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Old Friday, November 16, 2012
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Civilisation and religion
By Muhammad Ali

16,November 2012


THE study of religion has been a phenomenon of interest. It is because of this curiosity that historically different perspectives have been developed to understand, interpret and extract meaning from religious concepts and practices.

Some of the dominant approaches have been theological, jurisprudential, spiritual etc.

However, with developments in human knowledge, particularly with the emergence of the disciplines of sociology and anthropology, the civilisational or cultural perspective has become a dominant feature in the study of religion.

Broadly speaking, the civilisational or cultural perspective attempts to understand religious concepts and practices through cultural viewpoints and expressions. According to this perspective, faith cannot be exercised in a cultural vacuum.

Rather, it needs a context.

Therefore, faith and culture are integrated. Where religious concepts shape the culture of a society, religion gets influenced by culture. Hence to understand religion one needs to explore and reflect on the multidimensional expressions such as literature, music, art, architecture, philosophy etc. of a culture or society.

Islam is a revealed religion with a long and dynamic history.

During its extended history, Islam has voyaged through different societies and inspired them. The inspirations from the divine message have been expressed differently in various contexts. The colourful expressions of Muslim societies can be observed in their rich cultural/intellectual heritage such as literature, architecture, art, calligraphy, theology, philosophy and so on, that they have contributed to civilisation.

The civilisational dimension of Islam has received less attention from academia in comparison to the theological dimension. Even today Islam is discussed narrowly following the mediaeval logical approach. The majority of educational institutions in the Muslim world are still concentrating on the theological aspect in their study of Islam.

However, a few institutions and individuals are making conscious efforts to include the cultural dimension of Islam in the areas of research and study. For instance, Marshall Hodgson`s book The Venture of Islam is one of the examples that explore Islam as a civilisation rather than a set of theological, abstract concepts.

Why do we need the cultural approach to study Islam? This perspective may be significant for different reasons. First, this approach provides a broader perspective to look at a religion.

It does not focus on one area. Rather, it encompasses all the activities taking place in a society. It does not judge the different cultural expressions. Rather, it explores them to understand. It encourages making space for differences by appreciating the diverse expressions.

Secondly, this approach attempts to understand the process of cultural and religious diversity in society. Today, in many Muslim societies the question of `pure` culture is emerging as a challenge. Sometimes certain cultures are seen as superior or more Islamic and efforts are made to impose these on others by force. This question has created internal polarisation among different groups of people.

There is a dire need to understand that cultural purity is a relative concept and one culture cannot fit all Muslims across the world. The context matters in different aspects of life such as clothing, food and housing. For example, living in a desert area demands different clothes and food as compared to people living in mountainous areas.

The cultural approach provides space for people to tolerate and appreciate differences rather than put others down by force. Hence, it would be helpful for Muslims to understand each other and reduce the conflict within Muslim societies.

Thirdly, the cultural approach is important to learn from history how Muslims responded to challenges in the past in different contexts. It would be helpful in identifying and analysing the factors that support or contain a society`s development and progress. It will lead towards devising new responses for emerging challenges rather than only depending on the past.

Furthermore, this perspective provides an opportunity to people to understand the interaction between different civilisations and faiths. Historically, civilisations have interacted and negotiated with each other. Where there are differences among civilisations there are many commonalities as well.

The process of studying religion through the cultural perspective facilitates understanding and creates harmony between different faiths and civilisations. The civilisational approach will be helpful for Muslims as well as others to understand the common ground for coexistence.

In addition, the civilisational approach also encourages learners to be creative in learning from the past and applying it to the present. This approach leads the learner to move from the domain of memorisation to comprehension, application and creation. Ultimately, as a creative approach it leads to a higher level of learning and understanding.

This perspective also includes the practices of common people.

Historically, it has been observed that while exploring the history of religion mostly the elites and rulers have been in focus while the common people have been left out. Thus the civilisational perspective in studying religion is a more inclusive one.

In sum, today we are living in a complex and multicultural world. Such a world demands creative and inclusive approaches to understand the complex issues of contemporary societies.

We need to reflect on our understanding of religion in order to reconcile it with the challenges of the contemporary world.

In this regard the civilisational approach can be instrumental in bringing a fresh outlook to understanding and reinterpreting religious concepts and practices.

We need to include this perspective in our curriculum along with other traditional approaches. It will help our younger generation to understand their religion in a broader perspective, particularly in comprehending the importance of context in religion.
• The writer is an educator.
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Civilisation and religion
By Muhammad Ali | 11/16/2012 1200 AM


THE study of religion has been a phenomenon of interest. Itis because of this curiosity that historically different perspectives have been developed to understand, interpret and extract meaning from religious concepts and practices.

Some of the dominant approaches have been theological, jurisprudential, spiritual etc.

However, with developments in human knowledge, particularly with the emergence of the disciplines of sociology and anthropology, the civilisational or cultural perspective has become a dominant feature in the study of religion.

Broadly speaking, the civilisational or cultural perspective attempts to understand religious concepts and practices through cultural viewpoints and expressions. According to this perspective, faith cannot be exercised in a cultural vacuum.

Rather, it needs a context.

Therefore, faith and culture are integrated. Where religious concepts shape the culture of a society, religion gets influenced by culture. Hence to understand religion one needs to explore and reflect on the multidimensional expressions such as literature, music, art, architecture, philosophy etc. of a culture or society.

Islam is a revealed religion with a long and dynamic history.

