Cancer of Anti-Semitism

Having expressed my thoughts on the disease of racism, I will now discuss a particular widespread form of racism - anti-Semitism - in the Muslim world. Although Jewish people aren't the only Semites, the term anti-Semitism is understood to mean bigotry against Jews. According to Islam, Jews are People of the Scripture:

مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّـهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ ۞ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ۞ وَمَا يَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلَن يُكْفَرُوهُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَ ۞

Among the People of the Scripture is a community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating. They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and hasten to good deeds. And those are among the righteous. And whatever good they do - never will it be rejected from them. And Allah is Knowing of the righteous.

(Sura 3:113-115)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) condemned anti-Semitism. He married a pious Jewish lady, Safiyya bint Huyayy (Allah be pleased with her), who had beheld a vision that the moon was placed in her lap. At times, the Prophet's other wives would tease sayyida Safiyya on account of her Jewish heritage. The Prophet (peace be upon him) expressed grave displeasure at this, and would rebuke those of his wives who were expressing this anti-Semitism. On one occassion, when sayyida Safiyya complained to the Prophet (peace be upon him) regarding this anti-Semitic bullying, he reassured her by saying:

أَلاَ قُلْتِ فَكَيْفَ تَكُونَانِ خَيْرًا مِنِّي وَزَوْجِي مُحَمَّدٌ وَأَبِي هَارُونُ وَعَمِّي مُوسَى

"Why did you not say: And how are you better than me while my husband is Muhammad, my father is Aaron and my uncle is Moses?"

(Jami at-Tirmidhi, #3892)

And in another version:

إِنَّكِ لاَبْنَةُ نَبِيٍّ وَإِنَّ عَمَّكِ لَنَبِيٌّ وَإِنَّكِ لَتَحْتَ نَبِيٍّ

"You are the daughter of a Prophet, your uncle is a Prophet and you are married to a Prophet."

(ibid, #3894)

So in answering anti-Semitism, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) cited the nobility of Jewish heritage and the Israelite Prophets. Apart from the Prophet's wife Safiyya, several other companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were Jewish, notably the rabbi Abdullah bin Salam (Allah be pleased with him), who is called a Witness from the Children of Israel in the holy Quran (Sura 46:10). Likewise, some of the greatest early scholars of Islam were Jewish converts, such as Ka'b al-Ahbar (Allah be pleased with him). Historically, the treatment of Jews under Muslim rule, while not always perfect, was a lot fairer than what they had to face in medieval, Christian Europe of persecution, inquisitions, Crusades and pogroms. In modern times we cannot ignore the horror of the Holocaust. It was during the Second World War that modern anti-Semitism began to penetrate the Arab world. The Farhud pogrom in Iraq in 1941, in which hundreds of innocent Jews were murdered by a campaign of pro-Nazi, Arab fascism under Rashid Ali al-Gaylani, is one of the darkest stains on our history. Nevertheless, I must point out that this modern anti-Semitism that spread like a cancer into the Arab world had nothing to do with Islam. It was an outcome of a secular, Arab nationalist and fascist ideology which was opposed by religious forces such as the Ulama. The Baath Party that arose in Iraq and Syria, and sadly persists in the latter country, is a toxic mixture of fascism, socialism and Arab nationalism, which seeks to supress the orthodox expression of Islam. Anti-Semitism is integral to the Baathist ideology. We Muslims have to recognize the nefarious agendas of both the far-right and far-left to inject an anti-Semitic narrative into our community. Anti-Semitism is associated with these two political extremes, but particularly with White European supremacism and xenophobia. It cannot be denied that the soured relations between Muslims and Jews because of the Israel/Palestine conflict has greatly fueled anti-Semitism in our community. We must never make the mistake of using the oppressive policies of a right-wing government in the State of Israel as justification to latch on to an anti-Semitic narrative that demonizes Jewish people. Islam teaches us justice, moderation, truth and sincerity: "do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness." (Sura 5:8) It is quite regrettable that a historically European narrative of anti-Semitism has penetrated much of the Muslim world. Disgusting anti-Semitic literature such as the fabricated Protocols of the Elders of Zion are being widely distributed in Arab book shops. We have to acknowledge this growing problem within our part of the world and launch an educational campaign to combat it.

