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Common Grounds for Muslim Unity

Mahmud ul Hasan — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:20:48 +0000

The Eastern and Western colonialists are finding themselves confronted with sporadic manifestations of a brewing world-wide Islamic movement. Not surprisingly, they have launched an all-out offensive on the Islamic Revolution in Iran and other Islamic uprisings elsewhere, because tbey could not afford to sit idle and witness the flourishing and strengthening of their only viable enemy. After all, Islam is challenging them both as a more popular alternative.

Muslims in common believe that there is no god but Allah

Thus the colonialists resorted to every trick and gimmick they had in their bag to bring the Islamic Revolution down to its knees. When all their tricks had failed, they had recourse to their old and ever winning ploy, namely spreading seeds of dissunity and division amongst Muslims. Therefore, the all-cutting double edged weapon, i. e. Sunni-Shi ite issue, was brought out of the old trick-bag and thrust into the limelight.

The world-oppressors have realized that if world-wide Muslim unity ever materializes, their oppressive rule over the world will be ended.

It is therefore the duty of every concerned Muslim, throughout the world, to combat such division-mongers and neutralize their activities.

World-wide Muslim unity is the only key to the liberation of Muslim nations from the domination of the world-devourers, to the liberation of Quds from the claws of Zionism, and the only way to restore the old glory and magnificence of the Muslim Ummah, and bring about a genuine appreciation of this Divine Religion by the world population. The important reality is this: Now that Iranian Muslims have offered themselves as the sharp edge of a Muslim’s weapon to cut headlong into the heart of the self-confessed enemies of Islam, it is most apt to expect all the world-Muslims to take an active part in the actualization of such grand and sacred ideal. And if they choose not to, they are bound to regret their negligence, some day.

Grounds for Unity

Muslims commonly believe that Muhammad[s] is the last Prophet of Allah

The heartening fact is that Muslims of various sects have far more areas in commmon than points of difference. What is noteworthy is that the few points of variance are often grabbed and magnified by the malicious enemies of Islam to the extent that they overshadow the common principal areas. To counteract this plot, world-Muslims must reverse the order. They must concentrate more on their common grounds and unite on the basis of all the principles they commonly share.

Allah-Almighty says: “And obey Allah and His Apostle and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart, and be patient; surely Allah is with the patient.” Glorious Quran 8:46.

In the Holy Verse quoted above, two principal principles that are commonly shared by ALL Muslims are highlighted. These are obedience to God and His Prophet. Then it concludes that if Muslims observe these two principles, they will never fight each other and therefore, they will never lose their power and dignity. Muslims are commanded by this Verse to display more tolerance and patience over matters of differences only then will Allah assist them.

Considering the Divine Command in the Quranic Verse quoted above, and given the present position of Islam in the Muslim world, most of which is under military, or economo-political domination of Eastern and Western colonialists, the duty of every Muslim individual, wherever he or she may be, is extremely heavy and demanding.

Any negligence in bringing the hearts and minds of Muslims together will be equal to a sin. By the same token, any attempt to fan the flame of differences amongst Muslims will be tantamount to open and unforgivable betrayal to Islam.

Today, world-Muslims have the potenntial power to withstand all the satanic powers and liberate Afghanistan, Palestine and other usurped lands from the claws of the Eastern and Westorn world-devouters.

Common Viewpoints on All Basic Issues

Muslims believe in common that Quran is the final book revealed by Allah

In the hope of such unity and to take a concrete step towards it. let us outline the major principles that are commonly shared and accepted by ALL the world-Muslims:

LA-ILAHA lLLA-ALLAH, there is no god but Allah.
MUHMMAD RASULUL-LAH, Muhammad (s) is the (last) Prophet of Allah
QURAN is Alah’s Holy Book revealed to His Prophet, Muhammad (s).
KA’BAH is accepted by all Muslims as their Qiblah,
FIVE TIMES DAILY PRAYERS, and FASTING in the month of RAMADHAN every lunar year.
HAJJ PILGRIMAGE for those who arc financially capable.
JIHAD: Despite all the attempts by the colonialists to fling the notion of Jihad into oblvion, Muslims of all sects are still firmly and unanimously committed to the duty of Jihad to defend the banner of Islam.
ENCOURAGlING GOOD DEEDS AND DISCOURAGING BAD DEEDS: “And from among you there should be a party who invite to good and enjoin what is right and and forbid the wrong,a nd these it is that shall be successfull.” Holy Quran 3:103.