During its extended history, Islam has voyaged through different societies and inspired them. The inspirations from the divine message have been expressed differently in various contexts. The colourful expressions of Muslim societies can be observed in their rich cultural/intellectual heritage such asliterature, architecture, art, calligraphy, theology, philosophy and so on, that they have contributed to civilisation.

The civilisational dimension of Islam has received less attention from academia in comparison to the theological dimension. Even today Islam is discussed narrowly following the mediaeval logical approach. The majority of educational institutions in the Muslim world are still concen-trating on the theological aspect in their study of Islam.

However, a few institutions and individuals are making conscious efforts to include the cultural dimension of Islam in the areas of research and study. For instance, Marshall Hodgson`s book The Venture of Islam is one of the examples that explore Islam as a civilisation rather than a set of theological, abstract concepts.

Why do we need the cultural approach to study Islam? This perspective may be significant for different reasons. First, this approach provides a broader perspective to look at a religion.

It does not focus on one area. Rather, it encompasses all the activities taking place in a society. It does not judge the different cultural expressions. Rather, it explores them to understand. It encourages making space for differences by appreciating the diverse expressions.

Secondly, this approach attempts to understand the process of cultural and religious diversity in society. Today, in many Muslim societies the question of `pure` culture is emerging as a challenge. Sometimes certain cultures are seen as superior or more Islamic and efforts are made to impose these on others by force. This question has created internal polarisation among different groups of people.

There is a dire need to understand that cultural purity is a relative concept and one culture cannot fit all Muslims across the world. The context matters in different aspects of life such as clothing, food and housing. For example, living in a desert area demands different clothes and food as compared to people living in mountainous areas.

The cultural approach provides space for people to tolerate and appreciate differences rather than put others down by force. Hence, it would be helpful for Muslims to understand each other and reduce the conflict within Muslim societies.

Thirdly, the cultural approach is important to learn from history how Muslims responded to challenges in the past in different contexts. It would be helpful in identifying and analysing the factors that support or contain a society`s development and progress. It will lead towards devising new responses for emerging challenges rather than only depending on the past.

Furthermore, this perspective provides an opportunity to people to understand the interaction between different civilisations and faiths. Historically, civilisations have interacted and negotiated with each other. Where there are differences among civilisations there are many commonalities as well.

The process of studying religion through the cultural perspective facilitates understanding and creates harmony between different faiths and civilisations. The civilisational approach will be helpful for Muslims as well as others to understand the common ground for coexistence.

In addition, the civilisational approach also encourages learners to be creative in learning from the past and applying it to the present. This approach leads the learner to move from the domain of memorisation to comprehension, application and creation. Ultimately, as a creative approach it leads to a higher level of learning and understanding.

This perspective also includes the practices of common people.

Historically, it has been observed that while exploring the history of religion mostly the elites and rulers have been in focus while the common people have been left out. Thus the civilisational perspective in studying religion is a more inclusive one.

In sum, today we are living in a complex and multicultural world. Such a world demands creative and inclusive approaches to understand the complex issues of contemporary societies.

We need to reflect on our understanding of religion in order to reconcile it with the challenges of the contemporary world.

In this regard the civilisational approach can be instrumental in bringing a fresh outlook to understanding and reinterpreting religious concepts and practices.

We need to include this perspective in our curriculum along with other traditional approaches. It will help our younger generation to understand their religion in a broader perspective, particularly in comprehending the importance of context in religion. • The writer is an educator.
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Contracts recognised in Islam
By Sidrah Unis



BUSINESS enterprise and market mechanism are more often than not governed by a set of rules and regulations which not only entail a system of profit and loss sharing but also lay down a clear cut mode of accountability, sureties, guarantees and the works.

So, a complex system evolves whereby business, be it in the form of trade and commerce, industry, agriculture or banking for that matter can be carried out smoothly and efficiently. At the core of every such structure, regardless of its size, so put up, lies a contract or innumerable contracts which define the work relationship between associates.

Islam recognises a contract and enjoins fulfilment of promises entered into through it, “O you who believe! When you contract a debt for a fixed period, write it down. Let a scribe write it down in justice between you…” (2282; “O you who believe! Fulfil (your) obligations.” (501); “… fulfil (every) covenant. Verily, the covenant will be questioned about.” (1734).

In order for a contract to be valid in Islam, certain conditions have to be satisfied. First and foremost, the contracting parties should be legally competent to enter into a contract. A person is legally competent if he or she is an adult and sane. A contract essentially involves an offer and an acceptance. Further, the subject matter of the contract must be lawful. Keeping in view public good and for the purpose of discouraging unethical investments, Islam has forbidden dealing in commodities declared haram i.e. commodities like pork, wine, drugs, etc., whose use and consumption has been forbidden to Muslims.

The agreement should not involve gharar or risk referring to transactions wherein the characteristics of the subject matter itself are not certain or clearly laid down be it with regard to form or quantity so such a deal involves an element of risk similar to gambling.

The Prophet (pbuh) has forbidden the purchase of the unborn animal in its mother`s womb, the sale of milk in the udder without measurement, the purchase of spoils of war prior to their distribution, the purchase of charities prior to their receipt, and the purchase of the catch of a diver. The last prohibition pertains to payment for whatever a diver may catch on his next dive. This has been prohibited because the payer does not know what he is paying for. Also, any contract wherein the element of riba, be it express or implied, is present has been strictly forbidden.

Riba literally means `increase.` In Shariah, it is an addition over and above the principal amount i.e. paying money for the use of money. The Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet expressly prohibit riba. “And that which you give in gift (to others), in order that it may increase (your wealth by expecting to get a better one in return) from other people`s property has no increase with Allah…” (3039).

