Corona Virus and Muslim Adhan (Azan) 1st April, 2020

Coronavirus and Muslim Adhan (Azan) 

PREAMBLE: 

People are associating and negotiating with the coronavirus at interesting levels. With the age of social media at its peak, friends, relatives even family are sharing all sorts of videos, audio, and kinds of literature concerning different angles covering this dreaded virus.

 With the opinion of people relating the pandemic to the punishment of God, or perhaps the advent of the end of times, I wrote on that particular perspective, titled ‘Coronavirus and God’, putting forth my reasoning from the Qur’an’s perspective.

 As we are encountering the pandemic, the mosque's loudspeakers are blaring with the Adhan at odd hours, especially at night. The Muslim understanding generally is to associate making the Adhan during calamities to invoke God’s mercy. The Adhan is a Muslim call for prayer, which is only five times a day at appointed times.

MAIN THRUST OF TOPIC:

As Muslims, when we perform rituals or acts linked with religion, it is well advised to conform those rituals and acts to the recommended acts of the Prophet Muhammad, Alaihissalam.

Prophet Muhammad Alaihissalam’s way in such matters was simple. He did what was the natural thing to do. The Prophet used to offer two rakaat nafal and seek Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. He never resorted to making adhan at odd hours to invoke Allah’s mercy. This brings us to the very critical aspect of whether all religious practices of Muslims is Sunnah. The recommended acts of the Prophet Muhammad, Alaihissalam in matters of religion are called Sunnah. All other religious practices that do not originate from him are Bid'ah.

A Bid'ah is a strongly condemned practice because it is an attempt at adding to religion what doesn't belong to it. Only the Prophet had the authority to introduce a religious practice in the Sunnah. Like no one has the right to add a verse to the Qur'an or take away from it, no one can add a single religious practice in the corpus of Sunnah or take away from it.

Let me share a hadith of the Prophet Alaihissalam narrated by his companion Abdullah. He narrates: The Prophet said, "I will be your predecessor at the Lake-Fount (Kauthar) and some men amongst you will be brought to me, and when I will try to hand them some water, they will be pulled away from me by force, whereupon I will say, 'O Lord, my companions!' The Almighty will say, 'You do not know what they did after you left, they introduced new things into the religion after you.'” (Bukhari).

CONCLUSION:

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) states: Moral beliefs and attitudes should be held based on critical reflection rather than passive adoption (blind following) of the particular conventions of one’s society, church, or profession. This is often what is meant by “authenticity” in one’s commitment to moral values. Those beliefs and attitudes, moreover, must be integrated into the core of an individual’s personality in a manner that leads to committed action.

It is advisable to stay connected at an intellectual level with the source of our understanding. Associating to one’s faith at an emotional level belies human intelligence. Adhering to rituals, practices because of our ancestors, clerics, and scholars may not serve the purpose until and unless they have a valid reference to context. No one would advise this practice (of adhering to aspects in life at an emotional level) in any other field of knowledge. Confining ourselves to old scientific theories at an emotional level, only because our ancestors thought so would have relegated us to horse-drawn carts. No one is impressed with this approach.

Every field of knowledge owes its progress to the highest level of intellectualizing based on the use of human intellect. No one is prepared to absorb any reasoning that is presented at an emotional level. The reference to the context of the points presented at any level is part and parcel of the presentation. It is the only channel that the audience understands.  

God, too, like us, is desirous to employ the faculties of seeing, hearing, speech, and intellect to understand Him. Amongst all species, only humans can see beyond, hear truth, speak truth, and intellectualize truth. God has spoken to humans through His messengers. God’s last message, The Glorious Qur’an, and the practices of His last messenger, Prophet Muhammad Alaihissalam, in religious matters pave the way for our salvation in God’s eyes.

Aamir Yazdani

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coronavirus and God 13th March, 2020

Coronavirus and God 

Two approaches to life – one with no God and the other with a God. I will take the second approach: There is a God. God, our Creator, Sustainer, and Provider, has spoken to us. God hasn’t gone away after His creation or found His Creation burdensome or an afterthought.

