Honor of Nabi (saw) and Role of Islamic States

          

In this article we would look into implications of love/respect for our beloved Nabi (saw) and role of Islamic states/societies in this regard.

Quran is embodiment of guidance for mankind. Human beings, individually and collectively, can seek guidance from Quran regarding all social fields- political, economic, social, moral, psychological and legal ones. Quran is ‘kalam u Allah’/ Allah’s speech and as such is the most comprehensive Book in terms of words and meanings; its words have multi-layered  meanings.  Human intellect requires a lot of efforts and time to discover deeply embedded Quranic meanings. But all people do not have enough knowledge and acumen to have access to deeply embedded Quranic meanings.  Such people having ordinary knowledge of Quran have been graciously bestowed by Allah Almighty with the person of our Nabi (saw).  Because our Nabi’s (saw) actions and sayings are the best and most comprehensive interpretations of Quran, by following our Nabi (saw), the people of ordinary knowledge can have access to a practical model through which such people can avail  deeply embedded Quranic guidance regarding all individual and collective matters- social, political, economic, moral, psychological and legal ones.

 In other words, person of our Nabi (saw) is the linchpin of individual and collective systems in Islamic societies. The mode to establish and execute Islamic systems is to cultivate and promote Love for our Nabi (saw) among the Muslim masses. Love for Nabi (saw) is such a seed in the Muslims’ hearts, in which sacredness of everything associated with our Nabi (saw) is secured; in other words, love for our Nabi (saw) among Muslims masses is the rationale on the basis of which Muslims become capable of adopting and practicing everything associated with our Nabi (saw). This is how the whole edifice of Islamic systems is based on Love/ ‘ishq’ of Muslims for our Nabi (saw). A society having negligible or less than required Love for Nabi (saw) becomes deprived of capability of erecting Islamic state systems in their entirety though they may adopt selective pieces of such systems. A non-Muslim society can never establish Islamic systems in their entirety.

That is why love for our Nabi (saw) is enjoined upon all Muslims. “Say, [ Muhammad (saw)], "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people (tawbah-24)."

Because love for Nabi (saw) is the essential fuel which runs whole machine of Islamic systems, this verse is emphasizing the  importance of person of our Nabi (saw) along with Allah and ‘jihad’  more than everything else including economy, wealth, and lives of dear ones. This importance and respect of person of our Nabi (saw) has been described in another way in Quran by stating: “O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not” (al-hujurat-2).

 Love and respect for our Nabi (saw) is also important in another way. The people having love for our Nabi (saw) are the people having faith. Such people are surely ultimately guided to the right way. In other words, if people having love for our Nabi (saw) are, for the time being, incapable of establishing Islamic systems, Allah surely guides them towards such capability. Quran says about Muslims: “…… but Allah hath endeared the faith to you and hath beautified it in your hearts, and hath made disbelief and lewdness and rebellion hateful unto you. Such are they who are the rightly guided” (al-hujurat-7). In this verse, people of faith have been ensured to be guided rightly; in other words, believing people [all loving our Nabi (saw) are believing people] are ensured to establish Allah's Will/ Islamic systems on earth.

The Muslims not having love for our Nabi (saw) are replaced from helm of affairs.The people having love for our Nabi (saw) are the people having love for Allah, and when such people obey/follow our Nabi (saw) as well, Allah also loves them (al-imran-31). The people who fail in achieving  Allah's love are replaced (from helm of affairs) with some other people whom Allah loves and who have love for Allah so that such replacing people may establish Allah’s will on Allah’s earth.  Allah says: “O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion – Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing” (al-maidah-54).

From the words “ people He will love and who will love Him”, it may be inferred that people who are replaced do not love Allah and as such Allah does not love them. Because only people loving our Nabi (saw) are capable to follow our Nabi (saw) and are likely to be loved by Allah,  it means people not loving our Nabi (saw) are replaced (from helm of affairs) with people loving our Nabi (saw) and such people loving our Nabi (saw) enforce Allah’s systems on Allah’s earth.

From the foregoing it is clear that love and respect for our Nabi (saw) is not only a matter of honor of our beloved Nabi (saw) but it is also such a  most essential and basic part of Islamic systems without which whole edifice of Islamic systems can neither be erected nor be operated effectively.  Therefore Islamic states/societies are under obligation to promote and protect honor of our beloved Nabi (saw) in the eyes of mankind generally and in the eyes of Muslim masses particularly. The honor for our beloved Nabi (saw) is the spirit behind whole Islamic thoughts, way of life and systems. Islamic states/societies are under obligation to defend this spirit, if they do not want to lose their entity.

