Protection of Sunnah

                        

A 'rasool's wahi has two types; one is called the Book (e.g. Quran) and the second is called his Sunnah. In case of our Nabi (saww), both these types of 'wahi' are protected.

We have already seen various types of ‘wahi’ in my article ‘Wahi, Intuition and their Implications’;  some of these types of ‘wahi’ are described below:-

             A ‘Rasool’ receives complete Book through Gabriel (as) in the form of Allah’s words whereas a ‘Nabi’ receives partial Book through Gabriel in the form of Allah’s ideas/ ‘wahi’ translated by Gabriel (e.g. Hadith e Qudsi) or ‘Nabi’ himself (e.g. Hadith e Rasool).  A Book received by a ‘Nabi’ is not in the form of Allah’s words. A 'Rasool' may also receive 'wahi' directly from Allah, without mediation of Gabriel; such 'wahi' is translated by the 'Rasool' himself.

             We have also seen in the article ‘Types of Prophet-hood and Criteria of Punishment’  that some Prophets are ‘rasool’ and ‘Nabi’ combined. Such Prophet being ‘rasool’ receives complete Book through Gabriel (a.s) in the form of Allah’s words and being Nabi receives, in respect of the Book he receives, Allah’s ideas/ ‘wahi’ which is translated by Gabriel (e.g. Hadith e Qudsi) or the Nabi (a.s) himself (e.g. Hadith e Rasool). Similarly a prophet who is 'rasool' only also receives, in respect of the Book he receives, Allah's ideas/ 'wahi' which he translates himself or which is translated by Gabriel (a.s).  In other words, every 'rasool' (whether rasool and Nabi combined or rasool only) receives  interpretation of the Book through Allah's wahi; such ‘wahi’ received  by a ‘Rasool’ is called Sunnah of that ‘Rasool’. Such a 'wahi' received by Muhammad (s.a.w.w) and translated by Rasool (s.a.w.w) himself has been called as 'words of Rasool' (al-haqah-40), and such a 'wahi' translated by 'Gabriel' has been called as words of Gabriel (al-takwir-19).

          In other words, Sunnah of a ‘Rasool’ is Allah’s ideas/ ‘wahi’ regarding the Book revealed to him; Sunnah is the interpretation of Allah’s words/ Book revealed to a Rasool; such interpretation is done either by the 'Rasool' himself or by Gabriel and is based on 'wahi' sent by Allah.

          In the article “ Hujjiat e Sunnah/ Essentiality of Sunnah (2)”, we have seen/proved  ‘Hujjiat’ of Sunnah/ Essentiality of Sunnah as a “wahi” which is the words of ‘Rasool’. Similarly in the article “Hujjiat e Sunnah/ Essentiality of Sunnah (3)”, we have proved/seen ‘Hujjiat of Sunnah/Essentiality of Sunnah as a ‘wahi’ which is the words of Gabriel (a.s). In other words, the ‘wahi’ which is Sunnah is as much essential to be followed by the people as that ‘wahi’ which is the words of Allah i.e. Quran.

         In the article “Concept of Meezan and Essentiality of Sunnah”, we have seen that Sunnah provides for not only legal Islamic systems but also non-legal Islamic systems. In other words, Sunnah, apart from providing legal systems, also provides for cultural and social values, customs, human conduct, professional ethics and business practices etc.; Sunnah provides for principles to shape all spheres of human life.

          Now the question arises if Allah has made ‘sunnah’ essential/ fundamental source of Islamic systems, is it possible that original sunnah is not available all the time for guidance of people? It is not reasonable to believe that Sunnah-which is the last ‘wahi’ and which is source of Islamic systems- may be not available for people’s guidance.  Even if sunnah may not be protected in the way the Quran is; even if sunnah may be found in modified forms, we must be sure that original sunnah is available and may be discovered out of the modified forms of sunnah.

        Actually the difference between the protection of Quran and protection of Sunnah is that protection of Quran is proven historically but protection of Sunnah is yet to be proved.

