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THE SAVIOUR
BY
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Masud Ahmad
Translated By:
Nigar Erfaney Chisty Sabiri
Men, generation after
generation, have been treading on the sands of time, while most of them have
been wandering in bewilderment and merely straying in the Darkness: have lost
the Way, are confused to do anything,
and voided of any guidance to cross the deviation and come to the Light.
This frustration and obstruction disappeared when they heard an echo of a Call
in the atmosphere:
"Show us the straight path, the path of those whom Thou hast
favored;"
(Al-Quran: `al-Fatehah'1 [The Opening 1], Ayats 5 and 6).
Oh what a call is this! It is form Allah the Magnificent
Who revealed it upon His Last Prophet Muhammad (SAW) for the guidance of entire
humanity. Oh Men, say:
"Lead us to the Straight Way;
the Way of those dear ones on whom Ye conferred on prize!"
There can be no greater prize but Allah the Beneficent may illuminate the heart
with His radiant love and of His
dear friend Muhammad (SAW).
Now whose hearts are illuminated with Love, their way is the only Straight Way,
and there is no other way.
The Way is which leads to the Destination but indistinct and untraceable
without the belief (i.e. Imaan); and the
Belief is inaccessible without the sincere, glowing Love of Allah the
Magnificent and his Prophet (SAW).
It is not within the
sphere of Reason and Intellect only seek the Destination. A lively heart can
only seek the object
(Destination), so choose persons having lively hearts as your Guide. Select the
lovers of Muhammad Mustafa
(SAW) as your Guide.
The holy Quran is describing the lovers' footsteps as the only `Straight Way.' The
glorious Quran is showing
their footsteps as the `Destination.' Greet the voice of the Quran. Come
forward and apprehend the laps of those
(`good friends') who have taken refuge under the blessed lap of Muhammad
Mustafa (SAW).
Among those who have
gathered under the lovable lap of Muhammad Mustafa (SAW), there was also a
lover
who kindled the lamp of Mustafa's (SAW) love and carried it far and wide. This
lover is incomparable and
unequalled in Knowledge (traditional and rational) and Action among his great
contemporaries, and his personality
is flamboyant like `time and its manifestations.' The Love is the only factor,
which changed this small `particle' into a
radiant `sun'.
Even today the
thirsty eyes are waiting anxiously for the radiance of his Love. All are in a
state of commotion to
hear his shout with full force of Love. Imam Ahmed Raza Khan was a well-known
scholar,
who commanded the historic scene during the second-half of the 19th century and
the first two decades of the 20th
century. He was known and respected by all and sundry, but a very popular
mentor and wise counselor of the
Muslim rank and file in the British India. He
was born at Bareili Shareef (U.P.,India) on the 10th Shawwal, 1272
A.H., /14th June 1856 A.D. and passed away in his birth city on 25th Safar 1340
A.H., /28th October 1921 A.D. at the
age of 65.
He received customary Islamic education of his time and completed the
Dars-i-Nizami almost at the age of 14,
and was honored like other great Ulema (i.e. scholars) of the Islamic World.
He was an authority in both the Rational and Traditional branches of Knowledge,
and was recognized as
a versatile genius of his age. In his youth he was a perfect master of
different arts
and sciences. He was such a great busy scholar that he left a rich academic
memorabilia in all the branches of
Knowledge before his death at the age of 65. To his credit he has written more
than one thousand books.
His greatest work is the Urdu translation of the holy Quran, entitled
"kan'zol Iman fi Tar'ju'mah al-Quran"
(1330 A.H/1911 A.D.). It is the most distinguished work among all the heaps of
Urdu translations. It is neither a
translation of any previous translated work nor an explanation or interpretation
of any translation. It is a direct
Urdu translation of
the holy Quran from the holy Quran in Arabic. In the field of the Commentaries
of the glorious Quran,
Imam Ahmed Raza has the credit to write a commentary consisting of more than
600 pages of only some Ayats (i.e.
sentences) of the Surah-al-Duha, (The Morning Hours) of the holy Quran. It is
believed that his knowledge of the
holy Quran, the Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet ) and the allied branches of
Knowledge which are compulsorily
necessary to write a Commentary (i.e. the Tafsir) was so vast and immense that
he needed several such lives to put
his mind and reflections on the paper. In brief, this short life was too
insufficient to write a comprehensive and
detailed commentary of the holy Quran. Imam Ahmed Raza's remarkable position in
the field
of the Hadith can be ascertained by the remark passed by Maulana Rehman Ali the
Khalifa (the vicegerent) of great
Haji Imdadullah Mohajir Makki, who writing an introductory note on a book of Imam
Ahmed Raza's,
entitled
"al-Rau'z-ul-Ba'hij fi A'dab-et-Takh'rij" (1396-99 A.H.), expressed
his opinion: "If such a book has not been
written ever before Imam Ahmed Raza's work on this subject, he would rightly be
called the `inventor' of this
art". In fact, he has grasped and devised a new approach and method for
elucidating and illustrating Aadiths for the
first time.
When a great scholar of the Deoband School of Thought, Maulana Nizamuddin Ahmed
puri (formerly State
of Bahawalpur, Pakistan) listened to the preliminary pages about the stages of
Hadiths (i.e. ma'na'zile Ha'dith) from
Imam Ahmed Raza's book entitled "al-Faz lul M'ha'bafi Eza Sa'hal Hadis-o-
fahowa Maz'habi" (1313 A.H./1895
A.D.), he was much surprised and asked: "Was the Maulana well-versed in
all of these Stages (man'na'zil)
leading to understand the Hadiths? I had been so ignorant and loser, having
lived in his age."
Imam Ahmed Raza was as much as exalted and supreme a Mohaddis (i.e. interpreter
of the Hadiths) so
much so a great Fa'qih (i.e. the interpreter of fiqa: law) he was. In the
measured opinion of the author of the
"Nuz'hatul Kha `va'ter", Sayed Abdul Hai Nadvi: "Imam Ahmed Raza
had such a skilled command over detailing
and explaining small
parts of a compact article in the field of Fiqa that no scholar among his
contemporaries could
claim to his level."
Imam Ahmed Raza's great collection of Fa'ta'wa (i.e. Verdicts given by the
Faqih, Mufti or Qazi in reply to
questions, inquisitions or references regarding problems of any kind) entitled
"al-Ata `yan Na `ba `vi `ya fel fa `ta `war
Riz `vie `ya" is
itself a witness to his knowledge of Fiqa, the Islamic Law. On the benches of
lawyers, Allama Doctor Muhammad
Iqbal and the Parsi Judge of Bombay High Court, Prof. D.F. Mullah have also
appreciated the "Fa `ta `wa-e-Riz
`vie `ya", and declared it as a laudable masterpiece of law. Besides, the
Ulema of the Arab-o-Ajam (i.e. the
scholars of all Muslim countries, whether Arab and non-Arab) applauded it
whole- heartedly and awarded him the
highest title "Mujaddid of the century" (i.e. the Reformer of the
century). Imam Ahmed Raza received the is`tef`tas (the
questions) from all over the continents of Asia, Europe, Africa and Americas, and
there often were collected five
hundred inquisitions at a time. This distinguished positions, pioneering
quality and world-wide popularity was akin to
Imam Ahmed Raza alone, and all alone. The Ulema-e-Din, the Mufti-Yan-e
Shara-e-matin, and the
Qazi `yan-e Ada
`lat (i.e. the Ulema, Muftis and Qazis), all enriched their knowledge and
experience from his Fatwas
(the Verdicts).
In the realms of the Man'qoo'laat (i.e. Traditions: Quran, Hadiths etc) and the
M'a qu `lat (i.e. the philosophy,
logic etc.), Imam Ahmed Raza had made great adventures, and performed most
surprising works of high value.
Presenting his research essay in Arabic, entitled "ad-Dau `lat-ul Mak'kee
`ya bil Ma `ad `da-tel Ghaibiya" (1302
A.H/1905 A.D). He amazed much the Arab Ulemas, and caught their courteous attention.
Once he solved successfully a problem of the Mathematics, much complicated and
even unsolved. The
Vice Chancellor of Muslim University, Aligarh
(U.P., India)
Doctor Sir Ziauddin was so much astonished and
pleased that he cried spontaneously: "Imam Ahmed Raza deserves of the
Nobel Prize".
Imam Ahmed Raza was
also a poetical genius. His imagery was so rich and sublime that all the poets
(and
writers) were astonished highly on seeing his immortal encomium the
Qasida-e-Merajiya (a eulogy to the
Prophet's (SAW) Ascension to the Heavens to the very presence of Allah the
Magnificent).
Professor Mohiuddin Alwa`ie of the Azhar University, Cairo (Egypt) was much
impressed and
astonished when he found the literary imagination combined with the scientific
intricacy, unique to Imam
Ahmed Raza's personality. The rational aspect of the academic knowledge of Imam
Ahmed Raza is very important and interesting for the
Modern Age. In his valuable researches and written works, he has taken an
analytical view and critical survey of the
scholastic and modern philosophies, and the discoveries, researches and
practical works of scientists, and has
pointed out their shortcomings and failures.
His subjects of criticism were the great works of Ibne Sina, Najmuddin Ali bin
Muhammad al-Qazweni,
Shamsuddin Muhammad bin Mubarak Mirak Bokhari, Imam Ghazali, Abdur Rehman bin
Ahmed al-Elie, Sa `ad-
uddin Masood ben Muhammad Taftazani Bedhavi, Mullah Muhammad Jonpuri, Isaac
Newton, Albert Einstein etc. etc.
Imam Ahmed Raza wrote a book entitled "Foz-e Mubin der Rad `d- e Har
`kat-e Zamin" (1338 A.H./1919
A.D.) in which he has eruditely analyzed and discussed the most important
doctrines of modern Physics, such as the
Law of Gravity, the Einstein's Theory of (general) Relativity and the Newton's
laws of Motion.
