sprituality

Golden Words

Aijaz Islam, Quran, Religion, sprituality ,

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Many people have great fascination with Golden words/Zukhrif al Qaul/Aqwale Zareen. They spend much effort in collection, remembrance, authentication of the same. The below Ayat states that doing it is like being enemy to the prophet. Mention of the Prophet in the Ayat implies that these Golden words are related to the Prophet:

6:112   وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ

“And likewise ,We have made for every Prophet the satans of mankind and the satans of jinn, an enemy. They inspire golden words on one another, for the purpose of delusion, and if your Lord had willed they would have not done it, so leave them and what they invent.”

45:6  تِلْكَ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ

These are the Ayats of Allah, which We rehearse to you in Truth; then in what Hadith/narration they will believe after Allah and His Ayas?

Allah poses a question, in what Hadith/narration you want to believe after Allah has revealed his Ayas in absolute truth?

10:82  وَيُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُجْرِمُونَ

Allah verifies the truth with His words, even if the criminals dislike it.

Allah speaks the truth and He verifies the truth with His Words, although the criminals dislike it so much.

39:45  وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ اشْمَأَزَّتْ قُلُوبُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ الَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ

When only Allah, is mentioned, the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter are filled with aversion; but when other than He (Allah) are mentioned,  then they are filled with joy!

Mostly those people who have fascination with the Golden words of big personalities will not like it that only Allah be mentioned and praised in a gathering. They will only be happy when their favorite personalities are mentioned and praised as well.

Pre-determination of fate?

Aijaz Islam, Quran, Religion, sprituality , , ,

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Are we pre-destined to play the roles already written for us in this world and then get good or bad reward for the roles we played according to the fate which was already written for us? Does not seem fair if this would be the case.

Allah has given us permission to be free in our will to carry out actions in our life according to our own decisions. Allah will judge the actions and based on the weightage of good and bad deeds, will decide about our fate in the hereafter. Some people ask, when this is already written what we will be doing in our life, then why we would be responsible for our deeds? The answer to this question is that Allah knows what we will be doing in our life because of his knowledge of future and not because he has already written down the script for us to carry out. He knows because He can see us in past, present and future in time. Otherwise, we are free to act on our will for which permission has been granted by Allah. We are therefore responsible for our actions and will be judged accordingly.

20:110  يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا

He (Allah) knows what is before and after them and they shall not compass it with their knowledge.

The above Ayat tells us that Allah knows the past and future. Because of this knowledge of past and future, any thing we are going to do in future could be written down. The below Ayats mention that there is a written record/account of every thing.  

11:6  وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا ۚ كُلٌّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

There is no creature on earth but it’s sustenance is the responsibility of Allah. He knows of its destination and its course. All is in a clear writing/book.

13:38  وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًا مِّن قَبْلِكَ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَذُرِّيَّةً ۚ وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأْتِيَ بِآيَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۗ لِكُلِّ أَجَلٍ كِتَابٌ

We did send Messengers before thee, and appointed for them wives and children. it was never for a Messenger to bring an Ayat/Sign except with Allah’s permission. For each period there is a written (record)

15:4  وَمَا أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ إِلَّا وَلَهَا كِتَابٌ مَّعْلُومٌ

Never did We destroy a population that had not a term known and written.

34:3  وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَأْتِينَا السَّاعَةُ ۖ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ ۖ لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا أَصْغَرُ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَا أَكْبَرُ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

The Unbelievers say, “Never to us will come the Hour”. Say, “Nay! but most surely, by my Lord, it will come upon you;- by Him Who knows the unseen,- from Whom is not hidden the least little atom in the heavens or on earth. Nor is there anything less than that, or greater, but is in a clear writing.

Notes: Thinking about ‘Time’

View at Medium.com

(Excerpt from above link to a post: https://medium.com/predict/everything-exists-at-once-past-present-and-future-264b252e0748)

This is the picture of the universe that emerged from Einstein’s theory of relativity. Unlike the universal clock imagined by Newton, relativity gives us time as a very individual experience. A second for me isn’t the same second that you experience. In fact, events don’t even have to unfold in the same order for two observers in the universe. Whereas you might see a fish taken out of its tank, killed, and cooked, in a different part of the universe someone might witness the dead fish taken out of the pan, brought back to life, and placed into its murky tank. How events play out depends on the reference point of the individual.