Barbarism of Saudi Regime

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على أشرف الأنبياء والمرسلين

وعلى اهل بيته الطيبين الطاهرين المظلومين

ولا حول ولا قوة الا بالله العلي العظيم

Tyranny and injustice continues unabated in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This time, the Saudi regime executed thirty seven mostly Shi'a men. Undoubtedly, these men were innocent of the charge of terrorism levelled against them. Their confessions were coerced after a brutal regiment of torture. The Saudi persecution of the Shi'a community is blatant. In January 2016, they executed a Shi'i cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, who had merely engaged in non-violent protest against the oppression of the Saudi government. The Saudi king, Salman, and his diabolical son MBS have surpassed their predecessors in the unabashed murder of innocents. Aside from the oppression of the Shi'a community, the Saudi regime has cracked down on all other peaceful dissent. It has imprisoned a throng of Sunni Ulama, including those who have expressed even the slightest degree of criticism or regret at the evil actions of the Saudi regime, such as its inhumane war on Yemen, its inexcusable blockade of Qatar, and the establishment of cinemas, concerts and other sinful activities in the sacred land of Hijaz. As I have stated several times before, the intensification of the tyranny of the Saudis in Arabia is a sure sign of the proximity of the promised Mahdi's advent. Whether or not the Saudi rulers are aware of their unenviable fate, we can rest assured that if the Imam al-Mahdi does indeed appear while the Saudi regime is still in power he shall overcome them and subject them to the retribution they have merited. It is widely expected that when the aged Salman dies, his wicked and satanic son, MBS, will become king. At that point there will be nothing to hold him back from unleashing the full throttle of his tyranny and cruelty against his domestic enemies, both real and imagined. I suspect that when the individual whom Allah shall make into our Mahdi flees Madina and seeks refuge in Masjid al-Haram it will be due to the fact that the Saudi ruler of that time will have issued orders to capture him. It is quite possible that this future Mahdi shall start out as a political dissident who raises his voice against the injustice of the Saudi government. Now to be sure, I too am critical of some of the elements that have been subjected to Saudi oppression, such as the Shi'a, feminists and women's rights activists, the Muslim Brotherhood, and certain activist clerics like Salman al-Awda and Safar al-Hawali who represent the Sahwa Movement in that country. Nevertheless, it is my religious and moral duty to speak out against oppression, even if those who are suffering from that oppression are primarily groups and individuals that I am strongly critical of on an ideological level. The execution of innocent people is an enormity in the Eyes of Allah Most High. In 1979, Juhayman al-Utaybi and his followers, motivated by apocalyptic zeal, seized control of Masjid al-Haram and announced the arrival of the Mahdi. That incident foreshadowed what is yet to come when the real and genuine Mahdi emerges and is given the pledge of allegiance in the shade of the Ka'ba. This time, however, there will be no smuggling of weapons into the precinct of the Sacred Mosque, and the regime's forces which will attack from the direction of the north shall be decimated through a natural catastrophe in a plain somewhere between the two sacred towns of Makka and Madina. Like Juhayman's uprising, the subtext animating the Mahdi's emergence is the widespread injustice of the Arab regimes, particularly the one that rules from Riyadh. In several Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) warned about the evil that comes from the land east of Madina, the Najd, where the sun appears to rise "between the two horns of Satan". Another fact which makes me believe these prophesied events are about to transpire quite soon are the parallel expectations of religious Jews and Christians. They too are expecting the coming of the Messiah or return of Christ respectively. That the world is heading to an era of crisis is undeniable. Climate change including due to irresponsible human activity and the drying up of rivers and lakes leading to a shortage of drinking water means great famines and droughts are in store for us. Generally speaking, prophecy in the Abrahamic tradition points to a period in the latter days of great famine and great wars among the nations the like of which has never been witnessed before. The present geopolitical situation has set the stage for an immanent clash among the superpowers and regional powers (United States, Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, North Korea). I happen to believe that we are about to witness an extremely massive war, which may even be termed World War 3. This will be an armed conflict involving the United States and its allies against Russia or China and their allies. It may even be sparked by a smaller regional conflict that drags in these larger military powers, similar to how the First World War broke out with the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist. Now returning to Saudi Arabia, it will soon unveil its true, ugly face in the coming months by openly siding with the State of Israel which will seek to unilaterally impose its own settlement in the ongoing issue of Palestine. Though the Palestinian people and perhaps even their leadership, despite the latter's corruption, will naturally reject this so called peace plan which will require them to compromise immensely, Saudi Arabia and the other Arab states will accept it on their behalf. This will be the great betrayal which will embolden the State of Israel to intensify its colonization of the West Bank and ethnically cleanse the Holy Land of the Palestinians that remain. Israel is also on a collision course with Iran, and very, very soon we are going to witness a full scale war between these two which will likely result in the end of the Islamic Republic.