“You are the best of the nations raised up for the (the benefit of) mankind, you enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” Holy Quran 3:109

“An be not like those who became divided and disagreed after clear arguments had come to them and these it is that shall have a grievous chastisement”. Holy Quran 3:104

Muslims believe that Kaaba is their Qibla

In addition to the principles outlined above, there are also other important issues which fortunately enjoy common consensus of all Muslims. These include various views of different sects of Islam on Islamic government, Islamic financial affairs, social relations, international laws, military policy and other important issues. Differences of openion in such matters, if at all, are few far between and may easily be overlooked.

Therefore, what seems to have hindered, and continues to hinder, a mutual understanding between Muslim bretheren from different sects has been lack of attention to the comon ground for unity.

Practical Solutions

In the past, many attempts have been made by Sunni and Shi’ite scholars and alert individuals to bring about a realization of Muslim unity. Although some progress has been made, the ultimate goal has not yet been achieved because of the numerous obstacles placed in its way by those who stand to benefit from Muslim disunity.

Fortunately, after the Islamic Revoluttion in Iran and the measures taken by Imam Khomeini, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and other great Muslim schollars, most of the obstacles have been removed, and the ground has been paved for Muslim unity to materialize, Most of the colonialist plots have been unveiled and the general consciousness of Muslims in relation to political Issues in Islam and world conspiracies against the Muslim Ummah has been raised, and, the Islamic Republic of Iran together with all its resouurces have been placed at the disposal of the Muslim Ummah to achieve their long awaited sacred ideal of UNITY. By draing upon such resources and the well-paved ground, great steps may be taken towards Muslim unity. This opportunity must not be missed.

There is now extremely close and cordial co-operation in all areas between the Shi’ies and their Sunni brothers in Iran As members of the initial Assembly of Experts, Iranian Sunni representatives co-operated with the Shi’i representatives in drafling the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the Islamic Consultative Assembly, too, Sunni deputies alongside Shi’i deputies serve the Muslim Nation of Iran, Some Sunni scholars are currently members of the Assembly of Experts. In provinces where Sunnis and Shi’ites live together, Councils for Friday-prayer leaders are formed by joint membership of sunni and Shi’ite scholars.

The Sunnis and the Shi’ites are fighting their common enemy in the battlefronts against both foreign invaders and domestic hypocrites and infidels. During the imposed war, a considerable number of our Sunni brothers, including some Sunni scholars, had been martyred in their defence of the Islamic Revolution.

These are vivid examples of how Muslims can unite together under the banner of LA-ILAHA ILLA`ALLAH, while continuing to follow their various faiths (madhabs.)

What do we mean by Muslim Unity?

Muslims believe that prayers are prescribed five times a day

One interpretation is that all Muslims Shi’i and Sunni abandon their specific beliefs and only believe in the common area of the faiths, and practise accorrdingly.

Another interpretation can be that one of the faiths is chosen by general consent and then everyone will follow this chosen faith. The fact of the matter is that neiither of these two interpretations are correct because:

The notion of Muslim unity does not necessarily mean the Unification of beliefs and uniformity of practical rituals of various Islamic faiths, and
Such proposition is by no means feasible.

What is meant by Muslim unity is that Muslims of all various Islamic faiths, while maintaining their specific beliefs and adhering to their specific rituals, should support the exalted interests of Islam in their social, political, military, economic, and cultural relations with other Muslims. And that, they should act, so to speak, as a “solid front” in their confrontation with the enemies of Islam.

Now let us consider some of the major components of one of the most plausible solution.