This is possible because of the relationship between space, time, and motion. To give an example from everyday life, think of where you are right now. You are in your bedroom at 7 PM. You are on the bus at 11:53 AM. You are in a restaurant at 3:40 PM. You cannot have one without the other. That is, you will never be at a place without a time or exist at a time without also being someplace.

Relativity merges space and time into a single fourth-dimensional structure known as spacetime. We should think of time the same way we think of space; just as all of space exists outside of our world and any point within space can be described by coordinates, all of time exists as well and any events that have happened or will happen already exist, described by their own coordinates within the universe. And the same way all coordinates in space are valid, all coordinates (or events) in time are valid as well, meaning that there should be no such distinctions as “past”, “present,” or “future”. The universe and life within it is not an organic thing that’s constantly changing and morphing. Instead it’s like a video where the present moment is merely a frame within that video. And that video, had we access to it, would reveal every event to ever take place in our universe, from beginning to end. This cosmos is known as the “block universe”, a place where change isn’t real and there’s nothing special about the present moment. Considering this on a philosophical scale brings into question the idea of free will.

Hadith of the Cow in Sura Baqara

Aijaz Islam, Religion, sprituality, Uncategorized , ,

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Al-Quran mentions an incident of the cow in sura Baqara (2:67-71). In this incident prophet Moosa (a.s) communicated an order of Allah to his people, to slaughter a cow. Apparently this should be a simple thing to do, as obviously it was not the first time they were slaughtering a cow. But instead they adopted an attitude of over inquisitiveness. They started asking a lot of questions about the cow, and even stated their frustration at some point that things are getting confusing for them and they need more and more details about the order, as according to them, Allah’s order was missing in details. In the end, when they finally did what they were asked to do, they ended up doing it in such a way which was very cumbersome for them.

Can we relate this incident in our lives as well. There are a number of things we do in our lives which are fairly normal e.g taking a bath, dining, sleeping and relieving our selves. Do we really need to ask a lot of questions about how to carry out these activities from religious point of view. The religious ‘masail’ books contain a lot of detailed instructions for simple activities. Seems like people who wrote these were watching the prophet (pbuh) even in their most private times to obtain these detailed instructions, while ayat 33:53 gives a clear message to companions not to indulge unnecessary in prophet’s private life. When we relate the incident mentioned in the hadith of Cow in Quran, we can understand that the religion does not put too much obligations on people in terms of everyday ordinary matters. It is when the people become over inquisitive and over zealous, they impose un-necessary hardships on themselves.

The messenger while communicating the spirit of the Book to people relieves them from these self imposed hardships (7:157) by governing them with the ayahs of Quran while cancelling the non Quranic orders and ideas.

2:67-71  وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا ۖ قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ -قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِيَ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا فَارِضٌ وَلَا بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ فَافْعَلُوا مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ -قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَاقِعٌ لَّوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ -قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِيَ إِنَّ الْبَقَرَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّا إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ -قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَّا شِيَةَ فِيهَا ۚ قَالُوا الْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ ۚ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ

And when Moosa said to his people. “Verily, Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow.” They said. “Are you jesting with us?” He said. “Allah save me from becoming an ignorant one!”. They said. “Beseech on our behalf. your Lord to explain to us what  it is (like)!” He said; “He says. The cow should be neither too old nor too young, but of middle age. Now do what you are commanded!”  They said. “Beseech on our behalf your Lord to explain to us its color.” He said. “He says. A fawn-colored cow, pure and rich in tone, an admiration for the onlookers!”  They said. “Beseech on our behalf your Lord to explain to us what she is as to us all cows are alike. If Allah wills, we shall indeed be guided”  He said. “He says. A cow not trained to till the soil or water the fields; sound and without blemish.” They said. “Now you came with the truth.” Then they offered her in sacrifice, although they seemed unlikely to carry this out. 

The prophet (pbuh) actually removes these undue obligations which people have self imposed on themselves and they are over burdened against their weight.

7:157  الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

“Those who follow the messenger, the ummi prophet, whom they find written in what is with them,- in the Taurat and the Injeel;- for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him,- it is they who will prosper.”