Some of the eastern and western philosophers and scientists of the Modern Age
have also worked on these
ideas and doctrines, and have deduced different postulations, axioms and
universal truth in the light of their
observations and
experiments. Imam Ahmad Raza's deep study in Natural
Sciences can be adjudged by an event. That in 1919 A.D., an American
astrologer, Professor Albert F. Porta
prophesied that there might befall a small horrible doomsday in the U.S.A. on
December 17, 1919, which will
be a result of gathering of some planets before the sun, and of their
collective and concerted attraction. When Imam
Ahmad Raza was asked to express his view over the American astrologer's
prophecy, he maintained it `absurd
and nonsense', and penned down an academic essay, "Moin-e Mubin
Behr-Daur-e Shamso Sukoon-e Zamin"
(1338 A.H./1919A.D.) in refutation of the American Scientist`s calculation and
prophecy. And on December17,
1919, people
throughout the world observed the truth of Imam Ahmad Raza's statement while
the American
astrologer's prophecy turn out a fiasco. It was Imam Ahmad Raza's first success
over the West.
In the field of rationale (philosophy and logic) even there are no scholars to
understand Imam Ahmed Raza's
written works. Perhaps there may be some scholars, but very rare. Modern
philosophers and scientists are also not
acquainted with the Arabic and Persian languages, and their terminologies too.
As a result, they can hardly understand
completely the works of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan. It was because Professor Dr
Ziaauddin sent an expert from the
Muslim University,
Aligarh to Imam
Ahmed Raza to write in English what he explains the meanings and
interpretations of his Arabic and Persian terms and writings. But this useful
work could not be carried
successfully and the transformation of terms and writings form Arabic and
Persian into English remained incomplete.
Had the written works of Imam Ahmed Raza been transformed into English, the
lovers of learning's and
knowledge would have not gone to frustration. In brief, a former teacher of the
Allama Iqbal
University, Islamabad
(Pakistan),
Professor Abrar Hussain has been translating the `Foz-e Mubin der Rad `d-e
Harkat-
e Zamin" into English, and also inscribing a Hawashi (i.e. the
marginalia).
Imam Ahmed Raza used
to think faster than electricity. His steed of thought ran faster than those of
his
time. This quality of Imam Ahmed Raza requires serious and scientific
consideration and also deserves research. He
propounded his own formulae of Mathematics and also explained his sets of laws
in his own way. He was a unique, individual and strange
personality of his
age. He was above all a giant universal genius, and a strong mind with
cyclopedias knowledge. Imam Ahmed Raza had universal fame and
admiration as a Guide and Teacher in the fields of the manqué `lat and the
m`aqu `lat. He was recognized as an
Imam, yet above all he was a true and staunch Muslim, held firmly all the
beliefs which bear testimony from the
Prophet, Muhammad (SAW), the Sa haba (the Companions), the Ta `a `be `in (the
Followers), and the Sal
`f-I Swa `le `hin (the Pious Ancestors): (Riz `wan-el-lah Ta `ala Alai `him Aj
`ma `in).
He did not introduce
any new belief, nor propounded any new doctrine or ideology. How he could
do so? He was a deep ocean of the knowledge of the Glorious Quran and the
Hadiths. From the story of Adam
and Iblis, he had learnt the lesson that imbibed with arrogance of Tauhid one
must not turn his face from the
Friends of Allah the Magnificent, Iblis (the Satan) turned his face from Adam
(the Friend of Allah), so he was
condemned for both this World and the Hereafter; and lost
everything.
Bowing is to
acknowledge a compliment to the Friends of Allah the Beneficent, which is to
bow before the
will of Allah the Almighty while turning face from them is to turn the face
form Allah the Merciful. Iblis could not
understand this sublime point of Tauhid and could not feel the irony of love.
As a result he was declared `the
Condemned' forever.
The greatness of
Allah's Friends [Awliya] is strange and novel. Their staff is so strong, if it
smites with a rock,
the spring gushes out and the thirsty persons drink unto the blooming. If their
staff smites with the waves of a river,
there comes out a solid pathway and hundreds of caravans cross the river. Their
garment is so wonderful, if it touches
the face; it restores the light of the sightless eyes. The mark of their feet
is so magnificent which is preserved for ever
till the Last Day of the World, and becomes a place of prostrating (i.e.
Muqam-e-Ibrahim). And how great is the
greatness of a Friend of All Friends, the Chief of the Two Worlds (SAW) whose
praise is in the Psalms of David, Gospel,
those name commemorates
in the Vedas, the Upanesheds, the Puranas, and in the Zhand and Ovesta!
See! Allah the
Creator has raised high his name upto the heavens
`And exalted thy fame'? (al-Quran, Sura Insharah' The expansion-94, Ayat 4).
Nobody knows since when his fame (commemoration) has been raising higher and
higher,
except Allah the Almighty. The other heights look lowered before him (
) and kiss his footsteps. Imam Ahmed Raza presented the marvelous qualities of
this sublime person (Muhammad Mustafa
) before all the peoples of the world of today.
This is his great
deed, and all praiseworthy. Imam Ahmed Raza had been writing throughout his
lifetime the Sirat-un-Na'bi (saw) [the
Biography and Model
Character of the Prophet (SAW)]. He wrote several individual and separate
treatises about each and every
aspect of the Prophet's biography and Model Moral, and carried on such
researches, which are hardly frequent in the
books of the Prophet's Seerat. He selected the topics of Sirat as the
centrically and main work of his fast running
pen. He brought into light each and every characteristic of the Greatest Friend
of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
in such a manner, which made the whole environment brilliant and illuminated
with flooded light from the
different aspects of the Sirat, and his praise was heard from everybody's
tongue.
Hundreds of the
biographers have written several hundred books on Sirat, grand and valuable in
all respects;
but no writer or poet could produce the charm, beauty, feeling, love and
admiration, which Imam Ahmed Raza
demonstrates in his poetry. He elaborated different aspects of the Prophet's
Seerat both in prose and poetry. His well-
known `Salam' (the poem which bears the greetings and blessings for the Prophet
(SAW) is a masterpiece of
poetical expression in praise of the Prophet (SAW). It is not only a `Qa
`sida-e N'at'ya'an encomium in praise of the
Prophet (SAW) but
also a complete book of Sirat in itself. It is recited loudly with much passion
and admiration
throughout the world from East to West. Imam Ahmed Raza adopted the sacred
personality
of Muhammad Mustafa (SAW) as his main topic of speech and writing, whether in
prose or poetry. Nobody can
deny his monumental works on the Prophet's Seerat. He was the flag-bearer of
the Grandeur of Mustafa (SAW)
and Love of Mustafa is the only panacea of our wounds; and there is no other
remedy. Imam Ahmed Raza always
uttered loudly that Muslims should beautify their hearts with the pure and
glowing Love of Mustafa (SAW).
Imam Ahmed Raza had a
vigilant eye on the fast-changing events of the contemporary world. He could
feel
the momentous force of the material society of the twentieth century. He knew
that Islam is a progressive
faith, which has always been advancing and moving, onward and shall continue
marching till the great doomsday.
Islam is neither
retrogressive nor conservative. Its nature is flowing, moving onward, creating
new values and
systems strictly confined to the fundamental beliefs of Islam, along with the
Commandments and Prohibitions. It
is not solid, resisting changes of form and dimension but is dynamic and
progressive in character. In its sleeves, Islam
has wrapped up thousands of ups and downs of the centuries, but flowing like a
vast and deep ocean. Islam has
been accomplished as a Deen (Religion) by Allah the Magnificent, Who has
ordained.
"Everyday He
exerciseth power" (al-Quran : Surah al-Rehman The Magnificent 55, Ayat
29).
Verily Allah the Creator brings His new Magnificence and universal power. And
Islam has been
enforced by that `embodiment of light' (Muhammad, a light from Allah's light),
for whom the holy Quran
proclaims:
"And verily the
latter stage will be better for thee than the former."
(al-Quran: Sura al-Dauha :The Morning Hours 93, Ayat 4).
Commentators have described that the Prophet (SAW) had been a leading citizen
of Mecca until
he
received his Call. Now he became a victim of persecution and hostility, which
continued for thirteen years till he
migrated to Madina. According to the Quranic prophecy, the latter stage of the
Prophet's (SAW) life, the last ten
years, is the most wonderful record of success in human history. So Muslims
believe that every moment to come
will be better than the former ones, and a heart, wherein the Islam is belief
and lifeblood, is aware of the fact that `even
two days cannot go monotonously'. The poet of East Allama Iqbal says:
"For a Momin, every moment comes with a new Honor, with a new
Greatness."
The time is dynamic and every particle of this Universe is dynamic, and there
is nothing solid, inert and static.
The form and shape of the holy Quran which was in the days of the Prophet (SAW)
is quite different today. Of course the text of the
holy Quran is in toto;
but the artistic calligraphy, beautiful flowerings, fine paper and colorful
binding work, not prevalent in those days, yet these exist today. These are new
things but to attract to all. The forms
of the mosques, which were in the days of the Prophet (saw) is different today.
The ornamentation of the walls,
the elegance of the mehrab (arch) and the `mimber' (the pulpit), and the
splendor of the tomb and minarets were not
common in the days of the Prophet (Salallahu alaihi wa sallam) as we see today.
All these are new things but liked
much by all and sundry. It is because the time is dynamic and does not stay in
a static state. Certainly, there are some
Hadiths, which prohibit the extravagant expenditure over the unnecessary
decoration of the holy Quran and mosques.
But none of the school of thought raised any voice against such extravagance of
energy, time and money, because of
their acceptance of the dynamic force of time. During the course of centuries,
we all have adopted
many new things, the use of which is the violation of the Shariah. The erecting
of grand houses, the town planning of
the large and over-populated cities and towns, and extravagant expenditure for
show of vanity in everyday
life, are all clear violation of the Shariah. There is none to object, but we
see that all are busy in these wrongful
practices.
