Attaining Felicity, Quranic Village, Secularism Rejected
Issue 281 » July 2, 2004 - Jumada-al-Awwal 14, 1425
General
| Living the Quran |
Al-Imran
(The House of Imran)
Before this verse Muslims have been commanded that 'they develop the Taqwa (consciousness) of Allah in its totality, live and establish Islam till last breath of their lives, struggle against evil and injustice (Baatil) with unity, hold on to the rope of Allah's guidance tightly, and avoid all sorts of disputes and sectarianism amongst themselves' (verses 102-103). All these qualities described above are directed towards their personal lives. However, these commands are followed by a program or guidance on their social or community life:
The concept of 'Calling people to Good (Da'wah ilal Khayr)' is not limited to a few aspects of life. In fact it is a comprehensive term which means revolutionizing or reforming the social, moral, political, and spiritual spheres of life, both at individual, as well as at the collective level. Source: |
| Understanding the Prophet's Life |
| The
Quranic Village
It was the constant habit of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to read and recite from memory lengthy chapters of the Quran, in the night prayer. Many pious believers followed his example. The Prophet loved to listen to their night recitations. The practice of reciting Quran, day and night, was so widespread in Madinah that it could be heard from every house, every street and corner. The Prophet's mosque, located at the very centre of Madinah, buzzed with the Quranic recitations. The Mosque was not the only place in which the Quran was recited. The whole city was reported to have been characterised by a bee-like buzzing sound of recitation of the Quran, coming from every direction. Men, women and children would not go to bed without first reciting a measure of the Quran. Far into the night the more pious men would stand in night prayer, reciting long surahs from memory. The beauty and sweetness of the Quranic language, the nobility of its message, the power and vividness of its imagery, had a masterful sway over their hearts and minds. They felt greatly inclined to a mode of sublime recitation and chanting. The Quran's powerful call to the wide horizons of God and the hereafter, its disdain for the petty, soul-confining quarters of this world, enchanted them, often moving them to thoughtful sadness, even tears. Though they found the Quran's call to God and the liberation of their souls from worldly chains, attractive and compelling, they were so deeply aware of their inability to break lose from their needs and desires. Hence their predicament and sorrow; the tears they shed were but the expression of their unfulfilled though cherished longing. The Prophet's companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) used to vie with each other in learning and memorising the Quran. They used to take great care to make their wives and children learn it. The Prophet himself attended personally to his companions' Quranic lessons, assigning a teacher for each newcomer. Quranic teachers were speedily dispatched to tribes that entered Islam. Insofar as the Quran was the overriding preoccupation and concern of Madinah, the epithet QURANIC VILLAGE is most apt. Source: |
| Blindspot |
Secularism Rejected
Secularism may be accepted
in a Christian society but it can never enjoy a general acceptance
in an Islamic society. Christianity is devoid of a
shariah or a comprehensive system of life to which its adherents
should be committed. The New Testament itself divides life into two
parts: one for God, or religion, the other for Caesar, or the state:
"Render unto Caesar things which belong to Caesar, and render
unto God things which belong to God" (Matthew 22:21). As such,
a Christian could accept secularism without any qualms of conscience.
Furthermore, Westerners, especially Christians, have good reasons
to prefer a secular regime to a religious one. Their experience with
"religious regimes" - as they knew them - meant the rule
of the clergy, the despotic authority of the Church, and the resulting
decrees of excommunication.
For Muslim societies, the acceptance of secularism means something totally different; i.e. as Islam is a comprehensive system of worship (ibadah) and legislation (Shariah), the acceptance of secularism means abandonment of Shariah, a denial of the divine guidance and a rejection of Allah's injunctions; It is indeed a false claim that Shariah is not proper to the requirements of the present age. The acceptance of a legislation formulated by humans means a preference of the humans' limited knowledge and experiences to the divine guidance: "Say! Do you know better than Allah?" (Quran 2:140). For this reason, the call for secularism among Muslims is atheism and a rejection of Islam. The silence of the masses in the Muslim world about this deviation has been a major transgression and a disobedience which has produced a sense of guilt, remorse, and inward resentment, all of which has generated discontent, insecurity, and hatred among committed Muslims because such deviation lacks legality. Secularism is compatible with the Western concept of God which maintains that after God had created the world, He left it to look after itself. In this sense, God's relationship with the world is like that of a watchmaker with a watch: he makes it then leaves it to function without any need for him. This concept is inherited from Greek philosophy, especially that of Aristotle who argued that God neither controls nor knows anything about this world. This is a helpless God as described by Will Durant. We Muslims believe that Allah is the sole Creator and Sustainer of the Worlds. One Who "takes account of every single thing" (72:28); that He is Omnipotent and Omniscient. In that capacity, Allah revealed His divine guidance to humanity, made certain things permissible and others prohibited, commanded people to observe His injunctions and to judge according to them. If they do not do so, then they commit kufr, aggression, and transgression. Source: |
