Types of 'Wahi' and Sunnah

                           

We have already seen in the article ‘Difference between ‘Resalat’ and ‘Nabuwwat’  that there is difference between a ‘Rasool ’  and a ‘Nabi’. Among others, one difference between ‘Resalat’ and ‘Nabuwwat’ is pertaining to type/nature of ‘wahi’. The various types of ‘wahi’ described in my article ‘Wahi, Intuition and their Implications’  are summarized as below:-

i.             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.

ii.           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 (as) 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 (as) himself (e.g. Hadith e Rasool). Such a 'wahi' received as a Nabi by a 'Rasool' and 'Nabi' combined and translated by Rasool 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). Such ‘wahi’ received as a Nabi by a ‘Rasool’ and ‘Nabi’ combined OR received by 'Rasool' directly from Allah without mediation of Gabriel is called Sunnah of that ‘Rasool’ and ‘Nabi’. 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.

We may conclude that ‘Sunnah’ is the second name of Allah’s Book. A person disbelieving in Sunnah, in fact, disbelieves in Quran.

Qadri's Agenda- a trap for Pak army

               

Pakistan needs a strong government enjoying wide spread people’s support to deal effectively with monstrous internal issues like Baluchistan up-rising, Taliban’s militarism, wide spread corruption, economic degeneration, and external issues like Kashmir and re-phrasing of regional and international foreign policy in the backdrop of the USA’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Qadri’s agenda may entangle Pak army as a major stake holder of interim set up. Such an interim government, if given life period for two or three years, would be not only unacceptable to the people but also weak enough to deal with many of above stated issues effectively. Rather such an un-popular interim government would be prone to further aggravate many  fore- mentioned issues.

Baluchistan up-rising is such a burning issue which is perceived as the most serious threat to the state security. The key to resolve this issue lies in the agreeable conduct of the annoyed Bloch Chiefs. There is no second opinion that these annoyed Bloch leaders are looking towards political parties to heal their wounds. An interim government having army at its back as a major stake-holder would not be trusted and cooperated by the Bloch leaders; as a result Baluchistan issue would be further aggravated.

Taliban militant activities are also seriously challenging Pakistan government’s writ in Pakistan’s areas. Pakistan army has recently amended its Defense Doctrine and added internal threat as a major danger to the state security. It means Pak army would onwards treat Taliban as enemy of the state; this fact would reduce Pak army’s ability to settle Taliban issue through dialogue and puts political government in more advantageous position to settle this issue through dialogue.

Unresolved Baluchistan and Taliban issues would mean an army dominated interim government would be unable to put in place a law and order situation conducive to economic regeneration. That would mean a further degeneration in economic viability during period of interim government.

An interim government is always lesser capable in realm of foreign policy matters (plz see my article 'Afghanistan Diplomacy-impact on South Asia' regarding major current foreign policy issues of Pakistan) which require constant backing of the state government; an interim government, not being representative of people opinion, cannot ensure required constant state backing to the foreign policies adopted by it. As a result, interim government’s capability to launch durable foreign policies is seriously hampered and lesser than that of a regular elected government.

We may conclude that Qadri’s agenda to entangle Pak army into an interim government would serve only the interests of foreign anti-Pakistan forces which want to see Pakistan's internal security issues unresolved and its economic buoyancy greatly undermined by continued precarious law and order situation so that Pakistan and consequently its army might be forced to promote those foreign powers' interests even at the cost of Pakistan's own interests.

Aulia Allah and Non-Muslims

                   

The basic qualification of Aulia Allah is to be ‘saleheen’. Both Muslims and non-Muslims may do pious/ ‘saleh’ deeds but non-Muslims cannot be elevated to the spiritual level of ‘saleheen’. In other words, non-Muslims cannot become Aulia Allah.

We have seen in the article ‘Aulia Allah’ that ‘Aulia Allah’ are those blessed people who succeed in attaining certain levels of spiritual elevations; some of them are given responsibility to manage world affairs. The minimum qualification of a ‘wali’ is to be ‘saleh’/pious. Various virtues have been mentioned in Quran and sunnah; some virtues are  apparent e.g. virtues developed by ‘aabid’, ‘zahid’, ‘aalim’, ‘zakir’, ‘munfiq’, ‘muttaqi’, ‘khasheh’; some virtues are hidden e.g. virtues pertaining to ‘mumin’, ‘sabir’, ‘mutahhir’, ‘muhsin’, ‘mutawakkil’. When a person has attained certain degrees of apparent and hidden virtues, he is graced with spiritual level of ‘saleheen’.

We have also seen in the article ‘Concept of Pious Deeds/ ‘Aamal-e- Saliha’ that both Muslims and non-Muslims do pious deeds. Al-baqra-62 and al-maidah-69 state about non-Muslims' pious deeds and their reward. 

