Israel - Iran conflict 2026: Keeping Matters in Perspective

Epigraph (Estimated Reading Time: 25 minutes)

Permission to take up arms is hereby granted to those who are attacked because they have been oppressed, and God indeed has power to help them – those who have been unjustly driven from their homes, only because they said: “Our Lord is Allah.” Qur’an Surah Al-Hajj (22:39-40)

 "And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and for the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, 'Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper?'" Qur’an Surah al-Nisa (4:75)

 And had it not been that Allah dislodge one people through another, the monasteries and churches, the synagogues and the mosques, in which His praise is abundantly celebrated, would be utterly destroyed. Qur’an Surah al-Hajj (22:40)

 These are binding Qur’an verses for all times to come. The question is: Who is authorized to wage jehad (fight)?

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) remained in Makkah as a Messenger for thirteen years. During that time, what was not said against him? Even plans were made to kill him. Yet Allah did not command him to carry out any retaliatory action. No counter-violence was undertaken.

You may recall that the first martyrs were the parents of ʿAmmar (may Allah be pleased with them). The Prophet (peace be upon him) told them that he could not take any action; he could only give them the glad tidings of Paradise. Consider also how severely Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was tortured. Did the Prophet command anyone to launch an operation to rescue him? No. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) purchased him and set him free.

When the Prophet migrated to Madinah, he did not enter merely as a Messenger of God; he entered as a ruler of Madinah. This is a very important point. Upon arrival, he laid the foundation of Masjid Quba, and then the foundation of Masjid al-Nabawi. After that, Allah revealed verses granting permission for fighting against those who had expelled them from their homes (as mentioned above in Surah al-Hajj).

In the second year of Hijrah, the Battle of Badr took place. In the third year, the Battle of Uhud occurred, and later the Battle of Ahzab and the conquest of Makkah. Please note: no military action was taken before migration. Why not? Even when ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted Islam in the eighth year, and Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) had embraced Islam earlier, they did not wage action against Quraysh. There was no guerrilla warfare. No terrorist activity. No militant group was formed. Nothing of that sort was done. The Qur’an declares that killing one innocent person is like killing all humanity.

"Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption done in the land — it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one life, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely." Qur’an Surah al-Māʾidah (5:32)

Only when he became a ruler did the command for jihad come. Because the ruler is a shield. The Imam, the ruler, is the shield behind whom Muslims fight—if he gives the call. Without legitimate authority, action is not permitted.

Consider also the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. A companion named Abu Basir wished to return, but the Prophet said a treaty had already been made. Abu Basir later formed a small group and attacked some Quraysh caravans. The Prophet disapproved and said such action would ignite the flames of war. Remarks of the Prophet (sws) about Abu Basir when he returned to Madinah after killing one of his two custodians: (his mother be cursed, if he finds some supporters, he is bound to ignite the flames of war.)

Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) If we look even further back to Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). His entire life was under Roman authority. Political power was not in his hands. The Gospel contains no command of armed struggle because he did not possess political authority. Had he formed a militant group against the Roman Empire, that would have been sabotage—what we today call terrorism.

If others commit wrong, that does not justify us committing wrong. We stand on moral authority. This world is a place of trial, and it is our character that is being tested.

Hadith of Prophet (peace be upon him) If we look at the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), it is an extension of this principle: if a person forms a faction and you support it, and you die in that cause, you die the death of ignorance (Jahiliyyah). You are not to join such factions. For example, my name is Yazdani. Suppose I inspire a few university students, form a group called “Lashkar-e-Yazdania,” and go to Afghanistan or Kashmir without state authority or policy approval. Who would bear responsibility? It would be ruinous. Acting independently in the name of religion brings destruction.

A Muslim ruler is the shield [of his people]. An armed struggle can only be carried out under him and people should seek his shelter for themselves [in war] - Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-Sahih, 489, (no. 2957).

 

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever fights under a banner of blind partisanship (ʿaṣabiyyah), becoming angry for tribalism, calling to tribalism, or supporting tribalism, and is killed, then his death is a death of Jāhiliyyah.” - Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Imārah (The Book of Leadership), Hadith No. 1848

 

This is part of a longer dialogue between Ḥudhayfa ibn al-Yamān (رضي الله عنه) and the Prophet ﷺ concerning times of fitnah (tribulation and civil strife). I asked: “If there is no state or ruler of the Muslims?” He replied: “In this situation, dissociate yourself from all groups, even if you have to chew the roots of a tree at the time of your death.” - Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-Sahih, 1221, (no. 7084).