2:106   مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا ۗ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

What we abrogate/cancel or cause to be forgotten (orders other than Allah’s) from an ayat, We substitute something better or similar. Don’t you know that Allah Has power over all things?

The Non Quranic concepts are cancelled and replaced with Allah’s orders with Ayahs.

The below ayat is presented in order to stress the point regarding desirable behavior near prophet’s house and family. Obviously if any one is invited to prophet’s house, he will naturally be interested to know about prophet’s behavior. With this opportunity, people will not definitely be indulging in vain talk, but would be interested to know as much information as possible about the prophet (pbuh).  This is all but natural.  However, the below ayat warns people to refrain from showing too much eagerness about (prophet’s) hadiths i.e petty talks about him, and discussions about his private life. We can reasonably believe that when the companions saw this order, they naturally would have refrained from such behavior. However, we find a lot of narrations about prophet’s private life in history books attributed to prophet’s companions, which should therefore be taken with a grain of salt.

33:53  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلَّا أَن يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ نَاظِرِينَ إِنَاهُ وَلَٰكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانتَشِرُوا وَلَا مُسْتَأْنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمْ كَانَ يُؤْذِي النَّبِيَّ فَيَسْتَحْيِي مِنكُمْ ۖ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ ۚ وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُؤْذُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَن تَنكِحُوا أَزْوَاجَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ أَبَدًا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمْ كَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمًا

O you who believe! Do not enter the Prophet’s houses,- until leave is granted to you,- for a meal, (and then) not (so early as) to wait for its preparation. but when ye are invited, enter; and when ye have taken your meal, disperse, without showing fondness for hadith/ narration. Such (behavior) persecutes the prophet. He is ashamed to dismiss you, but Allah is not ashamed (to tell you) the truth. And when you ask (his ladies) for anything of value (prophet’s hadith), ask them from behind a screen. that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Nor is it right for you that you should persecute Allah’s messenger, or that you should marry his spouses after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in Allah’s sight an enormity (sin).

People usually come with the mind set that following the religion is pure hardship and its instructions are difficult to comprehend. This mind set prevents them from delving deeper and making efforts to get clarity on its commands.  While Allah’s system is actually designed with the intention to reduce hardships and make life better for the followers. A parable could be drawn from the action of Queen of Saba when she was asked to enter a Palace. She thought it was water and she will have to brace through water. As she had made up her mind to follow the order, she prepared herself for entering the water. But later, it turned out that it was not water she had to brace though, instead it was a crystal clear, palace.

27:44   قِيلَ لَهَا ادْخُلِي الصَّرْحَ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ حَسِبَتْهُ لُجَّةً وَكَشَفَتْ عَن سَاقَيْهَا ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُ صَرْحٌ مُّمَرَّدٌ مِّن قَوَارِيرَ ۗ قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

She was asked to enter the Palace; but when she saw it, she thought it was a lake of water, and she tucked up her skirts (in preparation to enter the water), . He said. “This is but a palace paved with glass crystals.” She said. “O my Lord! I have indeed wronged my soul. I do (now) submit (in Islam), with Solieman, to the Lord of the Worlds.

2:72-73  وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَادَّارَأْتُمْ فِيهَا ۖ وَاللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ  فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُحْيِي اللَّهُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَيُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

And when you killed a self/nafs and then you differed in this, but Allah was to bring forth what you were hiding. So We said. “Strike it (the body) with a piece of it (nafs/psyche).” In this way Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His ayahs/signs. So that you may understand.

Coming back to the hadith of cow, one who is devoid of Allah’s remembrance is considered dead in the eyes of the Lord (6:122). A person has to strike his Nafs/Psyche in order to bring it out from state of death. ‘Some part of it’ (nafs) in above ayat, would mean here the good part of the Nafs/Psyche. The body should be stricken with the good part of the Nafs/psyche to make the whole self/nafs alive. For example, in fasting/saum the body is deprived or stricken with the nafs to control desires and nurture in oneself the consciousness of Allah.