The greeting of the
national flag and reverence of the national anthem, and many other such things
are more
modern. All salute to the national flag, and stand up with reverence in the
assemblage of the national anthem.
Nobody objects these innovations, but when we talk about the Darud-o-Salam
(Blessings and Greetings to Mustafa
), some people go disappointed and displeased, but they stand reverably during
the national flag and anthem
ceremony at the occasions. They stand and salute the flag and sing the anthem
univocally of the country which was achieved in the name
of Muhammad (SAW) but
they never forget to object abruptly the `Darud' and `Salam' to this Greater,
Greatest
Man (SAW). Should we not sacrifice a thousand flags and anthems on his
footsteps for his Magnificence? Today,
what we have and what we are, even our soul and body all owe to the Prophet's
blessings and prayers. Our words and
deeds are afflicted with contradictions and opposites. Talking about the Din
depends on our sweet discretion,
otherwise we avoid it quietly. Imam Ahmed Raza launched a Jehad against the
elements of contradiction and combination of opposites.
If with the change of circumstance, one thing is permissible according to a
principle; other such things
should also be permissible according to the same principle and procedure,
particularly such things, which are related
with the Dignity of Mustafa (SAW), aimed and desired by the holy Quran.
For the innovations
(i.e. bedaat), Imam Ahmed Raza's cult and verdict is that anything which has
not been
prohibited by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) the teacher and interpreter of the
Shariah; and secondly, it strengthens
the aims and objects of the Shariah, should be permissible. He was a man of
principle and did not like the
involve with any `childish discretion', personal liking or dislike - as the
criteria of the Shariah, because he did not
want to create any schism or disintegration among the Millat-e Islamia.
He adopted and practiced the traditional system of religious beliefs of the
Jamhoor (the majority of Muslims;
the Ahle Sunnah), which they have been following for the centuries long. He
kindled the Belief of the Righteous, with
the help of the holy Quran, the Hadith, and the verdicts of the Ulemae Jamhoor
(the Scholars of the Ahle-Sunnah).
Imam Ahmed Raza had no concern with such illiterate people who adopted the
bed'at (the innovations). He was a
domain of Knowledge and Grace. Let people visit this World of Knowledge, and
see all what they have never
seen and heard. What they have never encountered anywhere.
Imam Ahmed Raza
struggled hard to cleanse the Muslim society from the evils and innovations. He
pointed
out the evils, impermissible and condemned by the Shariah. For example:
1)
Separating the Tari `qat (the Method) from the Shariah.
2) Women's unveiled (be-pardah) presence before the Pirs
and Faqirs.
3) Women visiting of the graves and tombs.
4) Adopting resemblance with the Kaffar and Mushrakin- (infidels and pagans) in
everyday life.
5) Participating the non-Muslim religious festivals.
6) Making the Ta `a zias (models of the tombs of Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain),
and carrying them out in the
processions, and seeing the Muharrem processions.
7) Participating the gatherings arranged for breast-beating and mourning.
8) Hearing the Qavvali (a small troupe of singers who sing for the
mystics/Sufis), with the musical instruments.
9) Accepting the remuneration (the ujrat) for reciting the holy Quran (the
Quran-khuwani).
10) Accepting the remuneration for speeches (i.e. wa'as).
11) Hanging the pictures of the Pious men and pay reverence to them.
12) Walking with shoes on feet in the premises of the graveyard, and placing
the feet on the graves.
13) Building unreal and fictitious graves for cheating and exploiting the
pilgrims.
14) Circumambulating the graves (the Tawaf as done during the Hajj at the Ka'
aba Sharif).
15) Prostrating (the sajda) the graves.
16) Burning the `agarbatti' and `loban' (the scented sticks and incense).
17) Gathering and feasting at the house of the expired person (the mai'yat).
18) Demanding the `Jahez' (the dowry) from the bride's parents/guardians.
19) Seeking augury (the fa `al) from the holy Quran.
20) Shaving off the beard; and
21) Wearing the dresses of English/European style and fashion.
Imam Ahmed Raza is so much repugnant of the Be'd'at that in his view the
companionship of the Ahle-
Be'd'at (those involved in innovations) is dreadful and instructs to keep away
from such persons. He has exhorted
to all the rich and the poor. He has also censured the Ulema of his period who
had flown away with the mub'ta'da `in
(the followers). In a letter to Maulana Muhammad Ali Mongeri, he writes:
"You are a simple Sufi (mystic of
Islam). I recall you a commandment of Hazrat Sheik Mujad did alf-i Sa'ni (may
Allah bless upon him) and also hope it
will be an exemplary guidance for you. In one of his letters, he says:
"The discord and violence (i.e. the fasad) of the followers (the mub `ta
d'a) is worse than the
companionship of one hundred infidels (Kafirs)". Maulana, do justice, for
God's sake! Do you or
anybody else or Ara'kin (the members) know more prudent measures of the Deen or
Hazrat Mujaddid?"
(Letter
written on Ramazan-ul Mubarak 5, 1313 A.D./1895 A.D.,
Ref: the Maktubat, published at Lahore, 1986, p.91).
Imam Ahmed Raza did never support such innovations in the Deen and worldly life
as well, which may distort the
Islamic identification of individuals. Imam Ahmed Raza was the most sensitive
man in the affairs of Islam; perhaps
no other person might be so sensitive in his contemporary age. His
sensitiveness was not sentimental, prudential or
hypocritical. This was thoroughly true of him. He was so deadly against the
English dress that the persons wearing
the English dress, and who had offered prayers, so he used to instruct them to
repeat their prayers.
He
was aware of the English mentality of bigotry and prejudice. The English had
destroyed Muslim Empire in
India,
appropriated honorable person's dress for their servants and attendants, and
cut new dress for the served
class (i.e. themselves, the rulers). They had compelled us to destroy our
culture and civilization by our own hands.
Today we put our shoes on the farsh (the carpet and flooring) whereon our
honorable fore-fathers used to sit
with pomp and pride. Unless the feeling of modesty and indignation is
reawakened, we shall never be a true, free
Muslim people. The poet says:
(In the world where we struggle for things to live, the modesty and the sense
of honor are the most precious
substance). Through the modesty and indignation, nations have achieved their
goals; and lost everything when they
lost modesty and indignation. Imam Ahmed Raza wanted to create the Islamic
modesty in the mind and heart of the
individuals
of the Millat. He was a great propagandist and standard-bearer of the revival
of the Islamic Knowledge
and
Arts, culture and civilization. Due to his Movement and endeavor, today we are
Muslims, imbibed with the
feelings of Deen and Love of the Prophet (SAW).
Beliefs and thoughts of Imam Ahmed Raza were the same as professed by the
Harmain Shareefain (Mecca,
Medina) and the Ottoman
Empire. Our young generation does not know how great was
the Ottoman Empire. It spread over three
continents. Even today the U.S.A.
or even the U.S.S.R. is not as greater a
republic as the Ottoman Empire had been in the
near past. The traditional belief, professed by the Great Ottoman
Empire, was preached and taught by Imam Ahmed Raza. The Turkish Empire had its
skirts from Balgharia
(in Europe) to the Arabian Sea (in Asia) and Libya
(in North Africa) during the reign of Sultan Abdul
Hameed
Khan (1908 A.D). The Sultan was a Muslim of the Right Faith and a true lover of
the Prophet (SAW). His love may
be adjudged by an event. A drama company of France announced to stage a play
about the Prophet (SAW).
Hearing
the news, the Sultan drew his sword out of the sheath and said, "This
sword will not be sheathed again till
the Christian World turns back from this unclean design." Not only France
but also the whole Continent (i.e. Europe)
quivered with fear. The Christendom offered their apology to the Sultan and
gave up the idea of staging such a drama.
Narrating his marvelous deeds of bravery and Jehad, an Egyptian writer and
poet, Ahmed Shoqi said, "Where there
the Sultan's sword assails, it gives support to the Deen (against the enemies)."
In the eyes of the enemies of Islam, the Turkish Empire
had been rankling like a thorn. During Imam
Ahmed Raza's period this Empire had been trembling to go to its ruin. The
Enemies could not bear the magnificence
and strength of Islam. Secretly and skillfully a net of conspiracies was
cobwebbed, and the hands of the Muslims
slaughtered the Muslims. The Muslims devastated the Islamic historical
remnants.
The historical remains of a people are so important that these are the constant
source of inspiration, and remind
them the courage of their great forefathers, and also inculcate the hopes of a
good future. These remnants have
also been given importance by the holy Quran and were conceived to be preserved
till the Doomsday for the
purpose of admonition and instruction to the coming generation of mankind. The
relics of the modern age also
tend to inspire in changing the temperament of the nations. And the relics
protected by the Ottoman Empire, were
destroyed for the charge of `Shirk' and idolatry. The hearts of the Muslims
broke down with grief and sorrow. The
Ottoman Empire was also torn into pieces, and
the universal ideas and thoughts professed by the Empire were
also jumbled and scattered after analysis and criticism.
Nations
stand honorably on the strong threshold of their fortified thoughts and ideas.
The nations scatter with
the scattering of their strong thoughts and ideas. This is a blood- bolstered
story, neither reckoned as a part of
syllabus of our universities nor solicited by our research scholars. A horrible
doomsday has passed away, but it is
still unknown to our generations, old and young. The story was concealed, lest
the sacred faces lose their brilliance.
The traitors' ugly faces will be unveiled for the exhibition in the gallery of
history.
We must return to the beliefs and thoughts, which accommodated us with
Greatness and Splendor in the Past.
We must give up the ideas, absorbed and owned during the foreign rule, as they
have not given us anything valuable
except disgrace and disintegration. We don't know since when we have been
roaming about in the valley of the
Darkness. We cannot imagine how long we shall be straying, if we do not adopt
the Consciousness.
