Iqbal Ansari and Said Nursi

 

An Islamic View of Gog Magog in the Modern World

 

 

Iqbal Ansari and Said Nursi

It was the Muslim philosopher/poet, Dr Muhammad Iqbal who, in recognizing this aspect of the Qur’anic revelation, applied the methodology (Usul al-Tafsir) of critically examining unfolding events in the historical process in order to penetrate the meaning and significance of certain verses of the Qur’an. He responded to the successful conclusion in 1917 of Western civilization’s thousand years of Crusades to liberate Jerusalem with a verse of Urdu poetry in which he declared that all the forces of Gog and Magog had been released. The verse went on to direct Muslim attention to the supreme importance of studying and penetrating the two verses of Surah al-Anbiyah’ of the Qur’an that are linked to Gog and Magog:

 

Khul ga’ae Ya’juj aur Ma’juj kay lashkar tamam,

Chashmay Muslim dekh lay tafsiray harfay yansilun!

[Set loose are all the hordes of Gog and Magog

To the Muslim eye manifest is the meaning of the word yansilun]

 [Bang-e-Dara - Zarifana:23]

[Bang-e-Dara means ‘Signal for start of Caravan’ 

Zarifana means ‘Witty Observations’]

 

It is amazing, really, that Iqbal could have penetrated these two critically important verses of the Qur’an and identified the ‘town’ as Jerusalem as soon as the European Crusades had finally succeeded in its quest for liberating Jerusalem. After all, it was not until 1948 that a State of Israel was restored in the Holy Land. 

 

Iqbal’s verse which directed attention to the two verses of Surah al-Anbiyah’, and thus to the ‘town’, did not escape the attention of the outstanding Islamic scholar, Maulana Dr Muhammad Fadlur Rahman Ansari – himself a student of Iqbal. Dr Ansari also recognized the ‘town’ to be Jerusalem. Evidence of this is recorded in Ebrahim Ahmad Bawany’s truly remarkable booklet entitled: ‘Gog Magog and the State of Israel’, which was published in Pakistan about fifty years ago by the Aisha Bawany Wakf (i.e. in the late 1950’s, no date of publication was given for this booklet).

 

Commenting on the same two verses of Surah al-Anbiyah’ and to the ‘town’, Bawany declared in that booklet: “we firmly believe, and for which we have advanced solid arguments in the following pages, that this Ayah refers in particular to the city of Jerusalem . . .” (page 2). He went on to declare: “Thus the Ayah of the Holy Qur’an (i.e. alAnbiyah’: 95-6), beyond doubt, relates to the establishment of the State of Israel by the connivance and support of the powers of Gog and Magog.” (page 3). He also acknowledged his debt to Maulana Fazlur Rahman Ansari “whose interpretation and explanation of the Ayat relating to the return of the people to the ‘town’ which was destroyed . . . inspired me to make research and to write on the subject” (page iii).  We can only lament the fact that Dr Ansari, for reasons of which are unaware, chose not to write himself on the subject, nor to speak on it publicly. However it is certain that he was able to identify the ‘town’ as Jerusalem because of his methodology (i.e. Usul al Tafsir) of seeking to discover the system of meaning pertaining to the subject (see chapter two).

 

Since we also recognized the ‘town’ mentioned in Surah alAnbiyah’ to be Jerusalem, we understand the verses of the Qur’an referred to above to have declared such a return to have been impossible unless and until Gog and Magog had been released and had spread out in every direction. In other words, since the Israelite people have now returned to Jerusalem to reclaim it as their own, it follows that the one thousand years of European Crusades to liberate Jerusalem was a Gog and Magog phenomenon, and thus Gog and Magog must have been released into the world a long time ago. In coming to this conclusion this humble book has done nothing more than to take to its logical conclusion the trail that was previously blazed by the outstanding Islamic scholars of the modern age, Dr Muhammad Iqbal, his student, Dr Muhammad Fadlur Rahman Ansari (rahimahumullah) and the Turkish Islamic scholar, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi.

