Court After Five Decades ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's time we Muslims seriously rethink all provisions of Islamic Sharia, unless we are happy watching our educated youth, well-versed in Islamic studies, leave Islam in droves, as is happening around the world, particularly in Muslim majority countries where Islamic laws are enforced. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-sharia-laws/khula-divorce-muslim-islamic-laws/d/125919 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

Religious Policing In The Name Of Learning of the Quran in Pakistan: Pervez Hoodbhoy Predicts Saudi-Style Militant Mutawwa Policing In the Country

A New Era of Religious Policing Has Begun With the Single National Curriculum Programme in Pakistan Main Points: 1. Children are made to learn and memorise the Quran in the class. 2. Children need to carry the Quran in their school bags. 3. Principals and teachers are being pressurized to implement the programme. ----- By New Age Islam Staff Writer 7 December 2021 In Pakistan, religion has been a ploy to cover the inefficacy of illegitimacy of political power. Religion provides them the easiest way to find support for their inefficient governance. This happened during the dictatorship of Gen. Ziaul Haque and now during the tenure of Prime Minister Imran Khan. According to an article written by Pakistani nuclear scientist and a frequent commentator on social issues Pervez Hoodbhoy in Dawn, the Pakistan government is heading towards Islamisation of the national school system. Reading and learning of the Quran by heart has been mandatory under the new Single National Curriculum. Under this system schools students across the country, including minor girls and boys of primary classes are required to learn the Quran and have to bring copies of Quran for that purpose to school daily. Though the purpose of the new programme under SNC is to bring uniformity in the education system across the country, the focus is only on the learning of the Quran in schools. Principals and teachers of schools are being responsible for any laxity on their part. In Pakistan, the madrasa education system takes care of the Islamic education including teaching of the Quran. And there are millions of madrasas in the country. Still, the government of Paksitan has introduced this system and has made learning of the Quran in schools mandatory and that too teachers and Principals are being penalized for any negligence in this regard. In Pakistan, cases of blasphemy are slapped against those who desecrate the Quran or in any way. Some years ago, a Hafiz-e-Quran was lynched and burnt by an angry mob for accidently dropping the Quran in fire at home. A lady called Darakhshan was lynched and her dead body was burnt in Kabul by an unruly mob a few years ago for allegedly the book of talisman which contained verses of the Quran. Since the children will carry the Quran in their school bags carrying text books, they will not be able to show care to the Quran as they will keep the bags with them. It will be carried by them like other text books. Children will sometimes drop the bags on the floor accidentally or not finding appropriate place to keep the bags, they will put the bags on the floor. Sometimes, books bulge out of the bags and fall on the floor. Why this was done in a hurry does not find any explanation. It is obvious that to distract the attention of the people from the failure of his government, Imran Khan has implemented this system so that the general Muslims will forget the drawbacks of his governance. Another reason may be the rise of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan with which the government has entered into an agreement of which the terms have not been divulged. This programme will also lead to cases of blasphemy against teachers and principals of schools and also against non-Muslim students of schools. In Pakistan, blasphemy cases are filed against those who do not conform to the ideology of the opposite sect or criticize the behaviour and beliefs of the other sects. That Principals and teachers of schools will fall victim of this programme cannot be denied. This programme will instil fear of punishment for not learning the Quran among the innocent children. Carrying and keeping it with care will be a psychological burden for them and they will be deprived of the joy of going to school and of learning. Religion or religious scriptures should not be made the cause of fear among the children. But unfortunately, the Imran Khan government has made it so. This programme will have far reaching social ramifications if not withdrawn. ----- The Mutawwa Are Coming By Pervez Hoodbhoy December 4th, 2021 ‘MUTAWWA’ is Arabic for the once-feared Saudi religious police. Tasked to implement behavioural standards set by oil-fuelled Wahhabism, its wings have been clipped by the ongoing liberalisation sweeping the Middle East. But, under Imran Khan, Pakistan is flying elsewhere. To implement the government’s new Single National Curriculum (SNC), strict religious policing of public and private schools has begun. A Pakistani version of the Mutawwa is emerging. Marked as ‘Court Case — Most Important’, in a letter dated Nov 10, 2021, the School Education Department of the Punjab Government issued a directive that, as per orders received from the Lahore High Court, all schools in the province must be rigorously checked for Quranic reading/nazra skills. Each school will be jointly inspected by the head of the district education authority and a district & sessions judge. Cellphone numbers of school principals and teachers, together with a list of several hundred schools targeted for inspection, have been provided. Reading the Quran under a maulvi’s supervision has been a normal, age-old practice in every Muslim household — including that of the writer. But dispatching law-enforcers to enforce a tradition is new and bizarre. Preliminary reports suggest province-wide confusion and chaos, and a state of fear among children, teachers, and school principals. Magistrates accompanied by rifle-bearing policemen are pouncing upon schools, interrogating seven- to 12-year-old children. Their teachers are ordered out of the classroom or asked to stand silently in the corner. In some cases, school principals have been told to present themselves in person before authorities located in various parts of the province. Punishments are being handed out. Last week, a sessions judge in Nankana Sahib recommended disciplinary action against three school principals. They were accused of paying insufficient attention to Quran teaching as a separate subject, a requirement of the SNC. Included in the charge sheet is that their schools had “students who had Paras of the Holy Quran and were keeping them in their school bags which is gross negligence”. This needs explanation. As the reader may know, no copy of the Quran can be kept together with ordinary books. Visiting magistrates accuse children of bringing Quran copies from home inside their backpacks together with their textbooks. But what else can the kids do? Carry two backpacks? Rudimentary schools, such as they exist in villages or poor urban areas, have barely enough sitting room and no storage space. Cupboards, if any, are few while those with locks are still fewer. Magistrates have also noted that backpacks are thrown around or placed on the floor. According to a school principal in his school at least four accidental drops of the holy book have occurred in a sixth grade class. While these caused a stir subsequent developments could not be known. The severity of punishments — which could possibly include those for blasphemy — means that such incidents are generally hushed up unless they are to be wilfully used against rivals. These are not the only matters that school principals and teachers are worried about. Traditional respect requires that none can turn his/her back to the Quran. What is one to do in a classroom packed with kids? As for wuzu: a majority of schools have no proper toilets or clean water but, as is well known, none may touch the Quran without being properly cleansed. Using a disguised identity, a female teacher wrote that proper cleansing is particularly problematic for female schools — and even more for mixed schools. As per normal requirement no girl, or teacher, may touch the holy book while menstruating. But the topic is so tabooed that none dare mention it in front of students or higher ups. Could this — rather than laziness — be why some female Quran schoolteachers were unable to explain to the inspection teams their absence from class? Paradoxically, the squads going from school to school across Punjab are meant to check Quran-teaching standards but their own members are deficient in an important way. SNC prescribes Quran teaching with proper Tajweed (pronunciation) of Arabic words. However, this is beyond the capacity of most Quran schoolteachers in the area because they are rarely able to pronounce the letters ‘Qaf’ and ‘A’in’ as in Arabic. Exceptions are madrasa graduates who spend their lives honing the skill of accurate recitation. Thus, if the Tajweed requirement is to be fulfilled, logically such persons will have to be inducted as regular teachers. This runs counter to emphatic denials made by the education minister, Shafqat Mahmood, who claims that the existing school system is not being madrasa-ised. What drove the Lahore High Court to issue its orders so speedily? What was the urgency given a thousand other pending complaints concerning property disputes, theft, fraud, child abuse, rape, and murder? The answer is before us: ideologues in government have seized the reins of power. As in Afghanistan, the population is now at their mercy. It was not supposed to be this way. Recall that Imran Khan’s SNC was initially advertised as means towards equal opportunities for the rich and poor, regular schools and madrasas. And — this is the most unbelievable part — also about raising the quality of education. So, are we about to see magistrates with armed guards inspecting school laboratories and frequency of science practicals? Checking if libraries are adequately stocked or that toilets are in working condition? Will these squads tell 25 million out-of-school children where to find schools and teachers? Hell is likely to freeze over before that happens. The fortunate among us will recall school days as being carefree and filled with joy, laughter, and play. This is how it is in much of the world, and this is what every child should have. Afghanistan’s children are not so fortunate and now the children of Naya Pakistan are beset with similar misfortune. Grim-faced magistrates swooping down upon schools, destroying the authority of teachers and school principals, and putting terror into the hearts of all is a disgrace to the notion of education. It may not end here. How we dress, speak, and think is going to be increasingly policed. Imran Khan’s Pakistan is racing down the path to Talibanisation. ---- Pervez Hoodbhoy is an Islamabad-based physicist and writer. Source: The Dawn.com URL: https://www.newageislam.com/the-war-islam/religious-policing-quran-mutawwa-pakistan/d/125911 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