Disease of Racism (Part 2)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ولا حول ولا قوة الا بالله العلي العظيم

I’ve often argued that a Muslim should ideally be de-racialized. Once you become a Muslim, your race is merely an incidental attribute and cannot be the basis of your identity. It is Islam, your faith, that replaces race or anything else like ethnicity, nationality, etc., in terms of identity. This is truly the only solution to the problem of racism or other superficial divisions among people that they have inherited. The advent of the modern nation state served to divide Muslims more than anything else in our history. Likewise, identity politics on the basis of race and ethnicity has further divided us and is a means of undermining our religious consciousness. Sadly, the majority of Muslims today may consider their nationality or ethnicity as their primary identity, relegating their religion to a secondary role in terms of identity. Religion for many is merely a private or individual expression and they have no sense of a Muslim communal identity or consciousness.

Having said this, I must point out that when a race of people suffer discrimination on the basis of their race, we have to acknowledge its existence and cannot bury our heads in the sand with the so-called “color-blind” philosophy. The reality of our time is that Black African people are the greatest victims of racism, discrimination and prejudice. There are historical reasons for why this is the case. While Muslims who are Black should de-racialize themselves like all other Muslims, we have to acknowledge the racial discrimination they have been subjected to and continue to be subjected to. In the United States, the prison industrial complex, racial profiling, police brutality, and discrimination in employment and housing are real issues that have significantly harmed the African-American community. We have to remember that a quarter of the Muslims in America are African-American, and that an estimated 64% of converts to Islam there are African-American. They are by and large the face of Islam in America, but have been neglected by the immigrant Muslim communities who largely run the organizations and institutions that represent our community. There is a tragic trend of different ethnic groups establishing separate mosques. I myself have personally witnessed mosques that are literally right next to each other, which have been established to serve different ethnic groups. It is not uncommon to hear “this is a Turkish mosque, this is a South Asian mosque, this is an African-American mosque, etc.” In countries like the United States, Muslims should take advantage and celebrate their ethnic and racial diversity. We should not be segregated into different mosques, but all worship in the same mosque. As for language barriers, that is a problem that can be easily overcome. It is true that the immigrant, older generation’s issue with the language barrier has in large part contributed to the establishment of ethnic-based mosques. But as younger American Muslims by and large speak and understand English, we have to make an effort to re-integrate our community and all worship together in the same mosques.

Disease of Racism (Part 1)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ولا حول ولا قوة الا بالله العلي العظيم

Racism is a disease of the heart and a kind of spiritual blindness in which a person discriminates on things as superficial as skin color, hair texture, shape of eyes, nose, lips and other physical features. We may acknowledge our racial differences, but to think a race of people are superior or inferior on the basis of their race is sheer ignorance. Islam is the only Religion which seriously addresses the issue of racism, while some other religions like Hinduism actually perpetuate racism and construct a theological foundation for discrimination on the basis of race, caste and color.

A large fraction of the Muslim community hails from the Indian subcontinent and are descendants of Hindu converts, including myself. Although we are Muslims, our society and culture still carries a lot of undesirable baggage from our pre-Islamic, Hindu heritage, especially certain racist attitudes and behaviors. In fact, in some aspects we are worse than the Hindus. The prevalence of cousin marriage, for example, is largely a Muslim phenomenon. While Islamic law recognizes the validity of cousin marriage, this license has been used and abused by Muslims, especially certain South Asian and Arab communities, to create a tradition of first cousin marriage for generations upon generations. This has led to so many genetic, health problems due to lack of diversity in the gene pool. Interracial marriage, which is sadly considered a cultural taboo among so many Muslim communities, is actually something good and liked by our Religion, as evidenced by the Prophet’s own Sunna of arranging interracial marriages. Among the benefits of interracial marriage is that healthy diversity within the gene pool, which actually contributes to greater physical beauty and attraction along with improved health and physique. I myself am a product of a diverse marriage - my father hails from Hyderabad (India) and my mother is a Punjabi woman from Pakistan, whereas most of my other maternal relatives practice the common Pakistani-Punjabi tradition of first cousin marriage that has proven to be so destructive and unhealthy.

