Uboodiyyah: Being a True Slave of Allah!!

Uboodiyyah: Being a True Slave of Allah


By Shaykh ul-Islâm ibn Taymiyyah

Translated by Nasir ud-Deen al-Khattab

“The heart is inherently dependent on Allâh in two ways: from the point of view of worship, which is the ultimate goal, and from the point of view of seeking His help and relying upon Him, which are the means to that end. The heart cannot be sound, or succeed, or find joy, or be happy, or feel pleasure, or be good, or be at peace, or find tranquility, except by worshipping its Lord, loving Him and returning to Him. Even if it attains all that it can enjoy of created things, it will not feel at peace or find tranquility, because it has an inherent need for its Lord, for He is the focus of its worship, love and seeking, and this is the only way to attain joy, happiness, pleasure, peace and tranquility …

…For if a person is helped to attain what he loves, seeks, desires and wants, but he does not worship Allâh, he will never achieve anything but sorrow, regret and suffering. He can never be free of the pain and hardship of this life except through loving Allâh sincerely, so that Allâh becomes his ultimate desire and he loves Him for what He is, and he loves anyone or anything else only for His sake, and he does not love anything for its own except Allâh. If he does not achieve this (level of love), he has not properly understood the true meaning of “La illaha ill Allâh” or of Tawheed or of Uboodiyyah or of loving Allâh. There is something lacking in his eemaan and Tawheed, and he will suffer pain, regret and anguish accordingly.”

The highest degree of love is Tatayyum (total enthrallment). The lowest degree is ‘alaqah (attachment), when the heart is attached to the beloved: then comes sabahah (infatuation), when the heart is poured out: then gharam (passion), when love never leaves the heart: then ashaq (ardent love), and finally tatayyum. When we say that a person is enthralled, as it were, by Allâh, it means that he worships Allâh, because enthrallment is like enslavement to the beloved.

When a person submits to another even though he dislikes him, this is not worship or enslavement: when he loves someone but is not subservient to him, as a man might love his child or friend, this is not worship or enslavement either. Either of them alone is not enough when it comes to worshipping Allâh. Allâh must be more important than all else. Nothing is deserving of complete love and submission except Allâh. Love for anything other then Allâh is corrupt love, and veneration of anything except Allâh is false veneration. Allâh says:

Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred: the wealth that you have gained: the commerce in which you fear decline: or the dwellings in which you delight- are dearer to you then Allâh, or his messenger, or the striving in His cause- the wait until Allâh brings about His Decision … [Sûrah Al Tawbah: Ayah 24]

Love, like obedience, should only be for Allâh and His Messenger, and for the sake of earning Allâh’s pleasure:

… But it is more fitting that they should please Allâh and His Messenger … [Sûrah Al Tawbah: Ayah 62]

It is also for Allâh and His Messenger to give;

If only they had been content with what Allâh and His Messenger gave them … [Sûrah Al Tawbah: Ayah 59]

Worship (‘ibadah ) and the things that are connected to it, such as complete trust and fear, and so on, can only be for Allâh alone, as He says:

Say (O Muhammad): “O People of the Book (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allâh, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allâh.” Then if they turn away, say: “Bear witness that we are Muslims.” [Sûrah Al Imran: Ayah 64]

If only they had been content with what Allâh and His Messenger gave them, and had said: “sufficient unto us is Allâh! Allâh and His Messenger will soon give us of His bounty: to Allâh do we turn our hopes!” (That would have been the right course.) [Sûrah Al Tawbah: Ayah 59]

So it is it is for Allâh and His Messenger to give, as He said:

… So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. [Sûrah Al Hashr: Ayah 7]

It is only Allâh Who is sufficient for us, as He says:

Those (the believers) un to whom the people (the hypocrites) said: “Verily, the people (the pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore fear them.” But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said: Allâh (alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us). [Sûrah Al Imran : Ayah 173]

O Prophet! Allâh is sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you. [Sûrah Al Anfal: Ayah 64]

The last ayah means” Sufficient for you and those who follow you of the believers, is Allâh.” Anyone who thinks that it means “Allâh and the believers with Him are sufficient for you” is making a grave mistake. Allâh also says:

Is not Allâh Sufficient for His slave? … [Sûrah Al Zumar: Ayah 36]

In conclusion, therefore, we may say that slave (‘abd) means the one who is enslaved by Allâh and who submits and humbles himself to Him.

Al Wala' Wal Bara' (Love and Hate for Allah's Sake)!!

Al Wala' Wal Bara' (Love and Hate for Allah's Sake)

Al Wala Wal Bara

In the current modern age, we find the Muslims in a pit of darkness. The Muslims of today have adopted the ways of the enemy. They forbid the good and enjoin the forbidden. They imitate the disbelievers and choose them as their friends and trustees. They mock believers who oppose the ways of the disbelievers and hypocrites. They help to deviate people from the Path of Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam). They have left jihad for the pleasures and pursuits of the material world. They have abandoned Shariah and adopted Jahiliyyah. These people have strayed from the Straight Path and they have turned away from al wala wal bara, and as a result, have fallen into the trap of Shaytaan.

One of the aspects of iman is al wala wal baraloving and hating for the sake of Allah Alone. It is one of the most important beliefs of Islam after Tawheed. Allah says in His Book:

Let not the believers take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoever does this has no connection with Allah unless you are guarding yourselves against them as a precaution. Allah bids you to beware of Himself. And to Allah is the journeying. (Surat Ali Imran 3:28)

The reason why al wala wal bara is so important in Islam is because, if it is taken into practice, it can remove all the characteristics of Jahiliyyah from the Muslim Ummah, it guarantees the preservation of the Ummah, and it distinguishes the believer from the disbeliever. When one loves and hates for Allahs sake only, they are raised degrees higher than those who love, hate, and act based on their own desires or fake gods or for other meaningless things. Allah states in His Speech:

Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the friends of Shaytaan. Surely, Shaytaans strategy is always weak. (Suratun-Nisaa 4:76)

This verse is speaking of al wala wal bara. Those who have iman and belief and act upon al wala wal bara fight for Allahs cause and do battle with His enemies to preserve His Deen, while those who disbelieve fight for gods that dont even exist. Allah commands:

And fight them until persecution is no more and religion is for Allah. (Suratul Baqarah 2:193)

Only the people who love and hate for the sake of Allah will act upon this command. These are the people that understand the meaning of al wala wal bara, which will be discussed below, Insha Allah.

The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) said: The strongest bond of faith is loyalty for the sake of Allah and opposition for His sake; love for the sake of Allah and enmity for His sake.

But what does this love and enmity exactly mean? Loving for the sake of Allah means to love Allah and to show loyalty to Him by following His Shariah. It means to love all that is good and permissible in the Quran and Sunnah. This type of love requires one to defend Allahs deen and to preserve it. It is to love those who are obedient to Allah and to defend and assist them. These are the party of Allah. Enmity for the sake of Allah signifies showing anger towards those who oppose Allah, His Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam), His deen, and the believers. It is to struggle and fight against them in order to uphold and spread the way of Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam). There is a brilliant example of this in Ibrahim (alaiyhis-salaam), as narrated by Allah in the Quran:

There is a good example for you in Ibrahim and those with him when they told their people: Surely, we disassociate ourselves from you and all that you worship beside Allah. We have done with you. And there has arisen between us and you enmity and hate forever until you believe in Allah Alone. (Suratul Mumtahanah 60:4)

Al wala wal bara requires one to ally oneself with Allah, His Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam), and the believers wherever they are found against the disbelievers even if it is against their own relatives. We see this in the example of the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam), who fought against his own relatives and his own clan, all for the sake of Allah.

Al wala wal bara aims to purify the society and rid the people of all vices. For example, we are required to oppose the way of the disbelievers. One of their habits is wasting their time in pursuing their own material desires. A Muslim who does not act upon al wala wal bara will imitate this habit and therefore become neglectful of his duties to Allah. This will lead to a corrupt person, who will end up raising a corrupt family, which will corrupt the community in whole.

If we look at the situation today in Afghanistan, how many Muslims today are willing to leave their worldly pursuits and come to the aid of Islam and their Muslim brothers and sisters and fight for Allahs cause against His and our enemies? How many of them will act upon al wala wal bara, which is called for today? The religious situation of the Muslims of today is very pitiful and sad and the answer is that only a handful will run out to assist Allah and the faithful believers.

We call ourselves Muslims, but what exactly is a Muslim? We cant just expect that belief in Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) is enough to be qualified for Jannah. Allah says:

Or think you that you will enter Paradise while yet there has not come unto you the like of (that which came to) those who passed away before you? Affliction and adversity befell them, they were shaken as with earthquake, till the messenger (of Allah) and those who believed along with him said: When comes Allah's help? Now surely Allah's help is nigh. (Suratul Baqarah 2:214)

If we believe that belief in Allah is enough, then there is no difference between us and the pagan Arabs of the pre-Islamic period, who claimed to believe in Allah and at the same time, worshipped hundreds of other gods. Al wala wal bara is what distinguishes a believer from a disbeliever. A believer allies himself with Allah only and with his final Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) and with the believers. Allah says:

And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong and they establish worship and they pay the poor-due and they obey Allah and His Messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Indeed, Allah is Mighty, Wise. (Suratut-Towbah 9:71)

O you who believe! Whoever of you becomes a rebel against his deen, (know that in his place) Allah will bring a people whom He loves and who love Him, humble towards the believers, harsh towards the disbelievers, striving in the way of Allah and not fearing the blame of any blamer. (Suratul Maaidah 5:54)

In order to be considered a believer, one must believe in Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) as well as show and prove that belief by assisting them and allying oneself with them against the enemies of Islam. The plans of the disbelievers are clearly exposed in the Quran:

They long for you to disbelieve even as they disbelieve, so that you may be the same (as them). So do not choose friends from among then until they go out in the way of Allah. (Suratun-Nisaa 4:89)

O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends of one another. And whoever of you takes them for friends is (one) of them. Surely Allah does not guide wrongdoing people. (Suratul Maaidah 5:51)

We are warned to beware of the kaafireen, for, they say with their mouths what is not in their hearts (3:167). They secretly plot against the believers to get rid of them and their divine religionIslam. They attack the Muslims and the people without the belief in al wala wal bara will support them against the believers and this is what we see in todays situation.