Pakistan: Killing in the Name of the Prophet

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 4 December 2021 Muslims Need To Have An Open Discussion About The Kind Of Islam That They Should Follow Main Points: 1. Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan, was lynched by an Islamist mob in Sialkot, Pakistan, after being accused of blasphemy. 2. The Tahreek e Labaik and the Pakistani establishment must be blamed for whipping up this religious frenzy amongst people. 3. Muslim apologists are again saying this has nothing to do with Islam; such an attitude only prohibits a free and frank discussion about the pernicious role of Islamism. ----- Priyantha Diyawadana, a Sri Lankan man was tortured and burnt to death in Sialkot in Pakistan on Friday for allegedly desecrating poster of that contained salutations ("Durood") on the Prophet ----- The torture and subsequent murder of a Sri Lankan man in Pakistan’s Sialkot should put all Muslims to shame. Priyantha Kumara was a religious minority, working at a senior management level at a garment factory. The local police have said that Kumara took down a Tahreek e Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) poster and threw it in the dustbin which seems to have enraged the Muslim mob which eventually killed him. It is possible that like many of the posters of the TLP, there would have been some Quranic verse written on it. But it is also true that not being a Muslim, Kumara would have understood it as just any other political poster and decided to take it down from an office space. The mob that killed him argued in front of the camera that he tore up a verse which had the name of Mohammad written on it. They argue that he committed an act of blasphemy by disrespecting the prophet of Islam and hence was liable to be killed. From the reports available, it seems that the proletarian mob first tortured him, then killed him and burnt his body on the road. In the Muslim mind, burning the dead is to make sure that he does not go to heaven. The hatred for another religion cannot be more apparent. The video of the burning body is bone chilling, to say the least. But equally problematic is the justification of murder that Muslim men are giving on camera. These are all young men, and one would have thought that they would have dreams of a different nature. But one is completely wrong when one hears them speak without any remorse. They seem completely convinced that it is incumbent on Muslims to kill anyone who disrespects the prophet or Islam. One can only imagine the extent of indoctrination that these youths would have gone through to be able to transform a gruesome murder into a pious act commanded by their religion. Throughout the video, men are heard raising slogans like “Nara e Takbeer”, “Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah” and “Gustakh e Nabi ki Ek Hi Saza; Sar Tan se Juda, Sar Tan se Juda”. What is more troublesome is that once can clearly hear voices of children echoing such slogans. It is beyond comprehension what such negativity and hatred will eventually do to such young impressionable minds. The Imran Khan government has been quick to condemn the “incident”. But condemning is always the easy part, the harder part is to give justice to the victim and his family. But it is an open question whether the government will be able to do. After all, a large part of the problem seems to be emanating from the government itself. Just last month, Imran Khan’s government surrendered before the fanatics of the TLP. As a party and religious organization, the TLP demands that any act of blasphemy should be dealt with the severest form of punishment. Its’ campaign has transformed the murderer Mumtaz Quadri into a saint. The series of blasphemy related lynching that have recently taken place in Pakistan has happened after the TLP made it into an issue of Muslim prestige. By surrendering to the demands of the TLP, the government has already indicated which side it is on. In fact, there are even unconfirmed reports that Imran Khan’s party might enter into an alliance with the TLP in the next elections. A screengrab of a video that was recorded when the Sri Lankan factory worker's body was burnt. ----- The Islamization of the Pakistan is possibly complete. In the name establishing the “state of Medina”, the Imran Khan government is bringing legislations which will destroy whatever good there exists within the Pakistani establishment. Whether it is the implementation of Single National Curriculum which brings Islamic inspectors into classrooms or whether it is his larger campaign of fighting against so called Islamophobia, Imran Khan’s Pakistan is making Islamism into a master narrative of the nation. In the immediate future, this might give the government some respite from its all-round developmental failures, but in the long term, it will take the nation onto the path of an orthodox exclusionary Islam. Certainly, the current Pakistan establishment is not solely responsible for this descent into Islamist madness. Zia ul Haque and his Islamization policy did much harm to the society and even the polity. Through the establishment of separate Shariat courts and Hudood ordinances, he bolstered the influence of the conservative Ulama. Many such Islamists were appointed in different positions of the government including the Council of Islamic Ideology which was supposed to “guide” the elected representative in Parliament. But even before that, the secular Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto gave in to the fanatic demand of Islamists and declared the Ahmadiyya Muslims as beyond the pale of Islam, thus effectively depriving them of their religious rights as Muslim citizens. Every time a blasphemy related murder happens, it is important to recall and retell this genealogy. It is also important to call it for what it is: religious- in this case Islamic- fascism. This ideology believes that there is only one way of being a Muslim and therefore all other ways being Islamic is necessarily blasphemous. Islamo-fascism draws sustenance from Islamic texts which justify this kind of brutality and at times even recommends it. In the wake of Sialkot killing, there are many who would say: this is not Islam. The problem is that there is enough within Islamic literature which legitimizes such murders. Even those who have condemned the killing have done so on the grounds of technicality. They argue that only the state has the power to punish such “errant individuals”. In other words, the difference is about who has the authority to kill not on the act of killing itself. And that’s precisely the problem: Islam has neither the understanding nor the capacity to withstand any critique of its own value system. Partly it flows from their erroneous theology which tells them that theirs is the best and final religion. It is understandable that some Muslims today become revolted to see such images emanating from within their community, but the solution does not lie in repeating that this is not the teaching of Islam. The solution lies in a radical departure from the extant reading of the text. The solution lies in openly stating that if certain parts of Islam advocate murder and pillage, then it is wrong and hence not incumbent on Muslims to follow it. ---- Arshad Alam is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com URL: https://www.newageislam.com/radical-islamism-jihad/prophet-pakistan-killing-lanka-priyantha/d/125896 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