   

December 2012 Catastrophe and Quran

                

December 2012 catastrophe is being predicted as possible end of some nations in the form of complete elimination from the earth surface. Let us analyze this prediction in the light of Quran. 

We have already seen in my article “ Types of Prophet-hood and Criteria of Punishment” that Quran has mentioned three types of prophets: those who are ‘Rasool and Nabi combined; who are only ‘Rasool’; and who are ‘Nabi’ only. The criteria of punishment for      non-believers of each type of prophets is also different. Regarding non-believers of ‘Nabi’, sura al-araf states:

“And We sent to no city a ‘Nabi ‘[who was denied/ disobeyed] except that We seized its people with poverty and hardship that they might humble themselves [to Allah]. Then We exchanged in place of the bad [condition], good, until they increased [and prospered] and said, "Our fathers [also] were touched with hardship and ease." So We seized them (again)suddenly while they did not perceive” (al-araf-94,95).

It is clear from these verses that disobedient/ non-believers of a ‘Nabi’ are not physically eliminated from the earth surface completely; though they are punished with poverty and hardships periodically, if they continue with their disobedience/ ‘kufr’.

But non-believers/ disobedients of a ‘Rasool’ are eliminated completely. That is why we see that ummah of each of Hazrat Noah, Lut, Saleh, Hud, Shuaib (as) was eliminated, when the ummah opted disobedience to their respective ‘Rasool’; the ummah of Hazrat Yunus was forgiven only because of repentance.

Regarding non-believers of ‘ Rasool’ and Nabi’ combined, the same criteria of punishment as applied to non-believers of ‘Nabi’ is applied. That is why we see that ‘ummah’ of Hazrat Ibrahim (as); Hazrat Isa (as) [ both were Rasool-Nabi combined] were not eliminated though they disbelieved in their respective prophet.

We have also seen in article ‘Difference between ‘resalat’ and ‘nabuwwat’ that a ‘Nabi’s ‘nabuwwat’ applies to a nation whereas a ‘Rasool’s ‘resalat’ applies to an ummah which may consist of more than one nations. However ‘nabuwwat’ of a Nabi who is ‘rasool’ and ‘Nabi’ combined, applies to whole ummah which may consist of more than one nations. It may be noted our Nabi (saw) is also ‘Nabi’ and ‘Rasool’ combined.

“Say, [Muhammad (saw)], "O mankind, indeed I am the ‘Rasool’ of Allah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death." So believe in Allah and ‘Rasool’, the unlettered ‘Nabi (saw), who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided” (al-araf-158).

This verse calls our prophet as ‘rasool’ and ‘nabi’. In this verse whole mankind is being directed to believe in our Nabi (saw); it means our Nabi’s (saw) ‘nabuwwat’ is universal and applies to all nations of this world.

It may be noted that a nation to whom ‘nabuwwat’ of a ‘nabi’ is applied may consist of a single tribe residing in a single city or it may be a nation residing in many cities. Above mentioned Sura al-araf-94-95 (stating about criteria of punishment for nation of a ‘nabi’)  states about a single city. That single city may be accommodating whole nation to which ‘nabuwwat’ of the ‘nabi’ applies OR  that city may be accommodating only a portion of that nation. If the city accommodates only a portion of the nation, the same criteria of punishment would also apply to other cities accommodating other portions of that nation. In other words, the criteria of punishment described in al-araf-94-95, in fact, applies to whole nation.

As our Nabi’s (saw) ‘nabuwwat’ is universal and applies to all nations of this world, the criteria of punishment for non-believing/ disobedient nations (described in al-araf-94-95, stated above) applies to all nations to whom ‘nabuwwat’ of our Nabi (saw) applies. In other words, not a single non-believing/ disobedient nation can be completely eliminated from the earth surface though they may be punished with hardships and afflictions. History also endorses this view that no civilized nation in this world has been vanished from earth surface physically and completely since the advent of our Nabi (saw) or Jesus (as) [both granted with universal 'nabuwwat'] though a nation may be eliminated partially or shifted to other areas or lose their identity by merging into other nations. However nations/tribes living in non-civilized manner like tribes living in jungles may be  physically and completely vanished because the criteria of punishment described in al-araf-94-95 does not apply to un-civilized tribes/nations, as may be inferred from the fact that the criteria states about people living in 'qarya' which means town/city/village (all these are units of civilized society).