If the believers join together as one brotherhood, sharing a mutual love and hate for the sake of Allah, Islam will come out on top regardless of how powerful their enemies may be. When the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) and his companions (radiyyallahu anhum) fought their battles, their enemies were always more in number and had better armor, but the Muslims were victorious as in the Battle of Badr. They shared one cause: fighting for the sake of Allah. Today, we need Muslims to do the same for their brothers, but where are they?

Al wala wal bara is something which is lacking in the hearts and actions of Muslims worldwide. It is one of the more important aspects of Islam. It was because of this aspect that the companions and their Chief Leader Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam), together, peacefully conquered lands and hearts all over the globe by the will and grace of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala.

A SINGLE UMMAH!!

A SINGLE UMMAH


[1]:THE OBLIGATION TO UNIFY THE RANKS

Shaykh Ibn al-'Uthaymeen - hafidhahullaah - said:

"From the sincere advice which I hold to be necessary in the Religion to give to the youths, a word which I hope that Allaah - the Most Perfect, the Most High - will cause to be of benefit, and it is:That they should all be in conformity and harmony, so that they may become strong, and become an obstacle blocking the way of those who plot against Islaam and its people. This is what Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - has enjoined upon us. He - the Most High - said: "And hold fast altogether to the rope of Allaah and do not be divided. And remember the favour of Allaah upon you, in that you were once enemies to one another, but He joined your hearts together, so that by His Grace you became brothers." [Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:103].

And Allaah the Blessed, the Most High - said: "Let there arise from amongst you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil. It is they who are the successful ones, And do not be like those who differed amongst themselves after the clear proofs had come to them; for them is a painful punishment." [Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:104-105]. So Allaah ordered that they should all cling together to His rope and He forbade splitting, and in other Aayahs He forbade differing, and informed us that it is the cause of failure and the cause of decline of strength, and He ordered us to persevere patiently. So Allaah - the Most High - said: "And do not differ, lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be patient. Indeed Allaah is with those who are patient." [Soorah al-Anfaal 8:46].

And as is known, the people of good who help the youths of the revival in their work - with what they are able from wealth, and so on - if they see them splitting in this way, then they will not be so eager to help and assist them. So I call all of our brothers to unite together, and to fear Allaah with regards to themselves and with regards to the Ummah (nation) of Islaam, and that they should not cover up this light which has appeared on the horizon; the call to Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic ..."1

Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) - rahimahullaah - said:
"Holding fast to the rope of Allaah altogether and not becoming divided is one of the greatest usool (fundamentals) of Islaam."2

[2]:THE PROHIBITION OF SPLITTING
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan - hafidhahullaah - said: "Splitting up is not from the Religion, since the Religion

commands us with unity and that we should be a single Jamaa'ah and a single Ummah upon the 'aqeedah (belief) of Tawheed (i.e. to single out Allaah alone for worship) and upon following the Messenger sallallaahu 'aloyhi wa sallam. Allaah - the Most High - said:"Indeed this Ummah of yours is a single Ummah and I am your Lord, so worship Me
alone." [Soorah al-Anbiyaa 21:92].

And Allaah - the Most High -
said: "And hold fast altogether to the rope of Allaah and do not become divided." [Soorah Aal-'lmaan 3:103]. And Allaah - the Most Perfect - said: "Indeed those who split-up their Religion and become sects, you have no part with them in the least. Their affair is with Allaah who will tell them what they used to do." [Soorah al-An'aam 6:159].

So this contains a severe warning against splitting and differing. Allaah - the Most High - said: "And do not be like there who split-up and differed after the clear evidences came to them. For them is a tremendous punishment." [Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:105]. So our Religion is the Religion of al-Jamaa'ah, and the Religion of agreement and unity. Splitting is not from the Religion, since the Religion orders that we are a single Jamaa'ah and the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The Believer to the Believer is like a building, one part supporting the other."3

And he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said: "The example of the Believers with respect to their mutual love, mercy and affection is like the example of a single body."4 And it is known that a building and a body are a single cohesive thing, not disunited and fragmented - since if a building splits then it will collapse; and likewise a body, if it splits, then life will be lost. Thus, there must be a unity and we must be a single Jamaa'ah whose foundation is Tawheed and whose methodology is the da'wah (call) of the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam; and which proceeds upon the Religion of Islaam. Allaah - the Most High - said:"And this is My Straight Path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths that will separate you from His Path." [Soorah al-An'aam 6:153].

So these groups, and this splitting which is present today, is not approved of by Islaam. Rather, Islaam forbids it severely and commands uniting upon the 'aqeedah (belief) of Tawheed and upon the methodology of Islaam, a single Jamaa'ah and a single Ummah, just as our Lord - the Most Perfect, the Most High - ordered. And splitting and their being many (differing) groups and parties is from the plots of the devils - from the jinn and mankind against this Ummah. So the kuffaar (disbelievers) and the munaafiqs (hypocrites) have never ceased, since olden times, introducing their poison in order to split the Ummah. The jews said previously: "And a party of the People of the Book say: Believe in the morning in that which is revealed to the Muslims, but reject it at the end of the day, so they turn back." [Soorah Aal-'Imraan 3:72]

Meaning: that the Muslims will leave their religion when they see you leaving it. And the Hypocrites said: "Do not spend on those who are with Allaah's Messenger until they desert him." [Soorah al-Munaafiqoon 63:7]. "And as for those who erect a mosque by way of disbelief and seeking to harm and disunite the Believers ..." [Soorah at-Tawbah 9:107]."5

[3]: THE CONNECTION BETWEEN UNITY AND REFUTING FALSE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES
Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baaz - hafidhahullaah - said:

"There is no doubt that it is obligatory upon the Muslims to unify their ranks and to unite their word upon the truth and to co-operate in goodness and piety against the enemies of Islaam - as Allaah, the Most Perfect - ordered them with in His saying: "And hold fast altogether to the rope of Allaah and do not become divided." [Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:102]. And likewise, Allaah has warned the Muslims against splitting up, as occurs in His - the Most Perfect's - saying: "And do not be like those who differed and split-up after the clear evidences came to them." [Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:105].

However, the order to unify the Muslims and unite their word upon the truth and to hold fast to the rope of Allaah, does not mean that they should not censure wrong beliefs and practices - whether from the Soofees or other than them. Rather, what the order to hold fast to the Rope of Allaah necessitates is: To order the good; forbid the evil; to clarify the truth, with the clear Sharee'ah proofs, to whomsoever is misguided or has a mistaken opinion, until they unite upon the truth and turn away from that which opposes it. All of this is included in His - the Most Perfect's - saying: "And help you one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression." [Soorah al-Maa'idah 5:2].

And His - the Most Perfect's - saying: "Let there arise from amongst you a group of people calling to all that is good, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, they are the ones who are successful." [Soorah Aal'Imraan 3:1 10]. And when the people of truth hold back from clarifying the mistakes of those who have erred or are mistaken, then they will not have achieved that which Allaah ordered them with, as regards calling to goodness, ordering the good and forbidding the evil. So the person in error will remain upon his error, and the one acting in opposition to the truth will remain upon his mistake. And this is contrary to what Allaah - the Most Perfect - prescribed, with regards to sincere advice, co-operation upon goodness, ordering the good and forbidding the evil - and Allaah alone is the One Who grants success."6

Shaykhul-lslaam Ibn Taymiyyah - rahimahullaah - said: "Refuting ahlul-bida' (the innovators) is a Jihaad, to the extent that Yahyaa ibn Yahyaa (d.226H) said: "Defence of the Sunnah is more excellent than Jihaad in the path of Allaah."7"8

Imaam al-Humaydee (d.218H) - rahimahullaoh - said: "By Allaah, that I fight against those who reject the hadeeth of Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam is more beloved to me than fighting the unbelievers."9

Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H)- rahimahullaah - said: "Jihaad with the clear proofs and the tongue; Comes before Jihaad with the sword and the spear."10

Shaykhul-lslaam Ibn Taymiyyah - rahimahullaah - said: "When some people asked Ahmad bin Hanbal (d.241H) that they felt uneasy about [criticising people] by saying that such and such is this, and such and such is that, he replied: "lf I were to remain silent, how would the ignorant ones know the authentic [narrations] from the inauthentic?" Similarly, the innovators who introduce heretical writings which oppose the Qur'aan and the Sunnah, and those who innovate in matters of worship, then explaining their true condition and warning the Ummah against them is an obligation by the unanimous agreement of the Muslim Scholars.

