ROLE OF THE QUR'AN AS THE BOOK OF GUIDANCE

  Quranic Foundations And Structure Of Muslim Society

 

ROLE OF THE QUR'AN AS THE BOOK OF GUIDANCE  

The QUR'AN came:

 to obliterate all anthropomorphic notions about God and to establish perfect Monotheism—not merely as a theological concept but as a full-fledged philosophy of life;

 to inculcate the establishment and maintenance of a living and dynamic relation with God in order that human beings may attain the highest spiritual and moral refinement and greatness;

 to teach the truth that human beings are basically theomorphic beings—emphasizing the ‘ascent of Man to God’ as opposed to the ‘descent of God in Man’,—and that the goal of every human being is the actualization of his or her potential vicegerency of God through the imitation of Divine Attributes;  

 to give to Woman her rightful place in Society, as basically the equal of Man;

 to resolve the dichotomy; of Faith and Reason;  of Religion and Science;  of Love and Law'  of Beauty and Simplicity; of Participation in godliness and Participation in worldly life;

 to establish in the domain of the philosophy of Religion, the positive concept of Fulfillment in place of the universally prevalent negative concept of Salvation;

 to extricate Religion from superstitions;

 to distinguish Spirituality from Mysticism and Psychicism; 

 to give a comprehensive Philosophy of Integration, based on the teaching of Unity-ism, thereby providing sure basis for the integration of the life of the Individual as well as of Society; and, beyond that, of Humanity at large; 

  to create an Integralistic Culture and an Integralistic Civilisation;  

 to make Morality the basis for Spiritual Development, on the one hand, and for Social Evolution, on the other;

 to inaugurate the era of Scientific Advancement by means of teaching the requisite fundamental principles;

 to highlight the role of Inductive Reasoning as the proper instrument for the pursuit of Knowledge;

 to emphasize the quest for Empirical Knowledge, as well as the resultant Technological Advancement and Conquest of Nature, as Exercise in the Worship of God;  

 to bestow on Religion the role of functioning as Social Alchemy for the establishment of a Total Welfare Society; 

  to harmonize Truth and Justice with Love and Mercy; 

  to make Social Justice the very foundation for healthy collective life;

 to establish the concept of Wealth for Welfare; 

 to eradicate Poverty, Disease and human Suffering in general;  

 to crown Labour with Dignity;

 to proclaim the principle that value lies in Labour, Productivity and Achievement; 

 to provide the Golden Mean between the extremist philosophies of Monopoly Capitalism and Communism;

 to open the avenues and provide Guidance for human progress in all healthy directions in general; 

 to close the doors on all those perversions in religious and non-religious thought which go to make Religion an opiate and the Secularistic Philosophies atheistic and immoral; 

and  to confer on Humanity many other Blessings, besides.

For that, the Qur’ân gave :

 a well-co ordinated System of Belief,               

 a fully-integrated Philosophy, and  

  a comprehensive Code of Practice.          

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to be continued . . . . .

Quranic Foundation & Structure Of Muslim Society In The End Times

 

WHY THE QUR’AN ALONE

  Quranic Foundations And Structure Of Muslim Society

 

WHY THE QUR’AN ALONE?

The enquiry in the present dissertation has been confined strictly to the Holy Qur’an, not because the present writer does not give to the Hadith literature its rightful place, but on the following grounds:

Firstly, it alone enjoys the status of being the Scripture of Islam.

Secondly, every word of its text is absolutely authentic as having been preserved to the very letter in the very words in which it was delivered by the Holy Prophet Muhammad pbuh.

Thirdly, its authority as the basic source-book of Islam has been universally accepted by all sections of Muslims in all ages.

Fourthly, it is the Book which should form the basis of struggle for the reform of human society, even as the Holy Prophet  has been commanded therein: “… and strive against them (i.e., the opponents of the Islamic Way of Life) therewith (i.e., with the Guidance of the Qur’an) with utmost strenuousness” (25:52).

Fifthly, it claims about itself that it is: “… an exposition (explicit and implicit) of everything …” (16:89). Namely: It imparts complete and eternal guidance concerning all aspects of human life.

Sixthly, it is the only Book of Guidance compiled under the instruction of the Holy Prophet pbuh, authorised by him, and delivered by him to the Muslims as the abiding, the infallible and the unchallengeable document of his Teaching for all time,—with no compeer and no substitute. As such, it is the basic instrument of the unity of thought and action in respect of the Islamic Way of Life, — standing in all its uniqueness as totally immune from contradictions and variations.

 

This characteristic of the Qur’an is of tremendous importance in respect of the Islamic System of Belief, on which rests primarily and basically the consolidation of Religious Unity and Uniformity among Muslims, —a fundamental virtue the violation of which has been equated by the Holy Qur’an with nothing less than the greatest sin, i.e., Shirk. 