We have to decide either to equip our minds with the ideas and thoughts
flourished in the days of
Independence,
or stay with the ideas, which afflicted us during the period of slavery and
foreign yoke.
We have to revive and adopt the ideas and thoughts which once led us to become
the master of the world.
It was the time, which flooded with multifarious currents. Some circles tended
to the ljtehad (i.e. the
authorities interpretation of Islamic Law).
They had little knowledge; nevertheless they
claimed to be the mujtehids (the reformists). Imam Ahmed Raza was deadly
against
such "reformists". He was of the view that much has been written
about the conflicting problems related with the fiqa
(the law). It is so much sufficient that careful reading and study should be
done in order to bring forward the solutions
of
great many problems. Then the Ijtehad is indispensable? According to Imam Ahmed
Raza it was imprudent to close
the eyes from the researches of the Past; and moreover, only with the passion
of Ijtehad, without having perfect
knowledge of Fiqa (Islamic Jurisprudence, Law) and learning's, practice of
Ijtehad will be inconsiderate and infelicity.
He solved many problems originated due to the Modernity as he had complete
authenticity in `fiqa', by
virtue of his thorough study and extra-ordinary intelligence. In his days, the
issue of paper currency and the Zakaat
payable to it was quite a new problem. His question was: The Zakat is payable
on gold and silver, is there the same
commandment for the paper currency, or not? On an Istifta (the question)
forwarded form the
Ulema of Mecca and Medina,
Imam Ahmed Raza with great proficiency, wrote an essay entitled "Kif `lul
Fa-
`qeeh-el-fal-he-me
fi Ah-`ka'-may-e Qir'tas'-ul Da'ra-`hem" (1324 A.H./1906 A.D.), and all
were much surprised
of his profound knowledge on modern economy and banking. In the light of this
treatise, Professor Muhammad
Haneef Akhtar Fatimi of London University has written a useful essay in English,
which will be published by the
Majlis-e-Raza,Manchester.
It may be recalled here that the said essay has served a mentor for banking in Pakistan.
We are apt to conceal our deficiency and paucity of knowledge. For a long
period, it has been considered in
Pakistan
whether Urdu as a language has command over the expression of the Modern
knowledge, sciences and arts,
or not. Imam Ahmed Raza wrote a research article in refutation of the Movement
of the Earth, seventy-five years
ago.
Its medium of expression is Urdu, and consists of more than one hundred pages.
The language of this essay
bears idiomatic and usual expressions of Urdu, and the diction is amazingly
beautiful and lucid. He feels no
hesitation in expressing his conscience, and his thoughts The discoveries of
`the Tibb' (the old medical
science) have touched to its heights.
The
characteristics of the vegetation have been found fully and recorded. All the
principles of diagnosis and treatment have been finalized.
Great, experienced "hu`ka`mas" (the physicians/doctors) were emerged
who would tell all about the diseases at a
glance, and most of them survive even today, but they are neither duly
respected nor encouraged, for the good they do
for the humanity. It's all due to the Western impact on our mind and society.
The Western medical sciences have
bewitched our senses, and their instruments have abated the value of the art of
feeling, the pulse. The `hukama' (the
physicians) who had "observing eyes" were deprived of eyes, and
modernists enquire about the patience ailing
condition by the instruments and follow strictly what is indicated by them,
whether correct or wrong.
The
poverty, indulgence and crippling has destroyed us from tip to toe. We have
become so helpless
that we look for others to help; we are neglectful of our wealth. Strangers and
foreigners think that we were the
needy people as long for bread and butter. But once we were the wealthiest of
all peoples in the world. What a
change is this? And one more characteristic the passion of humanity by which
the Islamic society was identified also
has been lost now.
Imam Ahmed Raza's period, with its near past and near future, spreads over a
century. It is a period of
revolutions and wars. He was born almost one year before the revolution of 1857
A.D. and died in 1921 A.D. during
the "tehrik-e-tarkemavalat" (the non-cooperation). In 1884 A.D. the
Indian National Congress was established.
In 1905A.D. the `reek'e Resh-`mi Rumal (the Silken Kerchief Movement) was
uncovered. During the
same period the Jamiut ul-Ansar ul-Islam (Association of the Friends of Islam)
was established.
In 1906 A.D., the All India Muslim League was established. In 1911 A.D., the
War of Tripoli broke our,
and the War of Balqan in 1912, and the World War 1 began in 1914 A.D. which
ended in 1918 A.D.
In 1919A.D., the Khilafat Movement began, apparently with a view to support and
protect the Ottoman
Empire, but the truth is that the Congress insidiously secured enormous power
and as a result emerged as a
supported organization.
During the same period, the Jamiate' Ulema'e Hind (Association of the Muslim
Scholars of India) was formed.
On the second year, in 1920 A.D. Mr Gandhi started the
"Tehrik-e-Terk-e-Mava'lat" (the non-cooperation) with the
purpose to boycott the British in order to pressurize them and pave the way to
the Freedom of India.
During those years, the Tehrik-e-Hijrat (the Migration Movement), and the
Movement to abandon the
Cow-slaughter; in a nutshell, the main purpose of all these movements was to
make the Muslims from weak to
weaker. Throwing light on the implicitness of these movements, Imam Ahmed Raza
has written: "An enemy
expects three things for his enemy:
(1) firstly, his death which ends the dispute;
(2)
secondly, not death but his deportation which will throw him at a distance,
leaving the first (enemy) in peace;
(3)
thirdly, if not possible, expects his helplessness, that he must stay in the
most state of humiliation before
him."
During the Khilafat Movement, the poor and weak Indian Muslims were put to
combat against the British rule,
and the result was nothing but the ruination of the Muslims. By the Hijrat
Movement, the Muslims were forced to exile
from India to some other
Islamic country, Afghanistan,
and the only purpose was to keep them aloof from participating
the political affairs.
During
the "Tehrik-e-Mavalat, the Muslims were made to lost what they had as
their belongings, and as a
result Muslims became more helpless and weaker people of the country. All the
three forms of malice, expected form
the enemies of Islam, depicted from the three movements. Imam Ahmed Raza
presented his momentous
treatise "al-Mahjat-ul-Mo `etamena fi Ayatel Mumtahena" (1920 A.D.)
for the political solidarity of the Muslims,
while he had already published his treatise "Tad `bee're Fa `la `ho
Ni'jato Is'lah" (1912 A.D.) for the economic
solidarity, wherein he advised the Muslims:
1)
Muslims should decide their disputes by themselves and should avoid the
government agencies (of law and order).
2) The wealthy Muslims should establish banks
for the Muslim community.
3) During the emergency, the Muslims should not purchase anything from other
nations/communities, except from
their own; and
4) Muslims should promote and spread the Knowledge of Din (Islam).
Imam
Ahmed Raza gave basic importance to the Islamic Education for the Muslims, so
that everybody may
recognize himself as a Muslim and understand his belief (Din Islam). In his
measured opinion the great object of
education should be the Recognition of Allah, the Magnificent, and His Last
Prophet (SAW) with a view to
form a community mind. He thought it necessary that on the primary level,
students should be taught in such a
manner that the Dignity of the Prophet (SAW) should be strengthened in their
hearts, and the syllabi should be set up
with a view the advantages of both Din and the Worldly life. He does not
believe in making man a machine, and
making society, a complex of machines. But he believes in modeling the man,
only in the form of man. The root of all
evils and depravation is the degradation from the high level of humanity: (a
couplet)
(The ignorance of intellect has brought down the mankind to such a state of
desolation that the number of
men has lessened and the shades have increased in size). As a farsighted man
and statesman, Imam Ahmed
Raza maintained that India
was at the advent of Independence
in the near future. In the beginning of the
Shaban 1339 A.H./1921 A.D., his companions and disciples asked him: If India
gets deliverance from the
British yoke, how the Qazi and Mufti of the Shariah will be appointed?" He
answered that he would think over the
issue. Then one day he usually arranged three special seats on the `takht' (the
chair of the Chief) in the foam where he
used to meet the people. He sat in his seat and commended: "The country
will certainly be free from the British
domination, and the government will be organized on the democratic lines."
Then he suddenly proclaimed: I hereby
appoint Sadarus Shariah Maulana Amjad Ali Azami as the "Qazi-e-Sha
`raa" for the whole of India",
and asked him to
sit in the special seat. Then he appointed Mufti-e-Azam Maulana Muhammad
Mustafa Raza Khan Bareilvi and
Mufti Muhammad Burhan-ul-Haque Jabelpuri respectively as the
"Mufi-Shar'a" to assist the Qazi-e-Shar'a, and asked
them to take their special seats. Imam Ahmed Raza was more anxious about the
freedom of Islam than the
Independence of India.
He
had always resisted and struggled against any bargain of Independence in exchange
f the Faith (i.e. Din). It was his earnest longing that the non-Muslim majority
should not interfere the affairs of the
Muslims, and let them live peacefully, and they (Muslims) should also live peacefully.
They should not treat the
Muslims
with utter disgust and contempt. They should not ignore and forget the
openhearted behavior which the
Muslims showed them more than one thousand years during their rule over India. But the
response form the non-
Muslims were reverse and they treated Muslims as `unclean and nasty'. I myself
had been a victim of this maltreatment
at Delhi, the capital of India, in
1947-48 A.D. The demonstration of hatred and contempt had
started soon after the Revolution of 1857 A.D. As a result, the Hindu majority
staged a confrontation against Urdu in
1867 A.D.. Then Hindu was declared as compulsory language for employment in
government departments of
the U.P. in 1900 A.D. In 1905 A.D. Bengal was
divided into Muslim Bengal and Hindu Bengal, but this partition
was abolished in 1911 A.D. against the Muslim interests due to the pressure. In
1923 A.D., the enthusiastic and fanatic Hindu
majority launched the Shud `dhi and Sangh `tan movements (i.e. forcible
conversion of Muslims into Hinduism and
compulsory adoption of their culture and civilization), and Muslim masses were
compelled to give up and Islam and
accept Hinduism, resultantly the Muslim were made apostate forcibly.