"Indeed, those who believed (in Muhammad (saw)) and those who are Jews or Christians or Sabeans, those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness (pious deeds) - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve" (al-baqra-62).

"Indeed, those who have believed [in Prophet Muúammad (saw)] and those who are Jews or Sabeans or Christians – those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness (pious deeds) – no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve"(al-maidah-69).

Though non-Muslims may do pious/ ‘saleh’ deeds,and they are also rewarded for their pious deeds in this world and 'uqba' but not in 'ukhra' (for details plz see my article 'Non-Muslims' Paradise') but non-Muslims cannot be elevated to the spiritual level of ‘saleheen’. In fact, if a person conducting pious/ ‘saleh’ deeds is not automatically elevated to the spirirtual level of ‘saleheen’.

Quran says:

“And those who believe and work righteous/ ‘saleh’ deeds,- them shall We admit among the Righteous/ ‘Saleheen’’ (al-ankbut-9).

From this verse, it is clear that people doing ‘saleh’ deeds are not automatically categorized as ‘saleheen’; rather this verse is saying that those people who have faith and do ‘saleh’ deeds will be admitted by Allah to the group of ‘saleheen’. In other words, ‘Eman’ / faith is essential to be raised to the spiritual level of ‘saleheen’. Without 'Eman'/faith a person cannot do 'saleh' deeds to such an extent and in such forms that are minimum requirements to be elevated to the level of 'saleheen'.

Quran further states:

 "And whoever denies the faith - his work has become worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers" (al-maidah-5).

“Indeed, the ‘Deen’ in the sight of Allah is Islam….” (al-Imran-19).

“And whoever desires other than Islam as ‘Deen’- never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers” (al-Imran-85).

These above mentioned verses make it clear that non-Muslims cannot be rewarded in ‘ukhra’ life; all their pious/ ‘saleh’ deeds will be wasted in ‘ukhra’ life. The people having wasted pious deeds cannot be elevated to level of ‘saleheen’ who are essentially to be admitted to paradise in ‘ukhra’ life. Quran says:

“……but whoever does righteous/ ‘saleh’ deeds, whether male or female, while he is a believer/ ‘mumin’ - those will enter Paradise, being given provision therein without account” (ghafir-40).

This above verse shows that a person doing ‘saleh’/ pious deeds will be admitted to paradise, if he/she is ‘mumin’. In other words a non-Muslim doing ‘saleh’/ pious deed will not be consigned to paradise.

W e may conclude that elevation to the spiritual level of ‘saleheen’ is not an automatic result of doing ‘saleh’/pious deeds.  Grant of spiritual level of ‘saleheen’ is conditional one; and the condition is that the person must be having ‘eman’/Islam. In other words, only a Muslim may be elevated to the spiritual level of ‘saleheen’. Because to be a ‘saleh’ is the basic/minimum qualification to become a ‘wali’, it means non-Muslims cannot become ‘Aulia Allah’; only Muslims may become ‘aulia Allah’.

Concept of 'Bidat' in Islam

                       

The literal meaning of ‘bidat’ is something new. Every ‘bidat’ in deen/Islam is forbidden; but we find severe differences among various groups of Muslims as to what is ‘bidat’ and what is not. One group narrowly defining ‘bidat’ considers everything not specifically found in the Sunnah as ‘bidat’ whereas another group liberally defining ‘bidat’ considers every ‘bidat’ as pious deed. Let us peep into the concept of ‘bidat’  in Islam.

From the outset it may be clarified that ‘bidat’ is something relating to the structure of a pious deed.

All structures of pious deeds cannot be specifically found in the Sunnah. For instance, stopping the vehicle on red traffic signal; donating an ambulance to a hospital; air travel for a noble cause etc. are such pious deeds whose structures are not found specifically in Sunnah but still cannot be considered as ‘bidat’ . In fact, our Nabi’s (saw) Sunnah is based on Quran, and our Nabi (saw) has directed mankind to follow Quran. It means if a pious deed is based on Quran, it cannot be considered as ‘bidat’; even if its structure is not specifically found in the Sunnah, it will be considered as in line with Sunnah because our Nabi (saw) has directed mankind to follow the Quran. For instance Quran has stated many times about remembering Allah; to remember Allah is a pious deed. If some people sit together in a circle (halqa) and remember Allah in a specific form, it cannot be considered as ‘bidat’  because this pious deed is based on Quran even though this structure/form of this pious deed may not be found in the Sunnah. However, if any structure/form of a (pious) deed has been forbidden in the Sunnah, such deed in that structure will be considered as forbidden.