 

Viewing the Hadith literature in the above perspective: All students of Islam are aware of the sectarian mischief raked up, purely in the name of Prophetic Traditions (Hadith), by certain groups in Muslim history, through the projection of certain allegedly divinely inspired and divinely-sanctioned offices like those of an infallible Imam, a Mujaddid, a Mahdi, a Promised Messiah, or a Mahdi cum Messiah, without the slightest regard for the infallible principles:

1.    that any doctrine which is included in the Belief System is ipso facto an inalienable part of the Islamic Creed; 

2.    that it is not the function of the Hadith literature—however valuable its role otherwise, but only of the Qur’an, to lay down the constitutive factors of the Islamic Creed; and 

3.    that making belief in the claimants to such offices a part of the Islamic Creed constitutes nothing less than a cruel attack on the very foundation of Iman, being directed to the destruction of the absoluteness and the indivisibility of a Muslim’s allegiance and loyalty to the Holy Prophet Muhammad pbuh as Guide, Teacher and Leader.

 

If the Traditions concerning such a personality as that of the Mahdi, for instance, are accepted as authentic, that does not make, and cannot make, the belief in the emergence of a great leader (Mahdi) at some period of Muslim history a guiding principle of Iman. It remains only a prophecy about a distinguished follower of the Holy Prophet pbuh. 

 

Similarly, if the Traditions concerning the Second Advent of Jesus  are accepted as correct,  they relate only to a prophecy about an event of future history, and have nothing to do with the Islamic Creed,—and, as such, have nothing to do with the Iman of a Muslim: neither in its affirmation nor in its denial. Moreover, to project the concept of a ‘Promised Messiah’ in the person of some x, y, z and to substitute it for the person of Jesus —although it is his personality that has been projected unambiguously in the prophecy—, and to build a sect on that basis, is to indulge in double violation of the Divine Guidance given in the Qur’an. 

 

All in all, accepting the Qur’an alone as the fundamental basis for the knowledge of Islamic Guidance is not only the requirement of reason but also the only road to the salvation of Muslims. 

 

Seventhly, the text of the Qur’an is grounded in a System of Meaning, through which it is possible to understand Islam fundamentally as a system of Philosophy and a Code of Practice, keeping the exercise of understanding confined to the Qur’an itself; and the present book is a plain demonstration of this fact. Of course, there are certain aspects of the Qur’anic Guidance where the projection is of an implicit nature. And it is there that recourse to the Hadith literature becomes necessary,—but only for further clarification and not for adding further dimensions to the basic structure of Islam. Also, it is necessary to know as to how the Qur’anic Guidance was put into practice by the Holy Prophet Muhammad pbuh himself . In other words, it is necessary to know not only the Qur’an as a Book of Guidance but also the ‘Qur’an in Action’, viz., the Holy Prophet’s Sunnah. For that, evidently the Hadith literature is the most indispensable instrument.

But here two important facts have to be kept in view:

1.    The Qur’an is the basic instrument for understanding Islam. Hence, for the value-system of Islam and its entire fundamental structure, it is necessary to concentrate on the Qur’an alone. 

2.    The knowledge thus obtained forms the fundamental instrument for obtaining further guidance on Islam from the Hadith literature.

 

It should be so, because: 

1.    it is the Qur’an which forms the Criterion of Judgment in respect of Islam—a status explicitly given to it by itself—and not the Hadith literature; and 

2.    the Qur’an is absolutely authentic, while even the best Hadith literature is only relatively authentic—namely, authentic only in a qualified manner. And, of course, every student of Islam knows all the mischief in the field of Hadith perpetrated by the forces of counter-revolution in the very early period of Muslim history,—a mischief which emerged in the form of sects and schisms, and which forged the Traditions relating to certain aspects of Islamic life and history to an extent that the confusion created thereby has continued to plague the Muslim society up to the present day.

 

In fine, it is the function of the Qur’an to sit in judgment on the Hadith, and not vice versa; and, thus, a basic study of Islam in the perspective of the Qur’an emerges as the fundamental necessity.

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to be continued . . . . .

Quranic Foundation & Structure Of Muslim Society In The End Times

 

Preface to Quranic Foundations And Structure Of Muslim Society

  Quranic Foundations And Structure Of Muslim Society

 

Preface

  

The basic purpose and function of this book is to state the Philosophy and the Code of Life as given in the Qur’an. That Code has developed, however, with morality as the central theme. And that should have been so. Because, the value-system which the Holy Qur’an has given establishes spirituality as the root, morality as the trunk, and all other aspects of life: economic, political, etc., as offshoots of morality; —whereby it ensures the emergence of the integrated and progressive individual and the integrated and progressive social order. 