Therefore we may conclude that predicted Dec. 2012 catastrophe is not likely to eliminate any civilized,  non-believing/disobedient nation completely from earth surface, though such nation may be punished with severe hardships and afflictions including partial elimination.No civilized nation living on earth surface can be vanished physically and completely till the end of this world.

'Twakkal'/Reliance on Allah and its Implications

           

‘Tawakkal’/reliance on Allah is not one’s desire to achieve one’s objective; it is one’s trust on Allah that Allah will fulfill one’s objective/desire. ‘Tawakkal’ is not possible without true faith in Allah. Sura al-talaq-3 states about who have faith in Allah: “And (Allah) will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent”(al-talaq-3).

There are two types of ‘tawakkal’/reliance on Allah. First type of ‘tawakkal’/reliance on Allah is adopted along with taking required action to achieve the required objective. Quran states about Hazrat Shoaib (as): “ I only intend reform as much as I have power. And my success is not but through Allah. Upon him I have relied, and to Him I return (hud-88).  In this verse, Hazrat Shuaib (as) is stating about tawakkal/ reliance on Allah alongwith his power (to act) to achieve reforms.  

The second type of ‘tawakkal’ is exercised without taking required action to achieve the required objective.  Sura yunus-84 says: “And Moses said, "O my people, if you have believed in Allah, then rely upon Him, if you should be Muslims". In this case, Israelis did not have required power/capability to fight Pharoah, and as such could not take required action against Pharoah to achieve required objective i.e. liberation from Pharoah’s tyranny. But even then hazrat Moses (as) is advising his people to rely on Allah.  

The first type of ‘tawakkal’- adopted with required action- is made when resources for required action are available and can be used without compromising spiritual elevation. The second type of ‘tawakkal’- adopted without required action- is exercised when resources for required action are not available or cannot be used without compromising spiritual elevation.   'Tawakkal' with or without action is a relative thing; what should be 'tawakkal' with action, in view of one person, may be 'tawakkal' without action in view of another person.  
Another difference between two types of 'tawakkal' is that tawakkal without action may be adopted  only in individual matters; whereas in collective matters, 'tawakkal' with action is to be adopted.  Our Nabi (saww) undertook many wars (i.e. collective matters); it is tawakkal with action. In case of tawakkal with action in collective matters, basic resources for taking required action should be available though sufficient resources are not to be available necessarily. It means, in collective matters, if required resources are not available and resultantly required action cannot be taken, in such case a person/people may take resort to only individual 'tawakkal' without action, as was advised by Musa (a.s) to his people in Yunus-84 mentioned already. 
Our Nabi (saww) adopted tawakkal without action only in individual matters, if resources for required action were not available. In case of availability of resources, tawakkal with action in individual matters is our Nabi's (saww) sunnah). Similarly in case of collective matters, our Nabi (saww) always adopted 'tawakkal' with action.

It may be noted that 'tawakkal'/trust on Allah, in its nature, is a capacity which cannot be obtained by an individual without effort;  the capacity of relying on Allah (both in cases of 'tawakkal' with or without action) cannot be obtained without efforts. But when this capacity (to rely on Allah) is achieved, no special effort is required to exercise this capacity.  It may also be noted 'Tawakkal' with or without action has to be in accordance with our Nabi's (saw) Sunnah.


In addition to two types of 'tawakkal' described above,there is no third form of 'tawakkal'/ reliance on Allah.

 ‘Tawakkal’ may be adopted in all matters whether they are religious obligations/ permissibles or worldly obligations/ permissibles, because every worldly matter is covered by religion.

‘Dua’ is a second name of ‘tawakkal’ with or without required action.

Concept of "mutawaffi" in Quran and Jesus (as)

      

Some people opine that hazrat Jesus (as) has died. This view is based on word ‘mutawaffika’ (al-imran-55) which is interpreted as ‘give you death’ and word ‘tawaffaytani’ (al-maidah-117) which is interpreted as  ‘you gave me death’. Let us scrutinize this view on the basis of Quran.

 These two verses state as follows:

[Mention] when Allah said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you (mutawaffika) and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Qiyamah. After that to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ (al-imran-55).

 I said not to them except what You commanded me - to worship Allah , my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them as long as I was among them; but when You took me up (tawaffaytani), You were the Observer over them, and You are, over all things, Witness (al-maidah-117).