 

When religion is used recklessly in political power struggles, it often leads to isolation and conflict.

Sanctity of Human Life Consider the Battle of Badr. Allah mentioned that if there were one hundred steadfast believers, they could overcome a thousand. Later, in the battle of Uhud the ratio was adjusted to one against two. Why was this change made? What lesson is there for us?

The lesson is that human life is precious. Do not engage in reckless adventurism. Do not rush into conflict under emotional impulse and bring destruction upon an entire nation. If even the Companions were addressed with a one-to-two ratio, what about us today? We should not rush into war unless conditions are just and proportionate. These are extremely important points. Religion did not come to promote chaos. It came to establish justice, discipline, and moral responsibility.

Prophet! Rouse the believers to wage war. If there are twenty amongst you,

patient and persevering, they will subdue two hundred: if a hundred, they will

subdue a thousand of the disbelievers: for these are a people without insight. Qur’an Surah Al-Anfal (8:65)

This was the first phase. After it, many people entered the folds of Islam. Though the number of Muslims increased significantly as a result, yet the converts did not have the same insight in religion as their forerunners before them. Consequently, the Almighty reduced the burden of this responsibility also:

             Now, God has lightened your burden for He knows that weakness has come

into you: So, if there are a hundred of you, patient and persevering, they will

subdue two hundred, and if a thousand, they will subdue two thousand, with

the permission of God and [in reality], God is with those who patiently

persevere. Qur’an Surah Al-Anfal (8:66)

Why has Allah mentioned ratio of armies in the Qur’an? Human life is sacred in the sight of Allah. That is why, when an animal is sacrificed: even for a simple animal like a chicken, you recite the name of Allah before slaughtering it. Why is that necessary? What is the reason? The simple reason is this: even the life of an animal is taken with the acknowledgment of Allah’s permission and greatness. This shows how sacred life is. So how can you take a human life through terrorist activities or unlawful violence?

Muslim Perspective Speaking from a Muslim perspective, we cannot form a private army. If there is to be war, it must be declared by a legitimate government authority. In principle, it would be the Prime Minister of Pakistan, acting according to the Constitution, so that the world knows it is a responsible state action. Even then, war has conditions. You cannot fight like Alexander, simply to conquer the world and clamp your hegemony or way of life.

The Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan, interprets the Qur’an in dividing the world into Dar al-Harb (Abode of War) and Dar al-Islam (Abode of Islam) and take on their responsibility as their duty to convert the entire world by force.

“He it is Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religion, even though the polytheists dislike it.” Qur’an verse Surah At-Tawbah (9:33)

The question is who appointed them as contractors of religion? Such actions create chaos (fasad), and the Qur’an prescribes severe punishment for those who spread disorder in the land. Human life has immense sanctity; you cannot take it unlawfully.

Militant organizations or organizations with a militant agenda are not governments. A recognized government is acknowledged internationally as a state authority. But a militant group—what legal standing does it have? When states covertly or overtly support such groups, it damages the image of Islam and Muslim countries. It is a disservice to Islam and the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

The punishment of those who wage war against God and His Messenger and in this way strive to spread anarchy in the land is to execute them in an exemplary way or to crucify them or to amputate their hands and feet from opposite sides or to banish them from the land. Such is their disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter, for them shall be an awful doom  except those who repent before you overpower them; so, [do not commit excess against them and] you should understand well that God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful. Qur’an Surah al-Maida (5:33-34)

Muslims raise slogans, but we do not reflect. If we reflect at the past two hundred years of Muslim history wherever militant groups were formed without legitimate authority, they faced crushing defeats. From Balakot where Syed Ahmed Shaheed was slain to other movements, War of Independence 1857, many efforts ended in tragedy. We lost again and again. We cannot form militant groups unless there is lawful state authority.

If Pakistan were to enter a war, it would be through a constitutional process. The elected representatives in the National Assembly would deliberate. The Assembly represents the people. After due process, if the Prime Minister gives an order, then the armed forces would act. Otherwise, they cannot move on their own. These are principles of Allah. As Muslims, we have the Qur’an and Sunnah. We must follow principle, not emotion. Whether others are right or wrong is a separate issue. Our responsibility is to act correctly according to Qur’an and Sunnah.