Colorism is another social disease among Muslims of South Asia. The thriving market of “whitening” products, which are quite harmful to the body and are known to cause skin cancer, is an example of how our culture prefers fair complexion and looks down on those who have more melanin in their skin. I view this phenomenon as evil and an example of the the Qur’anic condemnation of “changing the creation of Allah” (Sura 4:119). Likewise, the phenomena of nose jobs, lip injections or reduction surgeries, and African people using certain harmful chemicals and other products to “straighten” the natural texture of their hair, is a result of an inferiority complex which European cultural colonialism is largely responsible for. Allah created every race of human beings beautiful; each race has its unique features and beauty. But it is more important to focus on the inner beauty of the heart which increases with acts of compassion, good deeds and selflessness.

The Arabs have a greater responsibility to act upon the pure and honorable teachings of Islam. That they have largely abandoned this responsibility and are among the most corrupt of our community is quite self-evident. The mistreatment of South Asians, Africans, Filipinos and other non-White groups in the Gulf countries is a well known problem. Arab culture has a lot of racism directed at Black Africans due to the historic injustice of chattel slavery, a legacy of the pre-Islamic Arabs. Certain deragatory slurs are quite commonly applied to Black Africans by Arabs who must be shamed and called to account for this haram racism which, as I said, is a perversion of the heart. So although we have a problem of racism in the Muslim community, it is not comparable and at the same level as that which exists in non-Muslim societies like Hindu India, China, Europe and Latin America. In fact, often we Muslims are the victims of racism of non-Muslim bigotry, as is increasingly the case in Europe and America. Muslims have been subjected to genocide such as what happened in Bosnia during the 1990s, and more recently, the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Burma. In these genocides, Muslims were targeted not only on the basis of their faith, but also because of their ethnic and racial differences. These days there is a revival of White supremacism and racism in the Western world. While these far-right forces of White supremacy target many different non-White groups with their vitriolic hatred, we should always remember that they consider us Muslims as their greatest enemy. In other worse, we have the greatest stake in this global struggle against racism and prejudice. The recent horrific terrorist massacre at two mosques in New Zealand reveals how this racist and anti-Muslim bigotry is entering a dangerous, violent phase which we should not ignore.

To be continued

Prophet Yahya (John "the Baptist") Part 1

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الكريم

The great Prophet, Yahya, known as John “the Baptist”, is a very special figure who features in the holy Qur’an. Allah Most High places him in a special category of righteous individuals:

وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَإِلْيَاسَ ۖ كُلٌّ مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ۞

And Zechariah, Yahya, Jesus and Elias; Each were among the righteous

(Sura 6:85)

These four individuals were all prophets. Three of them (Zechariah, Yahya and Jesus) were not only contemporaries, but close relatives; Zechariah was Yahya’s (John’s) father, while Jesus was the latter’s maternal cousin. Elias (Elijah) is added to the mention of these three because these four prophets had a similar message that was dissident and radical. It is for this reason that, according to the Christian Gospels, there is a special affinity between John “the Baptist” and the ancient prophet Elijah: “And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.” (Matthew 11:14) “But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.” (Matthew 17:12-13) “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias” (Luke 1:17)

The historian Josephus wrote concerning John “the Baptist”:

“But to some of the Jews it seemed that the army of Herod was destroyed by God -indeed, God quite justly punishing (Herod) to avenge what he had done to John, who was surnamed the Baptist. For Herod killed him, although he was a good man and (simply) bade the Jews to join in baptism, provided that they were cultivating virtue and practicing justice toward one another and piety toward God. For (only) thus, in John’s opinion, would the baptism (he administered) indeed be acceptable (to God), namely, if they used it to obtain not pardon for some sins but rather cleansing of their bodies, inasmuch as (it was taken for granted that) their souls had already been purified by justice. And when the others (namely, ordinary Jews), gathered together (around John) - for their excitement reached fever pitch as they listened to (his) words - Herod began to fear that John’s powerful ability to persuade people might lead to some sort of revolt, for they seemed likely to do whatever he counseled. So (Herod) decided to do away with John by a preemptive strike, before he sparked a revolt. Herod considered this a much better (course of action) than to wait until the situation changed and (then) to regret (his delay) when he was engulfed by a crisis. And so, because of Herod’s suspicion, John was sent in chains to Machaerus, the mountain fortress previously mentioned; there he was killed. But the Jews were of the opinion that the army was destroyed to avenge John, God wishing to inflict harm on Herod.”