The root of words ‘mutawaffika’ and ‘tawaffaytani’ is ‘waw, fa, and ‘ya’. From this root, dozens of verbs and participles formed have been used in Quran. The meanings of such verbs and participles used in Quran are ‘to pay/repay/fulfill in full, or ‘to take away in full’. The word  ‘waffayta’ is used to state ‘taking away’ of humans; the word ‘mutawaffi’ is used for person taken away. This process of taking away does not essentially involve ‘death’. Actually, literal meaning of ‘mutawaffi’ is ‘taken away’; the metaphorical/istilahi meaning of ‘mutawaffi’ is ‘deceased’. The metaphorical/istilahi meaning of ‘waffayta’ is ‘death’.

The principle of interpretation of Quran is that if any words has both literal/istilahi and metaphorical/idiomatic meanings, firstly, literal meaning has to be adopted. If literal meaning does not make any sense or literal meaning is contradictory to any other Quranic verses/words,  in that cases such 'istilahi' meaning may be adopted which is not contradictory to any other Quranic verses/words. Both literal and istilahi  meanings may also be adopted, if they are not contradictory to each other, or not contradictory to any other Quranic verses/words. As the third option metaphorical/idiomatic meaning should be adopted. Both literal/istilahi and metaphorical/idiomatic meaning may also be adopted, if they both are not contradictory to each other or not contradictory to any other words/verses of Quran. The author has applied this principle of interpretation throughout study of Quran, and finds it an effective check on many whimsical interpretations of Quran.

In the light of above mentioned principle of interpretation, the word  ‘mutawaffika’ (al-imran-55) is to be translated with literal meanings of this word, because literal meanings (i.e. will take you) do make a sense and do not contradict any other Quranic verses. Therefore according to principle of interpretation described above, literal meaning of the word (mutawaffika)  is to be adopted. But istilahi/ metaphorical meaning (i.e. will give you death) of this word is not to be adopted due to following two reasons.

Firstly, metaphorical/istilahi  meanings of this word contradict the Quranic verse (i.e. al-imran-55) which states:

[Mention] when Allah said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you (mutawaffika) and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. After that to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ (al-imran-55).

 A plain reading of sequence of this verse tells clearly that first Allah will give Christians (people following Jesus) superiority over the people not believing hazrat Isa (as) and this superiority will continue till Qiyamah;  after that (word ‘summa’  in Arabic language means ‘after that’) hazrat Isa (and people) will return to Allah (means they will die on or near Qiyamah) and Allah will judge between the people in which they used to differ. It may be noted that addressee of this verse is hazrat Isa (as) but word 'kum' in the word ‘ merjiokum’/ your return’ is a plural word; that means 'merjiokum'/ 'your return' includes hazrat Isa (as) as well as people. [it may also be noted that Muslims do have faith in Hazrat Isa (as); Muslims will not be dominated by Christians forever like non-Muslim non-Christians will be dominated forever by Christians]. In short, al-imran 55 states that first Allah will give Christians superiority over the people not having faith in hazrat Isa (as) and this superiority will continue till Qiyamah, and after that hazrat Isa will die (for details plz see my article " Descending of Hazrat Isa (Jesus)").

We can draw two conclusions from this verse. First is that  the word ‘mutawaffeeka’ used in (al-imran-55) does not mean “ will give you death”; because it is obvious that when hazrat Isa (as) was made ‘mutawaffi’, Christians were not superior to people not having faith in Hazrat Isa (it may be noted Jews are not the only poeple not having faith in Hazrat Isa; rather all non-Muslim and non-Christian nations do not have faith in Hazrat Isa). Whereas al-imran-55 clearly states that first Christians will attain superiority over  non-Muslim and non-Christian people and after establishment of that superiority Jesus will be given death; it means word ‘mutawaffeeka’ does not mean “ give you death”; rather it means “will take you”. 
  We can also conclude that death yet has not occured to hazrat Isa (as). Death will occur to hazrat Isa (as) after Christians will have got superiority over the people not having faith in hazrat Isa (as) and this superiority will have continued till Qiyamah, and after continuation of this superiority till Qiyamah,  death will occur to hazrat Isa (and people) on or near Qiyamah. It means word ‘mutawaffika’ does not mean ‘ will give you death’. Now that Christians have got superiority over non-Muslim and non-Christian people not having faith in hazrat Isa (as), he may descend to this earth whenever Allah wills it so and he and people will die on qiyamah.