Negation of racialism. The Holy Quran refers to all Muslims as one “single Ummah” and declares as null and void all illusory privileges”Surely this is your Ummah (global community), and one Ummah (only), and I am your Lord, therefore serve Me.” Holy Quran 21 : 92.Enemies of Islam attempted to divide the Muslims by, among other things, hoisting flags of ‘nationalism’ and ‘racialism’ at them, and exciting their jingoistic sentiiments. Hence the emergence of such collonialist labels and “isms” as: Pan-Arabism’, ‘Pan-lranism’, ‘Pan-Turkism’, etc.
We must hasten to add that the type of Muslim unity we are calling for here does not, at all, mean that all Muslims should forsake their homeland and all the customs and traditions that go with it. Nor are we advocating any form of expansionism of any kind.
Raising the consciousness of MuslimsThe root cause for the predicament of Muslims is their ignorance and lack of appreciation of ISLAM. What caused the decIme of the Muslims, with all their grand civilization in the past, was merely their devialion from the path of Islam and Islamic teachings. In the world today, no serious attempts are being made to further the consciousness and awareness of Muslims in the fields of Ummah-wide issues, Islamic learning and major current affairs of the world at Iarge.In this respect, the Islamic Revolution in Iran has produced a positive impact and has, to some extent, paved the way for the realization of such an ideal. The fulfilment of this holy objective, however, requries the co-operation and co-thinking of the entire population of Muslim theorists, scholars and revolutionaries, world-wide.
Enjoining Truth
“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. I swear by the Time. Most surely man is at a loss, except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and enjoin truth on each other to (follow) the truth, and enjoin one another to patience.” Holy Quran Surah Al-Asr

Muslims must give guidance to one another. They must communicate to to other Muslims what they reckon and believe to be the truth. The part played by “Enjoining Truth” is significant one in that it contributes towards truth amongst Muslims. In this way, an atmosphere of Muslim brotherhood coupled with a sense of truth-seeking and truth-telling will previde the norm for social code of conduct in the Muslim community.

Only if such major pre-requisites are met, can Muslim unity be acheived.

To conclude on a blissful note some quotations from Imam Khomeini on the notion of Muslim Unity:

What can solve the predicament of Muslims is brotherhood amongst them.

Shi’i and Sunni brothers must avoid any discord, for discord amongst us today is to the benefit of those who believe neither in the Hanafi faith, nor in the Shi’i faith nor indeed any other faith.

We must pay attention to this notion that we are all Muslims, and that we all believe in Monotheism (oneness of God) and the Holy Quran.

Sunni and Shi’i brothers ought to do their best to safeguard their unity. Making an issue out of ‘Shi’i’ and ‘Sunni’ is (in effect) acting against Islam. There is no difference between ‘Sunni’ and Shi’i, we are all Muslims.

I emphasize the point that Islam is our only shelter. Under the glorious bannner of Islam, all (social) groups will be given their right. Foreign agents, who find their interests in jeopardy, have brought up the ‘Shi’i-Sunni’ subject in a bid to provoke our Sunni brothers. These agents want to create discord by craft and mischief.

In the Islamic Republic, the Shi’ite and the Sunni are side by side and treat each other as brothers; and they enjoy equal rights, Anyone who propagandizes to the contrary will be an enemy of Iran and Islam.

The (only) country where the basis of unity has taken shape is Iran; unity between the Shi’ites and the Sunnis, as well as between the Govemment and the Nation.

One of the biggest and most basic problems of the Muslims is lack of unity amongst them, the root cause of which is with the heads of Muslim countries.

Those godless agents fan the fire of discord; and whenever the foundation is laid for Muslim unity, they launch an all out opposition, and sow seeds of disunity.

All the word-Muslims should pay attention to the verses In the Quran that have been revealed in connection with Muslim unity They should invite other Muslims to unite and hold fast to the covenant of Allah, that is Islam itself.

He who believes in Islam does not fan the fire of discord and dispute at a time when we must triumph through Muslim unity.

Note:This article was originally written by Masih Mohajeri in the Octobet 1991 edition of “The Muslim Review”. This post has minor corrections to comply with historical changes.