         Let us see in the succeeding lines how Quran proves protection of Sunnah. The Quran says:

“Indeed, it is We who sent down the ‘zikr’ and indeed, We will be its guardian (al-hijr-9).

In this verse, Allah is making commitment that He will protect the ‘zikr’ which has been sent down by Him. As explained above, a ‘Rasool’s ‘wahi’ may be of two types i.e. a book (e.g. Quran) and his Sunnah. As both are sent down by Allah, it means the 'zikr' whose protection is being committed by Allah in this verse includes both the Quran and the Sunnah. In other words, word ‘zikr’  does not mean the Quran only; rather 'zikr' sent down by Allah means the Quran and Sunnah and Allah is committing to protect the both.

There are many other verses too which differentiate between Quran and ‘zikr’. For instance  “And We did not give Prophet Muhammad (saw), knowledge of poetry, nor is it befitting for him. It is not but a advice/ ‘zikr’ and a clear Qur'an” (Yasin-69).

In Quran, it happens many times that an entity and its qualities are described side by side; but in such cases it is grammatically made clarified that qualities are being described after the name of the entity which has those qualities. For instance, many verses mention Allah's name and then Allah's Qualities are given after that, but in all such cases such Qualities are grammatically taken as Qualities of Allah. But if it happens so that name of an entity is given and after that a quality is mentioned which grammatically  cannot be taken as quality of that entity, it would mean that entity and that quality are two different things.  In this verse ( Yasin-69) Quran and ‘zikr’ have been used side by side, and grammatically 'zikr' cannot be taken as quality of Quran. It shows a clear distinction between the Quran and the ‘zikr’. It does not mean that the Quran is not ‘zikr’. Of course the Quran is also ‘zikr’ and this fact is mentioned in many verses but ‘zikr’ is also something in addition to the Quran. And that something in addition to the Quran is Sunnah.  Similarly another verse states as follows:

“This is what We recite to you ( Muhammad SAW) of the Verses and the wise  advice/  ‘zikr” (al-imran-58).

In this above stated verse, ‘zikr’ and the verses (of Quran) have been mentioned side by side; and grammatically 'zikr' cannot be taken as quality of 'verses' (of Quran). It  means the ‘zikr’ is something in addition to the Quran.
Another verse states:

“Indeed, those who inject deviation into Our verses are not concealed from Us. So, is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection? Do whatever you will; indeed, He is Seeing of what you do” (fussilat-40).

         This verse warns those who change Allah’s verses. we all believe the Quran is secured/protected by Allah Himself; it means no change in Quranic verses is possible. But this verse is giving warning to those who change Allah’s verses. Actually the verses mentioned in this verse are not Quranic verses which are unchanged and their protection is historically proven. The Allah’s verses mentioned in this verse are actually  Sunnah which may be modified.
The Quranic verses may also be tried to be modified (by some non-Muslim; becuse the moment someone tries to modify Quranic verses, he no longer remains a Muslim, even if he is previously a Muslim) but such modification will be straightaway rejected by the Muslims; that is why the Quranic protection  is historically proven. But Sunnah may be modified and such modification may be accepted by the Muslims as well.   But it does not mean original Sunnah is not available. The original Sunnah is available because Allah has committed to protect it. It may be that sunnah may not be protected in the way the Quran is; even if sunnah may be found in modified forms, we must be sure that original sunnah is available and may be discovered out of the modified forms of sunnah.

          We may conclude that Sunnah is protected like Quran is protected. The word 'zikr' which Allah has committed to protect includes both the Quran and the Sunnah. The protection is violated if the protected thing is perished. The protection of the Quran and Sunnah means these two sources will not be perished; the original texts of both will stay forever. Though someone may modify them but the original text will remain intact. In case of Quran, it is historically proven that its text is intact since its revelation; but, in case of Sunnah, it is yet to be proved. This is the  difference between the way of protection of the Quran and Sunnah; another difference is that any change in the Quran is straightaway rejected by the Muslims; but any change in Sunnah may be accepted by the Muslims, but it does not mean the original Sunnah may be perished.