The contract should have clarity and the contracting parties should be honest and avoid any form of concealment; “And mix not truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth…” (242). Islam has also forbidden entering into a transaction when it would prove detrimental to the interests of another person already entering the same. The Holy Prophet once said “A person should not enter into a transaction when his brother is already making a transaction and should not make a proposal of marriage when his brother has already made a proposal except when he gives permission.”

On the whole, any condition or term of contract which does not conform to Islamic laws makes the contract invalid. It has been reported that Burairah came to Aisha and said, “My people (masters) have written the contract for my emancipation for nine ounces of gold to be paid in yearly instalments, one ounce per year; so help me.” Aisha replied “if your masters agree, I will pay them the whole sum provided the allegiance will be for me.” Burairah`s masters refused the offer.

When the Holy Prophet came to know of this he told Aisha, “Buy Burairah and stipulate that her allegiance will be for them, as the allegiance is for the slave-freer.” Aisha did so. Later, the Holy Prophet addressed the people and said, “What is wrong with some people who stipulate things which are not in Allah`s laws? Any condition which is not in Allah`s laws is invalid even if there were a hundred such conditions. Allah`s rules are the most valid and Allah`s conditions are the most solid. The allegiance is for the slave-freer.”

Broadly categorised, the following are some forms of contract recognised in Islam.

Shirkah In this form of contract, the contracting parties enter into a joint investment in a business enterprise and share profits and losses. The former is shared equitably in accordance with the agreement whereas the latter is shared in proportion to the capital invested.

Wadiah This is a contract whereby any object or deposit is kept for safe keeping with a person who is not its owner. The depository in this case becomes the guarantor and guarantees return of the object or deposit to the depositor when he so demands it.

Bay This is an agreement between two parties i.e. the buyer and the seller whereby ownership of property is transferred from one person to another at a price. This includes a contract of exchange whereby ownership of a commodity is transferred from one party to another in exchange of another commodity as agreed to between the parties, the same being trade by barter system.

Ijarah It literally means `to give something on rent.` This is of two kinds. Firstly, it refers to hiring of services of another person where wage serves as a consideration. Simply put, it covers the contractual relationship of an employer and an employee. The employer is referred to as `musta`jir` whereas the employee is called `ajir`. The second case, which is analogous to leasing, refers to transferring the usufruct of a certain property to another on payment of rent. The lessor is called `mu`jir` whereas the lessee is called `musta`jir`.

Ariyah This is a gratuitous loan of an object to another for a specific period of time after passing of which the item so loaned is returned to the lender.

Rahn Also called collateralised borrowing, a debtor in this case places a valuable asset in the custody of the creditor as collateral for debt incurred. In case of default in payment by the debtor, the creditor can dispose of the collateral.

Last edited by marwatone; Friday, January 18, 2013 at 02:19 PM. Reason: Quote removed. Kindly don't quote the entire articles.
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Thoughts on Haj


By Nikhat Sattar
Nov 23, 2012


The pilgrimage to Makkah, a muchdesired goal in life for most Muslims,had always seemed a distant probability. It was surprising then that when a sudden decision was made to perform Haj this year, I agreed without any trepidation.

The first six days in Makkah were peaceful. The next few days spent in Madina, mostly at the Masjid-i-Nabavi, the initial structure of which was laid by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), are a treasured memory and showed Islam in all its diversity. People from literally every country in the world stood up for each of the five daily prayers, but several had different ways of performing these.

The Quran was available in several languages, including in Braille. Particularly visible were both young and old hajis from Central Asian countries. It was both touching and a lesson in humility to watch a young woman from Dagestan and an older one from Indonesia communicate using sign language.

People visit the holy places to find solace, seek absolution, peace and strength. Everyone finds something or the other, and returns with a passion for another trip.

We had our first exposure to the single-minded ferocity of crowds during the first tawaf. Televised pictures show a sea of humankind moving in almost rhythmic and circular waves. As you move towards the Maqam-i-Ibrahim or try to get a closer look at or touch the Hajr-i-Aswad, you will be pushed and pulled in all directions unless you can maintain your feet on the ground.

With bruised arms and an almost ruptured kidney, I was ableto recognise groups from certain countries and steered away from them during later tawafs.

Perhaps the most painful experience was the failed trip to the Riaz-ul-Jannah in the Masjid-i-Nabavi, located next to the resting place of the Prophet. The graves of Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar are located next to that of the Prophet, while the Riaz-ulJannah, as its name suggests, is said to be one of the gardens in heaven.I expected a quiet place of dignity, silence and contemplation, where people would stand in reverence, with bowed heads, recite the salaam and slowly walk away. What one found instead was mayhem, physical fights between overzealous pilgrims who wanted to get ahead and poorly equipped volunteers who beseeched the unruly crowd to remember where they were.

Women chanted loudly and pushed with all their might. Was this the behaviour of people who revered and loved their benefactor? Could the authorities not have helped by posting signs requesting silence, putting barriers for some sort of queues, or by posting more and better trained women instead of just two to manage hundreds of people? Also, one had not realised how the sanitation system and lack of facilities would put pressure on our frail human physique. The Saudi government needs to be lauded for its monumental efforts each year to facilitate the increasing number of pilgrims. But it may be even more important to pay attention to the quality of facilities.

The camps at Mina were crowded, badly planned with inadequate sanitation services, made worse by extremely poor civic sense and lack of communal spirit among the pilgrims. For the three nights, we survived on sips of water and a few biscuits. People ate and threw garbage everywhere, and not even once were the toilets, the bins or the pathways cleaned.