The right of Prayers

Afrah Wafeeq — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:52:32 +0000

It is the right of prayers that you know that it draws you close to God and that you are standing before God so when you understand that you are before God you should stand in prayer as one who is humble, the implorer, fearful, desirous, in need and hopeful. Respect Him by standing in silence, motionless with eyes in submission. Offer your prayers with a good voice and confidence. Beg Him to forgive you your sins, your mistakes and to help you to keep yourself pure. There is no power except by God.

The right of your Stomach and Organs

Afrah Wafeeq — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:34:14 +0000

It is the right of your stomach that you should not turn it into a garbage can of unlawful food and that you should not over-eat because eating into gluttony and shamefulness instead of giving you strength. You should keep it under control when hungry or thirsty bcause over eating causes laziness, hinders work and cuts a person away from every good and noble deed. Drinking makes a person seem to be ideotic, ignorant and humiliated.

It is the right of your sexual organs to protect them from unlawful use and to help yourself in this task by keeping your eyes lowered because this is the best aid remembering death and warning yourself of God’s wrath and His punishment for the transgressors. And God is salvation and help. There is no power or strength but with Him.

The rights of your Hand and Feet

Afrah Wafeeq — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 17:40:28 +0000

It is the right of your hand that you should not extent it to what is forbidden to you, otherwise, you will earn punishment from God in the life hereafter and condemnation from people in this life.

You should not withhold it from any action which God has obliged you to do. You should enhance the honor of your hand by withholding it from unlawful things and by extending it only for good deeds whether or not they be obligatory upon you, because if the actions of your hands are based on wisdom and nobility, they surely will get good rewards in the life hereafter.

It is the right of your feet that you should not use them to go to places forbidden to you. You should not make them your mount to take dishonorable way because your feet are the conveyors which take you on the path of religion and advancement.

And there is no power but with God.

The Rights of your Tongue, Ears and Eyes

Afrah Wafeeq — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:05:12 +0000

The right of your Tongue
It is the right of your tongue for you to respect it and not make use of it to utter obscenities. You must use it and train it for good words and good deeds. You must discipline your tongue so that it remains silent except at times of necessity and for material and spiritual benefit. Refrain it from superfluous, reviling, useless talk which may cause harm and has little benefit. The tongue bears a witness to mental power and acts as a guide to our ideas. Its good deeds gives us wisdom.

The right of your Ears
It is the right of your hearing organs that you should not make use of them to listen to that which may turn your heart away from the truth(Islam). You should earn yourself a noble character by listening to that which is permissible because the ears are the doors which allow words to reach the heart. They carry the various ideas, both good and bad.

The right of your Eyes
The right of the your sense of sight is to keep it removed from those things which you are not allowed to see. You should only make use of it in a place which will teach you a lesson by which you may increase your spiritual sight or may gain some knowledge because the sense of sight is the door of perception.

Faculties of the Soul: Their Effects and Characteristics

Afrah Wafeeq — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:58:22 +0000

At the time of its creation, the soul of man is like a clean tablet, devoid of all faculties (traits), whether good or evil. As one progresses through life, he develops faculties which are directly related to the way he lives, thinks, and acts. The speech and deeds of man, when repeated over a long period of time, produce a lasting effect in the soul which is known as a “faculty”. This faculty penetrates the soul and becomes the origin and cause of man’s actions. In other words, the human soul becomes used to these faculties, establishes a union with it, and determines the human being’s direction in accordance with their dictates. If these faculties (malakat) are noble, they manifest themselves as moral and wise speech and behavior in man. If, on the contrary, they are evil and base, they are manifested through immoral and perverse behavior.

Visual presentation of Faculties of the Soul: Their Effects and Characteristics [please be patient file size: 110kb]

These very faculties play the decisive role in determining the fate of the individual in the eternal world of the Hereafter. The soul shall be accompanied there by the same faculties that it was associated and united with in this world. If these faculties are virtuous, the soul shall have eternal bliss, and if they were wicked ones, it shall face eternal damnation.