In fact, ‘biddat’ is lessening or enhancing or changing the structure/form of a Sunnah/ deed of our Nabi’s (saw). For instance, our Nabi (saw) used to offer four ‘rakaat’ in ‘zuhr’ prayer; if someone starts offering three or five ‘rakaat’ instead of four, it will be considered as ‘bidat’.  Similarly if any person increases or decreases number of obligatory prayers (i.e. five) it will be bid-ah. Similarly if a person makes 'sajda' without putting his forehead directly or indirectly to the ground, it will be 'biddah'/biddat', because putting forehead on the ground directly or indirectly is our Nabi's (saw) sunnah. In other words, 'biddat' is changing the shape of our Nabi's (saw) deed/sunnah.

We may conclude that ‘bidat’ is not new form/structure of a pious deed, if such pious deed is based on Quran and such structure is not prohibited by Sunnah though it may not be found in the Sunnah. ‘Bidat’  is actually lessening or enhancing or changing the form/ structure of a Sunnah/deed of our Nabi (saw); ‘bidat’  is changing the shape of our Nabi’s (saw) deed/Sunnah.

Tahir ul qadri and Electoral Reforms

            

Tahir ul qadri has presented his electoral reform agenda which he wants to be in place before next general election. He wants the care taker government to implement this agenda and has given a deadline of three weeks to the present government (and political parties) to announce their intention to implement the agenda. In other words, Tahir ul qadri has taken the reform agenda as one time exercise which would set everything right later on. Let us analyze whether the proposed reform agenda can be implemented keeping within constitutional ambits, and even if the agenda is implemented as one time exercise whether it would be enough to put our political system running smoothly and addressing the peoples’ grievances and needs properly. 

Tahir ul qadri has mentioned in his speech many a constitutional responsibilities assigned to state of Pakistan. All these responsibilities are supposed to be disposed of by the government which under the constitution has to be established through elections. But Tahir ul qadri is opposing elections without dispensing with first some of those responsibilities relating to electoral reforms. He wants care taker government to put in place such electoral reforms before holding general elections. These electoral reforms if implemented would eliminate all corrupt and immoral elements from the ranks of political parties. As a result, political parties would be left with no eligible  and required number of candidates to contest the next general elections which are to be held after a short period of six months. The result would be that political parties would reject implementation of proposed electoral reforms before the general elections. Consequently, political power would slip into hands of non-political elements and violation of the constitution would be a must. In other words, Tahir ul qadri’s stated intentions to implement the reformed agenda keeping within the constitutional ambits are non-practicable.

Secondly, even if the stated electoral reform agenda is implemented, it would not be enough to establish an Islamic political system in Pakistan, if the intention behind these electoral reforms is to install an Islamic political system in Pakistan. These electoral reforms may ensure that honest persons would become members of the parliament, but it would not ensure that such members would be capable to install an Islamic political system in Pakistan. In fact, Islamic political system is not one time dispensation; it provides for a regular/continuous apparatus to deal with day to day governance issues according to Islamic injunctions. Tahir ul qadri’s electoral reform agenda is a one-time dispensation which cannot provide for such a capable apparatus/parliament to lead Pakistan towards the goal of an Islamic welfare state. Any parliament constituted on the basis of peoples’ majority votes is bound to be marred with so many deficiencies in terms of virtue, expertise, experience required to install an Islamic state. There has to be an institution parallel to the parliament, which should be able to make good and compensate for the deficiencies found in the parliament and which should be capable of running state matters according to Islamic injunctions. Such parallel institution (may be called ‘shura’) should be empowered to oversee the working of the parliament and ratify all the decisions taken by the parliament; shura may reject parliament’s decision only on the basis of Islamic injunctions. In this way state decision-making would be, on the one hand, reflective of public opinion, and, on the other hand, in accordance with Islamic injunctions (plz see for details my article “ Islamic Political System- its main contuours (3).

In other words, an Islamic political system in Pakistan may not be installed without making vital amendments in the present constitution. 

Now the question arises what course of action we may adopt to have a good governance and fair political system based on Islamic injunctions. For that purpose, the coming general elections may be allowed to be held according to the schedule and present system so that any possible anarchy and illegal rule may be avoided.  But political parties may be bound to establish Islamic political system in Pakistan. For that purpose, political parties may be given enough time to re-organize their ranks so that they may be able to contest future elections along with qualified candidates in terms of Islam; they may also be bound to establish ‘shura’ as a parallel institution to the parliament later on.  All these arrangements may be put in place before the second coming general elections.In any case, if qadri's march becomes a reality all islamic forces should participate in qadri's march to have due share in the coming care taker set up so that concerted efforts may be made through care taker set up to install islamic system later on. In this way effective measures may also be taken by islamic forces to keep army away from taking over the state, even if qadri turns out to be helping the army to take over the government. Now, military's rule will be proved to be fatal not only for Pakistan but also for military itself. In future, only positive role for military in Pakistan is to act as a pressure group to safeguard Pakistan's ideological boundaries, and to defend militarily Pakistan's geographical boundaries. Islamic forces' participation in the Long March would enable them to foil Qadri's negative intentions, if any.