Conclusion -The Flip Side of the Coin Allah expects to fight against oppression. If a nation threatens to disrupt the peace and freedom of the world and its arrogance and haughtiness exceed all bounds, a stage may come when the use of force and power becomes essential to keep it in check.

And had it not been that Allah dislodge one people through another, the monasteries and churches, the synagogues and the mosques, in which His praise is abundantly celebrated, would be utterly destroyed. Qur’an Surah al-Hajj (22:40)

In the present scenario, keeping the points alluded to above, who among the Muslims has the will to fight oppression? Has any Muslim country taken on the responsibility of waging an operation to free the oppressed people of Gaza? Has any Muslim country the moral courage to save the children of Gaza from dying? Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, and (nuclear declared) Pakistan? Have such Muslim countries decided to act on the universal Qur’an verse (4:75): And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and for the oppressed among men, women, and children…?

None.

If none of the Muslim countries has the gall and guts to free the oppressed in the world, rest assured the path of militancy, covertly or overtly, is absolutely shunned by Allah in all its manifestations. It is the path to hell, both here and in the hereafter. Our conduct should be righteous and moral against all odds.

 

and the soul and the way it is perfected then inspired it with its evil and its good that the Day of Judgement is certain to come; [hence,] he succeeded who purified his soul  and he failed who corrupted it. Qur’an Surah Ash-Shams (91:7-10)

This is the test of our existence. This behaviour is our guarantee of salvation in the hereafter.

In reality, whoever comes before his Lord as a wrongdoer, for him is Hell. He shall neither die nor live in it. Contrary to this, those who come before Him as believers, who have done righteous deeds, then it is such people for whom there are high ranks,  orchards of eternal residence beneath which streams flow. They shall live in them forever. And this is the reward of those who adopt purity. Qur’an Surah Ta-ha (20:75-76)

This is the time of reflection, introspection and ratiocination. Neither rhetoric nor emotion. The only plausible route for the Muslims is to look inwards and take the path of diplomacy and moral construction within society. We are moral beings. Muslims have the additional onus of acting as moral beings because we claim we are the bearers of Allah’s religion and His message received through His messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him).

This message clearly and lucidly lays out the parameters of waging jehad. Those parameters should be adhered to. These are the ethical limits and boundaries of Allah. Flouting them is a recipe to inviting the wrath of Allah. Allah is the fairest and does not allow anyone to take His law in one’s own hands.

 

Believers! Adhere to justice, bearing witness to it for God even if this evidence is against yourselves, your parents, and your kinsfolk. If someone is rich or poor, God only is more worthy [that His law be followed]. So, do not be led by desires [by leaving His guidance], lest as a result you swerve from the truth. And [remember that] if you try to distort [what is true and just] or evade [it], you shall definitely be punished for it because God is well aware of what you do. Qur’an Surah al-Nisa (4:135)

Aamir Yazdani
Qur’an Instructor, Al-Mawrid (Lahore, Pakistan & GCIL, Texas)
MPhil – Islamic Thought & Civilization (UMT, Pakistan)
MSc – Irrigation Engineering (UK)

“For What Sin Was She Killed?” - The Qur’anic Revolution Regarding Women

Epigraph

 The Qur’an paints one of the most haunting scenes ever revealed:

 ‎وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ بِأَيِّ ذَنبٍ قُتِلَتْ

“And when the buried girl shall be asked: for what crime was she killed?” (Qur’an 81:8–9)

 This is not poetry. This is the Qur’an holding a mirror before humanity: 

 “Explain yourselves.
Why did you crush her?”

 The verse was revealed about certain tribes in pre-Islamic Arabia who buried their daughters alive — out of shame, fear, societal pressure, and patriarchal honour constructs. But the verse is not limited to one region or one century.

 This verse is a moral X-ray of every society that kills a woman’s dignity, even if not her body.

 From Arabia to the Middle Ages to today, women have bled under different cultures in different ways, where they were labelled witches in medieval Europe and tortured, hunted, and burned, and labelled impure when menstruating, and being isolated, shamed, and treated as untouchable.