 

There is considerable additional evidence, such as the unique phenomenon of globalization in the modern world, the increasingly ominous corruption of the moral fabric of society around the world today, the amazing replication of the essentially godless and decadent Western way of life amongst all of mankind (including the world of Islam), which can be used to further argue the case that the release of Gog and Magog into the world took place a long time ago.  We leave that task to others who are convinced by the central thesis of this book, and who may consequently be inspired to further extend the arguments here raised.  

 

Source

to be continued . . . .

 

5. The Idea of Biological Evolution on Earth

The Process of Creation
A Qur'anic Perspective

by Dr Israr Ahmad

5. The Idea of Biological Evolution on Earth

The widely held belief that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) is the first initiator of evolutionary theory is quite wrong. Somehow this idea has become so popular that for ordinary folk evolution and Darwinism have almost become synonymous. However, the historical fact is that as far as the essential idea of evolutionary development is concerned, one can find it as far back as ancient Greek Thought. Quite a few Greek Sophos including Aristotle have referred to it obliquely. Several centuries later, Muslim thinkers --- Brethren of Purity, Allama Jahiz (d. 225 A.H.) and Ibn Maskawayh (d. 421 A.H.), among others, have maintained it quite explicitly. However, Maulana Rumi (d.1273 A.D.)--- about six hundred years earlier than Darwin --- has exquisitely described the various stages of evolution in his well-known and universally acclaimed Mathnawi. At two places in the long Persian epic, he describes the stages of evolution in clear, unambiguous words and in great detail. In Book III of the Mathnawi, Maulana Rumi says: 

I died as a mineral and became a plant,

I died as a plant and rose an animal,

I died as an animal and I was Man.

Why should I fear Death?

When was I lessened by dying?

Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar with angels blest;

But even from angelhood I must pass on,

All except Allah doeth perish.

When I have sacrificed my angel-soul,

I shall become what no mind ever conceived.

Oh, let me not exist! For non-existence proclaims in organ tones,

“To Him we shall return” 

(Translated by A. J. Arberry)

The ideal of evolution is very clearly present in these lines. Speaking on behalf of mankind, the Maulana says that he was first present in the geological world of minerals and hard rocks and then after ‘dying’ in that realm he appeared in the botanical world of plants and trees. And then after experiencing ‘death’ from that stage, he arose in the realm of living animals. Continuing the evolutionary thrust, from the animal kingdom he appeared in the human realm. He says that he remains undaunted by physical human death as this cannot take away or lessen his essential being which is likely to move on to two higher stages (which are not relevant to our discussion here but Arberry’s translation of those verses has been given for the pensive reader). 

Further, in Book IV of the Mathnawi, the Maulana presents verses formally under the title “The method and stages of the Creation of Adam (pbuh) from the beginning of creation”. Indeed, the evolutionary idea of the multifarious created  beings has been expressed in very bold and categorical words. His inimitable lines may be quoted here:

The evolution of man.

First he appeared in the class of inorganic things,

Next he passed into that of plants.

For years he lived as one of the plants,

Remembering naught of his inorganic state so different;

And when he passed from the vegetative to the animal state

He had no remembrance of his state as a plant

Again, the great Creator, as you know,

Drew man out of the animal into the human state

Thus man passed from one order of nature to another,

Till “he” became wise and knowing and strong as he is now.

One of the learned Urdu translators of the Mathnawi, Qazi Sajjad Husain, has translated these verses in a way as if the word “he” used in the poetic verses above refers to the soul of man. That is quite erroneous from the point of view of our analysis given above in this treatise. That is simply because the soul is an entity belonging to the sphere of “amr” and as such it has not undergone any descent or evolutionary ascent. In fact, the entire evolutionary process described above in detail pertains to the physical/material part of existence only and had nothing to do with the spiritual component or soul of human beings. Also noteworthy is Rumi’s mention of forgetting the conditions of earlier stages through which a being passes while progressing to the higher realm.