We spent the compulsory few hours each day in Mina standing or sitting outside, or walking along the streets away from the camps. Outside, people sat, slept and ate alongside piles of rubbish.

South Asians in general and Pakistanis in particular demonstrated their worst attributes in two aspects. One was their almost total disregard for cleanliness of any sort. The other was complete lack of discipline in making lines and queuing up for food, tokens or getting on or down from a bus.

Haj, it seemed, has also become an accomplishment, to be attached to names, displayed in homes and bragged about in public. Many, if not all, were busy taking videos and photographs of each other in various poses, including in extending their hands for dua. It was a social and religious symbol of piety, and pictures had to be taken to prove this.

The books we were provided with before departure contained strictures for women not to mingle with groups of men and to keep to themselves. However, nowhere did we find any instructions telling men how to behave towards women. All training sessions were conducted by men, and issues related specifically to women were addressed in detail by them.

Despite the number of women exceeding that of men, the facilities for women were less adequate, poorer in quality, particularly in the way of toilets, washing and ablution places, prayer areas and arrangements to hear and participate in duas.

Makkah, Madina, but most of all the Kaaba are magical places. Haj itself is a magical experience. To gain from it as much as possible, one needs to be considerate, quiet, clean and have an environment that facilitates dignity.

Haj organisers and would-be hajis would do well to undertake training in communal living, proper behaviour in mosques and sacred places, cleanliness and waiting for their turns, and above all, consideration for others. Perhaps we can then hope for the spirit of Haj and Islam to be revived.

http://epaper.dawn.com/~epaper/Detai...1_2012_006_009
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The Value of Prayer.


By Ahmed Raza
30, November 2012


PRAYER constitutes the kernel of human existential reality. The act of prayer links every human being with God.

The core of the human self overcomes its immense loneliness in this universe by engaging in the act of prayer.

Every word uttered during this act liberates us from fear and pain. However, the most important attribute of prayer resides in its ability to let us become part of the great cosmological interdependence created by God. Our prayers put us in direct communication not only with the Absolute Being, but also other creatures of the world. Prayers are as necessary a part of human existence as the rising of the sun for the general sustainability of life on earth.

The cognitive programmes of the human self are so coded by God that man likes to connect with this ultimate reality in the darkness of night. Do the words whispered and spoken loud or resonating in hearts have any consequences? They do seem to possess an affective and cognitive importance.

Clinical research published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice has shown that repetitive and sequential cueing to human infants makes them respond to those stimuli.

These infants respond to sequences of laughter and anger.

Psychologist Jean Piaget has also conducted studies with children on their concept of God.

He has argued that children relate to God the way they relate to and understand their parents. Their understanding of God is connected to and shaped by their understanding of their parents and their role in their life. However, they experience a transformation in their cognition of God when they realise the `fallibility` of their parents.

They start associating omniscience and omnipresence with the being of God. In fact, praying to God is nothing but a psychological reflection of our childhood cognitive resonances with that living reality, which gives meaning and broader relevance to our finite being within the general scheme of the cosmos. We are grounded in our prayers. This removes from ourselves the burdens of personal, cultural and historical incongruities.

The Quran also points to this cognitive programming of the human ego to reach out for God. In one of the verses of the Holy Book, God speaks to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and informs human beings that if they shall seek Him, their prayers shall be answered.

God hears the call of human beings and responds to them.

Prayer thus creates an ontological relationship between the human and the divine. The words uttered in the darkness of midnight with joyful pain in the heart and tears in the eyes make a person the centre of the cosmic design. His heart resonates with the divine.

Prayer also indicates that there is a cosmic register which records our joys and pains without any alteration. The Quranic verse, `...We are closer to him [man] than [his] jugular vein` (50:16) testifies to this effect. Where else should human beings look for the healing of their pains, fears and losses, if not to the `Closest One`? We discover when the moment of death arrives that we spent our entire lifetime seeking worldly status, power and money. We were enamoured with childhood games and chased butterflies which were never meant for us.

All religious traditions of the world have been engaged with this ceaseless desire to communicate with the living reality of the world. The Hindu yogi, the Buddhist bhiksu, the Christian monk and the Muslim fakir all have yearned over the ages to understand the cosmic soul and find effective ways and means to establish grounds of communication.

Some through self-mortification, some through meditation, some through sheer solitude and some through invocation have established authentic psychological practices which not only enlighten one`s ego but help in linking with the living reality of the cosmos.

The energy which is experienced by the praying ego can also be felt by other creatures of the world. The Quran testifies to this fact by telling us that the birds would join Prophet Daud in his prayers (38:17-20).

The Quran consistently through the exemplars of the prophets teaches every human being how to pray, using what words and at what time and seek which of God`s blessings. One can read in the Quranic text prayers for seeking forgiveness, prayers for thanksgiving, prayers for seeking knowledge, prayers for moral and spiritual growth, prayers for peace and purity of heart, prayers for bounty and giving, prayers for learning to worship God, and prayers for protection from the hidden evil of the world. Everything in the world knows its forms of prayer and remembrance of God.

Prayer leads our ego to the centre of our being which is nothing but a continuous participation in the cosmic nexus of eternity, life and immortality. According to the mystic Abdul Karim Naqshbandi, the words uttered during prayer and invocation from the lips of a mortal (man) makes him immortal and eternal because of the very intensity and energy of these words.