6:122  أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَاهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُورًا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِّنْهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

And the one who was dead, thus We gave him life, and made for him a light, whereby he walks amongst people; can he be like the one who is in the depths of darkness, from which he can never come out? Similiarly it is made alluring for the kafireen/rejecters what they do

link to a lecture explaining killing of Nafs/psychology :   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM3qXyNBoZQ

Remedy for Depression- Story of Prophet Ayub A.S

Aijaz Islam, Quran, Religion, sprituality, Uncategorized , , , , , ,

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Al-Quran describes an incident of Prophet Ayub (A.S) where it appears that prophet Ayub at some point of his life was inflicted with psychological problem which he described as a touch of Shaitan. Touch of Shaitan affects your psychology as Ayat 2:275 informs us. Shaitan does not have any control over our body, it effects our thoughts.

Allah prescribes to Prophet Ayub (A.S) to do exercise with foot i.e brisk walking or jogging, use cool water for bathing and drinking. Recognize the root cause of your mental anguish and directly strike on that cause.

The word  ضِغْثًا Zigzan in 38:44 means confusion, bogey, a mishmash of things, and represents the confusion and fears in human psyche which causes mental problem and pains. Allah requires to strike this directly and make a covenant to overcome this problem.

38:41  وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا أَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ

And remember our servant Ayub, When he called to his Lord that “Shaitan/Satan has touched me with a portion and a punishment.”

Please note that the touch of Shaitan affects a person psychology, because Shaitan does not have any physical control over you, it only affects your thoughts.

38:42  ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ ۖ هَٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ

Race with your foot/masculine manners, this is the cool bathing room and drink.

Allah gives the remedy for phychological problems;  Exercise/jog and use cool water for shower and for drinking.

38:44  وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثًا فَاضْرِب بِّهِ وَلَا تَحْنَثْ ۗ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا ۚ نِّعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ

“And take the CHIMERA/Bogey with your hand then strike with it, and you do not perjure. Surely We found him patient, blessed is our servant surely he did return.

Hold and recognize the cause of mental anguish/chimera/bogeyman, and strike it directly. Make a covenant of truth with Allah, that you will not be overwhelmed by this chimera again

7:201  إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ

Those who are pious/take guard, when any evil from the satan touches them, they remember (Allah), then they get the insight.

 42:39  وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْبَغْيُ هُمْ يَنتَصِرُونَ

 And those who, when a wrong reaches them, they help themselves

With the remembrance of Allah, the hearts get satisfaction. If any believer is wronged and hurt and feeling oppressed,  the believer should help himself with the knowledge of the fact that the oppressor who have oppressed him will meet similar fate (by Allah) and will be fully recompensed by Allah for his wrongful acts. And also that the misfortune which has befallen on him, is test by Allah to see how he performs under the adverse circumstances.

The below portion of Ayat 2:275, tells us the touch of Shaitan affects one’s mind.

2:275  الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ

Those who eat AR-RIBA / THE INCREASE  do not take a stand except like that he stands to madness from the touch of shaitan / Satan

Notes:

A lecture about Shaitan;

http://iipctvstream.com/eng_satan_old.html

http://iipctvstream.com/urdu_satan.html

Response to Blasphemy

Aijaz Islam, Religion, sprituality, Uncategorized , ,

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

What should be believers’ response to some one who tries to insult Allah or the Messengers of Allah? Tauheen-Risalat is a hot topic these days as well.  Lets review some of the related ayahs to this topic in Al-Kitab;

25:63   وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا

And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant ones address them, they say,”Salam/Peace!”

28:55  وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا اللَّغْوَ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا نَبْتَغِي الْجَاهِلِينَ

And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say. “To us our deeds, and to you yours; peace be to you. we seek not the ignorant ones.”

It seems that some people were calling the Messenger (PBUH), possessed or crazy (NB). Allah confirmed that the Messenger by the grace of Allah is not that. The instruction to Messenger is to exercise patience on what they say and stay away from these people in a beautiful way.

68:2  مَا أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ

You are not, by the Grace of your Lord, mad or possessed.

73:10   وَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْرًا جَمِيلًا

And have patience with what they say, and leave them with noble way (dignity).

Note that the instruction to the Messenger are not to kill them, or take revenge but to be patient and leave them with dignity. This should also be the practice of the followers of the Messenger.