Thus we know from two different sources, i.e., Josephus and the Christian Gospels, that John “the Baptist” was indeed leading a religious movement centered on baptism, and that he was murdered by order of Herod Antipas. Strangely, the holy Qur’an mentions neither of these two facts about prophet Yahya, at least not explicitly. But perhaps the following verse is an allusion to Yahya’s ministry of baptism in the holy Qur’an:

يَا يَحْيَىٰ خُذِ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ ۖ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا۞

وَحَنَانًا مِّن لَّدُنَّا وَزَكَاةً ۖ وَكَانَ تَقِيًّا۞

“O Yahya, take the Scripture with determination.” And We gave him judgement (while yet) a boy. And affection from Us and purity, and he was fearing (of Allah)

(Sura 19:12-13)

The granting of zakaat “purity” to Yahya may be considered an allusion to his ministry of baptism at the Jordan River - an outward expression or symbol of the inner purification.

As for the martyrdom of Yahya, the holy Qur’an simply states that there was to be peace upon him on the day he died (Sura 19:15), meaning, if he was martyred, which is highly likely based on what limited historical accounts we have, he was in a state of peace and tranquility.

To be continued

Imam Abi Hanifa's Takfir of the One Who Denies Allah is Above Heaven on Throne

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الكريم

The great muhaddith, Imam adh-Dhahabi, brought out the statement of Imam Abi Hanifa (rahimahullah) in which he apparently makes takfir of the one who denies Allah is above Heaven upon His Throne:

قال الإمام الذهبي رحمه الله: وبلغنا عن أبي مطيع الحكم بن عبد الله البلخي صاحب الفقه الأكبر قال: سألت أبا حنيفة عمن يقول: لا أعرف ربي في السماء أو في الأرض، فقال: قد كفر؛ لأن الله تعالى يقول: ((الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى))[طه:5] وعرشه فوق سمواته. فقلت: إنه يقول: أقول على العرش استوى، ولكن قال: لا يدري العرش في السماء أو في الأرض، قال: إذا أنكر أنه في السماء فقد كفر. رواها صاحب الفاروق

Abi Muti’ al-Hakam b. Abd Allah al-Balkhi says: I asked Aba Hanifa about the one who says “I do not know if my Lord is on Heaven or on Earth” so he said: “He has disbelieved, for Allah Most High says ‘Ar-Rahman ascended upon the Throne’ (Sura 20:5), and His Throne is above His Heavens.” So I said: And if he says: “I say He ascended upon the Throne but I do not know if the Throne is in Heaven or in the Earth” so he said: “He has disbelieved because he denied that He is in Heaven” (Mukhtasar al-Uluww p.136 #118; Minah Rawd al-Azhar fi Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar p.333):

 

Deobandi Misguidance: Meaning of Allah's Attribute "Hand" is Power

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الكريم

In the previous entry, I quoted the great Imam Abi Hanifa’s (rahmatullah alaih) statement that it is false to interpret the meaning of Allah’s Attribute of Hand to mean His Power or His Favor. The Imam apparently explained that this is the way of the deviated Qadariyya and Mu’tazila sects. In our time, the despicable Deobandis take pride in being muqallidin (blind-followers) of Imam Abi Hanifa and his Hanafi madhhab. But in terms of theology and creed, they have manifestly opposed him. The major text of Deobandi creed, which all Deobandi graduates are expected to sign and adhere to, states:

ممکن ہے استواء سے مراد غلبہ ہو اور ہاتھ سے مراد قدرت، تو یہ بھی ہمارے نزدیک حق ہے

