Quranic Foundations And Structure Of Muslim Society
Chapter 3.
DUTIES TO THE ANGELS
ENDS
(a)Objective:
Maintenance of the
attitude of respect and love for purity of will and holiness wherever found in
God’s creatures.
(b)Subjective:
Constant consciousness
of the fact that the world is a moral order, the Angels being the functionaries
of God’s moral scheme.
(1)
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE ANGELS:
The Angels, according
to the Holy Qur’an, are neither impersonal forces in the sense of physical
science, nor gods or demi-gods or sons or daughters of God, as some of the old
mythologies conceived them to be. They are celestial beings endowed with personality having been created by God to act as His functionaries in the
universe.
The establishment of
relation with the spiritual world, which is a vital condition of the spiritual
development of a human being, is not conceivable without faith in the existence
of the Angels (—which, therefore, forms one of the cardinal articles of Islamic
Belief—) and without a proper attitude towards them.
The Angels are sinless
beings—incapable of committing any sin—and as such possessors of purity,
because their function is only to behave as God’s absolutely obedient servants:
“… and the Angels; they are not
arrogant (before their Lord). (Rather,) they fear their Lord, High above them,
and they do whatever they are commanded.” (16:49-50).
They are honored servants of God:
“They (i.e., the Angels) are (but)
servants raised to honor. They precede Him not in word, and they act (in all
things) by His command.” (21:26-27).
Besides their numerous
functions mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, they, out of love for the Believers,
ask for God’s blessings on them:
“He it is Who sends blessings on
you, as do His Angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of Darkness
into Light: and He is Full of Mercy for the Believers.” (33: 43).
Also, they pray to God for forgiveness for
all beings on the earth:
“… and the Angels celebrate the praises of
their Lord, and ask forgiveness for those on the earth.” (42:5).
(2)
DUTIES
Thus, because they are
honored beings, they deserve respect; and because they are noble and pure, they
deserve love. They deserve love and respect specially from the Believers, whom
they love and for whom their solicitude is great.
Quranic Foundations And Structure Of Muslim Society
CERTAIN
POINTS OF BASIC DISTINCTION BETWEEN
MYSTICISM
AND ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS QUEST
[POPULARLY CALLED TASAWWUF IN MUSLIM HISTORY]
Lexicologically, the word ‘mystical’ has two shades of meaning, viz.:
(1)
‘relating to mystery’; ‘mysterious’; sacredly obscure’;
(2) ‘involving a sacred
or secret meaning hidden from the eyes of the ordinary person, only revealed to
a spiritually-enlightened mind’.
Similarly, the word ‘mysticism’ carries two
shades of meaning, viz.:
(1)‘fogginess
and unreality of thought (with suggestion of mist)’;
(2)‘the
habit or tendency of religious thought and feeling of those who seek direct
communion with God or the divine’.[1]
Refined mysticism, as it has emerged in the civilized religions, conforms
to the second shade of meaning. And in this respect some superficial affinity
might be discernible between Mysticism and the Islamic Religious Quest. But
going deeper we find certain very basic differences which are of immense
importance.
These differences exist in terms of: (1) philosophy; (2) technique, (3)
function, (4) outlook; and (5) goal.
1.In
terms of philosophy: Islam differs with all the systems of Mysticism, either
largely or wholly, with regard to the teachings concerning God, the World, and
Man; and it is self-evident that those differences cannot but influence the
structure of the quest most vitally.
2.In
terms of technique: All the schools of Mysticism employ as their instruments
meditation, contemplation, recitation and asceticism; while Islam employs
spiritual devotions to God, and spiritual contact with the Holy Prophet (Peace
be on him!) and with the spiritual world as such—all that involving recitation
of spiritual Truths as one of the instruments—, intellectual grasp of the
Value-System of the Islamic Code of Guidance, study of Nature and History,
practice of social morality, meditation, contemplation, and periodic seclusion or ‘withdrawal’ (I‘ktikaf). Again, the element of
asceticism in Mysticism makes its quest possible for only a select few; while
the Islamic principle of the practice of Religion in social life and its scheme
of placing the basic elements of Religious Quest in the obligatory religious
routine of a Muslim [2]
makes it possible for every Muslim to undertake it in accordance with his
capacity and the availability of opportunity.