In fact, when Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal was asked whether a person who fasted, prayed and secluded himself in the mosque for worship was dearer to him than a person who spoke out against ahlul-bid'ah (the innovators), he replied: "When he fasts and prays and secludes himself, then he does so for the benefit of his own self. However, when he speaks out against the innovators, he does so for the benefit of the Muslims in general, and this is more virtuous." So it is clear that opposing the Innovators is of general benefit to the Muslims and is considered one of the types of Jihaad in the path of Allaah.

Since purifying the Religion of Allaah, and its minhaaj (methodology), its Shoree'ah, and defending it from their attacks and that of their enemies is a collective obligation - a fact which is agreed upon by the Scholars. For if Allaah did not raise up some people to repel the harms [caused by] others, then the Religion would become corrupted. Indeed, this type of corruption is even greater than the corruption resulting from the disbelievers conquering the Muslims. This is because when the disbelievers conquer the Muslims, they do not corrupt their hearts nor their Religion, except after some time. Whereas the innovators corrupt the hearts from the very outset."11

1. From a series of questions and answers, recorded on the 16th of Dhul-Hijjah 1416H (corresponding to the 3rd of May 1996CE).
2. Majmoo' Fataawaa (22/359).
3. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.481) and Muslim (no.2585), from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhu.
4. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.6011) and Muslim (no.2586), from an-Nu'maan ibn Basheer radiallaahu 'anhu.
5. Maraaji'aat fi Fiqhil-Waaqi' (pp.44-45).
6. Tanbeehaat fir-Radd 'alaa man Ta'awwallis-Sifaat (pp.31-32).
7. Siyar A'laamun-Nubalaa (1015 18).
8. Naqdul-Mantaq wal-Kalaam (p.12).
9. Related by adh-Dhahabee in Siyar A'laamun-Nubalaa (10/619).
10. Qaseedah an-Nooniyyah (1112).
11. Majmoo' Fataawaa (28/23 1-232)

.

False Desires and its Evil Effects upon Unity!!

False Desires and its Evil Effects upon Unity


Allaah - the Most High - said:

"And those who were given the Scripture (the Jews and the Christians) did not split-up except out of baghee (hatred and envy) between each other, after the knowledge had come to them." [Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:19].

Imaam as-Sa'dee (d.1376H)- rahimahullaah - said:
"This is why Allaah - the Most High - ordered the Muslims with ijtimaa' (collectiveness) in their Religion, and prohibited them from tafarruq (splitting-up). He informed them that they must not reject what Allaah revealed to them from the Book. Indeed the People of the Book (i.e. the jews and the Christians) did not split-up until after Allaah had revealed to them the Scripture, in which He ordered them with ijtimaa' (being unified). However, they did the opposite to what He ordered them with, due to mutual jealousy and hatred. So hatred and jealousy culminated in them having grudges and enmity between one another, they then fell into differing and splitting up. So - O Muslims - beware of doing the likes of this."1

Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) - rahimahullaah - said:
"Allaah explained that their splitting only occurred after the knowledge had come to them, and which showed them what they were commanded to do and to avoid. For Allaah does not leave people to stray, except after giving them guidance, until He explains to them what they were commanded to do. And He informed that the reason for their tafarruq (splitting) was due to baghee (mutual envy, jealousy, hatred) And baghee occurs due to either falling short of the truth, or transgressing the limits. It is due either to abandoning an obligation, or doing something prohibited. So know that this is what necessitates tafarruq (splitting)."2

THE ROOT OF CORRUPTION
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H) - rahimahullaah - said:
"It is upon the one who speaks in this matter, or any other matter, that he should only do so based upon knowledge and the truth; and that his objective should be sincerity to Allaah, to His Book, to His Messenger; and the giving of sincere advice to his Muslim brothers. But if he makes the truth accord with his own whims and desires, then this will corrupt and ruin the heart, the actions, and the state of affairs. Allaah - the Most High - said: "And if the truth were to be in accordance with their desires, then indeed the heavens and the earth - and all that is therein - would be corrupted and ruined." [Soorah al-Mu'minoon 23:71].

The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "None of you truly believe until he makes his desires accord with what I have been sent with."3 So 'ilm (knowledge) and 'adl (justice) are the root of every good, whereas dhulm (oppression) and jahl (ignorance) are the root of every evil. And Allaah - the Most High - sent His Messenger with the Guidance and the Religion of Truth, and He commanded the doing of justice between people and that none of them should follow their whims and desires. Allaah the Most High - said: "So call to Islaam and stand firm, and do not follow their whims and desires, but say: I believe in whatever has been revealed by Allaah from the Book, and I have been commanded to do justice between you. Allaah is our Lord and your Lord, for us our deeds and for you your deeds. There is no dispute between us and you. Allaah will assemble us all, and to Him is the final return." [Soorah ash-Shooraa 42:15]."4

A NECESSARY JIHAAD
Shaykhul-lslaam Ibn Taymiyyah - rahimahullaah - said:
"Jihaad against the nafs (soul) and its whims and desires is the foundation of jihaad against the unbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed a person will not have the ability to wage jihaad against them, until he wages jihaad against his own soul and its whims and desires first."5

Shaykh al-Ghunaymaan - hafidhahullaah - said:
"It is obligatory upon all those who speak about an affair from the affairs of the Religion that they do so purely for Allaah's sake, sincerely for the truth. And that they overcome their soul and strive hard against following their whims and desires, not inclining towards worldly matters; such as love of being praised, seeking fame and reputation, gaining a large following, and other such matters. So the one who seeks to gain any of this, will gain only the vanities of this world."6

1. Tayseerul-Kareemur-Rahmaan (p.701).
2. Majmoo' Fataawaa (1/14).
3. Da'eef: Related by Ibn Abee 'Aasim (no.15). It was declared weak by Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab in Jaami' ul-'Uloom wal-Hikam (no.41).
4. Madaarijus-Saalikeen (3/532-533).
5. Related by Ibn al-Qayyim in Dhammul-Hawaa wa Ittibaa'ihi (p.28).
6. Al-Hawaa wa Atharahu fil-Khilaaf (p.20).

The Way To Salvation In the Light of Surah Al-Asr!!

The Way To Salvation In the Light of Surah Al-Asr


Commentary On Surah Al-Asr

By Dr. Israr Ahmed

Taken from the Author’s Book, “The Way To Salvation In the Light of Surah Al-Asr”, Published by the Cooperative Office for Call and Guidance at Al-Badia Communities Section under the Supervision of Presidency of Islamic Research, IFTA and Propagation, P.O. Box 24952, Riyadh, 11456,Tel. 966-1-4350455, Fax 966-1-41000122, Saudi Arabia.


Fundamental Points Regarding Surah Al-‘Asr:

1. The first point is that this is one of the earliest surahs of the Glorious Qur’an to be revealed. It was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the earliest period of his prophethood in Makkah.

2. The second point is that it is one of the shortest surahs of the Glorious Qur’an as it has only three verses, the first of which is comprised of only one word “Wal-Asr”.

3. The third point is that it is one of the most comprehensive surahs of the Glorious Qur’an. The Holy Qur’an is a book of guidance for all mankind, which has been revealed to guide mankind on the road to success and salvation. This path of salvation towards which the Holy Qur’an guides us has been described with utmost brevity and comprehensiveness in this short surah.

The whole Glorious Qur’an is like a tree, and this short surah is its seed. And as a seed contains the total potentiality of a whole tree, Surah Al-Asr contains the essence of the Holy Qur’an. This is why some reports of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) indicate that whenever two of them met and sat together they never parted without reciting Surah Al-Asr to each other.

And this can be the reason why Imam Al-Shafeii (may Allah bless him) has said about this surah that if the people were to ponder over this surah alone, it would suffice for their guidance. He has also been reported as saying that if nothing else would have been revealed in this Glorious Qur’an except this surah then this surah would have been sufficient for man’s guidance.

4. The fourth point is that the wording of this surah is very simple and easy to understand. The masterpieces of literature of every language are sublime in subject matter and meaning but so simple in style and wording that they can be understood by all. This is why such pieces of liter ature are easily accessible to everyone. The Glorious Qur’an is the most eminent masterpiece of Arabic literature and in its totality can be understood easily. But this short surah is the best example of the most lucid surahs of the Holy Qur’an. Though it is very complete and all-embracing, not a single high-sounding or elusive word has been used in it. Its words are familiar even to those who are only acquainted with Urdu or Persian, and do not know Arabic.

The Two Levels of Understanding Qur’an:

Before describing the significance of this surah, it is important to state the fundamental principle that the Qur’an can be comprehended on many levels. The real lesson which is implicit in any surah or verse of the Holy Qur’an should be made explicit in order that the basic guidance regarding hu man conduct may be attained. The Glorious Qur’an calls this Tazakkur bil Qur’an, i.e., realizing through the Qur’an the fundamental truths implicit in human nature. From this point of view, the Glorious Qur’an is the easiest of books to understand. The highest stage of contemplation of Qur’anic verses has been termed Tadabbur bil Qur’an, which means reflecting and pondering over every word deeply, in order to deduce the philosophy and the wisdom of the Holy Book In this sense the Holy Qur’an is the most difficult of books as it is not easy to attain the depth of its meaning.

In this paper, I will describe clearly and in detail the basic guidance obtained through the application of Tazakkur bil Qur’an to Surah Al-Asr. I will also include some hints concerning Tadabbur bil Qur’an so that those who are interested in the deeper contemplation of the Qur’an may also benefit.