This matter of malakat provides the answer to those who say how could the Compassionate and Merciful God condemn an individual to eternal damnation for a sin committed in a short span of time. The thing to keep in mind is that when a sin committed repeatedly leads to the development of a faculty in man, since this evil faculty is incorporated in the soul, the punishment and torture which accompany it will also afflict the soul. The Quran says:

And every man-We have fastened to him his bird of omen upon his neck and We shall bring forth for him, on the Day of Resurrection, a book he shall find spread wide open. Read thy book! Thy soul suffices thee this day as a reckoner against thee. ( 17:13-14)

and

And the book shall be set in place; and thou wilt see the sinners fearful at what is in it, and saying, `Alas for us how is it with this Book, that it leaves nothing behind, small or great, but it has numbered it?’ And they shall find all they wrought present, and thy Lord shall not wrong anyone. (18:49)

and

The day every soul shall find what it has done of good brought forward, and what it has done of evil; it will wish if there were only a far space between it and its deeds. (3:29)

Credits to this article and diagram:

Muhammad Baqir Ansari - Condensed from Arabic
Shahyar Saadat – Translated into English
Syed Gul Muhammed Naqvi - Original visual & diagrammatic styles

This post is Part of these posts:

“Characteristics of Human Soul“
The Collector of Felicities
The Meaning and Origin of Akhlaq
Faculties of the Soul: Their Effects and Characteristics
coming soon..The Soul and its Powers.

Souls Purification and Adornment

Afrah Wafeeq — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:42:32 +0000

Moral virtues in man gain him eternal happiness, while moral corruption leads him to everlasting wretchedness. It is therefore necessary for man to purge and purify himself of all evil traits of character and adorn his soul with all forms of ethical and moral virtues. Moreover, without having cleansed oneself of all evil habits, it would be impossible to nourish and develop moral virtues in oneself. The human soul can be compared to a mirror in this regard. If we wish to see something beautiful reflected in a mirror, we must first cleanse the mirror, so that dust and dirt do not disfigure the reflection. Any attempt to obey God’s commands would be fruitful and successful only when one has purified himself of evil habits and tendencies; otherwise, it would be like putting on jewels on a dirty and unwashed body. When self-purification has been completed and one is completely rid of all evil habits of thought, speech and action, then the soul is ready to receive the unlimited grace of God. Such reception is the ultimate reason for which man was created.

Visual presentation of Souls Purification and Adornment: [please be patient file size: 188kb]

In truth, God’s grace and the Divine mysteries are always accessible to man. It is man that must purify his soul and develop within himself the necessary receptivity to benefit from the infinite grace of his Creator.

There is a tradition of the Holy Prophet (S) which says:

The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog.

How is it possible, then, for the rays of God’s grace and Divine illumination to enter a heart filled to the brim with immoral, selfish, and bestial desires? The hadith of the Prophet (S): (meaning, “My religion is based on cleanliness“), does not refer to outward cleanliness alone; more than that it alludes to the inner purity of the soul.

In order to attain ultimate and final perfection, it is necessary to traverse the path of struggle against selfish lusts and immoral tendencies which may exist within the soul, and thus to prepare the soul to receive the grace of God. If man sets foot on the path of self-purification, God shall come to his aid and guide him along the path:

And [as for] those who struggle in Our cause, surely We guide them in Our ways. (29:89)

Credits to this article and diagram:
Muhammad Baqir Ansari - Condensed from Arabic
Shahyar Saadat – Translated into English
Syed Gul Muhammed Naqvi - Original visual & diagrammatic styles

This post is Part of the previous posts:

“Characteristics of Human Soul“
The Collector of Felicities
The Meaning and Origin of Akhlaq
coming soon..Faculties of the Soul, their Effects and Characteristics.

The Meaning and Origin of Akhlaq

Afrah Wafeeq — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:40:10 +0000

The word akhlaq is the plural for the word khulq which means disposition. “Disposition” is that faculty (malakah) of the soul which is the source of all those activities that man performs spontaneously without thinking about them. Malakah is a property of the soul which comes into existence through exercise and repetitive practice and is not easily destroyed.