 Even blamed for “the original sin,” where Eve alone is considered to have misled humanity. There is no theological foundation in Islam that woman is the source of evil. None. The Qur’an corrects this misconception and states:

 Both Adam and Eve faltered together.
(Qur’an 2:36, 7:20–23)

 The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave women legal identity long before Europe even imagined it. Women were granted inheritance rights (Qur’an 4:7), the right to own property, the right to keep their wealth separate, the right to consent to marriage, the right to seek divorce, and the right to an independent economic identity.

 The Qur’an assigns a woman’s wealth as hers. She is not obliged to spend on the family. Man, as the husband is. That is why his inheritance share is larger, as he is obligated to provide for and protect. Hers is untouched security.

The Qur’an’s Verse (4:34) – A Bone Of Contention For The Feminists

 Every institution in the world has one head. God made the husband head of the institution of marriage, not because he is “superior” but because every institution needs a final point of responsibility, and the man is obligated to earn and maintain the household. This is an administrative role, not a dictatorship.

 The Qur’an demands mutual decision-making, consultation, kindness, and honour - a headship based on responsibility, not tyranny. Every institution has a head. Not so that the head may become a dictator, but so that the institution may remain stable, functional, and disciplined. The head is not the “most privileged.” The head is the most accountable.

 Marriage, in the Qur’anic worldview, is also an institution. Therefore, God assigns the husband as ‘qawwam’ (Qur’an 4:34), the one who carries the burden of provision, protection, and responsibility. This is not a license for domination. It is a burden of stewardship.

 The Qur’an does not say: “man is superior.” Rather, it says: man is responsible because he must earn and provide, and maintaining the household is his legal and moral duty. The husband and wife are to make decisions jointly, with mutual respect and consultation. This is the context of 4:34.

 Those who read “headship” as power have misunderstood it. It is actually an obligation. And to keep the marital institution from collapsing under rebelliousness, the Qur’an outlines graduated steps: talk, counsel, warn - not to harm, but to restore order. These are procedural safeguards, not tools of violence.

 The role of ‘qawwam’ makes the husband answerable before God. If he abuses his role, he will stand exposed in the Hereafter. His wife can take him to account before the Lord of Justice. That is a terrifying prospect. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized this responsibility when he said:

 “The best of you are those who are best to their wives and children.”
And he signaled with two fingers close together, indicating closeness with him in the Hereafter for the affectionate and just husband.

 So Qur’an 4:34 is not about male privilege. It is about male accountability. The husband’s role is to protect, provide, love, care, and uphold the dignity and well-being of the family. That is leadership in Islam. Not domination but responsibility with gentleness.

Conclusion

And yet women are still buried today. Not under sand. But under social pressure in joint families to carry all household labour, manipulative inheritance practices, legal or illegal, that push them out, cultural guilt for wanting their own careers, emotional gaslighting, honour-pressure, religious distortion, and the quiet suffocation of being told “this is your duty”.

They are still being quietly buried alive inside their own lives. The Qur’an came to unbury her.

Islam did not come to make women lesser. Islam came to lift them after the world had pushed them down. Islam came to speak for the girl who had no voice. Islam came to ask the question that shook centuries: “For what sin was she killed?”

 Every time we erase a woman’s right, crush her dreams, take her agency, shame her for existing, we step into the crime this verse condemns. The Qur’an defended her. Muslims who claim to be the bearers of the Qur’an today must do the same. A society is measured by how it treats the girl it once buried.

 May we not be the generation that buries her again, this time with culture instead of soil.

Aamir Yazdani
MPhil Islamic Thought & Civilization (Pakistan)
MSc Irrigation Engineering (UK)

The Divine Gift of Reflection: What Makes Us Human? (English Translation of presentation by Mr. Rizwanullah, Scholar Al Mawrid, Lahore)

 

The Divine Gift of Reflection: What Makes Us Human? 

(English Translation of presentation by Mr. Rizwanullah, Scholar Al Mawrid, Lahore) 

Epigraph

"And He made for you hearing, sight, and hearts — yet little are you grateful."
— Qur'an 32:9

Reading Time: 8 minutes

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We share much with the animal kingdom. Like other living creatures, we experience hunger and thirst. We possess instincts that drive us to seek fulfillment. We work to preserve ourselves and continue our species. In these fundamental aspects, humans and animals walk parallel paths.

Yet something profound distinguishes us. When the call of religion reaches humanity, responses vary dramatically—some embrace it wholeheartedly, others turn away with indifference or avoidance. This divergence reveals a unique human capacity. But what exactly sets us apart? What transforms a biological creature into a human being?