In 1937 A.D., the Congress formed the provincial governments, which adopted
many atrocious tactics and
played havoc upon the Muslims. In 1939 A.D., Gandhi bought into practice the
Viddaya Mandir scheme, which disclosed their nefarious designs clearly against
the Muslims in the sphere of
Education.
The
bare truth is that the disgusting and contemptuous attitude of the
narrow-minded non- Muslims
paved the road to the Partition, consequently the Muslims began to work for a
separate homeland for themselves
where they could lead a free life according to the Islamic Shari`ah; where they
could live peacefully while letting
others to survive in peace. Thus the Muslims will get rid of all constant
disgrace and humiliation. In demanding a
separate homeland, how the Muslims can be in the wrong? If there is something
wrong, it is the lot of the wrongdoers
who hate and insult the feelings of Muslims. Now the endless communal riots
have become a serial adventure
story and a symbol of Hindustan. Since the
inception of Pakistan,
thirty-eight years have passed away, here Muslims and Hindus live in close
intimacy. In Pakistan,
there is nothing like `Hindu-Muslims communal riots `. Islam has granted such
concession to the
non-Muslim minorities which one cannot find anywhere in the world; while in
non-Muslim countries, the Muslim
minority even consisting of a major part of population, does not enjoy such
concessions.
This
is the reason why the past gave up their ancestral beliefs and embraced Islam.
Why not Islam? It guarantees honor, distributes wealth,
professes
equality, disposes justice and offers a lot of blessings and amenities of life
to all men.
A pretty long time passed away, during the reign of Akbar, the Mughal Emperor
of India, the non-Muslim
majority did its level best to dominate over the ranks and posts of the Islamic
government, and also formed a front
against Islam. At this historical juncture, Hazarat Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi Mujad
did Alf-Sani (Radhay Allah T'ala
Anho) struggled hard on the basis of the two-nation theory.
This
is the ideology, which the holy Quran has already presented. "Unto you
your religion, and unto me my religion".
(Al-Quran: Surah al-Ka'fe'roon The Infidels 109, Ayat 6).
Allah the Almighty and the holy Prophet (SAW) have taught the peaceful
co-existence: `You should stand
for your religion and I, for my religion'. It is the best principle for all.
Had this criterion been followed in the
past, both Hindus and Muslims would have lived in perfect amity.
In 1867 A.D., when a front was established against Urdu, Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan
felt for the first time that the
two peoples could not live together in future. Then in 1915 A.D., Chaudhry
Rehmat Ali
emphasized
over the establishment of an Islamic State in the session of the of
`Bazm-e-Shibli,' Lahore. And in 1917
A.D., Abdul Jabbar Khairi and Abdul Sattar Khairi of Delhi proposed the
partition of India at Stockholm (Denmark,
Europe). In 1921 A.D., Imam Ahmed Raza spoke about the partition of India, but
at that time he did not take it as a
solution of the problems of the Indian Muslims. After four years of Imam Ahmed
Raza's demise in
1925 A.D., a treatise was published by a worthy man, namely Abdul Qadir, from
the Muslim University, Aligarh
Press, wherein a detailed proposal of the partition of India was presented, and
the geographical boundaries were ear-
marked along with a procedure, stating how the partition should come into
force. This proposal was quite good and
reasonable. Had it been followed, the horrible communal riots would have never
been flared up just after partition
1947 throughout the country. By all means, as the hatred of the non-Muslims
increased from worse to the worst, so the movement of Partition (later called
Pakistan Movement) gained
momentum and mass popularity. In 1930 A.D., Dr. Muhammad Iqbal presented the
partition proposal on the
political platform. With the inauguration of the temporary Congress government
in provinces, and also with the
making public of the Gandhi's Vid `day `a Mandir Scheme, the anti-Muslim plans
and designs were exposed to the
Muslims and they became more serious for a separate homeland. The Muslims
presented the Pakistan Resolution
in a grand representative Session at Lahore in 1940 A.D. and it was seconded
and agreed by the greater majority of
the Indian Muslims, from all provinces. At last the Independence Plan was
announced on
June 3, 1947 A.D., then on August 14, 1947 Pakistan, and on the second day
India, became two independent states.
Proposes and propounders of Pakistan have repeatedly said that Pakistan was
being achieved to enforce the
commandments of the holy Quran and Hadith and Islamic Shariah. Throughout Imam
Ahmed Raza had been
struggling for this goal that the Islam Millat should be made to follow the
holy Quaran and Hadith, and further be
taught to live as the true and staunch lover of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Before
him, the honor of Islam was
more important than the sovereignty of India. Due to this reason, his sons,
pupils, and followers all over Indo-Pak
sub-continent supported Pakistan; while the Ulema of the Deoband school and
their followers unitedly had been
supporting the Congress which had one and only one target: the freedom of India
from the British domination.
The nationalist Muslim element from Deoband reaped heavy benefits even from
Pakistan, which they opposed
bitterly. Hardly two or three Ulema of Deoband School supported Pakistan, and
joined Pakistan Movement only
one or two years before the Independence (August 1947). On the contrary Imam
Ahmed Raza's caliph (the Khalifa),
Maulana Muhammad Naim Uddin Muradabadi seconded Dr. Iqbal's proposal in 1931
A.D., and many others;
Maulana Abdul Hamid Badayooni was prominent among the participants of the great
session (1940 A.D.) where the
Pakistan Resolution was passed.
The
All India Sunni Conference held its grand session at Banaras (U.P. India) from
April 27 to 30, 1946
A.D., and participated by two thousand Ulema and Ma-sha-ikh of the Ahle-Sunnat
Wal-Jama'at, who declared
unanimously their support for Pakistan. Among them, the following are
noteworthy:
1)
Mufti-e-Azam Maulana Muhammad Mustafa Raza Khan.
2)
Allama Sayed Muhammad Mohaddis Kachochawee.
3) Sade r-ul/-A `fazil Sayed Muhammad Naim'uddin Muradabadi.
4) Sader-us-Shariah Maulana Muhammad Amjad Ali Azami,
5) Dewan ayed Aley Rasul Ali Khan, Sajjada Na `sheen Dar`gah Ajmer Sharif.
6) Pir Abdur Rehman Bhar'choon'di Shareef.
7) Pir Sayed Jamat Ali Shah Mohad'dis Alipuri.
8) Khuwaja Qameruddin Se'yalwi.
9) Noor-ul-Mashaikh Fazal umer, Mulla Shorbazaar Kabuli.
10) Ameenul Hasanat Pir Saheb Manki Shareef.
11) Abul Hasanat Maulana Sayed Muhammad Ahmed Quadri.
12) Ab'ul Barak Maulana Sayed Ahmed Alwari.
13) Burhan-ul-Millat Maulana Abdul Hamid Badayooni.
14) Muballigh-e-Islam Maulana Abdul Alim Meratthi.
15) Allama Sayed Ahmed Said Kazimi.
16) Maulana Azad Subhani.
17) Shah Muhammad Arif-ullah Me'ra `tthi.
18) Sayed Zain-ul-Abi `deen Gilani.
19) Pir Ghulam M'jaddid Sirhandi.
20) Pir Muhammad Ishaque Jan Sirhandi
21) Pir Abdus Sattar Jan Sirhandi.
22) Pir Muhammad Ibrahim Jan Serhandi
23) Pir Muhammad Qasim Shori.
24) Pir Abdur Rahim Bharchoondi Sharif, etc.
The enumeration of the great names that supported Pakistan movement is not
possible. From the Indo-Pakistan
sub-continent, Bangla Desh and Kashmir, from scores of provinces and hundreds
of districts, hundreds of thousand
of Ulema and Mashaikh, and scores of their disciples supported Pakistan. Had
the religious circles not extended
their support, the inception of Pakistan would have never been possible.
The sentiments have fundamental importance in achieving an object, and in the
Sub-Continent the bridle of
`sentiments' have always been in the hands of the Ulema and Ma'sha ikh or in
those hands that cooperated with the
Ulema and Mashaikh. This is the reality, which has the force of the whole
history behind it. The followers of Imam
Ahmed Raza and the Sawade Azam (the major portion of the Ahle-Sunnah) as a
whole community supported
Pakistan, and struggled unitedly with full strength and sentiments to achieve
Pakistan. But these sacrifices were
for a Pakistan where Islamic Shariah would be enforced, where the Islamic
tenets and values would be safeguarded,
where people would be equipped with the Islamic morality, where there would be
blessings of love and springs of
sincerity, where there the government would take their people as their children
and be kind to them, where the
economic would be void of extravagance, where there could be discrimination of
Halal and Haram (the Lawful
and the Forbidden), where there would be lovers and the brave sacrificing their
lives for Muhammad Mustafa
(SAW), where there would be no tug of war with the bureaucrats, where there
would be no corruption, no unfair
recommendations, no distance between the rulers and the ruled, and where the
rulers live with utmost simplicity,
where would be the rule of law and justice, where the capable persons would be
selected and appointed on the
merit basis, where the great and noble works would be admired and encouraged, where
the government would
observe economy, where the fashion would not be the order of the day, where the
simplicity (taught by Islam) would
prevail, where there would be no network of selfish ends and where the sympathy
would be practiced with all, where
would be no exploitation in the name of the religion, where would be no hatred
on the basis of regionalism, where there
regional and racial discrimination and differences would not exist and where
the elder persons would be kind to the
younger ones.
The support and patronage to Pakistan did not bean that the Sawad-e-Azam Ahl'e
Sunnah and the followers of
Imam Ahmed Raza were against free Hindustan. No, it is not a fact. There was
obviously no reason to go against
Hindustan. For centuries long, the Muslims had ruled over this vast land. They
had hundreds of historical remains,
remnants and monuments. They had a number of things memorable and preservable.