The mystic Bayazid Bustami states that God lives in the broken heart of a praying ego while Jalaluddin Rumi says in his famous Masnavi that the rhythmic beats of the goldsmith`s instruments are nothing but the reverberations of the living and praying heart.

The midnight prayers and solitary weeping do make a difference. They link us to the only true source of all life the eternal and living God.

• The writer is a social scientist based at the University of Management and Technology, Lahore.
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Women's access to holy places.

by Asghar Ali Engineer
07, December 2012



RECENTLY a women`s organisation in Mumbai, the Akhil Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Association, conducted a survey and found that in 18 Sufi mausoleums women are prohibited from entering the astana, or sanctum sanctorum, in which they were previously allowed.

Main among these mausoleums is the Haji Ali dargah, which is highly popular among non-Muslims as well. Hundreds of non-Muslims, particularly Hindus, can be seen visiting this dargah.

The report was released to the press and caused a furore. It became a hot topic of discussion attracting full media attention.

A number of newspapers and TV channels began focusing on why women cannot enter mausoleums and mosques.

Is it really prohibited? And if so why and on whose authority? In fact for everything Muslim maulvis and maulanas rush to consult hadith, and if something is stated in the hadith they follow it without question.

They do not want to understand that even if a hadith is authentic it has a context and the Prophet (PBUH) said something in a particular context. Our ulema simply quote hadith completely ignoring the context. According to some scholars, it was for this reason that the Prophet discouraged people from collecting hadith as he knew it would cause a lot of problems after his passing.

Naturally, when the press questioned some ulema about prohibiting women from entering dargahs they promptly quoted hadith and said since it is prohibited in the traditionsrney cannor oe anowea. in fact they were not even honest enough to state that the whole issue is controversial. Some quote hadith from Imam Bukhari saying it is prohibited while some quote hadith from Muslim saying it was prohibited but later on the Prophet allowed it.

In fact the Holy Prophet had prohibited women from entering cemeteries because some women would embrace the graves of their loved ones and wail. The Prophet always discouraged excessive weeping, wailing and breast-beating and encouraged dignified ways of grieving.

Women were found to be grieving in such a manner more than men and hence the Prophet discouraged women from entering cemeteries but later allowed it if they visited graves in a dignified way.

But many ulema (aslaf), who thought that women are weak and unable to control themselves, ignored this later tradition of the Prophet and treated it as an absolute ban and enforced it wherever they could.

The Prophet was very humane and had asked women to avoid going to cemeteries out of consideration, but some of his followers treated it as an absolute ban. There is no other reason for banning entry of women in cemeteries and in fact they are as much entitled to enter cemeteries and visit the graves of their loved ones as men.

One maulana even went to the extent of saying that women`s entry to dargahs is banned as when women enter a dargah they (the Sufi saints buried there) see them unclothed.

There is a limit to absurdity of belief.

How could the saints, who strictly controlled their passions during their lifetimes, give in to temptation and be disturbed by women after their deaths? Religion is something noble and transcendent and should not be stretched to such absurd lengths. Such comments show the intellectual level of some people.

In fact, instead of raising ourselves to the high moral level of religion we drag it down to our lowly thinking. I need not repeat here that the Quran has accorded equal dignity to women.

In South Asia women are not allowed to enter mosques whereas they are allowed everywhere else, including the holiest mosque, the Kaaba, where men and women pray together and perform the tawaf (circumambulation) of the Kaaba together.

The Prophet clearly has said that do not stop Allah`s female servants from entering His house, yet our ulema do not allow them to enter mosques. Is it not because of their misogyny? I asked one maulana if Friday prayers were obligatory for women and should they not pray in mosques on Friday as men do? He said they should but then who would cook the afternoon meal if women were in the mosque? The maulana did not even know that under the rules of maintenance it is for a man to either serve cooked food to his wife or pay for a cook, as per the Fatawa-i-Alamgiri.

The Quran, through its teachings, has tried to take us beyond the status quo so that women could realise their full potential and dignity but men, with their hardened patriarchal attitudes, have not been ready to accept gender equality as it hurts their male ego. Hence through various means men have managed to lower women`s dignity to pre-Islamic levels.

The Islamic world has an unenviable record as far as women`s rights are concerned. If Muslims are serious about Islamic teachings it is high time they raise themselves to the level of the Quran and accord women what is due to them.

The Quran and hadith both lay great stress on acquiring knowledge (ilm) and yet our ulema have issued fatwas instructing believers not to teach women beyond what is necessary to perform their obligatory rituals like prayers etc.

It is a matter of great shame and the earlier we rectify things the better it would be for us. Women`s education and high status is a sine qua non for our progress.

• The writer is an Islamic scholar who also heads the Centre for Study of Society & Secularism, Mumbai.
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Default Islam on good governance

NO nation can dream of development without good governance. It is an essential prerequisite for all state and non-state organisations to abide by the principles of good governance in order to move forward and attain the goal of public welfare.

At the state level, it is considered important and connected with a nation’s overall development and its sustainability. People cannot make progress unless they follow the principles of good governance. Good governance is a culture that makes people act responsibly, thoughtfully and conscientiously.

They behave with restraint and avoid abuse of power. People in authority act within the parameters of the law and take upon themselves the country’s concerns and hardships. They remain impersonal in the discharge of their duties and imperturbable in front of critics. They respect popular will but never go beyond their tether.

Unfortunately, during the course of Muslim history we have hardly seen any worthwhile examples of good governance. The majority of Muslim lands remained under dynastic rule; most rulers were despots, self-serving and a law unto themselves.

