Source: Carawan

By Dr Aslam Abdullah, who is the Director-Imam of the Islamic Society of Nevada. He also teaches Islamic Studies at University of Nevada Las Vegas, OLLI program and is the chief editor of the Detroit-based weekly newspaper Muslim Observer

The Islamic world is being riven apart between the theology of Takfir (declaring others unbelievers) and the politics of takhrib (destruction)

SCORES of religious edicts and decrees are issued by Muslim theologians, muftis and Ulema almost regularly denouncing fellow Muslims who do not accept their version of Islam and hundreds of debates take place on these edicts in Muslim gatherings at various levels on issues pertaining to these edicts.

There are those who call others kafir (unbeliever), fajir, fasiq (dishonest, deceitful) or murtad (revert from Islam) and there are those who advocate violence against such people. These decrees are not issued by common people. They are bystanders who only learn about these edicts from those who describe themselves as learned people and scholars.

Many commoners, then, engage in conflicts and infighting against each other to live the ideals of Islam with full sincerity as taught to them by their scholars or religious leaders regardless of their level of scholarship and influence. Many are baffled with this situation.

Can differences of understanding of a divine message that describes itself a simple message lead to a level where people are unwilling to accommodate each other? Many ask. In their eyes, Islam has been turned into a conflicting faith where no one knows who speaks the truth because everyone is suspect in the eye of the other and everyone is claiming that his group is the only righteous group.

This is confusing.

No one has the time to read all the conflicting opinions among existing Muslim sects and factions and then decide which one to follow. People do not have to choose between a theology of takfir and a politics of takhrib.  They want to live Islam so that in the words of the Quran: “And there are men who say: “Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and defend us from the torment of the Fire!” 2:20

Growing Up In Diverse Environment

This article is the reflection of one such person who wants to find good in this life and in the life of hereafter.

I grew up in a religious environment. As a child I used to regularly attend the neighborhood masjid where I would listen to the sermons of Shaikh Yusuf who spent most of his time in reading and teaching. He lived in a small room of the masjid known as Hauz Wali Masjid in Old Delhi. On important religious occasions, he would teach us about their significance and relevance.

I grew up and started visiting mosques with Tablighi Jamaat. I would travel to far distant places in India for months learning about religion with the Jamaat people. I spent several weeks in Nizamuddin’s Bangle Wali Masjid and often heard Shaikh Yusuf and Shaikh Haqqan Palanpuri on several occasions.

I grew older and started visiting the tombs of religious scholars such as Shaikh Nizamuddin, Shaikh Moinuddin Chishti and Sheikh Bakhtiar Kaki and Shaikh Sirhindi and many others, a practice that I still follow. In fact, when I visited Lahore just for one day in 2008, I spent the whole night at Shaikh Hajveris’s mausoleum reading his books and reading about his life and marveling how dedicated he was to his faith.

I also attended the meetings of Jamaat-e-Islami regularly and I also listened to the talks given by leaders of Ahle Hadith at their masjid near Jama Masjid in Delhi. I also attended several majalis of Shias where I learned about the life of the grandsons of the Prophet and their sacrifices.

I also attended and participated in the activities of Muslim League, Muslim Majlis, Muslim Majlis Mushwarat as well as Congress, and Socialist Parties. During my time in prison, during the emergency imposed by Mrs. Gandhi I spent months with the leadership of the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS)

I must admit, I liked all of them, yes, even the leaders of RSS with whom I spent the time. They were all sincere in what they believed and practiced. I especially liked all Muslim organizations as they all appeared sincere and committed to what they believed in.

Whether I was memorizing the Quran at the local madrassa or listening to the talks given by various scholars, I always admired the beauty of scholarship and the dedication of scholars. I decided to dedicate myself to the learning from all. But one day, someone asked me while I was in a Tablighi Jamaat round, “how come you’re part of the Tablighi Jamaat while, your father is from Jamaat-e-Islami?” Frankly speaking, I did not know how to answer. (Dr Aslam Abdullah’s father was a senior Jamaat leader and editor of ‘Dawat’ newspaper-Editor).

The same question would be repeated by others in gatherings of different organizations. Even in a gathering of the Jamaat-e-Islami I heard someone ask: “What were you doing with the Tablighi Jamaat anyway?”

I had no answer to any of these questions. I often wondered why they asked such a question. Later, however, I discovered something else when I embarked on the journey to learn more about Muslims in South Asia and the world.

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