The Qur'anic Account of Human Creation

The Qur'an, particularly in Surah As-Sajdah, provides a profound explanation of our origins:

"He began the creation of man from clay. Then He made his progeny from an extract of a humble fluid. Then He proportioned him and breathed into him of His spirit, and made for you hearing, sight, and hearts." (Qur'an 32:7–9)

This verse reveals that human creation unfolded through distinct phases. In the beginning, human beings appeared and perished like other creatures. Then Allah initiated a new process—fashioning and perfecting the human form from humble origins. The culminating act was breathing into humanity something of His own spirit (rūḥ).

This divine breath is what fundamentally distinguishes us from all other living beings. No other creature received this gift—this infusion of a divine element.

Beyond Instinct: The Spiritual Dimension

After Allah breathed His spirit into humanity, the Qur'an tells us He granted faculties of listening, seeing, and understanding—capacities that enable us to comprehend, reflect, and make moral decisions.

Now consider animals also see, hear, and think to some extent. We observe these cognitive activities among them. However, their faculties function entirely within the sphere of instinct and immediate need—finding food, water, shelter, and ensuring reproduction. Their perception serves only survival.

Humans, in contrast, use these same faculties not merely for physical survival but for higher purposes. We can reflect beyond our instincts. We contemplate meaning, pursue justice, create beauty, and seek truth. This capacity emerged after Allah breathed His spirit into us. Through this divine endowment, humanity became distinguished from all other creatures.

The Nature of Divine Spirit (Rūḥ)

When the Qur'an speaks of Allah breathing His spirit into humanity, what does this mean? Does our physical life depend on this spirit?

The word rūḥ operates on two levels. In everyday language, we use it to mean life or soul—"a person's spirit has departed." But in the Qur'anic sense here, the word transcends physical life.

Even before Allah breathed His spirit into the human form, biological life already existed—the body was animated, functioning, living. According to the hadith, after about one hundred and twenty days, the spirit is breathed into the developing child. Yet even before this moment, the embryo possesses biological life—a beating heart, movement, and growth.

This rūḥ is something different from the realm of the unseen, a reality whose true nature we cannot fully comprehend. When the Qur'an says, "He breathed into him of His spirit," it doesn't mean literal blowing, but rather that something proceeds from God's command—an act of creation giving rise to consciousness, perception, reflection, and moral discernment.

This is what distinguishes the human being from all other creatures.

The Honor and the Responsibility

Allah has honored humanity by granting these faculties. But this honor entails responsibility—we must use them as they were meant to be used, especially in understanding divine truth and responding to God's message.

True gratitude (shukr) for these gifts doesn't simply mean saying "thank you." In Arabic, shukr means recognizing the value of something and using it for the purpose for which it was given. If someone gives you a gift, you appreciate it not only by expressing thanks but by using it rightly—for the purpose intended by the giver.

When Allah says, "little do you give thanks," He means we must:

1. Be thankful that He made us human, not animals—granting us the honor of being descendants of Adam
2. Use these faculties as He intended—to recognize His signs, understand His guidance, and follow truth

If these two forms of gratitude are absent, we fail to fulfill the purpose of the divine gifts we received.

The Moral Decline: When Faculties Are Misused

But what happens when these God-given faculties are not used for their higher purpose?

A person may excel intellectually in worldly affairs—in science, technology, business, or art—yet when it comes to religion, revelation, or reflection on God's message, their mind becomes inattentive and dull. It is as if their ears cannot hear, their eyes cannot see, and their heart cannot comprehend.

The Qur'an describes such people powerfully:

"They have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle — nay, more astray. They are the heedless ones." (Qur'an 7:179)

Why "more astray" than animals? Because animals use their limited faculties correctly, for their basic survival needs, as nature intended. They cannot be blamed for lacking higher consciousness.

But humans were granted intellect, understanding, reflection, and the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. We were given the capacity to hear God's message, to reflect on its depth, and to recognize truth from falsehood. When we fail to use these faculties, we fall below the level of animals. We sink beneath the rank God honored us with.