Their princes used to fight for the throne and their infighting often led outsiders to invade. They were least concerned about the welfare of their subjects. Common people had very limited access to the corridors of power.

However, we have a shining example when the Holy Prophet (PBUH) became head of the state of Madina and exemplified good governance. He created a bond of brotherhood among the Muslim citizens, concluded agreements with non-Muslims and remained concerned about their welfare. He upheld the Islamic value system in which justice remains central. He declared that all humans are the offspring of Adam and that there is no difference between Arab and non-Arab (Ajam).

Islam is a religion which guides us in all aspects of human life. Our value system originates mainly from the Holy Quran and our progress is forever dependent on its application. We find a number of Quranic injunctions considered to contain the essentials of good governance.

First is the concept of amanah (trust). Allah says that to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth.

Every human being is a trustee on earth. All his possessions, including health, wealth, livelihood, power and status belong to Allah. One who performs his or her duties honestly and diligently is upholding his amanah.

Allah enjoins believers to “…Betray not Allah and His Messenger, nor betray knowingly your amanah [things entrusted to you and all the duties which Allah has ordained for you]” (8:27). In the light of this concept, no one in authority is absolute; one has to remain answerable to his conscience.

Another important principle of good governance is that the ruler must be sincere and of impeccable character. He must consider himself not a ruler but a servant. Similarly, he should be mindful of his every act, that it should not harm his subjects. Those who transgress their limits are the most disgraceful, and the Quran refers to them as zalimoon.

Merit is also one of the important principles of good governance, whereby all appointments in state and non-state organisations are made on the basis of competence. Every human is born with certain inherent competencies and those who actualise their competencies with hard work, integrity and honesty get a premium.

Nature rewards them for being active and hardworking. The Quran says “And that man can have nothing but what he does” (53:39). In meritocratic societies people upgrade themselves professionally and grow economically due to their performance, competence and ability.

Islam encourages Muslims to acquire knowledge and occupy the best position in their societies. We read the life story of Hazrat Yousuf who was in captivity but was called to head the food ministry because of his high degree of competence and knowledge. He was thus able to prevent the impending famine.

Here knowledge became fundamental in governance. Many Western societies are ahead of us because of knowledge and it is the demand of the present time that our parliament and all lawmaking and law-enforcing bodies be occupied by knowledgeable people.

Similarly, the concept of taqwa is also closely linked to good governance. It is an all-inclusive concept which says that every believer should be mindful of Allah’s omnipresence and be aware of accountability. We live in the constant presence of Allah. No act goes unrecorded and no one escapes the accountability of his or her doings. If a public servant develops such a sense of Allah’s presence in his mind and heart, it would result in peace and well-being in society.

The absence of taqwa in any society often leads towards unethical practices. For example, our present-day society is in the grip of widespread corruption. This is the result of poor governance over the years.

When a politician submits a fake degree to stand in elections, when a police party kills a person in a fake encounter, when a businessman evades taxes, when a builder uses outdated material, when a teacher skimps on class work in order to sell his time privately and when a doctor recommends a drug to gain commission from a pharmaceutical firm then the concept of taqwa is grossly violated. The foundations of society are undermined and the nation’s future is ruined.

Many think they will escape judgement but the Quran says “And We have fastened every man’s deeds to his neck and on the Day of Resurrection We shall bring out for him a book which he will find wide open” (17:13).

The writer is an educationist.

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The symbol of Adam

THE Quranic discourse on the nature of Adam is multilayered and symbolic. It ranges from biological to metaphysical dimensions connected to the existence of Adam.

But the most important aspect of the Quranic discourse is the unveiling of the spiritual dimension of Adam. God addresses the angels and reveals His intention that He has decided to send Adam as His representative on earth (2:30).

The angels collectively object to this selection on the grounds that Adam will shed blood on earth and create disorder. God replies to this angelic objection by saying that “…I know which you know not”.

Then Adam, on orders from God, demonstrates his competence to comprehend everything and name things micro as well as macro (2:31-32). The biological Adam became the spiritual Adam when the divine touch was applied to him (7:11). Therefore Adam became a perfect combination of knowledge, soul and desire.

It was the desiring aspect of Adam which made him vulnerable to the allurements of Satan (Iblis). Adam and Eve tasted the fruit of the forbidden tree; this revealed the deviant dimension of their self, rooted in their biological structure, which led to disobedience and compromise on their immortality.

This also revealed the dialectical aspect of Adam’s nature. That he was capable of unleashing good and evil from the core of his being simultaneously. That now he has to rediscover lost immortality by a subtle synthesis of knowledge, soul and desire. This was the beginning of the historical Adam on earth.

Shaikh-ul-Akbar Mohyieddin Ibn al-Arabi in his book Fusus-ul-Hikam has opined that God chose Adam to be His representative on earth because he (Adam) reflected the essential attributes of the divine in his cosmological design. He was chosen by God to be the microcosm for the entire creative process.

He was the mirror of realities in which the possibilities of the macrocosm (cosmos and its constituents) perfectly found expression. The microscopic and macroscopic dimensions of the cosmological processes are programmed in his very being.

The key to this cosmic treasure chest lies within the very being of Adam.

His ontological attributes, which include knowledge, soul and desire, equip him sufficiently to engage with all levels and all forms of cosmic realities. The strife between good and evil is primordial. It co-evolved with the very origin of the tribe of Adam on earth.

The first blood was shed by the son of Adam. Cain murdered Abel. He did this because his nature was a combination of knowledge and desire. He was after power and domination. Abel refused this killing allurement because his nature was a combination of knowledge and soul. He let his brother kill him because he had an innate sense of empathy, altruism and self-sacrifice.