4:140  وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۚ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا

He has sent down to you in the Book, that when you hear Kufr/Covering of ayahs of Allah and ridicule with (ayahs) then do-not sit with them until they engage in different discourse. if you did, you would be like them. Verily Allah will collect the hypocrites and rejecters in Hell.

6:108   وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَّا لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ عَمَلَهُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِم مَّرْجِعُهُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

Revile not  those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance. Thus We have made alluring to each people their doings. In the end will they return to their Lord, and We shall then tell them what they used to do.

It is the non believers who engage in violent response when something is said against their beliefs, not the believers. See the behavior of Ibrahim’s father in below Ayat:

19:46   قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنتَ عَنْ آلِهَتِي يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ ۖ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ لَأَرْجُمَنَّكَ ۖ وَاهْجُرْنِي مَلِيًّا

(The father) replied. “Do you hate my gods, O Abraham? If you forbear not, I will indeed stone you. Now get away from me for a good long while!”

Allah is not oblivious of the blasphemers. Their punishment is on Allah. Its not for the believers to indulge in any unbecoming response.

41:40   إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا لَا يَخْفَوْنَ عَلَيْنَا ۗ أَفَمَن يُلْقَىٰ فِي النَّارِ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّن يَأْتِي آمِنًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۚ اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

Those who blaspheme in Our Signs are not hidden from Us. Who is better?- he who is cast into the Fire, or he who comes safe through, on the Day of Judgment? Do what you will. verily He sees (clearly) all that you do.

15:94-95 فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ  إِنَّا كَفَيْنَاكَ الْمُسْتَهْزِئِينَ

So proclaim openly what you have been ordered and turn away from the associators (mushrikeen). We (Allah) is sufficient for those mocking/making fun. 

Allah is sufficient for those who make fun and do mockery of the messenger (p.b.u.h). So their retribution should be left to Allah for full compensation. 

Is capital punishment allowed in Quran?

Aijaz Islam, Religion, sprituality, Uncategorized , , , ,

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The concept of Qasas in Quran is that if some one gets hurt from your actions, then  an equivalent compensation  commensurate with the hurt caused, should be paid to him by you.

An equivalency/relationship between the hurt caused and its appropriate equivalent compensation needs to be established keeping in view the circumstances.  In some societies general guidelines exists, for example, in an accident a person loses his leg, what amount should be paid to him as compensation. The hurts can be physical or psychological, but the same rule apply.

Qasas is absolutely not that if someone hurts your eye, then you should hurt his eye too. If someone commits any bad or cruel act, he will have an equivalent misfortune befallen on him either by the Law of the land punishing the person or  some other physical or psychological misfortune inflicted on him by divine intervention.  The believer who has been wronged by someone, need not take his revenge from the oppressor. He has to take help from this knowledge that the oppressor will get full compensation of his oppression as ordained in the Book. If the believer takes his own revenge then again a similar misfortune will befall on the believer himself as per divine law. For example if someone injures your ear wrongly, then as per divine law a misfortune proportionate to the injuring of your ear, will befall on the person doing it. Either he will get punishment from Law or an equivalent misfortune physical or psychological will befall on him. However, if you take a revenge by injuring his ear as well, then similar misfortune of injuring an ear will befall on you as well.

The believers help heal their psychological wounds with this knowledge if they have been wronged or oppressed. They don’t have to burn in the fire of revenge and hatred as this matter to be left to Allah to take care of. The best course of action is to forgive and let go this matter for divine justice.

5:45  وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَالْأَنفَ بِالْأَنفِ وَالْأُذُنَ بِالْأُذُنِ وَالسِّنَّ بِالسِّنِّ وَالْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ ۚ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَّهُ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

And we wrote on them in it (Taurat): “Nafs for Nafs, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds are related.” Thus the one who pays with it, it is an atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge/govern with what Allah has revealed, they are Zalimeen/wrong-doers.

When Al-Kitab mentions ‘an eye for an eye’ it does not mean that you have to take out an eye in compensation of your damaged eye. It means that if you damage some one’s eye, you must pay an equivalent compensation for that wrong doing or otherwise an equivalent form of punishment will befall on you. Ayat 5:45 is sometimes misunderstood in terms of compensation and people think that it means an eye is the compensation of an eye. However if you study Ayat 5:45 and 2:178 together; in the same Arabic syntax in which Ayat 5:45 says an eye for an eye, Ayat 2:178 says a woman for a woman, a slave for a slave. It is evident that if you kill some one’s woman, you will be punished for that crime, not your woman.