The Parable of the Shepherd

The Qur'an presents a vivid parable to illustrate this spiritual deafness:

"The parable of those who disbelieve is that of one who shouts at what hears nothing but a call and a cry; they are deaf, dumb, and blind — they do not understand." (Qur'an 2:171)

Just as sheep hear the sound of the shepherd's voice but do not comprehend what he says, so too does someone who ignores the divine message. Though they hear it, they are spiritually like those animals that hear sound but fail to grasp meaning. The Qur'an paints the picture of a person deaf, blind, and heartless—not in a physical sense, but in the sense that their spiritual perception has died.

A Modern Paradox

Here lies a contemporary paradox: "The world is cash and the Hereafter is deferred payment." Modern humanity sees immediate benefit in worldly pursuits—using God-given abilities to master technology, science, and achieve material progress. Yet when it comes to religion, the same person becomes lethargic and indifferent.

Why this disparity?

The answer requires reflection. If these abilities—intellect, creativity, and observation were meant only for worldly gain, then animals too achieve similar goals within their sphere. If a person believes they've been granted something higher, something more profound, then limiting those powers only to material life is irrational and ungrateful.

When we recognize that our intellect and faculties were meant to serve higher moral and spiritual purposes, we cannot in good conscience confine them to worldly aims alone. Otherwise, we waste the very gift that sets us apart.

The Path Forward: True Gratitude

The essence of this teaching is clear: Whenever we are invited toward Allah—whenever someone calls us to faith, reflection, or righteousness—it becomes our duty to use our God-given faculties of hearing, sight, and understanding to pay attention and respond sincerely.

The faculties that God has granted us—hearing, sight, reflection, and understanding—must be used not only for worldly benefit but also for recognizing and serving Divine truth.

To be truly grateful (shākir) for these gifts means:

1. To acknowledge God for granting them
2. To employ them for the purpose for which they were given—in the service of faith, truth, and moral reflection

If we fail to do so, the Qur'an warns, we descend to the level of animals: "They are like cattle, rather they are more astray." (Surah al-A'rāf 7:179)

Conclusion: A Sacred Trust

Our intellect, senses, and reasoning are not merely evolutionary faculties developed for survival. They are trusts (amānāt) (Qur'an 33:72)—sacred responsibilities meant to lead us toward recognition of the Creator.

While animals see, hear, and think in service of instinct, humans possess these faculties to seek truth, pursue justice, contemplate beauty, and recognize the Divine. The breathing of God's spirit elevated us beyond the instinctive realm into the moral and spiritual dimension.

To misuse or neglect these gifts is to betray our essential nature—to sink from the human to the animal level, or even lower. True humanity lies not in biological classification but in fulfilling the purpose for which we were created: to listen to the voice of truth, to reflect on divine signs in the world, and to align our lives with God's moral law.

The question each of us must answer is simple yet profound: Will we use the divine gifts we've been granted for their intended purpose, or will we squander them on pursuits that reduce us to something less than human?

The choice, ultimately, is ours.

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"And He made for you hearing, sight, and hearts — yet little are you grateful." (Qur'an 32:9)

Source: Mr. Rizwanullah, Scholar Al Mawrid, Lahore

🌿 Hashish: Intoxication, Law, and the Ethic of Reason

🌿 Hashish: Intoxication, Law, and the Ethic of Reason

Epigraph (Reading Time: 4 minutes) 

“Believers! This liquor, and gambling, and stone altars and divining arrows are all filthy handiworks of Satan. So, avoid them that you may succeed.  Satan only seeks to stir up enmity and malice among you by getting you involved in liquor and gambling, and to keep you from the remembrance of God and from prayer. Then will you abstain from [these things?  Abstain from them] and obey God and His Messenger and continue to abstain [from disobedience]. But if you turn away [from this guidance of Ours], then be informed that the only responsibility of Our Messenger is clear communication” – Qur’an (5:90-92)

It is evident from common sense that the real reason for the prohibition of liquor is the inebriation which it causes. For this reason, everything that intoxicates will similarly stand prohibited, and a small quantity of it shall also be prohibited as a large quantity on the principle of forbidding things that may lead to grave evils.

The question of whether hashish (or cannabis) is allowed is often discussed today in the language of medicine, culture, or recreation. Yet the moral framework approaches it differently — not merely through legality or custom, but through the ethics of reason and intoxication.