 Background:

There are two predicaments regarding the apparent tangibility of God. One is that God says no eyes can grasp Him: Qur’an (6:103) “No vision can grasp Him while He grasps all visions. He is the Subtle, the Aware.” Secondly, He says that there is no one like Him: Qur’an (42:11) “There is no one like Him. He Alone hears all and sees all”. How does one deal with these predicaments? How can we relate to God? The Qur’an shows us that one should relate to God through His attributes.

 The Qur’an presents His attributes through which God has introduced Himself. Qur’an (7:180): “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do”.

 Let me share some of His attributes (names) to develop a clearer understanding of God. The attribute: Ar-Rahman means All-Compassionate. Ar-Rahim means All Merciful. Al-Malik: The Absolute Ruler. Al-Quddus: The Pure One. Al-Aziz: The Mighty. Al-Jabbar: The Powerful. Al-Mutakabbir: The Greatest. Al-Qahhar: The Subduer. Al-Alim: The All-Knowing. Al-Hakam: The Judge. Al-Adl: The Just. Al-Latif: The Subtle One. Al-Khabir: The All-Aware. Al-Hakim: The All-Wise. Al-Matin: The Forceful One. As-Samad: The Support. Al-Hadi: The Guide and more are mentioned in the Quran.

 The English language uses the article ‘the’ to describe its specific or absolute sense. The language of the Qur’an (Arabic) uses the suffix Ar- or Al- or As- as shown above to convey its absolute sense. The first attribute, ‘Rahman’ would ordinarily mean compassionate. We as humans are also compassionate, but with the suffix Ar- it would mean the ‘most’ compassionate in its absolute sense. If we scan through the names of God above, we start to have a fair idea of God.

 Main Theme: 

God terms His message as a Reminder: Qur’an (15:9) “We have revealed this Reminder (Qur’an), and We shall preserve it”. What does the Qur’an mean by Reminder? It means the fact of the certainty of the advent of the Hereafter, where each soul is to be accountable for its deeds in this world and subsequently rewarded and reprimanded. The Qur’an’s basic message and premise in its message is this very fact.

It calls it a Reminder based on three basic and innate instincts carried by each soul – the belief in God, the belief in the Hereafter: Qur’an (7:172) “When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): "Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?"- They said: "Yea! We do testify!" (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment: "Of this we were never mindful" - coupled, with the sense of morality: Qur’an (91:7-10) “ By the Soul, and the proportion and order given to it; And its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right; Truly he succeeds that purifies it, And he fails that corrupts it”! So, each soul on earth is bestowed with the consciousness of God, the certainty of the advent of the Hereafter based on the morality it carries innately.

God has planned to keep us mindful of the advent of the Hereafter, a fact people tend to eliminate from the ‘equation’ of their lives. The domain and the main thrust of the Qur’an’s message and subject matter revolve around the certainty of the advent of the Hereafter. God has carried out the manifestation of the advent of the Hereafter through His messengers by creating a ‘miniature day of judgment (Hereafter)’ on earth.

The Qur’an mentions the account of some eight messengers of God before Muhammad. These are Nuh, Lut, Hud, Saleh, Shoaib, Yunus, Musa, and Eesa (Alaihimussalaam). These are oft-repeated messengers in the Qur’an. If we read their account in all cases, we find that the first addressees of the messengers rejected the message of these messengers scornfully and arrogantly. Eventually, after the conclusive communication of the Truth, God asks the messenger to leave his addressees. This migration of the messenger with his believers is followed by the punishment of God to the willful rejectors of God’s message.

In one of the oft-repeated stories of such messengers, God sums up the treatment in the Qur’an (54:15-17) : “And We have left this as a Sign (for all time): then is there any that will receive admonition? But how (terrible) were My Penalty and My Warning? And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy as a reminder: then is there any that will be reminded”? Here, what God means by the ‘reminder’ is the reminder of the certainty of the advent of the Hereafter.