An Outline of Comprehensive Plan for Performance Improvement in Public Prosecution Department

We have already seen in the article “KPIs for Public Prosecution Department” that standardized and quantifiable parameters are required to assess uniformly performance of the prosecutors so that improved service delivery, effective career planning, transparency and appropriate decision making may be inducted in the administrative set up. These key performance indicators, actually, may be made a basis of a comprehensive plan for performance improvement in Public  Prosecution Department. 

On the basis of these KPIs, such a performance assessment and performance improvement system may be devised which, not only, would identify deficiencies in the performance of prosecutors,  but also undertake necessary measures to remove such deficiencies through administrative measures and  training programmes aiming at removing such deficiencies. For the purpose, data of criminal cases in terms of each stage of prosecution  (e.g. investigation level; remand level; evidence level; bail level; argumentation level etc.)  would be collected. In this way data relating to prosecution timeline would be available and the department would be enabled to analyze performance of prosecutors and the causes of delay at each stage of prosecution and to remove such causes through administrative measures and training programs, if necessary. 

The proposed performance assessment and performance improvement system may also fix benchmarks of performance and fix performance targets for prosecutors, keeping in view such performance benchmarks so that service delivery may be improved.  Moreover, promotion prospects of prosecutors would also be linked with their performance viz a viz fixed performance benchmarks so that it may be ensured that only higher performance is rewarded. In this way it would be ensured that only the prosecutors showing higher performance are promoted. In other words, the higher we go, the better performing stuff would be found in the Prosecution Department. Such a scenario also warrants attractive salary packages to be offered to the prosecutors so that better talent may be retained in the department. In short, the objectives of proposed KPIs may be summarized as given below: 
1. To induct a standardized procedure of inspection and reporting for performance assessment uniformly;
2. To link inspection reporting systems with standardized assessment of training needs;
3. To link reporting system with structuring proper training programs;
4. To link inspection reporting system with standardized procedure of inquiry initiation;
5. To link inspection reporting system with progressive performance improvement system through assigning performance targets;
6. To link reporting system with career planning and promotion policy;
7. To make inspection  reporting system a tool for taking appropriate policy decisions.


 

The Greatest Casualty of 9/11 (2)

               

In part (1) of this article we have seen that there was every likelihood for Pakistan after conducting nuclear tests in 1998 to assume a leadership role among the Muslim nations. But, in the aftermath of 9/11 event, Musharraf regime’s short sightedness dragged Pakistan into so called war of terror and provided India with secured and peaceful borders. Consequently, on the one hand, Pakistan was held back from assuming the leadership role among the Muslim nations, and, on the other hand, India, by developing its economy, was allowed to grow into a hurdle in Pakistan’s way of assuming leadership role among the Muslim nations. 

Now that USA is leaving Afghanistan and Taliban suicidal attacks have subsided in Pakistan to a great extent, Pakistan may have space, on the one hand, to revise its policy viz a viz India and reinforce, on the other hand, its efforts to enhance its political and military ties with the Muslim nations. Luckily, in the backdrop of new regional and world scenario linked with China emerging as new world power, Pakistan’s geo-strategic importance offers it new prospects to assume role of regional leadership. Pakistan, due to its geo-strategic position, may become a linchpin of new Economic and Political Alliance consisting of Afghanistan, CIS, China and Gulf States; Gawadar Port may act as economic vanguard in fabricating such an alliance. Such a pivotal position attained by Pakistan in such a strategically important alliance would add to Pakistan’s strategic importance viz a viz India in the eyes of Muslim nations and pave the way to Pakistan’s leadership role among the Muslim nations (for details plz see my articles “Muslim Millat” and Pakistan's Role in Ensuing Decade" and "Pak-Iran Gas and Gawadar Port Projects".