Visual presentation of Man’s Range of Perfection and Attainment: Click here

A particular disposition (malakah) may appear in human beings because of one of the following reasons:

Natural and physical make up: It is observed that some people are patient while others are touchy and nervous. Some are easily disturbed and saddened while others show greater resistance and resilience.
Habit: Which is formed because of continual repetition of certain acts and leads to the emergence of a certain disposition.
Practice and conscious effort: Which if continued long enough will eventually lead to the formation of a disposition.

Even though the physical make-up of an individual produces certain dispositions in him, it is by no means true that man has no choice in the matter and is absolutely compelled to abide by the dictates of his physical make-up. On the contrary, since man has the power to choose, he can overcome the dictates of his physical nature through practice and effort, and can acquire the disposition of his choice.

Of course, it should be admitted that those dispositions which are caused by the mental faculties such as intelligence, memory, mental agility, and the like, are not alterable. All other dispositions, however, may be changed according to man’s will. Man can control his lust, anger and other emotions and desires, and channel them to edify himself and propel himself along the path of perfection and wisdom.

When we speak of man’s capacity to bring about changes in his dispositions, we do not mean that man should destroy his instincts of reproduction or self-preservation. Man could not exist without these instincts. What we mean is that one should avoid going to either extremes in regard to them, and maintain a condition of balance and moderation so that they may perform their functions properly. Just as the seed of a date grows into a fruitful tree through proper care, or a wild horse is trained to serve his master, or a dog is trained to be the lifelong friend and a help to man, so also can man attain perfection and wisdom through self-discipline and intelligent perseverance.

Human perfection has many levels. The greater the amount of self-discipline and effort on the part of the individual, the higher the level of perfection that he would attain. In other words, he stands between two extreme points, the lowest of which is below the level of beasts and the highest of which surpasses even the high station of angels. The human movement between these two extremes is discussed by `ilm al-akhlaq or the science of ethics. It is the goal of ethics to raise and guide man from the lowest animal state to that exalted position superior to that of the angels.

The importance of ethics is thus revealed. And it is because of the reasons mentioned above that ethics is considered to be the most exalted and valuable of sciences; since the worth of any science is directly related to the worth of the subject with which it is concerned, and since the subject of the science of ethics is man and the means through which he can attain perfection. Moreover, we know that man is the noblest of creatures, the ultimate purpose of whose existence is to attain perfection; therefore, it follows that ethics is the noblest of all sciences.

In fact, in the past, the philosophers did not consider any or the other fields of learning to be truly independent sciences. They believed that without the science of ethics and spiritual purification, mastery over any other science is not only devoid of any value, but it would in fact lead to the obstruction of insight and ultimate destruction of those who pursue it. That is why it has been said that which means, `knowledge is the thickest of veils’, which prevents man from seeing the real nature of things.

Continued from the previous post on the topic “Characteristics of Human Soul“, this is the second part of The Collector of Felicities.

How did the Prophet Understood Allah’s Promise of Victory?

Mohammed Shokr — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:48:45 +0000

A common notion prevails in our Muslim community that Allah (swt) will grant us victory if we hold firmly onto the “faith”. And holding onto the faith usually means fulfilling religious obligations such as prayers, fasting, spending in charity, helping the needy, abiding by the Islamic dress code etc. But the Prophet (pbuh) understood something different; that the promised victory of Allah (swt) may be achieved, by the Will of Allah (swt), only when the believers work for it through planning, making the right decisions, and acting bravely while putting our trust in Allah (swt).

To elaborate on this theme let us contemplate the following lesson from the sirah of the prophet (pbuh). In the fourth year after the Prophet’s migration to the city of Al-Madinah, the enemies of Islam from several neighboring communities allied under the leadership of the hostile nobles of Makkah to launch a major attack against the Muslims. They planned to put an end to the fast growing faith. They marched to the city in ten thousand well-equipped troops in what became known as the battle of the Trench (Al-Khandaq). On the advice of the great sahabi Salman Al-Faresy, the Muslims decided to stay in their city and dig a trench around it to prevent the attack. The Prophet (pbuh) took part with hundreds of Muslims in digging the trench.