The English Translation of Surah Al-‘Asr:

A simple translation of the surah is as follows:
1. By Time,
2. Verily all human beings are in loss,
3. Except those who have achieved ‘Faith’, have per formed Righteous deeds, and have emphasized to each other the teaching of ‘Truth’ and (the value of) ‘Patience’ (perseverance and constancy).
Analysis of the Translation:
The three verses in this surah form one complete sen tence. The first verse “Wal-Asr” is an oath. The second verse describes a general rule. The third verse describes an exception from that general rule. Combined together, all the three verses constitute a single statement.

Please implant this simple statement firmly and clearly in your mind. And by pondering over it, you should deduce four conclusions which are the basic lessons of this surah.

The Criterion of Success and Failure:

The most important truth flowing forth from this surah is Allah’s presentation of the real criterion of man’s success and failure. Every person keeps in his mind a criterion of success and failure, of gain and loss. All his endeavors and the whole struggle of his life in this world is directed according to this criterion. An intellectually mature person is rarely found who does not have an appointed goal or an ideal before him.
Even small children, specially the more intelligent ones, keep before them a standard of achievement. They concentrate their energies on the attainment of their goals.

If we were to look around in our society as well as to search our hearts and minds, we would find that in this age, the real criterion of success or failure is wealth and property, or status, honor, fame and ostentation, or worldly power. All but a few are running after these things. They expend their energies for these purposes. The minds of most of our students are directed towards obtaining degrees in science or technology, so that they may earn a lot of money or achieve status, position or power. The achievement of these things is their criterion of success or failure.

The paramount truth which comes to our minds by studying Surah Al-Asr is very different from this. In other words, the criterion of man’s success is neither money or wealth, nor status, position, power, or ostentation. Rather its first condition is ‘Faith’, the second is ‘righteous deeds’, the third is ‘exhortation to truth’, and the fourth is ‘exhor tation to patience’.

By this criterion, a person who does not possess the above four qualities is unsuccessful and will never achieve his real goal, and in the end he will be a loser, though he might be a millionaire, even a billionaire like Qarun and-might have highest status, position, and power, even kingship like Pharaoh or Herod. Conversely any one who has these four prerequisites is successful and triumphant, even if he has no worldly wealth or property, and may be penniless, homeless, friendless, unknown, un-honored and starving.

If you reflect deeply over it, you will find that acknowledging this truth is very easy, but its realization in your heart and soul is very difficult. * We are living in a world of cause and effect, and we are bound to be influenced by its external features. When we see that comfort, prosperity, honor and reputation is due to wealth and worldly resources, we involuntarily rush to get these things, so much so that we forget to distinguish between right and wrong, legal and illegal, approved and forbidden. In other words, the reformation of our attitudes and the righteousness of our actions depends upon changing our criteria of our success and failure, gain and loss. This is the real lesson of this unique surah.

With a little contemplation it will become clear that if the simple truth stated in this great surah is engraved on our heart and penetrates our soul, it will revolutionize our point of view, change our values, and transform radically our day to day life. What was thought most important before will appear to be most trivial, and what was insignificant before will become significant.


The great transformation which was brought about in the lives of the Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the result of this deep-rooted change in their point of view. In their sight this world and whatever is in it seemed insignificant as compared to the achievement of Allah’s pleasure and that of the Prophet. This is the real lesson of this magnificent surah, and everyone should keep it in mind so that it may be infused in his heart and soul.

The Minimum Conditions and Essential Prerequisites of Salvation:

This surah describes only the minimum conditions and the essential prerequisites for salvation, not the highest stages of achievement, nor the lofty ranks of success and accomplishment. It explains the minimum demanded of us for our salvation. Anything less would be failure. It does not mention first or second division, grades ‘A’ or ‘B’ of success but only states the mere passing grade, the minimum requirement for our success.

This second conclusion has very important implications for our actions. The extreme decadence of the moral and practical life of Muslims is a result of their forgetting this injunction of the Glorious Qur’an. The realization that this is the minimum standard of success will necessarily produce the proportionate effort, struggle, and sacrifice for achieving it. People who strive for the lofty ranks and sublime stages of religious excellence are rare. Most men only try to fulfill the minimum requirements for salvation in one way or another. This is why in this glorious surah the minimum de mands of salvation have been described in simplest terms so that people may dedicate themselves to its achievement according to their capability. All the four Conditions are indispensable. The third conclusion is a corollary of the second one.

For salvation, ‘faith’, ‘righteous deeds’, ‘exhortation of truth’, and ‘exhortation of patience’ are all necessary. None of them can be dropped. These are the words of Allah. Not a single additional word is added in it for the sake of rhyme or exaggeration. Four conditions have been stated for saving us from utter loss or failure, and certainly all four of them ire necessary. If any one of them is left out, then the guaran tee of man’s salvation will not rest on the Holy Qur’an. For example, if a medical expert writes four medicines in a prescription for a patient, and the patient leaves out any of them according to his own judgment, then the medical expert will not be responsible for the incomplete medication. The patient himself will be responsible for this error.

It is necessary. to emphasize this fact, because a false notion has taken hold of the great majority of Muslims that salvation depends on the mere utterance of the declara tion of faith, that the mere verbal confession of ‘faith’ is sufficient for salvation, and any practical application of it to his life is an additional goodness which will elevate him to high stages. You will find very few people who think that after professing faith actively living by its dictates is necessary for salvation. Even these few people rarely regard it as necessary for everyone to take up the task of ‘exhortation to truth’. It is usually assumed that the propagation of the message of Islam is the task of a particular group only, and for others preaching is neither necessary nor suitable.

Even that special group, instead of propagating the complete truth facing all the tribulations this effort brings with it, have left the path of determination and sacrifice, and made their path easier by attenuating Allah’s require ments. In this manner the whole Muslim Nation has become dominated by inactivity, stagnation, escapism, and sloth. This situation cannot change until Muslims realize that the performance of righteous deeds is essential for salvation. Even more is required. The affirmation and declaration of truth and inviting others to accept it, as well as remaining steadfast in the face of hardships and calamities for truth’s sake is also necessary. This is the truth which has been stated in this shortest but most comprehensive surah.

It is necessary to understand the rational relation bet ween these four components. To be called a man of charac ter implies, judging what is wrong or right in every matter, then adopting in practice whatever his heart and mind has sanctioned as right. A man must not only adopt it himself, but must declare it openly, inviting others to acknowledge and accept it. If in this connection, he faces difficulties and hardships, or has to offer sacrifices, then he must show courage and fortitude, patience and perseverance, and should never retreat or withdraw from his stand.

For a man of noble character, it is not possible to adopt any other course. Otherwise he will be a coward and man of weak character, not a man of principle. This is the rati6nal and logical se quence in these four components: (1) ‘faith’ (2) ‘righteous deeds’ (3) ‘exhortation to truth’ (4) ‘exhortation to patience and endurance’. And it is not possible for a man of strong character to try to avoid any one of these.

Eloquence with categorical Emphasis:

The fourth conclusion obtained by analyzing and paraphrasing this surah is that the above three conclusions are categorical and most emphatic in their nature and that there is no doubt concerning any of them. Our whole faith rests upon accepting the Glorious Qur’an as the word of Allah and accepting this word as infallible. And who can be more truthful in his statements than Allah? Moreover, Allah has not merely stated these truths, but has taken an oath for confirming their validity. This oath makes this state ment more emphatic, and whatever realities are hidden in it, and whatever moral lessons are conveyed by it, are all of them delivered with complete certainty, free from all doubts and compromise. This means that mankind is unknowingly moving towards utter loss and is on the verge of destruction, with the exception of those who have fulfilled these four conditions of ‘faith’, ‘righteous deeds’, ’exhortation to truth’, and ‘exhortation to patience’, and have passed all tests and ordeals which come in the way of fulfilling these conditions.

These are the four basic conclusions which can be drawn by contemplating on this glorious surah. In fact this is the gist of Surah Al-Asr, according to the practice of Tazakkur bil-Qur’an in order to obtain its basic meaning.

Now I want you to study and understand every word of this surah rather in depth, in order to make clear that despite of its simple wording great realities are concealed in it, and gems of wisdom and prudence are hidden in it.

The Real Meaning of ‘Wal Asr”:

Let us take the word “Wal Asr” which we have simply translated as ‘taking an oath by time’. The real meaning of ‘Asr’ is not only time, but a period which passes swiftly. In Arabic language the two words ‘Asr’ and ‘Dahr’ are very comprehensive. In both of them, not only time, but time-space complex is implied. Curiously enough in the Glorious Qur’an, there are surahs with the title of both ‘Asr’ and ‘Dahr’. The word ‘Dahr’ connotes the vastness of the space-time continuum, or in the terminology of modern philosophy, absolute time or pure duration. The word ‘Asr’ connotes the sweep of time or its swift flow. In other words, ‘Asr’ means serial time.

In the word “Wal -Asr” the letter (Waw) is a preposition, and is used as an oath and testimonial. In short, the real meaning of the word “Wal-‘Asr” is that the swift passage of time through the ages bears witness and provides evidence for the statements that follow.

The Vast Meaning of ‘Khusran’ or Loss:

We have translated the second verse as ‘Verily all human beings are in loss’. But even this translation does not convey the real meaning, because the Qur’anic term ‘Khusran’ is not a monetary loss of a few thousands or millions, but indicates complete destruction. In the Holy Qur’an many words have been used for achievement and success such as accomplishment, triumph, fulfilment, and blessing. But as an an tonym of all these, only one comprehensive word is used and that is ‘Khusran’. It means that the second verse really shows that the whole mankind is standing on the verge of destruction or doom.
The significant reality which has been described in this verse, and the human tragedy towards which this verse points out, can be conceived or realized full in its true perspective in two stages.