Coming back to the coronavirus. Let me present the following Qur’an verses in light of the Coronavirus: the Qur’an (7:130-136) “And We certainly seized the people of Pharaoh with years of famine and a deficiency in fruits that perhaps they would be reminded. But when good came to them, they said, "This is ours [by right]." And if a bad [condition] struck them, they saw an evil omen in Moses and those with him. Unquestionably, their fortune is with Allah, but most of them do not know. And they said, "No matter what sign you bring us with which to bewitch us, we will not be believers in you." So, We sent upon them the flood and locusts and lice and frogs and blood as distinct signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people. And when the punishment descended upon them, they said, "O Moses, invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. If you [can] remove the punishment from us, we will surely believe you, and we will send with you the Children of Israel." But when We removed the punishment from them until a term which they were to reach, then at once they broke their word. So, We took retribution from them, and We drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them”.

 With the fast-paced life and inventions around us, especially in the postmodern era, we consciously or unconsciously tend to eliminate God from the ‘equation’ of our lives. God has no place in our lives. We may believe in God, but our actions and deeds belie our Qur’an-quoted words. Our actions belie our faith in God. God appears as an impediment in the ever-evolving and ever-progressing world.

The fact of the matter remains there is a God – the God – the Ever Present, Ever Alive and Living (Al-Haye). The Sustainer is the One who sustains, protects, and oversees. The One who provides, preserves, watches, and manages all that exists. He is the One who feeds but is not fed (Al-Qayyum). The ever Provider, (Ar-Rabb). The All Knower (Al-Alim) and Ever Aware (Al-Khabir). Ever Seer, The One who is Most knowledgeable of the most subtle details. His actions are so fine and subtle that they may be beyond our comprehension (minutest of details; Al-Latif). The ever Powerful (Al-Aziz). The All in Control (Al-Matin). The Absolute Ruler, the King, the One who possesses the attributes of kingdom, dominion, power, and authority. The One who possesses the disposal of all affairs (Al-Malik). The Greatest of them all, the Supreme, the Majestic (Al-Mutakabbir), the Ever Wisest and Most Wise (Al-Hakim), the Actual Judge, the Only true Judge (Al-Hakam). The Fairest (Al-Adl). The Subduer, the One Who dominates everything in His kingdom. He is the One before whom the whole creation has humbled itself and submitted before His Grandeur, power, and perfect strength. He is the Vanquisher without ever being unfair (Al-Qahhar).

The events occurring around us, whether in the universe, on earth, or within us, act as a Reminder for us to relate to God and realign our life equation. To remain humble and not exhibit an arrogant demeanour. The coronavirus is a microbe, but enough to shake up the world and its economy. Such incidents should serve as a reminder that God’s Might is absolute and consummate. It should serve us to remain ever mindful of God and His expectations, and not bypass God and His expectations. In remaining cognizant of God’s Invincibility. Remaining mindful in declaring products ‘unsinkable’ with God’s Grace. The doomed Titanic ship was declared unsinkable. Remain human; do not play God.

Conclusion:

The literal meaning of the verses of the Qur’an, called an ‘Ayat’, means a ‘sign’. A ‘sign’ means an object, quality, or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else. It may not be visible to the naked eye, but that may not mean it does not exist. The ‘signs’ are deciphered, deducted, and concluded by employing the human intellect based on rationale, sound arguments, and logical deductions. Based on this premise, God expects the human intellect to read and decipher the signs of God that abound around us. Indeed, the Qur’an (8:22), while testifying to this very fact, states: “Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason”.

It may be surmised that the retribution of God to the direct addressees of His messengers is God’s manifestation of the Day of Judgment to follow this life by creating a ‘miniature day of judgement’ on earth for us to be reminded through the Qur’an. We do not have messengers amongst us (the last one being Muhammad, Alaihissalam, 1500 years back), therefore, we cannot receive God’s word at the level of His messenger. Hence, God’s retributions are not applicable now. We have no way of knowing that a calamity at a local or international level on earth is the punishment of God. We have God’s message (the Qur’an) intact with us. The Qur’an terms itself a Reminder. Pandemics or endemics should be considered as signs of God for our introspection and ratiocination.