The central importance for morality that has emerged thus should impress upon the Muslims the central importance of moral struggle.

Viewed in that perspective, the present book forms a basic contribution in respect of extricating Muslim society from the Crisis of Character which has overtaken all classes of Muslims, and which is the deadliest poison that has ever paralysed or killed any human community.  

The method of exposition adopted is simple and direct. Moreover, personal comments have been kept at the barest minimum, so that the Qur’an has stayed in its august position free to explain itself. In the dynamic orthodoxy that has thus emerged lies, in the belief of the present writer, the salvation of Muslims and of humanity at large.  

 

The typescript of the original draft of this book was read on June 30th, 1969, and was even handed over to brother Ghazi Nasir-ud-Din, Managing Director of Trade and Industry Publications Ltd., who had come forward with love and devotion to undertake the work of printing. But subsequently it was considered necessary to expound certain topics in detail; as a consequence of which very considerable additions were made, so that the work is being presented finally as a two-volume publication of more than nine hundred pages.

Certain technical discussions relating to philosophical, psychological, sociological, economic and political themes had to be kept out even during the course of the final effort, out of regard for keeping the book handy, lucid and easy of comprehension by the average-educated person. Separate volume or volumes are proposed to be presented on those problems.  

 

The author is conscious of the fact that, although he has availed the talent of the classical translators of the Holy Qur’an, there is scope for improvement in respect of the translation of a number of verses. That task is intended to be taken up in the second edition.

In his study of the Qur’an, the author had recourse to the classical Arabic Qur’anic commentaries and allied literature. But he has quoted mainly from the English commentaries by Abdul Majid Daryabadi and Abdullah Yusuf Ali, because they have projected the best—in fact, the very essence, of the knowledge enshrined in the Arabic classics. Moreover, these two orthodox scholars’ commentaries are accessible to the average English-educated Muslim for further study. 

 

 The author leads a life wherein he has to perform duties of multifarious types, especially as the President of the World Federation of Islamic Missions, which has several projects to be looked after. Besides that, he has touring duties as an international worker for Islam. It is, therefore, impossible for him to accomplish literary work leisurely and with the concentration which the research-work of the type that has been undertaken in the present book demands. As such, the present task has been accomplished piece-meal by snatching time forcibly from other duties over a period of time, and in consequence there is a possibility of the occurrence of oversights and shortcomings,—even though utmost care has been exercised. The author, who regards himself only as a humble pursuer of Truth and as a student of Islam, will, therefore, appreciate all genuine criticism and advice from the world of scholarship. He requests his readers, however, not to introduce implications into his statements beyond what has been categorically and clearly said.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 

 While presenting this book, I consider it my privilege to express my deep debt of gratitude to my revered teachers: Prof. Dr. S.Z. Hasan, M.A., LL.B., D. Phil. (Erl.), D. Phil. (Oxon.), under whose guidance I learnt to understand the problems of Philosophy; Hadrat Maulana Saiyid Sulaiman Ashraf, from whom I acquired, at the level of my higher education, knowledge of the Holy Qur’an and of the Islamic theological sciences; and Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aleem al-Siddiqi al-Qaderi, through whom I received the Qaderiyya Spiritual Discipline and the mission of serving the far-flung Muslim communities of the globe. 

 

The deepest debt of gratitude I owe, however, to my beloved parents of revered memory: Muhammad Khalil Ansari and Husn Ara Begum, who, through their noble character and fruitful teaching and loving concern for my well-being, built up the foundations of my personality and sponsored and guided my education at all stages, thereby enabling me to prepare myself for undertaking this work. I must also acknowledge my debt of gratitude to my wife, Begum Subhia, who, ever since our marriage, has stood by me with grace and fortitude in all the ordeals through which I had to pass in respect of my humble service to the cause of Islam, and without whose earnest co-operation and sincere encouragement the present laborious task could not have been accomplished.

 

I am grateful also to Mr. Muhammad Ja’fer Shaikh and Mr. Muhammad Ilyas Khan, Joint and Assistant Secretaries respectively of the World Federation of Islamic Missions, for the invaluable help rendered especially by the former in the preparation of the typescript; and to my dear pupils: Waffie Muhammad and Imran Nazar Hosein, both of Trinidad (West Indies), and Siddiq A. Nasir of Guyana (South America): to Waffie for assistance in reading the proofs, handling the problem of the Arabic calligraphy, and supervising the printing during the last stage; to Imran for preparing the list of Contents and checking the references; to Siddiq for compiling the Indexes. May Allah bless them all with His choicest Blessings.

 Muhammad Fazl-ur-Rahman Ansari

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to be continued . . . . .

Quranic Foundation & Structure Of Muslim Society In The End Times