Firstly, every one in this worldly life faces a hard struggle for existence. Many people have to undertake rigorous labor from morning till evening, but are unable to provide the bare necessities of life for their dependents. The majority of human beings can not afford even the basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care. Even prosperous people have to work hard to maintain their status. From this point of view, a human being is like a beast of burden. But he is even more tragic because he is a creature of feelings and emotions. In addition to all that labor, he has to bear numerous mental hardships. Sometimes, he is deeply moved by the love of his children, sometimes by the troubles faced by his kith and kin. Sometimes he has to put up with the sorrow of a relative’s illness, or the shock of the death of someone loved by him. Not only hard work and labor is his lot but grief and sorrow as well.

You must have known that by observing these very troubles and tribulations of life Buddha was so much dis heartened and dismayed that in the prime of his life he left his young wife and innocent son and ran out to the jungles in search of ‘truth’.

The masses generally harbor the misunderstanding that wealthy and prosperous people have no anxieties. As a matter of fact, the kind of psychic agony which they face is rarely experienced by a common man. They face numerous conflicts and frustrations, and very often the people of this class fall prey to mental diseases and psychic disorders. This is the first stage of human tragedy and this has been mentioned very eloquently in the last part of the Glorious Qur’an, is surah No. 90 Al-Balad’ in verse No. 4 wherein Allah says:

“Verily We have created man in toil and struggle”.

But added to this tragedy of the terrestrial existence is the doom of the worst type that is manifest in the life Hereafter. The climax of human tragedy is that after tolerating all troubles and hardships of this world, suddenly he will have to present himself before his Creator and give account for all the activities of his life. This is the picture, which has been presented in surah No. 84, entitled ‘Insheqaq’ Verse No. 6 wherein Allah says:

“Verily man, you are ever toiling on towards your Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer) - painfully toiling - but you shall meet Him’.

And, if in that trial, his thoughts, convictions, actions and activities are found deviating from the straight path, he would undergo a heart-rending and most severe punishment and torture in the hell forever. And this is the real loss as Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

‘That is the sheer loss’

The Interrelation of the First Two Verses:

It is clear that the first verse is an oath and the second is the statement for which the oath has been taken. That is, in the second verse a truth has been stated, and in the first evidence has been presented for it. The question is: what is the logical sequence between the two?

By contemplating over it, we realize that ‘time’, constantly passing, is like a sheet, which is spread up to eternity. It means that ‘time’ is an entity, which is an eye witness to the entire passage of man’s life, from his birth to death and to the life of the Hereafter. Hence, the toiling, painful life of man is present before it, and it stands witness also to the momentous events of the rise and fall of nations. The life of the Hereafter, the climax of human tragedy, is also before its gaze. Thus ‘time’ is the greatest witness to the fact that ‘verily man is in a state of loss’.

This ascertained truth has an added element of warning implied by “Wal -‘Asr”. This warning is, that the real cause of mankind’s ruination, destruction, and utter loss is his negligence, and that by entangling himself in his immediate problems and the trivial affairs of his life, he faces a state of perplexity and self-negation.

The word “Wal-‘Asr” is a clarion call to wake him up from his indifference and slumber. It points out: O careless man! Your real asset is time, which is passing swiftly, and your real capital is this probationary period of worldly life which is ending quickly, and if you are unable to build up your personality, or according to the words of Iqbal, the poet of the East, if you have not achieved any sublimity in your SELF or EGO, then you will have, to face eternal loss, and your life will be doomed.

The Real Meaning of ‘Iman’or Faith:

The first condition of salvation, or deliverance from this sheer destruction, is ‘Iman’ (faith). The word ‘Iman’ has been derived from ‘aman’ meaning peace. Its literal meaning is to provide peace and tranquility. But in its technical sense the word ‘Iman’ is used with the prepositions. In this form its literal mean ing is to have trust or belief in and to testify. In order to understand the real meaning of ‘Iman’ (faith) it is necessary to realize that any man who has attained maturity of intelligence obviously starts thinking on perennial questions like “Who am I?”, “From where did I come?”, “What is the nature of the Universe ?” and “What is the last destination of the journey of my life?” Those who have studied philosophy, know that throughout the history of human thought many thinkers continued to ponder over these questions, and tried to find satisfactory answers. Without an answer to these questions, a human being is in the dark, knowing little about his real self, or about the universe, or his own beginning, or the beginning or end of the Universe.

It is evident that these questions cannot be answered merely by our physical senses. As yet we have not been able to fathom the vastness even of the physical world. How can we have any knowledge of its beginning or end? Similarly, the question whether or not we had any existence before our creation in this world, and whether after death there will be any continuity of our existence or not, cannot be answered by our senses, because we cannot possibly peep into the world of existence either prior to our birth or beyond physical death. In short, man is utterly helpless to attain true and ultimate knowledge.

Despite these natural limitations, there have been in the history of mankind a number of persons who claimed that they had a special source of knowledge which they called (revelation’. On the authority of ‘revelation’ they knew for certain that this universe did not exist from eternity nor would to remain in existence for ever. It has been brought into existence by a Creator Who possesses all the attributes of perfection in their utmost degree of excellence, and He is Unique in His essence and attributes. He had always existed and will continue to exist for ever. It is He Who has created you, and your life is not the life of this world only, but He would again bring you back to life after death, and that life will be real and eternal. In that life of the Hereafter, you will face your rewards or punishments for your convictions, actions and pursuits during this life.

This Creator and Master has assigned messengers from among men and given them the task of proclaiming these verities and the right way of living in this world so that men may be saved from sheer loss in the life Hereafter and may achieve success and eternal bliss.

These Messengers are known as Prophets of Allah and the affirmation of our belief in them is called Iman’ or belief in prophethood. This faith has two aspects: verbal confession and certainty in our hearts. We testify verbally that we believe in all prophets, and, according to their teachings, we believe in Allah with all His revealed attributes, and we believe in life after death, and in the day of judgment, in reward and punishment, and in hell and heaven. We also accept these verities with utmost certitude in our hearts. These two conditions constitute our faith or ‘Iman’. Faith is certitude about the Creator, man and the universe. It leads to two results:

The first is that a man’s internal anxiety must disappear and he must achieve inner peace and satisfaction, when, as a result of this faith, the natural inquisitiveness regarding his own identity and the nature of universe is gratified. This internal serenity is the gift of faith. That is why, etymologically, the Arabic word for faith is a derivative of the root word ‘aman’ which means peace.

The second is a reform of one’s actions and life-style. As the Socratic doctrine says ‘Knowledge is virtue, and ignorance is vice’. A believer should be adorned with high morals and virtuous deeds, and should be free from inferior and degrading actions.

This second point is very important because it shows that ‘faith’ and ‘action’ are linked, that faith (Iman) and righteous deeds (Amal-i-Saleh) are interrelated. Compare for a moment two men. One thinks that this universe has come into existence accidentally and that its entire system and organization is running automatically. The second acknowledges that there is an Almighty, All-knowing, All-Wise, All-powerful, Supreme Being, Who has ordained and created this cosmos and that He is the Ordainer Who has ordained this Universe and everything in it, land it is running according to His decrees.

Is it possible that the life attitude and actions of these two persons would be similar? Would not there be a tremendous difference between their attitudes and behavior ? Similarly, one man thinks that this life which he is leading in this world is the only life and there is no life after death, there is no accountability, no responsibility, no reward or punishment. Another man is sure that the real and everlasting life will begin after death, that the life of this material world is nothing but a preamble of that real life which will start in the Hereafter, and that after death every person will be answerable not only for every action, but for every word and thought.

The attitudes and actions of these two would necessarily be different.
It is quite easy to conclude that the goal of life of the former would be to enjoy every minute of this life, as there is no life after it. And in this gratification of the instinct of enjoyment, he might not distinguish between right and wrong, lawful and unlawful. But the second man would take every step in his life with caution and he would be conscious of his responsibility at all times. A man’s faith necessitates tremendous transformation in his life.

Please do understand clearly that the idea commonly held in our society that ‘faith’ and ‘action’ are separate is only true about the legal aspect of ‘faith’. In this society a man is considered and pronounced a Muslim on the basis of verbal confession only. We cannot possibly include his action and conduct in this. But that genuine ‘faith’ which includes certainty of one’s heart and soul must bring a transformation in one’s actions. If one’s daily life is not changed, this is an absolute proof that genuine ‘faith’ does not exist in his heart. His faith is no more than a profession.

This truth has been clarified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in many of his traditions and sayings. He said:

“A man who betrays his trust has no ‘faith’, and the person who does not fulfill his promise has no religion.”

Now think over it and see how beautiful is our Prophet’s way of expression, and how the thought expressed is as clear as a basic mathematical proposition.
Similarly, once the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) swore three times, saying:

“By God, he is not a believer, by God, he is not a believer, by God, he is not a believer”. The Companions of the Prophet enquired: “Who is that person about whom you are saying this?’ He said in reply : It is the person from whose misconduct his neighbor is not safe.”

Just see how emphatically the Holy Prophet has referred to the complete negation of faith and that too not on account of committing a major sin, such as, polytheism, unjustified murder adultery, theft or robbery, but only on account of something normally regarded as merely poor behavior. Is there any justification after this for thinking that ‘faith’ and ‘action’ are separate things and are not co-essential and interrelated? This is why in order to remove this misunderstanding completely the Holy Qur’an consistently mentions righteous deeds as the accompaniment of ‘faith’.