Aamir Yazdani

 

 

Seven year old fb post (circa 2013) Renewed Pledges: 1st January 2020

The onset of the new year makes me, Aamir Yazdani, think of myself in the following lines: 

Thank God Dr. Zakir Naik this time round didn't issue a statement barring Muslims to greet each other on the new year as Happy New Year. Unlike Christmas where greeting Christians as Merry Christmas would make Muslims commit 'shirk'. Prophet Mohammad (saw) allowed Christians to worship in the Masjid e Nabvi. I thank Dr. Zakir Naik Sahib this time he hasn't barred us Muslims from greeting each other with 'Happy New Year'. Therefore, I extend all my well-wishers with HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Secondly, with the onset of 2013, I want to tell myself that I, Aamir Yazdani am a human being FIRST before a Muslim. I pledge to treat all non-Muslims with extreme dignity and respect as a human being. How can a Christian in our society even remotely think of extending his religious views if we refuse to extend our hand towards his already extended hand towards us? I refuse even to reply to his salaam as 'Wa Alaikum us Salaam'! So, I, Aamir from the 1st of January, 2013 @ 0000 hours shall not only shake hands with non-Muslims with a full handshake but will also greet them sincerely with 'Wa Alaikum us Salaam'!

I also pledge not to call people as KAFIR from now on. Because only Allah knows the true intentions of a person as well as what dwells in the other person's heart. I also pledge to exercise the mental faculties bestowed to me as a human, towards other human beings trying to bring all closer to me. I also pledge to be a responsible citizen of Pakistan by observing traffic rules, not littering in any way, respecting my elders, and loving my youngsters. I, Aamir Yazdani extend the heartiest happy New Year to my well-wishers.

 Aamir Yazdani

GOD'S STANCE ON BLASPHEMY 12th December 2019

A few days back, an incident in Norway sparked the sentiments of Muslims around the world. A person was seen burning a copy of the Qur’an in public. A young Muslim, out of emotions and love of God and the Prophet Muhammad, attacked the person. 

Over the years, we have witnessed the burning of the Quran, cartoons of God's Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him), and blasphemous acts sparking outrage and protests from Muslims.  

Pakistan's famous incident based on retribution by a Muslim named Ilm Deen against a blasphemous act by a non-Muslim Mahashe Rajpal was ninety years ago. The recent famous incident is associated with the assassination of the governor of Punjab, Mr. Salman Taseer, who was murdered by Mumtaz Qadri, his bodyguard, in 2011. 

We must examine what blasphemy is and how it is addressed by God in His Scripture. The word blasphemy means the act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things. It comes under profane talk, addressing God and His prophets or people revered by the masses in a derogatory manner. Basic human etiquette and morality entail not harming other people's sentiments in any way. Yet we see such incidents surface now and then. 

I would like to present verses from the Qur’an to see how God addressed these issues during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). 

The first addressees of the Qur’an, then, the Jews, used to misconstrue the word in a derogatory sense. God asked the Believers to change the word to another, which meant in simple English, 'We beg your pardon':

Qur’an says (2:104): “Believers, do not address the Prophet as ra'ina (whereby the Jews, in their own accent, meant: Would that you would never hear, but call him unzurna) (meaning: Please speak to us slowly so that we understand), and then listen. The unbelievers will face a painful torment.”

God is stopping the Believers from staying away from those who mock God (His Messengers, Divine Book, and Religion): 

Qur’an (4:140): “God has told you (believers) in the Book that when you hear people disbelieving and mocking God's revelations, do not sit with them unless they change the subject. You will become like them. God will gather all the hypocrites and the disbelievers together in hellfire.”

Qur’an (5:57-58): “As to those who turn (for friendship) to Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers, it is the fellowship of Allah that must certainly triumph. O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport, whether among those who received the Scripture before you or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye Allah, if ye have faith (indeed).”