The most profound appreciator of the deep meaning and significance of the Qur`anic themes and the Rumi of our age --- Allama Muhammad Iqbal --- has also expressed the idea of evolution in his poetry. He not only mentions the idea, he also opines about its causes, starting-point and ultimate reaches and the objectives of the evolutionary process. He discusses and expounds these ideas at such a lofty level of sophistication and intellectual vision that people of ordinary mental capacity can hardly comprehend the real import of those verses. It is, however, reassuring to note that an able expounder of the wisdom of Iqbal --- Dr. Muhammad Rafi-ud-Din --- has made his ideas understandable and easy to grasp in an article published in the April 1960 issue of “Iqbal Review”.

Source:  The Process of Creation

 to be continued  . . . .

HOW MUCH INTEREST CONSTITUTES RIBA?

THE PROHIBITION OF RIBA IN THE QUR’AN AND SUNNAH

HOW MUCH INTEREST CONSTITUTES RIBA?

In the very last revelation of the Qur’an (2:273) Allah the Most High, addressed all those who still had riba due to them (from loans extended prior to the prohibition of riba) and ordered them to give it up (or write it off). In the event that such people were to heed the divine command and make repentance (tauba) then, Allah the Most High, declared they would be entitled to the return of only the principal sum which had been lent. Allah the Most High, did not say that they would be entitled to the return of the principal sum pins a service charge or plus a reasonable amount of interest.

Thus it matters not whether interest is small or large (1% or 25%), it would still be riba, and would still be prohibited. In this respect riba is like alcoholic beverages. Whether the glass contains, a small drink of whiskey or whether you were offered a large drink, it makes no difference, it would still be prohibited in Islam.

Muslims are faced, however with the curious phenomenon in today's world of Islam, if so-called Islamic scholars who are unable to grasp the simple fact that "interest" in modern banking is riba! Christians are doubtless already accustomed to that. Yet it should be as plain as daylight to anyone who has studied the explanatory statements of the Prophet (s). And such so-called scholars should recall that Allah the Most High, sent Prophet Muhammad (s) and not them, nor the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), to leach the meaning of the Qur’an. (SAMA invests all the Saudi petrodollars in riba investments in western banks controlled by forces hostile to Islam).

Abdullah Yusuf Ali, whose otherwise brilliant English translation and commentary of the Qur’an has won widespread popularity, openly confesses that he disagrees with the ulama (i.e_ religious scholars), ancient and modern, in respect of their definition of riba: “The definition I would accept would be: undue profit made, not in the way of legitimate trade, out of loans of gold and silver, and necessary articles of food, such as wheat, barley, dates and salt (according.to the list mentioned by the Holy Apostle himself). My definition would include profiteering of all kinds, but would exclude economic credit, the creature of modern banking and finance.”

Abdullah Yusuf Ali (may Allah have mercy on him) is most certainly in grave error. The Qur’an does describe one form of riba as undue increase, i.e. when the rate of interest is such that interest payments doubles and triples the principal sum borrowed. (Qur’an, 3:130). But riba was never defined as undue profit, neither in the Qur’an nor by the Prophet (s). In fact riba even includes any material benefit whatsoever, over and above the capital sum lent, which a lender may derive from a borrower. Banks do not lend money for blessings. Nor do they charge interest for the purpose of recovering losses sustained through inflation. They do it for profit! And what enormous profits do they make! Thus economic credit. “the creature of modern banking” is most definitely riba, regardless of whether the interest-rate is high or low or compound or simple! Thus the Prophet said:

Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah said: If you give a man a loan and he were to offer you a meal do not eat it, because that is riba! - unless he used to invite you for meals prior to the loan, in which case you may eat. And again he said: If you give a man a loan and he offers you a ride on his animal, do not take it, because that is riba! - unless he used to offer you rides on his animal prior to the loan; in which case you may take it.

(Smart al-Bayhaqi)

Anas bin Malik also reported the Prophet as saying: If a man extends a loan to someone, he should not accept a gift (i.e. he should not accept a gift from the debtor while the loan is still outstanding but may do so after the loan has been repaid to him).