So long as faith is confined to the stage of verbal con fession and it is limited up to an utterance of words only, actions can be exactly the opposite of it, because the contradiction of word and actions is very commonly found in this world. But when faith reaches a state of certainty in our heart, when it penetrates our heart and soul and becomes an unshakable conviction, then our actions will necessarily be changed because the actions of a man are based on his belief and conviction. For example, we know that fire can burn us, so we would never put even a finger in it.

Even suspicion can influence our actions. We know that all snakes are not poisonous, but still even if we suspect that a particular snake might be poisonous, we keep away from it. Now if a person believes with utmost surety that Allah exists and that He is All-seeing, All-hearing, All-knowing; that every movement of his, every word which he utters and, more than this, even every intention of his heart is known to Him; that after death, he shall have no alternative but to present himself before Him, and shall have to give full account of his entire life, with no chance of escaping from the grip of His punishment, nor any hope of deliverance through ransom or intercession; then that man, believing all these things firmly, would not dare to lead a sinful life. This is the condi tion which has been described in the following saying of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):

“No adulterer commits adultery while he has faith. No thief commits a theft while he has faith. And no drunkard drinks intoxicants while he has faith.”

In fact these sins are committed only at a time when due to one reason or another the real faith of a man has dissipated or vanished from his heart. Faith and righteous deeds are interdependent and each of them is essential for the other. Righteous deeds, good morals and a lofty character are sine qua non of true faith. This is why in Surah Al-Asr, after faith, righteous deeds have been mentioned as a necessary condition of salvation.

The Real Meaning of Righteous Deeds:

The phrase righteous deeds is commonly translated as good actions. But, if we look deep into it, we would discover more significance hidden behind it. The two locutions ‘action’ and ‘activity’ are generally taken to convey the same sense. But there is a subtle difference in their meaning. Any kind of movement or work can be called activity, but the word action usually implies some strenuous or arduous work. On the other side, the word ‘virtuous’ or ‘righteous’ denotes something which had developmental characteristics and potential for enhancement.

By combining these two, we would realize that the actual significance of this term is that it is necessary for man to put up a hard struggle to achieve that real goat for which he was potentially created, and he had to ascend certain heights to attain that goal. All this is conveyed by the comprehensive word ‘righteous deed’.

Surah ‘At-Teen’ in many respects resembles Surah Al-‘Asr. Verses 4, 5 and 6 of the surah state:
“Surely we created man of the best stature. Then we reduced him to the lowest of the low, save those who believe and do good works, and theirs is a reward unfailing.” (95: 4-6)

This means that, in reality, man was created for the most sublime rank, and Allah conferred on him superiority not only over jinn (Genie) but also over angels. He was even endowed with the vicegerency of God. But in his terrestrial existence the spiritual self is imprisoned in his gross body of clay, wherein he falls a prey to the clutches of his carnal nature and is reduced to the lowest of low. Now to regain his lost status and sublime rank, it is necessary for him to obtain real knowledge. He must illumine his inner self with the light of faith and must perform good deeds, adorning his outer self with righteous actions, observing the canonical law of Islam and following the Prophet’s way of life. These are the prime prerequisites of his salvation.

The Meaning of Mutual Exhortation:

In the last part of Surah Al-'Asr, the word ‘tawasau’ has been used twice. Its verbal noun is ‘tawasi, and it is derived from ‘wasiyyat’, which means admonition, exhortation with persistent emphasis. Again, this infinitive is formed from the stem of the verbal noun ‘tafaul’, whose first attribute is mutual cooperation and the second is emphasis to the point of exaggeration. It means that this action of exhortation is required with the greatest fervor and intensity. This stage necessitates the establishment of a collective community or Ummah based on the principles of mutual preaching of truth and patience.

The Meaning of ‘Haqq’ or Truth:

Similarly, the connotation of the word Haqq is very ex tensive. Its meaning includes everything which is actually real (that is, it is not imaginary or based on presumption). It also connotes what is acknowledged by reason or is necessary ethically, or is purposive and not useless or vacuous. Hence exhortation to truth means confirming, acknowledg ing, inviting to and preaching every thing which is factually true and real, is ethically necessary and is proved by reason. Thus the spectrum of ‘truth’ encompasses on the one hand the testimony of the evident facts of our existence and, on the other hand, the testimony of the ultimate metaphysical truths of existence.

Exhortation to truth includes a whole range of activities, from giving personal moral advice to the clarion call of the greatest truth, the truth that the real Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer) and master of this universe is Allah, and that it is He who deserves that His Commands should be promulgated and that His laws should be enforced in this world. And this truth should not merely be pronounced verbally, but a vigorous struggle should be launched for its practical imple mentation and actualization.

Similarly, the comprehensive term ‘exhortation to truth ’embraces within itself concepts which underlie many technical terms of the Holy Qur’an, such as preaching virtues and holding back people from vices. It implies asking and inviting people to do good deeds and stop them from failing in the snare of every kind of evil, exhorting them to be merciful, to have compassion for each other and to be kind to each other; and calling people towards Allah ‘ persuading them to seek real knowledge and devotion before their Real Sovereign and Master, Allah. Also it includes efforts in the path of Allah, that is, struggling hard for the establishment of the supremacy of the true religion of Allah and spending one’s wealth for this purpose and sacri ficing one’s life for this noble cause.

The Meaning of Patience:

The meaning of patience is very comprehensive. Its real essence is that a person should continue to maintain himself upon the chosen path, without allowing any trouble, or temptation to deviate him from it. No amount of persecu tion or trial should cause him to desist. He must remain steadfast in every situation, and should display firmness, perseverance, bravery and fortitude. He must not only persevere in following the truth but must also continue to persuade others to accept it and comply with it.

Exhortation to Truth and Exhortation to Patience are Co-essential:

As faith and righteous deeds are inter-related; so are exhortation to truth and exhortation to patience. This is because the invitation to truth is usually not welcomed and it has often to face resistance. It is necessary for those who are dedicated to truth to put up with oppression and persecution.

So Perhaps all of us have experienced that even a little piece of moral advice can be disliked by people. For example, if a person owes five dollars to some one, and is putting off its payment and you ask him to pay that amount to his creditor, he will frown at you. If he is in an angry mood, he may warn you not to interfere in his affairs. Now you can well imagine how much resistance would be offered and to what extent people will oppose the preaching which demands from them the fulfilling of their major obligations and religious duties.

And this is the point where a person faces the real test of his character and conviction. It is a fact that mere appre hension and recognition of truth is not so difficult, as is adopting it for oneself and inviting others to act upon it and to remaining firm in this struggle. In Qur’anic terminology, this is called ‘istiqamat’ i.e., steadfastness. This is the acid test which proves to what extent a person is committed to his objectives and whether he possesses anything which can be termed stability of character and commitment.

This is why the Holy Qur’an lays so much emphasis on the fact that true believers necessarily have to face tests and ordeals, and the truthfulness of their claims to have faith is to be examined and tested in many ways. Only those are regarded as sincere in their faith who remain firm in the face of ordeals and provide concrete proof of patience and perseverance.

The Interrelation of Faith, Righteous Deeds and Mutual Exhortation:

We have seen that faith and righteous deeds are interdependent and also exhortation to truth and exhortation to patience. Now, if we understand the relationship between these two pairs, we will have a complete view of this surah.

Nothing and no one can avoid influencing his environment and being influenced by it. The coldness of ice will necessarily chill its surroundings and the heat of fire will surely make them warmer. The same is true in the field of morality. If the spirit of righteous deeds is really engendered in a person, it must have an impact upon his environment and he will necessarily be a source of diffusing goodness and virtue. The natural outcome of righteous deeds is the propagation of truth in society.

This principle operates in ethics very forcefully. If the social environment favors evil, it will necessarily bring about deterioration in the lives of its citizens. The only possible way to escape from this is to change that environ ment or at least to struggle vehemently to change it. Even if a person cannot change it, he can at least in this way, act on the principle that the best defence is a good offence, and repel it defensively.

Thus the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

If any one among you observes a vice, it is his duty to change it by force. If he is not able to do so, he should protest against it verbally. If he does not possess even this much of courage, he should detest it by his heart and soul, which means that his heart should regard it as bad, and that he should regret that he could not stop it, and this is the weakest degree of faith’.

The nobility of a man’s character demands exhortation to truth because the goodness in any person who has dis covered truth and adopted for himself necessarily demands that he should present it to others, that the greatest number of people may benefit from it, and should partake of its blessing. Thus the Holy Prophet said :

“No one among you can be regarded a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”

The self-respect and ardent zeal of a man who has accepted truth demand that he should preach it to others. He should uphold it, propagate it, and should sacrifice his life and wealth in the struggle to make it supremely established in society.

If a man adopts a particular way of life and his environ ment adopts another, then there are only two possibilities. He must either adopt himself to his environment, in that way, removing the discrepancies and resolving clash and discords or, if he finds the environment totally against his wishes, he should put up a tough resistance, should wage war against it, and should try to change it, according to his point of view. Now it is obvious that for a man of dignity, honor, and zeal, a man of earnest concern, the only course open to him is the second one. He would be glad to sacrifice his life for the sake of truth, but would never tolerate that by leading a life of ease and comfort, he should treacherously distort and misrepresent the truth.