 ⚖️ The Principle Behind the Prohibition

 The Prophet (peace be upon him) declared that “Every intoxicant is khamr, and every khamr is forbidden.” (Sahih Muslim, 2003)

 The underlying wisdom is not the drink, the leaf, or the chemical itself — it is the effect that clouds human reason. The Qur’an repeatedly reminds us that the human mind (‘aql) is a trust (amānah) from God, the very faculty through which moral and spiritual understanding arise. Anything that diminishes or disables this faculty, even temporarily, violates that trust.

 Hence, if a substance has the capacity to alter consciousness or impair judgement, whether in small or large amounts, it falls under the same rule as wine.

 🌀 “A Little Won’t Hurt” — The Modern Rationalization

 Many people argue: “I only use a small amount; it doesn’t make me lose control.”

 But this reasoning misses the ethical principle. Once a substance has the potential to intoxicate or produce euphoria, it can lead a person toward a state of indulgence. The pleasure itself — that shift of consciousness — becomes a subtle intoxication, guiding one’s will away from clarity and restraint.

 The reasoning is similar to the example:

 “I can drive safely on the wrong side of the road; no accident will happen.”

 The law is not crafted for exceptional individuals who claim self-control. It is made for the universal human tendency to guard against what the majority may fall into.

 💭 The Spiritual View

 In Islam, halāl and harām are not arbitrary boundaries; they are moral fences built around the sanctity of the human mind and soul. The prohibition of intoxicants is not meant to suppress joy, but to protect inner freedom — the very ability to think, discern, and worship consciously.

 Hashish, in its essence, shares the same potential for euphoria and disconnection from reason as wine or other intoxicants. Even if its medical use may be discussed under legitimate prescriptions, its recreational use cannot be justified within this ethical frame.

 🌙 Conclusion

 The permissibility of hashish cannot be established by the absence of visible harm or loss of control. It must be judged by the principle of potential intoxication — and by that standard, it remains impermissible.

 The moral law aims not to regulate pleasure but to preserve clarity. For once the mind — the seat of reason and faith — becomes dimmed, the human being loses what makes him truly human.

Aamir Yazdani
MPhil Islamic Thought & Civilization UMT, Pakistan
MSc Irrigation Engineering UK

Self Proclaimed Atheist Richard Dawkins and Data (not) Deleting Permanently from the Web

 
Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

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Epigraph

“We record that which they send before and their footprints; and all things We have kept in a clear register.”

— Qur’an 36:12

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Introduction

Richard Dawkins, in The God Delusion, makes a passing yet striking observation about the internet: once information is uploaded, it is exceedingly difficult to erase it permanently. Even when original sources are deleted, search engines retain cached versions, storing data that lingers beyond its apparent removal. This notion of persistent digital memory offers a fascinating point of reflection when read against Qur’anic descriptions of divine preservation and human accountability. 

Dawkins on Cached Memory:

“It is hard, however, to delete something permanently from the World Wide Web. Search engines achieve their speed partly by keeping caches of information, and these inevitably persist for a while even after the originals have been deleted.”

Here Dawkins highlights the tenacity of data, an almost inescapable digital trace that survives beyond deliberate human erasure.

Qur’anic Parallel

The Qur’an asserts a similar inevitability, but on a far deeper and metaphysical level. Regarding resurrection and the reassembly of human beings, it declares:

“Does man think that We will not assemble his bones? Yes indeed, We are able to proportion even his very fingertips.” (Qur’an 75:3–4)

This verse reminds humankind that nothing of their existence is lost to time. Even the unique pattern of fingerprints, a modern marker of identity, is preserved by the Divine.

Reflection: From Digital Persistence to Divine Memory

The persistence of cached data in our digital age provides a tangible metaphor for the Qur’anic worldview. Just as information online is never truly erased, the Qur’an teaches that no act, word, or trace of human life is lost. God’s record is far more precise and enduring than any technological memory, extending to the smallest anatomical detail.

What Dawkins describes as an accident of technology — data stubbornly surviving deletion — becomes in the Qur’an a deliberate act of divine omniscience: the guarantee that all existence will be reassembled and accounted for.

Conclusion

The resonance between Dawkins’ scientific observation and the Qur’anic proclamation illustrates how modern realities echo age-old revelations. In both cases, the message is clear: nothing truly vanishes. The human tendency to forget or to hide is countered by a cosmic reality in which everything is preserved — whether in a server’s cache or in the divine register.

Aamir Yazdani
MPhil Islamic Thought & Civilization Pakistan
MSc Irrigation Engineering UK