Examining ISIS Threat to India through Its Magazine ‘Voice of Hind’ and How the State and Muslim Scholars Could Reduce Radicalization Risks across the Country

By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 4 December 2021 IS Recruiters Skilfully Use Growing Episodes Of Communal Violence Against Muslims In India By Arguing That Sticking To ‘Jihad’ Is The Only Approach To Resolve The “Perceived Injustice” Main Points: 1. Action Plans for State and Religious Leaders to Reduce Radicalisation Risks in India 2. The excerpts drawn from Voice of Hind infer that IS has an aptitude for exploiting sectarian violence in India in order to legitimize retaliatory action. 3. IS seeks to trigger an existential crisis in the minds of Muslims who wish to keep both their national and religious identities. 4. Indian State must curb any possible violence against Muslims in the country 5. Muslim scholars and Ulama must make it their obligation to refute the narratives which justify violence and disassociate Islam from the clutches of terrorism. ...... Despite the fact that IS has lost territorial control in Iraq and Syria, its operations targeting numerous countries, including India, continue. Through its flagship publication of Voice of Hind, IS wishes to brainwash Indian Muslims by referencing religious and sectarian tensions between Hindus and Muslims, the political environment, and the notion of purported “invincible divides.” The Muslim-Hindu conflict, political policies against Muslims, and lynching are all used as arguments to incite Indian Muslims in Voice of Hind. Based on these reasons, IS makes the following direct appeal to Indian Muslims: “O Muslims of Hind come rushing out of your houses and rebel against the unjust rule of the disbelievers”, reads a statement from the Voice of Hind, a magazine of IS focusing on India. (Voice of Hind, Shawwal 1441, “Lockdown Special”, p.5) The magazine was once widely accessible online, but it appears to have been blocked or withdrawn, which is a good thing. However, as several studies have shown, terror groups such as ISIS continue to print magazines in several languages under various aliases. As a result, it is essential to devise some effective counter-ISIS strategies, as ISIS is currently aiming to recruit Indian Muslims. So, what should our strategies be? The simple solution to this menace is that we Indians must consolidate our relationship of peaceful coexistence and work together to remove any possible menace. However, in order to effectively combat a danger, it is vital to first understand the risk. In their collaborative research-based analysis titled Can Communal Violence Fuel an ISIS Threat in India? An Analysis of ‘Voice of Hind’, An Analysis of ‘Voice of Hind’, the joint authors Prithvi Iyer and Maya Mirchandani discuss the radicalization risk in India, offering deep insights on how the IS strategy differs from or corresponds to previous propaganda strategies. This analysis does not suggest that exploiting communal unrest to further the murderous goals of a transnational terrorist organization is a novel technique. The authors simply examine the ISIS threat to India through the prism of Voice of Hind, advising the state to put an end to Hindu-Muslim confrontations as soon as possible in order to reduce the risks of radicalization. In this piece, we will summarise a few key points from their research, adding that Muslim scholars should also seek to refute the narratives which justify violence and disassociate Islam from the clutches of terrorism on a regular basis. Key Points from the Research-Based Analysis Following the February riots in Delhi, IS published an online poster calling for “retaliatory action” in the “Indian Province” of its self-proclaimed “caliphate”. The poster that had previously been seen in Indian Media featured an image of a Muslim man on his knees being thrashed by a crowd. 72 hours after the poster was released, a pro-ISIS group produced the Voice of Hind, an India-focused journal, ostensibly as a means “to radicalize and recruit young Indian Muslims into its fold”. To be true, Al-Qaeda has made commitments in the name of God in the past to entice recruits into terrorist violence. In an interview, a recruit is told, “Whoever offers his life in the way of Allah lives eternally and gains a place in heaven for seventy members of his family, to be selected by the martyr.” Transnational jihadist groups usually emphasize the inextricable link between violence and sacrifice, as well as accountability to Allah, as a persuasion strategy. In India’s case, according to the authors’ analysis, a stronger sense of marginalization and/or religious prejudice among Indian Muslims could drive such persuasive tactics and the Jihadist recruiters can skilfully use growing episodes of communal violence against Muslims in India by arguing that sticking to the radical Wahhabi interpretation of Islam and ‘Jihad’ is the only approach to cope with perceived injustice. The authors, for example, provide a quote from Voice of Hind: “O Muslims of Hind! Has the time not come for you to wake up from the deep slumber, which has overtaken all of you to the point of an intoxicated stupor? Haven’t you yet realized that the idolatrous Hindus would never ever be pleased with you until you renounce the Deen of Islam in its entirety?” Commenting on the quotation, the joint authors state that the IS magazine here questions a Muslim's devotion to Islam and defines "moderation" as inappropriate, implying that the Hindu majority will not accept anything less than a renunciation of the Muslim faith in order to integrate Muslims into the democratic system. IS anticipates that labelling Hindus as "idolatrous" will exacerbate the "Us vs. them" split. As a result, Mahmud Ghaznawi, the "idol destroyer," has a special place in IS propaganda. According to IS, Ghaznawi dedicated his life to “waging jihad against the Mushrik [polytheists] of India, destroying their idols, and spreading Islam throughout their lands”. The magazine, according to the authors, tries to emphasize what it sees as an unbridgeable separation between Islam and Hinduism by warning readers that Hindus will not rest until Muslims abandon “the Deen of Islam in its totality.” By using communal violence such as the Delhi riots, IS seeks to trigger an existential crisis in the minds of Muslims who wish to keep both their national and religious identities so that any naive Muslim can fall into their web of horror. The excerpts drawn from Voice of Hind infer that IS has an aptitude for exploiting sectarian violence in India. Before the emergence of IS, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) wanted to exploit the Gujarat riots in 2002, as well as videos of Muslims being beaten by right-wing groups in the name of cow-vigilantism, in order to demonize and legitimize retaliatory action against “Hindutva groups”. Similar to AQIS's alleged aims, ISIS is attempting to exploit religious divisions in India. Image © Garudeya /Shutterstock.com ----- Because India is home to the third-largest Muslim population in the world, there was considerable concern that Indian Muslims would become more radicalized and join global, transnational extremist groups such as ISIS. This turned to be incorrect, as India continues to be an outlier in terms of the percentage of Indians engaging in ISIS-related activities. The fact that Islam in India has traditionally been practiced in a multicultural manner and is largely viewed as an inclusive religion with a pluralistic nature makes it difficult for ISIS to persuade a significant number of Indian Muslims to join their cause. Ideologies of terrorist groups, such as ISIS, are known to be based on a strain of Wahhabi-Salafism. However, most Indian Salafi groups, according to the authors, are “nationalist and multicultural, with a long history of peaceful cohabitation with democracy - principles that are incompatible with ISIS worldview”. The authors quote Mustafa Tanveer, an Indian Salafist thinker, as saying that “rejecting democracy is both anti-national and anti-Islamic, given India's constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion”. They go on to explain that Salafism like this, along with a cosmopolitan, multilingual subcontinental culture, has “insulated large sections of the Indian Muslim community from the lure of transnational Jihadi groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda.” The authors hold that “majoritarian violence against Indian Muslims is not only a form of ideological extremist violence in itself, but also alienates a community from the rest of the population and has the potential to radicalize youth toward terrorism or extremism, thereby exacerbating the threat of Jihadi violence in the country.” Terrorist organizations utilize such acts of violence as a potent motivator and weapon to recruit new members and gain support for their cause. As a result, “even realistic security calculations must now advocate for the state to urgently address such violence within India” in order to decrease the risks of radicalization, according to the authors. Following a careful analysis of the author’s report, it is worth noting that the authors have presented their findings with great sincerity and a deep sense of patriotism. Now, I believe it is vital to call on both Muslim and Hindu religious leaders to play a greater role in resolving the escalating Muslim-Hindu conflict in India. We should never allow anything possible to create tensions between the two communities. I strongly urge Muslim scholars to provide the accurate interpretations of war-related Quranic verses and hadiths that terror groups like ISIS regularly employ, as well as to inform the common masses through their sermons that the context of these verses and Ahadith is different and thus can’t be applied in the present era. ---- A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is an Alim and Fazil (Classical Islamic scholar) with a Sufi background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/radical-islamism-jihad/voice-hind-muslim-scholars-radicalization/d/125892 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