Second reason of not using istilahi/ metaphorical meanings (i.e.will give you death) of this word (i.e. mutawaffika) is that word ‘waffa/t’ has been used in Quran side by side with word 'death'; this fact shows they are two different words.  For instance al-nisaa-15 states “Those who commit unlawful sexual intercourse of your women - bring against them four [witnesses] from among you. And if they testify, confine the guilty women to houses until death takes them (yatawaffahunna) or Allah ordains for them [another] way” (al-nisaa-15).

“And He is the subjugator over His servants, and He sends over you guardian-angels until, when death comes to one of you, Our messengers take him/ ‘tawaffathu’, and they do not fail [in their duties] (al-anaam-61).

“Allah takes the souls (yatawaffa) at the time of their death,… (al-zumar-42).

In all above quoted verses, using ‘waffa/t’ and ‘death’ side by side reveals that these are two different processes/words; If 'waffa/t' and 'death' have been synonymous, these two words would not have been used side by side. It is against principle of comprehensiveness that two words should be used, if meaning may be conveyed with one word. If 'waffa/t' and 'death' have been synonymous words, only one word- either 'waffa/t' or 'death'- would have been enough to describe the same meanings.  In other words, 'waffa/t’ does not essentially involve ‘death’.  For instance al-anaam-60 states “And it is He who takes your souls (yatawaffakum) by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then to Him will be your return; then He will inform you about what you used to do. This verse states about taking away human soul in night (during sleep); it is obvious during sleep human does not die; he only becomes unconscious. It means in this verse ‘waffa/t’ does not mean ‘death’.

We may conclude that words ‘mutawaffi’ and ‘waffa/t’ have literal as well as istilahi/ metaphorical meanings. The literal meanings of these words are ‘taken away’ and ‘taking away’ respectively. The metaphorical/istilahi meanings of these words are ‘deceased’ and ‘death’ respectively. According to principle of interpretation of Quran, firstly literal meanings are to be adopted, if such meanings make a sense and do not contradict with any other Quranic verses; if it is not so, istilahi/ metaphorical meanings may be adopted. In case of words ‘mutawaffi’ and ‘waffa/t’, literal meanings i.e. ‘taken away’ and ‘taking away’ are to be used where literal meanings make a sense and do not contradict other Quranic verses. Whereas istilahi/ metaphorical meanings(i.e. deceased and death) are not to be used where these meanings are contradictory to Quranic verses.  The word ‘mutawaffika’ (ale imran-55) -made out of ‘mutawaffi’ and ‘waffa/t’-  [the word used to justify death of hazrat Jesus (as)] is to be used with literal meanings i.e. ‘will take you’   because these meanings make a sense and do not contradictory to any other Quranic verses; whereas istilahi/ metaphorical meanings (i.e. ‘will give you death) of this word is not to be adopted because they  are contradictory to Quranic verses. 
However istilahi/ metaphorical meanings of these words ‘mutawaffi’ and ‘waffa/t’ may also be adopted where such meanings are not contradictory to other Quranic verses, and where metaphorical/istilahi meanings of these words are not contradictory to literal meanings of these words. Thus the word 'tawaffaytani' (al-maidah-117) [made out of 'waffa/t'] may also be interpreted/translated with istilahi/ metaphorical meanings i.e. you gave me death. But it may be noted that it does not mean hazrat Isa (as) has been given death in present time (or two thousand years ago). The dialogue between Hazrat Isa (as) and Allah mentioned in al-maidah-117 is to take place during qiyamah, and obviously, before taking place of this dialogue during qiyamah, hazrat Isa (as) would have been given death after his second coming. Thus even if we interpret  word 'tawaffaytani' (al-maidah-117) as ' you gave me death' , it does not mean that death has occured to hazrat Isa (as) or that  his second coming would not happen; he will descend and after that he will die on (or/near) qiyamah.

In short, death has not yet occurred to Hazrat Jesus (as).

(It may be noted that Qiyamah is a thousands of years long day having many phases. In the first phase, all humans on earth would be given death; in the second phase, all humans would be resurrected; in the third phase, all humans would be gathered; in the fourth, all humans would be made answerable for their deeds; then human deeds would be weighed; then all humans would be consigned to the paradise or the hell. Allah knows how long each phase is and which phases are overlapping. However ale-imran-55 suggests that death of hazrat Isa (a.s) will mark the beginning of first phase of Qiyamah. Allah knows how long would be this first phase. But many 'ahadith' suggest this first phase will NOT be ended in a moment; it will continue for many years).