(Bukhari}

Abu Burdah ibn Abi Musa said: I came to Madinah and met Abdullah ibn Salaam (the Jewish Rabbi who accepted Islam) who said: You (now) live in a country where riba is rampant; hence if anyone owes you something and presents you with a load of hay or a load of barley or a rope of straw, do not accept it for it is riba.

(Bukhari)

Fadalah ibn Ubayd said that the Messenger of Allah said: The benefit derived from any loan is one of the different aspects of riba.

(Sutton al-Bayhaqi)

Abu Umamah said that the Prophet said: Whoever makes a recommendation for his brother and accepts a gift offered by him has entered riba through one of its large gates.

(Abu Daud and Ahmad)

To make matters- worse we also have the extraordinary blunder committed by Shaikh Muhammad Abduh, the Rector of Al-Azhar University, Cairo, who toured Europe in the late nineteenth century and then returned to Egypt to declare that in modem Europe he had found Islam, but no Muslims, while in Egypt he found Muslims, but do Islam. Malcolm X would never have made that mistake!

The Europe which Abduh visited was a Europe which had just experienced the French revolution. That event constituted the turning point in the transformation of Western European civilization from one based on faith in Christianity, to an essentially godless civilization.

In fact Europe which Abduh perceived as one which was based on Islam, was a Europe which had become the first target of evil forces created by Allah the Most High, (Qur’an:-113:2) and released by Allah the Most High, in the age of fitan. The Prophet (s) had described the last age before the end of the world as the age of fitan. Fitan is the plural of fitnah, which means: temptation, trial, charm, attractiveness, enchantment, captivation, fascination, enticement, infatuation, intrigue, sedition, riot, discord, dissension, civil strife. Those evil forces were yajooj, ma‘jooj and al-Masih al-Dajjal. The barrier which had been constructed by Dhul Qarnain to contained those evil forces had been destroyed by Allah the Most High, and the evil forces had been released. Their primary function was to employ oppression and deception in order to destroy everything which was not pure faith. (See my book: One Jama'ah - One Ameer: The Organization of a Muslim Community in the Age of Fitan).

The secularization of politics in Europe, which created the new secular democratic State, resulted in the declaration that sovereignty now resided with the State rather than Allah the Most High. And that was shirk! Indeed, the shirk was even more fundamentally based on the new philosophical foundation of the civilization. i.e. materialism. The definition of materialism was one which denied the existence of any reality beyond material reality. Shaikh Muhammad Abduh, the classically-educated Egyptian Islamic scholar, failed to see the new philosophical foundations of European modernity. He was deceived by Dajjal. He thus perceived the road to hell as the road to heaven. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, on the other hand, the modem-educated Indian Islamic scholar, was not deceived.

Abduh appears to have been deceived by the superficial appearance of Truth. (i.e. Islam) at the foundation of modern secular European society. He did not perceive that the European economy was significantly altered in a direction away from Truth as a result of the French revolution. The Catholic Church in particular, which had waged a five hundred year Struggle against riba in Europe, had finally lost the war to secularism, and riba now began to emerge as the very foundation of the capitalist European economy. Abduh failed to see exploitation in the interest which formed the foundation of the European banking system. Since he did not notice it, he concluded that it was not them. That was his extraordinary blunder! He returned to Egypt and delivered his famous (or infamous) fatwa (juristic verdict) on the interest on savings accounts opened with the Egyptian Post Office. He declared that the ‘interest’ from those accounts was not riba!

Iqbal was not deceived by Dajjal. He recognized that Islamic civilization had deviated significantly from the path of Islam: but Islam - the Truth, was still there and could be restored. When he viewed modern European civilization on the other hand. Iqbal’s vision pierced beyond the external form of European ‘character’, ‘honesty’, ‘integrity’, ‘willingness to work hard for a specified good’, ‘good-natured behavior towards other humans’, ‘trustworthiness’, etc. Here is his verdict on the new Europe: The idealism of Europe never became a living factor in her life; and the result is a perverted ego seeking itself through mutually intolerant democracies whose sole Junction is to exploit the poor in the interest of the rich. [That is riba] Believe me. Europe today is the greatest hindrance in the way of man's ethical advancement.