Imam Ahmed Raza did not
reach his followers the violence and hypocrisy, rebellion and refraction. He
taught the only lesson: `love begets
love.'
But
in Pakistan, the supporters of the united India have created problems, and they
are still busy in doing so.
India herself is a witness to the fact that Ahle-Sunnah, the supporters of
Pakistan, never created any political problem
in India. That was a religio-political movement (i.e. achievement of Pakistan),
which now has come to end with
the fulfillment of the object. That was a critical period of history, which now
has passed away, and a new era has
dawned.
Now is the time for everybody to build his house. During his political
deliberations, Imam Ahmed
Raza expounded that the Jews, the Christians, the Hindus and the Parsis (the
fire-worshippers), and every non-
Muslim is vigilant of his interests, but he is not a well-wisher of the
Muslims. So the Muslims must not rely upon
their friendship. The poet says:
(Create and build strong your world, if you are a lively being).
It is beyond that conspiracies and intrigues were undertaken secretly, which
proved more dangerous and
perilous. This is the reason that the holy Quran denotes "the fitnah"
(the tribulation) more callous than the murder.
The Muslims were unaware of these plots. Meanwhile the conspirators had been
busy in dispatching
squad after squad of the spies who unknowingly and calmly destroyed all the
social, religious, economic and political
set up and temperament of the Muslims. They were eating like the white ants,
but we were unaware. And now this
period has also passed away. The spies are not sent under guise but they are
trained and prepared on our own land
and in the channels of our own society, and finally, they are adjusted here.
They are called `ours', but they actually
work for their (non-Muslim) `hidden masters' from our eyes. The conspiracies
began at the opening of the 18th
century, perhaps sometime earlier than this date. The British department of
espionage appointed a spy in
the Arabian islands in 1710 A.D., who was equipped with the most horrible
tactics to destroy the World of Islam.
These tactics really brought vast destruction to the Muslim countries and to
their society. The Germans seized the
personal diary of this spy during the World War 1 (1914-18). The instructions,
which were issued by the British
Ministry of Colonies, are enough to open our eyes. The main targets, found in
the instructions, were to spread
disunity among the Muslims, to weaken their power and to annihilate their
splendor. Let us read carefully the
instructions and throw a glance over the near and remote past. Let us look
around and be vigilant for the present,
moving smoothly, and also be reserved for the future to come. These
instructions were:
1.
The admiration and reverence of the holy Quran should be washed out of the
hearts.
2. The Muslim children should be discouraged and restrained from going to the
religious school (i.e. he deeni madaris).
3. The righteous and upright Ulema should be defamed and disfigured, by
baseless charges and concocted stories.
4. The terrorists, insurgents and violence-mongers should be provided with arms
and ammunition, and also the hooligans and dacoits should be
encouraged.
5. The Muslim rulers' temperament should be changed and be made inclined to
drinking and adultery.
6. Such thoughts and ideas should be publicized which fan the national, tribal
and racial parochialism, and hence be inclined passionately
to the local language and culture, and historical personalia (rejected by
Islam).
7. Muslims should be incited to violate the Islamic commandments, and `the
Haram' (the forbidden)
should be made common and public.
8.
Statements in support of the `Interest' should be searched in the holy Quran.
9. A deep and wide gulf should be made before the respectable Ulema and the
Muslim masses.
10. Muslims should be made to believe that `the din' does not include the Islam
only, but also includes Judaism
and Christianity.
11. Access to the Muslim families should be made, and should be deformed in
such a way that the
precepts of the elder persons may fall ineffective and as a result they should
fall victim to the self-
centered life and society.
12. A campaign against `the Pardah' (i.e. the Veil) should be carried on
seriously, so that the
women give up `the pardah' and come out `without veil and sheet' (the chadar)
in the
streets and functions.
13. People should be scold and incited to oppose and hate the tombs and graves
of the saints of Islam
(i.e. the buzurgan-e din), and the visits to the graves should be proved as the
`violation of the Sha'riah'.
14. Freethinking and individualism be encouraged, so that every Muslim should
think freely without
taking care of the community requirements.
15. The Muslim races should be restricted and controlled in number, and such
law should be
passed that there should be no permission of marrying more than one (wife).
16. By means of new legislation, the marriage should be made a problem, more
difficult.
17. If you find any difference of opinion about any issue among the Muslims, it
should be fanned far
and wide and disunity should be created.
18. Muslims should be made to believe that the Prophet (SAW) did not teach for
the
international and universal values, but struggled for the regional and tribal
awakening.
19.
Big powers should be co-opted to destroy the Islamic states.
20. The remnants relating to the pre-Islamic days should be given honour and be
revived, so that
the Muslims go far away from Islam.
21. The important cities of the Islamic countries should be handed over to the
non-Muslim
peoples of the world.
22. Adultery and sodomy, drinking and gambling should be spread among the
Muslims.
23. The purchased persons should be appointed on royal and important posts.
24. The Arabic language and culture should be discouraged in the Muslim countries
and
emphasis should be given to the national and regional languages.
25. Such persons should be trained for the government offices of the Islamic
countries who
must have access to the secrets of the government, and should exploit the
situation
successfully and compel the rulers to act upon their advice, wrong and
betraying.
26. Muslim boys and girls of schools and colleges
should be led to hate their beliefs (i.e. Islam). This work may be done through
missionary schools,
clubs and different associations of the youth.
27. Such persons be trained who could propound and preach new beliefs (and
religion). Then, the
persons who deny the new faith, should be declared as infidels (the kafir),
spoil their honor,
sell their sons and daughters as slaves, and even kill such persons, if
possible.
28. The Muslim tombs and graves should be destroyed with the charges of `shirk'
and
adulatory. And etc.
Such instructions were issued in the opening of the 18th century.
Think
for a hundred times and see how far these instructions have been followed
during the last three
centuries, and also look at those persons who followed them, and finally see
that many from our own people have
played as stooges in their cruel hands. We have to see how we have been acting
as enemy's instrument, whether it was
consciously or unconsciously. Are they our benefactors who put our generations
on
the way, which was determined by our enemies? Or those persons are our
benefactors who guided us not to tread on
this way, and all the time they had been warning us at every pace and making us
aware of the way?
What is the environment? It is a wasted land. Clouds are in the sky and the
night is dark. Thieves are all around
looking stealthily at the goods. Slumberers are sleeping, Imam Ahmed Raza is
awakening them but the slumberers
do not rise from their beds. They irritate angrily, speak in a quarrelsome
tone, and again go to sleep. And the person
awakening them looks into the gloomy atmosphere at times. He looks at the
thieves and sometimes at the persons
sleeping unconsciously. The awakener is sad, because of the plight of the
caravan goods. He is frightened of the
possible robbery, and with immense grief and pain, he calls on `the Moon' of
Arab and the non-Arab i.e. the Prophet,
Muhammad (SAW). He sits down with a heartbreaking. Let us listen to what he is
uttering:
The forest is in solitude, the night is gloomy, black clouds are spreading in
the sky:
Slumberers! Awaken and be vigilant, you have to watch the thieves. Such lofty
are they: they steal the
smallest particle form the eyes. (They) have marked your bag of goods, and you
have gone to deep sleep. Rub the
eyes, irritate angrily, and very many yawning; If asked to rise, begins to
grumble. Is the awakening an abuse? You
the most adorable, you are the Moon of Arabia, the sun of the non-Arabian
lands, Look! I am helpless, and all have
thrown me into a strange trouble.
During
the lifetime of Imam Ahmed Raza (1856-1921), different religious movements
stirred up with
strength and zeal. Every revolution brings movement and dynamical force of its
own. After achieving independence,
there is movement of ascending, while after the imposition of dependence there
is movement of descending. Imam
Ahmed Raza was fully aware of the philosophy of the rise and fall of the
nations. During his lifetime, his homeland
had been captured and governed by the British Officers who were Christians and
foreigners. He had seen all the
anti-Islam and anti Muslim tactics and policies of the British Government from
his youth (1870 A.D.) to his
death year (1921 A.D.), almost a long period of 51 years. Imam Ahmed Raza could
have won the favors of the
British Government (or the Congress), but he was a true Muslim, and a true
patriot, a true lover of his Great
Prophet, Muhammad (SAW), so he studied all the movements, particularly the
religious movements. He was
deeply interested in Islam, in the true Islam as taught and professed by the
Prophet (SAW) and by the `pious'
ancestry of Islam.
In India, before the birth of Imam Ahmed Raza, the religious movement of the
Ibn-e-Abdul Wahab Najdi and
the Balakot movement had run. In 1745 A.D., Ibn-e-Abdul Wahab, with the
cooperation of Muhammad ben Saud,
started his movement. They demolished the `memorable graves' of the Pious Men
of the Ummah and staged a
massacre of the Muslims, who professed the right beliefs as they were declared
`mushrik' and `idol-worshippers' in the
opinion of Ibn-e-Abdul Wahab. The leaders of the Balakot Movement (1826 A.D.- 1831
A.D.) were Maulvi Sayed Ahmed Breilvi and Maulvi
Ismail Dehelvi. These persons followed Ibn-e-Abdul Wahab, propagated and
preached his beliefs and thoughts
throughout the Sarhad (the N.W.F.P. and now a province of Pakistan). They also
massacred the Muslims, having good
traditional faith for the pious men and the Tombs and Graves. The simple and
plain Muslims were charged of
rebellion against their newly formed Islamic State in Sarhad. During Imam Ahmed
Raza's lifetime, the Pan-
Islamic movement of Jamal uddin Afghani had flourished and gained popularity.
Then in 1882 A.D., the Ahmedi
Tehrik was started. Then the Aligarh movement and the movement of the
Nadvat-t-ul-Ulema. After the sad demise
of Imam Ahmed Raza (1921 A.D.), movements of Maulana Muhammad Ilyas, Maulana
Maudoodi and Ghulam Ahmed
Parvez came on the scene. These all-religious movements are the out-come of the
downfall period and foreign
dependency.
