The Muslim Outlook – by Shahid Pervaiz
October 01, 2012
As a flash back into the early adolescence years, the time when I learnt the text of Muslim Mandatory Prayers – the most fascinating part that struck my “cognition” was invoking to pray for the blessings of God for Muhammad {The Holy Prophet of Islam – pbuh}; his biological progeny of siblings and his metaphorical progeny of his followers in the similar reflection as the Holy Prophet Abraham (pbuh) was earlier blessed together with his biological progeny of siblings and his metaphorical progeny of his followers:
Bless, O Allah, Muhammad and the people of Muhammad, as Thou didst bless Abraham and the people of Abraham. Thou art indeed the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.
Prosper, O Allah, Muhammad and the people of Muhammad, as Thou didst prosper Abraham and the people of Abraham. Thou are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.
Then as a growing child; I understood that this prayer directly falls in a perfect line with the Quranic Verdict, as below:
This Messenger of Ours believes in that which has been revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers: all of them believe in Allah, and in His angels, and in His Books, and in His Messengers, saying, ‘We make no distinction between any of His Messengers;’ and they say, ‘We hear, and we obey. We implore Thy forgiveness, O our Lord, and to Thee is the returning.’ [2:286]
It certainly widened my horizons (at least) to be open to all religious doctrines and to identify the religious evolution and to appreciate the common lineage between them.
Later on, during my university days, when the divide between the right and left wings of politics became as wide as an ocean – a prominent call given to the public via wall-chalking, printed posters, banners and car-bumper stickers, was that “One Maudoodi equals to One Hundred Jews”. Maudoodi – being referred to Maulana Abul Aala Maudoodi, the founder of Jamaat – e – Islami. Despite my personal view that Maulana Maudoodi was “the first” of the right wing leaders in Pakistan who prompted “Youth Aggression” in political rallies; I still failed to reconcile with the idea – how one Maudoodi equals to a hundred Jews and how Jews are worth a derogatory remark like that?
I remember, it was (late) Barak Ullah (who later on became a Lawyer in the Lahore High Courts) then the President of the Punjab University Students Union – and a staunch follower of Maulana Maudoodi; who led the “Batten Force” of the youth wing of Maulana Maudoodi’s party. That “Batten” – (Dunda) later on was replaced with guns and then Kalashnikov, as the social decline aggravated at large. I could never reconcile with the idea because of knowing:
1. Prophet Abraham (pbuh) is named “Father of Prophets” by the Prophet of Islam – Muhammad (pbuh); and has blissfully expressed His pride in being from the progeny of Abraham.
2. The House of Abraham includes all the Jews, Christians and Muslims.
3. Every Muslim recites the same prayer about twelve times a day in the five mandatory prayers (salaat); which includes the prayer for Abraham (pbuh) and his people. Who are the people of Abraham? His followers and descendants include Prophets (peace be upon them) including all the Jewish prophets, Jesus Christ and the Prophet of Islam – Muhammad (pbuh).
4. Maulana Maudoodi – was also obligated to recite the same Muslim prayer every day.
5. The Quranic Verdict is to believe all Prophets and not to make a distinction between Prophets of God.
6. The Prophet of Islam – Muhammad (pbuh) signed many “Treaties of Peaceful Living” with various tribes including those of Christians and Jews. He let the Jewish and Christian residents of “His Muslim State” to seek relief in their law suits (from the courts of the Muslim State) in accordance with the testaments of Torah and the Gospels.
I wondered then – and – I wonder more today; what was propagated then and what is being propagated today – are unrelated – and the innocent people of the world are somehow “mislead” to confuse the Truth of Islamic Teaching and the Acts of some Power Players.
Author – Shahid Pervaiz – a front line Corporate Manager and Consultant. Formerly the founder secretary general of The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, Trade Commissioner of Alpha Group Holland, CEO of Record Export Ltd., President of National Dairies of Pakistan; and a Programs Producer at PTV; besides a series of other business ventures and undertakings.
He likes to study Literature, Arts, Cultures and the Religious Practices (tasawuf); and to comment about the Truth of Islam.
Categories: Asia, Muslim Outlook, Uncategorized
Thank you for sharing this, Zia saheb.
In fact, I use this very fact about the Durood shareef with my co-workers. When I pray at work, I tell them that I am praying for all of you which makes them ask me to do a special prayer for them, that is , for a sick child or a financial problem.
I think this is a very good way of letting other people know about our great religion and our Living God.
One of Holy Prophet’s(saw) wife was Safia. Once, somebody chided her for being Jewish convert. The holy Prophet told her to tell them, she was better than them since her husband,father & uncle (Mohammad, Moses & Aaron) were all prophets.
A very nice approach for creating harmony in a divers community and religions. That is why it is said in Hadith that prayer of Darud sharif is never left unanswered by Allah. It is meant to be accepted. That is why people try to pray for their own needs along with it.
