By Dr Muhammed Fazlur Rahman Ansari (ra)
After fourteen centuries, the world of Islam stands today exactly where the
Arabs stood before the Holy Prohet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam united them
into a single nation. The political conditions of the world in those days were
more similar to what we are seeing today.
In those days, there were two dominating political powers, viz.the Byzantine
and the Persian. The world today is dominated by two world powers, America
and Russia (to a lesser extent). China stood in those days exactly as it stands
today- a power by itself.
The Arabs were then divided into many tribes, each tribe constituting a
separate political unit. They were engaged in ceaseless wars against each
other, killing, robbing and enslaving one another. Because of their disunity,
they constituted neither a political power nor a military power, despite the
fact that they were better fighters and were more daring and courageous
than the cultured people of Byzantium and Persia. Whenever an Arab tribe
became insolent or did anything that displeased the Super Powers of those
days, they would set some of their vassal princes against it and force it into
subjugation. Today, the world of Islam stands exactly where the Arab tribes
stood in those days, because of their disunity, not because of a lack in
manliness or courage. Today, whenever a Muslim state becomes 'insolent'
and begins to form its own independent policy, paying no heed to the dictates
of the "Super Powers", it is brought back to its 'right sense' through the
military might of some vassal nation. This striking similarity is also found in
the moral aspect. The Arabs of the pre-Islamic era were at the lowest point of
moral degeneration- and so are we today. Gross selfishness, corruption and
obscenity are the most outstanding features of our social life. Our personal
gains always reign supreme in our mind, we are willing to sacrifice the
national interest for our petty personal interest- nay, we are even willing to
sell our nation into slavery in exchange for some paltry personal gain.
From the time that the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam began his
mission to the moment he breathed his last, was a period of 23 years. Within
this short span of time, what he did was the greatest miracle ever wrought in
human history. The picture of Arabia stood completely changed. The
ferocious and warring tribes were united and welded into a strong and
powerful nation. This revolution did not go unnoticed by the Super Powers of
those days, and the Arabs were soon engulfed in hostilities with them. It
finally resulted in open warfare. What was the result of this? The very Arabs
who used to be subjugated and suppressed by petty vassal princes, swept
Arabs stood before the Holy Prohet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam united them
into a single nation. The political conditions of the world in those days were
more similar to what we are seeing today.
In those days, there were two dominating political powers, viz.the Byzantine
and the Persian. The world today is dominated by two world powers, America
and Russia (to a lesser extent). China stood in those days exactly as it stands
today- a power by itself.
The Arabs were then divided into many tribes, each tribe constituting a
separate political unit. They were engaged in ceaseless wars against each
other, killing, robbing and enslaving one another. Because of their disunity,
they constituted neither a political power nor a military power, despite the
fact that they were better fighters and were more daring and courageous
than the cultured people of Byzantium and Persia. Whenever an Arab tribe
became insolent or did anything that displeased the Super Powers of those
days, they would set some of their vassal princes against it and force it into
subjugation. Today, the world of Islam stands exactly where the Arab tribes
stood in those days, because of their disunity, not because of a lack in
manliness or courage. Today, whenever a Muslim state becomes 'insolent'
and begins to form its own independent policy, paying no heed to the dictates
of the "Super Powers", it is brought back to its 'right sense' through the
military might of some vassal nation. This striking similarity is also found in
the moral aspect. The Arabs of the pre-Islamic era were at the lowest point of
moral degeneration- and so are we today. Gross selfishness, corruption and
obscenity are the most outstanding features of our social life. Our personal
gains always reign supreme in our mind, we are willing to sacrifice the
national interest for our petty personal interest- nay, we are even willing to
sell our nation into slavery in exchange for some paltry personal gain.
From the time that the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam began his
mission to the moment he breathed his last, was a period of 23 years. Within
this short span of time, what he did was the greatest miracle ever wrought in
human history. The picture of Arabia stood completely changed. The
ferocious and warring tribes were united and welded into a strong and
powerful nation. This revolution did not go unnoticed by the Super Powers of
those days, and the Arabs were soon engulfed in hostilities with them. It
finally resulted in open warfare. What was the result of this? The very Arabs
who used to be subjugated and suppressed by petty vassal princes, swept
through the mighty Persian empire and set the emperor fleeing to China.
Byzantium suffered many defeats and lost much of its territory.
This was only one aspect of the Holy Prophet's Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
reform. The political supremacy thus gained had resulted from the moral
reform wrought by him. He created a society free from racial, linguistic and
tribal prejudices, free from class strife, free from selfishness and conscious of
common interests. It is certainly difficult for man to be free from selfish
motives, but if the individuals are not taught and trained to forego personal
interests for the sake of common interest, the nation soon falls a prey to the
selfishness of its component parts.
How did the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam accomplish this moral
reform? Nothing can thrive in a void, it requires a support and the support of
moral values is faith - not traditional, but a living and vibrant faith in Almighty
Allah. It is quite true that every act an individual performs has its effect on
the society and the effect produced on the entire society also reverts to the
performer of the act as a member of the society. But this complicated system
of action and reaction is too much for a layman to realise. Hence he is always
motivated by the immediate gains, neglectful of the consequences in the long
run. He can only be restrained by a sound and living faith in Allah. Sometimes
it also happens that an evil-doer escapes the consequences of evil wrought by
him, leaving the entire nation to reap the bitter fruit thereof. Hence, no
consideration or fear of material consequences has greater effect on the
preservation of moral values than faith in Allah.