Imam Ahmed Raza's beliefs and thoughts were related with the free days of the
Muslims in India and the
World of Islam at large. He professed and taught those beliefs and thoughts,
which had been ripening during the
practice of centuries long. Imam Ahmed Raza's firm determination of thought
and action is such individual and courageous that he did not accept the
influence of any of the movements. Every
windstorm smoothly passed away by the abode of his thinking, but as a weaker
whirlwind passes away with no
trembling of eaves. His is a thought provoking and surprising individual
behavior in the field of guidance and
leadership. All the Muslim sects came into light during the period of foreign
rule and the immediate post-independence
days, were separated from the Sawad-e-Azam (the Ahle Sunnah, the greatest
portion of the Ummah), whose flag
captain was Imam Ahmed Raza at this juncture of the Islamic history and
civilization.
Imam Ahmed Raza has communicated a message in every field of life and
obligations, such as the religion and
belief, education, economics, rational sciences, sociology etc. We can achieve
and learn a lot, if we follow the lines
of his messages. Let us listen carefully to his instructions and strive
strictly to act accordingly in order to obtain the
welfare of this worldly life and the hereafter as well. Some of his instructions
are:
1.
Adhere strictly to the belief of the Tauhid (monotheism), but do not turn your
face from the Friends
of Allah as the Satan (the Iblis) did, lest you be expelled from the presence
of Allah the Almighty.
2.
Follow the Prophet (SAW) completely and have such passionate, and sacrificing
love with him (SAW)
which is meant and required by the holy Quran. This is the only panacea of all
wounds and worries.
3. Never demand money (or wages) for the preaching and teaching of Islam. If
somebody offers you something as
a gift, you may accept it, as it is the Sunnah.
4.
Make strong and stronger the schools and institutions of the Arabic-Religion
education, because these
are the cradles of Islamic education and civilization.
5.
The fundamental objects of all the Syllabi should be the achievement of the
Recognition of Allah the Creator
and His Last Prophet (SAW).
6. Subjects of no utility should be exterminated from the syllabus so that the
energy of individuals and money
may not be wasted.
7.
Those persons, who are not apparently the evil-wishers of the Muslims, business
and trade dealings can be
carried on with them, but political pacts, if any, can be made if there is no
possibility of any harm or danger in the
present or future.
8.
Those persons, who are not apparently the evil-wishers of the Muslims, business
and trade dealings can be
carried on with them, but political pacts, if any, can be made if there is no
possibility of any harm or danger in the
present or future.
9.
Do not export your raw materials, but try to project industries in your country
in order to achieve full
advantages.
10.
Fix the least possible rates of profits against your business articles and
goods.
11. Try to save yourself from extravagance, lavish expenditure and
loans-on-interest as far as it is possible,
because bad habits destroy (national) economy and spoil the self-confidence in
the individuals.
12.
Never be overtaken by the academic researches of the modern world, but show the
way to the scientists in the
light of the principles given in the holy Quran as the Quranic commandments
come from the Creator, while the
discoveries and researches of science are the outcome of Men, the creature.
13.
Adopt the good habits of fraternity, truth and honesty.
14.
Avoid the mistakes of your brothers, and don't check or rebuke them for small
mistakes to satisfy your
egotism, and don't crash your unity, because unity is blessing from Allah the
Beneficent.
15.
Always keep away from the English manners and civilization, and promote ad
present your own civilization
and culture (i.e. the Islamic). Create and foster self-confidence and
self-respect in the individuals of the Millat
(the Islamic community all over the world).
16.
Remember that the Shariah (the law) and the Tariqat' (the method to seek the
Qurb-the nearness of Allah
the Magnificent) are not two separate things, and the Tariqat is out rightly
the Shariah.
Imam Ahmed Raza shaped men to the pattern of the best character as his Great
Master Hazrat Muhammad
Mustafa (SAW) had modeled men to the pattern of the excellence. There is men's
manifestation in every walk of
life. IT will be a great tragedy of the world of today, if men lost humanity
and honor. The tragedy of the world of today
is that man is not facilitated to attain the men's honor (i.e. humanity):
Imam Ahmed Raza was a modeler, but it is more true to say that he modeled such
men who could shape
other men to the best character. His `aulad' (direct descendants), his
Khu'la'fa (the vicegerents) and his
ta'la'mi'za (the pupils) were all `modelers of men'.
His eldest son, Huj'ja't-ul-Islam, Maulana Muhammad Hamid Raza Khan (1362
A.H./1942 A.D.) was an
accomplished scholar of both Rational and Traditional branches of Knowledge,
and also proficient in Arabic prose
and poetry. He was a writer of many good books, a research scholar, and a man
of sincerity and righteousness.
Imam Ahmed Raza's younger son, Mufti-e-Azam, Muhammad Mustafa Raza Khan (1402
A.H./1981 A.D.)
was also a pious man and a scholar of the same caliber. He was accomplished in
writing the fatwa (the verdicts). His
listeners' circle was very wide and intelligent. According to an eyewitness,
there participated 20 lac admirers in his
funeral procession and it looked that the whole city was playing host while the
people from all over the world were
their guests. Never was seen such a great pageant throughout the history of the
sub-Continent. The
comprehensive and universal popularity and admiration of the great progenitor,
Imam Ahmed Raza's family can be
attested only by this great event.
Besides,
his sons, there were more than one hundred Khulafa (the vicegerents) of Imam
Ahmed Raza throughout
Arabia and non-Arabian lands (and people). Some of his Khulafa and disciples
are so great scholars that research
students can do their doctorate on preparing dissertations from any university.
For example, Saderul Afazil Maulana
Sayed Muhammad Naim Uddin Muradabadi, Sa'de'rul Sha'ri'ah Maulana Muhammad
Amjad Ali Azami,
Burhanul Millat Maulana Muhammad Burhanul Haque Jabalpuri, the Mu
`balligh-e-Islam Maulana Muhammad
Abdul Alim Me'ratthi, Zaffer-ul-Millat Allama Muhammad Zafer-uddin Behari,
Sehbanul Hind Allama Sayed Suleman
Ashraf Behari, Idul Islam Maulana Abdus Salam Jabalpuri, Mohadis-e-Azam Allama
Sayed Muhammad Kachochawi,
Maulana Muhammad Deedar Ali Shah Alwari, Abul Barkat Maulana Sayed Ahmed
Alwari, etc.
Again, the Khulafa and talamizah (i.e. pupils) of their khulafa and disciples
also possess such grandeur and
erudition that research works about their great works may be conducted
successfully.
Besides
sons, Khulafa and disciples, Imam Ahmed Raza has left a rich stock of his
authenticated academic
works, where one can see valuable books, guides and marginalia's, annotations
and translations, letters and
sermons, articles and essays, poems and encomiums. The number of the
accomplished books is said to be more than
one thousand, which have been written in Arabic, Persian and Urdu, and extended
to fifty five faculties of knowledge
(sciences and humanities). Imam Ahmed Raza was a vast realm of knowledge.
Research scholars are busy, within the
sub-Continent and abroad, in many research projects about Imam Ahmed Raza's
life and works. The Markez-e-Raza,
Lahore, has been publishing research literature and distributing it free of
cost throughout the country for the
last twenty years.
Many
other such institutions and associations are also busy in spreading Imam Ahmed
Raza's works throughout the
world. Some of them are known by the titles given as under:
·
Majlis-e-Raza, Manchester (England).
· Majlis-e-Raza, Karachi (Pakistan).
· Idara-e-Tehqiqat-e-Imam Ahmed Raza, Karachi,
(Pakistan).
· Idara-e-Tasnifat Imam Ahmed Raza, Karachi,
(Pakistan).
These two above referred institutions have published very
important literature in good speed.
· Raza Academy, Bombay (India).
· Raza Academy, Chittagong, (Bangladesh).
· Raza Academy, Rampur (India).
· Idara-e-Tasnifat-e-Raza, Bareilly (India).
· Al'maj'ma-ul-Islami, Mubarakpur (India). This institution has been publishing
continuously the literature about Imam Ahmed Raza's immortal works, and has
been
playing a vital role for the academic circles. Besides these institutions,
there are many other
institutions and publishers who have been publishing continuously good books
about Imam Ahmed Raza.
Among these, the following are noteworthy:
· Raza Academy, Lahore.
· Mak'ta'bae Quade'ri'ya, Lahore.
· Noori Book Depot, Lahore.
· Mak'ta'ba-e-Rizvia, Karachi.
· Mak'ta'ba-e-Nooria Riz'via, Lahore.
· Madina Publishing Company, Karachi.
· Mak'taba-e-Is'teqa'mat, Kanpur (India).
· Maktaba-e-Ha'mid'ia, Lahore.
· Maktaba-e-Na'bavvi'ya, Lahore.
Along with the printing and publishing works, the research campaigns on
different aspects of Imam Ahmed
Raza's personality and works are also being undertaken, and from this chain of
work now has extended to the far
continents of Europe, America and Africa.
In the sub-Continent of Indo-Pakistan research works have been done, and much
more works are undergoing at
the Patna University, Jabalpur University, Aligarh University, Calcutta
University, Lucknow University,
Usmania University, Karachi University, Sind University and the Punjab
University, Lahore.
A lot of research work has been done at the Durban University in Africa, and at
the Newcastle University,
London University in the Continent of Europe, and at the Barkelay University,
Columbia University, and Institute of
Indian Studies, Chicago in America. Many works have been completed and many
other works are being carried on
successfully.
The
academic personality of Imam Ahmed Raza has been attracting the intellect of
all the learned men and
lovers of knowledge from all over the world. The situation is:
(Every moment comes with a new Mount Sinai, and new-electrified radiance).