This was the first historical scuffle of good and evil. The subsequent history of the race of Adam bears testimony to the dialectical engagement of self-corruption and self-purification, between accumulation and distribution of wealth and between hate and love.

According to the Biblical narrative, Cain thus founded the first city. The city became a symbol of inequality, domination and control of fellow men. On the contrary, Abel’s worldview of a nomadic life upheld equality, sharing and empathy as the basis of human existence on earth.

Most of the social, economic and political problems of the tribe of Adam on earth are connected with eternal struggles between the two opposing worldviews. Slavery, violence, genocide, oppression and accumulation of wealth are the legacy of the tribe of Cain. Peace, meditation, freedom, spiritual liberation and mutual sharing of economic resources are the characteristic attributes of the tribe of Abel.

Those who follow the worldview of Abel may not be millionaires, but they are more close to their self, more peaceful at heart and more kind and generous to their fellow brothers and sisters. Whatever they possess — social or economic capital — is open for all. They share it with all human beings without any discrimination on the basis of colour, race, language, sex and nationality.

They rise at midnight and pray to God. They seek forgiveness and mercy from God. They tremble at the thought that they might have been unjust to someone and seek guidance from God.

The cultural contradictions of our age are also rooted in our historical legacy. The desire to control the entire resources of the earth is ceaseless and unending. The power to dominate and enslave people is abundant. The combination of knowledge and desire has become the dominant paradigm of our global civilisation. Those who fit into the ‘myth of competitive advantage’ are allowed to exist. Those who cannot must carry the burden. They must suffer and perish.

One can witness the global economic peril of inequality in societies of Asia, Africa and Latin America. On the other hand, much of the global wealth and resources are controlled by a few nations of the world.

This time around the tribe of Cain has arrived on the bandwagon of globalisation. The external impetus to this is provided by meek nations who let the powerful take control of their economy, agriculture, manpower and natural resources.

The internal strength to this mammoth economic giant is injected by the almighty multinational corporations, the unequal control of knowledge and technology, the powerful neo-capitalism of global stocks and share markets, and the marketisation of pleasure by all sorts of objects, foodstuffs, brands, beliefs and bodies. The indomitable footprint of the tribe of Cain is everywhere.

The writer is a social scientist based at the University of Management and Technology, Lahore.
ahmadelia@gmail.com

http://dawn.com/2012/12/21/the-symbol-of-adam/
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Plurality of Expression
By Muhammad Ali

December 28, 2012



RELIGION is viewed as divine inspiration and as guidance for the salvation of human beings. When the divine message, which reveals itself through allegorical and symbolic language, is understood and practised by people in different contexts with different focuses, the understanding appears in the form of multiple interpretations.

Hence, in the presence of multiple expressions, if a particular interpretation is considered `the` interpretation instead of `an` interpretation and when attempts are made to impose it through force, it causes conflict and polarisation in society.

According to William Chittick, an eminent scholar in Islamic learning, Islam appeals to different dimensions of human needs such as the mind (intellectual), the heart (spiritual) and the body (rule and law).

Historically, Islam has been understood differently by different groups of people. For example, the theologians and philosophers put emphasis on the intellectual aspect (mind), the Sufis focused on the spiritual dimension (heart) and the jurists paid attention to the legal aspect of Islam.

In the formative period of Islam, there were major developments in different areas of human knowledge in the Muslim world such as theology, philosophy, jurisprudence, Sufism, art, architecture and science. Those developments are considered a valuable contribution of Muslims to human civilisation.

It shows that in the early period of Islam, Muslim societies were considerably flexible and open to studying religion through different perspectives.

The diverse exegeses of the Holy Quran during that period reflect people`s interest in understanding Islamic teachings with the help of prevailing knowledge and science.

Society then was also comparatively open to learning from other traditions. For instance, during that period Greek philosophy and science was given considerable attention. The books of Greek philosophers were translated into Arabic and conscious efforts were made to relate them to Islamic thought.

Hence this trend of seeking knowledge from different sources helped Muslims to develop an environment where different views could be tolerated and accepted.

Today, we live in a globalised and multicultural society. This society demands a paradigm of thinking which leads to appreciation of multiple perspectives. In this context, we can learn from the formative period in order to develop a culture of tolerance and acceptance of the plurality of views.

There is a need to re-examine our way of thinking and argument, which is mostly influenced by Hellenistic logic. This logic basically encourages debate and rejection instead of understanding and appreciation. Maltese thinker Dr Edward de Bono has called this way of argument `rock logic` based on the paradigm `I am right, you are wrong`, which leads to conflict and polarisation. Today, we require a `water logic` that encourages understanding of different perspectives through dialogue.

Today we need the culture of dialogue rather than debate.

Dialogue leads to understanding of different perspectives with a win-win approach. Debate can lead to rejection with a winlose mindset. From the debate approach it is difficult to develop the culture of harmony and coexistence in a diverse society like Pakistan.

In understanding religion we need to adopt the paradigm of a humble student rather than a proud scholar. When religion is approached with humility, it helps one realise that human attempts to understand the divine message cannot be the final or absolute understanding; rather, a continuous effort is required. On the other hand when religion is approached with scholastic vanity, one tends to reject other perspectives. In such a rigid environment learning stops and stagnation prevails.

In this regard, Maulana Rumi`s allegory about the elephant is very powerful in understanding attitudes towards the truth.

According to Rumi, once an elephant was brought to a place where people had not seen such an animal before. The elephant was put in a dark room and six people were asked to touch the creature and describe it.

