The Muslim Outlook – by Shahid Pervaiz
October 06, 2012
It sounds like an agreeable reality that majority of the people do not try to learn about any faith other than their own and tend to accept the information and impression(s) projected by the contemporary media. This is also true that everyone cannot launch a personal study and research about everything that exists around the common everyday life – but it also does not mean to waive off the chances for asking someone knowledgeable, a fact finding question. However, it still does not happen very often.
Since a major part of the media has to rely upon the matters and opinions of common interest in a limited edge of time, so the most popular is what is attended to with a most popular reproach. Though unfortunate – but this is how it is.
For some time in the West now, the expressed views about Sharia Law are spreading a sort of public fear, while the majority of the public audience is not being fed, any reasonable description as what Sharia Law is.
If told, I am sure, it may cause relief, similar to the state of a patient who has learned from the health care provider as to how to manage Diabetes. Uncontrolled Diabetes can be very scary and troublesome, but, if the patient can understand the disease and seeks possible remedies, he can begin to find solutions and start enjoying better quality of life, rather than living in perpetual fear.
Sharia – no matter how it is viewed, is – “A set of defined rules in a religious doctrine about what should be done and what should Not be Done”; with only ONE purpose. to achieve personal and social, “Peaceful Existence” and “Co-existence.” As a foremost example; the Ten Commandments revealed to Holy Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) are “Sharia”. Similarly, the Codes of Life by Holy Prophet Buddha (peace be upon him) are “Sharia”. Having said as above, it stands in absolutely clarity that any Religious Code of Life is a “Sharia”.
It seems so very interesting to note that all the Prophets of their own times, persistently preached for “Peace” and there is no single exception to it; yet there is so much of animosity observed amongst the believers of various religions. A question, for sure arises – whether the religious teaching is wrong or the religious practitioners hold a different interpretation of it?
Taking a step back – none of the religions preaches anything other than “peace” and therefore, the only surviving explanation is a “misinterpretation” or a “misrepresentation”. Based upon any of these two – the Original Religious Doctrine cannot and should not be “Rejected” – as the current image of Sharia Law is.
It is also of interest to realize that most of the state legal systems and jurisprudence – as they are today – have their roots in various Religious Teachings, – “Sharia”. If all above is agreeable, then what is causing the media to present the Sharia Law as something “Horrific” and “Devastating” for peaceful social orders? Of course, the media is “of the people” and has to be “for the people” and having a fair opinion about it, the media is somehow missing “One Point” in educating the public that “Sharia” is nothing to be afraid of (we are already living those laws which have roots in Sharia).
If someone wishes to be more specific and precise about it, then, Islamic Sharia Law is not to be worried about, the point worth a serious concern and consideration, however, is the “Interpretation of Muslim Sharia by Mullahs”. It is neither “Islam” nor the “Islamic Sharia” it is the way a “Mullah Interprets & Practices”. Islam by its very NOMENCLATURE means “Peace” and its Laws (SHARIA) are meant to foster “Peace” – Islamic Sharia therefore SHOULD not be considered a threat to the worldly “Peace” – the threat to “Peace” is the interpretation and activism of Mullahs.
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, Muslim Outlook Op-ed
It is not as simple as Mr.Shahid pervaiz has tried to make it. If Mullah does not interpret Sharia then who will do it.More over what is th definition and indicators of a Mullah. will the illitrate public of Pakstan accept the interpretation made by Imran Khan as compared to Mufti Munib or Qazi Hussin Ahmad. don´t you think they are Mullahs.
President Barack Obama on Religion and Politics
He says that we can draw our inspiration from our scriptures but we have to translate the message into a language that is understood by other fellow citizens from different religions.
One of the points President Obama makes is that the scripture has to be translated into a universal message by the believers, one that is befitting the realities of our global village.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvKX16Eygs0&w=420&h=315%5D
Shariah Law: Gods’ Law, Moral Law, the Natural Law or Man made Law?
Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD
Shariah Law is a bogeyman for right wing politicians in the West to spread Islamophobia and a political tool for the Mullahs to grab influence in the Muslim countries. But, a true and genuine understanding of Shariah Law will bring the East and the West together and set the two civilizations on the course of unification and harmony. There has been a term called Natural Law, in the West, which is perhaps the best equivalent of of the term Shariah Law, when it is understood in a limited but positive sense, clipped of unnecessary and awkward additions. Let me urge all readers, in the very beginning, in the words of Sir Francis Bacon, a 16th century British philosopher, “Read not to contradict … but to weigh and consider.” Encyclopedia Britannica describes the Natural Law, in the following words:
Shariah Law is a collection of laws from medieval Muslim states. Some are rooted in God’s Law as outlined in the Scripture of Islam, the Holy Quran and some are man made laws attributed to the Divine for no good reason. How can we distinguish chaff from grain and diamonds from dung? I believe it is possible through an open and fair civic and legal system.
Read more: http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2012/10/law/shariah-law-gods-law-moral-law-the-natural-law-or-man-made-law#ixzz28cJPFbBh
(A)
The plain and truthful answer is – YES – rather it is even SIMPLER than it was described. I wish to request attention to the following:-
1. Sharia consists of those Commandments which are Divinely Revealed to a Prophet.
2. Based upon the Divine Commandments (Sharia) every Prophet (zero exception) preached for peace. Thus Sharia stands to OFFER NOTHING BUT PEACE.
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3. THEREFORE, any interpretation of Sharia (no matter who does it) that calls for “Anything Opposite to Peace” cannot be the TRUE interpretation of Shariah.
(B)
As far as “Mullahs” are concerned; they are Those members of a Clergy (of any time in history) Who Preach and Patronize (1) HATE (2) AGGRESSION against any other human beings and species; and attribute their own Acts to the Commandments of their own Religion (Sharia).
“Mullah” is an exact opposite of a “Scholar”; though most of the Chief Mullahs are “Psuedo-Scholars”.
(C)
Those religious communities who STOP the direct acquisition of knowledge and become Mullah-Dependent in defining their own religious codes, have not survived long in history.
Within the Islamic History – the Fall of Spain is One Paramount Example of such a Tragedy.
(D)
Gross Illiteracy in Pakistan is by no means a Fault of Sharia – it is however The Fault of the Indigneous Clergy.
Other than it; it is high time that Pakistani Intelligentsia should re-visit the history of Muslim Decline in Spain and the Role that Mullahs had played over there at that time.