One of the companions of the Prophet dug down to a strong rock. He tried to loosen it but he did not succeed. He cried for help. Many companions tried with their equipment to split or dislodge the rock, but they failed. Then Umar went to the Prophet (pbuh) and asked for help. The Prophet (pbuh) took the pickaxe and gave the rock a strong blow. A flare flashed back towards south. He then gave it another blow at which a second flare flashed but in the direction of the North. A third blow split the rock into fragments, and this time a flare flashed towards the east. Salman Al-Faresi saw the three flashes and he knew that they would symbolize something, so he asked the Prophet (pbuh) for an explanation. The Prophet said: “By the light of the first flash I saw the castles of Yemen; by the light of the second I saw the castles of Syria; by the light of the third I saw the white palace of Kisra in Persia. Through the first flash, God has opened unto me Yemen; through the second He has opened unto me Syria; and through the third He has opened unto me Persia and Iraq.” A few years later, Allah (swt) did open these three regions; Yemen, Syria and Persia to Islam at the hands of the followers of Rasul Allah.

This is a well-documented story which many Muslims are familiar with but not all of them have developed the same conclusion from it. Some Muslims view it as yet another proof of the truthfulness of Muhammad (pbuh) and the Message he communicated because the promise was actually fulfilled a few years later. Others view it as an assurance that Allah (swt) will eventually grant victory to the believers:

His Promise is certainly to be accomplished. (73:18)

But this is not all what one can conclude from the story. In order to draw the most profound lesson, one has to look at what happened between the moment of the appearance of the sign of the three flares and the final moment when Syria, Persia and Yemen were opened to Islam.

The Prophet (pbuh) interpreted the Promise of Allah’s victory to be a “request for actions” on his part and his followers’ part. He understood that the fulfillment of the promise has to come at his and his followers’ hands by the Will of Allah (swt). So, he was looking for an opportunity to act upon the “Promise of Allah” which was revealed through the three flares. Such an opportunity came up when the Romans defeated the Persians and took control over Syria. At that time, Muslims in Al-Madinah felt threatened. There was a growing rumor that the Romans would proceed with their military campaign to attack their city. The Prophet (pbuh) then decided to launch a preemptive attack to deter the Roman enemies. In that decision, he was inspired by the sign of the three flares. He certainly did not count on a divine miracle to do the job and have the Promise of Allah (swt) fulfilled for him!

The Prophet gathered the largest and best equipped army that the Muslims ever had at that time, and led them to what became known as the battle of Tabuk. The march to Tabuk took place exactly twenty months before the Prophet’s death. He was over 60 years of age. He had gone through a life of intensive struggle. He had achieved his goal of opening Meccah and had almost the entire Arabia submitted to Islam. He could have had rest at that time, especially as he had full trust that Allah (swt) would fulfill His promise to open the lands of Syria, Persia and Yemen. Yet, all those reasons did not sway him from what he understood to be his duty; to plan and work to have the Promise of Allah (swt) fulfilled.

The Prophet marched to Tabuk only to find that the Roman army retreated inside their borders to avoid military confrontation with the Muslims. He then returned with his army to Al-Madinah. Almost twenty months later Prophet (pbuh) decided that the time had come to defeat the Roman’s forces and liberate the people of Syria and Palestine so that they would have a window of exposure to the message of Allah (swt). He ordered a second military campaign, and appointed a young Muslim; Usama Ibn Zayed, who was nineteen years old, to lead an army of three thousand strong fighters. That was only nine days before his death, yet he was as committed as ever to his plan to have the Promise of Allah (swt) fulfilled!