The hypocrites of Madinah during the Messenger Muhammad announced that on their return to their city, they would expel the Messenger Muhammad and His believers:

Qur’an (63:8): They (hypocrites) say: "If we return to Al-Madinah, indeed the more honourable ('Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul, the chief of hypocrites at Al­-Madinah) will expel therefrom the meaner (i.e., Allah's Messenger SAW)." But honour, power, and glory belong to Allah, His Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and the believers, but the hypocrites know not.”

The first addressees of the Quran, the Tribal Chieftains of the Quraish, used to openly declare Messenger Muhammad as a magician and a liar:

Qur’an (38:4): “And they (Arab pagans) wonder that a warner (Prophet Muhammad SAW) has come to them from among themselves! And the disbelievers say: "This (Prophet Muhammad SAW) is a sorcerer, a liar!"

Some used to openly protest and get enraged with the Messenger:

Qur’an (9:58): “And of them are some who accuse you (O Muhammad SAW) in the matter of (the distribution of) the alms. If they are given part thereof, they are pleased, but if they are not given thereof, behold! They are enraged!”

Some used to call him someone who listens to everyone (without listening attentively):

Qur’an (9:61): “And among them are men who hurt the Prophet (Muhammad SAW) and say: "He is (lending his) ear (to every news)." Say: "He listens to what is best for you; he believes in Allah; has faith in the believers; and is a mercy to those of you who believe." But those who hurt Allah's Messenger (Muhammad SAW) will have a painful torment.”

Analysis: Not in a single verse within the Qur’an has God asked the Messenger or his companions to respond harshly to the ones who make a mockery of God, His Messengers, His Book, and His religion. Nowhere has God expressed His desire to exercise retribution against such perpetrators. On the contrary, God has asked to exercise complete restraint at all levels. 

God has declared the Qur’an as His Rope, as His expectations from us. Meaning whoever holds onto His Rope steadfastly shall not go astray. Qur’an (3:103).  God wants us to exercise complete restraint whenever and wherever God's verses, His Messenger, or His religion is being mocked at or, ridiculed.  

How do we respond then? Qur’an most succinctly guides us (16:125): “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.”

Aamir Yazdani

 

 

 

 

Human Intellect and the Free Will 30th June 2019

The manifestation of enjoying free will. 

(Reading Time: 5 minutes)

God announced to the Angels when He created Adam and Eve: Qur'an (2:30): "When your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am placing on the earth one that shall rule as My deputy,’ they replied: ‘Will You put there one that will do evil and shed blood when we have for so long sung Your praises and sanctified Your name”. God shared with Adam the names of the people to come who shall fare, as the Qur'an (4:69) puts it: “...prophets, the truthful, the ones who testify the truth and the righteous men” exercising their will freely without coercion. Who shall not do evil and shed blood.

The 'free will' that we enjoy has been coupled with the definitive sense of morality from what is wrong from right: Qur’an (91:7-8): “We created the souls and we proportioned it. Then He showed him what is wrong for him and what is right for him”. Through these facets which constitute this species as a homosapien, literally meaning a wise man, God tests us to reach the Truth. It follows that the only manner one is expected to reach the Truth is through the employment of one’s intellect.

For this world to be a testing place, it only makes sense to reach some conclusions based on employing our intellect. Human beings, when deciphering and treading on the path of discovering the realities of the universe as a 'Traveller in the Quest for Truth', in effect do so at one’s level of intellect! Religion or seeking God or seeking the 'Truth' shall remain replete with differences of opinion.

What an exhilarating ride then!

Here again, the Qur’an (7:42) gives a fair account of this 'quest for truth': "But those who believed and did righteous deeds - We charge no soul except [within] its capacity. Those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally". This 'testing place' becomes a great, glorious journey of life! One needs to employ one's intellect and faculties to see what is beyond. That is when God appears in His full Glory and Majesty.

Let there be differences of opinion in this quest for truth!

Let the pursuit be sincere, without prejudice, rising above an arrogant demeanour, revisiting our tenets of faith based on intellect at a conscious level. This is exactly what was meant by God when He declared that He intends each human being to have free will.

The question then arises: How do we see the importance of God granting each of us this FREE WILL within OUR lives?

Aamir Yazdani