As for as India concerned, Pakistan may take all necessary steps to convince India to solve Kashmir dispute peacefully. But, if India does not come to terms, Pakistan may employ the strategy of making India a bad destination for foreign investment. For the purpose, whole India may be converted into a country marred with internal battlegrounds like India had developed internal battlegrounds in Pakistan. Kashmiri freedom movement may be supported not only morally but also militarily. Pakistan is a legal party to this Kashmir dispute; Pakistan has every legal right not to allow the other party i.e. India to change situation in Kashmir in India’s favor.

The logic of engaging India militarily in Kashmir is usually rejected with a counter logic that first Pakistan should strengthen its economy and then take effective steps to force India out of Kashmir. Such a counter logic is not tenable when assessed in the light of fact that both states are nuclear powers; Pakistan, using its economic clout,   can never force India out of Kashmir; nuclear power of a state can never be undone by using economic power. It is true USSR was disintegrated under economic pressures but those pressures were built through military might by western powers. Any world economic power lacking in military might could never build such economic pressures; Japan could never break up USSR, despite all the economic might it had.  

Pakistan by engaging India militarily- by developing internal battlegrounds in India- may put unbearable economic pressures on India and consequently bring India to terms. 

A state may build up its power through combining its military, economic and political influences. History tells us that military and political power always leads to economic power as well. After the Second World War, USA’s military and political power was the supreme but its economic power (though world's largest) was much lesser than its military and political power. The USA's per capita income in 1945 was above $10,000 which grew to $40,000 in 2008 (inflation adjusted). Using its military and political power, USA gradually developed into present economic might. Similarly economic power may also be translated into military and political power.  But conversion of political and military power into economic power is much shorter process than the process of conversion of economic power into political and military power. Pakistan has been blessed with opportunity to convert its political and military power into economic power through forging regional Economic and Political Alliance.  What Pakistan requires is to focus on formation of regional Economic and Political Alliances and to put military pressure on India simultaneously.

We may conclude that it is high time for Pakistan to revise its Indian and regional policy as well as to step up efforts to forge close military and political ties with Muslim nations. It is the only way to undo the impact of wrong policies pursued in the past.  

The Greatest Casualty of 9/11 (1)

                 

Pakistan declared itself a nuclear power by conducting underground nuclear explosions in 1998. This single event was going to have far reaching regional and international implications which might lead Pakistan to assume a leadership role among Muslim nations. Such a development would mean replacement of existing regional and world order with new one which would be unacceptable to India and western powers shaping the existing regional and world order. Hence the prime consideration of India and western powers was to keep Pakistan away from assuming leadership role among the Muslim nations. The event of 9/11 provided India and western powers an opportunity to bring Pakistan to their terms and Pakistan’s Musharraf regime, due to short-sighted political considerations, helped western powers and India to achieve their nefarious designs and Pakistan was kept away from assuming much needed leadership role among the Muslim nations; the same short-sighted political considerations are still part of policies adopted by present regime in Pakistan. Pakistan’s likelihood of assuming leadership role among Muslim nations in post 1998 nuclear explosions era was the greatest casualty of 9/11 from Pakistan’s view point.

Pakistan’s declaring itself a nuclear power in 1998 was strategically important not only for Pakistan but also for regional and world powers, and for Muslim nations particularly Afghanistan, Gulf states, CIS, Israel’s neighboring states. A nuclear Pakistan might extend security assurance to the Gulf and Arab states against Israeli threat. A nuclear Pakistan might encourage newly born CIS to come out of Russian clutches to make new regional alliances. A nuclear Pakistan might keep India away from becoming investment paradise for western powers. In return Pakistan might forge close economic and trade relations with CIS, Gulf states and other regional states including China which was poised to become economic super power in coming decades.  The new political and economic alliances at least at regional level would result in re-distribution of military and economic power at regional level and resultantly at world level too at the cost of military and economic power of India and western powers. The accumulative impact of all these developments would be a nuclear Pakistan with a leadership role among Muslim nations. Hence prime objective of India and western powers, in post 1998 era, was to keep Pakistan away from assuming a leadership role among the Muslim nations. 