Faith, righteous deeds, exhortation to truth and exhortation to patience are indispensable requirements for salvation, and also dependent upon each other. All four are indivisible aspects of a unit, and are inseparable factors of one single totality. In fact, what are all these four except an exposition or commentary of the word faith? If faith has in reality penetrated a person’s heart, it will necessarily result in the performance of righteous deeds and if the habit of doing righteous deeds has become one’s second nature, its natural outcome would be exhortation to truth., and if the preaching of truth is done with real sincerity and dedication, it will necessarily lead to the stage of exhortation to patience and endurance.

The reverse order also holds good. If the stage of preaching patience and endurance is not encountered, then this is a certain proof that the preaching is not of the whole truth, but only of a harmless part of it. If the stage of taking up missionary work is missing, then this implies that a man’s actions are not righteous and that he lacks religious zeal. And if his actions are not being perfor med on the right lines, then this is a categorical proof that genuine faith has not entered his heart.
The path of salvation which is pointed out by Surah Al-'Asr, the path of success and triumph towards which it guides and directs us has four milestones: faith, righteous deeds, exhortation to truth and exhortation to patience.

The most perfect example of the pattern delineated above is the life-story of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wherein all these four components are present in their utmost perfection. At first the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) tried to discover the reality of his own identity and that of the cosmos. A Qur’anic verse asks:
“And did He not find thee perplexed (and unable to find the right course by yourself) and so He guided (you)”?

The angel Gabriel revealed to him the truths he required. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) confirmed them and affirmed his faith in them, as stated in the Glorious Qur’an:

“The Messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer), and so do the believers.”

The life of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the perfect model of moral excellence and unparalleled example of sublime character. The Holy Qur’an states: “And you (O Muhammad) stands on an exalted standard of character”. After fulfilling these fundamental requirements of faith and right eous deeds to perfection, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) spent twenty three years in the untiring struggle of preaching the truth and declaring and promu lgating the grandeur and glory of Allah. He bravely tolerated all troubles for this purpose, courageously suffered all afflictions and faced all the persecutions and oppressions of his opponents.

In the canyon of Bani Hashim, he endured severe hardships during three long years of imprisonment. In the streets of Taif, he was stoned and ridiculed by rascals and urchins. The lives of his dear relatives and his beloved companions were sacrificed for the pleasure of his Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer) and in order to uphold divine truth. After indefatigable efforts, struggling night and day for twenty-three years, finally he made the truth reign supreme. And only after making the divine religion ‘Islam’ the dominant force in the Arabian peninsula, did he return to his Divine Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer), Allah. May the peace and blessings of Allah be showered on him and on his companions. In short, the biography of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) embodies the contents of Surah Al-‘Asr in action.

So, this is a concise explanation of the significance of Surah Al-Asr. Now you must have realized why I regarded it as the most comprehensive surah of the Holy Qur’an, and why Imam Al-Shafeii had said, that if people were to con template it seriously, this brief surah would be sufficient for their direction and guidance.

Its relation to the surahs before and after:

Finally, let us cast a glance on the surahs of the Holy Qur’an which precede and follow Surah Al-Asr. I had stated that the righteousness of a man’s character is based upon the establishment of the real criterion of success and failure in his heart and soul and his willingness to act according to it always. If this criterion is not established, then the aim of his life may be reduced to amassing wealth, material comforts and luxuries. The desire for greater material well-being may overwhelm and overpower his mind to such an extent that it makes him oblivious of the greater realities of his life and, the universe. The curtain of this negligence and indifference is only lifted at the time of death.

This state of affairs has been described in Surah At-Takathur’, that blessed surah of the Glorious Qur’an which precedes Surah Al-Asr. As a result of this negligence a man becomes unable to differentiate between right and wrong, lawful and unlaw ful, approved, and forbidden. He sees success as a matter of hoarding and piling up wealth, and he becomes bereft of all good qualities of character and morals, and his personality becomes replete with sins and vices. This picture has been revealed in Surah ‘Al-Humaza’ which comes after Surah Al-Asr. I seek refuge in Allah, and pray to Him to protect us from such a grievous, dreadful a

The Evil of Craving for Wealth and Status!!

The Evil of Craving for Wealth and Status

Imaam Ahmad, an-Nasaa'i, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh report the hadeeth of Ka'b ibn Maalik al-Ansaari, رضي الله عنه, from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he said: "Two hungry wolves let loose among sheep are not more harmful then a person craving after wealth and status is to his Deen (Religion)." at- Tirmidhee said, "It is hasan saheeh."

It is also reported from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم from the hadeeth of Ibn `Umar, Ibn `Abbaas, Abu Hurairah, Usamaah ibn Zayd, Jaabir, Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree and `Aasim ibn `Adiyy al-Ansaree, radiyAllahu `anhum `ajma`een

The wording of the hadeeth of Jaabir رضي الله عنه is: "Two ravenous wolves which spend the night amongst sheep whose shepherd is absent, will not cause more havoc for the people than will love of status and wealth to a Believer's Deen."

In the hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas, رضي الله عنه, there occurs, "love of wealth" in place of "craving..." This is a very great similitude given to us by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to show how the Deen of the Muslims is corrupted by craving after wealth and worldly status, and that the damage caused to the Deen by it will not be less than the damage caused by two hungry and ravenous wolves which spend the night amongst sheep whose shepherd is absent - so that they feast on them and massacre them.

As is obvious none but a small number of these sheep would escape from the havoc caused by these hungry wolves - and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم informed us that a person's craving after wealth and status does not cause less harm than these two hungry wolves amongst the sheep. Rather, either it will be the same or worse. So this shows that hardly any of a Muslim's Deen remains secure if he craves after wealth and status in this world - just as hardly any of the sheep will be saved from hungry wolves. So this great similitude contains a severe warning against the evil of craving after wealth and status in the world.

Craving for Wealth

The first type of craving for wealth is that a person has extreme love for wealth and also relentlessly exerts efforts to attain it - via means which are lawful - being excessive in that, striving hard and making painstaking efforts and toiling in order to attain it. It has been reported that this hadeeth was in response to the appearance of some elements of this, as at-Tabaraani reports from `Aasim ibn `Adiyy, رضي الله عنه who said,‘I bought a hundred shares from the shares of Khaybar and that reached the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم so he said, "Two ravenous wolves remaining amongst sheep whose owner has lost them will not be more harmful than a Muslim's seeking after wealth and status to his Deen."'

There is nothing more to chasing after wealth than the wastage of a person's noble life for that which has no value. Instead he could have earned a high rank (in Paradise) and everlasting bliss, but he lost this due to his craving after provision - which had already been assured to him and allotted to him, and it was not possible for anything to come to him except what was decreed for him - then on top of this he does not benefit from that, but rather abandons it and leaves it for someone else.

He departs from that and leaves it behind so that he will be the one held accountable for it, yet someone else benefits from it. So in reality he is only gathering it, yet someone else benefits from it. So in reality he is only gathering it for someone who will not praise him for that, whilst he himself goes on to One who will not excuse him for that - this itself would indeed be enough to show the blameworthiness of this craving.

The person who has this craving wastes his valuable time and engages himself in that which is of no benefit to himself - in journeying and exposing himself to dangers in order to amass that which will only benefit someone else, so it is as is said: "So one who spends his days in gathering wealth - Out of fear of poverty - then he has achieved only poverty."

It was said to a wise man, "So and so has amassed wealth," so he said, "Then has he amassed days in which to spend it?" It was said, "No" So he said, "Then he has amassed nothing!"

Ibn Mas'ood رضي الله عنه, said, "Certain faith (yaqeen) is that you do not make the people happy by angering Allah, and that you do not envy anyone for that which Allah has provided, and that you do not blame anyone for something which Allah has not given you - since provision will not be brought on by a person's craving after it, nor will it be repelled by a person's disliking it. Indeed Allah through His Justice has made joy and happiness dependent upon having certain faith and contentment, and He has made worries and sorrow spring from doubt and displeasure." One of the Salaf (predecessors) said: "Since decree (qadr) is a reality then craving is futile. Since treachery exists in people's characters then trusting everybody is to expose oneself to humiliation. Since death awaits everybody, then being satisfied with this world is foolishness."

‘Abdul-Waahid ibn Zayd used to swear by Allah that a person's craving after this world was more fearful to him than his worst enemy. He also used to say, "O my brothers! Do not grow up craving after his riches and increase in earnings or wealth, rather look upon him with the eye of one of who detests that he is preoccupying himself with that which will cause his ruin tomorrow in the Place of Return - and is proud with that." He also used to say, "Craving is of two types: Craving which is an affliction and craving which is beneficial. As for the craving which is beneficial, then it is one's desire for that which is obedience to Allah, and as for the craving which is an affliction - then it is a person's craving after this world."

Craving after this world torments a person, he is preoccupied and does not attain joy or pleasure whilst amassing - since he is preoccupied. He does not find time - due to his love of this world - for the Hereafter, and is preoccupied with that which will perish and forgets that which will abide and remain.

In this regard a person said, "Do not envy a brother who craves after riches - rather look upon him with aversion. Indeed the one who craves is preoccupied with his Wealth from having any happiness due to his belongings."

Someone else said in this regard: "O gatherer and miserly one being watched closely by time - which is wondering which of its doors it should be close. You have gathered wealth, but think have you gathered for it - O gatherer of wealth - days in which you can spend it. Wealth is hoarded away with you for those who will inherit it - The wealth is not yours except on the day when you spend it. Satisfaction is for the one who settles in its neighbourhood - And in its shade he finds no worries to disturb him."