Iqbal's Khudi (Selfhood) - Most Misunderstood Topic

By Aadil Farook, New Age Islam 2 December 2021 Iqbal’s Entire Thought Can Only Be Understood If Seen With Spiritual Lenses Main Points: 1. Islam is not against self-actualization. 2. Iqbal did not say anything different from what Sufis had been saying. 3. Aim of a Momin (genuine believer) is not glory itself but glorify Islam with his God-given gifts. ---- Allama Iqbal said (in Urdu), "Khudi Ko Kar Buland Itna Ke Har Taqdeer Se Pehle Khuda Bande Se Khud Pooche Bata Teri Raza Kya Hai" The most common translation in English with which I do not agree at all is: Raise yourself so that before every decree God will ascertain from you: “What is your wish?” The entire misunderstanding arose due to this false translation. Many people did not get what Iqbal meant. Secular people saw a link between this & the self-actualization of Western thinkers. Some religious people saw conflict between Khudi (selfhood) and Sufism's self-annihilation / self-negation (Khud Ko Mitana / Khud Ki Nafi). Both parties are wrong. 1. Self-actualization as understood in the West means to unleash one's maximum potential as far as abilities/skills/talents are concerned. The sole focus is on brilliance (qabliat). It has nothing to do with spirituality (rohaniat). Steve Jobs, Wasim Akram & Michael Jackson were self-actualized individuals because they attained genius in their fields irrespective of whether they were spiritual or not. Spirituality is not the criterion here at all. 2. Iqbal was a spiritual thinker. His entire thought can only be understood if seen with spiritual lenses. Iqbal actually did not say anything different from what Sufis had been saying. Sufis say that due to sins, the corrupted self of people has to undergo many stages of inner purification before it reaches its true real original self. That is why there is so much importance given to denial or opposition of one's Nafs-e-Ammarah (lower-self NOT self). Iqbal obviously knew all that. What he really meant can be translated as:- Raise your PURIFIED self so that before every decree God will ascertain from you: “What is your wish?” Thus Iqbal did not say anything new at all. However, his greatness lies in the exact choice of words selected. Why did he use words that seem totally different from what Sufis say? 3. Iqbal's entire goal was waking, motivating & inspiring Muslims especially of the subcontinent whose spirits, courage, confidence, and energy level were completely zero. Since his audience was already demotivated, shattered, crushed, and demoralized, he could not afford to use words like Khud Ko Mitana (diminish yourself) or Khud Ki Nafi (negate yourself). His deep wisdom was using words that do 2 things at the same time - endorse spirituality and raise the morale of Muslims. 4. Islam is obviously not against self-actualization at all but it demands humans to first cross the spiritual path before pursuing self-actualization so that their genius has Ikhlaas (purity of intention) in it. The aim of a Momin (genuine believer) is not glory itself at all but to benefit humanity or glorify Islam with his God-given gifts or knowledge or calibre in anything. If Allah grants him glory in the process, he thanks Him. If Allah does not grant him any glory at all, he is still equally happy. That is the sign of Nafs-e-Mutmainah (contended soul). Holy Prophet (SAW) is the ideal human because his spirituality & brilliance both reached their highest possible level. That is why he is still the most influential person in history! --- Aadil Farook, Winner/Nominee of 2 International Awards (US & UK), is a Lahore-based blogger. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/iqbal-khudi-selfhood/d/125885 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

