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Umma of the Middle Way, Revivalism, Lustful Gaze

Issue 333 » July 1, 2005 - Jumada-al-Awwal 24, 1426

General

Living the Quran

Al-Baqara (The Cow)
Chapter 2: Verse 143

Umma of the Middle Way
 "You are a community (Umma) of the middle way, so that you may be witnesses before Humanity."

  • Islam enjoins wisdom, balance, moderation and tolerance in all affairs, and it condemns excessiveness, extravagance and fanatical attitudes.
  • To achieve a balanced attitude, Muslims need to understand the objectives of Islam, stay close to Islamic guidance, and give as much weight to an aspect of Islam as the noble Prophet of Allah and his faithful Companions gave, no more and no less.
  • Extremist attitudes, practices and customs, make their entrance into an organisation, community or groups, through various ways - through views based on ignorance, superficial knowledge, imbalanced understanding or impatience.
  • Extremism is bred when certain verses of the Quran, sayings of the noble Prophet or certain of his deeds are exaggerated or understood out of their context. It even arises from exaggerated love or hate of someone or something.
  • An extremist outlook is one of the major causes of Muslim disunity and weakness today. Islamic workers must avoid extremism and rigidity, learn and observe the ethics of disagreement in Islam, and show respect and tolerance to differing views and opinions that are within the boundaries of Islam.

Source:
"Building ANew Society" - Zahid Parvez, pp. 199-201
Understanding the Prophet's Life

Islam Approves of Revivalism

Tajdeed (renewal and revival) is legitimate and required by hadith as mentioned in the well known and verified hadith: “Allah will send to the Ummah at the start of every hundred years someone who will revive the Deen.”

Reviving something does not mean eliminating it and substituting something for it, but means restoring it as much as possible to the shape it was in when it first emerged into existence and maintaining its essence, characteristics and features to the minutest detail without altering them in the least. Renovating an ancient building such as a palace, a temple or a mosque, does not mean demolishing it and building another but rather means restoring it and taking every care to return it to its original state as much as possible. This is what true tajdeed is.

Tajdeed of the Deen includes the renewal of its understanding of fiqh, which is an ideological tajdeed; renewing belief in it, which is a spiritual tajdeed and renewing the effort for its help and the call for its propagation, which is practical tajdeed. Each age requires its own type of tajdeed that addresses the deficiencies and cures the ailments of the specific age.

However, there is an area that tajdeed can never enter under any conditions - it is the area of al-qat’iyyat (the conclusive) where Islam has passed its decisive judgement in the various aspects of aqeedah, ibadah and ahkam which embody the doctrinal, spiritual, intellectual and behavioural unity of the Muslim Ummah.

Source:
"Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase " - Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, pp. 129-130
Blindspot!

What’s Wrong With A Lustful Gaze?

Many of us who are used to watching Sinbad or Temptation Island, or are addicted to Bollywood movies, or enjoy the company of people of opposite gender, may wonder what’s wrong with lustfully staring at the attractive features of the opposite gender? Perhaps one saying of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sums it all:

“The furtive glance is one of the poisoned arrows of Shaytan, on him be God's curse. Whoever forsakes it for the fear of Allah, will receive from Him (Great and Gracious is He) a faith, the sweetness of which he will find within his heart.” (al-Haakim.)

Therefore, a secret lustful look at a person of opposite gender has been compared by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to an arrow from Shaytan that:

  • poisons our hearts
  • ruins our intentions
  • gives rise to false hopes and desires
  • distorts our perception of 'reality'
  • deprives us from enjoying and concentrating in Prayers
  • gives rise to constant feeling of guilt and depression
  • sometimes leads to sleepless nights
  • renders our heart weak for continuous Shaytanic attacks
  • promotes hypocrisy
  • weakens our memory
  • eventually leads to Zina (adultery)
  • above all, diminishes our love for and fear of Allah

Source:
"Watch Out For The Arrow" - Young Muslims Publication