Allhamdulillah Islam is rationality, love and peace. It does not propagate hatred to any human but the vices that have bad affect on human.
If only this fanatic, orthodox hot blooded name sake Muslims could understand it.
Let me help out on this. Here are some verses from the Quran where God Almighty expresses his disapproval of the Jews and other disbelievers.
[5:42] O Messenger! let not those grieve thee who hastily fall into disbelief — those who say with their mouths, ‘We believe,’ but their hearts believe not. And among the Jews too are those who would fondly listen to any lie — who listen for conveying it to another people who have not come to thee. They pervert words after their being put in their right places, and say, ‘If you are given this, then accept it, but if you are not given this, then beware!’ And as for him whom Allah desires to try, thou shalt not avail him aught against Allah. These are they whose hearts Allah has not been pleased to purify; they shall have disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter they shall have a severe punishment.
[5:43] They are habitual listeners to falsehood, devourers of things forbidden. If, then, they come to thee for judgment, judge between them or turn aside from them. And if thou turn aside from them, they cannot harm thee at all. And if thou judge, judge between them with justice. Surely, Allah loves those who are just.
These two along with other verses and some history can cause people to hate Jews, if they choose to overlook the first part of [5:42]. Yes the Prophet grieved for them and that is mentioned in the first part. So the Prophet (SAW) did not hate them and following the Prophet (SAW) a good Muslim should not. But sadly, because of the traits mentioned in the Quran, the Jews have earned a bad reputation, globally, over the ages. Don’t just go for what a lot of hotheaded folks in Pakistan say read Shakespeare in “Merchant of Venice” and read Charles Dickens in “Oliver Twist”. Shakespeare paints them as money grabbing heartless exploiters and Dickens paints them as creepy trainers of thieves and pickpockets. I refrain from giving more as I cannot think of proper references. So, the whole world is hating them, why blame just Muslims? Though of course hate is a very un-Muslim thing, but you have to spread that idea.
Now about the Trinitarians:
[5:73] Indeed they are disbelievers who say, ‘Surely, Allah is none but the Messiah, son of Mary,’ whereas the Messiah himself said, ‘O children of Israel, worship Allah Who is my Lord and your Lord.’ Surely, whoso associates partners with Allah, him has Allah forbidden Heaven, and the Fire will be his resort. And the wrongdoers shall have no helpers.
[5:74] They are surely disbelievers who say, ‘Allah is the third of three;’ there is no God but the One God. And if they do not desist from what they say, a grievous punishment shall surely befall those of them that disbelieve.
However there are some traits in the Christians in general that are appreciated.
[57:28] Then We caused Our Messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow them, and We gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who accepted him compassion and mercy. But monasticism which they invented for themselves — We did not prescribe it for them — for the seeking of Allah’s pleasure; but they did not observe it with due observance. Yet We gave those of them who believed their due reward, but many of them are rebellious.
The Prophet (SAW) himself, as the author points out, wrote treaties and gave amnesty to Christian monks to increase the feelings of mutual love and respect, but then politics happened. No worldly power would accept a growing power at their doorsteps. So, sadly, Christians and Muslims ended up having more wars. While the memories of the wars kept them apart there was a certain fascination among Christians about Islam; as you can discern from the biographies, and some writings, of some European Christians, such as Goethe and Carlyle. What happened during the time between them and now? Just refer to [5: 43] and note that once the Christians had conquered almost all the Muslim countries the general belief sort of became, “They’re not all that fascinating after all”. Of course the blame for this lies on the Muslims and some intrigue.
With the backdrop of Pakistan’s inherited culture from undivided India, the hatred of the Christians needs another explanation. A majority of Christians in Pakistan are the descendants of those once regarded as “untouchables” in the Hindu dominated culture. The untouchables were the easy pickings for the Christian missionaries. They became Christian and though they were equal to the masters of India, the British, in the churches; they were still untouchables in the street. This trend continued in Pakistan, but as the number of flush systems increased and as the education system did not discriminate the Christians excelled in education, became better off, and often ended up in administrative positions, there was a build up against them.
Of course when those whose elders used to clean your toilets are better off than you and you are not a sophisticated person you would feel jealous. If a tart remark meets with a stern look and/or a rebuke the enmity starts. There are of course other reasons; one of the most important of them is real estate acquisition. In the old days when the “untouchables” performed some very essential services they were allocated pieces of land to build their mud houses, close to the population. Now with money coming in those mud houses transform into good looking buildings. Even if that does not happen, some land developers see an opportunity, if only the Christian population could be evicted. That’s where the Mullahs come in and that’s where the real problems start.
Thank You – Dr. ZafrUllah for your brilliant in-put. For sure, it adds more thoughtfulness and gravity to the subject.
Thanks. I blurt out the little that I know, often unthinkingly.