“it is possible that the intent of ascension is domination and of hand is power etc. to make it accessible to the understandings of the deficient, it is also correct according to us” (al-Muhannad alal-Mufannad; p.48):

 

Imam Abi Hanifa: Affirmation of Allah's Essential Attributes Hand, Face, Self

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الكريم

Imam Abi Hanifa (rahimahullah) was a great jurist and pious saint of our Umma. Sadly, the majority of those who attribute themselves to him have deviated in their theology and creed. Several misguided sects like the Mu’tazila, Karramiyya, Maturidiyya, and in our time, the Deobandis and Barelawis, ascribe themselves to the Hanafi madhhab. They may be Hanafi in jurisprudence, but they have greatly opposed the Islamic creed and theology of Imam Abi Hanifa. Only a small group among the Ahnaf, including yours truly, remain faithful to the Athari or Salafi creed which was adhered to by Imam Abi Hanifa and his original students.

The text al-Fiqh al-Akbar, which is generally ascribed to Imam Abi Hanifa, either his own work or else faithfully representing his beliefs, summarizes the creed of the Imam. In it is stated:

وله يد ووجه ونفس كما ذكره الله تعالى في القرآن، فما ذكره الله تعالى في القرآن من ذكر الوجه، واليد، والنفس فهو له صفات بلا كيف، ولا يقال: إن يده قدرته، أو نعمته، لأن فيه إبطال الصفة، هو قول أهل القدر والاعتزال، ولكن يده صفة بلا كيف، وغضبه، ورضاه صفتان من صفاته تعالى بلا كيف

“He (Allah) has a Hand, Face and Self as Allah Most High has mentioned in the Quran. And what Allah Most High mentioned in the Quran regard the Face, the Hand, and the Self, they are His Attributes without modality. And it cannot be said: ‘His Hand is His Power or His Favor’, for that is negation of the Attribute, and is the saying of the Qadariyya and the Mu’tazila. Rather, His Hand is an Attribute without modality, and His Anger and His Happiness are two Attributes from among His exalted Attributes without modality.” (al-Fiqh al-Akbar #11):

This quote is highly significant in refuting the Maturidis, Barelawis and Deobandis who claim to be followers of Imam Abi Hanifa but have apparently adapted a theology that was diametrically opposed to his own. Many of the Maturidis, Barelawis and Deobandis make ta’wil of Allah’s Attributes such as His Hand. They interpret ‘Yad’ to mean Allah’s Power or Favor rather than the orthodox creed, which is that Yad means Hand and is one of Allah’s Essential, Personal Attributes. We believe in all of Allah’s Attributes, both attributes of essence and attributes of action, but without explaining their modality or reality. Furthermore, many of today’s misguided Maturidis, including both Barelawis and Deobandis, do not affirm the attributes of Anger and Happiness for Allah, instead interpreting, for example, Happiness to mean Allah’s Mercy. This too is an apparent opposition to the creed of Imam Abi Hanifa (rahimahullah). Instead, as the Imam has stated, the Maturidis, Barelawis and Deobandis who either interpret the meaning of Allah’s Essential Attributes like His Hand to mean something else like power or favor, are following the way of the deviant Qadariyya and Mu’tazila, and are not upon the way of Ahl us-Sunnati wal-Jama’a.

Conquest of India

Everytime Pakistan’s conflict with India heats up, Pakistani nationalists and hawks throw around the term Ghazwa al-Hind to rally the troops. It is based on Prophet Muhammad’s (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) prediction:

عِصَابَتَانِ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَحْرَزَهُمَا اللَّهُ مِنَ النَّارِ عِصَابَةٌ تَغْزُو الْهِنْدَ وَعِصَابَةٌ تَكُونُ مَعَ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ

There are two groups of my Umma whom Allah will free from the Fire: The group that invades India, and the group that will be with Jesus son of Mary peace be upon them both. (Sunan an-Nasa’i #3177)