How Not to Talk About Blasphemy

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 1 December 2021 Concepts like Blasphemy Should Have No Place in the Modern World Main Points: 1. AIMPLB needs to be called out for demanding an anti-blasphemy law. 2. Two strategies through which reform minded Muslims are opposing blasphemy. 3. The first takes recourse to religious re-interpretation; the second seems content with existing national laws. 4. Both are inadequate in the fight against anti-blasphemy laws. ----- The recent attempt by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board to demand an anti-blasphemy from the government needs to be debated widely within the Muslim community. While it is true that anti-Islam and Muslim bigotry is on the rise, it is equally worthwhile to think about whether such a law is indeed needed or will be effective in curbing such activities. Moreover, it is also important to understand the purposes to which such a law would be put and what bearing it will have on the voices of dissent within the Muslim community. Already such voices are few within the community; such a law would mean that even those voices will be become silent. That such a law is being demanded by the AIMPLB also needs to be called out. The Board today stands discredited within the Muslim community. In the wake of anti-NRC protests, leading members of the Board refused to come out and side with protesting students. On multiple occasions, when they tried to speak, they were boycotted and booed by the protesting youth. This regressive Board, which justifies every misogynistic attitude within the Muslim community, may be trying to retrieve its lost ground by raking up such emotional issues. Moreover, it is rather rich of the Board to cry victim when in the past it has effectively victimized Muslims of other faith orientations. The same Board, for example, will have huge issues, if they are asked to treat Ahmadis as fellow Muslims. In fact, its members have been at the forefront in vandalizing Ahmadia exhibitions and in organizing Khatm e Nabbuwat (End of Prophecy) conferences in which their sole agenda is to vilify this religious faith. The issue of blasphemy is not just limited to India. Throughout the Muslim world, we are witnessing the enactment of legal frameworks which makes it difficult to even mount a genuine criticism of Islam, if one wants to. Till 2020, blasphemy was a criminal act in 84 countries all over the world while as many as 21 countries criminalized apostasy. Keeping in mind the fact that acts deemed blasphemous might be covered under alternate criminal laws (like in India), the actual numbers of these countries which limit freedom of expression must be higher. The legal penalties for such offences often range from fines to imprisonment to corporal punishment. In 12 countries, such offences might lead to the death penalty. These 12 counties are: Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Pakistan, Maldives, Mauritania, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen. It is not surprising that 11 out of these 12 countries have Islam as their state religion, with the exception of Nigeria which is officially secular, although 12 of its states are governed parallelly by the Sharia. Blasphemy related executions have been carried out in Saudi Arabia and Iran; victims are mostly religious minorities in both these countries, suggesting that blasphemy laws have been used to curb political dissent. In Pakistan, no one has been executed till date for blasphemy despite high volume of such cases in courts. Here the penalty is being carried out by Islamic vigilantes, who do the dirty work on behalf of the state. Many Muslims oppose blasphemy and have argued that such concepts should have no place in the modern world. They have generally put forward two strategies: an Islamic counter argument against blasphemy or standing with existing secular state laws. While both strategies are laudable as they are designed to save lives, but they have their limitations. The Islamic counter argument takes recourse to hermeneutics by privileging the following Quranic verses: “There shall be no coercion in matters of faith” (2:256); For you is your religion, and for me is mine” (9:106); “If anyone killed a person, it is as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind” (5:32). From within the Islamic tradition, Muslims have noted that the Quran does not speak of death penalty but leaves the punishment with God, meaning that human beings should not arrogate to themselves what genuinely belongs to God. Some have argued that the punishment for blasphemy or apostasy instituted 15 centuries ago was more for treason rather than for religious reasons. In other words, renouncing Islam was not framed as a religious transgression but a political one. There are pious intentions behind such interpretations, no doubt. But there is little effect of such counter interpretation on either the Muslim orthodoxy or the state who go with their own set of interpretations. And because they are in position of power, it is their interpretation which becomes hegemonic. Today there are many Muslims who want to point out what is wrong in their religion. How would one categorize such endeavors? Religion and politics are so closely fused together that often it is impossible to separate them. Any act of religious transgression is also a political act, especially done in the context of Muslim societies, where, even asking simple questions from a system of ideas called Islam can land one in trouble. The answer therefore may not lie in the re-interpretation of Islamic texts but in strengthening sensitivities to human rights, and not just of Muslims. The other strategy to take note of is that of groups like Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (Disclosure: This writer is a member) which is largely comprised of secular and religious Muslims. In the specific context of India where anti-Muslim bigotry is on the rise, they argue that existing laws are sufficient to tackle the problem. Hence, they are opposed to the AIMPLB’s demand of having a separate anti-blasphemy law. But wasn’t it the ‘existing law’ which was used to ban the publication of Satanic Verses in India? And wasn’t the existing law used again to punish the likes of Taslima Nasrin and MF Husain? The scope of the existing Indian law is so draconian that it very nearly incorporates blasphemy within its purview. Opposing the Ulama’s demand for an anti-blasphemy law makes sense, but upholding an existing state law that has been used to stifle dissent doesn’t. Rather than pointing to the necessity of 295(A), we need to demand that it should be diluted to make it harmonious with freedom of expression and dissent. At a time when the concept of blasphemy is being imported into other religions like Hinduism, it is all the more important to underline that there is no right to free expression without the right to offend. ---- Arshad Alam is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/blasphemy-aimplb-indian-muslims/d/125880 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