A wise person wrote to a brother of his who desired this world: "To proceed, you have become one who craves after this world. It will serve you whilst taking you away from it with accidents, illnesses, calamities and infirmity. It is as if you have not seen one who craves being prevented from what he desires, nor one who shuns this world's granted provision, nor one who died despite having great wealth, nor one who is fully satisfied in this world with a small amount."

A Bedouin rebuked a brother of his for covetousness, saying, "O my brother you are a seeker and one sought. You are being sought by One whom you cannot escape, and you are seeking that for which you have been sufficed. O brother, it is as if you have not seen one who craves being prevented, nor one who shuns the world being granted provision."

A wise man said, "The people who have the greatest degree of restlessness are the envious, those who have the greatest degree of happiness are the contented. Those who persevere most through suffering are those who are covetous. Those who have the simplest and most pleasant life are those who most strongly refuse this world. The one who will suffer the greatest regret is the scholar whose actions contradict his knowledge."

WHY ISLAM ATTRACTS PEOPLE MOST?

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL

WHY ISLAM ATTRACTS PEOPLE MOST?

[Shamim A Siddiqi, New York]

Perhaps Islam is the only religion that is spreading in the world at an accelerated pace. It is becoming a phenomenon in the present context of the world when the affluent societies are becoming more and more “corrupt”, secularized and liberalized. Whereas Islam no where in the world is in a dominant position as a system of life [Al-Deen] or a political entity; whereas its inherent enormous blessings that are showered on a society when its social, economic and political system are controlled by the Divine laws are not visible even in the Muslim world, the spread of Islam in the four corners of the world is a fact that cannot be ignored.

In spite of this anomalous situation, if Islam still attracts the people around the world, there must be something especial in its basic characteristics that enchants the people, the affluent, the down trodden and the oppressed alike. We have to discover its causes and present it to the world as a “gift” from the Creator and Sustainer, enabling mankind and the human societies to attain enlightenment, a balanced living condition and cultivate new heights of spiritualism.

1. Simplicity: The first thing that attracts a man to Islam is its simplicity. One who confirms that Allah is One; He is the Supreme; He is the Creator, Sustainer and the Law Giver; accepts His authority in every walk of life, feels accountable to Him in the life Hereafter for what he/she does on this earth and undertakes to practice the life pattern of Prophet Muhammad (S) as his/her only model to live with. When he/she accepts and confirms the foregoing concept by reciting the prescribed words in Arabic: “La Ilaha Illallah Mohammedan Rasulullah” [There is no deity except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah], he/she enters into His fold immediately. H/she is now a Muslim [obedient to Allah alone] and his/her all the previous sins stand pardoned forthwith. Can there be any other method simpler and more sophisticated to get rid of the “past” within twinkling of an eye and start the life afresh, as if born today from the womb of mother? It is only Islam that gives such magnanimous “hope” to mankind.

2. No Hierarchy: Just by recitation these few words in Arabic which is called as Kalama, he/she enters into direct communion with his/her Creator and Sustainer, no priesthood, no middleman - no hierarchy of any Mullah, priest, pundit or “prohat”. He/she has now direct access to the Qur’an, the Book of Guidance from Allah in His original words as how to live, act and behave on this earth. The life of Prophet Muhammad (S), the guide, is also available to him/her to follow in minutest detail in every walk of life.

It would be not out of point to mention that currently there are about ten thousands Muslims in America of Caucasian-American origin and most of them entered into Islam through their direct study of the Qur’an and Prophet’s life and being impressed by its simplicity. A Muslim presents his prayers directly to his Lord, talk to him in secrecy at person-to-person level, begs His pardon for sins and seeks His help in distress and he/she gets His positive response forthwith without any intercession as He declares: “And when My servants question thee {O Muhammad} concerning Me, then surely I am nigh, I answer the prayer the suppliant when he cries unto Me. So let them here My call and let them trust in Me.” [The Qur’an. 2: 186] Allah further assures His servants: “Announce, (O Muhammad), unto My slaves that verily I – I alone – a true dispenser of grace [the Forgiving, the Merciful]” (The Qur’an. 15: 49)


3. Equality: All who enter into the fold of Allah are equal and at par, having no distinction on account of color, race, language, position, wealth or geographical affinities. They all are humans, obedient to Allah alone. The excellence is determined who fears Allah most [on the basis of Taqwah] as ordained in the Qur’an, Verse 13 of Chapter 49:

“O mankind! Lo! We have created you all out of a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes so that you might come to know one and another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, Allah is all-knowing, all-aware”.

This concept of Tawheed and equality brings the lowest down in the society at par with the highest-ups. It brought the slaves at par with tribal chiefs. Omar ® used to address Bilal ® as “Sayyedna Bilal” and used to accommodate him by his side whenever he called at him during his Caliphate. At that time only the Iranians and the Romans had rights and respectability. Rest were treated as serfdom. When Rustom, the Iranian c-in-c, asked Mughirah bin Sheba ®, the head of Muslim delegation that he [Rustom] called for dialogue: what for you have come over to Iran’? Mughirah ® replied, “To take out the slaves of Allah [humans] from the slavery of man into the slavery of their Lord”. Muslims throughout their period of their dominance established equality in every walk of life. It is the most attractive feature of Islam that attracted equally the oppressed, the high-ups, the down trodden, the “untouchables” and the have-nots around the world and they entered into the fold of their Lord in multitude to live in peace with respect and dignity and so they are entering today in the fold of Islam to get equality that they could not get elsewhere.

Today humanity stands divided in so many “classes” of haves and have-nots, affluent and poor, white, blacks and yellow, Europeans –Americans and Asians-Africans, developed and underdeveloped that it is difficult to recognize them as the progenies of Adam and Eve. Every class wants to establish its supremacy over the other. The tragedy does not end here. Further more, the human society is divided currently in 196 watertight compartments of “nation states”, demanding loyalty to their respective national bounds. Is it not a curse of the “modern” age? Are they not fighting and competing with each other to establish the superiority of one over the other? Human society, if it aspires for unity, equality, fraternity and live at par with each other with dignity and self-respect, it has no choice but to accept Islam as Al-Deen, the only way of life, to live under One God, one human race and one creed, the Abrahamic faith, having no distinction except on account of Taqwah [Allah consciousness]. Islam offers all these benedictions and the suffering humanity is attracted to these charms.

4. Constant Hope: To live under “hope” is the eternal urge of man as without hope man cannot survive and live in peace. As mentioned earlier that the moment one enters into Islam his all past sins are pardoned and he starts his/her life with an immaculate clean slate. Islam keeps the door of repentance to Allah [Al- Tawba] constantly open till the time he/she breaths last. One who commits sins and repents and the one, who does good deeds, both live under the hope that Almighty Allah will pardon them and put them into paradise of His eternal bliss. Solution of their problems on earth and salvation in the life hereafter are a Muslim’s constant hope to live in peace, struggle for Allah’s pleasure throughout his/her life and die in peace with the hope that His mercy will envelop him/her and place him/her in paradise [Jannah]. Nurturing this hope constantly is the key point to attain success [Falah] for a Muslim in both the worlds. “Truly Allah loves those who turn unto Him and loves those who care for cleanness” [The Qur’an 2: 222]

A Hadith of hope: A person who killed 99 persons started repenting went to a scholar and asked him, “Can I get pardon?” The scholar said, “No”. That man killed that scholar out of frustration and went to see another scholar to seek pardon. On the way he died. Angels of hell and heaven both rush to capture his soul. There arose a dispute: who should capture his soul, the angles of hell or heaven? Allah told the angels to measure the distance he covered to his destination for seeking pardon. When measured, it was found that he was nearer to the point of pardon. The angels of Heaven took his soul and brought him into paradise. (See how the “hope” to get pardon paves his way to Jannah) [Narrated by Abu Sayeed Khudri (R) and quoted both by Bukhari and Muslim].

Hope is the essence of man’s living condition on earth, irrespective of the fact whether he is rich or poor, the oppressor or the oppressed, the haves or the have-nots. Everyone will be accountable for his/her actions and deeds and everyone hopes to get His pardon if he/she repents before the ultimate death arrives. Islam alone provides a realistic faith to suffering humanity to live in peace with hope and honor.

Additional charms: Besides the aforesaid beauties and bounties of Islam that attract human beings when, in fact, it is not in power anywhere in the world, the concept and methods of Ebadah - Salah, Sawm, Hajj and Zakah are very often found fascinating to different individuals in different manner at different time. Further, there are many more sublime aspects of Islam that would be more attractive to human beings alike when Islam will be dominant and conduct the human affairs in its own way:

* The self-sustained welfare system of an Islamic state that guarantees the basic fundamental needs of man – food, clothing, shelter, education, medical needs and justice, to every individual who is poor, needy, unemployed, under-employed or incapacitated;

* The family system of Islam and its values: respectability to parents, especial position of mothers, the emancipation of women, the care and concern for elders, the love and affection for youngsters and the environment that Islam creates and promotes for well groomed children, the hope for mankind;

* The care, concern and promotion for human rights, delivering justice and fair play to all and sundry;

* The upholding of the rights of the oppressed, the down trodden and stressing for special care for human sufferings.

These few features of attraction that I have briefly enumerated above in this paper are the obvious ones that fascinate men and women equally to enter into the fold of Islam and reap the harvest of Allah’s mercy in their personal, family and collective lives. If these salient features of Islam cannot attract the human imagination what else can? Equally, it explains reasonably why Islam attracts most?