As I have explained, the so-called “Islamic” Republic of Pakistan is not at all Islamic and cannot conceivably be considered as favored by Allah. If anything, it can be reasonably argued that Pakistan is a cursed nation that is under the wrath of Allah. The Pakistani state simply invokes the name of Islam for its own convenience but is not at all sincere to Islam. Therefore, it is difficult to see how the prophecy of the armed expedition to conquer India shall be fulfilled through corrupt and un-Islamic Pakistan. In reality, the Republic of India is far superior to Pakistan in terms of military and economic might. I tend to believe that the prophecy regarding the Ghazwat ul-Hind already came to pass. Historically, various Muslim kings and forces invaded India, such as Muhammad bin Qasim who conquered Sindh, Muhammad of Ghor, Mahmud of Ghazni, Babur and the Mughals, and others. Any one of those historic conquests of India could arguably be the fulfilment of the prophecy of Ghazwat ul-Hind. It is not necessary that this prophecy be fulfilled in a future war between Pakistan and India as some deluded Pakistani nationalists imagine to be the only possible scenario.

The Reality of Peel Islamic Cultural Center (Part 1)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على اشرف الانبياء والمرسلين

والعاقبة للمتقين

That it is virtuous and righteousness of a very high level to raise one’s voice against oppression, falsehood and evil may be derived from the fact that it is a miniscule fraction of the people who manage to muster up the moral courage to do so. It has been my observation that the ‘sheep’ of this world have an innate need for acceptance and the approval of others. In the view of Islam, that is a character flaw. Thus, Allah the Exalted enjoins:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّـهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ

O you who believe! Be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives

(Sura 4:135)

This is moral courage – standing up for justice even if it is against one’s own interests or against one’s family and by extention one’s friends and community. My beloved master, the Prophet Muhammad (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) declared that the Jihad which is most superior is:

كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ

“A word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler”

For the past few weeks, the management of my local musalla where I worship has been pressing me to curse Mirza Ghulam Ahmad – founder of the Ahmadiyya sect – so that I may prove to them and others that I am a bonafide Sunni Muslim. I refused this silly, ridiculous demand for a number of reasons. Firstly, from the perspective of our Religion and Shari’a, there is no such requirement to curse Ghulam Ahmad in order for a person to be considered a member of the Sunni denomination, let alone a Muslim. It is only the profession of faith – the two testimonies (“there is none worthy of worship except Allah; Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah”) – through which a person becomes a Muslim. A Believer is one who believes in the Oneness of Allah, and in His Angels, His Apostles, His Scriptures and the Afterlife. Cursing Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is not an article of faith, nor a condition for the acceptance of the validity of one’s Islam and membership in the Muslim community. On the contrary, to make it a condition for the validity of one’s Islam or as something necessary for an Ahmadi who wishes to convert to Sunni Islam is a modern-day bid’a (evil innovation) that has been introduced into our Religion by the narrow-minded, ignorant mulla. And what does it say about the Islam of these people that it requires you to curse an individual if you wish to enter into it. Secondly, Allah Most High commands:

 

وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّـهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ

And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge

(Sura 6:108)

A principle is derived from this Verse; it is not right to insult or curse any one or any thing that is considered sacred or holy by another community. Thus, whether Ghulam Ahmad is worthy of being cursed or not is a moot point. Even if, for the sake of argument, he is worthy of being cursed, it would still be forbidden to curse him because he is a personality that is considered sacred and holy by the Ahmadiyya community. By cursing Ghulam Ahmad, we open the door for the Ahmadis or Qadianis to retaliate by cursing those individuals who are considered sacred and esteemed by our Sunni community. This is the beautiful wisdom and rationale for why Allah Most High has forbidden us to disparage any personality that is held in high regard by any community, even if that personality has no status in our view.

Thirdly, the justification given for cursing Ghulam Ahmad is that he allegedly claimed to be a Prophet of God, in violation of the doctrine of the Finality of Prophesy. I have shed some light on this issue and clarified that in reality, Ghulam Ahmad did not make a bid for Nubuwwa, but actually affirmed, quite emphatically and consistently, that Prophet Muhammad (sall Allahu alayhi wasallam) is the last and final Prophet. Though the matter is hotly contested, I refuse to curse the man as a precaution. Being cautious and careful in such matters is keeping with the spirit of Islam which enjoins taqwa and husn adh-dhann (giving people the benefit of the doubt).

So to cut a long story short, after I made it clear to the management of the musalla that I cannot curse Ghulam Ahmad for some of the reasons I have just explicated, they resolved to place some shocking restrictions upon me. I was informed that I could still offer the Fard prayers in the musalla, but am required to depart immediately afterwards.

To be continued