Under Imran Khan’s Rule, Judiciary and Media in Pakistan Face a Grave Crisis

Judges, Journalists and Human Rights Activists Face Harassment and Torture by Government and Army Main Points: 1. The judiciary was compromised in the graft case against Nawaz Sharif accused a senior lawyer 2. The proceedings of the Asma Jahangir Memorial Conference were disrupted by the government and agencies. 3. 57 journalists of Pakistan have been assassinated during the last 20 years. 4. Last year, the FIA framed false charges against 49 journalists of Pakistan. 5. Many journalists and social media activists live in exile in European countries for fear of life in their motherland. ----- New Age Islam Staff Writer 1 December 2021 Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan ------ Mehmal Sarfaraz’s article ‘Sound of Silence’ underscores the grim reality of journalism in Pakistan. Though during the most part of Pakistan’s history, journalists, intellectuals and litterateurs have faced the wrath of the military and the government, the cases of harassment, torture, disappearance and assassination of journalists and social media activists have gone up during Imran Khan’s government. The author brings to the fore the upper hand the government has over the judiciary, which is responsible to uphold the constitutional rights of the citizens of the country. Accusations by senior judges and bureaucrats reveal the judiciary was manipulated and compromised to indict former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz. These are very serious allegations which need to be addressed. If the judiciary buckles under the pressure of the Pakistani army and the government, democracy cannot survive and the lives of people, especially of intellectuals and journalists and social activists will remain in peril. The disruption of the proceedings of the Asma Jahangir Memorial conference held last month only tells to what extent the government can stoop to stop a leading politician of the country from speaking to a conference when he himself is the victim of the alleged manipulation of the judiciary. It is not the first time that politicians, journalists, social media activists and human rights activists have faced state repression of various kinds. According to reports, 57 prominent Pakistani journalists have been killed during the last 20 years. There are scores of Pakistani journalists in exile because of death threats to them in Pakistan. Taha Siddiquee, Sajid Hussain, Ahmad Waqas are some of the Pakistani journalists in exile. Sajid Hussain was found dead in exile in Sweden. The journalists in exile don’t feel safe even in exile because the Pakistani military and the government hound them in exile. Ahmad Waqas was assaulted outside his home in Holland. The journalists who work and live in Pakistan are always the target of the government and the military and they are harassed, tortured or framed in false charges for criticizing the military, the government and religious extremists. Last year Bilal Farooqee was arrested on charges of ‘defaming” the Pakistani military (perhaps Pakistani military has been raised to the status of a religious institution).TV journalist Ehtisham Kiyani was booked for possessing weapons. Last year, in the biggest crackdown against journalists, the FIA (Federal Investigating Agency) framed false charges against 49 journalists and social media activists for criticizing the government and the army. The current situation of the judiciary and journalism in Pakistan belies the claim of Imran Khan that under his government, democratic process has seen an improvement. Contrary to his claims, extremism, terrorism and sectarian violence has witnessed rise. Imran Khan needs to address these problems to improve the image of his country in the world and to come out of the Grey List of the FATF. ----- Sound of Silence By Mehmal Sarfaraz 30.11.21 Yesterday, the veteran Pakistani journalist, Muhammad Ziauddin, passed away in Islamabad at the age of 83. Ziauddinsahab, as we lovingly called him, was someone who can be called an icon of Pakistani journalism. He was one of the bravest and most upright of journalists who did not bow down to any power centre. A true democrat at heart, Ziauddinsahab never compromised his principles and did not mince his words or play to the gallery when it came to calling out anything undemocratic in politics. He will surely be missed, especially at a time when many political moves are afoot and many remain hidden — not to forget the ongoing assault on freedom of expression in the country. Nawaz Sharif. / Getty Images ----- Earlier this month, the third Asma Jahangir Conference was held in Lahore. The conference has been held every year — barring 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic — to commemorate the legacy of the iconic human rights lawyer who died on February 11, 2018. The conference, organized by the Asma Jahangir Foundation, the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan, had more than 20 sessions discussing issues regarding dissent, violence against women, freedom of religion and belief, Pakistan’s economy, the Afghan crisis, the Kashmir conflict, and democracy in Pakistan, among others. From its inaugural session to the closing session, the conference created quite a stir. At the inaugural session, the senior lawyer, Ali Ahmad Kurd, gave a fiery speech in the presence of the senior judiciary. He criticized Pakistan’s judicial system and questioned how justice is not dispensed but dictated. The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Gulzar Ahmed, responded quite strongly to Kurd’s allegations and said that neither he nor the judiciary under him took dictations from anyone. “No one dares interfere with my work,” said the CJP and asked Kurd not to bring the honourable courts into any controversies. Kurd’s speech perhaps came in response to a signed affidavit by the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan, Rana Shamim, who had accused the former CJP, Saqib Nisar, of judicial interference in the cases involving the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz. Justice Shamim’s affidavit led to a lot of questions. Or perhaps Kurd was making a general comment as the judiciary has seen many a controversy in recent years. A leaked audio of Justice Nisar was published by the journalist, Ahmad Noorani, in which he is allegedly telling an unidentified man how there is pressure on the judiciary to penalize Nawaz and Maryam and pave the way for Imran Khan to come to power. The former CJP has denied both allegations — the one in the affidavit and that in the leaked audio. Perhaps it is time for the superior judiciary to have a dialogue within its own ranks and discuss how this is not the first time that such allegations about manipulating judgments have come to the fore and what can be done to restore the public’s confidence in the judicial system. Now let’s go back to the Asma Jahangir Conference. This time, the closing session saw a lot of drama where Mian Nawaz Sharif was going to address the participants at the end via video link since he is in London for medical treatment. A couple of hours before Sharif’s address, mobile internet data at the conference venue was blocked. The connection was lost when Sharif began speaking. According to the conference’s organizers, “The internet provider was restrained from providing the organisers with internet services for the conference two hours before the closing and [before] Mr Sharif’s speech was supposed to start.” In the end, the organizers had to take Sharif on a telephone call at the venue so that he could address the conference. Even before his speech could start, the ruling party’s senior ministers had started reacting to the announcement and asked how an absconder could address a prestigious conference where the superior judiciary and diplomats of various countries were invited as guests. Last year, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority had banned the broadcasting of speeches by absconders and proclaimed offenders, a move that was seen as a way of banning Sharif’s appearances on television. Sharif has been declared an absconder by the courts. But there is no bar on Sharif addressing conferences, party meetings or jalsas (rallies). Unfortunately, the government has gone into an overdrive against the AJ Conference and Sharif’s speech there. Prime Minister Imran Khan has criticized the organizers more than once since Sharif’s speech. Yesterday, Khan asked, once again, how Sharif was allowed to address the event and lamented that societies suffer when they condone wrongdoings. Senior members of his cabinet have asked for explanations from the donor countries who sponsored the event. The human rights minister, Shireen Mazari, tweeted yesterday, “Wondering if foreign donors for an NGO conf in UK would invite a UK convict as chief guest for a session? Apart from UK govt not allowing it, if foreign donor was a diplomatic mission it would be seen as violation of Vienna Conv on Dip Relations Art 41!” The government’s criticism may be more political in nature but it is also detrimental to an already shrinking space for dissenting voices. The AJ Conference and other such events are fora where people are able to freely voice their concerns on sensitive issues. When such events are targeted by a sitting government, it means that those in power do not want any critical voices whatsoever. Pakistan does not rank well in any ratings related to the freedom of speech and the media. Censorship in the media is nothing new but trying to censor and silence civil society in the name of politics smacks of another attack on the freedom of expression. In a country where there are actually real problems that the government should focus on — economy, inflation and so on — it is sad to see a government going after civil society with such vengeance. ---- Mehmal Sarfaraz is a journalist based in Lahore Source: The Telegraph India URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-human-rights/imran-judiciary-media-pakistan-/d/125879 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's Aspirations for Muslims to Be the Best Ummah Are yet To Be Fulfilled: What Muslims Need To Do To Achieve the Distinction Given To Them in the Quran?