It is the need of the time that the authorities of the sub-Continent
Universities, and also the intellectuals at
their esteemed study circles should arrange the research works on Imam Ahmed
Raza, and should preserve the
works in the form of photo-stat copies at their libraries. In fact, Imam Ahmed
Raza was `an epitome of
Knowledge, and a large compendium of hundreds of thousand books in his individual
person. His academic
personality is grand, gigantic and colossal in the realm of Knowledge.
His
academic personality is a pride for all the peoples of the sub-Continent of
India and Pakistan and can
be presented before the great intellectuals of the World, accepting any
challenge from any circle of the world.
The Ummah is passing through a very critical period of its history, and
particularly the young generation
is much disturbed. Every sect is speaking of Islam. Where should they go? From
whom should seek relief, and to
whom they should follow? Some people say that they do not need to follow
anybody, but Islam. And that's all!
When we pass though the realm of thoughts and deeds we have to follow someone.
Without a following, no
advancement is possible. Everyone of us is not a research scholar who by
himself may determine the direction of the
Way.
It will be better for us to study the following points:
1.
Which is the body, which came forward and laid the foundation of a new thinking
during the period of chaos and confusion before 1857 A.D.
and
after the vassalage to the British rule?
2.
Which is the body, naturally affiliated with the period of independence, and
which has been professing those
beliefs and thoughts, prevalent for the centuries long?
3. Which is the body whose beliefs have been professed by the Jam'hoor (the
majority)?
4. Which is the body whose beliefs and thoughts have been spread through
incitements, and threats and coercion?
5. To whom the range of the ideas and vision of the elderly statesmen of the
flag-bearer bodies of Islam is
identical and coinciding with the Past, and what were their beliefs and
thoughts?
Hazrat
Mujaddid Alf-e-Sani, Sheikh Abdul Haque Mohaddis De'hel'vi, Hazrat Shah Abdul
Aziz Mohaddis
De'hel'vi, Hazrat Haji Imdadullah Mo'ha'jir Makki (may Allah be pleased with
them) are such elderly statesmen of
the Millat that they are admired and recognized in every nook and corner of the
sub-Continent even today. The
beliefs and thoughts, attested and authenticated by these elderly statesmen of
the Millat, the same have been coming
down from one generation to the other generation during the centuries passed,
and every new body or sect had
concern with these beliefs. This is an astounding and amazing reality, unknown
to the young generation.
Imam Ahmed Raza simply told the Way, which Muslims had been treading over for
the last many centuries.
He elaborated and illuminated these Ways with this love and pen. Now every sect
claims that his interpretations and
explanations are correct to the best of his knowledge and belief.
But
how is it possible that the interpretations and explanations presented by
hundreds of thousands pious
men of the Ummah (the So'la'ha) might prove incorrect. The reason does not
accept it. All is true which has been
understood as indigenous truth for the centuries long and which had been
accepted status quo by the World of Islam.
And, this all, the whole truth is possessed by the international body which is
called `the Sa'wa'de Azam (the
major portion of the Ummah) and had flourished at the Har'main Sha'rifain
(Mecca and Madina), and hundreds of
centers spread all over the land of Islam, which are countless and
indescribable.
This is the Sa'wad-e-Azam (the Major portion of the Ummah) which contributed a
great academic store-house to
the Milat-e-Islamia and which has left lacs of, not thousands of books,
authenticated and memorable for the
generations to come. Imam Ahmed Raza was the guide and leader of this
international body who believes in the monotheism of
Allah, the Magnificent and the Holy Prophet (SAW) infatuatedly and
sacrificially, and loves admirably the Ahl-
e-Bait [the Prophet's (SAW) family], the wives of the Prophet (SAW), the
companions and followers of the
successors of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW). Pious Imams (of Fiqa
and the Four Sa'lasil (the
Four Sufi Orders of the Muslim Saints, the Traditionalists of Hadiths) and the
Muslim Jurists (interpreters of the
Fiqa), the Muslim saints (Aulia-e-Ummah), the pious persons of the Ummah (the
Solaha) and every lover of the
Prophet (SAW) this body only speaks of the love and shows her abhorrence for
those who incite against the love.
This is the body that invites and gathers the members of the Ummah at one point
- the Love of the holy Prophet
(SAW). Of course this is a worldwide community, rightly called the Sa'wa'de
Azam Ah'le Sunnah (the majority
portion of the Ummah). Imam Ahmed Raza was the guide and leader of this body,
and he is still the guide and leader.
The writer of this essay has been studying the life and works of Imam Ahmed
Raza for the last sixteen years. This
period is not too short to understand a man. The writer conceived that Imam
Ahmed Raza's appearance and mind
are homogeneous. There is such homogeneity in his heart, mind, tongue, sayings
and deeds, which are rare in any
other leader of the religious association, founded in the 19th century. Imam
Ahmed Raza looks at the glorious Past, and
also at the critical present and future.
Such
a great statesman and thinker is not seen in the near Past. His heart had been
burning with the fire of Mustafa's (SAW
) Love. It was glowing brightly, and Nobody possessed a heard so burning and
sighing, expressing immense yearning for the
Prophet's (SAW) Love.
Today the World of Islam is passing though a strange state of affairs. It has
become a victim of confusion and
disturbance, agitation and violence, affliction and harassment, all prevailing
in the hearts, minds, houses,
madressas (religious schools), mosques, deserts, mountains, rivers, cities,
markets, streets, and there is no other place
where peace and order rules and relieves. In such an unfavorable state of
affairs, only the guidance and
leadership of Imam Ahmed Raza can recover the health of the ailing Millat,
particularly the conditions of the Muslims
of the sub-Continent of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Imam Ahmed Raza is, in
fact, our guide and friend. He
is our savior, and has the faculty of guiding `what to do' and `how to do' in
the worst circumstances. He is a guide
and friend of everyone and has true, passionate love for Islam and Muhammad (SAW)
the holy Prophet of Islam.
Imam Ahmed Raza has a multi-facet personality, and such a gigantic genius
person is not seen anywhere during
the 19th and 20th centuries. He is the guide of the Commentators (the
mu'fas'serin) the Traditionalists
(Scholars of Hadiths). The Muslim Jurists (the Fo'qa'ha), the Muslim Scholars
(the Ulema), the politicians, the
economists, the research scholars, the writers, the poets, the workers and the
poor. His leadership is comprehensive and
universal. His dynamic personality, it seems, has shown compact on every walk
of life. This is the reason why
hundreds of intellectuals belonging to every section of life and every school
of thought have accepted the dignity of
Imam Ahmed Raza.
Imam
Ahmed Raza called for unity and solidarity at a critical juncture when the
organization of the Millat had
been disintegrating. The individuals from the community had been breaking away
here and there. It was such a
horrible period of disturbance and confusion that the person who talked of
solidarity was taken as a culprit, while the
one who stood for disintegration, would be honored as the benefactor.
This
horrible period has passed away. Both the genuine and the alloyed coins have
come to the sight. Now the
solidarity should be the point of consideration. Now the lost goods of the
caravan be talked about. The heads of the
Arabic schools, speakers of sermons, the Ma'sha'ikh-e-Ta'ri'qat (the Guides
from the monasteries) should also
meet with responsibilities, and should continue their functions for their
Ma'der'sa's (religious schools) and
Khan-qu's (monasteries). But they should also come out of these circles, and
should co-operate fully with those
persons and institutions that have been publishing the literature of the Ahle
Sunnah. They should admire their
sincerity and services towards the cause, and should introduce and spread their
publications within their circles
of influence and invite the people to read their literature. Besides they
should work to create community mind and
temperament. They should create and encourage the common thinking; and give up
the individualism and work
for the common good.
They
should embrace every lover of the Prophet (SAW) as his brother. The love of the
Prophet
(SAW) should be the basis of all relations and dealings. The one who talks of
the Love of the Prophet (SAW)
should be greeted warmly. The one who yearns for sacrificing his life for the
sake of Hazrat Muhammad
(SAW) should be respected at heart. The one who is willing to sacrifice his
belongings and honour for the
Na'moo's-e-Mustafa (SAW) the Honor of Muhammad (SAW) should be decorated with
love and respect.
The
alligator of chauvinism has been creeping slowly and steadily into our ranks.
We should destroy it with the
force of love of the Prophet (SAW) and we should demonstrate in such a manner,
that the good memories of
the days of the Prophet (SAW) might come into freshness. I beseech you for the
honor of the falling blood-drops
from that `sacred body' (the Prophet (SAW) who preached in the streets of Ta'if
(Saudi Arabia). I beseech
you for the sake of the pieces of the beautiful body of Ja'fer Tay'yar (R.A.).
Beseech you for the sake of the bodies,
feeble with hunger at the Valley of Mecca. Beseech you for the sake of
wriggling bodies of the martyrs and the
palpitating sighs of the crying, oppressed people of the World of Islam. Create
discipline and solidarity among
your ranks. Promote unity and integrity. Follow the Ways, which were treaded
over by your ancestors. Settle your
differences with one another and be friend to all and sundry. Be patient, if your
own kith and kin injure your
feelings. Persevere even if they coerce you. This is the commandment from Imam
Ahmed Raza's legacy.
Don't
play an evil-wisher to him, and even give away your life for his good name and
noble works for Islam.
O the Servants of the great Master wrapped in the black raiment! How long will
you sleep? Wake up and awake
others. You are the raindrops of the blessings spread all over the Earth. Drop
like rains all over the world. Look at
all around you. See the heads of the states of world. Study the quality of the
dignitaries ruling over the Peoples of the
World. You are the blessed servants of Muhammad Mustafa (SAW). You have the
credit to be the Master of
the entire world, as Muhammad (SAW) has been sent for all the Peoples and for
all times to come. You have been
brought up for unifying the World in one order of Peace and Prosperity. The
poet says:
"Open your lips, you are the most enchanted tune of the harp (of the
world)."

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