This second campaign did not proceed because the Prophet (pbuh) died. But the idea to open Syria to Islam did not die. Within five years after the death of the Prophet, and under the leadership of the first and the second Caliphs, the Muslim armies conquered the lands of Syria and Persia. They defeated the strong empires which had controlled those lands. In the decisive battle of Al-Yarmuk, Khalid ibn-al-Walid, the great Muslim military leader, defeated the Romans and overran Syria and Palestine. In another decisive battle known as Al-Qadissya, Sa’ad ibn-abi-Waqqas, another great Muslim military leader, defeated the Persian armies and overran the lands of Iraq and Persia. The promise of Allah has now been fulfilled. Between the sign of the three flares and the moment of opening the three regions to Islam lies the great lesson that we must always keep in mind.

When The Prophet (pbuh) received the Promise of Allah (swt), he did not lay back and wait for the victory to be fulfilled through a divine miracle though he believed in divine miracles. He never turned away from the course of planning and struggling to have those promises fulfilled though he knew that Allah (swt) had the Best Plan. He was inspired by Allah’s Promise and he turned this inspiration into actions. That is the core lesson from this story and that is perhaps what is meant by the Qur’anic command that was directed to Prophet Yahya (John) (pbuh):

O’Yahya hold of the Book with might. (19:12)

Characteristics of Human Soul

Mahmud ul Hasan — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:21:31 +0000

Man has a soul and physical body, each of which is subject to its own pleasures and diseases. What harms the body is sickness, and that which gives it pleasure lies in its well-being, health and whatever is in harmony with its nature. The science that deals with the health and the maladies of the body is the science of medicine.

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The diseases of the soul constitute evil habits and submission to lusts that degrade man doom to the level of beasts. The pleasures of the soul are moral and ethical virtues which elevate man and move him closer to perfection and wisdom bringing him close to God. The study that deals with such matters is the science of ethics (‘ilm al-akhlaq).

Before we commence a discussion of the main topics of our subject, we must prove that the soul of man is incorporeal, possesses an existence independent of the body, and is immaterial. In order to prove this, a number of arguments have been set forth amongst which we can mention the following:

One of the characteristics of bodies is that whenever new forms and shapes are imposed upon them, they renounce and abandon their previous forms or shapes. In the human soul, however, new forms, whether of the sensible or of the intellectual nature, enter continuously without wiping out the previously existing forms. In fact, the more impressions and intellectual forms enter the mind, the stronger does the soul become.
When three elements of colour, smell, and taste, appear in an object, it is transformed. The human soul however, perceives all of these conditions without being materially affected by them.
The pleasures that man experiences from intellectual cognition can belong only to the soul, since man’s body plays no role in it.
Abstract forms and concepts which are perceived by the mind, are undoubtedly non-material and indivisible. Accordingly, their vehicle, which is the soul, must also be indivisible, and therefore immaterial.
The physical faculties of man receive their input through the senses, while the human soul perceives certain things without the help of the senses. Among the things that the human soul comprehends without relying on the senses, are the law of contradiction, the idea that the whole is always greater than one of its parts, and other such universal principles. The negation of the errors made by the senses on the part of the soul, such as optical illusions, is done with the aid of these abstract concepts, even though the raw material required for making corrections is provided by the senses.

Now that the independent existence of the soul has been proved, let us see what are the things responsible for its well-being and delight, and what are the things that make it sick and unhappy. The health and perfection of the soul lies in its grasp of the real nature of things , and this understanding can liberate it from the narrow prison of lust and greed and all other fetters which inhibit its evolution and edification towards that ultimate stage of human perfection which lies in man’s nearness to God. This is the goal of `speculative wisdom’ (al-hikmat al-nadariyyah). At the same time, the human soul must purge itself of any evil habits and traits it may have, and replace them with ethical and virtuous modes of thought and conduct. This is the goal of `practical wisdom’ (al-hikmat al-`amaliyyah). Speculative and practical wisdom are related like matter and form; they cannot exist without each other.

As a matter of principle, the term “philosophy” refers to `speculative wisdom’ and “ethics” refers to “practical wisdom”. A man who has mastered both speculative wisdom and practical wisdom is a microcosmic mirror of the larger universe: the macrocosm.