The Muslim Ummah Need to Reform Itself In Order To Be the Best Main Points: 1. The Quran refers to the Muslims as the best Ummah but no other nation in the world right now is as troubled and backward as Muslims. 2. One of the reasons for the Muslim Ummah's being called the best is that the Quran wanted Muslims to not only with worship God, as other religious communities do but also follow the rules of ethics, values, and morality, including human rights, indeed the rights of all creations of God, Huqooqul Ibaad. 3. “The Best community” may refer to those who are the best people in dealing with other people, particularly parents, spouses, relatives and neighbours. 4. Clearly Allah had high aspirations for Muslims that are still to be fulfilled. .... By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 1 December 2021 There is no other nation in the world right now that is as troubled and backward as Muslims. What are the reasons? "You are the best Ummah," Allah Almighty declares in the Holy Qur'an, referring to the Muslims. This indicates that other nations should look up to the Muslim Ummah as role models, adopting its culture and morals, and striving to be a successful, safe, and secure nation free of all forms of worldly adversity. But none of this appears to exist in the Muslim Ummah, leading to the question of how Muslims are the "best Ummah." We have absolute confidence and solid belief that there can be no place for any form of doubt in Allah's utterance, as Allah Almighty declares, “...And whose Words are more true than those of Allah?” (4:122) In reality, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, revealed not only that “You are the best Ummah produced for mankind” (4:110) but He Almighty specified certain requirements for Muslims to be the best Ummah. Obviously, how can this Ummah be deemed the "best Ummah" if the criteria do not remain in the Ummah? The key of this Ummah being "the best," according to Allah Almighty's Holy Word, is that this Ummah was sent into the world to live for the benefit of all humanity. What a comprehensive notion! In this one line, Allah Almighty has placed a tremendous duty on the shoulders of the Ummah. This duty has been defined as the injunction to do good and not to commit evil. If this Ummah has these distinguishing characteristics, then it is a good Ummah; otherwise, it may lose its distinctiveness. The important thing to remember here is that whoever commands good deeds and forbids evil must also perform good and avoid evil. This isn't to suggest he doesn't do good things and encourages others to do good things. After believing in Allah, His Messengers, Books, Angels, it is the believer’s responsibility to learn religious knowledge and understand how many things are good and how many things are bad in Allah's eyes, such as good and evil in regard to worship and other religious norms, good and evil dealing with Muslims and non-Muslims, morals and etiquette, and so on. On the subject of Muslims and non-Muslims, I would want to suggest that enjoining good and prohibiting evil may imply that their human rights should be protected. In no way should they be persecuted. Without prejudice or discrimination, justice should be served to them. They should not be mistreated in any way. On a human level, sympathy and kindness must be extended to them, and so on. It is not only about demanding good and forbidding evil in this circumstance, but also about performing good things on a practical level. If we succeed in this regard, we will have earned the right to be called the best community. According to the popular commentaries of the Quran, “The Best community” may refer to those who are the best people toward other people. If the Muslims become the best toward other people, they can be rightly called ‘the best. Consider whether this aspect, as well as passion in its practical form, is still present in this Ummah. This verse encourages us to think on more than just a few parts of life but to engage in an all-encompassing introspection that encompasses all facets of existence. The significance of this verse is that this Ummah was not made for itself, to fulfill its desires, to live its life just for itself, or to deal with itself; rather, all nations and creatures were created to live their lives, and this Ummah was created for the wellbeing of others. Even an animal lives its life, therefore what sets this Ummah apart is that it has been entrusted with a huge obligation, an all-encompassing responsibility, to look after the wellbeing of individuals from all walks of life. And this isn't limited to worship; rather, it applies to all stages of life. Muslims, according to this verse, should serve people from all walks of life, guiding them to the path of righteousness and success, and saving people from harm and loss. Allah declared in the verse, “For mankind,” not “For Muslims,” indicating that Allah Almighty did not impose the burden of Muslims solely on this Ummah. On the contrary, this Ummah has been charged with the immense responsibility of ensuring the success of all of the world's nations. It is also an undeniable fact that without education, serving and guiding all of the world's nations in all aspects of life is impossible. As a result, it is easy to deduce that Muslims should be knowledgeable in all of the legitimate sciences and arts of the world, because it is impossible to achieve goodwill, correct instruction, and protect someone from harm without education. Muslims would not be able to fulfill the role of "the best Ummah" unless they achieve prominence in the field of education. At the same time, it is imperative to pay attention to religious education, because for Muslims, Islamic education has the same status as the soul within the body. Just as the body without the soul is a corpse, so also Muslims without Islamic education are nothing but a living corpse. In short, in the light of this verse, the reasons for the current plight of Muslims are that they are living a life of unconsciousness and negligence. While they have been sent into the world with the responsibility to care for the benefit and loss of all those who live in this world, but they forgot this great responsibility in their personal lives. The second reason is that Muslims have lagged far behind in the field of education and art and to lead a nation in any field without education is just a dream. The third factor is that their religious ties have deteriorated significantly. Religious teachings and Islamic morals are all vanishing from their lives. As a result, Muslims should think about these reasons and take action to address them. If they consider these factors, they will achieve success and prosperity, and the entire world will regard them with respect and dignity. ----- Kaniz Fatima is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/ummah-allah-quran-muslims/d/125878 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

Life and Teachings of Hazrat Nizamuddin Mehboob-e-Elahi Serve As A Beacon Of Hope In The Face Of Rising Fanaticism, Extremism, And Brutality