3.In
terms of function: The function of Mysticism is the annihilation of the animal
self, the development of psychical powers and self-realisation in terms of its
specific philosophy. The function of Islamic Religious Quest is spiritual and
moral integration and development of the ‘self’ through self-purification,
ultimately for reforming the society.
4.In
terms of outlook: In Mysticism, the outlook is pessimistic as regards earthly
existence, and hence it is passive in relation to it. In the Islamic Religious
Quest, the outlook is optimistic based on faith in the goodness of the Divine
Plan under which everything exists and every event occurs; and it is dynamic,
because the world and worldly life, handled in accordance with the Divine
Guidance, are viewed as means to the attainment of human destiny,—which outlook
directs the life of the pursuer of Islamic Religious Quest to multidimensional
and virile activity for interference in the process of history.
The glorious role of genuine Sufīs [3]
in Muslim history bears historic testimony to this fact. Of all the sections of
Muslim society, only they and their disciples have propagated Islam in the
world; and it is they who have contributed most in respect of spiritual and
moral fervour among Muslims. Also, their heroic struggles in the field of
political reform form a very important chapter in the history of Islam.
5.In
terms of goal: The goal of the mystic is personal salvation. The goal of the
pursuer of Islamic Religious Quest—of the true Sufi—is personal fulfilment at
three levels, viz., in his inner being, in human society, and finally in God.
Thus, it becomes his vital obligation to undertake ceaseless struggle for
transforming human society in terms of godliness.
Before closing this discussion, we may refer to the four
terms which have become famous in respect of the ‘Way of classical orthodox Sūfī Teachers’—namely:
al-Sharī‘ah,
al-Tarīqah,
al-Ma‘rifah and
al-Haqīqah;
and
we may emphasize that all these terms are firmly grounded in the teachings of
the Qur’an.
To begin with: They do not imply four different philosophies or ways of
life, but only four stages in the life and experience of a genuine pursuer of
Islam.
Thus:
a.The
stage of al-Sharī‘ah relates to the acquisition of knowledge of the Islamic
system of Beliefs and the code of Conduct relating to the Path of Islam; and it
emerges in response to the primary question: ‘What is Islam?’—or, in other
words, ‘What does Islam demand of a human being?’.
The answer to the above question has emerged in the Quran in all its
fullness; and it forms a major part of the present book.
b.The
stage of al-Tarīqah refers to the method for persuing Islam, ‘i.e., for
travelling on the ‘Path of Islam’ meaningfully and purposefully, rather than
formalistically and ritualistically; and it emerges in response to very vital
question: ‘How to be a Muslim?’—namely, ‘What is the method of becoming, living
and developing as a Muslim in the true sense?’
The Qur’an supplies the method which is enshrined in the verse: “he
attains falah who subjects it (i.e., the soul) to tazkiyyah” (91:9). As such,
it consist in the pursuit of tazkiyyah—i.e., eradication of the positive and
the negative evils that obstruct or keep in abeyance the development of human
personality in the spiritual dimension, and consequently in the moral
dimension,—thereby ensuring healthy spiritual growth under the impact of
Islam—which operates on the wheels of Zikr (‘Remembrance of God’) and Fikr
(‘Probe into the mysteries of Creation’) (3:190-191), and which ends in the
establishment of falah in one’s personality (i.e., spiritual development in
terms of the harmonius and comprehensive actualization of the latent
capabilities that relate to the transcendental dimension of the personality)
(87:14). This method is employed in strict adherence to the ‘Straight Path’
projected in al-Sharī‘ah.
c.The
stage of al-Ma‘rifah (or, ‘the Realisation’, as opposed to the possession of
‘formal knowledge’) bears references to the fruits of the strenuous labour
(Jihad) undertaken in respect of al-Tarīqah.