The incapacity to penetrate the essentially predatory nature of the interest-based capitalist economy and to thus recognize riba at its very foundation, appears to have been passed on from one generation of Egyptian Islamic scholars to another Shaikh Tantawi, the former government-appointed Mufti of Egypt who is now Shaikh al-Azhar, as well as Shaikh al-Ghazzali (may Allah have mercy on him), both recent visitors to New York, appear to be similarly misguided. They have both argued that bank interest not riba!

Let us not forget however, that there have been many other prominent Egyptian Islamic scholars who have declared ‘interest’ to be riba and have vigorously opposed it! One of them, the blind and innocent Shaikh Omar Abdul Rahman, is paying the price for his vigorous denunciation of oppression in Egypt. He is serving a sentence of life-imprisonment in an American prison. The crime for which he was found guilty was the preaching of Islam in a manner which incites people to challenge their oppressors.

Classical higher Islamic education in this age of fitan seems to have acquired some strange deficiency making it difficult for so many classically-trained Islamic scholars to perceive reality correctly. What Abduh, the classically trained Islamic scholar could not see, Iqbal saw so clearly. Iqbal never had a classical Islamic education. Our view is that something is significantly lacking in the classical methodology of Qur’anic interpretation (usul al-tafseer). The meaning of the Qur’an could not possibly have been exhausted by the early Muslims (salaf). The classical works of tafseer, therefore cannot be said to have delivered the final word on the meaning of the Qur’an. Rather the meaning of the Qur’an continues to unfold as concrete reality changes. It is on the basis of an acute observation of changing reality that one can discern new meaning to verses of the Qur’an, - meanings which do not unfold until the new reality has emerged. This is particularly true in respect the Qur’anic treatment of the age of fitan. It is infact, on the basis of observation and intuitive insight that one can arrive at the meanings of the Qur’an as they are directly related to this age.

Abduh was influenced by the arch nationalist, Syed Jamaluddin Afghani. Abduh in turn, influenced his disciple Shaikh Rashid Rida. It appears that they may have innocently opened the doors of Egypt to riba. And from that day to this the Egyptians have continued to pay a terrible price for that poison which first crippled, and then utterly destroyed the Egyptian economy. To make matters even worse the rest of the world of Islam tamely followed Egypt into riba.

Some scholars have felt it necessary to advise Muslims living in non-Muslim lands not to leave their riba earnings in the hands of non-Muslims. They advise that such riba money should be accepted and then given in charily. The terminology which they use is suspicious! The shariah (i.e. the sacred law) does not address ‘non-Muslim lands'. It recognizes dar al-Islam (i.e. territory over which the believers have control. and in which they have the freedom to submit to the supreme authority of Allah the Most High) and dar al-harb (territory which commits acts of aggression or oppression). Imam Shafe’i recognized territory which was in a state of contractual peace and non-aggression with dar al Islam as dar al-ahd. Those scholars should have used this classical terminology rather than suspiciously introducing terminology - non-Muslim lands" - which has all the appearances of legitimizing the present system of nation-states which has replaced dar al-Islam.

If the non-Muslim land is designated dar al-Harb it would then he possible for some to argue that there is no riba in such a territory. But, until recently, no one ever designated USA as dar al-Harb?

The argument concerning the validity of giving riba as charity in non-Muslim lands is therefore problematic, since what is haram (prohibited) for a believer to consume, is haram for his brother to consume!

Dr. Jamal Badawi, the learned scholar of Islam, rejects the opinion regarding the admissibility of interest for housing etc. in USA, on the basis of the application of the doctrine of necessity. His position is that ‘necessity’ does not apply in the general conditions obtaining today. It can apply only in specific conditions. The subjects of Riba and dar al-harb, and 'Riba and the Doctrine of Necessity', are dealt with in chapters five and six of this book.

Source: IMRAN N. HOSEIN

to be continued . . . . 

The Prohibition of Riba (Interest) by Imran Hosein

The Prohibition of Riba (Interest) (Q&A) by Imran Hosein