By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 1 December 2021 Hazrat Nizamuddin Mehboob-e-Elahi: Establishing Personal Contact with Allah (Wisal-E-Ilahi) Is To Engage In Altruistic Humanitarian Action Main Points: 1. Engage in altruistic humanitarian action to the point that one realises there is no "I." Only the divine exists. 2. The main purpose of religion is to benefit humanity. 3. Rather than solving issues, acts of violence aggravate them. 4. You must comfort the hearts of people as long as possible and as much as possible because the heart of a Muslim is truly the manifestation of God. ..... Dargah Hazrat Nezamuddin ----- The Urs of Hazrat Nizamuddin, also known as Mehboob-e-Elahi, was just celebrated a few days ago. At this time, I decided to highlight certain key aspects of his life for the benefit of the audience. Hazrat Nizamuddin, who was born in 1325, is credited with creating the Chishti tradition in Delhi which later spread throughout the Indian subcontinent. Hazrat Nizamuddin's real concern for humanity as a whole arose out of his true love for the Divine. He says that the surest way to establish personal contact with Allah (wisal-e-ilahi) is to engage in altruistic humanitarian action to the point that one realises there is no "I." Only the divine exists. Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia turned the mystical movement in Delhi into a broad humanitarian effort, assisting human souls in responding to the numerous issues of the day, such as wrath, pain, and suffering, in a constructive and compassionate manner. His moral principles and spiritual guidelines constituted the foundation of many Chishti cloisters across the country during his lifetime, and they continue to guide the Chishti way of life to this day. These guidelines can be summed up as follows: 1. The main purpose of religion is to benefit humanity. 2. Learning to live in the world in love, peace, and amity is learning to love God alone. 3. Transform your everyday wants into cosmic emotions. 4. Develop an attitude that resists wasting one's life on petty material goals. 5. Rather than solving issues, acts of violence aggravate them. 6. Do good to others and don't reciprocate when others harm you. 7. Mystics must live by exceedingly high moral and spiritual standards in their daily lives. 7. Place your whole faith in God's plan. (The Book of Nizmauddin) It is narrated that Mahboob-e-Subhani Nizamuddin Auliya (may Allah have mercy on him) once said, “In one incident, I was given a letter in which it was written, ‘You must comfort the hearts of people as long as possible and as much as possible because the heart of a Muslim is truly the manifestation of God. In the price market, no product will be as acceptable as it is in the comfort of the heart.” (Akhbarul Akhyar, Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlvi, p.137, Urdu Edition) Those who love Allah are unquestionably kind to His creation. Their love to Allah softens their hearts, and they begin to console His creatures through their words and actions. Today, we must reflect on and evaluate this mystical experience to determine if our hearts have truly softened in Allah’s love, allowing us to help His creatures. When asked what the actuality of love is, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya said, “This is the purity of friendship, because the lovers of truth don’t consider it their honour to attain this world and the hereafter.” Rather, they understand the significance of attaining the truth.” When he was questioned why it is so difficult to fall in love, he said, “So that no idiot can claim it and so that if he is in a test of trouble, he may show his back”. Many people claim to love Allah nowadays, but are they sincere in their claims? This is a time for thought. The Sufis’ thinking was really lofty and wonderful. You can deduce from the preceding remark that the actuality of love is the purity of the heart, where the heart is only concerned with attaining the gnosis of its God and is unconcerned with the comforts of this world or the comforts of the afterlife. A true lover can't think of anything else since he's so engrossed in love with his beloved. His heart exceedingly becomes loving because of the persistence of his feelings of love for God. This is the reality of love: the heart becomes so free of greed that it is solely concerned with the beloved’s pleasure and seeing him. Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya said, “The wise and prudent person is the one who prepares for the upcoming journey, i.e. death, and takes some comfort with him”. The genesis of this message can be traced back to a hadith, according to which, when someone asked the Prophet, ‘Who is the more intelligent believer?’ The Holy Prophet replied, "Those who consider death frequently and prepare meticulously for the afterlife are the smartest." (Ibn Majah). According to Ummul Muminin Hazrat Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her), Remembering death often softens the heart. Many people are unaware of the advantages of remembering death. They should realise that remembering death and the anguish of the afterlife instils in us the desire to do good and refrain from evil. When a person considers death, he will consider both good and evil in his actions. The problem with criminals around the world is that they believe that by committing a crime, they will be able to avoid punishment under laws, or that they would invent a lie, or that they will commit crimes in secret to avoid detection and punishment. Despite scientific and technological advancements, criminals continue to avoid detection. However, a sincere believer who believes in the Hereafter thinks that no matter how well he covers his evil activities, he will have to account for them to Allah Almighty in the Hereafter, for Allah knows everything, both within and outside of him. Yes, nothing escapes the notice of the Almighty. Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya said, “Anyone that Allah protects cannot be harmed by others.” This statement gives comfort to the hearts terrified by the so-called power. Do not be depressed if a king or someone intoxicated with power oppresses you and seeks to torture you in many ways. You do not need to be terrified of an oppressor or concerned about his nasty behaviour because ‘anyone that Allah protects cannot be harmed by others.’ Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya said, “There are two types of obedience or Taa’at [to Allah Almighty]: Taa’at-e-Laazimi and Taa’at-e-Muta’addi. The benefit of doing Taa’at-e-Laazimi [obligation towards God Almighty] reaches the person who does it. The Taa’at-e-Muta’addi is that which benefits others. This includes traits such as compassion, sympathy and kindness towards others. The benefits of Taa’at-e-Muta’addi are numerous. The Taa’at-e-Laazimi must be done with sincerity in order to be accepted, whereas the Taa’at-e-Muta’addi is rewarded regardless of how it was done.” (Fawaid-ul-Fuad) Taa'at-e-Muta’addi refers to Huququl Ibaad (The rights of men over men). This is an unavoidable precondition of Islamic rule. A Muslim cannot claim to be a sincere believer unless he or she fulfils his rights over others. Some so-called Sufis today do not place a high value on education. They believe that education will not benefit them. Some abhorrent rituals have been given the term Sufism by them. Lessons from the life of Hazrat Nizamuddin should be learned by such so-called Sufis. Once Hazrat Nizamuddin reportedly asked Baba Farid-ud-Din Ganj Shakar "Should I now cease pursuing school and devote myself to worship?" Baba Farid replied, “I do not prevent anyone from acquiring an education. So keep learning and participating in worship. Knowledge is essential for a dervish to protect himself against the deceptive devil” (Mahfil-e-Awliya). This remark provides a lesson for today's ignorant and self-proclaimed Sufis who assume they are exempt from learning Islamic knowledge. Hazrat Baba Farid's remark that knowledge is necessary for a dervish is clearly a reference to religious studies, which can protect one against Satan's tricks. The life and teachings of Hazrat Nizamuddin Mehboob-e-Elahi serve as a beacon for everyone. His teachings and compassionate demeanour should serve as a model for us, especially at a time when fanaticism, extremism and cruelty have become commonplace. ---- A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is an Alim and Fazil (Classical Islamic scholar) with a Sufi background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/hazrat-nezamuddin-fanaticism-extremism-/d/125877 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