The first and foremost lesson, therefore, taught by the Holy Prophet
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam to his followers was that faith in Allah, an
Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient Allah, who watches His servants
and remains by their side wherever they are. An Allah who will reward them
for acts of virtue and punish them for vices. To have faith in the unseen Lord
is perhaps the most difficult task man can accomplish. The faith which is
commonly professed is not conviction, it is the admission of authority as a
convenient idea. As regards such faith, Allah says in the Holy Qur'aan:
"The villagers said 'we believe'. Say: you did not believe, but rather
say: 'we have surrendered', for faith has not yet entered in your
hearts." [S49:V14]
This feeble faith does not enable one to risk his all, even his life, for the cause
of virtue. Faith in Allah is not a mere
dogma, it has got to be obtained through observation of the creation of Allah
and sound argument and judgement.
Meditation and argument lead man only half the way. The sort of faith which
is obtained thus may be termed as probability, not certainty. Yet this
probability is a valuable understanding as it sets man probing still further into
the unknown realm of spiritual realities. This is the state where one cannot
Byzantium suffered many defeats and lost much of its territory.
This was only one aspect of the Holy Prophet's Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
reform. The political supremacy thus gained had resulted from the moral
reform wrought by him. He created a society free from racial, linguistic and
tribal prejudices, free from class strife, free from selfishness and conscious of
common interests. It is certainly difficult for man to be free from selfish
motives, but if the individuals are not taught and trained to forego personal
interests for the sake of common interest, the nation soon falls a prey to the
selfishness of its component parts.
How did the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam accomplish this moral
reform? Nothing can thrive in a void, it requires a support and the support of
moral values is faith - not traditional, but a living and vibrant faith in Almighty
Allah. It is quite true that every act an individual performs has its effect on
the society and the effect produced on the entire society also reverts to the
performer of the act as a member of the society. But this complicated system
of action and reaction is too much for a layman to realise. Hence he is always
motivated by the immediate gains, neglectful of the consequences in the long
run. He can only be restrained by a sound and living faith in Allah. Sometimes
it also happens that an evil-doer escapes the consequences of evil wrought by
him, leaving the entire nation to reap the bitter fruit thereof. Hence, no
consideration or fear of material consequences has greater effect on the
preservation of moral values than faith in Allah.
The first and foremost lesson, therefore, taught by the Holy Prophet
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam to his followers was that faith in Allah, an
Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient Allah, who watches His servants
and remains by their side wherever they are. An Allah who will reward them
for acts of virtue and punish them for vices. To have faith in the unseen Lord
is perhaps the most difficult task man can accomplish. The faith which is
commonly professed is not conviction, it is the admission of authority as a
convenient idea. As regards such faith, Allah says in the Holy Qur'aan:
"The villagers said 'we believe'. Say: you did not believe, but rather
say: 'we have surrendered', for faith has not yet entered in your
hearts." [S49:V14]
This feeble faith does not enable one to risk his all, even his life, for the cause
of virtue. Faith in Allah is not a mere
dogma, it has got to be obtained through observation of the creation of Allah
and sound argument and judgement.
Meditation and argument lead man only half the way. The sort of faith which
is obtained thus may be termed as probability, not certainty. Yet this
probability is a valuable understanding as it sets man probing still further into
the unknown realm of spiritual realities. This is the state where one cannot
lay implicit faith on reasoning without risking the peril of being lost in the
labyrinth of thought. This is the stage where Divine help should be invoked
through prayer and the observance of a disciplined moral life. The Holy
Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has said that man is never closer to Allah
than the moment when he lies prostrate before Him in prayer. This is why he
has termed prayer as Me'raj of the believers. Those who want to experience
spiritual realities should observe a disciplined life and seek the closeness to
their Lord by appearing often in His August Presence. When this stage is
attained, faith is perfected. Such are the people who rise high above all
considerations of sorrow and fear. They live in a state of perpetual bliss. They
become impregnable.
This is what the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam did for the first
thirteen years of his mission. He taught them moral values, and how to live a
morally disciplined life. He infused in them a living and vibrant belief in Allah.
Then began the second phase of his mission, which was unavoidable, i.e. the
spread of Islam to the tribes all over Arabi, and then to the neighbouring
countries. This was done more by example than in any other way. This nation
continued in prosperity just as long as they were steadfast to the way of the
Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. And when they turned
away.............................................
labyrinth of thought. This is the stage where Divine help should be invoked
through prayer and the observance of a disciplined moral life. The Holy
Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has said that man is never closer to Allah
than the moment when he lies prostrate before Him in prayer. This is why he
has termed prayer as Me'raj of the believers. Those who want to experience
spiritual realities should observe a disciplined life and seek the closeness to
their Lord by appearing often in His August Presence. When this stage is
attained, faith is perfected. Such are the people who rise high above all
considerations of sorrow and fear. They live in a state of perpetual bliss. They
become impregnable.
This is what the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam did for the first
thirteen years of his mission. He taught them moral values, and how to live a
morally disciplined life. He infused in them a living and vibrant belief in Allah.
Then began the second phase of his mission, which was unavoidable, i.e. the
spread of Islam to the tribes all over Arabi, and then to the neighbouring
countries. This was done more by example than in any other way. This nation
continued in prosperity just as long as they were steadfast to the way of the
Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. And when they turned
away.............................................
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