The event of 9/11 provided India and the western powers an opportunity to achieve their objective; they adopted two pronged policy to achieve their objective. Firstly they kept Pakistan busy and weak by involving Pakistan in so called war of terror; and secondly all out efforts were made to develop India’s economy so that India, which was also Pakistan’s competitor in winning over military and political friendship of some important Muslim nations, might create hurdles in Pakistan’s way to assuming a leadership role among Muslim nations.

The so called war of terror Pakistan was involved in after 9/11, proved to be fatal for Pakistan’s economy. The hundreds of suicidal bomb blasts conducted by so called Taliban and causing more than fifty thousand human casualties virtually made Pakistan a deserted place for foreign investment and also for local investment in KPK. This war kept consuming Pakistan’s military resources for more than a decade and kept Pakistan’s military power busy in dealing with local insurgency. Consequently Pakistan’s hands were kept too full to assert its presence internationally and to assume a leadership role among the Muslim nations.

As a parallel strategy all out efforts were made to develop India’s economy. India had adopted the policy of liberalization of economy during 90s but India was not able to attract such a huge foreign investments from western powers in 90s as it was able to attract in a decade in post 9/11 era. During 1991-2001, India received only US$ 17000 m (est) as FDI; whereas during this decade, India’s GDP grew from US$ 274 b in 1991 to US$ 493 b in 2001. Whereas during 2001-2010, India received US$ 178331 m (est) as FDI; during this decade India’s GDP grew from US$ 493 b in 2001 to US$ 1708 b in 2010. We can see that India’s economy grew by lesser than 100% during 1991-2001 i.e. pre 9/11 era; but India’s economy grew by almost 350% during 2001-2010 i.e. post 9/11 era. What makes the difference is the FDI. During pre 9/11 decade i.e. 1991-2001, India received only 17000 m as FDI; but during post 9/11 decade i.e. 2001-2010, India received 178331 m as FDI. In other words, India received more than 9 times greater FDI during post 9/11 decade than that received during pre 9/11 decade. 

It needs not overemphasized that trend of FDI inflow in any state is greatly influenced by the level of investment security in that state; a state having hot borders cannot be labeled as safe heavens for FDI. The prevailing hostility between Pakistan and India during 90s was not allowing foreign investors to choose India as safe heavens for FDI. It was 9/11 event which brought Pakistan under pressure to discontinue hostility with India especially with reference to Kashmir dispute. It was Musharraf’s regime which paved way to make India safe heavens for FDI and compromised over Pakistan’s vital national interests due to its short sighted political considerations and lack of political vision and political courage. It was bad luck of Pakistan that at a crucial juncture of its history its reins were in the hands of a person whose shortsightedness could push Pakistan at least 15 years back, and help India and the western powers to achieve their nefarious objectives.  

By imploying successfully two pronged policy, explained above, India and the western powers were able to keep Pakistan away from assuming leadership role among the Muslim nations. Now 14 years after the 9/11event, India is a strong economy of US$ 2 trillion (est) and posing a serious challenge to Pakistan to win over Iran and Afghanistan to its side. Moreover India is also forging close defense ties with Saudi Arabia and is having good relations with other Muslim countries too. In short, India, basing on its economic might and developing close defense and political ties with some important Muslim nations, is able to block Pakistan’s way to assuming leadership of the Muslim nations.  The western powers, particularly USA and UK are also extending all out support to India to win over friendship of important Muslim countries. That is why we see that USA did not block India’s way to have commercial transactions with Iran though USA had imposed economic sanctions on Iran; but when Pakistan tried to undertake gas pipeline project with Iran, USA did not approve it. Similarly western powers are encouraging India to assume greater military role in Afghanistan and to develop close military ties with Arab nations as well (continued).