That stage consist in the progressive realization in one’s Consciousness,
through the ‘Light from Allaah’ (39:22), of the Glory of God, the nature and
status of the cosmos, and the true function and destiny of the human being
(3:191),— in short, of the Truth of Islam and all that it stands for. In other
words, it consists in achieving basīrah spoken of in 12:108; thereby rising to
the most meritoriousstatus, with
reference to this world’s life, becoming the ‘bearer of witness’ of the Truth
of Islam to humanity (2:143).
d.The
stage of al-Haqīqah (or, ‘the Reality’) forms actually the highest level of
al-Ma‘rifah.
That stage is said to be attained when the Light that God establishes in
His Devotee (‘abd) (39:22) illumines all the dimensions of his Consciousness to
an extent that he lives and moves only under the impact of that Light (6:123),
and not through his Desire (79:40). At that level of experience, his ego
transcends, in terms of its approach to the reality of Existence, the
phemenological level of ‘Diversity’ and becomes focussed in the realm of
‘Unity’,—‘Unity’ being the Haqiqah (reality) of Existence.
The above facts may be briefly stated in other words thus:
The basic
function of Islam is to transform the human personality on the basis of Iman bi
Allaah (Faith in God). That transformation is, in the very nature of the case,
an internal process. As regards al-Sharī‘ah, it is the Law relating to the
‘Straight Path’ of Islam. But that Path, like every path as such, is meant for
undertaking a journey to a goal—the goal in its case being God (2:156). Now,
travelling voluntarily towards the goal, which Islam emphasises, necessitates:
(a) travelling with vigilance and personal enthusiasm and pleasure, which alone
enables a person to face the hazards and hardships of journey with equanimity
and steadfastness; and
(b) proceeding in the journey meaningfully and consequentially.
It is, however, in the very nature of formal Law, even though it may have
divine sanction, that, in respect of transformation of personality, it can, by
itself, bring about only superficial results, which do not endure under the
strains and stresses of human life. Then, being externally-imposed, it imparts
the impression of being a ‘burden’ rather than a ‘pleasure’. Also, the
Instinctive Self—which, unless fixed in subjection to the Higher Self, acts
normally as the dominating force in human life—always tries to evade the ‘Law’
in numerous ways. Hence, it is necessary that al-Sharī‘ah should be
internalised. Namely, it should be assimilated in personal experience as best
as possible in every individual case— rather than remaining an imposition ‘from
outside’—, any meaningfultransformation
of personality being impossible in the latter case.
Internalisation, in its
turn, demands the adoption of a method (al-Tarīqah) and actual meaningful
journey (sulūk) in the realm of experience. Then, as the transformation
proceeds, the appreciation of the Truths that Islam has taught begins to deepen
in terms of personalrealisation
(al-Ma‘rifah)—realisation with total Consciousness and not merely rationalistic
appreciation through discursive thought, which can never provide unshakeable
Iman (Faith), and realisation not only in respect of the physical problems of
human life but, more so— and that is important—in respect of the metaphysical
problems, which are of the most basic importance in the Islamic scheme of
Guidance. That realisation brings the earnest Muslim progressively closer and
closer to the understanding of the Reality (al-Haqīqah). That understanding
attains in due course a standard level when a Muslim’s Consciousness becomes
fixed on Allaah, the Really-Real.
Finally, it may be emphasised that a religion without Religious Quest is
like a body without a soul; and, as a modern psychologist has remarked: “A man
with a religion purely of the rational type would be in a worse position than
the devils.” (Thouless: Psychology of Religion, p. 90).
[1] Chambers Twentieth Century
Dictionary, section ‘M’.
[2] See: the discussion on
“The Integrated Individual” (vol. 1, pp. 179-184).
[3] With the awful
degeneration of Muslim society, due to certain historical factors, well-known
to students of Islamic history, the understanding as well as the practice of
Tasawwuf also has degenerated in more dimensions than one. Also its name has
been misused for certain wrong notions and ideas in certain quarters. In spite
of that, however, the denial to the Islamic Religious Quest of its rightful
place amounts to the very negation of Islam. Also, interpreting Tasawwuf in
terms of the forms of Mysticism projected by other religions is a flagrant
violation of Truth.