2:178  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَى ۖ الْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ وَالْعَبْدُ بِالْعَبْدِ وَالْأُنثَىٰ بِالْأُنثَىٰ ۚ فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌ فَاتِّبَاعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَاءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَانٍ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ تَخْفِيفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۗ فَمَنِ اعْتَدَىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

O you who believe! the Qasas is written on you in murder. the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty.

2:179  وَلَكُمْ فِي الْقِصَاصِ حَيَاةٌ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

In Qasas there is Life to you, o ye men of understanding; that ye may restrain yourselves.

Ayat 2:178 says that qasas is written on you which means qasas is mandatory on believers. (same syntax as fasting is written/mandatory on you in Ayat 2:183). However, Quran ordains that qasas is for life not for death in Ayat 2:179. It means that capital punishment is not allowed.  Ayat 17:150 states that the ‘wali’ of the victim should not transgress in killing as he is the helped one ( i.e he will get compensation and help from Allah as well).

17:33  وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ۗ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا فَلَا يُسْرِف فِّي الْقَتْلِ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنصُورًا

Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority; let him nor exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped one.

42:39  وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْبَغْيُ هُمْ يَنتَصِرُونَ

 And those who, when a wrong reaches them, they help themselves

The believers help themselves when they are wronged from the knowledge of the fact that the oppressor who have oppressed them will meet similar fate (by Allah) i.e fully recompensed by Allah for their wrongful acts.

42:40  وَجَزَاءُ سَيِّئَةٍ سَيِّئَةٌ مِّثْلُهَا ۖ فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ

The recompense for a wrong doing is a similar wrong doing (which will be inflicted by Allah). but if a person forgives and makes correction, his reward is due from Allah. for (Allah) does not love those who do wrong.

The point here is that the recompense of the wrong will be inflicted by Allah, therefore taking revenge is not allowed, and the person who forgives with this knowledge, will be compensated by Allah.

42:41  وَلَمَنِ انتَصَرَ بَعْدَ ظُلْمِهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَا عَلَيْهِم مِّن سَبِيلٍ

But indeed if any do help themselves after a wrong (done) to them, against such there is no way.

If the believer retaliate to an oppressor with a similar wrongdoing, then he will be in the same boat, therefore the believers must help themselves with the knowledge that this is not their way of doing things.

42:42  إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ النَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

This way is for those who oppress people and do wrong-doings in the Earth without right, for such there will be a grievous penalty.

42:43  وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ

and the one who shows patience and forgive, that would truly be from the great affairs

41:34  وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ

Nor is goodness and Evil equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better. Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were your friend and intimate!

Again it is said that that goodness and badness are not equal. The order for the believers is to respond to badness and hurts with something much better. They have to respond the wrongdoing on them with a good response and the result will be end of hatred among former enemies.

Notes:

26:93  مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ هَلْ يَنصُرُونَكُمْ أَوْ يَنتَصِرُونَ

“‘Besides Allah? Can they help you or help themselves?’

The Arabic word Antasar means ‘to help one self’ as evident in above Ayat. This is to illustrate that this word has been translated by all translators as to ‘help one self’ in this Ayat, however, on other occasions in Quran, some of the translators have translated this word as revenge, which is not the case.

16:126  وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُوا بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُم بِهِ ۖ وَلَئِن صَبَرْتُمْ لَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لِّلصَّابِرِينَ

If ye punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith ye were afflicted. But if ye endure patiently, verily it is better for the patient ones.

If the scope of oppression falls under criminal code, then society and law of the land will follow the criminals. The punishments for any crime should be proportionate to the crime as prevalent in most judicial systems in the world. The oppressed ones should be patient as worldly judicial system takes their time in execution. Even, if the judicial system in the world fails to impart appropriate punishment to the criminals, there is no way that they will escape their due punishment from Allah.

Related links:

https://www.iipccanada.com/category/english-video-lectures/govern-yourself/

http://iipctvstream.com/eng_psy_hurts.html