The first man touched the elephant`s leg and reported that the unknown phenomenon was similar to a tree trunk. The second man touched the elephant`s stomach and said that the elephant was like a wall. The third man touched the elephant`s ear and asserted that the phenomenon was precisely like a fan.

The fourth man touched the elephant`s tail and described the beast as a piece of rope. The fifth man felt the elephant`s tusks and declared the phenomenon to be a spear. The sixth person touched the elephant`s snout and announced the phenomenon was a snake.

The six men started arguing to prove their observation to be correct. However, when the elephant was brought out from the dark room all of them were surprised. They had touched only one part of the elephant but assumed they had absolute knowledge about the creature. Similarly, we understand one aspect of faith and view it as the absolute understanding.

Developing a culture of dialogue and acceptance of the plurality of expression is not an easy job. In this regard education, media and other social institutions can play a vital role to inculcate the culture of acceptance and appreciation of plural interpretations.

In short, our society today is facing critical challenges in the form of violence and polarisation. There is a dire need to understand that we cannot eliminate the differences which have been part of our history. Rather, we need to learn to live with the differences by accepting and celebrating them. In this regard we need to develop new lenses to look at the plurality of expression.

• The writer is an educator.
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Default Vaccinators targeted

RECENTLY we read with great pain that extremists in Pakistan killed several women who were active in administering anti-polio drops to children.

Many feel that one of the reasons behind the attacks was that the extremists think an international conspiracy is afoot to reduce the population of Muslims in the world, and the anti-polio drops make a person impotent.

Some Muslims and mosque imams in India too thought likewise and in their Friday sermons asked Muslims not to allow social workers to administer anti-polio drops to their children.

But in India it was just an appeal. No one was physically harmed, much less killed. In Pakistan the extremists believe in a culture of violence. For them the only solution to their orders being defied is to shoot people dead. For example, Malala Yousufzai was shot — but thankfully survived — because she did not obey the Taliban’s call to stop advocating education for girls.

Those who kill others in the name of Islam can hardly be called Muslim, let alone pious Muslims. In order to be a pious Muslim one has to be just. The Quran says that “…Do justice, it is closest to piety….” (5:8)

How can one claim to observe the norms of justice by killing others? Justice is something most difficult to do. Even for murder we require at least two pious and honest witnesses and to prove rape or fornication we need four such witnesses. One has to make sure, according to Sharia, that before accepting their testimony, the witnesses are honest and pious. Testimony cannot be accepted from just anyone.

To kill someone without justification is a great sin. The Quran says that “…Whoever kills a person unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he has killed [the] whole humanity. And whoever saves a life, it is as if he has saved the whole humanity….” (5:32). This is a very important statement of the Holy Book.
Life is sacred. It is not so cheap that anyone can kill any other person just like that. If life could be taken by anyone at any time, entire humanity would be wiped out in the course of time.

Perhaps the extremists need to ask themselves which rule of Sharia has prescribed that administering anti-polio drops should be punished with death? Besides, this cure did not exist in the early days of the faith. The orthodox elements greatly resist any change in Sharia law even with proper justification, but do not hesitate to change Sharia or invent new laws through false reasoning when it suits their interests. This is what killing women administering anti-polio drops amounts to. It is pure innovation with false justification.

These very extremists would not mind producing and selling drugs through smuggling to buy weapons and destroy thousands of young lives. All intoxicants are strictly prohibited in Islam, particularly liquor and drugs, and yet the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan are known to be producing and smuggling drugs to buy weapons.

I have attended an anti-drugs conference in Afghanistan and know how thousands of people are suffering because the Taliban want weapons. Even a number of women are addicted to drugs in Afghanistan. So much for the version of Islam propagated by the Taliban.

Also, whoever said that anti-polio doses make men impotent? Have they done any research on that? Or do they believe only in hearsay? To believe in something without confirming its truth is highly condemned by the Quran. The Holy Book calls it zann (suspicion, guess). The Quran condemns zann. In some cases it says it is a sin, in other cases it is described as personal desire and nothing to do with the truth. The Holy Book advises believers to avoid zann as much as possible.

If the extremists have proof the anti-polio drops are harmful, let them produce it. Or do they want these young children to be afflicted with polio and remain disabled for life? Life is a beautiful gift from Allah. Do they want this beautiful gift to become an affliction for these young ones? That too on the basis of mere suspicion or guesswork?

Also, this campaign has been launched by the UN to eliminate this curse from earth and make our lives healthier and happier. It is far from aimed at reducing the number of Muslims. Polio doses are being administered throughout the world. The whole of humanity is benefiting from the campaign, particularly in Africa and Asia where most of the world’s poor live. Perhaps it is a conspiracy of the Taliban to paralyse the coming generation of Muslims so they live at their mercy and through their charity.

There is so much emphasis in the Quran and hadith on knowledge (ilm). Instead of encouraging science and learning Muslim extremists are being ignorant and superstitious. They want to keep Muslims in the darkness of ignorance through the sheer power of the gun.

Muslims are in fact duty-bound to eliminate ignorance and usher in an era of enlightenment. But the Taliban do not want modern education, especially for women, do not want modern medicines and do not want freedom for anyone. Instead they are spreading the gun culture. Is this Islam?

We have to produce young Muslims to counter this menace of extremism as it is no less a curse than polio.

The writer is an Islamic scholar who also heads the Centre for Study of Society & Secularism, Mumbai.

DailyDawn: Friday, 4th January, 2013
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